Monday, December 31, 2012

Att Samsung Galaxy S3 - How to know if this is block ?




Yes...as long as it is unlocked you can use it with any carrier that provides a SIM card.

That is what I did. I use to be on ATT then I broke my contract to go with T-Mobile's partnered MVNO Solavei. It was a very easy transition.

While T-Mobile is still going through the re-farming stages and hasn't upgraded throughout St. Louis I still get EDGE in some spots and 4G in others because it is an ATT phone. That is something else you might want to think about if those are options for you when it comes to your phone and who the carrier will be.

Manny

Source: http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/1786738-Att-Samsung-Galaxy-S3-How-to-know-if-this-is-block?goto=newpost

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Chavez suffers new complications in cancer fight

FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2012, file photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, holds up a copy of the Venezuelan national constitution as his Vice President Nicolas Maduro looks on during a televised speech at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez has suffered "new complications" following his cancer surgery in Cuba, Maduro said Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, describing the Venezuelan leader's condition as delicate. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, Marcelo Garcia, file)

FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2012, file photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, left, holds up a copy of the Venezuelan national constitution as his Vice President Nicolas Maduro looks on during a televised speech at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Venezuela. Chavez has suffered "new complications" following his cancer surgery in Cuba, Maduro said Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, describing the Venezuelan leader's condition as delicate. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, Marcelo Garcia, file)

Iconic T-shirts styled with images of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez are displayed for sale next to a T-shirt of Venezuelan musician Ali Primera, in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. The obsessive, circular conversations about Chavez's health dominate family dinners, plaza chit-chats and social media sites in this country on edge since its larger-than-life leader went to Cuba for emergency cancer surgery more than two weeks ago. The man whose booming voice once dominated the airwaves for hours at a time has not been seen or heard from since.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In this photo provided by Cuba's state newspaper Granma, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez , left, talks with Venezuela's Vice President Nicolas Maduro, center, as Venezuelan Attorney General Cilia Flores watches at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana on Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012. Maduro arrived in Cuba to visit Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who is recovering from a surgery_ his fourth operation related to his pelvic cancer since June 2011. (AP Photo/Granma, Juvenal Balan Neyra )

Portraits of Venezuela's independence hero Simon Bolivar, left, and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez are exhibited for sale on folding easels in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. The obsessive, circular conversations about Chavez's health dominate family dinners, plaza chit-chats and social media sites in this country on edge since its larger-than-life leader went to Cuba for emergency cancer surgery more than two weeks ago. The man whose booming voice once dominated the airwaves for hours at a time has not been seen or heard from since.(AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is confronting "new complications" due to a respiratory infection nearly three weeks after undergoing cancer surgery, his vice president said in Cuba as he visited the ailing leader for the first time since his operation.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro looked weary and spoke with a solemn expression in a televised address from Havana on Sunday. He described Chavez's condition as delicate.

"Several minutes ago we were with President Chavez. We greeted each other and he himself referred to these complications," Maduro said, reading from a prepared statement.

The vice president's comments suggest an increasingly difficult fight for Chavez. The Venezuelan leader has not been seen or heard from since undergoing his fourth cancer-related surgery Dec. 11, and government officials have said he might not return in time for his scheduled Jan. 10 inauguration for a new six-year term.

"The president gave us precise instructions so that, after finishing the visit, we would tell the (Venezuelan) people about his current health condition," Maduro said. "President Chavez's state of health continues to be delicate, with complications that are being attended to, in a process not without risks."

Maduro was seated alongside Chavez's eldest daughter, Rosa, and son-in-law Jorge Arreaza, as well as Attorney General Cilia Flores. He held up a copy of a newspaper confirming that his message was recorded on Sunday.

"Thanks to his physical and spiritual strength, Comandante Chavez is facing this difficult situation," Maduro said.

Maduro said he had met various times with Chavez's medical team and relatives. He said he would remain in Havana "for the coming hours" but didn't specify how long.

Maduro, who arrived in Havana on Saturday for a sudden and unexpected trip, is the highest-ranking Venezuelan official to see Chavez since the surgery in Cuba, where the president's mentor Fidel Castro has reportedly made regular visits to check on him.

Before flying to Cuba, Maduro said that Energy Minister Hector Navarro would be in charge of government affairs in the meantime.

"The situation does not look good. The fact that Maduro himself would go to Cuba, leaving Hector Navarro in charge only seems understandable if Chavez's health is precarious," said David Smilde, a University of Georgia sociologist and analyst for the Washington Office on Latin America think tank.

Smilde said that Maduro probably made the trip "to be able to talk to Chavez himself and perhaps to talk to the Castros and other Cuban advisers about how to navigate the possibility of Chavez not being able to be sworn in on Jan. 10."

"Mentioning twice in his nationally televised speech that Chavez has suffered new complications only reinforces the appearance that the situation is serious," Smilde said.

Before his operation, Chavez acknowledged he faced risks and designated Maduro as his successor, telling supporters they should vote for the vice president if a new presidential election were necessary.

Chavez said at the time that his cancer had come back despite previous surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He has been fighting an undisclosed type of pelvic cancer since June 2011.

Medical experts say that it's common for patients who have undergone major surgeries to suffer respiratory infections and that how a patient fares can vary widely from a quick recovery in a couple of days to a fight for life on a respirator.

Maduro's latest update differed markedly from last Monday, when he had said he received a phone call from the president and that Chavez was up and walking.

The vice president spoke on Sunday below a picture of 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar, the inspiration of Chavez's leftist Bolivarian Revolution movement.

Maduro said that Chavez had sent year-end greetings to his homeland and a "warm hug to the boys and girls of Venezuela."

The vice president expressed faith that Chavez's "immense will to live and the care of the best medical specialists will help our president successfully fight this new battle." He concluded his message saying: "Long live Chavez."

Chavez has been in office since 1999 and was re-elected in October, three months after he had announced that his latest tests showed he was cancer-free.

Opposition politicians have criticized a lack of detailed information about Chavez's condition, and last week repeated their demands for a full medical report.

Information Minister Ernesto Villegas defended the government's handling of the situation, saying during a televised panel discussion on Sunday night that Chavez "has told the truth in his worst moments" throughout his presidency.

He also referred to a new surge of rumors about Chavez's condition and called for respect for the president and his family.

Villegas said a government-organized New Year's Eve concert in a downtown Caracas plaza had been canceled, and he urged Venezuelans to pray for Chavez.

Chavez's daughter Maria, who has been with the president since his surgery, said in a message on her Twitter account: "Thank you people of Venezuela. Thank you people of the world. You and your love have always been our greatest strength! God is with us! We love you!"

Allies of the president also responded on Twitter, repeating the phrase: "Chavez lives and will triumph."

___

Ian James on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ianjamesap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-31-Venezuela-Chavez/id-152d2192c87844f697240e2302e3a986

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Contraceptive mandate blocked in Illinois case

By Jonathan Stempel, Reuters

A divided federal appeals court has temporarily barred the U.S. government from requiring an Illinois company to obtain insurance coverage for contraceptives, as mandated under the 2010 healthcare overhaul, after the owners objected on religious grounds.

More than 40 lawsuits are challenging a requirement in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that requires most for-profit companies to offer workers insurance coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices and other birth control methods.

Friday's 2-1 order by a panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago in favor of Cyril and Jane Korte was the second by a federal appeals court to temporarily halt enforcement against people who said it violated their faith, said Edward White, a lawyer for the Roman Catholic couple.

The 7th Circuit suggested that the couple's legal challenge might eventually prevail.


Its order came two days after U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor declined to block the provision's enforcement against companies controlled by the family of Oklahoma City billionaire David Green.

The U.S. Department of Justice, which had defended the contraceptives provision, did not immediately respond on Saturday to a request for comment.

The Kortes, who own the construction firm Korte & Luitjohan Contractors, had sought to drop a health insurance plan for 20 non-unionized workers that included coverage for contraception, and substitute a different plan consistent with their faith.

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But the Obama administration's healthcare law did not allow the change, and the Kortes said that violated the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA.

In issuing an injunction, the 7th Circuit majority said the Kortes had established a reasonable likelihood of success on the merits of their RFRA claim, and that the government had not yet justified the apparent "substantial burden" on their religious exercise.

The court also said the couple had established irreparable harm, because absent an injunction they would have to choose between maintaining insurance coverage they considered inappropriate or facing substantial financial penalties.

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"Business owners who are objecting to the mandate are not objecting to people using contraceptives, but that they have to arrange for and pay for it," White, a lawyer with the American Center for Law and Justice, said in a phone interview. "The federal government shouldn't tell business owners they have to contract to buy what they see as immoral services and goods."

Judges Joel Flaum and Diane Sykes comprised the 7th Circuit majority.

High court declines to block contraceptives coverage in health care law

Judge Ilana Rovner dissented. She said the Kortes were "multiple steps" removed from the contraceptives services because it was their company paying for the coverage, and because it would be a worker, her doctor and the insurer involved in the decisions about the services and their funding.

The Kortes' case is expected to continue in the 7th Circuit.

Neither the 7th Circuit nor Sotomayor ruled on the merits of their respective cases. The legal standard for obtaining an injunction from the Supreme Court is much higher.

The case is Korte et al v. Sebelius, 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 12-3841.

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

White House talks don't include NRA: gun group president

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An effort led by Vice President Joe Biden to find ways to reduce gun violence after the Connecticut school massacre so far has not included talking to the National Rifle Association, the president of the gun rights group said on Friday.

NRA President David Keene said neither Biden nor his staff has contacted the organization since President Barack Obama unveiled the effort on December 19.

Keene said he was not surprised, given Biden's past support for new gun control laws. "He's not even a friendly antagonist," Keene told Reuters in an interview.

The lack of communication between the White House and the largest U.S. lobbying group for gun owners is a sign that the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, has so far failed to change long-held stances on gun politics. In that tragedy, a young man shot his mother with her own gun before killing 20 children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Biden and up to four Cabinet officers are holding a series of meetings with outside groups to discuss possible gun legislation. The first was with law enforcement officials, another with mayors.

The White House has said other meetings will take place with gun safety groups and gun owners, among others, but it has not said whether the NRA will be invited. The White House had no comment on Friday.

Asked about the organization's influence, Obama struck an optimistic note on Dec 19. "The NRA is an organization that has members who are mothers and fathers," he said. "I would expect that they've been impacted by this as well, and hopefully, they'll do some self-reflection."

Two days later, NRA executive Wayne LaPierre said at a press conference that new gun laws were not the answer, calling instead for some form of armed guards in every school.

Keene told Reuters: "I'm willing to talk to anybody. I'm willing to sit down with anybody up there." He added, though, that he would not agree to "gut" gun rights.

"I'm going to want to have a conversation about how we protect our children," he said. "That's a serious conversation. Offering sort of feel-good bills doesn't strike me as serious."

Biden's group is due to offer its recommendations in January.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Thursday found that support remains high for preserving specific gun ownership privileges, such as concealed-weapon permits, as well as for some restrictions, such as background checks for every purchase.

(Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Gunna Dickson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-talks-dont-nra-gun-group-president-224543942.html

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Making Resolutions That Stick

Copyright ? 2012 National Public Radio. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

IRA FLATOW, HOST:

This is SCIENCE FRIDAY. I'm Ira Flatow. Up next this hour, the psychology of New Year's resolutions. Oh yeah, the making, the breaking, the keeping of New Year's resolutions. According to my next guest, between 40 to 50 percent of us participate in that annual holiday ritual, the making of New Year's resolutions. And each year we resolve what? To quit smoking, join a gym, live on a budget, lose weight, drink less. Make up your own, insert it right there. And believe it or not - believe it or not - a large percentage of people who make resolutions actually do stick to them.

So why do these folks have the right stuff, while the rest of us can't keep that promise? My next guest is a clinical psychologist who has studied the successful and the not-so-successful resolution makers, and he has some suggestions for those of you vowing to make a change coming January 1. One of those suggestions has to do with having someone phoning you a few times and reminding you of your resolution. We'll hear more about it from Dr. John Norcross, he's a clinical psychologist and a distinguished professor of psychology at the University of Scranton. Thanks for talking with us today.

DR. JOHN NORCROSS: You're welcome, Ira. Happy holidays.

FLATOW: Happy holidays. Well, why do we normally take this time of the year to make resolutions?

NORCROSS: It begins with history. Worshippers in ancient Roman times would offer resolutions of good conduct to the god Janus, the two-faced deity looking backwards and forwards. And since that time, it's become a socially-sanctioned time where the plate is clean and everyone has a new opportunity.

FLATOW: And I mentioned a few of the resolutions we hear about, what other kinds of popular resolutions are there?

NORCROSS: Well, they are. The popular ones that you've identified: the losing weight, starting exercise, stop smoking, being nicer to someone in the family is also - makes the top five. And when the economy begins to slide, you start seeing a rise in financial resolutions - the budget, save money and so forth.

FLATOW: Are there some behaviors - some resolutions - that are harder to keep and to change than others?

NORCROSS: No, it's not so much the resolution as it is how attainable or realistic the goal is. You know, someone says I'm going to lose 50 pounds and keep it off this year versus I think I'll struggle to keep 10 off - that's a little more realistic. So, it has more to do with the realism of the resolution than exactly what the behavior is.

FLATOW: Let's talk about some of the things you can do to be more successful in your resolutions. How can you be more successful?

NORCROSS: Well, it all begins on or before January 1 by making realistic, attainable goals. We say if you can't measure it, it's not a very good resolution because vague goals beget vague resolutions. From there, one needs to establish genuine confidence that one can keep the resolution, despite the occasional slips. We call this self-efficacy. That's not general self-confidence, rather it's specific conviction that you can change a behavior.

FLATOW: So, you have to not be unrealistic to begin with - with what you can - you know, instead of saying I'm going to lose 50 pounds, I'll lose 10 pounds.

NORCROSS: Right. Or I'll go to the gym three times a week instead of saying seven times a week.

FLATOW: Yeah. So it goes to you're setting yourself up for failure right from the beginning?

NORCROSS: Right. Grandiose goals beget resignation and early failure.

FLATOW: I was surprised in reading your paper about actually how many people are successful in...

NORCROSS: Oh, yes. We say the glass is proverbial, half-empty or half-full, here.

(LAUGHTER)

NORCROSS: In two of our longitudinal studies, 40 to 46 percent of New Year's resolvers will be successful at six months. So, the half empty is, it's true, most people fail. But 40 to 46 percent is pretty impressive. Particularly when you compare it to the people who don't try and therefore have, in our research, 0 to 4 percent chance.

FLATOW: Do people start fast and then just peter out?

NORCROSS: That's exactly right. When you look at what we called the survival curves, about 75 percent of resolvers will be successful for one week, and then that just gradually drops down to about the 40 to 46 percent at six months.

FLATOW: Interesting note from your papers: You report that the success rate of resolutions is 10 times higher than the success rate of adults desiring to change behavior but not making a resolution to do it.

NORCROSS: That was our last study, that's exactly right. You know, I was tired of people saying resolutions never succeed, we shouldn't even try them. And I said, well, wait a minute, these are life-sustaining behaviors. What's the alternative? So, the alternative was to track people starting before January 1st with the same behavioral goals, with the same motivation to stop or to take the resolutions but who just weren't going to do anything then. And that's - and only 4 percent of them were successful at six months. So you go from 4 percent, all the way up to 44, 46 percent by taking a New Year's resolution seriously and trying to do something about it.

FLATOW: So it almost seems like the people who make the resolution are more serious about completing it than the people who just say I'll do it.

NORCROSS: That's right. They move from thinking about it to doing it. What we call from the contemplation stage to the action stage.

FLATOW: Mm-hmm. And you also report that a few simple things can move people from the contemplation to the actual state. And one of those you report is making a phone call to a friend who's got the resolution. You say as few as three phone calls will get them going.

NORCROSS: The buddy system works.

FLATOW: It does?

NORCROSS: And the buddies can be co-workers, family members, friends, fellow resolvers. They don't even have to share the same resolution, Ira. It just has to be someone on your side. And for a couple weeks, people can persevere through even the more difficult environments lacking social support. But once you get into January, the willpower begins to slip and that's when we start counting on other people...

FLATOW: Yeah.

NORCROSS: ...to remind us, to encourage us and to keep us back on track.

FLATOW: Karen(ph) in Atlantic City. Hi, welcome to SCIENCE FRIDAY.

KAREN: How are you doing?

FLATOW: Fine. Happy New Year to you.

KAREN: Thank you. I'm actually in Laramie, Wyoming. And I kind of had an unusual plan this year. My husband is - excuse me - 50 and I'm 55. He's about six foot two, 260. I'm about five foot two, 160. So, we go through this every year. And this year, instead of buying him Christmas gifts, I set up appointments with a nutritionist, a personal trainer, and a phone-support system, some friends of ours.

FLATOW: Wow.

KAREN: So we can kind of get a grip on it, you know, at our age. We're those people that exercise a lot, do all kinds of things, we just eat too much.

FLATOW: So you're going way past just making a resolution. You're already into the activation stage of this.

KAREN: Correct. Actually, I gave him a very loving letter yesterday about how I hope this will work for us because I want to live a long time. Women in my family tend to live to 90.

FLATOW: That's nice. I hope he has returned all this goodness to you.

(LAUGHTER)

KAREN: He has. He's actually an excellent shopper.

(LAUGHTER)

FLATOW: That comes in handy this time of the year.

KAREN: It does, and he likes expensive stores, so you know, whatever. I'll take it.

FLATOW: All right, thanks for calling.

KAREN: Very welcome.

FLATOW: Dr. Norcross, these people have gone already past the resolution stage.

NORCROSS: Well, they're ringing in the New Year exactly the right way. They tried it on their own and perhaps experienced, like most people, partial success. But now, they're taking it up a step or two and saying, let's get some professionals involved. And when you make the commitment of time and money, such as appointments with a nutritionist and a personal trainer, people get more serious. In fact, I just learned today that my own brother has hired a personal trainer for my mother. That helps us all stay on track.

FLATOW: That's great. Let's go to Nina(ph) in Doylestown, P.A. Hi, Nina.

NINA: Yes, hi, Ira. I want to thank you for keeping me sane while I was raising three children, by the way.

(LAUGHTER)

FLATOW: You're welcome.

NINA: I find there's big difference between motivation and inspiration. And that is - seems to be what my downfall is when I make a goal for myself. Could you discuss that?

FLATOW: Motivation?

NORCROSS: Versus inspiration.

NINA: And inspiration.

FLATOW: And inspiration.

NORCROSS: That's great question. And that makes all the difference. Inspiration is short-lived. It's typically emulating other people and it'll push us for a week or two. But inspiration begins to extinguish quite quickly. And as Henry Ford once said, after that, it's 90 percent hard work. Inspiration may get us started, but it never keeps us going and that's where motivation works.

And motivation doesn't come in a bottle. Motivation is, scientifically speaking, a series of small behaviors. And here's some ways to enhance the motivation: Track your progress by recording or charting the behavior in question. Reward your successes, reinforce yourself for each step with a healthy treat or a compliment, perhaps even create a reward contract with a loved one. And you also need to arrange your environment to help, rather than hinder you, limit exposure to any high-risk situations, create reminders. So we don't need to think of motivation as something we have. Motivations are specific behaviors we build into our day.

FLATOW: What if you don't start your resolution on January 1st? Should you still make a resolution, even if you're not prepared to start on January 1st?

NORCROSS: We say take resolutions seriously or don't take them at all. You can start a resolution on February 1st, March 1st, your birthday, the beginning of summer. People who push themselves prematurely into a resolution without having a specific action plan are quite likely to fail. So, pick a day when you're ready. Set the quit date or the start date for the resolution, make sure you're ready and then take it. The change of the calendar, Ira, may not be the right time for everybody.

FLATOW: Mm-hmm. So you do one thing at a time, and, you know, don't say, I'm going to diet and quit smoking at the same time because you'll never get them both done.

NORCROSS: Well, there's some interesting research on that. And that is, it depends how much time and commitment you have. If the two resolutions are related, then it may make sense to do it together. For example, losing weight and increasing exercise, most people see those things as going together. But if there are two very different resolutions, you may just be overwhelmed with the amount of time and energy that they call for. So, we ask people never more than two. If they're related, two is great. Otherwise, just do one at a time.

FLATOW: Mm-hmm. Jodie(ph) in Baton Rouge. Hi, Jodie.

JODIE: Hi.

FLATOW: Hi there.

JODIE: Our family was a bit derailed with some unexpected twins. And so I had been talking to my 13-year-old and my 9-year-old about all of us making family resolutions this year, some things that we would like to do different now that the babies are almost two. Do you have any suggestions on how to make it work for some family-type goals and resolutions?

NORCROSS: Well, we sure do. And as a parent, I think we can all appreciate how we're derailed with the pressures and responsibilities of childhood. The family resolutions is a fascinating idea and one that can work quite well, presuming you could find a resolution the entire family is behind and not just one or two. Far too often, we see parents who would love a resolution, but the kids really aren't into it. But if you can find one the whole group agrees with, then you have the built-in social support.

At that point, we would say, please publicly declare your resolution as a family. Such a public commitment is generally more successful than private decisions. Have the whole family create a reward contract. When we do this, we'll all reward each other this way, so not only for individual behavior but for the entire family behavior. It's a lot easier taking that big, old refrigerator out to the curb on trash day than to have one person struggling with it. Families can do it all together much more effectively than one alone.

FLATOW: Great idea. How's that?

JODIE: That was great. Great suggestion.

FLATOW: Thanks for calling.

JODIE: Thank you so much.

FLATOW: Happy New Year, Jodie. Thanks for calling. We are talking with John Norcross about New Year's resolutions. Anything else - anything surprising also that you found in your research, Dr. Norcross?

NORCROSS: Yeah. And that's about the slips, Ira. In one of our - excuse me - one of our most recent studies, we found that people really slipped quite a lot. That is, most successful resolvers slipped in January. But they discovered that a slip, a momentary lapse in a resolution, need not be a fall. They picked themselves up and they recommitted themselves to the resolution after a slip. For example, 71 percent of our successful resolvers said their first slip had actually strengthened their efforts.

But they know a slip didn't need to become a fall or, as we say it in the scientific research, a lapse didn't need to become a relapse. And the successful resolvers slipped just as much in early January as the unsuccessful resolvers. So this is really encouraging news to everybody. Early slips may be a sign that you just need to refine your action plan, get back up and do something.

FLATOW: Mm-hmm. Let's see if we can get one more call from Karen(ph) in Atlantic City. Hi, Karen.

KAREN: Yes, hi. I made a New Year's resolution in 1978 to start running and I'm still going.

FLATOW: Good for you.

KAREN: So, I'm wondering at what point a resolution turns into obsession, especially when your knees are falling apart.

(LAUGHTER)

NORCROSS: Well, first off, congratulations, Karen. That's an impressive resolution. And indeed, that's how the successful resolutions proceed. They're no longer something that you have to be all that mindful of. You've just totally integrated it into your life's scheme, as it were. It's no longer a problematic behavior. It just becomes who you are, a new healthy daily habit. You're right though, even the best behaviors can be taken too far. And whether that's your knees or time, sometimes we all need to learn a resolution to let go just a little bit of even the more positive elements in our life.

FLATOW: Is it - why is it so hard for you to stop, Karen?

KAREN: I do - fresh air. It's become now, I think, actually - I'm on the Boardwalk, which is beautiful. I've gotten slower, a lot slower, not that I ever was that fast. The air, really, I'm just so used to it. Maybe I could just walk fast.

NORCROSS: Well, it's the bounty of benefits that exercises generate for all of us: the time alone, the exercise, the scenery. Congratulations on doing it. But if your knees are hurting, everyone should remember that healthful walking is almost as beneficial as the running.

FLATOW: Karen, I have a suggestion for you.

KAREN: Yes?

FLATOW: Make this year's new resolution to slow down, to walk instead of run, and see if you can keep that resolution.

KAREN: Well, thank you. That's one of those resolutions, I think, that gets made for you, you know.

(LAUGHTER)

FLATOW: Well, good luck and thanks for calling and...

KAREN: Thank you very much.

FLATOW: ...see you on the Boardwalk.

KAREN: Happy New Year.

FLATOW: You, too. Any last words here, Dr. Norcross?

NORCROSS: Well, it would be - let's think of resolutions as marathons, not a hundred-yard dash. We need to prepare for the long haul, the changed lifestyle, just as Karen discussed. And we should keep in mind that even if you're not successful this year, our research shows that virtually everyone who doesn't succeed this year will try again next year. This is a life-long quest for improved behavior.

FLATOW: Thank you very much for those tips, Dr. Norcross, and a happy New Year to you.

NORCROSS: Thank you.

FLATOW: John Norcross is a clinical psychologist and distinguished professor of psychology at University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.

Copyright ? 2012 National Public Radio. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

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Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/12/28/168203195/making-resolutions-that-stick?ft=1&f=1007

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Wisconsin-based atheist group files lawsuit over church tax status

MADISON ? The Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation has filed a federal lawsuit alleging the Internal Revenue Service is giving unconstitutional preferential treatment to churches and other religious organizations.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Madison says the IRS is violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment as well as constitutional equal protection rights by exempting churches from having to file a detailed application form, fee and annual information form to receive and maintain tax-exempt status.

The lawsuit says that preferential treatment gives churches an exclusive and discriminatory benefit not afforded other secular nonprofits such as the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

An IRS spokesman had no comment.

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Source: http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/254085/

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US shuts embassy in Central African Republic

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The State Department has closed its embassy in the Central African Republic and ordered the ambassador and his diplomatic team to leave the country as rebels there continue to advance and violence escalates, U.S. officials said Thursday.

A Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, said that at the State Department's request, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had directed U.S. Africa Command to evacuate U.S. citizens and designated foreign nationals from the U.S. Embassy in Bangui "to safe havens in the region."

State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said the U.S. Embassy had temporarily suspended operations, but not diplomatic relations with the country.

"This decision is solely due to concerns about the security of our personnel and has no relation to our continuing and long-standing diplomatic relations" with the Central African Republic, Ventrell said in a statement.

Shortly after announcing the evacuation Thursday, the State Department warned U.S. citizens against travel to the Central African Republic, saying it could not "provide protection or routine consular services to U.S. citizens" and urging Americans who have decided to stay to "review their personal security situation and seriously consider departing" on commercial flights. Four days earlier, the State Department had issued a warning recommending against travel to the country and authorizing its non-emergency personnel in Bangui to leave.

U.S. officials said about 40 people were evacuated on an U.S. Air Force plane bound for Kenya. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the details of the operation.

The departure of Ambassador Laurence Wohlers and his staff comes as the president of the Central African Republic on Thursday urgently called on France and other foreign powers to help his government fend off rebels who are quickly seizing territory and approaching this capital city, but French officials declined to offer any military assistance.

Rebels have seized at least 10 towns across the sparsely populated north, and residents in the capital of 600,000 people fear insurgents could attack at any time.

The developments suggest the Central African Republic could be on the brink of another violent change in government, something not new to the impoverished country. The current president, Francois Bozize, himself came to power nearly a decade ago in the wake of a rebellion.

Speaking to crowds in Bangui, Bozize pleaded with foreign powers to do what they could. He pointed in particular to France, Central African Republic's former colonial ruler.

About 200 French soldiers are already in the country, providing technical support and helping to train the local army, according to the French defense ministry.

French President Francois Hollande said Thursday that France wants to protect its interests in Central African Republic and not Bozize's government. Paris is encouraging peace talks between the government and the rebels.

President Barack Obama late last year sent about 100 U.S. special operations forces to the region ? including Central African Republic ? to assist in the hunt for Joseph Kony, the fugitive rebel leader of the notorious Lord's Resistance Army. Forces have been hunting the elusive warlord in Central African Republic, South Sudan and Congo.

___

Associated Press writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

___

Online:

http://bangui.usembassy.gov/service.html

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-shuts-embassy-central-african-republic-023509212--politics.html

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Friday, December 28, 2012

Toshiba to show reference design for SDHC card with TransferJet at CES

Toshiba to show reference design for SDHC card with TransferJet at CES

SD cards won't be generating the same feverish hype as other gear breaking cover at CES, but nevertheless, Toshiba's let the world know it'll be bringing a new one to the show. The company won't have a finished product to flog, but instead will be exhibiting a reference design for an SDHC card with TransferJet technology. For those unfamiliar with TransferJet, it's a high-speed wireless transfer technology for sending and receiving files over short distances. While it isn't used nearly as much as its transfer protocol peers, hopefully it'll find some work to do if and when Toshiba takes its card from design to product.

Continue reading Toshiba to show reference design for SDHC card with TransferJet at CES

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Home Improvement Tips For Updating Your Abode | Tyler Electric

TIP! If there is a chance you?ll be doing some home improvement in the future, get your thought process started now. By starting early in looking for ideas regarding your home, you will be able to come across a lot of ideas before you need to decide.

Figuring out how to make your home improvements may seem overwhelming. But, when you see the results, you will see it was well worth it. Knowledge and patience are both key factors in properly beginning any project. This article will present you with tips on how to succeed in your remodeling projects.

TIP! The topic of home improvement encompasses a wide variety of things and there are projects to suit every budget. If funds are low, it is still possible to add value by doing smaller, less expensive jobs including repainting and adding some landscaping.

Motion detecting lights add exterior visibility without inflating your electric bill. This helps improve the home?s security and can also prevent teenagers from sneaking out. This will also help to reduce your electricity costs.

TIP! When employing a contractor for your project, it?s important to maintain your own records. Don?t make any assumptions that your contractor will do so.

A neighborhood can save on its home improvement costs by setting up a ?community tool chest.? Rather than buying expensive tools that you will only use once, try to borrow the tools from neighbors who enjoy home improvement projects. You two can also share your expertise with each other.

Put a new ceiling fan in your room. This simple project can be done by anyone. Ceiling fans are cheap and also help with the cost of air conditioning.

TIP! Plan everything in advance before starting a home improvement project. Before starting your project, it is best to have all your costs mapped out along with the time it should take you.

A strong relationship with your contractor can be established if you have a clear contract that lays out your budget and the expenditures expected. A proper contract should be very specific about terms of payment, as well as the time frame in which the work is supposed to be finished.

TIP! Home improvement isn?t about spending money, but rather saving it. New appliances usually mean more energy conservation.

A fence installed around your back yard, or even a section of your yard can serve several purposes. A fence will protect your family, pets and guests from any stray animals. It also keeps the family dog from wandering out of the yard. Fences can be customized to fit your home the way you want them too.

TIP! Are insects making your backyard unlivable? You should think about putting in an enclosure on your home that is screened. It can be a nice place to relax, read and enjoy life without getting eaten up by bugs.

The bristles will wear out more quickly if your store your broom with the bristles on the ground. Hang the broom off of the floor and it will last much longer. Let your mops breathe, too. Hang them to allow them to dry and stay odor-free.

You?ve just learned what it takes to be successful at home improvement. If you are dedicated and have a concrete plan, there is no reason you cannot succeed.

Tyler Electric is a trustworthy, very inexpensive and professional Electrical Service Company, servicing Thomasville, Albany, Valdosta and Motry, Georgia. We manage every project and call we receive like it is the most important, because we are aware of the significance of an issue resulting from any electrical trouble you may have. We take pride in our work and think strongly in developing partnerships with our consumers.

Call Us First For:

Quality & Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed
Service Specialists? Well-trained & Educated
Emergency Service Available
Pride in workmanship

We have many completely satisfied and repeat clients, and would love to include you in our very long list of pleased consumers.

We provide 24-hour repair service. It doesn?t matter if it?s standard maintenance or emergency repairs, Tyler Electric will send experienced, qualified and reputable professionals to fix it speedy!

With the high costs of today?s appliances and equipment systems, you need to have confidence in your repair technician. We deliver top quality, reasonably priced and trusted repair services for your business systems. You can depend on the Tyler Electric trained professionals to fix it FAST and fix it RIGHT!

Our success is attributed to our expert crew and the exceptional consumer attention we supply. Our highest and most valuable resources are our team players.

Tyler Electric is prepared to meet the repair and installation desires of today?s consumers. Our purpose is to be THE BEST IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY. Our aim is to give the highest quality of work and insure that our consumers get superb service at the best possible prices.

Please visit our website at http://sharperelectrical.com/thomasvillegeorgia

Source: http://www.sharperelectrical.com/thomasvillegeorgia/home-improvement-tips-for-updating-your-abode/

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Former President George H.W. Bush in intensive care

Former President George H.W. Bush continues to fight a stubborn fever in the intensive care unit at Houston Methodist Hospital.

"Following a series of setbacks including a persistent fever, President Bush was admitted to the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital on Sunday where he remains in guarded condition," Bush family spokesman Jim McGrath revealed in a prepared statement. "Doctors at Methodist continue to be cautiously optimistic about the current course of treatment. The president is alert and conversing with medical staff, and is surrounded by family."

McGrath earlier told ABC affiliate KTRK that the former president was awake and joking with doctors, but had yet to respond to medication designed to reduce the fever.

Bush, 88, has been in the intensive care unit in Houston's Methodist Hospital since Sunday, and hospitalized since Nov. 23, when he was brought to the hospital with a bronchitis-like cough. A hospital statement released on Dec. 13 predicted the former president would be discharged before Christmas.

Hospital Media spokesman David Bricker told ABC News that Houston Methodist Hospital will be releasing an updated statement on Bush's condition, but could not provide a timeline for the release and added that such information would be revealed when doctors felt it was appropriate and in accordance with the wishes of the Bush family.

READ: President George H.W. Bush on Life and Lasting Friendships

President Obama reportedly was being updated on Bush's condition but hadn't spoken directly with the Bush family.

A young Navy fighter pilot during WWII and former CIA director, Bush developed a warm relationship with his successor, Bill Clinton, teaming up to raise money for Asian tsunami victims in 2004 and then again in 2005 for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/george-h-w-bush-fighting-fever-icu-001305435--abc-news-topstories.html

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Twitter users flaunt guns brought by Santa: 'I'll shoot more than my eye out'

9 hrs.

Last year, much of the Web's post-Christmas ire was directed at Twitter users who, like ungrateful brats, complained that Santa brought the wrong color iPhone?or failed to deliver a car. This year, Internet denizens are upset that some people?are?bragging about their new guns???on Twitter and Instagram.

In the wake of?the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.,??gun control has once again?become a topic of national debate. Yet?the?controversy?isn't preventing those who are excited about the?firearms Santa brought from joyfully posting about them on social media.

No matter which side of the gun control debate you're on, these images ??first noticed by?the Verge's T.C. Sottek?and?the Atlantic Wire's Rebecca Greenfield?? could?make you uncomfortable.?There are plenty of men and women ? some who appear to be teenagers???who appear to be disregarding the NRA's three fundamental?rules of gun safety, particularly keeping fingers away from triggers, and pointing the guns only in safe directions. It's especially problematic?since these posts are often accompanied by the #NRA hashtag.

Not that the recipients seem to care.?"I got just what I wanted," one Twitter user wrote. "An Armalite semi-automatic AR-15 rifle. It's like the Christmas Story, but I'll shoot more than my eye out."

"Aw what a nice #assultRifle #santa left me haha (plus a box of 1200 bullets)," the caption on a young woman's Instagram photo said,?next to the image of a rifle resting on the hearth?next to a pile of wrapped Christmas gifts. (The girl later claimed, in a comment under her own post, that the gun was her dad's.)

Another Instagram user proudly posed in what appear to be fur-lined boots and a fur vest while holding her prized present. "Furs & Guns," she writes, "yes, it was a red-neck Christmas."

Searches for hashtags such as #AR15, #NRA, #Bushmaster, #gun and #SecondAmendment reveal plenty of photos of folks posing with their new firearms in front of Christmas trees and declaring how much they love their gifts.

One does have to wonder whether we'd pay as much attention to these images if it weren't for the recent national?focus on firearms and the anticipation of tighter gun control measures. It's also worth asking if this apparent?surge in gun pride isn't a side effect?of the Newtown?tragedy as well.?As a prior report points out, while "a spike in gun?sales is common after a mass shooting," and "the latest rampage has generated record sales in some states."

Between those sales statistics and social media's never-ending?craving for drama, perhaps it was inevitable that last year's whiny gift?recipients?surrendered the spotlight to this year's gift-wrapped rifles.

Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/twitter-users-flaunt-guns-brought-santa-ill-shoot-more-my-1C7659316

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Health & Fitness: Are You the Best Candidate for a Plastic Surgical ...

By Jean P. Avis

The concept of getting a plastic cosmetic surgery is exciting because everybody wants to enjoy a youthful appearance and slimmer physique. Nonetheless, there is no assurance that this specific surgical procedure will offer 100 percent good results. You must be evaluated if plastic surgical treatment is suitable for you. Asking your doctors some questions will also assist you understand the likelihood of getting your needed outcomes. You must know whether or not you are physically fit to have the surgical treatment.

1. You should have a healthy body

You can become a great candidate for plastic surgery if you never suffer health concerns like lung or heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, rheumatoid arthritis or bleeding issues. These types of diseases will increase the chances of problems associated with infection, anesthesia, skin loss or blood loss. All surgical procedures are predicted to have natural hazards; nevertheless, if you are suffering from medical concerns you are more likely to experience issues.

2. You must be in your great health or near to it

When you undergo surgical treatment while you are obese, you may have loose skin after the process. This can cause losing all health benefits which you obtain from the procedure. If you desire to undergo a surgical procedure you must try to keep your best weight and tone up muscles by undertaking a lot of exercises. Furthermore, you will have an overstressed heart when you're overweight which implies that surgery won't be encouraged.

3. You should not be smoking

Smoking any types of tobacco will likely cause problems during a plastic surgery. If you are planning to undergo this treatment you should quit smoking at least a few weeks before your operation and stay smoke-free until at least a couple weeks following the surgery so that you could easily heal and recover. Individuals who smoke have a higher rate of skin break up, infections, anesthesia troubles and skin death. As reported by a survey, active smokers have a 100% likelihood of losing an important part of their skin due to poor supply of oxygen during a facelift. Also, smoking cigarettes reduces blood circulation that is important to fast recovery. It may also cause the lungs to be predisposed to pneumonia and limit your resistance to potential infections.

4. You have to be stable psychologically

With plastic surgical treatment, your whole body is predicted to change and this type of change will demand emotional response from you. Your energy will be exhausted during a surgery predisposing your emotional stability to depression. It is necessary that you have a sound emotional condition to manage your responses and the responses of other people. Individuals will be able to accept and adjust to your changes as time passes. However, you can expect some unpleasant responses from them in the short term. This requires you a good support system.

5. You needs to be backed by your loved ones

In the first fourteen days, you will need the assistance of the people close to you. Again, you should be reminded that you must recover without being anxious. In order for your body to recover, you need relaxation. You need to talk to your loved ones about daily activities and chores. You can ask someone to help you with cleaning or cooking if you really need to do it.

6. Your whole body must not be stocked with a huge amount of caffeinated drinks and alcohol

Alcohol and caffeine are culprits that disrupt the healing and should be avoided if you intend to have breast implants. These types of substances affect the blood flow that's needed to provide healing to cuts. Also, they have an effect on maintaining the quality of the skin; hence, you must take them moderately.

Plastic surgical treatment comes with dangers but the most vital thing is you know whether or not it is perfect for you. You could reduce the dangers by choosing the right doctor, understanding the process, talking to your physician regarding your objectives, coming up with expectations that are realistic and following the instructions of your surgeon carefully.

Source: http://health-and-fitness-way.blogspot.com/2012/12/are-you-best-candidate-for-plastic.html

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Handling Difficult Relationships This Holiday Season : Easy Health ...

handling-difficult-relationships-this-holiday-season_300

The holidays are upon us. Some say ?it?s the most wonderful time of the year!? Is it? For many of us, the holiday visits back home to family members is something to be dreaded. While we look forward to the pleasure of celebrating these festive times, there is also the memory of past conflicts and the very real possibility of new confrontations that we find ourselves eager to avoid. We can tell ourselves that this is the year we will not get stressed out or upset about visits with our families. This is what we strive for, yet rarely is it how things turn out.

In is common, according to Dr. Jeffrey Fine, Ph.D., director of the American Foundation for Conscious Parenting, that our families can be ?a breeding ground for repressed resentments and hostilities left over from childhood.? [1] We might anticipate that once we have grown up and moved away to create our own lives and families, such feelings would diminish. But, as many of us experience, they do not.

Applying Communication Skills

One potential solution to transforming the holidays from stressful to joyful is the application of identified communication skills that have been researched and shown to facilitate changing difficult relationships. Behavioral Engagement is a 12-step set of communication skills that has been the subject of hospital pilot studies over a 32-year period. [2]

The outcomes of these pilot studies showed that the participants experienced a significant improvement in their relational outlook and attitude after interacting with the communication skills model. Originally developed to enhance relationships between doctors, nurses and patients, the model was also applied to and studied with business and family relationships.

James Prochaska, Ph.D., renowned researcher on behavior change and the author of Change for Good ? the Six Stages of Transtheoretical Change, says of Behavioral Engagement: ?The process of Behavioral Engagement has the potential to transform relationships that are suffering or struggling to ones that are thriving!?

The Benefits Of Acceptance

Generally, one of the most recommended approaches to staving off holiday conflicts is to ?try and accept family members or friends as they are.? [3] Unfortunately, this good intention can be easily sidelined without specific communications skills that can help keep us on track.

The 12-Step Model of Behavioral Engagement endorsed by Prochaska offers specific, easy-to-learn communication skills that have been proven effective in changing conflicted relationships into compatible relationships based on the understanding that we all want to be valued, respected and listened to.

The steps are based on physical, psychological, hormonal and neurological aspects of human relationships and communication. They start with the understanding that, while we cannot change others? behavior, we can change how we relate to others, which can result in a transformative outcome for all participants.

We can do so by using specific, simple communication skills and following the steps that have been shown to be effective in creating greater receptivity and generating more positive emotions in relationships that have previously been conflicted or stressful.

Steps To Happiness And Health

If you have experienced or are anticipating challenging relationships during the holidays, you may wish to apply these easy steps and see if they can assist you in having happier and even healthier holidays.

  • Step One: Be physically comfortable when communicating. This removes discomfort that can distract from providing your full attention to the person with whom you are speaking. Distractions reduce your focus on the person you speak with and decrease receptivity, sending the message that you may not be listening. That perception can flame the fire of resentment.
  • Step Two: Understand what you want. Our intentions are powerful behavior motivators. The understanding of what we want from an exchange with another person can assist us in communicating more clearly our thoughts and feelings. That invites greater understanding and intimacy. An example is: ?I really want to understand what you are upset about.?
  • Step Three: Maintain centered body posture. Uncross arms and legs; present open, receptive body language. To send the message that you are respecting the conversation and giving the other person your full attention, do not play with your watch, glasses or hair or continually look away from the person with whom you are speaking. Committing to being focused is an important element in communication and sends the message that you value your time with the other person. We can all feel when someone values being with or speaking to us.
  • Step Four: ?Sustained, soft eye contact has been scientifically proven to stimulate oxytocin, opening emotional centers of the brain and enhancing trust [4] and feelings of love and intimacy.
  • Step Five: ?Respectful inquiry. Asking rather than telling or directing and using ?I? statements rather than ?you? statements create a safe, non-judgmental environment for the other person to communicate openly.
  • Step Six: Responsiveness. Using appropriate response (facial expressions, smiling, head nodding) indicates you are responding to and understanding what the other person is saying without interrupting or interjecting. This acknowledges the value you have for their communication.
  • Step Seven: Pauses between responses, allowing for silence between statements. Instead of immediately speaking as soon as the other person is finished, allowing for appropriate silence when someone has shared a thought or feeling with you is an important part of the experience of respectfully listening to someone. It is also a component of being truly present to the person.
  • Step Eight: Non-judgment. By not allowing your unspoken mental and emotional judgments to invade your attention, you eliminate the unconscious communication that is sent through subtle and gross body language. Unconscious, non-verbal body language is something most of us pick up on immediately. It can make or break your communication and relationships.
  • Step Nine: Leave your ego at the door. Eliminate the push-pull or power struggle of previous relationship interactions by letting go of communication control; allow for equity between you and the other individual.
  • Step Ten: Re-center when you start to lose focus. Mentally repeating simple words you identify as prompts to get you back to the focus of the conversation is a quick and effective way to get yourself re-centered in the exchange. For example, think ?back to focus? or ?get-centered.?
  • Step Eleven: Collaborative mind-set. Working toward having a win-win outcome eliminates conflict and improves the quality of the relationship both in the short term and for the long term.
  • Step Twelve: Sacredness of relationship. Sacredness means ?worthy of respect.? When we are aware of appropriate verbal and behavioral boundaries within our communications, we hold the other person in high esteem and create fulfilling, lasting relationships.

Wise Reflection

When dealing with family holiday conflicts, it can be helpful for us to try these simple, proven communications skills while reflecting on the wisdom of this question: ?Would you rather be loved than be right??

Often, when we elect love over being in control or being right, our relationships shift for the better. You can download a free excerpt of the book on Behavioral Engagement by visiting www.changingbehavior.org.

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Source: http://easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/handling-difficult-relationships-this-holiday-season/

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Monday, December 24, 2012

Avoid Bankruptcy Mortgages and IVA Remortgage Product Features ...

Nottingham, UK (PRWEB) March 20, 2007

Enable Finance, the UK specialist mortgage broker is highlighting the innovative new mortgage and remortgage products specifically designed for borrowers currently bankrupt or recently discharged from bankruptcy. These bankruptcy mortgage products have been specifically designed in light of the growing numbers of personally insolvency in the United Kingdom.

In the last quarter of 2006 there were 29,804 individual insolvencies (IVA) a rise of 7.1% on the previous quarter. Bankruptcies contributed 17,063 to this figure an increase of 9.6% on the previous quarter. With these figures in mind its clear that both IVA mortgage & bankruptcy remortgage products are required to help borrowers with this level of terrible credit history.

Enable Finance want to remind people that whilst individual voluntary arrangements and personal bankruptcy can offer a very effective remedy to complex adverse circumstances, home owners should consider their options before they take the plunge. The official receiver or trustee may have to sell your share of the property to clear your bankruptcy debts if you?re concerned by this statement and want to avoid bankruptcy help and guidance is on hand at Enable Finance.

The features of our insolvency mortgage products include finance up to 90% LTV for applicants discharged from bankruptcy yesterday. Schemes to allow for any amount of CCJ?s and or have mortgage arrears, applicants wishing to pay of their IVA early and because our mortgage products are designed with the customer in mind we are able to ignore defaults and don?t necessarily need you to prove your income as often the product has a self certification functionality.

Phillip Evans, Managing Director at Enable Finance, said: ?These genuinely are innovative mortgage products that allow borrowers, for the first time, a real opportunity to clear bankruptcy debt, without necessarily having to sell their family home. Again further developing our terrible credit remortgage product features.?

For further information about Enable Finance and their Remortgage Loan products and services can phone 0845 070 20 50

Press contacts:

Phillip Evans ? Managing Director

DDI: 01623 812902

Vital Information:

Reckon carefully before securing other debts against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Adding existing debt to your mortgage will increase both the repayment term and the overall cost. The overall cost for comparison is 8.65% APR. The actual rate available will depend upon your circumstances. Question for a personalised illustration. There will be a fee for arranging mortgages, normally 2% of the advance, minimum of ?1,950 and a maximum of ?3000 (i.e. ?100,000 loan = ?2,000 fee). All cases will be assessed on an individual basis

Notes to Editors:

Enable Finance Ltd. caters for borrowers whose credit histories fall outside high street lending criteria ? for example; adverse credit; self certification; irregular income patterns. Enable Finance is authorised and regulated by the financial Services Authority (FSA). It is a member of the Finance Industry Standards Association (FISA) and the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers.

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Source: http://debtadvice.only-the-news.com/avoid-bankruptcy-mortgages-and-iva-remortgage-product-features-to-clear-debt/

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