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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Syria: Suicide car bombing kills 15 in Damascus

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows smoke rising from burned cars after a huge explosion shook the Sabaa Bahrat Square, one of the capital's biggest roundabouts, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 8, 2013. A car bomb rocked a busy residential and commercial district in central Damascus on Monday, killing more than a dozen with many more injured and sending a huge cloud of black smoke billowing over the capital?s skyline, Syrian state-run media said. (AP Photo/SANA)

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows a Syrian fire fighter extinguishing a burning car after a huge explosion shook the Sabaa Bahrat Square, one of the capital's biggest roundabouts, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 8, 2013. A car bomb rocked a busy residential and commercial district in central Damascus, killing at least a dozen people with more than fifty injured and causing heavy material damage, a Syrian government official said. (AP Photo/SANA)

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrian fire fighters extinguishing burning cars after huge explosion shook the Sabaa Bahrat Square, one of the capital's biggest roundabouts, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 8, 2013. A car bomb rocked a busy residential and commercial district in central Damascus, killing at least a dozen people with tens more injured and causing heavy material damage, a Syrian government official said. (AP Photo/SANA)

This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrians inspecting a damaged car at the scene of a car bomb attack near the Sabaa Bahrat Square, one of the capital's biggest roundabouts, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, April. 8, 2013. A car bomb rocked a busy residential and commercial district in central Damascus, killing at least a dozen people with tens more injured and causing heavy material damage, a Syrian government official said. (AP Photo/SANA)

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) ? A suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives on Monday in a busy residential and financial district of central Damascus, killing at least 15 people, setting cars and buildings on fire and sending plumes of black smoke rising the capital, Syrian state-run media said.

The explosion came as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said inspectors were ready to deploy to Syria within 24 hours to investigate reports of chemical weapon attacks, but have not yet received permission from President Bashar Assad's government.

The blast, described by state-run Syrian TV as a terrorist suicide bombing, occurred near Sabaa Bahrat Square, one of the capital's biggest roundabouts. The Syrian central bank, the Finance Ministry and state-run investment agency, a mosque and a school are located nearby.

The explosion also wounded 146 people, according to the official news agency SANA.

It was the latest in a series of car bombs and suicide bombings to hit the Syrian capital in recent months. The two-year civil war, which the U.N. says has killed more than 70,000 people, has become increasingly chaotic as rebels press closer to Assad's seat of power in Damascus after seizing large areas in northern and eastern parts of the country.

TV images showed thick black smoke billowing from a wide street with several cars on fire. At least six bodies were seen lying on the pavement. Paramedics carried a young woman lying on a stretcher, her face bloodied, into an ambulance.

Shaken teenage students holding their backpacks were seen walking away. The blast occurred some 20 meters (yards) from the Bukhari School.

Among the buildings damaged was the state-run Syrian Investment Agency. Several cars in the building's parking lot were set ablaze in the explosion. Witnesses said a suicide attacker tried to storm the building with his vehicle but was stopped by guards. He then detonated his explosives outside the building.

In the early days of the uprising, the Sabaa Bahrat Square was home to huge pro-regime demonstrations that took place with a giant poster of Assad hanging as a backdrop over the central bank building.

"I was in the square when I heard a strong explosion that threw me on the ground," civil servant Hussein Khalil, 32, told The Associated Press at the scene. "I ran and saw what happened."

Electrician Mohammed Ali Kheir, 21, said he was nearby and felt the pressure of the blast. "I immediately ran here and helped paramedics evacuate four wounded people," he said.

"Is this the freedom that Qatar and Saudi Arabia want?" asked the man, referring to the Gulf Arab countries that have backed Syrian rebels fighting to remove Assad from power.

In Syrian TV footage, one woman shouted sarcastically: "Thank you, Hamad!" She was referring to the emir of Qatar, a major rebel supporter. "Is this what you want?" she asked.

Assad's regime denies there is a popular uprising and refers to the rebels as "terrorists" and "mercenaries," allegedly backed by foreign powers trying to destabilize the country.

Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi, visiting the scene, said the blast targeted the Syrian economy.

"This is the work of cowards," he said, vowing that the army would continue to crush all armed groups.

According to the TV footage, the dead included a young man whose face was blown off by the force of the blast. Shortly after, another man is seen covering the victim's head with his T-shirt.

Nearby, several men are seen twisting the wreckage of a car, trying to rescue a man who appears motionless in the back seat of a car.

Fire fighters struggled to extinguish flames that engulfed the two buildings near the site of the explosion as well as a row of cars near the roundabout.

The last large explosion in central Damascus was on March 21, when a suicide bomb ripped through a mosque in the heart of the capital. That bombing killed 42 people, including a top Sunni Muslim preacher and outspoken supporter of Assad in what was one of the most brazen assassinations of the war.

A month earlier, a suicide car bombing near the ruling Baath Party headquarters, just a few blocks from Monday's site, killed 53 people and wounded more than 200, according to state media.

Anti-regime activists at the time put the death toll at 61, which would make it the deadliest bombing in the capital in the two-year Syrian civil war.

There was no claim of responsibility for those two Damascus attacks and there was no immediate claim for Monday's blast.

In the past, Jabhat al-Nusra, an Islamic militant group with ties to al-Qaida that the U.S. has designated as a terrorist organization, has claimed responsibility for some of the deadliest suicide bombings targeting regime and military facilities across the country.

The violence has shattered the sense of normalcy that the Syrian regime has desperately tried to maintain in Damascus, a city that was until recently mostly insulated from the bloodshed and destruction that has left other urban centers in ruins.

The anti-Assad rebels launched an offensive on Damascus in July after a stunning bombing on a high-level government crisis meeting that killed four top regime officials, including Assad's brother-in-law and the defense minister. Following that attack, rebel groups that had established footholds in the suburbs pushed in, battling government forces for more than a week before being routed and swept out.

Since then, government warplanes have pounded opposition strongholds on the outskirts of the capital, and rebels have managed only small incursions on the city's southern and eastern sides. More recently, they have taken to firing deadly mortar shells deep into the capital as way to loosen the regime's grip on power.

Assad's government has asked the U.N. chief to investigate an alleged chemical weapons attack by rebels on March 19 on a village in northern Syria. Both the rebels and the regime traded blame for the alleged attack in the village of Khan al-Assal in the northern Aleppo province, which has not been confirmed.

Also Monday, a Syrian human rights group said nearly 9,000 Syrian government troops have been killed since the uprising started in March 2011. The Syria-based Violations Documentation Center, which tracks the dead, wounded and missing, said 8,785 Syrian troops have died in the fighting.

It said the rare report on the regime's death toll was compiled from government and opposition sources.

At the start of the revolt, authorities published names of the fallen troops daily. As the uprising turned more violent and eventually became a civil war, reports of casualties on the government side vanished from the public domain.

___

AP writers Barbara Surk and Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Mike Corder in The Hague contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-04-08-ML-Syria/id-7cedde0da0d9464496e9aaa6f33b46d3

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Sunday, April 7, 2013

Flour Sack Mama: Family-Focused Home Concerns on The Housing ...

A note from Stonyfield about Yo-Getters...

"Over the past several months, we at Stonyfield have met, worked with, and been following so many amazing parenting bloggers. We wanted to formalize those relationships and continue the dialogue on healthy eating.

Many of you wanted to know more about the food you feed your families and we wanted a way to empower you with information that you can share with your networks. As a result, the Yo-Getters ambassador group was born!

We wanted to get to know this passionate group of parents and bring them inside our world so that can get to know us better, too. Throughout this first year, we'd like to provide exciting and meaningful opportunities for you to engage with our brands and learn more about the mission that drives us - healthy, organic food that's better for us and the planet. The more we share with you, the more you can share with your networks- and the more people that get to know their food the better.

Since this is not a paid ambassador group, we also understand the importance of highlighting and promoting your blogs through our networks to increase traffic and readership. We are trying to communicate the same message: We're all invested in feeding our families in a healthy way, and in order to do so, we need to know what's in the food we're eating. "

A Word about Photos

If you have an interest in using one of the many original photos on this site, please inquire at floursackmama@gmail.com for a price quote and courtesy/link requirements.

Disclaimer

All content on this site is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only and is not expert or professional advice in health, medicine, science, environmentalism, construction, law, taxation, economics or any area. Flour Sack Mama makes no representations about accuracy or timeliness of content and will not be liable for any errors on the site or on sites linked to it. Not responsible for any results or damages arising from the information consumed. Individuals should seek professional medical advice from their physicians about any and all health-related issues, including, but not limited to, exercise, diet and the use of skin care products. Some individuals may have sensitivities even to natural, plant-based, organic products and should use caution. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers should consult their physician about the use of natural ingredients, just as they would for synthetic product ingredients. All content provided on an as-is basis. All text, photos, entire content of site, unless otherwise noted with specific copyright, are copyright Flour Sack Mama 2010, 2011, 2012.

Disclosure Policy

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact floursackmama@gmail.com.

This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.

This blog abides by word of mouth marketing standards. We believe in honesty of relationship, opinion and identity. The compensation received may influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. That content, advertising space or post will be clearly identified as paid or sponsorship content.

The owner of this blog could potentially be compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blogger's own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufactureer, provider or party in question.

This blog could potentially contain content which might present a conflict of interest. This content will always be identified.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

Source: http://floursackmama.blogspot.com/2013/04/family-focused-home-concerns-on-housing.html

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Stocks end lower after disappointing jobs report

In this Thursday, April 4, 2013, photo, Trader Anthony Riccio, left, and specialist Peter Giacchi work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks fell on Wall Street Friday after the government reported a sharp slowdown in hiring last month that was far worse than economists had expected.

The Dow Jones industrial average ended 40.86 points lower at 14,565.25, a loss of 0.3 percent. The index was down as much as 171 points in the early going, then rose gradually through the rest of the day to reclaim much of its early loss.

U.S. employers added just 88,000 jobs in March, the Labor Department reported. That's half the average of the previous six months. The report was a disappointment for investors following positive signs on housing and the job market over the winter.

The survey, one of the most closely watched indicators of the economy, dented investors' confidence that the U.S. was poised for a sustained recovery. The stock market has surged this year, pushing the Dow to another record high close on Tuesday. The index is still up 11.2 percent this year.

"Things are still looking decent, but there's no doubt that this was a bit of a disappointment," said Brad Sorensen, Charles Schwab's director of market and sector research. "We're watching to see: is this the start of another soft patch?"

In other trading, the Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 6.70 points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,553.28. The index logged its worst week of year, falling 1 percent.

Technology stocks fell the most of the 10 industry groups in the index, dropping 1 percent. Among big decliners in tech stocks, Cisco Systems fell 43 cents, or 2 percent, to $20.61. Oracle dropped 34 cents, or 1 percent, to $32.03.

Investors were reducing their exposure to risk. The utilities and telecommunications industries bucked the downward trend. Both rose 0.4 percent. The rich dividends and stable earnings provided by those companies make them attractive to investors who want to play it safe.

Natural gas companies were among the best performers on the S&P 500 as the price of the fuel rose 4.5 percent on concerns about supplies. The price of the fuel has risen 21 percent since the start of the year. Cabot Oil & Gas climbed $3.32, or 5.1 percent, to $67.96 and WPX Energy gained 80 cents, or 5.2 percent, to $16.15.

Stocks pared their early losses as some investors inferred that slowing U.S. growth meant that the Federal Reserve would stick to its stimulus program. The central bank is buying $85 billion dollars in bonds every month as part of an effort to revive the economy. Its actions have been a big factor pushing the stock market higher this year.

Quincy Krosby, a market strategist at Prudential Financial, said the slowdown in hiring made it more likely that the Fed would continue with its easy-money policy, which includes keeping interest rates at historically low levels.

Investors will shift their focus to earnings reports next week.

Alcoa, the first company in the Dow index to report earnings, will release its first-quarter financial results after the markets close Monday. Analysts expect profits for S&P 500 companies to rise 0.6 percent in the first quarter compared with the same period a year earlier, according to S&P Capital IQ. That compares with an increase of 7.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to its price, plunged from 1.76 percent to 1.71 percent. The yield fell as low as 1.69 percent, the lowest since December. The benchmark rate has declined sharply over the last month, from 2.06 percent on March 11, as demand for low-risk assets increased amid mounting evidence that growth in the U.S. economy is slowing.

Matthew Coffina, an editor at Morningstar StockInvestor, said stocks are still a better investment than bonds over the next decade because bonds will be vulnerable to any rise in inflation or interest rates. "We still have a strong preference for stocks," Coffina said.

The Nasdaq composite, which includes many technology companies, fell 21.12 points, or 0.7 percent, to 3,203.86.

F5 Networks, a network equipment and service provider based in Seattle, plunged 19 percent, the most of any S&P stock, after slashing its profit and revenue forecast. The company said its contract bookings fell sharply, as did its business with the federal government. The stock lost $17.21, or 19 percent, to $73.21.

The Dow Jones Transportation Average, which includes airlines like United and Delta Airlines and shipping companies like UPS and FedEx, was down 3.5 percent for the week, its biggest weekly decline since September. The index is seen as a leading indicator of the broader market.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-05-Wall%20Street/id-1538f0a1c815455baf59e21fa3aaa51d

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WinMania Sweepstakes Rules

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

WRESTLEMANIA 30 ? 30 TRIP GIVEAWAY SWEEPSTAKES

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PAYMENT, ENTRY FEE OR PURCHASE REQUIRED.?

OPEN TO RESIDENTS OF THE FIFTY (50) UNITED STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND CANADA, EXCLUDING QUEBEC.? ENTRANTS MUST BE AT LEAST EIGHTEEN (18) YEARS OLD AT TIME OF ENTRY AND MUST BE ASSIGNED A MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER AS OF APRIL 7, 2013. ?VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

HOW TO ENTER:? The WrestleMania 30 ? 30 Trip Giveaway Sweepstakes (the ?Sweepstakes?) sponsored by World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (?WWE? or ?Sponsor?) begins at 12:00:01 a.m. ET on April 7, 2013 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on April 21, 2013 (the ?Sweepstakes Period?). There are two (2) ways to enter the Sweepstakes:

Text Message Entry: ?During the Sweepstakes Period, send the word ?MANIA30? to 59907 from your 2-way text messaging capable wireless phone. Once you send the text message, you will be automatically entered into the Sweepstakes. All entrants must have a two-way text messaging capable handset in order to enter the Sweepstakes using the text messaging method. Entrants will be charged their text messaging rate for each text message sent or received through their handset according to the terms in their wireless calling/data plan. Text messaging and wireless service are not available in all areas. Please use caution and do not drive while entering the Sweepstakes.?Entrants may text STOP at any time to quit and no longer receive text messages from this short code.

Online Entry: To enter without purchase, during the Sweepstakes Period, complete and submit the online entry form, which can be found by visiting http://www.wwe.com/winmania. Entry requires that you submit your name, address, mobile telephone number, contact phone number, email address (if any) and birth date.

All entries must be received during the Sweepstakes Period. Limit one (1) entry per person/mobile telephone number per day of the Sweepstakes Period regardless of method of entry.? Incomplete, duplicate, mechanically reproduced or automated entries are not permitted and will be deemed void. These Official Rules are posted at http://www.wwe.com/winmania.

In the event of a dispute as to the identity of an entrant, an entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder who submitted the entry.? ?Authorized account holder? is defined as the natural person who is assigned to a mobile telephone number/email address by a telephone company, wireless service provider, Internet access provider, Internet service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational, institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses, telephone numbers or wireless phone numbers for the telephone exchange associated with the submitted telephone number/email address or the domain associated with the submitted telephone, as applicable. ?A selected winner may be requested to provide Sponsor with proof that the selected winner is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address/telephone number associated with the winning entry.? If a dispute cannot be resolved, the entry will be deemed ineligible.?NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A purchase will not increase your chance of winning.

ELIGIBILITY:? Sweepstakes open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia and Canada, excluding Quebec, who (i) are at least eighteen (18) years old when they enter the Sweepstakes, and (ii) are assigned a mobile telephone number as of April 7, 2013.? Employees, officers and directors of WWE (including WWE performing talent), Vibes Media, LLC (?Administrator?) and each of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates (i.e., entities controlling, controlled by or under common control with, WWE or Administrator), promotion and advertising agencies and anyone involved in the Sweepstakes? development or execution, and the immediate family members (meaning spouses, parents, siblings, children and their respective spouses) and members of the households of such employees, officers and directors are not eligible. By taking part in this Sweepstakes, participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules.? WWE reserves the right to permanently disqualify from this Sweepstakes any person it believes has intentionally violated these Rules. Sweepstakes subject to all federal, state, provincial, territorial and local laws. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

DRAWING: The Prize Winners will be selected at random from among all eligible entries on or about April 22, 2013by Administrator. The names of the potential Prize Winners may be announced by Sponsor during its television programming. In addition, the Prize Winners will be notified by telephone and/or e-mail within one (1) week of being randomly selected.? In order to be confirmed a Prize Winner, the potential Prize Winners may be required to provide additional information to confirm identity and eligibility and will be required to complete and sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release and, where legal, a Publicity Release, and any other documentation that WWE may require, including without limitation, an IRS Form W-9 (if from U.S.), and to see to it that WWE is in receipt of such information and documents within thirty (30) days of being requested to provide the same.?

All potential prize winners must be confirmed a winner in accordance with, and must meet all of the requirements of, these Official Rules in order to claim a prize. If a potential winner does not comply with any of the requirements of these Official Rules, even if such person?s name has already been announced on television, on the Internet (e.g., on WWE?s website, on social media sites, etc.), or by any other means, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be randomly selected and confirmed in accordance with these Official Rules.?

If a selected Prize Winner is a minor in his or her state, province or territory of residence at the time he or she is asked to sign any documents, the minor?s parent or legal guardian also will be required to sign the documents. In all cases, WWE reserves the right to request proof of identity, residency, age and parenthood or guardianship, and a winner will be deemed to have forfeited the prize if WWE, in its sole discretion, finds that the proof is unsatisfactory. If the entrant selected to win a Prize is a resident of Canada, then he/she, in addition to all other requirements set out in these Official Rules, also must first correctly answer, without assistance of any kind, a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question to be administered at a pre-arranged time by telephone.

The prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected at random from the remaining eligible entries and confirmed in accordance with these Official Rules (i) if a potential Prize Winner does not timely provide the requisite information or return the requisite documents, or cannot be reached within five (5) days from initial notification attempt, (ii) if prize notification is returned as non-deliverable, (iii) in the event of non-compliance with any of the requirements of these Official Rules, and/or (iv) if a selected entrant for the Prize is a resident of Canada who fails to correctly answer the time-limited mathematical skill-testing question.

PRIZES: ?Thirty (30) Prize Winners will each receive a trip for Prize Winner and one (1) guest to WrestleMania 30 scheduled to take place on April 6, 2014 at The Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA. Each prize trip consists of roundtrip coach class air transportation for the winner and one (1) guest from the major U.S. gateway airport nearest winner?s home to a New Orleans metropolitan area airport; two (2) nights? hotel accommodations (one (1) standard room, double occupancy); and two (2) tickets to WrestleMania 30 (seating location subject to WWE?s discretion). ?

Approximate retail value (?ARV?) of Prize: $2,000 USD, each. ?Actual value may vary depending on airport of departure. Any difference between the actual value of the prize and the approximate retail value set forth in these Official Rules may not be claimed and will not be awarded. ARV of all prizes: $60,000 USD.

Sponsor reserves the right to substitute ground transportation for air transportation in the event a Prize Winner resides within one hundred (100) miles of New Orleans, LA.? Each Prize Winner is solely responsible for all expenses and incidental travel costs not expressly stated in the prize description herein, including but not limited to taxes, including but not limited to, any applicable sales and income taxes, insurance, ground transportation (except as expressly provided for above), tolls, gasoline, parking, meals and beverages, gratuities, travel upgrades, baggage fees, concession items, souvenirs and personal incidentals and any other expenses not specified herein.

Each Prize Winner and his/her guest must take air travel on same itinerary and must travel on dates specified by WWE. Lost or stolen tickets, travel vouchers or certificates will not be replaced. Once booked, no change, extension, or substitution of trip dates is permitted, except by WWE in its sole discretion. If a Prize Winner is from a jurisdiction that deems him/her to be a minor, he/she must be accompanied during all aspects of the Prize trip by his/her parent/legal guardian, and such person must pay his/her own expenses unless deemed to be the allotted guest. If a Prize Winner is at least twenty-one (21) years old, such Prize Winner may be accompanied during the Prize trip by a guest who is under the age of majority if: (a) the parent or legal guardian of the guest has executed an Authorization Form, giving consent, a Liability Release and, where legal, a Publicity Release, on the guest?s behalf; and (b) WWE, in its sole discretion, has granted its approval. In all cases, each Prize Winner?s guest or the parent/legal guardian of any guest who is a minor in his or her state, province or territory of residence will be required to sign a Liability and Publicity Release (except where prohibited by law).? WWE reserves the right to request proof of guest?s age, parenthood or guardianship, and a Prize Winner will be deemed to have forfeited the Prize if WWE, in its sole discretion, finds that the proof is unsatisfactory.? Each Prize Winner and guest are responsible for obtaining all necessary and required travel documents, including, in the case of a Prize Winner who resides in Canada, any documents necessary for travel to and from the United States.

Prize may not be substituted, transferred or redeemed for cash, except by WWE, who reserves the right to substitute similar prize of comparable or greater value in its sole discretion.

ODDS OF WINNING: Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: Sweepstakes entrants agree to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and decisions of WWE and Administrator which are final and binding on all matters relating to this Sweepstakes and not subject to appeal. By entering, entrants (and parent/legal guardian if entrant is a minor) release and hold harmless WWE, Administrator and each of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, representatives, promotion, advertising and online technology agencies, prize suppliers and all others associated with the development or execution of this Sweepstakes, and each of their respective owners, shareholders, directors, officers, employees, contractors and agents (the ?Releasees?) from any and all liability or any injuries, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with participation in this Sweepstakes or acceptance, use, misuse or nonuse of any prize or parts thereof, including, without limitation, liability for death, personal injury, damage or loss of any kind, and from liability to any other persons relating to or resulting from entering or downloading materials or software in connection with this Sweepstakes. The Releasees do not make any warranty, representation or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to the use of any prize, including, without limitation, quality, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. Further, no responsibilities are accepted for any additional expenses, omissions, delays, re-routing, or acts of any government or authority.? WWE reserves the right to modify this Sweepstakes in any way it deems necessary or appropriate. Entry constitutes permission for WWE and its designees to use winner?s name, likeness, performance, hometown and state, province or territory for advertising and promotional purposes in any and all media at the discretion of WWE without additional compensation unless prohibited by law.

INTERNET: The use of any automated launching or entry software or any other mechanical or electronic means that permits the participant to automatically enter and/or enter repeatedly is prohibited. If for any reason this Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. Should this Sweepstakes be terminated, Sponsor reserves the right to select the Prize Winners in a random drawing from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received as of the action requiring such termination. Releasees assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries.? Releasees are not responsible for lost, late, garbled, misdirected, incomplete, illegible, unintelligible or postage due entries or mail or for inaccurate entry information, or for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or telephone lines, computer on-line systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems, human error or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant?s or any other person?s computer relating to or resulting from participation in this Sweepstakes or downloading any materials in this Sweepstakes. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

DATA COLLECTION:?WWE collects personal information from you when you enter the Sweepstakes.? See WWE?s privacy policy at http://www.wwe.com/help/generalfaq/privacypolicy for information about how personal information may be used.

LIST OF WINNERS:? For a list of the Sweepstakes winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:? WrestleMania 30 ? 30 Trip Giveaway Sweepstakes, WWE Sweepstakes Fulfillment, 1241 East Main Street, Stamford, CT 06902.? Requests must be received by August 1, 2013.

MISCELLANEOUS:? Participants agree that this Sweepstakes is governed solely by the laws of the United States.? Any claims arising out of the Sweepstakes shall be governed solely by United States law and may be brought only in a federal or state court in Connecticut. ?If any provisions of these Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect.

SPONSOR; ADMINISTRATOR: ?This Sweepstakes is sponsored by World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., 1241 East Main Street, Stamford, CT 06902.? This Sweepstakes is administered by Vibes Media, LLC, 300 West Adams Street, 7th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/shows/wrestlemania/winmania-30-rules

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Saturday, April 6, 2013

Comfort Research Zeus Hero Gaming Chair

When it comes to gaming accessories, the difference between a mediocre piece of equipment and the tool that helps clinch victory can come down to something as simple as comfort. When your success depends upon concentration and reflexes, and when late night raids stretch for hours, being comfortable is paramount. So why are you sitting in a crummy old office chair? Furniture maker Comfort Research brings us the Zeus Hero Gaming Chair, which reimagines the office chair with gamer-friendly looks and a built-in 2.1-channel sound system, letting you rock and rumble with every explosion, beat down, and battle.

Design
The Zeus Hero gaming chair looks a lot like other office chairs, with adjustable height, curves to support your hips and spine, and an integrated headrest. The armrests are height adjustable, and you can move the seat's recline angle and rocker spring tension quite easily. The design is also surprisingly comfortable; when I first sat in the chair, I felt a more-cushioned feel than I expected, but it was still firm enough to support my posture.

Some basic assembly is required, but it's all fairly straightforward, and the illustrated instruction sheet is mercifully free of any hard-to-understand or poorly translated verbiage. Using the provided Allen wrench, I was able to put the chair together in about 20 minutes. Once fully assembled, the chair measures 46 by 28 by 30 inches (HWD). The height can be adjusted up to four inches, and the armrests can each be raised three inches each.

The Zeus Hero is more than just a sleek looking chair?it's for gamers, and while the mesh fabric and versatile design make gaming comfortable, the real treat is the 2.1 sound system built into the chair. On the back of the chair is the Zeus Hero's subwoofer, which thumps and bumps with just enough force so that you feel it as much as hear it. In addition to the chest-thumping bass of the sub, there are also two stereo speakers set just above the shoulders to each side of the headrest. Where the subwoofer handles the bass, these little guys do the rest.

The chair is upholstered with black fabric and leather, with blue trim adding a hint of flair to separate the Zeus Hero from your run-of-the-mill office chair. The fabric is a stretchy mesh, with the same sort of synthetic fiber feel that you'd find in athletic equipment. It's soft enough for comfort, and has the added benefit of letting sound pass through it without muffling.

On the right hand side of the chair, built into the side of the seat cushion, is a small input and control panel for the speakers with two 3.5mm stereo jacks. One is for audio input, and the other is for output, in the event that you have two chairs and want to connect both to the same audio source.?You can connect all manner of gaming and media devices, so if you want to use the chair with your iPod, or your Nintendo DS, or even an old Walkman or Gameboy, it's as easy as plugging in a cable.

On the control panel, there's also a power connector. Yes, you'll need to plug in your chair in order to juice up the speakers and subwoofer. While the AC adapter's 8-foot power cord should be long enough for most people to stay plugged in while in front of their PC, it will significantly reduce how far you can roam past that.

Comfort Research covers the Zeus Hero Gaming Chair with a 30-day warranty. This isn't long at all, so pay close attention during that first month to catch any possible defects.

Performance
When I fired up Team Fortress 2 on the Maingear Nomad 17 Ultimate, I was delighted by the game's screwball tunes. I was popped by every gunshot, and rumbled by each explosion. In DC Universe Online, my ears were filled with appropriately heroic music, and I was pounded by bass every time a punch was landed by myself or an opponent. Overall, it all sounded pretty good.

The position of the speakers makes it feel as if all of the sounds are coming from just behind you. I suppose it's understandable, since the speakers are, in fact, right behind you, but it took some getting used to after regularly using a Tritton headset with 5.1 surround. If you play games that take advantage of surround sound, you might find yourself at a loss dropping from multiple speakers to just two.

A few music test tracks also let me put the sound system through its paces. The thumping sounds of "Silent Shout" by The Knife, our standard bass test track, throbbed through me with every beat. The subwoofer is positioned so that you'll feel the low end, but those around may not. Listening to Jimi Hendrix wailing on the instrumental version of "Little Wing," the sound came through a bit tinny, but with no perceptible buzz. Unlike the subwoofer, however, these speakers will be heard. If you've got family or roommates around, make sure they're cool with your noisy gaming, because this chair blasts it all out loud and clear.

Conclusion
While the Zeus Hero isn't superb in terms of pure audio quality, it sounds good, and the built-in design makes for a more immersive experience during gameplay. The chair is comfortable, and the height and armrests provide enough adjustment so most people can find a position that works for them. It's not an Eames, and the speakers aren't on, say, a Bose level, but the combination of the two is compelling enough to make it a solid addition to an office or game room.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/K_BxCRSKMP4/0,2817,2417165,00.asp

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Maasai face eviction from ancestral lands to make way for Dubai hunting firm

Tanzania plans to reduce Maasai areas by 40 percent, citing 'overgrazing.' A mass protest fell apart this week, but Maasai women took up the cause and organized their own sit-in.

By A correspondent / April 5, 2013

Maasai herd their cattle across a tarmac road near the Rift Valley town of Suswa, about 43 miles west of the capital Nairobi, in March.

Karel Prinsloo/Reuters

Enlarge

Loliondo district, Tanzania

Tanzania announced last week it plans to evict 30,000 Maasai herders from a hefty swath of their ancestral lands in order to create a game reserve offering exclusive access for a Dubai-based hunting company.??

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Maasai activists say the proposal, which reduces their space here by 40 percent, will destroy their traditional cattle-herding livelihood. But their attempts earlier this week to hold a mass protest fell apart -- causing Maasai women to organize their own sit-ins, with as many 1,000 camping out in one town.

The government says the corridor is a necessity for conservation in the northern Loliondo region bordering the Serengeti, and charges that Maasai cattle are overgrazing the land.?

The Maasai once ranged across northern Tanzania and southern Kenya, following seasonal rains with their cattle. But over the years they have slowly been fenced into a few areas like Loliondo.

Now, they could be losing some of that land, too. According to the proposal, they?would be locked out of the planned corridor, while Ortello Business Corp. (OBC), a Dubai-based hunting outfit that has operated in Loliondo since 1992, would be granted access.

Maasai tribe members resent the prospect of soldiers and foreigners roaming fenced-off pastureland. During a 2009 drought, violence broke out between Maasai and the OBC staff, who reportedly burned houses and livestock.?

An attempt this week at a mass protest rally, ?where?some 50 local politicians threatened to resign from office, ultimately fell apart. The local politicians reneged on their promise to resign and local police outlawed public gatherings in the district, scaring many people away. Trucks of soldiers dispersed many of the demonstrators.

?I lost my faith in my government,? said one local woman, Napano Koyan.

Maasai women, dressed in traditional red shukas with shining jewelry, are now resisting on their own.?Defying both the ban on gatherings and the patriarchal Maasai culture, by midweek they began holding small sit-ins under wiry acacia trees in villages across Loliondo, where they debated?whether they should go to court or march on OBC?s camp.?

Paulina Pere, a mother of four, walked two days across the savannah, wearing sandals made from rubber tires, to attend the demonstration. She was adamant?she would not leave Loliondo.???I live on this land,? she said.???I gave birth to my children on this land, and when I die, I will go inside this land.?

Her dramatic gesture reflects the Maasai?s complete dependence on land for livestock, which they use to buy food, clothing, and school fees. ?

?I would even walk with no shoes because our land has been taken,? Ms. Pere says, adding that the loss of land ?means poverty and death? for her and other families.

Numbers of women at sit-ins have swelled in recent days, with protesters refusing to leave, despite a further deployment of government troops that are driving the muddy roads of Loliondo in open air trucks waving dark red warning flags.?

Tourism Minister Khamis Kagasheki said last week the government will not budge from its plans, described as a compromise that would divide current Maasai territory by giving about 40 percent for a wildlife zone and the rest to the Maasai for grazing.??

?There is no government in the world that can just let an area so important to conservation to be wasted away by overgrazing,? Mr. Kagasheki said.

Benjamin Gardner, a cultural geographer at the University of Washington who has studied the Maasai since 1992, says he doubts they are harming the environment.?

?The way the Maasai manage the range actually encourages wildlife,? Mr. Gardner says, citing their aversion to hunting, and prescribed burns that regenerate grass.

But?Tanzania is also in need of foreign investment. Livestock rearing, although economically productive for people in Loliondo, is less lucrative for the government than tourism.?The OBC hunting firm?s clients include the United Arab Emirates royal family, and pay so well that in the past, Tanzania?s president Jakaya Kikwete has dispatched troops to keep the hunting grounds free of ?cattle and locals.

The reporter is anonymous for security reasons.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/tyqnrsfJitY/Maasai-face-eviction-from-ancestral-lands-to-make-way-for-Dubai-hunting-firm

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Power restored to Japan nuke plant cooling system

TOKYO -- Power was restored Friday to a cooling system at a tsunami-damaged nuclear plant in Japan that failed for the second time in a month after an outage caused by construction work to keep out rats suspected of setting off the earlier blackout.

Power for the cooling system for a storage pool for fuel was restored after a two-hour break at reactor No. 3, and there was no immediate danger from the breakdown, according to Tokyo Electric Power Co., the utility that operates Fukushima Dai-ichi in northeastern Japan.

Work to put up nets to keep out rats and other animals at Fukushima Dai-ichi plant in northeastern Japan inadvertently caused the power outage, TEPCO spokesman Akitsuka Kobayashi said. Details were not clear, and the outage was still under investigation.

A dead rat found near a switchboard was suspected of the power outage last month that led to a cooling system not working for two days at the plant.

Nuclear Regulation Authority spokesman Takahiro Sakuma said an alarm went off in the afternoon about the latest problem at reactor No. 3.

The cooling system can be turned off for two weeks before temperatures approach dangerous levels at the spent fuel storage pools. But if the water runs dry, the fuel rods, even spent ones, will spew enormous levels of radiation.

The plant went into multiple meltdowns after the March 2011 tsunami damaged backup generators and all cooling systems failed, including those for the reactors.

The plant is being decommissioned, but continues to have glitches.

Fears are growing about the safety of nuclear plants, and people have periodically staged streets protests that are rare in Japan.

Only two of the nation's 50 working power plants are up, and the government is running beefed up safety checks on the plants, including scrutinizing quake faults right below or near the plants.

Shinzo Abe, who became prime minister about three months ago, has expressed a desire to restart nuclear plants. Japan lacks natural resources and relied on nuclear energy for about a third of its electricity needs prior to March 2011. Energy imports have soared over the last two years, putting a strain on the economy.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/05/3324664/fukushima-nuclear-plants-cooling.html

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