From the smallest to the tallest, zoo animals weigh in

Andrew Cowie / AFP - Getty Images

A zookeeper strokes a penguin on a scale during the annual weigh-in at London Zoo on Aug. 22.

Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA

A meerkat climbs a scale on which another animal is already been weighed during the zoo's annual weigh-in at ZSL London Zoo, Aug. 22.

Andrew Cowie / AFP - Getty Images

A zookeeper measures Dirk the giant tortoise during the annual weigh-in at London Zoo on Aug. 22.

Oli Scarff / Getty Images

Giraffes are weighed and measured during the ZSL London Zoo 's annual weigh-in on Aug. 22.

Oli Scarff / Getty Images

Zookeeper Don McFarlane weighs and measures an African Millipede during the zoo's annual weigh-in on Aug. 22.

ZSL?s Zoological Director, David Field says: ?We need to know the vital statistics of every animal at the Zoo ? however big or small."

Zookeepers at the London Zoo are responsible for more than 16,000 animals, spending countless hours recording the weight and measurements of each and every animal, including penguins, meerkats, lions and owls.??The measurements are collated in the Zoological Information Management System, from which zoologists can use the data to compare information on thousands of endangered species.

?This information helps us to monitor their health, their diets and their general well-being. By sharing it with other zoos and conservationists, we can use this knowledge to protect wild animals, and use it to assess their health, their behaviours and even their ages,? said Field.

Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA

Giraffes await to go out at the London Zoo, Aug. 22.

See more cute animals our our Animal Tracks slideshow

Source: http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/22/13414294-from-the-smallest-to-the-tallest-zoo-animals-weigh-in?lite

vaclav havel kim jong ii dead snapdragon snapdragon kim jong ill dead wedding crashers next iron chef

Guest Post: Different Kinds of Document Destruction ? Speaking of ...

The following is a guest post by Andrew Morrell.

The general public and businesses alike fret over how to dispose of their sensitive documents. Anything from a personal paper to PII/PCI data to an accounting sheet can be used by competitors or otherwise be a source of ridicule and liability. The difference for a business is that competition for real money is at stake. A large business can have thousands of pages to destroy. The choice is between small office shredders and professional services.

While it might surprise some, there are enterprises that offer to haul away waste paper in fairly large trucks and use an industrial shredder. This is one way to dispose and recycle a mountain of business documents. Since some of that information is sensitive, it is important to hire someone who completely destroys it.

Shredded Brick, by DaveBleasdale

These services can shred the documents off-site in their industrial shredder, mixing the fine particles with other pieces of paper or they can visit your business with a mobile shredder. This removes the risk of losing the confidential information on the journey, which some businesses prefer.

The principle alternative to outsourcing is office shredding devices. These vary in size and power. They vary in the shred size but most business shredders will cut paper into illegible pieces. Cross-cut/confetti-cut shredding is generally the most secure form and most shredders are designed with this technique.

Fellowes are the top brand when it comes to shredders, with one of their shredders claimed to have been used in the infamous Watergate scandal. One example of their most popular shredders is the Fellowes Powershred SB-97CS, which uses the confetti-cut technique, accepts staples and cuts the paper into 0.16 x 1.5in pieces. Another popular business shredder is the Fellowes 3228901 Intellishred SB-89Ci, which uses the cross-cut technique and cuts the paper into the same size as above.

Both of these shredders are around the $300 mark and both are rated in level 3 (out of 6, although levels 5 and 6 are for top secret/classified files) when it comes to security levels in shredding. For greater security, you will need to look into more expensive shredders with some going past the $1,000 mark.

With this in mind, it is important to weigh up your needs and costs to decide whether you wish to shred confidential information in house with your own shredder or choose to outsource this task to a shredding company.

Andrew Morrell has been involved in the confidential shredding business for several years and believes in the importance of business security and managing paperwork. He currently works for Russell Richardson.

?

Source: https://blogs.rsa.com/williams/guest-post-different-kinds-of-document-destruction/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guest-post-different-kinds-of-document-destruction

orcl the hartford illinois primary 2012 michael bay zsa zsa gabor illinois primary trayvon martin 911 call

metabolic flatulent: Real Estate Tax Disclosure Loop-hole Finally ...

(PRWEB) January 21, 2005

Legal Update: Similar to Mello-Roos law, California now requires home sellers to disclose other bond-related hidden taxes.

Over 4 million California property owners have properties that are subject to Mello-Roos and 1915 Bond Act special taxes and assessments. With little fanfare, on the first of the year a new law quietly went into effect altering the way each of these home owners discloses this information to prospective buyers by requiring a new property disclosure.

The new law is directly related to Bonds passed under 1915 Bond Act, which are a very popular method for communities to finance the construction of roads, sewers and other infrastructure, very similar to Mello-Roos bonds. These bonds are repaid, normally over a period ranging from 15 to 40 years, by a tax which is levied on properties nearby which directly benefit from the facility constructed. While offering an inexpensive financing tool for cities and communities, these bonds have many negative ramifications for property owners subject to them, including steep penalties, priority lien status and an accelerated right of foreclosure (foreclosure proceedings can begin only 90 to 180 days if the taxes aren?t paid).

Previously, home sellers had been permitted to make ?substantially equivalent? disclosures of these taxes, by providing a copy of the previous year?s tax bill or a general list of these taxes. However, with the passage of this new law, this practice will no longer be allowable and sellers must disclose all of the required information in the form specified by the law.

Peter Placey, president of California Tax Data Inc, California?s leading provider of property tax information and reports, stated how important it is that a buyer understand what these taxes are and how they will affect them in the future.

?While failure to pay these taxes on time might not lead directly to a foreclosure sale of the property,? Placey said, ?the accelerated start of foreclosure proceedings can add thousands of additional dollars to what is owed in penalties and legal fees.? In addition, failure to properly disclose this information at the time of sale can make the seller liable to financial and other repercussions.

There are nearly 3,000 individual special tax and assessment districts spread across the state, affecting nearly 1 out of every 2 properties sold. The lesson to be learned? If you are thinking of selling your home, make certain that you consult with a professional and are making all of the legally required disclosures. Thinking of buying a home? Make sure you are provided with all of the information you need to be able to make the most educated decision possible in regards to your new home purchase.

About California Tax Data

California Tax Data Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California. The leading commercial source of Mello-Roos and Assessment District Determination Reports in California, California Tax Data provides bond determination reports and expanded property tax disclosure for use in real estate transactions. The company maintains the only comprehensive database of California property tax data in existence. This data was compiled over a period of ten years and is updated continuously to ensure accurate and up to date reporting. To date, the company has processed over 3 million determinations.

California Tax Data?s mission is to meet the property tax information and risk management needs of all participants in the real estate transaction. The company is committed to providing the highest service level available to property owners, real estate industry professionals and local government officials and staff.

For additional information contact California Tax Data directly at (949) 789-0660 or visit http://www.californiataxdata.com.

Contact Information:

Ted Tedeschi

California Tax Data

100 Pacifica, Suite 470

Irvine, CA 92618

# # #

Source: http://liennow.com/real-estate-tax-disclosure-loop-hole-finally-closed-effective-january-1-2005-no-more-hidden-taxes/

packages camila alves albrecht durer dan marino david lee roth joe bodolai ben nelson

Source: http://metabolic-flatulent.blogspot.com/2012/08/real-estate-tax-disclosure-loop-hole.html

charles addams pinewood derby cars republican debate tonight tinker tailor soldier spy rich forever rick ross project runway all stars elin nordegren

Tuskegee airman George Hickman, 88, dies

Elaine Thompson / AP file

George Hickman holds a photo of himself in the cockpit of an AT6 trainer airplane on Jan. 16, 2009. Hickman, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, died Aug. 19, 2012.

By Jeff Black, NBC News

George Hickman, a Tuskegee airman decorated as among the first black pilots to fly for the U.S. military during World War II, died over the weekend.?

His wife, Doris, confirmed to the Associated Press that he died on Sunday morning in Seattle. He was 88.

Hickman had a long association with the sports community in Seattle, working as an usher at University of Washington sporting events as well as NFL football games with the Seattle Seahawks.

---

?

"Things will be a little different right before we go out on the court not being able to shake the hand of George Hickman," UW men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar tweeted. "He was one of the most inspirational men that I have ever met."

"George Hickman will be missed. He represented the UW and the Tuskegee airmen with class. I will always appreciate how he treated my family," added UW football coach Steve Sarkisian.

Hickman raised the "12th Man Flag" at a Seahawks game in November.

"He was always quick with a handshake and a smile to those entering the press box and when asked how he was doing, Hickman would answer, 'Blessed to be here,'" the Seahawks' Clare Farnsworth wrote.

In 2007, Hickman traveled with other Tuskegee airmen to Washington, D.C., to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. He also attended President Obama?s inauguration in 2009.

The critically-acclaimed movie, "Red Tails," which is produced by George Lucas and tells the story of the Tuskegee airman ? the first African-American aviators to serve in the armed forces, is being released on DVD and Blu-Ray Tuesday. Tuskegee airman Roscoe Brown and actor Elijah Kelley join NewsNation to discuss.

The grandson of slaves, Hickman grew up in St. Louis, and joined?the segregated pilot training program in Tuskegee, Ala. in 1943, serving until 1945, according to his Army profile.

theGrio: Oldest living Tuskegee Airman is finally honored

"There was nothing better in the world. In that biplane, the guy wires between the wings were like musical instruments," he told The News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash., in 2011.

But Hickman also recalled in a 2009 Associated Press interview the humiliation of being pushed off sidewalks in the South and spit at while in uniform.

As a cadet captain, he was effectively blocked from flying when he called out white superior officers for the mistreatment of a fellow black cadet. "I felt like I had really been mistreated," he told the AP.

New York City students react after seeing the film "Red Tails" and meeting former Tuskegee Airman Rosco Brown.?

In 1955, he met and married his wife in Amarillo, Texas, while volunteering with her mother at a local library that supplied multi-cultural books to public schools, according to an Army article profiling?the Hickmans.

"He was just a wonderful man," Doris Hickman told The Associated Press on Monday.

?

He moved to Seattle in 1955 to work for Boeing. He retired in 1984. ?

Famed Tuskegee Airman, Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr., decorated with multiple medals in World War II, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on the same day that Red Tails, a film dramatizing the pilots' heroics was released.

NBC station KING-TV and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More content from NBCNews.com:

Follow US News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/20/13378621-tuskegee-airman-george-hickman-88-dies-in-seattle?lite

wooly mammoth no child left behind no child left behind neurofibromatosis steve jobs fbi file suge knight obama birth control

Designing Websites | Online Success Articles

?

By Nick Hatton

Website design remains one of the most intriguing art forms of the 21st century. If you are looking to start your own website or blog, however, you do not have to be the next Da Vinci to have a web space that looks and feels like it was designed by a professional. There are three easy paths you can take to get your site looking original and beautiful. Firstly, free blogging websites such as Tumblr and WordPress offer free web space, a URL of your choosing, and a good amount of templates to customize your page. Next, free or paid content management systems like WordPress (free) of SquareSpace (paid) are powerful tools for organizing all kinds of content, from blog posts to an online store. Finally, simple coding languages you can learn include HTML and CSS which offer endless possibilities as far as what your site looks like.

Blogging has become all the rage in the last decade, and blog design has become fairly standardized during that time. However, using a website like Tumblr to host a blog has really become popular in the last five years or so. This is because the hosting site has taken care of the hard part for the user: the coding and design of the site. These sites even offer professional looking templates that can be modified with a few clicks of the mouse, with little or no knowledge of the code that makes them run. This will benefit anyone eager to market themselves on the web.

For the user who needs a more complex site design that includes more functionality, content management systems (CMS) are great alternatives to designing a website from scratch. For example, the WordPress CMS is an incredibly powerful tool that enables a user to set up a site with almost any feature one could think of with relatively little experience. not to mention the best advantage of using WordPress and CMS , its free. Creating an online business using CMS make seem like a tricky process for the novice user but it still can be done. There are many great online tutorials that can be used to help a user a guide them through any problems they may have along the way.

Finally, there are some simple coding languages that one can learn that will open the door to endless possibilities in terms of site design. HyperText Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are the instruments of choice for Web 2.0 site designers. Every designer should learn these languages and understand them as they will become an important influence in Web Design. With these two languages, a web developer can build a site from scratch or modify the templates found on a blog hosting website or CMS install. Free tutorials on how to learn each both of these language are readily available online.

The three tools discussed may take time and effort to learn but the benefits of becoming skilled in this particular area are endless. Before getting started on your page, take some time to become familiarized with each of these options. The free blogging tool Tumblr may best fit your needs better than more advanced tools like CMS. The most difficult part of Web Design has been eliminated from the equation allowing anyone with a creative mind to design on the internet..

An article by Nick hatton, providing a wide of solutions from web design Liverpool to it support to help? small to medium sized businesses increase their sales.

Source: http://online-success-articles.com/designing-websites/

sean hannity bobby petrino fired buffett rule lollapalooza lineup joss whedon ronnie montrose melissa gilbert dancing with the stars

Arctic Sea-Ice Melt Picks Up, Could Set Record

In roughly a month, Arctic sea ice is expected to reach its annual minimum extent, but already, this summer's trend has the look of unusually low-ice year.

As of Monday (Aug. 13), satellite data indicated that the sea-ice extent ? the area of water with at least 15 percent sea ice ? had dipped below the previous record low for that date, in 2007. Specifically, the sea-ice extent had receded to 1.9 million square miles (4.9 million square kilometers), according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

"It is not looking good right now, if you like sea ice," said Mark Serreze, director of NSIDC at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Sea ice matters to the animals ? polar bears and walruses ? that inhabit it. Changes in sea-ice cover also have far-reaching effects on climate. White ice reflects more energy back out into space than does the dark, ice-free water, which absorbs heat. More dark water exposed by receding ice results in more energy being taken up, which in turn melts more ice.

Every year, sea ice builds up over the Arctic waters during the winter then melts through the summer, reaching an annual minimum in early to mid-September. Continuous satellite records of sea-ice extent go back to 1979. In recent years, a trend toward declining sea-ice cover, with record-setting lows, has emerged.

The previous record minimum occurred on Sept. 16, 2007, when the ice extent reached 1.59 million square miles (4.13 million square kilometers), according to NSIDC data. A German group based at the University of Bremen used different measurements to conclude that September 2011 saw the record low.

Researchers attribute this to a combination of global warming and natural fluctuations in weather.

For instance, the melt rate this summer nearly doubled in early August during a strong Arctic storm.

"This could be due to mechanical break-up of the ice and increased melting by strong winds and wave action during the storm. However, it may be simply a coincidence of timing, given that the low concentration ice in the region was already poised to rapidly melt out," reads a statement on the NSIDC website.

Follow Wynne Parry on Twitter @Wynne_Parry?or?LiveScience @livescience. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.

Copyright 2012 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/arctic-sea-ice-melt-picks-could-set-record-142602396.html

empty nest nbc sports bengals vs texans nfl playoffs cincinnati bengals bengals the stand

PFT: Giants' Rogers out for season with blood clot

Getty Images

Bills WR T.J. Graham had a successful track career and is the son of an Olympic silver medalist, but he wants everyone to know that he?s a football player first and foremost, and not just a sprinter who plays football on the side.

Dolphins QB Matt Moore compares himself to a relief pitcher because he?s rarely the been the chosen starter in his NFL career.

There have been questions about whether the Patriots will get the 2010 version of CB Devin McCourty who looked like one of the best young cornerbacks in the league, or the 2011 version who struggled. But McCourty says he?s just ?the 2012 McCourty.?

Former Jets QB Chad Pennington has an optimistic view of the pairing of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.

Ravens K Billy Cundiff is no lock to keep the kicking job in Baltimore.

Bengals G Travelle Wharton knows that as a 31-year-old with a torn ACL, his future is in doubt. But he?s trying to stay positive: ?I?m just going to attack this surgery as if I was a 21-22 year old,? Wharton said. ?I just want to be healthy and attack this thing going into this rehab and surgery with an open mind and get through it. Going down before you even get started is disappointing to anyone. I wanted to come in here and fit into it and be ready to go to work.?

Browns fans are being talked off the ledge over concerns about rookie QB Brandon Weeden.

Steelers WR Antonio Brown says he regrets taking a swing at teammate Ike Taylor in practice: ?I am a football player, not a UFC fighter or someone trying to fight guys. I could?ve been fined; I could?ve broken my hand ? a lot of scenarios could?ve been really bad.?

Texans coach Gary Kubiak liked what he saw of rookie OLB Whitney Mercilus in his preseason debut: ?It?s just one game, but let?s just say he?s caught on fast to what we?re doing. He played 41 plays, and he was excellent.?

Colts RB Donald Brown is finally looking like the player they need him to be.

The Jaguars are making their plans at running back in case Maurice Jones-Drew doesn?t report for the start of the season.

Titans DE Pannel Egboh is competing for first-team reps even though he?s a little-known player who has never played in an NFL regular-season game.

Here?s a good story on Broncos RB Xavier Omon, who has had a rough road to the NFL.

Chargers DT Cam Thomas is facing his third child support case in the last eight months.

Steve Maneri has dropped 40 pounds and moved from the offensive line to tight end for the Chiefs.

Raiders coach Dennis Allen says RB Darren McFadden needs to get preseason touches to be ready for the regular season.

Andre Holmes has a good chance of becoming the Cowboys? No. 3 receiver.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said of RB D.J. Ware, ?He has a very good attitude. I kind of like what I see.?

Former Eagles DB and assistant coach Jimmy Carr has died at the age of 79.

Says Redskins OLB Brian Orakpo, ?Instead of just working primarily on my pass rush, I want to work on everything ? my run defense, pass drops, everything it takes to be an elite player.?

Bears QB Jay Cutler will play in Chicago?s second preseason game.

Lions backup OT Jason Fox is looking strong in training camp.

Packers third-string QB B.J. Coleman doesn?t appear to have a great shot of making the 53-man roster.

The Vikings want QB Joe Webb to learn to be a pocket passer.

Falcons WR Harry Douglas won?t return any punts during the preseason.

Said Panthers coach Ron Rivera of fights at training camp, ?There?s a lot of sniping that goes on. Those little things shouldn?t matter. We?ve just got to get past that. It?s that time in camp. Let?s be honest, we?re two and a half weeks into it, and they drag a little bit. That?s going to happen. That?s why it is good when you get a chance to play against somebody else.?

Saints DT Sedrick Ellis is heading into a contract year, so he knows he needs to be at the top of his game.

The Buccaneers? coaching staff says backup QB Dan Orlovsky adds valuable experience to the meeting room. (He can teach Josh Freeman how to run out the back of the end zone.)

Cardinals offensive line coach Russ Grimm has taken some criticism for the failure to protect the quarterbacks in Arizona, and he says that criticism is understandable.

Rams OT Barry Richardson signed with the understanding that he was going to be a backup, and he?s surprised he?s now in the starting lineup.

Says 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh of two-way player Demarcus Dobbs, ?Everybody wants a piece of Dobbs right now, on both sides of the ball and special teams. He is a popular guy with our coaching staff. It?s something that?s being, to the best of our ability, thought out and planned and utilized, that he?s not overused, overstrained and we don?t get diminishing returns.?

Seahawks WR Sidney Rice is making progress in his recovery from shoulder surgery, but he?s not expected to play this week.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/08/14/shaun-rogers-out-for-season-with-blood-clot-in-leg/related/

pau gasol marlins park marbury v. madison 2013 lincoln mkz burger king mary j blige google project glass google goggles