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Stock markets worldwide fall dramatically

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Stock markets around the world, particularly those in the United States, have fallen dramatically today. This is due to the ongoing events in the financial world, including the bailout of large insurance firm AIG by the US Federal Reserve.

The primary UK index, the FTSE 100, dropped in value by 2.36%, which is 118.40 points, to below the 5000 mark at 4907.20. The Dow Jones was down 2.62% at 16:08 UTC, a slight increase from earlier today. The Dow Jones currently has a value of 10769.00 points. The Nasdaq index has fallen by 3.16% to 2138.14, while the Dax was 1.75% lower than the start of the day as of 16:08 UTC.

The Japanese index the Nikkei was one of the few to rise in value over the day. It ended up 1.2%, although this follows a large fall in the value of the index when it hit an all time low yesterday.

Darren Winder, a market analyst from Cazenove, said that “I don’t think anyone has got any or much confidence in market direction for more than a few days.”

A lot of today’s activities in the market were related to the takeover of the American International Group (AIG) on Tuesday in an US$ 85 billion loan, in exchange for a 79.9% stake in the company.

The fact that AIG has thousands of divisions engaged in business across the globe sets them apart from the recent problems with other banks. AIG was built up over the last several years via the buyouts and mergers of many companies around the world, offering AIG’s stockholders a diverse base of income which allowed it to steadily increase profits.

In addition, the markets have also had difficulties during the past week after the refusal of the Federal Reserve to bail out Lehman Brothers, forcing the company to file for bankruptcy on Monday after Bank of America (BoA) and Barclays PLC pulled out of negotiations over the weekend.

Home Builder

Let’s Add A Den

By Dan Fritschen

A den addition to your home can be a terrific investment of both time and money. Not only will it increase the value of your home, it will also create a wonderful cozy family gathering place you can enjoy for many years to come.

There are many ways to add a den to your home. One way to add a den is to claim attic space. The use of attic space offers a number of fascinating possibilities ranging from a secluded and cozy retreat to a loft that overlooks the kitchen or great room. A second way to add a den is to consider the basement. Unused space in the basement of your home can also be converted into a very nice den. A third way, which offers unlimited possibilities, is to build an addition to your home for a cozy den.

A den will probably be relatively small (as compared to a family room or great room. You will want to make it cozy and comfortable for your family to use for TV or movie viewing, reading, enjoying music, or just gathering for an evening chat. Creating a feeling of warmth and comfort is generally the goal of den design.

The first questions you will need to answer in deciding where you will add your den and what size the room should be are these:

* Will you convert an existing room?

* Will you renovate your attic?

* Will you finish a space in your basement?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaObu0pt0fY[/youtube]

* Will you den be an addition to your existing home?

* If the den will be an addition, where will it join the existing structure?

* What will be the size of the room?

The next set of questions to answer concern access and connection to the rest of the house.

* How will you have access to your new den? Will you be able to use an existing stairway (to attic or basement)? Will you need to add and construct a new stairway?

* How will you connect your new den addition to the existing structure? Will you need to create a doorway or hallway from the existing structure into the new den? Will you remove a wall from your house to connect with the new den?

One very popular approach to den additions is to remove an exterior kitchen wall, allowing the new den to connect with the end of the kitchen. This approach can create a very warm, comfortable and cizy living space for your family. If you choose this option, you will need to decide whether to remove the entire section of wall or to create either a doorway or an arched opening into the den. The use of a smaller doorway to the den will have minimal effect on the look and feel of the kitchen. Building a den addition that is completely open to the kitchen will affect the look and feel of both den and kitchen. This very popular approach to den addition, however, will require careful planning and design.

There was a time when a den was simply a small room that might have built-in bookcases and was probably paneled in wood (Generally knotty pine). Families, builders and contractors have become far more creative in recent years, designing spaces that are far more interesting and functional. Here are some room-design ideas you might want to consider in planning your den.

1. If you are remodeling an attic space, consider creating an open staircase from the floor below and leaving the area that connects with the rest of the house open. Either a half-wall or a wood or wrought iron rail can prevent accidents and create a feeling of more space in both rooms.

2. If you are remodeling a basement space, consider ways you can create the same effect of openness in the way you provide access to your basement den.

3. If you are adding to your home, consider something more creative than a simple doorway to join the den to the existing structure. You might consider placing a see-through fireplace between the kitchen and the den with open space on each side for access. You can connect your den to other rooms in the same way.

4. If you are adding a den that connects with your kitchen, consider using a “breakfast bar” to delineate space. Or, just allow the kitchen and den to flow together.

5. You can create the feeling of warmth in a den through color choices for paint, wallpaper and furniture. Flooring

materials can also create very exciting effects. Rather than paneling, you might consider adding the warmth of wood with hardwood floors and open-beam rafters in the den.

If your new den will be an addition to the house, you will need to think carefully about the grade of the land, the appropriate type of foundation, and the external appearance of the new addition. The external materials will certainly need to match or blend with the exterior of the existing house. The line of the new roof will need to be consonant with the existing roof line, and the shingles should match. You can, however, consider some options that will make your home more energy efficient, such as installation of solar energy panels or a skylight. A fireplace could provide alternative heating as well as creating a feeling of warmth in the room. With so many styles of fireplace available, you will certainly be able to find and include a fireplace that accents your den and other rooms with which it connects.

Whether you choose to remodel existing space or to add to your home, you will need to attend to heat and air conditioning in the new den, as well as electricity. This, as well as the need to construct a foundation and exterior walls, may help you decide whether this is a do-it-yourself project or you need to call in professionals for all or part of the work. Many localities require electrical and heat/air work to be done by licensed professionals. If you are building a fireplace, proper ventilation will be critical. You may want to have a professional do these types of work, leaving the paneling or drywall and decorating for you to do.

Whether you choose a simple plan or a very creative and exciting room design, you can create a marvelous living space for your family by adding a den to your existing home. The project will be great fun to plan and build, and you will have a renovation that will improve your lifestyle and increase the value of your home.

Copyright 2008 by ABCD Publishing

About the Author: Dan Fritschen, the remodel-or-move guru is President and Publisher at ABCD Publishing and operates three very popular websites —

remodelormove.com

, which helps homeowners make this important decision on the basis of knowledge and reliable cost estimates, and www.remodelestimates, which offers a variety of articles on various aspects of remodeling and remodeling cost estimate calculators, as well as referrals to great contractors throughout the nation, and

remodelingorganizer.com

). He is the author of three books on home remodeling.

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=244351&ca=Home+Management

Colorado College Tigers win 41st annual Great Lakes Invitational tournament

Friday, December 30, 2005

The Colorado College Tigers beat the Spartans of Michigan State University in men’s ice hockey on Friday, for the title of champions of the 41st annual Great Lakes Invitational ice hockey tournament at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

The Tigers, the team chosen to be invited into the tournament and appearing for the first time since 1965 in the tournament, led with a 5-0 lead during the second period, after which Michigan State switched goalies. The Spartans put freshmen Jeff Lerg into net, replacing Dominic Vicari, who was earlier given a penalty for his contact with a member of Colorado’s team in front of the net. Michigan State junior Tyler Howells scored two goals during the second period, and Colorado student Brett Sterling made the Tiger’s final goal for the night.

Colorado College took first place in the invitational, and Michigan State ended in second place, after their previous win over Michigan Tech at a score of 3-2. The Tigers previously beat the University of Michigan on Thursday, at a score of 6-1.

Meanwhile, the University of Michigan beat GLI co-sponsor Michigan Tech University with a score of 5-3 for a third place finish in the invitational earlier in the day.

With 2 minutes remaining in the third period, the University of Michigan went one up over Michigan Tech, breaking the 3-3 tie. Michigan Tech pulled their goalie with one minute remaining to gain a man advantage, but the strategy failed and allowed the University of Michigan to get another goal resulting in the final 5-3 score.

The game secured the third place position in the invitational for University of Michigan, and fourth place for Michigan Tech.

 This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.
This article features first-hand journalism by Wikinews members. See the collaboration page for more details.

The final standings in the tournament are:

  1. Colorado College
  2. Michigan State University
  3. University of Michigan
  4. Michigan Tech

Canada’s Don Valley West (Ward 26) city council candidates speak

 This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter. See the collaboration page for more details.

Friday, November 3, 2006

On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward’s councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto’s ridings is Don Valley West (Ward 26). Four candidates responded to Wikinews’ requests for an interview. This ward’s candidates include Muhammad Alam, Bahar Aminvaziri, Orhan Aybars, Michele Carroll-Smith, Mohamed Dhanani, Abdul Ingar, Geoff Kettel, Debbie Lechter, Natalie Maniates, John Masterson, John Parker, David Thomas, Csaba Vegh, and Fred Williams.

For more information on the election, read Toronto municipal election, 2006.

Contents

  • 1 Geoff Kettel
  • 2 Natalie Maniates
  • 3 John Parker
  • 4 Csaba Vegh
Diamonds

Where Can You Buy Sportkleding Grote Maten?}

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by

Brian MillerThe truth is that there are different places where you can look for sportkleding grote maten, depending on the quality, price and appearance of the items that you might be interested in. Before you decide that you are going to spend your entire day going from clothing shop to clothing shop in your area and dealing with all sorts of annoying people, you might want to consider searching for grote maten sportkleding online. This way, you will surely find what you need in a really short time!Let’s say that you decide to just take a few hours off and go shopping. Even though this might sound like a good idea at first, you should know that after a short while you will regret doing it. That is because of the fact that regular stores usually have standard sizes in stock, which means that you will not find sportkleding grote maten that fit you. When that happens, you start feeling incredibly annoyed. You just have to take the time to perform a simple search using your favourite search engine and a few relevant keywords. Before you know it, you will be browsing through pretty amazing grote maten sportkleding that can be delivered to your doorstep. Now imagine having to deal with the same experience every single time you walk into a clothing shop.At the same time, there is quite a good chance that when asking about grote maten sportkleding, the sales assistant that is supposed to help you will look at you in a funny way and just tell you that they don’t have anything in stock that will fit you. You will be able to order more clothing items to mix and match and create new outfits without any trouble. Obviously, this is the kind of situation that you would like to avoid. The good news is that you can do just that, but only as long as you choose to visit a store that only has sportkleding grote maten in stock or if you do your shopping online.Interesting enough, as long as you know where to look, you will surely manage to stumble upon an online shop that can offer you a variety of large size clothing items and accessories. You just have to take the time to perform a simple search using your favourite search engine and a few relevant keywords. Before you know it, you will be browsing through pretty amazing grote maten sportkleding that can be delivered to your doorstep. Before placing your order, you might want to find out more about their delivery policy.Some shops will even save you from paying the shipment fee as long as you order items that add up to a specific amount. This way, you will be able to order more clothing items to mix and match and create new outfits without any trouble. At the same time, you know that the clothes you like will be delivered to your doorstep in the shortest time possible. You will just need to pick the items you like!

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Article Source:

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Financial Services

Can You Enforce An Oral Contract For The Sale Of Real Estate?

By Bob Miles

The simple answer is ‘No, you can’t, because every state has enacted a Statute of Frauds requiring contracts for an interest in the sale of an interest in land.’ But hey, it’s never that simple with the law, which is why we’ve got so many lawyers running around. So if you’ve concluded an oral contract for the sale of real estate and the other party is pretending that the contract never existed because it wasn’t written down, don’t despair (at least until you’ve read this article), because there are certain exceptions to this rule.

Most states still recognize two different justice systems – ‘law’ and ‘equity’. Both are administered largely by the courts. If you are aggrieved under an oral contract for the sale of real estate, then sue in equity, not law (although legal remedies are sometimes available). You can avoid the Statute of Frauds if you have actually performed a portion of the contract ‘that is ‘sufficient’ to justify awarding you an equitable remedy – in other words, a court order demanding the completion of the transaction. The devil is in the details as they say, and exactly how much performance is ‘sufficient’ is where the lawyers will duke it out. If you are a buyer, you have already paid the full purchase price, and the seller refuses to hand over the deed, then your payment of the full purchase is surely ‘sufficient’ to merit a court order demanding that the seller leave the property and hand over the deed to you (defiance of which will constitute ‘contempt of court’, rendering the seller liable for daily fines and perhaps even jail time). If you have paid only $100 of the purchase price under an oral land contract, you might have to resort to small claims court to get you money back – it is unlikely that the court will force the seller to proceed with the transaction even if you are willing to pay the remainder of the purchase price.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLSjIYWkFh8[/youtube]

DISCLAIMER: The foregoing is intended for reference purposes only and not as legal advice.

About the Author: Real Estate Law in Plain English explains real estate law without the legalese.

Source: isnare.com

Permanent Link: isnare.com/?aid=152590&ca=Real+Estate

Despite passage of bailout bill, two US states may need loans

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Despite the passage of a 700 billion USD bill by the United States House of Representatives on Friday and the Senate on Wednesday, two U.S. states may need loans totaling over 14 billion dollars.

California and Massachusetts are seeking at least 7 billion dollars each from the federal government as loans. Officials and lawmakers in both states say that the loans would be temporary.

According to Massachusetts’ state treasurer, Timothy P. Cahill, the state was unable to borrow money last week on a short term loan. He also states that the state can afford to pay its bills and debts for the next few weeks, but not beyond that without a short-term loan from the government. Cahill has asked the federal government for a loan similar to the recent one passed by Congress and the Senate.

“That’s all we would ask them to do: Treat us like the investment banks,” said Cahill to the Associated Press.

Officials in California say they need an emergency loan, or they will run out of money by the end of October. California’s governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger said the state is “not out of the woods” and needs a short term loan from the government.

“California and other states may be unable to obtain the necessary level of financing to maintain government operations and may be forced to turn to the federal treasury for short-term financing,” said Schwarzenegger in a letter to the Treasury Department, which is taking the letter under consideration.

On Friday, the U.S. House of Representative voted to pass a revised bailout bill which included raising the FDIC insurance cap to $250,000, a move designed to please progressives. However, the $110 billion in tax breaks, earmarks and what has been called pork barrel spending is not offset by any increases in revenues and has added opposition to the bill from some Representatives in the House. Earmarks added into the bailout bill included $192 million in tax rebates for the Virgin Islands rum industry, $148 million in tax cuts for the wool industry, $100 million tax cuts to the auto racing industry, and $48 million in Hollywood tax incentives, among others.

Russian choreographer Igor Moiseyev dies at age 101

Friday, November 2, 2007

Igor Moiseyev, who has been widely acclaimed as the greatest 20th-century choreographer of folk dance, has died today after a long illness. He was 101 years old.

Born Igor Alexandrovich Moiseyev on January 21, 1906 in Kiev, Moiseyev graduated from the Bolshoi Theatre ballet school in 1924 and danced in the theatre until 1939. His first choreography in the Bolshoi was Footballer in 1930 and the last was Spartacus in 1954.

Since the early 1930s, he staged acrobatic parades on Red Square and finally came up with the idea of establishing the Theatre of Folk Art. In 1936, Vyacheslav Molotov put him in charge of the new dance company, which has since been known as the Moiseyev Ballet. Among about 200 dances he created for his company, some humorously represented the game of football and guerrilla warfare. After visiting Belarus he choreographed a Belarusian “folk” dance Bulba (“Potato”), which over the years indeed became a Belarusian folk dance. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, Moiseyev’s work has been especially admired “for the balance that it maintained between authentic folk dance and theatrical effectiveness”.

Moiseyev was named People’s Artist of the USSR in 1953, Hero of Socialist Labor in 1976, received the Lenin Prize (1967, for the dance show A Road to the Dance), four USSR State Prizes (1942, 1947, 1952, 1985), Russian Federation State Prize (1996), was awarded numerous orders and medals of the Soviet Union, Spain, and many other countries. On the day of his centenary, Moiseyev became the first Russian to receive Order for the Merits before the Fatherland, 1st class — the highest civilian decoration of the Russian Federation.

Chinese researchers crack major U.S. government algorithm used in digital signatures

Wednesday, February 16, 2005According to computer security expert Bruce Schneier, a widely-used cryptography algorithm, known as SHA-1, has been broken by three researchers at Shandong University in China. Designed by the US intelligence agency NSA, SHA-1 has been adopted as an official US government standard and has become widely-used in security applications worldwide, notably digital signatures. The three female researchers, Xiaoyun Wang, Yiqun Lisa Yin, and Hongbo Yu, have reduced the amount of time needed to find two documents with the same signature by a factor of more than 2000.

The SHA-1 algorithm is used to compute a short string of numbers, known as a hash, for any digital document. The algorithm is constructed such that small changes in the document cause the hash to change drastically. By this means, the hash can be used to verify that a document has not been tampered with.

The attack that Schneier describes is a “collision attack,” rather than the more useful “pre-image” attack. In a pre-image attack, the codebreaker is able to find a document with different contents that matches an existing hash and so can claim an existing signature was on something else. In the somewhat less valuable “collision attack,” the codebreaker is able to devise two documents that both have some particular hash. A adversary might use this to claim that an altered document is the original on the grounds that they have the same hash. A crafty adversary might also be able to trick someone into signing an innocuous document, one of a pair from a collision. The other document, which might not be as harmless, would then also appear to have been signed by the same person. If collisions can be found for SHA-1, then digital signatures will no longer vouch for a document’s authenticity.

The attack, for now, is more of a theoretical than a practical kind: it would currently take thousands of years on a modern personal computer, and would still be slow even if a large number of computers were used in parallel.

Xiaoyun Wang is currently a professor at Shandong University, while Hongbo Yu is a doctoral candidate at the same institution. Yiqun Lisa Yin is currently a visiting researcher at the Princeton Architecture Laboratory for Multimedia and Security (PALMS). Last year, Xiaoyun Wang and Hongbo Yu also took part in breaking a series of similar algorithms, including the widely used MD5 hash, as documented in their paper presented at the Crypto 2004 conference.

Officials from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have recently recommended dropping SHA-1 in favor of stronger, slower algorithms, such as SHA-256, Federal Computer Week reported on February 7, 2005, just 7 days before Schneier announced the SHA-1 break. Despite deprecating SHA-1, William Burr, the head of NIST’s security technology group, said that “SHA-1 is not broken, and there is not much reason to suspect that it will be soon.”