Friday, June 29, 2012

Searching for Hardwood Floor Contractors to Improve Your Home ...











The floor may help define the standard of your own home. It is the very first thing your friends and relatives will probably notice once they step into your house. It ought to appear clean for your eyes and really feel clean for your feet. The sort of material applied on your floor leaves a good or bad impression on your visitors. One of the most appealing types of flooring is hardwood. Look for well-performing hardwood floor contractors if you need to bring classiness in your property.

There are two kinds of hardwood floors: solid and engineered. Solid hardwood floors give off a natural vibe into the house. It could range in dimension and style while some might include other functions just like immunity from humidity. Engineered hardwood, conversely, has 2 or more levels. Additionally it is the most widely used flooring worldwide. Many people mix up engineered hardwood with laminates and vinyl. Both kinds just make your floor appear as if they're genuine wood. Discuss the type of flooring you would like for your home with your hardwood floor contractors.

Floors deteriorates with time. Experts normally make use of special surface finishes to keep the floor from looking dull over time. Building contractors don't just set up flooring systems; they must make sure it seems polished and spot-free. In some cases, the floor may end up uneven after installation. To correct this, hardwood floor sanding is critical.

hardwood flooring sanding is the solution to smoothen the surface and get rid of unevenness. Experts use a sander machine for easy leveling and handheld sandpaper for edges and difficult to reach parts. This process also works well for removing paint stains or torn film on the surface of the floor. Sanding isn't easy and it demands good deal of attention if you need a perfectly smooth surface. Additionally you need to use different kinds of sand paper or devices on distinct areas. Apart from flooring, stair cases made out of hardwood steps also call for sanding and finishing.

When sanding hardwood floors, you initially need to remove or fasten lifted nails or screws. This prevents uneven smoothening and also eliminates damaging the sanding machine. There has to be good air flow inside the room as sawdust may possibly fill up the air. Building contractors need to use safety glasses and respiratory masks to protect themselves from toxic irritants. The floor must be free from dirt, hair, as well as other fine particles to have an easier sanding process.

It really is easier to try to find contractors on the internet focusing on setting up hardwood floors. Do a search for reliable companies providing high quality solutions on installation and sanding. Makeovers continually come with an expensive price however, you can get your way around it when you try to find reasonably priced deals on the internet. Verify the hardwood floor sanding cost with your list of contractors. Select one that provides economical yet effective services with reputation on quality. Change the look of your home with hardwood flooring systems, and bring in an even more elegant atmosphere in your interior.

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Boehner says deal near on student loans, highways

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Congress is nearing agreements that would prevent a doubling of student loan interest rates and revamp the nation's transportation programs, House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday. If completed, the compromises would resolve two vexing issues on which lawmakers face weekend deadlines for action.

Boehner, R-Ohio, made his remarks a day after the Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders said they'd reached a deal to prevent interest rates on new subsidized Stafford loans from doubling to 6.8 percent, beginning this Sunday. Their bipartisan agreement ? which the White House backed ? put pressure on Boehner to accept the deal, which if enacted would avoid antagonizing millions of students and their parents in an election year.

Separately, the government's authority to spend money on highways, bridges and transit systems expires Saturday, as does its ability to levy gasoline and diesel taxes. Bargainers have been working for months in search of compromise on that measure, but have been stymied by disputes over environmental reviews of highway projects, the proposed Keystone oil pipeline from Canada to Texas and other issues.

"We're moving, I think, towards an agreement on a transportation bill that would also include a one-year fix on the student loan rate increase," Boehner told reporters after meeting behind closed doors with House Republicans.

Without action by Congress, interest rates on subsidized Stafford loans would double from their current 3.4 percent for 7.4 million students expected to receive such loans in the year beginning July 1. The loans, used by lower- and middle-income students, are usually paid off over more than a decade, and the higher rates would cost the typical student around $1,000 over the course of the loan.

President Barack Obama highlighted the student loan issue during visits to college campuses this spring amid a campaign year in which the struggles of many families to cope with the limp economy has been a defining issue. Hoping to prevent him from using the dispute in the fall campaign, GOP presidential challenger Mitt Romney said in April that he backed an extension of the lower rates. GOP congressional leaders said the same.

In recent weeks, the key dispute has been over how to pay the student loan bill's $6 billion price tag.

Under the agreement, the government would raise $5 billion by changing the way companies calculate the money they have to set aside for pensions. That change would make their contributions more consistent from year to year, in effect reducing their payments initially and lowering the tax deductions they receive for their pension contributions.

Another $500 million would come from increasing the fees companies pay for the government to insure their pension plans, linking those fees to inflation.

In addition, $1.2 billion would be saved by limiting federal subsidies of Stafford loans to six years for undergraduates.

The White House threatened to veto a House-passed bill extending the lower interest rates because it was paid for by cutting a preventive health care program that Obama helped create. Republicans blocked a Democratic version in the Senate paid for by boosting taxes on owners of some privately held corporations.

Congressional leaders are discussing combining the student loan bill with the highway legislation. Any extra funds raised by the student loan measure could help pay for the highway legislation.

House and Senate negotiators are discussing extending federal highway and transit programs for two years. Both parties consider the measure the best bet for congressional approval of legislation creating jobs before the November elections.

Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., a House transportation committee member, said lawmakers were waiting to see the final language of the bill, which was still being written Wednesday morning, before signing off on a deal.

The last long-term transportation bill expired in 2009. Congress has kept programs going through a series of nine short-term extensions.

The bill would overhaul transportation programs, giving states more flexibility in how they spend federal money, step up the pace of road construction by shortening environmental reviews, impose new safety regulations and boost funding for a federal loan guarantee program aimed at increasing private investment in highway and other transportation construction projects.

The Senate passed a bipartisan, $109 billion transportation bill in March. House Republicans were unable to pass their own comprehensive transportation bill because of divisions in their party.

Instead, they passed a three-month extension of current programs coupled with controversial provisions that would have required the government to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline and blocked the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating the toxic ash created by coal-burning power plants.

The White House threatened to veto the bill if it includes the Keystone provision.

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You Are Sure To Find Confidence With These Tips - The Longevity ...

In the search for self-improvement this article will address the need to establish and maintain boundaries in order to break unsuccessful patterns. This process is most appropriate where individuals can see patterns of failure that might relate to failed interactions with other people or with their own behavior. Below are some helpful ways an individual can identify patterns where the establishment of boundaries and the maintenance of those boundaries can be a helpful tool in creating patterns of success.

You should learn to focus properly as a part of your personal development. Focusing allows you to think more deeply about your goals and feelings. When you focus, you can establish clear objectives and a solid plan of action. If you cannot focus, you will more likely live your life day by day without worrying about the bigger picture.

A great way to aid your own personal development is to learn from the mistakes and pitfalls of others. Read about and talk to people who went through similar problems you are facing, and see what kinds of mistakes they made. Make sure not to make these mistakes yourself.

Church is not what gets you to Heaven, but a church is a nice place for people to come worship and fellowship together. It lifts your spirits, and your fellowship with God gets you prepared for the week. The touch of the Holy Spirit really can help you face your week.

Make your work environment better looking. Put up pictures of things and people you love, bring plants and generally cheer up your immediate work environment. Seeing the people you love will motivate you, and beautifying your work environment will make you feel better about working so that you can do your best.

An important part of your personal development plan should be writing. Reading is equally useful, but it?s a good idea to write thoughts and posts on blogs about the books you read. You can even write reviews or articles. Writing improves skills such as handwriting, spelling, typing and grammar, as well as improving memorization skills!

It is important to realize that habits are hard to break. Just because you set your mind to do something, it does not mean that you will be able to change it right off the bat. You may catch yourself going back to what you are used to. Do not let this stop you from making the change you want.

While going through the many emotional crisis that can occur in your life, some self help suggestions always help. Although, while trying to help yourself mentally, it is as important to take care of yourself physically. Healthy eating and exercise will leave you with many more positive thoughts than you had before doing such.

Take baby steps along the road to personal development. Set small goals rather than lofty goals in order to reach them and feel proud of it. Do not listen to naysayers or toxic people who do not want you to succeed. Even if you do not meet your goals, you will know you tried.

Know what you stand for and make any needed adjustments! Identify and rectify your life principles. Everyone has a set of internal principles that guide their daily activities and interactions. These guiding principles are the foundation of our habits, attitudes and values. Bad habits stem from bad values, and a bad attitude comes from a bad or negative set of principles.

A great personal development tip is to know as much as you can about physics. Understanding physics is crucial to understanding earthly matters because you can?t understand these matters without knowing a little about heavenly matters. Knowing about physics in the present will help you learn beyond them in the afterlife.

Try visualizing your way to success. One of the quickest ways to reach your goals is by closing your eyes and imagining that you already have. Visualizing your future success in vivid detail can help you to start feeling more successful right now. As a result, your behaviors and actions will change, reflecting a newfound confidence in your abilities. This confidence, coupled with a clear vision of what you want to achieve, will help you reach your goals with ease.

To stay motivated use your emotions as tools. People avoid painful experiences and seek out experiences that are pleasurable. When trying to break a bad habit, associate bad feelings with it. Then replace that habit with a good habit that makes you experience joy. You will be more likely to continue the good habit and less likely to continue the bad one.

If you?re feeling stressed out or anxious, a great way to reduce your stress is to get organized. Before you go to sleep each night, get yourself ready for the next day. Let your subconscious do the work of planning what you will do, and you?ll be able to focus on the work at hand instead of worrying about what is to come.

Even though you might encounter many obstacles in your path to personal improvement, do not give up on your plans. Giving up is a sure way to not reach a goal, and you will never improve. However, if you stay with your plan, even if progress has slowed down a lot, you will eventually get to where you want to be.

If you want to properly develop your personal side, it is very important to be reflective. One simple habit that you can do is to practice talking to yourself and listening to yourself as well. I heard it stated once that it is good to pray but as you pray it is better to reflect on it as well.

Keep a daily or weekly blog where you can write out your thoughts, feelings, and accomplishments as you work on your personal development. The blog can serve as a way for you to just get your thoughts off your chest. It will also give you some kind of documentation that you could look back on to see how far you have come.

Remain proactive in all situations, refraining from a reactive attitude. The proactive approach is the best approach to have as you are taking action first. You aren?t waiting for others and you aren?t responding to the situation, you are taking control. One of the best key elements of personal development is the ability to think with a proactive mindset rather than reactive.

Hopefully, these tips have provided you with some very valuable information, as well as given you a way to organize the thoughts and information you may have already had on self-help. Keeping these tips in mind when you start trying to improve your life can help you achieve your goals and become a better person in the process.

If you are looking for ways to improve yourself, then read about heart broken quotes or you can learn more about quotes about moving on from the past.

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Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight; Best Chance to See Bootids

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

PSA: PS3 firmware update landing today

PSA PS3 firmware update landing todaySony's third-generation console is primed for new firmware, set to arrive later today and looking to be an audio-centric refresh. Version 4.20 improves support for Sony's PlayStation 3 Wireless Stereo Headset, which had some troubles with the last update. You can now turn off the option to hear your own voice ringing through your head, or pick from five different volume levels. There's also a new option to add virtual surround sound on Blu-Ray and DVD playback to the ear-warmers, as well adjustments to how long the whole system will run before shutting itself down and the ability to save files in bulk. Hit up the official source for the full update rundown.

PSA: PS3 firmware update landing today originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 06:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourcePlayStation.blog  | Email this | Comments


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It's Safe to Assume Apple TV Is Getting Apps [Video]

Now this is interesting! A sharp-eyed Apple TV beta tester spotted wobbling icon rearrangement in the newest update, allowing you to customize your home screen. Sound familiar? It should—it's exactly what we saw right before downloadable iPhone apps. More »


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1st-ever Andrew Carnegie medal winners announced

(AP) ? Anne Enright's novel "The Forgotten Waltz" and Robert Massie's biography "Catherine the Great" have won the first-ever Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in literature.

The American Library Association announced the awards Monday at its annual conference in Anaheim, Calif. The Carnegie awards for fiction and nonfiction are the first adult prizes ever sponsored by the association, which also manages the top honors for children's literature, the John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott medals.

Enright and Massie each will receive $5,000. In its announcement, the library association praised Enright's "supple prose" and Massie's "compulsively readable" style. The Carnegie selection committee was chaired by Nancy Pearl, a popular Seattle-based librarian and NPR commentator.

Associated Press

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Top Ways You Can Quit Smoking | echovalve.com

[unable to retrieve full-text content]This can definitely assistance to take off your thoughts of smoking, and is also a wonderful way to boost your health and fitness. Usually do not stop cool poultry. It might be appealing to throw out your tobacco cigarettes and ...

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Finding Real Estate Agents | Internet Contents - luvpekn's posterous

Finding a real estate agent is an important part of the house buying process. If you?re buying a home, a real estate agent can help guide you through the process. An agent can also help narrow your home search by searching the real estate listings that only realtors have access to. Using a real estate agent typically will cost you about three percent of the purchase price of your home. Many people consider this cost well worth their while in order to have an easier trip through the real estate process.

Where to Find a Real Estate Agent

When you?re shopping for a real estate agent, you should first ask your family and friends which realtors they?ve used. Ask your family and friends what they liked and didn?t like about them and whether they?d recommend those realtors. Also, take a drive through some of the neighborhoods where you wouldn?t mind buying a home. Look at the realty signs in those neighborhoods. The realtors whose signs are at those homes will be more likely to know the neighborhood than other ones who may not have spent as much time there.

Consider also going to the national realty companies to find a realtor. The large companies have hired realtors that typically have plenty of experience to help guide you through the realty process.

How to Shop For the Right Real Estate Agent

Interview several realtors before you decode on the one you truly want to use. You?ll want to visit each realtor and get a good feel for what that person can do for you and whether they can help you out. Ask them how long they?ve been doing this and feel free to ask them pertinent questions about your particular realty needs. If they know the answers off the tops of their heads, they probably are experienced. But if they are willing to go look up the answer and get back to you, you probably can count on them to do the research you need.

Some realtors will want you to sign a non-compete agreement before getting started. This may or may not be a good idea. A non-compete agreement means that you are agreeing for a set period of time to buy a house through that particular realtor only. This is good only for the realtor. If you end up not liking the realtor, you can?t just up and leave.

Checking Out Your Real Estate Agent

When you think you?ve landed on the real estate agent you want to use, check them out with the proper licensing agencies in your state. Make sure they are registered as a realtor there. Ask the realtor for a couple of references and call those people. Ask those other customers any questions you?d like about the realtor. Those who have worked with the realtor can perhaps tell you better than anyone else what that realtor truly can do for you.

Finding a real estate agent that fits your needs may take some time but it will be well worth the search when you find someone who?s reliable, skilled and who can find you the perfect home you?ve been searching for.

Finding Real Estate Agents

David Burch specializes in articles about the Clovis, NM Real Estate market [http://ClovisHomeTours.com] For more articles on real estate in Clovis, New Mexico [http://www.clovishometours.com/category/real-estate-in-clovis-new-mexico], please visit his website: [http://ClovisHomeTours.com]

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Caithness Business Index :: Article : 4942 people in the Highlands ...

25/6/2012

In the Highlands, 4,942 people were supported by Skills Development Scotland's careers information, advice and guidance services (CIAG) in the past year.

Between April 2011 and March 2012, 1,328 people also joined SDS's national training programmes in the Highlands. This includes 985 people starting a Modern Apprenticeship (MA) and 311 new starts on SDS's Get Ready for Work, Targeted Pathways and Training for Work programmes.

Publication of the figures coincides with the launch of a three-year corporate strategy by SDS, Scotland's national skills body, which will see a modernised service use the latest technology, training and labour market research to ensure more people than ever before get the right support to help them build lasting careers.

Plans include more face-to-face careers advice for those furthest from the labour market and a commitment to fund at least 75,000 more Modern Apprentices over the next three years.

Anthony Standing, SDS's Head of Operations for North said: "We closely review our services to ensure they continue to respond to the changing demands of our clients and adequately meet their needs. Last year, this resulted in the development of our interactive online web service My World of Work that complements our existing face-to-face and telephone provision, and allows clients access to our services when, where and how they want them."

Anthony added: "SDS is also committed to strengthening pathways to employment for young people and to making sure the appropriate skills are available across a wide range of sectors in order to drive the Scottish economy."

CIAG is among the core services SDS and its partners offer individuals. Young people, both still at school and those who have left, are offered careers information, advice and guidance, and adults looking to find work, those facing the threat of redundancy and those looking to advance their career can also benefit from SDS's services.

Once again, SDS is looking to work with Scottish employers this year to recruit 25,000 new Modern Apprentices in a range of over 80 different occupations.

Anthony Standing added: "We recently celebrated Scottish Apprenticeship Week and worked with current Modern Apprentice employers to raise awareness of the benefits of the programme among companies not yet involved.

"Businesses of every shape and size can reap real rewards from bringing on employees to a stage where they are fully qualified for the job and understand their employer's needs and aims."

If you are a business looking for further information on SDS's range of initiatives - including the Modern Apprenticeship programme - or if you would like support, advice or information on taking on a trainee or someone recently made redundant, call the employers' helpline on 0800 783 6000.

If you are looking for help to get in to work or training or need advice, call the careers helpline on 0800 917 8000.

For further information and to view the corporate strategy visit:
www.sds.co.uk/ourachievements
www.myworldofwork.co.uk

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Analysis: Egypt's big turn under Muslim Brotherhood

Egypt has elected a conservative president who has said he wants to impose Islamic law. How he will change the country remains unclear. NBC's Richard Engel reports.

By Richard Engel, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent

CAIRO, Egypt ??The Muslim Brotherhood has won the presidency.? Will it bring a new Egypt?? I can?t see how it won?t.

This morning a Christian woman I?ve known casually for years came up to me and asked if I could help her seek political asylum in the United States.? Many Christians, women and moderate Muslims worry about the Muslim Brotherhood?s promise to bring Islamic Law.? It?s not a good sign if the day after elections that people are asking how they can escape the country.


Last night in Tahrir Square Muslim Brotherhood members were celebrating?their victory, calling it not a win for democracy, but divine intervention. ?They acknowledged that a free vote brought them to power, but saw God?s hand filling the ballot boxes. ?

In an analysis piece last week I asked, if democracy brings a non-democratic party, is that a win for democracy?? Today some Egyptians don?t think so and have considerable buyers? remorse, feeling the clich?, "be careful of what you wish for."

Egyptians face a new Egypt under the Muslim Brotherhood

In Tahrir Square street vendors now sell badges with Mohammed Morsi's?photograph. ?Some Egyptians wear them to show support and solidarity, like wearing a U.S. presidential campaign pin.? I bought one.? It?s sitting on my desk now in Cairo.? The laminated badge also has the Muslim Brotherhood?s logo of two crossed swords with a Quran between the blades.? Beneath the swords is a single phrase, ?And Prepare.?

It?s a quote from the Quran which in the light of the Brotherhood?s win deserves elaboration.?

?And prepare? comes from the Quran?s Chapter 8 on "the spoils of war." ?The full quote is:

?And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows. And whatever you spend in the cause of Allah will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.?

?And Prepare? means to prepare for battle against God?s enemies.?

NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin has the latest on Egypt's presidential election and what the results mean for the U.S., Israel and the rest of the Middle East.

When I think about the Muslim Brotherhood, I remember a hot, sticky evening in 1998 when I was working as a local journalist in Cairo.? I was in the lawyers' syndicate building in central Cairo.?

The syndicate was, and still is, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood.? I had many contacts there and was a frequent visitor.? That evening, I sat drinking strong coffee with a group of about a half dozen members of the Brotherhood.? We spoke for hours.?

I remember the conversation vividly because I have had so many just like it.? The Brotherhood members mostly talked about Israel.? They were obsessed with the Mossad, Israel?s powerful spy agency. ?According to them, the Mossad ran everything in the Middle East.?

They also said America was at war with Islam.? They told me Osama bin Laden was an American creation.? They talked about how Jews ran the world, and how the only group as powerful as the Mossad was the "Jewish Lobby" in Washington.? Jews and Israel, they said, used America?s muscle to dominate the Arab world through proxy dictators like Mubarak.? They told me how Israel was deliberately exporting chemicals that spread AIDS and cancer among Egyptians.?

Egypt's?Morsi: Bloodshed will not be in vain

They told me the Americans people, whom they considered decent and God fearing, were ignorant of the games played on them by Jews and their lobby. ?One Jewish-Israeli-American conspiracy rolled into the next. ?

I remember thinking all those 15 years ago as I sipped coffee and looked around at the syndicate, I hope these guys don't come to power.? But even then I suspected one day it would happen ??there were simply too many Egyptians who thought just like the people drinking coffee in the syndicate. ?

After winning Egypt's presidential election, Mohammed Morsi claims to have quit the Muslim Brotherhood. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports from Cairo, Egypt.

They packed the universities and professional unions.? They wrote the little paperback books sold on blankets on Cairo sidewalks linking Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, the Bush family, the Jewish Lobby, Freemasons and of course the Mossad in elaborate plots against Egypt and Muslims. ?

There are clearly many Egyptian free-thinkers and intellectuals -- lots of wonderful Egyptian artists and architects and scientists.? But the conversation I was having in the syndicate was much more common.

Morsi now talks about moderation.? Western diplomats hope he means it and that the Brotherhood will have to become more pragmatic now that it will have to actually run a government.? That could very well happen, but pragmatism seems unlikely to erase a mentality that is deeply ingrained and which will, especially in time of crisis, expose itself sooner or later.

Egyptians fill Cairo's Tahrir Square in anticipation of a new government being announced. NBC's Richard Engel reports.

NBC News: Egypt's ex-dictator Hosni Mubarak slips into coma

Morsi still has to battle with the military for power.? The military holds key authorities?which it took through steps that were probably illegal. ?The army?s position looks weaker now that the Brotherhood has won an election that was widely considered free and fair.

Egypt took a big turn last night.? I hope now the Brotherhood can move beyond a mentality of conspiracies and turn this country into a success.? If it can?t, the Middle East faces a tough road ahead.

More world news from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world

?

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Assad forms new cabinet as violence flares in Syria

President Bashar al-Assad formed a new cabinet with key posts unchanged as more than 100 people were reported killed in violence across Syria.

Meanwhile Turkey downplayed the Syrian shooting down of a Turkish plane, acknowledging one of its warplanes may have violated Syrian airspace after Damascus confirmed shooting down the F-4 Phantom on Friday, in comments seen as a bid to cool the latest spat between the former allies.

"An unidentified aerial target violated Syrian airspace, coming from the west at a very low altitude and at high speed over territorial waters," a Syrian military spokesman told the official SANA news agency.

Anti-aircraft batteries hit the plane about a kilometre from the coast and it crashed some 10 kilometres (six miles) off Latakia province, he added.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said it was not unusual for warplanes flying at high speed to cross maritime borders, stressing that such actions were not "ill-intentioned."

Naval forces from both nations were searching for the two missing crew.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 102 people, two-thirds of them civilians, were killed in violence across the country on Saturday as regime forces stepped up attacks on towns.

The Britain-based monitoring group said 69 civilians were killed in bombardment of rebel bastions, including a family of six in Deir Ezzor, eastern Syria.

Nineteen soldiers were killed in fighting with rebels, of whom four also died, the Observatory said, adding that 10 troops were gunned down as they tried to defect to anti-regime forces.

On Friday, at least 116 people were reported killed.

The International Committee of the Red Cross condemned the killing of a Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteer, in the fourth such incident in the country's deadly unrest.

Bashar al-Youssef, 23, was shot and fatally wounded on Friday in Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria, the two organisations said in a joint statement.

"This comes at a time when the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are virtually the only organisations able to work in areas affected by the violence in Syria," said Alexandre Equey, deputy head of the ICRC's delegation in the country.

On the political front, Assad announced the formation of a new government with the key foreign, defence and interior ministry portfolios unchanged, less than two months after controversial parliamentary elections boycotted by the opposition.

"President Bashar al-Assad has issued Decree 210 forming a new government under Prime Minister Dr Riad Hijab," state television said.

Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem remains in his post, along with the defence and interior ministers, Daoud Rajha and Mohammad al-Shaar.

Rajha, in the post since August, was among those sanctioned by the United States for his role in the deadly crackdown on Syrian protesters.

Abdel Basset Sayda, head of the main opposition Syrian National Council, dismissed the new line-up as a sham aiming "to give the impression that reforms have been brought in."

He said there was "no real change," with key posts unchanged.

The new cabinet assumes power amid an intensification of repression and clashes, which last week led to the the halt of the United Nations observer mission.

Britain's Guardian newspaper, meanwhile, reported that Saudi Arabia was set to pay the salaries of the rebel Free Syrian Army, several of whose fighters who defected from the regular army are based in Turkey, to encourage mass defections.

Turkey-Syria relations were already strained by Erdogan's outspoken condemnation of the Assad government's bloody crackdown that rights activists say has killed more than 15,000 people since March 2011.

The downing of the F-4 is the most serious incident between the two countries since then, but Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc played down the tensions.

"We should be calm ... Yes, we accept this is a critical matter but we don't have clear information," he told Anatolia news agency, adding that the results of the ongoing investigation would be publicised "as soon as possible."

In neighbouring Iraq, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari warned that the Syrian crisis might spill over.

"Our main concern is the spillover of the crisis... into neighbouring countries, and no country is immune from this spillover because of the composition of the societies... the connections, the sectarian ethnic dimensions," he told reporters.

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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Egypt's Mubarak reported in coma, off life support

FILE - In this Saturday, June 2, 2012 file photo, Egypt's ex-President Hosni Mubarak lays on a gurney inside a barred cage in the police academy courthouse in Cairo, Egypt. An Egyptian prison official says Hosni Mubarak?s health has taken a turn to the worst and is likely to be moved out of his prison hospital to a military facility nearby. The official said Tuesday doctors reported that the 84-year old former president has fallen unconscious. He said they have used a defibrillator to restart his heart, and have been administering breathing aid. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - In this Saturday, June 2, 2012 file photo, Egypt's ex-President Hosni Mubarak lays on a gurney inside a barred cage in the police academy courthouse in Cairo, Egypt. An Egyptian prison official says Hosni Mubarak?s health has taken a turn to the worst and is likely to be moved out of his prison hospital to a military facility nearby. The official said Tuesday doctors reported that the 84-year old former president has fallen unconscious. He said they have used a defibrillator to restart his heart, and have been administering breathing aid. (AP Photo, File)

Egyptian soldiers stand guard outside the Maadi military hospital where former president Hosni Mubarak was transferred and is currently on life support after suffering a stroke in prison in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. The 84-year-old Mubarak suffered a "fast deterioration of his health" and his heart stopped beating, the state news agency MENA and security officials said. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egyptian soldiers stand guard outside the Maadi military hospital where former president Hosni Mubarak was transferred and is currently on life support after suffering a stroke in prison in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. The 84-year-old Mubarak suffered a "fast deterioration of his health" and his heart stopped beating, the state news agency MENA and security officials said. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

A military armored vehicle guards the Maadi military hospital in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Egypt's Hosni Mubarak was on life support after suffering a stroke in prison. The 84-year-old Mubarak suffered a "fast deterioration of his health" and his heart stopped beating, the state news agency MENA and security officials said. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

(AP) ? Hosni Mubarak was in a coma on Wednesday but off life support and his heart and other vital organs were functioning, according to security officials.

Overnight, state media reported that the 84-year old former president, ousted in last year's uprising and now serving a life sentence in prison, suffered a stroke and was put on life support. He was transferred to a military hospital from the Cairo prison hospital where he has been kept since his June 2 conviction and sentencing for failing to stop the killing of protesters during the uprising.

His wife Suzanne was by his side in the Nile-side hospital in Maadi, a suburb just south of Cairo. The security officials said a team of 15 doctors, including heart, blood and brain specialists, was supervising the condition of Mubarak, who needed help with his breathing. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Mubarak's health scare comes at a time of heightened tension in Egypt. Both candidates in a fiercely contested presidential runoff held last weekend are claiming victory. At the same time, the ruling military council that took over from Mubarak moved to tighten its grip on power a little more than a week before they were supposed to transfer complete authority to an elected civilian administration.

The ruling generals stripped the next president of many of his powers in a declaration made just as polls closed in the runoff late Sunday night. With the decree, they gave themselves control over the drafting a new constitution and declared themselves the country's legislative power after a court last week dissolved the Islamist-dominated parliament which was freely elected about six months earlier.

The runoff pitted Mubarak's last prime minister Ahmed Shafiq against conservative Islamist Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. The contest divided the country and their rival claims of victory could bring more of the turmoil that has rocked the country since Mubarak's ouster.

Mubarak was convicted of failing to prevent the killing of some 900 protesters during the 18-day uprising that forced him out of office on Feb. 11, 2011. He and his two sons, onetime heir apparent Gamal and wealthy businessman Alaa, were acquitted of corruption charges. But the two sons are held in Torah awaiting trial on charges of insider trading.

The two were by their father's side at the Torah prison hospital, but the officials said prison authorities refused their request to accompany him to the Maadi military hospital.

Associated Press

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Suicide Bombers Kill 21 in Nigerian Church Attacks

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7 Great Places to Find Franchise Financing, Loans & Credit - From ...

?Franchising, due to its structure and demonstrable track record of 40 percent growth over the last decade, offers the most promising vehicle to accelerate widespread job creation in this country,? said International Franchise Association President & CEO?Steve Caldeira. ?But he continues to say ?acess to capital will remain the No. 1 issue for franchising in 2012?.? However, that doesn?t mean that franchising financing sources are not available!? Money can be found if you know where to look and can meet different lenders criteria.

If you are frustrated and frazzled trying to find franchise funding, here are 7 great places to look.

  1. Commercial Bank Loan:? Traditional bank loans should be considered but keep in mind large national banks have been more stringent in their loan qualification requirements. In our challenging economic environment commercial banks are seeking to greatly reduce their risks and will require collateral and guarantees.? To broaden your search for loans consider a local community bank or credit union which have proven a viable source for many.
  1. Business Line of Credit: Some lending sources will offer a business line of credit and will not take your assets or income into consideration to qualify.? Some lines of credit also may have the big advantage of being unsecured.? They require a FICO Score of 680+, an on time payment record, no disputes or frequent credit score inquiries.? In contrast to business loans, it?s not necessary to prepare a business plan.
  1. Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan: Realizing that small businesses are the backbone of our country, designated SBA Banks have been instrumental in helping many realize the dream of owning their own business.? SBA loans offer competitive rates, longer terms, no points and no pre-payment penalties.

The 7(a) Loan Program is SBA?s primary and most flexible loan program.? With a 7 (a) loan a commercial bank lends money and up to 90 percent of the loan is guaranteed. However, it needs to be pointed out that the bank receives the guarantee, not the borrower.

  1. Micro-Loan:

A Microloan provides small, short-term loans to small businesses. These funds are available through specially designated intermediary lenders.? These loans are called micro-loans because the maximum loan amount is normally $50,000 or less.? Often, this source of funding is provided to stimulate economic development in rural or underserved communities.

  1. Online Loan Exchange: There are online small business loan exchanges that can connect you to lenders who are interested in providing franchise financing dependent upon the financial criteria you enter.? Examples include companies such as Biz2Credit and BoeFly.
  1. Franchise Companies:? Because of the challenging economy a growing number of franchise companies are providing financing either directly or through third parties. ?We know of many franchise companies that are closely aligned with small business lenders and sharing this information is part of the no charge service we offer our clients.

Here are some creative ways franchise companies are being proactive in assisting potential owners.

An equipment package could be leased from the franchise company directly or from a leasing company that the franchise company works with.

Another method could be a franchise company providing a promissory note to finance a portion of the franchise fee or starting inventory. A more recent practice by franchise companies that is growing in popularity is to discount the initial franchise fee.

In yet another example some franchise companies are entering into agreements with lenders.? Denny?s with more than 1,670 restaurants worldwide recently entered into such an agreement with Pinnacle Commercial Capital to create a $100 million loan pool for new and existing franchise owners to open new restaurants.

  1. 401(k)/IRA Funding:? Many people don?t realize they can use funds from retirement accounts like IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, Keoghs, SEPs, etc., without incurring early distribution taxes or penalties.? By rolling existing retirement funds into specially created programs you can own a portion of a franchise inside your retirement plan.? These programs can potentially save you thousands in interest fees and protect your personal credit

Taking the next step.

Many people truly want to own a franchise but give up because they can?t obtain the necessary franchise financing .? But take heart knowing that a loan is generally easier to obtain for a franchise owner than for a startup independent business owner because franchises have an established trademark and have proven themselves in the marketplace.

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No Pest Garden - The Way To Achieve This Naturally

Organic vegetable gardening excludes entirely the use of pesticides. This really is dangerous for the product, the garden, the natural atmosphere and even for humans. But how do you accomplish a no pest organic garden naturally? You'll find 3 primary approaches to achieve this.

One of the most simple solution to shield your vegetables from widespread garden pests, including garden aphids, garden mites and beetles, will be to make your plants as wholesome and sturdy as you possibly can. The soil has to become well aerated. It really should include all nutrients essential for the vegetables to develop. You have to make certain typical organic soil fertilization and offer protective mulching when needed. Removing weeds and weak plants frequently will improve the all-natural defensive mechanism of one's garden.

The second strategy includes the natural attraction of advantageous insects that feed on garden pests. This can be an exceptionally easy task. Insects, like the ladybugs, lacewings and hover-flies are very helpful for organic aphid manage. The ladybugs feed on garden mites and whiteflies too.

All these insects are attracted by composite plants. These involve a few of the most popular garden flowers, such as daisies, tulips, roses and lilies. It is possible to readily boost the beauty of one's vegetable garden and shield the plants simultaneously.

The third organic pests" solution can also be fairly straightforward and very helpful. You'll be able to merely develop plants that repel pests. These usually are not some exotic species, but popular herbs and also vegetables. They will generate crops and repel insects naturally at the same time. This makes them particularly valuable.

Listed here are some ideas of herbs that repel insects successfully. Spearmint and coriander are efficient for repelling aphids. It is possible to readily grow basil and rosemary to repel flies and moths. Peppermint will safeguard your cabbage from cabbage butterflies even though thyme will deter cabbage warms.

There are also vegetables which repel pests effectively. It is possible to plant garlic and chives near plants susceptible to aphids. Tomatoes are effective for repelling cabbage maggots and some forms of beetles. Green beans, radishes and garlic can also be productive inside the fight against beetles.

Tansy and petunia are a number of the most multifunctional insect repelling plants. They're able to maintain off ants, aphids, Japanese beetles and leafhoppers out of your plants. Additionally, these flowers have wonderful blossoms which will add much more color to your garden.

Overall, you may adopt all 3 organic pest repel solutions to possess an insect no cost garden. It's important for you not to resort to artificial pesticides as they can kill the effective bugs and plants.

About the Author:
I am student in gardening course and work as part time writer. Visit my blog, vegetable garden planner to get some useful information about organic gardening

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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Simpson beats tested champions for US Open title

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? The U.S. Open yields few birdies or big celebrations.

At Olympic Club, they always come in strange places.

Webb Simpson walked off the 18th green on a fog-filled Sunday evening with his face red and his legs limp, settling into a corner of the locker room to recover with his worried wife and watch Jim Furyk and Graeme McDowell chase his 1-over par 281 on the course.

After a week that restored the toughest test in golf, this was not the look or score of a mediocre man.

This was the 112th U.S. Open champion.

Simpson saved par from the collar around the 18th green and sweated out a pair of past champions three groups behind, becoming the latest to claim his first major title at a club that always crowns the guy nobody expects to win.

"To be honest," Simpson said, "I never thought about, and I never really wrapped my mind around winning."

With the history here, he should have known better.

Olympic Club is called the "graveyard of champions" for a reason. Proven major winners who were poised to win the U.S. Open ? Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Payne Stewart ? all lost out to the underdog. And all in a painful finish.

Perhaps it was only fitting that the 26-year-old Simpson went to Wake Forest on a Palmer scholarship.

"Arnold has been so good to me," Simpson said. "Just the other day, I read that story and thought about it. He's meant so much to me and Wake Forest. Hopefully, I can get a little back for him and make him smile."

Simpson did his part in the latest familiar chapter at a club that dates to 1860.

The North Carolina native emerged from the famous fog that blanketed the undulating Lake Course to make four birdies in a five-hole stretch around the turn on the final day, and convert a tough par from the thick grass around the tiny 18th green. He shot a 2-under 68 that created more pressure than two tested champions and a 14-time major winner wearing red could handle.

Furyk was flawless for much of the week until he snap-hooked his tee shot on the par-5 16th hole to fall out of the lead for the first time all day. He never got it back. Needing a birdie on the final hole, his approach landed in the bunker. He crouched and clamped his teeth onto the shaft of his wedge.

Furyk made bogey on the final hole and closed with a 74.

"I don't know how to put that one into words," said Furyk, the 2003 U.S. Open champion at Olympia Fields outside Chicago, "but I had my opportunities and my chances and it was right there. It was, on that back nine, it was my tournament to win and I felt like if I went out there and shot even par, 1 under, I would have distanced myself from the field. And I wasn't able to do so."

Neither was his playing partner.

McDowell, the champion two years ago down the California coast at Pebble Beach, made four bogeys on the front nine. The Northern Irishman at least gave himself a chance with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 17th and a shot into the 18th that had him sprinting up the hill to see what kind of chance he had.

The putt from about 25 feet stayed left of the hole the entire way. He settled for a 73 and shared second place with Michael Thompson, who closed with a 67 and waited two hours to see if it would be good enough.

Tiger Woods, starting five shots behind, played the first six holes in 6-over par and was never a factor. He shot 73 and finished six strokes back.

"There's a mixture of emotions inside me," McDowell said. "Disappointment, deflation, pride. But mostly, just frustration."

That was the kind of week the U.S. Golf Association delivered.

After Rory McIlroy shattered championship records last year at rain-softened Congressional, dry conditions at the Lake Course in San Francisco restored "golf's toughest test" and then some.

McIlroy, Masters winner Bubba Watson and top-ranked Luke Donald all missed the cut. So did last week's winner at Memphis, Dustin Johnson, and 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen.

Of the last 18 players to tee off in the final round, Simpson was the only one to break par. He also was the lone player to shoot two rounds in the 60s on the weekend, closing with a pair of 68s.

That didn't seem likely when Simpson was six shots behind as he headed to the sixth hole, which played the toughest at Olympic. That's where he started his big run.

Simpson's 7-iron shot landed in the rough and rolled 5 feet away for birdie. He birdied the next two holes, including a 15-footer on the par-3 eighth. And his wedge shot into the 10th settled 3 feet away, putting him in the mix for the rest of the day.

"It was a cool day," Simpson said. "I had a peace all day. I knew it was a tough golf course. I probably prayed more the last three holes than I ever did in my life."

Simpson's approach from the fairway rough on No. 18 went just right of the green and disappeared into a hole, a circle of dirt about the size of a sprinkler cap. With a clump of grass behind the ball, he had a bold stroke for such a nervy shot and it came out perfectly, rolling 3 feet by the hole for his much-needed par.

Then, it was time to wait.

It was the third time in the last seven years that no one broke par in the U.S. Open. On all three occasions, the winner was in the locker room when the tournament ended.

The best bit of drama from the winner came from a chair. He seemed somewhat calm but his blonde-haired wife, Dowd, had her eyes wide open, squeezing his arm and covering her mouth watching Furyk and McDowell play the last three holes.

After McDowell's putt to force an 18-hole playoff was off, they shared a hug and a kiss. Simpson whispered a few words in his wife's ear ? "I don't think you'll be able to sleep now," he said ? and stayed sitting for several seconds.

"When Graeme missed on 18 and I realized I had won, I just kind of shook my head in disbelief," Simpson said. "I couldn't believe it actually happened."

___

Follow Antonio Gonzalez at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP

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UN to weigh mission in Syria, civilians trapped

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New 'Breaking Bad' Images Debut As Premiere Draws Closer

This post will discuss plot points from the previous season of "Breaking Bad." The explosive demise of former drug king Gustavo Fring only seems like it happened a few short weeks ago, but that flurry of water cooler conversations was last October. We are now less than a month away from the beginning of the [...]

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Monday, June 18, 2012

Generals guard Egypt power as Islamists claim lead

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptians began an anxious wait for their first freely elected president on Sunday after two days of voting that was to be the culmination of their Arab Spring revolution but which many fear may now only compound political and economic uncertainty.

The Muslim Brotherhood said its Islamist candidate Mohamed Morsy was leading in early local counts by two to one over Ahmed Shafik, a former general who was prime minister when Hosni Mubarak was overthrown. But there was no official tally and no meaningful independent polling on the head-to-head ballot.

Should Morsy win, he may find his powers restricted.

Having dissolved the new, Islamist-led parliament on the eve of the vote, the ruling generals were preparing a decree to set limited powers for the new president and raise the prospect that a body appointed by the military may draft a new constitution before another legislative election in a few months time.

It was unclear how soon any firmer indication of the result would emerge. After a first round of voting last month, which knocked out several popular candidates, it took several hours.

On Monday, the new president, whether Morsy or Shafik, will be told, along with the rest of the country, what powers he will have by the ruling generals, military and legal sources told Reuters. The military council would take back legislative powers for now from a parliament captured by Islamists in January, while the president would have powers to name a new government.

Turnout, only 46 percent in the first round of the presidential vote, appeared to electoral officials to have been no higher for the decisive head-to-head contest. Many of the 50 million eligible voters were dismayed by an unpalatable choice between a man seen as an heir to Mubarak and the nominee of a religious party committed to reversing liberal social traditions. Some cast a ballot against both men in protest.

"I'll cross out both Morsy and Shafik because neither deserve to be president," said Saleh Ashour, 40, a shopkeeper in the middle-class Cairo neighbourhood of Dokki as he went to vote. "I want to make a statement by crossing out the two names.

"Just staying away is too passive."

COMPETING VISIONS

Shafik, 70, had vowed that he had heeded the lessons of the revolution 16 months ago and offered security and prosperity. Morsy, 60, tried to widen his appeal beyond the Brotherhood's committed and disciplined base by pledging to preserve a pluralist democracy and finally end a history of military rule.

In the second city, Alexandria, computer engineer Sameh Youssef, 30, was wary of Islamist rule but wanted to honour the dead of an uprising launched by frustrated young urbanites: "I will vote Morsy," he said. "Not because I like him but because I hate Shafik. Between us and Shafik there is blood."

In Old Cairo, however, 56-year-old physician Khalil Nagih echoed the sentiments of many, including Christians like himself, whose mistrust of the Brotherhood and desire for an end to a year of chaos outweighed anxiety about the army's role:

"I chose Shafik because he has experience of administration and was an officer. He is a straight talker and he speaks to all communities. He says he'll solve our problems and I believe him. Morsy will bring a religious state and take Egypt backwards."

MILITARY DECREE

Whoever wins, Egypt's political landscape is hazy beyond one clear landmark - the 20 or so senior commanders around Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, whose Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) claimed sovereign power after easing out their brother officer Mubarak to appease the millions on the streets.

In what opponents denounced as "coup", the SCAF dissolved parliament after judges, all appointed under Mubarak, ruled on Thursday that the legislative election over the winter breached legal rules and would have to be re-run.

The Brotherhood and hardline Islamist allies dominated the new chamber, and risk losing seats in any new vote, having alienated many outside their core support base. Among failings they are accused of was the inability to form a consensus body to draw up the new constitution Egyptians are hoping for.

As presidential voting was ending, military and legal sources told Reuters that the military council would promulgate an amended constitutional decree on Monday returning to itself the legislative powers it handed to parliament this year.

"In the absence of parliament, legislative powers move back to the military council, which has been in charge of the country and will hand over presidential powers to the president soon," a military source told Reuters.

The decree would also define the new president's powers: "The country's head of state will have the power to appoint a prime minister and cabinet ministers," the military source said.

A lawyer who attended a meeting with the military council on Sunday said: "The presidential powers which the military council held until now will now shift to the new president."

Among other provisions, the drafting of a new constitution which had been delegated to a body chosen by parliament might be handed to a new panel appointed by the military council if the parliamentary group failed to pass a judicial review. Any new constitution would be put to a referendum before a new election for the legislature would be held, the sources said.

"COUP" WARNING

The Brotherhood has rejected the army's power to dissolve parliament and warned of "dangerous days". But though some have compared events to those in Algeria 20 years which ended in civil war between the military and Islamists, many doubt that the Brotherhood has an appetite for violence at present.

Many opponents of military rule have also complained that the Brotherhood has overreached itself in seeking both legislative and presidential power, limiting its broader appeal.

Egyptians massed in their millions against Mubarak in January last year in the hope that his removal would end poverty, corruption and police brutality. Many now seem tired of the social turmoil and political bickering that ensued.

"Egypt writes the closing chapter of the Arab Spring," read a headline on Sunday in independent newspaper al-Watan, which said the election offers a "choice between a military man who aborted the revolution and a Muslim Brother who wasted it".

Monitors said they had seen only minor and scattered breaches of election rules by Sunday morning but not the kind of systematic fraud that tainted elections under Mubarak, despite mutual accusations of irregularities by the rival camps.

A win for Shafik may prompt street protests by the Islamists and some of the disillusioned urban youths who made Cairo's Tahrir Square their battleground last year. Should Morsy prevail, he may be frustrated by an uncooperative military elite, for all the generals' pledges to cede power by July 1.

Egypt's armed forces have built up massive wealth and commercial interests, helped since the 1970s by a close U.S. alliance which followed the decision of the most populous Arab state to make peace with Israel.

Many Egyptians say the army is just one wing of an entrenched security establishment that has resisted reform and oversight since Mubarak left and would wield influence long after the promised handover to an elected civilian.

"There is no doubt that the state in all its institutions - judicial, military, interior, foreign and financial - back Shafik for president and are working to that end," said Hassan Nafaa, a politics professor who campaigned against Mubarak.

"It is very difficult to eradicate this spirit of Mubarak."

(Additional reporting by Marwa Awad, Tom Pfeiffer, Edmund Blair and Samia Nakhoul in Cairo and Abdel Rahman Youssef in Alexandria; Writing by Alastair Macdonald)

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Rihanna To Sit Down With Oprah On 'Next Chapter'

Singer will appear on the show in August, Winfrey announces on Twitter.
By Jocelyn Vena


Rihanna
Photo:

Oprah Winfrey is following up her sit-down with the Kardashians and 50 Cent with another pop-culture superstar interview. The talk show maven took to her Twitter on Monday (June 18) to confirm that Rihanna would appear on an upcoming episode of her OWN talk show, "Oprah's Next Chapter."

Oprah didn't have an exact date for the interview, but did note that it would all go down in August. A rep for OWN hadn't responded to MTV News' request for further information at press time.

Rihanna appeared on Winfrey's talk show back in January 2010, where she performed Bob Marley's classic "Redemption Song" to benefit the victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Oprah also dedicated an entire episode of her talk show to the issue of domestic violence one year before in March 2009. The episode was in part inspired by the 2009 assault of Rihanna by then-boyfriend Chris Brown.

While Ri didn't appear on the episode, Winfrey did have a message for young women who find themselves in abusive relationships. "If you go back with a man who hits you, it's because you don't think you're worthy of being with a man who won't," Winfrey said during the episode. "I've said before, 'Love doesn't hurt, and if a man hits you once, he will hit you again.' "

Given all the headlines that Rihanna has found herself in recently, including reconnecting with Brown on several tracks earlier this year and having her name tossed around as one of the reasons why Drake and Breezy got into a fight last week in New York City, the singer and the talk-show host should have some interesting talking points.

In addition to her newly announced interview with Winfrey, Rihanna also made headlines on Monday thanks to her brand-new tattoo. Over the weekend, she tweeted out a photo of her new ankle tattoo. The tat is that of a falcon shaped somewhat like a handgun. "Falcon: a light that shines in the darkness! Never close their eyes during sleep," she tweeted on Saturday. It joins her many, many tattoos, several of which are actually gun images.

What questions do you hope Oprah asks Rihanna? Leave your comment below!

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