Oklahoma City house fire kills mother, 4 children

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) ? A fire that ripped through a home in Oklahoma City before dawn Wednesday killed a woman and her four children and left one man in critical condition with serious burns, authorities said.

Firefighters who arrived about 6:30 a.m. found the bodies of Jeanine Bonnet, 28, and her children inside the two-story, wood-frame home, Fire Department Maj. Tammy McKinney said. They found Brian Poletto, 39, outside the burning house while a man who rented a room at the home, David Ruppert, managed to escape the flames.

Polletto was in critical condition at a local hospital later Wednesday with second- and third-degree burns to his back and arms, McKinney said.

"When we got on scene, we had reports that there were children inside," McKinney said. "The fire was so intense that we could not make entry and had to knock the fire down before we could make entry. That's when we found the bodies."

Police Sgt. Gary Knight identified the children as Kara Leon, 3; Matthew Zackary Leon, 5; Samantha Leon, 7; and Natalie Leon, 8.

Knight said there didn't appear to be anything suspicious about the fire, which he called a tragedy, although investigators were still trying to determine a cause.

"It's never a good time, but the day after Christmas, it's horrible" Knight said.

Ruppert, while picking through the remains of the burned home Wednesday afternoon, said he was awake when he was startled by two popping noises that he heard coming from outside the first-floor room he was renting, causing him to open the door to the inner area of the home.

"All I was saw was smoke. My eyes were immediately burning," Ruppert told The Associated Press.

"The kids didn't have a chance," Ruppert said. "If I hadn't been up (awake) already, I'd have been dead too."

Ruppert said the children typically stayed with their father, but were visiting their mother Tuesday for Christmas.

The bodies were sent to the medical examiner's office in Oklahoma City for autopsies, according to McKinney.

McKinney said the home didn't have working smoke detectors and was completely destroyed on the inside.

Three dogs were also killed in the blaze.

___

Associated Press writer Ken Miller in Oklahoma City contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oklahoma-city-house-fire-kills-mother-4-children-234309047.html

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Courtland Rogers: Kieffer Delp Got Jenelle Evans Hooked on HEROIN!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/12/courtland-rogers-kieffer-delp-got-jenelle-evans-hooked-on-heroin/

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Need Some Help With Commercial Real Estate? - Maynas Eric

While it can be exciting to own commercial property, a great deal of effort is required to care for it. It can be quite intimidating, and leave you wondering how to even start organizing the things that have to be accounted for. It can seem overwhelming and difficult to know what to think about when it comes to commercial real estate, yet in this article, you can learn some insightful information on what you should be doing and learning.

Certain facets of commercial loans separate them from their residential counterparts, like how much greater a percentage of the overall asking price must be covered in a down payment. Finding the best lending agencies and looking for investments is the perfect way to get the loan you need.

Feng Shui

TIP! When you are composing a letter of intent, you should emphasize simplicity by negotiating on the bigger issues first, then addressing the minor issues later in the negotiations. This will diffuse tension during negotiations and will facilitate compromise on the minor issues.

Try to consider feng shui when you are looking to buy commercial properties and for your office at home. A space that is open and not cluttered is one of the principles id feng shui that buyers like.

Make sure that you explicitly welcome both local and non-local buyers when you sell a piece of commercial property. It is a mistake to think that only people in the immediate area will have an interest in your property. There are many private investors who prefer to purchase reasonably-priced real estate that is not local to where they reside.

Commercial real estate involves more complex and longer transactions than buying a home. Yet, you should realize that the extra focus on, and length of, the process is essential in order to gain a better return on the investment.

TIP! Consult with your tax adviser prior to purchasing any commercial real estate property. A tax adviser can let you know how much money the buildings will cost you, and the amount of your income that will be taxable.

Document your business needs prior to hunting for commercial property. Have an exact idea on what type of office space is required for your company. If you have hopes of company growth, you will clearly want to purchase excess space, rather than wait until later when prices go up.

Always include emergency maintenance on your list of need to know things. Make sure to consult your landlord about emergency repair responsibilities in your building or office. Keep their numbers updated, and know how long it takes them to arrive on average. Create an emergency plan using your landlord?s information so that you can protect customer service and your reputation in case of a disruption to your usual business.

Try to get a presence online prior to jumping into the market. Make a website for yourself and make a LinkedIn profile. You should also utilize search engine optimization techniques to boost the search rank of your website. People should be able to locate your online presence simply by searching with your name.

TIP! Any new space you acquire might need some improvements prior to you occupying it. These changes could simply be cosmetic ones as simple as a new coat of paint or moving the furniture around.

Square Footage

Be extra careful when inquiring about a commercial property?s square footage. Properties are measured in term of usable square feet or the total square footage which includes uninhabitable space. Therefore, it is very important to know both types of square footage.

Seek the council of an experienced real estate attorney to help you with your commercial purchase. Because real estate investing is full of unexpected pitfalls and setbacks, you need a savvy professional to cover your legal liabilities.

TIP! Don?t make any offers on commercial property before you?ve found a lender. Discover your area?s best lenders by talking to friends and investors that you know.

Make sure you know how the firm that you are working with measures their results. Ask how the space needed is determined as well as the criteria they look for and their negotiation methods. If you know these things before you hire them, it can help.

Ensure that you?re dealing with a customer-conscious company prior to making a purchase. If you don?t, you could pay more for some mistake that you could?ve avoided to begin with.

Real estate deals must include inspections, so check the credentials of the inspector. This should be especially noted for those who work in pest removal since there are actually a number of non-licensed people who work in this area. This can prevent larger problems from occurring after the sale.

TIP! Learn how to see through superficial perks or staging to recognize the real deal. Those in the know can pick up on a good deal instantly.

As you know, there?s a lot of work that goes into owning a commercial property. To have a good experience, you?ll need to educate yourself, work hard, and most important, have patience. Note that you cannot take a break from it, you have to always keep at it. Keep the tips in this article in mind, and you?ll have the knowledge you need to find success in commercial real estate.

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/need-some-help-with-commercial-real-estate

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AW: We go home!

justAphase Joined on 07-13-2010 Austin 117,398 Points

So precious! Congrats again!

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Maya Avery 3/2011

"The world is like a ride in an amusement park, and when you choose to go on it you think it's real because that's how powerful our minds are. The ride goes up and down, around and around, it has thrills and chills, and it's very brightly colored, and it's very loud, and it's fun for a while. Many people have been on the ride a long time, and they begin to wonder, "Hey, is this real, or is this just a ride?" And other people have remembered, and they come back to us and say, "Hey, don't worry; don't be afraid, ever, because this is just a ride." And we ? kill those people. "Shut him up! I've got a lot invested in this ride, shut him up! Look at my furrows of worry, look at my big bank account, and my family. This has to be real." It's just a ride. But we always kill the good guys who try and tell us that, you ever notice that? And let the demons run amok ? But it doesn't matter, because it's just a ride. And we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings of money. Just a simple choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your doors, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love instead see all of us as one. Here's what we can do to change the world, right now, to a better ride. Take all that money we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would pay for many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace." BH?

Source: http://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/70811337.aspx

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What Do You Do When Someone Gives You a Gift and Don't Have One for Them?

One of the most uncomfortable situations during the holiday gift-giving time is when you receive a gift from someone when you didn't buy them anything. It's always awkward when it happens, so we want to know: what do you do when someone hands you a gift and you don't have one for them?

This situation might come up in a wide variety of situations. In some cases, it's probably not a big deal, say, if a boss or parent gives you a gift. Other times, you might be expected to give something in return. Do you come up with an excuse for not getting a gift? Or do you fess up that you didn't buy anything? Let's hear it.

Photo by David Orban.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/uk_7EOipIIs/what-do-you-do-when-someone-gives-you-a-gift-and-dont-have-one-for-them

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Social Media Marketing Tactics for Small Businesses

When it comes to social media, we implement a strategy?we?ve?coined ?Continuous Cross Channel Promotion?.? Continuous Cross Channel Promotion is an elaborate definition for the simple strategy of using all of your online assets (website and social media profiles) to promote one another. The main idea behind Continuous Cross Channel Promotion is to be found everywhere by your prospects, clients and partners.

Social media marketing is important for businesses in general, but it?s especially important for small businesses that?wouldn?t?get their name out easily otherwise. Small businesses have to rely more on word-of-mouth, and there?s no way to communicate better than with social media! Marketing tactics for using social media vary between businesses, but there are a few social media marketing tactics specifically for small businesses.

Google: Of course, small business marketing tactics are different than large business marketing tactics. But where small businesses are concerned, Google can play a huge part in the social network marketing strategy.? Google?s social network is ?Google + Local?, or ?Google Plus Local?. Since Google is THE search engine to rank on, Google + Local is also the social network for your small business to use. Google has lots of options that will help to localize your business, something very important for most small business marketing tactics. Interweaving Google products ? such as Google +, Google SEO optimization, and especially Google Maps ? not only makes Google happy (resulting in a higher ranking), but it also makes you more likely to be respected on Google+ and become more popular on that social media.

For a FREE report on Google Plus Local and how to use it for your business visit www.businesslocalreview.com.

Facebook: If you?re not going to do any other social media, do Facebook. At the time of this article there were close to 1 BILLION (961, 324,960) people using Facebook.? Statistically this reveals that at least a portion of your target market is most likely using Facebook.? Every small business must have Facebook. It?s dominating all other social media. As the entire world moves online, Facebook is becoming more and more important. Even search engines are starting to rely on social media sites like Facebook to determine how high to rank sites! Social media marketing tactics cover Facebook the most thoroughly. For example, it?s important to allow ?likes? on all your website pages so that Facebook users can ?approve? your site. This will help with ranking. Create a Facebook account and be active. Be friendly and informative. Post high-quality content that will help potential clients out. Remember: quality, not content. Write for people not for SEO or search engines. Whatever you do, DON?T SPAM!? Spamming is ineffective in the long run, damages your reputation is simply not a quality social media marketing tactic.

Twitter: Probably the second most important social media site, Twitter will help you really connect with your clients. Facebook will help you to survive in a predominately social media marketing world, Twitter will help you dominate that world. Requiring both dedication and creativity, Twitter provides a unique experience for clients and small businesses alike. Small business marketing tactics with Twitter consist of creating an account, providing information (preferably with links to your site, or even just links to other informative articles), following your followers and re-tweeting tweets that are relevant to your product. As with Facebook, it?s important to engage your audience, to ask questions, to provide really interesting content. You want something that will be re-tweeted and enjoyed by your audience! Remember, it?s not enough that they know, like and trust you, they must remember you.

Knowing how to use social media can take quite a bit of experience and time. Although you can gain a good reputation through social media, to really get the full value of social media marketing you?ll want to turn to someone who has had much experience with internet marketing and will know how to best market your business.

Pinterest: Before you say that Pinterest won?t work for you or your business you might be surprised to learn that Pinterest is a great source for referral traffic and currently drives more referrals than LinkedIn, Google Plus Local and YouTube combined.? Pinterest uses images and videos with links to other online assets (perfect for Continuous Cross Channel Promotion). Dedicating a consistent amount of time daily or even weekly to liking, repining and commenting on Pinterest can turn into a great source of referral traffic with a fairly affluent group of women between 25 and 55! Because of the power of Pinterest, you might also consider placing a ?Pin It Button? on every page of your website or Blog to make it easy for people to share your content.

YouTube: In our opinion, video is a marketing strategy of its own that we won?t be able to fully explore here. ?A well executed video strategy however can be significant when you consider that through video your prospects, clients, and partners can hear your voice (tonal inflection) and see you face (face language) creating a 24/7/365 presentation of who you are and what your business is about.? You?d be well served to record a series of short videos (2-3 min avg) answering the most common questions you answer time and time again as well as an equivalent amount of questions answering questions that clearly define how you, your products and/or service are different.

Creating and executing a strong coordinated marketing plan can generate results with an ROI many times that of your investment.? You can learn how to implement these strategies yourself but we strongly suggest you consider the value of your time, money and patience.? The tools and strategies for marketing success are ever changing.? We spend lots of time and hundreds, even thousands of dollars each month staying sharp on what?s working, what?isn?t?and what?s coming.

Contact The Digital Marketing Duo at Musselwhite Marketing (888) 907-9709, or email at contact@MusselwhiteMarketing.com if you have marketing questions or ideas. Linda and Charles look forward to chatting with you!

?

Source: http://www.musselwhitemarketing.com/blog/social-media-marketing-tactics-for-small-businesses/

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Health & Fitness 2016: Nursing EMT Deluxe - Ethan Martinez 13's blog

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Source: http://ethanmartinez.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/health-fitness-2016-nursing-emt-deluxe.html

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Texas Psychological Career Center: Academic / Research jobs ...

Stetson University seeks a broadly trained Clinical or Counseling Psychologist for a full-time, tenure-track appointment as an assistant or associate professor. Specific strength in a health-related area such as gerontology, health psychology, or neuropsychology would be especially valuable. ? We seek a colleague who will have the capacity to pursue a strong research agenda and to nurture student learning through involvement in that research. Candidates with interest in and potential for program leadership are especially encouraged to apply.

?

QUALIFICATIONS:

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Ph.D. in clinical or counseling psychology with an active scholarly agenda and demonstrated potential for excellence in teaching undergraduates in both general and specialized areas of clinical and counseling psychology.?

?

RESPONSIBILITIES:

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The teaching load is three courses per semester.? Primary teaching responsibilities include Theories of Personality, Abnormal Psychology, and Clinical and Counseling Psychology. Other courses will be based on the candidate's expertise, and may include offerings for the University?s requirements in General Education, such as Introduction to Psychology, First Year Seminars, or Junior Seminars. Other responsibilities include advising and departmental and university service.

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For more information on our expectations in teaching and scholarship, our tenure policies, and our support for faculty development, see the Academic Affairs website: http://www.stetson.edu/academicaffairs/newfac.php

?

THE DEPARTMENT:

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Psychology is a rapidly growing department within the Social Science Division of the College of Arts and Sciences. We have approximately 220 majors and 70 minors. Our department focuses exclusively on undergraduate education, but many of our students go on to pursue graduate studies, including in Stetson?s graduate Department of Counselor Education, which offers master?s degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, and School Counseling.

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We offer a solid foundation to students seeking to do graduate work in psychology and those planning graduate or professional education in various other areas--law, medicine, business, etc. ? as well as students who plan to enter the work force upon graduation. This includes an understanding of statistics and research methodology, familiarity with the traditional core areas of psychology and the history of psychology, and engagement in undergraduate research.

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The Psychology Department (http://www.stetson.edu/other/academics/programs/psychology.php) is strongly committed to developing effective teaching and to working with students in a mentoring capacity, whether as faculty advisers, research supervisors, teaching apprenticeship supervisors, internship coordinators, teachers for independent studies, advisers for student organizations, or in other capacities.? Our faculty are also dedicated scholars with a broad range of research interests and expertise.?

?

?

THE UNIVERSITY:

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Founded in 1883, Stetson University (http://www.stetson.edu) is a private, selective university comprised of a rich array of liberal arts and professional academic programs.? Collectively, Stetson?s teacher-scholar faculty works with 3,800 students in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.? The University?s historic main campus, located in DeLand, enrolls more than 2,500 students in undergraduate programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business Administration, and the School of Music.? Stetson University College of Law, Florida?s first law school, moved from the main campus to Gulfport in 1945, and, with the addition of the Tampa Law Center, serves over 1,000 students working full-time or part-time toward J.D. or LL.M. degrees.? Graduate programs offered at the main campus and at Stetson University Center in Celebration include Business, Educational Leadership, Reading, Education, Counseling, and English. Stetson has regularly been ranked among the best regional universities in the Southeast and was the first private college in Florida to be granted a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.?

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Stetson University provides an inspiring education that engages students with rigorous academic and creative study grounded in liberal learning.? Working closely with faculty, staff, and with one another, students cultivate abilities to explore issues deeply, think critically, reason empirically, speak persuasively, and connect ideas creatively.? Stetson?s academic program prepares and inspires students to dare to be significant?, realizing 21^st century learning goals that will foster their ability and commitment to make a difference in the world.? We seek faculty who themselves dare to be significant; think across disciplinary, methodological, and social boundaries; exercise pedagogical creativity and adaptability (including the use of technology to enrich and extend learning); and are passionate lifelong learners.?

?

Stetson values the development of the whole person committed to engaging and building lifelong connections with the larger world through Personal Growth, Intellectual Development,

and Global Citizenship. To that end, the University fosters policies, practices, and modes of

inquiry to support and explore these values areas, integrated in a University-wide commitment to personal and social responsibility.? Firmly committed to inclusive excellence, our vibrant community of teacher-scholars nurtures the potential of individual students to lead lives of significance and prepares each to meet the challenges of shaping the future?locally, nationally, and globally.

?

THE COMMUNITY:

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DeLand is a picturesque residential community of 25,000 located 20 miles west of Daytona Beach and 35 miles northeast of Orlando. The area offers extensive cultural as well as recreational activities.

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SALARY:

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Salary is competitive.

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STARTING DATE:

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August 2013

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APPLICATION:

To apply, select the "Apply for this Job" button located at the top or bottom of the page.

Applicants must send the following materials for consideration: a cover letter that includes the candidate's philosophy of teaching in a liberal arts university and describes the current direction of the candidate?s research work; curriculum vitae; transcripts (copies are acceptable for screening);?and three letters of recommendation (at least one of which should include an evaluation of teaching ability). Highlighting evidence of teaching excellence would be especially helpful.

?

Candidates are encouraged to highlight skills and experiences that demonstrate a commitment to social justice, diversity and inclusion. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.?

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Application materials may be submitted electronically (.doc, .docx, or .pdf formats) to Dr. Toni L. Blum at tblum@stetson.edu

?

?

Stetson University is an Equal Opportunity Employer that affirms cultural diversity and inclusion as a core value of academic excellence at Stetson University. We are committed to achieving equal access?in education, employment, and participation?through the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds, and to meaningful academic and intellectual transformation in curriculum, research and service. We are dedicated to actions and policies that foster a community in which individuals with various identities, cultures, backgrounds, and viewpoints work together to create opportunities for engagement through rewarding and fulfilling careers and personal experiences in a culturally and racially diverse society and a globalized world. We strongly encourage members of historically under-represented and economically-disadvantaged groups and women to apply for employment. Stetson University is an Equal Opportunity/ADA/ADEA/GINA Employer.

Source: http://careers.texaspsyc.org/jobs/5052688/assistant-or-associate-professor-of-psychology

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Amazon: My Little Pony: Royal Wedding Castle Playset $14.99 (reg. $34.99)

?Like? Clip and Follow on Facebook to be be updated on other great freebies and deals!

Amazon is offering Royal Wedding Castle Playset for $14.99 (reg. $34.99) & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25.00! Manufacturer recommended age: 3 years and up. [4 Star Rating with?51 customer reviews]

• Wedding castle play set comes with bride and groom pony figures and lots of accessories
• Play set features a spinning butterfly and a bench that swings
• Castle play set comes with multiple accessories

This entry was posted in Amazon, Toys and Games and tagged My Little Pony. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ClipAndFollow/~3/pHVBz4bvIW8/

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You Can't Say That About Cory Booker

Newark mayor Cory Booker is pushing back, hard, against a recent?New York Times?profile that shredded the superstar politician for skirting his government duties in favor of Manhattan movie premieres and the company of celebrities. Booker's response that isn't that unusual, though: he's pushed back, just as hard, against other, equally unflattering media portrayals of himself and his city. Here's a recent history of his responses to negative press:

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The New York Times, December 2012

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Thesis: the gaping distance between Booker's well-documented media savvy ? his 1.3 million Twitter followers, his appearance on Ellen ? and the dirty work of running a city.

In recent days, Mr. Booker has made the rounds of the national media with his pledge to live on food stamps for a week. But his constituents do not need to be reminded that six years after the mayor came into office vowing to make Newark a ?model of urban transformation,? their city remains an emblem of poverty.

Booker's response?this week, via the Huffington Post's Michael Calderone:

"In my entire career, I have never seen an article so factually wrong and so willfully willing to exclude facts to attack my work and the progress of our city," Booker said in an email to The Huffington Post. "And the article's appearance on the front page made it all the more difficult to swallow."

The New Republic, December 2012

RELATED: A Tip Sheet for Winning Top Billing on Google News

Thesis: pretty much the same as the?Times, but with fewer damning anecdotes:

The anti-Booker narrative is that the administration has slipped because Booker has spent too many days outside the city and too much time, well, writing 140-character missives. ?The average Newarker is not doing that,? James says. ?The average Newarker is trying to find work, educate themselves and raise their families. A tweet, an Instagram?that?s entertainment. It?s not the average Newarker?s bread and butter.?

Booker's response: a tweet.

In a difficult media day here is a hard-nosed, tough but fair look at my administration bit.ly/TZam0m

? Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) December 14, 2012

David Axelrod, MSNBC, May 2012

RELATED: How One Retweet from a New York Times Reporter Launched a Hall & Oates Meme

Thesis: While defending private equity from attacks launched by the Obama campaign et al, Booker interrupted the president's narrative about Mitt Romney, and also got several things wrong about private equity:

"In this particular instance, he was just wrong," Axelrod said in an interview on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports." "There were specific instances here that speak to an economic theory that isn't the right theory for the country."

Booker's response: a conciliatory YouTube video.

RELATED: Half of The New York Times Newsroom Is Politely Protesting

Esquire, July 2008

Thesis: Newark is mired in violence, and Cory Booker is here to save the it from total ruin.

Lousy housing? Check. Rampant unemployment? You bet. Shitty schools? Bingo. Gang warfare? My, yes. Newark may have only one movie house -- and zero new-car dealerships and big-box stores -- but it has what might be the world's only Toys "R" Us knockoff Ebonically named Wee Bee Kids, close to City Hall. [...] I leave Newark and feel nothing except happy that I don't live there -- a state of spiritual and moral zombiehood that belies all lip service, however heartfelt.

Booker's response: a fulminating?2,000-word letter to the editor. Here's the first paragraph:

ENOUGH! Esquire Magazine?s July article ?The Battle of Newark? by Scott Raab offers another narrow, clich?d, and grossly insulting misinterpretation of Newark?its people, neighborhoods, successes and progress. It painfully ignores the true Newark and instead casts our home as a destitute, depraved city. It is one thing to tolerate such ignorant criticism from painful pundits who have not even visited our city (such as ESPN?s Barry Melrose who after a short visit quickly changed from panning Newark to praising Newark), but the writer spent months in Newark, witnessing firsthand the diverse greatness of our city and our people, as well as our challenges and how we are uniting to meet them.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/cant-cory-booker-182740002.html

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Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/271066040?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Costco workers split $50M Powerball win

The Massachusetts Lottery confirmed two Costco co-workers are the winners of a $50 million Powerball prize.

According to lottery officials, 52-year-old Rosa DeLeon and 54-year-old Reginald LeBlanc, who work at the Costco in Waltham, Mass., bought the winning ticket to Wednesday's jackpot.

The Boston Globe reports that over the past 10 months, DeLeon would regularly buy two Powerball tickets, write their names on the back, and give LeBlanc a copy.

Today, her weekly purchases paid off.

The two appeared at a news conference at state lottery headquarters to accept a $33 million lump-sum payment, which comes to $23.1 million after taxes.

PHOTOS: Biggest Lotto Jackpot Winners

The winning ticket, sold at a Shell gas station in Lexington, Mass., had the numbers 8-10-25-36-44, and a Powerball of 28.

"About a year ago we sold a $1 million ticket. Not a $50 million, but still pretty good," Shell store manager Adam Muise told ABC News.

Muise says LeBlanc came into his store this morning with the winning ticket, somewhat in shock.

"He walked in and he stood off to the side and didn't really say anything," Muise said. "We asked if he needed help with anything and continued to talk about someone winning, and he calmly said, 'I won.' He had a copy of the winning ticket."

Muise said his fellow store workers congratulated LeBlanc, who said he was waiting for the friend with whom he was splitting the money.

The lucky store location, which sold a $1 million winning scratch-off ticket last year, will receive a $50,000 commission for selling the ticket.

"I hope that people feel that we're lucky and come in and buy some lottery tickets and some more Powerball, and help our sales out over here," Muise said.

Also Read

Source: http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/costco-workers-split-50m-powerball-win-232135176--abc-news-savings-and-investment.html

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Jessica Simpson Baby Bump Watch: Star Steps Out in Sweater, is Totes Pregnant

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PayDay Loans Online Mag For ProAdvice and Finance News ...

The Federal Reserve wants to make the banking policy of the United States stricter in relation to the foreign banks and it has addressed about two dozens of foreign banks that function in the territory of the United States and the capital of these banks reach $50 billion of global assets.

The Federal Reserve wants to develop and present capital rules to foreign bans that can influence the financial system of the United States. One of the propositions of the Federal Reserve to foreign banks is to comply with -stringent liquidity rules. Besides, these foreign banks will need to come through a number of stress tests to ensure that all the banks will be able to cone over the recession time.

This preparation and measures to increase the validity of banks in the United States makes people think that the government of the United States is getting prepared to hard times and needs to make sure that there will not be a problem to provide all the spheres of the American economy with the needed financial asserts. The first foreign banks that will need to keep easy-to-sell assets in the United States and will confront the limitation in relation to distributing capital to parent companies are Deutsche Bank AG and Barclays PLC.

Source: http://www.paydayloansmag.com/federal-reserve-presents-limitations-on-distributing-capital-by-foreign-banks/

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gaedeemarcc: jugindarsharma8: Shopping and Product Reviews ...

The popularity of online shopping has been seen by many as a threat to the existence of traditional shopping. Their argument is based on the recent widespread closure of established brands like Sears and Best Buy. But can we really say that traditional shopping is dying?

In 2011, even though the U.S economy was sluggish, shopping grew by 15% over the previous year. In addition, about 35% of Americans now have smartphones which enable them to purchase goods and services over the internet and this figure is expected to rise significantly in subsequent years. In actual fact, about half of smartphone users have used their phones for one purchase or the other. On Christmas day of 2011 alone, about 6.8 million iOs and Android smartphones were activated. Top internet retailer, Amazon, recorded a whooping net sale of $48.08 billion in 2011 which represents 40.6% increase over $32.20 billion recorded in 2010. This figure is expected to rise in 2012 and subsequent years. What then is the implication of all these to physical retailing?

Since many people now decide to shop over the internet due to the benefits derivable in doing so like convenience, easy access to market, price comparison, avoidance of crowd, better prices and so on, can we really say that that the traditional way of shopping is being threatened? In my own opinion, technology will enhance the traditional method and not kill it. The popularity of video cassette recorder (VCR) in the 80?s was seen by many as a threat to movie theaters then, but today, the film industry has been strengthened by the new technology and the demand for films has increased.

Moreover, when the email became very popular, a lot people thought that the traditional postal service would die, but today, it is waxing stronger. The point I?m driving at here is that, if traditional shop owners can embrace new technology, shopping on the internet would not be a threat to them but a blessing.

If physical retailers can monitor shopping behavior through the use of Wi-Fi signals from smartphones, they would be able to compete favorably in a fast-changing world. They can use technology to measure loyalty, make better staffing decisions, improve store layouts, reduce wait times in checkout lines and so on. Online shopping has come to stay but it is not a threat to traditional shopping because many consumers still value some of its features like quality of customer service, the experience of trying and buying products, how products are displayed and so on.

Olushola Otenaike is an online shopping expert.

Source: http://mysoupbaby.blogspot.com/2012/11/will-traditional-shopping-die-because.html

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WSU researchers help boost business sales with scents | Local ...

PULLMAN, WA - It's a well known fact that certain scents can affect the way people shop, but researchers at Washington State University set out to find which ones can actually help increase sales.

Whether it's the smell of old books in a used bookstore, or coffee outside a local cafe, there are a lot of scents that we associate with shopping. Especially around the holidays.

"Kind of puts them in the spirit, they come in, they comment, 'Oh, this smells like Christmas," said Neill's Flowers & Gifts Owner Mitch Chandler. "And since this time of the year, we're kind of a Christmas store, you know, it's important that they feel Christmas when they come in."

But could a certain type of smell make you spend more? That's what Washington State University doctoral student Manja Zidansek has been researching for the last couple of years.

"So we've known for a while that certain smells impact shopping behavior, and what we wanted to find out is which scents worked best," said Zidansek. "And to be able to do that, what we've done is created a simple scent and a complex scent."

A simple scent has only one component, while a complex scent is the combination of simple scents. For example, Zidansek used orange as the simple sent, and orange combined with basil and green tea as the complex scent.

"They were of the same pleasantness, the same familiarity, the same attractiveness, everything was the same," said Zidansek. "The only difference was in that simplicity or complexity."

Part of the research was conducted on the WSU campus.

Researchers brought participants into a lab, filled the room with a certain scent, and had them do word problems.

"In the presence of a simple smell, we see that they are able to solve more problems correctly, and they actually solve them in a lesser amount of time," said Zidansek.

The other half was done at a store in Switzerland. They observed how shopping behavior in the presence of a simple and a complex scent, while all the prices and products stayed the same.

"And what we found is that when customers shop in the presence of a simple smell, the sales increases by about 20%," said Zidansek.

In conclusion, business owners could increase sales by adding a pleasant scent to their store, as long as it's the right one.

"Simple scents free up customer's mind, if you want," said Zidansek. "So, it's what we call 'processing fluency,' they focus more on shopping, what doesn't happen in the presence of a complex smell or no smell."

This is helpful information for business owners because filling a store with a simple scent is easy and relatively cheap to implement, and if it's done correctly, it can significantly benefit sales.

Source: http://www.klewtv.com/news/local/WSU-researchers-help-boost-businesses-with-scents-183075161.html

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Issue for the week of December 29th, 2012

Science News reviews the year in science with a compilation and analysis of the most fascinating stories reported in the magazine. Also highlighted are reader favorites, debunked science and the year's weirdest stories. (p. 16)

Long-sought boson completes standard model of physics. (p. 16)

NASA?s rover looks for life-friendly environments. (p. 18)

But research freeze holds. (p. 19)

Prosthetics and new therapies restore abilities to move, see, walk. (p. 20)

Some recent weird weather tied to warming. (p. 20)

Nerve cells notice mistakes and learn from others? desires. (p. 21)

Social media comes into its own as a tool and a subject for study. (p. 22)

If true, finding could lead to new fertility treatments. (p. 23)

Planet discovered in Alpha Centauri, just a few light-years away. (p. 23)

Similarity found with destructive protein behind mad cow. (p. 24)

XNA molecules join DNA and RNA in the genetic catalog. (p. 24)

A little closer to teleportation and new computers. (p. 24)

Two genetic studies extend the Arctic icon?s lineage way back. (p. 25)

DNA paints a contested picture of Stone Age interbreeding. (p. 26)

Eventual collision with Andromeda to shake up the solar system. (p. 26)

Fossils suggest early bipedal hominids still climbed. (p. 27)

Brain stays busy during lights-out. (p. 28)

Findings are filling out the story behind the fat. (p. 28)

Surprise result questions heart protection from HDL. (p. 28)

Paintings and animation date way back. (p. 29)

More creatures, less Latin used to describe them. (p. 30)

Transit events happen in pairs separated by more than a century. (p. 30)

25-year experiment sees real-time natural selection. (p. 31)

Overuse of freshwater supplies poses risks. (p. 32)

World doesn?t end, ancient astronomy gets a boost. (p. 32)

A gravity survey by twin orbiters reveals how much the lunar surface was pummeled by meteorite impacts early in its history. (p. 5)

Plumbing systems operate on a razor?s edge, making even moist forests highly vulnerable to drought. (p. 8)

Warming might force animals? food source, bamboo, to higher elevations. (p. 8)

BOSS project looks at acceleration rate before dark energy hit the gas. (p. 9)

The large exoplanet lies just 42 light-years away. (p. 9)

Comprehensive analysis quantifies ice sheet loss in Greenland and Antarctica. (p. 10)

Simple models have overestimated drying over past 60 years. (p. 10)

Meltwaters off the northwestern part of Canada?s ice sheet would have shut down the ocean?s heat circulation 13,000 years ago. (p. 11)

Layered nanomaterial shows how bulletproof polymers wrap around penetrating particles. (p. 12)

A new chemical setup creates clean-burning gas by mimicking plant photosynthesis. (p. 12)

Among hundreds of thousands of DNA variants identified in a study, a large majority arose in the past 5,000 years. (p. 13)

Short telomeres are tied to higher mortality in Indian Ocean warblers. (p. 13)

New models offer contrasting views of monkeys? ability to identify frequently seen letter pairs. (p. 14)

How humans hide goodies, timely gestures and memory athletes. (p. 14)

Review by Sid Perkins (p. 34)

(p. 34)

(p. 34)

(p. 4)

(p. 4)

(p. 4)

(p. 4)

Alt science (p. 36)

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/issue/id/347090/title/Issue_for_the_week_of_December_29th,_2012

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Corporate tax battle enters fiscal cliff fracas

20 hrs.

John W. Schoen , NBC News

If you?re enjoying the name-calling and political hair-pulling in the debate over raising the tax burden on wealthy individuals, you?re going to love the coming battle over reforming the corporate tax code.

?It's not going to be easy, it?s not going to be fun and it's going to be as bloody probably as the fiscal cliff charade,? Caterpillar CEO Douglas Oberhelman told CNBC. ?But it?has to be done.?

Business leaders this week stepped up pressure to include an overhaul of corporate taxes as part of the broad budget battle unfolding in Washington. On Wednesday, the Business Roundtable,?a non-partisan group of U.S. chief executives,?implored in a?full-page ad in national newspapers that "it's time to act." Agreeing to a broad package of increased revenues and entitlement reforms, the CEOs urged, would give them the confidence to "invest in new factories, equipment and employees." ??

NBC/WSJ poll: Public wants compromise to avoid fiscal cliff

American corporations have never been shy about asking Congress to make changes in the U.S. tax code. After decades of lobbying, they've?succeeded in larding the law with a thicket of exemptions, deductions, exclusions and other givebacks.?

It?s tempting to think that closing just some of?those loopholes would make a big dent in the federal budget deficit.?But even if fiscal cliff negotiators agreed to eliminate every dollar of corporate tax breaks, the amount ?saved? would cover about 15 cents of every deficit dollar.

?It?s negligible,? said Scott Hodge, president of the Tax Foundation, which supports deep cuts in corporate taxes. ?There?s about $1.1 trillion worth of so-called tax expenditures in the tax code and about $900 billion of?that is for individuals.?

The biggest obstacle to tax reform? You are

Still, American corporations love their tax breaks. Among the world?s advanced economies, the U.S. has the?highest tax rate on corporations?? the starting point in calculating how much they owe Uncle Sam?every year. But by the time American companies have subtracted a long list of deductions from their tax bill, the average effective tax rate is more like 27 percent.

In relation to the size of the U.S. economy, however,?American corporations pay the among the smallest tax burden in the developed world. And corporations have been paying a shrinking share of the total tax burden for decades. Corporate tax receipts are less than 2 percent of gross domestic product, down from a peak of 6 percent in 1950.

That shrunken share is, in part, an illusion. Beginning in the late 1980s, following a major overhaul of the tax code, many businesses changed their legal status to take advantage of individual tax rates.?

These so-called ?pass through? companies (so-called because they pass through their taxable income to owners or partners) now make up more than 90 percent of all business tax returns ? and as much as half of all business taxes?paid.

The average corporate tax?rate also masks a wide variation in what different companies pay. Some, for example, pay no tax at all, according to a study last year by Citizens for Tax Justice. That big disparity is one reason proponents of corporate tax overhaul think it?s time to blow up the existing code and start over again.

?In the negotiation to start this, you have to start from zero because everybody is going to have their pet deduction, their pet credit, whatever it is,? said Caterpillar's Oberhelman. ?But let's all agree we start from zero, whatever that tax rate is, and go from there.?

Though there are dozens of industry-specific provisions in the code, very little of the total cost of these tax breaks?? about 8 percent ? goes to specific industries. Tired of those giveaways to the oil and gas industry? Eliminating them would save just $2 billion, or about one-tenth of one percent of the $1.3 trillion deficit.

Some of those targeted tax breaks turn out to have unintended consequences. A tax break for manufacturers that make their products in the U.S. sounds like a good idea in theory. But in practice, it doesn?t always produce the incentives it was designed to create.

?If you?re McDonalds and grind hamburger for your own purposes, you can?t take the manufacturing deduction,? said Hodge. ?But if you?re some other company and you grind hamburger to sell to McDonald's, you can. It?s insane.?

Most corporate tax breaks???about two-thirds of the?total in dollar terms ? are available to all companies. One of the most popular allows companies to write off the cost of buying new equipment. It?s not likely to be cut or reduced, especially until the economy shows more convincing signs of strength.

?The locomotive that pulls our economy is investment in equipment and software,? said FedEx CEO Fred Smith. "It's our reduced level of capital investment that's produced our low GDP growth rates and our high unemployment."

Investment by business has rebounded since the end of the 2007 recession, in part because of a provision in the 2009 stimulus package that provided more generous tax breaks for purchases of new plants, equipment and software. But that capital investment is still some 13 percent below the peak in the second quarter of 2007. The expiration of those temporary tax breaks next year could slow the pace of investments, adding further drag on economic growth.

The goal of overhauling U.S. corporate taxes is to eliminate the thicket of tax breaks to lower the top tax rate for all companies, making them more competitive around the world. But proponents of deeper cuts argue that the burden of corporate taxes ultimately falls on American taxpayers and consumers.

?If the price of fuel goes up, companies generally don?t eat that cost,? said Hodge. ?It?s passed through to consumers through higher prices, or they have to lay off workers to afford those higher costs, or shareholders get less through dividends because profits are less. Same goes for taxes.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/corporate-tax-battle-enters-fiscal-cliff-fracas-1C7529989

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Video: Fed Leaves Rates Unchanged

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50177279/

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Boehner: White House willing to "slow-walk" up to "fiscal cliff"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner on Thursday again rejected President Barack Obama's demand for increased power to raise the U.S. debt and charged that the White House seems willing to "slow-walk our economy right up to the 'fiscal cliff.'"

The White House and Congress face a year-end deadline to avert the so-called fiscal cliff of automatic tax hikes and budget cuts that experts fear could plunge the nation into another recession.

"The president wants to pretend spending isn't the problem. That's why we don't have an agreement" to reduce the U.S. debt, Boehner, the top Republican, told a news conference.

In underscoring the stalemate in negotiations, Boehner reiterated his opposition to giving Obama the power to raise the U.S. debt limit without congressional approval.

"Congress is never going to give up our ability to control the purse," Boehner said. "And the fact is, is that the debt limit ought to be used to bring fiscal sanity to Washington."

Boehner seemed to brush off speculation fanned by Democrats that his concern about keeping his job was undermining efforts to cut a bipartisan deal.

"I'm not concerned about my job as speaker. I'm concerned about our kids and our grand kids," Boehner said.

Obama is expected to discuss the "fiscal cliff" later in the day, likely cranking up pressure on Republicans to accept increased tax rates on the wealthy as part of any deal.

Boehner said it's up to the White House to offer a balanced package.

"Republicans want to solve the problem and get this spending line down. The president wants to pretend spending isn't the problem. That's why we don't have an agreement," Boehner said.

"Unfortunately, the White House is so unserious about cutting spending that it appears willing to slow-walk our economy right up to the 'fiscal cliff,'" Boehner added.

(Reporting by Thomas Ferraro, David Lawder, Patricia Zengerle, Richard Cowan and Rachelle Younglai; Editing by Paul Simao)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boehner-white-house-seems-willing-slow-walk-over-162842595--business.html

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Dozens sue pharmacy, but compensation uncertain

In this Nov. 21, 2012, photo, Melanie Norwood, left, sits next to her attorney, Mark Chalos, as she talks about her mother, Marjorie Norwood in Nashville, Tenn. Marjorie Norwood, 59, became sick with fungal meningitis after getting steroid shots produced by the New England Compounding Center. Federal lawsuits in five states have been filed against the New England Compounding Center by patients who received shots of steroid medication produced by the pharmacy and more are being filed in state courts every day. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

In this Nov. 21, 2012, photo, Melanie Norwood, left, sits next to her attorney, Mark Chalos, as she talks about her mother, Marjorie Norwood in Nashville, Tenn. Marjorie Norwood, 59, became sick with fungal meningitis after getting steroid shots produced by the New England Compounding Center. Federal lawsuits in five states have been filed against the New England Compounding Center by patients who received shots of steroid medication produced by the pharmacy and more are being filed in state courts every day. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

This undated family photo shows meningitis victim Marjorie Norwood in Nashville, Tenn. Norwood became sick with fungal meningitis after getting steroid shots produced by the New England Compounding Center. Federal lawsuits in five states have been filed against the New England Compounding Center by patients who received shots of steroid medication produced by the pharmacy and more are being filed in state courts every day. (AP Photo/Family Photo)

In this Nov. 21, 2012, photo, Melanie Norwood talks about her mother, Marjorie Norwood in Nashville, Tenn. Marjorie Norwood, 59, became sick with fungal meningitis after getting steroid shots produced by the New England Compounding Center. Federal lawsuits in five states have been filed against the New England Compounding Center by patients who received shots of steroid medication produced by the pharmacy and more are being filed in state courts every day. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

In this Nov. 21, 2012, photo, attorney, Mark Chalos, right, sits with Melanie Norwood, left, as they talk about the condition of Norwood's mother, Marjorie Norwood, in Nashville, Tenn. Marjorie Norwood, 59, became sick with fungal meningitis after getting steroid shots produced by the New England Compounding Center. Federal lawsuits in five states have been filed against the New England Compounding Center by patients who received shots of steroid medication produced by the pharmacy and more are being filed in state courts every day. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

In this Nov. 21, 2012, photo, attorney, Mark Chalos, right, sits with Melanie Norwood, rear left, as they talk about the condition of Norwood's mother, Marjorie Norwood, in Nashville, Tenn. Marjorie Norwood, 59, became sick with fungal meningitis after getting steroid shots produced by the New England Compounding Center. Federal lawsuits in five states have been filed against the New England Compounding Center by patients who received shots of steroid medication produced by the pharmacy and more are being filed in state courts every day. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Dennis O'Brien rubs his head as he details ailments triggered by the fungal meningitis he developed after a series of steroid shots in his neck: nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, exhaustion and trouble with his speech and attention.

He estimates the disease has cost him and his wife thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses and her lost wages, including time spent on 6-hour round trip weekly visits to the hospital. They've filed a lawsuit seeking $4 million in damages from the Massachusetts pharmacy that supplied the steroid injections, but it could take years for them to get any money back and they may never get enough to cover their expenses. The same is true for dozens of others who have sued the New England Compounding Center.

"I don't have a life anymore. My life is a meningitis life," the 59-year-old former school teacher said, adding that he's grateful he survived.

His is one of at least 50 federal lawsuits in nine states that have been filed against NECC, and more are being filed in state courts every day. More than 500 people have gotten sick after receiving injections prepared by the pharmacy.

The lawsuits allege that NECC negligently produced a defective and dangerous product and seek millions to repay families for the death of spouses, physically painful recoveries, lost wages and mental and emotional suffering. Thirty-seven people have died in the outbreak.

"The truth is the chance of recovering damages from NECC is extremely low," said John Day, a Nashville attorney who represents several patients who have been sickened by fungal meningitis.

To streamline the process, attorneys on both sides are asking to have a single judge preside over the pretrial and discovery phases for all of the federal lawsuits.

This approach, called multidistrict litigation, would prevent inconsistent pretrial rulings and conserve resources of all parties. But unlike a class-action case, those lawsuits would eventually be returned to judges in their original district for trial, according to Brian Fitzpatrick, a law professor at Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville.

Even with this approach, Fitzpatrick noted that federal litigation is very slow, and gathering all the evidence, records and depositions during the discovery phase could take months or years.

"Most of the time what happens is once they are consolidated for pretrial proceedings, there is a settlement, a global settlement between all the lawyers and the defendants before anything is shipped back for trial," he said.

A lawyer representing NECC, Frederick H. Fern, described the consolidation process as an important step.

"A Boston venue is probably the best scenario," Fern said in an email. "That's where the parties, witnesses and documents are located, and where the acts subject to these complaints occurred."

Complicating efforts to recover damages, attorneys for the patients said, NECC is a small private company that has now recalled all its products and laid off its workers. The company's pharmacy licenses have been surrendered, and it's unclear whether NECC had adequate liability insurance.

Fern said NECC has insurance, but they were still determining what the policy covers.

But Day says, "It's clear to me that at the end of the day, NECC is not going to have sufficient assets to compensate any of these people, not even 1 percent."

As a result, many attorneys are seeking compensation from other parties. Among the additional defendants named in lawsuits are NECC pharmacist and co-founder Barry Cadden; co-founder Greg Conigliaro; sister company Ameridose and its marketing and support arm, Medical Sales Management.

Founded in 2006 by Cadden and Conigliaro, Ameridose would eventually report annual revenue of $100 million. An NECC spokesman didn't respond to a request for the pharmacy's revenue.

While Federal Drug Administration regulators have also found contamination issues at Westborough, Mass.-based Ameridose, the FDA has said it has not connected Ameridose drugs to infection or illness.

Under tort law, a lawsuit has to prove a defendant has a potential liability, which in this case could be anyone involved in the medical procedure. However, any such suit could take years and ultimately may not be successful.

"I would not be surprised if doctors, hospitals, people that actually injected the drugs, the people that bought the drugs from the compounding company, many of those people will also be sued," said Fitzpatrick.

Plaintiffs' attorneys said they're considering that option but want more information on the relationships between the compounding pharmacy and the hundreds of hospitals and clinics that received its products.

Day, the attorney in Tennessee, said the clinics and doctors that purchase their drugs from compounding pharmacies or manufacturers could be held liable for negligence because they are in a better position to determine the safety of the medicine than the patients.

"Did they use due care in determining from whom to buy these drugs?" Day said.

Terry Dawes, a Michigan attorney who has filed at least 10 federal lawsuits in the case, said in traditional product liability cases, a pharmaceutical distributor could be liable.

"We are looking at any conceivable sources of recovery for our clients including pharmaceutical supply places that may have dealt with this company in the past," he said.

Ten years ago, seven fungal meningitis illnesses and deaths were linked to injectable steroid from a South Carolina compounding pharmacy. That resulted in fewer than a dozen lawsuits, a scale much smaller than the litigations mounting up against NECC.

Two companies that insured the South Carolina pharmacy and its operators tried unsuccessfully to deny payouts. An appellate court ruled against their argument that the pharmacy willfully violated state regulations by making multiple vials of the drug without specific prescriptions, but the opinion was unpublished and doesn't set a precedent for the current litigation.

The lawsuits represent a way for patients and their families recover expenses, but also to hold the pharmacy and others accountable for the incalculable emotional and physical toll of the disease.

A binder of snapshots shows what life is like in the O'Briens' rural Fentress County, Tenn., home: Dennis hooked up to an IV, Dennis in an antibiotics stupor, bruises on his body from injections and blood tests. He's had three spinal taps. His 11-day stay in the hospital cost over $100,000, which was covered by health insurance.

His wife said she sometimes quietly checks at night to see whether her husband of 35 years is still breathing.

"In my mind, I thought we were going to fight this and get over it. But we are not ever going to get over it," said Kaye O'Brien.

Marjorie Norwood, a 59-year-old grandmother of three who lives in Ethridge, Tenn., has spent just shy of two months total in the hospital in Nashville battling fungal meningitis after receiving a steroid injection in her back. She was allowed to come home for almost a week around Thanksgiving, but was readmitted after her symptoms worsened.

Family members are still dealing with much uncertainty about her recovery, but they have not filed a lawsuit, said their attorney Mark Chalos. He said Norwood will likely be sent to a rehabilitation facility after her second stay in the hospital rather than return home again.

Marjorie Norwood's husband, an autoworker, has taken time off work to care for her and they depend on his income and insurance.

"It doesn't just change her life, it changes everyone else's life around her because we care about her and want her to be happy and well and have everything that she needs," said her daughter, Melanie Norwood.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-13-Meningitis%20Outbreak-Lawsuits/id-9d4c7a4f9d0d420589271c34a6c9a766

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