Saturday, March 31, 2012

Sony outs Xperia Play ICS beta for unlocked phones, wants to know which games work

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While the promised Sony Xperia Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade rollout is quickly running out of March and into April for all models, the company has just unleashed a new beta version of the upgrade for Xperia Play owners. Following the alpha release in December and a beta update in February for the Arc S, Neo V and Ray, Sony has pushed this version for the Play to find out which games may need some work to be compatible with Android 4.0. The usual drawbacks remain however, so because this release requires unlocking your bootloader -- which will keep users from upgrading to the final ICS update when it comes out -- and it lacks such creature comforts as Google Mobile Services apps (Gmail, Google Maps, Face Unlock) it's intended for developers only. If your gamepad-equipped handset is staying official-upgrade only, you can safely check out a video of the beta ROM running on an Arc S embedded after the break and take this as a heads up that the final release is that much closer.

Continue reading Sony outs Xperia Play ICS beta for unlocked phones, wants to know which games work

Sony outs Xperia Play ICS beta for unlocked phones, wants to know which games work originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 04:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Friday, March 30, 2012

Pest Control - Save your dream house from bed bugs











This is a story of one of the house in Toronto, just seven years old house. The family was living very happily and was enjoying their lives. All of a sudden, they started to experience itchiness on their skin. In the beginning they did not know what the problem was, but later they found out but never took an action. During this time bed bugs developed their colonies, started from the basement and then they slowly spread all over the house.

Home owners first tried to use OTC (over the counter products) from different stores to overcome the problem and thought they overcame the problem. They weren't worried anymore, but they were not aware of the actual mystery of the bed bugs. Within no time bed bugs attacked again and started to enjoy the human blood and multiplied very rapidly.

In second attempt the respective owner tried to overcome the bed bug problem by hiring nonlicensed person for the bed bug control. He used some aerosol product which were also purchased from the open market and sprayed their mattress, box spring only. Within one week, bed bugs reappeared and it was now actually worse.

They decided to hire licensed exterminator to get rid of bed bugs, he tried his best, but after few months tinny creature came out again, sucking the blood. This situation was very horrible for land lords. They decided to take the advice from Minatory of health, the inspector came to see the situation and he informed the land lord that they should take care of the next door neighbor too, because they were responsible to spread to next door (because of semidetached house).

After facing this entire situation, the owner decided to take following steps: - Throw out all the furniture of the house. - Leave/vacant the house. - And finally decided to sell the house as early as possible.

Before taking final step for pest control, the owner decided to call PSS (PEST SOLUTION SERVICES).We went there to inspect the situation and found: 4- Bed bug eggs 5- Nymph 6- Adult

Each and every single item such as: - Bed frames - Mattresses - Box springs - Night stands - Door and window frames - Cracks/crevices in ceiling - Cracks/crevices around base boards

Were very highly infested with all stages of bed bugs along with their eggs

We treated each and every single item in the house by using following protocol: VACUUMING - Bed frames (after de-assembling them) - All furniture - Mattresses - Box spring - Travelling suite cases

- Base boards - Carpets (Nymphs were found in the carpet)

STEAMING: - Mattresses - Box springs

Spraying: All wooden furniture was sprayed by a chemical after mixing with water. DUST: Very thin film of the dust was injected in cracks and crevices all over the house. Note: We also treated the following too: - All closets. - All hall ways. - All wash rooms - Kitchen. - Laundry room We also treated all phone jacks and electrical out lets too.

The respective family moved to a hotel for couple of days to stay away from the treated house and came back hoping they do not experience anymore bed bug bites. There results were great and very positive. Now they are enjoying their lives in the same house for which they were thinking to sell because of bed bugs.

Same process was used in second treatment (chemistry of chemicals were changed) after fifteen days. No complaints/no biting/no itching. There was no evidence reported since the treatment, almost one year gone. NOTE: 5- Do not try to overcome the problem of the bed bugs yourself. 6- Do not go for cheaper treatment. 7- Deep inspections required. 8- Bed bug treatment is time consuming.

We are autonomous pest Control Company. We are completely based on research, inspection and solutions for your problems. We provide extensive chain of services about pests and bed bug control by using IPM system to home owners, Residents, Property Management Companies, roaches, wasps and bees. We have 15 years of excellent experience in pest control industry after completing the university education in ENTOMOLOGY/PATHOLOGY.

Keywords: Pest Control, Bed Bug Control, Pest Control Toronto, Bed Bug Control Toronto

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Bulletins Live ? Days Left For Best of Big D: Food and Drink Vote

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Have you been doing your best to support all your favorite restaurants in our annual Readers Choice: Food and Drink voting? Have you been visiting the site every day to cast your ballots? You havent? ?Well, Im not here to judge you. ?Im here to implore you to vote today, tomorrow, and Sunday. ?For those are your last three opportunities.

So go tell us where to find, among other things, the best Indian food, the best French food, the best bakery, the best wine bar, the best burger, and the best pizza in town.

Now. Go.

Source: http://www.bulletinslive.com/?p=2286

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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Bad Credit Consolidation Financial Products Can Provide Fast ...

This article has been viewed 14 times.

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Source: http://digg3.com/bad-credit-consolidation-financial-products-can-provide-fast-money-operations/

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Sunday, March 25, 2012

U.N.-African delegation tells Mali junta to go

BAMAKO (Reuters) - A delegation of U.N. and African officials has told the military junta that seized power in Mali on Wednesday night to hand back power, saying its plan to fix Mali's problems and restore security before stepping down will not work.

The message was delivered on Friday during a lightning visit by U.N. and African Union officials and the head of the regional ECOWAS Commission, the U.N. Secretary General's special representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit, told Reuters by phone on Saturday.

Mutinous low-ranking soldiers seized the presidential palace and Mali's state television this week, dissatisfied with President Amadou Toumani Toure's handling of a rebellion by northern nomads launched in January.

Rumors swirled around Bamako on Friday that junta leader Captain Amadou Sanogo had been killed in a counter-coup by Toure loyalists. Early on Saturday, state television showed Sanogo insisting he was well, but it was not clear when the footage had been recorded.

The coup leaders have said they plan to restore security and equip the army to better fight a northern Tuareg rebellion.

"We warned them that this would not work and that the restoration of constitutional order was unconditional," Djinnit said, adding that the coup leaders did not have a timeframe to hand back power.

"The time is not with them. The more they stay, the more it gets complicated. That's the message," Djinnit added.

Sanogo heads the National Committee for the Return of Democracy and the Restoration of the State (CNRDR), a body set up by soldiers after the coup on Wednesday.

ISOLATED

Toure has not been heard from since the coup, although the African Union said on Friday it had been told that he was still in Mali, not far for Bamako, being protected by loyal forces.

The international community has urged a rapid return to constitutional rule and a coalition of Malian parties said elections, which had been scheduled for April, should be held as soon as possible.

ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, said it would not recognize the junta and has scheduled a summit in Abidjan on Tuesday to discuss the Mali crisis.

Djinnit said the bloc would probably follow the African Union's move and suspend Mali.

"They (the junta) made an appeal to us to help them. We said we can only help you after the restoration of constitutional order," he said.

Bamako was quiet on Saturday, with people back out on the streets, but most shops shut.

Traffic was thin, mainly due to fuel shortages as most petrol stations remained closed following two days of looting and hijacking by mutinous soldiers.

Reuters reporters saw a convoy of three large petrol trucks being escorted into Bamako by security officials on Saturday.

There were fewer soldiers on the streets but the roads around state TV remained cordoned off with makeshift roadblocks manned by jumpy soldiers.

"We were afraid, but the soldiers have encouraged us to come out and sell our goods without fear," said Alimata Traore, a trader in one of Bamako's markets.

FRONTLINE

The northern rebel MNLA, whose numbers have been swollen by Malian Tuaregs returning from the ranks of Libya's army after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, launched their fight for an independent north in January.

Aiming to capitalize on confusion in the capital, they have pushed south to occupy positions abandoned by government forces.

The governor of the northeastern region of Kidal told Reuters late on Friday that government troops had retreated from the frontline after they heard of the coup in Bamako.

"We are now surrounded (in Kidal city) by rebels of the MNLA. The current situation in Bamako contributed much to the weak commitment of soldiers on the frontline," Colonel Salifou Kone told Reuters by telephone.

Sanogo has said he is ready to negotiate with the rebels but that his aim is to maintain Mali's territorial integrity.

Hama Ag Mahmoud of the MNLA's political wing told Reuters in Nouakchott, the capital of neighboring Mauritania: "We are ready to negotiate but there are conditions - the incumbent must be well-established, representative and have the political class behind him, and we must have guarantees from big powers."

(Additional reporting by Adama Diarra in Bamako and Laurent Prieur in Nouakchott; Writing by Bate Felix; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Kevin Liffey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-african-delegation-tells-mali-junta-172356027.html

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Chandler whiplash pain management | NC BEA Health Blog

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Source: http://www.ncbea.net/health-and-fitness/chandler-whiplash-pain-management/

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Neighbor defends Trayvon Martin's shooter: 'No Rambo'

Fellow neighborhood watch volunteer Frank Taaffe comes to the defense of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin while patrolling his gated Florida community. WTVJ-TV's Jeff Burnside reports.

By msnbc.com staff and NBC News

SANFORD, Fla. - A neighbor of George Zimmerman and fellow neighborhood watch captain in their Florida gated community came to his defense Tuesday, saying Zimmerman shot Miami teenager Trayvon Martin after numerous burglaries at The Retreat at Twin Lakes.

Frank Taaffe pointed out the circumstances that he believes led his 28-year-old neighbor to react the way he did on the night of Feb. 26: Eight burglaries within 15 months, most done by young black males, he said.

"The stage was already set. It was a perfect storm,? Taaffe said.

NBCMiami.com could not immediately confirm the burglary statistic Taaffe cited in a phone call to Sanford Police Tuesday night.

Martin, 17, picked up Skittles and iced tea from a 7-Eleven that Sunday, then headed back toward his father?s girlfriend's home on a rainy, drizzly night. Martin put on his hoodie and ran to take cover. Zimmerman spotted him, got out of his car and followed him.

In Trayvon Martin's final phone call with his own girlfriend, according to Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump, he could be heard saying ,?Why are you following me?? with Zimmerman replying, ?What are you doing around here??

Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, the parents of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed Florida teen shot dead by a neighborhood watch volunteer, tell TODAY's Matt Lauer they want justice for their son and want the shooter, George Zimmerman, arrested.

Their confrontation ended with Martin getting shot in the chest.

?This guy looks like he?s up to no good ? he looks black,? Zimmerman told a police dispatcher?from his car. His father has said that Zimmerman is Hispanic, grew up in a multiracial family, and is not racist.

Twin Lakes? population is ethnically mixed. A few residents said there is tension within the gated community, but Taaffe insisted Tuesday that Zimmerman was acting out of concern for the safety of the area.

More from NBCMiami.com: A neighbor comes to Zimmerman's defense

"George is a congenial, amiable, admirable person,? he said. "He had a passion and a care for this neighborhood to ensure the safety of everybody here. And, furthermore, George is no Rambo."

Taaffe said that Zimmerman was appointed as a watch captain, despite reports that he appointed himself to the post.

theGrio: Protesters demand repeal of Zimmerman's gun permit

He said he believes his neighbor acted in self-defense, which is what Zimmerman told police. He conceded, however, that the boiling tensions may have been affecting Zimmerman.

?I think any time you use a weapon, there are certain anger issues working,? Taaffe said. ?I think he had fed-up issues. He was mad as hell and wasn't going to take it anymore.?

Zimmerman has not been charged, despite growing calls for his arrest.

Lawyer: Trayvon Martin fearful in final call

"It?s really sad that he's already been convicted in the public media and has already been sentenced to the gas chamber,? Taaffe said. ?Let's let justice do its job."

Robert Zimmerman, George's father, told The Orlando Sentinel last week in an emotional interview that his family has received death threats. On claims that his son stalked and killed an innocent black teenager, Robert Zimmerman told The Sentinel, "They're lies."

"George is going to suffer for years and years," he said.

Taaffe told NBCMiami.com that?nothing changes the fact that Martin?s death is ?devastating.?

?It's a tragic event ? we can?t bring that boy back,? he said. ?I wish we could.?

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/21/10791755-neighbor-comes-to-defense-of-trayvon-martins-shooter

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Finance And Business | Benefits of Debt Management Programs ...

?What is Debt Management Program
If your situation is too bad to handle debts, debt management program (DMP) may help. It is a plan that may help you to lower your interest rates and restructure the future monthly payments. There is more than one debt management program that is available. So a good research on the options available based on your requirements, may be very important. The plan you opt for should probably satisfy both you and your creditor. Also called debt management plan, it is one of the options you have to pay...

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Credit card debt relief and consolidation programs are today helping many individuals and families lower their credit card debt, consolidate into a single and much more affordable program payment, and establish a road map for getting out of debt. During this era of economic uncertainty, it's becoming increasingly more common for people to find themselves with more credit card debt than they can afford to repay. Much of the problem stems from the stubbornly high unemployment rate. While these...

?Debt Relief Programs to Give You Financial Freedom
Debt problems are a very common occurrence in modern life. We live in a society that promotes instant gratification. People are more inclined to spend what they haven't got when they feel as if there is no tomorrow. If you are slowly losing control of the debt in your life, it is advisable to seek help before it is too late. Many people find that they are in over their heads and they simply give up, assuming that there is no help out there. Did you know there is another way to get out of debt?...

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Debt management can help if you are drowning in your debts. It is the service provided by an agency that offers debt help services, including credit counseling, debt settlement, and debt consolidation loans. Debt management helps you to avoid spending more than you earn and have control over your finances, to manage your debts. The agency sets a Debt Management Plan (DMP) that may help you in restructuring your payments. It is a repayment scheme that the agency comes out with after assessing...

?Options to Consider For Debt Management
Many people let debt pile up and don't get aggressive about getting debt free. But there are various debt help options that are now available that can help you with your debt management. If you have multiple debts across a few credit cards, you can always consolidate them with a consolidation loan or a balance transfer to a lower rate credit card. If you want to get the creditors off your back without filing for bankruptcy, you can negotiate with your creditors or even hire the services of a...

?Benefits of Debt Relief
Easing the financial burden of families in America is a good thing. Various debt relief programs are designed to assist individuals to free themselves of debts and hopefully to keep them from incurring new debts. People overwhelmed with debts will get a chance at starting over and rebuilding their lives totally free of debt once their existing debt is resolved. It does, however, sound too good to be true. Being debt free is the ideal lifestyle for most Americans but the temptation of succumbing...

?The Considerations of Good Debt Management Programs
Choosing the ideal debt management program to suit your particular debt issue is not easy. There are so many companies and agencies with false claims and promises that you end up being too wary and perhaps a little skeptic on how the legit companies can actually help you lose your debts in just a few simple steps. Another thing that bugs you is that even if you have found a list of legit companies specializing in managing debts, how do you know which one is the right one for you? Before you...

?In Control With Debt Management
At one point in our lives, we may all have owed money to an institution. From bank to student loans or from credit card to mortgage payments, there is no escaping it. Like other aspects in our lives, we need to be aware of our financial situation and keep it under control so our debts will not end up consuming the better parts of our lives. You don?t need hold a degree in finance to be knowledgeable in debt management. With a little research and professional assistance, you can educate yourself...

?Go Debt Free With Debt Management and Consolidation
When you are facing a situation where you have to choose the right kind of debt management help and you do not know head or tail about the basics of debt help, you know you are way in over your head. You have heard of the different terminologies and benefits but exactly what does each type of debt help entail? You know you are not an expert when it comes to debts and finances but you know you are smart enough to be able to understand the concept. So what exactly is a debt management program?...

?The Risk Factors to Consider While Opting For Debt Consolidation
Debt consolidation can be a solution to getting rid of your financial burdens one payment at a time. While debt consolidation may not reduce your debt, it may eliminate high interest rates associated with debt from various lenders. It can be a good choice for you if you are looking at a better and faster way to escape debt. One of its advantages can be the fact that through debt consolidation, you can condense your various debt payments into one bill with an interest rate that can vary...

Source: http://www.bharatbhasha.net/finance-and-business.php/356593

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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Fresh Android Apps for Mar. 20: Bobsled Calling for Tablets, Fitbit, Spit?em All

It?s officially spring! Prepare for some serious attitude adjustment by downloading some fresh Android apps. Make voice-over-IP calls using Bobsled Calling for Tablets, get in shape with Fitbit, and let one fly in Spit?em all ? Free.

Need more options for communicating? Bobsled lets you call or text chat with others on Android devices, or using an iPhone, iPod or iPad over Facebook. Better still, the people you reach out to don?t need to have any phone number.

This app comes optimized for big-screen Honeycomb Android tablets. Early reviews say the design works well. It uses your Facebook account to gather a list of your friends and your friends? Facebook walls as the place to post your Bobsled voice messages.

Getting into shape and losing weight requires a plan. It also helps to note down your progress toward your goals. Enter Fitbit. This app aims to track both your food intake and, with the purchase a separate tracker device, your body motion.

Enter the food you eat and the app will count the calories for you, then show you how many remain before you reach your daily goal. Review your day?s meal specifics and view a thermometer of how much water you consumed.

Buy a wireless 3-D Fitbit Tracker and the app will show you how many steps, general movement, and activity level you attain on a daily basis.

If for nothing else, this game gets points for originality. Main character Johnny, a hormonal youth, wakes up in a bad mood and decides to take his angst out on the world below his urban dwelling by spiting out the window.

You slide Johnny back and forth along his windowsill and set the power of each spit so that it lands on cars, buses, taxis, and pedestrians on the street floors below. Make the mistake of spitting on a passing police car and you?ll be ?busted!? with an end of game. Expect cool graphics, easy controls and low-brow humor.

Source: http://www.androidapps.com/tech/articles/11404-fresh-android-apps-for-mar-20-bobsled-calling-for-tablets-fitbit-spitem-all

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Monday, March 19, 2012

Chinese writers say Apple is online book pirate

(AP) ? A group of prominent Chinese writers have demanded millions of dollars in compensation from Apple Inc. for allegedly selling unlicensed versions of their books in its online store, a lawyer said Monday.

The case is a departure from the usual pattern of U.S artists or companies going after Chinese copycats. Trade groups say illegal Chinese copying of music, designer clothing and other goods costs legitimate producers billions of dollars a year in lost sales.

Three separate lawsuits have been filed with the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate Court on behalf of 12 writers who allege 59 of their titles were sold unlicensed through Apple's iTunes online store, said Wang Guohua, a Beijing lawyer representing the writers.

The three suits together demand 23 million (US$3.5 million) in compensation from the technology giant, Wang said. Well-known novelist and race car driver Han Han is among the writers taking the legal action, he said.

Carolyn Wu, a Beijing-based Apple spokesman, said the company respects intellectual property and responds to complaints quickly.

"As an IP holder ourselves, we understand the importance of protecting intellectual property and when we receive complaints we respond promptly and appropriately," she said. She declined to get into the specifics of the Chinese writers' claims.

Wang said the Chinese writers' works were made available via the Apple Store without their permission, violating their copyright, and while Apple deleted some books after the lawsuits were filed in January, some works quickly appeared again, apparently uploaded by developers that sell apps through the Apple Store.

"Some developers, with whom Apple has contracts, put them back online again," said Wang of the United Zhongwen Law Firm. "It is encouragement in disguise, because they did not punish the developers. The developers could have been kicked out. But nothing happened to them."

Apple has more than 585,000 apps available through its Apple Store, and according to guidelines posted online, requires the developers themselves to secure the rights to any trademarked material within those apps.

Wang said 10 other writers have also gotten involved since January but their suits have yet to be filed. In all, 23 writers have registered their complaints with Wang and claim that Apple sold 95 pirated titles.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported late Sunday that the writers were collectively seeking 50 million yuan ($7.7 million) in compensation from Apple, but Wang could not confirm that figure.

Product piracy is a major irritant in China-US relations, but usually involves complaints that Chinese are copying American products.

However, it's not the first time Chinese have cried foul over copyright infringement by an American company either. In 2009, the government-affiliated China Written Works Copyright Society complained that Google had scanned nearly 20,000 works by 570 Chinese authors without permission as part of its digital library project, drawing an apology from Google.

For Apple, the case is just one of several legal battles being fought in China. The company is embroiled in a battle over the iPad trademark with Proview Electronics Co., a Chinese computer monitor and LED light maker that says it registered the trademark more than a decade ago.

Proview wants Apple to stop selling or making the popular tablet computers under that name.

Apple says Proview sold it worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 2009, though in China the registration was never transferred.

__

Associated Press researcher Zhao Liang contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2012-03-19-AS-China-Apple/id-fa3d05b6b9a9468b82d82953ddc1060a

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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Quantpedia: A Guide Through the Investing Maze - Barrons.com

There are many ways to skin the stock market, and Quantpedia explores about 170 of them for the not-yet-committed or just plain curious trader.

Most sites narrow their focus to just a slice of fundamental or technical analysis.

For example, Zacks Research (www.zacks.com) is a wide-ranging information resource, but built on the keystone of earnings-estimate revisions. Likewise, the forte of Schaeffer's Research (www.schaeffersresearch.com) is contrarian option plays. Most of us wander through a number of such strategies before finding one or more that work for us under ever-changing market conditions.

Quantpedia (www.quantpedia.com) offers a shortcut for what could otherwise be ...

Source: http://online.barrons.com/article/SB50001424053111904797004577277442318130020.html

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Discovering Home Security Solutions - Marketing and selling online ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Home security products are the best way to protect yourself, your family, and every valuable inside your home, sometimes a person needs extra security self-defense products to help them feel safe in their own home,

Source: http://www.workoninternet.com/business/reviews/home-based/196376-discovering-home-security-solutions.html

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Wednesday, March 14, 2012

ATT UVerse Coupon Code | The Development of Computers and ...

Even in modern times, there are still those who prefer vinyl records over DVD?s. Are they simply old fashioned? Is it just for show? Or is there a good reason behind this? Thus, I would like to make a brief comparison between old type of recordings and the modern digital audio formats.

The Main Difference
Except for their physical features, the main difference between vinyl?s and DVD?s is the format or manner unto which the sound is engraved in them. With vinyls, the sound is physically engraved on the surface of the disc using a sound-sensitive needle; wherein needle moves according to the sound waves that it receives. The process is reversed when playing the sound. The needle moves according to the engravings on the vinyl and a specific sound is produced according to the movement. With DVD?s, on the other hand, the sound is interpreted into binary symbols. The music, in computer language format, will then be engraved to the DVD using light.

Advantage of Vinyl?s over DVD?s
toogoom
If you consult the representation on how sound is engraved on vinyls (above) as opposed to how these are engraved on DVD?s (below), you will notice that the manner of how music is engraved on vinyls resembles sound waves more than that of DVD?s. This means that the sound quality of vinyl recordings are better compared to DVD?s as vinyls resembles the original sound better.

Advantage of DVD?s over Vinyls
Because of the concise computer language that is used in DVD?s, it can store more songs than vinyls. This is also more affordable and available as vinyls are rare nowadays. Aside from this, because DVD?s use digital formats, it is compatible with digital players and headsets that can produce the sound in stereo or surround speakers as opposed to vinyl that is only available in mono.

Conclusion:
Being a tech fan, I am biased towards DVD formats. The sound quality between the two in terms of sound is unnoticeable. Personally, I would also save money when I can.

Notes: In relation to this, I would like to promote this ATT UVerse coupon code as I have saved significant amount of money using it

Source: http://www.toogoom.com/att-uverse-coupon-code.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=att-uverse-coupon-code

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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Japan tsunami brought home hard lessons for automakers

On the first anniversary of the Japan tsunami, the auto industry is returning to normal after some significant disruptions. But the face of the industry has shifted.?

If the US automotive industry has one takeaway from the tsunami in Japan last March, it?s this: be prepared.

Skip to next paragraph

The disaster, and subsequent flooding in Thailand, dramatically affected the vehicle and supply chain in Asia ? and not just for Japanese automakers. General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler also rely, although to a lesser extent, on certain supply components from Japan. The tsunami forced all three companies to establish contingency plans for where to get materials such as paint dye or computer chips for navigation systems if disaster strikes again.

?What [the tsunami] did was show the vulnerability in the supply chain. It became clear automakers had no idea how far down the supply chain some of these third level suppliers were. They now have a process in place to set up a war room to handle these situations,? says Michele Krebs, a senior analyst with Edmunds.com.

Of course, the hardest hit were Japanese automakers, all of which suspended vehicle production for several weeks. Even though most auto assembly plants in Japan operate south of Tokyo ? an area not affected by the tsunami ? the majority of its assembly suppliers are located north of Tokyo, directly in the eye of the disaster.?

The Japanese automakers first felt a sales hit last summer, when their collective US market share fell. By June 2011, the Detroit Three controlled 50 percent of the US market, according to Edmunds.com, about 4 percentage points more than it did one month before the tsunami.

Auto buyers who may have been considering fuel-efficient bestsellers like the Honda Fit or Toyota Prius were faced with having to wait several months before getting the car. The delay may have forced them to reconsider and purchase domestic equivalents like the Ford Focus, Ford Fusion, or Chevrolet Cruze.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/RrV1oZOY2Gs/Japan-tsunami-brought-home-hard-lessons-for-automakers

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Monday, March 12, 2012

The Unknown ReviewerFeatures Of Online Gift Buying

Online shopping has actually substantiated to be a warm preference having shopping fanatics. If you are one of those at that point you will absolutely take joy in your encounter of shopping online. You will certainly feel that on-line shopping happens to be remarkably helpful. If you happen to be planning to go to a retail store to go shopping at that point you will certainly have to commit at least 2 to 3 hours of your time to it. But shopping online will certainly take as reduced as 7 seconds. DreamHost offers word press enhanced world wide web hosting products.

This time happens to be inclusive of payment timings even. Online shopping has a lot of benefits. You can easily even review the reviews of numerous items prior to shopping online. Plenty of websites even furnish hefty discounts in the course of festive period. This way you will certainly end up paying reduced rate for your products. You can easily even assume to obtain discounts on bulk acquisitions. It happens to be watched that a lot of shopping websites furnish more desirable costs than retailers.

You can easily even discover a lot of economical deals in on-line stores. Plenty of on-line stores furnish minimal costs due to a ground. They source products straight from the supplier. This does away with the requirement for medium men. You can easily even claim rebates with on-line shopping. Plenty of makers even furnish a money back ensure on their products as well as products.

This means that if you happen to be not pacified having a item at that point you can easily return the item back to the supplier. This offer is valid only for a particular period of time. The supplier will definitely return back the money that you had bought that really good or service. This reveals the on-line retailers happen to be bona fide spots to go shopping. Many people have a mistaken belief that on-line shopping leads to fraud. But that happens to be not correct. You can easily count on on-line stores. They will certainly not mislead you having their products as well as products. Go for dreamhost if you want to have your website on the internet.

Related Posts:

Source: http://unknownreviewer.com/item/features-of-online-gift-buying/

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Sunday, March 11, 2012

Heart of Canada's asbestos country reinvents itself

"We started with just two friends and two desks in an office, with no computer," recalled David Berthiaume, who runs Oleotek, a research center that develops industrial products from vegetable oils and animals fats, rather than oil byproducts.

The oleochemistry center, which now has a team of 11 a decade after its launch, has since migrated to spacious premises next to the former asbestos mine in Thetford Mines.

The city along with the nearby town of Asbestos benefited in the 1960s from the extraction of huge mineral deposits of the material banned by Europe in 2005.

A carcinogenic product, asbestos was long used in construction, where it was favored for its resistance to heat and fire.

But over the past 25 years the asbestos industry has collapsed, forcing Thetford Mines, a city of 25,700 inhabitants some 240 kilometers (150 miles) east of Montreal, to adapt its economic model to the changing times.

"We gave this some thought around here. We said to ourselves, 'apart from asbestos, what else could we produce here?'" explained Berthiaume, 36.

Oleotek is a research institute devoted to the development of industrial products from vegetable oil and animal fat
Enlarge

David Berthiaume, 36, owner and Cyril Devauchelle of Oleotek a green company based in the former headquarters of an asbestos mining company are shown in February 2012 in Thetford Mines, Quebec, Canada. Oleotek, is a research institute devoted to the development of industrial products from vegetable oil and animal fat, rather than petroleum.

His center has since launched a first start-up, Innoltek, which produces non-toxic concrete form release oil for the construction and precast concrete markets.

Once a mono-industrial city riddled with craters and slag heaps of snow-capped mining debris, Thetford Mines has since made huge strides in opening up its economy to new industries, from manufacturing and transportation to tourism, wind energy and research.

"In 20 years, 1,000 more jobs were created than were lost, but the salaries are not the same," said the city's Mayor Luc Berthold.

The average salary in Thetford Mines was among the highest in Canada during the 1970s, due to the extra compensation paid for working in risky mining jobs.

"People who worked in the mining sector had special training, whether in tinsmithing, mechanics, welding, etc. It was a good place to foster new businesses because there was specialized labor," said Luc Remillard, president of the local economic development agency.

There is no public data on the unemployment rate in the city, but the Chaudieres-Appalaches region that includes Thetford Mines has 5.7 percent unemployment, according to the Quebec Institute of Statistics. Remillard estimated Thetford Mines is on equal par with the regional figures.

For the first time in 130 years, Canada no longer produces asbestos. The Jeffrey Mine located in Asbestos -- until recently the world's biggest asbestos mine -- is now shuttered.

But it could soon receive a CAN$58 million (US$58.5 million) loan guarantee from the Quebec government to resume activities in the spring, despite protests from a local coalition asking authorities to halt further investments in the asbestos industry.

After a cave-in, LAB Chrysotile closed its Lake Asbestos Mine in October, near Thetford Mines. After going into bankruptcy, it is now seeking a new investor to start its operations back up again.

Despite the success of its economic diversification and the risks associated with asbestos, Thetford Mines officials are adamant about relaunching the Lake Asbestos Mine, which once employed 350 workers.

"Replacing 350 jobs with small businesses takes time. The easiest way for us to keep an active economy is to safeguard our mining operations," Berthold said.

"I don't have a miracle solution. We've been looking for five years for a big business to create 350-400 jobs here, but they don't come a dime a dozen."

(c) 2012 AFP

Source: http://www.physorg.com/news250654818.html

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Michigan Beats Minnesota, 73-69, In Big Ten Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tubby Smith was facing the same predicament Friday night as he was one year ago.

Minnesota's coach sat in stoic disbelief, trying to figure out how another Big Ten tournament game got away and whether it would doom the Gophers' postseason hopes.

The Gophers blew a nine-point lead in the final 4:37 of regulation. They botched two chances to win it in the closing seconds, couldn't stop Trey Burke, and gave up a stretch of five straight 3-pointers as No. 10 Michigan rallied for a 73-69 overtime victory in Indianapolis.

"We made some mistakes, we gave up those 3s, where we just, really, got lost," he said. "You have to make those plays in the games, you have to make the stops and that's sort of what we've had all year long."

And now, with the Gophers (19-14) heading home from Indianapolis, they'll have two days -- and possibly the entire offseason -- to figure out how to correct those mistakes.

Freshman guard Andre Hollins scored 21 points to lead the Gophers for the second straight game. He also had six assists.

Rodney Williams finished with 20 points and six rebounds, but missed an off-balance 10-foot buzzer-beater that would have won it at the end of regulation. Austin Hollins scored 11 points.

It just wasn't enough.

"I said, let's hold out hope, let's keep hope alive that we will get an opportunity to play, but fate was in our hands and we just didn't get it done," said Smith, who was denied his 100th victory since taking the Minnesota job in 2007. "So we'll just have to wait and see what happens."

The difference in this quarterfinal matchup was the other freshman guard, Burke, who scored seven of his career-high 30 points in overtime, including the last 3-pointer in that late flurry.

Michigan (24-8) now faces archrival Ohio State on Saturday for a ticket to Sunday's title game. The Buckeyes defeated Purdue 88-71 in Friday's final game.

"We just kept telling each other that we weren't going to win it on the offensive side, it was going to be the defensive side that was going to help us come out with the win," Burke said. "We got down late in the game and our bigs stepped up. We all stepped up on the defensive end and got it into overtime, and that gave us another chance to get the win."

Burke started fast, scoring 11 of Michigan's first 12 points, and finished strong. He was 11 of 14 from the field, 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, had three assists, two rebounds, two blocks and two steals. He also had help.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 18 of his 20 points after halftime. Zack Novak, Evan Smotrycz, Stu Douglass and Burke combined for five consecutive 3s ? the first three helping to force overtime and the last two giving Michigan the early edge in the extra period.

That was all Burke and his teammates needed to boost their confidence.

"Except for these two right here, our whole team had been struggling. So give guys credit," said Novak, who was sitting with Burke and Hardaway. "Evan is able to knock down a shot. Trey's pretty much doing whatever he wants. I pretty much get wide open for one there. Tim hit me on another one and when you've got two guys that garner so much attention and guys that can get wide open shots, it's our job to knock them down."

With 4:37 left in regulation, Minnesota had a 54-45 lead and was in prime position to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament. But the Gophers managed only one more basket in regulation, gave up two 3s in the final 72 seconds of regulation and then failed to convert on either of their game-winning chances in the closing seconds.

Minnesota finally broke open the back-and-forth game when it went on a 13-4 run late in the second half. Williams' emphatic slam dunk with 4:37 left made it 54-45.

Michigan then changed its philosophy.

By locking up Minnesota's offense, it gave the long-range shooters a chance to go to work. Novak knocked down one 3 with 3:33 to go and another with 1:12 left to make it 56-53. Smotrycz's 3 tied the score at 56 with 17.6 seconds left.

Douglass and Burke started overtime with two more 3s, and when Douglass' 7-footer rolled in the Wolverines had a 64-57 lead with 2:13 to go. All they had to do was make free throws to close it out.

"Like I said it was the defensive end. We came out with a different attitude," Burke said. "We locked down, we got on the boards. We just came out with another mindset. We came out and told each other we're out here together and we got the win."

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/michigan-beats-minnesota-big-ten-tournament_n_1336340.html

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Saturday, March 10, 2012

BofA in side deal with government on mortgage foreclosures: WSJ

(Reuters) - Bank of America, one of five banks in $25 billion settlement with the government over foreclosure practices, has struck a side deal that will allow it to reduce penalties in return for bigger cuts to borrowers' mortgage balances, the Wall Street Journal said.

Bank of America will make deeper and broader cuts than other banks, which will allow it to avoid as much as $850 million in penalties and give more than 200,000 financially strapped households the opportunity to sharply reduce their mortgage balances, the paper said.

The side deal is unique to Bank of America, the Journal said, citing a senior administration official. It added that many of the write-downs will be made on loans originated by Countrywide Financial Corp, which Bank of America bought in 2008, and then packaged into securities.

Investors in those securities could then be affected by the side deal.

Bank of America said on February 9 that under the government settlement, write-downs will be made on loans originated by Countrywide Financial Corp prior to and for a period following the bank's acquisition of that lender.

Borrowers who qualify are expected to receive principal reductions averaging more than $100,000, Bank of America spokesman Dan Frahm told Reuters.

The side deal offers qualifying borrowers a chance to cut their mortgage balances to their home's current market value. Whereas other banks are required under the national settlement to cut principal to no more than 120 percent of the home's value, the Journal said.

Bank of America, the bank with the most liability from the fallout of the housing crash, is set to pay the lion's share of the government's settlement, around $11 billion of it.

The other banks accused of abusive mortgage practices that settled with the government were Wells Fargo & Co, JPMorgan Chase & Co, Citigroup Inc and Ally Financial Inc.

(Reporting by Sakthi Prasad; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bofa-side-deal-government-mortgage-foreclosures-wsj-051950031.html

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Brees denies knowledge of bounty program

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2010, file photo, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, foreground, and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, background, look on during an NFL football game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, La. Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis have taken "full responsibility" for the bounty program run by former assistant coach Gregg Williams. In a statement released Tuesday, March 6, 2012, Payton and Loomis admit violations of league rules "happened under our watch." They also promised it would never happen again. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2010, file photo, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, foreground, and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, background, look on during an NFL football game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, La. Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis have taken "full responsibility" for the bounty program run by former assistant coach Gregg Williams. In a statement released Tuesday, March 6, 2012, Payton and Loomis admit violations of league rules "happened under our watch." They also promised it would never happen again. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2010, file photo, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams during their NFL football game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, La. Saints coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis have taken "full responsibility" for the bounty program run by former assistant coach Gregg Williams. In a statement released Tuesday, March 6, 2012, Payton and Loomis admit violations of league rules "happened under our watch." They also promised it would never happen again. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 26, 2011 file photo, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees celebrates a touchdown by running back Pierre Thomas in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, in New Orleans. The Saints have placed the franchise tag on Brees, giving them exclusive negotiating rights with their Pro Bowl quarterback for the next year. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

(AP) ? Drew Brees says he has never participated in and was never aware of a "real" bounty program, and there would be no place for players being provided incentives to intentionally injure one another in any sport.

The NFL has said former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams ran an improper pay-for-performance pool, which offered bonuses for big plays as well as big hits that forced opposing players from games or left them needing help to leave the field.

In a letter posted on his foundation's website Friday night, the Saints' star quarterback says fans should reserve judgment until more is known about the league's bounty probe.

"I did not participate in any bounty program, nor did I have any knowledge relating to its real existence," Brees said. "I have spent the last several years as an Executive Committee Member of the NFLPA making health and safety a priority and I am proud of the advancements we've made and will continue to make.

"We are all working diligently to find the truth in this matter and if the facts prove there was improper behavior, we will hold ourselves accountable. Until that time, we will stand together and remain united as an organization."

The record-setting quarterback had been noticeably silent on the bounty issue.

Williams, now the defensive coordinator in St. Louis, has admitted to his role in the program and apologized.

Almost a week after the NFL pointed to them for failing to stop a bounty program involving some two dozen Saints players, coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis apologized and took the blame for violations that "happened under our watch."

"These are serious violations and we understand the negative impact it has had on our game," Payton and Loomis added. "Both of us have made it clear within our organization that this will never happen again, and make that same promise to the NFL and most importantly to all of our fans."

Payton and Loomis also said New Orleans owner Tom Benson "had nothing to do" with the bounty pool.

"As a leader of our football team," Brees added in his letter, "I feel comfortable in stating that I know well the integrity of our organization from the ownership level, to management, our head coach, and the players on our team. We, as Saints players, pride ourselves on playing this game with honor and hold ourselves to a very high standard."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-03-09-FBN-Saints-Bounties-Brees/id-5f5fc3238b1b469bba27805304bbe92b

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Friday, March 9, 2012

Whitney Houston?s Will Leaves Everything To Her Daughter Bobbi Kristina

Bobbi Kristina, 19, has inherited the late singer’s whole estate, as well as her money, furniture, cars and other personal items following her mother’s death last month. According to a 19-page court document obtained by Inside Edition, the will – which was created in 1993 and later amended in 2000 – mentions Whitney’s ex-husband Bobby [...]

Source: http://www.celebritymound.com/whitney-houstons-will-leaves-everything-to-her-daughter-bobbi-kristina/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=whitney-houstons-will-leaves-everything-to-her-daughter-bobbi-kristina

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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Meet the Clueless People Who Just Bought the iPad 2 [Humor]

Despite all the hype leading up to Apple's new iPad, some people had no idea it was coming. FWD rounded up the best sad, pissed-off tweets from the unlucky souls who recently bought an iPad 2. [FWD] More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/g57JDp4E6D0/meet-the-clueless-people-who-just-bought-the-ipad-2

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Food Safety and Cottage Food Laws ? Jason Foscolo LLC | Food Law

Bill Marler, the litigious Harpy* of companies which cause food-borne illness, has an interesting interview available at Blisstree.com. (I do mean Harpy as a sincere compliment. Careless food producers deserve eternal torment) Mr. Marler has some excellent guidance for afficiados of small/fresh/local eaters ? your food might not necessarily be safer:

?Size matters, when it comes to food safety. A company has an opportunity to increase food safety when they?re more profitable, when they?ve created systems, and when they have the bulk and the wealth to make their products safer.?

Food producers should read the entire interview carefully and consider it superb, free legal guidance for their own business ventures.

Coincidentally in the news today, California?s state assembly has become the latest to introduce a cottage food law, which will allow in-home kitchens to be used for some limited food processing of products destined for retail sale. California?s cottage law is the latest in a trend of similar resolutions being passed by state legislatures all across the country as a means to lower the barriers to entry for small-scale food producers and innovators. It is precisely these kinds of alternative food enterprises to which Marler refers in his interview.

If the enterprises which are facilitated by cottage food laws are intended to be embryonic businesses, then small scale food advocates should perhaps choose their nomenclature more wisely. Whether new market entrants care to acknowledge it or not, making food is a very serious business. ?Cottage foods? carry a strong implication that goods produced using these laws are made unprofessionally or amateurishly. This esteem is bad for the small-scale brand, which is by now absolutely legit and economically viable. I think it also sets a bad precedent for those who seek to incubate a product under these cottage laws.

Say what you will of Big Food, but they put forth more energy and attention into immediate food safety threats created by biological pathogens than a local producer or a local purveyor. Small scale producers do not dedicate the resources to accommodate critically important biological countermeasures. Others are simply new to the business of food production or food processing and are not even aware of their absolute legal obligation to produce foods with zero defects.

Regardless of the reason, there is no doubt that a food safety gap exists between smaller, new producers and big established ones.The gap does not manifest in more dangerous food necessarily (though I would love to see data). I simply mean that in my experience, too many small scale producers are skeptical of rigorously implementing HACCPs, GAPs, and other legal risk management practices when I suggest they do so.

There is a certain naivete among them regarding food safety that I think is ultimately bad for business. Washing your hands before you make food is not a HACCP plan. If you want to make food professionally, you need to think like a pathogen, and this requires a not-insignificant amount of training, education, and attention to detail.

Small-scale producers not only need to be more circumspect, they need to create the aura that they are not loner weirdos making pickles in their basements. Better nomenclature than ?cottage food? might be a great start, but antiseptic handling practices needs to follow right behind. Cargill can sustain a food borne illness outbreak. A single mother of three making tamales for some extra income in her kitchen cannot.

I am cautiously optimistic about cottage food in general. It is always good when innovators are enabled and even encouraged by the law to enter the market, which is an all too rare event in our food system. I am very reticent, however, they can or even will exploit the wonderful opportunity with the sense of gravity and responsibility it deserves.

In case you are interested, Food Safety News writer Vade Donaldson wrote a great article a few months back on the small-scale/safe food issue. Read the whole thing.

*I so wanted to put in a link to Bricktop?s ?Nemesis Speech? from the movie Snatch, but Lisa prudently talked me out of it due to NSFW language. Woulda been perfect though.

?


Categorised as: Uncategorized


Source: http://jasonfoscolo.com/?p=561

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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Skiing Tips For The New Players

Skiing is an adventure sport that offers a great combination of speed, thrill, and fun. During the winter season, numerous people head towards mountains where they can enjoy this sport. As a result, many people start their skiing career every year. This clearly explains the kind of popularity the sport has gained over several decades. If you are also planning to start skiing either as a career or just for some fun, it is quite important to follow few tips that will help you glide smoothly along the snowy mountains.

For an absolute first-timer in skiing, it is wiser to rent skis than to buy them in the beginning. In addition to skis, you can also consider renting all the ski gears, including the gloves and the goggles. This is because these gears are usually quite expensive. You should buy them only after you have assessed how much you actually like the sport based on your first experience.

While renting or purchasing your skis for the first time, it is important to ensure that you choose skis that are nearly 30 cm shorter than your height. This is required for a good grip and balance. If you don't get your first pair of skis right, you are likely to spoil your first ski experience. While selecting your ski shoes, you should check how comfortable and lightweight they are. They should not restrict the motion of your toes within the shoe, but at the same time they shouldn't be loose enough to let your foot lift off the base.

After you have worn your ski protective accessories, such as helmets, goggles, and gloves, etc., take a few minutes to check if anything is loose, broken, or just plain uncomfortable. This will reduce the chances of any accidents during skiing. Also, it will minimize the possibilities of getting distracted because of unimportant things. A right set of ski helmet, ski goggles, and ski gloves is very important for your protection as well as for your comfort during the sport.

Balancing your weight is the most important skill while you are skiing. You need to remain calm and balanced right from your beginning stance. It would be better to have your first ski experience under the supervision of an experienced skier. Even if you can't find anyone who is sufficiently experienced in skiing, you can certainly observe the weight balancing techniques as used by others before you start skiing.

About the Author:
Brayn Edwards is an expert in article writing and writes numerous articles on various topics. Check his website, which gives people advice about the best ski gear as well as more information on ski gloves.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Skiing-Tips-For-The-New-Players/3716900

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