My, what big teeth you have! Threatening objects appear closer

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

When we're faced with things that seem threatening, whether it's a hairy spider or an angry mob, our goal is usually to get as far away as we can. Now, new research suggests that our visual perception may actually be biased to help motivate us to get out of harm's way.

When we're faced with a threat our bodies respond in ways that engage our fight-or-flight response and enable us to act quickly: Our heart rate and blood pressure ramp up, and we produce more of the stress hormone cortisol. But research suggests that the body may also demonstrate its preparedness through certain perceptual biases.

In accordance with the threat-signal hypothesis, psychological scientist Emily Balcetis of New York University and colleagues reasoned that if we need to be increasingly prepared to act as a threat gets closer, then we're best served by misperceiving objects as being closer to us the more threatening they are.

Importantly, this hypothesis suggests that we should misperceive threatening objects as closer than nonthreatening objects that evoke equally strong and negative responses, such as disgust.

The researchers tested this hypothesis in two studies reported in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

In the first study, Balcetis and colleagues recruited 101 college students to participate in a study supposedly about attitudes toward "island life." After entering the room, the students stood 156 inches away from a live tarantula that was placed on a tray on a table. The students reported how threatened and disgusted they felt at that moment and estimated the distance to the tarantula.

The results showed that the more threatened participants felt, the closer they estimated the tarantula to be. But a different effect emerged when considering the effect of disgust. The more disgusted they felt, the further away they estimated the tarantula to be.

To pinpoint the specific effect of threat, the researchers conducted a second study in which they experimentally manipulated participants' experiences of threat and disgust and compared the effects to a case when they felt no emotions.

They recruited 48 female college students to participate in a study on "impressions." When they arrived, the participants met a male student they had never seen before (the male student was actually in on the experiment).

Each participant was randomly assigned to watch one of three videos. Participants in the threat condition watched a video in which the male student talked about his love of guns, how he hunted as a hobby, and how he experienced feelings of pent-up aggression.

Participants in the disgust condition watched a video in which the same male student talked about having done disgusting things to customers' orders while working in a fast food restaurant, including urinating in customers' sodas and spitting in their food.

Finally, participants in the neutral condition watched a video in which the male student talked about the classes he was taking next semester in a neutral manner.

After watching the video, the participants were brought back into the room with the male student, who sat 132 inches away from them. To get a measure of their physiological arousal, the researchers recorded each participant's heart rate immediately before the interaction. The participants rated how "threatening" and how "disgusting" they felt the male student was at that moment. They also estimated how many inches separated them from the male student.

The results showed that the female students who watched the threatening video estimated that the male student was closer (average 55.0 cm) than the students who watched either the disgusting (average 78.4 cm) or the neutral video (average 73.9 cm). This relationship held even after the participants' heart rate was taken into account.

In both studies, feelings of threat ? but not disgust ? were related to participants' estimates of distance, providing further evidence in support of the threat-signal hypothesis.

"Although fear and disgust are both negative and intense emotions, they differ in the amount of immediate action they call for," the researchers explain. "Both fear and disgust may be associated with avoidance tendencies, but fear typically necessitates active mobilization to withdraw from or dispel potential threats, whereas disgust does not."

This research suggests that our perception can be biased in ways that may help to promote functional action ? in this case, getting away from sources of threat. But an important question remains: Does perceiving objects as physically closer actually make us quicker to act?

Addressing questions like these will help paint a clearer picture of how our experiences of emotion can guide action by shaping how we perceive the environment around us.

###

Association for Psychological Science: http://www.psychologicalscience.org

Thanks to Association for Psychological Science for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125876/My__what_big_teeth_you_have__Threatening_objects_appear_closer

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Here Are The Most And Least Happy Careers - Kruse Kronicle

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Source: http://www.krusekronicle.com/kruse_kronicle/2012/12/here-are-the-most-and-least-happy-careers.html

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On The Other Hand Ectothermic Animals Like Reptiles, Insects ...

This can lead to unpleasant surprises, for example the discovery that your new pet is against them or study what makes them attract to humans and animals. The distinct and individual Wildlife destinations in India has amounting to a large indefinite number options for jeep safari what does that tell you about what God is like?

One of those specifications could be size of the bear; perhaps the entire live in the dense forests of Africa, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Not only can they be taught several kinds of tricks, they can interact with considering that each animal belongs to a species or sub-species.

Source: http://classypan34.posterous.com/on-the-other-hand-ectothermic-animals-like-re

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QLT's experimental eye drug could be worth up to $750 million

(Reuters) - Canadian eye drug developer QLT Inc expects its synthetic retinoid program, an experimental treatment for some inherited eye diseases that can cause blindness, to be valued at up to $750 million.

Several potential buyers have approached QLT for the program -- its only remaining product after it sold its eye drug, Visudyne, to Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc in September.

"We believe in the program and we are much more interested in selling it at, let's say, $15 a share, to pick a round number," QLT Chairman Jason Aryeh told Reuters.

The company, valued by the market at $413 million, posted losses in the last 10 quarters as Visudyne lost market share to drugs such as Novartis AG's Lucentis.

QLT stopped generating revenue after the sale of the drug and has cut more than 80 percent of its workforce since July, a month after an activist investor's slate of nominees took control of the board.

Its synthetic retinoid compound, however, has received orphan drug status in the United States and Europe, raising hopes of a faster regulatory approval.

Aryeh, who was named chairman after the board shakeup, said the company's current stock price did not reflect the value of the drug.

But analysts expect it to sell for much less.

"We believe the board may be looking for a price in the range of $100-$200 million (for the retinoid program)," Bloom Burton & Co analyst Philippa Flint said in a recent note.

The company has cash in hand of about $400 million.

Aryeh said QLT would not pay a regular quarterly dividend but did not rule out the possibility of a one-time dividend.

QLT shares have remained nearly flat at C$7.87 this year. They traded around $120 in early 2000 when Visudyne was the company's key revenue generator.

(Reporting by Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/qlts-experimental-eye-drug-could-worth-750-million-233130929.html

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Fire in clothing factory in south China kills 14

BEIJING (AP) ? A fire in a clothing factory apparently caused by arson killed 14 people in southern China on Tuesday, officials and state media said.

The 14 were killed and one other person was seriously injured in the fire, which broke out at 3:30 p.m. in Shantou city in Guangdong province and was put out in half an hour, the provincial emergency department said on its microblog.

The Nanfang Daily said 84 firefighters battled the blaze.

The Southern Metropolis Daily said in an online report that the victims were all women aged 18-20.

It said the cause of the fire was arson, according to an initial police and fire investigation.

A photo accompanying its report showed a four-story building, lined with windows on each floor, its front completely blackened. The fire had not spread to an adjacent building.

Senior provincial officials set up a team to investigate the cause of the fire and step up safety measures to avoid similar fatal fires, Guangdong's emergency department said. The factory made underwear, it said.

Last month, a fire at a clothing factory in Bangladesh killed 112 people and highlighted dangerous workplace conditions. Workers who survived the fire said exit doors were locked.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-04-China-Factory%20Fire/id-913235ec68c84aa1b230d2d876525378

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Self Improvement: HAPPINESS IS FOR EVERYONE ...

The holidays are upon us; a time of celebration and joy. I love the last days of November through the beginning of the New Year. The pure magic of the holidays is something that I anticipate and enjoy each and every year.

For some though, the holidays have lost the joy and excitement they at other times have had. The pace of life has grown so fast?much faster than those first holidays I remember in my life?that some people don?t enjoy the times they get to spend with their family and friends during what is supposed to be days filled with joy and peace.

Why is that? Probably a lot can be laid at the feet of how fast-paced our times are, but that isn?t all.

I believe our holiday times should be wonderful and filled with lasting and enjoyable moments and memories. So how can we ensure that we come out of the holidays in January with great memories of the past month? Here are six thoughts that will help you experience the holidays the way they were intended to be experienced:

Be Temperate
Holidays can be days of excess for many?too much food, too many cookies and treats. Too much chocolate, schedules that are too busy. One thing that will help you enjoy the holidays is to be temperate. Enjoy the food. Enjoy the treats. Enjoy the busy schedule of activities and parties. But also be disciplined enough to know when to hold back, when to say, ?No.? When we go overboard we regret it and lose the opportunity to fully experience that moment. But when we enjoy a little and refrain from going too far, then we can enjoy all that little piece of time has to offer.

Lower Your Expectations
Much of the frustration people experience from the holidays is from setting their expectations too high. They expect too much from friends or family, and when they don?t get what they want, they get frustrated. They expect presents to be perfect and when they aren?t, they get frustrated or disappointed. Instead of having huge expectations this holiday season, just take it as it comes and enjoy what you can. And this brings me to my next point.

Enjoy What You Can and Ignore the Rest
This holiday season, go with an attitude of knowing that things will be what they will be. You can?t control other people or their actions. If a family member pushes the limits of your patience, ignore that and instead focus on how much you can enjoy the time you have with other family members. If things don?t go perfectly?which they won?t?then enjoy what you can and let the rest slide. You will feel a lot better about life if you can take all things a little easier.

Stay Out of Debt
Debt is a killer. It will steal your enjoyment of life. Be sure to stay within your financial boundaries this holiday season. The last thing you want is to start the New Year with a deeper burden financially. Know where you are financially and stay within those limits. You don?t have to impress anyone, just buy gifts that you can afford and express your feelings in the giving of the gift.

Take Time for Yourself
Be sure that, no matter how busy you get, you take time for yourself. Take time to read. Take a long bath if that relaxes you. Take a walk. Spend some time of quiet in front of a fire. Don?t rush through the holidays and sap all of your energy. Your mind and body need to be reenergized, so be sure to take time to do so.

Focus on Your Spiritual Life
Ultimately, no matter what tradition you come from, the holidays are historically days in which we focus on the spiritual. Men and women are created with a natural draw toward spiritual life. However, our culture today tends to stay away from a focus on the spiritual, and that has even crept into our holidays. Be sure to place an emphasis on building your spiritual life and growing in that area. This will help keep you grounded and able to deal with anything that may come your way.

Friends, this time of year is another chance to remember the important truths of life and to enjoy time with dear friends and family.

Fascination

Fascination is one step beyond interest. Interested people want to know if it works. Fascinated people want to learn how it works.

Learn how to turn frustration into fascination. You will learn more being fascinated by life than you will by being frustrated by it.

I'm on my way to the airport to catch a plane that leaves in 45 minutes. The traffic is not moving one inch. I am now fascinated - not frustrated, but fascinated. But I must admit: it doesn't work every time.

Develop a childlike fascination with life and people.
Here's the major problem with going on strike for more money: You cannot get rich by demand.

?Vitamins for the Mind? is a weekly sampling of original quotes on a specific topic taken from The Treasury of Quotes by Jim Rohn. The burgundy hardbound book with gold-foil lettering is a collection of more than 365 quotes on 60 topics gathered from Jim?s personal journals, seminars and books and spanning more than 40 years. Click here to order The Treasury of Quotes.
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"Don't bring your need to the marketplace, bring your skill. If you don't feel well, tell your doctor, but not the marketplace. If you need money, go to the bank, but not the marketplace.?
? Jim Rohn

Source: http://selfimprovenow.blogspot.com/2012/12/happiness-is-for-everyone.html

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Source: http://francisbooker976.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/self-improvement-happiness-is-for-everyone.html

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Paul McCartney gets wish, is in last Dandy comic

LONDON (Reuters) - Paul McCartney will fulfill a lifelong wish on Tuesday when he appears in the final print edition of Britain's longest-running children's comic The Dandy, a favourite of the ex-Beatle when he was growing up in Liverpool.

The comic that brought beloved characters including pie-eating cowboy Desperate Dan and Korky the Cat to millions of homes is going digital-only from Tuesday, 75 years after it was first published.

The weekly publication sold more than two million copies in its 1950s heyday, but with children lured by alternative entertainment from television and video games, circulation fell to less than 8,000.

Published in the Scottish city of Dundee by DC Thomson, executives are describing digital-only Dandy as a chance for a "new lease of life" rather than the beginning of the end.

McCartney contacted Dandy after the digital switch was first announced in August.

He said that in an interview with music magazine NME in 1963 he was asked what his personal ambition was, and he replied that he wanted to have his picture in The Dandy.

"I hope it's not too late!" the 70-year-old wrote in a letter. "The Dandy was a favourite comic of mine when growing up in Liverpool and each week I would look forward to the exploits of Desperate Dan and his other comic book colleagues."

He will be seen grimacing as Desperate Dan squeezes his fingers in a firm handshake, after which McCartney leads 50 of the comic's most famous characters in a sing-a-long of the Beatles hit "Hey Jude".

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White, editing by Paul Casciato)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/paul-mccartney-gets-wish-last-dandy-comic-141357252.html

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The whats, whys and hows of Positive Affirmations Answered ~ The ...

?The Universe and the light of the stars come through me?. -Rumi

In this second part of ?The Power of Positive Affirmations? Series, we are going to dig a little deeper and see What truly are Positive Affirmations, How to make your own positive affirmations and How they can be used to create success and inner wellbeing. I will also share some of my favorite affirmations here with you.

I was initially introduced to the idea of a Positive Affirmation just by chance. After completing my Reiki masters and Silva Mind control courses I began reading a lot of Deepak Chopra. I was only 18 then and in one of his books he spoke of Affirmations and in the praises the name Louise Hay of ?You can Heal Your Life? came up. I was obviously intrigued and began reading some of her work. To say I was in ?awe!? is putting it mildly. I loved her work and still do. Even though I might have two Masters degrees and One Doctorate?what she shares is truly LIGHT. No amount of degrees can give you that insight. Its then that I started using and experimenting with Positive Affirmations only to realize I was affirming myself all my life?

What are Positive Affirmations really?

Very simply, they are positive statements or sentences, you say to yourself to subtly heal your negative beliefs and create positive success.

On any given day, in any given moment, we are swimming in a sea of affirmations. We walk out of our house in the morning thinking, ?This is a great day? (positive affirmation) or ?Such bad weather, I hate it.? (negative affirmation). ??I cant do it.? (negative affirmation) or ?I can do it? (positive affirmation).

Positive affirmation is positive self-talk. Making use of affirmations changes the way you think, feel and behave. You become what you say to yourself most of the time. Your affirmations must be positive and in the present tense. When you make an affirmation to yourself, you are confirming the truth of the statement. By saying it repeatedly to yourself, you are making a direct impact on your subconscious mind which eventually accepts it as a command and implements it.

Again, and the importance of this simply cannot be overstated; everyone constantly creates their own realities whatever that may be. Positive affirmations help to create a positive reality. They are an integral part of being a Positive thinker.

How to make your own Positive Affirmations everyday

Creating your very own positive affirmations is pretty simple.?Think about each area of your life one by one and write down a few positive statements summing up how you would like this area of your life to be. Please make sure that the statements are in the present tense and are positive, focusing on what you DO want rather than what you DON?T want.

Let me illustrate this with a few examples about how you can change negative thoughts to positive affirmations:

Negative thought: ?I will never get a promotion in this job?
Positive Affirmation:??I am so pleased with my excellent job promotion?

Negative thought: ?I will always be short of money?
Positive Affirmation:??I have all the money I really need?

Negative thought: ?my relationship will never improve and become a happy one?
Positive Affirmation:??my relationship has never been better or happier?

Positive affirmations must always be stated in the present tense, and most importantly charged with as much feeling, positive Energy and emotion as possible, as if the result has already manifested into your life as an absolute reality; a fact that you should have absolutely no doubt in your Mind. You should intensely feel the joy, happiness and all other emotions involved, which will generate the corresponding positive vibrations in you and around you.

Here are some examples of positive affirmations:

• I have all that I want.
• I have a healthy body and a happy mind.
• I have plenty of energy.
• My mind is calm and relaxed.
• I have an enjoyable and fulfilling job.
• Money flows easily and naturally into my life.
• I radiate love and happiness.
• I have a happy, loving relationship with my partner.
• I am successful in all that I do.
• I AM happy.

Its best to write your own in accordance to your situation.

The right way to Use Positive Affirmations for health, happiness and success

The more often an affirmation is repeated, consciously or otherwise, the more quickly and effectively it will manifest into your observable, individual, experiential reality.

An excellent time to repeat affirmations, with as much sincerity and emotion as possible, is just before drifting off to sleep at night, and just after waking in the morning before arising. At these times your conscious Mind is most in communication with your subconscious Mind and therefore the inner causal spheres of Energy.

Repeat the affirmation throughout the day, write down the affirmation on notepaper and place copies of your affirmation around your home, repeating the affirmation frequently, and whenever you are reminded to do so. If you make use of a personal computer for long periods of time, it is a very good and effective idea to have a copy of your affirmation on your PC desktop?utilizing?some appropriate software. You might not always notice the affirmation, but it will still be integrated into your subconscious Mind where it can begin its effect.

Positively Affirm with Love

Affirm with love, faith, feeling and interest, and feel and believe that your desire has already been fulfilled. This kind of thinking will accelerate its fulfillment.

It is natural for the mind to bring up doubts and negative thoughts, especially if your current environment and situation are very different from what you want to achieve. Persevere, and do not let your negative thoughts and doubts conquer you.

In the next(part three) article in this ?The Power of Positive Affirmations? series I?ll share with you different difficult situations I was in and how ?Positive Affirmations? helped me come out of them and heal PLUS some surprise guests Stay tuned!

What are your thoughts on this Positive Affirmations article? Do you have any favorite affirmations and how do you use them in your life?

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

GET YOUR ?HAPPINESS GOODIES?!!!?
Get the latest articles(FREE) as soon as they are published, by Email OR RSS.PLUS if you are an Email Subscriber, You get the Positive Living Handbook(new 2012 release!)+My Ebook ?The Best of Positive Provocations?+ ?Your Self Healing Starter Kit?+a free Positive Newsletter ?every month with the months highlights+Positive Living Affirmations +New Tips and articles which are Exclusively for Email Subscribers and not published anywhere else. Come Join the facebook community & follow me on Twitter?and Google+ for Positive Provocations Everyday!

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???Please Share this article on your favorite social networks. Every share, like or tweet makes me reach more people who need a positive healing nudge in their lives. Thank you!???

Source: http://positiveprovocations.com/2012/12/04/the-whats-whys-and-hows-of-positive-affirmations-answered-the-power-of-positive-affirmations-part-two/

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Obama Remains Firm On 'Fiscal Cliff' Amid Republican Disarray

* Obama won't budge on tax rate increase for wealthiest
* President suggests 2013 tax reform could yield lower rates
* Republican DeMint says Boehner offer will "destroy jobs"
* Tea Party conservatives booted from House panel
By David Lawder and Thomas Ferraro
WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama held his ground on the "fiscal cliff" on Tuesday, insisting on higher tax rates for the wealthiest Americans, while Republicans showed increasing disarray over how far they should go to compromise with Obama's demands.
With less than a month left to confront the budget cuts and tax increases that will begin taking effect in January unless Congress acts, Obama dangled the possibility of lowering tax rates as part of a broad U.S. tax code revamp in 2013.
But he again insisted, in an interview with Bloomberg Television, that tax rates for the wealthiest 2 percent of taxpayers must rise in any deal by the end of the year to avert the assorted measures known as the fiscal cliff.
Obama, a Democrat, may face resistance from his own party if and when he's forced to be specific about how he would cut the cost of entitlements, such as the Medicare health insurance program for seniors.
For the moment, however, the overall political picture Tuesday reflected a relatively solid front of Democrats versus an increasingly shaky group of Republicans.
Mitch McConnell, the Republican minority leader in the Senate, even avoided endorsing the negotiating position of his House of Representatives ally, Speaker John Boehner.
"I think it is important that the House Republican leadership has tried to move the process forward," McConnell told reporters trying to get his views on a proposal Boehner and the House Republican leadership sent to Obama on Monday.
Outside the capital, concern mounted about how and when - not to mention if - the politicians might put their disagreements behind them and deal conclusively with an issue that economists say could trigger another recession.
Corporate chief executives were scheduled to meet with Obama later on Wednesday. The Business Roundtable, a lobbying group for corporations, has arranged the meetings. In addition to prompt action on the fiscal cliff, the group is seeking tax cuts for their companies.
Boeing Co. CEO Jim McNerney, who chairs the group, said its members want "a balanced solution to the nation's fiscal cliff and long-term deficit and debt issues ... including meaningful and comprehensive tax and entitlement reforms."
The manufacturing sector contracted in November and posted its weakest performance in three years, a report showed on Monday. Companies taking part in the survey said uncertainty over the negotiations in Washington was a factor.
U.S. stocks slipped on Tuesday as investors fretted about Washington's ability to avoid a year-end budget crisis.

REPUBLICAN DISARRAY
On Capitol Hill, conservative South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint attacked Boehner, a fellow Republican, over Monday's fiscal cliff offer, which included $800 billion in revenue increases from overhauling the tax code, along with spending cuts and entitlement revisions, as part of a deficit reduction deal.
That amount, which Boehner informally accepted during previous debt-ceiling negotiations in 2011, was not enough to satisfy Obama. But it was too much for DeMint and other Republicans who have made opposition to tax increases of any kind a central part of their politics for many years.
"Speaker Boehner's $800 billion tax hike will destroy American jobs and allow politicians in Washington to spend even more," DeMint said in a statement on Tuesday.
Signaling some worry about fragmented sentiment in the House, Republican leaders took the unusual step of removing two hard-line Tea Party conservatives, Tim Huelskamp of Kansas and Justin Amash of Michigan, from the House Budget Committee, where elements of a fiscal cliff deal are likely to be considered.
A few House Republicans, such as Mike Simpson of Idaho and Steve King of Iowa, have said tax increases on the wealthiest may be tolerable under certain conditions.

OBAMA PRESSES ADVANTAGE
The president pressed his agenda on Tuesday, reiterating his openness to unspecified reforms in entitlement programs.
He repeated that as part of any deal, low tax rates on 98 percent of taxpayers should be extended, but that taxes on the top 2 percent should rise. "Let's let those go up," Obama said, referring to a "down payment" for future negotiations.
"And then let's set up a process with a time certain, at the end of 2013 or the fall of 2013, where we work on tax reform, we look at what loopholes and deductions both Democrats and Republicans are willing to close, and it's possible that we may be able to lower rates by broadening the base at that point."
Fueling concerns among some Republicans about resisting compromise are surveys, like one released by the Pew Research Center on Tuesday, which showed that about 53 percent of those polled said they would hold Republicans more responsible than Democrats for going over the cliff; 27 percent said they would hold Obama responsible.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/04/obama-fiscal-cliff_n_2240891.html

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Cable & Wireless Communications to sell Monaco & Islands division

Monday, December 3 8:17 am

LONDON ? Cable & Wireless Communications Plc announced today that it has reached an agreement with Batelco Group to sell the majority of the businesses within its Monaco & Islands division for an enterprise value of $ 680 million.

Under terms, CWC will divest its entire stakes in its businesses in the Maldives, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, the Seychelles, South Atlantic and Diego Garcia as well as a 25% shareholding in Compagnie Monegasque de Communication SAM (CMC), the company which holds CWC?s 55% interest in Monaco Telecom.

Subject to the satisfaction of necessary regulatory and other conditions, including approval from CWC shareholders, Batelco will take control of each of the majority-owned business units upon Completion, which is expected to take place by the end of CWC?s current financial year. CWC will continue to operate the Monaco Telecom business in partnership with the Principality of Monaco as co-shareholder.

The cash proceeds arising from the sale will be used to reduce the company?s net borrowings and increase its financial flexibility. As a result of the disposal, the net debt position will be reduced from $ 1.59 billion as at 30 September 2012 to $ 937 million.

CWC and Batelco have also entered into certain put and call option arrangements over CWC?s remaining 75% interest in CMC. The options will enable CWC to sell, and Batelco to purchase, the controlling stake in Monaco Telecom for an additional consideration of $ 345 million.

These options can be exercised within 12 months of completion of the Disposal, subject to obtaining necessary regulatory and other consents, including the approval of the Principality of Monaco. If the necessary consents are obtained and either option is exercised, the completion of the second stage of the transaction would increase the total consideration to $ 1 billion. If the necessary consents are not obtained, CWC and Batelco have agreed a further option arrangement which enables the return of the 25% stake in CMC (originally transferred to Batelco) back to CWC for a consideration of $ 100 million.

The Disposal accelerates the delivery of CWC?s strategy to reshape its business, reduce its geographic spread, and focus on the Central American and Caribbean region, as well as increasing the Company?s financial flexibility. ? Source: Cable & Wireless Communications Plc.

Source: http://thudderwicks.com/2012/12/cable-wireless-communications-to-sell-monaco-islands-division/

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Pope joins tweeting masses with Pontifex handle

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? Benedict XVI, the pope known for his hefty volumes of theology, is now trying brevity ? spreading the faith through his own Twitter account.

The pontiff will tweet in eight languages starting Dec. 12 using his personal handle (at)Pontifex, responding live to questions about faith during his weekly general audience, the Vatican said Monday.

Questions can be submitted to (hash)askpontifex, and the pope will likely respond to three to five of those sent from around the world, the Vatican's communications adviser Greg Burke told a news conference.

The pope sent his first tweet last year from a Vatican account to launch the Holy See's news information portal, part of efforts to increase the church presence in social media and spread the faith. A personal Twitter account for the 85-year-old Benedict has been the subject of speculation ever since; Monday's news conference was packed in an indication of the interest it has generated.

Within two hours of the announcement of the pope's handle, he had already garnered nearly 60,000 followers.

Burke said the handle (at)Pontifex was chosen because it not only means pope in Latin, but also bridge-builder, suggesting unity. How often will the pope tweet? "As often as he wants," Burke said, adding that he hoped the tweeting would be frequent and regular.

While the pope will push the button himself on Dec. 12, subsequent tweets will be sent by someone in the Vatican's secretariat of state. They will, however, all be approved by the pope, officials said.

"It's always going to have his engagement and his approval," said Monsignor Paul Tighe, the No. 2 in the Vatican's social communications office. "Not physically, but from his mind."

Currently a host of Twitter accounts use the pope's name, purporting to be his personal account. The (at)Pontifex account, however, is certified as the only official papal Twitter feed, Tighe said. No special security arrangements have been taken to prevent the account from being hacked; Burke said Twitter has many celebrity clients.

"They seem to be able to take care of them. We assume they'll be able to take care of us as well," he said.

Papal tweets will be sent simultaneously in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Polish and Arabic, Burke said. Monsignor Claudio Maria Celli, the president of the Vatican's social communications office, said he hoped to add Chinese.

He stressed that the papal tweets aren't to be considered infallible teachings, merely "pearls of wisdom" in the pope's own words.

The Vatican has been increasing its presence in social media, using YouTube channels and Facebook pages for special events and Twitter to engage believers and nonbelievers alike, particularly the young.

The Vatican decided against using a personal Facebook page for the pope because they thought it was too personal an interaction and would require more manpower to keep updated.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pope-joins-tweeting-masses-pontifex-handle-135447187.html

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Reporting, Pretty Immaterially, From South Dakota (Powerlineblog)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/267797949?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Confused By Commercial Real Estate? Help Is Here! | Overseas ...

Commercial properties are a great way to make money. However, not everyone will succeed at it, and the stakes are quite high.

Take a tour of properties you are considering. As you tour each property, you should bring along an experienced contractor who can offer helpful input. You can then make an initial offer and begin the bargaining phase. Don?t decide on anything without careful consideration.

Do not hire a broker without finding out more about their past experience within commercial property. Make sure they are specializing in the desired area that you?re selling or buying in. You need to get into a type of exclusive agreement with your broker.

There are certain differences between commercial and residential property loans. One example is that commercial loans require you to pay a larger percentage for the down payment. Finding the best lending agencies and looking for investments is the perfect way to get the loan you need.

Real Estate

Always remain calm and patient when dealing with the commercial real estate market. Don?t jump into any investment without doing your research. You might regret it if you are not satisfied with your real estate goals. Realize that it can sometimes take at least one year for the proper investment opportunity to present itself.

There are a variety of types of real estate brokers who deal in commercial properties. Real estate agents will work with landlords and tenants, but there are also some that only work with tenants. You may benefit significantly better from hiring the services of a broker working with tenants exclusively, as he has significantly more experience representing tenants successfully.

Make sure that any property you?re considering purchasing has access to all the utilities you?ll need. Your particular business might need additional services, such as cable, but at the minimum there should probably be sewer, water, phone, electric and gas.

Pro Forma

This allows you to make sure the lease matches rent rolls, along with the pro forma. Without analyzing the key terms, you run the risk of finding a term that wasn?t considered within the rent roll, and this could cause changes to the pro forma.

Bring your digital camera along, and use it. Your pictures should portray any damage or defect in the property. Common things you should look for include any cracks or holes in walls, and damages to the carpeting.

Research and learn more about the Net Operating Income, a commonly used metric for commercial real estate. As long as you get positive numbers, you will be successful.

To make sure you are working with the right real estate broker, ask what they consider as a success or a failure. Inquire about the metrics they use to quantify results. You should feel comfortable with their explanation of the strategies and methods they use. Employ a broker only if his philosophies and approach are similar to yours.

Make sure you factor in any problems regarding the environment. For example, if the property you are considering has any hazardous waste material on it, or has in the past, that can cause problems. It?s up to you to be aware of the issues, fix them, and have them inspected once complete.

You might consider purchasing a larger piece of commercial real estate than you had been thinking about. Although you may feel overwhelmed by the number of units you will be responsible for in a large building, it actually doesn?t take more work to take care of large buildings successfully. Plus, larger buildings are cheaper in the long run?you pay less for each unit if the building has more units.

Location is the most important factor in choosing a commercial property to buy. Consider the neighborhood of the property. Also, consider local growth projections. The ideal location is situated in an area that can sustain economic growth for many years to come.

Take some time to visit websites that are devoted to commercial real estate. These sites have lots of information for both new investors and seasoned professionals. No one can ever honestly claim that they know too much.

Prior to making a large investment on a property, look at the local income, unemployment rates, and contraction of the local employers. Homes that are located near schools, hospitals and other major employers are assigned a higher resale value.

You should be certain that your asking price is a fair offer for your piece of real estate. Different variables can have an impact of the value of a lot.

When you lease a commercial site it is very important to that pest control is kept up-to-date. It is even more important to look into the building?s pest control policies if you are looking to rent or lease in a region where building pests are common.

You will need to know what you are looking for in a commercial property prior to beginning your search. Think of any property features that are high priorities for you and list them down, like the number of restrooms and office, conference room availability and overall square footage.

Real Estate

You can definitely gain a lot of money from commercial real estate, money that can keep you and your loved ones happy for years to come. A serious commitment of funds is usually required, as are your time and other resources to insure the success of your investment. Apply the tips you have just read next time you go deal with real estate matters.

Keep an eye out for motivated sellers. Finding them should be your goal, particularly the ones most ready to offer you a below market deal. A motivated seller is the best indicator of a great deal.

Now that you know all about Overseas Property Investment, you will know what to do next. This knowledge will likely help you a considerable amount. The tips you just read should be helpful, but there is a lot more to learn. You should have found help with Overseas Property Investment by learning the techniques in this article.

Source: http://www.davidstanleyredfern.com/general-news/confused-by-commercial-real-estate-help-is-here

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As DC bickers over 'fiscal cliff,' markets rumble

11 hrs.

Patti Domm , CNBC.com

The economic damage from Super Storm Sandy will show up in November?s jobs report and elsewhere in the coming week, but the markets will stay fixated on Washington?s ?fiscal cliff? talks.

The cliff negotiations between the White House and Congressional Republicans seem to be going sideways with no progress on taxes or spending cuts, and markets have been somewhat patient so far with political posturing.

Stocks were higher on the week but ended mixed for the month of November, with the Dow down a half percent at 13,025; the S&P up 0.3 percent at 1416, and the Nasdaq up 1 percent at 3010, on the back of gains in some big tech names.?

?Sandy is beginning to influence the jobs data and many other sorts of data for the next couple of months ? just at a time when the market is uncertain about the fiscal cliff, and the lingering uncertainties about Europe and China and elsewhere,? said Ed Keon, portfolio manager at Quantitative Management Associates. ?Now we have these other uncertainties and the data is going to be less relevant than normal. We are just going to have to adjust.??

But Keon does not believe that makes for a negative market environment, and he also expects the fiscal cliff to be resolved. The cliff is the expiration of dozens of tax breaks and the onset of automatic spending cuts if Congress does not act.

?I have actually been a small net buyer over the past couple of weeks, not a huge buyer. I have been buying for some of my funds,? Keon said, adding he saw some good values when the market sold off in the days after the election.

NBC?Politics:?Geithner urges Republican leaders to offer ideas on averting fiscal cliff

Economists expect to see the impact of Sandy in Monday?s ISM manufacturing data, construction spending and car sales. Auto sales should see a positive impact, as tree damage and flooding destroyed many east coast vehicles. Other data have shown negative impacts, particularly jobless claims for the past three weeks. Chain-store sales for November were also affected, as was Friday?s report of personal spending.

Auto sales could surge above a 15 million annualized selling rate in November, up from 14.3 million on improvements in housing and pent-up demand, in addition to the Sandy replacement cars.

As for Friday?s jobs report, the consensus forecast among Wall Street economists is that 100,000 nonfarm payrolls were created in November and the unemployment rate stays unchanged at 7.9 percent, according to Thomson Reuters. That is down from 171,000 payrolls in October.

But some economists believe the report could be much weaker. Barclays Capital economists expect just 50,000 jobs were created in November, and the unemployment rate crept up to 8 percent.

?From our point of view, this is only a Sandy effect. This is not a fiscal cliff issue,? said Barclays economist Michael Gapen. ?You had a very large rise in jobless claims two weeks after Sandy hit.? Gapen said that follows a pattern in claims seen after other major storms.

?In the month after landfall is where there?s the most distortion,? said Gapin. ?Claims, payrolls, retail sales, industrial production.?

Gapen said fourth-quarter GDP is now tracking at 1.8 percent, but his forecast is still for 2.5 percent. ?Somewhere in here we should see the low point, and we should start to tick higher,? he said of the fourth-quarter economic reports.

Gapen expects first-quarter GDP to grow by 1.5 percent, due to the impact of fiscal tightening and higher taxes. ?We expect an outcome on the fiscal cliff that?s not overly disruptive to either markets or the economy. We look for about $200 billion of the $650 billion in tightening to go into effect. That would take about 1 percent off of growth in the first quarter,? he said.

Keon said one reason he sees stocks as a good value is that he sees the economy gaining some traction. He pointed to the improvement in housing and the fact that household balance sheets have improved.

He is also not worried about the pending impact of tax changes on stocks. When the capital gains tax and dividend taxes were first cut, he said the benefit to stocks was only about two percent. He also noted that only about half of stocks are owned by taxable investors.

Both capital gains and dividend tax rates are 15 percent, and if tax breaks are left to expire the highest capital gains tax rate would revert to 23.8 percent and the highest dividend rate could be 43.4 percent. Those would be the levels on the highest income earners, when including the new 3.8 percent Affordable Care Act tax on the top income brackets.

?With a little bit of traction in the jobs market, a little bit of traction in the economy and a little bit of improvement in consumer confidence, we have a better chance in 2013 of seeing growth a little bit better than people were expecting, rather than worse,? he said.

Keon said the trend of companies paying special dividends is likely a positive though there?s not enough data on the trend to do quantitative analysis. ?In general, a focus on being creative in ways to reward shareholders is a good thing,? he said. Companies have been rushing to offer special dividends to shareholders ahead of year end and the expected higher dividend tax rates.

?Usually what happens is you get a boost from announcing the special dividend. But once the dividend is paid out you get a subsequent drop,? he said.

What to Watch:

Monday

• Monthly auto sales
  
• 10:00 a.m. ISM manufacturing
  
• 10:00 a.m. Construction spending

Wednesday

• 08:15 a.m. ADP employment (November)
  
• 08:30 a.m. Productivity and costs
  
• 10:00 a.m. ISM nonmanufacturing
  
• 10:00 a.m. Factory orders
  

Thursday

• 08:30 a.m. Weekly jobless claims
  

Friday

• 08:30 am Employment report
  
• 09:55 am Consumer sentiment

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stormy-weather-markets-washington-bickers-1C7376578

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Prosperity Series 1: What is Your Focus On?Scarcity or Abundance ...

You?re In Control of Your Success

Is your hidden, subconscious attention on the clunker or the Mercedes Benz?

Your prosperity depends on your focus. Some people focus on scarcity while a growing minority focus on abundance. It might surprise you that a great many people who hunger for prosperity are actually focusing on the opposite. ?What?? you may ask. ?Are they cracked?? The trouble is, they don?t realise they?re doing it.

The Law of Attraction has been around throughout human existence. Some of our greatest thinkers have used this deliberately?Plato, Shakespeare, Newton, Beethoven, Hugo, Lincoln, Emerson, Edison and Einstein.

Just like gravity, it doesn?t care if you believe in it or not. But think about this for a moment. With the Law of Gravity, delusion could prove fatal. Imagine thumbing your nose at gravity while stepping off a 30-story building. With the Law of Attraction, delusion could keep you struggling while others around you thrive. The Law of Attraction states that what you put your attention on you attract into your life. That?s why most successful people become more and more prosperous, while most of the poorer folk amongst us continue to struggle.

A mountain climber seemingly defies gravity, but they know it?s certain death if they don?t respect the Law of Gravity.

Every successful person uses it, whether or not they?re conscious of it. I used the Law of Attraction for forty years before I knew what it was called. My use of it started out rather hit-or-miss. I didn?t know what direction I wanted to go. But wouldn?t you like to have greater control over your own direction in life? Understanding these principles is critical to that desire.

What you need to do to use the Law of Attraction is simple.

1. Ask?Simply write down, as specific as you can, exactly what you want to achieve. This is just like ?goal setting.? And if you?re uncomfortable with setting goals, we have a refresher in part 5, but include some vital new stuff you may not know.
2. Answer?Here, you don?t need to do anything. The universe handles this part for you. This is where inspiration or serendipity occur. This is where opportunity presents itself.
3. Receive?What you have to do here is to prepare yourself to receive that for which you have asked. Some people sabotage themselves by focusing on something entirely different and giving up. Or like so many lottery winners, they are uncomfortable with all their winnings and fritter them away.

It?s All in the Focus

The mind is a powerful tool. What makes it frustrating sometimes is that people can think and say one thing, but end up doing something entirely different.

There are two types of consciousness at work, here:

• Conscious Awareness
• Subconscious Attention

Have you ever been so busy in some activity that you utterly miss the fact that you scraped your arm or banged your thigh against the furniture? Later, you may see the bruise or the scrape and wonder where that came from and when that happened. Your awareness and attention were on something else entirely. But awareness and attention are rarely on the same thing, at least for most people.

Have you ever had a nagging pain that you forced out of your conscious mind, because you had an urgent project to complete? That pain snares your attention while your conscious awareness cranks away on the project. You may grow completely unaware of the pain as it becomes a dull throb in the background of your mind.

Now, consider what happens when your awareness is on completing your urgent project, but your attention is on missing the deadline. This is frequently called ?worry,? and it kills more projects than you can count.

Whatever your attention is focused on you tend to get more of. This is the Law of Attraction at work.

Awareness is ?straight ahead? into consciousness. Attention, on the other hand, is off to the side, at the periphery, in the subconscious. This is where reality is created.

Here are some other examples:

• Your conscious awareness wishes for prosperity, but your attention is focused on massive debt. These two ideas are incompatible, and guess which one wins?debt!
• Awareness longs for a meaningful relationship, but your attention is focused on loneliness. If you guess the result is more loneliness, pat yourself on the back.
• Awareness hopes to be trim and healthy, but your attention is focused on being overweight. This is called ?self-sabotage.?

It?s a fact that behaviour is driven by beliefs. But now beliefs are held in place by subconscious feelings. And your results are controlled largely by your behaviour. So, if you can control your subconscious feelings, you can have greater control over your results.

You may consciously know how to make a prosperous living, but your attention may focus on some self-sabotaging subconscious feeling like, ?rich people are evil,? ?money is too materialistic,? or ?I don?t deserve prosperity.? The problem is that you may not be consciously aware of the underlying feeling.

One motivational speaker had called this subconscious activity, ?background chatter.? Becoming aware of this area of the mind for the first time startled me. While standing in the shower, one morning, I heard that little voice in the background of my thoughts telling me how I would be late and that I would not amount to much. I couldn?t believe I was harbouring such feelings.

Instead of laughing off the idea and ignoring those negative feelings, I pulled them fully into the light of conscious awareness and took a good look at them. I acknowledged them and then dismissed them, but not before first replacing them with something far more positive??I?m always on time and I excel at everything I do.? Frequently, it will take repetition to build a new habit?a new paradigm for your subconscious.

But one thing that many of the self-help gurus forget to mention is that positive thinking and affirmations are not enough. You have to feel the desired end result. In other words, you have to start living as if you?re already there. This doesn?t mean maxing out your credit card. It does mean, though, doing everything you can to maintain the feeling of success.

Some Techniques for Maintaining Focus on Success and Abundance

Skyscraper is a symbol of success.

In business, prosperity means abundance?lots of customers, lots of sales and lots of resources to keep the pipeline filled and the enterprise growing.

So how do you keep your focus of attention on the abundance you deserve? Here are some suggestions:

• Ask yourself what such abundance would feel like, and then hold that feeling in your mind. Do this for a minute or two several times per day. Practice it until the feeling becomes a natural part of your life.
• How would such a successful person behave? How would they walk and talk? Practice doing this.
• What do you picture yourself having as a result of your new abundance? If it?s an expensive new car, then go test drive that car. Take your camera along and with you behind the wheel, have the salesperson take several pictures of you waving to the camera. Make it real. Take the pictures home and put them up on your wall or on a ?vision board? to document all of your goals.
• Walk into a skyscraper like you own the place. Feel good? Feel strange? Keep practicing until it feels natural. Be sure and dress the part.

The worst thing you could do is to focus your attention on what you don?t want. If you have debt, set up an automatic debt payment plan, and then forget about the debt. You need to focus on your prosperity.

Coming up Next

In the next part of this series, we?ll look at some amazingly counterintuitive aspects of your mind. And your mind is, after all, your single greatest asset.

?Prosperity Series 2: Your Most Important Tool?Your Mind?

What are some of your own ideas for keeping your focus on the abundance you desire? Let us know about your own abundance techniques in the comment section.

Source: http://awebsitedesigner.com.au/prosperity-series/prosperity-series-1-what-is-your-focus-on-scarcity-or-abundance/

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