Some Advice Sorely Needed

Ok, I am about to embark on very difficult thread starter here...

To begin with, I should mention that I work at a vet clinic as a veterinary technician. This vet clinic sees and treats exotics...birds included. That being said, lately I am not comfortable with how the doctor at my clinic treats any animals, let alone birds. I have been torn for many weeks now, over finding a new job, because I am not comfortable morally with the person I am forced to be when working there. I see things that are wrong, downright horribly, sickeningly wrong...and yet, they would be so much worse if I was not there. If I was not there to bring some things to the Doc's attention, to provide the TLC and nursing care that I do, many of these animals would just waste away and be forgotten about. Not to mention all the rescues I end up taking home to find proper placement for them...

Which leads me to my delimma. We recently had a 12yo citron 'too surrendered to the clinic because she was terrified of the other birds in this one lady's home. I don't know why the Dr. took her in, he even said he didn't need her, but there you have it...he put her in a cat crate and left her in the office. Were it not for me, she would have been left in the cat crate all night, but I managed to get her into a larger, beat-up cage and set up with food and water in a quiet place.

She has severe fear aggression...at least, thats what I think. The Doc just thinks she is temperamental and psychotic. When she is in an intimidating situation, anything that can be bitten will be bitten and bitten as hard as she can bite. The Dr is determined to 'train' her. To prove something, he brought her out of her carrier that first day and let her nail him repeatedly without flinching...then put her back when she was reduced to a trembling ball of feathers. On day two, he got her out, taped her beak shut, and allowed her to 'hang out' with him for an hour. I wasn't there for this. It made me heartsick all the same, that this is his method for 'training' birds.

Today, I moved slow with her, talked sweet, fed her cheezits, some nutri-berries, and within a few hours she would come to me and press her head to the bars for head scritches and pets. She watches me. I'm the only one who can touch her without being threatened with a hissing bite. The Doc saw this an actually asked if I wanted her.

I've had a WBC in the past. I moved to a new state this year, and while my friend was watching my beloved little Catbait he fell in love with her little senegal. After a few months, and hearing about all the time they spent eating/grooming/sleeping together, I decided that he was in a good place and I didn't have the heart to separate him from his friend. I still visit him often, he is spoiled, and rotten, and I miss having a bird in the house.

This Citron Too does not talk...she has one sound and thats a high-pitched squeal, something akin to a squeaky wheel, which she emits only occasionally, or if under stress. I have no other birds, which for this too, would be ideal.

I just...well, I hear horror stories about Toos. Am I doing the right thing? I may not be 100% prepared in such short notice but I sure as hell can give her a better place than she is in now. This one has plucked in the past, she has a downy covering and a naked neck. But no active angry patches of missing feathers....however, I am worried that the longer she stays at the clinic, the greater the odds she will start again. And, of course, the longer she is at the clinic, the longer she is subjected to more 'training' and I feel she has had enough.

Like I said...I am struggling with the moral issues of staying where I work. But if I wasn't there, this would simply be happening to the bird, and nothing would be done about it. Much of the same would be happening to a lot of the rescues I end up taking home with me to nurse back to health and send on their way. Its what I do and why I am a vet tech. If I leave, these animals have no one.

As far as 'reporting' him goes, the Doc has a pretty big reputation, and many many connections that have prevented any successful attempts at reporting his actions and being made to account for them. It is a disheartening situation all around.

Source: http://www.birdboard.com/forum/cockatoos/1323943-some-advice-sorely-needed.html

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Coach who yelled "hey" at school shooter does not feel like hero (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - "Hey!" yelled Coach Frank Hall when a student gunman opened fire on classmates in the Chardon, Ohio high school cafeteria on Monday. The startled shooter retreated, with the hulking football coach giving chase, in an act of bravery that may have saved lives.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120229/us_nm/us_shooting_ohio_coach

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Inhabitat's Week in Green: dinosaur robots, a robotic bee and X-ray origami animals

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week researchers harnessed technology to reap groundbreaking discoveries in the natural world as Inhabitat reported that a team of Russian scientists revived a 32,000-year-old Arctic plant, and a 298-million-year-old-forest was discovered beneath a coal mine in China. Meanwhile Google geared up to launch a "sea view" service that lets anyone explore the Great Barrier Reef and Makerbot launched a line of colorful 3D printed shells for hermit crabs. Scientists also harnessed advanced printing technology to create a new breed of realistic dinosaur robots and a miniature self-assembling robotic bee, and the National academy of Sciences urged a review of the risks and safety of nanomaterials.

Green transportation also soared to astronomical new heights this week as a Japanese company announced plans to build a 20,000-mile-high space elevator by the year 2050. Back on earth, Toyota unveiled the first teaser shots of its upcoming FT-Bh mini hybrid vehicle, a "bricked" Tesla Roadster launched an electric vehicle debate, and we showcased the Taga -- the ultimate bike stroller combo. Green design also hit the slopes as Tenna, Switzerland took the wraps off the world's first solar wing-powered ski lift and William Hughes carved up the snow wearing a blazing bright LED snowboarding suit.

In other news, eco phone design rang loud and clear this week as AT&T announced plans to place green labels on mobile devices, Shikun Sun developed a DrawBraille smartphone for the blind, and a NYC architect turned defunct phone booths into free mini libraries. We were also wowed by several eye-opening recycled designs -- a fully functional twin lens reflex LEGO camera and a series of furnishings made from decommissioned military ammunition. Last but not least, we watched a gigantic solar-powered metal flower bloom in Buenos Aires, Nike created a prosthetic running sole for amputee triathletes, and we shined a light on Takayuki Hori's beautiful X-ray origami animals.

Inhabitat's Week in Green: dinosaur robots, a robotic bee and X-ray origami animals originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Muscle Building Tips To Improve Your Health And Fitness | New ...

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

Are you wanting to get more serious about increasing your muscle size? Some informed tips and advice can go a long way toward guaranteeing your success. In this article are several great muscle building tips. If you want better muscles, check them out.

Do not depend on just supplements. Supplements are a good way to help out your muscle goals. They are not a substitute for proper nutrition, though. The purpose of supplements is right there in their name: They are only meant to be an adjunct to good eating habits. Because of this, you should actually aim to minimize supplement intake.

Try to focus on multiple muscles during one workout, such as the hamstrings for quads and chest dips for the chest. This practice alternates the stress placed on the two groups, so that one rests while the other one works. This method is also more efficient and allows you to increase your intensity since your workout is shorter.

Some moves should not be done with excess weight, so be careful which ones you choose to do with heavy loads. Dips, neck work and split squats can involve unfavorable joint positions where you really risk serious injury. Instead, focus on workouts that include rowing, bench presses and regular squats.

Vegetables are a critical component of a healthy diet. Vegetables are sometimes lost in the push for complex carbs and high quality protein to fuel muscle building. Vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals, two things that are absent from high concentrations in protein and carbohydrate-rich foods. Vegetables are also rich in fiber. When you have a good amount of fiber in your body you can utilize the protein going into your body.

Eating the right amount and types of food is critical when it comes to efficient muscle-building. Specific nutrients are required for your body to build muscle. To aid the recovery process, take a protein shake after every workout.

If you are attempting to increase muscle mass, eat healthy fats. Healthy fats keep your joints lubricated and raise your testosterone levels. This can be effective in gaining body muscle. Don?t consume saturated fats though. These are not considered healthy.

If you want to build muscle mass, your body must be properly hydrated. If you fail to drink enough water, your muscles won?t be properly hydrated, which makes injury much more likely. Hydration is not only important for building muscle mass, but maintaining it as well, so don?t neglect this important aspect of bodybuilding.

It is very important that prior to working out, stretches are done. Stretching makes all the difference to a workout, as it can help to prevent injuries and reduce pain after the workout. Getting a massage on a regular basis can also be beneficial when trying to build muscle.

As you can see, there is more to muscle building than lifting barbells. Some of the ideas here are simple to implement, and greatly increase your chance of success. If you use the tips from this article, you will soon see great results from your muscle building workouts.

Dona Boyle is an online publisher who enjoys writing about the Fitness Equipment field. If you?d like to research discover the best Free Weight Workout, you?ll want to check out his website at Adjustable Dumbbells.

Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/02/26/muscle-building-tips-to-improve-your-health-and-fitness/

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Singer Adam Levine finds 'Voice' beyond Maroon 5 (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - From moving like Mick Jagger to dating Russian model Anne Vyalitsyna, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine hasn't had problems attracting women in recent years.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120225/ap_en_ot/us_people_adam_levine

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'Chinese' bombard Obama webpage

25 February 2012 Last updated at 15:13 ET

President Obama's page on Google's social network site has been inundated with messages in Chinese after restrictions in China were removed.

Every current topic on Mr Obama's Google+ page attracted hundreds of Chinese comments.

Some contributors made jokes; others said they were occupying the site in the style of western Occupy campaigns.

Google+ is normally blocked in China along with other social media that the authorities deem unacceptable.

Since Google+ was launched in 2011, software known informally as the Great Firewall had appeared to block it within China.

But on 20 February 2012 internet-users in many parts of China found they could gain access to the site - prompting some to suggest occupying it, in a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Occupy Wall Street campaign.

On 24 and 25 February, to the consternation of American readers, every current topic on President Obama's 2012 election campaign page attracted hundreds of comments, apparently from China.

Their exact provenance cannot be verified, but the expressions contributors used were in the style of mainland China and in simplified Chinese.

A few appealed for the liberty of the civil rights activist Chen Guangcheng, who is under house arrest.

Others asked about a recent political intrigue in south-west China, in which one of the country's top policemen, Wang Lijun, spent a day in the US consulate in Chengdu for undisclosed reasons.

But many simply voiced delight at their freedom to speak: they talked about occupying the furniture and bringing snacks and soft drinks.

The White House in Washington has not commented on the upsurge of Chinese interest in President Obama's campaign site.

But it has prompted one poster to suggest that if China ever abandoned its internet restrictions, the United States would have to protect its social media with a Great Firewall of its own.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-17167770

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Oil company closes leaving customers in the cold

OXFORD, Mass. (WHDH) -- Ed's Oil, a local oil company, has closed, leaving customers in the cold.

The sign on the door said closed, and the company's voicemailbox was full on Friday.

Customers who paid for their oil in advance are angry.

?Yes, yes we did [get ripped off],? said Nancy Lahair, a customer.

The Lahairs say Ed's Oil owes them almost $680 worth of oil they called and called, but got nowhere. They just paid $800 to another company to fill up the tank.

?It?s such a bad time for it to happen especially with the oil prices what they are. You got to pay double now,? said Philip Lahair, a customer.

The Lahairs took note when the name of the company changed this year - from Ed's Oil, to E and E. Their last delivery was just 57 gallons even though their tank was empty.

?I just wish he was a little more honest with us and told us when he knew he was going to have problems,? Philip Lahair said.

The Lahairs have filed a small claims suit, but believe the owner will declare bankruptcy, and they'll be out of luck.

There was no sign of life at the Ed's Oil location in North Oxford all week.

Ed's second location in Webster was empty - it's reportedly been shut down for months.

Oxford police answered complaints all day Friday. An officer says she got a call from a party supply store in Webster, the manager saying they are owed $2,000 worth of heating oil.

(Copyright (c) 2012 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46521464/ns/local_news-boston_ma/

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Home Equity Loan Still a Viable Choice for Some | noniparatodos.com

When home prices went way up a few years ago, not everybody cashed out all of their home equity for a big spending spree. Some homeowners lived prudently within their financial means, and did not bet the farm on the premise that home appreciation gains would continue indefinitely.

A general feeling of financial empowerment seems to take over, as home owners tapped into a virtual piggy bank of home equity to fund all types of things, including, extravagant home remodeling projects, expensive home furnishings, swimming pools, luxurious vacations, second homes, and a variety of other miscellaneous expenses.

Many of us were living the high life, ignoring the possibility of our balloon becoming deflated, and risking our financial futures instead of seeing the wisdom of our more prudent neighbors. Now, that the housing market dust is settling, it is the prudent ones who still have the choice of taking advantage of low home equity loan rates and wisely use their equity if need be.

This entry was posted Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at 7:32 pm and is filed under Loans/Mortgages. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://www.noniparatodos.com/business-finance/loans-mortgages/home-equity-loan-still-a-viable-choice-for-some

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Bradford Miller Law, P.C. - Chicago Real Estate Attorney, Chicago ...

The $25 billion settlement with banks over foreclosure abuses may result in a wave of home seizures, inflicting short-term pain on delinquent U.S. borrowers while making a long-term housing recovery more likely.

The money set aside for mortgage-debt forgiveness also can be used for short sales, when a lender agrees to a sale for less than owed on the home. Banks have been stepping up the sales by pre-approving deals, streamlining the closing process, forgoing their right to pursue unpaid debt and in some cases providing as much as $35,000 in ?relocation? incentives. Short sales accounted for 33 percent of financially distressed transactions in November, up from 24 percent a year earlier, according to Santa Ana, California-based CoreLogic.

Excerpts taken from Bloomberg http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-09/foreclosure-deal-to-spur-new-wave-of-u-s-home-seizures-help-heal-market.html

Posted by Bradford Miller Law, P.C.
Real Estate Law, Landlord Tenant Law, Estate Planning
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Source: http://chicagorealestatelawyers.blogspot.com/2012/02/foreclosure-deal-to-spur-new-wave-of-us.html

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Trump records robo-call in Michigan for Romney (The Arizona Republic)

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

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Debate over conscience in the workplace intensifies (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Can a state require a pharmacy to stock and dispense emergency contraception - even when the owner considers the drug immoral?

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/meds/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120221/hl_nm/us_usa_contraceptives_court

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Universal, Paul Walker sign two-year first-look deal (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - Paul Walker, the star of Universal's wildly successful "Fast and Furious" films, has signed a two-year first-look deal to house his Laguna Ridge Pictures at the studio, Universal said Tuesday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/movies/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120221/film_nm/us_paulwalker

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writing, speaking - Selecting the Right Custom Writing Service

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writing, speaking More Details about writing, speaking here.

When it comes to writing an essay, most students view it as a task that is extremely hard to accomplish. One of the main factors contributing to such perception of essay writing is the lack of time. Other problems students might face include lack of skills and interest. Nevertheless, essay writing remains a vital part of the academic curriculum. Therefore, it is a task that you need to master yourself; otherwise you should seek professional assistance. Being a major source of marks, well written essays allow students to progress in their academic careers. In addition, assistance of a custom writing service can be a practical solution, as many students face difficulties with writing their essays.

Choosing the Right Writing Service

Students who consider assistance through online essay writing services should be aware of the risk factors, associated such services. There are thousands of online writing services available; however, many of these writing companies do not possess the same high calibre and professionalism that only a few of the top ranking writing services can offer. Be aware of the fact that some bogus companies may produce low quality work at cheap prices; other companies may promise express essays and fail to keep their promises or may submit plagiarised or recycled essay papers. In addition, such essays may be resold for a number of times. These are essential reasons as to why students need to exercise caution and always locate the right custom essay writing service.

Sieving Off the Mediocre and the Bogus

The selection of a custom writing service depends on the student's ability to identify the mediocre from the exemplary. Writers should possess at least an MA, MSc, MBA and/or other degrees. They should also have a minimum of five years of academic writing experience. Information on the writers' background can be normally obtained from the support staff of the designated writing company. Some sites offer access to writer profiles -- make sure you take advantage of being able to access such information as it can be useful in identifying a writer that excels in your field of study. In addition, students may also request samples of the writing your writer has done in the past. Verifying the qualifications of the writer may not be an easy task. You may circumvent this problem by placing a small trail order of one or two pages -- this will allow you to test your writer's calibre and working style. The quality of customer support service is another major factor affecting your overall satisfaction with the writing firm. Make sure to evaluate them before you place your order.

Providing the Right Instructions

Once a reputed writing service has been located, students must provide the company with proper instructions and information pertaining to the assignment. For example, in order to enable the writer to conduct research on the topic, the topic and subject area of the essay should be provided prior to the beginning of the writing process. Furthermore, students should also specify the format and structural requirements of their assignment. Most essays will require either MLA or APA formatting style. Company writers should be well versed with the requirements of each format. In addition, students are expected to specify the desired level of writing. For example, a high school essay writing style differs significantly from that of a graduate school. Other preferences may include word limit, number of references, overall essay style (e.g. analytical or narrative etc).

A reputed custom writing service ensures 24-hour service to their customers. Communication between the writer and the student is of utmost importance to ensure a well written, well organized, logical and cohesive piece of writing. Paying proper attention to the selection process, providing the necessary information helps students to receive a well written custom essay.

This article is brought to you courtesy of Ozzessays.com.au, a top ranking custom writing firm that offers custom essay assistance to students who need help with their assignment writing. We offer highest quality essay help with originality reports to back up our claims of zero plagiarism. Visit our web site for more details.

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For Certain Achievement In Private Improvement, Have Faith In Your ...

Individual development permits individuals to develop by means of improving oneself. Private improvement is not really practically self support, it also consists of the supporting of other individuals, as an educator or mentor would. The tips provided within the subsequent write-up will help you begin individual improvement to enhance on your own as well as others.

When taking care of your own personal improvement, it is actually a smart idea to acknowledge the methods you happen to be consuming right now to improve your life in the future. Recognize and present on your own credit score to the perform you are doing to better your life. It is important to not dwell about the damaging points, but to concentrate on the positive.

Volunteer for the work no one else would like to do. Volunteering can open your romantic relationships with other people. It can help you acquire expertise and knowledge that might 1 day confirm excellent. Because your co-employees don?t want to take on a job doesn?t imply you ought to automatically principle it out!

1 characteristic that everybody should make an effort to put into practice a lot more inside their daily lives is humility. This is extremely vital that you private advancement. Realize that whatever you achieve or success you achieve, you will be not much better than the man or lady close to you. This may result in a more content existence.

Some people devote lots of time praying or speaking, but forget about to spend some time to hear. Consider twenty minutes every single day to mirror on your own life and exactly how you are sensation regarding it. Do this by itself to completely acquire a greater knowledge of what you are inside and outside.

You must stop procrastinating if you want to possess an a lot less nerve-racking life. If you procrastinate frequently it implies that you just have a lot of anxiety as you are continually sensation as though you will need to hurry up and obtain anything carried out. It could be an easy task to stop procrastinating if you schedule your day effectively.

To generally be with a route of personalized growth means not leaving things to chance. Don?t permit on your own pin the blame on the universe for what will happen. Take control of your life and you can choose what your daily life is going to be like. In just about every situation, you will have the decision on how you are going to act in response, so make the proper choice, starting up right now!

Make time to really check out your emotions towards yourself and to consider what you?d like to enhance. Then, take the assistance in this article and set it into exercise. You?ll be amazed at how much making the effort to much better yourself could make the others of your life much better as well.

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Source: http://www.copykatcms.com/2012/02/for-certain-achievement-in-private-improvement-have-faith-in-your-self/

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Congress targets federal workers for savings

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Federal workers were $15 billion losers as Congress looked for ways to pay for parts of the just-passed legislation to extend the payroll tax cut and federal unemployment benefits through the end of the year.

Their advocates are crying foul, saying two consecutive years of seeing their pay frozen means the nation's 2 million civil servants already have contributed more than $60 billion to reducing government costs. Republicans, led by their aggressive freshman class, say federal employees, with their generally secure jobs and benefits, can do more. They have proposed several bills to make that happen.

The White House also is asking federal employees to pitch in more for their retirement plans.

Under the bill passed Friday, about half of the $30 billion cost of extending unemployment benefits will be made up by requiring newly hired federal workers to pay an additional 2.3 percent of their salaries for their pensions. Currently they pay 0.8 percent.

Combined with other bills House Republicans have proposed to further limit federal wages and benefits, the total cost to civil servants could be $134 billion over the next decade, said House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

"The ongoing efforts to target federal workers will substantially undermine our ability to recruit and retain the quality of people we need," said Hoyer, whose district encompassing some of the Washington suburbs is home to thousands of government employees.

Unions representing federal workers were equally upset.

"It is unreasonable to turn to this dedicated workforce yet again while shielding those who are not paying their share," said Colleen M. Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union.

"I don't know how cutting our retirement puts anybody back to work," said John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees. "What are we, an ATM machine?"

Republicans in December proposed an even more ambitious plan to pay for part of the payroll tax and jobless benefit bill by freezing government workers' pay a third consecutive year and reducing pension benefits in addition to raising their retirement plan contributions.

The Senate wouldn't go along, but in the more recent round of negotiations the House GOP again asked for all federal workers to pay more for their retirements. Democrats objected, and in the end they settled for higher contributions only from newly hired employees.

But that's not the end of it. Earlier this month, the House passed separate legislation, offered by freshman GOP Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin, to keep the pay freeze in effect for a third year in 2013 and also deny members of Congress a salary hike. Democrats complained but, not wanting to be seen as supporting a pay raise for themselves, 72 voted for the bill and it passed 309-117.

The House is also considering a bill that would require federal workers and members of Congress to contribute a total of 1.5 percent more to their pensions over three years and readjust how annuities are calculated for new hires. That bill, estimated to save more than $40 billion, also eliminates a Social Security supplemental income program for those eligible to retire before age 62.

The NTEU, the largest independent union of federal workers, says the increased pension contribution would boost the annual payment for a worker earning $50,000 a year from $400 to $1,150.

In introducing the bill, freshman Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., said people are "rightfully outraged by the pension benefits guaranteed to a bloated federal workforce."

Ross wants to see savings from his bill go to deficit reduction, but the current plan is to use it to help pay for a $260 billion bill to finance highway construction and transit programs over the next five years.

Freshman Rep. Martha Roby, R-Ala., has also introduced a bill to stop what she called a gimmick to dodge the pay freeze. Her bill would suspend through the end of this year within-grade step increases, wherein many employees can get raises of 2 percent or 3 percent every one to three years upon the recommendation of their bosses. These increases, not covered in the pay freeze, cost about $1 billion a year, Roby said.

While most of the action has been in the House, a group of Senate Republicans has proposed extending the federal tax freeze for two more years and reducing the size of the government workforce by 5 percent as one way to help avoid automatic Defense Department budget cuts passed by Congress last summer and due to take effect in 2013. All these proposals will face resistance in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Republicans are not alone in trying to tap the federal workforce for savings. The White House, in its budget proposal for 2013, is calling for a 1.2 percent increase in federal employee contributions to their pension plans. That would reduce the government's share by $27 billion over the next decade.

But the White House also favors giving federal workers a 0.5 percent pay raise in 2013. "A permanent pay freeze is neither sustainable nor desirable," it said.

An AP-CNBC poll taken in November 2010 found that many agree that the federal workforce is too big and can be a source of savings. Some 62 percent said they favored reducing the number of federal workers as a means of shrinking the federal deficit, and 59 percent supported a federal wage freeze.

Republicans base many of their arguments on a recently published report by the Congressional Budget Office that found that the average federal worker earns about 2 percent more than a comparable private sector worker, and that, when pension and health benefits are factored in, federal compensation is 16 percent greater. Federal unions say the report overstates the advantages of federal workers.

The CBO reported wide variances depending on worker education levels. Federal civilian workers with no more than a high school education earned about 21 percent more, and their benefits were 72 percent higher, than their private-sector counterparts. But federal workers with a professional degree or doctorate earned about 23 percent less.

The government spends about $200 billion a year to compensate the 2.3 million federal civilian employees, including about $80 billion for civilian personnel working in the Defense Department.

The CBO noted that the size of the federal workforce has remained at about 2 million over the past 30 years, and that its share of the total U.S. workforce has declined, from 2.3 percent in 1980 to 1.7 percent in 2010.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-02-21-Congress-Federal%20Workers/id-83a68245f026498fbd96cf916856f214

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Strauss-Kahn questioned in prostitution case

EDS NOTE ALTERNATE CROP OF SPIN101 Former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrives at a police station in Lille, northern France, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. Prosecutors in the northern city of Lille are investigating a suspected prostitution ring in France and neighboring Belgium. The former IMF chief wants to be questioned by police so that he can debunk claims that he was linked to a suspected hotel prostitution ring. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

EDS NOTE ALTERNATE CROP OF SPIN101 Former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrives at a police station in Lille, northern France, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. Prosecutors in the northern city of Lille are investigating a suspected prostitution ring in France and neighboring Belgium. The former IMF chief wants to be questioned by police so that he can debunk claims that he was linked to a suspected hotel prostitution ring. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

Former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrives at a police station in Lille, northern France, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. Police are probing a suspected prostitution ring in France and neighboring Belgium that has implicated police and other officials. The former IMF chief wants to be questioned by police so that he can debunk claims that he was linked to a suspected hotel prostitution ring. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

Former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrives at a police station in Lille, northern France, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. Police are probing a suspected prostitution ring in France and neighboring Belgium that has implicated police and other officials. The former IMF chief wants to be questioned by police so that he can debunk claims that he was linked to a suspected hotel prostitution ring. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

Former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrives at a police station in Lille, northern France, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. Police are probing a suspected prostitution ring in France and neighboring Belgium that has implicated police and other officials. The former IMF chief wants to be questioned by police so that he can debunk claims that he was linked to a suspected hotel prostitution ring. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

Former International Monetary Fund leader, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, arrives at a police station in Lille, northern France, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012. Police are probing a suspected prostitution ring in France and neighboring Belgium that has implicated police and other officials. The former IMF chief wants to be questioned by police so that he can debunk claims that he was linked to a suspected hotel prostitution ring. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)

PARIS (AP) ? Former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was being held for questioning Tuesday by French police investigating a suspected hotel prostitution ring.

Strauss-Kahn, a one-time French presidential hopeful whose chances were derailed by a sexual assault accusation, arrived at the police station in the northern city of Lille for a pre-arranged morning appointment and was still there in the late afternoon.

Police are probing a suspected prostitution ring in France and neighboring Belgium that has implicated police and other officials. They have questioned prostitutes who said they had sex with Strauss-Kahn during 2010 and 2011 at a luxury hotel in Paris, a restaurant in the French capital and also in Washington, D.C.

French law permits police to question Strauss-Kahn for 48 hours, and then for another 48 hours with a judge's approval.

Strauss-Kahn lived in the U.S. capital while he was head of the IMF before resigning his position in May after he was charged by New York police with making a hotel maid perform oral sex. The charges were later dropped.

Two men with ties to Strauss-Kahn have been put under preliminary investigation in France on charges including organizing a prostitution ring and misuse of corporate funds.

Strauss-Kahn's name surfaced in the investigation last fall and his lawyer has asked that Strauss-Kahn be allowed to tell his side of the story. One of Strauss-Kahn's lawyers has said that the former French presidential hopeful never knew that the women at orgies he attended were prostitutes.

"He could easily not have known, because as you can imagine, at these kinds of parties you're not always dressed, and I challenge you to distinguish a naked prostitute from any other naked woman," Henri Leclerc told French radio Europe 1 in December.

French newspapers have dubbed the investigation "The Carlton Affair" after the name of the expensive Lille hotel where some of the meetings took place.

Investigators are seeking to discover if prostitutes were paid using corporate funds from a large French construction company.

New York prosecutors dropped the sexual assault case against Strauss-Kahn in August because the woman had undercut her credibility by lying about her background and changing her account of her actions right after the alleged attack. She says she was truthful about the encounter and is pursuing her claims in a lawsuit.

Strauss-Kahn has said the sexual encounter was "inappropriate" but not violent.

In a separate case last October, French prosecutors refused to pursue an allegation by a young French writer of attempted rape by Strauss-Kahn.

The Paris prosecutor's office dropped the investigation into writer Tristane Banon's claim that Strauss-Kahn tried to rape her during a 2003 interview for a book the then-23-year-old was writing, saying they couldn't send him to trial because it happened too long ago.

___

Sohrab Monemi in Lille contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-02-21-EU-France-Strauss-Kahn/id-47b64ae2cfe54d51a9f8709cfe8b9f33

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First Time In India: Education Loan Approval ... - Special Education

Credila Financial Services, an HDFC Ltd. Venture, is a specialized education loan lender. Credila announces a unique benefit to the students who plans to pursue higher studies in the USA. Credila will, underwrite the education loan application file and problem education loan Approval letters to the credit- worthy students even prior to their admission to the US Universities.

?Credila?s education loan approval prior to admission to the USA is the first ever in India!?, said Prashant A. Bhonsle, Country Head of Credila Financial Services. He continued to say, ?Unless students demonstrate the sources of funds, the US Universities don?t give I-20 to the students. With Credila?s education loan approval letters, thousands of creditworthy students from India, now, will be able to fulfill their dreams of higher education in the USA?.

The Catch-22 Dilemma of US Bound Indian Students: There are severe restrictions that are based on The US Federal Immigration laws and policies on funds that an Indian student can receive at U.S. universities. Matter of reality, universities will not confirm admission unless students can demonstrate their capability to bear the price of an American Education.

American Education and the I20

An US University can conditionally admit the student for a specific course based on different parameters, ranging from Standardized Test Scores (GRE, GMAT, etc) to Leadership Qualities. However, it does not release the official document confirming a students? admission until and unless the student is able to demonstrate financial capability to pay for the 1st year of the course and continued funds to support the remaining years of education.

This official document of admission, also referred to as the Form I20, is in truth a legal document tied to US Immigration Services. The I20 is not only the only proof of secured admission but also forms the basis of that student?s US student visa claim and attempt to enter the US for education. In a nutshell, if you don?t have an I20, you don?t go to the US for education.

Obtaining the I20

Demonstrating financial capacity can be tricky, specially since only a couple of forms of documentary evidence are accepted by the US University. A typical Indian student has limited possibilities ? receive funding from the university in form of scholarships, waivers, etc that are very hard to secure OR document family funds OR obtain an education loan. ?Credila loan approval letter was 1 of the essential financial docs which I was holding to get I20?, said Suraj T., studying in SUNY at Buffalo, USA. Yet another student Ajin N. who obtained education loan from Credila and studying in University of Illinois at Chicago, USA said, ?Credila gave me the liquidity to go ahead with the fees payment.? So the embassy was happy with loan approval letter and the way of funding for my course?.

The Chicken-Egg Syndrome

Indian Students that plan on obtaining an education loan to fund their US studies face a typical ?Chicken-Egg? syndrome every single year: The US University requires proof of assured funds to confirm the admission and release the I20 Indian banks do not Approval or authorize education loans until the student has confirmed admission and received the I20. So what comes first?the I20 or the bank loan authorization? Chicken or Egg?

This limitation of Indian Banks put a severe damper on numerous qualified students that plan on obtaining the I20 and funding their American education via loans. Sadly some students, out of sheer desperation, resort to unethical measures to forge such documentation which makes things worse overall. Mr. Richard Yam, Foreign Student Advisor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst notes ?We see a lot of loan approval letters that prospective students from all over the world send to us to document proof of funds. [But] I do not believe I have seen anything [similar] from India.? This is echoed by Mr. Hrayr Tamzarian, Asst. Dean of International Admissions at Smith College, a extremely selective private undergraduate college near Boston??We usually accept loan letters [for I20 sponsorship] as we are really high-priced and realize that the student and family might not have full funding proof and may possibly take student loans to pay the balance fee?if the family funds plus the loan add up to the required quantity, then we can problem the I20.?

Credila?s Special Solution for students applying for studies in the USA

1 of the objectives of a recent and exciting development relating to educational loans in India aims at solving this ?Catch-22? scenario jeopardizing the Indian student community.

Credila Financial Services, is presently India?s initial and only fully-dedicated education loan provider. Credila has entered into key partnerships with several organizations and educational institutes around the globe to better serve the Indian student community. Credila Financial Services is an HDFC Ltd. venture. HDFC Ltd. is a strategic investor in Credila. Over 40,000 students and parents have applied to Credila for education loan in the past couple of months. So far Credila has funded students for their studies in Universities such as Columbia Univ., Cornell Univ, Purdue Univ., Carnegie Mellon, Oxford etc.

Credila is offering Education Loan Approval letter to credit worthy students even before they get any confirmed admission from the USA. Credila does not mandate ?Confirmed Admission? to procedure or grant education loan offers and Approvals. So a student can apply and obtain a loan approval letter from Credila even before being admitted to the course of his/her option. This may well also support the student to secure admission to far better courses.

Source: http://www.belcampus.org/first-time-in-india-education-loan-approval-before-admission-for-students-going-to-the-usa-2.html

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[OOC] Dance For Your Life

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

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can i reserve for detectors best girl friend??????

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hi , can i reserve the guy friend ? And when should i be ready?

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I give a reservation for 24 hours.

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The Benefits Of Regular Office Disinfection | Articles Mesmerizing

With the present outbreak of fatal illnesses across planet, we should not be too lenient with our office sanitizing habits. Continuous alertness is needed.

If we manage a business, we should always be wary that our production area and offices are not at risk of contamination. We must have a regular office sanitation routine in order to keep our business going and the people on our employ operating in a secure environment.

Of course, we like to have healthy, industrious members of our staff who could finish the necessary tasks by day?s end. Nevertheless, this is the regular scenario in the office: People work with little room to move about in cramped work cubicles. This confined workplace is ideal for the spread of diseases. A simple sneeze could cause the spread of the dreaded SARS virus.

Workplace surfaces and pieces of furniture may give shelter the virus; it could also be confined in nooks and cracks and in carpets, generating a potential land mine for a worker unfortunate enough to be in these contaminated areas. An office worker could become victim of the illness and would be unable to finish their work. Productivity will stall or even halt. A couple of things will be in jeopardy: primarily, the health of the people who work for us and, next, the profits of our business.

Now we don?t wish that happening in our business!

Hiring a cleaning services company to do office disinfection in the work area is worth the amount paid for the service considering that we will be guarding our best assets, that is, the people who work with us. And no, office disinfection cannot be a DIY undertaking.

Cleaning service experts commonly provide two methods of disinfecting and sanitizing the workplace.

One office disinfection process involves the technique known as Ultra Low Volume Cold Fogging. In this technique, a specially formulated chemical substance is poured into a fogging mechanism. A fine mist of the chemical coats the exposed surfaces of any area that needs sanitizing; the chemical eradicates any bacteria and virus on contact.

Another technique of office sanitation utilizes steam. This method of disinfection works better than the ordinary vacuuming process because the steam helps remove encrusted dirt from carpets and rugs.

Click for further information on Carpet cleaning services or Commercial cleaning services.

Source: http://articlesmesmerizing.com/home-improvement/cleaning-tips-and-tools/the-benefits-of-regular-office-disinfection

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Display Job Business Analyst Pricing and Risk management and ...

Job ID: 546452 Job Views: 60 Location: Not Specified, London, United Kingdom Job Category: I.T. & Communications Employment Type: Any Salary: 500 Day Posted: 17.02.2012 : Job Description: Business Analyst - Pricing, Risk Positioning, Risk management and Hedging experience required. Spargonet Consulting plc require a number of business analysts to work with our clients in the city/financial markets. The roles involve working closely with senior management and business users to identify and clarify business processes and then translate and document these into detailed business requirements. Candidates are required to have extensive Business Analyst work experience, with an understanding of Pricing, Risk Positioning, Risk management and/or Hedging. Experience of trading or commodities environments and or hedging would be of particular interest. Good communication, inter-personnel and presentation skills are essential. Business Analyst - Pricing, Risk Positioning, Risk management and Hedging Spargonet Consulting Plc is a leading IT consultancy with nearly thirty year`s pedigree and experience of supplying IT services to household name blue chip clients within a range of business sectors. By joining the personable team at Spargonet, you become a valued member of our personnel with good prospects of a rewarding and challenging career by joining our associate network. All applications welcome for an informal and confidential discussion. Job Requirements:

?

Source: http://www.4europeanjobs.com/display_job/546452/Business_Analyst__Pricing_and_Risk_management_and_Hedging.html

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Top Lafayette Real Estate Agent Dana Green Presents Exclusive ...

Feb
18

Posted under Home Design

Top Lafayette Real Estate Agent Dana Green Presents Exclusive Swatt California Modern Home

Bella Vista Estate Entry View

Lafayette, CA (PRWEB) February 04, 2012

Award-winning Lafayette real estate agent Dana Green is excited to present Bella Vista Estate, a stunning Bob Swatt-designed estate featured in numerous home design publications. The secluded retreat is located in Happy Valley, one of Lafayette?s most exclusive neighborhoods, and has many attractions, including famous architectural elegance and panoramic views.

???Buyers will love Bella Vista???s spectacular features???from its high-end interior amenities to the incredible views of the valley and private vineyard???but I expect a big draw is going to be the fact that it???s a Swatt home,??? says Dana Green.

Swatt, a resident of Lafayette, is an award-winning California Modern architect at Swatt-Miers Architects in Emeryville. In addition to multi-family residential projects, Swatt has designed over 100 single-family residential projects, including new homes and significant remodels???which he calls ???transformations.??? Ten of these architectural gems are located in Lafayette, and include his own home and the Bella Vista Estate transformation.

???Every transformation project has its own goals. Sometimes the new design matches the old, becoming architecturally invisible. At other times, that transformation can be a dramatic contrast to the existing architecture,??? said Swatt. ???Both attitudes can be successful, depending on the nature of the existing architecture.

???In this case, something very special happened. The architectural language (design) of the addition is very new and different from the original home???yet, while much of the existing home was not changed, the overall look and feel of the house is unified composition that seems very modern.???

The second floor addition, combined with subtle changes to the entry and extensions of the architecture into the garden (in the form of garden walls), transformed virtually everything that a visitor sees when entering the property.

???An architect once mentioned to me, after visiting the owners, that he was excited to see this new home that we had designed in the Lafayette hills,??? said Swatt. ???I smiled, explaining that this in fact was an older home that we transformed.???

The grounds of this Zen-like retreat contain a pool, tennis court and 1000-vine Petite Syrah and Zinfandel vineyard known as Happy Valley Cellars. Clean, crisp minimalist details, high ceilings, natural light from well-positioned windows and skylights give the contemporary 5+ bedrooms and 4.5 bath home a light and peaceful atmosphere.

For more information about Bella Vista Estate, Lafayette real estate for sale, or other real estate advice or services, please call Dana at (925) 339-1918 or visit her online at http://www.DanaGreenTeam.com.

About Dana Green Lafayette

Dana Green?s deep connection to [Lafayette drives her professional success. As Lafayette???s top-producing agent for several years running, she brings the same pride to her career as she does to being a resident of a Lafayette family-friendly neighborhood. She finds it extremely rewarding to help others find their dream home and discover the unparalleled quality of life Lafayette has to offer.

With over 250 million dollars in transactions closed, a 15-year tenure in marketing and having owned her own highly successful staging company, Dana offers both buyers and sellers a unique perspective on how to make the most of their home purchase or sale.

Every home Dana Green represents is staged to sell, a service she offers free to her clients. Driven, determined and passionate about her craft, Dana loves challenges and thrives on helping clients with their Lafayette real estate needs.

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DeMarco: Which way will the Red Sox go?

Valentine a good fit for Boston, but very little separates pack behind Yanks

Elsa / Getty Images

Bobby Valentine has his work cut out for him in his first season as Red Sox manager.

OPINION

By Tony DeMarco

NBCSports.com contributor

updated 7:00 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2012

Tony DeMarco

Remember last spring, when the Boston Red Sox were anointed as clear favorites in the American League East after adding Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford? We know how that turned out, of course.

Well, in a measure of just how far this division has come in a calendar year ? and how good it can be in 2012 and the near-future ? we present the possibility of the Red Sox finishing fourth behind the New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays and stealthily improved Toronto Blue Jays.

Admittedly, 'the fourth-place Red Sox' sounds a bit extreme ? and won't be a consensus call, by any means. The last time the Sox finished any lower than third place was way back in 1997 ? Jimy Williams' first season as manager after replacing Kevin Kennedy. Seems like ancient history, doesn't it?

Since then, the Red Sox have made six postseason appearances, won two pennants and two World Series titles. And over the last 10 seasons, they have averaged 93 wins, and only twice won fewer than 90 games.

But then again, coming off back-to-back 89- and 90-win seasons that left them out of the postseason picture, it won't take much of a fallback to 84-85 wins and fourth place. So first, let's look at which way the Red Sox are likelier to go this season.

On the plus side, they led the majors in runs scored last season and had a +138 run differential, fourth in MLB behind the Yankees (+210), Phillies (+184), Rangers (+178). The run-production side of that equation involved the Red Sox finishing first in on-base and slugging percentage, and second in batting average.

The Pythagorean formula for that run differential had them at 94-68 as opposed to their actual 90-72 record, and boy, could they have used those extra four wins. This suggests their issues perhaps were more mental than physical ? especially in early April and late-September, right?

And if anybody can come in and turn around a team's attitude and fortunes ? all while handling a clubhouse full of strong personalities amidst the scrutiny and pressure that comes with the territory in Red Sox Nation ? it's Bobby Valentine.

There really are few, if any sharper minds in the game. And If the clubhouse buys in, and Valentine finds the right buttons to push to energize and focus his roster, there's good reason to think the Red Sox will be back in the playoffs.

However, the front office didn't do Valentine any favors in an off-season when Ben Cherington replaced Theo Epstein. So as camps open this weekend, these vital questions remain to be answered:

• Clay Buchholz says he's fine, but how smoothly will Daniel Bard's transition to the rotation go, and who fills the fifth spot behind him? Daisuke Matsuzaka won't be back until mid-season or so, and who knows what he'll be able to accomplish coming off Tommy John surgery. That leaves Alfredo Aceves and a handful of non-roster invitees led by oft-injured Vicente Padilla.
• Nobody has more to prove this season than Crawford, and he'll have to do it coming off wrist surgery that is expected to keep him out of the lineup until late-April or so. In the interim, the corner outfielders flanking Jacoby Ellsbury are Cody Ross, Darnell McDonald and Ryan Sweeney. Not exactly Yaz, Rice or Dewey now, are they?
• Who's the shortstop on this team? Cherington saw fit to deal both Jed Lowrie and Marco Scutaro, and take his chances with Nick Punto, Mike Aviles and the possible emergence of defensive-whiz prospect Jose Iglesias. You really have to wonder if they will be shopping for another shortstop before the trade deadline.
• There's a solid case to be made that Andrew Bailey and Mark Melancon can hold up the eighth and ninth innings in place of Jonathan Papelbon and Bard. But is the middle-relief crew led by Franklin Morales and Matt Albers deep enough and playoff-caliber?
• The catching situation is in flux, and we won't even go to the beer-and-fried chicken questions about the top two guys in the rotation. That's an awful lot of legitimate questions for a team with a projected payroll in the $160-170 million range.

And now, the competition:

The Yankees won 97 games (albeit losing to Detroit in Game 5 of the ALDS) and have added Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda to their rotation ? their weakest area last season. The offense is led now by Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira, so Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter don't have to do it anymore. Health and Father Time permitting, there is no apparent weakness here.

We've also learned by now ? haven't we? ? never to discount the Rays under Joe Maddon. Yes, even when they have to replace Crawford, Jason Bartlett, Carlos Pena and their entire bullpen. That's what they did last year, and still won 91 games ? amazing.

Well, there were no significant losses this off-season (although Jeff Niemann or Wade Davis could be dealt) ? only the return of Carlos Pena, plus the likely emergences of two more stars from their bountiful system in Matt Moore and Desmond Jennings. And as currently constructed, nobody's rotation is deeper.

If you're not aware of what general manager Alex Anthopoulos is doing in Toronto, it's time to play catch-up. In any other division, the Jays already may have been a playoff qualifier. This is their best shot in a long time, with squeaky-clean superstar Jose Bautista, emerging star Brett Lawrie and a handful of other up-trending position-player regulars in Yunel Escobar, Edwin Encarnacion, Colby Rasmus, J.P. Arencibia, Eric Thames and Travis Snider.

The back of the bullpen ? last year's Achilles' heel ? has been rebuilt with Francisco Cordero setting up Sergio Santos. So if one of their young starters emerges to join underrated Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow, 90 wins aren't out of the realm of possibility.

Truth is, beyond the Yankees, it appears as if you can throw the other three teams in a hat, and injuries, breaks and breakout seasons will determine where they end up in October.

? 2012 NBC Sports.com? Reprints

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46417061/ns/sports-baseball/

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