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Chicago Transit Authority announces repairs to Blue and Red Line
Dec 09

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) riders on the subway portions of the Red and Blue lines may see relief of the slow zone in the coming months. So-called “slow zones” are locations where trains travel at restricted speeds because of track work or deteriorating conditions.

The CTA is putting nearly US$15 millions towards renovation of the O’Hare to Clark/Lake portion of the Blue Line and Chicago to Belmont portions of the Red Line. Work will happen during off peak and overnight hours. The CTA says that one track operations and delays may occur.

“We have heard our customers’ frustration with slow zones and today we are acting to address their concerns,” said Chicago Transit Board chairperson Carole Brown. “I am pleased that we are able to leverage existing contracts to begin this work and I look forward to working with state lawmakers to increase transit investment to bring our entire system to a state of good repair.”

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Cheap Laptops Doesn’t Mean Cheap Quality Dec 09

Submitted by: Sanni32N Huang

Laptops have grown to be cheaper by the second. It wasn’t so long ago that purchasing a notebook computer meant you’d to pay more for similar features you can get inside a desktop PC in a lower price. Obviously not the case, cheap laptops by many big companies now feature comparable specs with the same price and even below a desktop computer.

Laptop prices have fallen for many reasons but since production costs have fallen down significantly in recent years. When any consumer product first hits the marketplace, costs are usually extremely high because manufacturers need to recover their production costs. Weight loss items are sold, production costs and variables may be even less so prices drop. That’s mainly why you see prices continuously dropping on TVs, DVD players… as sales volumes increase.

Also, laptop components including RAM (memory), processors, graphics cards… are constantly taking in price which suggests greater savings to the potential laptop buyer. Plus, fierce competition through the different portable computers makers has also brought prices down, particularly in this segment with the notebook market.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQIoKkQyirk[/youtube]

Additionally, the Internet and online shopping have brought immense competition for anybody selling electronic goods. Since sales is no longer confined to just one store or area; consumers have considerably more choice in which laptop they could buy. As these laptop makers compete on your world-wide consumer dollar, prices have dropped significantly.

Then you also have to element in the growing popularity of Netbooks which can be smaller laptop that provide a significantly smaller price tag. Netbooks have only been with us for a few years but now occupy an important portion of laptop sales. Major manufacturers like Asus, Lenovo, HP, MSI… have stepped in and are producing cheaper, yet high quality products within this netbook category.

Another critical factor must be the poor overall economy where individuals are closely watching their spending dollar and also a cheaper laptop would appear more desirable and a real cash saver in these a down economy. Again, the main notebook makers have in all probability realized this fact, and also have started marketing quality, yet inexpensive products towards these savvy shoppers.

One more factor why laptop prices have fallen may be as a result of discount codes and discounts. As mentioned before, more and more people are internet shopping than in the past and the shoppers expect and receive special discounts if they use the internet. Again, major manufacturers including Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba… all offer laptop coupons and discounts to encourage buyers to buy their brands. This online selling has triggered dramatically reduced prices, where consumers could get $100 to $300 or higher off their new laptop. They are still quality laptops but as a result of fierce competition, online buyers get yourself a whole lot.

Therefore, anyone searching for a quality, yet cheap laptop should do some serious comparative online shopping to discover the right laptop to meet their needs. Virtually all of the brands stated earlier have discounts and codes they regularly send thus to their countless affiliate sites across the web. Consumers who are seeking the very best price must always research prices and make the most of these notebook coupons. Furthermore, make sure you remember the key retail merchants for example Amazon, Biggest score… can also be great places to find a cheap laptop.

Other online language resources like notebook review sites, topten lists, consumer forums… are fantastic places to find information and consumer ratings of the laptop you intend to get, that way you should check your quality, customer care as well as the overall trustworthiness of your favorite laptop. The wise shopper would attempt to find not simply a cheap laptop and also considered one of quality; this way you significantly decrease your odds of being disappointed using your laptop purchase. Take into account, just because it’s cheap, does not imply it must be the poor quality. Not by way of a long shot!

About the Author: cick

mygreatejavabooks.blog.com/2011/03/28/cheap-laptops-does-not-imply-cheap-quality

to get cheap laptop with high quality

Source:

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St Louis Mortgage: Loan Modification Not Nearly As Lucrative As A Foreclosure Dec 04

By Floyd J. Tapia

Millions of dollars have been enjoyed by numerous companies for simply approving home sales for less than the owed balance. This is also known as a type of short sale.

The United States Treasury department has been paying $1500 for each loan file that is modified. These companies also handle the collection of mortgage payments and requests for assistance.

These companies or servicers can also get $1,000 for each loan modification completion under the government’s modification program and additional stipends over a period of three years if borrowers stay current on their new mortgage payments.

But the problem has become that there will not be enough time nor man power to save the millions of homes where loan payments are in arrears more than 90 days nor do St Louis finance professionals feel there are enough incentives to accomplish this task.

The payouts provided by the Obama administration’s bailout programs don’t come close to what servicers will earn by choosing to foreclose instead.

In fact, “the incentives being offered by the government are small compared to the counter-incentive of foreclosure” so says chief economist Diane Swonk from Mesirow Financial.

Many feel that since the lending industry has its own set of incentives, you can’t tell people to do something that’s not in their best financial interest, especially in an market that is still struggling.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REdhvCviIzE[/youtube]

Now it seems, according to Swonk, that free enterprise even in a downturn economy such as ours can rightfully advocate greed over doing what is morally right and in the best interest of the St Louis mortgage owner.

And yes, this has become a double-edged sword so to say. The second quarter of 2009 showed that modified homeowners has missed at least one loan payment as reported by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision.

The statistics go on to show that a total of twenty-four percent of St Louis home loans modified in that same period were 90 days or more overdue.

Some now say that loan modifications do not work while others insist that we need more time to see how this plan unfolds before throwing in the proverbial towel.

Marie McDonnell, owner of Truth in Lending Auditing & Recovery Services in Orleans, Massachusetts suggests that these servicers are not really losing money when a re-default occurs.

If the homeowner fails to meet the terms of their new loan modification and the property isn’t approved for a short sale under the HAFA program, then servicers can proceed with a foreclosure and recoup all their money when the property is sold.

And since there is more money to be made with a foreclosed property, the majority of servicers will go the as many say the immoral route and not help save the homeowner’s property.

Once a loan is 90 days or more overdue, servicers can charge processing and foreclosure fees along with markups for attorneys, appraisers and other associated services.

Keep in mind this does not include any and all monthly late fees that can run as high as 5 percent of the mortgage payment.

Let’s talk about numbers for a moment. A $195,000 home going into foreclosure could bring approximately $11,000 in income for these servicers.

Rumors have it that on the average, servicers can easily make 10 times the amount more than any of the government stipends being offered by simply foreclosing on the house.

The sad thing is mortgage investors will take a loss from a foreclosure or a short sale, but not the servicers. As mentioned earlier, they get paid regardless because they are first in line to be paid from the proceeds of the home sale.

This unfortunate situation was only made worse when politicians rejected new legislation designed to allow bankruptcy judges to reduce mortgage balances and interest rates to help such homeowners.

The provisions know as the ‘cram-down’ law would have allowed judicial modified loans which in essence would have given better terms to the consumer to make it easier to continue with their mortgage payment.

This new legislation would have prevented servicers from using greed and financial gain in deciding who gets a loan modification and who goes into foreclosure. One has to stop and think was there any real hope for stopping this mortgage crisis in the first place.

About the Author: When a consumer wants to know more about a St Louis mortgage home loan, they visit Floyd J. Tapia’s site at http://www.LibertyLendingConsultants.com/St-Louis-Commercial-Loans for a business or commercial refinancing loan. And to choose the best St Louis refinancing loan, you can also give Floyd a call at 314-334-0210 or 877-334-0210.

Source: isnare.com

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Former professional wrestler Giant González dies aged 44
Dec 04

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Former Argentine professional wrestler and basketball player Jorge ‘Giant’ González has died at the age of 44. González died in his hometown of San Martin, Argentina. The cause of death was established to be complications of diabetes. González had suffered with the illness for several years and was wheelchair bound.

Standing over 7.5 feet (2.3 metres) tall, González was originally a basketball player before becoming a wrestler. Upon moving to the United States, he was drafted in the third round of the 1988 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. After his basketball career ended, he joined World Championship Wrestling (WCW). During his time there, he wrestled as El Gigante for two years, then joining the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), now World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

During his time with the WWF, González feuded with The Undertaker. He debuted at the 1993 Royal Rumble where he eliminated Undertaker from the Royal Rumble match. He spent the entire of his time at with the WWF feuding with Undertaker and left the company in July 1993 after losing a Rest in Peace match to him. After leaving the company, he wrestled in Japan before retiring in 1995 after suffering from sciatic nerve pain.

González is the latest in a line of former WWE wrestlers to die in the last two months. In August, both Lance Cade and Luna Vachon passed away, while Mike ‘Bastion Booger’ Shaw died at the age of 53 earlier this month.

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Food with cancer-causing dye recalled in Britain
Dec 04

Saturday, April 30, 2005

The British Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced a recall of foods containing banned dyes which increase the risk of cancer. The food products were sold at the Tesco, Waitrose, and Somerfield supermarkets.

A Bristol company called “Barts Spices” found the illegal Para Red substance in their Barts Ground Paprika, which was sold in 48g and 46g jars with a “Co-op” label. The batch codes on the affected products are 5032 and 5089 (expiration Dec 2007), and 5075 (expiration February 2007).

Tesco also found that their 130g package of BBQ rice cakes (expiration November and December 2005) contained both Para Red and Sudan I.

“It would be very prudent to assume that it could be a genotoxic carcinogen,” FSA scientific advisers told reporters.

“As a company committed to supplying only the very finest quality food ingredients, we took the immediate decision to withdraw our ground paprika spice from all outlets selling the product and advertised a product recall in the national press,” a Barts Spices spokesman said in a statement.

Sudan I is only authorized for industrial use to colorize petroleum products, such as shoe polish. Para Red and Sudan I are banned under the British Colours in Food Regulations of 1995.

Britain last went through a major food recall in February, when Worcester Sauce was found to contain chili powder dyed with Sudan 1.

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British Airways flight makes emergency landing in Iceland, terrorism ruled out
Dec 03

Saturday, August 26, 2006

A British Airways (BA) flight from London to Denver made an emergency landing at an airport in Iceland today after smoke was seen emerging from an oven in the aircraft’s rear kitchen.

A BA spokesman said that the Boeing 777 landed safely at Keflavik Airport. He added that the plane’s 268 passengers left the craft unharmed.

A spokeswoman from the Iceland Civil Aviation Administration ruled out any terrorist involvement. She added: “They were 50 miles from Keflavik when it was thought there was a fire. But it turned out to be only smoke.”

The flight should complete its journey to the US tomorrow. Passengers are spending the night in a hotel.

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Trucking Software A Cost Cutting Measure Dec 03

Trucking Software A Cost Cutting Measure

by

Ray Donovan

Success of any business relies on the effectiveness of its cost management system. The widespread change in the functioning of trucking industry has brought about a new competitiveness in this industry. Trucking companies are looking for new measures of cost cutting, in-order to make themselves more competitive, with respect to their contemporary companies. With the advent of trucking software, new cost effectiveness has come to the whole industry. Trucking software has not only transformed this industry but has also raised its level of functioning.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vlQd9w0w_4[/youtube]

Due to the complexities involved in the management of trucking business it was previously considered as a cumbersome business, but the trucking software has made it, extremely convenient and simple to handle. This software has helped the trucking business owners to cut the cost involved in running their business, as it has simplified various processes. Previously, trucking company owners have to hire professional accountants and other experts to handle the documentation processes of their companies, but now this sophisticated software technology can solely handle all these intricate procedures. Thus, the cost involved in hiring professionals can be completely evaded. In this manner trucking software is acting as an effective tool for cost cutting.

Trucking software is acting as a cost cutting measure not only by reducing the involvement of man power in this business, but also, by inducing efficiency in the overall functioning of this business. It has also simplified other processes like payment report and invoice maintenance. Trucking software has reduced the cost expenditure on fixed assets, as it has enabled various trucking company owners to operate from small offices. Now, the whole trucking business can be operated through one computer system. Web based trucking software has further reduced the cost of operation, as it can be accessed through the internet. This latest version of the standard trucking software has added more efficiency to the whole system. The future of trucking industry relies on the web based trucking software.

In-order to counter deep recession in the world economy, every industry across the globe is taking stringent cost cutting measures for survival. Companies of the trucking industry are also seriously considering various cost cutting measures to survive in this hurricane recession. Trucking software is the best choice to bring cost effectiveness in the system of trucking industry. This software has eased the operations of trucking business by inducing new cost effective measures in its functioning.

ITSDispatch.com- Established provider and Industry leader in providing path breaking web based, inexpensive, and easy Trucking Software or Freight Broker Software. For more information about their products, please visit:

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ArticleRich.com

UK company “seriously considering” GPS tracking devices in school uniforms
Nov 30

Saturday, August 25, 2007

The leading supplier of school uniforms in the United Kingdom, Lancashire-based manufacturer Trutex, has announced it is “seriously considering” including GPS tracking devices in future ranges of its uniform products after conducting an online survey of both parents and children.

“As a direct result of the survey, we are now seriously considering incorporating a [tracking] device into future ranges” said Trutex marketing director Clare Rix.

The survey questioned 809 parents and 444 children aged nine to 16. It showed that 44% of parents were worried about the safety of pre-teen children, and 59% wanted tracking devices installed in school apparel. 39% of children aged nine to 12 were prepared to wear clothing with tracking devices in them, while teenagers were notably less enthusiastic and more wary of what Trutex has admitted they see as a “big brother” concept.

However, Trutex has claimed the tracking devices would bring about worthwhile benefits, including being a valuable resource for parents who wanted to keep a close eye on where their children were at all times.

“As well as being a safety net for parents, there could be real benefits for schools who could keep a closer track on the whereabouts of their pupils, potentially reducing truancy levels” says Rix.

Each year, Trutex supplies 1 million blouses, 1.1 million shirts, 250,000 pairs of trousers, 20,000 blazers, 60,000 skirts and 110,000 pieces of knitwear to the UK.

It is not the first company to manufacture school uniforms with a central focus on child safety; last week Essex firm BladeRunner revealed it was selling stab-proof school blazers to parents concerned about violence against their children. The blazers were outfitted with Kevlar, a synthetic fibre used in body armour. It has already received orders internationally, including Australia.

If the Trutex tracking devices go ahead, it is unclear where in the uniform they will be located.

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Canada’s Beaches—East York (Ward 32) city council candidates speak
Nov 27
This exclusive interview features first-hand journalism by a Wikinews reporter. See the collaboration page for more details.

Friday, November 3, 2006

On November 13, Torontonians will be heading to the polls to vote for their ward’s councillor and for mayor. Among Toronto’s ridings is Beaches—East York (Ward 32). Four candidates responded to Wikinews’ requests for an interview. This ward’s candidates include Donna Braniff, Alan Burke, Sandra Bussin (incumbent), William Gallos, John Greer, John Lewis, Erica Maier, Luca Mele, and Matt Williams.

For more information on the election, read Toronto municipal election, 2006.

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One million baby cribs recalled due to potentially fatal design flaw
Nov 27

Saturday, September 22, 2007

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced yesterday that Simplicity Inc. is recalling nearly one million baby cribs after two infant deaths have been linked to a design failure.

Simplicity Inc. supplies cribs to large American big-box retailers such as Wal-Mart Inc., and several other giant retailers including Target Corp. and Big Lots Inc.

A dangerous gap can be created if the drop-side of the crib has been installed upside-down, and thus becomes detached. That space can cause infants to be suffocated.

Parents are being urged by the company to check their Simplicity cribs to make sure the drop-side was installed correctly and is not a safety hazard. The cribs being recalled have these model numbers: 4600, 4605, 4705, 5000, 8000, 8324, 8800, 8740, 8910, 8994, 8050, 8750, 8760 and 8996.

The affected cribs cost between US$100 and $300, and were sold between January of 1998 through May of 2007.

Two separate deaths have been reported because the drop-side was installed upside down. Fifty-five non-fatal entrapment cases have been reported. And, the CPSC is now investigating a third infant death involving a newer-style crib.

Simplicity Inc. says the faulty cribs were made in China. However, according to CPSC, the recall is about the design flaws that the U.S. manufacturers designed into the product, not a made-in-China problem.

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