September 2009

Florida Life Insurance

An entity seeking to transfer risk (an individual, corporation, or association of any type, etc.) becomes the 'insured' party once risk is assumed by an 'insurer', the insuring party, by means of a contract, called an insurance 'policy'. Generally, an insurance contract includes, at a minimum, the following elements: the parties (the insurer, the insured, the beneficiaries), the premium, the period of coverage, the particular loss event covered, the amount of coverage (i.e., the amount to be paid to the insured or beneficiary in the event of a loss), and exclusions (events not covered). An insured is thus said to be "indemnified" against the loss events covered in the policy.

Many independent inventors are in favor of patenting new insurance products since it gives them protection from big companies when they bring their new insurance products to market. Independent inventors account for 70 percent of the new U.S. patent applications in this area.

Florida Life Insurance

Wis. police have 'person of interest' in homicides (AP)

MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee newspaper reported Monday that local police had arrested a suspect in connection with the killings of seven women, including six suspected prostitutes, over a 21-year period that started in 1986.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the suspect, a 49-year-old Milwaukee man, was arrested Saturday and booked on a temporary felony warrant.
Police spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz would not confirm an arrest Monday, telling The Associated Press only that police were talking with a "person of interest" in connection with a number of cold-case homicides.
The police department scheduled a news conference for Monday evening.
Police Chief Edward Flynn and Milwaukee County district attorney John Chisholm announced a new investigation four months ago after DNA evidence linked the women's deaths to one person. Police said then that they never stopped investigating the cases, but scored a major breakthrough when DNA technology suggested the same person killed six of the women and had sex with the seventh.
The victims were six black women between the ages of 19 and 41 and a white 16-year-old runaway. Their bodies were found within a 3-square-mile area of Milwaukee's north side between 1986 and 2007.
The investigation produced breaks in other cases. Detectives resubmitted more than 20 other DNA samples taken from prostitutes in unsolved homicide cases to the state crime laboratory to check for possible links to the killer. That work led to progress in at least 10 unrelated killings, authorities said.
Two people were charged in a pair cases from 1990 and charges were being considered against a third suspect, Chisholm said late last month.
Five other suspects have been identified in other cold cases, four of whom are currently serving life terms or extended terms, Flynn said. Police were continuing to gather more evidence in those cases, he said.

Thousands flee new Pakistan anti-militant push (AFP)

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) –
Thousands of civilians have fled a fresh military bombardment against Islamist rebels in northwest Pakistan, officials said Monday, as dozens of militants were reported dead in the push.

Fighter jets and helicopter gunships began strafing suspected militant hideouts in the fabled Khyber district bordering Afghanistan about a week ago, sparking an exodus of civilians who fear being caught in the crossfire.

"Thousands have fled the military operation in Khyber. Around 30,000 people have arrived in Peshawar since yesterday," said Sahibzada Mohammad Anis, administrative chief in the northwest capital Peshawar.

Khyber local government chief Tariq Hayat also told AFP that as many as 30,000 civilians had left when a military curfew was relaxed on Sunday.

"More than 30,000 people have arrived in Peshawar so far. More are coming today (Monday) as the curfew was lifted again," he said.

"Some are living in rented houses, some with their relatives in Peshawar. The government has no plan to set up camps for them because this operation will not last long. It will be over in the next few days."

United Nations officials put the number of displaced a lot lower.

"UNHCR estimates that 500 to 800 families, mainly women and children, have moved out of Bara in Khyber agency," said Ariane Rummery, spokeswoman in Islamabad for the UN refugee agency UNHCR.

"The families on the move are seeking refuge with friends and relatives on the outskirts of Peshawar," Rummery told AFP, adding that the agency had offered to help the government provide for the displaced people.

The military launched an offensive against militant group Lashkar-e-Islam (Army of Islam) in Khyber seven days ago after a suicide bomber blew himself up near a border post with Afghanistan killing 22 Pakistani policemen.

Hayat said the army had by Sunday killed 121 militants in Khyber, while 10 more were reported dead by the paramilitary Frontier Corps on Monday. Such tolls, however, are impossible to independently confirm.

"Security forces killed at least 10 militants and destroyed four hideouts of militants including a training centre in Kula Markaz village of Khyber," a statement from the paramilitary Frontier Corps said.

Pakistan is already grappling with a huge displacement crisis after nearly two million people fled a punishing military offensive against Taliban insurgents in northwest Swat valley beginning in late April.

The military says it has now cleared that area of insurgents, and about 1.3 million displaced people have returned. But skirmishes continue, raising fears that the Taliban are regrouping in the mountains.

Buoyed by the apparent Swat success against the Taliban, the military has vowed to track down their hardcore leadership in the lawless tribal belt along the Afghan border, also a known bolthole for Al-Qaeda fighters.

The Lashkar-e-Islam has some ties to the Pakistan Taliban. The Khyber pass is the main land and supply route through Pakistan into Afghanistan, where international forces are also battling a Taliban insurgency.

In other unrest in the northwest on Monday, five soldiers were killed and four others wounded in a roadside bomb and gun fights in Shakai village in the Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan, a security official said.

Sex Pistol singer John Lydon to reform Public Image (Reuters)

LONDON (Reuters) –
Punk rock singer John Lydon, formerly known as Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols, is re-forming his band Public Image Ltd -- or PiL -- after a 17 year hiatus with a five-date tour in December, according to media reports.

Lydon told Britain's Guardian newspaper that the influential band he created in 1978, a year after the disintegration of the Sex Pistols, and which lasted for 14 years, would reform with a new line-up.

He said the new-look PiL will not contain original band members Jah Wobble or former Clash guitarist Keith Levene but will feature guitarist Lu Edmonds, drummer Bruce Smith and a new arrival, multi-instrumentalist Scott Firth.

PiL, which had chart success with singles such as "Public Image" and "This Is Not a Love Song," will start its tour on December 15 in Birmingham. The band is also launching a new website (www.pilofficial.com).

"We'll see where we can go," 53-year-old Lydon told the newspaper. "Some things may be quite similar, some may not."

Lydon reunited with other members of the Sex Pistols last year for a series of gigs to mark the 30th anniversary of the band's seminal album "Never Mind The Bollocks."

But Lydon, who became a figurehead of the short-lived punk revolution in England in 1970s with his anti-establishment stance and attacks on Britain's class system and the monarchy, appears to have mellowed in recent years.

He starred in British reality TV show "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here" in 2004, has hosted a few animal documentaries, and also starred in an advertisement for butter wearing a tweed-suit.

He also has no tolerance for noisy, opinionated youngsters any more, it seems.

"Younger people at the moment are very mouthy and aggressive," Lydon told the Guardian.

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Miral Fahmy)

Why Michelle Obama's Hair Matters (Time.com)

When the First Lady attended a country-music event in July without a single strand of hair falling below her jawline, the blogosphere exploded with outbursts ranging from adoration to vitriol. Things settled down only when her deputy press secretary clarified that there had been no First Haircut. In the aftermath, a didactic post on MichelleObamaWatch.com proclaimed that anyone "familiar with the amazing versatility of black hair" would have known that the new summer look was simply "pinned up." (See pictures of Michelle Obama's hairstyles.)
Many Americans have dismissed this hair hubbub as simply more media-driven noise - like the chatter about Michelle Obama's sleeveless dresses, J. Crew cardigans, stocking-free legs or, for that matter, recent (shocking!) decision to wear shorts in the Arizona heat. But for African-American women like me, hair is something else altogether - singular in its capacity to command interest and carry cultural baggage. The obsession with Michelle's hair took hold long before Inaugural Ball gowns were imagined, private-school choices scrutinized or organic gardens harvested. It's not that she's done anything outrageous. The new updo wasn't really all that dramatic a departure from variations we've seen on her before (the "flip-out," the "flip-under," the long-ago abandoned "helmet"). Still, her hair is the catalyst for a conversation that begins with style but quickly transcends outward appearance and ultimately transcends Michelle herself - a symbol for African-American women's status in terms of beauty, acceptance and power. (See pictures of Michelle Obama's style evolution.)
The hair buzz heated up right after the Democratic National Convention. Websites dedicated to black hair posted and reposted a Philadelphia Inquirer article addressing what was presented as an urgent question: Were the silky strands that moved so gracefully with each tip of her head during her Denver speech straightened with chemicals or with heat alone? How exactly did she metamorphose what we know was once tightly coiled hair?
The choice many black women make to alter their hair's natural texture has undeniable historical and psychological underpinnings. It has been attributed to everything from a history of oppression and assimilation to media-influenced notions of beauty and simple personal aesthetics. But one thing is certain. For the many who wear straightened styles like Michelle's, the decision is deliberate, and the maintenance is significant. A stylist hypothesized in the Inquirer article about the steps taken to attain her look, and a firestorm of online comments followed, including these two:
"Chemicals, hot comb, round brush and dryer ... same effect, different methods. I could see it being a big deal or inspirational if she were natural and wore it in natural styles."
"Girl, ain't no braids, twists, afros, etc. getting into the White House just yet ... LOL."
This could have been read as a lighthearted exchange about beauty and style. But it actually reflects a serious and clamorous debate. A growing community on sites like Nappturality.com urges black women to reject curl-relaxing methods, calling them "taking the easy road" and "conforming" to white aesthetics. Meanwhile, talk-show host Tyra Banks just announced via Twitter that she will abandon her weave and don "no fake hair at all!" for her show's season premiere. Mixed in with the supportive response to the former supermodel's decision was skepticism about whether she could be attractive with what she describes as her "out and free" look.
See pictures of Michelle Obama's Jason Wu dress.
See pictures of Sasha and Malia Obama at the Inauguration.
For black women, hair has classification power (witness the connection Don Imus made between hair and sexual promiscuity when he referred to the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos"). Just as blond has implicit associations with sex appeal and smarts (or lack thereof), black-hair descriptors convey thick layers of meaning but are even more loaded. From long and straight to short and kinky - and, of course, good and bad - these terms become shorthand for desirability, worthiness and even worldview. (See pictures of Michelle Obama's fashion diplomacy.)
The notion of natural black hair as being subversive or threatening is not new. When the New Yorker set out last summer to satirize Michelle as a militant, country-hating black radical, it was no coincidence that the illustrator portrayed her with an Afro. The cartoon was calling attention to all the ridiculous pre-election fearmongering. But the stereotypes it drew from may be one reason that 56% of respondents to a poll on NaturallyCurly.com say the U.S. is not ready for a "First Lady with kinky hair."
Some black women note that Michelle's choice to wear her hair straightened affirms unfair expectations about what looks professional. On Blacksnob.com a reader empathized with Michelle's playing it safe in the White House and outlined her own approach: "Whenever I start a new job I always wear my hair straight for the first three months until I get health care. Then gradually the curly-do comes out." Another echoed the practice: "I wait about four to six months before I put the [mousse] in and wear it curly ... I have to pace myself because it usually turns into a big to-do in the office." (See the 50 best websites of 2009.)
The amount of money black women spend on hair will be explored in Chris Rock's upcoming comedic documentary Good Hair. "Their hair costs more than anything they wear," he said. Which helps explain the recent news out of Indiana University that black women often sacrifice workouts to maintain their hairstyles.
One might think having a black First Lady who is widely praised as sophisticated and stylish would represent a happy ending to the story of black female beauty and acceptance. Alas, our hair still simultaneously bonds and divides us. "There is no hair choice you can make that is simple," says Melissa Harris Lacewell, an associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton. "Any choice carries tremendous personal and political valence."
Even though I'm biracial and should theoretically have half a share of hair angst, I've sacrificed endless Saturdays to the salon. It is unfathomable that I might ever leave my apartment with my hair in its truly natural state, unmoderated by heat or products. I once broke down at the airport when my gel was confiscated for exceeding the 3-oz. limit. (See 50 essential travel tips.)
I'm neither high maintenance nor superficial: I'm a black woman. My focus on hair feels like a birthright. It is my membership in an exclusive, historical club, with privileges, responsibilities, infighting and bylaws that are rewritten every decade.
Not once when I've seen an image of our First Lady has it been lost on me that she is also a member. I don't see just an easy, bouncy do. I see the fruits of a time-consuming effort to convey a carefully calculated image. In the next-day ponytail, I see a familiar defeat.
A black family at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue signifies a shattered political barrier, but our reactions to Michelle are evidence that it takes more than an election to untangle some of the unique dilemmas black women face. Thanks to her, our issues are front and center. It feels a lot like when nonblack friends and colleagues ask those dreaded questions that force us to reflect and explain: whether we can comb through our hair, if we wash our braids or locks and the most complicated of all - why it all has to be such a big deal.

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See pictures of Michelle Obama behind the scenes.

View this article on Time.comRelated articles on Time.com:Michelle Obama's Style: What Her Fashion Statements Mean Michelle Obama and the Shorts Heard Round the World The Meaning of Michelle Obama The War Over Going Gray Michelle Obama Finds Her Role on the World Stage

Inventory Control Software

Computer software is often regarded as anything but hardware, meaning that the "hard" are the parts that are tangible while the "soft" part is the intangible objects inside the computer. Software encompasses an extremely wide array of products and technologies developed using different techniques like programming languages, scripting languages or even microcode or a FPGA state. The types of software include web pages developed by technologies like HTML, PHP, Perl, JSP, ASP.NET, XML, and desktop applications like OpenOffice, Microsoft Word developed by technologies like C, C++, Java, C#, etc. Software usually runs on an underlying software operating systems such as the Linux or Microsoft Windows. Software also includes video games and the logic systems of modern consumer devices such as automobiles, televisions, toasters, etc.

Computer software is so called to distinguish it from computer hardware, which encompasses the physical interconnections and devices required to store and execute (or run) the software. At the lowest level, software consists of a machine language specific to an individual processor. A machine language consists of groups of binary values signifying processor instructions that change the state of the computer from its preceding state. Software is an ordered sequence of instructions for changing the state of the computer hardware in a particular sequence. It is usually written in high-level programming languages that are easier and more efficient for humans to use (closer to natural language) than machine language. High-level languages are compiled or interpreted into machine language object code. Software may also be written in an assembly language, essentially, a mnemonic representation of a machine language using a natural language alphabet. Assembly language must be assembled into object code via an assembler.

Inventory Control Software

French Maid Costume

Costumes also serve as an avenue for children to explore and roleplay. Children can dress up in various forms; for example characters from history or fiction like pirates, princesses or cowboys, common jobs like nurses or police officers, or animals such as those seen in zoos or farms.

Designing a costume differs when creating for either a male or female dancer. Female dancer’s standard costume includes tights that cover the legs and hips and a leotard that covers the hips and trunk (Penrod 13). Leotards are an important basic garment in which most dance costumes are based from (Harrison 8). If the tights have a seam it is worn on the back of the legs. Women can wear underwear under their tights; however, if they do wear underwear, it must never be seen. By showing the line of their underwear on the leotard the long look of the leg is destroyed.

French Maid Costume

Rachel Alexandra draws No. 3 post for Woodward (AP)

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Rachel Alexandra has been made the 1-2 favorite against seven older males when she tries to become the first female to win the $750,000 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga Race Course.
The star 3-year-old filly will launch her attempt to make history and win her ninth consecutive race from the No. 3 post.
Among the opposition in Saturday's 1 1/8-mile Woodward are Bullsbay, winner of the Whitney Handicap; Da'Tara, winner of the 2008 Belmont Stakes; and Macho Again and Asiatic Boy, the winner and runner-up in the Stephen Foster Handicap in June at Churchill Downs.
Rachel Alexandra has beaten 3-year-old boys twice, in the Preakness Stakes and in the Haskell Invitational.

Ottawa D Smith retires, played over 1,000 games (AP)

OTTAWA – Ottawa Senators defenseman Jason Smith is retiring after more than a thousand NHL games.
The 35-year-old Smith made the announcement Wednesday in Ottawa.
In 1,008 career games with New Jersey, Toronto, Edmonton, Philadelphia and Ottawa, Smith recorded 41 goals and 128 assists with 1,099 penalty minutes. He also appear in 68 playoff games, earning 11 points.
The Calgary native captained the Oilers for five seasons and was a former Flyers captain.