Debate over wind credit enters congressional races

DENVER (AP) ? Republicans are walking a fine line when it comes to wind energy in Colorado, and it's playing out in congressional races in the debate over a tax credit that impacts hundreds of jobs.

Republicans generally don't like subsidies that favor clean energy, which they deride as government picking winners and losers. Mitt Romney opposes the tax credit, and it's not part of the GOP platform for next week's convention.

But many Colorado Republicans are joining Democrats in calling on Congress to extend a wind energy production tax credit.

That hasn't stopped Democrats from pouncing on Republicans. In the suburban Denver 7th District, home of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter's campaign is accusing Republican challenger Joe Coors of flip-flopping on his support of the credit.

The Coors campaign insists he supports the tax credit. But Perlmutter spokeswoman Leslie Oliver points to a March breakfast with Jefferson County Republicans during which Coors derides the tax benefit, and the threat of layoffs by from Denmark-based Vestas, the world's largest turbine manufacturer.

"They are waiting for the tax credit to determine whether or not they're going to lay off 184 people in Colorado," Coors said. "And the tax credit comes from where? It comes from your pocketbook and my pocketbook."

This month, the Copenhagen company announced plans to cut 90 jobs in Pueblo and 30 in Brighton, blaming the stalled action on the wind energy tax credit. The credit helps offset the cost of electricity production during a wind farm's first 10 years.

Coors spokeswoman Michelle Yi said he supports the credit, and that he learned since making the comments that the tax benefit is based on the amount of energy produced.

"He just learned more about it and the fact that it's not a subsidy," Yi said.

Vestas, which has about 1,700 employees in Colorado and 20,400 globally, said Wednesday that it will cut 7 percent of its workforce in its second round of layoffs later this year.

The tax credit is also supported by three of four of Colorado's Republican congressmen, including Rep. Scott Tipton, whose 3rd District includes Pueblo. He said in a statement last week that "it's heart-wrenching that 90 more Pueblo residents will have to go home and tell their families that they lost their jobs."

"What is most frustrating is that this could have, and should have been prevented," Tipton said.

Tipton's Democratic challenger, Sal Pace, insists Tipton should've done more, including sponsoring a separate bill. Tipton campaign manager Michael Fortney dismissed Pace's criticism.

"Tipton continues to do everything he can to create Colorado jobs and save Colorado jobs," Fortney said.

Colorado's two Democratic senators, Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, have both repeatedly pushed for renewal of the tax credit.

Udall has taken the Senate floor several times on the matter and said in a recent news release that "Congress's inaction has real-life consequences for families in Colorado and across our nation."

Despite their support, Republicans have a more nuanced position.

Republican Rep. Mike Coffman, for example, has said the wind energy credit renewal should be short term and not long term. But Coffman's Democratic challenger in the 6th District, Joe Miklosi, argues that's short-sighted.

"It doesn't recognize the significant number of jobs and economic contributions that wind and renewable energy industries bring to Colorado," said Miklosi spokesman Ryan Hobart.

Republican Rep. Cory Gardner said he supports extending the break because of economic uncertainty, but he understands why Romney and others in his party oppose it. An increasing number of Republicans, including Gardner and Coors, have talked about simplifying the tax code and doing away with unspecified tax breaks.

"It really goes to the heart of a conversation that not only Mitt Romney, but I and the Republican majority in the house want to have, and that's about tax reform," Gardner said.

___

Associated Press writer Nicholas Riccardi contributed to this report.

___

Find Ivan Moreno on Twitter: http://twitter.com/IvanJourno

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/debate-over-wind-credit-enters-congressional-races-122901965--finance.html

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MyHeritage: Cherokees and more! - MyHeritage.com - English blog

23????Aug 20121 comment

It sounds like a genealogical clich?, but Kerry Elkins? family story that they were part Cherokee Indian appears to be correct through the England family line.

Kerry, 67, lives in Redmond, Oregon with his wife Joyce and children Aaron and Amber, both college students. Born in Neodesha, Kansas, he received his biology BS and MS from Pittsburg State University (Pittsburg, Kansas).

Kerry with his wife Joyce and children Aaron and Amber

Now retired, his career has included a stint as a sonarman on the destroyer, USS Brownson, an FDA investigator, a radiation safety officer, a health officer and the owner of a computer store.

He caught the gen bug from his mother, who worked on her family?s history.

When she died, I got her notes, tons of pictures, scraps of paper and a love for genealogy. When my mother-in-law died, I got records of their history, that had been published, and I also began putting together their family tree.

So many genealogists believe they descend from native Americans ? or even Cherokee princesses ? that we tend to smile when we hear that claim. However, Kerry?s investigation shows ? that in their family at least - the rumor appears to be correct through the England family line.

He has also been able to trace his grandfather Orrin Usher?s family back to a castle in England in the 1300s.

Kerry?s grandfather, Orrin Usher

Kerry joined MyHeritage less than a year ago.

I love the ability to edit my tree at home and publish it when necessary. I have two trees, Elkins-Monroe-Usher-Stansbury and my wife?s Fulton-Pence-Braidwood-Smith.

I like the ability to import other pieces into my trees, but my favorite is the new SuperSearch which allows me to dig further into my family trees.

His brother, Rick, is a great help and the source of their mother?s research. His wife?s cousin, Anne Allen, has been of invaluable assistance with her book, photos and advice.

Additionally, a Braidwood relative, Robin Woods, is an excellent researcher and, without her, I would not have been able to assemble that complex tree.

The Elkins brothers from left: Jerry, Nick, Rick & Kerry

Kerry has about 4,000 individuals ? who live all over the U.S. - in each of his two trees.

Smart Matches have allowed me to find cousins and others in our families.

Has Kerry discovered any long-lost or previously unknown relatives?

I?ve been able to find a number of relatives, but I knew most of them. I?ve been able to contact them through the links on their Smart Matches.

When Super Search was introduced, Kerry just about wore it out.

Through SuperSearch, I was able to trace the Usher family back to England. Before that, I had been stuck at my great-grandfather on that line.

Thank you, Kerry, for sharing your story.

Did you enjoy Kerry?s story? Share your view in the comments below.

Do you have a story to tell? Contact us at stories@myheritage.com

Source: http://blog.myheritage.com/2012/08/myheritage-cherokees-and-more/

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Romney opening up _ a little _ about his religion

NEW YORK (AP) ? Mitt Romney is starting to open up a bit more about his lifelong commitment to Mormonism and his lay leadership in the church, following pleas from backers who say that talking about his faith could help him overcome his struggles to connect with voters.

"Who shares your values?" a recent Romney ad asked ? suggesting that the Republican presidential candidate was the answer. "When religious freedom is threatened, who do you want to stand with?"

The commercial was the start of a broader Romney effort to emphasize values and religion as he courts undecided voters ? in a nation where most people say they want a president with strong religious beliefs ? to compete with President Barack Obama in a race that polls show is close. Romney invited reporters to Mormon chapel services with his family last Sunday in New Hampshire. And he has asked a fellow Mormon to give an invocation before he addresses the Republican National Convention next week.

Romney is the first Mormon presidential nominee of a major political party, and highlighting his faith carries risks, given that many Americans view Mormonism skeptically.

Even so, a small group of supporters and Republicans have long said the benefits could outweigh the drawbacks. They contend that Romney, whose attempts to reach voters on a personal level often fall flat, could help people get to know him better by highlighting this core part of his life.

Michael Gerson, who was a speechwriter for President George W. Bush, wrote that Romney could "inject some authenticity? or at least some personality ? into his campaign" by talking about his faith. A recent poll by the Pew Research Center found that a majority of people who know that Romney is Mormon are comfortable with his religion or don't consider it a concern.

Philip Barlow, a Mormon historian at Utah State University who worked alongside Romney when he was bishop in Belmont, Mass., said that trying to understand Romney without Mormonism would be like "watching a football game with half the players invisible."

"It's an essential strain to know, but it's so easily caricatured, more easily than the influence of his schooling and his family," Barlow said.

Religion ? and specifically his decades of involvement in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ? has shaped every aspect of Romney's life, from his family to his decades in private business and his political career. The former Massachusetts governor is from a prominent Mormon family, has donated millions to his church and its charities, and has volunteered countless hours to the Mormon community and others.

Yet, Romney has never been comfortable talking about his faith, and he has spoken only in the broadest terms about religion. His reticence has been understandable even though he's never explained it. Americans generally know little about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and often what they do know comes from critics. Every candidate, no matter his or her faith, has to weigh just how much to talk about God.

If a candidate goes overboard, "a lot of voters who are undecided could end up staying home," said John Green, director of the University of Akron's Bliss Institute for Applied Politics. Nineteen percent of respondents who know Romney is Mormon told Pew they're uncomfortable with his faith.

So Romney is treading carefully.

In a commencement address earlier this year at Liberty University, the evangelical school founded by the Rev. Jerry Falwell, Romney referred to "people of different faiths, like yours and mine, " but he never used the word Mormon. He also never talked about Mormonism when he quoted the Apostle Paul and spoke of the "comfort of a living God" in a statement of sympathy to the victims of the Aurora, Colo., shooting rampage. The new ad, Romney's most direct pitch yet to religious voters, includes images of stained-glass windows and photos of the late Pope John Paul II. But it does not directly mention Romney's own faith.

"It seems that, by taking the nation to church with him, Governor Romney is letting his religion speak for itself through its actual practices. For Mormonism, that has always been the better way to respond to fears that it is a cult or somehow not Christian," said Kathleen Flake, a historian of American religion at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. "The complications come when we try to explain the why of how we worship."

With less than three months until the election, both Romney and Obama are facing increasing questions about their faith.

Both responded for a story published Tuesday in the Washington National Cathedral magazine, Cathedral Age.

Romney wrote that he was "lay pastor in my church" but didn't use the word Mormon or name the church anywhere in his answers. Asked to address uneasiness about his faith, Romney responded, "Every religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These should not be bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance."

Terryl Givens, a University of Richmond professor and Mormon scholar, argued that the theological specifics are less important than the "service, sacrifice and compassion" evident in Romney's church experience that can speak to his character and values. He said Romney could "speak compellingly about the real world problems of poverty, broken families, personal struggle and loss" he has witnessed as a church leader "that could bridge the gulf between his seemingly aloof and distant public persona and a person of genuine empathy and compassion."

Mormonism is both a belief system and an all-encompassing way of life that stresses hard work and volunteerism along with religious observance. Latter-day Saints commit from a few hours to 25 hours a week to serving in the church, in addition to their careers and family obligations. The 10 percent annual tithe they pay the church is only a start to what they're expected to donate.

Like most young Mormon men, Romney served for more than two years as an LDS missionary in France. Then, starting in the 1980s, he spent about 14 years as a volunteer Mormon leader in Massachusetts.

He was a bishop in the Boston suburb of Belmont, a job akin to the pastor of a congregation. He then served as a stake president, the top Mormon authority in his region, which meant he presided over several congregations in a district similar to a diocese. He counseled Latter-day Saints on their most personal concerns, regarding marriage, parenting, finances and faith. He worked with immigrant converts from Haiti, Cambodia and other countries.

But the former governor wasn't a clergy person in a way familiar to most Americans. Mormons have no fulltime paid clergy and instead are led by volunteer lay people, a distinction that Mormons have had to explain to outsiders more familiar with Roman Catholic or Protestant ministers.

His tenure as bishop was not without controversy. He held local authority at a time when Mormon women were seeking a greater church role, and he sometimes clashed with them over social issues and personal decisions about children and family. Romney's generosity to the church could also make him look too closely aligned with the institution.

Obama, for his part, has dramatically reduced his talk about faith on the campaign trail compared to the 2008 race.

In a Pew survey last month, only 49 percent of respondents could correctly identify Obama as Christian. A third of voters said they don't know his religion. Meanwhile, the percentage who wrongly think he's Muslim has increased since 2008, from 12 percent to 17 percent.

"There's not much I can do about it. I have a job to do as president and that does not involve convincing folks that my faith in Jesus is legitimate and real," Obama wrote in his answers to Cathedral Age. "What I can do is just keep on following Him, and serve others."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/romney-opening-little-religion-173412596.html

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Cravings & Weight Loss - How Can You Lose Weight

?

?Cravings? refer to intense desires or urges for a particular substance-a drug, alcohol, or a food, even in the absence of hunger. Obese prone individuals have a heightened awareness of food as compared to thin people. Hunger is that growling in the stomach when have gone long periods without eating.

The though, color, shape, and smell of certain foods often bring back stored pleasure experiences and the need for reward. Cravings cannot be avoided since this behavior may have been going on for 20 or 30 years. Control of Cravings is a major issue for many dieters.

Cravings can be very destructive when drugs and alcohol are involved. food cravings can be one of the major contributors to obesity. The causes of craving is as varied as the substance craved: nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, metabolic changes, anxiety, and depression are among the causative factors.

Who are The Crave-rs?

28% of women and 13% of men report cravings. Dieters report much higher levels of food cravings than non -dieters

Are Cravings an Addiction?

Are food crave-rs, addicts? Dr. Richard Surwit from Duke University Medical Center says ?People eat sugar because it tastes good. To call them addicts is ridiculous.? Addiction occurs when there are predictable physical symptoms after stopping the substance. This has NOT been report with sugar or any other food.

Cravings vs. Hunger vs. Low Blood Sugar vs. Emotions:

One should not confuse low blood sugar and hunger for cravings. The shaky, moody, and sleeping feelings one gets after going long periods of time without foods which quickly disappear with eating protein or carbs is low blood sugar. They are predictable and not influenced by any outside factor. The growling in our stomach is hunger. Most cravings occur when we are not hungry and are fueled by what we see, smell and even think.

Cravings and Chemistry in the Brain:

In a study published in The Lancet in February 2001, Dr. Gene-Jack Wang found that obese people had less dopamine receptors in their brains than normal weight people Wang found that the heavier the subject, the lower the number of dopamine receptors.

The Look- A- Like?s:

Low calorie -100 calorie bags of snacks and other portion controlled, foods and drinks that fool the brain into thinking it is eating the original. I call these low calorie, low carb or low fat snacks that look like the real high calorie originals the ? ?Look-a-Likes. They may be either low carb, low fat, and/or low calories, it?s the packaging that?s the key. They are made using fibers that are not absorbed and sweetened with Splenda or aspartame. They include numerous new soft drinks, some fruit juices, low carb, low calorie candy, crackers, ice cream, bread, muffins and even bagels and pizza. Fooling Our Brain:

Our brains are not very smart and can be easily ?fooled? into thinking many low calorie-low carb, portion controlled products are ?almost as good ?as the real thing. These foods can fool our brain because they have similar packaging, physical appearances, smells, oral sensations, textures, and tastes as their higher calorie originals. When eaten they go quickly into the brain and attach to the same receptors as the originals and release the same pleasure producing chemicals.

Since they have minimal effect on blood sugar, and fewer calories there are less metabolic consequences to eating them. The portion controlled bags make portion control easier.

Eating these They Do Not Increase Cravings or Hunger:

Some diet plan authors suggest that they only give the dieter license to eat more bags or they really increase cravings. Anyone who has fought with cravings knows that a portion controlled 100 calorie pack of chip or cookies does not increase anything- they provide the person trying to Lose weight at least some degree of control, imperfect as it may be.

Look-A-Likes in Drinks:

Diet sodas are the best example of using look-a-likes. Diet coke is a good substitute for

regular coke, but for some people that taste is not like regular soda. Coke Zero is even

closer to regular coke and for many people who do not like diet sodas a good choice.

The Smart Dieter:

For those overweight or obesity prone individuals who are struggling to lose weight the answer to cravings is simple: Give up trying to fight them, a bunch of carrot sticks will never satisfy someone who desires chocolate or salty chips. Let?s think about it, no one in the world cares if you have that chocolate bar or 1/2 pint of Rocky Road

at 10 PM while you are on your computer or watching TV other than you. There is not social stigmata to eating

these. Compare that with trying to smoke a cigarette even in an outdoor restaurant or drinking to much alcohol.

A lot of social pressure helps us control these urges.

What to do about cravings without driving yourself crazy:

Clean up office, house and even the car: seeing it or smelling it sets off the signal
Make sure the urge is not thirst, hunger or low blood sugar
Have some 100 calorie snack packs or other portion controlled low calorie foods around, and let them fool your brain. They really are ?almost? as good as the originals.
eat regular meals to prevent your sugar from
Give Up trying to fight cravings, in the end you will lose every time.

Richard Lipman M.D, a board certified internist and endocrinologist has been treating weight and metabolic problems for 25 years in his Miami office. His specialty is getting the whole family involved in a healthy weight loss plan. Having an overweight child or teen trying to eat different food from the rest of the family never works. His motto is, ?everyone can eat healthier, normal or overweight.?

His recent book, The 100 Calorie Secret, describes how thousands of his patients lost weight and kept it off. Whether you read his website, buy his book, or download your free copy of Dr Lipman?s Quick weight loss Guide for the Family, don?t let yourself, child or teen continue to gain weight.

Learn more weight loss and tips from a Doctor who actually takes care of metabolic problems and obesity problems. Download Your Free Guide to Quick Weight Loss for the Whole Family at Quick Weight Loss Guide,

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Lipman_M.D.

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Source: http://howcanyouloseweighttoday.com/2012/08/21/cravings-weight-loss-a-doctor-shows-you-4-secrets-to-satisfy-cravings-still-lose-weight-weight-loss-for-women-over-40/

Snoop Lion

'Expendables 2' brawls to No. 1 with $28.8M

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Sylvester Stallone and his beefy buddies have muscled their way to the top of the weekend box office.

Stallone's action hero roundup "The Expendables 2" debuted at No. 1 with $28.8 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. That's down from the $34.8 million start for "The Expendables" two years ago.

The Lionsgate sequel elbowed out another action tale as Universal's "The Bourne Legacy" fell to No. 2 in its second weekend with $17 million. That was a steep 55 percent drop from its $38.1 million opening weekend, though the movie's domestic total climbed to a solid $69.6 million.

Three other wide releases opened to modest business.

Focus Features' animated comedy "ParaNorman, about a boy leading the fight against zombies that rise from the grave, was No. 3 with $14 million.

Sony's music remake "Sparkle," featuring "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston, was No. 5 with $12 million. The update of the 1976 movie centers on three sisters who form a singing group in the late 1960s.

Disney's family fantasy "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" was No. 7 with $10.9 million. The movie stars Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton as a childless couple who become instant parents to a boy that magically appears in their lives.

The newcomers and holdovers combined to lift Hollywood's overall business. Domestic revenues totaled $139 million, up 12 percent from the same weekend last year, when "The Help" led with $20 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.

Business had been down the previous three weekends this summer, which has fallen short of the record-setting business many studio executives were predicting at the start of the season.

Since the first weekend of May, revenues total $3.9 billion, down 5 percent from last summer's, when Hollywood finished with an all-time high of $4.4 billion for the season, according to Hollywood.com.

This summer delivered huge hits such as "The Avengers" with $617.6 million domestically and "The Dark Knight Rises," which took in $11.1 million this weekend to cross the $400 million mark and edge past "The Hunger Games" to become the year's second-biggest hit.

But other releases such as "Dark Shadows," ''Battleship," ''The Watch" and "Total Recall" were duds that failed to live up to the summer's hype.

With only two weekends left in the season and no obvious hits premiering, it's unlikely that Hollywood will break last summer's record.

"We're winding down the summer and we're in the dog days of August. They're called that for a reason, because we're experiencing the typical summer slowdown, only it seems worse this year," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian.

Along with Stallone, "The Expendables 2" cast includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme.

While the sequel drew smaller crowds than the first movie, distributor Lionsgate noted that business held up better for the new one in its second day. Revenues dipped only 3 percent from Friday to Saturday compared to 11 percent for "The Expendables," according to Lionsgate.

That's a sign that more first-night fans may be talking up the sequel, which also earned better reviews than the original.

"We believe with solid word of mouth and even critical response to the film, that bodes well for the playability," said David Spitz, Lionsgate's head of distribution. "It's the old, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon."

"Sparkle" was the first movie since 1996's "The Preacher's Wife," for Houston, who died in February. The movie was produced on a small $14 million budget, so it will not be a financial burden to Sony despite its modest earnings.

A star's death often boosts audience interest, as happened with Heath Ledger and the Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight" or Michael Jackson and the hit music documentary "Michael Jackson: This Is It."

That did not hold true for "Sparkle," in which Houston had a supporting role as the stern but loving mother of the three singers.

"I don't think that was ever in the cards where there was this sudden interest in seeing the movie," Dergarabedian said. "There didn't seem to be that kind of, 'oh, it's Whitney Houston's last movie, we've got to go see it' attitude."

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Expendables 2," $28.8 million.

2. "The Bourne Legacy," $17 million.

3. "ParaNorman," $14 million.

4. "The Campaign," $13.4 million.

5. "Sparkle," $12 million.

6. "The Dark Knight Rises," $11.1 million.

7. "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," $10.9 million.

8. "Hope Springs," $9.1 million.

9. "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days," $3.9 million ($867,000 international).

10. "Total Recall," $3.5 million.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

http://www.rentrak.com

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/expendables-2-brawls-no-1-28-8m-160159510--finance.html

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Skin Care Recommendations Everyone Can Benefit From ? Articles ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]August 19, 2012 | Author: SaveryParsell287 | Posted in Health & Fitness. There have been times if you have noticed your pores and skin is actually unmanageable. The good news is that great skincare doesn't have to use most of your time ...

Source: http://www.twenty4seven365.com/2012/08/19/skin-care-recommendations-everyone-can-benefit-from/

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Watch Eagles vs Patriots NFL Football Online

Watch Eagles vs Patriots live exclusive National Football League and other football matches in our online TV. The match will start on August 20 at 08:00 pm ET . NFL fans don?t delay your time to watch this match live. Click & enjoy every football moments live broadcast on live football TV.

Match detail
Eagles vs Patriots
Date : Monday, Aug. 20 Time : 08:00 PM ET
NFL Preseason 2012,WEEK 2

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Source: http://www.mynews.in/News/watch_eagles_vs_patriots_nfl_football_online_N474942.html

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