Congress takes first hard look at Sandy damage

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Congress on Thursday took its first hard look at the damage from Superstorm Sandy amid appeals for tens of billions of dollars in additional disaster assistance to rebuild from one of the most destructive storms ever to hit the Northeast.

Testifying before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, lawmakers from states incurring the most damages painted a painted a grim picture of destruction from the late October storm that left 131 people dead.

Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, one of the hardest-hit states, said more than 300,000 homes were seriously damaged from New York City to the eastern tip of Long Island alone. He said more than 20 million square feet of commercial offices are still closed.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., cited Federal Emergency Management Agency estimates that nearly 72,000 buildings were damaged in New Jersey, which was also hard hit by the storm. He said along the battered coast, storm surges destroyed neighborhoods, ruined businesses, and displaced families.

"Imagine seeing your home or small business ? which represented your dreams and aspirations ? reduced to a pile of rubble," Lautenberg said. "Imagine having to evacuate, and coming home to find nothing there. The place where you raised your children and created so many memories ? gone. This is the reality for far too many New Jerseyans."

Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., said a storm surge flooded the Passaic Valley treatment plant, shutting down the system that handles sewage from 1.5 million customers in northern New Jersey. New Jersey Transit, which has a daily ridership of nearly 1 million people, suffered flooded tunnels and crippled hubs. He said PSEG, the state's largest utility, had more than $100 million in damage to its infrastructure.

In Connecticut, Sen. Richard Blumenthal said nearly a third of at least 3,000 homes are uninhabitable.

Congress, facing tight budget constraints with the fiscal cliff budget talks, seems to be in no mood to move quickly to approve additional spending.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/congress-takes-first-hard-look-sandy-damage-200234696.html

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Easy Self Help Solutions That Really Work! - Empower Network

Self improvement, including positive thinking techniques, can really help you live a better life. This article includes some suggestions to help you begin a journey of self improvement, have you thinking differently, and improve your quality of life.

If you take care of your health you will be able to get the most out of your self improvement. Always keep a healthy routine that includes exercise, diet, and sleep in order to be successful. Although this is simple advice, it is perhaps one of the hardest things that we can master.

One great self improvement goal you can set is to practice being more selfless. It might be hard at first, but do your best to make sacrifices and help others. You will soon become the person you envision for yourself, when you have mastered the ability to personally sacrifice without harming your own well-being.

Ask yourself whether excessive drinking is a major contributing factor in your life. Do you use tobacco products or any other harmful things? Your body should be treated with the respect it deserves. Kicking your worst habits is a large part of becoming a happier and more healthy individual. Look at your life, what you are doing that may be harmful, and work on omitting things that need to be removed from your life.

It is important that you feel comfortable using the abilities that you have. Everyone has unique individual skills which is what makes our planet diverse. Don?t fret on the things you haven?t mastered yet; rather focus on the positive attributes you possess.

You need to be your highest priority since you can?t please everybody. You are essentially responsible for your happiness; however, this don?t mean you should use people to get what you want. Being sure to stay true to yourself can really enhance your path to self improvement.

Tell other people positive things. Instead, show kindness and compassion for others and you will see how much better you will feel about yourself.

Select one important part of yourself that you would like to improve, and focus on that. There may be multiple things that you would like to improve about yourself, but by limiting your focus to one item at a time, you improve your chances for success. In addition, this enables you to make slow and gradual changes to your actions, perceptions and behaviors, increasing the likelihood that these new concepts will eventually become second nature.

If you are looking to achieve success in your life, start by studying those who have already attained great success. Then, intertwine some of their habits into your own success plan. Begin by changing a few easy things, and work on them until it is second nature. Persevere in developing good habits, realizing that they come in time. Many people accept the adage that habits are engrained within you in as little as 21 days.

Try to maximize your work time and get more work done. A good method to work for long periods of time is to take frequent breaks. Taking constant breaks, while appearing counterproductive, can allow you time to relax so that you can return to work and get more done.

Slow down and count to ten in your head before you speak in anger. Take a cleansing breath and focus on something positive. Stay grounded and only say something you can live with tomorrow.

This article offers information on how you can better you personality, mental outlook and character to live a happier life. Following these simple tips can get you started on self improvement, changing yourself for the better, and living a new life.

Rob Moore
Award-Winning Author & Leadership Expert
http://TheRobMoore.com

Online Marketing Expert & Leader
http://WorkwithRobMoore.com

?Now Is Your Time To Show Up Step Out & Shine?

?

Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/therobmoore/blog/easy-self-help-solutions-that-really-work-2/

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Leveson on Brooks, Cameron ? and how News International and ...

Featured

Leveson?s light proposals were a political gift for Cameron. He didn?t take it

By Anthony Painter

Very few industries welcome new regulation. Fast food retailers aren?t vocal in screaming for a ?fat tax?. Booze manufacturers don?t want a minimum price for alcohol. Energy generators don?t generally want strong renewable obligations. When new regulations are proposed then the industry interest resorts to apocalyptic rhetoric that often refers to: (a) North Korea and China; (b) George Orwell; and/or (c) Adolf Hitler. So far, so obvious. So this week?s broad press reaction to the possibility of the creation of [...]

Read more ?

Comment Europe

The EU Budget explained

By Mary Honeyball

We are hearing a lot at the moment about the EU Budget and the wrangling?surrounding it.? I thought it would be a good time to write a blog about what the EU Budget actually is and what could happen if no agreement is reached. There are two different budgets in the European Union; one is the annual budget which sets spending levels each year.? The next, and the one causing the current controversy, is the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which [...]

Read more ?

News

NEC Report ? November 27th, 2012

By Johanna Baxter

This was the NEC?s ?away? day (though we don?t actually go away anywhere) which sets the party?s priorities for the year ahead. It was also the first meeting following the new composition of the committee so Peter Wheeler and Steve Rotherham were welcomed as newly elected members. Aims & Objectives The General Secretary gave an overview of what he was looking to achieve in the year ahead.? Whilst to date he has focused on the party?s finances, restructuring HQ, and [...]

Read more ?

Comment Featured

Of course we should give 16 year olds the vote

By Emma Burnell

There are several claims made for votes at 16 which are decidedly spurious. I don?t believe ? for example ? that giving 16 year olds the vote will increase participation. If anything, it could mean that while more people vote, a smaller percentage of the increased electorate do so. I equally don?t believe it?s fair to recite the ?no taxation without representation? argument. For a start, some 16 year olds earn (and pay income tax) and some do not, but [...]

Read more ?

News

The glamorous life of an MP

Labour?s Ben Bradshaw has been having a smelly few days? Parliamentary Authorities responded, saying: ?The engineers of the Parliamentary Estates Directorate have now identified the problem ? a broken urinal waste pipe. There has been no damage to possessions/IT equipment and there will be a clean-up.? But Bradshaw has been taking this in good spirits, using the hashtag #urinegate to discuss his plight on Twitter. It?s glamorous being an MP, eh?

Read more ?

Source: http://labourlist.org/2012/11/leveson-on-brooks-cameron-and-how-news-international-and-cameron-were-in-it-together/

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London Markets: London stocks weaken; banks, resources off

By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch

LONDON (MarketWatch) ? U.K. stocks ended a volatile session on an upbeat note on Wednesday, as rising shares of Vodafone Group PLC provided support, although banks and mining firms on the decline added pressure.

The FTSE 100 index /quotes/zigman/3173262 UK:UKX +0.06% ?inched 0.1% higher to close at 5,803.28, after swinging between small gains and losses.

/conga/story/misc/fiscal_cliff.html 237980

Shares of Vodafone /quotes/zigman/421253 UK:VOD +0.89% ? /quotes/zigman/101873/quotes/nls/vod VOD +0.98% supported the index, up 0.9%, after Fitch Ratings affirmed the wireless telecom firm?s rating at A- and said the outlook is stable. The analysts highlighted that Vodafone benefits from global scale, diverse operations, sound liquidity, and stable cash flow generation.

Also on the rise, shares of United Utilities /quotes/zigman/514680 UK:UU +2.77% ?added 2.6%, after the firm reported a rise in earnings per share for the six months ended Sept. 30 and said it?s on track to meet its regulatory targets. See: United Utilities profit up, on track for targets

Shares of BP PLC /quotes/zigman/210014 UK:BP -0.50% ? /quotes/zigman/247026/quotes/nls/bp BP -0.35% ?gave up 0.4%, after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it has temporarily suspended the oil major from new contracts with the government.

Pointing in the other direction, shares of Bunzl PLC /quotes/zigman/378681 UK:BNZL -4.00% ?dropped 4% to 10.31 pounds ($16.50), after Citigroup cut the consumer-products firm?s price target to ?11.90 from ?12.50 to reflect a new earnings forecast.

Resolution Ltd. shares /quotes/zigman/602765 UK:RSL -0.47% ?slipped 0.6%, after UBS cut the insurer to neutral from buy. The analysts said they expect the firm to miss its 2013 targets.

Cars that monitor a driver's health

Auto makers are researching technology that could feed your heart rate, blood pressure and other biometric responses into the car's computers, the better to determine when you're drowsy or overwhelmed with distracting media.

Most U.K. stocks were for most of the session weighed by comments from U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The Nevada Democrat said late Tuesday that only little progress has been made in negotiations between Democrats and Republicans to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, slated to trigger automatic spending cuts and tax hikes in the new year. See: Senate fiscal cliff bickering spooks market

Stocks, however, staged a comeback late in the day as House Speaker John Boehner, Republican from Ohio, said he was optimistic that a deal can be reached with President Obama to avoid the cliff.

Among other notable movers in London, miners posted some of the biggest losses, as metals prices headed south. See: Gold slumps on firm dollar and See: Crude oil pushes lower ahead of supply data

Mining firms decline in Wednesday?s action, as metals prices fall.

Shares of heavyweight miner BHP Billiton PLC /quotes/zigman/184879 UK:BLT -0.44% ? /quotes/zigman/270355/quotes/nls/bhp BHP +0.28% ? /quotes/zigman/180893 AU:BHP -0.58% ?dropped 0.5%, while Fresnillo PLC /quotes/zigman/510593 UK:FRES -1.46% and Rio Tinto PLC /quotes/zigman/155899 UK:RIO -1.21% /quotes/zigman/182541/quotes/nls/rio RIO -0.70% /quotes/zigman/176317 AU:RIO -1.87% ?both tripped 1.3%.

Most banks were also on the decline. Shares of Lloyds Banking Group PLC /quotes/zigman/255656/quotes/nls/lyg LYG +0.68% /quotes/zigman/126322 UK:LLOY -0.68% ??gave up 1% and Barclays PLC /quotes/zigman/301787 UK:BARC -0.49% /quotes/zigman/152323/quotes/nls/bcs BCS +0.10% ?fell 0.6%.

Shares of Smith & Nephew PLC /quotes/zigman/263642 UK:SN -0.91% ? /quotes/zigman/264745/quotes/nls/snn SNN -0.67% ?gave up 1.2%. The health care firm said it agreed to buy the assets of Healthpoint Biotherapeutics, a wound-care-treatment developer, for $782 million in cash. See: Smith & Nephew buys Healthpoint Biotherapeutics

Shares of Marks & Spencer Group PLC /quotes/zigman/298234 UK:MKS +2.16% ?added 2.2%, after the firm agreed on a 10-year funding plan with its pension trustees. See: Marks & Spencer okays plan with pension trustees

ARM Holdings PLC shares /quotes/zigman/254777 UK:ARM +1.78% ? /quotes/zigman/67211/quotes/nls/armh ARMH +1.91% added 1.9% to ?7.72 a share, as Barclays lifted the chip maker?s target price to ?8.20 from ?7.50.

?We continue to view ARM as one of the best positioned shares globally when it comes to smartphone and tablet growth,? the analysts said.

/quotes/zigman/3173262

UK : FTSE Indices

Volume: 0.00

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

/quotes/zigman/421253

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 85.31M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:24p

Market Cap

?77.16 billion

Rev. per Employee

?517,257

/quotes/zigman/101873/quotes/nls/vod

US : U.S.: Nasdaq

Volume: 7.88M

Nov. 28, 2012 1:19p

Market Cap

$124.24 billion

Rev. per Employee

$824,819

/quotes/zigman/514680

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 4.19M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Rev. per Employee

?307,084

/quotes/zigman/210014

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 57.63M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Market Cap

?82.19 billion

/quotes/zigman/247026/quotes/nls/bp

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 6.65M

Nov. 28, 2012 1:19p

Market Cap

$131.74 billion

/quotes/zigman/378681

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 1.23M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Rev. per Employee

?441,594

/quotes/zigman/602765

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 2.48M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Rev. per Employee

?996,686

/quotes/zigman/184879

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 4.37M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Market Cap

?41.05 billion

Rev. per Employee

?983,627

/quotes/zigman/270355/quotes/nls/bhp

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 1.32M

Nov. 28, 2012 1:19p

Market Cap

$114.63 billion

/quotes/zigman/180893

AU : Australia: Sydney

Volume: 5.33M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:32p

Market Cap

$109.67 billion

/quotes/zigman/510593

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 586,327

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Market Cap

?14.20 billion

Rev. per Employee

?512,014

/quotes/zigman/155899

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 3.48M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:24p

Market Cap

?42.03 billion

Rev. per Employee

?527,959

/quotes/zigman/182541/quotes/nls/rio

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 3.98M

Nov. 28, 2012 1:19p

Rev. per Employee

$836,487

/quotes/zigman/176317

AU : Australia: Sydney

Volume: 3.21M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:43p

Rev. per Employee

$821,334

/quotes/zigman/255656/quotes/nls/lyg

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 884,778

Nov. 28, 2012 1:18p

Rev. per Employee

$574,687

/quotes/zigman/126322

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 90.75M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:25p

Market Cap

?31.76 billion

Rev. per Employee

?360,302

/quotes/zigman/301787

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 32.82M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Market Cap

?29.83 billion

Rev. per Employee

?276,634

/quotes/zigman/152323/quotes/nls/bcs

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 2.66M

Nov. 28, 2012 1:19p

Rev. per Employee

$437,826

/quotes/zigman/263642

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 3.27M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Rev. per Employee

?246,078

/quotes/zigman/264745/quotes/nls/snn

US : U.S.: NYSE

Volume: 11,961

Nov. 28, 2012 1:03p

Rev. per Employee

$384,867

/quotes/zigman/298234

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 11.02M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Rev. per Employee

?122,574

/quotes/zigman/254777

UK : U.K.: London

Volume: 5.50M

Nov. 28, 2012 4:35p

Market Cap

?10.46 billion

Rev. per Employee

?260,113

/quotes/zigman/67211/quotes/nls/armh

US : U.S.: Nasdaq

Volume: 1.48M

Nov. 28, 2012 1:19p

Rev. per Employee

$412,193

Sara Sjolin is a MarketWatch reporter based in London. Follow her on Twitter @sarasjolin.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/marketwatch/financial/~3/LVgHdly2xHw/story.asp

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