AP source: Swisher, Tribe reach $56M, 4-year deal

CLEVELAND (AP) ? The Indians' pitch to bring Nick Swisher "home" worked.

Two people familiar with the negotiations said Swisher has agreed to a $56 million, four-year contract with the Indians, who used the free agent outfielder's deep Ohio connections to convince him to join the club. The people spoke on condition of anonymity Sunday because Swisher must take a physical before the deal can be finalized. The Indians are expected to announce Swisher's signing after Christmas, one of the people said.

: "Wow! What a crazy few weeks. Hey Cleveland! Are you ready? Because I'm coming home!" Swisher said on Twitter.

The 32-year-old spent the last four seasons with the New York Yankees, taking advantage of the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium. A switch-hitter, Swisher hit .272 this season with 24 homers and 93 RBIs.

Swisher will fill an outfield hole for the Indians, who traded Shin-Soo Choo to Cincinnati. Swisher will play right, with recently acquired Drew Stubbs likely taking over in center with Michael Brantley shifting from center to left field.

Swisher, who was born in Columbus and played at Ohio State, visited the Indians earlier in the week. The club used Swisher's ties with the Buckeyes to convince him to join a team that won just 68 games last season following an historic collapse in August.

During his tour of Progressive Field, Swisher watched a video presentation on the stadium's giant scoreboard that featured messages from current Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer and basketball coach Thad Matta, who urged him to sign with the Indians. Later, Swisher and his wife, actress JoAnna Garcia, had lunch with former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, who was at the school when Swisher played there.

Swisher's signing is a significant win for the Indians, who have been in the market for an outfielder throughout the offseason. During the winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn., they offered Shane Victorino a $44 million, four-year contract before he agreed to a $39 million, three-year deal with Boston.

Seattle, Texas and Boston were believed to be interested in Swisher, regarded as the second-best free agent hitter this offseason behind Josh Hamilton. The Indians have been desperate to add power and Swisher, who has hit at least 22 homers in each of the past seven seasons, will bolster the middle of new manager Terry Francona's lineup.

Swisher's value may have been damaged by several poor postseasons with the Yankees. He batted .162 in the postseason for New York with seven RBIs and 38 strikeouts in 130 at-bats.

Swisher spent four seasons with Oakland and one with the Chicago White Sox before joining the Yankees.

The Indians will lose their second-round pick in next year's amateur draft as compensation for signing Swisher, and the Yankees will get an extra selection following the first round.

It's been a busy offseason for Indians general manager Chris Antonetti, who is trying to fix a team that has lost at least 93 games in three of the past four seasons.

Antonetti fired manager Manny Acta and replaced him with Francona, the former Boston manager who has spent the past few weeks meeting with his new players. Antonetti also signed free agent first baseman Mark Reynolds and was part of a three-team, nine-player deal that sent Choo to the Reds for Stubbs and brought Cleveland prized pitching prospect Trevor Bauer from Arizona.

The signing of Swisher will take some pressure of Antonetti, who has been criticized by fans for several moves in recent years.

His agreement was first reported by the New York Daily News.

___(equals)

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-23-Indians-Swisher/id-3b5f892dbf7f43d3a1fb90de72601453

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Google Play Books Gets "Read Aloud" and Other New Features

Google Play Books got a nice update last night, with a Read Aloud feature, and pinch-to-zoom and double-tap-to-zoom. The Read Aloud feature sounds really robotic—even more than Siri or other voice command prompts—but it gets the job done. It's nowhere near as polished as something like Amazon's integration with Audible audiobooks, but it's also totally free. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/9WrkoHQ8bAE/google-play-books-gets-read-aloud-and-other-new-features

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ITC judge strikes last remaining Motorola patent claim against Apple

An administrative law judge at the International Trade Commission has ruled that Apple does not infringe the last remaining Motorola Mobility (now owned by Google) patent under investigation from a complaint filed over two years ago. It appears that an earlier Motorola patent rendered the patent-in-suit, which covers a sensor to prevent accidental touchscreen input, invalid for obviousness.

Motorola first filed its ITC complaint against Apple in October 2010, part of a preemptive strike against what Motorola saw as an impending legal battle with Apple over smartphone patents. The initial determination in April of this year by Administrative Law Judge Thomas Pender found that Apple did infringe a patent related to 3G wireless standards but not did not infringe any others, including US Patent No. 6,246,862, "Sensor controlled user interface for portable communication device." Pender had originally ruled that claim 1 of that patent was indefinite and therefore invalid.

On Motorola's request, a six-person ITC panel reviewed the initial determination over the summer. The panel reversed Pender's decision on infringement of the 3G-related patent as well as his ruling that claim 1 of the '862 patent was indefinite. The case was then remanded to reconsider the evidence concerning the '862 patent.

The remanded initial determination handed down this week found that the '862 patent was invalid due to prior art?in fact, an earlier Motorola patent that had similar claims. As noted by FOSS Patents, the prior art had not previously been considered as Pender had ruled the initial claim indefinite and therefore invalid.

Pender's initial determination may yet still be reviewed by an ITC panel before it is made final. However, given the extensive review of the case already, the ITC may decline further review and enter the judgement as final.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/12/itc-judge-strikes-last-remaining-motorola-patent-claim-against-apple/

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Afghanistan: Britain Pulling 3800 Troops by Year's End

Via AP:

Prime Minister David Cameron announced Wednesday that some 3,800 British troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of 2013. Some 5,000 will remain into 2014, Cameron told lawmakers. The announcement comes after a lengthy video call Tuesday between Cameron and U.S. President Barack Obama. . .

Hey, if the Afghan forces are deemed competent enough to stand on their own by the Brits, we should pull out too. ? Greg Pollowitz

Source: http://web2.nationalreview.com/the-feed/336029/afghanistan-britain-pulling-3800-troops-years-end

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Palm Oil Gains as Crude Oil Advances, Increasing Biofuel Appeal

Palm oil climbed to the highest level in more than two weeks as crude oil rose on concern that Middle East unrest will disrupt supplies, increasing the appeal of vegetable oils as biofuel feedstock.

The contract for February delivery advanced 1.2 percent to 2,459 ringgit ($803) a metric ton on the Malaysia Derivatives Exchange, the highest price at close for the most-active contract since Nov. 2. Futures climbed 3.5 percent last week, the first such gain since the five days ended Oct. 26.

Oil advanced for a second day in New York after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that the army is prepared to ?significantly widen the operation,? raising concern Middle East unrest will disrupt oil supplies. Israel will continue to attack Gaza and may intensify operations, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.

?The rising tension in the Middle East is pushing up crude oil prices and palm oil is having some spillover effects from this,? Ker Chung Yang, an analyst at Phillip Futures Pte, said by phone from Singapore. ?On the macro side, the sentiments have recovered quite a bit as the discussion on the deadlock of the fiscal cliff is going well.?

Asian stocks, commodities and the won advanced after U.S. President Barack Obama expressed confidence that he and Congress would reach a budget agreement needed to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, a combination of spending cuts and tax increases scheduled to take effect in January.

Indonesia, the biggest palm oil producer, may keep its export tax on crude palm oil at 9 percent in December, while the base-export price may be cut to $760 a ton, Susanto, head of marketing at the Indonesian Palm Oil Association, said.

Soybean oil for delivery in January gained 1.2 percent to 47.92 cents a pound on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soybeans for January delivery climbed 0.9 percent to $13.9525 a bushel.

Palm oil for May delivery rose 1.5 percent to end at 6,772 yuan ($1,086) a ton on the Dalian Commodity Exchange. Soybean oil for the same month gained 1 percent to close at 8,450 yuan a ton.?

Source: http://bioenergy.checkbiotech.org/news/palm_oil_gains_crude_oil_advances_increasing_biofuel_appeal

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Eczema Atopic Dermatitis Treated ? A Miracle Cure or Simply Just ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://articlepdq.com/health-fitness/eczema-atopic-dermatitis-treated-a-miracle-cure-or-simply-just-just-accidental/

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U.N. atom agency says stolen information on hacker site

VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday information stolen from one of its former servers had been posted on a hacker website and it was taking "all possible steps" to ensure its computer systems and data were protected.

The stolen information was contained in a statement by a group with an Iranian-sounding name calling for an inquiry into Israel's nuclear activities. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is investigating Iran's nuclear program.

The IAEA said the theft concerned "some contact details related to experts working" with the Vienna-based agency but it did not say who might have been behind the action.

A Western diplomat said the stolen data was not believed to include information related to confidential work carried out by the IAEA. One of the agency's tasks is preventing the spread of nuclear weapons.

The statement posted in the name of Parastoo (which in Farsi means swallow, the bird, and can also be a woman's name) included a large number of email addresses and called for the people to whom they belonged to sign a petition for an "open" IAEA investigation into Israel's Dimona reactor.

The statement dated November 25 and headlined "Parastoo Hacks IAEA" said: "Israel owns a practical nuclear arsenal, tied to a growing military body."

Israel is widely believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal but neither confirms nor denies this under a "strategic ambiguity" policy to deter Arab and Iranian foes.

The country is outside the Non-Proliferation Treaty that would require it to forswear nuclear weapons and open up its reactor in the southern desert town of Dimona.

Israel and the United States accuse Iran of seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability, a charge Tehran denies, and says the Islamic state is the main proliferation threat.

Iran and Arab states say Israel's assumed atomic arsenal threatens peace and security in the Middle East.

IAEA spokeswoman Gill Tudor said the agency "deeply regrets this publication of information stolen from an old server that was shut down some time ago".

Measures had been taken to address concern over possible vulnerability in the server, she said.

"The IAEA's technical and security teams are continuing to analyze the situation and do everything possible to help ensure that no further information is vulnerable," Tudor said.

(Refiles to clarify translation of Farsi word Parastoo, paragraph 5)

(Reporting by Fredrik Dahl; Additional reporting by Zahra Hosseinian in Zurich; Editing by Robert Woodward)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-nuclear-agency-says-hackers-stole-information-174343660.html

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It's time to fix the charitable deduction - Fortune Finance: Hedge ...

By Mina Kimes

FORTUNE -- As elected officials in Washington struggle to find common ground on the deficit, it seems inevitable that tax breaks -- which, unlike tax rates, have been targeted by both parties -- will be on the chopping block. That includes the charitable deduction, which taxpayers can claim for donations to hospitals, colleges, churches, and other nonprofits. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the tax break will cost the government $246 billion between 2010 and 2014.

The threat that lawmakers might eliminate -- or even curtail -- the charitable deduction has sent non-profits into a panic. The Charitable Giving Coalition, whose members include the United Way and the American Red Cross, recently announced plans to gather in the nation's capital on December 4th for a campaign called "Protect Giving - DC Days." The Independent Sector, a trade group for nonprofits, set up a website asking people to entreat their representatives to leave the deduction alone.

"We're seeing talk that we've never seen before, which suggests that we have a real issue here," says Diana Aviv, the head of the Independent Sector. Aviv says the tax break for donors should be protected because of its unique attributes. "The charitable deduction is not the same as other deductions," she says. "It doesn't benefit the individual."

Aviv is partially correct: the charitable tax break is different from many other tax breaks in so far as it clearly contributes to the public good. But the deduction does benefit individuals -- especially those in the upper class. According to a report by the Congressional Budget Office, taxpayers who make more than $100,000 a year took in 76% of the total charitable tax subsidy in 2006, despite contributing 57% of all donations. When wealthy people give money to charity, they reap outsized rewards.

Why the current deduction is unfair

There are several reasons the charitable deduction is unfair. First, the tax break is a deduction, which means it can only be claimed by people who itemize their tax returns. That rules out the 70% of taxpayers who don't itemize. Second, because the expenditure is structured as a deduction, people in higher tax brackets can use it to net greater savings. Say a person in the 35% tax bracket donates $1000. If he or she deducts the contribution, his or her tax bill is reduced by 35% of $1000, or $350. Meanwhile, someone with a tax rate of 20% who donates the same amount of money will only save $200. As a result, it's cheaper for wealthy people to donate money.

MORE: Wall Street isn't backing Jack Lew for Treasury

By giving the rich a bigger incentive to donate, the government is effectively granting them greater control over the country's charitable giving. The subsidy is funded by all taxpayers, but the causes favored by the wealthy do not necessarily benefit everyone. PIMCO chief Bill Gross, himself a prominent philanthropist, told the New York Timesin 2007 that he thought wealthy donors were?over-compensated for giving money to "football stadiums and concert halls."?Gross added: "I don't think the public would vote for spending tax dollars on those things."

While lower-income taxpayers give 10% of their total donations to "basic needs organizations," according to the CBO, millionaires divert just 4% to such groups, preferring to donate to the arts and education sectors.?Some of those donations are used to pay for scholarships and charitable causes that benefit society at large, but other funds go to wealthy schools in high-income areas??In those cases, the government is essentially paying the rich to donate to their own communities.

Of course, many donations do go to worthy causes, none of which deserve to be starved of funding. But there's reason to believe that the charitable sector may be overstating the threat of a reduced tax break. Take, for example, the Charitable Giving Coalition's recent letter to President Obama, who proposed a couple of years ago that taxpayer deductions be limited to a rate of 28%. The Coalition argued that "any cap or limitation on charitable deductions" would undermine giving, with "long-lasting negative consequences." The Tax Policy Center has estimated that Obama's proposal would reduce private giving by about 2%.

That figure looks even smaller when you put it in the broader context of charities' revenue. In 2010, the nonprofit sector derived just 13% of its intake from private contributions. If you exclude hospitals and higher education organizations, which make most of their money from private payments and government sources, then the proportion of funding from private contributions increases to 24%.

Because the deduction has experienced little disruption since it was created in 1917, we cannot be absolutely sure what would happen if it were eliminated or cut. But there's reason to believe the effects would be smaller than previously thought. In recent years, several economists who have studied the price elasticity of giving, which is the percentage by which donations would decrease if the cost of giving were to go up, have found that the ratio is less than -1 -- meaning that, if the price went up by 1%, the level of giving would decline by less than 1%. A 2010 report by the Congressional Research Service points out that, historically, giving has not changed very much in response to changes in tax rates.

Many wealthy taxpayers say they would continue to donate if the deduction was reduced. In response to a recent survey conducted by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, 50% of high-net-worth households said that they would give the same amount of money if the tax break were completely eliminated. "People tend to forget that some of the most significant giving in the U.S. dates back hundreds of years," says Rob Reich, an associate professor of political science at Stanford. "The Rockefellers and the Carnegies created foundations in the absence of any incentive whatsoever."

How to fix it: A floor and a credit

The charitable deduction is inequitable, costly, and inefficient. And yet, it should not be abolished altogether. For one, although economists have attempted to gauge the impact that eliminating the tax break would have on giving, the outcome is still uncertain; no one really knows what would happen (and which charities would suffer the most). Meanwhile, it's possible to reform the tax break and cut the subsidy while minimizing the impact on charitable giving.

Several politicians and think tanks have suggested that the tax break could be limited through the addition of a cap. An absolute dollar cap on deductions -- an idea promoted by Mitt Romney during his presidential campaign -- has been gaining steam. Such a proposal would effectively wipe out the charitable deduction, though,?because most people who itemize would first claim a deduction for their mortgage, which would consume most, if not all, of the allotted tax break.?President Obama's proposal for a 28% deduction cap -- described earlier -- would improve the structure of the tax break without hurting giving too badly, but it wouldn't raise very much money for the government.

MORE: Fiscal cliff: A modest proposal

A floor, which would force people to donate a certain amount of money to claim a tax break (and would exempt the money below the floor from the break, lowering the subsidy), offers a more elegant solution. The only people who would?who would donate less as a result of a floor would be those who contribute small amounts;?for others, there would be no reason to reduce giving at the margin. According to the Tax Policy Center, instituting a floor of 1.7% of adjusted gross income would raise $10-11 billion in annual revenue without affecting contributions at all. The CBO estimates that a floor of 2% of income would raise $15.7 billion while cutting donations by $3 billion.

The government could save even more money by converting the deduction into a tax credit, which would allow donors to claim a flat percentage of their donations. The CBO found that, if the charitable deduction were changed into a 25% credit with a floor of 2% of income, the government would cut the total subsidy by $11.9 billion a year, while donations would shrink by a mere $1 billion. A 15% credit would raise $24.6 billion, with donations falling by an estimated $10 billion, according to the CBO.

In the long-term, the savings would be significant. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has estimated that changing the deduction to a 15% credit with a 2% floor would save the government $340 billion over the next decade, reducing the subsidy by 60%. Donations, meanwhile, would only decline by 4.9%. (The Bowles-Simpson commission proposed a similar, if slightly more draconian, 12% credit with a 2% floor.)

In addition to saving the government money, replacing the deduction with a credit would also make the system more equitable. All people would be equally compensated for giving to charity, regardless of their tax bracket. A credit would also reward the 70% of Americans who don't itemize their taxes, which might spur additional donations.

MORE: Wells Fargo CEO: Why Americans are saving so much

Such changes would inevitably change the profile of giving in this country, or at least the composition of donations that are subsidized by the government. People who make under $100,000 a year currently allot 67% of their donations to religious organizations, according to the CBO. Expanding the tax break to lower-income citizens would inevitably skew the subsidy toward churches.

This is a bad result. Not because it would compel taxpayers to fund widespread religious donations -- though many people would surely oppose such a large subsidy -- but because it would be wasteful. Studies have shown that the price elasticity of giving for religious donations is relatively low, which means that people would be unlikely to cut their gifts in response to a lowered tax break. Indeed, many religious donors do not currently claim a deduction.

If the government is serious about saving money, then it should consider exempting religious donations from the charitable tax break. Most people give to churches because they want to, not because they get a tax break for their generosity.

A massive subsidy would be not only controversial, but uneconomical.

Source: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/27/charitable-deduction-reform/

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SHS baseball team could be at risk

SHS baseball team could be at risk

Imagine allocating tremendous effort and financial resources into fulfilling a childhood dream, only to have that opportunity taken from you. This is the situation upcoming middle-school baseball players in the Stafford High School district may find themselves in if the School Board chooses to use the current baseball field as a practice field for the football team during construction of a new Stafford High School.

The SHS baseball program has benefited from countless volunteer hours and donations from players and supporters in order to bring this field into its current exceptional shape. The only reward these volunteers ask is to watch the players display their "Indian pride" on the field.

While many players seek the chance to play at the next level, only some will experience this field of dreams, but all can benefit from the chance to play competitive high school baseball. This is especially true of the tremendous effort of the SHS Baseball Boosters to field three or four teams each year for the fall Rappahannock Baseball League.

With my youngest son in his senior year, this is my last chance to see him live out his love of the game at Stafford. While we might not be directly affected by the School Board's decision, I hope that future Stafford parents will benefit from a baseball program that helps shape their sons into young men they can take pride in, without the need to transfer to another high school.

Alice Freeman

Stafford

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Source: http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2012/112012/11282012/737084

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Legal frameworks for REDD+: a Q&A with British MP Barry Gardiner

Legislators must use their oversight responsibilities to ensure that laws on forestry are being properly enforced. Dita Alangkara/CIFOR.

DOHA, Qatar (27 November, 2012)_British parliamentarian Barry Gardiner, a passionate advocate on environmental policy, talks to Forests News about REDD+ during the 18th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP18) in Doha, Qatar.

One of the key concerns about the U.N.-backed scheme is whether developing countries will be able to implement the legal and policy frameworks needed to make it a success.?Legislators in developing and developed countries all have a significant role to play in creating these frameworks and need to use their oversight roles to ensure enough resources are directed towards the scheme, says Gardiner.

Gardiner is also UK Vice President of the Global Legislators Organisation (GLOBE International), an organisation that seeks to strengthen the role of parliamentarians in tackling major environmental challenges.

Q. From a big picture perspective, are we on the right track when it comes to putting in place legal frameworks to support REDD+?

A. We are still a long way from achieving adequate legal frameworks?but we should remember that REDD+ is a relatively new and evolving concept, as well as a complex one. What is good is that there is an increasing amount of research being carried out into potential REDD+ legal reforms and a number of new programmes have emerged that are testing these ideas with a range of key stakeholders.

Ever since REDD+ appeared on the radar, the executive branches of government have been engaged with the REDD+ agenda. There has been a focus on preparing national strategies that provide an overview of institutional frameworks, strategic programmes, implementation phases and sub-national activities. This early emphasis was critical for creating a vision and a related set of goals for achieving REDD+. However, there is a now growing shift towards integrating the key elements of these national strategies into countries? existing legal frameworks.

This is where the hard work really begins.

National REDD+ strategies have often been prepared in the confines of one ministry (or a small group), so whilst they are an important step forward, the true test of their effectiveness is whether the vision that they portray can gather broader political support (in the legislature and parliament).?All good REDD+ national strategies highlight existing laws and regulations that will need to be amended or describe legal inconsistencies that need to be fixed as part of addressing deforestation.

This requires not only technical, but political knowhow.

Considering this and based on my conversations with various legislators, I have been concerned by the lack of awareness and understanding of the potential benefits of REDD+ within the parliaments of many forested developing countries. What is even more concerning is the limited effort that has been made to engage with legislators to develop their support for REDD+. Without securing the support of influential legislators, it will be increasingly difficult to achieve the legal reform that is necessary to support REDD+.

Q. What are the essential ingredients needed in such frameworks and why are they so important?

A. As part of the GLOBE Legislators? Forest Initiative (GLFI), a team of environmental lawyers from Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Indonesia and Mexico have been carrying out comprehensive research and stakeholder engagement to explore the options for REDD+ legal reform in these four countries.

One of the recurring themes from this research is the need to clarify land, forest and carbon tenure as a legal priority for REDD+. Without clear ownership structures in place, it will be impossible to plan and distribute the risks and benefits derived from carbon sequestration activities. This task is often complicated by overlapping systems of state and customary tenure, which will require REDD+ legal frameworks to be based on comprehensive stakeholder participation in order to ensure recognition for indigenous people and forest communities? rights to carbon.

Another common legal issue that has been recognised is the existing contradictions between sectoral laws, for example forest, agricultural and mining codes. It is critical that there is greater harmonisation between the key land use sectors. This will require spatial plans to be updated at every level of government and for inconsistencies between the concession systems of competing sectoral laws to be addressed in a transparent manner.

Another major legal concern is the coordination between laws at different levels of government. Many REDD+ countries are federal states with varying degrees of decentralisation ? A legal priority for REDD+ must be to create clear institutional structures that clarify the mandates of institutions at every level of government.

Q. Which countries have made the most progress in building their legal and legislative frameworks so far??

A. Earlier this year the Mexican Congress? advanced a set of amendments to the environmental law (1988) and forest sustainable development law (2003), which harmonised the definitions of key terms, supported the development of economic instruments to promote environmental services that provide benefits to forest owners and forest land users, and included a set of REDD+ safeguards. This legislative process ? provides a valuable template that other national legislatures can follow when advancing their REDD+ laws.

Other countries are considering a new REDD+ law to create a broader legal framework. Brazil is an interesting example of this approach, where a REDD+ Law Project is under consideration by both houses of Congress. This law would create a National REDD+ System, clarify which types of activities are eligible for REDD+, establish a National REDD+ Commission to oversee implementation, and differentiate between REDD+ credits for fund- and market-based systems. With regards to carbon rights and ownership, the bill indicates that ownership of the REDD+ credits would likely follow land and forest ownership. This law project currently sits in its third and arguably most crucial Commission at the Chamber of Deputies, the Commission on Agriculture. The amendments put forward by the Rapporteur provide further clarity and protection to the rights of indigenous peoples and traditional communities with regards to tenure, benefit-sharing and the settling of disputes.

Q. What contributions do you think national legislators can make to support the effectiveness of the REDD+ process?

A. The primary way that a national legislator can support REDD+ is by playing an active role in creating a clear legal framework that supports the effective implementation of the national strategy.

Legislators must also use their oversight responsibilities to ensure that laws are being properly enforced. This is an area where GLOBE International is carrying out further research in collaboration with the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) to explore the formal mechanisms for parliamentary oversight of forest conservation and management in key REDD+ countries.

In countries where the parliament is actively engaged in determining the national budget, legislators can request that sufficient climate-related forest expenditure is allocated to support the implementation of the REDD+ strategy. Often the institutions responsible for managing countries? forest reserves have inadequate resources to effectively enforce the laws and address illegal activity; so parliamentary pressure to call for greater implementation capacity would support REDD+ goals.

Legislators have the responsibility of representing the rights of their constituents. This is of particular importance for REDD+ as it is critical that the views and concerns of forest communities are heard in national policy debates about addressing deforestation. Therefore, legislators who represent tropical forested constituencies must play an active role in both listening to the people who live in and around the forests, and championing their cause in order to ensure the REDD+ delivers pro-poor development solutions.

Finally, I must add that it is not only national legislators from forested developing countries that can support the REDD+ process. Parliamentarians from developed countries can lobby their governments to provide additional and ambitious financial commitments in exchange for verified reductions in forest emissions. While internationally funded programmes that support policy development, capacity building and strengthening ?readiness? are important, without secure, predictable and long-term finance, it is extremely challenging for a forest government to prioritize REDD+ over established, deforestation-enabled development options.

Barry Gardiner MP will be a keynote speaker at the Discussion Forum on Governance Frameworks for REDD+ at Forest Day 6, which will be held in Doha, Qatar, on the sidelines of the UNFCCC COP18 on December 2.

Source: http://blog.cifor.org/12297/legal-frameworks-for-redd-a-qa-with-british-mp-barry-gardiner/

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Nanotech 'second skin' could protect soldiers from chemical threats

5 hrs.

Devin Coldewey , NBC News

Advances in nanotech have allowed research into materials that actively detect and shut out harmful molecules, or even shed layers like real skin. It?could be a lifesaver for soldiers and emergency workers.

A soldier in the field has lots of protection: A helmet, flak jacket, armored panels and so on. But when it comes to chemical and biological warfare, that equipment is virtually useless. Gases and bacteria can penetrate or simply cling to soldier's garments and gear, wreaking havoc later despite being highly diffuse.

The risk can't be mitigated entirely, but polymer scientists at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory are working on a "second skin" made of?smart materials that would be a far more effective and sophisticated defense than we have now.

They call the fabric they're working on a "hybrid functional material," and it's made of a combination of carbon nanotubes and specially?designed nanoparticles. It's designed not just to block out unwanted agents, like poisonous gas molecules and spores, but to be normally breathable as well in less dangerous situations.

At a molecular level, the nanotubes are aligned vertically and arranged to form pores just a few nanometers wide. While ordinary air can pass through these tiny "nanopores," larger molecules and organisms like viruses simply don't fit.

There are smaller threats, however: Nerve agents and mustard gas would go right through even such tiny gaps. The nanomaterial?membrane?would be coated with "responsive functional groups," special molecules designed to respond to the presence of such deadly toxins. Activated molecules would trigger the nanopores to shut completely.

Lastly, in the case of agents that tend to stick around instead of diffusing, such as anthrax, the material will be designed to slough them?off, mimicking human skin. That way a garment exposed to infection wouldn't bring it back to, or out of, a hospital or base.

The leader of the research team is LLNL's Franceso Fornasiero, who is working closely with UMA's Kenneth Carter and James Watkins and others. They've just received a $1.8 million five-year grant to research how to manufacture these nanomaterials in bulk, and they estimate that new nano-uniforms could be in the field within 10 years.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC?News Digital. His personal website is?coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/nanotech-second-skin-could-protect-soldiers-chemical-threats-1C7291458

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Emir of Qatar visits Gaza, pledges $400 million

The Emir of Qatar has become the first head of state to visit Gaza since the Islamist group Hamas seized control five years ago. The visit reflects increasing ties between the Gulf state and the regime which is considered a terrorist group by the West.? Lindsey Hilsum Channel Four Europe reports.

By NBC News staff and wire services

Updated 4:10 p.m. ET -- DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The emir of Qatar embraced the Hamas leadership of Gaza on Tuesday with an official visit that broke the isolation of the Palestinian Islamist movement, to the dismay of Israel and rival, Western-backed Palestinian leaders.

Israel said it was "astounding" that Qatar, a U.S.-allied Gulf state whose oil and gas permit it to punch way above its diplomatic weight, would take sides in the Palestinian dispute and endorse Hamas, branded as terrorists in the West. The emir had "thrown peace under the bus," an Israeli spokesman said.

But some analysts saw a daring move, aimed at rehabilitating Hamas in Western eyes in order to coax it into the peace camp at a time of Arab Spring revolts and civil war in Syria, have been reshaping power balances across the Middle East.

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Mohammed Abed / Pool via Reuters

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh welcomes the Emir of Qatar Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, right, to Gaza at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Oct. 23.

The emir, who is rare among Arab rulers in having met senior Israeli officials, denounced Israel's policies and praised people in Gaza for standing up to it with "bare chests" -- but he also urged rival Palestinian leaders to abandon their feuds.

The emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa?al-Thani, who has led Arab efforts to support rebels in Syria and Libya during Arab Spring revolts, left Doha with a large delegation and was welcomed with a red carpet. Among those traveling with him were?his wife, Sheikh Moza, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim and other ministers, the official Qatar News Agency reported.?

Hundreds of Palestinians lined his route, waving Palestinian and Qatari flags as the emir's black Mercedes limousine bumped along the rutted main highway Qatar has promised to rebuild.

"Today we declare victory over the blockade through this historic visit," Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh told the Qatari monarch in a speech at the site of a new town to be built with the emirate's money. "Thank you emir, thank you Qatar, for this noble Arab stance. ... Hail to the blood of martyrs that brought us to this moment."

Hamas, whose suicide bombing campaign against Israel was at a peak a decade ago, rejects a peace treaty and has poured scorn on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, of the rival Fatah movement, for his efforts to negotiate his way to a Palestinian state. That peace process with Israel is stalled.

Mohammed Abed / Pool via EPA

Qatar's first lady, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, left, walks alongside the wife of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, during a welcome ceremony at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

Sheikh Hamad slammed Israeli settlement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. "The Palestinian cause ... remains a bleeding wound in the Arab body as Israel continues every day to change the face of Palestinian land through its settlement activities and Judaisation in the occupied West Bank and especially in Jerusalem," he told an audience at Gaza's Islamic University.

But he blamed some of the failure on Palestinian infighting, which had undermined "resistance." "Surely you realize that your division is the source of greater harm to your cause and the cause of all Arabs," he said. "It is time you end the chapter of differences and open a wide chapter for reconciliation."

"This visit has great political significance," said Hamas government spokesman Taher al-Nunu, according to AlJazeera.com. "[The emir] is the first Arab leader to break the political siege."

Gaza, under partial blockade by Israel and Egypt, has no airport or seaport, and the Qatari delegation is believed to have entered by land from Egypt.

Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi said he welcomed the emir's visit to Gaza, according to a late night statement from his office quoted by AlJazeera.com.

US, Israel ready for huge joint drill in Iran's shadow

This was the first visit to Gaza by any national leader since Hamas seized control of the enclave where 1.7 million people live from Abbas's forces in 2007. Israel had pulled out its troops and settlers from the territory two years earlier.

Qatar has called the visit a humanitarian gesture, to inaugurate reconstruction projects financed by the emirate. After initially earmarking $250 million for the schemes, a smiling Haniyeh announced the fund now stood at $400 million.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the United States was concerned about the "destabilizing" role of Hamas in the region.

"The Qataris have described this as a humanitarian mission," she said. "We would hope that the opportunity was taken to make clear the importance of Palestinians and Israelis talking to each other."

Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters

Hamas security forces sit between posters of senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, left, and Qatar's Emir Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, who is set to visit the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. He will be the first head of state to enter the blockaded Gaza Strip.

The visit will not include a meeting with Abbas, whose authority extends over the West Bank. The emir notified Abbas of his visit in a phone call on Sunday, according to the Jerusalem Post.

More Middle East & North African coverage on NBCNews.com

?We can?t welcome the visit of the emir and his wife to the Gaza Strip,? political analyst Adel Abdel Rahman, who is affiliated with Fatah, told the paper.??The visit does not serve the unity of the Palestinian territories, the people and the political system. On the contrary, the visit poses a threat to unity and our political system.?

Western-allied Gulf Arab states are trying to lure Hamas away from its alliance with Iran, whose nuclear energy program has raised the prospect of a war with Israel.?

Israeli forces strike Gaza targets after rocket salvo

Israel and Gaza are in a state of perpetual low-level conflict, marked by sporadic rocket attacks from Gaza by Islamic militant groups and air strikes by the Israeli forces.

Reuters contributed to this report.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/23/14636490-emir-of-qatar-visits-hamas-ruled-gaza-strip-pledges-400-million?lite

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Video: Inside Stafford's struggles

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/49526633#49526633

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The iPad mini vs. the competition: fight!

The traditional trail of inventory listings, leaked casings and internal components have teased us enough: it's finally time to get down to the nitty gritty specs, and see how Apple's latest (and daintiest) iPad shapes up to the competition. We've collected a trio of like-sized slabs to pit the device against, just for the fun of it. Read on to see how it stacks up against its peers.

For more coverage, visit our Apple Special Event hub!

Continue reading The iPad mini vs. the competition: fight!

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

The iPad mini vs. the competition: fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FREEBIES for pets: free pet safety kit, free dog or cat treats, free dog ...

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

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Source: http://www.melissasbargains.com/freebies-for-pets-free-pet-safety-kit-free-dog-or-cat-treats-free-dog-or-cat-food/

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Imperfect beings (three males needed)

roleplay/imperfect-beings/#ooc
Werewolves are not monsters from fairytales. Most lead normal lives. They can go to school, get a job, raise a family just like any other human. But there's a catch. If they don't shift frequently, they become ravenous when the full moon is out. The wolf in them comes out, more hungry and cruel then ever. ?
They wolf gene is passed down from parents- even if just one parent is a werewolf, their child will have the same fate as them. Wolves abandoning their pack and having a child with a human is very, very rare. They are usually born into a pack. Werewolves can tell if another person is a werewolf or human, even before their first change. They usually change for the first time when they are about thirteen. Packs often have scouts that find packless werewolves that don't know who they are, and befriend them so when their first change comes, they take them to the pack and they are adopted in.?

But werewolves can also be bitten. If a human is bitten by a werewolf, they will change immediately. The first change is very long and very painful, for Changlings and natural-born werewolves. It can take anywhere from four to ten hours. If another werewolf doesn't help them through their first change, they will likely die. When a werewolf bites a human and helps them through their first change, they are bound together. They can sense each others feelings, and speak to each other telepathically. Once a werewolf bites a human, they are completely responsible for the confused and overwhelmed Changling. They have a hard time controlling changing back and forth between human and wolf, and the world is now so bright it hurts their eyes, and every noise hurts their ears. Werewolves often take their Changling away from the rest of the pack until they have fully adjusted, which can take anywhere from weeks to months.?

If a human is to bear a werewolf child, it is almost guaranteed that she will not survive the pregnancy, and she definitely will not survive the birth of her child. Human skin and systems are simply too weak. This is mainly what discourages solves from having children with humans.?
There is one way for a wolf to possibly save their mate, though. If a human is bitten while they are pregnant, their chances of survival are higher. They do not shift until after their pup is born, but they still have the strength of a werewolf.?
There's a catch. It has to be the father of her child who bites her. Is another wolf bites her, there will be no difference. But if the father of her child bites her, her eyes will flash a very wolfish yellow, just for a moment and she will quickly go from weak and fragile looking to strong and healthy.

[center]
Meet the Pack

The Brighton Pack lives deep in a forest, with a large pack house. The alpha is in bad shape, after an attack from a rival pack. His own brother's pack. See, in this pack if there are two or three brothers, they fight to see who is the strongest. The winner becomes the alpha. The current alpha and his brother were never close- constantly fighting. Not brotherly scuffles, they were going for blood even we they were young.?
The current alpha won, and his brother stormed off. He bit humans, creating his own pack. He set out to have revenge on his brother.

After a particularly brutal attack, the alpha is very badly injured. He is not expected to recover. The alpha was the only one injured, but the entire pack is now very edgy and worried about what The rival pack might do next. Especially given the fact that some of the young pack members have gotten themselves involved with humans.

Characters

The wolves

They are twins. One of them will most likely be the next alpha. They are nothing like their father and his brother. They are very close, constantly teasing each other and play fighting with each other. If either one wins, the other will happily back down and support him. They are both 19.?

Oliver Brighton?

Stubborn. He is the sensible one. Well, most of the time. When he wants something, he will throw himself entirely into it. He has amazing dedication, but doesn't back down easily. He is very intelligent, and usually is very gentle but can be very forceful. ?
FC: Finn Harries (reserved)

James Brighton?

Careless. He seems not to have a care in the world. He isn't very serious, and loves to have fun and prank his siblings.??He has a a bright, cheerful soul that is very hard to hamper. When it comes to his pack and things he really cares about, he can be very serious though.?
FC: Jack Harries?OPEN

These two are Oliver and James's younger siblings. They are rather close, and somewhat protective of each other. They fight often, but overall love each other.

Annabel Brighton?

Vain. Anna has a terrible habit of being all about appearances. She hates being ignored, and can be somewhat demanding. Deep down, she is just afraid of being forgotten. She is fiercely protective of her family, and hates 'intruders'.
FC: Clair Holt (reserved)

Nathaniel Brighton?

Player. He hates staying in one place, or with one girl. He can come off a little cold, and is an expert at keeping his emotions hidden. He is really just afraid of falling in love. Surprisingly, he is actually quite affectionate. He's 17.
FC: Caspar Lee OPEN

The humans

Eleanor Whiteraven?

Hardheaded. Ella can't stand being pushed around, or forced into things. She has learned to be very independent, and get along just fine on her own. She is very free spirited, and it's difficult to get umber her skin. But once you do, she is the most caring and loyal girl you could know. -TAKEN-

Logan Nox?

Pushover. Logan is a big softie. He has a hard time telling people no. He is very shy and kindhearted, yet protective of the ones he loves.
FC: Josh Devine OPEN

Caroline Thorn

Bitter. Caroline often is quite coldhearted and uncaring. She doesn't trust people easily at all, and has a terrible habit of using people then leaving them like they are nothing. Deep down, she's really so terrified of being hurt.
FC: Candice Accola (reserved)

Relationships
Now this is where it gets. . . . complicated.?

Oliver, James, and Eleanor
Awkward. At at party they got quite drunk. Both of the boys took a liking to Ella. What happened. . . They were too drunk too remember. Eleanor moved on, thinking nothing of it until she found out she was pregnant. The worst. . . She didn't know which one the father was. The pack took her in, and the Alpha female (the twins' mother) cared for her. She is due within a week and hasn't allowed either of the twins to bite her.

Annabel and Logan
Annabel had always had a soft spot for the human. ?When thought she saw him looking at another girl, jealousy overtook her. In the heat of the moment, she bit him and brought him back to the pack house. Slowly, Logan begins to grow to care for her. (when the rp starts he's just been bitten)

Nathaniel and Caroline
At the same party that his brothers found Eleanor, Nathaniel found Caroline. He got caught up in her beauty but instead of getting her pregnant, he bit her. He quickly realized what a mistake he had made- this complete stranger was completely his responsibility. And she was not going down quietly.?The Alpha Female helps her, aswell, but overall it is his responsibility.

But, of corse, the rival pack is not going to just let them have a happy ending. The more pain they can cause, the better.

Skeleton

Code: Select all

[center][size=200][color=][font=]your character's name here[/font][/color][/size][/center]
[left][img]your character's picture here. Use the face claim, please[/img]
[img]your character's wolf picture here[/img][/left]
[center][b]Age:[/b]

[b]Role[/b]:

~~~~~~~~~~
[b]Human Form[/b]

[b]Hair color[/b]:

[b]Eye color:[/b]

[b]Skin tone[/b]:

[b]Build[/b]:

~~~~~~~~~

[b]Wolf form[/b]

[b]Coat color:[/b]

[b]Build:[/b]

[b]Scars/Marks[/b]

~~~~~~~~~

[b]Likes[/b]:
-
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[b]Dislikes[/b]:
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[b]Fears[/b]:
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[b]Habits[/b]:
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[b]Personality[/b]:

[b]History[/b]:

[b]Theme Song[/b]: [/center]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/coSX7JQ22ac/viewtopic.php

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Gadhafi's former spokesman arrested, Libya says

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) ? The Libyan government on Saturday announced the capture of Moammar Gadhafi's ex-spokesman outside a besieged town, as the oil-rich North African nation marked the anniversary of the ousted dictator's death.

The statement by the prime minister's office said Moussa Ibrahim, who became the international face of the regime in its final months, was captured as he was trying to flee Bani Walid. The town has been the site of fierce fighting between pro-government forces and fighters holed up in what was once a stronghold for Gadhafi supporters.

"He is now being transported to Tripoli so that the investigation by relevant authorities can begin," the statement from the prime minister's office said.

The statement did not say what charges Ibrahim would face, but Libyan officials in the past have suggested he might be accused of incitement and disseminating false information.

A Facebook page purporting to belong to Ibrahim denied the capture, saying it was an effort to divert attention away from the "atrocities" being committed by the Libyan forces besieging Bani Walid. The site and statement could not be independently confirmed, but hours after the announcement of his capture, Ibrahim had not been seen in public.

Violence has flared periodically over the last year in Bani Walid, the most significant town in Libya still resisting the country's new authorities since the end of the country's civil war last year.

The urbane, English-speaking Ibrahim was the most well-known former regime figure to remain unaccounted for after Gadhafi was captured and killed by rebels as his hometown of Sirte was falling on Oct. 20, 2011, following an eight-month civil war.

Gadhafi's son and heir-apparent Seif al-Islam was captured by former rebels late last year. The regime's former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi fled the country but was later captured in Mauritania and extradited to Libya. The two men had been charged by the Hague-based International Criminal Court along with Gadhafi of attacking civilian protesters in the early days of the popular uprising. The case against Gadhafi was dropped after he was killed.

Other family members also fled to other countries, but their whereabouts are largely known.

The government statement added that Ibrahim was captured at one of the checkpoints outside Bani Walid, where fighting has raged for the past four days as government forces seek to retake the town.

Fighters of the pro-government Libya Shield militia have besieged the town, some 140 kilometers (90 miles) southeast of Tripoli, for the past several weeks, blaming residents for the death of a well-known anti-Gadhafi rebel.

An official at Misrata Hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said seven Libya Shield fighters were killed in Saturday's fighting and 120 injured.

Parts of Bani Walid, a collection of settlements in a well-guarded valley, are under government control, according to Mohammed al-Zubedi, a local official allied to Tripoli.

Residents in Bani Walid say the pro-government forces, which are comprised largely of the militias that overthrew Gadhafi a year, are indiscriminately shelling the town.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gadhafis-former-spokesman-arrested-libya-says-163503814.html

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John Vespasian: Do your ethics make sense? Personal ...

From all branches of philosophy, ethics is the most practical. Values connect abstractions to decisions and morality provides guidelines to surmount difficult situations. Ethical systems are worthless if they are not aligned with reality and validated by facts.

Ethical systems can be grouped in three types

History has produced hundreds of different ethical teachings that work well in specific circumstances but fail catastrophically in other contexts. Fortunately, we can see if those philosophies pass the tests of veracity and practicality without having to examine them one by one. For the purpose of analysis, ethical systems can be grouped in three main types: the partial, the logical, and the teleological.

1. Partial or fragmentary ethics

Partial or fragmentary ethics consist of one or several precepts that are not comprehensive enough to constitute a system of thought. The vast majority of ethical convictions held by people can be classified as partial ethics.

Let me underline that moral principles enunciated in this manner are not necessarily false. Sometimes, flawless albeit incomplete guidelines are predicated; on other occasions, utter nonsense is put forward as ethical precept.

As examples of two well-meaning commandments, take for instance "protect the planet" and "help other people." Individuals who advocate such ethics usually possess good intentions, but their formulations are so fragmentary that cannot be implemented consistently.

If you want to protect the planet, you have first to define "planet." Does it involve only mountains or also animals and trees? If the concept encompasses animals, should it not include human beings as well? If plants and micro-organisms are both part of the planet, should you protect them from each other? Interesting questions, for which partial ethics cannot provide unassailable answers.

If your only ethical principle is to help other people, how do you determine which individuals you should assist with priority? If person A is expected to help person B, is person B required to help person A? What happens if B has a different opinion? Who will settle disagreements on the meaning and scope of the word "help"?

Partial ethics are unsatisfactory because they do not work in all circumstances. Principles such as those mentioned above are correct if applied in a certain context, but cannot be stretched to a full-blown system of morality. Life is too complex to navigate if you know only one thing. Man requires a thinking methodology, not just a list of unconnected precepts.

2. Logical ethical systems

Logical systems of ethics represent a major step forward in human thought. Their purpose is to create a morality that answers all questions, a method that can be applied to all events without incurring contradictions. In History, partial ethics often evolve to logical moral systems after it becomes obvious that man cannot make rational decisions on the basis of isolated precepts.

In contrast to partial ethics, logical moral systems are consistent. Their principles and guidelines are linked to each other. Their conclusions aim at universality in space and permanence in time. A well-rounded moral system should be able to guide individuals in any situation that they may encounter in their private or professional lives.

The "categorical imperative" originated by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) is the best known system of logical ethics. According to Kant, true principles of morality must be universal, non-contradictory, and recognizable by reason. Decisions and actions are considered virtuous if they can be elevated to universal rules for all men.

"Do not steal" and "do not murder" are just two specific applications of the categorical imperative. Kantian ethics do not address simply a few situations, but all alternatives of human action. Logical ethical systems do not just provide recommendations for isolated cases, but a complete thinking methodology.

Nonetheless, these morality systems suffer from an inherent weakness. They are superior to partial ethics because they are non-contradictory, but internal consistency does not guarantee usefulness. Kantian morality is an intellectual clockwork foreign to the richness of human experience; it is a cold machinery that functions without feeling, ambition, passion, or hesitation.

Categorical imperatives forbid man to attack his neighbour but they won't tell him what he needs to do to be happy. Logical systems of ethics deal with the psychological aspects of human action only to a minor extent. Kantian morality won't provide you guidelines on how to define personal goals, allocate resources, and deal effectively with adversity.

3. Teleological systems of ethics

Teleological systems of ethics are the best that philosophy has produced. On the one hand, they go beyond the isolated commandments of partial morality; on the other hand, they aim at providing a comprehensive and consistent methodology, just like logical ethics. In addition, teleological systems render morality alive by linking it to an overriding goal, namely, happiness.

The word "teleological" comes from the Greek term "telos" which means purpose or goal. Advanced systems of ethics go far beyond "do not steal" and "do not murder." They view the human condition as a complex combination of factors that need to be judged according to general values and prioritized according to individual objectives.

A teleological morality based on reason provides a frame of thought that encompasses all of man's decisions and actions. This system of ethics aims not only at keeping you out of trouble, but also at helping you make the best of your life. The list of teleological virtues includes not only honesty and justice, but also independence, ambition, and persistence.

Which is the best ethical system?

If you want to make optimal choices, you should adopt a teleological system of ethics based on reason. Other approaches to morality are workable in certain conditions, but fail to pass the tests of universality, permanence, consistency, and comprehensiveness.

For more information about rational living and personal development, I refer you to my book about how to be rational? "The 10 Principles of Rational Living"

[Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com]

[Image by kelvin.schafli under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us]

Source: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com/2012/10/do-your-ethics-make-sense-personal.html

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Relationships (Torture Circus)

It is the year 1925, in a world where Circus' use mutants as a way to make money. The world may seem bleak to a certain group of mutants, but with the help from a few humans, they all might be able to find the life they are searching for.

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Torture Circus?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

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.
Here we will discuss already established relationships between our characters before we start.

Remember, all the human leads are friends. The mutant leads all work and live with the Torture Circus, so they probably have some sort of relationship as well, with the minimum being that they know about one another and have spoken on occasion.

So feel free to come up with some suggestions and what not, we can work things out here or you guys can contact one another through PM. I'll write some suggestions myself, and not just for my character. Feel free to take what you will from what I put out there.

coricidinForte

Member for 0 years

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