NYT: Before a walk across Niagara Falls, a balancing act

Nik Wallenda is a seventh-generation circus performer, scion of the famed Flying Wallendas. He set the world record for farthest distance traveled by bicycle on a high wire. And now he has set his sights on a new deed of daredevilry ? walking the 1,800 feet across the gorge of Niagara Falls while balancing on a two-inch-diameter steel cable.

But before he can attempt his funambulist feat, Mr. Wallenda must persuade officials in both Canada and the United States to abandon their century-old aversion to ?stunting? as a distraction from the majesty of the falls. So for several days, Mr. Wallenda has been attempting his own form of tightrope diplomacy, shuttling across the falls and meeting with lawmakers and parks overseers in both countries as he pleads for support.

?This is a dream of mine that I?ve always wanted to do,? Mr. Wallenda, a 32-year-old father of three, said on Thursday, sitting on the pool deck of a hotel here and surveying the waterworks in the distance. ?I get chills thinking about it.?

In the United States, a long list of local politicians, eager to help the economically depressed city of Niagara Falls, N.Y., have championed his proposal: lawmakers in Albany voted this year to give permission for Mr. Wallenda?s escapade, and that measure will soon come before Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for his consideration.

?We have to keep Niagara Falls fresh,? said John Percy, who as president of the Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation is the top tourism official on the American side of the falls. ?From a destination marketer?s standpoint, we want this to happen, because it just garners worldwide attention.?

But in Canada ? where Niagara Falls, Ontario, is booming as a casino-enriched tourist metropolis that has been developed over decades ? parks officials are frowning on what they see as a falls folly, citing a 19th-century crackdown on stunt acts.

?Our vision is to have people come and be inspired by the falls, by the beauty of the natural environment,? the interim chairwoman of the Niagara Parks Commission, Janice Thomson, said in an interview. ?We don?t believe that stunting has any place in front of that natural splendor.?

Niagara Falls has a long history of attracting stuntmen, and stuntwomen, eager to taste the thrill, and the fame, of plunging over the cascade packed into wine barrels, rubber inner tubes or hot water tanks. Annie Taylor, a 63-year-old schoolteacher, pioneered the barrel plunge in 1901 and lived to tell about it. Other daredevils followed; not everyone fared as well.

But tightrope walking has an even longer history here. Jean Fran?ois Gravelet, known as the Great Blondin, crossed the gorge on a wire in 1859 and repeated his feat as a regular attraction at the falls. On occasion, Blondin would wear a sack over his head, or push a wheelbarrow, or even carry his business manager. In one variant of his act, he donned a chef?s hat and stopped above the gorge to cook an omelet for passengers on the Maid of the Mist sightseeing boat, bobbing in the waters beneath him.

But the Niagara Parks Commission, the Canadian agency that oversees the parkland adjacent to the falls, traces its creation in 1885 to the desire of local officials to reduce the ?increasingly carnival atmosphere? at the falls. Even though the mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario, is a Wallenda supporter, the Parks Commission prohibits ?stunting? at the falls, and holds that rule near and dear.

Mr. Wallenda, who wants to walk across the gorge in front of the Horseshoe Falls, met with the general manager of the Parks Commission on Thursday in a session he described as friendly and positive.

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?It was just, ?Hey, this is who I am, I?m a real person, I?m not cocky, I?m not crazy, I?m not a maniac,? ? he said. ? ?I?m a real person, I respect you 100 percent, I respect your country, I respect your laws, I?m going to abide by your laws, and together, I think we can accomplish something amazing.? ?

After the meeting, the Parks Commission released a statement saying that it invited Mr. Wallenda to submit a written proposal, which would then be reviewed ?to ensure it meets the best interests of the park.?

The commission, its statement said, ?requested the proposal address its concern over the possibility such a feat would encourage others to try and undertake possible stunting activities.?

The disagreement reflects the diverging paths of the two cities that flank the falls.

Niagara Falls, N.Y., is a shell of a city: the stucco exteriors of low-rise motels wear the stains of neglect; paint peels on old bungalows, their porches sagging; and weeds poke through the cracks of downtown sidewalks. The falls, once a default honeymoon destination, have clearly lost some of the cultural cachet from 1953, when Marilyn Monroe starred in a thriller set here, ?Niagara.?

The city, like other Rust Belt communities, has steadily decayed as factory jobs vanished. Barely 50,000 people live there today, down from 102,000 in 1960. And tourism has not been as strong as the city?s boosters wish, despite repeated efforts to promote the falls, most recently as a wedding destination for same-sex couples.

Mr. Wallenda is arguing that his tightrope walk would provide an economic stimulus for this area, with the only cost being the suspense of watching him.

?Talk to any local business owner here, far and wide ? they?ll tell you, the falls need a boost,? Mr. Wallenda said. ?It?s about bringing attention to this region, which helps the economy, which is what we?re all trying to do in this day and age.?

In June, New York State lawmakers approved a bill written specifically to allow the stunt, which the bill?s sponsors promised would give Niagara Falls ?a much-needed shot in the arm in terms of economic development.?

The legislation would require state parks officials to grant Mr. Wallenda permission to walk across the falls, but would also require him to pick up all safety costs, and would bar him from suing New York State should he be injured or die.

On Thursday, at a Niagara Falls, N.Y., souvenir shop housing a ?daredevil museum,? two visitors, Kim Walker, 50, a Pennsylvania homemaker, and Deanna Meadows, 49, who works for a lawyer in Texas, eyed some of the contraptions that had previously carried people over the falls, including a steel tank turned into a craft for two people (they lived) and a mangled Jet Ski (he did not).

They offered a fatalistic endorsement of Mr. Wallenda. ?If he falls, it?s not going to ruin the falls,? Ms. Meadows said. ?I mean, it?s not going to mess them up. It?s going to mess him up.?

Mark DiFrancesco, 51, who runs the souvenir shop with his brother, said it was about time for another high-wire act.

?It just gets everybody excited again,? he said. ?No matter how you look at it, whether you like it or you don?t like it, it is part of the history of Niagara Falls.?

This story, ?Before a Walk Across Niagara Falls, a Balancing Act,? originally appeared in the New York Times.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44034706/ns/travel-destination_travel/

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Spokesmen: Islamist militia leaving Somali capital (AP)

MOGADISHU, Somalia ? Islamist fighters who officials feared would attack famine victims pulled out of many of their bases in the Somali capital overnight, government and rebel spokesmen said Saturday. The extent of the withdrawal and what it may mean for the relief effort was not immediately clear.

Somalia is suffering its worst famine in 60 years, and more than 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died in the last 90 days in the country's south alone, according to U.S. estimates. Fighters allied with an al-Qaida-linked militant group have blocked many aid organizations from the south and have complicated efforts to help those in Mogadishu.

"The information we are receiving is that there is a retreat from the city. This is a golden victory for the Somali people and we are committed to ensure that peace and order is restored to those areas," said government spokesman Abdirahman Omar Osman.

However, al-Shabab spokesman Ali Mohamed Rage told a local radio station that the retreat was a tactical withdrawal and that there will be no pullout from southern Somalia, the area hardest hit by the famine.

"The retreat by our forces is only aiming to counterattack the enemy. People will hear happy news in the coming hours," Rage said. "We shall fight the enemy wherever they are."

Residents reported al-Shabab militia leaving their positions overnight but it was not clear if they had left the city. Since it was born from the ruins of another radical Islamist group in 2007, al-Shabab has never abandoned Mogadishu entirely.

Mohammed Ali said he saw about 150 al-Shabab fighters leaving the northwest part of the capital. He said they may have left town due to a lack of finances and disagreements between top leaders, explaining that he had an insight into the militia because "our brothers are that side."

Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, a spokesman for the 9,000 African Union peacekeeping forces in Mogadishu, said they are verifying the withdrawal reports.

Sodio Omar Hassan, who was seeking treatment for her child's malaria at a hospital set up by African Union peacekeepers, said people are angry at al-Shabab's response to the relief effort.

She said militia groups declined to grant the U.N. permission to distribute maize and cooking oil in a territory it controls.

"People are angry now they are dying," she said. "They (al-Shabab) don't bring us anything."

More than 12 million people in the Horn of Africa are in need of immediate food aid but the crisis has been exacerbated by al-Shabab's unwillingness to allow many aid organizations into the areas it controls, saying it is better to starve than accept help from Western countries. The U.N. says 640,000 children are acutely malnourished in Somalia, where the U.N. has declared five famine zones, including the refugee camps of Mogadishu.

Somalis who have fled the famine zones and reached Mogadishu told The Associated Press that militants are threatening refugees who leave the south and often stopping ? and sometimes killing ? the men, leading to a disproportionate number of women and children at camps for displaced people in the capital.

Somalia has been mired in war and anarchy for two decades, and piracy flourishes off its coastline. In a sign of how desperate the famine has become, many Somalis have fled from rural areas to Mogadishu, a war zone where AU peacekeepers battle the al-Shabab militants daily.

___

How to help: http://www.interaction.org/crisis-list/interaction-members-respond-drought-crisis-horn-africa

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110806/ap_on_re_af/af_somalia

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The Treatment for Eczema That is Right For You | Health and ...

Eczema is the most troublesome skin conditions that an individual can develop. The itching, the burning, the redness, the tenderness and the intense dryness ensure it is very annoying. This condition is evident by an irritation which can cover most of the body and it?ll spread very quickly if it isn?t controlled. But, there are many things that an individual can do manage eczema and even get rid of it entirely.

The main thing to remember is that eczema is not hazardous. For the majority of the people it is simply a simple annoyance that can be cared for with ease. But in some situations it gets to the point where the itching and burning may be difficult to relieve without the proper treatment. In other cases, the skin will get so dry and break open that you begin to bleed.

The treatment for eczema varies to a great extent based on who you speak with. The medical community does not even have one specific process they employ to relieve this condition and continue to try new things all the time in hopes of finding something that will work for the entire population.

This is precisely why individuals have began to make changes to the natural side of the curative process. Through the world of herbs and other treatments you will be able to discover the treatment for eczema which will grant the relief that you?ve been looking for.

It is important to take note of that this is in direct contrast to what the doctors of the world will tell you. Nearly all of them take a very dim view of the natural world and will let you know that the majority of the natural cures available on the market will do little for the treatment of the eczema. The truth is, they do not want to recommend something which will take away business from them. After all, in case you continue sick, you?ll continue to return and the physician will keep charging you the consultation costs.

Although, there are some doctors who have come around to the fact that drug corporations do not hold the market on treatments and that naturally occurring substances can and will help a lot of people which are trying to find help. These doctors will often times suggest holistic alternatives offering some hope at relieving or curing your skin condition.

The best treatment for eczema is the one that works and if nature is where you find it then the outcome is all that matters.

Source: http://insanesexybodies.com/blog/the-treatment-for-eczema-that-is-right-for-you

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Another study shows breast cancer kills more black women | My ...

One thing I've learned on this journey with breast cancer is that disease can be a great equalizer in many aspects. Breast cancer strikes men and women, old and young, rich and poor. It doesn't leave anyone out. However, how it strikes and how hard it strikes can be?more devastating to particular communities and in ways that are difficult to explain.

I won't stop blogging about my journey with breast cancer because women like me are diagnosed every day with this disease. We may not be affected as often as older, white women... but we are definitely affected. My hope is that my blog and my efforts to speak out about this disease and my experiences with it will reach each woman who sees me and sees herself as well. In some areas of the breast cancer community, I often feel like the odd step-sister. I feel that way because when it comes to incidences of breast cancer, women like myself (diagnosed under 45, African-American) represent a small piece of the story. Yet, we're most likely to die from the disease. In 2011, an estimated 26,000 black women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and about 6,000 black women will die from this disease. Compare that with over 230,000 cases of breast cancer overall and 39,000 deaths overall. We are affected and though we are a small percentage of overall cases, this disease does take a huge toll on our community.

It pains my heart to learn this.

I?went through WEEKS of radiation therapy. I was subjected to 5 treatments per week for 7 and a half weeks. That is a long damn time. Radiation therapy is unpleasant. Well, the actual treatment isn't that bad. It only takes a few moments to be zapped with the light and then you're done. What makes it unpleasant is that the treatment has a cumulative effect. Each week is worse than the week before. And by the end of the treatment, your skin and your body are still suffering from the effects of the treatment weeks later. It sucks your energy, leaving you lethargic and fatigued... it burns your skin. And I don't mean burn like a mild sunburn... I mean burn, as in charred like a hot dog on a hot grill. It makes you puffy and swollen. It hurts. Its ugly. Its super painful and its scary. But to learn that all of that pain and torture,?doesn't actually reduce my likelihood to die from this disease just makes me sad.

I went through radiation therapy in 2009. It is now 2011 and I still have scarring from my radiation treatment that hasn't gone away. I am starting to believe that I may always have this discolored patch of skin on my chest and on my neck. Just another battle scar I suppose.? Another bit of evidence that I made it through.

I can only pray and hope that scientists and researchers are still looking for ways to cure this disease. And while they are searching for a cure, hopefully they will continue to discover ways to make the treatment more tolerable.

Source: http://fabulous-boobies.blogspot.com/2011/08/another-study-shows-breast-cancer-kills.html

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Education for Human Development

Those who are anxious in the human services professions do well to earn some "training of human development. The basic education in human development is to a variety of career options and colleges in areas such as career counseling, student affairs, counseling or support , consulting, personnel and other services and health-related areas leading man.

Courses in the field will focus on a range of biological,psychological and sociological aspects in connection with the development of children, adolescents, adults and families. A good education in human development prepares graduates for a wide range of human services professions in mental health facilities, youth centers, facilities for the elderly, community centers and other organizations and institutions concerned. A formal education is of crucial importance to the field.

At the professional level, is training to extensive studies. ManClasses of the developing situation of anthropology, the word effectively, aging biology, physiology, sociology, adult development and aging, health, healthy lifestyle, nutrition, infant, child and adolescent development, family studies and people with disabilities ? such as Several related electives.

Professional courses up to a degree, such as lead an Associate of Science (AS) or a Bachelor of Science (AS); credits can be transferred to a graduateDegree as a prerequisite for a Masters (MS) or PhD. Advanced studies can lead to a career in family therapy, professional counseling or health education. While the results are varied, depending on the degree of training and experience, the prospects in this field are very versatile and productive. What are you doing with your education?

If you are interested in this diverse area, contact professional schools, colleges and universities offer on our websiteTraining in human development [http://www.schoolsgalore.com/categories/2/human_development_schools.html].

DISCLAIMER: Above is an overview and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and / or services with a particular school (s), or is not brought to our side in combination.
Copyright 2008 ? All rights reserved Media Positive Communications, Inc.

Notice: Publishers are free to use, this article on a website or ezine, provided that the articlereprinted in its entirety, including copyright and disclaimer, and all links remain intact and active.

Source: http://education-biology.chailit.com/education-for-human-development.html

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Business Investing: The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service

The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer (and Employee) Experience

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The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer (and Employee) Experience

List Price: $24.95

Your Price: $12.85- The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer (and Employee) Experience

From the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller?

Customer service isn?t a department?it?s a philosophy that includes every person and aspect of the best and brightest companies. In a tough, competitive, and price-sensitive economy, customer service is one of the most essential tools to separate your business from the competition. In this sequel to the bestseller The Cult of the Customer, Shep Hyken delivers seven powerful strategies that any organization can implement to create greater customer and employee loyalty:

  • Membership: What if you treated the people you serve like members instead of customers?
  • Serious FUN: What if your employees felt a sense of fulfillment and enjoyment that made them loyal to you and your customers?
  • Partnership: What if your customers thought of you as a partner rather than just another vendor?
  • Hiring: What if you could implement innovative hiring processes to support your customer-service mission?
  • The After-Experience: What if you could create a memorable, positive experience after someone did business with you?
  • Community: What if you could create a community of evangelists?loyal customers who brag about you to their friends and associates?
  • Walking the Walk: What if every person in your company didn?t just deliver, but lived and breathed your vision for amazing customer service?

Hyken shares more than one hundred insightful examples from fifty role-model companies that prove these strategies can and should be implemented immediately?by any organization, large or small.
Corporate and industry clients from all over the world have tapped into the simple and direct strategies of Shep Hyken. Now you can use his advice to build a successful, customer-focused organization and start your own Amazement Revolution!

#11 New York Times Bestseller

#3 Wall Street Journal Bestseller

#1 USA Today Bestseller

Your Price: $12.85 ? The Amazement Revolution: Seven Customer Service Strategies to Create an Amazing Customer (and Employee) Experience

Tags: ABIS_BOOK, Book

Source: http://businessinvesting.internetbusinessbest.com/2011/08/03/business-investing-the-amazement-revolution-seven-customer-service-strategies-to-create-an-amazing-customer-and-employee-experience/

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Children in Long Term Placements promotion

Separation from family is one of the most disturbing events that can occur in a child's life. Research has found that children who can suffer the trauma of abuse and neglect be personally affected by the process of detention.

The research also indicates that the promotion has the best resources for children with placement opportunities in the short and long term, when children are in a position with their families.

If a child is able toReturn to the care of their family of origin, but the assumption is not appropriate for the child to foster long-term placements for care must be found for them.

As the term implies "long term", maintaining long-term foster care for a child, usually for a period longer than a short-term companion, often through the independence that is 18 years old.

Children who need long-term funding are likely to be olderChildren, usually not less than 7 years, older children can benefit from compliance in regular contact with their brothers, sisters, parents and wider family.

The children in the long run, can remain in their foster father internships placements until they leave home to live independently. However, it is possible that changes occur, and the decision can be made ??for the child to the custody earlier than expected return.

In the long term promotion allows childrenand adolescents in a foster family where they can feel safe and experience a stable family environment, while maintaining contact with family of origin, as that is right for them to live.

A significant number of children who need long-term support, are juvenile boys and girls. Most of these children had difficulties at home. They come from a variety of ethnic groups, including unaccompanied minors, need help and supportAdaptation to life in a new country.

It is asking foster placements, where children and young people can feel safe and begin a new life. Funding agencies for foster parents who foster a stable home in the long run, and a lot of support and encouragement to these children can feel safe and secure looking beaten. Young people are good, when faced with a foster home in the same language, religion and madeCulture.

Although many parents of foster children from time to time, select such as relaxation or short-term foster parents carefully, there is a national shortage of foster families, which may be available full time as a long-term carers and carers are foster families are placing more available will increase support offered .

Successful placements

The long-term success comes from thorough training leaveMatch a child with her ??foster family and the ongoing training and support for family caregivers.

The success of the educational expectations of young people depends on the level of the reference person for the understanding of identity, child development and the needs to promote the young upcoming independence.

Encourage all agencies are trying to foster families for older children for both short-and long-term recruiting placements.

Foster families who open uptheir homes to these children the right to the bottom of independence is currently being sought across the UK.

Source: http://home-adoption-foster-care.chailit.com/children-in-long-term-placements-promotion.html

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Boost your business productivity with Postini by Netkiller | Press ...

New Netkiller Health Check-Up introduced for Postini.

San Jose, CA, Friday ? August 05, 2011 ? Netkiller announced today that all Postini ( http://www.netkiller.com/postini ) purchases made through Netkiller will include the Netkiller Health Check-Up.? The Netkiller Health Check-Up ensures that all Postini services are running smoothly and reaching their full potential for customers.? Postini, owned by Google, is a security and archiving service for email and web networks.? Operating in the Google cloud, Postini ensures email networks are secure and compliant around-the-clock, without expensive hardware or infrastructure.

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By purchasing Postini through Netkiller, customers receive professional setup and care while avoiding the $1,500 minimum required from Google.? For just a $100 setup fee, Netkiller provides expert Postini deployment services, complete setup instructions, and the Netkiller Health Check-Up to ensure email flows are running smoothly and effectively.

The following services are included when purchasing Postini through Netkiller:
1. All-in-one Setup: Netkiller provides a complete Postini setup process laid out for the customer to follow and understand fully.
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Core competencies in several key industry sectors: Google Enterprise Solutions; Google Apps, Google Earth&Maps, Google Postini, Google Search Appliance Sales Cloud Solution; Salesforce.com CRM Service Cloud Solution; IT Asset Management and IT Service Management Service NETKILLER is a Google Enterprise Business Partner, Salesforce.com Partner (Consulting / ISV / Force.com) and Google Apps Authorized Reseller. NETKILLER currently has over 20,000 company accounts including banks, research institutions, government agencies, universities and multinational corporations worldwide.

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Source: http://your-story.org/boost-your-business-productivity-with-postini-by-netkiller-258525/

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