Saturday, June 2, 2012

Why Fiber Concrete House Siding May Be The Best Choice For Your

Whether you are building a house from the floor up, or choosing to make upgrades to your present one, you have possibly given some thought to the kind of house siding that you?ll use. Wise homeowners are choosing to use fiber cement over vinyl siding and once and for all reason. If You?re seeking to arm your self with the information necessary to make the decision on the right form of components to use, contact siding contractors and ask them because of their best recommendations.

What Is Fiber Cement House Siding?
Fiber concrete is a very different product than vinyl. Although plastic has been used for years, some siding contractors find there?s a better Solution. Fiber cement is a very large, hardy compound that?s made out of concrete, sand and cellulose fibers. It?s gaining in popularity since it is non-combustible, decay resistant, impervious to termites and highly Resilient against minor bumps and scratches. It also features a actual wood grain think and look and can be painted quite easily. Additionally, these Resources come with a 30-year warranty, meaning homeowners may rely on their home looking ideal for a long time.

Return On Investment Is Greater With Fiber Cement
Replacing your vinyl siding with fiber concrete is one of many greatest home improvement projects entrepreneurs can perform. A current newspaper survey discovered that these resources provided owners a 78% return on the investment, while Plastic has a 69% ROI. It?s said that bathrooms and kitchens sell properties, but a kitchen remodel simply provides a 57% ROI ? which means homeowners could see more of their money-back with an exterior remodeling project over a kitchen remodel. Siding contractors can help you determine which material is a better choice for your house.

Why This Matters
Many entrepreneurs are choosing to remain in their houses with the downturned market?of the housing market However, that doesn?t mean that they?re happy in their houses. Instead of living with the things they dislike about their homes, they?re making changes. Despite the downturned industry, most homeowners aren?t planning on staying in their homes forever so they really are creating these updates with the ROI in mind. Of course these ROI amounts are only averages so homeowners should speak with a broker or do research on their local areas before finishing any jobs based on return on investment. The best thing managers can do is to complete tasks Making use of their own personal preferences in mind ? after all, if the house Doesn?t sell, the masters are the people who?ll be living there.
Choosing the right components for your home?s exterior is extremely important. Not only is this the way you?ll protect the interior of your home from snow, rain, wind and other aspects, the exterior is the first thing you?ll see everyday as you come home from work or chores. Take the time to choose the best materials for your exterior remodeling projects you?ll and have a house that may just be the envy of the total neighborhood.

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Why George Zimmerman is going back to jail

The former neighborhood watch volunteer must turn himself in within 48 hours after a judge revoked his bond Friday.

By Kyle Hightower,?Associated Press / June 1, 2012

George Zimmerman testifies from the stand during a bond hearing on second degree murder charges at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford, Florida in this file photo taken April 20.

Gary W. Green/REUTERS/File

Enlarge

A judge on Friday revoked the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with murdering Trayvon Martin and ordered him returned to jail within 48 hours, saying George?Zimmerman and his wife misled the court about how much money they had available when his bond was set at $150,000.

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Prosecutors claim Zimmerman had $135,000 available that had been raised by a website he set up. Zimmerman's wife, Shellie, testified at the bond hearing in April that they had limited funds available since she was a nursing student and Zimmerman wasn't working.

"He can't sit back and obtain the benefit of a lower bond based upon those material falsehoods," said Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester when he made his ruling.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said the fact that Zimmerman and his wife never used the money for anything indicated "there was no deceit." Since his release in late April, Zimmerman has been staying at an undisclosed location for his safety.

Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda described the Zimmermans' testimony as "misleading."

"This court was led to believe they didn't have a single penny," said De la Rionda. "It was misleading and I don't know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie."

Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder and claims self-defense. Zimmerman shot Martin in February during a confrontation at a gated community of townhouses in Sanford, Fla., where Zimmerman lived and where the 17-year-old Martin was visiting his father's fiancee.

Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Trayvon Martin's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, said his clients have always said Zimmerman should remain in jail until trial, which O'Mara said he believed wouldn't be until next year.

Crump was asked if he thought that if Zimmerman would be willing to lie about his finances that he would be willing to lie about what happen the night Martin was killed.

"We fully expect that the special prosecutor will make George?Zimmerman's credibility be front and center in this entire case," Crump said. "And whatever dishonesty that comes forth by George?Zimmerman that they can prove, you can best believe it will be the issue of this case and rightfully so."

Prosecutors also said Zimmerman had failed to surrender a second passport, but Lester dismissed that concern as the equivalent of someone who has lost a driver's license, applies for a new one and then finds the old driver's license.

The delay in an arrest for 44 days prompted protests nationwide and led to Sanford's police chief stepping aside so emotions could cool down.

At Friday's court hearing, De la Rionda and O'Mara also asked a judge to stop the public release of witness names and statements made by Zimmerman to police officers. Those documents normally are part of the public record under Florida law.

"What's occurring, unfortunately, are cases are being tried in the public sector as opposed to in the courtroom," De La Rionda said. "We are in a new age with Twitter, Facebook, and all these things I've never heard of before in my career. Everybody gets to find out intimate details about witnesses that never occurred before. Witnesses are going to be reluctant to get involved."

A consortium of more than a dozen media groups, including The Associated Press, asked the judge to ignore the request, saying such records are presumed to be publicly available under Florida law.

Rachel Fugate, an attorney for the Orlando Sentinel, cited the Casey Anthony trial as an example of a highly publicized case in which a jury was able to be seated despite intense media coverage. The Florida mother was acquitted last year of killing her 2-year-old daughter.

"Discovery in Florida has traditionally been open ... and Florida hasn't encountered problems seating juries and giving defendants fair trials," Fugate said.

O'Mara said Friday on a website that he doesn't expect the case to be ready for trial until next year.

O'Mara said he expects to call on 50 witnesses who need to be deposed before he decides whether to file a "stand your ground" motion which would ask for a hearing before a judge without a jury. At the hearing, Zimmerman would argue self-defense under the Florida law which gives wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat in a fight if people believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously injured.

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Daniel Island Real Estate to Host 100th Birthday Celebration in ...

Photo by Tom Pich (with permission from the Philip Simmons Foundation)

The Daniel Island Historical Society will honor the legacy of Master Blacksmith Philip Simmons (1912-2009) at a special event featuring renowned Gullah artist Jonathan Green on Thursday, June 7, 2012. The gathering, to be held at the Daniel Island Real Estate Sales Center from 5 to 7 p.m., will commemorate Simmons? 100th birthday. Limited edition poster prints featuring Green?s painting ?Memory Dreams? will be available for purchase at the event, both signed and unsigned.

Born on Daniel Island on June 9, 1912, Simmons is perhaps one of the island?s most revered former residents. There is a park named in his honor in the island?s downtown district featuring an original ironwork design he created especially for Daniel Island.? The central symbol in his design serves as the official Daniel Island Company logo and features a palm tree over water with scrolling adornments.

Memory Dreams, 2006 Oil on Canvas, 36? x 48? ? J. Green

The Daniel Island Historical Society, formed in March of 2011, seeks to preserve and promote the island?s rich and unique history for the benefit of the community by sharing the island?s ?story? with both visitors and residents. This event, the first fundraiser for DIHS, offers an opportunity to shine a spotlight on Simmons? important contributions to the community while raising awareness about DIHS and its mission.

?You simply cannot pass through Daniel Island?s downtown district without experiencing Mr. Simmons? artistry,?? said Beth Bush, co-founder of the Daniel Island Historical Society. ?We are thrilled to be able to honor Mr. Simmons? legacy by hosting his centennial birthday celebration. Having the esteemed Jonathan Green celebrate with us is just a fitting tribute to Mr. Simmons. We, as a community, owe a great deal to these men, who share stories of Lowcountry history through works of art that are enjoyed by people from all over the world.?

The event is being presented by Daniel Island Real Estate and Mr. Green to benefit the Daniel Island? Historical Society. The festivities will also include jazz by MKM, Music Unlimited, a ?gift? drawing, as well as wine and light appetizers.

A limited number of tickets are available and must be purchased in advance. Tickets are $10 per person and are available at Island Expressions on Daniel Island, SunTrust Bank on Daniel Island, or the Daniel Island Real Estate Sales Center.? Tickets can also be obtained by sending a check made out to the Daniel Island Historical Society, along with the desired number of tickets, to Island Expressions, c/o the Daniel Island Historical Society, 162 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 105, Daniel Island, S.C. 29492.

For additional information about this event, call (843) 670-8830.

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Friday, June 1, 2012

Gov't cracking down on unsafe bus companies

(AP) ? Twenty-six bus operations that transported more than 1,800 passengers a day along Interstate 95 between New York and Florida have been closed for safety violations in what federal officials say is the government's largest single safety crackdown of the motor coach industry in at least a decade.

Teams of officials for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, armed with legal orders declaring the bus operations imminent hazards to public safety, swooped down Wednesday on companies based in six states: Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Officials withheld details about the operation until Thursday.

The shutdown orders were aimed at the companies' headquarters and at bus pickup locations. Most of the 233 bus routes serviced by the companies either departed from or terminated in New York City's Chinatown district.

Besides the shuttered bus operations, 10 people ? company owners, managers and employees ? were ordered to stop all involvement in passenger transportation operations, including selling bus tickets, the Transportation Department said.

The shutdowns are the culmination of a yearlong investigation by the safety administration that focused on three primary companies: Apex Bus Inc. and I-95 Coach Inc., both of New York, and New Century Travel Inc. of Philadelphia. Each of the three companies oversaw a broad network of other bus companies, officials said. The other bus operations targeted in the crackdown were companies that were affiliated with one of the three primary companies but have other names.

Phone calls and emails to the three companies seeking comment were unanswered.

Safety officials have long complained that their attempts to put unsafe bus operators out of business are frequently thwarted by "reincarnated carriers" that simply reopen for business under a different name or in a different location, or that transfer their buses to an affiliated company that shares similar ownership. Buses belonging to such rogue companies are known in the industry as "ghost" buses because they are frequently painted white with relatively little decoration to make it easier to repaint them with a new company name.

The motor coach industry transports more than 700 million passengers a year in the U.S., roughly the same as the domestic airlines.

Wednesday's shutdowns applied to nine active bus companies; 13 bus companies that had lost permission to operate but were continuing to operate anyway; three companies that were in the process of applying to the government for operating authority; and a bus ticket seller.

Federal safety investigators found all of the carriers had multiple safety violations, including a pattern of using drivers who didn't have valid commercial driver's licenses and failing to administer alcohol and drug tests to drivers, according to the safety administration. The companies also operated buses that had not been regularly inspected and repaired, and their drivers were violating work schedule and rest requirements and didn't have proper qualifications, officials said.

The safety administration began investigating the network of carriers operating along I-95 following a series of deadly bus crashes last spring.

On March 12, 2011, a bus returning to Chinatown from an overnight trip to a casino in Connecticut hit a barrier in the Bronx, toppled on its side and slid into a signpole with such force that it was sheared in half from front to back. Of the 32 people on the bus, 15 were killed and the rest were injured, some severely. The driver, Ophadell Williams, has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide.

Documents released by federal accident investigators show the bus was speeding at the time of the accident and that Williams' driving privileges had been suspended 18 times over 20 years. World Wide Travel of Greater New York, the bus company, was ordered to shut down for safety violations after the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to hold a meeting Tuesday to determine the probable cause of the crash.

In May 2011, a bus traveling from Greensboro, N.C., to Chinatown veered off I-95 in Virginia, hit an embankment and overturned. Four passengers were killed and 50 were injured. The driver acknowledged falling asleep, according to court documents.

The bus operator, Sky Express Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., had been cited for 46 violations of driver fatigue rules in two years. The company was ordered to shut down after the accident, but within days it resumed business under two new names, according to the Transportation Department. That prompted a second shutdown order from the safety administration.

Several other bus companies were also ordered to shut down last summer after a comprehensive compliance review of their operations.

"The investigation of those operators uncovered additional problems and serious safety violations with other I-95 carriers, and ... investigators have been working diligently ever since to establish the links between the bus networks," the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said in a statement.

But the safety administration, which works with states to enforce safety regulation of interstate bus companies, is overburdened, an NTSB report released last fall said. There are 878 federal and state inspectors who oversee 765,000 bus companies, or an average of slightly more than one inspector for 1,000 companies, the report said.

There were 24 motor coach crashes last year, resulting in 34 fatalities and 467 injuries, according to an unofficial tally kept by Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

___

Follow Joan Lowy at http://www.Twitter.Com/ap_joan_lowy

___

Online:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: http://fmcsa.Dot.Gov

Associated Press

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3 killed, 2 wounded in Seattle shooting; gunman still at large

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A/B Tester Optimizely Raises Funding From Battery And Google Ventures, Plans Mobile Launch

optimizely logoOptimizely, the Y Combinator-incubated startup that helps companies A/B test their websites, just announced that it has raised new funding from Battery Ventures, Google Ventures, and InterWest Partners. The startup previously raised $1.2 million from angels including Ron Conway, Chris Sacca, and Ashton Kutcher, but this is its first venture round. Co-founder and CEO Dan Siroker (who was director of analytics for Obama's presidential campaign in 2008) says he isn't disclosing the amount ? which is the exact thing that a tech journalist doesn't want to hear ? because he doesn't want to get into a competition over valuation and "vanity metrics."

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Christopherson Business Travel ? Business Trip to San Antonio, TX ...

If you had mentioned ?San Antonio? to me a few years ago, the first thing that would have come to mind is the Alamo (well that, and the San Antonio Spurs).

But what I recently found while traveling there is a true San Antonio treasure known as the River Walk, which is a beautiful river that runs about two and a half miles through the middle of downtown and is surrounded by fantastic restaurants, shops, clubs, and theaters.

Lined with cobblestone and flagstone you can simply walk along the banks and enjoy the music, or sit outside at one of the many restaurants to soak in the atmosphere. I can certainly see why it has been called the American Venice.

Native America, Old Mexico, and the Wild West blend together seamlessly to create the perfect place where you can relax after a long day of business meetings.


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