GM's July sales rise 8 percent, driven by Cruze

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2010 file photo, visitors inspect the new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback during a press day of the Paris Auto Show. General Motors said Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011, its U.S. sales rose nearly 8 percent last month, led by fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cruze car. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2010 file photo, visitors inspect the new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback during a press day of the Paris Auto Show. General Motors said Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011, its U.S. sales rose nearly 8 percent last month, led by fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cruze car. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

DETROIT (AP) ? General Motors' U.S. sales rose 8 percent in July, led by fuel-efficient vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cruze. But the increase may not be the norm.

Analysts predicted only a slight rise in industry sales of new cars and trucks for July. Economic worries and a lack of discounts probably kept many buyers away, causing sales to sputter for the third straight month.

Jeff Schuster, executive director of global forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates, expects U.S. light vehicle sales to rise only 3 percent over last July, as high unemployment, low consumer confidence and shortages of some Japanese models discourage potential car buyers.

July's numbers are expected to show that auto sales are faltering a bit after weaker sales in May and a lackluster June. Sales started strong this year, but have slowed as the economy's growth sputtered and Japan's earthquake caused shortages of popular cars built by Honda and Toyota.

"We're still not back on the track of recovery yet," Schuster said. "There's definitely some weakness kind of looming out there right now."

GM, which was among the first automakers to report results Tuesday, said its sales rose because buyers went for more efficient vehicles. Analysts say even though gas prices have dropped, most people expect them to rise again.

The Detroit automaker said it sold 214,915 cars and trucks last month, including nearly 25,000 Cruzes. That could make the compact America's top-selling car for the second month in a row. Sales of the Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain small crossovers, which also get good gas mileage, rose about 80 percent. But in discouraging sign for the economy, sales of full-size pickups fell 1.8 percent. Businesses use those vehicles to haul equipment.

GM Vice President of Sales Don Johnson said many customers decided to hold off buying cars last month because wrangling over raising the government's debt ceiling added uncertainty to the economy.

Car prices also remain relatively high for buyers who have become accustomed to big summertime discounts. Schuster said a standoff could be brewing between buyers waiting for deals and automakers that are reluctant to give them.

Automakers spent an average of $2,418 per vehicle on incentives, down 15 percent from last July, according to car pricing site TrueCar.com.

Johnson predicted that discounts would rise in the second half. Japanese cars are re-entering the market as their factories come back on line. That could boost industry sales because many people are waiting for those cars. Also, sales could get a lift from people who are driving older cars and finally need to replace them.

"The underlying fundamentals are there to get back on track with that slow, steady growth that we saw earlier in the year," Johnson said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-08-02-Auto%20Sales/id-e437fcc443c24599a9fd2200956babcd

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Medication-Induced Weight Loss (ContributorNetwork)

With a family history of diabetes and a parent on dialysis, I was determined to take preventive measures to avoid such a fate. My children and I are especially at high risk for complications leading to diabetes and kidney disease. My physician warned me that within a year I may have diabetes. He strongly suggested I lose weight to be an example for my family. I weighed a good 185 pounds at the start of 2008. To motivate me he graciously handed me a 25-pound rice bag and said, "Try lose this much.". With great desire I was on my way, but one thing got in the way?lack of will power.

My doctor wanted to give me a jump start by prescribing medication?Meridia. I started off great. I lost 5 pounds in the first week . And continued on a winning track losing with pounds melting off?so I thought. The problem was eating or what the lack of eating did. I was advised to drink only water for breakfast, cut out all forms of carbohydrates as much as possible, and eat vegetables and protein for lunch and dinner. It was difficult to overeat with the medication since it curved my appetite. In fact overeating resulted in an overwhelming urge to gag accompanied by nausea throughout the rest of the day. Talk about negative feedback?it worked.

However, after weeks of restrictive caloric intake I noticed a problem with my digestive system. I couldn't move my bowels properly probably because there wasn't much food. Also, the mostly protein diet made going painful sometimes. My digestive movements were sluggish.

Another problem developed when I felt a need to take the drug to lift my mood. A feeling of pseudo elation resulted. I knew that if I just exercised my mood would get better naturally. But exercise was not emphasized and I was lazy, so I developed a dependency on the drug, moreover, the weight loss consisted mostly of muscle loss resulting in a weak and flabby body. It wasn't until I began working out more steadily that I began to feel and look stronger. Ultimately, it became clear that my body's ability to lose weight was dependent on my metabolism being fast forwarded on medication. Healthy? Short term, it seemed to be working, but in the long run problems arose.

I lost a total of 47 pounds in 4 months on Meridia. A great success on the outside, but my insides were not doing so well. After coming off Meridia my digestive system became so sluggish that I needed laxatives and I felt weak and depressed most days. I developed a dependency on the drug for strength physically and mentally. I was determined however to be drug-free. Although I took vitamin supplements it wasn't enough to get me going. Being a mother of 4, energy is a concept that's understated. After getting off the med I gained 8 to 10 pound fluctuations within the year. Friends and family who weaned off the medication faced similar problems and actually gained the weight back plus more. However, I was determined to lose and maintain my weight naturally?besides a pharmaceutical habit wasn't the example I wanted my kids to have to achieve health. So, a new direction on eating had to take place. I began researching for answers.

First, I had to deal with my eating habits to begin with. As an emotional eater I had to make new choices in how I deal with stress. I needed to limit exposure to any food that would lead me to binge on stressful days and substitute positive responses such as working out, dancing, singing, and playing with kids and our dog. Second, I needed to change my eating habits. It was clear that prolong fasting (restrictive caloric intake) wreaks havoc on the digestive system?an important immune system portal to protecting your body and keeping the flow of nutrients optimized.

The plan to eat properly and get my digestive system back in order was the new agenda. I ate when I was hungry and frequented meals in small portions. I incorporated a variety of fresh foods and ate vegan for some meals. I still carb fasted, once in a while especially when feeling a need to clean out?especially after a party or eating tons of junk?believe me there are those junk days. Third, I needed to get my metabolism moving by increasing muscle and exercising. I began strength training at least twice a week and exercising regularly for 3 to 5 days a week depending on my time. Being a busy mom I incorporated lots of play, stroller and park workouts.

My digestive system and metabolism began to heal naturally and by December 2009 (3 months after peaking at 150 pounds) I have lost 6 pounds and continue to do so. Although the weight lost was incremental (2 pounds a month or so) compared to when I was on Meridia (about 3 to 5 pounds a week), I felt healthier and stronger. I also noticed more lean muscle compared to my Meridia days.

There is no sure standard right way to losing weight quickly and permanently. Most of the time it only leads to dependency on unnatural means and only results in a temporary and superficial bandaging up to what's really going on inside. Most of the time it brings you backwards to where you started or even worse. With my experience, I needed to surrender my emotional attachment to food. A desire to surrender and begin healing inside had to come to order. I chose to take things in stride and not allow situations get the best of me. Once I determined how I was to deal with circumstances emotionally, I could focus on the physical part.

With the pandemic of obesity, diabetes and heart disease who is to say that medication induced weight loss cannot help. In desperation medication jump started me and quickly stopped my path towards diabetes. But prolong use stunted me at the same time by allowing me to be dependent on it. I had to decide to change to a different attitude towards food and a healthy lifestyle. Once I had set that foundation I was able to move towards my goal naturally and positively.

A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that moderate dietary restrictions rather than strict dietary restrictions help subjects lose and maintain weight on a long-term basis. So it doesn't hurt to have a pizza or ice cream once in a while as long as you eat in moderation and most of the time your diet includes a variety of highly nutritious foods. Preventive measures take one small step at a time. Don't wait until it's too late and drastic measures such as drug intervention seem the only way. Give yourself a chance to build a lifelong habit of health. You just don't know who you will inspire?especially if you have family.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/meds/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110802/hl_ac/5270801_medicationinduced_weight_loss

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Try Writing Online to Establish Your Writing Career ? ArticlesHelp.org

If you are skilled at writing, there has never been a better time to put that skill to good use. With the massive online business market, writing online to earn money is becoming a reality for many writers who may otherwise not have had the opportunity. The endless sources of information and abundance of online businesses provide many different ways for writers to concentrate their efforts.

In the past, writers were largely limited with only certain avenues available to have their work seen by others. Unless you worked for a large print media company, you simply didn?t have much opportunity to make a living as a writer. These days, however, with the power and global coverage of the internet, writers have more opportunity than ever to create material for websites of all kinds or to have their own work made known to the world.

There are literally millions of websites with many more being created every day. Most all of these websites rely on quality, original content to serve their purpose. Many website owners need people just like you to create quality articles, product descriptions, biographies, entertaining opinions, and so much more. If you can express your self effectively with words, then you can begin writing online to earn money part time or full time.

The hard part for many writers will be deciding where to begin and which content area to concentrate on. With the broad scope of the internet, a writer can focus on blogging, writing articles, writing for nationally known publication houses, newsletters of all kinds, an assortment of online businesses, technical writing, and even creating his or her own novel that can be easily published and promoted via social media.

If this sounds encouraging to you, you may be wondering what you can do to begin writing online to earn money as soon as possible. You can start by searching for opportunities on various bidding sites where website owners and online entrepreneurs hire people for writing projects. You decide which jobs or projects you want to bid on, which could mean taking on jobs on a part-time or full-time basis.

The beauty of writing online to earn money is that it offers great flexibility. You can work from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. It?s totally up to you to decide how much or how little you want to work. As you gain experience, you may even discover that you have a particular knack for writing for a specific market or topic. Becoming an expert writer in a particular market could even put you in position for other opportunities in the future.

Online writing is one of the most legitimate ways to earn extra money. Getting started has never been easier and the opportunities have never been more available.

Vince King makes a great living writing online and has a passion for helping others do the same. Visit his website: http://writingonlinebook.com/

Source: http://articleshelp.org/try-writing-online-to-establish-your-writing-career/

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White Worms and Pixie Cups in Colorado

A few weeks ago local lichen expert Ann Henson and I scouted out lichens on the flanks of Gray?s Peak in central Colorado. Since my last post was on the awesome power of lichens, I thought I?d share a few photos of some of our amazing locals.

Our very first lichen was probably the most spectacular: Thamnolia vermicularis, the whiteworm lichen. I wrote about this lichen about a year ago here. It really does look like a pile of writhing worms wriggling toward the light. Needless to say, I was very excited to see it.

It?s even more beautiful ? and magical ? in profile.

Here?s a Cladonia cariosa (I think) ? recall that another Cladonia species was one of the triad with prion-fighting powers ? with brown-tipped podetia (look for them in the center below), a kind of reproductive structure that elevates the spore-making surface above the layer of still air at the forest floor. It?s ril? pretty too.

Here?s another Cladonia species that makes two-story pixie cups with podetia ? sexual reproductive structures bearing colored fertile surfaces ? on top of them, in a semi-fractal fashion. The cups are like the cups of cup fungi, where the sexual spores (meiospores) are produced inside the cup. But this lichen *also* seems to have a secondary fertile structure perched atop its cups, podetia with reddish-brown tips this time.

And here it is from the side.

Up on the tundra above the forest where the previous lichens were found was a vagrant ? sometimes called a tumble lichen, which I found so cutely appropriate for a western lichen. This one goes by the unwieldy name Xanthoparmelia wyomingica (according to Ann, it was named by a person with no knowledge of English, much less how Wyoming is pronounced). It is a relative of the infamous Xanthoparmelia chlorochroa, the lichen I wrote about when I won the AAAS award for the story of the strange elk deaths in Wyoming (see here for links ? look under ?Newspapers?). Needless to say, I was thrilled to see it.

As with so many lichens, the back is a completely different color than the front ? in this case, black (the green is where the front of the lichen curls toward the back).

Finally, here are some non-lichen related bonus shots. You all have permission to be jealous now, because here is a bona fide July Colorado morel growing near treeline on July 20. Morels are delectable and much sought-after creatures of the springtime forest between late April and early May ? mid-June at the latest in Colorado sub-alpine forests. July 20 is an amazingly late date indeed.

But before you get too excited, check out the size of our mighty treeline morels. . .

This one did not find a home in my pantry, though. It has been dried is going to the Denver mycological herbarium, where it will with any luck be studied by visiting mushroom expert Michael Kuo for possible inclusion in his scholarly study of North American morels.

The plasmodial slime molds ? giant crawling amoebae ? are out in force this year, even here in Colorado. You can read more about them at my former blog here. I think this one has a lovely oatmeal color.

And just to make you even more jealous, here are some other shots I took of Colorado in July on this trip . . . here?s our state flower in full bloom, the Colorado blue columbine (with the beautiful latin name Aquilegia, in the buttercup family, the Ranunculaceae):

And here are my favorite alpine wildflowers: Old Man of the Mountain, aka, the alpine sunflower, next to the range descending from Gray?s and Torrey?s Peaks.

Hope you are having a fabulous summer (/winter) ? it?s almost half over. Happy August!

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=48d8341fe75f19e49c387069dbb0a9d0

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Man exonerated in Giants fan beating speaks out (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? The man initially identified by police as the primary suspect in the beating of a San Francisco Giants fan at Dodger Stadium, then exonerated after two other men were arrested and charged, spoke out Friday.

"More than anything, I'm upset. Not for myself, but for the grief and embarrassment that my friends, family, and loved ones have been put through," Giovanni Ramirez, 31, said in a statement released by his attorney Jose Romero.

Ramirez has been in custody since being arrested on a parole violation in May and ordered to serve 10 months in prison. At the time, Police Chief Charlie Beck identified Ramirez as the primary suspect for the beating of Bryan Stow, saying he was confident police had the right man.

Ramirez was never charged, and on Wednesday his attorneys filed court papers asking a judge to order his release.

"Everyone is asking what I am going to do next," Ramirez said in the statement. "My only focus and attention is with the writ that has been filed this week. I know the judge in the superior court will do the right thing."

The court papers claimed that Beck participated in a "rush to judgment" when he told reporters Ramirez was responsible for the attack, and that the parole board "capitulated to the political and public pressure surrounding the Dodger Stadium beating" when it concluded that Ramirez had violated parole when he was arrested in a home where a firearm was found.

The same day Ramirez was exonerated last week, Louis Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, were charged with felony mayhem and assault charges in the beating of Stow, a paramedic from Santa Cruz who remains hospitalized with brain injuries.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110730/ap_on_sp_ot/us_giants_fan_attacked

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Kazor.com World Community News ? Why have entertainment devices ...

You are here: Home // Automotive // Why have entertainment devices grown in popularity?

- (Kazor.com) -

Nowadays, entertainment devices have received more and more popularity among all the people, and in the meantime, relevant industries have also developed at a fairly high rate. However, in the earlier time, it seemed that we didn?t put so much enthusiasm into this field. What may be the reasons for the change?

First of all, the need of entertainment devices is relevant to the development of economy and technology to a great extent. In the primitive times, our ancestors were busy hunting and fighting for their existence, so they had little time for amusement. Even though they tried to make some entertainment sometimes, they usually sang and hit some instruments by themselves. With the development of economy and improvement of living standard, people have much more spare time to appreciate extra enjoyment beyond food and water. Besides, a number of electronic devices have been introduced to our life due to fast-developing technology, which enables us to entertain ourselves anytime and anywhere. For example, we had to walk to a theatre to watch anopera in the past, while we can enjoy a movie on TV at home, or even on a car DVD in any vehicle. Thanks to the development of both economy and technology, we are able to have enough time to enjoy high-tech entertainment devices.

Furthermore, we need relaxation in such a busy era. The faster transportation enables us to go anywhere in a shorter time, but brings us into a more stressful life at the same time, which lead to kinds of depression and problems. Entertainment devices play a significant role in releasing the pressure caused by our work and life. Take car DVDs for example. When you drive home after work, you can listen to your favorite music or amusing stories to get some fun. When you stop your car, you can even watch a video clip or play a video game to gain some refreshment. Thus you can maintain feelings of leisure and pleasure when you are stuck in a terrible traffic or when you face your beloved family at home. Today, most entertainment devices are suitable to be used in many occasions. For instance, headrest DVD is a kind of car DVD, but it can be used not only in different vehicles, but also in any indoor or outdoor activity, such as having a party or hiking with your friends. Therefore, in the busy life, we need to have some amusement and excitement to release and refresh ourselves with entertainment devices.

In addition, we require more convenience in the modern life. That is to say, the popularity of entertainment products, to some extent, is because the development of technology enables such devices to come with more practical functions to make our life easier. A car DVD might just serve for playing music and listening to radio, but now it has multiple functions including GPS, Bluetooth and so on. Thus you can have audio and video entertainment with the DVD player, enjoy the convenience of GPS navigation system if you get lost, using Bluetooth to make phone calls in order to avoid distractions.

It is the need of human being that causes the introduction of new products. Nowadays, we have enough spare time to enjoy extra entertainment, and need more amusement as well as convenience in our busy work and life, so we devote more energy to find ways of leisure and enjoyment. That?s why entertainment devices become more and more popular.

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Source: http://www.kazor.com/2011/07/why-have-entertainment-devices-grown-in-popularity/

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Lower Income Taxes Can Actually Increase Government Income ...

It sounds backwards to many men and women. But those with a excellent understanding of free marketplace economics have a very good grasp on this really crucial truth. Historically speaking, each and every time we?ve cut taxes in this country, we?ve normally wind up doubling, or tripling the ?expected? tax revenues.

Why does this happen? First, we need to realize exactly what earnings taxes do. As you earn your wages, a portion of that earnings is given to the government. As your wages go up, so does your tax rate. This is known as a progressive tax rate, but not specifically the concentrate point of today?s article, I will cover that in detail at a later date.

It is generally identified that taxing an activity generally outcomes in less of that activity. Case in point: Obama stated that he desires to raise taxes on these Americans making $200,000/yr or larger. So, what do the men and women creating $250,000/yr do? They uncover methods to decrease that revenue to below $200,000. Maintaining them in the lower tax bracket, and resulting in less revenue for the government.

That is an incentive to lower your personal revenue. And it is a strong one. Nevertheless, a decrease tax rate for all of us would permit men and women to maintain much more of their own funds. Then, what do you think they?ll do with it? Spend it on new toys, perhaps expand their organizations, acquire new cars, etc. And what occurs when these items take place? The men and women producing the toys experience greater demand for their toys, so they need to enhance production. Same with the vehicle manufacturers. And then? Nicely, now they are investing a lot more cash in this economic climate, creating jobs, thus getting more individuals paying taxes.

And then, tax income for the government starts to rise, since whilst men and women are paying much less percentage sensible, there are more men and women functioning, and paying taxes.

But that nevertheless leaves a difficulty. It?s still a progressive, scaled tax program. It?s not a fair tax technique at all. Oh, sure, it?s ?fair? to those who do not have to pay taxes, but that?s not specifically fair, now is it.

Right here is my ?fairness? litmus test. Will you swap what you have now, with what the other individual has, and nonetheless say it?s fair? Or, will these Americans who spend an revenue tax rate of % now, still feel it is fair when they are paying 30%, and their boss is paying %? Not most likely.

Enter, The Fair Tax Act of 2010. It?s essentially yet another attempt to pass the Fair Tax system. This fully replaces ALL payroll taxes revenue tax, social security tax, and so on, with a single tax system that taxes consumption, instead of earnings.

Implementing that tax structure would be the finest issue to happen to our economic climate considering that the steam engine.

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Source: http://democracyplc.com/personal-finance/lower-income-taxes-can-actually-increase-government-income

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