Print Media Financial Crisis - What is the Net Affect on the Quality and Integrity of News Reporting

The print media is under serious strain financially, as more and more people are getting their information on the web and in doing so they are spending more time there. This means advertisers are not getting the same bang for their buck and they too are migrating to the web to advertise. This is good news for Google's stock, which is well over 0 now, will continue to do well.

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The bad news is that newspapers will have to cut costs. This means laying off people, consolidating and for some even bankruptcy. Perhaps you have already noticed the changes; the news is shallow, uneventful, filler and AP stuff. This is because fewer reporters are available and that means less first hand knowledge. Many newspapers are re-printing articles from the web, giving us second or third hand news or regurgitating old stuff.

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They say you can only believe half of what you read in the newspapers, now one has to wonder if the integrity will drop below 40% along with the obvious continual deterioration of the quality of news. How bad is the net hammering on the newspaper and print media. We see many trade journals have quit business along with many popular magazines. Even TV advertising has dropped although political election seasons do tend to give them a little breathing room.

For the first time our citizens are spending more time on the Internet than on TV and it is obvious that they rely on the net to get their information and this is having a huge affect on the print media. "More major newspapers are under the gun, and on the brink of financial ruin" stated one Online Think Tank. Sincerely, Lance.

Print Media Financial Crisis - What is the Net Affect on the Quality and Integrity of News Reporting

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Installation Of Waterproofing Decking and Deck Coating Systems

Below is a detailed and systematic installation process that will help protect your deck, exterior floors, walkways and stairs from the hardest rains year after year. This deck coating process offers superior protection and has been tried, tested and proven. Process: 2.5 galvanized metal lath, polymer modified concrete, fiberglass and bonder 480, slurry deck coating, anti-slip grip protection texture, and specialized floor paint sealer. Every one of the layers is purposely designed to shield water and strengthen decks from bubbling cracking, and long-term sun damage. Decks in South Orange County are important to seal correctly and thoroughly because of our hot and arid summers and our heavy rainstorms in the winter. Here is an in depth description of the procedure we use when resurfacing your deck.

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1. Galvanized Metal Lathing(2.5 lbs per square yard)

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Once a thorough inspection of the deck and surrounding structure is complete, the metal lath is secured to the wood sub floor using 24 galvanized 16 gauge staples per square foot.

2. First coat of Polymer modified concrete

Next comes the polymer modified concrete. This is spread evenly across the metal lath creating the ideal foundation layer for your Orange County deck. After the polymer-modified concrete has completely dried you can proceed.

3. Fiberglass and Bonder 480

Now we apply ¾ oz. cloth fiberglass on top of the polymer-modified concrete. Fiberglass is cut carefully to make sure it fit around drains, railings and posts. Bonder 480 is generously applied onto the fiberglass soaking and bonding directly to the first layer of polymer-modified concrete. This is a crucial step to keep out water.

4. Second coat of Polymer modified concrete

Once the bonder has bonded and dried another layer of polymer based concrete to give your deck double the strength and flexibility. This extra step is to make certain your deck will not crack.

5. Finish Texture Coat

Once the second coat of polymer modified concrete is dry, your choice of anti-slip grip texture finish is applied. This texture keeps its grip in even the highest foot traffic areas.

6. Specialized Paint Sealer

The finishing layer for deck coatings in Orange County, is 2 coats of specialized paint sealer. This is applied on top of the texture coat with your choice of 16 different colors, making sure your newly resurfaced deck matches your home or commercial building.

This deck waterproofing process is also perfect for balcony and rooftop decks near the beach. This deck coating process is widely used throughout Orange County including: Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Newport Coast, San Clemente, and Huntington beach.

Prestige Deck Coating.

Installation Of Waterproofing Decking and Deck Coating Systems

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Future of Online News Portals

No one thought that internet which began in the early 1990's would have such a bright future that it will eventually hold such a powerful impact on our lives. Internet which is basically a global system of interconnected networks was made to serve billions of people worldwide irrespective of cast; creed or religion has today replaced many standard conventions of our daily lives. There is no surprise to the fact that most of the traditional media has also been reshaped.

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For instance newspaper publishing has been remodeled to Web Sites, blogging and web feeds. When it all started, people were skeptical about the very whole idea of internet let alone forget about the news being remodeled. But as of now there are over a hundred million websites with billions of web pages. People are continuously switching to online media for news and entertainment related content, the reason being that nobody wants to pay for a thing that he/she can get foe free easily. As a result there is a constant slump (including some real big players of the industry) in the sales of the print editions of newspapers.

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The online news sites often bring content that belongs to a particular geographical area but no one is complaining. For instance online gateways like India Report present select content from India. This kind of coverage gives the necessary focus which is required for such news related purposes and choice to people. The promise is reflected in the entertainment and sports section of these sites where the videos too are from local milieu keeping in mind the interests and preferences of people.

This kind of strategy of Online News Portals has a good chance of succeeding in near future with newspapers and the television media still lagging behind the online media. There will always be blogs and web feeds to supplement a newspaper or a news channel. Moreover news related content is available to the user as it happens, so no delay in reporting makes it a user friendly platform. Apart from serving news to the local public such portals are also reviving the interest of young generation in news and politics.

They continuously engage their audience by the means of polls, attracting attention with blogs and have an eye-catching photo gallery. As for entertainment these portals offer the content to the user at their convenience and in a crystal clear format with excellent sound quality making user experience an exciting one. The print and the electronic media have their task cut out. The online media have time going for them and there is no stopping them in near future also.

Future of Online News Portals

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New Jersey's Foreclosure News Has A Silver Lining - Sort Of

It has been difficult to put a positive spin on the foreclosure crisis gripping this country, but the news out of New Jersey gives the impression that although all is not well at least the bleeding has slowed down somewhat.

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According to RealtyTrac, last month 215 homes were foreclosed on, representing a 25% increase from June and a 65% increase from July of last year, which is a small number when compared to the previous month and against the same period last year. The president of one New Jersey real estate research firm has said while the increase appears large; the number of homes foreclosed on is still quite small when compared against the total number.

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The major factor contributing to the problem remains the same as it is across the country. Homeowners who purchased or refinanced mortgages using adjustable rate loans just a couple years ago are now going through the reset periods on those loans. They are seeing their interest rates climb which in turn increases their mortgage payments. Many of these borrowers are in the sub-prime category putting them at higher risk to default on their home loan as they typically had moderate credit to begin with. For those homeowners already treading the edge of the financial abyss this was the nudge they needed to complete their fall.

All is not gloom and doom as there may be relief on the horizon as the state government has recognized the need, and urgency, to offer assistance to any New Jersey homeowner facing foreclosure. There has been call for a consumer hotline to be established. Homeowners facing foreclosure could call in for advice and counseling. A recent search has revealed this suggestion has not been put into motion.

As the sub-prime lending market continues its collapse across the nation residents of New Jersey are still faced with the possibility of losing their homes through foreclosure with seemingly little in the way of outside help available now or in the near future. Until the housing collapse slows down, or the government steps in with some timely aid or assistance there is little more a homeowner trying to stop foreclosure in New Jersey can do except to wait it out and hope for the best, or do the smart thing and find help to stop foreclosure.

New Jersey's Foreclosure News Has A Silver Lining - Sort Of

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Advice on Breaking Bad News to Clients

One of the toughest parts of anyone's job is being the bearer of bad news. We don't live in a perfect world and not every business transaction turns out the way we expect it to. In my business, there are about 300 ways a transaction can go wrong and about 50 of them we either have no control over or have no visibility of. This is particularly true in complex transactions where there are many dynamics involved in reaching the finish line.

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Unfortunately, somewhere along the path to the finish line, you may encounter and obstacle a delay or even a deal killer. So, the billion dollar question is: how do you most effectively and professionally break this news to the client while still maintaining the highest degree of professionalism while preserving your reputation? The answer is to effectively manage your client's expectations from the very beginning. You can do this by giving them a few company mantras they can always count on, no matter what happens.

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In my company, it is our policy to tell the client from the very beginning, "Mr. Client, we like your project and would only accept it if we thought we had a very high probability of funding your project. I can't promise you that it will happen. But, what I can promise you is this: we will always tell you the truth, the good truth or the bad truth....just don't shoot the messenger!" We then pause, and can almost hear a sigh of relief. In the past they've likely had an experience where they were in the dark for a long period of time, only to find out their project was denied.

You see, this is what everyone wants. They just want the truth in real time, and they want you to have the courage to deliver it. We further explain that if there is a problem, we want to get them involved immediately, because they may have some insight into solving the problem. This seals the bond in the relationship between you and your client. Another thing to tell them up front is that if you have no news to share, you won't contact them. And, not to misconstrue this as negligence, it's just the most effective way for you to run your business.

Again, it goes back to managing expectations in the beginning. If there is a delay, tell them immediately. And always go back to your mantra when you have to break some bad news: "Mr. Client, I promised to always tell you the good truth and the bad truth as soon as I get it. Today, I have a bad truth to share with you and I need your help in getting this issue resolved." Try it and you'll be surprised. As always, honesty-timely honesty- is always the best policy.

Advice on Breaking Bad News to Clients

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Casual KEEN Shoes - Some Examples

Fans of KEEN footwear often don't even know that they sell several different styles of casual shoes. In this article I will describe some of the more popular casual shoe styles that KEEN sells. I will also give some examples of the kinds of things consumers generally say about them.

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One of the neatest shoes that KEEN makes is called the Presidio. This shoe was created for people who do a lot of walking, such as people living in cities. They are known for being very comfy, and they also are capable of lasting a very long time without wearing down. The comfort and support that the Presidios provide make them the ideal shoes for moving around a lot, or even just relaxing in your house. The leather that makes up the Presidios is made to be very waterproof also, which can be priceless on a rainy day.

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A casual shoe made by KEEN that women often buy is called the Harvest Mary Jane. The Harvest Mary Janes are very unique looking with their single strap design and colorful exterior. The Harvest Mary Janes are largely composed of recycled rice bags, and many women love the fact that this means each pair is slightly unique from the next. Reviewers say that even though this shoe style looks thin, it is nicely padded and supportive. One thing some girls don't like about these shoes is the straps can become a little uncomfortable. However this usually only occurs after wearing them for very long periods of time.

KEEN sells several other types of casual shoes, and other types of footwear besides the two mentioned above. After many people own a pair of KEEN shoes, they say that they end up buying many more, and would never buy any other brand again. For this reason it may be a good idea to at least try on a pair to see if you like them.

Casual KEEN Shoes - Some Examples

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Outsourcing Laws Introduced in the Us

Do you think that Outsourcing legislations which had been introduced in 2005 almost in all 50 Us states have been useful in securing the jobs of the citizens? The Congress had to pass this legislative act as to curb down the outsourcing trend which has gained the momentum in the gift times. It was been said that some of the Bills have surely become laws but they surely lack control. In some cases, it has cost states millions of dollars by forcing them to pay contractors in various knowledge centers and call centers within the Us. But lobbying is existent for strengthening the legislation is also exists in a large way. There are two groups of lobbyists involved in this company of offshoring or outsourcing -groups of assistance and blue-collar workers which have tried to support laws restricting offshoring on the one hand, and Legal firms, It fellowships on the other which try to highlight the utility of outsourcing. For example, the group which has been in support of outsourcing tries to give the idea that the number of jobs lost to offshoring is only a small fraction of the total workforce.

Have Anti-offshoring laws surely benefitted the Us economy?

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Bills connected to offshoring or outsourcing were introduced in the Us with the view to limit or stop these practices. In some cases the bills that have surely become laws which later on have had negative consequences by costing states millions of dollars to pay more for contracts with firms in the Us rather than other countries. But there also has been lobbying efforts to pass stronger legislations which have appeared to be intensifying. Groups of assistance and blue-collar workers have held various campaigns all over the country in support of laws restricting offshoring. On the other hand there are professional firms like large U.S law firms, It fellowships like Dell, Intel, Ibm, and Motorola. The Us jobs outsourced have been rising every year and are bound to touch 3.3 million by 2015, which comes to nearby 250,000 job losses in the Us annually. If seen in a broader context it is a small relative to total U.S. Employment of 137 million and accounts for less than 2 percent of the almost 15 million Americans who involuntarily lose their jobs each year.

It is seen that there have been continued efforts by the lawmakers to curb offshoring and outsourcing by introducing amendments to pending legislation. As expected the legislators had turned to data-privacy and identity-theft issues in an endeavor to cut down the number of work and the job losses which have occurred due to outsourcing. There have been cases that in states like New Jersey and Indiana where they have ended up paying 0,000 for not outsourcing or offshoring their work. Other analysts noted that in Indiana if outsourcing happened it was concept that there would be a rise in unemployment among residents. We all know that assessing all the statistics is difficult, procedure analysts both for and against offshoring note, because there are many big fellowships who just don't want to say what supervene has been there of offshoring, which has had job cuts or even contribute a full photograph of how jobs are being handled surface of the U.S.

Whole scenario is shifted to the issue connected to the visas for non-U.S. Workers employed in the U.S. In highly skilled areas at higher levels. There was news that the U.S. Government has recently approved an increase in the number of H-1B visas available to foreign workers. In that period there was also a article that the U.S. Firms who have been hiring workers with the visas and paid them even less than U.S. Employees with the same job profile in the company. With this kind of news it started a consider on the merits of H-1B visas. The shop trend seen by some people is such that if the allotted number of H-1B visas are used up then the fellowships work through offshoring. For some smaller fellowships dealing with visa connected issues is a big problem as they don't have the resources, so the best quick solution they find is to outsource the work. So for the larger fellowships they can still do without outsourcing or offshoring but for the smaller firms it is the best way to get the work done and earn profits.

But on the other hand lawmakers had still continued to introduce new legislations even after what the shop experts had to say about the advantages of offshoring and outsourcing. With the impact of offshoring in the Us the need of the hour is to improve educational setup and bring in new programs as to help the employees who have lost their jobs rather than bringing out more and more legislations. As we all know offshoring is likely to grow rapidly in the time to come and presently it already has affected the U.S. Cheaper in the sectors such as data Technology. Nowadays, the outsourcing shop is picking up such a pace that a time might come when the total U.S. Gdp [gross domestic product] would be raised by offshoring. U.S. Workers might loose their jobs at the cost of corporate profits. Then I fully agree that workers are wholly justified in resisting offshoring only till the time they receive sufficient payment for their losses.

Outsourcing Laws Introduced in the Us

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Forex News Trader - How To Trade Forex Using News and Economic Releases

While many forex traders are technical traders and institute their trades based on technical indicators from a price chart, there are some traders who are basically pure forex news traders.

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What is actually forex news trading?

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The forex news trader is basically a forex trader who makes his decisions to trade based on news and reports that are released daily. He does not depend on any technical indicators at all.

Why is news trading possible?

The forex market is a 24 hours market, and there are 8 major currency pairs available for trading with well over 17 derivatives, therefore allowing the economic news releases almost daily from any one or more of these currency pairs to impact on their movements.

What are these 8 major currencies that forex traders often watch for economic news releases that impact on their value?

The eight major tradeable currencies are

1. U.S. dollar (USD)

2. British pound (GBP)

3. Euro (EUR)

4. Japanese yen (JPY)

5. Australian dollar (AUD)

6. Swiss franc (CHF)

7. Canadian dollar (CAD)

8. New Zealand dollar (NZD)

The availability of these currency pairs and their derivatives such as the USD/JPN, Euro/USD, AUD/USD and several others means that you can trade some currency or its derivative pair at any time as these currencies span the globe!

So for the forex trader who trades on the news, he will have his eyes and ears set on the release of economic news and data that affect currency values.

Generally, we will watch out for news regarding the interest rates or direction of interest rate such as the FOMC rate decisions, release of retail sales figures, indications of inflation which can be gauged from consumer price index or the producer price index, unemployment figures, news on industrial production, news that indicate a boost in business such as business sentiment surveys and consumer confidence surveys,manufacturing sector surveys and news on the country's trade balance(such as foreign purchases of US Treasuries).

Different new releases impact upon currencies, and often lead to breakouts in volatility.
The key to trading on news is to take advantage of these movements in volatility which can last a few minutes or hours, and even days into the future.

Trading purely on news release is harder than it seems, but the task is made easier and more profitable with the use of indicators, such as a breakout indicator as a bollinger band or a breakout of a candlestick or a price bar. Statistics have shown news release can trigger movements that range in size from 33 to 124 pips, leading to trading opportunities.

By studying into high probability trade setups that has occurred consistently with the release of historical economic data, the forex news trader can devise strategies that can allow him to extract fast profits from volatile movements arising from news releases. The potential gains can be massive where the forex news trader can react quickly.

Forex News Trader - How To Trade Forex Using News and Economic Releases

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Smoking Is Bad News

· 390,000 American people die from the effects of smoking each year.

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· Men are 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer by smoking

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· Women are 12 times more likely.

· It cost a lot of money

· It is unsociable

· You stink and so does you house and clothes

Just to show you that I know what I am talking about: I used to smoke 60 a day and stopped just like that. I did it...you can do it. I am not saying that it is easy, but it can be done and you will feel much better for it.
Make a list of reasons why you want to stop smoking. This will mean very different things to different people, but if you know what you want from stopping, it could help you through the most difficult moments.
A very important part of this is to know what you would gain and what you would lose from stopping smoking.

To stop smoking need not cost you any money. Do it my way and believe me it will change you life. First let us diverse a bit and talk about your mind.

Your mind is made up of two parts

· -the conscious, This is the part of your mind that makes judgments, comparisons it is the awake bit of you, the part you are using to read this,

· and the unconscious or subconscious which is best illustrated as a three year old genie.

Your subconscious mind is a very resourceful and efficient tool.

· The subconscious can not determine right from wrong

· It does not judge.

· The more precise you want the outcome, the more efficient the subconscious mind can become.

Just imagine saying to a three year old child the way to boil an egg - "Stand in boiling water for three minutes". The unfortunate child would try to get his feet in the pan.

You have to be very precise with such directions because a three year old doesn't think - he/she accepts.

In exactly the same way your subconscious mind doesn't think. It's thinking is the job of the conscious mind. Thinking is a conscious activity. The subconscious mind just accepts and does. So it needs clear and explicit instructions. No maybes, its, or buts.

So what does it do this subconscious mind? Just what it is told to do and you do that in as clear a manner as possible.

I hope you are getting the picture as to how this will stop you smoking. So read on there is a bit more yet.
There are rules to this " telling your subconscious " what to do. I will keep this very simple for the sake of this article ( in this field there is a whole book ) after all , what you want to do is Stop Smoking.

The Rules:

· Be precise

· Must be positive. Through study it is know that the subconscious mind only accepts positive commands, not negative equivalents. If there is something you want to be rid of, phase it positively. You must leave out words like "give up" "not" "never"

· Write down exactly what you want. Part of the reason why we write down our commands is to create a set of instructions for our subconscious mind to carry out.

· Must be written in the first person "I"...I have...I am

· The command must be read at least twice a day. Preferably rewritten

· After each reading visualize you life with the command achieved.

· Do not tell anyone about what you are doing. They will ridicule you and give your reasons why it will not work. This will pull you down.

Do not "Give up smoking" But " I live a health lifestyle and see myself as a healthy person"

These techniques are used by all sorts of people for all sorts of reasons. People who are achievers. Do not simply scribble something down on a piece of paper and hope it will work.

You have two choices:

· Put your whole commitment behind it and get in the right frame of mind to face the challenge.

· Continue as you are and become one of the 390,000 American people who die from the effects of smoking each year.

Smoking Is Bad News

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A Sport's Enthusiast Review of Sporting News and Sports Illustrated Magazines

I am going to talk about two of my favorite sport magazines and why I consider them to be my favorite two. I will also provide a brief history of them as well for the history buffs.

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The first magazine I am going to talk about is Sporting News. This magazine started publishing in 1886 and still going strong today. It has 540,000 subscribers, including myself. In 2008 it went to a bi-weekly publishing schedule. At first, I was little disappointed that they changed from weekly publishing to a bi-weekly publishing. I don't necessarily like change, but who does? But I do understand why they changed, for them to compete with other magazines they had update their publishing schedule. Also for the magazine to keep updating, they launched in 2008 a daily online newspaper named, Sporting News Today. They cover the following major sports: Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, college football and basketball, and NASCAR. They also cover many other sports as well.

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I like the readability of the articles and usually that have an interview with a coach or player. I also like that they have preview issues of the different sports season. I will probably be getting my football ones soon, just in time for the upcoming college and pro seasons. They also publish issues on specific sports before the season starts, which is there yearbook issues. So, for the upcoming college and NFL seasons, these issues just focus on these two sports. There are separate issues for college and the NFL. There is in depth coverage, including rosters, team statistics, predictions for the upcoming season and more. You can usually find these special issue at your local grocery or drug store; if not you can always go their website and order. If you order online, the shipping is fairly quick, you get them in about a week's time.

My other favorite sport magazine to read, is Sports Illustrated. In my opinion, Sports Illustrated is the most popular and recognized name in the United States and most likely internationally as well. It was founded in 1954 and has over three million subscribers. I would say that is a lot of brand recognition. In addition to being known for their excellent sports coverage, they are also know for the annual Swimsuit issue. I like to read SI for their good coverage of the different sports and really good quality of writing. I also look forward to reading the Point After column and getting the Sportsman of the Year issue near the end of the year. If want good quality sporting news coverage, you should pick up a copy of these fine publications and see why I enjoy them so much.

A Sport's Enthusiast Review of Sporting News and Sports Illustrated Magazines

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Facebook - Understanding The News Feed

Facebook, like everything else, changes its settings and features all the time. Just when we have gotten used to the way it was, they update something and it changes everything. Let's face it: you need to remain flexible.

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News Feed changes

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In one of the latest updates, Facebook has changed the way your News Feed is displayed. The News Feed is what you can find in the center column when you click on the 'Home' link on the top navigation bar of your Facebook screen. This is where your friends' (the people and pages you follow) news is being displayed.

In the past they were posted in chronological order, according to the time they were put on. In the current version you will see two choices on top, next to 'News Feed' where you can choose to either see the 'Top News' or the 'Most Recent' news.

Difference between Top News and Most Recent

The Top News links allows you to see the most interacted with content of your friends. How this is generated is not fully known and Facebook uses some form of algorithm to generate whatever is deemed to be most interesting. The Most Recent filters the posts and actions of your friends according to the time they were posted.

How to hide posts or friends

Sometimes you might get tired with the posts of certain application, like for example Farmville, or with the posts of certain friends. You have the choice to hide either an application or all the posts of a specific friend. You can do this by clicking on the x that appears in the top right corner of a post when you roll your cursor over it. Once you click there, you'll get the option to either 'Hide this post' or 'Hide all by [name of your friend or the application]'. To control how many friends are showing up in your News Feed click on the 'Edit Options' link that will appear on the bottom of your News Feed in the blue bar next the 'Older Posts'.

Not everyone is showing up in my News Feed!

Facebook displays the posts of friends that you have interacted with recently. To control who's post you can see you need to edit your general preferences for posts. When you click on 'Most Recent' you will see a small blue downwards-facing arrow appear right next to it. When you click on it you have the options to choose what you want to see as your Most Recent news. You can choose between Most Recent, which displays anything from status updates, photos, activities etc., to Status Updates, Photos, Links and Pages. Below the line, which appears if you have created Friend Lists, you will be able to choose the updates of a certain list of your friends. If you click on 'Edit Options' you can control which specific people and application you have previously hidden and 'un-hide' them again, once you're ready to see their updates again.

Give it a try!

Facebook - Understanding The News Feed

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Grass Tennis Courts - Things to Know

After waiting what seemed like a lifetime, I finally had the opportunity to enjoy a match of tennis on a grass surface last summer. Having visited the tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, there were a number of courts on the premise that were available for rent.

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Boy, was it an experience. Unlike many things in this world, my experience here actually lived up to my expectations. I felt as if I was playing the sport in a completely different way.

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Grass is the original surface that tennis was born on, hence its use at the Hall of Fame in Newport. The only major Grand Slam event that you'll see these courts being used for is Wimbledon, played in London every summer.

This is the favorite event of many tennis fans, and it certainly holds a special place in my heart. Players treasure the surface just as much, and the strategy definitely changes when it comes to playing on grass.

Here are a few things that you should know if you'll be playing a match on this court type.

First of all, the ball moves far more quickly than it would on a clay or hard surface. In fact, it often skids once it lands, barely bouncing. This makes it difficult to return shots, especially if they're sliced.

As a result, you'll see many people relying on net play when they're playing matches. A serve and volley strategy works wonders here, as hitting the ball in the air will give your opponent less time to prepare to your shot and reach the ball.

The more pressure you can apply in this regard, the better off you'll be. The same goes for your serve, as a powerful serve can be extremely difficult to return.

You should also be careful about slipping, as some people end up hurting themselves due to the different feel of the court. Having said that, play cautiously and enjoy the experience.

Grass Tennis Courts - Things to Know

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Cruise Wales, Visit Holyhead Port on Anglesey

It seems there is a growing demand to cruise Wales along with other British ports, to the extent that Wales could come to emulate some of the top European cruising destinations in a popular leisure cruise market.

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This was among the conclusions of a recent report prepared by a committee of legislators in the House of Commons, the British Parliament. The report notes the strong growth in the UK cruise market over the last ten years or so, and recommends action is taken so that Wales can share in this exciting growth, and thereby help to strengthen economies around Welsh ports.

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But keen ocean cruise travellers looking to cruise Wales should note that at present there are insufficient docking facilities and infrastructure at many Welsh ports to facilitate the increasingly bigger cruise liners cruising North European waters.

A m campaign called the "Celtic Wave" and led by Anglesey has started, covering ports in Ireland and Wales, with the objective of getting more cruise visitors to these locations and then to visit attractions in the nearby areas.

In Cardiff the Welsh Assembly Government has urged the UK government to put their weight behind extra infrastructure funding to get these ports, including Holyhead, Anglesey, Swansea, Newport and Milford Haven, up to the high standards expected by the cruise liner firms.

Looking further out the prospects look good for Welsh ports to have similar success to that enjoyed by Baltic ports where there is already a strong and popular cruise market.

From the port of Holyhead in north west Wales to Swansea and Newport in South Wales, Welsh ports can act as locomotives of economic recovery when they encourage travellers to cruise Wales.

The first cruise ship visited Newport in Summer 2009, where the nearby Celtic Manor Hotel will host the 2010 Ryder Cup.Among the nearby attractions cruise passengers from Newport could visit were the Millennium Centre and Cardiff Castle.

Equally when a cruise ship arrives at Holyhead on Anglesey, visitors can be bused to excellent attractions such as World Heritage Castles of Wales at Beaumaris and Caernarfon, Llynnon Mill and South Stack Lighthouse, as well as walking along the excellent nearby coastal path.

To upgrade docking facilites for the expected increase in cruise ship arrivals at Holyhead, the Welsh Assembly Government will make finance available to strengthen the jetty used by the former Anglesey Aluminium smelter. This offers an excellent sheltered berth and convenient disembarkation point for cruise line passengers.

When this upgrade is finished it should see the Holyhead outer harbour jetty capable of accommodating mega liners such as the Westerdam, a 2,000 passenger carrying, 285 metre liner.

There is a promising and exciting future for visitors to the UK looking to cruise Wales during their west European tour experience, and as a part of this Holyhead port will no doubt play its part as guests set out to explore the many varied island attractions.

Cruise Wales, Visit Holyhead Port on Anglesey

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