Japan candidates hit streets in first national vote since Fukushima disaster

FUKUSHIMA, Japan (Reuters) - Candidates hit the streets on Tuesday at the official start of a campaign for a parliamentary election that is expected to return the opposition Liberal Democrats to power but risks furthering the policy stalemate plaguing the world's third-biggest economy.

In a sign that last year's nuclear crisis still weighs on Japan's national psyche, both former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader, and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda kicked off the campaign in the northeastern prefecture of Fukushima, site of the world's worst radiation disaster in a quarter century.

The role of nuclear power is one hot topic in the first national poll since the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami devastated Tokyo Electric Power Co's Fukushima Daiichi plant, causing meltdowns, forcing 160,000 people to flee and destroying a myth that atomic power is safe, cheap and clean.

Voters are also focused on how rival parties plan to rescue Japan's economy from what looks like its fourth recession since 2000 and cope with a rising China, ties with which have been chilled by a territorial feud that is feeding nationalist sentiment in both countries.

"Our mission is to protect the safety of our children and the public, to protect our territory and beautiful waters," Abe told a crowd in a city square in Fukushima City under cloudy skies. "We are determined to win a majority with (LDP ally) the New Komeito party and take back power.

"We just cannot afford to lose," he said to applause, though one listener carried a placard targeting the LDP's decades-long promotion of nuclear power saying, "It is the LDP that built nuclear plants in Fukushima".

Media opinion polls suggest that of the 12 parties running some 1,500 candidates, the LDP will win the biggest number of seats in parliament's powerful lower house.

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That would give Abe, who quit suddenly in 2007 after a troubled year in office, the best shot at forming the next government, probably with long-term ally, the New Komeito.

But surveys published on Monday also show that the LDP's lead over Noda's Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has narrowed, increasing the possibility that the main conservative opposition party will need a third partner to form a government.

If so, the LDP would be eyeing potential post-election allies. Options include the newly launched, right-leaning Japan Restoration Party founded by popular Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto in a bid to woo voters fed up with the two main established parties, or other small groups, or even a chastened DPJ.

"Our economic policy is simple," Hashimoto told a crowd in Osaka, western Japan. "We will destroy the vested interests who until now have skimmed off all the cream."

Abe insists he will give no ground in a row with China over rival claims to tiny, uninhabited isles in the South China Sea and wants to spend more on defense and loosen the limits of Japan's pacifist constitution on the military.

He wants to pressure the Bank of Japan to ease its already hyper-loose monetary policy and to gear up public works spending to rescue the economy, steps Noda has criticized as irresponsible given Japan's mammoth public debt, already the worst among advanced nations at twice the size of the economy.

The pro-nuclear LDP says it will gradually restart off-line reactors judged safe, while thinking about Japan's best energy mix over the next decade. The Democrats aim to exit atomic power by the 2030s, although some skeptics doubt their commitment.

How any of the parties would secure lasting growth while reining in a ballooning social security bill in Japan's fast-ageing society remains unclear.

The Democrats surged to power for the first time in 2009, promising to put politicians, not bureaucrats, in charge of governing and to pay more heed to the interests of consumers than corporations in designing policies. Critics say the fractious party honored its pledges mostly in the breach.

"This election is about whether we will move forward with what we must do, or turn back the clock to the politics of the past," Noda told a crowd in Iwaki, also in Fukushima prefecture.

Noda, the party's third premier in three years, enacted - with opposition help - a sales tax rise to curb public debt. But that step sparked a stream of defections from the party.

Many voters have yet to decide how to vote.

"The LDP looks set to assume power. But I don't think things will change drastically under LDP rule," said a 62-year-old public servant after listening to Abe's speech.

"If you live in Fukushima, you would want quicker reconstruction and decontamination rather than constitutional amendments and military buildup."

(Additional reporting by Yoshiyuki Osada in Osaka; Writing by Linda Sieg in Tokyo; Editing by Ken Wills)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japan-candidates-hit-streets-first-national-vote-since-024753929--business.html

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EUR/USD: Euro gained on higher risk appetite; trading lower this ...

GCI Forex News - EUR/USD: Euro gained on higher risk appetite; trading lower this morning EUR USD

EURUSD Movement

For the 24 hours to 23:00 GMT, EUR rose 0.52% against the USD and closed at 1.3064, as risk appetite increased buoyed by Greece?s $13 billion bond buyback plan and amid upbeat Chinese economic.

Yesterday, in an effort to reform its waning economy and reduce its debt to sustainable levels, Greece revealed plans to spend up to ?10 billion ($13 billion) in a bond buyback program that it hopes would help stabilize its mountainous debt.

Moreover, the Euro-zone finance ministers yesterday approved ?39.5 billion aid to Spanish banks, formally ending a months-long effort to draw a line under a crisis that had threatened to push the country for a bailout.

On the economic front, Euro-zone?s final manufacturing PMI rose to 46.2 in November, in line with the flash estimate and compared to a reading of 45.4 in October. Germany?s seasonally adjusted manufacturing PMI rose to 46.8 in November, from the previous estimate of 46.0. Meanwhile, the French manufacturing PMI rose to a reading of 44.5 in November, below the flash estimate of 44.7. In Italy, the seasonally adjusted manufacturing PMI declined to 45.1 in November, from 45.5 in October. On a seasonally adjusted basis, manufacturing PMI in Spain rose to 45.3 in November, from 43.5 in October.

Also yesterday, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President, James Bullard indicated that replacing Operation Twist?s swap of Treasuries with outright purchases of the same amount of securities would represent a policy easing that could risk higher inflation. However, he also stated that replacing Operation Twist with smaller bond buying program would boost to the economy.

Moreover, the President of the Boston Fed, Eric Rosengren, stated that he sees a ?strong case? for the central bank to buy bonds at the current monthly pace of $85.0 billion following the expiry of its Operation Twist program.

In the Asian session, at GMT0400, the pair is trading at 1.3056, with the EUR trading marginally lower from yesterday?s close.

The pair is expected to find support at 1.3025, and a fall through could take it to the next support level of 1.2995. The pair is expected to find its first resistance at 1.3081, and a rise through could take it to the next resistance level of 1.3107.

Trading trends in the pair today are expected to be determined by the release of the producer price index in the Euro-zone.

The currency pair is trading just above its 20 Hr and 50 Hr moving averages.

Source: http://forexnews.gcitrading.com/currencies/eurusd/eurusd-euro-gained-on-higher-risk-appetite-trading-lower-this-morning.htm

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Email Marketing Conversions ? Putting Firstnames in the subject ...

Do you think putting someone?s first name in a subject line is important?

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Kate's Illness Not Dangerous, Sometimes Associated With Twins

Hyperemesis gravidarum, the reason newly pregnant Kate Middleton is in the hospital, is a rare but acute morning sickness that results in weight loss and accounts for about 2 percent of all morning sickness, doctors say.

The condition is sometimes associated with women having twins, experts said.

Women diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum have lost 5 percent of their pre-pregnancy weight, or 10 pounds, said Dr. Ashley Roman, a professor and OB/GYN at New York University Langone Medical Center.

It poses little danger to the tiny heir, Roman said.

"It's traditional thought that nausea and vomiting is a sign of a healthy pregnancy," Roman said. "Hyperemesis gravidarum in and of itself does not increase a risk of pregnancy loss, but it can be associated with multiple pregnancy problems like multiple gestations or molar gestations."

In other words, it could be a sign that Middleton is carrying twins. Although there's very little data on twins and hyperemesis gravidarum, one study showed that women carrying twins had a 7.5 percent higher risk of experiencing the acute morning sickness, Rowan said.

Chris Jackson/AFP/Getty Images

Kate Middleton Pregnant, Admitted to Hospital Watch Video Kate Middleton, Prince William Expecting Their First Child Watch Video Prince William and Kate Middleton's Big News Watch Video

But, if it's a sign of a molar gestation, Middleton could be carrying an abnormal fetus or no fetus at all.

The extreme morning sickness is usually diagnosed about nine weeks into the pregnancy, and in most cases resolves itself by 16 or 20 weeks, Roman said. In rare cases, it can last the whole pregnancy.

Click here to read about other women with hyperemesis gravidarum.

"As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter," a statement from St. James Palace said. Prince William is at the hospital with Middleton, according to the Britain's Press Association.

Roman said doctors prescribe vitamins and ginger capsules at first. If that doesn't stop the vomiting, they will prescribe antihistamines and stronger anti-nausea medications.

Women with hyperemesis gravidarum are also treated with fluids, said Dr. Jessica Young, an OB/GYN at Vanderbilt University. But if left untreated, a pregnant woman who is severely dehydrated for a long period of time could die, "just like any person," Young said.

In extreme cases in which the woman is losing weight and unable to eat, doctors will treat her with intravenous nutrition, Young said.

Elevated pregnancy hormones and intestinal changes during pregnancy are thought to be contributing factors, Young said.

Hyperemesis gravidarum is somewhat mysterious because some expectant mothers have acute morning sickness during only one of their pregnancies, but have no morning sickness for subsequent pregnancies.

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/kate-middletons-illness-dangerous-twins/story?id=17868599

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Chinese co. to pay $2M for nuke export violations

(AP) ? A company owned by the Chinese government has pleaded guilty for conspiring to violate nuclear export restrictions on Pakistan and agreed to pay $2 million in fines.

The China Nuclear Industry Huaxing (Wa-ZING) Construction Co., pleaded guilty Monday and received a $2 million criminal fine ? half of which won't have to be paid if the company meets the conditions of a five-year probation. In a separate agreement with the Commerce Department, the company agreed to a $1 million fine and to be audited to ensure compliance with export laws.

Huaxing supplied U.S.-manufactured nuclear coatings for a nuclear power plant the company was building in Pakistan. Court documents showed Huaxing used a distributor in China to evade U.S. export law, by concealing that the destination was the Pakistani nuclear plant.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-03-China-Pakistan%20Plea/id-62947446fb6e473189f8356bfeddd61d

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Source: http://thomsenlee.blogspot.com/2012/12/nike-jordan-6-artists-family-and-home.html

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Save Money, Make Your Own Fruit Smoothies | Health, Fitness, Diet ...

Ingredients

4 cups low fat vanilla yogurt

4 medium bananas

2 cups frozen strawberries

2 cups orange juice

Directions

If using fresh strawberries freeze strawberries the day before. Place 1/2 of each amount into blender. Blend on high for 30 minutes. Place other half of ingredients in blender and repeat. Serve immediately.

Source: http://health-wellness-fitness.com/save-money-make-your-own-fruit-smoothies/

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SPIGEN SGP iPhone 5 case Ultra Thin Air review

Either Apple was more forthcoming with accessories manufacturers or the rumor mill was extremely accurate, but it seems that there were a lot of cases for the new iPhone 5 available even before it was released. ?SPIGEN SGP sent a couple of different cases for our review, and we’ll be looking at their Ultra Thin [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/12/04/spigen-sgp-iphone-5-case-ultra-thin-air-review/

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Italian taxes: Digital dodgers ? Financial Press

BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

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Source: http://financialpress.com/2012/12/03/italian-taxes-digital-dodgers/

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Six basic premises security measures for small businesses | Start Up ...

Six basic premises security measures for small businesses/robber opens a windowAll businesses, whether small or large, need to implement safety measures and provide a safe working environment for those who work for it. What level these security measures take will depend on the size of the business and of course the budget available. No matter what size your business, there are some important and basic and common sense security measures that can be easy and cost-effective to execute to safeguard staff, equipment and other valuables.

1 Risk assessment

As soon as you possibly can, assess which areas of your premises could be vulnerable to crime or disaster. If you operate from a property on a busy high street, shutters for the windows may be a good idea, while if you are in a remote location, CCTV may be the best way forward. Do your research and identify the places that could be vulnerable to crime and come up with a solution quickly. It may just be that a window or door requires an extra lock, but even that could make a big difference.

2 Safety training

Staff members should have adequate training on safety procedures in case of an emergency. Safety drills need to be practiced regularly and a fire extinguisher readily available and tested to ensure it is in working condition. Fire exit doors should be clearly visible and not obstructed and facilities for any employee who has a disability should be in place for evacuation. A two-way radio device can be of use in coordinating and communicating in such an event. It is important to have a list of emergency numbers for the police, ambulance services and the fire brigade to hand and a safety manual or a safety notice pinned up to advise staff of what to do in an emergency.

3 High-value goods

If you keep stock, money or high-value goods such as laptops or televisions onsite, it is vital you secure them ? in a small business, having high-value items stolen can be disastrous. If money is kept onsite, invest in a good quality safe and make sure you bolt it to the floor. If high volumes of stock are left overnight, make sure they are stored out of sight and towards the back of your premises, ideally in a room with few or no windows. Heavy-duty locks or bolts will do the job on any entrance.

4 Lighting

Lighting is an effective and cheap way to secure premises. Motion-sensitive lighting will ensure that any dark corners that could provide cover for criminals are illuminated. They will also help enhance surveillance.

5 Alarm

According to the Office for National Statistics, thefts from homes and other businesses went up by five per cent between 2010 and 2011, making it more vital than ever to make sure you are properly protected. They can be somewhat pricey, but having a good alarm that will automatically inform the police of a criminal act while it?s happening could one day more than pay for itself. If you already have one, make sure it?s working properly.

6 Asset tags

Security tags enable you to monitor any valuables on your premises, so that if they?re stolen, they are much easier to locate and eventually get back. Label all your goods and log all the details. If something goes missing, you can report it as lost or stolen. Some labels come with built-in trackers, so you can actually see where your goods are and get them back.

Guest post by Charlie Curtis-Jones who writes for Brentwood Radios, leading supplier of two-way radio communication equipment for business safety needs.

Source: http://www.startupdonut.co.uk/blog/2012/12/six-basic-premises-security-measures-small-businesses

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