Treaty aimed at reducing mercury emissions signed

GENEVA (AP) ? More than 140 nations adopted the first legally-binding international treaty Saturday aimed at reducing mercury emissions, capping four years of negotiations on how to set limits on the use of a highly toxic metal.

The treaty was adopted after all-night negotiations that capped a week of talks in Geneva, U.N. environmental officials and diplomats said. A signing ceremony will be held later this year in Japan, and then 50 nations must ratify it before it comes into force, which officials said they would expect to happen within about three to four years.

"To agree on global targets is not easy to do," UNEP executive director Achim Steiner told a news conference. "There was no delegation here that wished to leave Geneva without drafting a treaty."

The treaty will for the first time set enforceable limits on emissions of mercury, which is widely used in chemical production and small-scale mining, and to exclude, phase out or restrict some products that contain mercury.

"We have closed a chapter on a journey that has taken four years of often intense, but ultimately successful negotiations and opened a new chapter towards a sustainable future," said Fernando Lugris, the Uruguayan diplomat who chaired the negotiations.

But some supporters of a new mercury treaty said they were not satisfied with the agreement.

Joe DiGangi, a science adviser with advocacy group IPEN, said that while the treaty is "a first step," it is not tough enough to achieve its aim of reducing overall emissions.

For example, he said, there is no requirement that each country create a national plan for how it will reduce mercury emissions.

But proponents of the treaty say it will set meaningful controls and reductions on a range of products, processes and industries where mercury is used, released or emitted.

These would include medical equipment like thermometers, energy-saving light bulbs, mining and cement and coal-fired power industries.

Swiss environmental ambassador Franz Perrez said the treaty "will help us to protect human health and the environment all over the world."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/treaty-aimed-reducing-mercury-emissions-signed-093603316--finance.html

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5 Easy Tips To Manage Your Finances - Options Finance

Do you ever feel like your finances control you and not the other way around? This is really common, and you will be able to overcome it by employing a few tactics. You?ll find in the following paragraphs some excellent suggestions to help you take control of your finances.

Instead of wasting money every month in an attempt to win the lottery, invest money into a high yield savings account or other investment option. In fact, you would be guaranteed to increase the amount of your income as time passes rather than simply tossing money to wind.

Credit Card

If you?re not yet 21 years of age and are looking for a credit card, you should know that things have changed recently. In the past, it was easy for college students to get credit cards. Now credit card companies want you to have a verifiable income or to get a cosigner. Research each card?s requirements before you apply.

Speak with people you?re close to about how you?re doing financially. Keeping your friends in the loop helps avoid embarrassment when you can?t afford to go out with them. If you do not tell them why you could not buy a gift or go on a trip, your friends might think that it is due to something they have done. Let your friends know if you are having money issues.

The easiest way to grow your own wealth is to live below your means. People who spend everything they make, or consistently spend more than they make and borrow to make up for it, will never accumulate wealth, because they always spend it as soon as they have it. Calculate your income, and shoot to spend much less than that.

You may want to get overdraft protection with your bank if you are frequently struggling financially. Although some institutions charge a minimal fee for the service, it can save a lot of money if you mistakenly overdraw your account.

Use a wall calender to track your monthly payments, and write down all bill due dates. This reduces the likelihood that you will forget to make payments within the specified period. Budgeting is a lot easier this way, and you spare yourself late fees.

Debit Card

Never leave the house without your debit card and a few extra dollars. Don?t solely rely on credit cards to make purchases. Credit card companies are imposing minimums on purchases these days, so in order to avoid getting stuck in a situation, always carry some cash and a debit card with you.

When applying for a mortgage try to have a credit score of at least 740. More advantageous interest rates are available to borrowers with scores at this level. Repair your credit and raise that credit score. You should avoid applying for a mortgage if your credit score is still low, unless you absolutely have to.

There are coupons online not found in stores or newspapers, so routinely hunting them is a good idea. Online coupons are a good tool to add to your toolbox when you?re working on improving your financial situation.

Younger people looking to stay out in front of their finances would do well to discover the wonders of compounding interest. Open a savings account, and put aside a little money each week.

When dealing with credit cards and your finances, the safest way to stay on track is to limit your use of them as much as possible. Consider the consequences in full before making any purchases on credit. Do the math and figure out exactly the length of time it will take you to pay it off. Make sure you do not put any charges on your credit card that you are not able to pay off by the next statement?s closing date.

It can be really frustrating if you are struggling to keep your finances in order. Getting your finances back on track doesn?t have to be hard. Use this advice to get your finances under control.

If you want to win in the blue widget world, you need to sit down and read. You have to read to find out more. This article gives you a lot of important advice.

Source: http://www.optionstradinganalysis.com/2013/01/19/5-easy-tips-to-manage-your-finances/

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HSBC to pay $249M to end foreclosure reviews

1 day

Aruna Viswanatha , Reuters

HSBC Holdings Plc agreed to pay $249 million to end a case-by-case review of past home foreclosures in the United States, bringing the total payout by banks to resolve related issues to $9.3 billion.

London-based HSBC agreed to pay $96 million to eligible borrowers who lost their homes to foreclosure in 2009 and 2010, and provide $153 million in other assistance, including loan modifications and forgiveness.

HSBC said in a statement it was pleased to have reached the agreement and expects to record a pre-tax charge of $96 million in the fourth quarter of 2012 for the cash portion of the settlement. The bank said it expected to cover the loan assistance through existing reserves.

The settlement, with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Board, is the 13th the agencies have reached this month.

They stem from reviews of individual loan files the regulators ordered in 2011 and 2012, after widespread mistakes were discovered in the way mortgage servicers had processed home seizures.

The reviews, initially expected to determine which borrowers were harmed and to compensate them based on their individual experiences, proved slow and expensive.

Ten banks, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase, agreed to pay a total of $8.5 billion - some in cash, and the rest in loan assistance - to end the reviews last week.

On Wednesday, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley agreed to a similar $557 million deal.

Around 112,000 borrowers whose homes were in foreclosure with HSBC Bank and other HSBC subsidiaries will receive some cash, regulators said.

Regulators said last week the payouts will be based on whether a borrower falls into one of 11 categories. The categories include whether the person was eligible for protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, whether the borrower was not in default, or whether he or she was denied a loan modification.

The Fed and OCC are expected to reach similar agreements with other servicers that had been asked to conduct the reviews, including Ally Financial Inc, EverBank Financial Corp and OneWest Bank FSB.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/hsbc-pay-249-million-end-foreclosure-reviews-1B8039395

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Israel has the world?s highest number of scientists and scientific publications,...

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Robert F. Chew Dies; The Wire Star Was 52

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/robert-f-chew-dies-the-wire-star-was-52/

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NRA chief says group accepts background checks

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The head of the National Rifle Association says the organization has no problem with tighter background checks of gun purchasers.

But association president David Keene also says too much emphasis has been placed on banning certain firearms.

In an interview on "CBS This Morning" Thursday, Keene argues, quote, "The real question that needs to be addressed is not what we do about guns, but what we do to make our schools safer."

The NRA has come under close scrutiny in the wake of Newtown, Conn., shootings that killed 20 children and six adults.

Keene said officials should focus more attention on a "devastatingly broken mental health system in this country," if they genuinely want to end gun violence.

He said the NRA has been "generally supportive" of stronger background checks.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-17-US-Gun-Control-NRA/id-f2bf8684fa49494f9547e9d92dac6983

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Do you think depression causes people to have affairs?

General Relationship Discussion Although anyone can post anywhere on Talk About Marriage, this section is for people interested in general relationship and marriage advice.

Today, 01:37 PM	? #3 (permalink)
Member ? Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Alberta Posts: 4,081	No, depression does not cause people to cheat. When someone is in a ****ty marriage, or has depression, or whatever else is wrong in their life, they make choices, just like we all do. Cheating is a choice. The fact that someone chooses to cheat is a result of selfishness, when you get right down to it. They feel entitled, they feel they 'deserve' it somehow. They can rationalize to themselves that something 'caused' it, but by doing so they are failing to take responsibility for it, and failing to admit they have a problem that needs fixing. My husband is a sex addict. But that did not cause him to cheat. HE caused him to cheat. The fact he is a sex addict determined HOW he cheated, but not THAT he cheated. He is also in recovery, which means he is still a sex addict but is no longer cheating. He is taking responsibility for what he did and taking steps to ensure it never happens again.
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Today, 02:14 PM	? #8 (permalink)
Member ? Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: The Most DANGEROUS City in America! Posts: 1,878	I'm not a shrink and I've never dealt with depression (either in myself or a family member). Logically, though, it would seem extremely unlikely as Kathy pointed out: Quote: Originally posted by KathyBatesel: A person who is clinically depressed is unlikely to have the motivation, energy, or interest to pursue cheating. If you're involved in an affair, you have to spif yourself up! No-one is going to have an affair with an unwashed, unshaven, unkempt, joyless person! It doesn't make sense. Fear is a much more LIKELY motivator for an affair. Fear of dying, of not achieving goals, of not being recognized, of not mattering, of not getting what WE think we deserve, of 'missing out', etc. This seems a MUCH MORE LIKELY scenario. 'I will have lived, had children, built my business, died...and in 20-50 years it will all have meant NOTHING. Why did I bother?' As previously pointed out, a sense of entitlement is ALSO found in large measure in cheaters (especially serial cheaters).
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Today, 02:17 PM	? #9 (permalink)
Member ? Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Somewhere Out There Posts: 2,003	Quote: I think depression is independent of cheating. A person who is clinically depressed is unlikely to have the motivation, energy, or interest to pursue cheating. But if they perceive an opportunity and feel it can ease their symptoms, though, they might seize the chance. I agree with what I have emboldened. I think it takes someone outside of the marriage to come along and "help" the depressed person, thereby affording the opportunity to cheat. Then it is a decision based on lots of things including, but not limited to boundaries, etc. I don't believe a truly depressed person would even feel good enough to be sexually attracted to anyone because they don't believe themselves to be attractive. They would only have sex in a relationship out of pure physical need. This is depression, not feeling poorly. __________________ "anything I did better today than I did yesterday is progress" - Saki
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Today, 02:21 PM	? #10 (permalink)
Member ? Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Somewhere Out There Posts: 2,003	Quote: I'm not a shrink and I've never dealt with depression (either in myself or a family member). Logically, though, it would seem extremely unlikely as Kathy pointed out: If you're involved in an affair, you have to spif yourself up! No-one is going to have an affair with an unwashed, unshaven, unkempt, joyless person! It doesn't make sense. Fear is a much more LIKELY motivator for an affair. Fear of dying, of not achieving goals, of not being recognized, of not mattering, of not getting what WE think we deserve, of 'missing out', etc. This seems a MUCH MORE LIKELY scenario. 'I will have lived, had children, built my business, died...and in 20-50 years it will all have meant NOTHING. Why did I bother?' As previously pointed out, a sense of entitlement is ALSO found in large measure in cheaters (especially serial cheaters). Not meaning to be rude. Thought this was entitlement? __________________ "anything I did better today than I did yesterday is progress" - Saki
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Today, 02:40 PM	? #15 (permalink)
Member ? Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 488	Quote: I'm dealing with depression, and the truth is, I feel the same as GTdad, I don't have the slightest inclination to cheat, right now, I don't even want anything to do with the lower half of my body, much less have someone else see/touch/whatever with it. I'm sure people deal with depression in their own way, but as far as myself, I have gotten to the point where I feel that the physical aspect of my life is over... I waited alot longer than I should have to get help, because I had long bought into ideas about "shrinks" and "hanging tough" and "just getting over it". I hope you're smarted than me, and have sought out some assistance. There's no shame at all in getting help.
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Source: http://talkaboutmarriage.com/general-relationship-discussion/65651-do-you-think-depression-causes-people-have-affairs.html

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