Wham, Bam, Thank You, Mitt (talking-points-memo)

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Saudi Grand Mufti warns Gulf public against unrest

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti, the highest religious authority in the birthplace of Islam, issued a condemnation of demonstrations that appeared to blame Iran for unrest among Shi'ite Muslims in Gulf Arab states.

"The Arab Gulf is being targeted by attacks seeking to discredit religion and eliminate the material interests and wealth it holds," Al-Watan newspaper quoted Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al al-Sheikh as saying in his Friday sermon in Riyadh.

Al-Sheikh warned people not to follow "enemies" who called on them to protest, saying they aimed to divide the people of the region.

Unrest has erupted among majority Shi'ites in Bahrain and minority Shi'ites in Eastern Saudi Arabia in the last two years. Sunni authorities have repeatedly blamed Shi'ite Iran, which denies involvement.

Tension has also run high over Iran's disputed nuclear program, which Gulf Arab rulers fear could help Iran acquire nuclear weapons.

The al-Saud dynasty rules in alliance with clerics who back the royal family and have wide influence over Saudi society.

Al-Watan said al-Sheikh also lashed out at what he called "satellite channels that broadcast evil" and urged owners to use them to promote security and obey their country's rulers.

(Reporting by Asma Alsharif; editing by Andrew Roche)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-grand-mufti-warns-gulf-public-against-unrest-134918416.html

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Disaster Recovery And Business Continuity - Social Bookmarking .Net

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Source: http://www.social-bookmarking.net/images/disaster-recovery-and-business-continuity/

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Best-selling Australian author Courtenay dies

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) ? Best-selling Australian author Bryce Courtenay, whose first and final books drew on his tough early-life experiences in Africa, has died of stomach cancer. He was 79.

He started writing in midlife and called his first novels "practice books," but his debut was a success. "The Power of One" was published in 1989, translated into 12 languages and became a hit movie.

His publisher Penguin Group said Friday that Courtenay died at his family home in the Australian capital Canberra late Thursday surrounded by his family and pets.

His 21st novel, "Jack of Diamonds," was published on Nov. 12 and included a moving epilogue to his readers.

"It's been a privilege to write for you and to have you accept me as a storyteller in your lives," he wrote.

"Now, as my story draws to an end, may I say only, 'Thank you. You have been simply wonderful,'" he added.

Courtenay was born the illegitimate son of a dressmaker on Aug. 14, 1933, in the mountain town of Barberton in what is now the Limpopo province of South Africa.

By the age of 17, he was working in the dangerous mines of what is now Zimbabwe, which paid his way to Britain where he studied at the London School of Journalism. He met an Australian, Benita Solomon, whom he followed to her hometown of Sydney in 1958 and married.

He fell into a career in advertising with U.S. agency McCann Erikson at the age of 26 and rose to creative director. He had an epiphany at the age of 50 when he decided to fulfill a lifelong ambition to be a novelist.

"The Power of One" was to be the first of three "practice books" Courtenay planned to write over three years before taking two years to write a fourth book which he hoped would find a publisher.

"I was absolutely staggered when somebody wanted to publish it in the first place," Courtenay said in his official biography released by Penguin.

"Now its worldwide success and the fact that it's available in 12 languages still amazes me," he added. It became a movie starring Morgan Freeman.

Courtenay dedicated its sequel, "Tandia," to his third son, Damon, who died of medically-acquired AIDS at the age of 24 on April 1, 1991 ? two months before the book was published.

That tragedy inspired his third book, "April Fool's Day," that deals with the public fear of AIDS and was published in 1993.

In June, doctors told Courtenay that there was no hope of curing his stomach cancer.

Bob Sessions, Courtenay's longstanding publisher at Penguin, said the author would produce a 600-page book in only six months, sometimes writing for more than 12 hours a day.

"He was a born storyteller and I would tell him he was a latter-day Charles Dickens with his strong and complex plots, larger-than-life characters and his ability to appeal to a large number of readers," Sessions said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/best-selling-australian-author-courtenay-dies-034830584.html

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Susan Rice battles critics as abrasive style takes toll (reuters)

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7 Ways To Save Cash On Your Next Hotel Stay - Business Insider

Sure, there are a number of things you've probably done to save money at hotels. Maybe you signed up for a loyalty program for the free WiFi and room upgrade ("when available"). Perhaps you booked at the respective hotel's web site to secure the "best guaranteed rate".

Meh.

You're probably thinking: Tell me something I don't already know. Well, as a travel writer for the past ten years (on a tight budget, for that matter), I'm divulging my best secrets. Some tips are common sense, some are things you might not have ever thought about.

Either way, the following advice is guaranteed to have you save $$$?without feeling ghetto about it.

Book a Sunday Night Stay
Easy math. If business travelers stay Monday to Friday, while leisure travelers occupy Friday and Saturday, leaving on Sunday, that means Sunday check-ins get very little love in the hotel world, thus lower rates prevail.

Thirsty? Head to the Gym
The last time I paid $6 for a bottle of water? Ten years ago. To save on those crazy prices, head to the fitness center, where complimentary bottles are usually offered. If it's a mid-range hotel, they'll likely have a water cooler, so bring an empty bottle and fill'er up.

Avoid Room Service
It seems obvi, but people order room service then wonder why their $20 hamburger from in-room dining suddenly costs $29! It's becoming more common for hotels to charge a service fee and/or flat delivery rate (if so, skip that "additional gratuity" line). And, depending on the hotel, service fees can range from 10 to 20 percent. So it's a good idea to just go to the hotel restaurant, lazy. (HC Ed Note: We let this one slide for budgetnistas, but we still totally love room service!)

Book Brand-New Properties
New hotels generally offer fantastic introductory rates. Before you book a hotel at your destination, see what hotel or resort has just opened. Some of these places won't be on sites like Hotels.com yet, so you'll have to do research. Also, you'll get better service at a new hotel as staff will be eager to please.

Book Through a Flash-Sale Site
For even deeper bargains on hotels, book with a flash-sale site. You have limited time to reserve (generally one week), yet the rates are often ludicrously unbeatable. For instance, my site Out Escapes offered rates at ME Cancun for $169 per night (including high season) and we threw in a $500 resort credit on top of that. Other sites like Jetsetter (while they're still with us) and SniqueAway are options as well.

Analyze the Amenities
Always, always check out the hotel web site for surprise benefits. For instance, free long-distance calls are becoming a trend at hotels in Mexico, Caribbean and Central America (like Palace Resorts in Mexico and Grace Bay Club in Turks & Caicos) but they're never really promoted. Some hotels and resorts also offer complimentary fitness classes, lobby lounge Happy Hour (yes, free booze, like Sheraton, Kimpton, and Andaz's Wine Hour) and check-outs later than noon. You can't assume the front desk will tell you all these things.

Pick Up the Phone
Call the hotel directly. Ask for a great rate. You'll be surprised how much wiggle room there is. In fact, I can't believe some people just pay the rack rates without calling for a better deal. There's a reservations manager on staff who basically expects you to ask for a discount. While you're at it, and if it's true, tell them you're celebrating a special occasion (like birthday or anniversary). This may get you an upgrade or bottle of wine. Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills sends a bottle of champers to your room at no charge!

Did you know that? Betcha didn't!

This post originally appeared on HotelChatter.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/7-ways-to-save-cash-on-your-next-hotel-stay-2012-11

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Protests greet shoppers at Walmarts nationwide

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) ? Wal-Mart workers and supporters marched in protest at a number of stores nationwide Thursday and Friday, blasting the wages, benefits and treatment of employees of the world's largest retailer.

The efforts seemed to do little to keep shoppers away though ? Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it was its best Black Friday ever.

In Paramount, Calif., authorities arrested a small group of protesters Friday outside a Walmart. Elizabeth Brennan of Warehouse Workers United said nine people, including three employees, were arrested shortly after 12 noon for blocking the street outside the store in Paramount. At one point, however, more than 1,000 people blocked traffic outside the store, Sheriff's Capt. Mike Parker told KNBC-TV.

In Lakewood, Colo., shoppers hesitated as they passed dozens of protesters outside a Walmart but entered without incident. Some protesters held signs playing off of the retailing giant's corporate slogan, "Live better," accusing the company of corporate greed and underpaying its workers.

"This is the way you get a fair shake. You've got to fight for it. You've always had to," said protester Charlie May, of the Industrial Workers of the World labor organization.

A union-backed group called OUR Walmart has said that it is holding an estimated 1,000 protests in 46 states. The exact number is unclear. Wal-Mart has refuted that estimate, saying the figure is grossly exaggerated and that the protests involved few of its own employees.

A number of demonstrations and walk-outs occurred last week at stores but were scheduled to culminate on one of the year's busiest shopping days.

OUR Walmart, made up of current and former Wal-Mart employees, was formed in 2010 to press the company for better working conditions.

The retailer filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board last week against the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. The company said that the demonstrations organized by OUR Walmart threatened to disrupt its business and intimidate customers and associates.

Wal-Mart said roughly 50 employees participated in the events Thursday and a "few dozen" employees Friday. Company spokesman Dan Fogleman said that the number of associates who missed their shifts during the two days of events is 60 percent lower than last year.

"It was proven last night ? and again today ? that the OUR Walmart group doesn't speak for the 1.3 million Walmart associates," the company said in a statement.

The union group estimated that "hundreds" of employees participated nationwide.

Victoria Martinez, 29, marched in front of the store in Paramount on Black Friday. The Walmart photo department employee worked her shift on Thanksgiving but skipped work on Friday to "speak out". She said the company shows a lack of respect for employees, noting that she faced retaliation by local managers after speaking out about problems during an open discussion sponsored by the head office.

"I believe that when I started at this company, it was great," said Martinez, who's worked for Wal-Mart for seven years. "They've taken away everything that is great."

Wal-Mart for many years has faced intense scrutiny over its wage and benefit policies and treatment of its workers. Fogleman says that the company provides some of the best jobs in the retail industry and that its wages and benefits typically meet or exceed those of competitors. The retailer maintains that it has many long-term employees and that its turnover rate is below the industry average.

The company, based in Bentonville, Ark., operates 10,400 stores in 27 countries.

____

Robert Jablon in Los Angeles and Peter Banda in Lakewood, Colo., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/protests-greet-shoppers-wal-marts-nationwide-215954311--finance.html

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