Choo to Reds, Bauer to Indians in 3-team trade

CLEVELAND (AP) ? Shin-Soo Choo didn't want to be part of the Indians' future. So they're moving on without him.

Cleveland traded the talented outfielder to the Cincinnati Reds and acquired prized pitching prospect Trevor Bauer from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night in a three-team deal involving nine players.

The Indians obtained center fielder Drew Stubbs from Cincinnati and received Bauer, the No. 3 pick in the 2011 draft, along with right-handers Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw from the Diamondbacks.

"This is a trade that can impact our team not only for 2013, but for the future," Indians general manager Chris Antonetti said. "Three of the players we acquired we will have under control for at least the next three seasons."

Cleveland shipped Choo, infielder Jason Donald and about $3.5 million to the Reds, while sending left-handed reliever Tony Sipp and first baseman Lars Anderson to Arizona.

The Diamondbacks also received shortstop prospect Didi Gregorius from Cincinnati.

Choo, primarily a right fielder for Cleveland since he was acquired from Seattle in 2006, will play center and bat leadoff for Cincinnati.

"It was very difficult giving up home-grown talent, but we think Choo can fill the missing parts in our lineup both offensively and defensively," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said in a statement. "He is an exciting player, and we expect him to set the table."

Dealing Choo was almost a necessity for the Indians. He was entering the final year of his contract and is eligible for free agency in 2013. The Indians have not been able to work out a deal with agent Scott Boras, who has turned down several extensions in recent years.

The 30-year-old Choo, from South Korea, batted .283 with 16 homers and 67 RBIs in 155 games last season. He had been considered a core player for the Indians, who collapsed in August and finished 68-94 ? two games out of last place in the AL Central.

"It was really tough," Antonetti said of trading Choo. "I talked with Shin-Soo tonight and expressed my profound appreciation for his professionalism. He is always one of the first to arrive for workouts, whether it is spring training or just a game."

With plenty of power in the middle of the lineup, Cincinnati has lacked a prototypical leadoff man to get on base consistently in front of sluggers such as Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Ryan Ludwick and Todd Frazier. Brandon Phillips, who previously batted cleanup at times, was pressed into leadoff duty last season despite a .322 career on-base percentage.

Choo can also hit the ball out of the ballpark, but his .381 career OBP fits the bill at the top of the order. He also had 43 doubles and 21 steals this year.

The speedy Stubbs has played center exclusively for the Reds, helping them win NL Central titles in 2010 and 2012. He batted .213 with 14 homers and 40 RBIs last season, striking out 166 times in 493 at-bats. He has 100 stolen bases over the past three years, including 30 in 2012.

Antonetti said the team hasn't decided where Stubbs will play. Michael Brantley played center for the Indians last season, but has also spent some time in left.

"In Drew Stubbs, we received a great defensive player who brings an element of speed and power to our lineup," Antonetti said. "We are happy with the job Michael Brantley did for us in center field, but Drew is one of the best out there. He brings a great deal of athleticism to our team."

Bauer, one of baseball's top pitching prospects, became the first member of the 2011 draft class to reach the majors and went 1-2 with a 6.06 ERA in four starts for Arizona this year. The 21-year-old right-hander struggled with his control, compiling 13 walks and 17 strikeouts in 16 1-3 innings.

Bauer spent most of the season in the minors, going a combined 12-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 22 starts at Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno. He had 157 strikeouts and 61 walks while allowing 107 hits in 130 1-3 innings.

"We are getting a young pitcher with a ton of potential," Antonetti said. "He can be a top-of-the-rotation guy with development. He is somebody we have been interested in for a long time, since he was at UCLA."

Arizona general manager Kevin Towers said he was sorry to part with Bauer, but "we're fortunate to have a lot of pitching depth."

The 22-year-old Gregorius, considered a defensive whiz, spent last season with Double-A Pensacola and Triple-A Louisville before appearing in eight games for the Reds. He hit a combined .265 with seven homers and 54 RBIs in 129 minor league games, adding 21 doubles and 11 triples while scoring 70 runs.

The Diamondbacks have been looking for a shortstop to replace Stephen Drew, traded to Oakland in August after returning from a serious ankle injury. They were thought to be interested in Indians All-Star Asdrubal Cabrera, though Towers wouldn't comment on that.

Towers said Gregorius reminds him "of a young Derek Jeter." Gregorius will go to spring camp and compete for the starting job in the big leagues.

Arizona completed a $15.5 million, two-year contract with right-hander Brandon McCarthy on Tuesday and also acquired reliever Heath Bell from Miami earlier this offseason. Towers said those additions make it "highly unlikely" the team will trade slugger Justin Upton.

___

AP Sports Writer Mike Fitzpatrick and AP Baseball Writer Ben Walker in New York contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/choo-reds-bauer-indians-3-team-trade-024607697--mlb.html

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Syria's chemical weapons pose a grave dilemma

Tensions continue to mount over Syria's chemical weapons (CW), with a report by NBC News in the US alleging that troops have been readying chemical stocks for use. Last week the US government repeated a warning that any use of CW by Syria would be crossing a "red line", a warning echoed by a wide spectrum of other governments. We examine what is known about Syria's stockpiles and what options all sides have.

Why is the Syrian government being warned again about CW?
Chemical weapons are banned by international treaty, one that Syria has not signed. They are classified as weapons of mass destruction, although they disperse rapidly in the air and do not really have the mass killing power of other WMD such as nuclear or biological. But as demonstrated in Iraq, they are good at killing in a crowded, confined area. That could make them useful against the urban insurgency Syrian president Bashar al-Assad now faces.

It also makes them frightening potential terrorist weapons. Foreign governments would undoubtedly be appalled at any use of CW against Syrians. But their main concern seems to be that CW could be smuggled out of Syria and fall into the hands of insurgents in neighbouring countries. Earlier this year the US, Jordan and other countries conducted exercises aimed at sealing Syria's borders if this seems likely.

Obama called CW "a red line" in August this year. What has changed since?
According to NBC News, US intelligence has evidence that CW are being "loaded into aerial bombs" at a known storage depot for CW 4 kilometres northeast of Al-Furqlus, near Homs. "My information is that the chemicals are not yet being mixed," says Bilal Saad of the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Washington DC.

This could mean that the Syrians are using binary weapons, probably for delivering the organophosphorus nerve agent sarin as its straightforward synthesis lends itself well to binaries. In the US's now abandoned binary sarin weapon, the M687 shell, stockpiled in the 1980s, the two harmless chemical precursors of sarin were put in separate canisters to avoid having to store the toxic gas. One was kept in the shell, the other loaded just before use. The post-launch acceleration ruptured the canisters, mixing their contents inside the spinning projectile to create sarin.

Does Syria indeed have sarin, and what else might it have?
According to data from open sources compiled by researchers at the Monterey Institute, Syria has dozens of storage facilities where sarin is kept in deliverable weapons, including Scud missiles, air-dropped bombs and artillery shells. It also has several hundred tons of blister agents such as the mustard gas used in the first world war, plus possibly the even more toxic nerve agent VX. This is why destroying Syrian CW dumps with bombing raids may not be a viable option, says Joe Cirincione of the security think tank the Ploughshares Fund in Washington DC: there are many depots and no one knows what all is in each. Moreover bombing could simply expose people to the gas, as US bombing of Iraqi sarin dumps did after the first Gulf war in 1991.

What can the rest of the world do in response?
It is not clear what happens if Assad, or someone else in his regime, crosses the CW "red line". No country has explicitly talked about military intervention, says Saad. The use of CW might make it easier to invoke the emerging international principle of "responsibility to protect" to justify intervening. No-fly zones and surgical strikes on presidential residences have been mooted. But so far the only action has been, again, to try to keep any chemicals within Syria: NATO approval to install Patriot anti-missile batteries along Turkey's border with Syria.

What happens next?
The Chemical Weapons Convention, unlike the ban on biological weapons, includes stringent protocols for policing countries for banned chemical agents. Whether or not Assad ever uses his stockpiled CW, whatever government succeeds him will be under massive pressure to join the treaty, which would be a step forward. US recognition of the main Syrian opposition group, expected this week, could be aimed partly at initiating such future cooperation, and at securing Assad's CW legacy under any successor government.

In the shorter term, Saad fears that Assad, with few other ways out, might use CW to call the bluff of those who talk of red lines and force them to react, which in turn might force allies such as Iran to become more actively engaged in the conflict, thereby regionalising it. The US and its allies might be able to keep the sarin inside Syria, but they may struggle to do the same with the political repercussions should Syria use any.

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The Secrets To Creating A Successful Ecommerce Website

?

An ecommerce website is quickly becoming an important item of the contemporary business? success with the slow shift in business atmosphere to the on-line scenery. For your ecommerce web design to make any kind of significant factor the company will need a total knowledge of it?s? clients wants and needs. That is possibly the hardest part of the on-line business design.

Resources including internet analytic applications may supply early advice on how best to continue in to the internet business community. Designed testing to obtain understanding into customer traffic patterns allows the person to monitor the website traffic to be able to examine the general industry problems, quantity of guests clicking into the webpages of the websites etc. From the small out-of-the-cellar business for the large entities, regardless of business manner (B2B or B2C), building an e-commerce website has a tremendous value in today?s marketplace.

The topic of constructing an e-commerce site entails particular critical measures that the internet site programmer is needed to consider for preparation, growing and placing it into activity by making use of programs including Microsoft facilities.NET. There are a lot of comprehensive information concerning the selections of the styles the programmer wants for creating an e-commerce website. In this matter, it is essential to discuss about the term ?Handel? since it is extremely much a associated subject. A ?Handel? is essentially a collection of specialized segments that are utilized to execute specific repetitive usual measures including adding and removing products to and in the shopping cart software and other usual jobs which are connected to making ecommerce applications.

Constructing the best answer requires solving for the endgame. What?s the objective the website should attain? With this in mind, construct the website mechanics making use of reverse engineering, constantly maintaining the result in mind. It?s best to always attempt to create advantages and ease-of-use to ensure that the customer prevents any kind of distress in routing. Construct it and they may come! There are certain criterions that should be met to develop a better e commerce site. A better e commerce website must provide a clear view of the business?s real standing and should be complete and significant.

It is essential to produce an e-commerce site in this manner that it becomes able to provide within a very brief window of time. If you continue to concentrate on the question, ?why should a person purchase from me?? then your job may go through the largest end success. Another critical point regarding creating a better e commerce website is less the quantity of pages, better it?s for your outside world. The website should show the factors of guarantee or warrantee for the items and should be constructed in this type of manner so as to ensure the customer you will be there to assist the customer if something goes wrong.

Source: http://ninjaseomethods.com/the-secrets-to-creating-a-successful-ecommerce-website/

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Mexico tests DNA from Jenni Rivera plane crash

Photos and flowers honoring late singer Jenni Rivera, placed by fans next to religious images, are seen at the cemetery where her mother is buried in Hermosillo, northern Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. U.S. authorities confirmed Monday that Rivera, a U.S.-born singer whose soulful voice and openness about her personal troubles made her a Mexican-American superstar, was killed in a plane crash early Sunday in northern Mexico. (AP Photo/Baldemar De Los Llanos)

Photos and flowers honoring late singer Jenni Rivera, placed by fans next to religious images, are seen at the cemetery where her mother is buried in Hermosillo, northern Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. U.S. authorities confirmed Monday that Rivera, a U.S.-born singer whose soulful voice and openness about her personal troubles made her a Mexican-American superstar, was killed in a plane crash early Sunday in northern Mexico. (AP Photo/Baldemar De Los Llanos)

A rescue helicopter with members of the Mexican General Civil Aeronautic Directorate (DGAC) stand on top of the hill right next to the canyon where U.S.-born singer Jenni Rivera's jet crashed near the town of Iturbude, Mexico, Dec. 10, 2012. Rivera's life was cut short at its peak on Sunday by an airplane crash in northern Mexico that also killed six friends and co-workers. (AP Photo/Hans Maximo Musielik)

Photos and flowers honoring late singer Jenni Rivera, placed by fans next to religious images, are seen at the cemetery where her mother is buried in Hermosillo, northern Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. U.S. authorities confirmed Monday that Rivera, a U.S.-born singer whose soulful voice and openness about her personal troubles made her a Mexican-American superstar, was killed in a plane crash early Sunday in northern Mexico. (AP Photo/Baldemar De Los Llanos)

In this photo released Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, by Indomina Media, shows singer and actress Jenni Rivera during the filming of her upcoming movie "Filly Brown." The film "Filly Brown" is expected to be released on the Spring of 2013. Rivera's life was cut short at its peak on Sunday by an airplane crash in northern Mexico that also killed six friends and co-workers. (AP Photo/Indomina Media)

Video cameras and flags used by the forensic experts are unloaded from a helicopter on top of the hill next to the canyon where an airplane crash occurred a day earlier claiming the life of U.S.-born singer Jenni Rivera near the town of Iturbude, Mexico, Monday Dec. 10, 2012. Rivera's life was cut short at its peak on Sunday by an airplane crash in northern Mexico that also killed six friends and co-workers. (AP Photo/Hans Maximo Musielik)

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) ? Mexican authorities were performing DNA tests Tuesday on remains believed to belong to Mexican-American music superstar Jenni Rivera and six other people killed when her plane went down in northern Mexico.

Investigators said it would take days to piece together the wreckage of the plane carrying Rivera and find out why it went down.

Authorities, meanwhile, began looking into the history of the plane's owner, Starwood Management of Las Vegas. Another of its planes was seized in September by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in McAllen, Texas.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team to help investigate the crash of the Learjet 25, which disintegrated on impact Sunday with seven people aboard in rugged terrain in Nuevo Leon state in northern Mexico.

Human remains found in the wreckage were moved to a hospital in Monterrey, the closest major city to the crash, and Rivera's brother Lupillo was driven past a crowd of reporters to the area where the remains were being kept. He did not speak to the press.

A state official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, said investigators were testing DNA from the remains in order to provide families with definitive confirmation of the deaths of their loved ones.

Alejandro Argudin, of Mexico's civil aviation agency, said it would take at least 10 days to have a preliminary report on what happened to the plane.

"We're in the process of picking up the fragments and we have to find all the parts," Argudin told reporters on Monday. "Depending on weather conditions it would take us at least 10 days to have a first report and many more days to have a report by experts."

In an interview on Radio Formula, Argudin said Mexican investigators weren't sure yet if the Learjet had been equipped with flight data recorders. He also said there had been no emergency call from the plane before the crash.

Fans of Rivera, who sold 15 million records and was loved on both sides of the border for her down-to-earth style and songs about heartbreak and overcoming pain, put up shrines to her with burning candles, flowers and photographs in cities from Hermosillo, Mexico to Los Angeles.

Some Spanish-language radio stations played her songs nonstop.

"She really inspired us as female Hispanics to move forward in life," said fan Rosie Sifuentes at a vigil in Lynwood, California.

At Rivera's father's house in Lakewood, California, fans and neighbors walked up the driveway and hugged Pedro Rivera Jr., Jenni's brother.

A distraught Pedro recalled his last conversation with his sister at church when they were taking a collection to buy Christmas toys for needy children.

He said his sister gave him $5,000 to give to the children. "She said, 'I just want to see them smile. I just want to see them happy.' All she wanted was to see the happiness in people. And then she gave me a big hug. She said, 'I love you, brother.'"

He said he was later watching television and wanted to send a text message to his sister to say that he loved her. "But I didn't because I thought maybe she's busy, maybe she's just barely getting out of singing or something ... You just regret those moments."

Another brother, Juan Rivera, still held on to hope that his sister would be found alive.

"In our eyes, we still have faith that my sister will be OK. We have no confirmation of her body being recovered, dead or alive," he told reporters.

The California-born woman known as the "Diva de la Banda" died as her career peaked. She was perhaps the most successful female singer in grupero, a male-dominated Mexico regional style, and had branched out into acting and reality television.

A 43-year-old mother of five children and grandmother of two, she was known for frank talk about her struggles to give a good life to her children despite a series of setbacks.

She had recently filed for divorce from her third husband, former Major League Baseball player Esteban Loaiza.

Rivera recently won two Billboard Mexican Music Awards: Female Artist of the Year and Banda Album of the Year for "Joyas Prestadas: Banda." She was nominated for Latin Grammys in 2002, 2008 and 2011.

Besides being a singer, she appeared in the indie film Filly Brown, which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival, and was filming the third season of "I love Jenni," which followed her as she shared special moments with her children and as she toured through Mexico and the United States.

She also had the reality shows: "Jenni Rivera Presents: Chiquis and Raq-C" and her daughter's "Chiquis 'n Control."

Two of her five brothers, Lupillo and Juan Rivera, are also well-known singers of grupero music. Her parents were Mexicans who had migrated to the United States

The Learjet 25, number N345MC, with Rivera aboard was en route from Monterrey to Toluca, outside Mexico City, when it was reported missing about 10 minutes after takeoff.

The cause of the accident has not been determined

The plane was registered to Starwood Management of Las Vegas, according to FAA records, and was built in 1969.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the twin-turbojet was substantially damaged in a 2005 landing mishap at Amarillo International Airport in Texas. It hit a runway distance marker after losing directional control. There were four aboard but no injuries. It was registered to a company in Houston, Texas, as the time.

The company is also subject of a federal lawsuit in Nevada.

QBE Insurance Corp. alleges that a Starwood aircraft was ordered seized by the DEA when it landed in McAllen, Texas, from Mexico on Sept. 12. The New York-based insurer sued in October to rescind coverage for the Hawker 700 jet.

Starwood, in a court filing, acknowledged that the DEA was involved in the seizure of the aircraft.

QBE, based in New York, said the DEA also seized a Starwood-owned Gulfstream G-1159A ? insured by another company ? when it landed in Tucson from Mexico in February. Starwood said in its court filing that it didn't have enough information to address the allegation.

Nevada secretary of state records list only one Starwood officer ? Norma Gonzalez ? but QBE alleges that the company is owned and managed by Ed Nunez, who, according to the lawsuit, is also known as Christian Esquino and had a long criminal history.

Starwood rejected the insurer's description of Nunez's role at the company.

According to QBE's lawsuit, Esquino pleaded guilty in federal court in Orlando, Florida, in 1993 to conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine.

QBE said Esquino also served two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud involving an aircraft in Southern California in 2004. QBE said Esquino's attorney stated in court back then that his client had been under investigation by the DEA for more than a year.

Starwood said in its court filing that it didn't have enough information to address either the Florida or Southern California case against Esquino.

George Crow, an attorney for Starwood, did not immediately respond to phone and email messages left after business hours Monday.

There have been several high-profile crashes involving Learjets, known as swift, longer-distance passenger aircraft popular with corporate executives, entertainers and government officials.

A Learjet carrying pro-golfer Payne Stewart and five others crashed in northeastern South Dakota in 1999. Investigators said the plane lost cabin pressure and all on board died after losing consciousness for lack of oxygen.

Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker was severely injured in a 2008 Learjet crash in South Carolina that killed four people.

That same year, a Learjet slammed into rush-hour traffic in a Mexico City neighborhood, killing Interior Secretary Juan Camilo Mourino and eight others on the plane, plus five people on the ground.

___

Tamara contributed from Los Angeles. Raquel Dillon in Los Angeles and Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-12-11-Mexico-Jenni%20Rivera/id-40e41e372859429bb17aa361c11386ff

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Commitment-phobic adults could have mom and dad to blame says ...

Adults avoiding relationships may be trying to meet childhood needs, say Tel Aviv University researcher

Afraid to commit to a relationship? According to new research from Tel Aviv University, it could be just one more thing to blame on your parents.

A study of the romantic history of 58 adults aged 22-28 found that those who avoid committed romantic relationships are likely a product of unresponsive or over-intrusive parenting, says Dr. Sharon Dekel, a psychologist and researcher at the Bob Shappell School of Social Work.

Dr. Dekel and her fellow researcher, Prof. Barry Farber of Columbia University, found that 22.4 percent of study participants could be categorized as ?avoidant? when it came to their relationships, demonstrating anxiety about intimacy, reluctance to commit to or share with their partner, or a belief that their partner was ?clingy,? for example. Overall, they reported less personal satisfaction in their relationships than participants who were determined to be secure in their relationships.

The goal of the study, published in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, was to address the widespread research debate on ?avoidant attachment? ? whether such behavior is due to innate personality traits, such as being more of a loner, or is a delayed reaction to unmet childhood needs. Dr. Dekel and Prof. Farber found that while both secure and avoidant individuals expressed a desire for intimacy in relationships, avoidant individuals are conflicted about this need due to the complicated parent-child dynamics they experienced when young.

Taking lessons from childhood

The premise of their study, says Dr. Dekel, is based on attachment theory, which posits that during times of stress, infants seek proximity to their caregivers for emotional support. However, if the parent is unresponsive or overly intrusive, the child learns to avoid their caregiver.

The researchers believe that adult relationships reflect these earlier experiences. When infantile needs are met in childhood, that person approaches adult relationships with more security, seeking intimacy, sharing, caring, and fun, says Dr. Dekel. The researchers labelled these relationships ?two-adult? models, in which participants equally share desires with their partner. Avoidant individuals, however, are more likely to adopt an ?infant-mother? intimacy model.

When they enter relationships, there is an attempt to satisfy their unmet childhood needs, Dr. Dekel explains. ?Avoidant individuals are looking for somebody to validate them, accept them as they are, can consistently meet their needs and remain calm ? including not making a fuss about anything or getting caught up in their own personal issues.?

The tendency to avoid dependence on a partner is a defense mechanism rather than an avoidance of intimacy, she adds.

Hope for the commitment-phobic?

It?s important to study this group further because beyond their severely diminished ability to conduct satisfying romantic relationships, they are also less happy in their lives and are more likely to suffer illnesses than their secure counterparts, notes Dr. Dekel. Psychologists need a better understanding of what these insecure individuals need, perhaps through more sophisticated neurological studies, she suggests.

There is also the question of whether or not these attachment styles are permanent. Dr. Dekel believes that there are some experiences which can help people develop more secure relationship styles.

There are hints that after experiencing a traumatic event, survivors show a greater ability and desire to form closer relationships, Dr. Dekel observed in a previous study in the Journal of Psychological Trauma, completed during her post-doctoral work with Prof. Zahava Solomon. As an expert in the field of trauma recovery and post-traumatic growth who has worked with patients in Israel and abroad to overcome traumatic events, she is beginning to study this phenomenon in greater depth.

Source

Source: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/commitment-phobic-adults-could-have-mom-and-dad-to-blame-says-new-study/relationships/

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The Single Life: The Model Man | Black and Married With Kids.com ...

As I continue my adventures in dating, I met a male model. Not the ?I?m really a waiter by day? model, but the ?I?m signed to an international agency and gracing billboards? model. I was blown away by his sparkling smile, smooth skin, piercing eyes and overall goodness. It took a second to concentrate on the words coming out of his mouth. He, too, focused on outer appearances and gave me countless compliments. When he introduced me to his crew, his cousin commented that if I wasn?t pretty, his model relative would definitely get an earful. I smiled and said that pretty isn?t enough. That you have to have substance under the surface. I remembered a joke my aunt told me. When you?re in your twenties, you date someone for their looks. In your thirties, you look for personality. And in your forties, you want someone who is financially secure. I laughed and said, perhaps there?s a man who is all three! Although the model is more than a pretty face?he?s actually pretty funny on dates?I wondered why women let looks distract them at times. I?ve been guilty of this in my past. No matter your age, a good-looking guy gets away with more dirt than the average Joe. So, I thought of five expectations you should still set when dating gorgeous guys.

1. Don?t be a Beck and Call Chick

Don?t be overly available for a man who won?t fit you into his schedule. For instance, does he want you to fly out for a visit but won?t take you on a date when he?s in your town? Does he take you on fake dates? In other words, when you get together, are other people along for drinks? Does he only ask you out for coffee, because he?s still deciding if he should pay for a real meal? Of course, economic times are tough, but there are tons of fun and free activities to enjoy, like taking a walk in the park or going to the museum. Just don?t drop everything and change your plans, because he happens to call or text (See #3). Good looks aren?t enough to take a 15 hour Megabus trip to see someone!

2. Don?t Negotiate Your Non-Negotiables

I know negotiables isn?t really a word, but hear me out. One of my male friends always gives this advice to women in our circle. If you are adamant against dating someone with children, don?t. Don?t waste someone?s time when you are uninterested in signing for the entire package. Don?t believe the hype. There are lots of Black men without children, so don?t date one with kids if you won?t accept them. Unless they are put up for adoption, they aren?t going anywhere anytime soon. Likewise, if your religious rules are something you won?t bend, don?t go out with someone who never goes to church, or reads the Bible if you?re in the choir, and on several committees. I?m not saying not to be open-minded. But I am saying if you know there are things you absolutely won?t reconsider, don?t change your views for a moment, for a good ?looking guy. Trust me, you won?t change your core over time. My sister made up an analogy once about non-negotiables. If someone gives you a plate with mushrooms, peppers, onions and meatballs but no noodles, you aren?t eating spaghetti.

3. Don?t Text Too Much

As mentioned in previous articles, I?m anti too much technology. I love email, social media and cell phones, but I try to strike a healthy balance between my devices. If a man wants to talk to you, he?ll pick up the phone and call! It?s OK to text a question, or a quick line or two, but when you can?t remember what the guy?s voice sounds like and your fingers are developing callouses, there?s a problem. You shouldn?t hold every conversation with texts, or instant messages. Communication is key!

4. Have Fun!

Not everyone you meet is your husband. But, you have to date to get down the aisle. Well, unless there?s an arranged marriage or divine intervention. So, get in a little practice and interact with the opposite sex. That doesn?t mean you have to have sex! But then again, you?re grown. Don?t let others judge you, because chances are they aren?t living up to the standards they?re setting for your life. Dating is a great way to make new friends, travel and live life to the fullest.

5. Get a Confidence Boost

Back to the model at the beginning of this article. He thought I was sexy BECAUSE I was a mom, compared me to Jane Kennedy and loved the things I am a bit self-conscious of concerning my body. I always had healthy self-esteem and never chased compliments. But nonetheless, knowing that I went out with one of America?s sexiest bachelors (Not just my opinion, was actually written up about him?lol), I felt good. I didn?t date for a year, to heal from a breakup and focus on my new baby girl, so it?s a big boost to my confidence to know I won?t have trouble getting a date in the future!

Take my advice for what it?s worth! My father thinks it?s hilarious that I give relationship advice when I?m single. I tell him that I choose to be single. There?s a difference?lol.

About the author

Not long ago, Heather Hopson was an award-winning television host in the Cayman Islands. Today, she?s writing a different kind of story as a new mom at www.diaryofafirsttimemom.com. The site includes fabulous features, such as Gaga Giveaways, The Mommy Experiment, Mom Minutes and a Video Diary.

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Source: http://blackandmarriedwithkids.com/2012/10/the-single-life-the-model-man/

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Uber New York Doubles Drivers Pay - Business Insider

Uber is coming to the rescue of New Yorkers at a time when the subway system is shut down, and there's a lack of buses and taxis due to Hurricane Sandy.

The startup, which uses smartphones to connect limo drivers and riders in real time, is paying its drivers double to make sure there are enough cars on the road, while keeping the cost for the passenger the same.

"Our goal is to be a reliable transportation alternative,"?Uber General Manager Josh Mohrer tells Business Insider.?

Uber normally adjusts its prices during peak demand times in order to keep cars on the road. But Mohrer says Uber will eat the loss for the time being. ?

Mohrer wouldn't say how much money Uber could potentially lose, but he says it will be a significant expense.

"We are monitoring the city's transportation health closely and will keep this running as long as we can today while we figure out more sustainable?ways to keep supply up while the city is in need," Mohrer says.

Besides the good publicity from helping out New Yorkers, Uber may want to restore its reputation among riders after pulling a short-lived experiment with letting Uber users hail taxis with its app.

Don't Miss:?NEW YORK: This Is What Your Flooded Subway System Looked Like After Hurricane Sandy >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-new-york-driver-pay-2012-10

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