AngloGold says illegal strike spreads in South Africa

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - An illegal strike spread through AngloGold Ashanti's South African operations on Wednesday, while Anglo American Platinum said it could start firing unlawful strikers on Thursday, as the country's miners grapple to rein in weeks of labor unrest.

A wave of wildcat action is roiling South Africa's mines despite the end of an illegal six-week stoppage at platinum producer Lonmin in which 46 people were killed and the price of the white metal was pushed higher.

Mining shares tanked in Johannesburg on Wednesday, with Amplats losing almost 4.5 percent after it said it has lost 20,000 ounces to the strike action since Sept 12, while AngloGold shares shed over 3 percent.

Most of AngloGold's 35,000 workers have joined the wildcat action that began last week at its Kopanang mine, spokesman Alan Fine said. The company is the world's No.3 bullion producer and South Africa accounted for about 32 percent of its global output of close to 2 million ounces of gold in the first half of 2012.

Illegal strike action has also gripped Gold Fields and the world's top platinum producer Amplats, a unit of global mining group Anglo American.

Amplats said in a statement that attendance at its four Rustenburg mines remained below 20 percent. It said it would take action against those who remained on strike on Thursday, including dismissals.

It has made such threats before but then extended the deadlines, perhaps mindful of the violence unleashed when rival Impala Platinum fired strikers in January.

Much of the platinum sector in South Africa has been battling with soaring costs and weak demand and Anglo American launched a review of its Amplats' operations months ago.

"Our Rustenburg mining operations are under considerable economic pressure and their future is already under review," Amplats' chief executive Chris Griffith said.

RED RAG

The steep 11 to 22 percent pay hikes extracted in the bloody standoff at Lonmin have been a red rag for others in an industry marked by glaring income and wage disparities.

ANC renegade Julius Malema, a populist who has backed the wildcat strikes and called for the nationalization of the country's mines, said he planned to address Implats' workers on Thursday to encourage them to press for higher wages.

"Tomorrow I'm going to a mine, Impala mine in Rustenburg. I'm going to encourage the workers to demand 12,500 (rand a month)," Malema said outside a court in the northern city of Polokwane where he was charged with money laundering.

Malema, the former head of the ruling ANC's Youth League who was ousted from the party for ill-discipline in April, is tapping into a swelling vein of anger among miners to revive his political career and campaign to unseat President Jacob Zuma.

Lesiba Seshoka, spokesman for the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), said the AngloGold strikers wanted a minimum of 16,000 rand ($2,000) a month but the company said it had not received a formal wage demand yet.

If the demand is 16,000 rand it would represent a rise of as much as 400 percent on the basic wages of the lowest-paid workers in the sector. AngloGold and some of its rivals have two-year wage deals that are in place until the middle of 2013.

The NUM does not support the strikes but elsewhere demands have included the resignation of its leaders, a reflection of discontent among miners who regard the union as out of touch and too close to mine managers and the ANC government.

Gold Fields, the world's fourth largest producer, said on Tuesday workers had reneged on a deal NUM claimed to have sealed to end a two-week strike at its KDC West operation in South Africa and miners at its Beatrix mine had also downed tools.

?Illegal strikes erupted in the platinum sector in the form of a bloody turf war between the NUM and the more militant Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).

The strikes have now spread elsewhere but there is no evidence yet of AMCU involvement in the unrest.

(Additional reporting by Ed Cropley; Editing by Pravin Char)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/anglogold-says-illegal-strike-spreads-south-africa-111417041--finance.html

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Isleworth Mona Lisa conjures new art world mystery

GENEVA (AP) ? The mystery behind the most enigmatic smile in art ? Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" ? just got a little more complicated.

In a coming-out party of sorts in Geneva, rounds of flashbulbs popped Thursday as the nonprofit Mona Lisa Foundation pulled back the curtain to present what it claims is a predecessor of the world's most famous portrait.

But even the experts brought in by the foundation weren't sure about that claim just yet. The art world is prone to all sorts of rumors and speculation ? and, periodically ? discoveries that jolt accepted norms. Two years ago, a retired French electrician claimed that he had turned up 271 Picasso works that had been sitting for decades in his garage ? and Picasso's heirs claimed theft.

But a new claim about the world's most famous painting, which draws millions of visitors to Paris' Louvre Museum each year, resonates like a thunderclap in the art world. It also prompts a new look at a painting that all by itself still raises a lot of questions for experts ? not least the timeless "Is she smiling or not?"

The "Isleworth Mona Lisa" features a dark-haired young woman with her arms crossed against a distant backdrop. The foundation insists it's no copy but an earlier version of the Louvre masterpiece. At the presentation, Alessandro Vezzosi, director of the Museo Ideale Leonardo da Vinci, said the painting was intriguing but needs further study. He declined to line up behind the foundation's claims that it was truly a "Mona Lisa" predecessor painted by da Vinci.

Ever since the 16th century, several historical sources suggest that da Vinci painted two "Mona Lisa" versions. One was of Mona Lisa Gherardo around 1503 that was commissioned by her husband, Francesco del Giocondo, the foundation said. Another ? the one in the Louvre ? was completed in 1517 for Giuliano de Medici, da Vinci's patron. That theory fits with da Vinci's tendency at times to paint two versions of some of his works, like the Virgin of the Rocks, the group said.

Foundation members say it's unrealistic to think that the woman sat twice for a portrait, but that the meticulous, mathematical approach suggested that Da Vinci may have projected in his mind what she would have looked like between the first alleged "Mona Lisa" and the "Mona Lisa" in the Louvre.

However, the foundation acknowledged that the "Isleworth Mona Lisa" remains unfinished, and that da Vinci didn't paint all parts of the work. Still, the group pointed to newly discovered evidence in 2005 from Heidelberg, Germany, that suggested da Vinci was working on at least the head of such a painting in 1503.

The painting has been in headlines before, starting in the early 20th century. And it's not unknown to a foreign audience: It was shown in Japan last year before the foundation's research was finished.

Experts say Thursday's unveiling was designed to draw more attention and scrutiny from worldwide art experts about whether it's authentic: A start more than a finish. The Isleworth painting first came to public light after British art collector Hugh Blaker found it in the home of a nobleman in Somerset, England before World War I, said Robert Meyrick, head of the art school at Wales' Aberystwyth University.

Blaker bought the painting and took it to his private studio in Isleworth outside London. U.S. and British newspapers, meanwhile, speculated even then that it might be a da Vinci. But at that time only art experts ? not high-tech science tests like the ones conducted by the foundation ? could judge its possible bona fides.

During World War II, Blaker shipped the painting to Boston's Museum of Fine Arts for safekeeping, the foundation said. In 1962, it was bought by U.S. collector Henry Pulitzer. When he died in 1979, his reported mistress ? Elisabeth Meyer ? inherited it, but it remained in a Swiss bank vault.

After she died, an "international consortium" ? which the foundation declined to identify ? bought the painting in 2008, according to the group's chronology. The foundation was set up two years later, determined to try to show that it was a real da Vinci.

The Mona Lisa Foundation's members are more from the business world than the art world. Participating in Thursday's show was David Feldman, an Irish-born stamp auctioneer; his brother Stanley, an art historian who was the main author of an extensive book on the "Isleworth Mona Lisa"; and Markus Frey, a lawyer in Zurich who is the foundation's president.

The foundation and its backers paid "several million" to conduct research tests ? forensic analysis, carbon-dating and computerized regression analysis ? on the work, Feldman said. He wouldn't say how much the painting was bought for in 2008.

Carlo Pedrotti, one of the world's most eminent scholars on da Vinci, hailed the foundation's "extraordinary contribution to scholarship." In a letter to the foundation presented Thursday, Pedrotti called the group "precisely the sort of research institute, if not a veritable investigating agency ? an FBI for Leonardo studies! ? that I had always hoped for."

Martin Kemp, a da Vinci scholar and Oxford University professor, said he hadn't seen the painting but doubts that it is authentic. He cautioned that the foundation might have its judgment clouded by a possible payoff.

"If this were the original version of the most famous picture in the world, heaven knows what it would cost ? a lot of money," he told APTN in an interview at his home near Oxford. "You'd probably be on your way to 200 million pounds ($325 million) or to stratospheric realms."

"There are big, big stakes involved, and people become committed to it," he noted. Still, who wouldn't want to have their own "Mona Lisa?" "Having a Leonardo is a very sensational thing to have," Kemp admitted. "If I had a Leonardo, it would secure my fame forever."

Source: http://www.mail.com/int/entertainment/lifestyle/1591188-isleworth-mona-lisa-conjures-art-world-mystery.html

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Asian shares fall on wariness over Spain

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares and commodities fell on Wednesday as protests in Spain underscored the country's financing challenges and investors refocused on slowing global growth as rallies, fed by major central bank easing measures, faded.

Flows were also driven by accounting calendar adjustments, with this week seeing the month-end, the end of the July-September quarter, and in Japan, the fiscal first half.

The MSCI index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.miapj0000pus> slid 0.8 percent to its lowest since September 14, giving back nearly all the gains made after markets across riskier assets cheered the U.S. Federal Reserve's aggressive new stimulus aimed at job creation in the U.S. economy.

The European Central Bank said earlier this month it would buy the bonds of struggling euro zone states if they requested aid, while the Bank of Japan followed the U.S. Federal Reserve example by increasing bond buying to help support the economy.

But market rallies have quickly been overtaken by concerns about deteriorating world economies.

The index's materials sector <.miapjmt00pus> led the declines with a 1.6 percent drop. U.S. crude fell 0.2 percent to $91.13 a barrel and Brent down 0.3 percent to $110.07. London copper shed 0.5 percent to $8,237.75 a metric ton.

Australian shares <.axjo> fell 0.4 percent, as concerns over the global economic recovery dampened China's demand for industrial metals, a major export sector for Australia.

"The reason that these packages have to be pursued is because the underlying level of industrial production and economic growth is very weak," said Ben Lyons, an investment analyst at ATI Asset Management.

China's central bank said on Tuesday it will "fine tune" policy to cushion the economy against global risks while closely watching the possible impact from global policy loosening.

China cut interest rates twice in June and July and lowered banks' reserve requirement ratio three times since late 2011, but has refrained from cutting interest rates or RRR since July.

Tokyo's Nikkei average <.n225> slipped 1.7 percent to a two-week low, as a mass of stocks passed the deadline for buyers to gain rights to first-half dividends. <.t/>

The falls follow an easing in global stocks and a drop in the euro to a near two-week low of $1.2886 on Tuesday. The CBOE Volatility index <.vix>, a gauge of expected volatility in the Standard & Poor's 500 index <.spx>, hit its highest in about two weeks on Tuesday, reflecting rising investor caution.

A further drop in Japanese stocks could fuel speculation about yen-weakening intervention by Japanese authorities to help shore up first-half book closing, keeping traders wary of testing the dollar's downside against the yen, said Yuji Saito, director of foreign exchange at Credit Agricole in Tokyo.

"Selling and buying forces both lack strong momentum, but the market is biased towards selling, with the euro capped by its own problems and the dollar top-heavy against the yen," he said.

The euro could slip briefly below 100 yen while heavy bids placed at 77.50 yen against the dollar may spur a blip above 78 yen, Saito said.

The yen traded at 77.72 yen, near a one-week high of 77.655 hit on Tuesday, and was at 100.30 against the euro. The euro steadied at $1.2905, but stayed pressured.

QE market reaction: http://link.reuters.com/pym62t

FED/ECB moves vs equities: http://link.reuters.com/cav57s

Asset returns in 2012: http://link.reuters.com/nyw85s

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EVENTFUL WEEK FOR SPAIN

Protests flared up in Spain on Tuesday ahead of the planned announcement of a new round of unpopular austerity measures for the 2013 budget on Thursday. Spain will also likely set a fresh timetable for economic reforms later this week.

Markets are closely watching Madrid's ability to control its finances, with ballooning regional debts crippling the government's refinancing efforts. The country is also subject to a ratings review by Moody's Investors Service.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is holding back from seeking a sovereign bailout, which would set the stage for the ECB to start buying high-yielding Spanish bonds to ease the country's borrowing strains.

European news and economic data may provide daily trading incentives but markets will largely stick to recent ranges as investors are unwilling to bet on direction until the U.S. presidential election on November 6, said Goro Ohwada, president and CEO at Japan-based fund of hedge funds, Aino Investment Corp.

"Unless it becomes clear which camp is going to win, and unless there is a significantly bad news, nobody's going to take the risk of hastily bailing out of markets. Rather, they are trying to bring their positions close to neutral so they can move quickly after the election result," he said.

Asian credit markets weakened along with other markets, with the spread on the iTraxx Asia ex-Japan investment-grade index widening by 6 basis points.

(Additional reporting by Maggie Lu Yueyang in Canberra; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Eric Meijer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-fall-wariness-over-spain-005357387--finance.html

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Introducing Fast Solutions In Click Cash Commissions

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Source: http://product-liability-lawsuits.net/?p=7381

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Now Is The Time For Self Improvement With These Great Ideas ...

Being honest with yourself and acknowledging that you need work is a huge step forward. Take these ideas, and use them as a starting point for your efforts.

Never take on more than you can handle when you are attempting to achieve your goal. While exerting your best effort is admirable, recognize when you have reached your limit. You should take care of yourself when you are working towards a goal. If you were to sacrifice your body in pursuit of improving yourself, it would be counter-productive to your needs.

TIP! You have to provide care for yourself before you can properly care for other people. Whatever point you may be at on your journey, it is important to properly care for yourself.

Demonstrating selfless behavior shows remarkable progress in any self improvement program. Being able to sacrifice for others, and feeling joy in their happiness, develops your character. If you are able to sacrifice for others, you will begin to become the person you want to be.

Aim to make each day better than its predecessor. Discover innovative ways to increase your character development. Focus on a specific task that you want to do better today than yesterday.

An excellent method of helping you with your anxiety is going to the movies with a friend. You will be out and about but not have to socialize as much. In addition, this can give you the opportunity to become comfortable in crowded rooms.

TIP! Moving toward your goal and meeting your personal needs demands that you do one specific thing to be successful. Choose to take real action, everyday, towards your goals and dreams, instead of just watching others from the sidelines.

You should always strive to be the best in your area. That passion of yours can put you on the road to success. You can?t be the best at everything, but you can inspire people in the same field as you. Do what you can to improve yourself in your work, and you should feel more confident.

Love is the key to motivation and faith. Without love, you can?t have faith. Don?t be idle in your faith, continue to work on it. Do something nice for someone else, or for your community. Love yourself, love others, and let your faith mean something.

Begin a special savings for emergencies. It is not good to pile up credit card bills when an unexpected emergency pops up. This makes you even less capable of dealing with an emergency in the future. Putting a few dollars a week into an emergency fund will add up over time. That fund will be helpful now and later, especially as your debt decreases.

TIP! Conduct yourself with wisdom and modesty as you go through life. Look for opportunities to learn something new every day, and always be willing to admit when you simply cannot change something.

You should make self improvement goals as defined as possible with specific ways to achieve them. If there are specific goals present, it will be easier to figure out the path that you should take to meet them. By meeting challenges, experiencing success will shortly follow.

A great organizational system can help you track your progress. Setting up a sequence of small steps needed to reach your goal will make its achievement easier. Ten small steps are an easier path than three giant ones. Keep track of your progress via a planner or use a journal just for your goals in self improvement.

A positive attitude is key to personal growth. A negative attitude won?t help you advance in life and may actually lead you down the wrong path. Instead, stay positive and tell yourself that having a good attitude will help you achieve your goals.

TIP! Strive to make each day a bit better than the previous one. Try to improve yourself constantly.

You need a good mentor or coach if you expect to be a champion. All champions have great coaches and mentors, and it is important to have them. Everyone should be able to help others find the way. In the absence of mentors, it would be difficult for individuals to reach their full potential. Behind every successful story, there?s a great mentor.

Become a more well-rounded person by developing your leadership qualities. Leadership has many definitions, but many people think of it as ?influence.? Evaluate your leadership skills honestly. What events have impacted you the most in your life? In what ways have you changed due to these events? What skills would you contribute to a group? When you can answer those questions, you?ll know how to be part of a team.

One essential method of improving yourself is to get healthy. A healthy lifestyle includes working out and watching what kind of food you eat, and you must be able to acquire the characteristic of being able to remain motivated to do it. When you put your health first, you are going to feel better in all areas of your life.

TIP! Take a notebook around with you to jot ideas in. You could for instance carry a small notebook with you, or use an app on your phone.

Taking some moderate risks could be the key to your happiness! Many people do not like to take chances because they don?t want to feel like a failure, so they would rather stay cemented in their comfort zone, which often leads to an unfulfilled life. Taking some chances is a key component of happiness. It demonstrates courage and a lust for life.

A common problem for people seeking self improvement, is having a goal that is overly vague or difficult to pin down. Make sure that your goals are very specific. If you create a clear goal, you will achieve the results you want.

Learn how not to worry. When you worry, you create a made-up situation inside of your mind that hasn?t yet happened, and in all likelihood, probably never will. Rather than worrying, think about the worst thing that could happen and make a plan that you can put into motion if that occurs. Then, you are prepared to handle whatever gets thrown your way. Excessive worrying solves nothing.

TIP! Try talking to the pastor at your church, or a therapist; it can help. These professionals are equipped to discuss very deep, emotional issues and often have many years of experience.

When working on your self improvement, you need to value yourself and what is best for your life. You need to understand what you are best at and incorporate that activity into your life plan.

Praise others, flatter them, and show your appreciation. Instead, do the exact opposite and treat others with kindness and respect. This kindness will make you feel better and help you to treat yourself nicely as well.

Strengthening your faith and expressing love are two great personal development goals. Without love, it?s impossible to have faith. Make it a priority to activate faith in your life. Faith and love can lead you to help those in need, and believe in people when they need it most, especially yourself.

TIP! Self-discipline is a key characteristic of any successful personal development plan. Make sure you exhibit self control over what you most desire.

Be ready to write down ideas wherever you are. Use a notepad app on your phone or even carry a real notepad with you. If an idea grabs you while you are on the subway, write it down, then do something about it when inspiration strikes.

Give these strategies a try and take notes on changes in your thoughts or feelings. Remember to take a break from everything once in a while

It is so important to know what you want out of life when you are involved in personal development. Long-term goals are very helpful, and they can have a huge impact on how you view the world.

Source: http://www.projectpb.net/blog/index.php/personal_development/now-is-the-time-for-self-improvement-with-these-great-ideas/

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'Today' producer angry about Lauer stories

FILE - This April 24, 2012 file photo shows NBC "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer attending the TIME 100 gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at the Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York. The "Today" show's top producer is speaking out against stories portraying anchor Matt Lauer as being difficult to work with during the show's slide in the ratings. Executive Producer Jim Bell said Wednesday that Lauer is the heart and soul of NBC's morning news show and that negative stories about him have been hard to deal with. "Today" has slipped behind ABC's "Good Morning America" in the ratings recently, particularly since Lauer's former co-host, Ann Curry, was replaced by Savannah Guthrie. That's led to a wave of bad publicity, much of it focused on Lauer. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

FILE - This April 24, 2012 file photo shows NBC "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer attending the TIME 100 gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at the Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York. The "Today" show's top producer is speaking out against stories portraying anchor Matt Lauer as being difficult to work with during the show's slide in the ratings. Executive Producer Jim Bell said Wednesday that Lauer is the heart and soul of NBC's morning news show and that negative stories about him have been hard to deal with. "Today" has slipped behind ABC's "Good Morning America" in the ratings recently, particularly since Lauer's former co-host, Ann Curry, was replaced by Savannah Guthrie. That's led to a wave of bad publicity, much of it focused on Lauer. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

FILE - This April 24, 2012 file photo shows NBC "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer attending the TIME 100 gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at the Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York. The "Today" show's top producer is speaking out against stories portraying anchor Matt Lauer as being difficult to work with during the show's slide in the ratings. Executive Producer Jim Bell said Wednesday that Lauer is the heart and soul of NBC's morning news show and that negative stories about him have been hard to deal with. "Today" has slipped behind ABC's "Good Morning America" in the ratings recently, particularly since Lauer's former co-host, Ann Curry, was replaced by Savannah Guthrie. That's led to a wave of bad publicity, much of it focused on Lauer. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The "Today" show's top producer on Wednesday defended Matt Lauer against stories that have portrayed the anchor as difficult to deal with during the show's slide in the ratings.

The longtime morning champ has slipped behind ABC's "Good Morning America" in the ratings over recent months, after more than 15 years of being the unquestioned leader in the morning. The new ratings order has solidified since Ann Curry's tearful exit as Lauer's co-host in June.

"Matt has been the heart and soul of the show for a long, long time, and any of the stuff out that has portrayed him in an unflattering light as being difficult to work with is patently false and it's been tough to deal with," said Jim Bell, "Today" executive producer.

One tabloid report last week described Lauer as an "anchor animal" who berates the staff and inserts himself into show decisions, which Bell described as "patently false." He also denied an online report that Lauer would be asked to take a pay cut if the show's ratings don't improve. "Today" has also consistently shot down stories that Lauer played a behind-the-scenes role in Savannah Guthrie's replacement of Curry.

Asked if viewers were taking Curry's dismissal out on "Today," Bell said that "it's more complex than that."

"Any time there is a change, especially in the morning, it takes a while for people to process that change and we're still going through that," Bell said. "That's OK. We understand. We get it. We love our team and we really feel positive about the show we are doing and we are taking the long view here."

"Today" has actually taken pride in seamless anchor transitions in the past, such as when Meredith Vieira replaced Katie Couric, Curry replaced Vieira and Lauer took over for Bryant Gumbel. This one hasn't worked, at least for now.

Bell denied reports that he would leave "Today" for another job at NBC, saying "this is the best job in the world."

After a 17-year winning streak in the ratings, "GMA" overtook "Today" during a couple of weeks last spring. With the exception of two weeks when "Today" broadcast from the London Olympics, the ABC show has won consistently since Curry's dismissal, by margins as much as 800,000 viewers.

"GMA" has succeeded with a lighter, more pop culture-oriented show. Its on-air team of George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, Josh Elliott and Lara Spencer has clicked during NBC's turmoil. "Today" has long been a huge cash cow for NBC, and a permanent change in the morning's pecking order would have big financial implications.

"For a long time, they tried to do a version of the 'Today' show," Bell said of ABC. "It didn't work well, so they have tried to do a different show. We are different shows right now. Despite however that might be working in the short term, for our show, it's in our best interests to be who we are and not try to do what someone else is doing."

Asked for comment, ABC spokesman Jeffrey Schneider said: "I think the audience has spoken loud and clear about its preference in the morning."

He said "Today," which featured a Curry interview with Libyan President Mohammed Magarief on Wednesday, will be making its differences with "Good Morning America" more apparent in coming months.

"While we recognize in the short term we're going through a difficult period, we're not going to compound it by suddenly doing a different show from the one we all feel good about, which is a smart show, a relevant show and an important show to do," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-09-26-TV-Today-Lauer/id-e473527fbcff4dd48d5992546b62a423

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Health care, jobs, taxes, top topics for Senate District 22 race

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Source: http://theleafchronicle.com/article/20120923/NEWS01/309230018/1014/RSS05

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