Florida lawmakers apologizing to Canada for road rage

Tim Graham / Tim Graham

Traffic on the highway heading out of Miami at Opa Locka Boulevard, Florida, United States of America

By Andrew Rafferty, Staff Writer, NBC News

The Canadian Automobile Association is warning their members to take special precautions when traveling internationally ? to Florida.

That's because the Sunshine State last year passed a largely unnoticed law that requires foreign drivers to own largely-unused "international driver's permits" from their home country.

?The legislation, which went into effect January 1, was intended to make sure all Florida drivers held a license translated into English.

But it also meant scores of snowbirds flew down from the Great North in 2013 not knowing they were breaking the law.?

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Florida lawmakers are apologizing to Canadians, British and other English-speaking countries that have been unintentionally targeted as a result of the law, and Florida's Highway Patrol has suspended its enforcement.

Still, there are questions about the impact on car rentals and insurance coverage for foreigners driving in the state. The state's tourism website, Visit Florida, is urging visitors to consult with an "in-country travel professional for guidance."

That's why the CAA, Canada's version of AAA, has on the homepage of its website guidelines for the new law and FAQ on how to obtain an international driver's license, which costs $25.

"Until the law is changed, we continue to recommend Canadians traveling to Florida should consider obtaining an IDP," the site reads.

That change could come soon, as state officials are quickly realizing some of the unwanted consequences of the bill.

"We will work with the legislature to amend the law this year so it does not burden international visitors to our state, who make up an important part of our tourism industry,"?said?John Tupps, deputy press secretary for Florida Gov. Rick Scott, on Tuesday.

Florida state Rep. Ben Albritton, a Republican, introduced the bill with the intention of making things easier on Motor Vehicle employees who regularly deal with identification from foreign lands.

"This one I just missed. I want to tell the people in Canada I am sorry," Albritton told the Tampa Bay Times. "If I messed something up, I am man enough to fix it."

Canada topped all other countries in travel to Florida in 2011 with more than 3 million visitors there. Another English speaking country, The United Kingdom, ranks third on the list with 1.3 million visitors.

Tourism spending in the state totaled $67.2 billion in 2011.

It is unclear when the law will be officially amended.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/19/17021828-florida-lawmakers-apologizing-to-canada-for-road-rage

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White House tries to keep immigration on track

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The White House sought to keep delicate immigration negotiations on track Tuesday as a key Republican senator further distanced himself from a draft bill President Barack Obama's aides are readying in case congressional talks crumble.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's office said Obama's plan "injected additional partisanship into an already difficult process." The White House, following the weekend leak of its draft legislation, insisted the president wants the bipartisan Senate group of which Rubio is a member to propose its own bill instead.

Obama spoke with Rubio on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the Senate process, but to make clear that he had his own legislation ready, the White House said. The president also called Republicans Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona, two other GOP lawmakers involved in the immigration negotiations.

"It is, by far, the president's preference that the Senate process move forward, that the bipartisan group of eight have success, and that they produce a bill that wins the support of Democrats and Republicans in Senate," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

Senate aides said privately that bipartisan negotiations are in a good place and did not feel as though the disclosure of details in Obama's draft bill would disrupt their progress. In fact, Obama's backup bill could end up spurring GOP lawmakers to rally behind a similar congressional plan rather than support legislation attached to the president.

While they differ on some key details, both sides are contemplating legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for most of the 11 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S., tighten border security, crack down on businesses that employ illegal workers and strengthen the legal immigration system.

Rubio, a rising Republican star and favorite of his party's conservative wing, has particular incentive to disown Obama's proposals.

As one of his party's leading voices on immigration, Rubio will be called on to sell other conservatives on any deal and knows that doing so will be harder if that deal has the president's name attached to it. He'll also have to convince Republicans that a bipartisan Senate agreement would be more conservative than what Obama would propose on his own.

Rubio's office, trying to further distance itself from the White House, insisted that the senator's team had not been in talks with the administration on immigration. But Rubio spokesman Alex Conant later backed away from that statement after senior administration officials said representatives from Rubio's office had been part of five bipartisan immigration meetings with the White House.

The White House has insisted it did not intentionally leak details of its immigration plan, which circulated widely at key government agencies. Top Obama aides tried to clear up the mess over the weekend, making apologetic calls to the offices of the eight senators at the center of the Capitol Hill negotiations.

Obama officials say the documents represent draft proposals, not a final bill. The president and his aides have repeatedly said publicly that the White House was readying legislation and would submit it to Congress if the Senate process stalls.

The draft White House proposal and the principles outlined by the Senate group overlap in many areas, though there are some key differences.

The administration's draft proposal would create a visa for those in the country illegally and allow them to become legal permanent residents within about eight years as part of a broader pathway to citizenship. The Senate group is looking at a 10-year timeline before people already in the U.S. illegally could get green cards.

While Obama's proposal calls for more funding for securing the border, it does not make border security a pre-condition for opening a pathway to citizenship. The Senate group's principles would require a border security trigger, though it's unclear how they would define a secure border.

Rubio's office has also criticized the president's proposals for not including a guest worker program or a plan for dealing with the future flow of immigrants.

Officials say the White House has not set a deadline for when the president would choose to abandon the Senate process and send his bill to Capitol Hill. Senate lawmakers have raised the prospect of drafting a bill next month.

Hanging over the entire immigration debate in Washington is a changed political landscape that gives Hispanics more influence in national politics than ever before. Hispanics made up 10 percent of the electorate in the November presidential election and Obama won more two-thirds of their votes, causing many Republican lawmakers to rethink their opposition to immigration reform.

Immigration advocates have vowed to keep reminding GOP lawmakers of the growing political power of Hispanic voters.

"You can choose not to do it, you can choose inaction, but keep in mind that the Latino community is not going to forget," said Eliseo Medina, an immigration advocate and labor leader at the Service Employees International Union.

"If the Senate blocks it, then get prepared for 2014," he added, referring to next year's congressional elections.

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Associated Press writer Erica Werner contributed to this report.

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Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-tries-keep-immigration-track-222727649--politics.html

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Hands-on preview of Alien vs. Predator: Evolution for iOS and Android

In the world of video games, the Alien film franchise has been on a lot of minds of after the recent release of Gearbox Software?s Aliens: Colonial Marines. Unfortunately, the console-based first-person shooter, highly anticipated and supposedly acting as a true sequel to James Cameron?s 1986 film Aliens, has received some pretty terrible reviews.

But all is not necessarily lost for Alien fans, at least in the mobile sphere.?Aliens vs. Predator: Evolution from Angry Mob Games is on its way, and it lets you play as one of two of the deadliest killing machines in the world ? the sleek, insect-like Alien (also known as a xenomorph), or the vicious, honor-driven Predator. It?s a video game matchup we?ve seen before in a number of PC and console games. Up until now, mobile gamers have only had Predators, which coincided with the release of the 2010 film with the same name starring Adrien Brody. That game, of course, was missing an important ingredient.?Aliens and Predators go together like peanut butter and chocolate, if those sweet treats were sentient and programmed to hunt each other.

I got a chance to go hands-on with AVP: Evolution for a few levels, playing as both sets of creatures. The game definitely is primed to scratch your itch for both franchises, although it was marred by some control issues on my older iPhone 4. Before I dive into the the game?s story and features, here?s an official trailer:

An Alien tale as old as time

Like the Aliens vs. Predator games we?ve seen in the past, AVP: Evolution follows two parallel stories, one concerning the aliens and the other the predators. For the aliens, the goal is to break free of a human research facility, free a queen and liberate a hive, all while avoiding marines with their iconic pulse rifles, and eating the brains of your victims. This is definitely a game for mature audiences.The first xenomorph level starts out with players controlling the larval facehugger, and requires a little bit of stealth action in order to sneak up on and ?impregnate? victims. Aliens are encouraged to move through vents and sneak up on enemies, and before long, you?ll find a human to turn into an incubator and transform into the snake-like chestburster. Just as before, dodging enemies and finding less obvious ways through levels is key to survival.

Later in the xenomorph campaign, players will take on the role of a fully grown warrior, and that?s where the real fun begins. Controls for Evolution are pretty straight-forward ? a virtual control stick moves players around levels, while there?s a button for lunge attacks and another for swipe attacks, with the camera giving players a third-person perspective. Taking out enemies requires a combination of quick movements and avoidance, as you can lunge to close the gap between you and bad guys, then slash to finish them off. Do enough damage, and a finishing move icon pops up over the enemy?s head. By tapping that, players can activate a swipe-based execution move that restores health.

The latter part of the final xenomorph level included some climbing on walls and fighting off different enemies, both carrying guns and melee devices. Completing executions is key to staying alive, especially at the end of the level, when you?ll have to flee a hovering marine dropship as it unloads machinegun fire on you. The trick to that level is to let the dropship clear the way of enemies and debris so you can make a run for it.

Flipping the script

The predator storyline concerns two factions of extraterrestrial dreadlocked warriors. Players take on the role of a member of the clan being dominated by the other, and work toward defeating the xenomorph threat and rival clan. In the first level, you run through a predator ship as it?s being destroyed. Afterward, the game skips onward to the marine facility, where you?ll have to fight soldiers and the like.

Both the predators and the aliens handle in a fairly similar way ? both have swiping attacks and lunging ability. Aliens can switch between using their claws or their spear-like tails, and predators find more and more of the weapons seen in the films to use against their prey. Also like the aliens, predators can execute enemies to restore health, taking the head and spine as a trophy just like in the movies.

The preview build I tried looked pretty great and invoked a lot of the imagery seen in the film franchises, down to the style of doors and architecture in the Weyland-Yutani facility through which most of the build takes place. Nailing the look is pretty key to the enjoyment of any Alien or Predator game, and Evolution seems to have that part well in-hand.

Control issues

On my iPhone 4, the major trouble with the game was some controls that weren?t very responsive, like the swipe-based execution moves. Given that it?s an early build played on an older iPhone, it?s possible the control frustrations I felt are actually a minor concern, but hopefully developer Angry Mob Games will give the controls a little extra attention.

Small annoyances aside, it seems like fans of Aliens, Predator and Aliens vs. Predator have something to look forward to. AVP: Evolution looks as though it could be a solid mobile take on a well-loved series of games, but we?ll have to see just how well the transition gets made.

Download the Appolicious Android app

Source: http://www.appolicious.com/games/articles/13234-hands-on-preview-of-alien-vs-predator-evolution-for-ios-and-android

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E-commerce experts tackle drinks retail - The Drinks Business

With a background in online work for John Lewis, BT and his own recently sold spare parts site, eSpares, David Laurie, the co-founder and CEO of 31Dover has set up this latest venture in partnership with London-based luxury drinks retailer Vanquish Wine.

Highlighting the opportunity he believes he has identified, Laurie told the drinks business: ?We?re trying to take people who are completely mystified by supermarket shelves or the selection criteria of our competitors. We?re helping our customers to make a choice ? and the right choice.?

In order to achieve this, he pointed to 31Dover?s ?very rich, content led site?, which features video tips, a virtual barman and cocktail recipes.

Despite these features, Laurie emphasised a focus on simplicity. ?People just want to get from A to B clearly and crisply and to be able to check out,? he remarked of the e-commerce sector in general. ?They don?t want to engage in a whole dialogue.?

However, he added: ?If over time you can prove yourself, then you can start having a conversation with them.?

Turning to 31Dover?s relatively concise selection of around 100 wines, Laurie noted the retailer?s next day delivery service as he explained: ?We?re streamlining for logistical purposes as well as helping people to choose. The theory behind our wine list is that it?s like going to a decent restaurant ? it?s a list instead of just thousands of wines.?

Wine buyer Peter Hogarth, who has previously worked for Berry Bros. & Rudd, Harrod?s, Oddbins and Wholefoods, currently works with around 10 suppliers, although some wines are shipped directly from the producer. ?Once we have the volumes we?ll do more of that,? he remarked

Summing up the range as offering ?A more interesting selection than a supermarket without trying to take on the independent who can hand sell,? Hogarth argued: ?Wine is always presented in quite a staid, boring fashion.? As a result, he emphasised: ?Our descriptions are trying to be straightforward and concise. I don?t mention any fruit flavours or technical jargon.?

Although noting that the wine selection avoided the cheapest end of the market, just as 31Dover is not positioning itself as a fine wine merchant, Hogarth observed:? ?Because we?re online we can have lower margins so we can give better value than ?bricks and mortar?.?

Despite being an online business, Hogarth also stressed 31Dover?s commitment to offering a human face and product knowledge. ?People are available on the phone and we have in house expertise ? that?s what I?m here for,? he remarked.

Since it started trading at the beginning of January, 31Dover has built up a customer base across the UK through a combination of Pay Per Click (PPC) web advertising, working with brand ambassadors and especially word of mouth, which Laurie noted: ?particularly for a UK audience is very important.?

Hogarth described the first three months? trading as an important time for learning about customer shopping habits, from how they search for products to the styles that have most appeal.

?What are people searching for: is it Sancerre or Sauvignon Blanc?? he queried, adding: ?We?re still working on our search terms to narrow the selection.?

On the spirits side of the business, Laurie revealed some early observations about customer habits. ?People go for their vodka and stick to what they know, but for gin there?s more research and interest ? we feel the enthusiasm through their journey.?

Anticipating that this demand would gradually become better reflected in 31Dover?s spirits offer, Laurie noted: ?What you?ll see over time is more artisan products. There are some great young brands kicking around that deserve a nationwide audience.?

He also outlined the mutual benefits to the partnership with Vanquish Wine, which currently supplies much of 31Dover?s spirit and Champagne portfolio as well as providing its London address for the company?s name.

In return, remarked Laurie, ?They use us as a website to sell further afield, especially in places where these isn?t much availability for some of these products.?

Source: http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2013/02/e-commerce-experts-tackle-drinks-retail/

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Carlsberg hit by rocky Russian market and rising costs

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish brewer Carlsberg has scrapped its profit margin target for eastern Europe, blaming volatile markets and raw material costs, and damping hopes the region can offset sluggish demand in western Europe.

The world's fourth-biggest brewer said on Monday sales growth had stalled in its key Russian market and the cost of an efficiency drive in western Europe would cap earnings growth this year, sending its shares down as much as 7 percent.

"The change in long-term financial targets is probably the most disappointing element in the report," said Sydbank analyst Morten Imsgaard.

"It helps paint a picture of a brewery which is not entirely in control of factors which are decisive for earnings," he said.

Carlsberg, like bigger rivals AB Inbev , SABMiller and Heineken , is relying on emerging markets to offset weak beer sales in recession-hit western Europe and help it cope with volatile prices for raw materials like barley, energy and packaging.

The group has built up a market-leading position in Russia in the hope its burgeoning middle classes will drive growth and reduce its reliance on western Europe, which currently accounts for just over 60 percent of sales.

However, growth rates in Russia have been has been hurt by a government drive aimed at curbing alcohol abuse, with measures taken including excise tax increases and a ban on advertising in all media, including the internet.

"Several events, both within and beyond our control, have and will continue to impact margins," Carlsberg said as it scrapped its target for an operating profit margin of 26-29 percent for eastern Europe by 2015. The group made an operating margin in the region of 21.7 percent in 2011.

Carlsberg did give a longer-term target for average growth in adjusted underlying earnings per share of more than 10 percent per year.

However, it forecast operating earnings this year would reach only around 10 billion Danish crowns ($1.79 billion) from 9.8 billion in 2012, lagging an average forecast of 11 billion in a Reuters poll of analysts.

"The guidance they give for 2013 is not particularly aggressive." said Alm Brand analyst Stig Nymann. "I don't really see anything positive."

Carlsberg said an efficiency drive in western Europe, which includes centrally managing all procurement, production, planning and logistics, would hurt in the short term.

The revamp, while helping operating margins in the region in the long term, would cost 300-400 million crowns this year, 400-500 million in 2014 and 500 million in 2015, it said.

RUSSIA STALLS

Carlsberg, whose brands include Baltika and Tuborg, said sales growth in Russia stalled in the fourth quarter. That was better than a broader market decline of 2-3 percent, it said, but down from growth of about 2 percent in the third quarter.

Chief executive Jorgen Buhl Rasmussen offered little hope the Russian market would see much improvement this year, citing restrictions on mobile beer stalls.

"Driven by the short-term interruption from the closure of sales from non-stationary outlets, we believe a flattish market is likely," Rasmussen said.

A year ago, Carlsberg replaced the head of Russian division Baltika Breweries to address slowing sales at that time.

Its market share in Russia fell to 38.3 percent in the fourth quarter from 38.9 percent in the third, ending a string of three consecutive quarters of improvement.

Fourth-quarter operating profit before one-off items was 2.15 billion crowns, missing analysts' average forecast of 2.3 billion.

Eastern Europe accounted for 4.6 billion crowns of sales, or around 29 percent, while western Europe accounted for 9.2 billion crowns, or 61 percent.

Last week Heineken, the world's third-largest brewer, reported higher-than-expected 2012 profit on the back of sharply increased earnings from Africa and the Americas and forecast higher volumes and revenue this year.

At 7.50 a.m. ET, Carlsberg shares were down 6.9 percent at 561 crowns, the biggest fall by a European blue-chip stock <.fteu3>.

($1 = 5.5874 Danish crowns)

(Additional reporting by Teis Jensen; Editing by Ritsuko Ando and Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/carlsberg-profit-lags-russia-stalls-070831093--sector.html

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Keeping The Kids Happy In Geneva

If you are booking a ski holiday with the kids this year in Chamonix then you are guaranteed to have a fantastic time on the slopes. However, if you are travelling to Chamonix from Geneva, you may well be planning on spending a bit of time in the city first. If so, you will need to know what to do to keep the kids occupied, so here are a few of the best suggestions.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum, known locally as the Muse d'Historie Natural, contains a large variety of fascinating specimens and artefacts from the natural world. It is a fantastic place to spend an afternoon with the whole family, and if you get time to spend in the city before going to Chamonix from Geneva, this is one of the best attractions for the family.

Aquaparc

Youll have to travel a bit to get to Aquaparc because it is not in the city, but if you are spending some time there before you travel to Chamonix from Geneva you may well want to make this into a day trip and the kids will be very grateful! It is a huge water park with pools both inside and outside, ideal if you're travelling in the hot summer months. There are slides galore, as well as some more relaxing pools for the parents.

The Jet dEau

The Jet dEau on the banks of Lake Geneva is one of the largest water fountains anywhere in the world, and the kids will absolutely love getting up close to it. The sheer power of the water as it is pumped out up into the air 140 metres is breathtaking, and it will be even more fun if you all get wet!

La Ferme Foraine Bonaventure

This is a fantastic place to take the kids while you are staying in the city, and it is ideal for children of all ages. There are lots of animals here including pigs and lamas, and the children can meet them and learn about their habits first-hand. It is a very relaxing place for parents to go, too, and it is not far to get to from the centre of the city.

The Science History Museum

The Science History Museum is another of the main attractions for children in the city, so try to pay at least a short visit. There are lots of fun exhibits for all ages, and it will provide you with a fascinating and educational day out.

Enjoy Some Family Time

Before you catch your transfer to Chamonix from Geneva, try to spend some quality time in this wonderful city. And dont worry about finding enough things to do for the kids as you can see, there are plenty of things to keep the whole family occupied for as long as necessary.

About the Author:
Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If youre looking for a transfer to Chamonix from Geneva, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you dont miss your car on your holiday abroad.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/-Keeping-The-Kids-Happy-In-Geneva/4442364

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Reduced sea ice disturbs balance of greenhouse gases

Feb. 18, 2013 ? The widespread reduction in Arctic sea ice is causing significant changes to the balance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is shown in a new study conducted by researchers from Lund University in Sweden, among others.

According to the study, the melting of sea ice in the Arctic has a tangible impact on the balance of greenhouse gases in this region, both in terms of uptake and release. The researchers have studied the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane both in the tundra and in the Arctic Ocean.

"Changes in the balance of greenhouse gases can have major consequences because, globally, plants and the oceans absorb around half of the carbon dioxide that humans release into the air through the use of fossil fuels. If the Arctic component of this buffer changes, so will the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," says Dr Frans-Jan Parmentier, a researcher at Lund University, Sweden.

He has carried out the research study together with a number of colleagues both from Lund University and from Denmark, Greenland, Canada and the USA. The researchers observed that a vicious circle is formed when the sea ice melts. Normally, the white ice reflects sunlight, which then bounces out into space, but when the sea-ice cover shrinks, the amount of sunlight reflected is also reduced. Instead, a larger proportion is absorbed by the surface of the ocean, which causes warming that contributes to the rise in air temperatures around the Arctic.

On the one hand, the rising temperatures make vegetation grow more vigorously and therefore more carbon dioxide is taken up, which is a positive effect. On the other hand, the same temperature rise means that more carbon dioxide and methane are released from the soil, which has a strong negative impact on the climate, according to Dr Frans-Jan Parmentier.

In addition to the changes on land, the present study shows that there are a number of uncertainties surrounding the effects of the melting ice on the amount of greenhouse gases exchanged by the ocean through natural processes. Many of these marine processes are poorly understood in this context.

"We know very little about how the shrinking sea ice cover disturbs the balance of greenhouse gases in the sea in the long term," says Dr Parmentier.

The article has been published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Lund University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Frans-Jan W. Parmentier, Torben R. Christensen, Lise Lotte S?rensen, S?ren Rysgaard, A. David McGuire, Paul A. Miller, Donald A. Walker. The impact of lower sea-ice extent on Arctic greenhouse-gas exchange. Nature Climate Change, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nclimate1784

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/YYwVXec5gaY/130218092540.htm

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