By Tim Eaton AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Hundreds of new state laws take effect today , and they touch Texans' lives at every stage, from birth (newborn screenings) to death (protests at funerals), and even beyond (paperwork required to transport body parts in Texas.) State senators and representatives passed more than 1,350 pieces of legislation during their regular session that ended in May. About half the bills took effect immediately, and most of the rest 673 to be exact kick in today. One of the most controversial the law requiring women to receive a fetal sonogram and hear about its results at least 24 hours before an abortion already is in peril. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction Tuesday striking down portions of the law requiring doctors to share and discuss the sonogram with the pregnant woman. But plenty of other new laws are ready to be implemented. Here are some most likely to directly affect Texans: Newborn hearing screenings: Newborns in small Texas c...

Even if you write the perfect first letter, there are no guarantees that person will e-mail you back. In your message, make sure to indicate that you've read the profile Limit compliments to personality-related praise, not physical Be brief and give your prospective sweetie something to respond to (CNN) -- Last week, we penned a public service announcement demonstrating a few of the ways you can guarantee a nonresponse in an initial online dating message, no matter the quality of your profile or personality. While we received a fair amount of gratitude (mostly from online daters tired of finding such hapless missives in their inboxes), we also received many a request for tips on what to write in a successful first note. (One humanity-loving reader also took the time to inform us he suspects we are "two former high school cheerleaders who now have an inferiority complex," a flattering if inaccurate assumption that we were once capable of killer herkies and immense pep.) ...

GEOFF GRIGGS Although the drive from Blenheim to Nelson takes less than two hours, it's a trip I haven't made anywhere near often enough. In fact, in the 15 years I've lived in Marlborough, I've probably averaged only about three visits to Nelson a year. That's way too few. In recent months I've been travelling over the hills more frequently, thanks to a beer-loving friend who goes every month. He and his partner are convinced that the savings they make by doing their monthly grocery shop at a large Richmond supermarket more than offset the cost of the fuel to get there. I'm not sure that's true but, given I get a free lift and the opportunity to visit some of the country's finest pubs, I'm not arguing. When it comes to craft beer, the Nelson region has much to offer. With a host of craft breweries and pubs of the calibre of the Free House and the Moutere Inn, it's a major draw for the beer lover. In fact, according to a recently formed grou...

The State Board of Equalization had added two Orange County entities to its list of biggest sales and use tax delinquents. Scott Francis Armstrong in Garden Grove owes $1.034 million in unpaid taxes, and CL Financial Corp., doing business as Coastal Coachworks in Fountain Valley, owes more than $867,000, the board says. Neither Armstrong nor Coastal Coachworks, which customized luxury vehicles, could be reached for comment. The pair is among 18 names added to California's list of largest unpaid sales and use tax delinquencies for the third quarter. They owe a collective $22.1 million in taxes. By law, the list of 250 biggest tax delinquencies is put online and updated quarterly. All 250 entities owe $409 million in unpaid taxes. Publication of the list of tax delinquencies is a successful way to prompt delinquent taxpayers to come forward and pay the amounts due promptly, the Board of Equalization says. Since the list has been put online in 2007, 37 taxpayers owing a total of $39.8...

Even if you write the perfect first letter, there are no guarantees that person will e-mail you back. In your message, make sure to indicate that you've read the profile Limit compliments to personality-related praise, not physical Be brief and give your prospective sweetie something to respond to (CNN) -- Last week, we penned a public service announcement demonstrating a few of the ways you can guarantee a nonresponse in an initial online dating message, no matter the quality of your profile or personality. While we received a fair amount of gratitude (mostly from online daters tired of finding such hapless missives in their inboxes), we also received many a request for tips on what to write in a successful first note. (One humanity-loving reader also took the time to inform us he suspects we are "two former high school cheerleaders who now have an inferiority complex," a flattering if inaccurate assumption that we were once capable of killer herkies and immense pep.) ...

ONLINE dating specialist Cupid said profits doubled after it spread the love by expanding into new overseas markets. The firm, whose websites include Flirt, Be Naughty and Girls Date for Free, said underlying earnings increased by 137% to 5.7m in the half-year to June 30, which was better than City expectations. Revenues nearly trebled to 25.4m, boosted by moving into new markets such as Brazil, Germany and Italy, meaning it now has a presence in every continent. It has some 34 million members, with about 15 million in the UK. UK revenues increased by 68% to 11.9m, but the Edinburgh-based companys rapid growth overseas means these markets now account for 53% of its revenues, compared to 19% a year ago. It said it is now one of only a handful of truly international internet dating companies. Cupid has benefited from the popularity of Facebook, with rapid growth in the number of people using applications to use its services through the social networking site. It operates one of the top F...

Talk about it Sure I know theres an unwritten rule that were not supposed to talk about God, Christianity or religion anywhere in America today, even though Buddhism, Islam and spirituality seem to be restriction free, but Im going to do so anyway to make a point. You see, as it says in the Bible, the act of God sacrificing his son to wipe away our sins is considered the greatest gift ever and I certainly dont disagree. But there may have been an equally monumental sacrifice earlier on which has caused nothing but turmoil ever since; and thats this really confusing gift we were given called freedom of choice. The fact is, if God, who is love, had given mankind the ability to share love without the benefit of freedom of choice it might have been a whole lot easier for you, me, Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra, Madonna (who has taken freedom of choice to completely new limits) and especially for God, who so much wanted us to love him/her and each other. Now Erich Fromm, the German...

CUPID, the Edinburgh-based internet dating business, has doubled its profits and has also enlarged its global footprint by doubling its active members in six months to 12 million in a dozen countries. The AIM-listed company, previously known as Easydate, posted pre-tax profits of 3.94 million for the six months to the end of June, compared with 1.99m previously. First-half revenue came in at 25.4m, compared with 8.8m in the year-earlier period. UK revenues increased by 68% to 11.9m, but the companys rapid growth overseas means these markets now account for 53% of its revenues, compared with 19% a year ago. The companys fortunes have been boosted by moving into new markets such as Brazil, Germany and Italy, giving it a presence in every continent. The market for our services is global and growing and we are well placed to take advantage of opportunities In total, it has around 34 million members, with some 15 million of them in the UK. Asked about the companys ambitions, Bill Dobbie, Cu...

LexisNexis Feed GENE SAPAKOFF, gsapakoff@postandcourier.com,The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) UpdatedAug 30, 2011 6:24 PM ET Preseason expectations and offseason scandals make this week's 2011 college football season openers the most anticipated in years. What better time to get those knees up and run through a basic drill designed to help the casual observer enjoy game days and nights as much as crab dip: Strategy --5-star. Recruits are rated on a scale of 1-5 as high school players. Five is best. But 5-star "misses" are as likely as authentic stardom. --Play-action pass. The quarterback fakes a handoff before making a throw, with the action designed to make defenders charge forward. Receivers try and use that critical extra split-second to get open. --Line of scrimmage. A neutral zone running the width of the field; where the football is placed and snapped before each play. --Sack. When the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage for lost yardage while a...

WASHINGTON, DC Dr. Ken Ryan thinks online dating is somewhat of an oxymoron. "The term 'online dating' itself is deceptive," said Ryan, author of "Finding Your Prince in a Sea of Toads: How to Find a Quality Guy Without Getting Your Heart Shredded" ( www.findingyourprince.com ). "You don't 'date' online. You meet online, but the dating that occurs after all the emails and online chats is something people still find confusing and frustrating." Dr. Ryan has compiled a list of the five most common mistakes made in dating. They include: Don't Be Too Passive - Some women feel helpless and hopeless because few men have shown interest in them. They sit alone at home hoping Prince Charming will one day knock on the door. There are many ways a woman can improve her connections with guys and make herself more appealing. They are not helpless or hopeless. Don't Be Too Aggressive - Women who come on too strong look desperate and may scare ...

Very often, Google and I see things the same way. Just as often, though, Google's vision and my practical reality seem to be worlds apart. Where we see eye to eye is in the effects the Internet is having on business and personal life. Where we don't is on a crucial stumbling block on the way: Internet access. The physical infrastructure and access fees are still holding back the promise of full-fledged cloud computing. I base this pronouncement after spending more than a month moving from England to France, vacationing in France, working from Michigan, and fighting canceled flights to try to get back to Europe. France, the United States, and international airports are about as first-world as it comes. But more times than I can count, even this technophilic, jet-setting, relatively affluent person has found himself stuck with nary a TCP/IP network packet in sight. It may sound like I'm picking on Google here--but I live a large portion of my personal and professional online ...

When electronic devices constantly fail, it can be maddening. Especially if they are now, and expensive. I bought a Kodak 6150 all in one printer in Feb. 2011, said Jackie, of Adelanto, Calif. From day one the thing shuts off randomly, then turns back on randomly. Kodak just tells me to upgrade the driver, which doesn't work, or reset it. I found out early on they will not take it back and neither will the store where I bought it, Office Max. It does, indeed, sound like a driver issue, but if Jackie has tried that, maybe it's something else. We have found that taking equipment to a small, independently owned computer repair shop in your community not one operated by a big chain store often yields good results. The equipment is likely to be worked on by the owner, who might have more skill and experience than at other places. No easy solution Richard, of San Antonio, Tex., writes to say that he just discovered Experian has been billing his credit card each month this year. T...

These days with the advancement of the modern technology the modern day society has got a lot many options for better communication and a lot of other things which can help a person in a lot many ways. One of such advantages that people get from the latest advancement of technology is the online personals dating services. The online personals dating these days is the most popular means of finding a date which may often turns into perfect marriage relationships. It is a true that a few days back there was a misconception among the online personals dating or stigma attached to it and most people often felt shy to disclose that they have registered to some dating site. Besides that it should always be kept in mind that the free online dating services are just the means to meet a lot of interested singles but the choice and selection is all depends on yours and you only if you want to have a relationship with a particular person or not. Besides it is not also to be considered to be the p...

Dating site ElenasModels.com released survey results what women want in a man answering the millennium-old question, "What Women Want?" based on answers of hundreds of Russian women seeking men for relationships and marriage Gold Coast, QLD, Australia (PRWEB) August 30, 2011 "What women want?" has been the question troubling men for ages and dating site ElenasModels.com can now give men the definitive answer, "What Women Want In A Man". The Russian dating site had conducted a weeklong survey asking women-members to list top 3 qualities they seek in a future husband and received 315 responses from women aged from 18 to 62. Respondents to the survey were located in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of the former Soviet Union, as well as in USA, Europe, Australia, Canada and UK. Below is the list of Top 10 Most Important Qualities Women Want in a Man that they want to spend the rest of their lives with. The top two qualities women want in a man we...

. The Bold And The Beautiful's Brooke Logan is known for her cougar-like instincts when it comes to sleeping with her daughter's exes. Related Stories QUESTION: My 26-year-old daughter has always brought her male friends home to meet me. Several years ago, she sometimes came round with a man 12 years her senior who she was keen on, but it never turned into a romance. He and I always got on brilliantly and my daughter used to say he fancied me (I was divorced from her dad 15 years ago). Now hes contacted me out of the blue asking if I would like to go on a date. Hes the only man I have fancied since my husband left. My son says my daughter will understand if I accept, since she now has a partner, but I fear it will lead to a serious rift. What should I do? ANSWER: I would ask you a question in return: how much you want to risk crushing your daughters self-confidence, or losing her trust in you? You were privy to her emotions and private hopes concerning this man, as well as her ...

Finding romance online could cost you more than a broken heart. Well-schooled scammers are ripping off Australian lonely hearts at the rate of more than $190,000 a day, according to Detective Superintendent Brian Hay of the Queensland Police fraud and corporate crime group. Det Supt Hay on Tuesday told AAP the majority of money being sent to internet scammers operating out of Africa went via dating sites. "Romance fraud is number one," Det Supt Hay said. "We have 10,000 Australians sending $10 million every month to Nigeria and Ghana and 70 per cent of those are romance fraud. "The average loss, on our last exercise, was $28,000 per person." The biggest dangers are free dating websites. "If you want to throw your identity out there for the world to see, a small investment should be made for your safety and reduce the chance of victimisation," Det Supt Hay said. One reason Australians are targeted is because a high percentage of the population is conne...

LexisNexis Feed GENE SAPAKOFF, gsapakoff@postandcourier.com,The Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) UpdatedAug 29, 2011 6:23 PM ET College football kicks off Preseason expectations and offseason scandals make this week's 2011 college football season openers the most anticipated in years. What better time to get those knees up and run through a basic drill designed to help the casual observer enjoy game days and nights as much as crab dip: Strategy --5-star. Recruits are rated on a scale of 1-5 as high school players. Five is best. But 5-star "misses" are as likely as authentic stardom. --Play-action pass. The quarterback fakes a handoff before making a throw, with the action designed to make defenders charge forward. Receivers try and use that critical extra split-second to get open. --Line of scrimmage. A neutral zone running the width of the field; where the football is placed and snapped before each play. --Sack. When the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimma...

HONG KONG and BELLINGHAM, Wash., Aug. 29, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asia Properties, Inc. ("API") (OTCQB:ASPZ) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the King's Point, North Block Mining Concession, located in Newfoundland, Canada. The concession consists of 53 claims including the historic Rendall-Jackman mine, Golden Anchor and Beetle Pond sites. The Golden Anchor property is located just 200 meters from the Lochinvar gold mine owned by Commander Resources. (TSX-listed) www.commanderresources.com The concession comprises 1325 hectares of rich poly-metallic formations. The team at API successfully negotiated favorable terms to reach a definitive agreement.API will engage our geological team to begin gathering all of the necessary information and commence work on the property. All of this information will be used towards completion of a NI 43-101 report. The Rendall-Jackman deposit has had a long history of exploration dating back to 1909. Several shafts were s...

Romantic comedy series "Free Agents", set in the office of a London talent agency starring Anthony Head (Buffy, Little Britain), Stephen Mangan (Episodes) and Sharon Horgan (The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret), joins BBC America's new Saturday night comedy block, the Ministry of Laughs, with back-to-back episodes premiering Saturday, October 8, 11:00pm and 11:30pm ET/PT. 05/04/2011 - Anthony Head - "Attack the Block" UK Premiere - Arrivals - Vue Cinemas in Leicester Square - London, UK Landmark / PR Photos The award-winning team behind this U.S. premiere series includes producer Nira Park (Attack the Block, Paul) and executive producers Matthew Justice (Attack the Black, Rev.) and Iain Morris (The Inbetweeners). A U.S. version of Free Agents, also starring Anthony Head, who reprises his role as Stephen, premieres in September on NBC. Premise Stephen (Head) is the brash, sex obsessed, go-find-me-more-clients boss who encourages open discussion of e...

After nearly 200 years of providing a home for the sick and elderly, Cayuga County is preparing to get out of the nursing home business. Increased costs and an ever-tightening budget squeeze have led county leaders to the conclusion that running the nursing home, like the home health care agency before it and who knows what after it, is a game they cant win. As a result, theyve spent much of the last year in closed-door discussions about a possible sale, lease or merger that would save the countys bottom line without leaving vulnerable residents out in the cold. Cayuga County opened its first nursing home July 1, 1826, when 52 people moved into a new wooden building on what is now County House Road. The population quickly grew to 150 in 1827, and the facility also served as an insane asylum. In 1972, the nursing home was closed due to repeated violations and its 74 patients were moved to other facilities. The county was without its own nursing home until the current building opened in ...