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SAN ANGELO, Texas From cutting trees and mowing grass to building gazebos and fixing sprinklers, San Angeloan David Rodriguez has done it all in his 35 years working with the city and has no intention of retiring.

I love my job, every day its different, said Rodriguez, crew leader for the Parks Department, after a ceremony Thursday at the McNease Convention Center that honored 146 public servants for their loyalty to San Angelo.

The annual Service Awards Presentation celebrated employees who spent five to 35 years with the city, which made a cumulative total of 1,830 years of experience.

Congratulations to the guys in the trenches, to the supervisors, said Councilman Don Vardeman, who spent more than 30 years working for the city before his retirement. Thank you. I really appreciate it.

Rodriguez, 58, began working for the city in 1978.

Rodriguez received a job offer from the city and the state, but he chose the city because it paid employees once every two weeks as opposed to monthly by the state, said Operations Director Shane Kelton with a laugh.

In more than three decades with the city, Rodriguez said things have changed somewhat.

He said he laughs when younger staffers complain about weed eating, because it is so much easier than it was in the 1970s. At that time, he said, parks staff would use a tool called yo-yos, which was like a manual trimmer.

Its gotten better, with the new technology, Rodriguez said. Those days are gone.

Back then, he said, staff also would mow the city parks with a push mower, and it would take all day.

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City's event honors its own

bb feng shui 24 01 2014 005
Chiot basset hound lof du domaine d #39;ushuaia.

By: desertalexandra

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bb feng shui 24 01 2014 005 - Video

The Year of the Horse, which begins Friday, is a dangerous one for investing, according to Master Koon, a Hong Kong-based feng shui master.

The Chinese zodiac runs on a 60-year cycle, as the 12 animals occur in combination with each of the five elements of traditional Chinese cosmology: wood, water, fire, metal, and earth. The wood horse, which is up this year, represents instability and disruption, Master Koon said. A previous wood horse year, 1894, saw war break out between China and Japan hardly an auspicious sign.

Property, the stock market, the economy, politicstheyre all unstable, said Master Koon. So investments need to be conservative.

Master Koons analysis flatly contradicts that of brokerage CLSA, which argued in a recent report that the Year of the Horse would be a good one for stocks. Based on its own survey of five feng shui diviners, CLSA calculates the Hong Kong stock markets benchmark Hang Seng index will likely rise 28% over the next year.

It seems the masters of feng shui are no more in agreement than professional economists, whose prognostications for Chinas growth vary from an export-driven resurgence to financial meltdown. It isnt clear which profession has a better record of forecasting.

It is pretty common for feng shui masters to have different views, said Mariana Kou, a CLSA stock analyst who worked on the firms report. Its more of an art than a science.

Whats not in doubt is that this year China will have to work through a series of economic challenges, from mounting local government and corporate debt to a property boom that is putting home-ownership out of reach for many first-time buyers. The near failure of a 3 billion yuan ($496 million) investment product, bailed out at the last minute earlier this week, raised the specter of financial turmoil as years of bad investment start to be exposed.

Most economists expect growth to come in a little below last years 7.7% pace, but the risk of of a debt crisis means there is a chance of much worse performance.

Still, a look back at previous turns of the zodiac cycle shows how far China has come. The last year of the horse, roughly coinciding with 2002, was a good one for Chinas economy. Having joined the World Trade Organization in the last month of 2001, China suddenly found its trade soaring as other countries dropped import barriers.

The economy moved up a gear, making 2002 the first of six years of accelerating growth that ended only with the financial crisis of 2008. The impact on living standards for ordinary people has been profound.

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Feng Shui Masters at Odds Over Prospects for Year of the Horse

Feng shui, the art of placement to "harmonize the human existence with the surrounding environment," is usually applied to homes and offices. And just like your bedroom and your workplace, your car is also an environment where you spend a considerable amount of time. And so, to kick off the Year of the Horse, our friends from Ford Philippines share these tips to put some order into your car and attract positive energy:

* Name your car. "Once you name it, you start getting attached to it," as Mike Wazowski of the movie Monsters, Inc. said. Giving your car a name encourages a strong connection to your vehicle, so it also encourages you to take good care of it. "Using decals and vanity plates are other ways to encourage that connection," Ford adds.

* Use ch'i enhancers. A ch'i enhancer promotes well-being through the senses. Ford advises that you add this to the interior of your vehicle. Hang small chimes. Pick a calming essential oil to help you relax while you drive home after a stressful day from work. Or use an essential oil that perks you up, or an antibacterial one to fight off unwanted microorganisms.

* Choose a car color that balances your personality. Color is very important in feng shui. "Fiery individuals can choose a water element color like black to calm down and perhaps avoid tickets," Ford advises. On the other hand, fire and wood element colors such as red and green create more liveliness.

* Employ symbols that will help you drive safely. Just like colors, symbols are important in feng shui. Add in your car a small icon that will help remind you to be courteous so you can avoid road rage or reduce stress, or aid you in being alert as a driver. This symbol doesn't necessarily have to be visible to the driver all the time; the driver just has to know it is inside the car. It can even be tucked in the glove box.

Do you have additional feng shui tips (assuming you believe in it, of course)? Share them through the comments box below!

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TIP SHEET: Chinese New Year special: 4 feng shui automotive tips from Ford PH

Ngayong araw, January 31 ang simula ng pagpasok ng Year of the Wooden Horse sa Chinese calendar.

Kaugnay nito, isang feng shui expert, si Master Hanz Chua, ang nagbigay ng kanyang predictions sa ilang mga sikat na artista, showbiz couples, at pati na kay Pangulong Noynoy Aquino ngayong 2014:

JOHN LLOYD CRUZ & ANGELICA PANGANIBAN

"May mga love luck sila this year, maganda ang pagsasama nila this year. Dapat silang magpakasal, kasi pag di nila binind yung kanilang marriage or kanilang pag-aasawa, possible na magkaroon ng third party or hiwalayan. Third party sa part nung lalaki."

DINGDONG DANTES & MARIAN RIVERA

"Their relationship nilang dalawa is very strong kumpara last year. Mas magiging better pa o mas magiging binded ang kanilang pagsasama this year."

ANGEL LOCSIN & LUIS MANZANO

May pagbabalikan, especially sa month ng March and June, magkakabalikan sila. Kasal? Wala pa. Puwede na balikan, pero kasalan, no.

VIC SOTTO & PAULEEN LUNA

Their love luck is very strong. Marriage, wala pang kasalang mangyayari, pero relationship is very strong."

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Feng shui expert predicts stars' future this Year of the Horse; Angel Locsin-Luis Manzano reconciliation very likely

Monologue by AUGUST WILSON: Troy FENCES
From a NYC high school monologue competition.

By: JoePapp250

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Monologue by AUGUST WILSON: Troy FENCES - Video

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (PRWEB) January 31, 2014

For secure yet decorative fences, Milwaukee has turned to Central Services Co. Inc. for the past four decades. And, as the Milwaukee fence company honors its 40-year anniversary, they are eager to celebrate with the over 25,000 clients and properties it has serviced over the years.

For high-quality fences, Milwaukee residents have called Central Services their go-to fence installation company. Thats because fencing can say a lot about a home and a property. Family-owned and values-driven, Central Services is a local fence installer that Milwaukeeans know can be counted on to install stylish yet sturdy fences that keep properties safe. And, with a reputation for quality and service, they have more than earned their A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) over the years.

Gary Bohrer, owner and founder of Central Services, is proud of his fences. Milwaukee and the surrounding area are more secure, more appealing and more valuable by his companys fence installations, and Gary knows it. And, he also knows that the most important component of his fence business success is the quality of his team. Thats why all Central Services employees are trained and and licensed in their area of expertise so that they can use their knowledge and training to give their customers the best value and experience possible when they have a fence installed.

When it comes to fences, Milwaukee homeowners can count on choosing from a wide range of fencing products, accessories and custom-built options with Central Services, including:

Custom wood Ornamental iron Chain-link Cyclone Vinyl coated Pergolas

Milwaukee fence company Central Services is proud to call Wisconsin their home, and they would like to thank the tens of thousands Wisconsin families and businesses who have helped them reach this truly incredible milestone. For high-quality fences, Milwaukee has called Central Services for the past 40 years, and for this, the Bohrer family thanks them!

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For High-Quality Fences, Milwaukee Has Turned to Central Services for 40 Years

President Barack Obama arrives with PG&E apprentice electrician Erick Varela, a U.S. Army combat...

As part of a renewed push to create opportunities for the long-term unemployed, President Obama on Friday touted the success story of a once-homeless Iraq War veteran who turned his life around through an electrician apprenticeship.

When Erick Varela, a heavy-equipment operator who served as a combat infantryman in the 82nd Airborne in Iraq, left the Army in 2008, he returned home to Manteca, Calif., where the housing crisis had hit hard and he was unable to find work. He applied to fast-food restaurants and retail, but had no luck getting hired. At one point, he and his wife, Katey, lived out of their car when they could no longer afford to pay their rent.

Still determined to find work, Varela discovered an apprenticeship opportunity at California utility PG&E's PowerPathway program, and he applied and was accepted. After he attended and graduated from the four-month program, he found work at Tesla's Tracy, Calif., office as an apprentice electrician with PG&E.

I would like to thank PG&E for giving me this opportunity. The work PG&E provided me restored purpose to my life and gave me a sense of direction once again, Varela said before introducing Obama at a White House event.

PG&E is expanding its PowerPathway program and is one of more than 300 companies that has agreed to develop so-called best practices to ensure the long-term unemployed aren't unfairly screened out of potential jobs.

The president spent Friday morning huddling with CEOs from some of the nation's largest companies to move forward on a State of the Union pitch to mitigate discrimination against the long-term unemployed.

Obama said those companies, as well as the federal government, would make changes to their hiring practices to ensure people who have been out of work for long periods aren't skipped over for jobs.

The president also touted a $150 million Labor Department grant competition to develop ways for those out of work more than six months to find jobs and a new effort, led by Vice President Joe Biden, to review and improve existing government job training programs.

At the event, Obama thanked business leaders, philanthropists and members of his administration who had worked to help hardworking Americans like Varela not just get a paycheck but also the dignity and the structure that a job provides people.

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Obama works with CEOs to help long-term unemployed

Published: Friday, January 31, 2014 at 2:47 p.m. Last Modified: Friday, January 31, 2014 at 2:47 p.m.

The Henderson County Sheriff's Office is investigating a complaint involving a possible paving scam.

Officers received a report that a victim had signed a contract for partial paving of a driveway. Upon completion of the job, the contractor had paved her entire driveway and was demanding more money than the agreed-upon price, the Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The name investigators were given, Frank Small, has an extensive record of similar conduct in both Virginia and Tennessee, according to the release. Family members were able to stop payment on the check Mr. Small was given.

Sheriff Charles MacDonald is urging residents to use extreme caution when anyone comes to a home with leftover asphalt and offers a bargain on a new driveway. It should be noted that reputable paving companies do not go door-to-door selling asphalt, and if you experience this situation, please call the Sheriff's Office immediately.

It appears these type paving companies and contractors prey upon the elderly through intimidation, harassment and manipulation, the release says.

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Sheriff's Office warns of possible paving scam

Published at 16:44, Friday, 31 January 2014

Drivers face delays along the busiest route in and out of Carlisle city centre when work starts on 50,000-worth of footpath upgrades.

A project to repair and renew the path alongside Stanwix Bank starts on Wednesday.

The Cumbria County Council scheme is expected to take up to three weeks to complete.

It will take place between the cricket club at Edenside and Cromwell Crescent and involve lifting and relaying existing stone flags, replacing any broken flags and laying hard-wearing block paving on driveway entrances.

Safety demands mean the left-hand lane northbound on Stanwix Bank will be closed throughout the works.

Any road defects will be repaired also while the road is closed.

The path will also be closed during resurfacing work. Pedestrians will be told to use the crossings at the junctions of Brampton Road and Etterby Street.

A council spokesman said: The county council will do all it can to ensure that traffic flows smoothly during the works, but some disruption for is likely, particularly for traffic coming from Hardwicke Circus. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Traffic levels on Stanwix Bank have reduced drastically since the opening of Carlisles western bypass, but the road remains the main route in and out of the city centre, with tailbacks often in place in any case at peak times.

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Roadworks delays warning for drivers in Carlisle