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Saturday, December 31, 2011
Chile closes Allende case after confirming suicide (AP)
SANTIAGO, Chile ? A judge in Chile has closed the case on the death of President Salvador Allende after an authoritative autopsy confirmed it was suicide.
An international panel of experts convened by Judge Mario Carroza determined that Allende took his own life with an AK-47 while defending the presidential palace in Chile's 1973 coup.
Carroza ruled out the possibility that a soldier or bodyguard fired the fatal shots. He also disproved a range of other myths surrounding Allende's death 38 years ago.
Allende was among 726 people who died or disappeared when Gen. Augusto Pinochet seized power, and whose cases were stuck in the courts since then. Carroza is studying these cases anew under orders from the Supreme Court.
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Editorial: Stick to the basics at community colleges
A budget crunch is an obvious time to return to essentials. That's true for a family, a business or a government.
So we're encouraged that belt-tightening is being taken seriously by the huge California Community Colleges system, with 112 campuses and more than 2.9 million students. In 2011, the state Legislature slashed the system's $5.9 billion budget by $502 million. More cuts could come with Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget for fiscal 2012-13, which begins July 1.
At the Jan. 9-10 meeting of the system's Board of Governors, action will be taken on recommendations from the Student Success Task Force to streamline the curriculum. The task force's main recommendation, released Dec. 1, was to "emphasize the core missions of transfer to a four-year college or university, the award of workforce-oriented certificates and degrees, and the basic-skills development that supports both of these pathways."
Other courses, such as for hobbies or enjoyment, would not be emphasized as much. As the San Francisco Chronicle noted, "Last spring, 203,500 students statewide took noncredit classes, and 1.5 million took classes for credit." While taking dancing and other lifestyle classes might be fun, there's no reason why the taxpayers should subsidize such pursuits, especially in a time of sharp budget cuts.
The task force noted some dismal numbers for the current system: "Only 52 percent of our degree-seeking students ever achieve a certificate, degree or transfer preparation. For African-American and Latino students, the rate is much lower (41 percent)." And: "Of our students who seek to transfer to a four-year institution, only 41 percent are successful. For African-Americans, only 34 percent succeed. For Latinos, the figure is 31 percent."
That's just not acceptable. A big problem, according to the Chronicle, is that the schools haven't been devoting enough resources to offering basic courses that are in high demand. The paper reported, "Last year, 137,000 students couldn't get into at least one class they needed, including first-year English and math."
"The problem with community colleges reflects the higher-education bubble," Lisa Snell told us; she's director of education policy at the Reason Foundation in Los Angeles. "California state funding, Pell Grants and federal funding all have risen in recent decades [prior to the current recession and series of budget cuts], but there's no accountability to go with that, such as graduation rates or job rates. They haven't been tied to performance."
"To contain costs, they need to return to essential services," Ms. Snell said.
The task force noted another problem: "More than 70 percent of community-college students enter the system underprepared to do college-level work." That reflects, of course, on the dismal state of K-12 education in California. About one-third of students entering the community college system ? who, by definition, are more advanced than most kids who graduate from high school ? actually are prepared to do so.
Tax increases only would add to the funding-bubble effect Ms. Snell mentioned. At all levels of education, waste and inefficiency need to be eliminated, the basics stressed.
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Source: http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/students-333361-system-percent.html
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Friday, December 30, 2011
BumpWatch: Jennifer Garner?s Animal Attraction
Expectant mom Jennifer Garner shows her spots in Santa Monica, Calif., where she indulged her sweet tooth with some ice cream on Tuesday.
Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/0mJy_cwVH8Y/
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Congress frees $40 million in aid to Palestinians (AP)
WASHINGTON ? Lawmakers have freed up a little more than 20 percent of $187 million in U.S. assistance to the Palestinians that had been frozen over the Palestinian bid for U.N. membership.
Members of Congress have made available $40 million in economic and humanitarian funding for the Palestinians, the State Department said Wednesday. The money is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development and "has been vital to establishing and strengthening the foundations necessary for a future Palestinian state," the department said.
The Obama administration had been urging lawmakers, with Israel's backing, to release the money as it contributes to Palestinian stability and Israeli security. "It is in the interest of the Palestinians, Israel and the United States, to ensure these efforts continue," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. "They help to build a more democratic, stable, and secure region."
The administration is pressing Congress to release the remaining $147 million that comes from the last budget cycle in which aid to the Palestinians was to total 545.7 million. New funding for the Palestinians will be subject to additional scrutiny and can be blocked if they win full admission to the United Nations before a peace deal with Israel is agreed.
The administration has asked Congress for $513.4 million in aid for the Palestinians in fiscal year 2012.
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Settlement in Elly Mae Clampett Barbie doll suit
FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2009 photo, Donna Douglas, who starred in the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies" poses with a photo from the show in Baton Rouge, La. The actress who played Elly May Clampett on the show, toymaker Mattel Inc. and CBS Consumer Products Inc. have settled a lawsuit in which Douglas claimed the companies didn't get her approval to use her name and likeness for a Barbie doll. A one-sentence order Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011 in U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge said only that a settlement had been reached. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2009 photo, Donna Douglas, who starred in the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies" poses with a photo from the show in Baton Rouge, La. The actress who played Elly May Clampett on the show, toymaker Mattel Inc. and CBS Consumer Products Inc. have settled a lawsuit in which Douglas claimed the companies didn't get her approval to use her name and likeness for a Barbie doll. A one-sentence order Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2011 in U.S. District Court in Baton Rouge said only that a settlement had been reached. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? The actress who played Elly May Clampett on the "The Beverly Hillbillies" has settled her lawsuit over a Barbie doll that uses the character's name and likeness.
An attorney for actress Donna Douglas says she settled with CBS and toymaker Mattel on Tuesday. Douglas' lawsuit had sought at least $75,000. Details of the settlement were confidential.
Douglas played the critter-loving tomboy for all nine seasons of the CBS comedy about a backwoods family that strikes oil and moves to Beverly Hills.
She claimed CBS Consumer Products Inc. and Mattel Inc. needed her approval for the Barbie. In court documents, CBS and Mattel said they didn't need her OK because the network holds exclusive rights to the character.
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Thursday, December 29, 2011
Apple?s iPhone 4S Santa Siri ad was the most effective holiday advertisement
Apple?s iPhone 4S Santa Siri ad was the most effective advertisement for the holiday season according to ad analysis company Ace Metrix. 
Ace Metrix scores ads based on perceived effectiveness by a selection of randomly selected viewers, which it says are ?representative of the U.S. TV viewing audience.?...
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Txy5TZ9x8Bg/story01.htm
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The Phoebe Prince Settlement
The Prince family received $225,000?not that much, as these things go, though the settlement spared them the time and expense of going to court. In exchange, the family agreed not to sue South Hadley again in any way connected to Phoebe?s death. They also agreed not to disclose the settlement?s terms. However, ?a representative of the South Hadley Public Schools? could communicate the information. This is a little mysterious, but it suggests that it was the school district or the insurance company, rather than the Prince family, which wanted the settlement to remain secret. In any case, the settlement also includes a gag order. Phoebe?s parents agreed that if the settlement became public, the only public comment they would give would be to say that ?the matter has been resolved.?
Source: http://feeds.slate.com/click.phdo?i=3440d05596901714646c94193e0a7f1f
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Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Listen to Taylor Swift's 'Hunger Games' song
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Taylor Swift sings the lead song from "The Hunger Games" soundtrack.
By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Country superstar Taylor Swift and long-anticipated movie "The Hunger Games" seem like an ideal combination. Both have zillions of young fans who can't wait for the latest news about them.
Just before Christmas, Swift teased on her Twitter account that "something I've been VERY excited about for a VERY long time is going to be happening VERY soon" and then tweeted a link to?her new?song, "Safe & Sound," the lead song from the upcoming "Hunger Games" film.
Grammy-winning duo The Civil Wars accompany Swift?on acoustic guitar and backup vocals. The song will be included on the film's soundtrack album, which also includes songs by Arcade Fire and The Decemberists. "Safe & Sound" quickly moved to the top of the iTunes Songs chart, boosted no doubt by aid from Swift's 10 million Twitter followers.
The lyrics relate to the "Hunger Games" plot, in which Katniss Everdeen must fight other young people for her life in a cruel tournament put on by their fictional country of Panem. "Everything's on fire," Swift sings. "The war outside our door keeps raging on. Hold onto this lullaby, even when the music's gone."
Not all the musical news about the movie is as well-received. According to The Wrap.com, the president of the American Federation of Musicians union has criticized the film for recording its score in London, and not using?musicians from his union. He complains that the film receives tax subsidies to film in North Carolina, and as such should be utilizing American workers.
"The Hunger Games," starring Jennifer Lawrence, opens March 23.
Listen to?the song?below, and tell us what you think of it?in the comments.
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This Day in Sports: Lions complete 0-16 season
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Case Closed? Columbus Introduced Syphilis to Europe (LiveScience.com)
In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, but when he returned from 'cross the seas, did he bring with him a new disease?
New skeletal evidence suggests Columbus and his crew not only introduced the Old World to the New World, but brought back syphilis as well, researchers say.
Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum bacteria, and is usually curable nowadays with antibiotics. Untreated, it can damage the heart, brain, eyes and bones; it can also be fatal.
The first known epidemic of syphilis occurred during the Renaissance in 1495. Initially its plague broke out among the army of Charles the VIII after the French king invaded Naples. It then proceeded to devastate Europe, said researcher George Armelagos, a skeletal biologist at Emory University in Atlanta.
"Syphilis has been around for 500 years," said researcher Molly Zuckerman at Mississippi State University. "People started debating where it came from shortly afterward, and they haven't stopped since. It was one of the first global diseases, and understanding where it came from and how it spread may help us combat diseases today."
Stigmatized disease
The fact that syphilis is a stigmatized sexually transmitted disease has added to the controversy over its origins. People often seem to want to blame some other country for it, said researcher Kristin Harper, an evolutionary biologist at Emory. [Top 10 Stigmatized Health Disorders]
Armelagos originally doubted the so-called Columbian theory for syphilis when he first heard about it decades ago. "I laughed at the idea that a small group of sailors brought back this disease that caused this major European epidemic," he recalled. Critics of the Columbian theory have proposed that syphilis had always bedeviled the Old World but simply had not been set apart from other rotting diseases such as leprosy until 1500 or so.
However, upon further investigation, Armelagos and his colleagues got a shock ? all of the available evidence they found supported the Columbian theory, findings they published in 1988. "It was a paradigm shift," Armelagos says. Then in 2008, genetic analysis by Armelagos and his collaborators of syphilis's family of bacteria lent further support to the theory.
Still, there have been reports of 50 skeletons from Europe dating back from before Columbus set sail that apparently showed the lesions of chronic syphilis. These seemed to be evidence that syphilis originated in the Old World and that Columbus was not to blame.
Armelagos and his colleagues took a closer look at all the data from these prior reports. They found most of the skeletal material didn't actually meet at least one of the standard diagnostic criteria for chronic syphilis, such as pitting on the skull, known as caries sicca, and pitting and swelling of the long bones.
"There's no really good evidence of a syphilis case before 1492 in Europe," Armelagos told LiveScience.
In the seafood?
The 16 reports that did meet the criteria for syphilis came from coastal regions where seafood was a large part of the diet. This seafood contains "old carbon" from deep, upwelling ocean waters. As such, they might fall prey to the so-called "marine reservoir effect" that can throw off radiocarbon dating of a skeleton by hundreds or even thousands of years. To adjust for this effect, the researchers figured out the amount of seafood these individuals ate when alive. Since our bodies constantly break down and rebuild our bones, measurements of bone-collagen protein can provide a record of diet.
"Once we adjusted for the marine signature, all of the skeletons that showed definite signs of treponemal disease appeared to be dated to after Columbus returned to Europe," Harper said, findings detailed in the current Yearbook of Physical Anthropology.
"What it really shows to me is that globalization of disease is not a modern condition," Armelagos said. "In 1492, you had the transmission of a number of diseases from Europe that decimated Native Americans, and you also had disease from Native Americans to Europe."
"The lesson we can learn for today from history is that these epidemics are the result of unrest," Armelagos added. "With syphilis, wars were going on in Europe at the time, and all the turmoil set the stage for the disease. Nowadays, a lot of diseases jump the species barrier due to environmental unrest."
"The origin of syphilis is a fascinating, compelling question," Zuckerman said. "The current evidence is pretty definitive, but we shouldn't close the book and say we're done with the subject. The great thing about science is constantly being able to understand things in a new light."
Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience?and on Facebook.
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'Harry Potter' Comes To Bittersweet End In 2011
Arrival of 'Deathly Hallows, Part 2' was a moment that made headlines and marked the end of an era.
By John Mitchell
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: WB
For millions of people all over the world, the approach of midnight on July 15 brought with it a gut-wrenching mix of excitement and heartache. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" was set to open all over the world, and as fans lined up outside movie theaters — some in costume as their favorite character — we realized that this was it. The joy of seeing the final installment of the most successful film franchise in history was tempered with the sadness that we'd never get to do this again. This truly great thing that had been, from first book to final film, a part of our lives for well over a decade had reached its end. For an entire generation, the film's release was like turning the final page on our childhoods.
"Deathly Hallows, Part 2" wasn't just a movie; it was the event of the summer. And the bittersweet moment is also MTV News' #8 Top Newsmaker of 2011, because it made headlines and marked the end of an era.
The stars of the film definitely seemed to understand just how close to fans' hearts the franchise had become. It had, after all, touched them too. Asked if there'd be tears upon the film's release, Emma Watson cheekily told MTV News at the MTV Movie Awards, "Maybe a few. Maybe one or two, just little ones."
The film set box-office records for the biggest first day ($92.1 million) and largest opening weekend, both domestically ($168.5 million) and worldwide ($314 million), ever and received the best reviews of any film in the franchise. The praise wasn't contained to critics and fans: Even the stars of the film were in awe of the final product. "I was a wreck because of the film itself," Daniel Radcliffe told MTV News at the film's New York premiere. "You've got to have a heart of stone to not find part of it — especially Alan Rickman's performance — heartbreaking, so yeah, I've done my fair share of crying already. ... I think that we proved in doing 'Potter' that you can bring integrity and perpetual growth to a franchise."
Fans' devotion to the books, films and characters created by J.K. Rowling was manifest in the enthusiastic response to our "Harry Potter" World Cup, MTV News' month-long, March Madness-style tournament to find out which character was the fan favorite. More than 7.4 million votes were cast in the competition, resulting in a final face-off between Ron Weasley and Professor Severus Snape. In the end, the compellingly complex Snape took the title, and star Alan Rickman thanked fans at the film's New York premiere, telling MTV News that Snape's victory was "a vote for ambiguity and things where you don't quite know how they're going to turn out." He continued, "Also, it's [Snape's] values that you can't talk about without ruining the film, but things like courage and determination and loyalty and love, actually."
The success of the series itself could be seen as a celebration of those same things. On the surface, the "Harry Potter" films are fantasies about a boy wizard and his underdog friends navigating a magical universe in which evil lurks in the shadows. But above all, the "Potter" books and films champion courage, determination and loyalty in the face of great adversity and are premised on the notion that love ultimately conquers all. We can think of no better message for a film series to impart on a generation of young people facing a real world mired in conflict and economic turmoil.
It's sad that there's no more "Potter" to look forward to, but the magic created by Rowling; directors Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and especially David Yates (who helmed the final four films); screenwriter Steven Kloves; and stars Radcliffe, Watson and Rupert Grint will live on to do great things — much like the Boy Who Lived himself.
MTV continues our Best of 2011 coverage by looking back at the biggest pop-culture stories of the year. As we count down the newsmakers that mattered to you most, also check out our top Artists, Songs, Live Performances and EDM Artists of 2011.
- 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Part 2'
- 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2' Opening-Night Madness
Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676453/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-finale-2011-news.jhtml
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Stock futures mixed on return from holiday (AP)
NEW YORK ? Stock futures are mixed and nearly flat after four straight days of gains.
In the first day of trading following the holiday weekend, futures for the Dow Jones industrial average are up 3 to 12,220. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 is down 1 at 1,259. And the Nasdaq composite is up 4.25 at 2,283.
A run of strong data from the U.S. ahead of the long holiday weekend had buoyed investors around the world but particularly on Wall Street. The Dow Jones index closed last Friday at a five-month high.
European shares eked out modest gains Tuesday despite an earlier retreat in Asia.
Due later Tuesday are reports on home prices on October home prices at 9 a.m. ET and consumer sentiment at 10 a.m. ET.
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President Obama's Christmas card: Bo by the fireplace and criticism from the right
Up above is the official White House holiday card for 2011. It's an image of Bo the first dog lying in front of a fireplace decorated with garland and a few presents and a poinsettia sitting on a table.Inside, it reads, "From our family to yours, may your holidays shine with the light of the season."
To our eyes, it's pretty innocuous stuff. To Fox News and other conservative pundits, it's another front in the alleged "war on Christmas."
The news channel made a ruckus this week about the card not being Christmas-y enough. But as noted by Business Insider and others, the card follows a template used by most of the president's predecessors in office.
George W. Bush's 2005 card featured snowy White House exterior -- with both of the Bush family's dogs in the foreground -- and the message "With best wishes for a holiday season of hope and happiness." (All of Bush's cards, however, did feature an insert with a Bible verse.) Cards from the Reagan and Clinton eras featured similar artwork.
We get that the week before Christmas is usually a little slow for news. But this feels like much ado about nothing. ?
Photo/Video credit: White House
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Saints vs Falcons LIVE UPDATES: Drew Brees Chases Dan Marino's Passing Record
Atlanta Falcons (9-5, NFC South)
vs.
New Orleans Saints (11-3, NFC South)
Superdome
New Orleans, Louisiana
8:30 p.m. EST
Although the Packers win over the Bears on Christmas clinched a playoff berth for the Atlanta Falcons, there is still plenty on the line in this NFC South match up on "Monday Night Football." The Falcons arrive at the Superdome in New Orleans with hopes of overtaking the Saints for their second straight division crown. To do so, Matt Ryan and company needs a win tonight and then some help during Week 17.
On the other sideline, the Saints are going for a first-round bye and as well as place in the history books. If the Saints can run their six-game winning streak to seven games then they'll clinch the NFC South crown. Judging the team's recent triumphs, a Saints win likely means that the NFL has a new all-time single-season passing yards leader.
Brees enters this game tonight needing 305 yards to break Dan Marino's longstanding single-season passing yards mark of 5,084 yards that he set in 1984. In the past five weeks, Brees has thrown for totals of 412, 337, 342, 363, 322.
Can Brees break the record? Or can the Falcons' defense push off decisions on the record and the division until next week?
FOLLOW HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES:
On a pass that could have potentially broken the record, Dunta Robinson tips away pass intented for Meachem and picks it off. History on hold.
12-yard gain to Meachem up middle. 1st and 10 out past 40.
After a short return, Brees and Saints take over at their own 21. He's 75 passing yards from record.
| @ darrenrovell : Since his shoulder surgery, Brees has earned $59,565,088. Wonder how much Dr. James Andrews charged? |
Brees 230 yards
Falcons finally go vertical but Jones can't catch deep sideline throw in traffic. Ryan takes knee to end half.
This isn't going to cut it. Just short of first down. Last timeout called. 3rd and 1 at ATL 29.
After a touchback, Ryan and ATL offense out on field. 5 yards on first. Timeout.
| @ AdamSchein : Aaron Rodgers is getting my vote for league MVP. Drew Brees is getting my vote for offensive player of the year. |
| @ jamthedirtybird : And that's what Jimmy Graham has done all year. No vertical can out leap 8 inches of height. Can't give Brees ball with that much time |
Brees 230 yards
Brees steps up in pocket and fires right to Graham in end zone. This time he rises and grabs it. No tip. No pick. Six points Saints.
Sproles runs up the middle on 3rd and 8. He bursts through, going right for a big first down. NOLA timeout. 1st and 10 inside 10.
Saints clock it and then call timeout after short gain to Colston. We're at 35 seconds and in field goal range.
Meachem gets loose up the left flank and Brees hits him for a big gain.
Saints lost the plot here. Brees went to call another timeout but couldn't since they'd just called one. Delay of game. It's now 3rd and 12.
Sproles follows his lead for 3 yards. It's 3rd and 7 with 1:10 to play. Saints call timeout.
Colston got his hands to a ball dropped onto him but DeCoud gets in to break it up. 2nd and 10.
Play looked busted up. Stepped up and then went left when that path was blocked and then he finds Meachem over middle on improv. First down.
Saints have ball at their own 25-yard line.
Scoreboard: Saints 14 Falcons 10Brees 168 yards
He picks up 5 on second down as we hit two-minute warning.
Brees looks for Meachem but Grimes breaks it up.
Roddy White picks up 12 but can't overcome Rodgers penalty. 2:35 on clock. Brees getting the ball back.
Ryan fires a quick out near sideline that appeared to be caught but it's coming back thanks to hold
Despite end zone interception, he needs just 137 yards to break record.
While not a huddle per se, Atlanta takes timeout. Sometimes dialogue is a good thing.
Jaws telling us Ryan loves no huddle. What about teammates? 3rd and 10.
And pass goes incomplete. 2nd and 10. Still no huddle. But not much of a hurry. More than 3:30 on clock.
Ryan completes to White for short pass and he runs for a few more to pick up first down. Clock ticking, no huddling. Ryan audibling.
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Walk-on TV role, Elton John event, Ireland golf trip among Wine Festival auction lots - Naples Daily News
Walk-on TV role, Elton John event, Ireland golf trip among Wine Festival auction lots - Naples Daily News
Other notable lots are a custom-crafted 2012 Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster; a trip around the world in a private jet; a meet-and-greet with designer Oscar de la Renta plus tickets to his New York runway presentation; and a golf trip to Ireland ...
Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5662736477
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Monday, December 26, 2011
Green Jobs Debacle
The Green Energy debacle has washed down the proverbial drain another half billion dollars with no visible success or green jobs created or saved
Sifting through Congressional records is not my idea of fun. I wanted to find out for myself where half a billion-taxpayer dollars were spent with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which was earmarked to fund employment and training programs for Americans.
The unemployment rate was abysmal yet the Employment Training Administration (ETA) received half a billion dollars in grants for research, labor exchange, and job training projects for careers in renewable energy industries and energy efficiency, the administration?s so-called ?Green Jobs? program. Where were the jobs?
The Department of Labor?s Office of Inspector General (OIG), an independent entity, was asked by Congress to audit this Green Jobs program. The Inspector General?s office was told to find out how ETA defined ?green jobs,? how ETA used the half billion dollars, how much training and placement workers received, and what was their job retention rate. The findings were a typical example of government waste of taxpayer dollars.
?Green jobs? were defined as ?jobs associated with products and services that use renewable energy resources, reduce pollution, and conserve natural resources. This is nothing new, since such jobs were defined in the Occupational Information Network and more recently in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Green Jobs Act of 2007, long before the current presidency.
The half billion dollars were awarded as grants to 189 entities, mostly for training programs and $54.7 million for non-training programs. Program administration and technical assistance swallowed the remaining $9.9 million.
Twenty-five projects, mostly first time recipients of grants, prepared and placed workers for ?green jobs? such as hybrid/electric auto technicians, weatherization specialists (caulkers), and solar panel installers.
Thirty-eight grants were distributed to Pathways Out of Poverty projects ($147.7 million) for worker recruitment, job referral services, basic skills, work-readiness, occupational skills training, and supportive services to overcome barriers to employment. Non-profit agencies, community colleges, and State Workforce Agencies received the funds. I am translating this as another redistribution of wealth scheme to support the current administration?s goals.
Non-training programs squandered $54.7 million to disseminate ?green jobs? information through State Labor Markets, to help workers find jobs after training, equipment purchases, curriculum development, and hiring of additional staff.
The audit found that all the money had been allocated as of June 30, 2011. Only 33 percent of the grants were spent, the entire sum was already obligated to be spent in the future, but 73 percent of the training and non-training periods had already elapsed. The money was spent but only some training took place. So much for government efficiency and use of taxpayer dollars.
Forty-two percent of the recipients were trained. Twenty-seven percent had completed training. Only ten percent of participants entered employment and only TWO percent had retained employment for more than six months. This is a monumental waste of half a billion dollars. Even ETA acknowledged that grant recipients complained that the overall economic conditions were poor and green jobs had not materialized.
?ETA could not demonstrate that grantees were on target to meet grant outcomes nor was there a plan to ensure that they could.?
Elliot P. Lewis, Assistant Inspector General for Audit, testified to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on November 2, 2011 that OIG is ?concerned as to whether grantees will effectively use the funds and deliver targeted employment outcomes by the end of the grant periods.?
It is a false statement to say that there is high demand for ?green job-related skills.? The OIG audit recommended that ?ETA evaluate the Green Jobs program and obtain a current estimate of the funds each grantee will realistically spend given the current job market and the demand for green job-related skills.?
Unfortunately the taxpayers lost half a billion dollars because ETA had obligated all of its Recovery Act funds, ?and it expects that all funds will have been expended by September 30, 2013, as required by the Office of Management and Budget.?
The Green Energy debacle has washed down the proverbial drain another half billion dollars with no visible success or green jobs ?created or saved,? to use a favorite expression of this administration.
| Dr. Ileana Johnson Paugh Most recent columns ? ?Dr. Ileana Johnson Paugh is a freelance writer (Canada Free Press, Romanian Conservative), author, radio commentator, and speaker. Her book, ?Echoes of Communism, is available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle. Short essays describe health care, education, poverty, religion, social engineering, and confiscation of property. Visit her website, ileanajohnson.com. Dr. Johnson can be reached at: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) |
Source: http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/43470
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NCC Announces its Childhood Cancer Research Coalition Program Grant Recipients
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RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Cancer Coalition (NCC) is pleased to announce research grant recipients, which include: Peter C. Adamson, M.D., of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Debra L. Friedman, M.D., M.S. of Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center; Thomas W. McLean, M.D. of Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Tobey J. MacDonald, M.D. of Emory University Cancer Center; Edward V. Prochownik, M.D., Ph.D. of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh; and Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, M.D. of Stanford University Cancer Center.
Through its Childhood Cancer Research Coalition (CCRC) program, the NCC has provided support to help medical centers to better treat their pediatric cancer patients via research funding or access to chemotherapies.? NCC's President Robert Landry stated, "NCC is proud to make these awards and our CCRC program will closely monitor these investigator's impact, as the research translates into advancements in pediatric cancer treatments."?
Dr. Edward Prochownik, Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics commented, "We greatly appreciate your work on our behalf, especially during these times of shrinking federal funds.? It has increased significantly our ability to maintain cell lines that are essential for our research."? Dr. Tobey MacDonald, Director of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at the Emory University Cancer Center in Atlanta stated, "Funding such as this by NCC is critical to helping to cultivate innovate ideas and novel concepts. ?We are very grateful for such support."
The cancer research programs supported by the CCRC grants include:?
- Dr. Peter Adamson - pediatric pharmacokinetic studies to determine optimal dosing of anticancer agents.
- Dr. Debra Friedman - long-term academic and social development studies for cancer survivors.
- Dr. Thomas McLean - usefulness of routine imaging for detecting CNS tumor recurrence in children.
- Dr. Tobey MacDonald - investigation study of radiation's effect on the brain.
- Dr. Edward Prochownik - delivery of drug-like molecules to disrupt the functionality of c-Myc to achieve optimal anti-tumor effect.
- Dr. Alejandro Sweet-Cordero - optimal treatment of pediatric bone sarcomas.
The National Cancer Coalition, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, supports relief, education, training, and research programs throughout the world. ?The Coalition's medical relief program has provided over $900 million worth of requested specialty pharmaceuticals, essential medicines, and medical technologies to provide access to healthcare facilities that treat underserved patients in 50 countries, including the US.? ?For additional information, please contact NCC at: 919-821-2182 or visit us at: www.nationalcancercoalition.org?
SOURCE National Cancer Coalition
Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5664792786&f=378
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Syria bombings: Canada rejects 'comical' al-Qaeda link to Damascus blasts | News | National Post
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Washington Flails as Chaos Threatens Iraq: Will Iran Stoke or Douse the Fires?
Karim Kadim / AP
Iraqi security forces and people gather the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad, December 22, 2011.
A series of deadly bombings across Baghdad that killed at least 63 people and wounded hundreds on Thursday underscored the political and security peril facing Iraq amid rising sectarian tension. Officials said four car bombs and ten other devices were used to target schools, markets and government buildings in at least a dozen neighborhoods over a series of hours. Although no group has yet claimed responsibility, the scale, coordination and civilian targeting prompted analysts to see the signature ?of ?al-Qaeda in Iraq in the attacks. And although an operation of this scale would likely have required months of planning, it will have sharply raised the stakes in the escalating sectarian political confrontation between the Shi?ite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and the country?s Sunni political leadership.
PHOTOS: Series of Bombings Rocks Baghdad
Vice President Joe Biden has been on the phone to Baghdad and Erbil this week, frantically trying to coax Iraq?s main political players back from the brink of a new sectarian confrontation less than a week after the last U.S. troops departed. But Iraq?s political leaders paid little heed to Washington?s advice and entreaties when the U.S. had 140,000 troops there; they?re even less likely to comply now. Biden reportedly sought to persuade Maliki to back away from a warrant issued by his government for the arrest of Iraq?s most senior Sunni politician, Vice President Tareq al-Hashimi, on allegations that he was involved in a bomb plot for which members of his security detail have been detained. But Iraq?s Sunni leadership sees the warrant as part of Maliki?s authoritarian crackdown against his opponents, with senior Sunni leaders systematically targeted for arrest by the Shi?ite-led government in recent months.
Al-Hashimi dodged arrest by fleeing to Erbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish zone in northern Iraq, from where he denounced the arrest warrant as a political plot and accused Maliki of amassing power in his own hands and destroying prospects for inter-sectarian accord. He also offered to stand trial on the allegations, but only in Erbil ? the implication being that he didn?t believe he?d get a fair trial in Baghdad. However, there was little sign of Maliki heeding Biden?s call for restraint, or calls by Kurdish leaders for an urgent national conference to discuss the widening sectarian schism in Iraqi politics. The Iraqi Prime Minister declared on TV Wednesday: ?I do not allow myself and others to bargain over Iraqi blood.? He demanded that the Kurdish authorities hand over al-Hashimi. ?If they will not hand him over or let him flee or escape, this will lead to problems,? Maliki added ominously. While the bombings will have reinforced his narrative about terror threats, it also underscored the danger of allowing a complete breakdown of the political consensus that would, at least in theory, normally function to prevent sectarian violence.
(Read ?Ten Grim Lessons from the Iraq War?)
The move against al-Hashimi coincides with the withdrawal from parliament of the predominantly Sunni Iraqiya bloc, prompting Maliki to urge the legislature to pass a vote of no confidence in deputy prime minister Saleh al-Mutlaq, the Sunni? faction?s most senior figure in the legislature. And, Maliki warned, the? boycott of parliament would result in Iraqiya cabinet ministers losing their positions, ending the inter-party accord that formed the basis of the agreement to seat his government. Iraqiya, whose future participation in what had been envisaged as a consensus government but has in practice been run almost entirely by Maliki?s faction, now appears in doubt, accused Maliki of being ?the main cause of the crisis,? and urging his Shi?ite-dominated bloc to put forward an alternative candidate for prime minister.
PHOTOS: Iraq Troops Return Home in Time for the Holiday
Many of the Sunni leaders, including al-Hashimi, now support a bid by three Sunni provinces ? Anbar, Diyala and Salahuddin ? to band together into an autonomous zone on the lines that the Kurds have done. That?s an outcome Maliki is determined to avoid, seeing it as strengthening a beachhead in Iraq of regional forces antagonistic to his rule. Indeed, a union of three provinces that had been the cradle of the Sunni insurgency, and which abut Syria, would strengthen the strategic challenge to Maliki in Baghdad ? even more so if President Bashar al-Assad were overthrown by Syria?s Sunni majority. Sunni leaders in those provinces have spoken of Sunni insurgencies on both sides of the Syria-Iraq border amplifying one another. And the al-Qaeda element has always sought to turn Sunnis against participation in the Shi?ite-dominated political system.
The power struggle between ?Sunni, Shi?ite and Kurdish political factions has been waged in different forms since Saddam?s fall, but it appears to have entered a new phase in recent years, once the clock began ticking down towards the U.S. withdrawal. Maliki has been widely accused of steadily amassing power, particularly through his control over the security forces, and demonstrating his intent to suppress domestic challenges to his increasingly authoritarian rule.
VIDEO: TimeFrames ? The Cultural Fog of War
The Prime Minister?s attack on the Sunni political class signals a new round of political brinkmanship, with the danger of a relapse into civil war exacerbated by regional tensions, particularly between Iran ? the main outside patron of Maliki?s government ? and Saudi Arabia, which has always backed the Sunnis. Those two are at loggerheads in political standoffs throughout the region, from Syria and Lebanon to Bahrain, but Turkey?s growing regional influence has also antagonized Tehran. Ankara has taken a leading role in putting pressure on Iran?s ally in Damascus, President Assad, over his brutal crackdown on a popular rebellion. And last year, Turkey also played a major role in creating and backing the Iraqiya bloc.
There are, of course, a number of domestic factors that might restrain Maliki from pushing the Sunnis over the edge. The Kurdish leadership is again trying to assume a mediating role whose spinoff is to strengthen the autonomy and boundaries of their de facto statelet in northern Iraq. ?Another key player could be ?Grand Ayatullah Ali Sistani, the most influential Shi?ite leader in Iraq, who has played a quiet but sometimes decisive role in shaping Iraq?s post-Saddam political transition. Although Sistani comes from the ?quietist? tradition that opposes Iran?s system of clerical rule, he has been known to intervene in politics. Sistani ?forced the U.S. occupation authority to allow Iraqis to elect their own government in January of 2005, and then made sure the various Shi?ite factions didn?t dilute their power by using his influence to corral them into a single political bloc. More recently, Sistani has been strongly critical of corruption and abuse of power in Maliki?s government ? so much so that Maliki is reportedly colluding in efforts to install a top Iranian cleric in the Iraqi seminary city of Najaf as a counterweight to Sistani.?Sistani remains the single most important leader among Iraqi Shi?ites, and he?s unlikely to countenance a sectarian confrontation with the Sunnis.
MORE: Iraq ? The Long Goodbye
The key variable, however, remains Iran. Tehran has been the biggest strategic beneficiary of the U.S. invasion, and it has been the most influential foreign power in Baghdad since the moment the U.S. allowed the Iraqis to choose their own government. (They?ve returned Iran-friendly Shi?ite governments at each election.) While he may be a Shi?ite partisan with an authoritarian streak, but ? contra the Saudi view ? Maliki is no puppet of Tehran. Still, he?s unable to rule without Tehran?s support; it was Iran?s intervention that persuaded Sadr to throw his considerable parliamentary vote behind Maliki to give him the numbers necessary to keep Iraqiya out of power, after the Sunni-dominated bloc finished with more votes than any other list in the last election.
The question that may determine whether or not Iraq descends into sectarian confrontation, then, may be this: What does Iran want right now?
There may be an argument that stoking instability in Iraq suits Iran at a moment when Tehran is facing growing economic pressure and implied military threats over its nuclear program ? a tactic of starting fires in order to demonstrate its ability to cause problems for its adversaries. Yet, there may also be reason to believe that Iran could, in fact, decide to restrain Maliki should his actions appear to be raising the danger of renewed civil warfare. The reason is simple: The status quo put in place in Iraq by the U.S. invasion is a huge strategic gain for Tehran, which saw its most dangerous enemy ? Saddam Hussein ? replaced by an elected government dominated by its allies. The collapse of that political order in a new round of sectarian bloodshed puts Iran?s post-Saddam gains at risk, also inviting its key regional opponent, Saudi Arabia, to intervene more aggressively to turn Iraq into a proxy battlefield.
Either way, Iran is unlikely to accept matters of such great strategic consequence to the Islamic Republic as a confrontation that could potentially draw in Iraq?s major neighbors can be decided simply by the whims and narrow agenda of Prime Minister Maliki. At a moment when the fate of Iraq?s key Arab partner, Syria?s Assad, hangs in the balance, it would take a stupendous recklessness to roll the dice on its influence in Iraq, also, by encouraging Maliki to overplay his hand.
Indeed, in recent weeks, it has appeared as if Iran has been trying to ease tensions with the Saudis, sending its intelligence minister to Riyadh for talks over the alleged Washington embassy bombing plot, and backing down from opposing the Saudis? position on OPEC oil output quotas. Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Wednesday indicated a willingness to negotiate with Iran to improve recently frayed relations but also warned Iran, via a statement from the Gulf Cooperation Council, against ?instigating sectarian strife? in the region.
Unless Iran?s Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei is a more reckless gambler than most analysts know, Prime Minister Maliki may yet find the message he received from Biden discreetly but firmly reiterated by Tehran.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/time/world/~3/qDGmYDhzluo/
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Sunday, December 25, 2011
bheater: @CRAPitWORKED Honestly? I think the Razr is great, but I'd buy Galaxy Nexus, if I were in the market for an Android handset right now.
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@CRAPitWORKED Honestly? I think the Razr is great, but I'd buy Galaxy Nexus, if I were in the market for an Android handset right now. 
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