Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273859160?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
2013 Legacy Family Tree Webinar Schedule Announced ...
Millennia Corporation, producers of Legacy Family Tree software, has been one of the leaders in webinar presentations. Now the company is announcing its schedule for the next year and it is a long schedule indeed. You can choose from more than 40 classes from genealogy's leading educators (over 60 hours of free genealogy education) on topics ranging from genealogy technology to DNA to in-depth research methodologies and evidence analysis.
The complete list is available at http://goo.gl/xjTFC.
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Is Bankruptcy The Solution To Your Debt Problems?
Last Updated on Thursday, 27 December 2012 02:19 Written by Ebiz Friday, 28 December 2012 09:05
When times get tough financially and there doesn?t seem to be any other way of getting out of debt, many people that filing Bankruptcy is their only option. With over 1.2 million people filing in 2012, is this really the solution for everyone experiencing a financial storm? Perhaps more of an emphasis needs to be put on education ourselves about what bankruptcy is, how it works, and how it will affect us in the long run should we choose to that route.
There are various chapters of bankruptcies; it all depends on the individual. There are basically four bankruptcy filings. there?s a Chapter 7(liquidation), a Chapter 11(reorganization) , a Chapter 12(adjustments for farmers) and a Chapter 13( adjustments for individuals).
The chapter of filing that you choose depends on the person?s financial situation. The most common filing is Chapter 7. Married couples, companies and individuals are all eligible for a Chapter 7.
A debtor filing Chapter 7 is throwing everything away and starting over hoping for a clean slate. Once you file, an trustee will be appointed to maneuver the sale of the individual?s assets. This does not mean that you will lose everything you own, you might be able to keep some property such as your primary residence and personal items such as clothing and your vehicle. Once the debtor?s assets are sold, the trustee pays certain creditors a portion of the monies due.
Not all creditors receive monies; some creators must ?forgive? or ?discharge? the obligation. After you have?filed?a Chapter 7, and it is accomplished, you cannot file another bankruptcy for seven years. The debts that were not forgiven in the first bankruptcy, will not be forgiven in the next. The usual debts that will not be forgiven are alimony, child support and taxes. Student loans are seldom forgiven or discharged, as well, so if your debt falls into these categories, Chapter 7 bankruptcy is not your best option. You need a Chapter 13
Chapter 12 and 13 are basically the same, however, Chapter 12 deals with farmers with a regular income and Chapter 13 deals with?individuals?with a regular income. Your income has to be reliable and steady, and your debt has to be under $269,250 in unsecured debt and $809,750 in secured debt. Then, the debtor and the trustee developed a proposal for a repayment plan to all your creditors.
The court has the final say, as to where the funds go, and the repayment procedure can last for three to five years. The reason that debtor file for a Chapter 11 or a Chapter 13 is because they do not have to liquidate their assets and can keep everything. In addition, the debtor is only paying a percentage of what he or she owes, 30 to 50 cents on the dollar.
For a Chapter 11, the limit of indebtedness is not challenged. The Chapter 11 was originally intended for cooperation?s and businesses. The feature is basically the same as in the other bankruptcy chapters, but the trustee of the client in Chapter 11 is able to operate the debtors business. The business owner is now able to reconstruct his business, acquire financing and loans, reject and cancel contracts. The business owner is also protected against other liquidation threats. There is a reorganization of the business and personal assets and debts. A Chapter 11 filing may be over in a few months or in several years, depending on the complexity of the bankruptcy case.
Which chapter of bankruptcy you chose depends on your individual financial situation. Look into all your options, your financial dilemma may be fixed by debt counseling without the need for bankruptcy. Go to a debt counselor first; get a list of your income and expenses, as well as, your assets. If it is decided that bankruptcy is your only choice, than chose the chapter that suits you best.
Source: http://blog.ebusinessdebtrelief.com/debt/415
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PFT: Sherman, Sullivan among biggest Pro Bowl snubs
APWhen Lions return man Stefan Logan fielded a kick at the 4-yard line on Saturday against the Falcons, he did something extraordinarily stupid: He took a knee and downed it. At the 4-yard line.
TV cameras caught Lions coach Jim Schwartz calling that, ?the f?king stupidest thing I?ve ever seen.? Now Logan has been benched.
?I won?t be [returning kicks] this Sunday,? Logan confirmed today. ?I?m mad, but at the same time there?s nothing I can do about that. That?s coach?s decision. I blame myself. I?m not blaming the coaches, I blame myself. I?m my worst critic.?
Logan didn?t have much of an explanation for why he downed the ball.
?It was a messed up play by me and I have to live with it and move on from it. It?s just a bad play by me and I have to pay the consequences and I have to live with it. I just have to work through it and just be ready for whenever your opportunity comes back up,? Logan said.
Schwartz said that if Logan can?t be trusted not to down the ball at the 4-yard line, then he can?t be trusted to return kicks.
?Part of a returner?s job is to know where he is on the field. Saying ?I didn?t know where I was, I thought I was in the end zone,? is not a valid excuse. Your job as a returner is to know where you are on the field, particularly after we had gotten a safety,? Schwartz said.
Frankly, Schwartz?s decision to bench Logan is long overdue, regardless of his bonehead play last week. Logan is dead last in the NFL with a 21.3-yard kickoff return average and 16th with a 9.1-yard punt return average, and he has six fumbles this season.
Still, Logan is confident in himself going forward.
?Things happen. I didn?t lose the game,? Logan said. ?The game was already over. So it?s not like I lost the game for us, but you can look at it however you want to look at it. We?ve all struggled as a team so far. Not just one individual. I?m like the quarterback on special teams. When the camera goes on special teams it comes straight to me so if anything happens on special teams as far as muffing a punt or a guy running into me or something like that it?s going to be my fault because the light is on me.?
The reality is that Logan is wrong when he says the game was over. It wasn?t over. The Lions were losing by 13 points with 1:21 remaining at the time of Logan?s blunder, so they certainly weren?t in good shape, but teams have come back from being down 13 with 1:21 remaining and gone on to win. In fact, just this season the Lions came back to force overtime after trailing the Titans by more than 13 with less than 1:21 remaining. In that game, Logan fielded a kick with the Lions down by 14 with 1:16 remaining. Fortunately for the Lions, when Logan downed that kick he really was in the end zone. (Apparently Logan thought at the time that the game was over, but his teammates still fought their way back into it.)
Logan?s ?the game was already over? statement doesn?t speak well for his competitiveness, but Logan said he still expects to be an NFL return man in 2013.
?I?ll just keep moving forward whether it?s with Detroit or another team,? he said.
Given Schwartz?s comments about Logan, it will probably not be with Detroit.
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Sarah Dajani: Christmas Souks in Amman: Discovering the City's Winter Spirit
As of last week, I hadn't really felt the Christmas spirit in Amman. There were no blackout sales. Stores maintained their regular hours. "Jingle Bells" did not become the default soundtrack of every car ride, store visit, or elevator ride. The days got quieter and as university students and cross-continent commuters returned home for the holidays, it seemed as though the entire city was entering a grizzly bear-style hibernation. At least that's what I observed from the warmth of my double-comforter bed.
But after a few days indoors I decided it was time to venture out in search of the city's Christmas spirit and hit the Christmas market circuit.?
The Souq?took place at a reused electricity company hangar?at Ras Al Ain and showcased?Mike Derderian originals at Mlabbas clothing, Shakshaka jewelry made by high-school ingenue Yasmine Al Masry, and Ukrainian mosaic Christmas eggs, hand painted in Jordan. Homespun creativity was the norm; it wasn't uncommon to find a teenager with a straight-A average and a bubbly social life running her own cupcake business on the side, or a funky-fruity caramel maker churning out jeweled candy apples and buttery almond brittle "just for fun."My next stop was the Nine Days of Christmas Festival, an event organized by Friends of Jordan, an NGO whose members are often the driving force behind city's cultural events. The festival's Christmas market attracted a network of Jordan's non-profit and socially-conscious ventures. Shams Jordanie, a French non-profit operating art co-operatives and organic farmers markets sold local olive oil and za'atar, while next door the Promise Welfare Society sold homemade pumpkin, strawberry, and citrus jams alongside pickled makdous?eggplants to fund college scholarships in underprivileged communities.
Another evening was spent listening to the holiday concert put on by?Dozan wa Awtar, Amman's multicultural choral group, and attending the Marriott's Christmas tree lighting festival. Something about the three-storey?evergreen, the 20 elaborate gingerbread houses, and the eggnog-flavored sahlab?made that hotel lobby one of the happiest places in Amman that night.
My last stop on the Christmas circuit was Souk Jara's Art of Christmas Souk. Aptly named, the Souk Jara Christmas Souk was like two souks in one, with handmade Syrian silk brocade, heavenly gingerbread cookies, "nummy" blueberry cheesecake cups, and even an old friend: Jawi Coffee Roasters.
By the time I returned home to the warmth of my double-comforter bed, I felt like I'd found Amman's Christmas spirit. And it wasn't just the carol singers, or the Christmas trees, or the awkward Santas. It wasn't the eggnog, the gingerbread houses, or Abu Ghannam's dance moves. It was the sense of community, of surprise meeting in common places, the sense of entrepreneurship,?inspiringly charming and uncompromisingly diligent, and the sense of giving, whether through art, music, or food.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone!
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-dajani/christmas-souks-in-amman_b_2362141.html
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China claims world's longest high-speed rail line, takes travelers 1,428 miles in a workday
China has a thing for pushing the limits of trains. As of today, that includes distance: the country claims to have the world's longest high-speed rail line. Paying ¥865 ($139) will take you 1,428 miles from Beijing in the north to as far as Guangzhou in the south. The 8-hour, 186MPH trip is technically slower than flying, but it's cheaper and potentially less stressful than the often protracted airport boarding process. It's certainly far more viable than the 20-hour rail trip it's replacing, which could lead to some locals choosing a ground route that wasn't even a realistic option until now.
[Image credit: Xinhuanet]
Filed under: Transportation
Via: Wall Street Journal
Source: Gaotie (translated)
Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/27/china-claims-worlds-longest-high-speed-rail-line/
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Immigrant Beaverton School District teacher regains legal status, job ...
Mario Vilela Orozco, a Beaverton School District employee who was involved in a dispute about his visa earlier this year, has regained legal status and a teaching job.
Vilela Orozco just returned from his native Peru, where he traveled to renew his H-1B specialty occupation work visa so he could stay legally in the United States.
Vilela Orozco said his visa was approved Dec. 10 and he could begin working in January at Beaverton's Southridge High School as a social studies teacher.
Vilela Orozco, 40, had worked since 2010 as a teacher in the two-way language immersion program at Whitford Middle School.
He said he repeatedly reminded the school district to update his visa, a promise officials made when they hired him. But he was fired in June for having improper documentation and his visa expired in September. The school district agreed in October to sponsor a new visa and teaching job.
Vilela Orozco, who graduated from Portland State University, came to the United States dreaming of a steady job and prospective American citizenship. He worked for the Estacada Web Academy in Clackamas before being hired in Beaverton.Foreigners on H1-B work visas, which are valid for three years and renewable for another three, are authorized to work only for the employer who submitted the application. Once Vilela Orozco had worked for the new school district, he violated the terms of his visa. The only way to fix it was to go back to Peru and start over.
-- Andrea Castillo
Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/index.ssf/2012/12/immigrant_beaverton_school_dis_1.html
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Ravi Bhalla, New Jersey Democrat, Considers Endorsing Chris Christie
A Democrat raising funds to run for a New Jersey state Assembly seat has not ruled out endorsing the reelection of Republican Gov. Chris Christie.
Hoboken Councilman Ravi Bhalla (D) told PolitickerNJ.com that he would consider endorsing the first-term incumbent governor's 2013 reelection campaign, citing a need for local officials -- including himself and Mayor Dawn Zimmer (D) -- to have a good relationship with Christie. The governor enjoys a 72 percent approval rating.
"I'm not committed to any candidate," Bhalla told PolitickerNJ.com. "I think the governor is a formidable contender right now. The Democrats need a formidable contender. The governor has done great things for Hoboken. He's been an extraordinary partner with Mayor Zimmer. We want to make sure we have a strong relationship with the governor."
Bhalla, who lost an Assembly race in 2011, is raising funds to run for the state legislature again in 2013, and has scheduled fundraising events in New York and California. His favorable comments about Christie come amid rising tensions in the perennially fractured Hudson County Democratic Party, with some county Democrats engaging in public flirtations with Christie and other Republican leaders.
No statewide Republican candidate has prevailed in Hudson County since Gov. Tom Kean's (R) 1985 reelection that won 70 percent of the vote statewide. Republican Bret Schundler won three nonpartisan races for Jersey City mayor, but lost Hudson County in his 2001 gubernatorial bid.
State Sen. Brian Stack (D-Union City), who represents the same legislative district where Bhalla is seeking an Assembly seat, has been Christie's most prominent Democratic supporter in the state legislature. Stack, also Union City's mayor, described Christie in 2011 as "the greatest governor this state has ever had."
Jersey City mayoral candidate Steve Fulop (D) has come under fire from incumbent Mayor Jerry Healy (D) for a campaign fundraiser co-hosted by a prominent Republican operative. Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing Township), a former state Democratic Party chairwoman, called Fulop's Republican backing "frightening." Fulop's spokesman has said the Republican operative, Brian Nelson, was not a co-host, but rather "a decade-long friend." Nelson described himself as a co-host in an email invitation to the fundraiser. Healy also received GOP backing in his past campaigns.
State Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) is the only announced Democrat gubernatorial candidate, but state Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) and Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage (D) are exploring candidacies. Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) said last week that he would not run for governor this year, and instead would seek a U.S. Senate seat in 2014.
Earlier on HuffPost:
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/27/ravi-bhalla-hoboken_n_2372226.html
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Video: Mitt Romney was just not that into being president?
Will Kate Winslet become Kate Rocknroll?
So everyone knows women don't have to change their names when they get married, but come on, Kate Winslet, don't you want to be "Kate Rocknroll"? Winslet's wedding earlier this month was a surprise, but more surprising to many was the name of her groom: Ned Rocknroll.
Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/hardball/50299881/
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The Quest For The Perfect Toothbrush
A drawing from H.N. Wadsworth's 1857 toothbrush patent. Wadsworth's toothbrush was the first to be patented in the U.S.
Patent 18,653/U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeA drawing from H.N. Wadsworth's 1857 toothbrush patent. Wadsworth's toothbrush was the first to be patented in the U.S.
Patent 18,653/U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeThere are some consumer products where every year brings new innovations. Computers get faster, cellphones get lighter, cars get new bells and whistles.
It's easy to imagine why inventors are drawn to redesigning these products ? the technology for making them is changing all the time.
But what about consumer products that have been around for a long time? For the toothbrush, the answer is a resounding yes.
According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website, as of Christmas Day there were 138 patents with the word toothbrush in the title issued this year. 138!
I talked with several of those patent holders about why they invented their toothbrushes, and they all said pretty much the same thing: Something was missing in the toothbrush universe.
"Cleaning the teeth is actually a pretty complex problem, and I think that's probably why there's been so much invention around it," says Tom Mintel, vice president of research and development in Colgate's global toothbrush division. He's not at all surprised there were so many toothbrush patents issued this year.
Brushing isn't like floor polishing. There are areas in the mouth in need of cleaning that have different shapes and funny angles. Teeth are hard, but gums are soft, so you can't brush both with the same vigor.
Mintel says one solution Colgate is pursuing is making toothbrushes smarter. The company just released an electric brush in the United Kingdom that has sensors in the handle that tell the toothbrush where it is in the mouth. "So instead of expecting consumers to switch between different speeds depending on what surface they're brushing, this brush does it automatically," he says.
Corporate giants aren't the only ones trying to build a better toothbrush. Michael Davidson, a dental hygienist in a suburb of Houston, says most new toothbrushes are designed for their looks, with fancy handles or different-colored bristles.
"I haven't really seen one that addresses how the user is using a brush in regards to the more effective brushing techniques," he says.
The most effective technique, says Davidson, requires holding the brush so the bristles are tilted at approximately a 45-degree angle down toward the gums. "So I just kind of sat down one day and said, 'If I were going to design a really, really good toothbrush, how would I do it?' "
A drawing from Michael Davidson's 2012 patent for "Toothbrush And Method Of Using The Same."
Patent 8,108,962/U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeA drawing from Michael Davidson's 2012 patent for "Toothbrush And Method Of Using The Same."
Patent 8,108,962/U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeHe figured instead of trying to teach people to tilt their hands to the right angle as they held the brush, he would tilt the bristles to the correct angle. That way all the brusher had to do was go back and forth. "It was idiotproof. I guess that would be the best way to say it," he says.
Davidson hopes to bring his toothbrush to the market by next June. (Click here and scroll down to see Davidson's patent.)
A drawing from Joshua Atkin's 2012 patent for "Dehydrated Dentifrice And Toothbrush."
Patent 8,328,451/U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeA drawing from Joshua Atkin's 2012 patent for "Dehydrated Dentifrice And Toothbrush."
Patent 8,328,451/U.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeJoshua Atkin was spurred to his invention for a different reason. Today, Atkin is a dentist in Dayton, Ohio, but before entering the oral care world, he worked as a jazz saxophone player.
"I traveled a lot, and one of the most frequent things I would forget would be a toothbrush," he says. So Atkin invented a disposable, all-in-one toothbrush. (Click here and scroll down to see Atkin's patent.) It has a hollow handle that dispenses dried toothpaste pellets. "You put them on the brush head, run them underwater, and then you have a flavored toothpaste."
It's probably safe to say that very few schoolchildren grow up dreaming of becoming a toothbrush inventor. Colgate's Mintel certainly didn't.
"But I have to say it's been amazing to work on something that looks so simple, [but] really is a heck of a lot more complex than I think you would give it credit for at first glance, and is something that touches everybody," says Mintel.
Put that way, it sounds like a pretty noble calling.
Below are three toothbrush patents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, including the first toothbrush patent filed in the U.S.
Source: http://www.npr.org/2012/12/27/168080635/the-quest-for-the-perfect-toothbrush?ft=1&f=1007
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Five Health and Fitness Tips | Health Care Secret
You?ve reached a point which you finally decided to take total duty of one?s entire body by working out. Something is always that you may be subjecting your system to intense stress of which it isn accustomed to. As your exercise program advances, so will the strain and loads are. Then you are able to ascertain that youe bettering your physical wellness. This is a truly critical step for some one who?s undertaking an work out regime. Right here are some healthful fitness recommendations to assist you while you take your methods:
Place some time aside to organize your program. It doesn matter no matter whether youe taking your exercise routines from dwelling or from the gymnasium. Everything you will need is an all round approach to consider you by means of. Not every one of the physical actions and endurance will probably be equal in really worth or value. It only the ones with highly effective dynamics and endurance movements that could contribute to cardio fitness. Therefore frequency, duration and intensity really should be sizeable for your progress and development within your education program.
Performing your workouts the moment isn adequate. Endurance exercise routines are to be carried out everyday. Instruction rigorously thrice every week can deliver some outstanding results. As a result it not enough to rigorously do the job out once and imagine that it enough. Whenever you idle all around for a month, youe more than likely to loose around 80% of you body conditioning. Alternatively, should you be desk bound for only just 4 days, you might probably loose 5% to 10% of your respective physique conditioning.
Continue to keep off caffeine drinks and cigarettes. You?re conscious of your results of coffee and cigarettes as they are bound to alter the fee of your pulse any time you are education. It then recommended to let go them if youe seriously critical in your training. Or much better use them about 3 or four hrs ahead of your exercising regimen.
Alcohol, medicines and antibiotics are a no go zone. Equally as we?ve explained about caffeine and cigarettes, these are forbidden important things. Once you workout though intoxicated, it gets to be pointless. It even worse for the reason that it can even bring about your death. Never indulge on your own if youe on antibiotics. Greatest issue is usually to consult your physician ahead of hand.
Consuming the ideal meals for the body. You happen to be aware that vegetables and fruits would be the strategy to go. Physical exercises with no good diet is as superior as practically nothing. You must discover to consume properly, stick to the food plan provided by your dietician that may finally be counter effective.
Actually getting healthful may possibly be a consistent battle to prevent the various distractions of day-to-day lifestyle. Health Supplement Cenaless can help you ingetting to your excellent state.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.Source: http://www.healthcaresecret.com/?p=1128
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Children, many ill, would be victims of Russia ban on U.S. adoption
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Family Christmas cards and smiling snapshots of children sent by their adoptive American parents fill Galina Sigayeva's office in Russia's second city St Petersburg.
Many of them were crippled by illness and in desperate need of medical care before her agency helped organise their adoption into U.S. families, she recalls.
Children's rights campaigners say children like these will suffer most if President Vladimir Putin approves a law barring American adoptions that has been rubber-stamped by Russian lawmakers. The act retaliates against a new U.S. law that will punish Russians accused of human rights violations.
Critics of the bill say Russian orphanages are woefully overcrowded and the fate of vulnerable children should not be used as a bargaining chip in a bilateral feud.
"These children are not even offered to foreigners until they get a certain number of (adoption) refusals from Russians," said Sigayeva, a neatly styled brunette who heads the New Hope Christian Services Adoption Agency.
"These are children with complicated diagnoses, really complicated. They are very ill children."
She smiled as she flipped through photos of children embraced by their adoptive parents, playing with family pets and enjoying presents and other trappings of holiday cheer.
"What surprises me is that here they all look so healthy, so fantastic, but you should see what they look like when they are taken from here," Sigayeva said.
"Some had to be carried to the border. We had a girl with hepatitis whom we helped from the emergency room."
Both sides in the heated debate surrounding the bill agree Russia's orphanage system is overwhelmed, riddled with corruption and most failing to place children in families.
More than 650,000 children are considered orphans in Russia - though some were rejected by their parents or taken from dysfunctional homes. Of that total, 110,000 lived in state institutions in 2011, according to the Ministry of Science and Education.
By contrast, in the United States - which has more than twice Russia's population - about 58,280 children were living in group homes and institutions last year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Adoptions by Russian families remain modest, with some 7,400 adoptions in 2011 compared with 3,400 adoptions of Russian children by families abroad.
Russian politicians say it is an embarrassment that the country cannot care for its own, and supporters of the measure argue it will help stimulate reform and domestic adoptions.
"Foreign adoption is a result of the state and society's lack of attention to orphans ... It is, if you will, a result of our indifference," Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told officials at a ruling party congress last week.
American families adopt more Russian children - 956 last year - than those of any other country. Of the children adopted by Americans in 2011, 9 percent - or 89 - were disabled, according to official Russian figures.
Opponents of the legislation, who include senior officials such as Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, say politicking should not deprive orphans of this chance at better life.
"Russia is not able to provide for all its orphans," Boris Altshuler, director of the Moscow-based Rights of the Child advocacy group, said. "Although 1,000 is a small fraction - it was a help."
Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets has said the ban would violate international treaties on child rights, and the Kremlin's own human rights council called it unconstitutional.
"AMERICAN ROULETTE"
The ban responds to a U.S. law known as the Magnitsky Act, which punishes Russians suspected of being involved in the death in custody of anti-graft lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in 2009, and of other human rights violations, by barring them from entering the United States.
In a pointed echo of the Magnitsky Act, Russia's legislation is named the Dima Yakovlev law, after a Russian-born toddler who died of heat stroke after his American adoptive father left him locked in a sweltering car.
His death and that of 19 other Russian-born children in the hands of U.S. citizens in the last decade has helped drive support for the bill and for tougher adoption rules in a deal with the United States in June.
"It's American roulette," said Pavel Astakhov, Russia's Children's Rights Commissioner and a supporter of the ban.
"One handicapped girl from Russia got lucky. She was Jessica Long - a Paralympic champion. Another did not. She was Masha Allen ... who was raped by her paedophile adoptive father."
DISABLED CHILDREN
If Putin signs it into law, the ban will come into force on January 1, most immediately affecting the fate of children whose adoption is in the works.
The placement of 46 children with American families will be cancelled, Astakhov told the Interfax news agency on Wednesday.
"There is terrible irony in the fact that America's decision to speak out against human rights violations may cause the Russian government to deny many thousands of Russian orphans the possibility to grow up in loving, adoptive families," said Chuck Johnson, president of National Council For Adoption, a non-profit advocacy group based in Alexandria, Virginia.
Sigayeva, of the New Hope Christian Services Adoption Agency, said a six-month halt on American adoptions until a new bilateral deal entered force in November showed how it would aggravate problems in Russia's strained child-protection system.
"Hospitals were overwhelmed. There was no room in orphanages or hospitals for children whom their parents had rejected. So what's next then?" said Sigayeva, whose agency has helped place some 200 children in American families since 1992.
Advocates who work with disabled children say a reform proposal drafted by Astakhov ignores their plight. They say it calls for a reduction in the number of institutions caring for children with disabilities without explaining how they will find foster homes and medical care.
"No concrete measures are being suggested. Nothing exists but a lot of children's pain, which will only increase now," said Sergei Koloskov, a campaigner for children with Down's Syndrome.
"They are being left parentless in addition to being ill."
(Additional reporting by Alexander Chizhenok in St. Petersburg and Corrie MacLaggan in Austin, Texas; Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Peter Graff)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/children-many-ill-victims-russia-ban-u-adoption-123222651.html
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Farmers plow through red tape to hire legal workers | Maryland Daily ...
Posted: 6:00 pm Tue, December 25, 2012
By
The Daily Record
Erin Durkin
KENNEDYVILLE ? Bernie Kohl, Jr., president and part owner of Angelica Nurseries Inc., knew something was wrong when the then-Immigration and Naturalization Service showed up on his property with buses on a fall day in 1996. The INS went into the company?s offices, hung up phones, and lined workers up outside while they went into the company?s human resources offices to get paper files on all the laborers.
?They went through the I-9s and they scrutinized the paperwork and could say that these documents don?t look genuine,? Kohl said. ?We aren?t document specialists, those are the kind of things that we can?t do.?
The raid resulted in around 80 of his workers being deported. The place didn?t quite shut down, but it meant an incredible struggle that year to make the harvest.
That led to a long search to find reliable, legal labor, and Angelica?s entrance in 1999 into the H-2A program, a federal visa program that brings migrant workers to the U.S. for the agriculture sector, but at a high cost both administratively and monetarily.
?The H-2A program never was, never has been, a program that you want to be in,? Kohl said. ?But we had to have it because we needed a reliable work force.?
In the past year, about 50,000 workers were approved to come to the U.S. through the program. Approximately 500 of them came to Maryland. Ninety went to Kohl?s nursery.
Workers at Angelica Nurseries come predominantly from Mexico and usually spend the days planting, harvesting and burlapping trees and deciduous shrubs to be shipped to landscapers and other professionals, said Kohl.
To bring these skilled laborers to the country, Kohl must jump through a number of hoops, starting with the filing process. He must guess around 60 days out how many workers he will need on the day his contract begins, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
?We say it?s like looking into a crystal ball,? he said. ?We have to make a prediction of what the spring is going to look like.?
During this time, farmers must advertise their available positions in their area as well as in an area with a large population of migrant workers, like Florida or Texas, a practice that generates very few workers, according to a state commission on agriculture.
Even when farmers predict the correct number of migrant workers necessary, they are required to hire, ?any able, willing, qualified and available U.S. worker who applies to the employer until 50 percent of the period of the work contract has elapsed, regardless of the number of H-2A workers covered by the employer?s certification,? according to the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. This is known as the ?50 percent rule.?
Then the farmers must pay for the workers? transportation, room, board and meals, in addition to a salary that?s determined by a complex formula, rather than one based on skills or demand.
Kohl pointed out that providing such amenities was not so much of a challenge for his nursery since it was using migrant workers for years before being part of H-2A. However, he said on smaller farms this could be a problem.
?You could have an orchard where the harvest period is only for three weeks and yet they are expected to still build housing on their land,? he said.
To add to the price tag, each worker starts at $10.34 per hour this year, regardless of experience. This wage was determined by the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, the dominant wage calculator used that averages wages of all agricultural workers to produce the minimum amount of pay.
?It is like starting the lowest person at the middle of the ladder,? said Kohl.
Measures such as these were most likely placed in the program to protect American workers, said Merlin Williams, Maryland rural services coordinator in the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
But Kohl complained that most American workers who show up for seasonal work at the nursery usually last only a couple of days, sometimes just hours, and most have no prior experience.
?It is a real misconception that Americans are lining up for these jobs,? he said.
Taking part in the program does have its positive side, said Marilyn Sparks, who runs White House Nursery in Upperco with her husband, Loring. Their nursery is a smaller operation than Angelica Nurseries and only relies on five workers each year.
?If we hire someone locally we would have to hire them year-round instead of seasonally,? she said. ?Otherwise when the job is done they could legally apply for unemployment and our unemployment payments go up.?
Sparks also said that many of the local workers who could work temporarily do not have the skill set her nursery needs. Her nursery, which grows perennials, spring crops and different varieties of Christmas poinsettias, has relied on the same Mexican family for the last eight years.
The program is still very important to Maryland farmers even with the costs, said U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md.
?It is essential to any district where there is an agricultural program,? he said. ?However, it has been very cumbersome. We?ve been working with the H-2A program to make it easier to get visas.?
The added cost of the program has exacerbated other financial troubles the nursery has faced, said Kohl. The once-2,100-acre farm has downsized to 1,800 acres, and the last five years have been a challenge due to the down housing market and three summers worth of drought, said Kohl.
?We?re struggling to keep our head above water,? said Kohl. ?These programs just don?t help.?
S. Patrick McMillan, assistant secretary, marketing, animal industries and consumer service at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, said he would like to see the program reformed because of people like Kohl.
?It?s a great program, but very expensive,? he said. ?It?s been difficult with the politics to revise the rules. It?s caught up in a bigger immigration debate.?
Kohl said other farms like his have either gone under or sold their land to developers for a profit. While that?s tempting, since his nursery hasn?t had a measurable profit in five years, Kohl said he does not want to go down this path because he and his family take pleasure in what they do.
?We enjoy growing plants, we enjoy what the plants do for the environment,? he said. ?Not that I haven?t thought about what would make an easier living. But we enjoy working with plants. We hope that we can make a turn around and make money in this business again.?
Source: http://thedailyrecord.com/2012/12/25/farmers-plow-through-red-tape-to-hire-legal-workers/
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Geron ends brain cancer drug study, cuts 43 jobs | Global ...
Geron shares slide as it ends development of brain cancer drug and cuts 43 jobs
By?Associated Press
MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) ? Geron Corp. shares tumbled 21 percent in after-hours trading Monday after the company said that it will end development of an experimental cancer drug and eliminating 43 jobs.
The company will stop working on GRN1005, a drug that was designed to deliver a chemotherapy agent to the brain to treat brain tumors. It is also terminating its licensing agreement on that drug. Geron said it decided to stop development of GRN1005 based on an unsuccessful analysis of a mid-stage clinical trial. The company also said it was unable to enroll patients in a lung cancer trial.
The company will cut 40 percent of its staff, which will leave it with 64 employees. Geron expects to have about $33 million in cash operating expenses in 2013, down from $65 million in 2012. Expenses include $3 million in restructuring costs and $3 million in costs related to the discontinuation of clinical trials. The company said it will have about $90 million in cash and investments at the end of 2012.
Geron shares rose 7 cents, or 5 percent, to close at $1.48. The stock has lost about half its value since early September on setbacks for imetelstat. In aftermarket trading Geron shares lost 31 cents, or 21 percent, to $1.17.
Geron said it will continue studying its drug imetelstat as a treatment for blood cancers and certain types of tumors. In September Geron said imetelstat would not meet its goals in studies involving breast and lung cancers.
The company said it will report promising results from a study of imetelstat on Dec. 9. Based on those results, Geron said it is studying the drug as a treatment for myelofibrosis and will conduct studies in other hematologic cancers in 2013.
The company pioneered the development of embryonic stem cell therapies and ran the first human trials of treatments based on embryonic stem cells. However in 2011 the company ended a trial of a stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries and said it would focus on its cancer drugs.
Source: http://globalregulatoryscience.com/2012/12/24/geron-ends-brain-cancer-drug-study-cuts-43-jobs/
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California real estate trends - Real Estate Agent in La ... - La Jolla Light
California real estate trends show consumers and builders leaning in a new direction when it comes to housing design.
By Vicki Johnson
In the wake of the housing market crash, the heyday of the inflated California suburban tract home may be a thing of the past. According to a recent report from the Mercury News, both national and California real estate trends are shifting in favor of more practical designs catering to baby boomers looking to downsize, first-time homeowners on a budget and growing or multigenerational families in need of flexible living spaces.
The report notes that home builders throughout the state are beginning to focus on homes that are more energy efficient, compact and closer to work and entertainment centers. In addition, some homes are being built with multiple generations in mind, and including separate quarters, cottages or detached units for aging parents or adult children who need a place to stay but also wish to maintain some degree of privacy and autonomy. In today?s economy, both of these options make sense ? for buyers on a budget, and also for those who simply prefer smaller, more customized living environments to large luxury homes. For example, some baby boomers are choosing to downsize in order to reduce the time and money spent on maintaining a big house, yard, pool and other amenities. Instead, they may choose to live closer to entertainment, shopping, restaurants and other amenities in their community, or to spend their discretionary funds on travel.
Changing times, changing home designs
Kevin Carson, president of the California-based New Home Company, tells the News that recent poll results show many homeowners eager to reduce energy bills through greater energy efficiency over the next few years. Those polled also showed an interest in ?more windows, downstairs bedrooms and proximity to jobs and shopping? ? priorities that Carson sees as signs of the times.
As Southern California home builders begin work on new developments to showcase these features, it is important for local homeowners to examine their own priorities and see what type of home makes sense for them. Here in San Diego County, we are surrounded by a diverse array of neighborhoods, communities and housing styles: and whether you are looking to move into a smaller home while maintaining a touch of luxury, or to find a larger property that will house a growing family, an experienced real estate agent can help you achieve your real estate goals. To learn more about real estate trends in San Diego, discuss your plans to buy or sell a home in the area or consult new listings, contact me, Vicki Johnson, at www.vrjrealestate.com.
Related posts:
- Housing market FAQ: how to decipher real estate market updates
- Seize the season: make the most of autumn opportunity in the San Diego real estate market
- Decoding the 3.8% investment income tax: a guide for La Jolla real estate owners
- Making housing affordable: how today?s market offers opportunity for potential buyers
- Rental market boost bodes well for housing market recovery
Short URL: http://www.lajollalight.com/?p=99261
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Existence of next-gen consoles revealed by survey
Everyone is waiting for the next generation of consoles to kick off, be it gamers, or developers. According to Gaming Bolt, Capcom has revealed the existence of a PlayStation 4 and an Xbox 720 in a survey, by asking if gamers would be interested in buying Sony's and Microsoft's next-gen systems.
Capcom is holding a survey as it is "gathering feedback from consumers on projects they would like to see from Capcom in the DIGITAL game space (not retail).? This strongly hints towards a focus on digital distribution in the next consoles.
One can only hope that it would look as cool as this
Earlier this month, it was revealed that the PlayStation 4 could see a release in 2014 in spring or autumn. The rumours are getting fiercer thanks to reports that developers already have their hands on the developer kits for the system. Sony has been using the term Orbis when referring to the machine. There has been no official record of the company calling it a PlayStation 4.
There are set to be four versions of the Orbis kit being shipped to developers. A previous version was essentially a graphics card. The newest version is a ?modified PC?, and the third version will be the closest to the final specifications and will be sent to developers in January.
The Orbis, according to VG247, is based on the AMD A10 APU series. An APU ? which stands for Accelerated Processing Unit ? is a combination of a GPU and a CPU. The PS4?s hardware is ?based on A10 system and base platform?.
One of the biggest changes coming to the system is in the form of the interface. According to the source, the new interface will allow you to go anywhere while playing a game. This is not possible in the PlayStation 3 as some options require you to exit the game before using them. An example given was buying DLC from the PlayStation Store in the middle of playing a game and then seamlessly returning to play.
We had earlier reported that the next-gen console from Microsoft, rumoured to be named either the Xbox 720 or the Durango, will be seeing a release in late 2013. The rumours are also gaining momentum because of the fact that developers have already gotten their hands on devkits for the 'Durango'. This could also force Sony to unveil the next PlayStation, as again, developers have already gotten their hands on devkits. Looking at the game release schedule, and how there aren't many big titles to be released after May, this could point towards the next-gen consoles from both Sony and Microsoft being closer than we think.
Earlier this year, the developer kit for the next Xbox ? rumoured to be named the Xbox 720 ? was leaked. A supposed Xbox 720 'Durango' developer kit was posted on a developer forum and was offered to the public for $10,000. The developer kit resembles the traditional PC tower running a debug launcher, which caused many people to be cautious and sceptical about whether the prototype is authentic. EuroGamer?s Digital Foundry reached out to the source of the leak. After following up on the story with multiple developers who are working on next-gen projects, they came to the conclusion that the hardware was real.
The man who had leaked the shots, and uses the alias ?DaE?, revealed to EuroGamer that Microsoft?s next-gen gaming console will feature an eight-core processor. The next generation console is also rumoured to include support for Blu-Ray, true 1080p and native 3D output; it is expected to be around six times more powerful than the current Xbox 360.
Source: http://www.unp.me/f140/existence-of-next-gen-consoles-revealed-by-survey-203574/
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Stocks end lower as investors fret about 'fiscal cliff'
8 hrs.
Stocks ended in negative territory in a quiet, shortened trading session Monday, extending declines from the previous session, amid ongoing worries over the looming "fiscal cliff."?
Markets will be closed on Tuesday for Christmas day.?
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended lower, led by Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard.?
The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq also finished in the red. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), widely considered the best gauge of fear in the market, traded above 18.
Among key S&P sectors, energy and utilities closed lower, while materials finished higher.?
"I think it's amazing how well the market's held up," said Hank Smith, chief investment officer at the Haverford Trust. "Use any type of correction of pullback as an opportunity to buy because this is not about fundamentals?this is strictly about politics and political ineptitude and it will be very passing and it will not have long-term implications." (Read More: Hunting for Yield? Here's One Place You Can Look)
With just four more trading days left in 2012, ongoing worries over the "fiscal cliff"?$600 billion in tax hikes and automatic spending cuts that kick in on January 1?kept investors on edge. With the House of Representatives and the Senate on their Christmas break and President Obama celebrating the Christmas holiday in Hawaii, talks will likely only resume after December 25.
"With no Plan B and the gulf between the parties as wide as ever, there is little to cheer this holiday season. The optimism that had seen the market rally strongly over the last few weeks is diminishing rapidly amid signs that a deal is as far away as ever," said Rebecca O'Keeffe, head of investment at Interactive Investor. (Read More: Lawmakers: We're Likely to Go Over the 'Fiscal Cliff')
Still, the S&P 500 is on track for its best yearly performance since 2009 with a gain of 13.7 percent year-to-date.
Microsoft slipped after the New York Times reported that sales of the tech giant's new Windows 8 operating system had disappointed PC makers as well as analysts.
JCPenney rose after Oppenheimer said the retailer's promotions are showing evidence of success. The brokerage has an "outperform" rating on the stock and a $30 price target. Still, shares of the company is down more than 40 percent year to date.?
Facebook gained after Needham raised its price target on the social-networking giant to $33 from $25.?
Research In Motion declined after Exane BNP Paribas cut its target price on the BlackBerry maker to $5.50 from $8.30.?
Herbalife fell for the ninth-straight session after the company said it expects to exceed its previously-announced buyback authorization guidance.?
European shares were range-bound with light volumes in a truncated day of trading. Major markets such as Germany, Switzerland and Italy were closed.?
Coming Up This Week:
- MONDAY: Market closes at 1?p.m.?ET
- TUESDAY: Markets closed for Christmas
- WEDNESDAY: Case-Shiller homeprice index
- THURSDAY: Jobless claims, new home sales, consumer confidence
- FRIDAY: ?Pending home sales
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stocks-end-lower-shortened-session-cliff-woes-weigh-1C7657753
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Ga. counties sue HSBC claiming loss of tax base
ATLANTA (AP) ? Three Atlanta-area counties have filed a lawsuit claiming that British bank HSBC cost them hundreds of millions of dollars in extra expenses and damage to their tax bases by aggressively signing minorities to housing loans that were likely to fail.
The Georgia counties' failure or success with the relatively novel strategy could help determine whether other local governments try to hold big banks accountable for losses in tax revenue based on what they claim are discriminatory or predatory lending practices. Similar lawsuits resulted in settlements this year worth millions of dollars for communities in Maryland and Tennessee.
Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb counties say in their lawsuit, which was filed in October, that the housing foreclosure crisis was the "foreseeable and inevitable result" of big banks, such as HSBC and its American subsidiaries, aggressively pushing irresponsible loans or loans that were destined to fail. The counties say that crisis has caused them tremendous damage.
"It's not only the personal damage that was done to people in our communities," said DeKalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader. "That has a ripple effect on our tax digest and the demand for public services in these areas."
The city of Atlanta straddles Fulton and DeKalb counties, while Cobb County is northwest of the city.
The lawsuit says the banks violated the Fair Housing Act, which provides protections against housing or renting policies or practices, including lending, that discriminate on the basis race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status or handicap.
The counties say their tax digests ? which represent the value of all property subject to tax ? have declined from a high point in 2009. Fulton's tax digest has dropped about 12 percent, from $32.7 billion to $28.7 billion; DeKalb's has dropped about 20 percent, from $22 billion to $17.5 billion; and Cobb's has dropped about 15 percent, from $25.5 billion to $21.3 billion, the lawsuit says. That reduces their ability to provide critical services in their communities, the lawsuit says.
In addition to reducing tax income, vacant or abandoned homes that are in or near foreclosure create additional costs for the counties, the lawsuit says. Their housing code and legal departments have to investigate and respond to code violations, including having to board up, tear down or repair unsafe homes. They have to deal with public health concerns, such as pest infestations, ruptured water pipes, accumulated garbage and unkempt yards. And fire and police departments have to respond to health and safety threats.
The lawsuit says predatory lending practices include: targeting vulnerable borrowers for mortgage loans with unfavorable terms; directing credit-worthy borrowers to more costly loans; putting unreasonable terms, excessive fees or pre-payment penalties into mortgage loans; basing loan values on inflated or fraudulent appraisals; and refinancing a loan without benefit to the borrower.
The counties are asking the court to order the bank to stop its behavior and to take steps to prevent similar predatory lending in the future. They are also seeking financial compensation for the damages they've suffered and punitive damages to punish the bank for its "willful, wanton and reckless conduct." The counties say the financial injury they've suffered is in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Andrew Sandler, a lawyer for HSBC and its subsidiaries, said he couldn't comment on the case. A federal judge has given the bank until Jan. 25 to respond to the counties' complaint.
Lawyers for the counties declined interviews on the case, but one of them, Jeffrey Harris, said in an emailed statement that they are continuing to investigate other banks and could file additional complaints.
Similar suits were filed against Wells Fargo by the city of Memphis and surrounding Shelby County in Tennessee in 2009 and by the city of Baltimore in 2008. Those suits were settled earlier this year. Both settlements included $3 million to the local governments for economic development or housing programs and $4.5 million in down payment assistance to homeowners, as well as a lending goal of $425 million for residents over the subsequent five years, according to media accounts.
As in those cases, the lawsuit filed by the Georgia counties says the bank, in this case HSBC, targeted communities with high percentages of Fair Housing Act-protected minority residents, particularly blacks and Hispanics.
"Communities with high concentrations of such potential borrowers, and the potential borrowers themselves, were targeted because of the traditional lack of access to competitive credit choices in these communities and the resulting willingness of FHA protected minority borrowers to accept credit on uncompetitive rates," the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit says minority borrowers were disproportionately targeted with high-cost loans between 2004 and 2007.
Before the beginning of the subprime lending boom in 2003, annual foreclosure rates in metro Atlanta averaged below 1 percent, but U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data show that the estimated foreclosure rates for each of the three counties now average more than 9 percent and are as high as 18 percent in the communities with the highest percentages of minority borrowers, the lawsuit says.
It is the alleged targeting of minority communities that entitles the counties to seek action against HSBC for loss of tax income and other expenses, the lawsuit says.
"If you can show that you yourself have suffered harm by an illegal act under the Fair Housing Act, even if you are not the target, even if you are not the intended victim, you can still sue to stop the behavior and to recover any damages that you can prove you suffered because of the violation of the Fair Housing Act," said Steve Dane, a lawyer whose firm was involved in the Memphis and Baltimore lawsuits.
The costs incurred by counties because of high rates of foreclosure are reflected in court records and related fees for each home, and police and fire departments can calculate the costs of responding to a given address, Dane said. He said it takes a lot of time and effort to gather the necessary records to prove the harm.
Another discouraging factor could be a lack of political will, said Lisa Rice, vice president of the National Fair Housing Alliance.
"Politicians may not want to go up against the banks," she said, adding that there will likely be other local governments that give this a try but she doubts the number will be high.
But Jaime Dodge, an assistant law professor at the University of Georgia, says she thinks more cases are likely, at least in the short term as municipal governments continue to feel the squeeze of a tight economy and seek ways to refill their coffers. They may try to test federal courts in different parts of the country, she said. Successes in multiple jurisdictions could lead to more attempts, but if courts start knocking the suits down that would likely discourage them, she said.
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Monday, December 24, 2012
Taliban not demanding Afghan power monopoly
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Taliban representatives at a conference did not insist on total power in Afghanistan and pledged to grant rights to women that the militant Islamist group itself brutally suppressed in the past, according to a Taliban statement received Sunday.
The pledges emerged from a rare meeting last week involving Taliban and Kabul government representatives.
The less strident substance and tone came in a speech delivered at a conference in France. The French hosts described it as a discussion among Afghans rather than peace negotiations.
It was hard to determine whether the softer line taken by the Taliban representatives reflected a real shift in policy or a salvo in the propaganda war for the hearts and minds of Afghans.
The speech said that a new constitution would protect civil and political rights of all citizens. It promised that women would be allowed to choose husbands, own property, attend school and seek work, rights denied them during Taliban rule, which ended with the 2001 U.S. invasion. The speech was emailed from Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
"We are not looking to monopolize power. We want an all-Afghan inclusive government," the speech said. It was delivered by two Taliban officials, Mawlawi Shahbuddin Dilawar and Muhammad Naeem during the conference on Thursday and Friday.
Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman said the government welcomed such talks but did not expect them to bridge the gap between the warring sides.
The United States started to embrace the idea of peace talks after President Barack Obama took office, but discussions stalled in recent years, despite the formation of an Afghan government council tasked with reaching out to the Taliban and the establishment of a Taliban political office in Qatar.
"The peace initiative is a process, and one or two or three meetings are not going to solve the problems. But we are hopeful for the future," Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai said. He said the government's preconditions for the talks with the Taliban have not changed: a cease-fire, recognition of the Afghan constitution, cutting ties with international terrorists and agreeing to respect the rights of Afghan citizens including women and children.
The Taliban speech reiterated the group's own longtime policies, declaring that the current constitution was "illegitimate because it is written under the shadow of (U.S.) B-52 aircraft" and that the Taliban remained the legitimate government of the country, a reference to the U.S.-led campaign that drove the Taliban from power.
It also called for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and said a 2014 national election was "not beneficial for solving the Afghan quandary" because it would take place while the country was still under foreign occupation.
Most NATO forces are scheduled to be withdrawn by 2014. The Kabul government and its international backers hope that a peace deal can be brokered with the Taliban and other militant groups before the pullout. NATO still has more than 100,000 troops, including 66,000 U.S. soldiers, on the ground. Washington is now determining the size of a scaled down force the United States will keep in Afghanistan after 2014.
"The occupation must be ended as a first step, which is the desire of the entire nation, because this is the mother of all these tragedies," the speech said.
The conference was also attended by the Hezb-e-Islami group, which is allied with the Taliban, and political opponents of President Hamid Karzai, whom the Taliban regard as a puppet of Washington.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/taliban-not-demanding-afghan-power-monopoly-160535464.html
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Ranchers split over US border security plan
In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 photo, rancher Dan Bell checks out part of his property at the border fence between the United States and Mexico, in Nogales, Ariz. When Bell drives through his property, he speaks of the hurdles that the Border Patrol faces in his rolling green hills of oak and mesquite trees: The hours it takes to drive to some places, the wilderness areas that are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles, and the environmental reviews required to extend a dirt road. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 photo, rancher Dan Bell checks out part of his property at the border fence between the United States and Mexico, in Nogales, Ariz. When Bell drives through his property, he speaks of the hurdles that the Border Patrol faces in his rolling green hills of oak and mesquite trees: The hours it takes to drive to some places, the wilderness areas that are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles, and the environmental reviews required to extend a dirt road. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 photo, rancher Dan Bell, who owns a 35,000-acre cattle ranch along the border between the United States and Mexico, drives around as he checks out part of his property, in Nogales, Ariz. When Bell drives through his ranch, he speaks of the hurdles that the Border Patrol faces in his rolling green hills of oak and mesquite trees: The hours it takes to drive to some places, the wilderness areas that are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles, and the environmental reviews required to extend a dirt road. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 photo, rancher Dan Bell, who owns a 35,000-acre cattle ranch along the border between the United States and Mexico, checks out part of his property in Nogales, Ariz., including a watering station for his cattle, which is also user-friendly for illegal immigrants that walk his land. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 photo, rancher Dan Bell checks out part of his property at the border fence between the United States and Mexico, in Nogales, Ariz. When Bell drives through his property, he speaks of the hurdles that the Border Patrol faces in his rolling green hills of oak and mesquite trees: The hours it takes to drive to some places, the wilderness areas that are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles, and the environmental reviews required to extend a dirt road. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
In this Friday, Aug. 10, 2012 photo, rancher Dan Bell, who owns a 35,000-acre cattle ranch along the border between the United States and Mexico, checks out part of his property where the barbed-wire fence is often damaged by illegal border crossers, in Nogales, Ariz. When Bell drives through his property, he speaks of the hurdles that the Border Patrol faces in his rolling green hills of oak and mesquite trees: The hours it takes to drive to some places, the wilderness areas that are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles, and the environmental reviews required to extend a dirt road. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
NOGALES, Ariz. (AP) ? When Dan Bell drives through his 35,000-acre cattle ranch, he speaks of the hurdles that the Border Patrol faces in his rolling green hills of oak and mesquite trees ? the hours it takes to drive to some places, the wilderness areas that are generally off-limits to motorized vehicles, the environmental reviews required to extend a dirt road.
John Ladd offers a different take from his 14,000-acre spread: the Border Patrol already has more than enough roads and its beefed-up presence has flooded his land and eroded the soil.
Their differences explain why ranchers are on opposite sides of the fence over a sweeping proposal to waive environmental reviews on federal lands within 100 miles of Mexico and Canada for the sake of border security. The Border Patrol would have a free hand to build roads, camera towers, helicopter pads and living quarters without any of the outside scrutiny that can modify or even derail plans to extend its footprint.
The U.S. House approved the bill authored by Utah Republican Rob Bishop in June. But prospects in the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate are extremely slim and chances of President Barack Obama's signature even slimmer. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified in Congress this year that the bill was unnecessary and "bad policy."
Still, an idea that House Republicans kicked around for years has advanced farther in the legislative process than ever before and rekindled discussion over how to balance border security with wildlife protection.
The debate raises some of the same questions that will play out on a larger scale when Congress and the president tackle immigration reform: Is the U.S. border with Mexico secure, considered by some lawmakers to be a litmus test for granting legal residency and citizenship to millions? Has the U.S. reached a point of border security overkill?
Heightened enforcement ? along with a fewer available jobs in the U.S. and an aging population in Mexico ? has brought Border Patrol arrests to 40-year lows.
The U.S. has erected 650 miles of fences and other barriers on the Mexican border, almost all of it after a 2005 law gave the Homeland Security secretary power to waive environmental reviews. The administration of President George W. Bush exercised its waiver authority on hundreds of miles after years of court challenges and environmental reviews delayed construction on a 14-mile stretch in San Diego.
The Border Patrol, which has doubled to more than 21,000 agents since 2004, has also built 12 "forward operating bases" to increase its presence in remote areas. Instead of driving long distances from their stations every shift, agents stay at the camps for several days.
Lots more needs to be done, according to backers of Bishop's bill to rewrite rules on millions of acres of federal land managed by the Interior and Agriculture departments, including more than 800 miles bordering Mexico and 1,000 miles bordering Canada. The bill would waive reviews required under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and 14 other laws in dozens of wilderness areas, national forests and national parks.
"It's a paralyzing process now," Bell, 44, said as his GMC truck barreled down a dirt road on a 10-mile stretch of his ranch that borders Mexico. "They wanted to put this road in for a decade, probably even longer. They broke ground on it last year."
Bell, a burly, third-generation rancher who leases his land from the Agriculture Department, acknowledges there are noticeably fewer border crossers since the government built a fence on the eastern part of his ranch, near Nogales. In the ranch's west end, the Border Patrol opened one of its camps in 2005 ? a collection of shipping containers that agents use as a base while alternating 12-hour shifts.
Yet migrants continue crossing in some rugged reaches that are well outside of cellphone range. Bell says waiving environmental reviews within 100 miles of the border may be unnecessary but that a 25-mile zone would help immensely.
"There are areas where the agents can't get to," he said. "By the time they get out of the station and get to these remote areas, then hike another two or three hours just to get close to the border, they have to come back because their day is pretty much eaten up. It's really difficult when there's no access out there."
Ladd, a fourth-generation rancher whose spread near Douglas is in a flatter, more easily traveled area of mesquite-draped hills, thinks the Border Patrol has gone far enough. The agency installed four 80-foot camera towers on his land about six years ago. In 2007, it completed a fence along the 10.5 miles of his ranch that borders Mexico.
Rainfall that runs downhill from Mexico is stopped by debris caught in the mesh fence and an adjoining raised road, Ladd says. The water is diverted to other areas, causing floods and soil erosion on his property.
Ladd, 57, thinks the bill would allow the Border Patrol to "run roughshod" over ranches and farms.
"Be careful what you wish for, they're going to tear it up," Ladd tells other ranchers. "Once they get in, it pretty well turns into a parking lot. It's really hard to get them out."
Ladd says the 37 miles of roads on his ranch are enough for the Border Patrol's needs. "Why do you need new ones?" he asks.
The Interior Department raised concerns in a survey of Arizona's Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge last year that found nearly 8,000 miles of off-road vehicle trails, blaming much of it on smuggling and Border Patrol activity. It urged the Border Patrol to rely on tools like radars and cameras, which are less threatening to wildlife.
Critics of the Border Patrol's growth have long called new fences, roads and other infrastructure a threat to Sonoran pronghorn, Mexican grey wolves, jaguars and other border wildlife.
A Government Accountability Office report in 2010 offered fodder for both sides of the debate. It found Border Patrol supervisors generally felt land laws didn't hinder them on the job but that the agency sometimes encountered roadblocks. An unnamed agency took four months to review a Border Patrol request to move a camera tower in Arizona, by which time traffic had moved to another area.
Rep. Raul Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat who has led opposition to the bill that has largely split along party lines, calls the effort a disguised step toward repealing environmental laws.
"The border has become a very convenient excuse to go after laws that have been on the books for four or five decades," he said. "You plant your flag on the 100 miles (of border) and then build from there."
Bishop dismisses that criticism as a scare tactic and a "lousy argument."
"Sovereign countries control their borders. Anything that stops us from that is a violation of why we are a nation," he said.
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