Obama pushes colleges to keep tuition under control - Chicago Tribune

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Obama pushes colleges to keep tuition under control - chicagotribune.com jQuery = $; //rename $ function trblib.ns('trb').data = { contentId: '67679369', marketCode: 'chinews', section: '/news'}; xd.configure({ 'https://chicagotribune.signon.trb.com':{ sender : 'https://chicagotribune.signon.trb.com/registration/xd/xd_sender.htm', receiver : '/hive/common/includes/xd_receiver.html' } }); carnival.init({"hostname":"https://chicagotribune.signon.trb.com","apiKey":"","product":"chinews", "xd":"1", "activateMessages":"true", "ssorNavBackgroundColor":"", "ssorModalTextColor":"", "skipNewsletters":"0" , "captchaType" : "reCaptcha", "ssorSignInLinkUrl":"", "ssorSignUpLinkUrl":"" }); (function() { var cookieName = 'tribanalyticscookie', cookieData = readCookie(cookieName), ssorId = carnival.user.profile().masterId, data; if (!cookieData) { cookieData = guidGenerator(); createCookie(cookieName, cookieData, 3650); } data = 'k=viewcontent&u=' + cookieData + '&url=' + encodeURIComponent(window.location.href); if (ssorId) data += '&es=' + ssorId; if (trb.data.contentId) data += '&contentId=P2P-' + trb.data.contentId; if (trb.data.marketCode) data += '&marketCode=' + trb.data.marketCode; if (trb.data.section) data += '§ion=' + encodeURIComponent(trb.data.section); trblib.jQuery.ajax({ url: 'http://tribunegls.cloudapp.net/profiles/e949eb98-f19d-472c-92cd-ee7620ad47c7/analytics', data: data, dataType: 'script' }); function guidGenerator() { function s() { return (((1+Math.random())*0x10000)|0).toString(16).substring(1); } return s()+s()+'-'+s()+'-'+s()+'-'+s()+'-'+s()+s()+s(); }})(); var _sf_startpt = (new Date()).getTime();   News Home Mobile Alerts Trib Nation TribU Weather Obits Horoscopes Ask Amy Columns Photos Video Advertise Subscribe Help News Breaking Chicagoland Suburbs Nation & World Obits Clout Street Politics Watchdog Maps & apps Schools Religion Lottery Business Breaking Problem Solver Your Money Technology Chicago top stocks Promotions Executives to know Business lunches Columnists Sports Breaking Bears Bulls Blackhawks Cubs White Sox College Preps Plus Soccer Golf Smack Scores Columnists A&E Breaking TV Movies Music Theater Food & Dining Books Celebrity Events Arts Comics Puzzles Chicago Live! 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(Jason Reed/Reuters)

RelatedGraphic: State of the Union wordsVideo Reports: President ObamaGraphic: Can Obama do it again? Caren Bohan Reuters 11:56 a.m. CST, January 27, 2012

ANN ARBOR, Michigan (Reuters) - President Barack Obama, appearing before thousands of cheering students at the University of Michigan, touted his plan on Friday to reward colleges that keep their tuition under control with more federal aid as he makes school affordability a top election-year priority.

Obama, seeking to reform federal aid for students to pay spiraling college costs, unveiled fresh details of a proposal to make higher education affordable for more families that he first announced on Tuesday in his State of the Union address.

His plan is aimed at helping students pay for a higher education, which is seen as crucial for employment as the country is grappling with an 8.5 percent jobless rate. It also specifically targets the issue of income and access, a central focus of the November 6 presidential race that has zeroed in on the nation's widening wealth gap.

Obama's plan would have his administration redistribute campus-based aid, which is handled directly by schools, based on schools' performance: colleges that keep tuition costs in check and get students to graduate would get more money than other schools that do not.

"We're putting colleges on notice: you can't assume that you'll just jack up tuition every single year. If you can't stop tuition from going up, then the funding you get from taxpayers each year will go down," the Democratic president said at the speech that had all the trappings of a campaign event with striped bunting and a crowd-filled stage.

Obama couched his remarks in the broad populist themes of his re-election campaign - of sticking up for the middle class, rewarding companies for bringing jobs back home, and ensuring that the rich pay higher taxes.

"We should push colleges to do better. We should hold them accountable if they don't," he told a crowd of about 4,000 people.

Low-interest federal Perkins loans for poor students will also be expanded to $10 billion a year, the White House said in a statement. Another $1 billion grant will go to states that reform their higher education systems, it added.

Obama also called for a "college scorecard" that would give prospective students and families a uniform, easy-to-read look at information such as tuition and graduation rates across all universities -- just as labels on food packages offer a standard look at essential facts.

Other proposed changes would require congressional action, something many analysts and others see as unlikely in an election year.

Obama wants lawmakers to increase the number of work-study jobs over the next five years. He also has called on Congress to block an increase in interest rates on federal student loans set to take effect July 1, doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent for about 7.4 million students with Stafford loans, low-interest loans directly from the Department of Education.

(Writing By Susan Heavey; additional reporting by Alister Bull in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham and Vicki Allen) Copyright © 2012, Reuters

sns-rt-us-obama-educationtre80q1p7-20120127 Comments16 trblib.jQuery(function() { trblib.require('http://w.sharethis.com/button/buttons.js', function() { stLight.options({ publisher:'4b7449a5-38e2-462a-a6cd-97326133f123', onhover: false, newOrZero: 'zero' }); }); });   Comments (16)Add / View comments | Discussion FAQ ChiGirl58 at 12:43 PM January 27, 2012

Meanwhile, not a Chevy Volt in sight:

http://nevadajournal.com/2012/01/26/president-obama-leaves-event-promoting-clean-energy-motorcade-22-fossil-fueled-vehicles/

Blah Blah Blah.....I'm really serious now....vote for me.....I really mean it this time....

castlewood2 at 12:39 PM January 27, 2012

Blah, blah blah, look I'll help , vote for  me, blah, blah, all talk no definitive plans on how this can be acheved like all his other plans , anything that comes out of his mouth is just hot air!

Just continue to give our tax dollars to more solar panel and electric car battery companies who gladly take the money and immediately filed for bankruptcy!

Mr. President , you sir are an embarrasment to the office you hold.

Jean SmilingCoyote at 12:39 PM January 27, 2012

It would also help a lot if Obama made a national commitment to persuading employers to get all college graduates promptly hired into jobs which they want to put their college educations to work, and to start their careers. Politicians, journalists and pundits glibly tout the lower unemployment rate for college grads; but unemployment is unemployment regardless of one's educational attainment. The more an unemployed American could be doing for pay, the more hurtful the discrepancy, and the more costly to the nation, not the least of which is lost tax revenues. There is also a lot of discrimination against college grads seeking 1st jobs using their education. Many employers demand applicants with internships before they graduated; if that wasn't possible, they regard the college degree as completely worthless by itself. A survey would show that few employers who hire college grads, will hire grads with those same majors who don't already have paid work experience in the field. There's a system for bringing new MD's into the workforce as such, but none for most majors. We need the bottom rung on our career ladder restored and required. It can no longer be left to the whims of discriminatory employers.

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White House Pushes Payroll Tax Cut as GDP Growth Rate Slows - Bloomberg

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The White House called anew for passage of a payroll tax cut extension after the government reported less than expected growth in the economy in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Extending the tax break until the end of 2012 is “the most pressing matter” on President Barack Obama’s agenda, spokesman Jay Carney said. The break is set to expire Feb. 29.

Obama has been attacked by his Republican rivals for a weak economy, including a jobless rate of 8.5 percent that must come down or it will dim Obama’s chances for re-election. The only U.S. president re-elected since World War II with a jobless rate above 6 percent was Ronald Reagan. The unemployment rate on Election Day 1984 was 7.2 percent, having dropped almost 3 percentage points in the previous 18 months.

The Commerce Department reported today the economy expanded 2.8 percent in the fourth quarter, less than forecast, as consumers trimmed spending and government agencies cut back.

“This is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and those who are struggling to get into the middle class,” said Alan Krueger, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, in a statement. “While the continued expansion is encouraging, faster growth is needed to replace the jobs lost in the recent downturn and to reduce long-term unemployment,” he said.

The economy must grow at an annual rate of 2.5 percent or more to reduce the unemployment rate, most economists say.

Gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services produced, climbed at a 2.8 percent annual pace following a 1.8 percent gain in the prior quarter, figures showed. The median forecast of 79 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News called for a 3 percent increase.

The Commerce Department said it was the economy’s 10th straight quarter of growth.

Obama, campaigning in Michigan, appealed today to Congress for action on jobs and job training.

The government should help make sure America is “selling stuff all around the world, products stamped with those three proud words ‘Made in America,’” Obama said at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Obama was capping a three-day swing through Iowa, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Michigan.

The economy is reviving four years after the start of the Great Recession, “though we’ve not yet reached escape velocity,” said Adam Hersh, an economist at the Center for American Progress in Washington.

The economy is $96 billion larger than December 2007 when the recession began, he said.

The Fed said Jan. 25 it plans to keep interest rates low through at least late 2014. The central bank is considering more bond purchases to boost growth, Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said.

“We’ve got some momentum but growth is too slow and there’s still too much fragility and too much slack in the system,” Jared Bernstein, former chief economist to Vice President Joe Biden, said in an interview. “Headwinds persist, and I worry about an oil-price spike. And stimulus is fading big-time.”

Risks include Europe’s debt crisis, potential shock from an unforeseen terror attack or natural disaster, confidence of consumers who account for 70 percent of the economy or political intransigence in Washington over extending the payroll tax cut to the end of the year, he said.

“There’s no question that would hurt near-term growth,” said Bernstein said. The 2.8 percent is “a decent pop” but “we shouldn’t get anywhere near the champagne.”

For 2011 as a whole, GDP rose by 1.7 percent, raising the level of real GDP after inflation 0.7 percent more than where it was at the start of the recession in the fourth quarter of 2007.

To contact the reporter on this story: Roger Runningen in Washington at rrunningen@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steven Komarow at skomarow1@bloomberg.net

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Second Conn. home invasion killer is sentenced to death - msnbc.com

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- A Connecticut man was sentenced Friday to die for killing a woman and her two daughters during a night of terror in their suburban home, a gruesome crime that unsettled the suburbs and halted momentum to abolish the death penalty in the state.

Joshua Komisarjevsky will be joining Steven Hayes on death row for killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11. He is scheduled to be executed in July.

The girls were tied to their beds and doused in gasoline before the house was set ablaze; they died of smoke inhalation. Komisarjevsky was convicted of the killings and of sexually assaulting Michaela.

The only survivor, Dr. William Petit, was beaten with a baseball bat and tied up but escaped.

"I will never find peace within. My life will be a continuation of the hurt I caused," Komisarjevsky said in court. "The clock is now ticking and I owe a debt I cannot repay."

Komisarjevsky said he walked out of court condemned to die by 12 members of the community. 

"It's a surreal experience, being condemned to die," Komisarjevsky said.

Forgiveness is not his to have, he said, and he needs to forgive his worst enemy -- himself.

Read story at NBCConnecticut.com

Before the sentencing, Judge Jon Blue said sentencing another human being to death is the most somber task a judge can have.

The court then heard some emotional victim impact statements from the Hawke and Petit families.

Petit read his statement as a slide show of his family played on the screen.

Petit called the crime a "personal holocaust" as he testified during the sentencing hearing. He said his wife was his friend and confidante, and a wonderful mother. He also noted that Hayley would have been in medical school by now and that Michaela loved to cook and sing.

"I lost my family and my home," he said. "They were three special people. Your children are your jewels."

Michaela came into the world smiling, Petit said. He recently received a card from one of Michaela's friends. It said it was sad to know that she wouldn't be in 10th grade this year.

"I miss her running to the door and yelling 'Dada's home,'” Petit said.

'Was it worth the price?'
The Rev. Richard Hawke spoke directly to the convicted killer and said he’s presided over many funerals, but never dreamed he would bury his daughter and grandchildren. It was the worst thing he’s had to go through.  

"Was it worth the price?" he asked at one point.

If Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela could endure the pain that Komisarjevsky put them through, their families can endure the pain of the trials, Hawke said.

“You have not only destroyed your family, you have destroyed your own and destroyed a noble family name,” Hawke told the man who killed his family members.

The statement from Jennifer’s mother, Marybelle Hawke, was also played in court and she said the love of family will carry them through.

The Petit and Hawke families left court before the sentence was handed down.

Lawyers fought for jurors to hear videotaped testimony from Komisarjevsky’s 9-year-old daughter, but the defendant made a plea against it. 

Last month, a jury delivered the death verdict for Komisarjevsky after finding him guilty of the crimes. On Friday, the judge handed down that sentence.

The Associated Press and NBCConnecticut.com contributed to this report.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News

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GOP debate slugfest: Did Romney hit hard enough? - CBS News

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This post originally appeared on Slate.

Mitt Romney may not drink, but he was loaded when he entered last night's debate in Jacksonville, Fla. He went after Newt Gingrich immediately and relentlessly. He scolded him, rendered him momentarily mute, and took answers about other topics and turned them into attacks on Gingrich on key issues like excessive government spending. Romney didn't just have good answers, he looked like a man in command of himself. His new debate coach Brett O'Donnell should double his fees.

There are now five days until the Florida primary, and state polls show that Romney and Gingrich are neck and neck. Newt Gingrich is up 9 points over Romney in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll. Romney's strong performance will give him a little spring in his step and make his supporters feel like they're backing a winner again. Florida has 10 television markets, and if the editors and producers are good to Romney, he'll get about 12 hours of free coverage of the debate.

Romney was not flawless, but he showed aptitude over a wide range of subjects, learned new material, and adapted to the challenges he faces. For a candidate that has been called robotic he was nimble.

Romney started right away. If a candidate can deliver a strong moment that will run throughout the next day on cable and on local news, he wins the night. You just have to be good once, and preferably early in the evening. Romney had to know that Gingrich's claim that Romney was "anti-immigrant" would come up, and it came up early. He took offense and then took a hairbrush to Gingrich's bottom. He said the attack was "repulsive," called on Gingrich to apologize for the "kind of over-the-top rhetoric that has characterized American politics for too long."

Gingrich, inexplicably continued to defend the sentiment behind the "anti-immigrant" ad that he pulled down and that Sen. Marco Rubio had criticized. It gave Romney a chance to look indignant. This provides us with a quirk of political theater: Romney, who is authentically stiff and robotic in his natural state, looked "authentic" in what was no doubt a staged moment.

Romney also finally gave his best defense yet of his taxes. After Gingrich dared him to explain his Swiss bank account, Romney launched into a riff he'd clearly tried out a few times in front of the mirror. "I think it's important for people to make sure that we don't castigate individuals who have been successful. Let's put behind us this idea of attacking me because of my money."

He was in Gingrich's face all night. He criticized Gingrich for his ambitious plans to colonize the moon. "If I had a business executive come to me and say they wanted to spend a few hundred billion dollars to put a colony on the moon, I'd say, 'You're fired.' (Remember just a few weeks ago when Romney couldn't say the word fired? That's OK it was Newt he was firing.) "At another time he kneed Gingrich for pandering to local politicians, offering a new project in every state he visited. "This idea of going state to state and promising what people want to hear, promising billions, hundreds of billions of dollars to make people happy, that's what got us into the trouble we're in now. We've got to say no to this kind of spending."

During an exchange over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Gingrich offered a blustery attack on Romney's investments in the two companies. Romney pointed out that Gingrich had identical investments. "Right," was all Gingrich could say, as if being guilty of the charge he had just leveled at Romney were totally natural.

The pressure was so relentless that Gingrich, one of the great exaggerators in politics, was accusing Romney of using that tactic. I assume in the Romney debate camp they took it as a compliment.

It was not a universally good night for Romney, though. He denied that he was running an ad that his campaign was, in fact, running. In the radio ad, he accuses Gingrich of calling Spanish a "ghetto language." When Wolf Blitzer pointed out that Romney had actually said at the end of the ad "I'm Mitt Romney and I approve this message," Romney mumbled. For the audience at home it was probably confusing, but Romney looked like he was weaseling, not owning up to his words. He also sounded like he was ducking when talking about how his investments are in a blind trust he doesn't control. True, perhaps (though some accounts he does see), but it doesn't sound good. When Romney in response to Santorum's passionate critique of his health care plan said, "It's not worth getting angry about," you could hear those conservatives who have doubts about him say ... and that's our problem with you.

Newt Gingrich had a floppy night. It wasn't because the audience was prohibited from cheering. They just didn't cheer much for him. He didn't seem to have a game plan. Backed into a corner at one point, he said smugly to Romney, "I'll give you an opportunity to self-destruct." It didn't work.

He was even the least effective attacker of the media. He had to follow on after Rick Santorum had interrupted the bickering of the front-runners to call for a return to the issues. Gingrich tried to echo him, arguing that it was OK to attack Romney for his tax returns in a TV interview but "nonsense" to try to get him to talk about it during the debate--a theory that is itself nonsense. Moderator Wolf Blitzer stood his ground. For a man who has profited from the debates and promises to whup Obama in the debates, to shrink from repeating onstage what he says in interviews was confusing and weak.

Rick Santorum had another strong night. If you were judging in a vacuum, you could make the case that he had the best performance. He repeated his claim that he was the best person to debate health care reform with Barack Obama because he had not flirted with the individual mandate. "Folks, we can't give this issue away in this election. Those are not the clear contrasts we need if we are going to beat Barack Obama." Santorum's problem is that he doesn't have the money to run ads in the state and his debate performance, while strong, won't be enough to start a brushfire.

Ron Paul has been increasingly impish in the last few debates. Tonight he was piercing and funny. He had a quip for everything. What would you do if Fidel Castro called, he was asked. "I'd talk to him," he said, not joining the other Republican candidates in pre-assigning Castro to different kinds of hell. In discussing the possibility of exploring the moon, he suggested sending some politicians there.

More from Slate:

Obama's New Defense Cuts Are Too Modest. He Could Cut Even More.
The Alinsky Model
Was the Grand Inquisitor more humane than George Bush?

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Syria unrest: who are the Shabiha? -BBC News

17 August 2011 last update at 12:33 pm says the defiant motto: "Baniyas is the tomb of the Shabiha" the Syrian Government for much of the unrest blames "armed criminal gangs", since mid-March protests started pro-democracy, but activists accuse State-sponsored militias take part in the brutal crackdown that has left more than 1,700 civilians dead.

Here is, what is known about these armed regime supporters, known locally as "Shabiha".

In the five months of unrest, many Syrians say that they have seen heavily armed men in black struggle against the army and services dressed.

The men are accused of, not only kill and included killings, drive-by shootings and sectarian attacks against humans, to visit the demonstrations but also carrying out a campaign of intimidation,.

Activists say on that their presence has enabled the Government to deny any involvement in the very brutal actions against demonstrators.

"they are not afraid to use violence, violence, weapons, extortion and blackmail," said Ammar Qurabi Syria's national organization for human rights to the associated press.

"In this way the regime stays clean and will say: 'Gangs are seeing this, to do this, not us'."

"Thugs"

It is not clear exactly who they are and to whom they are loyal, but the term "Shabiha" was again used to describe them. Derived from the Arabic word for "Spirit", it has now as "Thugs" in the today's Syria.

The Government said armed gangs had targeted civilians in Latakia; The activists blamed shabiha

The term is believed, first appeared a RAID in the port city of Latakia, are in the revolt against President Bashar al-Assad to where a notorious, mafia criminal syndicate called that the Shabiha has existed for years.

In the cities along the Mediterranean coast, local Shabiha to gangs protection clubs, weapons and drug smuggling rings and other criminal enterprises are running. People car reportedly the name not mentioned.

Membership in the Shabiha is drawn largely minority Alawite sect, President Assad, which dominates the Government, the security services and the military.

In May of the European Union first imposed sanctions on Mr Assad's cousin, made and Munzir, for their alleged involvement in "the repression against the civilian population as members of the Shabiha".

The connection of the Assad family seems the Shabiha occur in the 1970s after Hafez al-Assad - father of Bashar - President in a coup d ' état was the opportunity type. The gangs with a few restrictions operate and are in General as is seen above the law and ruling by force.

Its members were armed Rifaat according to reports of military units under the command of Hafezs brother.

However, the Shabiha was allegedly too much of an embarrassment to the Assad in the 1990's disregard for the authorities in Latakia and the brutal enforcement of their protection racket.

Bashar was charged with reining in the Shabiha and restore law and order to the town by his father. In one incident, the future President had supposedly his cousin bodyguards detained due to a passerby beat up.

Such measures were braked the worst excesses of the Shabiha have, but his power and influence were not significantly eroded.

' Bare cut

In late March 2011 the Shabiha seems to have come, seek help from President Assad as large anti-Government protests in Latakia and Baniyas and based broke out in the nearby towns.

Militiamen refused Syrian officials with per-regime to intensify the crackdown

Residents said members of the Group joined soldiers from the army, 4th Panzer Division - commanded by the president's younger brother Maher - and civilians had attacked.

Gunmen fired automatic weapons from vehicles and sniper positions on rooftops, added she took. Others broke in the houses of demonstrators beat inmates and stuck in the houses on fire.

In may an attack on said people, Western village of Nimrud say on the Lebanese border is reporters fled, that their throat cuts in the Straits of black-uniformed "Shabiha" had some residents.

Some were the attacker from Qardaha, the ancestral seat of the family of Assad and ID cards to the local Sunni residents examined a predominantly Nusairier town in the Northwest, which is, she said. Say that Kalakh a Sunni village of 12 Nusairier villages is surrounded.

"When they, that he is a Sunni from its name see, they take him and him kill", said a woman told of Reuters.

"she destroyed the bin - Khattab Omar mosque, because according to a companion of Prophet Muhammad and love to Sunni named." "We have here is a sectarian war between the Alawites and Sunnis."

Such demands raised suspicion in the opposition, which was the Government Shabiha, to help it play fears of a sectarian divide.

'Outsourced repression'

There were also reports that kill soldiers and police officers tried to stop Shabiha of civilians in Nimrud say and elsewhere had been shot.

As in April killed a Brigadier General in the army together with his two sons and a nephew in Homs has been, blamed officials of criminal gangs. But witnesses and human rights activists said that he had been murdered by Shabiha.

Until June, said activists and witnesses had to be sent, hundreds - even thousands - of Shabiha security forces launch attacks to crush dissent in troubled cities or intimidate, to protest the elsewhere.

Videos posted online are displayed, point to beat men in civilian clothes, soldiers and police to join and to hold protesters in Homs. Stab other protesters gathered at a mosque in Damascus. Photographs were also of burnt-out vehicles, homes and businesses that were said belong to the well-known campaigners and demonstrators released.

Syrian officials have denied militias with per-regime to intensify the raid against the Protestants and to commit atrocities in their name.

It has instead insisted that criminal gangs or terrorists have targeted, civilians killed security forces and zerstörtes property.

However, the demands of the international community have released "outsourcing wave of repression" has accused President Assad.

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Democrats win callbacks; Republicans still in the control - courthouse news service

MADISON, Wisconsin. (CN) - won both senators democratic state their recall elections Tuesday, ending Wisconsin summer recalled. Republicans keep control of the Senate by a single seat, 17-16, after 9 reminds.
Republicans began in the summer by a margin of 19 - 14. Democrats picked up two seats last week when two six reminds of that the Republican incumbent were ousted.
All callbacks have been solved legislators, during the Republican anti-Union acts "budget repair bill", which for public employee of collective bargaining law for anything other than wages illegal made it. The law has promoted copycat legislation in other States around the nation.
On Tuesday, Senator Jim Holperin defeated incumbent State tea party Challenger Kim SIMAC, with 55 percent of the vote.
Incumbent State Senator Robert Wirch took 58 percent of the vote against Chicago-based lawyer Jonathan Steitz.
Wirch said in a statement: "the future of the Wisconsin depends on, on our work, middle-class families, and I look forward to his return to Madison with two new Democratic senators, to adopt a moderate, Wisconsin agenda that supports them."
The Democrats were two of the 14 of so-called "escape baggers" who left the State last winter quorate Republican Governor Scott Walker anti-Union Bill deny.
The recalls leaving the Republicans in the House and Governor's Office, but the party must in the Senate continue to their agenda to enforce strict discipline.
So far, Republicans approved significant education cuts, required some tax cuts, approved implementation of concealed weapons, photo ID at the polls from next year and eliminating taxpayer funds for political campaigns.
You were also legislative maps, which last week signed gov Walker in law.
Democrats say that the new vote districts are Republicans 2012 will give an advantage in the elections.
A federal lawsuit is claimed that the new district boundaries are unconstitutional under way. Unless, of course, is the action that redistricting will stop, neither State separation Holperin Wirch in November 2012 into their new life districts.
Democratic voters are expected to try Walker at he is entitled to recall that in January.

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More in taxes for the rich - New York Times

Grow with the budget deficit and tax at a 50-year low, a question remains in the center of the political debate in the coming months: should extend the Federal Government to increase taxes on the?

Warren E. Buffett, known as the Oracle of Omaha, billionaire investor pushing to stop to raise him and other wealthy Americans and their taxes "Coddling" the issue to the fore of this week pressing members of the new Congress Supercommittee on deficit reduction.

In an opinion piece in the New York Times on Monday Mr Buffett said he nearly $7 million in the federal payroll and income taxes last year about 17 percent of his income, a smaller percentage than anyone else in his Office paid.

Based on comments he has in the past, he called Congress make the tax system more fair by rolling back tax cuts on people, the more than $1 million per year earn so called Bush and income from profits and dividends. He would also close the gap allows hedge fund managers to be taxed at a lower rate.

What would be whatever the political viability, proposal a clear delle set of nation budget deficit. Based on projections of the Joint Committee on taxation, the Congressional Budget Office and the Ministry of finance, the tax increase on all three fronts would generate about $500 billion in new revenue over the next decade - about a third of what the Congress Committee, to the deficit to cut to.

"It is not the long-term budget deficit by itself, to solve," said Eric Toder, an economist at the nonpartisan tax policy Center. "The only way, that is to do have broader tax increases or claims to reduce." "But it would be an important piece of the puzzle."

His net worth at $50 billion, which made him the third richest person in the world - his comments as a result of Mr Buffett high degree of transparency and richness - Forbes estimates a flood of reaction. Mr Buffett remarks during his Midwestern bus tour on Monday, to say that it only fair that rich media cuts through tax increases on the compensated cheered President Obama, who unsuccessfully fought to increase taxes on top earners of the country.

Conservative bloggers and commentators wiped the proposals as sensationalism or initiate a gimmick in a middle-class tax increase and Pat Buchanan, a commentator on CNN, suggested that Mr. Buffett section of the internal revenue service Web site visit, which accepts donations.

Republicans have come together in their opposition to the tax increases, and proposals would Mr Buffett in fierce resistance on Capitol Hill. All six Republican members of the Committee have taken no tax pledge. Flatly rejected representative Kevin Brady, Member of the Committee ways and a Texas Republican, Mr Buffett ideas.

"This is not a serious solution for deficit control or retrieving this gloomy economy on its feet," said Mr. Brady. "Economic growth follows no tax increase." "So as I respect Mr Buffett level beats his proposal to virtually anyone."

Despite the intense antitax mood, which has helped the rise of the tea party movement since the beginning of Mr Obama, are tax rates in the United States at the lowest level since Harry Truman was President.

In 1950, which had upper income group a 91 percent rate; Today, it is 35 percent. Mr. Buffett called for two new tax brackets for high income - earning over $1 million per year and another of $ 10 million. While Mr Buffett a rate not suggest proposal, tax policy Center estimates that a 50-percent tax rate on income over $1 million would increase $48 billion over the next decade.

But one of the most important factors, the reduction in the relatively low tax rates on investment income is paid 15% for dividends, capital gains, and "carried interest," the hedge fund managers and private equity investors. Removal of carried interest would provide only $21 billion over 10 years according to the Congressional increase budget Office.

Restore the dividend would prices and profits to the level before the Bush tax cuts - if profits were taxed at a top rate of 20 percent and treated as ordinary income dividends - the Ministry of finance and bring additional $340 billion over the next decade.

These measures would face intense lobbying and a battle in Congress. Indeed, Democrats were able to roll back the tax credit carried interest or the Bush tax cuts for the rich themselves, when they controlled both houses of Congress. But with the prospect of severe spending cuts and another round of bitter deficit negotiations in Washington, proposals such as Mr Buffett call of taxes on the wealthy rise to ever more urgent part of the discussion is expected to become one.

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Google buys Motorola mobility to 'Supercharge Android OS - United States today'

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Google is stepping up its mobile game in a bid that will further divide Apple and Android users.

Paul Sakuma, AP

A Motorola Mobility Xoom tablet.

Paul Sakuma, AP

A Motorola Mobility Xoom tablet.

The Internet search giant on Monday agreed to buy Motorola Mobility in a $12.5 billion cash play that positions it as a maker of smartphones, tablet computers and TV set-top boxes powered by its market-leading Android operating system.

The deal, Google's largest to date, puts the search king squarely in competition with Apple in mobile and living-room entertainment and cements a firm bunker to defend itself from ongoing battles with rivals over technology patents.

The acquisition, to "supercharge" the Android mobile OS, has the approval of both companies' boards and is expected to close by the end of this year or early 2012.

"Google could create a range of products that enable very rich, multidevice experiences in the same way that Apple does across iPhone, iPad and Apple TV," says Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin.

The gambit reflects the importance of mobility as Google duels with Apple for advertising and digital entertainment revenue.

"I think there's an opportunity to accelerate innovation in the home business by working together with the cable and telco industry," Google CEO Larry Page said in announcing the deal early Monday.

Industry experts note that Google is taking a tack that Apple is known for in building its iconic iPhone, relying on slick integration of software and hardware. The maneuver was copied by Hewlett-Packard in folding Palm's WebOS under its umbrella.

Motorola Mobility, best known as a maker of wireless phones, cable modems and cable TV boxes, was spun off in January from its parent company. Google's acquisition offer is a 63% premium over the closing price of Motorola Mobility's stock Friday.

Sales of handsets are soaring as nearly every major tech player — Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung, to name a few — grabs for a slice of the multibillion-dollar market worldwide. There is an insatiable thirst among consumers for the latest hot mobile device. Some 429 million mobile devices were snapped up worldwide in the second quarter, up 16% from a year ago. Google claims 150 million mobile activations of Android worldwide and touts that 550,000 devices are activated every day.

Google's Android is the leading operating system, with 43% of the market, according to Gartner, vs. Apple's iOS operating system, with 18%.

The deal underscores how smartphones have become the computing vehicle for consumers to shop, play games, search the Internet, listen to music and run business applications, says Joe Steger, global technology transactions leader for Ernst & Young.

The Google-Motorola deal, if approved by regulators, could boost the Internet giant's stature in the household and have far-reaching implications for consumers as Google incorporates Motorola features into its Android OS and — potentially — brings Google technology to such home appliances and TVs, analysts say.

Google TV, which brings search, the Web and apps to televisions, has been slow to catch on and doesn't have the content offerings or studio deals in place that Apple's iTunes does. Still, the deal with Motorola Mobility, a maker of set-top boxes, gives Google a stronger position for Google TV.

"Now they have an actual manufacturer under their own control rather than to have to rely on Sony or Logitech," says Golvin.

"Google sees the need to arm itself with its own in-house device brand to compete effectively with Apple and create an iconic device line like the iPhone," says Sharon Armbrust, senior analyst at SNL Kagan.

Shares of Motorola Mobility soared 56%, to $38.12, on the news in trading Monday. Google's stock slid 1%, to $557.23.

The rivals

Google's purchase could also be the first step toward consolidation in the crowded smartphone market, says Santa Clara University professor Henry "Hank" Nothhaft, former CEO of Danger, maker of the Sidekick cellphone.

In teaming with Motorola Mobility, Google could "radically change the Android calculus" for major consumer brands such as Samsung, LG and HTC — all of whom make smartphones supporting the Android operating system but might compete with Google after the Motorola Mobility acquisition, says Greg Sterling, an independent analyst.

The moves and countermoves could ultimately benefit Microsoft, whose Windows 7 phones were "simply too slow to emerge in the market," says Darren Hayes, a professor at Pace University's Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.

For Samsung, it could mean making Bada, its low-level OS that's had some success in Asia, available in Europe and elsewhere, Sterling says. It might even "force" Samsung to cozy up to Microsoft Windows OS as an alternative, he adds.

The same holds true for HTC, a longtime maker of Windows-based handsets that has strayed to the Android platform. "HTC will look for more balance now with Windows" to protect its competitive flanks, Sterling says.

"Windows revenue has been dropping recently and will continue to decline if Microsoft does not make the same type of bold acquisitions (in the mobile market) as Google," Hayes says.

The Motorola-Google matchup heightens speculation about whether Microsoft will want to acquire Nokia or Research In Motion, maker of BlackBerry smartphones, to form such a hardware-software combination.

Patent wars

What the deal isn't likely to do is dislodge the legal logjam over high-tech patents, which has lawyers at tech heavyweights working overtime and filling court dockets.

Some industry observers claim the high-profile patent disputes are stifling innovation and encouraging some companies to hoard patents in hopes of winning large legal settlements or scaring competitors away from developing products.

But the Holy Grail for Google could be the treasure trove of more than 17,000 patents that Motorola Mobility holds — valuable weapons in the ongoing battle with its mobile rivals.

"Motorola has a strong patent portfolio which will help protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies," Page said in the conference call Monday.

Google in June missed out on a highly sought-after group of mobile patents owned by Nortel Networks that went for $4.5 billion to a group including Apple, Microsoft and RIM.

Patent battles are brewing across the telecommunications landscape as mobile rivals seek dominance and ways to extract licensing fees from one another. Apple is suing Samsung, for example, and has so far been granted a preliminary injunction banning the Samsung Galaxy across many EU nations.

Oracle claims Android software infringes on several patents related to Java, which Oracle acquired from Sun Microsystems last year.

At the same time, Apple is suing Motorola over the design of the Motorola Xoom tablet, while taking Samsung and HTC to court for mimicking the "look and feel" of the iPhone.

Microsoft in recent months has pursued legal action against several companies, including Motorola, that make Android phones and tablets that the software giant claims infringe on Microsoft patents. Microsoft has sued or persuaded some companies to pay it license fees.

"Motorola has some pretty good patents in there. This is a pretty important thing for Google to have to level the playing field," says Michael Barclay, a fellow at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, based in San Francisco.

Contributing: Martin and Swartz reported from San Francisco, Acohido from Seattle.

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1.1 million dollar bus used by Obama has high-tech defense – but what are they? -Christian Science Monitor

President Barack Obama has more than 300 miles in the rural Midwest so far on what Republican leader, Mitt Romney, his "magical misery tour." calling is logged in the three day bus ride takes President Obama by Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.

Skip to the next paragraph

But many are more interested in the secret as any economic misery. The secret is of course what kind of bus buys $1.1 million.

The impressive size is Greyhound bus black, with black Windows and red and blue police lights.

The secret service refuses to give away many details on the design, but has said that it has similar functions to the Obama of regular ride the beast. The tricked-out Cadillac known as the beast sees from like a regular sedan, but more is built like a tank.

If the Obama bus of the beast is similar to it have tank-like armor and advanced technology. The beast has, for example, 8-inch-thick armor plated pages, special bulletproof glass and Kevlar-reinforced tyres. The tires are mounted on specially designed wheels that continue to drive, even if the tires may be absent.

Like the beast of the bus is probably airtight, and probably has an advanced fire suppression system, oxygen tanks, and is built to withstand a chemical attack.

A medical emergency bags of Obama of blood are carried out, probably on board as they are in the beast.

With more space as the beast, the bus is probably more defensive tricks up their sleeves have high as the beast night-vision cameras, shotguns and tear gas guns.

The electronics and communications are certainly state of the art, and be sure to replicate the beast direct satellite phone line, Vice President and the Pentagon.

The secret service uses a Fund for transport and armoured vehicles, buy two of these buses by the Hemphill brothers coach company for a total of $2,191,960. No word as to whether the company will be more, but Cadillac said she would not do, the beast for all private or foreign country say the design is "very private and secret." Chances are these buses are two of a kind and will remain so.

While $ 2.2 million may sound, it is expected over a 10-year period cheaper than the normal are rented buses, and a secret service official implied rented buses not safe enough, said: "we do not with the level of protection of rented buses offered content can be."

And they are not only for the President. The second bus is expected to be used by the Republican presidential candidate, and both will eventually be used for visiting dignitaries and future office holders and candidates.

But until the secret service releases more details, the real technology within the Obama will remain a secret bus.

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Jordan, Turkey join calls Syria, the violence - to stop CNN

City remains "We hope our voices be heard," refuse calls on Damascus "to military operations immediately suspended" in under the Prime Minister FireJordan the Turkish Foreign Minister SaysGovernment media claims of civil CasualtiesMore than 2,500 people have died since the uprising began, activists say

(CNN) --zwei Syria's neighbors joined growing international calls Monday for Damascus, his violent crackdown against anti-government protesters calls to stoppen--, which progressed as the violence itself.

"In Jordan, which reported State Petra News Agency, that Prime Minister as Marouf Al beacon hit and urged his Syrian counterpart had to immediately stop military operations Adel Safar, implement rapid reform and spare the blood of the Syrian people, to reject and regret at the continued killing and escalation in the neighbouring Syria express the Kingdom."

Al beacon hit Safar said in a phone call, that "such scenes" need to stop, adding that "hope still on the ability of our brothers in Syria for this purpose exists."

He said "We wait in Jordan tangible and urgent measures in the near future".

Similar feelings were in Ankara by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu voiced, after his recent Damascus visit. He told reporters at a press conference televised, he had asked that the Syrian military end operations immediately, avoid cities and satisfy the democratic demands of the people.

"Syrian people should know that we are on their side in the context of their legitimate democratic rights," he said. "We hope, our voice can be heard, and these operations are completed."

In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Turkish President Abdullah Gul met Monday with King Abdullah Saudi of Arabia and both "emphasizes the importance of curbing the violence, which the Syrian Government to people is," Gül's Office said in a statement.

Last week, King Abdullah called for an end to bloodshed in Syria, and the Saudi Arabian Ambassador from Damascus.

Bahrain and Kuwait have also recalled their ambassadors from Syria and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, calling to end the strike.

The United States finished behind the explicit calls for al-Assad step down, but Washington has said that Syria would be better off without him. The United States slapped sanctions on Syria's largest cell phone companies and a bank in the call for an embargo on oil and gas.

Ask the international and convictions came more than 5,000 Palestinians have been reported, a UN refugee camp in the city to camp under fire from Syrian security forces are fled to port in Latakia.

Some of the refugees had asked the Syrian security forces leave and some links on their own because she fear for their lives, said Christopher Gunness, spokesman for the United Nations relief and Works Agency.

The Agency had no communication with the refugees, and was not sure that where she had gone, he said.

"The Syrian Government for instant access to the Palestinians, demanding we as the well-being of our responsibility," said Gunness CNN. "We need to get in order to assess the situation there."

The refugee camp in Latakia contains usually 10,000 people.

The Agency said "Reports from different sources deaths and victims among the refugee population Palestinian show even though poor communication make it impossible, the exact number of dead and injured to confirm", Sunday.

It called for access to the area, so that can take care of humanitarian workers of the victims.

Monday, one day after opposition groups CNN that Syrian security forces by helicopter gunships supported killed began also security forces at least 25 people in a raid against the Protestants in Latakia, urging residents to evacuate or the risk is, arrested or killed, said activist told CNN. Gunfire and explosions Monday, be heard could, the people who lives outside the al-Ramel neighborhood, said the military campaign was.

The third consecutive day Monday was that the area had no electricity or water, he said.

At a checkpoint security forces shot at residents, six, killed the Syrian Observatory for human rights said to flee.

Another man was Monday by sniper fire in the Homs province town killed by Al Houla which was besieged on all sides of tanks, and per-regime "Thugs" in surrounding it said villages.

Government media have denied the claims of civilian casualties.

The Syrian Observatory for human rights also said Monday that it had learned that in the city of Hims, relatives of an arrested man get his body, which tortured been was. There were at least 10 of such deaths since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan on 1 August, the Agency said.

"The Observatory security forces officials blamed them for her death under torture and calls for their trial, so that they can be punished for the crimes that they committed against the Syrian people have keeps," he said in a statement.

It said that more than 700 people have been taken into custody in "random" arrest campaigns, because Ramadan in progress.

Violence nationwide at least 42 lives Sunday, took an anti-Government activist group, which collects lists of names of the victims said.

CNN can verify independent claims, opposition or Government, because Syria has limited international journalists from reporting within the country.

The crackdown in Latakia is the latest in a series of military actions, at the same time with the Holy of Muslim month of Ramadan, which demonstrators call for free elections and aimed at the overthrow of al-Assad.

The Syrian revolution coordinators Union reported also deaths in the towns of Howlah and Hama.

2,530 People have all in all committees Syria died since the revolt began in March, according to the local coordination. Most civilians, were was, while 391 Syrian security forces it says. CNNS Amir Ahmed, Arwa Damon, Nada Husseini and Yesim Comert contributed to this report.

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World Youth Day in Spain - voice of America

Pope Benedict XVI greeted the faithful during the weekly general audience in his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, in the outskirts of Rome. Benedict XVI lands in Thursday the Spanish capital of Madrid for a four-day visit to greet up to a million or more young pilgrims to the planet of the Catholic of world youth day, 17 August 2011

The one-week believe extravaganza of world youth day is under way in Madrid with more than one expected to be in the city of Gießen million young Catholics. Pope Benedict to arrive now on Thursday, as bitter debates over the festivities and the role of the Church in Spanish politics are raging.

Millions anticipate papal visit

More than a million young Catholics are expected in Madrid celebrations crowd world youth day visit this week for Pope Benedict XVI. It will be for the third time, the Pope travels to Spain, the country that he has the most visited since his election in 2005.

The Pope urged pilgrims addressing from his summer residence in the hills south of Rome Sunday to pray for the successful outcome of his visit. Only two days before his arrival, arrested Spanish police plan a 24-year-old Mexican man apparently protesting against people of the visit was. Security in the city has been significantly strengthened.

Most of the people of the city have the stifling heat in Madrid opening fled hundreds of thousands of pilgrims for world youth day mass but on Tuesday, celebrated by Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela in the Plaza de Cibeles Madrid competition.

Organizers say that the celebration of world youth day is faithful from 193 Nations drawing. But there are also those who do not celebrate.

Demonstrators against event costs

A secular State and young people are calling for left-wing groups, many of Spain's most important places in May occupied to protest, the Government plan handling of the economy at a major protest Wednesday March, on the eve of the arrival of the Pope.

Criticism of the papal visit have come mainly from the protest movement "Los Indignados" (outraged are).  The Group has protested against the Government spending cuts, economic problems and 21 percent unemployment.

Many people are visiting for the Pope unhappy with the cost of additional security. You think that this was unnecessary expenditure at a time that the country is undergoing a deep economic crisis.

Pope is welcome

Madrid Barajas will greet the Spanish Royal family Pope Benedict at the airport upon arrival on Thursday. The first official meeting between Pope and youth are a welcome party. The Pope will cross the Puerta de Alcalá with five teenagers, each from a different continent.

In Madrid meet the Pope with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose Regierung has promoted several directives by the Church, including relaxing Spain's divorce laws, easing restrictions on abortion, same-sex marriage legalization and so that gay couples to adopt.

A large white altar was built at an air base in the southwestern suburb of Cuatro Vientos, where his visit the Pope will be made of interwoven golden rods peaks on Sunday with a celebration of the mass under a huge umbrella tree.

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Editor's Note: your answers are used, create an interactive graphical how people around the world were changed by the events of 11 September. The graphic will be available in early September, 2011.

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Results show students not ready for College: 2011-08-17 - Washington Times

By Ben Wolfgang-the Washington TimesWednesday, August 17, 2011

For many students, a high school diploma does not always mark the end of a high school education.

Three of four graduates are prepared for College not completely and likely to take at least a remedial measures need class according to the latest annual survey of not-for profit test organization ACT, high school seniors in English, mathematics, read the half of the country and the scientific competence measured.

Only 25 percent off all ACT's College preparedness benchmarks, while 75 percent likely part of their first year at high school level coursework refresh will spend. 2011 Class, the bar this topic clearing is ready for college level English courses, with 73 percent. Students remedial measures will need most likely classes in science and mathematics, the report said.

Although the results slightly better than in the previous year are - 24 percent of the 2010 graduating class ACT the four threshold levels - the report highlights, meets a dazzling separation between high school completion and ready for the academic challenges of College.

This ACT results are another sign, the States must raise their academic standards and undertake educational reforms to speed up the performance of students, "Education Secretary Arne Duncan Tuesday" said.

While often frustrating for professors, who are forced to a semester teaching concepts spend their students up to the end of the twelfth class should have learned, more serious consequences lead remedial classes.

Students are much more likely to fall if they feel that they repeat simply high school, from school Bob Wise said Governor of West Virginia and President of the Alliance, former for excellent education, a Washington-based advocacy group.

Taxpayers suffer also, Mr Wise said by the high school level classes take "twice payment" for students again, because the most remedial measures do not count towards graduation work.

In the academic year 2007 / 08, the Alliance estimates, remedial courses about $5.6 billion cost $3.6 billion in "educational costs" such as taxpayer contributions to public universities and another $2 billion in wages, a result which give up on higher education and missing on larger paychecks that tend to come with graduation.

"It simply was not alignment or coordination between the K-12 system and the higher education system about what students need to know," Mr Wise said Tuesday.

"What do we know about remedial courses is the student and the taxpayers pay twice." They pay back money "on the academic level students she should graduate on the day high school to."

Also at the top of their high school classes are often ill-prepared for College.

A 2008 report the education advocacy group strong American schools found that 80 percent of college students take remedial classes a high school GPA of 3.0 or better had.

The ACT results fuel pump critics' argument that the Federal Republic is education policy, with its strong focus on standardized tests, little to real objectives, such as college readiness and career preparation.

"Test driven policies that improve claim to U.S. public schools, have failed by their own standards," said Bob Schaeffer, public education Director at the National Center for a fair and open testing. "Proponents of no. child left behind and similar State-level high-stakes testing programs... two promise made: its strategy would boost overall academic achievement, and it would close historic achievement gaps between ethnic groups." "And academic gains, measured according to ACT, are stagnating and racial gaps increase."

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Ben Wolfgang is a national reporter for the Washington times. Before he at times, he spent four years as a political reporter in Pennsylvania. His focus is on education and science. Ben lives in Southeast D.C. and played guitar in several bands in Pennsylvania. He can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.

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Indictment in Hariri's assassination is released - New York Times

Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite Muslim movement, which is the most powerful single actor in the country, has long involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, denied the mapped political map of the country and years of discord and strife. But many in the Lebanon have feared, the details of the case - how the murder actually was carried out on a Corniche by the sea in the capital - would deepen divisions here.

The prosecution will almost certainly serve as fodder for both sides in the debate. It relies heavily on phone of records and provides circumstantial evidence, but prosecutors acknowledged, that they have no smoking gun in the case. Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have long said that Israel of Lebanon's telecommunications network is penetrated. two executives from a mobile phone company were arrested last year for spying.

The Tribunal Prosecutor Daniel Bellemare, said in a statement the an unsealing of the indictment 47-page "answers many questions."

"The whole story is only in the courtroom, have, where an open, public, fair and transparent trial renders a final verdict," added Mr. Bellemare.

Hezbollah has claimed that the Tribunal a farce is hopeless, manipulated by the United States and Israel, and it has successfully the investigation in the eyes of his followers and allies discredited. But the feeling is by no means universal, and supporters of Saad Hariri, the son of slain Prime Minister, as also the Hezbollah enemies here have held the Court as a matter of Justice, secure the study and its findings.

The Tribunal delivered charges the Organization confirmed on June 30 against four men, Hezbollah as members of. Almost nobody here expected served the warrants or the men are arrested, and almost Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, ridiculed officials, who think maybe, who tries to arrest them.

"All arrests, or even 300 years perform no Lebanese Government whether in 30 days, 60 days, 1 year, 2 years, years 30", he said in July.

He called it a procedure in the absence of its ruling "has already been reached."

The most prominent of the four members is killed in 2007 and made responsible for some of the most spectacular acts of violence of the group a brother-in-law of Imad Moughnieh, shady Hezbollah Commander Moustapha Badreddine. Among them States Marines killed was the 1983 on the barracks in Beirut, the 241 American service members.

The former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, was killed along with 22 others, as his motorcade was bombarded. A Sunni Muslim, he was admired by supporters for helping rebuild Lebanon especially Beirut, after its 15 years of civil war ended in the year 1990. Detractors was that billionaire as clever, as he was unscrupulous, cultivation of corruption, which seems to meet nearly every aspect of public life in the Lebanon.

Voltage is seized nothing new for Lebanon, ritually fears of conflict with Israel. Even more pronounced fear these days, as Lebanese ensure that the five month rebellion in Syria could spill over into their country is. A series of mysterious blasts this month in the capital - some of Hezbollah as accidents featured - have increased discomfort.

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Deerfield doctor describes "pure chaos" to Indiana stage collapse - Chicago Sun-times

BY DAN ROZEK staff Reporter/drozek@suntimes.com August 15, 2011 3:14 PM Dr. Dean Silas, gastroenterologist advocate Lutheran General Hospital, was last weekend at the Indiana State fair and witnessed the stage collapse. He spoke to the media about his experience is. | Al Podgórski ~ Chicago Sun-times

Updated: August 15, 2011 20: 04

"The three-story stage to develop crumpled on the crowd at the Indiana State Fair within seconds is a mighty wind gust of wind, but the disaster that killed beat a Chicago woman and four other people seemed"almost in slow motion", said doctor Monday suburban."She could see the stage, to reduce the almost in slow motion. You knew that it fall on people, because there so many people it was wanted, "Dr. Dean Silas of the accident said Saturday night that he from the arena stands to experience." "It was absolutely incredible."After the stage collapsed wrestled to try its way through the amount of infield Silas, dozens of people injured by falling metal scaffolding, speakers, and other parts of the tree to help."When he came in the infield four or five minutes after the break found Silas encrypted"pure chaos"as viewers and volunteer to help the injured."It was a mass of metal and humongous speakers, which had fallen to these people, "said Silas, gastroenterologist advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge.The 52-year-old Deerfield resident quickly worked with other volunteers - mostly doctors, nurses and paramedics, which the public expect the beginning of a concert has been to try those who injured helped Beihilfen.Er in the collapse to carry at least four injured people from infield to a makeshift triage area under the stands." "The voluntary folding stretchers used, as to help to the injured from the stage away bear, the parts of which still standing precarious on infield were, he said.""Much of the effort was trying to help people out", he said.Silas treated three or four other patients for injuries caused by falling debris. Some people were no longer to help when he came, Silas said, recalling how he saw at least two bodies with plastic sheets already covered, when it reaches the infield."He and others tried some great music speakers to reach those need medical help help lift, but prevented were, by their sheer size."The speakers were too large, "he said.""Silas and other volunteers worked for at least 10 to 15 minutes before he saw any organized medical response by emergency crews."It seemed to me that it took a long time "for medical emergency assistance, which is said to reach injured, Silas.Er debt not fair organizers for not planned concert of the Group Sugarland are, before the mishap, ominous, to say the weather the gust of wind that hidden enabled the stage"came from absolutely nothing.""He felt sure sit up in the covered grandstand with his wife, daughter and her boyfriend as the sky darkened. He said "I nervously, feel its about in this area"."But he said that he within reduced still can feel the stage structure of 10 or 15 seconds with gust of wind."That should never happen would be, "Silas said. © 2011 Sun-Times Media, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may be not copied or distributed without permission. More information on reprint and permissions, see http://www.suntimesreprints.com/. Order a reprint of this article to order, click here.

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New California legislative districts approved - Patch.com

Sponsored by ‹ back to article view of full-sized embed | Share of Santa Monica's Congressional DistrictCalabasas new US House district a "band of shame" was called by a member of the citizens redistricting Commission. Redistricting partner

On Monday, the new legislative district maps for California approved the citizens redistricting Commission. The cards for the time being last month approved, no changes were made. A complaint and/or ballot could be used referendum, to put the cards in question.

The Commission approved the State Senate, Assembly and Board of equalization cards by a vote of No 13-1. The lone opponent was Anaheim chiropractor Michael Ward, a Republican. Other Republican Jodie Filkins Webber, a lawyer from Riverside County, joined ward as the only other person against the show for the U.S. House of representatives districts.

The Commission was created after voters passed proposition 11, the first act voters in 2008. There are five Democrats, five Republicans and four members who refuse, to specify a party preference. The members are from different ethnic backgrounds and life in various parts of California. She held a series of public hearings throughout the State and thousands of written submissions received. Previously, districts of legislators created, and what they came up with was a manipulated mess, designed to ensure that the incumbent could be re-elected.

"The Commission is following the Constitution and the interests of all Californians in creating districts which we believe are justified and useful, balanced believe", Commission said Chair Vincent p. bar Abbadia, a Republican businessman from Santa Cruz County, at a press conference after the vote on Monday.

Ward sang a different tune. He said the cards "fundamentally were broken as a result of a tainted political process" and that the Commission "broke the law" ignore the federal voting rights act and decisions "based on political motives."

"This Commission was the citizen of smoke - filled room where average Commissioners in table offers and partisan gerrymandering, the very issues that the Commission should be to prevent" Ward said.

By a member of the press asked what he meant with "Dinner Table Deals", said his statement ward "stand alone."

Ward said the new Congress in a democratic party-dominated zone that while out on the land side in parts to the recognition of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, and Beverly Hills, encounter was extends, along the coast of this city, Rancho Palos Verdes "Ribbon district of shame". He cited several other districts that creative has been designed for political purposes.

Ward said that he referendum, the cards challenge would participate in any action or ballot. A California Republican Party spokesman said that a Los Angeles Times on Monday that the party would probably not file suit and that it probably would make a decision later this week about whether to pursue a referendum ballot.

Following Ward's comments bar Abbadia said, "the feeling that I get is that Commissioner Ward different sessions part, when I did, or at least they looked different."

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In the campaign mode, Obama talks jobs in Midwest - Reuters

* Obama on the road in a 3-day bus tour of Midwest

* Obama to certain business plan in September (changes Dateline, updates with Obama comments throughout) submitted

By Alister Bull

DECORAH, Iowa, Aug 15 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama blasted Republicans for playing politics with the economy on Monday, when he took on the road a bus tour of the U.S. Midwest in job growth to focus and to distance itself from anger toward Washington, which 2012 re-election delle his hopes could.

The President-three day trip on a black bus with darkened Windows and red and blue flashing lights, began communities in Minnesota, wound through Backroads, hills and farms to Iowa and ends in Illinois.

Obama won all three States in the presidential election in 2008, although Iowa before recently host to Republicans compete has played to him for the White House next year, which was to criticize its record have, as it crosses the State to fight.

The White House says that Obama is on listening tour to hear from the Americans about the economy and talk about jobs and job boost to. Jobs are with U.S. unemployment at just over 9 percent involved the central question for the voters in the President and Congress are elections next year.

Obama said he would put a plan for economic growth at the Congress of summer break returns and legislators to be questioned.

"I will put forward are entirely if they have a specific plan to increase the economy to create jobs and control our deficit in September again." "And my attitude is finished--."

The tour exposes the Democratic President to the voters who interpret polls indicate angry are about political gridlock in Washington, because it starts serious campaigns for the November 2012 election.

Obama touted his job growth of agenda, including pacts and promotion of the infrastructure projects to create construction jobs expand a tax cut wage and salary statement, conclusion of free trade agreements.

But a divided Congress, where Republicans control the House of representatives and against any significant spending measures for the promotion of growth are bound Obama hands.

Obama quotes a column by Warren Buffett, in which the billionaire investor said the rich "by the Congress to argue for tax increases on the rich as well spending cuts which the deficit gap close amicably was had".

CREATION OF JOBS AT TOP

He cited a debate last week, the Republicans vying for the party presidential nomination, in which all eight said, that she would not consider allowing that even a $1-boost in Staatseinnahmen--through taxes or fees-for every $10 in cuts.

"This is not just common sense," said Obama, Minnesota earlier.

Republicans suggested the trip as a taxpayer-funded "tour and Obama debt end" bus on high unemployment, record government debt and the weakening economy hammered.

Some Obama of fellow Democrats disappointment have expressed, that the President has not promoted plans aggressive jobs boost growth.

Obama was a divisive debate on the public debt and deficits that triggered and undermine the public believe a downgrade in the U.S. credit rating distracted in Washington for much of the summer.

"Only by this debacle with the debt ceiling-a completely self-inflicted wound, we went", Obama said. Because of the policies "some in Congress would rather see, their opponents lose than win America, we ended up creating more insecurity and more damage to an economy that was already weak."

A Gallup tracking completed Saturday's poll Obama with 39 percent Zustimmung--the lowest his presidential-but the last polls showed significantly lower approval ratings for Congress.

Obama keeps a rural economic forum in Peosta, Iowa, on Tuesday and town hall meeting in Atkinson and alpha, Illinois, on Wednesday before returning to Washington.

The distinctive campaign will help style of travel, to test the Democratic President, its organisation and the popular sports like field that accepts Republican presidential candidate of clear form support.

Texas Governor Rick Perry entered the race for the Republican nomination on Saturday and joined immediately early leader Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann in the top tier of candidates in the field. (Additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle in Washington;) Writing by Tabassum Zakaria and Alister Bull; (Edit Eastham Allen and Todd by Vicki)

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India's selective anger about corruption - New York Times

NEW DELHI – the best Indian politicians is that they make you feel that you are a better person. Not surprisingly, that Indians often guide their moral confidence by the complaints of the examination of their own actions, but from about themselves as decent people pillaged by villainous politician damaged,.

This at the heart of a self-righteous middle class rebellion against political corruption, a news television series, which was thereby reached its inevitable climax in Delhi on Tuesday as a rural social reformer Anna Hazare set out for his death quickly - the second one he tried that this year to press his claim to a powerful anti-corruption agency.

He was allegedly arrested by the police, in the interest of the law and order.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, took his independence day address to the nation on Monday, excavations at Mr Hazare and rotate its tactics of the use of hunger strikes to arm an elected Government. Mr Singh said that he no "magic wand", end corruption in India.

The anti-corruption movement has the simplicity of a third rate fable.

There are the good guys (the reformers and the Indian average) and the bad guys (politician). But the real story is no fable, but art cinema.

Indians have a deep and complicated relationship with corruption. As in any long marriage, it is not clear whether they are happy or unhappy married. The country's economic system is with many strands of corruption and fused organized systems of tax evasion. The middle class is very much a part of it.

Most Indians have paid bribes. Most Indian companies do not survive or remain competitive without stashing away undeclared earnings.

Almost everyone who sold a House acquired a part of the payment in bar and evaded tax on it.

The branding of corruption is still, so powerful, that Indians now moaning, you hear the word. The comic hypocrisy of all was the best in the last few months, as the anti-corruption movement gathered unprecedented middle-class support.

As Mr Hazare in April to protest a hunger strike against political corruption much glamour went, added stars of Mumbai his cause by coming out in unequivocal support. Two months later, as a yoga teacher called Baba Ramdev on a fast demanding, that the Government "Illegal" examine hidden in foreign accounts, silence was in the leading roles. For good reason.

The film industry is much cleaner today than it was more than a decade ago, but officials say revenue, large quantities of secret wealth are still his system.

One reason for the mafia to the film industry in the 1990s could get so tightly under control was that it had served a business relationship with producers and actors and as an effective conduit for illicit their money transfer to foreign places of refuge.

After Mr. Ramdev fast when the Government agreed, Indian hidden to examine money in foreign banks, the times of India ran a fascinating story, which argues that the law corrupt politicians should make a distinction between the "black", earned money by bribes, and the "black money" of business people who had moved their cash in other countries years ago before the unreasonably high tax rates in the Socialist India to save. The article had implied that corrupt politicians are the real evil, and the tax Dodge only clever entrepreneurs.

Corruption is such an integral part of Indian society, which has proposed economic adviser to the Government of Kaushik Basu, legalization of the purpose of the payment of bribes. He received enthusiastic corporate support expected, because corporations are the largest bribe payers in India.

Mr Basu's argument is that if the payment were legalized by bribes, bribe payers could be persuaded to reveal the recipient. This would inject fear into the hearts of the politicians and officials, the bribes expected. N.r. Narayana Murthy, founder of the Indian software firm of Infosys, said in a television interview, that Mr Basu was "a great idea."

Informal way granted Indian society legitimacy of the bribe payer, because "Bribe-payer", that is a description of most of the country, including many of Mr Hazare well fits supporters dressed.

This legitimacy is somewhat absurd, when extended to corporations.

If the action of Indians is the political corruption of public funds, then the main beneficiaries were pilfers who? It is the company that back up the licenses at discounted prices in exchange for bribes.

But the public anger is aimed only at the middleman - the politician.

There are several reasons for this. Among them, the simple fact that many of the new followers of the anti-corruption movement are senior employees themselves, and it is a common perception, is that while a society virtually must be virtuous, a politician.

Also, the mainstream Indian news media are efficiently controlled by companies, to pull advertising on all negative coverage can threaten.

Behind the power of India's anti-corruption movement is the rise of new emotions: young urban Indians are more interested in their nation than ever before. As a result, they are politically aware.

Seven years ago, I went to Mumbai questions fashionably dressed college students questions like, "who is the Deputy Prime Minister of India?" Often, I saw with long, bringing set to silence or "Oh my God, quiz."

When I asked a young Muslim woman who question "Who is Narendra modes?" they said she had before not heard the name. Mr MODI, chief Minister of Gujarat, at the time and is still accused of helping unrest, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of Muslims.

Today is a significant increase in the number of young people, the acutely aware and are interested in the fate of the nation. This is because they are different from the generations before them, the only aim of which was to escape India in life. Now that the world is what it is, there is no place to escape. You want your home a better place - where bribe takers will be punished and bribe payer lives happily ever after.

Manu Joseph is editor of the Indian stream open and author of the novel "Serious men."

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