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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Insect-inspired super rubber moves toward practical uses in medicine
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The remarkable, rubber-like protein that enables dragonflies, grasshoppers and other insects to flap their wings, jump and chirp has major potential uses in medicine, scientists conclude. A new article evaluates the latest advances toward using a protein called resilin in nanosprings, biorubbers, biosensors and other applications.
Pirates drill Cardinals 6-0 to sweep doubleheader
PITTSBURGH (AP) ? Forget about the best record in baseball, the lead in the NL Central and the buzz of a city giddily envisioning the end of two decades of despair.
After a euphoric doubleheader sweep of reeling St. Louis on Tuesday that propelled them to the top of the division, the Pittsburgh Pirates ? yes, the Pirates ? are ready to get greedy.
"We want more," manager Clint Hurdle said.
Keep pitching like this, and that shouldn't be a problem.
Three hours after Alex Presley's grounder caromed off the glove of St. Louis reliever Kevin Siegrist and rolled into shallow left field to give the Pirates a taut 2-1, 11-inning victory in the opener, the Pirates breezed to a 6-0 victory in the second game behind rookie starter Brandon Cumpton.
Working with usual Triple-A battery mate Tony Sanchez ? making his major league debut ? Cumpton (1-1) scattered three hits over seven innings to extend the Cardinals' losing streak to a season-high six straight games.
"Pitching inside has been my thing all year," Cumpton said. "I didn't want to get away from it. I wanted to force the issue."
All it did was compound the issues for St. Louis, which has scored all of five runs in the last 56 innings. Even worse, catcher Yadier Molina is likely headed to the disabled list after leaving in the top of the fourth inning of the second game with a sprained right knee.
The knee has been bothering the All-Star for weeks. An MRI earlier this month revealed inflammation. After trying to play through it, Molina believes the better course of action is some rest so he can be ready for the stretch drive.
"I'm a guy who wants to be on the field playing," Molina said. "But right now I need time."
The injury is the latest setback for a team that appeared the class of the majors at the All-Star break but now finds itself 1? games behind the resilient Pirates. The sweep pushed Pittsburgh to a season-high 22 games over .500 (64-42). The last time their record was this gaudy was 1992, which also happens to be the last time the beleaguered franchise reached the postseason.
It's a destination that appears well within the Pirates' reach, even if they opt to keep their wallets closed at Wednesday's trading deadline. A pitching staff that keeps topping itself has allowed the Pirates to overcome a series of injuries.
Cumpton didn't even spend any time with the big league club during spring training. On Tuesday he found himself polishing off arguably the biggest day at PNC Park since it opened in 2001.
"Coming out of spring, (Cumpton) was 13th on our starting pitching depth chart," Hurdle said. "You trust the people that are working with the players and they've been confident about Brandon's improvement."
It's a rise that took a little while longer than St. Louis rookie Tyler Lyons (2-4), though the right-hander has cooled off since winning his first two starts in spectacular fashion earlier this year.
Lyons gave up four runs, three earned, in six innings. He struck out five and walked one but received no help from a reeling offense and some sloppy play in the field.
A couple hours after Presley's slapper off Siegrist (0-1) won the opener, the fortuitous bounces kept on coming. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second when a rare passed ball by Molina let Jose Tabata sprint across the plate. Molina was done for the night in the top of the fourth when the right knee pain he's been battling for the better part of a month flared up again. He was replaced by Rob Johnson.
The absence of their leader further weakened the Cardinals, and things quickly fell apart.
While Cumpton kept the NL's top offense in check, Pittsburgh poured it on with a little help from St. Louis left fielder Matt Holliday. The Pirates took a 2-0 lead on Jordy Mercer's RBI single before McCutchen stepped in. He drilled Lyons' pitch deep to left but Holliday appeared ready to track it down at the wall. Instead, the ball popped off the heel of Holliday's glove and into the stands.
Lyons placed both hands on his head in shock while the packed bleachers let Holliday have it. Holliday's night didn't get any better an inning later when he overran Josh Harrison's flyball to the wall, allowing Harrison to make it all the way to third.
"It's a hard game," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "Our guys have been making a lot of good plays. Every once in a while there's tough ones you don't make."
Harrison never made it home, but by then Cumpton had all the backing he would require.
Cumpton needed just 87 pitches to get 21 outs. He received a loud ovation as he headed to the dugout, the latest in a series of unheralded Pirates pitchers to rise from obscurity and help propel the franchise into the midst of a pennant race.
The staff takes its cue from ace A.J. Burnett, who worked seven emotional innings in the opener. Burnett struck out nine and walked three while allowing one run on three hits. He was long gone, however, by the time Presley stepped in with Martin on in the 11th.
"It's a battle, it's fun," Burnett said. "Let's roll from here. Let's keep going."
NOTES: The series continues on Thursday. Adam Wainright (13-6, 2.51 ERA) starts for the Cardinals against Jeff Locke (9-3, 2.15) ... St. Louis sent struggling reliever Marc Rzepczynski to Cleveland on Tuesday in exchange for minor league infielder Juan Herrera. Rzepczynski had a 7.84 ERA in 10 1-3 innings this season with the Cardinals ... Pirates 2009 first-round pick Tony Sanchez went 0 for 3 with an RBI in his first major league start at catcher.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pirates-drill-cardinals-6-0-sweep-doubleheader-031643421.html
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Super rich or super dumb? When partying is bad PR
wealth 
16 hours ago
Everyone loves a good party. Except, on occasion, the image-conscious super rich.
From Steve Schwarzman to Sean Parker to Steve Cohen, billionaires who host ill-timed or ill-considered parties can quickly feel the PR pain?especially at a time of growing populism and negative attention on the rich.
Cohen's weekend soiree is just the latest in the ongoing series of wealth parties gone wild. According to someone familiar with the matter, Cohen held a party with $2,000 of tuna at his 10-bedroom beach estate in the Hamptons on Saturday?just two days after his firm was indicted for insider trading.
It was a small gathering by billionaire standards, only a "few dozen people attended," Reuters reported.
(Read more:SAC's Cohen throws a party, despite indictment)
STEVE MARCUS / Reuters file
Hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen, founder and chairman of SAC Capital Advisors, threw a party over the weekend that many viewed as gauche given that the U.S. Attorney's office had just charged his company with insider trading.
The party was aimed at thanking donors to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, a popular charity among the Hamptons set. On Saturday, the fund held its Super Saturday fundraiser, which included stars like Kelly Ripa and Edie Falco, in Water Mill, N.Y.
A spokesperson for the fund said that while Cohen purchased a VIP table at the event, they are not sure if he attended. They said that any party at Cohen's house "was not connected in any way" to its Super Saturday fundraiser.
The big problem with the party, of course, was timing. Cohen's hedge fund, SAC Capital, had been charged two days earlier by the U.S. Attorney with a "systematic" insider trading scheme from 1999 to 2010. While Cohen may be trying to give the appearance of normalcy to friends, family and co-workers, some PR experts say his party was ill-timed.
"What he should really be doing is keeping a low profile," said Robert Dilenschneider, the founder and CEO of The Dilenschneider Group, a communications firm. "If he can beat the charges, then he can have a party. But not before."
The party follows Cohen's equally defiant purchases over the past year. In November, he bought a Picasso painting for $150 million. And this spring, as his legal battles were heating up, he acquired a $60 million home in the Hamptons. (The party took place at a different oceanfront residence.)
(Read more: Hamptons home sales hit record)
Dilenschneider said that Cohen's party and purchases could also impact his legal case.
"A judge sitting there reading about the Picasso and real estate and party would be asking, 'Why is this man doing this when he has such a serious matter in front of him?'" Dilenschneider said. "And for any jury, they can't even think about purchasing a $150 million painting. They would say, 'Who is this guy?' "
Of course, Cohen is not the first billionaire to experience party backlash. Sean Parker had to do damage control after his wedding in Big Sur resulted in environmental violations. After the incident, Parker made a $2.5 million donation to a conservation group. Parker has said that the violations were not his fault and that he was careful to preserve the forest during the planning and wedding.
(Read more:Most outrageous weddings)
Private equity chief Steve Schwarzman has also learned the downside of conspicuous partying. His 60th birthday party in 2007 attracted widespread media attention. It came amid rising anti-Wall Street sentiment and months before housing prices started to weaken and credit began to tighten leading up to the financial crisis.
The party featured a reconstruction of Schwarzman's living room at the Park Avenue Armory as well as a private concert by Rod Stewart.
?By CNBC's Robert Frank. Follow him on Twitter @robtfrank.
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New Zealand report reignites debate on NSA spying
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) ? A disputed report that U.S. spy agencies and New Zealand's military conspired to spy on a freelance journalist in Afghanistan has opened a new front in the debate over the surveillance programs revealed by National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.
The New Zealand government said Monday there is no evidence to support a report in the Sunday Star-Times newspaper that the military was assisted by the United States in monitoring the phone data of journalist Jon Stephenson, a New Zealander working for the U.S.-based McClatchy news organization.
The report is the first indication that the NSA's techniques may have been used to spy on a journalist. It challenges U.S. claims that the NSA programs were not used to target specific individuals, but rather to compile large pools of usage data.
Prime Minister John Key fanned the debate Monday by saying it is possible that reporters could get caught in surveillance nets when the U.S. spies on enemy combatants. New Zealand and the United States are party to a five-country agreement on sharing intelligence information.
U.S. surveillance programs have become the focus of a global debate since Snowden, a former defense contract worker, leaked classified information about the NSA in June. The U.S. says the NSA programs are necessary to avert terror attacks, while critics have called it unregulated spying.
Military officials in Wellington were quick to reject the claims in the article by freelance investigative reporter and liberal activist Nicky Hager. He wrote that the military became unhappy at Stephenson's reporting on how it treated Afghan prisoners.
"We have identified no information at this time that supports Mr. Hager's claims," Maj. Gen. Tim Keating, the acting defense force chief, said in a statement.
He said the military officers responsible for operations in Afghanistan had assured him there had been no unlawful monitoring of Stephenson by New Zealand. "This includes asking foreign organizations to do this on our behalf," he said.
Also Monday, New Zealand Defense Minister Jonathan Coleman acknowledged the existence of an embarrassing confidential order that lists investigative journalists alongside spies and terrorists as potential threats to New Zealand's military. That document was leaked to Hager, who provided a copy to The Associated Press. Coleman said the order will be modified to remove references to journalists.
He also said the New Zealand Defense Force had conducted an extensive search of its records over the weekend and had found no evidence that either it or any other agency had spied on Stephenson.
"The collection of metadata on behalf of the NZDF by the U.S. would not be a legitimate practice, when practiced on a New Zealand citizen," Coleman said. "It wouldn't be something I would support as the minister, and I'd be very concerned if that had actually been the case."
Metadata is the information associated with a phone call or an email, such as the location of the caller or sender, or the length of the call. It is analogous to the information available on the envelope of a letter sent by regular mail.
Prime Minister Key, who is traveling in South Korea, told a reporter from The New Zealand Herald newspaper that "if you rang a member of the Taliban that the Americans were monitoring because they believed them to be a threat, then in theory that's how you could show up."
"I'm not saying that's happened. I'm just saying that we don't go and monitor journalists," he added.
On Monday, Hager said he stood by the story.
"Direct denials are always unsettling, but I would not have published unless I had a really good source," he said.
Hager, who has written several books on New Zealand military intelligence, declined to elaborate on his sourcing. He said he's faced unwarranted denials before.
The confidential order he obtained states under the heading "The Threat" that "Organizations with extreme ideologies may try to acquire classified information, not necessarily to give to a potential enemy, but because its use may bring the government into disrepute. There is also a threat from certain investigative journalists who may seek to acquire and exploit official information for similar reasons."
The revelation has angered journalism advocates in New Zealand.
Coleman said the order, first issued a decade ago and reissued in 2005, was heavy-handed and inappropriate, and that he'd asked the defense force to rewrite it to remove the references to journalists.
The story on Stephenson came after he sued the defense force for defamation. Stephenson had sought 500,000 New Zealand dollars ($405,000) in reparation after claiming the defense force had damaged his reputation by implying he fabricated an interview with a unit commander. During the trial this month, the defense force acknowledged the interview may have taken place. The trial ended with the jury unable to reach a verdict.
Stephenson, who is on vacation in Europe, could not be reached Monday.
The White House did not respond Sunday to requests for comment on the Sunday Star-Times story.
McClatchy said it had not yet spoken with its former freelancer, or with the U.S. or New Zealand governments.
"We don't have much information on this. We really have learned about it this morning from the Star-Times report," said Anders Gyllenhaal, McClatchy's vice president for news and Washington editor.
The company based in Sacramento, California, hasn't lodged a complaint with U.S. officials because it is still trying to figure out what exactly happened and when, Gyllenhaal added.
The NSA sometimes shares intelligence information with New Zealand agencies under a long-standing arrangement known as "Five Eyes." In addition to New Zealand and the U.S., the alliance includes Britain, Australia and Canada.
Snowden's leaked information exposed the reach of the U.S. programs that monitor millions of telephone and Internet records inside and outside the U.S. Officials have said the surveillance tracks only metadata and not specific details like the contents of telephone calls. They say the surveillance programs have averted multiple terror attacks.
___
Associated Press writer Philip Elliott in Washington contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/zealand-report-reignites-debate-nsa-spying-102149707.html
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Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Legal Battles Increase Over Pipeline Projects
The Crosstex NGL Pipeline is just one such project in the country that has forced long, unwanted legal battles between oil companies and landowners.
Mose Buchele/KUTThe Crosstex NGL Pipeline is just one such project in the country that has forced long, unwanted legal battles between oil companies and landowners.
Mose Buchele/KUTAt Margaret O'Keefe's farm in East Texas, they grow high quality Bermuda grass. The fields are flat and vibrant green, surrounded by woods of a darker, richer green. The family loves this land. O'Keefe inherited it from her mother who divided it among eight children.
"She used to call it 'enchanted valley,' " O'Keefe says.
But her "enchanted valley" also lies in the path of the Crosstex NGL Pipeline.
That's a 130-mile underground pipeline to funnel natural gas liquids from Texas to processing plants in Louisiana. There, the component gasses like ethane and propane will be separated out and sold. The project is well under way. Crews are preparing to bore under her neighbor's field to bury the pipe underground.
Laying pipeline is a scene that's playing out all over the country. As the drilling method known as "fracking" unleashes vast amounts of fossil fuel, pipeline companies are scrambling to bring it to refineries. The industry estimates the United States will need to add 2,000 miles of pipeline per year. And that's just natural gas. Oil will need its own infrastructure. That means there will be a lot of pipeline going through a lot of private land.
Usually the companies cut a deal with landowners, but in a growing number of cases, the decisions are being made in a courtroom, not around the kitchen table.
Back at O'Keefe's kitchen table, Margaret's brother, Dick, explains how the family didn't like how they were being treated by representatives from the pipeline.
"We as small landowners, we can't afford to fight this pipeline company," he says.
So, they said "no deal" to selling their land. And the company's response?
"They turned it over to the lawyers," Dick says. "Got a nice fat packet in the mail. It said, 'We'll see you in court.' "
Crosstex didn't respond to an interview request. But court records confirm the company did start legal proceedings against the O'Keefe's. In many states, companies have the right to use eminent domain. That refers to the power to have private land "condemned," forcing the owners to sell it.
The process involves sometimes drawn-out court battles across the country. And the legal profession loves it, says William Christian, an Austin-based lawyer who represents landowners.
"Pipelines are going up everywhere and that leads to a lot of condemnation cases," he says.
But Don Santa, head of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, says he thinks that isn't great news for the industry.
"It takes resources," Santa says. "It is time-consuming but again it has always been part of the process."
So if landowners don't want lawsuits and companies aren't crazy about them. Why do they happen? For one thing, environmentalists who oppose fossil fuels fight the pipelines carrying them. And second, lawyer William Christian says, the industry is changing, too.
"It seems to be a trend that a lot of landowners who've owned land for a long time and negotiated these easements over a long period of time in recent years have felt like the pipeline companies have gotten more aggressive in the way they've negotiated these easements," Christian says.
U.S. oil production has increased 30 percent in the last five years and natural gas is booming. As long as that trend continues, Christian sees no end to these disputes.
And this litigation ? or at least the threat of it ? was enough to convince the O'Keefe's to settle, Dick O'Keefe says
"But it was with the threat of going to court," he says. "They beat us over the head with the threat, to get us to settle up."
He says the family simply didn't want the long legal headache.
Mose Buchele is a reporter for StateImpact Texas. StateImpact is a collaboration between NPR member stations examining the effect of state policy on people's lives.
Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/07/29/206635127/legal-battles-increase-over-pipeline-projects?ft=1&f=1007
Obama asks Graham, McCain to travel to Egypt
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham and John McCain have been asked by President Barack Obama to travel to Egypt next week to urge the military to move ahead on new elections, the senators said Tuesday.
Egypt has been roiled by deadly protests since President Mohammed Morsi was toppled in a military coup on July 3, developments that have threatened the $1.5 billion in annual U.S. military and economic aid to the Arab world's most populous country. Responding to reporters' questions Tuesday about an attempt to cut off the aid, Graham offered up word that Obama has sought the help of the two lawmakers.
"The president asked Sen. McCain and myself to go to Egypt next week, so we're trying to find a way to get there," Graham said. "So we can go over and reinforce in a bipartisan fashion the message that we have to move to civilian control, that the military is going to have to, you know, allow the country to have new elections and move toward an inclusive, democratic approach."
Graham said the two senators were trying to work out the logistics of the trip at the same time Congress was scheduled to begin its summer recess. McCain provided few details on the trip, but he said that he and Graham would try to assist in the reconciliation process in Egypt.
"The place is in turmoil, obviously," the Arizona senator said. "We have credibility with everybody there, all the different factions there."
Graham said the stakes were high. "If Egypt goes and Israel is surrounded by more and more radical regimes ... we'll regret not doing everything possible to keep Egypt on track as a stable society," the South Carolina senator told reporters.
Graham said the idea of "maybe us going if things deteriorate" in Egypt was first discussed at a July 17 meeting at the White House. McCain and Graham sat down for nearly two hours for a wide ranging national security discussion with Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
Obama contacted Graham about the trip, although the president specifically requested that McCain, who was Obama's opponent in the 2008 election, go too, McCain said.
Graham said the goal was to deliver a unified message that "jailing the opposition is more and more like a coup."
Last week, the Obama administration told lawmakers that it won't declare Egypt's government overthrow a coup, which would prompt the automatic suspension of American assistance programs under U.S. law. The administration fears that halting such funding could imperil programs that help to secure Israel's border and fight weapons smuggling into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
The White House declined to comment about a possible trip.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is pushing for a Senate vote on his bill to cut off aid to Egypt. Graham said a vote now could send the wrong signal.
"If you cut off aid, that's a destabilizing event," Graham said, while a vote for aid would "give people the impression everything's fine."
Asked whether the Paul bill might pass, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: "I hope not."
"I do agree we need to comply with laws that we have in our country," he told reporters, adding that Congress may change the coup restrictions in September to give the president waiver authority to continue providing aid. "Right now, in the middle of this volatile situation, we need to be a voice of calm."
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has called for halting assistance to Egypt, but he said Paul's proposal was "too extreme."
"I'm in favor of suspension," Levin said. But he would support gradual resumption of aid as the government "lives up to the commitments that they make in the constitution, having a diverse Cabinet, having elections according to the six-month schedule."
___
Associated Press writers Richard Lardner and Bradley Klapper contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-asks-graham-mccain-travel-egypt-201459214.html
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Monday, July 29, 2013
Volkswagen Golf Variant 4Motion announced www.worldcarfans.com/113072660715/
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Holder fights to protect voting rights in Texas, North Carolina
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Source: www.washingtonpost.com --- Sunday, July 28, 2013
Attorney General Eric Holder has opened what will be an epic battle over whether our country will remain committed to equal rights at the ballot box. In a display of egregious judicial activism in late June, the conservative majority on the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act . Holder made clear last week he intends to fight back. Read full article >> ? ? ? ? ...
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Spotify Promotes Its First ?Official Comedy? App Built By Bedrocket To Prove It's More Than Music
Spotify's scope keeps growing as it tries to attract free listeners and prove its worth a subscription. Today it began promoting a new "Official Comedy" app built by Bedrocket that surfaces its best humor content. Standup performances and one-liners from Jerry Seinfeld, Louis CK, Aziz Ansari, and more curated by the app could remind people to open Spotify when they want to laugh, not just rock.Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/DUsUH_N74qg/
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Sunday, July 28, 2013
Timeline of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner scandal
Key dates in the sexual harassment scandal of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner:
Nov. 6, 2012: Filner, a veteran congressman, is elected mayor. He is the first Democrat in 20 years to lead the nation's eighth-largest city.
Dec. 3, 2012: Filner takes office.
July 10, 2013: Former City Council member Donna Frye hands Filner a letter requesting his immediate resignation. Frye, a former member of the mayor's staff who resigned in April, says she has received "credible evidence" that Filner harassed more than one woman.
July 11: Filner, 70, issues a public apology, saying he "diminished" the office of mayor, failed to respect women who work for him and intimidated them. The mayor says he is seeking professional help and pleads with voters for patience.
July 15: Filner announces he won't resign, saying he doesn't believe he is guilty of sexual harassment and will be vindicated.
July 15: Donna Frye reads statements she says are from two women who allege that Filner tried to forcibly kiss them.
July 15: Filner's former fiance, Bronwyn Ingram, announces that she broke up with the mayor after he began texting sexually explicit messages to other women and setting up dates in her presence.
July 22: Irene McCormack, Filner's former communications director, files a sexual harassment lawsuit. Filner rejects the allegations.
July 23: In an KPBS interview, Laura Fink claims that Filner patted her buttocks at a campaign event when he was a congressman in 2005.
July 24: Morgan Rose, a psychologist for the San Diego Unified School District, tells KPBS that then-Congressman Filner repeatedly tried to kiss her during a 2009 meeting to discuss child welfare.
July 25: Four more women, including a retired Navy rear admiral and a dean at San Diego State University, call on Filner to resign, telling KPBS that he made unwanted sexual advances. That raises the number of public accusers to seven.
July 25: The San Diego County Democratic Party Central Committee votes to ask Filner to resign from office.
July 26: Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, calls on Filner to resign.
July 26: Filner announces he will undergo two weeks of intensive therapy and return to work Aug. 19.
Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/27/3525247/timeline-of-san-diego-mayor-bob.html
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Gardening gets personal with visit - Livingston County News
MASTER GARDENER
Gardening gets personal with visit
July 27, 2013 by Julie Brocklehurst-Woods
I love gardening, and all the pleasures it brings to my life: better health, beautiful landscapes, fresh food, friends, and opportunities to visit other gardens.
I always learn something when I visit a garden, frequently about plants, but also I learn about people and places. This happened again just a short time ago. I enjoyed a visit to Retsof to see the gardens of Mary Lou and Gary Boyd.
The gardens were lovely: multiple island beds, perfectly mulched and manicured in spite of my short notice; stately pots with complimentary plantings; annuals (coleus, zinnias), perennials, shrubs and beautiful trees on an amazing property with family heritage. There was an equally attractive shed, for storing all that garden stuff. The best gardens are ones that make people happy and connect with their lives.
Mary Lou is more the gardener, but Gary is right there to help. They had his and hers Gators, ready to tackle any chore, or give rides across the Retsof terrain. And boy, did I get a delightful ride with a personal story!
A giant boulder in a front garden of Mary Lou and Gary Boyd?s Retsof home is an attention-getter.
The front bed containing a huge boulder grabbed my attention. I didn?t have to wait to find out how it got there.
Gary is a fourth generation salt mine employee/retiree. The property came to them through family hands. When he was still working, they knew they would be building in this location. Salt mine equipment was used to transport the boulder to its current spot well before the house was built.
Following my tour of the gardens with Mary Lou, Gary wondered if I might have time for a ride to see historic Little Italy and other sights in Retsof. My husband was tied up for the weekend with Rotary and the Geneseo Summer Festival, I had no plans. Off we went!
I saw nicely maintained homes, many built originally for salt mine employees. We drove down a two-lane trail, to closely inspect the foundations of the earliest homes. We saw the reservoir, which previously supplied water for steam engines and ice for residents, harvested and stored for year-round use.
I had never ridden in a Gator. It was surprisingly comfortable, even going over the railroad tracks at the salt mine. There we entered a couple of buildings, which are still being used for packaging and storing salt. We saw a monument inscribed with the names of each of the men who lost their lives in the mine. Many years there were no deaths, but families will forever mourn the loss of their loved ones.
They trustingly loaned me an irreplaceable book on the history of Retsof. I have carefully read it in my living room, gaining a deeper appreciation of this particular area?s history, including the salt mine, and well-known people who have come from this community. The book was published in 1984, following the 100th anniversary of the mine and ten years before the collapse which led to its closure.
My husband and I are imports, having moved to this area 33 years ago when we got married. There is a lot that we don?t know. I am grateful to Mary Lou and Gary for sharing their gardens and their lives with me.
??
Julie Brocklehurst-Woods has been a Master Gardener Volunteer with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Livingston County for over ten years. She enjoys helping all gardeners become successful gardeners, especially helping people identify tools and strategies to prioritize and simplify their gardening tasks.
Source: http://thelcn.com/2013/07/27/gardening-gets-personal/
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WATCH: Pee Wee Football Player Delivers Big Hit
Best 2013 Sports Photos
Oakland Athletics left fielder Yoenis Cespedes flips over after missing a shallow fly ball off the bat of San Francisco Giants' Brandon Crawford as center fielder Coco Crisp (4) backs him up during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Monday, May 27, 2013. (Tony Avelar / AP)
Best 2013 Sports Photos
New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera, left, laughs with former New York Mets closer John Franco after Franco caught Rivera's ceremonial first pitch before an interleague baseball game at Citi Field in New York, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. (Kathy Willens / AP)
Best 2013 Sports Photos
Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Ben Revere (2) cannot catch a one-RBI triple hit by Washington Nationals' Adam LaRoche during the fifth inning of a baseball game at Nationals Park, Friday, May 24, 2013, in Washington. (Alex Brandon / AP)
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Pittsburgh Pirates' Travis Snider, bottom, rolls into Houston Astros catcher Carlos Corporan after being tagged out trying to score from second on a single by Gaby Sanchez in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Sunday, May 19, 2013, in Pittsburgh. (Keith Srakocic / AP)
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Auburn's Ryan Tella makes a diving catch in center field off the bat of Alabama's Mikey White during the second inning of a Southeastern Conference NCAA college baseball tournament in Hoover, Ala., Tuesday, May 21, 2013. (Dave Martin / AP)
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Stanford players dump water over head coach Lele Forood's head as she gives an interview to Dave Kozlowski in the NCAA division 1 women's team tennis championship at the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex Tuesday, May 21, 2013 on the University of Illinois campus in Urbana, Ill. Stanford defeated Texas A&M 4-3. (Stephen Haas / AP)
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Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, left, is robbed of a foul ball by a fan in the stands during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2013 in Miami. The Marlins defeated the Diamondbacks 2-1. (Wilfredo Lee / AP)
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The car driven by Conor Daly slide down the track after hitting the wall in the first turn during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Thursday, May 16, 2013. Daly was not injured. (Joe Watts / AP)
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Belgium's RSC Anderlecht coach John Van Den Brom, center, after winning the final soccer match of the Belgian League against SV Zulte Waregem at the Constant Vanden Stock stadium in Brussels, Sunday, May 19, 2013. (Yves Logghe / AP)
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Floyd Mayweather Jr. lands a left jab against Robert Guerrero in the fourth round during a WBC welterweight title fight, Saturday, May 4, 2013, in Las Vegas. (Isaac Brekken / AP)
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Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova casts a shadow while serving to Switzerland's Romina Oprandi during their Portugal Open semifinal tennis match Friday, May 3 2013, in Oeiras, outside Lisbon. Pavlyuchenkova defeated Oprandi 0-6, 6-3, 6-1. (Armando Franca / AP)
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Saudi Al-Hilal club player Nawaf Shaker celebrates after scoring a goal against Qatar's Al-Rayyan club during their AFC Champions League football match in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, April 30, 2013. (Osama Faisal / AP)
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Oakland Athletics' Eric Sogard gets a shaving cream pie in the face from Josh Reddick, rear, after Sogard scored the winning run on a sacrifice bunt from Coco Crisp during 10th inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Oakland. Calif. Oakland won 9-8. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP)
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Fans try to catch a bat that Arizona Diamondbacks' Cody Ross lost on his swing during the first inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Tuesday, April 30, 2013, in Phoenix. (Matt York / AP)
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A worker grooms away tracks after an alligator crossed through a sand trap on the 14th hole during the first round of the PGA Tour Zurich Classic golf tournament at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, La., Thursday, April 25, 2013. (Gerald Herbert / AP)
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Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Ben Revere dives for a fly out by St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Philadelphia. (Matt Slocum / AP)
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In this photo made with a fisheye lens, Kevin Harvick celebrates winning the Toyota Owners 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Va. (Jared C. Tilton / AP)
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Sunderland's manager Paolo Di Canio, celebrates after Stephane Sessegnon scores his goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Newcastle United at St James' Park, Newcastle, England, Sunday, April 14, 2013. (Scott Heppell / AP)
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San Diego Padres' Carlos Quentin charges into Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke after being hit by a pitch in the sixth inning of baseball game in San Diego, Thursday, April 11, 2013. (Lenny Ignelzi / AP)
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San Diego Padres' Chris Denorfia breaks his bat as the ball flies foul during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Diego, Wednesday, April 10, 2013. (Lenny Ignelzi / AP)
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Michigan guard Trey Burke (3) walks off the court as Louisville celebrate their win during the second half of the NCAA Final Four tournament college basketball championship game Monday, April 8, 2013, in Atlanta. Louisville won 82-76. (Charlie Neibergall / AP)
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Minnesota Twins' Brian Dozier, left, flips over after making a catch of a shallow fly ball off the bat of Los Angeles Angels' Peter Bourjos as right fielder Chris Parmelee watches in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 16, 2013, in Minneapolis. (Jim Mone / AP)
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Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer reacts after a dunk during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in Chicago, Sunday, March 31, 2013. The Bulls won 95-94. (Nam Y. Huh / AP)
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Baylor's Brittney Griner gestures as she answers a question during a news conference for a regional semifinal in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament in Oklahoma City, Saturday, March 30, 2013. Baylor is scheduled to play Louisville Sunday. (Sue Ogrocki / AP)
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Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos loses the ball as New York Yankees' Eduardo Nunez slides safely into home with home plate umpire Adam Hamari looking on at right during the fourth inning of an exhibition baseball game at Nationals Park Friday, March 29, 2013, in Washington. (Alex Brandon / AP)
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A young fan with his face painted with the colors of Chile's national flag gestures before the start of a 2014 World Cup qualifying soccer match against Uruguay in Santiago, Chile, Tuesday, March 26, 2013. (Victor R. Caivano / AP)
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Serena Williams reacts after winning a point against Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, during the Sony Open tennis tournament, Monday, March 25, 2013, in Key Biscayne, Fla. Williams won 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. (Lynne Sladky / AP)
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Austria's Wolfgang Loitzl soars through the air during his competition jump of the third stage of the four hills ski jumping tournament during foggy weather in Innsbruck, Austria, Friday, Jan. 4, 2013. (Matthias Schrader, AP)
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Sweden's skip Margaretha Sigfridsson shouts during her gold medal game against Scotland at the 2013 world women's curling championship in Riga, Latvia, Sunday, March 24, 2013. (Roman Koksarov / AP)
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Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Ben Revere makes a diving catch of Will Middlebrooks's seventh-inning fly ball in a spring training baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in Clearwater, Fla., Sunday, March 24, 2013. (Kathy Willens / AP)
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North Carolina coach Roy Williams cheers on his team during the second half of a second-round game against Villanova in the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 22, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel / AP)
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North Carolina's Dexter Strickland (1) and Reggie Bullock (35) stretch before practice for a second-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. North Carolina is scheduled to play Villanova Friday. (Charlie Riedel / AP)
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Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine (45) grabs a rebound over Valparaiso guard Matt Kenney (23) in the first half of a second-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Auburn Hills, Mich., Thursday March 21, 2013. (Paul Sancya / AP)
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Miami Marlins' Placido Polanco, left, scores on a double by Giancarlo Stanton as Washington Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki, right, cannot hold on to the ball during the sixth inning of an exhibition spring training baseball game Wednesday, March 20, 2013, in Jupiter, Fla. The Nationals won 7-5. (Jeff Roberson / AP)
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Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen, left, of Finland, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, center, of Spain and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel of Germany celebrate on the podium after the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 17, 2013. Raikonen won the race with Alonso second and Vettel third. (Andrew Brownbill / AP)
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Florida guard Mike Rosario (3) reacts after being fouled by Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the semifinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament, Saturday, March 16, 2013, in Nashville, Tenn. (John Bazemore / AP)
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In this photo taken with a fisheye lens, Boston Bruins' Nathan Horton, left, celebrates a goal by Andrew Ference against Washington Capitals goalie Michal Neuvirth (30) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Boston, Saturday, March 16, 2013. The Bruins won 4-1. (Winslow Townson / AP)
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Utah's Jason Washburn celebrates after blocking a shot by California in overtime during a Pac-12 men's tournament NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, March 14, 2013, in Las Vegas. Utah won 79-69. (Julie Jacobson / AP)
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San Diego Padres shortstop Tyler Stubblefield misses a ground ball hit by Kansas City Royals' Orlando Calixte for a double in the ninth inning in an exhibition spring training baseball game Friday, March 15, 2013, in Surprise, Ariz. (Gregory Bull / AP)
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Miami's Kenny Kadji (35) tries to go over Illinois' D.J. Richardson for a shot during the first half of a third-round game of the NCAA college basketball tournament Sunday, March 24, 2013, in Austin, Texas. (David J. Phillip / AP)
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Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat, of France, perform during a practice session for the World Figure Skating Championships, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, in London, Ontario. (Darron Cummings / AP)
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Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim, of the United States, react as they watch their scores during the pairs free program at the World Figure Skating Championships Friday, March 15, 2013, in London, Ontario. (Darron Cummings / AP)
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St. Louis Cardinals' J.R. Towles (46) reacts after fouling a ball off his foot as New York Yankees catcher Chris Stewart watches in the third inning of a spring training baseball game in Tampa, Fla., Monday, March 11, 2013. (Kathy Willens / AP)
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Auburn forward Cabriana Capers (35) crashes into the scorer's table after saving the ball from going out of bounds during the second half of their NCAA college basketball game against LSU in the Southeastern Conference tournament, Thursday, March 7, 2013, in Duluth, Ga. LSU won 65-62. (John Bazemore / AP)
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Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah (13) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan, right, defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, in San Antonio. (Eric Gay / AP)
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Athletes start the New Zealand Ironman on March 2, 2013 in Taupo, New Zealand. (Phil Walter / Getty Images)
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David Villa of FC Barcelona duels for a high ball with Fabio Coentrao and Pepe (R) of Real Madrid CF during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Bernabeu on March 2, 2013 in Madrid, Spain. (David Ramos / Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, right, is smacked on the head by Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith as he puts up a shot during the first half of their NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 3, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill / AP)
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Jason Porplyzia of the Crows attempts to take a mark on the shoulders of Corey Enright of the Cats during the round two AFL NAB Cup match between the Geelong Cats and the Adelaide Crows at Simonds Stadium on March 2, 2013 in Geelong, Australia. (Scott Barbour / Getty Images)
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Columbus Blue Jackets' Nick Foligno, right, fights with Chicago Blackhawks' Sheldon Brookbank during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Friday, March 1, 2013. (Nam Y. Huh / AP)
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To launch the release of Nitro Circus 3D : The Movie, available on DVD 25th March, Team Nitro Circus sets a Guinness World Record at 02 Arena on February 28, 2013 in London, England. (Clive Rose / Getty Images)
At least 38 dead in Egypt clashes over President Morsi
Hassan Ammar/AP
As charges of murder and conspiracy were brought against President Mohammed Morsi Friday, tensions bubbled over into violent clashes between supports of Morsi and the opposition.
CAIRO ? Overnight clashes between security forces and supporters of ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi in east Cairo left at least 38 protesters dead on Saturday, a doctor at the demonstrators' field hospital said. They followed a day of massive pro-military rallies backing a tough hand against Morsi's backers and the Muslim Brotherhood group from which he hails.
The violence close to the Morsi supporters' month-old sit-in near the Rabaah al-Adawiyah Mosque in east Cairo is one of the deadliest bouts of violence in Egypt's turmoil following the 2011 popular uprising. It also comes almost three weeks after more than 50 people, mostly demonstrators, died in a similar outbreak of violence outside a military installation near the same sit-in.
Doctor Yehia Mikkia said Saturday's casualties ? mostly gunshot and birdshot wounds to the upper part of the body ? have overwhelmed the hospital operating from the sit-in. He said the number of death is likely to be higher because other casualties were transported to different hospitals.
The state news agency MENA quoted an unnamed senior security official saying that the security forces had not used gunfire against the protesters, only tear gas. He said security forces tried to prevent fighting between residents of the area and the protesters, and that eight members of the security forces were wounded, including some by birdshot.
RELATED: SIX KILLED IM CAIRO PROTESTS, TWO IN SINAI
The bodies of over 12 men were shrouded in white clothes, lying in pools of blood, were laid on the floor of the field hospital in images broadcast by Al-Jazeera Mubashir Misr TV. Mikkia said hundreds were wounded.
Health ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.
MENA said clashes continued into the morning, albeit at a lower intensity. It said Morsi supporters pelted security forces with rocks and firebombs, while security closed off the road with barbed wire and responded with tear gas.
The clashes started after police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of Morsi supporters who tried to extend the sit-in outside the Rabaah al-Adawiyah mosque into a major boulevard.
Source: http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/NydnRss/~3/qvrUuqxlJMM/story01.htm
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Saturday, July 27, 2013
Just a Reminder That FedEx Doesn't Give a Crap About Your Packages
It can be FedEx. It can be UPS. It can be any shipping service, really. They all promise to get your packages to where you want them to go but there's no guarantee they'll treat your packages with any sort of tender, love or care. Most likely, they'll be thrown around, banged around and destroyed in the process. Just look at this FedEx employee have fun tossing FedEx packages into her truck. I can see the appeal of chucking boxes but doesn't this just create chaos and add more work later?
Source: http://gizmodo.com/just-a-reminder-that-fedex-doesnt-give-a-crap-about-yo-928822881
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Ex-con pleads guilty to sneaking into NYC jails
NEW YORK (AP) ? A convicted sex offender has pleaded guilty to repeatedly using phony credentials to gain entry into New York City jails.
The New York Post (http://bit.ly/17HthlL ) reports that 36-year-old Yonkers resident Matthew Matagrano pleaded guilty Thursday to posing as a correction officer and sneaking into the Manhattan Detention Center.
During one of those visits, on Feb. 27, Matagrano assaulted an inmate and stole a $2,500 walkie-talkie. He also handed out cigarettes to inmates.
It's not clear why the former inmate, whose rap sheet includes a conviction for sodomy and sexual abuse, wanted to get back into jails.
He faces 10 years behind bars at sentencing.
___
Information from: New York Post, http://www.nypost.com
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Friday, July 26, 2013
Report: Hawaii leader in solar installations
HONOLULU (AP) -- A new report touts Hawaii as a leader in solar energy.
The report released Tuesday by Environment America ranks Hawaii third in the nation per capita for solar installations. The group says Hawaii's solar capacity last year grew by 57 percent, bringing it to a total of 191 megawatts.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie says the ranking demonstrates the state's commitment to achieving clean energy goals. He says barriers are being removed to allow more people to invest in and benefit from alternative sources of energy, such as solar.
There were 12 states profiled in the report. The group says they make up 85 percent of the nation's installed solar energy. Arizona was ranked first and Nevada ranked second.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/report-hawaii-leader-solar-installations-153224091.html
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Thursday, July 25, 2013
Avoid These Common Prepaid Tuition Plan Mistakes
Maryland mom Lisa Scott didn't think she could afford to pay for all four years of her 7-year-old daughter Lilly's college education. Then she attended a parenting seminar at her local library that included information on the Maryland Prepaid College Trust, a specific kind of tax-advantaged college savings account where parents prepay future tuition.
After her own research on similar 529 college savings plans offered by her state and others, she chose a program where she prepaid tuition for two years of community college and two years at a Maryland state university. For her budget, she chose annual lump sum payments.
She said her research indicated investing the money through a local bank would have been a mistake. With tuition rising, she would have lost out on securing tuition prices for Lilly's education.
Avoiding 529 plans altogether would have been a mistake - and is just one of the mistakes parents can make in considering prepaid tuition.
[Learn the truth behind these prepaid college tuition plan myths.]
1. Waiting too long: The advantage of a prepaid plan for college tuition is that it allows parents to lock in today's tuition rates. Since tuition generally rises annually, parents will have to pay more for tuition credits for every year they wait.
In Nevada, where the state prepaid tuition program was launched in 1998, a couple with two children born in 1999 and 2001 would have saved two-thirds the cost of tuition if they had acted when their children were born.
The contract price for four years of prepaid tuition at a Nevada state college was $6,800 in 1999 and $7,500 in 2001, according to the state treasurer's office. If the family waited until 2012 to purchase prepaid tuition, they would have paid $22,700 for each child.
Parents waiting to buy in because they think they can't afford to purchase tuition in advance should look into payment plans or buying additional smaller numbers of tuition credits as they can afford it.
Depending on the plan they are purchasing, they can buy a semester or less of tuition credits or make monthly payments on a larger amount of tuition purchased.
"Buying the number of credits or years you can afford is a good strategy because you can usually buy additional years later - although at a higher price," says Joan Marshall, executive director of College Savings Plans of Maryland.
When Scott chose her plan, she looked at all the options her state offered, which included monthly payments.
[Avoid these common college savings mistakes.]
2. Thinking you can't have other 529 plans: In addition to prepaid tuition plans, parents can invest in either direct-sold or broker-sold college savings plans at the same time.
"Parents who can afford to do both should buy the prepaid plan for the tuition portion and save in a 529 plan for other expenses" such as room and board, books and fees, says Nevada State Treasurer Kate Marshall (no relation to Joan Marshall). "They complement each other."
In addition, Maryland's Joan Marshall says, parents often misunderstand that both kinds of 529 plans qualify for state and federal tax benefits.
Scott's daughter already knows she wants to be a veterinarian. So Scott is putting aside money in a traditional 529 plan in addition to the money she's saved for Lilly's first four years.
[Find out about prepaid private college tuition plans.]
3. Not considering all options for using credits: Prepaid plans can be used in a variety of ways. "If parents buy a prepaid program with university credit hours and their child goes to community college, make sure they understand how the credits are applied," Kate Marshall says.
Because community college credits are cheaper, "it may be advantageous to pay the community college credit hours out of pocket, and save the university credit hours for use when children transfer to the university, or to downgrade the plan to a community college plan," she says.
There are different options depending on the plan for how any credits remaining after a student has completed a bachelor's can be used, such as transferring the money into a traditional 529 plan or applying the value of the credits toward graduate school tuition.
Scott likes the flexibility she has to change the way her prepaid tuition plan is used later. With an ambitious child, she may decide to apply the credits toward graduate school.
Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/avoid-common-prepaid-tuition-plan-mistakes-140714171.html
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Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Senate passes bill on student loan rates
FILE - Prospective students tour Georgetown University's campus in Washington, in this Wednesday, July 10, 2013, file photo. Grants and scholarships are taking a leading role in paying college bills, surpassing the traditional role parents long have played in helping foot the bills, according to a report from loan giant Sallie Mae. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
FILE - Prospective students tour Georgetown University's campus in Washington, in this Wednesday, July 10, 2013, file photo. Grants and scholarships are taking a leading role in paying college bills, surpassing the traditional role parents long have played in helping foot the bills, according to a report from loan giant Sallie Mae. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Borrowing for tuition, housing and books would be less expensive for college students and their parents this fall but the costs could soon start climbing under a bill the Senate passed overwhelmingly Wednesday.
The bipartisan proposal would link interest rates on federal student loans to the financial markets, providing lower interest rates right away but higher ones later if the economy improves as expected. The measure was similar to one that already had passed the Republican-led House and leaders from both chambers said they predicted the differences to be resolved before students start signing loan documents for the fall term.
"This compromise is a major victory for our nation's students," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
Undergraduates this fall would borrow at a 3.9 percent interest rate. Graduate students would have access to loans at 5.4 percent, and parents would borrow at 6.4 percent. The rates would be locked in for that year's loan, but each year's loan could be more expensive than the last. Rates would rise as the economy picks up and it becomes more expensive for the government to borrow money.
Liberal members of the Democratic caucus were vocal in their opposition over the potentially shifting rates included in the Senate measure, which passed with support from both parties, 81-18. The bill passed with support from 45 Republicans, 35 Democrats and Sen. Angus King, the independent from Maine who helped negotiate the deal.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, joined 16 Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, to oppose the legislation.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., did not cast a recorded vote.
"This permanent, market-based plan makes students' loans cheaper, simpler and more certain," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, the top Republican on the Senate education panel. "It ends the annual game of Congress playing politics with student loan interest rates at the expense of students planning their futures."
Rates on new subsidized Stafford loans doubled to 6.8 percent July 1 because Congress could not agree on a way to keep them at 3.4 percent. Without congressional action, rates would stay at 6.8 percent ? a reality most lawmakers called unacceptable, although deep differences emerged even among allies as to how to remedy it.
The compromise that came together during the last few weeks would be a good deal for all students through the 2015 academic year. After that, interest rates are expected to climb above where they were when students left campus in the spring, if congressional estimates prove correct.
"That's the same thing credit card companies said when they sold zero-interest rate credit cards. ... The bill comes due," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. "All students will end up paying far higher interest rates on their loans than they do now."
Warren was among the liberal Democrats who labeled the White House-backed proposal a bait-and-switch measure that would lure in new borrowers with low rates now but would cost future students. Throughout the morning and afternoon, they stood to oppose the compromise.
They failed to stop the measure, which seemed to face a clear pathway in the House, which has already passed similar legislation that links interest rates to the financial markets.
Republican Speaker John Boehner promised to "act expeditiously" and the Republican chairman of the House education panel, Rep. John Kline of Minnesota, predicted "the bill's swift passage."
The top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Rep. George Miller of California, similarly asked Boehner to bring the bill "directly to the House floor for a vote and to pass it without delay."
And the president also encouraged quick action. "I urge the House to pass this bill so that I can sign it into law right away," Obama said in a statement.
The measure's supporters suggested the compromise is better than the status quo for students returning to campus for fall classes.
"Don't let anyone tell you that this is bad deal for students. This is not a bad deal for students. If we don't pass this, students will pay 6.8 percent on their loans. With this bill, they'll pay 3.86 percent. You tell me which is the better deal," said Sen. Tom Harkin, the Iowa Democrat who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Harkin said the legislation is not what he would have written if he had the final say. But he also said that he recognized the need to restore the lower rates on students before they return to campus for classes.
"It's the best that we can do," Harkin said on the Senate floor.
He suggested a rewrite of the Higher Education Act this fall could include a comprehensive review of college costs and could revisit the loan rates for future classes.
The White House and its allies said the new loan structure would offer lower rates to 11 million borrowers right away and save the average undergraduate $1,500 in interest charges. Democratic leaders had anticipated defections from within their ranks but counted on Republican support to help them win passage.
Senate Republicans pushed the interest rates to be linked to the financial markets and backed the measure. The deal was negotiated by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and GOP Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, as well as Alexander, King and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
The compromise's similarity to what House Republicans passed this year was a sticking point for some liberals. There was no denying the new structure could cost future students if interest rates climb.
"I suspect they will. They're pretty low right now," said Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. "Who knows? We don't know."
As part of the compromise, Democrats won a protection for students by capping rates at a maximum 8.25 percent for undergraduates. Graduate students would not pay rates higher than 9.5 percent, and parents' rates would top out at 10.5 percent.
Using Congressional Budget Office estimates, rates would not reach those limits in the next 10 years.
The Congressional Budget Office also estimated the bill as written would reduce the deficit by $715 million over the next decade. During that same time, federal loans would be a $1.4 trillion program.
___
Follow Philip Elliott on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/philip_elliott
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Morsi family accuses Egypt's military of kidnapping ex-president
The family of Egypt's ousted president lashed out at the military on Monday, accusing the generals of kidnapping Mohammed Morsi, who has been detained incommunicado in an unknown location for nearly three weeks.
The statement by Morsi's family at a Cairo press conference underlined the unknown fate of Egypt's first freely elected president. Morsi has not been seen and has had no known contact with lawyers, family or supporters since the military ousted him on July 3 after mass protests nationwide demanding his removal.
Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood party has been leading daily protests demanding Morsi be re-instated. On Monday, clashes broke out between Morsi supporters and opponents near Cairo's Tahrir Square and in the city of Qalioub on the capital's outskirts, where at least one person was shot to death, security officials said.
Morsi held for own protection, military says
Since his ouster, the Islamist leader has become a tool for both sides. The new military-backed government has used Morsi to put pressure on the Muslim Brotherhood, launching criminal investigations without actually bringing charges against him. Government officials have said only that he is safe, is well cared for and is being held for his own protection.
The Brotherhood, in turn, has sought to drum up sympathy by saying Morsi's detention shows the military's coup is taking the country into dictatorship, as it tries to expand street protests demanding he be reinstated as president.
European Union foreign ministers on Monday called for the release of Morsi and "all political detainees," saying it was among their key priorities for Egypt's new leadership. The United States has also urged Morsi's release. Along with Morsi, at least five other senior Brotherhood figures are in detention.
At Monday's press conference, Morsi's daughter Shaimaa read out a statement by the family, saying, "We hold the leaders of the bloody military coup fully responsible for the safety and security of the president."
No contact with family
One of Morsi's sons, Osama, described his father's detention as the "embodiment of the abduction of popular will and a whole nation," and said the family will "take all legal actions" to end his detention.
"What happened is a crime of kidnapping," said Osama, who is a lawyer. "I can't find any legal means to have access to him."
He said that the family met with Morsi for the last time on July 3, shortly before military chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi announced the president's ouster. Since then, they have had no contact with him. The son warned el-Sissi "and his coup leaders against harming the life, health or safety of the legitimate president, our father."
Speaking at the same news conference, the secretary-general of the doctor's syndicate, Gamal Abdel-Salam, said the union has asked the military to grant doctors access to Morsi to check his health. He said the deposed president suffers from diabetes and liver problems.
Morsi's son, however, denied that his father has health problems.
Daily protests against military regime
The Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi's Islamist allies have held near daily street protests in Cairo and across the country. They have rejected any dealings with the interim president and cabinet, saying Morsi must be brought back to office before they will discuss any reconciliation.
Egypt's prosecutors have said they are investigating allegations that Morsi and Brotherhood officials conspired with the Palestinian militant group Hamas to carry out a 2011 attack on prisons that broke Morsi and other Brotherhood leaders out of jail during the 18-day uprising against autocrat Hosni Mubarak. However, prosecutors have not formally ordered Morsi detained for investigation ? meaning his detention effectively remains outside the legal system.
However, there also seemed to be a media campaign aimed at further depicting Morsi as turning to outside powers. On Monday, the state-run Al-Ahram daily splashed on its front page claims of a new investigation against Morsi, though the prosecutors' office and the military quickly denied its report.
The report claimed investigators were examining whether Morsi asked the United States to intervene militarily in Egypt and asked Hamas to "spark violence" in the Sinai to rescue his rule in the final hours before el-Sissi removed him. The paper claimed the military had recordings of the conversations.
U.S. denies report of intervention
The prosecutor-general's spokesman, Ahmed el-Rakeeb, said the report was not true and that Al-Ahram's chief editor, Abdel-Nasser Salama, was summoned for questioning over it, the state news agency MENA said. Military spokesman Col. Ahmed Mohammed Ali in a statement accused the paper of "aiming to cause confusion and provoke public opinion."
The U.S. Embassy in Cairo also issued a statement denying the paper report and described it as "totally fabricated and completely untrue."
The United States has been caught in Egypt's political turmoil, as rival parties accuse it to meddling in the country's affairs.
On Monday, a senior Brotherhood figure escalated the group's campaign against the United States, calling on protesters to "besiege" the embassy and expel the ambassador.
Essam el-Erian, deputy head of the Brotherhood's political party said Monday, "the American role in the coup is very clear and no one can hide."
"I call upon all the masses of the Egyptian people ... to besiege the embassies until they leave," he said at a meeting of some 100 other Islamist former lawmakers from the now-disbanded upper house of parliament, which under Morsi was the only legislative body.
Clashes elsewhere in Egypt
Hours after, several hundred Morsi supporters tried to march toward the U.S. Embassy, passing near Tahrir Square, where Morsi opponents have been camped out. Rock-throwing clashes erupted between the two sides, and gunshots were heard, though it was not clear who opened fire. Security forces blocked the road with an armored vehicle and fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse the pro-Morsi march.
At the same time, clashes erupted in Qalioub, north of Cairo, when pro-Morsi protesters blocked a highway between the capital and the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria, security officials said. Security forces demanded they clear the way, and protesters fired ammunition in the air. Clashes erupted with protesters throwing stones and security forces firing tear gas.
At least one person was shot and killed and four others were wounded, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.
Thousands rallied in downtown Cairo, marching to the Defense Ministry to protest the killings of Morsi's supporters during earlier rallies. Others clashed in overnight street battles with anti-Morsi protesters in vital Suez city leaving more than 100 injured. Security officials said that military beefed up security alongside the Suez Canal corridor, with special forces, snipers and armored vehicles.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/07/22/morsi-family-accuses-military.html?cmp=rss
Kurt Vonnegut's 8 Rules for Writing Fiction | World of Psychology
I?ve recently become a fan of reading collections of letters (a form which is disappearing, now that we don?t write letters much anymore), and I read a recommendation somewhere to read Kurt Vonnegut?s letters.
From there, I was drawn to a collection of his short fiction, named ? paradoxically ? Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction.
In the Introduction of the book, Vonnegut provides his rules for creative writing. Curious?
Here they are, Vonnegut?s rules for Creative Writing 101:
- Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
- Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
- Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
- Every sentence must do one of two things ? reveal character or advance the action.
- Start as close to the end as possible.
- Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them?in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
- Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
- Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
However, Vonnegut notes, ?The greatest American short story writer of my generation was Flannery O?Connor? She broke practically every one of my rules but the first. Great writers tend to do that.?
I?m a Flannery O?Connor freak, so I was very happy to see that Vonnegut loved her work, too. In fact, in a weird synchronicity, it was my admiration for O?Connor?s collection of letters, The Habit of Being, that got me reading letters in the first place.
What do you think of these rules?
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My friend Colleen Wainwright, a/k/a?Communicatrix, told me about a plan to launch an app camp for girls on Indiegogo. Great project.
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Gretchen Rubin is the award-winning author of The Happiness Project, a #1 New York Times bestseller. Order your copy or read some sample chapters from the book. You can also watch the one-minute book video or listen to a sample of the audiobook. She is a regular contributor to Psych Central.Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by Gretchen Rubin (or subscribe to their feed).
????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 23 Jul 2013
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.
APA Reference
Rubin, G. (2013). Kurt Vonnegut?s 8 Rules for Writing Fiction. Psych Central. Retrieved on July 24, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/07/23/kurt-vonneguts-8-rules-for-writing-fiction/
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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2013/07/23/kurt-vonneguts-8-rules-for-writing-fiction/
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