Valeant to cut as much as 15% of jobs after Bausch + Lomb deal

NEW YORK ? Valeant says it will eliminate as much as 15% of its work force and move Bausch + Lomb?s headquarters to New Jersey as part of its US$8.7 billion acquisition.

Valeant, which offered to buy Bausch & Lomb in May, had said it would save at least US$800 million by 2014.

In a letter to workers, Valeant says that after the deal closes, it will eliminate between 10% and 15% of positions companywide. That works out to between 1,850 and 2,775 people.

The company expects to save more than US$500 million this year. The combined company would have less than 100 corporate staff, it said.

Valeant had over 7,000 employees as of Dec. 31, a regulatory filing showed. Rochester, New York-based Bausch and Lomb employs about 11,000 people worldwide, according to its website.

The Canadian drugmaker says it will remain based in Quebec, but it will move Bausch + Lomb?s Rochester, N.Y. headquarters to New Jersey.

Valeant says it will continue to operate all of its current U.S. manufacturing locations, including those in Rochester. It added that it expects to receive regulatory approvals by early next month and hopes to close the deal as soon as possible after that.

Valeant, which expects to get regulatory nod by early August, said severance plans for the United States and Canada have been finalized.

With files from The Associated Press, Reuters

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FP_TopStories/~3/xjiUHSNs--A/

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Matt Hardy/Reby Sky Wedding Date Announced, Website Launched

Matt Hardy/Reby Sky Wedding Date Announced, Website Launched

Posted by: Caylon Knox of WrestlingNewsSource.com on Jul 28 2013

Matt Hardy and Reby Sky have announced that they will be getting married on October 3rd. They have even gone as far as to launch an official website at SkyHardWedding.com where fans can read their story, keep in touch with them through social media, and get the latest update on the wedding ceremony.

??WrestlingNewsSource.com is one of the most socially active wrestling websites in the world. To recieve all the latest backstage gossip, spoilers and photos follow us (@WNSource) on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook by clicking the 'LIKE' button below - Over 20,000+ fans have already done so. Don't miss out!

?

Source: http://www.wrestlingnewssource.com/news/30534/Matt-HardyReby-Sky-Wedding-Date-Announced-Website-Launched/

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Will Alex Rodriguez play for Yankees again?

NEW YORK (AP) ? Alex Rodriguez certainly leads the New York Yankees in headlines this season even though he hasn't played a single major league game.

Injuries have kept him away from the team since last year's playoffs, and now Rodriguez faces discipline from Major League Baseball in its drug investigation, possibly up to a lifetime ban.

"The likelihood of a severe punishment for Rodriguez is very high," former Commissioner Fay Vincent said Wednesday.

The three-time AL MVP who turns 38 Saturday is among more than a dozen players MLB has targeted following allegations they were linked to a Florida clinic accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs.

After Ryan Braun's agreement to accept a 65-game suspension earlier this week, attention has turned to Rodriguez, who four years ago admitted using PEDs while with Texas from 2001-03. He has repeatedly denied using them since, and MLB has never said he failed a test.

Lawyers for MLB and the players' association were set to resume discussions about the Biogenesis investigation Thursday. Though it was unclear who might be penalized next, all eyes were on A-Rod.

The Yankees expect Rodriguez to be accused of using PEDs over multiple seasons, of recruiting other athletes for the clinic, of attempting to obstruct MLB's investigation, and of not being truthful with MLB in the past when he discussed his relationship with Dr. Anthony Galea, who pleaded guilty two years ago to a federal charge of bringing unapproved drugs into the United States from Canada.

"The mess seems very large indeed," said John Thorn, baseball's official historian. "If a lifetime suspension is being brooded about and a plea bargain would involve something lesser but still very substantial, that's a whole bucket of tar dumped on his legacy."

With 647 home runs, fifth on the career list and 115 shy of matching Barry Bonds' career record, Rodriguez is among the most prodigious sluggers in baseball history. And his record contracts have put him in the spotlight, first a $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas that started in 2001 and later a $275 million, 10-year agreement with the Yankees that began in 2008.

But his body has been breaking down and he's been on the disabled list six times in six years. Right hip surgery in March 2009 was followed by left hip surgery this January, three months after the Yankees repeatedly pinch hit for A-Rod and benched him during the playoffs.

Just when it appeared he was ready to rejoin the Yankees this week, the team said he strained his left quadriceps.

Rodriguez has acknowledged taking PEDs before baseball started penalizing their use. In 2009, he attributed his decision to being "young and stupid" and agreed to work for the Taylor Hooton Foundation to combat steroids.

If it turns out he was violating drug rules all along, his reputation may be beyond repair.

"There's no question it's been diminished, and more than many of his contemporaries that also were involved, because in his case the perception now is that the use has been ongoing," NBC and MLB Network broadcaster Bob Costas said. "Now that could change if he somehow successfully defends himself, but if that doesn't happen, then the perception would be that it was not confined to a certain period of time, so it would be impossible to parse how much of his performance was unaided and how much was aided. The shame of all of it is that he clearly would have been an all-time great player without ever using performance-enhancing drugs."

Fox broadcaster and former major league catcher Tim McCarver said he regards Rodriguez "unfortunately, the way I view Ryan Braun, and that's not good. And I viewed A-Rod as a really good guy. Tarnished is understated in these times."

While positive tests lead to a set series of punishments ? 50 games for a first offense, 100 games for a second and a lifetime ban for a third ? MLB is not bound by that for players in the Biogenesis probe because the fixed penalties are only for failed urine and blood tests.

"In theory, they could be suspended for five games or 500 games," union head Michael Weiner said.

Braun negotiated the length of his penalty rather than contest it before an arbitrator. If Rodriguez were to file a grievance, a suspension probably would be pushed back until after a decision and would be delayed until next year.

Vincent learned in the Steve Howe case that lifetime bans are difficult to enforce. He suspended the pitcher for life in June 1992 for Howe's seventh incident related to drugs or alcohol, but Howe was reinstated that November by arbitrator George Nicolau.

Despite that, Vincent feels current Commissioner Bud Selig should not be reticent about pursuing a stiff penalty against Rodriguez.

"I think he ought to come down very hard. I don't think he has much to lose, and everything to gain," Vincent said.

Rodriguez has been a non-factor in the Yankees' season, and much of his $28 million salary this year is being covered by insurance. He is owed an additional $86 million in salary over the next four seasons.

Costas sees a rules change regarding the salary in long-term contracts as the most effective deterrent to drug use. He says management and players should reopen the labor contract and add a new provision.

"If you are found to have used PEDs and you exhaust your appeals ... and you're in the midst of a long-term contract, the team has the right at its discretion to void the contract," he said. "That's an enormous disincentive."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/alex-rodriguez-play-yankees-again-232834123.html

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Some of the most expensive Northeast Florida homes for sale (Slideshow)

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Source: www.bizjournals.com --- Thursday, July 25, 2013
If there were any doubt that the high end housing market is trending upward, look no further than this week?s headlines. Standard Pacific Corp. (NYSE: SPF) paid $13.4 million for 109 acres near the Intracoastal area, slated for the development of 270 luxury home sites. A local development group is preparing completely redevelop and rebrand Selva Marina Country Club into Atlantic Beach Country Club ? a $30 million project that will completely redevelop the existing golf course, add 174 home? ...

Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_jacksonville/~3/Csv9ngN-0DM/some-of-the-most-expensive-northeast.html

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24 Hours of Spa 2013: Spectacular Parade on the Streets of Spa Ahead of the 24 Hours

Ahead of the 24 Hours of Spa 2013 this weekend, a stunning parade of thw competing cars took place in the small town center of Spa.

Throughout the parade, officials, organisers, teams and drivers all came together and on public roads as part of a parade. The spectacular gathering of Blancpain Endurance Series racing cars gave their devoted fans a chance to get up close and personal with these high-performance machines while the drivers were busy signing literally thousands of autographs.

While the 24 Hours of Spa 2013 will once again be highlighted by the GT category of racing cars, with at least 70 cars entering the race from 9 different manufacturers like Porsche, Ferrari, Audi, Lamborghini, Mercedes, Aston Martin and McLaren, a number of other races take place during the weekend. Some of these include two races from the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series, the Cooper Tires British F3 International Series, Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup as well as the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great-Britain.

Ultimately however, the actual 24 Hours of Spa endurance race will overshadow the various other series? competing during the weekend. Last year?s winners Rene Rast and Frank Stippler will both return with Rast set to compete in the #1 Audi R8 LMS Ultra yet again. While Stippler will also pilot an Audi R8 LMS Ultra alongside Christopher Miles and Andre Lotterer but in the #2 car. Both are a part of the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT. A notable absentee however is Andrea Piccini.

The Total 24 Hours of Spa 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series will start with pre-qualifying from 18:15 to 19:15 on Thursday followed by the Pit Walk, Qualifying and then Night Qualifying later that day. The Super Pole session will then take place at 18:15 and run for 20 minutes on Friday before the official 20-minute warm up on Saturday morning. The main event will start at 16:30 Saturday afternoon and run for 24 hours (obviously!) until Sunday afternoon.

More about the races and participants this weekend in our Spa 24 Hours 2013 Preview!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GTspirit/~3/ZWgxLfd5VJM/

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Huma Abedin: I Love and Forgive Anthony Weiner

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/07/huma-abedin-i-love-and-forgive-anthony-weiner/

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How The U.S. National Debt Has Taken on a Life of Its Own

Politicians and the mainstream will certainly love this?

Last week, Moody?s Investors Service changed its outlook on the?U.S. national debt?from negative to stable. (Source: Reuters, July 18, 2013.)

Despite the credit reporting agency?s ?upgrade? on U.S. national debt, my opinion remains the same: the U.S. national debt has taken on a life of its own, growing like a bad cancer with no cure in sight.

Consider this:

In June of this year, the U.S. government registered a surplus of $117 billion after a budget deficit of $139 billion in May. On the surface that sounds great. But look a little closer, and we see that interest paid on the U.S. national debt for the month of June was $93.03 billion.

In the fiscal year so far (October 2012 to June 2013), the U.S. government has paid $345.26 billion as interest. For the full fiscal year (ending October 31, 2013), interest rate expense on the U.S. national debt is expected to reach $420.61 billion. (Source: Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service, July 11, 2013.)

That?s almost half a trillion per year on interest payments only! And we must remember the Federal Reserve is keeping interest rates artificially low. If interest rates doubled (which is not a long-shot concept, considering that even if rates did double from here, they would still be below the 30-year average), the government interest rate payments could read $1.0 trillion a year!

Looking at the U.S. national debt as a percentage of our gross domestic product (GDP), it stood at 105.07% at the end of the first quarter of this year. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis web site, last accessed July 19, 2013.)

Comparatively, in the first quarter of 2012, the U.S. national debt-to-GDP ratio was 100.8%. But I thought the Obama Administration said it would cut back on our debt?

Looking back further, in the early 1980s, the ratio of U.S. national debt to GDP stood just above 30%. With the national debt close to reaching $17.0 trillion, looking at the nominal value, the U.S. is the most indebted nation in the global economy.

But this is just one piece of the puzzle. Failing cities, due to staggering budget deficits and troubled states, can cause U.S. national debt to increase even more. We heard Friday morning that Detroit filed for bankruptcy, leaving more than 100,000 creditors astray. (Source:?Detroit Free Press, July 18, 2013.) The federal government bailed out General Motors Company (NYSE/GM); will it bail out ?Motor City??

Dear reader, U.S. national debt has skyrocketed?that?s not a hidden fact anymore. And this is a major concern for the sovereignty of this nation. Our credit rating is still top-notch, but I beg to ask the question: how long can it last?

When the government incurs a budget deficit, it must come up with money to pay for its expenses. The government can pay its bills by either increasing the national debt (selling bonds bought by a Federal Reserve that just prints money and gives it to the government) or by raising taxes. But raising taxes is not popular with politicians because such an action would threaten their chances of getting re-elected.

Higher interest rates are on their way. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury has risen from 1.50% one year ago to 2.47% today. Getting away from annual trillion-dollar deficits will be difficult for the government, as what it saves on budget cuts will be compromised by higher interest payments and possible bailouts for cities and states.

Michael?s Personal Notes:

Wherever we turn to in the media today, we hear or read the?U.S. economy?is witnessing a period of economic growth. The media and politicians cite an improving luxury car market, rising real estate prices, and jobs growth.

On the contrary, and as I have been writing in these pages for months (if not years), economic growth in the U.S. economy can only occur when consumers are optimistic and feel better about spending; the opposite of that is happening right now.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, sales at restaurants and bars in the U.S. economy plummeted the most in June since February of 2008. Sales at restaurants and bars also witnessed a decline in May. (Source:?Wall Street Journal, July 15, 2013.)

In times of economic growth, consumers go out and spend money. As purchases at restaurants and bars are discretionary, this tells me consumers in the U.S. either don?t really want to spend or don?t have much to spend.

U.S. companies are also painting a picture of slowing consumer spending. Consider General Electric Company (NYSE/GE), one of the pioneer companies in the U.S. economy. General Electric (GE) reported second-quarter earnings that beat estimates, but the company?s revenues declined two percent from the same period a year ago. (Source: General Electric Company web site, July 19, 2013.) In times of economic growth, you want to see earnings increasing with revenues.

Why aren?t the consumers in the U.S. economy spending?

Wages of employees in the U.S. economy in real terms, adjusted for inflation, are declining. In June, real average weekly earnings for all employees in the U.S. declined 0.1% from May. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, July 16, 2013.)

The jobs market in the U.S. economy is still weak. The ?official? figures do not include people who have given up looking for work and those who want full-time work but can only get part-time work. And the majority of job creation since the credit crisis hit has been in the low-wage-paying sectors.

Troubles for the average joe just don?t end here. Right now, we are seeing rising oil prices?and this will put more pressure on consumer spending in the U.S.

So what?s the truth of the matter? There is no real economic growth in the U.S. economy.

About the Author?-?Michael Lombardi, MBA?at?Profit Confidential, a daily publication?for Lombardi Financial customers. ?(EconMatters author archive?Here)?

The views and opinions expressed herein are?the author's own, and do not necessarily reflect those of?EconMatters.

? EconMatters All Rights Reserved | Facebook | Twitter | Post Alert | Kindle

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EconMatters/~3/euK6Ho6sqCI/how-us-national-debt-has-taken-on-life.html

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Detroit bankruptcy tests state pension protections

As the once-proud city of Detroit humbles itself in bankruptcy court, its financial future may hinge on this key question: Is the city obliged to its past? Or can Detroit renege on its promises to thousands of retirees for the sake of its present city services?

The legal question at the heart of Detroit's bankruptcy filing has never definitively been answered by the nation's highest courts. But it could become increasingly important as cities from coast to coast are grappling with shortfalls in pension funds that left unchecked could force cutbacks to police, firefighters and other essential city services.

On Wednesday, the federal judge overseeing Detroit's bankruptcy ruled that city employees could not go to state courts to keep their pensions out of the bankruptcy case. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes said he would hear the pensioners' arguments in his court.

Some cities, like Detroit, are located in states where pension benefits are guaranteed in full according to state constitutions, statutes or court precedent. Yet Detroit's emergency manager is asserting that those guarantees go away in federal bankruptcy court, leaving retirees in the same pool as numerous other creditors who may get mere cents for each dollar they are owed.

"There's not a lot of previous case law that tells us what's going to happen here," said Paul Secunda, a Marquette University law professor who specializes in labor and benefits issues.

"It's not just an issue of bankruptcy law and pension law, it's also an issue of federalism," Secunda said. "Can a federal bankruptcy court basically ignore a state constitutional provision and allow a city like Detroit to ignore its previous promises concerning public employee pensions?"

The question matters because pensions pose a major liability for states, counties, cities, schools and other local governmental entities. A report released earlier this year by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that the nation's largest cities had a combined pension shortfall of almost $100 billion and an even larger shortfall in retiree health-care benefits as the nation's financial crisis peaked in the 2009 fiscal year.

Although municipal finances generally have improved since then, many local retirement plans remain on an unsustainable path, the Pew organization said.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr contend that retiree benefits should be able to be trimmed along with other debts to restore the city's finances. Detroit has about 21,000 retired workers who are owed benefits, with underfunded obligations of about $3.5 billion for pensions and $5.7 billion for retiree health coverage.

"There have to be concessions," Orr said earlier this week.

A similar situation is unfolding in Stockton, Calif., which entered bankruptcy in April after its property tax revenues were hit hard by the housing crisis. Stockton owes the California Public Employees' Retirement System about $900 million to cover pension promises, by far the city's largest financial obligation. The city already has tried to save costs elsewhere by slashing employment, cutting health benefits for current workers and limiting its police force to responding only to emergencies in progress.

Bond insurers contend that pension cuts should be part of Stockton's debt reduction plan to be submitted to a bankruptcy judge in September. Attorneys for the creditors argue that employees who benefited when economic times were good should have to share the pain now that times are bad.

But union representatives contend retiree benefits already have been earned and shouldn't be part of the discussion in bankruptcy court.

"It's essentially similar to salary ? you just don't reach inside somebody's savings account and take their pay back, nor should you reach inside their pension and deny them their pension benefits," said Steve Kreisberg, director of collective bargaining and pensions for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

The legal arguments could center on two provisions of the U.S. Constitution ? Article 6, which declares U.S. laws to be supreme; and the 10th Amendment, which reserves for states all powers not constitutionally delegated to the federal government.

Laws governing local public employee pensions are one of those areas left to state control.

Federal bankruptcy laws also require states to grant permission before their local governments can file Chapter 9 municipal bankruptcy cases. Only about half the states have authorized municipal bankruptcy filings, and many of those have done so only in limited circumstances.

The question for courts is whether a state's pension laws take greater precedence because of their 10th Amendment powers, or whether states have essentially waived that right by agreeing to let cities to participate in federal bankruptcy proceedings.

"The cases in Stockton and Detroit are similar in that they will answer the question on how far the U.S. Bankruptcy Code goes and whether that trumps state law," said Karol Denniston, a San Francisco attorney who specializes in municipal restructuring and monitors bankruptcies across the nation. "There are a lot of cities watching how this plays out."

Other recent municipal bankruptcies provide only limited guidance.

Rhode Island lacked a pension-guarantee law similar to Michigan's when the city of Central Falls filed for bankruptcy in 2011. Under a settlement approved last year by a federal bankruptcy judge, some retired Central Falls workers took pension cuts of more than 50 percent. But the state created a fund to help offset some of those lost benefits.

The city of Vallejo, Calif., which filed for bankruptcy in 2008, had threatened to stop paying pension benefits, but an out-of-court settlement was reached that set no precedent on the issue.

If a federal bankruptcy judge in Detroit or Stockton overrules state laws against pension reductions, "we would have a constitutional crisis at that point," said Hank Kim, the executive director of the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems, a trade association for public pension plans.

But it also could provide a path to financial stability for other troubled cities.

"It could potentially have a large impact in how these pension obligations get treated," Secunda said.

___

Associated Press writer Tracie Cone contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/detroit-bankruptcy-tests-state-pension-protections-065517091.html

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Lennox considering moving jobs out of Marshalltown

Lennox confirmed to KCCI on Tuesday that it is considering moving jobs from its Marshalltown plant to Mexico.

KCCI has been working since Monday afternoon to confirm reports with the company of coming job changes. ?On Tuesday, the company answered requests for information.

"It is too early to say how many jobs would be moving to Mexico. This is based on future capacity issues that make expanding its Mexico plant the best option,"?John Hurst told KCCI on Tuesday. He is the vice president of government affairs and communications for Lennox.

Some of the heating system production jobs would go to the facility in Saltillo, Mexico, by 2015, which is undergoing an expansion.

Jeffrey Vajgrt and Mark Mitchell have worked at the Lennox plant in Marshalltown for more than 20 years each.

"I think it is a real bad thing," said Mitchell.

"What's going on is wrong," said Vajgrt.

A fact sheet was handed out to Lennox workers on Monday. It addresses questions like, Why is Lennox proposing to move the jobs, why employees should work hard in the face of these types of decisions and is there a chance the jobs will stay put.

"We put hard work into this company. We work as hard as we possibly can and we product as much as they allow us to product," said Mitchell.

Ron McInroy is the Region 4 director of the United Auto Workers. He oversees Marshalltown local 883, which represents Lennox employees. ?He released a statement about the potential job losses on Tuesday:

Source: http://www.kcci.com/news/central-iowa/lennox-considering-moving-jobs-out-of-marshalltown/-/9357080/21130724/-/m2i2b6/-/index.html?absolute=true

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Gingrich: Why hasn't America progressed on race? (CNN)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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IAAF plans 'comprehensive blood testing' at worlds

MONACO (AP) ? Track and field's governing body will use a "comprehensive blood testing program" at the world championships in Moscow.

The sport has been rocked by several doping scandals, with sprinters Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson among a number of athletes to fail recent tests.

On Wednesday, the IAAF said it will have a "sophisticated anti-doping program" in place for worlds next month.

The IAAF will incorporate the findings into its biological passport program and use it to help detect "steroid or growth hormone doping more relevant to the power disciplines."

The passport program monitors an athlete's blood profile over time to look for any signs of doping.

The IAAF will test approximately 500 urine samples, which will be kept for long-term storage for possible re-analysis.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iaaf-plans-comprehensive-blood-testing-worlds-170254291.html

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Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod Actually Supports Heavier DSLR Cameras

Manfrotto, known for their higher-quality camera stabilization gear, made a mini tripod actually worth using. Unlike the cheap options you'll find, it adjusts easily, won't break after moderate use, and still fits in your pocket.

The downside? It does add a little bulk. To make a mini tripod solid, it seems they needed to add a little extra heft. That said, the negligible size difference won't impact whether or not you can port this tiny guy around or not. The rotating head makes for easy adjustments, and a little push button can lock it in place once you have your camera right where you want it. Although designed for point-and-shoot cameras, this thing can handle DSLRs, too?just don't put a giant lens on it. You can get a crappy alternative for $8, but for $25 the Pixi is a mini tripod you can actually rely on.

Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod ($25) | Amazon via Gear Hungry

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Pir-0v4ARSI/manfrotto-pixi-mini-tripod-actually-supports-heavier-ds-868171807

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The Mystery of Death Valley's "Sailing Stones" Solved (...again)

?I love to sail forbidden seas, ??
Herman Melville in ?Moby Dick? (1851)

Strange tracks cover a muddy plain, located in a remote part of Death Valley National Park, named appropriately Racetrack-Playa. Most of these tracks end behind large boulders of dolostone or syenite, some however start and end without an apparent object nearby. In the first case, it seems reasonable to assume that the rocks moving along the ground formed the furrows ? however nobody ever observed the actual process of formation.

The sailing rocks of Death Valley were studied since 1948, when geologists Jim McAllister and Allen Agnew mapped the area and noted the tracks. In March 1952 geologist Thomas Clement tried to observe the rocks moving, but a heavy thunderstorm forced him into his tent. Only the next morning he noted fresh formed tracks on the ground and a thin layer of water covering the ground.? As most of the tracks coincide with the overall wind direction (southwest to northeast), it was assumed that the wind pushed the rocks over the wet and slippery mud. However this hypothesis could explain only a part of the moving rocks, especially the smaller ones. Curiously there is no correlation between the size of the rock and length of the track, even if it seems that larger boulders seem to travel less than smaller ones.

In the following years the strangest ideas tried to explain the mystery of Racetrack-Playa: extraterrestrials, geologists or animals pushing the stones, a hoax to fool tourists, earthquakes, magnetic or gravitational anomalies and unknown wind and water currents.

Geographer George Stanley Druhot (1914-1983) assumed a dominant role of ice, not only as slippery surface, but also as a sort of sail, when ice forms plates around the boulders and increases the surface on which the wind can act.

In 2010 a research team from various institutions (NASA, Slippery Rock University (!)- Pennsylvania, University of Wyoming) reanalyzed the geological and meteorological conditions at Racetrack-Playa, finding evidence to support Stanley?s idea. Geologist Paula Messina showed that the ground is covered by argillaceous sediments and bacterial mats, forming under wet conditions a very slippery surface. The climatic data showed also that ice can in fact form during wintertime in Death Valley, when also most tracks on Racetrack-Playa are formed.? The ice hypothesis (and similar models) explains also the tracks without apparent object nearby, as the chunk of ice melted after the formation of the track, and the deepening of some furrows behind the respective boulder, as the plate of ice surrounding the boulder melts, the rock tends to sink deeper into the mud.

Most researchers agree that a simplistic ? one factor assuming ? model fails to explain all the sailing rocks. It?s probably the odd combination of mud and bacteria, forming a slippery ground, the topography, forcing the wind into one prevalent direction, the sizes of the boulders, the particular temperature changes experienced in Death Valley and the occasional formation of ice, that like a ghostly hand moves the rocks around the desert.

Bibliography:

MILLER, M.B. (2005): Geological landscapes of the Death Valley region. Earth-Science Review 73:17-30

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/~r/sciam/basic-science/~3/_-zUpd6IBbI/post.cfm

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U.S. Embassy getting Lockheed energy saving capabilities

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 22 (UPI) -- Energy saving capabilities are being provided to the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua by Lockheed Martin.

The company said those capabilities will reduce greenhouse emissions by the embassy -- and dependence on foreign energy -- by more than half.

"Lockheed Martin provides comprehensive energy services to utilities, commercial and government customers," said Roger Flanagan, director of Energy Solutions for Lockheed Martin's Information Systems & Global Solutions. "Our mission-focused management approach, international experience and security expertise will give the [U.S.] Nicaraguan Embassy the necessary capabilities to meet its energy and sustainability goals."

Under the contract, Lockheed will install solar photovoltaic generation, lighting upgrades and controls, chiller plant upgrades, building automation system optimization and transformer upgrades.

The investment cost of $15 million by the embassy will result in more than $36 million in energy costs over 25 years, the company said.

Lockheed said the contract received in the form of a task order under the Department of Energy's Energy Savings Performance Contracts vehicle that allows federal agencies to accomplish energy savings projects without up-front capital costs -- money saved through upgrades repay the cost of the projects, which are financed through third-party loan.

Source: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2013/07/22/US-Embassy-getting-Lockheed-energy-saving-capabilities/UPI-24941374514966/

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How to Get Rid of Google's Annoying New Gmail Ads

Google's new tabbed inbox is designed to declutter your email, but actually it's a bit irritating. If you are using it, though, you may have noticed a new rash of irritating, targeted ads that look like email. The good news is, you don't have to put up with them.

Read more...

Source: http://gizmodo.com/googles-annoying-new-gmail-ads-and-how-to-get-rid-of-877511647

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Martino new Barca coach - reports

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Spanish champions Barcelona chose Argentine Gerardo Martino as their new coach, to replace throat-cancer victim Tito Vilanova.

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Madrid ? Spanish champions Barcelona Monday chose Argentine Gerardo Martino as their new coach, to replace throat-cancer victim Tito Vilanova.

Martino, 50, has agreed to a three-year contract with Barca. The official announcement will be made later.

The agreement was made by video conference. His assistants will be fellow Argentines Elvio Paolorroso and Jorge Pautasso, who worked with him recently at Newell's Old Boys.

Martino has never coached in Europe before but has been in charge of many sides in Argentina as well as the Paraguayan national team. In addition, he is a close friend of Barca idol Lionel Messi and his father Jorge. They come from the same Argentine city of Rosario.

Martino was voted Newell's best player ever in a recent poll by the club's fans.

He is due to arrive in Spain Wednesday but will not make his debut on the Barca bench in Wednesday's high-profile friendly at European champions Bayern Munich.

Assistant coach Rubi will be in charge of Barca in Munich. Martino will start work Thursday, after being presented to the fans and media.

Barca have been looking for a new coach since Friday, when the 44 year-old Vilanova stepped down because of the intensive treatment he will need in his battle against Parotid gland cancer.

Vilanova, who was only in the job for a year - after four years as assistant to Pep Guardiola - will continue at the club in an unspecified position.

The first options as replacements were Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde, but these were unavailable due to having recently signed for Celta Vigo and Athletic Bilbao respectively.

Other coaches considered by Barca were Marcelo Bielsa, Jupp Heynckes, Michael Laudrup and Oscar Garcia.

An online poll taken Monday by Mundo Deportivo showed only half of readers in favour of the appointment of Martino, whilst a similar poll taken by rival paper Sport showed only 41 per cent in favour. ? Sapa-dpa

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/martino-new-barca-coach-reports-1.1550833

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Bryan Cranston Wore A Heisenberg Mask To Comic-Con - Business ...

Bryan Cranston wore the best costume to Comic-Con.

The actor?dressed up as his "Breaking Bad" character complete with a Heisenberg mask and no one knew.

According to AMC, he walked the floors of the San Diego Convention Center and blended right in with the crowd.

Celebrities, take note. This is how you walk through crowds of fans without getting noticed.

It wasn't until he arrived at the "Breaking Bad" panel Sunday and took off the mask that people realized it was Cranston wearing the clever disguise.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Then things got weird.

Cranston started making out with the mask.

Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Actor Aaron Paul who plays Cranston's partner-in-crime Jesse Pinkman got in on the action, too.

Creator Vince Gilligan had the best reaction:

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/bryan-cranston-heisenberg-mask-2013-7

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Indianapolis Personal Injury Lawyers: Is My Child's Playground Safe ...

Warm weather typically brings Indiana?s parents and children out to the playgrounds for a bit of seasonal fun and fresh air. In most instances, it?s an enjoyable occasion for all involved. However, there are things that can go wrong. According to national data, there are typically 200,000+ injuries that take place at?playgrounds?each year. More than half are said to be associated with faulty playground equipment, substandard surfaces and poor design. The types of injuries run the gamut. They include, but are not limited to head trauma, thermal burns, fractures, sprains and lacerations. In some playground injury cases, even death has occurred.

So how can Hoosiers know if their child?s playground is safe? We?d suggest taking a critical look at the type of playground equipment present and its condition. Look for such things as sun exposed metal slides, frayed rope plank swings, rusty metal merry-go-rounds, off balance see-saws and monkey bars with missing parts. Be sure to check the clearance around those items too.

You?ll also want to examine the surface of the playground. Ideally, it should be clean and feature appropriate cushioning (i.e. rubber or sand) in key areas. Those key locations include the spots around swing sets, slides and climbing areas. The depth of the cushioning will vary based on the type of materials used. However, most suitable materials require a depth level of 5 to 11 inches. Looking to ensure that proper fencing, lighting and maintained sidewalks are present is a good idea as well.

Hoosiers that want to take their playground inspection a step further may want to go online and check for two things. Those two things are playground equipment recalls and grades. Playground equipment recalls are usually posted on multiple government sponsored sites. Indiana?s playground grades, on the other hand, tend to be listed on the National Program for Playground Safety site. It assigns letter grades to our state?s playgrounds that indicate how safe those areas are.

If your child does end up injured due to an Indiana playground?s unsafe conditions,?contact?the Ken Nunn Law Office. Our?Indianapolis personal injury lawyers?will help you seek compensation for your child?s injuries. We have been helping to protect Indiana?s families from negligent manufacturers for years. Contact us today for a free evaluation of your playground accident case.

Source: http://kennunn.com/blog/indianapolis-personal-injury-lawyers-is-my-childs-playground-safe/

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US: California county clerks urge court to continue to allow same-sex marriage licences

County clerks in the US state of California have urged courts to continue to allow the issue of same-sex marriage licences, despite calls from some for further clarification on the Supreme Court?s Proposition 8 ruling.

On Friday,?The San Diego county clerk filed a petition which seeks a court order to exempt California county clerks from issuing marriage licences to gay couples.

Twenty-four county clerks from around California weighed in to say that there should be no interruption to the issuing of marriage licences to same-sex couples.

The US Supreme Court last month refused to rule on the case of Proposition 8, California?s state-wide ban on equal marriage. It therefore deferred to the District Court?s 2010 ruling, allowing same-sex weddings to resume.

Despite two court filings challenging the decision by the Supreme Court by arguing that the Proposition 8 ruling only applied to the plaintiffs in the case, the 24 clerks said that it should apply state-wide.

The Supreme Court in the US state of California already refused to halt the resume of same-sex marriages in the state earlier this week,?following the US Supreme Court?s ruling last month, and a petition filed challenging it.

Earlier this month supporters of California?s Proposition 8 filed a petition to the state Supreme Court?challenging the recent resume of same-sex wedding ceremonies, however the Supreme Court refused to do so.

The first same-sex wedding took place between the plaintiffs who brought the case against Prop 8 at the end of June, following the Supreme Court declining to take up the case, and as the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals since gave the green light for same-sex weddings to resume.

The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals previously lifted its stay on an injunction, which had ordered state officials to stop enforcing Prop 8, meaning marriage licenses could immediately be issued to same-sex?couples.

Discuss this ?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Pinknews/~3/vUiiNZqC2Qk/

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Mayor: Cleveland suspect 'idolized' local serial killer

Three bodies have been discovered in East Cleveland, Ohio, police say, and a man is in custody in connection with the case.

"We are dealing with a sick individual, and we have reason to believe that there might be more victims," East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton told CNN.

All three victims appear to be young black women, their decomposing bodies wrapped in layers of plastic and taped up, according to authorities.

Two bodies were found Saturday, one in the basement of an abandoned house, the other in a field nearby. The first victim was found Friday in a garage on the same block after police received a call about a foul odor.

The first victim was found naked with indications of trauma, police say. The second victim was found wearing a green hoodie, and the third was wearing a leopard print leotard.

The garage where the first victim was found was leased to Michael Madison, according to Detective Sgt. Scott Gardner with the East Cleveland police.

Authorities obtained a search warrant for Madison's apartment and found "additional evidence of decomposition" there, he said.

The 35-year-old suspect was later located and taken into custody without incident after a standoff at his mother's house.

According to police, Madison was convicted of attempted rape in 2001 and is a registered sex offender.

CNN could not immediately reach a representative for Madison.

Source: http://www.wdsu.com/news/national/mayor-cleveland-suspect-idolized-local-serial-killer/-/9853500/21088938/-/kw46sz/-/index.html?absolute=true

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Greening of the Earth pushed way back in time

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Conventional scientific wisdom has it that plants and other creatures have only lived on land for about 500 million years, but a new study is pointing to evidence for life on land that is four times as old -- at 2.2 billion years ago and almost half way back to the inception of the planet.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/c2OWlGvZPMM/130722141548.htm

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Israel to free 'around 80' Palestinian prisoners: official

JERUSALEM: Israel is set to decide on the release of around 80 long-serving Palestinian prisoners ahead of renewed peace talks, an Israeli official said on Monday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Friday that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators had agreed to meet to prepare a resumption of direct peace talks, stalled since 2010.

"The prisoner releases will start when talks commence," the Israeli official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We're talking about releasing them in stages."

There were "some 80 prisoners" set to be released, all of them "pre-Oslo," the official added, referring to Palestinians imprisoned before the 1993 Oslo peace accords.

The official would not say when a decision on their release would be made, and by whom -- whether the issue would go before the government, ministers or just Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli radio said Netanyahu would present the issue to his cabinet "in the next few days" ahead of the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators scheduled for early next week.

The official could not confirm the report.

The last round of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2010 over the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Kerry on Friday gave away very little about the initial agreement.

Israeli officials have hailed it as a "success" as it did not entail the Palestinian "preconditions" of a freeze on settlement construction or the pre-1967 borders as a basis for negotiations.

But Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has repeatedly stressed his demands for a freeze on settlement building on occupied land and release of prisoners held by Israel must be met before the talks can resume.

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Jul-22/224570-israel-to-free-around-80-palestinian-prisoners-official.ashx

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Baseball signed by Babe Ruth among unclaimed items on state auction block

Some historic items ? including a baseball signed by iconic home run-hitter Babe Ruth ? will be auctioned off this week by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Minnesota Public Radio reports.

The two-day auction is for unclaimed items found in Minnesota bank safety deposit boxes.

According to KSTP-TV, the state Department of Commerce tries to contact the rightful owners of unclaimed possessions for about 10 years, and if they can?t be found, state law mandates that the items must go up for bids at a public auction.

In addition to the Ruth-autographed baseball (pictured, above) historic items available at the auction include World War II-era daggers, a homestead document signed by President Ulysses S. Grant, a classic Walt Disney stock certificate and a photo of baseball great Joe DiMaggio autographed by the ?Yankee Clipper? on the backside.

Other items on auction block include a $1,000 bill and a 19-karat gold wristwatch.

Upsula, Minn.-based Schultz Auctioneers is conducting the auction, which in total numbers about 5,000 items.

Auctioneer Mike Schultz says ?right at the moment,? there are items ranging from $25 to $4,000 to $5,000 up for bids.

The last state Department of Commerce auction 10 years ago brought in approximately $250,000, KSTP reports.

The is set for Thursday and Friday at the Sheraton Minneapolis West Hotel in Minnetonka, while a preview is scheduled for Wednesday.

Bids are also being accepted online. As of midday Sunday, bids for the Ruth-autographed baseball were up to $1,800.

See KSTP?s report on the auction below.

Source: http://www.bringmethenews.com/2013/07/21/baseball-signed-by-babe-ruth-among-unclaimed-items-on-state-auction-block/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=baseball-signed-by-babe-ruth-among-unclaimed-items-on-state-auction-block

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Wisconsin gained 13,800 jobs in June, state prelim report says

Reggie Newson, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Andrew Phillips, The Business Journal

Wisconsin gained 13,800 private sector jobs in June, according to estimates released Thursday by the state Department of Workforce Development.

The state gained 17,500 total nonfarm jobs, according to the estimates, which are based on a survey of employers. Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson said the estimates should be viewed with caution.

"As we?ve said time and again, however, we urge the public to look at all economic indicators, including actual job counts," Newson said.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vertical_49/~3/ht9AVKvOcCg/wis-gained-13800-jobs-in-june-state.html

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AlsoEnergy Rolls Out New Renewable Energy Solutions at Intersolar North America

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://itbriefing.net/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=445314

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Just Saw Jaws On Nfl Live

Posted Today, 05:32 AM

language is always in flux,even old Ben Franklin wanted to "simplify"the English spelling to a phonetic spelling,things like KNIFE are old English,eventually those words will change due to common usage spelling.How many people still use ye or thou, those are just 2 words gone from our common lexicon.OK,sorry,I am bored,and have the grand kids for a couple weeks,my constant companion right now is a 4 year old.I guess this is in reaction to an overdose of umizumi.please let the season start soon,can't wait much longer.

Source: http://boards.atlantafalcons.com/topic/3980892-just-saw-jaws-on-nfl-live/

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PARIS: G-20 to multinationals: Pay more taxes | National Business ...

Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF), attends a meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Moscow, Russia, Friday, July 19, 2013. Stashing profits offshore may soon get tougher for companies, thanks to an ambitious plan released Friday by the finance chiefs of leading world economies aimed at forcing multinationals to pay more taxes. Low tax payments by major global companies - including Google, Amazon, Facebook and Starbucks - have sparked public anger in Europe recently, as governments are struggling with high debts, low growth and austerity measures that are hitting ordinary taxpayers.

ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO ? AP Photo

PARIS ? Stashing profits offshore may soon get tougher for companies, thanks to an ambitious plan released Friday by the finance chiefs of leading world economies aimed at forcing multinationals to pay more taxes.

Low tax payments by major global companies ? including Google, Amazon, Facebook and Starbucks ? have sparked public anger in Europe recently, as governments are struggling with high debts, low growth and austerity measures that are hitting ordinary taxpayers.

"National tax laws have not kept pace with the globalization of corporations and the digital economy, leaving gaps that can be exploited by multinational corporations to artificially reduce their taxes," the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said in announcing the new tax plan Friday. It was unveiled at a meeting of the Group of 20 finance ministers in Moscow.

The Paris-based OECD says that the new 15-point plan includes ways to close loopholes and allow countries to tax profits held in offshore subsidiaries. If it is adopted, the measures would be implemented over the next two years and target such practices as deducting the same expense more than once, in more than one country.

The plan also has a special focus on the online economy, where commerce flows across borders constantly and it's harder to tie revenue and profit to a single country.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew hailed the plan as a "major step toward addressing tax avoidance by multinational firms." In a statement out of Washington, he said, "We must address the persistent issue of 'stateless income,' which undermines confidence in our tax system at all levels."

The plan's designers insist it isn't anti-business, and is in part aimed at making things more consistent for companies and governments.

Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, the host of Friday's G-20 meetings, said it's aimed at allowing "multinational corporations to prosper without loading a higher tax burden on domestic companies and individual taxpayers."

G-20 finance officials are also looking at giving countries a score of 1 to 4 depending on how cooperative they are with other governments on tax evasion, tax fraud and money laundering.

The OECD has been at the forefront of efforts to tackle tax evasion, especially since the global financial meltdown five years ago. But repeated pledges at G-20 meetings have not always lived up to their promise, and companies around the world continue to turn regularly to tax havens to reduce their tax burden.

The problem has gained urgency as European governments, struggling with exceptionally tight budgets, become more determined to recover any revenue they can from rich companies seen as avoiding fair taxes.

Over the past year, Britain, France and Germany have pushed particularly hard for more coordinated international efforts to get corporations paying more taxes. But some countries in Europe, such as Ireland and Luxembourg, have been reluctant to join in because they currently attract major companies by offering low corporate taxes.

Last month, an influential committee of British lawmakers issued a scathing report that said Google made highly contrived arrangements serving no purpose other than to avoid paying full taxes.

Google argues that its practices are legal and transparent, and that the overwhelming majority of sales actually occur at the company's European head office in Ireland ? where corporate tax rates are much lower than Britain.

Advocates for the world's poor welcomed Friday's pledge, but some said it still doesn't go far enough.

Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan urged the leaders of the G-20 to set aside differences and adopt the tax evasion plan when they meet in Russia in September.

In a post on the website of the Elders, a group of leading elder statesmen, he criticized "the corrosive effects of unfair tax practices."

"Something is indeed gravely amiss when multi-billion dollar companies are paying a lower rate of tax than the citizens from whom they derive their profits," he wrote.

He said Africa in particular has suffered, noting that it loses more in illicit financial outflows than it receives in international aid.

Washington-based nongovernmental group Global Financial Integrity said the OECD should have pushed for even more tax transparency by companies, such as listing how much money they earn in each country.

"Requiring companies to disclose where they're operating, where they're making their profits, and where they're paying taxes is a straightforward way to detect and deter corporate tax dodging," it said.

Source: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/07/19/3592498/g20-finance-plan-targets-taxes.html

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Kerry wins Arab backing on Mideast peace effort

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry won Arab League backing Wednesday for his effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, raising hopes that the stalled negotiations could resume.

Kerry cited significant progress in narrowing gaps between the two sides, but he declined to elaborate. On Thursday, aides said Kerry will remain in Amman until Friday to determine if there is additional work that requires his presence. Kerry had planned to return home Thursday.

On his sixth trip to the Middle East in as many months as America's top diplomat, Kerry met Wednesday in Jordan with representatives of the Arab League and nine of its members that support an Arab-Israeli peace plan proposed by Saudi Arabia.

In a statement after the meeting, the Arab delegation endorsed Kerry's initiative, saying his ideas "constitute a good ground and suitable environment for restarting the negotiations, especially the new and important political, economic and security elements."

The statement was significant because it could give Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas the political cover he would need to sell a return to negotiations to a skeptical Palestinian public.

Abbas was to convene a meeting Thursday of the PLO leadership to discuss the matter.

Kerry met with Abbas in Amman on Wednesday afternoon; they also had a lengthy working dinner Monday night.

At a news conference after the Arab League and Abbas meetings, Kerry mentioned "very wide" and "very significant" gaps between Israelis and Palestinians that had prevented the two sides from restarting talks when his efforts began several months ago.

"Through hard and deliberate, patient work, and most importantly through quiet work we have been able to narrow those gaps very significantly," he said.

"We continue to get closer and I continue to remain hopeful that the sides will soon be able to come to sit at the same table," he said.

Kerry refused to discuss details of the proposals he laid out to the Arab officials or how the gap with the Israelis had narrowed.

As Abbas prepared to meet with his top aides Thursday, Palestinian officials said Kerry had expressed hope that some kind of framework for doing so could be reached as early as Friday.

"The Palestinians are cooperating but it is time for the Israeli side to show the same cooperation," said the Palestinians' foreign minister, Riad al-Malki, who attended the Amman meeting.

Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Ishtayeh echoed that view.

"We are keen to see Kerry's efforts work, but so far there are no promising signs from the Israeli side," Ishtayeh said.

It was unclear whether Kerry would meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or any of his top aides. Israel was not currently on Kerry's itinerary, although officials said that could change.

Abbas has refused to negotiate unless Israel halts all construction in West Bank settlements. Israel has refused, saying negotiations should resume without conditions. Kerry has offered the Palestinians a package of economic incentives to restart the talks.

Kerry has spent hours with Abbas and Netanyahu trying to set the stage for a return to peace talks that foundered and collapsed in 2008. Kerry insists progress has been made, but there have been few, if any, discernible signs that the two sides are getting closer to agreeing to discuss the major issues that divide them.

In addition to the peace process, Kerry was updating the Arabs on U.S. support for the Syrian opposition and attempts to convene an international conference to establish a transition government there, as well as Washington's position on Egypt's political turmoil.

Jordan's foreign minister, Nasser Judeh, said Kerry expressed concern about the economic impact the humanitarian crisis in Syria has had in Jordan, which hosts more than a half million displaced Syrians.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-wins-arab-backing-mideast-peace-effort-144028349.html

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Kerry visits Syrian refugee camp in Jordan

ZAATARI, Jordan (AP) ? U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday visited a camp for Syrian refugees displaced by the fighting in their country, hearing first-hand accounts from Syrians who have fled what the U.N. says is the worst humanitarian crisis in decades.

In Jordan on his sixth trip to the Middle East as secretary of state, Kerry flew Thursday to the Zaatari camp north of Amman, just south of the Syrian border. He was accompanied by Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh.

Kerry, who spent his time at the camp's administrative base and did not tour the living quarters for security reasons, met with six refugees who appealed for the U.S. and others to do more militarily to support the opposition. During the 40-minute meeting, they expressed their anger at what they called inaction and indifference on the part of the international community.

"We are begging you for a no-fly zone," said Jamalat Abu al-Hariri, who fled her home in Daara, the Syrian city closest to Zaatari. All the refugees, including three more women and a man from Daraa and one woman from Homs, urged Kerry to back a no-fly zone and set up safe havens on Syrian soil.

Kerry responded: "A lot of different options are under consideration. I wish it was very simple. As you know, we've been fighting two wars for 12 years. We are trying to help in various ways, including helping Syrian opposition fighters have weapons. We are doing new things. There is consideration of buffer zones and other things but it is not as simple as it sounds."

Another refugee, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said: "Mr. Secretary, if the situation remains unchanged until the end of Ramadan this camp will become empty. We will return to Syria and we will fight with knives.

"You as the U.S. government look to Israel with respect," she said. "Cannot you do the same with the children of Syria?"

After the meeting Kerry told reporters he understood the refugees' concerns but stressed that the U.S. is the largest provider of humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, both inside the country and in camps.

"I think they are frustrated and angry at the world for not stepping up," he said. "If I was in their shoes I would be looking for help wherever I could find it. I share their passion and frustration for the plight that they face on a day-to-day basis."

The camp houses about 105,000 people, making it the fourth largest city in Jordan, which is now home to more than 600,000 Syrian refugees and is struggling to cope with their presence. Turkey and Lebanon are also hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees.

The Zaatari camp was set up in July 2012. At the high point in April, an average of 1,500 people arrived each day. The current population is down from a high of nearly 130,000 because some people are leaving ? some to go back to join the fight, some to tend to properties in areas that are relatively safe and some into Jordan proper if they can prove they have relatives already there.

But people are still arriving, although in much smaller numbers than before; most Syrians who lived closest to the border are already in Jordan and the new arrivals are coming from farther away. One hundred arrivals Wednesday night had spent 17 days on the road coming from the Homs area, about 200 miles away. The start of Ramadan may also play a role in the reduced influx of refugees.

Their stories are getting worse, according to Killian Kleinschmidt, the camp manager for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

"The conflict has reached a level of brutality that is unbelievable," he told Kerry, who asked questions about the camp's administration, security and living conditions.

Kleinschmidt said every family can tell stories of rape, torture, arrest and disappearances. Children draw "horrible pictures of destruction," he said. Of the total camp population, 60,000 are children and there are 10-12 births a day.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kerry-visits-syrian-refugee-camp-jordan-092425977.html

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Nelson Mandela's legacy ? and its limitations

When talk turns to the legacy of Nelson Mandela, who turns 95 on Thursday, I remember one of my most memorable moments in journalism.

It was 1985, and I was in South Africa as part of the ?Nightline? coverage of that nation, which was still under the apartheid rule of the white minority government. Through a chain of contacts, we?d arranged an interview with an African National Congress official named Patrick Lekota, who was being hunted by authorities for treason. His nickname, ?Terror,? might have given credibility to the accusation, except that it came from his aggressive play on the soccer field.

Lekota talked of the life he had led before he?d gone underground; a life that included time on Robben Island in the prison where Mandela had been held for 18 of his 27 years in custody. Lekota also spoke of harassment by the government and the deaths by official hand of many of his colleagues.

He also said that before going underground, he'd spent many nights driving a sound track around Soweto, South Africa?s largest black township. He played speeches of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy?speeches that urged a nonviolent struggle.

Why, I asked Lekota, after all you and your colleagues have gone through, after all that has been inflicted on the black majority, do you embrace nonviolence?

Because,he said, ?if we win with bloodshed ... we will have lost.?

There is no way to minimize or trivialize the meaning of what Nelson Mandela did in waging the nonviolent fight against apartheid as he did.

Five years after that trip to South Africa, I went back and heard the just-freed Mandela give a speech to a rapturous crowd in a massive Soweto soccer stadium. His approach was a key to convincing the country's president, F.W. de Klerk, that apartheid had to end and that black majority rule was inevitable. That, in turn, spared South Africa a racial war and the twisted mutation of "majority rule" in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe.

There is also no way to avoid the limitations of Mandela?s legacy.

It could not prevent the installation of successor presidents who inflicted real damage on their country. Thabo Mbeki?s refusal to understand the link between the HIV virus and AIDS is one reason why South Africa has the world?s largest HIV/AIDS population. The current president, Jacob Zuma, has remained in office despite highly credible charges of rape and corruption.

It wouldn?t be fair to expect one larger-than-life leader to prevent the kind of failures that afflict governments all around the world. Nor should we expect South Africa to be free from the kind of political infighting common to free governments. (Patrick Lekota, minister of defense under President Mbkei, now leads an opposition party).

But far more serious afflictions bedevil South Africa. Decades of white supremacist rule have left the black majority in an economic state that political emancipation cannot uproot. Today, the country's official jobless rate is 25 percent ? a level seen in the U.S. at the depths of the Great Depression. Crime is a serious enough issue there that the State Department issued a travel warning last month labeling Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria ?critical crime threat spots.?

Our own nation serves as a lesson here. In the early 20th century, blacks in the South, a region with state-sanctioned peonage and terror, began fleeing in massive numbers ? a migration described brilliantly by Isabel Wilkerson in her book ?The Warmth of Other Suns.? In 1910, 90 percent of all blacks lived in the South; by 1960, barely half did. The impact of that migration still is felt today, a hundred years after it began. It would be naive to think that the effects of the system imposed by white South Africans on the black majority decades ago would not endure long after apartheid came to an end.

Nelson Mandela?s commitment to a peaceful path to justice did not, and could not,deliver his nation from the consequences of its past. But what he did, and what his nation was spared, is more than enough to celebrate.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nelson-mandela-s-legacy----and-its-limits-185421472.html

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