Florida redistricting looking even worse - Le?gal In?sur?rec?tion

I posted the other day about how Allen West was getting hurt in the Florida redistricting.

I linked to the Shark Tank, a Florida blog, which gave background going back several months about how Allen West was being targeted for unusually harsh treatment by fellow Republicans in the state legislature.

A natural response, which in fact is what happened, would be to chalk it all up to the supposedly?immovable force of redistricting laws.? That?s a hard sell on the surface since if it merely were a matter of punching in the numbers and seeing what came out, there would have been no need for months of discussions and negotiations.

But that becomes harder to believe considering this?commentary by J.E. Dyer in HotAir?s Greenroom about which?two Republicans are hurt the most:

To point out some more ?obvious,? this is a Republican-controlled legislature.? Did the Republicans allow other GOP-held Congressional seats to be severely jeopardized by the new district lines?? Apparently, only one.? An analysis done for the Washington Post last week indicates that Allen West?s and Tom Rooney?s seats are the ones in the most danger.? Getting positive help from the redistricting are Republicans Dan Webster, Sandy Adams, Mario Diaz-Balart, and John Mica.

Redistricting isn?t as easy as it looks, of course.? But it is not believable that it is either a fully non-partisan process ? when anyone is doing it ? or that the Florida GOP leadership was neutral as to which seats were jeopardized by their plan.

One possibility is that Republican leaders thought West and Rooney were the most likely to achieve reelection in newly hostile districts.? They haven?t said that, so that?s pure speculation based on trying to put this in a positive light.

Meanwhile, who are Florida?s arguably most outspoken, conservative Republican Congressmen?? West and Rooney.

Update: Mark Levin interviewed West on January 30.? West stated that maps were submitted to the legislature which would have kept his district intact and still been in compliance with state and federal law.? Levin said he did not believe the excuses being made that the map had to be drawn the way it was as a matter of law.

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Source: http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/01/florida-redistricting-looking-even-worse/

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Nixon clarifies: 'Bisexuality is not a choice'

By Brandi Fowler, E! Online

Cynthia Nixon, who shaved her head for her new Broadway role, is now clarifying her earlier statement that she believed being gay is a choice.

Cynthia Nixon is backtracking on her controversial "being gay is a choice" interview, which landed her in hot water with the gay community last week.

The "Sex and the City" alum issued a new statement to the Advocate today after recently telling the New York Times Magazine that, for her, homosexuality "is a choice."

MORE from E!: Cynthia Nixon and Girlfriend Have a Baby!

"My recent comments in The New York Times were about me and my personal story of being gay," Nixon told the Advocate. "I believe we all have different ways we came to the gay community and we can't and shouldn't be pigeon-holed into one cultural narrative which can be uninclusive and disempowering. However, to the extent that anyone wishes to interpret my words in a strictly legal context I would like to clarify:

"While I don't often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have 'chosen' is to be in a gay relationship.

"As I said in the Times and will say again here, I do, however, believe that most members of our community -- as well as the majority of heterosexuals -- cannot and do not choose the gender of the persons with whom they seek to have intimate relationships because, unlike me, they are only attracted to one sex.

"Our community is not a monolith, thank goodness, any more than America itself is. I look forward to and will continue to work toward the day when America recognizes all of us as full and equal citizens."

MORE from E!: Cynthia Nixon on Gay Rights: "People Have a Lot of Fear"

Nixon and her partner, Christine Marinoni are parents to 11-month-old Max Ellington.

The couple began dating in 2004, after the newly cemented Broadway star broke off her long-term relationship with photographer Danny Mozes, with whom she has two children.

Nixon and Marinoni were later engaged in 2009.

PHOTOS from E!: A Brief History of Gays on TV

More in msnbc Entertainment:?

Source: http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/30/10273509-cynthia-nixon-now-says-bisexuality-is-not-a-choice

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Shirley MacLaine to join TV show 'Downton Abbey' (AP)

LONDON ? Oscar-winning actress Shirley MacLaine is joining Britain's popular television series "Downton Abbey."

The 77-year-old will join the cast when they start filming next month.

She will play the mother of Lady Grantham, portrayed by Elizabeth McGovern, in the third season of the hit period drama, which took Golden Globe and Emmy prizes for best miniseries or TV movie.

Gareth Neame of Carnival Films, which produces the show, said Monday that MacLaine's character will be a "wonderful combatant" for Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess.

The series have garnered large numbers of fans in Britain, the U.S. and elsewhere.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_en_tv/eu_britain_tv_downton_abbey

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FASEB SRC announces conference registration open for: Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression: Mechanisms of MRNA Decay

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Emily Benson
SRC@faseb.org
301-634-7010
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

Bethesda, MD The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) announces the opening of registration for the Science Research Conference (SRC): Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression: Mechanisms of mRNA Decay.

This conference will take place June 24-29, 2012 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The goal of the conference is to improve our current understanding of the fundamental mechanisms by which post-transcriptional control of RNA stability and translation regulates gene expression in normal and disease states. The program will consist of sessions that will broadly address cutting-edge issues including 5' and 3' end control of mRNA decay, subcellular localization of mRNA translation and decay, and RNA-binding proteins and mRNA fate. Small poster sessions will also enable all participants to contribute to, and learn about, these topics. There is also free time in the program for informal discussions among established and junior principal investigators, post-doctoral trainees and graduate students from the U.S. and abroad. This meeting will bring together sets of researchers who, despite having converging interests, have infrequent opportunities to meet as a group. A particular attraction is to bring together researchers focused on prokaryotic and eukaryotic features of post-transcriptional control to exchange information and stimulate new ideas. The resulting discussions and cross-fertilization will help define critical areas to propel this field forward.

###

Since 1982, FASEB SRC has offered a continuing series of inter-disciplinary exchanges that are recognized as a valuable complement to the highly successful society meetings. Divided into small groups, scientists from around the world meet intimately and without distractions to explore new approaches to those research areas undergoing rapid scientific changes.

In recent years, the SRC series has expanded into non-summer months. To better enhance the SRC series and allow for future expansion of conferences, FASEB's Office of Scientific Meetings and Conferences recently changed the SRC name from Summer Research Conferences to Science Research Conferences.

FASEB SRC has announced a total of 36 SRCs in 2012, spanning from June through October. To register for an SRC, view preliminary programs, or find a listing of all our 2012 SRCs, please visit http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

Additionally, in efforts to continue expanding the SRC series, potential organizers are encouraged to contact SRC staff at SRC@faseb.org. Proposal guidelines can be found by clicking "Submit a Proposal" on our website at http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Celebrating 100 Years of Advancing the Life Sciences in 2012, FASEB is rededicating its efforts to advance health and well-being by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 30-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Emily Benson
SRC@faseb.org
301-634-7010
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

Bethesda, MD The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) announces the opening of registration for the Science Research Conference (SRC): Post-transcriptional Control of Gene Expression: Mechanisms of mRNA Decay.

This conference will take place June 24-29, 2012 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The goal of the conference is to improve our current understanding of the fundamental mechanisms by which post-transcriptional control of RNA stability and translation regulates gene expression in normal and disease states. The program will consist of sessions that will broadly address cutting-edge issues including 5' and 3' end control of mRNA decay, subcellular localization of mRNA translation and decay, and RNA-binding proteins and mRNA fate. Small poster sessions will also enable all participants to contribute to, and learn about, these topics. There is also free time in the program for informal discussions among established and junior principal investigators, post-doctoral trainees and graduate students from the U.S. and abroad. This meeting will bring together sets of researchers who, despite having converging interests, have infrequent opportunities to meet as a group. A particular attraction is to bring together researchers focused on prokaryotic and eukaryotic features of post-transcriptional control to exchange information and stimulate new ideas. The resulting discussions and cross-fertilization will help define critical areas to propel this field forward.

###

Since 1982, FASEB SRC has offered a continuing series of inter-disciplinary exchanges that are recognized as a valuable complement to the highly successful society meetings. Divided into small groups, scientists from around the world meet intimately and without distractions to explore new approaches to those research areas undergoing rapid scientific changes.

In recent years, the SRC series has expanded into non-summer months. To better enhance the SRC series and allow for future expansion of conferences, FASEB's Office of Scientific Meetings and Conferences recently changed the SRC name from Summer Research Conferences to Science Research Conferences.

FASEB SRC has announced a total of 36 SRCs in 2012, spanning from June through October. To register for an SRC, view preliminary programs, or find a listing of all our 2012 SRCs, please visit http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

Additionally, in efforts to continue expanding the SRC series, potential organizers are encouraged to contact SRC staff at SRC@faseb.org. Proposal guidelines can be found by clicking "Submit a Proposal" on our website at http://www.faseb.org/SRC.

FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Celebrating 100 Years of Advancing the Life Sciences in 2012, FASEB is rededicating its efforts to advance health and well-being by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/foas-fsa_16013012.php

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Costs in doubt as NATO moves toward smaller Afghan force (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? As NATO nations revise their plans for standing up local security forces in Afghanistan, doubts are growing over whether the West will be willing to pay for even a smaller Afghan force seen as key to keeping militants at bay as foreign troops go home.

U.S. and NATO officials have been moving toward a decision on a revised target for Afghanistan's fledgling army and police, possibly leaving them much smaller than the goal of 352,000 already approved by the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to be reached by October 2012.

While no final decisions have been made, a likely scenario would involve an annual U.S. contribution of around $3 billion to $4 billion, with around another $1 billion from other NATO nations and a token contribution from the Afghan government.

A Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the deliberations about the size and cost of the future Afghan forces would balance national security needs with the fiscal realities of Afghanistan and the nations that make up the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Maintaining an Afghan force of 352,000 would cost more than the Afghan government could afford and exceed Western nations' likely contribution, the diplomat said.

"European countries are looking hard at what they can contribute," the diplomat said.

Building a sufficiently strong, capable local security force is crucial to the Obama administration's plan to reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan more than 10 years after the Taliban government was toppled - without allowing the country to disintegrate into civil war.

Some NATO nations have seen the goal of building the police and army to 352,000 as a temporary, or "surge," target, which would make the force large enough to confront a tenacious Taliban, but would then subside over time. That view is not shared by all officials in Washington.

The issue was discussed initially at a meeting on Afghanistan in Bonn, Germany, last month, where U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged fellow foreign ministers to "better define" NATO's future in Afghanistan and their likely financial support for Afghan forces.

Details of respective funding pledges, which to a large extent will determine how large an Afghan force is possible, may not be announced until a NATO summit to be held in Chicago in May. But European diplomats have said that a plateau force of 250,000 might be more realistic.

Such a scenario would be far less costly than the annual $130 billion Washington currently spends in Afghanistan, and it would represent around a third of the $11 billion the Obama administration put forward for Afghan forces in fiscal 2012.

Still, it would leave Washington responsible for the bulk of the cost, a prospect unlikely to be popular among U.S. lawmakers as pressure to cut costs in an election year grows. The fiscal situation is even more ominous in Europe, where the credit ratings of nine of 17 euro zone countries were downgraded last week.

The Afghan government, expected to require about $7 billion a year in outside help after most foreign troops go home by 2015, will not be able to pay for its own military for years.

Last month, Afghanistan's finance minister warned that outside backers must not force it to choose between security and development.

HELL OF A LOT CHEAPER

Last week, Ivo Daalder, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, was in Afghanistan in part to discuss the future of Afghan forces, which have grown in leaps and bounds but which remain reliant on foreign troops for many military tasks, from medical evacuation and airstrikes to intelligence gathering.

Pentagon spokesman George Little suggested it was premature to predict what changes might be made. "Absolutely no decisions have been reached by anyone on the final size of Afghanistan's security forces," he said.

Last year Obama administration quietly put forward the idea of a "transition dividend," which would reinvest some of the military savings created by Western troop reductions, to its NATO allies. But the concept has not gained much traction.

Last week, Poland's defense minister said that Afghanistan shouldn't expect NATO nations to subsidize its security forces indefinitely.

The final arrangements could be made between NATO partners at a ministerial meeting in April in Brussels, ahead of the Chicago summit.

Some officials worry that limiting funding for the Afghan police and army could undercut hard-fought security gains.

One U.S. official familiar with Defense Department thinking said that "a lot of people inside DOD think that it's important to keep to higher numbers of (Afghan security) personnel."

Advocates of a larger force point to the destabilizing effect when Moscow ended funding for Afghan forces in the early 1990s. Afghanistan's government survived for several years after the 1989 departure of Soviet troops, only tipping into full-fledged civil war in 1992 when cash support dried up.

Ronald Neumann, a former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, said it would be difficult to ensure that a smaller force was capable of keeping Afghanistan secure right away.

"It is faster to get big than good. If one wants to have a more qualified force that can be effective with smaller numbers that takes more time," he said.

One issue that has emerged in discussions is a rift over the Afghan Local Police, the quasi-militia groups that U.S. officials believe could take a more important role as foreign forces withdraw. Many European officials oppose that idea and rights groups warn that some local police have been terrorizing and robbing the people they are supposed to protect.

One defense aide in Congress warned against precipitous decisions that could be more costly in the long run.

"The bottom line is you don't want this thing to come apart at the seams," the aide said. Supporting foreign forces, after all, "is a hell of a lot cheaper than keeping our forces there."

(Additional reporting by Emma Graham-Harrison in Kabul and David Brunnstrom in Brussels; Editing by Eric Beech)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120116/wl_nm/us_usa_afghanistan_troops

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Wikipedia to shut for 24 hours over US anti-piracy laws

Jacob Aron, technology reporter

(Image: Roland Kemp/Rex Features)

Wikipedia, the sixth-most visited website on the internet, is planning a major shutdown to protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA), two proposed laws aimed at halting online piracy that critics say could seriously harm the internet.

From 5am GMT tomorrow, the English language version of the online encyclopaedia will be replaced by a single black page asking visitors to contact US politicians and express their opposition to the proposed laws. The decision to shutdown the site was reached in typical Wikipedia fashion, with users discussing the pros and cons before eventually agreeing to go ahead with the protest.

The community rushed to reach a consensus so that the protest could coincide with other website blackouts, including social news site Reddit and news blog Boing Boing, set for 18 January, the same day as a planned SOPA hearing in the US Congress.

That hearing has now been postponed following criticism of the legislation from the White House, but Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales says the protest will still go ahead. "Unclear that SOPA is really dead, but messaging will target the reality on the ground on Wednesday," he said on Twitter, later adding that PIPA, which is still due to be debated by the US Senate, remains "a live threat".

Not all Wikipedians support the protest, however. Some have complained about the speed at which the decision was reached, while others questioned the need for an international blackout to protest US legislation.

Other websites wanting to join the protest can now use an app created by CloudFlare, the web security service previously used by LulzSec to protect its website from attacks. CloudFlare users can activate the Stop Censorship app to automatically black out words longer than five characters and ask visitors to protest the new laws.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/1be505cd/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Conepercent0C20A120C0A10Cwikipedia0Eto0Eprotest0Eus0Eanti0Ep0Bhtml0DDCMP0FOTC0Erss0Gnsref0Fonline0Enews/story01.htm

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small dead animals: Praise the Lord - Legal Job Market in Terrible ...

Praise the Lord - Legal Job Market in Terrible Shape

''Let's kill all the lawyers'' - William Shakespeare

?In 2011, finance, insurance, and law were the three primarily white-collar professions that managed to shed workers, even as the rest of the economy trudged forward through a slow recovery.?

Posted by Rob at January 15, 2012 7:05 PM

So the parasites that make it harder for work to occur are being laid off? Huh, that's an unexpected way for the economy to be able to improve.

I hope that the host notices its newfound strength and acts accordingly.

To bad that graph didn't have snivel servants listed!Until that number starts dropping,and fast and furious,the States and us are still hooped.

A bit of a misquote on Shakespeare. In context, the line is given as advice on the means to create a state of tyranny. In other words, Shakespeare is saying lawyers are essential to the recognition of basic political and human rights. Of course, no one actually reads Shakespeare these days, except, perhaps, unemployed lawyers.

No, Shakespeare didn't say that. A character in one of his plays said that, one of a group who were plotting to take over the government. They suggested killing all the lawyers because they knew the law.
Literature can be difficult, but don't get discouraged.

Good to see the correction on the Shakespeare "saying" and its context. I'm not a lawyer, but that particular misquote always irks me.

Lawyers are the only profession I know of whose sole purpose it to make work for themselves. In the litigation rich, high crime world of the USofA, they'll likely never run out of work. Lawyers, like vultures and other scavengers, do well in hard times.

Conservative governments like Canada's will continue to reduce the government workforce, reduce debt and improve economic viability. They do well in good times when people have jobs and disposable income.

Socialist Liberal governments like Quebec and a lot of the USofA tend to grow bigger in hard times because they appeal to the poverty class of entitlement junkies. Once entrenched they're very hard to dislodge since the average unintelligent voter will always vote for the candidate who promises them them most benefits with the least increase in taxes on them.

North of 60 - don't forget HR departments, and any branch of government.

Be very afraid. Lwyer on the loose! Lawywers with idle hands seek other non value added professions like in government or bureaucracy. Anything to avoid real work.

don't forget HR departments, and any branch of government.

I never thought of bureaucracy as a profession, like lawyers, doctors, engineers, scientists... but I see your point about their self serving nature.

Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy

In any bureaucracy, the people devoted to the benefit of the bureaucracy itself always get in control and those dedicated to the goals the bureaucracy is supposed to accomplish have less and less influence, and sometimes are eliminated entirely.

Come on, I would like someone to try & think of a litigation lawyer they know that is "honest"...They do not exist. They live to lie and cheat on billing hours. They are the bottom of the barrel. They disgust me. Do you really want to know how I feel? I left this guy an email last month just to let him know I will be out of the country and gave him a number where i can be reached. He charged me $50 to read the email and $50 to reply. That is the honest truth...Dirt bags the whole lot of them....of course he is now no longer employed by me....

...don't forget HR departments...

And safety people. They only exist because of gov't regulations.

SAFETY THIRD. The job comes first, obviously. Or there wouldn't be any reason to be safe.

Lawyers? Did you know that no lawyer in history has ever been attacked by a shark ? Professional courtesy.

Why would you need lawyers when the Government has stolen all you have already, along with said lawyers.

Workplace safety regulations and enforcement inspections have significantly reduced injuries and death. Only an idiot would deny that.

Workplace safety is always FIRST. You can't do your job when you're injured or dead.

Before submitting, review the post to ensure your comment is on topic and does not contain words that might get caught in the spam filter (eg: insurance, viagra, online, poker). This is not a forum or a repository for off-topic link dumps. Profanity is discouraged. Take your extended debates and/or flamewars to private email. THESE RULES APPLY TO EVERYONE. Thank you.

Source: http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/019001.html

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Project to pour water into volcano to make power (AP)

Geothermal energy developers plan to pump 24 million gallons of water into the side of a dormant volcano in Central Oregon this summer to demonstrate new technology they hope will give a boost to a green energy sector that has yet to live up to its promise.

They hope the water comes back to the surface fast enough and hot enough to create cheap, clean electricity that isn't dependent on sunny skies or stiff breezes ? without shaking the earth and rattling the nerves of nearby residents.

Renewable energy has been held back by cheap natural gas, weak demand for power and waning political concern over global warming. Efforts to use the earth's heat to generate power, known as geothermal energy, have been further hampered by technical problems and worries that tapping it can cause earthquakes.

Even so, the federal government, Google and other investors are interested enough to bet $43 million on the Oregon project. They are helping AltaRock Energy, Inc. of Seattle and Davenport Newberry Holdings LLC of Stamford, Conn., demonstrate whether the next level in geothermal power development can work on the flanks of Newberrry Volcano, located about 20 miles south of Bend, Ore.

"We know the heat is there," said Susan Petty, president of AltaRock. "The big issue is can we circulate enough water through the system to make it economic."

The heat in the earth's crust has been used to generate power for more than a century. Engineers gather hot water or steam that bubbles near the surface and use it to spin a turbine that creates electricity. Most of those areas have been exploited. The new frontier is places with hot rocks, but no cracks in the rocks or water to deliver the steam.

To tap that heat ? and grow geothermal energy from a tiny niche into an important source of green energy ? engineers are working on a new technology called Enhanced Geothermal Systems.

"To build geothermal in a big way beyond where it is now requires new technology, and that is where EGS comes in," said Steve Hickman, a research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, Calif.

Wells are drilled deep into the rock and water is pumped in, creating tiny fractures in the rock, a process known as hydroshearing.

Cold water is pumped down production wells into the reservoir, and the steam is drawn out.

Hydroshearing is similar to the process known as hydraulic fracturing, used to free natural gas from shale formations. But fracking uses chemical-laden fluids, and creates huge fractures. Pumping fracking wastewater deep underground for disposal likely led to recent earthquakes in Arkansas and Ohio.

Fears persist that cracking rock deep underground through hydroshearing can also lead to damaging quakes. EGS has other problems. It is hard to create a reservoir big enough to run a commercial power plant.

Progress has been slow. Two small plants are online in France and Germany. A third in downtown Basel, Switzerland, was shut down over earthquake complaints. A project in Australia has had drilling problems.

A new international protocol is coming out at the end of this month that urges EGS developers to keep projects out of urban areas, the so-called "sanity test," said Ernie Majer, a seismologist with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. It also urges developers to be upfront with local residents so they know exactly what is going on.

AltaRock hopes to demonstrate a new technology for creating bigger reservoirs that is based on the plastic polymers used to make biodegradable cups.

It worked in existing geothermal fields. Newberry will show if it works in a brand new EGS field, and in a different kind of geology, volcanic rock, said Colin Williams, a USGS geophysicist also in Menlo Park.

The U.S. Department of Energy has given the project $21.5 million in stimulus funds. That has been matched by private investors, among them Google with $6.3 million.

Majer said the danger of a major quake at Newbery is very low. The area is a kind of seismic dead zone, with no significant faults. It is far enough from population centers to make property damage unlikely. And the layers of volcanic ash built up over millennia dampen any shaking.

But the Department of Energy will be keeping a close eye on the project, and any significant quakes would shut it down at least temporarily, he said. The agency is also monitoring EGS projects at existing geothermal fields in California, Nevada and Idaho.

"That's the $64,000 question," Majer said. "What's the biggest earthquake we can have from induced seismicity that the public can worry about."

Geologists believe Newberry Volcano was once one of the tallest peaks in the Cascades, reaching an elevation of 10,000 feet and a diameter of 20 miles. It blew its top before the last Ice Age, leaving a caldera studded with towering lava flows, two lakes, and 400 cinder cones, some 400 feet tall.

Although the volcano has not erupted in 1,300 years, hot rocks close to the surface drew exploratory wells in the 1980s.

Over 21 days, AltaRock will pour 800 gallons of water per minute into the 10,600-foot test well, already drilled, for a total of 24 million gallons. According to plan, the cold water cracks the rock. The tiny plastic particles pumped down the well seal off the cracks. Then more cold water goes in, bypassing the first tier, and cracking the rock deeper in the well. That tier is sealed off, and cold water cracks a third section. Later, the plastic melts away.

Seismic sensors produce detailed maps of the fracturing, expected to produce a reservoir of cracks starting about 6,000 feet below the surface, and extending to 11,000 feet. It would be about 3,300 feet in diameter.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management released an environmental assessment of the Newberry project last month that does not foresee any problems that would stop it. The agency is taking public comments before making a final decision in coming months.

No power plant is proposed, but one could be operating in about 10 years, said Doug Perry, president and CEO of Davenport Newberry.

EGS is attractive because it vastly expands the potential for geothermal power, which, unlike wind and solar, produces power around the clock in any weather.

Natural geothermal resources account for about 0.3 percent of U.S. electricity production, but a 2007 Massachusetts Institute of Technology report projected EGS could bump that to 10 percent within 50 years, at prices competitive with fossil-fuels.

Few people expect that kind of timetable now. Electricity prices have fallen sharply because of low natural gas prices and weak demand brought about by the Great Recession and state efficiency programs.

But the resource is vast. A 2008 USGS assessment found EGS throughout the West, where hot rocks are closer to the surface than in the East, has the potential to produce half the country's electricity.

"The important question we need to answer now," said Williams, the USGS geophysicist who compiled the assessment, "is how geothermal fits into the renewable energy picture, and how EGS fits. How much it is going to cost, and how much is available."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/environment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120114/ap_on_re_us/us_geothermal_volcano

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1st students graduate from Winfrey school (AP)

HENLEY-ON-KLIP, South Africa ? Johnson Mncube remembers the first day at Oprah Winfrey's boarding school for underprivileged South African girls, when 11- and 12-year-olds were crying at the thought of being separated from their families, and he said he almost wanted to put his own daughter in his pocket and take her home.

Five years later, Mncube was joyful she stayed. On Saturday, he gazed proudly at his daughter, dressed elegantly in white for the first graduation ceremony at Winfrey's school. Bongekile Mncube is headed to the University of Johannesburg to study politics and economics, and vows to one day help "build the economy of this country."

"We are so thankful to Oprah," said her father, a pastor and small businessmen who never went to high school. "We pray that God helps her to fulfill the vision that she had."

Elgar's "Pomp and circumstance" rang out Saturday as the graduates marched in, some unsteady on new high heels. The ceremony saw cheers and tears, including Winfrey's own.

Winfrey's school is an attempt to wield philanthropy and celebrity against South Africa's social and educational crises. High-achieving students from poor families were admitted after a rigorous application process in which Winfrey was deeply involved, and she has visited regularly to counsel her girls. She held a last, late-night "pajama party" with the graduates Friday.

Winfrey told reporters after the ceremony that her girls would continue to be able to rely on her support. A counseling unit had been set up to help the graduates budget time, money and priorities in university.

In a graduation speech, Winfrey praised the teachers, administrators, social workers, psychologists and family members she said had ensured the students succeeded. Winfrey said she has learned it takes a team to support students, especially those who have experienced the poverty and personal trauma that define so many South African lives.

Winfrey said she sees the students as her daughters, and listed the blows they have experienced: "Divorce. Violence. Molestation. The loss of one parent. The loss of another parent. Sorrow. Sadness. Grief."

The first class to graduate from the school overcame adversity to see 72 of the 75 original members graduate. All 72 are headed to universities in South Africa and the United States. Across South Africa, more than half a million members of the class of 2011 disappeared before the 496,000 remaining took their final exams, and only a quarter of those who graduated did well enough to qualify for university study, according to government figures.

"I'm one proud momma today," said Winfrey, who wore eye shadow and a flowing gown in green, a school color.

Quoting Maya Angelou, she called the graduates "phenomenal, phenomenal, phenomenal women."

Graca Machel, whose husband former South African President Nelson Mandela inspired Winfrey to open the school, called on the graduates to change the world. Mandela has retired from public life and did not attend the ceremony. He attended the opening of the school in 2007.

"You are leaders," Machel said in her graduation speech. "But be humble. Listen. Learn. Try, and try again."

Winfrey, among the wealthiest women in the world, spent $40 million to build the school, giving it facilities many South African universities might envy. But she said the school's success was owed to teachers who came early and stayed late, social workers like one who traveled hundreds of miles (kilometers) to rescue a student who had encountered violence during a visit home, and parents who instilled discipline despite difficult home lives.

Winfrey asked staff and family members to stand for applause during the ceremony.

Winfrey encouraged all South African schools to raise their expectations, saying the experience of her school showed young people would respond by excelling. From the start, Winfrey's students were told they should set their sights on university.

Despite the money and intentions, the school has had trouble. Soon after opening, a woman working as a dormitory matron was accused of abusing students. She was acquitted in 2010. Winfrey, who has spoken of being abused as a child and called the allegations against the matron crushing, and has said the trial's outcome was "profoundly" disappointing.

Winfrey settled a defamation lawsuit filed in Philadelphia by the school's former headmistress, Nomvuyo Mzamane, who claimed Winfrey defamed her in remarks made in the wake of the scandal.

Last year, a baby born to a student at the school was found dead.

Winfrey said Saturday there were times when she was discouraged, but that "I always held the vision that this day was possible."

Winfrey noted the gradates were born in 1994, the year apartheid ended, "into a nation that said: You are free. You are free to rise. You are free to soar."

Graduate Bongekile Mncube took Winfrey's words to heart.

"The world should watch out," she said. "We're about to take over."

____

Online:

Donna Bryson can be reached on http://twitter.com/dbrysonAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120114/ap_on_en_ot/af_south_africa_winfrey

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For suspect in NC jail, gun is a pain in the ...

Editors note: Some readers might find the contents of this post?offensive.

WITN-TV

Authorities believe Michael Ward concealed this 10-inch-long .38-caliber handgun from them by hiding it where the sun don't shine.

By msnbc.com staff and NBC News

A man who was pulled over for a traffic violation in North Carolina was found this week with a gun in his jail cell ? a big gun that authorities believe he hid in his rectum.

The man, identified as Michael Leon Ward, 22, of Canton, Ga., was in the Onslow County, N.C., jail after his arrest Monday morning. He is awaiting extradition to Georgia, where he is wanted on a fugitive warrant in a murder investigation.

But that's not why you're reading this. You want to know about the gun.

---

Deputies told NBC station WITN of Washington, N.C., that Ward was searched and then strip-searched before he was put into a holding cell. Jailers also made Ward perform what they call a "squat and cough" procedure.

Only later did they find the gun ? a .38-caliber revolver, with a 4?-inch barrel. While it wasn't loaded, it worked just fine when officers loaded a bullet and test-fired it.

WITN-TV

Authorities said Michael Ward is wanted on suspicion of murder in Georgia.

According to a Highway Patrol incident report, state troopers stopped Ward on Monday morning after he passed them going more than 90 mph, authorities said. Ward and a woman claiming to be his wife rolled up their windows and locked their doors when troopers approached.

After troopers forced the door open, Ward resisted and had to be subdued with a Taser, they said. Authorities say Ward told them he was unable to get out of the car because he was disabled and couldn't walk.?

Ward was first taken to a hospital because he was complaining of heart problems. Officers didn't find the gun. Nor did they find it when he was put in his jail cell.

Eventually, jailers discovered the gun in his cell.?

Both Ward and the woman claiming to be his wife gave false names, authorities said. Once he was identified, they learned that he is wanted on suspicion of first-degree murder and armed robbery in Canton, Ga., north of Atlanta.?

NBC station WNCN of Raleigh reported that Ward was being taken back to the hospital Friday for examination of "possible injuries that may have occurred" to his rectum.

NBC stations WITN of Washington, N.C., and WNCN of Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report by M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/13/10150869-for-suspect-gun-is-a-pain-in-the

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Komisarjevsky seeks new trial for CT home invasion

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) ? Lawyers for convicted murderer Joshua Komisarjevsky are asking a judge for a new trial in the home invasion killings of a woman and her two daughters, saying the case should have been moved out of New Haven County because there was no way he could get a fair trial there.

Komisarjevsky filed a motion for a new trial Wednesday in New Haven Superior Court. A jury sentenced him to death last month for the 2007 killings of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters, 11-year-old Michaela and 17-year-old Hayley, at their home in Cheshire, about 20 miles north of New Haven. He joined co-defendant Steven Hayes on Connecticut's death row.

Komisarjevsky's lawyers, Jeremiah Donovan, Walter Bansley III and Todd Bussert, say if ever there was a case that deserved a change of venue, it was their client's. They said a judge was wrong to reject their motion filed before the trial to move the proceedings out of the New Haven area, and said Komisarjevsky's constitutional right to a fair and impartial jury was violated.

"Almost the entire pool of potentially eligible jurors in New Haven County was familiar with the case and that nearly as many had made up their respective minds that Mr. Komisarjevsky was not only guilty but also that he should be executed," the lawyers' motion says.

The defense had presented the testimony of Stephen Penrod, an expert on the effects of pretrial publicity on jury selection. Penrod said surveys showed that Komisarjevsky's case had the highest recognition rate among more than 100 notorious cases for which similar surveys were done. The two cases that ranked below Komisarjevsky's for recognition were the Oklahoma City bombing cases of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.

Komisarjevsky's lawyers also said the jury pool was tainted because of the "highly publicized advocacy of the victims," how members of the courtroom audience were positioned and "the emotional effect of a clearly visible Petit posse silently but powerfully advocating that the defendant be put to death."

They said the lone survivor of the attack, Dr. William Petit, was at the trial every day "two arm reaches away" from the nearest juror. They said Petit had become a "media celebrity" and that he and his supporters wore pins honoring the three victims in the courtroom.

New Haven State's Attorney Michael Dearington didn't immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.

Komisarjevsky's lawyers also say their client was denied his right to probable cause hearings when the state amended the charges against him. Defendants in murder cases have a right to such hearings to see if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. They say Komisarjevsky was denied his right to confront a "powerful" witness ? a judge who called Komisarjevsky a "predator" while sentencing him for a series of burglaries before the killings and whose comments were used as testimony during the penalty phase of Komisarjevsky's trial.

Hayes raped and strangled Hawke-Petit, while Komisarjevsky sexually assaulted Michaela. Michaela and Hayley were tied to their beds, doused in gas and died of smoke inhalation after the house was set on fire.

Komisarjevsky beat Dr. Petit with a bat and tied him up. Petit escaped to a neighbor's house to get help.

It's not clear when a judge will take up Komisarjevsky's motion for a new trial.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-12-Home%20Invasion/id-be4a56c2f31a40aa800023d032b93c7d

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Ley de empleo de Obama beneficiar?a a dos millones de negocios hispanos

WASHINGTON, Distrito de Columbia.- De estar ocurriendo una recuperaci?n econ?mica en Estados Unidos, los empresarios hispanos la estar?an liderando.

Seg?n la Oficina del Censo, las ganancias de las empresas propiedad de hispanos en Estados Unidos aumentaron un 55% a casi $350.000 millones de d?lares, indica la redactora de la revista Forbes, Evangeline G?mez.

?Los expertos consideran que esta tendencia continuar? durante la pr?xima d?cada?, indica G?mez, lo cual significar?a seg?n la periodista, que los hispanos dispondr?n de mayor poder?o econ?mico y comprar?n m?s bienes y servicios de lo que hacen actualmente.

La tendencia ser?a mayor en los estados del pa?s con mayor poblaci?n latina, incluyendo Florida, Texas y Nuevo M?xico.

VOANEWS

Source: http://primermomento.com/?p=121821

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Twelve to Watch in 2012

It?s easy to argue that 2011 was the year of CM Punk, who not only captured two WWE Championships last year but ushered in a new era of change as the self-appointed ?Voice of the Voiceless.? Others, however, contend that 2011 was the year of Daniel Bryan, who used his prized Money in the Bank briefcase to catapult himself to World Heavyweight Championship glory last month at WWE TLC.

Whoever?s year 2011 might have been, it?s time to look ahead. Who will we all be talking about in 2012? Which up-and-coming Superstar will break out this year? Which ring warriors will reclaim their former glory? Who will we all be tweeting about in the months ahead? Check out our list of 12 competitors we think will change the landscape of WWE this year.

Dolph Ziggler ? This blond blowhard never resists the opportunity to show off, and as much as it pains us to say it, he backs up his boastful words with undeniably remarkable in-ring ability. In fact, Ziggler managed to cling to the illustrious United States Championship for nearly six months last year ? no easy feat.

Sure, Ziggler also held the World Heavyweight Championship for 11 minutes in 2011, but something tells us this talented young Superstar will have a more substantial World Title reign to brag about before the final bells of 2012 begin to chime.

?Eve ? With her stunning combination of beauty, brains and in-ring prowess, Eve will no doubt go down in WWE history as one of the most impactful Divas of all time. This bronze-skinned beauty?s continued study of Jiu-Jitsu has kept her at the apex of the Divas division, earning her a Divas Championship victory in a highly competitive Fatal 4-Way Match at the Royal Rumble last year. Will Eve net her third butterfly-emblazoned Divas Title in 2012? She?s made beliEVErs out of us.?

Ted DiBiase ? Ever since this third-generation Superstar abandoned his notorious wealth-flaunting ways, he?s been on the best roll of his career ? due in no small part to the support of a growing legion of WWE Universe members calling themselves the ?DiBiase Posse.? Outside WWE live events across the country, the former holder of the Million Dollar Title tailgates with his Posse in the parking lot. But he?s not just getting better at grilling: DiBiase is a force between the ropes.?

?Chris Jericho ? Following weeks of cryptic viral videos that both confused and captivated keen-eyed members of the WWE Universe, Chris Jericho made his monumental return to WWE on Jan. 2, 2012, re-emerging on Raw as thousands of WWE Universe members inside the FedEx Forum chanted his name.

His response to the jubilant throngs? Well, verbally he said nothing, which only fanned the flames of speculation as our fans wondered why WWE?s first ever Undisputed Champion had come back to WWE. Regardless of what ?began? that night, Jericho set the wheels in motion for what could be his most monumental year yet.

?Hunico ? Little is known about this former bearer of the ?Sin Cara? mantle, but Hunico?s rugged offensive style and awe-inspiring arsenal of aerial maneuvers has helped him make a name for himself on SmackDown in a relatively short period of time. With the equally mysterious Camacho by his side, Hunico is poised for greatness in 2012.

?

?

Wade Barrett ? He masterminded The Nexus? assault on Monday Night Raw and united with The Corre on SmackDown, but this former Intercontinental Champion is finally forging his own path as his one-man ?Barrett Barrage? rolls on. In the past year, Barrett has impressively stood toe-to-toe with the likes of Randy Orton, Sheamus and Daniel Bryan ? all of whom have at some point held World Championships. If the Barrett Barrage continues, joining their ranks will be inevitable.

Rey Mysterio ? After attaining his first-ever WWE Championship back in July, only to lose it to John Cena the very same night, Rey-Rey?s 2011 took a steep downturn when his archrival Alberto Del Rio took him out of action for the remainder of the year.

In an exclusive interview with WWE.com reporters at the 2011 Slammy Awards, Rey revealed that he was hoping to be back in the ring and thrilling the WWE Universe in time for WrestleMania XXVIII. Can we expect a fully healed Ultimate Underdog to heat up Miami at The Showcase of the Immortals?

Zack Ryder ? Will Zack Ryder continue to flourish in 2012? #AreYouSeriousBro? Using his smash-hit YouTube show and the power of social media to cultivate a passionate fan following, the 2011 Trending Star of the Year capped off last year with an incredible U.S. Championship victory over Dolph Ziggler ? a bout made possible thanks to the thousands of Broskis who signed Ryder?s online petition. Now that he?s joined the ranks of such ring icons as Bret Hart, ?Stone Cold? Steve Austin, Sgt. Slaughter and ?Rowdy? Roddy Piper by attaining the illustrious star-spangled prize, the ?Ryder Revolution? is finally in full effect.??

Cody Rhodes ? Plumbing the deepest recesses of his twisted mind following a disfiguring nose injury, the formerly ?dashing? Cody Rhodes underwent a startling psychological metamorphosis in 2011 that fueled his innate desire for championship gold. After soundly defeating his rival Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania XXVII, this multi-generation competitor went on to capture the Intercontinental Championship and embark on a mission to restore the illustrious prize to its former glory. Whether or not the WWE Universe agrees with his self-aggrandizing quest is of little consequence to this unruly loose cannon, who will no doubt continue putting the entire SmackDown roster on notice in the New Year.?

Sheamus ? After standing up to a rampaging Mark Henry last summer, this hot-head has been a major player on SmackDown. Cutting a swath through the competition with his feared Brogue Kick and his formidable High Cross, this two-time WWE Champion has already vowed to win the 2012 Royal Rumble Match. On Jan. 29, there will be blood in the water as The Great White attempts to sink his teeth into a guaranteed World Heavyweight Championship opportunity at WrestleMania XXVIII.

Kane ? Through hellfire and brimstone, Kane returned to his more monstrous roots in late 2011, targeting John Cena and tempting the Cenation leader not to ?Rise Above Hate,? but embrace it as the evil 7-footer does. Donning his signature red mask for the first time in eight years, The Devil?s Favorite Demon is arguably more terrifying than ever as he casts his chilling gaze on the year ahead.

?

?R-Truth ? One month after being taken out of action by his former tag team partner The Miz with a Skull-Crushing Finale onto the stage, this rhyming renegade returned to Raw SuperShow in late 2011 to humble The Awesome One with a ferocious beatdown that had even ?Little Jimmys? standing up and cheering. As he told WWE.com moments after the incident, that initial attack was ?only the beginning.? We certainly wouldn?t want to be The Miz ? or anyone else that crosses Truth ? in the coming year.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do you agree with our picks? Which Superstars and Divas will you be talking about in 2012? Share your thoughts with the entire WWE Universe by sounding off on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: http://www.wwe.com/inside/12-to-watch-2012

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Xbox workers threaten suicide in China labor tiff

BEIJING (AP) ? Dozens of workers assembling Xbox video game consoles climbed to a factory dormitory roof, and some threatened to jump to their deaths, in a dispute over job transfers that was defused but highlights growing labor unrest as China's economy slows.

The dispute was set off after contract manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group announced it would close the assembly line for Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 models at its plant in the central city of Wuhan and transfer the workers to other jobs, workers and Foxconn said Thursday.

Workers reached by telephone said Foxconn initially offered severance pay for those who wanted to leave rather than be transferred, but then reneged, angering the workers; Foxconn, in a statement, disputed that account, saying only transfers were offered, not severance.

The workers climbed to the top of the six-story dormitory on Jan. 3 and threatened to jump before Wuhan city officials persuaded them to desist and return to work, according to the workers and accounts online. The workers gave varying estimates of the numbers involved in the strike, from 80 to 200, and photos posted online showed dozens of people crowding the roof of the boxy concrete building.

"Actually none of them were going to jump. They were there for the compensation. But the government and the company officials were just as afraid, because if even one of them jumped, the consequences would be hard to imagine," said Wang Jungang, an equipment engineer in the Xbox production line, who left the plant earlier this month.

The fracas is the latest labor trouble to hit Foxconn, a unit of Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. that makes iPads and iPhones for Apple Inc. as well as Xboxes and other gadgets, helping consumer electronics brands hold down costs. Its massive China plants are run with military-like discipline, which labor rights activists say contributed to spate of suicides in 2010.

Foxconn said that all workers on the Xbox line were offered transfers at their current pay but that 150 demanded severance and not all of them participated in the rooftop protest. "It is our understanding that certain individuals threatened to jump from the building if their demands were not met," the statement said.

Strikes and other job actions have risen in recent months across China as factories cope with rising costs, scarce credit and declining orders from Europe, the United States and domestic companies. Complicating matters is the approaching Lunar New Year, a time when many of the migrant workers who man factories quit jobs to return home temporarily before looking for better paying employment.

Foxconn's Wuhan plant employs 32,000 people. The site previously had a couple of suicides or attempted ones a couple years back, prompting the government to take over the operations of the dormitories, said Wang, the equipment engineer.

After the rooftop protest, Microsoft said in a statement that it investigated, finding that the dispute centered on Foxconn's staffing and transfer policies, not working conditions. "After the protest, the majority of workers chose to return to work. A smaller portion of those employees elected to resign, the statement said.

Ultimately, Foxconn said, 45 of the employees resigned from the company while the rest chose to stay. It did not say whether the resigning workers were given compensation. Wang, the engineer, said he received $4,700 (30,000 yuan) in compensation but that was because he planned his departure early, telling his supervisor six months ago he would leave.

___

Associated Press researcher Zhao Liang contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-01-12-AS-China-Labor/id-5027485066634d2fa34eee78a1f3e166

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Trenton school district's food service workers seek union recognition

TRENTON ? Privatized food service workers with the city's school district have joined forces with an international labor union in hopes of gaining recognition from their employer.

The workers saw their jobs outsourced to the Philadelphia-based Aramark as last year's school year began and, since then, some say they've seen their pay shrink, their workload increase, and their jobs robbed of dignity.

Employees, clad in purple T-shirts from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), told the school board Monday that they were asking Aramark to recognize them as an official collective bargaining unit.

"Forming this union with my coworkers behind me is the only way we can protect ourselves and our livelihood," Aramark employee Kimberly Williams told the board.

Shirley Newell, who has done food service work in the district since 1993, said that at Trenton Central High School they saw their staff shrink last year from 15 down to six as they tried to feed between 600 and 750 students every day.

"To do that with six people, ... that's a lot to ask of a human being," she said. "Personally, I found myself sitting in my car for at least a half an hour at the end of the day before I could get myself together to drive home to my family. This is neither a healthy lifestyle nor an acceptable work environment."

As it struggled to close a budget deficit, the district privatized their food service workers after the 2009-2010 school year. The district was losing about $3 million a year through its food service operations prior to privatization. In a presentation to the board last year, company officials said they?d cut costs from $6.8 million to $3.7 million. Labor costs, meanwhile, fell from $3.7 million to $2.3 million.

Officials said Aramark currently has 121 employees in the district.

The workers are hoping to join SEIU Local 32BJ, which represents more than 120,000 service workers in eight states and Washington, D.C.

To gain recognition from Aramark, more than half of the district's food service workers must sign papers indicating their desire to join the union, a process known as a card check.

Matthew Myles, an organizer with SEIU, says Trenton's workers did that about a month ago, but have yet to hear anything from Aramark. If Aramark ignores the card check, Myles said, the workers will submit their paperwork to the National Labor Relations Board which can force the company to act.

"It is our preference that our employees deal directly with Aramark on issues concerning their employment rather than through third parties such as union," company spokeswoman Nicole Kennedy said. "However, for half a century Aramark has enjoyed excellent relationships with the unions that represent our employees."

School board president Toby Sanders said he supported the right of the workers to unionize.

"I do want folk that do some of the toughest work at the lowest wages to know that they have allies on this board," he said during Monday's meeting.

Contact Matt Fair at mfair@njtimes.com or at (609) 989-5717.

Follow the Times of Trenton on Twitter.

Source: http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r5733628911&f=378

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Ashton Kutcher Shaves: What's His Best Look?

Ashton Kutcher took to the stage today at the Television Critics Association winter press tour and made it rather clear he hopes to return to Two and a Half Men next season.

On a one-year "test" deal," the actor said he's looking at this summer as a "hiatus" because he wants to appear in more atrociously unfunny episodes of the CBS hit. Oh, and he's also shaved his facial hair. Completely.

The new look is "related to the show, completely," he said at the panel. "Tune in Monday."

But should you, really? We already know the jokes won't be funny, so compare Ashton styles below and vote on your favorite. What is this star's best look?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/ashton-kutcher-shaves-whats-his-best-look/

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Apple CEO Tim Cook could top pay list in 2011 (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Tim Cook could well end up being the highest paid CEO in America in 2011, after Apple Inc. granted him a million restricted stock units last August for taking the reins shortly before co-founder Steve Jobs died.

An Associated Press review of a securities filing shows Cook's pay package was valued at $378 million. The vast majority came in a grant of a million restricted stock units worth $376 million at the time. Half of the stock units will vest in August 2016, the other half in August 2021.

His salary and performance bonus, about $900,000 each, made up much of the rest. He also made $16,520 from company contributions to a 401(k) retirement account and company-paid life insurance premiums.

In comparison, Jobs accepted a $1 annual salary for years and owned about 5.5 million shares, worth about $2.3 billion today.

In total, Cook has about 1.36 million restricted shares that haven't yet vested and 13,754 regular shares worth a combined $580 million, the filing showed.

Cook's award is well above that given to Philippe Dauman, the Viacom Inc. chief executive who led the top paid CEOs of 2010 with an $84.5 million haul based on a new contract that granted him shares and stock options.

Cook's pay package was also valued at more than all of the next nine highest paid CEOs of 2010 combined, or about $356 million.

Apple said that its compensation goal is to encourage long-term results above short-term risk-taking, and the 51-year-old former chief operating officer won't begin to reap the actual benefits of the stock award for another four years.

But Securities and Exchange Commission rules compel companies to book a share grant's value in the year it is granted, making Cook's whopper of a pay package unlikely to be beat.

Cook's share grant was already known last year. The filing disclosed that the company also decided in November to raise his base annual salary to $1.4 million and double the bonus target for paid executives to 100 percent of their annual salary.

Apple said it raised the bonus target to keep its executive pay more in line with that of other technology and entertainment peers like Google Inc. or The Walt Disney Co.

The filing was released the same day Apple shares reached a new high in midday trading, briefly hitting $427.75 before falling back to close at $421.73.

The AP formula calculates an executive's total compensation during the last fiscal year by adding salary, bonuses, perks, above-market interest the company pays on deferred compensation and the estimated value of stock and stock options awarded during the year. The AP formula does not count changes in the present value of pension benefits. That makes the AP total slightly different in most cases from the total reported by companies to the SEC.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/applecomputer/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120110/ap_on_hi_te/us_apple_executive_compensation

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Huntsman: NH voters ready for serious choice (AP)

NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H. ? Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman told northern New Hampshire voters Saturday that a campaign button worn by one of his supporters says it all: "Sane People for Huntsman."

The former Utah governor said voters have been entertained by a campaign season he compared to the reality show "Survivor," but he's counting on them now to settle down and get serious.

He said voters should be asking themselves "Who actually has the background, the temperament, the vision and the ability to bring America together during a time when we need it the most?"

Huntsman skipped the Iowa caucuses last week to focus on a strong showing in New Hampshire. He lags far behind front-runner Mitt Romney in state polls, though some have shown him moving into third place.

Steve Wheeler, a postal worker from Haverhill, said he had been leaning toward Romney but was reconsidering after seeing Huntsman. Wheeler said many Republicans are focused foremost on picking the most electable candidate, but he isn't.

"I just think the strongest candidate is they guy who answers the questions right, and I think (Huntsman's) done a good job of that today," Wheeler said. He was among the many audience members who applauded loudly when Huntsman answered a question about how religion would inform his daily decision-making as president.

He pointed to the diverse backgrounds within his immediate family: "I was raised Mormon. My wife was raised Episcopalian. My kids have gone to Catholic schools. I have a Chinese daughter. I have an Indian daughter," Huntsman said.

Huntsman drew a distinction between himself and rivals Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who have emphasized faith in their campaigns. Huntsman said he would be guided by his belief in God and called himself "a good Christian" but said beyond that, "the voters want you to get the work of the people done, and that's what I'll do."

Months ago, Huntsman told his New Hampshire audiences he would win the primary. A week ago, he was casting it as a two-man race between himself and Romney. Asked if he still thought that was true Saturday, he said, "Well, we'll see. We've got a couple of days left to go. With 24-48 hours ahead of the vote, I think people generally begin coalescing around the top tier candidates."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120107/ap_on_el_pr/us_huntsman

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Rivals turn up heat on Romney as New Hampshire primary closes in (CNN)

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