Which foods make Americans ill? Whether chicken or salad, food safety at home is key to avoiding illness

Jan. 31, 2013 ? A new study analyzing outbreaks of foodborne illness has found contaminated salad greens make the most people sick, but contaminated poultry have resulted in the most deaths. In light of this study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Home Food Safety program -- a collaboration between the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and ConAgra Foods -- encourages Americans, rather than avoid certain foods, to practice safe food handling at home instead.

"While this study found produce accounted for nearly half of food poisoning illnesses, everyone should still eat plenty of fruits and vegetables," says registered dietitian and Academy Spokesperson Rachel Begun.

"Safe food-handling procedures can help protect you from foodborne illnesses while still allowing you to enjoy these tasty and nutritious foods."

"One of the most important things you can do to stay healthy is to wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with soap and water, especially when it comes to the particularly nasty norovirus," Begun said. "The norovirus accounted for 46 percent of the illnesses according to this study, and while hand sanitizer is great to reduce the spread of some germs, research shows us that soap and water is best," she said.

Begun encouraged Americans to visit www.HomeFoodSafety.org for tips to reduce the risk of food poisoning, and offered the following advice:

Produce

• Properly wash all fresh fruits and vegetables, whether they have a peel or not, with cool tap water just before eating.
• Cut away any damaged or bruised areas before preparing or eating. Remove and discard outer leaves of lettuce.
• Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
• Cut all fruits and vegetables on a separate cutting board from raw meats and fish. Color-coded cutting boards can help you remember which is which.
• Cook raw sprouts, such as alfalfa and clover, to significantly reduce the risk of illness.

Meat and Poultry

• When buying and handling meats, always look for the Safe Food Handling label on the package, and make sure the meat is tightly wrapped. At the grocery store, pick up the meat last and ask to have it bagged separately from other groceries to prevent cross-contamination.
• Store meat in the coldest part of the refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Use fresh, raw chicken within one- to two days of purchase, meats within three to four days, and throw away ground meats, sausage and organ meats after two days. Cooked meats should be eaten or frozen within three to four days.
• Wash hands thoroughly for 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat, and use a separate cutting board for raw meats and fish to avoid cross contamination.
• Defrost meats in the refrigerator or in the microwave by using the defrost setting. Never defrost on the counter. Cook meat that has been thawed in the microwave immediately and do not re-freeze thawed meat.
• Use a food thermometer to ensure meats are cooked to the safe minimum internal temperature. Find the correct temperature with the Is My Food Safe? app or the Safe Grilling Guide.

Learn more about food safety at www.HomeFoodSafety.org or by downloading the free Is My Food Safe? app (www.homefoodsafety.org/app), and encourage children to wash hands properly with the downloadable Hand Washing Maze.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. John A. Painter, Robert M. Hoekstra, Tracy Ayers, Robert V. Tauxe, Christopher R. Braden, Frederick J. Angulo, Patricia M. Griffin. Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses, Hospitalizations, and Deaths to Food Commodities by using Outbreak Data, United States, 1998?2008. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2013; 19 (3) DOI: 10.3201/eid1903.111866

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/eVwVJzgEpJU/130131154328.htm

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In beef production, cow-calf phase contributes most greenhouse gases

Public release date: 30-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
madelinems@asas.org
217-689-2435
American Society of Animal Science

Data could help farmers reduce emissions

Jan. 30 2013 - Scientists have long known that cattle produce carbon dioxide and methane throughout their lives, but a new study pinpoints the cow-calf stage as a major contributor of greenhouse gases during beef production.

In a new paper for the Journal of Animal Science, scientists estimate greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle during different stages of life. They show that, depending on which production system farmers used, beef production has a carbon footprint ranging from 10.7 to 22.6 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per kg of hot carcass weight.

According to study co-author Frank Mitloehner, an associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis, one source of greenhouse gases was surprising.

"If you look at everything that contributes to greenhouse gases through the beef supply chain, then it is the cow-calf that produces the greatest greenhouse gases," Mitloehner said.

In the cow-calf phase, the cow gives birth and nurses the calf until the calf is six to 10 months old. During this time, the cow eats rough plants like hay and grasses. The methane-producing bacteria in the cow's gut thrive on these plants.

"The more roughage is in the diet of the ruminant animal, the more methane is produced by the microbes in the gut of the ruminant, and methane comes out the front end," Mitloehner said.

In feedlots, by contrast, cattle eat mostly corn and grains, which the methane-producing bacteria cannot use as effectively.

Methane is one of the most important greenhouse gases. Methane has a greater capacity to trap heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.

The beef industry has been paying close attention to greenhouse gas emissions in recent years.

"We are doing a lot to measure and mitigate our impact," said Chase Adams, director of communications for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

In a 2011 paper for the Journal of Animal Science, researcher Jude Capper showed that the beef industry today uses significantly less water and land than 30 years ago. The industry has also reduced its carbon footprint by 16.3 percent per billion kilograms of beef produced.

According to Mitloehner, beef producers can further reduce their carbon impact by using new technologies like growth promotants. However, consumers are often uncomfortable with these methods, and they choose organic beef or beef with reduced amounts of growth promotants.

"The technologies many consumers are critical of are those that help us receive the greatest environmental gains," Mitloehner said.

###

The study by Mitloehner and his colleagues is titled "Carbon footprint and ammonia emissions of California beef production systems." It can be read in full at journalofanimalscience.org.

Media contact:

Amy Stewart
American Society of Animal Science
amystewart@ucdavis.edu

---

[ | 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-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
madelinems@asas.org
217-689-2435
American Society of Animal Science

Data could help farmers reduce emissions

Jan. 30 2013 - Scientists have long known that cattle produce carbon dioxide and methane throughout their lives, but a new study pinpoints the cow-calf stage as a major contributor of greenhouse gases during beef production.

In a new paper for the Journal of Animal Science, scientists estimate greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle during different stages of life. They show that, depending on which production system farmers used, beef production has a carbon footprint ranging from 10.7 to 22.6 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per kg of hot carcass weight.

According to study co-author Frank Mitloehner, an associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis, one source of greenhouse gases was surprising.

"If you look at everything that contributes to greenhouse gases through the beef supply chain, then it is the cow-calf that produces the greatest greenhouse gases," Mitloehner said.

In the cow-calf phase, the cow gives birth and nurses the calf until the calf is six to 10 months old. During this time, the cow eats rough plants like hay and grasses. The methane-producing bacteria in the cow's gut thrive on these plants.

"The more roughage is in the diet of the ruminant animal, the more methane is produced by the microbes in the gut of the ruminant, and methane comes out the front end," Mitloehner said.

In feedlots, by contrast, cattle eat mostly corn and grains, which the methane-producing bacteria cannot use as effectively.

Methane is one of the most important greenhouse gases. Methane has a greater capacity to trap heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.

The beef industry has been paying close attention to greenhouse gas emissions in recent years.

"We are doing a lot to measure and mitigate our impact," said Chase Adams, director of communications for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.

In a 2011 paper for the Journal of Animal Science, researcher Jude Capper showed that the beef industry today uses significantly less water and land than 30 years ago. The industry has also reduced its carbon footprint by 16.3 percent per billion kilograms of beef produced.

According to Mitloehner, beef producers can further reduce their carbon impact by using new technologies like growth promotants. However, consumers are often uncomfortable with these methods, and they choose organic beef or beef with reduced amounts of growth promotants.

"The technologies many consumers are critical of are those that help us receive the greatest environmental gains," Mitloehner said.

###

The study by Mitloehner and his colleagues is titled "Carbon footprint and ammonia emissions of California beef production systems." It can be read in full at journalofanimalscience.org.

Media contact:

Amy Stewart
American Society of Animal Science
amystewart@ucdavis.edu

---

[ | 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/2013-01/asoa-ibp013013.php

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Franca Giuliani & the Art of Feng Shui - Jerseycoastal.com

Franca Giuliani, Feng Shui Consultant

Like so many things in life, change and improvement begins with the process of decluttering. Feng Shui many be an ancient Chinese art, but many of the basic principles are completely valid in terms of making your home a warm and serene place to live and be nurtured. The soothing colors of nature throughout your space, lots of natural light, and maybe the soft and gentle splashing of a small water (for prosperity) feature ? is this heaven? No, it?s Iowa ? I mean your home! Add a melodic wind chime and it might just be heaven. As Feng Shui expert, Franca Giuliani stated, what?s happening inside our homes is a direct reflection of what?s? happening in our lives. Fill your home with things you love and remove anything that is distracting and adds no value to your life. Franca mentioned someone she knew had a sword in their bedroom. Really. Now that?s a distraction!

If you want to know more about the dance between wind and water, the ?seen and the unseen? in your life and home, consider learning more about Feng Shui and reaping the rewards of a well- balanced life.

To contact Franca Giuliani: www.francagiuliani.com or call 732-687-0128.

To listen to the interview with Franca, click on the link at the top of this post.

This entry was posted in Pop Culture. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://www.jerseycoastal.com/blog/?p=626

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Simulations' Achille's heel

Jan. 29, 2013 ? What can go wrong when computer simulations are applied outside their original context? In an article about to be published in EPJ Plus, Daan Frenkel from the University of Cambridge, UK, outlines the many pitfalls associated with simulation methods such as Monte Carlo algorithms or other commonly used molecular dynamics approaches.

The context of this paper is the exponential development of computing power in the past 60 years, estimated to have increased by a factor of 10152, in line with Moore's law. Today, short simulations can reproduce a system the size of a bacterium.

The author outlines diverse examples of issues arising when seemingly simple simulation methods are not applied with the due level of care. For example, simulations of small-scale systems, such as cubic boxes representing a unit cell as part of a crystal or liquid crystal, display effects that are linked to the fact that the sample is of finite size. Therefore, these simulations can only imitate, not reproduce, macroscopic effects unless effects that occur at microscopic scale, such as surface effects, are effectively removed. This is typically done by using periodic repetition of a small system in all directions.

Frenkel also focuses on methods that, at first blush, appear reasonable, but are flawed and are akin to attempting to compare apples and oranges. For example, computing a mechanical property of a system -- say the potential energy -- using a Monte Carlo simulation, which can be based on thermal averages, does not allow us to compute the thermal properties of such a system -- such as entropy -- in terms of thermal averages. Finally, the article also takes great care to debunk common myths and misconceptions pertaining to simulations, for instance, newer simulation methods are not necessarily better than older ones.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Springer Science+Business Media, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. D. Frenkel. Simulations: The dark side. The European Physical Journal Plus, 2013; 128 (1) DOI: 10.1140/epjp/i2013-13010-8

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/computers_math/information_technology/~3/VdK1EE1jwwY/130129080222.htm

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Texas City: Marathon on track to take over BP refinery on Friday

by T. J. Aulds/ The Daily News

khou.com

Posted on January 28, 2013 at 10:48 AM

TEXAS CITY ? This likely marks the final week that the 475,000-barrel-per-day refinery at 2401 Fifth Ave. South will operate under the BP name. Marathon Petroleum, which purchased the nation?s fourth largest refinery as part of a $2.5 billion deal, is scheduled to take over the 1,200-acre refinery on Friday.

The two companies are expected to finalize the sale of the refinery this week.

Once the deal is closed, Marathon will own two refineries in Texas City ? its existing 80,000-barrel-per-day refinery and BP?s 475,000-barrel-per-day facility.

The new acquisition will be called Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery.

Marathon?s take over ends 14 years of BP?s ownership of the refinery, which it acquired in a merger with Amoco Oil in 1998.

Ray Brooks, who will be the manager of Marathon?s new acquisition, set up his management team; many already are top managers at the Texas City refinery.

Click here to read more at the Galveston County Daily News.

Source: http://www.khou.com/news/neighborhood-news/Texas-City--Marathon-on-track-to-take-over-BP-refinery-on-Friday-188680021.html

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Live: Amazon Misses Estimates On Earnings ... - Business Insider

This Tech Earnings Update is brought to you by Verizon.

Amazon reported revenue that was below Wall Street's expectations, but its stock is soaring after hours.

Here are the numbers:

• EPS: $0.21 cents versus consensus estimate of $0.28 cents
• Revenues: $21.27 billion versus estimate of $22.3 billion

Click here for the release.

Other important numbers:

• $97 million of net profit, down 45% from year prior.
• Q1 sales guidance: $15-16.6 billion, versus estimates of $16.85 billion.

"We?re now seeing the transition we?ve been expecting,? Jeff Bezos, said in the release. ?After 5 years, eBooks is a multi-billion dollar category for us and growing fast ? up approximately 70% last year. In contrast, our physical book sales experienced the lowest December growth rate in our 17 years as a book seller, up just 5%. We're excited and very grateful to our customers for their response to Kindle and our ever expanding ecosystem and selection.?

Amazon will host a call to discuss its earnings at 5 PM ET. We'll be covering it live.

Click here to update this post.

5:01 - The call is beginning?

VP of Investor Relations, Sean Boyle, and CFO Tom Szkutak on the line

5:03 - Tom begins

Talking about all the financials...

Investing in technology and infrastructure including Amazon web services. World wide revenue grew more than 20%. Media revenue increased 10% excluding foreign exchange.?

Now talking about operating expenses.?

5:08 -?

Revenue grew 27%.?

Turning to balance sheet...Numbers are all here in the release.

5:10 - Guidance

Guidance - based on order trends we see today. Not possibile to accurately predict demand. Giving a big disclaimer

Net sales between $15-16.6 billion for Q1.

Gap operating income $258 million loss and $65 million positive income.?

5:11 - Moving on to questions

First question from Morgan Stanley - Are there other parts of the business where you can transition to more of fixed cost?

Tom - You're right in terms of over past few years we have expanded our fulfillment network. You're seeing that reflected in our transportation costs and fulfillment expense is really not fixed.?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/live-amazon-misses-estimates-on-earnings-revenue-and-guidance-2013-1

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Boeing sees no big impact from 787 woes, profit beats

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Boeing Co posted stronger-than-expected profit on Wednesday as its backlog of orders rose, and said its 2013 forecast assumed no significant impact from the grounding of its 787 Dreamliner jet by regulators.

Shares were up 0.5 percent at 74.10 in early trading.

Aviation safety agencies in the United States and Japan are investigating what caused lithium-ion batteries to burn on two 787 passenger jets earlier this month, prompting regulators to ground the planes worldwide.

Boeing said it is continuing to build the Dreamliner but has halted deliveries, and analysts have raised concerns about the cost of the grounding and for fixing the battery problem on about 125 jets that Boeing has built so far.

"Our first order of business for 2013 is to resolve the battery issue on the 787 and return the airplanes safely to service with our customers," said Boeing Chief Executive Jim McNerney.

Earlier Wednesday, Japan's two biggest airlines said they had repeatedly replaced sub-par lithium-ion batteries on their Dreamliners in the months before the two incidents that led to the 787 groundings. On January 16, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered U.S. airlines to stop flying 787s, and other regulators around the world quickly followed suit.

The comments from All Nippon Airways Co Ltd, the biggest customer of the 787 to date, and Japan Airlines Co Ltd indicated problems with the battery's reliability long before one caught fire on a JAL 787 at Boston's Logan Airport on January 7, and a second battery was badly charred and melted on an ANA domestic flight a few days later.

That flight was forced to make an emergency landing. The two airlines operate 24 of the 50 787s in service. United Airlines is the only U.S. carrier currently flying the 787.

Boeing declined to comment on the latest failed battery revelations, citing an ongoing investigation by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

But in giving its outlook for 2013, the company said its figures assume "no significant financial impact from the FAA directive."

Ken Herbert, an analyst at Imperial Capital, said it was difficult to estimate the impact from the grounding. "It's too early, and too risky, to say," he said, noting there were numerous grounding-related issues for Boeing and for airlines, and still many unknowns.

The NTSB has not yet established a cause for either of the two battery incidents.

Meanwhile, Boeing said net income fell to $978 million, or $1.28 per share, in the fourth quarter, from $1.39 billion, or $1.84, in the year-ago period, when it posted a special tax gain.

Analysts expected earnings of $1.19 a share.

Herbert said wider profit margins from its commercial airplanes helped the company to beat estimates.

But he was disappointed by its 2013 profit outlook of $5.00 to $5.20 a share, compared with his target of $5.60. The figures include pension charges.

The consensus Wall Street estimate was $5.13 a share for 2013, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Revenue for the quarter rose 14 percent to $22.3 billion.

The company said it booked 394 net aircraft orders in the quarter, and that its total order backlog was nearly 4,400 planes valued at $319 billion, a record tally.

(Reporting by Alwyn Scott; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/boeing-profit-drops-sees-no-significant-impact-787-125728755--finance.html

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The right massage can relax the body and improve health

Jan. 29, 2013 ? Massage therapy can lower blood pressure, help prevent colds, enhance skin tone and more, according to an expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

Licensed Massage Therapist Arnold Kelly, who provides massage therapy at the Outpatient Physical Therapy Clinic at the UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center, said massage provides two types of benefits: immediate and cumulative.

"Immediately following massage, you can experience reduced tightness in the muscles, improved blood flow and breathing, plus reduced anxiety and stress," Arnold explained.

"Over the long-term, the benefits of massage accumulate; massage can increase a person's range of motion, strengthen the immune system and provide an improved sense of well-being," Arnold added.

Stress seems to creep into the lives of almost everybody at some point, and Arnold said a massage can do a lot to help.

"Swedish and deep-tissue massages are two of the 'big four' types of massage," Arnold explained. "Swedish is for those who are interested in just relieving stress. If there are deeper aches and pains, deep tissue can help take care of it."

Neuromuscular and trigger point therapy are the other two major types of massage that have proven to be universally beneficial, according to Arnold.

"Clients often inquire about which form of massage therapy is right for them," Arnold said. "What you should look for and ask about are things like: how long the type of massage therapy has been around; how long the massage therapist has practiced it; what it is based on; and whether it focuses more on the physical or mental aspect."

How often massage therapy should be utilized varies from person to person.

"Someone who has little to no physical issues and is simply looking to relax and unwind can benefit from massage as little as once a month," Arnold said. "Someone who has a problem that can benefit from regular massage can be seen as often as once a day. My regular clients average about once a week."

Arnold recommends those considering massage first visit a physician to see if this form of therapy will help then choose a licensed therapist.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Alabama at Birmingham, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/78NWNMcfrrY/130129171341.htm

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South Korea launches rocket in its 3rd attempt to place satellite in space from own soil

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

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/south-korea-launches-rocket-3rd-attempt-place-satellite-070554234.html

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BoF Daily Digest - The Business of Fashion

Kaufhaus des Westens, Berlin | Source: Bloomberg

Berlin?s Ku?Damm in Style as West Draws Hip Shops (Business Week)
?The decision by fashion brands such as Hermes and Louis Vuitton to focus on west Berlin has shifted attention away from Friedrichstrasse, the eastern strip that attracted most retail investment after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.?

Hong Kong retail: as the rich go to Paris, the rest go mid-market (FT)
?The very wealthy Chinese appear to be travelling to shop at Galeries Lafayette in Paris instead of Causeway Bay and Canton Road in Hong Kong. So is it gloom and doom for Hong Kong?s retail sector? Spencer Leung, an analyst at UBS, says the best may be yet to come ? but only for Hong Kong?s mid-priced retailers.?

Chanel Sold-Out Dresses Show That Scarcity Counts (Bloomberg)
?Strong demand for Paris-based Chanel?s collections and those of?Hermes International?shows that consumers are still splurging at the top end of the 212 billion-euro market for personal luxury goods even as the industry faces its weakest growth this year since the global financial crisis.?

Fendi to fund restoration of the Trevi Fountain (Telegraph)
?Storied Italian fashion house Fendi has announced a four-year initiative which will see the brand fund the restoration of five of Rome?s best-known fountains, starting with the iconic Trevi Fountain.?

Nothing vague about Vogue (The Nation)
?Vogue, arguably the world?s most influential fashion magazine, put its Thai edition on news stands last week, and within a few days every copy was gone.?Quite a feather in the cap for Kullawit Laosuksri, Vogue?s first male editor-in-chief anywhere in the world, and that now includes 21 editions, and for the publishers, Conde Nast Asia-Pacific and Serendipity Media.?

Source: http://www.businessoffashion.com/2013/01/bof-daily-digest-berlins-luxe-address-hong-kong-retail-sell-outs-fendi-fountain-restoration-vogue-thailand.html

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Growing NY through smarter taxes | The SurRealEstate

Adam Forman, ??a former tax consultant and a [current] policy researcher??recently published an article in the NY Post entitled, ?Growing NY through smarter taxes.? The piece explains how two-tiered property taxation will mitigate speculation in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Enjoy the article below!

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, investors and government agencies will pour millions of dollars into the Rockaways, Howard Beach, Coney Island and elsewhere. Homes will be rebuilt. Parks, utilities and infrastructure will be restored.The public commitment to revitalizing these neighborhoods should comfort Sandy?s victims. Regrettably, it will also encourage another, potentially hazardous, constituency: real-estate speculators.

As a result of the storm, property values have plummeted. The vulnerability of these neighborhoods was exposed, and rising insurance costs will discourage potential homeowners. Not so, speculators. Vacant lots are cheaper to insure; overflowing tides don?t inflict damage on mounds of dirt.

Speculators will sit on their land, incurring little cost and waiting for public investment to revitalize the area. Meanwhile, the accumulation of empty plots will blight the neighborhood, delay recovery and undermine government efforts at restoration.

This behavior is not unique to storm-ravaged sections of the city. ?Up-and-coming? neighborhoods too often fall prey. Above 125th Street, speculators have patiently (and cheaply) awaited the lower-Harlem renaissance to creep northward. The area is left pockmarked with vacant lots. Renewal is delayed, if not thwarted altogether.

How can we temper these undesirable practices? With a two-tier property tax ? a revenue-neutral shift to encourage development rather than land speculation.

Property assessments are divided into two parts: one for the value of the land itself, the other for the value of buildings (?improvements?). Under two-tier taxation, land is taxed at a significantly higher rate than are improvements. The lower rate for buildings provides an incentive for owners to maintain and restore properties. The higher rate for land discourages speculation. Developers cannot sit on undeveloped or underdeveloped land without suffering steep costs.

How might two-tiered taxation work? In New York, land and improvements in residential areas are subject to an 18.6 percent property tax.Thus, land with a taxable value of $10,000 would be taxed $1,860, and improvements with a similar taxable value of $10,000 would owe another $1,860, a total of $3,720. Under a two-tier system, the tax rate for land could jump by, say, 50 percent, while the rate for improvement could be halved.In that case, the owner would pay $2,790 in land taxes and $930 for improvements ? keeping the total to $3,720.

But here?s the payoff: The owner?s tax bill under that scheme would climb another $2,790 if he purchased a second lot with a taxable value of $10,000 ? but by only $930 if he used that money toward building.Thus, hoarding would be discouraged; development encouraged.

The two-tier property tax has a proven record of success. In 1979, Pittsburgh began taxing land at a rate six times higher than improvements. In the ensuing decade, building permits increased by 70.4 percent. This expansion occurred while its core industry, steel, was faltering. In the same period, the number of building permits fell by 14.4 percent in similar Northeastern and Midwestern cities.

Harrisburg, Penn., also experienced a boost. From 1950 to 1977, the city lost nearly half its population. According to federal criteria, it was the second most distressed city in America. Following the introduction of two-tier property taxation, along with other revitalization policies, Harrisburg made an impressive comeback. In the ensuing decade, the number of vacant sites fell by nearly 90 percent, and the number of businesses more than doubled. (The city?s recent financial problems are unrelated.)

Besides stimulating urban renewal, two-tier taxation has another virtue: transparency. New York has experimented with a variety of abatements to incentivize development. Too often, these exemptions are issued quietly and selectively ? targeted at specific projects or well-heeled interest groups. Two-tier taxation, on the other hand, creates a simple and uniform code to stimulate property investment. If a more customized approachispreferred, it should be geared not toward individuals but neighborhoods ? in commercial corridors and where public investment is being targeted.

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and for the good of all renewal efforts, a two-tier property tax is vital in New York. And as a revenue-neutral idea, it?s perfectly consistent with the goals of of Gov. Cuomo?s Tax Reform and Fairness Commission.

By discouraging speculation, it would guard against undesirable fluctuations in the real-estate market. And by encouraging building in areas suitable for redevelopment, such a tax would stimulate the city?s economy and discourage sprawl.

City pols often fight over the?amount?of taxation. But a top priority should besmartertaxes. The two-tier property tax would be a brilliant first step.

Source: http://thesurrealestate.org/2013/01/28/growing-ny-through-smarter-taxes/

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Oil slightly higher after mixed economic reports

NEW YORK (AP) ? The price of oil rose Monday after a strong durable goods report in the U.S.

Demand for long-lasting manufactured goods rose sharply in December with gains in volatile aircraft orders, the Commerce Department said. But the number of pending home sales fell last month after hitting a 2 ? year high in November.

Benchmark oil rose 56 cents to finish at $96.44 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

It's a big week for U.S. economic indicators. In addition to Monday's data, the government will release reports on weekly jobless claims, unemployment and fourth-quarter growth. And the Federal Reserve's policy committee holds a two-day meeting that concludes on Wednesday.

At the pump, the average price for a gallon of gas rose over the weekend to $3.35, the highest level since the second week of December.

Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, rose 20 cents to end at $113.48 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on Nymex:

? Wholesale gasoline rose 6 cents to finish at $2.94 per gallon.

? Natural gas fell 16 cents to end at $3.29 per 1,000 cubic feet.

? Heating oil rose about half a cent to finish at $3.06 a gallon.

___

Pamela Sampson in Bangkok and Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-28-Oil%20Prices/id-3f74167d35704b4b92c6617fea34571b

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Income Tax given by Top Bollywood Actors in last 5 years(2008 ... - NG

Note?Financial year 2012-2013 is not ended will end on 31st march 2013.!!

?

Income Tax in Financial year

2010-2011

and

2011-2012

?

Another financial year ended on March 31, 2012. Unlike others, our celebs have also paid their taxes but the million dollar curiosity question arises that who is the highest tax payer among them. A recent Hindustan Times report showed that Akshay Kumar has retained his position of paying the highest amount of tax in Bollywood. Find out what other Bollywood celebs have paid in taxes -

?
1. Akshay Kumar
Tax Paid ? 20 Crore
?Khiladi? Akshay Kumar leads the star brigade by paying 20 crore in taxes in 2011-12 and 2010-11 as well. He did three major movies this year namely ?Patiala House,? ?Desi Boyz? and ?Thank You.? He also co-produced these movies. Akshay says, ?It feels good and privileged to be the highest tax payer. It is also a greater sense of responsibility.?

?
2. Sharukh Khan
Tax Paid ? 10 Crore
No list is ever complete without the presence of ?King Khan.? Sharukh Khan has paid 10 crore in taxes this financial year. He has always been a diligent tax payer. This tax amount is nearly 55 percent less than his last year?s tax as he paid an amount of 18 crore in the financial year 2010-11.

?
3. Salman Khan
Tax Paid ? 10 Crore
Bollywood superstar and arch rival of SRK, Salman Khan, has paid a tax of 10 crore in 2011-12. He retained his tax amount as he paid the same on 2010-11. He had two big hits last year ? ?Ready? and ?Bodyguard.?

?

Read more at???? http://www.siliconindia.com/finance/news/Akshay-Shahrukh-Mumbais-Highest-Tax-Payers-nid-112680.html

?

?

Income Tax in Financial year 2009-2010

1.

Income Tax in Financial year 2008-2009

NEW DELHI: Singh is definitely king. At least for the taxman. Filmstar Akshay Kumar has emerged as the top taxpayer in Bollywood for 2008-09, narrowly pipping Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) to the numero uno position.

Kumar paid a total advance tax of Rs 31 crore in the financial year against Rs 12.5 crore in 2007-08, a whopping 148% more than what he paid in the previous financial year, thanks to his recent box office hits. That means Kumar?s total earnings for the period were a tad above Rs 100 crore!

Source: http://www.naachgaana.com/2013/01/28/income-tax-given-by-top-bollywood-actors-in-last-5-years2008-2012/

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Chris Brown investigated for possible assault of Frank Ocean

Chris Brown (Getty Images)Frank Ocean (Getty Images)

Chris Brown's next hot date could be with a judge.

The controversial singer is being investigated for a possible assault in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department confirms. The incident stemmed from an argument with fellow singer Frank Ocean over a parking spot outside a recording studio.

Police responded to a call stating that six men were fighting outside the Westlake Recording Studio on Sunday. While the scene was clear when police arrived, the investigation determined that "the altercation allegedly led to Chris Brown punching the victim," the department said in a statement released Monday.

While the victim's name wasn't released by police, Ocean says he was injured by Brown, 23. "Got jumped by Chris and a couple guys," the "Thinkin Bout You" singer, 25, tweeted on Sunday night. While he made light of the situation with a "lol," Ocean ? who is up for six Grammys on February 10 ? noted, "Cut my finger now I can't play w two hands at the grammys."

?

An unnamed source told TMZ that as Brown was exiting parking lot after listening to a new track by an artist he represents, Ocean and his pals blocked the exit. "This is my studio, this is my parking spot," Ocean, who came out as a gay man in July, reportedly said to Brown. When Brown went to shake Ocean's hand, a fight broke out.

Brown and Ocean have a history of drama. In 2011, they had a war of words over Twitter when Ocean thought Brown insulted his singing abilities.

Brown posted this photo -- showing him working in the studio -- on Monday. (Instagram)Brown seemed to address the new drama with Ocean in a post on Instagram that went up Monday morning. "Working on my album. Not working on negativity," he wrote along with a photo showing him in the studio the day before. "Focus on feeding ya family. Bulls--t will forever be in the shadows."

Of course, talk of Brown allegedly assaulting a singer prior to the Grammys will make many people flashback to his violent attack of his on-again girlfriend Rihanna following a pre-Grammys party in 2009. He later pled guilty to felony assault charges.

Brown is still on supervised probation for the Rihanna assault, so he could face a probation violation if he is convicted of this new charge. He?s already on thin ice with the judge, who gave him a talking to in November after he failed a mandatory drug test.

This isn?t the only assault drama Brown has been involved with. In June, he was injured in a fight with hip-hop rival Drake and their entourages at a New York City nightclub. Brown fled the scene before police arrived during that incident as well. Ultimately, there was not enough evidence to criminally charge either star.

More Celebrity Features On Yahoo!:

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Source: http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/celeb-news/chris-brown-investigated-possible-assault-frank-ocean-145908760.html

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Dutch Queen Beatrix announces she is to abdicate

Image taken of a TV screen showing Dutch Queen Beatrix announcing she will abdicate April 30, 2014, during a speech prerecorded in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/NOS Television/Peter Dejong)

Image taken of a TV screen showing Dutch Queen Beatrix announcing she will abdicate April 30, 2014, during a speech prerecorded in The Hague, Netherlands, Monday Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/NOS Television/Peter Dejong)

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2011 file photo, Dutch Queen Beatrix, center, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, left and Princess Maxima, second left, arrive at the "Hall of Knights" to formally open the new parliamentary year in The Hague, Netherlands. Queen Beatrix announced she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 20, 2011 file photo, Dutch Queen Beatrix formally opens the new parliamentary year with a speech in The Hague, Netherlands, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011. Queen Beatrix announced she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/Toussaint Kluiters, Pool, File)

FILE - In this April 30, 1980 file photo, Princess Juliana, just after her abdication, kisses her eldest daughter Queen Beatrix, left, on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch Queen Beatrix announces she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo/ Ferry van Groen, File)

FILE - In this April 30, 1980 file photo, Queen Beatrix is shown during her crowning ceremony at Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch Queen Beatrix announced she is to abdicate in favor of Crown Prince Willem Alexander during a nationally televised speech Monday, Jan. 28, 2013. Beatrix, who turns 75 on Thursday, has ruled the nation of 16 million for more than 32 years and would be succeeded by her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander. (AP Photo, File)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) ? Dutch Queen Beatrix announced Monday that she will abdicate on April 30 after 33 years as head of state, clearing the way for her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, to become the nation's first king in more than a century.

The announcement, in a nationally televised speech, signaled an end to the reign of one of Europe's longest-serving monarchs, whose time on the throne was marked by tumultuous shifts in Dutch society and, more recently, by personal tragedy.

The queen's abdication from the largely ceremonial role had been widely expected, but it is sure to bring an outpouring of sentimental and patriotic feelings among the Dutch, most of whom adore Beatrix. In everyday conversation, many of her subjects refer to her simply by the nickname "Bea."

"Responsibility for our country must now lie in the hands of a new generation," Beatrix said in the speech delivered from her Huis ten Bosch palace just days before she was to turn 75.

"I am deeply grateful for the great faith you have shown in me in the many years that I could be your Queen," she added.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte, a staunch monarchist, paid his respects in a speech that immediately followed Beatrix on all Dutch television channels.

"Since her coronation in 1980s she's applied herself heart and soul for Dutch society," Rutte said.

The timing of the announcement makes sense at multiple levels. It comes just days before Beatrix's birthday, and she is already the oldest ever Dutch monarch: the pragmatic Dutch do not see being king or queen as a job for life. The nation also celebrates the 200th anniversary of its monarchy, the House of Orange, at the end of this year, Beatrix said.

Observers believe she remained on the throne for so long in part because of unrest in Dutch society as the country struggled to assimilate more and more immigrants, mainly Muslims from North Africa, and shifted away from its traditional reputation as one of the world's most tolerant nations.

In her Christmas Day speech in 2010, Beatrix made a heartfelt plea for unity, saying, "with each other we all make up one society."

Beatrix was also thought to be giving time for her son to enjoy fatherhood before becoming King Willem-Alexander: he has three young daughters with Argentine investment banker Maxima Zorreguieta.

Beatrix has frequently said that the best years of her life were her time as a young mother, before her coronation in 1980.

The abdication also comes at a time of trial for Beatrix. This time a year ago she was struck by personal tragedy when the second of her three sons, Prince Friso, was left in a coma after being engulfed by an avalanche while skiing in Austria.

And even in a job that is mostly ceremonial to begin with, the previous government stripped her of one of her few remaining powers: the ability to name a candidate to begin Cabinet formations after elections of the national parliament.

Meanwhile Willem-Alexander, 45, is prepared to assume the job.

He is a trained pilot and expert in the quintessentially Dutch field of water management who has long been groomed for the throne, often joining Beatrix on state visits and sometimes even flying her home.

Willem-Alexander, a member of the International Olympic Committee, courted controversy with his choice to marry Maxima, whose father was an agriculture minister in the military junta that ruled Argentina with an iron fist in the late 1970s and early '80s.

Beatrix's choice of husband, Claus, who died in 2002, was met with resistance in 1966 because he was a German national and the Nazis' World War II occupation of the Netherlands was still an open wound for many who lived through it. But, like Maxima, he won the hearts of his adopted nation and there was a huge outpouring of grief at his death.

Beatrix's reign began in difficult economic times and there were riots in Amsterdam at her coronation, as thousands of demonstrators protesting the city's housing shortages fought pitched battles with police just a few hundred meters (yards) from the downtown palace where she was crowned.

But throughout her reign she was a calming influence on society, particularly in the aftermath of the 2002 assassination of populist politician Pim Fortuyn and the murder two years later of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a Muslim extremist.

Although she was widely respected for her unpretentious style, it took Beatrix much of her reign to attain the admiration and popularity of her late mother, former Queen Juliana, who was more openly loving toward her people.

But in recent years, personal tragedies exposed a softer side to the queen and brought her closer to her subjects.

Klaus's death took a toll on her, and it was apparent how deep her reliance on the quiet man had been: she was filmed leaning heavily, almost hanging on Prince Friso's arm as they entered the church for his funeral.

In another blow, a deranged loner tried to slam a car into an open-topped bus carrying members of the royal family as they celebrated the Queens Day national holiday in 2010. The driver killed seven people gathered to watch the royals and the brazen attack shocked the nation.

Then, in 2012, Prince Friso ? who had been such a support after Klaus's death ? was engulfed by an avalanche as he skied, plunging him into a coma from which he has yet to wake.

Beatrix went back to her busy official schedule soon after the accident, but it again spurred speculation that her reign could be nearing its end.

____

Associated Press writer Toby Sterling contributed from Amsterdam.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-01-28-Netherlands-Queen/id-ba2173657ac8431ca718a3a3ef750e14

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Video: Grand jury voted to indict JonBenet?s parents

>>> new information is coming to light in the jonbenet ramsey case, more than six years after her death. in 1999 , the district attorney announced there wasn't sufficient evidence to file charges against anyone. evidently a grand jury had a different opinion. erica hill is here with the story.

>> good morning to you, matt. a grand jury voted to indict john and patsy ramsey , jonbenet 's parents. nbc news spoke to them that they remain anonymous.

>> a little girl 's body was found in the basement.

>> reporter: john and patsy ramsey pleaded to find their daughter's killer. they even offered a reward. yet from the beginning investigators focused on jonbenet 's parents.

>> they do remain under an umbrella of suspicion.

>> reporter: the 6-year-old beauty queen 's parents were never charged in connection with their daughter's death and strongly deny any suggestion they were somehow involved.

>> i did not kill my daughter, jonbenet .

>> i did not have anything to do with it.

>> reporter: in september 1998 , the case was brought to a boulder grand jury . more than a year later on the day they concluded, alex hunter, then boulder d.a., addressed the public.

>> i and my prosecution task force believe we do not have sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of charges.

>> reporter: now more than 13 years later, we're learning the grand jury didn't agree. according to the boulder daily camera , which spoke with members of the grand jury on condition of anonymity, they voted to indict both ramseys on charges of child abuse that resulted in the death of jonbenet .

>> we don't see this scenario, grand juries wanted to indict and prosecutors saying no.

>> reporter: confirms the grand jury voted to indict the ramseys. he believes hunter's decision not to prosecute was courageous.

>> there just simply was a lack of evidence.

>> reporter: one juror, who spoke with the daily camera told the paper, quote, we didn't know who did what, but we felt the adults in the house may have done something, or they certainly could have prevented or helped her and they didn't. in a 2001 interview, hunter told nbc he had no regrets about his decisions in the case.

>> i have enough people that i respect that have said to me, you know, you made a tough call. you made a call that the public didn't like, but you were true to the law. you were a good prosecutor. and that's plenty for me.

>> in a statement, john ramsey 's attorney told nbc the dna tests performed after the time of the boulder grand jury not only prove the ramseys to be innocent and the grand jury wrong they also make d.a. alex hunter a hero who wisely avoided a miscarriage of justice.

>> this is going to open up a whole new round of conversations.

>> yes.

>> about this 16-year-old case. erica, thank you very much.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50613680/

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Senators reach agreement on immigration reform

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2011 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks at the Newseum in Washington. In an opinion piece published Sunday Jan. 27, 2013 in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rubio wrote that the existing system amounts to "de facto amnesty," and he called for "commonsense reform." (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2011 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks at the Newseum in Washington. In an opinion piece published Sunday Jan. 27, 2013 in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rubio wrote that the existing system amounts to "de facto amnesty," and he called for "commonsense reform." (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A bipartisan group of leading senators has reached agreement on the principles for a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, including a path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already in this country.

The deal, to be announced at a news conference Monday, also covers border security, non-citizen or "guest" workers and employer verification of immigration status.

Although thorny details remain to be negotiated and success is far from certain ? the legislation could run into trouble in the Republican-controlled House ? the development heralds the start of what could be the most significant effort in years toward overhauling the nation's inefficient patchwork of immigration laws.

President Barack Obama also is committed to enacting comprehensive immigration legislation and will travel to Nevada on Tuesday to lay out his vision, which is expected to overlap in important ways with the Senate effort.

The eight senators expected to endorse the new principles Monday are Democrats Charles Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado; and Republicans John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida and Jeff Flake of Arizona.

Several of these lawmakers have worked for years on the issue. McCain collaborated with the late Democratic Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on comprehensive immigration legislation pushed by then-President George W. Bush in 2007, only to see it collapse in the Senate when it couldn't get enough GOP support.

Now, with some Republicans chastened by the November elections which demonstrated the importance of Latino voters and their increasing commitment to Democrats, some in the GOP say this time will be different.

"What's changed, honestly, is that there is a new, I think, appreciation on both sides of the aisle ? including maybe more importantly on the Republican side of the aisle ? that we have to enact a comprehensive immigration reform bill," McCain said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

"I think the time is right," McCain said.

The group claims a notable newcomer in Rubio, a potential 2016 presidential candidate whose conservative bona fides may help smooth the way for support among conservatives wary of anything that smacks of amnesty. In an opinion piece published Sunday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rubio wrote that the existing system amounts to "de facto amnesty," and he called for "commonsense reform."

According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, the senators will call for accomplishing four goals:

?Creating a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already here, contingent upon securing the border and better tracking of people here on visas.

?Reforming the legal immigration system, including awarding green cards to immigrants who obtain advanced degrees in science, math, technology or engineering from an American university.

?Creating an effective employment verification system to ensure that employers do not hire illegal immigrants.

?Allowing more low-skill workers into the country and allowing employers to hire immigrants if they can demonstrate they couldn't recruit a U.S. citizen; and establishing an agricultural worker program.

The principles being released Monday are outlined on just over four pages, leaving plenty of details left to fill in. What the senators do call for is similar to Obama's goals and some past efforts by Democrats and Republicans, since there's wide agreement in identifying problems with the current immigration system. The most difficult disagreement is likely to arise over how to accomplish the path to citizenship.

In order to satisfy the concerns of Rubio and other Republicans, the senators are calling for the completion of steps on border security and oversight of those here on visas before taking major steps forward on the path to citizenship.

Even then, those here illegally would have to qualify for a "probationary legal status" that would allow them to live and work here ? but not qualify for federal benefits ? before being able to apply for permanent residency. Once they are allowed to apply they would do so behind everyone else already in line for a green card within the current immigration system.

That could be a highly cumbersome process, but how to make it more workable is being left to future negotiations. The senators envision a more streamlined process toward citizenship for immigrants brought here as children by their parents, and for agricultural workers.

The American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement that the framework agreed on by the senators could provide important protections for illegal immigrants who are exploited by employers and live in "constant fear" over their immigration status.

But the ACLU took issue with the proposal to require employers to use an electronic employment-verification system, calling it "a thinly disguised national ID requirement" that would undermine employees' privacy and lead to discrimination against those "who look or sound 'foreign.'"

Such legislation could also face long odds in the House, which is dominated by conservative Republicans and which has shown little interest in immigration reform.

The debate will play out at the start of Obama's second term, as he aims to spend the political capital afforded him by his re-election victory on an issue that has eluded past presidents and stymied him during his first term despite his promises to the Latino community to act.

"As the president has made clear for some time, immigration reform is an important priority and he is pleased that progress is being made with bipartisan support," a White House spokesman, Clark Stevens, said in a statement. "At the same time, he will not be satisfied until there is meaningful reform and he will continue to urge Congress to act until that is achieved."

For Republicans, the November elections were a stark schooling on the importance of Latino voters, who voted for Obama over Republican Mitt Romney 71 percent to 27 percent, helping ensure Obama's victory. That led some Republican leaders to conclude that supporting immigration reform with a path to citizenship has become a political imperative.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-01-28-Immigration/id-eab05f201f014f6985d3c9be324fd6aa

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Ice storm encases Midwest, heads east for start of work week

(Reuters) - A storm encased the U.S. Midwest in glistening ice on Sunday, forcing officials to cancel flights and closing roadways and threatening to tangle the start of the work week as freezing rains headed east.

Hundreds of churches across Iowa called off Sunday services as sidewalks were turned to sheets of ice by the storm that meteorologists said had covered the Midwest in about a half-inch (13mm) of ice by midday.

Flights in and out of Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Louis were grounded on icy runways.

The National Weather Service issued a freezing rain advisory for Chicago and the surrounding area for Sunday until 9 p.m. CST (0300 GMT Monday), when temperatures were expected to warm up enough to make it just rain. Until then, the NWS warned of dangerous conditions for driving and even walking.

"Pockets of sleet, freezing rain and freezing drizzle are possible farther east late tonight into Monday morning from Buffalo, New York, to New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Roanoke, Virginia," meteorologist Brian Edwards said on Accuweather.com.

Slick roadways were reported from South Sioux City, Nebraska, to Iowa, where numerous crashes were reported, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. In Franklin County, Iowa, Interstate 35 was blocked by tractor trailers struggling to get a grip on treacherous surfaces.

"Instant icing of windshields and roadway surfaces (as well as driveways, sidewalks and parking lots) can be expected in the areas with freezing temperatures," the Iowa DOT said.

In Missouri, ramps to connecting Interstate 270, which circles the St. Louis area, to Interstate 70 were closed early Sunday morning because of ice, but were later reopened, said Marie Elliott, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Transportation.

(Additional reporting by Tim Bross in Missouri, Kay Henderson in Iowa and David Hendee in Nebraska; Editing by Edith Honan and Bill Trott)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ice-storm-encases-midwest-heads-east-start-week-190201740.html

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2013 Moon Little League Baseball - Spring Registration | Robinson ...

Today, January 26, 2013, 10:30 am

904 Beaver Grade Rd, Moon Township, PA | Get?Directions??
FREE

Moon Township Little League Baseball is currently accepting registration online for the 2013 season.?

To register, select Online Registration . Online registration is easy to complete and accepts most major credit cards through PayPal.

If you are unable to register online, you may register in person on one of the following days:

Date - Saturday, Jan. 26^th

Time - 10:30am ? 2pm

Location - Moon Middle School Lobby

The age of your child on April 30, 2013 determines which league he or she will participate.

Leagues

T-Ball - 4 & 5 year olds - $75.00

Modified T-Ball - 6 year olds - $75.00

Midget- 7 & 8 year olds - $95.00

Minor - 9 & 10 year olds - $95.00

Little - 11 & 12 year olds - $95.00

Pony - 13 & 14 year olds - $95.00

Colt - 14, 15 & 16 year olds - $125.00

Legion - 17, 18 & 19 year olds - $125.00

Family Discount
If you are registering multiple children, $40.00 is deducted from each additional child. There is a $160.00 maximum registration fee per family.

Raffle Ticket Fee
A raffle ticket fee of $25/child ($50/family) will be added to all registrations. Raffle tickets will be handed out by your child's team manager.

Registration Information

• A $10 late fee will be added to anyone registering after 2/10/2013.
• First time registrants will need to submit their Birth Certificate. Birth Certificates can be uploaded if registering online or a copy can be submitted if registering in person.
• Eligibility is open to all residents of the Moon Area School District. Proof of residency may be required.

Please direct any questions regarding registration to

info@moonbaseball.com.

40.512455

-80.215168

primary

/events/2013-moon-little-league-baseball-spring-registration

/locations/8662627

Source: http://moon.patch.com/events/2013-moon-little-league-baseball-spring-registration

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