Exxon pipeline leaks thousands of barrels of Canadian oil in Arkansas

By Matthew Robinson and David Sheppard

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil was working to clean up thousands of barrels of oil in Mayflower, Arkansas, after a pipeline carrying heavy Canadian crude ruptured, a major spill likely to stoke debate over transporting Canada's oil to the United States.

Exxon shut the Pegasus pipeline, which can carry more than 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil from Pakota, Illinois, to Nederland, Texas, after the leak was discovered on Friday afternoon, the company said in a statement.

Exxon, hit with a $1.7 million fine by regulators this week over a 2011 spill in the Yellowstone River, said a few thousand barrels of oil had been observed.

A company spokesman confirmed the line was carrying Canadian Wabasca Heavy crude. That grade is a heavy bitumen crude diluted with lighter liquids to allow it to flow through pipelines, according to the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA), which referred to Wabasca as "oil sands" in a report.

The spill occurred as the U.S. State Department is considering the fate of the 800,000 bpd Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry crude from Canada's oil sands to the Gulf Coast. Environmentalists, concerned about the impact of developing the oil sands, have sought to block its approval.

Supporters say Keystone will help bring down the cost of fuel in the United States.

The Arkansas spill was the second incident this week where Canadian crude has spilled in the United States. On Wednesday, a train carrying Canadian crude derailed in Minnesota, spilling 15,000 gallons of oil.

Exxon expanded the Pegasus pipeline in 2009 to carry more Canadian crude from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast refining hub and installed what it called new "leak detection technology".

Exxon said federal, state and local officials were on site and the company said it was staging a response for a spill of more than 10,000 barrels "to be conservative". Clean-up crews had recovered approximately 4,500 barrels of oil and water.

"The air quality does not likely present a human health risk, with the exception of the high pooling areas, where clean-up crews are working with safety equipment," Exxon said in a statement.

U.S. media said the spill was in a subdivision. Mayflower city police said the oil had not reached Lake Conway nearby.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency categorized the rupture as a "major spill," Exxon said, and 22 homes were evacuated following the incident.

A spokesman for the Department of Transportation confirmed that an inspector from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration had been sent to the scene to determine what caused the failure. The Environmental Protection Agency is the federal on-scene coordinator for the spill.

Some environmentalists argue that oil sands crudes are more corrosive than conventional oil, although a CEPA report, put together by oil and gas consultancy Penspen, argued diluted bitumen is no more corrosive than other heavy crude.

The U.S. Department of Transportation earlier this week proposed a fine of 1.7 million for Exxon over pipeline safety violations relating to a 2011 oil spill in the Yellowstone River. Exxon's Silvertip pipeline, which carries 40,000 barrels per day of crude in Montana, leaked about 1,500 barrels of oil into the river in July 2011 after heavy flooding in the area.

In 1989, the Exxon Valdez supertanker struck a reef in Prince William Sound off Alaska and spilled 250,000 barrels of crude oil.

(Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner in WASHINGTON; Editing by Philip Barbara, Eric Beech and Paul Tait)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exxon-shuts-oil-pipeline-major-pipeline-spill-arkansas-010122537--finance.html

paulina gretzky david bowie elvis presley elvis presley Pretty Little Liars Rob Parker Comcast

China "resolutely opposes" U.S. curbs on IT imports: state media

By Megha Rajagopalan

BEIJING (Reuters) - China expressed "resolute opposition" and "strong dissatisfaction" with a new U.S. cyber-espionage rule limiting imports of Chinese-made information technology products, state media reported on Saturday.

The remarks underscore growing tension between the world's top two economies after the United States accused China of backing a string of hacking attacks on U.S. companies and government agencies.

China says the accusation lacks proof and that it is also a victim of hacking attacks, more than half of which originate from the United States.

The new provision, tucked into a funding bill signed into law on Thursday, requires NASA, as well as the Justice and Commerce Departments, to seek approval from federal law enforcement officials before buying information technology systems from China.

The United States imports about $129 billion worth of "advanced technology products" from China, according to a May 2012 report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service.

State media including Xinhua, the China Daily and the People's Daily, quoted a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce as saying the U.S. bill "sends a very wrong signal".

"This will directly impact partnerships of Chinese enterprises and American business as they conduct regular trade," said Shen Danyang, the commerce ministry spokesman.

"This abuse of so-called national security measures is unfair to Chinese enterprises, and extends the discriminatory practice of presumption of guilt," the article in the official People's Daily said, quoting Shen. "This severely damages mutual trust between the U.S. and China."

The United States should eliminate the law, Shen said.

Technology security lawyer Stewart Baker wrote in a blog post this week that China could claim that the United States is violating World Trade Organization rules.

However, because Beijing hasn't signed a WTO agreement setting international rules for government procurement, it may not be successful in its challenge, Baker said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei also urged the U.S. to abandon the law at a news conference on Thursday.

"This bill uses Internet security as an excuse to take discriminatory steps against Chinese companies," he said.

(Reporting By Megha Rajagopalan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-resolutely-opposes-u-curbs-imports-state-media-052921146.html

sacagawea new hope baptist church associated press foster friess new orleans hornets ghost rider spirit of vengeance hornets

Proxy firms pile on pressure for better MetroPCS-T-Mobile deal

By Sinead Carew

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Proxy advisor Glass Lewis on Friday became the second firm to suggest that MetroPCS Communications Inc shareholders vote against a proposed merger with T-Mobile USA, adding pressure on Deutsche Telekom AG to sweeten the deal.

The move by No. 2 proxy firm Glass Lewis backs efforts by two key activist investors to block the deal, the day after leading proxy firm ISS said shareholders should vote against the deal with T-Mobile USA, the U.S. business of Deutsche Telekom.

If the deal collapses, it would be a huge blow for Deutsche Telekom after being forced in 2011 to abandon its plan to sell T-Mobile USA to AT&T for $39 billion amid regulator opposition.

The failure of that 2011 plan cost T-Mobile USA some customers as the company focused away from its core business.

T-Mobile USA - the No. 4 mobile provider in the United States - and its smaller rival MetroPCS want to pool their spectrum resources and networks in order to better compete with larger rivals Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc and Sprint Nextel.

But Glass Lewis said the current deal undervalues MetroPCS's contribution to the combined company. Staying independent would help MetroPCS shareholders reap more value in the short term, the proxy firm said in a report.

A 'no' vote by MetroPCS shareholders could also prompt a better offer, Glass Lewis said.

DEAL SCRUTINIZED

According to analysts, the negative reviews from proxy firms could likely force Deutsche Telekom to change the deal terms. That could mean reducing the proposed debt load of the combined company and corporate governance changes.

The proposed debt load of $21 billion is the biggest gripe MetroPCS shareholders have with the deal, according to analysts and investors.

Jonathan Chaplin, an analyst with New Street Research, said shareholders would likely push for less onerous terms on the debt and for governance changes as well as lower debt levels, before they would vote for the deal.

But shareholders could look for governance changes as well.

A MetroPCS spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the board remains committed to the deal and thinks it is in the best interest of stockholders.

MetroPCS declined to say if the recommendations would lead to any changes to the deal. Representatives for Deutsche Telekom did not respond to requests for comment on the Glass Lewis recommendation.

Paulson & Co, the biggest MetroPCS shareholder, and P. Schoenfeld Asset Management, another big shareholder, had both committed to vote against the deal on concerns about the valuation and the amount of debt being assigned to the combined company.

Even so, another major shareholder - Madison Dearborn - had thrown its weight behind the deal. A smaller advisory firm, Egan Jones, had also recommended its clients vote in favor of the transaction.

Under the terms of the reverse-merger announced in October, Deutsche Telekom would end up with a 74 percent stake in the combined company, and MetroPCS would declare a 1-for-2 reverse stock split and pay $1.5 billion in cash to its shareholders.

On top of these issues, the companies are soon expected to face tougher competition from an emboldened Sprint, which has agreed to sell 70 percent of its shares to Japan's SoftBank Corp for $20 billion.

P. Schoenfeld Asset Management LP, which says it owns about 2.5 percent of MetroPCS, is leading a proxy battle against the deal. Paulson & Co has a 9.9 percent stake, and Madison Dearborn owns about 8.3 percent of MetroPCS shares, according to the most recent public disclosures.

MetroPCS shares have slid more than 8 percent since October 1, 2012, the day before reports emerged that MetroPCS and Deutsche Telekom were in talks.

(Reporting by Sinead Carew, additional reporting by Luciana Lopez; editing by G Crosse)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/glass-lewis-urges-metropcs-shareholders-vote-down-t-160617040--finance.html

purim acc tournament big ten tournament big east tournament 2012 solar storm solar flares spanx

Self Improvement | How The Online World Helps Self Development ...

By: Marie Felipe -

The online world plays a major role in today?s self development. It forms a surrogate reality for some, allows them to play interactive multiplayer games, browse the World Wide Web to get information on anything they wish, connect and message anyone across the world, and even enroll at online schools. Last but not the least, the online world also created online communities that unite people of different cultures and social classes together.

Those are just some of the proofs that the online world had allowed so many people to grow and be a better version of them. I know because I?ve witnessed a few. Let me share with you some of my friend?s story that had been affected greatly by the online world.

The Social Media Celebrity

I have a friend who is a loner when we are in high school, she cant even look people straight to the eye. Now, she had like 4000 friends in Facebook, 10,000 followers in twitter and the top 5 most visited Linkedin. Indeed social media had helped her become her true self. She always had trouble communicating with other people face to face due to insecurity within herself. Facebook, My Space, Twitter, Linkedin and many other social media outlets allow people to communicate with family, friends and business associates by allowing them to post their daily routines and announcements to everyone reading their postings. It is easier for her this way to make friends and build her confidence. And now she is a social media celebrity. Doesn?t stop there too, she just used social media and the online world as a stepping stone, now she can freely meet with other people whether it is for business or for fun.

YouTuber

YouTube is another social media outlet that allows people to upload videos of themselves online. People like to be the star of their own 10 minute reality show and thanks to YouTube, now they can. I love watching Kevjumba ? one of the most famous YouTuber out there. And in his videos, he always say that he used to be a shy freak. YouTube became his avenue of expressing himself. Shy people along with anyone in general public use this technology to showcase themselves without any form of ridicule or immediate feedback. Plus These videos can be monetized and depending upon traffic it can be a money making outlet like Kevjumba is doing right now.

From Being Shy To Being A Speaker

Shy people do not initiate conversations easily with new people, or tend to speak in public forums. The online world has allowed shy people to use these outlets to lose their fears and inhibitions of speaking out on a specific issue or communicating to the public. This I can vow to be true as I witness this with my best friend. She?s not shy when talking and having fun with people, but when it comes to public speaking and voicing out her opinions, she always stutter. And boy it?s such a waste. Because she is so intelligent that she is our valedictorian. The online world helped her voice out her opinions, first by blogging. Then she went unto podcast and online streaming. The online world had become her blanket or support to voice out her opinions and now she is working as a campaign manager for one of the running senators in our country.

None of these great things would have happened without the help of the online world. Without a great internet service provider like the ones you can get here http://www.internetserviceprovidersbyzipcode.com their voices or their true selves would forever be silent. So if you are one shy dude or girl out there, use the power of internet today to develop self confidence and be on the road for a new you.

Author Bio: Marie Felipe is a web content writer for more than 6 years now. The online world had done so many major things in her life including it being her source of income for her only daughter.

Source: http://theselfimprovementblog.com/self-improvement/self-improvement-tips/how-the-online-world-helps-self-development/

Hurricane Isaac Path Isaac Hurricane earthquake san diego Hurricane Isaac Sam Claflin Tony Farmer West Nile virus symptoms

Fire destroys Newtown home of shooting survivors

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? A Newtown home destroyed by a fire this week was owned by a couple whose children survived the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in December.

The News-Times of Danbury reports (http://bit.ly/ZsimWk ) that Wednesday afternoon's fire left Hans and Audra Barth and their three children homeless. The American Red Cross has put them up in a hotel.

Two of their children attended Sandy Hook Elementary School, including a first-grader in teacher Kaitlin Roig's classroom. Roig has been called a hero for barricading her students in a bathroom as the shooter killed 20 other first-graders and six educators.

Friends say the family lost everything in the fire, and their pet dog and several baby chickens died. St. Rose of Lima Church is taking donations.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

___

Information from: The News-Times, http://www.newstimes.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fire-destroys-newtown-home-shooting-survivors-120059181.html

boxing news Coptic Christian saturday night live julio cesar chavez jr Topless Kate university of texas UT Austin

Girl Gets Wisdom Teeth Pulled, Bawls Over Murdered Molars

Source:

Zayn Malik miss america 2013 Oscar Nominations ABC Family social security social security paulina gretzky

A smartphone solution to childhood obesity

The best weapon in the battle against obesity may already be in the hands of children and teenagers.

That?s the thinking behind the work of several researchers and technologists around the country who hope to turn cell phones into devices that can help young people make healthier food and lifestyle choices.

A recent Pew Internet study found that 78 percent of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half of them ? 47 percent -- own smartphones with computing capability.

?It?s interesting because most often we think using technology is part of the problem,? said Dr. Susan Woolford of the Pediatric Comprehensive Weight Management Center at the University of Michigan, pointing to video games and other uses of technology that have made teens more sedentary. ?We actually hope that using this new technology will help us.?

Woolford leads a team that sends highly tailored and targeted text messages to obese adolescents to help them change their behaviors. The messages urge teens to reduce their time in front of TV and computer screens, eat a healthy breakfast and more fruits and vegetables, and reduce the number of sweets and sugary beverages in their diets.

The initial test program had bout 25 volunteer participants -- overweight teens who are participating in university's weight management program.

To get the most effective messages to individual teens, participants in the pilot program filled out an online survey with questions about their activity level, what kind of support they have, what kind of foods they prefer and what inspires them to lose weight.

From there, the team has developed an extensive library of unique automated messages that are sent daily. Their goal is to get the right message at the right time to the right person.

?We aren?t going to suggest you play basketball as an activity if you said your interest was in water sports,? Woolford said.

Or if a teen prefers dairy for breakfast, the team?s text might suggest low-fat yogurt.

Woolford said the feedback from the participants has been crucial in shaping the messages.

She pointed to a text suggesting alternative snacks that said, ?Instead of ice cream try frozen yogurt today." But some teens in the study were quick to point out when they see the words ?ice cream? in a message they were not able to see the healthy alternative that comes later.

So, Woolford said, the text message simply became "Try yogurt this morning."

?I think technology is definitely going to help us,? she said, ?It?s not just sending a text message, it?s send the right text message. And if we pay attention to the content we hope the success will be greater.?

In Massachusetts, Dr. Nicolas Oreskovic is using another common smartphone feature ? the Global Positioning System ? to study where in a city and when young people are active.

?What urban spaces do they use for physical activity and what spaces they do not use for physical activity?? Oreskovic asked.

Oreskovic and his team based at Massachusetts General Hospital?s Center for Child and Adolescent Health Policy had teens in Revere, Mass. wear GPS devices on their wrists and accelerometers on their hips for several months over three seasons to collect data on the location and activity of their daily routines.

By plotting the results on a city map, Oreskovic noticed that children tend to be active in outdoor spaces like parks, playgrounds, streets and sidewalks rather than indoor spaces like their home and school. He also charted when they are most active and where and when they walked to a park or playground.

Oreskovic said he hopes such studies help urban planners design cities and towns to promote a more healthy and active lifestyle in children.

If city officials had good data about how children use their sidewalks, parks and open areas, they can redesign communities with the right walking paths to the right parks, Oreskovic said. Decisions could be made using scientific data, which in turn should encourage more use of a city's parks, playscapes and open space.

Oreskovic said a next step could be to use location mapping to help teens find healthy food options and places to spend their time. The GPS on their cellphones and texting technology could be combined to point teens to a safe park to play or suggest a healthier restaurant near their favorite fast food joint.

?I think the wave of the future in these not traditional areas,? Oreskovic said. ?Intervention in schools has had a limited impact. These novel technology areas are where we can individualize obesity counseling may be helpful.?

Technology is making great strides in the fight against obesity according to Dr. Philip Schauer, director of the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Schauer said hundreds of applications on mobile and desktop and computerized devices, like smart watches and digital jewelry, are being developed to help users maintain a healthy lifestyle.

?Some of these smart watches can help us with weight, they can keep track of the steps day we take each day, the calories burning and track our weight on daily basis," Schauer said.

"There?s all kinds of apps, more and more come out each day and it?s hard to keep track of them,? Schauer said. ?I even think they are working on one where you can take a picture of the food eating with the camera on your smartphone and an app tells you how many calories it is.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/researchers-combat-obesity-tech-tools-popular-teens-135530214.html

legend of korra magic mike trailer Alan Turing brave Stephanie Rice Meet the Pyro Karen Klein

Fewer children mean longer life?

Thursday, March 28, 2013

New research into ageing processes, based on modern genetic techniques, confirms theoretical expectations about the correlation between reproduction and lifespan. Studies of birds reveal that those that have offspring later in life and have fewer broods live longer. And the decisive factor is telomeres, shows research from The University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Telomeres are the protective caps at the end of chromosomes. The length of telomeres influences how long an individual lives.

Telomeres start off at a certain length, become shorter each time a cell divides, decline as the years pass by until the telomeres can no longer protect the chromosomes, and the cell dies. But the length of telomeres varies significantly among individuals of the same age. This is partly due to the length of the telomeres that has been inherited from the parents, and partly due to the amount of stress an individual is exposed to.

"This is important, not least for our own species, as we are all having to deal with increased stress," says Angela Pauliny, Researcher from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the University of Gothenburg.

Researchers have studied barnacle geese, which are long-lived birds, the oldest in the study being 22 years old. The results show that geese, compared to short-lived bird species, have a better ability to preserve the length of their telomeres. The explanation is probably that species with a longer lifespan invest more in maintaining bodily functions than, for example, reproduction.

"There is a clear correlation between reproduction and ageing in the animal world. Take elephants, which have a long lifespan but few offspring, while mice, for example, live for a short time but produce a lot of offspring each time they try," says Angela Pauliny.

The geese studied by researchers varied in age, from very young birds to extremely old ones. Each bird was measured twice, two years apart. One striking result was that the change in telomere length varied according to gender.

"The study revealed that telomeres were best-preserved in males. Among barnacle geese, the telomeres thus shorten more quickly in females, which in birds is the sex with two different gender chromosomes. Interestingly, it is the exactl opposite in humans," says Angela Pauliny.

###

The journal BMC Evolutionary Biology has classified the research article "Telomere dynamics in a long-lived bird, the barnacle goose" as "Highly Accessed".

Link to the article: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/12/257

University of Gothenburg: http://www.gu.se/english

Thanks to University of Gothenburg for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 48 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127500/Fewer_children_mean_longer_life_

doonesbury padma lakshmi daughtry lakers trade ann arbor news nick young elizabeth smart

Ex-Sen. Craig loses bid to dismiss FEC lawsuit

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A federal judge refused on Thursday to dismiss a Federal Election Commission lawsuit that accuses former Sen. Larry Craig of misusing $217,000 in campaign funds for his legal defense after his arrest in a 2007 airport bathroom sex sting.

Craig had argued that the airport bathroom trip fell under his official duties as senator because he was traveling between Idaho and Washington for work, and therefore the legal fees could be paid for with campaign money.

But U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson rejected that argument. She wrote in her ruling that the charge against Craig didn't relate "to his conduct as a legislator, but only actions undertaken in the privacy and anonymity of a restroom stall." Jackson set a scheduling conference in the case for April 26.

The Idaho Republican was arrested by an undercover police officer at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The officer said Craig tapped his feet and signaled under a stall divider that he wanted sex. Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and paid a fine. After his arrest later became public, Craig tried unsuccessfully to reverse his conviction.

The FEC allows campaign funds to be used for legal expenses that were caused by a candidate's campaign or officeholder's duties, and determines that on a case-by-case basis. The commission sued Craig last year after concluding his legal problems had nothing to do with campaigning for federal office. The FEC is seeking an order requiring Craig to return the money to his campaign, along with fines of up to $6,500 against Craig and his campaign treasurer, Kaye O'Riordan.

"Senator Craig was arrested for, and pled guilty to, committing a criminal violation of Minnesota state law," Jackson wrote. "One does not need to be a United States congressman - or any sort of federal official - to be charged with this offense, and the arrest did not call into question his conduct as a legislator. Neither the charge nor the underlying conduct had anything to do with his performance of his official duties, so the legal expenses they generated were not incurred in connection with those duties."

In an email, Craig's lawyer, Andrew Herman, said, "We will assess the opinion and decide how to proceed after doing so."

___

Follow Fred Frommer on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ffrommer

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-03-28-US-Craig-FEC-Lawsuit/id-f7342f293bf14a4db7d2923da972d9cd

j.k. rowling j.k. rowling axl rose google earnings pat burrell hilary rosen grilled cheese

Shorter Winters Chip Away at New York State Logging Town's Future

Shorter winters are shortening upstate New York's timber harvest. Image: Flickr/JOHN NORTHRUP

TUPPER LAKE, N.Y. ? Scott Lizotte was hopeful as he pulled his iPhone out of the breast pocket of his flannel shirt. "It's going to be six degrees tonight," he said, studying the 10-day forecast. It's mid-March, and he's standing between a skidder and a log loader in a snowy clearing of a 12,000-acre private forest near Tupper Lake, a former lumber town in New York's Adirondack Mountains.

The ground is deeply rutted from rain two days ago, but the return of cold has frozen it hard as blacktop. The forecast is good news for Lizotte and his logging crew, who need a frozen base of six inches to support the heavy feller-bunchers, skidders and trucks that cut and haul logs. Because deep cold provides a firm surface on which to move through the forest, winter is the most productive time of year for northern loggers, but winter is getting shorter.

"We used to go on the job when the ground was frozen, around the first of November, or around Thanksgiving," said Scott's father, Jeannel Lizotte. "Now it's going around Christmas time."

Added Scott: "This year it was New Year's before we got on the winter roads."

From stump to mill, some 57,000 people are employed in New York State's forest-products industry, 10 percent of them working in the woods. As much as 35 to 45 percent of the timber harvest across northern New York and New England happens in winter.?

Birch, beech and hemlock
The Lizottes' clearing is at the center of a mixed stand of birch, beech and hemlock. The site is reached by a mile of gravel-hardened dirt road; when it's frozen the corridor can handle a 100,000-pound tractor-trailer loaded with logs. The Lizottes estimate they have until the end of this week to get their gear out of the woods before this road goes soft. They've already pulled equipment from plots 10 miles deeper in the forest; those stands were reached only by "winter roads," temporary routes created by earth, frost and graders. "It used to be we'd shoot for March 15," Jeannel said, "but we got caught out too many times."

Jeannel Lizotte says he has lost about a month of productive time to warmer winter weather since he started his logging business in 1970. His observations parallel those of a Wisconsin study presented last week at the Connecticut Conference on Natural Resources. "Frozen ground is starting later and it's ending earlier. A trend is evident," said Chadwick Rittenhouse, an assistant research professor at University of Connecticut.

He and Adena Rissman, an assistant professor with the University of Wisconsin's department of forest and wildlife ecology, examined historical weather information from the federal government's National Climatic Data Center for seven counties in Wisconsin. They found that the counties experienced a two- to four-week reduction of frozen ground between 1949 and 2012.

The study also found that midwinter thaws are becoming more common, reducing cold-weather logging from the middle of the season.

38 days lost
"Eau Claire County is one of the most dramatic counties: 38 days of frozen ground lost since the beginning of that time series in 1949," Rittenhouse said. "That's only 60 years and we've lost ... five weeks, almost six weeks. What does that mean for forest operations?"

Rittenhouse and Rissman compared harvest records for public lands against a variety of weather information. Something jumped out: a tie between less-predictable thaws and the type of trees cut: As winter conditions grow more variable, Wisconsin loggers are switching to jack pine and cedar, which favor sandy, well-drained soils. "There's kind of always a mid-winter thaw, and typically it's not more than a couple of days. Well, now we have midwinter thaw part one, then we have midwinter thaw two and midwinter thaw three," Rittenhouse said. "The short story, or the analysis, is that variability in the thaw duration drives the timber harvest."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=f2dda87722d87492bd219f50b8a217c6

d rose iman shumpert mayweather vs cotto shumpert hopkins hopkins dear john

Stomping on students? consciences (Powerlineblog)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/294973643?client_source=feed&format=rss

paul mccartney Sandy Hook Victims new york times columbine breaking news Google News Newton

Byron Hankerson balances football, college, and fatherhood in his ...

Byron Hankerson. Photo by Michelle Friswell

In 2012, his senior season, Byron Hankerson made his biggest impact, playing in all 12 games for the Owls and hauling in the game-winning score against Wagner in Week 1.

But the wide receiver?s most significant accomplishment this year wasn?t on the football field. On Feb. 19, Hankerson became the father of a newborn son, Byron Hankerson, Jr.

?I am seeing him take responsibility and ownership and really rise up to the challenge,? said Hankerson?s father, Brian. ?His son is here so of course we are going to embrace him and love him.?

The fear, excitement, and difficulty that comes with raising a child hasn?t changed Hankerson?s dream of playing professional football, though. He?s working diligently to make it to the NFL ? and complete his bachelor?s degree ? with his newborn son in mind.

?It makes you push just a little harder, that you are training for someone other than yourself,? Hankerson said. ?It?s a motivating factor that keeps me waking up every day and working hard.?

Some of that hard work includes training with Athletes Edge, a sports performance company that specializes in preparing athletes for pro day and combine workouts.

Hankerson, a walk on to FAU in 2009, had spent much of his time working on maximizing his speed, strength, and overall athleticism in an effort to impress both CFL (Canadian Football League) and NFL scouts.

However, Hankerson?s training was primarily in preparation for FAU?s March 8 pro day workout. And despite his ramped up training regimen, the senior wide receiver was disappointed with his performance, which took place in front of 12 NFL scouts.

Hankerson posted the fastest 40-yard dash time of any of the players working out ? a 40-yard dash time of 4.6 ? but fell victim to his prior vices.

?I kind of went out there and my nerves got the best of me,? Hankerson said. ?I reverted to my old ways and my old ways gave me an old time.?

While Hankerson was not satisfied with his pro day, Jeff Sims, the Owls? wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, believes that his former pupil has the potential to succeed at the professional level.

?He meets the number one criteria to be a professional football player ? speed,? Sims said. ?His timed speed in the 40 doesn?t speak to his game speed on tape.?

Sims affirmed that Hankerson has the upside, work ethic, and speed to develop into an NFL player, but acknowledges that Hankerson?s size ? 6-foot-1, 180 pounds ? and limited game time experience would require him to develop his body and skill set.

Sims didn?t question Hankerson?s ability to improve in those areas, and thought back to an example of when Hankerson?s work ethic had benefited him.

During a team meeting last spring, Sims warned Hankerson that if he left to use the restroom he would not be allowed back in. Hankerson disregarded Sims? warning and left anyway.

Hankerson, as expected, was not permitted to reenter the meeting and found himself in his coach?s doghouse.

?He went to the bottom of the depth chart going into the spring last year,? Sims recalled.

He quickly found a way to get back in the team?s good graces, however.

?By the end of the spring, Byron had worked himself back into a starting position,? Sims said.

As a whole, Sims remains impressed by Hankerson?s work ethic, a trait that should help him find future success.

?It would be an intelligent investment for somebody to give him an opportunity to improve,? Sims said. ?We have yet to see the best of Byron Hankerson.?

Although Hankerson is committed to pursuing his dream of going pro, he also has career aspirations in the finance and accounting sector. Hankerson, along with his brother, plan on taking over their father?s accounting firm, Hankerson & Associates PA.

Byron Hankerson. Photo by Michelle Friswell

?I am a business management major and my brother is studying accounting so it goes well together,? Hankerson said.

Hankerson isn?t just interested in the lucrative side of the business. He and his father are also in the early stages of developing a nonprofit organization that helps needy churches manage their finances.

When asked about what the nonprofit meant to Hankerson?s family, his father explained that Hankerson & Associates? work was part of a grander picture.

?You?re here for a purpose,? Brian Hankerson said. ?God is giving you gifts and talents and resources. It?s about making a difference and impacting lives.?

God, church, and religion have always had an important influence on Hankerson?s life, football career, and now fatherhood.

?We have been involved in church and associated with ministry all of our lives,? Brian Hankerson said as he referenced Romans 8:28 . ?We look to God for strength, guidance, protection and we really believe in the Bible and that we should apply it to our lives.?

That devout mentality has made a profound impact on his son.

?Everything you do in life is a walk of faith,? Hankerson said when asked about God?s role in his life.

In a few months, Hankerson will know whether or not that walk of faith will be on the grid-iron in cleats or in an office at Hankerson & Associates in leather dress shoes.

Regardless, that walk will definitely be as a parent, and Hankerson is ready for the task.

?God wouldn?t give you anything you couldn?t handle,? Hankerson said.

Despite all else, Hankerson is maintaining a positive mindset.

The former walk-on made note of his solid 4.48 40 time while training with Athletes Edge, and added that he is hoping to showcase some of that speed at the Probound Florida Bowl on March 23.

The Probound Florida Bowl, better known as the Florida vs. the Nation game, matches up Florida?s elite college football players against players from all over the country.

The game could be Hankerson?s last chance to display his talent in front of NFL scouts before the NFL Draft on April 25.

But he?s keeping contingencies in place, too.

In case Hankerson is not drafted or invited to an NFL training camp this summer, he?s also scheduled two workouts ? one on April 4 and one on April 8 ? with two different teams in the CFL.

Hankerson?s dad feels that a potential move to the CFL would be tough for his son, whom he introduced to football around the age of eight.

But he continues to support Byron and encourages him to follow his dreams.

?[The CFL] is going to be challenging because he is a family guy,? Brian Hankerson said. ?We?ll just get our frequent flier miles, pack our bags, and we?ll be up there.?

While hopeful, Hankerson remains realistic about his odds of getting drafted or signed as a free agent ? let alone playing pro ball in either league.

?Football at the end of the day is a business as well,? Hankerson said. ?If they don?t feel that they need you, it is out of your control.?

As far as continuing his road toward a professional football career, Hankerson chose rapper Young Jeezy?s words over his own.

?Anything you put your mind to, put your grind to,? Hankerson said with a laugh.

Hankerson might have walked on to the Owls team in 2009, but his best season came during his senior year as one of quarterback Graham Wilbert?s favorite targets. Hankerson proved his worth in Week 1 against Wagner, when he hauled in five passes for 93 yards and the game-deciding touchdown.

Source: http://upressonline.com/2013/03/byron-hankerson-balances-football-college-and-fatherhood-in-his-last-semester-at-fau/

jon jones rashad evans ufc jones vs evans watergate mlb pregnant man outside lands 2012 lineup beloved

U.S. asks Liechtenstein for data in tax evasion probe

Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-asks-liechtenstein-data-swiss-banking-probe-074807421.html

oscar noms capital gains tim thomas oral roberts les paul fred thompson fred thompson

Tamra Barney and Gretchen Rossi: What Started the Feud?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/tamra-barney-and-gretchen-rossi-what-started-the-feud/

girl with the dragon tattoo ohio state basketball collateral dick cheney heart umf elite eight stephon marbury

Hands-on with Frontline Commando: D-Day

We swung by the Glu offices while prepping for GDC 2013 today to check out their next Frontline Commando game, due to launch this Thursday. You'll find a lot of the same third-person, duck-and-cover action of the franchise, along with a few new elements that really sets it apart.

Obviously since this Frontline is all D-Day themed, you'll have to blow up plenty of tanks, as well as play wave defense stages where you man an anti-air flak gun and shoot down enemy aircraft. While on foot, there's a new sprinting mechanic. If you don't time your leaps right, you may trip and take a hit to your health. Players explore a variety of different locales across Europe, and are ranked out of three stars for each mission's performance. Over time, they earn cash and currency to acquire and upgrade new equipment. The primary consumable you'll be relying on are grenades; they're scarce, but handy.

For a free-to-play title, the graphics are great, and the authentic World War 2 weapons and history tidbits between levels really set the mood. Since the Call of Duty games have long since left the World War 2 theme behind, it's nice to have something new in the genre. To keep an eye on what's happening with FrontLine Commando: D-Day, hit up Glu's landing page.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/VyP1p7M3X8Q/story01.htm

jamie lynn spears kevin hart Chavez Dead Hugo Chavez Dead Bonnie Franklin sinkhole justin bieber

Yankees complete trade for Vernon Wells

In this photo taken March 23, 2013, Los Angeles Angels' Vernon Wells strikes out against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning of a spring training baseball game in Tempe, Ariz. Wells might become the latest addition to the New York Yankees' injury-depleted lineup. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

In this photo taken March 23, 2013, Los Angeles Angels' Vernon Wells strikes out against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning of a spring training baseball game in Tempe, Ariz. Wells might become the latest addition to the New York Yankees' injury-depleted lineup. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

In this photo taken March 23, 2013, Los Angeles Angels' Vernon Wells bats against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning of a spring training baseball game in Tempe, Ariz. Wells might become the latest addition to the New York Yankees' injury-depleted lineup. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? On his first day with the New York Yankees, Vernon Wells recalled a game in the International League more than a decade ago and he saw Darryl Strawberry in uniform for the opposition.

"I remember the first time I played the Triple-A Yankees, when I was 20 years old," he said Tuesday. "It was the first that I actually got goosebumps playing against another team. And from that day I've quietly been a Yankee fan."

Wells' trade to the Yankees was finalized Tuesday, when New York dealt a pair of minor leaguers to the Angels: outfielder Exircado Cayones and left-hander Kramer Sneed. The Angels will pay about $28.5 million of the $42 million Wells is owed over the final two seasons of his contract.

"Obviously not when we've played against them," Wells said, "but every time the Yankees were in the playoffs and I was sitting at home, I was cheering for the Yankees. Somewhat of a dream come true."

Los Angeles will pay about $28.5 million of the $42 million Wells is owed over the final two seasons of the $126 million, seven-year contract he signed with Toronto.

The Yankees will pay most of his salary this year, a move designed to help the Angels to stay under the luxury tax threshold of $178 million. Los Angeles will pay most of his salary in 2014, when the Yankees hope to get under the threshold as it rises to $189 million.

Wells was down to play left field and bat sixth for the Yankees against Houston on Tuesday night. With the Angels, he figured to be a spare part. The Los Angeles outfield is set with Josh Hamilton, Mike Trout and Peter Bourjos, and the Angels have Mark Trumbo at designated hitter.

"It came as a shock," Wells said. "Once you get toward the end of spring training, you think, all right, this is how it's going to be. They called me into the office and said they have a deal in place. When they told me the team, I tried not to smile too big in the office. And I'm here."

A three-time All-Star, Wells hit .230 with 11 homers and 29 RBIs last year and has just 36 homers and 95 RBIs in two seasons with the Angels. He is batting .361 in spring training with four homers and 11 RBIs in 36 at-bats.

The 21-year-old Cayones, acquired by the Yankees from Pittsburgh last year in the deal sending A.J. Burnett to the Pirates, hit .228 with 15 RBIs last year in 158 at-bats for the Class A Staten Island Yankees.

Sneed, 24, was 0-7 with a 5.37 ERA at Class A Tampa last season.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-26-BBA-Yankees-Angels-Trade/id-fbf7ec64917447cba88caeec8582be8b

rock salt david letterman march of dimes james randi wargames blake griffin dunk florida primary

Obama gives Secret Service its 1st female director

This undated handout photo provided by the US Secret Service shows Secret Service agent Julia Pierson. President Barack Obama will appoint the veteran Secret Service agent as the agency?s first female director, signaling his desire to change the culture at the male-dominated service, which has been marred by scandal. (AP Photo/US Secret Service)

This undated handout photo provided by the US Secret Service shows Secret Service agent Julia Pierson. President Barack Obama will appoint the veteran Secret Service agent as the agency?s first female director, signaling his desire to change the culture at the male-dominated service, which has been marred by scandal. (AP Photo/US Secret Service)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama on Tuesday named veteran Secret Service agent Julia Pierson as the agency's first female director, signaling his desire to change the culture at the male-dominated service, which has been marred by scandal.

Pierson, who most recently served as the agency's chief of staff, will take over from Mark Sullivan, who announced his retirement last month. The agency faced intense criticism during Sullivan's tenure for a prostitution scandal during preparations for Obama's trip to Cartagena, Colombia, last year.

The incident raised questions within the agency - as well as at the White House and on Capitol Hill - about the culture, particularly during foreign travel. In addition to protecting the president, the Secret Service also investigates financial crimes.

"Over her 30 years of experience with the Secret Service, Julia has consistently exemplified the spirit and dedication the men and women of the service demonstrate every day," Obama said in a statement announcing Pierson's appointment, which does not require Senate confirmation.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano also praised Obama's "historic decision" to name Pierson as the service's first female director.

Pierson, 53, has held high-ranking posts throughout the Secret Service, including deputy assistant director of the office of protective operations and assistant director of human resources and training. She has served as chief of staff since 2008.

That same year, Pierson was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award for superior performance in management throughout her career.

She joined the Secret Service in 1983 as a special agent and previously worked as a police officer in Orlando, Fla.

"Julia is eminently qualified to lead the agency that not only safeguards Americans at major events and secures our financial system, but also protects our leaders and our first families, including my own," Obama said. "Julia has had an exemplary career, and I know these experiences will guide her as she takes on this new challenge to lead the impressive men and women of this important agency."

Thirteen Secret Service employees were caught up in last year's prostitution scandal. After a night of heavy partying in the Caribbean resort city of Cartagena, the employees brought women, including prostitutes, to the hotel where they were staying. The incident became public after one agent refused to pay a prostitute and the pair argued about payment in a hotel hallway.

Eight of the employees were forced out of the agency, three were cleared of serious misconduct and at least two have been fighting to get their jobs back.

The incident took place before Obama arrived in Colombia and the service said the president's safety was never compromised. But news of the scandal broke during his trip, overshadowing the summit and embarrassing the U.S. delegation.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said the Secret Service has "lost the trust of many Americans" following the Colombia scandal. Pierson, he said Tuesday, "has a lot of work ahead of her to create a culture that respects the important job the agency is tasked with."

Sullivan issued a new code of conduct that bans employees from drinking within 10 hours of starting a shift or bringing foreign nationals back to their hotel rooms.

Sullivan apologized for the incident last year during testimony before a Senate panel.

___

Associated Press writer Alicia Caldwell contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-26-US-Obama-Secret-Service/id-c353cca5c72340e887d28d77e6a09a21

brandon carr knicks coach encyclopedia britannica white lion mike d antoni resigns holes ncaa brackets 2012

Court justices take on fertility question

Supreme Court Associate Justice Elena Kagan attends U.S. President Barack Obama's State??In Tuesday's oral arguments over whether California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, a few of the liberal Supreme Court justices took aim at one of the central arguments made by gay marriage opponents: that the ability to naturally procreate is key to the definition of marriage.

Charles Cooper, the attorney representing proponents of California's Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage, argued that allowing same-sex nuptials would fundamentally change the definition of marriage for the worse.

"The concern is that redefining marriage as a genderless institution will sever its abiding connection to its historic traditional procreative purposes, and it will refocus the purpose of marriage and the definition of marriage away from the raising of children and to the emotional needs and desires of adults," Cooper said.

Justice Elena Kagan, an appointee of President Barack Obama, pressed Cooper on that argument, asking him why then the government could not bar couples who are both over the age of 55 from marrying, on the assumption that they are infertile.

Cooper replied that it would violate the Constitution to ban older people from marrying.

"Your Honor, even with respect to couples over the age of 55, it is very rare that both couples?both parties to the couple are infertile," Cooper began, before he was interrupted by the audience in the courtroom erupting into laughter.

"I can just assure you, if both the woman and the man are over the age of 55, there are not a lot of children coming out of that marriage," Kagan retorted, provoking more laughter.

Justice Antonin Scalia jumped into the fray, joking that "Strom Thurmond was not the chairman of the Senate committee when Justice Kagan was confirmed."

Thurmond, the late South Carolina Republican senator, fathered children well into his 70s with his decades-younger wife. Kagan pointed out that in her hypothetical, both members of the couple would be over 55, not just the man.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg also cast doubt on the procreation aspect of Cooper's argument, reminding him that the Supreme Court has ruled in the past that prisoners have a right to marry even if they are locked up and unable to procreate with their new spouse. Cooper replied that even in that case, the prison was a co-ed facility and it's possible the prisoner would have had children.

Outside of this exchange, Cooper did not rely heavily on the natural procreation point in arguing the government should bar gay people from marrying. In his brief opening statement, Cooper urged the justices to allow Americans to engage in "an an earnest debate over whether the age-old definition of marriage should be changed to include same-sex couples" by not declaring from the bench that gay marriage bans are unconstitutional.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/gay-marriage-case-justices-focus-trade-laughs-fertility-220612049--election.html

presidents george washington russell westbrook horsetail falls ice t president day new york knicks

BlackBerry Z10 gets the iFixit teardown treatment

Screws and a little glue -- that's all that stood between an intact BlackBerry Z10 and the curious hands of those iFixit folks. And the results? Well, it's nothing you didn't know already: a motherboard, some Samsung flash memory, a Snapdragon S4 and camera modules. So, if you're the type that needs a little tech carnage to help seal your purchase decision (and, yes, the Z10 is finally on sale in the US), go ahead and click on the source.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Blackberry

Comments

Source: iFixit

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/iu6ElOrOC8A/

a thousand words my sisters keeper kirby sarah palin cbi the shins atomic clock

GSE Investigation Into Force-Placed Insurance (finally) | The Big ...

Fannie & Freddie have finally begun to investigate the self-dealing and often fraudulent practice of Force-Placed Insurance. Both the New York State Insurance Regulator and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have been way ahead of the GSEs on this.

For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Force-Placed Insurance, it is an optional bank insurance product that sometimes gets forcibly jammed down the throats of home owners and mortgage investors at grossly inflated prices.?As Jeff Horowitz detailed in 2010 (Losses from Force-Placed Insurance Are Beginning to Rankle Investors), most of the fees, commissions and revenues from this ?product? went straight back to the banks holding the related mortgage, typically to wholly owned subsidiaries.

It was an abusive practice, and in quite a few instances, the additional costs actually tipped homeowners into foreclosure.

Here?s the WSJ:

?The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC) plans to file a notice Tuesday to ban lucrative fees and commissions paid by insurers to banks on so-called force-placed insurance . . .

Forced policies have boomed in the wake of the housing bust, as many homeowners struggled to keep up with mortgage payments. Some borrowers may try to save money by dropping the original standard coverage, only to be hit by policies with premiums that are typically at least twice as expensive as voluntary insurance, and sometimes cost as much as 10 times more. Nearly six million such policies have been written since 2009, insurance industry data indicate. Consumers are free at any point to replace a force-placed policy with one of their own choosing.?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued new rules on this, but the real action seems to be the variety of civil suits from investors; additionally, New York State just reached?a?settlement with forced-placed insurer Assurant, including a $14 million penalty, and a?long list of practice changes (after the jump). If it were up to me, I would have insisted on profit disgorgement and jail time for the CEO (But I am ?unreasonable?).

Hopefully, this is the first of many . . .

?

?

Previously:
Latest Mortgage Scandal: Force-Placed Insurance (November 10th, 2010)

Rule of Law: Banker Criminality Demands Prosecution (May 20th, 2011)

A modern Pecora Commission could right Wall Street wrongs (February 5th, 2012)

Sources:
U.S. Cracks Down on ?Forced? Insurance
ALAN ZIBEL And LESLIE SCISM
WSJ, March 25, 2013
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323466204578382603826452198.html

Losses from Force-Placed Insurance Are Beginning to Rankle Investors
Jeff Horwitz
Amaerican Banker, NOV 9, 2010
http://www.americanbanker.com/issues/175_216/losses-from-forced-place-insurance-1028475-1.html

?

The key terms of the settlement include:

? Assurant shall file with DFS a premium rate with a permissible loss ratio of 62 percent, supported by the required data and actuarial analysis that is acceptable both professionally and to DFS. This will substantially reduce homeowners? premiums.

? Every three years, Assurant will be required to re-file its rates with DFS for review.

? If Assurant?s actual rates in any year result in an actual loss ratio of less than 40 percent for the immediately preceding calendar year, Assurant will be required to re-file its rates for the next year for DFS review in order to bring the loss ratio back up.

? Assurant must report annually to DFS on its actual loss ratio, earned premiums, itemized expenses, losses, and reserves.

To put a stop to the improper and unfair practices found in DFS?s investigation, many of which helped Assurant support inflated premiums:

? Assurant shall not issue force-placed insurance on mortgaged property serviced by a bank or servicer affiliated with Assurant.

? Assurant shall not pay commissions to a bank or servicer or a person or entity affiliated with a bank or servicer on force-placed insurance policies obtained by the servicer.

? Assurant shall not reinsure force-placed insurance policies with a person or entity affiliated with the servicer that obtained the policies.

? Assurant shall not pay contingent commissions based on underwriting profitability or loss ratios.

? Assurant shall not provide free or below-cost, outsourced services to servicers or their affiliates.

? Assurant shall not make any payments, including but not limited to the payment of expenses, to servicers, lenders, or their affiliates in connection with securing business.
To provide restitution to those who were harmed by Assurant?s practices:

? Refunds will be provided to consumers through a claims process and a third-party administrator selected by DFS and paid for by Assurant for homeowners who have been force-placed at any time after January 1, 2008 and meet the eligibility criteria for one of the following three categories of claimants:

? Homeowners who defaulted on their mortgage or were foreclosed because of force placement.

? Homeowners who were charged for force placement at a coverage limit higher than permitted by their mortgage.

? Homeowner?s who were erroneously charged for force-placed insurance: either because they had voluntary insurance in effect, or they were charged commercial rates for a residence.

-Mortgage Professional

?

Category: Bailouts, Crony Capitalists, Foreclosures, Legal, Real Estate, Really, really bad calls

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Source: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2013/03/force-placed-insurance-investigated/

brave Stephanie Rice Meet the Pyro Karen Klein Colorado fires supreme court summer solstice

Pelosi, and guests, attend Supreme Court same sex marriage cases (Washington Bureau)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/294695907?client_source=feed&format=rss

september 11 2001 blake lively serena williams Espn Fantasy Football Grandparents Day 2012 army wives 60 minutes

Lindsay Lohan Rehab Deal: Predicated on Program That Does Not Exist?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/lindsay-lohan-rehab-deal-predicated-on-program-that-does-not-exi/

the hartford illinois primary 2012 michael bay zsa zsa gabor illinois primary trayvon martin 911 call kiribati

Afghan leader heads to Qatar to discuss peace with Taliban

Mohammad Ismail / Reuters

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai speaks during the opening ceremony of the third year of the Afghanistan parliament in Kabul March 6, 2013.

?

By Ron Popeski and Xavier Briand, Reuters

KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai will travel to Qatar within days to discuss peace negotiations with the Taliban, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, as efforts intensify to find a negotiated solution to the twelve year war.

Karzai's trip to Qatar would represent the first time the Afghan president has discussed the Taliban peace process in Qatar, and comes after years of stalled discussions with the United States, Pakistan and the Taliban.

The announcement was made only hours after another thorny issue in the U.S.-Afghan relationship -- the transfer to Afghan control of the last group of prisoners at the Bagram military complex held by U.S. forces - appeared to be resolved. The Pentagon announced on Saturday that a deal had been clinched.

---

Karzai's Qatar trip was announced by Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai.

?

"President Karzai will discuss the peace process and the opening of a (Taliban) office for the purposes of conducting negotiations with Afghanistan," he said.

Karzai was expected to travel to Qatar within a week, a senior Afghan official speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters.

The United States has said it would support setting up an office in the Gulf state where peace talks between the Taliban and Afghanistan could take place.

"We welcome and fully support President Karzai's visit to Qatar as a sign of improved relations between the two U.S. allies," said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the White House National Security Council. "The president and other world leaders continue to call on the Afghan armed opposition to join a political process."

TENSIONS FLARE

The announcement comes several weeks after Karzai delivered a fiery speech during the first visit to Afghanistan by new U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, in which he accused Washington of holding peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar without him.

Karzai also accused the Taliban of colluding with America to keep foreign troops in the country, marking a fresh low point in the relationship between the Afghan president and his most powerful backer.

Mosazai confirmed the agreement reached on the transfer of detainees held at the military detention facility at Bagram in Parwan province north of Kabul.

The issue of detainees at Bagram had become another stress point in Karzai's relations with Washington. A ceremony formally transferring the last prisoners to Afghan custody collapsed two weeks ago after Karzai rejected part of the deal.

American forces control an area of the prison adjacent to the Bagram military complex, which holds several dozen Taliban fighters considered by the United States to pose the most severe threat.

Washington is concerned the Afghans may release some of these men when control of the prison is handed over.

That concern was reinforced during Karzai's outburst this month, in which he said the United States had been dragging its heels on prisoner transfers and said he would release those detainees that were "innocent".

Under the terms of agreement, all Afghans detained by forces of the U.S.-led coalition would now have to be handed over to Afghan control within 96 hours of capture, Mosazai said. Any decision to release them after that would be made only by the Afghan government.

The United States last year agreed to hand over responsibility for most of the more than 3,000 detainees at the prison to Afghanistan and held a transfer ceremony in September.

?

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653387/s/29f12464/l/0Lworldnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C240C1744490A40Eafghan0Eleader0Eheads0Eto0Eqatar0Eto0Ediscuss0Epeace0Ewith0Etaliban0Dlite/story01.htm

Hurricane Sandy path sandy Time Change 2012 Marcus Lattimore news 12 world series Natina Reed

This Land: Secrets of Duffy?s Cut Yield to Shovel and Science

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Excavation of a mass grave of Irish railroad workers in Pennsylvania, who died during a cholera epidemic in 1832, answers some questions and raises many more.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/us/secrets-of-duffys-cut-yield-to-shovel-and-science.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

delmon young arrested the raven the raven zerg rush david wilson playstation all stars battle royale kim zolciak