Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Attack on candidate's HQ as vote polarises Egypt

CAIRO (Reuters) - An arson attack on the headquarters of one of the two candidates in Egypt's presidential election has marred campaigning for the second round in a vote that has polarised the nation with the choice of an Islamist or Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister.

Protesters set fire to storage rooms and smashed computers late on Monday at the campaign headquarters of Ahmed Shafiq, a 70-year-old former air force chief and Mubarak official, who was confirmed as a run-off candidate after the first round vote.

His rival is Mohamed Mursi, a senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's main Islamist group which controls the biggest bloc in parliament after an earlier election. The deciding presidential vote is on June 16 and 17.

Mursi, 60, drew support from a disciplined group of backers of the Brotherhood, banned under Mubarak, and Shafiq attracted Egyptians who want a strongman to restore law, order and prosperity after 15 months of turmoil since Mubarak's ouster.

Neither won more than a quarter of votes cast in the first round, leaving an agonising choice for a sizeable portion of the electorate who backed more centrist candidates and do not want a conservative Islamist or an ex-military officer at the helm.

Thousands of Egyptians took to the streets on Monday night in protest after the results of the first round were confirmed by the election committee. Some held up posters of Mursi with a cross over his face. But most were chanting against Shafiq.

Dozens then marched from the protests around Tahrir Square, where hundreds of thousands played out a drama that toppled Mubarak, to Shafiq's headquarters in the upscale Cairo district of Dokki.

"They seemed to know what they were after and they went directly to the storage rooms and set them on fire using petrol bombs," said Ahmed Abdel Ghani, 30, a member of Shafiq's campaign, surveying a scene of unusable, charred campaign flyers and leaflets scattered on the ground.

The main villa escaped the flames but protesters smashed laptops and computers inside, he said. Daubed on the wall outside the villa were the words: "No to Shafiq, no to feloul," an Arabic word referring to "remnants" of Mubarak's era.

Shafiq has made no secret of his admiration for Mubarak, describing him as a role model after his own father. Protesters threw stones and shoes at him when he voted in Cairo last week.

"We condemn the attack but we still don't know who is behind it and will wait for investigations. But we are continuing our work and path and hopefully all will end well," said one official in the campaign, who asked not to be named.

BLOODY TRANSITION

The flare-up was the latest in an already messy and often bloody transition to democracy since generals took over from Mubarak after a popular uprising forced him out on February 11, 2011. The army has pledged to hand over power by July 1.

Even before the first-round vote, revolutionaries who led the demonstrations that brought down Mubarak had promised to hit the streets if Shafiq progressed in the vote to become president of the Arab world's most populous nation.

Yet any violence could help Shafiq's cause as his strongest card in the race is his promise swiftly to restore law and order, which collapsed after Mubarak's downfall.

Many Egyptians were happy to see the back of Mubarak, yet are now desperate for stability to revive the shattered economy. Shafiq is seen as having the army backing to achieve that.

Both Shafiq and the Brotherhood are now trying to rally support from more centrist voters in the second round. But youth leaders of the uprising fear they would be surrendering their revolution by voting for Mursi or Shafiq and liberals are also deeply uncomfortable with the available candidates.

Liberal and other political groups have often criticised the Brotherhood for being slow to join the anti-Mubarak revolt, acquiescing too quickly to the ruling generals and seeking to dominate the political scene after their parliamentary success.

Mursi's supporters believe Mursi and the Brotherhood, which has a social network with grass-roots support across Egypt, are the best hope for reforming a corrupt state.

"Protests are expected. Not everyone will be satisfied with the result, some will object to it but we hope that the people's choice will be with the revolution," said Fareed Ismail, a senior figure in the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party.

"The situation in Egypt is in a critical and dangerous phase. We must work together so that the revolution isn't lost," he told Reuters.

The Brotherhood denied any role in the attack on Shafiq's headquarters. Other candidates who lost in the first round also condemned the violence.

Hamdeen Sabahy, a leftist candidate who came third in the race and now being courted by the Brotherhood, said in a statement it was the "right of the people to express their opinion provided demonstrations were peaceful".

A Brotherhood source, who asked not to be named, said the Islamist group had prepared a menu of options to tempt rival groups and politicians to its side, including backers of first-round loser and ex-Brotherhood member Abdol Moneim Abol Fotouh.

Until now, fourth-placed Abol Fotouh has called for his supporters to "stand united against the symbols of corruption and oppression" - a reference to Shafiq - but has not explicitly said he would back Mursi.

Like Sabahy, fifth-placed former Arab League chief Amr Moussa, once a favourite, has not backed either candidate.

The ultra-orthodox Salafi Muslim Al-Nour party, which controls the second biggest bloc in parliament and had backed Abol Fotouh, has thrown its weight behind Mursi.

The Brotherhood source said the group has offered: creating a five-member advisory council to advise the president; assigning the posts of prime minister or vice-president to Abol Fotouh and Sabahy; distributing cabinet posts to other parties; and offering compromises on planned laws and on an assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution.

Four candidates complained about the vote conduct but the election committee dismissed all the complaints.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said he was broadly confident about the election process although Carter Center monitors highlighted several irregularities, notably lack of access in the final aggregation of national results.

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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

AP Exclusive: Calif. 9/11 fund raided for deficits

In this April 21, 2012, photo, Candice Hoglan poses for a portrait with her vehicle with a license plate commemorating the events of Sept. 11, 2001, in Sunnyvale, Calif. Hoglan's nephew Mark Bingham was one of the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked by terrorists on Sept. 11. After the 2001 terrorist attacks, California lawmakers sought a way to channel the patriotic fervor and use it to help victims' families and law enforcement. Their answer: specialty memorial license plates emblazoned with the words, ?We Will Never Forget.? (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

In this April 21, 2012, photo, Candice Hoglan poses for a portrait with her vehicle with a license plate commemorating the events of Sept. 11, 2001, in Sunnyvale, Calif. Hoglan's nephew Mark Bingham was one of the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked by terrorists on Sept. 11. After the 2001 terrorist attacks, California lawmakers sought a way to channel the patriotic fervor and use it to help victims' families and law enforcement. Their answer: specialty memorial license plates emblazoned with the words, ?We Will Never Forget.? (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

This April 21, 2012, photo, shows Candice Hoglan's vehicle with a license plate commemorating the events of Sept. 11, 2001, in Sunnyvale, Calif. Hoglan's nephew Mark Bingham was one of the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked by terrorists on Sept. 11. After the 2001 terrorist attacks, California lawmakers sought a way to channel the patriotic fervor and use it to help victims' families and law enforcement. Their answer: specialty memorial license plates emblazoned with the words, ?We Will Never Forget.? (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

(AP) ? After the 2001 terrorist attacks, California lawmakers sought a way to channel the patriotic fervor and use it to help victims' families and law enforcement. Their answer: Specialty memorial license plates emblazoned with the words, "We Will Never Forget."

Part of the money raised through the sale of the plates was to fund scholarships for children of California residents who perished in the attacks, while the majority ? 85 percent ? was to help fund anti-terrorism efforts.

But a review by The Associated Press of the $15 million collected since lawmakers approved the "California Memorial Scholarship Program" shows only a small fraction of the money went to scholarships. While 40 percent has funded anti-terror training programs, $3 million was raided by Gov. Jerry Brown and his predecessor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to plug the state's budget deficit.

Millions more have been spent on budget items with little relation to direct threats of terrorism, including livestock diseases and workplace safety.

Moreover, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has been advertising the plates as helping the children of Sept. 11 victims, even though the state stopped funding the scholarship program seven years ago. The specialty plate fund continues to take in $1.5 million a year.

Californians who lost loved ones in the attacks take the raid on the license plate fund as an affront to the memory of those who died.

"I can't believe that they would do that," said Candyce Hoglan, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area and bought a plate to commemorate her nephew, Mark Bingham. "We're paying extra for the plate; we're making a point, and it means a lot to us."

Bingham was killed on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, and was one of the passengers who led the attempt to wrest control from the hijackers. His mother, Alice Hoagland, also was troubled by the program's apparent drift from its original purpose.

"I'm sorry that as we retreat in time from 9/11, we seem to be retreating in our resolve never to forget," she said in a telephone interview.

Late Tuesday, in response to the AP report, Brown ordered his finance department to audit California's entire specialty license program, which was established by the Legislature in 1992, said Elizabeth Ashford, a spokeswoman for the governor.

About $250 million has been collected through the sales of the state's 10 specialty plates.

The Sept. 11 plates cost an initial $50 plus a $40 annual renewal fee, feature an American flag partially obscured by clouds and the "never forget" slogan.

Residents of California, where all four jetliners were bound when they were hijacked, have bought or renewed the plates more than 200,000 times since 2002.

Of the other states directly associated with the 2001 attacks, only Virginia has established a similar specialty plate program. Yet it did not set up a special fund for the proceeds of its "Fight Terrorism" plate.

For the past decade, the California DMV has said on its website that the money will "fund scholarships for the children of Californians who died in the September 11, 2001, terror attacks and helps California's law enforcement fight threats of terrorism." It advertises the program with the slogan, "Be a patriot."

While the DMV description of the program was not "totally disingenuous," the department should probably remove references to the scholarship program, said Joe DeAnda, a spokesman for the state treasurer's office, which disburses the money.

"It's out of date and it's on DMV to update that," he said.

Late Friday, the department modified the description of the license plate on its website to remove the reference to the scholarship program in response to the investigation by the AP, which began in March. Spokeswoman Jan Mendoza said the reason promotional materials were not updated sooner was unknown.

The DMV still lists the scholarship program on the online and hardcopy form drivers fill out to buy the license plates, but Mendoza said the department will change this next time the forms are printed.

The legislation establishing the plates had earmarked 15 percent of the revenue for scholarships. Yet only $21,381 has reached the children and spouses of the three dozen California residents killed during the terrorist attacks. The state treasurer's office closed the scholarship program in 2005, the sign-up deadline for potential recipients, and has $60,000 in reserve.

The total amount dedicated to scholarships was 1.5 percent of the $5.5 million raised through the sale of the plates through 2005.

The original legislation said the remainder of the money would go to law enforcement, fire protection, and public health agencies to be used "exclusively for purposes directly related to fighting terrorism."

But in 2008, Schwarzenegger, a Republican, borrowed $2 million to close a budget gap. Last year, Brown, a Democrat, borrowed another $1 million.

Neither loan has been repaid nor are their deadlines to ensure they will be. Ashford, said the loans have done no harm and that the governor has no immediate plans to repay them.

"We're trying to simultaneously balance the budget and fund important programs," she said. "If there was an indication that borrowing this money was going to negatively impact this program, we wouldn't borrow the money."

The rest of the money has gone to a wide array of budgets and programs.

The Legislature sent $3.7 million to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, according to the Department of Finance, to establish an online food monitoring database and implement a variety of worker safety programs, including hiring industrial hygienists to tend to worker health.

But it is difficult to say precisely where the money has gone. Late Friday, the agriculture department delivered documents it said were in response to a California Public Records Act request the AP filed eight weeks earlier.

The response contained itemized budget reports going back six years and listing payments for all types of government functions, ranging from salaries and benefits, to printing costs and communication equipment. Among the details: $18,163 for furniture in 2006 and $11,492 for auto inspection in 2009.

The response also included a legislative report on the threats the agriculture department is targeting with an online database the license plate program helps fund. A similar report from 2006, when the license plate money was first authorized, lists bioterrorism as a potential danger. But the 2011 report focuses on food safety and livestock concerns, including foot-and-mouth disease and meat and poultry monitoring.

Director of Animal Health and Food Safety Services Annette Whiteford said the department does not track license plate money separately from other funds.

She said it would be wasteful to reserve the money exclusively for anti-terrorism work. For example, the department uses some of the money to buy safety suits that would be essential during an anthrax attack but also are useful for routine food investigations.

"The things that I worry about in the animal food safety division are very high consequence events, but very infrequent. So I always try to leverage those resources," she said.

Another $2 million has gone to programs that aim to protect Californians from all manner of potential threats, not just those related to terrorism.

The California Emergency Management Agency used nearly $1 million in memorial license plate money for general operations, including administrative costs, buying and fueling cars, and hiring a person from 2007 to 2009 to coordinate five so-called "fusion centers," according to documents obtained through a Public Records Act request.

The other $1 million went directly to the fusion centers, which were founded after the 2001 attacks to focus on terrorist threats but have since switched to an "all crimes" approach that includes gang activity and natural disasters.

Herb Wesson, who wrote the license plate bill when he was speaker of the California Assembly, said he was saddened to hear how the money had been spent.

"I understand the financial climate they find themselves in, but they are not following the spirit and intent of the legislation," said Wesson, now president of the Los Angeles City Council. "The lion's share of the money was supposed to be given to local law enforcement so that they could beef up their anti-terrorism operations."

About 40 percent of the total raised to date, or $6 million, has gone to anti-terrorism training programs for firefighters and law enforcement officers. There is a slight discrepancy between the DMV's revenue figures and the Department of Finance's expenditure figures that neither agency could explain.

Patricia Anderson, who paid $98 for a personalized memorial plate reading "WE R 4US," said she signed up for the program primarily to show respect for victims of the 9/11 attacks. Anderson said she was disheartened but not surprised to learn that much of the money has gone to fill the state deficit or used for general purposes.

"That's California," said Anderson, who now lives near Austin, Texas. "It's kind of a given these days ? nothing is spent on what it's supposed to be."

Associated Press

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UN-Arab League envoy Annan arrives in Damascus

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Preppy Pet Suites to host animal adoption event

FITCHBURG - Preppy Pet Suites, a cage-free doggie daycare and boarding facility at 147 John Fitch Highway, will host an Open House and Adoption Event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The public is welcome to tour the recently renovated facility.

There will be free raffles with prizes, games for people and pets, samples, snacks, coupons and giveaways.

Local dogs available for adoption will be present from the City of Fitchburg Animal Shelter, as well as information about ACE-Fitchburg, the volunteer group that supports the shelter.

Kit Kat Photography will be taking pet portraits, with proceeds going toward ACEFitchburg/ City of Fitchburg Shelter Dogs. Cheryl Ruf will offer complimentary Reiki services for pets. This event is open to the entire family; leashed dogs welcome. For information, visit www.facebook. com/FitchburgPreppyPet.

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Monday, May 28, 2012

Bridging Finance & Short Term Loans | Destination Raleigh

Posted on Monday, May 28th, 2012

Keep Your Bridging Funding

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Razorbacks collect 10 entries for NCAA meet

? 2012 All information, content and images on ArkansasRazorbacks.com are copyright of Arkansas. University of Arkansas. All Rights Reserved 2010

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Science at Work in Baseball

Science at Work in Baseball By Richard Hantula, Debra Voege
2011 | 33 Pages | ISBN: 1608705870 | PDF | 3 MB


It?s the bottom of the ninth inning. There are two outs and no one on base. The team at bat is down by a run. The count on the batter is three balls and two strikes. It?s time to do or die.
The pitcher will try to throw a strike. Giving up a walk would put the tying run on base. The batter wants to avoid striking out and ending the game. The batter will try to make good contact with the ball in hopes of getting on base or even knocking the ball out of the park for a home run.
This situation is typical in a baseball game. To do their jobs, pitchers are trying to throw to precise spots and batters are trying to hit the ball just right. Both of these things can be very hard to do.

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Volunteers needed to lead regional Boy Scout troops

For more than 100 years, The Boys Scouts of America have taught young boys how to grow into strong young men with good citizenship, good character and self-reliance. Those are three traits that have been the backbone of America.

But in the last forty years, while America's population has grown from roughly 200 million people to more than 300 million people, the number of scouts has dwindled from 5 million to about 2.7 million.

Tim McCandless, Scout Executive in Spokane says kids today have a lot more options for activities than 40 years ago.

"The main challenge is there is more competition for kid's time. "

Now the national organization has named two new leaders who hope to boost participation with high-energy, high-tech activities including adrenaline rush zip lines at new adventure camps, apps and a television show.

McCandless says it's also the simple, traditional things that Boy Scouts do that are a big attraction for kids.

On June 9th, kids are invited to put down the virtual fishing pole and pick up a real one during the Hooked On Scouting, fishing derby.

"We'll be doing fishing up a Bear Lake County Park, kids love to fish and we'll have all the equipment." Said McCandless.

While there is a nation of boys who aren't interested in scouting, there is also the problem of finding men who are willing to give their time and train the boys in the Aims of scouting; character development, citizenship and personal fitness.

"We don't have a problem recruiting boys it's the challenge of finding parents?who have the time or are willing to devote the time to volunteering.

The 1966 movie "Follow Me Boys" starring Fred MacMurray tells the story of a wandering musician, Lemuel Siddons, who finds his purpose in life when he becomes a Scout leader. At the ends of the movie, Siddons sees the impact he's made on his community when his original group of kids return to the town for a parade in his honor. The group of misfits is now filled with a lawyer, a doctor, a mayor and even a governor.

"It's one of the best things I do, volunteering with these kids. It's a great blessing to those who do volunteer." Said McCandless.

If you'd like more information about the Boy Scouts you can check out its webpage?or?facebook page.

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Sunday, May 27, 2012

A Positive Tone Heading into Summer | Princeton Real Estate Insider

The spring real estate market in the Princeton area this year has been a busy one.? Tim Mclaughlin of Weichert Financial services describes it as follows, ?Demand for new U.S. homes rose more than forecast in April, indicating residential real estate may contribute to economic growth for the first time in seven years. Purchases rose to a 343,000 annual rate, up 3.3 percent from a revised 332,000 in March, the Commerce Department reported Thursday in Washington. The median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of 72 economists was 335,000. Data yesterday showed April sales of previously owned homes rose in every region.?It?s very clear now that the housing market has turned a corner,? said Richard DeKaser, deputy chief economist at Parthenon Group LLC, who projected sales would increase to a 339,000 pace. ?The only question is how strong the rebound is going to be. It bodes well for the broader economy.?Job growth, improving affordability and record-low interest rates are helping propel sales of both existing and new homes?

Monthly year on year data?

?The chart above reinforces this data. It shows the year over year data for the New Jersey real estate market.? If you want to test out the waters in the Princeton area real estate market click on the links below and start searching. Give me a call for more details.

?Click here to search Homes For Sale in Princeton

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Indonesia: BP, PLN Sign Tangguh LNG Deal>> LNG World News

BP, PLN Sign Tangguh LNG Deal

BP of UK said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide long-term LNG supply to Indonesia?s state electricity company, PT. PLN (Persero), for domestic Indonesian needs and also to support PLN in providing electricity for Teluk Bintuni Regency, Papua Barat province.

The MoU was signed as part of an expansion plan for the Tangguh LNG project in Papua Barat province, Indonesia.

The agreement was signed at the office of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources by William Lin, BP Regional President Asia Pacific, and PLN?s Head of Oil Fuels and Gas Division Suryadi Mardjoeki; and witnessed by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik, BPMIGAS Chairman R. Priyono, and BP Group Chief Executive Bob Dudley.

?We are pleased that the Government of Indonesia is working closely with us as we progress plans for the further development of Tangguh and, together with the partners in the Tangguh project, recognises the importance of providing LNG to both domestic and international markets,? Bob Dudley said at the signing ceremony. ?Tangguh is a significant asset for BP that helps underpin our significant gas value chain business across the Asia Pacific region.?

The MoU outlines BP?s commitment to work in partnership with PLN to reach an agreement for the supply of LNG for domestic power plant usage, as well as the supply of electricity to meet the demand of local communities and small and medium-sized enterprises in Teluk Bintuni Regency and surrounding areas.

?This MoU reflects our intention of supporting the economic development of Papua Barat, and helping meet the growing demand for energy in Indonesia as a whole, balancing the needs of all key stakeholders,? added William Lin.

Tangguh is operated by BP Indonesia as contractor to BPMIGAS. BP holds a 37.16% interest in the project. Other Tangguh contract partners are MI Berau B.V. (16.30%), CNOOC Ltd. (13.90%), Nippon Oil Exploration (Berau), Ltd. (12.23%), KG Berau/KG Wiriagar (10.00%), LNG Japan Corporation (7.35%), and Talisman (3.06%).

LNG World News Staff, May 27, 2012

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Saturday, May 26, 2012

Facebook Camera, Clueful, and More [Iphone Apps Of The Week]

The week's best iPhone apps are keeping your device safe and helping you connect with other people. There's a tool for monitoring what your apps are doing behind your back, a video chat client, and a brand new photo app from Facebook that looks awfully familiar.
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Low lake level forces cancellation of poker run - La Grange News

by Jennifer Shrader
Staff writer
La Grange News

The prospect of low lake levels has forced the West Point Lake Coalition to cancel its annual poker run, the group?s lone fundraising effort.

?We had to make the decision in May, when the corps announced it was going in to drought operations,? said Dick Timmerberg, coalition director.

The corps operates West Point Lake.

?No one wanted to cancel it, since it?s our only fundraiser, but it costs us $2,500 to hold it,? he said. ?I asked our board, ?Who?s willing to gamble $2,500?? Reluctantly, it was the only way to go.?

The poker run has been held on the lake each Father?s Day weekend for 13 years.

?It?s unfortunate that this has occurred, but the Southeast is experiencing extremely dry conditions and the entire basin is in drought operations due to the lack of rain,? said Pat Robbins, spokesman for the corps? Mobile, Ala., district office, which manages the lake. ?While not yet as bad as a couple of years ago, the basin hydrology is setting record low inflows in many areas. Hopefully the weather will change and operations can get back to normal for everyone.?

Timmerberg said a projected lake level is anyone?s guess, but the lake could be at 628 feet above mean sea level or lower by the time the poker run would have rolled around, making the lake unsafe for the event. The corps released a drought update earlier this week saying the lake is near 630.9 feet now and expected to be 631.3 feet by the end of this month.

The event nets the coalition about $4,000 to $5,000 each year.

The coalition uses that money to help maintain lighted buoys in the lake?s main channel and three main feeder creeks: Yellow Jacket, Wehadkee and Maple. It also uses funds raised to maintain about 50 artificial fishing habitats around the lake and promote water safety.

Timmerberg said the coalition has paid $50,000 for the installation and maintenance of the buoy lights.

The coalition members are hoping the cancellation of the event puts more pressure on the corps to raise and maintain the lake level. West Point Lake is authorized by Congress to be used for recreation, sport fishing and wildlife development, yet recreation areas are impacted as soon as the lake drops to 632.5 feet.

?The coalition always has worked well and cooperated with the corps,? Timmerberg said. ?However, the lack of a satisfactory response to the discontent of this community and the inaction of the corps to take up any of the legitimate recommendations concerning lake levels requires us to do what believe is best for our lake.?

Coalition members are asking the public to ?like? the coalition?s page on Facebook and join the ?Keep West Point Lake Above 632.5? campaign. The public also is being asked to contact Col. Steven Roemhildt, the corps? commander in the Mobile office.

?Please keep communications civil but as emotional as you feel comfortable,? Timmerberg said.

Timmerberg, the coalition and other lake advocates would like to see the revised water control plan, which currently is being updated, include measures that would keep a higher lake level and allow for more recreation, sport fishing and wildlife development. Current rules, however, called the ?guide curve,? mean that the lake is drawn down at a faster rate than lakes in the Apilachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint basin.

?They just refuse to budge on the guide curve,? Timmerberg said.

The lake actually was at 634.5 feet above mean sea level on March 5, but was drawn down for flood control, he said. The current drought conditions could have been at least delayed if that water had been stored.

?They had that water and they let it go,? he said.

A draft of the water control plan is expected to be released in June 2013.

Roemhildt may be contacted at the following address:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District

Attn: Col. Steven Roemhildt

P.O. Box 2288

Mobile, Ala. 36628-0001

e-mail: Steven.J.Roemhildt.COL@usace.army.mil

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Nevada worst for writing traffic tickets; Washington 15th

May 23rd, 2012 by ed friedrich

Where do you suppose is the most ticket-happy place in the country?
National Motorists Association, a motorists? rights group that has been helping drivers fight traffic tickets for 30 years, says it knows.
Stats aren?t readily available. Lots of states and cities either don?t keep them or don?t release them because they don?t want to look unwelcoming, according to the NMA. So the group has a weird way of measuring. It analyzes ticket-related search queries such as ?speeding ticket? and ?traffic tickets? using Google?s Insights for Search, a public tool that shows search trends across the country. I can?t vouch for the method, but for the sake of discussion, let?s go with it.
After crunching the numbers for the third straight year, Nevada comes out as the likeliest to issue a ticket, followed by Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Maryland, Louisiana and Texas. There?s a theme here. Most of the states are down south. I drove across a couple times about 30 years ago. Never got a ticket. But that?s the extent of my southern experience. To top it off, the analysis added metro areas this year, and Atlanta came out on top, or bottom, however you want to look at it.
I did live and drive in Nevada, also about 30 years ago, so that ancient history probably has no relevance to today?s traffic ticket research. I suppose if the cops are picking off people, particularly tourists, in Nevada?s few cities, that could tip the scales, because there?s not much else there. I drove from Vegas to Reno many times, way before cell phones, and you better not break down on the highway. There?s not a house, store or anything for hours. Just you, all alone with the dirt, snakes and UFOs. The weird think was, at night you could look across the miles of nothing and see a light here and there. There were no roads to get to them. Just lights all by themselves. Always wondered what was out there, but didn?t want to have to find out.
Anyway, back to the list. Wyoming and Montana are least likely to write a ticket.
Washington is tied for 15th most likely. Here are the lists, courtesy of NMA:
States
1. Nevada 79
2. Georgia 70
3. Alabama 69
4. Florida 67
5. Maryland 65
6. Louisiana 63
7. Texas 62
8. District of Columbia 61
9. California 59
North Carolina 59
Missouri 59
12. New York 56
13. Mississippi 55
14. South Carolina 54
15. Washington 51
Tennessee 51
Indiana 51
18. Illinois 50
19. Arizona 49
Iowa 49
Oklahoma 49
22. Virginia 48
23. New Jersey
24. Ohio 45
Kansas 45

Metro Areas
1. Atlanta 74
2. Los Angeles 72
3. Dallas-Fort Worth 62
4. Miami 59
5. New York 57
6. Chicago 52
7. District of Columbia 50
8. Houston 47
9. Orlando 39
10. San Diego 34

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Spain region, Greek exit warnings rattle euro zone

(Reuters) - Central banks and companies risk making a grave error if they do not brace for a possible Greek exit from the euro zone, Belgium's foreign minister said on Friday, rattling markets already alarmed by Spain's deteriorating finances.

Greek elections are scheduled for June 17 and could hasten the country's departure from the currency club should a government intent on ripping up the country's bailout program result.

Contrasting findings of opinion polls on Friday showed the outcome is too tight to call.

Greece accounts for little more than 2 percent of the euro zone economy but could pose a profound contagion threat if it quit the currency area, throwing the spotlight on Portugal, Spain and even Italy.

"There is no organized discussion at the European level along the lines of: what do we do (if Greece leaves)," Didier Reynders, who is both Belgium's foreign minister and deputy prime minister, told the European American Press Club in Paris. "Now, if central banks and companies are not preparing for the scenario, that would be a grave professional error."

Spain is in plenty of trouble even disregarding any backwash from Greece.

Its wealthiest autonomous region, Catalonia, on Friday said it needed help from the central government because it was running out of options for refinancing debt this year.

"We don't care how they do it, but we need to make payments at the end of (each) month. Your economy can't recover if you can't pay your bills," Catalan President Artur Mas told reporters.

Spain's trump card had been that it had successfully issued well over half the sovereign debt it needs to in 2012.

But after revealing this week that its highly indebted regions faced 36 billion euros of debt refinancing bills this year, way above the previously stated 8 billion, that advantage may have been wiped out.

On top of public debt, the country is hobbled by a banking sector overwhelmed by bad debts tied to a property market boom that went bust and still has some way further to fall.

Bankia SA , Spain's fourth-biggest bank, on Friday asked for a bailout of 19 billion euros ($24 billion) to repair losses from a property crash - the biggest Spanish bank rescue ever.

Spain is nationalizing Bankia, which holds some 10 percent of the country's bank deposits. The government insists the bank is a one-off case, but economists say a wider bailout of the sector, either by Madrid or the euro zone, may become necessary.

Adding to a miserable day for Spanish investors, Standard & Poor's lowered its ratings on the debt of Bankia and four other Spanish banks and said it was taking a dimmer view of Spain's economy.

Markets have been buffeted by the escalating euro zone crisis in recent weeks and face more uncertainty up to the Greek election date, and maybe beyond.

The euro plumbed near two-year lows against the U.S. dollar on the back of the Catalonian warning, stocks slipped, and Italian and Spanish borrowing costs rose.

"The Catalonia news was a big deal because it implies that the Spanish government may have to take on more debt and it cannot afford to do so," said Richard Franulovich, senior currency strategist at Westpac Securities in New York.

Euro zone bank fund strains http://link.reuters.com/rer25s

Euro zone bank deposits http://link.reuters.com/fyv93s

Bank exposure to Europe debt http://link.reuters.com/jed28s

Euro zone debt crisis graphics http://r.reuters.com/hyb65p

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

CONTINGENCY

EU leaders insisted at a summit on Wednesday that they wanted to keep Greece in the euro zone and they have good reason to, given the losses that could be inflicted on them and the European Central Bank should Greece on its debt.

But sources told Reuters the Eurogroup Working Group - experts who work for the bloc's finance ministers - had told member states to begin making contingency plans for a Greece exit.

"Our first priority is to keep Greece in the euro zone whilst they are respecting the commitments," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy told a news conference during a visit to Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Friday.

"Of course we are reflecting on all different kind of scenarios, but we never discussed them neither in technical nor in political form," he said. "The contingency plan is not our priority."

French banks, which are among the lenders most exposed to Greece, have stepped up their plans for a Greek euro zone exit, sources familiar with the situation said. They include Credit Agricole , BNP Paribas and Societe Generale .

"Every bank has a task force right now looking at the potential consequences of a return to the drachma," a Paris-based banker said.

Most economists agree the austerity measures foisted on Greece as part of its 130 billion-euro bailout will be impossible to deliver because they would drive the country deeper into recession and make debt even harder to cut.

Peter Bofinger, one of the five "wise men" who formally advise the German government on the economy, said Europe should renegotiate the terms of Greece's bailout as they were agreed on overly optimistic assumptions about growth.

"The terms for Greece should be renegotiated," Bofinger told Reuters in an interview. "That's very important for both sides, because if you have an uncontrolled exit of Greece, it could lead to a 'Lehman moment' for Europe."

(Additional reporting by Lionel Laurent and Christian Plumb in Paris, Marja Novak in Ljubljana, Carlos Ruano and Sonya Dowsett in Madrid and Sarah Marsh in Berlin; Writing by Mike Peacock and William Schomberg; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt and Leslie Adler)

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'Men In Black' Star Will Smith's Energy Needs To Be 'Harnessed'

'While I'd be turned here directing Josh Brolin, Will Smith would be punching me in my kidneys,' 'MIB3' director Barry Sonnenfeld says.
By Kara Warner


Will Smith in "Men in Black 3"
Photo: Columbia Pictures

No matter what you love most about the "Men in Black" franchise, the most compelling aspect of the sci-fi/action films — despite all their otherworldly and impressive visual effects — is the charm of its star and all-around likable actor Will Smith as Agent J. The former "Fresh Prince" is known for being a ball of excitable, positive energy on set, but according to "Men in Black 3" director Barry Sonnenfeld, sometimes that energy can get a little dangerous.

"Usually, while I'd be turned here directing Josh Brolin, Will Smith would be punching me in my kidneys," he told MTV News recently. "In fact, at the end of this movie, I went into the hospital because Will had torn my rotator cuff. On 'Wild Wild West' he broke my hand in five places, so Will's gotta have his energy harnessed a little bit, at least when he's working with me. I don't think he ever went around punching Michael Mann [who directed Smith in 2001's 'Ali'], let me just say that."

We then asked Sonnenfeld if there were any repercussions for Smith with all this on-set abuse.

"I told him that if he didn't stop hitting me that I would direct 'Men in Black 4' and hire his son to play young Agent J," Sonnenfeld joked. "So maybe that will make him calm down a little bit."

It should also be known that Smith's acting skills were a little rusty when he arrived on set to begin work on "MIB 3," which required some lighthearted finessing from Sonnenfeld and extra practice from Smith.

"On the first day of photography, we filmed Will on a blue-screen stage having to jump down [from the top of the Chrysler building], and what was great about it was that he hadn't acted in three years and was really bad," Sonnenfeld recalled of one of his favorite moments during filming. "Luckily, we cut out the bad stuff, but that first take we did after he hadn't acted in three years, I was sweating because he was no good. After I yelled, 'Cut!' Will said, 'Baz, I can do better! I'm really terrible. I haven't acted in three years, I'm really rusty!' And within a day or two, it all worked out fine. But man, it was interesting. You know how they say 'Once you learn how to ride a bicycle, you never forget?' Well, Will forgot how to act for the first day or two. Luckily he wasn't acting with other actors or it would have been really embarrassing."

Check out everything we've got on "Men in Black 3."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Clemens trial could lose another juror

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Monday, May 21, 2012

High gas prices still curbing consumer spending

By Eve Tahmincioglu

Americans are still keeping a tight grip on their wallets, bypassing vacations and dinners out, even though they feel better about their own financial security.

What?s still spooking U.S. consumers? Gas prices.

Even though gas prices have been declining for several months, nearly six in 10 consumers say they?ve cut back on nonessential spending because of hefty fuel prices, according to a study released Monday?by Bankrate.com.

?Gas prices are still a drag on people?s spending power,? said Greg McBride, Bankrate?s senior financial analyst.

According to AAA, the national average price for regular unleaded fuel declined to $3.689 a gallon, down from $3.871 a gallon last month, and below the average prices of $3.867 a year ago.

?Despite the drop in recent weeks, gas prices are still at elevated levels,? he continued. This at a time, he pointed out, ?when so many households are dealing with stagnant incomes.?

But there?s good news in the Bankrate.com report. Consumers are feeling pretty okay about their job security and their debt loads.

For the first time since December 2010, Bankrate?s Financial Security Index -- which tracks how consumer gauge there overall economic health -- passed the 100 threshold, which shows that Americans see an improvement in their financial security.

Bankrate's Financial Security Index

?We?ve seen improvement on multiple fronts,? McBride maintained. ?People are feeling more secure in their jobs, they feel better about their debt burdens, and they?re reporting lower net worth with less frequency.?

The main reason for the optimism, he noted, was the stabilizing of home prices throughout many town across the country. ?When people see home prices sliding they can see their net worth declining, but when they rise, all of a sudden they feel better about their net worth.?

So the wild card, he added, are gas prices. If they start to decline further, ?that?s going to breath some life into household budgets and they?ll have more money to spend.?

And it may take off before the job market gets more robust.?

?While hiring has not exactly taken off, downsizing activity remains relatively low and many employers are actually worried about losing talent," maintained John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "This is not to say that job security has returned to pre-recession levels, but workers certainly are enjoying more security than two years ago." ?

What?s your take? Have you decided to cut back on nights out at the movies, or Memorial Day travel because of gas prices? Do you feel more secure about you job??

Have you cut back on other spending because of gas prices?

?

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Why Facebook's Tanking Today [Facebook Ipo]

The stock is falling! The stock is falling! If you stopped following the Facebook IPOcalypse on Friday, it might be time to pull up another chair. FB has plummeted 12 percent as of this writing, with no signs of pulling out of its nosedive. Ruh roh. More »


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