Cyprus capital controls could be lifted in a month

People wait outside a branch of Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Cypriots get their first chance to access their savings in almost two weeks when the country?s banks reopen Thursday - albeit with strict restrictions on transactions - after being closed due to the country?s acute financial crisis. Lines were starting to form outside banks Thursday morning ahead of the official opening for six hours at noon (1000 GMT). (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People wait outside a branch of Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Cypriots get their first chance to access their savings in almost two weeks when the country?s banks reopen Thursday - albeit with strict restrictions on transactions - after being closed due to the country?s acute financial crisis. Lines were starting to form outside banks Thursday morning ahead of the official opening for six hours at noon (1000 GMT). (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People wait outside a Coop bank branch in Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Bank branches across the country were being replenished with cash, and are scheduled to open for six hours at noon (10:00 GMT). Systems were frozen pending the official noon opening. (AP Photo/Philippos Christou)

People wait outside a Coop Bank branch in Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Cypriots get their first chance to access their savings in almost two weeks when the country?s banks reopen Thursday - albeit with strict restrictions on transactions - after being closed due to the country?s acute financial crisis. Lines were starting to form outside banks Thursday morning ahead of the official opening for six hours at noon (1000 GMT). (AP Photo/Philippos Christou)

A woman sweeps the ground while people wait outside a branch of Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Cypriots get their first chance to access their savings in almost two weeks when the country?s banks reopen Thursday - albeit with strict restrictions on transactions - after being closed due to the country?s acute financial crisis. Lines were starting to form outside banks Thursday morning ahead of the official opening for six hours at noon (1000 GMT). (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

People are served in a branch of Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia, Thursday, March 28, 2013. Banks in Cyprus reopened to customers for the first time in nearly two weeks Thursday, albeit with strict restrictions on transactions, after being closed to prevent people withdrawing all their savings during the country?s acute financial crisis. Large lines had formed outside the banks ahead of the opening of banks for six hours from noon. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? There were long lines of anxious people but no sign of trouble as banks in Cyprus opened Thursday for the first time in nearly two weeks, following an international bailout that sought to prevent the country from financial ruin.

The government has imposed a daily limit on how much people can withdraw to stop a run on its banks ? the first such action in the 14-year history of the euro currency. Cypriots took the measure in their stride, aware that with their economy teetering on the edge of collapse, any undue panic would make the situation worse.

"Everything has been paralyzed. Besides my business being already low, now no one thinks of buying flowers," said flower shop owner Christos Papamichael who was among about 30 people waiting patiently for bank doors to open.

"People think of anything (else) besides flowers, they've got other priorities. But now there's a half an hour delay and we're just waiting here."

The limits on transactions, have been imposed initially for seven days and are being reviewed daily. According to Central Bank assessments, the restrictions are to be fully lifted in a month, Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides said.

"Gradually, probably in a period of a month, or something according again to the estimates of the Central Bank and according to the developments, the restrictions will be fully lifted," he said.

"If there (are) withdrawals from the banks, they may happen, but let me tell you once again there will be no bank run."

Guards from private security firms reinforced police outside some ATMs and banks in the capital, Nicosia, but no problems controlling crowds was reported.

President Nicos Anastasiades expressed his "warm gratitude and deep appreciation towards the Cypriot people for the maturity and spirit of responsibility they have shown at a critical time for the stability of the Cypriot economy," a statement from his office said.

However, many Cypriots were left frustrated and confused by the closures and controls and concerned about the effect on their businesses and livelihoods.

"No matter how much information there was, things were changing all the time," said Costas Kyprianides, a grocery supplier in Nicosia.

Banks have been shut in Cyprus since March 16 to prevent people from draining their accounts as politicians scrambled to come up with a plan to allow the country to qualify for 10 billion euros ($12.9 billion) in international bailout loans for its stricken financial sector.

A deal was finally reached in Brussels with other euro countries and the International Monetary Fund early Monday. The country's second-largest bank, Laiki, is to be split up, with its healthy assets being absorbed into the Bank of Cyprus. Savers with more 100,000 euros ($129,000) in either Bank of Cyprus and Laiki will face big losses. At Laiki, those could reach as much as 80 percent of amounts above the 100,000 insured limit; those at Bank of Cyprus are expected to be much lower.

The capital controls include limiting daily cash withdrawals to 300 euros ($383) per person and limiting payments abroad to 5,000 euros ($6,400). No checks can be cashed, although they can be deposited.

Anyone leaving the country, whether Cypriot or a visitor, can only take up to 1,000 euros ($1,290) with them in cash.

The country's general accounting office said pensions and other social security payments, together with salaries for government employees, will be in bank accounts next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Many Cypriots were working out exactly what they could and couldn't do. Television talk shows hosted dial-ins with experts, with viewers' queries ranging from which bank they would repay loans to if their lender was being wound down, how they could pay tuition fees for children studying abroad and handle check payments. People wondered whether they would be able to access their salaries, many of which were due this week.

Some analysts are concerned that, if kept in place long, Cyprus's measures will go against the fundamental principle of the single currency: Free and easy movement of money around the euro's 17 members.

In a statement Thursday, The European Commission said EU member states could restrict financial transactions "in certain circumstances and under strict conditions on grounds of public policy or public security" but added that "the free movement of capital should be reinstated as soon as possible".

Not every account in Laiki and Bank of Cyprus will be hit with big losses. Deposits held by the central government, local authorities such as municipalities, universities and development projects being co-funded by the European Union will not face a so-called haircut. Constantinos Petrides, undersecretary to the president, said the measure was agreed between the Cypriot government and a delegation from the IMF, European Central Bank and European Commission.

Government welfare and pension fund accounts in Laiki will be treated in the same way as those in the Bank of Cyprus, "thereby ensuring most of the deposits," Petrides added.

Some individuals and businesses, spotting that Cyprus's economy was in trouble and that a tax on deposits was being discussed, had moved their money out of Cyprus well before the banks closed their doors last week.

According to ECB figures, deposits in Cyprus' banks slipped 2.2 percent last month, to 46.36 billion euros ($59.36 billion), the lowest figure since May 2010 and down from a peak of 50.5 billion euros ($64.67 billion) in May 2012. The figure excludes deposits from other banks and the central government.

"I anticipated, not this to happen, but I anticipated issues last year, when Greece had a question of whether it will remain in euro and the consequences of that," said Athos Angelides, who runs a business importing and distributing hair salon products. "So luckily we transferred money in the middle of last year over to the UK."

The stock market, which has been closed since March 15, stayed shut. It will remain closed on Friday and Monday, when most of Europe is closed for the Easter celebrations. Cyprus follows the Orthodox calendar and does not celebrate Easter until May this year.

____

Elena Becatoros in Nicosia and David McHugh in Frankfurt contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-28-Cyprus-Financial%20Crisis/id-b230a4e210df433f98adbe7f77f9bbbc

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George Zimmerman's brother says Twitter rant a "mistake"

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The brother of George Zimmerman, the man charged in the 2012 shooting death of unarmed black Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, said on Wednesday he was wrong to tweet a series of racially charged comments about his brother's case.

"I made a mistake," Robert Zimmerman Jr. said during an appearance on CNN's Piers Morgan Live. "It unfortunately may not have helped George."

George Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder for killing Martin, who was 17, after an altercation in a residential neighborhood in Sanford, Florida.

Prosecutors contend George Zimmerman, then a neighborhood watch captain, racially profiled Martin, then pursued and shot him while Martin was returning from a convenience store to a townhouse where he was staying with his father.

Robert Zimmerman this week posted side-by-side photos of Martin and one of two teenagers arrested last week in a fatal shooting of a 13-month-old boy as his mother was pushing his stroller down the street in a coastal Georgia town.

The separate photos showed Martin and the teenager posing while making an obscene gesture.

Robert Zimmerman wrote in a tweet, "a picture is worth a thousand words ... any questions?" In another tweet, he said, "Lib media shld ask if what these2 black teens did 2 a woman&baby is the reason ppl think blacks mightB risky."

Morgan, in his interview with Zimmerman, called the tweets "incendiary" and "bordering on outright racism."

"I understand this was controversial and I apologize," Robert Zimmerman said.

Mark O'Mara, George Zimmerman's lawyer, has criticized Robert Zimmerman's tweets.

George Zimmerman's trial is set to start in June.

George Zimmerman arrives with his lead counsel, Mark O'Mara (L) for a hearing in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Florida February 5, 2013. A judge is expected to hear a delay motion on Tuesday ... more? George Zimmerman arrives with his lead counsel, Mark O'Mara (L) for a hearing in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Florida February 5, 2013. A judge is expected to hear a delay motion on Tuesday filed by Zimmerman's lawyer, Mark O'Mara, who says he needs another six months to raise money and prepare for the racially-charged trial for the murder of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin. REUTERS/Joe Burbank/Pool (UNITED STATES - Tags: CRIME LAW) less? ?

(Editing by Kevin Gray and Lisa Shumaker)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/george-zimmermans-brother-says-twitter-rant-mistake-032522332.html

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No Glass for you! Google revokes invitations to purchase its latest gadget

Rosa Golijan , NBC News ? ? ? 3 hrs.

On Tuesday, the team behind Google Glass began handing out virtual golden tickets. Folks who took part in the #IfIHadGlass application process won the opportunity to purchase Google's futuristic cyber-headgear for $1,500. By Wednesday, the search engine giant realized that some of the applicants didn't exactly follow the rules ? to say the least ? and revoked their invitations.

To gain admission to the Glass Explorer program, an elite group which will have the opportunity to purchase Glass before everyone else, individuals "applied" by posting about what they would do if they had the gadget. The posts had to start with the #IfIHadGlass hashtag, be publicly visible on Google+ or Twitter, not exceed 50 words in length, and meet some other requirements.

Google stipulated that entries should definitely not "be derogatory, offensive, threatening, defamatory, disparaging, libelous or contain any content that is inappropriate, indecent, sexual, profane, indecent, tortuous, slanderous, discriminatory in any way, or that promotes hatred or harm against any group or person, or otherwise does not comply with the theme and spirit of #ifihadglass."

So imagine how surprised some were to see that Google's official @ProjectGlass Twitter account informed a young woman who tweeted "#IfIHadGlass, I'd throw it at your face" that she'd been selected to join the Glass Explorers program.

Whoops!

"[I]t?s become clear that a few applications that don?t comply with our terms have slipped through the cracks, and we?re going to have to disqualify applications like these," a post on the Project Glass Google+ page explained on Wednesday evening.

So far, only two invitations have been revoked publicly, the one to the young woman who'd rather throw Glass than wear it and another who tweeted that she'd use Glass to cut a ... rude word which I can't repeat here. "Unfortunately your application didn't comply with our terms, and has been disqualified," the Project Glass team plainly tweeted to those two individuals. "We?re sorry for the confusion."

We are curious whether Google plans on revoking any other invitations, such as the one that went out to a Twitter user who merely tweeted the #IfIHadGlass hashtag and nothing else.

We have reached out to Google for more information on whatever sort of mixup allowed applications like this to have "slipped through." We suspect that blame will be placed on the "panel of independent content moderators" who were tasked with reviewing applications.

Want more tech news or interesting links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2a190811/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Ctechnolog0Cno0Eglass0Eyou0Egoogle0Erevokes0Einvitations0Epurchase0Eits0Elatest0Egadget0E1C912490A0A/story01.htm

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Syrian officials: 15 killed in university attack

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) ? Mortar shells slammed into a cafeteria at Damascus University on Thursday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 20 in what was the deadliest in a string of such attacks on President Bashar Assad's seat of power, state media and officials said.

Rebels began firing shells at the capital earlier this year, and the strikes have become increasingly common in recent weeks as rebels clash with government troops on the east and south sides of the city.

State-run TV said 15 people were killed when mortar shells struck the cafeteria of the university's architecture department in the central Baramkeh district. A Syrian official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements said 20 people were wounded in the attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which came two days after rebels barraged Damascus with mortar shells that killed at least three people and wounded dozens.

The shelling rarely causes many casualties, but it has shattered the aura of normalcy the regime has tried to cultivate in Damascus. In recent days, rebels have struck deeper than ever into the heart of the city in a new tactic to try and loosen Assad's grip on his main stronghold.

The government blamed "terrorists," the term it uses for rebels fighting to oust Assad, and called the attack as a "barbaric massacre."

Government-run Al-Ikhbariya TV showed footage of plastic tables and chairs turned upside down, shattered glass and pens and books scattered on the floor. Pools of blood were seen on the floor of the open-air cafeteria. The station showed paramedics trying to revive a wounded girl.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the attack, saying many of the wounded were in critical condition.

Syria's crisis began in March 2011 with protests demanding Assad's ouster. Following a harsh government crackdown, the uprising steadily grew more violent until it became a full-fledged civil war. The U.N. says Syria's two-year civil war has killed more than 70,000 people.

The mortar attack at the university occurred as officials denied opposition claims that an Iranian cargo plane allegedly carrying weapons to Assad's regime was hit as it landed at Damascus International Airport.

Al-Arabiya and Al-Jazeera TV quoted activists as saying that the plane was hit Wednesday night and caught fire as it was landing. State-run TV denied the report while the Observatory chief, Rami Abdul-Rahman, said he could not confirm that such an incident happened.

Ghaidaa Abdul-Latif, the general director of the Syrian Arab Airlines, denied in a telephone interview with The AP the occurrence of any incident at the airport. She stressed that all reports about the incident were "absolutely untrue."

Earlier in the day, activists said Syrian rebels attacked army checkpoints in and around a key southern town that is a gateway to Damascus.

The Observatory said rebel attacks were under way in and around Dael in the strategic Daraa province, which borders Jordan. The Local Coordination Committees, another activists group, said regime bombardment of Dael killed at least three people on Thursday.

The Observatory also reported violence in other parts of Syria, including the northern regions of Idlib and Aleppo, and air raids on the suburbs of Damascus.

The fighting comes as Mideast powers opposed to Assad have stepped up weapons supplies to Syrian rebels in coordination with the U.S. in preparation for a push on the Syrian capital, according to officials and military experts who spoke to the AP in Jordan.

In Jordan, the U.N. refugee agency said a riot broke out at a refugee camp for Syrians in the country after some of the refugees were told they could not return home.

Ali Bibi, a U.N. refugee liaison officer in Jordan, said it was unclear how many refugees were involved in Thursday's melee at the Zaatari camp. The riot broke out after some Syrians in the camp tried to board buses to return to their country.

He said Jordanian authorities refused to let the buses head to the border because of ongoing clashes between the rebels and Assad's forces in southern Syria, just across the border from Jordan. Bibi said there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Turkish officials on Thursday denied reports that the country was deporting several hundreds of Syrian refugees for causing disturbances inside a refugee camp near the border. A Foreign Ministry official said, however, that a group of 100 refugees asked to be allowed to leave the camp and to return to Syria on their own free will.

A fire at the camp in the town of Akcakale late Wednesday killed a 7-year-old child and sparked unrest among the refugees.

A camp security official said local authorities identified about 300 people who allegedly caused the disturbance and prepared to deport them. But the move was stopped by government officials, he said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to discuss the situation in the camp with journalists.

The U.N. refugee agency could not immediately confirm the reports, but said it was concerned by allegations of possible deportations from Akcakale and was seeking further information.

In Israel, the military said it was beefing up medical teams along the border with Syria following several cases of wounded Syrians crossing the frontier to seek medical assistance.

A military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity under military protocol, said on Thursday there have been "numerous incidents" in recent months in which Syrians wounded in the fighting in their country arrived at the frontier for first aid from Israeli medics.

Eleven of them were taken and treated at Israeli hospitals, including one who died from his wounds on Wednesday. Others returned home after their conditions have improved.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity under military protocol. He said the military's focus in the Israeli-held Golan Heights was still on security and defense but that Israel sent extra medical teams to the area realizing more wounded could soon arrive.

___

Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Suzan Fraser in Ankara Turkey, Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Dale Gavlak in Amman, Jordan, contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-officials-15-killed-university-attack-140256813.html

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What Paul Ryan's New Budget Means for Health Care

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's?budget?is once again?full of the politically fraught health care policies that have made the publication of its two predecessors such big events.?This year?s version basically sticks to last year?s script when it comes to health care. It would make big cuts to Medicaid right away, and would postpone cuts to Medicare for 10 years. Here's what Ryan's budget would mean for health entitlement programs:

No Medicare savings for 10 years.?Though?Ryan talks a lot about the need for entitlement savings, his budget proposals would not yield any savings from the largest health program for a decade. Last week, there was speculation about the possibility that the House budget would start tinkering with the structure of Medicare for people 55 and older. That possible change was apparently scrapped after a?revolt by moderate House Republicans. That means that although Ryan?s Medicare plan will receive most of the political heat in the coming weeks?and probably the next campaign season?it actually won?t save the federal government any money immediately. It will take a while before we know how much it will save over the long term. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office announced Monday?that it won?t be able to provide such estimates for several months.

The plan would not eliminate traditional Medicare. Democrats have gotten political mileage from accusing Ryan of wanting to ?end Medicare as we know it.? That is not the same thing as ending Medicare. Ryan?s plan would give seniors a fixed amount of money that they could use to buy traditional Medicare coverage or a private plan with similar benefits. It would convert the program from a single-payer monolith into a marketplace of competing plans. But unlike his budget of two years ago, it would not remove traditional Medicare from the menu of options. Here?s where the ?as we know it? part comes in: Because traditional Medicare would have to compete on price with the private plans,?there?s a chance it could become too expensive?for every senior who wants it to buy it. The plan, which limits how much the payment can increase each year, could also shift costs to even those seniors who buy the cheapest option in the marketplace.

The big cuts would come out of Medicaid.?The Ryan budget would make significant changes to Medicaid, and those would take effect right away. Medicaid, the federal-state program for low-income and disabled Americans, is currently funded according to the size of the medical bills that come in. The Ryan plan would convert it to a block grant, meaning states would get a lump sum for their programs, no matter how many people joined their programs, how sick they got, or how much medical prices go up in a given year. The plan would allow the payment to grow slowly over time and as overall population grows, but that growth is estimated to be much lower than what states would get under the current program.

Ryan would repeal Obamacare, sort of.?As he has in his past two budgets, Ryan?s budget assumes that Congress would eliminate all the parts of the president?s health reform law that subsidize insurance coverage for the uninsured. But though?he says?he would repeal all of Obamacare, his budgets suggest?he would not eliminate the entire law. The budget is built on the assumption that new tax revenue and major cuts to the current Medicare program will stay on the books. It is worth noting that any sort of congressional repeal of Obamacare is basically impossible this year, given President Obama's re-election and the fact that Democrats still control the Senate.

Ryan says he?s open to different entitlement cuts.?In a?Fox News Sunday?interview this weekend, Ryan said that?he thinks there is room for compromise?on entitlement cuts short of premium support and block grants that would get the country ?closer to balancing the budget? and delay "the debt crisis from hitting this country.? Those ideas haven't found their way into his budget, but they are a new signal from Ryan, who has long been critical of the kinds of health care savings the president has proposed in the past.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/paul-ryans-budget-means-health-care-113312473--politics.html

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Nantucket Real Estate ? Blog Archive ? Nantucket Property ...

A?vacant lot on 76.3 acres at 243 Polpis Road sold to the Nantucket Islands Land Bank of Nantucket, Mass. from the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Inc. of Nantucket, Mass. for $7,000,000. The property?s assessed value is unavailable. The Land Bank exemption is A.

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A house on .18 of an acre at 12 Gardner St. sold to Ronald Winters and Ellen Winters of Nantucket, Mass. from Charles H. Duponte, Trustee of the Charles H. Duponte Revocable Trust ? 2006, of Mattapoisett, Mass. for $1,985,000. The property is assessed at $1,305,900. The Land Bank fee is $39,700.

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A house on .12 of an acre at 7 Beaver St. sold to Nicholas C. Pappas and Kathryn B. Pappas of Bethesda, Md. from M. Tessa Hooper of Berwyn, Pa. for $1,275,000. The property is assessed at $1,166,800. The Land Bank fee is $25,500.

A vacant lot on .29 of an acre at 17 Nanahumacke Lane sold to Richard J. Terres and Robin Terres of Hingham, Mass. from Jeffrey Kaschuluk and Peter J. Ogren, Trustees of Nanahumacke Preserve Nominee Trust of Nantucket, Mass. for $1,195,000. The property is assessed at $683,500. The Land Bank fee is $23,900.

?A house on .99 of an acre at 16 Swift Rock Road sold to Robert King Blair of Washington, D.C. from Richard O. Feodoroff and Margaret M. Feodoroff of North Easton, Mass. for $830,000. The property is assessed at $1,141,700. The Land Bank fee is $16,600.

A house on .11 of an acre at 52 Goldfinch Drive sold to Laura Suzanne Fletcher of Nantucket, Mass. from Helen Mendes, Executrix of the Last Will and Testament of Elsie Orgill of East Hampton, N.Y. for $742,500. The property is assessed at $743,000. The Land Bank fee is $6,850 and the exemption is M.

A house on .83 of an acre at 1 Arkansas Ave. sold to Robert H. McLeish and Marie J. George of Manchester, Vt. from Lindsay R. Perry, Jr., Trustee of Five K Realty Trust, of Nantucket, Mass. for $465,000. The Land Bank fee is $9,300.

?A house on .97 of an acre at 32 Somerset Lane sold to Nantucket Island Ventures, LLC of Nantucket, Mass. from Nantucket Bank, a division of Sovereign Bank, NA of Nantucket, Mass. for $459,000. The property is assessed at $691,300. The Land Bank fee is $9,180.

A house on .23 of an acre at 9 Appleton Road sold to James F. Mondani of Nantucket, Mass. from Marcia A. Strickland of Nantucket, Mass. for $398,000. The property is assessed at $450,800. The Land Bank fee is $7,960.

?A house on 1.4 acres at 11 Gray Ave. sold to RM & W 2011 Family Trust of Boston, Mass. from 11 Gray Avenue Nominee Trust of Nantucket, Mass. for $329,000. The property is assessed at $569,700. The Land Bank fee is $6,580.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 12th, 2013 at 10:13 am and is filed under Real Estate Transactions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Source: http://www.nantucketrealestate.com/NantucketRealEstate/?p=6646

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Look for the comet near the crescent moon

Adam Block / Caelum Observatory

Astrophotographer Adam Block captured this view of Comet PanSTARRS amid a line of power poles near Tucson, Ariz., on March 10. For more from Block, check out the Caelum Observatory.

By Joe Rao
Space.com

Many stargazers attempting to view the Comet PanSTARRS on recent nights have been thwarted by the comet's low position in the western sky. But on Tuesday night, the thin crescent moon will lend a hand.

Over the past weekend countless observers across in North America and Europe tried ? and for the most part failed ? to see Comet PanSTARRS, in part due to its low altitude above the west-northwest horizon. The bright glare of the evening twilight sky just is also a hurdle, since it can as make the comet harder to see just after sunset.

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But fret not, comet lovers! Comet PanSTARRS' position above the horizon is noticeably higher on Tuesday evening, and the moon can be used as a benchmark to point your way.

Step 1: Find clear skies
The best suggestion I can make for your comet watch is to find an observing site with the least amount of obstructions in the direction of the western part of the sky. [How to see the comet]

If you end up successfully catching a glimpse of them, the moon and the comet will not be any higher than 10 degrees above the horizon. That is about the size of your clenched held out at arm's length.

If you have a house or some trees in your line of sight, then you're going to have to find some other viewing site.

Step 2: Find the moon
In order to boost your chances of seeing Comet PanSTARRS, be sure to arrive at your viewing site in time to see the sunset. Take note of where on the horizon the sun sets.?

Now wait about 30 minutes as the sky begins to darken. Truthfully, it will still be rather bright looking toward the west a half-hour after the sunset. This was one of the main problems people have had in recent days in trying to see the comet.?

However, first things first: Let's locate the moon. Take your clenched fist and measure off 10 degrees up from that point on the horizon where the sun disappeared about a half hour before. ?Now look a bit to the right from the top of your fist. That's where the crescent moon will be.?

Seeing the moon will be a bit of a challenge in itself because it will be very narrow, appearing only about 28 hours after passing its new phase. Because of this, the lunar disk will be only 1 percent illuminated. It will be oriented with its bright sliver down, resembling a cup or a thin smile on the sky.?

If you can't see the moon with your unaided eye, then use binoculars. Once you pick it up with binoculars, you should be able to find it without optical aid.?

Adam Block / Caelum Observatory

Comet PanSTARRS stands out when seen from a high-altitude vantage point. "Here is the picture I captured ... from atop Mount Lemmon (at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter). I run the stargazing programs up here and while hosting the show for the guests I captured this picture," Arizona astrophotographer Adam Block said in an email.

StarDate Magazine

The location of Comet Pan-STARRS low in the western horizon in March 2013 is shown in this sky map released by StarDate Magazine, a publication of McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas.

Step 3: Find the comet
With the moon found in the evening sky, it is time to use it as a guide to spot Comet PanSTARRS.

The comet will be located about 5 degrees to the left of the moon. Once again, you might not initially see it with your eyes, so use binoculars if you need to. Five degrees measures roughly "half a fist" in length.

You'll know Comet PanSTARRS when you see it. It will appear as a bright, starlike "head" with a short, stubby tail extending from the head upwards and slightly to the left from the bright end. Like the moon, once you find it with binoculars, you should, with time, be able to make it out against the bright twilight sky. ?

Comet PanSTARRS and the moon should be visible for about a half hour before they disappear into the murky haze always located near the horizon.

Not so 'Great Comet'?
Comet PanSTARRS was discovered in June 2011 by a team of astronomers using the Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System (or Pan-STARRS), a telescope in Hawaii. The comet is officially designated as C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) and is thought to take more than 100 million years to make a single orbit around the sun. [Comet PanSTARRS Explained (Infographic)]

Right now the brightness of Comet PanSTARRS, according to viewers who spotted it in the Southern Hemisphere, ranks at about first-magnitude on the astronomy brightness scale. That is about as bright as the brightest stars.?

Normally, a comet as bright as this would be categorized as a "Great Comet," but most observers feel that PanSTARRS does not fall into this category because it's not visible against a fully dark sky. The bright twilight background is working against making it a prominent eye-catching sight.

And the comet's dust tail is not breathtakingly long, but rather short and rather stubby. To the naked eye, not much of the tail may be visible at all, though in big binoculars or small telescopes, some say that PanSTARRS is a rather impressive sight.

Comet PanSTARRS is one of at least three comets in the night sky?that are sending a thrill through stargazers. Another comet (Comet Lemmon) is currently visible to observers in Southern Hemisphere, while the third object is Comet ISON.

Comet ISON?is a promising celestial object that was discovered by amateur astronomers in 2012 and is expected to make its closest approach to the sun in late November. The comet will be only 800,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) from the sun at its closest point, and could put on a dazzling night-sky spectacle. But it could also fizzle out.

NASA astronomers and stargazers around the world are regularly tracking Comet ISON, as well as comets PanSTARRS and Lemmon as they shine in the night sky.

If you snap an amazing photo of Comet PanSTARRS in the night sky, or any other celestial object, and you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please send images and comments, including location information, to managing editor Tariq Malik at?spacephotos@space.com.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for The New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.?Follow us?@Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+.?This article was first published on?SPACE.com.

Cast your eyes on pictures featuring PanSTARRS, Hale-Bopp and other crowd-pleasing comets.

Copyright 2013 Space.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/12/17286926-look-for-comet-panstarrs-near-the-crescent-moon-in-western-skies?lite

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March Is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, So Let's Discuss ...

I remember how only 40 years ago cancer of the cervix was one of the major killers for women, but with the introduction of the Pap test this has all changed. ?For those women who get that screening done, there is no need for fear. The mortality rate from cervical cancer since the 1970?s has steadily decreased as shown in this link.

As far as cancer of the prostate is concerned, a lot of progress with regard to early detection has been made due to the introduction of the PSA blood test, which is used as a method of screening. As a result men are diagnosed earlier with prostate cancer resulting in more cures as the cancer found is at an earlier stage. Here is a link depicting the effect of the PSA test on mortality rates from prostate cancer in time.

March is colorectal cancer awareness month as this article explains.

The key is early detection and treatment as with any type of cancer. Specifically, with rectal and colon cancer there are mostly no symptoms, as blood in stool or any other symptoms occur only late into the disease. What we do know, however, is that there is a long latent phase where precancerous mucous membrane changes lead to polyps and these will degenerate in time into cancer of the colon or rectum. Here is more background on this.

Not everyone has the same risk of developing colon cancer or rectal cancer. ?There are people with a higher rate of colorectal cancer, as they carry a susceptibility gene in their families. A healthy lifestyle can also reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

March Is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, So Let?s Discuss Prevention

It is now widely accepted that polyps are the precancerous precursors for colorectal cancer and colonoscopies done on everybody starting at age 50 (those with family risk factors much earlier) have already been shown to have decreased the frequency of the disease as the data from the CDC show. The problem is that the curves over the years shown here should have had a much steeper decline similar to the mortality rates of cervical cancer and prostate cancer shown as links above (not the shallow ones depicted in the CDC link); the incidence of colon cancer should have gone down to almost the zero point. All that has been achieved so far is a reduction of a portion of cases (those who went for colonoscopies early enough before it turned into colon cancer); this is by far not an elimination of colorectal cancer. The reason for this is the fact that in many cases people have colonoscopies too late when the polyp has already turned cancerous, or invasive colon or rectal cancer is already present at the time of the first colonoscopy.

So, designating March as colorectal awareness month makes a lot of sense to me.

I happen to come from a family where my mother died in 1980 from colon cancer at the age of 59. Because of this my doctor told me that I have a risk of about 3-fold higher than the population at large to also develop colon cancer. I have had colonoscopies since the age of 40 every 3 years. Ironically a few days ago right during the colorectal awareness month, I was getting my 9^th colonoscopy. On three occasions polyps were removed, which tells me that the cancer-screening program works!

So why is it important to screen in regular intervals? One reason is that we are now exposed to more toxic chemicals in our environment and food?than 100 years ago. So all cancers, but especially colorectal cancer rates have increased. We know the pathophysiology, which is the science that studies how an illness develops. We know that it takes several years between the occurrence of the first precancerous cells that form in the lining of the gut (called ?mucosa?) and the formation of polyps. It takes another few years before polyps turn cancerous. This means that there is enough of a time interval to do screening. If we are not aware of this and ignore it (as unfortunately many people do), the process will run down the conveyor belt on an automatic program, which ends up in end stage colorectal cancer. The stages of colon cancer are depicted in this link.

As the table of my chapter on colon cancer staging shows, the invasive end stage colon cancer (stage IV or Duke D) has a 5-year survival rate of only 6%. Even when the cancer is limited to stage II (also called Duke stage B) there would be a 5-year survival of only 80% (see table in link).

What does screening really achieve?

On an individual basis the gastroenterologist who does the colonoscopy can screen the whole colon for premalignant polyps and remove them during the procedure.

This moves the potential cancer staging backwards to beyond any detectable cancer, as all of the potential early cancer cells would have been inside the polyp (called local ?in situ? disease) and were removed by cauterizing the stalk (see above link). There is another potential factor that can help to reduce colorectal cancer incidence: Recently a connection was made between Helicobacter?pylori (H. pylori) infection of the stomach and polyps in the colon as well as colon cancer. In the past several smaller studies failed to show this correlation. It took 156,269 patients in this study?to show that there was a correlation. As H. pylori is being tested for and treated more and more, this will also have a positive effect on lowering the frequency of colorectal cancer.

On a population basis with mass colonoscopy screening the incidence of colorectal cancer would be reduced much faster and eventually would turn into a disease similar to cancer of the cervix, where it still matters whether you screen or not, but very few people would have to suffer from it. Here is an image from a paper?(look for Fig. 2, halfway down the page) that shows that survival benefits (longer lives) are registered only after 10 years or more following colonoscopy. Every polyp that is removed ?in a?particular patient will ad up to the colon and rectum health of the nation at large when you sum up all of the colonoscopies done around the country year after year. ?But we need a nationwide and worldwide awareness that this is something?worthwhile?doing for a cancer that is the third most frequent cancer in many parts of the world.

I am grateful that colonoscopy screening works, as I had polyps removed three times over a 29 year span and I did not have to go through all the surgical procedures that my mother had to endure. Had I lived 50 years earlier I may not have lived long enough to tell you how important colonoscopy screening is.

Here are the recommendations:

1. No risk of colorectal cancer?in your family : Screen once at age 50, just to make sure you are not one of the spontaneous colorectal polyp producers. If OK, screen every 10 years, if the colonoscopy is always negative.
2. Family history of direct bloodline relative (mother, father, brother, sister had cancer of the colon or cancer of the rectum): do colonoscopies every 3 years. There may be up to 15% of missed polyps during a colonoscopy so that with the next colonoscopy there is a high likelihood that these missed polyps would still be diagnosed and removed during this subsequent screening.
3. There are special cases, families with genetic syndromes like the familial polyposis of the colon. In these families children need to be screened for polyps when they are young adults (from age 20 to 25 years onwards).

Don?t complain, if you belong to category 1 or 2 as it could be much worse (category 3). Cancer is serious business. Remember, March is colorectal cancer awareness month.

Source: http://www.askdrray.com/march-is-colorectal-cancer-awareness-month-so-lets-discuss-prevention/

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Tom and Donna Full-timer RV Blog: Mullin Automotive Museum

I have been to many car museum's or shows in the last 40 years so I am not easily impressed. I started with the Bill Harrah?National Auto Museum in Reno when I worked for the guy in the 70's at his casino which gave us free access to his cars. Then my dad took me to the Peterson Automotive Museum in LA in the 80's which was awesome...and most likely better now, but between many hot rod and classic car shows through out the years have always been positive about American Classics...then I went to the Mullin Automotive Museum.

The Mullin Automotive Museum is only open to the public two days a month and as luck would have it I found out a day before one of those days that it was available. I bought my ticket online ($8 senior rate) and was one of the first to enter at my appointed time.

Then I realize Mr. Mullin is hung up on "French" cars of the 1920's to 1940's, or as they say "art deco" years...WTH? No Lambo's or Ferrari's? No muscle cars or big Caddies of the 1940's? What kind of museum is this? I'll tell what kind it is...a totally AWESOME one, that's what it is!

One of the first Bugatti's I see (of many) with a great story is this 1925 being submerged in 173 feet of water for 75 years...remarkable story and presented so elegantly.

This is the?display of the 1925 type 22 Brescia Roadster that sat in water for year after year and other than drying her off, looks the same as the Bugatti did when first rescued. The large photo behind is the car in the lake.

After the dredged up Bugatti from the lake I move on to a very beat up, or in collector terms..."original" Bugatti's from the Schlumpf Reserve Collection,?who seems to like collecting cars in their original, natural and unrestored condition.?



Schlumpf had quite a collection of original condition automobiles and each one of the unrestored vehicles were most likely in the 200 thousand dollar range and up in value.



I guess originality is the key, but this might just be a bit extreme for me.



In a video Mr Mullin talks of presenting cars at Pebble Beach Concours for 25 years with no "Best of Show" until he presented a coupe, in which a four door coupe as never won at Pebble...and then it happened in 2011...Mr. Mullins four door coupe wins "Best of Show" at Pebble Beach.



The hood ornament along with the rest of the 1935 Avions Voisin Type C25 Aerodyne is striking.



As four door coupes go this "Best of Show" was very cool. I do remember seeing it live on TV when the Pebble Beach was broadcasted over NBC.



The unique thing about the Mullin collection is that there are no ropes to keep visitors away from the cars, they only ask that you don't touch the cars.






The museum is working with some designers to extend what they think the next generation would look like.






The engines of the day were not only technically advanced in years but a piece of art in itself.?


This 1931 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix won many races in its day.


The 1994 EB 110 Supersport Bugatti was the only car in the collection newer than the early 40's. The collection does have three newer Bugatti Veyron's but they were all out on loan.


What other automoble manufactuer in the early 90's exposed the power plant in such a "in your face" way? Of course now in the 2010's there are a number who show off their ware's such as Corvette, Lamborghini and Ferrari...



From the mezzanine.



My god, even from thirty feet away the lines on this 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic, a 2003 "Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance" best of show winner... is amazing.?










This 1938 Dubonnet H6C had lines that would of been very comfortable in the late 50's or early 60's.






So much of the glass in the 20's and 30's was flat, I found this to be the exception. Hispano-Suiza was a Spanish designer and a Swiss engineer that built the H6C in France...









This 1937 Hispano is a combination of a 1920's chassis stretched for purposes of hunting and picking up visiting company at a railway station...hence the first "station wagon"


? ?
So graceful, so beautiful with its oval side windows.






A quick look inside reveals brushed aluminum, exotic woods and crystal faced gauges.



I wish my vocabulary had enough superlatives to describe this museum for someone who has not experienced it. Thank you Mr Mullin for opening my eyes to the art deco French automotive designs years...I never new it existed before today. My hat is off to the French manufacturers listed above and some from photos I did not use such as, Delahaye, Talbot-Lago and Delage.

Source: http://tom-and-donna.blogspot.com/2013/03/mullin-automotive-museum.html

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Goodwill Industries? Partners with StoryCorps on Military Voices Initiative

National Partnership Captures Veterans? Stories for Library of Congress

Rockville, MD (PRWEB) March 11, 2013

Goodwill Industries International and StoryCorps have partnered to record the stories of veterans, service members, and military families as part of the StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative. The first recording will take place at Goodwill Industries of Houston, one of the leading Goodwill? providers of veteran employment services, from March 14-15 in Houston, TX.

Goodwill Houston has a long standing history of serving veterans. In addition to being the recipient of several federal grants for veterans, the agency is involved with Operation: GoodJobs, an initiative to empower military veterans with the tools they need to find employment, advance in their careers and ensure long-term financial stability for their families. The Goodwill not only assists veterans with job training and placement, but also designs individualized, holistic plans that support a range of family needs for the entire family and help ensure economic security in the long-term.

StoryCorps, a national oral history project, provides Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve their stores. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 45,000 interviews with nearly 90,000 participants. From July 2012 through November 2013, StoryCorps? Military Voices Initiative is recording the stories of more than 700 post-9/11 veterans, active-duty service members, and their families.

Twelve veterans served by Goodwill Houston will share their stories during the two-day recording session. A family member, friend or other loved one will interview each veteran about his or her experiences in the military and the challenges faced in transitioning to civilian employment. Each conversation will be preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

?Veterans are civic assets and leaders. As a nonprofit whose commitment to supporting veterans transition to civilian life dates back to World War I, we are honored to be part of the StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative,? said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. ?The initiative will amplify our veterans? important stories, build support and appropriately honor them.?

StoryCorps is the largest oral history project of its kind. A select number of interviews are edited for national broadcast and aired on NPR?s Weekend Edition Saturday. The project is made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and The Boeing Company.

?The Military Voices Initiative will not only provide military families with a national platform to share their stories of service in their own voices, but will also enable civilians to understand more clearly the complex challenges of their bravery and sacrifice,? said Dave Isay, founder and president of StoryCorps. ?As veterans return to civilian life from Afghanistan and Iraq, we believe that the simple act of listening tells them how much they matter, and by preserving that conversation for posterity, we assure them that they won't be forgotten.?

Charlene Sarmiento
Goodwill Industries International
240-333-5590
Email Information

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/goodwill-industries-partners-storycorps-military-voices-initiative-120047277.html

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Qorvis's Matt J. Lauer Once Again Named as One of Washington's Most Influential People Under 40

WASHINGTON, March 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Matt J. Lauer, (@MattJLauer), president of Qorvis GeoPolitical Solutions and a partner of Qorvis Communications, LLC was named by Washington Life magazine for the second time as one of the most influential people under the age of 40 in Washington, D.C.

Washington Life magazine's Young and The Guest List feature is the annual listing of the city's most influential movers and shakers under 40. The magazine listed Lauer in its March 2013 edition. This is Lauer's third time appearing in Young?and The Guest List.

After joining Qorvis in 2004, Lauer has worked to dramatically expand the company's public diplomacy operations. Qorvis GeoPolitical Solutions provides nations and high-profile individuals with reputation management.

Prior to joining Qorvis, Lauer was the executive director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy at the Department of State. The commission, a bipartisan panel appointed by the president, analyzes and evaluates the U.S. government's international public relations capabilities.

Through Qorvis, Lauer has represented the interests of Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, the Brunei Investment Agency, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Equatorial Guinea, the Dubai International Financial Center, Bahrain, and Mexico among many others.

Lauer is a member of The Atlantic Council, The University Club of Washington, D.C., The Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs, The National Press Club, and The Museum of the American Cocktail.

SOURCE Qorvis Communications, LLC

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/qorviss-matt-j-lauer-once-again-named-one-205000438.html

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Ahead of the Bell: US Trade Gap

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. trade deficit likely widened in January, reflecting increases in purchases by Americans of foreign-made goods.

Economists forecast the deficit increased to $43 billion in January, according to a survey by FactSet. The Commerce Department will release the report at 8:30 a.m. EST Thursday.

In December, the deficit narrowed to $38.5 billion as a jump in exports lowered the trade gap to nearly a three-year low.

A narrower trade gap boosts growth because it means U.S. companies earned more from overseas sales while U.S. consumers and businesses spent less on foreign products.

The December jump in exports helped the economy grow just barely at the end of last year instead of shrinking. The trade report was not available when the government made its first estimate of the economy's overall performance in the fourth quarter.

Economists see the trade picture brightening a bit in 2013, helped in part by an energy production boom in the United States.

Production of oil and natural gas has been rising in the United States because drillers have learned to tap once-inaccessible reserved trapped in shale formations. New techniques such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, have made this possible.

Increased production has lowered U.S. prices of crude oil and natural gas, which refiners use to make gasoline, diesel and other fuels. Crude in the U.S. has been selling for $20 per barrel cheaper than international crude. With lower input costs, U.S. refiners are making enormous amounts of petroleum-based fuels and selling them on the international market at a huge profit.

For all of 2012, the trade deficit narrowed 3.5 percent to $540.4 billion.

Many economists expect the trade deficit will narrow further in 2013. That forecast is based on an assumption that the European debt crisis will stabilize, helping to boost exports to that region and economic growth in Europe will continue to rebound.

The politically sensitive trade deficit with China rose to a record $315.1 billion last year, the largest imbalance ever with a single country. That could add pressure on the Obama administration to take a harder line on China's trade practices. Some U.S. manufacturers contend that China keeps the value of its currency artificially low to make its exports to the U.S. cheaper.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ahead-bell-us-trade-gap-112038213.html

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Venezuela's Chavez exalted as "father" and "martyr" by followers

CARACAS (Reuters) - Deceased Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez was hailed by weeping supporters on Wednesday as a spiritual father figure who sacrificed his life for his country.

The 58-year-old socialist president succumbed to cancer on Tuesday after 14 years in power that polarized a country with vast oil reserves by sidelining traditional elites in favor of millions mired in poverty.

Supporters say Chavez, a larger-than-life persona in Venezuela, helped them throw off the shackles of capitalism and foreign interference, and that he fell ill because he devoted all his energy to a peaceful "revolution."

"He was like a father to us. He taught us how to love our country, our culture and our sovereignty," said Madeleine Gutierrez, 29, an architect. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged friends in a plaza named for Chavez's hero Simon Bolivar, who liberated much of Latin America from Spanish colonial rule.

"Chavez lives! The fight goes on!" people chanted. Clad in red, the color of the Socialist Party, they thronged the balmy streets of Caracas, creating rivers of crimson in homage to the departed president. Bands of motorcyclists honked their horns in impromptu motorcades.

Critics say Chavez squandered the wealth from an oil price bonanza by spending too much on inefficient social welfare programs, lost control of inflation, allowed violent crime to surge and insulted U.S. and European leaders for sport.

But with his African and indigenous heritage, Chavez was the face of the masses in the South American country who say their needs were ignored for decades by lighter-skinned rulers until he arrived.

"He gave his life for us. You could call him a martyr," said Jose Rondon, 48, wearing a beret like one used by Chavez, at the hospital where the president died.

Rondon works for a union group affiliated with the Chavez government and, like many of the people on the streets interviewed by Reuters, has ties to his party.

Still, Wednesday's outpouring looked far more spontaneous than normal pro-government events, where party cadres marshal turnout. It was on a scale rarely seen anywhere for an elected official.

Many supporters channeled their grief into raucous shouts of support and militant vows to continue his policies. Some, though, stood silently or cried.

RELIGIOUS OVERTONES

"Everyone has benefited under Chavez. He included everybody. Like him or not, all have benefited," said Marixa Carrion, who works as a secretary at the foreign ministry.

Chavez's personality cult at times bore religious overtones. People were already comparing him on Wednesday to former Argentine leader Eva Peron, who is cherished in her country half a century after her death.

Hundreds of posters of a smiling Chavez catching raindrops in his hand hang from lampposts across Caracas. The posters are emblazoned with a slogan that alludes to him as a creator: "Life rains down from your hands. We love you."

In contrast with the euphoria on the street, some of Chavez's detractors were quietly celebrating his demise. Though opposition supporters were largely staying indoors, some posted messages on Twitter toasting the end of the Chavez era.

Many Venezuelans saw Chavez's nationalistic streak as an example they must strive to live up to.

"I love Chavez and will continue loving him," said Hugo Bolivar, 60, who works as a security guard for the city of Caracas. "I have Bolivar's last name and the president's first name. He cared a lot about his country - just like me."

Marchers strained to see or even touch Chavez's coffin as it wound its way through crowded streets. Many people carried banners reading "I am Chavez" and waved red, yellow and blue Venezuelan flags.

At various points, recordings of Chavez singing songs or making impassioned speeches blared through loudspeakers, reducing many to tears.

Chavez's imprint may endure for years. His preferred successor, acting President Nicolas Maduro, is favored to win an election that is expected to be called in the next 30 days.

Fans of Chavez hope that Maduro, who for now lacks the charisma and zeal of his former boss, could grow into his new role.

Maduro was surrounded by a sea of people on Wednesday as he walked with Chavez's coffin toward a monumental esplanade among probably one of the largest crowds of his political life.

"Charisma is like a seed that you must plant to harvest later. Chavez wasn't all that charismatic when he started out. Maduro could learn by doing," said Manuel Montanez, 48.

(Reporting by Terry Wade; Editing by Kieran Murray and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelas-chavez-exalted-father-martyr-followers-195216315--business.html

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Jameson Taillon: Future MLB star and Canada?s pitching weapon at WBC

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Canada's Jameson Taillon throws before an exhibition spring training baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday, March 5, 2013, in Phoenix. Taillon is the highest-drafted Canadian in major-league history after being taken second overall - one spot behind Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper - in the 2010. He's the pitcher the Pittsburgh Pirates hope will one day anchor their starting rotation. He's also Canada's wild card at the World Baseball Classic.

Photograph by: Morry Gash , THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP

PHOENIX ? The burden of expectation should probably weigh more heavily on a young pitcher being groomed for stardom.

Jameson Taillon is the highest-drafted Canadian in major-league history after being taken second overall ? one spot behind Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper ? in 2010. He?s the pitcher the Pittsburgh Pirates hope will one day anchor their starting rotation.

He?s also Canada?s wild card at the World Baseball Classic.

Taillon will start against the United States on Sunday, a strategy Canada hopes will surprise its powerful rival in the same way Adam Loewen did when he held the U.S. scoreless in an 8-6 win in 2006. Taillon?s being asked to give Canada a chance against all-star hitters such as Ryan Braun, David Wright and Giancarlo Stanton.

No sweat. Taillon can?t wait.

?I wouldn?t say it?s intimidating,? said Taillon. ?For me, I?ve really got nothing to lose. Those guys are five-, six-, 10-time all-stars, so I?m just going to go out there and have some fun with it, see what I can do.?

Any fear Taillon might have felt was wiped away last Thursday during his first spring training start for the Pirates against the Boston Red Sox, when he gave up one unearned run and one hit with three strikeouts through two innings.

?I?m out there facing, I don?t even remember who it was, it was a big leaguer,? he said. ?And I was sitting there and I was like, ?Man, how am I going to get this guy out? I watched him on TV. How am I going to get him out?? It worked out well for me, but I think getting that experience out of the way, I?ll be fine going into this.?

At 21, Taillon is the youngest player on the Canadian team. Before the team?s roster was announced, many of Taillon?s teammates didn?t even know he was Canadian. Born in Winter Haven, Fla., to Canadian parents, Taillon grew up in the U.S. The six-foot-six, 225-pound right hander holds dual citizenship and played for USA Baseball as a junior.

When Baseball Canada offered him a roster spot that wouldn?t have been available on a stacked U.S. squad, Taillon accepted. It didn?t go over well with everyone.

?I think I shocked a lot of people when I decided to do this,? he said. ?But it?s something my parents made sure we knew when we were young is that we?re dual citizens. And they always said it will pay off in the future and they made sure we got cultured both ways so I think this is a pretty cool opportunity for me.?

If people were upset, it?s because Taillon gives Canada a powerful arm. He?s got four pitches ? four-seam and two-seam fastballs that touch 94-97 miles per hour, a curveball he calls his strikeout pitch and a change-up he is developing.

He?s also quickly moving up in the Pirates? minor-league system. After spending most of last season with a single-A team, Taillon finished the year with three games in double-A. In those few games, he finished with 18 strikeouts, just one walk and a 1.59 earned-run average in 17 innings pitched.

Taillon and pitching prospect Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh?s No. 1 pick in 2011, represent hope for a franchise trying to return to relevance. Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said he?s impressed with Taillon?s progress so far.

?He?s on a good pace for getting better,? he said. ?He?s a great person, he?s a hard worker, he comes from an unbelievable family and he?s taken some quality steps forward for us.?

Taillon was 18 when he was drafted. One year prior the Nationals drafted Stephen Strasburg with the top pick and only waited a year before calling up the ace pitcher to the majors.

At first, Taillon said he thought more about the expectations for his career. Nobody wants to be a draft bust, but Taillon has learned to relax and embrace the Pirates? hopes for him.

Pirates reliever Chris Leroux, who will start for Canada against Mexico on Saturday, said Taillon has one of the best arms he?s ever seen. He added Taillon?s potential goes beyond the Pirates? rotation, and that he could be one of baseball?s top pitchers.

?He?s a really quiet guy and he just goes about his business,? said Leroux. ?He?s not nervous at all about the World Baseball Classic. He?s a very confident kid. He knows he?s got all the skill sets that it takes to become a dominant pitcher. I?m excited to see him pitch to be quite honest.?

Huntington said he had no reservations about his players competing in the WBC ? besides Taillon and Leroux, Pirates closer Jason Grilli is also playing for Italy ? but Baseball Canada?s Greg Hamilton, the director of national teams, said his team is taking care with one of the Pirates? prized prospects.

Initially Canada planned to start Scott Mathieson on Sunday, but the team decided Taillon might provide more of a surprise against the Americans.

?He has a big arm,? said Hamilton, adding that Taillon makes up for his lack of experience with a pitching arsenal that he hopes U.S. batters will struggle with. ?His stuff is major-league calibre now. It?s plus major-league calibre right now.

?You?re going to have to come in and deal with a mid-90s fastball and a plus breaking ball from him. He?s a big, strong guy who?s coming at you.?

Taillon hasn?t been told what his future will be following the WBC. There?s a chance he moves up to triple-A, but he won?t be surprised by a season in double-A. Barring a major setback, Taillon is on his way to the Pirates? rotation eventually.

There?s also the chance he could still pitch for the U.S. in the future, but Taillon said if he has to choose he won?t forget the opportunity Canada has given him. He?s looking forward to showing off what he can do.

?I feel like going into the game I?ve got nothing to lose,? he said. ?I?m a younger guy, I haven?t made my major league debut yet. That?s how I?m approaching it ? nothing to lose. I know if I make my pitches, I?ve got the stuff that I feel can get anyone in the world out.?

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Source: http://feeds.canada.com/~r/canwest/F255/~3/W1dsi0bm2fI/story.html

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U.N. partially lifts arms embargo on Somalia for a year

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council agreed on Wednesday to partially lift a decades-old arms embargo on Somalia for one year, allowing the government in Mogadishu to buy light weapons to strengthen its security forces to fight al Qaeda-linked Islamists.

The 15-member council unanimously adopted a British-drafted resolution that also renewed a 17,600-strong African Union peacekeeping force for a year and reconfigured the U.N. mission in the Horn of Africa country.

Somalia's government had asked for the arms embargo to be removed and the United States supported that, but other Security Council members were wary about completely lifting the embargo on a country that is already awash with weapons, diplomats said.

"What we have tried to do is draw a balance between those who wanted an unrestricted lifting of the arms embargo and those who felt it was premature to lift the arms embargo," Britain's U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told reporters after the vote. "It is a good and strong compromise."

The Security Council imposed the embargo on Somalia in 1992 to cut the flow of weapons to feuding warlords, who a year earlier had ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged the country into civil war. Somalia held its first vote since 1991 last year to elect a president and prime minister.

"Yes there are major challenges, but we are now ... moving away from international trusteeship of the situation in Somalia towards supporting the government's efforts to address its own problems," Lyall Grant said.

The Security Council resolution would allow sales of such weapons as automatic assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, but leaves in place a ban on surface-to-air missiles, large-caliber guns, howitzers, cannons and mortars as well as anti-tank guided weapons, mines and night vision weapon sights.

It also requires that the Somalia government or the country delivering assistance notify the Security Council "at least five days in advance of any deliveries of weapons and military equipment ... providing details of such deliveries and assistance and the specific place of delivery in Somalia."

"The progress achieved (in Somalia) does not justify so far the lifting of the arms embargo," Guatemala's U.N. Ambassador Gert Rosenthal told the council after the vote.

"We believe that the Security Council should have adopted a phased approach to prevent the possible repercussions of an abrupt suspension of the embargo which could subsequently compromise the stabilization efforts in Somalia."

ARMS TO EXTREMISTS

The Somali government believes lifting the embargo will help it strengthen its poorly equipped, ill-disciplined military, which is more a collection of rival militias than a cohesive fighting force loyal to a single president.

"The support is a vote of confidence for the government of Somalia given the improvement of the security situation in that country," Argentina's U.N. Ambassador Maria Cristina Perceval told the Security Council.

The AU peacekeeping force - made up of troops from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Ethiopia - is battling al Shabaab militants on several fronts in Somalia and has forced them to abandon significant territory in southern and central areas.

The militants, who affiliated themselves with al Qaeda in February last year, launched their campaign against the government in early 2007, seeking to impose sharia, or strict Islamic law, on the entire country.

The Security Council's Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, an independent panel that reports on compliance with U.N. sanctions, has warned that the Islamist militants in Somalia are receiving weapons from distribution networks linked to Yemen and Iran, diplomats have told Reuters.

A diplomat also said U.N. monitors had reported that some al Shabaab militants had infiltrated units of the Somali security forces.

"Clearly over the coming year if the suspension of the arms embargo is being abused, then we will take action accordingly in the Security Council," said Britain's Lyall Grant.

The resolution says that weapons and equipment "may not be resold to, transferred to, or made available for use by, any individual or entity not in the service of the security forces of the federal government of Somalia."

It asks the Somalia government to report regularly on the structure of the security forces and the infrastructure and procedures in place to ensure safe storage, maintenance and distribution of military equipment.

Human rights group Amnesty International called one the U.N. Security Council on Monday not to lift arms embargo on Somalia, describing the idea as premature and warning that it could "expose Somali civilians to even greater risk and worsen the humanitarian situation.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-partially-lifts-arms-embargo-somalia-173056582.html

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