Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Y! Alert: The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

Yahoo! Alerts
My Alerts

The latest from The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

Stocks open higher after 5 days of heavy selling Top
NEW YORK — Investors returned to the stock market Wednesday, sifting for bargains after five straight days of heavy selling. In the first half hour of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 96.45, or 1.4 percent, to 6,822.47. The Standard & Poor's 500 index added 11.42, or 1.6 percent, to 707.75, while the Nasdaq composite index gained 22.39, or 1.7 percent, to 1,343.40. Wall Street's advance followed gains in overseas markets that were fed by optimism over a possible Chinese economic stimulus plan. A legislative meeting begins in China Thursday and investors are hoping the country's leaders will introduce further economic stimulus measures. Meanwhile, the Obama administration is announcing details of a program designed to help as many as 9 million borrowers stay in their homes through refinanced mortgages. Investors hungry for signs of economic improvement also anxious awaited a report on the services sector as well as the Federal Reserve's beige book, an assessment of the economy by region.
 
Conviction In Murder Of Harry Potter Actor Top
LONDON — A London jury has convicted a man of murdering teenage actor Rob Knox, who had a small role in a soon-to-be released Harry Potter movie. Karl Bishop, who was found guilty Wednesday, could face life in prison when sentenced for the stabbing death of 18-year-old Knox. Prosecutors say Bishop killed Knox outside a bar in east London in May after Knox stepped in to protect his brother, who had been threatened by the 22-year-old. Knox had just wrapped up filming on "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince." The movie is the sixth in the Harry Potter series and is due out this summer. Knox played the part of Marcus Belby, a minor character.
 
India Congress Acquires Rights For 'Jai Ho' Song Top
NEW DELHI: Seeing new promise in the runaway success of 'Slumdog Millionaire', Congress has acquired the exclusive rights of the film's number, 'Jai Ho' for the summer campaign. More on Slumdog Millionaire
 
Jack Myers: The Transformation is Everybody's Job. Classic Jack from W. Edwards Deming Top
W. Edwards Deming is considered the father of quality management. His Theory for Management, published originally in the 1950s, is required reading for all executives who are struggling to manage a business today. I originally published Deming's 14-Point Theory in my 1993 book, Adbashing: Surviving the Attacks on Advertising . I publish them again and urge all readers to consider applying them to their own management practices. Since Deming designed his techniques for manufacturing management, and primarily for the automotive industry, revisions and a change of context are required to adapt them to the advertising and media businesses, but their relevance remains intact. It's disappointing the auto industry ignored Deming after the 1980s, and we can only hope the advertising and media business doesn't continue to make the same mistakes. The 14-Point Theory for Management W. Edwards Deming 1. Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs. 2. Adopt a new philosophy. We are in a new economic age. Western management must awaken to the challenge, must learn their responsibilities, and take on leadership for change. 3. Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for inspection on a mass basis by building quality into the product in the first place. 4. End the practice of awarding business solely on the basis of price. Instead, minimize total cost. Move toward a single supplier for any one item, on a long-term relationship of trust and loyalty. 5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service, to improve quality and productivity, and this constantly decrease costs. 6. Institute training on the job to make better use of all employees. 7. Institute leadership (see Point 12). The aim of leadership should be to help people and machines and gadgets do a better job. Leadership of management is in need of an overhaul, as well as leadership of production workers. 8. Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company. 9. Break down the barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales and production must work as a team to foresee problems of production, and in use, that may be encountered with the product or service. 10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations and targets for the work force that ask for zero defects or ask for new levels of productivity without providing methods. 11. a. Eliminate work standards (quotas) on the factory floor. Substitute leadership. b. Eliminate management by objective. Eliminate management by numbers, numerical goals. Substitute leadership. 12. a. Remove barriers that rob the hourly worker of his right to pride of workmanship. The responsibility of supervisors must be changed from sheer numbers to quality. b. Remove barriers that rob people in management and in engineering of their right to pride of workmanship. This means, inter alia, abolishment of the annual merit rating and of management by objective, management by the numbers. 13. Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement. 14. Clearly define top management's permanent commitment to quality and productivity and its obligation to implement these principles. Put everybody in the company to work to accomplish the transformation. THE TRANSFORMATION IS EVERYBODY'S JOB. Read more about W. Edwards Deming at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming and order your copy of Jack Myers' Adbashing at https://www.myersreport.com/research.asp?group=8 . To communicate with or to be contacted by the executives and/or companies mentioned in this column, link to the JackMyers Connection Hotline . This post originally appeared at JackMyers.com.
 
Andy Stokan: Trouble in the Slums Top
It was revealed earlier this week that the two youngest kids from Slumdog Millionaire , Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali, have returned home and are already having problems . Azharuddin is suffering from "exhaustion" and Rubina is refusing to change out of her expensive designer dress. Also, their parents are trying to use them to get more money for themselves. We've certainly seen this before and I think we all know where this is headed: 2010: Rubina releases a bhangra album and starts a clothing line -- I'm So Sari. 2011: Azharuddin loses twenty pounds almost overnight. The western press says that it is due to his coke habit. The Indian press speculates that it is due to his "living in India." 2012: Rubina is photographed by the paparazzi getting out of a car bindi-less. 2013: During a wild night at the club, Azharuddin is overheard arranging marriages to three girls at once. 2014: Rubina is spotted wearing a cross necklace to show her devotion to pop icon Britney Spears' controversial new religion "Christianity." 2015: Police pull over Azharuddin for riding his bike two miles an hour over the speed limit. A breathalyzer test reveals he is ten times over the legal limit for fermented cattle urine. He spends a month in jail. 2016: A sex tape is leaked in which Rubina can be seen engaging in horrific acts like holding hands with a man to whom she is not married and kissing Richard Gere. 2017: Azharuddin blows most of his money on a massive two bedroom estate that is almost 40 feet away from the nearest pool of human excrement. 2018: Rubina begins dating British DJ Madison Kelly. The pair, dubbed Rubison by the press, is stoned to death for engaging in homosexual acts. 2019: Azharuddin grows a massive beard and begins rambling incoherently on talk shows. The Indian people rejoice that he finally starting to seem normal. He spends the next 20 years wandering the mountains in a drug-fueled haze. Western rock bands flock to him for his council and tutelage. 2039: Azharuddin finally re-emerges with a new hit movie only to lose the Best Actor Oscar to Sean Penn. 2042: India buys the United States. Azharuddin is finally able to return to America for good. All is right with the world. More on Slumdog Millionaire
 
OctoMom Nadya Suleman Shopping Birth Tape Top
TMZ has absolute confirmation from multiple sources that a videotape showing OctoMom giving birth to her 8 babies in the hospital room is being shopped around town -- FOR SEVEN FIGURES!!!!! More on Nadya Suleman
 
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: Obama On 'Same Wrong Path' As Bush Top
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's supreme leader accused President Barack Obama on Wednesday of following the same mistaken path as the Bush administration with his "unconditional" support of Israel _ a negative sign for Obama's hope to improve relations with the Islamic state. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters in Iran, said Obama spoke of change during his campaign but supported Israel's devastating three-week offensive against the Gaza Strip earlier this year in which some 1,300 Palestinians were killed. The offensive, aimed at halting rocket fire from the militant Palestinian group Hamas, started in late December, before Obama took office. At the time, Obama mostly deferred to Bush when asked for his position, saying there could only be one U.S. president. But during the campaign, he spoke in strong support of Israel's right to defend itself from Palestinian attacks. "The new U.S. president, who came to office on the slogan of bringing change in the policies of the Bush administration, speaks of unconditional commitment to defend Israel's security," Khamenei said Wednesday, addressing a conference on supporting the Palestinians in the Iranian capital, Tehran. "This means the same wrong path as the Bush administration and nothing less," he said. Obama has said his administration is looking for opportunities to engage Iran to help reduce tensions between the two countries _ particularly related to Iran's nuclear program _ that increased during former President George W. Bush's time in office. Khamenei's comments Wednesday highlighted how difficult it could be for the Obama administration to improve relations given the deep disagreements on both sides on issues like Israel and Iran's nuclear efforts. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Iran would welcome talks with the U.S. _ but only if there was mutual respect. Iranian officials have said that means the U.S. needs to stop accusing Iran of seeking to build nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism, charges Tehran has denied. Ahmadinejad has also said the U.S. must stop its strong support for Israel to the detriment of the Palestinians. Those demands could help explain why U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday in a visit to Jerusalem that Obama's attempts to reach out to Iran have so far been unsuccessful. She reassured her Israeli hosts that U.S. diplomacy should not be confused with softness, saying Washington remained committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and funding terrorism. Iran does not recognize Israel and has called for its destruction. Khamenei called Israel a "cancerous tumor" Wednesday that is on the verge of collapse. Iran is one of the most important political and financial supporters of Hamas, which the U.S. and many European countries consider a terrorist group. Hamas' most powerful official in Gaza, Mahmoud Zahar, attended Wednesday's conference in Tehran, which Iranian state television said would focus on how to provide assistance to the Palestinians. International donors held a conference in Egypt on Monday and pledged $5.2 billion to help rebuild Gaza after Israel's offensive, but Hamas was not invited to attend. The U.S. and many other countries refuse to give money to Hamas, which seized Gaza from the more moderate Fatah group in 2007. Khamenei said Israeli leaders should be put on trial for the Gaza offensive, which ended with a shaky cease-fire in mid-January. Iran's judiciary said Monday that it has asked Interpol to issue arrest warrants for 15 Israelis in connection with the Gaza offensive. Interpol denied receiving such a request. Khamenei said Israel should allow all those living on Palestinian lands, including Muslims, Christians and Jews, to vote in a referendum to "choose the structure of their ruling system." More on Barack Obama
 
911 McNuggets Call: Latreasa L. Goodman Calls 911 3 Times Over McNuggets "Emergency" (VIDEO) Top
Police were not buying Latreasa L. Goodman's definition of emergency after she called 911 three times to report that her local McDonald's was out of chicken nuggets. Goodman had paid for her 10-piece McNuggets but was then informed by the employees that the restaurant had run out. Goodman claims she was refused a refund and felt it rose to the level of a 911 emergency. Police have charged Goodman with misusing 911. The Smoking Gun has more information here . Listen to Goodman's dubious 911 calls below. More on Video
 
Karen Leland: 5 Ways To Give The Gift Of Appreciation Top
Every year, I look forward to the Oscars. I like learning about the latest fashions, keeping up with the stars' ever-changing pairings (and uncouplings) and dishing the dirt about who did and did not give a great speech. All of this is in the service of fun and good old-fashioned entertainment. But what I never expected from an evening at the Academy Awards was an exquisite example of appreciation in action -- but that's just what I got a few weeks ago. Whoever had the stroke of genius to have five previous winners from the categories of Best Supporting Actor and Actress and Best Actor and Actress stand on stage and present a one-on-one acknowledgment to the nominees in their category deserves a standing ovation themselves. Both the way the recognition was given and the way it was received was moving. From iconic Shirley Maclaine's authentic appreciation of Anne Hathaway's singing voice (who knew she had that Broadway sound?) to the impenetrable Robert De Niro's light-hearted teasing of macho man Sean Penn, we, the audience, got to see a rare display of a private and intimate moment of recognition, played out in a very public forum. But instead of feeling like a voyeur, on the outside looking in, these appreciations make us feel like part of the process. This is the power of true recognition -- it has a universal quality. You don't need to be Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin or Mickey Rourke to feel the impact that real acknowledgment has, and while you may have to deliver your appreciations sans designer ball gowns and glittery jewels, they can none the less sparkle with heartfelt authenticity. Here are five ways to give the gift of appreciation. 1. Be specific. Instead of simply saying, "Well done," take the time to notice what, in particular, was noteworthy. Adding specifics always strengthens a compliment. Some good compliment starters include: •You did a wonderful job with... •I have great admiration for... •I am grateful for... •I really appreciate your... 2. Make it about character. Perhaps the most memorable compliment is the one that recognizes who the other person is, rather than what they do. To make a specific compliment even more meaningful, include recognition of the other person's character. Some good character compliments examples include: •You have a way with words. •It's obvious that you know what you are doing. •You are a good listener. •You are funny. 3. Drop a line; draft a note. If you really want someone to feel the full weight of your compliment, put it in writing as well. A good old-fashioned snail-mail letter or hand-written note shows a special effort on your part to express appreciation. It also gives the person a real-life reminder of your praise. 4. Be sincere. Compliments that mean the most come from people who say what they mean, and mean what they say. You can increase the impact of your compliments by only passing on praise when you sincerely feel it. 5. Turnaround is fair play. If you are lucky enough to be on the receiving end of a compliment, learn to accept it with grace. Many people feel embarrassed when complimented and stumble and stammer in the face of appreciation. Don't. Let the other person have the satisfaction of giving you a sincere compliment. When all else fails, a simple "thank you" will always suffice. *** The above were adapted with permission from the book Customer Service In An Instant: 60 Ways to Win Customers and Keep Them Coming Back . Karen Leland is author of the recently released books Time Management In An Instant . She is the co-founder of Sterling Consulting Group . For questions, comments or to book Karen to speak at your next event, please e-mail kleland@scgtraining.com . More on The Giving Life
 
Ciudad Juarez: Mexican Troops Enter City Embroiled In Drug Gang War Top
More than 1,500 Mexican troops have moved into a city on the US border being fought over by rival drug gangs. Soldiers moved into Ciudad Juarez to try to regain control of a city in which more than 2,000 people have been murdered over the past year. More on Mexico
 
WATCH LIVE: Treasury Secretary Geithner Testifies On President Obama's Fiscal 2010 Budget Top
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner testifies at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on President Obama's fiscal 2010 budget. Expected to begin at 10:00 AM ET. WATCH IT LIVE: Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy More on Timothy Geithner
 
Shelly Palmer: Amazon to Sell E-Books for iPhone: MediaBytes with Shelly Palmer March 4, 2009 Top
Amazon will begin selling electronic books for the iPhone today . Amazon will make its electronic book software available to iPhone and iPod touch users for free, while e-books will sell for $9.99, the same price as e-books for the Kindle. Amazon views the move as a way of promoting the Kindle through the back door, noting "There are times when you're going to be in a place where you happen to have your iPhone but not your Kindle... If I get stuck in line at the grocery store, I can pick up where I was reading with my iPhone." Apple unveiled an upgraded line of desktops yesterday . The refresh includes a new iMac, as well as a new MacMini. In order to stay fresh in the weakening economy, Apple also dropped the price of the 24" iMac from $1,799 to $1,499, however, its entry level model will still retail for $1,199. Time Warner is set to allow users to subscribe to cable networks like CNN and TNT over the Internet . As cable advertising declines, the ability to sell access to networks and premium shows online is becoming more attractive to media companies. Time Warner's move comes just as it spins off Time Warner Cable, and is on the heels of Comcast developing its own Internet TV service. Julius Genachowski was officially nominated for the position of FCC Chair yesterday. Genachowski, a former IAC counsel and classmate of President Obama's at Harvard, is a passionate advocate of net neutrality and has been a champion of the power of the Internet. Analysts believe that Genachowski's nomination will strengthen the reign of companies like Google, while also pushing for more net neutrality legislation and broadband expansion. WNBC is set to launch local information and lifestyle channel dubbed New York Nonstop . The station will be available to nearly 6 million viewers and will cover all things New York. New York Nonstop will launch Monday March 9th at 5 a.m. ZillionTV is a new set-top box that allows users to stream content over the Internet . The service will give customers the opportunity to stream shows for free with advertisements, or purchase, or rent, TV shows and movies. ZillionTV, which is backed by ABC/Disney, Fox, NBCU, Sony and Warner Bros., will cost $50 for the box and will be available in the fourth quarter. Shelly Palmer is a consultant and the host of MediaBytes a daily show featuring news you can use about technology, media & entertainment. He is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC and the author of Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV (2008, York House Press). Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards ). You can join the MediaBytes mailing list here . Shelly can be reached at shelly@palmer.net More on Apple
 
Credit Card Firms Back In Hot Seat Top
Longtime supporters of credit card reform have a new weapon in their rhetorical arsenal: the $700 billion Wall Street bailout. "The big banks got billions of our tax dollars to rescue them from their own financial mess. Now they turn around and hit us with higher interest rates and fees on our credit cards," read a recent alert from the Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports. More on Interest Rates
 
Obama Allies Gear Up For Budget Fight Top
A group of progressive organizations and high-profile unions will announce on Wednesday a multifaceted campaign to drum up support and help pass President Obama's budget. The effort, which will be spearheaded by a coalition including the League of Conservation Voters, USAction, AFSCME, SEIU and Americans United for Change, will include a variety of grassroots organizing and political tools. Planning to spend, in one official's estimation, five to seven million dollars, the coalition will run ads and use other campaign tools in an effort to put pressure on -- or draw attention to -- key members of Congress. The goal is "to mobilize groups across the country to pass the budget. It'll be a similar coalition to the groups that worked to pass the economic recovery plan -- ranging from grassroots to human needs to labor and beyond," said the official. "This budget represents major investments in many of the groups' priorities." At this point in time, the official added, the group had not decided which districts of members of Congress it would target. The campaign is aided by the fact that the budget cannot be filibustered, and therefore only needs 51 votes in the Senate for passage. The goal in the end will be to keep the Democratic caucus together while "seeing if we can grab some Republicans." During the analogous stimulus fight , much of the advertising focus and dollars was geared towards attacking Republican leaders in the House and Senate for their "just-say-no" philosophy on the economic recovery package. More on Barack Obama
 
Gordon Brown Rejects Suggestions To Apologize For Recession, Plans On Urging US To "Seize The Moment" Top
Gordon Brown will today urge the US to "seize the moment" when the whole world wants to work with America to tackle the financial crisis, as he addresses a joint session of the US Congress. More on England
 
Igor Panarin, Russian Scholar, Predicts US Will Collapse - Next Year Top
MOSCOW — If you're inclined to believe Igor Panarin, and the Kremlin wouldn't mind if you did, then President Barack Obama will order martial law this year, the U.S. will split into six rump-states before 2011, and Russia and China will become the backbones of a new world order. Panarin might be easy to ignore but for the fact that he is a dean at the Foreign Ministry's school for future diplomats and a regular on Russia's state-guided TV channels. And his predictions fit into the anti-American story line of the Kremlin leadership. "There is a high probability that the collapse of the United States will occur by 2010," Panarin told dozens of students, professors and diplomats Tuesday at the Diplomatic Academy _ a lecture the ministry pointedly invited The Associated Press and other foreign media to attend. The prediction from Panarin, a former spokesman for Russia's Federal Space Agency and reportedly an ex-KGB analyst, meshes with the negative view of the U.S. that has been flowing from the Kremlin in recent years, in particular from Vladimir Putin. Putin, the former president who is now prime minister, has likened the United States to Nazi Germany's Third Reich and blames Washington for the global financial crisis that has pounded the Russian economy. Panarin didn't give many specifics on what underlies his analysis, mostly citing newspapers, magazines and other open sources. He also noted he had been predicting the demise of the world's wealthiest country for more than a decade now. But he said the recent economic turmoil in the U.S. and other "social and cultural phenomena" led him to nail down a specific timeframe for "The End" _ when the United States will break up into six autonomous regions and Alaska will revert to Russian control. Panarin argued that Americans are in moral decline, saying their great psychological stress is evident from school shootings, the size of the prison population and the number of gay men. Turning to economic woes, he cited the slide in major stock indexes, the decline in U.S. gross domestic product and Washington's bailout of banking giant Citigroup as evidence that American dominance of global markets has collapsed. "I was there recently and things are far from good," he said. "What's happened is the collapse of the American dream." Panarin insisted he didn't wish for a U.S. collapse, but he predicted Russia and China would emerge from the economic turmoil stronger and said the two nations should work together, even to create a new currency to replace the U.S. dollar. Asked for comment on how the Foreign Ministry views Panarin's theories, a spokesman said all questions had to be submitted in writing and no answers were likely before Wednesday. It wasn't clear how persuasive the 20-minute lecture was. One instructor asked Panarin whether his predictions more accurately describe Russia, which is undergoing its worst economic crisis in a decade as well as a demographic collapse that has led some scholars to predict the country's demise. Panarin dismissed that idea: "The collapse of Russia will not occur." But Alexei Malashenko, a scholar-in-residence at the Carnegie Moscow Center who did not attend the lecture, sided with the skeptical instructor, saying Russia is the country that is on the verge of disintegration. "I can't imagine at all how the United States could ever fall apart," Malashenko told the AP.
 
Max Stier: Obama's Choice for OPM Director Faces Daunting Challenges Top
This was originally published as an exclusive commentary for The Washington Post . President Obama has named National Zoo Director John Berry to lead the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Berry's new job will make getting giant pandas to reproduce look easy. As difficult as the task may be, the key to succeeding is quite simple. Berry needs to change OPM from an agency that says, "No, you can't," to one that says, "Yes we can." OPM's official mission is to ensure the federal government has an effective civilian workforce. That's a pretty daunting proposition. Now, consider that key human resources functions like recruiting, hiring and training are decentralized across the federal government, and you get a sense of the challenges facing an OPM director. With agencies in charge of their own human capital practices, OPM can only succeed if it is an effective collaborator. Unfortunately, rather than view OPM as a vital partner, too many federal agencies see it as a scolding parent. In many ways, OPM's unflattering reputation stems from the agency simply doing its job. In addition to offering many HR services, OPM is charged with enforcing federal HR policies. These guidelines are supposed to be a means to build an effective workforce, but, too often, OPM falls into the trap of treating them as the end. When agencies seek approval to experiment with new ways to attract and retain talent, OPM routinely says no, putting the brakes on innovation rather than trying to help the agency find an alternative way to achieve its goals within the rules. Of course OPM does say yes on occasion, but often agencies must demonstrate failure or a significant problem before they receive special authorities. Granting flexibilities before something is broken seems like the more prudent course. A 2008 survey of government's top human resources officials confirmed the prevalence of this perception of OPM as an obstacle to change. Nearly half of respondents said they would like to see OPM focus more on strategy and act as less of an overseer. As one respondent put it, "OPM focuses too much on 'Mother may I?' and not enough on serving as an advisor and consultant to agencies and helping with strategy." What's notable about these responses is that they were unprompted by any mention of OPM. Chief human capital officers were asked open-ended questions about how to improve the quality of the federal workforce, and revitalizing OPM consistently came up as an answer. John Berry and the Obama administration need to reorient OPM. First and foremost, OPM should stop viewing itself as a traffic cop, and serve as the thought leader on the key human capital challenges. A major reason many of the biggest workforce challenges are allowed to fester is that nobody owns them. OPM is the logical candidate to fill this void. Two areas in need of immediate attention are the multi-sector workforce and federal leadership. Nobody in government is really thinking strategically about the government workforce as a whole, meaning civil servants plus contractors. OPM should focus on what government needs to do, determine who is best suited to do it, and work to update federal human capital policies accordingly. Leadership is the most important driver of organizational performance, yet independent analyses reveal that the quality of federal leadership at the managerial level is dramatically lacking. As government's primary agency for workforce issues, OPM should lead an effort to drive improvements in this area. OPM also needs to be more than just a strategic thinker; it should be a strategic partner. OPM should re-introduce itself to federal agencies and declare its intention to work with them to identify and implement best practices for attracting and managing talent. A good place to start would be trying to fix the broken federal hiring process. OPM should encourage all agencies to adopt a Federal Job Applicant's Bill of Rights, which ensures all candidates will be treated fairly, openly and promptly. It should work to fix the selection process, which often fails to choose the best talent. OPM also needs to build on its recent efforts to streamline the security clearances. Historically, background checks have bogged down the process. OPM, working with other agencies, has made significant progress speeding things up, but there is more to be done. Just as the decentralized nature of federal HR practices requires that OPM be an effective collaborator, it also demands that the agency enjoy the backing of the White House. For the OPM director to succeed, he needs buy-in from the leadership of all federal agencies, and that starts with a clear signal that "people" issues are a presidential priority. One way for the White House to demonstrate its commitment would be an increase in OPM's budget and more resources for the HR community across government. For all OPM's problems, one good thing about heading a smaller agency is that you have more running room. Whereas other department leaders are fighting turf wars, the human capital field is a virtual land grab. John Berry should seize the opportunities before him to revitalize OPM and reshape federal human capital policy. If he does, when people ask him if OPM advanced its mission of building an effective federal workforce under his leadership, he can offer a simple answer: "Yes, we did."
 
Igor Panarin: U.S. Will Collapse By Next Year Top
MOSCOW — If you're inclined to believe Igor Panarin, and the Kremlin wouldn't mind if you did, then President Barack Obama will order martial law this year, the U.S. will split into six rump-states before 2011, and Russia and China will become the backbones of a new world order. Panarin might be easy to ignore but for the fact that he is a dean at the Foreign Ministry's school for future diplomats and a regular on Russia's state-guided TV channels. And his predictions fit into the anti-American story line of the Kremlin leadership. "There is a high probability that the collapse of the United States will occur by 2010," Panarin told dozens of students, professors and diplomats Tuesday at the Diplomatic Academy _ a lecture the ministry pointedly invited The Associated Press and other foreign media to attend. The prediction from Panarin, a former spokesman for Russia's Federal Space Agency and reportedly an ex-KGB analyst, meshes with the negative view of the U.S. that has been flowing from the Kremlin in recent years, in particular from Vladimir Putin. Putin, the former president who is now prime minister, has likened the United States to Nazi Germany's Third Reich and blames Washington for the global financial crisis that has pounded the Russian economy. Panarin didn't give many specifics on what underlies his analysis, mostly citing newspapers, magazines and other open sources. He also noted he had been predicting the demise of the world's wealthiest country for more than a decade now. But he said the recent economic turmoil in the U.S. and other "social and cultural phenomena" led him to nail down a specific timeframe for "The End" _ when the United States will break up into six autonomous regions and Alaska will revert to Russian control. Panarin argued that Americans are in moral decline, saying their great psychological stress is evident from school shootings, the size of the prison population and the number of gay men. Turning to economic woes, he cited the slide in major stock indexes, the decline in U.S. gross domestic product and Washington's bailout of banking giant Citigroup as evidence that American dominance of global markets has collapsed. "I was there recently and things are far from good," he said. "What's happened is the collapse of the American dream." Panarin insisted he didn't wish for a U.S. collapse, but he predicted Russia and China would emerge from the economic turmoil stronger and said the two nations should work together, even to create a new currency to replace the U.S. dollar. Asked for comment on how the Foreign Ministry views Panarin's theories, a spokesman said all questions had to be submitted in writing and no answers were likely before Wednesday. It wasn't clear how persuasive the 20-minute lecture was. One instructor asked Panarin whether his predictions more accurately describe Russia, which is undergoing its worst economic crisis in a decade as well as a demographic collapse that has led some scholars to predict the country's demise. Panarin dismissed that idea: "The collapse of Russia will not occur." But Alexei Malashenko, a scholar-in-residence at the Carnegie Moscow Center who did not attend the lecture, sided with the skeptical instructor, saying Russia is the country that is on the verge of disintegration. "I can't imagine at all how the United States could ever fall apart," Malashenko told the AP. More on Barack Obama
 
David M. Abromowitz: Cram Down Crunch Time Top
Congress needs to finally enact a bankruptcy reform bill that includes one of the few real tools for breaking the grip of the devastating downward foreclosure spiral. There are many sound economic and policy reasons for Congress to provide a judicially approved "cram down" possibility for homeowners. http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2009/03/saving_american_homes.html Yet one basic reason gets less mention -- it is simply a matter of fairness. Few Americans realize that single family homeowners living in their own primary residence are the only real estate owners without cram down protections in bankruptcy. As U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Louise DeCarl Adler has aptly captured it, "we could always rewrite the loans on John McCain's second through ninth homes but not on his first." http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/feb/20/1n20bankrupt00476-bankruptcy-reform-could-help-har/ Donald Trump wouldn't -- and couldn't -- sign away his right to have a bankruptcy judge reduce the principal mortgage balance of a loan on one of his properties, but a homeowner starts out with Congress having previously taken that option away. Maybe with 1 in 5 families with a mortgage owing more than their house is worth http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030400911.html?hpid=topnews -- most of whom borrowed within their means when they first took out their loan -- and 8 or 9 million households still potentially facing foreclosure, Congress will put homeowners back on equal footing with real estate moguls. http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/03/real-estate-cramdowns-intelligent-investing_0203_real_estate.html David Abromowitz is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, www.americanprogress.org More on Bankruptcy
 
Asteroid 2009 DD45's Passing Was A Cosmic Near-Miss Top
PASADENA, Calif. — An asteroid about the size of one that blasted Siberia a century ago just buzzed by Earth. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory reported that the asteroid zoomed past Monday morning. The asteroid named 2009 DD45 was about 48,800 miles from Earth. That is just twice the height of some telecommunications satellites and about a fifth of the distance to the Moon. The space ball measured between 69 feet and 154 feet in diameter. The Planetary Society said that made it the same size as an asteroid that exploded over Siberia in 1908 and leveled more than 800 square miles of forest. Most people probably didn't notice the cosmic close call. The asteroid was only spotted two days ago and at its closest point passed over the Pacific Ocean near Tahiti.
 
No New Dobson: Retirement Leaves Evangelical Power Vacuum Top
The long-expected resignation of Focus on the Family's James Dobson highlights an open secret among America's roughly 70 million evangelicals: There are no obvious successors to the group of evangelical leaders who created massive organizations or built up media empires in the 1980s and '90s.
 
Michael Shtender-Auerbach: Hertz's One State Solution: Netanyahu's Rent-a-car Ally Top
Israelis are fond of pointing out that in the Arab world, maps regularly deny the existence of the State of Israel, referring only to an entity called Palestine, which stretches from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. But Arabs are not the only ones who deny the existence of the other - so does Israel. After 60 years of Arab-Israeli conflict, and 40 years of occupation, with hopes for a two-state solution diminishing by the second, it seems that Hertz Rental Car has either not yet learned the lesson, or is ahead of all of us in predicting the demise of the two-state solution. Hertz provides maps for its customers in all of its 1,900 locations throughout the world. In Israel, the map provided is a shameful construct that completely denies the existence of an occupied Palestinian territory or, in fact, of anything Palestinian. There is no demarcation of the internationally recognized Green Line that separates Israel from the occupied West Bank. Israel simply stretches from the Mediterranean in the West all the way to the Jordan River in the East. The Israeli highway system travels throughout the entire area, and one gets the impression that it is all Israel and that Palestinian towns and villages are merely parts of one coherent whole: The Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa are connected to the same highway system as Nablus, Hebron, and Jenin. Nablus, in fact, does not even appear as Nablus, but under its ancient Israeli and modern Hebrew name, Shekhem. The occupied Golan, which Israel annexed in 1981 after occupying it from Syria in 1976, is not demarcated; the border with Syria is simply moved eastwards. Gaza, which Israel 'disengaged' from in 2005 but retains control over, (and for all intents and purposes, its occupation) is represented as "Gaza Area" and it is completely white: an anonymous, blank area - no people, no cities, no roads. Yet what looks like an empty beach betrays the reality that we have all seen on television in recent weeks and months: pictures of people, of squalor, of destruction, and of violence, perpetrated by both Hamas and other Palestinian militants, along with Israel's armed forces. While maps such as the one produced by Hertz clearly misrepresent and seem ideologically driven, they are also instructive as to how Israelis, and in this case, a US-based corporation perceive the West Bank - incorporated into the Israeli state, with settlements only a notion brought up by unyielding foreign governments, with no noticeable difference between Israel proper and occupied Palestinian territory, with highways simply continuing into the area, where "Judea and Samaria" are simply provinces of Israel. The Hertz map, entitled "touring map of Israel," simply warns, "Dear User! When you travel or drive in Samaria, Judea, Jerusalem, or other areas - please make contact with Israel police or army representatives for security instructions." Its legend marks Christian and Jewish Holy Sites throughout the area, including in Hebron and (East) Jerusalem. But Muslim sites do not exist on these maps, it is as if the sacred nature of the Holy Land was reserved for Jesus and Moses, but not for Muhammad and his followers. Palestine, the Palestinians, and Muslims - they simply do not exist. Benjamin Netanyahu has been tasked with forming a coalition, the former and next Prime Minister of Israel may be inclined to bring a similar map to the table when discussing the prospects for peace with American (or, if there is a realistic prospect, Palestinian) negotiators. Netanyahu and his coalition partners see the West Bank and Gaza much the same as the Hertz Map represents these areas: with major Palestinian population centers merely places that one should "consult security on" before entering - like a bad neighborhood in a big city. Is it possible that the Hertz Corporation, the second largest car rental company in the world, would endorse this map? With Hertz operating in every major Middle Eastern Country - its largest branches are in the UAE and Saudi Arabia - one would think Hertz would recognize how utterly offensive its map is and immediately repeal its use. Major multi-nationals assess multitudes of risk within their global operating environments. When operating in conflict zones where borders are politically sensitive, as in Cyprus, Armenia, Spain, Sri Lanka and Congo - Hertz and other multi-nationals operating in Israel must be attuned to the fact that the crux of the conflict is cartographic. Borders are not just lines but survival mechanisms, not just for the people living near them, but also for corporations trying to create and maintain successful business on either side, or across them. One can only wish that Hertz recognizes the risk its map poses to its own reputation and ultimately to its business success. Michael Shtender-Auerbach is CEO of Social Risks LLC More on Palestinian Territories
 
Steele: Limbaugh Spat A "Sideshow Distraction" Top
WASHINGTON — Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele now says the sparring between himself and conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh was a "sideshow distraction." Steele told NBC's "Today" that there are disagreements among conservative leaders, but said: "My job is to try to balance that. I wasn't that effective at it this week." In an interview on CNN on Saturday, Steele called Limbaugh's talk show "incendiary" and "ugly." Steele apologized on Monday, calling Limbaugh a "national conservative leader." Steele says, "There's a lot of popcorn going around for folks who are watching this and enjoying it." But the party chairman says he's going to concentrate on moving the GOP forward. More on Michael Steele
 
FDIC's Bair: Insolvency A Possibility Top
March 4 (Bloomberg) -- Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair said the deposit insurance fund could dry up amid a surge in bank failures, as she responded to an industry outcry against new fees approved by the agency. "Without these assessments, the deposit insurance fund could become insolvent this year," Bair wrote in a March 2 letter to the industry. U.S. community banks plan to flood the FDIC with about 5,000 letters in protest of the fees, according to a trade group.
 
Private Sector Job Loss Reaches 697,000 In February Top
NEW YORK (Reuters) -- U.S. private sector job losses accelerated in February, according to a report by ADP Employer Services on Wednesday that came in worse than economists' expectations. ADP said private employers cut 697,000 jobs in February versus a revised 614,000 jobs lost in January. The January job cuts were originally reported at 522,000. More on Layoffs
 
Repair Manifesto Discourages Waste Top
Platform21 is "a platform for people curious about the future." They organize exhibitions and lectures from an old chapel in Amsterdam. Their current project, launching on March 13, is one dear to our hearts: Repair, not recycle. Their manifesto is written to inspire designers and consumers, and to "start a movement." An excerpt from the manifesto: Repairing means taking the opportunity to give your product a second life. Don't ditch it, stitch it! Don't end it, mend it! Repairing is not anti-consumption. It is anti-needlessly throwing things away. More on Green Living
 
Human Rights Watch: ICC: Bashir Warrant Is Warning to Abusive Leaders Top
(New York, March 4, 2009) - The International Criminal Court's (ICC) issuance of an arrest warrant for President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan signals that even those at the top may be held to account for mass murder, rape and torture, Human Rights Watch said today. ICC judges granted the warrant for Bashir, its first for a sitting head of state, on charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes for his role in orchestrating Sudan's abusive counterinsurgency campaign in Darfur. "With this arrest warrant, the International Criminal Court has made Omar al-Bashir a wanted man," said Richard Dicker, director of the International Justice Program at Human Rights Watch. "Not even presidents are guaranteed a free pass for horrific crimes. By ruling there is a case for President al-Bashir to answer for the horrors of Darfur, the warrant breaks through Khartoum's repeated denials of his responsibility." The court did not confirm the three counts of genocide that were requested by the ICC prosecutor. Genocide requires evidence that the crimes were committed specifically "with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part," a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group solely on the basis of its identity. "Proving genocide charges is always extremely difficult," said Dicker. "President Bashir is hardly off the hook, as he is sought for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including widespread rape, murder, and torture committed as part of a government plan." Under the ICC Statute, the prosecutor is able to request an amendment of the warrant to include genocide if he obtains additional evidence to support the charge. The ICC prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for Bashir on July 14, 2008. Following the prosecutor's announcement, Sudanese government officials made implicit and explicit threats of retaliation against international peacekeepers and humanitarian workers. On July 25, a Sudanese presidential advisor, Bona Malwal, stated in regard to peacekeeping forces that, "We are telling the world that with the indictment of our President al-Bashir we can't be responsible for the well-being of foreign forces in Darfur." President Bashir has also threatened to expel international peacekeeping forces if a warrant is issued. The Security Council, its individual members, the UN Secretariat, the European Union, and the African Union have a critical role in promptly responding to any government-supported retaliation in Darfur following news of the warrant. "The Sudanese government is obliged to maintain security in the country and the Security Council should act decisively to hold them to it," said Dicker. "Khartoum should not be allowed to use the arrest warrant as a pretext for stepping up its obstructionist policies that have hobbled peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts in Darfur." The government of Sudan is required by a Security Council resolution to facilitate the deployment of the African Union/UN Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and to cooperate with the ICC. Under international law, Sudan remains obligated to protect its own civilians and to provide full, safe, and unhindered access by relief personnel to those in need in Darfur. The arrest warrant does not change these obligations, nor does it have any impact on Khartoum's obligations to carry out the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the government of Southern Sudan. "The Security Council and concerned governments should impose targeted sanctions against Sudanese officials responsible for any retaliatory violence, and consider other measures such as further banking restrictions or a widening of the arms embargo," said Dicker. The ICC is an independent judicial institution. Sudan, though not a party to the Rome Statute creating the court, is subject to ICC jurisdiction through Security Council resolution. Having an official position as head of state does not provide immunity from criminal responsibility before the ICC. Apart from the warrant against President Bashir, the ICC has issued two other warrants in relation to Darfur. On April 27, 2007, the court issued arrest warrants for State Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Ahmed Haroun and a "Janjaweed" militia leader, Ali Kosheib. The prosecutor has also requested arrest warrants for three rebel leaders in connection with attacks on international peacekeepers at Haskanita in October 2007. That request is currently under consideration by the court. Sudan has so far refused to cooperate with the ICC. All the arrest warrants remain outstanding. Haroun continues in his official position as state minister of humanitarian affairs. On November 24, the Sudanese government arrested and tortured three human rights defenders in Khartoum for allegedly giving information to the ICC. "Khartoum is required to cooperate with the court," said Dicker. "Because the ICC has no police force of its own, it needs strong support from governments to ensure that all those charged with crimes are arrested." Background In a March 31, 2005 resolution, the Security Council referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC prosecutor for investigation and prosecution. The decision was based on the recommendation of an international commission of inquiry, which found that violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law were continuing in Darfur and that the Sudanese justice system was unwilling and unable to address the crimes. Darfur is the first situation referred by the Security Council to the ICC. More on Darfur
 
Timothy Karr: Obama's FCC Pick Another Good Sign for Open Media Top
As anticipated, Julius Genachowski has been tapped by President Barack Obama to head the Federal Communications Commission. The move is another indication that incoming leadership in Washington will move decisively to protect the free flowing Internet from those seeking to become gatekeepers to new media. It also fulfills Obama's promise made on the campaign trail to appoint an FCC chair who shares his support for Net Neutrality. Genachowski If confirmed by Senate, Genachowski would replace Kevin Martin, who left the agency the day Obama came into office. He brings two decades of experience from both the industry and policy side, having served as a top-executive in IT and venture capital firms and as former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt's chief legal counsel. Genachowski also anchored the drafting of Obama's comprehensive media policy agenda that promotes fast and neutral Internet connections, and more competitive choices for the consumer. "It is clear that he understands the importance of open networks and a regulatory environment that promotes innovation and competition to a robust democracy and a healthy economy," said Gigi Sohn of Public Knowledge. Net Neutrality Momentum With Genachowski's nomination, the pieces are falling into place for strong Net Neutrality protections under the new administration. Written into the DNA of President Obama economic stimulus is the requirement that those who build Internet networks (using the nearly $4.7 billion in NTIA grants provided by the legislation) adhere to the nondiscrimination and openness principles at the core of Net Neutrality. Obama's goals for the FCC Obama himself pledged to "take a back seat to no one" in his commitment to Net Neutrality. And the administration's technology policies now posted on the White House Web site list Net Neutrality as the top priority. Also, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) announced last month that he will lead the influential Senate Commerce subcommittee on communications and technology. Kerry is a longtime supporter of Net Neutrality, who wrote to SavetheInternet.com activists that "Net Neutrality and internet build-out are crucial to building a more modern and fair Information Society." New v. Old, Open v. Closed Genachowski will play a central role during a unique time in media history. Open Internet supporters on the Hill, in the White House and at the FCC are facing off against industry interests who often wield their influence over communications policy to lock down new media innovation and protect their media fiefdoms. Through a combination of forces -- including remarkable developments in technology, surging user ingenuity, industry turmoil and policy mistakes -- old and new media have arrived at a volatile moment. It's a conflict that pits new ideas about grassroots and decentralized communications against old ideologies about top-down information control. The decisions made in the next few years by Genachowski, Obama and their Washington allies will determine the outcome. His appointment should give open Internet supporters confidence that we're on the right track.
 
Ringmaster Britney Returns With Packed New Orleans Concert Top
NEW ORLEANS — Dressed as a sexy ringmaster and directing a colorful cast that included jugglers, acrobats and martial arts dancers, Britney Spears delivered a tightly choreographed, if perfunctory performance Tuesday night as she kicked off her first concert tour in five years. The 27-year-old pop superstar's "Circus" tour kicked off in her home state of Louisiana at the New Orleans Arena before a nearly sold-out crowd that cheered on their idol as she gyrated and slithered across the stage while singing some of her biggest hits, from the recent "Womanizer" to her first and now classic song, "...Baby One More Time." The wild applause has been largely absent from Spears' life since the last time she went on tour in 2004, as the singer endured a devastating downward spiral: Due largely to personal troubles, she went from one of pop music's most profitable, in-demand entertainers to an out-of-control tabloid persona who seemed to be on a path to destruction. But over the last year, that path has been reversed, as she's embarked on a successful comeback that has seen her image, as well as her career, rehabilitated. The "Circus" tour was another strong step in the right direction. Spears didn't interact much with the crowd _ the only thing she uttered to the audience was "Thank you, New Orleans" at the end of the nearly two-hour show _ and appeared at times to be lip-synching. But fans didn't seem to care, screaming wildly at the first sight of Spears, who descended from the ceiling on hoops suspended by wires, wearing a short red and black ringmaster ensemble. Spears started the show with the title track to her new CD, "Circus," then went right into "Piece of Me," which she performed largely from a cage, part of the elaborate, grandiose stage backdrops. Acrobats twirled from suspended fabric as Spears sang and danced, showing off her toned body with flirty, seductive moves. She got frisky with two male dancers as she performed "Touch of My Hand" while sporting a blindfold. When Spears slowed down the show for "Everytime," the audience could be heard singing the lyrics _ "everytime I try to fly I fall, without my wings I feel so small" _ along with her. "We're so happy she's back," said 16-year-old Justin Scarbrough of New Orleans, wearing a T-shirt he designed himself that bears Spears' image and the words "I Support Britney Spears." In the past five years, Spears has gone through more tumult than many endure in a lifetime: She's been married and divorced, had two kids, gone to rehab, gone through a custody battle, found herself briefly committed, and been so out of control that her father, Jamie Spears, was appointed by a court to oversee his daughters' personal and professional affairs indefinitely. But over the past year, Spears' life and career has rebounded. Her "Circus" CD, released in December, has already sold more than 1.3 million copies, and she's had two hits off the CD, the No. 1 "Womanizer" and the top five "Circus." Tuesday's "Circus" tour, which takes Spears to 27 cities in the United States before heading to Europe in June, is the pop star's biggest opportunity to connect with her still formidable fan base. "That was awesome," said 21-year-old Lauren Baudoin of Lafayette, La., after the show. Baudoin's sister, 18-year-old Lindsey Baudoin, said she liked that there were entertainers between the songs. "It kept going," Lindsey Baudoin said. "It was nonstop." ___ On the Net: http://www.britneyspears.com More on Britney Spears
 
Plouffe: Rush Limbaugh The New Minority Leader Top
The 2008 election sent many messages. At the top: Americans wanted to turn the page on the politics of division and partisan pettiness, and they wanted a government -- and country -- that would put the middle class first.
 
NBC News/Wall Street Journal: Obama's Favorability Rating Is At An All-Time High Top
After Barack Obama's first six weeks as president, the American public's attitudes about the two political parties couldn't be more different, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll finds. Despite the country's struggling economy and vocal opposition to some of his policies, President Obama's favorability rating is at an all-time high. Two-thirds feel hopeful about his leadership and six in 10 approve of the job he's doing in the White House. More on Barack Obama
 
Cricket Attack: Pakistan Arrests Suspects In Sri Lanka Team Ambush Top
LAHORE, Pakistan — Police detained several suspects in the attack on Sri Lanka's cricket team in Pakistan, but said Wednesday they had made no progress in tracking the group of gunmen that wounded seven players and killed six police guarding them. Tuesday's attack in the eastern city of Lahore came at a time of mounting political turmoil in the nuclear-armed country and will add to fears it is losing the battle against Islamist extremists blamed for a series of high-profile attacks. Senior police official Haji Habibur Rehman said police raided locations in Lahore and surrounding districts and arrested "some suspects." He gave no details of their alleged roles, or the precise number detained, but said some were picked up at a Lahore hostel, where bloodstained clothes were also found. "We are after them, and we hope that God willing we will soon get a result," he told the GEO TV station. He confirmed the arrests to The Associated Press, adding "so far we have not made any headway toward the perpetrators." Pakistani police have a poor record of investigating terrorist attacks and often round up people in the immediate aftermath of assaults who are never charged In the commando-style assault, up to 14 heavily armed and well-trained gunmen sprayed the Sri Lankan bus with bullets and rocket and grenade fire as it traveled to a match against Pakistan. The bus sped through the ambush and reached the safety of the stadium. "Our guys were getting hurt and screaming, but we couldn't help each other," Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said when the team arrived home in Colombo early Wednesday. "None of us thought that we would come alive out of the situation." Veteran Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan spoke of the chaos on the bus during the attack. "All the while bullets were being sprayed at our bus, people around me were shouting," he said. "I am glad to be back." But Jayawardene added that growing up in Sri Lanka, which has seen scores of terrorist attacks related to the country's civil war, meant the players had a "natural instinct" that made them immediately hit the floor at the first sound of gunfire. "We are used to hearing, seeing these things. Firing, bombings. So we ducked under our seats when the firing began," Jayawardene told reporters. The assault bore many similarities to last year's three-day hostage drama in the Indian financial capital of Mumbai. Working in pairs, the attackers carried walkie-talkies and backpacks stuffed with water, dried fruit and other high-energy food _ a sign they anticipated a protracted siege and may have been planning to take the players hostage, an official said. None of the gunmen was killed, and all apparently escaped into this teeming city after a 15-minute gunbattle with the convoy's security detail. Authorities have not speculated on the identities of the attackers, but President Asif Ali Zardari said the assault showed "once again the evil we are confronting" in an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. Pakistan's Punjab provincial government took out advertisements in newspapers Wednesday offering a $125,000 reward. The ad showed two alleged attackers, one dressed in brown and the other blue, and both carrying backpacks and guns. The image was taken from TV footage of the event. Besides the six police officers, a driver of a vehicle in the convoy was also killed. Seven Sri Lankan players, a Pakistani umpire and a coach from Britain were wounded, none with life-threatening injuries. FBI Director Robert Mueller arrived in the capital Islamabad and was meeting with government officials on a trip arranged before Tuesday's attack, the U.S. Embassy said, giving no details. By targeting a much-loved sport in Pakistan and elsewhere in South Asia, the gunmen were certain to draw international attention to Pakistan's inability to provide basic security The attack ended Pakistan's hopes of hosting international cricket teams _ or any high profile sports events _ for months, if not years. Even before Tuesday, most cricket squads chose not to tour the country for security reasons. India and Australia had canceled tours, and New Zealand said Tuesday it was likely calling off its December tour. The International Cricket Council said it would review Pakistan's status as co-host of the 2011 World Cup. Pakistan has a web of militant networks, some with links to al-Qaida and the Taliban, which have staged other high-profile strikes in a bid to destabilize the government and punish it for its support of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan. One group likely to fall under suspicion is Lashkar-e-Taiba, the network blamed for the Nov. 26-28 Mumbai attacks, in which 10 gunmen targeted luxury hotels, a Jewish center and other sites, killing 164 people. The group has been targeted by Pakistani authorities since then, and its stronghold is in eastern Pakistan. ___ Associated Press Writers Krishan Francis and Ravi Nessman in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Zarar Khan and Asif Shahzad in Islamabad, and Babar Dogar in Lahore contributed to this report. More on Pakistan
 
Leonardo DiCaprio To Star In Nolan Sci-Fi Movie Top
Leonardo DiCaprio will star in "Inception," the science-fiction film that Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight") wrote and will direct as his next pic at Warner Bros. The project shoots this year and is slated to be released in summer 2010, with Nolan and Emma Thomas producing. DiCaprio's deal is in final negotiations.
 
WSJ. Magazine Cuts Back On Issues, Ad Pages Top
WSJ., the Wall Street Journal's glossy magazine, is back with a fashion-themed March issue, this time with a cover subject that delivers on several of its promises at once: access courtesy of the Journal's resources (an interview with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chief Bernard Arnault), a lifestyle cast to hard news (the article explores how LVMH might fare in the downturn, but also depicts Arnault's family life by visiting his home), and glossy photography (a cover shot and inside portfolio of Arnault by Mario Testino). What it delivers significantly less of are ad pages: there are 27 of them, out of 92 total pages in the national edition, and four additional ones in a New York version. By contrast, September's premiere issue had 51 ad pages out of a total of 104. The third issue, unlike the first two, is saddle-stitched rather than perfect-bound.
 
Replace Chemicals With Salt For Household Tasks Top
I'm continuing my budget-friendly series here with suggesting the myriad uses for common household items. Since green is all about saving money, your health and the planet, it makes sense to consider 10 things you can do with a jar of eco-friendly, common salt. # Washing your Greens: It can be tough to wash greens such as chard, Kale and even spinach because of the little curly crevices. Wash the leaves in a sink half full of cold water and 1/2 cup of salt. # Ditch the stain remover: Many stain removing sticks can be toxic. Instead make a solution with 4 tbsp of salt in 2 cups of hot water. This is especially good on yellow perspiration stains. Simply sponge the solution onto the stain and rub until the yellow disappears. Wash as normal. More on Green Living
 
Robin Williams Cancels 4 Shows Over Health Concerns Top
NEW YORK — Robin Williams is canceling several performances in Florida of his one-man comedy show, "Weapons of Self-Destruction," after recently experiencing shortness of breath. The comedian says in a press release that doctors are evaluating him and recommended a week of rest. Williams had been scheduled to perform Wednesday and Thursday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida; Friday at the UFC Arena in Orlando; and Saturday at the Sundome in Tampa. The four canceled shows will be rescheduled, and tickets for those performances will be honored when the new dates are announced. The 57-year-old actor will continue his 80-city comedy tour on Monday with a show in Jacksonville. ___ On the Web: http://www.robinwilliams.com
 
Conan O'Brien's Props, Junk For Sale In New York Top
Conan O'Brien may have left "Late Night" for good, but a piece of the show's dynasty can live on forever in your home. A Queens nonprofit agency is selling memorabilia from the set of O'Brien's "Late Night" NBC program, including backdrops, carpet and various props used on-air, the New York Daily News reported. More on Conan O'Brien
 
Al-Bashir Arrest Warrant Issued By International Criminal Court Top
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. He is the first sitting head of state the court has ordered arrested. The three-judge panel said there was insufficient evidence to support charges of genocide. Court spokeswoman Laurence Blairon said, "He is suspected of being criminally responsible ... for intentionally directing attacks against an important part of the civilian population of Darfur, Sudan, murdering, exterminating, raping, torturing and forcibly transferring large numbers of civilians, and pillaging their property." Sudan does not recognize the court's jurisdiction and refuses to arrest suspects. If Al-Bashir is brought to trial and prosecuted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Sudanese TV did not carry the Hague news conference, but at one point broke in to programming with a brief news report that the warrant had been issued. The broadcaster on state radio announced the decision, and added, "a new chapter now begins" but did not elaborate. In Khartoum, security was increased around many embassies, and some diplomats and aid workers stayed home Wednesday amid fears of retaliation against Westerners before the court's announcement. The ruling party announced that it plans a "million man march" in Khartoum on Thursday to protest any warrant. Asked why judges, in a 2-1 split decision, did not issue the warrant for genocide, Blairon explained that genocide requires a clear intent to destroy in part or as a whole a specific group. "In this particular case, the pretrial chamber has not been able to find there were reasonable grounds to establish a genocidal intent," she said. More on Genocide
 
CBS Threatens To Unseat Fox As Top Rated TV Network -- Despite "Idol" Top
Thanks to "American Idol," Fox is still beating up on rivals, at least among the young viewers that advertisers crave. But the punch isn't what it once was. And that means network TV is likely to be on the cusp of some major programming shifts as it mulls development for next season. Through Sunday, Fox is leading the race for adults ages 18 to 49 with a 3.4 rating/ 9 share, according to data published Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research. But it's hardly a comfortable edge: CBS lands in second place with a 3.2/8. And CBS is a clear No. 1 among total viewers, with an average of 11.8 million versus 9.3 million for second-place Fox. This time last year, Fox was chewing up the competition with a 4.4 rating versus a 3.1 for runners-up NBC and ABC. Fox's young-adult ratings have tumbled 23% over the last year. More on CBS
 
Hillary Clinton In West Bank: Calls Israeli Home Demolitions 'Unhelpful' Top
RAMALLAH, West Bank — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes in Jerusalem has been "unhelpful" to Mideast peace efforts. Israel has issued orders for the demolition of dozens of Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem in recent days. It says the homes were built illegally. But Palestinians say they cannot receive proper Israeli building permits, and the planned demolitions are intended to assert Israel's control over the disputed city. In the West Bank on Wednesday, Clinton said the violate Israeli pledges under the "road map" peace plan. She said she would take up the issue with the incoming Israeli government, which is expected to take office in the coming weeks. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) _ Palestinian leaders were urging U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday to push Israel to freeze construction in West Bank settlements and open blockaded Gaza Strip borders. Clinton arrived in the West Bank under heavy security Wednesday and met separately with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. She repeated that the U.S. was committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state and she praised Fayyad's plan for rebuilding Gaza. Fayyad's government outlined the plan Monday at an international donors' conference for the territory, which was heavily damaged in the recent Israeli military offensive. Donors raised $5.2 billion for Gaza and Fayyad's government, with the U.S. pledging $900 million. Palestinian leaders are watching closely for signs of change in U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even Palestinian moderates were disappointed with the previous U.S. administration's failure to take Israel to task for accelerated settlement construction in 2008, when the two sides were holding U.S.-backed peace talks. The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza, areas Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Settlement expansion in the Palestinian-claimed areas undercuts Abbas' standing at home and makes it increasingly difficult to establish an independent Palestinian state. Ordinary Palestinians in Ramallah seemed largely indifferent to the Clinton visit. Many Palestinians believe the U.S. has a strong pro-Israel bias and can't be a fair broker in the Mideast conflict. "America is always for Israel," said Ayman al-Umari, 32, manager of a shop selling household appliances. "If Clinton wants to come, we'll welcome her. If (President) Obama wants to come, we'll welcome him, but it doesn't help." Clinton met briefly with young Palestinians studying English, and announced a U.S. initiative to help poorer Palestinian students attend four-year Palestinian universities and give grants to other Palestinians to attend U.S. schools. "For a Palestinian state to be prosperous, accountable to its people and be able to live up to its obligations in the international community, it has to have more people who can do the job in the 21st century," she said. In Jerusalem on Tuesday, Clinton said the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a peace agreement with Israel "seems inescapable." But Abbas has little to show for a year of peace talks with Israel's outgoing government, and Israel's prime minister-designate, hardline leader Benjamin Netanyahu, does not support the establishment of a Palestinian state. Clinton met with Netanyahu, as well as Tzipi Livni and Ehud Barak, the outgoing foreign and defense ministers, on Tuesday. Abbas aide Saeb Erekat said the Palestinian leader is seeking a tougher U.S. stance toward Israel. "The main point is that the Israeli government needs to accept the two-state solution and ... stop settlement expansion," Erekat said. He said Abbas had planned to raise in his meeting with Clinton Israeli construction plans in east Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want as their future capital. Settlement construction is considered illegal under international law. The future of Hamas-ruled Gaza is also on the agenda. Abbas lost control of Gaza in June 2007, when his rival, the Islamic militant Hamas, seized control by force. Israel and Egypt closed Gaza's borders in response, a policy tacitly supported by the international community, which shuns Hamas as a terrorist group. However, the blockade has come under renewed scrutiny following Israel's three-week military offensive against Hamas, which ended in an informal cease-fire Jan. 18. Some 15,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in the war, meant to halt Palestinian rocket fire on southern Israel, and international aid officials say Gaza's borders need to reopen to make reconstruction possible. "We want the U.S. to help us open the passages to get material for reconstruction into Gaza," Erekat said. In her meeting with Barak on Tuesday, Clinton urged easing the flow of goods into Gaza to alleviate the hardships of ordinary Gazans, Israeli officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private. Currently, Israel allows several dozen truckloads of aid to get into Gaza every day, but bars the entry of concrete, pipes and other materials that would be crucial for reconstruction. Israel argues that such shipments could be seized by Hamas and used for building bunkers or rockets. The Gaza offensive did not end the rocket fire, and on Wednesday, Israeli aircraft struck three tunnels on the Gaza-Egypt border that militants are suspected of using to smuggle in weapons. In Jerusalem on Tuesday, Clinton demanded that Hamas cease its rocket attacks, saying Israel should not "be expected to sit idly by and allow rockets (to) assault its people and its territory." Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said Wednesday that Clinton's remarks throughout her Mideast trip have been "totally biased in favor of the Zionist occupation and do not reflect any change in American foreign policy." ___ Associated Press writers Robert Burns in Ramallah and Ben Hubbard in Ramallah and Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City contributed to this report. More on Palestinian Territories
 
Bush Administration's Logging Rule Reinstated Top
Matt Kenna, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center, said he didn't think the portion of the opinion dealing with standing was broad enough to have much of an effect. But Indiana University law professor Robert Fischman said it was potentially far-reaching: By making it harder to gain legal standing, the decision could make it harder for environmental groups to file lawsuits. If it does, former Agriculture Under Secretary Mark Rey will be smiling. Rey oversaw the Forest Service under Bush and his pet peeves were appeals and lengthy environmental reviews, which he called "analysis paralysis."
 
Harvard Business School, NYU Stern, Cornell... What Are They Teaching At These Places?! Top
Here's a question, fellow 401K-robbed victims of the meltdown: Exactly where did this toxic batch of bankers and businesspeople -- who engineered the economy into the ditch, the stock market into free fall and frittered away the fortunes of our country and maybe even the world -- learn their craft? Which MBA, economics and law programs produced the perpetrators of the calamities that have befallen the great Wall Street institutions and, now, Main Street Americans as well? Which schools are the Academies of the Apocalypse, and who and how many went to each? More on The Recession
 
Press Buttering Up Obama Aides For Future Access: Politico Top
In the early days of any administration, reporters reach out to the men and women who might become their sources over the next four years -- then slather them with glowing profiles suitable for framing in their mothers' bedrooms. Even garden-variety government officials become political superheroes, each one harder-working and more down-to-earth than the last -- and all of them enjoying the ear of the president. Reading once again about Gibbs' folksy ways, his pastel ties and his Alabama roots, a part-time political junkie might question the need for yet another profile of the hard-working press secretary who's always within earshot when the president weighs a big decision. More on Rahm Emanuel
 
Jams Franco Gets A Book Deal Top
James Franco signed a book deal. The "Milk" and "Pineapple Express" actor, 30, is also in graduate school. According to Foxnews (second item): Franco has sold a collection of short stories to the Scribner imprint of Simon & Schuster. His powerhouse agent, Richard Abate, of Endeavor, confirmed it yesterday. This is great news for Franco, who's enrolled in the graduate creative writing department at New York University and is also taking writing classes at Columbia... It's unknown how much Scribner's paid, or when the book will be published. Franco also recently signed on the film version of "Howl."
 
Joseph A. Palermo: Mr. Gekko Goes to Washington Top
The person the United States Senate appointed to chair the panel to oversee the massive federal bailouts of the financial services industry, Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren, reported that the first $350 billion installment of the "Troubled Asset Relief Program" (TARP) was victim to a taxpayer rip-off to the tune of $78 billion. Now, I'm not an economist or a lawyer, but that fact sounds to me like someone, somewhere, somehow needs to go to jail. American International Group (AIG), which never should have been allowed to consolidate into such a monstrous conglomerate in the first place, is now "too big to fail" and holds hostage the nation's state and municipal employees' pension plans. This giant insurance-slash-brokerage-slash-investment-slash-commercial-slash-"financial services" company now holds a gun to the head of the U.S. Treasury demanding cash just like an armed robber in a stocking mask robbing a local 7-11. It's understandable that the AIG "brand," after extorting $162 billion in taxpayer money, now makes the names "Enron" and "Philip Morris" sound sweet. AIG should follow Blackwater's lead and "re-brand" itself. I suggest "Xee." Just because AIG, Citicorp, and other financial oligopolies hold in their grubby little hands grandma's monthly pension check doesn't mean they should get away with dictating to the country the terms of their welfare program. The federal government should nationalize them forthwith, their executives should be fired (and possibly jailed), and the companies broken up and restructured into entities akin to a public utility. PERIOD. Beginning in the earliest days of the Reagan Administration, the "greed is good" ethic came to dominate our culture, and continues to rule our political discourse. It defines what is possible and impossible, what can be accomplished and what cannot be. It tells us whether President Barack Obama can "succeed" or "fail." We still live in an era where Gordon Gekko, a filmmaker's fictional character from twenty-two years ago, gives us more truth about what is really going on today than all of the yakking heads on CNBC and the blathering on the editorial pages of Businessweek and the Wall Street Journal . Said Mr. Gekko: "The richest one percent of this country owns half our country's wealth. One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons and what I do, stock and real estate speculation. It's bullshit. You got ninety percent of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create nothing. I own." What Mr. Gekko exposes is the predatory (and ultimately self-defeating) nature of wealth-accumulation in this country. It is notable that according to the American Film Institute's list of the top fifty movie villains, Gordon Gekko, a Wall Street trader, ranks twenty-sixth, ten places higher than the sadistic murderer in David Lynch's Blue Velvet, Frank Booth, a kinky killer who inhaled amyl nitrate through a plastic oxygen mask while he cut people to pieces. And it should therefore come as no surprise that Americans are outraged at CEOs who fly into Washington on corporate jets after skiing in Vail only to hold a gun to the heads of U.S. congressional representatives to shake down working people for billions of their hard-earned dollars; billions that could be used to build hospitals and schools and mass transit and renewable energy technologies. In the 1930s, the last time anything remotely like what is happening now took place, the ruling elite denounced as a "class traitor" Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Today, we're hearing a lot of squawking from the Republican Right about how it would be just peachy for the nation if President Obama's economic recovery plan "fails." The de facto leader of the Republican Party, radio shock jock Rush Limbaugh, along with other high priests and priestesses of the GOP, are simply giddy at the prospect that their fellow Americans will continue to suffer impoverishment, unemployment, and misery because it will somehow translate into votes in 2010 and 2012. Is there any better proof that modern Republican ideology is nothing more than a twisted hybrid of phony Kulturkampf and Gordon Gekko's all-consuming greed? Wishing for Obama to fail might be the stupidest thing the Republicans have done since the day Joseph McCarthy thought he had struck political gold by accusing the U.S. Army of harboring communists. Meantime, Karl Rove toils mightily as a one-man George W. Bush "Legacy Project." He's busily rewriting the history of the 2000s by airbrushing out facts and figures from the Bush years as efficiently as Josef Stalin's apparatchiks used to airbrush out former comrades who fell into disfavor. Rove is behaving like a totalitarian to the bitter end. It's pathetic that the corporate media find him "entertaining" or "knowledgeable" enough to help him get away with this most un-American of pursuits. And he's succeeding. Through repeating, mantra-like, a simple set of falsehoods about Bush's "legacy" Rove, with the help of Roger Ailes and others, is slowly shifting the discourse his way. Before you know it, they'll be people clamoring to put George W. Bush's face on Mount Rushmore. And Rove is falsifying the historical record while ducking Congressional subpoenas, writing his eight-figure Blagojevich-type book, commenting on current affairs for the mainstream media, and speaking to any group willing pay him $25,000. He is truly a Renaissance Man. Republicans: Be Careful What You Wish For. Given the (long view) progressive trajectory of American history, it's far more likely that if the Republicans are successful in blocking Obama's agenda the country will move in an even more Left-Liberal direction. If Republicans don't have the good sense to join Obama in crafting his relatively mild set of economic reforms they'll end up obstructing efforts upon which the survival of the middle class depends. In their pursuit to cripple a Democratic administration for short-term partisan gain, as William Kristol and other geniuses have advocated, they will have no role in finding a constructive solution to the biggest crisis that has confronted the United States in seventy years. Such political hubris will push the nation leftward, toward more progressive regulation and reform. The American people will not rush into the waiting arms of the GOP after their material conditions deteriorate even more. They've figured out for the most part that Republican fiscal and economic policies will only bring them more misery and destitution. And America's middle class has never in its history decided to collectively commit suicide. More on Financial Crisis
 

CREATE MORE ALERTS:

Auctions - Find out when new auctions are posted

Horoscopes - Receive your daily horoscope

Music - Get the newest Album Releases, Playlists and more

News - Only the news you want, delivered!

Stocks - Stay connected to the market with price quotes and more

Weather - Get today's weather conditions




You received this email because you subscribed to Yahoo! Alerts. Use this link to unsubscribe from this alert. To change your communications preferences for other Yahoo! business lines, please visit your Marketing Preferences. To learn more about Yahoo!'s use of personal information, including the use of web beacons in HTML-based email, please read our Privacy Policy. Yahoo! is located at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94089.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)