wedding entertainment bands: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Immortal Apocalypse

Hello, everyone. Thanks in advance for checking out my role play/appeal.

I started this role play and at first (like most role plays, I think) it generated a lot if interest and people. I do have a plot/ story line that I'm following for it. But two of the more plot-based characters have quit posting, which is making it difficult to move on with the story. What I really need is two role players who can be dedicated and get into this plot and do their best to not fall off of the face of the earth. If being in a position of "power" isn't really your thing, that's okay, I need "citizen" types as well- and don't be fooled by my terminology, the story line will integrate *everyone*, whether you're in a position of power or not.

Here is the link where you can read about the setting and plot: roleplay/immortal-apocalypse-part-i-lindville/

Should you choose to join, PM me or post a comment (bumps are much much appreciated as well) and I will chat with you, give you a basic summary of what's happened so far if you don't want to read all of the current posts, and any other information you'll need to know/ answer any questions you have.

The more the merrier! Thank you!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/NvYSF3JdUSM/viewtopic.php

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Home prices dropped in November in most US cities

WASHINGTON (AP) ? U.S. home prices fell for a third straight month in nearly all cities tracked by a major index. The declines show that most homeowners are not reaping the benefits from some signs of an improving housing market.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home-price index shows prices dropped in November from October in 19 of the 20 cities tracked. The biggest declines were in Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit. Phoenix was the only city to show an increase.

Prices declined in 18 of the 20 cities in November compared to the same month in 2010. Only Washington and Detroit posted year-over-year increases.

The decline partly reflects the typical fall slowdown after the peak buying season. Still, prices have fallen 33 percent nationwide to 2003 levels.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-01-31-US-Home-Prices/id-978c23bc2e074f4c94bcc71ee5f90fba

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Steve Jones not returning as 'X Factor' host

FILE - In this Dec. 22, 2011 file photo, television host Steve Jones poses on the red carpet at "The X Factor" Finale show in Los Angeles. Jones said on Twitter on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, that he wouldn?t be returning to host the show?s second season. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, file)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Steve Jones is leaving "The X Factor" stage.

The Fox talent competition host said Monday on Twitter that he wouldn't be returning to host the show's second season.

Jones, a British TV personality, called his departure "a shame" and added that he couldn't "complain as I've had a great time." He gave no reason why he wasn't returning.

Jones was originally slated to host "X Factor" alongside Nicole Scherzinger, who replaced British pop star Cheryl Cole as a judge when executive producer Simon Cowell and other producers had second thoughts about Cole joining the series.

Despite consistent viewership, "X Factor" has failed to achieve popularity similar to "American Idol," which Cowell left to import "X Factor" from the U.K.

The second season is set to debut later this year.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-01-30-TV-X%20Factor-Jones/id-9580fb9fee7b4e62a7f7a344f8d31b8d

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Officers checking robbery find 5 dead in Ala. home

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) ? Police officers called early Sunday morning to investigate a possible robbery at a home in Birmingham found five people dead inside, authorities said.

Birmingham Police Sgt. Johnny Williams said the officers arrived at the house around 3:30 a.m. Sunday after getting a call that a robbery was in progress and soon discovered the five victims.

The victims were not immediately identified, and the cause of death was not yet released. No arrests or charges were filed on Sunday morning, but Williams said police launched a homicide investigation.

Brenda Houston, who lives across the street from the west Birmingham house where the bodies were found, said the house had been rented for about a year and a half by a woman in her late 40s and her son and brothers.

"They would speak to us, and that's all we knew," she said. "We didn't know their names but they were always friendly."

Houston, 64, said her street was a quiet one filled with older residents who were friendly with each other. She said there was a constant stream of visitors coming in and out of the home, but that the residents never seemed to cause any disturbances.

"Most people are in a state of shock. They never had any trouble over there," Houston said. "I never seen the police over there. This was really strange that this happened. It wasn't like they were real rowdy."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-01-29-US-Five-Dead-Alabama/id-5daaf516278a41f9b3b943734b065e4d

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Monday, January 30, 2012

WPSL suspends 2012 season

updated 12:39 p.m. ET Jan. 30, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO - Women's Professional Soccer won't play the 2012 season amid a legal dispute with an ousted owner.

The league's Board of Governors voted Monday to suspend the season with hopes of resuming in 2013, the WPS announced.

In October, it terminated its South Florida franchise after clashing with owner Dan Borislow all season. A Florida judge ruled earlier this month that the league failed to follow its own dispute procedures when it terminated the franchise, and another court hearing is set for Wednesday.

WPS CEO Jennifer O'Sullivan said owners chose to cancel the season over possibly working with Borislow in the league again.

"We have diverted so many resources into litigation," she said. "This is something that needs to be resolved before we can move forward with play."

Borislow purchased the former Washington Freedom before last season and moved the club to South Florida, renaming it for a telephone call device he invented. The magicJack franchise was repeatedly disciplined during the season for not meeting league standards. In August, after Borislow filed suit against the WPS, the league released a statement accusing him of violations ranging from "unprofessional and disparaging treatment of his players to failure to pay his bills."

The league has played three seasons. It needed a waiver from the U.S. Soccer Federation to be sanctioned as a first-division league in 2012 with only five teams, below the required eight. In the deal with the governing body in December, WPS agreed to increase the number of teams to a minimum of six for 2013 and at least eight for 2014.

More newsMike Zarrilli / Getty Images Contributor

Arsenal recovers

Roundup: Arsenal kept its bid to end a seven-year trophy drought on track Sunday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46191711/ns/sports-soccer/

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Obama uses tax proposals for his political message (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Aiming tax increases at millionaires and companies that ship jobs abroad may help frame the fairness theme of President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, but it's a plan that stands virtually no chance of passing Congress.

Republicans have enough votes in the GOP-run House, and almost certainly in the Democratic-controlled Senate, to kill Obama's proposals. They say his ideas would discourage investment and job creation and further hurt an already ailing economy.

"He's got to know that none of those things he proposed really have much of a chance of going through both houses of Congress," said Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee.

"I don't think he's intending on passing any laws this year," said House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis. "He's in a campaign. That was his re-election speech."

The GOP's dismissiveness hardly matters to Obama and his Democratic allies.

After last year's hyper-partisanship bogged down routine business like financing the government and paying its debts, few expect much to move through Congress before November's election anyway ? especially not tax hikes that Republicans solidly reject.

"Even if there is little prospect of getting Republicans to agree with these proposals, they're important reference points for the public in identifying Obama as someone who's on their side," said Democratic pollster Geoffrey Garin.

Obama offered his plans, with scant detail, in Tuesday's State of the Union address. He used the word "fair" seven times to describe tax increases aimed at groups the Occupy movement has branded as the "one percent" of Americans who are doing extremely well while the rest of society struggles.

The president proposed ending tax breaks for U.S. companies moving jobs or profits to foreign countries and creating a minimum tax on their overseas profits. He also suggested new tax breaks for businesses that move jobs back to the U.S., for domestic manufacturing and for companies that invest in towns that have suffered major job losses.

Getting most attention was his plan to tax incomes above $1 million annually at a rate of at least 30 percent. That's a sharp and convenient contrast with the 15 percent tax rate enjoyed by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a leading contender for the Republican presidential nomination, who earned about $21 million each of the past two years.

The proposals quickly became fodder for the GOP presidential contenders. Romney said the next day on CNBC's "Kudlow Report" that Obama's plan was "designed to come at me if I'm the nominee," and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said during last Thursday's presidential debate, "His proposal on taxes would make the economy worse."

Democrats immediately made clear that there will be Senate votes this year on the subject.

New York Sen. Charles Schumer, part of the Senate Democratic leadership, said he was relishing a push on "some kind of Romney rule, I mean Buffett rule." Obama has embraced a Buffett rule, named for billionaire Warren Buffett, who has cited the inequity of laws that let him pay a lower tax rate than his secretary.

Such proposals, along with any efforts to deny tax breaks to U.S. companies that outsource jobs and profits, would never get the 60 votes they would need to prevail in the Senate this year, let alone win approval from the GOP-run House.

"If the president has proposals that will help create jobs, we'll take a look," said Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. "But tax hikes on small businesses will make it even harder for them to invest and grow."

Republicans say boosting taxes on millionaires would hurt many of the people who run small businesses and create jobs, a claim Democrats call exaggerated. The GOP and business groups also marshal their own fairness argument, calling it unjust and impractical to raise taxes on companies that set up operations overseas.

"They locate their facilities to be close to the customer," said Dorothy Coleman, vice president for tax policy for the National Association of Manufacturers. "That's a big concern for us, targeting multinational companies as if there is something wrong with doing business overseas."

Democrats challenge that argument as well, saying many pharmaceutical and high technology companies that set up shop abroad are drawn by lower labor costs and taxes and still sell the bulk of their products in the U.S.

Those disputes underscore a political climate so difficult that neither the House nor Senate seem likely to even try advancing pre-election legislation that each party calls their top tax priority: overhauling and simplifying the tax code.

Even so, Obama's tax proposals can also be read as an opening gambit in what looms as a titanic partisan struggle to be waged after the November elections, perhaps in a lame duck session of Congress in December.

Next January, broad tax cuts will expire that were enacted under President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003 and were temporarily renewed by Obama and Congress in 2010. At the same time, $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts will kick in unless lawmakers vote otherwise.

Congress will also need to renew the government's authority to borrow money. And action will be needed on a package of expiring smaller tax cuts, mostly for businesses, and on preventing the alternative minimum tax, originally aimed at the wealthy, from trapping middle- and upper-middle-income families as well.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/obama/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120130/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_congress_taxes

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Three Kazakh activists detained after rally for change (Reuters)

ALMATY (Reuters) ? A Kazakh court ordered the arrest and detention of three opposition activists Saturday for holding an unauthorised rally, at which protesters condemned the recent election as fraudulent and demanded the release of jailed colleagues.

The three were arrested hours after about 300 people, opposed to long-serving President Nursultan Nazarbayev, gathered in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, calling for democratic change.

At the rally, Bolat Abilov and Amirzhan Kosanov, leaders of the opposition All-National Social Democratic Party, had demanded a transparent investigation into riots last month in the oil-producing region of Zhanaozen, the Central Asian state's deadliest violence in decades.

"After the rally, Abilov and Kosanov were brought to an administrative court in Almaty," an aide to Abilov told Reuters, requesting anonymity. "Abilov was given 18 days in custody and Kosanov 15 days for holding the unauthorised rally."

Amirbek Togusov, the head of the Social Democrats' Almaty headquarters, was put under arrest for 15 days, he said.

"We saw them off right to the threshold of the detention center. They appeared to be in good spirits and were confident in their actions," Abilov's aide said. The court could not be reached for comment because it had closed.

Abilov and Kosanov, addressing the rally, had demanded that their colleagues jailed on charges of inciting the oilmen's riots in Zhanaozen, western Kazakhstan, be freed.

It was the second peaceful protest since the January 15 parliamentary election gave Nazarbayev's Nur Otan party an overwhelming victory. After denouncing the election as rigged and faulty during an unauthorised rally on January 17, Abilov and Kosanov were fined and warned they could be arrested next time.

"WE WANT PEACEFUL CHANGE"

Saturday, the protesters had originally planned to gather at a monument to the 19th century Kazakh poet and philosopher Abai but city authorities, who denied permission for the rally, fenced off the square and unarmed police stood guard. The demonstrators gathered instead outside a nearby hotel.

"We want change, peaceful change and democratic change. We want to be reckoned with," Abilov, co-chairman of the All-National Social Democratic Party, told the crowd.

A solitary Kazakh flag waved among a crowd that was swollen by the presence of journalists and plain-clothes police. A succession of speakers took the megaphone over nearly two hours, before Muslim prayers ended the rally.

Nazarbayev, a former Soviet Communist Party boss, has ruled Kazakhstan since before independence with little tolerance for dissent. This month's election admitted three parties to parliament for the first time, but Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers said it lacked any genuine opposition presence.

"The election wasn't legitimate. We want them to hear us," said Ravilya, a pensioner who stood in the crowd in temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius. "There are more police than people. It's a good thing they're armed only with sticks," she said.

Nazarbayev, 71, is popular among most of Kazakhstan's 16.7 million population for bringing stability that has made the country's economy the most successful in ex-Soviet Central Asia.

But the riots in the oil town of Zhanaozen, which officials say killed 16, shook that image of stability. Police fired live rounds at crowds who set buildings ablaze in the town. Another person was killed in a nearby village the next day.

"We demand a just and large-scale investigation into the tragedy," Abilov said. "The president should promise that never again will weapons be used against citizens of Kazakhstan."

The prosecutor-general's office said this week that police generally acted within legal bounds when resorting to the use of weapons on December 16, but four senior officers are being prosecuted for using excessive force.

Opposition leader Vladimir Kozlov and newspaper editor Igor Vinyavsky have been detained for two months pending trial on charges of fomenting social hatred and trying to overthrow the constitutional order.

"We demand that authorities stop fighting against their opponents with such methods," Abilov said.

(Additional reporting by Mariya Gordeyeva; Editing by Tim Pearce)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120128/wl_nm/us_kazakhstan_protest

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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Legal Resources - The Journalist's Toolbox

Tips for Uncovering Sealed Cases

USCourts.gov: Journalist's Guide to the Federal Courts

CourtReference.com
Offers state-by-state links to online court record search services at trial courts and government agencies. Find court locations, other legal services offered and more.

Court Records Blog
Part of CourtReference.org's site, this blog covers some of the basics of court records, understanding documents, how a court room works, etc.

Free Public Records Directory
Free state court resources.

MegaLaw.com
A meta-search engine that scans law sites.

Meta-Index for U.S. Legal Research

World Law
A comprehensive legal search tool. It gives you multiple ways to search legal opinions, legislation, law libraries, etc.

USACops.com
Handy image map links you to local law enforcement agencies. Great for sourcing out-of-state.

ExpertPages.com
A legal site that lists more than 140 expert witnesses on litigation issues. Can be helpful for sourcing stories on various topics, which are listed alphabetically.

Law Library of Congress
Links galore to research, other law centers, collections databases, reading room, bibliographies, etc.

Violence Policy Center
A libertarian public interest law firm offers several free legal resources off its site.

Institute for Justice
A libertarian public interest law firm offers several free legal resources off its site.

ElectionLawBlog.com
Run by a Loyola Law School professor.

Sunshine Week Open Meetings
Events the week of March 12 promote open records.

Oyez: U.S. Supreme Court Multimedia Database
Hundreds of hours of audio materials delivered through a free player available from Real.com as well as summaries of cases before the court, organized by year.

2007 FBI Uniform Crime Report
Look up crimes by state, classification, population group, etc.

2006 FBI Violent Crimes Statistics
Review nationally, by region, state, county, city, universities, etc.

2005 FBI Uniform Crime Report

2004 FBI Uniform Crime Report

Law and Policy Institutions
This site provides access for legal and legislative information. In addition to domestic legal topics, this site provides information on significant international treaties, journals and legal databases etc.

USLegalForms.com
Database has more than 36,000 documents written to comply with the laws of each of the 50 states.

State-by-State Guide to Shield Laws
Poynter site offers image map for easy search.

National District Attorneys Association

Sports Law Blog

Ranchers and Cattlemen Action Legal Fund
R-CALF site offers industry info., links, contacts and an FAQ.

Institute for Justice
A libertarian public interest law firm offers several free legal resources off its site.

On the Issues: Rehnquist Decisions

U.S. Courts

Findlaw.com: 9-11 Legal Cases
A full listing of the civil and criminal cases. A valuable resource!

A Guide to the U.S. Federal Legal System: Web-Based Publicly Accessible Sources

UScourts.gov
A good starting page for research on federal courts.

Pacer's U.S. Courts
Search district and bankruptcy courts.

Federal Courts Finder
Image map guide to courts from Emory University.

Department of Justice: Office of Solicitor General
Search government briefs filed with the United States Supreme Court.

Supreme Court Collection
A database of upcoming Supreme Court cases compiled by Cornell Univeristy.

Syllabi of Current U.S. Supreme Court Decisions

On the Docket
A database of upcoming Supreme Court cases.

CNN.com: Supreme Court Candidate Bios

C-SPAN Judiciary and Supreme Court Resources

Yahoo!: Supreme Court Nominees

PBS Newshour: Supreme Court Candidates
Full of quotes from politicos on who should be named.

PollingReport.com: Supreme Court Candidates
Full of quotes from politicos on who should be named.

LLRX.com: Debunking Copyright Myths

Supreme Court Historical Society

Law.com's Supreme Court Monitor

On the Issues: Rehnquist Decisions

Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals
Links to the full-text opinions of all 11 U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals.

Federal Laws and Regulations
The National Archives and Records Administration has a database of public laws, presidential orders and more.

Center for Information, Law and Policy
Information on federal and state courts.

JudgePedia.org
A great election resource that tracks state supreme courts, their elections and news on judges.

National Center for State Courts: Listing of Courts
Links to state appellate, circuit and county courts Web sites organized by states.

Junk FAX Laws by State

360Degrees.org: The U.S. Criminal Justice System
Perspectives on the U.S. justice system.

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Several tools for journalists needing legal resources.

Legal Directories

LawCrawler
Powered by Google, the Web?s best search engine, it hunts down anything legal online.

Old Bailey Online: History Site
From the famous British courthouse, this online database covers more than 22,000 trials dating between 1714 and 1759. Read the actual transcripts from historic proceedings, view the original documents, etc.

Lawyer Locator
Search a free database of legal experts.

Federal Judicial Center: Judge Bios
Search federal court judge bios, past and present.

Attorney Finder

International Center for Not-For-Profit Law Directory
The International Center for Not-For-Profit Law has a searchable directory of legal documents, court cases, reports, and other civil society resources from countries around the world. ICNL's Online Library currently contains 2,300 resources from 144 countries in 37 languages. The center is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes an enabling legal environment for civil society, freedom of association, and public participation around the world.

Lawyers.com
Look up a lawyer's credentials.

USLegalForms.com
Database has more than 36,000 documents written to comply with the laws of each of the 50 states.

State-by-State Guide to Shield Laws
Poynter site offers image map for easy search.

American Law Sources Online (ALSO)
This site provides "a comprehensive, uniform, and useful compilation of links to all online sources of American law."

LegalSurvival.com
A comprehensive source of legal information, tools and news covering 30 topics. The site features a newsletter, forms, FAQs, checklists, bookstore, legal plans, Find an Attorney, attorney marketing services and helpful links.

Internet Legal Research Guide
More than 4,000 sites from 238 countries, this site lists law firms, legal experts, journals and more.

WhoRepresents.com: Agent Database
A great shortcut for sourcing, enter celebrity names into the database and get the managers or agents who represents them.

Westlaw.com

Global Legal Information Network
Part of the Library of Congress, this site features hundreds of legal links and resources.

Digital Journalist's Legal Guide
From the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

The Law Engine
A free site with dozens of legal resources.

Counsel.net
A collection of chat rooms and discussion groups for lawyers, legal resources and job boards.

All Law
Search engine and legal directory that has state resources.

FairContracts.org
What have you agreed to today? This site goes over fine print in contracts that many of us never even read.

Finding Law-Related Resources
Dozens of global law links.

Student Press Law Center: Classroom Resources
Presentations, handouts, online quizzes and more. Great tools for teaching the First Amendment.

Medical Privacy State Laws

Legal Transcript Library, Inc.
A legal research tool for medical defense attorneys containing thousands of transcripts of medical expert testimony.

The Avalon Project
Yale Law School site that offers digital documents relevant to the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government.

Expert-Testimony.com

Yahoo! Law Directory

Bankruptcy Law
A directory of state, national and international bankruptcy laws.

National Association of Drug Court Professionals

Electronic Law Library
Targeted to small business owners, but it has a lot of helpful research for anyone.

ElectionLawBlog.com
Run by a Loyola Law School professor.

HG Law Directory
Search more than 500 law directories worldwide.

Strategic Research Investigative Services
Specializes in discrete, sophisticated, and cost-effective fact-finding for law firms, corporations, governments, news organizations and individuals.

Class Action Database
A collection of class action lawsuits broken down by topics.

BRB Public Records online.
A huge sites with links to free and pay public records sites.

Cornell University: Legal Information Institute
Links, libraries, constitutions, codes, legal opinions and some legal news.

Campus Safety and Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool
Analyze college campus crime statistics with this resource from the Office of Postsecondary Education, part of the U.S. Department of Education.

Prairie Net: Full-Text State Statutes and Legislation

Law Library Resource Xchange

Fagan Finder
A great search tool that added several new features in May 2002. Journalists will be especially interested in the search engines, reference, news and law sections.

Registered Patent Attorneys and Agents
Contact information for more than 25,000 attorneys.

Jaffe Legal News Service
The JLNS is a free weekly email tipsheet with sources and story ideas from some of the top law firms in North America and the UK. Each issue has a section providing expert commentary on some of the key issues of the day, an area where by-lined articles written by some of the top legal experts on North America and the UK are available for free, and a wire-like service that lists law firm press releases. Each e-mail also features a link to a form where reporters can request help with specific stories.

TVSpy's Agent List
Includes client names, companies and agent contact information.

Legal Databases, Documents and Statistics

Bureau of Justice Statistics

State Laws Database
Searchable index of state laws and legislation for all 50 states.

WHO@ (Working to Halt Online Abuse)
Resources, stats, facts and protection tips about online stalking.

Gender Law Library

National Women's Law Center
Blog, health care, expert sources, information center and recent publications on issues.

Covering Crime and Justice: A Guide for Journalists

National Lesbian and Gay Law Association

National Asian American Bar Association

SmallTownMisfit
Colorful crime news stories from a roundup of police blotters throughout the nation.

Dumb Laws Database
Titled: Big Government. Small Brains. Dumb Laws. A collection of silly laws in the United States and othe countries. Good for news feature writing.

FBI 2004 Uniform Crime Report

Findforms.com
A database of thousands of free legal forms.

Cornell University State Laws Database
Look up laws by industry/topic.

Legacy Tobacco Documents Library
A great database from Cal-San Francisco that contains 11.2 million fully searchable documents from the1930s to the 1990s -- previously secret stuff from tobacco industry files obtained as part of the Minnesota AG and Blue Cross lawsuit settled in 1998.

Legacy Drug Industry Document Archive
More than 2,500 documents from drug companies about industry-sponsored clinical trials, publication of study results, pricing, marketing, relations with physicians and involvement in continuing medical education.

Sunshine Week Open Meetings
Events the week of March 12 promote open records.

Info - Encyclopedia and Reference Resource
Browse articles in all areas of topics within Earth & Environment, History, Literature & Arts, Health & Medicine, People, Philosophy & Religion, Places, Plants & Animals, Science & Technology, Social Science, Law, Sports, Everyday Life, and more. Includes Country Studies and North America Gazetteer.

Jury Verdict Research
A for-profit company that maintains a database of nearly 200,000 verdicts and settlements resulting from personal injury claims.

ABA Administrative Procedures Database ABA Administrative Procedures Database
This site "is designed to facilitate the exchange of information about federal and state administrative law among legislators, lawyers, hearing officers, judges, and citizens. (It) contains links to federal and state Administrative Procedure Acts (APA), reform proposals, and organizational and other resources."

North America's Largest Class Action Law Site
Lots of pending class actions and class action settlements. Updated daily. Also offers ability to register for possible class actions.

Catalaw
Organizes legal and government sites into a basic catalog.

Supreme Court Preview
The Supreme Court forwards its briefs to the American Bar Association as they are filed. This site makes them available to the public for free.

State Sex Offender Registries
Thirty-four states have them, but many are under review for accuracy.

Bureau of Justice Statistics Jail Population Study
Study: More than 6.5 million adults were jailed, on probation or on parole at the end of last year, a record-high number that represents 3.1 p of the country's total population or 1 of every 32 adults. Look up your state.

LexisWeb Legal Search Engine

LawCommerce.com Recommended Law Database
A list of sites you can use to look up federal and state laws. A great shortcut..

FBI Crime Statistics: 2001 Summary
Also available as a full-text document.

University of Tennessee: Legal Information
A set of helpful journalism and law links from professor Dorothy Bowles.

Legal Associations and Organizations

American Bar Association

American Bar Association Lawinfo.org

American Civil Liberties Union
Material on FOI and Sunshine laws.

Association of Trial Lawyers of America Links Page
Dozens of great links to law schools, law organizations, attorney referral sites and more.

National Board of Trial Advocacy

The Innocence Project
A searchable database of states offering projects to free wrongfully accused prisoners through DNA and other evidence. Run by the Cardozo School of Law in NYC.

National Center for State Courts

National District Attorneys Association

National Center for State Courts
Readers First is an E.W. Scripps initiative for readership-builders in all departments of newspapers.

SPJ Legal Advocacy
Legal defense fund, annual report, other resources.

National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty
Statistics on the homeless, links, public policy, child abuse, health, job training, minimum wage and more.

Institute for Justice
A law firm site with helpful online resources.

National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)

National Women's Law Center
A great resource with tips, research and news stories on a variety of topics, including sexual harassment, athletics, women in the military and more.

Ranchers and Cattlemen Action Legal Fund
R-CALF site offers industry info., links, contacts and an FAQ.

National Resources Defense Council
Environmental issues

Student Press Law Center
Legal issues facing high school and college students.

Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund

Police Executive Research Forum
News page, free document library, sources.

Center for Identity Management and Information Protection
Part of Utica College, the site offers a media center, research projects and can connect you with expert sources.

Identity Theft Resource Center
A nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the understanding and prevention of identity theft. Site includes a media page and a resource library.

PhotoEnforced.com
Allows users to upload locations of photo-enforced traffic lights around the country.

National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running

U.S. Public Interest Research Groups
Transportation, healthcare, money and politics, media reform, tax and budget, law, higher education and environmental issues.

Child Welfare Information Gateway
A service of the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Has sections on abuse, library search, statistics, online catalog, adoption information and more.

Law Journals and News

Legal Journals Online
A listing of hundreds of journals from all over the world.

National Law Journal

Findlaw.com
Legal publications and state/local bar association information.

Findlaw News

VineLink: Who's in Jail/Prison
Use this image map to select a state, then sort through the listed jails and prisons to track who's in jail and who is about to be released. A great resource.

National Center for State Courts
Research, newsletter, links to other organizations.

NPR: Justice Talking
Debates, polls, resources on justice issues.

The Business Lawyer
An online business law magazine from the American Bar Association.

National Law Journal: Survey of the 250 Largest Law Firms
Contact information for more than 25,000 attorneys.

University Law Review: Search Law Journals
Links, listings and search.

States with Sex-Offender Registries

In the News
Blog by a forensic psychologist about psychology and the law.

The Jurist: Terrorism Law & Policy Guide
The legal education and information portal at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, has posted an online guide to Terrorism Law & Policy. The guide features breaking news, U.S. policy documents, Executive Orders and federal legislation, academic commentary and an extensive bibliography.

Truth in Justice
A private investigations site with several recent case studies, news stories, trend pieces, related links, a discussion forum and more. A great resource.

Sports Law Blog

Law.com Newswire
Updated several times a day with great stories.

Nolo.com
A super legal site.

CNN.com's Law Page
Several good trend pieces, some breaking news.

Medical Liability Monitor
A monthly online publication on trends and issues in medical malpractice.

LLRX.com
Bills itself as "the premier free web-zine on research and technology related issues for the legal community.

LLRX.com 9-11 Legal Site

Jeff Flax's Super Legal Links Page

JustInfo Newsletter
An online newsletter sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Government Sites

SEC Law
Securities legal resource includes message boards, links to other sites, bookstore and more.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
The official government site has a myriad of resources, including a way to track the status of patents and trademarks pending.

Library of Congress: A Century of Law Making
Annals of the House and Senate, bills and resolutions.

Library of Congress: Religion and the Government
Takes effect October 2002.

Cyberspace Law

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Legal Guide for Bloggers

LegalTech

Cyberspace Law and Regulation

UCLA Cyberspace Law and Policy

Intellectual Property and Technology Forum
Boston College Law School site offers current news and in-depth articles on intellectual property and technology law.

Publishing Law Center
Links and articles on intellectual property and legal issues..

TechnoLawyer Community
Free subscriptions to TechnoRelease Tuesdays.

Treatment Advocacy Center
Studies on mental illness, treatments, and various laws and legal interpretations.

Copyright Law

Internet Law Library
A free collection of articles, statutes, cases and resources on Internet issues such as copyright law, trademark law, domain name law, cookies, data retrieval, etc.

U.S. Copyright Office

GigaLaw.com

Miscellaneous Sites

FBI Uniform Crime Report (.pdf)
The site features an image map that helps locate stats from major cities. Sort stats by type of crime, too.

2007 FBI Uniform Crime Report
Look up crimes by state, classification, population group, etc.

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press: Juvenile Hearings
Guidelines on access to juvenile courts.

Criminal Justice Links
Florida State University School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

TheSmokingGun.com
Tips for filing FOIAs, "Document of the Week."

The Stanford University School of Law
The school's site has full-text complaints, summaries and briefs on securities class action complaints.

60 Sites in 60 Minutes
A site full of legal research tools on one page.

IRE and NICAR: Legal Databases
There is a fee for the legal databases.

U.S. DOT: Fatal Accident Reporting System Database
This links to details and samples of the data. NICAR charges for the full database. The data covers 1975-2001 and contains information on automobile accidents on public U.S. roads that resulted in the death of one or more people within 30 days of the accident.

Law and Policy Institutions Guide
A great collection of legal and legislative information.

PI Newslink
A blog for private investigators/researchers.

DogBiteLaw.com
Developed by an attorney specializing in dog bites, this is an extensive research site for dog bite victims, dog owners, parents, journalists and others. Covers topics such as the legal rights of victims, how to protect children, and other aspects of the dog bite epidemic.

Cool Sites for Lawyers

PBS Frontline: Criminal Justice
A collection of companion Web sites on various crime, legal system and justice topics.

Tobacco Links
Dozens of links in alphabetical order about pro and anti-smoking, farming, etc.

Law Library of Congress
Law guides, databases and historical documents back to 1774.

PoliceForum.org
Site features cops from large jurisdictions and has done lots of stuff on police shootings, etc.

Criminal Justice Journalists

The Lindbergh Case

Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act
Takes effect October 2002.

Stanford University: Prison Experiment
An online tour of a 1971 psychology experiment on California college students sent to prison. Photos, video, background. Interesting research.

LLRX: Clustering With Search Engines

LLRX: Latest Links
An archive of reviews of legal sites.

MyLemon.com
The site contains an informative guide to the lemon law as well as answers to frequently asked questions. Focuses on New Jersey and Pennsylvania law, but it has helpful resources for anyone.

Purportal.com
This site can quickly assist you in sorting the myths from the half-truths and the actual facts. The site consists of database search engines to check keywords from e-mails you have received, the latest headlines on hoaxes, special reports on 9-11 misinformation, and links to official and commercial sites on fraud, hoaxes and scams.

LLRX.com: 9-11-2001 Related News and Legal/Legislative Resources
This site is updated daily.

Newsaic
Legal issues behind TV shows.

LemonLaw.com
Laws on auto purchasing.

Overlawyered.com
This site chronicles the high cost of the legal system.

Police Foundation Research Brief: Catching Career Criminals

The Florida Medical Malpractice Web Site
Focuses on medical malpractice matters, primarily from a Florida perspective, but also contains info of more national interest. Handy for looking up malpractice information about doctors.

JusticeLink

LawMall
A collection of legal links for lawyers and people not associated with the legal system.

Web Journal of Current Legal Issues
Site from the UK.

Capital Defense Network
The ultimate resource for federal death penalty defense practitioners.

CivicMind.com
Civic resources for lawyers and journalists.

Equal Justice Network
An information source for lawyers and advocates involved in providing legal assistance to low-income people.

Military Law and Justice

ProCon: Sports and Drugs

IJ.org Media Links
Links to stories and cases of national and local interest. Great place to look for offbeat trend stories. Also has a media center, other links.

CrimeLynx.com
Legal resource center with expert links, policy and research links.

National Coalition Against Censorship

National Center for State Courts

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

Benedict Copyright Site

CyberLaw Encylopedia: Copyright Law

Crash Course in Copyright Law

Intellectual Property Primer

Sports Law Links
Some great resources from Professor Walter T. Champion, Jr., author of Fundamentals of Sports Law and Sports Law in a Nutshell.

Multimedia and Entertainment Law Online News (MELON)

Medicine Malpractice Links
Part of the Electric Law Library.

Index of State Malpractice Laws

Malpractice Litigation News

SafeShopping.org: Tips
Tips on online shopping safety tips from the American Bar Association.

Dog Bite Law Center

ElderWeb.com
This site offers legal, insurance and medical advice (regional and national) for people facing elder-care options.

Mother Jones.com Prisons Study

Lemon Law America
Lists legal rights for car buyers.

Chicago Council of Lawyers
Evaluations of judicial candidates and much more.

Oklahoma State Court Network
Search legal files from divorces, civil, criminal and every document filed at the court clerk by date. You can search by last name, first name, case number.

NRA: State Gun Laws
Use this image map to check gun laws state by state.

CrimeLibrary.com
CourtTV site with news stories, backgrounding, etc.

National Assn. of Legal Professionals
Resource center, studies on employment, etc.

Law Library of Congress
Links galore to research, other law centers, collections databases, reading room, bibliographies, etc.

Insurance Information Institute
Public safety, crime and other stats.

USACops.com
Handy image map links you to local law enforcement agencies. Great for sourcing out-of-state.

ExpertPages.com
A legal site that lists more than 140 expert witnesses on litigation issues. Can be helpful for sourcing stories on various topics, which are listed alphabetically.

Automated Access to Court Electronic Records
Provider of United States bankruptcy data to attorneys, lenders, employers and individuals. Has a helpful press center with statistics, news and trends.

NFL Player Arrests 2000-Present
List compiled by the San Diego Tribune and published in May 2007. Great for reference.

Courts and Law Coverage Beat Guide
From the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism. Simply go to the website and page click on "Learn more" on the "New Resource" box.

Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration
Has several helpful resources, including a blood alcohol content calculator.

Tips for Uncovering Sealed Cases

FBI Violent Crimes Statistics 2006
Review nationally, by region, state, county, city, universities, etc.

Death Penalty Information Center
Opposes capital punishment.

Federal Hate Crime Legislation

DocStoc
Free business forms and legal templates.

TopClassActions.com
Search through top class-action lawsuits. Includes an RSS news feed.

Brennan Center for Justice

National Council on Crime and Delinquency
"The oldest criminal justice research organization in America, NCCD promotes effective, humane, fair, and economically sound solutions to family, community, and justice problems. The organization conducts research, promotes reform initiatives, and seeks to work with individuals, public and private organizations, and the media to prevent and reduce crime and delinquency."

American Library Association: Notable First Amendment Court Cases

Knight Center Beat Guide: Courts & the Law

Center on Wrongful Convictions
Northwestern University School of Law site about a group freeing prisoners wrongfully accused of serious crimes. Includes resources, experts, news and events page and bios of many of the people freed.

Electronic Frontier Foundation: Legal Guide for Bloggers

Podcasting Legal Guide

Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society

Findlaw Cases and Codes
Look up case summaries, jurisdictions, historical documents, etc.

E-Justice Blog

Knight Center: A Beat Guide to: Courts and the Law
From the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism at the University of Maryland.

Cornell: Courts Federal Law Materials and Judicial Opinions

Cornell Law: State Courts Opinions

National Runaway Switchboard
Media page and expert sources on the topic.

National Legal Aid & Defenders Association

Cyberjournalist.net: Legal Issues
Feed of stories and blog posts on web legals issues, etc.

Poynter: Tips for Covering Mass Shootings
Track who is tweeting a site or blog.

Sunshineweek.org

Legal Information Institute: First Amendment Overview

Federal Citizens' Information Center: Privacy Resources

Electronic Frontier Foundation
Technology/civil rights site. Great for finding cases against the FCC and the record industry.

Citizen Media Law Project Legal Guide
Search by keyword or state-by-state map.

World Intellectual Property Organization

Global Legal Information Network
A public government database of official texts of laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and other complementary legal sources contributed by governmental agencies and international organizations. These GLIN members contribute the full texts of their published documents to the database in their original languages. Each document is accompanied by a summary in English and, in many cases in additional languages, plus subject terms selected from the multilingual index to GLIN. All summaries are available to the public, and public access to full texts is also available for most jurisdictions.

BlogInsurance FAQ
Stream video straight from your cell phone.

Library of Congress: Sonia Sotomayor Resources
Articles and books by her, congressional documents, cases and web resources by the Supreme Court nominee.

Chicago Law Blog
Chicago Tribune blog on legal issues in the city.

Source: http://www.journaliststoolbox.org/archive/2012/01/legal-resources-1.html

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British police arrest 4 in tabloid bribery probe (AP)

LONDON ? British police say they have arrested four people, including a police officer, on suspicion of corruption as part of an investigation into police bribery by a tabloid newspaper.

London's Metropolitan Police said two men aged 48 and one aged 56 were arrested early Saturday at homes in and around London.

The fourth, a 29-year-old police officer, was arrested at the London station where he works.

The investigation is running parallel to a police inquiry into phone hacking by Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World.

Police said the arrests were made as a result of information provided by Murdoch's News Corp.

A dozen people have now been arrested in the bribery probe, though none has yet been charged.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_phone_hacking

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Iran says oil could reach $120 to $150 per barrel (AP)

TEHRAN, Iran ? The head of Iran's state oil company said Sunday that the price of crude will reach $120 to $150 per barrel, as officials in Tehran prepare to discuss a ban on crude sales to European Union countries in retaliation for an EU embargo.

Head of the National Iranian Oil Company Ahmad Qalehbani also said that Tehran would expand its capacity to refine crude domestically, instead of selling it on international markets.

The EU announced an embargo on Iranian oil last week to pressure Tehran on its controversial nuclear program.

The embargo is set to go into effect in the summer, but Iran says that it may cut the flow of crude to Europe early.

Iran says the EU accounts for only 18 percent of its output and that it can find new customers. It says the embargo will hurt the West more than Iran, in part by causing a spike in prices.

"It seems we will witness prices from $120 to $150 in the future," Qalehbani was quoted as saying by IRNA. He did not give a time frame for the prediction, nor any other details.

The price of benchmark U.S. crude on Friday was around $99.56 per barrel.

Qalehbani also said that Iran could find other customers for its crude in the short term, while in the longer term expanding its refining capacity to turn the crude into other petroleum products.

"The sale of some 18 percent of Iranian oil, to a market other than the EU, is quite possible. But our long term idea is to increase refining capacities to produce valuable products," he said.

Qalehbani's statement came as Iranian oil officials prepare to debate a ban on crude sales to European Union countries.

Many Iranian lawmakers and officials have called for an immediate ban on oil exports to the European bloc before the EU's ban fully goes into effect in July. They say this will hurt Europe before it can find alternative suppliers.

It also coincided with a visit by a U.N. nuclear team expected to focus on Iran's alleged attempt to develop nuclear weapons.

The United States and its allies argue that Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons technology, while Tehran says the program is for purely peaceful purposes.

With some 3.5 million barrels of crude production, Iran is the second largest OPEC producer.

Some 80 percent of the country's foreign revenue comes from exporting around 2.2 million barrels of oil per day.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_oil

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Director of Finance (Los Angeles, California)

OPPORTUNITY:
Green Dot is embarking on an ambitious five-year plan to nearly double in size, doing so in a way that will enable us to have 10 times the impact on education in Los Angeles. By doing so, we will extend our work as a leading change agent in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), taking on the most difficult challenges in education reform: turning around existing failed schools and promoting reform and reinvention of the school district.

The Director of Finance has the opportunity to ignite and make possible the achievement of our five-year vision. To realize the envisioned impact on reform, we must successfully create and execute our financial strategy as well as manage our day-to-day finances. The Director of Finance will be responsible for creating a pathway to sustainability as well as actionable, timely and accurate financial statements.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
?Working with the CFO, create and manage organization-wide financial strategy
?Develop a deep understanding of the California and national education funding models to assess organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
?Refine and present 5 year strategic planning model to key stakeholders including senior executives and board of directors
?Develop and execute tools that highlight monthly, quarterly and annual financial performance and actionable items for schools and departments
?Develop forecasting tools and manage financial projections
?Present current-state and financial projections to key stakeholders
?Manage a small team in a fast growing organization
?Working with the CFO and Controller, set department wide goals and objectives
?Transform current processes to improve efficiency, accuracy and overall ease of use

COMPENSATION:
Salary for this position is competitive and depends on prior experience within a range $100k - $115K. We also offer a comprehensive benefits plan as well as the opportunity to impact a growing, mission-driven organization that is committed to the success of Los Angeles students.

Source: http://www.bridgestar.org/MyCareerCenter/PositionDetails.aspx?jobId=10531

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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana celebrate at Sundance (AP)

PARK CITY, Utah ? Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana came to the Sundance Film Festival to promote their closing-night film, "The Words."

The two actors play a married couple in the movie, which follows an aspiring writer who gains fame when he finds an old manuscript and passes it off as his own.

The pair avoided any appearance of their reported off-screen romance by staying apart from one another while posing for photos and giving interviews to support the film. Saldana did affectionately touch Cooper as they passed in a hallway, though.

Both had been to Sundance before, where snow fell throughout the festival and the weather dipped into the teens. Still, Saldana maintained her fashionista edge.

"I did bring warm stuff but I also brought fashion-y stuff. Come on. You've got to pay the price, even if it's too cold," she said.

The 33-year-old actress wore green suede shoes with spiked stiletto heels despite the slushy conditions.

"They're kind of fabulous. They're also lethal. So I have to be really careful, and somebody has to be careful not to piss me off," she said with a smile. "Yeah right. I'm just trying not to fall. It's like `Please don't fall. Please don't fall,' if I'm walking."

Cooper's first time at the festival was 12 years earlier with the eventual cult comedy hit "Wet Hot American Summer."

"I wasn't even able to get into the screening," he recalled.

Saldana said playing Cooper's wife in "The Words" made her think about how she approaches relationships and the concept of unconditional love.

"Like how unconditional am I when I'm in love. Do you bypass certain things? Would I be able to be with a man ? or with someone ? that feels incomplete, doesn't matter what we do?" she said. "If we change this, if we get married, if we have a baby ? just someone that feels incomplete. Would I be able to deal with that for so many years and accept them as who they are and go, `Come as you are. This is who I fell in love with and I don't want to change you?'

"I'm not like that, which is why I wanted to play her, because it was a challenge, you know. Look at me, I totally said I'm not unconditional at all. So awful."

Cooper's part as author-plagiarist Rory Jansen is his second writerly role after playing a novelist in last year's "Limitless." But that's just coincidence, he said. Despite having a degree in English, the 37-year-old actor says he typically only writes in his "girlnal."

"Journal, sorry," he said. "That's a `Wet Hot' reference. Paul Rudd says that."

Saldana, meanwhile, is in the midst of shooting the "Star Trek" sequel in Los Angeles with director J.J. Abrams and much of the original's cast.

"It's wonderful because I've been dying to work with the cast again, to work with JJ," she said. "I love him so much. He's such an amazing human being and such an amazing storyteller and a great director, so what more can I ask for? I start the year and I'm literally going back to a very familiar environment and being a part of a great story."

"The Words," which also stars Dennis Quaid, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes and Olivia Wilde, premiered Friday. It was acquired early in the festival by CBS Films, which plans to release it theatrically in the fall. Sundance continues through Sunday.

___

AP Entertainment Writer Ryan Pearson contributed to this report.

___

Online:

www.sundance.org/festival

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120128/ap_on_en_mo/us_film_sundance_cooper_saldana

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President Obama Speaks To Paul W. Smith On WJR News Radio In Detroit

President Obama is set to speak to a University of Michigan audience in Ann Arbor Friday, but first he had some words for a southeast Michigan radio audience.

In a pre-taped interview on Paul W. Smith's morning radio show on WJR News Radio, Obama reiterated many points from his State of the Union address, and honed in to praise American automakers' for their continuing recovery.

But first he previewed his upcoming speech at U of M. When Smith mentioned students had waited in the cold for hours to get tickets to the event, the president replied with a hearty "Go Blue!"

While that cheer may please many a Wolverine, it's the science, math and technology students that Obama lauded most.

"We've got to make sure that young people who aspire to be engineers, who aspire to be doctors, who aspire to be computer scientists -- and community colleges as well -- get training for the high-skill jobs," Obama said.

No direct love for humanities majors, but the president did elevate the issue of college affordability for all students.

"The key fact that I think a lot of families have learned is that college tuition has actually been going up faster than health care costs, faster than inflation and way faster than wages and income have gone up," he said.

Obama offered some oblique criticism of state education policies that have left local college and universities underfunded, leading to hikes in tuition costs.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder cut higher education funding in the state 15 percent last year, and Michigan colleges and universities have lost a combined 30 percent of their government funding in the last 10 years.

"States aren't supporting colleges and universities as much as they need to," Obama said, but he also laid some blame on the schools themselves. "Colleges and universities haven't been as creative as they could be to keep costs down," he said.

Smith shifted the conversation to talk about GM, Chrysler and Ford's return to profitability. Just before the president's appearance, Smith spoke with Ford CEO Alan Mullaly about news that the automaker made its largest yearly profit since 1999.

Talking car sales allowed Obama a chance to reiterate his role in the auto industry bailout.

"When we had to make the decision to help, we stood to lose a million jobs," Obama said. "Not only are the Big 3 automakers iconic and symbolize what built the American middle class, there are suppliers, there are businesses, there are restaurants -- you name it -- that would've been devastated by that loss."

The president touched on other themes from his State of the Union address, including a call to raise taxes for top earners, make smarter spending cuts, develop American oil and gas resources and encourage Washington politicians to cooperate more often.

"There's going to be a time and a place for campaigning and electioneering, but when you're in Washington try to do your job and focus on what matters to the American people, which is building business and putting people back to work, making sure this country's moving forward," Obama said.

Still, he admitted that a conciliatory stance might not be the best approach for Democrats.

"Sometimes I've got to blame my Democrats for reaching out too much to Republicans and being too patient with them," he said.

The conversation cut off a bit abruptly, and Smith had to explain that an error in the studio had lost the station some of the recording.

"When I finished the conversation I looked at the sheepish faces through the glass and they said 'It's all gone, all 17 and a half minutes of that conversation are gone,'" Smith explained.

WJR was lucky to get much of the recorded interview back, but losing the tape would not have been a total public information disaster. Obama, after all, will likely make many of the same remarks again in his speech to his University of Michigan audience Friday morning.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/president-obama-wjr-paul-smith-radio_n_1236117.html

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Obama urges Congress to act in election year


	Essential News from The Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-01-27-House%20Democrats/id-0bcae9942ec4414f8ec3ce9ef9c33843

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American economy not healthy yet, but it's healing (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The American economy may not be truly healthy yet, but it's healing.

The 2.8 percent annual growth rate reported Friday for the fourth quarter was the fastest since spring 2010 and was the third straight quarter that growth has accelerated.

Experts cautioned, however, that the pace was unlikely to last and that it's not enough to sharply drive down the unemployment rate.

Unemployment stands at 8.5 percent ? its lowest level in nearly three years after a sixth straight month of solid hiring. And Friday's Commerce Department report suggests more hiring gains ahead.

For the final three months of 2011, Americans spent more on vehicles, and companies restocked their supplies at a robust pace.

Still, overall growth last quarter ? and for all of last year ? was slowed by the sharpest cuts in annual government spending in four decades. And many people are reluctant to spend more or buy homes, and many employers remain hesitant to hire, even though job growth has strengthened.

The outlook for 2012 is slightly better. The Federal Reserve has estimated economic growth of roughly 2.5 percent for the year, despite abundant risk factors: federal spending cuts, weak pay increases, cautious consumers and the risk of a European recession.

Economists noted that most of the growth in the October-December quarter was due to companies restocking their supplies at the fastest rate in nearly two years. That pace is expected to slow.

"The pickup in growth doesn't look half as good when you realize that most of it was due to inventory accumulation," said Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics.

Ashworth expects annualized growth to slip below 2 percent in the current January-March quarter. Other economists have similar estimates.

Stocks opened lower after the government reported the growth figures. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down about 74 points. Broader indexes were mixed.

In a normal economy, roughly 3 percent growth is a healthy figure. It's enough to keep unemployment down ? but not so much growth as to ignite inflation.

But coming out of a recession, much stronger growth is needed. By some estimates, the economy would have to expand at least 5 percent for a full year to drive down the unemployment rate by 1 percentage point.

In many ways, the economy did end 2011 on a strong note. Companies invested more in equipment and machinery in December.

People are buying more cars, and consumer confidence has risen. Even the depressed housing market has shown enough incremental gains to lead some economists to detect the start of a turnaround.

In the final three months of 2011, consumer spending grew at a 2 percent annual rate. That was up modestly from the July-September quarter. Consumer spending is critical because it fuels about 70 percent of the economy.

Much of the growth was powered by a 15 percent surge in sales of autos and other long-lasting manufactured goods.

Incomes, which have been weak because of still-high unemployment, grew ever so slightly, at a tepid 0.8 percent annual rate, following two straight quarterly declines. Unless pay picks up, consumers who have dipped into savings in recent months may pull back.

"Consumers don't have much income growth, and to even achieve a 2 percent growth rate in spending in the fourth quarter, they had to run down their saving rate," said Nigel Gault, chief economist at IHS Global Insight.

And government spending at all levels fell at an annual rate of 4.6 percent in the fourth quarter and 2.1 percent for the year ? the sharpest drop since 1971. Defense cuts at the start and end of the year were a key factor. With Congress aiming to shrink budget deficits, the likelihood of further federal spending cuts could weigh on the economy.

Economic growth is measured by the change in the gross domestic product, or GDP. The GDP reflects the value of all goods and services ? from machinery to manicures to hotel bookings to jet fighters ? produced in the United States.

Friday's estimate of GDP growth was the first of three for the October-December quarter. The figure will be revised twice, in February and then in March.

Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics, is among the more optimistic analysts. He said he thought business investment in capital goods would be stronger and consumer spending higher this year.

Many fear that a likely recession in Europe could cool demand for U.S. manufactured goods. Growth would slow. Without many more jobs and better pay, consumer spending could weaken.

The Fed signaled this week that a full economic recovery could take at least three more years.

Although things may not be good, they're getting better.

Gault predicts the economy will create an average of 150,000 jobs a month in 2012 based on his expectation that the year will be slightly stronger than 2011. Last year, the economy created an average 133,000 jobs a month.

"We are starting to see improvements in the housing market, and consumers are working down their debt levels," Gault said. "That is all good and will help us this year."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_us/us_economy

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Friday, January 27, 2012

Between the Lines (TIME)

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| Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/191765793?client_source=feed&format=rss

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GOP seeks limits on new Colo. child-care rules (AP)

DENVER ? Talk about red tape: Colorado's Department of Human Services last year proposed regulating child care businesses down to the number of crayons per box and the color of dolls kids can play with.

Also included: How many books child care centers should have, limits on computer and TV time, and bans on "googly eyes" and cotton balls, considered potential choking hazards.

Republicans in the Legislature say it highlights out-of-control government ? and they are introducing a bill Friday limiting how far the state can go when it comes to regulating child care.

"This one is at the top of my list because it seems so contrary to what the governor has been saying he wants the state agencies to do," said GOP Sen. Kevin Lundberg. "I expected the governor, when he found about it, to say, `Whoa, hold on a minute ? this isn't what I had in mind ? and to pull the plug. But he hasn't.'"

The state says it's backing off some of the more controversial proposals but is still in the process of drafting dozens of pages of new rules for more than 1,300 licensed child care centers and more than 800 licensed preschools.

"We continue to support the Department of Human Services as it works through a public process on the proposed regulations," Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper's office said in a statement.

Some child-care providers say they worry excessive rules will put them out of business. And Lundberg, who is sponsoring the legislation, said he wants to ensure that the state only regulates health and safety matters.

Department spokeswoman Liz McDonough said new rules are needed because child-care has evolved and is not just about putting kids in front of the television for eight hours.

Reggie Bicha, the executive director for Human Services, told a committee of lawmakers this week that quality child care helps children's long-term success.

"I don't think that we need to trade lowering standards to keep mediocre child care providers in business," he said, according to The Pueblo Chieftain.

Julie Krow, director of the Office of Children, Youth and Families, said businesses are contributing to the rules being crafted. At the earliest, it's possible a draft will be completed late this year, she said.

"We know that investing in early quality childhood education is an investment that saves money later," Krow said.

McDonough said guidelines on the "race" of dolls and classroom materials, such as having a minimum of 10 crayons per box, have been dropped. Officials said the proposal for crayons was based on national quality suggestions for a rich educational experience.

Sandy Bright, who directs three child-care centers in Weld County, is taking a wait and see attitude.

Bright said existing regulations have compelled her to pull her college transcripts from the early `70s as part of her child-care recertification. Employees are required to take classes with titles like "infant-toddler theory."

"Which is kind of interesting because if you don't take infants or toddlers, you're still required to take that course," Bright said.

Bright recently sought assurances from Hickenlooper at a luncheon for the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry during which the governor reiterated his commitment to eliminating red tape.

"If these go through ? four colors of dolls per classroom, numbers of crayons and numbers of everything. I've been in business for 40 years. I'm very concerned about where this is headed," she said.

Hickenlooper responded that his administration is aware of the child-care industry's concerns.

"I guarantee you no one's going to tell you how many crayons you have to have in your crayon box," he said.

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Follow Ivan Moreno on Twitter: http://twitter.com/IvanJournalist

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120127/ap_on_re_us/us_day_care_too_much_oversight

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