Chavez returning to Cuba for cancer treatment

BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian troops shelled rebellious areas in central and northern Syria on Saturday in the latest push to quash the uprising against President Bashar Assad, but faced fierce resistance from army defectors, activists said.

Much of the day's fighting focused on the northeastern town of Saraqeb, which activists said regime troops and tanks entered from the north amid heavy shelling.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fighting reached the central market district where army defectors damaged a tank and three armored personnel carriers. Late Saturday, it said 2 rebel fighters and 9 government troops had been killed in the clashes.

"Large numbers of residents are fleeing the town," said Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Observatory, which has a network of activists inside Syria. "People have been leaving the town for some time but after today's attack the process intensified."

Government troops also shelled parts of the central city of Homs and the nearby town of al-Qusair. Activist videos posted online Saturday showed explosions in residential neighborhoods sending up balls of flame and huge plumes of black smoke.

The Observatory said 14 people were killed Saturday in Homs province. Another group, the Local Coordination Committees, put the death toll there at 24. Both said more than 40 people were killed nationwide.

Syria's government has been on the offensive over the past two months and has pushed rebels from a number of strongholds: The provincial capital and other towns in the northwestern province of Idlib that borders Turkey, the central provinces of Hama and Homs, and the eastern oil-rich region of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq.

Syria's rebels, who took up arms following the regime's crackdown on protesters, are outgunned by armored units loyal to Assad, but have adopted a tactic of hit-and-run strikes on security checkpoints and convoys. They killed at least 6 soldiers in such attacks on Saturday, the Observatory said.

The Syrian government cites the rise in such attacks to boost its argument that the uprising is being carried out by terrorist groups acting out a foreign conspiracy.

The Syrian state news agency said an "armed terrorist group" blew up a natural gas pipeline in the country's east on Saturday, causing the leakage of 700,000 cubic meters of gas.

The agency said the pipeline feeds a fertilizer factory and electric plant in Homs, and that the damage would take three days to repair.

The LCC said the troops that entered Saraqeb were accompanied by pro-government gunmen and plainclothes security agents who arrived in buses and started conducting raids and detaining people. Calls to the town could not get through. The government is known to cut networks in areas where operations are under way.

Saraqeb, in the northern province of Idlib, had been held by army defectors for months.

The attack came 11 days after troops retook the city of Idlib, the provincial capital, which had also been under rebel control for months.

Activists said troops also pounded the town of Qalaat al-Madiq in Hama province with mortars and heavy machine guns.

International condemnation and high-level diplomacy have failed to stop the year-old Syria crisis that the U.N. says has killed more than 8,000 people, many of them civilian protesters.

The U.S., Europe and many Arab states have called on Assad to stand down, but Russia and China have protected Syria from condemnation by the U.N. Security Council.

Earlier this week, the council passed a nonbinding statement calling for a cease-fire to allow for dialogue between all sides on a political solution and the delivery of aid to suffering civilians.

An adviser to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Saturday the country seeks a political solution.

Sergei Prikhodko said Moscow's top priority for Syria is to halt to the violence and persuade the opposition "to sit at the negotiating table with government representatives and reach a peaceful resolution of the crisis."

Joint U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is to discuss the crisis with Russian official in Moscow on Sunday. He is due to visit Beijing on Tuesday and Wednesday.

___

Associated Press writer Albert Aji contributed reporting from Damascus, Syria.

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Dick Cheney has heart transplant

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former Vice President Dick Cheney is recovering after having a heart transplant.

That's according to his office. It released a statement Saturday disclosing the surgery, and saying that Cheney has been on the transplant list for more than 20 months.

Aide Kara Ahern says the former vice president is recovering in the Intensive Care Unit of Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., after undergoing the surgery. She says the former vice president does not know the heart donor's identity.

Cheney suffered a heart attack in 2010, his fifth since the age of 37. He had bypass surgery in 1988, as well as two subsequent angioplasties to clear narrowed coronary arteries.

In 2001, he had a special pacemaker implanted in his chest.

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New Black Panther Party offers reward for Martin shooter

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - A psychologist who looked into a 1998 allegation against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky told police at the time that his behavior fit the profile of a likely pedophile, NBC News reported Saturday.

Yet Sandusky was not criminally charged, nor placed on a state registry of suspected child abusers, and prosecutors say he continued assaulting boys for more than a decade until his arrest in November.

NBC obtained a copy of the campus police department's investigatory report on an encounter in which Sandusky was accused of having inappropriate contact with an 11-year-old boy with whom he had showered naked on the Penn State campus.

The police file includes the report of State College psychologist Alycia Chambers, who interviewed and provided counseling to the boy.

"My consultants agree that the incidents meet all of our definitions, based on experience and education, of a likely pedophile's pattern of building trust and gradual introduction of physical touch, within a context of a 'loving,' 'special' relationship," Chambers wrote.

However, a second psychologist, John Seasock, concluded that Sandusky had neither assaulted the boy nor fit the profile of a pedophile.

Chambers and Seasock did not immediately return phone messages left at their offices Saturday.

Centre County prosecutors ultimately decided not to charge Sandusky, and the case was closed until a statewide grand jury accused the retired defensive coordinator of abusing the boy and nine others over a 15-year period. Sandusky, who faces more than 50 counts of child sex abuse, has pleaded innocent and awaits trial.

Chambers' warning to authorities raises new questions about the university's failure to stop Sandusky. Eight of the 10 boys were attacked on campus, prosecutors allege.

In 2002, four years after the 1998 investigation, prosecutors say then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary caught Sandusky sexually assaulting a boy in the football showers. McQueary reported what he saw to coach Joe Paterno, who, in turn, reported the allegation to university officials. But no police investigation was ever done.

Penn State said in a statement Saturday that it would not comment, citing ongoing investigations.

Sandusky's attorney, Joseph Amendola, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Seasock's report was "exculpable" and that the 1998 incident was not as clear-cut as Chambers made it out to be.

"We could get five psychologists, child psychologists, who specialize maybe in sexual dysfunctions or pedophilia look at the same case and talk to the same people and come up with five different conclusions," he said in a phone interview.

The 1998 allegation was the first known complaint made to authorities about Sandusky. A woman called the Penn State police department, saying she was troubled after her 11-year-old son told her he had showered naked with Sandusky on campus.

Prosecutors say Sandusky lathered up the boy - known as Victim 6 in the state's current criminal case - bear-hugged him naked from behind, and picked him up and put his head under the shower. Detectives say that later, with police secretly listening in, Sandusky told the boy's mother the joint shower had been a mistake, and blurted: "I wish I were dead."

The woman's complaint triggered a separate review by state Department of Public Welfare, which found no indication of abuse by Sandusky.

But state welfare department investigator Jerry Lauro told AP in December that he didn't have access to the criminal investigative file. On Wednesday, he told The Patriot-News of Harrisburg that he never would have closed the case had he seen the reports from Chambers and the second psychologist, Seasock.

"The course of history could have been changed," Lauro told the newspaper, which first reported the existence of the twin psychological reports.

"The conclusions (Chambers) had drawn in her report were pretty damaging," Lauro told the paper. "I would have made a different decision. ... It's unbelievable, and it gets my blood pressure going when I think about it."

Seasock, who worked with Centre County Office of Children and Youth Services, interviewed the boy for an hour and wrote in his report - also included in the police file obtained by NBC - that he did not find any evidence of "grooming" or "inappropriate sexual behavior" by Sandusky.

"All the interactions reported by (the boy) can be typically defined as normal between a healthy adult and a young adolescent male," Seasock wrote.

Seasock, however, did not review Chambers' report or prior interviews with the boy before submitting his own report, the police report indicates, nor did he elicit key details, including the fact that Sandusky had kissed the boy and told him he loved him.

Amendola said that Chambers has refused to talk to the defense, but that he would try anew in light of the NBC report.

"Any argument the commonwealth had about privilege is out the window," said Amendola. He said he found the timing of the NBC report curious because it came several days after a judge ordered the attorney general to turn over the psychological reports to the defense unless prosecutors could persuade the court they are not subject to disclosure.

Chambers told NBC in an interview that she was horrified to learn that Sandusky allegedly continued assaulting boys long after she warned Penn State authorities about him.

"I was horrified to know that there were so many other innocent boys who had been subject to this, who had their hearts and minds confused, their bodies violated. It's unspeakable," she said.

Chambers told NBC her 1998 investigation found "behavior that was consistent with a predator, a male predator, a pedophile."

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Officials: Pakistani Taliban training Frenchmen

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) - Dozens of French Muslims are training with the Taliban in northwestern Pakistan, raising fears of future attacks following the shooting deaths of seven people in southern France allegedly by a man who spent time in the region, Pakistani intelligence officials said Saturday.

Authorities are investigating whether Mohamed Merah, the Frenchman of Algerian descent who is suspected of killing three Jewish schoolchildren, a rabbi and three French paratroopers in Toulouse this month, was among the training group, the officials said.

Merah was killed in a dramatic gunfight with police Thursday after a 32-hour standoff at his Toulouse apartment. The 23-year-old former auto body worker traveled twice to Afghanistan in 2010 and to Pakistan in 2011, and said he trained with al-Qaida in the Pakistani militant stronghold of Waziristan.

Approximately 85 Frenchmen have been training with the Pakistani Taliban in the North Waziristan tribal area for the past three years, according to the intelligence officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. Most of the men have dual nationality with France and North African countries.

The Frenchmen operate under the name Jihad-e-Islami and are being trained to use explosives and other weapons at camps near the town of Miran Shah and in the Datta Khel area, the officials said. They are led by a French commander who goes by the name Abu Tarek. Five of the men returned to France in January 2011 to find new recruits, according to the officials. It's unclear whether Merah was among that group.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy promised a crackdown on French citizens found to have trained in terror camps abroad.

"Anyone who goes abroad to follow ideological courses that lead to terrorism will be criminally punished. The response will be prison," he said in a campaign speech Saturday.

A senior French official close to the investigation into the shootings told The Associated Press on Friday that despite Merah's claims of al-Qaida links, there was no sign he had "trained or been in contact with organized groups or jihadists."

A militant commander, Ahmed Marwat, claimed in a phone call with the AP on Saturday that Merah was affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban in Waziristan, but provided no details. Marwat said he was part of the Jundullah wing of the Pakistani Taliban.

The claim could not be independently verified.

The Pakistani Taliban, which is closely allied with al-Qaida, has carried out hundreds of attacks in Pakistan over the past several years that have killed thousands of people. Taliban leaders say they want to oust the U.S.-backed government and install a hardline Islamist regime. They also have international jihadi ambitions and trained the Pakistani-American who tried to detonate a car bomb in New York City's Times Square in 2010.

The main sanctuary for the Pakistani Taliban is the restive tribal region along the Afghan border, especially North and South Waziristan. Despite a large military offensive in South Waziristan in 2009, the government has very little control over the area.

Western officials have been concerned for years about Muslim militants with European citizenship visiting northwestern Pakistan, possibly training for missions that could include terror attacks in Europe where they would act as "lone wolves" or on the orders of others. In 2010 alone, dozens were believed to be there.

Merah told police during the standoff that he was trained "by a single person" when he was in Waziristan, not in a training center, so as not to be singled out because he spoke French," the director of the DCRI intelligence service, Bernard Squarcini, told the Le Monde newspaper.

Merah was questioned by French intelligence officers last November after his second trip to Afghanistan, and was cooperative and provided a USB key with tourist-like photos of his trip, the French official close to the investigation told the AP.

While he was under surveillance last year, Merah was never seen contacting any radicals and went to nightclubs, not mosques, the official said. People who knew him confirmed that he was at a nightclub in recent weeks.

Merah told negotiators during the police standoff that he was able to buy a large arsenal of weapons thanks to years of petty theft, the official said.

French prosecutors said Merah filmed himself carrying out the three shooting attacks in Toulouse that began March 11.

___

Associated Press writers Jamey Keaten, Elaine Ganley and Angela Charlton in Paris and Sarah DiLorenzo in Toulouse contributed to this report.

Article from YAHOO NEWS

Activists rally against Obama health care law

From Cheney's office, on his heart transplant: "do not know the identity of the donor, will be forever grateful for this lifesaving gift."

Article from YAHOO NEWS

Obama confronts nuke threat in trip to South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - President Barack Obama is opening his pitch for faster work to lock down nuclear material that could be used by terrorists with an up-close look at the nuclear front lines along the heavily militarized border with volatile North Korea.

Obama arrived in Seoul on Sunday morning, local time, for three days of diplomacy. In the midst of an election year focused on economic concerns at home, Obama has designed a rare Asia visit that features time in just one country. He'll use much of the time to keep pressure on North Korea to back off a planned rocket launch and return to disarmament talks.

The goal of the large gathering of world leaders is to secure nuclear material and prevent it from being smuggled to states or groups intent on mass destruction. Progress has been uneven since the ambitious goal of lockdown by 2014 was first set out by Obama at a similar session in Washington in 2010. No breakthroughs are expected now.

Right across the border but not participating: nuclear North Korea, labeled by the White House as "the odd man out." It is brinksmanship with North Korea and Iran, another nation not invited to the summit, that has dominated much of the nuclear debate and that will cast an unquestionable shadow over talks in Seoul.

Obama has called nuclear terrorism the gravest threat the United States and the world may face. North Korea is a prime suspect in the proliferation of some nuclear know-how, along with missiles that could be used to deliver weapons of mass destruction. Iran is suspected in the arming of terrorists with non-nuclear weaponry, and the U.S. and other nations suspect Iran's nuclear energy program could be converted to build a bomb.

Syria, Pakistan and other global trouble spots are also on the agenda for separate meetings with global leaders attending a progress-check summit of more than 50 nations on Obama's goal of locking down nuclear material around the world by 2014.

Obama's first business: a visit to the volatile Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea, a show of strength amid confusion and disappointment over the state of diplomacy with the nuclear-armed North.

The symbolic visit to the border separating the Korean peninsula will be the fourth by a U.S. president. Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all visited the DMZ; other U.S. officials regularly go there.

The border zone is a Cold War anachronism, a legacy of the uncertain armistice that ended the Korean War nearly 60 years ago. Hundreds of thousands of troops stand ready on both sides of the border zone, which is littered with land mines and encased in razor wire. Obama officials said the goal is to thank U.S. and South Korean military members and show U.S. resolve from "the front line of democracy" on the peninsula.

The United States has more than 28,000 troops in South Korea.

North Korea plans to launch a long-range rocket next month, which the U.S. and other powers say would violate a U.N. ban on nuclear and missile activity because the same technology could be used for long-range missiles. Taken by surprise, the U.S. warned that a deal to resume stalled food aid to the North could be jeopardized if North Korea goes ahead.

The planned missile launch appears part of a long pattern of steps forward, then back in U.S. dealings with North Korea, and plays into Republican claims that Obama is being played for the fool.

Campaign politics surrounding a sitting president typically subside when he is abroad, although Obama's posture toward threats to America will be scrutinized by his rivals.

The timing comes as daily economic worries, not foreign ones, are driving the concerns of American voters. Yet the setting does give Obama a few days to hold forth on the world stage while, back home, Republican presidential candidates keep battling each other.

Halfway into the four-year effort to safeguard nuclear materials from terrorists, many nations have taken voluntary steps to corral material that could be used for terrorist weapons. But they have sidestepped larger questions about how to track all such material, measure compliance and enforce security.

The summit will bring together nuclear-armed nations, plus those with civilian nuclear energy plants and several seeking to build them. Several non-nuclear nations and international organizations, including the U.N. and the International Atomic Energy Agency, are attending.

Countries known or suspected to have nuclear weapons are the U.S., Russia, Britain, France, China, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea.

Scores of countries still have research reactors fueled by weapons-usable uranium, and medical devices that use radioactive materials that could be fashioned into a "dirty bomb" are scattered all over the world.

___

Feller is AP's White House correspondent; Gearan is an AP national security writer.

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Detective fired in killing of unarmed NYC man

WASHINGTON (AP) - As Afghanistan seizes more of the political spotlight, the Republican presidential candidates are quick to criticize President Barack Obama's handling of the war but struggle to explain how they would change the strategy they would inherit.

GOP front-runner Mitt Romney says Obama has exhibited "failed leadership" and should not have set a timetable for ending the war. But Romney won't say whether he would scrap the president's plans to bring the war to a close by the end of 2014. Rivals Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have questioned whether the U.S. should be in Afghanistan at all, but neither has plans for withdrawing tens of thousands of American troops.

The Republican reluctance to outline specific policy positions is evidence of the complex nature of managing the decade-long war as public support dwindles, and concerns that detailed campaign promises could pigeonhole a candidate if he goes on to win the White House.

It's a role reversal for the parties from 2008, when a Republican president was mired in a long and unpopular war and Democratic candidates, including Obama, tried to convince voters that they should take the reins.

But the political calculus for the current crop of Republicans is more complicated than it was for Obama in 2008. Obama opposed the Iraq war from the start and his election-year promise to bring it to an end put him in lockstep with the rest of his party.

This year's GOP candidates, however, find their party's hawkish tendencies butting up against the public's growing impatience with the Afghan war.

Six in 10 Americans see the war as not worth its costs, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released this month. Opposition to the war is bipartisan, and for the first time, the Post-ABC poll showed more Republicans "strongly" see the war as not worth fighting than say the opposite.

Yet many in the GOP have agreed with some of Obama's aggressiveness in Afghanistan, from increasing U.S. troop levels to ordering the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the attacks that drew the U.S. into the war in the first place.

Defense analyst Michael O'Hanlon said those actions have made it harder for Republican to come up with a distinctive and specific alternative war strategy.

"I think it reflects that this is not an issue that is so simple that reflexively turning to a Republican line of attack is going to be the answer," said O'Hanlon, a fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank.

But the recent series of troubling episodes in Afghanistan, including the accidental burning of Qurans by U.S. forces and the alleged killing of 17 Afghan civilians by an American soldier, have focused fresh attention on how the U.S. plans to get out of Afghanistan and whether a Republican president would pursue a different course than Obama.

The president's withdrawal plan, in coordination with NATO allies and Afghanistan, calls for the U.S. to move into a support role in Afghanistan in 2013 and hand over security responsibility to the Afghans by the end of 2014. The administration is negotiating with Afghanistan about a U.S. presence there after 2014 and is trying to reach a political breakthrough with the Taliban.

Republicans have criticized the 2014 benchmark, saying Obama's decision to put a timetable on withdrawal puts U.S. gains in Afghanistan at risk.

"Why in the world do you go to the people that you're fighting with and tell them the date you're pulling out your troops? It makes absolutely no sense," Romney said in February.

Santorum said it "gave them something which you should never give an enemy, which is hope."

But neither candidate has said whether he would abandon the NATO-backed 2014 withdrawal plan, which would be well under way by the time either took office in January. Nor has either said whether his own war strategy would keep the U.S. fighting in Afghanistan past that date.

Romney, who is on track to win the nomination, has been especially vague about how many U.S. forces he would keep in Afghanistan and for how long. He has both pledged to ensure a "force level necessary to secure our gains and complete our mission successfully" while also promising to bring troops home "as soon as humanly possible."

The former Massachusetts governor says he can't get more specific until he gets guidance from the military, and plans to conduct a full interagency war review upon taking office.

Democrats say Romney's lack of clarity on Afghanistan will be a liability in a general election race against Obama.

"What's clear is that he's lacking a core set of experiences so he gets pulled back and forth between the 'let's double down' strategy and public opinion polls that think that 10 years is enough," said Heather Hurlburt, a foreign policy expert who worked in the Clinton administration and now heads the National Security Network, a progressive organization.

Romney has drawn one clear distinction with the president. He opposes Taliban negotiations and says the U.S. should not hold talks with a group trying to kill American soldiers.

As Romney seeks the right strategy for success in Afghanistan, Santorum and Gingrich have started to question whether there is even a mission in Afghanistan worth completing.

"We have to either make a decision to make a full commitment, which this president has not done, or we have to decide to get out and probably get out sooner" than planned in 2014, Santorum said in a recent interview.

Gingrich has said the U.S. is "risking the lives of young men and women in a mission that may, frankly, not be doable."

Neither candidate, however, has said how those concerns would translate into an actual war strategy or whether he would speed up Obama's withdrawal timetable if elected.

The only Republican contender with a clearly articulated war strategy is Texas Rep. Ron Paul. The Libertarian-leaning Paul long has opposed the war and says he would quickly end the war once in the White House.

___

Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC

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Tea Party Rallies Against ObamaCare in Washington

Tea Party supporters rallied Saturday in Washington to oppose President Obama's government health care law, two days before the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the legislation.

"We want our freedom back," former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain told hundreds of ralliers standing in the rain in Upper Senate Park, a few hundred yards from the steps of the Supreme Court. "That's what this is about, the freedom to choose our own doctors … the freedom to choose our own health insurance plan."

Cain also said that he might not have survived his battle with cancer under the new law had "some bureaucrat" learned he had only a 30 percent chance of survival.

"Stay inspired," he said, urging the crowd help defeat Obama in November.

"ObamaCare is a cancer in our government, and we're going to rip it out," said Jenny Beth Martin, national coordinator of the Tea Party Express which sponsored the "Road to Repeal" rally. 

The rally largely marks the big return to Washington for the Tea Party, a loose organization of grassroots groups that helped conservative Republicans take over the House in the 2010 wave election.

"The Tea Party is back," shouted Jim Hoft of the Gateway Pundit Blog.

The high court will begin hearing argument Monday on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, passed by Congress in 2010.

The legislation is intended to provide health insurance to more than 30 million previously uninsured Americans.

However, opponents say the law is unconstitutional, largely because Congress does not have the power to force unwilling Americans to buy health insurance or pay a fine. They are also concerned about how the legislation will increase costs for the federal government, doctors and those who already have insurance.

Congressional Budget Office now projects the legislation will cost $1.76 trillion from 2013 to 2022.

The case was brought before the nine justices by Florida and 26 other states.

The legislation "takes a huge leap toward socialism," Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, told the Tea Party crowd, including some holding signs that read "Repeal or Revolt." "This is a government takeover masked as a health care bill."

The justices will hear arguments over three days, starting with whether the case was brought before the high court prematurely because nobody has been fined for not having health insurance. Arguments on Tuesday will focus on whether Congress overstepped its authority by requiring Americans to purchase health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty.

Wednesday's arguments will be split into two parts: Justices will hear 90 minutes of debate in the morning over whether the rest of the law can take effect even if the health insurance mandate is unconstitutional and another hour Wednesday afternoon over whether the law goes too far in coercing states to expand the federal-state Medicaid program for low-income people by threatening to cut off federal aid to states that don't comply.

The justices might decide not to rule on whether the law is constitutional but are expected to deliver a decision near the end of Supreme Court session in June.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Article from FOXNEWS

Your Anger Management

Here are ways to manage your frustration, whether you have a quick temper or a biting sense of humor.

Anger Style: Explosive

What it looks like: "If you leave your jacket on the floor one more time, I'm leaving you!" It may take a lot to push you over the edge, but when you get there, the earth shakes and people run for cover.

Why you might do it: If you were never taught how to deal with irritation, you may habitually swallow it until you can swallow no more. Eventually your top will blow. Some people are anger junkies, who get off on the adrenaline rush of an emotional explosion, not to mention the fact that the onslaught can mean they get their way―at least in the short term.

The damage: It is virtually impossible to feel empathy and anger simultaneously, so in the heat of the moment, you are more likely to say and do overly harsh things that you later regret.

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How to Turn It Around
Wait it out. "Research has shown that the neurological anger response lasts less than two seconds," says Ronald Potter-Efron, an anger-management specialist in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and a coauthor of Letting Go of Anger. Beyond that, it takes a commitment to stay angry. Mentally recite the Pledge of Allegiance or count to 10 and see if the urge to explode has diminished.

Own your emotions. A simple rephrasing of your feelings can help you feel more in control. "I'm really upset by your behavior" is much more effective and empowering than %#*&@!.

Anger Style: Self-Abuse

What it looks like: "It's my fault he doesn't help me. I'm a terrible wife." You find a way to make everything your fault, every single time.

Why you might do it: Somewhere along the line, your self-esteem took a beating and you decided that sometimes it's just safer and easier to be mad at yourself than at someone else.

The damage: Constantly turning angry feelings inward can set you up for continued disappointments and even depression.

How to Turn It Around
Question yourself. Every time you feel the urge to assume blame, start by asking yourself, "Who told me I was responsible for this?" Then ask, "Do I really believe that?" Instead of accepting all responsibility, thank yourself for recognizing the pattern in the first place.

Work on your self-worth. Make a list of your positive qualities. Developing a genuine sense of worthiness is a critical step in overcoming self-blame. Seek out a professional if you need more help in working around this issue.

Anger Style: Passive-Aggressive

What it looks like: "Oops. Did I delete all those old baseball games from the TiVo?" You don't hide or swallow your anger, but you express it in an underhanded way.

Why you might do it: You dislike confrontation, but you're no pushover, either. "People become 'anger sneaks' when they believe they can't stand up to others," says Potter-Efron. Some people who are cautious by nature turn to this style when they feel pushed outside their comfort zones.

The damage: You frustrate people. Todd puts it another way: "You're living your life around making sure other people don't get what they want, instead of striving for what would make you happy." The bottom line: No one wins.

How to Turn It Around
Give yourself permission to get angry. Tell yourself that anger is your psyche's way of saying you're tired of being pushed around. A mantra: Assertiveness is fine; aggression (passive or otherwise) is not.

Advocate for yourself. Instead of "forgetting" to turn in your report at work or showing up late to meetings, gather your courage and tell your boss that your workload has gotten too heavy or that you're having an issue with a coworker. It won't be easy, but neither is looking for another job.

Take control. If you turn to passive aggression when you're uncomfortable with what's expected of you, it's important to do something to take the reins of your situation. Unable to manage the house or the finances solo? Rather than doing a haphazard job of it (subconsciously, of course), tell your partner how important it is that he contributes.

Click here for more anger styles from Real Simple. 

Article from FOXNEWS

Best March Madness Bars

• Bobby Valentine's Sports Gallery Cafe

March Madness means office pools, sneaking peeks at the scores at work (if not the games themselves), and taking in the action at sports bars. So, put on your favorite team's gear and get ready to chow down on burgers and Buffalo wings at one of these top 10 sports bars across the country. One of them features a top chef's take on a gourmet Las Vegas sportsbook, another has television screens in the bathrooms so you won't miss a moment of the action, while a third will actually transport you to the game itself. Play ball!

Jake's Dilemma
430 Amsterdam Ave.
New York, NY 10024
212-580-0556

This fun-filled Upper West Side party place appeals to any mood. The front room, spacious and flanked by a long bar on one side and booths on the other, is filled with lots of diversions: foos ball, video games and the usual array of sports games flashing on multiple TVs. A regular and raucous neighborhood bunch makes Jake's ripe for chants, hollers and drinking games. And why not --- with 40 bottled beers and 15 brews on tap, there's plenty of reason to party here. But those who want something more sedate know to hit the cozy couch-crammed back room. Bookshelves stocked with ancient texts and period furniture may make you feel as if you're drinking in an old-moneyed family's living room. Fortunately, with good nightly drink specials, whether you're old money, new money or little money, Jake's won't put you in a financial dilemma. Check out the Top 10 Value Restaurants in New York.

Bobby Valentine's Sports Gallery Cafe
225 Main St.
Stamford, CT 06901
203-348-0010

Make no mistake: this is no ordinary sports bar. It's a shrine to one of Stamford's favorite sons, owner Bobby Valentine. Born in the city, he was a star ball player in high school and is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox. Think of this as Bobby's annuity, frequented by his local friends and fans. The place is filled with memorabilia and, of course, when a good game is on, with sports fans. With "warm ups" like the hearty chili topped with melted cheeses, chicken tenders served with hot sauce, "Hall of Fame" entrées like the full rack of barbecue ribs and a sizzling 14-ounce NY strip steak, not to mention ten "innings" of everything from salads to pizzas, sports fans will be well fed even if the game goes into overtime.

The Burger & Beer Joint
1766 Bay Rd.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-672-3287

The Burger & Beer Joint features 120-year-old Chicago brick walls, wood booths, copper ceilings and an outdoor patio. There are your basic bar soups, salads, sandwiches and snacks, but the Joint lives up to its name, with 99 different bottled beers and design-your-own burgers, for which diners select size (1/2 or 1 pound), bun, toppings, sauces and sides, including mushroom fries and onion rings. Menu burgers range from $11 to $32 for a ten-ounce wagyu beef burger topped with pan-seared foie gras and black truffle demi designed by executive chef Carlos Barillas (Nobu Las Vegas and Miami). There's even a gimmicky ten-pound Motherburger that's free if a single person finishes it within two hours; otherwise, $125. If you'd rather watch something more athletic than competitive eating, the dark B & B Sports Bar has eight flat-screen TVs, chalkboard walls filled with scores, a pool table and $5 beers. Find the best burgers near you.

STATS
300 Marietta St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30313
404-885-1472

Atlanta's Sports Radio 790 The Zone broadcasts live from a glass-enclosed booth created for the station's specific use. As the booth is visible from the street, passersby snag a sneak peak at the pros as they broadcast. All televised remotes are shown throughout the entire restaurant. STATS incorporates new technology by Table Tap, at eight tables and in six private rooms, where computerized equipment lets draught drinkers serve themselves. This sports bar atmosphere, while appealing to adults, also is good for children, and their menu needs are addressed specifically. But grown-ups will enjoy the burgers, salads, and hefty main dishes that grace this widely varying menu. We think the Thai steak salad should stay on the menu. For tables sharing snacks, look out for the nachos, piled high on a platter and easily enough for four hungry folks.

ESPN Zone
L.A. Live
1011 S. Figueroa St., Ste. B101
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-765-7070

You don't necessarily come to this slick, high-tech sports bar for the food, but ESPN Zone at L.A. Live offers a large menu of all-American fare, from the requisite chicken wings and cheese fries to start, to entrées that include baby-back ribs, pastas and steaks. There is a host of burger options --- including the Sports Center Burger with a nine-ounce Angus patty --- and Philly fans can find a cheesesteak, too, even if it doesn't measure up to Pat's or Geno's. The beer selection is extensive and the sporty environment includes a screening room for the ultimate viewing experience, as well as an upstairs interactive arcade. Its greatest attribute is its proximity to Staples Center.

Lagasse's Stadium
The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino
3325 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-607-2665

TV star-chef Emeril Lagasse gives the sportsbook concept a gourmet makeover at Lagasse's Stadium in The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino, which features theatre-style seating in front of a 10 x 20 foot projection wall as well as one-hundred-plus HD TV's. For the ultimate fan experience, book one of the elevated "sky boxes" overlooking the stadium, or a "luxury box" private room with pool tables and video game consoles. Game-day grub includes Buffalo wings, nachos, pizzas, burgers and steaks, along with a complement of beers and cocktails. And with Emeril on board, there's bound to be a few tributes to the Big Easy, such as a shrimp po' boy and tortilla-crusted crab cakes. Even if your team loses, you can still enjoy the taste of "sweet victory" (aka dessert) with an order of banana cream pie or New York-style cheesecake. Check out the Top 10 Value Restaurants in Las Vegas.

Nemo's Bar & Grill
1384 Michigan Ave.
Detroit, MI 48226
313-965-3180

It used to be a family could stop for a meal here, then walk to Tiger Stadium for a baseball game. Sadly, the Tigers have moved to Comerica Park on the other side of downtown; still, Nemo's offers shuttles aboard their own buses to the games, as well as to Lions football, Red Wings hockey games and other major concert and entertainment events as well. Customers appreciate that kind of service, plus one of the better burgers in town. The sports memorabilia-laden décor and completely unpretentious atmosphere have been a winning combination for years under the Springstead family. The menu also includes other basics like chili and homemade soups, in addition to throwbacks like liverwurst sandwiches.

Ricky's Sports Theatre & Grill
15028 Hesperian Blvd.
San Leandro, CA 94578
510-352-0200

Everyone is welcome at Ricky's Sports Theatre & Grill, including kids, but rooting for the Oakland Raiders is encouraged. Serving team-loyal locals since 1946, this family-owned San Leandro sports bar practically bleeds silver and black, as evidenced by the dishes that pay tribute to past and present Raiders coaches and players, such as John Madden's T-bone steak and the Jim Otto sandwich made with smoked turkey, bacon, guacamole and cheese on grilled sourdough. There's the typical line-up of bar food: chicken wings, burgers, sandwiches, chili and salads as well as a few steaks. At the bar, about ten beers are offered on tap and many more by the bottle. Pancakes, Belgian waffles and steak and eggs are served up for breakfast on weekends with morning games. Football, basketball, prize fights: Ensuring that no patron misses even a minute of the action, a few of Ricky's 75-plus TV screens are located in the restrooms.

THE Sportsgrille
Hilton Nashville Downtown
121 4th Ave. S.
Nashville, TN 37203
615-620-1000

Should you find yourself in downtown Nashville without a ticket to the game, this is the next best place to be. The food here is much better than your average sports bar. Each starter and entrée on the menu comes with a wine or beer suggestion, and while the food isn't breaking any new ground, there are some creative takes on traditional favorites, like the meatloaf and potato “sundae,” a piled-high tower of hearty goodness. There's also a decidedly un-dudelike but alluring entrée of grilled ginger salmon with wasabi mashed potatoes. The wine and beer lists are both quite good for a sports bar, and there are of course plenty of screens to eyeball. The place is across the street from the Bridgestone Arena (where the NHL Predators play), and within walking distance of the Tennessee Titans' NFL stadium, so it's one of your better bets for pre- or post-game refreshment.

Stadium View
1963 Holmgren Wy.
Green Bay, WI 54304
920-498-1989

Located in the city's entertainment district with the closest parking to Lambeau Field where the Packers play, this sports bar and restaurant is the place to party --- and maybe grab a bite to eat --- during Packers season or after a long week at the office. No matter when you come, the beer is always flowing, and there's a menu with pizzas, hot wings, meatloaf and the chicken "booyah" soup to sustain. On Fridays, try the all-you-can-eat fish fry, with your choice of baked, breaded or beer-battered cod, served with a baked potato or french fries and homemade coleslaw. And don't overlook comfort food favorites like tenderloin tips on noodles and baked chicken with mashed potatoes, available on certain days.

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Why You Were Audited

“Why me?” is the plaintive cry from most taxpayers facing an examination from the IRS. You can ask the auditor why all day long, but he'll just shrug and say, “I don't know. I'm just doing my job.” Once in a while an auditor may give you her best guess as to why you were selected, but don't count on it.

To be fair, there tends to be a good reason a tax return is flagged for an audit. Sometimes it is a random spin-of-the-wheel choice, but in most cases there's a catalyst to the red flag. So here's some insight:

Dif Scores. Electronic filing has made it much easier for the IRS to gather data in order to analyze population groupings, standards and trends. A simple act of feeding in parameters to existing data can provide information regarding queries like: How many home owners exist in a certain nine-digit ZIP code, or what is the average income in Wichita?

The IRS developed a method of computer scoring called the Discriminant Function System (DIF) score which rates the potential for change based on past IRS experience with similar returns. The Unreported Income DIF (UIDIF) score rates tax returns for the potential of unreported income. The highest-scoring returns are reviewed by IRS personnel and from there some are selected for audit with pointers to items on the return that need review.

So: You might be audited if you live in Bel Air, pay DMV tags for a Lamborghini, and pay interest on a million-dollar mortgage yet declare less than $100,000 of income. Although there may be a very good reason for this--maybe you earned millions in 2010 and left the workforce in 2011 to kick back and spend your fortune-- the IRS will suspect you aren't reporting all of your income, and will want to take a peek. 

Abusive tax avoidance transactions. Some folks are audited because they participate in abusive tax avoidance transactions. The IRS identifies promoters and participants usually from tipsters or from lists of participants that promoters have been court-ordered to turn over to the IRS. Be very wary when investing into those “too-good-to-be-true” tax shelters. Always run them by your tax pro.

Related examinations. I defended a general contractor in an audit recently. The IRS noticed that he had neglected to send out Forms 1099 to his subcontractors and then identified the subcontractors and checked their tax returns to see if they had declared the income--several had not. The agency pounced on those who had not â€" easy prey. I've had clients tell me that since they didn't get a 1099, they didn't think they were required to report the income. Not so. If you have self-employment income of $400 or more, you are required to file a tax return whether you receive a 1099 or not.

Specific market segments. Every year the IRS selects a particular industry for compliance examinations. In the last couple of years they have concentrated on foreign trusts with the idea of uncovering unreported income from offshore accounts. A few years ago they looked at attorneys incorporated as Sub S corporations attempting to reclassify dividends as wages for those who take low salaries but large distributions thus saving money on employment taxes. One year they went after servers in restaurants to collect on unreported tip income. Every year the agency chooses an industry to scrutinize based on suspected abuse hot spots.

Automatic Underreporter Program (AUR) and Information Matching. Employers, banks, brokerage firms, payers of independent contractors all file documents with the IRS and send the same documents â€" Forms 1099, W2, 1098, K-1, etc. to taxpayers. If you neglect to report any of the data on these forms, or report an amount different than what is on the form, the IRS picks up on it. Usually, it sends out a letter CP- 2000 relaying the information and billing the taxpayer for additional taxes. Sometimes an agent shows up on your doorstep.

Amended returns are often times flagged for audit, especially if the information you are changing involves increasing deductions in red flag areas such as travel, meals and entertainment and automobile expense.

Don't be afraid to amend if you have cause. However, if you are amending your income tax return, be sure you can substantiate all deductions and income.

Bonnie Lee is an Enrolled Agent admitted to practice and representing taxpayers in all fifty states at all levels within the Internal Revenue Service. She is the owner of Taxpertise in Sonoma, CA and the author of Entrepreneur Press book, “Taxpertise, The Complete Book of Dirty Little Secrets and Hidden Deductions for Small Business that the IRS Doesn't Want You to Know.” Follow Bonnie Lee on Twitter at BLTaxpertise and at Facebook. 

Article from FOXNEWS

How to Change a Flat

Unfortunately, getting stranded with a flat tire is a common dilemma that drivers sometimes face, yet many drivers are completely unequipped to deal with the situation. Changing a flat tire is a simple, essential skill that can get you out of some sticky situations. Here are five steps to help you fix a flat tire.

Required tools
“One of the most difficult challenges when getting a flat tire is the panic and confusion that immediately strikes when the tire fails,” explained John Berkhoel, education manager at Universal Technical Institute in Sacramento, Calif. That's why it's so important to prepare in advance, he says, by knowing where your car's jack, tire iron and spare tire are located. In order to deal with a flat tire yourself, these basic tools are absolute necessities. If possible, you might also use a wheel lock, alignment studs and extension bars, though these are not mandatory.

Most car models store a spare tire in the trunk of the car, though you need to be sure that you replace it with a fresh one once it's been removed. Before you proceed with the tire change, John explains, “Read the owner's manual to determine the proper place to position the jack so that you will not damage the car in the process of lifting it.”

Find a safe spot
A blowout often occurs in the most inopportune places, but it's crucial to stay safe when changing a flat tire. Wherever you detect a flat, you'll need to pull over in a safe spot on the side of the road. Of course, it's never desirable to drive with a flat tire, but in some situations it may be necessary to continue until you've found an ideal place to stop. Once, you've found somewhere safe, remember to switch your car's hazard lights on to warn passing drivers.

Remove the old tire
To remove the problem tire, you'll need to use your car jack. The two most common forms of portable car jacks are scissor jacks and bottle jacks. Place your jack underneath the car's metal seam in the corner closest to the flat tire and use it to support, but not lift the car. Next, you'll need to pry the hub cap off and use a lug wrench to loosen the bolts affixing the tire to the vehicle. You can then use the jack to lift the car completely off the ground and completely remove the nuts and the wheel.

Replace with a new tire
Once the tire has been removed, you'll need to replace it with a spare one. To do this correctly, align the tire perfectly with the hub and replace the lug nuts. Using the wrench, tighten the nuts as much as possible and slowly lower the car back down. Keeping the car partially supported, use the wrench to tighten the nuts one last time before removing the jack completely. Remember to take the flat tire to a mechanic at the next available opportunity to get it repaired.

Article from FOXNEWS

Officials: Bales split killing spree into two episodes

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. investigators believe the U.S. soldier accused of killing 17 Afghan civilians split the slaughter into two episodes, returning to his base after the first attack and later slipping away to kill again, two American officials said Saturday.

This scenario seems to support the U.S. government's assertion - contested by some Afghans - that the killings were done by one person, since they would have been perpetrated over a longer period of time than assumed when Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was detained March 11 outside his base in southern Afghanistan.

But it also raises new questions about how Bales, who was formally charged Friday with 17 counts of premeditated murder and other crimes, could have carried out the nighttime attacks without drawing attention from any Americans on the Kandahar province base.

The two American officials who disclosed the investigators' finding spoke on condition of anonymity because the politically sensitive probe is ongoing.

Many details about the killings, including a possible motive, have not been made public. The documents released by the U.S. military Friday in connection with the murder charges do not include a timeline or a narrative of what is alleged to have happened.

Bales, 38, is accused of killing nine Afghan children and eight adults. The bodies were found in Balandi and Alkozai villages - one north and one south of the base, in Kandahar's Panjwai district.

Bales also was charged with six counts of attempted murder and six counts of assault in the same case.

U.S. investigators now believe that Bales walked off his base that night and killed several people in one of the villages, then went back to the base. The American officials, who are privy to some details of the investigation, said they do not know why Bales returned, how long he stayed or what he did while there.

He then slipped off the base a second time and killed civilians in the second village before again heading back toward the base. It was while he was returning the second time that a U.S. military search party spotted him. He is reported to have surrendered without a struggle.

Bales is being held in a military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

There have been previous suggestions that Bales could have returned to base after the first set of shootings, but the American officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday provided the first official disclosure that U.S. investigators have come to this conclusion.

Members of the Afghan delegation investigating the killings said one Afghan guard working from midnight to 2 a.m. on March 11 saw a U.S. soldier return to the base around 1:30 a.m. Another Afghan soldier who replaced the first and worked until 4 a.m. said he saw a U.S. soldier leave the base at 2:30 a.m. It's unknown whether the two Afghan guards saw the same U.S. soldier.

U.S. officials have said Bales left the base the first time armed with his 9mm pistol and M-4 rifle, which was outfitted with a grenade launcher.

Bales' civilian attorney, John Henry Browne, said Friday that he believes the government will have a hard time proving its case and that his client's mental state will become an important issue. Browne has said Bales suffered from the stress of serving four combat tours.

The decision to charge Bales with premeditated murder suggests that prosecutors believe they have sufficient evidence that he consciously conceived the killings.

The maximum punishment for a premeditated murder conviction is death. The mandatory minimum sentence is life imprisonment with the chance of parole.

Associated Press writer Deb Riechmann in Kabul contributed to this report.

Robert Burns can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/robertburnsAP

.

.@annanorthtweets says Madonna's Facebook gay rights poetry is, along w being infuriating to Russians, "oddly enjambed" http://t.co/EXKdpRdG

This will be my 2nd visit to the DMZ -- it is a spooky place.

Article from YAHOO NEWS

Officials Believe Suspect Split Afghan Killing Spree

WASHINGTON â€"  U.S. investigators believe the U.S. soldier accused of killing 17 Afghan civilians split the slaughter into two episodes, returning to his base after the first attack and later slipping away to kill again, two American officials said Saturday.

This scenario seems to support the U.S. government's assertion -- contested by some Afghans -- that the killings were done by one person, since they would have been perpetrated over a longer period of time than assumed when Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales was detained March 11 outside his base in southern Afghanistan.

But it also raises new questions about how Bales, who was formally charged Friday with 17 counts of premeditated murder and other crimes, could have carried out the nighttime attacks without drawing attention from any Americans on the Kandahar province base.

The two American officials who disclosed the investigators' finding spoke on condition of anonymity because the politically sensitive probe is ongoing.

Many details about the killings, including a possible motive, have not been made public. The documents released by the U.S. military Friday in connection with the murder charges do not include a timeline or a narrative of what is alleged to have happened.

Bales, 38, is accused of killing nine Afghan children and eight adults. The bodies were found in Balandi and Alkozai villages -- one north and one south of the base, in Kandahar's Panjwai district.

Bales also was charged with six counts of attempted murder and six counts of assault in the same case.

U.S. investigators now believe that Bales walked off his base that night and killed several people in one of the villages, then went back to the base. The American officials, who are privy to some details of the investigation, said they do not know why Bales returned, how long he stayed or what he did while there.

He then slipped off the base a second time and killed civilians in the second village before again heading back toward the base. It was while he was returning the second time that a U.S. military search party spotted him. He is reported to have surrendered without a struggle.

Bales is being held in a military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

There have been previous suggestions that Bales could have returned to base after the first set of shootings, but the American officials who spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday provided the first official disclosure that U.S. investigators have come to this conclusion.

Members of the Afghan delegation investigating the killings said one Afghan guard working from midnight to 2 a.m. on March 11 saw a U.S. soldier return to the base around 1:30 a.m. Another Afghan soldier who replaced the first and worked until 4 a.m. said he saw a U.S. soldier leave the base at 2:30 a.m. It's unknown whether the two Afghan guards saw the same U.S. soldier.

U.S. officials have said Bales left the base the first time armed with his 9mm pistol and M-4 rifle, which was outfitted with a grenade launcher.

Bales' civilian attorney, John Henry Browne, said Friday that he believes the government will have a hard time proving its case and that his client's mental state will become an important issue.

Browne has said Bales suffered from the stress of serving four combat tours.

The decision to charge Bales with premeditated murder suggests that prosecutors believe they have sufficient evidence that he consciously conceived the killings.

The maximum punishment for a premeditated murder conviction is death. The mandatory minimum sentence is life imprisonment with the chance of parole.

Article from FOXNEWS

What\'s more exciting: Louisiana politics or Kentucky hoops?

Rick Santorum is going to win the Louisiana primary today with 97 percent certainty. Then he is highly likely to lose the three following primaries on April 3 to front-runner Mitt Romney: Washington, D.C. (Romney at 96.3 percent), Maryland (Romney at 97.1 percent), and Wisconsin (Romney at 90.6 percent). More importantly, Romney is now 91.1 percent likely to capture the Republican nomination, according to prediction market data.

OK, I have provided the necessary political commentary for the day. Now let us return to the more exciting contests.

Kentucky continues to dominate the NCAA tournament, and now stands at 35.5 percent likely to win the tournament; Kentucky's rise from 26.7 percent to 35.5 percent is an interesting story. Its largest sustained jump in likelihood did not occur during any of its three tournament wins (which were highly anticipated), but during Michigan State's loss. That loss (which we gave a meaningful 33.5 percent likelihood) ensured that the winner of the South Region would face no higher than a fourth seed in the semifinal contest. Kentucky is strongly favored against No. 3 Baylor to make that trip to the Final Four.

Due to Michigan State's loss, today features the tightest game we have seen so far; we have No. 7 Florida and No. 4 Louisville in a virtual toss-up to win the West. We have viewed this as the weakest region, by far, from the beginning, but it is not lacking for excitement. The winner is likely to face Kentucky in the semifinals, so it is no surprise that these are the two least likely teams left to win the tournament.

The other game today is between the top two seeds in the East, No. 1 Syracuse and No. 2 Ohio State. We are sticking with our concern over Syracuse's narrow escapes and have Ohio State with 59.0 percent likelihood to take this game and move on to the Final Four. We had Ohio State as the third most likely team to win, from the beginning, behind only Kentucky, and North Carolina (which is still in, but facing play without Kendall Marshall, who broke his wrist).

Due to that injury, we predict Kansas over North Carolina in Midwest Region final. Kansas is now 14.3 percent likely to take the tournament compared to North Carolina at 6.3 percent likely. North Carolina is the only team whose likelihood of victory has actually decreased as they have progressed through the tournament.

Please follow along live with PredictWise's real-time likelihood of winning each game and real-time likelihood of winning the tourney.

David Rothschild is an economist at Yahoo! Research. He has a Ph.D. in applied economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Follow him on Twitter @DavMicRot and email him at thesignal@yahoo-inc.com.

Want more? Visit The Signal blog, connect with us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter. Handy with a camera? Join the Yahoo! News Election 2012 Flickr group to submit your photos of the campaign in action.

Article from YAHOO NEWS

School Reportedly Tells Student to Lose Walker

The mother of a child with cerebral palsy is preparing to file a lawsuit against a school district after she says a special education director told her that her five-year-old daughter can no longer use her walker at school.

Kristi Roberts, the girl's mother, reportedly recorded the conversation with the director Gary Lemley and uploaded it to YouTube. She said she did so as a last resort after two years of arguing with the district about her daughter's care.

"Basically she can't use the walker because we don't think it's safe," Lemley is reportedly heard saying on the audio recording.

Lakay Roberts, 5, has been using a walker at Kings Manor Elementary School in Houston for the past two years. She recently fell in the parking lot when the equipment collapsed.

"How many kids fall down at recess? Do you make them take their shoes off and buy new ones?" asked Roberts. "No ma'am. They're not using walkers," Lemley said, according to the report.

The school district, New Caney ISD, issued a statement to MyFoxHouston.com that said its main goal is to protect students. It cited student privacy laws and would not comment further on this particular issue.

"While a parent may choose to share information about his or her child, we cannot."

The statement goes on, "It is important to know that the video and audio recording at issue was not sanctioned or authorized by the District to be released for public dissemination. Furthermore, the District does not agree that the recording at issue here is a complete recounting of the entire underlying confidential discussion and is therefore neither representative nor accurate towards explaining the District's ongoing efforts to serve its students."

The recording, meanwhile, has been clicked on more than 10,000 times, and Roberts says support is pouring in online in the form of comments.

"The ones I read really touched me, that strangers care about this," she said.

Ana Calvo, president of the Ms. Wheelchair Texas Foundation, was born without arms and legs.

She said, "The law states she has the right to go to school in the least restrictive environment, and if it's a walker that's her accommodation to get from point A to point B then that is what she needs.”

Please click here for more from MyFoxHouston.com

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Photos: Pope\'s arrival in Mexico sparks surprising emotion

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8 Uses for Yogurt Tubs

How much do you spend on plastic food storage containers? And how much do you spend on yogurt? Here's an epic idea that the crunchy set has been doing forever: save your yogurt containers. You get a reusable container when you purchase yogurt.

The best ones are the quart-size containers that come with tight-fitting lids. Seven Stars Farm and Butterworks Farm make delicious and healthy organic yogurt, and they pack it into nice sturdy plastic containers. If you prefer single-serving cups, those are usually sold without lids but they still have a bevy of household uses. The best part about saving yogurt containers is that they are stackable; they nest. If you always buy the same kind of yogurt, all the better. You're less likely to get stuck with containers and lids that don't match, in that case.

An added environmental bonus: Local yogurt producers are popping up all across the country, so your yogurt has the potential to fit into a locavore food plan. If you're a New Yorker, Chobani and Fage Greek yogurts are both produced in upstate New York. If you live down South, Atlanta Fresh Artisan Creamery has a 40-mile footprint from the lovely Atlanta metro landscape. (Vegans: Wildwood and Whole Soy both make unsweetened plain soy yogurt now, so you can get in on the less-sugary soy yogurt action). If you want to get started, wash out your yogurt containers and use them like this:

1. Use yogurt containers as measuring cups: 8 oz = 1 cup of liquid. There are 4 cups of liquid in a quart. If you're in a jam and don't have a clean measuring cup to your name, your yogurt containers are there for you.

2. You can use small yogurt containers as Popsicle molds: You know those baby-size yogurt containers that appear to be destined for the recycling or garbage bin? Squeeze an extra use out of them by using them as DIY popsicle molds. Of course, 8 oz yogurt containers work fine, but the tiny yogurt containers make for daintier popsicles. By the way, have you considered freezing homemade pudding in popsicle molds? Um, I think you should do it now.

3. Use 1 quart yogurt containers as to-go containers at dinner parties and pot lucks: You know when you cook for a crowd and you'll never finish it all, but you just don't have containers to send the food home with guests? Right. If you had saved your yogurt containers, your guests would be walking down your custom stained concrete walkway with doggy bags.

4. Yogurt containers make super stackable toys for toddlers: Your average toddler can be amused by stacking up blocks or Lego and knocking them down, over and over and over. Can you imagine the fun your kid would have making towers out of yogurt containers (and knocking them down)? Bonus: Your kid gets to grow up and tell everyone stories about how environmentally-conscious her parents are. Or how cheap. But let's assume the positive, shall we?

5. Use a yogurt container as a circle template: Who actually owns a compass? There will come a day when you'll need to draw a perfect circle, and you'll be so glad that you thought of tracing around the mouth of an overturned yogurt container. Arguably, this could be accomplished with any solid round object, but we're talking about yogurt containers right now, so let's stick to the subject matter at hand.

6. Store markers and pens in it: They ("the man") manufacture pencil cups, but I've never been able to justify buying one when yogurt containers and tin cans are in such ready supply. If you must, must decorate your desktop with a matching ensemble, you can still use a yogurt container as a pencil cup. It just gives you an excuse to do a fun DIY project if friendly-cow graphics are not your idea of interior décor.

7. Yogurt containers make excellent scoops: Sometimes in life, things get nasty, like when you leave leftovers in the fridge for way too long and there is no way you'd stick a utensil (or your hands) in the pot to scoop them out into the compost. That's when you employ either a yogurt container or its lid. Yogurt containers are firm but flexible, making them excellent for scooping. You can just rinse it out and throw it in the recycling bin. Once, when I was living in a rather wild neighborhood, someone actually pooped in my walkway. A human. I removed the poop with a piece of cardboard, but had a yogurt container lid been available at that moment, I could have used it. Consider yourself armed for run-ins with stuff you'd rather not touch.

8. Use as freezer containers: Oh, snap! You just made a truckload of vegetable stock and you have nothing to store it in. But wait...you have a whole stack of yogurt containers in the pantry, and the 8 oz ones fit perfectly in the bottom shelf of your freezer. The biggest advantage of freezing stocks in small yogurt containers is that they're pre-measured and you can take them out of the freezer one cup at a time.

Now tell me, how do you reuse yogurt containers?

Chaya Kurtz writes for Networx. Get home & garden ideas like this on Networx.com.

 

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Article from FOXNEWS

Kazakhstan angry spoof anthem played at event

MOSCOW -- Kazakhstan has called the playing of a spoof of its national anthem at an international sporting event "a scandal" and demanded an investigation of the incident.

Maria Dmitrienko won a gold medal for Kazakhstan on Thursday at the Arab Shooting Championships in Kuwait, but during the award ceremony the public address system broadcast the spoof anthem from the 2006 movie "Borat," which offended many Kazakhs by portraying the country as backward and degenerate.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ilyas Omarov told the ITAR-Tass news agency the incident "is, of course, a scandal and demands a thorough investigation, which we intend to conduct."

ITAR-Tass quoted shooting team member Oksana Stavitskaya as saying that Asian Shooting Federation President Sheikh Salman al-Sabah had apologized to the team.

"Sheikh Salman personally apologized to us. He recognized that the use of the music from the scandalous film in place of the anthem of Kazakhstan was completely a mistake of the organizers.

He explained that the awards ceremony was conducted by a firm under contract," Stavitskaya said.

The Kazakh news agency Tengri quoted team coach Anvar Yunusmetov as saying tournament organizers had downloaded various countries' national anthems from the Internet.

Later on Saturday, the event's organizers in Kuwait also apologized to the Kazakh delegation regarding the "unintentional" mistake of playing the "wrong national anthem" during the awards ceremony, according to the statement published on the state-owned Kuwait News Agency.

The Organizing Committee, in a statement, said the mistake was corrected and the national anthem of Kazakhstan was replayed afterward. The committee expressed "deep sorrow" for the mistake and reaffirmed that ties between the sporting communities of the two countries remained strong.

Article from FOXNEWS

Michigan\'s steadier job growth reason for optimism

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan has regained more than 151,000 jobs since the number of working residents fell to a recessionary low in mid-2009, a steady climb that began under Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and has continued under Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

Still, even as the state has seen its unemployment rate drop from a peak of 14.2 percent in August 2009 to 9 percent in January, economists say Michigan still has a long way to go to recover the 857,000 jobs lost between the April 2000 employment peak - when the jobless rate was just 3.4 percent - and the trough the state hit two years ago. As of January, over 700,000 remained unrecovered.

Yet the sense is growing that Michigan - finally - may be over the decade-long slump that Snyder says left residents divided and far too discouraged about the state's advantages and ability to recover. Michigan residents are giving both the Republican governor and Democratic President Barack Obama higher job approval ratings as the economic climate improves. But a sense of caution remains.

"We have been busy reinventing Michigan, breaking some bad habits of the past and embracing new opportunities for our future," Snyder told German company officials during a weeklong trade trip that resulted in a German orchid grower announcing it would open a 30,000-square-foot facility in Kalamazoo. "To those of you looking to expand your global presence or enter the North American market, Michigan is the place to be."

Rick Waclawek, director of the state's Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, has followed the long slump and slow recovery.

"We've been able to increase our employment after nine or 10 years where we were losing employment in Michigan," he said. "As far as job growth, we are one of the leaders in the nation, on a percentage basis."

He still sees areas of concern. Although the February unemployment rate, due out Wednesday, could continue the steady improvement the state has seen over the past four months, the percentage of discouraged workers or those working only part-time when they want to work full-time averaged 18.3 percent in Michigan in 2011, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"There's still that nagging unemployment level, particularly the long-term unemployed," Waclawek said. "That's probably the thing we need to be focused on, to make sure that we develop some (training) opportunities, jobs for the long-term unemployed."

To help students and workers find out information about careers, educational and training opportunities and job openings, Snyder launched the Pure Michigan Talent Connect website in early December. The site is intended to give employers and jobseekers a place to find each other and allow workers to assess their skills and connect with mentors and internships.

The governor wants lawmakers to approve self-employment assistance that would give benefits to unemployed workers who are setting up their own businesses rather than requiring them to pursue job opportunities in order to qualify.

Snyder also has proposed spending $15 million starting Oct. 1 to provide job training for 15- to 29-year-olds and ex-offenders in cities with the most crime to get the chronically unemployed back to work.

"Obviously, you can't fill every job, because there will always be openings," Snyder said when he unveiled his plan for "growing talent" late last year. "But if you start saying, 'Can we cut that number in half?' that would drop the unemployment rate by a whole percentage point. And that's a lot of jobs and major improvement."

The biggest driver of Michigan's resurgence has been the auto industry. Ever since General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group emerged from managed bankruptcies in 2009, they've been on an upward swing, allowing the state in 2010 to add more manufacturing jobs than it lost for the first time since 1999. GM even won back the title of the world's No. 1 automaker from competitor Toyota Motor Co., after Toyota had to slow production last year after an earthquake and tsunami struck northern Japan.

The improvement has spread into other sectors, giving Michigan its lowest unemployment rate in more than three years.

"When manufacturing goes up ... it puts more money back into the economy," Waclawek said.

Not every sector has grown. Local governments and school districts have shed thousands of jobs as tight tax revenues have led to layoffs. Michigan has been among states with the largest government job losses since June 2009.

And its jobless rate has dropped in part because jobless workers have become discouraged and either moved away, headed back to school or otherwise quit looking for work. Waclawek says it's almost impossible to track where those former workers have gone.

Still, the trend is hopeful. Michigan's January jobless rate was lower than 10 other states and the District of Columbia, coming in nearly 4 percentage points below nation-leading Nevada's rate of 12.7 percent and well below rates in California and North Carolina. It's slowly growing closer to the national rate of 8.3 percent, and has seen a decline of 5 percentage points since the end of the national recession in mid-2009.

University of Michigan economist George Fulton forecasts Michigan will add about 26,000 net jobs this year and 28,500 in 2013 before seeing greater growth of 46,800 jobs in 2014. That's slower than the net 63,500 jobs the state added in 2011, but Fulton said it's still reason for optimism.

"Now that the darkest days are in the books, much of today's news is positive," Fulton told state officials in January.

___

Follow Kathy Barks Hoffman on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kathybhoffman

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