iVoice Sharon Rowley, in true Tim Russert style, breaks out the white board and breaks down the issues that matter to her. Sharon explains why she'd like to see money spent on education.
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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/21134540/vp/46195260#46195260
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HAVANA (AP) ? Cuba convicted six people of cutting down African mahogany trees in the National Botanical Gardens and sentenced them to eight and 10 years in prison, the Communist Party newspaper Granma said Friday.
The men felled nine trees on two occasions in December and harvested a total of $122 worth of wood, according to the court sentencing printed alongside the article. Mahogany sells for considerably more than that elsewhere, listing for $10 to $15 per board-foot on some U.S. websites.
Angela Leiva, director of the reserve, told Granma that the 30- to 40-year-old trees were important to the ecology of the gardens and their loss cannot be repaired in the short or medium term.
Inaugurated by Fidel Castro in 1989 and located just south of the capital, the 1,500-acre (600-hectare) Botanical Gardens fell on hard times after Cuba's 1990s economic crisis precipitated by the collapse of the Soviet Union, the island's largest trade partner and benefactor.
The reserve's facilities fell into disrepair, vigilance became lax and the entire 7-mile (11.5-kilometer) perimeter fence was scavenged amid "social indiscipline," Granma said.
The government has been waging a campaign against lawbreaking and "social indiscipline," with official newspapers such as Granma carrying reminders of stiff penalties for everything from the unauthorized slaughter of cattle to illegally building home expansions onto sidewalks.
Authorities began to notice trees sporadically disappearing from the reserve in 2008, according to Granma's full-page article. The thefts increased over the next two years and reserve officials complained to authorities.
"Regrettably, misunderstanding prevailed in the face of these claims and no preventative measure or action was taken to avoid a repeat of such events," the story said.
The tough sentences announced Friday send a stern warning that illegal cutting in the reserve will no longer go unpunished.
The court said it took into account aggravating factors, such as conspiracy by three or more people and the commission of a crime at night or in an unpopulated area, in condemning two men to a decade behind bars and the rest to eight years.
It said the six acted with others who have not been identified to transport, process and sell the lumber.
Granma said a new fence made of wood and bars is being constructed around the Botanical Gardens, and authorities are adding vehicles and communications equipment to bolster the night guard. A plan to erect five observation towers has also been approved.
Cuba has scarce supplies of wood for uses from carpentry to home construction, and illegal scavenging for materials to sell on the black market is common.
The economy has recovered somewhat since the 1990s but is still struggling. Authorities regularly blame shortages on the United States' nearly 50-year-old trade and travel embargo against the island.
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Peter Orsi on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Peter(underscore)Orsi
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The owner of a popular East Palo Alto sports bar was shot to death late Wednesday.
John Farmer, 56, was shot once in the chest and died at the scene, said police Lt. Tom Alipio. Farmer owned the Doctor's Sports Bar & Grill, 2240 University Ave.
Authorities have not made any arrests, Alipio said. Detectives spent much of Thursday at the restaurant, which was shut down temporarily, investigating the crime scene. The shooting was the fifth homicide of the year in East Palo Alto. Last year, 14 people were killed in the city.
Authorities are also trying to figure out what happened in a different shooting late Wednesday. Just after 11, two 17-year-old East Palo Alto residents were found hurt in a car at Newbridge Street and Willow Road in nearby Menlo Park.
They told officers they were stopped at a red light when someone in another vehicle opened fire on them, then sped away, Alipio said.
The victims told officers they were on their way to Stanford University Hospital to get treatment but had a flat tire. They could not describe the vehicle, authorities said.
It is unclear whether the two shootings are related, Alipio said.
Anyone with information on either incident may call the police department at (650) 853-3131.
Source: http://www.siliconvalley.com/ci_4886612?source=rss_viewed
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Last month Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel introduced anti-protester legislation for the upcoming NATO and G-8 summits in Chicago.
photo: Justin Bianchi
Chicago's WBEZ reported:
"During the summits, which could draw thousands of protesters, Emanuel wants to increase the minimum fine from $25 to $200 and double the maximum fine to $1,000. His proposed ordinance would also close parks, playgrounds and beaches overnight for longer periods of time."
This past Tuesday, Emanuel clarified that these measures would in fact be permanent, and not just during the time of the summits. From WBEZ:
In fact, Emanuel said his proposal to dramatically increase fines for protesters who resist arrest - even passively - should be permanent. Some of the other sweeping powers the mayor is seeking - one would allow his office to unilaterally approve some city contracts - would expire once the May summits are over, he said.
This morning, Occupy Chicago reacted harshly to Emanuel's plan, which they call the 'Sit Down and Shut Up' ordinance. From the Occupy Chicago website:
This ordinance consists of a host of bureaucratic tools created by and for the 1% to relegate, abridge, fine, arrest, and silence our speech. It is an attempt to bully and intimidate with increased police power and fines the brave working people who demand the ability to participate democratically in the organizing of our society. It is an attempt, by the 1%, to restrict and regulate the voice of the people when it upsets the structure that put them in power. The timing of the ordinance demonstrates that it has nothing to do with public safety but that its sole purpose is to stifle the voice and trample upon the constitutional liberties of all the people of Chicago. It is the blatant criminalizing of any public assembly that does not serve the interest of the 1%. It is the handcuffing of democracy. Occupy Chicago condemns this ordinance and demands that they be revoked. Those who are on the side of the democracy of the 99% will stand with us.
This morning, Occupy the South Side and Occupy Rogers Park delivered a warning to all of the city's aldermen, indicating that if they supported the mayor's resolution, they should expext strong resistance.
From their letter to the aldermen:
As you are no doubt aware, Mayor Emanuel sponsored this ordinance and has promoted it in the media as a "temporary" measure aimed at controlling protesters during specified events taking place later this year. As you've surely read, the Mayor has since been forced to retract his claim that these changes were ever meant to be temporary. Another blatant inconsistency is that the ordinance applies to the entire city, while the NATO and G8 summits occur only downtown. Other inconsistencies in the presentation of this ordinance are similarly problematic.
Given what the ordinance actually says, it cannot be construed as an effort to protect the integrity of G8 and NATO conferences. This measure is a permanent attack on public protest in the City of Chicago. The consequences of this attack will be far reaching, and will be felt by protesters throughout the city, most of whom will never have any connection to the protests associated with these events.
As you are also aware, we celebrate the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 16, 2012. Dr. King's legacy is not one of obedience to municipal authorities, but rather the inspiring story of a man who led a community that was willing to face down oppressive lawmakers by violating exactly the type of ordinance the Mayor is asking you to support.
It is difficult to overstate the contrast between celebrating the life and work of Dr. King on Monday, and codifying the suppression of dissent on Wednesday.
Occupy Chicago intends to keep the campaign up until January 18th, when the vote on the ordinances is scheduled.
Source: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/01/09-3
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A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Thursday:
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MADRID ? Spain and Italy gave financial markets a boost as they successfully raised nearly $27.98 billion in two keenly watched debt auctions that showed renewed investor confidence in their attempts to get a grip on their debt problems.
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FRANKFURT, Germany ? The European Central Bank left its key interest rate unchanged at 1.0 percent as bank President Mario Draghi spotted signs that the troubled eurozone economy is steadying.
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LONDON ? Concerns that the U.S. economy's recovery has stumbled drove global markets down, dashing an earlier rally on the back of strong bond auctions in Italy and Spain that dramatically lowered their borrowing costs.
In France, the CAC-40 fell 0.2 percent, while the FTSE index of leading British shares slipped 0.2 percent. Germany's DAX edged up 0.4 percent.
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TOKYO ? Japan's Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.7 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng drifted 0.3 percent lower. Australia's S&P ASX 200 fell 0.2 percent.
Mainland Chinese shares also fell, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index down marginally and the smaller Shenzhen Composite Index shedding 0.4 percent.
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BEIJING ? China's chronically high inflation edged down in December but stayed relatively strong as Beijing tried to stimulate its slowing economy.
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ATHENS, Greece ? The Greek government held crucial talks with representatives of private bondholders to hammer out a deal on a bond swap that would reduce the country's debt load and secure an integral part of its second bailout package.
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BUDAPEST, Hungary ? Hungary's prime minister said his government was ready to negotiate objections to its new constitution with the European Union, but was waiting for "not political opinion, but arguments."
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SHANGHAI ? Vehicle sales in China rose a scant 2.5 percent in 2011 as higher prices and traffic controls kept buyers out of showrooms, but the market remained the world's biggest.
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MUMBAI, India ? India's industrial production rebounded in November, government data showed, providing some relief to Asia's third-largest economy, which has been struggling with slowing growth and high inflation.
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