Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Erin Brady, Miss Connecticut, Wins Miss USA Contest In Vegas

LAS VEGAS ? A 25-year-old contestant from Connecticut won the title of Miss USA in Las Vegas on Sunday night.

Erin Brady of South Glastonbury, Conn., won the beauty pageant at the Planet Hollywood hotel-casino after strutting in a white sparkly gown and answering a question about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision upholding widespread DNA tests. Asked if she agreed with the decision, Brady said she did.

Brady gets the crown and a New York apartment for one year. She is expected to spend her title reign on a nationwide speaking tour and raising breast and ovarian cancer awareness, the organization's official cause.

During the swimsuit competition, the ladies threw off sheer wraps to reveal skimpy blue, gold and orange bikinis. They strutted in stilettos to the Jonas Brothers' live performance of "Pom Poms."

The women also strutted to Calvin Harris' electronica-infused "Sweet Nothing" in an array of spangled, flowing evening gowns. Trains, gauze and long wavy hair were the preferred looks.

Unlike the rival Miss America pageant, Miss USA doesn't ask its queens to perform a talent or choose a charity mission.

The judge's panel included over-the-top fashion designer Betsey Johnson, "Biggest Loser" star Bob Harper and "Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me" personality Mo Rocca.

Rocca praised the pageant as a prime example of Americana backstage. He said he was looking to appoint a new Miss USA who reminded him of Abraham Lincoln "without the beard."

The pageant aired live on NBC, hosted by Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers pop act and Giuliana Rancic, co-anchor of "E! News." The Jonas Brothers and DJ Pauly D were expected to perform.

The winner will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in the winter.

Last year's Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, won that international crown, becoming the first Miss USA to ascend to Miss Universe in 16 years. Meriwether, who had been first runner-up, took over for her for the remainder of the year.

The Miss USA hopefuls stayed at the Planet Hollywood casino for the past week, but the flashing slot machines and ubiquitous oversized novelty drinks have been little more than a background to a stuffed schedule of product tie-in media events, including hairdo contests and paddleboat competitions.

The animal rights organization People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals is using the pageant to stage a protest of fur and the tradition of awarding furs to winners of some state pageants.

PETA has made a provocative ad featuring four nude former Miss USA winners. The tagline is: "Feel Beautiful in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs."

___

Yvette Cruz contributed to this report.

Hannah Dreier can be reached at http://twitter.com/hannahdreier

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/16/miss-usa-2013-erin-brady-_n_3451816.html

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Rangers too strong, edge visting Athletics

By STEPHEN HAWKINS

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 12:03 a.m. ET June 18, 2013

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Oakland Athletics rookie Dan Straily outpitched an ace in his last visit to Rangers Ballpark.

This time, the skidding Rangers were ready to hit - and score.

Nelson Cruz homered twice, A.J. Pierzynski drove in three runs and the Rangers snapped a six-game losing streak with an 8-7 win Monday night over the AL West-leading A's.

Straily hadn't allowed a homer in his last six starts and 38 innings until Pierzynski went deep in the second inning. The first of Cruz's two homers came off him as well.

"He was wild within the strike zone," Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. "It was pitches in the middle of the plate that they took advantage of."

Straily had a 2.21 ERA in his previous five starts, a stretch that began at Texas on May 21 when the right-hander worked seven scoreless innings and allowed two singles while facing only 22 batters - one more than the minimum for that span - in a 1-0 win over Yu Darvish.

This time, the A's right-hander allowed six runs and eight hits over 4 2-3 innings before Cruz greeted reliever Jesse Chavez (1-1) with his second homer.

"I was up in the strike zone. They were aggressive and I just got beat, plain and simple," Straily said. "Swing early and often. I feel like everyone up there was trying to swing out of their shoes on every single pitch. They got me, that's all there is to it."

Cruz's go-ahead homer was a two-run shot onto the hill in straightaway center field on an 0-2 pitch from Chavez, right after Pierzynski had an RBI double to chase Straily.

Cruz thrust his right arm into the air and shouted out in relief while running the bases after his second homer in two innings. That put Texas up 7-6, and he added an RBI double in the seventh.

The Rangers had a loud and clear response to the message manager Ron Washington delivered the previous day.

"They just showed what they have the capability of doing - what they did tonight," Washington said, referring to his rare postgame meeting after the team was swept in four games by Toronto. "That was the only thing that I stressed to them."

The Rangers' eight runs were their most in 16 games this month, and matched their total during the six straight losses - all at home.

Oakland, which entered the four-game series opener with a three-game division lead over Texas, wiped out an early 3-0 deficit with a six-run fourth ignited by a bizarre play before Neal Cotts (3-1) worked 2 1-3 perfect innings in relief of rookie Nick Tepesch.

Robbie Ross and Tanner Scheppers each worked 1-2-3 innings, then Joe Nathan gave up a run in the ninth before securing his 21st save in 22 chances.

In the Oakland fourth, Yoenis Cespedes hit a grounder that ricocheted off third baseman Adrian Beltre toward shortstop. Elvis Andrus was about to throw to first when he saw John Jaso running in front of him toward third.

Andrus threw to Beltre, who made a swiping attempt at a tag. Jaso, sliding headfirst in front of him, lifted his arm into the air trying to avoid the tag and then dived into the base with his left hand. He was called safe by third base umpire Jordan Baker even though it appeared his hand came off the bag while being tagged. Beltre was irate and Washington also came out to argue the call.

"It's a little odd that the umpire can miss the call twice. ... He's right on top of the play and he still missed it," Beltre said. "I got him twice. I know that, because I did it myself, and I went to see the replay to confirm. The replay showed I tagged him twice. I don't know what he saw."

Tepesch then allowed three hits and a walk to the next four hitters, including a two-run single by Seth Smith, who scored on Jed Lowrie's double. Eric Sogard had a sacrifice fly and Coco Crisp's RBI single made it 6-3 and chased Tepesch.

"He made some good pitches in the bottom of the strike zone, and they went down there and they got them and they found holes," Washington said.

After being held to two runs or less in a team record-matching six games in a row, the Rangers took care of that in the first three innings. Pierzynski pulled a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole in the second, an inning before an RBI double by Ian Kinsler. That was Kinsler's first hit in 10 at-bats since coming off the disabled list Saturday after missing 25 games with a ribcage injury.

NOTES: Cespedes started his fourth consecutive game as Oakland's DH after missing two games because of left hamstring tightness. Melvin wants to see him in the field during batting practice before putting him back in the outfield. ... Rangers starting pitchers have gone 16 games in a row without a victory this month, matching a team record set in 1975. ... It was Cruz's 10th career multihomer game.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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??HBT Daily: If you watched the U.S. Open, you saw Shawn Stefani sporting an MLB logo on his bag. Craig Calcaterra expects to see MLB promotion popping up in more sports.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/52236874/ns/sports-baseball/

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Komen breast cancer charity names new CEO

DALLAS (AP) ? Susan G. Komen for the Cure announced Monday that a physician with a long career in health policy and research will become the breast cancer charity's new president and CEO.

Judith A. Salerno will replace Nancy Brinker as CEO of the Dallas-based organization. Brinker, whose promise to her dying sister begat a fundraising powerhouse that has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in cancer research, announced last summer she would step down following an onslaught of criticism over Komen's decision ? quickly reversed ? to stop giving grants to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings.

Salerno, 61, is executive director and chief operating officer of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, a prestigious independent group that advises the government and private sector about health and science.

"Komen's commitment has helped countless numbers of low-income and medically underserved women and men get care they might otherwise have gone without, and Komen's research program is one of the most highly respected in the nation," Salerno said in a statement.

The appointment of Salerno, with her deep medical background, comes after the embattled Komen foundation saw several executives leave and numbers fall at their fundraising Races for the Cure across the country in the months after the Planned Parenthood controversy. Earlier this month, Komen announced it was canceling half of its three-day charity walks due to a drop in participation levels.

When asked about Salerno's views on Planned Parenthood or the funding controversy, Komen spokeswoman Andrea Rader said the charity was focusing on moving forward.

"That's an issue that was settled a long time ago," Rader said, also describing Salerno as a good fit due to her experience in a range of areas, from public policy to community health.

Leaders of Komen affiliates met Monday's announcement with enthusiasm.

"It looks to me like they did a very, very thorough job and found an ideal candidate," said Dana Curish, executive director for the group's central Indiana affiliate in Indianapolis. "From her background and experience, she sounds like she'll be the perfect person to lead us going forward."

Curish said that a CEO can accomplish a lot just by telling Komen's story.

"What we're doing is unrelated to the Planned Parenthood controversies but those controversies are impacting the dollars that we have available to fund research and to fund services for low-income individuals," Curish said. "We just need to continue to tell that story as best we can.

"If the dollars dry up, so will the breakthroughs," she said.

Brinker founded the charity in honor of her sister, who died of breast cancer in 1980. Its signature color of pink has become synonymous with breast cancer awareness. The 67-year-old announced in August that she would move from the CEO role, which she'd held since 2009, into a new one focused on fundraising and strategic planning.

News broke in late January 2012 about the charity's decision to halt grants to Planned Parenthood, causing a torrent of questions and calls for its reversal. The decision was reversed within days, but ended up angering Komen supporters on both sides of the abortion debate.

Karen Handel, who was hired by Komen as vice president for public policy in April 2011, had been given the task of figuring out how to disengage the charity from Planned Parenthood. She resigned about a week after the decision became public and later wrote a blistering account of the episode in a book titled "Planned Bullyhood."

Komen also recently canceled its 3-day races ? in which participants raise at least $2,300 to walk 60 miles over three days ? in seven of its 14 cities for next year.

Planned Parenthood spokesman Eric Ferrero said in a statement Monday it wished Salerno well in her new role, adding, "we're proud of our continued partnerships with Komen and others to ensure that all women, regardless of income, have access to information and high-quality health care to prevent, detect and treat breast cancer."

Salerno is board-certified in internal medicine, earned her M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1985 and a master of science in health policy from Harvard School of Public Health in 1976.

___

Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/komen-breast-cancer-charity-names-ceo-153216132.html

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Monday, June 17, 2013

Shock lingers after Nazi unit leader found in US

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) ? The revelation that a former commander of a Nazi SS-led military unit has lived quietly in Minneapolis for the past six decades came as a shock to those who know 94-year-old Michael Karkoc. World War II survivors in both the U.S. and Europe harshly condemned the news and prosecutors in Poland have said they'll investigate.

An Associated Press investigation found that Karkoc served as a top commander in the Ukrainian Self-Defense Legion during World War II. The unit is accused of wartime atrocities, including the burning of villages filled with women and children.

"I know him personally. We talk, laugh. He takes care of his yard and walks with his wife," his next-door neighbor, Gordon Gnasdoskey, said Friday.

"For me, this is a shock. To come to this country and take advantage of its freedoms all of these years, it blows my mind," said Gnasdoskey, the grandson of a Ukrainian immigrant himself.

Karkoc told American authorities in 1949 that he had performed no military service during World War II, concealing his work as an officer and founding member of the legion and later as an officer in the SS Galician Division, according to records obtained by the AP through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Though records do not show that Karkoc had a direct hand in war crimes, statements from men in his unit and other documentation confirm the Ukrainian company he commanded massacred civilians, and suggest that Karkoc was at the scene of these atrocities as the company leader. Nazi SS files say he and his unit were also involved in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, in which the Nazis brutally suppressed a Polish rebellion against German occupation.

No one answered the door Friday morning at Karkoc's house on a residential street in northeast Minneapolis. Karkoc had earlier declined to comment on his wartime service when approached by the AP, and repeated efforts to arrange an interview through his son were unsuccessful.

Late Friday, Karkoc's son, Andriy Karkos, read a statement accusing AP of defaming his father. Karkoc became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1959.

"My father was never a Nazi," said Karkos, who uses a different spelling for his last name. He also said the family wouldn't comment further until it has obtained its own documents and reviewed witnesses and sources.

Family attorney Philip Villaume said Saturday that the family may comment further within a few days. "Their intention is to investigate the matter and research it, and then they'll make a further public statement," he said.

Polish prosecutors announced Friday they will investigate Karkoc and provide "every possible assistance" to the U.S. Department of Justice, which has used lies in immigration papers to deport dozens of suspected Nazi war criminals.

The AP evidence of Karkoc's wartime activities has also prompted German authorities to express interest in exploring whether there is enough to prosecute. In Germany, Nazis with "command responsibility" can be charged with war crimes even if their direct involvement in atrocities cannot be proven.

Efraim Zuroff, the lead Nazi hunter at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Jerusalem, said that based on his decades of experience pursuing Nazi war criminals, he expects that the evidence of Karkoc's lies as well as the unit's role in atrocities is strong enough for deportation and war crimes prosecution in Germany or Poland.

Former German army officer Josef Scheungraber ? a lieutenant like Karkoc ? was convicted in Germany in 2009 on charges of murder based on circumstantial evidence that put him at the scene of a Nazi wartime massacre in Italy as the ranking officer.

Members of Karkoc's unit and other witnesses have told stories of brutal attacks on civilians.

One of Karkoc's men, Vasyl Malazhenski, told Soviet investigators that in 1944 the unit was directed to "liquidate all the residents" of the village of Chlaniow in a reprisal attack for the killing of a German SS officer, though he did not say who gave the order.

"It was all like a trance: setting the fires, the shooting, the destroying," Malazhenski recalled, according to the 1967 statement found by the AP in the archives of Warsaw's state-run Institute of National Remembrance, which investigates and prosecutes German and Soviet crimes on Poles during and after World War II.

In a background check by U.S. officials on April 14, 1949, Karkoc said he had never performed any military service, telling investigators that he "worked for father until 1944. Worked in labor camp from 1944 until 1945."

However, in a Ukrainian-language memoir published in 1995, Karkoc states that he helped found the Ukrainian Self Defense Legion in 1943 in collaboration with the Nazis' feared SS intelligence agency, the SD, to fight on the side of Germany ? and served as a company commander in the unit, which received orders directly from the SS, through the end of the war.

It was not clear why Karkoc felt safe publishing his memoir, which is available at the U.S. Library of Congress and the British Library and which the AP located online in an electronic Ukrainian library.

Karkoc currently lives in a modest house in an area of Minneapolis that has a significant Ukrainian population. He recently came to the door without help of a cane or a walker. He would not comment on his wartime service: "I don't think I can explain," he said.

Karkoc and his family are longtime members of the St. Michael's and St. George's Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"All the time I am here, I know him as a good man, a good citizen," said the Rev. Evhen Kumka, the church's pastor. "He's well known in the congregation."

Kumka moved from Ukraine to Minnesota 19 years ago to lead the congregation, and said Karkoc was already active in the church. Kumka wouldn't say whether he'd spoken to Karkoc about his past, but said he was skeptical.

"I don't think everything is correct," Kumka said. "As I know him, he is a good example for many people."

Karkoc worked as a carpenter in Minneapolis, and appeared in a 1980 issue of Carpenter magazine among a group celebrating 25 years of union membership. He was a member and a secretary in the local branch of the Ukrainian National Association, a fraternal organization, and voting records obtained by the AP show he regularly voted in city, state and general elections.

Karkoc's name surfaced when a retired clinical pharmacologist who researched Nazi war crimes in his free time came across it while looking into members of the SS Galician Division who immigrated to Britain. He tipped off the AP when an Internet search showed an address for Karkoc in Minnesota.

The AP located Karkoc's U.S. Army intelligence file, and got it declassified by the National Archives in Maryland through a FOIA request. The Army was responsible for processing visa applications after the war under the Displaced Persons Act.

The intelligence file said standard background checks found no red flags that would disqualify Karkoc from entering the United States. But it also noted that it lacked key information from the Soviet side regarding the verification of his identity.

Wartime documents located by the AP also confirm Karkoc's membership in the Self Defense Legion. They include a Nazi payroll sheet found in Polish archives, signed by an SS officer on Jan. 8, 1945 ? only four months before the war's end ? confirming that Karkoc was present in Krakow, Poland, to collect his salary as a member of the Self Defense Legion.

He joined the regular German army after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 and fought on the Eastern Front in Ukraine and Russia, according to his memoirs, which say he was awarded an Iron Cross for bravery.

He was also a member of the Ukrainian nationalist organization OUN; in 1943, he helped negotiate with the Nazis to have men drawn from its membership form the Self Defense Legion, according to his account. In 1945, the legion was dissolved and folded into the SS Galician Division.

Policy at the time of Karkoc's immigration application ? according to a declassified secret U.S. government document obtained by the AP from the National Archives ? was to deny a visa to anyone who had served in either the SS Galician Division or the OUN.

Justice Department spokesman Michael Passman in Washington said the agency was aware of the AP story and could not confirm or deny an investigation.

News of Karkoc's past prompted anger from World War II survivors in countries where the Ukrainian Self-Defense Legion was active. In Poland, Honorata Banach told the AP she wants Karkoc to apologize. She was 20 when she fled the Polish village of Chlaniow before it was burned down by the legion.

"There was so much suffering, so many orphans, so much pain," Banach said. She and her mother returned the day after the attack, she said, to see that "everything was burned down, even the fences, the trees. I could not even find my house."

Survivors told her the Ukrainian legion did it, she said.

Sam Rafowitz, an 88-year-old Jewish resident of the Minneapolis suburb of Minnetonka, grew up in Warsaw, Poland, and spent four years working in concentration camps. He took a hard line after hearing the news about Karkoc.

"I think they should put him on trial," said Rafowitz, who lost his mother and other relatives at the Majdanek concentration camp in Lublin, Poland. He said soldiers in the camp were German but that it was run by Ukrainians.

"You don't forget," Rafowitz said. "For me, it's been almost close to 70 years those things happened, but I still know about it. I still remember everything."

Menachem Rosensaft, who was born in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, now teaches the law of genocide and war crimes at several New York universities. He said Karkoc is a reminder that the Holocaust and other genocides "cannot be viewed as abstract history."

"I have every confidence that if Mr. Karkoc was not already on the Justice Department's radar screen, he now is," Rosensaft said.

___

Rising reported from Berlin, Herschaft from New York, Scislowska from Warsaw and Condon from Minneapolis. Associated Press writers Maria Danilova in Kiev, Ukraine; Efrem Lukatsky in Pidhaitsi, Ukraine; Svetlana Fedas in Lviv, Ukraine; Amy Forliti, Doug Glass and Brian Bakst in Minneapolis; and Pete Yost in Washington contributed to this report.

___

David Rising can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/davidrising ; Randy Herschaft at http://www.twitter.com/HerschaftAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/shock-lingers-nazi-unit-leader-found-us-135442792.html

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George W. Bush's Jet Makes Emergency Landing In Kentucky

  • Former president George W. Bush, wipes a tear after his speech during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. Left is President George H.W. Bush. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former President George W. Bush, accompanied by his wife former first lady Laura Bush, flashes the "W" sign after his speech during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • From left, former President Bill Clinton, his wife, former first lady and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, former President Jimmy Carter, and his wife, former first lady Rosalynn Carter listen during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • Former president George W. Bush speaks during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former president George W. Bush speaks during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former president George W. Bush waves with his wife Laura speech during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former President George W. Bush, center, shares a laugh with his wife, former first lady Laura Bush and father, former President George H.W. Bush during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former President George H.W. Bush wears pink socks as he is seated in a wheelchair with, from left, first lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama, former first lady Barbara Bush, and former President George W. Bush, at the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas on Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama watch as former first lady Barbara Bush gives the thumbs up to guests during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • President Barack Obama laughs as he sits between his wife, first lady Michelle Obama and former first lady Barbara Bush after his speech during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • President Barack Obama laughs with former first lady Barbara Bush during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former President George W. Bush, right, talks with his father, former President George H.W. Bush during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former President George W. Bush waves after speaking at the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Thursday, April 25, 2013. From left are, first lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama, and his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • Former president George W. Bush, left, shakes hands with former president William J. Clinton during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Former president George W. Bush, left, shakes hands with former president William J. Clinton during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • President Barack Obama speaks during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Thursday, April 25, 2013. Seated, from left are, former first lady Barbara Bush, former President George H.W. Bush, former President George W. Bush, and his wife, former first lady Laura Bush. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • From left, President Barack Obama, former president George W. Bush, former president William J. Clinton former President George H.W. Bush and former president Jimmy Carter arrive for the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • From left, President Barack Obama, former first lady Barbara Bush, President George H.W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, former president William J. Clinton, former first lady Hillary Clinton and former president Jimmy Carter applaud former president George W. Bush during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • President Barack Obama embraces former President George W. Bush after he spoke at the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • From left, First Lady Michelle Obama, former first lady Laura Bush, former first lady Hillary Clinton, former first lady Barbara Bush, former first lady Rosalynn Carter arrive for the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • From left, President Barack Obama, former first lady Barbara Bush, former president George H.W. Bush and Laura Bush applaud former president George W. Bush after his speech during the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • First lady Michelle Obama, left, stands with, from second from left, former first ladies: Laura Bush; Hillary Rodham Clinton; Barbara Bush; and Rosalynn Carter; at the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • From left, First Lady Michelle Obama, former first lady Laura Bush, former first lady Hillary Clinton, former first lady Barbara Bush and former first lady Rosalynn Carter arrive for the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • From left, President Barack Obama, former president George W. Bush, former president William J. Clinton former President George H.W. Bush and former president Jimmy Carter arrive for the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner (R-Ohio) arrives for the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on Thursday, April 25, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

  • New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) and wife Mary Pat arrive at the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • Republican strategist and former White House senior adviser Karl Rove arrives at the dedication of the George W. Bush presidential library on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/16/george-w-bush-emergency-landing_n_3450325.html

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    Analysis: Why bankrupt W.R. Grace is thriving

    By Ernest Scheyder and Nick Brown

    COLUMBIA, Md./NEW YORK (Reuters) - A company stuck in bankruptcy for 12 years may not seem like much of a catch, but investors have fallen in love with U.S. specialty chemical manufacturer W.R. Grace & Co and its surging sales to the energy sector.

    One of the longest bankruptcies in U.S. history, Grace filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2001 after an asbestos leak at one of its mines led to thousands of lawsuits against the company.

    Through bankruptcy, Grace was able to pause debt repayments, survive two recessions and take advantage of a U.S. shale energy revolution that is fueling demand for its fine-powder catalysts, which help refiners process crude oil into gasoline, heating oil and other products.

    The company's stock has more than tripled in the past three years and counts 46 hedge funds among investors as of March 31.

    "Bankruptcy has been a great place to hide out," said Scott Baena, an attorney who helped negotiate the settlements on behalf of property damage claimants. "It has for all intents and purposes been business as usual."

    Grace closed its mine in Libby, Montana, in 1990 after discovering the process it used to extract vermiculite - a mineral used in commercial insulation - caused the release of asbestos. More than 400 residents died from asbestos exposure.

    Early in the case, plaintiffs claimed Grace's personal injury liability topped $7 billion, 14 times what the company had estimated, said Peter Lockwood, a lawyer for a committee of Grace's personal injury claimants.

    Had the matter gone to trial and the plaintiffs prevailed, it may have crippled Grace.

    Instead, Grace settled for about $4 billion and agreed to set up trusts for the victims, and took similar measures with its property damage claimants.

    Grace's bankruptcy was akin to hitting "pause" on its liabilities while it figured out the most efficient way to address them. Most companies struggle to make money while in Chapter 11, but Grace continued to thrive. It is erecting a $20 million building on campus for executive offices, funding the project through cash flow.

    Creditors of most bankrupt companies would object to such expenses because they could eat into recoveries. Grace's creditors and shareholders have let it slide.

    "As long the company is not in danger of being unable to pay the money it's going to owe, creditors take a more relaxed attitude," said Lockwood.

    RIDING ENERGY WAVE

    Technically, there is no court-set limit on how long a company can remain in bankruptcy. However, the process is designed to help craft a plan to repay creditors, and courts look down on companies that do not make a good-faith effort to restructure. In such cases, courts usually allow creditors to present their own plans for how to restructure the company.

    Executives at Grace have said for years that an exit from bankruptcy is just around the corner, only to have dates come and go. Now, with a court hearing on Monday and rulings not expected until the fall, an exit may not come until 2014.

    "Obviously, we're all eager to come out of bankruptcy," Chief Financial Officer Hudson La Force said in an interview at Grace's Columbia, Maryland, headquarters. "There are a few steps that need to happen first."

    Leaving bankruptcy protection will allow creditors to be paid, asbestos liabilities to be met, and give the company access to debt markets and let it dispense cash to shareholders, Grace said.

    Grace tailor-makes catalysts for Tesoro Corp , Citgo Petroleum Corp and other refinery customers to match the chemical makeup of the shale oil that will be refined, a step for which the company charges a premium.

    Sales of the product constitute roughly 32 percent of Grace's 2012 pretax profit, and the company earned $94.1 million last year, up 20 percent from 2001 when it entered bankruptcy.

    "Whether we're out of bankruptcy one day or another, the reality is that it's not affecting our earnings. It's not affecting our cash flow," La Force said.

    Surging catalyst sales have boosted Grace's stock price to $82.69 as of Friday's close. That is vastly higher than the $1.52 per share when the company filed for bankruptcy on April 2, 2001.

    Yet the stock is widely overvalued and should be trading at an intrinsic value of $56.37, based on expected growth rates over the next decade, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine.

    That "might not be taking into account the full scope of Grace's performance and some of the intangibles around management effectiveness and management credibility," said Mark Sutherland, Grace's director of investor relations.

    RESTRUCTURING PLAN

    As part of its bankruptcy, Grace filed a restructuring plan that will channel all current and future injury and property damage claims to trusts, pushing the liability off books.

    Grace will receive help in funding the trusts from third parties, including Sealed Air Corp , that shared in the alleged asbestos liability.

    Grace had promised shareholders it would use $1 billion after bankruptcy for either buybacks or a dividend. Yet roughly $490 million will have to be used immediately to redeem stock warrants held by one of the asbestos trusts, limiting payouts to stockholders.

    Still, with $453.6 million in annual cash flows and no debt, shareholders stand to reap rewards, said Chris Shaw, an analyst with Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co who tracks Grace.

    "That's always been a positive about Grace: they're a strong cash generator," he said. "They want to reward the shareholders who have stuck with them through the whole bankruptcy process."

    Grace's bankruptcy could stretch at least into next year as creditor objections to its exit plan wind through the courts.

    In oral arguments at the U.S. Court of Appeals in Philadelphia on Monday, a bank lending group led by JPMorgan Chase & Co will claim the plan does not pay its members enough interest, while a South Carolina hospital will argue that its pending property damage claim would not be fairly adjudicated under the plan. Other objectors include the state of Montana, the Canadian government and Garlock Sealing Technologies Inc.

    If the court rejects the appeals, Grace could take another two to three months to exit bankruptcy, in part because it still needs to secure a bankruptcy exit loan, La Force said.

    That does not take into account possible appeals at the U.S. Supreme Court, which could further delay its exit from bankruptcy.

    Doug Roll, mayor of Libby, Montana, said his town has been "trying to get beyond" the asbestos-related problems.

    "As far as we're concerned, Grace is gone," Roll said. "And good riddance."

    (Editing by Tiffany Wu and Matthew Lewis)

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-why-bankrupt-w-r-grace-thriving-122316867.html

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    AP PHOTOS: Rose, Micklelson among US Open winners

    DEAR ABBY: I am 25, and my boyfriend and I have been together since high school. We have now decided to take our relationship to the next level by living together.When I brought up the idea to my mother a few months ago, she was against it. She said if I do this it will change my relationship with her. My boyfriend and I are college graduates, have good jobs and are self-supporting. If things work out between us, we will most likely be getting married next year.I am an only child and I don't want to hurt my mother or have our relationship change, but I want to be able to live my own life. ...

    Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-photos-rose-micklelson-among-us-open-winners-003215569.html

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    Friday, June 7, 2013

    Students Grades Can Improve By Building Self Esteem! | Content for ...

    Author: Darrel Mitchell | Total views: 53 Comments: 0
    Word Count: 671 Date:

    Students ought to study different ways to make up their minds if they want to increase their GPA. What's more, students these days ought to know that making this commitment will need some changes in their life. These changes will be the way they study, think, and behave.

    Not counting on other people and simply relying on oneself, college students will start to take control of their lives. Without proper planning for quizzes and exams, student are increasing the odds of failing. So, to increase the odds of passing these quizzes and exams, students need to plan. Students will have to make some sacrifices if they want these good grades. These sacrifices are most likely to come from their personal life, like going out with friends, yet it will total be worth the effort.

    When students advance their particular study skills, it will be easy to pass all exams and quizzes. Students should at the very least plan on studying three days ahead of the test to get good grades as opposed to some that may only study one day ahead of the test. To get these good grades, you should give up some of your playtime and put more focus on your studies.

    Having a positive outlook on life will help you to see that having a great education is one of the best things that you can do for yourself. Constant learning is a must for most people and it is very beneficial. You can reap the benefits of a higher education by living longer, being happier, being healthier, and far more benefits. College students reap benefits simply because once they have their degree they have a better chance of changing their lives by obtaining a higher paying job and working in a friendly environment.

    To get off on the right foot, you will need to make some changes to your lifestyle. Once you have nailed down the things that need changing, to increase your grades, you can then check these changes and review your latest tests. You should see an increase in your grades, pat yourself on the back, because you are on the road to great success. Finally, there is something else you need to do, keep up with your studies. Do not fall behind your homework, keep it current and continue on keeping good study habits and don't let yourself to fall back into those bad study habits.

    Helpful Tips:

    You may want to join some study groups. They are great to keep you interested in the work assignments and you will make new friends. The environment has some interesting aspects to studying. Sound, you should study in a quiet place, no music or TV. Studies have indicated that you will get better grades with little to no interference. Lighting, study in a well-lit area, this will help you from straining your eyes, it will also help you to see what exactly your studying. So, study in a quite and well-lit atmosphere.

    Some reasons students fail a test. 1) They did not look at enough reading material. 2) They decided not to ask questions after they didn't understand the studying material. 3) They may have a learning disorder. Some reasons why students pass tests. They keep their study place clean and organized. This insures that they know where their papers, textbooks, and other study material are. They don't waste time on searching for the things that they need and can spend more time on studying.

    Some other issues may occur, but one must try to stay away from by creating a backup plan. Because, no one knows when an urgent situation will happen, it is very important to have a backup strategy. Backup plans give us other options when times get difficult.

    When you get into the habit of finishing your studies first, you will build self-worth while producing constructive changes that will drive you to do well.

    For more information on how to improve your mind, check out Good Grades Guide Review. I'm sure you will like it!

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    1: How To Build Self Confidence and Self Esteem In Boys

    When boys feel they have no outlets and ways to express themselves, they can lose confidence in themselves and have lower self-esteem. This can have detrimental outcomes, as boys seek ways to feel better about themselves.

    2: You Might Be Surprised To Find That High-Profile Professionals Might Stammer And Stutter

    In case one is wondering, stammering and stuttering are verbal obstructions ,which have caused some persons to lose self-esteem or to feel perturbed, humiliated and anxious when speaking before a group of people. The two terms are actually used similarly, with the first being more commonly used in the UK and Northern Island, while the other widespread in the US.

    3: The Importance Of Sports Motivation For Your Children

    With child obesity sky-rocketing it is now more important than ever for parents to instill sports motivation in their children.

    4: Dealing with Toxic People

    Toxic people can drain the life out of you. Do your best to minimize the time you have to spend with toxic people, set boundaries and know that their negativity can permeate your world if you let them.

    5: The Connection Between the Conscious, Subconscious, and Superconscious

    Many discussions are held regarding the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious minds and also about unconscious thoughts. We have heard about the superconscious in different contexts. But how does the superconscious relate to our thoughts and to creating what we desire to have in our lives?

    Source: http://www.content4reprint.com/inspirational/motivational/students-grades-can-improve-by-building-self-esteem.htm

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    Nikkei weighs on markets ahead of more US figures

    A man walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Wednesday, June 5, 2013. Asian stock markets fell Wednesday as signs the U.S. Federal Reserve might scale back its super-loose monetary policy caused investors to trim equity investments. Japan's Nikkei 225 index tumbled 1.8 percent to 13,295.89, registering disappointment with a lack of detail in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's unveiling of the third plank of his so-called Abenomics program intended to rouse a long-stagnant economy. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

    A man walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Wednesday, June 5, 2013. Asian stock markets fell Wednesday as signs the U.S. Federal Reserve might scale back its super-loose monetary policy caused investors to trim equity investments. Japan's Nikkei 225 index tumbled 1.8 percent to 13,295.89, registering disappointment with a lack of detail in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's unveiling of the third plank of his so-called Abenomics program intended to rouse a long-stagnant economy. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

    A man walks by an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo, Wednesday, June 5, 2013. Asian stock markets fell Wednesday as signs the U.S. Federal Reserve might scale back its super-loose monetary policy caused investors to trim equity investments. Japan's Nikkei 225 index tumbled 1.8 percent to 13,295.89, registering disappointment with a lack of detail in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's unveiling of the third plank of his so-called Abenomics program intended to rouse a long-stagnant economy. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

    (AP) ? Disappointment at Japan's latest package of measures designed to boost its economy coupled with concerns over the course of U.S. monetary policy to weigh on markets Wednesday.

    Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index had another day to forget as investors appeared disappointed at the lack of detail in a keynote speech on the economy from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Nikkei closed down 3.8 percent at 13,014.87, another big swing that means it has fallen around 20 percent from its peak in mid-May ? the commonly used definition of a bear market.

    "Abe's speech today unveiling his growth strategy failed to live up to the market's expectations, revealing little that was new and focusing rather too much on long term aspirations for most tastes," said Simon Derrick, a senior analyst at Bank of New York Mellon.

    For much of this year, the Nikkei had been the darling of stock investors as it rose by nearly a half as investors hoped a big monetary stimulus from the Bank of Japan would finally get the world's number 3 economy out of its near two-decade stagnation.

    The latest setback in the Nikkei made traders in Europe cautious. The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was down 0.7 percent at 6,501 while Germany's DAX fell 0.4 percent to 8,262. The CAC-40 in France was 0.6 percent lower at 3,903.

    Wall Street was poised for a modest retreat at the open, with Dow futures and the broader S&P 500 futures down 0.2 percent.

    The focus over the rest of the day will likely center on the latest batch of U.S. economic data as investors try and work out when the U.S. Federal Reserve may start reducing the amount of government bonds it has been buying in the markets as part of its stimulus program.

    On Tuesday, Esther George, a policymaker at the Fed, indicated she supported slowing the pace of the bond purchases "as an appropriate next step."

    For the past few weeks, market directions have largely depended on the vagaries of the U.S. economic data and their implications for the future of the Fed's monetary stimulus program.

    Later, the monthly hiring report from private payrolls firm ADP is due. Though its figures do not always accurately predict the government's official figures, due Friday, the ADP has form in moving markets.

    Also, the Institute for Supply Management will release its monthly survey on the services sector. The equivalent manufacturing report on Monday was disappointing and reined in market expectations of an imminent tapering of the Fed's stimulus program.

    "The market keeps its focus on the U.S. as the tug of war over the Fed's tapering continues," said Anthony Lam, an analyst at Credit Agricole CIB.

    The Fed's monetary stimulus program has been a big boon to stock markets over the past few years. The latest purchases, amounting to $85 billion a month, have helped propel many global stock indexes to record highs this year. The purchases are designed to keep interest rates low and giving the U.S. economy a lift. A reduction in the amount purchased would indicate that the Fed is more confident about the outlook.

    In the currency markets, the dollar has generally risen when expectations grew that the Fed would limit its stimulus program earlier than planned.

    Ahead of the latest U.S. figures, the euro was down 0.1 percent at $1.3064 while the dollar was 0.5 percent lower at 99.63 yen.

    Elsewhere in Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 1 percent to 22,069.24 while South Korea's Kospi fell 1.5 percent to 1,959.19. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.3 percent to 4,835.20. Benchmarks in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and mainland China fell.

    Associated Press

    Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-06-05-World%20Markets/id-6c264301e06f410f964f6c06e7a39c7e

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