Tentative farm workers deal in immigration talks

FILE - In this April 3, 2013 file photo, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. speaks in San Francisco. A tentative deal has been reached to resolve a dispute between agriculture workers and growers that was standing in the way of a sweeping immigration overhaul bill, Feinstein said Tuesday. Feinstein, who's taken the lead on negotiating a resolution, didn't provide details, and said that growers had yet to sign off on the agreement. The farm workers union has been at odds with the agriculture industry over worker wages and how many visas should be offered in a new program to bring agriculture workers to the U.S. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

FILE - In this April 3, 2013 file photo, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. speaks in San Francisco. A tentative deal has been reached to resolve a dispute between agriculture workers and growers that was standing in the way of a sweeping immigration overhaul bill, Feinstein said Tuesday. Feinstein, who's taken the lead on negotiating a resolution, didn't provide details, and said that growers had yet to sign off on the agreement. The farm workers union has been at odds with the agriculture industry over worker wages and how many visas should be offered in a new program to bring agriculture workers to the U.S. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

FILE - In this March 12, 2013 file photo, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. A tentative deal has been reached to resolve a dispute between agriculture workers and growers that was standing in the way of a sweeping immigration overhaul bill, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. said Tuesday.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A tentative deal has been reached between agriculture workers and growers, a key senator said Tuesday, smoothing the way for a landmark immigration bill to be released within a week.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who's taken the lead on negotiating a resolution to the agriculture issue, didn't provide details, and said growers had yet to sign off on the agreement. The farm workers union has been at odds with the agriculture industry over worker wages and how many visas should be offered in a new program to bring agriculture workers to the U.S.

But Feinstein said she's hoping for resolution in the next day or two.

"There's a tentative agreement on a number of things, and we're waiting to see if it can get wrapped up," Feinstein said in a brief interview at the Capitol.

"I'm very hopeful. The train is leaving the station. We need a bill."

The development comes as a bipartisan group of senators hurries to finish legislation aimed at securing the border and putting 11 million immigrants here illegally on a path to citizenship, while also allowing tens of thousands of high- and low-skilled foreign workers into the U.S. on new visa programs. The agriculture dispute was the most prominent of a handful of unresolved issues. There's also still some debate over plans to boost visas for high-tech workers.

The group of four Republican and four Democratic senators has been hoping to release the landmark immigration bill this week, possibly as early as Thursday. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a leader of the group, said Tuesday that this week remains the goal. But it also looked possible it could slip into next week.

Senators in the immigration group met Tuesday with Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who agreed to hold a hearing April 17 on the legislation, Senate aides said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deliberations were confidential.

That's something Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has been calling for in response to pressure from conservatives who argue the bill is being pushed too fast without enough time for debate. Given Judiciary Committee procedures that allow Republicans to push for extra time to review legislation, the committee could begin to vote on and amend the bill the week of May 6, an aide said.

"The Judiciary Committee must have plenty of time to debate and improve the bipartisan group's proposal, so it's good that senators and the public will have weeks to study this proposal," Rubio spokesman Alex Conant said.

At least 50 percent and as much as 70 percent or 80 percent of the nation's approximately 2 million farm workers are here illegally, according to labor and industry estimates. Growers say they need a better way to hire labor legally, and advocates say workers can be exploited and need better protections and a way to earn permanent residence.

Senators plan to offer a speeded-up pathway to citizenship to farm workers already in the country illegally who've worked in the industry for at least two years. In addition they're seeking to create a new visa program to bring foreign agriculture workers to the U.S. But wages and visa caps have been sticking points, just as they were for a separate low-skilled worker program that was resolved recently with a deal between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO.

After negotiations between the United Farm Workers and agriculture interests, including the Western Growers Association, stalled in recent weeks, the four senators working on the issue ? Feinstein, Rubio, Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah ? developed a framework that would ultimately call for the agriculture secretary to set visa levels and wages, according to officials involved in the talks.

But the uncertainty of that structure sparked concern on both sides, and talks between growers and agriculture reopened. There now have been numbers set for wages and where to cap visa levels that the United Farm Workers has agreed to, officials said, although details weren't immediately available Tuesday. But growers emphasized they had yet to sign off.

"We are working diligently on the final details on the important details of the wage and cap and are hopeful, but have not agreed to anything," said Kristi Boswell, director of congressional relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Even in absence of a formal OK from the growers side, Feinstein suggested that the senators were satisfied and would be moving forward with what they've settled on.

"We hope we can get their acquiescence and support, otherwise we just need to proceed ahead," she said.

Meanwhile there were indications that the immigration debate, largely confined to behind-the-scenes negotiations so far, was moving into a more public phase.

Pro-immigrant groups planned rallies around the country and outside the Capitol for Wednesday.

And there was back-and-forth among GOP-leaning groups over the expected cost of a bill, with a conservative think tank, the American Action Forum, releasing a report Tuesday arguing that immigration reform would grow the economy and reduce the deficit, partly because of growth in the labor force. That stood in contrast to a report by the Heritage Foundation released during the last immigration debate in 2007, and expected to be revived again this year, that contended the legislation cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion.

The dispute was more evidence of a split in the GOP, with some favoring comprehensive immigration legislation, and others still strongly opposed.

___

Follow Erica Werner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericawerner

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-04-09-US-Immigration/id-8f7dc8e3a27340eb9dd30d946838c109

Cricinfo Geno Smith ny giants brandon marshall ryder cup Kate Middleton Bottomless the Pirate Bay

Deal of the Day: 50% off Trident Kraken AMS Case for iPhone 5

Today Only: Purchase the Trident Kraken AMS Case for iPhone 5 and save $24.95!

This case has a tough exoskeleton featuring hardened polycarbonate, providing a stylish and rugged surface for maximum protection. The double-thick, impact-resistant silicone corners absorb shock if your iPhone 5 is dropped and the ports are covered with silicone plugs to keep out dirt and debris. The Kraken A.M.S. case includes a detachable aluminum media stand and comes in black, blue, red, pink or green.

List Price: $49.95???? Today Only: $25.00

Learn More and Buy Now

Never miss a deal. Sign up for Daily Deal alerts!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/YYls3lWpkMs/story01.htm

time 100 bob beckel anna paquin warren buffett 2012 nfl schedule dishonored april 18

Neolithic Iceman ?tzi had bad teeth: Periodontitis, tooth decay, accident-related dental damage in ice mummy

Apr. 9, 2013 ? For the first time, researchers from the Centre for Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich together with colleagues abroad have been able to provide evidence of periodontitis, tooth decay and accident-related dental damage in the ice mummy '?tzi'. The latest scientific findings provide interesting information on the dietary patterns of the Neolithic Iceman and on the evolution of medically significant oral pathologies.

The Neolithic mummy ?tzi (approximately 3300 BC) displays an astoundingly large number of oral diseases and dentition problems that are still widespread today. As Prof. Frank R?hli, head of the study, explains, ?tzi suffered from heavy dental abrasions, had several carious lesions -- some severe -- and had mechanical trauma to one of his front teeth which was probably due to an accident.

Although research has been underway on this important mummy for over 20 years now, the teeth had scarcely been examined. Dentist Roger Seiler from the Centre for Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich has now examined ?tzi's teeth based on the latest computer tomography data and found that: "The loss of the periodontium has always been a very common disease, as the discovery of Stone Age skulls and the examination of Egyptian mummies has shown. ?tzi allows us an especially good insight into such an early stage of this disease," explains Seiler. He specializes in examining dental pathologies in earlier eras.

Advanced periodontitis

The three-dimensional computer tomography reconstructions give an insight into the oral cavity of the Iceman and show how severely he was suffering from advanced periodontitis. Particularly in the area of the rear molars, Seiler found loss of the periodontal supporting tissue that almost extended to the tip of the root. While ?tzi is scarcely likely to have cleaned his teeth, his abrasive diet contributed significantly to a process of self-cleaning. Nowadays periodontitis is connected to cardiovascular diseases. Interestingly, the Iceman also displays vascular calcification, for which -- like in the case of the periodontitis -- mainly his genetic make-up was responsible.

The fact that the Iceman suffered from tooth decay is attributable to his eating more and more starchy foods such as bread and cereal porridge which were consumed more commonly in the Neolithic period because of the rise of agriculture. In addition, the food was very abrasive because of contaminants and the rub-off from the quern, as is demonstrated by the Iceman's abraded teeth. His accident-related dental damage and his other injuries testify to his troubled life at that time. One front tooth has suffered mechanical trauma -- the discoloration is still clearly visible -- and one molar has lost a cusp, probably from chewing on something, perhaps a small stone in the cereal porridge.

?tzi -- the world's oldest wet mummy

The Iceman -- known widely as '?tzi' -- is the oldest wet mummy in the world. Since its discovery in 1991, numerous scientific examinations have taken place. In 2007, for example, also with the involvement of Frank R?hli, ?tzi's cause of death was determined as probably stemming from internal bleeding.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Zurich.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Roger Seiler, Andrew I Spielman, Albert Zink, Frank R?hli. Oral pathologies of the Neolithic Iceman, c. 3,300 BC. European Journal of Oral Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1111/eos.12037

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/zDZkfKmviwc/130409105903.htm

Mama Movie flyers epo suits PlayStation Network chip kelly NRA

Merkel tells Putin to give NGOs a chance

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, attend the opening of the Hannover Fair at the Congress Center in Hannover, Germany, Sunday April 7, 2013. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, attend the opening of the Hannover Fair at the Congress Center in Hannover, Germany, Sunday April 7, 2013. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin for the opening of the Hannover Fair at the Congress Center in Hannover, Germany, Sunday April 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, center right, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, center left, pose for a photo at the opening of the Hannover Fair at the Congress Center in Hannover, Germany, Sunday April 7, 2013. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service)

HANNOVER, Germany (AP) ? Germany's leader has told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Kremlin needs to encourage civil society as well as push for technological modernization, underlining tensions as Putin seeks to bolster economic ties with a visit to a major trade fair.

Putin's trip to the central German city of Hannover highlights Russia's interest in developing foreign trade, including further business ties with Germany. The two leaders were touring the fair on Monday.

At the opening of the event on Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said real modernization is enhanced by a strong civil society. Germany's ties with Russia have been strained lately by the Kremlin's heavy-handed response to opposition groups and pressure on non-governmental organizations.

Merkel said Germany was ready to help Russia diversify its economy, pointing to innovation, research and training as key points.

"We are convinced that this can best succeed if there is an active civil society," she said. "We must intensify this discussion ... and also give nongovernmental organizations ? the many groups that we in Germany know as motors of innovation ? a good chance in Russia."

A law approved last year in Russia requires all NGOs that receive funds from abroad and engage in vaguely defined political activities to register as "foreign agents," a term invoking Cold War-era spying connotations.

Leading Russian NGOs have pledged to boycott the bill. Putin responded by ordering wide-ranging checks of up to 2,000 NGOs across the country to check their compliance with the law. Among others targeted were two German think-tanks ? the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, which is aligned with Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union, and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, linked to the opposition Social Democrats.

"I would have liked clearer words from the chancellor," Claudia Roth, a leader of Germany's opposition Greens, told ARD television. Roth said Russian NGOs face "repression ... defamation, discrediting and criminalization, and that simply requires very, very clear words."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-08-Germany-Russia/id-92682f2090f240ff99b51e8067342f4a

rachel maddow gia utah jazz lawrence of arabia denver nuggets new jersey devils torn acl

New restaurant owner finds predecessor cooked the books ...

Three lessons from a pending lawsuit in Dallas:

1. If your employees work overtime, pay them for it.
2. Don?t falsify records to cover your tracks.
3. Don?t sell your business to some??one who is suing you for stiffing them out of overtime.

Marlene had worked as a cook at Mr. Chopsticks in Dallas for 12 years before saving enough to buy the restaurant. As she settled into her new role as owner, Marlene had two reasons to review old payroll records. She wanted to familiarize herself with the restaurant?s books?and she was looking for evidence to use in an on??going wage-and-hour lawsuit against the former owner.

During the entire time Marlene worked in Mr. Chopstick?s kitchen, she had never received overtime pay, despite working as many as 60 hours a week. That prompted her to complain to the U.S. Department of Labor and file her lawsuit. Then she bought the restaurant.

??Poring over the payroll records, she discovered that the previous owner had engaged in creative payroll accounting after Marlene filed her complaint, lowering employees? hourly rates of pay and making up the difference with purported overtime pay.

Of course, Marlene knew exactly how much her hourly pay rate had been, and has the pay stubs to prove it.

Needless to say, the former owner?s legal prospects do not look good. He?s likely liable for not just back overtime pay, but also for stiff penalties for falsifying records to evade compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Like what you've read? ...Republish it and share great business tips!

Attention: Readers, Publishers, Editors, Bloggers, Media, Webmasters and more...

We believe great content should be read and passed around. After all, knowledge IS power. And good business can become great with the right information at their fingertips. If you'd like to share any of the insightful articles on BusinessManagementDaily.com, you may republish or syndicate it without charge.

The only thing we ask is that you keep the article exactly as it was written and formatted. You also need to include an attribution statement and link to the article.

" This information is proudly provided by Business Management Daily.com: http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/35170/new-restaurant-owner-finds-predecessor-cooked-the-books "

Source: http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/35170/new-restaurant-owner-finds-predecessor-cooked-the-books

hoodie hoosiers temperance world bank kim kardashian flour bomb hunger games box office xavier

Glenn Beck on MSNBC Promo: WTH?!?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/glenn-beck-on-msnbc-promo-wth/

bohemian rhapsody donovan mcnabb donovan mcnabb lottery ticket megga millions what is autism the giver

Why Does this Fish Have Gin-Clear Blood?

Every animal with bones has blood with hemoglobin, which binds with oxygen and makes the blood appear red.

Every animal, that is, except one.

The ocellated icefish (Chionodraco rastrospinosus) has gin-clear blood. And it has no scales. And it lives nowhere but the inky depths down to 3,200 feet (1 kilometer) in the icy waters off Antarctica. Other than that, it's just an ordinary fish.

The Tokyo Sea Life Park is the only place with ocellated icefish in captivity, Agence France-Presse reports. "Luckily, we have a male and a female, and they spawned in January," Satoshi Tada, an education specialist at the center, told AFP.

The ocean's depths are rich with odd sea life, from giant squid to translucent sea anemones. Researchers now believe life around deep-sea vents may have arisen following the last mass extinction on Earth 65 million years ago, after a giant meteor impact killed off dinosaurs and other animals.

Scientists hope the mated pair of icefish and their offspring in Tokyo will help researchers unlock the secrets of how the fish manages to survive without hemoglobin to carry oxygen to its cells.

It's possible, some scientists speculate, that the icefish's unusually large heart might help move oxygen through its body using blood plasma instead of hemoglobin.

Also, with no scales to get in the way, the icefish may absorb some oxygen directly through its skin: Cold, polar water is richer in oxygen than warmer waters.

But the mystery surrounding the icefish's lack of hemoglobin may take years to solve. "More studies are needed on the question," Tada said.

Follow Marc Lallanilla on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.

Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/why-does-fish-gin-clear-blood-134434131.html

viktor bout ncaa hockey role models ferdinand porsche gregg williams theraflu masters leaderboard

Page Not Found (404) - Salon.com

Copyright ? 2013 Salon Media Group, Inc. Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited.

SALON ? is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon Media Group Inc.

Associated Press articles: Copyright ? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://feeds.salon.com/salon/index

Bram Stoker books Paula Broadwell Photos Veterans Day 2012 Nate Silver stock market stock market Obama Acceptance Speech 2012

Syrian airstrike kills at least 15 in Aleppo

FILE - This Thursday, March 22, 2012 file photo shows a general view of Damascus, Syria. A barrage of rockets slammed into a contested district on the northeastern edge of Damascus, activists said Friday, April 5, 2013, killing at least five people and trapping others under the rubble, while violence raged around suburbs of the capital. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman, File)

FILE - This Thursday, March 22, 2012 file photo shows a general view of Damascus, Syria. A barrage of rockets slammed into a contested district on the northeastern edge of Damascus, activists said Friday, April 5, 2013, killing at least five people and trapping others under the rubble, while violence raged around suburbs of the capital. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman, File)

BEIRUT (AP) ? A Syrian government airstrike on a heavily contested neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo on Saturday killed at least 15 people, including nine children, activists said.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the air raid hit Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, which rebels seized parts of last weekend after days of heavy fighting with regime troops.

That gain had been the latest opposition advance in an urban warzone that expanded last summer, when rebel fighters took control of several neighborhoods. Aleppo is Syria's largest city and a key front in the civil war raging between President Bashar Assad and those trying to overthrow his regime.

The Observatory said the death toll from Saturday's air raid, near a checkpoint of anti-government Kurdish militiamen known as the Popular Committees, is expected to rise as many others were seriously wounded.

An amateur video of the raid showed people loading the bodies of three bloodied children and two men in the back of a pickup truck as women screamed and explosions went off in the distance. Another boy was seeing lying dead in the street near a burning truck.

The video appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting on the events depicted.

"I saw dead people and cattle in the area," said Aleppo-based activist Mohammed Saeed, who added that he counted 11 bodies.

Both sides are eager to control the strategic district, which is predominantly inhabited by minority Kurds. The neighborhood is located on a hill on the northern edge of Aleppo and overlooks much of the city, giving those who control it the ability to pound districts held by the opposing side with mortars and artillery.

The rebels control large swaths of northern Syria, and captured their first provincial capital ? the city of Raqqa ? last month. They have also been making gains in recent weeks in the south, seizing military bases and towns in the strategically important region between Damascus and the border with Jordan, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the capital.

Meanwhile in Damascus, mortar rounds hit the residential district of Kafar Souseh on the city's western outskirts, killing one person and wounding at least 13, the state-run SANA news agency said. The attacks also caused material damage to stores in the district and set several parked vehicles on fire, SANA said.

The Observatory said mortar rounds also struck the Damascus suburb of Jaramana. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

It was not immediately clear who fired the shells, but mortar rounds have fallen with increasingly regularity in the center of the capital, puncturing the aura of normalcy that the regime has tried to cultivate in the city.

The regime has largely kept the rebels at bay so far in Damascus, although opposition fighters control several suburbs of the capital and look increasingly capable of threatening the heart of the city ? and Assad's power.

State-run news agency SANA said government troops dealt a major blow to rebels in areas east of the city known as Eastern Ghouta, adding that the armed forces "cleansed" areas near the airport to the south, all the way to the northeastern suburb of Adra. It did not elaborate.

Eastern Ghouta has been one of the tensest areas in Syria over the past year, with daily clashes and shelling between troops and rebels.

The Observatory also reported clashes between government troops and rebels Saturday in the town of Otaybah east of Damascus.

Also Saturday, the newly elected prime minister of the Western-backed opposition umbrella group, Ghassan Hitto, started reviewing candidates for a planned rebel interim government that will consist of 11 ministries and will be based inside Syria, according to a statement by the Syrian National Coalition.

It said Hitto, who has lived in the United States for many years, aims to "attract the qualified talent and competencies required to manage the upcoming phase of the revolution."

The candidates for ministerial and deputy positions must be Syrian citizens older than 35 years of age, the statement said. It added that high-ranking regime officials or "those who have committed crimes against the Syrian people or have unlawfully seized Syrian property or wealth" will be excluded from consideration.

"The nominee must be an advocate or supporter of the Syrian revolution," the statement said.

The Western-backed opposition alliance has been marred by severe divisions in its ranks since its formation late last year in Qatar, and its leaders are mostly seen as disconnected from the myriad rebel forces fighting inside Syria.

Also Saturday, Russia said U.N. demands for unlimited access "to all facilities in Syria and to all persons" who experts believe are necessary to be interrogated over an alleged chemical attack "are beyond the framework of the investigation."

Both the Syrian government and the rebels have demanded an international investigation into an alleged chemical weapons attack on March 19 that killed 31 people in the northern village of Khan al-Assal. Damascus has formally asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to investigate.

Last month, Ban appointed a former U.N. chemical weapons inspector to Iraq, Ake Sellstrom, to head the U.N. fact-finding mission that will investigate allegations of the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria. Sellstrom, a Swede, now works at a research institute that deals with chemical incidents.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-06-ML-Syria/id-a51b94586fc34d60b65186391186b01e

My Chemical Romance amanda bynes Olympus Has Fallen Arnold Palmer Invitational 2013 arnold palmer invitational Chinua Achebe The Croods

Keep Austin Wired: Google Fiber headed to Austin

by KVUE.com

kvue.com

Posted on April 5, 2013 at 9:28 PM

Updated yesterday at 9:29 PM

Source: http://www.kvue.com/news/local/Keep-Austin-Wired-Google-Fiber-headed-to-Austin-201719771.html

khloe kardashian Wreck It Ralph Hunter Hayes Movember USC shooting halloween chipotle

Ben Carson Is Sorry for Saying Horrible Things

Ben Carson, the Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon and newly minted conservative celebrity who inspired a hundred op-eds, has apologized for?comparing gay couples seeking legal recognition of their relationships to NAMBLA?and those who practice bestiality. In an email delivered on Friday afternoon to students, staff and faculty at Johns Hopkins University, where he has worked for 36 years, Carson explained that he had not selected the most effective words to express his belief that marriage should remain limited to heterosexual relationships. "My poorly chosen words caused pain for some members of our community and for that I offer a most sincere and heartfelt apology," he wrote. "Hurting others is diametrically opposed to who I am and what I believe. There are many lessons to be learned when venturing into the political world and this is one I will not forget."

RELATED: Fox's Latest Hillary Clinton Concussion Theory: She Was Pushed!

Arriving along with Carson's apology,?according to New York magazine,?was another email, sent moments later, from dean of JHU's medical school which explained, "Dr. Carson?s comments are inconsistent with the culture of our institution." The emails provide a two-fold reversal: here, in private, was Carson's full, sincere apology for his very public remarks, plus the official admonition of Johns Hopkins University, which up until now has declined to take a stance on Carson's commentary. Read together, they seem to indicate that Carson is just now realizing the stature he's achieved as a public face of the Republican Party.

RELATED: Dr. Ben Carson, GOP Hero, Exiled by His Own Medical School

The realization does seem a little late coming. Carson willingly entered the political spotlight when he delivered a long speech at the National Prayer Breakfast in February, concerning his distaste for political correctness and the need for lower tax rates. Amidst the fallout of his speech, he began appearing on Fox News Channel to defend himself, and later became a semi-regular guest on?Hannity, an evening talk show hosted by Sean Hannity, to weigh in on various political stories. Otherwise known for successfully separating conjoined twins, Carson's concord with the Republican Party's platform earned him a speaking slot at CPAC, in mid-March, but didn't become that much of a problem until March 26, when he made the aforementioned comment about gay couples.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ben-carson-sorry-saying-horrible-things-203758929.html

heather morris the bachelor finale south by southwest i want to know what love is courtney mercury retrograde bath salts

Time Traveler Video: 1938 Cell Phone Mystery Solved?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/time-traveler-video-1938-cell-phone-mystery-solved/

Mayim Bialik Rich Kids of Instagram felix hernandez julia child Ron Palillo Chad Johnson Twitter Helen Gurley Brown

Video: Cramer's Six in 60: Monsanto, Facebook & More!

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/video/cnbc/51427757/

Kitty Wells Marissa Mayer Jon Lord Colorado shootings dark knight rises Aurora shooting James Eagan Holmes

Emmert defends record during contentious briefing

NCAA President Mark Emmert speaks at a news conference Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

NCAA President Mark Emmert speaks at a news conference Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

NCAA President Mark Emmert speaks at a news conference Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

NCAA President Mark Emmert speaks at a news conference Thursday, April 4, 2013, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

ATLANTA (AP) ? NCAA President Mark Emmert is defending his record amid complaints about the way the organization has investigated wayward schools, as well as a newspaper report that questioned his leadership in previous jobs.

Emmert held a 45-minute news conference Thursday during the Final Four that turned contentious at times. In fact, he fired a parting shot at a reporter: "I know you're disappointed, but I'm still here."

In particular, the NCAA has come under fire for violating its own policies while investigating the scandal involving a Miami booster. Emmert says the NCAA acknowledged its mistakes and made the necessary changes.

In addition, Emmert dismissed a USA Today story that accuses him of shirking responsibility for problems at Connecticut, LSU and Montana State under his watch.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-04-BKC-Final-Four-Emmert-Under-Fire/id-28c0847948084634988247f89f092e18

the five year engagement chris kreider correspondents dinner 2012 white house correspondents dinner 2012 whcd 2012 nfl draft kevin durant

Iran's Jalili vows stronger defense of nuclear policy

ALMATY (Reuters) - Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili sounded a defiant note ahead of a new round of talks with world powers in Kazakhstan, saying on Thursday they had to recognize Iran's right to a nuclear program to see any breakthrough.

Jalili also said the Islamic Republic would defend its right to enrich uranium with "more rigor" after its presidential election in June.

"The impact of the election will be that ... our people will defend its right with more rigor," he said in a speech at a university in the Kazakh city of Almaty.

Addressing the round of talks, due to start on Friday and last through Saturday, Jalili added: "We think our talks tomorrow can go forward with one word. That is the acceptance of the rights of Iran, particularly the right to enrichment."

World powers suspect Iran's uranium-enrichment program has a covert military dimension and are asking Tehran to suspend refining uranium to higher levels.

Tehran denies it is seeking to reach the capability to make bombs and says its atom work is for energy generation and medical research.

(Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Writing by Justyna Pawlak; Editing by Mike Collett-White)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-defend-nuclear-policy-more-strongly-election-jalili-114949938.html

arizona debate enquirer national inquirer knicks vs heat kate walsh cnn debate equatorial guinea

Google Maps brings navigation to 9 new countries in Europe and Africa

Voice guided, turn-by-turn navigation available for millions more people today on Google Maps for Android

The Google Maps team has taken to Google+ and announced the addition of voice navigation for 9 new countries today. Users in the following countries will be able to use the Google Maps app on their Android phone with the new (to them) feature, starting right now:

• Ghana
• Kenya
• Côte d'Ivoire
• Senegal
• Estonia
• Bulgaria
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Slovakia

There was no word on when to expect the same for other locations, nor about how the process is done. We tend to take Google services for granted in Western Europe, and especially, North America, but for many folks Android devices are missing some of what makes them so special. We're glad to see Google address this issue, even if it's a bit slower than we would like.

Source: +Google Maps

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/9yh3Vo4gxJ0/story01.htm

blue ivy carter meteorite lebron james NASA asteroid cruise ship Asteroid 2012 DA14

Hidden among Aristocrats

RolePlayGateway is proudly powered by obscene amounts of caffeine, duct tape, and support from people like you. It operates under a "don't like it, suggest an improvement" platform, and we gladly take suggestions for improvements or changes.

The custom-built "roleplay" system was designed and implemented by Eric Martindale as of July 2009. All attempts to replicate or otherwise emulate this system and its method of organizing roleplay are strictly prohibited without his express written and contractual permission; violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

? RolePlayGateway, LLC | with the support of LocalSense

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/H8mY6CGdJYY/viewtopic.php

dr seuss mariah carey Macklemore History Channel The Bible alex smith alex smith The Bible History Channel

Michelle Obama praises Jackie Robinson movie

First Lady Michelle Obama introduces a panel of the cast and crew of the movie "42", next to Rachel Robinson, widow of baseball great Jackie Robinson, before a workshop for high school and college students, Tuesday, April 2, 2013, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

First Lady Michelle Obama introduces a panel of the cast and crew of the movie "42", next to Rachel Robinson, widow of baseball great Jackie Robinson, before a workshop for high school and college students, Tuesday, April 2, 2013, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Rachel Robinson, 90, widow of baseball great Jackie Robinson attends a workshop for high school and college students with cast members of the movie "42," Tuesday, April 2, 2013, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Rachel Robinson, widow of baseball great Jackie Robinson, speaks to a workshop for high school and college students with cast members of the movie "42" in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday,April 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Actor Harrison Ford listens at left as Rachel Robinson, 90, widow of baseball great Jackie Robinson talks about her late husband during a workshop for high school and college students based on the movie, "42," Tuesday, April 2, 2013, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

First Lady Michelle Obama introduces a panel of the cast and crew of the movie "42," Tuesday, April 2, 2013, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Michelle Obama said Tuesday that a new movie chronicling Jackie Robinson's rise through Major League Baseball, including the racial discrimination he endured while breaking the sport's color barrier in the 1940s, left her and the president "visibly, physically moved" after they saw it over the weekend.

The film, "42," also left the couple wondering "how on Earth did (the Robinsons) live through that. How did they do it? How did they endure the taunts and the bigotry for all of that time?" she said.

Mrs. Obama commented at a workshop for a group of high school and college students who saw the movie in the White House theater. Some of the students attend a Los Angeles charter school named for Robinson and others are undergraduate scholars in a program that bears the baseball great's name.

The students also participated in a question-and-answer session with Robinson's widow, Rachel, and members of the cast and crew, including Chadwick Boseman, who plays Robinson, Harrison Ford, who stars as former Brooklyn Dodgers General Manager Branch Rickey, and director-screenwriter Brian Helgeland.

President Barack Obama was holding a separate screening of "42" for the cast and crew later Tuesday.

Mrs. Obama said everyone should see the movie, which opens nationwide April 12.

"I can say with all sincerity that it was truly powerful for us," she said. "We walked away from that just visibly, physically moved by the experience of the movie, of the story," and the "raw emotion" they felt afterward.

The first lady added that she was also "struck by how far removed that way of life seems today," noting how times have changed despite progress still to be made toward eliminating racial discrimination.

"You can't imagine the baseball league not being integrated. There are no more "Whites Only" signs posted anywhere in this country. Although it still happens, it is far less acceptable for someone to yell out a racial slur while you're walking down the street," she told the students. "That kind of prejudice is simply just not something that can happen in the light of day today."

After playing for the Negro Baseball League and the International League, Robinson became Major League Baseball's first black player on April 15, 1947, batting for the Brooklyn Dodgers. His number was 42.

Barack Obama broke a similar barrier in politics by winning election in 2008 as the first black U.S. president.

Mrs. Obama said the Robinsons' story is a reminder of the hard work it takes to move a country forward.

"It reminds you how much struggle is required to make real progress and change," she said, echoing her husband.

___

Online:

Jackie Robinson timeline: http://atmlb.com/ePLek7

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-02-White%20House-Jackie%20Robinson%20Movie/id-77b75d3097df4d83a2b2be4a09d07887

dobie gray bruce springsteen grammy nominations lil boosie bobbi kristina brown new edition austerity

Cardinals acquire QB Palmer from Raiders

FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2012 file photo, Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer (3) warms up before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Oakland, Calif. The Arizona Cardinals have acquired Palmer from the Raiders. Palmer, who agreed to rework his contract with the Cardinals, is expected to move into the starting quarterback role for new Arizona coach Bruce Arians. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2012 file photo, Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer (3) warms up before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Oakland, Calif. The Arizona Cardinals have acquired Palmer from the Raiders. Palmer, who agreed to rework his contract with the Cardinals, is expected to move into the starting quarterback role for new Arizona coach Bruce Arians. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) ? The Arizona Cardinals have acquired quarterback Carson Palmer from the Oakland Raiders.

The Cardinals gave up a conditional 2014 draft pick and swapped one of their sixth-round picks this year for Oakland's seventh-round selection.

Palmer reworked his contract as part of his move to the desert, agreeing to a two-year deal worth up to $20 million, with $10 million guaranteed.

New Arizona coach Bruce Arians gets a starting quarterback at a bargain basement price.

But at least the Raiders were able to get something for the quarterback rather than just release him. Oakland acquired quarterback Matt Flynn on Monday in a deal that sent two draft picks to the Seahawks.

The 33-year-old Palmer put up big numbers with the Raiders last season but the production didn't translate into sufficient wins.

In 15 games in 2012, Palmer threw for 4,018 yards, becoming the second quarterback in Raiders history to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season. He threw for 22 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.

His abilities fit the "throw long downfield" philosophy of Arians, who inherited a team with a woeful situation at quarterback.

Last year, Arizona had four starting quarterbacks ? John Skelton, Kevin Kolb, Ryan Lindley and Brian Hoyer. They combined to throw for 3,383 yards with 11 touchdowns and 21 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 63.1 in an offense that ranked last in the NFL. The Arizona quarterbacks were sacked 58 times in 608 pass attempts. By contrast, Palmer was sacked 28 times last year in 585 throws.

The Cardinals have released Skelton and Kolb and have signed Hoyer to a tender offer. They also have signed free agent Drew Stanton, the backup last season to Andrew Luck in Indianapolis, where Arians was interim head coach.

Palmer was the first overall draft pick in 2002 by Cincinnati and was with the Bengals until his trade to Oakland two years ago. In two seasons with the Raiders, he started 24 games, completed 61 percent of his passes for 6,771 yards and 35 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. His career passer rating is 85.5.

"We'd like to thank Carson Palmer for his services over the past two seasons," Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie said in a news release, "and we wish him well with the Cardinals."

For his career, Palmer has completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 29,465 yards and 189 touchdowns with 132 interceptions.

He would be the fourth different starting quarterback to open the season with Arizona since Kurt Warner retired in 2009.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-02-FBN-Cardinals-Palmer/id-697724a769a1495caf5d569be454f9ec

peyton florida state meghan mccain wilson chandler bristol motor speedway prometheus grand canyon skywalk

Facebook In Talks To Buy Bang With Friends

Facebook is in the process of acquiring startup?Bang With Friends, according to multiple sources, in order to make a foray into the online dating space. According to these same sources, the acquisition will be a $30 million deal in both cash and stock, as that seems to be the standard M&A terms for gimmicky startups these days. Concerned about what the success of college-friendly dating apps like Tinder, Crazy Blind Date and Grouper means for the future of social, we're hearing Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg decided to scoop up the service to ramp up Facebook's competitiveness. ?We're also hearing that Facebook attempted to clone the product, which allows friends to choose which of their friends they're interested in sleeping with (and connects them if the feeling's mutual), internally before approaching the founders. Robust staff penetration and rumors that Google is building a competitive hook-up platform called Google F*ck Now also hastened the deal.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ITDAd4Sgnow/

powerball numbers freddie mercury Horshack Beady Eye Eric Idle rory mcilroy Fatboy Slim

$10M bail set for Illinois man accused of killing girl, 3

Jessie Rodriguez was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Gina Presley.

By Alexandria Fisher, NBCChicago.com

A 42-year-old Illinois man was given a $10 million bail Sunday after he was charged in the death of a 3-year-old girl in Oak Forest, according to police.

Jessie Rodriguez was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Gina Presley, Oak Forest police said Saturday.

Police escorted a man out of the hearing after he began screaming that Rodriguez did not deserve bail.

Read more stories on NBCChicago.com

Rodriguez, the boyfriend of Gina?s aunt and guardian, without justification killed the 3-year-old girl with blunt for trauma to the head, police said.

Another ?person of interest? originally taken into custody was released and is cooperating with the investigation, officials said.

Rodriguez has been in custody since Thursday, but did not appear in bond court today despite police indications.

An adult in Gina?s home in the 15300 block of Walnut Road in Oak Forest reportedly called 911 to report the young girl was choking. She was later pronounced dead at Palos Community Hospital.

The Illinois Department for Children and Family services said Gina was never in their custody, despite reports from Oak Forest police that said she was.

?This is not consolation for the family or the community and only begins to provide a response to such a horrific act,? Chief of Police Gregory Anderson said in a statement.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2a35b9cf/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A40C0A10C17550A4160E10Am0Ebail0Eset0Efor0Eillinois0Eman0Eaccused0Eof0Ekilling0Egirl0E30Dlite/story01.htm

blackhawks howard johnson levon helm firelight world peace elbow kevin love think like a man

Have You Tried 12 West Restaurant in Montclair Yet? - Montclair Patch

I?ve always thought train stations should double as restaurants. Enter?12 West,?the new restaurant in the Upper Montclair train station. It?s beautifully designed, the New American-style food is delicious, and the atmosphere is relaxed but upscale -- perfect for date night.

I?m not a gushing foodie, nor a measured restaurant critic. I?m just a girl looking for damn good food and wine -- and by that I mean: Brooklyn-good. (I've been here for 5 years and I still can't believe I no longer live 4 blocks from Applewood.)

To be fair, there are many great restaurants in and near Maplewood.?Lorena?s?of course,?Moonshine?in Millburn and Montclair?s?Upstairs?and the?Pig & Prince?all come to mind. And?Coda?is my top choice for a quick bite and drinks. But I put 12 West above them all.

Here?s what I loved:

- The design and the atmosphere of the restaurant itself: my husband will tell you, this is big with me, and 12 West has the perfect mix of modern style and homey details. Funky light fixtures, dark wood accents, high ceilings and lots of windows make it feel airy, current and festive, but not overdone. Weirdly, not one train passed during the 90 minutes we were there. ?Also, we were there at 6pm on a Saturday and it wasn?t loud at all. Impressive for a former train station.

- Foie Gras Terrine with Fig Jam - Oh my god delicious: smooth, creamy, but well-balanced by the not-too-sweet fig jam. I think the terrine may have been broiled quickly, so it was warm on the outside and cool in the middle, making every taste unique. This was possibly a mistake, but I still really enjoyed it.

- My glass of MAS DE GOURGONNIER Les Baux Rouge, a 2010 wine from Provence, which the waitress let me taste before I ordered a full glass. There are only 4 reds by the glass -- ?mostly the usual suspects, but this one from Provence was new to me. Full body, but delicate; perfect for a cool spring night. ?

- Joe had the hangar steak with chimichurri, which he described as perfectly cooked and the exact right portion size.

The only problem:

They?re still working out some kinks with the service. 12 West opened at the end of January, so I?m somewhat forgiving of this. (I liked it enough to write this post on a Sunday Night when Game of Thrones is starting up again!) Our server was really thoughtful, but overwhelmed. They brought our main course before they had removed our appetizer plates, they were slow with the water and drink refills, and the entire check process was way too long. This would normally enrage me, but this was one of the first restaurants I?ve been to since moving here 5 years ago that delivered great food with a just-right atmosphere. In other words, I felt slightly cool there.

But, the food and atmosphere at 12 West are both really great. And while I will always want to go back to Brooklyn for my ideal date night, I?ll definitely return to 12 West.

Source: http://montclair.patch.com/blog_posts/have-you-tried-12-west-restaurant-in-montclair-yet

Barack Obama & Joe Biden Am I registered to vote Voter registration Election Election results 2012 exit polls Presidential Polls

Feedly Mobile revamp caters to Reader escapees with fast search, Must Reads

The phaseout of Google Reader is quickly becoming a boon for developers still carrying the torch for newsreader apps -- just ask Feedly, which now says it took on 3 million new users in the two weeks since Google's decision. Rather than simply wait for more customers to roll in on their own, though, the company is taking matters into its own hands with a major refresh of Feedly Mobile for Android and iOS. The update brings a reworked search engine that's both extra-quick and makes topic suggestions based on the collective subscriptions of the Feedly user base, getting better as more readers join the ranks. Other updates also serve those who want to keep things moving quickly. A new Must Reads section prioritizes feeds, a title-only view maximizes screen space and an updated sharing panel both allows a customizable shortcut as well as (slightly ironic) sharing to Google+. Once you've gotten over the sting of another Google spring cleaning, Feedly's potential solutions await at the source links.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

Comments

Source: App Store, Google Play, Feedly

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/01/feedly-mobile-revamp-caters-to-reader-escapees-with-fast-search/

romney etch a sketch jeb bush sherry arnold snooty fox el debarge portland weather clintonville

'Substantive' deal on immigration reform

Immigration Reform Rally

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Schumer said today that while there is not a final deal on immigration legislation just yet, the bi-partisan "Gang of Eight" senators working on immigration reform has reached a "substantive agreement" on the major components of an immigration plan.

"It is not a done deal. We have to draft the legislation. We have to have the group of eight sign off on the specific language, but we have substantive agreement on all the major pieces now between the eight of us," the Democrat from New York said in an interview with ABC News Sunday.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., made a similar statement today and said that he expects the parameters of the plan to be revealed next week.

"I think we've got a deal. We've got to write the legislation, but 2013, I hope, will be the year that we pass bipartisan immigration reform," Graham said on CNN's "State of the Union." "It's got to be written off. We haven't signed off. There are a few details yet. But conceptually, we have an agreement between business and labor, between ourselves that has to be drafted. It will be rolled out next week."

On Friday, business and labor leaders came to an agreement on a visa program for low-skilled immigrant workers, a major turning point in the debate on immigration reform.

In what the AFL-CIO described as the "W-Visa" program, 20,000 visas would be available for low-skilled workers beginning in April of 2015. The number of available visas would increase gradually in the following years but would never go above 200,000 or dip below 20,000 in any given year. Only 15,000 visas would be allocated to construction jobs each year.

"The fact that business and labor have come to an agreement overcomes the last major substantive hurdle we've had in our negotiations," Schumer told ABC News.

But the deal on a guest worker program does not mean the senate group's plan is finalized, because the Gang of Eight still has to hammer out details including border security and the path to citizenship and write the actual legislation.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., one of the members of the bipartisan group working on immigration, said today that reports of a final deal being reached are "premature," and he called for more hearings and discussion on the topic of immigration so that a "healthy public debate" is conducted.

"Arriving at a final product will require it to be properly submitted for the American people's consideration, through the other 92 senators from 43 states that weren't part of this initial drafting process," Rubio said in a statement. "In order to succeed, this process cannot be rushed or done in secret."

ABC News' Carlos Boettcher contributed to this report.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/schumer-gang-8-substantive-agreement-immigration-issues-230408180--abc-news-politics.html

prometheus trailer patrice oneal shamrock slainte the quiet man yellow cab dropkick murphys

Business, labor close on deal for immigration bill

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Prospects for a Senate deal on an ambitious rewrite of the nation's immigration laws improved markedly as business and labor appeared ready to set aside their differences over a new low-skilled worker program holding up the agreement.

The AFL-CIO and U.S. Chamber of Commerce had been fighting over wages for tens of thousands of low-skilled workers who would be brought in under the new program to fill jobs in construction, hotels and resorts, nursing homes and restaurants, and other industries. But on Friday, officials from both sides said there was basic agreement on the wage issue, and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said a final deal on the low-wage worker dispute was very close.

That likely would clear the way for Schumer and seven other senators in a bipartisan group to unveil legislation the week of April 8 to overhaul the U.S. immigration system ? strengthening the border, cracking down on employers, allowing in tens of thousands of new high- and low-skilled workers and providing a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already in the country.

"We're feeling very optimistic on immigration: Aspiring Americans will receive the road map to citizenship they deserve and we can modernize 'future flow' without reducing wages for any local workers, regardless of what papers they carry," AFL-CIO spokesman Jeff Hauser said in a statement. "Future flow" refers to future arrivals of legal immigrants.

Under the emerging agreement between business and labor, a new "W'' visa program would bring tens of thousands of lower-skilled workers a year to the country. The program would be capped at 200,000 a year, but the number of visas would fluctuate, depending on unemployment rates, job openings, employer demand and data collected by a new federal bureau pushed by the labor movement as an objective monitor of the market.

The workers would be able to change jobs and could seek permanent residency. Under current temporary worker programs, personnel can't move from employer to employer and have no path to permanent U.S. residence and citizenship. And currently there's no good way for employers to bring many low-skilled workers to the U.S. An existing visa program for low-wage nonagricultural workers is capped at 66,000 per year and is supposed to apply only to seasonal or temporary jobs.

The Chamber of Commerce said workers would earn actual wages paid to American workers or the prevailing wages for the industry they're working in, whichever is higher. The Labor Department determines prevailing wage based on customary rates in specific localities, so that it varies from city to city.

There was also disagreement about how to deal with certain higher-skilled construction jobs, such as electricians and welders, and it appears those will be excluded from the deal, said Geoff Burr, vice president of federal affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors. Burr said his group opposes such an exclusion because, even though unemployment in the construction industry is high right now, at times when it is low there can be labor shortages in high-skilled trades, and contractors want to be able to bring in foreign workers. But unions pressed for the exclusion, Burr said.

The low-skilled worker issue had loomed for weeks as perhaps the toughest matter to settle in monthslong closed-door talks on immigration among the senators, including Republicans John McCain of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida. The issue helped sink the last major attempt at immigration overhaul in 2007, when the legislation foundered on the Senate floor after an amendment was added to end a temporary worker program after five years, threatening a key priority of the business community.

The amendment passed by just one vote, 49-48. President Barack Obama, a senator at the time, joined in the narrow majority voting to end the program after five years.

___

Follow Erica Werner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericawerner

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/business-labor-close-deal-immigration-bill-185315130.html

gone tyler perry good deeds pretty in pink shark tank john wall gordon hayward gas prices

Kelly: Gun checks need mental health component

FILE - In a Jan. 30, 2013 file photo Mark Kelly testifies at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. The daughter of former astronaut Mark Kelly was walking her dog Shiner on Goff Island Beach when the dog bolted, ripping the leash from her hand and fatally attacking a beached baby sea lion Saturday March 23, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

FILE - In a Jan. 30, 2013 file photo Mark Kelly testifies at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. The daughter of former astronaut Mark Kelly was walking her dog Shiner on Goff Island Beach when the dog bolted, ripping the leash from her hand and fatally attacking a beached baby sea lion Saturday March 23, 2013. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Gun control activist Mark Kelly says a proposed national gun background bill under discussion in the Senate should include better access to mental health records that could prevent psychologically disturbed people from obtaining guns.

Kelly, a former astronaut and husband of former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, said Sunday that the suspect accused of severely wounding his wife could not have bought the guns he wielded if a background check had exposed his mental problems.

Jared Loughner pleaded guilty to shooting Giffords and killing six people in Tucson in January 2011. Case records released last week showed Loughner passed a background check despite evidence of his agitated mental state.

Kelly pressed for the proposed background check law in an interview on Fox News Sunday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-03-31-Gun%20Control-Mark%20Kelly/id-e33a7fdbd9cf45e0b37bee5e52b7da24

cnn pi higgs boson reggie bush pope finish line Conclave