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Friday, September 28, 2012

Italy rocked by corruption, drug scandals

By Claudio Lavanga, NBC News

ROME ? Franco Fiorito, a member of the regional council of Lazio, the Italian region that includes Rome, was known ironically among his friends as Batman. It was a nickname he earned when he managed to fall off a Harley Davidson still on a kickstand.

But rather than a superhero, he looks like an actor out of ?The Sopranos? with his slicked-back hairstyle, striped double-breasted suit, bulky figure and bigger than life personality. ??

Fiorito, a member of Silvio Berlusconi?s People of Freedom party (PDL), was accused earlier this month of embezzling at least $1.5 million of public funds to pay for everything from oyster dinners, to hotels, aides and apartments.

Fiorito, who has since resigned, fought the allegations by telling investigators that fellow party members behaved worse than he did ? putting the spotlight on regional president Renata Polverini.

The scandal proved too much for Polverini, who resigned on Monday, and damaged the reputation of Berlusconi?s already weakened party.

She denied allegations of any wrong-doing on her part, but admitted that the scandal had exposed infighting within the PDL party and had stripped the regional council of some legitimacy. ??

But most importantly, it stands as a symbol of a political class that has lost touch with the electorate, and carries on living a lavish lifestyle financed with public funds at a time when most Italians struggle to get by.

?Why did they call him Batman? He sounds more like the joker to me,? said Carla Cecchini, a receptionist from Rome who was waiting at a bus stop in Rome on Wednesday morning. ?He is not even that smart. We know they are all thieves, but this guy didn?t even try to hide it. He is shameless.?

Toga party photos
Apparently Fiorito is not as brazen as another member of the regional council.

Only days ago, pictures emerged of a lavish toga party organized in 2010 by Carlo de Romanis, a 32-year- old member of Berlusconi?s party. ?

Romanis organized the party to celebrate his election to the regional council and his return to Rome after eight years working at the European Parliament in Brussels.

The theme of the party, ?Ulysses returns home and fights his enemies,? was taken seriously by his 2,000 guests. They showed up dressed up as ancient Roman maidservants, gladiators, patricians in laurel wreaths and minotaurs, drinking from ancient-looking jars. Pictures emerged of guests feeding each other grapes, as well as men wearing pig masks fondling female guests.

?A party worthy of the last days of ancient Rome, when the narcissistic and decadent elite kept enjoying a lavish lifestyle while the empire was falling apart all around them.

The similarities might not be so far-fetched. Even though Carlo ?Ulysses De Romanis? insists the $30,000 he paid for the party came from his own pocket, it still upset many Italians who are tired of seeing the political elite enjoying the lifestyle of emperors while they feel the strain of the recent austerity measures and the economic crisis.

Alex Biasco, a DJ in Milan, told NBC News that the Italian public is partly to blame as well. He said they like to complain about the widespread abuse of office, without acting to bring about any changes.

?Look at the Spanish: they fill the squares in Madrid to demand the resignation of unfit politicians,? said Biasco.? ?While in Italy we have had politicians who stole for decades, who are corrupt to the core?and yet, Italians only fill their squares when their soccer teams win.?

Luca Orsenigo, a 38-year-old telecom manager from Milan, had a similar complaint.?

?We got to this point because we deserve it. Instead of going to prison, these people are invited to defend themselves on talk-shows," said Orsenigo, referring to the many TV appearances Fiorito enjoyed after the scandal broke. "As long as these people go unpunished, nothing will change?

Cocaine bust
More proof of widespread corruption among Italian governmental institutions came on Tuesday, when the head of the postal service in the Italian Senate was arrested for cocaine trafficking, police said.

Orlando Ranaldi, 53, is accused of being part of a criminal gang 10 Italians and Albanians who ran a cocaine ring in southern Rome. While not a politician, Orlando held a managerial position in Italy?s upper house of parliament. ?

?"I only hope that he didn't push inside the Senate," Senator Felice Belisario of the Italy of Values party told Reuters.

Roberta, a housewife from Rome who gave only her first name, jumped to her own conclusions. ??

?They are all living the high life, and I can?t believe the guy wasn?t doing ?favors? to the political elite,? she said. ?

The recent revelations of Champagne-filled toga parties, embezzlement of public funds and cocaine heists have only contributed to widening the gap between the political elite and the electorate.?

?Once again we are showing the world how corrupt we are.? But Italians, thank God, are not all like Batman and Ulysses,? Alessandra Scolaro, a website designer and member of the People of Freedom party from the Veneto region, told NBC News. ?The best Italians are those who wake up every morning and go to work. And those who make us proud by raising the bar of Italian creativity in the arts and fashion industries. This is the real Italy.?

While Italians aren?t likely to descend to the squares to protest and try to get rid of the political class the hard way, they will have the opportunity to bring change in the general elections next spring.?

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/26/14113589-italy-rocked-by-corruption-drug-scandals?lite

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Home and Family Articles ? Blog Archive ? Pregnancy: Should You ...

Have you lately learned that you will be a new ma? If that39;s the case congratulations! Parenthood is something that most girls live their lives for. As lovely as pregnancy is, many issues arise that many first-time parents don39;t know much about. Due to this, many first time mothers make the choice to take parenting classes, but the issue is should you?

When referring to deciding if you need to take parenting classes, to get ready for the raising of your new baby, many mothers and fathers are dubious. If you39;re one of those soon-to-be elders, you may need to inspect the advantages and drawbacks of parenting classes. These benefits and drawbacks, two which are revealed below, may help in making arriving at a call a little bit easier for you.

As for the advantages of taking a parenting class, you39;ll find that there are an unlimited number of them. Although you might have babysat children during the past, parenting is dissimilar. When you are a parent, you are responsible the safety and the contentment of your youngster. While this task could look like an overwhelming one, you don't have the choice of backing out on this one. For that reason, you should take any steps obligatory, including parenting classes, to make arrangements for this venture.

Another one of the many benefits to taking a parenting class, before the arrival of your first child, is the data that you39;ll end up with. Many parenting classes target a big spread of issues. In a parenting class, you39;ll learn how to correctly change a nappy, lay your baby down for a sleep, as well as feed them in a healthy way. As well as educating you in a study room setting, you will also find that many parenting classes give you hands on learning. This is sometimes done with the employment of baby dolls.

Networking is another one of many advantages to taking parenting classes before the birth of your kid. You39;ll basically be stunned just how preferred parenting classes are. Whether you live in a massive city or a tiny city, there's a good probability that your parenting classes will be filled to capacity with first time mummies. While you may not always think about this at the time, this is a glorious opportunity to meet new friends and develop new friendships. If you don't have any mates or family who are parents, this could be a concern of yours.

The price of parenting classes is another one of many advantages of or advantages to taking a parenting class. As previously mentioned parenting classes come in a number of formats, as well as costs. It's simple to find parenting classes where you've got to pay a tiny charge, regularly less than one hundred bucks. With that in mind, it's also possible to find parenting classes that are free. These free parenting classes are infrequently supplied through non-profit organizations.

While there are a substantial number of advantages to taking a parenting class, to stand by for the birth and upbringing of your first kid, there are 1 or 2 flaws or disadvantages to doing so too. One of those drawbacks is the conferences. Parenting classes change, but many have multiple classes in a short period of time, like 1 or 2 months. You39;ll be wanting to attend each and every one of those classes to absorb as much information as practical. Preparing for the arriving of a new kid, especially your first child, could be a busy and busy time in your life. Because of that, you may not necessarily have the time to give to parenting classes.

The previously mentioned benefits and flaws are merely a few of many which exist, concerning parenting classes. The upbringing of a young child is a difficulty that you, as a soon-to-be mum need to address. For help, you may want to turn to a regionally offered parenting class.

Lyman Broy does a lot of research on many subjects and writes about these subjects while not hiking on the weekends with family, or selling goods like landau which is of a very top quality. Additionally, the writer sells dickies scrubs which is also an exceedingly top spec product. Playing various instruments with a band during the week is yet another past-time that keeps time moving for this busy writer.

Tags: health, healthcare, Parenting, Pregnancy

This entry was posted on Monday, September 24th, 2012 at 8:09 pm and is filed under Pregnancy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.homeandfamilyarticlesblog.com/pregnancy-should-you-actually-consider-parenting-classes/

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WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings: Advocating for Health, Fitness and ...

Laura Kolodjeski

It?s safe to say there?s no shortage of inspirational women in the Women?s National Basketball Association (WNBA)! Earlier this year I featured WNBA President, Laurel J. Richie and Chicago Sky Head Coach, Pokey Chatman. Today, I?m excited to introduce you to the WNBA?s 2011 Most Valuable Player, Tamika Catchings, who plays for the Indiana Fever. Additionally, she?s a Dribble to Stop Diabetes Campaign Ambassador and co-founder of the Catch the Stars Foundation.

Q: How did you get started playing basketball?

A: My father was an NBA player for eleven years, playing for various teams including the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers. I really got started playing by watching my dad. I have an older brother and an older sister, so between the three of us we were very active and always playing sports.

Another reason I got involved in sports was because I was born with hearing problems, so I had to wear hearing aids and had a speech problem. Back then, I didn?t have the little hearing aids, I had the big ones and as a young girl that?s really not the thing that makes you popular. I remember just wanting to fit in and be normal and be like everybody else. I always got made fun of because of the way that I talked.

Sports really became an avenue for me just to be able to fit in and to be like everybody else. I knew that if I got made fun of off the court I could say, ?Hey, let?s go play basketball? or ?Let?s go play soccer.? I knew that some things in life I wouldn?t be able to change, but with sports I could always work harder and get better.

In seventh grade, I found my passion for basketball. I would go outside and play and play and play and it was just something that I loved. I enjoyed volleyball and still played until I went to college. I ran track and field into my junior year but during seventh grade, I decided that I was going to follow in my dad?s footsteps and play in the NBA. That was my dream.

Q: You?ve carried that dream through to playing in the WNBA. What are some of the lessons you have learned playing at that level?

A: The WNBA is very professional and, as a professional athlete, it?s your responsibility to take care of yourself and your body. In college you really don?t have a choice because the team does everything together, including eating. In the WNBA, you have a schedule of practice times and games. In between practices and games, it?s up to you to make sure you?re getting in the weight room. You need to make sure that if you need to get extra cardio, that you?re doing it. And you have to make sure you?re eating right. Unlike college, there aren?t people watching you and making sure you?re getting everything done.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your Catch the Stars Foundation?

A: We work with boys and girls ages 7 to 15 and we offer sports-related and education-related programs. In the beginning, my sister and I started by offering basketball camps. Eventually, we were hosting so many different types of programs, we decided to start the Catch the Stars Foundation and put all of our different programs under that organization. Since then, we have added mentoring programs and we?re continuing to grow.

I love being able to impact the kids, especially early on, when you can involve them and guide them and lead them, you can tell that it makes a difference in their future.

Q: You?re now a spokesperson for Dribble to Stop Diabetes. Why did you decide to become so involved in the program?

A: Diabetes runs in my family. My nephew has type 2 diabetes and one of my aunts has type 1 diabetes. I realize that diabetes affects all of us. For me it?s really important to know what?s in my family, to make sure that I stay active and eat as healthy as I can.

Plus, Dribble to Stop Diabetes correlates directly with what I?m already doing with my job so it is a perfect fit. This is about setting an example. Any time you have kids looking up to you, it?s important to share the right message. When parents ask questions about diabetes and I can encourage them to look at the website, take a risk assessment, and talk to a doctor, then I think we?re promoting the right behavior.

Q: You mentioned how important kids are to you, any words of wisdom that you share with kids you meet?

A: It?s all about dreams and setting goals. In all of the programs that I?m involved in, we have them sit down and write goals. We talk about short-term goals and long-term goals.

A lot of people think that setting goals has to be a big thing. It can be, or it can be a simple daily task. It can be as big or little as you want. I was in seventh grade when I made my goal. The WNBA wasn?t even here and I knew what I wanted. I had a dream of what I wanted to do. To think about what I wanted to do in?seventh grade and to actually be doing it, it?s amazing.

It really is amazing! Tamika is such an inspiration and I think we can all take note from her experience and strive to accomplish our goals. All it takes is a dream and hard work. Thanks Tamika!

All the best,

Laura K.

Disclosures: Tamika Catchings is a paid Campaign Ambassador for Dribble to Stop Diabetes. All opinions contained in this post reflect those of the interviewee, and not of Sanofi US, its employees, agencies or affiliates.

The Dribble to Stop Diabetes campaign is a Sanofi US Diabetes partnership with the NBA, NBA D-League, WNBA and the American Diabetes Association.

One Direction Shatters Justin Bieber VEVO Record

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/one-direction-shatters-justin-bieber-vevo-record/

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

United Airlines gets 1st 787

In this undated photo provided by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the first Boeing 787 that will be used by United Airlines, is shown taking off. U.S. travelers are going to be seeing a lot more of the 787, the ultra-lightweight jet that aims to reduce flier fatigue and airline fuel bills. United announced the week ofThursday, Sept. 27, 2012, that it has become the first U.S. airline to get the newest Boeing plane, and flights from Houston to Chicago will begin November 4. The carrier joins All Nippon Airlines and Japan Airlines, who have started 787 service from U.S. cities, or will soon. (AP Photo/Boeing, Matthew Thompson)

U.S. travelers are going to be seeing a lot more of the 787, the lightweight jet built to reduce flier fatigue and airline fuel bills.

United this week became the first U.S. airline to get the newest Boeing plane. Flights between United hubs, including Houston and Chicago, begin Nov. 4. United joins All Nippon Airways, which starts U.S. flights on Monday, and Japan Airlines, which already flies the 787 from Boston to Tokyo.

After years of delays, Boeing Co. has begun delivering a handful of 787s every month. With more than 800 sold to airlines around the world, it will eventually be a plane that travelers encounter regularly. The 787 seats 219 passengers ? making it relatively small for a long-range plane but ideal on routes where it's tough to fill a larger 777.

Boeing claims the Dreamliner will be 20 percent more fuel efficient than comparable jets. And it promises a better travel experience, with more space, better lighting and carefully calibrated air pressure that should lead to fewer flier headaches.

United will fly its new plane from Seattle to Houston on Friday to begin getting it ready for passenger flights.

Here's what U.S. travelers should know about the 787:

WHO FLIES IT IN THE U.S.:

A small but growing number of airlines.

Japan Airlines currently flies 787s from Boston to Tokyo, and plans to add San Diego-Tokyo on December 2.

Japan's All Nippon Airways was the first airline to get a 787 a year ago, and starts flights Monday between Seattle and Tokyo's Narita airport. Flights between Narita and San Jose, Calif. begin in January.

United Airlines expects to get five 787s this year. Passengers will first see the 787 on flights between United's U.S. hubs. Then, on Jan. 3, United begins flights from Los Angeles to Tokyo. On March 31, it starts new flights from Denver to Tokyo Narita.

Among U.S. airlines, United Continental Holdings Inc. is going to have the 787 to itself for several years. Delta Air Lines Inc. has pushed its deliveries back to 2020, spokesman Anthony Black said. Around the industry, there's widespread skepticism about whether it will ever take the planes at all.

American Airlines has a commitment ? but not a signed, firm order ? for 42 of the planes, slated to begin arriving in the second half of 2014.

Chilean airline LAN plans to fly 787s from Los Angeles to Lima, Peru, but doesn't have a firm date yet.

WHAT YOU'LL NOTICE INSIDE:

Bigger windows and better air.

The 787's bigger windows let in more light, and its ceiling is 15 inches higher than in United's 767s. The air is less dry than on other planes, and the cabin is pressurized to a lower altitude. That will make the air inside feel closer to the air on the ground.

Ray Neidl, an airline analyst for Maxim Group, said he thinks this will be the first plane since the 40-year-old 747 that passengers will go out of their way to fly on.

"People are going to feel a lot more comfortable at the end of a long trip than they would feel on a normal airplane," giving them a reason to seek it out, he said.

United's 787 seats 219 passengers, including 70 in what it calls "Economy Plus." That's a sort of high-end coach seat that has three more inches of legroom, and other perks.

That's a significant number of Economy Plus seats, said Tim Winship who runs frequentflier.com. But considering the long flights the 787 will be making, United appears to be betting that passengers will pay up (or use frequent flier miles) to get those seats.

For most passengers, 787 or 777 are just numbers. All that really matters is their personal space on board. And the best measure of that space is the seat pitch, or the distance between seats.

By the standard, United's 787 lands in the middle of the pack. United's pitch will be 32 inches in coach, which is roughly comparable to planes that travelers might encounter on other airlines. United and American's 777s have 31 inches of pitch, according to seatguru.com, although American's 767s have 33 to 34 inches. Delta's 767s have 31 to 32 inches, according to the website.

The 32 inches on United's 787 is "pretty much the standard for entry-level coach seating," Winship said. "It's certainly not enough to surprise or delight long-haul flyers."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-27-United%20Airlines-787/id-a25e3685b9244914b7a4feb7df0843e0

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Simple.TV clarifies shipping dates, tells backers units will start arriving October 10th

According to Simple.TV, there have been articles circulating around the interwebs that may have caused confusion amongst parties interested about the shipping dates of its facile white puck. So, in order to induce some clarity, the folks behind the project have posted a Kickstarter update to let its backers know their Simple.TVs will be arriving soon -- somewhere between October 10th and 15th, to be precise. On the other hand, Simple.TV is also set to start taking pre-orders on its website tomorrow from folks who missed out on the crowd-funded party, with these particular units estimated to ship "within 20 days" after the order has been placed. The good news is we're only a couple of weeks away from its long-overdue arrival; in the meantime, however, don't forget we have our own hands-on for you to graciously pore over.

Filed under: Misc, Home Entertainment, HD

Simple.TV clarifies shipping dates, tells backers units will start arriving October 10th originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 19:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/pj7i4fp-puY/

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A third of public fears police use of drones

WASHINGTON (AP) ? More than a third of Americans worry their privacy will suffer if drones like those used to spy on U.S. enemies overseas become the latest police tool for tracking suspected criminals at home, according to an Associated Press-National Constitution Center poll.

Congress has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to come up with safety regulations that will clear the way for routine domestic use of unmanned aircraft within the next three years. The government is under pressure from a wide range of interests to open U.S. skies to drones. Oil companies want them to monitor pipelines. Environmentalists want them to count sea lions on remote islands. Farmers want them to fly over crops with sensors that can detect which fields are wet and which need watering. They're already being used to help fight forest fires. And the list goes on.

Manufacturers are also keen to cash in on what they expect to be a burgeoning new drone market. Government and commercial drone-related expenditures are forecast to total $89 billion worldwide over the next decade. On the leading edge of that new market are state and local police departments, who say that in many cases drones are cheaper, more practical and more effective than manned aircraft. Most of them would be small drones, generally weighing less than 55 pounds. They could be used, for example, to search for missing children or to scout a location ahead of a SWAT team.

But privacy advocates caution that drones equipped with powerful cameras, including the latest infrared cameras that can "see" through walls, listening devices and other information-gathering technology raise the specter of a surveillance society in which the activities of ordinary citizens are monitored and recorded by the authorities.

Nearly half the public, 44 percent, supports allowing police forces inside the U.S. to use drones to assist police work, but a significant minority ? 36 percent ? say they "strongly oppose" or "somewhat oppose" police use of drones, according to a survey last month.

When asked if they were concerned that police departments' use of drones for surveillance might cause them to lose privacy, 35 percent of respondents said they were "extremely concerned" or "very concerned." An almost identical share, 36 percent, said they were "not too concerned" or "not concerned at all."

Twenty-four percent fell in the middle, saying they were "somewhat concerned" about a potential loss of personal privacy.

David Eisner, president and CEO of the constitution center in Philadelphia, said he was surprised by the level of support for police use of drones.

"I had assumed that the idea that American police would be using the same technology that our military is using in Afghanistan would garner an almost hysterical response," Eisner said. Support for drone use "shows that people are feeling less physically secure than they'd like to because they are willing to accept fairly extreme police action to improve that security."

One poll respondent who said he has deep reservations about police use of drones was Tim Johnson, 55, a Houston real estate agent. He said he fears the data they gather will be misused, especially by other government agencies. It is possible government officials might use the information to create profiles of political enemies, he said.

Pointing to the growing use of traffic cameras and the Google's mapping programs, Johnson said he sees police use of drones as an extension of technology trends that are already eroding privacy.

"I Googled my house," Johnson said. "There's my car sitting in the driveway ?you can see the license plate number. And my living room picture window, you can see right into my living room. You can see my pictures on the wall. If I had been standing there in my underwear you could see me in my underwear." Google says it tries to ensure privacy by blurring parts of images in its Street View feature.

"This information ? there is just too much of it," Johnson said. "I don't support any of it."

But Sheana Buchanan, 49, of Apple Valley, Calif., said she had no qualms about police using drones.

"I figure if you're doing something wrong, then you should be concerned about it," Buchanan said. "But if you're a law-abiding citizen, if you're concerned about safety ... and it's going to help catch the bad guys, have at it."

There was a gender gap in the poll, with men were more concerned about a loss of privacy if police start using drones than women ? 40 percent to 30 percent. There was an even wider gap between white and black respondents, with 48 percent of blacks strongly concerned about a loss of privacy compared to 32 percent of whites.

But the poll found no significant difference between Democrats and Republicans on the issue.

Protecting privacy has long been an issue that resonates on both the political left and the right, said Jay Stanley, an American Civil Liberties Union senior policy analyst. He pointed to several bills that were introduced this year in Congress by Democratic and Republican lawmakers to prevent drones from being used in a manner that jeopardizes privacy.

"The awareness of drones and their privacy implications has really reached the American public," Stanley said. "This is a technology that people weren't thinking about at all or hadn't heard much about at all just a couple of years ago."

Responding to public concern, a drone industry trade group and the International Association of Police Chiefs have separately released voluntary guidelines for drone use in recent months.

"A lot of the public doesn't understand how the technology is being used," said Gretchen West, vice president of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. "Law enforcement use (drones) to do the same thing they've used manned aircraft for years, it's just that (drones) are more affordable and usually a more efficient option."

The National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that operates a Philadelphia museum and other educational programs about the Constitution.

The AP-NCC Poll was conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Corporate Communications from Aug. 16-20, using landline and cellphone interviews with 1,006 randomly chosen adults. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3.9 percentage points.

___

Associated Press Deputy Director of Polling Jennifer Agiesta and AP News Survey Specialist Dennis Junius contributed to this report.

___

Follow Joan Lowy at http://www.twitter.com/AP_Joan_Lowy

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/third-public-fears-police-drones-184211444.html

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