Obama's jobs council shutting down Thursday

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama will let his jobs council expire this week without renewing its charter, winding down one source of input from the business community even as unemployment remains stubbornly high.

When Obama in January 2011 formed his Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, unemployment was hovering above 9 percent. Two years later, more than 12 million people in the U.S. are out of work. The unemployment rate has fallen to 7.8 percent, but both parties agree that's still too high.

A provision in Obama's executive order establishing the council says it sunsets on Thursday. A White House official said the president does not plan to extend it.

Officials said the president always intended for the council to fulfill its mission and then wind down, and said Obama would continue to actively engage and seek input from business leaders about ways to accelerate job-creation and economic growth. Among the steps Obama plans to pursue are expedited permits for infrastructure projects, plus programs to boost entrepreneurship and workforce development.

Even before it was clear whether Obama would renew the jobs council, Republicans seized on its likely expiration as evidence the president has devoted insufficient attention to creating jobs, which polling shows remains a top priority for Americans. The Republican National Committee dubbed it part of "the failed Obama record," while the House Republicans' campaign committee, in an online petition, accused Obama of laying off his own jobs council.

Adding to the concern about the job market's continued vulnerability, the Commerce Department said Wednesday that the U.S. economy shrank at an annual rate of 0.1 percent from October through December of last year, the first quarterly drop since 2009. The Federal Reserve said the economy appears to have "paused in recent months."

The jobs council was a successor to another economic advisory board Obama created at the onset of his presidency. The panel was chaired by General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt and was composed of prominent business leaders and economists. Immelt said Thursday that progress has been made on implementing 90 percent of the council's recommendations.

Obama met with the council only a handful of times. During the last meeting, in February 2012, the president and the council highlighted an engineering education initiative alongside school deans.

The jobs council's main work product was report released in January 2012, entitled "Roadmap to Renewal." The council also organized a series of "listening and action" meetings across the country last year with business owners, local elected officials and academics, although Obama didn't attend those sessions.

Critics have argued that the council's primary purpose was to create the appearance of action at a time when the nation was pining for something ? anything ? to rein in soaring joblessness. The administration acted on many of the council's recommendations, including suggestions to streamline permitting and small business loans, increase tourist visas and boost energy efficiency.

But the White House was at odds with several council members on tax policies, particularly a proposal to exclude overseas corporate earnings from U.S. taxes. That idea divided even the jobs council, whose membership included labor and Obama's political allies.

The council's dissolution also comes as White House aides are optimistic about the prospects for a second-term detente with the business community, which bristled during Obama's first term at his harsh depiction of "fat-cat bankers" and his efforts to impose regulations, tax policies and spending initiatives they argued were unfriendly to business. Obama aides hope the softening of the relationship between the president and the business world can benefit the White House in future fiscal debates with Republicans.

White House officials said the president made a fresh effort to reach out to business in the days following his re-election. Between the November election and the end of 2012, in the height of negotiations to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, more than 400 business leaders, ranging from CEOs of large multinational companies to small business owners, met with Obama or his aides at the White House, officials said.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Kuhnhenn and AP White House Correspondent Julie Pace contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-jobs-council-shutting-down-thursday-145943394--politics.html

2012 masters the borgias shroud of turin warren sapp the masters i robot the big c

??????????????? ??????? Explay sQuad 10.14 ? 10-???????? ...

???????? JavaScript

? ??? ???????? JavaScript. ????????? ??????????? ??????? ?? ????? ????????. ??????????, ???????? JavaScript ??? ????????? ??????? ?? ???? ????????.

Source: http://forums.ferra.ru/index.php?showtopic=54261

home run derby kourtney kardashian kourtney kardashian DNS Changer ernest borgnine ESPYs 2012 venus williams

Egypt protesters defy curfew after emergency rule imposed

ISMAILIA/CAIRO, Egypt (Reuters) - Thousands of Egyptian protesters ignored a curfew on Monday to take to the streets in cities along the Suez canal, defying a state of emergency imposed by Islamist President Mohamed Mursi to end days of violence that has killed at least 51 people.

One man was killed in violence late on Monday in Port Said and another was shot dead earlier in Cairo as a wave of violence raged on, unleashed last week on the eve of the two-year anniversary of the popular revolt that brought down autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Political opponents spurned a call by Mursi for talks to try to end the violence, with main opposition groups refusing to attend a meeting.

Instead, huge crowds of protesters took to the streets in the capital Cairo, Alexandria and in the three Suez Canal cities - Port Said, Ismailia and Suez - where Mursi imposed emergency rule and a curfew on Sunday.

"Down, down with Mohamed Mursi! Down, down with the state of emergency!" crowds shouted in Ismailia in defiance of the curfew. In Cairo, flames lit up the night sky where protesters set police vehicles ablaze.

In Port Said, men attacked police stations after dark. A security source said some police and troops were injured. A medical source said one man was killed in clashes.

"The people want to bring down the regime," crowds chanted in Alexandria. "Leave means go, and don't say no!" they shouted.

The demonstrators accuse Mubarak's successor Mursi of betraying the revolution that brought down Mubarak. Mursi and his supporters accuse the protesters of seeking to overthrow the country's first ever democratically elected leader through undemocratic means.

Monday was the second anniversary of one of the bloodiest days in the revolution, which erupted on January 25, 2011 and ended Mubarak's iron rule 18 days later.

The past two years have seen the Islamists win two referendums, two parliamentary elections and a presidential vote. But that legitimacy has been challenged by an opposition that accuses Mursi of imposing a new form of authoritarianism, and punctuated by repeated waves of unrest that have prevented a return to stability in the most populous Arab state.

The army has already been deployed in Port Said and Suez and the government agreed a measure to let soldiers arrest civilians as part of the state of emergency.

A cabinet source told Reuters any trials would be in civilian courts, but the step is likely to anger protesters who accuse Mursi of using tactics like those used by Mubarak.

VOLLEYS OF TEARGAS

Propelled to the presidency in a June election by the Muslim Brotherhood, Mursi has lurched through a series of political crises and violent demonstrations while trying to shore up the economy and of prepare for a parliamentary election to cement the new democracy in a few months.

The instability unnerves Western capitals, where officials worry about the direction of a key regional player that has a peace deal with Israel. The United States condemned the deadly violence and called on Egyptian leaders to make clear violence is not acceptable. ID:nW1E8MD01C].

In Cairo on Monday, police fired volleys of teargas at stone-throwing protesters near Tahrir Square, cauldron of the anti-Mubarak uprising. Protesters stormed into the down town Semiramis Intercontinental hotel and burned two police vehicles.

A 46-year-old bystander was killed by a gunshot early on Monday, a security source said. It was not clear who fired.

"We want to bring down the regime and end the state that is run by the Muslim Brotherhood," said Ibrahim Eissa, a 26-year-old cook, protecting his face from teargas wafting towards him.

The political unrest has been exacerbated by street violence linked to death penalties imposed on soccer supporters convicted of involvement in stadium rioting in Port Said a year ago.

As part of emergency measures, a daily curfew will be imposed on the three canal cities from 9 p.m. (1900 GMT) to 6 a.m. (0400 GMT).

The president announced the measures on television on Sunday: "The protection of the nation is the responsibility of everyone. We will confront any threat to its security with force and firmness within the remit of the law," Mursi said.

His demeanour in the address infuriated his opponents, not least when he wagged a finger at the camera.

He offered condolences to families of victims. But his invitation to Islamist allies and their opponents to hold a national dialogue was spurned by the main opposition National Salvation Front coalition. Those who attended were mostly Mursi's supporters or sympathisers.

SENDING A MESSAGE

The Front rejected the offer of talks as "cosmetic and not substantive" and set conditions for any future meeting that have not been met in the past, such as forming a government of national unity. The group also demanded that Mursi declare himself responsible for the bloodshed.

"We will send a message to the Egyptian people and the president of the republic about what we think are the essentials for dialogue. If he agrees to them, we are ready for dialogue," opposition politician Mohamed ElBaradei told a news conference.

The opposition Front has distanced itself from the latest flare-ups but said Mursi should have acted far sooner to impose security measures that would have ended the violence.

"Of course we feel the president is missing the real problem on the ground, which is his own policies," Front spokesman Khaled Dawoud said after Mursi made his declaration.

Other activists said Mursi's measures to try to impose control on the turbulent streets could backfire.

"Martial law, state of emergency and army arrests of civilians are not a solution to the crisis," said Ahmed Maher of the April 6 movement that helped galvanise the 2011 uprising. "All this will do is further provoke the youth. The solution has to be a political one that addresses the roots of the problem."

Rights activists said Mursi's declaration was a backward step for Egypt, which was under emergency law for Mubarak's entire 30-year rule. His police used sweeping arrest provisions to muzzle dissent and round up opponents, including members of the Brotherhood and even Mursi himself.

Heba Morayef of Human Rights Watch in Cairo said the police, still hated by many Egyptians for their heavy-handed tactics under Mubarak, would once again have the right to arrest people "purely because they look suspicious", undermining efforts to create a more efficient and respected police force.

"It is a classic knee-jerk reaction to think the emergency law will help bring security," she said. "It gives so much discretion to the Ministry of Interior that it ends up causing more abuse, which in turn causes more anger."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-protesters-defy-curfew-emergency-rule-imposed-053334022.html

tony stewart kurt busch kurt busch nba dunk contest 2012 act of valor woody guthrie benson henderson

As education hearings get underway, City-UFT eval talks resume ...

State Education Commissioner John King was the first official to testify on the 2013-2014 budget this morning.

Albany ? A day after Mayor Bloomberg declared the chances of a teacher evaluation deal with the city?s teachers union ?impossible,? both sides confirmed this morning that they are returning to the table.

United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew first announced that talks were set to resume at the union?s legislative breakfast this morning, the Daily News reported.

The announcement comes hours before Mulgrew is set to testify before the state Assembly and Senate education committees about the 2013-2014 budget. He is among dozens of education officials and advocates who will make their case to the legislature about what they like and what they don?t like about Gov. Andrew Cuomo?s proposal.

Speaking now is John King, who asked for an extra $100 million in state aid, more money for early childhood education and $2.5 million for testing security and technology programs.

The renewed talks comes as Bloomberg faces mounting pressure from Albany to return to the table. New York City was one of six districts ? out of 691 ? that did not meet the Jan. 17 deadline, losing out on $240 million in state aid. It faces additional funding penalties if it does not show an effort to implement evaluations in the next two weeks.

Ratcheting up the pressure yesterday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo disputed Bloomberg?s testimony, which?panned many of the state?s other district plans because many of them expired after one or more years. Cuomo told the Albany Times Union?s editorial board that Bloomberg?s critique was ?factually incorrect? because the districts would still need to have teacher evaluation systems in order to qualify for state aid.

A source said Mulgrew first reached out yesterday afternoon, but it wasn?t to officials at the Department of Education, who he had been negotiating with directly when a deal fell apart two weeks ago.?Instead, the source said, Mulgrew called City Hall, which he said has been pulling the strings in the negotiations.

?It was when they called the mayor that it blew up,? Mulgrew said yesterday, referring to the deal?s eleventh-hour collapse. ?City Hall had told us that the DOE was fully authorized to make this deal so we negotiated with them. But it was the mayor.?

Bloomberg?s office didn?t return his call, but Chancellor Dennis Walcott did, the source said.

A city spokeswoman said Walcott has been reaching to the union since last week.

Both sides are now working out dates in which to hammer out the final details of a deal, which include when the deal would expire. They will likely seek to meet before Feb. 15,?a deadline that the State Education Department has set for the city to show it is prepared to implement a teacher evaluation system. If the city misses that deadline, it will lose control of federal aid meant for low-income students.

Principals Union President Ernie Logan, in Albany to testify, said that he has not resumed talks with the city. The city is closer to a deal with the principals union than it is with the teachers.

?They haven?t called me yet,? Logan said.

Source: http://gothamschools.org/2013/01/29/as-education-hearings-get-underway-city-uft-eval-talks-resume/

ground hogs day 2012 goundhog day punxsutawney facebook ipo facebook ipo egypt soccer riot mike kelley

Wargaming Sets Its Sights On Console Game Development - News ...

Free-to-play MMO developer and publisher Wargaming (World of Tanks) announced its purchase of Day 1 Studios today, which will focus on the development of an unannounced console title. Wargaming intends to have Day 1 focus on console-focused gaming and multi-platform game development.

?The move into console game development is a huge step for Wargaming, as we begin to expand our presence into new platforms," says Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming. "We are looking forward to sharing the fruits of our labor soon."

Currently boasting 45 million players worldwide, Wargaming has directed its attention to its war series dedicated to mid-20th century warfare, two of which having release dates later this year. Recently, Wargaming announced its development of the Wargaming.net service. Wargaming is taking multiple steps to further its multiplatform development.

?Wargaming is a clear leader in the free-to-play space and helps set the standard on which all other games in the genre strive for," says Denny Thorley, new Head of Wargaming's Chicago-based studio. "Our team is extremely excited to start the first console project for Wargaming."

Source: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/01/29/wargaming-sets-its-sights-on-console-game-development.aspx

j lo j lo sacha baron cohen ryan seacrest octavia spencer meryl streep oscars school shooting ohio billy crystal

Consumer Electronics Daily News: Nikon Introduces Two COOLPIX ...

Today, Nikon Inc. introduced both the COOLPIX AW110 and COOLPIX S31, two innovative yet durable compact cameras for those who want to preserve every fun and action-packed moment as well as share them with friends and family. Waterproof, shockproof and freezeproof1, the rugged AW110 is built to handle the elements, whether hiking up a mountain, hitting the slopes or riding the surf. Nikon's newest tough camera also offers built-in Wi-Fi? connectivity2 for sharing, Full HD 1080p video capabilities and a slew of advanced features that adventurers covet, including GPS and underwater shooting modes.

The COOLPIX S313 provides the reliability that allows every member of the family to preserve their own special memories. Complete with fun shooting modes and a simple yet intuitive user interface, the resilient S31 is a family camera that can be confidently carried to the pool or around the jungle gym.

The Nikon COOLPIX AW110: Durable Performance for the Outdoor Adventurer

The COOLPIX AW110 is the ultimate point-and-shoot camera for the outdoor enthusiast that demands exceptional image quality and sharp, clear HD video from a compact body. Ready for the toughest conditions, this rugged camera sports a fun and innovative feature set designed to capture, preserve and share every moment of a user's active lifestyle. Waterproof (up to 59 feet), shockproof (up to 6.7 feet) and freezeproof (down to 14 degrees F), the AW110 is a versatile and feature-rich companion, above and below sea level.

GPS technology is also enabled, allowing a traveler to track his or her adventure from beginning to end, down to the exact longitude and latitude where an image or video is captured.

The COOLPIX AW110 also features built-in Wi-Fi? connectivity2, allowing the image data transfer of any outdoor adventure to compatible smart devices for upload to social networking services or sharing with friends and family through the Wireless Mobile Adapter Utility2 application. Wireless remote camera control is also possible using a compatible smartphone or tablet when using the application.

Beneath its rugged exterior, the AW110 features a 16-megapixel backside illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor that helps create sharp, beautiful images and HD video even in challenging lighting conditions. The camera also has a NIKKOR 5x optical zoom lens with lens-shift Vibration Reduction (VR) that allows the photographer to get close up to a subject from a distance, as well as the ability to record Full HD (1080p) movies with stereo sound.

The COOLPIX AW110 features a 3-inch, OLED display for easy menu access and precise image preview, alongside an intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) that makes it easy to navigate several fun and intelligent shooting modes, including Easy Auto Mode and the Smart Portrait System, while Special Effects can be easily applied to still images and HD video.

The Nikon COOLPIX S31: Every Family Member Can Capture Beautiful Images

Ready for every precious family moment, the 10.1-megapixel COOLPIX S31 allows every family member young and old to capture beautiful photos with ease, whether on vacation or at the pool. Housed in a compact, durable body that is waterproof (up to 16.5 feet), shockproof (up to 3.6 feet) and dustproof1, this point-and-shoot takes the worry out of photography regardless of the setting or situation. Clear and precise images or HD video are made possible with the help of a 3x optical zoom (29-87mm equivalent) NIKKOR lens, and a dedicated video record button creates an effortless transition from stills to video.

A 2.7-inch LCD display supports an enhanced easy and intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) that allows for simple navigation and several shooting and playback modes designed to make photography simple and fun when using the S31. The camera allows the user to instantly show off his or her favorite family moments using unique playback options including in-camera slide shows and photo albums. Image editing and playback filter effects can also be applied to both stills and video, offering the opportunity to add a personal touch to every family memory.

Pricing and Availability:

The COOLPIX AW110 will be available in Orange, Black, Camouflage and Blue in February 2013 for a suggested retail price of $349.95. The COOLPIX S31 will be available in White, Blue, Pink, Brown and Yellow, also in February 2013, for a suggested retail price of $119.95.

?

Source: http://www.cedailynews.com/2013/01/nikon-introduces-two-coolpix-models.html

ufc 144 james jones james jones aladdin black forest ufc 144 fight card ufc 144 results

Gnomes to stay on Calif. utility poles for now

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ? Small paintings of gnomes that have popped up on utility poles have become a community sensation in Oakland, prompting Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to say Tuesday that it will keep them in place for now.

The hand-painted portraits on 6-inch blocks of wood began going up last year in an apparent effort to brighten up the blue-collar California city. There are currently more than 2,000 of the images on utility poles, with many screwed to the bases.

The gnomes have red hats, white beards and brown shoes. Some of the images contain a mushroom.

Word that PG&E planned to remove the paintings sparked an outpouring of support from residents who said the gnomes add character to the city.

PG&E spokesman Jason King planned to meet Tuesday with the artist, who requested to remain anonymous, and a member of the City Council. The utility hopes to eventually relocate the gnome paintings from the poles to other spots in the same neighborhoods.

"We've received a lot of feedback from residents who love the gnomes," King told The Associated Press. "We're looking for solutions. We'll keep them where people can enjoy them."

King said PG&E did not want to encourage such installations, explaining a proliferation of such images could cause damage or make it difficult for crews to access the poles.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gnomes-stay-calif-utility-poles-now-202506730.html

Rob Parker Comcast Pokemon X and Y Rob Ryan Silver Linings Playbook david bowie elvis presley