Monday, December 31, 2012

In the news, Saturday, December 29, 2012


____________

FRI 28      INDEX      SUN 30
____________



________



from BARE NAKED ISLAM
[Information from this site is not reliable.]

France slashes welfare benefits to Muslim parasites by a whopping 83%!

________

from The Spokesman-Review

Obituary: Miller, Jack C.

Maine same-sex couples marry in first hours of law

Spreading the news

Hopes rise for fiscal deal
Vote on possible bargain could come as early as Sunday (didn't happen)

White House petition targets Westboro church
275,000 want church declared hate group
As distasteful as it may be, they still have first amendment rights. - C. S.

U.S. sailors sue Japanese utility

Bipartisan senators back filibuster limits
Proposal allows amendments; curbs federal judgeship holds

Woman bought guns for killer, officials say
Charges related to firefighters’ deaths

Indian woman dies after rape, beating
Brutality of attack spurs demand for reform of laws
Laptop theft proves costly
Hospice of North Idaho to pay feds $50,000

_____

In brief:  From Staff and Wire Reports:

Putin signs law banning adoptions by U.S. citizens

Moscow – President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a law banning Americans from adopting Russian children, abruptly terminating the prospects for more than 50 youngsters preparing to join new families.

The move is part of a harsh response to a U.S. law targeting Russians deemed to be human rights violators.

Although some top Russian officials including the foreign minister openly opposed the bill, Putin signed it less than 24 hours after receiving it from parliament, where it passed both houses overwhelmingly.


Neighbor nations to send troops to troubled area

Bangui, Central African Republic – Central African Republic’s neighbors agreed on Friday to dispatch a contingent of soldiers to intervene in the troubled country, where a coalition of rebel groups is seeking to overthrow the president of nearly a decade.

Representatives from the 10-nation Economic Community of Central African States meeting in Gabon, though, did not specify how many troops they could contribute nor did they outline how quickly the military assistance would arrive.

President Francois Bozize had pleaded for international help Thursday as fears grew that the rebels would attack the capital.


Santa followers set NORAD record

Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. – NORAD says it drew a record number of phone calls and social media followers during its NORAD Tracks Santa operation on Christmas Eve.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said Friday volunteers answered more than 114,000 calls, up 12,000 from 2011.

NORAD’s Santa Facebook page had more than 1.2 million followers, up from about 1 million last year. More than 129,000 people followed on Twitter, up from 101,000 last year.

NORAD got 11,000 emails, up from 7,700 in 2011.

More than 1,250 volunteers answered phone calls, including first lady Michelle Obama.

NORAD Tracks Santa began in 1955 when a newspaper listed the wrong number for children to call Santa. They wound up calling the Continental Air Defense Command, NORAD’s predecessor.

The operation is based at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.


Cameras to beef up ignition interlocks

Smile, you’re on drunken-driver camera.

In an effort to increase accountability for those with a history of driving while intoxicated, all alcohol ignition interlocks in Washington will be equipped with a camera starting Jan. 1, the Washington State Patrol announced.

The camera will snap a photo every time the machine is used in order to verify the driver is the person who took the test.

The locks are mandatory on the vehicles of those who have been accused or convicted of driving while impaired. The car will not start without a breath sample below the legal limit of .08.

Washington State Patrol Lt. Rob Sharpe said impaired drivers have been known to ask passengers, even children, to blow into the machine for them to start the car.

The machine’s software will record attempts to tamper with the device.


Fire at Chief Joseph Longhouse was electrical

Investigators confirmed an accidental electrical fire is to blame for the destruction of the Chief Joseph Nez Perce Longhouse.

The fire started at 12:30 a.m. at the historic longhouse in Nespelem on the Colville Reservation. The building, a religious and cultural center for the Colville Confederated Tribes, was destroyed along with historical items stored inside.

The tribes’ History and Archaeology Program will be collecting photos and memories of the longhouse from tribe members, said John Sirois, chairman of the Colville Business Council of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.


Cameras added to help commuters

North Spokane commuters planning their drive to work have new ways to check traffic before hitting the road.

The city of Spokane and Washington State Department of Transportation added 18 new cameras along U.S. Highways 195 and 2, including along Division Street.

Feeds from the cameras are available 24 hours a day on the Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center website, www.srtmc.org. There are more than 90 live traffic feeds available in the Spokane area.

The cameras allow people to plan their routes and prevent congestion, said Staci Lehman, a spokeswoman for the center.


State sues Yakamas over fuel tax dispute

YAKIMA – Washington state has filed suit in federal court against the Yakama Nation over a disagreement about state fuel taxes.

The lawsuit marks the latest move in a string of back-and-forth court filings and disagreements over whether tribal gas station owners may continue to buy bulk fuel largely free of state fuel taxes.

Tribal members are exempt from the tax. The state and the tribe have operated under an agreement that tribal gas station owners would only be required to pay taxes on 25 percent of the total amount of bulk fuel they purchase, to reimburse the state for fuel purchases by non-Indians at tribal stations.

However, the state terminated the agreement Dec. 5, saying the Yakama Nation was not abiding by its audit requirements. The Yakama Nation filed suit the following day in Yakama Tribal Court.

In response, the state filed suit in U.S. District Court in Yakima on Dec. 17, seeking to have a federal judge force the tribe to pay about $19.4 million in unpaid fuel taxes and to uphold the state’s termination of the agreement, the Yakima Herald-Republic reported Friday.

The state fuel tax is 37.5 cents per gallon.


FDA approves anticlotting drug

WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it approved an anticlotting drug called Eliquis, developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Pfizer Inc. It’s a potential blockbuster in a new category of medicines to prevent strokes.

The agency previously rejected the drug twice, most recently in June, awaiting additional data from company trials.

The FDA cleared the pill for treating the most common type of irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, in patients at risk for strokes or dangerous clots.

_____

Vestal: Rape law advocate finds change is slow
Shawn Vestal      The Spokesman-Review

Resolve to be better at lifting those around you
SteveMassey

_____

Prep Boys Basketball

Reardan tournament

Chewelah 50, Reardan 34: Derek Smith scored 16 points and Lars Berger added 15 as the Cougars (6-3) beat the Indians (4-7) for their second straight Reardan tournament title. Nick Brockman tallied 16 points for Reardan.

Almira/Coulee-Hartline 64, Wellpinit 59: Mitch Hunt led three players in double figures with 18 points and the Warriors (4-4) edged the Redskins (7-3) for third place. James Best had 18 points and A.J. Kieffer added 16 for Wellpinit.

Yakima tournament

Hockinson 51, Lakeside 48 (WA), OT: Alan Haagan and Nathan Gunderson combined for 27 points as Hockinson hung on to beat the Eagles (2-7) at the Yakima SunDome. Lakeside’s Grant Perkins made a lay-in with a couple of seconds left in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

Rosalia tournament

Rosalia 54, Davenport 48: Craig Nelson’s 32 points and 14 rebounds carried the Spartans past the Gorillas in the title game at Rosalia. Micah Pittsley added 10 points for the Spartans. Davenport was led by Josh Likkel’s 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Odessa-Harrington 58, Wilbur-Creston 46: The Titans (5-4) finished strong after a sluggish start to the second half and beat the Wildcats (5-4) for third place. Markus Smith scored 21 points – 16 coming in the first half – and Cade Weber added 13 points for Odessa-Harrington. Colton Magers and Nick Densley combined for 30 points for the Wildcats.

Dayton tournament

LaCrosse-Washtucna/Kahlotus 55, Elgin 27: Darcy Stamper scored 17 points to lead the Tigercats (8-0) past Elgin (Ore.) in Dayton. The Tigercats outscored Elgin 22-4 in the first quarter.

Southeast 1B

Pomeroy 62, Tekoa-Oakesdale 32: Tanner Feiter had 19 points and six steals as the Pirates (7-1, 4-1) routed the host Nighthawks (1-7, 0-5). Max Mueller had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Tekoa-Oakesdale.

Nonleague

Newport 63, Springdale 34: Jeron Konkright scored 22 points and Ryan Rapp and Chris Burgess added 12 apiece as the Grizzlies (4-6) took control in the second quarter and eased past the host Chargers (0-10).

Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 82, St. John-Endicott 44: Tyler Frederick scored 15 of his game-high 20 points in the first half and grabbed seven rebounds to guide the Broncos (8-1) past the visiting Eagles (1-7).


Prep Girls Basketball

Reardan tournament

Reardan 67, Chewelah 36: Kelsey Moos scored 24 points and Chantel Heath added 18 as the Indians (10-1) dominated the Cougars (4-5) from start to finish and claimed the title. Kaitlin Krouse had a team-high 13 points for Chewelah.

Columbia 40, Almira/Coulee-Hartline 37: Elizabeth Larrew and Kaitlin Jones each hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to help the Lions (5-5) edge the Warriors (5-5) in the consolation game. Larrew finished with 19 points and Jones added 12. ACH was led by Karlee Martin’s 15 points.


Rosalia tournament

Wilbur-Creston 46, Rosalia 31: Jessica Boyer led three players in double figures with 16 points and the Wildcats (7-2) beat the Spartans (6-3) in the title game at Rosalia. McKenzie Reddish led Rosalia with 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals.


Southeast 1B

Tekoa-Oakesdale 51, Pomeroy 32: Kimberly Groom made four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points to guide the Nighthawks (7-1, 4-1) past the visiting Pirates (1-6, 0-6).


Nonleague

St. John-Endicott 52, Lind-Ritzville/Sprague 48: Emily Van Lith scored a game-high 22 points and the Eagles (6-1) held on to beat the host Broncos (4-5). Dalyn Killian tallied 14 points and Jenna Bennett and Mallory Kessler added 10 apiece for Lind-Ritzville/Sprague.

_____
Latest controls are likely to stifle criticism of officials’ corruption

Workers extend contract at East, Gulf Coast ports

Stocks’ losing streak at five days

Savings coming in health care
Froma Harrop      Creators Syndicate columnist

George F. Will

editorial from the Chicago Tribune

Chief J. Allan      chairman of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe

David Roland
director of the Theodore L. Stiles Center for Liberty at the Freedom Foundation in Olympia.

Anthony L. Komaroff      Universal Uclick

Volunteer turns 89, feted as ‘a real-life sweetheart’
Lisa Leinberger      The Spokesman-Review

________

from WorldTruth.TV
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]


________



In the news, Friday, December 28, 2012


____________

THU 27      INDEX      SAT 29
____________


Information from some sites may not be reliable, or may not be vetted.


Some sources may require subscription.

________

from Quackwatch

Stay Away from "Holistic" and "Biological" Dentists
A significant number of dentists have gone overboard in espousing pseudoscientific theories, particularly in the area of nutrition. Dentists who identify themselves as "holistic" or "biological" typically claim that disease can be prevented by maintaining "optimum" overall health or "wellness." In their offices, this typically involves inappropriate diagnostic tests, recommendations for expensive dietary supplements and/or homeopathic products; a plastic bite appliance; unnecessary replacement of amalgam fillings; and/or removal of root-canal-treated teeth.

________

from The Spokesman-Review

Schwarzkopf, Gulf War commander, dies at 78

Drop in Mississippi River threatens barge traffic again

Fire that destroyed longhouse confirmed to be electrical

Ignition interlock devices to include camera starting Jan. 1

Strike likely averted at East Coast ports

Still an oracle
Bernard Daines remains Spokane’s go-to guy for tech wisdom

Putin vows to bar adoptions by U.S.
Law’s proponents say system is rife with abuse, profit-making

Obama, Congress’ leaders to meet
Boehner summons GOP; Senate to stay weekend

Consumers get nervous
Partisan divide on budget unsettling

Egypt’s opposition under investigation
Treason probe targets ElBaradei, Morsi’s two top opponents

U.S. shuts embassy in Africa
Rebels continue to advance in Central African Republic

Hospital accreditation at risk
Medical Lake facility for mentally ill could be shut down

CdA Tribe elder kept stories alive
SiJohn, 67, helped guard tribal heritage, customs

‘Sharing economy’ irks competition
Regulators take closer look at nontraditional endeavors

Longshoremen work despite impasse
Grain terminal operators implement ‘final’ offer
_____

In brief:  From Wire Reports:

Diplomat urges talks as Syria rebels gain

BEIRUT – Peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi made a new push Thursday to draw Syrian officials and rebels into negotiations, aiming to revive a plan for a transitional government and elections that faltered because of disagreements over the future of President Bashar Assad.

The effort by the Algerian diplomat came after weeks in which both sides in Syria have been focused more on fighting. Rebels appear to be making gains, seizing military bases and fighting for control of suburbs around the capital, Damascus.

In a boost for Brahimi, Russia’s foreign minister said after meeting with a senior Syrian official that his country endorsed the peace plan originally crafted in summer, and that Syrians on both sides of the 21-month conflict needed to enter a dialogue.


Retailers will recall 150,000 baby recliners

WASHINGTON – Four national retailers agreed to recall more than 150,000 Nap Nanny baby recliners after at least five infant deaths and dozens of reports of children nearly falling out of the recliners, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.

The recall covers Nap Nanny Generations One and Two, and the Chill model infant recliners. All were sold between 2009 and 2012.

The four retailers – Amazon.com, Buy Buy Baby, Diapers.com and Toys R Us/Babies R Us – agreed to voluntarily participate in the recall of the Nap Nanny because its manufacturer is unable or unwilling to participate, the government agency said in a statement.

The manufacturer, Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, Pa., said it had gone out of business.


Ships to be rerouted to protect whales


LOS ANGELES – Ship traffic off the California coast will be rerouted under new rules designed to protect slow-moving endangered whales from ship collisions.

The International Maritime Organization has approved vessel lane changes on approaches to San Francisco Bay and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and in the Santa Barbara Channel. The changes take effect next year after the Coast Guard goes through the rulemaking process.

Migrating blue, fin and humpback whales are prone to ship strikes since they are often lured to the California shoreline by plentiful krill. All three species are endangered.


Apple likely to pay to use iPhone in Brazil

SAO PAULO – Apple Inc. likely will have to pay a Brazilian company for the right to use the iPhone brand in Latin America’s biggest country, a Brazilian telecommunications analyst said Thursday.

Brazil’s Gradiente SA started selling Android smartphones with the iPhone brand last week after winning the legal right to use the name in Brazil.

“The most likely scenario” is that the two companies will reach an agreement whereby Apple will pay Gradiente for the use of the brand, said Eduardo Tude, president of Brazilian telecommunications consultancy Teleco.

He said Apple will probably agree because it “doesn’t want to stop selling its product in Brazil.”


Unilever to phase out use of plastic beads

AMSTERDAM – Unilever, the maker of Vaseline, Axe deodorants and Dove soaps, among other cosmetic and hygiene products, said Thursday it will phase out the use of microplastics by 2015.

Many soaps, skin scrubs and shower gels contain microplastics, which are tiny polyethelene beads. Scientists and environmental groups are concerned that they contribute to polluting oceans.


Another man killed by subway shove

NEW YORK – A mumbling woman pushed a man to his death in front of a subway train on Thursday night, the second time this month someone has been killed in such nightmarish fashion, police said.

The man, who wasn’t immediately identified, was standing on the elevated platform of a 7 train in Queens at about 8 p.m. when he was shoved by the woman, who witnesses said had been following him closely and mumbling to herself, New York Police Department chief spokesman Paul Browne said.

The woman fled, and police were searching for her.

It was unclear if the man and the woman knew each other or if anyone tried to help the man up before he was struck by the train and killed.


Woman sleeping on bench set ablaze

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles police have identified a man arrested for allegedly setting a 67-year-old woman on fire as she was sleeping on a bus bench.

Dennis Petillo was arrested early Thursday and booked for investigation of attempted murder. The 24-year-old is being held on $500,000 bail.

Police say the attack occurred shortly after 1 a.m. outside a drug store.

The woman was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition.

Last week, a 55-year-old man was set on fire as he slept outside a doughnut shop in southern Los Angeles County. No one has been arrested.


Attorney: Hobby Lobby to defy law

WASHINGTON – An attorney for Hobby Lobby Stores said Thursday that the arts and crafts chain plans to defy a federal mandate requiring it to offer employees health coverage that includes access to the morning-after pill, despite risking potential fines of up to $1.3 million per day.

Hobby Lobby and religious bookseller Mardel Inc., which are owned by the same conservative Christian family, are suing to block part of the federal health care law that requires employee health care plans to provide insurance coverage for the morning-after pill and similar emergency contraception pills.

The companies claim the mandate violates the owners’ religious beliefs.


L.A. gun buyback nets 2,037 firearms

LOS ANGELES – A one-day gun buyback program in Los Angeles brought in 2,037 firearms.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office says the weapons collected Wednesday included 901 handguns, 698 rifles, 363 shotguns and 75 assault weapons.

Long lines of cars and people showed up at two locations to exchange their weapons for supermarket gift cards.
_____

The following do not necessarily reflect the views of Cousin Sam.

Shawn Vestal: Mass murderers’ other commonality: AR-15

Amy Goodman: U.S. shapes global gun trade

Pangos hits seven 3s, scores 31 to lead GU past Baylor
Sophomore shoots 70 percent from 3 to lift Gonzaga

Blanchette: GU’s Pangos has worked way back

________

from The Weekly Standard

Obama Orders Pay Raise for Biden, Members of Congress, Federal Workers

________

from The Wenatchee World

Buried treasure or hidden threat
Nation’s largest uranium deposit could be worth $10 billion, but is it worth the cost?

________


Thursday, December 27, 2012

In the news, Thursday, December 27, 2012


____________

WED 26      INDEX      FRI 28
____________



________

from ABC News (& affiliates)
TV Network in New York, New York



H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the retired general credited with leading U.S.-allied forces to a victory in the first Gulf War, died today at age 78. The man who Defense Secretary Leon Panetta today called "one of the great military giants of the 20th century" died in Tampa, Fla., where he lived in retirement, the Associated Press reported.

________

from the Newsletter of Dianne Feinstein, U. S. Seantor for California

Stopping the spread of deadly assault weapons
Her proposed legislation will do little to solve any real problems. - C. S.

________

from The Spokesman-Review

Coeur d’Alene tribal elder SiJohn dies
Cultural leader preserved customs

Fire destroys longhouse on Colville Reservation
Religious, cultural center stored beaded regalia, other items

Study links drug shortage to poorer cancer results

Nation reaching debt limit in days
Announcement comes as ‘fiscal cliff’ talks resume

Sotomayor rejects request to block birth control rule
Lawsuit claims violation of religious beliefs

Lieutenant governor fills Inouye’s seat
Governor’s decision contrary to senator’s ‘last wish’

Black voter turnout rate continues to rise

_____

In brief: From Wire Reports:

Teacher turnout high for weapons training

Salt Lake City – More than 200 Utah teachers are expected to pack a convention hall today for six hours of concealed-weapons training as organizers seek to arm more educators in the aftermath of the Connecticut school shooting.

The Utah Shooting Sports Council said it normally gathers a dozen teachers every year for instruction that’s required to legally carry a concealed weapon in public places. The state’s leading gun lobby decided to offer teachers the training at no charge to encourage turnout, and it worked.

Organizers who initially capped attendance at 200 were exceeding that number by Wednesday and scrambling to accommodate an overflow crowd.

“Schools are some of the safest places in the world, but I think teachers understand that something has changed – the sanctity of schools has changed,” Clark Aposhian, one of Utah’s leading gun instructors, said Wednesday.


Morsi conciliatory, enacts constitution

Cairo – Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi enacted a newly passed divisive constitution Wednesday even as he attempted to reach out to opponents in his most conciliatory remarks since voters began considering the document.

Offering to engage in a national dialogue with an increasingly organized opposition movement, Morsi said in a nationally televised address, “We don’t want to go back to a time when there was one opinion and an artificial majority,” referring to former President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, which ruled Egypt during Mubarak’s nearly 30-year tenure.

Opponents, however, rejected Morsi’s call for talks, saying he can’t be trusted and signaling that the nation will remain polarized. Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood, through which he ascended to the presidency six months ago, have heralded the new document as a pathway to stability. Morsi resigned from the Islamist group after his election.

The opposition groups – Christians, secularists, liberals and moderates – have called the constitution divisive and unrepresentative, saying it was written largely by members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Some also have labeled it illegal, charging that there were irregularities during the referendum.


Avista announces heating subsidies

Avista Corp. is providing $326,000 for heating assistance through Project Share and 19 other organizations in Eastern Washington, the company announced Wednesday.

Project Share provides emergency heating subsidies for qualified residents across Avista’s service area, which includes North Idaho, Eastern Washington and parts of Oregon.

It will distribute $226,000 donated by Avista and its employees. The program is administered by SNAP in Eastern Washington and by community action programs in other areas of the region.

Another $100,000 from Avista will be directed to 19 agencies that provide residents with emergency energy costs. That money will be provided through Avista’s CARES program and will be distributed across the region by groups including Cancer Patient Care, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, the Salvation Army and others.

The $100,000 comes from a state utility tax credit Avista receives associated with low-income energy assistance programs.

_____

Japan’s new leader prioritizes economy
Abe pledges fight against deflation

Syrian minister flees Beirut hospital in fear
Military police leader defects, levels accusations

Grain terminals offer final contract

More tsunami debris on move
Currents, seasonal winds put West Coast on lookout

Universities offer reputation-rescue online tool
Googled search can yield too much information, even misinformation

Bork’s defeat set tenor for future selections
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Doctor K: Depression after stroke not uncommon

Presbyterian church readies final service
Congregation dwindles, but outreach center will continue to operate
Christ the King Anglican Church will move in and hold its first service on Jan. 6.

Gardening: Of eagles, mistletoe and resolutions

________

from The Star

Chief Joseph Nez Perce Longhouse burns
Statement issued by Colville Tribes Chairman John Sirois on loss of longhouse:

Our community, especially the Longhouse Community, stand in a state of shock a day after Christmas. At approximately 12:30 a.m. this morning, a fire broke out at the Chief Joseph Nez Perce Long House and it completely burned to the ground despite a valiant effort to save the structure. It is reported the fire response team arrived minutes after the blaze started, however the flames were such that the fire rendered the building a total loss. Tribal Police are investigating the scene and all preliminary evidence suggests that an electrical malfunction was the cause of the blaze. More details will be released when the investigation is complete. The Colville Tribes’ insurance company has been notified and efforts to replace the structure are underway.

This building was more than a place of worship; it was a place of giving and a place of teaching and love. Our prayers are with all those families affected and we ask that our heavy hearts are lifted in time.

________

from The Wenatchee World

Experts have no formula for profiling potential psychopathic killers
By Jim Doyle      St. Louis Post-Dispatch

________


In the news, Wednesday, December 26, 2012


____________

TUE 25      INDEX      THU 27
____________



________

from Popular Science
from The Spokesman-Review

A tax both sides agree on
White House, GOP favor reduction in corporate tax rate

Gunman: Killing is ‘what I like’
Body found in burned house believed to be sister
_____

In brief:  From Wire Reports:

Benedict delivers Christmas message

Vatican City – Pope Benedict XVI wished Christmas peace to the world Tuesday, decrying the slaughter of the “defenseless” in Syria, urging Israelis and Palestinians to find the courage to negotiate and encouraging China’s new leaders to allow more religious freedom.

Delivering the Vatican’s traditional Christmas day message from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Benedict also encouraged Arab Spring nations, especially Egypt, to build just and respectful societies.

As the 85-year-old pontiff, bundled up in an ermine-trimmed red cape, gingerly stepped foot on the balcony, the pilgrims, tourists and Romans below backing St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers.

Less than 12 hours earlier, Benedict had led a two-hour-long Christmas Eve ceremony in the basilica. He sounded hoarse and looked weary as he read his Christmas message and then holiday greetings in 65 languages.


Iran planning naval maneuvers

Tehran, Iran – Iran is planning naval maneuvers in international waters near strategic Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes, the official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday.

The report quoted Iran’s navy chief, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, as saying the maneuvers will begin Friday from the Strait of Hormuz to the northern part of Indian Ocean.

Iran in the past has threatened to close the strait over Western sanctions aimed at its suspect nuclear program but has not repeated the threat lately.


Bay Area nurses go on strike Christmas Eve

SAN FRANCISCO – Thousands of nurses at nine San Francisco Bay Area hospitals walked off the job on the morning of Christmas Eve – a day a hospital spokeswoman described as a time when “only the sickest of the sick are in the hospital.”

Registered nurses and technicians at seven hospitals operated by Sutter Health and at two San Jose hospitals affiliated with the Hospital Corporation of America went on a one-day strike at 7 a.m. Monday, said hospital officials and representatives with the California Nurses Association.

The strike – the eighth by the union since September 2011 – comes as both sides remain at odds in a lingering dispute over health benefits, staffing levels and other issues.

As in the previous strikes, both sides traded barbs, disagreeing over the need for a strike, the number of nurses who refused to show up for work and the quality of care the replacement nurses would provide.

Hospital officials also criticized the union for calling the strike on Christmas Eve.

“We are deeply disappointed the union is taking nurses away from the bedside, particularly during the holiday season, when only are sickest patients are with us,” said Carolyn Kemp, a spokeswoman for Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, one of the Sutter facilities hit by the strike.

Union spokeswoman Joanne Jung said the union called the strike because of the hospital’s demands to eliminate health benefits for nurses who work fewer than 30 hours a week, disagreements over sick pay and other issues.


Iran media report new cyberattack

TEHRAN, Iran – An Iranian semi-official news agency said there has been another cyberattack by the sophisticated computer worm Stuxnet, this time on the industries in the country’s south.

Tuesday’s report by ISNA quotes provincial civil defense chief Ali Akbar Akhavan as saying the virus targeted a power plant and some other industries in Hormozgan province in recent months.

Akhavan said Iranian computer experts were able to “successfully stop” the worm.

Iran has repeatedly claimed defusing cyber worms and malware, including Stuxnet and Flame viruses that targeted the vital oil sector, which provides 80 percent of the country’s foreign revenue.

Tehran has said both worms are part of a secret U.S.-Israeli program that seeks to destabilize Iran’s nuclear program.

The West suspects Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program, a charge Tehran denies.

_____

Egyptian constitution officially approved
Economic crunch looms for country

Syrian rebels make gains in north

Auto Vue drive-in closing next year
East Side’s last outdoor theater opened in 1953

Call centers still humming along
Region popular because accent is neutral; jobs offer stable employment, benefits

Judge merges suits over Wyoming wolf control

Obama heading back to Washington early

Holiday sales growth weakest since 2008
Many retailers do 40 percent of business during eight weeks

Many adults admit playing hooky
Survey finds almost half say they’ve lied about being sick

Gun reforms imperative
TrudyRubin      Philadelphia Inquirer
This does not necessarily reflect the views of Cousin Sam.

BCS shakedown
Traditional hosts face new competion for title game

Ray dishes on her go-to meal
Aglio e olio is quick, simple and delicious

________

from The Wenatchee World


Chelan Falls orchard around 1913

_____

UW’s free online classes have a world market

New rules introduced for tracking livestock
Yakima Herald-Republic

________



In the news, Tuesday, December 25, 2012


____________

MON 24      INDEX      WED 26
____________


Merry Christmas



 -- with Titian's "THE HOLY FAMILY WITH A SHEPHERD" (c. 1510)




________


from The Spokesman-Review


Pope: Remember poor, young in sped-up world
Associated Press
________

Note:  The following includes commentary disguised as news.  The U.N. recognition was not of a state but was the granting of observer status to a political organization; actual statehood remains future.  Whether this is cause for joy is a matter of perspective and politics. - C. S.

Bethlehem sees extra measure of joy
U.N. recognition of state of Palestine adds cheer
Dalia Nammari      Associated Press

________


Replacing dollars could save dollars
Anna M. Tinsley      McClatchy-Tribune

________

In brief:  From Wire Reports:

Petition calls for deporting Morgan

Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling for British CNN host Piers Morgan to be deported from the U.S. over his gun control views.

Morgan has taken an aggressive stand for tighter U.S. gun laws in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting. Last week, he called a gun advocate appearing on his “Piers Morgan Tonight” show an “unbelievably stupid man.”

Now, gun rights activists are fighting back. A petition created Dec. 21 on the White House e-petition website by a user in Texas accuses Morgan of engaging in a “hostile attack against the U.S. Constitution” by targeting the Second Amendment. It demands he be deported immediately for “exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens.”

Morgan seemed unfazed – and even amused – by the movement.

“If I do get deported from America for wanting fewer gun murders, are there any other countries that will have me?” he wrote in a Twitter message.

Whether or not I agree with Mr. Morgan is irrelevant.  It is blatant hypocrisy to trample on the first amendment while claiming support of the second. - C. S.


FDA warns doctors of Botox wrinkle

WASHINGTON – Federal regulators have warned more than 350 medical practices that Botox they may have received from a Canadian supplier is unapproved and could be counterfeit or unsafe.

The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter sent last month, a letter released publicly last week, that batches of the wrinkle treatment shipped by suppliers owned by pharmacy Canada Drugs have not been approved by the FDA and that the agency cannot assure their effectiveness or their safety.

The FDA said Canada Drugs was previously tied to shipping unapproved and counterfeit cancer drugs.

The agency warned doctors about buying drugs from sources other than licensed U.S. pharmacies. It is the fifth warning the agency has made this year about foreign suppliers providing unapproved drugs.


Fever will keep Bush hospitalized

HOUSTON – Former President George H.W. Bush is spending Christmas in a Houston hospital after developing a fever and weakness following a monthlong, bronchitis-like cough, his spokesman said Monday.

A hospital spokesman had said the 88-year-old ex-president would be released in time to spend the holiday at home, but that changed after Bush developed a fever.

“He’s had a few setbacks. Late last week, he had a few low-energy days followed by a low-grade fever,” Jim McGrath, Bush’s spokesman in Houston, told the Associated Press.

He said the cough that initially brought Bush to the hospital on Nov. 23 is now evident only about once a day, and the fever appears to be under control, although doctors are still working to get the right balance in Bush’s medications. No discharge date has been set.


Israel upgrades settlement college

JERUSALEM – Israel granted a West Bank college coveted university status on Monday, in a move that could trigger international condemnation and enrage the Palestinians.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that following a legal review, he instructed the military to upgrade the college’s status, the final approval for the designation.

The announcement marks a victory for nationalist settlers who hope university recognition will give them further legitimacy and a stronger sense of permanence in the West Bank.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government backed the upgrade, called the institute’s president to congratulate him following the decision.

Proponents of the upgrade say the new status marks a crowning jewel of the government’s commitment to holding the West Bank, the heartland of biblical Judaism, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.

Palestinians consider the West Bank to be part of their future state. Most of the international community agrees and considers Israel’s West Bank settlements illegal and an obstacle to peace.

________


Oil boom fueling N. Dakota growth
Population jumped 2.2 percent in year
David Shaffer      McClatchy-Tribune

________


Firefighters gunned down
Police say ex-con set ‘trap,’ killing two, self
John Kekis      Associated Press

________


U.N. envoy meets with Syria’s Assad
Diplomat calls situation ‘worrying’
Ben Hubbard      Associated Press

________


Key Egyptian flays constitution, insists majority aren’t Islamist
Dan Perry, Aya Batrawy      Associated Press

________


Electric car owners face fee
State law adds annual $100 in lieu of gas taxes
Phuong Le      Associated Press

________


Marine pursuing fresh look at war
Burn pits in Iraq, Afghanistan trigger interest in environment
Scott Maben      The Spokesman-Review

________


Oregon longshoremen reject contract offer
Steven Dubois      Associated Press

________


Late shoppers find great deals
Retailers’ bottom lines may suffer from deep discounts
Candice Choi, Mae Anderson      Associated Press

________


Ethiopian kids learn ABCs
Rapid progress amazes ‘One Laptop’ officials
Jason Straziuso      Associated Press

________


Sandia lab building solar test centers across U.S.
Associated Press

________

opinion:

Press merely ornamental these days
Mona Charen      Creators Syndicate

Special instructions from ‘Man in the Moon’
A note author Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), posing as Santa Claus, wrote to his daughter in 1875

________

health:

Five free and healthy gifts for you, from you
Adrian Rogers      The Spokesman-Review

For most, gastroenteritis mild and brief
Anthony L. Komaroff      Universal Uclick

Cold and flu myths and facts
Compiled By Nancy Churnin      Mcclatchy-Tribune

Shed pounds with aerobic exercise
Mary Macvean      Los Angeles Times

Digestive system requires care
Dr. Alisa Hideg

Easing ear pain on a plane
Joe Graedon M.S.      PeoplesPharmacy.com

________


Wednesday, December 26, 2012

In the news, Monday, December 24, 2012


____________

SUN 23      INDEX      TUE 25
____________


from The Spokesman-Review


4 firefighters shot, 2 fatally, in western NY
Volunteers arrived to help put out early a.m. fire
Associated Press

________


Idaho Sen. Crapo charged with drunk driving
Conservative senator issues apology
Associated Press

________


FDA warns doctors of counterfeit Botox
Associated Press

________


Driver testing going private
State aims to ease long wait times for customers
Mike Prager      The Spokesman-Review

________


Clubs help job seekers prepare, share – and cope
Jonathan Brunt      The Spokesman-Review

________


Newtown residents urged to grow from tragedy
Jesse Washington      Associated Press

________


Service for Inouye held in Hawaii
Longtime senator will be buried in national cemetery
Becky Bohrer      Associated Press

________


Lieberman says ‘fiscal cliff’ more likely
Boehner failure shows difficulty of compromise
Associated Press

________


Opponents allege fraud in Egypt vote
Constitution passes with 64 percent
Reem Abdellatif      Los Angeles Times

________

In brief:  From Wire Reports;

Monti won’t run, but would lead
ROME – After keeping Italians, and the rest of Europe, in suspense for weeks, caretaker Premier Mario Monti on Sunday ruled out campaigning in February elections, but said he would consider leading the next government if politicians who share his focus on reform request it.

The decision positions him to take the helm again without having to get into the political nitty-gritty of an election – preserving his image as someone above the fray who can make tough decisions on imposing austerity. His previous measures have boosted confidence in Italy’s finances, and fellow European leaders have made no secret they want to keep them in place.

Monti, after his resignation Friday, is continuing in a caretaker role.

Troops rescue hijacked hostages
NAIROBI, Kenya – In a siege that lasted nearly two weeks, forces of Somalia’s semiautonomous Puntland region raided a hijacked ship Sunday and safely rescued 22 hostages who had been held captive for nearly three years, authorities said.

The Puntland government said their forces captured the Panama-flagged MV Iceberg 1.

“After two years and nine months in captivity, the hostages have suffered signs of physical torture and illness. The hostages are now receiving nutrition and medical care,” a statement said.

The rescued crew members include eight Yemenis, five Indians, two Pakistanis, four Ghanaians, two Sudanese and a Filipino, a Puntland Ports and Anti-piracy minister said. The ship was hijacked March 29, 2010.

Extremists destroy more mausoleums
BAMAKO, Mali – A tourism official says Islamist extremists destroyed four mausoleums in Timbuktu on Sunday.

The director of Mali’s Timbuktu tourism office, Sane Chirfi, said Ansar Dine rebels linked to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb tore down the mausoleums, which were historic but not included on the United Nations list of World Heritage sites. The mausoleums housed the remains of Muslim scholars and teachers who are revered by the Timbuktu population.

Since taking control of Timbuktu earlier this year, the Islamists have destroyed seven of the 16 mausoleums listed as world heritage sites. Some date back to the 14th century.

________


Syrian jets kill scores
Activists call strike on town payback
Ben Hubbard      Associated Press

________


Then and Now photos: View from the Tower
Spokesman-Review building offers nine-story-high vista of downtown

The architects of the Review Tower were Clarence Ferris White and C.B. Seaton. C.B. Seaton was a distant relative. - Cousin Sam.

________

opinion:

The choice is obvious
Leonard Pitts Jr.

________


Rock Doc: Naturally, there’s a better way
E. Kirsten Peters

________
________


from The Wenatchee World


A few facts about colds and the flu
Nancy Churnin      The Dallas Morning News

________
________

In the news, Sunday, December 23, 2012


____________

SAT 22      INDEX      MON 24
____________



from The Spokesman-Review


Newtown inundated with gifts for its children
‘It’s their way of grieving,’ coordinator says of support from around world
Pat Eaton-Robb Associated Press

________


Experts offer guidelines for violence risks
Signs only clear in aftermath, one says
Lindsey Tanner Associated Press

________

What is it with Idaho Senators?

U.S. Sen. Crapo arrested for DUI
Associated Press

________


Idaho stores swimming in sales since Wash. privatized liquor
Jonathan Brunt      The Spokesman-Review

Booze competition likely to intensify
Tom Sowa      The Spokesman-Review

________


Russia says others can give refuge to Assad
Associated Press

________


Constitution wins Egyptians’ favor
Turmoil likely will continue
Hamza Hendawi      Associated Press

________

In brief:  From Wire Reports

Pope pardons former butler

Vatican City – Pope Benedict XVI granted his former butler a Christmas pardon Saturday, forgiving him in person during a jailhouse meeting for stealing and leaking his private papers in one of the gravest Vatican security breaches in recent times.

Paolo Gabriele, 46, was arrested May 23 after Vatican police found what they called an “enormous” stash of papal documents in his Vatican City apartment.

He was convicted of aggravated theft by a Vatican tribunal on Oct. 6 and has been serving his 18-month sentence in the Vatican police barracks.

Gabriele told Vatican investigators he gave the documents to Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi because he thought the 85-year-old pope wasn’t being informed of the “evil and corruption” in the Vatican and thought that exposing it publicly would put the church back on the right track.

________


Rape in India stirs week of protests
Victim, 23, put on ventilator; six men arrested
Mark Magnier      Los Angeles Times

________


Potatoes help make airline connection
Spuds get new fame in Boeing Wi-Fi tests
Jason Keyser      Associated Press

________


Obamas arrive in Hawaii
First family heads home for holidays
Michael A. Memoli      Los Angeles Times

Boehner weakened by ‘cliff’
Speaker faces rebellion within GOP ranks
Alan Fram      Associated Press

________


Gregoire says she’s not finished with public service
Jim Camden      The Spokesman-Review

________


Sanderson rides the bike husband chose for her
Thomas Clouse      The Spokesman-Review

John C. Sanderson, 59, who died on Aug. 24, worked as the prosthetics purchasing agent for the Spokane Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

________


Test your Christmas trivia knowledge
Jim Camden The Spokesman-Review

________


Self-publishing offers an array of choices for authors
From e-books to shiny bound copies, options also have array of costs, concerns
Adrian Rogers      The Spokesman-Review

________


Peninsula’s Elwha River reborn as two dams fall
Lynda V. Mapes      Seattle Times

________

opinion:

The following do not necessarily reflect the views of Cousin Sam.

States should restore sanity
Gary Crooks      The Spokesman-Review

Guest opinion: A path forward on gun rights
Larry Alan Burns is a federal district judge in San Diego.
He wrote this for the Los Angeles Times.

________

sports:

Reuter has big hand in EWU’s victory
Jim Allen       The Spokesman-Review


Prep Basketball

Boys

Northwest Christian 62, Newport 32: Tyler Stephens scored 15 points and Matt Kershinar added 14 as the Crusaders (7-2) beat the Grizzlies (3-6) in the Newport tournament title game in Newport. Chris Burgess had 15 points for Newport.

Wellpinit 79, Cusick 57: A.J. Kieffer scored 20 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to guide the Redskins (7-1) past the Panthers (8-2) in the Wellpinit tournament title game. Brodie Ford added 21 points and Honey Brown made five 3-pointers and finished with 16 points for Wellpinit. Derrick Bluff scored 16 points, Alec Bluff 15 and Ryan Sample 11 for the Panthers.

St. Michael’s 64, Inchelium 45: Gabe Durazo scored 30 points and pulled down 13 rebounds as the Warriors (1-7) pulled away in the second half and beat the visiting Hornets (0-5). Nick Gilchrist added 11 points for St. Michael’s, which outscored Inchelium by 13 points after halftime. Quentin Holford scored 12 points and Sam LeaderCharge added 11 for Inchelium.

Lind-Ritzville /Sprague 66, Warden 43: Tyler Frederick scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Ryan Whitmore added 16 points, eight rebounds and six blocks as the Broncos (7-1) beat visiting Warden. LRS gained control by outscoring Warden 22-8 in the first quarter.

LaCrosse- Washtucna/Kahlotus 58, Tri-Cities Prep 42: Jed Zimmer scored 26 points as the Tigercats (7-0) gained control early and beat the visiting Jaguars.

Southeast 1B

Garfield-Palouse 69, Tekoa-Oakesdale 23: Tyler Thurman scored 25 points and Jesse Lopez added 14 points and seven steals as the Vikings (7-2, 4-1) overwhelmed the host Nighthawks (1-6, 0-4). Garfield-Palouse, which outscored Tekoa-Oakesdale 34-5 in the second half, forced 18 turnovers. Max Mueller tallied a team-high 14 points for the Nighthawks.

Colton 69, Rosalia 48: Jake Straughan hit three 3-pointers and finished with 29 points and Dalton Patchen added 22 points as the Wildcats (5-2, 5-0) beat the visiting Spartans (2-5, 2-3). Colton set the tone early by outscoring Rosalia 20-10 in the first quarter. Craig Nelson scored 17 points, Dalton Jacobs had 12 and Micah Pittsley chipped in 10 for the Spartans.

Pomeroy 50, Liberty Christian 38: Tyson Feider scored 12 points to guide the Pirates (6-1, 4-1) past the Patriots (2-4, 2-4). Mike Olson made four 3-pointers and finished with 13 points for Liberty Christian.


Girls

Lind-Ritzville/ Sprague 55, Warden 42: Dalyn Killian led three players in double figures with 14 points as the Broncos (4-4) built a comfortable first-half lead and held on to beat visiting Warden.
Randi York had 12 points and Brooke Pichette added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Lind-Ritzville/Sprague, which outscored Warden 20-13 in the second quarter and led by 12 points at halftime.

Inchelium 55, St. Michael’s 36: Olivia Williams scored 18 points to guide the Hornets (3-3) past the host Warriors (1-7). Inchelium forced 35 turnovers. Brittani Urann and Becky Raynor scored nine points apiece for St. Michael’s.

Cusick 50, Wellpinit 45: Nayleen Andrews scored 14 points and Caitlyn Nenema added 11 as the Panthers (9-0) built a big lead and held in the fourth to beat the Redskins (4-5) for the Wellpinit tournament championship. Kyra Antone tallied a game-high 19 points for Wellpinit.

Tri-Cities Prep 63, LaCrosse-Washtucna/ Kahlotus 37: The Jaguars dominated from the start and cruised past the Tigercats (0-7) in Washtucna. Tri-Cities Prep outscored LWK 23-2 in the second quarter and led by 29 points at halftime.

Brewster 78, ACH 24: Chandler Smith scored 15 points and the Bears routed the visiting Warriors (3-4). Karlee Martin had 11 points for Almira/Coulee-Hartline.

Southeast 1B

Colton 73, Rosalia 13: Jenna Moser and Savannah Chadwick scored 19 points apiece as the Wildcats (7-0, 5-0) dumped the visiting Spartans (5-2, 3-2). Chadwick hit five 3-pointers and Moser connected on four from beyond the arc. Hannah Sims tallied a team-high six points for Rosalia.

Tekoa-Oakesdale 48, Garfield-Palouse 7: Courtenay Perry scored 13 points and Olivia Pakootas added 11 as the Nighthawks (6-1, 3-1) overwhelmed the visiting Vikings (1-8, 1-4). Garfield-Palouse was held to one point in the first half.

________
________


from The Wenatchee World


Grünewald Guild: Faith in art
Connecting creativity and spirit
Mike Irwin      World staff writer

________
________


Monday, December 24, 2012

From Facebook, December 16-31, 2012


____________

____________


A crew grading Cottage Avenue in Cashmere around 1910.Among those pictured are Matt Hickey and Howard Hastings.
from the Wenatchee World, 12-14


Fresh  snow in the country this morning!
posted by Conor Jorgensen, 12-24

"Merry Christmas eve everyone!!!"
posted by Kari McKay, 12-24

A pair of SD40-2s is on the point of train 203. Very good revenue on the head end of this train: Three vehicle loads include a bi-level of vans, a flat of truck tractors and a tri-level of sedans; fourteen boxcar loads include Penn Central, Boston & Maine, Green Bay & Western and Delaware & Hudson boxcars; a couple of Sea Land marine containers haul export loads; and a couple of tanks of corn oil are just passing through the truss bridge.  This is between Tekoa and Pandora, just west of Lone Pine siding. The ex-GN line to Moscow passed underneath.  Plaza is quite a ways northwest (on the P&L, which Milwaukee crossed over at Rosalia), and Ewan is a fairly long ways west.  (9/21/75)
posted by Rob Leachman on The MilwaukeeLinesWest, 12-27-12.