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Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Does the future of the GOP hinge on gay marriage?

As the Republican Party ponders and argues over its future following recent election losses, one social issue is becoming paramount: same-sex marriage, favored by increasing numbers of young conservatives as well as party operatives.

By Brad Knickerbocker,?Staff writer / March 17, 2013

This undated photo provided by the office of U.S. Senator Rob Portman shows Sen. Portman, right, and his son, Will. Sen. Portman is now supporting gay marriage and says his reversal on the issue began when he learned Will is gay.

Office of U.S. Sen. Rob Portman/AP

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The future of the Republican Party ? much debated since the GOP?s lackluster showing in last November?s election, and especially at the weekend conservative hootenanny called CPAC ? is tied to a lot of things:

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The extent to which it can attract young, Hispanic, and women voters now more likely to vote Democrat, how quickly the economy recovers (and who is given credit or blame, House Republicans or the White House), perceptions about the party?s concern for middle class and working class Americans ? ?the 47 percent? Mitt Romney disastrously derided during the presidential campaign.

But one issue is becoming increasingly important: same-sex marriage.

There?s a clear difference of opinion between younger and older voters, between younger and older elected Republicans, and certainly between social conservatives (in recent decades a key part of the GOP base) and those who confess to libertarian tendencies.

Generation by generation, the differences can be subtle but perhaps crucial.

For his part, House Speaker John Boehner indicates no inclination to join the trend toward public acceptance of same-sex marriage ? a trend highlighted by Sen. Rob Portman (R) of Ohio just switching to the pro-gay-marriage camp as a sign of love and support for his gay son.

"Listen, I believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman," Mr. Boehner said on ABC?s ?This Week? Sunday. "All right. It's what I grew up with. It's what I believe. It's what my church teaches me. And I can't imagine that position would ever change."

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (nearly two decades younger than Boehner) has a slightly different take.

Acknowledging that there?s ?no doubt? that younger conservatives generally accept gay marriage, he told NBC?s ?Meet the Press? Sunday, ?I think that's all the more reason, when I talk about things, I talk about the economic and fiscal crisis in our state and in our country.?

?That's what people want to resonate about,? Gov. Walker said. ?They don't want to get focused on those issues."

In his much-watched speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Sen. Marco Rubio (younger still, and much-mentioned as a presidential candidate in 2016) essentially walked away from the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) ? Washington defining marriage as one man and one woman.

"Just because I believe that states should have the right to define marriage in the traditional way does not make me a bigot," he said ? a not-so-subtle way of acknowledging that nine states and the District of Columbia already permit gay marriage and that DOMA is irrelevant, even though House Republicans (at Boehner?s direction) are defending the law in court because the Obama administration refuses to.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/NeixwFZBqPo/Does-the-future-of-the-GOP-hinge-on-gay-marriage

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Monday, March 18, 2013

CA-NEWS Summary

Zimbabweans vote to clip president's power

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabweans were expected to vote for a new constitution on Saturday that would clip presidential powers and pave the way for an election to decide whether Robert Mugabe extends his three-decade rule. Mugabe, Africa's oldest president at 89, has ruled the former British colony since independence in 1980 and has been accused of carrying out harsh crackdowns on the opposition and weakening state institutions like the cabinet and parliament.

U.S. to bolster missile defenses to counter North Korea threat: Hagel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced plans on Friday to bolster U.S. missile defenses in response to "irresponsible and reckless provocations" by North Korea, which threatened a preemptive nuclear strike against the United States last week. Hagel said the Pentagon would add 14 new anti-missile interceptors at Fort Greely in Alaska - an effective reversal of an early Obama administration decision - and move ahead with the deployment of a second missile-defense radar in Japan.

Focus on mission, stay true to the cross, pope tells cardinals

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Friday urged leaders of a Roman Catholic Church riven by scandal and crisis never to give in to discouragement, bitterness or pessimism but to keep focused on their mission. Since his election on Wednesday as the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, Francis has signaled a sharp change of style from his predecessor, Benedict, and has laid out a clear moral path for the 1.2-billion-member Church, which is beset by scandals, intrigue and strife.

U.S. drone strikes violate Pakistan's sovereignty: U.N.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States has violated Pakistan's sovereignty and shattered tribal structures with unmanned drone strikes in its counterterrorism operations near the Afghan border, a U.N. human rights investigator said in a statement on Friday. U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, Ben Emmerson, visited Pakistan for three days this week as part of his investigation into the civilian impact of the use of drones and other forms of targeted killings.

EU rejects Franco-British push to arm Syrian rebels

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union governments on Friday rejected Franco-British efforts to lift an EU arms embargo to allow weapons supplies to Syrian rebels, saying this could spark an arms race and worsen regional instability. France and Britain found little support for their proposal at an EU summit in Brussels, diplomats said, but EU foreign ministers will consider the issue again next week.

China formally appoints top diplomats, defense minister

BEIJING (Reuters) - China formally appointed its two new top diplomats and defense minister on Saturday, positions which had already been flagged in advance as part of the new government of President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. Outgoing foreign minister Yang Jiechi, ambassador to Washington from 2001-2005 and a polished English speaker, was promoted to state councilor with responsibility for foreign policy.

Kenya police fire teargas to disperse Odinga supporters

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Police fired teargas to disperse supporters of Kenya's defeated presidential contender Raila Odinga gathered in front of the Supreme Court on Saturday, hours before his lawyers were due to file a challenge to his election defeat. Odinga refuses to accept the slim first-round win by Kenya's richest man, Uhuru Kenyatta, and his allies have said he plans to present a petition alleging collusion between the president-elect and the electoral commission.

Congolese rebels surrender, flee after defeat by M23 rivals

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese insurgents loyal to the warlord Bosco Ntaganda have fled into neighboring Rwanda or surrendered to U.N. peacekeepers after being routed by a rival rebel faction, sources said on Saturday. M23 fighters loyal to Sultani Makenga seized control of the strategically important town of Kibumba, 30 km (19 miles) north of the provincial capital Goma, early on Saturday, rebel spokesman Vianney Kazarama told Reuters.

Obama won't trip over Netanyahu's Iran "red line"

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama visits Israel next week at the onset of spring - the "red line" previously drawn by his host, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to trigger an attack on Iran's nuclear sites. But an Israeli-Iranian war, Washington's nightmare as it tries to scale back defense commitments abroad and avoid a draining Gulf oil crisis, does not appear trip-wire imminent.

Venezuelans flood streets for another Chavez coffin parade

CARACAS (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans were on the streets again on Friday at a funeral parade for Hugo Chavez amid opposition protests that the government was exploiting his death to win the election. Chavez's remains were transported for about 12 miles through Caracas from an army academy to a military museum on a hillside where the former soldier launched his political career with a failed coup in 1992.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-news-summary-000835390.html

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

Pregnant Coach Dies in Horrifying Bus Crash and Every Mom's Heart Breaks

sun shining through clouds, pregnant coach dies A 30-year-old lacrosse coach who was pregnant with her second child died in a bus crash as her college team was on its way to a game. It's a tragedy that makes every mom feel like weeping.

Kristina Quigley, a coach of Seton Hill University's lacrosse team, was the only passenger of 23 to die when the bus slid off the Pennsylvania Turnpike and slammed into a tree early Saturday morning. The 61-year-old driver was also killed.

The college girls' team was on its way to play a game at Millersville University. Quigley, who was six months pregnant and has a young son, was flown to the hospital but died later of her injuries. And honestly, just writing this story makes my eyes fill with tears and my heart break for this woman with so much ahead of her, for her family, and for her unborn baby -- who never had the chance to live.

Any woman who's been pregnant knows what an amazing, emotional time those nine months are. Even if it's your second baby, as it was in Quigley's case, you still feel some of the same excitement, joy, and nervousness you experienced when you were expecting your first child. Your body goes through tremendous changes, and so do you. You grow -- literally and figuratively -- in ways you could never quite have dreamed of before. Pregnancy really does make you appreciate the miracle of life.

To have that all taken away in an instant is just beyond devastating. I can't even imagine what Quigley's husband, little boy, and other family and friends are going through right now. And for what? A senseless car crash that should never have happened and could probably have been avoided.

There's no word yet on the cause of the accident and whether driver error or weather or something else was to blame. The bus company, Mlaker Charter & Tours, had reportedly been up to date on all safety inspections, including checks on that specific vehicle and driver, but authorities are still investigating.

Does it really matter, though? Quigley and her unborn child are gone. Her family's lives will never be the same. I think one reason this has hit me so hard is that I, too, am pregnant with my second baby and have an older child, a little girl, at home. In that way, I was in her shoes. And a random tragedy like this could happen to any one of us. My heart feels so heavy for Quigley's husband and son and other loved ones right now. There truly are no words.

Do you have any comforting words for this pregnant coach's family? How does news like this affect you?

Source: http://thestir.cafemom.com/pregnancy/152671/pregnant_coach_dies_in_horrifying?utm_medium=sm&utm_source=rss&utm_content=pregnancy_rssfeed

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Applications For Deferred Action Dropped To Lowest Rate In January

Since the Obama administration kicked in a reprieve from deportation in August, the number of undocumented immigrants who are applying for it has been declining, said a Wall Street Journal story, citing the Department of Homeland Security.

Slightly more than 30,000 immigrants applied in January, the lowest monthly total since the program began, the newspaper reported. Some 15,000 applied by the middle of February, a huge change when compared with the 113,000 applications the agency received in October, the newspaper said.

Experts speculate that the anticipation that Congress will pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would, among other things, offer millions of undocumented immigrants a path to legalization may have lessened the sense of urgency to apply for the reprieve.

Read the whole story at Fox News Latino

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/16/applications-for-deferred_n_2891790.html

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Does the Food & Drink sector need interim management services ...

With the UK Food & Drink market at tipping point, our sector is under the microscope and perhaps this will be the catalyst for change.

As an industry it is unsustainable in its current state; where retail pressure continues to wage war on food manufacturers? margins. The food manufacturers have to cope with increased costs and often a dire need for site investment, they operate in a saturated, competitive landscape with a high proportion of over-leveraged, debt-laden businesses.

Balance this with a positive and striking increase in SME challenger brands making the mark (particularly those with provenance), foreign investors buying up our brands and incredible export opportunities. Surely if ever there was a time the time is now for Interim Managers in Food & Drink to really make a difference and make these businesses transform, turnaround, survive and grow.

From executive board positions through to the factory floor, there is a need to bring external, independent, impartial and fresh talent into these organisations to deliver some form of change.

Whatever the business risk or opportunity, Interim Management can help businesses to reach objectives on time and on budget.

So why is Interim Management not utilised more often as an accessible, low risk and experienced solution in these current and challenging market conditions?

On paper an internal employee may be cheaper ? but are they cost effective? It is highly questionable whether an employee with no prior experience of a project could deliver the same ROI as an Interim Manager, yet the internal option is considered low risk because they know the business.

There are a number of businesses that do not realise how Interim Management could help them achieve their core objectives, businesses that whole heartedly reject using Interim Management as part of their business strategy and those that are just not aware of Interim Management.

Every day I meet clients that at some point may turn to Interim Partners? for Interim Management services. How can we reposition the message to ensure that the ?true value? of Interim Management gets through loud and clear?

Jo Sands is Head of Food & Drink for Interim Partners.

Click here to read other blogs on the Consumer sector

To ensure your blog response is published please provide your first and second name together with an email address that matches the one you used when registering on the IP site. Blog responses will only be published if we can identify who you are and/or that you are registered with Interim Partners. Please click here if you wish to register

Source: http://blog.interimpartners.com/does-the-food-drink-sector-need-interim-management-services.html

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Saturday, March 16, 2013

Ohio GOP senator cites 'change of heart' on gay marriage

Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio has wrestled with gay marriage since learning two years ago that one of his sons is gay. He now says the government shouldn't deny gay couples the opportunity to marry.

By Allison Terry,?Correspondent / March 15, 2013

Sen. Rob Portman, from left, stands with his wife, Jane, daughter Sally, and son Will, in Jan. 2009. Portman is now supporting gay marriage and says his reversal on the issue began when he learned his son Will is gay.

David Kohl/AP/File

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Sen. Rob Portman (R) of Ohio, a steadfast conservative, announced his support for gay marriage Friday, reversing his previous opposition to it.

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?I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn?t deny them the opportunity to get married,? he wrote in an editorial for The Columbus Dispatch.

The Republican senator?s ?change of heart? came about after his son Will told his family in February 2011 that he is gay. He is making the announcement now because the US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on two gay marriage cases in the last week of March, he told CNN and four Ohio newspapers in an exclusive meeting Thursday.

"I thought it was the right time to let folks know where I stand so there's no confusion, so I would be clear about it," Senator Portman said. He is now "getting comfortable with my position and wanting to do this before the politics of these court decisions make it more difficult to have an honest discussion,? reported?The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, whose reporter was included in Thursday?s meeting.

Portman?s announcement signals a small, but potentially widening, wedge among Republicans over the issue of gay rights.

He is the first Republican senator to openly support gay marriage and the second-highest-ranking Republican to do so ? he follows former Vice President Dick Cheney, whose daughter Mary is gay.

Portman asked Mr. Cheney for his advice before making his announcement.

"I spoke to him personally; I actually met with him," Portman told CNN. Cheney's advice was simple: ?Do the right thing. Follow your heart,? according to Portman's recounting of the meeting.

"He was a good person to talk to because he also was surprised by the news, in that case, you know, his wonderful daughter, who he loves very much. And it forced him to re-think the issue too, and over time, he changed his view on it," said Portman.

Portman is known primarily for his acumen and conservatism on budgetary and economic issues ? he served as President George W. Bush?s budget director ? and has seldom been outspoken about social issues.?

The 2012 election has prompted discussion within the GOP about the need to be more diverse and to broaden its appeal ? something Portman would be aware of. He says he does not know of any Republican senators besides himself who back gay marriage, reported The Plain Dealer.

Many Washington Republicans this week are attending the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), a conference that refused to include gay Republican group GOProud. At CPAC on Thursday, Sen. Marco Rubio (R) of Florida defended his opposition to gay marriage.

"Just because I believe that states should have the right to define marriage in a traditional way does not make me a bigot," he said.

Opinion polls show that public support for gay marriage outweighs opposition to it.?Forty-eight percent of Americans say the US Supreme Court should establish a constitutional right for same-sex couples to legally marry, according to a Christian Science Monitor/TIPP poll conducted Feb. 25 to March 5, while 37 percent said the court should not establish that right.

But among Republicans, Portman is definitely in the minority. Twenty-five percent of fellow Republicans support the right of same-sex couples to marry, while 67 percent oppose it, the poll shows. For Democrats, the numbers are about the reverse: 66 percent support it and 28 percent do not.

Gay rights activists say Portman will not be the last Republican senator to endorse gay marriage.

?We are moved by the love and support ... Portman and his wife are showing their son,? Ian James, FreedomOhio co-founder, told the Cincinnati Enquirer. ?We appreciate the fact that the Senator wants his son to be able to marry and form a family to find the same happiness and security as his parents. Each day you can feel the momentum building toward ending marriage discrimination in Ohio.?

In 1996, Portman voted in favor of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman, barring federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

Now he would support repealing DOMA, even though he says states that do not recognize same-sex marriages should not be forced to, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

As for his home state of Ohio, Portman said he would support overturning its 2004 ban on same-sex marriage if the issue were put to a voter referendum.

?I?m going to be supportive of Ohioans having the opportunity to marry,? he said. ?I would not plan to take a leadership role in this, but people will know my position.?

Portman was in the running to be Mitt Romney?s pick for vice president in the 2012 campaign. Mr. Romney eventually tapped Rep. Paul Ryan (R) of Wisconsin as his running mate. Portman said that having a gay son did not play a role in that decision.

Portman said his son ?encouraged? him to announce his new stance on gay marriage. Friday morning his son Will, a junior at Yale University in New Haven, Conn., tweeted, ?Especially proud of my dad today.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/B0CXwDE5ork/Ohio-GOP-senator-cites-change-of-heart-on-gay-marriage

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Ranger Rick's Tree House app is a fun, interactive magazine | Tropic ...

Ranger Rick's Tree House is a fun, interactive magazine app for kids

As a kid, I liked reading Ranger Rick magazine at my school library. So it?s fun that Ranger Rick is still around for my own kids to read ? and now there?s even a Ranger Rick app, Ranger Rick?s Tree House, which is a lot like the magazine but with the interaction that today?s kids have become used to on tablet devices.

The app interface looks like you?re inside a tree house with Ranger Rick. Read articles about wildlife with interactive touch-screen features like listening to sounds and answering trivia questions. Watch wildlife videos, poke around in the backyard to learn about animals or guess the animals hiding in the mystery closet.

Read wildlife articles and use the Ranger Rick's Tree House interactive features to learn about wildlife

Each issue also has main features:

- Games: Do puzzles and play interactive ?swiping? games featuring wildlife. My three-year-old loves to play them!

A Ranger Rick's Tree House app puzzle

- Badges: Ranger Rick?s Tree House offers kids the chance to earn virtual badges. I don?t know of any other app geared for kids that tells kids if they want a badge they have to log 3 hours and 30 minutes of outdoor activities! (That would be the Nature Ninja badge. So fun!)