Parent of firm planning state jobs under scrutiny

LONDON ? The parent company of Serco Inc. ? the firm with plans to employ as many as 1,000 people in Northwest Arkansas ? is being investigated by British government auditors who say Serco Group PLC and security company G4S overcharged on contracts to monitor offenders ordered to wear electronic monitoring devices.

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Front Section, Pages 1 on 07/13/2013

Source: http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2013/jul/13/parent-firm-planning-state-jobs-under-scr-20130713/

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Italian senator likens black minister to orangutan

ROME (AP) ? Premier Enrico Letta has harshly criticized a top Italian senator who likened the country's first black Cabinet minister to an orangutan, the latest episode of high-profile racial tension in a nation grappling with immigration.

In a statement Sunday, Letta denounced Roberto Calderoli's words as "unacceptable" and "beyond every limit."

Calderoli, the Senate's vice president and a leader of the anti-immigrant Northern League party, made denigrating remarks about Immigration Minister Cecile Kyenge while he was speaking at a party rally Saturday in northern Italy, the populist movement's power base.

"When I see images of Kyenge I cannot help think, even if I don't say that she is one, of a resemblance to an orangutan," Corriere della Sera newspaper quoted Calderoli as saying. On Sunday, Calderoli said he was making a joke, and meant no offense to the minister.

Kyenge is a Congolese-born doctor who became Italy's first black minister when Letta's Cabinet was sworn in in April. Reactions to her appointment have added to political tensions in Italy this summer, and Letta's coalition government, which faces economic and other pressures, is extremely fragile.

Calderoli told the rally that Kyenge has done well to become a minister, but "perhaps she should do it in her own country." He further was quoted as saying she "makes so many clandestine migrants who come here dream" that they will find "America" in Italy.

The Northern League isn't in the government but has long been the closest political ally of former Premier Silvio Berlusconi's center-right party, which is Letta's main partner in the coalition government. Calderoli's remarks sparked calls for him to resign, including from one of Kyenge's fellow ministers, Gianpiero D'Alia.

D'Alia, a centrist who serves as Letta's public administration minister, told Sky TG24 that Calderoli's comments recalled the "language of the Ku Klux Klan," the U.S.-based white supremacist movement.

Kyenge said politicians should take the occasion to "reflect on what kind of debate they want ... about content or about insults."

Last month, Kyenge, who has lived in Italy since 1983, received death threats before she visited the northern region that is Calderoli's party base. The xenophobic Northern League expelled a local politician after she suggested on Facebook that someone should rape Kyenge so she "can understand what victims of atrocious crimes feel." The League's leaders blame immigrants for violent crime in Italy.

Northern League secretary Matteo Salvini said Calderoli 's orangutan remark was a "shocking wisecrack, an out-of-line" comment.

Kyenge has in the past said that such racism is really directed at all Italians, not just her.

Immigration is a relatively new phenomenon in Italy, where past centuries saw many Italians leave in search of work in North and South America and Australia.

Kyenge, interviewed by Sky, said Italy needs to develop a culture against racism.

She said racism "is about hate, the fear of what's different."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italian-senator-likens-black-minister-orangutan-140226347.html

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Boycott Florida

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Source: www.olddominionblogs.com --- Sunday, July 14, 2013
Posted at The Richmonder - Read more: Boycott Florida ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OldDominionBlogs/~3/m7IKFDRiX9E/

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An injured Mariah Carey performs at MLB-Sandy show

NEW YORK (AP) ? Mariah Carey has a new accessory: the stylish sling supporting her injured shoulder.

The pop diva performed in a fashionable sling that matched her shimmering white dress on Central Park's Great Lawn on Saturday night for the 2013 MLB All-Star Charity Concert. It was for the benefit of Superstorm Sandy victims.

She asked the crowd: "We like it?"

The 43-year-old went to the hospital Sunday after dislocating her shoulder while filming a music video. She told the crowd Saturday she "was in a tiny bit of pain, but I'm OK."

Carey performed four songs ? which sounded live ? with the New York Philharmonic. Her recent performances at the BET Awards and on "American Idol" have been criticized as Carey appeared to lip sync. She kicked off the four-song concert with "My All" ? full of breathy riffs ? and added a white fur to her sling when she sang "Looking In."

"I'm not in the best of health," she said. "I'm filming this for my own self for incredible laughs."

Carey added that she was humbled to perform at a benefit for Sandy victims. Major League Baseball made a $1 million donation for Sandy relief efforts.

The singer appeared in a black dress when she returned to perform two songs; she also had a feathery black sling to match her outfit.

Randy Jackson played guitar when Carey sang "#Beautiful" and a choir joined the singer when she closed her set with "Hero."

The wife and daughter of MLB legend Jackie Robinson, Rachel and Sharon Robinson, were in the crowd Saturday and earned a roaring cheer from the crowd.

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Online:

http://mariahcarey.com/

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2013/charity_concert.jsp

____

Follow Mesfin Fekadu on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MusicMesfin

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/injured-mariah-carey-performs-mlb-sandy-show-030009020.html

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Caterpillars attracted to plant SOS

July 1, 2013 ? Plants that emit an airborne distress signal in response to herbivory may actually attract more enemies, according to a new study published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Plant Science .

A team of researchers from Switzerland found that the odor released by maize plants under attack by insects attract not only parasitic wasps, which prey on herbivorous insects, but also caterpillars of the Egyptian cotton leafworm moth Spodoptera littoralis, a species that feeds on maize leaves.

When damaged, many plants release hydrocarbons called volatile organic compounds, similar to the compounds that cause the characteristic smell of freshly cut grass. These volatile organic compounds are known to be attractive to parasitoid wasps that lay their eggs inside other insects, killing them. Plants appear to use this strategy to fight back against herbivorous insects by calling for their enemies' enemies. In contrast, herbivorous insects tend to avoid the herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds.

"Adult moths and butterflies avoid food plants that are under attack by conspecifics. This seems adaptive, because it reduces both competition and the risk of predation by parasitoids. But we found that S. littoralis caterpillars are actually attracted to the odor of damaged maize plants, even when this odor is mimicked in the laboratory with a mix of synthetic compounds," said Prof. Ted Turlings, an author of the study and head of the Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research in Chemical Ecology Institute of Biology at the University of Neuch?tel, Switzerland.

To determine what kind of odors the caterpillars preferred, the researchers let the caterpillars chose among several odors by placing them in an olfactometer, a device consisting of four tubes connected to a central chamber, with each tube introducing an airflow carrying a different odor. The caterpillars were more than twice as likely to crawl towards the odor from maize plants under attack by conspecifics than towards undamaged plants, especially if the damage was recent and the caterpillars had already fed on maize.

So what might be the advantage to the caterpillars of moving towards plants that are already infested? "When S. littoralis caterpillars drop from a plant they are highly vulnerable to predators and pathogens in the soil, as well as to starvation. The advantage seems to be that fallen caterpillars can quickly rediscover the plant on which they fed. The caterpillars feed less and move more when exposed to high concentrations of the volatiles. By moving away from freshly damaged sites, they can minimize risk of predation and avoid competition," explained Prof. Turling.

Turlings and colleagues propose that hungry S. littoralis caterpillars do the best of a bad job by moving towards volatile organic compounds released by damaged maize plants. On these plants the competition may be more intense, but at least the caterpillars are assured of a suitable plant. Adult moths, on the other hand, are much more mobile and take little risk exploring the environment to discover the best food source -- so they avoid maize that is already under attack.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/705wA7hAnIw/130701135820.htm

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MacNN | iPhone News: iLuv preps vibration-equipped TimeShaker alarm dock

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Supports only Lightning-equipped Apple devices

Accessory maker iLuv has announced the TimeShaker, an upcoming alarm dock for iPhones and iPods. The unit is iLuv's first alarm dock to switch to Lightning, the connector format used on the most recent generation of Apple devices. The dock's name comes from its detachable shaker unit, which can be slipped under a pillow to wake people who might otherwise miss a sound alarm.

Two separate alarms can bet set, using iPhone/iPod audio, FM radio, a buzzer, or the shaker as waking options. People with non-Apple devices can listen to them via an aux-in jack. Some other features of the dock include a LCD with a 10-level dimmer, and a dedicated TimeSync button for pulling time from an iPhone or iPod.

The TimeShaker is scheduled to ship in August. The iLuv website lists a $120 pricetag, but the company itself says that the dock will cost $100.

By Electronista Staff

Source: http://feeds.smartphonemag.com/~r/iPhoneLife_News/~3/P_s-Ny2Ye3k/story01.htm

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Texas Rangers sit Lance Berkman for another game with injury suffered in tumble down airplane stairs

Texas Rangers designated hitter Lance Berkman, left, reacts to taking a strike in front of Toronto Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia during the baseball game Thursday, June 13, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

ARLINGTON ? In what is bound to become the most famous accident involving airplane stairs since President Gerald Ford tumbled down the stairs of Air Force 1 more than 30 years ago, Rangers DH Lance Berkman missed his third consecutive game due to a twisted right knee suffered when he fell down the stairs exiting the Texas Rangers charter early Friday morning.

Berkman said he did not think he was a candidate for the DL. The Rangers are hopeful that with Monday?s off day, he could get rested and healthy enough to return to the lineup Tuesday when the Rangers face Seattle.

?It was a nasty fall, Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

Berkman has had four surgeries on the knee in his career, including one after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in a flag football game after the 2004 season.

The knee, however, is becoming more and more of a concern. After playing in 20 games in April and 27 in May, Berkman has played in just 16 games in June. While the knee has not often been painful, Berkman has had trouble keeping it straight when hitting from the left side and that forms the foundation for his swing.

After hitting .309 in April and .265 in May, Berkman hit just .194 in June with only two extra-base hits, both home runs. His last double was on May 18.

The Rangers full lineup for the series finale against Cincinnati: 2B Ian Kinsler, SS Elvis Andrus, DH Nelson Cruz, 3B Adrian Beltre, 1B Mitch Moreland, LF David Murphy, C Geovany Soto, CF Engel Beltre, RF Leonys Martin and RHP Yu Darvish.

Source: http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2013/06/texas-rangers-sit-lance-berkman-for-another-game-with-injury-suffered-in-tumble-down-airplane-stairs.html/

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