Assad warns of "earthquake" if West intervenes (Reuters)

BEIRUT (Reuters) ? Western powers risk causing an "earthquake" across the Middle East if they intervene in Syria, President Bashar al-Assad said, after protesters called for foreign protection from a crackdown in which 3,000 people have been killed.

Assad's warning came ahead of Syrian government talks on Sunday with the Arab League aimed at starting a dialogue between the government and opposition and ending violence which has escalated across Syria in recent days.

Activists said Syrian forces killed more than 50 civilians in the last 48 hours and one activist group said suspected army deserters killed 30 soldiers in clashes in the city of Homs and in an ambush in the northern province of Idlib on Saturday.

Assad's suppression of the seven-month uprising has drawn criticism from the United Nations and Arab League. Western governments have called on him to step down and imposed sanctions on Syrian oil exports and state businesses.

Western countries "are going to ratchet up the pressure, definitely," Assad told Britain's Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

"But Syria is different in every respect from Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen. The history is different. The politics is different."

"Syria is the hub now in this region. It is the fault line, and if you play with the ground you will cause an earthquake."

WESTERN STANCE

NATO military intervention in Libya played a decisive role in toppling Muammar Gaddafi, the third Arab leader to be overthrown after the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.

Western nations have shown no appetite to repeat their Libyan operation in Syria, but demonstrators are increasingly calling for a "no-fly zone" over their country.

"Do you want to see another Afghanistan, or tens of Afghanistans?" Assad said. "Any problem in Syria will burn the whole region. If the plan is to divide Syria, that is to divide the whole region."

Since the start of protests in March, Syrian authorities have blamed the violence on foreign-backed gunmen and religious extremists they say have killed 1,100 soldiers and police.

Syria has barred most international media, making it hard to verify accounts from activists and authorities.

But the resilience of the protesters, the determination of authorities to crush dissent and the emerging armed insurgency have combined to make Syria's turmoil one of the most intractable confrontations of this year's Arab uprisings.

Assad, whose father put down an armed Muslim Brotherhood uprising in the city of Hama in 1982, killing many thousands, said the latest crisis was part of the same conflict.

"We've been fighting the Muslim Brotherhood since the 1950s and we are still fighting with them," he said.

Authorities had made "many mistakes" in the early part of the uprising, but he said the situation had now improved and that he had started implementing reform within a week of the troubles erupting in mid-March.

"The pace of reform is not too slow. The vision needs to be mature. It would take only 15 seconds to sign a law, but if it doesn't fit your society, you'll have division," he said.

Assad's opponents say although he lifted emergency law and gave citizenship to thousands of stateless Kurds, his promises of reform ring hollow while security forces kill protesters and arrest thousands of people. They also say protests are driven by a desire for greater freedoms, not by an Islamist agenda.

Friday's shooting of demonstrators prompted Arab ministers to issue their strongest call yet on Assad to end the killing of civilians.

The Arab League's committee on the Syrian crisis sent an "urgent message to the Syrian government expressing its severe discontent over the continued killing of Syrian civilians."

A source at Syria's Foreign Ministry, quoted by state media, said the Arab League statement was "based on media lies" and urged the committee to "help restore stability in Syria instead of stirring sedition."

An Arab League ministerial group is due to meet Syrian officials on Sunday in Qatar to press for dialogue between the government and opposition.

Syria, a majority Sunni Muslim nation of 20 million people, is dominated by Assad's minority Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam.

Aware of potentially seismic geopolitical implications if Assad were to fall, leaders in the mostly Sunni Arab world have been cautious about criticising the Syrian president as they struggle with domestic challenges to their own rule.

Sunni ascendancy in Syria could affect Israel and shake up regional alliances. Assad strengthened ties with Shi'ite Iran while also upholding his father's policy of avoiding conflict with Israel on the occupied Golan Heights frontier.

Syria has barred most international media, making it hard to verify accounts from activists and authorities.

(Additional reporting by David Milliken in London; Editing by Ralph Gowling)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111030/wl_nm/us_syria

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Going off-the-cuff, Romney does himself few favors (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Mitt Romney may need a censor. For himself.

In the last few weeks in Nevada, the man who owns several homes told the state hit tough by the housing crisis: "Don't try and stop the foreclosure process. Let it run its course and hit the bottom."

At one point in Iowa, earlier this year, the former venture capitalist uttered, "Corporations are people," with the country in the midst of a debate over Wall Street vs. Main Street. At an event in economically suffering Florida, the retiree ? who is a multimillionaire many times over ? said, "I'm also unemployed."

Over the past year, the Republican presidential candidate has amassed a collection of off-the-cuff comments that expose his vulnerabilities and, taken together, could reinforce a perception that he's an out-of-touch elitist who lacks a core set of beliefs.

So far, the foot-in-mouth remarks haven't seemed to affect his standing in the nomination race.

Romney has run a far more cautious and disciplined campaign than his losing bid of four years ago. He's kept the focus on his core message: He's the strongest candidate able to beat President Barack Obama on the biggest issue of the campaign, the economy. He still enjoys leading positions in public opinion polls in early primary states and across the nation. Few, if any, of the other Republicans in the race have turned his remarks against him.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Romney's chief rival with the money to prove it, is all but certain to try. Perry has already started suggesting that Romney lives a life of privilege while he comes from humble roots. And Romney's eyebrow-raising comments are tailor-made for critical TV ads.

Look no further than the Democratic Party and Obama's advisers for proof of that.

Each time Romney says something that makes even his closest aides grimace, Democrats quickly put together a Web video highlighting the remark ? a preview of certain lines of attack come the general election should the former Massachusetts governor win the nomination.

"Mitt Romney's message to Arizona? You're on your own," says a new ad by the Democratic National Committee that jumps on Romney's foreclosure remarks.

Romney's team publicly dismisses their boss's occasional loose lips, dismissing them as inconsequential to voters focused on an unemployment rate hovering around 9 percent.

"It's a long campaign and at the end of the day people are going to judge Gov. Romney and his ability to take on President Obama over jobs and the economy. And certainly there will be a lot of back and forth as the campaign progresses," said Russ Schriefer, a Romney strategist.

"This election will be decided on big issues because the issues are so big and so important," Schriefer said. "And not on a gaffe or a mistake or a moment, any particularly moment. It's more about the big moments and who voters see and being able to turn the economy around."

It usually takes more than one gaffe or one mistake to undo a campaign. And other candidates have made their own potentially problematic comments.

Take, for instance, Herman Cain's assertion that the Wall Street protesters are in the streets to distract from Obama's record: "If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself." Or Perry's suggestion that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is "almost treasonous": "If this guy prints more money between now and the election, I don't what y'all would do to him in Iowa, but we would treat him pretty ugly down in Texas." Or former House Speaker Newt Gingrich explaining his infidelity: "There's no question at times of my life, partially driven by how passionately I felt about this country, that I worked far too hard and things happened in my life that were not appropriate."

But a string of unforced errors, when combined, can reinforce unfavorable perceptions of the candidate, as Romney aides privately acknowledge. And that's the trouble Romney faces ? just as John Kerry damaged himself when he racked up a series of equivocating comments on a series of issues while the Democratic nominee in 2004.

President George W. Bush's re-election campaign used Kerry's waffling ? conflicts between his votes and his quotes ? to cast him as an opportunist who would shift his positions to win votes.

Romney gave his critics a similar opening over the past few days. In Ohio, he refused to say whether he would support a local ballot initiative even as he visited a site where volunteers were making hundreds of phone calls to help Republicans defeat it. Issue Two would repeal Ohio Gov. John Kasich's restrictions on public sector employee bargaining.

It turned out that Romney had already weighed in, supporting Kasich's efforts in a June Facebook post. And, a day after the Ohio visit, Romney made clear where he stood, saying he was "110 percent" behind the anti-union effort.

There have been other instances of comments that could come back to haunt him. In Arizona at one point, he tried to highlight his father's role running an auto company but inadvertently painted himself as a have, rather than a have not.

"See, I'm a Detroit guy, so, you know, I only have domestics," he said, then added: "I have a couple of Cadillacs, at two different houses. You know, small crossovers."

During a recent debate, Romney suggested that the discovery of illegal immigrants working on his yard during his first presidential campaign was a problem ? not because it was illegal, but because "I'm running for office, for Pete's sake."

Comments like those could partly explain why Romney has kept a limited public schedule and favors closed events and appearances that play down spontaneous interaction with reporters.

Still, in some ways, the damage may already have been done. Expect to hear Romney's impolitic comments frequently as Republicans and Democrats alike try to derail Romney.

__

Associated Press writer Beth Fouhy in Boston contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111028/ap_on_el_pr/us_romney_s_gaffes

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Police raids in Bosnia after US embassy attack (AP)

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina ? Officials in Bosnia say police are searching several locations and questioning people who could be linked to the man who fired an automatic weapon at the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo in what authorities called a terrorist attack.

A policeman and the gunman were wounded in Friday's attack. None of the embassy's employees was hurt.

The gunman came from a Muslim-dominated region of Serbia and is a follower of the ultraconservative Muslim Wahhabi sect.

State Prosecutor Dubravko Campara said Saturday morning the investigation is being conducted in coordination with police in Serbia where 15 suspects had already been detained and a number of locations searched.

Meanwhile, anger is mounting in Sarajevo against the Wahhabis whose members are viewed as "terrorists".

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/terrorism/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111029/ap_on_re_eu/eu_bosnia_shooting_spree

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Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D.: The Key Trait Successful People Share

Which character traits do you need to have if you want to work effectively and get ahead? The answer depends, to some extent, on the kind of work you do -- but there's one trait that everyone needs to have if they want to succeed, and that's trustworthiness. Technically, it's not so much being trustworthy, but being perceived as trustworthy, that matters. You can be as honest, fair, and reliable as the day is long, but if nobody else sees you that way, it won't help you.

When your boss doesn't trust you, you don't get key assignments, promotions or the latitude to do things your own way and take risks. When your colleagues and employees don't trust you, you don't get their best effort, or all the information you need from them to make good decisions.

If you want other people to believe that you are trustworthy, you should be aware that you may be seriously undermining that belief if you appear to lack self-control. New research shows that people just won't trust you when you seem like you might have a willpower problem. If you think about it, this makes a lot of intuitive sense. We trust people because we know that when things get hard, or when it might be tempting for them to put their own interests first, they'll resist temptation and do what's right.

Studies show that when you engage in behaviors that are indicative of low self-control, your trustworthiness is diminished. In other words, all those things you know you shouldn't do -- smoking, overeating, impulsive spending, being lazy, late, disorganized, excessively emotional or having a quick temper -- may be even worse for you than you ever realized, because of the collateral damage they are doing to your reputation.

So if you want to be trusted, you're going to have to conquer these trust saboteurs. To do that, you'll need to understand how willpower really works, and how you can get your hands on some more of it.

The Secret to Earning Trust: Willpower

Your capacity for self-control is like the muscles in your body. Like biceps or triceps, willpower varies in its strength, not only from person to person, but from moment to moment. Just as well-developed biceps sometimes get tired and jelly-like after a strenuous workout, so too does your willpower "muscle."

Even everyday actions like decision-making or trying to make a good impression can sap this valuable resource. So can coping with the stresses of your career and family. When you tax it too much at once, or for too long, the well of self-control strength runs dry, no matter who you are. It is in these moments that the doughnut (or the cigarette, or your hot temper) wins.

So if you are serious about resisting your unwanted impulses, start by making peace with the fact that your willpower is limited. If you've spent all your self-control handling stresses at work, you will not have much left at the end of the day for sticking to your resolutions. Think about when you are most likely to feel drained and vulnerable, and make a plan to keep yourself out of harm's way. Decide, in advance, what you will do instead when the impulse strikes.

The good news is, willpower depletion is only temporary. Give your muscle time to bounce back, and you'll be back in fighting form. When rest is not an option, recent research shows that you can actually speed up your self-control recovery, or give it a boost when reserves are low, simply by thinking about people you know who have lot of self-control. (Thinking about my impossibly self-possessed mother does wonders for me when I'm about to fall off the no-cheesecake wagon.)

Or, you can try giving yourself a pick-me-up. I don't mean a cocktail -- I mean something that puts you in a good mood. (Again, not a cocktail -- it may be mood-enhancing, but alcohol is definitely not willpower-enhancing, nor trust-enhancing). Anything that lifts your spirits should also help restore your self-control strength when you're looking for a quick fix.

The other way in which willpower is like a muscle (and the really great news for those of us trying to rid ourselves of a trust saboteur) is that it can be made stronger over time, if you give it regular workouts. Recent studies show that daily activities such as exercising, keeping track of your finances or what you are eating -- or even just remembering to sit up straight every time you think of it -- can strengthen your capacity for self-control. For example, in one study, people who were given free gym memberships and stuck to a daily exercise program for two months not only got physically healthier, but also smoked fewer cigarettes, drank less alcohol, and ate less junk food. They were better able to control their tempers, and less likely to spend money impulsively. They didn't leave their dishes in the sink, didn't put things off until later, and missed fewer appointments. In fact, every aspect of their lives that required the use of willpower improved dramatically.

So if you want to build more willpower, start by picking an activity (or avoiding one) that fits with your life and your goals -- anything that requires you to override an impulse or desire again and again, and add this activity to your daily routine. It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier over time if you hang in there, because your capacity for self-control will grow. Other people will notice the change, and trust you more.

Armed with more willpower and the trust of those around you, you'll be more successful than ever before.

For ways to be more successful in your relationships, at work and everywhere else, check out my new book, "Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals." Or, visit my website, The Science of Success. Follow me on Twitter @hghalvorson.

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Follow Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hghalvorson

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/heidi-grant-halvorson-phd/success-and-willpower-_b_1030250.html

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Hancock's new video a group effort (AP)

NEW YORK ? Herbie Hancock was a music video trailblazer: In 1984, he garnered five trophies at the first MTV Video Music Awards for his "Rockit" video, which featured robot-like sculptures moving in sync with the song's turntable scratching.

Now more than 25 years later, he's experimenting with a new technique for making a music video.

On Wednesday night, cameras were handed out to 25 photographers ? professionals and hobbyists alike ? who shot continuously as Hancock performed his funky "Chameleon" on the keytar, a synthesizer keyboard that he straps over his shoulder like a guitar.

"We're doing something really special," said Hancock in an interview before performing a brief set with his quartet before invited guests. "What they're going to do is make a flip book (of photographs) that's going to sync to the music."

"It's like the audience is going to make the music video. That's why it's crowd-sourced."

The 71-year-old Hancock made the video, due to be released in early December as part of a Canon promotional campaign, during a break from his first U.S. solo tour without any other musicians accompanying him on stage. Hancock did a brief European tour in the `80s playing solo acoustic piano, but this time he's reinventing the solo concept with all kinds of high-tech gadgetry.

"I'm able to have both the acoustic piano and a synthesizer and my iMac computer," said Hancock, who studied electrical engineering in college. "I'm actually using some devices that right now are really on the cutting edge. I have a controller board with buttons, knobs, faders and sliders in order to manipulate some sound clips."

"It's been working out really well because it has freed me up to be my own drummer and bass player. ... I'm not bound by keeping a particular rhythm or a particular time sequence," he said. "I have the capability of being much more cinematic with a live performance."

Hancock is closing out his fall tour next month with three concerts in Calgary, Alberta; Portland, Ore., and Seattle, at which he will be performing "Rhapsody In Blue" on acoustic piano with a symphony orchestra. The inspiration came after he performed a portion of the George Gershwin masterpiece with classical pianist Lang Lang at the 2008 Grammy Awards, where he also surprisingly won album of the year honors for "River: The Joni Letters."

"I determined that it's time for me to go back to my roots of classical music and to explore that now in my adult life as a professional musician," said Hancock, a child prodigy who performed a Mozart piano concerto with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11. "I listened a lot to classical music ... and used elements that I stole from Ravel or Stravinsky in my style of piano playing and compositions."

Hancock says "Rhapsody" has jazz overtones and he may improvise a little in some places. That he says is part of the classical tradition.

"Bach, Beethoven and Mozart ... were improvisers, but the art of improvisation in classical music got lost along the way," he said.

____

Online:

http://www.herbiehancock.com

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111027/ap_en_mu/us_music_herbie_hancock

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Thailand calls holiday to allow escape from floods (Reuters)

BANGKOK (Reuters) ? Thailand announced a five-day holiday on Tuesday to give people the chance to escape floods closing in on Bangkok as the prime minister warned that the capital could face an inundation of 1.5 meters (nearly five feet) of water if barriers collapsed.

The cabinet declared October 27-31 a holiday in Bangkok and 20 provinces affected by the country's worst flooding in 50 years as weekend high tides in the Gulf of Thailand could complicate efforts to divert water from the low-lying capital.

Financial markets will remain open.

As water levels climbed, some of those already evacuated were preparing to be evacuated again, with 4,000 people sheltering at a northern Bangkok airport told they would be moved to the eastern province of Chon Buri.

The floods have killed at least 366 people since mid-July and disrupted the lives of nearly 2.5 million, with more than 113,000 in shelters and 720,000 seeking medical attention.

Authorities are scrambling to pump out water around the east and west of Bangkok but record-high water levels in the Chao Phraya river that winds through the city raise the risk of floods in the commercial heart when the high tides come.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra warned in a televised address that central Bangkok, which authorities have been struggling to protect, could be swamped by up to 1.5 meters (nearly five feet) of water if barriers broke.

She told residents to get their belongings up high and get ready. She said authorities would guard important places such as the royal palace and power stations and do their best to limit damage and pump water out of the city.

Seri Supharatid, director of Rangsit University's Center on Climate Change and Disaster, said the city's fate rested with dikes along the Chao Phraya river.

"In the worst-case scenario, if all the dikes break, all parts of Bangkok would be more or less flooded," Seri said.

The floods have also forced the closure of seven industrial estates in Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani provinces bordering Bangkok, causing billions of dollars of damage, disrupting supply chains for industry and putting about 650,000 people temporarily out of work.

The cabinet announced a 325 billion baht ($10.6 billion) budget on Tuesday to help rebuild the country, mostly for small and medium-sized enterprises, small vendors and individuals.

"If they get back to normal quickly, it will help push the economy forward," said Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala.

Thirachai last week said growth for this year could be barely 2 percent due to the flooding, down from the central bank's earlier forecast of 4.1 percent.

Heavy rain late on Tuesday, the first in four days, could complicate an already precarious situation and more showers were forecast for Wednesday.

Don Muang Airport, Bangkok's second biggest, closed late on Tuesday due to concerns that passengers and staff might have problems reaching the terminal. It is expected to reopen on November 1.

Airports of Thailand said the main Suvarnabhumi Airport, built on a snake-infested swamp, was not affected because it was on higher ground. However, Thai Airways International Pcl, which operates out of Suvarnabhumi, said it may reduce flights because of staffing concerns.

As water levels rose, there were concerns the Lat Krabang and Bangchan industrial zones in the north and east of Bangkok would be inundated, threatening a total of 344 factories, 49 of which are operated by Japanese firms that include including Honda Motor Co and Isuzu Motors Ltd.

"The situation behind the factory isn't good," Tanapon Karakasikum, an official at an auto components factory at Lat Krabang, told Reuters. "The flood barrier is too low but the operators of the estate are not doing anything."

BANGKOK TENSE

The center instructed residents of the Muang Ake housing estate in northern Bangkok to evacuate on Tuesday after a flood protection wall in nearby Pathum Thani province was breached, adding to tension in the capital, where residents have fortified their homes and stockpiled food and water.

The Commerce Ministry said on Tuesday it would relax import tariffs and regulations on food, water and some consumer goods in short supply as a result of hoarding.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra issued a new flood warning late on Monday for Bang Phlad district, west of the Chao Phraya river and closer to Bangkok's commercial heart.

Bang Phlad is home to department stores, universities and hospitals. Siriraj Hospital, where Thailand's revered king has been for more than two years, is nearby.

Government spokeswoman Thitima Chaisang said the holiday had been called due to the high tides and to give residents the option of leaving Bangkok. Sukhumbhand said the holiday would allow authorities to handle the crisis better.

Authorities opened most canal gates in Bangkok late last week, a high-risk operation taking pressure off defensive walls by diverting water around the east and west of the capital into the sea, but raising the chance of inner-city flooding.

Hundreds of people were evacuated over the weekend as water in Lak Si and Don Muang reached levels as high as two meters (six feet), spilling out of swollen canals and rivers. Several escaped farm-reared crocodiles have been killed or captured in residential areas of Ayutthaya. Snakes have also been a problem.

At least 227 bank branches have been forced to close by floods, most of them in the provinces north of Bangkok.

The central banks of Japan and Thailand said on Tuesday they were looking at a mechanism to offer funds in baht backed by Japanese government bonds to help affected Japanese firms. The Bank of Thailand also said it was discussing similar plans with other countries.

Big Japanese firms such as Toyota Motor Corp, Sony Corp and Nikon Corp have had to close down operations in Thailand.

(Additional reporting by Orathai Sriring, Khettiya Jittapong, Kitiphong Thaichareon, Boontiwa Wichakul, Apornrath Phoonphongphiphat, Sinthana Kosolpradit and Ploy Ten Kate in Bangkok and Tokyo Bureau; Writing by Alan Raybould and Martin Petty; Editing by Jason Szep)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/world/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111025/wl_nm/us_thailand_floods

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(AP)

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College prices up again as states slash budgets

Chart shows average college tuition and fees for four-year public colleges from 1981-2011.

Chart shows average college tuition and fees for four-year public colleges from 1981-2011.

As President Obama prepared to announce new measures Wednesday to help ease the burden of student loan debt, new figures painted a demoralizing picture of college costs for students and parents: Average in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges rose an additional $631 this fall, or 8.3 percent, compared with a year ago.

Nationally, the cost of a full credit load has passed $8,000, an all-time high. Throw in room and board, and the average list price for a state school now runs more than $17,000 a year, according to the twin annual reports on college costs and student aid published Wednesday by the College Board.

The large increase in federal grants and tax credits for students, on top of stimulus dollars that prevented greater state cuts, helped keep the average tuition-and-fees that families actually pay much lower: about $2,490, or just $170 more than five years ago. But the days of states and families relying on budget relief from Washington appear numbered. And some argue that while Washington's largesse may have helped some students, it did little to hold down prices.

"The states cut budgets, the price goes up, and the (federal) money goes to that," said Patrick Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. "For 25 years we've been putting more and more money into financial aid, and tuition keeps going up. We're on a national treadmill."

Nonetheless, President Obama planned to announce a series of steps to help with one of the consequences of rising college prices: student debt. This year total outstanding student loan debt has passed $1 trillion, now exceeding credit card debt. And concerns about student loan debt have been front and center with many of the Occupy Wall Street protesters.

Obama will use executive authority for two loan-relief measures. First, he will move up the start date ? from 2014 to 2012 ? of a plan Congress already passed that reduces the maximum repayment on federal student loans from 15 percent of discretionary incomes to 10 percent. The White House says about 1.6 million borrowers could be affected, and that remaining debt would be forgiven after 20 years, instead of 25.

The administration also will allow 5.8 million borrowers with outstanding loans from two federal programs ? direct lending the Family Education Loan Program ? to consolidate into a direct loan, potentially saving some borrowers hundreds of dollars per month.

Those changes may not help new borrowers much, but they could put cash in the pockets of millions still paying back their loans. They also could encourage more borrowers to take advantage of the income repayment options that are already in place, but not widely known. Finally, by consolidating into direct lending, more could qualify for that program's public service loan forgiveness, which can forgive debts after just 10 years of repayments for people working in nonprofit or public service jobs.

In the College Board's latest price report, some of the increase was driven by huge increases at public universities in California, which enrolls 10 percent of public four-year college students and whose 21 percent tuition increase this year was the largest of any state.

But even without California, prices would have increased 7 percent on average nationally ? an exceptional burden at a time of high unemployment and stagnant family incomes.

Terry Hartle, senior vice president at the American Council on Education, which represents colleges in Washington, said the cause of the price increases for the 80 percent of college students who attend public institutions is clear. State appropriations to higher education declined 18 percent per student over the last three years, the College Board found, the sharpest fall on record.

"To see increases of 20 percent, as we saw in California, to see gains of 15 percent in other states, is simply unprecedented," Hartle said. "Tuition is simply being used as a revenue substitute in many states."

The College Board reports roughly 56 percent of 2009-2010 bachelor's degree recipients at public four-years graduated with debt, averaging about $22,000. At private nonprofit universities, the figures were higher ? 65 percent and around $28,000. Those figures are likely to rise, though private borrowing ? usually more dangerous than government loans ? has been falling.

"Psychologically, practically, it's a big number, and it will inform important choices, like when and whether you buy a home, start a family, save for retirement or take the risk of starting a new business," said Lauren Asher, president of The Institute for College Access and Success, who also applauded the Obama announcement.

And Asher and other experts emphasize that the types of loans students take out can be as important as the amount. In general, a college degree remains a good investment.

Other slivers of what passes for good news: While several states had double-digit percentage increases, there were wide variations, and Connecticut and South Carolina held under 3 percent. Roughly half of students are enrolled in nonprofit colleges attend institutions charging under $10,000, and fewer than 1 in 10 attend institutions listing prices over $36,000.

Meanwhile, both community colleges and private four-year colleges reported lower tuition inflation than public universities.

At nonprofit private four-year colleges, tuition and fees were up 4.5 percent to $28,500. Factoring in aid, the average total net cost, including room and board, was about $22,970 ? lower than five years ago. At community colleges, where list prices rose 8.7 percent nationally to just under $3,000, net costs also are lower than five years ago, and aid generally covers the whole price.

Still, while net costs are important to note, they don't tell the whole story. They don't cover living costs, which for many students are a higher obstacle than tuition, especially if they can't work as much while enrolled.

And the aid dollars that help lower the average net price don't always go to the neediest students.

Colleges award merit scholarships. Federal Pell Grants do support the neediest, and spending on them has nearly doubled in the last two years to around $35 billion (9.1 million students got grants averaging $3,828).

But the latest College Board figures highlight a rapid recent increase in indirect government support through tuition and other tax credits, which have reached almost $15 billion. Around 12 million people are now taking advantage of tax benefits averaging more than $1,200. And while recent changes make low-income families better able to take advantage of those credits, a growing proportion of the benefit goes to families earning more than $100,000.

The tax credit program, dramatically expanded in 2009, "really changes the story of how the federal government subsidizes students," said Sandy Baum, the economist who directs the College Board's reports. The credit is "not so much a middle-income benefit as we're used to thinking about it."

Some states are not only cutting their appropriations but not even paying what they've promised. Illinois is late on payments worth $500 million to nine campuses this year.

The percentage increases in California, once widely considered to have the best-value public universities in the world, are so high in part because the base prices of past years were low. Prices there still aren't high by national standards, but this year for the first time, California's tuition and fee rates were above the national average. That in 2011 California's public universities would be cost more than the national average would have been unimaginable to most experts a decade ago.

Hartle and others say this year's sharp increases came despite the last chunks of stimulus dollars from Washington used to plug holes in education spending. Looking forward, state budgets remain broken and there's little indication Washington will come riding to the rescue.

"I'm not exactly sure where higher education in the United States is going," he said. "But I have a feeling California is going to get there first."

Also, on Tuesday, an Education Department official testified to a House subcommittee that personal details of as many as 5,000 college students were temporarily visible to other students on the departments' direct loan web site earlier this month.

The episode lasted six or seven minutes on Oct. 12 and happened during a reconfiguration of data on 11.5 million borrowers to improve website performance times, said James Runcie, the Education Department's federal student aid chief operating officer. Students who logged on during that window saw other students' personal details. Those who were exposed were notified and offered credit monitoring services. The department said it had no reason to believe any students' information was misused.

___

On the Net:

www.collegeboard.org

___

Justin Pope covers higher education for The Associated Press. You can reach him at twitter.com/jnn_pope9. AP Education Writer Kimberly Hefling contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-26-College%20Costs/id-ea573937c1184b14845a5705a08920b1

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Nintendo DSi XL bundles land on November 6th, just time for the holidays

Looking to spring for a new handheld gaming system this Christmas? The Big N is doing its darndest to nudge you in that direction with a new spin on the Metallic Rose and Midnight Blue versions of the DSi XL. Both painted handhelds will be available in bundles alongisde Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!. These will set you back $170 a pop for each package deal, and you've got about a week to search the couch cushions for spare coin. You know, just in case the Mini-land ruckus can't wait for Santa's delivery.

Continue reading Nintendo DSi XL bundles land on November 6th, just time for the holidays

Nintendo DSi XL bundles land on November 6th, just time for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 02:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nevada moves caucus to Feb. 4 after backlash (AP)

MANCHESTER, N.H. ? Nevada Republicans have shifted their presidential caucuses to early February, a move that ends an increasingly bitter standoff among rival states and for the first time clarifies the path to the Republican presidential nomination.

There will be no voting before Christmas. That's despite warnings from New Hampshire's top election official that Nevada's initial insistence to host its contest in mid-January could force the Granite State to schedule the nation's first Republican primary election in roughly six weeks.

But facing boycott threats from campaigns, incentive offers from the Republican National Committee, and the private blessing of the Mitt Romney campaign, Nevada Republicans voted Saturday to set their caucuses for Feb. 4. It will be the West's first stop in the race for the Republican presidential nomination and the fifth contest overall, after Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida.

"The candidates are anxious to come here and campaign and don't want to have the heat put on them by New Hampshire to stay away," former Nevada Gov. Bob List, a national Republican committeeman, said before Saturday's vote. "We have to eat a little crow perhaps in some people's minds, but I think in the end it's a win-win."

The calendar scramble had consumed Republican officials in early voting states and complicated candidates' decisions about travel, the timing of television advertisements and the distribution of limited resources. But with New Hampshire now free to settle on its preferred date of Jan. 10, the final puzzle pieces appear to have fallen into place.

Iowa will keep its Jan. 3 caucus date despite Nevada's move, Iowa GOP chairman Matt Strawn said Saturday.

The Republican presidential contenders are free to shift their campaigns into high gear with the first stop on the road to the GOP nomination set for Iowa in just 10 weeks.

"Now you'll see the campaigns ramp up very quickly," said Michael Dennehy, a New Hampshire Republican operative who led Sen. John McCain's political operation four years ago and was a central player in the Granite State's boycott push in recent weeks.

Nevada's shift ensures the state won't suffer penalties expected for states that violated national party rules by skipping ahead to boost their political influence. Nevada Republicans also stand to earn some perks at the party's national convention in Florida next August. As part of negotiations in recent days, the Republican National Committee promised Nevada delegates they could sit on the floor "in the best positions," and would have prime hotel space if they made the change, according to Nevada GOP Chairwoman Amy Tarkanian.

"This will be well worth it," she said. "We will be the good guys in the end because we don't need to be New Hampshire's pinata."

Republican Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval endorsed the move, saying it would allow the state GOP to focus on its principal goal ? winning elections.

"The move preserves Nevada's first-in-the-West standing and creates a scenario where all candidates will likely compete here," he said in a statement.

The RNC would not comment on its specific role in the discussions, but Chairman Reince Priebus, who had called for a compromise, praised Nevada's decision.

"Nevadans should be proud of their Republican leaders," he said. "They have restored their state's key role in the nomination process and in the 2012 presidential election."

The Romney campaign also played an active, but private, role in the flap.

Campaign officials initially encouraged Nevada to schedule its caucuses before Florida, hoping that Romney's popularity in Nevada would fuel a victory there and create momentum heading into the critical Florida contest. But sensing a political backlash in New Hampshire, Romney representatives in recent days encouraged key Nevada Republicans to settle on a later date.

The Romney campaign would not discuss its actions publicly when asked Saturday, but did not dispute its role.

New Hampshire officials were clearly happy.

"It's a win for the process and it's certainly a win for New Hampshire," said Phyllis Woods, a RNC member from the Granite State. "Going forward, we really want to have Nevada as an ally. We really don't want to have enemies as we go into the next primary calendar."

Also Saturday, Nevada Democrats said they would hold their caucuses on Jan. 21.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who helped obtain the state's third-in-the nation status in 2008, decried the GOP's move.

"I'm deeply disappointed that the Nevada Republican Party has caved to the will of the Republican National Committee and New Hampshire," he said in a statement.

___

Silva reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press writer Tom Beaumont contributed to this story from Iowa.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/politics/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111022/ap_on_el_pr/us_primary_scramble

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Iraqis fret about security after U.S. withdrawal

BAGHDAD?? Iraqis fretted about the ability of their armed forces to protect them from violence after U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday all U.S. troops would withdraw by the end of the year.

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Washington and Baghdad failed to agree on the issue of immunity for U.S. forces after months of talks over whether American soldiers would stay on as trainers more than eight years after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Obama's announcement prompted worries among Iraqis over the stability of their country and a possible slide back into sectarian violence.

"Our forces are still not capable of facing our security challenges. I'm afraid this withdrawal will allow al-Qaida and the militias to return," said Baghdad shoe shop owner Ziyad Jabari.

Live vote: Was Iraq war worth the human, financial costs?

A stubborn Sunni insurgency tied to al-Qaida and Shi'ite militia still carry out lethal attacks in Iraq, where bombings and killings happen daily even though violence has dropped from the height of sectarian fighting in 2006-2007.

At least 70 people were killed last week as a series of attacks rocked the capital Baghdad.

In September, 42 Iraqi police and 33 soldiers were killed, according to government figures.

Iraqi security forces have been the prime target of attacks this year as insurgents seek to undermine security in the country ahead of the scheduled U.S. withdrawal by year-end.

"As an Iraqi citizen, I say to Mr. Obama, you will leave Iraq without accomplishing your mission," said Munaf Hameed, a 47-year-old account manager at a private bank.

"No security, an unstable political regime, sectarian tensions and weak security forces, that's what America will leave behind," he said.

Political stability
Some Iraqi leaders say in private they would like a U.S. troop presence as a guarantee to ward off sectarian troubles and keep the peace between Iraqi Arabs and Kurds in a dispute over who controls oil-rich areas in the north.

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Iraqi and U.S. forces have said Iraq needs trainers beyond 2011 to develop its military capabilities, particularly its air and naval defenses.

Republicans criticize Obama over Iraq withdrawal

The country's power-sharing coalition made up of Sunni, Shi'ite and Kurdish blocs is also caught in a political stalemate many Iraqis fear could worsen without a U.S. buffer.

"I think the fighting between the political blocs will increase because the U.S. presence was a safety valve for security and political issues," said Muntadhir Abdel Wahab, 44, a Baghdad merchant.

But some Iraqis applauded the decision by Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and said the withdrawal of U.S. troops would help stabilize the country's fragile political situation and quell sectarian tensions.

Obama keeps campaign promise with Iraq

Many Iraqis still have memories of abuses committed by U.S. troops and contractors during the more violent years of Iraq's conflict. That made securing immunity tricky for Maliki.

Iraqi lawmakers backing anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose political bloc is a key part of Maliki's coalition government, said they would disrupt the power-sharing government if he agreed to keep U.S. forces.

"Iraq's people will realize the necessity of living together in one country despite differences in religion, sect and nationality," said engineer Mahdi Salim, who was visiting family in Kirkuk. "America tried to drag us into civil war."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44994341/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/

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ASUS Zenbook gets taken apart, finds the peace within

It's certainly not very Zen, but AnandTech has pried open ASUS' 11.6-inch ultrabook to see exactly what makes it all tick. The Zenbook's innards are all tightly packed together inside the oh-so-thin casing, with the UX21's slim-line cooler covering both of the Intel Core i7-2677M processors. The 128GB model has been given an ADATA SDD, while the bigger 256GB version runs on SanDisk storage, with the WiFi card contorted to squeeze inside the aluminum alloy body. ASUS has extended its design sensibilities outside of the tightly-packed casing, with the Microsoft serial number and certificate transplanted to the power unit, which leaves the Zenbook's slick design lines and finish peacefully untainted. Those desperate for more details on the rig's workings and accessories can find inner calm at the link below.

ASUS Zenbook gets taken apart, finds the peace within originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/asus-zenbook-gets-taken-apart-finds-the-peace-within/

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Hundreds rally in support of Iranian opposition (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Hundreds of people rallied outside the White House on Saturday, calling on President Barack Obama to remove an Iranian opposition group once allied with Saddam Hussein's Iraqi regime from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations.

Former Pennsylvania Govs. Tom Ridge and Ed Rendell were among speakers urging the U.S. to take the Mujahedin-e Khalq off the State Department's list. Ridge, a Republican, was the nation's first homeland security secretary. Rendell is a top Democrat who helped elect Obama.

"The only group that should be on the list is the country of Iran itself, under the rule of the mullahs," Ridge said, noting recent U.S. allegations of a foiled Iranian plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador in Washington.

The U.S. added MEK to its terrorist list in 1997. But last year a federal court ordered the State Department to reconsider and meanwhile the group has rallied 97 members of Congress as well as many former high-ranking U.S. officials to its cause.

Delisting would allow the Paris-based group to raise money and operate in the U.S., which it is currently prohibited from doing.

The MEK carried out a series of bombings and assassinations against Iran's clerical regime in the 1980s and fought alongside Saddam's forces in the Iran-Iraq war. But the group says it renounced violence in 2001.

Ridge and Rendell said the MEK has not been linked to any terrorist attacks since that time. They pointed out that the European Union and the United Kingdom have concluded that the MEK is not a terrorist organization and called on Obama to reach the same decision.

Critics of the MEK say it has cult-like characteristics and that delisting it would be seen even by moderate Iranians as an endorsement by the U.S. of terrorism. A 2010 State Department report on the MEK said: "The group's worldwide campaign against the Iranian government uses propaganda and terrorism to achieve its objectives."

MEK spokesman Ali Safavi called the State Department's description "a political statement and not a factual one." He said the group would not have such broad Congressional support if it was engaged in terrorist activities.

Saturday's noisy protest took place outside the wrought iron gates of the White House.

"We want President Obama to hear us," said Rendell, a former Democratic Party chairman.

Obama left the White House for the drive to Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Maryland to play golf as the demonstration began, and it's not clear if he heard any of it.

During the rally, the mostly Iranian-American crowd broke into regular chants of "MEK, yes. Mullahs, no. They are terrorists. They must go," and "President Obama, listen to us. MEK listing is unjust."

The event was organized by the Iranian American Professionals and Scholars of Maryland.

Organizers say the MEK was put on the terror list to appease Iranian leaders, but has only given the regime an excuse to arrest and kill dissidents in Iran and Iraq. They contend that delisting would strengthen a major Iranian opposition group.

The MEK has revealed the existence of several important Iranian nuclear facilities.

U.S. officials say that Iran is laying the groundwork for a nuclear weapons program, although its leaders may not have decided to build a bomb. Iran says its nuclear ambitions are entirely peaceful.

Speakers at the protest also urged the U.S. to continue supporting more than 3,000 former MEK fighters and others living at Camp Ashraf near Iraq's border with Iran. The Iraqi government wants to close the camp and Iraqi security forces have twice raided Ashraf, most recently in April. The U.N. said at least 34 people were killed in that incident.

The U.S. has pledged to protect camp residents from violence, but those rallying outside the White House said Obama's announcement of a complete pullout of Iraq by the end of the year could make that promise difficult to keep.

___

Associated Press writer Douglas Birch contributed to this report.

___

Darlene Superville can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111022/ap_on_re_us/us_iran_opposition

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Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage falls to 4.11 pct. (AP)

WASHINGTON ? The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage was nearly unchanged this week after rising sharply last week.

Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan edged down to 4.11 percent from 4.12 percent last week. The week before, it fell to 3.94 percent. That's the lowest rate ever, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage ticked up to 3.38 percent from 3.37 percent. It hit a record-low of 3.26 percent two weeks ago.

Low rates have done little to revive the lagging housing market, which has struggled with weak sales and declining prices. Many can't qualify for loans because their credit is weak or they can't afford a down-payment. Most of those who can afford to refinance already have.

The number of Americans who bought previously occupied homes fell in September and is on pace to match last year's dismal figures ? the worst in 13 years.

The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that home sales fell 3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.91 million homes. That's below the 6 million that economists say is consistent with a healthy housing market.

Sales of new homes are on pace to finish the year as the lowest on records dating back a half-century. Prices have been sliding because the market is flooded with houses being sold in foreclosure.

Many borrowers are unable to take advantage of the low rates because they can't meet banks' restrictive lending standards, or are unable to scrape together a down payment.

The low rates have caused a modest boom in refinancing, but that benefit might be wearing off. Most people who can afford to refinance have already locked in rates below 5 percent.

There have been a few modest signs of life for housing. Homebuilders started projects in September at the fastest pace in 17 months, the government said Wednesday. Most of the gain was driven by a surge in volatile apartment construction.

Still, single-family home construction, which represents nearly 70 percent of the market, increased only slightly. And building permits, a gauge of future construction, fell.

The Federal Reserve has been trying to reduce long-term rates by buying longer-dated Treasurys. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. Buying by the Fed pulls the yield lower.

The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell below 4 percent for the first time in history this month, just as the 10-year yield hit its own record low. Rates have edged up since then.

Rates have been below 5 percent for all but two weeks in the past year. Just five years ago they were closer to 6.5 percent.

The low rates being offered don't include extra fees, known as points, which many borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount. The average fees for the 30-year and 15-year loans were unchanged at 0.8 point.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country Monday through Wednesday of each week.

The average rate on a five-year adjustable-rate mortgage fell to 3.01 percent from 3.06 percent. It hit a record-low of 2.96 percent two weeks ago.

The average rate for the one-year adjustable-rate mortgage rose to 2.94 percent from 2.90 percent. It fell last month to 2.81 percent, the lowest on records dating back to 1984.

The average fees on the one-year and five-year loan were unchanged at 0.6 point.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personalfinance/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111020/ap_on_bi_ge/us_mortgage_rates

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Video: How can the US help Libya?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

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GOP Prepares for Debate, Obama Kicks Off Bus Tour (ABC News)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

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Giuliana Rancic, 36, reveals breast cancer discovered during IVF ...

Giuliana Rancic revealed Monday that she has early-stage breast cancer ? then went out of her way to thank husband Bill Rancic for letting her cry, and the baby she doesn't yet have for most likely saving her life.

E! Entertainment host Giuliana and original "The Apprentice" winner Bill have been trying to get pregnant through in vitro fertilization, a journey chronicled on their reality show, "Giuliana & Bill." After two failed IVF attempts, Giuliana Rancic ended the show's most recent season by heading back for a third round of fertility treatments.

This time, however, one doctor insisted the 36-year-old get a mammogram first, she said Monday on the "Today" show.

"He said, 'I will not get you pregnant' " without ruling out her small risk of breast cancer, " 'because if you get pregnant it will accelerate the cancer, all the hormones will accelerate the cancer,' " said an emotional Rancic. She said she fought the idea at first, as she hadn't planned on getting that type of scan until the recommended age, 40.

She went ahead with the egg retrieval portion of the IVF treatment, as well as the scan. And then the bad news came.

"They called me the next day and told me, 'We need to you to come back, we see something.' " The Rancics have since put off a third attempt to get pregnant until after she's completed her treatment, which will include surgery this coming week and then 6? weeks of radiation.

After praising her husband for supporting her and letting her cry when she needs to cry, she also thanked the baby they hope to have in the future. "I truly believe that God was looking out for me," she said, and that there was some sort of "master plan" behind the failure of her previous IVF attempts, including one that ended in a miscarriage after eight weeks.

"I'm not going to give up," Rancic said. "I want that baby. That baby will have saved my life."

RELATED:

Giuliana Rancic suggests Chris Colfer, Anne Hathaway do lunch

Ryan O'Neal says Farrah Fawcett's cancer may have been his family's fault

Wanda Sykes reveals double mastectomy, breast cancer, dislike of charity walks

? Christie D'Zurilla
Twitter.com/dzurillaville

Photo: Giuliana Rancic at an event in New York City in September. Credit: Anna Webber / Getty Images

Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/10/giuliana-rancic-breast-cancer-ivf-bill-rancic.html

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Crews again halt oil pumping from New Zealand ship (AP)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand ? Crews have again halted attempts to pump oil from a stricken ship off the New Zealand coast as the weather worsens.

Salvage crews managed to remove about 100 tons of oil from the vessel Rena over about 29 hours before deciding late Monday that conditions were too dangerous to continue. Crews managed to remove about 11 tons in a previous attempt.

The Greek-owned ship, which became grounded on the Astrolabe reef near Tauranga on Oct. 5, was being battered by swells of up to 13 feet (4 meters) Tuesday. Experts and officials are bracing for the cargo ship to fall apart or sink at any time.

An estimated 1,400 tons of oil remains on board, while about 350 tons has already leaked into the sea near the coast, leading officials to describe it as the country's worst maritime environmental disaster.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111017/ap_on_re_as/as_new_zealand_grounded_ship

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Ford, UAW pact moves toward ratification (Reuters)

DETROIT (Reuters) ? The United Auto Workers' tentative contract with Ford Motor Co looked assured of ratification on Sunday night after receiving overwhelming support at two major union locals, UAW officials said.

An astounding 90 percent vote in favor of the new pact at the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri plant on Sunday night pushed the overall vote in favor of the new deal to 62 percent.

With more than two-thirds of the votes cast, "yes" votes on the new contract total 14,845 with 9,076 against ratification, according to a union online posting.

"I'm feeling very optimistic that this agreement will be ratified by UAW Ford members," said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president in charge of Ford relations, in a statement e-mailed on Sunday night.

After returns last week ran against the contract at three large Ford plants, the tide has been reversed, in part by intense lobbying by UAW leaders who told workers it was the best deal possible in difficult economic times, local plant officials said.

"The Ford workers voting early on in the process were voting on emotion, but workers in plants with voting later in the process had a chance to learn everything about the agreement and understood how much their votes counted," said Settles.

"The Kansas City vote is an example of the local union taking the message to the shop floor and educating the members on the contract," he said.

The biggest local union -- UAW Local 600 based in Dearborn, Michigan, where Ford is also headquartered -- voted 3,255 to 2,027, or about 62 percent, in favor of the new four-year contract, another online posting by the UAW Ford Department showed.

Local 600, which includes workers at the Dearborn Truck Plant where the company's successful F-Series pickup truck is made, accounts for about 14 percent of all of Ford's unionized workers.

Workers at several plants said they were frightened by the prospect of going out on a strike if the contract failed to pass. Local plant officials have been making strike preparations in case the contract passage failed.

GRIEVANCE UNSETTLED

Scott Houldieson, a secretary-treasurer of UAW Local 551 where the Chicago Assembly Plant workers voted 77 percent against the contract last week, said the union's attention should now turn toward achieving a satisfactory settlement of a grievance against Ford.

That grievance, signed by the overwhelming majority of Ford's 41,000 hourly workers, complains that the U.S. No. 2 automaker gave pay raises to salaried workers but not to hourly employees.

This week, Chrysler Group LLC's 26,000 UAW-represented workers vote on a proposed contract agreed to last Wednesday by UAW and company negotiators. Chrysler is managed by its majority owner, Italy's Fiat SpA.

Chrysler's workers are guaranteed much less, including a signing bonus of $1,750.

Ford workers vote on the proposed pact until Tuesday with full results expected on Wednesday.

Veteran Ford auto plant workers make $28.12 per hour, and will see no increase in base pay. They have not received a base pay raise since 2003. Skilled trades workers make several dollars more per hour.

Wages for new hires, currently about $15.50 per hour at Ford, would rise to $19.28 per hour over the life of the contract.

Most Ford workers are guaranteed bonuses of at least $16,000 over the life of the contract, including a $6,000 signing bonus.

That is more generous than the deal General Motors Co workers ratified by nearly a 2-to-1 count in late September.

GM has about 48,500 unionized workers.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111017/bs_nm/us_ford_uaw

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Netherland: Neso Nuffic Masters Programme Scholarship at Delft University of Technology

Orange Tulip Masters Programme Scholarship at Delft University of Technology, Netherland for Mexican Students in Applied Sciences

Study Subject(s): Applied Sciences
Course Level: Masters
Scholarship Provider: Nuffic
Scholarship can be taken at: Netherland

Eligibility:
Academic requirements: Bachelors degree in a related field, as specified per programme on the TU Delft website
English level: TOEFL iBT 90, IELTS 6.5 or Cambridge English Certificate
GPA: At least 85%
Working experience: No, working experience is not required
Additional requirements: Applicants must meet the criteria above and be in the process of applying to or be already admitted to one of the TU Delft ? Faculty of Applied Sciences 2012-2014 MSc programmes listed above.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Yes

Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Mexican Students

Scholarship Description:
Number of scholarships: one
Benefits per scholarship:
- Full tuition waiver: ? 25,300 (? 12,650 per year for the 2-year programme)
- Contribution towards living expenses worth ? 800 per month
- Visa costs (will be automatically deducted from the amount the student receives for living costs)
Eligible programmes:
Study programmes of the Faculty of Applied Sciences:
- MSc Applied Physics
- MSc Chemical Engineering
- MSc Life Science & Technology (Department of Biotechnology)
- MSc Science Education & Communication
- MSc Sustainable Energy Technology

How to Apply: By Post

Scholarship Application Deadline: 1 March 2012

Further Scholarship Information and Application

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeScholarshipInfo/~3/WueAT9D5QlA/netherland-neso-nuffic-masters-programme-scholarship-at-delft-university-of-technology.html

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