China's leaders take aim at Railways Ministry

Ma Kai, secretary-general of the State Council, speaks during a plenary session of the National People's Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 10, 2013. Ma read out the report on the Cabinet's plan to streamline government ministries, doing away with the powerful Railways Ministry and creating a super-agency to regulate the media and realigning other bureaucracies in a bid to boost efficiency. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Ma Kai, secretary-general of the State Council, speaks during a plenary session of the National People's Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 10, 2013. Ma read out the report on the Cabinet's plan to streamline government ministries, doing away with the powerful Railways Ministry and creating a super-agency to regulate the media and realigning other bureaucracies in a bid to boost efficiency. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Chinese Communist Party General Secretary and incoming-President Xi Jinping, right, walks ahead of Chinese premier-in-waiting, Li Keqiang during a plenary session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 10, 2013. China announced plans Sunday to streamline government ministries, doing away with the powerful Railways Ministry and creating a super-agency to regulate the media and realigning other bureaucracies in a bid to boost efficiency. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Chinese Communist Party General Secretary and incoming-President Xi Jinping reads a report during a plenary session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Sunday, March 10, 2013. During the session, the Cabinet unveiled its plan to streamline government ministries, doing away with the powerful Railways Ministry and creating a super-agency to regulate the media and realigning other bureaucracies in a bid to boost efficiency. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

BEIJING (AP) ? In the annals of Chinese bureaucratic power, the Railways Ministry stood apart. Running everything from one of the world's busiest rail systems to a special police force, the ministry was so pervasive and powerful it resisted government reform efforts for years. Chinese called it "Boss Railway."

On Sunday, the government gave notice it was firing the boss.

Under a plan presented to the national legislature to restructure Cabinet departments, the government said it would dismantle the ministry, moving its railways operations into a newly created company and placing its regulatory offices in the Transport Ministry.

The Railways Ministry isn't the only target. Under the restructuring plan, two agencies that censor broadcasters and print media will be combined into a super media regulator; the commission that enforces the much disliked rules that limit many families to one child will be merged with the Health Ministry; and five agencies that police fisheries and other maritime resources are being united into one to better assert China's control over disputed waters, potentially sharpening conflicts with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Certain to be passed by the rubber-stamp legislature this week, the plan reflects the priorities of the newly installed Communist Party leadership as it seeks to reduce waste, boost efficiency and address quality of life issues for a more prosperous, demanding society.

The scope and power of the Railways Ministry made it a natural place for the leadership to stamp its determination. As it expanded the railway system and built the world's largest high-speed rail network, the ministry ran up hundreds of billions of dollars in debt and sank into corruption, giving critics an opportunity to pounce.

Reformers crowed at the ministry's abolition, saying it would further market reforms. "It means the country has removed the last 'stronghold' in the way of reforming the industry from a planned economy to market economy," the official Xinhua News Agency quoted Wang Yiming, a government macro-economic researcher, as saying.

Even the current ? and seemingly last ? railway minister had to bow to the inevitable.

"I've no regrets. Whether I'm minister of railways or not is no matter," Sheng Guangzu said on China National Radio. "The key is to develop China's railways. I'm subordinate to the needs of the national cause."

Reform-minded Chinese leaders and officials had been trying to bring the railways to heel for 15 years when the government first started separating state companies from regulatory bodies. At each turn, the ministry resisted, using long-standing ties to the military and building a record for performance. Over the past decade, it created the showcase high-speed rail system touted by the leadership as a symbol for Chinese technological power on par with the manned space program.

In announcing the restructuring, a senior Chinese official praised the progress but explained why the ministry must be abolished.

"In recent years, the railways have developed in leaps and bounds and safeguarded the smooth running of the economy and the needs of people's lives and production. But its government and enterprises are not separated. It doesn't link smoothly with other modes of transport, and there are other problems," Ma Kai, secretary-general of the State Council, the Cabinet, told the legislators.

Complaints about the railways are common among Chinese. It's the most popular form of long-distance transport, especially for Chinese who cannot afford to fly. But buying tickets is difficult, and food, drink and other services on trains are poor ? problems often attributed to corruption.

"Corruption? Of course there is in the railway bureau. There's that Boss Railway!" Chang Shangxi, a 32-year-old businessman, said as he waited for a high-speed train in Shanghai this past week. "I am sure corruption causes corners to be cut and work to be faked as the companies have to make the money back that they spent on corruption."

The ministry's ability to throw money around to get things done and preserve its power in the end helped bring it down. Liu Zhijun, the bullet train network's top booster, was ousted as minister two years ago, amid accusations that he took massive bribes and steered contracts, some of them associated with the high-speed rail network. Among his rumored misdeeds: having 18 mistresses.

Though he awaits trial, his fate ? and perhaps the ministry's ? seemed sealed when bullet trains collided near the eastern city of Wenzhou in July 2011, killing 40 people and injuring 177. The accident outraged the country's growing middle class ? the prime users of the high-speed rail. Taking to social media sites, they questioned whether speedy development resulted in shoddy work. A government investigation cited design flaws and mismanagement.

In the aftermath, the government began taking a harder look at corruption throughout the railways and the ministry. In one case, almost all of a $260 million railway line in the northeast had to be redone because unqualified sub-contractors filled bridge foundations with rocks and sand instead of concrete.

The ministry employs 2.1 million staff and handled 1.8 billion passengers in 2011. Its subsidiary departments oversee all railway operations, and its companies are involved with everything from design of railways to construction and freight transport. Beyond that, there's the Railway Art Troupe, which sings, dances and puts on acrobatic shows and operas. The China Locomotive Sports Team trains athletes in soccer, boxing, weightlifting, swimming, and track and field.

Until last August, it operated its own courts, as it did a police force until 2009. Capital spending last year was 630 billion yuan ($100 billion) ? rivaling the entire 670 billion yuan ($105 billion) military budget ? and its mounting debts have worried the government.

"Who is going to pay the debt that is expected to amount to nearly 3 trillion yuan?" said Zhao Jian, a railway expert at Beijing Jiaotong University. He said the official debt figure is 2.6 trillion yuan ($414 billion), but he estimates it will go higher as ongoing projects are completed.

The reorganization is supposed to add further restraint. A newly created China Railway Corporation will build and manage freight and passenger services, while a railways administration under the Transport Ministry will set technical standards and enforce them.

The railway so far has been able to rely for a large part on drawing revenues from freight and passenger services. A big challenge ahead is keeping that money coming in as competition from planes, cars and river transport increases.

___

Associated Press researchers Yu Bing in Beijing and Fu Ting in Shanghai contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-10-China-Restructuring/id-c830ef2b63d947b9bd7fca898bc8e639

ryan leaf ryan leaf luke kuechly brad miller chandler jones peyton hillis fletcher cox

Iran says it will help learn fate of ex-FBI agent

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran's foreign minister says his country is ready to help learn the fate of a retired FBI agent who went missing six years ago.

Iranian media on Monday quoted Ali Akbar Salehi as saying that previous information indicates that Robert Levinson is not in Iran.

But Salehi says Iran is ready to cooperate to help clarify how he disappeared.

Levinson, who is from Coral Springs, Florida, disappeared in March 2007 while traveling to the Iranian island of Kish as a private investigator.

Despite years of denials, U.S. officials involved in the case suspect Iran's intelligence service was behind a 54-second video and five photographs of Levinson that were emailed anonymously to his family a few years ago.

Salehi says, however, that U.S. officials know that Levinson is not in Iran.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-11-ML-Iran-Missing-American/id-0a3442ea3dd643d5add1b92ce503e778

punksatony phil 2012 groundhog day groundhog phil pee wee herman ketamine ground hogs day 2012 goundhog day

Lawyer: Stephen Baldwin to avoid jail in tax case

NEW CITY, N.Y. (AP) ? Stephen Baldwin's lawyer says the actor will avoid prison and get up to five years to pay back taxes of about $350,000.

Attorney Russell Yankwitt spoke Monday after a closed-door conference with prosecutors and a judge in Rockland County, N.Y.

Baldwin is accused of not paying New York state income taxes from 2008 to 2010.

Yankwitt said that under a tentative agreement, Baldwin will plead guilty this month to a tax felony.

He says if Baldwin pays the money within a year, his record will be wiped clean. If not, he will be sentenced to probation and given five years to pay back the money.

Baldwin, of Grandview, N.Y., starred in 1995's "The Usual Suspects." He's the youngest of four acting Baldwin brothers.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-03-11-US-People-Stephen-Baldwin/id-ba5c8810743a4e9ab6e83463d345cd3b

heart attack grill las vegas the heart attack grill joe kennedy iii joseph kennedy iii ghost hunters lightsquared david lee

Mortality for acute aortic dissection near one percent per hour during initial onset

Mar. 9, 2013 ? The belief among medical professionals in the 1950s that the mortality rate for type A acute aortic dissection during the initial 24 hours was one to two percent per hour appears to hold true in the contemporary era of treatment, based on a review of the large-scale IRAD registry being presented March 9 at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions.

"In the 1950s, the medical literature suggested that the mortality rate for type A acute aortic dissection was one percent per hour, but we have limited information about the current rate in an era where advanced diagnostic imaging is often readily available," explains lead study author, Craig E. Strauss, MD, MPH, a research cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and physician at the Minneapolis Heart Institute? (MHI) at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. "We reviewed data from the large-scale IRAD registry to obtain a real-world understanding of this patient population in the contemporary era."

The International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissections (IRAD) is a consortium of research centers, including MHI, which evaluates the management and outcomes of acute aortic dissection. Established in 1996, IRAD currently has 30 large referral centers in 11 countries participating in the registry.

"While aortic dissections are a less common diagnosis than a heart attack, patients present in a similar fashion with significant chest pain or back pain, and the mortality risk is very real, which is why rapid and appropriate diagnosis and treatment is so important," says study co-author, Kevin Harris, MD, research cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation.

An aortic dissection is a tear in the wall of the aorta of the heart that allows blood to flow within the layers of the aorta. Early diagnosis and treatment of this illness is critical for survival. Certain types (type A) of dissections, if left untreated, kill 33% of patients within the first 24 hours, 50% of patients within 48 hours and 75% of patients within two weeks.

For this study, the researchers included 1,969 patients (mean age 61.1, 68.1% male) diagnosed with type A acute aortic dissection in IRAD between January 1996 and February 2012. Of those patients, 195 were managed medically, as opposed to receiving surgery.

The initial 24-hour mortality was higher for the medically managed group, compared with surgically managed patients, based on time from symptom onset (18.5% vs. 3.7%).

The mortality rate per hour during the initial 24 hours was 0.22% for all cases: 0.15% for surgically managed cases and 0.77% for medically managed cases. Among those patients managed medically, the rationale against surgery included age (41.7%), co-morbid illness (64.8%), patient refusal (27.1%), or other (21.3%).

"Essentially, we learned that the mortality rate for medically treated patients with acute aortic dissection hasn't changed significantly in the past 60 years, despite improvements in pharmacological treatment with beta-blockers and major advancements in diagnostic imaging tools," says Strauss. CT imaging is the most common method of diagnosis.

"The take-home message from our findings is that mortality is still extremely high for these patients, which calls for rapid diagnosis and rapid intervention through surgery," adds Harris, who is also co-director of the Acute Aortic Dissection Program and director of the echocardiography laboratory at the Minneapolis Heart Institute? at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. "These patients should not be medically managed throughout the night, for instance. If they are an appropriate candidate for surgery, they should be treated immediately."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/pk8eBIHu4EQ/130310164230.htm

limbaugh aaron smith wilt chamberlain joe arpaio cat in the hat green eggs and ham wiz khalifa and amber rose

Brooklyn hit-and-run tragedy: Homicide charges filed

By Edith Honan, Reuters

NEW YORK - A New York City man who allegedly fled a hit-and-run car crash that killed a young Orthodox Jewish family appeared before a Brooklyn judge on Thursday night to hear the charges that could put him in prison for life.

Julio Acevedo, 44, of Brooklyn, faces charges of criminally negligent homicide and leaving the scene of an accident, according to prosecutors. He is also being accused of reckless driving, assault and speeding.

If convicted, Acevedo faces 25 years to life in prison because of his prior convictions, prosecutor Gayle Dampf said. He is being held without bail.

The victims, Raizy and Nachman Glauber, 21, were members of an Orthodox Jewish enclave in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn. They were expecting their first child.

They were on the way to the hospital when their taxi was hit broadside by a gray BMW sedan, police said. The BMW driver fled the scene on foot.

The Glauber baby was delivered on Sunday by Cesarean section at Bellevue Hospital, where the mother had been pronounced dead on arrival, police said. The boy died early on Monday.

More news from NBCNewYork.com

Family friends said the child's birth had been a ray of hope that was extinguished when the baby died of his injuries. They said Raizy Glauber was about six months pregnant and wanted to go to the hospital because she was not feeling well.

Acevedo, who has a lengthy criminal record, surrendered on Wednesday to New York City detectives in the parking lot of a convenience store in Bethlehem, Pa.

The meeting between the suspect and police had been arranged with the help of one of Acevedo's friends, New York City Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne said.

Witnesses to the Sunday morning crash said the BMW had been speeding, police said. The taxi was at a stop sign when the accident occurred, police said.

Before his surrender, Acevedo spoke by telephone to the New York Daily News. An article published on Tuesday said Acevedo had claimed he was fleeing gunshots when the accident occurred and that he fled the scene of the accident because he was afraid of being shot.

This story was originally published on Fri Mar 8, 2013 3:57 AM EST

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/08/17233359-homicide-charges-filed-in-connection-with-brooklyn-hit-and-run-tragedy?lite

christine christine will ferrell double fine adventure turbo tax katharine mcphee cold mountain

Chris Brown Throws A Hissy Fit Over $10 (VIDEO)

Chris Brown Throws A Hissy Fit Over $10 (VIDEO)

Singer Chris Brown went off on a parking valet in Los Angeles, making a scene over just ten bucks! Brown was asked to pay $10.00 at PINZ bowling alley after he had attended a charity function at the venue. Should $10.00 really be major to Chris Brown when he is worth about $25 million? Chris ...

Chris Brown Throws A Hissy Fit Over $10 (VIDEO) Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2013/03/chris-brown-throws-a-hissy-fit-over-10-video/

augusta national blake griffin pau gasol marlins park marbury v. madison 2013 lincoln mkz burger king mary j blige

College hoops season filled with surprises

AAA??Mar. 7, 2013?3:21 AM ET
College hoops season filled with surprises
By JOHN MARSHALLBy JOHN MARSHALL, AP Basketball Writer??

FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2013, file photo, Miami's Durand Scott celebrates their 90-63 win over Duke in an NCAA college basketball game in Coral Gables, Fla. In a season of parity that has produced quite a few surprises, a few of the unexpected turns, such as Miami's success, have stood out. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 23, 2013, file photo, Miami's Durand Scott celebrates their 90-63 win over Duke in an NCAA college basketball game in Coral Gables, Fla. In a season of parity that has produced quite a few surprises, a few of the unexpected turns, such as Miami's success, have stood out. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2013, file photo, Akron's Zeke Marshall (44) celebrates a play with Chauncey Gilliam (23) in an NCAA college basketball game against Central Michigan in Akron, Ohio. InIn a season of parity that has produced quite a few surprises, a few of the unexpected turns, such as Akron's success, have stood out. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2013, file photo, Oregon forward E.J. Singler (25) runs downcourt past head coach Dana Altman and the bench, including guard Damyean Dotson (21) and center Tony Woods (55), after hitting a 3-pointer against Washington in an NCAA college basketball game in Eugene, Ore. In a season of parity that has produced quite a few surprises, a few of the unexpected turns, such as Oregon's success, have stood out. (AP Photo/Chris Pietsch, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2012, file photo, Middle Tennessee guard Marcos Knight (14) celebrates after drawing a foul in the final seconds of an NCAA college basketball game against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. In a season of parity that has produced quite a few surprises, a few of the unexpected turns, such as Middle Tennessee's success, have stood out. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2013, file photo, Saint Louis' Rob Loe (51) celebrates after their 65-61 win over Butler in an NCAA college basketball game in Indianapolis. In a season of parity that has produced quite a few surprises, a few of the unexpected turns, such as Saint Louis' success, have stood out. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler, File)

This season of parity in college basketball has produced quite a few surprises, from the revolving door at the top of the polls to the rapid decline of defending national champion Kentucky.

The latest twist came this week, when Gonzaga moved up to No. 1 for the first time in school history. That was merely a mild surprise. The Zags have been the pre-eminent mid-major for what feels like a quarter century now, so it only seemed like a matter of time before they went to No. 1.

Some of the other unexpected turns have been, well, a little more unexpected. Here's a few:

___

Miami. The Hurricanes were ranked fifth in the ACC preseason poll and even though they returned nine players from a 20-win team, weren't expected to draw much attention in South Florida ? or anywhere else for that matter. Miami had a look-at-us moment on Jan. 23 when it beat Duke by 27 ? the third-largest margin of victory over a No. 1 team ? and cracked the Top 25 the next week. The Hurricanes continued to build momentum, winning their first 13 conference games to rise in The Associated Press poll. Miami has struggled a bit lately, losing three of its past four ? by two to Georgia Tech Wednesday night ? but has already clinched a share of the ACC regular-season title and can win its first outright conference title by beating Clemson on Saturday.

___

Akron. Coach Keith Dambrot has given the Zips an identity in Ohio and the Mid-American Conference, but it hasn't gone much farther. That changed this season as Akron ran off 19 straight wins, shining a spotlight on a town better known for being the home of LeBron James. The Zips had their winning streak ? the longest in the nation at the time ? end with a loss to Buffalo last Saturday, but bounced back to beat Miami (Ohio) Tuesday night and wrap up their second consecutive Mid-American Conference regular-season title. And with a good mix of size, strength and experience, Akron (24-5, 14-1) has the kind of team that could damage a few brackets once the NCAA tournament rolls around.

___

Oregon. The Ducks played in the NIT last season and entered this season with nine newcomers, including seven freshmen, so it was no surprise they were picked to finish seventh in the Pac-12. Behind guard E.J. Singler and one of the most balanced teams anywhere, Oregon opened 11-2 in nonconference, then knocked off Pac-12 favorites Arizona and UCLA to rise in the polls. The Ducks slipped up with three straight losses, but have won five of six to take a half-game lead over UCLA atop the Pac-12. Heading into the final two games of the regular season, Oregon (23-6, 12-4) has a chance to win its first conference title since 2002 and is close to wrapping up its first NCAA tournament berth in five years.

___

Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders appeared to be a lock for the NCAA tournament last season before losses in the regular-season finale and quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference tournament relegated them to the NIT. They may be closer to a sure thing this season. Led by six seniors, Middle Tennessee set a school record with 27 wins, second nationally to No. 1 Gonzaga, and has an RPI of 25 after playing the nation's ninth-toughest schedule. The Blue Raiders went 19-1 in the Sun Belt and have won 16 straight headed into Saturday's conference tournament, their last before heading to Conference USA next season. Barring a meltdown in the conference tournament, Middle Tennessee (27-4) should be headed to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1989.

___

Saint Louis. The Billikens ended a 12-year NCAA tournament drought last year, but were rocked by the death of former coach Rick Majerus. The 64-year-old coach took a leave of absence in August and died of a heart attack in December, a month after the school said he would not return. That left the team reeling and in the hands of interim coach Jim Crews. Behind a stifling defense, Saint Louis has done just fine under Crews, going 4-1 against ranked teams, with wins over Virginia Commonwealth and New Mexico, and two over Butler. The 16th-ranked Billikens (23-6) had their 11-game winning streak ended by Xavier on Wednesday night, but can still clinch a piece of the Atlantic 10 crown ? their first league title since 1970-71 in the Missouri Valley ? by beating LaSalle on Saturday.

___

Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs were barely .500 last season, finished fifth in the WAC and lost key players, so there was no reason to think an NCAA berth would be coming. Louisiana Tech opened the season with a loss to Texas A&M and opened December with losses to Northwestern State and McNeese State in a span of three games. Once the WAC season started, though, the Bulldogs became unstoppable. Heading into Thursday's regular-season finale against New Mexico State, Louisiana Tech has won 18 straight for the nation's longest winning streak. The Bulldogs (26-3) are undefeated in conference (16-0) and have clinched at least a share of their first conference title since the Sun Belt in 1999. Not bad for their second season under coach Michael White.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-07-BKC-Pick-6-Surprise-Teams/id-b9bf59f8ad9b46d9a5f3667d54c0f11d

louis oosthuizen phil mickelson 10 year old gives birth c. difficile carmelo anthony nurse jackie nurse jackie

U.S. Cardinals accept Vatican secrecy

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The Vatican's penchant for secrecy has won out over American-style transparency.

The U.S. cardinals in Rome for the conclave to elect the next pope canceled their popular daily press briefings Wednesday, purportedly after some details of the secret proceedings under way ahead of the election were leaked to Italian newspapers.

The Vatican denied it had exerted any pressure on the American cardinals to keep quiet. But the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, made clear that the Holy See considered this week's pre-conclave meetings, in which cardinals are discussing the problems of the church, to be secret and part of a solemn process to choose a pope.

"The College (of Cardinals) as a whole has decided to maintain a line of an increasing degree of reserve," he said.

The spokeswoman for the U.S. cardinals, Sister Mary Ann Walsh, said Wednesday's briefing was canceled after other cardinals expressed concern in the morning "about leaks of confidential proceedings reported in Italian newspapers."

She said that, as a precaution, all interviews had been canceled.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Walsh said Italy's La Stampa newspaper had on Monday and Tuesday reported details of comments individual cardinals made in the closed-door meetings that were cited as a violation of their oath of secrecy. That prompted the decision to observe a media blackout.

She dismissed speculation that the Vatican and cardinals from other countries simply didn't appreciate the openness of the Americans, saying, "I don't think anyone was angry at the Americans. They were angry at La Stampa.

"In true old-style Catholic school teacher fashion, someone talks and everybody stays after school," Walsh said. She added that the Americans had been assured that the Vatican was pleased with their briefings.

Perhaps. But Lombardi suggested he was irritated with the American briefings in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday, when asked whether he had considered inviting cardinals to his briefings to provide journalists with first-hand information from the participants.

Lombardi said he had decided against it because of the vow of secrecy and the natural reserve that is supposed to accompany the cardinals in these days preceding a conclave.

"If some cardinals think it's useful to communicate, naturally preserving the reserve they've committed themselves to concerning the election, I have no objections," he wrote. "I do my part helping journalists."

Italian media speculated that Vatican-based cardinals and Italian cardinals in particular were displeased with the popular American briefings ? they were the only ones holding press conferences ? and the U.S. openness about wanting to delay the start date of the conclave.

Cardinals Daniel DiNardo of Texas and Sean O'Malley of Boston said in Tuesday's briefing that they favored taking a longer time for pre-conclave discussions to gather more information about the problems of the Vatican bureaucracy and discern who among them should be pope.

"We need to give it the time that's necessary," O'Malley told the packed press conference at the North American College, the U.S. seminary up the hill from the Vatican. "I believe the feeling of the cardinals is that we want to have enough time in the general congregations so that when we go to the conclave itself it's a time of decision."

Drawing laughs, O'Malley added: "And it is hard to get a bad meal in Rome."

Italian newspapers on Wednesday, however, reported that Vatican-based cardinals wanted the election to take place quickly and that there was no reason to draw out the pre-conclave discussions. The implication was that perhaps they don't want all the Vatican's dirty laundry aired out.

Italian newspapers and international media, including The Associated Press, have reported on the unique briefings the Americans were providing, and how they contrasted with the near-silence from other cardinals and the comparatively sedate Vatican briefings.

During Tuesday's briefing, DiNardo and O'Malley held a lively and informative 30-minute chat with some 100 reporters and two dozen television crews from around the globe. They revealed no details of their closed-door discussions. But they nevertheless provided journalists with insight about the process from two people actually involved.

"We're trying to help people have a greater understanding of what the process is and the procedures and background information," O'Malley told reporters. "Right now that's about all we can share with you but we're happy to try to do it."

Although the Americans were the only cardinals who were holding daily briefings, other individual cardinals have given occasional interviews to individual media.

And in an indication that the blackout wasn't total, U.S. Cardinal Timothy Dolan went ahead with his live radio show broadcast Wednesday.

Separately Wednesday, the Vatican said only one voting-age cardinal remained absent, Vietnamese Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man. Lombardi said he was expected Thursday, meaning a date for the start of the conclave could be decided then.

_____

Associated Press reporter Rachel Zoll contributed to this report.

_____

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/americans-nix-conclave-briefing-concern-leaks-133851337.html

sasha baron cohen oscars the artist sacha baron cohen oscars the old curiosity shop jane russell meryl streep martin scorsese

GOP's anti-tax focus trips Dems in budget battle

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio smiles during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 5, 2013, following a Republican strategy session. Congressional Republicans? unyielding stand against income tax increases has caught President Barack Obama and his allies off guard. The result is a spending-cuts-only approach to deficit reduction that Democrats wanted to avoid. The events have dimmed hopes for broader efforts to start taming costly ?entitlement? programs such as Medicare and Social Security. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio smiles during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 5, 2013, following a Republican strategy session. Congressional Republicans? unyielding stand against income tax increases has caught President Barack Obama and his allies off guard. The result is a spending-cuts-only approach to deficit reduction that Democrats wanted to avoid. The events have dimmed hopes for broader efforts to start taming costly ?entitlement? programs such as Medicare and Social Security. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, accompanied by fellow GOP leaders, meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 5, 2013, following a Republican strategy session. From left are, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of Calif., Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Va., and Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Congressional Republicans' unyielding stand against income tax increases has caught President Barack Obama and his allies off guard, resulting in the spending-cuts-only approach to deficit reduction that Democrats most wanted to avoid.

It also has dimmed hopes for broader efforts this year to start taming the costly and fast-growing "entitlement" programs of Medicare and Social Security.

The result is a new round of deficit reduction that tilts more toward Republicans' wishes than many people would have expected after Obama won re-election with a campaign that called for higher taxes on the rich.

Democrats thought House Republicans would accept some new revenues last month to minimize military cuts and to pressure liberals to confront entitlement spending. Instead, Republicans seem more determined than ever to block tax increases on high incomes, whatever the political risk.

It's now the overriding priority for GOP lawmakers ? even if they hold a different view of payroll taxes on wage earners. With relatively little debate, Republicans and Democrats this year raised the payroll tax rate, which funds Social Security, after granting a two-year reduction.

In all, two years of budget debates have yielded laws to reduce deficits by nearly $4 trillion over 10 years, a point of pride for Republicans. About $620 billion of that will come from tax hikes made inevitable by the "fiscal cliff" legislation, resolved on Jan. 1. The rest will come from spending cuts and savings on interest.

The ratio disappoints liberals. They recall that Congress' top Republican suggested $800 billion in new revenue, and Obama proposed $1.2 trillion or more, in "grand bargain" talks that started in 2011 but never reached fruition.

"Somehow we ended up with $600 billion," and with no provisions to rein in entitlements, says Jim Kessler of the Democratic think tank Third Way. "It was an enormous missed opportunity."

For House Republicans, the no-income-tax-increase stand is more doctrine than strategy. Whether lucky or strategic, however, they feel they outfoxed Obama on deficit-reduction policies this time.

When a new "fiscal cliff" law was about to raise income tax rates on nearly all U.S earners in January, GOP leaders accepted Obama's offer to limit the increase to incomes above $450,000. It was a concession by the president, who had campaigned for a somewhat broader tax hike.

Republicans never reciprocated, however. That cleared the way last week for across-the-board "sequester" spending cuts, once considered too damaging to enact. The deal contains none of the new revenues that Democrats had hoped would follow their compromise on the fiscal cliff.

"It a result of botched negotiations on the fiscal cliff," Kessler said. "There is now no forcing mechanism for Democrats to come to the table on entitlements and for Republicans to come to the table on revenue."

The government is cutting into discretionary spending rather than investing in education, infrastructure and other future-oriented priorities, Kessler said.

Republicans say income tax rate hikes inhibit hiring. Democrats note that the federal tax burden, as a portion of the economy, is the lowest it has been since 1950. Also, nonpartisan studies show that the Bush-era tax cuts contributed heavily to the deficit.

Some Republicans say they outflanked Obama last week simply by adamantly opposing higher income taxes. It's a priority they reinforced at a January gathering in Williamsburg, Va.

"The strategy we've been embarked on since Williamsburg ? which is no budget, no pay; lock in the sequester savings; get the CR done ? so far, that's working," said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a prominent House conservative. He was alluding to House efforts to force senators to pass a budget (or forgo their pay), and to open the way for a "continuing resolution" to keep the government operating beyond March 27, with no increase in revenues.

Kevin Smith, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, said: "We're exactly where we set out to be a few weeks ago."

The GOP strategy carries risks. Polls show Americans are more inclined to blame Republicans than Democrats if the budget reductions damage the economy or significantly inconvenience people's day-to-day lives.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and other non-Washington Republicans say congressional Republicans are too obsessed with austerity and budget numbers, risking a public backlash if programs are cut too deeply or unwisely.

A CBS News poll finds large majorities of Americans saying they want both parties to compromise rather than hold fast to their positions. Self-identified Democrats, however, embrace compromise more than Republicans do.

GOP strategist Mike McKenna thinks House Republicans took a smart, calculated risk by letting the sequester cuts take place. "Most people don't interact with the federal government a lot," he said.

While most Americans support a mix of budget cuts and tax increases to reduce the deficit, McKenna said, they realize the payroll tax rose in January, along with the tax on incomes above $450,000.

With the deficit-spending battles apparently cooling for a while, Congress can focus more heavily on immigration, gun control and other issues.

Congressional Republicans say they're confident that few if any changes will be made to gun laws. As for immigration, most are taking a wait-and-see approach.

Many conservative activists oppose "amnesty" for illegal immigrants. But Republican strategists say the party will struggle to win presidential elections unless it improves its relationship with Hispanic voters, many of whom see immigration as important symbolically and substantively.

House Republicans "are so caught up in the sequester thing, they're not thinking four weeks down the road," McKenna said.

For now, they seem content without a grand strategy, and some Democrats are wincing.

Democratic consultant Jim Manley, who confers often with Obama aides, said those aides feel the president used his fiscal cliff leverage to his advantage on Jan. 1. But on the sequester, they concede that Republicans returned the favor and had the upper hand, Manley said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-03-05-Budget%20Battle-Republican%20Strategy/id-ff3821e097ce4e59a1920aa8e83b91e4

did the groundhog see his shadow Ray Lewis Murder UFC 156 my bloody valentine Super Bowl Winners what time does the superbowl start Kaepernick Tattoos