Simply doesn’t go far enough to grant equal protection under the law.
More to come.
Less than a week after New York became the nation’s sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage, Rhode Island state lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of a bill that permits civil unions between gay and lesbian couples.
The measure, which passed the state Senate by a count of 21-16, is widely seen as a compromise intended to provide same-same couples with added rights and benefits, while also preventing an expanded legal definition of marriage.
The legislation, which passed overwhelmingly in the state’s lower house on May 19, affords same-sex couples a host of new state tax breaks, health-care benefits and greater ease of inheritance.
Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent, is expected to sign the bill into law, according to his spokesman, Michael Trainor. If signed, the law would take effect on July 1, making Rhode Island the fifth state in the country to allow civil unions between same-sex couples.
via Rhode Island legislature passes same-sex civil union bill – This Just In – CNN.com Blogs.
The Greek parliament has passed an austerity package by a slim majority to slash $40bn off the national debt.
Wednesday’s vote saw 155 members of parliament vote in favour, 138 against and 5 abstentions.
The package of taxes, spending cuts and privatisations has angered many Greeks, with thousands taking to the streets as part of a 48-hour national strike protesting against the bill.
Parliament will hold a second vote on Thursday aimed at changing a law allowing the measures to be implemented.
George Papandreou, the Greek prime minister, has said the second bailout will be roughly equal a previous package last year.
Papanderou expelled a Greek ruling party deputy who voted against the austerity packagae.
The five-year austerity package will allow Greece to secure a second bailout of $17bn of emergency loan funds on top of last year’s $157bn bailout.
via Greek parliament passes austerity bill – Europe – Al Jazeera English.
The ability to create and keep effective schedules is not highly regarded. It’s not often a compliment one hears or makes about a colleague or coworker. That isn’t to say it has no value or importance. Rather, it is an ability that is associated with characteristics — like “accountable,” “responsible” and “dependable” — that will serve you well throughout your entire career.
In developing the ability of effective scheduling, the usefulness of tools like iPads is not in dispute, but neither is the inability of these tools to execute your workday. In order to align your busy schedule as it is on paper with the inexactitude of reality, adhere to the following tips for effective scheduling.
Prepare and clarify your objectives
Carefully consider your objectives for events such as meetings beforehand, noting precisely what you want to accomplish and what questions you may need to ask. Doing so will allow you to allot the right amount of time to events in your schedule. When you arrive to the meeting, clarify these objectives by making them known to others.
Always be punctual
Make it a priority to be on time and seek to develop a reputation for punctuality. Few reputations will precede you more effectively or say more good things about your professional persona than an adherence and dedication to punctuality. This doesn’t mean arriving exactly on the hour or demanding that others do so as well; rather, it’s a function of your reliability. It shows you can manage a busy schedule, that you respect the time and attention of others and that you insist upon the same.
Be realistic
Time is the ultimate factor here, so making an unrealistic assessment of even one meeting or event can throw off the remainder of your schedule and, consequently, your entire day. Furthermore, while it would be nice to dispatch with certain unpleasant appointments quickly, you can’t make out your schedule this way. In other words, learn to schedule realistically, not ideally. Make an estimate on the time, then add 10% to 20% on top of that to allow for travel, drawn-out meetings, etc.
Send confirmations
A schedule that includes meetings and appointments with other people takes a bit of control out of your hands and puts its efficiency in jeopardy. One step to take back some of that control is to send email reminders the day before or the morning of in order to confirm your meetings with all those involved. It will also help you reschedule in the event of cancellations.
What’s the one city you’d move to in an instant?
Is she the type of girl who’d want to move somewhere fast-paced or does she want peace and quiet, opting for farm life in the middle of nowhere? Her choice can reveal a lot about her likes and dislikes, but it also tells you where she’s at in this phase of her life. This first date question will allow you to find out if she would be daring enough to relocate to a new city without hesitation, or if stability is more of a priority.
What’s it like being a… (insert her profession here)
Sooner or later the conversation trickles onto the topic of jobs. People spend huge chunks of their time at work so they generally have much to say on the subject. Find out what she feels about her career. Is she only in it for the paycheck, or does she have a passion for it? This conversation doesn’t have to be boring, focusing on the office politics she has been wrestling with or all the so-called interesting stories about her bad boss. If it hits such a dead-end, the question can lead into talking about her ambitions, which is often much better ear fodder. You’ll gain some knowledge about where she’s headed in life and how she intends to get there. Lend a golden ear to show your interest and pay attention for yourself too. You have plans of your own to succeed at, so finding out hers can show just how compatible you are and if your paths are heading in similar directions.
make the right impression
You’ve kept her intrigued with your interesting first date questions and are now in a better position to decide if this first encounter could possibly lead to a romantic sequel. But talking is only half of it — also take note of her body language as this reveals unsaid bits about her personality. It’s often the inside scoop on what she’s really thinking but doesn’t realize it’s displayed for you to see.
By the end of the night, with this approach, you’ll know if you’re going to invite her out again — or if the only person you want to call is the waiter so you can settle the bill and make a speedy exit.
What You Need To Know
You can learn a lot about her based on what she’d do with $1 million.
Find out if she’s a risk taker by asking her about the scariest thing she’s done.
The reasons she stays at her job reveal a lot about her personality.
“You’re both perusing the menu when she settles on a pasta dish. Sneakily, you ask her if she’d be keen to try something different instead.”
You’ve ordered dinner and wish the waiter would bring a side order of good conversation because an awkward silence has settled over the table. You’ve already meandered through common first-date banter (Do you have siblings? Where do you like to hang out?) and now have hit a slump.
What you need is to shake the conversation up with some unique questions instead of the regular lackluster ones that get served on first dates. This way you’ll keep her intrigued while you get your hands on important information about her.
Keep the conversation light but meaningful, and let it flow in a natural way. Often, a question will branch out into others, so here are five first date questions to have up your sleeve.
Are you going to try the snails with me?
You’re both perusing the menu when she settles on a pasta dish. Sneakily, you ask her if she’d be keen to try something different instead. This is more than just wanting her to enjoy what is, in your opinion, a delicacy; you’re being introduced to her sense of openness. Is she willing to try new things or does she insist that snails look disgusting? Of course, if she has an allergy to the food you’re suggesting, that’s a totally different situation. Generally, though, asking her to try something new with you will show you how she deals with it and if she’s flexible. Not to mention that if she’s an experimental gal it could pay off at a later stage.
What would you do right now if you had a million bucks?
You can ask her about her hobbies, or you could throw her this question and see how she catches it. What she would do if she landed in big money overnight is probably something she has let her imagination toy with before (as have most of us), so it will give you a glimpse into her interests and priorities, but also spontaneity levels. The benefit of this first date question is that it comes across as fun, thus putting her at ease while giving you some insight into what she’s all about.
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?
Just how risky is this hot tamale? This subject not only makes for some interesting anecdotes, but it helps you gauge her adventurous side and what risk levels she is comfortable with. Look into the future: If you start dating and invite her to go bungee jumping or mountain climbing, will you be sharing that adrenaline or will she be sitting on the sidelines bored? Explore her sense of adventure and see if your fun thresholds are on the same page.
What’s the one city you’d move to in an instant?
Is she the type of girl who’d want to move somewhere fast-paced or does she want peace and quiet, opting for farm life in the middle of nowhere? Her choice can reveal a lot about her likes and dislikes, but it also tells you where she’s at in this phase of her life. This first date question will allow you to find out if she would be daring enough to relocate to a new city without hesitation, or if stability is more of a priority.
What’s it like being a… (insert her profession here)
Sooner or later the conversation trickles onto the topic of jobs. People spend huge chunks of their time at work so they generally have much to say on the subject. Find out what she feels about her career. Is she only in it for the paycheck, or does she have a passion for it? This conversation doesn’t have to be boring, focusing on the office politics she has been wrestling with or all the so-called interesting stories about her bad boss. If it hits such a dead-end, the question can lead into talking about her ambitions, which is often much better ear fodder. You’ll gain some knowledge about where she’s headed in life and how she intends to get there. Lend a golden ear to show your interest and pay attention for yourself too. You have plans of your own to succeed at, so finding out hers can show just how compatible you are and if your paths are heading in similar directions.
make the right impression
You’ve kept her intrigued with your interesting first date questions and are now in a better position to decide if this first encounter could possibly lead to a romantic sequel. But talking is only half of it — also take note of her body language as this reveals unsaid bits about her personality. It’s often the inside scoop on what she’s really thinking but doesn’t realize it’s displayed for you to see.
By the end of the night, with this approach, you’ll know if you’re going to invite her out again — or if the only person you want to call is the waiter so you can settle the bill and make a speedy exit.
France has air-dropped weapons to rebels fighting Col Muammar Gaddafi’s troops in Western Libya, the French military has confirmed.
Light arms and ammunition were sent to Berber tribal fighters in the Nafusa mountains in early June, it said.
Earlier, a report in Le Figaro newspaper said the arms included rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles.
France, a leading force in the Nato operation in Libya, did not inform its allies about the move, Le Figaro said.
“We began by dropping humanitarian aid: food, water and medical supplies,” said Col Thierry Burkhard, spokesman for the French general staff.
“During the operation, the situation for the civilians on the ground worsened. We dropped arms and means of self-defence, mainly ammunition,” he told AFP news agency.
He said the arms were “light infantry weapons of the rifle type”, dropped over a period of several days “so that civilians would not be massacred”.
via BBC News – Libya conflict: France air-dropped arms to rebels.
NEW YORK – A high school football star was fatally stabbed in a fight with parking attendants over whether something was stolen from his family’s car during his graduation ceremony, police said.
His father was charged Wednesday with assault for his role in the argument, authorities said.
Isayah Muller, 19, a star running back who led his team to the Public Schools Athletic League championship, was rushed to a clinic Tuesday by his family and girlfriend and was later pronounced dead, said Paul Browne, the New York Police Department’s chief spokesman.
He was headed to Nassau Community College in Garden City, Long Island, in the fall, according to his Facebook page, which portrayed him as a fun-loving but hardworking sports fan. Friends and family posted how proud they were that he was planning to go to college.
The family arrived at the parking lot in the Bronx at about 9 a.m. Tuesday and walked over to the campus of Lehman College, where graduation was being held for students from Harry S. Truman High School. Following the ceremony, the family picked up their car and headed to a celebratory meal on City Island, a fishing hamlet on the northeastern tip of the Bronx.
On the way, the father noticed something was missing from the vehicle, turned the car around and headed back to the parking lot, Browne said.
When he arrived, he started arguing with two lot attendants, and hitting one with a shovel, police said. When Isayah Muller came out to help his dad, he was stabbed in the chest, police said.
The father and son raced back to the family car, where his mother and girlfriend were waiting and drove him to a clinic. The teen was later taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 6 p.m., Browne said.
The father, Andre Muller, was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and assault, and was awaiting arraignment in the Bronx. It wasn’t clear if he had an attorney.
Authorities questioned the two parking attendants as the investigation continued. It wasn’t clear if they would face charges.
John-James Shepherd, Isayah Muller’s high school football coach, said the teen “really personified the word charismatic.”
“He would walk into a room and light it up. It’s a cliche, but it’s true in this case,” Shepherd said.
Shepherd, who started coaching in 1999, said Muller was the best running back he’d ever seen at the high school level. Muller was headed for Nassau County Community College because his grades were not especially high, but the coach said he was sure Muller would have ended up in college’s Division I — a possibly the NFL — eventually.
Muller rushed for 285 yards during the high school championship game in November, winning 23-20 over the top-seeded Beach Channel. Quarterback Xavier Hamilton said Muller was the team’s go-to guy.
“To him, there’s no such thing as pressure,” Hamilton told ESPN’s high school report. “You put the ball his hands and it’s like he’s in a zone. You look in his eyes and there’s no reflection. He just gets the ball and does what he has to do.”
Muller ran the last five plays of the November game. According to ESPN, “He not only carried the ball, but also his entire team.”
“I really wasn’t tired,” Muller told ESPN. “This is my last game of my high school career. I didn’t want to take one step off that field. I’m still not tired. I could play the whole game all over again.”
via NYC student fatally stabbed hours after graduation – Other sports- NBC Sports.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- An unmanned drone flew near the hotel, coalition officials said
- A U.S. Blackhawk helicopter carried snipers toward the hotel, they said
- Special forces from a NATO-led team advised Afghan security forces
- Coalition officials say that Afghans took the lead
Washington (CNN) — An unmanned U.S. Predator drone flew over the Hotel Inter-Continental in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the insurgent attack, providing critical video of the attackers as the situation unfolded, two coalition military officials said Wednesday.
Information from the drone helped Afghan and coalition forces plan and conduct counter-strikes, the officials said.
In addition, a U.S. Blackhawk helicopter fired on up to six insurgents on the hotel roof, the officials said.
The helicopter carried snipers from the the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, the officials said. The snipers were not with the U.S. military, but ISAF declined to specify their nationality because the snipers are special forces and their country views their identity a sensitive matter.
via U.S. drone and copter, coalition snipers helped Afghans – CNN.com.
Bank of America announced plans on Wednesday to set aside $14 billion to pay investors who bought securities it assembled from mortgages that later soured, driving the company to an expected loss of $8.6 billion to $9.1 billion in the second quarter.
via Bank of America to Set Aside $14 Billion in Mortgage Settlement – NYTimes.com.
