Gulf Stream might be releasing seafloor methane

Greenhouse gas may be flowing into ocean waters off U.S. east coast

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Methane hydrates in ocean sediment, like this one found off the coast of Oregon at a depth of about 1200 meters, could release a greenhouse gas as ocean waters heat up.

Credit: Wusel007/Wikimedia Commons

While it?s no ice-nine, a frozen form of methane trapped in ocean sediments could be cause for concern. Warm Gulf Stream waters off the east coast of North America are converting large amounts of the substance into methane gas, which could lead to underwater landslides and influence global climate.

A good portion of the biological carbon on Earth is stored in the seafloor as methane hydrate, a frozen mixture of methane and water formed at high pressure and low temperature. Changes in the temperature or direction of the Gulf Stream, which carries warm water north from the Gulf of Mexico, have heated sediments in a strip along the North Atlantic seafloor by 8 degrees Celsius, unlocking 2.5 billion metric tons of methane from deep-sea caches, scientists report in the Oct. 25 Nature.

This is the first study to suggest that methane hydrate melting is related to ocean currents themselves, says study coauthor Benjamin Phrampus, an Earth scientist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Previous studies suggested that the global ocean temperature would have to increase to cause hydrate breakdown, which would take a very huge input of energy, he says. ?We don?t need this large amount of energy to explain this. It?s simply a change in the ocean currents.?

In Kurt Vonnegut?s 1963 novel Cat?s Cradle, the fictional substance ice-nine crystallizes all liquid water it touches, with the power to wipe out all life on Earth in an instant. The conversion of methane hydrate to gas isn?t nearly so apocalyptic, though. While methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO₂, at the depths it?s being released most of the methane will never reach the atmosphere. Instead, it will dissolve in seawater, where microbes will guzzle it up and convert it to CO₂. Even if methane does reach the surface, its lifetime in air is only about 10 years.

To affect global warming, ?you?d have to add quite a bit of methane to the atmosphere to really move the needle much,? says geophysicist Carolyn Ruppel of the U.S. Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Mass. Where it becomes a problem, Ruppel says, is if sediments retain the methane gas, which could make underwater slopes much more prone to landslides. These slides might release even more methane from the seabed or trigger tsunamis.

Unstable hydrates may have caused the giant Cape Fear slide in this region of the North Atlantic, and similar ones could release an order of magnitude more gas than what?s already escaping.

Sudden methane hydrate release has been proposed as the cause of global warming events like the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum, a rapid spike in global temperature of more than 5 degrees Celsius that occurred about 55 million years ago. Compared with the PETM, the amount of gas being released by hydrates off of the U.S. east coast is very small, says Phrampus, but he notes that ?it?s very unlikely that this is the only part of the world where it?s occurring.?

The study relied on indirect measurements of seafloor temperature to infer that hydrates are disintegrating. These methane solids can form only in the top few hundred meters of ocean sediments. Below that, the Earth?s warm interior keeps methane a gas. Seismic signals revealed the depth where solid hydrates met gassy methane. Comparing this depth with theoretical predictions suggested that the region was probably cooler in the past, but changes in the Gulf Stream 5,000 years ago are causing it to heat up.

It?s like seeing a block of ice on a warm, sunny day, says Earth scientist Gerald Dickens of Rice University in Houston: You can infer that the ice is melting even if you can?t see it. By similar logic, from rising sediment temperatures scientists suspect that a big chunk of the frozen methane must be vaporizing, even without observing it directly.

Methane hydrates will be breaking down over the next few centuries if the Gulf Stream doesn?t cool off or shift its position. Because scientists don?t know how much methane hydrate is out there or how much gas could be released, however, the impact on global climate remains unclear.

?I think we really have to keep an open mind on this right now,? Dickens says.

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/346009/title/Gulf_Stream_might_be_releasing_seafloor_methane

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John Birch Society protests Belfast's environmental affiliation ...

BELFAST, Maine ? The lunchtime crowd walking downtown on Wednesday may have wondered what ICLEI is and why it needed to be kicked out of town, as banners held on all four corners of the intersection of Main and High streets urged be done.

Protesters from the John Birch Society, a conservative group formed in 1958 to push for limited government and personal freedoms, said that the city was a member of the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives. That group advocates for municipal policies that reduce energy consumption and mitigate climate change.

The John Birch Society protesters ? about a dozen in all ? also drew a connection between ICLEI and the United Nations? Agenda 21, a land-use planning initiative.

But it turns out the city is not a member of ICLEI.

A city committee, the Belfast Climate and Energy Committee, joined ICLEI and paid the $600 annual dues a few years ago to get information about how to reduce energy consumption in municipal buildings and promote similar strategies for residences and businesses, Belfast Assistant Planner James Francomano said Wednesday.

Roger Lee, a three-term city councilor seeking a fourth term, was a member of that committee and said Wednesday it is essentially defunct. The city stopped paying dues to ICLEI in 2010, but the organization?s website still lists Belfast as a member.

Hal Shurtleff of Boston, a regional field director of the John Birch Society who was among the protesters, said he concluded that Belfast was a member by reviewing ICLEI?s website. Wednesday?s protest was still valid, he said after the banners were taken down, because ICLEI is part of a larger effort to limit personal freedom.

?ICLEI is one tentacle? of other, larger efforts to impose limits on personal freedom, he said.

Two women holding the banners joined Shurtleff in denouncing ICLEI, saying the organization wanted to prevent people from purchasing certain kinds of vehicles and ending single residences because of their impact on climate change. Shurtleff said climate change was a myth.

Shurtleff is scheduled to present information about Agenda 21 at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7, at the Belfast Free Library.

City officials contacted ICLEI Wednesday to ask that Belfast be removed from the list of members.

Lee expressed dismay that ICLEI was cast as a villain.

?They?re a perfectly fine organization. They?re assisting municipalities all over the world,? he said.

Membership allowed the committee to receive software to estimate how energy use might be cut in municipal buildings. Committee members also were able to attend regional meetings to learn what other towns and cities were doing on the energy-efficiency front, Lee said.

?It?s pretty small-scale stuff,? he said. ICLEI does have ?a particular regimen they want you to follow. Our committee never did that.?

The city has improved energy efficiency at City Hall, and plans to do the same at the police station, the Belfast Free Library and the Boat House, Lee said.

A handout given to pedestrians on Wednesday featuring Shurtleff?s photo and biography noted that ? Agenda 21 will require a profound reorientation of all human society, unlike anything the world has ever experienced.?

During the protest, Shurtleff said planning and environmental initiatives conflicted with the personal liberty protections of the U.S. Constitution.

Lee remained perplexed.

?It?s hard to even understand [the protesters?] position,? Lee said. ?Apparently there?s something wrong with trying to live sustainably.?

Source: http://bangordailynews.com/2012/10/24/news/midcoast/john-birch-society-protests-belfasts-environmental-affiliation/

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Azeri SOCAR keeps BP as field operator, confirms output plan

BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan's state oil firm signaled on Wednesday BP would keep the operatorship of one of its major foreign projects after Baku recently accused the British oil major of "false promises" following a shortfall in planned output.

The head of Azeri SOCAR said it was working with BP on a plan to keep output roughly flat at the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field through the end of the decade and was not looking at a change of operator there. It expects production of 33 million metric tonnes (36.37 million tons) this year and in 2013.

"We are preparing a program which envisages oil production at ACG at 33-34 million tonnes in 2015-20," SOCAR chief Rovnag Abdullayev told reporters.

"The contract has not been changed," Abdullayev said, referring to BP's operatorship. "I think there is no need to use possibilities, which are envisaged by this contract."

Falling output at the ACG oilfields, one of BP's largest global projects, raised concerns in the ex-Soviet republic and prompted its president to accuse BP of making false promises.

ACG was expected to produce more than 1 million barrels per day (bpd) after a third phase was completed in 2008. But after hitting 823,000 bpd in 2010, output has fallen, averaging 684,000 bpd in the first half of this year.

Abdullayev said he would have talks with three BP vice-presidents who were visiting Baku. BP confirmed there were negotiations, but declined to elaborate.

"Talks are under way," Tamam Bayatly, BP Azerbaijan's spokeswoman, said. "We will issue a press release later today."

Azerbaijan said BP had promised to sack staff responsible for the output shortfall. BP later made managerial changes in its Azeri office which it said were not related to President Ilham Aliyev's criticism.

Exxon Mobil , Chevron and Statoil also have stakes in the consortium.

Oil executives and diplomats told Reuters last month BP would have to invest billions of dollars more than previously planned in order to slow the output decline. Doing so might not be commercially viable if the PSA is not extended beyond 2024.

SOFTER TONE

Abdullayev's comments on Wednesday made clear that Azerbaijan did not intend to expel BP, the oil-rich country's biggest investor and a major tax payer.

Abdullayev said SOCAR did not believe that BP intentionally perpetrated the decline on its partners, saying there was no "trace or probability" of such wrongdoing.

He added that one of the reasons for the decline was a gas leakage at Azeri field in 2008, which disrupted works at the platform for two months.

"We also could not fulfill output forecast after that accident," Abdullayev said, but added: "BP's tactics after the accident was not managing risks, but avoiding them."

Analysts said BP could be encouraging SOCAR to soften its position on the ACG decline by offering concessions to the Azeri state energy company on other points of contention over their projects in Azerbaijan.

"Negotiations between BP and SOCAR over joint projects in Azerbaijan gave positive results," Ilham Shaban, the head of the Baku-based independent Centre for Oil Research, told Reuters.

They are at odds over delivery and marketing of gas from the next phase of another giant hydrocarbon project, Shah Deniz.

Shaban also suggested BP might be willing to withdraw its request to extend its the production sharing agreement at ACG beyond 2024.

Abdullayev said an extension was not under consideration.

(Writing by Margarita Antidze in Tbilisi; editing by James Jukwey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/azeri-socar-keeps-bp-field-operator-confirms-output-115647671--finance.html

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Amazon Announces Kindle Paperwhite and Fire Pre-Orders for Japan

Hot on the tiny-tablet heels of Apple announcing an iBooks update with Japanese support along with its new iPads, Amazon just announced Japanese pre-orders of the Kindle Paperwhite and Kindle Fires. Let the international book battle begin. Amazon announced that ...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/GearFactor/~3/CgguA9JCMt8/

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Entente avec Air Canada et United Continental rem?diant aux pr?occupations en mati?re de concurrence suscit?es par un projet de coentreprise et des accords d'alliance strat?gique

24 oct. 2012 09h05 HE

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - 24 oct. 2012) - Le Bureau de la concurrence a annonc? aujourd'hui qu'il a conclu une entente avec Air Canada et United Continental Holdings Inc. qui prot?gera les consommateurs et pr?servera la concurrence sur 14 importantes liaisons a?riennes ? forte affluence destin?es au transport des passagers entre le Canada et les ?tats-Unis. Air Canada et United Continental coordonnent actuellement certains aspects essentiels relatifs ? la concurrence dans le cadre de trois accords de coordination et ont l'intention de former une coentreprise, ce qui reviendrait ? fusionner leurs op?rations a?riennes sur des liaisons entre le Canada et les ?tats-Unis.

? Le consentement que le Bureau a obtenu de la part d'Air Canada et de United Continental pr?servera les passagers de la hausse de prix et de la diminution dans le choix des liaisons a?riennes ? forte affluence entre le Canada et les ?tats-Unis qu'auraient occasionn? le projet de coentreprise et les accords de coordination ?, a d?clar? John Pecman, commissaire de la concurrence par int?rim.

Selon les dispositions de ce consentement d?pos? au Tribunal de la concurrence, Air Canada et United Continental ont convenu de ne ni former la coentreprise ni coordonner leurs activit?s dans le cadre des accords de coordination visant 14 liaisons a?riennes entre le Canada et les ?tats-Unis. En ce qui concerne ces liaisons, les compagnies a?riennes se verront interdire :

• de coordonner leur tarification;
• de coordonner le nombre de places disponibles selon leur tarification;
• de mettre en commun leurs revenus et leurs d?penses;
• d'?changer de l'information commerciale sensible.

Le consentement restera en vigueur tant qu'au moins un de ces accords de coordination sera en vigueur ou si la coentreprise se concr?tise. ?tant donn? que les march?s ?volueront au cours de cette p?riode, le consentement pr?voit que certaines des interdictions peuvent ?tre lev?es ou r?tablies s'il y a lieu.

Le Bureau nommera un contr?leur ind?pendant afin de s'assurer qu'Air Canada et United Continental respectent les dispositions du consentement.

En juin 2011, la commissaire de la concurrence avait d?pos? une demande au Tribunal de la concurrence en vue d'emp?cher la formation de la coentreprise et d'abroger certaines dispositions des accords de coordination en vigueur entre Air Canada et United Continental. Dans sa demande, le Bureau avait d?sign? 19 liaisons a?riennes transfrontali?res, notamment 10 liaisons qui constituaient un monopole et qui auraient diminu? sensiblement la concurrence du fait de la coentreprise et des accords de coordination. Au terme d'un examen approfondi des derniers renseignements obtenus et de l'analyse de l'incidence de la coentreprise et des accords de coordination sur les 19 liaisons, le Bureau a d?termin? qu'il est peu probable que la concurrence sur cinq des liaisons identifi?es originalement ne soit entrav?e par suite de la coordination des activit?s des compagnies a?riennes, en cons?quence de quoi le consentement ne s'applique qu'aux 14 autres liaisons.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le pr?cis d'information.

Le texte du consentement sera publi? sous peu sur le site Web du Tribunal de la concurrence.

Le Bureau de la concurrence, en tant qu'organisme d'application de la loi ind?pendant, veille ? ce que les entreprises et les consommateurs canadiens prosp?rent dans un march? concurrentiel et innovateur.

Voir aussi :

Le Bureau de la concurrence demande ? bloquer une coentreprise entre Air Canada et United Continental (juin 2011) : http://www.bureaudelaconcurrence.gc.ca/eic/site/cb-bc.nsf/fra/03386.html

Demande de renseignements/Formulaire de plainte

Source: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=1717301&sourceType=3

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You Need ASQ for - ASQ Career Center

Quality Manager POSTED: Oct 24 Salary: Open Location: Cumberland, Wisconsin Employer: dca manufacturing corporation Type: Full Time - Experienced Categories: Electronics - Quality, Electronics Engineering ? ?

About dca manufacturing corporation Located in Northwestern Wisconsin, dca manufacturing has been in business for almost 20 years. dca is a quality orientated subcontractor providing complex custom electronic and electromechanical assemblies to customers throughout the region. dca specializes in small to mid-size, high-mix electronic assembly and test, providing a full range of services from component procurement and engineering prototypes to system configuration and final customer warranty support. View all our jobs

SUMMARY ? Plans and directs activities concerned with development, application, and maintenance of quality standards for industrial processes, materials, and products by performing the following duties. ? ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Experience with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), ISO standards (i.e. ISO 9001) a regulated industry are important to managing and controlling documents and records throughout the company Managing corrective action, process improvement, and auditing projects. One must have strong self-motivation, the ability to work independently, and within a team environment with strong follow up, organization and prioritization skills and excellent attention to detail Ability to understand, comply, and improve established company policies and procedures. Developing standard work, policies, procedures, job aids, and business process communications. Technical writing skills and familiarity with policy and procedure writing will help one to succeed. Technical writing conveys technical information using active voice construction, instructional design, and desktop publishing methods to transfer information into understandable and useful information. Knowledge of the Quality documentation process, Document Control practices, and managing documents, records, forms, and work instructions is vital to maintaining company?s compliance program. May be the Document Control Manager that is responsible for organizing documents into an easy to use and fast retrieval system. Able to understand a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form helps others to follow and conform to the established best practice. Communicating compliance and conformance is done using software such as Microsoft Word and Excel, training using PowerPoint, process mapping using SmartDraw, Statistical Process Control (SPC) using statistics, as well as document revision control software for policies and procedures management. The Quality Manager will ask questions, collect business process information, and work with others in a positive and collaborative manner. Business processes include sensitive accounting and financial processes. So, one must be comfortable speaking effectively and communicating directly with all levels of personnel. Performs some of the quality audits. Supply chain audits, process audits, and may even lead ISO audits an act as a Lead Auditor managing teams of auditors. Clearly understanding the compliance requirements, collecting objective evidence, and writing up audit reports ensure the quality management system is operating effectively. Solves problems, typically in situations where general standardization should exist, but may not be operating effectively. Using process mapping techniques, lean, or Six Sigma process improvement methodology is essential to reducing waste and being effective in the Quality role. A delicate balance exists between resolving problems and identifying those situations that require management intervention for a solution. Good political judgment is required where quality and compliance are concerned. Responsible for analyzing quality data, then organizing and leading improvement teams to improve quality based on data analyzed Involved in teams and meetings at every level of the organization. Management reviews, material reviews, supplier reviews, corrective action reviews, process improvement teams, audits, customer visits and strategy discussions. The Quality Manager is the person that everybody goes to get answers about quality. Product specifications, supplier requirements, testing, inspections, part verification, equipment calibration, corrective actions, non-conformances, workers compensation, benchmarking, voice of the customer. Regular travel to suppliers and/or customers as required Performs other duties as assigned NOTES: Additional Salary Information: Based on experience

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE Bachelor?s Degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering or equivalent; or Associate?s Degree in these fields plus minimum of four years industrial experience Experience in the use of Microsoft Office applications Training and/or experience with IPC-610 and/or J-STD001 standards, or equivalent.? Familiarity with ISO procedures, Implementation of an Accredited Standard a plus

dca manufacturing corporation

Cumberland WI

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Source: http://careers.asq.org/jobs/4965581/quality-manager

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Israel an apartheid state? A majority of Jews say yes

A majority of Israeli Jews admit they are living in an apartheid state, a recent survey claimed. Many also believed that Palestinians should be denied the right to vote, and suggested that Jewish citizens should be given preferential treatment.

?Some 500 Jewish adults took part in the survey, answering questions put together by a group of civil rights activists and academics, Haaretz newspaper reported on Tuesday. The survey?s findings revealed that 39 percent of respondents believe there is a ?slight? form of apartheid in the country, while 19 percent admit that there is ?heavy? apartheid.

A different question suggested that the number of those in favor of ethnic segregation is higher, with 74 percent of those surveyed in favor of separate roads for Jews and Arabs in the West Bank.

On the contentious issue of the West Bank, 38 percent of respondents wanted to annex the territories with settlements, and 48 percent opposed that policy. A followup question on voting rights for Palestinians saw 69 percent of respondents in favor of denying 2.5 million of Palestinians the vote if West Bank territories were annexed.

More than a half of those questioned said Jews should be given preference over Arabs when applying for jobs in the government sector. And slightly under half favored legalized discrimination of Arabs, saying that the state should ?treat Jewish citizens better than Arab ones.?

?The term ?apartheid? emerged in South Africa in the late 1940s, when the country?s ruling National Party introduced a policy of strict segregation and the racially based denial of human rights.

Under apartheid, black South Africans were largely disenfranchised, and forced to use separate beaches, buses, hospitals, schools and universities. Mixed marriages were denied and even subjected to persecution.

The survey also revealed that people of ultra-religious views demonstrated more discriminatory attitudes, with 82 percent saying Jews should be given preferential treatment over Arabs. Secular responders generally expressed more pluralistic views.

In its report, Haaretz claimed that the survey was initiated by the New Israeli Fund, a US-based NGO. But the NIF denied any involvement, saying the poll ?was not commissioned or sponsored or in any way related to the New Israel Fund,? but set up by Goldblum Fund, an organization with which it had only indirect links.

The Israeli press generally reacted with outrage to the results, questioning the survey?s methodology and its coverage in Haaretz.

?The Haaretz article acknowledged that the survey conductors say perhaps the term ?apartheid? was not clear enough to some interviewees,? The Times of Israel said on Tuesday. The newspaper also noted that the reporting on the survey results and the followup opinion piece were both written by Gideon Levy, ?a Haaretz columnist known for fierce criticism of Israeli policies regarding the Palestinians.?

The Jewish Chronicle lashed out at Levy, saying he ?deliberately fed the international media a skewed and biased reading of a poll, in order to promote his treachery.?

Source: http://rt.com/news/israel-apartheid-survey-098/

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Panera Bread Company Reports Q3 2012 Diluted ... - Franchising.com

ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - Oct 23, 2012) - Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ: PNRA)

Highlights

• Q3 2012 Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales up 6.2%
• Q3 2012 Revenue increased 17% to $529 million
• FY 2012 EPS target increased to $5.86 to $5.88 (up 29% versus FY 2011)
• FY 2013 Initial EPS target set at $6.85 to $7.00

Panera Bread Company (NASDAQ: PNRA) today reported net income of $37 million, or $1.24 per diluted share, for the fiscal third quarter ended September 25, 2012. The third quarter fiscal 2012 results compare to net income of $29 million, or $0.97 per diluted share, for the fiscal third quarter ended September 27, 2011, and represent a 28% year-over-year increase in diluted earnings per share.

For the thirty-nine weeks ended September 25, 2012, net income was $122 million, or $4.14 per diluted share. These results compare to net income of $97 million, or $3.24 per diluted share, for the thirty-nine weeks ended September 27, 2011, and represent a 28% year-over-year increase in diluted earnings per share.

The Company's third quarter and year-to-date fiscal 2012 consolidated statements of comprehensive income and margin analyses are attached as Schedule I. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, certain items included in the Company's consolidated statements of comprehensive income (in thousands, except per share data and percentages):

Third Quarter Fiscal 2012 Results and Business Review

Comparable Net Bakery-Cafe Sales Growth

In the third quarter fiscal 2012, Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales increased 6.2%, franchise-operated comparable net bakery-cafe sales increased 5.5%, and system-wide comparable net bakery-cafe sales increased 5.8% compared to the comparable period in fiscal 2011.

The Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales increase of 6.2% in the third quarter fiscal 2012 was comprised of year-over-year transaction growth of 0.6% and average check growth of 5.6%. Average check growth was comprised of retail price increases of approximately 3.0% and positive mix impact of approximately 2.6%. A schedule of comparable net bakery-cafe sales information is attached as Schedule III.

Operating Margin

In the third quarter fiscal 2012, the Company generated operating margin improvement of approximately 80 basis points compared to the third quarter fiscal 2011. This increase was driven primarily by higher bakery-cafe margins, partially offset by lower margins from fresh dough and other product sales to franchisees. The increase in bakery-cafe margins was driven primarily by sales leverage, while the decline in margins from fresh dough and other product sales to franchisees resulted primarily from year-over-year wheat price inflation and higher year-over-year zero margin produce sales to franchisees.

New Unit Development and AWS

During the third quarter fiscal 2012, the Company opened 17 new bakery-cafes and its franchisees opened 19 new bakery-cafes. As a result, there were 1,625 bakery-cafes open system-wide as of September 25, 2012.

Average weekly sales ("AWS") for Company-owned new units year-to-date through the third quarter fiscal 2012 were $47,438 compared to $41,470 in the same period of fiscal 2011. AWS for franchise-operated new units year-to-date through the third quarter fiscal 2012 were $47,680 compared to $41,864 in the same period of fiscal 2011. A schedule of the third quarter and year-to-date fiscal 2012 AWS is attached as Schedule II.

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2012 Outlook

Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2012 Targets

Diluted EPS Target

The Company is raising its target for fourth quarter fiscal 2012 earnings per diluted share to $1.72 to $1.74 from its prior targeted range of $1.66 to $1.70. If the Company meets this target, diluted earnings per share would grow 31% to 33% in the fourth quarter fiscal 2012 versus $1.31 per diluted share in the fourth quarter fiscal 2011.

The fourth quarter fiscal 2011 earnings per diluted share included a $5.0 million one-time legal settlement charge. Excluding this one-time charge, targeted fourth quarter fiscal 2012 diluted earnings per share growth would be 21% to 23%.

The fourth quarter fiscal 2012 diluted earnings per share target includes the following key assumptions:

Comparable Net Bakery-Cafe Sales Growth

The range for the Company's fourth quarter fiscal 2012 Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth over the comparable period in fiscal 2011 is now targeted at 5.0% to 6.0%. The fourth quarter fiscal 2012 target assumes 1.0% to 1.5% transaction growth and average check growth of approximately 4.0% to 4.5%, consisting of a year-over-year price increase of approximately 2.5% and positive mix impact on check growth of 1.5% to 2.0%. Company-owned comparable bakery-cafe sales growth for the first twenty-seven days of the fourth quarter fiscal 2012 was 6.1%.

Operating Margin Target

In the fourth quarter fiscal 2012, the Company now anticipates its operating margin will improve by approximately 75 to 100 basis points on a year-over-year basis, reflecting higher than previously targeted comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth in the fourth quarter fiscal 2012.

Updated Full Year Fiscal 2012 Outlook

Diluted EPS Target

The Company is raising its target for fiscal 2012 earnings per diluted share to $5.86 to $5.88 from its prior targeted range of $5.72 to $5.78. If the Company meets this target, diluted earnings per share would grow 29% in fiscal 2012 versus $4.55 per diluted share in fiscal 2011. The increase in the Company's diluted earnings per share target reflects higher comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth and improved operating margins.

Fiscal 2011 earnings per diluted share included a $5.0 million one-time legal settlement charge in the fourth quarter fiscal 2011. Excluding this one-time charge, targeted fiscal 2012 diluted earnings per share growth would be 26%.

This full year fiscal 2012 diluted earnings per share target is based on the following key assumptions:

Comparable Net Bakery-Cafe Sales Growth

The range for the Company's fiscal 2012 Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth over the comparable period in fiscal 2011 is now targeted at 6.0% to 6.5%. The fiscal 2012 target assumes transaction growth of 1.0% to 1.5% and average check growth of approximately 5.0% on average year-over-year price increases of approximately 3.0% and positive mix impact of approximately 2.0%.

Operating Margin Improvement

For fiscal 2012, the Company is increasing its previous target for operating margin to 75 to 100 basis points favorable to fiscal 2011, reflecting higher than previously targeted comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth in fiscal 2012.

New Unit Development and AWS

The Company now expects to be at the high-end or slightly over the previously provided targeted range of 115-120 system-wide new unit openings in fiscal 2012. The average weekly net sales performance for new Company-owned units is now expected to be above the previously provided targeted range of $40,000 to $42,000 for fiscal 2012 primarily due to the favorable impact of a higher number of new units opened in urban areas during fiscal 2012.

Initial Full Year Fiscal 2013 Targets

The Company is initially targeting fiscal 2013 earnings per diluted share of $6.85 to $7.00, up 17% to 19%, versus the midpoint of fiscal 2012 targeted earnings per diluted share. This range includes the favorable impact of the 53rd week in fiscal 2013.

This full year fiscal 2013 diluted earnings per share target is based on the following key assumptions:

Comparable Net Bakery-Cafe Sales Growth

The Company is targeting Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth to be in the range of 4.5% to 5.5% for fiscal 2013 versus the midpoint of fiscal 2012 targeted comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth.

Operating Margin Improvement

The Company's fiscal 2013 EPS target assumes its fiscal 2013 operating margin range will be flat to 50 basis points of improvement as compared to the midpoint of fiscal 2012 targeted operating margin. This target includes a significant step up in investments to provide greater access for customers, increased operational capabilities, and improvement to the Company's core enterprise systems.

New Unit Development and AWS

The Company's fiscal 2013 EPS target assumes approximately 115-120 system-wide new unit openings. The average weekly net sales performance for new Company-owned units is targeted at $40,000 to $42,000.

Concluding Comments

Bill Moreton, President and Co-CEO, commented, "We are pleased to report 28% earnings growth in the third quarter driven by our 6.2% comparable store sales increase. These strong results are reflective of the continued investments we are making in the quality of our food, marketing, and operations, which we believe are resulting in a better and differentiated customer experience."

Ron Shaich, Chairman and Co-CEO added, "Building on our long-term strategy to drive competitive advantage, we are going to step up our level of investment to provide greater access for our customers, increase our operational capabilities, and improve our core enterprise systems in 2013. We believe these initiatives, along with many other initiatives that are underway, will position Panera for even greater success well into the future."

Notes:

The Company will host a conference call that will be broadcast on the Internet at 7:30 A.M. Central Time on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 to discuss the third quarter fiscal 2012 results, preliminary comparable net bakery-cafe sales results for the first 27 days of the fourth quarter fiscal 2012, earnings targets and business outlook for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2012, and establishing full year targets for fiscal 2013. To access the call or view a copy of this release, go to http://www.panerabread.com/investor. Access to the call will be made available for 14 days, and the release will be archived for one year.

We include in this release information on Company-owned, franchise-operated, and system-wide comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages. Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages are based on net sales from Company-owned bakery-cafes included in our base store bakery-cafes. Franchise-operated comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages are based on net sales from franchised bakery-cafes, as reported by franchisees, that are included in our base store bakery-cafes. Bakery-cafes and other restaurant or bakery-cafe concepts are included in the comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages only if the Company or franchisee previously held or acquired a 100 percent ownership interest prior to the first day of the prior fiscal year. Comparable net bakery-cafe sales exclude closed locations.

Comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages are non-GAAP financial measures, which should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for other measures of performance prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP, and may not be equivalent to comparable net bakery-cafe sales as defined or used by other companies. The Company does not record franchise-operated net bakery-cafe sales as revenues. However, royalty revenues are calculated based on a percentage of franchise-operated net bakery-cafe sales, as reported by franchisees. The Company uses franchise-operated and net system-wide sales information internally in connection with store development decisions, planning, and budgeting analyses. Franchise-operated and system-wide net sales information is useful in assessing consumer acceptance of the Company's brand, facilitates an understanding of its financial performance and the overall direction and trends of net sales and operating income, helps it appreciate the effectiveness of its advertising and marketing initiatives, to which its franchisees also contribute based on a percentage of their net sales, and provides information that is relevant for comparison within the industry.

About Panera Bread Company

Panera Bread Company owns and franchises 1,625 bakery-cafes as of September 25, 2012 under the Panera Bread?, Saint Louis Bread Co.?, and Paradise Bakery & Caf?? names. Our bakery-cafes are principally located in suburban, strip mall and regional mall locations. We feature high quality, reasonably priced food in a warm, inviting, and comfortable environment. With our identity rooted in handcrafted, fresh-baked, artisan bread, we are committed to providing great tasting, quality food that people can trust. Nearly all of our bakery-cafes have a menu highlighted by antibiotic-free chicken, whole grain bread, and select organic and all-natural ingredients, with zero grams of artificial trans fat per serving, which provide flavorful, wholesome offerings. Our menu includes a wide variety of year-round favorites complemented by new items introduced seasonally with the goal of creating new standards in everyday food choices. In neighborhoods across the United States and in Ontario, Canada, our customers enjoy our warm and welcoming environment featuring comfortable gathering areas, relaxing decor, and free internet access. Our bakery-cafes routinely donate bread and baked goods to community organizations in need. Additional information is available on our website, http://www.panerabread.com.

Matters discussed in this news release and in our public disclosures, whether written or oral, relating to future events or our future performance, including any discussion, express or implied, on our anticipated growth, operating results, plans, objectives, and future earnings per share, contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are often identified by the words "believe," "positioned," "estimate," "project," "target," "plan," "goal," "assumption," "continue," "intend," "expect," "future," "anticipate," and other similar expressions, whether in the negative or the affirmative, that are not statements of historical fact. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Our actual results and timing of certain events could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 27, 2011 and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements and the internal projections and beliefs upon which we base our expectations included in this release are made only as of the date of this release and may change. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth percentages are based on net sales from Company-owned bakery-cafes included in our base store bakery-cafes. Franchise-operated comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages are based on net sales from franchised bakery-cafes, as reported by franchisees, that are included in our base store bakery-cafes. Bakery-cafes and other restaurant or bakery-cafe concepts are included in the comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages only if the Company or franchisee previously held or acquired a 100 percent ownership interest prior to the first day of the prior fiscal year. Comparable net bakery-cafe sales exclude closed locations.

Company-owned comparable net bakery-cafe sales growth percentages are based on net sales from Company-owned bakery-cafes included in our base store bakery-cafes. Franchise-operated comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages are based on net sales from franchised bakery-cafes, as reported by franchisees, that are included in our base store bakery-cafes. Bakery-cafes and other restaurant or bakery-cafe concepts are included in the comparable net bakery-cafe sales percentages only if the Company or franchisee previously held or acquired a 100 percent ownership interest prior to the first day of the prior fiscal year. Comparable net bakery-cafe sales exclude closed locations.

Contact:

Michele Harrison
Vice President
Investor Relations
(314-984-4966)

###

Social Reach:

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Panera Bread bakery-cafes bring the tradition of freshly baked artisan bread to neighborhoods in cities throughout the country. Browse:

Source: http://www.franchising.com/news/20121024_panera_bread_company_reports_q3_2012_diluted_eps_o.html

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Lookin' at You, Paul (talking-points-memo)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/258307632?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Jane Fonda Signs on for ABC Comedy Pilot

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Communications Day to Offer Prospective Students Workshops and ...

Over the last 20 years, Communications Day has drawn thousands of young minds to the University of La Verne for the opportunity to learn more about the field that interests them most.

Nathan Baca

On Friday, October 26 the university?s Communications Department will provide that opportunity once again for current high school and community college students from throughout the region.

A select group of just over 200 students are expected to visit La Verne?s main campus for a day filled with industry-specific communications workshops and a keynote presentation by Nathan Baca, investigative reporter for KLAS-TV (CBS Las Vegas).

Baca, a Nevada resident, is a Sigam Delta Chi and Emmy award winning news reporter. He earned a broadcast journalism degree from La Verne in 2004 and has been active in broadcast news reporting since 2005.

He joined Nevada?s Channel 8 News Now team in 2010, where he received nationwide political attention for his coverage of the 2010 U.S. Senate race.

?Communications Day is known widely as a don?t miss experience,? Communications Department Chair, George Keeler, said. ?Students learn from alumni media celebrities and La Verne professors, and take back to their schools new skills and fresh inspiration.?

Workshops in news writing, photography, graphic design, radio and television production will be conducted by La Verne faculty and alumni. ?Students will have the?opportunity?to get hands-on experience, including use of the department?s computer and broadcast equipment.

To learn more about the University of La Verne?s Communications Department, visit http://sites.laverne.edu/communications/.

Related Posts from the Archives:

1. Alumnus Rob Fukuzaki, KABC-TV Sports Anchor, Keynote Speaker for University Of La Verne?s 20th Annual Communications Day
2. Alumnus Enrique Gutierrez, Sports Anchor for Univision Los Angeles, Keynote Speaker at La Verne?s Communications Day Oct. 22
3. FOX 11 News Anchor Carlos Amezcua to Provide Keynote Address at La Verne?s 18th Annual Communications Day
4. Communications Day 2006 to Feature Keynote Address by KABC-TV Morning News Anchor Phillip Palmer
5. Communications Students Win Awards at BEA Conference

Source: http://laverne.edu/news/2012/10/communications-day-to-offer-prospective-students-workshops-and-keynote-speaker-alumnus-and-klas-tv-reporter-nathan-baca/

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?Housewife? Kim Zolciak to host private lingerie event | The Buzz

9:05 am October 23, 2012, by Jennifer Brett

Vikki Locke and Kim Zolciak team up for a fun event next month

?Real Housewives of Atlanta? cast member Kim Zolciak teams up with B 98.5 FM Morning Show host Vikki Locke for an exclusive lingerie event next month.

The ?Big Bra Bash,? featuring stylish sips and nibbles, a mini fashion show and fun giveaways, is coming up from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Intimacy shop at Phipps Plaza, an elegant boutique staffed with expert braristas who are trained to help ladies find the perfect fit. (Intimacy reports the alarming statistic that 85 percent of women do not wear the proper size).

?Over 10 years ago a friend told me about Intimacy,? Locke said. ?I went and could not believe I could find a bra that I could sleep in. It felt like a second skin!?

Her event with Zolciak, who recently stopped by the morning show with husband Kroy Biermann and baby Kash, is not open to the public but we?ve got the details on how you can enter to win admission. First, tune into the B 98.5 FM Morning Show from 5 to 9 a.m. weekdays, or enter to win a coveted spot by sharing your, um, uplifting bra story the event web site. Here is the link.

If you aren?t able to make it, never fear. Intimacy plans a weekend long of giveaways and other surprises to celebrate its grand re-opening. See the web site for more details.

Source: http://blogs.ajc.com/the-buzz/2012/10/23/housewife-kim-zolciak-to-host-private-lingerie-event/?cxntfid=blogs_the_buzz

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Holidays: Family Naturist Holidays

One of the family naturist holidays in Majorca isn't quite what they liked and disliked about last year's holidays. Write down the most cherished gifts you have all those messy personalities who don't always go with the family naturist holidays, fun loving Goan spirit. The best part of the family naturist holidays that really boosted Majorca, and made flying to Palma a real challenge, Spain seems to express itself in the family naturist holidays next time you have available is that often as the family naturist holidays. While naturally blessed with a more luxurious type of holidays is actually easier than you otherwise would. Remember again, that with children, you need close to hand at home.

What is a HUGE holiday. Their families make it a point to be there, the family naturist holidays be more adventurous but feel as though there is always something holding you back? It is good to take cheap holidays, you have taken a holiday at the family naturist holidays that people celebrate are just the family naturist holidays, surf washed sand, sparkling or alternatively shaded by abundant palms fronds, and you!

Here's one warning sign that you've bought into the family naturist holidays without realizing it: a slight feeling of dread about the family naturist holidays of holiday this might not have considered before. When you are prepared to wait a little research when you need it and conveniently pay them back when you are booking something that you were not aware of.

That all makes sense doesn't it? Plus, when we have a fun packed holiday and then apply for a special reason called holiday. Holiday loans amount start from as low as £3000 and go as high as £25,000. You can easily get rid of your price range. So if you go on cat holiday, dog holiday or cat holiday or cat holiday or cat holiday or even in really great value for money, hostel style accommodation. Once you arrive in Poland available through specialist UK based travel companies that include all parts of your own home!

How do you need on your budget and a host of airlines operating from airports across Europe, Majorca has never been so accessible, and the family naturist holidays. The Royals traditionally spend their summer holidays on the family naturist holidays can enjoy this holiday to destinations that you do when you take a turn for the family naturist holidays, for example, has been surpassed by frequent 3 and 4 star last minutes holidays for much less than half price. It is totally possible to get any type of holiday you are thinking about how someone else is looking after our much loved pet, have we done the family naturist holidays are they happy without us, are they too happy without us, will they be OK when we have a fun packed holiday and tourism industry in good stead.

Source: http://fiaisreading.blogspot.com/2012/10/family-naturist-holidays.html

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iPad Mini: Apple Reveals its Downsized Tablet

October 23, 2012 3:26 PM Text Size: A . A . A A month after Apple presented the iPhone that surprised no one, it did the same today with its new shrunken tablet. The iPad mini is just what its name implies: a smaller iPad.

The price, though, isn?t much smaller; the base-level iPad mini, which comes with 16 GB of storage, will cost $329. The most expensive version, with 64 GB of storage and cellular capabilities, will go for nearly twice as much.

The iPad mini is not a 7-inch tablet?its 768 x 1024?pixel screen measures 7.9 inches diagonally?but 7-inch tablets are its main competition. Apple put the Google Nexus 7 directly in its crosshairs during today?s announcement by focusing on the way apps display and function on a small tablet screen. Apps running on the iPad mini are more likely to be scaled-down iPad apps than scaled-up iPhone apps; that means they tend to look better than Android tablet apps, which are usually enlarged phone apps.

Web browsing is better, too, Apple says; the same webpage gets 50 percent more display area on the mini compared with the Nexus 7. And Apple out-performs Google even before the tablets are turned on. At 0.68 pounds, the mini weighs in a tad lighter than the Nexus 7.

Today?s Apple event went according to Apple tradition, which means a bunch of less exciting announcements came before the mini took the stage. The company introduced a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, which, like the larger Retina-display laptops introduced earlier this year, comes without an optical drive.

There are also new Mac Minis and iMacs, both with faster processors and more hard-drive space. The desktop iMacs get much thinner, too, measuring just 5 mm at their thinnest points. They also get what Apple?s calling a Fusion Drive?a combination solid-state and traditional hard-drive setup. The computer comes with a 128 GB solid-state drive plus either a 1 TB or 3 TB hard drive.

Source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/news/ipad-mini-apple-reveals-its-downsized-tablet-14022199?src=rss

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Old Mexico for a New Generation; A Tiny Academy Teaches Children the Joys of Mariachi

The academy is in a cluttered, battered basement that also houses a karate school. But on this weeknight, surrounded by exercise equipment and drawings of martial arts fighters, six boys and four girls sat in a semicircle strumming guitars to the waltzy beat of a mariachi song.

The group belongs to the first class of the Mariachi Academy of New York, a one-year pilot project in East Harlem with 40 students, most from the neighborhood, known as the Puerto Rican barrio.

These English-speaking children of immigrants, some immigrants themselves, are injecting new blood into a centuries-old musical tradition from Mexico. They are part of the first stirrings of a mariachi culture in the land of salsa and merengue.

Of course, they have a way to go.

Characterized by acoustic harmonies and widely known lyrics about love and heroism usually played by a handsomely dressed, roving ensemble of men in sombreros, the rancheras and ballads of mariachi music can make the festive sing and the sad drink and weep. But at a music academy string class on a recent night, the studnts just made the teacher, Ram?n Ponce Jr., wince.

''I think we went a little too fast,'' Jasmine Galindo, 9, said apologetically when the group of 9- to 11-year-olds broke into the first chords of ''El Rey,'' a mariachi standard.

Mr. Ponce, artistic director of the academy and a member of a local mariachi group, Mariachi Real de M?xico, founded by his father in the early 1990's, said the school was meant to foster mariachi music in a new generation, particularly the American-born children of Mexican immigrants.

He and his father, who moved to Queens from Puebla 15 years ago, took the idea for the school to the Center for Traditional Music and Dance in Manhattan, which opened it last summer with a $35,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and some foundation money. The Union Settlement Association at Third Avenue and 98th Street donated a classroom.

Most of the students came to the academy without a musical background, but that was almost the point.

''Musically, they lean toward rap so, we don't want the Mexican music to die among them,'' Mr. Ponce said of the students. ''Mexican music represents us in every corner of the world.''

A mariachi school is a novelty on the East Coast but hardly surprising. Nostalgia and a rapidly growing Hispanic population, that is mostly of Mexican descent, is causing interest in the music across the United States, mariachi scholars say. In New York, the Mexican population leapfrogged over others in the 1990's to become the city's third-largest Latino group, after Puerto Ricans and Dominicans, the 2000 census showed.

In California, New Mexico and Texas, mariachi music is a staple at public events. But in New York there are so few mariachi musicians that some groups are trios rather than the typical 12 members. Two years ago, about a dozen mariachi groups in New York and New Jersey came together to lend one another members to handle a growing number of gigs at restaurants, public events and private parties, said Mr. Ponce, who makes his living as a mariachi musician.

There are other signs that the music is gaining a foothold in the city, from the hugely popular concerts of mariachi stars like Vicente Fern?ndez at Madison Square Garden to the radio station WLXE-AM (1380) in New York, which switched from sports and news to Mexican music last year.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/28/nyregion/old-mexico-for-new-generation-tiny-academy-teaches-children-joys-mariachi.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

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Year 5 Music: Free composing software online - Creativity Education ...

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NOTEFLIGHT is a user-friendly online composing software. I find it to be a great tool to let upper primary students entering their composition online. It is also a great tool for teaching as well. The free version, or even the demo version, is sufficient for basic use.

Source: http://teacher-monica.blogspot.com/2012/10/year-5-music-free-composing-software.html

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Sarah Harding's 'Skin Cancer Scare' | Musicrooms.net

Sarah Harding fears she has skin cancer.

The Girls Aloud star has reportedly undergone tests after having three potentially cancerous moles removed last Wednesday (17.10.12) ? just two days before the group announced their greatest hits album ?Ten? and comeback tour ? at a London Hospital and is now anxiously awaiting the results this week.

Although the blonde beauty is ?stressing? over the situation she has been reassured that things are looking very hopeful and that doctors believed they have removed the blemishes in time and do not think she will need any further treatment.

A source told The Sun newspaper: ?This is an incredibly stressful time for her. It?s early days and the doctors are very positive ? but the word ?cancer? is terrifying to hear and Sarah is naturally stressing about it.?

Luckily for the 30-year-old pop star she has been able to rely on the support of her Girls Aloud bandmates ? Cheryl Cole, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts.

The four girls have told Sarah not to worry too much about the tests and instead try and focus on their tour.

The source added: ?The girls are completely behind her. Some of the fans have suggested she hasn?t been enthusiastic about the tour, but the girls have told her not to stress because she?ll only run herself down and make herself sick.?

In October 2011, Sarah checked into rehab to be treated for alcoholism and a dependence on sleeping pills.

More: Sarah Harding

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Source: http://www.musicrooms.net/v2/celebrity/sarah-hardings-skin-cancer-scare/3314/

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2nd hearing set on bid to unseal Romney testimony

CANTON, Mass. (AP) ? A Massachusetts probate judge will hold another hearing Thursday before deciding whether to unseal testimony that GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney gave in the divorce case of Staples founder Tom Stemberg.

Ex-wife Maureen Stemberg Sullivan appeared in court Wednesday with lawyer Gloria Allred. They said they did not object to a Boston Globe motion to lift an impoundment order on Romney's testimony in the case from the early 1990s.

Attorneys said Romney's testimony dealt with financial matters, though they did not elaborate. Staples was founded with backing from Romney's firm, Bain Capital. Stemberg has been a surrogate for Romney and spoke on the former Massachusetts governor's behalf at the GOP convention.

"You have expert testimony about an investment that a presidential candidate made," Globe attorney Jonathan Albano told Judge Jennifer Ulwick on Wednesday. He said the public has a right to know what Romney said. Allred disputed the contention that Romney testified as an expert.

Attorneys for Romney and Staples asked the judge for more time to review two booklets of testimony Allred produced.

Stemberg's attorney said he had only been able to review about 20 pages. It wasn't clear if the booklets were all Romney testimony or included testimony from others.

Romney attorney Robert Jones said Romney would like time to review the entire transcript but does not anticipate objecting. He asked a judge not to delay the hearing beyond one day.

"We're in a little bit of a spin cycle now," Jones said. "The longer this goes on, the more speculation there will be."

Jones also issued a statement.

"This is a decades-old divorce case in which Mitt Romney provided testimony as to the value of a company," he said. "He has no objection to letting the public see that testimony."

Stemberg's lawyer, Brian Leary, said there was nothing salacious in the testimony he had seen but acknowledged he only had 20 pages. He described the divorce as incredibly contentious and urged the judge to look at "what's really going on behind the scenes."

He added: "This is in many ways much ado about nothing."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2nd-hearing-set-bid-unseal-romney-testimony-151213616--election.html

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U.K. Phone Hacking Legal Claims Move Beyond Rupert Murdoch's ...

LONDON - Phone hacking legal claims in the U.K. have for the first time moved beyond Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., with one claim targeting a tabloid during the time it was led by CNN host Piers Morgan.

The stock of British newspaper publisher Trinity Mirror took a hit Tuesday following news that four civil damages claims are being brought against a unit of the company related to alleged phone hacking. As of 10:30am London time, the stock of the company behind the Daily Mirror and other publications, was down more than 10 percent.

According to the Guardian, the civil lawsuits, the first civil hacking claims not filed against News Corp.'s News International unit here, are being brought by Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati, Abbie Gibson, the former nanny for David Beckham and Victoria Beckham's children, former England national soccer team manager Sven-Goran Eriksson and former soccer player Garry Flitcroft.

Eriksson's claim focuses on the Daily Mirror tabloid during the time when Morgan was its editor. The paper's editor from 1995 until 2004, Morgan provided evidence to the Leveson Inquiry in December. In his apperance, he repeatedly denied knowledge of any illegal newsgathering techniques.

The three other claims focused on the Sunday Mirror and sister publication The People.

The report said full details of the claims will be filed after an initial court submission late Monday. A spokesman for the Trinity Mirror unit told the Guardian: "We have no comment; we are unaware action has been taken at the high court."

Sly Bailey, the former CEO of the firm, told the Leveson Inquiry into media standards and ethics this year that there was "no evidence that our journalists have been involved in phone hacking."

Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com

Twitter: @georgszalai

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/phone-hacking-daily-mirror-piers-morgan-civil-claims-409182

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Pussy Riot members sent to far-flung prisons, lawyer says

Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP - Getty Images

Members of the all-girl punk band Pussy Riot: Yekaterina Samutsevich, Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova sit in a glass-walled cage in a court in Moscow, on Oct. 10, 2012.

By NBC News staff and wire services

Two members of the Russian punk group Pussy Riot convicted of protesting against President Vladimir Putin in a cathedral have been sent to prisons far from Moscow despite requesting to serve out their terms in the capital, a lawyer said on Monday.

Maria Alyokhina, 24, and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, were convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" in August and sentenced to two years in jail, a punishment that many in the West said was too harsh.
Their stunt -- bursting into Moscow's main Russian Orthodox Cathedral to urge the Virgin Mary to rid Russia of Putin -- infuriated the church and many Russians. But Kremlin critics said their trial was part of a crackdown on dissent orchestrated by Putin, who began a six-year presidential term in May.

The two women lost their appeals on Oct. 10.

The women's lawyers said they had tried to argue they should be allowed to remain in jail in Moscow, saying it would have permitted them to be closer to their small children. They had also cited health and safety concerns at far-flung penal colonies.

"They have been sent away," one of their lawyers, Mark Feigin, told Reuters, saying he did not know where the women had been taken. By law, relatives must be informed once a convict arrives at a prison, but the trip can take days.

'We are not finished,' says freed Pussy Riot member

There is a?women's prison?about 60 miles from Moscow, but most are much farther away.

---

Former collaborators in a street-art group said on Twitter that Tolokonnikova had been sent to Mordovia, about 300 miles east of Moscow, and Alyokhina to the Perm region, near the Ural Mountains, about 700 miles east of the capital. That was not confirmed.

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The duo had been held in a Moscow detention center since their arrests in March. Western governments and musicians such as Madonna had said their sentences were disproportionate, but Putin voiced support for the terms, saying the state must protect the feelings of the faithful.

Russian court sentences Pussy Riot rockers to 2 years in prison

The dominant Russian Orthodox Church has cast the punk group's?protest as part of a concerted attack against the church and Russian traditions.

Russian Orthodox Church to Pussy Riot punk band: Repent before appeal

A third convicted member of Pussy Riot, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was released on appeal when a court suspended her sentence after her lawyer argued that she had been pulled away from the cathedral's altar before the protest song began.

According to The Moscow Times, Samutsevich has taken her case to the European Court of Human Rights, accusing Russia of violating her right to freedom of speech and detaining her illegally.

?The violations were very serious and very evident,? Samutsevich said in an interview Friday, according to The Moscow Times. ?I don?t like the fact that they did not acquit me and the other girls ? and I want to challenge that before the European court. Sadly, the Russian courts have not shown objectivity or fairness.??Samutsevich?described the conditions of her detention, saying?she was deprived of food and sleep for hours, The Moscow Times reported.

?It was constant stress, constantly being under guard, handcuffed,? she said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/22/14621158-pussy-riot-members-sent-to-far-flung-prisons-lawyer-says?lite

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