Factbox: Paris murders show complexity of PKK peace drive

(Reuters) - Here is a look at the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), as three Kurdish women, one of them a founding member of the militant group, were killed in Paris.

* PKK ORIGINS - Abdullah Ocalan founded the Marxist-Leninist group in 1978. It took up arms against Turkey in 1984 with the aim of creating an independent Kurdistan in the mainly Kurdish areas of Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Iran. It is now seeking greater Kurdish rights and limited autonomy in southeast Turkey.

* LOGISTICS - The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Ankara, the United States and the European Union and is estimated to have up to 8,000 people under arms, mostly based in the mountains of neighboring northern Iraq. It draws support from many Kurds in Turkey and among some Kurdish communities across Europe. Ankara has accused Syria of arming the rebels and allowing a PKK-linked party to control parts of the border region as a counter-weight to rebels fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.

* UPSURGE IN VIOLENCE - The last 18 months have seen the heaviest fighting between the PKK and Turkish forces in more than a decade. Since June 2011, when Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan was re-elected to a third term, more than 800 people have been killed. This marks the deadliest outbreak of fighting since PKK leader Ocalan was captured in 1999, according to estimates by the International Crisis Group.

* OCALAN IN PRISON - Ocalan was captured and sentenced to death by a Turkish court in 1999, but the sentence was reduced to life imprisonment in October 2002 when Turkey abolished the death penalty. He is now imprisoned on Imrali island south of Istanbul and still commands the support of PKK members and sympathizers. Fighting dwindled for years after Ocalan's capture as a result of a string of unilateral PKK ceasefires. Some members of the PKK went on hunger strike in 2012 in part in protest at Ocalan's lack of access to lawyers for the last 15 months. The strike, which ended last November, helped convince the government to hold new talks with the PKK.

* POLITICAL PROGRESS - Turkey has now embarked on a new round of peace negotiations with Ocalan and media reports say they have agreed on the outline of a plan to end the nearly 30 year-old conflict which has killed 40,000 people. One part of a possible plan could involve releasing thousands of people accused of PKK links held in prison. Senior intelligence officials have previously held secret meetings with the PKK in Oslo. The Erdogan government has boosted Kurdish cultural and language rights since taking power a decade ago, but Kurdish politicians seek moves towards autonomy in the mainly Kurdish southeast.

Sources Reuters/Jane's World Insurgency and Terrorism Guide

(Reporting by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/factbox-paris-murders-show-complexity-pkk-peace-drive-082938891.html

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Science News and Black Media? Not yet, says 2013 NABJ Conference Planners


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DNLeeDNLee is a biologist and she studies animal behavior, mammalogy, and ecology . She uses social media, informal experiential science experiences, and draws from hip hop culture to share science with general audiences, particularly under-served groups. Follow on Twitter @DNLee5.

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--> DNLeeDanielle N. Lee is an Outreach Scientist who studies animal behavior and behavioral ecology. While completing her dissertation research on individual differences on exploratory behavior of field mice, she mentored several undergraduate and high school students as biology research assistants. She also coordinated ecology outreach programs with nearby public high schools for the Department of Biology at her graduate institution. This included co-coordinating a summer internship research in urban ecology for high school students and an after-school biology club at a nearby public high school. In 2009, she was named the Diversity Scholars Award recipient by the American Institute of Biological Sciences for her contributions to science and promoting diversity within the field. Her outreach efforts emphasize sharing science to general audiences, particularly under-served groups, via outdoor programming and social media. She writes about science, research news, and diversity outreach in science, technology, engineering, and math for several online communities and at her other science blogs: Urban Science Adventures! ©, winner of the 2009 Black Weblog Best Science or Tech Blog Award and SouthernPlaylisticEvolutionMusic, a blog that explains evolutionary science through hip hop songs. She is often sought out to discuss bridge-building opportunities to connect under-served audiences to science. Danielle has been a featured panelist at Blogging While Brown – the largest conference of people of color in social media, a co-moderatator at ScienceOnline – the largest conference of online science communicators, and a presenter at the 1st Annual International Public Science Events Conference in 2011. In addition to pursuing career opportunities in academia, she also consults and gives public presentations about science outreach, social media and science, outreach to urban audiences, STEM diversity, and informal experiental education in ecology. You can contact her at dnlee5(at)ymail(dot)com. Education: PhD Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis MS Vertebrate Zoology, University of Memphis BS Animal Science, Tennessee Technological University Professional Affiliations: American Institute of Biological Sciences (since 2009) American Association for the Advancement of Science (since 2004) Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (since 2004) Sigma Delta Epsilon / Graduate Women in Science (2003-2004) American Society of Mammalogists (since 2002) Animal Behavior Society (since 1999) Professional Service: Coalition for the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) Core Animal Behavior Society, Charles H. Turner Undergraduate Program Mentor Women in Science and the Young Scientists Program of Washington University, Women in Science Day, Science Introduction Program for High School Girls Annual Missouri Junior Science, Engineering, and Humanities Symposium Judge St. Louis Academy of Science, Green Your Future Science Careers Presenter - - DNLee5 Contact DNLee via email.
Follow DNLee on Twitter as @DNLee5.-->

All week I have been discussing ways to get Black Press outlets to incorporate more science news in their lineups. In October 2012, I submitted two (1 and 2) proposals for science related panels for the 2013 National Association of Black Journalism meeting. By New Year?s I received the news that both had been rejected.

Science 101 for Journalists - rejected

Science 101 for Journalists - rejected

Health Science reporting for Under-represented audiences - rejected

Health Science reporting for Under-represented audiences - rejected

Thanks to the reach out from some NABJ members, I felt quite confident that maybe the selection committee was as eager for science news track as these individual members were.? Although my proposals were rejected, that still doesn?t mean that the selection committee isn?t interested in the topics. Maybe I need to tweak the proposals or better yet, I should have had a member of NABJ submit them.? The call for proposals didn?t say so, but the wording of these rejection letters lead me to believe that my (non) membership status may have played a role.? Not being a member of NABJ or even a journalist, I knew I was daring to go into unfamiliar territory ? not comprehending the culture or the process of topic selection, but the calls for proposals seemed to be interested in new ideas from new individuals.

I have wondered if I should become a member of NABJ in order to promote my ideas from within.? But honestly, that would not be in my best personal interests.? I?m a scientist ? doing a post-doc. My scholarship comes first and I am not at all well-versed in the craft of journalism. I have no desire to ruffle feathers among those in a field to whom I am an un-trained wonk.? I want to cultivate relationships ? between scientists and journalists, between science communicators and the public.? I don?t want to completely shift my focus from science ? research and outreach ? to journalism. I see how the two are connected, but I don?t think I need to steer the bus. Keeping my fingers crossed that I identify more allies in the future.

?

DNLeeAbout the Author: DNLee is a biologist and she studies animal behavior, mammalogy, and ecology . She uses social media, informal experiential science experiences, and draws from hip hop culture to share science with general audiences, particularly under-served groups. Follow on Twitter @DNLee5.

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=a985e0c88eb263a2c9839502cd325604

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Ex-bodyguard says Bieber punched him, is suing

Kevin Winter / DCNYRE2013 - Getty Images

By Josh Grossberg and Claudia Rosenbaum, E! Online

It was Justin Bieber's world and this guy just guarded it. But no more.?A former personal bodyguard for the "Boyfriend" singer is suing him for assault and battery and wages after a backstage incident where Bieber allegedly lost his temper and punched him repeatedly in the chest and then fired him.?

According to the complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and a copy of which was obtained by E! News, Moshe Benabou claims he's owed $421,261 in unpaid wages, unspecified damages and court costs after working overtime to protect the pop star.

View the court documents

Benabou alleges in the documents that the dispute between himself and Bieber that led to the purported altercation took place on Oct. 10, 2012 while the two were backstage prior to a concert.

Check out the Biebs' boxing-themed photoshoot

"Justin Bieber, egged on by a small group of his 'companions,' launched an abusive tirade against Moshe Benabou," reads the suit. "The tirade was apparently triggered by what Justin Bieber perceived as an attempt by Moshe Benabou to keep one member of Mr. Bieber's entourage physically away from Justin Bieber. As part of his tirade, Justin Bieber repeatedly punched (the plaintiff) in the chest and upper body area."

Benabou, who says he did not retaliate or attempt to protect himself, then alleged that the popster turned around and exclaimed, "You are fired!"

Justin Bieber's pot-smoking and five more image-changing incidents

Despite being unceremoniously given the boot, Bieber's minder asserts he's entitled to overtime pay for working in excess of 12 hours a day, seven days a week, totaling some $396,391 in damages, as well as money owed for vacation wages and wages owed immediately after his employment was terminated.

So far, no response from Bieber's camp.?

Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/01/11/16462692-justin-bieber-sued-by-former-bodyguard-who-claims-the-singer-punched-him?lite

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3 Exercises to Undo I' ve-Been-Sitting-on-My-Butt-All-Day ... - Glamour

Most of us spend a good portion of our day sitting--at a desk, in class, you know the drill. And there's lots of research showing that the more time we log sitting on our bums, the worse off we are--like the study that found women who sit for more than six hours a day are 37 percent more likely to die early than women who sit only for three (thanks to increased risk of cardiovascular disease).

sitting-exercise

And, uh, early death aside (eek!), sitting all day comes with some other problems, like decreased energy levels and the very real possibility of weight gain. Sitting for too long can also just make your body feel so sore.

Ideally, you want to pick your butt off that chair and move it as often as you can during the course of your day (standing up every 20 minutes cab make a big difference--and hey, you can even exercise while still sitting!), but sometimes that's just not possible. So the next time you're at the end of a long day of sitting--like maybe at the end of today--try these exercises to get your body feeling better.

Crab Hip Hold
According to Jeremy Frisch, U.S.A.W., owner and director of Achieve Performance Training, this move is perfect for zeroing in on all the muscles that don't see any action when you're sitting all day: hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and shoulders. All you need is the floor (yay, got one!) and a low bench (a couch, ottoman, or low chair would work, too). Take a look at a how-to video here.

Rows with Resistance
Sitting all day over a computer or a stack of books can make your shoulders slump forward and your back hunch--yep, bad posture. To strengthen and stretch the muscles, try some rows. The move squeezes your shoulder blades together and opens up your chest.

Half Frog Stretch
This yoga pose gets the fronts of your thighs, your shoulders, and upper back, which are all apt to get tight after doing a whole lot of nothing.

And sitting down to write this post has officially made me need to go wander around for a bit. Be right back!

How many hours a day do you usually spend sitting? What are your best tips for stretching out after a marathon sit session?

More good moves:
* Got two minutes? Do this exercise that conditions your whole body
* Sexy arms, courtesy of Barry's Bootcamp
* Our favorite turbo detox

Photo: Thinkstock

Source: http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2013/01/3-exercises-to-undo-ive-been-s.html

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Jimmy Savile used celebrity status to commit 214 sex crimes, police report

Jimmy Savile, the late British entertainer, allegedly committed 214 offenses, including 34 rapes, between 1995 and 2009, says a police report. Jimmy Savile, was a TV and radio personality who died in October 2011.

By Jill Lawless,?Associated Press / January 11, 2013

Jimmy Savile, right, poses for photographers with a wax work model at Madame Tussauds museum in London in 1986. A police investigation into alleged sex abuse by the late British entertainer continues.

(AP Photo/John Redman, File)

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The late entertainer Jimmy Savile committed more than 200 sex crimes over more than half a century, with most victims children and teens assaulted the length and breadth of Britain, from TV studios to hospitals and even a hospice, a police report said Friday.

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Detectives said the scale of Savile's sex abuse was "unprecedented in the U.K." They have recorded 214 offenses allegedly committed by Savile between 1995 and 2009, including 34 rapes, on victims aged 8 to 47. In all, 450 people have come forward with information about abuse by the late TV presenter.

The number of Savile's crimes is likely to rise further as more victims' reports are officially recorded, said Detective Superintendent David Gray, the chief investigating police officer.

The catalog of abuse is the fullest accounting yet of the allegations against Savile, a TV and radio personality who died in October 2011 at age 84. Savile's elaborate funeral reflected his career as a popular entertainer and tireless charity worker, but a documentary broadcast late last year pulled the mask away, claiming that he was a serial sex offender who traded on his celebrity to prey on vulnerable children.

"This whole sordid affair has demonstrated the tragic consequences of what happens when vulnerability collides with power," said Commander Peter Spindler, head of the police specialist crime unit.

A report summarizing the three-month police investigation said Savile's victims ranged from a 10-year-old boy who said he was sexually assaulted after he asked for an autograph to children who were groped when they attended tapings of the music show "Top of the Pops," and pupils at a school for troubled girls who were allegedly offered cigarettes and trips in Savile's car in return for sex.

Police said Savile used his celebrity status to "hide in plain sight," winning the trust of institutions and targeting vulnerable individuals unlikely to speak out against him.

The report said Savile committed 50 offenses at medical establishments, including a cancer hospice and several psychiatric hospitals, 14 at schools, and 33 at television or radio stations; 73 percent of his victims were under 18 and 82 percent were female, police said.

"The details provided by victims of his abuse paint the picture of a mainly opportunistic individual who used his celebrity status as a powerful tool to coerce or control them, preying on the vulnerable or star-struck for his sexual gratification," the report said.

Peter Watt of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said Savile was an "evil and manipulative man" who "cunningly built his entire career around gaining access to vulnerable children."

Officials said Savile's abuse might have been brought to light earlier had authorities pursued allegations against him more seriously.

Spindler said Savile's victims would be disappointed he had not faced justice in his lifetime but could take comfort from authorities' resolve not to let it happen again.

"The victims themselves will get some sense of satisfaction from being heard," he said.

Savile, he said, "groomed a nation" for sex abuse.

A parallel report drawn up by senior prosecutor Alison Levitt and also published Friday faulted officials for not pursuing allegations more vigorously. Levitt's report noted that several women had spoken to police about Savile between 2007 and 2008, but no charges were brought, in part because the women declined to testify in court.

Levitt said police could have tried harder to get them to speak out, noting in particular that the women weren't told that other victims had corroborated their accounts.

"Having spoken to the victims I have been driven to conclude that had the police and prosecutors taken a different approach a prosecution might have been possible," she wrote.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/QwwCTdbSjEw/Jimmy-Savile-used-celebrity-status-to-commit-214-sex-crimes-police-report

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Community News: Calls for Submission, Completed Projects, and ...

2 teenagers use creativity to get back at an ex.

I got an email the other week from Lia Hyman, a teenage singer-songwriter, who started some noise in her community by writing an infectious song about an ex-boyfriend. Since then she?s been performing the song around town with another ex of the boyfriend who inspired the song. I guess that?s one (creative) way to get back/cope with a break up? And now it?s being published to an international audience of tens of thousands? oops!

Here are some words about the song from Lia:

?I?m 13 years old and I play guitar and piano and am a singer/songwriter. Music isn?t a hobby or playtime. Music is the reason I wake up in the morning. Since 3rd grade, I?ve been singing, playing guitar, and writing my own songs. For my 7th grade talent show, I debuted my first full song, ?I Bet He Did?. Since then, I have performed at Cafes, open mic nights, festivals, etc. I?ve written 21 songs total. This song, ?I Bet He Did?, is me talking to my Ex-Boyfriend?s current girlfriend (Did I hear you say Taylor Swift?) telling her basically, ?Oh, did he do this? OH, and I bet he did THIS, too!? The song became a huge hit at my school and when he heard it: lets just say he?s not planning on messing with me anytime soon. I wrote ?I Bet He Did? as a duet and then asked his other Ex-Girlfriend, Catherine, to sing the song with me. We happen to be best friends now! I sing the first verse and chorus, she sings the 2nd verse and chorus, and then we split the bridge and last chorus.?

Tom Simmonds finishes his ?Skeleton Project?

Tom Simmonds finishes his Skeleton ProjectA big congratulations goes out to our friend (and member) Thomas Cole Simmonds who just finished his 52 week ?Skeleton Project.? It?s a huge accomplishment, publishing a new photo every week using a skeleton model as inspiration. You?d think he would run out of ideas, but the project just continued to grow and grow. You can see the project in full on Flickr, Tumblr, and his website.

Here are some words from Tom about his success in the past year:

?This year is also kind of what I consider the start of photography for me, a lot of good things have happened and it?s almost as though I am a ?photographer? if you know what I mean haha, as I cringe while typing that. :D

Here are some pointless stats for me to beat next year, this might be interesting if you?re boring like me. :D I managed to get my work published in 1 book and. 8 magazines I was featured on 19 websites and I had over 18 photoshoots. I shot for Brighton Fashion Week, I learnt studio lighting and created my own home studio for a shoot as well as shooting in a commercial studio for the first time. And lastly (I think) I completed my first year long project! :D?

Thomas Cole Simmonds Portfolio

Atlas Magazine Now Taking ?Wild? Submissions

Two Nonsense Society members, Olivia Bossert & Megan Breukelman are editors for the outstanding seasonal arts magazine, ATLAS Magazine. They?re currently accepting submissions of all kinds for their ?Wild? issue. Submissions are due on February 1st of 2013, so hurry up and get them in! It?s a great opportunity with wonderful people.

Here are som past issues:

?

?

Atlas Magazine

Andrew Morgan (Australian Filmmaker) Branches Out

A few months ago we welcomed Andrew Morgan, an Australian filmmaker, to the Nonsense Society. He had just finished creating a moving piece interpreting the imaginative story of a five year old girl. He emailed me a few weeks ago with a new music video he completed for an intense rock band called ?RocketHead.? The video was shot in only one take with a club full of people. It?s easier said than done for sure. The video is very intense, so please don?t watch it if you are underage or have ?delicate sensibilities.? Either way, congrats to Andrew. Thanks for sharing!

SPECTRUM: Call for Fantastical Art

found via @noahbradley on Twitter

SPECTRUM is a leading source in promoting fantastical and contemporary art. They are having looking for submissions for SPECTRUM 20. Please make sure you read the guidelines for entry and good luck if you decide to submit art!

If you?d like to see something of yours on the site, make sure you get involved!

MORE CREATIVITY:

Tags: Andrew Morgan, Animated, ATLAS, Australia, Australian, boahbradley, Contest, Contests, Entries, Fantastical, Fantasy, Film, Filmmaker, Gif, guitar, Hard, Issuu, Lia Hyman, Magazine, Megan Breukelman, Mermaid, Music Video, Noah Bradley, NSFW, Olivia Bossert, Online, Performance, Photographer, Photography, photos, Project, RocketHead, singer, singer-songwriter, skeleton, Skeletons, Skull, Songwriter, Spectrum, SPECTRUM 20, Submission, Submissions, Teen, Teenager, Teenagers, Teens, Thomas Cole Simmonds, Tom Simmonds, Wild

Source: http://www.nonsensesociety.com/2013/01/community-news/

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Steroids fallout: No BB Hall for Bonds, Clemens

FILE - This July 8, 2007 file photo shows San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds reacting to flying out during the sixth inning of a baseball game in St. Louis. With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for the only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

FILE - This July 8, 2007 file photo shows San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds reacting to flying out during the sixth inning of a baseball game in St. Louis. With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for the only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

FILE - In this April 3, 2006, file photo, San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds grimaces as he walks back to the dugout after flying out during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in San Diego. With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for the only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)

FILE - This May 26, 2003 file photo shows New York Yankees starter Roger Clemens reacting on the mound during the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox in New York. With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for the only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

FILE - In this June 18, 2004, file photo, Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa tosses his helmet and shin guard after striking out to end the sixth inning against the Oakland Athletics during a baseball game in Chicago. With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for the only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

FILE - In this July 28, 2006, file photo, San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds waits on the dugout steps to bat in the eighth inning with bases loaded against the Pittsburgh Pirates during a baseball game in Pittsburgh. With the cloud of steroids shrouding many candidacies, baseball writers may fail for the only the second time in more than four decades to elect anyone to the Hall. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

(AP) ? No one was elected to the Hall of Fame this year. When voters closed the doors to Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa, they also shut out everybody else.

For only the second time in four decades, baseball writers failed to give any player the 75 percent required for induction to Cooperstown, sending a powerful signal that stars of the Steroids Era will be held to a different standard.

All the awards and accomplishments collected over long careers by Bonds, Clemens and Sosa could not offset suspicions those feats were boosted by performance-enhancing drugs.

Voters also denied entry Wednesday to fellow newcomers Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza and Curt Schilling, along with holdovers Jack Morris, Jeff Bagwell and Lee Smith.

Among the most honored players of their generation, these standouts won't find their images among the 300 bronze plaques on the oak walls in Cooperstown, where ? at least for now ? the doors appear to be bolted shut on anyone tainted by PEDs.

"After what has been written and said over the last few years I'm not overly surprised," Clemens said in a statement he posted on Twitter.

Bonds, Clemens and Sosa retired after the 2007 season. They were eligible for the Hall for the first time and have up to 14 more years on the writers' ballot.

"Curt Schilling made a good point, everyone was guilty. Either you used PEDs, or you did nothing to stop their use," Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said in an email to The Associated Press after this year's vote was announced. "This generation got rich. Seems there was a price to pay."

Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits, appeared on 68.2 percent of the 569 ballots, the highest total but 39 votes shy. The three newcomers with the highest profiles failed to come close to even majority support, with Clemens at 37.6 percent, Bonds at 36.2 and Sosa at 12.5.

Other top vote-getters were Morris (67.7), Jeff Bagwell (59.6), Piazza (57.8), Tim Raines (52.2), Lee Smith (47.8) and Schilling (38.8).

"I'm kind of glad that nobody got in this year," Hall of Famer Al Kaline said. "I feel honored to be in the Hall of Fame. And I would've felt a little uneasy sitting up there on the stage, listening to some of these new guys talk about how great they were. ... I don't know how great some of these players up for election would've been without drugs. But to me, it's cheating."

At ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 28, the only inductees will be three men who died more than 70 years ago: Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank O'Day and barehanded catcher Deacon White. They were chosen last month by the 16-member panel considering individuals from the era before integration in 1947.

"It is a dark day," said Jose Canseco, the former AL MVP who was among the first players to admit using steroids. "I think the players should organize some type of lawsuit against major league baseball or the writers. It's ridiculous. Most of these players really have no evidence against them. They've never tested positive or they've cleared themselves like Roger Clemens."

It was the eighth time the BBWAA failed to elect any players. There were four fewer votes than last year and five members submitted blank ballots.

"With 53 percent you can get to the White House, but you can't get to Cooperstown," BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O'Connell said. "It's the 75 percent that makes it difficult."

There have been calls for the voting to be taken away from the writers and be given to a more diverse electorate that would include players and broadcasters. The Hall says it is content with the process, which began in 1936.

"It takes time for history to sort itself out, and I'm not surprised we had a shutout today," Hall President Jeff Idelson said. "I wish we had an electee. I will say that, but I'm not surprised given how volatile this era has been in terms of assessing the qualities and the quantities of the statistics and the impact on the game these players have had."

Bonds, baseball's only seven-time Most Valuable Player, hit 762 home runs, including a record 73 in 2001. He was indicted on charges he lied to a grand jury in 2003 when he denied using PEDs but a jury two years ago failed to reach a verdict on three counts he made false statements and convicted him on one obstruction of justice count, finding he gave an evasive answer.

"It is unimaginable that the best player to ever play the game would not be a unanimous first-ballot selection," said Jeff Borris of the Beverly Hills Sports Council, Bonds' longtime agent.

Clemens, the only seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is third in career strikeouts (4,672) and ninth in wins (354). He was acquitted last year on one count of obstruction of Congress, three counts of making false statements to Congress and two counts of perjury, all stemming from his denials of drug use.

"To those who did take the time to look at the facts," Clemens said, "we very much appreciate it."

Sosa, eighth with 609 home runs, was among those who tested positive in MLB's 2003 anonymous survey, The New York Times reported in 2009. He told a congressional committee in 2005 that he never took illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

Since 1961, the only years the writers didn't elect a candidate had been when Yogi Berra topped the 1971 vote by appearing on 67 percent of the ballots cast and when Phil Niekro headed the 1996 ballot at 68 percent ? both got in the following years. The other BBWAA elections without a winner were in 1945, 1946, 1950, 1958 and 1960.

Morris will make his final ballot appearance next year, when fellow pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are eligible for the first time along with slugger Frank Thomas.

"Next year, I think you'll have a rather large class, and this year, for whatever reasons, you had a couple of guys come really close," Commissioner Bud Selig said at the owners' meetings in Paradise Valley, Ariz. "This is not to be voted to make sure that somebody gets in every year. It's to be voted on to make sure that they're deserving. I respect the writers as well as the Hall itself. This idea that this somehow diminishes the Hall of baseball is just ridiculous in my opinion."

Players' union head Michael Weiner called the vote "unfortunate, if not sad."

"To ignore the historic accomplishments of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, for example, is hard to justify. Moreover, to penalize players exonerated in legal proceedings ? and others never even implicated ? is simply unfair. The Hall of Fame is supposed to be for the best players to have ever played the game. Several such players were denied access to the Hall today. Hopefully this will be rectified by future voting."

The BBWAA election rules say "voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."

An Associated Press survey of 112 eligible voters conducted in late November after the ballot was announced indicated Bonds, Clemens and Sosa would fall well short of 50 percent. The big three drew even less support than that as the debate raged over who was Hall worthy.

Voters are writers who have been members of the BBWAA for 10 consecutive years at any point.

BBWAA president Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle said she didn't vote for Bonds, Clemens or Sosa.

"The evidence for steroid use is too strong," she said.

As for Biggio, "I'm surprised he didn't get in."

Mark McGwire, 10th on the career home run list with 583, received 16.9 percent on his seventh try, down from 19.5 last year. He got 23.7 percent in 2010 ? a vote before he admitted using steroids and human growth hormone.

Rafael Palmeiro, among just four players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits along with Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray, received 8.8 percent in his third try, down from 12.6 percent last year. Palmeiro received a 10-day suspension in 2005 for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, claiming it was due to a vitamin vial given to him by teammate Miguel Tejada.

MLB.com's Hal Bodley, the former baseball columnist for USA Today, said Biggio and others paid the price for other players using PEDs.

"They got caught in the undertow of the steroids thing," he said.

Bodley said this BBWAA vote was a "loud and clear" message on the steroids issue. He said he couldn't envision himself voting for stars linked to drugs.

"We've a forgiving society, I know that," he said. "But I have too great a passion for the sport."

NOTES: There were four write-in votes for career hits leader Pete Rose, who never appeared on the ballot because of his lifetime ban that followed an investigation of his gambling while manager of the Cincinnati Reds. ... Two-time NL MVP Dale Murphy received 18.6 percent in his 15th and final appearance. ... At the July 28 ceremonies, the Hall also will honor Lou Gehrig and Rogers Hornsby among a dozen players who never received formal inductions because of restrictions during World War II. ... Piazza has a book due out next month that could change the view of voters before the next election.

___

AP Sports Writers Dan Gelston, Mike Fitzpatrick, John Marshall and Ben Walker contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-09-Hall%20of%20Fame/id-82c1b4ca5f2840918b754e9e095aaf1e

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UK statisticians unexpectedly reject inflation change

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top statistician unexpectedly decided against major changes to the country's longest-running inflation index on Thursday, rejecting a move that could have significantly cut government borrowing costs.

The decision to keep the Retail Price Index in its current form is a major boost for older Britons who have company pensions linked to RPI, as well as to holders of Britain's inflation-linked government bonds.

Changes to RPI had been expected to bring it closer to the lower Consumer Price Index measure of inflation (CPI) used by the Bank of England, and prices for 10-year index-linked gilts soared on Thursday's news, taking yields to a record low.

RPI was developed after World War Two, but in recent years it has increasingly diverged from CPI and for months Britain's Office for National Statistics had been consulting economists, fund managers and other users of the data on its proposals.

Most economists had believed that the ONS was set on change, but in a statement Jil Matheson, who supervises the ONS and is the government's chief statistical adviser, said she had decided to keep RPI and create an alternative parallel index.

"There is significant value to users in maintaining the continuity of the existing RPI's long time series without major change, so that it may continue to be used for long-term indexation and for index-linked gilts and bonds," Matheson said.

There is a big question mark over whether the new index, known as RPIJ, will find favour. The government said new index-linked bonds would continue to be linked to RPI, not RPIJ. CPI, which is based on the standard European Union measure of inflation, is Britain's most widely used alternative.

"The RPIJ may find no takers and exist in obscurity. At the moment, we do not plan to forecast it," said Nomura economist Philip Rush.

The ONS plans to have the RPIJ measure in operation for March data onwards.

FUND MANAGERS RELIEVED

David Dyer, a portfolio manager at AXA Investment Managers, said he welcomed the decision, and that it was unexpected.

"It is a surprise ... though of course we were arguing for this on the basis that RPI is a very long-standing index used by many parties in striking long-term financial contracts. It was not just fund managers who were arguing against the change, but also other investors," he told Reuters.

"At a time when savers have been hit, this would have hurt them even more. But on the other hand, when the government is cutting the deficit, this would have been a handy saving for the chancellor to have," he added.

Some economists had estimated cash-strapped Chancellor George Osborne would have saved up to 3 billion pounds a year in interest payments if RPI had been changed, out of annual debt servicing costs of 47 billion.

Moreover, many experts - including The Bank Governor Mervyn King, who commented on the issue in November - believe the techniques used to calculate RPI are outdated, and see little statistical justification for keeping them.

"I think it's remarkable that they have said that the current formula does not meet international standards, and then continue to use it for a number of key functions," said Sam Hill, a bond strategist at Royal Bank of Canada.

The 'Carli' averaging method used in RPI - which will be dropped in RPIJ - is not used in CPI nor by most other countries, and has been criticised by the International Monetary Fund for giving an upward bias to RPI inflation.

Its continued use will contribute to RPI inflation averaging more than a percentage point above CPI in future, with the bulk of that due to the statistical methods used rather than differences between the baskets of goods used for CPI and RPI.

However, an overwhelming majority of respondents to the ONS consultation opposed a change to RPI, citing the need for long-term consistency in the series.

The ONS said this was a legitimate objection, even if it implied the continued use of outdated statistical techniques. The consultation did not require respondents to say if they would financially benefit from opposing change to the index.

Annual RPI inflation was 3.0 percent in November, compared to 2.7 percent for CPI, reflecting a recent narrowing in the gap between the two measures due to differences in how changes in insurance and mortgage interest payments are accounted for.

($1 = 0.6247 British pounds)

(Additional reporting by Patrick Graham; Editing by Stephen Nisbet)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-statisticians-unexpectedly-reject-inflation-change-081316967--sector.html

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