San Francisco halts purchase of Apple products due to green concerns

Not complying with EPEAT standards means San Francisco will no longer be an Apple customer

Apple's move to withdraw all of its future products from the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) certification process made us raise our eyebrows, and it appears we weren't the only ones. Now, San Francisco city officials are halting the purchase of all future Apple products for all 50 local government agencies due to environmental concerns.

The city points to a 2007 policy as the reason for its decision. The policy states that city funds may only be used to purchase EPEAT-certified computers. Apple's formal request to be removed from EPEAT certification means that its devices are no longer eligible for purchase.

Apple filed the request in late June, asking that all 39 of its registered products ? including the new, Retina-equipped MacBook Pro ? be removed from further green testing. In order to qualify for the EPEAT stamp of approval, a device needs to be easy to disassemble so that its individual parts can be recycled, and be Energy Star compliant, among other criteria. Whether San Francisco's refusal to buy from Apple will sway the company ? or nudge other government institutions to take a similar stance ? remains to be seen.

[via WSJ]

This article was written by Mike Wehner and originally appeared on Tecca

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/san-francisco-halts-purchase-apple-products-due-green-163532525.html

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Family: Crew member dead in SD plane crash

Immanuel Mgana holds his daughter Grace Mgana, 2, as he surveys what is left of their home Sunday, July 1, 2012, into the Mountain Shadows subdivision of Colorado Springs, Colo., after the Waldo Canyon fire ravaged the neighborhood. Immanuel had been deployed in the army in East Africa but was allowed to return home when he got word of the damage. So far, the blaze, now 45 percent contained, has damaged or destroyed nearly 350 homes. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Helen H. Richardson) MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT

Immanuel Mgana holds his daughter Grace Mgana, 2, as he surveys what is left of their home Sunday, July 1, 2012, into the Mountain Shadows subdivision of Colorado Springs, Colo., after the Waldo Canyon fire ravaged the neighborhood. Immanuel had been deployed in the army in East Africa but was allowed to return home when he got word of the damage. So far, the blaze, now 45 percent contained, has damaged or destroyed nearly 350 homes. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Helen H. Richardson) MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT

Melissa Mgana kisses her young daughter Sofia, 5, as she surveys what is left of their home Sunday, July 1, 2012, into the Mountain Shadows subdivision of Colorado Springs, Colo., after the Waldo Canyon fire ravaged the neighborhood. Her husband Immanuel had been deployed in the army in East Africa but was allowed to return home when he got word of the damage. So far, the blaze, now 45 percent contained, has damaged or destroyed nearly 350 homes. (AP Photo/The Denver Post, Helen H. Richardson) MAGS OUT; TV OUT; INTERNET OUT

Residents of the Mountain Shadows area view their properties on Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Even people who know their homes are still standing have some anxiety over temporary visits being allowed today to wildfire-devastated neighborhoods around Colorado Springs. About 10,000 people are still out of their homes, having been among 30,000 who initially fled the most destructive fire in Colorado's history.(AP Photo/The Colorado Springs Gazette, Susannah Kay)

Cars wait in a traffic line on Vindicator Drive to check in at Eagleview Middle School in order to view their homes Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Even people who know their homes are still standing have some anxiety over temporary visits being allowed today to wildfire-devastated neighborhoods around Colorado Springs. About 10,000 people are still out of their homes, having been among 30,000 who initially fled the most destructive fire in Colorado's history.(AP Photo/The Colorado Springs Gazette, Susannah Kay)

This Sunday, July 1, 2012 video image taken from AP video shows a group of firefighters raising an American flag above a section of the burned out neighborhood, Mountain Shadows, Colo. Almost 350 homes burned to the ground last week in the Waldo Canyon fire, one of many still raging across the West. (AP Photo/AP Video, C.J. Moore)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) ? A military cargo plane from North Carolina has crashed while fighting a wildfire in the Black Hills of South Dakota, killing at least one of the six crew members aboard and forcing officials to ground the fleet.

There was no official word on death or injuries, but the family of Lt. Col. Paul Mikeal of Mooresville, N.C., confirmed they were notified early Monday that he had died in the C-130 crash Sunday evening.

The 42-year-old married father of two was a veteran pilot who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Six crew members were aboard the C-130 from the North Carolina Air National Guard in Charlotte, N.C., said Lt. Col. Robert Carver. The plane crashed after dropping fire retardant.

"Obviously there were casualties," Carver said. "We are also thankful there were survivors."

Carver declined to give the numbers of those who died or survived, but confirmed there were some crew members being treated for serious injuries at a hospital in Rapid City, S.D.

Seven other firefighting C-130s are being held on the ground because of the crash, which comes as states in the West are grappling with one of the busiest and most destructive wildfire seasons ever.

"People are shaken, as you would expect them to be," Carver said. "They're going to stand down today and talk about what happened."

Fall River County, S.D., sheriff's officials told the Rapid City Journal (http://tinyurl.com/86dpvvc) three crew members were taken to a hospital. Military officials said they could not comment.

Mikeal's father-in-law, Ronald Partridge, said military officers came to the family's home at 2:30 a.m. Monday to inform them of the crash. Partridge said they were told only two crew members had survived.

Rescuers have reached the wreckage, authorities said. The terrain at the scene is "very, very rugged, straight up and straight down cliffs," said Frank Maynard, the Fall River County emergency management director.

Eight Air Force C-130s can be equipped to drop water or fire retardant. They're flown by Air Force National Guard units at Charlotte, Port Hueneme, Calif., and Cheyenne, Wyo., and a Reserve unit in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The planes can be fitted with a system of tanks and pipes called the Modular Airborne Firefighting System or MAFFS. It can drop 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in seconds.

Carver said Sunday's crash was the first in the 40-year history of the MAFFS program.

The planes can be activated for firefighting duty if the rest of the private and government firefighting fleet is in use or unavailable. When on firefighting duty, the planes are under the U.S. Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., which is responsible for defending the U.S. and assisting civilian authorities in emergencies.

All eight had been dispatched to Peterson last week to fight Colorado wildfires, including the 28-square-mile Waldo Canyon Fire. That fire killed two people and destroyed nearly 350 houses. The fire was 55 percent contained.

The other seven C-130s are being kept on the ground under an "operational hold," said Northern Command spokesman Michael Kucharek. In aviation terminology, an operational hold is technically different from grounding but the effect is the same.

It wasn't immediately clear when they would resume work or what impact their absence would have on firefighting across the West.

Among the fires elsewhere in the West:

? Utah: Fire commanders say Utah's largest wildfire has consumed more than 150 square miles and shows no sign of burning itself out. Hundreds of firefighters are trying to hold the Clay Springs fire from advancing on the ranching towns of Scipio and Mills on the edge of Utah's west desert. The fire has destroyed one summer home and threatens 75 others. The fire was 48 percent contained on Sunday.

? Montana: More evacuation notices have been issued in the southeastern part of the state after a 265-square-mile wildfire jumped a highway overnight and was spreading to the southeast Monday. The state has 10 large wildfires, more than any other state.

? Wyoming: Late Sunday night, authorities called for evacuations in an area of southern Albany County where a fast-growing wildfire was burning. The area is about 30 miles southwest of Laramie in the Medicine Bow National Forest area. It wasn't immediately clear how many residences are affected. The blaze is one of several burning through parched forest lands in Wyoming.

? Idaho: Firefighters in eastern Idaho had the 1,038-acre Charlotte fire 80 percent contained Sunday but remained cautious with a forecast of high winds and hot temperatures that could put hundreds of homes at risk.

? Nevada: More than 300 firefighters are battling a wildfire in a remote area of eastern Nevada. The 7,000 acre Egan Fire was burning about 9 miles south of the small town of Lund in the South Egan Wilderness.

? New Mexico: A wildfire burning on the western border of Carlsbad Caverns National Park has grown to 5,000 acres. Officials said the fire is about five miles southeast of Queen and about a mile from the Carlsbad Caverns National Park boundary.

___

Elliott reported from Denver. Associated Press writers Paul Foy in Salt Lake City, Keith Ridler in Boise, Idaho, Michael Biesecker in Raleigh, N.C., and Blake Nicholson in Bismarck, N.D., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-07-02-Western-Wildfires/id-f614433db3ff48d2b4c0d149d08d06d4

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Video: Is Mitt Romney?s wife his secret weapon?

>>> is mitt romney 's wife ann his secret weapon ? mrs. romney gave a rare interview to " usa today " about her life, specifically about her 14-year battle with multiple sclerosis. some republicans call ann the secret weapon because she makes an easy connection with voters. perhaps one reason, one reason why is mrs. romney's honesty about her health. in the article she says of her m.s. diagnosis. "it's really chiselled me. really shaped me almost like a wine press would or an olive press." joining me now is jackie kucinich who also contributed to that article. good afternoon to you.

>> good afternoon.

>> i want to share another excerpt here with our viewers, as well. this is from that " usa today " interview in california. quote from ann romney . my challenges aren't financial and i'll give that to anybody. i do not have financial challenges, but i do have challenges. and all of us have challenges in life. for me having this kind of serious health challenge has made me more compassionate, more understanding of those who were struggling. that is probably the kind of answer that mitt romney 's campaign workers would love to hear him give. here's a woman who says, you know what? i'm rich, i'm wealthy, but i have problems too. and here's how -- that was the thing that struck me most about that article.

>> well, it was interesting. when i was talking to voters about this in virginia last week, they shade the same thing. they said, you know, it didn't -- she did. she had -- she had some -- they have problems, excuse me. it did humanize the family a little bit. and some of them said they wished mitt romney would talk about the struggle a little bit in his -- his role in helping her to really hammer it home that, you know, this is a family and they're not just, you know, kind of -- he's not just this executive. he actually is someone who had a wife who is ill.

>> -- when it comes to the choices he makes on the campaign trail?

>> he's asked about that. he says he always consults with his family. so you have to think that she does. when she's on the campaign trail, she's -- she really -- she's good on the stump, she's someone that voters really voters have really embraced her, the people who know her. she's not known across the country yet, but they're getting there.

>> we also found out she apparently enjoys comedy central . she watches the " colbert report " at least. she calls it hilarious, the bit where he talks about her riding horses to treat her m.s. -- she says in the article, "you have to understand, we all laugh at the sport too." we know how ridiculous it looks sometimes. why haven't we seen ann romney do more interviews with the likes of stephen colbert or out there more?

>> i don't know that you won't. this is the beginning of the campaign and they're introducing her to voters. i mean i -- i don't know they're going to put her on colbert, but i think you'll see her doing -- you'll see her stepping out more because she is someone who -- voters said this, she is someone who humanizes mitt romney and really shows that there is another layer there. because he is so private, she kind of is becoming more of the public face of the family.

>> jackie kucinich, " usa today ," thank you.

>> thank you.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/newsnation/48048065/

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State Bank of Mauritius gets Moody's rating upgrade

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Source: http://twitter.com/HAInvestor/statuses/218982218486394880

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Russia, US key to last-ditch Syria talks in Geneva

GENEVA (AP) ? Russia's determination to preserve its last remaining ally in the Middle East collided head-on with U.S. and other Western powers' desire to replace Syrian President Bashar Assad with a democracy at a pivotal U.N.-brokered conference on Saturday.

Efforts at bridging the Russia-U.S. divide hold the key to international envoy Kofi Annan's plan for easing power from Assad's grip through a political solution that ends 16 months of violence in a country verging on a full-blown civil war, in one of the world's most unstable regions.

Without agreement among the major powers on how to form a transitional government for the country, Assad's regime ? Iran's closest ally ? would be emboldened to try to remain in power indefinitely, and that would also complicate the U.S. aim of halting Iran's nuclear goals.

At talks Friday night, top U.S. and Russian diplomats remained deadlocked over the negotiating text to agree on guidelines and principles for "a Syria-led transition." Annan, a former U.N. chief whose efforts to end the Syrian crisis have thus far fallen short, arrived Saturday morning without speaking to reporters.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague, arriving at Saturday's conference, urged Russia and China, which is following the Russian lead, to join Western nations in speaking with one voice on Syria, though he acknowledged that will be a stiff challenge.

"We haven't reached agreement in advance with Russia and China ? that remains very difficult. I don't know if it will be possible to do so. In the interest of saving thousands of lives of our international responsibilities, we will try to do so," Hague told reporters. "It's been always been our view, of course, that a stable future for Syria, a real political process, means Assad leaving power."

Hopes have centered on persuading Russia ? Syria's most important ally, protector and arms supplier ? to agree to a plan that would end the four-decade rule of the Assad family dynasty. But the Russians want Syria alone to be the master of its fate, at a time when Assad's regime and the opposition are increasingly bitterly polarized.

"Ultimately, we want to stop the bloodshed in Syria. If that comes through political dialogue, we are willing to do that," said Khalid Saleh, a spokesman for the Syrian National Council, a coalition of Syrian opposition groups based in Istanbul, Turkey. "We are not willing to negotiate (with) Mr. Assad and those who have murdered Syrians. We are not going to negotiate unless they leave Syria."

The negotiating text for the multinational conference calls for establishing a transitional government of national unity, with full executive powers, that could include members of Assad's government and the opposition and other groups. It would oversee the drafting of a new constitution and elections.

But the text that would serve as the framework for Annan's peace efforts also would "exclude from government those whose continued presence and participation would undermine the credibility of the transition and jeopardize stability and reconciliation."

Foreign ministers from all five of the permanent, veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council ? Britain, China, France, Russia and the U.S. ? have converged at the U.N.'s European headquarters in the sprawling Palais des Nations overlooking Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc. Russia and China have twice used their council veto to shield Syria from U.N. sanctions.

For his "Action Group on Syria," U.N.-Arab League envoy Annan also invited Turkey, U.N. secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and the European Union, along with Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar as heads of three groups within the League of Arab States.

Major regional players Iran and Saudi Arabia were not invited. The Russians objected to the Saudis, who support the Syrian opposition. The U.S. objected to Iran, which supports Assad's regime.

Much of the work remains to be hammered out by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who met for an hour in St. Petersburg Friday, and then had dinner before Clinton left Russia. Lavrov predicted the meeting had a "good chance" of finding a way forward, despite the grim conditions on the ground.

Russia insists that outsiders cannot order a political solution for Syria, while the U.S. is adamant that Assad should not be allowed to remain in power at the top of the transitional government. They also disagree over what steps could be taken next at the Security Council, such as calling for an arms embargo, after Saturday's meeting.

But Clinton said Thursday in Riga, Latvia, that all participants in the Geneva meeting, including Russia, were on board with the transition plan. She told reporters that the invitations made clear that representatives "were coming on the basis of (Annan's) transition plan."

The uprising in Syria since March of last year has killed some 14,000 people. On Friday, Syrian troops shelled a suburb of Damascus, killing an estimated 125 civilians and 60 soldiers.

International tensions also heightened last week after Syria shot down a Turkish warplane, leading to Turkey setting up anti-aircraft guns on its border with its neighbor.

The United Nations says violence in the country has worsened since a cease-fire deal in April, and the bloodshed appears to be taking on dangerous sectarian overtones, with growing numbers of Syrians targeted on account of their religion. The increasing militarization of both sides in the conflict has Syria heading toward civil war.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-us-key-last-ditch-syria-talks-geneva-054436115.html

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A Happier and More Efficient Residence with Skylights or Roof ...

Surviving in the current technological world, it's no real shock that a significant portion of your monthly expenses is allocated for settling your power expenses. Energy Star, a government-based agency designed to determine whether or not a particular item is energy-efficient lately documented by means of one study that over $2000 is being spent by a household yearly to fork out for power alone. The majority of these expenses are accounted for by your home's heating and cooling systems.

Throughout the summer season, Orlando's morning temperature can surge to around 32 to 37 degrees Celsius. An increase in wetness can often pump the heat index to over 43 degrees. Because most Orlando property owners battle this heat with air conditioning, they generally experience an upturn in utility bills in the summertime. If you live in Orlando, you'll see your electricity bill rising proportionately with the increase in temperature. A smart way to combat the warmth this summer months, save on monthly charges, and provide your residence a brilliant fresh look is by installing skylights.

Countless people think that skylights are simply for high-class property or are very expensive to assist for your pocket. Nonetheless, contrary to this belief, modern skylights are cost-effective fittings for your home as they are intended for better insulation, increased ventilation, and natural lighting in the daytime. Setting up these vents into your roof covering, will allow you to decrease power costs and attain a better mood in your home. They come in different shapes and sorts including domed, flat, vented, or fixed. As their name shows, fixed skylights can't be opened, while vented skylights can-usually by using an electric motor.

The majority of skylight installations you need to have are often offered by Orlando roofing and window contractors. These firms have workers who are capable of properly installing skylights into the roof covering of your residence. Roofing companies are generally ideal because of the framing and drywalling mixed up in work. They can do a detailed task and perhaps enable you to opt for a suitable skylight for your residence.

When Orlando roof repair and home builders are asked about which window supplier delivers the ideal skylights, they'd probably tell you to look into the Energy Star rating tag. Energy Star certified roof windows can lessen your power charges by 7-15 percent. These Energy Star assessed items likewise lessen your greenhouse emissions, as they reduce the necessity for energy from power factories.

The costs of skylights offered by Orlando roofers or window contractors cover anything from $300-$1,000 each, depending on the sort utilized. Taking into consideration their long-term effects to your budget and the environment, skylights are worth every penny. Find out more on these home improvers at homerenovations.about.com.

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