NEWARK, N.J. (AP) ? Mayor Cory Booker said he will live on food stamps for a week starting Tuesday.
Booker told The Associated Press on Thursday that he will honor the challenge he made to a Twitter follower earlier this month and try living on the monetary equivalent of food stamps for at least a week.
"December 4 to 11. Seven days," Booker said after the ribbon cutting for new loft apartments in Newark. He said he will be limited to $1.40 for each meal.
The North Carolina woman Booker challenged plans to accept, but she is not sure she will do it next week.
The woman, who uses the Twitter handle (at)MWadeNC and goes by the name TwitWit, spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because she says she has received threats.
She said she is upset that Booker didn't consult with her before picking the dates. She said Booker sent her a tweet this week saying his staff would be in touch, but she has heard nothing since.
"I don't think it's fair to be challenged and just find out from the Internet when I'm supposed to take part," she said in a telephone interview. "I would have appreciated the consideration that I have a life as well."
Nevertheless, she said she will participate in the challenge for at least a week, possibly two.
The average monthly food stamp benefit was $133.26 per person in New Jersey in fiscal year 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As mayor, Booker makes about 100 times that amount, $13,400 a month.
Politicians and community leaders around the country have taken on similar challenges in recent years to highlight the difficulty of relying solely on government aid for nutrition.
Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and U.S. Rep. Bob Brady lived on food stamps for a week earlier this year, and the mayors of Las Vegas and Phoenix, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and the former governor of Oregon all did so within the past few years.
Most participated in the "Food Stamp Challenge," a program from the nonprofit Food Research and Action Center that gives out tools to help organizations and individuals live on a food stamp budget, typically for a week. It even developed a how-to-guide for members of Congress, which includes testimonials from eight politicians.
Celebrity chef Mario Batali and his family also did the challenge earlier this year. An AmeriCorps member serving as the community service coordinator at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut challenged her campus to try it for a week.
Booker, a prolific Twitter user who has 1.2 million followers, has said he wants the public to participate and on Thursday said he will soon announce a celebrity who will also take part.
The North Carolina woman said she thinks it would be "great" if high-profile people tried to live on the equivalent of food stamps.
"The Green Mile" actor Michael Clarke Duncan died at the age of 54 on Sept. 3, 2012 in a Los Angeles hospital after nearly two months of treatment following a July 13, 2012 heart attack.
Jerry Nelson
"Sesame Street" puppeteer Jerry Nelson, shown here with "Sesame Street" character Count von Count in New York in June 2012, died at age 78 on Aug. 23, 2012, in Massachusetts after battling emphysema.
Phyllis Diller
Actress/comedienne Phyllis Diller, who was best know for her stand-up act, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/phyllis-diller-dead_n_1812818.html">died at the age of 95</a> on Aug. 20. 2012 in Los Angeles.
Tony Scott
Director Tony Scott, whose projects include "The Hunger," "Top Gun," "Enemy of the State," died after jumping off a bridge in Los Angeles on Aug. 19, 2012.
Scott McKenzie
"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" singer Scott McKenzie, seen here in the center with "The Mamas And The Papas" 1967, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/scott-mckenzie-dead-dies-san-francisco-73_n_1809989.html">died on Aug. 18. 2012</a>, after battling Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disease that affects the nervous system.
William Windom
A 1980 file photo provided by CBS shows actor William Windom, who won an Emmy Award for his turn in the TV comedy series "My World And Welcome To It," died Aug. 16, 2012, of congestive heart failure at his home in Woodacre, north of San Francisco. He was 88.
Ron Palillo
This June 8, 2008 file photo shows actor Ron Palillo at the TV Land Awards in Santa Monica, Calif. Palillo, best known as the nerdy high schooler Arnold Horshack on "Welcome Back, Kotter," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/14/ron-palillo-dead-dies-welcome-back-kotter-heart-attack_n_1776155.html">died Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012</a>, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., of an apparent heart attack. He was 63.
Lupe Ontiveros
This Oct. 7, 2008 file photo shows actress Lupe Ontiveros at Padres Contra El Cancer's 8th annual "El Sueno de Esperanza" benefit gala in Los Angeles. Ontiveros, the popular Texan actress known for her portrayal of Yolanda Saldivar in "Selena," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/lupe-ontiveros-dead-star-_n_1709783.html">died Thursday, July 26, 2012</a>, of cancer at the Presbyterian Hospital in the City of Whittier, Calif., according to friend and comedian Rick Najera. She was 69.
Sherman Hemsley
In this Aug. 11, 1986 file photo, actor Sherman Hemsley poses for a photo in Los Angeles. The manager for Hemsley says the late star of the television sitcom ?"The Jeffersons"? refused treatment for lung cancer in the weeks before he died of what a coroner says were complications from the disease on July 24, 2012. (AP photo/Nick Ut, File)
Frank Pierson
In this Feb. 14, 2004 file photo, Academy President Frank Pierson arrives at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Scientific and Technical Achievements Awards dinner in Pasadena Calif. Pierson's family announced that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/frank-pierson-dead-dog-day-afternoon-dies_n_1696126.html">he died of natural causes on Monday, July 23, 2012</a> in Los Angeles after a short illness. He was 87.
Jon Lord
Deep Purple's Jon Lord, seen here in 2004, died at age 71 on Monday, July 16, 2012, after battling pancreatic cancer.
Kitty Wells
This May 1986 file photo shows country music singer Kitty Wells in Nashville, Tenn. Wells, the first female superstar of country music, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/kitty-wells-dead-queen-of-country-dies_n_1677532.html">died at the age of 92 on Monday, July 16, 2012.</a> The singer?s family says Wells died at her home Monday after complications from a stroke. Her recording of "It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels" in 1952 was the first No. 1 hit by a woman soloist on the country music charts. Other hits included "Making Believe" and a version of "I Can't Stop Loving You." (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, file)
Ernest Borgnine
Perhaps best remembered for his<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/08/ernest-borgnine-movies-films_n_1657787.html" target="_hplink"> Oscar-winning performance in the film "Marty",</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/09/ernest-borgnine-dead-remembered_n_1658937.html" target="_hplink">Borgnine</a> continued to act until his death, voicing a character on "SpongeBob SquarePants" and earning an Emmy Nomination on the TV series "ER." He was 95 when he passed away on July 8 due to renal failure.
Andy Griffith
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/andy-griffith-dead_n_1645969.html" target="_hplink">Andy Griffith,</a> the star of beloved television programs "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Matlock", <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/05/andy-griffith-cause-of-death-heart-attack_n_1652599.html" target="_hplink">died of a heart attack</a> on Tuesday, July 3. He was 86.
Don Grady
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/28/don-grady-my-three-sons-obituary_n_1633047.html" target="_hplink">The multi talented musician, composer, and actor</a> who memorably starred on the television series "My Three Sons" lost his battle with cancer on June 27. An original Mouseketeer, Grady was 68 he passed away.
Nora Ephron
Director, author, journalist, playwright, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nora-ephron/" target="_hplink">HuffPost blogger</a>, and three-time Academy Award nominated screenwriter, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/26/nora-ephron-dead-dies-age-71_n_1627757.html" target="_hplink">Nora Ephron passed away</a> on June 26 after a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/26/nora-ephron-leukemia-cancer-illness-death_n_1629152.html" target="_hplink">secret multi-year battle with acute myeloid leukemia</a>. With genre defining films like "Sleepless In Seattle", "You've Got Mail", and "When Harry Met Sally", Ephron, 71, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/26/nora-ephron-influence-movies_n_1628700.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment" target="_hplink">left an indelible mark on the film industry.</a>
Yvette Wilson
Comedienne most famous for her hilarious roles on TV shows "Moesha" and "The Parkers", Wilson <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/15/yvette-wilson-star-of-moe_n_1600037.html" target="_hplink">lost her battle with cervical cancer</a> on June 14. She was 48.
Ann Rutherford
This Nov. 5, 1971 file photo shows actress Ann Rutherford in New York. Rutherford, who played Scarlett O'Hara's sister Carreen in the 1939 movie classic "Gone With the Wind," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/12/ann-rutherford-dead-gone-_n_1589753.html">died at her home in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Monday, June 11, 2012</a>. She was 94. (AP Photo/HF)
Robin Gibb
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/barry-gibb-tribute-video-robin-gibb-bee-gees_n_1539954.html" target="_hplink">Co-founder of The Bee Gees</a>, Gibb was 62 when he <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/20/robin-gibb-dead-bee-gees_n_1531648.html" target="_hplink">lost</a> his battle with colon cancer on May 20.
Bob Welch
From AP: Bob Welch, a former member of Fleetwood Mac who went on to write songs and record several hits during a solo career,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/07/bob-welch-dead-fleetwood-mac-gunshot_n_1579166.html"> died June 7, 2012</a>, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. He was 65.
Donna Summer
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/18/donna-summer-queen-of-disco_n_1526799.html" target="_hplink">The Queen of Disco</a> lost her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/17/donna-summer-dead-queen-of-disco-dies_n_1524410.html" target="_hplink"> battle with cancer</a> on May 17. Summer, 63, earned that title with dance hits like "Last Dance", "MacArthur Park", and "Hot Stuff".
Chuck Brown
In this Feb. 13, 2011 file photo, Chuck Brown arrives at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Brown, who styled a unique brand of funk music as a singer, guitarist and songwriter known as the "godfather of go-go," <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/chuck-brown-dead-godfather_n_1522375.html">died Wednesday, May 16, 2012</a> after suffering from pneumonia. He was 75.
Mitchell Guist
Mitchell Guist, who appeared in segments of the "Swamp People" with his brother, Glenn, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/14/mitchell-guist-dead-swamp-people_n_1515423.html">died after collapsing Monday, May 14, 2012</a> while working on a houseboat he was building on Belle River.
Adam Yauch
Best known as one of the founding members of the<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/23/mca-ad-rock-adam-horovitz-beastie-boys-interview_n_1539705.html" target="_hplink"> trailblazing hip-hop group the Beastie Boys</a>, Yauch, also known by his stage name MCA, was also a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/adam-yauch-films_n_1478993.html" target="_hplink">film director</a> and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/adam-yauch-dead-tibet_n_1478359.html" target="_hplink">human rights activist</a>. At age 47, Yauch unfortunately lost his almost three year battle with cancer on May 4.
George Lindsey
George Lindsey, seen here in character as Goober Pyle on "The Andy Griffith Show" in 1982,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/06/george-lindsey-dead-andy-griffith-show-goober-pyle-dies-83_n_1490083.html"> died early Sunday, May 6, 2012.</a> He was 83.
Levon Helm
In this May 15, 2010 photo, Levon Helm performs on the mandolin during a Ramble performance at Helm's barn in Woodstock, N.Y. Helm, who was in the final stages of his battle with cancer,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/19/levon-helm-dead-the-band-cancer-battle_n_1434772.html"> died Thursday, April 19, 2012 in New York.</a> He was 71. He was a key member of The Band and lent his distinctive Southern voice to classics like "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down."
Dick Clark
Radio personality, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/dick-clark-quotes_n_1435713.html" target="_hplink">TV host</a>, and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nelson-davis/dick-clarks-business-less_b_1466150.html" target="_hplink">beloved producer</a>, Dick Clark died of a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/dick-clark-heart-attack-death_n_1435551.html" target="_hplink">massive heart</a> attack on April 18. The host of classic programs such as <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20120418/us-dick-clark-highlights/" target="_hplink">American Bandstand</a> and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/19/dick-clarks-new-years-eve_n_1437040.html" target="_hplink">Dick Clark's Rocking New Years Eve was 82.</a>
Davy Jones
Lead singer of hit 60's band <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/29/davy-jones-dead-monkees-moments-video_n_1310837.html" target="_hplink">The Monkees</a>, Jones' <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/monkees-davy-jones-obituary_n_1312799.html" target="_hplink">heartthrob status</a> was cemented with hits like "Day Dream Believer" and "I Wanna Be Free". He died at age 66 on February 29 after <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/davy-jones-autopsy-report_n_1406273.html" target="_hplink">suffering a heart attack</a>.
Whitney Houston
With perhaps one of the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/whitney-houston-celebrate-jordin-sparks-sparkle_n_1532870.html" target="_hplink">greatest voices</a> of her generation, Houston was a multi-Grammy winning singer and actress left an indelible mark on both the pop and R&B genres. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/whitney-houston-xanax_n_1279947.html" target="_hplink">Houston's well documented struggles with drug addiction</a> are thought to have contributed to her unexpected and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/11/whitney-houston-dead-sing_n_1270889.html" target="_hplink">untimely demise</a> at age 48 on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/whitney-houston-death-report-last-day_n_1405206.html" target="_hplink">February 11</a>.
Don Cornelius
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/don-cornelius-dead-soul-train_n_1246642.html" target="_hplink">Cornelius</a>, creator and host of the long-running, groundbreaking<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/don-cornelius-dead-celeb-tweets_n_1247021.html" target="_hplink"> TV dance show "Soul Train,"</a> <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/24/don-cornelius-autopsy-depression_n_1450184.html" target="_hplink">unfortunately committed suicide </a>Wednesday morning, Feb. 1. He was 75.
Ian Abercrombie
In this Sept. 17, 2005 file photo, actor Ian Abercrombie is shown during the British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences third annual Emmy Nominees Tea Party in Los Angeles. Abercrombie, a veteran British stage and screen actor whose TV roles included Elaine?s boss Mr. Pitt on "Seinfeld" and Professor Crumbs on ?Wizards of Waverly Place,?<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/28/ian-abercrombie-tv-moments_n_1239120.html"> died Thursday, Jan. 22, 2012</a> at a Los Angeles hospital from complications of kidney failure. He was 77.
Etta James
The "At Last" crooner <a href="http://http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/etta-james-dead-legendary_n_1219083.html" target="_hplink">passed away</a> on January 20 due to complications from leukemia. James, also known as <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/22/etta-james-singers-passio_n_1222010.html" target="_hplink">The Matriarch of R&B</a>, was 73.
Often, the gift that we find that initially seems great, tends to lose a bit of its luster once we spy the price tag and determine that it is definitely not within our price range. Isn?t that the most disappointing aspect of gift giving ? knowing the gift you actually give was actually your second or third choice? Yes, but it is not the end of the world. Continue reading for unique gift giving ideas on a budget.Sometimes it is just so hard to find those perfect gifts for the ones that we love. Often, the gift that we find that initially seems great, tends to lose a bit of its luster once we spy the price tag and determine that it is definitely not within our price range. Isn?t that the most disappointing aspect of gift giving ? knowing the gift you actually give was actually your second or third choice? Yes, but it is not the end of the world.
There are many gift giving ideas that can be completed on a dime once you determine that there are items to give a loved one that you can make yourself! The wealth of craft supplies that are available to us now is enormous, and should be utilized to create innovative gifts for our friends and family members that they can appreciate and enjoy for many years to come.
Many discount craft supply stores are a great inspiration for the various gifts that we can create with our own hands and design with love for our closest family and friends. Most of these stores are well-stocked with craft supplies to meet many different demands and budgets. Furthermore, the staff members at these places tend to be very knowledgeable in the craft area and will provide much needed help and ideas when we may get stuck.
Then the problem lies in what kinds of gifts you would like to give. By using your own craft supplies and getting the help of the discount craft supply stores, a gift giving decision will be easy! You can make something unique and original for everyone, depending upon one?s individual likes and dislikes, and you can accomplish all of this without breaking the bank.
Of course there are countless craft ideas and projects that can be completed at home. One of the most popular ones that is the rage all over the country is the craft of making homemade jewelry. Almost every female friend or family member will love a necklace, bracelet, or pair of earrings, jewelry that is designed by you with attention and care. When you are making the jewelry pieces yourself, it is a great idea to use the many discount craft supplies that you will have available. One of the best things about making jewelry yourself is that it can be created to fit within any budget. Also, it is a special touch to receive a gift that really reflects the taste of the individual, and she can wear her piece proudly and brag that it was made especially for her by a local artisan!
Another great gift idea that requires very few craft supplies is to make a basket of goodies for someone. This dynamic at home business has been a proven success for numerous entrepreneurs, and it is sure to please the friend or family member who receives this gift from you. You can make the most of the many discount craft supplies to decorate and design your basket, and then fill it with all sorts of goodies that will treat your recipient and make her feel loved. Fill the one-of-a-kind basket with homemade baked goods such as cookies and breads, even jams and jellies. Some are even getting innovative and making their own soaps and candles for these baskets!? Not only are you creating the basket but you are cooking and creating, giving your very best recipes and finished products to those whom you love the most. Anyone will be pleased to receive a gift such as this!
Other gift ideas which you can make inexpensively and include the use of different craft supplies are original paintings, floral arrangements, and even monogrammed objects such as purses or clothing items. All of these require the use of numerous discount craft supplies but none that will leave you high and dry when it comes to the amount of money that you spend. Everyone loves original artwork from those who are truly gifted in this area, and the monogramming trend is sure to be a hit with your family and friends if you can work your sewing machine and help it create this magic.? No matter which craft area you choose to develop, know that your friends and family will appreciate your work and effort and are sure to display your work deliberately and with pride.
We all love to be the most creative gift giver, so this year, why not take something that you already do well and turn this into an original gift that will make another person happy? Take advantage of the many discount craft supplies that are available to you and make the most of your talents. Take the time to design a gift idea that truly shows a loved one that you care, and she is sure to wear and display it proudly for many years to come!
Gift Basket-World?s Finest Gourmet
$79.99
For the gourmet-lover on your list, look no further. This decadent basket is full of the good stuff. Your gift is carefully hand-packed and delivered in an attractive gift basket with your personal message.
Your gift includes: -Extra Large Box of Chocolate -Milk Chocolate -Sampler Pack of Premium Dark Chocolate -Large Box of Truffles -Chocolate Biscotti -Premium Wafer Cookies -Extra Large pack of?
Chocolate and Cookie Lover Gift Basket
$39.99
This decadent basket is full of fine cookies, chocolate and candies. Your gift is carefully hand-packed and delivered in an attractive gift basket with your personal message.
This basket contains 7 items: -Large Pack of Assorted Cookie -Delicious Chocolate Truffle Cookies -Dark Chocolate Squares -Sweet Butter Cookies -Coffee Candy -Chocolate Fudge -Delicious Chocolate Truffles
Measures Appr 8?W?
Gourmet Snack Gift Basket
$49.99
This premium basket contains the perfect combination of mixed snacks, crackers, chocolates and nuts to give to that special someone. Your gift is carefully hand-packed and delivered in an attractive gift basket with your personal message.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials were surprised that BP Plc suggested an agreement would soon be ready to lift a suspension imposed this week on the company's obtaining new federal contracts, a government source said on Thursday.
"It caught us off guard," the source said. "It's not the case that there is an administrative agreement that is ready to go out the door right now," the source said, adding that any administrative agreement will only be part of a several-step process that could take months.
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday suspended BP from obtaining new U.S. contracts over its "lack of business integrity" following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident, that killed 11 men and caused the biggest ever U.S. offshore oil spill.
BP responded with a statement indicating that the EPA had informed the company it was preparing an administrative agreement that would "effectively resolve and lift this temporary suspension," and that the EPA said the draft agreement would be available soon.
The U.S. ban does not end the company's existing contracts. But, if it lingers, it could imperil BP's position as a top U.S. offshore oil and gas producer and as the U.S. military's leading fuel supplier.
NUMBER OF STEPS
While the ban is temporary, it could be months before BP is allowed to obtain new contracts, including oil leases off the Gulf of Mexico, because an administrative agreement is just one of a number of steps BP and the U.S. government must work through, the source said.
For instance, the November 15 plea bargain agreement between BP and the U.S. government, in which the British energy giant will pay $4.5 billion in penalties, still needs to be finalized by the court. A date for that action has not been set.
Once it is, BP has 60 days to send a remedial plan to the Department of Justice and the EPA laying out how it plans to meet all of the stipulations in the plea agreement.
The agencies will review the plan and are likely to send it back to BP with proposed changes. The plan could go back and forth among all three parties before a final plan agreed to by all sides is reached.
"BP's saying there is some kind of administrative agreement to lift the suspension in the short term is not technically accurate," the source said. "They have some work to do."
Washington, is not attempting to create a long, drawn out process to lift the ban, the source said. On the other hand, it is not clear when the draft agreement will be sent to BP, the source said.
The EPA did not say how long the process would take when it announced the ban on Wednesday, but an official said government wide suspensions generally do not exceed 18 months. The official also warned they can go longer if civil cases against BP are not settled.
BP did not make any bids in a Gulf of Mexico lease sale held Wednesday. The next Gulf of Mexico lease sale is scheduled for March. BP would also have to sit that sale out if the ban is not lifted.
A spokeswoman for BP said the company had no comment.
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)
FILE - In this July 12, 2002 file photo, attorney Christopher T. Cicero listens during a trial in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus, Ohio. The Ohio Supreme Court has suspended for a year the law license of Cicero, an attorney whose emails to Jim Tressel triggered an ongoing scandal and NCAA investigation that cost the coach his job at Ohio State. (AP Photo/Mike Munden, Columbus Dispatch, File)
FILE - In this July 12, 2002 file photo, attorney Christopher T. Cicero listens during a trial in Franklin County Common Pleas Court in Columbus, Ohio. The Ohio Supreme Court has suspended for a year the law license of Cicero, an attorney whose emails to Jim Tressel triggered an ongoing scandal and NCAA investigation that cost the coach his job at Ohio State. (AP Photo/Mike Munden, Columbus Dispatch, File)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended for one year the law license of an attorney whose emails to Jim Tressel triggered an ongoing scandal and NCAA investigation that cost the football coach his job at Ohio State University.
At issue was whether Columbus attorney Christopher Cicero violated professional rules of conduct that prohibit revealing information from meetings with a client or a prospective client.
The 5-2 court decision followed the recommendation of a disciplinary board that argued Cicero wrongly discussed interviews with tattoo parlor owner Edward Rife, a potential client. However, the court overruled the board's recommendation for a six-month suspension.
Cicero sent emails to Tressel in April 2010, warning him that players were selling memorabilia or trading them for tattoos. The email traffic sparked the scandal and ended Tressel's Ohio State tenure.
An NCAA investigation also led to a bowl ban this year, reductions in scholarships and the loss of Ohio State's $389,000 share of the Big Ten bowl pot a year ago. The entire 2010 season also was vacated.
Ohio State just completed a 12-0 season and is ranked No. 4 in the AP poll.
Justice Judith Lanzinger said the case went to the heart of the importance of confidentiality between a prospective client and an attorney.
"Prospective clients trust that their confidences will be protected when they engage in an initial consultation with an attorney," Lanzinger wrote. "Cicero's almost immediate dissemination of the detailed information that Rife provided on April 15 directly violated that trust."
Justices Evelyn Lundberg Stratton and Terrence O'Donnell dissented, saying they would have imposed a six-month suspension.
"Cicero's intentions were not for personal aggrandizement or personal gain, as found by the majority, but were to alert the coach about misconduct by his players that could affect the team," Stratton wrote.
"His request that such information be held confidential does not support the notion that he was trying to seek fame," she said.
Cicero's lawyer said he was disappointed with the decision, saying he and his client had considered even a six-month suspension "a little harsh."
"We ended up losing for a year a really, really great lawyer who practices in a difficult area ? felony criminal law," said attorney John Gonzales.
He didn't know Cicero's plans for the year, adding they hadn't expected the decision so soon.
Cicero met with Rife on April 2, 2010, according to court documents, and again 13 days later to discuss whether Cicero would represent him in a federal drug trafficking case, according to a complaint against him by the Disciplinary Counsel of the Ohio Supreme Court.
Cicero, an Ohio State football player in the early 1980s, denied meeting with Rife on April 2. He said the two did meet on April 15, 2010, with the goal of confirming that Rife's partner, a former client of Cicero, wasn't involved with drug dealing or memorabilia sales.
Rife's house had been raided April 1 by federal drug investigators and Cicero wanted to know if Joseph Epling, his client and Rife's business partner, was involved in the case.
"Eddie Rife was never going to be my client in this case at all," Cicero told a three-member disciplinary panel at the Ohio Supreme Court last year. "I saw him as an ally and resource for Mr. Epling. That's how I viewed Mr. Rife's purpose in my office."
Rife pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering last year and was sentenced to three years in prison.
It was emails Cicero sent to Tressel in April 2010, warning him that players were selling memorabilia or trading them for tattoos, that helped launch the scandal.
In those emails, Cicero seemed to make it clear that he may have taken on Rife as a client.
"If he retains me, and he may, I will try to get these items back," Cicero wrote in an April 16, 2010, email.
"I have to sit tight and wait to see if he retains me, but at least he came in last night to do a face to face with me," Cicero wrote later that day.
Cicero and his attorneys argued the emails sent to Tressel were only meant to warn the coach about his players' actions and shouldn't be read as a breach of confidentiality, since ?they argued ? Rife was not a client.
Ohio's legal conduct rules generally prohibit attorneys from divulging any information they received from someone who might be a prospective client.
News of the memorabilia sales emerged in December 2010. In March 2011, the university discovered that Tressel had known about the sales since the previous April and said nothing. That was a violation of both NCAA rules and Tressel's contract, which required the prompt reporting of any knowledge of such player infractions. Tressel resigned under pressure in May 2011.
___
Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached at http://twitter.com/awhcolumbus.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at U.N. headquarters Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at U.N. headquarters Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, meets with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at U.N. headquarters Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrives at the United Nations Plaza Hotel, Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012, in New York. The Palestinians predicted a historic U.N. vote recognizing their statehood this week, praising important new support from France on Tuesday and likely backing from other European nations seen as critical to enhancing their international standing. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, right, shakes hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at U.N. headquarters Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
UNITED NATIONS (AP) ? The Palestinians are certain to win U.N. recognition as a state on Thursday but success could exact a high price: delaying an independent state of Palestine because of Israel's vehement opposition.
The United States, Israel's closest ally, mounted an aggressive campaign to head off the General Assembly vote, which the Palestinians view as a historic step in their quest for global recognition.
The Palestinians say they need U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, the lands Israel captured in 1967, to be able to resume negotiations with Israel and the non-member observer state status could also open the way for possible war crimes charges against the Jewish state at the International Criminal Court.
In a last-ditch move Wednesday, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns made a personal appeal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promising that President Barack Obama would re-engage as a mediator in 2013 if Abbas abandoned the effort to seek statehood. But the Palestinian leader refused, said Abbas aide Saeb Erekat.
For Abbas, the U.N. bid is crucial if he wants to maintain his leadership and relevance, especially following the recent conflict between his Hamas rivals in Gaza and Israel. It saw the Islamic militant group claim victory and raise its standing in the Arab world while his Fatah movement was sidelined and marginalized.
The Palestinians chose the "International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People" for the vote. Before it takes place, there will be a morning of speeches by supporters focusing on the rights of the Palestinians. Abbas is scheduled to be a speaker at that meeting, and again in the afternoon when he will present the case for Palestinian statehood in the General Assembly.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned Wednesday that the U.N. vote will not fulfill the goal of independent Palestinian and Israeli states living side by side in peace, which the U.S. strongly supports because that requires direct negotiations.
"We need an environment conducive to that," she told reporters in Washington. "And we've urged both parties to refrain from actions that might in any way make a return to meaningful negotiations that focus on getting to a resolution more difficult."
The U.S. Congress has threatened financial sanctions if the Palestinians improve their status at the United Nations.
Ahead of the vote, Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch filed an amendment to a defense bill Wednesday that would eliminate funding for the United Nations if the General Assembly changes Palestine's status.
"Increasing the Palestinians' role in the United Nations is absolutely the wrong approach, especially in light of recent military developments in the Middle East," he said in a statement. "Israel is one of America's closest allies, and any movement to strengthen one of its fiercest enemies must not be tolerated."
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said that by going to the U.N., the Palestinians violate "both the spirit and the word of signed agreements to solve issues through negotiations," which broke down four years ago.
But Israeli officials appeared to back away from threats of drastic measures if the Palestinians get U.N. approval, with officials suggesting the government would take steps only if the Palestinians use their new status to act against Israel.
Regev, meanwhile, affirmed that Israel is willing to resume talks without preconditions.
U.N. diplomats said they will be listening closely to Abbas' speech to the General Assembly on Thursday afternoon before the vote to see if he makes an offer of fresh negotiations with no strings, which could lead to new talks. The Palestinians have been demanding a freeze on Israeli settlements as a precondition.
As a sign of the importance Israel attaches to the vote, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman flew to New York and was scheduled to meet Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon before the vote. Israel's U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor had been scheduled to speak in the General Assembly after Abbas, but it appears Lieberman may now make Israel's case opposing the resolution.
Unlike the Security Council, there are no vetoes in the General Assembly. The 193-member world body is dominated by countries sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and the resolution to raise its status from an observer to a nonmember observer state only requires a majority vote for approval. To date, 132 countries ? over two-thirds of the U.N. member states ? have recognized the state of Palestine.
The Palestinians have been courting Western nations, especially the Europeans, seen as critical to enhancing their international standing. A number have announced they will vote "yes" including France, Spain, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland. Those opposed or abstaining include the U.S., Israel, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia.
A high vote could boost Abbas' standing.
"If there is a poor turnout, a poor vote, the radicals gain," said India's U.N. Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri.
The Palestinians turned to the General Assembly after the United States announced it would veto their bid last fall for full U.N. membership until there is a peace deal with Israel.
Following last year's move by the Palestinians to join the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO, the United States withheld funds from the organization, which amount to 22 percent of its budget. The U.S. also withheld money to the Palestinians.
Hot Stocks from Tipz.in for 29th Nov 2012 Bharti Airtel Limited (BHARTIARTL), United Spirits Limited (MCDOWELL-N), ITC Limited (ITC), Icici Bank Ltd. (ICICIBANK), Hdfc Bank Ltd (HDFCBANK), Hdfc Ltd (HDFC), Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL), Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC), Yes Bank Limited (YESBANK), Videocon Industries Limit (VIDEOIND), Reliance Industries Ltd (RELIANCE), Hanung Toys And Tex Ltd (HANUNG), Cipla Ltd (CIPLA), Raymond Ltd (RAYMOND), Sesa Goa Ltd (SESAGOA), Jindal Steel And Power Ltd (JINDALSTEL), Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HINDUNILVR), Indusind Bank Limited (INDUSINDBK), Union Bank Of India (UNIONBANK), State Bank Of India (SBIN), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), Century Textiles & Industries Ltd (CENTURYTEX), Ambuja Cements Ltd (AMBUJACEM), Petronet Lng Limited (PETRONET), Future Cap Holding Ltd. (FCH), Cesc Ltd (CESC), Mcleod Russel India Ltd. (MCLEODRUSS), Infosys Limited (INFY), Bata India Ltd (BATAINDIA), Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (KOTAKBANK), MindTree Limited (MINDTREE).
BRUSSELS ? Within minutes of eurozone finance ministers reaching a deal to cut Greece?s debt late on Monday, commentators on Twitter were dismissing it as another exercise in ?kicking the can down the road?.
To an extent that is true. Under the agreement, the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund will give Greece two more years to reach its budget goals and will find another 44-billion euros (US$57-billion) to keep the country afloat in the meantime.
But while a degree of can-kicking may be going on, there was a critical element in Monday night?s deal that goes a lot further than any other step taken so far in the debt crisis to get Greece back on its feet.
We will, if need be, consider further measures for the reduction of the total debt
Implicit was an understanding that Greece will undergo some form of official-sector debt restructuring ? with eurozone countries forgiving a portion of Greece?s debt ? at some point in the future, the sort of last-ditch measure usually reserved for impoverished states in Africa and Latin America.
At a news conference in the early hours of Tuesday, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble came closer than he has ever done before to publicly acknowledging that creditors face such an eventuality ? a move that will be very hard for the likes of Germany, Finland, Austria and the Netherlands to take.
?When Greece has achieved, or is set to achieve, a primary surplus and fulfilled all of its conditions, we will, if need be, consider further measures for the reduction of the total debt,? he said, looking weary after 13 hours of negotiations.
The timing and reference to a primary surplus are important.
The Greek economy is forecast to return to growth during 2014 and to achieve a primary budget surplus ? the balance before deducting the cost of debt financing ? of 4.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016.
By the end of that year, the EU-IMF assistance program should be over and Greece will in theory be on its own, financing itself in the financial markets in the normal way.
Monday night?s deal took care of the extra financing Greece will need between 2014 and 2016 and set out a series of steps the eurozone and Greece will take to get its debt level down from around 190% of GDP next year to 124% by 2020.
But what it didn?t set out in precise detail is how Greek debt will go on falling, from 124% of GDP in 2020 to 110% in 2022 and 88% in 2030, as agreed during the talks.
And it didn?t say how Greece is expected to win back market confidence in 2016 even though its debt level that year is still expected to be 175% of GDP.
The answer is a combination of lower interest rates and longer maturities being applied to loans to Greece, Athens paying down more of its own debt thanks to growth and the potential for eurozone states to write down their loans.
?Euro area member states will consider further measures and assistance, including lower co-financing in structural funds and/or a further rate reduction in the Greek loan facility if necessary,? said Olli Rehn, the commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, again hinting at the possibility of a more fundamental overhaul of debt at some future point.
A European Union official closely involved in the discussions on Greece said there was a general unwillingness among eurozone countries to acknowledge that they may have to forgive some of the 127-billion euros they have so far lent to Greece, even if all of them know the issue can?t be avoided forever.
In order to make Greece?s debt sustainable in the long term, the IMF has determined that it must be cut to around 120% by 2020 and 110% by 2022. But there is no guarantee those levels will be sustainable on those dates.
As a result, the prospect of a debt writedown has to remain, especially as the eurozone countries, who will soon be responsible for around three quarters of all Greek debt, have said time and again that they will do what is necessary to keep Greece afloat and in the euro zone.
The EU official said the best option would be for eurozone countries to bite the bullet and write down 40-50 billion euros of loans to Greece in 2016 or shortly afterwards, so that its debt-to-GDP ratio is aggressively reduced and the country can more easily return to financial markets.
But that is unlikely to happen, since no member state wants to write down any Greek debt, the cost of which would be born by taxpayers. Each state will do everything possible to ensure that any writedown, if it must happen, is as small as possible.
?If you were really going to help Greece, you?d write off enough debt to get the ratio down to 60% of GDP, which is a decently sustainable level,? the official said. ?But that?s never going to happen. No one?s going to buy that.?
Instead, the possibility of debt forgiveness will hang over the eurozone for the next four years and will, whether countries like it or not, have to be tackled at some point.
We may be closer to a major climate tipping point than we knew. Earth's permafrost ? frozen soil that covers nearly a quarter of the northern hemisphere and traps vast amounts of carbon ? may be melting faster than thought and releasing more potent greenhouse gasses.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report yesterday reviewing the most up-to-date research on Arctic permafrost. It claims temperature projections due in 2014 from the International Panel on Climate Change are "likely to be biased on the low side" because the IPCC does not take into account the positive feedback cycle of permafrost melting and releasing greenhouse gases.
"Overall, these observations indicate that large-scale thawing of the permafrost may already have started", the UNEP report warns. It calls on governments to monitor permafrost in greater detail and urges communities in permafrost areas to develop plans for managing any damage to infrastructure caused by the frozen soil melting.
But even these calls might be downplaying both the extent of the melting and the severity of the warming it could cause, according to NASA researchers doing groundbreaking research. Using a plane flying just 150 metres above the ground, the team has been measuring levels of both carbon dioxide and methane above the Arctic.
Elevated values
The NASA team has not yet finished analysing the data, some of which will be presented at the American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco next week. But preliminary results are already suggesting that levels of greenhouse gases in some Arctic areas are much higher than climate models have predicted, says Charles Miller of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, the principal investigator on the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE).
"I have been surprised by some of the elevated values that we've seen," he says. That indicates the permafrost is melting faster than expected.
The early findings also suggest that more methane ? a greenhouse gas that is about 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over 100 years ? is being released than models have predicted. The result agrees with other recent studies. Miller says climate models do not have a good grasp on how much methane will be emitted by the melting permafrost.
Pep Canadell, executive director of the Global Carbon Project in Canberra, Australia, says one exciting aspect of the NASA project is its attempt to locate where these greenhouse gases are coming from.
By flying at low altitude, the team is able to measure changes in the levels of gases over much smaller distances and time intervals than previous research flights, which have flown about 2 kilometres higher. "Those get measurements on a regional scale," says Miller. "There's a great deal of local information to be found flying this close to the surface."
Miller says the factors driving the release of gases are found on these small scales. "The vegetation, the relative heights of the land and the water table ? these so called 'micro-topographic' variabilities really seem to be driving what's going on in terms of release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere."
Early warning
Another benefit of finer-grained measurements is their ability to give early warning of that major change ? a large methane release for instance ? is under way. Miller says they have no evidence for this as yet.
The team are also doing a lot more repeat measurements over a much longer period of time. Whereas previous studies have typically had four or five flight days over a six-week period, CARVE has flown for two weeks per month between April and October this year, its first year of experiments. It will carry out the same pattern of flights over the next four years.
One big question is how much of the 1700 billion tonnes of carbon locked in the permafrost as frozen organic matter will be released as methane and how much as CO2if there is a thaw. Miller says that if the region gets warmer and drier, the microbes that thrive will be the type that produce CO2. But if it gets warmer and wetter, they will tend to produce more of the potent methane.
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.
Have your say
Only subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.
Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article
Subscribe now to comment.
All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.
If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.
A piece of construction equipment works on the pile of debris, collected during the cleanup from superstorm Sandy, in the parking lot of Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaway section of the Queens borough of New York, Nov. 14.
By Hilary Russ , Reuters
New York state and New Jersey need at least $71.3 billion to recover from the devastation wrought by superstorm Sandy and prevent similar damage from future storms, according to their latest estimates.
The total, which could grow, came as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Monday the state will need $41.9 billion, including $32.8 billion to repair and restore damaged housing, parks and infrastructure and to cover lost revenue and other expenses. The figure also includes $9.1 billion to mitigate potential damage from future severe weather events, Cuomo said.?
Neighboring New Jersey, which saw massive damage to its transit system and coastline, suffered at least $29.4 billion in overall losses, according to a preliminary analysis released by Gov. Chris Christie's office Friday. The preliminary cost estimate includes federal aid New Jersey has received so far.?
By some measures, Sandy was worse than Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, which tore into the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, Cuomo said.?
Sandy destroyed 305,000 houses in New York state - a still provisional number that's likely to grow - compared with the 214,700 destroyed in Louisiana by Katrina and Rita.?
Sandy also caused nearly 2.2 million power outages at its peak in the state, compared with 800,000 from Katrina and Rita in Louisiana, and impacted 265,300 businesses compared to 18,700, Cuomo said.?
While Sandy may have damaged more homes and businesses, Katrina took a far greater toll on human lives, killing more than 1,800 people directly or indirectly. Sandy, by comparison, is believed to have killed at least 121 people.?
"Hurricane Katrina got a lot of notoriety for the way government handled -- or mishandled, depending on your point of view -- the situation," Cuomo said at a press conference.?
But considering the dense population of the area Sandy impacted and costs to the economy, housing and businesses, the damage done "was much larger in Hurricane Sandy than in Hurricane Katrina, and that puts this entire conversation, I believe, in focus," Cuomo said.?
New York to hire 5,000 temp workers for Sandy cleanup
Sandy made landfall in New Jersey on Oct. 29. It blasted through the Northeastern U.S., devastating homes, forcing evacuations, crippling power systems and shutting down New York City's subway system for days.?
The total cost to the region is still not known as estimates of the damage, as well as future repair and prevention costs, continue to come in from states, cities and counties.?
Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday he will ask Congress for $9.8 billion to pay for Sandy costs not covered by insurance or other federal funds.?
In a letter to New York's congressional delegation, Bloomberg said public, private and indirect losses to the city from the devastating late-October storm stood at $19 billion.?
Of that, private insurance is expected to cover $3.8 billion, with Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements to cover at least an additional $5.4 billion, Bloomberg said in a statement.?
The city still will need the additional $9.8 billion to help pay for costs that FEMA does not cover, like hazard mitigation, long-term housing, shoreline restoration and protection efforts, he said.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
Residents of the Northeast are still picking up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy.
Whatever the final tally, officials are beginning to pressure Congress for federal assistance.?
Cuomo met on Monday with the state's congressional delegation and county officials. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said in a statement that New York's Congressional delegation will push hard for additional federal funding.?
"The federal government has a clear responsibility to commit all of the necessary resources to help us rebuild," she said.?
Getting federal funds could be a tough fight, because of pressure on lawmakers to cut spending and raise taxes in order to shrink the federal deficit.?
"This will be an effort that lasts not weeks, but many months, and we will not rest until the federal response meets New York's deep and extensive needs," said U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer in a statement.?
Cuomo's earlier estimates had pegged the total amount of damages for the region at $50 billion, with about $33 billion of that incurred in New York state.?
In New York City, Bloomberg said on Monday that the city had about $4.8 billion of uninsured private losses, $3.8 billion of insured private losses, and $4.5 billion in losses to city agencies.?
Reconstructing the city's damaged roads alone could cost nearly $800 million, Bloomberg said. New York City, a financial and tourism center, also lost about $5.7 billion in gross city product, he said.?
Included in Cuomo's nearly $9.1 billion of mitigation costs are what he called "common sense" actions, like flood protection for the World Trade center site, roads, subway tunnels and sewage treatment plants, as well as power generators for the region's fuel supply system and backup power for health care facilities.?
"We will see new projects," said Mysore Nagaraja, former president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Capital Construction Co.?
"In order to justify whatever money they finally end up getting, they have to come up with this list of projects that need to be done so that the future Sandy will not have the impact it had this time," he said.?
Nagaraja is currently chairman of Spartan Solutions LLC, an infrastructure consulting firm.?
More content from NBCNews.com:
Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook
Surface analysis techniques for advanced materials enhance Mazovia's research potentialPublic release date: 27-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Aleksander Jablonski ajablonski@ichf.edu.pl Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Properties of several of the most external atomic layers of materials can be studied at Mazovia Centre for Surface Analysis by a number of modern techniques. Just opened at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, the Centre provides a spectrum of surface analysis tools including a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope and specialised spectroscopic equipment for surface studies in high and ultra high vacuum.
The Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis (MCSA) has opened today at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) in Warsaw, Poland. The Centre is housing research instruments financed from different programs, among other from EU-funded NOBLESSE project. This equipment allows studies of material samples with over a dozen spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.
"Laboratories working with scanning techniques had since long been operated at our Institute. Now we have upgraded their equipment, and the European funds allowed us for buying the last missing component, the electron microscope. All that was left to do was to dot the i's and to merge the laboratories into one unit specialising in surface analysis techniques", explains Prof. Robert Ho?yst, the managing director of the IPC PAS.
The ceremony was combined with the opening of a new, three-story laboratory building, apart from the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis providing space for the laboratories working on nanostructures and microfluidics, and also in part for the CHEMIPAN R&D Laboratories, operating as part of the IPC PAS and synthesising chemicals used for protection of the environment.
The analysis of materials surface properties plays a substantial role in science and industry. Even tiny amounts of impurities in a solid, on a few molecules per million scale, may emerge out of the material and cover its surface. The layer resulting from such a segregation significantly modifies the properties of the sample. At present, the equipment at the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis allows for analysing physico-chemical properties of even only two the most external atomic layers of the sample. The results of the analyses are used, for instance, in materials engineering and electronics.
The most essential equipment of the Centre include: a PHI 5000 VersaProbe multi-chamber spectrometer, an ESCALAB-210 spectrometer, a NanoSEM 450 scanning electron microscope, a MICROLAB 350 scanning Auger microanalyser, and an Autolab PGSTAT302N Electrochemical System for Corrosion Studies.
"At present, the Centre provides over a dozen surface science techniques for studying the surfaces of solids, including photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger spectroscopy, tunnelling microscopy, atomic force microscopy and others. It's quite a unique mix of methods used in a single ultra high vacuum", says Prof. Aleksander Jab?o?ski, the head of the MCSA. "It's also noteworthy that our equipment will be recorded in the ELAD an electronic laboratory equipment database, designed for the use by small and medium-size enterprises and research institutions cooperating under the Mazovian Valley of Green Chemistry project", he adds.
Much of the measurement time at the MCSA is devoted to orders from scientific and research institutions belonging to the NANOBIOM consortium, working on application of quantum semiconductor nanostructures in biology and medicine. "At present, 40% of the research time is related to the commissioned work, more and more often for the industry. All in all, we collaborated with nearly one hundred external organisations. And it's to be remembered that we are also doing our own research using our equipment", stresses Prof. Jab?o?ski.
The opening ceremony of the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis was attended by the representatives of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the local self-government authorities, the Mazovian Valley of Green Chemistry and representatives of over a dozen higher education institutions and research and scientific organisations including the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the PAS, the Institute of Physics of the PAS, the Institute of High Pressure Physics of the PAS, the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, the Industrial Chemistry Research Institute, the Pharmaceutical Research Institute, the Institute of Industrial Organic Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw University, and Military University of Technology.
This press release was prepared thanks to the NOBLESSE grant under the activity "Research potential" of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union.
###
The Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences was established in 1955 as one of the first chemical institutes of the PAS. The Institute's scientific profile is strongly related to the newest global trends in the development of physical chemistry and chemical physics. Scientific research is conducted in nine scientific departments. CHEMIPAN R&D Laboratories, operating as part of the Institute, implement, produce and commercialise specialist chemicals to be used, in particular, in agriculture and pharmaceutical industry. The Institute publishes approximately 200 original research papers annually.
CONTACTS:
Prof. Robert Ho?yst
Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences
tel. +48 22 3433123
email: rholyst@ichf.edu.pl
Prof. Aleksander Jab?o?ski
Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences
tel. +48 22 3433331
email: ajablonski@ichf.edu.pl
Website of the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis.
http://www.ichf.edu.pl/
Website of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
http://www.ichf.edu.pl/press/
Press releases of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the PAS.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Surface analysis techniques for advanced materials enhance Mazovia's research potentialPublic release date: 27-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Aleksander Jablonski ajablonski@ichf.edu.pl Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences
Properties of several of the most external atomic layers of materials can be studied at Mazovia Centre for Surface Analysis by a number of modern techniques. Just opened at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland, the Centre provides a spectrum of surface analysis tools including a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope and specialised spectroscopic equipment for surface studies in high and ultra high vacuum.
The Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis (MCSA) has opened today at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IPC PAS) in Warsaw, Poland. The Centre is housing research instruments financed from different programs, among other from EU-funded NOBLESSE project. This equipment allows studies of material samples with over a dozen spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.
"Laboratories working with scanning techniques had since long been operated at our Institute. Now we have upgraded their equipment, and the European funds allowed us for buying the last missing component, the electron microscope. All that was left to do was to dot the i's and to merge the laboratories into one unit specialising in surface analysis techniques", explains Prof. Robert Ho?yst, the managing director of the IPC PAS.
The ceremony was combined with the opening of a new, three-story laboratory building, apart from the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis providing space for the laboratories working on nanostructures and microfluidics, and also in part for the CHEMIPAN R&D Laboratories, operating as part of the IPC PAS and synthesising chemicals used for protection of the environment.
The analysis of materials surface properties plays a substantial role in science and industry. Even tiny amounts of impurities in a solid, on a few molecules per million scale, may emerge out of the material and cover its surface. The layer resulting from such a segregation significantly modifies the properties of the sample. At present, the equipment at the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis allows for analysing physico-chemical properties of even only two the most external atomic layers of the sample. The results of the analyses are used, for instance, in materials engineering and electronics.
The most essential equipment of the Centre include: a PHI 5000 VersaProbe multi-chamber spectrometer, an ESCALAB-210 spectrometer, a NanoSEM 450 scanning electron microscope, a MICROLAB 350 scanning Auger microanalyser, and an Autolab PGSTAT302N Electrochemical System for Corrosion Studies.
"At present, the Centre provides over a dozen surface science techniques for studying the surfaces of solids, including photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger spectroscopy, tunnelling microscopy, atomic force microscopy and others. It's quite a unique mix of methods used in a single ultra high vacuum", says Prof. Aleksander Jab?o?ski, the head of the MCSA. "It's also noteworthy that our equipment will be recorded in the ELAD an electronic laboratory equipment database, designed for the use by small and medium-size enterprises and research institutions cooperating under the Mazovian Valley of Green Chemistry project", he adds.
Much of the measurement time at the MCSA is devoted to orders from scientific and research institutions belonging to the NANOBIOM consortium, working on application of quantum semiconductor nanostructures in biology and medicine. "At present, 40% of the research time is related to the commissioned work, more and more often for the industry. All in all, we collaborated with nearly one hundred external organisations. And it's to be remembered that we are also doing our own research using our equipment", stresses Prof. Jab?o?ski.
The opening ceremony of the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis was attended by the representatives of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the local self-government authorities, the Mazovian Valley of Green Chemistry and representatives of over a dozen higher education institutions and research and scientific organisations including the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the PAS, the Institute of Physics of the PAS, the Institute of High Pressure Physics of the PAS, the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, the Industrial Chemistry Research Institute, the Pharmaceutical Research Institute, the Institute of Industrial Organic Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw University, and Military University of Technology.
This press release was prepared thanks to the NOBLESSE grant under the activity "Research potential" of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union.
###
The Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences was established in 1955 as one of the first chemical institutes of the PAS. The Institute's scientific profile is strongly related to the newest global trends in the development of physical chemistry and chemical physics. Scientific research is conducted in nine scientific departments. CHEMIPAN R&D Laboratories, operating as part of the Institute, implement, produce and commercialise specialist chemicals to be used, in particular, in agriculture and pharmaceutical industry. The Institute publishes approximately 200 original research papers annually.
CONTACTS:
Prof. Robert Ho?yst
Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences
tel. +48 22 3433123
email: rholyst@ichf.edu.pl
Prof. Aleksander Jab?o?ski
Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences
tel. +48 22 3433331
email: ajablonski@ichf.edu.pl
Website of the Mazovian Centre for Surface Analysis.
http://www.ichf.edu.pl/
Website of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
http://www.ichf.edu.pl/press/
Press releases of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the PAS.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Important guests for your commercial pages contain web robots that crawl the world wide web and catalog your content material. Possessing proper HTML source code, plus the proper mixture of text and graphic presentation, is just 1 secret to achievement. Correct code could imply larger robot ratings, and also the ?look? is equally essential. When a brand new prospect finds your internet site, you?ve got 5 seconds to have them to stay.
As a tiny enterprise web internet site owner, you may have asked ?Why don?t we get any hits?. Did you know Victor Cruz Jersey net pages can load and seem appropriate with improper or deprecated HTML code A browser might ignore your blunders, and display what it thinks you meant, and it could look great. Web robots might not be as forgiving.
Following is really a list of 8 standard components for great search engine placement that need to have to be regarded as within your design and web web site promotion. For facts on code issues from the worldwide authority, check out the Globe Wide Web Consortium to view DOCTYPE as well as other top quality standards.
1. DOCTYPE Statement 2. Page Title 3. Proper HTML Code 4. META Description 5. META Crucial Words 6. First Paragraph with the Property Page 7. An Additional Page of Just Hyperlinks 8. Backlinks (Links to your pages)
These 8 important Victor Cruz Jersey products are either missing or poorly designed in 85% of all internet websites. Some search engines could only list the other 15% in their directories. In other words, as handful of as 15% from the 6 billion net pages on-line ever make it into some search engines like google. Even worse, there are blunders that could lead to your page being blacklisted, as well as the search engine net crawlers may possibly in no way come back to determine if it is corrected. This could explain why you ?never get any hits?.
Internet websites might be simple and professional with no using fancy software to create your pages. Veteran programmers hand code and numerous produce the HTML in NotePad. Web authors who decide on to use flash, frames, or the most recent software program might be losing a substantial portion of new guests (clients) simply because the visitor could lack the technologies or newest version of browsers. If they are turned off and leave with out providing your internet site a fair viewing, it could imply lost income.
Most designers use prepackaged computer software to create net pages. When the Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey software leaves out any in the key elements, the code is hidden, and you will in no way know your website was not optimized for search engines like google. The designer might not know, or care, about these products provided that the page looks desirable. Note: Search engine algorithms differ by business, so some components for example ?an added page of links? might not be as essential these days with some search robots. Backlinks refer to advertising and marketing your internet site and acquiring other internet sites to link to yours.
Obtain super-cheap Jason Pierre-Paul Jersey from authorized Victor Cruz Jersey Store right away with Swift Shipping and delivery, Protected Payment & Incredible Customer Support from us.
Often, the gift that we find that initially seems great, tends to lose a bit of its luster once we spy the price tag and determine that it is definitely not within our price range. Isn?t that the most disappointing aspect of gift giving ? knowing the gift you actually give was actually your second or third choice? Yes, but it is not the end of the world. Continue reading for unique gift giving ideas on a budget.Sometimes it is just so hard to find those perfect gifts for the ones that we love. Often, the gift that we find that initially seems great, tends to lose a bit of its luster once we spy the price tag and determine that it is definitely not within our price range. Isn?t that the most disappointing aspect of gift giving ? knowing the gift you actually give was actually your second or third choice? Yes, but it is not the end of the world.
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 27-Nov-2012
Share ]