General News of Thursday, 31 May 2012

Source: Daily Graphic

A government report has revealed that public officers at the Lands Commission, the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Town and Country Planning Department designed various illegal schemes to allocate government bungalows and parcels of land to politicians, government officials and their friends, without Cabinet approval and direction.

According to the report, the first phase of the Cabinet-approved allocation of government bungalows for redevelopment took place between 2000 and 2003.

However, at the time of operating the redevelopment programme, other schemes targeting government bungalow plots were also being operated outside the Cabinet-approved scheme.

The illegal schemes were operated by public officers at the Lands Commission, the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Town and Country Planning Department, it said.

Giving a background to the redevelopment scheme which was initiated in 1998 by the Rawlings administration and continued by the Kufuor administration, the report, excerpts of which are available to graphic.com.gh said the government targeted the redevelopment of plots of land with government bungalows in the prime areas of Ridge, Cantonments, Kanda, the Switchback Road and the Airport Residential Area.

Most of the bungalows were put up in the 1940s and 1950s and were in deplorable states.

To guide the execution of the redevelopment project, it said, the Cabinet, in 2000, discussed and approved a fair and transparent competitive bidding process.

Read this article:
Public Servants Illegally Allocated Government Property - Report

Almost one year ago, Springfields Hope Institute for Children and Families welcomed a member of outgoing Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daleys cabinet as Hopes new president and chief executive officer.

Hope officials had hoped Chicago resident Mary Ellen Caron would be a long-term replacement for Joseph Nyre, who resigned to become a college president after almost eight years at the helm of Hope, a 55-year-old education, health and social-service agency for children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

But after 4 1/2 months on the job, Caron resigned unexpectedly last fall with no apparent job prospects elsewhere, according to Hope spokesman Mark Schmidt.

We went through a large nationwide search to find her, Schmidt said last week. We hated to see her go.

He said Caron decided on her own that the job wasnt a good fit for her.

Hopes chief financial officer, Springfield resident Clint Paul, was named interim president and CEO effective Nov. 1, and Hope officials have begun to look for someone to fill the permanent leadership post.

A search is under way, Schmidt said. The process is active and ongoing.

Springfield ties

Paul, 39, a certified public accountant who previously worked as controller for Bunn Capitol, is being considered for the permanent position.

This is an exciting time to be part of The Hope Institute, and I am pleased to have the support of our directors, trustees and an excellent staff as we move this organization forward, Paul said in a statement.

Read more:
Hope Institute seeking second new president in last year

May 24, 2012 12:28 am

From staff and wire reports

Toilet and Cabinet Locks

Dorel Juvenile Group Inc., of Columbus, Ind., is recalling about 183,000 toilet locks and 685,000 cabinet locks because children can disengage them.

The recall involves Safety 1st Sure Fit toilet locks with model numbers 48003 and 48103 and Safety 1st cabinet slide locks with model numbers 12013 and 12014. Model numbers can be found on the back of the locks.

They were sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond, Burlington Coat Factory, Home Depot, Target and Walmart from January 2005 through April 2010 for between $8 and $20 for the toilet locks, and from January 2000 through March 2009 for between $2 and $11 for the cabinet locks. Amazon.com sold both locks through April 2012.

Consumers should contact DJG for a free replacement.

For more information, contact DJG toll-free at 1-877-416-8105 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at http://www.djgusa.com.

Desk Lamps

L G Sourcing Inc., of North Wilkesboro, N.C., is recalling about 33,000 LED Clip-On Desk Lamps because the power cord can detach where it meets the clamp, posing an electric shock risk.

Excerpt from:
Featured recalls | 5/24/12

By Anatoly Medetsky

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: May 23, 2012 (Issue # 1709)

Members of the Cabinet, appointed Monday by President Vladimir Putin, from top left: Shuvalov, Kozak, Surkov, Rogozin, Khloponin, Dvorkovich, Golodets, Abyzov, Belousov, Donskoi, Fyodorov, Govorun, Ishayev, Kolokoltsev, Konovalev, Lavrov, Livanov, Manturov, Medinsky, Mutko, Nikiforov, Novak, Puchkov, Serdyukov, Siluanov, Skvortsova, Sokolov and Topilin.

MOSCOW President Vladimir Putin on Monday appointed a Cabinet that has a strikingly familiar look.

Most ministers held on to their seats, received promotions from deputy ministers or came over from the Kremlin.

The shuffle cements Putins grip on power while fulfilling a promise by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that three-fourths of the faces would be new.

Igor Shuvalov will be the second-in-command in the Cabinet, retaining the rank of first deputy prime minister.

He will be the only first deputy prime minister: Putin named no replacement for the other person with this rank in the previous Cabinet, Viktor Zubkov.

In other organizational changes, the Health and Social Development Ministry will be split in two, the Sports Ministry lost its tourist portfolio, and a new ministry was created to develop the Far East.

Read the original post:
Putin’s New Cabinet Has Many Familiar Faces

Cameron green light to new generation of nuclear subs Lib Dems wanted downgrade to reflect end of Cold War

By Tim Shipman

PUBLISHED: 02:47 EST, 21 May 2012 | UPDATED: 04:52 EST, 21 May 2012

David Cameron has given the green light to a new generation of Trident nuclear submarines, pitching the coalition into civil war over the future of Britains deterrent.

The Ministry of Defence will next week reveal the names of defence firms who have won 350million of contracts to design the new super subs.

The decision means the UK is set to replace the four giant Vanguard class boats with a new Bravo class of submarines, rather than downgrade the deterrent as the Lib Dems want.

Making waves: David Cameron has given the go-ahead to a new generation of nuclear submarines to replace the current Vanguard class of boats, which includes HMS Vanguard (above)

The successor submarines are due to come into service in 2028.

And the design of the new submarines will use a new nuclear propulsion system to make the next generation of boats longer lasting and more cost effective.

The rest is here:
PM signals that Trident replacement is on the way despite Lib Dem unease

Study: 1 in 4 kids diabetic or pre-diabetic Study: 1 in 4 kids diabetic or pre-diabetic

Updated: Monday, May 21 2012 7:53 PM EDT2012-05-21 23:53:30 GMT

Recent data shows a shocking jump in youth diabetes. A new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics said 1 out of 4 youth in the U.S. is diabetic or pre-diabetic.

Recent data shows a shocking jump in youth diabetes. A new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics said 1 out of 4 youth in the U.S. is diabetic or pre-diabetic.

The West Frankfort Police Department arrested 18 on Monday, May 21 after an undercover drug investigation.

Updated: Monday, May 21 2012 7:28 PM EDT2012-05-21 23:28:48 GMT

The United States Geological Survey reports a 2.9 magnitude earthquake shook part of southeast Missouri Monday just after 5 p.m.

The United States Geological Survey reports a 2.9 magnitude earthquake shook part of southeast Missouri Monday just after 5 p.m.

Updated: Monday, May 21 2012 7:21 PM EDT2012-05-21 23:21:57 GMT

Officers are investigating two break-ins in Fisk and Neelyville at convenience stores.

Read more:
Concrete deck poured on Eggners Ferry Bridge replacement span

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of both First Fitness Trampolines with Handlebars and Safety1st Toilet and Cabinet Locks.

You are advised to stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

About 40,000 of the First Fitness Trampolines have been recalled. Theyre manufactured by Aqua-Leisure Industries, Inc. of Avon, Mass.

According to the CPSC, metal fatigue can cause the handlebar of the trampoline to break away during use, posing a risk of laceration from exposed metal surfaces or other injury from a fall. Four reports of broken handlebars have been reported, but no injuries.

This recall involves First Fitness Kids First trampolines with handlebars. The child-size toy trampolines have a red and blue metal handlebar, a blue nylon deck guard and a black jumping deck. First Fitness is embossed on the jumping deck in white letters. The trampolines can be identified by model number FF-6902TR and Toys R Us SKN 491463. The model and store numbers can be found on the lower right corner of the back of the packaging. A sewn-in tag on the bottom of the deck lists the factory date code of five numbers followed by GLTX.

The trampolines were sold exclusively atToys R Us stores nationwide from September 2010 through April 2012 for between $45 and $70.

Consumers are instructed to immediately take the recalled trampolines from children and contact Aqua-Leisures recall hotline for a full refund. Refund contact information is at the right of this article.

In addition, about 183,000 toilet locks and 685,000 cabinet locks have been recalled. They were manufactured by Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) Inc., of Columbus, Ind.

The CPSC says that young children can unexpectedly disengage the toilet locks and gain access to water in the toilet, posing the risk of drowning. The cabinet locks are being recalled because young children can disengage the lock, posing the risk of injury from dangerous or unsafe items stored in the cabinet.

DJG has received 110 reports of toilet locks that did not adequately secure the lid, including eight reports of children, under the age of two, who were able to disengage or break the lock.

Originally posted here:
CPSC recalls two children's items: trampoline and Safety1st locks

Safety 1st just issued a large recall for its toilet and cabinet child safety locks because they may fail to lock , the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC) just announced. About 183,00 Safety 1st Toilet Locks and 685,000 Safety 1st Cabinet Locks are involved in the recall.

The defective Safety 1st products were manufactured in China and imported by the Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) Inc., of Columbus, Indiana. The Safety 1st Toilet and Cabinet Locks were sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond; Burlington Coat Factory; Great Beginnings; Home Depot; Target; and Walmart from January 2005 through April 2010 for between $8 and $20 for the toilet locks, and from January 2000 through March 2009 for between $2 and $11 for the cabinet locks. Amazon.com sold both locks through April 2012.

Young children can unexpectedly disengage the toilet locks and gain access to water in the toilet, posing a drowning risk. The cabinet locks are being recalled because young children can disengage the lock, which poses the risk of injury from dangerous or unsafe items that are stored in the cabinet.

To date, DJG received 110 reports of toilet locks that did not adequately secure the lid, including eight reports of children, under the age of two, who were able to disengage or break the lock. DJG has also received 278 reports of cabinet locks that did not adequately secure the cabinet, including 71 reports of children between the ages of eight months and five years old who were able to disengage the cabinet locks. In one of the reported incidents, a 13-month-old boy swallowed small, toxic beads from a craft kit. The child was admitted to the hospital, observed overnight, and released the following day.

This recall involves Safety 1st Sure Fit Toilet Locks with model numbers 48003 and 48103. The toilet lock is attached to the tank, behind the lid, and is intended to prevent a childs access to the toilet bowl. This recall also involves Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Locks with model numbers 12013 and 12014. The lock is attached to cabinet knobs or handles to prevent access to the contents of the cabinet. Model numbers can be found on the back of the locks.

The firm advises consumers to immediately remove the recalled Safety 1st locks and contact DJG for a free replacement lock of a different model. When removing the recalled locks, consumers are urged to immediately store dangerous items out of reach of children and to prevent unsupervised access to bathrooms. DJG can be reached, toll-free, at 1.877.416.8105 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday, or at the firms website at http://www.djgusa.com.

The CPSC noted that, in March 2012, a large recall of 900,000 Safety 1st Push N Snap Cabinet Locks was implemented due to lock failure. That release can be accessed at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12136.html.

Original post:
Safety 1st Recalls Toilet, Cabinet Child Safety Locks for Failure to Lock

Carole Mikita joins growing number of baby boomers in joint replacement surgery

By Carole Mikita

May 18th, 2012 @ 10:26pm

SALT LAKE CITY In the last 10 years, hip and knee replacement surgeries have more than tripled in the 45- to 64-year-old age group. In fact, there were more than 288-thousand hip replacements in 2009 with more than half of the patients under age 65.

Surprisingly, the rise in these types of surgeries is not all because of obesity. Baby boomers are now known as the "fix it" generation, and I recently had the experience.

In my pursuit of a good news story over the years, photographers and I have hiked through the mountains of Guatemala; waded through fields of mud following a rainstorm in Tonga; and made our way, not very gracefully, to the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama.

That can take a toll on the joints, particularly on someone whose family has a history of arthritis. As a baby boomer, allow me to represent so many in our generation.

This year, I finally came out of denial and into the realization that I actually had to have hip replacement surgery. I was limping severely, and it was obviously time.

A week before the operation, specialists at LDS Hospital take patients through the steps of what will happen before surgery and what they need to do after.

The 7th Floor West at LDS is a joint center, complete with a physical therapy area and private rooms and bathrooms. But for most, the stays are short, usually lasting a day or two.

Here is the original post:
Carole Mikita joins growing number of baby boomers in joint replacement surgery

WASHINGTON -- A popular brand of toilet and cabinet locks are under recall.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Dorel Juvenile Group said there has been a voluntary recall on Safety 1st toilet and cabinet locks.

Young children can disengage the toilet locks and gain access to water in the toilet, posing the risk of drowning.

The cabinet locks are being recalled because young children can disengage the lock, posing the risk of injury from dangerous or unsafe items stored in the cabinet.

The recall involves Safety 1st Sure Fit toilet locks with model numbers 48003 and 48103. The toilet lock is attached to the tank behind the lid and is intended to prevent a child's access to the toilet bowl.

The recall also involves Safety 1st cabinet slide locks with model numbers 12013 and 12014. The cabinet slide lock is attached to cabinet knobs or handles to prevent access to the contents of the cabinet.

Model numbers can be found on the back of the locks.

The products were sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond; Burlington Coat Factory; Great Beginnings; Home Depot; Target and Walmart from January 2005 through April 2010 for between $8 and $20 for the toilet locks, and from January 2000 through March 2009 for between $2 and $11 for the cabinet locks. Amazon.com sold both locks through April 2012.

Consumers should immediately remove the recalled locks and contact DJG for a free replacement lock of a different model.

When removing the recalled locks, consumers are urged to immediately store dangerous items out of reach of children and to prevent unsupervised access to bathrooms.

Originally posted here:
Safety 1st Products Recalled