Obligations or engineering? | Otago Daily Times Online News ...

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett

New child-care rules - or "social obligations" - for beneficiaries announced this week have proved polarising. The rules include a stipulation that beneficiaries' children must attend early childhood education for 15 hours a week from the age of 3, attend school from age 5 or 6, enrol with a GP and complete core WellChild/Tamariki Ora checks, including immunisation.

If parents do not comply after three reminders, their benefits will be halved.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said the rules would ensure the children of beneficiaries - whom she deemed the "most vulnerable" - get the best possible start to life through access to education and health services.

The Green Party and some early child-care providers say the early childhood education policy is unworkable as many operators cannot provide those hours. The Labour Party and Plunket Society said halving benefits for families that didn't comply would "disadvantage the children who need that support the most" and have "a direct impact on children".

Dr Sarah Farquhar, of the Child Forum, said the decision "would be a complete U-turn in New Zealand's tradition of valuing families and the family's role in the child's early learning and care. It's basically saying there is a certain proportion of the population who are not capable of providing early childhood education to their children."

The rules are the latest in the Government's first phase of welfare reforms - many of them controversial and hard-hitting - which have included stopping payments to beneficiaries subject to arrest warrants, partial loss of benefits for those who refuse to apply for drug-tested jobs or fail to attend a job interview, part-time work expectation for sole parents with children over 5 and full-time work expectation for sole parents with children over 14, payment cards for young beneficiaries and teen parents, and financial assistance for long-term contraception.

Next week, the second phase of the welfare reform legislation, overhauling benefit categories, is expected to be introduced into Parliament. The total welfare package is expected to cost at least $520 million and save up to $1 billion over four years.

Welfare is an often divisive issue. National campaigned on it and says it is now delivering on its promises.

There can be no doubt the costs of welfare to the country are huge. Payments currently total about $7.6 billion annually.

National says 12% of the country's working-age population is on a benefit and 220,000 children are in benefit-dependent homes, creating "vulnerable people and trapping them in a life of limited choices, poverty and poor health".

No-one would disagree encouraging and enabling those who are able to join or return to the workforce is important - both for their own self-esteem, and financial stability - but also for the country's progress and economic gain.

But of course, given the current climate, it is not as simple as that.

Job opportunities in many sectors continue to dry up, and closures or redundancies are increasingly commonplace. Which is of course why welfare is vital as a safety net for those who cannot work. While many of National's policies are obviously targeted at the group of beneficiaries who it - and many taxpayers - believe are taking advantage of the system, there are also those in genuine need of support.

Tarnishing all beneficiaries with the same brush with sweeping one-size-fits-all policies has upset many, as they do not take personal circumstances or wishes into account. And some of the Government's rules which effectively remove beneficiaries' choices in their children's upbringing (such as around child-care and immunisation) could be viewed as leaning more towards social engineering than social obligations - particularly as they are not required for parents who are not on benefits.

The Government is to be commended for taking some steps towards improving the lives of beneficiaries and their children - and demanding responsibility and accountability for its payments. But it also needs to tread carefully lest it trample on some of the freedoms and rights that New Zealanders value.

?

Source: http://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/editorial/225820/obligations-or-engineering

taylor swift safe and sound delilah nevis 2012 sports illustrated swimsuit same day flower delivery valentines day westminster dog show

Greece has another month before debt assessment

AAA??Sep. 14, 2012?7:04 AM ET
Greece has another month before debt assessment
By PAN PYLASBy PAN PYLAS, Associated Press??

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schuble, right, talks to the Managing Director of IMF Christine Lagarde prior of the Informal European economic and financial affairs council in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. European finance ministers are gathering in Cyprus for two days of discussions about the debt crisis and the latest developments in Greece and Spain. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schuble, right, talks to the Managing Director of IMF Christine Lagarde prior of the Informal European economic and financial affairs council in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. European finance ministers are gathering in Cyprus for two days of discussions about the debt crisis and the latest developments in Greece and Spain. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

Greek Finance Minister Ioannis Stournaras, left, talks with International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission chief for Greece Poul Thomsen prior of the Informal European economic and financial affairs council in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. European finance ministers are gathering in Cyprus for two days of discussions about the debt crisis and the latest developments in Greece and Spain. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi, left, talks with the Managing Director of the IMF Christine Lagarde, prior of the Informal European economic and financial affairs council in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. European finance ministers are gathering in Cyprus for two days of discussions about the debt crisis and the latest developments in Greece and Spain. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

Austrian Finance Minister Maria Theresia Fekter, center, talks with the European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, left, prior of the Informal European economic and financial affairs council in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. European finance ministers are gathering in Cyprus for two days of discussions about the debt crisis and the latest developments in Greece and Spain. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

Cypriot Finance Minister Ivassos Shiarly, left, talks Spanish Finance Minister Luis De Guindos prior of the Informal European economic and financial affairs council in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, Sept. 14, 2012. European finance ministers are gathering in Cyprus for two days of discussions about the debt crisis and the latest developments in Greece and Spain. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of the eurogroup of finance ministers, says Greece will not learn whether it's done enough to get its next batch of bailout cash for at least a month.

Juncker says Friday at an informal meeting of euro finance ministers in the Cypriot capital that decisions on Greece will not likely be made until the second half of October.

The Greek government is trying to cobble together an ?11.5 billion austerity package to satisfy its international creditors.

The country is currently being assessed by debt inspectors and Juncker doubts their report will be ready in time for a decision in the first half of October.

Juncker also said he was encouraged by remarks from Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos that the country would do more to reach its deficit targets.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-14-Europe-Financial%20Crisis/id-b057bf559e38423a973292060bfc0195

scarlett johansson bill clinton andy roddick Costa Rica Earthquake sandra fluke kellie pickler costa rica

Information To Think About When Looking For Bankruptcy Alternatives

If you are thinking about bankruptcy as an alternative for getting you out of obligations, it is a good idea to assemble lots of information on this subject, so that you can research the topic. You need to bear in mind that this is a crucial step that can get you out of debts. If you engage in this process without the necessary skills, you may end up losing your properties. You must have the right tips. Learn the way to file for bankruptcy prior to doing it in the real world.

Before you select the bankruptcy lawyer, you need to consult with other professionals. Economic advisors and credit score advisors are the first folk to check with. They will help you determine if bankruptcy is the best option for you. A bankruptcy legal pro will research your situation to help you know if this is the right step for you to get you out of debts.

It?s good to understand whether or not you should file for bankruptcy relief. Sometimes merging your debts is a good option. It will be so straightforward to handle one creditor rather than dealing with many.

If you are looking to apply for bankruptcy, it?s great to be truthful with your debts. You have to be frank with your financial state. If you hide some of your earnings, you won?t be doing yourself justice. If you would like to effectively sign up for this process, you need to clearly show your revenues and expenses.

You want to take a look at the consequences of signing up for bankruptcy. Despite the proven fact that this can be a positive move, it might have some negative effects on you as well. This is the most important reason why you have got to be keen on the topic, and ready to face the result, whether bad or good.

Paul Mascia, founder and Chief Executive of The Mascia Law Firm, spends plenty of his time aiding those affected by the most recent debt and housing emergency.

Source: http://freefinancearticles.info/information-to-think-about-when-looking-for-bankruptcy-alternatives

bath and body works coupons jeff probst jeff probst king jong il dead south korea baron davis duggar family

Levi Johnston has new daughter: Breeze Beretta

Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images file

By Us Weekly

With the birth of his second child, Levi Johnston celebrated his Constitutional right to bear .... babies named after arms.

TMZ reports the Alaska native's girlfriend, Sunny Oglesby, gave birth to Johnston's second child Wednesday, a daughter named Breeze Beretta Johnston -- with the unusual middle name referencing the Italian firearm manufacturer. (Johnston, 22, is already a father to Tripp Palin, his 3-year-old son with ex-fiancee Bristol).

PHOTOS: Weird baby name hall of fame

In April, Johnston and Oglesby sat down for a chat with "Inside Edition," during which he admitted the pregnancy was "unplanned."

"There was a time we went to the cabin and forgot the birth control pills, and a month later we found out we were having a baby," he explained of Sunny, a 20-year-old teacher who resides in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska.

Johnston and his ex, the eldest child of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, welcomed son Tripp in late 2008; the couple called off their engagement in March 2009, got engaged again in July 2010, but finally called it off for good just three months later.

PHOTOS: Bristol and Levi--the way they were

"Bristol wanted to have a baby," Johnston sniped of Bristol, 21, to E! News in September 2011. "It all happened on purpose, and I was dumb enough just to roll with it."

More Entertainment news:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2012/09/12/13833216-levi-johnston-welcomes-his-second-child-daughter-breeze-beretta?lite

navy jet crash virginia beach crash stephen hawking marion barry virginia beach jet crash ridiculously photogenic guy amanda bynes dui

Escape an Unwanted Conversation Faster by Actively Listening [Communication]

You won't like everyone you meet. In fact, you probably won't like most people you meet. While snap judgments aren't always accurate and rarely fair, taking a dislike to others is an unavoidable life problem that can lead to some boring, awkward, or uncomfortable conversations. To get out of them faster, Boston.com writer Jennifer Spencer suggests you just need to listen:

If you've already made a decision you don't like this person, don't replay that negativity in your head. Concentrate on the substance of what he or she is saying and engage in the topic or task rather than the messenger. By focusing on the other person you may find more direct ways to share information which in turn means you can get away from them sooner.

Along with this tip, Jennifer offers a bunch of other suggestions for communicating with people you don't like. Among them is an important reminder: you might actually like them despite your snap judgment, so stay open-minded. The above tip can help you do that, too. Most people are pretty cool, and just because you don't like them isn't a good reason to be rude. Hit up the full post at Boston.com for more.

Communicating with people you don't like | Boston.com

Photo by Everett Collection (Shutterstock).

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/LZp1yrAorzg/get-out-of-an-unwanted-conversation-faster-by-actively-listening

cotto ncaa bowl games bowls herman cain harry potter and the half blood prince city of ember city of ember

Thunderstorms delay flights, snarl traffic in Vegas area, flood homes in Southern California

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - Intense thunderstorms drenched parts of the Southwest on Tuesday, delaying flights and stranding motorists in the Las Vegas area and flooding two mobile home parks in Southern California.

East of downtown Las Vegas, television news video showed yellow school buses inching slowly along swamped roads in some neighbours and muddy brown water up to the lower window sills of stucco homes in others.

A Twitter photo showed dozens of cars submerged in water up to their headlights in a parking lot outside a University of Nevada, Las Vegas sports arena.

The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm and flash-flood warnings before and after almost an inch of rain was reported at McCarran International Airport just before 2 p.m.

Departures were postponed and arrivals were delayed after the airport ordered a stop on fueling operations during lightning strikes, airport spokeswoman Linda Healey said.

Firefighters responded to more than 20 calls about people in stalled cars, county spokesman Dan Kulin said. A Las Vegas police helicopter was dispatched during the height of the storm to pluck several people from swamped vehicles on area roadways, Officer Bill Cassell said.

After responding to numerous 911 calls, officials in Clark County, North Las Vegas, Henderson and Las Vegas said Tuesday there were no confirmed reports of serious injuries.

National Weather Service meteorologist Michael Staudenmaier said more than 1.75 inches of rain were reported in downtown Las Vegas.

The rainfall amounts put the region on pace to exceed the 4.5 inches of rain it normally gets in a year, he said.

However, National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Sukup said the Nevada showers weren't part of the same storm system that doused parts of Southern California.

There, a thunderstorm that dropped more than the average annual rainfall on parts of the Coachella Valley in one night alone caused flooding at two mobile home parks, forced road closures and dampened a school, officials said Tuesday.

The early morning thunderstorm stalled for six to eight hours over Mecca and Thermal, two towns at the southern tip of the Coachella Valley 150 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Thermal is about eight miles from Indio, Calif., where the annual Coachella Music Festival is held.

The storm dropped 5.51 inches of rain near Mecca and 3.23 inches of rain near Thermal, meteorologist Mark Moede said. The average annual rainfall in Thermal is just shy of 3 inches, he said.

"That's an amazing amount of rain," Moede said. "It's unusual anywhere to get a storm that sits stationary for five to eight hours. The fact that it occurred in the southern part of the Coachella Valley is even more unusual because it's typically a very arid part of the country."

In Thermal, the downpour flooded the Desert Mobile Home Park better known as Duroville, causing the park to lose one of its wells and creating concerns about overflow from sewage ponds used to treat waste, said Ray Smith, a Riverside County spokesman.

County fire crews assessed the water and electrical systems and were providing water to the park. Residents also were advised to boil water, he said.

Several Duroville homes remained without power late Tuesday afternoon. About 1,400 people live in the park, but it wasn't immediately clear if any evacuated due to the flooding. A voluntary evacuation centre was established in Mecca.

St. Anthony's Mobile Home Park in Mecca also was affected, Smith said, but fared better than Duroville. Video clips showed Mecca residents wading through streets with water reaching their knees and cars creeping through flooded residential streets.

Flooding also was reported at Mecca's Saul Martinez Elementary School, but students doubled up in some classes and the school remained open, The Desert Sun newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, some southern Utah residents also were dealing with flooding because of a broken dike.

Officials in Santa Clara were inspecting whether people could return to more than 30 homes and businesses that were evacuated after the Tuesday break flooded nearly four square blocks.

City Manager Edward Dickie said the dike along a retention pond broke open after heavy morning rains, sending a deluge of water into downtown.

"It didn't just breach. It broke. It's gone," he said, adding that the flooding quickly receded as water drained into rivers and creeks.

Some streets through town remained closed late in the day as authorities assessed the damage and waited for floodwaters to recede. No injuries were reported.

Crews used sandbags to shore up the broken dike and stave off the potential for additional flooding if the rain returns.

___

Flaccus reported from Santa Ana, Calif. Associated Press writers Shaya Mohajer in Los Angeles and Brian Skoloff in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/thunderstorms-delay-flights-snarl-traffic-vegas-area-flood-042021632.html

ben breedlove kid cudi ben breedlove matt barnes hcm loretta lynn gene kelly zoe saldana

Yemen defense minister escapes assassination attempt

SANAA (Reuters) - Yemen's defense minister escaped an assassination attempt on Tuesday but at least seven people died in the car bombing that followed the killing of al Qaeda's second-in-command in the country, government sources said.

Witnesses said the blast happened as Major General Muhammad Nasir Ahmad's motorcade left the prime minister's office in Sanaa after a cabinet meeting. Seven people were wounded.

One vehicle carrying security personnel was destroyed but the minister, who was travelling in a different armored car, survived. Aides said he was unhurt and had told Prime Minister Mohammed Basindwa he was safe.

"A booby-trapped car waited for the motorcade of the minister near the government offices and as soon as it moved, it exploded," a security source told Reuters. "A security car was totally destroyed and all its occupants were killed, but the minister survived because his car is armored."

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which followed the killing of the deputy leader of the Yemeni branch of al-Qaeda, Said al-Shehri, in an attack last week.

Al Qaeda blames the minister for leading a campaign that drove it from strongholds in southern Yemen, an area that has become of increasing concern to the United States in its campaign against Islamist militants.

Yemen claimed a major victory in its battle with al Qaeda this week with the death of Shehri, although public anger about U.S. drone attacks remains strong because of civilian deaths.

Shehri was wanted by Yemeni, Saudi and U.S. authorities over his role in Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

A former inmate of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Shehri was released to Saudi Arabia in 2007, but after time on a Saudi militant rehabilitation program he escaped to Yemen and possibly had a role in a 2008 attack on the U.S. embassy.

Last year Yemen claimed it had killed him, only for it to emerge Shehri was still at large.

"Shehri's death is a painful blow to al Qaeda after the grievous losses it suffered in Abyan," state-owned daily al-Thawra said in a front page headline, referring to a province where the army had forced Islamist militants from this year.

Officials say it was the fourth assassination attempt against the defense minister since a new government was formed last December, after a power transfer deal under which long-ruling President Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down.

ANGER OVER CIVILIAN DEATHS

Ten people were killed last week in an apparent drone attack that missed its target or was based on wrong information - further stoking public anger over U.S. operations in Yemen, a new frontline in Washington's global war on al Qaeda.

There was conflicting information on how Shehri died, highlighting the government's awkward position in a drone war that many Yemenis are skeptical about.

While the government claimed it was an army operation, security sources said he died in a U.S. drone attack last Wednesday in Hadramout.

Analyst Nasser Arrabyee said the Yemeni government wanted to claim a success to market the U.S.-led campaign to the public.

"People are angry because of the mistakes that were made when people were killed," he said. "But most people know that al Qaeda should be defeated and is dangerous for the country."

Leaked U.S. diplomatic cables showed Saleh agreed in 2009 to a covert U.S. war on Islamist militants that he would claim Yemeni responsibility for when necessary.

Yemenis fear that the U.S. focus on militants is diverting attention and resources away from pressing issues such as unemployment, corruption, water depletion and economic revival.

"The government is certainly keen to show they are active and successful in the fight against al Qaeda and at the same time to tell its own people there is no active and open U.S. military action," said Ghanem Nuseibeh, senior analyst with Cornerstone Global.

"The authorities seem to have decided that claiming responsibility is less risky than saying the Americans did it."

(Additional reporting by Andrew Hammond; Writing by Sami Aboudi and Andrew Hammond; Editing by Angus MacSwan and David Stamp)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/yemen-defense-minister-survives-assassination-attempt-sources-105020649.html

new smyrna beach st. joseph walking dead puerto rico primary manning peyton florida state