Free Republic

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Most Democrats quietly sighed with relief last month when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed his budget plan, pleased that he had backed away from proposed cuts to health and social service programs that serve many of the party's core constituents. But not the Service Employees International Union, the nation's largest union that represents most of the state's 300,000 home health care workers. Schwarzenegger had targeted them with a big wage cut. Since then, the union has turned the proposed cut, which would have represented one-tenth of 1 percent of the state's $103 billion budget, into a show of...

Are you just four steps away from a genius? 5 February 2004Belle Dume The world of science is a small one, according to a new statistical analysis by a US physicist. Mark Newman at the University of Michigan studied the collaboration patterns between researchers and found that most scientists are separated from each other by only about 4 to 7 links. He believes this and other results that he has unearthed could have implications for the way science is practised in the future (Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci to be published) Collaborative networks - such as the patterns of links between...

Bush's Steps in December Boost Prospects 1 hour, 56 minutes ago By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer CRAWFORD, Texas - A little luck and some pre-emptive moves before the new year began have allowed President Bush to muffle Democratic criticism on a host of political issues, from Medicare to mad cow disease, the CIA leak to Saddam Hussein. Democrats can no longer criticize Bush about failing to find the Iraqi leader. Got him. The prescription drug benefit Bush promised? Done, although only time will tell if seniors really think it's a good deal. The sluggish economy? Upticks in financial indicators...

<p>Trying to rein in skyrocketing workers' compensation costs, the state Senate approved legislation Wednesday to control prices charged by outpatient surgery centers and pharmacies to treat injured workers.</p> <p>The 90-year-old system, which treats job-related injuries, has been rocked by cost increases that have more than doubled average workers' comp insurance rates required for most businesses.</p>

Navy steps up al-Qa'eda anti-terror patrols By Michael Smith, Defence Correspondent (Filed: 26/11/2002) The Royal Navy is stepping up its patrols off the coast of Britain and in the Mediterranean to protect shipping against attacks by al-Qa'eda terrorists, the First Sea Lord said yesterday. Adml Sir Alan West said he wanted to see more heavy machineguns put on board vessels to allow the Navy to defend shipping against attacks from small boats packed with explosives. The stepping up of patrols follows the broadcasting by al-Jazeera, the Arab television network, of a tape of Osama bin Laden naming Britain as among...