Tuesday, 29 May 2012
A multi-million-dollar painting by U.S. artist Jackson Pollock was back in Tehran’s Museum of Contemporary Arts on Tuesday after a row with Iran’s customs service over unpaid debt was resolved, the state IRNA news agency reported.
Iran’s customs service had seized the work, “Mural on Indian Red Ground” (1950), on May 11 as it was returning from an exhibition in Japan. The service said it was being held over money owed to it by the ministry of culture, which runs the museum.
“After negotiations, this work was returned to the museum intact,” Ali Asghar Amirnia, the head of visual arts department of the culture ministry was quoted as saying by IRNA.
The painting had an estimated value of $250 million and is considered one of the prize pieces in the Tehran museum, which also features works by Paul Gauguin, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Alberto Giacometti and Henry Moore.
Most of the collection was built up by Iran’s former queen Farah Pahlavi, who deployed a team of experts to tour Western auctions and snap up prestige paintings and sculptures to boost her country's cultural profile.
Source: english.alarabiya.net
California’s Most Boring Election Ever - Beyond Chron
As I noted last week, if Big Tobacco were not clogging the airwaves with No on 29 ads, many might not realize that California has a statewide election next week. The days when federal and state primaries in June effectively decided the winner in most districts are over, while incumbents across the state typically are running unopposed or with only token opposition.
State Ballot Changes
Californias destructive Prop 13 passed on a June ballot, and thanks to Governor Brown and his labor backers this can never happen again. Senate Bill 202 moves all state measures to the greater turnout November elections, with Props 28 and 29 the last to appear in June.
Labor wisely pushed SB 202 to prevent another anti-union initiative that limits labor spending money on political campaigns from appearing on this Junes ballot. The projected low-turnout would have almost guaranteed the measures passage.
Neither Prop 28 nor Prop 29 is likely to get people to make a special trip to the polls. The impact of Prop 28, which revises the states disastrous term limits law, is so uncertain that my Beyond Chron colleague Paul Hogarth voted against it while I favored it.
Hogarth felt that reducing state legislators tenure from 14 to 12 years was the wrong type of reform. I see allowing Assembly members to serve for 12 rather than six years as helping to improve a legislative body that has become totally controlled by banking, real estate and other corporate interests since term limits began.
Because most Californians pay little or no attention to the State Legislature, Assembly Democrats have paid no political price for their refusal to back strong anti-foreclosure laws or anything opposed by their conservative financial backers. We can blame Assembly Republicans for preventing tax increases through the states destructive 2/3 vote requirement, but only Democrats are to blame for the failure to pass progressive legislation and to even not let many bills targeting banks or big real estate get out of committee.
State Races
With no real contested Governor, President or U.S. Senate primaries, the only reason many will vote aside from feelings of civic duty is in the few areas where there are contested congressional or state legislative primaries.
The Bay Area has an Assembly race on the West Side of San Francisco that is so low profile that I did not even know current SF Assessor Phil Ting had any opponents until a few weeks ago. Ive heard significantly more about the North Bay congressional race to replace the retiring Lynn Woolsey the Democratic candidates include Assembly member Jared Huffman, longtime progressive activist Norman Solomon and many others.
There are at least three strong progressive candidates in that North Bay race, which could give that congressional district the states largest voter turnout.
Beyond Chron has covered the Torie Osborn-Betsy Butler Assembly race in Santa Monica because it reflects everything that is wrong with the Democratic Assembly and its speaker, John Perez. The fact that Perez is pouring money raised from Democratic donors into a Butler campaign backed by the landlord advocacy group Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles in pro-tenant, strong rent-controlled Santa Monica! says everything we need to know why progressive economic legislation is often dead on arrival in the Assembly.
Osborn, a longtime progressive leader, and Butler are likely to race a November runoff. This contest between two very different visions for the states Democratic Party is just beginning.
Local Elections
San Franciscos chief ballot measure is Prop A, which would require competitive bidding on the citys garbage contract. Put on the ballot by political hack turned judicial hack Quentin Kopp, the initiative has been a financial boon for political consultants, Democratic clubs, slate card operators, billboard companies and everyone else who has gotten paid by a No on A campaign guaranteed to win in a landslide.
Kopp qualified the measure for the ballot without recognizing that funds would be needed to run a campaign. Hows that for vision and political insight? Those dragging Kopp out for anti-Central Subway events might consider that he lost any credibility with San Francisco voters long ago.
San Francisco also has races for the Democratic County Central Committee. San Francisco may be the only county where such races are seen as important, as many look at the Committees ability to endorse supervisor candidates as well as others.
But the Democratic County Committee did not endorse Ed Lee last November, and he got roughly 60% of the vote. Nor in 2010 did it endorse Jane Kim, Malia Cohen, Mark Farrell, or Scott Wiener as its top choice in their district, yet all prevailed.
Expect a record percentage of absentee votes next week, which might lead to calls to make June contests vote by mail only. With not state initiatives and the top two candidates in most races facing inevitable runoffs, largely empty polling booths might not be a good use of state funds.
Source: www.beyondchron.org
California Workers Get Pay Bump Even as Brown Seeks Cuts - Bloomberg
California Workers Get Pay Bump Even as Brown Seeks Cuts
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
California Gov. Jerry Brown during a news conference about the state budget on May 14, 2012 in Los Angeles.
California Gov. Jerry Brown during a news conference about the state budget on May 14, 2012 in Los Angeles. Photographer: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
As California Governor Jerry Brown seeks a temporary 5 percent pay cut from public employees to fill the largest state deficit in the U.S., many of those same workers are poised for raises next year.
Labor contracts covering 140,000 workers grant increases of about 3 percent to top earners beginning in July 2013, according to the Personnel Administration Department. About 34,000 employees became eligible this year as the raises began to be incorporated.
Brown, facing a $15.7 billion deficit through June 2013, is seeking savings in a state where unionized public employees are paid more than government workers in other states, and civil- service protections hamper dismissals. The 74-year-old Democrat wants to save $400 million by shortening the work week by two hours. That will require approval from unions representing 182,000 of the state’s 214,000 workers.
“This just highlights the fact that government works really well for public-employee unions, but really does not work for anybody else,” said Aaron McLear, the former spokesman for Brown’s predecessor, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger, who clashed with labor leaders over costs. “I get that they are under contract, but the idea that labor unions get to negotiate their cuts is stunning.”
During collective bargaining in 2010, Schwarzenegger agreed to raises of 2 percent to 5 percent for workers at the top of the pay scale. In return, union members contributed more toward their pension and retirement benefits, and gave up some paid holidays.
Unpaid Furloughs
The agreement came after Schwarzenegger and lawmakers had forced workers to take unpaid days off each month for two years, cutting pay by about 14 percent.
The contracts cover all unionized workers, from janitors to highway patrol officers. While Schwarzenegger signed many of the deals, Brown came to the same terms with prison guards in 2011.
Not every state worker can get the July pay increase, only those at the top of the pay scale for at least 12 months, with satisfactory evaluations. While there’s no estimate of how many that will be, it typically takes five years to reach top scale, according to Lynelle Jolley, a spokeswoman for the Personnel Administration.
Leaders of Service Employees International Union Local 1000, which represents the largest number of state employees at 95,000, are willing to talk about pay cuts or an alternative, according to a letter addressed to members earlier this month.
‘Staying Engaged’
“We could have said ‘no,’ and demanded that the governor honor our contract,” said the letter, signed by nine bargaining unit leaders. “By staying engaged, we minimize the potential for a huge number of layoffs and even deeper cuts in vital services.”
California, with the world’s ninth-biggest economy, lost more than 1 million jobs in the recession that started in 2007, reducing the most populous U.S. state’s revenue by 24 percent. Even with savings from program reductions, that left a deficit of $9.2 billion, the governor said in January.
Brown is pushing a ballot measure asking voters to temporarily raise the statewide sales tax to 7.5 percent from 7.25 percent, and boost rates on income taxes starting at $250,000.
Brown’s proposed budget includes a mechanism that would automatically trigger more than $6 billion in additional reductions, mostly from schools, if voters reject the tax increase.
Even if those cuts occur, state workers would still get their pay increase.
New Cuts
On May 14, the governor was forced to propose a new round of spending rollbacks after acknowledging the revenue projection he built into his January budget was off by more than $4 billion. To fill the gap, he wants to cut more than $3 billion from medical care for the poor, welfare, in-home services for the disabled, and childcare subsidies.
The governor also said he’d seek to reduce employee costs 5 percent by having them work 9.5 hours on four days instead of 8 hours in five days. His proposal would cut $840 million from payroll costs, with $400 million of that coming in the deficit- ridden general fund.
The average Golden State worker receives about $1 more for every $4 earned by a Texas employee, according to U.S. Commerce Department data. Per-capita income for all employees in California, public and private, was $42,578 last year, the department said. State workers, on average, made $58,340 in total pay, according to data from the controller’s office.
Limited Options
Brown’s options are limited. If unions balk at his proposal, he could fire state workers, though civil-service rules would require a dozen months or more to see any savings.
He could furlough workers as Schwarzenegger did, but that could end up costing more in future years, as workers in agencies that can’t shut down, such as prisons and the highway patrol, accumulate vacation and unpaid leave.
“The state employees particularly have come forward with some very imaginative ideas,” the governor told reporters in Sacramento when he unveiled his revised budget. “They’ve been willing to step up to the plate.”
To contact the reporter on this story: Michael B. Marois in Sacramento at mmarois@bloomberg.net;
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Stephen Merelman at smerelman@bloomberg.net
Source: www.bloomberg.com
Now that the 'endless' job is finally over, the Forth Bridge could be given world heritage status - Daily Mail
- Scottish rail crossing could join likes of Taj Mahal and Great Wall of China
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For years, it has been used as a metaphor for a never-ending job.
Now the Forth Rail Bridge could soon be recognised for more prestigious reasons than simply the continual need to keep re-painting it.
The bridge, described by some Scots as the eighth wonder of the world, has been invited to prepare a formal bid for World Heritage Status, which would place it alongside such landmarks as the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China.
Iconic: The Forth Bridge, which spans the Firth of Forth in Scotland, has been invited to apply to Unesco to become a World Heritage site
Never-ending... at least until last Christmas: The paint job was started in 1883 when the bridge was built and continually needed re-coating due to the elements. It was finally finished in December (above) thanks to some super-strong paint
The crossing was included on a shortlist submitted to Unesco - the body which awards the honour - earlier this year.
An independent expert group has now recommended that the Forth Rail Bridge bid should go forward.
The bridge, which spans the Firth of Forth, became famous because the task of painting the structure was an endless one.
It was finally completed last December thanks to a new super-tough paint and it shouldn’t need doing again for 25 years.
Work in progress: The rail crossing in 1889. Construction took eight years to complete at a cost of 3.2million, around 235million today
Perpetual painting: Workmen carrying out the endless, and painstaking, task of re-coating the bridge in 1931
Officials have been invited to prepare a formal nomination, which could go forward in 2014, with Unesco then expected to make a final decision on heritage status in June 2015.
Heritage Minister John Penrose described the crossing, which was completed in 1890 and carries about 200 trains a day, as a 'strong contender'.
If successful, it would be the sixth World Heritage Site in Scotland.
Scottish Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: 'The Forth Bridge is a Scottish icon that is recognised the world over.
'We are extremely excited that we have the opportunity to make the case for the bridge being inscribed as Scotland’s sixth World Heritage Site.
'To have the bridge inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site would be a tremendous accolade for the bridge itself, for the local communities and for Scotland.
'This nomination has the potential to be a celebration of our country’s incredible engineering ingenuity and pedigree, and I wish the team working on it all the best.'
Prestigious company: The Forth Bridge could join the likes of the Taj Mahal (above) in India in gaining World Heritage Status
Rich history: The Great Wall of China (pictured) is also a World Heritage site, highlighting just how highly regarded the Forth Bridge in cultural circles
The nomination will be overseen by the Forth Bridges Forum, which includes representatives from Historic Scotland, the Scottish Government agency charged with safeguarding the country’s historic environment, and bridge owners Network Rail, among others.
David Simpson, route managing director for Network Rail Scotland, described the crossing as 'one of the most recognisable bridges anywhere in the world'.
He added: 'The bridge has become a source of pride and a symbol of Scotland’s resilience and ingenuity but, we must never lose sight of the fact that it is first and foremost a working structure which still carries over 200 trains a day.
'Extremely excited': Scottish Culture Minister Fiona Hyslop said the Forth Bridge is a Scottish icon that is recognised the world over
'This nomination should be regarded as a further tribute to the thousands of men who have contributed to building, maintaining and restoring the structure over the last 130 years.'
The Forth Rail Bridge is 2.5 kilometres (1.55 miles) long and was built with about 54,000 tonnes of steel and an estimated 6.5 million rivets.
Work started on it in 1882 and the project, which took eight years to complete, cost 3.2 million - equivalent to 235 million today.
Scottish Secretary Michael Moore hailed the structure as 'an iconic symbol of Scotland which is instantly recognised the world over'.
He also described the bridge as a 'huge feat of Scottish engineering skill' and said: 'It was nominated for Unesco World Heritage Status by the UK Government last year and the fact it has topped the list and can now take its bid forward is good news for Scotland.'
Gorham’s Cave Complex in Gibraltar - four sea caves lying at the base of the 426-metre high Rock of Gibraltar - has also been invited to prepare a nomination for World Heritage Status.
This could go forward in 2015, with a decision from Unesco then expected the following year.
Mr Penrose said: 'The UK’s heritage is unique, diverse and world-class.
'Nomination to Unesco for World Heritage Status is incredibly rewarding, but the process is pretty tough and success is by no means guaranteed.
'Both the Forth Bridge and Gorham’s Cave are strong contenders, so I wish them all the best.'
The current World Heritage Sites in Scotland are the Antonine Wall, St Kilda, New Lanark, the Heart of Neolithic Orkney and Edinburgh Old and New towns.
FROM A ROMAN WALL TO A COTTON MILL VILLAGE, THE OTHER WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN SCOTLAND
Antonine Wall
Built during the years following 142 AD on the orders of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, the wall was once the Roman Empire's most northen frontier in Britain.
The structure survived for a generation before being abandoned in the 160s in favour of a return to Hadrian's Wall.
It stretched for nearly 60km from Bo’ness on the River Forth to Old Kilpatrick on the River Clyde.
St Kilda
The archipelago, which is the remotest part of the British Isles, lies 66Km west of Benbecula in Scotland's Outer Hebrides.
People had lived there since prehistoric times, but the last islanders asked to be evacuated in 1930 because life on the remote archipelago had become too difficult, mainly as a result of tourism and World War I.
Edinburgh Old and New towns
These were made a World Heritage site in 1995 in recognition of their unique character.
The New town is considered a masterpiece is city planning.
New Lanark
The 18th century restored cotton mill village on the banks of the River Clyde in Southern Scotland was inscribed by UNESCO in 2001.
It was created as a cotton-spinning village and was transformed under the management of Robert Owen, who improved conditions and facilities for the workers.
The Heart of Neolithic Orkney
The group of Neolithic monuments on Orkney consists of a large chambered tomb (Maes Howe), two ceremonial stone circles (the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar) and a settlement (Skara Brae), together with a number of unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites.
The group constitutes a major prehistoric cultural landscape which gives a graphic depiction of life in this remote archipelago in the far north of Scotland some 5,000 years ago.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
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