Friday, March 29, 2013

Zero Motorcycles adds former BMW Mottorad exec de Waal to board ...

Home > News > Zero Motorcycles adds former BMW Mottorad exec de Waal to board Zero board

March 28, 2013
Filed under News, Top Stories

News release

Zero Motorcycles, the global leader in the electric motorcycle industry, today announced an addition to its Board of Directors, naming Pieter de Waal as its newest member. De Waal comes to Zero with more than 30 years of business, engineering and sales experience in both the automotive and motorcycle industries. This includes stints with Nissan, Delta (GM) and Mercedes Benz and, more recently, at BMW Motorrad as North American Vice President. In addition to his Board position, he will also consult Zero on future strategies, including powertrain initiatives.

?We?re thrilled to have someone with Pieter?s wealth of experience with BMW Motorrad, the motorcycle division at BMW, joining the Zero Board of Directors,? said Richard Walker, CEO of Zero Motorcycles. ?His counsel will be invaluable as we enter our next phase of growth to further solidify Zero?s position as market leaders in the electric motorcycle marketplace.?

As the newest member on the Board of Directors, de Waal brings to Zero a passion for motorcycles, an impressive track record and an international perspective, having served as head of BMW?s motorcycle operations in South Africa, the United Kingdom and later in Munich as head of sales and marketing worldwide. ?I am excited to be part of Zero Motorcycles,? said de Waal. ?I believe that electric vehicles will play an important role in our future and Zero has the resources, drive and pioneering spirit to help make that future an exciting reality.?

De Waal?s selection as board member builds to the strength of the team at Zero Motorcycles. Zero Motorcycles has consciously sought to team senior executives with motorcycle industry experience along with leaders from other high tech fields to create the ideal blend of background and experience for success in this dynamic new and emerging consumer market.

Source: http://www.powersportsbusiness.com/top-stories/2013/03/28/zero-motorcycles-adds-former-bmw-mottorad-exec-de-waal-to-board/

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

North Korea reportedly cuts 3G for tourists, restricts access to long term visitors

It was just a month ago that North Korea started allowing mobile internet access to visitors (while still restricting it from citizens), but now a tour group says that program has ended. First reported by North Korea Tech, a post on the Koryo Group site indicates that tourists can still purchase SIM cards for international calling, but internet access is not available, a return to its policy from January. A recent blog post from the 22nd goes into more detail, explaining that 3G Koryolink access for foreigners "has been restricted to long term visitors/residents of Pyongyang only." With no word from the government on the policy change you'll have to insert your own reasoning, although we'll imagine Eric Schmidt is not pleased.

[Image credit: Jean Lee, Instagram]

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Via: TechCrunch, North Korea Tech, Tech in Asia

Source: Koryo Group (1), (2)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/26/north-korea-3g-tourists-cut/

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Office workers carry biomarker of potentially harmful flame retardant, study finds

Mar. 25, 2013 ? A flame retardant removed from children's pajamas 30 years ago but now used in polyurethane foam is prevalent in office environments, especially in older buildings, where urine testing of workers turned up widespread evidence of its biomarker, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health researchers has found.

The study, published in the journal Environment International, found that the chemical known as TDCPP -- chlorinated tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, or 'chlorinated tris' -- was present in 99 percent of dust samples taken from participants' homes, vehicles and offices, "demonstrating the widespread presence of this flame retardant in the indoor environment." The research team recruited 31 adults who worked and lived in the Boston area for the testing.

The study found that the office environment was the strongest predictor of metabolized TDCPP in urine, with significantly lower concentrations of the chemical among workers in a new office building than in older buildings. Similarly, the average concentration of TDCPP in dust was significantly lower in the new office building than in the older office buildings.

Urine samples were collected during the workday, which may explain why an association was found between the quickly metabolized chemical and characteristics of the office, rather than the vehicle or home.

"Overall, our findings suggest that exposure to TDCPP in the work environment is one of the contributors to the personal exposure for office workers. Further research is needed to confirm specific exposure sources (e.g., polyurethane foam), determine the importance of exposure in other microenvironments such as homes and vehicles, and address the inhalation and dermal exposure pathways," the research team concluded.

TDCPP, an additive to polyurethane foam used in upholstered furniture, is found in dust, where it can likely lead to human exposure. Potential health effects remain a concern. In 2011, TDCPP was added to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer.

In vitro studies suggest TDCPP may be neurotoxic, and one study found that increased concentrations in dust were associated with decreased semen quality and reduced free thyroxine in men, suggesting possible effects on fertility and thyroid function. Animal studies show TDCPP is readily absorbed through both the skin and gastrointestinal tract.

The researchers said the high concentrations observed in dust from offices could reflect requirements by the City of Boston that office furniture meet California fire retardant standards, a rule that is not required of residential furniture in Boston. The state of California has proposed a draft furniture flammability standard that could reduce the need for flame retardant chemicals in polyurethane foam. However, the standard used for office furniture has yet to be revised.

"It is currently very difficult to avoid flame retardants. Hopefully, better options will become available in the near future," said Courtney Carignan, a doctoral candidate in environmental health who co-authored the study. "Currently, the best advice we have for people is to wash your hands, especially before eating. Dust control, good ventilation and air purifiers may also be useful for reducing personal exposure."

The low concentrations of TDCPP in the newer office building suggest that its newer furniture did not contain TDCPP, or that it had not yet had sufficient time to migrate out of the products, the researchers said. If the new furniture did not contain TDCPP, it likely contained a different flame retardant such as the controversial FireMaster 550. Other differences between exposures include the possibility of more efficient ventilation or HVAC systems or cleaning methods in the newer building.

The authors urged that "more research is needed to determine factors that influence TDCPP concentrations in dust, in relation to building contents and characteristics."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Boston University Medical Center, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Courtney C. Carignan, Michael D. McClean, Ellen M. Cooper, Deborah J. Watkins, Alicia J. Fraser, Wendy Heiger-Bernays, Heather M. Stapleton, Thomas F. Webster. Predictors of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate metabolite in the urine of office workers. Environment International, 2013; 55: 56 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.02.004

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/kPPaV4sRwpQ/130325135401.htm

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Sunday, March 24, 2013

Y Combinator-Backed Prizeo Helps Celebrities Tap Their Fans For Charity Fundraising

prizeo logoPrizeo is a startup aiming to channel celebrities' social media influence into funding for charity. Co-founders Bryan Baum and Leo Seigal are familiar with the fundraising world, having founded the Aloysius Society, a student philanthropy organization, while at Oxford. (That's also where they met their co-founder and CTO Andrej Pancik.) They say the group raised more than $1 million at its charity events, but Baum argued that ultimately, the model was "not scalable."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UgIGAsC-4_w/

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Saturday, March 23, 2013

BlackBerry CEO says Android and Windows Phone are "not mobile ...

Can Android and Windows Phone be called true "mobile computing platforms"? If you ask the definitions published in Wikipedia - yes. If you ask BlackBerry boss, Thorsten Heins - no.

In an interview to Computerworld Australia, Heins has said that his company considered offering BlackBerry services to Windows Phone and Android at one point, but eventually decided that neither WP, nor Android share BlackBerry's vision of mobile computing future, where mobile devices are capable of executing the same tasks as desktop computers. In this regard, the CEO has said that Windows Phone and Android aren't true mobile computing platforms.

Apparently, Heins considers the new BlackBerry 10 something much more than the most popular operating systems currently on the market. However, it doesn't become clear in what ways the latest BB OS is better than iOS, Windows Phone or Android.

On another note, Heins says that while BlackBerry doesn't have anything new to announce on the tablet front right now, the company is "running a few projects" to discover ways of taking it to the next level and come up with a different kind of tablet, not just a copy of what's already available on the market.

source: Computerworld via Neowin

Source: http://www.phonearena.com/news/BlackBerry-CEO-says-Android-and-Windows-Phone-are-not-mobile-computing-platforms-BB-working-on-new-tablet-projects_id41107

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Friday, March 22, 2013

Lululemon's yoga pants miscue to hurt 2013 results

(AP) ? Yoga wear maker Lululemon Athletica is reporting fourth-quarter results that beat Wall Street expectations.

But the Canadian company said Thursday that its decision this week to pull its popular black yoga pants off the shelves because the fabric showed off too much of their wearers will dent their financial results for this year.

On Monday, Lululemon announced that it pulled the pants from its stores and online after it found out that the fabric used to make them was too sheer.

Its results for the fourth quarter ? which covered a period that had ended before it stopped selling the pants ? topped analysts' estimates. Its shares rose 67 cents to $64.55 in premarket trading Thursday.

Lululemon Athletica Inc. said that it foresees first-quarter earnings between 28 cents and 30 cents per share. It reported earnings of 32 cents per share a year ago. The company expects the recall will pull its earnings down by 11 cents to 12 cents per share.

Analysts polled by FactSet expect earnings of 39 cents per share.

The retailer also reiterated some of the updated first-quarter forecasts it gave on Monday. This includes expectations for first-quarter revenue between $333 million and $343 million, down from an earlier estimate of $350 million to $355 million. Analysts had previously forecast revenue of $352.1 million.

Lululemon also maintained that first-quarter revenue at stores open at least a year is now expected to rise between 5 percent and 8 percent. The company previously predicted an 11 percent increase. This figure is a key gauge of a retailer's health because it excludes results from stores recently opened or closed.

Lululemon provided fiscal 2013 guidance, saying it anticipates earnings between $1.95 and $1.99 per share on revenue in a range of $1.62 billion to $1.64 billion.

Wall Street predicts earnings of $2.16 per share on revenue of $1.68 billion.

The company's see-through black Luon pants is the latest in a series of quality glitches that threatens to alienate the retailer's hardcore fan base, which has so far been more than willing to shell out $100 for pants and other athletic garments. These legions of followers have helped Lululemon, founded in 1998, become a billion-dollar business.

Lululemon insists that the problem with the Luon pants didn't occur because it changed specifications for the clothing or switched suppliers. It warned that taking the pants off the shelves could lead to short supplies.

The Luon pants, made from a combination of nylon and Lycra fibers, are one of the retailer's product staples and account for about 17 percent of all women's pants in its stores. The company is offering customers' full refunds or exchanges.

On Thursday Lululemon reported that its fourth-quarter net income rose 49 percent to $109.4 million, or 75 cents per share, from $73.5 million, or 51 cents per share, a year ago.

Analysts forecast earnings of 74 cents per share.

Revenue for the period ended Feb. 3 climbed 31 percent to $485.5 million from $371.5 million. Wall Street expected $482.2 million in revenue.

Revenue at stores open at least a year rose 10 percent.

For the year, Lululemon earned $270.6 million, or $1.85 per share. That compares with $184.1 million, or $1.27 per share, in the prior year.

Annual revenue increased 37 percent to $1.37 billion from $1 billion.

Revenue at stores open at least a year climbed 16 percent.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-21-Earns-Lululemon%20Athletica/id-e5f123d1f3454e2c97d7c03612e70c50

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Monday, March 18, 2013

The Basics in Style iPad mini sleeve is too luxurious to be called ?basic?

Although it’s only a simple sleeve case, the Basics in Style sleeve for the iPad mini is too elegant to truly be called “basic”. ?The Eccentric sleeve is “handmade in Italy by a small atelier in the heart of Italy” from vegetable-tanned calf leather. ?It is available only in the Cognac color for the exterior, [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/18/the-basics-in-style-ipad-mini-sleeve-is-too-luxurious-to-be-called-basic/

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

Guatemala court approved extradition of ex-president to US

JURIST serves as both a professional legal publication and an excellent vehicle for legal education for its readers and staffers. . . . JURIST [is] one of the most innovative and valuable publications in the legal field right now. ?[ more ]

Dwyer Arce - Pitt Law 2012 and former Managing Editor

Source: http://jurist.org/thisday/2013/03/guatemala-court-approved-extradition-of-ex-president-to-us.php

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

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Source: http://forums.ferra.ru/index.php?showtopic=54892

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Obama to meet with CEOs about cyber security

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will sit down on Wednesday with corporate leaders to discuss efforts to improve cyber security in private industries amid rising concern about hacking attacks emanating from China.

The White House said that in the meeting, to take place in the Situation Room, Obama would discuss efforts to address the cyber threat and solicit the CEOs' input on how the government and private sector can best work together to improve the country's cyber security.

Cyber security has become a growing challenge to the economic relationship between China and the United States. In a speech in New York on Monday, White House national security adviser Tom Donilon said Beijing needs to recognize the scope of the problem.

U.S. businesses have been increasingly concerned about the targeted theft of confidential business information and proprietary technologies through cyber intrusions emanating from China, Donilon said in a speech to The Asia Society.

"The international community cannot afford to tolerate such activity from any country," he said.

Obama signed an executive order a month ago seeking better protection of the country's critical infrastructure from cyber attacks. The order, which does not have the same force as law, directs federal authorities to improve information sharing on cyber threats.

Even the president's family has not escaped cyber problems. The president confirmed on Tuesday in an interview on ABC News that U.S. authorities are investigating whether hackers had posted online financial and personal information about his wife, Michelle Obama, as well as a variety of celebrities like Beyonce and Jay-Z.

Obama's executive order is designed to make it easier for the government to warn private companies of cyber threats and to set up a system of voluntary cyber security standards.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have been discussing legislation that would focus on better sharing of information among companies and the government.

The White House has sought a comprehensive piece of legislation that would also set minimum security standards for critical companies, such as utilities, and provide better protection for private information that may be turned over to the government.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/obama-meet-ceos-about-cyber-security-1C8835460

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US expels 2 Venezuelan diplomats

(AP) ? The Obama administration has expelled two Venezuelan diplomats, further setting back U.S. efforts to repair relations with the Latin American country after Hugo Chavez's death.

The move is in retaliation for Venezuela's expulsion of two American military attaches after Chavez died last week.

U.S. officials say junior diplomats Orlando Jose Montanez Olivares and Victor Camacaro Mata were told to return home over the weekend and left the U.S. Sunday.

Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Washington wants to repair ties with Venezuela but has made little headway so far.

Beyond the diplomatic tit-for-tat, Venezuelan officials have accused the U.S. of being responsible for Chavez's cancer and sought to rally anti-U.S. sentiment ahead of an April election for a new leader.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-03-11-US-US-Venezuela/id-e68f6ebf884b4b19a66b3a7c2e4454b7

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Rashad Evans: ? I feel a duty to say I support gay marriage and gay rights.?

Rashad Evans, the one-time UFC light heavyweight champion, made his position on same-sex marriage clear. He's for it, because equality in the world makes it better for everyone.

When asked by Outsports of his thoughts on the issue, Evans issued this incredibly smart, well-thought-out response. His statement in full:

?I've never been a homophobe, never understood what that is all about. I knew some people who were gay and never cared about their sexuality. But at the same time, I didn't fully understand the issues around gay people until my friend BA started telling me about his full public support for gay marriage. We talked about the issue and I decided its not enough to not be against a minority, if you want things to go better for them you have to speak up with them.

?I'm a UFC fighter, a macho-type sport. I am a heterosexual guy in a tough macho sport, which is exactly the reason I feel a duty to say I support gay marriage and gay rights.

?I have nothing to gain personally from supporting this issue, and that's the point. Society as a whole is better when there is equality, and I want to live in a country where everyone has the same rights because we all benefit from that.

?What people overlook is that is isn't a sex issue, its a love issue. There's no justifiable reason for trying to get in the way of two people who love each other.

?I have kids. I don't want them growing up in a society where they, or their friends, could be second class citizens based on which person they fall in love with or who they want to be happy with.?

As he pointed out, the MMA world can be a macho place where instances of homphobia are overlooked. The sport has improved, as Liz Carmouche became the first gay fighter in the UFC when she fought Ronda Rousey at UFC 157. The same weekend Carmouche fought, UFC president Dana White said he would welcome a gay male fighter, and would deal with any fighter who would have a problem with it.

But well-known former champion standing up for marriage equality shows that the MMA world is one that can be welcoming and supportive.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/rashad-evans-feel-duty-support-gay-marriage-gay-184553763--mma.html

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Jodi Arias Jurors Have 'Probably 100 Questions' For Defendant

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    The trial of Jodi Ann Arias, which began Jan. 2, is one of the biggest court proceedings to take place since Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her child. The 32-year-old photographer is accused of shooting her lover, Travis Alexander, in the face, stabbing him 27 times and slitting his throat from ear to ear in the shower of his Mesa, Ariz., apartment. The case, which has been more than four years in the making, has routinely captured headlines around the world, especially as the details became public.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>September 2006</strong> ? Travis Alexander met Jodi Arias at a conference in Las Vegas. At the time, Alexander was a 30-year-old motivational speaker and legal-insurance salesman. Arias, then 28, was living in Yreka, Calif., and was trying to make it as a saleswoman and an independent photographer. The two had an instant connection and spoke on the phone every day. Court records indicate that the couple exchanged 82,000 emails.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>November 26, 2006</strong> ? Because Alexander was a Mormon, Arias chose to be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. <strong>February 2, 2007</strong> ? Alexander and Arias began dating. <strong>June 29, 2007</strong> ? Alexander and Arias broke up. Although they were no longer dating, the couple maintained a physical relationship. <strong>December 2007</strong> ? Alexander began dating another woman. He allegedly told friends that Arias was so jealous that she slashed the tires on his vehicle twice. After those incidents, his new girlfriend received a harassing email from a "John Doe." Alexander suspected that Arias was responsible.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>January 8, 2008</strong> ? Arias, according to prosecutors, sent this text to Alexander: "Ahhh!! I fell asleep! But to answer your question, yes I want to grind you. And I want to be LOUD. And I want to give you a nice, warm 'mouth hug' too. :)" <strong>January 18, 2008</strong> ? Arias, according to prosecutors, sent this text to Alexander: "My p---y is SO WET." <strong>March 2008</strong> ? Arias and Alexander visited several states together, including Oklahoma and Texas.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>April 2008</strong> - Arias moved from Arizona to California. That same month, Alexander <a href="http://travisalexander.blogspot.com/" target="_hplink">posted a blog entry</a> stating, "This Year will be the Best year of my life. This is the year that will eclipse all others. I will earn more, learn more, travel more, serve more, love more, give more and be more than all the other years of my life combined." <strong>April 20, 2008</strong> - Alexander, according to prosecutors, sent this text to Arias: "I am at a night club right now and it helped me to come to the conclusion that you are one of the prettiest girls on the planet." <strong>April 21, 2008</strong> - Alexander, according to prosecutors, <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0Ak0vUAK8UbSndFl4X1V3YkZXazU0X25pQndhNVVmbXc&gid=0" target="_hplink">sent this text</a> to Arias: "Send me a naughty picture."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>May 10, 2008</strong> - Arias posted the last entry to her <a href="http://jodiarias.blogspot.com/" target="_hplink">online blog</a>. It reads, in part: "I cannot ignore that there is an ever-present yearning and desire that pulses within me. It throbs for gratification and fulfillment." That same day, according to prosecutors, Alexander sent this text to Arias: "Why don't you have him come and f--k you in the woods, I can only imagine you are so worried about me reading. You are paranoid because you have no respect for people privacy and you dare insult me of all people. Someone you should through your actions you hate more than love by denying me a human right of privacy countless times. You have a lot of freaking nerve. We are all not like you in that aspect."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>May 18, 2008</strong> - Alexander posted the last entry, titled "Why I want to marry a Gold Digger," to <a href="http://travisalexander.blogspot.com/" target="_hplink">his online blog</a>. It reads, in part: "I did a little soul searching and realized that I was lonely ... I realized it was time to adjust my priorities and date with marriage in mind ... This type of dating to me is like a very long job interview and can be exponentially more mentally taxing. Desperately trying to find out if my date has an axe murderer penned up inside of her."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>May 28, 2008</strong> - Kevin Friedman, a police officer with the Yreka, Calif. Police Department, investigated the reported theft of a .25 caliber gun, $30 in cash, a stereo and a DVD player from Arias' grandparents' home.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 2008</strong> - During the first week of June 2008, Alexander told friends that he suspected Arias had hacked into his Facebook account. He allegedly said that he told her to stay out of his life forever. <strong>June 2, 2008</strong> - Arias, according to police, picked up a vehicle from Budget Rent-a-Car in Redding, Calif.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 4, 2008</strong> - Arias allegedly went to Alexander's home in Mesa, Ariz. That same afternoon the last outgoing call was made from Alexander's phone.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 5, 2008</strong> - Arias went to visit Ryan Burns, a once-budding love interest and co-worker at PrePaid Legal Services, at his home in West Jordan, Utah. <strong>June 7, 2008</strong> - Arias, according to police, returned her rental car to Budget Rent-a-Car in Redding.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 9, 2008</strong> - Alexander's friends, concerned because they had not heard from him for several days, went to his home in the 11,400 block of East Queensborough Ave. and found him dead inside his standup shower. A state of advanced decomposition suggested that he had been dead for several days. Large amounts of blood were discovered throughout the master bathroom, including on the floors, walls and sink area. It was ultimately determined that Alexander had been shot in the right brow with a .25-caliber gun -- the bullet was found lodged in his left cheek -- and that he had been stabbed 27 times. Someone had also cut his throat from ear to ear.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Investigators found several vital clues inside Alexander's bedroom and bathroom. A spent .25-caliber shell casing was located on the floor near the sink, and a hair and a small latent print in blood were found near the entrance to the bathroom hall. Also, a digital camera was found in the washing machine in the downstairs laundry room. The camera appeared to have been run through the wash cycle.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    When questioned by police, Alexander's friends and family members indicated that Arias should be questioned. "[Arias] was totally obsessed with him," Alexander's close friend <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/29/jodi-arias_n_1174274.html" target="_hplink">Sky Hughes told The Huffington Post</a>. "She wouldn't let him go. Whenever he would try to sever all ties, she would threaten to kill herself ... He would tell her he didn't want anything to do with her, and she would show up at his house. We knew it was her. We didn't want it to be her, but [we] just knew it was."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 13, 2008</strong> - Arias posted a photo gallery on her MySpace page titled "In Loving Memory of Travis."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 17, 2008</strong> - Arias went to the Mesa Police Headquarters and was voluntarily fingerprinted. She also gave investigators a sample of her saliva for DNA testing. While waiting for the lab test results to come back, investigators were notified that several shocking images, some of which had been deleted, were recovered from the memory card of the camera found in Alexander's washing machine. The deleted pictures were of Alexander, naked in the shower, just before his death. He appeared to be posing in some of the photographs. However, other photos, which were dark and grainy, "were of a subject on the floor of the bathroom bleeding profusely," police said.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Six other photos, time-stamped that same day, allegedly showed Arias on Alexander's bed. According to police, "all were nude pictures," and in some she was in "provocative sexual poses." Based on the photos, an investigator wrote: "Jodi was lying about not seeing Travis since April of 2008. This also proves that Jodi was the last person I can prove had contact with Travis prior to his death."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 19, 2008</strong> - Police contacted Arias and questioned her about Alexander's murder. "Jodi stated she last saw Travis in April of 2008," a police officer wrote in a document to establish probable cause. "She admitted they had been seeing each other as boyfriend and girlfriend for over five months but had officially broken up in June of 2007, after some jealously issues on the part of both of them. After they broke up, they continued to have a sexual relationship, but kept it quiet from people they knew. She said she last spoke to Travis on Tuesday 6-03-08."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 19, 2008</strong> - At 10:54 p.m., Arias posted this message to her <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jodiarias" target="_hplink">MySpace page</a>: "misses Travis. See you soon, my friend, but not soon enough."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 21, 2008</strong> - Travis Alexander was <a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pe/obituary.aspx?n=Travis-Alexander&pid=111722519#fbLoggedOut" target="_hplink">laid to rest</a> in Olivewood Memorial Park in Riverside, Calif.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 26, 2008</strong> - Investigators were notified that hair and a bloody print found inside Alexander's home belonged to Arias. DNA typing results also indicated that the bloody print was a mixture of Arias' and Alexander's DNA. The same day, Arias attended a memorial service for Alexander.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>July 9, 2008</strong> - Arias celebrated her 29th birthday. That same day, a grand jury in California indicted her on first-degree murder charges in the death of Alexander. <strong>July 15, 2008</strong> - Mesa police detectives and Siskiyou County sheriff's deputies arrested Arias at her Northern California home. Arias was booked in the Siskiyou County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Following Arias' arrest, she was questioned by Mesa detective Esteban Flores. Flores initially focused the interrogation on the .25 caliber handgun that was stolen from her grandparents' home days before the slaying of Travis Alexander. "We're just playing games here ... That gun was in your possession ... What did you do with the gun?" Flores asked, after Arias expressed shock that Alexander had been shot with a .25 caliber automatic handgun. "I don't have a gun ... I've never seen it ... I don't even know what a .25 looks like," Arias said on the video. Arias denied killing Alexander and said, "If I was going to ever try to kill somebody, I would use gloves. I have plenty of them."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>July 16, 2008</strong> - A second interrogation is conducted of Arias, during which she changed her initial story. She now admitted being at Alexander's home when he was murdered but denied she was involved in the killing. She said two intruders ? white Americans with beanies covering their faces ? came into the bathroom while Alexander was in the shower. "I don't believe you," the detective told Arias. "I was hoping for the truth. This is not the truth, Jodi ? this doesn't make any sense ? You did it, and there's nothing you can say that will change my mind at this point. This is an elaborate story that doesn't make any sense. Maybe you are just cold and calculated."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>September 5, 2008</strong> ? Arias was <a href="http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=955858" target="_hplink">extradited to Arizona</a>. <strong>September 9, 2008</strong> ? A public defender was assigned to represent Arias. <strong>September 11, 2008</strong> ? Arias entered a not-guilty plea at her arraignment.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>September 12, 2008</strong> - In a <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/09/13/20080913murdersuspect-speaks0913.html" target="_hplink">jailhouse interview with The Arizona Republic</a>, Arias denied killing Alexander but refused to discuss how she would refute the DNA and photographic evidence that police claimed linked her to the crime. "God knows I'm innocent. I know I'm innocent," said Arias. "I had nothing to do with his murder. I would never hurt him. He was my friend."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>September 24, 2008</strong> ? Arias was <a href="http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/702858/local_murder_suspect_reveals_shocking_new_details_on_nat_l_tv" target="_hplink">interviewed by the TV show "Inside Edition"</a> and said publicly for the first time that she was present when Alexander was attacked by two intruders.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>October 31, 2008</strong> - The Maricopa County Attorney's Office filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Arias. The notice, filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, accused Arias of committing first-degree murder "in an especially cruel, heinous or depraved manner."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>June 23, 2009</strong> ? Following her arrest, Arias expanded on her second story about the day of Alexander's death. <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50139320n" target="_hplink">In an interview with "48 Hours,"</a> she admitted that she was present when he was murdered, but she said that his death occurred during a home invasion. Arias reported that the two were having fun playing with his new camera when things took a sudden turn. "I heard a really loud pop. And the next thing I remember, I was lying next to the bathtub and Travis was screaming," Arias told "48 Hours." "At that point, I sort of was just trying to come around and kind of orientate myself to what was going on," she continued. "And I looked up and I just -- I saw two other individuals in the bathroom. And they were both coming toward us." The intruders, whom she described as a man and a woman dressed in black, were armed with a knife and a gun. At one point, she said, the man pointed the gun at her, but she was miraculously spared. "He pulled the trigger. And nothing happened with the gun. And so I just grabbed my purse, which was on the floor at that point, and I ran down the stairs and out of there and I left [Travis] there ... I pushed past him and -- and his gun. And I just didn't look back." Arias said that she kept driving and never called the police. "It was -- I was terrified. And I was scared for my life. And I think there was a naive belief that I could pretend like it didn't really happen," Arias said.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>December 2010</strong> ? Arias <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/27/joe-arpaio-inmate-caroling-contest_n_801519.html" target="_hplink">beat out 50 other inmates to win an "American Idol"-style caroling contest for inmates </a>held by "America's Toughest Sheriff," Joe Arpaio, at the Maricopa County jail. Her prize was a Christmas stocking full of goodies and a turkey dinner for herself and her cellmates.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>August 8, 2011</strong> - Arias told Judge Sherry Stephens of Maricopa County Superior Court that she wanted to represent herself. Stephens granted the request but had Arias' public defenders, Victoria Washington and Kirk Nurmi, remain on as advisory counsel. <strong>August 16, 2011</strong> ? A request to admit letters that Arias claimed Alexander sent her prior to his death was denied. In the letters, Alexander allegedly admitted to being a pedophile. Prosecutor Juan Martinez told the court that the letters were tested and found to be forgeries. After the ruling, Arias told Judge Stephens that she was "over her head." The judge then reinstated her defense counsel.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Arias' third story about Alexander's death was detailed in court documents as part of the request that she made to admit electronic copies of Alexander's alleged letters. "Defendant had previously attributed the crime to intruders. She now argues that all of the letters must be admitted to support her domestic violence defense," prosecutors wrote in a motion to preclude the letters. "Defendant argues that the letters are relevant to her claim of self-defense and that she was a victim of previous 'sexual and physical abuse' by Mr. Alexander." Arias, according to prosecutors, claimed that Alexander "became angry when she dropped his camera" and that she was forced to kill him in self-defense.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>December 16, 2011</strong> ? Washington filed a motion to withdraw from Arias' defense. <strong>December 21, 2011</strong> ? Washington's motion was granted. <strong>December 27, 2011</strong> - Arias' younger sister, Angela Arias, said that her sister's statements during the "48 Hours" interview were lies and that Alexander's death was an act of self-defense on her sister's part during an incidence of domestic violence. "She was not under oath when she spoke on TV and yes, she lied," Angela Arias wrote on Facebook after The Huffington Post sent her a request for comment. "But, it was because she was so in love with that man she did not want people to know what a monster he really was. She wanted everyone to believe that he was as amazing as they thought he was ... My sister is innocent of the crime they are accusing her of ... She did kill Travis but it was not in cold blood, it was not for revenge, it was because she was afraid for her life."

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>January 2012</strong> - Jennifer Willmott, a death penalty-qualified defense attorney, was assigned to represent Arias.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>February 9, 2012</strong> - Judge Stephens <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/10/jodi-arias-death-penalty_n_1269216.html" target="_hplink">denied a motion</a> by Arias' defense lawyers to remove the death penalty as a punishment option. The defense argued that Arias should not face death because she had not planned to kill Alexander. His death was an act of self-defense, her attorneys argued. <strong>December 10, 2012</strong> - <a href="http://www.hlntv.com/article/2012/12/17/jodi-arias-travis-alexander-murder-trial-jury-selection-questionnaire" target="_hplink">Jury selection for Arias' trial began</a>. The court summoned 375 potential jurors. <strong>December 20, 2012</strong> - A panel of 12 jurors and six alternates -- seven women and 11 men -- <a href="http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_southeast_valley/mesa/Jodi-Arias-trial-Jury-seated-in-murder-trial-of-Valley-woman-accused-of-murdering-boyfriend" target="_hplink">were sworn in for Jodi Arias' trial</a>.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>January 2, 2013</strong> - Opening arguments began in Arias' trial. Maricopa County Prosecutor Juan Martinez cited the various stories that Arias had told law enforcement before she finally settled on a self-defense motive. Martinez described Alexander's murder as violent and said there were three different ways Alexander could have received a death blow: He was shot, he was stabbed in the heart, and his throat was slit from ear to ear. Alexander also had defensive wounds on his hands, according to Martinez. In wrapping up his opening argument, Martinez played part of a media interview conducted after Arias' arrest, in which she said, "Mark my words, no jury will convict me." Martinez asked the jury to mark Arias' words and concluded his opening statement. During the defense team's opening argument, lawyer Jennifer Willmott acknowledged that Arias had killed Alexander, but said that the key questions is what motivated her to do it. Willmott alleged Alexander had pressured Arias into having vaginal, anal and oral sex with him. Willmott also said she planned to call to the stand an expert who would testify about how Arias' relationship with Alexander fit the mold of domestic violence. Willmott concluded her opening argument by saying that Alexander had become enraged when Arias dropped his camera and that she had had to defend herself or she would not be alive today.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    At the close of the opening arguments, the prosecution called their first witness, Maria Hall, to the stand. Hall testified she had attended church with Alexander and had gone on a few dates with him. Hall said she felt safe in Alexander's company and never saw his temper.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Prosecutors then called their next witness, Sterling Williams. A patrol officer with the Mesa Police Department, Williams described what he witnessed when he responded to the crime scene, as well as the condition of Alexander's body. Shortly afterward, court was recessed for the day.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>January 3, 2013</strong> ? At the start of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/03/jodi-arias-trial-updates-day-2_n_2403886.html" target="_hplink">day two of Arias' murder trial</a>, the prosecution called Esteban Flores, a Mesa homicide detective to the stand. Flores had investigated the crime scene and mentioned a phone call he had with Arias on June 10, 2008. The prosecution then played an audio recording of the conversation in court. During the recorded call, Arias described herself as a good friend of Alexander's and said she wanted to help police in any way that she could. She told Flores she had heard that Alexander had passed away and that there was a lot of blood at the crime scene. She asked what type of weapon was used or recovered at the scene, but Flores told her he was unable to discuss that information with her. Asked about her relationship with Alexander, Arias said that they had not dated long. "We dated for like five months, and we broke up and actually did not see each other for quite a bit," Arias said. "[We] tried to remain friends, more like buddies. We were intimate but I would not say romantic as far as a relationship goes." In regard to the couple's breakup, Arias said she had a suspicion Alexander was cheating on her. She said she could not trust him and claimed he would get "upset real easily." During the phone interview, Flores told Arias that Alexander's friends had alleged that she had hacked into Alexander's email. Arias denied the allegation. "People felt you were taking advantage of him or hanging out when you weren't wanted," Flores said. Arias dismissed the opinion of Alexander's friends and said she felt they talked about her because she was an ex-girlfriend. "We need to know who had some type of beef with him or why they would want to do this to him. It was an angry situation. Somebody went in there to hurt him, and they did ?- hurt him really bad," Flores said at one point in the recording. Arias said Alexander was quite strong and she could not understand how anyone could overpower him. She also said she was concerned because "he never locked his doors." When the recording ended in the courtroom, Martinez turned the witness over to defense attorney Kirk Nurmi for cross-examination.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Nurmi asked Flores if he had ever seen a picture of a French maid outfit that Alexander allegedly wanted Arias to wear when she would clean his home. Flores testified that Arias told him she had cleaned Alexander's house, but said he had never seen a picture of the French maid outfit. The defense attorney then questioned Flores about emails Alexander allegedly sent to Arias. Nurmi asked Flores if Alexander had called Arias names in the emails, like "slut" and "whore." Martinez objected, citing hearsay and speculation, but Judge Stephens allowed the question. Flores then confirmed that Alexander had sent messages to Arias calling her those names. After a short recess, Flores read from a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/03/jodi-arias-trial-sex_n_2405515.html" target="_hplink">Facebook message that he said Alexander sent to Arias</a>. "I was nothing more than a dildo with a heartbeat for you," the message read.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Later, a fingerprint examiner with the Mesa police, Heather Connor, took the stand and unveiled evidence found at the crime scene. Forensic teams took a total of three days to complete processing the scene at Alexander's house and found evidence in his washing machine, Connor said. The contents included clothing and a broken digital camera, which contained a SIM card. The clothing items, as well as a towel, appeared to have bleach stains, she said. Shortly afterward, court was recessed until January 8.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>January 8, 2013</strong> ? Connor, the Mesa Police Department fingerprint examiner, continued her testimony on day three. Connor took the court through photos of Alexander's hallway, master bedroom and bathroom. The jury was also shown a photo of a bloody handprint on a wall. Prosecutors said the handprint contained a mixture of Alexander's and Arias' DNA. When Connor finished her testimony, the prosecution called Dr. Kevin Horn, of the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office, to the stand.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Dr. Kevin Horn <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/jodi-arias-trial-travis-alexander-graphic-details_n_2435100.html" target="_hplink">described how Alexander was stabbed 27 times</a>, shot in the right brow with a .25-caliber gun, and nearly decapitated when his throat, voice box and arteries were cut. As Horn spoke, jurors looked at photos of the dead man, whose body, Horn said, was decomposing and starting to mummify by the time it was found. According to Horn, Alexander's stab wounds were very deep and inflicted with major force. It was, Horn testified, impossible to determine if Alexander was dead before he was shot due to the amount of decomposition. The cause of death was excessive blood loss from the victim's body, he said, and Alexander had multiple self-defense wounds to his palms and fingers.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Elizabeth Northcutt, a forensic firearms examiner with the Mesa police, was called to the stand next. Northcutt testified that she had examined a cartridge casing found at the crime scene and identified it as a Winchester .25-caliber casing. She said she also examined the bullet removed from Alexander's cheek. During cross-examination, Northcutt said she was not able to match the casing or the bullet to a specific gun because no weapon has been recovered. Shortly afterward, court was recessed for the evening.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>January 9, 2013</strong> ? Ryan Burns, a once-budding love interest of Arias' and her co-worker at PrePaid Legal Services, was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/jodi-arias-trial-ryan-burns_n_2442048.html" target="_hplink">called to the stand by prosecutors on day four</a> of the trial. Burns testified he had a heated make-out session with Arias just a day after Alexander was murdered. "We were talking and we kissed ... Every time we started kissing, it got a little more escalated," Burns said. He said that the couple never removed their clothes during the encounter and that he "never touched her breasts or anything." Burns testified that he first met Arias at a PrePaid Legal convention in Oklahoma in April 2008. A few weeks after that initial meeting, Burns and Arias were chatting on the phone three to five times a week. Toward the end of May 2008, he and Arias had made plans for her to visit his home in West Jordan, Utah, Burns testified.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    According to Burns, Arias was several hours late arriving at his home on June 5, 2008. She told him that she had gotten lost and had stopped to rest. Arias had apparently dyed hair since the last time he had met with her and had cuts on her hands when she arrived, Burns said. "She had two small bandages on a couple of her fingers," he testified. Arias explained away the injuries by saying that while working at a Margaritaville restaurant, she had broken a glass and cut her finger, Burns said. The prosecution questioned Burns about Arias' strength. Burns said she was fit and had "close to a six-pack." "[She's] a lot stronger than she looks," Burns testified.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Burns was followed on the stand by two latent-print examiners for Mesa police, Maureen Smith and Kevin Biggs. The two witnesses described taking Arias' fingerprints and a DNA sample.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Latent-print examiner Heather Connor was called back to the stand to testify about a palm impression found on a wall at the crime scene, as well as items recovered from the drying machine inside Alexander's apartment and a bloody carpet stain.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Police detective Esteban Flores was also called back to the stand during day four. A recording of a June 25, 2008, phone interview he conducted with Arias was played for the court. During the interview, Arias told Flores she was afraid of guns. "That is one of the things I am scared of. [Guns and] public speaking," Arias said. "That was one of the things [Alexander] was trying to get me to do -- get out of my comfort zone." Arias' comments about guns arose during a discussion with Flores about the trip she took to visit Burns in Utah on June 5, 2008. Arias said she slept in her car during the lengthy drive from Yreka, Calif., to West Jordan, Utah. "I am not shy about sleeping in my car," Arias told the detective. Flores mentioned the practice could be dangerous and suggested she needed protection. "I was thinking of that," Aria said before <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/jodi-arias-gun_n_2443588.html" target="_hplink">detailing her fear of guns</a>. But, she added, "Handguns are expensive [and] not in my price range." After discussing her thoughts on guns, Arias said she wanted to know if Alexander had cashed a check for $200 that she had given him for a car payment before he died. She said she had emailed his sister to ask about the check and to offer her condolences after she found out about Alexander's death. His sister had never replied, Arias told the detective. Court was adjourned for the day shortly after that excerpt of the audio recording was played.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    <strong>January 10, 2013</strong> ? Day five of Arias' trial began with testimony by Nathaniel Mendes, a former detective with the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office in California. Mendes testified that there is no restaurant called Margaritaville in Yreka -- a fact that suggested Arias had lied about her place of employment, which undermined her explanation of how she had injured her fingers around the time Alexander was murdered. Mendes also testified about receipts found in Arias' bedroom, which show that she had rented a car in Redding, Calif., on June 2, 2008, and returned it six days later, after she put 2,834 miles on the car.

  • Key Dates In The Jodi Arias Case

    Lisa Perry, a forensic scientist for Mesa police, was called to testify after Mendes. Perry said that over two days at the crime scene, she had collected blood evidence for DNA analysis. She spent a significant amount of time on the stand detailing the blood splatter and stains that were found throughout Alexander's apartment. She also testified that a .25-caliber bullet casing was lying in a pool of congealed blood, suggesting that the bullet inside the casing had been fired after the blood was on the floor.

  • Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/jodi-arias-jurors-questions_n_2814779.html

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    Monday, March 4, 2013

    Kaiapoi Labourers Lose Jobs To Prisoners | Stuff.co.nz

    Hare Solomon

    DAVID HALLETT/Fairfax NZ

    Hare Solomon

    A Kaiapoi business fired five of its labourers two days after employing 11 convicts - and then made the workers train the inmates who were to replace them, current and former staff say.

    Kaiapoi man Hare Solomon said Kiwi Pallets Kaiapoi told him and four workmates they would be laid off in late January "due to lack of work and other factors" just days after the company had hired 11 inmates from Christchurch's Rolleston Prison under the Release to Work scheme.

    He was then made to train the convicts during the two-week notice period.

    He did not ask his employer why 11 staff were being trained if there was not enough work.

    "I was just frustrated and didn't want to lose it, so I just did it [trained them]."

    He did not know any reason why the business wanted to get rid of him and his workmates.

    "I feel this could happen to other employees at other places of work and would not like to see this happen to anyone, it is not a good feeling to lose a job you like.

    "What is the point of giving inmates work if it is being taken away from people already employed? Surely it would be better if jobs are created for the inmates instead?"

    Solomon said he was likely to start Department of Labour mediation with his former employer, who would not return several calls from The Press.

    One of the few non-inmate labourers left at the business believed he too would be sacked when his fixed-term contract ran out in about a month. He did not want to be named because he feared he could be fired earlier.

    He said Solomon had been one of the most productive workers and had been achieving more than his target.

    "We were doing really well with the workers we had. We needed a couple more people because we were getting so many orders."

    Then the inmates were brought in, people started getting laid off, and the business's productivity plummeted, he said.

    The company was now almost a month behind its work, he said.

    "I'll back Hare up 100 per cent because what went on was wrong. I kept my job but he deserves to keep his too.

    "We were a tight little family, we all got along and always had a laugh. And then they brought them [inmates] in and it went downhill and we lost people we shouldn't have lost."

    Solomon said he had worked at Kiwi Pallets for almost a year without being offered a contract before management, in haste, told him he had to sign a four-month fixed-term and back-dated contract on the spot or he would not be kept or paid.

    "It all seems a bit fishy to me . . . I was pushed to sign a contract immediately or else they would not pay me and I would not have been able to go to work on Monday."

    Two weeks later he was given his marching orders.

    Kerry Lambert, of Christchurch, was also laid off after just under a year's employment at the end of his contract and has been unable to get a new job.

    The manager had handed out the redundancy letters to staff an hour before the end of day and Lambert was forced to train the inmates who were replacing him as well.

    He thought inmates must have been brought in because they were cheaper, but he had been paid minimum wage, so he could not understand why he and his workmates had been fired.

    The Department of Corrections would not confirm whether inmates were working at Kiwi Pallets due to prisoners' privacy, but The Press followed a van full of workers from the company premises to Rolleston Prison.

    Due to the privacy issues, the department could not say whether it knew prisoners were replacing employees or comment on its procedures for preventing such events happening.

    It did say the Release to Work scheme was successful in helping inmates reintegrate with society and that almost half kept their jobs once they had left prison.

    Also, it stressed that Release to Work inmates were paid market rates and not subsidised in any way by the department.

    "The Release to Work programme is an important reintegrative programme for offenders and Corrections values the employers who participate in the programme," a department statement said.

    CASE COULD BE BROUGHT - SOLICITOR

    On the face of Hare Solomon's allegations there appear to be "some issues" with the process his employer took, Duncan Cotterill senior solicitor Adam Gallagher says.

    An employer could make employees redundant, but it had to be for a legitimate reason, the employment law specialist said.

    "It looks like they possibly made him redundant, although it doesn't look like the positions have gone."

    All employers needed to follow the proper process when making staff redundant, including giving reasons and consulting with the affected workers, he said.

    "The potential issue's whether it was a fair redundancy because the work remains, it's just they've replaced them with other workers."

    The allegation of pressuring workers to sign a contract threw up other issues, because employees had to be allowed the opportunity to seek independent advice before signing, he said.

    It was for that reason that contracts should be signed before people started work, he said.

    Even if an employee did not have a written contract, they would still be considered to have an employment agreement, even though it would be in breach of employment law, he said.

    The nature of the default agreement would be from the conditions that had prevailed during employment.

    So a person working regular 40-hour weeks would be considered to be in permanent fulltime employment.

    Introducing a fixed-term contract to that situation after almost a year would probably be considered a change in conditions, which would need to be justified to the employee and consultation made, he said.

    Solomon would have 90 days to bring a personal grievance against his former employer if he believed he was unfairly treated, Gallagher said.

    - ? Fairfax NZ News

    Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/8376234/Labourers-lose-jobs-to-prisoners

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