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The Choice: TIME’s Person of the Year By Richard Stengel Dec. 19, 2012 Share Cover Photograph by Nadav Kander for TIME Email FacebookTwitterTumblrLinkedInStumbleUponRedditDiggMixxDeliciousGoogle+ Follow @TIME In 1782 an expatriate French aristocrat named J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur who lived in New York’s Hudson Valley published a book in London called Letters from an American Farmer. The third letter was titled “What Is an American?” That question reverberated in the late 18th century as the Old World tried to make sense of the New. It’s still relevant 230 years later, in part because Americans are changing even as America itself remains much the same. Crèvecoeur wondered, “What then is the American, this new man?” He was a citizen by choice, not birth — he had decided to come here. Such a thing had never existed before. In many ways, Barack Obama is the 21st century version of this new American. But he’s more than just a political figure; he’s a cultural one. He is the first President to embrace gay marriage and to offer work permits to many young undocumented immigrants. There has been much talk of the coalition of the ascendant — young people, minorities, Hispanics, college-educated women — and in winning re-election, Obama showed that these fast-growing groups are not only the future but also the present. About 40% of millennials — the largest generational cohort in U.S. history, bigger even than the baby boomers — are nonwhite. If his win in 2008 was extraordinary, then 2012 is confirmation that demographic change is here to stay. (MORE: Barack Obama, 2012 Person of the Year) Obama is the first Democratic President since FDR to win more than 50% of the vote in consecutive elections and the first President since 1940 to win re-election with an unemployment rate north of 7.5%. He has stitched together a winning coalition and perhaps a governing one as well. His presidency spells the end of the Reagan realignment that had defined American politics for 30 years. We are in the midst of historic cultural and demographic changes, and Obama is both the symbol and in some ways the architect of this new America. “The truth is,” the President said in the Oval Office, “that we have steadily become a more diverse and tolerant country that embraces people’s differences and respects people who are not like us. That’s a profoundly good thing. That’s one of the strengths of America.” All elections are about change, and 2012’s was as well. Pretty much everyone voted for change of some kind: 49% of voters wanted to change the President, while 51% of voters wanted the change that Obama promised four years earlier. The pollster Frank Luntz told me that 40% of America is ecstatic, 20% is accepting and 40% thinks the country is going to hell. “The only other time we’ve seen this was FDR in 1936,” he said. “Those who are alienated believe the President and his policies are not grounded in American values.” (Inside the White House: Never-Before-Seen Photos) But whose America is that? Is there a battle between the old America and the new? Obama would say no. He sees his time in office as a kind of convergence of past and future. “I think about this eight-year project,” he says, as one in which “we’ve also accommodated all the demographic changes and cultural and technological changes that are taking place and been able to marry those with some of the old-fashioned virtues of hard work and discipline and responsibility — all in a way that allows us to succeed and to thrive.” That’s the new America. And it’s finding its voice: the President we heard at the wrenching memorial service in Connecticut was more assertive, more personal, more willing to risk his political capital for what he truly believes. At the end of Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison’s great 1952 novel about racial injustice, the central character says, “America is woven of many strands; I would recognize them and let it so remain … Our fate is to become one, and yet many — This is not prophecy, but description.” Just 12 years ago, Obama was so invisible that he attended the 2000 Democratic National Convention in L.A. and watched it on the Jumbotron in the Staples Center parking lot. Today he is universally visible — and known. But he would agree with Ellison’s observation that this change is indeed description and not prophecy. The new America is not so much the old e pluribus unum — out of many, one — but, as Ellison says, one and yet many. That is Obama’s America. For finding and forging a new majority, for turning weakness into opportunity and for seeking, amid great adversity, to create a more perfect union, Barack Obama is TIME’s 2012 Person of the Year. Obama Photo Diary: 48 Hours with the President Person of the Year 2013 Nancy Gibbs: The Choice Pope Francis, The People's Pope Runner-Up: Edward Snowden Runner-Up: Edith Windsor Runner-Up: Bashar Assad Runner-Up: Ted Cruz Tributes: Those We Lost in 2013Interactive: 2013 by the Second Behind the Person of the Year Cover Announcement / The Choice With a focus on compassion, the leader of the Catholic Church has become a new voice of conscience. Managing Editor Nancy Gibbs explains why Francis is TIME’s pick for Person of the Year 2013 Interactive: The Year in TIME 2013 By the Second One year told in fast forward Tributes Remembering Those We Lost in 2013 The Year in Review Most Influential Fictional Characters Power Couples of 2013 Social Reactions See what @TIME users have to say about Pope Francis being selected as the 2013 Person of the Year Follow “Person of the Year”

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Tag Archives: Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky FAA prohibits flights to Israel airport for 24 hours The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told U.S. carriers on Tuesday not to fly to or from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, following a rocket strike that landed just one mile from the airport. The prohibition, which applies to U.S. carriers and does not include foreign operators, ends at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday. United Airlines, US Airways and Delta reportedly suspended flights to Tel Aviv. Delta had a Tel Aviv-bound Boeing 747 from JFK carrying 290 people in the air Tuesday afternoon, but rerouted it to Paris. The notice came at a time when airlines are more sensitive flying over troubled areas, after 298 people were killed when a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was downed over Ukraine last week. Israelis have been fighting Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip since July 8, and the strike was the closest to the airport since the fighting began, according to the New York Daily News. However, Israel’s Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz said on Tuesday that the flight cancellations should be reversed, because it gave a victory to terrorism, according to published reports. A local leader agreed. “I understand the safety concerns of the airlines,” said Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky of Chabad of Northeast Queens in Bayside. “Essentially this is what the terrorists want. They want to isolate Israel and create disruptions to people’s normal lives.” The FAA said it will continue to monitor the situation and will update the airlines with further instructions. RECOMMENDED STORIES Man slits Woodhaven woman’s throat in failed subway mugging Bayside Little League female player is determined to continue playing baseball NY Lottery $1,000 a day for life winning ticket sold at Bayside 7-Eleven This entry was posted in News and tagged Bayside, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration., Israel, Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky on July 22, 2014 4:51 pm by Liam La Guerre. Op-Ed: The meaning behind Chanukah BY RABBI YOSSI BLESOFSKY Chanukah — the eight-day festival of light that begins on the eve of the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev — celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materiality. More than 21 centuries ago, the Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of G-d. When they sought to light the temple’s menorah (the seven branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity. To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah (candelabrum) lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled. The deeper message of the festival is that the oil represents the soul – the spark of G-d within us. Our enemies strive to defeat us any which way possible, through physical annihilation and spiritual assimilation. The miracle of Chanukah teaches us that ultimately we shall overcome. The soul can never be put down and defeated, and regardless of how bleak the situation may appear, light will ultimately overpower darkness. On Chanukah we also add the Hallel and Al HaNissim in our daily prayers to offer praise and thanksgiving to G-d for “delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few… the wicked into the hands of the righteous.” Chanukah customs include eating foods fried in oil — latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, “a great miracle happened there”); and the giving of Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children. Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky is the Director of the Chabad of Northeast Queens This entry was posted in News and tagged Al HaNissim, Chabad of Northeast Queens, Chanukah, Hallel, hanukkah, Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky on December 12, 2012 10:32 am by Queens Courier Staff. Op Ed: The Myth of Relaxation A recent Wall Street Journal article discussed the results of a fascinating study. People who work under high pressure conditions will often take time off to get away from it all, relax and “decompress.” This, common wisdom assumes, is the way to alleviate the accumulative effects of stress. Alas, the study’s findings indicate that a cycle of intense stress followed by utter relaxation does nothing to counter the deleterious physical and mental health effects of chronic stress. The only thing that really helps is learning to respond in effective ways to stress-inducing situations as they arise. Relaxation is not what heals stress, but reshaping our day-to-day behavior in a way that makes for a less stressful life. Passover is a celebration of our capacity to attain freedom in “every generation” Yes – even in 2012, to leave whichever “Egypt” our souls languish in. Yet, when we think of freedom, we usually think in terms of being free of care, worry and the burdens of life — in other words, freedom equals “relaxation”. Passover seems to contradict this with its laws on banishing every crumb of leaven from every nook and cranny of our home, with the requirement to eat precise amounts of Matzah and drink a certain measure of wine with each of the “four cups”. Religiously speaking, without eating and drinking the specified amounts, we have not really celebrated the Seder. Is this focus on detail, freedom? Indeed, there is no other true freedom. We are physical beings living in a world of myriad details and minutia. If we say, “I can only spread my wings and feel uplifted when I transcend the body, the Earth and all its petty details,” we are basically saying that God cannot be felt here in our world. In this model, God is imprisoned in the sublime, and we are imprisoned in the petty. Escaping the petty will not help either — sooner or later we will need to return from the vacation, and then we are back to square one. Passover responds by telling us that if we truly want our spirits to soar, we must find God in the details of the world we live in, in the same way that stress is not eliminated by escaping our life-frameworks, but by remaining within them and transforming them from within. At the Passover Seder, the ordinary act of eating embodies the will of the infinite, packaged in a few mouthfuls. God is not imprisoned, and neither are we. God can be wherever God chooses to be, even in the act of eating a piece of Matzah or the sounds of a small child asking the Four Questions. And we, too, are set free, as we discover the transcendent in the stuff of everyday life. Wishing you a holiday of true freedom! This entry was posted in Opinion and tagged Op Ed:, Rabbi Yossi Blesofsky, relaxation on April 12, 2012 3:22 pm by Queens Courier Staff. Search for:

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hide Jane's Addiction Receives Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Image courtesy of Eliot Lee Hazel (via ABC News Radio) Jane's Addiction was honored Wednesday with the 2,509th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Founding members Eric Avery were on hand for the ceremony. Frontman Perry Farrell spent most of his time on the microphone reminiscing about the band's early days, as it emerged from the Los Angeles club scene. He said, "The stories of Jane's Addiction, the songs of Jane's Addiction, were true Hollywood stories right off the streets. And that's why if you guys love us it's because you love Hollywood and you love the history of Hollywood and the people that make up Hollywood." Wednesday's event featured Jane's Addiction tributes from Densmore credited Jane's Addiction for helping to define the alternative rock genre. And Hawkins quipped that the group "made me fall in love with rock and roll music at a time when it was looking really crappy and I was looking like I was going to become a jazz-fusion drummer."

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Egypt bans YouTube over Innocence of Muslims video People shout slogans and light flares in front of the U.S. embassy during a protest against what they said was a film being produced in the United States that was insulting to the Prophet Mohammad, in Cairo September 11, 2012 (Reuters / Amr Abdallah Dalsh) Download video Court, Egypt, Hate crimes, Internet, Religion, Scandal, Violence An Egyptian court has ruled to ban video sharing portal YouTube for one month among the other websites hosting the controversial film trailer that mocked Islam and Prophet Mohammed. ­Egypt’s administrative court on Saturday ordered the authorities to block access to YouTube and other websites that have not removed the anti-Islamic trailer. The 14-minute clip made in the US was posted to YouTube in July 2012.After having been translated into Arabic and partly broadcasted in Egypt last September, this low-budget film sparked a wave of outrage worldwide and anti-American protests in the Middle East that killed more than 70 people and injured hundreds.The lawsuit against YouTube was filed by Egyptian attorney Hamed Salem amid accusations of the video-sharing service being a “threat to social peace.” Salem demanded YouTube and social media sites linking to the “insulting” video to be banned until all the anti-Islamic content is removed from them.Egyptian protest movements have condemned the ban, calling YouTube a “vital resource for disseminating information about Human Rights abuses by the security forces,” Cairo-based journalist Bel Trew told RT on Saturday.Wael Eskandar, an Egyptian journalist and blogger, told RT the YouTube verdict is not an isolated event, as Egypt’s new rulers are increasingly targeting websites they view as a threat to their rule.“One other thing we’ve seen as well, admins on Facebook pages that are critical of the Muslim Brotherhood are being targeted. We’ve seen one death in clashes last week – an admin of a Facebook page called ‘the Muslim Brotherhood are liars.’We’re seeing more of these kind of clampdowns, either in the physical realm, and now they’re moving on to doing it technically, through YouTube or various other sites, and we can expect more of that.”The Google-owned service had decided to temporarily block access to The Innocence of Muslims in specific countries, including Egypt and Libya. However, Google refused to remove the video, saying it didn’t violate YouTube’s community guidelines. YouTube still does not consider the film as hate speech towards Muslims, despite the Obama administration’s request to “reconsider” its status.Recently, an Egyptian court upheld its decision that sentenced seven alleged makers of the film with death, and American pastor Terry Jones with jail term in absentia. Other countries such as Pakistan have taken legal action to suspend a list of Google services until the anti-Islamic video is removed.Following the violent reaction to the film, to which the Benghazi attack that killed US ambassador in Libya was also initially attributed, a 55-year old US resident identified as a key filmmaker was arrested and sentenced to jail by an American court.Egypt-born Coptic Christian Mark Bassely Youssef was sentenced to a year in prison and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to four of the eight charges against him. A US-based Christian charity is said to have funded The Innocence of Muslims, which also portrayed the persecution of Copts in Egypt. Comments Add comment Budget to die for: Qatar launches $1bn Prophet Mohammed film series Innocence of Muslims 2? Belgium alarmed as another controversial film to be released 1 Google approved to keep showing 'Innocence of Muslims' 3 Egypt sentences 8 Christians to death over controversial anti-Islam movie 'Innocence of Muslims' creator goes to jail 1 Prophet protests: LIVE anti-Western rallies timeline (PHOTOS)

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FashionMag.com FashionJobs.com FashionNetwork.com « MAC withdraws make-up line in... Asics America has chosen its... » > Design Send to a colleague/friend Jessica Alba, Matthew McConaughey & others design charity rucksacks New York, 10 ago (EFE) - Actors Jessica Alba, Matthew McConaughey, model/presenter Heidi Klum plus other famous faces launch a line of school bags. Shown on Tuesday in New York they will be auctioned off online to raise funds for educational programs. Singer Shakira and actresses, Eva Longoria and Salma Hayek join the celebrity team creating bags in support of the good cause. Shakira and her pink, embellished rucksack. Photo : nickjr.com Nickelodeon introduced the initiative "Beyond the Backpack" to raise funds for the work of Children's Defense Fund since their series ‘Dora the Explorer’ celebrates its tenth birthday on TV next week. The popular children's cartoon character has become a favourite amongst millions of U.S. preschoolers in recent years that follow her on a daily basis. The pieces, including designs by singers Sheryl Crow and Faith Hill are presented from Tuesday 10 August until September 2 in the grand windows of Macy's, Manhattan. "The backpacks, handmade in the United States were personally designed and signed by each celebrity to guarantee an authenticity," explained the project managers in a statement. Jessica Alba's soft brown suede rucksack. Photo : nickjr.com The tastes of each celebrity’s patented design are "stylistically diverse, with elements of punk-rock, gothic, bohemian and glam", the statement added, which indicated that the materials used are also different in each case, "from leather, suede, nylon and rubber, to even Swarovski embellishments." Afterwards the pieces will be put up for auction on the Internet and the funds raised will be put towards several programs that aim to offer education to underprivileged children. "Dora is a very positive role model. It is great that we can associate ourselves with an intelligent latina girl who captures the attention of many children around the world," President and Founder of the Children's Defense Fund, said Marian Wright Edelman. The organisation also announced that it has set back a limited number of backpacks to be auctioned off in Canada, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom, Holland, Greece, Israel, Australia and New Zealand, where the money raised will be devoted to educational projects for each of these countries. Daniel Swarovski © EFE 2014. Está expresamente prohibida la redistribución y la redifusión de todo o parte de los contenidos de los servicios de Efe, sin previo y expreso consentimiento de la Agencia EFE S.A.

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First time candidate supports marriage coalition By wanelamarholliday Published: June 11, 2014, 11:38 pm Updated: June 12, 2014, 8:25 am FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Thad Gerardot is running as an openly gay democratic candidate for the 81st District. He’ll be running against incumbent Martin Carbaugh. Gerardot is in support of a new marriage coalition formed in Indianapolis supporting gay marriage in Indiana. The new coalition is called “Hoosiers Unite for Marriage”. One of their first moves will be to ask Attorney General Greg Zoeller to stop backing the state’s gay marriage ban. “A lot of people I’ve talked to here in the community, every year I hear I don’t feel represented at the statehouse,” said Gerardot. He’s worked with the LGBT community for years, he said. He’s worked with groups such as Freedom Indiana, which successfully kept a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage off the ballot this fall. He said this issue needs to be discussed because people need to realize the diverse community that makes up Indiana. “You don’t want that big battle, you don’t want it on the ballot, because you get to know those people and they’re your neighbors,” he said. Gerardot said he’s spoken with constitutes who are born and raised here, but feel separated because of their stance on this issue. This is just one of the many reasons he said he’s running for office. “Inclusion and diversity are important to this state,” said Gerardot. “A lot of people love Indiana as their home, they don’t necessarily feel welcomed here because some of the policies and a divisive rhetoric that I would like to see go away.” Republicans are also being strong in their stance. Though it hasn’t yet gone to a public vote, lawmakers still advanced a ban on gay marriage. Plus, republican delegates this past weekend at the convention here in Fort Wayne decided to define marriage as being between a man and a woman in their platform. Wednesday night shooting ruled a homicide State changing drug crimes to help addicts

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Roy Leonard Jack Hemingway New Orleans ‘Bronco Billy’ All-Star Special with Clint Eastwood David Brenner Older Newer Featured Videos For more than 30 years, Roy Leonard dominated the airwaves on Saturday mornings with ratings on WGN that were higher than the next four stations combined. His weekday shows were also top rated as he interviewed celebrities, authors, politicians, musicians and sports figures, who made a stop at the WGN studios a must. Starting in 1985 he became host of WGN-TV’s “Family Classics” after the sudden passing of Frazier Thomas. He hosted many WGN-TV Specials and was film and theater critic on the nightly news. Roy’s career started in New England. After attending Emerson College and a stint in The United States Air Force and Armed Forces Radio, he found a job and his life’s companion in the small town of Framingham, just outside of Boston. While working at the local radio station, he was approached by the casting director of the local theatre group to appear in their next show. Not only did Roy appear in that and future shows, but he married the casting director, Sheila Marie Finn in the Fall of 1953. The Leonards began to raise a family and Roy got his first job in a major market, Boston. It was here that he honed his skills in news reporting and developed interviewing techniques on both Channels 5 & 7 and daily radio shows on WHDH, WNAC, and the Yankee Network. In 1967 WGN, Chicago, came calling and the Leonard family, which by then included Sheila and six sons, moved to the Midwest where Roy soon became a top radio and TV personality. His love of theater prompted an annual London Theatre Tour, where listeners were offered a week of sightseeing, theatre and shopping. This led to New York Theatre weekends, trips to the Shaw & Stratford Festivals in Ontario, excursions to France, Norway, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Thailand and The Soviet Union, where Roy broadcast his morning radio show from Moscow. Leonard retired from daily broadcast duties at the end of 1998 but continued “Family Classics” and occasional radio and TV commercials. His sons all live in and around Chicago and eight grandchildren see their grandparents regularly. In the Fall of 2010, Sheila suffered a severe fall and slowly developed Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia. She went into Hospice Care at the Mather Life Center in Evanston early in 2012 and passed away on March 13th. Roy lives in The Mather, an upscale Continuing Care Retirement Community and keeps his website up to date by sharing with long time fans as well as new readers, his thoughts on current world and local happenings. And in a special series called ‘Till Death Do Us Part, he details his struggle with an ailing spouse and offers suggestions that might help those in a similar situation. To read more about Roy’s life and legacy, visit royleonard.com. Share Topic Subscribe to Roy’s podcastBurt Reynolds July 24, 2014More than forty years ago, Burt Reynolds made his first live appearances on the stage and on the Roy Leonard Show in Chicago. Here are some very entertaining memories. (March 15 & 29, 1972) Click here to return to the … […]Nick Digilio Full Show: 6/28/14 June 29, 2014WGN Radio Walk of Famer Roy Leonard joins Nick to talk about Sting’s musical, “The Last Ship”, and more. George Karzas of the Gale Street Inn, Steve O’ Brien of Leadbelly Burgers and Michael Thornton of the Gift Theatre … […]Pearl Bailey June 20, 2014The Tony Award-winning singer and actress in theatre, film and TV visited Roy several times, including this conversation from September 8, 1989. She was also an ambassador to the U.N. and prolific writer. Click here to return to the Roy … […]Roy Leonard remembers a career of interviewing Hollywood’s finest and not-so-fine June 11, 2014In honor of WGN Radio’s 90th anniversary, we’re creating a Walk of Fame. One of the radio legends we’ll celebrate is Roy Leonard. He joins the morning show to dish about his career. Find out why Anthony Michael Hall had … […]Roy Leonard: 5/17/14 May 18, 2014Newly minted WGN Radio Walk of Famer Roy Leonard makes his bi-weekly visit to the show to talk about the latest films and plays on his radar. For more from Roy, check out his blog. … […]Advertisement

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The Benghazi Attack’s Person of Continuing Interest Ahmad Abu Khattallah has been linked to the incident again and again. But more than two months after, he has yet to be officially interrogated. TIME conducts several interviews with one of Benghazi’s most intriguing people By Steven Sotloff / Benghazi Nov. 23, 20120 Share Esam Al-Fetori / ReutersThe U.S. Consulate in Benghazi is seen in flames after an attack, Sept. 11, 2012. Email Ahmad Abu Khattallah does not dispute claims he was at the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi the night it was attacked. “We had heard there was some shooting at the area,” says the man with a beard down to his chest. “February 17th [a brigade tasked with protecting the mission] asked us to help them extricate some of their men holed up in the mission.” But when asked who was behind the Sept. 11, 2012 assault that took the life of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, Khattallah gazes without emotion at his mobile phone as he sits for one of several interviews with TIME in a local hotel. “The attack came from the people,” he says, pausing to capture his thoughts. “I don’t know if anything was planned.” He grows vehement when confronted with allegations that he masterminded the raid (the Associated Press interviewed a witness who claims that Khattallah, who heads a militia called Abu Obaida Bin Jarra, guided fighters around the compound.) “The attack,” Khattallah insists, “that was not us.” In a number of meetings over two weeks, Khattallah discussed everything from Islam’s respect of other religions to his qualms with Washington’s Middle East policies. But it is his alleged role in the Benghazi debacle that has made him a person of interest for Americans. As if to belie accusations that could well catapult him to the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted List, Khattallah has not gone into hiding and wanders the streets of Benghazi freely. He is certainly a person that many in Benghazi believe can get things done. During an interview at his sparsely furnished house in Benghazi’s Layti neighborhood, his living room filled up with men seeking his help to resolve problems. Under Muammar Gaddafi’s rule, Khattallah was incarcerated several times. The dictator’s security services frequently arrested pious Muslims for sporting long beards or spending too much time in mosques. With his facial hair, Khattallah was one of the usual suspects. Like many Libyans, he took up arms against the government during the 2011 revolution, coming to prominence after the assassination of the rebels’ chief of staff Abd al-Fattah Yunis in August 2011. Many rebel officials believe Khattallah was behind the killing. TIME brought up the subject during one of the interviews but Khattallah refused to go into it saying “The revolution is over. And we don’t talk about the past.” (MORE: After Benghazi, Is al-Qaeda Back?) Ostensibly a building contractor, Khattallah refuses to give his age but he looks to be in his 40s. Not a jovial man, he nevertheless often has a smile on his face. And while he often answered questions quickly, a pensive look would come over him at some times before venturing a cautious response. There would be many ambivalent and ambiguous statements. At times, he would respond to questions with queries his own, at others he would refuse to answer them altogether. For example, when asked “how many people does Ansar al-Shari’a have?” Khattallah unhelpfully replies that the Islamist group “has many people.” The organization had been linked to the attack though it has denied involvement. The New York Times claimed that Khattallah is a leader of the group. When asked if Ansar al-Shari’a members were involved in the Sept. 11, 2012 attack, he simply says, “We didn’t see them there that night.” A number of Libyans say Khattallah belongs to the takfir movement which believes that Muslims who do not demonstrate a requisite level of piety can be declared infidels, thus allowing them to be killed. When asked about takfirism, Khattallah simply says, “The people who curse our Prophet are infidels.” In Arabic, the words have additional resonance. The word for “infidel” has the same root as takfir. He prefers focusing on Western hostility toward Islam. “Stop thinking of us as terrorists,” he says, “and start to build a friendly relationship with the people.” When asked his opinion of the attack on the Benghazi mission, he says swiftly, “I don’t support the attack on American diplomats in Libya, but if Americans get involved in Libyan issues they need to watch out what they are going to get.” When asked again if he supported attacks against Americans, he says, “I don’t have an answer for that.” In the murky world of Libyan militias that dominate the country’s new security landscape, people like Khattallah have gained authority and status. Intelligence services have not interrogated him. Khattallah claims he has even been in contact with President Muhammad Muqaryef, though he is not forthcoming about the communication was about. He insists the president never said Khattallah was a suspect in the Benghazi incident, even though CBS News cited Muqaryef as saying so. “We can’t move against Khattallah and his gangs,” says a senior militia leader. “They control the street. Khattallah was involved in the attack. We know this.” The militia leader, however, refused to have his name made public because he was fearful of being targeted by radical Islamists for cooperating with the U.S. MORE: The Benghazi Attack: A Bigger Question Missed by All the Finger-Pointing curt3rd 5pts No one asked this guy what he thought about the you tube video? bittermonkMT 5pts "The Benghazi operation is erroneously called a US consulate. It is "a meeting place to coordinate aid for the rebel-led insurgencies in the Middle East." Tasks performed include "collaborating with Arab countries on the recruitment of fighters, including jihadists, to target Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria." Consulate designation provides cover. Obama and Clinton call the post a "US mission". The State Department lists no consulate in Benghazi. (Stephen Lendman, Petraeus: Resignation or Sacking?, Global Research, Nov. 12, 2012) Time appears to be broadcasting misinformation and inculcating a propagandistic meme of benefit to this administration by repeatedly referring to the non-consulate mission as a "US Consulate". In other words, this article propagates 'the Big Lie'. If there was ever any doubt who butter's Time's toast, we can see clearly herein that Time is but another corporate presstitute. ShawnArscott 5pts The witch hunt begins. match22 5pts "...Khattallah claims he has even been in contact with President Muhammad Muqaryef, though he is not forthcoming about the communication was about." [What] ... about WHAT the communication was about. yes what it was about. At times, he would respond to questions with queries his own,"... with queries [of] his own..." Multi million dollar media corporations... take a little time (spend a little money) to hire people to EDIT your journalism. pmourassa 5pts The chicken,oops "our terrorists" came home to roost

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hide Teenager arrested in Colorado schoolgirl dismemberment By Keith Coffman WESTMINSTER, Colo. (Reuters) - A Colorado teenager has been arrested on suspicion of abducting and killing a 10-year-old girl who disappeared on her way to school and was later found dismembered, a crime that left Denver-area parents gripped with fear, police said on Wednesday. Jessica Ridgeway vanished on October 5 in the Denver suburb of Westminster, and a man reported finding her backpack on a sidewalk in front of his house two days later, 6 milesfrom where she was last seen. Police later confirmed that mutilated remains discovered in a park about 10 miles from the Ridgeway home belonged to the missing girl. The 17-year-old suspect, Austin Sigg, a Westminster resident whom investigators believe also tried to abduct a jogger in May of this year near the girl's home, was taken into custody on Tuesday evening, police said. Police said they were led to Sigg's home by a phone call but did not elaborate on the nature of the tip. "We notified the Ridgeway family this morning of this arrest, and we hope and pray that this arrest gives them some measure of closure in dealing with this horrible tragedy and loss that they have suffered," Westminster Police Chief Lee Birk told reporters at a press conference on Wednesday. Members of Sigg's family were not immediately available for comment. The youth's home was cordoned off with crime-scene tape on Wednesday, preventing reporters from approaching the house. Jessica's kidnapping and slaying drew national media attention and terrified parents in Westminster and surrounding areas, leading them to walk or drive their children to and from school and to keep youngsters from playing outdoors unattended. EASING THE TRAUMA Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper said in a statement that "every parent in every Colorado community will rest a little easier tonight" following the arrest. Lynn Setzer, spokeswoman for the Jefferson County School District, said Sigg was enrolled as recently as July in a vocational school where he earned a high school equivalency diploma. Two 17-year-old girls who said they had attended a regular high school with Sigg described him as a member of the so-called Goth crowd of students who dressed in dark clothing and congregated in the back of the cafeteria at lunchtime. Rachel Bradley called Sigg "very different" and said he spent a lot of after-class time in the school's computer lab. Sarah Moravec added, "And when you talked to him, you could tell he wasn't very happy." Both girls were present at a makeshift memorial for Jessica in her neighborhood. In March Sigg placed second in a crime scene investigation contest held by the Health Occupation Students of America leadership conference, according to a notice submitted at the time on the Denver Post's neighborhood news website. A police custody report showed Sigg was enrolled recently at a community college in suburban Denver. A spokeswoman for the state's community college system said officials there were cooperating with police, but did not comment further. Investigators had in recent days linked Jessica's killing to the attempted abduction in May of a jogger, a 22-year-old woman. In that incident, a man placed a chemical-soaked rag over her mouth but she managed to escape. Sigg was due to appear in court on Thursday to face charges of murder, kidnapping and attempted murder, according to the custody report. Sigg would not face the possibility of the death sentence if convicted. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 abolished the death penalty for those convicted of committing a crime while under the age of 18. (Reporting by Keith Coffman; Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Steve Gorman and Xavier Briand)

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Home Entertainment Arts Arts Stories Correction: JC Penney-Home Department story In a story June 7 about J.C. Penney's new home department, The Associated Press reported erroneously Ordning & Reda is a U.K. firm. In fact, it is based in Sweden.A corrected version of the story is below:J.C. Penney launches new home departmentJ.C. Penney launches new home department featuring lines by Michael Graves, Martha StewartBy MAE ANDERSONAP Retail WriterJ.C. Penney wants you to come home.The struggling department store this week launched its newly revamped home departments in 500 of its 1,100 stores, which feature splashy displays of new lines by designers and celebrities like Jonathan Adler, Michael Graves and Martha Stewart. The aim is to use the new home lines -- which will each be displayed in a store-within-a store format grouped together in the center of the store -- to attract customers back into its stores after a bold attempt to remake the department store chain failed.But it won't be easy. CEO Mike Ullman, who became CEO in April, told The Associated Press that the company has let its home department slip in recent years as it stopped offering catalogues in favor of online sales."It's safe to say we hit the low point of home in terms of share penetration," said Ullman, during an interview at a launch event in New York on Thursday. "Now it's a question of building it back up."Ullman said the new home lines range from classic to modern and should appeal to Penney's broad mix of shoppers. There are more gift items and furniture than previously offered and the company has brought back its drapery business.He added that the home business is a promotional one, so plenty of sales are planned, particularly in the furniture area. For the "housewarming" sale to launch the new home lines, a Jonathan Adler Happy Chic queen-size bed was marked down to $1425 from $2375 and a Design By Conran chair was marked down to $735 from $1225.That's quite a change from former CEO Ron Johnson's 18-month tenure. Johnson got rid of most sales. Johnson also envisioned J.C. Penney stores remade into boutique shopping experiences, with brands divided up into store-within-stores. After he was replaced by Ullman in April, the home division may be one of few parts of the store that actually carries out that vision.Ullman declined to comment on J.C. Penney's plans beyond the home department. But he said the company has made a big investment in the home unit. While home sections typically are among the least profitable of a department store, they help to drive customers into the store. And the timing might be right with the housing market on the upswing."We've never had this many attractions or had this space commitment (to the home department) and we know that the dotcom experience has been improved, so we're optimistic," he said. He declined to give any specific sales targets for the division.J.C. Penney started rolling out the new departments at 500 locations in April, but completion was pushed back until this week due to construction delays. Each shop-within-a-store will have its own distinct look and will range in size from 300 to about 800 square feet.Among the new shops-within-stores will be Bodum, a Denmark-based kitchenware company. Jonathan Adler, known for his whimsical designs in home decor, also will have a shop. And Michael Graves, the architect turned home designer, will showcase his minimalist style in kitchen and home accessories in mini boutiques. Other lines include a party line by Martha Stewart, Pantone decor and bags and notebooks from Swedish firm Ordning & Reda.

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Moral Reasoning in Light of Wichita [NOTE: This column ran in The Chicago Tribune in yesterday's edition (read it here). I wrote this editorial column in the aftermath of the murder of Dr. George Tiller. An extended note is found at the end of the column, dealing with the arguments found in the essay.] The murder of Dr. George Tiller presents America with yet another reminder of the violence that exists within our midst. This is not the way the pro-life movement wanted Dr. Tiller’s life to end. Our mission is to convince Americans of the sanctity of every human life—born and unborn. The murder of Dr. Tiller does not serve that cause. George Tiller was one of the most recognized abortion doctors in America. This nation has known few doctors who would perform the late-term abortions for which Dr. Tiller was infamous. He was known for his willingness to perform almost any abortion—even to abort babies that would safely survive outside the womb. He saw himself as a champion of women’s rights. To others, he was an agent of death who was personally responsible for the deaths of thousands of unborn human beings. The murder of Dr. Tiller was a grotesque denial of the sanctity of human life. This is not a cause that can be served by violence in any form. The abortion procedures employed by Dr. Tiller are horribly violent. Proponents of abortion want to keep the nation’s attention diverted from what abortion really means—and especially from what happens in a late-term abortion. That violence is what we desperately want to see end. For this reason, the violence that was murderously deployed in Wichita requires us to be first in line to make clear that violence in the womb will never be overcome by means of violence outside the womb. Dr. Tiller’s murderer has blood on his hands, and he has bloodied the cause of human life and human dignity. As many press reports have made clear, the pro-life movement is predominantly Christian, mainly led by committed Catholics and conservative Evangelicals. The Christian tradition claims a rich tradition of moral reasoning. The sanctity of human life and our duty to defend the innocent comes within a context of respect for the rule of law and the acknowledgment that it is the duty of government to use its own means to protect life and to serve justice. Nothing in the Christian moral tradition justifies the act of murdering an abortionist. There is no justification for taking the law into our own hands and arrogating to ourselves the rightful role of government as exercised through its laws, courts, and institutions of state. In 1943, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was arrested for his opposition to the Nazi regime. The Lutheran pastor, a prominent leader in the anti-Nazi Confessing Church, had been involved in espionage and an attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler. This pastor and theologian sought to defy the regime that was murdering the Jewish people and destroying human life with homicide on an unprecedented scale. Bonhoeffer acted in defense of human life, and for this he was executed in the Flossenburg prison camp in the final days of World War II. Dietrich Bonhoeffer opposed abortion with full force. In his Ethics he explained: “The simple fact is that God had certainly intended to create a human being and that this nascent human being has been deprived of his life. And that is nothing but murder.” When it came to defying Hitler’s regime, Bonhoeffer saw that several excruciating moral questions were on “the borderland” and could not be settled with absolute certainty. Eventually, he was convinced that the Nazi regime was beyond moral correction and no longer legitimate. Christians, he then saw, bore a responsibility to oppose the regime at every level and to seek its demise. He acted in defense of life and was finally willing to use violence to that end. America is not Nazi Germany. George Tiller, though bearing the blood of thousands of unborn children on his hands, was not Adolf Hitler. The murderer of Dr. George Tiller is no Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dr. Tiller’s murderer did not serve the cause of life; he assaulted that cause at its moral core. There is no justification for this murder, and it is the responsibility of everyone who cherishes life and honors human dignity to declare this without equivocation or hesitation. For years now, this great nation has been engaged in a great and heart-rending debate over abortion. For the first time since Roe v Wade, polls now indicate that a majority of Americans are pro-life. This issue is far from settled, but even as the pro-life movement seeks to work within the political process in defense of life, our greater task is to reach hearts and minds toward the goal that no woman would seek an abortion. The murder in Wichita makes that challenge more difficult. The horrible lesson of Wichita is this: Those who would use violence do not serve the Culture of Life. They are agents of the Culture of Death. NOTE: I deal with the Bonhoeffer issue in this essay because I have received so many questions about the historical analogy. So many readers are familiar with Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s decision to take action against Hitler. Fewer are familiar with the moral and theological reasoning that led Bonhoeffer, quite reluctantly, to this conclusion. Even then, Bonhoeffer was not certain he was acting rightly. He felt that this decision, made under extreme moral conditions, was the best he could understand. Other readers have seen the film “Valkyrie,” and jump to some of the same conclusions. We must realize that Bonhoeffer did not come to his decision to resort to violence against the regime out of a moral vacuum. He and his brothers and sisters in the Confessing Church had long before come to the conclusion that they must oppose the Nazi regime in totality, risking imprisonment and far worse. It is nothing less than embarrassing to see American Christians make arguments citing Bonhoeffer while they fail to engage his moral and theological reasoning — and when arguments are based in sloppy analogies from a position of cultural comfort.

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Vol. 19, No. 4,816W - The American Reporter - September 14, 2013 by Randolph T. HolhutAmerican Reporter CorrespondentDummerston, Vt.September 1, 2011 On Native GroundA NATURAL DISASTER MEETS UNNATURAL GOVERNING PRINCIPLES DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I write this at the end of three very long days covering Tropical Storm Irene and its aftermath here in southern Vermont. When I live, my wife and I were extraordinarily lucky. We live on a hill, and are nowhere near any river or stream of consequence that could flood. We only lost power from about eight hours on Sunday, or only a couple hours more than the power outage we had after a violent thunderstorm the Sunday before. We still had dial-up Internet access and battery backup power, so I could still keep updating the running story at my newspaper's Web site, even though I was doing it by lantern light for a few hours. But only a few miles from my home was utter devastation. The low-lying area of downtown Brattleboro, just two blocks from my newspaper's office, there was a flash flood when Whetstone Brook left its banks. You may have seen the YouTube footage on the network news programs. The two-to-three feet of water in that part of Brattleboro on Sunday receded by the end of the day, leaving several inches of mud and silt on the streets and dozens of businesses, homes and apartment blocks with major flood damage. I was in downtown Brattleboro on Monday, and it was a surreal atmosphere. On one end of town, there was no sign that a 100-year flood had taken place. On the other end of town was damage that may takes weeks, or even months, to repair. Route 9, the main east-west road in southern Vermont, was completely washed away in several spots between Brattleboro and Wilmington, the little town that is at the midpoint between Brattleboro and Bennington. The Deerfield River flooded Wilmington's downtown and exceeded the high water mark from the fabled Great New England Hurricane of 1938, the benchmark for severe and deadly weather in our region. One of my reporters, who lives in the Deerfield Valley, had to detour to Massachusetts to get to Brattleboro. Every road to Wilmington was washed out. She managed to get into Wilmington after the water receded on Monday, and she was shocked at the level of damage. You could see the water line on the walls of many buildings. One young woman drowned when flood waters engulfed her car. Another of my reporters paddled in a canoe over a section of Route 5 in Westminster that flooded on Monday when the nearby Bellows Falls dam had to do an emergency water release. A popular farm stand and bakery was swamped with water from the Connecticut River that went up to the top of the gas pumps in front. My third reporter, who lives in the West River Valley, saw washed-out roads and bridges galore in her sector. A couple of towns needed to be resupplied by helicopter because there was no other way to deliver emergency aid. I was by the banks of the Whetstone in Brattleboro on Monday with Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin and U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy. When I met up with them on Williams Street, they were looking at a building where the back portion had been washed away during Sunday's flash flood. It was one of several stops they made that day around Vermont. Both were shaken by what they saw. The damage reports from Irene around the state were disheartening, but the response of the state, and of individual Vermonters, was amazing. I've said on many occasions that Vermont is different from other states, that there is a sense of community and civic responsibility that is nearly extinct elsewhere. That spirit is carrying the state through a difficult time. I wish I could say the same about the politicians, particularly those of the conservative persuasion, in Washington. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., said last week that emergency aid will not be released for states hit by Irene until other federal programs are cut to offset the spending. Some of the cuts will come to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and first responders. Of course, it should come as no surprise that, during the Bush Administration, Cantor supported the Bush tax cuts, the Iraq war and raising the debt limit (five times) without asking for a penny in spending cuts. Right now, FEMA's disaster-relief fund, which is used to reimburse local governments and individuals for the costs of cleanup and repairs, is so short on money from all the wildfires, flooding and tornadoes that already happened this year that payments for some projects are being delayed. With Irene causing billions of dollars of damage from the Carolinas to the Canadian border, this no time to be shortchanging disaster relief. This is cruel, stupid and despicable. But House Republicans seem to be doubling down on the stupid. The Associated Press reported that the House Appropriations Committee has approved cuts to funding for "hurricane hunters" - the military planes that fly into hurricanes in order to measure and track them. All this is to be expected by a political party that hates government, especially when it helps Americans in need. This week marks the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, when the Bush Administration left New Orleans to die. The fecklessness of FEMA, an agency that was gutted by budget cuts and stuffed with cronies who knew nothing about emergency management, during and after Katrina showed the nation what happens when you allow people who don't believe in the public good to run government agencies. FEMA has improved since then, and their staffers are quite familiar with Vermont. They spent most of the spring in northern Vermont dealing with record flooding of Lake Champlain and heavy rains that sparked flash floods on the Winooski River. They are on the case again in the Green Mountain State for the aftermath of Irene. This is what government is supposed to do. It provides hope to the hopeless. It provides reassurance in a time a crisis. It provides the resources to help those in need. The people in positions of responsibility in my brave little state of Verrmont have lived up to that standard this week. I only wish people like Eric Cantor could see beyond winning elections and keeping power, and do what is it right. AR Chief of Correspondents Randolph T. Holhut has been a journalist in New England for more than 30 years. He is currently the news editor of The Commons , a nonprofit weekly community newspaper published in Brattleboro, Vt. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Vol. 20, No. 5,021 - The American Reporter - July 21, 2014 by Erik DeckersAmerican Reporter Humor WriterIndianapolis, IndianaJuly 2, 2010 Make My DayONE MAN'S VUVUZELA IS ANOTHER MAN'S CURSE BRADENTON, Fla., July 2, 2010 -- "Affordable" health care? Maybe. Maybe not. The government doesn't seem to know. The federal government is moving forward to implement insurance policies for people with previous conditions under the Affordable Health Care Act, granting $5 billion to start up the new program. But the operators who handle calls about the plan in Washington say they know nothing of plans to provide the high-risk insurance to people who can't afford the premiums, estimated to be between $500 and nearly $1,000 a month, the American Reporter has learned. In two conversations Friday with an operator and her supervisor, the government's health agency staff said they had "no details" concerning the availability of the insurance for people who cannot afford the premiums. A supervisor contacted by the American Reporter said she was certain that a letter of acceptance or disapproval letter that will be sent in response to people who have sent in applications will address the cost and affordability issue. Government websites make no mention of affordability, either. A story in this morning's St. Petersburg Times by deputy metro editor Richard Martin made no mention of provisions for the poor and indigent, and a widely publicized government Website, www.HealthCare.gov, appears to provide no information, either. The Website links visitors to their state of residence, and in Florida's case, no further information concerning premium assistance for the poor or indigent is provided. Keith Maley, a public information officer for the Dept. of Health and Human Services, said he would look into the matter and provide more information as soon as possible. The information had not come by press time. A spokesman for the plan, Richard Popper of the Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, told the Associated Press Thursday that "There are going to be meaningful premiums that are going to be required to stay in this plan ... in the hundreds of dollars." Neither Popper nor his office answered telephone calls Friday. An HHS press release announcing the new program merely says that the plan "does not base eligibility on income" or charge higher premiums for a pre-existing condition. The lowest fee would be about $140, and fees for young people would be cheaper than for older persons. Fees would vary from state to state. The fees should average between $400 and $600, Popper told the AP, but could be as much as $900 in some states. Those who apply now may be able to get coverage beginning August 1, officials say. To apply for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan coverage can go to the HealthCare.gov site or pcip.gov for information and applications. Those who apply must be American citizens or lawfully present here, have been turned down for insurance due to pre-existing conditions and have an insurance company denial letter to prove it, and must have been uninsured for the past six months. Those who have been turned down over the phone by Blue Cross - which doesn't accept applicants over a certain weight - or other providers are aqpparently out of luck. American Reporter Editor-in-Chief Joe Shea was honored by President Barack Obama and Organizing For America in recognition of his work for the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act of 2010.

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Welcome her aboard Jan 17, 2014 at 12:00PM The Kitsap County Commission has a new member. Linda Streissguth has officially been sworn in as the representative for the Central Kitsap area. Streissguth was one of three nominees selected by the Kitsap Democratic Party and ultimately chosen by commissioners Rob Gelder and Charlotte Garrido to serve. As a community engagement manager for Puget Sound Energy, Streissguth has the skills to communicate, not only with the other commissioners and county staff, but also with those she represents. The decision to choose her wasn’t without some controversy. Streissguth wasn’t the Democrat who received the most votes during the nomination process. She wasn’t even the runner-up. But regardless of that, she has excellent knowledge of business and government operations. She understands the relationship between private and public partnerships. She’s experienced in budgeting and watching taxpayers’ dollars. And she is well-schooled in the issues that face Kitsap County. Streissguth has worked with community groups in the past and realizes the crucial need for public input before decisions are made by government officials. She has a track record of listening to others and taking their concerns into consideration before making decisions. As Gelder and Garrido stated, Streissguth is someone who can compromise in order to get things done. She’s willing to work within the system and be a contributor, especially for Central Kitsap. In accepting the job, she said she’s already studying what’s next for the Central Kitsap Community Center in Silverdale. We owe former commissioner John Brown a “thank you” for his dedication to Central Kitsap and his service on the Kitsap County Commission. We wish him well in his new position with the Puget Sound Regional Council. Now is the time to acknowledge Streissguth as our new county commissioner and to support her. Now is the time to let her know what’s important to Central Kitsap so that she can fulfill her job as our representative, working with the other commissioners to achieve great things for Kitsap County. Related Stories Climb aboard — if you dare Eleven injured aboard USS John C. Stennis near San Diego US Junior Amateur dinner aboard an aircraft carrier Memorial Day ceremony aboard USS Turner Joy in Bremerton Living the good life aboard a boat in Bremerton

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Cheektowaga man, 81, found safe in New York City after five-day search By Hans Glick | News Staff Reporter on August 23, 2013 - 10:23 PM , updated August 23, 2013 at 11:25 PM Tweet On Tuesday, an elderly Cheektowaga man missed his connecting flight to Buffalo at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City and promptly disappeared. For days, relatives frantically phoned area hospitals and homeless shelters as investigators searched the airport on foot and reviewed hours of security footage, looking for any sign of 81-year-old Pasquale DeNora, who was returning from a vacation in his native Italy. Then, just hours before the search stretched into a fifth day, the long-awaited call finally came: DeNora had been found – and he was unharmed.DeNora was located at about 9 p.m. Friday in Manhattan by an officer with the New York City Police Department’s 13th District, according to his daughter, Mary Steinhauser. “He’s stable, he’s fine,” she said, adding that DeNora was spending the night in a New York City hospital for evaluation. A relative in nearby Pelham planned to visit him at the hospital today.DeNora arrived Tuesday at JFK, where he was expected to catch a Delta Airlines flight to Buffalo. But his son, Nick DeNora, said his father never arrived at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. His luggage, which contained most of his personal belongings, including most of his cash and several credit cards, arrived with his flight.That set off a frantic search to locate DeNora, who was visiting relatives in his hometown, a small village near Naples in southern Italy. Steinhauser said the family called New York City-area hospitals, homeless shelters and morgues looking for any sign of DeNora. For days, no one outside the airport reported seeing him, leading relatives and investigators to believe as recently as Friday afternoon that DeNora was somewhere in the airport. Investigators from the Port Authority Police Department, which has jurisdiction over JFK, combed through security camera footage and searched the airport on foot for days. Footage showed DeNora arriving in the terminal at JFK, and at several other locations in the airport.The investigation was complicated by the sheer size of the airport and the amount of security footage produced there daily. Hours before his father was finally located, Nick DeNora said the lengthy search had taken a toll on the family.“It’s stressing us to the limit,” he said.Nick DeNora described his father as “a regular guy” who could look after himself in spite of his age. Still, the family took precautions when planning his solo trip to Italy, accompanying him to his departing flight in Buffalo and arranging to have a cousin meet him at the terminal in Rome. In New York City on Tuesday, DeNora was supposed to have been met by a Delta Airlines employee with a wheelchair to ensure he made his connecting flight, his son said, explaining that the family called the airline ahead of time to arrange the pick-up.But according to Nick DeNora, airport security footage clearly shows that no one was waiting to meet DeNora when he disembarked his flight from Italy. Steinhauser said it was her understanding that DeNora managed to locate his departing terminal without assistance but narrowly missed his flight to Buffalo. Nick DeNora said Delta “dropped the ball” by failing to provide his father the promised assistance. In a statement provided by company spokesman Russell Cason, Delta confirmed it was aware of DeNora’s situation, saying it cooperated with Port Authority investigators and provided what information it could about his last known whereabouts. “Delta sincerely regrets the unfortunate situation regarding Mr. DeNora, and we completely understand the concerns of his family,” the statement read. “We are cooperating fully with Port Authority officials who are investigating the circumstances, and we have been in contact with the family. We are all hopeful for a positive outcome.”Steinhauser said her father had begun showing signs of dementia, including short-term memory loss, stemming from a history of heart problems. Nick DeNora added that his father suffered a heart attack several years ago and takes preventative medication for blood pressure and cholesterol. Those medications, which DeNora took with him to Italy, were not among the personal belongings contained in his luggage when it arrived in Buffalo, Nick DeNora said. With the knowledge of DeNora’s medical history in mind, family members expressed concerns that he may have suffered a stroke, become disoriented due to memory loss, or even fallen victim to foul play. But when the news broke that DeNora had been found, the family’s relief was palpable. “It’s a wonderful thing,” said Steinhauser.email: [email protected] Cheektowaga Events This week Cheektowaga and Buffalo Crushed Stone work on plan to move quarry traffic off Como Park Boulevard Buffalo man pleads guilty to selling heroin in Hamburg, Cheektowaga Cheektowaga man arrested for aggravated DWI and pot possession Airport wins $1.35 million in grants Erie County Health Department begins airdropping rabies vaccine Local districts get money to offer full-day pre-K Cheektowaga and Buffalo Crushed Stone work on plan to move quarry traffic off Como Park Boulevard Buffalo man pleads guilty to selling heroin in Hamburg, Cheektowaga Bills fan group says documents show Bon Jovi group has planned to move team Cameron selling local operations to Ingersoll Most Commented

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NH Looks for Revenue ---- — A front page article in the October 2, 2012 issue of The Eagle Tribune revealed the disagreement within all political parties in New Hampshire concerning casino gambling. The article broaches an even larger issue in the Granite State. How will the state generate enough revenue to protect its citizens, provide quality K-12 schools and affordable higher education, care for the elderly, the disadvantaged and rebuild the state’s infrastructure? Virtually no politician in any party advocates broad-based taxation, income or sales; therefore, increasing revenues within the current tax structure is the only alternative, unless gaming and other revenue enhancing strategies are on the table. The current legislature in Concord has cut spending markedly in the last biennium: state funding for the University System of New Hampshire by 44%, the State Scholarship Fund has been suspended, funding for Planned Parenthood has ended and the Children In Need of Services program has been severely curtailed, etc. This legislature has also passed legislation to reduce the Business Profits Tax (BPT) from 8.5 to 8.0%. It also voted to raise income levels that trigger payment as well as increase deductions and credits for both the BPT and the Business Enterprise Tax (BET). The BPT and BET constitute only 18% of the tax bill for business in New Hampshire, but the decreased revenue will be reflected in decreased state spending on child care, healthcare and higher education. The current legislature believes that lowering taxes will spur economic growth and state revenue; however, according to the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute (NHFPI), the legislative proposals now before the legislature, if enacted, could result in a $100 million reduction in state revenue over the next two years. These reductions would devolve to the local communities; consequently, homeowners will bear the burden again. By the way, New Hampshire is dead last in state aid for universities and community colleges. New Hampshire is in the middle of the pack nationally relative to its level of business taxation, according to the Council on State Taxation (COST). Also, COST avers that the state has one of the lowest levels of taxation on new investments, surpassed by only six states. As stated previously, the BPT and BET are a comparatively small part of business tax in New Hampshire; it’s the property tax that comprises the vast majority of business tax, 64%; therefore, any decrease in state revenues will result in increased property taxes for businesses as well. The vast majority of businesses operating in New Hampshire, particularly small businesses, do not reach the income thresholds to require payment. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of businesses liable for the BPT and BET, 70%, are domiciled outside the state, big box stores and major chains, for example. Some of the current legislature’s strategies to cut the budget and raise revenues have had a deleterious affect upon state finances. Revenue Administration staffing has been cut 43% by this legislature which significantly reduced the number of auditor’s who ensure tax compliance. The 10 cent tax cut on cigarette taxes to spur revenue growth in tobacco sales backfired, resulting in a $20 million revenue loss. Rooms and Meals tax revenue fell because the Tourism Promotion Program was canceled by the legislature. Giving tax breaks to big box stores or multinational corporations will not increase revenue. In fact, Such enterprises have no vested interest in New Hampshire and will whisk the additional dollars from tax cuts out of the state to invest elsewhere, at home or in foreign lands. All that matters to them is the bottom line. The NHFPI states that: Studies have shown that business tax cuts fall far short of paying for themselves. Studies in other states, California for example, have revealed that tax cuts to generate economic activity result in recouping only 15-25% of the initial revenue loss. The level of business taxation within a state is not a major factor relative to business relocation decisions. The important factors are an available pool of workers with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the critical functions that business requires, adequate infrastructure and a good quality of life. The Upjohn Institute for Employment Research asserts that, “If state and local government are financed by cutting public services, the result may be lower business activity.” In light of the above discussion, what can New Hampshire do to attract new employers to the state and expand the business activity that already exists to increase revenue? First, assist small business because it is the backbone of employment in the state, employing 56% of all workers. Small business domiciled in the state does have a vested interest in New Hampshire, since the property tax is the largest portion of their tax burden, so give them tax breaks. They will put the money back into the state. Second, rebuild the infrastructure of the state, especially the railway system to facilitate getting raw materials in and finished products out. Complete I-93 and improve Routes 2 in the north and 125 in the east. Next, support higher education to develop a capable workforce. Of course, none of this happens without the $53 million in state revenue each year from a half a billion dollar casino at Rockingham Park. Harlan Cheney Candidate for House District 34

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Will China Ever Purchase a U.S. Media Company? By Isaac Stone FishIsaac Stone Fish is FP's Asia editor. A Mandarin speaker, he lived in China for seven years before moving to Washington, D.C. His articles have also appeared in the New York Times, the Economist, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, and he has appeared as a commentator on MSNBC, the BBC, NPR, Al Jazeera, and PRI, among others. isaac.stonefish @isaacstonefish In May 2010, when the Washington Post Company put Newsweek up for sale, it called for bids from interested parties. One surprising entry into the race was Southern Media Group, a Chinese media conglomerate that publishes the relatively liberal newspaper Southern Weekly, among other products. I was a Beijing correspondent for Newsweek at the time, and I remember several Chinese people asking me, with a mixture of pride and apprehension, whether I thought Southern Media Group had a chance. Unsurprisingly, the answer was no. (Newsweek was sold to stereo magnate Sidney Harman, who combined it with Barry Diller’s Daily Beast.) "The prospective buyers are not wrong that they have a right to bid on an American news organization, but they are wrong that they had the remotest shot of succeeding," Evan Osnos wrote in a New Yorker blog post about the sale and Southern Media Group’s bid. "For the moment, the spiritual gap between them and American news organizations is larger than even the most sober Chinese media baron probably imagines. A sale of this kind is, for the moment, beyond imagination." Fast-forward three years, and it’s worth revisiting the issue. The past week’s media news has upended the traditional notion of media ownership by publically traded companies seeking profitability. On Aug. 5, the Washington Post Company announced it will sell the Post to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for $250 million; the New York Times Company let go of the Boston Globe newspaper in a $70-million transaction involving businessman and Red Sox owner John W. Henry; and an even more beleaguered Newsweek found itself sold for an undisclosed amount to the company that publishes the International Business Times, an online publication that’s widely read — just not by journalists. (Foreign Policy, which is owned by the Washington Post Company, was not part of the Bezos sale.) While it’s too early to say whether the new owners of the Post and the Globe bought the papers as investments or prestige products, they are certainly aware that purchasing a media product is now a (relatively) cheap way to purchase influence. Which brings us back to China, a country flush with cash and obsessed with the idea of soft power — influencing others in the world by attraction rather than payment or coercion. One of the major ways in which China has tried to increase its soft power is by spending billions of dollars bankrolling its media companies’ global expansion. Xinhua, China’s state newswire, often gives free dispatches to "financially struggling news media outlets in Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia," according to the New York Times. China Central Television, the country’s main state broadcaster, has set up a U.S. division and hired dozens of people away from respected Western news outlets. A 2011 article in the Guardian reported that Beijing was distributing 2.5 million copies of a supplement of China Daily, the country’s best-known English-language newspaper, in the Washington Post, New York Times, and Daily Telegraph. So will a Chinese company bid for the next media company to hit the block? I think it’s still very unlikely. The perception in the United States — that a Chinese media takeover would turn the publication in question into a propaganda mouthpiece — makes a sale difficult. I imagine the Onion‘s 2009 series, in which the satirical newspaper pretended to be purchased by a Chinese fish company, still rings true for Americans: The Onion‘s "publisher emeritus," T. Herman Zweibel, announced he had been paid "an appropriately absurd parcel of riches," and ran stories like "Nothing At All Happens To 28 Tibetan Protesters, Their Families" and "China Strong." It’s also not the way Beijing likes to do business. Even if a Chinese media company found a willing seller in the United States, as companies in other industries have done, China would probably view the transaction as too risky. One of the advantages of expanding CCTV into the United States instead of buying an American media company is that the employees hired know that coverage of issues involving China is sensitive. Journalists from an established media company in the United States, on the other hand, would expect to be able to cover China with a greater degree of freedom than the country’s own straitjacketed media outlets are permitted. "The fundamental difference is that Western-style media views itself as a watchdog and a protector of public interests, while the Chinese model seeks to defend the state from jeopardy or questions about its authority," Douglas Farah, a senior fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, told The New York Times last year. Owning a publication that couldn’t defend the Chinese state while maintaining its credibility is not a gamble Beijing would take, even if there is a Zweibel out there willing to make a deal. Share +

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HomeShowdown Set on Gay-Vows Rabbi NewsShowdown Set on Gay-Vows Rabbi Eric J. GreenbergJanuary 21, 2005 A showdown is set for next week between the Conservative movement’s rabbinical union and one of its younger members, who claims she is facing expulsion because of her activism on behalf of gay and lesbian Jews. Rabbi Joel Meyers, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Assembly, acknowledges that one of his organization’s committees has recommended the expulsion of Ayelet Cohen, a 30-year-old assistant rabbi at New York’s Congregation Bet Simchat Torah — the largest gay and lesbian congregation in the world. But he vehemently denies that the recommendation has anything to do with her public efforts to reverse the Conservative movement’s policies prohibiting same-sex unions and the ordination of gay rabbis, instead citing Cohen’s alleged violation of union rules relating to job placement. The Rabbinical Assembly’s administrative committee is slated to meet January 25 to consider Cohen’s expulsion. The organization’s executive committee could then take up the matter. “She is a young rabbi who has consistently violated our placement policies,” Meyers said. “I believe she wants to become a hero by making this a gay and lesbian issue. It’s not a gay and lesbian issue.” Meyers said that many rabbis have been forced out of the R.A. over placement issues. By contrast, he noted, several Conservative rabbis perform same-sex commitment ceremonies and none has been disciplined. The dispute, reported in The New York Times last week, comes as the movement braces itself for a historic and potentially fractious debate over the religious legitimacy of homosexuals. The movement’s top lawmaking body, the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards, is considering proposals to end its restrictions on gays and lesbians. The 25-member body will debate the issue at its April meeting. Supporters on both sides expressed bewilderment over Cohen’s failure to seek a waiver and the decision by the R.A.’s Joint Commission on Rabbinic Placement to recommend expulsion. Conservative rabbis contacted for this story believed the recommendation of expulsion — the most severe punishment possible — is tied to Cohen’s outspoken gay advocacy and the intense emotions surrounding the debate over whether Conservative Judaism should reinterpret Scripture’s ban on homosexuality. “It’s the background noise making the story,” said Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson, dean and vice president of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism, the Conservative movement’s rabbinical seminary in Los Angeles. “Yes, what the R.A. is meeting to talk about has nothing to do with gays and lesbians, but there are very strong emotions people are bringing to it,” said Artson, who favors ending the gay ban. He added, “I know Rabbi Meyers to be a scrupulously fair individual, and I don’t think he would allow feelings about extraneous issues one way or another to influence how he treats an employment issue.” Cohen, a daughter of Stephen P. Cohen, president and founder of the Institute for Middle East Peace and Development, could not be reached for comment. She is in Spain on vacation, according to an official at her congregation. The Times interviewed Cohen at the airport, just before she left the country. In the article, which was published January 14, Cohen was quoted as saying that the R.A. was punishing her for openly performing same-sex wedding ceremonies. “I have made it clear from the outset that I plan to do it, and I have done it,” Cohen was quoted as saying. Meyers dismissed this claim. He told the Forward that the R.A.’s placement committee recommended Cohen’s expulsion because she has refused to obtain a waiver that is required for her to continue serving Bet Simchat Torah, which caters to gays, lesbians and transsexuals in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Since the congregation was denied membership in The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Cohen is obligated to seek an exemption from the placement commission just like any other rabbi working in a non-movement synagogue, Meyers said. According to Meyers, Cohen has twice flouted the placement rules by failing to obtain waivers: first in 2002, when she signed a two-year contract, and then in July, when she signed a three-year extension. The crux of the dispute appears to be whether Cohen agreed to conditions set by the R.A. two years ago permitting her to work at Bet Simchat Torah, including a requirement that she seek a new exemption to extend her contract. Cohen’s boss, Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, praised her assistant and criticized the Conservative movement for its mistreatment of gay Jews. “She is a superb rabbi and pastoral counselor and educator,” Kleinbaum said. The congregation “absolutely supports her.” Every rabbi interviewed for this article, including Meyers, described Cohen as an effective, caring rabbi. Some supporters contend that the R.A. has treated her in an arbitrary and capricious manner. “There’s a sense that different rules apply to different people,” one rabbi from the Northeast region of the United States said. “Some rabbis violate all kinds of procedures, and the R.A. turns a blind eye to it.” Meyers defended the group, saying that while imperfect, it protects the rights of both its 1,600 rabbis around the world and Conservative congregations. But even some of Cohen’s backers took issue with her failure to obtain an exemption, and with her apparently bringing the issue to the media. “She’s not acted smartly and taken bad advice,” a leading rabbi said. “She should have played by the rules, and all of this would have gone away. It’s not in the interest of the R.A. to make this a big public gay-lesbian issue, especially at this time.” Eric J. Greenberg Showdown Set on Gay-Vows Rabbi

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JONATHAN MARKLEYUpon one of the well-improved farms of Gilman township, Nemaha county, Jonathan Markley makes his home. He was born in Ohio April 21, 1847, and at the age of eight years accompanied his parents on their removal to Iowa. Two years later the family located in Nemaha county. The father, Thomas Markley, was numbered among the pioneer settlers of this section of the state and was identified with its agricultural pursuits until he had attained a ripe old age, when his life's labors were ended. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Henderson, was born in Ohio and also died in Nemaha county. In their family were four children, namely: Jonathan, James, Lavina and Jacob, but the daughter is now deceased.Amid the wild scenes of the frontier Jonathan Markley was reared, early becoming familiar with the hardships, labors and experiences which fall to the lot of the pioneer settlers. He assisted in the arduous task of developing new land and transforming the uncultivated prairie into fertile fields. With his parents he continued until his marriage, which occurred July 3, 1862, Miss Jane Neil becoming his wife. She was born in Missouri February 2, 1853, and when five years of age was brought to Kansas by her parents, Daniel and Nancy (Edward) Neil. Her father was a native of Kentucky and throughout his business career carried on agricultural pursuits, his death occurring in Nemaha county in 1892. His wife was born in Indiana, where she was reared and married. She became the mother of seven children, namely: William, John, Mary, Lidia, Catherine, Daniel and Jane.Leaving Nemaha county Mr. Markley removed to Graham county, Kansas, where he entered a claim and carried on farming for four years, but in 1881 he returned to this county and established his present home on section 27, Gilman township. Here he now has a farm of fifty acres and is accounted one of the substantial residents of the community. He has known what hardships and trials mean, however, for in the early days of civilization the family was forced to subsist on corn bread for a year, for the grasshoppers destroyed their crops. He gives his political support to the Democracy. In manner he is quiet and unostentatious, but is genial and companionable, and his life has been so ordered that his influence has told for good in the community where he has long resided. Census Records |

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Katherine Fisher, 84 - April 04, 2007 Katherine Levinia Fisher, 84, of Curtis, died March 26, 2007, at North Platte. Services were held on Thursday, March 29, at the United Methodist Church at Curtis with the Rev. Jeff Thurman and Lee Jones officiating. Burial was at the Moorefield Cemetery. Fisher was born on Sept. 19, 1922, the daughter of Marie and Edward Andersen. She grew up in the Curtis area with her brother, Harold and three sisters—Frances, Ethel and Grace. She attended rural elementary schools in the Curtis area and the Nebraska School of Agriculture. As a young woman, she completed the normal training to teach elementary education. She taught for 10 years in a one-room school houses at the Frontier County School District. She upheld the standard of teaching and discipline that lead to mutual respect and caring. She treasured her students and the memories of teaching, according to family members. She was married during the post World War II era to Roy Burton Fisher of Moorefield. Together, they farmed in the Moorefield area and raised three children. Fisher was active in the Church of God at Moorefield and later in the United Methodist Church at Curtis. She studied the Bible and knew it well, bringing the teachings in her relationships with others, the family said. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother, and a loving companion and wife for 60 years, according to family members. Her grandchildren brought her joy and happiness and she leaves a legacy of love and an example of goodwill to her family, neighbors and community, said family members. Survivors include: her husband, Roy B. Fisher; a daughter, Carol Jean McKennon of Gothenburg; sons—Marvin R. Fisher and Darrell L. (Linda) Fisher, all of Moorefield; four grandchildren—Steven, Kevin, Christine and Marie; sister, Grace Hanthorn of McCook. Memorials are suggested to the Medicine Valley High School Foundation Fund and the First United Methodist Church.

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Message one from the budget: We have a mandate Written by L. Ian MacDonald Saturday, March 19th, 2016 Written by L. Ian MacDonald Saturday, March 19th, 2016 Home News 2.0 More from L. Ian MacDonald available here. What’s in a deficit? It depends how you look at it. Justin Trudeau promised in the election campaign to run a $10 billion deficit in his first fiscal year in office. But in the run-up to Tuesday’s budget, senior officials playing the expectations game have already leaked that the deficit will be more like $30 billion. North of $30 billion, the Liberals would be crossing a psychological barrier with both political and economic markets. So, don’t be surprised if the deficit number is $29.5 billion, just below that threshold where the Liberals’ economic competence could become an issue. At $10 billion, the deficit would have been 0.5 per cent of GDP. At $30 billion, it will be 1.5 per cent of Canada’s annual output. That’s still on track to be the second-best deficit-to-GDP number in the G7, with only Germany doing better at 0.2 per cent in 2015, but that’s not a conversation Canadians will have on the subway. The point is, Trudeau said he would run a deficit, and got his permission slip from the voters. By his own account in a Q&A with Bloomberg TV in New York on Thursday, his deficit promise was the game-changer in last October’s election. On that night last August 27 when “I got home to my wife, I said ‘I’m pretty sure we just won the election,’ ” he recalled. “And of course the next morning she opened up the newspaper, and she said: ‘Well, it doesn’t say anything about that, that you just won the election.’ And I said, ‘it’s going to take a while to figure that out.’ ” (He shared the same anecdote with our iPolitics colleague, Susan Delacourt, for the forthcoming second edition of her national bestselling book, Shopping For Votes.) Also in New York, Trudeau showed some budget leg of his own, revealing that the eligible age for receiving Old Age Security will remain at 65, instead of being raised to 67 by 2023 as announced by the previous Conservative government. Stephen Harper was criticized at the time for making the announcement outside the country, at the Davos Conference in 2012. Trudeau was also outside Canada, but in fairness he was answering a question from Bloomberg’s editor, not making a policy speech. “It was a mistake to bounce it up to 67,” Trudeau said, and just like that, another one of Harper’s legacy items was undone. The point is, Trudeau said he would run a deficit, and got his permission slip from the voters. Trudeau’s decision to keep OAS eligibility at 65 may have a real economic cost over decades, as older Canadians stay in the work force, with decreasing compulsory retirement. But there’s no doubt that it will be very popular with older voters who would have given up two years of income supplement to their Canada/Quebec Pension Plans. Moreover, Trudeau campaigned on this, so it’s a promise made, promise kept. At the other end of the demographic scale, the Liberals will be bringing in a Canada Child Benefit to replace the Universal Child Care Benefit and other family entitlements for children under 18 adopted by the Conservatives. In their campaign platform, the Liberals projected $1.8 billion of new costs in a CCB that “invests $21.7 billion in 2016-17, the savings from cancelling income splitting” and replacing other programs. We’ll see how that comes out in the wash on Tuesday. But it’s yet another “undo” moment for the Harper legacy. Then there’s infrastructure spending, much awaited by municipalities, which are looking for relief from the one-third, one-third, one-third funding formula by the three levels of government. Cities and towns are hoping Ottawa will step its share up to half of costs, while keeping the provinces’ shares at one-third, and bringing cities in around 20 per cent. Then the petroleum producing provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador are expecting funding from the feds to help them through the numbing economic shock of the oil crash. For example, Finance Minister Bill Morneau has said Alberta could be eligible for about $250 million from a federal fiscal stabilization program. With Alberta looking at $10 billion deficit, that would just be a drop in the bucket. With an unemployment rate of 7.9 per cent, compared to the national average of 7.3 per cent (even higher than Quebec at 7.6 per cent), Alberta is also looking for some relief on employment insurance eligibility and duration of benefits. Western sensibilities may be one of the reasons that Trudeau won’t be doing an announcement on investing $1.3 billion in Bombardier’s C-Series passenger jet in the budget, though he made clear in New York that he regarded it as a great aircraft, pointedly noting that aerospace industries are subsidized by governments around the world. That announcement is likely to come beyond Tuesday. He was also asked about the loonie, and while the prime minister should never discuss exchange rates, he seemed unperturbed by the question. “The Canadian dollar has bounced around a bit,” he said. “There’s a range in which it is comfortable” and it seems to be “in that now.” As he was speaking, the loonie moved over 77 cents to the greenback from a January low of 68 cents, and oil was back over $40 a barrel, from a low of $26 two months ago. Some fundamentals may be moving in the right direction again. Trudeau also appeared to be in a comfort zone in the New York financial district. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about. And he looked like he belonged. Now for his government’s first big test—the budget. L. Ian MacDonald is editor of Policy, the bi-monthly magazine of Canadian politics and public policy. He is the author of five books. He served as chief speechwriter to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney from 1985-88, and later as head of the public affairs division of the Canadian Embassy in Washington from 1992-94. The views, opinions and positions expressed by all iPolitics columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of iPolitics.

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Washington Monument may be closed until 2014 loading... Aetna plans move from Jacksonville's Southbank8:48am Watch: Coast Guard inspectors to testify in El Faro hearing9:09am U.S. Military Academy cadets see civil rights movement brought to life in St. Augustine6:51am Sen. Rubio writes letters calling on federal agencies to investigate owners of Eureka Garden6:28am Broken crane blocked some morning traffic on westbound JTB near northbound I-95 ramp7:55am Jacksonville Journal: Classes on termites, diabetes offered5:36am Home/News Virginia earthquake felt as far away as New York City By Associated Press Tue, Aug 23, 2011 @ 2:09 pm | updated Tue, Aug 23, 2011 @ 5:34 pm PhotosJ. SCOTT APPLEWHITE/Associated PressOffice workers gather on the sidewalk in downtown Washington, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011, moments after a 5.9 magnitude tremor shook the nation's capitol. The earthquake centered northwest of Richmond, Va., shook much of Washington, D.C., and was felt as far north as Rhode Island and New York City. WASHINGTON (AP) - A 5.9 magnitude earthquake centered northwest of Richmond, Va., shook much of Washington, D.C., and was felt as far north as Rhode Island, New York City and Martha's Vineyard, Mass., where President Barack Obama is vacationing. The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was half a mile deep. Shaking was felt at the White House and all over the East Coast, as far south as Chapel Hill, N.C. Parts of the Pentagon, White House and Capitol were evacuated. There were no immediate reports of injuries. It was centered near Louisa, Va., which is northwest of Richmond and south of Washington. Obama and many of the nation's leaders were out of town on August vacation when the quake struck at 1:51 p.m. EDT. The shaking was felt on the Martha's Vineyard golf course as Obama was just starting a round. Related: Earthquake felt at PGA Tour Playoff site The East Coast gets earthquakes, but usually smaller ones and is less prepared than California or Alaska for shaking. At Reagan National Airport outside Washington, ceiling tiles fell during a few seconds of shaking. Authorities announced it was an earthquake and all flights were put on hold. At the Pentagon in northern Virginia, a low rumbling built and built to the point that the building was shaking. People ran into the corridors of the government's biggest building and as the shaking continued there were shouts of "Evacuate! Evacuate!" In New York, the 26-story federal courthouse in lower Manhattan began swaying and hundreds of people were seen leaving the building. Court officers weren't letting people back in. The quake came a day after an earthquake in Colorado toppled groceries off shelves and caused minor damage to homes in the southern part of the state and in northern New Mexico. No injuries were reported as aftershocks continued Tuesday. In Charleston, W.Va., hundreds of workers left the state Capitol building and employees at other downtown office buildings were asked to leave temporarily. "The whole building shook," said Jennifer Bundy, a spokeswoman for the state Supreme Court. "You could feel two different shakes. Everybody just kind of came out on their own." In Ohio, where office buildings swayed in Columbus and Cincinnati and the press box at the Cleveland Indians' Progressive Field shook. At least one building near the Statehouse was evacuated in downtown Columbus. In downtown Baltimore, the quake sent office workers into the streets, where lamp posts swayed slightly as they called family and friends to check in. Social media site Twitter lit up with reports of the earthquake from people using the site up and down the U.S. eastern seaboard. "People pouring out of buildings and onto the sidewalks and Into Farragut Park in downtown DC...," tweeted Republican strategist Kevin Madden. "did you feel earthquake in ny? It started in richmond va!" tweeted Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group. Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill tweeted that her staff in Washington was in an "emergency location. Hope everyone is ok." John Gurlach, air traffic controller at the Morgantown Municipal Airport was in a 40-foot-tall tower when the earth trembled. "There were two of us looking at each other saying, 'What's that?'" he said, even as a commuter plane was landing. "It was noticeably shaking. It felt like a B-52 unloading." Immediately, the phone rang from the nearest airport in Clarksburg, and a computer began spitting out green strips of paper - alerts from other airports in New York and Washington issuing ground stops "due to earthquake." PREVFSCJ security attacked in library stabbingNEXTGeorgia House and Senate approves each other's election districts 2 comments View Profile 1148 points jaxgal Tuesday, August 23, 2011 @ 6:33 pm Quake was felt up into Canada! NYC was definitely not the last to feel the effects...get the facts correct, guys. View Profile 0 points EAphel8s Tuesday, August 23, 2011 @ 3:16 pm It was either Rick Scott or G.W. Bush who caused this. No question. Now we need Barack Obama's leadership to guide us back into the light. Only he can save us.

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Jewish World Review Dec. 5, 2006 / 14 Kislev, 5767 The Rumsfeld Memo (and mine) By Cal Thomas http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | A memo by outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recommending changes in U.S. strategy in Iraq is being spun in some quarters as a declaration of capitulation. In fact, it is akin to what an assistant coach for an under-performing NFL team might hand to the head coach, if the assistant seeks to alter a game plan so that his team will win. Winning in Iraq, however, does not seem to be a priority for growing numbers of American politicians. They are like the crowd at a football game that sees the home team losing and heads for the exits before the game is over, only to miss the big comeback and victory. Unlike football, however, the only "game" following a failure to prevail in Iraq will be one in which the United States is the biggest loser. In his memo, Rumsfeld's list of "above the line" options contain an element of troop reductions, but his recommendations are designed to put progress ahead of pullout, so that withdrawal follows the attainment of a more stable Iraq, instead of impeding it. That is the main difference between the Rumsfeld memo and the vociferous "withdraw now" crowd. Rumsfeld and President Bush want to see an independent and stable Iraq achieved first. The leak of the Rumsfeld memo precedes the Iraq Study Group report, due Dec. 6. About it, retired military officer Ralph Peters writes in The Weekly Standard, "No matter the politically correct language in which it may be couched, the group's fundamental recommendation will be to return to a foreign policy in which the quest for stability trumps freedom, ignores human rights, frustrates the will of ordinary people, and violates elementary decency. By resisting change, the study group will only make the changes that do come to the Middle East even more explosive and anti-American." There is something else the Iraq Study Group is unlikely to address. It is the loss of fear by our enemies. The United States of America was once feared and respected around the world. Once, few would have dared kidnap an American because of certain retribution. The loss of fear started with Jimmy Carter, who allowed followers of Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini to hold American hostages for 444 days. It was no coincidence that Khomeini released the hostages just 20 minutes after Ronald Reagan's inaugural address. Khomeini must have believed reports that Reagan was a "cowboy" and might flatten Iran with nuclear bombs. It's been the same with Israel. The late Prime Minister Menachem Begin believed in retaliation against anyone who attacked Israel. On Dec. 3, the Israeli cabinet voted to continue the policy of restraint in the Gaza Strip (there is no restraint by Israel's enemies). This, despite the ongoing Qassam rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza. So Israelis are to die for the sake of the government's public relations? It's gotten so bad — and Israel is perceived as so weak — that the Israelis are appealing to convicted terrorist Marwan Barghouti (now serving five life sentences) to help broker a cease-fire. This is like asking "comedian" Michael Richards for advice on how to combat racist language. FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO INFLUENTIAL NEWSLETTER Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". HUNDREDS of columnists and cartoonists regularly appear. Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Instead of retaliation, we get weakness from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: "We must act responsibly and wisely, while considering all aspects of the matter." Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni adds, the "situation is sensitive and we must act wisely and with serious consideration." That kind of rhetoric is unlikely to strike fear in the hearts of terrorists whose only "serious consideration" is to seriously destroy Israel and the United States. Has everyone forgotten what the world looked like when America (and Israel) was feared? Have the foreign policy castrati taken over? Does no one sing baritone anymore? The terrorists in Iraq, and among us, use fear as a primary tactic. We form study groups and issue statements saying we must "act wisely." Iraq's dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad vows to obliterate Israel and U.S. diplomats recommend we talk to him. Whatever happened to "if you touch us, it will be the last thing you touch"? Ah, but that was before political correctness and sensitivity training. Now, the only thing the thugs have to fear is fear itself. They certainly don't fear us. And that's my "memo." JWR contributor Cal Thomas is the author of, among others, The Wit and Wisdom of Cal Thomas Comment by clicking here. Cal Thomas Archives © 2006, Tribune Media Services, Inc.

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News Opinion Journal Junction Blogs Weekender Sports Ads Classifieds Jobs Extras CU Contact Us News « Martinsburg cadets win compe... Police: Pa. man made up hit-...» Church breaks ground on multimillion-dollar expansion By Edward Marshall, Journal Staff Writer , Save | SHEPHERDSTOWN - Anointed with a white construction hard hat and surrounded by members of her congregation, 94-year-old Genevieve Monroe, the oldest living member of Shepherdstown's Asbury United Methodist Church, looked on with joy Sunday as ground was officially broken on the church's new multimillion-dollar multipurpose facility. A lifelong resident of Shepherdstown and a member of the church for more than 60 years, Monroe, wrapped in a maroon overcoat and grasping a cane, described the official groundbreaking ceremony as beautiful from her front-row seat to the landmark event for the church, which was first founded in 1867. "I'm glad that God spared me to witness this groundbreaking. We really need it, because the church is expanding. I'm glad for it, and I'm happy to be here to witness it," said Monroe, who turned 94 last October. "God is good." Article Photos Journal photo by Edward MarshallGround is broken Sunday at the site of Asbury United Methodist Church’s new multimillion-dollar multipurpose facility. From left are Clark Dixon, Craig Collis, David Molino, Shepherstown Mayor Jim Auxer, Kamren Solomon, Pastor Rudy Bropleh, Associate Pastor Tommy Murray and Genevieve Monroe. Slated to be completed as early as October, the $2.2 million multipurpose facility will be larger than 14,000 square feet, nearly twice the size of the church's existing footprint of 7,822 square feet. The facility will be large enough to house a community room and gymnasium, and it will also feature six classrooms, a commercial-sized kitchen, two nurseries and a lobby. The project is the first phase of a planned three-phase project that will eventually see an expansion of the church's sanctuary and the construction of additional office space. Members of the church, located off Kearneysville Pike, gathered outside the existing building after Sunday's worship service to watch six gold shovels planted into the ground by leaders of the church and those instrumental in the project. Wearing a yellow hard hat adorned with the words "God At Work," Ginger Medley, the church's pastor of worship and assimilation, said the groundbreaking was a day that God had made, as she read from the book of Psalms and led the crowd in refrains of "hallelujah" and "amen." "Surely, today we believe that this is a day the Lord has brought us to. This is a work that God has commissioned us to do. What a great privilege that God wants to use us to uplift his kingdom and to bring more families to the love and the hope of Jesus Christ. We're just so grateful for today," Medley said. The church's senior pastor, Rudy Bropleh, known simply as "Pastor B" to his congregation, said the expansion project has been a partnership between God, the people of Asbury United Methodist and the people of the Shepherdstown. He thanked the church's community partners who helped make it happen and said there will continue to be a partnership between the church and those in the community. "This is a partnership, and it's an investment in our community, so, on behalf of the entire Asbury family, I thank all of you for what you have done, for what you are going to do and what you will do after the facility has been erected," Bropleh said. "We believe in our community, and so we want to continue to make an investment, if only in a small way with a facility of this sort, so that families can have more opportunities and lives can be enriched and improved." Clark Dixon, chair of the church's expansion committee, said when Bropleh joined the church about six years ago, the church began taking off and growing. Soon church leaders realized they were running out of room, so Dixon said leaders decided to take on the expansion project. "We started with a capital campaign - that's continuing -and then, of course, all the plans that have come in the meantime in order to build the expansion. The idea was that we would add various classrooms and various space for youth activities and our various ministries, so that's the impetus behind it," Dixon said. Dixon said the church had also intended to expand the facility's worship sanctuary, but the church didn't have enough money to afford it. Instead, the sanctuary expansion and construction of additional office space was put on hold. "We anticipate, hopefully, if our building fund continues to build, we will be able to do that within the next year in addition to this expansion here," Dixon said. David Molino, an architect with Centura Associates, also took part in the groundbreaking ceremony. Based in Chambersburg, Pa., the company designed the church's new facility. Molino was joined by Craig Collis, of Martinsburg's Minghini's General Contractors, which also is involved in the project. Shepherdstown Mayor Jim Auxer was also invited to participate. "It's a wonderful thing for the community and for Shepherdstown to play a role in the erection of this structure and what it will mean to the folks in the community," Auxer said. Bropleh said the new multipurpose facility will also be community-oriented and is part of the church's continued desire to invest in the community and better serve the needs of families in the area. He said the church wants the facility be a place where children can come and play, a place where wellness programs, preschool and daycare services can be offered, in addition to church functions. "The big thing for us is we see the church as a partner - a positive partner - in the community, and we just want to do our part to be able to enrich the lives of people in the community," Bropleh said. - Staff writer Edward Marshall can be reached at 304-263-8931, ext. 182, or [email protected]. Save | Subscribe to Journal News I am looking for:

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Search From JFK to Mick Jagger, the journals of Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. Posted: Friday, October 05, 2007 By HILLEL ITALIEThe Associated Press NEW YORK - Over the past half century, historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. wrote more than 20 books and thousands of essays, served in the administration of President John F. Kennedy, consulted numerous leading Democrats and befriended countless artists and fellow historians. He also kept a journal. "None of us really knew about it," says the late historian's son, Stephen Schlesinger. "It never really occurred to me that he actually had been doing this for 50 years." Arthur Schlesinger, who died last February at age 89, kept his private writings in dusty manila envelopes above a refrigerator in his office and apparently didn't think much about them until his agent, Andrew Wylie, spotted them during a visit in 2006 and suggested they be published. The historian handed over his papers, some 6,000 pages, to his sons Stephen and Andrew. "He never asked us what we were doing with the journals, or made any comments. He seemed to just trust us," says Stephen Schlesinger, adding that the project was about half completed when his father died. "Journals: 1952-2000," edited to about 850 pages and just released by the Penguin Press, allows readers to eavesdrop on all those dinner parties and strategy sessions around Georgetown in Washington, D.C., New York City and Martha's Vineyard, when the political, intellectual and cultural would gather to socialize and analyze, to review history and attempt to shape it. Schlesinger was already a Pulitzer Prize winner for his landmark biography of the Jackson administration, "The Age of Jackson," and a leading voice of liberal anti-communism when he began his journals in his mid-30s. "He has good phrases, but he also has a tendency toward mysticism," Schlesinger wrote of Gore, who was defeated in 2000 by George W. Bush. "I weakly agreed to try my hand at something, but I really don't understand what he wants or what he was talking about." NEW YORK CITY PENGUIN PRESS ANDREW WYLIE JACKSON ADMINISTRATION GEORGE W. BUSH STEPHEN SCHLESINGER MARTHA PRESIDENT WASHINGTON, D.C. HISTORIAN POLITICS ARTHUR SCHLESINGER JOHN F. KENNEDY GEORGETOWN NEW YORK ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER JR. Trending this week:

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Federal Prison Workers Dismayed By Government Shutdown By editor Oct 9, 2013 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Listen Listening... Originally published on October 9, 2013 5:38 am Transcript STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Now, while the partial shutdown continues, some federal workers are showing up because they're required to. And we're going to hear now from one of them: Phil Glover, a corrections officer at the Johnstown Federal Prison in southwestern Pennsylvania. He's been in Washington this week lobbying members of Congress for pay for himself and his colleagues. Mr. Glover is also a regional vice president for the Council of Prison Locals union, and he sat down with our colleague David Greene to talk about how his efforts on Capitol Hill have been received so far. PHIL GLOVER: When you talk to committee staff or people that deal with our funding and they don't seem to know what the final outcome of this is going to be, it is of concern. We hear that they may pay excepted employees, which is what we are under, but we don't know what that means for the other agencies that we interact with. DAVID GREENE, HOST: Now, let's break that down. What is excepted employees? Does that mean essential employees? GLOVER: Essential, excepted. They use the term excepted in the documents that we've seen. We are the ones that have to go to work every day. Our federal prison employees, for instance, all have to go into the facilities and work with inmates during this time. And as of October 1st, they're not logging paychecks. The next paycheck they will get is next week and they'll get a six-day paycheck for working two full weeks. GREENE: So they will get a paycheck for working up until October 1st... GLOVER: Correct. GREENE: But they have been asked to come to work at the federal prisons, but beginning on October 1st and from then until now, they won't get any money for that work. GLOVER: Well, they've actually been ordered to come to work in federal prisons, not asked. And so you either come or you could suffer disciplinary actions as a result of not showing up. GREENE: Let me just, if we can, get into the life of a family or two. Let's get some nuts and bolts. When does the next paycheck come in? GLOVER: The next paychecks will start coming in electronically next Saturday, over... GREENE: This coming Saturday. GLOVER: This coming Saturday. What I was told by the agency is we'll get a six-day paycheck, but all your deductions will come out. GREENE: So wait, full deductions for two weeks, but only actually getting paid for six days. That's quite a hit. But any numbers you can give me to give me a sense for how this might affect a family? GLOVER: Well, in my case, I mean, I'll just use me as an example. I take home about $1,295 every two weeks and a six-day paycheck, I think I've figured out is going to be somewhere around $700. And then when my deductions hit, as far as all the different things that come out, your health care and taxes and everything else, I'll probably end up with around $200 left for next week. GREENE: What choices will that force you to have to make? GLOVER: Well, obviously, I mean, we'll dip into savings. I'm a long-term employee. I've got 23 years in the Bureau of Prisons. I have a son and a daughter both in school, in college, so we have those expenses like everybody else. And I've been actually watching social media and there's a number of pages that people go on that are federal prison employees and you can see the stress level. How am I going to pay my bills? What am I going to do for childcare? How do I put fuel in the truck? I mean, I have a pickup truck. I live in southwestern PA. You know, it's $80 to fill that tank. There's a whole range of things and the thing is, you can't just call off. If you call off, you're messing with the person that's on shift right now. He can't go home. It's a 24/7 operation. We have to make sure we're there for the inmates and for the safety of the community, and so we hope that some cooler heads prevail here. GREENE: Phil Glover, thanks so much for spending some time with us. GLOVER: I appreciate it very much, thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.Related Program: Morning EditionView the discussion thread. © 2016 KACU 89.5

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Business, Underwriting & Membership: (505) 242-7163; Dedications: (505) 242-3456 Young, Freelance Journalists Relay Stories From Yemen By Kelly McEvers Originally published on March 9, 2012 8:51 am Transcript RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: Yemen has changed its president, but has not come to the end of its trouble. Yesterday, militants overran a military base in south Yemen. Dozens of people were killed, and al-Qaida has claimed responsibility. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: Concern about al-Qaida was one of the reasons that Yemen's protest movement put the United States in a dilemma over the past year. The U.S. had an ally against a terror group in Yemen's former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. Now it wants to be sure that militants do not gain ground under the new government. MONTAGNE: Relatively few outsiders have been able to watch the drama of the past year. As protests mounted, Western journalists were only rarely allowed into the country. The rare exceptions include young freelance reporters who told their story to NPR's Kelly McEvers. KELLY MCEVERS, BYLINE: If you think back to January and February of last year, it was a crazy time. Most journalists were busy covering uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Bahrain. Yemen's protests still weren't on the radar. There were just a handful of freelance journalists based in Yemen. Among them, Tom Finn - he now works for Reuters - Adam Barron with McClatchy Newspapers and Iona Craig with the Times of London. Not long ago, Tom and Adam were university students. Iona used to train racehorses. They came to Yemen to study Arabic and work at the local English-language newspaper. But on March 18th of last year, they became witnesses to the turning point in Yemen's uprising. (SOUNDBITE OF CROWD CHATTER) MCEVERS: On that day, Iona was in the protest encampment in Yemen's capital, known as Change Square. There, a student-led movement calling for Yemen's president to step down had slowly gained momentum. Protestors discovered pro-government thugs congregating behind a makeshift wall that had been built at the end of the street. Protestors started running toward it. IONA CRAIG: And as they gathered in front of this wall, there were tires burning on the other side. There was a lot of chanting and shouting going on. And as I approached, the snipers then started. So I then got out my mobile phone and started filming it. (SOUNDBITE OF GUNSHOTS) MCEVERS: Those shots are the sounds of sniper rifles raining bullets down on protestors from rooftops. It was the only footage that appeared on Western TV that day. CRAIG: And at that point, as I was filming with my phone, I saw a guy, a Yemeni guy, directly opposite me on the other side of the street as I was doing that. He was doing the same, and he got his head blown off. And so I then thought, yeah, this is time to get out of here. MCEVERS: In all, dozens of people were killed, many of them shot in the head. The next day, Iona went to the mass funeral in Change Square. Before then, the protests had numbered around 10 or 20,000 people. CRAIG: And then that day at the funeral, I mean, it was immense, absolutely immense. And then you just knew. You just had this absolute feeling that there was no going back. MCEVERS: The protests kept growing, and the snipers kept shooting. Protest encampments popped up in cities and towns around Yemen. By then, it was nearly impossible for journalists to enter Yemen from outside. Even if you managed to get a visa to get into the country, you'd be turned away at the airport. Tom Finn started filing for Al-Jazeera. The network posted him in a mosque in Change Square that had been converted into a field hospital. TOM FINN: I remember one particular day I was in the field hospital, and a doctor ran in. And actually, at first, no one could see - I couldn't see what was in his hands. All I saw was the reaction of other people who looked at him and suddenly, you know, would start screaming or crying just at seeing him. And then I realized that he was holding a baby in his hands that had been shot in the head. A stray bullet had gone through a car window and killed this child. And he'd run in. And, I mean, I just - I couldn't report. I couldn't do anything. At that point, I was just paralyzed. I just sat down, and I couldn't really operate. MCEVERS: At this point, Yemen started splitting in two: those who were with the protestors, and those who were with the government. An entire division of the army defected to join the protestors. Tribes once loyal to the government did the same. An all-out war started in one neighborhood in Yemen's capital. It was home to a prominent sheikh who'd aligned with the protest movement to fight against government soldiers. During some of the worst fighting, Tom managed to get into the sheikh's mansion. FINN: Which was completely ruined, pocked with bullets, windows smashed, swimming pools filled with rubble, camels and peacocks wandering around in confusion, and the sounds of explosions and bullets flying above my head. MCEVERS: Meanwhile, Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, agreed to a deal that would hand power to his vice president in exchange with immunity. But he then refused to sign that deal three separate times. Then on June 3rd, a rocket-propelled grenade was fired into Saleh's compound, gravely wounding him and killing four of his bodyguards. Saleh was whisked to neighboring Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. After that, says Adam Barron, political stalemate set in. ADAM BARRON: It's strange, because it felt like maybe for, I don't know, three or four months, perhaps, the entire situation, it's just as if someone pressed a pause button. MCEVERS: And during that pause, there were massive shortages of fuel, water and electricity. Food prices went through the roof. BARRON: The hardest part of that, in a way, is there's kind of disturbing things happening in Yemen - especially the humanitarian crisis, happening. MCEVERS: And nobody cared. BARRON: Well, I mean, I wrote, you know, I wrote a story on it. MCEVERS: Well, he wrote five or six stories speculating on what Saleh was going to do next. After months of back and forth and another series of brutal crackdowns on protestors, Saleh did eventually come back to Yemen, and he did eventually sign the deal to transfer power to his vice president in exchange for full immunity from prosecution. Now, the reporters say, they want to stay on in Yemen and see if the experiment works, to see if all the Yemenis who lost their lives lost them for a good cause. So far, though, the situation in Yemen is shaky. Already, there have been more protests and some clashes between pro and government forces. Still, despite all the unpredictability, the reporters say it's the kind of place that gets under your skin. CRAIG: It's all so complicated. That's what makes it kind of, you know, quite gripping, really, because you're never going sit back and say, yeah, I know everything about Yemen. And if you do, you're a complete fool. MCEVERS: Kelly McEvers, NPR News. INSKEEP: Let's talk about another country that outsiders struggle to understand. Iran held elections on Friday for parliament. In the midst of a confrontation with the West, the government called for heavy turnout to demonstrate public support, and the government reported heavy turnout - though Iranians who sent dispatches to Tehran Bureau, an independent website, said polling places were not so busy. Amidst simmering discontent, there had been talk of a boycott of this vote, though in the end, even a former president who spoke of boycotting cast a ballot. Reformist candidates never made it on the ballot Friday. Rival conservative factions did. And though final results are not in, candidates supporting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appear to have done poorly. Ahmadinejad has been losing ground against other conservatives loyal to the ayatollah, who is Iran's supreme leader. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) INSKEEP: This is NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.Related Program: Morning EditionView the discussion thread. © 2016 KANW

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K'Naan: A Song 'More Beautiful Than Silence' By NPR Staff Mar 5, 2012 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email K'Naan's new EP, More Beautiful Than Silence, was released Jan. 31. Originally published on March 5, 2012 11:01 pm The last time Morning Edition spoke with K'naan, he had just gone back to his native Somalia for the first time in 20 years to highlight the effects of the famine there. The Somali-Canadian rapper was introduced to the world as The Dusty Foot Philosopher with his first album in 2005; then he returned with Troubadour in 2009. Just last month, he came out with an EP, More Beautiful Than Silence. A new full-length album, Country, God, or the Girl, comes out in May. K'naan has said the stories in his songs have actually happened, including a tale he tells in "Coming to America" about how he accidentally blew up his school with a hand grenade in eighth grade. "My mom took me in her arms and cried at the possibility that I could've been killed," K'naan tells Morning Edition's Renee Montagne. "Then she started going on a tangent: 'What kind of person would leave a grenade in the playground of a school?' " Somalia has a long history of oral poetry, and K'naan's grandfather is a major proponent of this history: According to one story, he once stopped a war with his words. K'naan says he isn't sure whether rap could ever reach those heights of influence. "The problem is that rap is so often a caricature of its own image," he says. "Nobody comes to the table with the seriousness of the effect that it can have; nobody is prepared for that. The poetry I grew up on is really an intense form of poetry; it's so pure and powerful." K'naan describes the title track of his new EP as "a self-criticism, a moment in which I'm also recognizing those things. I have moments of darkness, of anger, and moments of rage. They do creep up at the most inopportune times. Not to recognize that in my music would give people a sense of sainthood that I don't necessarily have or even want to have. Because I don't accept the title of the all-great kid who came out of Mogadishu completely unfazed, unscathed, and has written music of just hope and joy. It can be partly true, but it isn't all true."Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Related Program: Morning Edition © 2016 91.5 KIOS-FM

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BP Ends Oil Spill Cleanup In Gulf, Except For Louisiana By Bill Chappell Jun 10, 2013 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email BP is scaling back its cleanup efforts from the Deepwater Horizon oilspill in areas outside Louisiana. Here, a photo from last September shows alluvial clay and tar mats on the shore of Elmer's Island, in Jefferson Parish, La. Gerald Herbert BP is ending its cleanup of the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in three Gulf Coast states this month, leaving Louisiana as the only state with ongoing cleanup linked to the company's Deepwater Horizon Response effort. Reports of oil sightings in Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida will soon be the U.S. Coast Guard's responsibility to investigate. For NPR's Newscast unit, Debbie Elliott reports: "It's been three years since BP's blown-out well spewed more than 4 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, but tar balls and other forms of residual oil continue to foul marshes and beaches in the region. "BP will remain responsible for patrolling about 85 coastal miles in Louisiana." Any reports of residual oil or other pollutants in areas outside BP's Louisiana patrol zone will be sent to the National Response Center, officials say. Reports of pollutants in the Gulf will soon go to the Coast Guard, which will use "sampling, fingerprinting and other investigative means to identify the source of the pollution and find the responsible party," according to a news release by the Deepwater Horizon Response team. "If oil is found to be MC252 oil [the designation of oil from the Deepwater spill], BP will be held accountable for the cleanup." In New Orleans, The Times-Picayune reports that more than 100 Coast Guard and contract employees remain on the job of cleaning up Louisiana's waters, marshes, and beaches. The newspaper says "there's still no time frame for the end of response efforts in Louisiana," citing a Coast Guard Lieut. Cmdr. Natalie Murphy. The transition is expected to be complete by the beginning of July.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. © 2016 KRCC

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NPR Promotes Two Executives To Key Posts By Mark Memmott Kinsey Wilson, NPR's executive vice president and chief content officer. Stephen Voss Margaret Low Smith, NPR News' senior vice president. Originally published on February 24, 2012 12:03 pm Slightly more than one year after a series of controversial events led to top leaders' depatures, NPR this morning announced "a new executive structure" and named two current managers to key posts. NPR President and CEO Gary Knell said that: -- Kinsey Wilson, an NPR senior vice president and general manager of NPR Digital Media, is stepping up to be executive vice president and chief content officer. Wilson joined NPR in 2008. He came to the organization from USA Today, where he was an executive editor. -- Margaret Low Smith is assuming the role of senior vice president for news on a permanent basis. She had been acting senior vice president for the past year. Smith began her career with NPR in 1982. She will report to Wilson. Knell tells NPR's David Folkenflik that the goal of the management structure is to create "a unified and strategic approach" to providing news, cultural programming and other content across radio, online and mobile platforms. And "combining all this under a chief content officer [Wilson] who will be able to connect the dots in radio and in digital and in the Web — and in all the mobile applications where NPR finds its content — is exactly where we need to be." "Radio is not going away, radio is going everywhere," Knell added. Of Smith, Knell said that "she's earned it" after serving as acting senior vice president. "I'm fully confident that she's going to get this thing right," he said. As David reports for our Newscast Desk, today's announcements represent Knell's first major moves since he took office in December. The CEO came to NPR after a search for a successor to Vivian Schiller, who left in March 2011. She departed, as we've previously reported, following: — The release in March 2011 of a videotape surreptitiously made by associates of conservative activist James O'Keefe and heavily edited before its release, showing then-NPR fundraiser Ron Schiller (no relation) slamming conservatives and appearing to question whether NPR needs federal funding. — The dismissal in November 2010 of NPR analyst Juan Williams after he said on Fox News Channel that he gets nervous when he sees people in "Muslim garb" on airplanes. Williams went on to say it's wrong to profile or stereotype anyone based on his or her appearance, but NPR said it was one of a series of comments he had made that violated the network's standards. The handling of his dismissal and the controversy surrounding it — including comments Schiller made about Williams that she later apologized for — made headlines for several weeks. That controversy also led to the resignation of NPR's top news executive at the time, Ellen Weiss. The controversies fueled calls by some in Congress to cut funding to NPR. Also today, NPR says, Knell announced "an expanded role for Keith Woods, Vice President of Diversity in News & Operations. Woods will broaden his collaborative work with member stations to support public radio's push for greater diversity in its audience, staffing and content." Update at 2 p.m. ET. The Statement And A New Ethics Handbook: NPR has posted its statement about the appointments here. It also notes that "Eric Nuzum, who has served as acting vice president for programming since January 2011, will officially move into that role." Also today, the organization released its new "guiding principles" and ethics handbook. Full disclosure: this blogger helped put them together. For an outside review of them, you might start with this piece by Poynter's Mallary Jean Tenore. Mark Stencel, NPR's managing editor for digital news, discusses the guidelines on social media here.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 KRWG

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Presidential Debates Can Be Great Theater, But How Much Do They Matter? By Elise Hu In a 1988 debate against George H.W. Bush, Michael Dukakis's answer to a question about whether he would support the death penalty if his wife were raped and murdered is considered a huge stumble. LENNOX MCLENDON This is the first of two 1988 debates between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. In the second debate, the answer Dukakis gave to a question about whether he would support the death penalty if his wife were raped and murdered was considered a huge blunder. Originally published on September 17, 2012 6:52 am Even before the final balloons fell on the Republican and Democratic conventions, pundits were talking up the next big American political viewing experience — the presidential debates. These match-ups, in which candidates actually share a stage after months of bruising one another from far range, can lead to moments of rhetorical brilliance, or the opposite — getting caught off-guard and making a gaffe. Historically, debates have been seen as potential "game changers" in tight races. But political scientist John Sides, writing in the Washington Monthly, claims that data tells another story. Writes Sides. "That presidential debates can be 'game changers' is a belief almost universally held by political pundits and strategists. Political scientists, however, aren't so sure. Indeed, scholars who have looked most carefully at the data have found that, when it comes to shifting enough votes to decide the outcome of the election, presidential debates have rarely, if ever, mattered." Sides, an associate professor of political science at George Washington University, continues: "The small or nonexistent movement in voters' preferences is evident when comparing the polls before and after each debate or during the debate season as a whole. Political lore often glosses over or even ignores the polling data. Even those who do pay attention to polls often fail to separate real changes from random blips due to sampling error. A more careful study by political scientist James Stimson finds little evidence of game changers in the presidential campaigns between 1960 and 2000. Stimson writes, 'There is no case where we can trace a substantial shift to the debates.'" "At best, debates provide a 'nudge' in very close elections like 1960, 1980, or 2000. A even more comprehensive study, by political scientists Robert Erikson and Christopher Wlezien, which includes every publicly available poll from the presidential elections between 1952 and 2008, comes to a similar conclusion: excluding the 1976 election, which saw [President Jimmy] Carter's lead drop steadily throughout the fall, 'the best prediction from the debates is the initial verdict before the debates.' In other words, in the average election year, you can accurately predict where the race will stand after the debates by knowing the state of the race before the debates. Erikson and Wlezien conclude that evidence of debate effects is 'fragile.'" Debates do help voters learn new information, but what voters learn is unlikely to change many minds, Sides writes. Debates tend to draw the politically inclined who already favor one party or the other, some political scientists argue. And timing is also a factor. The televised sparring happens so close to Election Day that in several states, early in-person voting will have started before even the first debate. Even so, expect the three televised presidential debates (and one vice presidential faceoff) to draw millions of eyes. Each general election cycle, the debates are among the most watched television programs of the campaign season, and this year will certainly be no different. Latest polls show President Obama and Republican Mitt Romney continue to engage in a tight race less than eight weeks before the Nov. 6 election. Romney and Obama are schedule to go head-to-head on Oct. 3, Oct. 16 and Oct. 22. That final debate is dedicated solely to foreign policy, an issue that was all but dormant this cycle until the international events of this week. The vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan is set for Oct. 11.Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 KRWG

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Mark Memmott Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards. As the NPR Ethics Handbook states, the Standards & Practices editor is "charged with cultivating an ethical culture throughout our news operation. This means he or she coordinates regular training and discussion on how we apply our principles and monitors our decision-making practices to ensure we're living up to our standards." Before becoming Standards & Practices editor, Memmott was one of the hosts of NPR's "The Two-Way" news blog, which he helped to launch when he came to NPR in 2009. It focuses on breaking news, analysis, and the most compelling stories being reported by NPR News and other news media. Prior to joining NPR, Memmott worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor at USA Today. He focused on a range of coverage from politics, foreign affairs, economics, and the media. He reported from places across the United States and the world, including half a dozen trips to Afghanistan in 2002-2003. During his time at USA Today, Memmott, helped launch and lead three USAToday.com news blogs: "On Deadline," "The Oval" and "On Politics," the site's 2008 presidential campaign blog. Those Men In Oregon: Troublemakers, Terrorists Or Something Else? By Mark Memmott Jan 9, 2016 In the week since a group of armed individuals took over buildings on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Oregon, there's been a debate on social media and op-ed p The Sounds Of A Murder: News Or Not? Aug 29, 2015 How much, if any, of the shocking sights and sounds should newsrooms report when two people are murdered on live television and the video whips around the world on the Web? Alison Parker and Adam Ward, two local TV journalists, were gunned down while on the air Wednesday. They were near Roanoke, Va., interviewing local Chamber of Commerce official Vicki Gardner about tourism. Gardner was seriously injured. 3 Things To Know About NPR's Policy Regarding Offensive Language Jul 25, 2015 Editor's note: The headline on this post tips our hand. But just to be clear, we're discussing language that some readers don't want to hear or read, even when it's bleeped or not spelled out. This question came up in the newsroom: Should an NPR journalist say during a podcast that someone's an a****** if many people would agree that person is an a******? The question wasn't about a real person. It was about someone who would bet against his favorite team or would bet that his lover would say "no" to a marriage proposal. Just A Few Important Words About The Declaration Of Independence Jul 4, 2015 "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It's Independence Day. Let's take a break from parades, patriotic songs and pyrotechnics to think about the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Why You're Not Seeing Those 'Charlie Hebdo' Cartoons Jan 10, 2015 Wednesday's attack at the Paris office of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo is thought to have been the work of killers who believe cartoons can be so offensive that they justified the murder of 12 people. News organizations and people around the world obviously believe the opposite — that no one deserves to die just because he's rude, crude or otherwise obnoxious. Free speech includes the right to be offensive. 'Fewer' Or 'Less?' The Express Lane Language Debate By Mark Memmott Dec 6, 2014 You're ready to check out at the supermarket. There are only eight items in your cart, so you look for the express lane. The sign above says "10 items or less." Do you: -- Head for the register without a second thought? -- Rue the decline of the English language because you were taught that the sign should say "10 items or fewer?" Before This Blogger Moves On, He Wants To Say Thanks Apr 25, 2014 The Two-Way is just shy of its fifth anniversary, on May 13. This blogger has written just over 9,700 posts for NPR — almost 9,500 of them for The Two-Way. It seems like a good time to move on. Next week, I'll be on vacation. When I return to work May 5, I'll be taking on the duties of "standards and practices" editor at NPR and no longer blogging for The Two-Way. According to our ethics handbook: New Manchester United Skipper Vows To Make Fans Smile Again Apr 25, 2014 The biggest sports story of the week for millions of football (soccer) fans around the world was the sacking of David Moyes as manager of England's Manchester United, one of the two most valuable sports franchises on the planet. Recovery Of Bodies From Sunken Ferry Growing More Difficult Apr 25, 2014 The news Friday from the site of South Korea's ferry disaster includes word that: -- "At least 185 passengers had been confirmed dead, with 117 others still missing." (Yonhap News) Russia's Credit Rating Cut To Just Above 'Junk' Apr 25, 2014 Saying that "the tense geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine" could accelerate the already heavy flow of money coming out of Russia, Standard & Poor's on Friday cut that nation's credit rating to just above "junk" level. What's more, S&P says it doesn't expect things to improve anytime soon: VIDEO: At White House, Girl Hands Father's Resume To First Lady Apr 25, 2014 In case you missed it, much is being made of what happened Thursday at the White House when a 10-year-old girl stepped forward at a take-your-children-to-work event with first lady Michelle Obama to say: "My dad's been out of a job for three years and I wanted to give you his résumé." Fresh Avalanches On Everest Appear To End Climbs In Nepal Apr 25, 2014 High up on the Nepalese side of Mount Everest, fresh ice avalanches on Friday made it "almost certain that no one will summit the world's highest mountain from Nepal during this year's climbing season," Reuters writes. Russia Wants To Start World War III, Ukrainian Leader Charges Apr 25, 2014 The crisis in Ukraine showed no signs of cooling Friday. Harsh rhetoric was flying: -- "Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk accused Russia on Friday of wanting to start World War III by occupying Ukraine 'militarily and politically,' " Reuters reports. Pope OKs Communion For The Divorced? Not So Fast, Vatican Says Apr 24, 2014 The Vatican on Thursday sought to tamp down speculation that Pope Francis wants to reverse church teachings and allow divorced and remarried Catholics and their spouses to take Communion. Israel Halts Peace Talks After Palestinian Unity Move Apr 24, 2014 One day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was calling off his side's participation in the next session of peace talks with Palestinian leaders, Israel's Cabinet has endorsed that decision and "unanimously decided to cut off contacts," The Associated Press writes. Saddened Students Return To Ferry Disaster Victims' School Apr 24, 2014 Students at Danwon High School in Ansan, South Korea, began the difficult process of resuming classes on Thursday, eight days after a ferry disaster claimed the lives of more than 200 of their classmates. According to South Korea's Yonhap News, the seniors (or third-year year students): Jobless Claims Bounce Up From Earlier Weeks' Low Levels Apr 24, 2014 After two straight weeks in which the figures tracked near their lowest levels in seven years, the number of first-time applications for jobless benefits rose more than expected last week. The Employment and Training Administration says there were 329,000 such claims filed, up by 24,000 from the previous week's slightly revised figure. Stowaway Teen's Father Was Shocked To Hear Son Was In Hawaii Apr 24, 2014 The father of a teen who last weekend survived a 5 1/2-hour flight from California to Hawaii in the wheel well of a passenger jet says: "When I watched the analysis about the extraordinary and dangerous trip of my son on local TVs and that Allah had saved him, I thanked God and I was very happy." No Breakthrough: 'Object Of Interest' Isn't From Missing Jet Apr 24, 2014 A large piece of metal found earlier this week on the coast of western Australia, which investigators had called an "object of interest" in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and the 239 people who were on board, is apparently not connected to the missing jet. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau reports that "after examining detailed photographs of material washed ashore 10 kilometers east of Augusta, it is satisfied it is not a lead in relation to the search." 3 Americans Dead After Shooting At Kabul Hospital Apr 24, 2014 Three American citizens were killed Thursday at a Christian organization's hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, when an Afghan security guard opened fire. Another American citizen was reportedly wounded. One of those killed was an experienced pediatrician from Chicago who had been working at the hospital for seven years, according to media reports. The other two killed were a father and son whose names and ages had not yet been released. 7 Weeks Before World Cup, Rio Is Rocked By Riot Apr 23, 2014 "A Rio de Janeiro slum erupted in violence late Tuesday following the killing of a popular local figure, with angry residents setting fires and showering homemade explosives and glass bottles onto a busy avenue in the city's main tourist zone," The Associated Press writes. Government Will Try To Persuade Sherpas To Stay On Everest Apr 23, 2014 The news from high up the world's tallest mountain continues to be confusing, with some reports implying that a boycott by Sherpas means there will be no climbs to the summit this year and others indicating that there will still be attempts to reach the top. Based on what we can glean from various news accounts, it appears that some expeditions have indeed canceled their climbs. But it also seems that at least some of the estimated 400 Sherpas on the mountain may be willing to continue on — meaning there will be summit attempts in coming weeks. Death Toll Rises, Hopes Fade At Site Of Korean Ferry Disaster Apr 23, 2014 The already slim hope that anyone might still be alive aboard the South Korean ferry that sunk a week ago was all but extinguished Wednesday with the news that divers have found no air pockets in key areas of the ship. Stowaway Teen May Have Been Trying To Reunite With His Mom Apr 23, 2014 The latest word about the teenager who survived a ride Sunday from California to Hawaii in the frigid wheel well of a jet is that he may have hoped to eventually get to Somalia to be with his mother. 'Object Of Interest' Found In Search For Malaysian Jet Apr 23, 2014 After 6 1/2 weeks of false leads and conflicting information about what may have happened to the jet and the 239 people on board, Wednesday's headlines about the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 need to be viewed with considerable caution: -- " 'Object of interest' found on Western Australian coast." (CNN.com) 45 People Were Shot In Chicago Over The Weekend Apr 22, 2014 There are more data to add to Chicago's well-documented problem with gun violence. Headlines such as this from the Chicago Sun-Times — "In violent weekend, at least 8 dead, 37 wounded in shootings across Chicago" — set us off in search of news reports after previous weekends. 'Stop Supporting Men Hiding Behind Masks,' Biden Tells Russia Apr 22, 2014 UPDATE: Everest Climbing Season Still In Doubt Apr 22, 2014 Update at 12:30 p.m. ET. Despite Government's Concessions, Many Sherpas May Leave: The likelihood of the upcoming climbing season on Mount Everest being canceled altogether seemed to veer from very possible to very unlikely to somewhere in between within the space of less than an hour on Tuesday as news reports came in from the world's tallest mountain. As Korean Ferry Sank, Some Crew Members Fought To Save Lives Apr 22, 2014 With the death toll continuing to rise and likely to exceed 300, the captain and crew of the ferry that sank last week off the coast of South Korea have been called cowards and accused of murder. Now, though, we're also hearing about the heroic acts of some among the 29-member crew — seven of whom either are confirmed to have died or are missing. Wheel Well Stowaway Was 'Runaway Kid With A Bad Idea' Apr 22, 2014 The California teenager who survived a 5 1/2 hour flight to Hawaii in the wheel well of a Boeing 767 was "just a runaway kid with a bad idea," FBI Special Agent Tom Simon says. Simon also says, according to The San Jose Mercury News, that the unidentified boy's lousy idea wasn't very well thought out: "He ran for the nearest plane. This was not a well-planned thing." Pages1 © 2016 KUER

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Keystone XL Pipeline Report Creates Political Headache For Obama By Liz Halloran Feb 3, 2014 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email The proposed Keystone XL pipeline will run through this field near Bradshaw, Neb. Originally published on February 3, 2014 4:11 pm Any expectation that a new State Department report would clarify the Keystone XL pipeline issue went up in smoke in recent days. In the aftermath of a conclusion that downplayed the oil pipeline's potential effects on climate change, the issue has gotten even more politically complicated for the Obama White House. Environmentalists are ramping up their opposition to the proposed 1,179-mile pipeline, while Republicans have intensified their push for approval. As for Democrats, well, that depends on their election prospects. A Pew Research Center poll last September found that 65 percent of Americans expressed support for the pipeline, including 51 percent of Democrats surveyed. As all sides re-up in a battle that began five years ago when the White House was asked to approve the oil pipeline from western Canada's tar sands to a Nebraska transfer station, here's a look at where things stand: The Obama White House The long-awaited State Department report found that the pipeline, the fourth and last Keystone section, would not have a "significant" effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Its assessment goes something like this: If Keystone XL doesn't get built, the oil extracted from Canada's tar sands will still be transported somehow — likely by rail — and have the same environmental effect. That leaves President Obama with an unenviable case to make to his liberal base if he chooses to support the pipeline, and an equally difficult decision to defend — particularly with big labor that supports it — if he opposes a project Republicans have made key to their jobs-and-energy argument. White House chief of staff Denis McDonough says Obama is not in a rush to make a decision. "We have one department with a study," he said on NBC's Meet the Press. "Now we have other expert agencies, the EPA, and many others, who have an opportunity ... to look at this and make their determinations." Secretary of State John Kerry will make a final recommendation to Obama, who has 90 days to decide. The question is how long the president will wait — and what effect it will have on November's midterm elections, when the fate of Democratic senators from conservative-leaning, energy-producing states will determine whether the party retains control of the Senate. Environmentalists Alarmed at the no harm, no foul nature of the State Department's assessment, environmental groups have been organizing scores of vigils for Monday night to underscore their opposition. They're characterizing this as an "all hands on deck moment" and have promised civil disobedience if the White House signs off on TransCanada's $5.4 billion-plus pipeline. In a letter to Kerry, billionaire Democratic Party supporter Tom Steyer questioned the integrity of the State Department analysis, calling it "defective" because a TransCanada contractor was involved in the report preparation. Steyer is the founder of the anti-pipeline NextGen Climate Action Group that ran anti-pipeline ads during Obama's State of the Union address last week. The group 350.org, founded by environmental activist Bill McKibben, has also characterized the State Department report as "deeply flawed and compromised by its affiliation with TransCanada contractors." Democrats At least eight Democratic senators have previously expressed support for Keystone XL, and tough 2014 re-election races faced by four of them — Mark Begich of Alaska, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Kay Hagan of North Carolina — will determine control of the Senate. The State Department report, Begich has said, "confirms what Alaskans already know — that there are ways to safely and responsibly diversify our domestic energy supply." Pro-Keystone Democrats have also been quietly pointing to a section of the State Department report that projects an increase of six more deaths annually if the extracted oil is shipped by rail instead of pipeline. (The study did not take into account the nearly four dozen people killed in an oil train derailment last summer in Quebec.) But other Democrats, and independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, argue that the president would betray his commitment to battling climate change if he signs off on the pipeline. Show votes in Congress last year over budget plans determined that a filibuster-proof majority of senators support the pipeline. Republicans Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is among the high-profile Republicans pushing Obama to use his executive authority to approve the pipeline. "Please pick up that pen you've been talking so much about and make this happen," McConnell said. Republicans are increasingly saying that they see the pipeline as inevitable and are aggressively touting a section of the State Department report that projects the pipeline project would inject $3.4 billion into the economy.Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 KUER

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Reports: Death Toll In Algeria At 80 By Mark Memmott Jan 21, 2013 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Smoke rose Sunday during demining operations at the gas plant in eastern Algeria that Islamist militants attacked last week. Louafi Larbi / Reuters /Landov Originally published on January 21, 2013 10:54 am Update at 1:50 p.m. ET: Three Americans Were Killed, State Department Says (See Statement Below). Our original post: As feared, the reports from Algeria about the number of people killed during last week's hostage crisis at a gas plant are getting grimmer. Both Reuters and The Associated Press are reporting that at least 80 people were killed either by the Islamist militants who took over the plant or in the Algerian military operation that followed. The breakdown of how many of the dead were hostages and how many were militants isn't yet clear. But Reuters says as many as 48 of the dead may have been workers who were being held by the militants. NPR's Philip Reeves, who has been monitoring the story from London, tells our Newscast Desk that "Algerian forces are combing through the vast gas complex for explosives and booby traps. Reports say they've found guns, grenades and suicide jackets." During that search, they reportedly found at least 25 bodies over the weekend. One of the dead hostages was an American, according to authorities. The crisis, which began when militants attacked the plant last Wednesday, ended Saturday when Algerian forces were able to regain control of the facility. Hundreds of workers at the gas plant were able to escape the militants or were freed by Algerian forces. Update at 1:50 p.m. ET. Three Americans Killed. The state department just released this statement from spokeswoman Victoria Nuland: "We can now confirm the death of three U.S. citizens in the terrorist attack in Algeria: Victor Lynn Lovelady, Gordon Lee Rowan, and Frederick Buttaccio. We extend our deepest condolences to their families and friends. Out of respect for the families' privacy, we have no further comment. We are also aware of seven U.S. citizens who survived the attack. Due to privacy considerations, we have no further information to provide. "As the president said, the blame for this tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out, and the United States condemns their actions in the strongest possible terms. We will continue to work closely with the Government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of the terrorist attack of last week and how we can work together moving forward to combat such threats in the future." Update at 11:38 a.m. ET. 37 Foreign Citizens Killed: NPR's Eleanor Beardsley tells our Newscast unit that Algerian Prime Minister Abdel Malek Sellal said 37 foreigners from eight different countries had been killed in the attack. The death toll came after days of silence from the Algerian government. The prime minister said that 32 of the killed were terrorists. Eleanor adds: "Many nations with hostages being held were stunned by the sudden and violent assault on the oil site by Algerian special forces last Thursday. "The prime minister said the 'terrorists' had planned to blow up the facility and take all the foreigners hostage. "But then the army overheard radio communication in which the leader gave the order to kill all the foreigners. "He said that's what prompted the quick Algerian army attack. "Meanwhile, U.S. officials confirmed that two more Americans have been found dead in Algeria, bringing the death toll to three. Seven Americans made it out." Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 Valley Public Radio

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4-year-old boy dies in house fire in unincorporated area near Compton October 6, 2011 | 6:47 The Los Angeles County Fire Department says that only one child, a 4-year-old boy, has died in a house fire that broke out Thursday afternoon in an unincorporated area near Compton. The first fire units to arrive reported that two children were dead in the blaze that tore through the two-story home in the 800 block of East Lennon Street, Capt. Mark Savage said."There was miscommunication between our units at the scene and our dispatch," Savage told The Times.Firefighters found the boy inside the badly burned home and began administering CPR. The child was taken to a nearby hospital, where he pronounced dead, Savage said.It was unclear Thursday evening whether any adults were home when the fire broke out. "We don't have any information on who was home or was not home," Savage said.The cause of the blaze was being investigated by the Fire Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The blaze was reported at 4:30 p.m., and the first fire engine arrived on scene five minutes later to see smoke and flames coming from the home, officials said. The fire was knocked down at 5:11 p.m. 10 members of Vagos motorcycle group arrested in raid Redondo Beach to ask Supreme Court to uphold day laborer law Bank protesters in L.A. arrested after trying to cash $673-billion check — Robert J. Lopez twitter.com/LAJourno Photo: KTLA-TV Channel 5

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Upfronts: ABC's soft sell NEW YORK -- Steve McPherson didn't dance. The "Desperate Housewives" didn't surprise the crowd with a musical number. There was no celeb-heavy after-party. "This is the first upfront that is BYOB," McPherson, ABC's entertainment president told advertisers at today's upfront. The network delivered a pared-down presentation that was light on razzle-dazzle and heavy on details. Mike Shaw, who heads the network's ad sales, talked about metrics and the "density" of ABC's ad units, displaying charts for the Avery Fisher Hall audience (charts!). McPherson walked the crowd through the network's stable fall schedule, which includes just two new programs: the game show "Opportunity Knocks" and the police/time-traveling drama "Life on Mars." The sole entertainment of the afternoon was comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who homed in on the unsettled state of affairs in the entertainment industry when he came out on stage and asked: "Is this the WGA strike after-party or the SAG strike pre-party?" He noted the scaled down nature of this year's upfront. "There's no party, no food, no gifts," Kimmel said. "ABC might be the worst date ever. We expect you to put out, but we're not even going to buy you a drink." NBC came in for some ribbing as well, including the network's early "Infront" programming presentations. "They're calling it the Infronts this year because they're just in front of the CW," Kimmel quipped. Now that Jimmy Fallon has been named Conan O'Brien's successor, Kimmel said he's been peppered with questions about whether there are going to be more changes in late night. "When I showed up today, Jay Leno was taking a bath in my dressing room," he said, adding: "There's about a 40% chance you'll see me at the Fox upfront on Thursday." Despite the uncertainty about the future of network television, Kimmel said advertisers and TV executives should be upbeat. "Things may look bleak for network television with the Internet and the strike and all that, but the fact of the matter is this: TV sets are bigger than ever. Kids are fatter than ever. And gas has never been more expensive," he said. "We have the whole country on their couches right now. If we can't sell them stuff, we should all be very ashamed of ourselves." -- Matea Gold Comments Advertisement

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6 Gray wolves born in Mexico Published June 13, 2013EFE Six Mexican gray wolves, a species on the brink of extinction, were born in a nature reserve in the northern state of Sonora, a state environmental official said."The birth of these pups is a big accomplishment for the conservation of an extinct species in its natural habitat," Sonora Environmental Commission director Oscar Tellez told Efe.The Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is a subspecies that has "difficulty reproducing in captivity," Tellez said.The pups are the offspring of "Wuera," who was brought to the park in 2008 from a zoo in the central state of Guanajuato, and "Federiko," who arrived at the reserve in 2012 from a state park in New Mexico.The pups were probably born last month, but no one spotted them until the female moved them to a new den, experts said.Nine pups were born, but three "died from natural causes," Tellez said.The Mexican Wolf once roamed across a vast region, including parts of the present-day northern states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Durango; the central states of Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosi; and the southern state of Oaxaca.The subspecies had been categorized in recent years as "probably extinct in the wild," the government says. EFE

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HomeNewsOpinionSportsObitsClassifiedsContactsEventsWelcome! Mosaic to end summer with Bash at the Bay Wednesday, 20 August 2014 09:47 By ROBERT PIERCE Mosaic will host its Summer End Bash starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Adventure Bay Water Park. The agency will have an exclusive sundae bar for its donors from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Associate director will be giving a speech regarding how the donors from Partners in Possibilities have helped Mosaic make a difference in the lives of the individuals it serves. The sundae bar is in appreciation of the donations, and at 7 p.m., the individuals in service, staff and the community will join in an evening of swimming, free of cost, as well as some ice cream provided from two of the Discover the Possibilities team members. “Mosaic’s Summer End Bash is our way of thanking our donors and our community in our mission,” said community relations manager Janeth Leon in an e-mail to the Leader & Times. “We would like to extend an invitation to all community members to join us for an afternoon of private swimming and some ice cream.” Mosaic in Liberal employs 70 direct support professionals throughout Liberal. “The Direct Support Professionals at Mosaic are the core of our mission to promote inclusion, independence and involvement of individuals with intellectual and development disabilities among the Liberal community,” Cooper said in Leon’s e-mail. “Each of them gives of their time and talents to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities and their families. They deserve to be recognized for their dedication.” Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week is Sept. 8-12. The theme this year is DSP=VIP. “The red carpet will be rolled out for our staff to enjoy an evening of good food and good company,” Leon said. “Mosaic will be hosting two separate evening nights out to recognize and thank our staff for their hard work and dedication.” Cooper will present each staff with a recognition certificate. “We would like the community to see the dedication and commitment our staff have towards Mosaic’s mission,” Leon said.

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The Library of Congress > News Releases > Biography of Wilson's Chief Diplomat to Be Discussed Oct. 31 News Releases Image Library of Congress Blog Related Resources at the Library of Congress Exhibitions at the Library of Congress About the Library of Congress Wise Guide to loc.gov Library of Congress Information Bulletin (1993-2011) 101 Independence Ave., S.E. Email: [email protected] News from the Library of Congress Press contact: Erin Allen (202) 707-7302 Historical Biography of Woodrow Wilson's Chief Diplomat to Be Discussed on Oct. 31 Godfrey Hodgson to Present His New Interpretation of Col. Edward F. House British journalist and historian Godfrey Hodgson will discuss his new book, “Woodrow Wilson’s Right Hand: The Life of Colonel Edward M. House,” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the Montpelier Room, sixth floor of the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. A book signing will follow the presentation, which is part of the Books & Beyond author series sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. Cosponsored with the Library’s Manuscript Division, home of Woodrow Wilson’s presidential papers, the program is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required. The importance of Colonel Edward M. House in 20th century American foreign policy is enormous. From 1913 to 1919, he served not only as intimate friend and chief political advisor to President Wilson but also as a national security advisor and senior diplomat. Yet the relationship between House and the president ended in a quarrel at the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, and, since then, House has received little sympathetic attention. In this new book published by Yale University Press, Hodgson argues that House was one of the most talented and far-seeing diplomats the United States has ever produced. Hodgson is an associate fellow at Rothermere American Institute at Oxford University. He is the author of 11 books on American politics and history, including “America in Our Time,” a history of America in the 1960s, and biographies of Henry L. Stimson and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. As a journalist, Hodgson worked for The Times of London, the London Observer and the London Sunday Times. He was one of the original anchors of Channel Four News in London and has been a commentator for BBC Radio 4, BBC World, NPR and CNN. Established in 1977 as a public-private partnership, the Center for the Book uses the resources and prestige of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books, reading and libraries. For information about its activities, national reading promotion networks and publications, and to view more than 60 of the public programs it has presented at the Library since 2000, visit www.loc.gov/cfbook. PR 06-190

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May 25, 2016 home | celeb | music | movie | tv Home > Music News Aerosmith Calls Off Indonesia Concert Over Safety Concerns May 6, 2013 (9:38 am) GMT The legendary rockers cancel their upcoming show in Jakarta over fears of an alleged bomb plot in the Myanmar Embassy in the city. Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and the rest of Aerosmith will, unfortunately, not be seen by their fans in Indonesia as the band has been forced to cancel their forthcoming concert in the nation's capital Jakarta. The Bad Boys from Boston have called off their May 11 performance at the Jiexpo Kemayoran over fears of an alleged bomb plot at the Myanmar Embassy situated in the city. The band made their announcement a day after Indonesian authorities foiled attempts by two suspected militant bombers to attack the Burmese embassy in Jakarta to protest Myanmar's treatment of Muslims. The decision was made despite the fact that the 15,000 tickets to the concert have all been nearly sold out. Although it wasn't clear if the cancellation was caused by the alleged embassy plot, the band's management had put the group's safety first with the decision. Concert promoter Ismaya Live carried the Aerosmith's official statement on its website, where they apologized to fans, saying they hoped to make it up to the fans in the future. There was no indication whether they would reschedule the said concert. Aerosmith kicked off their Asia-Pacific tour leg in April with their first-ever concert in New Zealand and several shows in Australia. Without the Jakarta concert, Aerosmith fans would have to catch the legendary band in their Wednesday concert in the Philippines, at the Mall of Asia Arena in the nation's capital, Manila. More Aerosmith News

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US ads miss mark, Muslims say America's image in the Muslim world slides, despite US campaign By Dan Murphy, Special to The Christian Science Monitor / The good news is in the view from the lawn of Indonesia's National Islamic University: Clumps of students are decked out in Levis. Most of them say America is a tolerant society where Muslims practice freely - echoing the message at the center of a $600 million US public-relations campaign since Sept. 11.But the good news ends there. Ahmad Imron, a lanky economics student in a red Planet Hollywood T-shirt, says that while America's message is getting through loud and clear, it's the wrong one."We know that there's religious freedom in America, and we like that,'' says Mr. Imron. "What we're angry about is the arrogant behavior of the US in the rest of the world." On the street, the reaction is the same, from street peddlers to US-trained academics: The US media campaign isn't relevant to Muslims' concerns. What saps their support for America is not impressions of how Muslims are treated inside the US, but their opinions about America's international relations - particularly with Israel and Iraq. Moreover, analysts say, if the US proceeds with plans to invade Iraq, its standing among Muslims will only fall."That is a certainty,'" says Azyumardi Azra, the rector of the university and a leading Muslim moderate. "War will stir more anti-Americanism."A poll released last month by the Pew Research Center found steep declines in America's public image in every Muslim nation surveyed.The US has traditionally enjoyed a better image in Indonesia than almost anywhere else in the Islamic world. But even here, the new PR effort isn't working. Pew poll data found that the number of Indonesians with a favorable impression of the US fell to 61 percent last year, from 75 percent in 1995.Egypt is the most striking example of how difficult it is to win the war of public opinion. The country is typically the second-largest recipient of US government aid, yet only 6 percent of Egyptians said that they have a "favorable" view of the US, according to the Pew poll.Nevertheless, the US public-relations campaign plows forward. Indonesia - the world's most populous Muslim country and a secular state - has been the site of the most intense US campaigning. Along with Turkey, it's a populous Muslim nation where America hopes democracy will flourish. And, like Turkey, the country is a key ally in the war on terror. The US has been getting the word out with prime-time television and radio spots. In late December, the State Department released a related booklet here, "Muslim Life in America," featuring prosperous American Muslims and statistics showing that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the States.Mohammed Adam Hesa, an accounting student at Jakarta's National Islamic University, is a good example of the complex attitude most Indonesians have toward the US.During the Suharto dictatorship, which fell in 1998, he looked to the States as a beacon of democracy. He says he'd jump at the chance to study at a big American university. But he also says he's uneasy about the global spread of American culture, and worries about its dominant role in world affairs."Sometimes we feel that America is a bully. Like with Iraq. They don't show any evidence. They just want to go to war.... If the US wants a better image, why doesn't it change its policies?"From the beginning of the war on terror, the US government has been at pains to make it clear that it isn't against Islam.Last month, US President George W. Bush hosted a dinner to mark Idul Fitri, the most important holiday on the Islamic calendar, and has reached out to Muslim leaders with speeches referring to Islam as "a faith based on peace, love, and compassion.""After Sept. 11, many people argued that the war on terrorism was a war on Islam,'' US Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph Boyce said in his speech marking the release of the booklet. "I want to assure you again that this is completely untrue.''When the US announced in October that it would be airing a series of five minidocumentaries on Muslims in America, some here worried the effort could backfire by coming across as propaganda.Divianti Febriani Fariz, an Indonesian communications student at the University of Missouri, was filmed blending in with other students in lecture halls, attending prayers, and smiling on a bright campus."The American students that I have met have respected my beliefs. It's nice to know that people are willing to open up their hearts and understand what they don't know,'' she says.But though the videos skirt some of the problems American Muslims may face, they seem to have been fairly well-received.Siti Fitria, wearing a combination of Muslim head scarf and blue jeans that seems to be the uniform for women on campus, says she saw the spot on Ms. Fariz on television. "I was glad that Islam was able to have a place at her university,'' she says.At the rollout of the booklet, which was attended by about 150 people, it was also clear that the State Department had taken to heart concerns that its early presentations on US Muslims were too sanitized.Imam Yahya M. Hendi, the first Muslim chaplain at Georgetown University in Washington, defended America in a live video link, but also spoke proudly of a protest march against US Israel policy in April and addressed the problems of US foreign policy to many Muslims."Some American policies contribute to the impression that America is anti-Islam,'' he said. "I don't think that - but we have to reexamine what we are and who we stand up for."On the US government website devoted to its campaign - www.opendialogue.com - the US is allowing very critical comments to be posted. "We are not stupid or blind or deaf,'' reads one angry post from "Aida" in Indonesia. "We read your intention not by what you say, but what you do."In the end, it's that sort of openness that may do the US the most good - and it's the type of public criticism sorely lacking in many Muslim societies.As Mr. Hendi, a naturalized American who was born in Nablus, the West Bank, says, "I can criticize Presidents Bush or Clinton... and I don't have to worry about losing my job at the end of the day. That really means a lot to me." How US Muslims are different: Pew poll sheds light on global contrasts Poll shows how US Muslims are like Protestants – and how they're not Where Muslims are a learning experience

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Sacramento serial killer's former home renovated, ready for visits By: David Bienick, Reporter, [email protected] SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) - What might be the most infamous house in Sacramento will soon be open for a one-day-only tour.The Victorian bungalow at 1426 F Street is where serial killer Dorothea Puente used to live and where police found seven bodies buried in the back yard in 1988.In 2011, Barbara Holmes and her husband Tom Williams bought the house at a public auction for $215,000.Since then, the couple has been renovating the property in what they admit is an eclectic style."We knew we had a lot of fixing up (to do)," said Holmes as she climbed the re-tiled front steps.The couple installed shiny new kitchen appliances, added bright colors and removed some interior walls."And this just seemed to open it up so much more," said Holmes.The couple said when they bought the house they knew its history -- how Puente had poisoned her disabled boarders, cashed their government-assistance checks and buried their bodies.Puente died in prison in 2011 at age 82."Barbara wanted to change the image entirely. And that just was never going to happen. So we decided to play with it," said Williams.The shower curtain is covered in crime tape and a metal plaque near the front door reads, "Trespassers will be drugged and buried in the yard."A mannequin in the back yard holds a shovel, has a gray wig and wears a pink coat similar to the one Puente was wearing when she was arrested."Sometimes I think I make too much light of it and I'm going to offend some people, but you know, you just have to take a chance," said Williams.Downstairs where the furnace used to be, the couple has installed an apartment for Holmes' mother.Juanita Holmes said during the first week after the family moved in, she was awoken by a spirit in the middle of the night."It was a woman, I felt, and she had really heavy perfume," said Juanita Holmes.Since then, the family said the house has been quiet and free of ghosts."If they're here, they like us. They don't say anything," said Williams.The couple said at least 1,500 people are expected to attend the Sacramento Old City Association's home tour."I think we'll be a draw," said Holmes.However, she added she does not think most visitors will becoming to admire the crown molding or hardwood floors."Oh, I don't think it's about anything I've done with the house. I think it's the house," said Holmes.The couple said it realizes the house will likely always be an attraction, but hope that visitors no longer see it as a crime scene."I think as we try to add life to it, people like the life., as opposed to the death," said Williams.The home tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 15.Advance-sale tickets are $25 and same-day tickets are $30.

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Tyler Morrison turns to music to help him move on from past By: Ari Hait, Reporter WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Tyler Morrison is a gifted musician.He's set to graduate from the Dreyfoos School of the Arts on Tuesday. Given what his life has been like so far, graduating is quite an accomplishment."My mom and I had a lot of trouble growing up," Morrison said. "We were close but we struggled."Morrison's mother left him when he was only 13. He was dropped off at the Boca Raton Police Department and placed into foster care."It's definitely scary not to know where you're going to live, not to know where you're going to get your next meal," he said.For five years, Morrison bounced from residence to residence. He never stayed long and never found a home."You didn't have any kind of loving parents to cling on to and help and were available to take care of you," he said.His only escape was Dreyfoos, where he has flourished as an oboe player. As things went from bad to worse, Morrison immersed himself in art."Through all of the placements and everything that's changed, foster care, the one thing that stayed the same, the only thing that stayed the same, was music," he said.Morrison's talent and valiant struggle have captured the attention of many organizations in South Florida. He was invited to play with the Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches, which also granted him a scholarship for college.Plenty of individuals have also stepped up, offering him a place to stay and donations for education.But it hasn't been enough. Morrison leaves next week for the University of Illinois to study music with one of the world's greatest oboe players. Morrison isn't sure how he will pay for it.If you'd like to help, you can to Morrison's education fund. The fund is set up at:IberiaBank 605 North Olive Ave.West Palm Beach, Fla. 33401You can make checks payable to "Tyler Morrison College Fund."

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UK set for perfect barbecue weather metrowebukmetroSaturday 5 Jun 2010 4:47 am The sun will continue to shine on the UK on Saturday, making for perfect barbecue conditions, forecasters said. The soaring temperatures and blue skies which replaced the bank holiday drizzle look set to provide a sunny start to the weekend. Sun worshippers can expect more high temperatures over the weekend Forecasters at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said today would be very warm and mostly dry across the UK with highs of 27C (80.6F) predicted in London. The rest of the South East is expected to enjoy some of the highest temperatures in England, with maximums expected to be around 24C (75.2F). Similar highs are predicted in the North East, with the North West expected to be a few degrees cooler. According to MeteoGroup, temperatures in the low 20s can be expected in Scotland, Wales and western England. The good weather has prompted a charity to issue a warning about cooling off safely. A spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said: “With very warm weather set to mark the last weekend of half term in many areas, RoSPA is urging that people take care when cooling off in rivers and lakes and, where possible, that they swim at properly supervised sites. “In previous years, the number of accidental drownings has peaked during hot spells. Last year was no exception and there were at least 20 suspected accidental drownings across the UK over the course of two weeks at the beginning of June. RoSPA is keen that people – particularly families with children who will be out and about with their friends – take steps to prevent similar tragedies this year.” MeteoGroup said Saturday’s sunshine will be tempered by more cloud than in recent days and a weak cold front moving east across the UK is expected to bring sharp showers – specifically in Scotland and central and eastern England. Things are also set to take a cooler turn on Sunday, with unsettled conditions across the UK.

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Father Of Driver In Fatal Hit & Run Of Bicyclist Speaks Out By Peter D'Oench Filed Under: Bicyclist, Daniel G. Mocker, DUI, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Hit-and-run, Justin Andrew Goldman, North Federal Highway, Peter D'Oench Bicyclist Fatally struck (Source: CBS4) FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The father of a man whose SUV struck and killed a bicyclist Sunday night says that bicyclist veered in front of his vehicle and he also says his son was not impaired. The accident happened at 8:38 p.m. around 51st Street on North Federal Highway and claimed the life of 52-year-old Daniel Mocker. Christopher Goldman of Pompano Beach told CBS4’s Peter D’Oench that he disputes some of the facts of the police investigation which indicates the bicyclist was traveling in the designated bicycle lane and which indicates his son was “under the influence of an unknown substance.” “He didn’t flee. He just pulled over. He was just in shock. He pulled over the first chance he could to call his parents and he tried to call police,” Goldman told D’Oench. “He’s a great kid, a family kid. He’s traumatized by this.” Goldman said that the bicyclist actually cut in front of his son. “My son said he couldn’t believe this had happened. He is sick to his stomach. He feels awful about what happened. This was tragic and very sad for the whole family.” Mocker had been riding bicycles for a long time and lived alone in a home at Northeast 22nd Terrace and Northeast 54th Street near the scene of the accident. His next-door neighbor who identified himself only as “Guy” said Mocker was a “sweet hearted guy, a really nice guy.” “This is sad, really said,” said “Guy.” He said, “He’s been riding bikes for 20 years, maybe longer. I heard the sirens from the accident. It saddens me. He was very much of a sweet hearted guy.” Fort Lauderdale Police Detective and spokesman DeAnna Greenlaw said investigators believe the victim was traveling in the designated bicycle lane but “that will be determined by the investigation.” “I have asked my son about that a number of times and he insists the bike veered right in front of him,” said Goldman. Greenlaw said the preliminary investigation had revealed that a 2007 GMC SUV was traveling northbound on North Federal Highway, while the bicyclist was riding northbound in the designated bicycle lane. She said the front of the vehicle struck the rear of the bicycle. Greenlaw said the rider was thrown on to the hood of the vehicle and the driver continued traveling northbound about four blocks and Mocker fell off of the hood and on to the roadway. She said a witness followed the driver and called 9-1-1 to report the incident and the location of the driver. “The driver should have stopped the moment he struck the bicyclist,” said Greenlaw. “That did not happen. The driver continued to go northbound.” Greenlaw also said police had initiated a DUI investigation. “I am being told by our traffic homicide investigators that the driver did show signs of being under the influence of an unknown substance,” she said. Goldman countered, “They always seem to come up with something like that. They didn’t do a sobriety test on him. He just appeared to be shaken up to me. He has friends who have had DUIs. He knows not to drink and drive. He doesn’t do that.” Goldman said his son had come from a friend’s house and was on his way to dinner. He said his son has three different jobs and was at work on Monday. He works as an electrical assistant at one of his jobs. Greenlaw said Justin Goldman was given a blood alcohol test. She said charges are pending “further investigation and toxicology results.” Anyone with information about this crash is urged to call Traffic Homicide Investigator Jonathan Graham at (954) 828-5125. Peter D'OenchfacebookFollow Peter D'Oench is a reporter for CBS4 News. He came to CBS4 from WKRN in Nashville. D'Oench was an award-winning member of the WPLG News Team as a reporter from 1989 – 2004. In addition, he was a producer for news, special projects and...More from Peter D'OenchComments

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Click Here To Watch WCCO Mid-Morning | Video Library Brown County Sheriff’s Office State Patrol: Iowa Teen Killed In Brown Co. CrashA 14-year-old girl is dead after a crash on a Brown County road late Thursday afternoon. The Minnesota State Patrol says a Chevy Malibu and a Ford Edge collided on Highway 4 and County Road 29 at about 4:49 p.m. School Open For Students To Grieve Crash VictimsSleepy Eye High School will be open to students, despite a day off from classes. School district administrators will open the school from 10 a.m. to noon Monday for students to gather and deal with the deaths of four young people killed in a Friday night car crash.4 Killed, 4 Injured In Crash On Hwy. 14 Near Sleepy EyeFour people are dead after a two-vehicle crash on Highway 14 near Sleepy Eye. The State Patrol says Saturday morning that the victims are all male. Two were 17 years old, one was 18, and one was 20 years old. Their names and other details were expected to be released at a Saturday news conference.Woman, 50, Dies From Injuries In New Ulm FireAuthorities said a 50-year-old woman who was rescued from a fire in southern Minnesota on Thursday later died from her injuries. The Brown County Sheriff' Office was called to a fire at about 9:28 p.m. Thursday on the 100 block of Center Street in New Ulm. Sheriff: 2 Dead From Carbon Monoxide Poisoning In Brown CountyAuthorities said the bodies of two people were found Friday inside a rural farmhouse in Brown County, and carbon monoxide is suspected in their deaths. The Brown County Sheriff’s Office was called to a residence on 410th Avenue at about 1:40 p.m. Friday in the southwestern Minnesota town of Springfield. 2 Good Samaritans Rescue Man From Burning Car Near New UlmA 74-year-old man had to rescued from a burning car near New Ulm on Sunday after his car left the road, went into a ditch and caught fire, according to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.Phone Scammer Claiming To Be A Cop In Brown CountyIf you live in Brown County and get call from the sheriff’s office asking for donations, don’t give out any money: the call is a scam, according to police. Listen Live

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Electricity price hike: Queensland regulator announces 13.6 per cent rise from July By Melinda Howells Sat 31 May 2014, 1:15 PM AEST The Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) has confirmed the standard domestic tariff for electricity will rise by 13.6 per cent as of July, costing the average household an extra $190 a year. But the QCA, the body that regulates the state's power prices, says prices will only go up by 5.1 per cent if the Federal Government's carbon tax is repealed.The QCA says bills have risen by about 50 per cent over the past three years.Last year, the QCA released a draft decision recommending the 13.6 per cent increase, which followed a 22.6 per cent rise in 2013. QCA chairman Malcolm Roberts says price increases are unavoidable to keep pace with rising costs. "Unfortunately customers have become accustomed to some significant power price increases in electricity in recent years here in Queensland and across the country," he said."The only explanation I can offer is that when the industry costs rise, unfortunately the prices have to follow suit if we are to have a reliable long-term supply."Mr Roberts says there may be some relief next financial year. "The price increases we've seen in recent years have been exceptional," he said."Some of the factors that have pushed those prices up - there's good grounds to hope or expect that they'll abate in 2015-16, but again there's no guarantee about future prices."Newman 'failing' on lower cost of living promiseQueensland Council of Social Service spokesman Mark Henley says low income earners will be hardest hit."The increase in fixed costs is something that everybody is going to feel, but particularly those who can afford it the least," he said."That's an area that we're looking for the Government to [look] at concessions and reviewing that. "We actually believe this increases the need for Government to have some level of urgency around that and how they're going to better support people on a low income." Labor says the Newman Government is failing in its promise to lower the cost of living.Opposition treasury spokesman Curtis Pitt says another massive power price hike is the last thing Queenslanders need."Campbell Newman promised that he had all the answers when it came to electricity prices," he said."He promised that he would lower the price of electricity - prices have gone up when the LNP said they would go down at some stage."On the eve of the LNP's third budget, the Newman Government is going to have to take responsibility for the decisions that they are making."Efforts being made on power sector reform: McArdleBut Queensland Energy Minister Mark McArdle says Labor's criticism is a cheap shot."The Labor party cannot say anything about their own record - their record is appalling," he said."It is simply unbelievable they can try and claim a moral high ground when they left this state in a power situation that was critical."Power prices were rising because of their own actions and they did not take any action to drive prices down."Mr McArdle says efforts are being made to reform the electricity sector, including market deregulation in the state's south-east next year. "This means a direct relationship between the consumer and also the retailer, but protection for the consumer with strong laws," he said."We need to change the way we've done things - Labor left this state in a mess. "Labor have not apologised for that and we are making steps to clean the mess up and move forward." Fri 30 May 2014, 1:57 PM AEST

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Healthcare News Montana Politics Campaign Beat Pea Green Boat Give a Premium Media & Tech Survey: Help Us Understand How You Use Technology 43-Year-Old Cold Case Closed: South Dakota Girls Died In Accident By Mark Memmott Apr 16, 2014 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Cheryl Miller's driver's license was among the evidence collected from the car she and Pamela Jackson were last seen in. The two South Dakota girls disappeared in 1971. Now, authorities say it appears they accidentally drove into a creek. It wasn't until last year that low waters revealed the vehicle. South Dakota Attorney General's office Originally published on April 16, 2014 12:02 pm Families and friends who have wondered since 1971 about what happened to two South Dakota girls now have some closure. Authorities said Tuesday that they believe Pamela Jackson and Cheryl Miller died when their 1960 Studebaker Lark accidentally went off a gravel road and into a local creek. "All the evidence would appear to indicate an accident," South Dakota Attorney Gen. Marty Jackley said. Among the clues, according to Sioux Falls' Argus Leader: The car "was in third gear, with the keys in the ignition and the lights on. One tire was damaged. ... Miller's purse was found, Jackley said. Inside it was her license, notes from classmates and photographs." The girls had been on their way to a party that teens were having at a gravel pit. Their car wasn't discovered until last September, when low waters in the creek revealed the rusted wreck. The Sioux City Journal adds that: "The car did not contain any evidence, such as cans or bottles, that alcohol was involved. Based on witness accounts, the girls, who visited Miller's grandmother in the hospital in Vermillion, then met up with friends and followed them to Alcester, wouldn't have had time to stop along the way, Jackley said. ... "The bridge was new, which might have confused the girls. One of the Studebaker's tires was damaged, but officials don't know if that happened before or after the crash. ... "Classmates thought the girls were behind them but lost sight of the Studebaker. 'They had indicated they were being followed by the girls (and) that at one point they had missed the turn and then they looked back and the girls had vanished,' Jackley said. "An extensive search of the area didn't reveal anything, and their families were left to agonize about what may have befallen them. The case confounded local law enforcement." At one point in 2007, as we have reported, a man was indicted on murder charges related to the girls' deaths. But the charges were dropped when investigators determined that a recording of the suspect's alleged jailhouse confession had been faked by another inmate. Both Jackson and Miller, who has also been referred to in news accounts as Sherri, were 17 years old. They were students at Vermillion High School. Last September's discovery of the Studebaker, which had apparently been submerged in the creek's waters for more than four decades, came one week after a similar story from Custer County, Okla. There, as we wrote, "sheriffs' deputies who were testing a new sonar device on a lake in western Oklahoma's Custer County [came] across two grim discoveries." They found two cars in Foss Lake — each with three bodies inside. One vehicle and its adult occupants had been missing since 1969. The other vehicle and the three teenagers inside disappeared in 1970. Authorities are still trying to determine how those vehicles ended up in that lake. After the discoveries in Oklahoma, we looked at the use of side-scan sonar to reveal "what's lurking in your lake."Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 MTPR

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Herb Gray’s ceremony was a state funeral in all but name Blair Crawford, Postmedia News | April 25, 2014 | Last Updated: Jan 25 1:34 AM ETMore from Postmedia News OTTAWA — It was a state funeral in all but name. Four former prime ministers, the governor general, the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the current Liberal leader and many other notable politicians gathered Friday to pay respects to the Right Honourable Herb Gray. The former MP, who spent just shy of 40 years in the House of Commons representing his riding of Windsor West, died in Ottawa on Monday. He was 82. It was perhaps the only chance Canadians ever had to see the deeply human side of a man most Canadians knew mostly as “the Gray fog” for his long-winded, often evasive answers in the House of Commons. “You all have an idea about his excellence in making Canada and his home community of Windsor a better place,” his son Jonathan said in a moving eulogy. “What you might not know as much about is his dedication to being a father, a husband and a son.” RelatedJohn Ivison: Herb Gray’s respect for parliament was something the Harper government could learn fromHerb Gray, deputy prime minister under Jean Chretien, dead at 82 Jonathan spoke of the Herb Gray who was called out of a cabinet meeting once to be told his son had his first tooth; the father who would work quietly in a yellow easy chair in his son’s room to help Jonathan go to sleep because he was afraid of the dark; the father with “the big strong hands” who would help Jonathan build models as a kid. As a politician, Herb Gray was content to work on what he thought was right and did not seek personal glory, his son said. “He was very humble in a true sense. He didn’t self promote. He never tried to draw attention to himself. He just worked hard at his tasks, and he didn’t spend a lot of time trying to get credit.” Among those in attendance for the funeral at Gray’s synagogue, Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa, were Gov.-Gen. David Johnston, Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, former prime ministers Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, John Turner and Joe Clark, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and Government House Leader Peter Van Loan, who represented the Conservatives. Gray was first elected in 1962, the first of 13 consecutive election victories. He held nine cabinet positions, including solicitor general, national revenue, industry, and consumer and corporate affairs before resigning from politics in 2002. He served as deputy prime minister under Chretien and was Canada’s first Jewish cabinet minister. He was, in the words of family friend and fellow Windsorite Dwight Duncan, a true “mensch.” “It’s a wonderful Hebrew word for a person of integrity,” said Duncan, a former Ontario finance minister. “Someone we can all look up to.” Former prime minister Paul Martin paid tribute to a friend who, he said, embodied the Jewish principles of “caring and sharing.” In his many years working alongside Gray, Martin said, he never once heard him speak ill of a political opponent. “I sat beside Herb Gray for a long, long time. I saw him answer some questions directly and some other perhaps less directly,” Martin said. “I never saw Herb Gray engage in a personal attack on another member of Parliament. I never saw him stoop to the level of some of the stuff we see today.” Gray is survived by his wife, Sharon Sholzberg-Gray, his children Jonathan and Elizabeth, and eight grandchildren. Topics: Canada, News, Herb Gray, Ottawa, Paul Martin

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Steffenie Quinlan Missouri honors workers who died on the job in 2011 By Marshall Griffin Apr 23, 2012 (Marshall Griffin/St. Louis Public Radio) Missouri workers who lost their lives on the job were remembered today at a Workers' Memorial Day ceremony at the State Capitol. More than 130 family members of workers who lost their lives attended the ceremony, including Steffenie Quinlan from Bolivar. Her husband, John, was a laborer who was electrocuted while on the job. “I am very pleased that they honor(ed) them," Quinlan said. "Everyone that’s worked on the job and died on the job should be honored.” St. Louis Public Radio is a service of

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Pssst! We're having a secret drive! No pitching. No interruptions. Secret swag. Click here to make a gift! Kerry Visits Kurds To Urge A United Iraq By Bill Chappell Jun 24, 2014 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Secretary of State John Kerry (second from left) arrives at Irbil International Airport with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Robert Stephen Beecroft (fourth from left) on Tuesday. The president of Iraq's ethnic Kurdish region declared Tuesday that "we are facing a new reality and a new Iraq." Brendan Smialowski Originally published on June 24, 2014 12:15 pm Secretary of State John Kerry talked to Kurdish leaders in Irbil today, urging them to keep the autonomous region as part of Iraq. Kerry's visit came as the Sunni extremist group ISIS says it has cemented control of Iraq's largest oil refinery, and as sectarian divisions are threatening to pull Iraq apart. Kerry is now on his way to Brussels, after assuring Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq that there would be "sustained and intense" support to Iraq to help it counter rapid advances by Sunni militants in recent weeks. But the president of Iraq's ethnic Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani, suggested it was already too late, telling Kerry, "We are facing a new reality and a new Iraq." The two met one day after Barzani told CNN, "Iraq is obviously falling apart." Saying that Iraq's collapse was the fault of others, Barzani said Monday, "we cannot remain hostages to the unknown." From Kurdish news site Rudaw: "The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), on the other hand, has moved its Peshmerga military into vast territories outside its official borders to secure Kurdish-inhabited areas left vacant by a wholesale retreat of the Iraqi army.That includes the oil city of Kirkuk, which the Kurds consider the capital of a future state." The refinery in Beiji has reportedly fallen to the militants after a battle that lasted 10 days. It produces about one-third of Iraq's total fuel output. The central government in Baghdad insists that it's still fighting to regain control of the facility — which, an oil industry expert says, presents a particular challenge to forces from both the Sunni Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the Shiite-led government. "You set fire to one thing," Ben Lando, publisher of the Iraqi Oil Report, tells NPR's Deborah Amos, "and there is a potential to setting fire to the whole thing — and you ruin a multibillion-dollar infrastructure, and you make everyone around either sick, dead or angry." "Beiji was seized through negotiation," Deborah reports, citing Lando and Iraqis at the scene. "The defenders, Iraqi special forces troops, were given safe passage; the refinery was turned over to local tribes who work there. The government in Baghdad denies that Beiji has been captured." ISIS has been cordoning off supply routes and seizing control of cities, banks and refineries, in an operation that many expect to culminate in a possible assault on the Iraqi capital. As NPR's Alice Fordham reports from Baghdad, members of Shiite militias say their forces have been deployed around Baghdad for months now. And Alice spoke to a tailor in the city who says he has been busy sewing new uniforms for men who've volunteered to fight the Sunnis. Alice's story is on today's Morning Edition.Copyright 2014 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 New Hampshire Public Radio

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Secretary Clinton's Condition 'Extremely Common' By Mark Memmott Dec 31, 2012 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Dec. 4 in Brussels, before she fell ill. Kevin Lamarque Originally published on December 31, 2012 4:12 pm Update at 5:04 p.m. ET Clot Located Behind Right Ear The clot that has put U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a New York City hospital for treatment and observation is located behind her right ear, in a vein that's in the space between her brain and skull. A statement by her physicians released by the State Department said the clot did not result in a stroke or neurological damage. "To help dissolve this clot, her medical team began treating the Secretary with blood thinners," the statement said. "She will be released once the medication dose has been established." The statement added that Clinton was making "excellent progress and we are confident she will make a full recovery." Our original post: Though not much is known yet about the blood clot that has put Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a New York City hospital for treatment and observation, it's important to keep in mind that the problem is "extremely common ... most people recover and are fine," NPR science correspondent Rob Stein said on Morning Edition. The 65-year-old former first lady has been recuperating from a stomach virus and a concussion suffered when she fainted and fell earlier this month. The blood clot, her spokesman said, was discovered Sunday during a follow-up examination. She's expected to be in New York-Presbyterian Hospital at least another day or so. The spokesman did not say where the clot is. As NPR's Jackie Northam said on Morning Edition, Clinton was treated for a clot at least once before — in 1998, when one was discovered behind a knee. Among the things that can cause clots, Rob reminded us, are extended periods of bed rest, long airplane flights and irregular heartbeats. One "big fear," he said, is that a clot might travel to the brain and cause a stroke. Cam Patterson, a professor and chief of cardiology at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, notes in USA Today that clots can also be fatal if they travel to a lung. Doctors typically treat clots with anti-coagulants, as is the case with Clinton according to her spokesman, and sometimes with surgery. The Washington Post reports this morning that the news about Clinton's hospitalization: "Has much of the Twitter-sphere engaging in a round of public shaming. Some conservatives initially accused Clinton of faking her illness in order to avoid a scheduled date with a House committee holding hearings about the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi, Libya. Now that her condition has apparently deteriorated, those conservatives are being called out." Clinton is planning to step down in coming coming weeks, and President Obama has already announced he's nominating Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to be her successor. There is, of course, always speculation that Clinton will make another run for the White House — perhaps in 2016.Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 WNIJ and WNIU

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Jakes Gerwel JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Jakes Gerwel, who advocated for the end of apartheid in South Africa and became a longtime friend and trusted aide to former President Nelson Mandela, died Wednesday. He was 66. Gerwel, an academic who found himself at the forefront of the nation's politics following Mandela's electoral win in 1994, had been in critical condition since undergoing heart surgery earlier this week at a hospital in Cape Town, said Sello Hatang, a spokesman for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Gerwel died while still in the hospital's care, Hatang said. Condolences came in from around South Africa for Gerwel, known to many as "prof" from his time teaching Afrikaans literature to university students. "South Africans will remain eternally grateful to Professor Gerwel for laying a strong administrative foundation (that made concrete) the new ethos of a free and non-racial South Africa and for leading a team of dedicated heads of departments to driv e the government's vision of reconciliation as well as reconstruction and development at a crucial time in the history of our country," President Jacob Zuma said in a statement. Born Gert Johannes Gerwel in January 1946, Gerwel grew up on a sheep farm under the apartheid government, which segregated its population into crude racial categories of Asian, black, white and "colored." He graduated from the University of the Western Cape and later served as rector there. All the while, he protested against the apartheid government and was arrested several times. Gerwel later joined the African National Congress and served as then-President Mandela's director-general, a South African version of a chief of staff. He routinely briefed journalists after major government meetings and served as a trusted sounding board to Mandela as he sought to unify a nation still coming to terms with centuries of white rule, police abuses and crushing poverty for its majority black populat ion. Gerwel stepped out from behind Mandela's shadow in 1999, traveling to Libya with a representative from Saudi Arabia to negotiate with then-ruler Moammar Gadhafi to have him extradite two intelligence agents suspected of carrying out the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. The attack killed all 259 people on board and 11 on the ground. Negotiations by Gerwel and his Saudi counterpart ultimately saw the men sent to Scotland for trial. After Mandela left office, Gerwel helped lead the president's foundation, and also served on a number of corporate boards in South Africa. JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press Jon Gambrell can be reached at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP .

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Search After 55 years, family hopes to reclaim remains of WWII pilot Posted: Monday, May 29, 2000 By Chelsea J. CarterAssociated Press ONTARIO, Calif. -- For weeks, Gladie DeFouw used stolen moments to write a letter to her brother, a pilot fighting in World War II, with news of the family. A month later, the letter was returned -- unopened. Her brother, 2nd Lt. Harvey Bos, and two others were reported missing in action Jan. 6, 1945, after their C-46 disappeared between China and India. ''We treated it like a nightmare,'' DeFouw said in a recent interview at her Southern California home. ''We didn't have a memorial for him. We thought he would come back. There were lots of soldiers who were reported missing and ended up coming back.'' Fifty-five years later, Bos may be coming home. His family is trying to return what they believe to be his remains from an unmarked grave in the Philippines. But first they have to get through the military bureaucracy. Military documents uncovered by the family suggest the pilot's remains, along with those of two crew members, appear to be buried in unmarked graves at the American Cemetery in Manila, a few hundred yards from where their names are etched in the Tablets of the Missing. Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Carl Levin, D-Mich., reviewed the documents and have petitioned the Department of the Army to exhume the remains and conduct DNA tests. ''We have been in contact with the Army and we are seeking assistance for the family,'' said Feinstein spokesman Howard Gantman. ''We are waiting to hear back.'' A telephone call to the Army's Director of Mortuary Affairs and Casualty Support Division in Hawaii for comment was not returned. As the family waits for an answer from the Army, they are honoring Bos and the other two men Monday. They have paid an Internet company to have flowers placed on the unmarked graves in Manila and pictures taken of the markers. ''The soldier buried at the Tomb of the Unknowns was laid to rest through DNA testing. Doesn't my mother's brother have the same right to be laid to rest in the country he gave his life for?'' said DeFouw's daughter, Judy Apodaca. The family's journey to find Bos began last year after DeFouw, now 75, was diagnosed with cancer. She later went into remission. ''I asked my mom if there was anything I could do for her and she said, 'I'd like to know what happened to my brother,''' Apodaca said. So Apodaca picked the memory of Bos' widow and then took to the Internet to see if she could find somebody who may have known Bos during the war or flown with him -- anybody who might be able to shed light on his last days. But with little knowledge of the crash or even Bos' unit and squadron number, the search was in vain until she was advised by a friend to make a Freedom of Information Act request for his records. Although most of Bos' military files, like thousands of others, were destroyed in a 1972 fire, the Army found and forwarded to the family a copy of a casualty and case review report filed by the Army's American Graves Registration Service on Jan. 9, 1948. For the first time, DeFouw learned the details of Bos' disappearance. He had been flying a cargo mission around the Himalayas, known to pilots as the ''Hump,'' from a base near Sookerating, India, to Chanyi, China, on Jan. 6, 1945, the report said. Flying with the 23-year-old Bos, according to the report, were 2nd Lt. Ray C. Taylor and Pvt. Robert L. Crowder. Their ages and hometowns were not listed on the report. ''That was the first time I heard that he wasn't alone, that there were others missing with him,'' DeFouw said. The report, signed by Maj. Edward Winterling, concluded the cargo plane, carrying gasoline, was either forced down in bad weather or crashed into the side of a mountain. But it was the report's details about the remains that most stunned the family. The report says the remains of the three crewmen were believed to have been recovered ''unidentified'' from Lien San Po Mountain in western China and buried in China's Kunming Cemetery as unknowns in November 1945. The bodies later were evacuated during the communist takeover to the Remains Depot in Shanghai, and then moved and reburied by 1947 in the Manila cemetery, the report said. The records do not indicate who recovered the remains, why they were buried as unidentified or how they came to be in the cemetery. The report recommended ''further research be made on unknowns X-818 through X-820 (grave markers) to determine whether these remains are those of the crew members.'' ''How could they have known this might be them and not told us,'' DeFouw said. ''What about those other men's families? Don't they have a right to know, too?'' But when DeFouw and Apodaca contacted the military to request information about the three unmarked graves, they said they were told the burial records no longer existed. Then a chance conversation with the director of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., revealed the records did exist. Although the family hasn't seen the records, they believe they have sufficient proof for the Army to test the remains. That's when Apodaca, 50, took the search public, giving interviews to The San Bernardino County Sun, and sending copies of the documents to lawmakers and military officials. For years, DeFouw has waited for word about her brother. Once in a Chicago airport, she believed she saw him and tapped a man on the shoulder. ''From behind it looked just like him. When he turned around, I knew of course it wasn't him. My family thought I was crazy,'' she said. ''But you have to understand, my mother died when I was young. Harv guided the family. He kept an eye out for me.'' If the remains are identified, the family plans to bury Bos next to his parents in the family plot in Standale, Mich. ''One of my dad's last requests was for a headstone to be placed on one of these grave sites to be ready for when Harvey came home,'' DeFouw said. ''If he comes home, I'll bury him there and tell him to rest in peace. He deserves that much.'' CHANYI ARMY'S AMERICAN GRAVES REGISTRATION SERVICE EDWARD WINTERLING SEARCH PUBLIC AMERICAN CEMETERY PRIVATE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ROBERT L. CROWDER PILOT INTERNET HOWARD GANTMAN PERSON COMMUNICATION AND MEETINGS RAY C. TAYLOR SOOKERATING REMAINS DEPOT JUDY APODACA GLADIE DEFOUW DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES CARL LEVIN HAWAII Trending this week:

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3 2 33 (38 Shares) View Stats 27 comments OpEdNews Op Eds 1/16/2011 at 10:25:40 19 Facts About The Deindustrialization Of America That Will Blow Your Mind By Michael Snyder Permalink (Page 1 of 2 pages) Related Topic(s): American Capitalism; American Crossroads; American Exceptionalism; American Hypocrisy; Americans For Prosperity; Dollar; Economic; Economy; Future; Jobs; (more...) Manufacturing; Money; Trade; Unemployed, Add Tags (less...) 11 8 7 View Ratings | Rate It Headlined to H2 1/16/11 - Advertisement - The United States is rapidly becoming the very first "post-industrial" nation on the globe. All great economic empires eventually become fat and lazy and squander the great wealth that their forefathers have left them, but the pace at which America is accomplishing this is absolutely amazing. It was America that was at the forefront of the industrial revolution. It was America that showed the world how to mass produce everything from automobiles to televisions to airplanes. It was the great American manufacturing base that crushed Germany and Japan in World War II. But now we are witnessing the deindustrialization of America. Tens of thousands of factories have left the United States in the past decade alone. Millions upon millions of manufacturing jobs have been lost in the same time period. The United States has become a nation that consumes everything in sight and yet produces increasingly little. Do you know what our biggest export is today? Waste paper. Yes, trash is the number one thing that we ship out to the rest of the world as we voraciously blow our money on whatever the rest of the world wants to sell to us. The United States has become bloated and spoiled and our economy is now just a shadow of what it once was. Once upon a time America could literally outproduce the rest of the world combined. Today that is no longer true, but Americans sure do consume more than anyone else in the world. If the deindustrialization of America continues at this current pace, what possible kind of a future are we going to be leaving to our children? Any great nation throughout history has been great at making things. So if the United States continues to allow its manufacturing base to erode at a staggering pace how in the world can the U.S. continue to consider itself to be a great nation? We have created the biggest debt bubble in the history of the world in an effort to maintain a very high standard of living, but the current state of affairs is not anywhere close to sustainable. Every single month America does into more debt and every single month America gets poorer. So what happens when the debt bubble pops? The deindustrialization of the United States should be a top concern for every man, woman and child in the country. But sadly, most Americans do not have any idea what is going on around them. For people like that, take this article and print it out and hand it to them. Perhaps what they will read below will shock them badly enough to awaken them from their slumber. The following are 19 facts about the deindustrialization of America that will blow your mind.... #1 The United States has lost approximately 42,400 factories since 2001. #2 Dell Inc., one of America's largest manufacturers of computers, has announced plans to dramatically expand its operations in China with an investment of over $100 billion over the next decade. #3 Dell has announced that it will be closing its last large U.S. manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in November. Approximately 900 jobs will be lost. - Advertisement - #4 In 2008, 1.2 billion cellphones were sold worldwide. So how many of them were manufactured inside the United States? Zero. #5 According to a new study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, if the U.S. trade deficit with China continues to increase at its current rate, the U.S. economy will lose over half a million jobs this year alone. #6 As of the end of July, the U.S. trade deficit with China had risen 18 percent compared to the same time period a year ago. #7 The United States has lost a total of about 5.5 million manufacturing jobs since October 2000. #8 According to Tax Notes, between 1999 and 2008 employment at the foreign affiliates of U.S. parent companies increased an astounding 30 percent to 10.1 million. During that exact same time period, U.S. employment at American multinational corporations declined 8 percent to 21.1 million. - Advertisement - #9 In 1959, manufacturing represented 28 percent of U.S. economic output. In 2008, it represented 11.5 percent. #10 Ford Motor Company recently announced the closure of a factory that produces the Ford Ranger in St. Paul, Minnesota. Approximately 750 good paying middle class jobs are going to be lost because making Ford Rangers in Minnesota does not fit in with Ford's new "global" manufacturing strategy. #11 As of the end of 2009, less than 12 million Americans worked in manufacturing. The last time less than 12 million Americans were employed in manufacturing was in 1941. 1 | 2 Take action -- click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:Oppose the Outsourcing Of Our Jobs Click here to see the most recent messages sent to congressional reps and local newspapers Go To Commenting Where's Our Damned Bailout? More Than 1500 Groups Write Congress: No TPP Is God Helpless On Money Matters? 19 Facts About The Deindustrialization Of America That Will Blow Your Mind Nearly At "Full Employment"? 10 Reasons Why The Unemployment Numbers Are A Massive Lie

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More Weather Home > Opinion Comment What others say: Let's be honest about inaction in SyriaPosted: March 3, 2014 - 5:21pm Kansas City Star editorial Here’s how President Barack Obama explained his policy in Libya: “In this particular country — Libya — at this particular moment, we were faced with the prospect of violence on a horrific scale. We had a unique ability to stop that violence.” Judging by the administration’s tepid response to even ghastlier violence in Syria, this “unique ability” was the critical determinant in Libya — not the moral imperative to prevent more bloodshed. An international coalition that included the Arab League was in favor of airstrikes in Libya, the rebels were united and it was a relatively low-risk, high-yield engagement. Conversely, Syria has more robust air defenses and its religious makeup — as well as the opposition — is dangerously stratified. But Syria is more troubling than Libya in every conceivable way. There are more than 8 million internal and external refugees and almost 140,000 people have perished, compared with 1.5 million refugees and 30,000 deaths in Libya. Beyond the revolting human cost, there are serious strategic concerns. Al-Qaida is becoming more entrenched and intends to use Syria as a base for future operations. The entire region is being destabilized by the worst refugee crisis in recent history. Sectarian tensions have been inflamed by Saudi and Iranian proxies, spurring violence in other parts of the region. Yes, Syria is a more difficult situation, but there’s a lot more to lose. Obama sounded impressively authoritative when he declared to the American and Libyan people, “As president, I refuse to wait for the images of slaughter and mass graves before taking action.” There’s no shortage of excruciating images from Syria, either, but Obama continues to wait. Assad’s chemical weapons may be neutralized, but the regime is happy to go about the business of slaughter with conventional weapons (clever ones, too, such as barrel bombs filled with shrapnel and hot oil). Blatant rhetorical inconsistency serves as a good warning — never take high-minded presidential reassurances at face value. This goes for “rejecting the forces of tyranny” or “anchoring global security” as well, comments Obama made in his speech last September about chemical weapons in Syria. Yes, the canisters, shells and gas are now secure. The people of Syria and our interests in the Middle East, on the other hand, aren’t. Let’s be honest about it. — Kansas City Star, Feb. 23 Actions of a few not representative of all fans Next article Most ViewedMost Commented

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Search Halliburton improving lives of U.S. soldiers and Iraqis Posted: Thursday, April 01, 2004 This is a reply to Michael Gustkey's bashing of Halliburton on March 23. I can't believe Mr. Gustkey is so blind to the facts and apparently has too much time on his hands and watches too much CNN. All the Halliburton news comes from a news program that's starving for any kind of news that will get attention but is very misleading and political in nature. One year ago, March 20, 2003, the military had entered Iraq and the Halliburton team was called to carry a massive task on a short notice. No other company could do this massive task. Halliburton stood ready to support our troops with meals, housing, laundry, mail and communications to friends and loved ones back home. The Army orders and Halliburton came through with its requests. Halliburton was prepared to put out fires and try to salvage what they could of the Iraqi oil insfrastructure to get it back and functioning as quickly as possible. Time was a critical factor in all these activities and deployments. Currently, Halliburton has 24,000 employees and subcontracted personnel working in Kuwait and Iraq under the LOGCAP and RIO contracts. Halliburton employees are risking their lives every day while rebuilding Iraq's oil infrastructure and providing our troops housing, meals, mail and other vital services. We are deeply saddened by the loss of our co-workers. As of March 18, Halliburton has lost more than 30 employees while performing services for our military and our country. For the past year, standing shoulder to shoulder with our troops, the Halliburton team has supported the U.S. military every step of the way. Every soldier thanks us for what we have done. Here is what Halliburton have done in the past year in Iraq to support our troops: We entered Baghdad on April 20, 2003 11 days before the end of the war and immediately began our support for the Coalition Provisional Authority. We were tasked to build permanent facilities for our troops in Iraq from housing to showers and dining facilities around Iraq in 30 locations within 180 days. This includes 34,000 living units, 10,000 toilets, 10,000 showers, to house 80,000 troops. Since May 2003, 64 dining facilities have been opened serving more than 40 million meals. We have processed more than 1 million bundles of laundry. We have hosted more than 5 million people in recreation facilities letting the troops take a break in the action. We have collected and disposed of more than 1.5 million cubic meters of trash. We have exterminated more than 8,000 tents and buildings. With more than 700 trucks on the roads in Iraq at any given time, we drive roughly 3.3 million miles per month. This makes it the seventh largest trucking operation in the U.S. We moved 8 million bags, 13 million pounds of mail for soldiers. We have transported more than 1.8 billion liters of fuel, 264 million gallons of gasoline, 772 million pounds of LPG and 66 million gallons kerosene for the Iraqi people. This monumental taks requires more than 3,500 trucks moving every day between Iraq and Kuwait, Turkey and Jordan. The facts show that Halliburton delivered fuel to Iraq at the best value, the best price and the best terms. Contracts and prices were approved by the Army Corps. It also is important to understand the differences between fact and allegations. It is not fact that Halliburton has overcharged. Halliburton has performed for the U.S. military for more than 60 years in every war or conflict. Thousands of Halliburton employees have lost their lives over the years to help our country. We, too, have spilled our blood in the sands of Iraq right alongside with our troops. So, Mr. Gustkey, please get the facts before you bash an American company. A proud employee of Halliburton North Kenai COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY IRAQ OIL INFRASTRUCTURE U.S. MILITARY ARMY ARMY CORPS GBP KUWAIT WAR_CONFLICT TURKEY OIL INSFRASTRUCTURE UNITED STATES DAVID MACHADO JORDAN HALLIBURTON COMPANY EXPANSION MICHAEL GUSTKEY CNN BAGHDAD Subscribe to Peninsula Clarion

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New NRA web ad: listen to police, not ObamaPosted byCNN Senior Producer Kevin Bohn and CNN's Kevin Liptak (CNN) – On the day the Senate begins votes on new gun control measures, the National Rifle Association said they were launching web ad casting President Barack Obama's proposals as detached from the reality faced by America's law enforcement officers. The 30-second spot, which the NRA says it will spend $500,000 to place on websites like the Drudge Report, the Washington Post, and Hulu, uses polls of police officers showing little support for increasing background checks and banning assault weapons. "President Obama and Mayor Bloomberg are pushing gun control. But America's police say they're wrong," a narrator says in the ad. "Seventy-one percent of the police say Obama's gun ban will have zero effect on violent crime. Eighty percent of police say more background checks will have no effect. Ninety-one percent say the right answer is swift prosecution and mandatory sentencing. Tell your senator to listen to America's police instead of listening to Obama and Bloomberg." The poll cited in the spot comes from PoliceOne, an online news site for police officers. The site states "More than 15,000 officers completed the survey, which was promoted by PoliceOne exclusively to its 400,000 registered members, comprised of verified law enforcement professionals." A coalition of law enforcement groups responded negatively to the ad Wednesday, saying it mischaracterized the views of their profession. "Only law enforcement speaks for law enforcement," wrote Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson, who chairs the National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence. "We hope that members of Congress will listen directly to law enforcement and not those who purport to represent us but do not." Earlier this year, an NRA ad drew sharp criticism for referencing the president's children. Attacking Obama as an "elitist hypocrite," the commercial asked why he opposes the idea of placing armed guards in every school-a proposal pushed by the NRA-yet his own children attend a school with similar security. Pro-gun control groups have also been airing their stance on in television ads. The organization backed by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg went up with a spot last week in seven states and Washington, D.C., urging viewers to call lawmakers to convince them to vote for a measure expanding background checks on gun sales. That effort – which was the product of a bipartisan deal in the Senate last week – goes up for a vote Wednesday, along with a number of other gun control amendments. Like the NRA spot, the ad from Mayors Against Illegal Guns used polling to drive home its point; namely, national surveys showing 9-in-10 Americans support strengthening background checks. "Some Democrats and Republicans are coming together to support comprehensive background checks on gun sales. That will protect the Second Amendment and help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous criminals," the ad says. The senators targeted in the spots from Bloomberg's group were Republicans Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson of Georgia; Dan Coats of Indiana; Dean Heller of Nevada; Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire; and Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee. Two Democratic senators were also included – Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota. Meanwhile, two Democratic-aligned organizations - the Democratic National Committee and Organizing for Action, the group formed from Obama's presidential campaign - were sending emails to supporters urging them to call lawmakers asking for a "yes" vote on the background checks measure. Filed under: Gun control • NRA Well if the expanded background checks won't have any effect, then change them so they will- include private sales and transfer of ownership records like we have with cars! Why should a gun be easier to transfer (straw purchase) than a car? Anyone (within reason) can have a gun just like anyone can have a car but law-abiding, responsible owners should have no issue with registering and notifying transfer because it protects them AND society (just like with cars). According to the NRA, "law-abiding citizens" already buy their gun from dealers and go through background checks SO the only people that are going to be "inconvenienced" by increased background checks will be the lawbreakers. If a gun is used in a crime why shouldn't it be immediately traceable to the owner (like a car can)? Law-abiding, responsible citizens won't be incovenienced because their guns won't be used in a crime. "What if their gun is stolen?" Well a law-abiding, responsible citizen would report a gun stolen (and know if it was stolen) just like with a car. What is the issue? Other than the same paranoid people who think Newtown and the Boston bombing are "false flag"operations, who would think that gun owners actually being responsible and accountable for the use of their guns (just like a car) is unreasonable? April 17, 2013 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm | Howard's Daddy "What disaster with guns in the last 10 years would have been prevented with a background check?" The VA Tech shootings April 17, 2013 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm | The Contentious Otter The Policeone poll consisted primarily of officers from Southern rural jurisdictions. Only a tiny fraction of those polled were from large urban precincts. Also, to call Policeone a police publication is ridiculous. It's actually an "Oathkeepers" publication, and appeals to far right wing lunatics who are an absolute disgrace to the badges they wear. April 17, 2013 02:44 pm at 2:44 pm | Jim V @Blah Yes, there was a ten year ban on so-called "assault weapons" that was found no have no significant impact on crime. This is not suprising considering these types of weapons are rarely used in crime. The FBI's own crime reporting statistics show that many more people are killed by blunt objects/hands/feet each year than by rifles of any type, including "assault weapons". Though no guns were taken away during this ill-conceived ban, the manufacture and sale of new weapons was criminalized. All this did was limit law-abiding Americans' rights to keep and bear arms. You want us to be a civilized nation, but we won't get there through feel-good, ineffectual restrictions on individual freedoms. Me, I value freedom more than civility...government-enforced civility can come at a heavy price. That being said, with freedom comes responsibility, and if people use their freedom to deprive others of life, liberty, or property, then those people must be punished. April 17, 2013 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm | TheTruth "There was a 10 year ban on certain assault weapons during the Clinton administration in 1994 and NO American's guns were taken away and NO Americans were deprive of their right to defent and protect their property." Wrong – the Mayor of New Orleans sent his police department out to confiscate all legally owned guns just after Katrina.They were helped by the National Guard. And how did they know who had legal guns? Lists from sales and background checks. Don't say it didn't happen – it did. Don't say it won't and can't happen – it did. April 17, 2013 02:46 pm at 2:46 pm | Rick We need you Ralph Nader. Or at least a politician with your balls. Quit bickering over the jobs people aren't already doing. Let's modernise these assualt weapons. We have the technology to insure the owner is the only one capable of using this gun. Why would we want anyone else using it? Unfortunately all our politicians are good for is insuring that bulge is in their pockets, not their crotch. No, this won't help our present situation. There are already too many of these weapons out there. We've expected greater safety measures on pill bottles and we certainly can't go out there and buy a new car without seat belts in them. That would for some silly reason be a crime. Help us Ralph. April 17, 2013 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm | Mark H. PoliceOne? Are you kidding me? No credibility whatsoever! April 17, 2013 02:55 pm at 2:55 pm | Kuron This is BS. I've never heard of a cop that wants more guns on the street. April 17, 2013 03:00 pm at 3:00 pm | Blah blah the wheel's off your trailer @Jim V Let's face it, we cannot just wait for another tragedy to happen , then turn around and say well we didn't thought the shooter would have used a certain kind of gun or just ignore the lives taken because you cherish individual freedoms. Furthermore, what about the FREEDOM of the 20 little kids whose lives were taken in Sandy Hook and the lives of the six educators? What about the FREEDOM of those whose lives were taken away in Oak Creek, Tucson, Aurora? Is that your best efforts at compromising...giving criminals the FREEDOM to take away the FREEDOM of decent law abiding Americans? You have to try better Jimmy V. April 17, 2013 03:02 pm at 3:02 pm | Joe We do need tougher gun laws. If a straw purchase is made the buyer should get a mandatory 5 year Federal prison term. If a Felon attempts to purchase a firearm either through a licensed dealer or individual sale, he should get the same mandatory. Individual using a firearm during the commission of a crime should get a mandatory 10 year prison term. Are the politicians willing to get tough on the real issue? It's miss use of firearms, not firearms that are the problem. We need to include serious mental disease as an ownership impediment until such time as the disease is cured. We need safety officers in schools to prevent the type of horrific incidents as those in CT., armed if necessary. I believe everyone would support these type of laws. Nothing mentions would infringe on the 2nd amendment, I believe someone asked how would the current gun legislation being proposed have prevented any of the mass shootings in the last ten years. Following the Sandy Hook tragedy many conservatives said this legislation would have done nothing to prevent Adam Lanza from carrying out his assault. Gee, I beg to differ. First and foremost, the Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho, James Holmes, the Aurora shooter and Jarred Loughner, the Tucson shooter all had a long history of mental illness and they had also been arrested on drug and other related charges. Therefore, had the current background-check system being proposed been in effect, the mental health records as well as the criminal record of these individuals would have been in a federally mandated data-based-system that all federally-license gun dealers and private dealers would have been required to check before the gun sales were made and therefore, the trio would have been deemed unfit and unstable and they would have been denied the sale of their weapons and ammo. Now, you may ask how would Adam Lanza have factored into this equation since the guns he used were allegedly purchased "legally" by his mother." Well, that's an easy answer. See, Adam Lanza's mother bought guns for her mentally ill son and as they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. In other words, a mentally ill mother bought guns and ammo for her mentally ill son who took her life and the lives of 26 others before taking his own life. Therefore, with the current legislatiion being proposed, Adam Lanza's mother would have likewise been deemed mentally ill and unstable and thereby being denied the purchase of these guns. There you have it! So your answer is because those people had their freedoms taken away, I should have mine taken away too? Even if we accept this as sensical, there's the inconvienent fact that gun control doesn't work. If it did, you might have a point, but it doesn't, so you don't. Look, Sandy Hook could have been done with a revolver or a double barrel shotgun. They were defenseless little kids and teachers. It's not a matter of giving criminals "Freedoms" to do bad things...they take what they want, regardless. That's why they're criminals. Our Founding Fathers enumerated our gun rights for very specific and articulable reasons. I recommend you do some reading on the subject, and freedom in general, as it's evident to me that you don't understand why the right to own guns is so important. You seem to be a very emotional and passionate person. That's fine, so am I on certain things. However, I prefer that our system of laws is based on cool-headed reason and hard facts, not knee-jerk reactions and personal bias. Especially when we're talking about curtailing rights for the so-called "common good". April 17, 2013 03:26 pm at 3:26 pm | Larry NRA=National Republican Association. Do you want to know how much the NRA really cares about the American people? Following the Sandy Hook tragedy, Wayne LaPierre and other conservatives said they too were grieving because they have loves ones too. Yet, the NRA and their base have laughed at the Sandy Hook families and other families affected by gun violence as they struggle to cope with their tragedy while calling for more stringent gun laws. And just yesterday, this is what Richard Feldman, president of the gun rights group said: if you have 100 missiles coming at you and you knock out 99, I would say you were successful. After the Sandy Hook massacre I was worried. The talk was about an assault weapons ban, a gun registry, background checks. Everything was on the table. But the only thing legislatively coming down the pike, the only thing we're talking about is background checks. I would count that as a success for the NRA. So what this troll is doing is glorifying the Sandy Hook tragedy and saying this tragedy has strenghtened the NRA's positiion. America, please wake up! Jim, how's your freedom being taken away? After 9/11 alot of our freedoms were taken away. You go to the airport and you are interrogated and searched from head to toes. You go to the DMV and you have to have sis points of IDs to get your DL renewed and so on. But while some of us complain, we know it is being done with good intention for our safedy. We now habve Home land Security that does all sorts of things that affect our personal lives. In America, if you don't buckle yp, you get a ticket. In what way is your freedom being taken away Jim? O' now I've got it... perhaps you're either mentally ill or an ex con of the sort or perhaps you have a long history of domestic violence, drug abuse and a very long rap sheet. Got it! @Blah, Since you've resorted to personal attacks of character and other such silliness, I'll just say this about "good intentions" and bow out: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." -Benjamin Franklin April 17, 2013 03:59 pm at 3:59 pm | Nonsense @blah, your comments regarding freedoms being taken away illustrates what I believe many are concerned with. Yes, after 9/11 we have had TSA shoved down our throats. In my opinion, what they do somewhat violates the Fourth Amendment. Does that mean we have to like it? NO...heck I don't even have to agree with it. My point is this: Our freedoms and rights continue to be chipped away at. At what point do YOU say, "enough"? I am already there. April 17, 2013 04:30 pm at 4:30 pm | Kathee I'm not sure why this is such a shock to everyone. Sadly, violence is now the face of America and money rules our Country, not common sense. Let's just hand out more guns and make bombs legal, we can fight violence with more violence and soon we will look like Syria. This should keep the immigrants away! April 17, 2013 05:34 pm at 5:34 pm | straight talk This is simply garbage. The merchants of death won. Nothing more. This has nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment and any reasoned person understands this. Sarah Palin who never misses an opportunity to show her ignorance and shocking insensitivity naturally did not fail to tweet her outrageous comments today. I stand with the family of Sandy Hook. Assuredly in the light of the righteous. April 17, 2013 09:51 pm at 9:51 pm | davie I'm glad I'm not an American today. While it is so nice to see how you come together in the face of a tragedy such as Boston. You willfully endanger your own children. To the gun proponents, and politicians who support could not pass the bill: When one of your children is shredded by Bullets, you will realize it is too late to act. April 18, 2013 12:17 am at 12:17 am | that guy has anyone noticed that all these school shootings and massacres are in urban areas? places where the gun restrictions are the highest in the country. when was the last time you heard about a mass shooting down in the southeast. People these days need to stop with the, "hippy" mentality. This is real life. when you take weapons away from HONEST citizens your only taking away their ability to defend themselves. Not to mention if people would i don't know teach their children responsibility when it comes to guns, then we wouldn't be havin all these problems. I grew up in the south, we love our guns, but we also know the power of guns and what their capable of. This country seriously needs to wake up. and if you actually take a look at gun violence around the country you would see that the areas that have more guns have far less crime then the places like LA, and New York. Mainly because we know that if someone is planning on doing a crime they have to realize that just about every house their about to break into has at least one firearm in it. April 18, 2013 01:38 am at 1:38 am | « Previous

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Full steam ahead Created on Monday, 05 May 2003 18:00 | Written by Mary Bellotti | Tweet Even in an economy on ice, ubiquitous chain scours city for new locations Starbucks opens 12 to 15 stores annually in Oregon and Southwest WashingtonThe Sandwich Experience at Northeast Broadway and Grand Avenue is about to become a Starbucks experience. Sometime this summer, the ubiquitous Seattle-based chain will open yet another coffeehouse in the space occupied by the now-closed drive-in restaurant. The location has everything a Starbucks could want Ñ convenience, access and visibility, said Craig Sweitzer, principal of Urban Works Real Estate, who has been finding locations and negotiating leasing contracts for Starbucks in Portland and Southwest Washington for 11 years. The chain has been trying to get the Sandwich site for a long time, Sweitzer said. 'The goal, he said, is to put a Starbucks 'where it is easy to stop and where customers want it. At this point, we're looking at every location in the city. Our biggest problem is finding enough sites.' You might think that with 101 retail locations in the four-county Portland area, and another 48 licensed inside grocery stores and other businesses, Starbucks would be slowing down. But the chain Ñ which has more than 6,500 outlets worldwide Ñ hasn't yet quenched the public's thirst for lattes, Frappuccinos and a seemingly endless number of specialty drinks. In fact, Sweitzer said, Starbucks has paved the way for other specialty-coffee outlets. While the sputtering economy has dampened sales and growth for many chains Ñ even McDonald's is taking a beating Ñ it hasn't stopped Sweitzer from continuing to scour the area for new locations. Besides the Broadway and Grand location, a Starbucks is planned for the Barbur Shops, a complex of stores and offices at the intersection of Barbur Boulevard and Terwilliger Street in Southwest Portland. It will occupy the development's very visible 'marquee' corner. A free-standing Starbucks is planned for the Oregon Trail Shopping Center in Gresham. And Sweitzer is looking at a site just south of the Broadway and Grand location that is 'equally as good,' he said. On average, Starbucks opens about 12 to 15 stores a year in Oregon and Southwest Washington, he said. Acquiring the targets In deciding where to put a new Starbucks, Sweitzer relies on neighborhood demographics, traffic patterns (both vehicle and pedestrian) and visibility. 'We look to see if (a site) is on the 'going-to-work' side of the street,' he said. 'We look at corner locations, the types of retailers around us and the demographics.' Neighborhood income may have been a factor when Starbucks first expanded, but the company found that it has little to do with a store's success. 'Everyone drinks coffee,' he said. As a real estate broker, Sweitzer keeps track of when potential locations become available. 'Starbucks people come down from Seattle, we go to the site location, drive it, get a feel for the neighborhood,' he said. 'There are only so many intersections or shopping centers that are primary. It's a process of elimination.' For those who wonder why some neighborhoods seemingly have a Starbucks on every block, Sweitzer says it's because an existing store gets so busy, it can't serve customers fast enough. The rate of service depends on the location, said Martha Nielsen, Starbucks' regional marketing manager for Oregon and Southwest Washington. 'But if a line is out the door, is this the best experience you want?' she said. 'Maybe it's time to look for some other real estate.' Sweitzer said cost also is a factor in locating a Starbucks, especially if a site has to be rehabilitated first. Though he would not say how much it costs to start a Starbucks, he said the average store is about 1,500 square feet, and the average monthly rent for a Portland storefront is about $20 per square foot. 'Add costs for employees, equipment and supplies, and costs start to add up,' he said. North and Northeast Portland neighborhoods, which have about a half-dozen Starbucks between them, have been challenging, particularly on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Sweitzer said. 'We are always looking for the right opportunity on MLK,' he said. 'There are not a lot of traditional storefront locations along MLK. The median down the center of the roadway makes access difficult from either side, and the stores have to be convenient.' Starbucks did open an outlet recently near the Oregon Convention Center on MLK, he noted. Because Starbucks stores are so widespread, the company has been targeted by critics as a symbol of corporate America gone amok. Still, the chain remains popular, as the number of new openings attests. 'Starbucks isn't a fast-food operation, and that has a lot to do with it,' Sweitzer said. 'McDonald's usually puts in a drive-through, and that tends to break down a neighborhood. Starbucks doesn't create a barrier but tries to be a 'third place,' a gathering spot for people.' This doesn't mean that Starbucks won't open a drive-through. 'We have quite a few in development, mostly for highway locations or in fast-food zones for a particular shopping center,' Sweitzer said. A drive-through in Vancouver, Wash., at the intersection of Interstate 205 and Mill Plain Avenue, has done very well, he said. Except for a Starbucks service counter in the Multnomah County Library that closed, Sweitzer could not remember any Portland outlet that did not succeed. He speculated that the library location was difficult because of the facility's schedule. Business depended on library usage, 'and only so many people use the library,' he said. Copyright 2016 Pamplin Media Group | 6605 S.E. Lake Road, Portland, OR 97222 • 503-684-0360 | P.O. Box 22109, Portland, OR 97269 - Current Job Openings

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Tualatin graduate takes pride in serving others as part of U.S. Navy Created on Thursday, 17 January 2008 02:41 | Written by Kristen Forbes | Tweet (Kristen Forbes is a freelance writer living in Tigard. To view her blog, visit www.krissymick.blogspot.com .) 'I know this sounds strange,' Caleb Sires writes via e-mail, confessing that what he misses most about Oregon is the rain. 'Whenever I'm driving at night and the rain kicks up, I think of all the good times that I had when it was raining . . . A lot of memories pop up.' Sires, 26, grew up in West Linn and Tualatin, graduating from Tualatin High School in 1999. His family moved to Sherwood when he was 19; they now live in Newberg. Sires is a third-class petty officer in the United States Navy, currently serving in Iraq. Because he is a corpsman ('the Navy term for a medic'), he serves with a Marine unit. Sires, who was recently placed on a new training team and anticipates this will change his schedule, says until now, his typical days in Iraq have been fairly quiet. 'I would get up around 10 in the morning, go on a short run, do a small workout and then relax by reading or watching a movie, and finally stand 8 hours of watch from 4 until midnight. After that: read, check my e-mail, go to sleep and do it all again the next day.' 'Since I was in high school,' he says, 'I had always thought of joining the Coast Guard.' Also wanting to go to college and travel the world, he put this idea on hold until he was 22. 'At this time,' he confesses, 'I was on a downward spiral. I was attempting to pay cash for community college, working three minimum-wage jobs that were barely paying my school and living expenses, and I was partying way, way too much.' Then, a friend introduced him to someone who was in the process of joining the Navy. 'All of my past ideas about being a sailor and doing something for other people resurfaced,' he said. Learning he could receive assistance with college tuition clinched it for him: 'I started the whole process and in about a month and a half, I went from initially saying, 'Hey, this sounds like a good idea,' to getting on a plane at PDX and flying off to boot camp.' After training, Sires was deployed to New Orleans during the height of the hurricane relief efforts. He then sailed around the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf and did more training with the Jordanian military, as well as in Djibouti and Kuwait. He's been to France, Italy, Cyprus and Dubai in the Arab Emirates. Sires counts the humanitarian missions he's been involved with as the most rewarding aspect of serving in the military. Of his post-Hurricane Katrina mission, Sires says, 'At the time, I was working for what is called a battalion aid station. We were not very involved with the hands-on aspect of relief . . . But the couple of times that we went out into the cities to help clean up people's homes and help them begin to get their lives back after a tragedy was so rewarding.' Sires found his next humanitarian mission, during the Lebanese and Israeli conflict last year, equally gratifying. 'Now, I never set foot on Lebanese soil,' he says. 'However, our ship would pull just off the coast of Beirut and we could see the city and the location of the Israeli bombings the night before. I was on a tactical search and recovery team and sat in the hanger bay of my ship, waiting for an American plane to go down, which luckily never happened. 'But there was one day that these Lebanese and Americans were brought to the medical department of my ship. The kids had been injured and one of them had casts on his arms. And seeing the appreciation from their mother as the medical staff cared for and played with these kids was so heartwarming.' Although a native Oregonian, Sires is no stranger to travel. When he was 12, he moved with his parents and sister to a small island called Kosrae, in Micronesia. He moved back just in time to attend high school. Four years later, after graduating from Tualatin, he moved to Eliot, Maine for six months. He didn't enjoy New England's harsh winters and soon found himself moving again, this time to do volunteer work in Ecuador. Throughout it all, no matter where he's been and what he's seen, Sires insists, 'I have never met any people like the ones in Oregon.' For now, Sires communicates with his family weekly and awaits his next transfer, when he'll go to work at a naval clinic in Bangor, Wash. And when he finishes his time in the service? 'I just hope to live an active, exciting life when I'm done,' he says. Copyright 2016 Pamplin Media Group | 6605 S.E. Lake Road, Portland, OR 97222 • 503-684-0360 | P.O. Box 22109, Portland, OR 97269 - Current Job Openings

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Earth Day activist likes local example Created on Monday, 16 April 2007 18:00 | Written by Jim Redden | Tweet TRIB TOWN: Longtime green believer sees positive tradeoffs in policies to preserve landDenis Hayes, the national coordinator for the very first Earth Day in 1970, praises the Portland region's commitment to land-use planning and mass transit, even as he acknowledges that the policies increase home prices and limit housing choices. 'As we are forced by too many people and constrained resources to turn toward sustainable development, Portland has a great deal to teach America,' Hayes said in an exchange of e-mails with the Portland Tribune. 'Perhaps the most important lesson is that there is life beyond Wal-Mart. Cheaper isn't always better. Sometimes it is better to pay a premium for quality.' Hayes will speak in Portland on Thursday, three days before Earth Day 2007, at the fifth annual Regional Livability Summit. The summit runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Portland State University's Smith Center Ballroom, 1825 S.W. Broadway. The event is being organized by the Coalition for a Livable Future, a regional group of more than 90 environmental, labor and social justice organizations. It was formed to address a range of land use-related issues, including housing affordability and environmental justice. The summit will explore some of the big issues affecting the Portland-Vancouver, Wash., metropolitan region, including how to accommodate the 1 million more people expected to move here over the next 20 years. For those who can pay, admission is $35 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Hayes worked on the first Earth Day because he felt human activity was threatening the future of the planet. He sees the growing scientific research on climate change as confirming those fears. Hayes now runs the Bullitt Foundation, an endowment in Seattle that funds green projects in the Pacific Northwest, and believes regional policies such as the Portland area's urban growth boundary should be adopted around the world. 'Portland has been an international leader in intelligent land-use planning, reducing sprawl-induced demand for transportation, and creating a healthy, vibrant city,' Hayes wrote. 'It has played a distinctive role on myriad issues that concerned us that first Earth Day, from addressing climate issues to cleaning up the Willamette to decommissioning Trojan,' the former nuclear power plant in Columbia County. Although Hayes says that policies to preserve farm and forest lands also affect home prices and choices, he believes the trade-offs are worth it. 'People who want to live there will pay more money for less land, and increasingly find themselves in multifamily housing that integrates a street-level commercial enterprise,' he wrote. 'The Portland model has protected open space because it was held to be a high public value, and residents pay somewhat more for a home than they would in a bland suburb of Houston.' This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Copyright 2016 Pamplin Media Group | 6605 S.E. Lake Road, Portland, OR 97222 • 503-684-0360 | P.O. Box 22109, Portland, OR 97269 - Current Job Openings

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Bax & O’Brien Rock 102 Wallpaper On The Money Minutes Workforce Sign-Up Rock 102 Events Navy Yard reopens 3 days after shooting rampage The Navy Yard is reopening Sept. 19, three days after a deadly shooting rampage. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Navy Yard is reopening to workers three days after it a mass shooting in which a gunman killed 12 people. Gates at the Navy installation reopened at 6 a.m. Thursday. But traffic was blocked from reaching the main gate because a tractor-trailer tried to make a U-turn, and its load shifted. The truck was blocking the road in front of the Navy Yard early Thursday. Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Flaherty said Thursday will be a regular work day, except for Building 197, where the shootings occurred, and the base gym. She says the gym is being used as a staging area for the FBI to investigate Monday’s rampage in which former Navy reservist Aaron Alexis gunned down 12 people before being killed by police. Hagel: ‘Red flags’ missed before Navy Yard shooting By Phil Stewart and David Alexander WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Wednesday the suspected Washington Navy Yard gunman’s background presented some “red flags” easy to spot in hindsight and ordered a broad review of security worldwide, including clearances. Aaron Alexis, the 34-year-old suspect who was killed by police during Monday’s shooting, received a security clearance more than five years ago when he was still in the Navy and kept it in his most recent job as a technology contractor at the Navy Yard. Critics in Congress and elsewhere say his ability to keep his security clearance despite a history of misconduct, including while in uniform, shows serious flaws in the system. Hagel, addressing reporters for the first time since the shooting in which 13 people were killed including Alexis, said his deputy, Ashton Carter, would undertake two reviews – an examination of physical security and access procedures at all Defense Department installations worldwide. Carter’s review will look at the U.S. military’s practices and procedures for granting and renewing security clearances, including those held by contractors like Alexis. “Obviously, when you go back in hindsight and look at all this there were some red flags – of course there were,” Hagel said. “And should we have picked them up? Why didn’t we? How could we have? All those questions need to be answered.” General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it would have been hard to foresee Monday’s bloodshed. “I don’t know what the investigation will determine, but he committed murder. And I’m not sure that any particular question or lack of question on a security clearance would probably have revealed that.” Dempsey was also hesitant to adopt the term “red flag.” “Until I understand the outcome of the investigation, I can’t render a judgment about whether it was a red flag or just something that flew beneath the radar.” Alexis’ secret-level security clearance would have been valid for 10 years, without the need for a renewal that could have led to new disclosures about his conduct. Hagel said the length of time clearances are valid would be one of the areas under examination. “Obviously, the longer clearances go without review, there is some jeopardy to that. There’s no question about it,” he said. Alexis’ initial background check was conducted as part of his service in the U.S. Navy Reserve from May 2007 to January 2011. He underwent a National Agency Check that was completed in August 2007 and he was determined eligible to handle “secret” material in March 2008, a U.S. defense official said. That check for his security clearance was conducted after Alexis was arrested in Seattle in 2004 for shooting a construction worker’s car tires in an anger-fueled “blackout,” according to the Seattle Police Department. The “secret” clearance was in effect during two other incidents. In 2008, Alexis was cited for disorderly conduct in Georgia when he was kicked out of a club for damaging furnishings and cursing. Alexis was then arrested in 2010 in Texas for discharging a firearm in a case that was dropped after investigators determined his gun accidentally fired while it was being cleaned. In 2011 Alexis received an honorable discharge from the Navy Reserve, even though the Navy had been pursuing a general discharge against him on a series of eight to 10 misconduct charges, ranging from traffic offenses to disorderly conduct, a military official said. Private pre-employment background checks also apparently failed to properly flag Alexis as a security risk. The Experts Inc, an information technology company that hired Alexis to work on a project helping service the Navy Marine Corps intranet, said it had also enlisted a service to perform two background checks on him over the last year. The checks revealed no issues other than one minor traffic violation, the company said. Tags: aaron alexis, naval yard, navy, navy yard, ShootingStory © 2013 - Images © 2013 Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. ROCK 102 WAQYCopyright 2016 Saga Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. 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Man Claims He Was Attacked By San Joaquin County DA Candidate Filed Under: attack, Gary Hickey, Jim Ferroni, San Joaquin County District Attorney SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY (CBS13) – The man who was allegedly attacked by a local lawyer running for district attorney in San Joaquin County spoke to CBS13. He says it all started as an argument over money. A hobbling Jim Ferroni insists he wasn’t there to fight, “Until I run into this guy who wants to wrestle, but my wrestling days are over long time ago,” he said. The 61-year-old explains he went to help a caretaker hired to live with San Joaquin D.A. candidate Gary Hickey and Hickey’s brother at their Lodi home. The woman told Ferroni that Hickey wouldn’t pay her. “I said, ‘It’s time to man up. You owe this lady money,”” said Ferroni. He claims the 64-year-old Hickey attacked him. “He whacked me in the head first with a shoe,” said Ferroni. “He rammed me right in the side.” Ferroni says he was knocked over and his boot got caught as he fell and his left hip — a replacement hip — was dislocated. “My hip was completely out. I was in terrible pain and here the guy picks up a fence post driver and comes at me with that,” said Ferroni. He says Hickey left when the woman threatened to call the police. Then Ferroni went to the hospital to get his hip popped back into place. “It took over 45 minutes to get my hip back in and six people to do it,” said Ferroni. “I want this man off the streets for what he did to that girl and what he did to me.” These are very serious allegations, so we wanted to give Hickey every opportunity to respond. Multiple attempts to reach him were unsuccessful.” In a phone interview with the Stockton Record Hickey denied any wrongdoing. The D.A. candidate has not been arrested or charged with a crime. Police continue to investigate the conflicting stories, trying to get to the bottom of what really happened. Hickey is no stranger to the law. He was arrested two weeks ago on suspicion of DUI, and last summer he was arrested following a hit-and-run crash with a telephone pole.

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Sign up to receive ShelterBox news and updates Be Involved Deployments > Deployments Flickr| ShelterBox on | Deployments Active deployments Previous deployments latest Deployments Flooding and volcanic activity Democratic People's Republic of Korea NEWS FEEDS | RSS Tuesday, June 28: Arkansas State Representative, Leslee Post, has praised ShelterBox for providing shelter, warmth and dignity to families in the state who lost everything when tornadoes hit at the end of May. The tornadoes swept through Franklin and Johnson Counties just after midnight on May 25 destroying close to 100 homes and claiming five lives. ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) members Yi Shun Lai (US), Tim Osburn (US) and Mark Dyer (US) distributed emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies to the familes affected by the disaster. In a letter to ShelterBox, Leslee Post said: ‘We will be forever indebted to the ShelterBox Response Team members and ShelterBox for coming to our need during our disaster. "On behalf of Franklin County, particularly the 35 children who are living in the ShelterBox tents because they have nowhere else to live, I humbly and sincerely thank you for making life much more dignified." This is the second time ShelterBox has delivered humanitarian aid in the USA, the first being after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Thursday, June 9: ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) members, Rotarians and the Boy Scouts of America, have distributed emergency shelter and ancillary aid for families affected by the tornadoes in Arkansas. The ShelterBoxes were distributed on June 9 in Altus and Denning, Arkansas; two of the worst affected areas of the state which were devastated by the massive storm system that swept across the United States. It was the same storm system that lead to the tornado, the worst to hit American soil in 60 years, that destroyed much of Joplin, Missouri. ShelterBox Founder and CEO, Tom Henderson, said: "I give huge credit to the work of our Response Team volunteers. In a case like this where storms covered such a huge area, our team went to great lengths to make sure no pockets of devastation were missed." SRT members Mark Dyer (US), Yi Shun Lai (US) and Tim Osburn (US) worked with members of the Altus Sunset Rotary Club to identify families whose homes were destroyed. The club helped to arrange a volunteer work force to assemble tents and distribute aid, including more than 40 Boy Scouts and leaders. SRT member Tim Osburn, completing his first deployment since graduating as an SRT member earlier this year, said the support from Scouts and Rotary was invaluable. "Seeing the devastation that this storm created was heartbreaking, homes and properties were just leveled," he said. "Having the Rotarians and Scouts show up to help us with distribution was absolutely fantastic. We had teams working in different locations around Altus and Denning, with these Boy Scouts – we only had to show them how to set up the tents once, then they got right to it." SRT member Mark Dyer added: "This is the second deployment where I’ve worked with Scouts in the field, the first being after the Japanese tsunami earlier this year, both have been great experiences. In temperatures that were over 90 degrees, they worked quickly to get families into disaster relief tents. The Scouts are always working hard and in the middle of so much devastation you can always count on them to put a smile on your face. Working with ShelterBox and showing their level of service, they’ve proved a great example of good citizenship in their community, in their nation, and in the world – cornerstones of the scouting program around the world." ShelterBox has programs in place working with Scouts in the UK and in the USA. Wednesday, june 1: Emergency shelter for close to 50 families is en route to rural Arkansas, USA. Families in the small, close-knit, rural towns of Etna and Denning had their homes destroyed last week when a tornado tore through them. 48 ShelterBoxes are en route to the worst affected areas and will provide shelter, warmth and dignity to families who have lost everything. ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) members Yi Shun Lai (US) and Tim Osburn (US) have been working with officials in the affected area. "In rural northwest Arkansas, where communications are spotty and folks are spread out, it’s easy to overlook pockets of the population that are in need of help," said Yi Shun Lai. "We’ve seen folks whose homes are reduced to rubble but who remain on their land for fear of losing even more. Tim Osburn was in Joplin last week and saw a direct connection between the type of destruction he saw there and what we’re seeing in the small towns of Denning and Etna. At this point, other agencies are beginning to pull out but no one’s yet been able to provide shelter for those who desperately need it." This year fierce storms, floods and tornadoes have hit the southern states hard. ShelterBox Response Teams have worked in Tuscaloosa and Joplin but the disaster response needs were being met by local authorities. According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) 2011 is preliminary ranked 7th among the deadliest tornado years in US history. The tornado that struck Joplin was the worst to hit American soil in more than 60 years. A tornado is a violent rotating column of air that reaches to the ground from a storm cloud created and maintained by strong inflowing winds. Most continents have regions where conditions lead to development of tornadoes. In the US, "Tornado Alley" stretches between Nebraska to Texas and Oklahoma. The tornadoes form here when cool air from the Rockies meets the warm, wet air from the Gulf of Mexico. This is the second time ShelterBox aid has been sent to the US with ShelterBoxes being distributed to families in desperate need after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. back sitemap terms © ShelterBox . ShelterBox USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States and registered in the state of Florida. EIN 20-0471604. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE (1-800-HELP-FLA OR WWW.800HELPFLA.COM). REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

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Posted on: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 Gangs Recruiting Students In City, Suburbs Source: Click2Houston.com Police chief: At least half of all Pasadena crimes committed by gang members HOUSTON -- The weeks before students head back to school can be filled with anxiety and uncertainty, but there's one serious problem that most families don't have on their radar, and that's gangs. The Houston Police Department estimates there are more than 17,000 gang members affiliated with 200 documented gangs in Houston. However, the threat is not limited to the city. The federal government's National Gang Center noted in 2009 that 55 percent of gang members were in big cities. More than 23 percent were in the suburbs and 18 percent were in small cities. Those who work to fight the gang trend said the numbers are high because of ongoing recruitment. Patricia Harrington of the Mayor's Anti-Gang Office said gang recruitment is not specific to just one school district and often tough kids aren't always the ones targeted. Sometimes it's teens and preteen who get bullied. "A lot of times gangs will say, 'We can be a protector of you'," said Harrington. "I would say the most vulnerable age are middle school ages, grades sixth through eighth." Gang life can be attractive to some teens looking for a way to be a part of something and to stand out. "They're looking for leadership, that guidance, and a sense of belonging," said Bradford Roland of the HPD Gang Division. HPD sends officers to high-risk Houston Independent School Districts campuses to teach middle school students about gang resistance. The program is called G.R.E.A.T., which stands for Gang Resistance Education and Training. "We see these kids doing well and then all of the sudden we see a drop in their grades and a change in their behavior," said Roland. KPRC Local 2 got to ride along with Harris County Precinct 6 Constable Sgt. Julio Banda, who showed how gangs are a threat to vulnerable teens after school as well. "A lot of times they go to parks to play basketball, and, believe it or not, the parks are one of the major recruiting areas for gangs," said Banda. Gang life becomes a job as members are expected to earn for their crews. A lot of that responsibility falls on new, young, naive members who are suddenly caught up in something that's rarely as glamorous as what they see on television. Click here for the full article

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Founders of community Web site take new risks - Taipei Times Founders of community Web site take new risks Oriented.org started out as a service to the community, a free site to provide new arrivals to Taiwan with information ranging from how to obtain a visa and find an apartment to the local hotspots. The site cost thousands of out-of-pocket dollars and countless hours of hard work to build and maintain. Now the group is moving on, with Oriented.org taking its massive vault of information to a new name and location on the Web. Oriented.com is launching as a for-profit site -- though the content will still be free for viewers. The co-founders of Oriented.org, Gus Adapon and Christine Hsu, sat down with `Taipei Times' staff reporter Dan Nystedt to discuss the trials of running a Web site and their plans to create a brighter future / Christine Hsu and Gus Adapon, the founders of Taiwan's Oriented.org, talk about what motivated them to create the site and about their plans for the future.PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES Taipei Times: Oriented has been on the Internet for almost four years now, how did you come up with the original idea for the site?Christine Hsu: The reason we started this site is because we know people who are moving in and out of Taiwan all the time and asking us the same questions over and over again, how do you find a job, housing and so we had this information, Gus had his own set of e-mails that he copied and pasted and sent to his friends and I had my own -- it's tiring after a while to keep having to explain to people the same things so we thought, why don't we put this online and people can refer to it.TT: What is the most popular part of the site?Gus Adapon: The Forums have probably become the main thing. We've tried other things and we've worked hard on other pieces ... like the Events Calendar -- I guess the jury is still out on whether the Events Calendar is really as effective as we thought it would be.Christine started publishing the weekly e-bulletin a year after we had turned on and we didn't know where that would go and now that's arguably one of the most popular things from the site. So it was a lot of trial and error ... it's all trial and error.TT: Recently one of your forums focused on the topic of voting one of Taiwan's three English-language papers "off the island." What are your thoughts on the topic and the other controversy voiced on your site over Hess Language Center?Christine: One of my bigger objectives, we want Oriented to be a positive contribution to society and we want to be as responsible as we can as founders of the site. The forums were meant to be a way by which the foreign community can say to local businesses and the local business establishment that "you know, this is how you could be doing it better. Maybe your services can be improved, this is what our expectations are in terms of service." What we didn't expect was that people would use the forums to defame or attack businesses or organizations or people in an unacceptable manner ... and we have to be responsible and come up with policies -- as subjective as they might be -- to try and moderate the discussions going on on Oriented.It's a big question mark and to this day we haven't been able to totally get a grip on it.Gus: Hess has been a good example. There's been a lot of things written about Hess and most of them have been pretty negative. And a few months ago, someone from the main office called and said "Can we talk about your forums?"They actually had a [big file] of complaints about Hess from the Internet. They showed me a bunch of the Hess threads [on Oriented] and said, "Most of this stuff is fine, it's probably true, but some of the negative stuff -- there are some things here that we think are wrong -- can we review that?" And there were just three or four issues and we talked about that and then we walked away and we didn't change anything.So I asked them, how do you use this, could use this for change? They said "yes, that's exactly what we do, we get these threads and present them to branch directors and at the same time, we do change, slowly." And I was really happy to hear that.That's exactly what it's all about. Even though a lot of the Hess stuff that's up there is negative, they don't want it to change because it's useful to the head office.

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They've got muck; we've got rakes. 'Creationist Theme Park' Group Prez Accused Of 'Ungodly' Remarks ByDavid TaintorPublishedMarch 25, 2011, 4:21 PM EDT As TPM reported in December, the group behind Kentucky's Creation Museum is looking to expand into the theme park business. But the company's president is now in some hot water over what his critics are calling "ungodly and mean-spirited remarks."The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, has now been banned from a homeschooling convention in Cincinnati. The trouble all started when Ham, who was scheduled to speak at the convention, criticized a fellow speaker's views on the story of Adam and Eve. According to the Herald-Leader, Peter Enns, a senior fellow at the Biologos Foundation -- a Christian group interested in the intersection of science and faith -- has said the story of Adam and Eve may be misinterpreted, and suggests it could instead symbolize the creation of Israel. In a recent blog post, Ham called Enns' position and overall teaching curriculum the kind of "outright liberal theology that totally undermines the authority of the Word of God," even going so far as to say it's an attack on "Christ." Great Homeschool Conventions, the organization behind the upcoming convention, didn't like Ham's tone. "We believe that what Ken has said and done is unChristian and sinful," Great Homeschool Conventions' Brennan Dean said in a statement. The group has also banned Ham from future conventions. Meanwhile, Answers in Genesis defended Ham's remarks. In a statement, the group wrote: "We certainly questioned a person's stand on Scripture, but we did not question his integrity, intelligence, or salvation." In February, Ham's Creation Museum refused a same-sex "couple" entrance to a date night at the museum. The company's "creationist theme park," slated for a Spring 2014 opening, will feature a full-size Ark, walled city and a replica of the Tower of Babel.

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http://theadvocate.com/news/neworleans/4443428-148/longtime-rug-business-to-close Longtime rug business to close Advocate staff photo by JOHN McCUSKER -- Greg Dombourian of Dombourian Oriental Rugs is closing shop Friday, November 16, 2012. The business has been around New Orleans for 102 years. Mampreh Dombourian, left, leans against the rugs in his store in this undated photo. (Photo provided by Greg Dombourian) BY DANNY MONTEVERDE| New Orleans bureau New Orleans — Chances are that if you’re of a certain generation, you have at least one intricate handwoven rug in your home. And if you are a New Orleans-area resident, chances are it came from Dombourian Oriental Rugs. The family business has sold rugs to countless New Orleanians since 1910, but this month, after 102 years of operation, the store will close its doors. Greg Dombourian said the timing was right to end things. The third generation to run the business, Dombourian said his sons weren’t interested in carrying on the business. He can’t blame them, he said. After all, different people have different interests, he said, and times and tastes change. The days of people spending big bucks on handcrafted rugs have passed, he said. Mass production has made rugs cheaper and more disposable. “All through the whole industry, things are changing,” Dombourian said. He’d been thinking for some time about how to wind down the business, but that wasn’t easy, and he didn’t want to sell out to a large chain. “It’s kind of like, do you shut it down, or drop dead at your desk?” Dombourian asked. The solution to his problem arrived one day this summer in the mail. “It was my tax bill from (New Orleans Assessor) Erroll Williams,” Dombourian said as a grin broke across his face. The higher property tax bill made up his mind: Dombourian decided to sell the building. “It’s bittersweet,” he said. “But this is the time.” Dombourian’s grandfather Mampreh founded the business a century ago. Mampreh Dombourian was born in 1885 in Armenia, in what is present-day Turkey. He immigrated to Chicago during his teen years and began to work for Nahigian Bros., one of the largest oriental rug dealers at the time. The company eventually sent him to New Orleans to open a branch, which would be located across the street from the former DeSoto Hotel, now the Le Pavillon, on Poydras Street. The exact date of when he opened the store is unknown, but he became sole proprietor in 1910. He moved the shop to Royal Street in the French Quarter and renamed it Dombourian Oriental Rugs. Since then it has moved Uptown and has been at its current location in the 2800 block of Magazine Street since 1991. By the end of the month the store will be a part of the city’s history. Greg Dombourian will vacate the building by mid-December. He’s worked in the store for 44 years, beginning as a 12-year-old boy who worked alongside his aunt. After that much time in the business, it’s hard to quit cold turkey. So when he’s done with the shop, he plans to stay busy as a rug appraiser, something for which he recently became certified. An avid fisherman, he said he also will spend more time casting a line. But, he said, he’ll miss his customers, many of whom are second and third generation. “Today it might be $300 to clean a rug, but some people come in and they remember when it was $3,” Dombourian said of his longtime customers. B.B. Adatto is a third-generation Dombourian customer. She remembers going to the store with her mother and grandmother and how the family would change rugs with the seasons — wool rugs in the winter, straw rugs in the summer. “Not only would they take the wool rugs during the summer, but they would also put slip covers over all the furniture,” said Uptown resident Mary Griswold, another longtime customer. “We didn’t have air conditioning back then, so you did this during the summer months to make the room feel cooler with lighter fabrics.” As it draws closer to closing day, Dombourian said he’s seen more and more people stop in to wish him well. “Some people have come in crying, saying ‘You’re like McKenzie’s or K&B — ain’t there no more.’ I say, ‘Don’t be sad, be glad. I’m going fishing,’” Dombourian said.

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[06/12/13 - 06:25 AM]MTV, CMT and VH1 to Let Music Ring on First Ever "Music Independence Day" on July 4thOn July 4th, from 6am-6pm (ET/PT) on all three networks, MTV, CMT and VH1 will provide the ultimate party playlist for everyone to revel in. [via press release from MTV] MTV, CMT AND VH1 TO LET MUSIC RING ON FIRST EVER "MUSIC INDEPENDENCE DAY" ON JULY 4th Fans Have the Chance to Connect with and Show Support for Emerging Artists via MTV/VH1/CMT 's Artist Platform New York, NY/Nashville, TN ( June 12, 2013) -- On the day that Americans are celebrating our country's independence with barbeque, fireworks, parties and music, MTV, CMT and VH1 for the first time will celebrate "Music Independence Day" on-air by combining forces to showcase artists across all three powerhouse brands. On July 4th, from 6am-6pm (ET/PT) on all three networks, MTV, CMT and VH1 will provide the ultimate party playlist for everyone to revel in, covering all genres from hip hop to bluegrass to EDM to cowpunk, exposing new artists, celebrating the superstars and offering a chance to directly support those who work so hard to play the music we love. Emerging artists looking to build their base will have the chance to reach millions of new fans on the popular music TV networks, bringing their music to legions of new supporters through the Artist Platform, a music discovery site that powers MTV/CMT/VH1's network of 60 million passionate music fans online and 100M homes on-air. The Artist Platform lets fans connect with the stars they know and new artists they will love, and gives artists the power to claim or create their own page in a high-traffic environment that offers unparalleled opportunities for exposure on television networks and beyond. To participate in Music Independence Day, artists simply claim or create their page on the Artist Platform (artists.MTV.com, artists.CMT.com or artists.VH1.com), and opt in to "Music Independence Day." Those artists will have their music and videos considered for MTV, CMT and VH1. And whether they get the nod from the on-air channels or not, all the artists who are part of the day will be able to drive audiences to their pages via social networks and #MusicIndependenceDay, where they can invite listeners to purchase music, leave tips or otherwise show their support. Fans can connect with artists they love and discover new favorites. They can watch and listen to artists' music and stories and check out exclusive performances and interviews from your favorite new bands. Like what you hear? Then show your support through buying music or leaving a "tip" through the Artist Platform Tip Jar. "We want to let fans discover and really love up musicians, give a tip, buy them a beer or simply send a message of support," said Van Toffler, President of Viacom Music Group. "We have a history of introducing new artists, celebrating our audiences favorite established superstars and providing a forum for all to reveal their influences and the stories behind their music." He added, "So we're going to celebrate the music, let musicians get heard, promoted, and loved. That ain't all bad." MTV, CMT and VH1 will each put their own spin in how the day of music is celebrated on-air. From Hip Hop, Rock, Country, Pop, Blue Grass, Indie, EDM and more, the music brands will offer a variety of music to mark the day: On MTV: MTV is celebrating the 4th with a block party of music hosted by artists that will feature eclectic genres while spotlighting independent artists that have emerged from Artists.MTV. From themed video hours to intimate performances to some of the bigger music moments throughout MTV history, Music Independence Day will be celebrated on MTV in its unique voice. It's a day when superstars reveal who on the horizon is catching their ears and emerging artists will share the spotlight with the big names. On CMT: What's the fourth of July without barbeque? CMT hosts its annual "BBQ Week," culminating in the ultimate BBQ playlist on Music Independence Day. Guided by country music's biggest superstars, CMT will celebrate music without boundaries and showcase the best established, emerging and indie artists across the fringes of country music. From contemporary to bluegrass, roots and everything in between, CMT's ultimate playlist will include such favorites as The Avett Brothers and Punch Brothers, alongside Luke Bryan and Carrie Underwood. Check out the best in the genre, and watch as CMT reveals breakthrough acts discovered via artists via Artists.CMT On VH1: Hosted by "VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown's" Jim Shearer, who will be based out of the City of Brotherly Love on July 4th. VH1 not only celebrates a day of music from 6am-6pm, but will feature the 2013 "Philly 4th of July Jam," from 8pm-11pm, LIVE from Philadelphia featuring performances from The Roots, John Mayer, Jill Scott, Demi Lovato and more. Leading up to the concert, VH1 will play videos and performances from the best summer jams to get everyone in the party mood. In addition, VH1 will premiere a new music series STOP/WATCH. On each STOP/WATCH a band or solo artist performs a complete song in sixty seconds flat. It's a great way for viewers to discover new artists and sample new music on TV, online or on a mobile device. About MTV: MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. [june 2013] S

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MONTPELIER � Hundreds of people flocked to the Statehouse on Saturday for a rally to support gun-control legislation on both the federal and state levels. The rally was organized by Montpelier resident Danielle LaFleur Brooks, who said she was happy with how the day turned out. Brooks was inspired to form the rally in response to a rally held last month when around 250 people showed up to oppose Sen. Phil Baruth�s proposed legislation banning military-style assault weapons.Brooks� rally, attended by about 300, was also in response to Baruth�s decision to pull his bill less than 24 hours later. �I was so upset that the state wasn�t even going to have the conversation about assault weapons and what part that might play with gun violence,� she said. Brooks is the mother of a 5-year-old and a 9-month-old. She said the events last fall in Newtown, Conn., where 26 people were killed, including 20 young children, really struck a chord with her. �As a mother, when I heard about what was happening in Sandy Hook, Conn., my 5-year-old is in kindergarten and I felt she could have been in that hallway,� she said. Brooks said there were parents like her who might not have time to pay attention to politics, but would do anything to protect their children. The rally Saturday was a way to give those parents a voice, she said. Besides being a parent, Brooks is a former English teacher. She said one of her students was shot and killed over a racial dispute. After the rally, a principal approached her and talked about how he has also had students gunned down at his school. Brooks said the rally was also intended to show support for U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein�s proposed federal ban on assault weapons, as well as for state legislation introduced by Rep. Linda Waite-Simpson, D-Essex.The Vermont legislation would, among other things, limit the number of rounds in ammunition clips, require background checks at gun shows, and require that guns are stored safely and kept out of the hands of those who shouldn�t have access to them, including children. Former Montpelier city councilor Nancy Sherman attended the rally because she also supports such legislation. She said gun control is the second-most important issue facing the country behind the economy. Montpelier Mayor John Hollar was invited to speak at the rally. He said he attended because gun control is something he feels strongly about and he is one of 800 mayors from around the country who have formed a coalition looking for positive solutions to end gun violence. �Assault weapons are designed to essentially kill large numbers of people in a short period of time,� Hollar told the crowd. �We know from horrifying experiences in Newtown, Oak Creek, Tucson, Aurora and other places that they do the job very well,� he added. �Nearly one-third of the high-profile shootings during the last four years involved assault weapons.� Hollar said a civilized society does not allow weapons to be sold that are designed for large-scale killing, distinguishes between guns that have a legitimate use and those used for warfare, and protects its children. �The Second Amendment really has no place in this discussion,� he said. �It has never been construed to protect private ownership of military weapons. Even as the Supreme Court has upheld gun ownership for self defense, the Second Amendment does not uphold the right to own dangerous and unusual weapons.� Hollar encouraged the crowd to implore legislators to �have a reasoned and thoughtful debate about whether assault weapons have a place in our community.�eric.blaisdell @timesargus.com

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A conversation with Karen Hughes 12/26/2006 3:01:00 PM - Cal Thomas Karen Hughes is not as visible as when she worked at the White House, or on two presidential campaigns, but her 16 months as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs have given her opportunities to counter what she calls the "propaganda" that the media in many Arab and Muslim countries convey to their people about the United States. In a meeting (Dec. 19) in her State Department office, Hughes told me she recognizes the difference between the Cold War, when "we were trying to get information into largely closed societies whose people were hungry to hear from us," and today, when "we're competing for attention and credibility in a very crowded communications environment." She points to three big areas on which she is focusing: (1) exchanges that allow people who have never been to America to come and see for themselves what we are like; (2) communications, which promote the policies of the American government in nations where they have been mostly unheard, or twisted for the political ends of the rulers; and (3) what she calls "the diplomacy of deeds," that is, focusing on America's actions that help people improve their lives. Hughes has told American ambassadors around the world to get on local television more and articulate official policy to counter propaganda that communicates a false view of America. That's all well and good, but would most Americans accept the pronouncements of an ambassador from, say, Iran? The United States continues to believe that because we see ourselves as objectively good, the rest of the world can be persuaded of our goodness and not take up arms against us. I'm sure some can be so persuaded, but probably not nearly enough and very likely not soon enough to prevent more attacks. Hughes mentions a group of Saudi clerics who made their first visit to America at the State Department's invitation. She says she had been told their Friday sermons "had been very negative, very anti-American." They visited American synagogues, mosques and churches. Hughes says she was told by "our people on the ground" in Saudi Arabia that the clerics now have a "much different and changed view of our country." I ask if Hughes has checked on the content of their sermons since their return to Saudi Arabia. She says she has not, but has received reports that there has been a "difference" and that the clerics have a different view of America. I wonder if this is part of the propaganda ploy, to tell us what we want to hear so we will let down our guard. Can they be converted, if not to our point of view, than at least to foreswear violence in pursuit of their political objectives? Hughes concedes that the Muslim world mostly regards our freedom as licentiousness. They get their impressions of the U.S. through our media, which mostly consists of immodestly dressed women, violence and car chases. That's the "entertainment" and image we export, so why should they not conclude this is who we are? Hughes is particularly fond of the exchange program that allows students and others to come to the U.S. to study and to observe Muslims and others able to dress, worship and associate as they please. Again, I wonder if this approach is a Cold War relic. The 9/11 hijackers lived, worked, worshiped and observed our way of life, and they killed 3,000 of us. Following the British bombings two summers ago, the British public expressed shock that "home grown" young Muslim men could turn on their fellow countrymen. The reason is that they did not see Britain as their country, but heaven as their destination and jihad as their vehicle for getting there. Hughes also speaks of a coming "major Western Hemisphere initiative" to do more and communicate more with Latin American countries. She says the Bush administration has nearly doubled U.S. assistance to the region, but most don't know about it because their media don't tell them. I wouldn't stop what Karen Hughes is doing, but I do wonder and worry whether this outreach to the Arab and Muslim world, in particular, will make a significant difference in a war between cultures that is fueled by religious zeal. Even Hughes acknowledges, "This is a long struggle."

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Woman shot dead, mother wounded in Hill District shooting By Michael Hasch Three gunmen who police said fired at least 20 shots killed a Hill District woman and wounded her mother on Friday just inside a basement garage in their home. Tina Crawford, 34, died in the barrage of gunfire about 3:15 p.m. at the home in the 900 block of Cherokee Street, a spokeswoman for the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said. Crawford's mother, whom neighbors identified as Patsy Crawford, 63, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian. Pittsburgh Public Safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler said the violence rattled residents of what she described as a normally “quiet” section of the neighborhood. “Tina was a good girl. I am really shocked,” said neighbor Tracy Scott, 46. “I don't understand why anybody would do anything to good people like this.” “They are the best neighbors and friends possible,” said Kim Johnson, 28, another neighbor. “They are a close-knit family. They didn't deserve this. It's hard to believe.” Responding to reports of multiple gunshots, police said they found Tina Crawford's body lying just inside the garage entrance behind a car. Patsy Crawford was on the other side of the vehicle. Bullet holes could be seen in the body of the car and in the side of the house. The older woman repeatedly asked paramedics and police about her daughter's condition as she was being treated and lifted into the ambulance, Toler said. The door to the house was locked, Toler said, indicating that the women were either just returning home or leaving when they were shot. A second daughter, identified by neighbors as Tamara Crawford, 25, apparently was not home at the time of the shooting. One of the gunmen fled on foot and the others sped off in a vehicle, Toler said. She did not immediately provide a description of the assailants. Although it appears the gunmen were targeting at least one of the women, city homicide detectives did not disclose a motive or whether they have suspects in the case. Toler said neighbors are cooperating with investigators. Former Pittsburgh City Councilman Sala Udin, who lives across the street from the Crawfords, was too distraught to talk, said a woman who answered his door. “The family didn't bother no one. They stayed at home,” said neighbor Bill Moore, 59. “They are good people who would give you the shirts off their backs or their last dollar,” Johnson said. “We are angry. I have two kids who play around here, ride their bikes around here.” Marlene Jackson, 30, said Patsy Crawford — whom Johnson described as “like a mom to all of us” — has served as a mentor for a youth group at nearby Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church. “I never heard anything bad about the family. It's always the ones that don't deserve it,” Jackson said. Moore said he is confident that police will find the culprits. “They'll find them soon,” Moore said. “You can't hide from the law.” Michael Hasch is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-320-7820 or [email protected]. More News

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Reunions in works for Korean families separated by war By The Washington Post SEOUL — North and South Korea agreed Friday to hold a new round of reunions for family members separated by the Korean War, the first such arrangement in three years and the latest sign of a thaw between the disputatious neighbors. After a daylong meeting at a border truce village, the two Koreas said they would hold reunions Sept. 25 to 30 at a resort in the North's Mount Kumgang region. Their agreement restarts what is perhaps the peninsula's most important humanitarian program, allowing brief but emotional get-togethers for relatives who live on opposite sides of the heavily militarized border. Officials in Seoul have said the reunions are particularly urgent, given that most of the separated family members are in their 70s and 80s. As part of the agreement, the two countries said they will hold meet-ups in October by video teleconference, a more suitable method for those too frail to travel. In the South, about 73,000 people are on the waiting list to meet with relatives in the North. But the reunions have been on hold since late 2010, a casualty of a period in which the two nations cut nearly all ties, with the South imposing bans on cross-border visits and investment in the North. South Korean President Park Geun-hye, in office for six months, is trying to slowly rebuild ties following what she describes as a “trust-building” strategy — undertaking small cooperation projects, with bigger ones to follow if Pyongyang proves itself reliable. On Aug. 14, the North and South said they would work toward reopening a jointly operated industrial complex, shuttered since April, at which small- and medium-size South Korean companies use the cheap labor of 53,000 North Koreans. A day later, Park said she wanted to work with the North to resume the reunions. “We have to ease the pains of separated families,” Park said. In the years before and during the Korean War, millions of people moved from one country to the other. A 1953 armistice ended the war but resulted in a near-impermeable border along the 38th parallel. These days, South Koreans have almost no means of staying in touch with long-lost family members in the North, as they are barred from placing telephone calls or sending mail. Since 2000, the North and South have held 18 reunions for more than 20,000 people. More World

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Pentagon Will Brief Congress On Deadly Sept. 14 Camp Bastion Attack By Tom Bowman Feb 4, 2013 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email More than four months after a deadly attack at a sprawling allied base in Afghanistan that killed two U.S. Marines, there are lingering questions about how it happened. Capitol Hill sources say they've been pressing for answers since the Sept. 14th attack in Helmand Province, and say the military has not been forthcoming. Congress then pushed the Pentagon and the American command in Kabul to look into the matter and now say there are indications of serious security lapses. The main question is this: How could a group of Taliban fighters cut through a fence undetected, especially because the base is in a remote desert area with walls, guard towers, cameras and thousands of personnel? Now Congress may finally be getting at least some answers. Pentagon officials are scheduled to brief House Armed Services Committee staff on Friday. Fifteen Taliban fighters, dressed in American Army uniforms, sliced a hole in the fence at the British Camp Bastion in Helmand Province on the night of September 14, 2012. The Marines' Camp Leatherneck is adjacent to Bastion, and is the headquarters of Marine Maj. Gen. Charles Gurganus, the top allied officer in the region in southwest Afghanistan. The Taliban fighters went on a spree that led to the deaths of Marine Lt. Col. Chris Raible, a Harrier squadron commander from Pennsylvania and Marine Sgt. Bradley Atwell of Indiana. During the four-hour attack, the Taliban fighters, armed with rocket-propelled grenades, destroyed six Harrier jets and damaged two others. Each plane costs about $30 million. The Taliban also destroyed fuel pits, and witnesses said flames shot one hundred feet into the air. Britain's Prince Harry, an attack helicopter pilot, happened to be at the base and was moved to a secure location during the attack. Raible ran toward the Taliban, firing his service pistol when he was killed. Atwell was killed by an RPG as he pushed forward in a counterattack. Both British and U.S. Marines responded with a force that included attack helicopters, killed 14 Taliban and wounded one. Eight service members and one contractor were wounded, but not seriously. (Tom Bowman is NPR's Pentagon Correspondent.)Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 Tri States Public Radio

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Teen calls 911 to report mother, sister dead: 'I hate the feeling of killing someone' Friday Oct 5, 2012 8:27 AM View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.By Frank Heinz, NBCDFW.comA Parker County, Texas, teen has been arrested on suspicion of double murder after he called 911 and said he shot and killed his mother and sister.Follow @NBCNewsUSAccording to police, 17-year-old Jake Evans called 911 at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday and said he'd used a .22 revolver to shoot and kill both his 48-year-old mother, Jamie Evans, and his 15-year-old sister, Mallory."It just kind of happened," Evans told the 911 operator in an eerily calm voice. "I've been kind of, uh, planning on killing for a while now."When asked if he meant the two of them or just anybody, Evans responded: "Pretty much anybody." Also at NBCDFW.com: Dallas man indicted, linked to Anonymous hackersA short time later, Parker County sheriff's deputies arrived at the Evans' family home in Annetta, a town of about 1,700 west of Fort Worth, and took him into custody without incident."I guess this is really selfish to say but, to me, I felt like they were just suffocating me in a way. I don't know," Evans said during the 911 call.Parker County Sheriff's Office Jake Evans"Obviously, I am pretty, I guess, evil," he said.Evans is charged with capital murder. A judge denied him bond."Just to let you know, I hate the feeling of killing someone, you know," Evans said in the 911 call. "I'm going to be messed up."The teen's father was out of town on business when the killings took place, police said. NBC 5 has been told that the father raced home from Washington, D.C.Stay informed with the latest headlines; sign up for our newsletterLeslie Richardson, a family friend, described Evans as quiet and gentle."Everybody knew him as just being the quiet kid ... but he was really sweet and gentle," she said.NBC 5 has learned that Evans' mother was a teacher and assistant principal in the Aledo Independent School District for 15 years before leaving in 2004.See more at NBCDFW.com"I mean, she was kind of like a second mom," Richardson said. "They were just a really good family and, I mean, my whole family was close to them, so I wish I could just say that I love them."Friends described Mallory Evans as pretty and sweet.Watch the Top Videos on NBCNews.comShe and her brother previously had been students in the Aledo ISD but were home-schooled.The family has two other daughters who were not home at the time of the killings. One of the daughters was scheduled to come home from college this weekend for a visit.Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said authorities believe Evans acted alone and that there is no evidence implicating any additional suspects.The double homicide is being investigated by the Texas Rangers and Parker County Sheriff's Criminal Investigation Division.Aledo ISD released this statement Thursday afternoon: Aledo ISD is deeply saddened to learn of the death of a former employee and a former student. Jami Evans was a dedicated elementary teacher and assistant principal who worked in Aledo ISD for 15 years serving students at both Coder and Stuard Elementary from 1989 through 2004. Her dedication to her students and her love of learning was an inspiration to all who knew her. We also mourn the death of Mallory Evans, a former elementary and intermediate school student. Mallory attended Stuard Elementary and McAnally Intermediate School. She was a sweet child that will be missed by her friends and school family. The suspect in the shootings, Jacob Evans, is a former Aledo High School student who withdrew from school in January 2012 to be homeschooled. He attended Aledo schools from elementary school until his withdrawal in January. He played football in middle school and played on the golf team in high school. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Evans family in this difficult time. NBC 5's Ray Villeda and Ellen Goldberg contributed to this report.More content from NBCNews.com: Snowstorm hits North Dakota, Minnesota, dropping up to 14 inches in some areas Americans ignore 'great risks,' travel to Pakistan to protest US drone strikes Up for grabs: the $300 million estate of reclusive heiress Huguette Clark Unarmed man shot dead by police in NYC Gray wolves probably real target of poisoned meat that killed dog Video: Could Border Patrol agent's death have been friendly fire?

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Ent News Kelly Rowland, Paulina Rubio Named To "X Factor" Panel Posted May 21st, 2013 @ 9:24am Listen to Kelly Rowland on iHeartRadio | Listen to Paulina Rubio on iHeartRadio Singers Kelly Rowland and Paulina Rubio have "The X Factor." Fox confirmed reports about two joining Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato on the judges' panel Monday. Cowell, who is a producer for the show, chimed in, saying, "It's taken more than a decade but I'm delighted to finally be on a panel with three girls (I think!)." Cowell also praised Paulina and Kelly's "great taste" and "massive experience in the music industry." Rowland, who sat in as a judge on the U.K. version of the singing competition says she's very excited to be reuniting with Simon and "The X Factor" family. The Destiny's Child singer added that it "feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the states." Rubio, who has served as a coach on "The Voice Mexico," says she loves "The X Factor" and jokingly warned Simon he should be careful what he wishes for in bringing her on board. Rowland and Rubio replace Britney Spears and L.A. Reid who both exited the show after the second season. The third season of "The X Factor" will premiere in September. Shooting for the new season is scheduled to begin Tuesday with auditions in Charleston, South Carolina. What do you think of Kelly and Paulina as judges? Comment with your thoughts below! Blac Chyna Shares First Ultrasound Pic Of Her... Governor Declares 'Beyonce Day' In Minnesota Prince Dead For Hours Before His Body Was Found...

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Letter to Congress By: Pete King Date: Jan. 25, 2012 Measure would also improve humane treatment of sick and injured livestock Congressman makes plea after Supreme Court blocks similar law in California U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) today renewed his call for Congress to pass the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act, legislation he introduced last month that would better protect America's food supply from deadly illnesses such as mad cow disease, and ensure the humane treatment of sick and injured animals. Ackerman made the plea in the wake of this week's Supreme Court decision which overturned a strikingly similar version of the measure that the State of California enacted into law in 2009. The Congressman's legislation (H.R. 3704), presently pending before the House Agriculture Committee, would permanently prohibit all downed animals -- unhealthy livestock unable walk because they are diseased, injured or ill -- from entering the nation's food chain, and require that these animals be humanely euthanized. Seventy-two percent of the confirmed cases of mad cow disease in North America since 1993 have involved downed animals. "The Supreme Court's ruling has upped the ante on our bill," said Ackerman. "By removing the ability of states protect our food supply and prevent sick and wounded animals from being humanely euthanized, the high Court has made our bill the only measure to combat this type of threat to public safety. It's time for Congress to finally pass this bill." Ackerman has introduced the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act for 20 years but the legislation always fell on deaf ears until 2003, when the first confirmed case of mad cow disease in the United States prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to impose a loose version of the Congressman's measure. It was then expanded in 2009, when the USDA banned the slaughtering of downed cattle and mandated that these animals be euthanized, after a California slaughter plant allowed downers to enter the food supply. This resulted in the largest meat recall in American history (which prompted California to adopt its own downed animal law.) Ackerman's bill would improve the existing regulations by making the ban on downer cattle permanent. Under current law, the USDA can loosen or repeal their rules at any time. The Congressman's measure would also extend the ban to all livestock, not just cattle. In an effort to secure Congress' approval of the legislation, Ackerman and Rep. Peter King (R-NY), the lead cosponsor of the bill, have begun to circulate a letter to their Congressional colleagues, in particular the California delegation, urging them to support the measure. The text of the letter is below. The bipartisan bill is already supported by several Members of Congress including Representatives Jim Moran (D-VA), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), George Miller (D-CA), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Michael Michaud (D-ME), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Louise Slaughter (D-NY) and John Olver (D-MA). In its decision on Monday, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that federal slaughterhouse law precludes California's statute. The case was National Meat Association v. Harris. The following is Ackerman and King's letter: ---------------------------------------------------- Supreme Court Overturns California Law Banning Slaughter of Downed Animals ACT NOW TO KEEP UNHEALTHY LIVESTOCK OUT OF OUR NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY! Become a cosponsor of H.R. 3704, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act Current cosponsors (14): Blumenauer, Bordallo, Farr, Grimm, Jackson Lee, King (NY), Kucinich, Lowey, Michaud, George Miller, Moran, Olver, Schakowsky, Slaughter Dear Colleague, On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down provisions of a California law that would have required downed animals (sick, diseased, or injured livestock incapable of supporting their own body weight) to be immediately and humanely euthanized, and would have prohibited the meat from such animals from being used for human consumption. The Court held that federal law precludes a state from imposing any rules on how downer animals are handled, both in terms of food safety and animal welfare. With the Court's decision to eliminate state action on downed animals, Congress must take action now.Please join us in cosponsoring H.R. 3704, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act, which would prevent downed animal meat from entering the food supply, and would require that these downed animals be humanely euthanized. Downed cattle are 50 times more likely to have mad cow disease (also known as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or BSE) than ambulatory cattle which are suspected of having BSE. In fact, 72% of the cases of confirmed BSE-positive animals in North America since 1993 have involved downed animals. Other downed livestock -- including downed pigs -- are also more likely to suffer from a variety of health problems than are ambulatory animals. In 2008, revelations that a California slaughter plant had permitted downed cattle to enter the food supply resulted in the largest meat recall in U.S. history. In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) amended federal meat inspection regulations to ban the slaughtering of downed cattle for human consumption and to require that these animals be humanely euthanized. The USDA ban, which went into effect on April 17, 2009, is not only humane, but is also good and sound science. Unfortunately, the current regulation contains a loophole that exempts downed calves. H.R. 3704 would effectively close this calf loophole; make permanent the USDA's ban on downer cattle; and extend the ban to all downed livestock, ensuring that unhealthy, high-risk, downed animals never enter our food supply. No American should have to worry about BSE-positive animals contaminating the food they eat. A single infected animal processed for human food would do lasting damage to consumer confidence while also putting American consumers in grave danger. When humans consume BSE-positive meat, they risk contracting variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a fatal degenerative brain disease with no known cure. From an industry perspective, we have already seen how a single BSE-positive animal can devastate our exports. Following the December 2003 discovery of a BSE-positive cow in a U.S. cattle herd, more than 50 countries announced bans on U.S. beef imports, including the top three importers of American beef -- Japan, Mexico, and South Korea -- who together bought nearly three-quarters of our total beef exports. Over the next few years, the U.S. beef industry lost $11 billion because of one BSE-positive cow. There is simply no need to further jeopardize a multi-billion dollar industry by attempting to wring a few thousand dollars out of a relatively small number of at-risk animals. Furthermore, downer livestock simply cannot be handled humanely, and should be euthanized. The humane rationale alone justifies the policy; however, taking into account the trade and public health implications, the case is overwhelming. In the last two years, two additional BSE cases have been confirmed in North America.We must act now to prevent contaminated meat from making its way to supermarkets, restaurants, and butcher counters across the country. Sincerely, Gary L. Ackerman Peter T. KingMember of Congress Member of Congress Source: http://ackerman.house.gov/press-releases/ackerman-renews-call-for-congress-to-pass-his-legislation-to-keep-unhealthy-animals-out-of-nations-food-supply/

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Toni & Gary 5a-8a Toni & Gary Podcasts Facebook Us! Follow @wbhpam on WBHP Huntsville's Big Talker Lawyer For Woman Allegedly Injured By Miguel At Billboard Awards... Lawyer for woman allegedly injured by Miguel at Billboard Awards speaks out Posted June 12th, 2013 @ 2:19pm by Jeremy Blacklow | Yahoo! Stop The Presses! Listen to Miguel on iHeartRadio (Yahoo!) - The story of Miguel's leap across the crowd in May at the Billboard Music Awards is far from over. At least one woman, Khyati Shah, says she was badly injured when the "Adorn" singer crashed into the crowd during his performance. Not much was known about Ms. Shah before now, but we now know that she's a full-timeforeign exchange student here from New Zealand, studying for a double degree in politics and philosophy at UCLA. Yahoo! Music caught up with her attorney, Vip Bhola, to learn more about the status of her health situation. Yahoo! reached out to representatives for both Miguel and the Billboard Music Awards, neither of which have issued comments regarding Mr. Bhola's claims at this time. What's the status of your client, Khyati Shah's, health? In terms of how Khyati's doing…she's a 4.0 student, so she has been doing well in school. She's got final exams this week and she's experiencing some memory loss, among other types of issues, and she's not going to be able to sit for her exams this week. So, we're concerned about that because it will obviously have an impact on her education right now and potentially her future. She was supposed to return home to New Zealand at the end of the month — at the end of the semester — and she's not going to be able to. She's likely going to have to postpone that trip. So, that's putting tremendous pressure on her because she's got to find a place to stay once the semester's over, and she's not exactly sure how she's going to pay for that. So, it's a lot of stress and anxiety that she's not exactly prepared for. Medical providers that she has seen already have told her that she needs to see a specialist, and that's what she's in the process of doing. She's seen general doctors so far, and she has been recommended now to see a specialized neurologist.

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Sign up to receive 90.5 WESA's weekly e-newsletter Margaret Thatcher's Life And Legacy In Britain By Philip Reeves Originally published on April 8, 2013 10:09 am Transcript DAVID GREENE, HOST: On a Monday, it is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm David Greene. Britain and the world are reflecting this morning on the life of Margaret Thatcher. The former British prime minister has died at the age of 87. Britain's current Prime Minister David Cameron remembered her this way. (SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH) PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON: As our first woman prime minister, Margaret Thatcher succeeded against all the odds. And the real thing about Margaret Thatcher is that she didn't just lead our country. She saved our country. And I believe she'll go down as the greatest British peacetime prime minister. GREENE: That's British Prime Minister David Cameron. Now, for more on the legacy of Margaret Thatcher, we're joined by NPR's Philip Reeves in London. Phil, good morning. PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: Good morning. GREENE: Thatcher's spokesman says that she died after suffering a stroke, but we know that she's been ill for some time. What more do we know about her condition? REEVES: Well, she's been ill for a long time, really started losing her health at the end of the 1990s. And she's been out of public view now for a very long period. We know that she was suffering from dementia, and we know also that she reached a point where she really wasn't functioning effectively at all towards the closing phases of that very sad illness. GREENE: We talk about her legacy. I mean, here in the United States, she's best-known for her very close partnership with Ronald Reagan during the waning years of the Cold War. And I want to play a little of her voice, if we can listen. This is Thatcher in a famous BBC interview describing her working relationship with then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. (SOUNDBITE OF BBC INTERVIEW) PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER: I like Mr. Gorbachev. We can do business together. We both believe in our own political systems. He firmly believes in his. I firmly believe in mine. We're never going to change one another. So that is not in doubt. But we have two great interests in common, that we should both do everything we can to see that war never starts again. And therefore, we go into the disarmament talks determined to make them succeed. And secondly, I think we both believe that they're more likely to succeed if we can build up confidence in one another and trust in one another about each other's approach. GREENE: I mean, Phil, that endorsement has been seen as really paving the way for Britain and the U.S. to work with the Soviet Union. Is that moment emblematic of Margaret Thatcher and her role in the world stage? REEVES: It certainly is, yes. I mean, she's credited with really spotting that Mikhail Gorbachev was a reformer, someone who the West - particularly the U.S. and Ronald Reagan - could work with. I think this was helped greatly by her very close personal chemistry with Ronald Reagan. They were obviously close ideologically, also. They shared this deep hostility to Soviet communism. But, of course, they were different in style. And I think that role that she played in laying the ground, really, for the end of the Cold War alongside Ronald Reagan, that's going to be what he legacy is internationally. And it's interesting, you know, if you go to former Soviet republics, former parts of the Soviet Union that have got their independence now, she's remembered very favorably, often, by people there. GREENE: Yeah, her name comes up all the time in countries like that. Well, OK, well, that's her legacy internationally, but a much more divisive legacy at home, domestically. REEVES: Divisive, but not much argument here. There is actually consensus here that she was a huge and towering figure on the political stage: the first woman prime minister, of course, not only in Britain, but of a major Western power, and the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. She rewrote the rulebook. She broke the powerful and often venal trade unions. She confronted - sometimes violently - the mining industry, for example, the miners. She privatized state-run industries, sold off social housing, liberalized the rules governing the financial sector and more. Did battle, for example, with the left. She was seen as very uncompromising, to the point of ruthlessness, particularly in that battle with the left, particularly at the municipal level. Her attempt also to crush Irish Republican militants, the IRA, during the civil war in Northern Ireland were also seen as very strong, ruthless, and led, in fact, to the bombing her Cabinet and attempted assassination of herself at a hotel in southern England in 1984. GREENE: All right, Phil. Thanks so much for talking to us. REEVES: You're welcome. GREENE: That's NPR's Philip Reeves in London, on the death this morning of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at the age of 87. And we'll have much more reaction to Thatcher's death throughout the day here on NPR News, and you can also follow the news online at npr.org, our website. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.Related Program: Morning Edition © 2016 90.5 WESA

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Brian Naylor NPR News' Brian Naylor is a correspondent on the Washington Desk. In this role, he covers politics and federal agencies, including transportation and homeland security. With more than 30 years of experience at NPR, Naylor has served as National Desk correspondent, White House correspondent, congressional correspondent, foreign correspondent and newscaster during All Things Considered. He has filled in as host on many NPR programs, including Morning Edition, Weekend Edition and Talk of the Nation. During his NPR career, Naylor has covered many of the major world events, including political conventions, the Olympics, the White House, Congress and the mid-Atlantic region. Naylor reported from Tokyo in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, from New Orleans following the BP oil spill, and from West Virginia after the deadly explosion at the Upper Big Branch coal mine. While covering the U.S. Congress in the mid-1990s, Naylor's reporting contributed to NPR's 1996 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Journalism award for political reporting. Before coming to NPR in 1982, Naylor worked at NPR Member Station WOSU in Columbus, Ohio, and at a commercial radio station in Maine. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine. OPM: 21.5 Million Social Security Numbers Stolen From Government Computers By Brian Naylor Jul 9, 2015 Updated at 9:40 p.m. ET The U.S. government says it's concluded "with high confidence" that the Social Security numbers of 21.5 million people were stolen from government background investigation databases. NYSE Says Software Update To Blame For Trading Halt Jul 9, 2015 The New York Stock Exchange says a planned software update caused Wednesday's system shutdown that halted trading for more than 3.5 hours. In a statement, the NYSE says its problems began Tuesday night with the rollout of a software release. The exchange says that as customers began connecting after 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday, "there were communication issues between customer gateways and the trading unit with the new release." Still with us? The NYSE says it turns out the gateways were "not loaded with the proper configuration compatible with the new release." Trading Resumes On New York Stock Exchange Jul 8, 2015 Updated at 3:15 p.m. ET Trading has resumed on the New York Stock Exchange, after computer related problems forced the exchange to suspend trading for more than three and a half hours. The exchange "temporarily halted" trading as of 11:32 a.m. ET; trading resumed at approximately 3:10 p.m. ET. The NYSE released a series of Tweets in which it said the issue was technical and not due to malicious activity: Excellent: Harry Shearer To Return To 'The Simpsons' Cast Jul 7, 2015 Big news today from Springfield: The voice of Mr. Burns is returning. Harry Shearer isn't leaving the cast of The Simpsons after all. Fox, which has aired the show since 1989, said today that it is "proud to confirm that each and every member of the iconic series' voice cast will be returning to the roles they've brought to life since the show's beginnings as a series of animated shorts nearly 30 years ago." Shearer also provides that voices of Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders and many other Simpsons characters. Obama Administration Aims To Expand Access To Solar Power By Brian Naylor Jul 7, 2015 The Obama administration hopes to make solar power more accessible for low- and middle-income Americans. It's announcing a series of moves, including installing more solar energy units in federally subsidized housing, low cost loans for homeowners and a program to help renters. Virginia's Pamunkey Tribe Granted Federal Recognition Jul 2, 2015 The federal government Thursday granted recognition to the Pamunkey Indian tribe of Virginia. The tribe, whose members encountered the first permanent English settlers some 400 years ago, had long sought the recognition. The Pamunkey tribe has just over 200 members, about a quarter of whom live on a reservation near Richmond. The announcement by the Bureau of Indian Affairs that it would recognize the tribe is "vindication," said tribal Chief Kevin Brown. U.S. Grants Federal Recognition To Pamunkey Indian Tribe Jul 2, 2015 Copyright 2015 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. Transcript ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST: Today the federal government granted recognition to the Pamunkey Indian tribe of Virginia. Its members encountered the first permanent English settlers some 400 years ago, and as NPR's Brian Naylor reports, the tribe had long-sought the recognition. BP To Pay $18.7 Billion To Settle Gulf Coast Oil Spill Claims Jul 2, 2015 BP on Thursday announced an $18.7 billion settlement with the U.S. government, five Gulf Coast states and more than 400 local governments. The agreement comes five years after the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Eleven workers were killed in the accident. The company says the payments, to be made over the next 18 years, "settle all state and local claims arising from the event." Justice Department Investigating Airlines For Possible Price Collusion Jul 1, 2015 The Justice Department says it is investigating "possible unlawful coordination" by several major airline carriers. American, Delta, Southwest and United Airlines have all confirmed receiving letters from the Justice Department. In a statement, American said the department "seeks documents and information from the last two years that are related to statements and decisions about airline capacity." A United spokesman said the company is complying fully in regard to the probe. Militants Stage Series Of Deadly Attacks In Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Jul 1, 2015 Militants launched a number of deadly attacks on checkpoints in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula early Wednesday. A group linked to the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility. Merrit Kennedy filed this report from Cairo for Newscast: "In Egypt, militants launched a coordinated series of assaults in the restive north Sinai peninsula. The military says 17 soldiers were killed, though local security officials earlier in the day said more than 50 soldiers were killed. Pages« first © 2016 WHQR

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Acid Thrown In Face Of Bolshoi Ballet's Artistic Director; He May Lose Sight By Mark Memmott Jan 18, 2013 ShareTwitter Facebook Google+ Email Sergei Filin, artistic director of the Bolshoi ballet, in 2011. Yuri Kadobnov / AFP/Getty Images A masked assailant threw acid into the face of the Bolshoi ballet's artistic director on Thursday in Moscow in what may have been a "reprisal for his selection of dancers in starring roles at the famed Russian company," The Associated Press reports. Russia Today writes that 42-year-old Sergei Filin "may lose his sight." He "suffered severe burns of multiple degrees to his face and eyes," it adds. And, the news outlet reports that: "It will take Filin at least six months to recover, Bolshoi spokesperson Ekaterina Novikova said. She added that Sergei Filin had received threats from anonymous callers before. 'We never imagined that a war for roles — not for real estate or for oil — could reach this level of crime,' Novikova said to Channel One. "Bolshoi general director Anatoly Iksanov said he believed the attack was linked to Filin's work at the theater. 'He is a man of principle and never compromised," Iksanov said. 'If he believed that this or that dancer was not ready or was unable to perform this or that part, he would turn them down.' " The Wall Street Journal writes that "Filin reportedly has been plagued by numerous intimidation tactics over the last few weeks, including tire slashing and Facebook hacking." According to The Guardian, Filin's family and colleagues say the attack "capped weeks of threats and intimidation." Filin, "a dancer who rose through the ranks of the world's largest ballet company to become its head," became the artistic director in 2011, The New York Times says. It writes that: "Among his first big decisions was to hire David Hallberg as a principal dancer — the first American to hold that coveted status, which has traditionally gone to Russian-trained dancers. ... "Mr. Filin's leadership has not stood out as especially controversial. But Anastasia Volochkova, a former Bolshoi ballerina, said his power to assign roles made him the focus of sometimes passionate resentment. ... "'The head of the ballet decides everything: what grants each artists receive, or maybe won't receive. Who will dance certain roles, and who won't dance them,' [she said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy, a radio station]. ... 'The cruelty of the ballet world has become surprisingly pathological.' " Copyright 2013 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/. View the discussion thread. © 2016 WKMS

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Oct 3 2011 at 12:39 PM Updated Oct 3 2011 at 12:39 PM FED:Aditya Birla fined for water in Qld mine Copper miner Aditya Birla has been fined by a Queensland court for having too much water at its Mt Gordon mine in the Mt Isa region.The Perth-based company on Monday said it had been ordered by the Queensland Planning and Environment Court to take certain steps to reduce accumulated water at the mine.It said no conviction had been recorded, but a fine had been imposed for breach of environmental requirements.Aditya Birla said it had spent more than $20 million building and improving environmental infrastructure at Mt Gordon since rescuing the mine from bankruptcy in 2003. "The company will continue its efforts to ensure that it is in compliance with all current regulatory requirements," Aditya Birla said in a statement.

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Ice cream celebrated during the month of July Photo by Scott Rodgers Patsy Kilgore scoops some ice cream at Bruster's on Tuesday afternoon. Patrick Hardman, 6, enjoys some strawberry ice cream at the Pink Dipper on July 10. Sylvia Hazel, Carlos Hazel Jr., 12, and Corey Hazel, 7, enjoy some ice cream at Bruster’s on July 9. It’s summer, and that means it’s time to go out and get a scoop of your favorite flavor. July is National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month is the national day. In 1984 President Ronald Reagan designated the month and day. Reagan stated that 90 percent of the nation’s population enjoyed the frosty treat, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. In North Augusta there are two local shops that are recognizing the holiday. The Pink Dipper, 501 Georgia Ave., and Bruster’s Real Ice Cream, 1279 Knox Ave., both have lined up family friendly events and specials. The Pink Dipper focuses heavily on their fans of the four-legged variety. “Our annual Dog Days of Summer will kick-off after National Ice Cream Day,” said Lindy Myers, co-owner of the Pink Dipper. “Specials include doggie sundaes, doggie treats and natural dog treats.” For humans there will also be buy one, get one specials and prize specials from 1 to 8 p.m. on July 21. In August, there will also be a Shepeard Blood Drive with donors receiving free ice cream. At Bruster’s there will be some equally exciting, and tasty, events going on. “On the 21st, from 3 to 5 p.m., we’re going to have Scoop, who is our mascot, here,” said Rhonda Kendrick, manager. “We also celebrate his birthday on National Ice Cream Day. We’ll have a bouncy house, face painting and we try to incorporate it into a summer thing – where did you go and what did you do, that sort of thing. Anybody who shows up with a vacation shirt, like Disneyland, Myrtle Beach, wherever they’ve been, will get a buy one, get one free waffle cone.” There will also be games and prizes available for those who want to participate. Bruster’s also participates in the blood drives and is focused heavily on ingraining itself in the community. “We want to make it fun for everybody,” Kendrick said. “If we haven’t hit on the type of event you want just give us a call. We’ll try to accommodate it.” Scott Rodgers is the news editor at the North Augusta Star and has been with the paper since January 2013 after previously working at the Aiken Standard. He is a graduate of Alvernia University and currently attends Drexel University. Scuttle’s Island land owner pleaded guilty to fraud, theft charges in PennsylvaniaScuttle’s Island general manager responds to land owner’s Pennsylvania recordScuttle’s Island property in North Augusta sells for $2.2 millionNAHS students celebrate school choices in inaugural eventBookings for May 6-14

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Study: Seat belt usage in S.C. rises Warrenville man charged with kidnapping, cruelty to children Savannah River Site’s MOX facility to have its day in court next month Highway Patrol charge Graniteville man with DUI after Sunday car crash Additional Links A record number of South Carolinians are buckling up, according to the S.C. Department of Public Safety, which announced this month that the state set a record-breaking safety belt usage rate of 91.7 percent. The percentage rate is based on a survey conducted by the University of South Carolina, which is based on traffic counts conducted in 16 counties and focused on drivers and passengers who used shoulder style safety belts in June 2013. South Carolina's rate surpasses the current national usage rate of 86 percent, according to a statement from the Department of Public Safety. This is the second consecutive year the rate has increased. Specific numbers for Aiken County were not available. Cpl. Sonny Collins attributed the increased usage to the Highway Patrol's enforcement and education. “Troopers are looking for seat belt violations because we know it saves lives,” he said. “We spend a good portion of our time in schools and community groups trying to educate on the importance of seat belts. You look at the seat belt usage rate, as high as it is, and the number of fatalities – they go hand-in-hand.” As of Friday, 385 people have been killed on South Carolina roadways, compared to 488 people at the same point last year, according to the Highway Patrol. In Aiken County, 16 people have died on state roadways this year, compared to 14 at the same point last year. Collins said those numbers include motorcycle and pedestrian fatalities. The study also found that women are more likely than men to wear seat belts, that rural occupants are less likely to use safety belts than urban occupants and that white occupants had a higher rate of use than “other motorists.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, regular safety belt use is the most effective way to protect people and reduce fatalities in vehicle crashes. Safety belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45 percent, and by 60 percent in trucks, SUVs and minivans. “It (seat belt) keeps them in the car,” Collins said of wearing a seat belt. “If you're ejected from the vehicle, you're up to seven times more likely to die, especially if there's multiple people in the car. If people aren't wearing seat belts, they very seldom stay in their seats.” Collins said a vehicle occupant actually suffers three crashes during a vehicle crash. The first crash is the vehicle striking an object such as a utility pole or a tree. “If you're not wearing a seat belt, the second crash is inside the vehicle because your body is still traveling at 55 mph until it impacts the steering wheel or windshield,” Collins said. The third crash is your body's internal organs crashing against your skeletal system. “That's where we start seeing significant internal injuries and bleeding, which can result in death,” Collins said. The Highway Patrol has newer ways of reaching out and educating people about the importance of seat belts, including their rollover simulators, which use a life-size dummy to demonstrate what happens to an unrestrained passenger during a rollover collision. “That makes a big impact, especially on our young drivers,” Collins said. “They're able to hear that dummy – even if it doesn't become ejected, they hear it crashing around inside that vehicle.” Collins noted that the device simulates a rollover occurring at about 20 mph. To request one of the simulators at a presentation, or to request a state trooper to address your school or group, visit the Highway Patrol's website and click on “Request a Trooper.” Teddy Kulmala covers the crime beat for the Aiken Standard and has been with the newspaper since August 2012. He is a native of Williston and majored in communication studies at Clemson University.

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Aiken man detained on burglary, drug charges One Table no longer accepting volunteers, but there are other ways to help Planned Parenthood will cover costs of fetal tissue programs Wenner An Aiken man released from jail less than a month ago was detained on burglary and drug charges on Friday, according to the Aiken Department of Public Safety. Charlie Gene Wenner, 30, of Cedar Road, was charged with second-degree burglary, possession of a controlled substance schedule II and possession of a controlled substance schedule III. He was placed in the Aiken County detention center, where he remained on Monday afternoon. Officers were called to a hotel on Richland Avenue about 8:30 p.m. on Friday after someone reported a white male wearing tan pants and a black shirt, carrying a blue duffel bag and looking into people's cars in the McDonald's parking lot next door, according to the report. Officers detained and Mirandized Wenner, who waived his rights and agreed to talk with them. They wrote that his story was “inconsistent.” Wenner allowed officers to search his duffel bag, in which they found several bottles of prescription pills and liquid with various names, including Ambien and hydrocodone, according to the report. Only one of the bottles was Wenner's. Officers also found wallets, cards and dog tags bearing other people's names, as well as a hammer, screwdrivers, socket wrenches and other tools. Wenner couldn't provide a valid reason why he had property in the bag belonging to so many different people and said they just “left it behind,” the report stated. Officers couldn't confirm that any of the items were stolen, so Wenner was detained on just the drug charges. While processing the evidence later, officers noticed the address on one of the pill bottles matched the address of a burglary that the Aiken County Sheriff's Office had worked earlier that day, according to the report. That information was forwarded to the Sheriff's Office for them to pursue charges. Another pill bottle had the address of a burglary on Schroeder Avenue that Aiken Public Safety responded to earlier on Friday evening, the report stated. Additionally, Wenner matched the description of the suspect seen fleeing the scene of that burglary. According to the Aiken County detention center website, Wenner was jailed July 20 on multiple charges of third-degree burglary, breaking and entering a motor vehicle and simple larceny. He was released Sept. 19.

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Pope Benedict's resignation statement - Al Jazeera English Created with Sketch. Watch Live Now Playing Human RightsPope Benedict's resignation statement Pope Benedict delivered a speech to members of a church council announcing his planned resignation. 11 Feb 2013 13:00 GMT | Human Rights, Europe Pope Benedict was elected as pope in 2005 [Reuters]The following is the text of the speech that Pope Benedict delivered in Latin to members of a consistory, or church council, announcing his planned resignation on Monday. It was distributed by the Vatican in a statement: "Dear Brothers, "I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonisations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. "I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the barque of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me. "For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours [19:00 GMT], the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is. "Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer."Source: The Vatican RelatedPope Benedict resigns due to advancing age Head of Roman Catholic Church will step down on February 28, the first pope to resign from the position in 598 years. Europe, France, IsraelPope starts tweeting to followers Pope Benedict sends his first Twitter message using the handle @pontifex as his personal account. Europe MORE FROM AL JAZEERA Pope Benedict resigns due to advancing age Europe, France, Israel Pope starts tweeting to followers

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Missouri shooting victim called quiet, respectful FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Michael Brown Sr. stood alone in the center of the narrow street where the blood of his namesake son still stained the gray pavement, two days after the 18-year-old was shot dead by a police officer. He straightened a waist-high wooden cross and re-lit the candles erected as part of a makeshift memorial."Big Mike," as some of his friends called Michael Brown Jr., wasn't the type to fight, family and neighbors said, though he lived in a restless neighborhood where police were on frequent patrol. His parents and neighbors described him as a good-hearted kid with an easy smile who certainly wouldn't have condoned the violence and looting that spread though his north St. Louis suburb following his death."He was funny, silly, he would make you laugh," his father said, and when there was "any problem going on, any situation, there wasn't nothing that he couldn't solve. He could bring people back together."Brown, who was unarmed, was shot Saturday by a Ferguson police officer while walking with a friend down the center of the street. Police have said a scuffle broke out after the officer asked the boys to move to the side. Witnesses say Brown's arms were in the air — in a sign of surrender — as a white policeman repeatedly shot the black youth.After a vigil Sunday night, an angry crowd looted stores, and a night later police in Ferguson fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse protesters. The U.S. Justice Department has announced that its civil rights division is investigating, and Brown's family retained the same lawyer who represented relatives of Trayvon Martin — the Florida teen killed in a racially charged 2012 shooting. Civil rights activist Al Sharpton joined the family Tuesday to urge protesters to refrain from violence.Brown was among a small group of students who had graduated Aug. 1 from Normandy High School, needing the summer to finish their required credits. He was to have started college his week for a career in heating and air conditioning engineering."We can't even celebrate; we've got to plan a funeral," said his tearful mother, Lesley McSpadden.Brown had been staying at his grandmother's apartment when the shooting occurred, and family and neighbors said he had long shied away from confrontation.Because he was big, he gave football a try his sophomore year of high school. But he quit before the first game, said cousin Eric Davis."Him being a gentle spirit, he was like,'I don't like to hit people,'" Davis said Tuesday. "'He would be like, I might hurt him. I don't want to hurt him.'"A couple of weeks before his death, Brown had confessed Jesus as his savior, said a great-uncle, pastor Charles Ewing. Shortly thereafter, Brown had a dream in which he saw a body laying covered by a sheet, Ewing said."He didn't know whose body it was," Ewing said, his voice cracking. "He said, 'One day, the whole world is going to know my name' ... not knowing this is what was going to happen."Neighbor Sharon Johnson, 58, said Brown frequently stopped to chat with her, including about his faith."He had a more mature mind than a little boy's mind," she said.On Monday, Johnson was standing at the side of the street where Brown was shot as a woman who had driven in from a nearby community preached loudly to anyone willing to listen about the importance of peaceful protests and parental discipline for teenagers.A passing car stopped, letting out a man wearing a newly made black T-shirt bearing Brown's baby picture and the words "NO JUSTICE NO PEACE.""I'm his father," he said somberly, eliciting hugs.The older Brown picked up a piece of cardboard that had been lying on the ground. "End police brutality," it read. He placed it on a pile of toy animals stacked by a streetlight pole, then set about straightening up his son's mid-street memorial.He had just returned to the grass when a gunshot rang out. Then another. And another. It was time to go.___Follow David A. Lieb at: http://www.twitter.com/DavidALieb

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Home » Magazine » 1961 » Volume 12, Issue 5 A Year In Hell An American journalist, George Kennan, was the first to reveal the full horrors of Siberian exile and the brutal, studied inhumanity of czarist “justice” Robert Cowley August 1961 | Volume 12, Issue 5 PrintEmail Like so many men who have spent a great part of their lives championing unsuccessful causes, the elder George Kennan is all but forgotten today. This relative oblivion is as ironic as it is undeserved, for in an important way, he was one of the most influential figures of his time. For all his visionary tendencies and his obsessive sense of mission, Kennan was essentially a journalist with a muckraking bent; but it was not the evils of an individual industry that he exposed, nor the corruption of a single city, but the deep-scaled sickness of an entire nation. That nation was czarist Russia, a brutal police state which had disguised itself to the world as a benevolent autocracy and had long been accepted as such, even by Kennan himself.For America and Russia, the years following the Civil War were with minor exceptions a kind of golden age, a period of unabashed and scarcely blemished good-fellowship. Then, in the year 1888, Century Magazine began to publish a long and highly sensational series of articles by a newspaperman whose chief reputation lay in an account of two years spent in the Siberian Arctic. They were moving; they were exciting; they were utterly inflammatory. They told of an 8,8,000-mile journey across the remote steppes and mountain ranges of Russian Asia; of overcrowded and unspeakably filthy prisons; of fettered and ill-clad convicts marching unimaginable distances; and of men and women banished forever into the wastes of the Arctic for daring to advocate reform of a system under which one’s every move and expression of opinion was closely scrutinized by the authorities, and a political offender was likely to be punished as severely as a common murderer. Their author was a slightly built but deceptively sturdy man, with a high forehead, rather prominent eyes, and a great, luxuriant handlebar mustache. His features were handsome and intense, though one could detect in them a hint of a somewhat retiring, if not oversensitive, nature. Born in 1845 in a small town in the Western Reserve region of Ohio, George Kennan came of poor parents and had no more than a grade school education (when asked in later life what college he had attended, he would reply simply, “Russia”). He began life as a telegrapher, and his skill in this work soon brought him to the notice of his employers in the Western Union Company. In 1865, he was among those chosen to participate in one of the most remarkable—if eventually unsuccessful—ventures of the nineteenth century.After the first attempt to lay an Atlantic cable had failed, Western Union conceived a novel plan of carrying a telegraph line to Europe via Alaska and Siberia. From 1865 to 1867, in an epic undertaking nearly 6,000 miles of wilderness were explored from Vancouver Island on the Pacific coast of North America to the Amur River on the frontier of the Chinese empire. As a member of one of the working parties, the twenty-year-old Kennan was landed on the Kamchatka Peninsula of Siberia and left to survey the course of the line through an utterly desolate and, in many places, unmapped region of wild mountains and gray, oceanlike expanses of tundra that were inhabited only by nomadic Koryaks and a handful of hardy Russian settlers. In spite of incredibly difficult conditions—temperatures in the winter sometimes dropped to sixty below zero—Kennan and his companions completed their arduous assignment, only to learn that a second Atlantic cable had been successfully put down, and the Russian-American telegraph venture discontinued. Returning to the United States by way of European Russia, Kennan and another American crossed Siberia in the middle of winter, eventually reaching the czarist capital of St. Petersburg, 5,000 miles away.The result of his adventures was a book, Tent Life in Siberia, which, for all the patent immaturity of its author, is still a freshly written and engrossing account, one of the small classics of nineteenth-century travel literature. It sold moderately well, and its proceeds allowed Kennan to return to Russia, this time to the Caucasus, where he spent a year. In general, these first two trips had given him an extremely favorable impression of the czarist regime: naturally conservative himself, he admired it in principle (though much preferring democracy as a form of government) and was quite skeptical of the tales of police oppression and the barbarity of the Siberian exile system that reached the West. His convictions on these matters were firm and were grounded, so he thought, on reliable information; and he repeatedly defended his position, both in articles and public debate. 1 Semipalatinsk Transbaikal

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Home > News > Great Lakes shipping season begins close Great Lakes shipping season begins Wednesday, March 06, 2013 The 2013 Great Lakes shipping season began on March 2 with the sailing of the tug/barge unit Prentiss Brown/St. Marys Conquest. The vessel, operated by Port City Marine Services, departed its winter lay-up berth in Milwaukee and sailed for Charlevoix, Mich., where it loaded 9,200 tons of cement for delivery to Chicago, according to the Lake Carriers’ Association. Next to get underway was the tug/barge unit Dorothy Ann/Pathfinder. The vessel, one of 10 operated by The Interlake Steamship Co., loaded about 13,000 tons of iron ore at Cleveland Bulk Terminal on March 4 for delivery to the steel mill at the end of the deep-draft section of the Cuyahoga River. The next vessels to enter service will be two cement carriers on March 7. The iron ore trade out of Escanaba, Mich., is expected to resume on March 14. Over the next several weeks, the association said 52 more U.S.-flag lakers will return to service and spend 10-plus months hauling raw materials such as iron ore, limestone and coal. The Lake Carriers’ Association represents 17 American companies that operate 57 U.S.-flag vessels on the Great Lakes. Iron ore for steel production is the primary cargo moved by U.S.-flag lakers. In 2012, the fleet moved more than 45 million tons of taconite pellets. Limestone for the construction industry and steel-making approached 22 million tons. Coal for power generation totaled more than 17 million tons. Other cargos included cement, salt, sand and grain and collectively totaled 5 million tons. Those totals were impacted by the dredging crisis on the Great Lakes. At the end of 2012, the largest vessels were leaving more than 10,000 tons of cargo behind because of inadequate dredging and falling water levels. More than 18 million cubic yards of sediment now clog Great Lakes ports and waterways, the association said. Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would require the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) to spend what it takes in for dredging on dredging. H.R. 335 was presented on Jan. 22 and already has 94 co-sponsors, 17 from Great Lakes districts, while S. 218 was introduced on Feb. 4, and has 31 co-sponsors, including 12 of the 16 Great Lakes senators. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates it would cost about $200 million to restore the Great Lakes Navigation System, just a fraction of the surplus amassed in the HMTF. L.A./Long Beach port terminals ‘incapable’ of weighing boxes for SOLAS compliance Meanwhile, a global survey from the London-based Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents finds many countries have failed to take action at national level to ensure the IMO container weight requirement can be met. Dry shipping container prices fall to lowest level since 2002 The price of an average container fell 15 percent during the first quarter of 2016, according to a recent report from London-based shipping consultant Drewry Maritime. PACTL sets new volume records in Q1 The air cargo terminal operator achieved new throughput records for March and the first quarter of 2016. Copyright Policy

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News James DiMaggio seen fortifying hideout before FBI killed him Gallery of people kidnapped and held for long periods before escaping or being freed, and some of their abductors. Andrew Blankstein and Kate Mather CASCADE, Idaho --Kidnapping suspect James Lee DiMaggio appeared to be fortifying a patch of wilderness when he was fatally shot by an FBI agent Saturday in a raid that recovered 16-year-old Hannah Anderson unharmed in the Idaho backwoods, law enforcement sources told The Times.Authorities have released few details about how DiMaggio was killed. But sources said that before the confrontation, authorities had observed DiMaggio moving some wood and other materials around, possibly to fortify his position or make the hideout harder to see from the air. DiMaggio and Anderson were found with some camp gear, including a blue tent, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment.Anderson was unharmed but taken to a hospital for observation. Her abductor was fatally shot by an FBI agent. “I am nervous, excited and saddened for my wife and son and worried what my daughter has been through,” said Brett Anderson, Hannah’s father, said in a text sent to CNN. “It’s now healing time. Keep us in your prayers.”PHOTOS: Search for San Diego teenJennifer Willis, Hannah's great aunt, told ABC she can't wait to see her. "We're waiting, waiting for Hannah to come home," she said.Law enforcement officials offered few other details on the shooting, and would not divulge whether there was a firefight. They did say that no law enforcement officials were hurt during the incident.Officials said late Saturday that it could take "some time" to fully process the crime scene. A large group of local and federal investigators were on the scene.DiMaggio, 40, was killed after he was found by an FBI search team near Morehead Lake, about 70 miles north of Boise, and just a few miles from where the two were spotted by a horseback rider Wednesday, officials said. The agent had been alerted to DiMaggio and the kidnapped teen by searchers scouring the area by plane.“Hannah’s safe, and that’s the best outcome we were hoping for,” Andrea Dearden, a spokeswoman for the Ada County Sheriff’s Department, said during a Sunday news briefing.After the shooting, Hannah was helicoptered to a hospital for evaluation. San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said at a news conference that she appeared to be in “pretty good shape” but gave no further details.MAP: Key locations in rescue effortThe killing ended a tense, multi-state manhunt that began Aug. 4, when firefighters found the bodies of Hannah's mother and younger brother at DiMaggio's burning home, east of San Diego. Ever since, police have been focused on Hannah, who authorities believed was abducted.The case prompted officials in several western states to send missing-children Amber Alert text messages to the public.“Obviously, we would have liked Mr. DiMaggio to surrender and face justice in a court of law, but that’s not going to be the case,” Gore said.Search crews poured into this mountainous wilderness region late in the week after a pair of major breaks. First, a man riding horseback Wednesday spotted hikers believed to be the missing pair.The witness said the man and teenage girl had a tent and backpacks, but looked out of place in the rugged terrain. The rider said nothing else seemed particularly unusual, so he continued on. “They exchanged pleasantries and he left the area thinking they were hiking and camping,” Dearden said.Once the rider got home he found out about the Amber Alert, prompting him to contact the Idaho State Police, she said.PHOTOS: Long-term abductionsThen, on Friday morning, DiMaggio’s blue Nissan Versa, featured prominently in the alerts, was found at the edge of a remote trailhead. It was “the last place you can go before you hit the wilderness and stop driving,” Dearden said. The car’s license plates had been removed but authorities confirmed it was DiMaggio’s car by a check of its vehicle identification number. For a time, authorities worried that DiMaggio may have planted explosives in the car, but none were found.The hunt focused on a roughly 300-square-mile swath of rugged terrain. A haven for wolves, bears and mountain lions, the area is so remote that some searchers had to be flown in while others rode horses.By Saturday afternoon, roughly 200 local and federal law enforcement officers were combing the federally protected hillsides. Eventually, with air crews circling the skies, a pair of U.S. marshals in a surveillance plane spotted the campsite, DiMaggio and the teen.DiMaggio was said to be an experienced outdoorsman who had joined the Anderson family on camping trips. Authorities say he recently purchased backpacking equipment -- a sign, they noted, that the abduction may have been planned.The broader search began Aug. 4, when firefighters battled a house fire at DiMaggio’s home east of San Diego and eventually found the charred bodies of Hannah’s mother, 44-year-old Christiana, and the teen’s 8-year old brother, Ethan. Christiana Anderson died of blunt force trauma and may have been hit with a crowbar, a source close to the investigation told The Times.Once the bodies were found and officials figured out that Hannah was missing, state officials began seeking the public's help -- using for the first time in California an Amber Alert system sent through cellphones. The search quickly broadened beyond U.S. borders, to Mexico and Canada, as well as to Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Idaho.Blankstein reported from Los Angeles, Mather from Cascade, Idaho.ALSO:Two men held on arson charges in Chatsworth fire Woman's body found in search for missing investigatorDevelopment near Hollywood fault allowed without seismic study James Lee DiMaggio Hannah Anderson Hannah Anderson talks DiMaggio letters, criticism in first interview Hannah Anderson, DiMaggio seen on highway 20 hours before house fire

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Seddon murders: Father 'told GP son tried to kill him' From the section England Robert and Patricia Seddon were shot dead at their home in Sale A man who told his doctor he thought his son had tried to kill him was shot dead along with his wife 24 hours later, Manchester Crown Court heard.Stephen Seddon was hailed a hero after parents Robert, 68, and Patricia, 65, survived when the car he was driving crashed into a canal last year.But both were shot after Robert Seddon told his GP he thought the crash was an attempt to kill them, a jury heard. Mr Seddon, of County Durham, denies their murders and attempted murders.It is alleged he shot his parents at their home in Sale, Greater Manchester, on 6 July 2012, with a sawn-off shotgun because he had debts and an "insatiable thirst" for his father's cash. The couple lived at the house with their grandson Daniel Mr Seddon, a father-of-three from Benevente Street, Seaham, stood to inherit £230,000 in their wills, the court heard, although his parents had already gifted him £40,000 cash and bought his home.The day before he was killed, retired British Airways worker Robert Seddon told his GP he was going to confront his son with his suspicions about the canal "accident", the jury was told.The prosecution allege Mr Seddon drove a car with his parents strapped in the back into the Bridgewater Canal in Timperley in March last year, in an earlier bid to kill them. Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said: "He had previously expressed a view the canal incident was an accident."By this time he was expressing his concerns to his GP that his son had tried to kill himself and his wife when his son drove into the canal."Mr Wright said the killer had made the scene look like Robert Seddon had killed his wife and then himself.The case continues. More on this story Seddon murders: Son 'shot parents for inheritance' 21 February 2013 Son denies murdering parents 28 September 2012 Related Internet links HM Courts Service The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites

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Print Email Font ResizeMatt Cusson: Casual gig for family, friendsBy Jeremy D. Goodwin, Special to The EaglePosted: 11/09/2012 04:47:26 AM ESTFriday November 9, 2012 PITTSFIELD -- Matt Cusson has long since found his own way through the sometimes thorny life of the independent musician fending for himself in the business. A few years removed from the release of his debut album and a breakthrough award that put him on the map in music circles, the Pittsfield native is re turning to town for a show at the Colonial The atre's The Garage space to night. Last au tumn he played a date at Shakespeare & Com pany with Livingston Taylor, followed by a Christmas show at Berkshire Theatre Group's Unicorn Theatre, but tonight's gig, he says, is more of a casual affair. "The past few years I've done big theaters" for homecoming shows, he says in a telephone interview, but The Garage's booker Noah Weiss enticed him with the notion of a more intimate performance. "It's more like what I do all year long all over the world. Instead of having one big monster hometown show, let's just treat it like it's a show like I'm in New York, except with my family and friends from my hometown," he explains. "So it's going to be a much more fun show as opposed to a huge production. It's just going to be fun." He'll be backed by bass player Chris Loftin, who he's worked with in the band of R&B star Brian McKnight, plus a young drummer and special guests who'll include whiz-kid guitarist Jeff Howard, formerly of the McLovins. The songwriter, vocalist and keyboard player, known for an often-sultry mix of jazz and blue-eyed soul, is on the verge of his first major follow-up to a burst of success surrounding his 2009 debut solo record.Advertisement At the time, he captured a series of high-profile awards -- the top prize of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, which he won by unanimous fiat of its celebrity judges (and that that carried a $20,000 prize along with its intangible cachet); plus the Billboard Songwriting Award and a second-place show ing in an international song writing competition. It was a real publicity boon, he recounts. "It was a heck of a staircase to another level of the business. These days, when I get introduced a lot of people mention that and people just take you a little more seriously, especially as a songwriter -- any time your name gets mentioned in the same breath as John Lennon!" Though he's done some featured guest spots on other artists' records since then, the first new release under his name will be a Christmas-themed EP, which he just finished recording and hopes to have out in several weeks. That'll be followed up in January by a new single (which he describes as a simple pop number) called "Leaving L.A." He signed a one-off deal with an independent label for the first record, but is going it solo for now. The January single, in fact, is occasioned by behind-the-scenes interest he's been able to generate for licensing opportunities. In today's music world, he says, licensing fees for things like film and television soundtracks are promising sources of income -- and exposure -- the independent musician is wise to pursue. "It's unbelievable, because record labels aren't paying people anymore. Especially for independent musicians, the licensing is one of the biggest avenues we have to get heard and to make some money," Cusson says. Tonight's show is preceded by a songwriting workshop at 4. Cusson will use two of his songs -- the award-winning number "One of Those Nights," which employs lots of jazzy chord changes, and the poppier selection "Leaving L.A." -- to lead a tour through writing and recording a song, as well as getting it out into the marketplace. Cusson grew up listening to and playing music, starting to perform at Berkshire open mic nights at age 11 and taking to learning songs on the piano by ear. He was snatched away from Berklee College of Music midway through his third semester by McKnight, who heard him sing informally and began making calls on his behalf before the song was over. The smooth-voiced elder statesman, a prolific author of R&B hits and a 16-time Gram my Award nominee, put Cusson to work in his band, as an opening act, and on various recording projects. A decade later, the relationship continues. It's fostered a series of dream-come-through collaborations for Cusson, an avid student of the history of pop, soul, and the singer/songwriter tradition -- he's found himself jamming with Stevie Wonder and James Taylor, to name two prominent examples. When superstorm Sandy temporarily prevented Cusson from returning home to Jersey City after some gigs, he says, the solution was to fly back to Cali fornia and stay with McKnight for a few days, working casually on some studio projects. "Fairy-tale-wise, those kinds of moments are just unbelievable to me. I'm sitting here with a guy that I grew up listening to, and we're writing a song together," he says. Whether backing a legend like Stevie on television or playing a small solo show out on the road for a small crowd, Cusson says it's all about logging experiences -- and letting the fairy tale play out one scene at a time.Print Email Font ResizeReturn to Top RELATED

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Fallout for states rejecting Medicaid expansion Bruce Westerman In this April 16, 2013 photo, Arkansas House Majority Leader Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, signals his intention to speak against a Medicaid funding bill in the House chamber at the Arkansas state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark., Tuesday, April 16, 2013. The funding provision passed. (AP Photo/Danny Johnston) Published: Monday, April 22, 2013 at 12:05 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, April 22, 2013 at 12:05 p.m. WASHINGTON (AP) — Rejecting the Medicaid expansion in the federal health care law could have unexpected consequences for states where Republican lawmakers remain steadfastly opposed to what they scorn as "Obamacare." It could mean exposing businesses to Internal Revenue Service penalties and leaving low-income citizens unable to afford coverage even as legal immigrants get financial aid for their premiums. For the poorest people, it could virtually guarantee they remain uninsured and dependent on the emergency room at local hospitals that already face federal cutbacks.Concern about such consequences helped forge a deal in Arkansas last week. The Republican-controlled Legislature endorsed a plan by Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe to accept additional Medicaid money under the federal law, but use the new dollars to buy private insurance for eligible residents.One of the main arguments for the private option was that it would help businesses avoid tax penalties.The Obama administration hasn't signed off on the Arkansas deal, and it's unclear how many other states will use it as a model. But it reflects a pragmatic streak in American politics that's still the exception in the polarized health care debate."The biggest lesson out of Arkansas is not so much the exact structure of what they are doing," said Alan Weil, executive director of the nonpartisan National Academy for State Health Policy. "Part of it is just a message of creativity, that they can look at it and say, 'How can we do this in a way that works for us?'"About half the nearly 30 million uninsured people expected to gain coverage under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul would do so through Medicaid. Its expansion would cover low-income people making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, about $15,860 for an individual.Middle-class people who don't have coverage at their jobs will be able to purchase private insurance in new state markets, helped by new federal tax credits. The big push to sign up the uninsured starts this fall, and coverage takes effect Jan. 1.As originally written, the Affordable Care Act required states to accept the Medicaid expansion as a condition of staying in the program. Last summer's Supreme Court decision gave each state the right to decide. While that pleased many governors, it also created complications by opening the door to unintended consequences.So far, 20 mostly blue states, plus the District of Columbia, have accepted the expansion.Thirteen GOP-led states have declined. They say Medicaid already is too costly, and they don't trust Washington to keep its promise of generous funding for the expansion, which would mainly help low-income adults with no children at home.Concerns about unintended consequences could make the most difference in 17 states still weighing options.A look at some potential side effects:—The Employer GlitchStates that don't expand Medicaid leave more businesses exposed to tax penalties, according to a recent study by Brian Haile, Jackson Hewitt's senior vice president for tax policy. He estimates the fines could top $1 billion a year in states refusing.Under the law, employers with 50 or more workers that don't offer coverage face penalties if just one of their workers gets subsidized private insurance through the new state markets. But employers generally do not face fines under the law for workers who enroll in Medicaid.In states that don't expand Medicaid, some low-income workers who would otherwise have been eligible have a fallback option. They can instead get subsidized private insurance in the law's new markets. But that would trigger a penalty for their employer."It highlights how complicated the Affordable Care Act is," said Haile.—The Immigrant QuirkArizona Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, called attention this year to this politically awkward problem when she proposed that her state accept the Medicaid expansion.Under the health law, U.S. citizens below the poverty line — $11,490 for an individual, $23,550 for a family of four — can only get coverage through the Medicaid expansion. But lawfully present immigrants who are also below the poverty level are eligible for subsidized private insurance.Congress wrote the legislation that way to avoid controversy associated with trying to change previous laws that require legal immigrants to wait five years before they can qualify for Medicaid. Instead of dragging immigration politics into the health care debate, lawmakers devised a detour.Before the Supreme Court ruling, it was a legislative patch.Now it could turn into an issue in states with lots of immigrants, such as Texas and Florida, creating the perception that citizens are being disadvantaged versus immigrants.—The Fairness ArgumentUnder the law, U.S. citizens below the poverty line can only get taxpayer-subsidized coverage by going into Medicaid. But other low-income people making just enough to put them over the poverty line can get subsidized private insurance through the new state markets.An individual making $11,700 a year would be able to get a policy. But someone making $300 less would be out of luck, dependent on charity care."Americans have very strong feelings about fairness," said Weil.Medicare and Medicaid chief Marilyn Tavenner, also overseeing the health overhaul, told the Senate recently that cost is a key question as the administration considers the Arkansas deal. Private insurance is more expensive than Medicaid.But Tavenner said the Arkansas approach may be cost-effective if it reduces the number of low-income people cycling back and forth between Medicaid and private coverage, saving administrative expenses. "We are willing to look at it," she said.

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HomeTravel AP Interview: Putin warns West on Syria action Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures while speaking to John Daniszewski, the Associated Press's Senior Managing Editor for International News, during an AP interview at Putin's Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. Putin sought to downplay the current chill in the U.S.-Russian relations and said that the two countries need to cooperate on a range of issues in the interests of global stability, (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) JOHN DANISZEWSKI, Associated PressLYNN BERRY, Associated Press Published: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 1:45 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 1:45 p.m. NOVO-OGARYOVO, Russia (AP) — President Vladimir Putin warned the West against taking one-sided action in Syria but also said Russia "doesn't exclude" supporting a U.N. resolution on punitive military strikes if it is proved that Damascus used poison gas on its own people. In a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press and Russia's state Channel 1 television, Putin said Moscow has provided some components of the S-300 air defense missile system to Syria but has frozen further shipments. He suggested that Russia may sell the potent missile systems elsewhere if Western nations attack Syria without U.N. Security Council backing.The interview late Tuesday night at Putin's country residence outside the Russian capital was the only one he granted prior to the summit of G-20 nations in St. Petersburg, which opens Thursday. The summit was supposed to concentrate on the global economy but now looks likely to be dominated by the international crisis over allegations that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in the country's civil war.Putin said he felt sorry that President Barack Obama canceled a one-on-one meeting in Moscow that was supposed to have happened before the summit. But he expressed hope that the two would have serious discussions about Syria and other issues in St. Petersburg."We work, we argue about some issues. We are human. Sometimes one of us gets vexed. But I would like to repeat once again that global mutual interests form a good basis for finding a joint solution to our problems."The Russian leader, a year into his third term as president, appeared to go out of his way to be conciliatory amid a growing chill in U.S.-Russian relations. The countries have sparred over Syria, the Edward Snowden affair, Russia's treatment of its opposition and the diminishing scope in Russia for civil society groups that receive funding from the West. And Putin denied that Russia has anti-gay policies, despite a law banning gay propaganda that has caused concern about the country's role as host of the Winter Olympics in February.Obama, speaking Wednesday during a trip to Sweden that replaced his Moscow plans, said relations with Russia have "hit a wall," but also expressed confidence that the two can work together on some issues."I have not written off the idea that the United States and Russia are going to continue to have common interests, even as we have some very profound differences on some other issues," he said, noting that those differences include Syria.Putin said it was "ludicrous" that the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad — a staunch ally of Russia — would use chemical weapons at a time when it was holding sway against the rebels."From our viewpoint, it seems absolutely absurd that the armed forces — the regular armed forces, which are on the offensive today and in some areas have encircled the so-called rebels and are finishing them off — that in these conditions they would start using forbidden chemical weapons while realizing quite well that it could serve as a pretext for applying sanctions against them, including the use of force," he said.The Obama administration says 1,429 people died in the Aug. 21 attack in a Damascus suburb. Casualty estimates by other groups are far lower, and Assad's government blames the episode on rebels trying to overthrow him. A U.N. inspection team is awaiting lab results on tissue and soil samples it collected while in Syria before completing a report.Obama expressed frustration at Russia's position, saying: "It has been very difficult to get Russia, working through the Security Council, to acknowledge some of the terrible behavior of the Assad regime."Putin, however, said the U.S. has failed to make its case through the proper channels."If there is evidence that chemical weapons have been used, and used specifically by the regular army, this evidence should be submitted to the U.N. Security Council," said Putin, a former officer in the Soviet KGB. "And it ought to be convincing. It shouldn't be based on some rumors and information obtained by intelligence agencies through some kind of eavesdropping, some conversations and things like that."He noted that even in the U.S., "there are experts who believe that the evidence presented by the administration doesn't look convincing, and they don't exclude the possibility that the opposition conducted a premeditated, provocative action trying to give their sponsors a pretext for military intervention."He compared the evidence presented by Washington to false data used by the Bush administration about weapons of mass destruction to justify the 2003 invasion of Iraq."All these arguments turned out to be untenable, but they were used to launch a military action, which many in the U.S. called a mistake. Did we forget about that?" Putin said.He said he "doesn't exclude" backing the use of force against Syria at the United Nations if there is objective evidence proving that Assad's regime used chemical weapons against its people. But he strongly warned Washington against launching military action without U.N. approval, saying it would represent an aggression. Russia can veto resolutions at the U.N. Security Council and has protected Syria from punitive actions there before.Asked what kind of evidence on chemical weapons use would convince Russia, Putin said "it should be a deep and specific probe containing evidence that would be obvious and prove beyond doubt who did it and what means were used."Putin said it is premature to talk about what Russia would do if the U.S. attacked Syria."We have our own ideas about what we would do and how we would do it if the situation develops toward the use of force or otherwise," he said. "We have our plans, but it's too early to talk about them."Putin called the S-300 air defense missile system "a very efficient weapon" and said that Russia had a contract for its delivery of the S-300s to Syria. "We have supplied some of the components, but the delivery hasn't been completed. We have suspended it for now," he said."But if we see that steps are taken that violate the existing international norms, we shall think how we should act in the future, in particular regarding supplies of such sensitive weapons to certain regions of the world."The statement could be a veiled threat to revive a contract for the delivery of the S-300s to Iran, which Russia canceled a few years ago under strong U.S. and Israeli pressure.Putin praised Obama as a frank and constructive negotiating partner and denied reports that he had taken personal offense at remarks by Obama comparing Putin's body language to that of a slouching, bored student. Putin said appearances can be deceiving.Putin also accused U.S. intelligence agencies of bungling efforts to apprehend Snowden, the National Security Agency leaker, who is wanted in the U.S. on espionage charges. He said the United States could have allowed Snowden to go to a country where his security would not be guaranteed or intercepted him along the way, but instead pressured other countries not to accept him or even to allow a plane carrying him to cross their airspace. Russia has granted him temporary asylum.Putin also gave the first official confirmation that Snowden had been in touch with Russian officials in Hong Kong before flying to Moscow on June 23, but said he learned that Snowden was on the flight only two hours before it arrived. Putin once again denied that Russia's security services are working with Snowden, whose stay in Russia has been shrouded in secrecy.On another topic, he denied at length charges that Russia has anti-gay policies, indicating that Obama is welcome to meet with gay and lesbian activists in Russia during his visit. He said he might even meet with a similar group himself if there is interest from the Russian gay community.Putin rejected criticism of the gay propaganda law, which prompted some activists to call for the boycott of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, arguing that it won't infringe on the rights of gays.He also said that athletes and activists will not be punished if they raise rainbow flags or paint their fingernails in rainbow colors at the Feb. 7-23 Olympics.But he clearly has no intention of allowing a gay pride parade or other such actions: Last month, Putin signed a decree banning all demonstrations and rallies in Sochi throughout the Winter Games.As for the body language between Putin and Obama that some have said suggested a difficult working relationship, the Russian president urged everyone to avoid jumping to conclusions."There are some gestures, of course, that you can only interpret one way, but no one has ever seen those kinds of gestures directed by Obama at me or by me at Obama, and I hope that never happens," he said."Everything else is fantasy."

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Time Capsule The Unicorn and the Lion on the Old State House Are Coming Down for Restoration The lion allegedly has a time capsule inside of it that contains some Boston relics. By Steve Annear | Old State House photo Uploaded by Glenn beltz on Flickr With roughly 19 million tourists flocking to Boston each year—many of them trudging along the Freedom Trail—it’s important to make sure that two of the most photographed pieces of the city’s history are in pristine condition. That’s why the Bostonian Society, the non-profit group that maintains the Old State House in Downtown Crossing, the oldest surviving public building from the nation’s original 13 colonies, will be temporarily removing the golden, courageous-looking lion, and the silver-toned, stoically-poised unicorn that sit atop the historical structure for some much-needed restoration. “They have been there for a hundred or more years now, and we are taking them down to reguild the lion and re-silver the unicorn,” said Brian LeMay, president and executive director of the Bostonian Society. LeMay said the animal restoration project, which also includes conducting roof and window repairs, and repointing masonry on the opposite side of the building, will begin sometime after September 8. He said the fixes to the two copper statues wouldn’t take too long, and weather permitting they’ll be back in place and secured on their perch by the end of the month. He said the latest the reinstallation could occur would be sometime in October. “While they are down, we will be putting signs up on their perches letting people know they have not been removed permanently,” LeMay said. “We will reassure them, like in a museum, that the item hasn’t been stolen.” The statues, which have been weather-beaten and slightly chipped due to high winds funneling through that section of the city, are replicas of the original animals that were installed in 1713, under British rule, when the building was constructed and established as the official seat of government for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, prior to the American Revolution. The original statues were torn down by revolutionaries in 1776, according to the Boston Art Commission, when the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony of the building, which faces toward what’s now known as State Street. At that time, those statues were destroyed in a fire in the Town Square as a sign of rebellion. It wasn’t until 1881, when the Bostonian Society was officially formed to preserve the Old State House, and it went through a series of restorations, that wooden replicas of the unicorn and lion were built and put back up on top of the building. Due to weather, however, those soon rotted, and by the turn of the century new replicas—the same ones now seen by thousands of people on a daily basis—made of copper and steel, and coated in gold leaf and silver metal, were put in their place. Mounted on what’s referred to as the east façade, besides some very minor repairs applied to the unicorn statue onsite seven years ago, LeMay believes the animals haven’t been touched since around the time of the country’s Bicentennial celebrations in 1976. “During the Bicentennial they were reguilded and re-silvered,” said LeMay. “The unicorn was covered at that time with the brightest silver metal that could be identified, and the lion had gold leaf on him. The unicorn is going to get a new coating of platinum called palladium, and the lion will get a new gold leaf coating.” The restoration will be done at a conservator’s studio in Woburn, he said. The process will involve bringing in heavy machinery to lift the unicorn and lion from the corners of the building before they’re transported to the studio to undergo repairs. LeMay said he isn’t sure how much the animal figures weigh, but he said they are life-like in size, despite how small they look from the city streets. “They probably aren’t as heavy as they look,” he said. “The unicorn is about the size of a modern horse, and the lion is about the size of the unicorn, although, in my mind, a unicorn is bigger than a lion.” While the animal statue restoration project is certainly an exciting aspect of the overall fixes the Old State House is undergoing, LeMay said he’s particularly curious about a longtime rumor involving a time capsule buried deep inside the lion. He said, if necessary, the Bostonian Society will have an X-ray done to determine if there is any buried treasure inside of the statue. “We are going to see if we can find it,” he said. “It’s arguably one of the most important parts of American history that we all share to a certain extent.” When asked what he hoped would be inside the lion, LeMay seemed unsure, but indicated that the materials likely date back to the turn of the 20th century. “It’s a good question,” he said. “We are hoping it’s vast quantities of money, but I expect it’ll be something like newspapers and official word from the authorities from that time period.” GentriWatch: ‘Boston East’ Apartments Break Ground in Eastie Oh Look, Another Tower Proposed Near Fenway Park Study: You Need to Earn $121K to Comfortably Afford a Two-Bedroom in Boston Anwar Faisal’s New Somerville Tenants Already Have All Sorts of Problems wolftimber “and by the turn of the century new replicas—the same ones now seen by thousands of people on a daily basis—made of copper and steel, and coated in gold leaf and silver metal, were put in their place.” They are not copper they are bronze, they don’t make such cast statues out of copper as copper is difficult to cast and more expensive than bronze. Steel is a modern invention and it was very expensive when it was first made, and used mostly for tools, for everything else they used cast iron and wrought iron, both were used extensively in architectural settings. Protected: Text Neck – and Other Technology Related Injuries There is no excerpt because this is a protected post. 7 Reasons Why Foodies Flock to Plymouth Stroll along the Greenway to Boston’s only architecture and design gallery for some creative play time with upcoming Family Design Days! Today, children are exposed to fewer opportunities for creativity More >> A Look at Patrick Ahearn’s Private Beach Cottage on Martha’s Vineyard Patrick Ahearn is known for his stunning architectural restorations and reinventions of Edgartown’s palatial waterfront compounds. He has a knack for artistically weathering new residences and giving facelifts to old More >> Network with our New App Obsession – Wavework Meeting people is hard. Meeting people at venues like a bustling Fenway Park baseball game is even harder. Enter Wavework. It’s an app that actually gets you excited to go out and More >> Frogs Take a Leap Forward at the Museum of Science Frogs are so misunderstood. Ask someone what they know about frogs and they may mention Kermit, tales of transforming princes, or general sliminess. But there’s so much more to these More >> Before & After: 5 Boston Kitchen Remodels You Must See to Believe Like many ancient cultures, the Egyptians and Greeks created structures like the pyramids and Parthenon to pay homage to great deities and rulers. But those with a keen sense for More >> Creativity Blossoms at the Mass General Cancer Center Think about it. Art Therapy. What comes to mind? For many people, images of old or sick people in the “community room” coloring on pieces of construction paper depicting child-like More >> 7 Reasons Why Cape Cod is Boston’s Best Off-Season Getaway For many Bostonians, trips to the Cape are synonymous with summer. After all, there’s no shortage of sunshine, sandy shores, stunning ocean views and freshly caught seafood in this quintessentially More >> The Black Box of Cancer When a commercial airplane goes down, there is a melee of emotion. Grief, terror and a surfeit of unanswered questions take over. Amidst the chaos and tragedy, there are More >> Cosmetic Enhancements to Help Get You Wedding Ready Whether you’re set to take center stage or you’re a member of the supporting cast, getting ready for a wedding might inspire you to take a long look in the More >> House of Blues Foundation Room Membership Comes with Big Perks House of Blues is known for showcasing up-and-coming (and already-there) singers and bands at their legendary clubs around the country. What you may not know is that they offer membership More >> Management-minded Engineers Find a New Path at UMass Lowell It used to be, the working world was pretty straightforward. If you were good at something and worked hard, that was usually enough to move up the ranks. Career advancement More >> 7 Things to Do in Washington, DC Monuments and memorials, eclectic neighborhoods, true local flavor – Washington, DC is a place unlike any other. It’s your home away from home with free museums and America’s front More >> Expert Advice: How to Meet Your Perfect Match If you’re like most Boston singles, you probably agree there are plenty of proverbial fish in the sea. But when your goal is to spark a lasting relationship with the More >> Boston Cuts Energy Consumption by 60% with Smarter Light Management Technologies Metaphorically speaking, your hectic work life can lead to your office feeling like the center of your world. That’s why concepts like daylight harvesting and total light and shading management More >> Ask the Outdoor Living Experts: What Makes a Masterful Barn, Garage or Storage Shed Builder? Leisurely Sunday drives can lead to beautiful site-seeing amongst quintessential New England backdrops. But when you get inspired to replicate ideal properties donning country-style post & beam barns, stone-accented garages, More >> Next Article: 7 Reasons Why Foodies Flock to Plymouth

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St. Louis Craft Brewer Bets on Growth in Midwest Markets Apr. 18, 2013 at 11:39 AM Rendering of Urban Chestnut's new space St. Louis-based Urban Chestnut Brewing Company is betting big on craft beer’s growth potential in the Midwest. On Tuesday, Urban Chestnut founders Florian Kuplent and David Wolfe announced plans to invest $10 million into a 75,000 sq. ft. “green” brewery that will eventually be capable of churning out 100,000 barrels of beer annually. It’s a big project for a brewery that produced just 3,500 barrels of beer in 2012 and is planning for 7,000 in 2013, but Kuplent said that a second facility was the only option if the company wanted to continue to grow. “We needed to find new space,” he said. “The new space is a little big, but we wanted to set it up so that we wouldn’t be in this same situation anytime soon. We are looking at the future.” Kuplent said he believes there is plenty of running room left in the Midwest. “We feel pretty confident that we have an opportunity to grow volume here,” he said. “I think we make some approachable, sessionable beers and our clientele might be a little wider than some other brewers in the region.” The new brewery will feature a 60-barrel brewing system and an initial capacity of 15,000 barrels. Kuplent hopes to begin construction on the new space in the next two months and believes the space could open in early 2014. The project is being financing through a combination of bank loans and investment from friends and family, Kuplent said. The brewery expansion will allow the company to grow its distribution footprint, Kuplent said. “We really believe that St. Louis has a lot more growth potential,” he said. “We plan to focus on Midwest markets within a five-hour driving window.” Urban Chestnut will also continue brewing at its current location, a 10,000 sq. ft. brewpub that boasts a 20-barrel brewing system and 400-seat beer garden. When the second production facility officially goes online, production of specialty and seasonal beers will remain exclusively at Urban Chestnut’s current brewing location. Urban Chestnut products are marketed in two distinct groups, the Revolution Series and the Reverence Series. The Revolution Series focuses on American-style craft beers, while Reverence Series beers are brewed in a more traditional, European style. The company’s flagship beer, Zwickel Bavarian Style Lager, accounts for nearly 40 percent of the company’s production and its Winged Nut Chestnut Ale is roughly 20 percent of production, Kuplent said. Kuplent and Wolfe are both former Anheuser-Busch InBev employees. More information on the expansion is available in a press release, posted on the brewery blog. Urban Chestnut Brewing Co UCBC is a small, craft brewery located in the city of St. Louis, MO. We began our brewing operations with our state-of-the art, 20 bbl brewhouse in January 2011. UCBC beers are available in the loca... Learn More Urban Chestnut Brewing Courbanchestnut.com/ 5 Liter Mini Kegs & "On the Go" G...

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Home > Asia Pacific > South Asia > India Dalai Lama marks 50 years exile from Tibet and arrival in Dharmsala with �Gratitude Ceremony� by Steven Sieden, The Examiner, May 2, 2010 Dharmsala, India -- On April 30, H.H. the Dalai Lama along with other Tibetan government-in-exile officials and Buddhist spiritual leaders conducted a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary of his arrival in Dharmsala, India after fleeing from Tibet. The occasion was also designed to express the Tibetan leaders� gratitude to the people of India for their ongoing hospitality. When the Dalai Lama arrived in Dharmsala in 1959, the Chinese had escalated their invasion of Tibet, and it was deemed unsafe for him to remain in his ancestral homeland. The Central Tibetan Administration and government-in-exile organized the two-day event in Dari Ground just outside Dharmsala. It was called "Thank You Himachal Pradesh: to express the Tibetan people's gratitude for the Himachal people�s hospitality and compassion in supporting the Tibetan leader and his followers for half a century. The Dalai Lama presented the keynote speech. In expressing his appreciation and that of his people, he said, "On behalf of 6 million Tibetan people, I thank the government and the people of Himachal Pradesh for providing sincere help and support for the exiled Tibetans. We have been in exile for 50 years, which is not for the fight for freedom of one or two individuals. Rather it is a fight for the freedom of all Tibetan people. We are here to preserve our history, religion and culture, to attain freedom, and ensure the protection of Tibetan environment. We are also here to draw international attention to the issues and concerns of our people still living in Tibet." The Dalai Lama also talked about the challenges his people continue to confront, and he stressed that the struggle was not in vain as ongoing progress is being made. He then urged everyone to continue on the Middle Way Path of non-violence, a principle, which is a key element in both the Tibetan and Indian cultures. "Non-violence in action is based on inner compassion and warm-heartedness. Respect for the rights and lives of others relinquish violence. Non-violence cannot come under conditions of suppression and fear." May we all recognize the importance of the Tibetan people�s struggle for freedom and see them as a model for the peaceful creation of a world that works for everyone. And may H.H. the Dalai Lama live a long healthy life that supports his campaign for compassion in all places. Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-46274-Spiritual-Leaders-Examiner~y2010m5d2-Dalai-Lama-marks-50-years-exile-from-Tibet-and-arrival-in-Dharmsala-with-Gratitude-Ceremony Blangladesh

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Current Edition Classifieds Vital Statistics Events Archive Published: December 6, 2012 Theft, election wrong I’m writing in response to the Nov. 30 letter to the editor from Terri Wells of Washington Township dealing with political signs that were stolen. I agree. It’s a shame that people choose to take out their frustration in such a manner. Unfortunately, we have become a country with two very distinct and separate populations. We have very different and very strong opinions that only have been magnified by the current administration. Half of us believe in the American dream, capitalism, and small government. We believe that with hard work and a self-reliant approach (and God’s grace) the sky is the limit. We believe the government should work for the people, not the other way around. The other half of the population believes something very different — big government, redistribution of wealth, “trickle-up” economics — the European way. We most likely aren’t going to change their minds, and vice versa. I confess that I was one of the many who didn’t believe that the Nov. 6 election would be close. I never thought that even one-third of the voters would choose four more years of a failed debacle. Alas, 51 percent did. I can’t imagine why people would want record unemployment, welfare and food stamps. Or, why people would support an administration that doubled our national debt in less than four years. The one comment Wells made that compelled me to write this letter was that Mitt Romney “is a tax dodger.” That is patently false and reprehensible. Romney’s considerable fortune was earned through hard work and smart business. He paid taxes when he earned the money, and he now pays taxes on the earnings from his investments. Capital gains are currently taxed at 15 percent. Whether someone is a “fat cat” or a regular Joe like me, the tax rate for that kind of income currently is 15 percent. Romney has paid more than $60 million in taxes in his lifetime. Additionally, Romney has given millions to charity, without taking all of the tax deductions to which he was entitled. It also takes great nerve to point to Romney with regard to the Libya embassy attack. That tragedy has the appearance of a massive coverup by the Obama administration. I also found it ironic that Wells made a parallel to Franklin D. Roosevelt — the president who started many of the social programs that have ballooned into such a mess today. In any event, I’m sure Wells’ half of the country will continue to think that the election was historic and great, and my half will continue to think it was and is a sad time in the history of this nation. It is nevertheless still unfortunate that Wells’ signs were stolen. Dickson Forbes Penn Township Back

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Coastal flooding has surged along US east coast: Reuters study Coastal flooding along the densely populated Eastern Seaboard of the United States has surged in recent years, a Reuters analysis has found.During the past four decades, the number of days a year that tidal waters reached or exceeded National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration flood thresholds more than tripled in many places, the analysis found. At flood threshold, water can begin to pool on streets. As it rises farther, it can close roads, damage property and overwhelm drainage systems. Extreme events such as superstorm Sandy mask background sea-levels rises in US. Photo: AP Since 2001, water has reached flood levels an average of 20 days or more a year in Annapolis, Maryland; Wilmington, North Carolina; Washington, D.C.; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Sandy Hook, New Jersey; and Charleston, South Carolina. Before 1971, none of those locations averaged more than five days a year. Annapolis had the highest average number of days a year above flood thresholds since 2001, at 34.The analysis was undertaken as part of a broader examination of rising sea levels Reuters plans to publish later this year.As many Americans question the causes and even the reality of climate change, increased flooding is already posing a major challenge for local governments in much of the United States."Chronic flooding is a problem our coastal managers are dealing with every day," said Mary Munson, executive director of the Coastal States Organization, a Washington nonprofit representing 35 states and territories. "Flooding causes the quality of life in these communities to decrease along with the property values, while the flood insurance rates go up." In Charleston, for example, a six-lane thoroughfare regularly becomes impassable when high tides block rainwater from emptying into the Atlantic Ocean, restricting access for half of the city to three hospitals, four schools and police headquarters. The city, which has more than 120,000 residents, has $200 million in flood-control projects underway.Laura Cabiness, director of public service for Charleston, said street flooding has always been a problem in the low-lying city. But more recently, she said, "it's deeper than usual and higher than usual, and the tide has remained higher longer."For its analysis, Reuters collected more than 25 million hourly tide-gauge readings from nearly 70 sites on the Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts and compared them to NOAA flood thresholds.Reuters then narrowed the analysis to include only the 25 gauges with data spanning at least 50 years. Nineteen gauges were on the Eastern Seaboard, three on the West Coast, and three on the Gulf Coast. Comparing the years prior to 1971 to the years since 2001, the average number of days a year that readings exceeded flood thresholds had increased at all gauges except two: those in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Woods Hole, Massachusetts.The trend roughly tracks the global rise in sea levels. The oceans have risen an average of 8 inches (20.3 cm) in the past century, according to the 2014 National Climate Assessment. Levels have increased as much as twice that in areas of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where the ground is sinking because of subsidence - a process whereby natural geological forces or the extraction of underground water, oil or gas cause the ground to sink.The most dramatic increases in annual flood-level days occurred at 10 gauges from New York City to the Georgia-South Carolina border, a stretch of coast where subsidence accounts for as much as half the rise in sea level in some locations, according to U.S. Geological Survey studies.Charles Chesnutt, a coastal engineer with the Institute for Water Resources, a policy and planning arm of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said the evidence "is very compelling and suggests we ought to be looking more seriously at the problems that are coming at us now." The Corps of Engineers is the lead federal agency on coastal flood control projects.The Reuters findings are supported by a pair of soon-to-be-published studies from scientists at NOAA and Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Reuters adapted its methodologies from those scientists and sought their input.Old Dominion University researchers Tal Ezer and Larry Atkinson found in their study that the U.S. East Coast is "a hotspot of accelerated flooding," and that flooding outside of storm events has increased in frequency and duration.They found that changes in the Gulf Stream may be contributing to increased flooding from rising sea levels. The current off the Atlantic Coast pulls water away from the shore as it flows northeastward from Cape Hatteras. The researchers said that as the climate has warmed, the current has weakened, so it's not pulling as much water away.The NOAA study examines flooding at 45 tide stations around the United States. It is expected to be released this summer.Flood thresholds are indicators, not confirmation, of flooding, but scientists say the tide gauge readings are a reliable measure of increased flooding.When seas hit the flood threshold in Annapolis, the 306-year-old city that is home to the U.S. Naval Academy, forecasters expect water to start ponding in the historic city dock area. A few inches more, and water begins reaching backyards and the tops of storm drains in some areas.During high tides on April 30 and May 1, and again on May 16, more than six inches of water swamped restaurants and shops in historic buildings along the city dock. Makeshift flood walls of boards and garbage cans blocked doorways. People removed their shoes and rolled up their pants to wade to work. Reuters

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Religious sister working as nurse in Liberia dies of Ebola A Catholic religious sister working in a hospital in Liberia has died of the Ebola virus, the Fides news service reports. Sister Pascaline Chantale, a native of Congo and member of the Hospitaler Order of St. John of God, died on August 9 after contracting the deadly virus, apparently through her work with victims at a hospital in Monrovia. Another woman religious at the same institution, Sister Paciencia Melgar, from Guinea, is also reported as seriously ill. References: A religious sister has died due to the Ebola virus (Fides)

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