Monday, August 5, 2013

Disturbing Video: 13-Year-Old Florida Boy Brutally Beaten on School Bus, Driver Refuses to Intervene

Visit on your tablet, smartphone, or computer during the show for an exclusive feed LIVE from the ?Hannity? control room. The show?s producers will post videos, articles and slideshows related to what Sean and his guests are talking about in real time.?

This is the place to join-up with other fans nightly.?Test your knowledge in ?Hannity?s History Exam,? and take part in exclusive flash polls.?So, tune in at 9p?ET on Fox News Channel, and point your Internet browser to ?Hannity Live.??It?s fun, it's easy, and it?s free!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FoxNewsInsider/~3/agPIOI7Isug/disturbing-video-13-year-old-florida-boy-brutally-beaten-school-bus-driver-refuses

sunoco titanic ii babe ruth new jersey nets nba playoff schedule rondo morris claiborne

Joint-Venture Between GREE And Yahoo Japan Releases First Game

Use your > keys to browse more stories

Dr. Serkan Toto is a gaming expert and independent consultant based in Tokyo. You can follow him on Twitter and his blog. This article is republished with his permission.

GREE and Yahoo Japan launch Driland HTML5 game

The joint venture that GREE (TYO:3632) and Yahoo Japan established back in February this year ? called GxYz ? has released its first game.

Driland: Devil King Army vs Men Of Valor (a rough translation of the title) is a spin off of social card battler Driland (aka Doliland), GREE?s super-popular self-developed game (the English iOS version can be found here, but it will be closed on August 27, just like the Android version).

The spin-off was released exclusively for GREE on smartphones (as a browser-based game, and for Japan only) earlier this week.

In the new game, players take on the role of hunters (the hero characters in Driland proper) who have to defeat the Devil King army by teaming up with various monsters, gathering armor and weapons, and assembling parties.

Back in May, GREE introduced real-time battle elements to the original Driland. This new game puts these battles front and center by automatically assigning players to a guild right from the start and then letting them fight with members of the ?Devil King Army? in real-time.

Every day at 8am, noon, 6pm, and 10pm, players can engage in real-time 10 versus 10 battles (meaning a maximum of 20 characters can appear on the screen simultaneously). Outside these guild battles, players can ? much like in the original Driland ? strengthen their hunters by questing, winning items at gacha, and creating powerful weapons and armor.

Here are some more screenshots:

GREE and Yahoo Japan launch Driland HTML5 gameGREE and Yahoo Japan launch Driland HTML5 gameGREE and Yahoo Japan launch Driland HTML5 game

(Editing by Steven Millward)

Tags: $YHOO Doliland Driland Driland: Devil King Army vs Men Of Valor gaming GREE HTML5 gaming Japan Yahoo Yahoo Japan ????? ???vs??

Did you enjoy this article? Consider becoming a voluntary subscriber to Tech in Asia. Although our site is free and it will stay that way, subscribing is a great way to show your support. Plus, subscribing also gets you exclusive access to our weekly subscribers-only newsletter, a roundup of each week?s most interesting Asia tech news from all over the web. You can read our ethics statement on subscriptions here.

Source: http://www.techinasia.com/gxyz-gree-yahoo-japan-launch-driland-game/

Kim Kardashian Baby Lil Snupe Paula Dean Racial Slur Vine Summer solstice 2013 drew brees drew brees

From soybeans to baseball, Sox owner has had success

John W. Henry took a backward ballclub in a dilapidated park and transformed it into a two-time World Series champion that is one of baseball's model franchises.

As the owner of The Boston Globe, he will try to turn around a newspaper that ? like many other major metro dailies ? is shedding staff, subscribers and advertisers as it makes the transition into the Internet age.

Henry agreed to buy the Globe along with the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and the Boston Metro for $70 million, a fraction of the $1.1 billion The New York Times Co. paid 20 years ago. Henry apparently made this deal without his Red Sox partners, though he said in a statement that more information will soon be available "concerning those joining me in this community commitment and effort."

The son of southern Illinois soybean farmers now worth an estimated $1.5 billion, Henry was a minority owner of the New York Yankees and the sole owner of the Florida Marlins when he led a group that bought the Red Sox for $660 million in 2002. (The original group included The New York Times, which sold the last of its 17.5 percent ownership last year.)

They soon set out to preserve Fenway Park while taking a wrecking ball to most everything else that had mired the franchise in failure for more than eight decades.

Henry, who made his money by taking a mathematical approach to the commodities markets, brought a similar method to the baseball diamond, hiring the statistically savvy Theo Epstein, then 28 years-old, as the youngest general manager in baseball history. They hired statistical pioneer Bill James as a consultant, putting the Red Sox at the forefront of the revolution that had just begun to take hold in front offices long dominated by old-time and hidebound scouting types.

But, perhaps more importantly, the new owners turned what had long been a stagnant family business into a revenue spigot.

They took NESN, which had been almost exclusively an outlet for Red Sox and Boston Bruins games, into a full-fledged sports network. (Not every effort ? like the sports-themed dating show "Sox Appeal" ? was a success.) And they spent more than $285 million turning the once-doomed Fenway Park into a modern ? well, as modern as a 100-year-old ballpark can be, anyway ? sporting venue.

With seats above the Green Monster and a roof deck in right field, a high-tech scoreboard and new concourses and concessions, Fenway sold out 820 consecutive games ? by official count, anyway ? the longest such streak in professional sports history. Thousands more file through the turnstiles 12 months a year, paying up to $16 just to see the park when it is empty.

Source: http://www.wcvb.com/news/money/from-soybeans-to-baseball-john-henry-has-had-success/-/9848680/21321686/-/bm10jm/-/index.html?absolute=true

Jaguars new uniforms jenelle evans jenelle evans glenn beck AJ Clemente Thor 2 Trailer Administrative Professionals Day

Mitch McConnell's Team Prepares to Defend His Role in the Coming Fiscal Showdown

Mitch McConnell will be at the center of negotiations during this fall's fiscal showdown. It's inevitable, his allies say, and while his campaign team might not love it, they're now preparing to defend his dealings with Democrats, both from anti-compromise tea partiers and negotiating partners looking to score a few political points along the way.

McConnell's stay-in-the-game strategy is an acknowledgment of the obvious -- his campaign can't run from a 30-years record in Washington so they might as well embrace it.

"From a political perspective it makes no sense having him sitting in the middle of a very contentious situation, but it doesn't change the fact that the problem's going to happen," said a source close to McConnell.

Indeed, people close to him say, McConnell largely compartmentalizes his roles as Senate Republican leader and candidate, often forcing his campaign team to sell his leadership moves back home.

And the Kentucky senator has made some major moves, emerging as a key dealmaker between congressional Republicans and the White House. In 2011, he helped craft a deal with Democrats to cut spending and raise the government's debt limit. Earlier this year, he cut a deal with Vice President Joe Biden to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff of automatic spending cuts and tax increases that threatened to send the fledgling economy into a tailspin.

With Congress facing fall deadlines to fund the government and raise the debt limit to pay the bills the country's already racked up, Washington is wondering if he'll reprise his role as The Closer. It's a question that has taken on renewed interest since millionaire tea party favorite Matt Bevin challenged the 71-year-old McConnell in the GOP primary by attacking his record out of the gate.

McConnell's allies argue that he's no stranger to tough votes. In 2008, he voted for the unpopular TARP program, which bailed out big banks. And in the 1990s he opposed a constitutional amendment to ban flag burning because he thought it violated freedom of speech, not a popular position in Kentucky.

"He's the Republican leader of the United States Senate because he's there to lead. He's not going to back down. He's not going to shy away from that," said his campaign manager Jesse Benton. "He's ready for all the attacks."

And they're already coming. In his first ad, Bevin hit McConnell for supporting TARP and the fiscal cliff deal. Bevin's spokeswoman told the Washington Post that McConnell should have been able to cut a better deal with the White House but "he caved to President Obama and cut a deal that threw Kentucky taxpayers under the bus because he didn't want to get his hands dirty and do the work the people of Kentucky elected him to do." (McConnell's aides fire back that the deal avoided an across-the-board tax increase, saving 99.7 percent of Kentuckians from higher taxes.)

And Democrats are almost daring McConnell to cut another deal. "We'll see if he has the guts," a Senate Democratic leadership aide said. "We would not use it again him. The tea party would."

It's a reality that's not lost on Republican insiders either, some who question whether McConnell, caught between the left and the right, now has the same leeway to maneuver.

"Does Uncle Mitch come in and save House Republicans from themselves again? Probably not. He can't take the heat at home," said one senior Republican operative.

McConnell did make himself some more space after the fiscal cliff deal saying he wouldn't negotiate another last-minute pact with the White House.

Still, Democrats are working to position McConnell for criticism no matter what he does. If he hangs in the background, they'll argue he's a weak leader. If he cuts a deal, they'll stand back and let the tea party attack. And if he uses his clout to block a deal, they'll label him an obstructionist.

The strategy was on display last week. After the Senate voted to confirm a new director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives, who McConnell opposed, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman Matt Canter argued the vote illustrated McConnell's waning influence. When a reporter pointed out that McConnell had just successfully blocked a spending bill on the Senate floor, Canter responded, "Senator Gridlock."

McConnell's uncowed, telling National Journal in an e-mail that he plans to go into the fall swinging, "We'll fight hard against Democrats' efforts to increase spending and we'll hold them accountable for the bipartisan promise made to the American people on reducing spending just two years ago."

Democrats and their candidate, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, are arguing that McConnell's an ineffective leader and a partisan obstuctionist who's no longer getting it done for Kentuckians.

McConnell's camp embraces the obstruction label, "absolutely Mitch is up there blocking stuff. He's blocking a lot of real horrible stuff," Benton said. And aides say, in the last week or so, his leadership stymied a Democratic backed spending bill and forced Democrats to tie student loans to market rates. McConnell's style, aides say, is to empower his members to cut deals while keeping him in the loop.

But his high profile does not seem to be translating into high poll numbers at home. In a poll out Thursday by a Democratic firm, McConnell's approval rating was 40 percent and he was trailing Grimes by one point in the poll, within the margin of error. A recent Republican poll had McConnell up eight points over Grimes and 39 points over Bevin with a 53 percent favorability rating.

McConnell's been in tough spots before. Former chief of staff Billy Piper remembers the financial crisis of 2008 when Congress, faced with a collapsing Wall Street, passed TARP to bailout the banks -- a move unpopular in Kentucky.

"As the market would go down by hundreds of points a day, our overnight tracking polls would go down with them," Piper remembered. "It was awful."

But with the market cratering, McConnell voted for TARP and Democrats slammed him for it. DSCC chair Chuck Schumer ran ads in Kentucky showing armored trucks hauling down the street with money flying out the back, Piper said.

"I have no doubt that he wondered if being involved in the middle of it he might be presiding over his own demise," he said. "We went into election day not sure if he'd win."

So to those wondering if McConnell will play in the debt dealings this fall, Piper points to 2008, "He was right there in the thick of it then and there was considerable political risk."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mitch-mcconnells-team-prepares-defend-role-coming-fiscal-060022643.html

obama speech Art Modell Frank Ocean Gay bill clinton andy roddick Costa Rica Earthquake sandra fluke

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Kerry visit casts Pakistan more as partner than pariah (+video)

The tumultuous relationship between the US and Pakistan is moving in a more positive direction after worsening for years.

By Jeremy Ravinsky,?Correspondent / August 1, 2013

US Secretary of State John Kerry, right, meets with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad, Pakistan Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. Kerry was meeting Thursday with top Pakistani leaders, hoping the U.S. can open a new chapter in Washington's often testy relationship with Islamabad.

Jason Reed/AP

Enlarge

On an unannounced visit to Islamabad late Wednesday, United States Secretary of State John Kerry has moved one step closer to rekindling talks of a strategic partnership with Pakistan. The visit is the first by a high-ranking US official since the election of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in May.

Skip to next paragraph Jeremy Ravinsky

Correspondent

Jeremy Ravinsky is an intern at the Christian Science Monitor's international desk. Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Jeremy has lived in Boston for a number of years, attending Tufts University where he is a political science major. Before coming to the Monitor, Jeremy interned at GlobalPost in Boston and Bturn.com in Belgrade, Serbia.

Recent posts

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; // google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

The negotiations come after years of strained relations between the two countries over the 2011 raid which killed Osama bin Laden, the US?s use of drone strikes, and Pakistani support for Taliban forces fighting in Afghanistan.

But there are hopes for a stronger US-Pakistan relationship under the guidance of Mr. Kerry, who has strong ties to Pakistan, and Mr. Sharif, who many believe can solve some of Pakistan?s political and economic troubles.

The announcement that talks would resume was made after Kerry met with Sharif and other high-level Pakistani officials over issues ranging from Pakistan?s economic and energy woes to the security situation in Afghanistan as US-led NATO forces prepare to withdraw in 2014, reports the BBC. Kerry said the talks were ?constructive,? leading analysts to see this as a turning point for tenuous bilateral relations.

The relationship between the two countries hit a low point in 2011, when US Navy SEALs?killed Osama bin Laden after raiding his secret hideout, reports the Washington Post. Talks shortly afterwards between then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistani officials produced little and were ultimately suspended.

Anti-US sentiment in Pakistan has also been stoked by US drone strikes on Pakistani territory, which killed an estimated 2,800 people in Pakistan between 2002 and 2013, including 366 civilians. In 2011, a US military strike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, leading Islamabad to close down vital supply routes into Afghanistan. The supply routes have since reopened, and drone strikes have decreased ??though they are still a point of contention.

And Pakistan?s tacit support for Islamist insurgent groups, such as the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network, operating in Afghanistan has irked many in the US.

However, both the US and Pakistan see normalizing relations as within their best interests right now, reports Reuters.

Both sides are now keen to overcome the grievances and start afresh, a shift in priorities they hope is possible with a new government in Pakistan and a new secretary of State in the United States.

With Pakistan's economy badly in need of support and the United States keen on smoothly withdrawing most of its troops from neighboring Afghanistan next year, both sides will see positives in repairing the relationship.

The security situation is of vital concern to both sides, particularly as US military forces are preparing to wind down operations in Afghanistan next year. According to Voice of America, Pakistan has promised to act as a mediator between the Afghan government and the Taliban and to help facilitate peace in the conflict-ridden country. Meanwhile, Kerry has stated his confidence that an agreement will be reached that will see the extension of US troop presence in Afghanistan, reports the BBC.

Both Kerry and Sharif are well positioned to improve relations between their countries. Kerry has a long history with Pakistan, and officials there know and trust him. Kerry was instrumental in passing the Kerry-Lugar-Berman aid package in 2009, which pledged $1.5 billion a year to Pakistan through 2013. According to The Christian Science Monitor, prior to his appointment as secretary of State, Pakistani officials were optimistic about the prospect of Kerry replacing Ms. Clinton.

And Sharif?s return to government after two stints as prime minister in the 1990s has many hoping that Pakistan is on the road to recovery.This year's election was Pakistan?s first to see a civilian government hand power to another civilian government, marking a democratic milestone for the country.

And he has already made attempts to improve the country?s economy by accepting a $5.3 billion aid package from the IMF, despite some domestic opposition to it and Sharif?s ideological opposition to external interference, writes the New York Times. The move both encourages American investment and demonstrates that Sharif can negotiate pragmatism and ideology.

And more importantly, Sharif has shown increased commitment to cooperate with the US on cracking down on militants, reports Reuters.

Pakistan itself has seen a spate of attacks against its military and civilians by the Pakistani wing of the Taliban since Sharif was sworn in on the back of promises to talk to the insurgents rather than fight them.

Speaking alongside Kerry, Sartaj Aziz, Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, appeared to harden that position, saying his government might resort to the use of military force after all against the Taliban.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/9Mo4fCuNE6E/Kerry-visit-casts-Pakistan-more-as-partner-than-pariah-video

vanessa bryant Prince Harry naked Prince Harry Vegas Melky Cabrera Mayim Bialik Rich Kids of Instagram felix hernandez

Online Business ? Budgeting the Scottish Way |

online business

?

I am a Scotsman with an Online business.

Now?.There is a myth that all Scotsmen are mean and stingy when it comes to money. Not True!!

However we can be quite careful when it comes to spending and like to budget and that is why I have put this post together.

What I am going to recommend here is a methodology for those who plan to establish their online business with a limited budget??Been there, done that!!

One of the most important factors for being successful in online business, or any business for that matter, is budget control regardless of how big or small your budget is.

First we need to define what the meaning of limited budget is. First, you need to believe in your heart that it is impossible to start and run an online business for free. Do not believe anybody who tells you otherwise.

The second rule is you need to budget at least $200 for marketing and administrative costs. To give you an idea of what these costs might be here are few examples:

1-??????????? Administrative Cost Items:

a.??????????? Internet Connection

b.??????????? Hosting Service for your website (If you have one)

c.???????????? Phone Bill.

d.??????????? Electricity

e.??????????? Credit Card Charges

f.???????????? Post and Courier (If applicable)

?

2-??????????? Marketing Costs (Depending on your general Strategy)

a.??????????? Software Programs

b.??????????? Traffic Generation Services

c.???????????? Offline Advertising

d.??????????? Pay Per Click

e.??????????? Leads

f.???????????? Autoresponder Service

g.??????????? Any other Paid advertising Tactic

?

Now you can add on top of the above mentioned $200 any direct costs related to your online business. Mainly this includes one or both of the following:

?

1-??????????? What you have to pay to stay in business including a monthly subscription if applicable.

2-??????????? Inventory of Products that you have to buy.

?

To be able to spend your budget wisely we recommend following these steps:

1-??????????? Do not start your online marketing activity by choosing paid options. In a previous article we detailed what are your free online marketing strategy tools. We will just list them here:

a.??????????? Submit your link(s) to directories and search engines.

b.??????????? Write and Submit articles to article directories

c.???????????? Reciprocal linking

d.??????????? Posting in active forums

e.??????????? Make your website content rich and dynamic

f.???????????? Blog and Ping.

g.??????????? Traffic Exchange Services

2-??????????? Buy software programs that will help you automate the processes of the above free online marketing options. Try not to opt for subscription based services. Make sure to have software programs that have a one time payment option.

3-??????????? After few months you will realize that you have a free amount in your budget that now you can use for paid online or offline marketing options.

My final and sincere recommendation to you is not to get involved in any online business if you cannot afford to spend a reasonable monthly amount.

One way to make sure that you get as much as possible out of your monthly amount is to subscribe to the Internet Marketing Review and Try a 2 Month Test Drive. Your Online Business will benefit greatly so Click Here to get going.

?

?

Source: http://gleneskbusinessbuilder.com/internet-marketing/online-business-budgeting-the-scottish-way/

sheree whitfield weather dallas pat summitt real housewives of atlanta colton bo ryan the last waltz

David King: the world needs a 'moon landing' for solar energy

Britain's former chief scientist has challenged governments around the world to find a way of creating a ready flow of cheap solar power over the next 10 years to fight global warming.

Writing in the Financial Times today, Sir David King and co-author Richard Layard, the former founder-director of the London School of Economics' Centre for Economic Performance, warn a collective scientific effort of similar proportions to putting a man on the moon is needed to tackle climate change.

"To defeat the axis of powers the allies developed the atom bomb. When threatened in the cold war, the US sent a man to the moon," the authors write. "When threatened by global warming we surely need a similar effort to save the planet."

King and Layard suggest that by 2025 bulk solar electricity should be supplied commercially at an unsubsidised price on a 24-hour basis, with at least 1GW powering cities in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

The joint project would be open to all G20 countries, and funded either by a carbon tax or governments' research and development budgets. King and Layard say the cost for each country would be 0.05 per cent of annual GDP for 10 years.

"We need a concentrated effort on one source [of energy] that offers the clearest prospect of success," they say. "The collection of solar energy by photovoltaic cells becomes cheaper every day and is already nearly economic in sun-rich environments."

But King and Layard also highlight the need for investment in electricity storage in order to achieve the goal of providing constant solar power.

"This is a far more important issue than putting a man on the moon. It should attract as much attention - and, this time, the attention of every nation. Failure to solve this problem will affect every nation upon earth."

Source: http://feeds.businessgreen.com/c/554/f/7118/s/2f793218/sc/29/l/0L0Sbusinessgreen0N0Cbg0Cnews0C22865630Cdavid0Eking0Ethe0Eworld0Eneeds0Ea0Emoon0Elanding0Efor0Esolar0Eenergy/story01.htm

Pepco erin andrews erin andrews Magic Mike Anderson Cooper Gay NBA draft 2012 alicia sacramone

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Ramsay holds his tongue working with kid chefs

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? Gordon Ramsay's, dare we say it, softer side comes out when the formidable chef presides over aspiring kid cooks on a new reality show.

Kids between 8 and 13 who love to work in the kitchen will face off on "MasterChef Junior" debuting Sept. 27 on Fox.

Ramsay is the expletive-spewing restaurateur and star of such Fox shows as "Kitchen Nightmares" and "Hell's Kitchen." The new show is based on a popular British series.

"I don't think I swore once," Ramsay told the Television Critics Association on Thursday.

"Twice," corrected Gavin, a 10-year-old contestant from San Francisco, adding that Ramsay's cursing was directed at servers during a restaurant challenge, not the kids.

"We know the F-word means food," Ramsay said.

The contestants knew of Ramsay's fiery reputation as a demanding taskmaster, but 9-year-old Sarah from Pacific Palisades, Calif., said, "He can't be really mean because we're kids."

Ramsay, a father of three daughters and a son, told the budding chefs when their food wasn't good enough.

"I'm brutally honest and I think the kids appreciate that," Ramsay said. "Being firm and fair isn't anything we can be short on."

To soften the blow, they were sent home in pairs during eliminations.

"We hate saying goodbye," Ramsay said. "We let them down gently."

Tommy, an 11-year-old contestant from Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., said, "He was giving us tips on making it better."

Added Gavin, "He taught you not to give up and keep on trying."

Several of the seven kids at the TCA panel said they hope to pursue careers in food when they grow up. Ramsay said he enjoyed mentoring the kids and teaching them life-long skills about eating healthy foods.

"Learning to cook for yourself is so important to set them up for the rest of their lives," he said.

Joining Ramsay on the judging panel are restaurateur Joe Bastianich and chef Graham Elliot.

The first audition round features 24 kids split into three groups of eight to create seafood, pasta or desserts.

The top 12 finalists earn a white apron and advance to a series of challenges and cook-offs, including preparing Beef Wellington as a tag-team. The kids take over a fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles to prepare a three-course meal.

The eventual winner earns $100,000.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-08-01-TV-Gordon%20Ramsay/id-ee9d82ce74e147539e6866020197b5b6

Alexandra Lenas Secret Life of the American Teenager zynga PNC Bank floyd mayweather Romina Puga Red Wedding

Zone Read: NCAA Tournament undergoes changes, Tuinei signs with Patriots

There was much debate after the Oregon Ducks basketball received what looked to be a very low 12th seed heading into the NCAA Tournament last season. Despite boasting an impressive 28-9 record, the Ducks were forced to play a higher seed due to their given situation. Due to countless situations such as these, the NCAA?announced changes today to change the way they select men?s basketball teams for the tournament in order to seed teams properly moving forward.

***

The former Rose Bowl offensive player of the game and Duck wide receiver Lavasier Tuinei is headed to Foxboro after inking a deal with the New England Patriots this morning. Despite initially signing an?un-drafted free agent deal with the Seattle Seahawks back in 2011 and recently spending time ?with the?Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals, Tuinei only recently found a place to call home. Tuinei is currently the 11th receiver on the Patriot?s roster.

***

World renowned soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo had the opportunity to showcase his throwing ability ? or inability in this matter ? at the Dodgers vs. Yankees game Wednesday night. Not only did Ronaldo?s pitch go well over the catcher?s head, it was a testament to the fact that Ronaldo chose the right sport at the right age. All-in-all, it made for a great Vine.

Source: http://dailyemerald.com/2013/08/01/zone-read-ducks-ranked-third-in-preseason-coaches-poll-tuinei-signs-with-patriots/

ncaa march madness cbs march madness bracket ncaa basketball scores Harry Reems ncaa basketball ncaa tournament schedule

Friday, August 2, 2013

How I Aided and Abetted My Own Debit Card Fraud

Using an ATM at night. Who's behind you?

Photo by Thinkstock

?Hello, Mr. Welch. Visa Card Services here.? That was how my nightmare started one Sunday morning. I was hungover, sitting on the sofa, when the landline rang. I was surprised because I?d only given the number to about three people. The person on the other end of the phone, Mark, told me there had been a number of fraudulent transactions on my bank account since midnight, adding up to about 1,100 pounds ($1,663). I?d never heard of Visa Card Services before, but then, I?d never had money stolen like this before. Maybe this is what happens?

Mark then confirmed the last genuine withdrawal I?d made, at the Barclays bank opposite Highbury & Islington station in London. He gave me a reference number and told me to ring the telephone number on the back of my card. I did just that, quoted the reference number, and was able to speak with someone who knew all about the supposed fraud. These cunning tricksters had apparently cloned my card at the Barclay?s ATM, then treated themselves to a few things in the Apple Store. Something didn?t ring true about the whole thing?why would someone with a stolen card only spend 400 pounds (about $600) in the Apple Store, for starters? Still, I watch enough alarmist consumer-affairs TV,?the kind of program presented in the U.K. by an estuary gargoyle named Dominic Littlewood?to know that these things happen.

The person now helping me, Rajesh Khan in HSBC?s card protection department, had all my details: full name, date of birth, and crucially, my address. When he said a courier was on the way to collect my card for further examination, I didn?t need to tell him where I lived. I initially flinched at the idea, but when Rajesh explained that the bank?s fraud team needed to analyze the chip, it made sense. After all, I?d phoned the bank myself?this was no cold call, and he had all my details already. That?s probably also why I typed my PIN number into my telephone keypad of my phone when Rajesh asked me to.

?It?s OK, Mr. Welch, we can?t see it, but we need to perform a PIN block,? he said.

?I?ve never heard of that,? I said, ?but fair enough.?

I packaged the card up as requested?wrapped it snugly in a paper towel and tucked into an envelope?and waited for the courier to arrive. Rajesh called back twice, once to say the car was five minutes away, and again to say it was outside, quoting the car?s number plate and describing the driver. My new mate, Rajesh, called again later that afternoon to say they?d received the card and that I?d have my money back in a few days. ?Great," I thought. I recall saying to one of my housemates how difficult it was to like banks, what with them ruining the world and everything, but you couldn?t argue with efficiency like this.

The following day was similarly efficient, as I went through exactly the same process with my credit card. The fraudsters had somehow hacked into my online account, got my credit card details, and maxed it out. This time, good old Rajesh told me, there was a shred of hope the criminals would be arrested as they?d made the mistake of buying Eurostar tickets to Paris on a specific train. The police would be waiting for them at the Eurostar hub at St. Pancras station. Amazing news!

But then a few days went by without a call from Rajesh. By this point I was about 4,000 pounds (more than $6,000) out of pocket. I called the bank, this time from my mobile. After explaining the situation to two or three representatives, the nightmare stepped up a notch when one of them said, ?But Mr. Welch, your cards haven?t been reported stolen."

I?ve never been speechless before; I?ve never been able to feel the color drain from my face either, but now I was and I could. It ran from me like water down an open drain. I was consumed by feelings of stupidity, anger, and fear. Realizations kept hitting me as I relayed the conversations to the bank reps, over and over and over. Why had I given my card to a stranger? Why had I typed my PIN into the phone? How did they know my mother?s maiden name? How did they have my address? And most of all, why in the name of all things holy hadn?t I checked my balance to see for myself what the damage was before I even called the bank that Sunday morning?

Well, to answer the last question first, I suppose I didn?t want to see what was happening. When I did check, things were far worse than I?d expected, and my rent had bounced to cap it all off nicely. The Apple Store story was a lie?they?d in fact spent thousands in clothes shops, and better yet, they?d treated themselves to a Dixie Fried Chicken each evening. Forget the fraud?what kind of savage spends 95 pounds in three days on greasy take-out?

The rest of it comes down to good faith. Once you call the number on the back of a card and go through security stages, you enter into a world of trust, where you?re no longer the boss. The person on the other end of the line takes over. ?My National Insurance number? Sure, stranger I?ve never spoken to before, here you go ??

By now, I was really panicking. Most of the money was credit or overdraft. What if I didn?t get a refund? That was a possibility, according to the security expert at the bank. It would take me years to pay off debt like this.

I called the police, and after explaining my idiocy once again?it?s pretty humbling, repeatedly admitting you?re the type of person who gives both your debit card and PIN to the first person who asks for them?they outlined the likely series of events that led to this theft. (They also told me, to my relief, that banks almost always refund the first-time defrauded.) It all started, said the police, on the Saturday night when one of this gang would have watched me withdraw money from the ATM. The thought of being spied on while you?re trying to enjoy yourself at a garage night at the Buffalo Bar is sinister enough, but not the worst of it. The police believe that then I was followed home, which is how they got my address. It could have been worse?they could?ve just stabbed me, so every cloud and all that, but followed me home? Christ.

As for the Sunday morning phone call, well, credit where it?s due?it?s pretty clever. If you call a landline, it?s up to you to end the call. If the person who receives the call puts down the receiver, it doesn?t hang up the call. So after I went to find my debit card, the fraudster was still on the other end of the phone, waiting for me to pick up and call ?the bank.? As I did this, the police said, he first played a dial tone down the line, then a ring tone, making me think it was a normal call. ??Mark? would have been sitting next to ?Rajesh,? no doubt barely holding in their laughter at how stupid I was. Well, Mark and Rajesh, I hope you?re happy with your lives. To Hades with you.

I was right to praise the bank?s efficiency, though. They returned all my money to me within 10 days, although I did have to get new bank accounts and cards. It was a pretty lean spell, and by the time I got my money back, I?d spent my last 60 pence on a tin of beans. The feeling of total financial ruin, of utter helplessness, isn?t one I?ll forget in a hurry. If I momentarily forgot what was happening, I?d start panicking all over again the second I remembered. Setting up all new direct debits was an unholy pain in the arse, my credit rating has taken a serious knock, and getting the various bank departments to talk to one another and not charge me hundreds in overdraft charges was no picnic either. I?ve since had to sign up to a number of other bank schemes and government services to add further layers of protection. I get a monthly statement of credit checks in my name, for example, so I know if these people are using the information they have on me again. It took a few weeks to stop worrying about the same people coming back to my house, too, although it helped to spend hours online researching the link between bank fraud and violent crime?virtually nonexistent, it would seem. If I?m wrong about that, I don?t want to know.

Bank fraud is a bigger problem than I had ever realized before this happened. A 2012 study of thousands of consumers across 17 countries revealed that 1 in 4 has been directly affected by card fraud in the last five years. Millions and millions of pounds are pumped into funding departments and insurance coverage. That?s our money, paid in extortionate overdraft arrangement fees that finance the whole industry. Financial fraud is often thought of as a victimless crime, because ultimately it?s only huge companies footing the bill, not individuals. But having suffered through it myself, the stress, upset, and countless hours spent sorting it out tell me it?s anything but.

Out of everything, accepting that the fraud had happened probably took the longest to process. Being paranoid, well, hopefully that?ll just wear off in time; being a bit more suspicious than I was before isn?t a bad thing. I like to think I?m a tech-savvy person, I read about internet security, I know about phishing, but the knowledge left me when it counted and I handed over all my money to criminals like some yokel buying magic beans at a county fair. I?m surprised I didn?t offer to help them spend the cash as well.

This piece is reprinted from Andy Welch?s personal blog.

Source: http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2013/08/debit_card_fraud_how_one_man_unwittingly_helped_criminals_steal_from_him.html

whale shark whale shark duke university platypus platypus overboard east of eden

Zimbabwe challenger says poll is not credible

A ballot box is emptied in preparation to count votes after the country went to the polls, Wednesday July 31, 2013 in Harare. Posing one of the biggest threats to President Robert Mugabe's 33-year grip on power, Zimbabweans flocked to polling stations in a presidential election that will determine the course of this southern African country even as suspicions were high that vote-counting could be rigged. (AP Photo)

A ballot box is emptied in preparation to count votes after the country went to the polls, Wednesday July 31, 2013 in Harare. Posing one of the biggest threats to President Robert Mugabe's 33-year grip on power, Zimbabweans flocked to polling stations in a presidential election that will determine the course of this southern African country even as suspicions were high that vote-counting could be rigged. (AP Photo)

Votes are counted after the country went to the polls, Wednesday July 31, 2013 in Harare. Posing one of the biggest threats to President Robert Mugabe's 33-year grip on power, Zimbabweans flocked to polling stations in a presidential election that will determine the course of this southern African country even as suspicions were high that vote-counting could be rigged. (AP Photo)

Zimbabweans queue to cast their votes in the country's general elections in Morondera, rural Zimbabwe, Wednesday July 31, 2013. Posing one of the biggest threats to President Robert Mugabe's 33-year grip on power, Zimbabweans flocked to polling stations Wednesday in a presidential election that will determine the course of this southern African country even as suspicions were high that vote-counting could be rigged. (AP Photo/Skyler Reid) SOUTH AFRICA OUT

(AP) ? The main challenger to Zimbabwe's longtime president, Robert Mugabe, said Thursday the election is "null and void" due to alleged violations in the voting process, but Mugabe has denied vote rigging.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Wednesday's election was heavily manipulated and did not meet regional or African election standards. A poll monitoring group that is not affiliated with the state also said the poll was compromised by a campaign to stop voters from casting ballots.

Mugabe has denied allegations of vote-rigging as a smear campaign by opponents. Final results are expected by Monday.

The elections posed one of the biggest challenges to Mugabe's 33-year grip on power on this former British colony in southeast Africa.

"The shoddy manner in which it has been conducted and the consequent illegitimacy of the result will plunge this country into a serious crisis," Tsvangirai warned.

The head of African Union observer mission, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, said late Wednesday that reports of irregularities "will be investigated but have not yet been substantiated."

Mugabe's party said Thursday it has withdrawn an unauthorized message on its Twitter feed claiming a resounding victory. The ZANU-PF party said it is awaiting the release of results by the state election commission, the only body allowed under the law to announce the outcome of massive voting on Wednesday.

Solomon Zwana, head of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, said Thursday it has found a "wide range of problems" in the election and that the poll was compromised by a campaign to stop voters from casting ballots. The monitoring group says as many as 1 million out of more than 6 million eligible voters were not on voters' lists.

Zimbabweans voted in large numbers Wednesday in an election that was peaceful compared to disputed and violent polls in 2008. Thousands of voters lined up in Harare's populous Mbare township but by Wednesday evening all the voters had been accommodated, said polling officials. "It's a tremendous turnout," said Magodelyo Yeukai, Mbare presiding officer.

Polling officials and party agents brought blankets to polling stations so that they could sleep next to the polling boxes to make sure they were not tampered with.

Mugabe, 89, has said he would step down if he loses.

Zimbabwe's shaky government was effectively dissolved on Wednesday. Mugabe and Tsvangirai have each predicted outright victory that would avoid the formation of another coalition.

Half the population of 12.9 million was eligible to vote. The state election body has said administrative, logistical and funding problems hindered voting arrangements, but said the problems have been fixed at the more than 9,000 polling stations nationwide.

Previous elections in 2002 and 2008 were marred by allegations of vote-rigging and political violence. Rights groups say there has been little overt violence this time but noted deep concerns over voters' lists, the role of Mugabe's loyalist police and military in the voting process and bias in the dominant state media and the sole national broadcaster controlled by Mugabe loyalists.

The International Crisis Group, a research organization, said it fears a return to a protracted political crisis and possibly extensive violence if the Zimbabwe poll is inconclusive and disputed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-08-01-AF-Zimbabwe-Elections/id-718c1769aa0d4e81b58c3d3f08614a8e

west side story final four 2012 bridesmaids winning lottery numbers megamillions winner kansas jayhawks mega millions results

Thursday, August 1, 2013

U.S. growth likely eased in second-quarter, but poised to rebound

By Lucia Mutikani

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. economic growth likely slowed sharply in the second quarter, but it is poised to regain momentum as the burden brought on by belt-tightening in Washington eases.

Gross domestic product probably grew at a 1.0 percent annual rate, a step back from the first-quarter's 1.8 percent pace, according to a Reuters survey of economists. Some said growth could be even weaker, with forecasts ranging as low as 0.4 percent.

Tighter fiscal policy, a slow pace of inventory accumulation and sluggish global demand, which has dampened exports, are seen as having hobbled the economy in the April-June period.

"The economy only had a couple of legs to stand on, consumers and housing, but conditions are falling into place for a stronger second half of the year," said Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody's Analytics in West Chester Pennsylvania.

The Commerce Department will release the second-quarter GDP report at 8:30 a.m. EDT on Wednesday.

If economists' forecasts are proved right, it would mark a third straight quarter of GDP growth below 2 percent, a pace that normally would be too soft to bring down unemployment.

But given the backward-looking nature of the GDP report, it is not likely to have any impact on monetary policy.

Federal Reserve officials, wrestling with a decision on the future of their $85 billion per month bond-buying program, will probably nod to the second quarter's weakness when they wind-up a two-day meeting on Wednesday. But they are also expected to chalk up much of the weakness to temporary factors, such as the drag from fiscal policy and a smaller build-up of business inventories.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said last month that the central bank was likely to start curtailing the bond purchases later this year and would probably bring them to a complete halt by the middle of 2014, if the economy progressed as expected.

"Even with a relatively soft GDP number, the Fed still appears confident in their outlook and the prospects of the labor market going forward," said Sam Bullard, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina. "It looks like they are positioned to make their announcement, come late this year."

SILVER LINING IN REVISIONS?

While U.S. financial markets have already priced in a weak second-quarter GDP reading, comprehensive revisions to the data might present a silver lining for the economy.

The government has implemented some changes in how it calculates GDP. For example, research and development spending will now be treated as investment, and defined benefit pension plans will be measured on an accrual basis, rather than as cash.

Economists say these changes will not only reveal a bigger economy and a higher rate of saving, but they could lead to an upward revision of 2012 growth as well.

"There's a distinct possibility that real GDP growth over the past four quarters will be upgraded," said Maury Harris, chief economist at UBS in New York.

"In addition, history suggests that the originally published personal saving rate will be revised up, which would calm some concerns about under-saving consumers holding back their upcoming expenditures."

Economists said the revisions would probably narrow the gap between a relatively strong pace of job gains and weak growth, a misalignment they said the Fed was monitoring.

Higher taxes, as Washington tries to shrink the government's budget deficit, likely constrained consumer spending in the second quarter, keeping the economy on an anemic growth pace.

Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, is expected to have slowed to a less than 2 percent pace after rising at a 2.6 percent rate in the first quarter.

That could bring the contribution from consumer spending far below the 1.8 percentage points it added in the first quarter.

With domestic demand tepid, businesses likely tried to keep their inventories from bulging. Inventory accumulation is expected to have made only a modest contribution to growth.

Other details of the report are expected to show exports weighed on the economy as demand weakened in Europe and China. Trade is expected to have subtracted more than half-a-percentage point from GDP growth in the second quarter.

Good news is expected from the housing sector, with double-digit growth forecast for spending on residential construction. Housing, which triggered the 2007-09 recession, is growing strongly, helping to keep the economic recovery anchored.

Business spending on equipment and software likely continued a steady march upward, with investment in nonresidential structures rebounding from a decline in the first quarter.

Government spending, however, is expected to have contracted for a third straight quarter, largely because of the across-the-board spending cuts in Washington.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-economy-likely-lost-step-second-expected-regain-050834234.html

new england patriots Zayn Malik miss america 2013 Oscar Nominations social security social security paulina gretzky

Attorney: NBA's Jones 'tripped' over homeless man

PORTLAND, Ore. ? Professional basketball player and former Jefferson High School star Terrence Jones did not stomp on the leg of a homeless man but instead just tripped over him, his attorney said Thursday.

Jones did yell at Daniel Kellerher, 46, to wake him up, his attorney, Kevin O'Connell, said in a statement. Kellerher was sleeping on the sidewalk and Jones "may have nudged him," but that he did not intentionally harm the man, O'Connell said.

"Terrence Jones is a gentleman with not a mean bone in his body," he wrote.

Jones was arrested at about 2 a.m. Wednesday after police said he yelled at Kellerher and "stomped" on his leg near a club called Tube. Jones was charged with harassment and pleaded not guilty during a court appearance Wednesday.

O'Connell said the police officer who arrested Jones did not determine whether Kellerher needed medical attention. And he said Kellerher didn't need any.

"(Jones) certainly would not, and did not, intend to cause Mr. Kellerher any harm," O'Connell said.

He said that Jones does acknowledge that he may not have been paying attention to where he was walking.

The term "stomp" came from a police press release. O'Connell noted that neither the charging document nor Oregon state law uses the "inflammatory term 'stomp.'"

Jones led the Jefferson High School Democrats to an unprecedented three straight Class 5A championships and played in the 2010 McDonald's All-American Game.

He was drafted 18th overall by the Houston Rockets, but spent most of last season in the development league.

Source: http://www.katu.com/news/local/Attorney-NBAs-Jones-tripped-over-homeless-man-218019761.html

gwyneth paltrow Pink moon Schwab cispa Katherine Russell Tsarnaev Richie Havens Allan Arbus

Field study shows tigers in India follow corridors between groups to maintain gene flow

(Phys.org) ?A team of researchers working in India has found that tigers living in separate geographic areas mate with tigers from other groups by traversing natural corridors. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the team explains how they analyzed tiger DNA samples from different groups to learn more about their mating patterns.

Tigers are native to India?part of a tract of land that once stretched from the far eastern parts of Russia to Turkey. As the population of the country has increased, sadly, the population of tigers has dwindled. Now, instead of roaming vast forests, tigers inhabit small geographical zones, where groups of the big cats survive only through the efforts of conservationists. Recent reports suggest that tigers now inhabit just seven percent of the land area in the country. Because of their isolation from other groups researchers have worried that the tigers will all die out due to such a small gene pool. In this new effort, the researchers sought to learn whether tigers from the separated groups are breeding with one another, helping to keep the gene pool diverse enough to be sustainable.

To find out, the researchers went into the jungle and collected tiger hair and feces samples from four geographic areas where tigers are allowed to roam free. They brought the samples back to the lab and analyzed the DNA found in them. In so doing, they were able to see that the DNA was from 273 individual tigers and that the four areas were actually just two?two pairs were separated by long thin, natural channels which tigers are still able to traverse. Because of that, the researchers feel confident that the gene pool can be maintained, provided the channels the tigers use are left open. Unfortunately, that might not happen, as the channels are privately owned and one of them has already been leased to a mining company.

In studying the tiger DNA the researchers were also able to see periods of sharp decline in genetic diversity over time. The first occurred approximately 700 years ago when human invaders arrived and started clearing forests for agriculture. The second was approximately 200 years ago as India became a part of the British Empire and wood from its forests was felled for timber shipped back to Europe

Explore further: Nepal's Royal Bengal tiger numbers soar

More information: Forest corridors maintain historical gene flow in a tiger metapopulation in the highlands of central India, Published 31 July 2013 doi: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1506

Abstract
Understanding the patterns of gene flow of an endangered species metapopulation occupying a fragmented habitat is crucial for landscape-level conservation planning and devising effective conservation strategies. Tigers (Panthera tigris) are globally endangered and their populations are highly fragmented and exist in a few isolated metapopulations across their range. We used multi-locus genotypic data from 273 individual tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) from four tiger populations of the Satpura?Maikal landscape of central India to determine whether the corridors in this landscape are functional. This 45 000 km2 landscape contains 17% of India's tiger population and 12% of its tiger habitat. We applied Bayesian and coalescent-based analyses to estimate contemporary and historical gene flow among these populations and to infer their evolutionary history. We found that the tiger metapopulation in central India has high rates of historical and contemporary gene flow. The tests for population history reveal that tigers populated central India about 10 000 years ago. Their population subdivision began about 1000 years ago and accelerated about 200 years ago owing to habitat fragmentation, leading to four spatially separated populations. These four populations have been in migration?drift equilibrium maintained by high gene flow. We found the highest rates of contemporary gene flow in populations that are connected by forest corridors. This information is highly relevant to conservation practitioners and policy makers, because deforestation, road widening and mining are imminent threats to these corridors.

Source: http://phys.org/news294472488.html

Sloane Stephens Ubisoft Pierce Brosnan canada day nnamdi asomugha nnamdi asomugha Zimmerman trial

Kentucky $250M: Tiny Kentucky college gets record-breaking $250M donation

Kentucky $250M: Centre College, located in the center of Kentucky, received $250 million from an alum. Centre claims this is the biggest-ever donation to a liberal arts college.

By Tim Ghianni,?Reuters / July 30, 2013

Centre College President John A. Roush announces that the tiny liberal arts school in rural Kentucky has received a $250 million gift on Tuesday, July 30, in Danville, Ky. The all-stock donation from the A. Eugene Brockman Charitable Trust will be used to set up student scholarships.

Bruce Schreiner/AP

Enlarge

Centre College, a tiny liberal arts school in Kentucky that has hosted vice presidential debates, announced on Tuesday a $250 million donation from a computer company founder's family foundation, which the college said was the largest ever to a liberal arts institution.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; // google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

The gift from the A. Eugene Brockman Charitable Trust, named after the founder of Universal Computer Systems Inc, will fund 40 new Brockman Scholarships annually beginning next year, said the school, which expects an enrollment of 1,375 students this autumn.

"You could have knocked me over with a feather," said Richard Trollinger, vice president for college relations at Centre College, of the moment he was told the size of the gift.

It is the largest gift to a liberal arts college in the history of U.S. higher education, and among the largest gifts ever given to any college or university of any type, he said.

The Brockman Trust said in a statement that it chose Centre College in part because the current chairman of the company, Bob Brockman, went to college there and the experience made a "tremendous impact" on him.

The gift is in stock in Universal Computer Systems Holding Inc., a provider of inventory management systems for the auto industry, which merged with Reynolds and Reynolds Co. in 2006.

Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, was founded by Presbyterians in 1819. Since 1967, the church has not financially supported the school, but there remains a close bond, according to Trollinger.

The college hosted the vice presidential debates in 2000 and 2012.

(Editing by Greg McCune and Eric Beech)

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/1K_yTiPlOGQ/Kentucky-250M-Tiny-Kentucky-college-gets-record-breaking-250M-donation

rampart nick collins dave matthews ambien madden 13 cover dalai lama tamera mowry

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Guns in schools: Arkansas district will arm 20 teachers and staff

A small school district in Arkansas will arm 20 volunteer teachers and staff with handguns starting in the fall, reigniting debate about the best way to protect children in schools.

The district will be the first in the state to arm teachers and is doing so under a state law that allows licensed, armed security guards on campus. The school?s participants in the program, whose identities will be kept secret, will be considered security guards after undergoing 53 hours of training.

"The plan we've been given in the past is, 'Well, lock your doors, turn off your lights and hope for the best,' " Superintendent David Hopkins told the Associated Press. "That's not a plan.?

RECOMMENDED: How much do you know about the Second Amendment? A quiz.

Mr. Hopkins said a wave of parent calls after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings last December caused him to reevaluate their procedures, even though the town of 9,200 people about 100 miles northwest of Little Rock isn't known for being dangerous.

State officials have not blocked the plan, even though Arkansas Education Commissioner Tom Kimbrell has said that he opposes arming teachers and staff. Instead, he supports hiring law enforcement officers as school resource officers.

Participating staff in Clarksville?s schools will be given a one-time $1,100 stipend to purchase a handgun and holster. The district will pay about $50,000 for ammunition and for training by Nighthawk Custom Training Academy, a private training facility in northwest Arkansas.

Want your top political issues explained? Get customized DC Decoder updates.

?That teacher is going to respond to one thing and one thing alone, and that's someone is in the building either actively or attempting to kill people," Jon Hodoway, director of training for Nighthawk said. "That's it. They're not going to enforce the law. They're not going to make traffic stops. If somebody is outside acting the fool, they're going to call the police."

At a recent training session teachers and administrators practiced using airsoft pellet guns to shoot a student pretending to hold another at gunpoint.

One of the student simulators, Sydney Whitkanack, said she?s not concerned about having teachers or staff armed.

"If they're concealed, then it's no big deal," she said. ?It's not like someone's going to know, 'Oh, they have a firearm.' "

Others, like former president of the Arkansas Education Association Donna Morey, strongly opposed the plan, citing concerns over a student accidentally getting shot or taking a gun.

"We just think educators should be in the business of educating students, not carrying a weapon," she said.

The Clarksville school district is the latest example of localities trying to form responses to the Sandy Hook shooting last December that killed 20 children and six teachers.

Like Clarksville, some districts have decided to beef up armed security, in line with the National Rifle Association?s recommendation for every school to have an armed security guard, police officer, or staff.

In May, a rural Colorado school district voted to allow two top administrators to carry guns. They were able to circumvent Colorado?s gun laws by changing the job title of the superintendent to security officer. In Arizona's Maricopa County, Sheriff Joe Arpaio organized a posse of armed volunteers to patrol local schools, although he drew criticism for hiring a former child-sex offender.

In 2013, seven states passed legislation permitting teachers or administrators to carry guns in schools and more than 30 state legislatures introduced bills that would permit staff members to carry guns in public or private schools, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

But most proposals to arm teachers or staff have failed, even in conservative states more likely to support an expanded role for guns, according to The New York Times.

A key reason for fewer districts arming teachers is the potential cost, according to the Times report. Some insurance companies are declining coverage to schools that allow employees to carry handguns, or are raising their premiums.

In Kansas, for instance, the liability insurance provider for about 90 percent of Kansas school districts said it would not cover schools that permit employees to carry concealed handguns. A dozen Kansas school districts that were considering arming their staff changed their minds after the decision, the state employee who oversees insurance programs at the Kansas Association of School boards told the Times.

?Some [insurance providers] are saying this is so high risk we?re not going to touch it,? Kenneth Trump, the president of National School Safety and Security Services, which discourages districts from implementing concealed carry policies told the Times. ?Others may say this is so high risk that you?re going to pay through the nose.?

? Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.

RECOMMENDED: How much do you know about the Second Amendment? A quiz.

Related stories

Read this story at csmonitor.com

Become a part of the Monitor community

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/guns-schools-arkansas-district-arm-20-teachers-staff-190939220.html

champs calvin johnson calvin johnson festivus festivus nfl playoff picture nfl playoff picture

Outline+ for iPad: The perfect note taking option for the overly compulsive!

Outline+ for iPad: The perfect note taking option for the overly compulsive!

Outline+ for iPad is a note taking app that focuses on keeping your notes organizes in outline format. You can create different notebooks for different purposes and organize and drill down inside of those as well. You also get Dropbox, Skydrive, iTunes, and Box syncing support.

Whether you're overly compulsive about organization or you struggle to keep thoughts and notes organized, Outline+ is a great solution. Outside of syncing with all of the popular services, you can also share notebooks with other users and stay in sync with each other. Outline+ also supports embedding images and other types of media which makes it perfect for school or design projects.

The price tag may be hard to swallow for some so there's also a free version available that only supports iTunes syncing. It at the very least makes a good option for trying before you buy. While apps like Evernote let you take free hand notes, they can be somewhat hard to manage. For those that like more structure and the ability to be completely OCD about their notes and how they organize them, Outline+ will give you those options and then some.

    


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/zyUCKobQyGI/story01.htm

Psalms 91 once upon a time once upon a time RG3 nfl playoff schedule Rex Ryan tattoo Alaska earthquake

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Football Talk: Warning to Bangura, Lukas Podolski does Partridge

Football Talk as you may have guessed likes a joke or two.

We tried our best note to detest some of the new comic scamps on the scene.

However we find comfort in some of the classics.

Neil Doncaster produced his best Dad's Army impression as the financial worries continue at Hearts as well as Dunfermline.

And now Lukas Podolski has produced his very own Alan Partridge impression for everyone's amusement.

There's also plenty of analysis of Gareth Bale's potential move to Spurs.

Don't panic

SPFL boss Neil Doncaster refuses to panic as crisis at Hearts and Dunfermline threatens to ruin new league kick-off
The footballing supremo says he thinks that the Pars and the Jambos will weather their financial troubles, despite both clubs standing on the brink of ruin. (Daily Record)

Hearts warned creditor will liquidate club if offers do not improve
Ukio?s administrator Valnetas UAB say that the offers so far to buy Hearts were ?not satisfactory?.

Jim Jefferies holding on to hope as both Dunfermline and Hearts stand on the brink
The Pars boss has his say on the crisis at his current and former club. (Daily Record)

Joe Ledley warns Mo Bangura that he risks becoming a Celtic outcast
No pressure Mo. (Scottish Sun)

Gary McAllister ? I still say Uri put us out Euros
Boo to the celeb spoon bender. (Scottish Sun)

Kilmarnock's Sammy Clingan to miss start of season with knee injury
The Northern Irishman could be out for four to six weeks.

Paul Lawson keen to keep proving himself after stepping up with Motherwell
The ex-Ross County man in ready for the club's European adventure.

Take a look

Footballers post tributes to Christian Benitez on Twitter
The former Birmingham player died aged 27. (ITV.com)

'We are interested in the stories around the sport'
Hugh MacDonald on BT Sport's move into the Scottish game. (The Herald)

Gareth Bale, Real Madrid and the anatomy of the mega transfer
The metro take a look at the saga involving the Wales attacker.

Gareth Bale, Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid: the key questions
Do Spurs need to sell? Why are Real Madrid so rich? And what about the clubs' strategic alliance? (The Guardian)

Must watch

Aha! Lukas Podolski unwittingly mimics Alan Partridge on Arsenal tour via The Metro

Nani scores free-kick against Crewe

More About Football Talk

  • Football Talk: Countdown to SPFL kick-off, Finnbogason drops Celtic hint?
  • Transfer Talk: Cardiff's Ledley move, Bayern Munich make David Luiz offer
  • Football Talk: Season ticket sales boost, Guardiola slaps Thiago
  • Football Talk: Derby pressure for Fenlon, how to spell Deulofeu
  • Football Talk: St Johnstone's finest hour, UBIG, Anthony Stokes' handbag
  • Transfer Talk: Celtic snap up Slovakian winger, Bale to sign new Spurs deal
  • Football Talk: Gary Locke Edinburgh Fringe show, stunning 'no-look' goal

People who read this story also read

  • Transfer Talk: Celtic snap up Slovakian winger, Bale to sign new Spurs deal

Source: http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/dunfermline/234445-football-talk-warning-to-bangura-lukas-podolski-does-partridge/

playstation all stars battle royale quinton coples a.j. jenkins riley reiff david decastro travis pastrana aj jenkins