Monday, December 31, 2012

California To Offer Retro-Looking License Plates

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Source: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2012/12/29/california-to-offer-retro-looking-license-plates/

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Home Improvement: Flowers for Wilson | Home Improvement Ideas

30Dec

Become a fan on Facebook and Order here: on.fb.me Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com From their home into yours, Home Improvement: The 20th Anniversary Complete Collection comes to DVD on May 10, 2011. Relive all your favorite Home Improvement moments in this premium set complete with all eight memorable seasons of the classic comedy about friends, tools, and the power of family. This limited edition set comes in a collectible red toolbox with an exclusive Binford all-in-one tool, plus laugh-out-loud bonus features!

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Source: http://www.cohocton.org/251-home-improvement-flowers-for-wilson

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Victorinox Swiss Army 16GB Jetsetter Flash Drive


The Victorinox Swiss Army 16GB Jetsetter Flash Drive ($49.99 list) is a multi-tool that happens to have a 16GB USB flash drive as one of its implements. You really should be buying this drive for its tools first, and as a USB drive second. While completely usable and both Windows and Mac compatible, the Jetsetter really shines as the tool you bring out to fix your eyeglasses, tighten a screw on your laptop, pop the top on a cold brew, or snip the tag off a recently acquired shirt. Once you've done all those things, the clip-in USB drive can keep important documents handy as a backup to your usual portable hard drive.

Design and Features
The Jetsetter looks like a thicker version of those classic mini Swiss Army Knives that you keep on your keychain just in case you need it for something. The 16GB version we looked at here is in classic Victorinox red, the 8GB version ($39.95) comes in black, and the 32GB version ($99.95) comes in clear/silver. It's a little thicker than the company's classic knives, thanks to the 16GB removable flash drive. The drive has a blinking LED Victorinox shield to let you know it's in use. The drive comes with a two-year warranty, but the metal tools have a lifetime warranty.

The tools include a magnetized Philips screwdriver (handy for eyeglass or minor tech repairs), bottle opener (important for after work), a spring-loaded scissors, a pop-out ballpoint pen, key ring, and a pair of tweezers. We verified that the screwdriver is useful by using it to install a SSD on a PCIe expansion card for another review. The tools are the same ones you'd see on a classic Swiss Army Knife, but the omission of the knife blade means that you should be able to take this tool on a plane with you. Current TSA rules allow both scissors and screwdrivers in your carry-on luggage.

The 16GB flash drive can be unclipped from the tool, or used in situ. The Jetsetter tool puts a little weight on the USB port, so I'd suggest removing the tool if you are going to keep the drive plugged in on a flight or other extended use situation. The drive uses a slim USB connector, so make sure the drive is right side up before inserting it. "Up" should be when you can see the 16GB label on the drive.

The drive comes with a Victorinox security app for OS X, but you can use the drive right away for storage. The drive comes formatted with exFAT, so it can handle large 4GB+ files on both OS X and Windows 7/8. If you're still using Windows XP you may need to download an exFAT update from Microsoft. The Victorinox security app purports to store files securely and allow you to keep your Safari Web surfing sessions private by storing cookies and history files away from your Mac. We weren't able to get the app running on a MacBook Pro with Mountain Lion, but your mileage may vary.

Performance
This is a slow USB drive. In addition to the USB 2.0-only speeds, the drive itself has a poor transfer rate. We measured a glacial 36 MBps read and 18 MBps write speed using the AJA System test. Plus the drive took 1 minute 20 seconds to transfer our standard 1.22GB test folder. To put this in perspective, USB 2.0 hard drives like the Iomega eGo Helium 1TB took only 42 seconds for the same folder plus had a write speed twice as fast as that of the Jetsetter. We couldn't test the drive using PCMark 7, so we couldn't directly compare the drive's speed to other flash drives.

If you need a speedy flash drive for everyday use, look at USB 3.0 drives like the LaCie RuggedKey (16GB) or Editors' Choice SanDisk Extreme 3.0 (64GB). The added utility of the Swiss Army tools on the Jetsetter are really what make the drive attractive. As a USB flash drive, it's passable but not extraordinary. Think of the Jetsetter as a multi-tool where one of the tools is a part-time USB flash drive, and you'll be okay.

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Victorinox Swiss Army 16GB Jetsetter Flash Drive with several other flash drives side by side.

More flash drive reviews:
??? Victorinox Swiss Army 16GB Jetsetter Flash Drive
??? Kingston DataTraveler Workspace (32GB)
??? LaCie PetiteKey (16GB)
??? Dane-Elec ColorBytes
??? Dane-Elec ShareBytes
?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/MQziI_ixtA0/0,2817,2413688,00.asp

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

In gun debate, two sides speak different languages - TwinCities.com

WEXFORD, Pa.?Inside the Big Buck Sport Shop, where mounted moose and deer heads loom over rifles, handguns, targets and ammunition, the customers have no doubt: More gun laws will not save lives.

Fifteen miles south, in the city of Pittsburgh, many confronted by a steady stream of gun violence are just as certain: To reduce the carnage, stricter gun control is needed.

This divide has existed for decades, separating America into hostile camps of conservative vs. liberal, rural vs. urban. As the nation responds to the massacre of 20 children and six adults in Newtown, Conn., the gulf has rarely felt wider than now.

After the gunman invaded an elementary school with a Bushmaster AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and magazines of 30 bullets each, there was a brief moment of unity amid the nation's grief. Across partisan divides, politicians said something must be done about weapons based upon military designs. Many wondered if even the National Rifle Association would adjust its staunch opposition to gun control.

Then both sides regrouped. With President Barack Obama pushing for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and memory lingering of Obama's divisive 2008 comment that some Americans "cling to guns and religion," positions hardened.

Listening to the public discourse, and to citizens in places like Pittsburgh and the Big Buck Sport Shop, people seem to be speaking different languages entirely. Communication has broken down amid a

flurry of accusations, denials, political maneuvering and catch phrases.

"You have to place some people in the category of 'you cannot communicate with them,'" Big Buck salesman Dave Riddle said Friday, standing between a rack of rifles and a glass case full of used handguns. "Their minds are set; they cannot change."

A short drive away, at the New Pittsburgh Courier newspaper, editor and publisher Rod Doss pondered how to tell gun enthusiasts about his belief that assault weapons should be banned.

"I don't know that they would hear me," Doss finally said. "Their culture is totally different. They've grown up around guns. It's part of their life and their lifestyle. It's second nature. Hunting, shooting, it's the love of guns."

Doss does not own a firearm: "I don't feel a need for any. I personally don't live in fear." His newspaper, which covers the African-American community, publishes detailed information on every Pittsburgh homicide because most are black-on-black crimes.

"I'm awestruck with their fascination with guns," Doss said of his suburban and rural neighbors. "When you look at it from that perspective, it's hard to relate to anything."

Locally, nationally, even globally, this is the issue that places people at odds?a fact seen by the passionate, often angry conversations that are ringing out across the world in the days since the Newtown shootings. Harry Wilson, author of "Guns, Gun Control and Elections: The Politics and Policy of Firearms," sees common misperceptions on both sides.

Wilson, a Roanoke College political science professor, would like gun control advocates to know: "Gun owners are not idiots. Gun owners are not in favor of gun violence. Gun owners are in many ways like them, and would genuinely like to see gun violence reduced. Obviously they have a different solution. But they're people too, just with different perspectives."

"And what I would want gun owners to know is, the large majority of people in favor of gun control don't really want to take all of your guns."

Guns were inseparable from America even before their enshrinement in the Second Amendment. With guns we secured the nation's independence, seized vast territory from indigenous peoples wielding arrows and tomahawks, and forged an ethos of personal freedom. Today, according to most estimates, there are about 250 million guns in our nation of 310 million people.

America has a higher rate of gun deaths than most similarly developed nations: 3.2 firearm homicides per 100,000 people in 2009, according to a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. That compared with a rate of 0.5 per 100,000 in Canada; 0.2 in Spain; 0.2 in Germany; and 0.1 in the United Kingdom and Australia. No data was available for Russia.

To many gun enthusiasts, though, these numbers have nothing to do with guns themselves.

With so many guns in circulation, they say, people intent on killing will always find a way to do it. Nor do they fault high-capacity magazines, because it can take only seconds to reload a standard 10-bullet version.

Some even say the solution to gun violence is more guns?to deter, and to fight back against the bad guys.

"The easy, lazy conclusion is that (gun violence) has to do with firearms," said Sam Liberto, a business consultant shopping in Big Buck with his two young sons. "We should look at the root cause: parenting or lack thereof, mental illness, video games. The underlying forces are probably far more important."

Liberto does think gun laws could be tightened, to track and collect more sale information. He's against an assault weapons ban but expects one to happen soon, as a first step to outlawing even more guns.

So after Newtown, Liberto hustled to buy the same type of semiautomatic rifle used by the school gunman. On his iPhone was a photo of his weapon's handiwork: an Osama bin Laden target that featured a face full of bullet holes.

"It's a target item," Liberto said of his purchase. "Unlike a hunting rifle or a sport shotgun it has less kick, a lighter weight. It's designed to be carried. It's just nice, a nice gun to shoot."

Liberto and Riddle, the Big Buck salesman, are officers of the Millvale Sportsmen's Club, where target shooters and hunters enjoy their pursuits. Riddle knows many people who enter competitions with the type of AR-15 used in Newtown.

The gray-bearded Riddle has been around firearms since he was born in rural Pennsylvania. To him, guns are no more dangerous than an axe or a bat.

What would he tell people who want more gun control?

"Let's go out and shoot a little bit," Riddle offers. "I'd take 'em out, introduce them to firearms, show them the safety aspects of it. I'd just go out and start shooting, have some fun. Shoot some paper targets, some cans. Shooting guns is a lot of fun, it really is."

That's incomprehensible to Pittsburgh resident Valerie Dixon, whose law-abiding 22-year-old son was killed in Pittsburgh a decade ago by a neighborhood thug with an illegal .357 Magnum.

"The original purpose of the Second Amendment was not a sport," she said. "I do think the laws need to be looked at. Look at lifestyles as they are today, as opposed to when they created the Second Amendment."

Dixon doesn't only blame guns for her tragedy. She said better parenting and education are among many other factors that need to change. But still: She says her son's killer was able to obtain the fateful gun within two hours.

"I believe in the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms, but I believe there's a responsibility with our rights," said Dixon, who does not own a gun.

How to draw the line? That would require consultation and cooperation. Those who don't own guns might have to learn things from those who do. People who like to shoot military-style weapons might have to sacrifice some of their recreation.

Or sacrifice some of their way of life.

Over the Christmas holiday, James and Jennifer Shafer shot guns with their parents and young kids at their ranch an hour north of Pittsburgh. The Shafers feel the pain of parents who have lost children. The Newtown killings left them shaken. But the response scares them, too.

"You can't take away our right to protect ourselves," said James Shafer, a former Marine who has called his congressional representatives to voice his opposition to laws that limit guns.

"We're not going to give them up, that's plain and simple," he said.

"I don't know how to get on the subway in a big city," said his wife, Jennifer. "I've heard bad things about it, and I'm scared of it. But the subway is normal for other people . guns are the thread of our culture."

James' cousin, Erik Shafer, started buying guns a few years ago after he returned to his rural home and found it ransacked by burglars. Police took 20 minutes to arrive.

After listening to conversations about Newtown, "I honestly don't think there is a middle to meet in," said Erik Shafer, a small business owner with a wife and two young daughters.

Then what does the future hold? He sees no end to gun violence, no matter what laws are passed.

"How do you prepare yourself for an infinite way that people can be shot and killed?" Erik Shafer responded. "It's tough. I really don't know what the answer is."

???

AP Researcher Jennifer Farrar contributed to this report. Follow Jesse Washington on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jessewashington

Source: http://www.twincities.com/national/ci_22283745/gun-debate-two-sides-speak-different-languages?source=rss

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Discus fish like clean water and a quality diet ~ Deal with pets


Plants utilized in the discus aquarium should be completely washed with a harmless aquarium plant disinfectant.
Snails can rapidly over run an aquarium and snail excluding chemicals are harsh on discus. A decline in water quality will lead to stress in discus fish. Clean water, at the correct temperature is considerable.
Clean water should have zero ammonia and nitrite levels. Elevated nitrate levels indicate a need for water changes. Overfeeding can increase nitrate levels. High nitrate levels inhibit growth and color development in discus.
New discus fish arrivals may have scratches or torn fins. Adding non iodized salt at a rate of one tablespoon per 20 gallons will promote rapid healing. Salt has many uses at various doses. The salt should not remain in the aquarium over an extended period. contrary mollies or goldfish, discus do not require or admire water containing salt.

New discus arrivals that were shipped have spent several hours in a dark box. Avoid opening the box under bright lights. Discus eyes are designed for vision in murky waters and bright lights can irritate them. Opening a dark box in bright lights will irritate their eyes and in an effort to escape the light the discus may lie down. I recommend leaving the aquarium lights off for four or five hours after introducing new discus to the aquarium This allows time for the discus to adjust their eyes.

Sources:http://rockymountaindiscus.com/Discus_Fish_Care.htm

Source: http://pets-to-me.blogspot.com/2012/12/discus-fish-like-clean-water-and.html

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Afghan violence falls, but insider attacks up in 2012

Insider killings by uniformed Afghans against their foreign allies rose dramatically in 2012, eroding confidence between the two sides at a crucial turning point in the war.

By Denis D. Gray and Rahim Faiez,?Associated Press / December 30, 2012

An Afghan protester, chants slogans on a loudspeaker during a demonstration for human rights in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 10. In a demonstration organized by the Social Association of Afghan Justice Seekers, dozens of Afghans who have lost their family members and relatives in the past three decades of war and violence in Afghanistan, marched in Kabul to mark International Human Rights Day asking for justice for the deaths of their loved ones.

Musadeq Sadeq/AP

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Violence in?Afghanistan?fell in 2012, but more Afghan troops and police who now shoulder most of the combat were killed, according to statistics compiled by The Associated Press.

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At the same time, insider killings by uniformed Afghans against their foreign allies rose dramatically, eroding confidence between the two sides at a crucial turning point in the war and when NATO troops and Afghan counterparts are in more intimate contact.

"The overall situation is improving," said a NATO spokesman, US Air Force Lt. Col. Lester T. Carroll. He singled out Afghan special forces as "surgically removing insurgent leaders from the battle space."

Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi, spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, said Afghan forces were now charged with 80 percent of security missions and were less equipped to face the most lethal weapon of the militants ? roadside bombs.

"Our forces are out there in the battlefields and combat areas more than at any other time in the past," he said, citing reasons for the spike in casualties.

US troop deaths, overall NATO fatalities and Afghan civilian deaths all dropped as insurgent attacks fell off in their traditional strongholds in the country's south and east. However, insurgent activity was up in the north and west, where the Taliban and other groups have been less active in the past, and overall levels of violence were higher than before a US troop surge more than two years ago.

US troop deaths declined overall from 404 last year to 295 as of Saturday. The Defense Department says 1,701 US troops have been killed in action in?Afghanistan?since the US invasion in 2001 until Dec. 26. Of those, 338 died from non-hostile causes. Some 18,154 were wounded.

A total of 394 foreign troops, including the Americans, were killed in 2012, down from 543 in 2011. The British, with the second-largest military presence, had 43 killed ? the second-highest toll among countries with forces in?Afghanistan, by AP's count.

The AP keeps daily tallies of casualties and violent incidents across?Afghanistan?based on reports from NATO and Afghan officials. Most cannot be independently verified, and other incidents may never come to light. The statistics sometimes vary from official counts because of time lags, different criteria and other reasons.

Deaths from so-called insider attacks ? Afghan police and troops killing foreign allies ? surged to 61 in 45 attacks last year compared with 2011, when 35 coalition troops were killed in 21 attacks.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/dEVZT6sjaCY/Afghan-violence-falls-but-insider-attacks-up-in-2012

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Sudanese police block protest at human rights commission

KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudanese security forces on Sunday blocked activists trying to deliver a petition criticizing the government to the country's human rights commission, drawing a rare rebuke from the state-appointed body.

Sudan has avoided mass "Arab Spring" protests that unseated rulers in Egypt and Tunisia, but President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who seized power in 1989, has faced dissent over a severe economic crisis and corruption.

Before the activists arrived, police and plain clothed security agents, some armed with batons, pulled up in cars and spread out at the front gate to bar entry to the commission, witnesses said.

"Plain clothed agents beat several activists trying to submit their petition and also journalists covering the protest," a witness told Reuters. Policemen also grabbed placards held up by the protesters.

Around 40 human rights activists had called for the protest at the Human Rights Commission in Khartoum to criticize the government for what they called obstruction of the work of civil society.

Staff at the commission, whose head was appointed by Bashir, came out of the building to ask police to let the activists deliver their letter, but police refused.

The commission, which rarely criticizes the government, condemned the breakup as an "attack" on the commission.

"The commission rejects this behavior. It is a clear violation of the constitution...and the law regulating the Human Rights Commission," it said in a statement.

"This will be also considered as attack on the inviolability of the commission and its immunity."

The security forces were not immediately available to comment.

Sudanese police fired teargas on university students in early December after four days of protests which followed the death of four students from Darfur.

The demonstrations were the most sustained to hit Sudan after a wave of protests against government austerity measures in June.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Rosalind Russell)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sudanese-police-block-protest-human-rights-commission-175808825.html

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Residents flee Bangui as rebels pause for talks

BANGUI (Reuters) - Residents of Central African Republic's riverside capital Bangui fled in overloaded cars and boats on Friday or stockpiled food and water as rebel forces paused at the city gates for ceasefire talks.

An insurgency has swept across much of the poverty-stricken but resource-rich former French colony since December 10, posing the biggest threat yet to President Francois Bozize's nearly 10 years in power and threatening a humanitarian crisis.

The government on Thursday urged Western powers France and the United States to help push back the rebels, though Paris said it would not use soldiers to defend Bozize's government and Washington evacuated its embassy.

The Central African Republic is one of a number of nations in the region where U.S. Special Forces are helping local forces try to track down the Lords Resistance Army, a rebel group responsible for killing thousands of civilians across four African nations.

"Our last chance, our only chance, is dialogue with the rebels," bus driver Jerome Lega said as he weaved through traffic in the centre of Bangui.

Scores of wooden boats piled high with baggage and people crossed the Oubangui River toward Democratic Republic of Congo on the other side, while the main road south away from rebel lines was choked with overloaded vehicles.

Those remaining said they were stockpiling food and water and praying international mediation efforts would convince the insurgents not to enter the city shooting.

"We are hoping that Bangui will not be attacked," said Eugenie Bosso, a woman running a market stall.

In a sign of rising tensions, the government announced a ban on motorcycle taxis in Bangui after nightfall, amid suspicions rebels were using them to infiltrate the city unnoticed.

GROUNDWORK FOR PEACE TALKS

Envoys from across central Africa arrived in Bangui on Thursday to lay the groundwork for peace talks with the rebels, and regional foreign ministers were due to meet in Gabon later on Friday to discuss the crisis.

African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security Ramtane Lamamra said regional leaders were seeking to convince the rebels to send a delegation to Gabon's capital Libreville to hash out a peace deal and end the crisis.

"If that is not successful, of course other options will be considered," he told reporters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, adding central African states could provide additional troops to reinforce CAR's army against the rebels.

A spokesman for the SELEKA rebel coalition - which said it will oust Bozize unless he honors a previous rebel peace agreement that provided payments and jobs to former fighters - said on Thursday it would halt its advance short of Bangui to allow for the mediation efforts.

A military source and an aid worker said the rebels had advanced to within 75 km (45 miles) of Bangui by late Wednesday, and a diplomatic source said they had since moved closer to the capital, effectively surrounding it.

The rebel advance has highlighted the instability of a country that has remained poor since independence from France in 1960 despite rich deposits of uranium, gold and diamonds. Average income is barely $2 a day.

French nuclear energy group Areva mines the Bakouma uranium deposit in the CAR's south - France's biggest commercial interest in its former colony.

The U.N. Security Council on Thursday condemned the rebel advance. Regional and Western powers have been pushing for a negotiated solution.

Neighboring Chad has sent troops to bolster CAR's weak army though it is unclear whether they would be enough to halt a renewed rebel assault on the capital.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was working to provide displaced people with water, sanitary facilities, and other necessities, and called on rebel and government forces to spare civilians. It said it had withdrawn eight staff for security reasons, but that 14 foreign staff remained in the country.

The SELEKA coalition brings together three former rebel groups that had largely been contained in CAR's northwest by government forces in recent years, but with foreign backing.

Paris in 2006 defended Bozize's government from a rebel advance using air strikes. President Francois Hollande on Thursday poured cold water on the latest request for help.

"Those days are over," he said.

Government soldiers were deployed at strategic sites and French troops reinforced security at the French Embassy after protesters threw rocks at the building on Wednesday.

With a government that holds little sway outside the capital, some parts of the country have long endured the consequences of conflicts spilling over from troubled neighbors Chad, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Additional reporting by Aaron Maasho in Addis Ababa and by Tom Miles in Geneva; Writing by Richard Valdmanis; Editing by Michael Roddy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/residents-flee-bangui-rebels-pause-talks-141256961.html

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N.Y. woman charged in slaying of firefighters

WEBSTER, N.Y. (AP) ? A 24-year-old woman was arrested Friday and charged in connection with the Christmas Eve ambush slaying of two volunteer firefighters responding to a house fire in upstate New York.

Dawn Nguyen of Rochester faces a state charge of filing a falsified business record, State Police Senior Investigator James Sewell said. Nguyen also faces a federal charge; a news conference with the U.S. attorney in western New York was scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday.

Sewell said the state charge is connected to the purchase of an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun that William Spengler had with him Monday when firefighters Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka were gunned down. Three other people were wounded before the 62-year-old Spengler killed himself. He also had a .38-caliber revolver, but Nguyen is not connected to that gun, Sewell said.

The .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle, which had a combat-style flash suppressor, is similar to the one used by the gunman who massacred 20 children and six women in a Newtown, Conn., elementary school earlier this month.

Nguyen and her mother, Dawn Welsher, lived next door to Spengler in 2008. On Wednesday and again on Friday, shortly before her arrest, she answered her cellphone and told The Associated Press that she didn't want to talk about Spengler. Her brother, Steven Nguyen, told the Democrat and Chronicle newspaper of Rochester that Spengler stole the guns from Dawn Nguyen.

A number listed in the name of her lawyer, David Palmiere, was disconnected.

Spengler set a car on fire and touched off an inferno in his Webster home on a strip of land along the Lake Ontario shore, took up a sniper's position and opened fire on the first firefighters to arrive at about 5:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve, authorities said. He wounded two other firefighters and an off-duty police officer who was on his way to work.

A Webster police officer who had accompanied the firefighters shot back at Spengler with a rifle in a brief exchange of gunfire before the gunman killed himself.

Spengler spent 17 years in prison for killing his grandmother in 1980 and was barred from possessing weapons as a convicted felon.

Investigators still haven't released the identity of remains found in William Spengler's burned house. They have said they believe the remains are those of his 67-year-old sister, Cheryl Spengler, who also lived in the house near Rochester and has been unaccounted for since the killings. The Spengler siblings had lived in the home with their mother, Arline Spengler, who died in October. In all, seven houses were destroyed by the flames.

Investigators found a rambling, typed letter laying out Spengler's intention to destroy his neighborhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people."

He had been released from parole in 2006 on the manslaughter conviction, and authorities said they had had no encounters with him since.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-woman-arrested-connection-slaying-2-195532926.html

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Reaction to death of Norman Schwarzkopf

Reaction to the death of retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf:

___

"Barbara and I mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation. A distinguished member of that 'Long Gray Line' hailing from West Point, Gen. Norm Schwarzkopf, to me, epitomized the 'duty, service, country' creed that has defended our freedom and seen this great nation through our most trying international crises. More than that, he was a good and decent man ? and a dear friend. Barbara and I send our condolences to his wife, Brenda, and his wonderful family." ? former President George H.W. Bush.

___

"With the passing of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, we've lost an American original. From his decorated service in Vietnam to the historic liberation of Kuwait and his leadership of United States Central Command, Gen. Schwarzkopf stood tall for the country and Army he loved. Our prayers are with the Schwarzkopf family, who tonight can know that his legacy will endure in a nation that is more secure because of his patriotic service." ? White House press secretary Jay Carney.

___

"With the passing of General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, America lost a great patriot and a great soldier. Norm served his country with courage and distinction for over 35 years. The highlight of his career was the 1991 Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Storm. 'Stormin' Norman' led the coalition forces to victory, ejecting the Iraqi Army from Kuwait and restoring the rightful government. His leadership not only inspired his troops, but also inspired the nation. He was a good friend of mine, a close buddy. I will miss him. My wife, Alma, joins me in extending our deepest condolences to his wife, Brenda, and to her family." ? former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

___

"The men and women of the Department of Defense join me in mourning the loss of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, whose 35 years of service in uniform left an indelible imprint on the United States military and on the country. The son of a decorated Army officer, Gen. Schwarzkopf followed his father's legacy of service by enrolling in West Point in the 1950s. His bravery during two tours in Vietnam earned him three Silver Stars, and set him on the path lead our troops into battle in Grenada, and then to take charge of the overall allied effort in the first Gulf War as commander of United States Central Command. Gen. Schwarzkopf's skilled leadership of that campaign liberated the Kuwaiti people and produced a decisive victory for the allied coalition. In the aftermath of that war, Gen. Schwarzkopf was justly recognized as a brilliant strategist and inspiring leader. Today, we recall that enduring legacy and remember him as one of the great military giants of the 20th century. My thoughts and prayers are with the Schwarzkopf family in this time of sadness and grief." ? Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.

___

"I was saddened to learn today of the passing of Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, a fellow West Point graduate, former CENTCOM commander and one of the 20th century's finest soldiers and leaders. I join the civilian and military leaders of our country, and servicemen and women, past and present, in mourning his death. Gen. Schwarzkopf embodied the warrior spirit, serving with distinction in three conflicts over his 35 years of dedicated service. The hallmark of his remarkable career was the swift and decisive victory over Saddam Hussein's forces after they invaded Kuwait. The thoughts and prayers of the Joint Chiefs and the Joint Force are with Gen. Schwarzkopf's family and friends." ? Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reaction-death-norman-schwarzkopf-014655500.html

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2012 review: The year in life science

Read more: "2013 Smart Guide: 10 ideas that will shape the year"

The last 12 months have brought more insights into life's origins on Earth ? as well as a prediction about its ultimate fate. We've learned more about life's extremes thanks to biologists working in the driest desert, in the coldest continent ? and to a certain Hollywood director's trip into the deepest ocean trench on the planet.

It's also been a year that has taught us more about our species' origins, from the origin of art to the earliest evidence of medicine. Here are 10 more of our favourite stories of 2012.

Eats bark, fruit and leaves: diet of ancient human
Australopithecus sediba, a 2-million-year-old member of the human family, had a diet unlike other known hominins

Buried microbes exist at limit between life and death
Sediment 30 metres below the Pacific seafloor is so nutrient-poor that microbes barely fuel their cellular functions ? yet they may be thousands of years old

Prions point to a new style of evolution
A form of evolution that involves neither genetic nor epigenetic changes to the DNA has been seen in yeast

Was humanity born in the mother of all plagues?
Early in human evolution, our ancestors switched off two key genes. Doing so may have allowed us to fight off an epidemic of bacterial disease

First land plants plunged Earth into ice age
When the first simple mosses colonised the land, they unleashed vast ice sheets and triggered a mass extinction

Biological clock began ticking 2.5 billion years ago
An enzyme found in nearly all forms of life runs on a 24-hour clock and dates back to a pivotal moment in evolution

Chinese human fossils unlike any known species
The newly described Red Deer Cave people show an unusual mixture of modern and primitive features. Where did they come from?

Reptile grew feather-like structures before dinosaurs
Some 80 million years before the first feathered dinosaurs, Longisquama grew impressive structures using the same genes

DNA could have existed long before life itself
The idea that life began with RNA ? simpler than DNA ? looks less certain now that a DNA-like molecule has been made from basic compounds

Captured: the moment photosynthesis changed the world
For the first time, geologists have found evidence of how modern photosynthesis evolved 2.4 billion years ago

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

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Friday, December 28, 2012

Bears blitz Bruins 49-26 behind Martin, Florence

Baylor running back Glasco Martin is lifted by teammates after scoring a touchdown against UCLA during the first half of the NCAA college football Holiday Bowl game, Thursday Dec. 27, 2012, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Baylor running back Glasco Martin is lifted by teammates after scoring a touchdown against UCLA during the first half of the NCAA college football Holiday Bowl game, Thursday Dec. 27, 2012, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Baylor quarterback Nick Florence throws a pass during the first half of the NCAA college football Holiday Bowl game against UCLA, Thursday Dec. 27, 2012, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Baylor's Antwan Goodley runs through a hole in the UCLA defense during the first half of the NCAA college football Holiday Bowl game, Thursday Dec. 27, 2012, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

(AP) ? Routing the UCLA Bruins almost seemed like a sidelight for Baylor Bears quarterback Nick Florence.

Nabbing one of Robert Griffin III's school records? Now that was a big deal.

The Bears overwhelmed the No. 17 Bruins 49-26 in the Holiday Bowl on Thursday night as Florence threw for two scores and ran for another. Glasco Martin ran for three touchdowns.

Florence completed 10 of 13 passes for 188 yards, giving him 4,309 for the season to break RG3's school record of 4,293 set in his 2011 Heisman Trophy-winning season.

"For me, I just wanted a chance to play. I just happened to follow a Heisman Trophy winner," Florence said. "I'm not Robert. I'm not 6-3. I don't run a 4.3. You saw that tonight. Man, if I could run a 4.3 it would be nice. So I just had to be me. I tried to manage this offense and play within myself. He's a heck of player, he's done a heck of a job for this program, put us on the map. I'm humbled and honored to hold that record. He deserves it. I never thought that would have happened this year. I just wanted to win games."

Baylor (8-5) won its final four games and five of six.

"That was a question we asked all our players, 'What was going to happen now that Robert's gone?'" coach Art Briles said. "And our guys responded, fought together, believed in each other. They have always sustained and never lost focus."

Lache Seastrunk rushed 16 times for 138 yards and one score for Baylor, which outgained UCLA 494-362. The Bears came in leading the nation in total offense with 578.8 yards per game.

Baylor's defense came up big, too. The Bears sacked Brett Hundley six times, including two by Chris McAllister, and shut down UCLA's career rushing leader Johnathan Franklin. Franklin, who averaged 130.8 yards this season, gained 12 yards on his first carry of the game but was a non-factor after that, finishing with just 34 yards on 14 carries.

Overall, the Bruins gained only 33 yards on 28 carries. They came in having averaged 202.9 yards rushing.

"They played well upfront," UCLA coach Jim Mora said. "When we are at our best is when we can run the football. We couldn't find any room to the football. They played physical."

Hundley was 26 of 50 for 329 yards and three touchdowns to set UCLA's season passing record with 3,740 yards. The old record was 3,470 by Cade McNown in 1998.

UCLA (9-5) lost its final three.

The Bruins were never in this one. Baylor raced to a 21-0 lead by early in the second quarter on Martin's 4-yard run and Florence's TD passes of 8 yards to Antwan Goodley and 55 yards to Tevin Reese.

UCLA punted four times and lost the ball on downs before getting a break when Baylor's Jordan Navjar fumbled after a reception when he was hit by Eric Kendricks, with Randal Goforth recovering at the Bears 21. Two plays later, Joseph Fauria caught a 22-yard pass from Hundley to pull the Bruins to 21-7.

Baylor quickly added two more touchdowns to put it out of reach at 35-7. Martin burst up the middle for his second touchdown of the game, a 26-yarder, and, after UCLA punted yet again, Seastrunk broke free for a 43-yard touchdown run with 1:58 left before halftime.

UCLA then converted two fourth downs, including a fake punt, to move to the Baylor 12 with 7 seconds left. On fourth-and-10, Mora opted to go for a field goal and Ka'imi Fairbairn converted from 30 yards.

Martin added a 1-yard TD run in the third quarter and Florence had a 1-yard scoring run in the fourth.

Martin had 98 yards on 21 carries.

Baylor rushed for 306 yards.

"We knew coming in that we could run the ball well, and the O-line did a heck of a job and made my job easy," Florence said. "It makes throwing a lot easier."

Hundley threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Shaq Evans early in the fourth quarter and a 34-yarder to Logan Sweet as the game ended.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-28-T25-Holiday%20Bowl%20Folo/id-45bea706be0c4daf9b1b95c816499eb6

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Water Filters: An Indispensable Device - ArticlesWide.com ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]HOME :: Shopping and Product Reviews :: Electronics ... Also make sure to check with the manufacturer of that filter to see if their product removes the contaminants. You can filter the tap water that comes from your faucet by ...

Source: http://www.articleswide.com/article/12172-Water_Filters_An_Indispensable_Device.html

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Source: http://yariaem.posterous.com/water-filters-an-indispensable-device-article

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TEXT-S&P cuts Consolidated Minerals to 'B-'; outlook negative

Rationale

The downgrade reflects our view that protracted softness in the manganese

market will continue to pressure ConsMin's EBITDA in the fourth quarter of

2012 and in 2013. We therefore expect that the group's leverage will be high,

with a Standard & Poor's ratio of adjusted debt to EBITDA at more than 10x at

year-end 2012, compared with 3.5x at the end of 2011. We also factor in the

prevailing uncertainty on the supply-demand balance and price for manganese in

2013, which we think may prevent ConsMin from improving EBITDA and lead to

continued negative free operating cash flow (FOCF). The downgrade also takes

into account our view, under our criteria, of the group's "less than adequate"

liquidity, which we think could weaken further if FOCF turns substantially

negative.

Lower Chinese imports of manganese pulled down ConsMin's sales volumes by 18%

in the first nine months of 2012, with a particularly severe contraction in

the Electrolytic Manganese Metal (EMM) end market. We expect very weak

fourth-quarter results, given the lower benchmark manganese price of $5.2/dmtu

(dry metric ton unit) during the period (versus $5.35/dmtu in the third

quarter), and the group's decision to temporarily halt production in Ghana in

November and December in order to focus on waste stripping amid feeble demand

from the EMM market.

We think that the group will post weak EBITDA of about $32 million for

full-year 2012 (excluding a noncash inventory write-back of about $34

million), assuming that fourth-quarter EBITDA is close to breakeven. Its cash

balances at the end of 2012 will likely decrease to about $80 million from

$133 million reported on Sept. 30, 2012.

In our base-case scenario for 2013 we factor in EBITDA of about $90 million

and debt to EBITDA below 5x for ConsMin. This is based on the following

assumptions:

-- A benchmark manganese price of $5.2/dmtu as we don't expect markedly

stronger demand for manganese ore in 2013 given the weak steel industry

conditions globally.

-- Further reductions of cash costs, which in our view will likely be the

main boost to ConsMin's EBITDA. This year, the group successfully completed

the transition from contractor mining to owner-operated mining in Australia,

thereby lowering its cash costs to $2.93/dmtu in the third quarter of 2012

from $3.63/dmtu in the same period in 2011. ConsMin should be able to achieve

additional cash cost cuts by switching to lower strip ratio pits in Australia

for the next 2-3 years.

We also take into account what we view as considerable downside risks to our

forecast, such as:

-- The lower manganese price, and

-- The group's inability to execute the cash reduction program, although

we note its good track record in 2012, and

-- Potential Australian dollar appreciation.

If 2013 EBITDA is markedly below our base case of $90 million, this would

likely lead to substantially negative FOCF and consequently weaker liquidity.

Liquidity

We assess ConsMin's liquidity as "less than adequate" under our criteria. We

think that ConsMin has limited relationships with commercial banks, as

demonstrated by the absence of sizable and long term committed liquidity

facilities. We also think that the group has limited ability to absorb a

high-impact, low probability event without need for refinancing. We also think

that material negative FOCF could tighten liquidity.

We estimate ConsMin's ratio of liquidity sources to uses at more than 1x for

the 12 months starting Oct. 1, 2012.

Key liquidity sources over this period include:

Surplus cash of about $87 million, after deduction of $30 million that we view

as tied to operations and $16 million of pledged cash.

Funds from operations of about $40 million.

$11 million under equipment-financing facility in Australia.

We project the following uses over the same period:

Capital spending of $60 million. We note that the group has the flexibility to

cut its capex if market conditions deteriorate.

No dividends and no substantial debt maturities in the next two years.

ConsMin has $22 million available under the overdraft facility in Ghana that

matures on Dec. 31, 2013. We exclude it from the liquidity sources because of

its relatively short-term maturity and the need for the group to renew it each

year.

Additional liquidity sources could stem from ConsMin's ability to divest its

minority stakes in two Australian listed mining companies, OM Holdings Ltd.

(not rated) and BC Iron Ltd. (not rated). The market value of these stakes was

$86.2 million on Sept. 30, 2012.

On the positive side, ConsMin no longer has any maintenance financial

covenants since it repaid its Australian working capital facility. The bond

documentation contains incurrence covenants: a fixed charge coverage ratio of

at least 2.5x and senior secured leverage below 2.5x. We expect these levels

were exceeded as of end-September 2012.

Still, we think that the permitted debt basket leaves substantial leeway for

additional funding.

Recovery analysis

The issue rating on ConsMin's $405 million senior secured notes due 2016

(which includes the $34 million spent on buying back outstanding notes held as

Treasury stock as of Sept. 30, 2012) is 'B-', in line with the corporate

credit rating on the company. The recovery rating on the notes is '4',

indicating our expectation of average (30%-50%) recovery in the event of a

payment default.

The recovery rating on the notes reflects ConsMin's tangible asset value and

the guarantees and security provided for the notes. At the same time, recovery

prospects are constrained by material, senior claims with a legal or

structural advantage, which are attached to some of the company's valuable

Australian assets. Weaker enforceability prospects in the more uncertain

Ghanaian jurisdiction further constrain recovery prospects.

The notes are guaranteed by subsidiaries representing 86% of consolidated

total assets at end-December 2011 and benefit from the following:

A first-ranking lien over all of the shares in the issuer and the guarantors

that are located outside of Australia.

A first-ranking lien equitable mortgage over all of the shares in the

Australia-based guarantors, and a first-ranking lien over substantially all of

their property and assets (excluding the priority security).

A second-ranking charge over inventory and stockpiles of ore held by the

Australian guarantors, as well as over accounts receivable from the sales of

such ore (the "priority security"). However, at enforcement, the notes will

rank second in right of payment behind the credit facilities in respect of the

proceeds of the Australian security package.

We believe that the most likely center of main interest will be Jersey (U.K.)

or Australia, where the most valuable security is located and where we believe

there are creditor-friendly insolvency regimes. However, we note that the

company generates a substantial part of its earnings in Ghana (B/Stable/B), a

country with a degree of sovereign risk and whose insolvency regime and

jurisdiction we have not analyzed.

Our simulated default scenario contemplates a default in 2014, mainly owing to

volatility in the manganese mining industry, combined with ConsMin's potential

inability to service its debt.

We value the company as a going concern. This is because we believe it would

most likely be reorganized in the event of a hypothetical default, given its

good position in the manganese market. We calculate ConsMin's EBITDA at about

$60 million at the time of simulated default. Assuming a 4.5x multiple of

EBITDA at default--to account for the volatility of valuations in the sector

and the location of assets--we obtain a gross enterprise value of about $270

million.

After deducting priority liabilities, drawings under the $20 million

equipment-financing facility, and permitted debt under the covenants, we

calculate that about $165 million would be available for noteholders. Of

these, we estimate that about 70% would come from Australia, the most reliable

jurisdiction in insolvency situations (in spite of the current

underperformance) and the provider of tangible asset security to the notes,

although there could be upside coming from the asset security provided in

Ghana, as the company has generated and will likely generate a significant

portion of its EBITDA there. In addition, our valuation includes six months of

prepetition interest. We therefore anticipate average (30%-50%) recovery

prospects for the $405 million notes, which equates to a recovery rating of

'4'.

Outlook

The negative outlook reflects the risk of a downgrade in the next 12 months if

we saw a substantial reduction in ConsMin's cash balance and ensuing

deterioration in its liquidity. This could stem from sizable negative FOCF in

2013, which could in turn be triggered by EBITDA below the $90 million we

anticipate in our base case, owing to further manganese price declines, or

delays in the group's cost reduction plan, and the absence of timely capex

adjustments.

We could revise the outlook to stable if ConsMin successfully executed its

program to cut cash costs, and returned to sustainable neutral-to-positive

FOCF based on manganese prices steadily above $5/dmtu.

Related Criteria And Research

-- Criteria Methodology: Business Risk/Financial Risk Matrix Expanded,

Sept. 18, 2012

-- Methodology And Assumptions: Liquidity Descriptors For Global

Corporate Issuers, Sept. 28, 2011

-- Key Credit Factors: Methodology And Assumptions On Risks In The Mining

Industry, June 23, 2009

-- 2008 Corporate Criteria: Ratios And Adjustments, April 15, 2008

-- 2008 Corporate Criteria: Analytical Methodology, April 15, 2008

Ratings List

Downgraded; Ratings Affirmed

To From

Consolidated Minerals Ltd. (Jersey)

Corporate Credit Rating B-/Negative/-- B/Negative/--

Senior Secured B- B

Recovery Rating 4 4

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/text-p-cuts-consolidated-minerals-b-outlook-negative-114820951--finance.html

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

An interview with the author of Analyzing Jesus: Questioning The ...

Here it is ? Christmas time ? and what crosses my path but a book that some would call heresy.? If you?re a devout Christian ? Analyzing Jesus ? will rock you and potentially strengthen your faith or wobble it.? The book can be found on Amazon here.? In the description the following words are shared:

analyzing jesusAnalyzing Jesus: Questioning the Doctrine of Christianity may be one of the most compelling arguments ever written in support of the belief that Jesus of Nazareth may have never existed as an historical person. While currently pursuing his B.A. in Science and Religion, Dorsey, began composing Analyzing Jesus before graduating Liberty University?s Willmington School of the Bible. Dorsey?s extensive research skillfully challenges the ?Jesus Defenders? of our day with many of the Bibles irrefutable contradictions, inconsistencies, myths, fabrications and forgeries.

Analyzing Jesus not only offers an in-depth study on the Christian doctrine but also gives attention to the pagan origins of the resurrection. As Dorsey brilliantly lays out the facts, opinions, and arguments, amongst some of the world?s most influential scholars, evangelist, historian?s and theologians; he also, exposes the hidden manipulation that is associated with organized religion and its goal to constantly control what we are to believe. So could it be true that the Jesus story is one of the greatest myth?s ever told? You decide!

The interview with Dorsey follows.? Feel free to ask questions or respond to this blog interview on what I think will be a hot topic!

1.???? You have just written a book ? Analyzing Jesus: Questioning The Doctrine of Christianity ? tell my readers what inspired you to write such a potentially controversial book.

Well Chuck, what inspired me to write such a controversial book on such a controversial subject is simple?Christians deserve to know the truth, not my truth, not his truth, but ?the truth? about their religion and its history. It wasn?t long ago that prior to it being called the Holy Bible the ancients called it the Helio Biblia, the Book of the Sun. This is because Sun worship was an ancient pagan practice in ancient Egyptian, Asian, and Indo-European cultures centuries before Christianity immerged as a religion. But when it did flourish as a religion the emperor Constantine who was a sun-worshipper himself in 321 A.D issued a decree making Sun-day the official day of rest; which is the main reason why Christians go to Church on Sunday and not Saturday.

So make no mistake about it when Jesus is being referenced as the ?Son of God? he is really being cited as a personification of the ?Sun.? This is why we are told ?As the men watched, Jesus? appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun? (Matt. 17:2). Moreover, Christians deserve to know that the Gospel?s were not written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John but by anonymous authors who never met Jesus. Also, nowhere in the New Testament do we read ?I, Jesus write these things.? In fact, no one including Paul has ever laid eyes on the alleged God-man?Jesus Christ.

2.?? ?Give my readers an insight into your background.? You were once a Christian songwriter?? Seems like going from songwriter to skeptic is a massive stretch.? Share with us your journey.

Sure, for 21 years of my life I always strived to be the Christian God wanted me to be. I?d go to Church, study what I once believed to be the word of God and diligently helped spread the message of Jesus Christ. It wasn?t long that I started my own independent record label called God Musiq. The puissance of my desire to write songs for Christ was truly amazing. As a result, to really show my dedication to God I took it upon myself to enroll in Bible College so that I could become more effective in the kingdom (as Christians say). I also, wanted to be more knowledgeable in the Bible and its history. This way I could teach it in my music and to people more effectively. Little did I know my faith was about to change?forever!

3.?? ?In your bio on Amazon it says, ?It was during my enrollment in Bible College that I seriously began to question the Christ figure. Did he truly walk the earth or was he just a myth??? Tell us the story of how your transformation came to be.

Yeah, during my enrollment in Bible College we learned so much from Apologetics, Systematic Theology, Christology, Hermeneutics which is the art and science of interpreting scripture, and Church history including the rise of modern Roman Catholicism. But it wasn?t until we began to study The Case for The Resurrection of Jesus resurrection of Jesus by Dr. Gary Habermas & New Testament scholar Michael Licona, who both admit that ?Although, other religions contain ?resurrection accounts?, there are excellent reasons for accepting the story of Jesus resurrection while rejecting others? (pg. 89).

Surprised, I was then curious to know what other religions contained resurrection accounts. It wasn?t long before I would learn in my own personal time of study that the resurrection story is really an ancient pagan myth that originated in Egypt. In fact it can be found in the Pyramid Text written on the pyramid walls of the last king of the fifth dynasty, Unas (B.C. 2375-2345) over 2,000 years before Christianity.

In these texts we learn about the Resurrection and Ascension of a Deceased King, named Horus. In fact, in Egyptian mythology Horus can always be seen with a ?sun-disk? around his head identical to many ancient paintings of Jesus. Lastly, the original manuscript of Mark?s Gospel did not contain a resurrection account of the risen Lord. Chapter 16 originally ends at verse 8. This has been the most ignored ?addition? to the Jesus story. Learning these things and more were the beginning stages of how my religious to non-religious transformation came to be.

4.?? ?You know that publishing a book like ?Analyzing Jesus? had to have some repercussions when it came to the education you were receiving.? What response have you received from the academic community?

You know Chuck, so far no one from the academic community has tried to challenge my knowledge or discredit my work. But I?m sure they will and honestly I look forward to it because I can support all of my arguments with conspicuous facts, references and explanations to help sustain, serve and defend the belief that Jesus Christ may have never breathed, one single breath, on the face of this earth. Even Paul admitted that he was ?sent not from men nor by man?? (Gal 1:1). He also admitted that ?he received his message from no human source? (Gal. 1:12). So was Jesus not a man? Was he not a ?human? source? This is why there is so much debate over Paul?s letters because many scholars have come to believe that Paul was a Gnostic and was not referring to a historical Christ. In fact, Paul is severely silent on just about everything the Gospels tell us about Jesus and in my book Analyzing Jesus I discuss this at length.

5.?? ?Share with my readers some of the challenges (if any) that have arisen as a result of your written and very public challenge to the life and existence of Jesus.

One of the main challenges I face is constantly having to explain to Christians that the intent of my book Analyzing Jesus is not to hinder anyone?s faith in Christ or God. As paradox as this may sound my goal is not to stir up controversy; but rather to truly help educate Christians on what they?ve been taught to believe. But because I challenge the existence of a human Christ some Christians simply do not care to learn about some of the Bibles most irrefutable contradictions, inconsistencies, myths, fabrications and forgeries. Instead, they?d rather graduate to new levels of blind faith.

6.?? ??Analyzing Jesus? is seemingly well thought out ? yet there have to be many in the academic community that would refute your challenges to Jesus.? What type of challenges have you received relative to your new book?

Well in my book I make it clear that if Jesus wasn?t God and if God wasn?t Jesus, then Christianity is idolatry, therefore we must develop the habit of examining what the scriptures say of Christ. Because to be Christian we must believe that Jesus was God manifested in the flesh and this is what creates the challenge. But we must ask ourselves if Jesus was God why would Jesus say: ?Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone? (Mk. 10:8)??? If Jesus was God why would God be ?seated at the right hand of God? (Col. 3:1)? After all aren?t we told ?God is not a man?? (Num. 23:19)? These questions and so many others I address in my book Analyzing Jesus. I also debunk the doctrine of the Trinity and expose how it was formulated which is another challenge I receive from Christians who try to explain away the deity of Christ.

7.?? ?Several quotes on your Amazon site share that your book took them away from Jesus or Christianity. What was your intent when writing the book? ?

Good question Chuck I?m Glad you asked that actually. I make it very clear in my book that the intent of its pages is not written to undermine the Christian faith nor cause disbelief in God in fact it?s quite the opposite. My primary objective is to pass along the knowledge and information I carefully researched over the past 24 months of my life. Which pertains to the life of Jesus Christ did he or did he not exist? Therefore, my hope is to help enlighten the mind of another especially Christians because again they deserve to know the truth about their religion.

8.?? ?How has your research and the resultant effort in writing your book changed your faith or religious belief or both?

Honestly, at first it changed me for the worse. I was upset because I felt I had been lied to, I felt deceived and bamboozled. I was a Christian for 21 years of my life, very active in the Church and really did whatever it took to spread the message of Jesus Christ to my friends, family and strangers. But it wasn?t until I came to the realization that God, or the Creator (as I like to call it) cannot be fully explained or completely understood nor conformed into a ?religion? and I truly believe that?s the beauty of it. Because everything is not meant for us to understand, however, something?s are. I also believe that the search for truth takes you wherever the evidence leads you, and therefore I was led to Analyze Jesus and Question the Doctrine of Christianity.

9.?? ?What three things do you wish your readers to gain from your book?

If there were three things I?d want my readers to gain from my book it would be to inherit knowledge, logic and truth about early Christianity, the organic meaning of Christ, and the hidden manipulation that is associated with organized religion

10.?? ?A number of my readers are in the media, so as we conclude this interview ? what two things would you want them to know about the uniqueness of your book?

I would want them to know that in my book Analyzing Jesus I can confidently uncover all the loopholes in the Jesus story, how it was formulated, how it was fabricated and even worse how it was forged.? I would also want them to know that you can now purchase my new book Analyzing Jesus: Questioning the Doctrine of Christianity on Amazon.com and send any questions you may have to me on Twitter @Analyzing Jesus. Thanks

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Source: http://chuckgallagher.wordpress.com/2012/12/26/an-interview-with-the-author-of-analyzing-jesus-questioning-the-doctrine-of-christianity-a-new-controversial-book-by-bashiek-dorsey/

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LA offers groceries for guns in annual buyback

Motorists wait inside their cars to drop guns to waiting Los Angeles Police officials at the LA Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. Los Angeles police are offering groceries for guns in a buyback program that was moved up in the wake of the Connecticut tragedy. Police officials will be accepting weapons Wednesday at the LA Memorial Sports Arena and the Van Nuys Masonic Temple. Weapons can be turned in with no questions asked. Handguns, rifles and shotguns can be exchanged for $100 Ralphs grocery store gift cards. An automatic weapons will earn a $200 card. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Motorists wait inside their cars to drop guns to waiting Los Angeles Police officials at the LA Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. Los Angeles police are offering groceries for guns in a buyback program that was moved up in the wake of the Connecticut tragedy. Police officials will be accepting weapons Wednesday at the LA Memorial Sports Arena and the Van Nuys Masonic Temple. Weapons can be turned in with no questions asked. Handguns, rifles and shotguns can be exchanged for $100 Ralphs grocery store gift cards. An automatic weapons will earn a $200 card. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Los Angeles Police officials get weapons back from motorists at the LA Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. Los Angeles police are offering groceries for guns in a buyback program that was moved up in the wake of the Connecticut tragedy. Police officials will be accepting weapons Wednesday at the LA Memorial Sports Arena and the Van Nuys Masonic Temple. Weapons can be turned in with no questions asked. Handguns, rifles and shotguns can be exchanged for $100 Ralphs grocery store gift cards. An automatic weapons will earn a $200 card. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Los Angeles Police officials get an assault weapon back at the LA Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012. Los Angeles police are offering groceries for guns in a buyback program that was moved up in the wake of the Connecticut tragedy. Police officials will be accepting weapons Wednesday at the LA Memorial Sports Arena and the Van Nuys Masonic Temple. Weapons can be turned in with no questions asked. Handguns, rifles and shotguns can be exchanged for $100 Ralphs grocery store gift cards. An automatic weapons will earn a $200 card. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

(AP) ? Long lines of cars and people formed Wednesday to take advantage of a guns-for-groceries exchange program that was moved up in the wake of the Connecticut school shooting.

Police officers filled bins with more than 1,500 rifles and handguns outside the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and the Van Nuys Masonic Temple, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

Officials were mindful of both the massacre of students and teachers in Newtown, Conn., and a gunman's ambush that killed two firefighters in Webster, N.Y.

"All of us are still mourning the tragedy at Newtown, Conn.," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "So many young innocent children were mass-murdered in the way that they were, and now the assassination of two firefighters ... just breaks the heart of so many of us, particularly in this holiday season."

The anonymous buyback program allowed weapons to be turned in with no questions asked. Handguns, rifles and shotguns could be exchanged for $100 Ralphs grocery store gift cards. Assault weapons earned a $200 card.

The program, designed to get guns off the streets, usually is held in May. Villaraigosa decided to do it now in the wake of the Dec. 14 shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The last buyback netted about 1,700 guns.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-27-LA%20Gun%20Buyback/id-bbee6ff453c14ad6b9256217766f2e8e

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TEDxFIU in Review: Dr. Pedro ?Joe? Greer - News at FIU - Florida ...

As a young physician in Miami, Dr. Pedro ?Joe? Greer?s experience with the city?s homeless population inspired him to found Camillus Health Concern and Saint John Bosco Clinic.

Now an assistant dean in FIU?s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Greer challenged the TEDxFIU audience to think beyond the business of medicine to truly improve lives in their communities.

The United States is one of the top spenders on health care among industrialized nations, yet has some of the worst health outcomes. Greer explained that many of the factors leading to poor health in America are not scientific, but social ? things like poverty, violence, racism and food deserts.

The solution, Greer argued, begins in the medical school classroom, where aspiring physicians should be trained in social accountability alongside human anatomy. Medical schools should be accountable to society, not industry.

Watch his full TEDxFIU talk below:

See other TEDxFIU in Review posts:

Source: http://news.fiu.edu/2012/12/tedxfiu-in-review-dr-pedro-joe-greer/49948?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tedxfiu-in-review-dr-pedro-joe-greer

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?Jewel In The Night?, The First Christmas Carol From Space

Carols in the Cupola 268C1505The first ever musical recording in space (that we know of anyway) was performed just a few days ago on the International Space Station by Col. Chris Hadfield, commander of the International Space Station. The song, which is already climbing up Reddit's r/Music page, is an original Christmas Carol called Jewel in the Night. Based on the commander's Facebook and Twitter pages, he and his crew are celebrating Christmas in every way possible while they're away from their families. They even have a Christmas tree on the ceiling, thanks to what the commander calls "the beauty of a weightless Christmas."

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/8LoTveOgOKE/

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