BrowserCheck Business Edition

Large companies have IT personnel responsible for tracking software users have on their computers. For the small business, the task generally falls to end-users and one IT person already burdened with a long to-do list. If the user doesn't keep up with updates and IT doesn't notice, that is a security risk. Considering the amount of Web-based threats out there, the free BrowserCheck scanner from Qualys is a quick way to ensure Web browsers and installed plug-ins are up-to-date.

Cyber-criminals have a choice between buying?or creating?attacks targeting either zero-day vulnerabilities or older security flaws. The latter type is much cheaper and readily available. ?Recent research has shown a significant number of computers run outdated software. Targeting older software can be pretty lucrative.

Qualys offers BrowserCheck (three stars) for personal use and BrowserCheck Business Edition, both for free. The personal version scans the end user's computer and generates a security profile right away. BrowserCheck Business Edition collects the scan results from each computer and displays them in a dashboard. At one glance, the administrator can tell what browsers and plug-ins have been installed. For Windows machines, administrators can also check the status of antivirus and firewall protection, as well as the latest security updates via Windows Update. Thanks to automated scanning, BrowserCheck Business Edition allows administrators to schedule future scans to monitor any changes to the computer's software security profile.

Getting Started
I signed up for a BrowserCheck Business Edition on the Qualys site with a non-webmail account, as Qualys does not accept addresses from Web providers such as Gmail, Yahoo and Hotmail. Businesses that don't have their own domain name and rely on these email services are blocked from using the scanner, unless they have some other email address to use instead.

The dashboard's tables and graphs offer a bird's-eye view of how many insecure browsers and plug-ins are in the organization. I viewed detailed scanning results for each system and historic reports, as well as platform statistics, such as the most frequently installed plug-ins and browsers.

BrowserCheck supports server and desktop Windows versions all the way from Windows 2000 to Windows 8, Mac OS X, and Linux. I ran a basic scan using the stock Web browser for Android but not for Firefox, and I didn't test on iOS. Qualys can also analyze alternative Web browsers, such as Maxthon, Seamonkey, and Rockmelt.

BrowserCheck, Administrator
The administrator controls all the BrowserCheck settings, such as scanning all the browsers installed on the computer at the same time, checking if the antivirus, firewall, and Windows Update are turned on (Windows only), looking for missing Microsoft Security Updates (also Windows only), and setting up an automated scheduler.

The administrator can send the customized Quick Scan URL listed under account settings to users. When someone clicks on this link, BrowserCheck scans the computer and saves the results back to the dashboard. The no-install scanner can check the plug-ins and version number for that browser only. This is a nice and simple way for the administrator to see all the results of all the machines in one place. Even so, the BrowserCheck plug-in is the better option.

Administrators can email the link to the plug-in and ask users to install it manually, or push out the MSI agent onto the computers via a software distribution tool or a script. If the organization didn't already have a software distribution tool that can push out files to user computers, administrators would have to rely on users, or take the time to make the rounds and install the plug-in themselves.

BrowserCheck can also be silent, where the user doesn't get to see the results of the scan as it is sent directly to the dashboard.

BrowserCheck, User-Side
All the end-user has to worry about is clicking on the Quick Scan link from IT to run the no-install scanner or downloading and installing the plug-in. The administrator determines what to scan and how often, making the process really simple for the user.

The plug-in-based scanner collects machine information, such as the operating system and the machine name, and associates the scan results with the machine name in the dashboard. The no-install scanner results are saved without any machine-identifying information. It's more helpful to tell the administrator which computer has the outdated Java plug-in, rather than just saying one computer needed to be updated.

If "silent mode" wasn't on, the user would see the results, a list of all installed plug-ins and their statuses. BrowserCheck has 13 different types of statuses, such as Obsolete and Retired. Outdated ones appear first, with red "Insecure Version" and blue "Fix It" buttons, followed by yellow "Update Available" buttons to indicate the updates were non-security related. Up-to-date plug-ins have green buttons, and all the ones BrowserCheck doesn't recognize have gray "Unknown" buttons.

Clicking on "Fix It" or "Update Available" buttons downloads the latest versions, but there's no way to automate getting the latest updates.

The scan results page look very similar to Mozilla's own plugin check.?With BrowserCheck, though, I could view the status of the plugins for each browser, along with system-specific data for Windows machines. I was concerned that nearly half of the plug-ins were flagged as "unknown" by BrowserCheck. While great for Windows OS and for common plug-ins, there is quite a lot the scanner doesn't recognize.

BrowserCheck for Security
For small businesses falling behind on patch management and regular software updates, BrowserCheck Business Edition is a great first step. There is nothing worse in security than not doing anything at all, so being able to see which computers have unsafe browsers or are missing security updates is a positive move.

If you just want a quick system that will tell you the state of your browsers and operating systems across your Windows network, BrowserCheck is sufficient. If you don't have a way to automatically deploy the MSI across all the computers, BrowserCheck will not be as effective as you depend on the users to install the plug-in. BrowserCheck Business Edition is the easiest way to ensure browsers and plug-ins within your organization are up-to-date with the latest security patches. If you need a little bit more, such as automated patching, investing in a more robust platform such as Panorama9?may be the way to go.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/7Fd-YK4CUfI/0,2817,2417226,00.asp

meryl streep martin scorsese sacha baron cohen best picture nominees 2012 academy awards 2012 albert nobbs a star is born

7 States Running Out Of Water: 24/7 Wall St.

From 24/7 Wall St.: The United States is in the midst of one of the biggest droughts in recent memory. At last count, over half of the lower 48 states had abnormally dry conditions and are suffering from at least moderate drought.

More than 80 percent of seven states were as of last week in ?severe drought,? characterized by crop or pasture loss, water shortage and water restrictions. Depending on whether the hardest-hit regions see significant precipitation, crops yields could fall and drought conditions could persist for months to come. Based on the latest data provided by the U.S. Drought Monitor, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the seven states running out of water.

Click here to see the seven states running out of water

U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist and Drought Monitor team member, Brad Rippey, explained that when the drought began in 2012, the worst of the conditions were much farther east, in states like Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan ? the corn belt states. Based on pre-drought estimates, corn used for grain lost slightly more than a quarter of its potential. By the Summer of 2012, 59 percent of U.S. rangeland and pastureland was rated by the USDA as being in poor or very poor condition. The growing drought decimated national hay production, causing feed shortages, which in turn drove up prices in livestock.

By the fall of 2012, drought conditions continued to expand westward to its current epicenter ? states like Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Oklahoma. Rippey explained that most worrying is the drought?s effects on the winter wheat crop, which is one of the biggest crops grown in the U.S., and which is grown almost entirely in the states in severe drought. While the region has had some precipitation recently, ?winter wheat crop will need ideal conditions heading through the next few weeks just to break even. We?re still trending towards a very poor hard red winter wheat crop at this point,? Rippey said.

In addition to severe drought conditions, relatively large areas in the worst-off states are in ?exceptional? drought, which the USDA identifies as ?exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses, shortages of water in reservoirs, streams, and wells creating water emergencies.? More than 70 percent of Nebraska is currently classified as being in a state of ?exceptional drought,? which includes Exceptional and widespread crop/pasture losses; shortages of water in reservoirs, streams, and wells creating water emergencies.

The last time the U.S. saw a drought close to this level of severity was in the 1980s, Rippey explained. But even compared to that drought, the current conditions may be worse. ?You really need to go back to the 1950s to find a drought that lasted and occupied at least as much territory,? Rippey said.

The U.S. Drought Monitor, is produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the seven states that had at least 80 percent of the total area classified in at least a state of severe drought as of March 14th. We also reviewed agricultural statistics, such as crop yields, in these states, using data collected from USDA state agricultural overviews. Most of these data are for 2011.

Here are seven states running out of water, according to 24/7 Wall St.:

• 7. Oklahoma

  <strong>Percent of state in severe drought:</strong> 83.2% <strong>Percent of state in extreme drought:</strong> 56.7% (4th highest) <strong>Percent of state in exceptional drought:</strong> 9.7% (6th highest) Over half the area of Oklahoma currently suffers from extreme drought ? the second worst level listed on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Oklahoma shares this distinction with just four other states. Drought conditions have actually improved since the start of the year. The percentage of the state facing exceptional drought ? the worst category of drought ? has fallen from 37% at the start of the year to less than 10% currently. In January, the USDA declared a large part of the winter wheat belt, spanning from Texas to North Dakota, as a disaster area due to the lack of moisture. According to the Scottsbluff Star-Herald, recent precipitation has not been enough to help the winter wheat crop in the state that had to be planted in dry soil. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/03/21/the-seven-states-running-out-of-water/#ixzz2P2lNh39V" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>

• 6. Wyoming

  <strong>Percent of state in severe drought:</strong> 83.7% <strong>Percent of state in extreme drought:</strong> 54.7% (5th highest) <strong>Percent of state in exceptional drought:</strong> 10.1% (5th highest) Wyoming is one of the driest states in the country, a condition not likely to improve in the near future. According to the National Weather Service, the drought is expected to persist or worsen in most of the state over the next few months. The most critical drought problems are taking place in the eastern portion of the state. In the summer of 2012, Governor Matt Mead had to ask the federal government for disaster relief due to the drought. During the year before the request, ranchers working on non-irrigated land had lost about half their pasture grass and hay production because of the drought, a state agriculture official told Reuters. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/03/21/the-seven-states-running-out-of-water/#ixzz2P2lNh39V" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>

• 5. South Dakota

  <strong>Percent of state in severe drought:</strong> 86.3% <strong>Percent of state in extreme drought:</strong> 67.5% (2nd highest) <strong>Percent of state in exceptional drought:</strong> 20.1% (4th highest) More than two-thirds of South Dakota suffers from extreme drought, the second highest portion of any state. Additionally, South Dakota is one of just four states where more than 20% of its area faces exceptional drought. As with many other states, much of South Dakota?s winter wheat crop was hurt by the lack of precipitation. According to the USDA, at the end of February, 66% of winter wheat crop was considered to be in poor or very poor condition, up from 31% in February 2012. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/03/21/the-seven-states-running-out-of-water/#ixzz2P2lNh39V" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>

• 4. Colorado

  <strong>Percent of state in severe drought:</strong> 89.0% <strong>Percent of state in extreme drought:</strong> 48.1% (7th highest) <strong>Percent of state in exceptional drought:</strong> 21.2% (3rd highest) Colorado is one of five states where all of its area is considered to be in moderate drought, with nearly 90% of the state experiencing severe drought. With the exception of the Northeast corner of the state, the drought is expected to either persist or get worse over the next several months. Yet even most the Northeast corner is experiencing either extreme or exceptional drought. Due to the ongoing problems, several of Colorado?s largest municipal water providers are considering restricting spring and summer lawn-watering, potentially limiting landowners to watering their grass just twice a week. Crop production declined significantly in 2012 compared to 2011, with wheat production falling 9.3%, while corn production falling a whopping 29%. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/03/21/the-seven-states-running-out-of-water/#ixzz2P2lNh39V" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>

• 3. New Mexico

  <strong>Percent of state in severe drought:</strong> 89.9% <strong>Percent of state in extreme drought:</strong> 49.9% (6th highest) <strong>Percent of state in exceptional drought:</strong> 4.3% (8th highest) As of early March, normal weather conditions persist in only about 0.21% of New Mexico ? the highest percentage in nearly a year. However, for most of the state problems remain. Last July, the USDA designated Cibola County as a primary disaster area due to drought. Six counties bordering Cibola, including Bernalillo County where Albuquerque is located, also qualified for natural disaster assistance. In late February, Albuquerque?s water board announced a ?drought watch,? which raised fines for wasting water to $40 for first offenders. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/03/21/the-seven-states-running-out-of-water/#ixzz2P2lNh39V" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>

• 2. Kansas

  <strong>Percent of state in severe drought:</strong> 96.4% <strong>Percent of state in extreme drought:</strong> 64.6% (3rd highest) <strong>Percent of state in exceptional drought:</strong> 21.4% (2nd highest) Severe drought conditions persist in more than 96% of Kansas. Furthermore, nearly two-thirds of the state is experiencing extreme drought, while more than one-fifth is experiencing exceptional drought. The good news for Kansas is that rain in March has eased the drought, although National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Kleinsasser told the Associated Press earlier this week that the state is still experiencing ?precipitation deficits? of as much as 20 inches in many parts of the state. Kansas produces about 20% of the nation?s wheat, more than any other state. Wheat production was up 38% in 2012 compared to 2011, although the drought affecting the state probably will make this level of production unsustainable for 2013. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/03/21/the-seven-states-running-out-of-water/#ixzz2P2lNh39V" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>

• 1. Nebraska

  <strong>Percent of state in severe drought:</strong> 100% <strong>Percent of state in extreme drought:</strong> 96.1% (the highest) <strong>Percent of state in exceptional drought:</strong> 76.4% (the highest) Nebraska is unique among all states in that all areas are experiencing at least a severe drought. Worse, extreme drought conditions persist in more than 96% of the state, with a stunning 76% of the state experiencing exceptional drought. In the next worst-hit state, Kansas, just 21.4% of all area suffers from exceptional drought. Drought has hurt much of the state?s winter wheat crop, 50% of which was in poor or very poor condition at the end of February, up from just 6% last year. The National Weather Service?s Climate Prediction Center estimates that the drought in Nebraska will last ? with some improvement in conditions ? through at least the end of May. <a href="http://247wallst.com/2013/03/21/the-seven-states-running-out-of-water/#ixzz2P2lNh39V" target="_blank">Read more at 24/7 Wall St. </a>

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/30/states-running-out-of-water_n_2984979.html

flight attendant pau gasol trade michael madsen spring forward day light savings day light savings daylight saving time 2012

Seth Rogen, Zoe Saldana And More To Present At Movie Awards

While the fact Rebel Wilson is hosting the 2013 MTV Movie Awards this year is enough to get us tuning in, the list of presenters that was announced today is a wonderful added bonus. Everyone from Zach Efron to the cast of "Star Trek Into Darkness" will be handing out Golden Popcorns, so it's time [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/03/29/movie-awards-presenters/

jerome simpson hand sanitizer obama on jimmy fallon google drive pilar sanders andrew young real life barbie

Seeing happiness in ambiguous facial expressions reduces aggressive behavior

Mar. 27, 2013 ? Encouraging young people at high-risk of criminal offending and delinquency to see happiness rather than anger in facial expressions results in a decrease in their levels of anger and aggression, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

The study, led by Marcus Munaf? and Ian Penton-Voak of the University of Bristol (UK), explored the relationship between recognition of emotion in ambiguous facial expressions and aggressive thoughts and behavior, both in healthy adults and in adolescent youth considered to be at high-risk of committing crime.

The researchers showed it was possible to experimentally modify biases in emotion recognition to encourage the perception of happiness over anger when viewing ambiguous expressions. This resulted in a decrease in measures of self-reported anger and aggression in both healthy adults and high-risk adolescents, and also for independently-rated aggressive behavior in the adolescents.

To modify these biases, participants were shown composite images of facial expressions that were happy, angry or emotionally ambiguous and asked to rate them as happy or angry. This established a baseline balance point of how likely they were to read ambiguous faces as angry. The researchers then used feedback to nudge some of the participants away from this negativity bias by telling them that some of the ambiguous faces they had previously labeled as angry were in fact happy.

In the first experiment in 40 healthy volunteers, this ultimately resulted in the participants learning to identify happiness in these faces rather than anger -- and these participants subsequently reported lower levels of anger and aggression in themselves.

The experiment was then repeated with 46 adolescents aged 11 to 16 years old who had been referred to a youth program, either by the courts or by schools, as being at high risk of committing crime and with a high frequency of aggressive behavior.

Again, participants trained to recognize happiness rather than anger in the ambiguous faces reported less aggressive behavior. In addition, incidence of aggressive behavior -- as recorded independently by program staff in the week before and the two weeks following the training -- were also reduced.

To test this result further, the researchers then ran a different experiment on a further 53 healthy volunteers which did not rely on explicit feedback to change the way participants judged facial expressions.

Previous studies have shown that prolonged viewing of an image subsequently alters the perception of similar images, so one group of participants was shown only angry faces while a control group looked at an equal mix of happy and angry faces.

The researchers found that those shown only angry faces subsequently shifted their perceptions and became more likely to see happiness in ambiguous faces. Again, they also reported lower levels of anger and aggression in themselves.

"Our results provide strong evidence that emotion processing plays a causal role in anger and the maintenance of aggressive behavior. This could potentially lead to novel behavioral treatments in the future," said Munaf?.

In addition to Penton-Voak and Munaf?, co-authors on the research include Jamie Thomas of the University of Wales Institute, Suzanne Gage and Sarah McDonald of the University of Bristol, and Mary McMurran of the University of Nottingham.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. I. S. Penton-Voak, J. Thomas, S. H. Gage, M. McMurran, S. McDonald, M. R. Munafo. Increasing Recognition of Happiness in Ambiguous Facial Expressions Reduces Anger and Aggressive Behavior. Psychological Science, 2013; DOI: 10.1177/0956797612459657

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/D_t658f0cAE/130328080559.htm

honda classic news channel 5 nashville weather jason varitek andrew breitbart dead sheriff joe arpaio limbaugh

Iran, NKorea block arms trade treaty

By Martyn Herman LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Whether by design, necessity, self-interest or because of all three, nurturing youngsters has become fashionable for England's elite with no expense spared in the hunt for the new Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard. The length and breadth of the country, scouts from top clubs are hoovering up promising footballers barely old enough to tie their bootlaces in a bid to unearth the 30 million pounds ($45.40 million) treasures of the future. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-nkorea-block-arms-trade-treaty-202459919.html

ufc 145 fight card ufc145 chimpanzee chimpanzee the lucky one pittsburgh pirates mariners

Tips to Sell Products Online | Jugglingart.Org

Any products or services can be marketed through the Internet; clothes, household appliances, accessories, food, clothing, a variety of services, digital products, etc. However, the fact is not all products can be successfully marketed to consumers. There are a number of requirements that must be met in order that the products can be sold.

How to do online marketing is very diverse. The business owner should be able to use the methods in order to succeed. Note that different product has different method to promote. But in general, to succeed selling products online, can be done in the following ways.

1. Having a website or blog

If you want to marketing your products online, then you absolutely must have a blog or website. Marketing might be done by email, but to attract customers is certainly will more effective if you have your own blog or website.

2. Make sure the items you are selling is a high demand products or unique

Choose items that are a lot of consumers want it. Before you do that, you need to know the criteria of good market segment. Fashion is good to sell online, because the market demand is very high. Choosing the unique items for sale is more promising because they are hard to find elsewhere.

3. Perform continuous promotion

Promotion will increase brand awareness for consumers so that when consumers need a product similar to the one you are selling, you are the first vendor to be addressed. This is because your business has been firmly entrenched in the minds of consumers. For selling online, creating brand awareness can do by using SEO strategy. SEO strategy is similar to marketing activity but in online way.

4. Promote with the proper media

There are many communities, forums and social networks in which people come together. You can use it to promote your products through this community. But remember your product must be connected with their interest or forum topics. You do not want to promote your leather fashion to Greenpeace community, right?

5. Give best service to customers

Customers is king. They always want to be pampered and respected. Customers want satisfactory, so you shall make every effort to provide a satisfactory to your customers. Satisfied buyers will typically spread positive information about your company and product to the people around him ? this called word of mouth marketing-, and most likely they would be interested in becoming your loyal customers. Satisfied buyers will also likely to return for future purchases. Excellent service is your way to create customer satisfy.

6. As with corporate image building reliable

Before purchasing goods online, the consumer must have searched a lot of information from various sources on your company's credibility and quality of the goods you are selling. So, for you to have a positive image that creating consumer confidence, you have to run your business in an honest and responsible way. You must provide clearly personal data and address, and a page where the buyer can ask many questions about you and your product.

7. Create interesting programs

Consumers are always interested in special programs. This gap should you use to boost your product sales. Discounts, bonuses, rebates for the purchase of a certain amount, or a gift if someone has invited other people to buy your product are common online selling program.

8. View photos of your products are clearly on your website or blog

Consumers who buy things online will want to see the product photo first. Therefore, you must provide photos of the items with detailed specifications for them.

9. Selectively choose the delivery service company

Choose only with the reliable delivery service so that the items ensured received into the hands of buyers on time and without damage or reduced in number.

10. Give assurance

Provide assurance to consumers if they receive damaged goods, not to order, delivery is not timely, or the goods are not up. Guarantees can be either replacement goods, discounts, or refund the purchase. Remember, do the business with honest and responsible way!

Online business is promising unlimited opportunities. However, to succeed in this business you need to work hard. Good luck!!

Source: http://www.jugglingart.org/2013/03/tips-to-sell-products-online.html

ufc on fox evans vs davis fast times at ridgemont high fast times at ridgemont high soylent green phil davis george st pierre

Army vet accused of fighting alongside al-Qaida

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) ? A U.S. Army veteran, who boasted on Facebook of his military adventures with Syrian rebels, was charged Thursday with firing rocket propelled grenades as part of an attack led by an al-Qaida group against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Eric Harroun, 30, of Phoenix, was charged in U.S. District Court in Alexandria with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction ? specifically, a rocket propelled grenade launcher ? outside the U.S.

According to an FBI affidavit, Harroun, who served three years in the Army before being medically discharged, was engaged in military action in Syria, siding with rebel forces against the Syrian government, from January to March of this year.

Harroun told FBI investigators that he traveled to Turkey in November hoping to join the Free Syrian Army, a rebel group. In January, he crossed the border and made contact with the Free Syrian Army, which outfitted him two Russian rifles, according to the affidavit.

Within days, Harroun participated in an attack on a Syrian army encampment that was carried out jointly by the Free Syrian Army and the al-Nusrah Front, commonly known as "al-Qaida in Iraq" and designated a terrorist group by the U.S., according to the affidavit.

After that battle, Harroun retreated in the back of an al-Nusrah truck. Harroun told the FBI that at the al-Nusrah camp, he was initially treated like a prisoner but was later accepted by the other members and participated in several attacks with them, according to the affidavit.

Harroun said al-Nusrah fighters would ask him why the U.S. had designated them as terrorists, according to the affidavit.

Harroun used RPG launchers in the attacks and once, on his Facebook page, claimed credit for downing a Syrian helicopter. According to the affidavit, Harroun told the FBI that he shot an estimated 10 people in his various battles, though he was unsure if he had ever killed anyone.

On the Facebook page, Harroun also stated that "the only good Zionist is a dead Zionist" and that he intended to travel to the Palestinian territory because of Israeli atrocities there, according to the affidavit. The affidavit states that Harroun served in the Army from 2000 to 2003, when he received a medical discharge after he was injured in a car accident.

An Army spokesman said Harroun served at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and Fort Riley in Kansas, and that his record listed no overseas deployments.

The federal public defender was appointed to represent Harroun at an initial public appearance Thursday, and a detention hearing was scheduled for Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Peterson said Harroun faces up to life in prison.

Harroun flew back to the U.S. Wednesday through Dulles International Airport. He was arrested after being questioned by FBI agents there.

The public defender for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael Nachmanoff, declined comment Thursday, saying he had not yet had time to review the case in any depth.

Last year, Nachmanoff's office represented a northern Virginia man, Mohamad Soueid, who pleaded guilty to spying on U.S.-based Syrian dissidents on behalf of the Assad regime. Soueid said he was motivated to help the Syrian government because of his fear that Islamic extremists would take hold in Syria if Assad's secular regime were overthrown.

Harroun is not charged with providing material support to a terrorist group, but instead conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the U.S., a law that applies to U.S. nationals operating anywhere in the world. The statute makes no distinction or exception for an individual who may be fighting a hostile regime.

Harroun appeared to make no effort to hide his activities in Syria. His Facebook page includes multiple photos of him wielding military rifles and a photo of Assad, with the caption "Wanted Dead or NOT alive!!!!"

Harroun gave several interviews through Skype to journalists Greg Tepper and Ilan Ben Zion, who wrote articles for Foreign Policy magazine and Fox News.

In one interview, Harroun described himself as a "freedom fighter" and said joining up with al-Nusrah is "not rocket science." At other times, though, he disputed a connection with the group.

His father, Darryl Harroun, told FoxNews.com the car accident that led to his son's military discharge left him with a steel plate in his head, and exacerbated depression from which his son already suffered.

Darryl Harroun said that family and friends call his son "Arizona Jones."

Efforts by AP to reach Darryl Harroun Thursday were not immediately successful.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-army-vet-charged-fighting-al-qaida-184044925.html

encyclopedia brittanica nfl free agency jonbenet ramsey jason campbell doobie brothers jennie garth peter facinelli marques colston

What's your 'get off my lawn' moment?

By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, TODAY

Everyone has a different get-off-my-lawn moment, a fact that makes them suddenly feel their age. And the entertainment world, with all its unnaturally young-looking senior citizens and overly made-up kids, supplies more than its share of such realizations.

moviescreenshots.blogspot.com

Ralph Macchio is 51, the same age Pat Morita was back when the two filmed 1984's original "Karate Kid" movie. How in the name of Cobra Kai did this happen?

Maybe it's the fact that Ralph Macchio, who played Daniel-san in the original "Karate Kid," is now the same age as Pat Morita was when he played Mr. Miyagi. (Thanks,?Yahoo?and?Roadside Attractions?for that little day-brightener.)?How in the name of Cobra Kai did this happen? Weren't they just waxing on and waxing off yesterday??

Or the fact that if Andie and Blane (or, as we prefer, Andie and Duckie) had stayed together after the 1986 film "Pretty in Pink," they could have adult kids or even grandkids by now.

Here are some more blasts from the "do-you-feel-old-yet?" department.

He's really 'Big'
Josh, the 12-year-old kid who turned into a 30-year-old in 1988's "Big," would be 37 by now.

Tom Hanks played a 13-year-old turned 30 in "Big." That kid would be 37 today.

Magical aging
He'll forever be a school-age wizard in our minds, but according to some geek math, Harry Potter would be either 33 or 34 today.

Save Ferris!
Ferris Bueller would be celebrating either his 26th or 27th high-school reunion. He's now older than Ben Stein was when Stein played the droning economics teacher who famously called "Bueller ... Bueller." (Still a righteous dude.) Want to feel even older? Alan Ruck, who was 29 when he played 18-year-old Cameron, is now 56.

Paramount Pictures

Let my Cameron go ... to AARP? Alan Ruck, who played Cameron in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off, is now 56. Matthew Broderick (Ferris) is 50 and Mia Sara (Sloane) is 45.

D'oh!
Assuming Maggie, Bart and Lisa were 1, 10 and 8 when "The Simpsons" began, they'd now be 24, ?34, and 32.

Oh, baby
The twins born to Chandler and Monica's surrogate mother on the "Friends" finale would be 9. Ross' son with Carol, Ben, would be 19, and his daughter Emma, with Rachel, would be 11.?

'Fast Times' indeed
Sean Penn, who played high-school senior Jeff Spicoli in 1982's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," is now 52.

School days
John Travolta, who played Sweathog Vinny Barbarino on "Welcome Back, Kotter," is 59 -- almost twice as old as Gabe Kaplan was when he played Barbarino's teacher, Gabe Kotter, and three years older than John Sylvester White was when he played crotchety assisstant principal Mr. Woodman.

ABC Television / Getty Images

John Travolta is almost twice as old as Gabe Kaplan was when he played Travolta's teacher on "Welcome Back, Kotter."

Smells like twentysomething spirit
The baby on the Nirvana "Nevermind" album cover, Spencer Elden, is now 21.?

One doodle that can't be un-did, homeskillet
The baby born to Juno in the 2007 movie "Juno" would be preparing for kindergarten.?

What pop-culture realization makes you feel old? Tell us on Facebook.

Randee Dawn contributed to this story.

More from entertainment:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/03/12/17288702-whats-your-get-off-my-lawn-entertainment-moment?lite

dwight howard Olympics closing ceremony PGA Championship 2012 John Witherspoon george michael usain bolt Closing Ceremony London 2012

'We have cried enough'

President Barack Obama addresses gun violence on March 28. (Yuri Gripas/Reuters)President Barack Obama spoke at the White House with rows of grieving mothers behind him and publicly implored Congress to pass gun-reform legislation 100 days after the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shootings in Newtown, Conn.

"We've cried enough. We've known enough heartbreak. ... It's something that if we are serious, we will do," Obama said, Vice President Joe Biden at his side. "Now is the time to turn that heartbreak into something real."

As the mothers of children killed by gun violence wiped away tears, the president went on to urge the passage of background checks for gun buyers, and for loopholes to be closed for buyers who turn around and sell guns to criminals. He said 90 percent of Americans support background checks, as well as 80 percent of gun owners and 80 percent of Republicans.

Obama also suggested that too much time has passed since the shootings at Newtown. "Shame on us if we've forgotten. I haven't forgotten those kids. Shame on us if we've forgotten," the president said.

Later on Thursday, at the White Press briefing, Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest addressed questions regarding timing and whether the president himself has acted swiftly enough on gun reform: "The president, I think, has been very forward-leaning in terms of the way he's engaged in this process."

Earnest also noted the 23 executive actions released by the White House in January and the more than 20 events and conversations with lawmakers, community leaders, survivors and gun-related groups the White House has undertaken in the days since Newtown.

But what many consider to be the most contentious proposed gun-reform legislation, an assault weapons ban, was absent from the president's remarks on Thursday.

Senate Democrats working on gun-reform legislation recently announced that they would drop an assault weapons ban from an overall package of reform measures and put it to a separate vote as an amendment. That action is designed to boost the chances a reform package will pass, as it's expected that the ban is too unpalatable for some members, especially Democrats in gun rights states and the multitude of Republican opponents.

The White House has been casting a positive spin on that decision, suggesting that offering the ban as an amendment still forces lawmakers to choose sides on the issue, even if it doesn't win passage.

"I can't stand here and guarantee that it?s going to pass," Earnest said at Wednesday's press briefing, "but it is a question that 100 senators are going to ask themselves when they wake up in the morning and look themselves in the mirror about whether or not they are going to?about which side they're going to be on when it comes to voting on a ban on military-style assault weapons." He added that the president will continue to advocate for the ban.

Democrats in Congress concede separating the ban from the overall package is the best way forward.

"We want to come out with the best, the boldest common denominator that we can get," House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said at a news conference on Wednesday when asked about the decision to separate an assault weapons ban.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has stated plans to introduce a gun-reform bill next month.

In addition to the president's talk, activities related to gun reform are taking place across the country on Thursday, a day gun-reform advocates have marked the "National Day to Demand Action" to end gun violence.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg?s anti-gun group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, released two television ads on Thursday featuring family members of those killed in Newtown.

Court documents released on Thursday revealed, among other things, that police investigating the Sandy Hook massacre seized samurai swords, as well as a massive amount of ammunition and books on guns and mental health from the home of gunman Adam Lanza.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-urges-congress-pass-universal-background-checks-close-162559887--politics.html

culkin wooly mammoth no child left behind no child left behind neurofibromatosis steve jobs fbi file suge knight

Pride, penitence and Antonio Banderas: Spaniards mark Holy Week with colorful processions

Emilio Morenatti / AP

Hooded penitents from the La Paz brotherhood walk to the church to take part in a procession in Seville, Spain, on March 24, 2013.

Christian believers around the world are marking the Holy Week of Easter in celebration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Sunday, hundreds of processions were held in towns and cities across Spain.

In his?Palm Sunday service at the Vatican, Pope Francis?appealed to?the crowd to shun corruption and reach out to "the humble, the poor, the forgotten."

Eloy Alonso / Reuters

Women wearing traditional mantilla dresses smoke outside a church before taking part in the Brotherhood procession of "Los Estudiantes" (The Students) at the start of Holy Week in Oviedo, northern Spain, on March 24, 2013.

Emilio Morenatti / AP

"Costaleros" from "La Estrella" brotherhood, wait their turn to carry over their backs the portable dais platform which supports a statue of Jesus Christ during a procession in Seville on March 24, 2013.

Marcelo Del Pozo / Reuters

Penitents pass a man with a dog as they walk to a church before taking part in the procession of "La Paz" (Peace) brotherhood during Holy Week in the Andalusian capital of Seville, March 24, 2013.

Jon Nazca / Reuters

Film actor and director Antonio Banderas, second right, sings a song to the Virgin inside a church as he takes part as a penitent in the "Lagrimas and Favores" brotherhood in a Palm Sunday procession in Malaga on March 24, 2013.

Cristina Quicler / AFP - Getty Images

A penitent of the "La Paz" brotherhood holds a religious item with an image of the Virgin Mary as he takes part in a procession in Seville on March 24, 2013.

Emilio Morenatti / AP

A waiter tries to see from a window as the procession of "La Paz" brotherhood passes along a street in Seville on March 24, 2013.

Eloy Alonso / Reuters

Spanish legionnaires carry a statue of the Christ of the Mercy into church after the Palm Sunday procession of the "Estudiantes" brotherhood was suspended due to rain in Oviedo on March 24, 2013.

Jon Nazca / Reuters

A crying woman is comforted by fellow penitents inside a church where they took shelter from the rain during the "Lagrimas y Favores" (Tears and Favors) brotherhood Palm Sunday procession in Malaga on March 24, 2013.

Jon Nazca / Reuters

Penitents light their candles as they take part in the "Humildad" (Humility) brotherhood Palm Sunday procession in Malaga on March 24, 2013.

?

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653387/s/29f8d66a/l/0Lphotoblog0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C250C174561140Epride0Epenitence0Eand0Eantonio0Ebanderas0Espaniards0Emark0Eholy0Eweek0Ewith0Ecolorful0Eprocessions0Dlite/story01.htm

nitrous oxide rihanna thug life tattoo arizona governor patrick witt leprosy tampa bay buccaneers birdman

Graphene Sponges: The New Lightest Material on the Planet

At this point, it'd be more of a surprise if graphene wasn't an integral part of a mind-bending, record-setting new technology. But, of course, it is. Again. Enter the lightest material in the world: graphene aerogel. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/GjTHYGhxxYE/graphene-sponges-the-lightest-material-on-the-planet

reggie bush pope finish line Conclave tmz Sizzurp the bachelor

McIlroy texts with Tiger after losing top ranking

Golfer Rory McIlroy, center, of Northern Ireland, watches the match between Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, and Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, during the Sony Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Saturday, March 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Golfer Rory McIlroy, center, of Northern Ireland, watches the match between Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, and Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, during the Sony Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., Saturday, March 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

Tiger Woods waves to fans as he walks off the 18th hole after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament, Monday, March 25, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) ? Rory McIlroy sent a text message to Tiger Woods on Tuesday, congratulating him on winning at Bay Hill and taking over the No. 1 world ranking again.

Woods responded by telling McIlroy to get going and win this week's Houston Open. A victory would put McIlroy back at No. 1, a spot he held for 32 weeks before Woods' latest win.

McIlroy says losing the top ranking allows him to focus on his game. He's had a rough start to the year, with the low point coming when he walked off the course at the Honda Classic. He wants to build on the 65 he shot in the final round at Doral and says "everything's great" with his new clubs. McIlroy signed with Nike in the offseason.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-26-GLF-Houston-Open-McIlroy/id-427d0b82dd254d18b2ea074021006693

The Bachelor 2013 Time earthquake today earthquake today mothers day bachelor jennifer love hewitt

Ford apologizes for ads showing bound, gagged women

Paul A. Eisenstein , The Detroit Bureau ? ? ? 4 hrs.

Ford Motor Co. is taking heat for a series of ads it released in India showing caricatures of several celebrities behind the wheel of a Ford car with three women bound and gagged in the cargo bay.

With critics declaring the campaign offensive and misogynistic, Ford and its global ad agency WPP have quickly backtracked, apologizing and admitting the campaign ?should never have happened.?

In one of the three images, released to the website Ads of the World, a cartoon Paris Hilton winks from behind the wheel of a Ford Figo with the three Kardashian sisters tied up in the cargo compartment of the hatchback. Another ad uses a satirical image of Italy?s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi driving with three other scantily clad women, who were bound and gagged.

An ad for the Figo puts Formula One driving champ Michael Schumacher behind the wheel. In this one, however, three of his long-time (male) rivals are tied up: Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

The WPP campaign appears to have been designed to show the large cargo capacity of the small Figo, a car Ford has hoped will help it gain a large share of the booming Indian automotive market.

?We deeply regret this incident and agree with our agency partners that it should have never happened,? Ford said in a statement responding to criticism. ?The posters are contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency within Ford and our agency partners.?

WPP added that the ads ?were distasteful and contrary to the standards of professionalism and decency.? The agency?s statement hinted that the three ads were originally created for in-house use and, ?were never intended for paid publication and should never have been created, let alone uploaded to the Internet.?

Whether intentionally made public, the ad campaign is unusual considering Ford has traditionally avoided generating controversy with its advertising. The maker responded to a conservative protest campaign a few years ago by pulling its advertising from gay, lesbian and bisexual publications ? although Ford later decided to resume that campaign.

It?s unclear what impact the ads ? and the apology ? will have on sales in India where the Figo has been gaining significant traffic since its launch in 2011. Ford has invested about $1 billion in that market since then, with the Figo anchoring the roll-out of eight new models.

Ironically, the controversy could generate more interest in the Ford line at a time when sexual violence has become an issue of national concern in India. Several high-profile gang rapes, including one earlier this month targeting a Swiss tourist, led the Indian Parliament last week to approve a new anti-rape law.

Related content on TheDetroitBureau.com:

The 10 Least, Most Expensive States for Car Insurance

Japanese Battery Car Owners Switched Off

A Corvette Wagon?

Jaguar Gets New 550-hp Flagship Sedan

Copyright ? 2009-2013, The Detroit Bureau

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/29eef61f/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Cford0Eapologizes0Eads0Eshowing0Ebound0Egagged0Ewomen0E1B90A46338/story01.htm

apple apple jcpenney toys r us toys r us kohls target

Experts: NKorea training teams of 'cyber warriors'

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? Investigators have yet to pinpoint the culprit behind a synchronized cyberattack in South Korea last week. But in Seoul, the focus remains fixed on North Korea, where South Korean security experts say Pyongyang has been training a team of computer-savvy "cyber warriors" as cyberspace becomes a fertile battleground in the standoff between the two Koreas.

Malware shut down 32,000 computers and servers at three major South Korean TV networks and three banks last Wednesday, disrupting communications and banking businesses, officials said. The investigation into who planted the malware could take weeks or even months.

South Korean investigators have produced no proof yet that North Korea was behind the cyberattack, and on Friday said the malware was traced to a Seoul computer. But South Korea has pointed the finger at Pyongyang in six cyberattacks since 2009, even creating a cyber security command center in Seoul to protect the Internet-dependent country from hackers from the North.

It may seem unlikely that impoverished North Korea, with one of the most restrictive Internet policies in the world, would have the ability to threaten affluent South Korea, a country considered a global leader in telecommunications. The average yearly income in North Korea was just $1,190 per person in 2011 ? just a fraction of the average yearly income of $22,200 for South Koreans that same year, according to the Bank of Korea in Seoul.

But over the past several years, North Korea has poured money and resources into science and technology. In December, scientists succeeded in launching a satellite into space aboard a long-range rocket from its own soil. And in February, North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test, its third.

"IT" has become a buzzword in North Korea, which has developed its own operating system called Red Star. The regime also encouraged a passion for gadgets among its elite, introducing a Chinese-made tablet computer for the North Korean market. Teams of developers came up with software for everything from composing music to learning how to cook.

But South Korea and the U.S. believe North Korea also has thousands of hackers trained by the state to carry its warfare into cyberspace, and that their cyber offensive skills are as good as or better than their counterparts in China and South Korea.

"The newest addition to the North Korean asymmetric arsenal is a growing cyber warfare capability," James Thurman, commander of the U.S. forces in South Korea, told U.S. legislators in March 2012. "North Korea employs sophisticated computer hackers trained to launch cyber-infiltration and cyber-attacks" against South Korea and the U.S.

In 2010, Won Sei-hoon, then chief of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, put the number of professional hackers in North Korea's cyber warfare unit at 1,000.

North Korean students are recruited to the nation's top science schools to become "cyber warriors," said Kim Heung-kwang, who said he trained future hackers at a university in the industrial North Korean city of Hamhung for two decades before defecting in 2003. He said future hackers also are sent to study abroad in China and Russia.

In 2009, then-leader Kim Jong Il ordered Pyongyang's "cyber command" expanded to 3,000 hackers, he said, citing a North Korean government document that he said he obtained that year. The veracity of the document could not be independently confirmed.

Kim Heung-kwang, who has lived in Seoul since 2004, speculated that more have been recruited since then, and said some are based in China to infiltrate networks abroad.

What is clear is that "North Korea has a capacity to send malware to personal computers, servers or networks and to launch DDOS-type attacks," he said. "Their targets are the United States and South Korea."

Expanding its warfare into cyberspace by developing malicious computer codes is cheaper and faster for North Korean than building nuclear devices or other weapons of mass destructions. The online world allows for anonymity because it is easy to fabricate IP addresses and destroy the evidence leading back to the hackers, according to C. Matthew Curtin, founder of Interhack Corp.

Thurman said cyberattacks are "ideal" for North Korea because they can take place relatively anonymously. He said cyberattacks have been waged against military, governmental, educational and commercial institutions.

North Korean officials have not acknowledged allegations that computer experts are trained as hackers, and have refuted many of the cyberattack accusations. Pyongyang has not commented on the most recent widespread attack in South Korea.

In June 2012, a seven-month investigation into a hacking incident that disabled news production system at the South Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo led to North Korea's government telecommunications center, South Korean officials said.

In South Korea, the economy, commerce and every aspect of daily life is deeply dependent on the Internet, making it ripe grounds for a disruptive cyberattack.

In North Korea, in contrast, is just now getting online. Businesses are starting to use online banking services and debit cards have grown in popularity. But only a sliver of the population has access to the global Internet, meaning an Internet outage last week ? which Pyongyang blamed on hackers from Seoul and Washington ? had little bearing on most North Koreans.

"North Korea has nothing to lose in a cyber battle," said Kim Seeongjoo, a professor at Seoul-based Korea University's Department of Cyber Defense. "Even if North Korea turns out to be the attacker behind the broadcasters' hacking, there is no target for South Korean retaliation."

___

Associated Press writer Jean H. Lee contributed to this story with reporting from Pyongyang, North Korea; Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul also contributed to this report. Follow AP tech writer Youkyung Lee at www.twittter.com/YKLeeAP and AP Korea bureau chief Jean H. Lee at www.twitter.com/newsjean.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/experts-nkorea-training-teams-cyber-warriors-050713868.html

Samantha Steele Espn goog Sylvia Kristel st louis cardinals Steelers Schedule tory burch Al Smith Dinner

Catholic Church in Scotland has covered up culture of sexual bullying among priests, claims serving Father

[Another diocese in the clutches of a gay mafia (with the connivance of its bishop)?]

Catholic Church in Scotland has covered up culture of sexual bullying among priests, claims serving Father
FATHER Matthew Despard says sexual misconduct is rife throughout the church and a ?powerful gay mafia? bully and intimidate other priests

Kenny Anderson
24 Mar 2013

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/catholic-church-scotland-covered-up-1782068

A SERVING priest has accused the Catholic Church in Scotland of covering up a culture of sexual bullying by a powerful gay mafia.

Father Matthew Despard, 48, says sexual misconduct has been rife in junior seminaries, where priests are trained, for decades.

And he claims that when he alerted Church authorities to inappropriate sexual conduct, nothing was done.

Fr Despard, the parish priest of St John Ogilvie church in High Blantyre, Lanarkshire, says he fears for the future of his Church if no action is taken to end the scandal.

He has taken the difficult decision to publish a book on his experiences, Priesthood in Crisis.

Yesterday, he admitted he had struggled with his conscience before going ahead with publication.

The book was first written in 2010 but he self-published it on Amazon?s Kindle store last week in the wake of the resignation of Cardinal Keith O?Brien.

In the bombshell book, Fr Despard writes: ?My concern is that if we don?t face up to what is happening in reality, the Church will suffer enormous damage.

?The accusations I have been making may appear intolerable to some and truly I have trouble making them.

?Over and over, I have to continue to convince myself to keep writing despite the prejudicial nature of what I have to say.

?But so much of the problematic state of the priesthood stems from the junior seminaries, where training took place cut off from the world, that were laws unto themselves, where abuse became so rife that many had to be closed.

?The Catholic Church here in Scotland, and I am ashamed to admit this, has justified itself to Catholic papers by telling lie after lie, denying charges that are true, and claiming they have been defamed when the facts reported in the press are quite simply true.?

The priest?s shocking revelations will be another blow to the Church hierarchy, already reeling from the claims that Cardinal O?Brien tried to seduce a number of trainee priests.

The 74-year-old quit as Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh after the accusations by former and serving priests emerged.

Fr Despard says in his book that he was the victim of inappropriate approaches during his time as a seminarian.

And he claims that trainee priests who rebuffed the advances of others were frozen out and subjected to bullying.

He reveals that his his first brush with inappropriate behaviour came when he was a student at Chesters College ? later renamed Scotus College ? in Bearsden in the late 1980s.

He wrote: ?One or two students tried to kiss me when I was there. I did not know what to make of that, whether they were just playing with me or perhaps testing me.

?As it was, the only response I could make was that I was not of the inclination that would engage in that kind of behaviour.?

But he claims that after expressing his distaste, he became a victim of verbal abuse as well as bullying.

He said: ?I became much more aware of the types of individuals that were prodding me and I began to observe many explicit indicators of homosexual behaviours that shocked me. I could not help but notice there were cliques of students with homosexual leanings who had ways of manipulating heterosexual students, turning some against others.?

Fr Despard says he alerted authorities to his claims that he had been victimised because he did not accept the sexual approaches made towards him.

And he claims that after he made his complaint verbally to a senior Church figure, the man began to ?bluster? but did not investigate his complaint.

During his time at the college, Fr Despard says, he saw numerous trainees quit altogether.

He said one young man was told he had no vocation and asked to leave after making a complaint about an inappropriate advance.

He added: ?I learned that there had been a victimisation of another first-year seminarian.

?He refused to conform to their sexually ambivalent behaviour and was subjected to such an extent of ridicule that he lost all his confidence. He chose to leave rather than continue to endure the harassment.?

Fr Despard said a senior clergyman also targeted him during one of his placements as a priest in the west of Scotland.

He said the man was difficult to work with, and threatened him after he turned down a sudden attempt to kiss him.

He wrote: ?I was passing him in the corridor on my way to my room when he stopped suddenly and then embraced me.

?It was not the usual guy-on-guy companionable embrace that I was accustomed to but something much more intimate.

?At first I thought his mother had died ? But he moved as if to give me a kiss. I found this profoundly disturbing and put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him back.

?He was immediately furious, shouting and gesticulating. He said, ?So it?s true about you! Well don?t worry, Despard, we?ll soon sort you out. We?ll get you. We?ll destroy you and your family.?

?I could see real anger in his eyes and I was dumbfounded.

?Homosexuality had been rampant in the seminary and I had suffered more than my fair share of isolation and disrespect because I refused to countenance any advances.

?Here were identical behaviours but in my parish priest. He backed away and stomped up the corridor to his own room, leaving me standing there shocked and confused.

?After my rejection of the crude advances, life for me became a misery.

?In retrospect, it now seems to me that the moment in the corridor signalled the initiation of a campaign which, if not significantly overt, was psychologically brutal.?

Fr Despard added he thought there would be no point in going to the authorities for support, because his attacker was part of an ?inner circle? and would be protected.

In another chapel, he says, he was verbally and physically abused by the boyfriend of a priest.

Fr Despard insists he did not write the book to spread hatred of homosexuality.

He said: ?I have no problem whatever with priests whose natural orientation is homosexual. Where I draw the line is at the acting out of these inclinations, that is wrong.

?It is contrary to the rule of celibacy and brings great scandal to parishes where the activities of such priests have become known.?

But he added that cover-ups and corruption were detracting from the priesthood.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland did not return calls asking for comment.

Source: http://angelqueen.org/2013/03/24/catholic-church-in-scotland-has-covered-up-culture-of-sexual-bullying-among-priests-claims-serving-father/

humber perfect game ufc 145 fight card ufc145 chimpanzee chimpanzee the lucky one pittsburgh pirates

Earth Hour 2013: Does it really save energy?

Earth Hour has been criticized for accomplishing little in the way of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions, but those critiques tend to miss the bigger picture. Earth Hour is intended to raise awareness about climate change.

By David J. Unger,?Correspondent / March 23, 2013

Earth Hour participants wave their LED candles during an event to mark Earth Hour 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Skeptics of the annual event say it may not save much, if any, energy to turn lights off for an hour.

Lai Seng Sin/AP/File

Enlarge

Earth Hour 2013 commences Saturday at 8:30 p.m., regardless of where in the world you live. For the duration of an hour, Earth Hour participants will shut off their lights in a global action against climate change.?

Skip to next paragraph

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'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

The six-year-old tradition?is largely symbolic. It's intent is to spur on environmental awareness that lasts well beyond the hour of candlelit?reflection, organizers say. Still, some view it as counterproductive because it?accomplishes little in the way of reducing carbon emissions.?

Earth Hour's "vain symbolism reveals exactly what is wrong with today?s feel-good environmentalism," writes Bj?rn Lomborg in an?opinion piece in?Slate.?"[T]he cozy candles that many participants will light, which seem so natural and environmentally friendly, are still fossil fuels ? and almost 100 times less efficient than incandescent light bulbs."??

promotion_auto

In 2009, the Monitor posed the candle versus light bulb debate to Zeke Hausfather,?then an executive with an online carbon measurement and reduction utility. On Friday, we got back in touch with Mr. Hausfather, now with the?Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature Project, for an update. Here's what he told us via e-mail:

Mr. "Lomborg is taking a grain of truth and stretching it much further than?warranted. While he is roughly correct in stating that a candle is much less efficient in creating light than an incandescent bulb, and lighting enough candles to provide the same lumen output as a single 100 watt bulb would produce much more carbon, that's not really the question at hand. Indeed, if everyone lit enough candles during [E]arth [H]our to replace the light coming from their bulbs, it would rather defeat the purpose, as none of the buildings would be dark!?A comparison that more accurately reflects the behavior of folks would be lighting 1 candle for each bulb turned off."?

A lighted paraffin candle releases an average 10 grams or so of carbon dioxide in an hour, Hausfather calculates. If an incandescent bulb is turned off during that time, the reduction in CO2 ranges from 14.5 grams to 89.3 grams, depending on whether the light bulb is 60-watt or 100-watt and whether it's located in low-emission California or high-emission Kansas.

Replace incandescents with their equivalent (and?much more efficient) compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and things start to get interesting. If they're located in Kansas, the candles still win. If the CFLs are aglow in California, the CFLs win: 5.3 grams CO2-equivalent for a 13-watt CFL; 9.4 grams CO2-equivalent for a 23-watt CFL.?

Other Earth Hour skeptics have raised concerns that the shutting off of lights en masse does not mean the power plants behind them slow down. Those fossil-fuel-burning plants remain in??spinning reserve? mode, anticipating the return of electricity demand.

"Electrical engineers also know that when an appliance is first turned on, there is a higher current needed at the start as opposed to what is needed when the appliance is already operating,"?Forbes?notes. "In effect, the end of Earth Hour is actually more detrimental to climate mitigation because simultaneously turning on so much equipment all at once creates a surge current that results in a sudden spike in power demand."

The events organizers counter that not all participants turn their lights off when the hour is technically over.

Hausfather reaches a nuanced conclusion:?"Given the low penetration rates of CFLs in most parts of the country, its uncontrovertibly [true] that Earth Hour will result in a net reduction of carbon, especially as many places turning off light (e.g. commercial buildings) will not be replacing them with anything during the hour," he writes. "However, it's useful to note that 'green' alternatives like candles are not completely carbon-free."

Earth Hour organizers encourage the use of?100 percent beeswax or soy candles. They aren't made with petroleum so they are effectively carbon-neutral, the organizers say, because?the CO2 they emit has already been taken from the atmosphere to produce the wax.

Ultimately, nitpicking over how much energy, if any, the event actually saves may be missing the broader point. Earth Hour is about awareness, the organizers stress, and mobilizing people to participate in other year-round programs the organization offers.

"Earth Hour does not purport to be an energy/carbon reduction exercise, it is a symbolic action," the event's website reads. "Therefore, we do not engage in the measurement of energy/carbon reduction levels."

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best energy bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here. To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on the link in the blog description box above.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/-aJsSrHUyzw/Earth-Hour-2013-Does-it-really-save-energy

Jason London coachella rick ross yahoo finance iOS 6.1 BlackBerry aapl

Esther Bauman (Haselden) Wasinger Eulogy - SQL Server Blogs

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://sqlblog.com/blogs/knightreign/archive/2013/03/23/esther-bauman-haselden-wasinger-eulogy.aspx

brandon jacobs brian dawkins emma roberts north korea news north korea news giuliana and bill giuliana and bill

Zambia : Government to give loans to public service workers at a ...

Time Posted: March 23, 2013 9:29 am

Finance Minister Alexander ChikwandaFinance Minister Alexander Chikwanda

Government has registered a micro finance institution which will be charged with the responsibility of disbursing affordable credit to public service workers at a lending rate not exceeding 5 percent.

Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda disclosed this when he officially opened the National Servings and Credit Bank Chavuma Branch in Chavuma today.

Mr. Chikwanda explained that the public service micro finance institution which will be operational soon is meant to trigger a downward movement in interest rates.

He said the innovation is in response to some private micros finance institutions that have formed curtails to manipulate the cost of banking services and credits thereby making abnormal profits.

Mr. Chikwanda explained that access to financial services is a major driver to the economic development for any district.

He said the opening of Natsave Bank is a major development to Chavuma as it is the first banking service since the establishment of the district in 1997.

Mr. Chikwanda also revealed that government through the ministry of finance has released KR 150 million for various developmental projects in North-Western Province.

He named some of the projects to be undertaken as the completion of the Solwezi general hospital, upgrading of roads in Mwinilunga and Solwezi, construction of office blocks in Ikelenge and Chavuma among others.

And Bank of Zambia (BOZ) Governor Michael Gondwe stated that it was unfortunate that micro finance institutions have for a long period of time concentrated only along the line of rail.

Dr. Gondwe said the trend has disadvantaged many people living in rural areas as it is hard for them to access financial services.

He urged micro finance institutions to open more branches in rural districts if financial inclusion is to be achieved

Meanwhile, NATSAVE Board chairperson Chiselembwe Ngandwe said the bank will remain a significant development catalyst in the district.

Mr. Ngandwe also disclosed that plans are underway to open more branches in rural districts countrywide in order to ensure that its mandate of taking developmental to rural areas is achieved.

ZANIS

Source: http://www.lusakatimes.com/2013/03/23/government-to-give-loans-to-public-service-workers-at-a-rate-of-not-more-than-5/

dwight howard trade ncaa bracket 2012 kyle orton kyle orton 2012 ncaa bracket john carlson greg smith