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Thank you for visiting Pray For The Persecuted Church. This blog is no longer being updated. Please enjoy the archives. Here are some other blogs you may also enjoy: Red Letters with Tom Davis Recent prayer post on Prayables Most Recent Inspiration blog post Happy Reading!
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's only Christian cabinet member has been killed in a hail of bullets for his defense of a Christian mother of five condemned to death for witnessing about Jesus.
Shahbaz Bhatti, the country's minority affairs minister, was ambushed March 2 by gunmen outside his home. On Jan. 4, Salman Taseer, 66, the provincial governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, was murdered in Islamabad by one of his own bodyguards. Both had called for a change in Pakistan's blasphemy laws in the case of Aasia Bibi, 45.
She is awaiting execution for saying to two Muslim neighbors, "Jesus saved me. What has Mohammed done for you?"
Bibi has been moved into an isolation cell for her own protection, Pakistani officials said.
Both Bhatti and Taseer had been outspoken critics of religious extremism and voices of moderation in Pakistani politics. Bhatti served on the national cabinet as the Minister for Minority Affairs.
He had taken up Bibi's cause and called for the repeal of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which carry a death penalty for all who criticize the Prophet Mohammed. He and Taseer had called for a presidential pardon for Aasia.
Taseer's bodyguard freely admitted killing Taseer as a heretic. The gunmen who assassinated Bhatti left printed flyers denouncing him as an infidel.
Pakistani clerics have put a $5,000 price on Aasia's head with a fatwa or religious edict calling for her murder should she be released or pardoned.
The assassinations underscore the seriousness of religious extremism in the world's only nuclear-armed Muslim country. Pakistan was founded on principles of minority inclusion, but the government has demonstrated a growing inability or unwillingness to protect its religious minorities, particularly Christians.
Both Bhatti and Taseer had called for the repeal of Pakistan's blasphemy law, which makes it a capital offense to speak or write anything negative about or to insult the prophet Muhammad, the Quran or Islam.
Critics of the law say it say that is has been abused as a means to settle personal vendettas.
Ali Dayan Hasan, South Asia researcher for Human Rights Watch, called Bhatti's slaying "a grave setback for the struggle for tolerance, pluralism and respect for human rights in Pakistan."
Meanwhile, concern grows regarding Bibi's fate. Her husband, Ashiq Masih, says prison authorities have isolated for her own protection, since she has received many death threats.
Ashiq said his wife is being held in a cell with two guards in view, while two video cameras are trained on her 24 hours a day. Food given to her is also strictly controlled. To avoid the risk of poisoning, raw food is given to her and she is allowed to cook for herself.
"Aasia is still sad and worried for her children," Ashiq reported. "I told her to trust in God and that we are doing everything to secure her freedom. I have also told her that all Christians and people of good will in Pakistan are praying for her."
Pope Benedict XVI has appealed on her behalf.
According to the Masihi Foundation, which is providing assistance to Aasia's family, "she is enjoying greater protection, but she will only be safe when she can leave the country."
Human rights groups and church leaders around the world have called for Aasia's release. However, the political situation in Pakistan has become increasingly volatile.
"Legal representatives of Aasia Bibi have requested that the hearing of her appeal take place within prison walls, fearing the possibility of a summary execution if she were to make an appearance in the High Court of Lahore," reported Rachel Ford for the Christian Post newspaper.
Haroon Masih, the director of Masihi Foundation, said allowing Bibi to appear in a public courtroom of Lahore would be "highly ill-advised" and "would expose her to shooting by radicals, as happened to the brothers Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel, accused of blasphemy and murdered during the trial before the court in July 2010 in Faisalabad."
Many Christians in Pakistan have taken the surname "Masih," which means "Messiah."
If the request for her trial to take place in the prison is not approved, the Masih Foundation hopes to arrange a private convoy for her if it becomes necessary to leave the compound of her prison cell.
"Given recent events, we do not trust highly in the security services offered by the state, composed of Muslim men," Masih told the Fides news agency.
"Terrorists may strike at every opportunity or infiltrate the guards that should be protecting her. We must do everything we can to protect Aasia's life. We hope that, given the national and international mobilization, Aasia will soon regain her freedom, given her innocence."
Bibi "lives at the heart of a nightmare, condemned to death. She has been in jail since June 2009," reported Ann Marie Hourihane for the Irish Times newspaper. "She, her husband and their five children, who are aged between nine and 20, are on the run between Christian houses in Pakistan.
"It is perhaps because the roots of Aasia Bibi's terrible fate are so petty and so local that she lodges so stubbornly in the mind," wrote Hourihane. "She was working as an agricultural laborer in her local village in Punjab. The village elder told her to fetch water.
"What happened next is much disputed – an argument over the relative merits of Islam and Christianity according to some, a refusal by Aasia Bibi's female Muslim co-workers to drink the water she had brought them, on the grounds that it was unclean having been touched by a non-Muslim.
"But the upshot was that the police who came to protect Aasia Bibi ended up arresting her."
When Bibi was sentenced to death, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari ordered a ministerial review, which found the verdict unsound and recommended a presidential pardon.
"The pardon never came," reports Hourihane. "On December 30, 2010, the recommendations of the ministerial review were reversed. It became clear that the government had no intention of repealing or reversing Pakistan's blasphemy law, which is used not just against the tiny Christian population but against Hindus as well.
"Pakistan's blasphemy law is invoked in squabbles of the most minor and local nature," wrote Hourihane. "Unfortunate people accused under it, and even their family members, have been summarily murdered. Aasia Bibi knows that her life is not safe even in jail. The pope is one of the many who have appealed, in vain, for her life."
Although Taseer was given a state funeral in Lahore, President Zardari did not attend; no leading cleric would perform his last rites and few Pakistani politicians came forward to condemn his murder.
Meanwhile some 500 religious Pakistani leaders have praised his killer and urged Muslims not to mourn Taseer's death.

subset: commoncrawl


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Timothy Lee asks: What crisis in reporting?
Shirky is sometimes criticized for the rose-colored tint of his spectacles, but here I think he's giving too much credence to the pessimistic conventional wisdom. It's clear that newspapers are facing a crisis, and obviously if you're a newspaper employee or shareholder you should be worried. But whether this is a problem for the broader society is far from clear.
The Internet is also reducing duplication of reporting effort. The 20th century newspaper industry had a lot of reporters covering identical beats in different cities. Obviously, each metro area needs its own reporters covering city hall. But a ton of stuff in the newspaper—technology and medicine, national business and politics, movie and book reviews—isn't tied to any specific metropolitan area. As the Internet eliminates geographic boundaries, there's no longer a good rationale for having so many people writing redundant content.
Like Lee, I'm not so worried about the future of Washington bureaus or arts desks. To the extent that there is a crisis, it's not a federal one. The big problem, it seems, is on the state and municipal levels; and while Lee sort of offhandedly acknowledges that national coverage and local coverage are two different animals, I think he also downplays the scale of the reportage deficit in a lot of states and cities.
This American Journalism Review article from a couple years ago paints a pretty stark picture. There are a lot fewer expendable reporters on the state and city beats, yet we seem to be hemorrhaging them at a faster rate. That means fewer people trying to fill the same amount of column space, which means less room for reporters to do the sort of long-term investigative work that would prohibit them from pumping out copy on a daily basis. And while AJR does note that some new media projects have rushed into the vacuum, as of 2009 nobody really knew how to keep those endeavors funded in the long term. That may have changed since — I certainly hope so.
I'm particularly worried about under-covered state and local beats because state and local politics are where much of the really blatant and grotesque corruption in American government goes down. And when you zoom out a bit, that small-scale corruption and abuse of power helps, in no small part, to sustain systemic corruption at the federal level. The fewer reporters cleaning up this shit, the more it festers.
That doesn't necessarily mean that things will be worse in the long term — I'm not really a fatalist, at least when it comes to this specific topic. There are some really interesting experiments going on in hyperlocal reporting, like NYU's own East Village Local, that could point the way towards sustainable small-scale journalism. It's just not guaranteed that they'll succeed. And until they do, we've got a problem on our hands. Maybe not a crisis, but definitely a problem.


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For voters in Florida, there's a lot more on the Nov. 8 ballot than a plethora of races from the presidential on down.
Five constitutional amendments have been proposed this year, and four will be decided in the general election
One, Amendment No. 4, was placed on the August ballot; it was approved by the voters. The remaining four - Amendments No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 - are still up for consideration.
They are all worth noting: No. 1, an alleged "solar energy" initiative, is greatly misleading; No. 2 would allow those with "debilitating illnesses" the option of medical treatment afforded in 25 states, but not Florida; and Nos. 3 and 5, would provide for additional homestead tax exemptions for two classes of property owners.
Our recommendations are:
* No. 1 Constitutional Amendment
Rights of electricity consumers regarding solar energy choice
My, oh my, if there ever was a descriptive misnomer, the so-called "Rights of electricity consumers regarding solar energy choice" amendment title and ballot summary wins the prize.
Proffered by some of the state's largest utility providers in response to a consumer-driven petition drive that failed to make it to the ballot, Amendment No. 1 squeaked itself on after its confusing language was challenged and the state Supreme Court narrowly allowed it by a 4-3 vote.
Ostensibly to "protect" the rights of Florida property owners to use solar energy, dissenting Justice Barbara Pariente summed up the proposal succinctly:
"Let the pro-solar energy consumer beware," she wrote. "Masquerading as a pro-solar-energy initiative, this proposed constitutional amendment, supported by some of Florida's major investor-owned electric utilities actually seeks to constitutionalize the status quo."
As noted by Justice Pariente, the proposed amendment addresses rights consumers already have in state statutes with an imbedded-in-stone twist: A "yes" vote could actually preclude property owners from opting to install solar provided by third-party vendors - i.e. not electric companies - and from selling any excess to other consumers - i.e. not electric companies, according to the League of Women Voters of Florida. A "yes" vote also would "create an assumption" that those who opt for solar "subsidize" electric company customers, thus mandating state and local governments to "protect" those customers, the League states.
It's not utility customers, uh, excuse us, "consumers," this "masquerading pro-solar-energy initiative" will protect - it's big, for-profit utilities that look to secure their monopolies.
Do not be fooled by this ballot initiative:?it is NOT pro-solar.
Vote NO on Amendment No. 1.
Ballot language:
No. 1 Constitutional Amendment
Article X, Section 29
Rights of electricity consumers regarding solar energy choice
This amendment establishes a right under Florida's Constitution for consumers to own or lease solar equipment installed on their property to generate electricity for their own use. State and local governments shall retain their abilities to protect consumer rights and public health, safety and welfare, and to ensure that consumers who do not choose to install solar are not required to subsidize the costs of backup power and electric grid access to those who do.
The amendment is not expected to result in an increase or decrease in any revenues or costs to state and local government.
* * *
* No. 2 Constitutional Amendment
Use of marijuana for debilitating medical conditions
After a narrow defeat at the polls in 2014, a medical marijuana amendment is back on the 2016 General Election ballot here in Florida.
Approved by nearly 58 percent of the voters two years ago, the first attempt to allow doctors to prescribe the drug to patients failed, not because a majority of voters rejected it, but because Florida law requires a supermajority of 60 percent approval to change the state constitution.
A modified amendment, which more narrowly defines "debilitating illness," is now back on the ballot because the state Legislature, with an exception for the terminally ill, did little on this one despite the pretty definitive voter mandate.
Let us recap the arguments presented in our 2014 editorial urging a YES vote on medical marijuana, which already is legal in 25 states and the District of Columbia:
We agree that drug abuse is a scourge, the plague of the 21st century. Misuse costs lives. Absolutely.
But for the vast majority of users - and we stress the word "majority" here - properly administered and regulated drugs save lives and maintain quality of life.
As proposed, Amendment 2, would allow licensed Florida physicians to prescribe medical marijuana for "debilitating medical conditions," defined specifically as cancer; epilepsy; glaucoma; HIV; PTSD, post traumatic stress syndrome; ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease; Crohn's disease; Parkinson's; multiple sclerosis or other disease of like class.
Amendment 2 would allow doctors to decide whether medical marijuana would be less harmful, or more beneficial, than the array of drugs already legally prescribed that are now the only options available; whether its use would "likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient" - something physicians do for every script they currently write,
Passage of the amendment places implementation first with the Department of Health, and provides for the establishment of rules and regulations, including patient and caretaker identification cards, physician certifications and the registration of Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers.
The Florida Legislature retains the authority to implement legislation consistent with the provisions within the amendment.
It's a pretty well-defined process with built-in safeguards.
This means - fright ads to the contrary - no one is going to open a pot shop next door to a school; no one is going to authorize handing kids a wink-wink "prescription" or "pot candy;" and no one is going to start a legal grow house next door.
As we did in 2014, we urge a YES vote for Amendment No. 2, medical marijuana.
Ballot language:
No. 2 Constitutional Amendment
Article X, Section 29
Use of marijuana for debilitating medical conditions
Allows medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating medical conditions as determined by a licensed Florida physician. Allows caregivers to assist patients' medical use of marijuana. The Department of Health shall register and regulate centers that produce and distribute marijuana for medical purposes and shall issue identification cards to patients and caregivers. Applies only to Florida law. Does not immunize violations of federal law or any non-medical use, possession or production of marijuana.
Increased costs from this amendment to state and local governments cannot be determined. There will be additional regulatory costs and enforcement activities associated with the production, sale, use and possession of medical marijuana. Fees may offset some of the regulatory costs. Sales tax will likely apply to most purchases, resulting in a substantial increase in state and local government revenues that cannot be determined precisely. The impact on property tax revenues cannot be determined.
* * *
* Amendments No. 3 & 5
The state of Florida provides for a number of exemptions for owner-occupied, or "homesteaded," properties. Some of these are constitutionally mandated, others give local governments the option to implement additional exemptions allowed by the state constitution.
Amendments No. 3 and No. 5 each propose to expand homestead exemptions already allowed.
Both were placed on the ballot by the Florida State Legislature, which unanimously approved both proposals. According to the League of Women's voters, neither proposal has drawn much opposition.
- No. 3 Constitutional Amendment
Tax exemption for totally and permanently disabled first responders
Florida voters previously approved an exemption for first responders - police, corrections officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and paramedics.
The exemption on the books provides a 100 percent homestead exemption to the spouses of first responders who die in the line of duty.
Amendment 3 would expand this exemption to first reponders who are "totally and permanently disabled from injuries sustained in the line of duty."
The amendment would require a determination that the injury was incurred in the line of duty and the state Legislature would decide the parameters of the enabling legislation - i.e. decide whether the exemption should be partial or full.
Given that the voters have already mandated special consideration for the families of first responders in the case of death, it's difficult to oppose an extention to those who are totally and permanently disabled.
But let us provide a caveat here to our YES recommendation: The state Legislature needs to narrowly define "totally and permanently disabled" to an inability to be gainfully employed - that's what "totally," means.
It's not that we are hardhearted or unappreciative of those who serve on public safety's front line. We simply believe that paying taxes to support such services received is a civic duty and exemptions should be narrowly - very narrowly - prescribed.
With this in mind we are comfortable with a YES vote for Amendment 3.
Ballot language:
No. 3 Constitutional Amendment
Article VII, Section 6, Article XII
Tax exemption for totally and permanently disabled first responders
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to authorize a first responder, who is totally and permanently disabled as a result of injuries sustained in the line of duty, to receive relief from ad valorem taxes assessed on homestead property, if authorized by general law. If approved by voters, the amendment takes effect January 1, 2017.
- No. 5 Constitutional Amendment
Homestead tax exemption for certain senior, low-income, long-term residents; determination of just value
Local governments already have the ability to give low-income seniors who are also long-time residents a generous break on their property taxes.
Florida voters, in 2012, approved an amendment that allows cities and counties to extend a "just value" homestead exemption to property owners 65 and older, whose household incomes are below a certain limit provided the value of their homesteaded property is below $250,000 and provided they have lived in their home at least 25 years.
According to the Florida League of Women voters, the income cap in 2015 was $28,448.
Amendment 5 would allow these property owners, where local governments have approved the exemption, to retain the tax break even if the value of their home climbs above $250,000 as long as they otherwise qualify.
The "just value" homestead exemption, would be retroactive to 2013 for those who received the break but whose property valuation now exceeds the $250,000 cap.
This exemption provides a greater benefit than a similar exemption for income-qualifying seniors which allows local governments to exempt only an additional $50,000 for homesteaded properties.
The city of Cape Coral allows seniors to qualify for the additional homestead exemption, but not the "just value" option, which provides full relief from property taxes
The Florida League of Women's Voters estimates the overall financial impact to local government would be minimal - climbing to an estimated $1.2 million statewide in 2020-21 provided no additional governments approve the full exemption.
As with Amendment 3, it's difficult to oppose an amendment 1) placed on the ballot by the state legislature and 2) is an extension of an amendment already approved for a group deemed to be in need of the tax relief.
Again, we are hesitant to recommend an expansion of a tax exemption equal to the total value of a home without limit. Amendment 5, however, is limited in scope as implementation requires local enactment with public input and, if enacted, is narrowly prescribed.
With this in mind, we are comfortable with a YES vote for Amendment 5.
Ballot language:
No. 5 Constitutional Amendment
Article VILI, Section 6, Article XI
Homestead tax exemption for certain senior, low-income, long-term residents; determination of just value
Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to revise the homestead tax exemption that may be granted by counties or municipalities for property with just value less than $250,000 owned by certain senior, low-income, long-term residents to specify that just value is determined in the first tax year the owner applies and is eligible for the exemption. The amendment takes effect January 1, 2017, and applies retroactively to exemptions granted before January 1, 2017.
* * *
For more information on the proposed constitutional amendments appearing on the Nov. 8 ballot, visit the Florida League of Women Voters site at:
or the Florida Department of State Division of Elections site at:
- Reporter editorial


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Rangers Purchase Contract of RHP Jon Edwards; Option LHP Robbie Ross Jr. to Round Rock
Edwards seeking major league debut
Arlington, Texas - The Texas Rangers announced this afternoon that the club has purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Jon Edwards (#62) from Triple-A Round Rock. To make room for Edwards on the active roster, the club has optioned left-handed pitcher Robbie Ross Jr. to Round Rock.
Edwards, 26, has combined to go 2-3 with a 4.41 ERA (24 ER/49.0 IP) and 62 strikeouts over 34 relief appearances between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. The Keller (TX) High School product was promoted to Round Rock on July 2. Overall at Double- and Triple-A beginning May 22, he has compiled a 2.27 ERA (8 ER/32.1 IP) with 38 strikeouts against 13 walks over 22 relief appearances. He has averaged 11.1 strikeouts per 9 innings and held opponents to a .209 average over three seasons in the Texas organization.
Edwards was originally drafted by the St. Louis organization as an outfielder in the 14th round of the 2006 June draft and spent five seasons in the Cardinals system. He split the 2011 campaign in independent leagues, playing for the San Angelo Colts in the North American League and Alpine of the Pecos League. He made a pair of relief appearances with Alpine at the end of that 2011 season and signed a minor league contract with the Rangers on December 20, 2011. He was signed by current Rangers area scout Bobby Crook.
Ross Jr. was recalled yesterday and took the loss in last night's start against Tampa Bay (4.1 IP, 6 R-ER). He was also with the club from Opening Day-June 16 and has an overall 2-5 record with a 6.06 ERA (44 ER/65.1 IP) in 19 games/10 starts for the Rangers this season.
With the addition of Edwards, the Rangers now have a full 40-man roster.


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Switzerland is setting a good example: Greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 20% from their 1990 level by 2020. This means a reduction of approximately 11 million tonnes of CO2. In order to achieve this goal individual climate protection projects are selected and then reviewed for their ability to meet this legal framework.
With this CO2 certification the Federal Office for the Environment FOEN confirms that tado° can verifiably reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This means the Smart Thermostat is now endorsed and subsidized by the Swiss government, resulting in a 100 CHF CO2 discount.
The Foundation for Climate Protection and Carbon Offset (KliK) is the initiator of the program known as "smart thermostats" and invests their funds in demonstrably effective climate protection projects in Switzerland. The motto: reduce greenhouse gas emmisions, increase comfort and cut energy costs at the same time. That's easy with tado° - the Smart Thermostat which works in the background like a personal heating assistant. It gives you an overview over your energy consumption and helps you cut your heating bill by up to 31%. The program boosts tado° Smart Thermostat sales by granting the customer a discount on the purchase price. Currently the tado° Smart Thermostat is available in our webshop and through our partners like swisscom or Swiss Post.


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Attention! Watch this item to be notified when:
– the price of this item drops by 10% or more
– another user makes an offer on this item
– if the item is ever re-listed
Fender is guided by one clear, simple directive: make life better for musicians. While the original Telecaster certainly did that (and then some), we weren't content to rest on our laurels. Our team of mad scientists examined every component in near-microscopic detail. If we were able to improve it with a new design or modern materials we did; if it didn't need improvement, we left it alone. When the wood chips and solder fumes settled, what was left was the American Professional Telecaster—everything you need to play your best.
- Two Tim Shaw-designed V-Mod single-coil Telecaster pickups
- New Telecaster bridge with compensated brass barrel saddles for better intonation
- New modern "Deep C"-shaped neck profile
- Bone nut; 22 narrow-tall frets for easier bending
- Treble bleed circuit maintains highs when reducing volume
- Includes Elite Molded hardshell case
Why buy from Melody Music Shop, LLC?
Located in Bloomington, Indiana, Melody Music Shop strives to maintain a diverse, high quality inventory along with exceptional customer service. We carry a wide range of instruments and accessories, including new and used acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, band and orchestral instruments, drums, cymbals, percussion, pianos, keyboards, synthesizers, workstations, amplifiers, sound systems, and much, much more!
With certified technicians on staff and a century + of experience between them all, you can rest assured any instrument or accessory you purchase from Melody Music Shop LLC is in the best condition possible! Our ENTIRE STORE is maintained at 50% humidity year-round per manufacturer's stringent requirements. All items will be packaged carefully to ensure their safe arrival. Guitars will have their string tension lowered and packaged to manufacture specs or better. Melody Music Shop LLC guarantees quality products, fast shipping, and top-notch customer service!
Please contact us if you have any questions!
Layaway is an option!
Layaway items require an initial down payment of 25%.
Layaway items can be held here for up to 90 days
A payment of 25% (or more) is due on the 30th, 60th, and 90th day from the
layaway start date (although payments may be made before the scheduled due date).
The item will ship immediately following payment in full, which may be before the 90 day layaway period.
There are no returns on layaway items. There are no refunds of payments towards a layaway item.
Please contact us with any further questions regarding our layaway policy!
Items purchased from our store will ship out within 1 business day of receiving payment. FedEX Ground or Home Delivery, fully insured, will be used for shipping instruments and large items. Items over $50 will require a signature. Accessories and other small items will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail.
We accept PayPal and will only ship to confirmed ship-to addresses listed on the PayPal account.
Credit Cards
We accept Visa, Discover, Mastercard, and American Express. The shipping and billing address must match in order for us to ship an item to that location.
We also offer financing! Please call us for more information!


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Eastex Freeway lanes reopen after major crash
Two main lanes and a ramp on northbound U.S. 59 were closed after a fatal truck accident and chemical spill early Wednesday, according to Houston TranStar.
The accident was first reported at 4:19 a.m.
A truck driver died in the crash and two main lanes of northbound Eastex Freeway near Will Clayton remained closed in the afternoon after his tanker truck overturned in a fiery crash.
According to witnesses to the fiery truck crash, the unidentified driver hit the barrier at the Will Clayton exit ramp and flipped over, sliding on the truck's side down the exit ramp.
The out-of-control truck apparently hit both walls on the way down the ramp and caught fire.
Firefighters from Houston, Humble and the Eastex Fire Departments responded, along with the Harris County HazMat team.
Information was not immediately available on the driver's identity, cause of the wreck and what type of chemical he was hauling. The crash site is just south of FM 1960 on U.S. 59.
Map: See TranStar's interactive map of Houston road conditions here
In a second fatal crash Wednesday morning on the Southwest Freeway, a two-vehicle accident northbound on U.S. 59 shut all main lanes in the southwest stretch near Bissonnet, TranStar reported. The accident cleared about 10 a.m.
At 6:35 a.m., a driver was traveling northbound on the Southwest Freeway when he noticed a metal swing set in the middle of a lane. The driver attempted to avoid the set but struck it and lost control of his Chevrolet Aveo.
The Aveo crossed over several lanes of traffic and struck the left rear of a silver Nissan Murano, which rolled several times. The 31-year-old man, who was driving the Murano, died at the scene. He has not yet been identified.
Houston police said no charges have been filed at this time.


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READING, Pa. - A ring lost by a Union soldier from Pennsylvania during the Civil War has completed a long journey home.
The ring was worn by Levi Schlegel, a Reading-area native who is believed to have lost it nearly 150 years ago at an encampment near Fredericksburg, Va.
Relic hunter John Blue found the ring at a construction site in 2005. Though it was engraved with Schlegel's name and unit - "Co. G., 198th P.V.," or Pennsylvania Volunteers - Blue wasn't sure how to find Schlegel's descendants, and kept the ring in a box for several years.
A genealogist ultimately helped Blue track down Schlegel's family. On Tuesday, Blue presented the ring to a distant cousin during a ceremony at Levi Schlegel's grave in Reading.
"This is truly a hero's journey," said the cousin, Ernie Schlegel.
Another distant relative, James W. Schlegel of Reading, said he felt pride as he touched the ring.
"I think about all the time that passed since Levi and so many others fought for our freedom," Schlegel, who served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, told the Reading Eagle. "As a veteran, I know the importance of fighting for freedom, and I'm proud to know the Schlegel family did its part."
After the war, Levi Schlegel returned to Reading, where he worked as a carpenter and helped raise 11 children. He died in 1932 at age 91.


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- "Make sure you have them the right way round."
- —Description[src]
Binoculars, Field Glasses or Binocular Telescopes are a pair of two identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and sat to point accurately in the same direction, which allows the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects. A popular wizarding version of them look more like telescopes and are called Omnioculars.
Binoculars are commonly used to aid in the viewing of Quidditch. A fair few students viewing the first Quidditch match of the 1991-1992 school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry possessed them. Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley did not possess their own, but made frequent use of those owned by Rubeus Hagrid.[1] An unidentified Gryffindor girl used binoculars to watch the 1993-1994 Quidditch House Cup final.
Known owners
- Rubeus Hagrid
- Many Hogwarts students
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- Pottermore
Notes and references
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 12 (The Mirror of Erised)


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I2C 1-Wire click carries the DS2482-800 bridge device that performs bi-directional conversions between I2C masters and 1-Wire slave devices. These can be EEPROM chips, temperature sensors and similar devices that have momentary high source current modes. This module enables any host with I2C to generate properly timed 1-Wire waveforms to its slave devices. The I2C interface (mikroBUS SCL and SDA pins) supports both standard I2C (100kHz max) and fast I2C (400kHz) communication speeds.
In addition to the mikroBUS interface, I2C 1-Wire click has an 8-channel pinout (each pin an independently operated 1-Wire I/O).
The board is designed to use either a 3.3V or 5V power supply, which is determined by the setting of a solder jumper. This jumper comes in the 3.3V position by default.
Examples of 1-Wire devices that you can connect to this module include the DS18S20+ temperature sensor, the ColoPAL light sensor, the Unique ID click serial number module, the Expand 3 click port expander module, and the Thermo 2 click temperature sensor module.
Note: The picture shows the board with through-hole headers. The board now comes populated with male pin headers already soldered for your convenience. The board's user manual has yet to be updated to remove the soldering instructions.
You also can connect Click boards to many other popular platforms via these adapters:
In addition, it is royalty-free to add mikroBUS to your own designs. Visit the mikroBUS Category to see the full line of Click boards.


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Oct 30, 2007 | ISBN 9780553584080
"Satisfying right to the last revelation…. The author excels at both period detail and modern verve…. Sparkling."—Publishers Weekly
"Barron's research is impeccable, bringing the sights and sounds of Austen's era to the page with detail and sparkle…. This is great fun for Austen fans who like a little mystery with their manners."—Rocky Mountain News


text:
James has been with The Book of Mormon since the musical's March 2011 Broadway premiere, earning a Tony Award for her performance. The actress tweeted that she will play her final performance Jan. 5 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.
James will take on the role of Eponine in the Broadway return of Les Misérables, which begins performances March 1 at the Imperial Theatre.
The Book of Mormon currently stars Matt Doyle and Cody Jamison Strand. "American Idol" finalist Syesha Mercado will take over for James as Nabulungi in January.
"South Park" creators-writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Tony-winning Avenue Q songwriter Robert Lopez collaborated on the script and score to the musical, which earned Tony Awards for Best Book, Best Score and Best Musical.
Co-directed by Parker and Casey Nicholaw, The Book of Mormon opened to critical acclaim March 24, 2011, at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.
The Book of Mormon has set design by Scott Pask, costume design by Ann Roth, lighting design by Brian MacDevitt and sound design by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations are by Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by Oremus.
The Book of Mormon also picked up Tony Awards for Best Direction (Parker and co-director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw), Best Performance by a Featured Actress (Nikki M. James), Best Orchestrations (Larry Hochman and Stephen Oremus), Best Scenic Design (Scott Pask), Best Sound Design (Brian Ronan) and Best Lighting Design (Brian MacDevitt).
Visit bookofmormonbroadway.com.


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Don't be fooled by the cute and super charming Lego minifigure versions of Joel and Ellie in this video by Brian Anderson. The Last of Us remains as brutal as ever in this version of the game.
If only it were real! I'd play the heck out of this.
LEGO The Last of Us [Brian Anderson]


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Police say a Connecticut nursing student threatened to blow up a hospital after she wasn't invited to a classmate's wedding.
Theresa Burden, 37, of Shelton is charged with four counts of threatening. Police told the Connecticut Post that Burden sent a series of threatening letters to St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport.
U.S. & World
Authorities say Burden started sending the letters on Dec. 20 and signed them with the names of other female nursing students.
Police say the first letter threatened to blow up the hospital's nursing school because it was interfering a student's wedding plans.
Police say they asked nursing students to give handwriting samples and Burden confessed when asked for her sample.
Burden posted $50,000 bail. A message seeking comment was left at a phone listing for her Friday.
Copyright AP - Associated Press


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Assessment |
Biopsychology |
Comparative |
Cognitive |
Developmental |
Language |
Individual differences |
Personality |
Philosophy |
Social |
Methods | Statistics | Clinical | Educational | Industrial | Professional items | World psychology |
Clinical: Approaches · Group therapy · Techniques · Types of problem · Areas of specialism · Taxonomies · Therapeutic issues · Modes of delivery · Model translation project · Personal experiences ·
| Health care
|Health care services
|Types of services
|Related topics
Health care policy relates to Health care budgets which often accounts for one of the largest areas of spending for both governments and individuals all over the world, and as such it is surrounded by controversy. For example, it is now clear that medical debt is now a leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States.[1] Though there are many topics involved in health care politics, most can be categorized as either philosophical or economic. Philosophical debates center around questions about individual rights and government authority while economic topics include how to maximize the quality of health care and minimize costs.
Background Edit
The modern concept of health care involves access to medical professionals from various fields as well as medical technologies such as medication and surgical techniques. One way that a person gains access to these goods and services is by paying for them. Many governments around the world have established universal health care, which attempts to provide the same level of access to every person in a country. Many citizens are against universal health care for a variety of reasons.
Philosophy Edit
- Further information: Philosophy of Healthcare
Right to Health Care Edit
The United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) asserts that medical care is a right of all people. Many religions also impose an obligation on their followers to care for those in less favourable circumstances, including the sick. Humanists too would assert the same obligation and the right has been enshrined in many other ways too.[2][3]
An opposing school of thought rejects this notion.[4] They (laissez-faire capitalists for example) assert that providing health care funded by taxes is immoral because it is a form of legalized robbery, denying the right to dispose of one's own income at one's own will. They assert that doctors should not be servants of their patients but rather they should be regarded as traders, like everyone else in a free society."[5]
Policy is developed at various level depending on the sophistication and geographical characterisitcs of the states and health system involved.:
Mental health care policyEdit
International health care policyEdit
National policyEdit
Regional policyEdit
Local policyEdit
Government Regulation Edit
A furtherquestion concerns the effect government involvement would have. One concern is that the right to privacy between doctors and patients could be eroded if governments demand power to oversee health of citizens.[6]
Another concern is that governments use legislation to control personal freedoms. For example, some Canadian provinces have outlawed private medical insurance from competing with the national social insurance systems for basic health care to ensure fair allocation of national resources irrespective of personal wealth. Laissez-faire supporters argue that this blocks a fundamental freedom to use one's own purchasing power at will. [7]
Controlling the Industry Edit
When a government controls the health care industry, it defines what health care is available, and how it is paid for, privately or with taxes. Public regulation, investor owned HMOs and medical insurance companies (which are not under the democratic control of health care users) may all determine what health care a person might get.
Universal health care requires government involvement and oversight.
Economics Edit
The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please view the article's talk page section.
Impact on quality of health care Edit
One question that is often brought up is whether publicly-funded health care provides better or worse quality health care than market driven medicine. There are many arguments on both sides of the issue.
Arguments which see publicly-funded health care as improving the quality of health care:
- For those people who would otherwise go without care, any quality care is an improvement.[How to reference and link to summary or text]
- Since people perceive universal health care as free, they are more likely to seek preventative care which makes them better off in the long run.[8]
- A study of hospitals in Canada found that death rates are lower in private not-for-profit hospitals than in private for-profit hospitals.[9]
Arguments which see publicly-funded health care as worsening the quality of health care:
- It slows down innovation and inhibits new technologies from being developed and utilized. This simply means that medical technologies are less likely to be researched and manufactured, and technologies that are available are less likely to be used.[10]
- Free health care can lead to overuse of medical services, and hence raise overall cost.[11][12]
- Publicly-funded medicine leads to greater inefficiencies and inequalities. [4][13][14]
- It is alleged that uninsured citizens can simply pay for their health care. Even indigent citizens can still receive emergency care from alternative sources such as non-profit organizations.[How to reference and link to summary or text] Some providers may be required to provide some emergency services regardless of insured status or ability to pay, as with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act in the United States.
Impact on medical professionals Edit
Proponents of universal health care contend that universal health care reduces the amount of paperwork that medical professionals have to deal with, allowing them to concentrate on treating patients.
Impact on Medical Research Edit
Those in favor of universal health care posit that removing profit as a motive will increase the rate of medical innovation.[15] Those opposed argue that it will do the opposite, for the same reason.[14]
Economic Impact Edit
Universal health care affects economies differently than private health care.
Those in favor of universal health care contend that it reduces wastefulness in the delivery of health care by removing the middle man, the insurance companies, and thus reducing the amount of bureaucracy.[16]
Those opposed to universal health care argue that socialized medicine suffers from the same financial problems as any other government planned economy. They argue that it requires governments to greatly increase taxes as costs rise year over year. Their claim is that universal health care essentially tries to do the economically impossible.[17] Opponents of universal health care argue that government agencies are less efficient due to bureaucracy.[13] However, supporters note that modern industrial countries with socialized medicine tend to spend much less on health care than similar countries lacking such systems. [How to reference and link to summary or text]
In the United States, opponents of universal health care also claim that, before heavy regulation of the health care and insurance industries, doctor visits to the elderly, and free care or low cost care to impoverished patients were common, and that governments effectively regulated this form of charity out of existence.[18] They suggest that universal health care plans will add more inefficiency to the medical system through additional bureaucratic oversight and paperwork, which will lead to fewer doctor patient visits.[19].
Means Edit
Many forms of universal health care have been proposed. These include mandatory health insurance requirements, complete capitalization of health care, and single payer systems among others.[20]
Hyperbole has become a dominant feature of health care politics in the United States. Some examples are these.
See alsoEdit
- Globalization and Health
- Government policy making
- Health care administration
- Health care compared - tabular comparisons of the US, Canada, and other countries not shown above.
- Health care reform
- Health care reform debate in the United States
- Health insurance
- Medicaid
- Medicare
- Mental health care policy
- Mental health parity
- National health insurance
- Publicly-funded health care
- Socialized medicine
- Social insurance
- Two-tier health care
- Universal health care]
|This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors).
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text: Arts and Sciences – West 18/06/2015 7:00 PM - 18/06/2015 10:00 PM Galeana's Closet 36 Brampton St, Spruce Grove, AB, Canada Twitter Facebook Google+ [{"latlong":["53.553407","-113.886134"],"location":"36 Brampton St, Spruce Grove, AB, Canada","zoom":"9","infow":"36 Brampton St, Spruce Grove, AB, Canada<\/span><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t <\/label>\r\n\t\t\t 18\/06\/2015 7:00 PM18\/06\/2015 10:00 PM <\/span>\r\n\t\t <\/div>","google_map_url":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/place\/36+Brampton+St%2C+Spruce+Grove%2C+AB%2C+Canada\/@53.553407,-113.886134"}] Cost – Free Contact – 780-962-6547, Galeana Other Information This a new group, so no formal agenda, but come with ideas you want to try, and Galeana will be more than happy to help draw out your templates, and teach you how to start, or simply encourage you with what you have already begun. This is for new and experienced players alike, that just want to have some incentive and help with their projects. When – Thursday evenings, 7-10 pm Where – 36 Brampton Street, Spruce Grove Head west on either Hwy 16 or 16 A into Spruce Grove. Turn North on Century Road from 16A, or South from 16. Turn West on Beaumont Avenue (Pretty well half way between both hi-ways, and then south (left) on Brampton Street to 36. A Mock Tudor style home, naturally!


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Debra Swihart dispenses more than meat pies and cupcakes from her restaurant. She also gives advice to dieters. She has dropped 387 pounds in the past three years, going from 550 to 163 pounds.
Debra Swihart dispenses more than meat pies and cupcakes from her Springfield, Ill., restaurant. She also gives advice to dieters.
The owner of D'Lynne's Delights Cafe has dropped 387 pounds in the past three years, going from 550 to 163 pounds.
"You have to decide for yourself what works for you. For me, it's portion control," said the 5-foot, 3 ½-inch grandmother. "You also need a support system. I'm here to help anyone who needs support."
Swihart is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and the Wilton School of Cake Decorating and Confectionery Art in the Chicago suburb of Darien. The longtime chef at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was prompted to lose weight when her third grandchild was born.
"I decided I wanted to remain alive for my grandbabies," she said.
So she gave up eating an entire serving pan of bacon at breakfast buffet restaurants. And she gave up eating sandwiches stuffed with mayonnaise and strips of beef fat.
She started eating normal portions and the weight dropped off, nine or 10 pounds a week at first.
Swihart, 58, moved to Springfield to be closer to her sister, Kathy Alexander. And last year she opened her restaurant, which offers many foods made with fat substitutes.
The crab salad, for example, has just 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise mixed into every five gallons of yogurt. And what she calls her "everyday" cupcakes, which have 60 to 65 calories, are made with applesauce and yogurt; the icing has spun sugar and tofu in it.
"I use nonfat and lowfat products all the time. And I play with spices. It took years to perfect all my mother's good cooking into lowfat foods," she said.
She said members of Take Off Pounds Sensibly and those on other weight-reducing plans come in regularly and order without guilt from her menu. She gives advice when asked.
The restaurant's specialty is Aldona's Cuddlers, meat pies with a protein-based crust named after Swihart's mother. Each has no more than 130 calories. Fillings vary daily, and include spinach-artichoke, Swedish meatball, black olive-cream cheese, broccoli-cheddar and pot roast. The menu also has soups, salads, sandwiches and full-meal specials. Nothing is fried. Gluten-free and vegetarian options are available.
"Everyday" cupcakes — ready for purchase — come in vanilla bean, chocolate fudge, strawberry cream, orange creamsicle and caramel spice. "Special" cupcakes need to be ordered in advance. They have more calories than the "everyday," and come in flavors such as beet and berry, red hot chili, macadamia nut and rocky road.
Swihart's own eating plan is simple. For breakfast she eats a bowl of Special K or Kashi GoLean with milk and a half banana. Lunch is a cuddler with soup or salad. Dinner is the same as lunch. Her evening treat is two cupcakes.
"I cheat once a month. I go to Red Lobster and get lobster with drawn butter or to The Lighthouse for crab-stuffed mushrooms," she said.
She doesn't exercise other than running the restaurant.
"I roll cuddlers. That's my exercise. And look, I even have a six-pack," she says, lifting her blouse slightly to show her stomach muscles.
"Debbie got scared straight. She pretty much realized with all her medical problems mounting up, she had to do something and do it quickly," said Swihart's older sister, Kathy Alexander.
The restaurant, she continued, has helped Swihart eat more healthfully.
"She's engaged mentally. She doesn't concentrate on overeating as much as she used to because she's not bored. She wants to make a go of this restaurant. She's done a wonderful job, and I'm proud of her."
Swihart, who has two daughters, remembers how difficult it was to carry around 550 pounds. At that weight, she took 22 medications, had diabetes and lost her teeth.
"I had seven chins," she said.
When she had her gallbladder out, it took six orderlies to lift her stomach so the doctor could make the incision, she said. An airplane trip required the purchase of two seats. She weighed herself on a commercial produce scale.
"I don't want to live that way anymore. You have to decide that for yourself. Nobody is going to help you diet, but I'm here for advice," she said. She's off the medications and is looking forward to wearing a swimsuit this summer for the first time in many years.
Swihart is still losing weight, and wants to get down to 150 pounds.
"I want to be able to say I lost 400 pounds," she said. "That has a nice ring to it."
Creamy Parmesan Dressing
1/2 cup skim milk
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat-free parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients and blend till smooth.
Makes 8 servings (about 1 cup).
Per serving: 28 calories, 2 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 3 mg cholesterol, 0 fiber, 1/4 starch exchange
Fruity Frozen Pop Great Kids Summer Treat
1 banana, cut into quarters
1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, drained
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup honey
Blend all ingredients in blender till smooth. Place into 8 (6-ounce) paper cups and place wooden stick into each. Freeze for a good healthy kids summer day treat.
Makes 8 pops.
Per pop: 101 calories, 2 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate,0 cholesterol, 1.4 g fiber, 1 1/2 fruit exchange
Kathryn Rem can be reached at 217-788-1520 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 / Radeon HD 7870
DirectX: Version 11
OS: OS 64-bit Windows 7 / 64-bit Windows 8 (8.1) or Windows 10
Processor: Intel CPU Core i7 3770 3,4 GHz / AMD CPU AMD FX-8350 4 GHz
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text:
Late pitching switch sinks Cardinals
- Mike Matheny is in his first season as Cardinals manager
- The Nationals lead the NLDS 1-0
- Matheny replaced Tony La Russa as manager
ST. LOUIS -- Mike Matheny led a rather charmed existence in his first regular season as the St. Louis Cardinals' manager.
He seamlessly replaced the legendary Tony La Russa by guiding the Cardinals to a spot in the postseason a year after they won the World Series. Matheny was also able to win despite franchise icon Albert Pujols bolting to the Los Angeles of Anaheim as a free agent last December.
However, the former Cardinals catcher made a decision Sunday that enabled the Washington Nationals to rally for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium on pinch-hitter Tyler Moore's two-run single in the eighth inning.
St. Louis led 2-1, but Washington had runners on second and third with two outs when Nationals manager Davey Johnson sent left-handed hitting Chad Tracy up to pinch-hit for winning pitcher Ryan Mattheus and face Mitchell Boggs, the Cardinals' top set-up man who had an outstanding 2.21 ERA in 78 regular-season games.
Matheny countered by bringing in lefty reliever Mark Rzepczynski. Johnson then called Tracy back and sent up Moore, a right-handed hitting rookie. Moore flared a two-run single into right field for the game-winning hit.
"I had faith if they did make a move to remove Tracy from the game that Zep would be able to get out one of their young right-handed pinch-hitters and it didn't work for us," Matheny said.
Johnson said he thought Matheny would stick with Boggs in that situation.
"I track these things and Boggs always pitches the eighth inning for them," Johnson said. "I didn't expect to see (Rzepczynski) in that situation. I liked the matchup of Tracy against Boggs but I liked the matchup of Moore against the lefty, too."
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is set for 3:37 p.m. ET on Monday with Jordan Zimmermann (12-8, 2.94 in the regular season) starting for the Nationals against St. Louis left-hander Jaime Garcia (7-7, 3.92). The series then shifts to Nationals Park on Wednesday.
The backfiring of Matheny's strategy was part of a frustrating afternoon for the Cardinals, coming two days after they beat the Braves 6-3 in Atlanta in the first-ever winner-take-all Wild Card game.
Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez, who led the major leagues with 21 wins in the regular season, walked seven in five innings. However, the Cardinals managed just two runs off the left-hander, both in the second inning on a bases-loaded wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Jon Jay.
The Cardinals had a chance to pad a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning when they loaded the bases against Craig Stammen with none out. However, Mattheus come on and got Allen Craig to hit into a force out at home play and Yadier Molina to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Nationals then countered with Moore's hit in the next inning.
St. Louis stranded 10 runners and went hitless in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position. That wasted a strong outing by starter Adam Wainwright, who had 10 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings, nine of the whiffs coming on his curveball.
"We put guys in scoring position," Matheny said. "You look at the opportunity in the seventh. We had opportunities to win this and put more than the couple runs that we had up. And we have been very good lately in situations, getting situation hitting done. Today, it just didn't work."
And now the Cardinals must win Monday or face going to Washington down 2-0 and needing to win three games in a row.
"It's so big to win the first game in a five-game series," Nationals first baseman Adam La Roche said. "We have a little cushion now, some margin for error and (the Cardinals) really don't have any."


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The Sierra Club provides evidence that they throw the best parties here, with an extensive list of (figuratively) green liquors.
Arguably the most impressive is Flor de Cana rum, which uses sugar from a mill that generates 30 percent of Nicaragua's electricity. There's also a comment from the founder of the first carbon-neutral spirits company, VeeV Acai Spirits. When you're counting down the last seconds of 2010, be dissolute morally, not environmentally.
Via The Sierra Club.


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Fertilizer year 2013 turned out to be another unusual year for the fertilizer markets in what has turned out to be a string of unusual years. While we've had two good fall fertilizer application years in a row, the spring season the last two years has been anything but "normal. In 2012, warm weather and ideal soil and moisture conditions across most of the Corn Belt led to one of the earliest planting seasons on record. Unfortunately, the demand for fertilizer hit before the supply was in place. That led to sharp increase in prices and left both wholesalers and retailers scrambling for tons.
This year was almost the exact opposite with one of the slowest planting dates on record. The net impact was a disastrous spring season, particularly for P and K. Although farmers managed to get most of their nitrogen down, that certainly wasn't the case for P and K with many farmers opting to skip pre-plant fertilizer applications in order to get the crop in the ground. Ammonia was also hit hard with a significant portion of the spring planting tons being shifted over to urea and UAN.
So what's going to happen in FY14? That's a good question, particularly considering that forecasts, by necessity, are made under the assumption of "average or "normal conditions. Given that caveat, here's our assessment of the fall season.
Demand - For FY14, this should be another good fall season. However, given how late this year's corn and bean crops are going to get harvested, the fall application window could be shortened. This will be particularly true for ammonia if permafrost sets in early. The other key factor is going to be the size of this year's crop. Obviously, a larger than expected corn crop would mean lower corn prices and lower acreage for 2014 while a smaller than expected crop would translate into higher prices and higher acreage. All factors considered and assuming a "normal weather pattern, we expect total nitrogen to remain at close to the FY13 estimated level. However, ammonia is expected to rebound from this year's poor spring and regain market share from both urea and UAN. Phosphate should rebound and increase by about 6 percent while potash usage increases about 7 percent.
The Gulf urea market has dropped nearly $100 per ton since early March, but appears to have finally hit bottom. The recent Pakistani and Indian tenders have given some life to the market as these sales will absorb some of the recent surplus at the world level.
Also, reduced supplies out of Egypt due to interruptions in natural gas supplies, combined with production outages in the Ukraine, have also helped take some of the surplus out of the world trade balance. The other factor adding some support to the market is the slower than expected discharge of export tons coming out of China.
Going forward, the outlook remains fundamentally soft through the end of the calendar year with prices forecast to trade mostly sideways through the third quarter, then pick up a little strength as fertilizer begins to move in the fourth quarter. There does not seem to be much upside to this market, however, due to the import situation. Import volumes during Q1 and Q2 of FY14 are forecast to be down from last year's record volume but remain well above historic averages.
UAN movement seems to have been relatively strong this spring as it became the product of choice for much of the side-dressing that had to be done due to the late, wet spring season. It has become the largest nitrogen product over the past several years for several very good reasons, and being a good side-dress product is one of them. Despite the product movement, however, prices have continued to drift lower as the season ends and the domestic market has become a bit oversupplied.
We expect prices to trade mostly sideways near-term followed by some minor appreciation going into the fourth quarter. However, there appears to be slightly more downside than upside. One key swing factor will be imports. A weakening offshore market later this summer could lead to higher than expected import levels. The forecast also assumes that U.S. production levels will remain close to current levels. This assumes that additional supply from the PCS Geismar facility will be offset by either lower production at other facilities and/or higher U.S. export volumes.
The Midwest ammonia market has stabilized following a precipitous decline from levels at the first of the year. The lack of activity is not too surprising given the time of year as well as buyer uncertainty over the fall season. As discussed earlier, where this year's corn crop is going to end up is anybody's guess. Concern over a shortened fall application season is also weighing into the equation.
Going forward, where the market actually ends up is going to depend on the weather this summer and fall. While we continue to expect a reasonably strong fall, a shortened application season, combined with the high carryover from last spring, will likely cut into producer shipments and help keep a lid on any additional price increases.
The phosphate market has been on a slow decline since last summer, despite good product movement last fall. The biggest factors have been the wet weather here in the U.S., causing an inventory build-up in the U.S., and extremely slow exports to the largest importer, India. The value of the rupee has declined sharply versus the dollar, putting pressure on margins in India as well as causing prices to be higher than expected to the end user. The Indian subsidy scheme has recently been adjusted to allow for higher retail prices, so imports should begin to pick up after one of the slowest quarters in history.
The outlook for the market is to remain soft near-term with some room for price appreciation as we move into the fall season. This outlook, however, is still highly uncertain and, again, is going to depend to a large extent on this year's crops and the export outlook. Although our baseline forecast is predicated on a rebound in exports into both the Latin American and Asian markets, India remains a question mark, especially if the value of the rupee continues to slide.
The spring weather in much of the northern hemisphere conspired to keep farmers out of the field and limited how much potash could be applied. Although there's no hard data, a substantial volume of product is reported to still be in warehouses following what turned out to be a disastrous spring season. This factor, combined with the Indian import situation mentioned above, has kept total potash inventories relatively high. In addition, the expansion of production capacity around the world has kept the market oversupplied.
The international market also remains relatively weak and oversupplied. According to industry sources, inventory remains high in China with Chinese buyers not expected to come back into the market for second half contracts until August at the earliest. The situation in India is not much better.
Going forward, the Midwest wholesale market is expected to trade sideways to slightly lower near-term with very little price appreciation going into the fall application season.
Although the market could move somewhat lower than projected, the recently announced production cutbacks are expected to keep producer inventory in check and prevent any significant deterioration in prices. However, there appears to be little upside in this market given the current surplus in the world markets.
You can find further and more timely information at www.npkfas.com with a 30-day free trial of the NPK Insider.


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National Guardsmen from the 33rd Military Police Battalion were wecolmed home Thursday by thousands of well wishers. They look forward to seeing their families and friends, and the color green.
Thousands of well wishers lined Twin Cities streets Thursday to welcome home Bloomington-based soldiers from a 461-day deployment that included more than a year serving in Iraq.
Inching down U.S. Route 51 from Redbird Arena to the Bloomington Armory, the Illinois National Guardsmen from the 33rd Military Police Battalion waved to crowds spilling off sidewalks from convertibles driven by 40 volunteers, flanked by the thundering motorcycles of the Patriot Guard Riders.
Trees and light poles blossomed with yellow ribbons of support all the way to the armory, where the men and women were heralded as "top-shelf, outstanding heroes" who "came under fire and responded appropriately, responded perfectly under stress."
Their broad smiles and tears — and those of loved ones they embraced — spoke without words to what these citizen soldiers missed most: family and friends, spouses, children.
But what else were they anticipating, now that their tour was complete? Simple comforts topped the lists. And for many, perhaps surprisingly for those who have remained stateside, the sight of one color is most welcome: green.
Anthony Hopp, 19, of Hamilton was ready to see his wife and friends while waiting for the parade to begin, but also hankered for something homeowners wouldn't necessarily miss: "Actually, I'm looking forward to mowing some grass. I'm sick of sand."
Coleen Cummings, 20, of Minonk greeted the greenery with longing, too. "If it's green and grows out of the ground, we missed it." But she's not ready to jump into yardwork just yet. "I'm taking a bath — a long, hot bath."
Heather Libby, 23, of Flanagan desired some domestic amenities, as well. "I want my old bed. I've been sleeping on a much smaller bed." Of course, slumber will have to wait. "I'll be spending a lot of time with my little brother."
John Brewer, 26, of Peoria looked a little farther into the future for what he wanted. "I'm going to try to get college done," he said, then waxed philosophical. "It's the pleasures and comforts of the United States that I'll really appreciate a lot more." Anything in particular? "A nice steak, one I can grill out myself."
Kimberly Kleen, 21, of El Paso was ready for good food, too, but not to cook it herself. "I want homemade food, anything my stepmom makes. But I'm ready to go eat now — anywhere." And wherever she went Thursday, she had plenty of something else she sorely missed: "the smell of fresh air."


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Erin Earley is editor of the Lavasoft News anti-malware newsletter.
Cyber thieves are constantly adapting their techniques to get inside of users' computers, and to ultimately get hold of private or secure information. This year has been no different. To help computer users make sense of what the past year has brought in terms of online security, Andrew Browne, team leader at Malware Labs at the online security company Lavasoft, answers questions on the state of malware in 2009, and what it means for users online security.
Q: In general, what type of year has 2009 been in terms of online threats that users are faced with?
A: The number of malware samples added to Ad-Aware's threat database in Q1/Q2 of 2009 has increased by 600 percent compared to Q1/Q2 of 2008. The bad guys have been busy.
Q: What was the biggest challenge that the bad guys presented this past year?
A: The sheer volume of malware being produced has been the biggest challenge for us -- many samples are repackaged versions of the same thing so we have worked hard on making efficient detection routines for 'same but different' malware.
Malware writers, rather than simply releasing one version of their creation into the wild, will make changes to the malware so that while the functionality of it remains the same, it looks like a different file. They then release thousands of essentially the same file into the Internet. Our new detection system in Ad-Aware, Genotype, allows us to look at core attributes of this series of malware -- we then create detection routines that allow us to detect all of the files that share the same core attributes.
Q: What about what home users are seeing as they browse the Web -- has Malware Labs identified any trends in 2009?
A: Unsuspecting users eager for more information on breaking news and current events have been more likely than ever to encounter a booby trapped website via search engine results poisoned by blackhat SEO (search engine optimization) techniques, spam e-mail or social networking sites.
In order to increase numbers of potential victims, malware distribution has, on occasion, crept onto well known legitimate sites in the form of advertising banners that contain malicious code. Criminals have audaciously impersonated advertising representatives from large companies in order to plant malicious adverts on these high profile sites. The sheer number of visitors to sites like The New York Times, which was affected by a malicious advert this year, means that it is certainly profitable for criminals to go to such unusual lengths.
Q: There's a lot that computer users need to be aware of when it comes to their online security. What do you see as the most significant security challenge to home users this past year -- and what can be done about it?
A: Recognizing vulnerable, unpatched applications on their PC. Ongoing efforts to raise consciousness about the importance of applying operating system patches are making ground. Conficker gained much media attention this year with many of the reports relating an unusually high level of information, highlighting the vulnerability in the Microsoft Windows Server Service (MS08-067) and advising users to apply the patch available for it from Windows Update.
Users have begun to appreciate the need for operating system patching but are probably less aware of the need to apply security updates to applications on the operating system. There is still some work to be done on the part of software publishers. Patches fixing application vulnerabilities are typically slow to appear and when they do appear, it is not always clear to the user that a patch or update is available and that action should be taken.
The latest versions of the Firefox browser will warn users if their version of the Adobe Flash Player plug-in is out-of-date and recommend updating it. Mozilla, publishers of Firefox, plan to work with other vendors to provide similar checks for their plug-ins. This is a big step forward in alerting users that it's not only the operating system that should be kept up to date with the latest patches.
To home users, I would recommend checking out Secunia's free Personal Software Inspector application which can help identify which applications on their machine are out of date and have patches or updates available for them.


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Takemoney - Trap Spot [Unsigned Hype]
TAKEMONEY - TRAP SPOT shot by firstname.lastname@example.com off the forthcoming mixtape NOTHING BUT MONEY hosted by SUSS ONE. @TAKEMONEYJB @NOEYNOGOOD @MOCMURDER @TAKEMONEYKO
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( Written at the request of the "Times of India" and published by it on June 2,2012
The Government of India has done well to release the text of the report of the three-member team of Interlocutors headed by Shri Dileep Padgaonkar constituted by it in October 2010 to suggest ways forward for facilitating the normalisation of the political situation in Jammu & Kashmir.
Any further delay in the initiation of follow-up action might have created an impression in the State that the entire exercise was an eyewash to gain time. The perceived past inaction of the Government of India in the face of accumulating grievances contributed to a deep sense of alienation followed by the insurgency. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan exploited the alienation to sponsor a proxy war.
There is an insurgency fatigue in the State, but It would be unwise to misinterpret the growing normalcy in the ground situation as indicating a political fatigue too. The grievances have not withered away. They will not unless meaningful action is taken to identify the legitimate ones and act to remove them.
Bringing the insurgency under control was only one aspect of the problem. An equally important aspect is to set in motion a process of dealienation through appropriate political and psychological measures.
The constitution of the Interlocutors' team was indicative of a recognition by the Government of India that operational normalisation has to be followed by political normalisation.
The report is comprehensive and deals with all aspects of the problem---political, operational, economic, humanitarian etc. There is a huge humanitarian aspect due to perceptions of unchecked and unaddressed violations of the human rights of the people by the security forces despite their better control of the ground situation now.
The Interlocutors have come out with ideas and concepts--- the setting-up of the Constitutional Review Committee is one such idea---- which may not be acceptable to all sections of the people of the State and political forces in the rest of India.
Some of these ideas are likely to be opposed by those who had always argued that the original sin in the State was committed by the founding fathers of independent India who agreed to grant a special constitutional status to the State. They are likely to oppose any attempt to reverse the process of the dilution of the special status. There could be other issues relating to Jammu and Ladakh and the return of the Hindu Pandits to their original homeland which might encounter difficulties in implementation.
Fears of likely controversies should not be allowed to inhibit the implementation process. Political compromises in the over-all State and national interests will be necessary. What is important is to create a positive momentum towards implementation.
The Government of India, in consultation with the State, should identify those recommendations that can be implemented quickly through executive orders without the need for time-consuming political consultations and take time-bound action to implement them. Among such recommendations one could mention those relating to the re-deployment of the security forces, re-evaluation of the need for special powers for the Army and improving the human rights situation.
If this is done, it will restore the confidence of the people in the sincerity of the Government and pave the way for a more non-emotional examination of the controversial recommendations.
Interestingly, the Interlocutors' report has been released a day after the Task Force on National Security headed by Naresh Chandra, former Cabinet Secretary, submitted its report to the Prime Minister. The Task Force has, inter alia, given its assessment of the ground situation in J&K and made a number of well-considered recommendations for political normalisation.
The recommendations of the Interlocutors should be examined in conjunction with those of the Task Force and a process for implementation set in motion. The dealienation of the people of the State would depend on the sincerity of the follow-up drill. The Prime Minister should take over the leadership role for monitoring the follow-up process.
He should nominate a small Group of Ministers to examine jointly the recommendations of the Interlocutors and the Naresh Chandra Task Force, in consultation with the State Government and the political parties in the State and Centre to draw up a plan for the implementation of acceptable recommendations without delay.
The BJP and other right-wing forces should resist the temptation to politicise the follow-up. Nothing can be more short-sighted and counter-productive.
We have a very short window of political opportunity in the State. The thinning down of the NATO forces in Afghanistan is likely to make available to the ISI surplus trained cadres and leaked arms and ammunition from the dumps left by the departing NATO forces for diversion to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in an attempt to re-kindle the dying insurgency. The implicit Chinese recognition of Gilgit-Baltistan as Pakistani territory and the increasing Chinese interest and presence in the Kashmiri territory under the illegal occupation of Pakistan are likely to create new geostrategic dimensions of the problem.
National and State interests demand that this window is intelligently and constructively utilised. If we do not do so, we may find ourselves back in 1989. We have a welcome respite in J&K. Whether it endures or not would depend on the political initiatives of the Prime Minister.
( The writer was Additional Secretary, Research & Analysis Wing, Cabinet Secretariat)


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|"George was pretty damn eclectic as a kid," says Tom Van Buskirk, referring to his cousin/Javelin collaborator, George Langford. "I was more of a snob, growing up on the Beatles and classical music. Like I didn't get into Nirvana until after MTV Unplugged came out. I'm always late to the party."
Maybe that's why Javelin formed in 2005-to throw a party of their own, one that sees nothing wrong with dropping crooked disco ("On It On It"), schoolyard funk ("Intervales Theme"), abstract R&B ("Dep") and pitch-perfect pop ("Mossy Woodland") in the same set. At least that's the way things unfold on Javelin's debut album, No Más, the eagerly-awaited follow-up to a self-released collection of demos (Jamz n Jemz) and a pair of limited Thrill Jockey 12-inches (Javelin, Number Two).
It's as if Javelin were programmed to reproduce the golden age of every genre known to man, bouncing between samplers and strings, drum machines and drum sets, and a growing collection of guitars, horns and homemade thumb pianos. You read that right: Most of No Más' dusty 45 moments aren't lifted from actual recordcrates. They're painstakingly recreated, note by note, from the jukebox in Javelin's collective mind.
"I love making music that has flaws and human fingerprints all over it," adds Langford. "There's also that grey area where you can't tell what's a sample, although it leaves you wanting to say, 'Hey, I did that!'"
There's no denying who's doing what at Javelin shows, ever-evolving pieces of performance art that leave the laptops at home and have more in common with the multi-tracked madness of an old Jamaican sound system than the standard guitar/bass/drums setup of a 'band'.
"The worst thing in the world would be to have a wall of dudes staring at your gear, watching your every move," says Langford, "So we try to inject as much life and energy into our performances as possible."
When they first started playing around Providence, this meant an overwhelming array of "turntables, glockenspiels and percussion." Now that they've settled in Brooklyn and stripped their restless sound down to its bare essentials, Javelin's become known as the guys with the boom boxes, a Flaming Lips-like technique that's allowed them to break down the artist/audience wall at such tour stops as New York's Museum of Modern Art.
"A lot of people think they're ornaments, but they play sound," says Van Buskirk. "It's like, 'You really thought we dragged all of this here for nothing?"
Never. You see, everything has its place in a Javelin song, from the shimmering keys and brassy strut of "Shadow Heart" to the loony tune loops of "Oh! Centra." So if you're trying to 'figure Javelin out', don't bother. These musical omnivores work their music like a rabid radio dial, leaving a tricky trail of sonic breadcrumbs in their wake. Or as Langford puts it, "The minute I start working in one style, I get distracted and want to work on another one. We kinda gave up on finding our 'sound' years ago."


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L'Escapadou as you can probably tell from the name is a French. They develop children's apps for iOS devices that adhere to the Montessori theory of education.
You may have heard of Montessori, it is a learning philosophy that is particularly embraced and well suited to early childhood and elementary education because these programs were developed during the lifetime of the woman who developed the approach, Maria Montessori. Maria was an Italian physician and educator who explored an educational model that aligned with human and psychological development. It is a method that trusts the learner, that allows for learning through exploration of environments, self expression and open-ended learning. This means that Montessori apps are those that provide children with digital environments that they can come to orientate themselves in, learn to explore and manipulate to create their own work and learning, or as Maria Montessorui would say "purposeful activity".
L'Escapadou have developed three apps to date. Word Wizard, Montessori Crosswords and their latest app, Montessori Numbers. All three exhibit the Montessori principles of self expression and exploration. They are apps that allow for the natural desire of children to explore letters and numbers to be enhanced. Word Wizard is still one of my favorite apps to support early childhood literacy. It offers several ways to use the basic functionality of touching a letter and hearing its sound, the best being the sandbox style word creation environment where you physically move letters around a screen and can create any word you like. You can build whole sentences if you wish, and it has a clever and amusing function for editing inappropriate words.
Word Wizard probably uses the functionality and offering of touchscreen devices best, as it isn't a simulation, but a whole new way of moving letters and sounds and building words and vocabulary, while learning phonics. Montessori Crosswords and Montessori Numbers are really well designed, and not garish or excessive in their use of congratulatory remarks or bold colors and characters. However, they are apps that simulate existing functions, which are important and useful. As the team write about Montessori Numbers:
Maria Montessori believed "what the hand does, the mind remembers". By using concrete materials during the early, sensitive years, kids taught in a Montessori environment internalize the basic concepts of mathematics more easily. Montessori Numbers is inspired from several traditional Montessori activities and offers concrete hands-on learning materials that make abstract concepts clearer.
I am fascinated by this concept, the way the kinesthetic and the moving of the body and hands aligns to our ability to learn and remember. What might this mean for younger children who still find it difficult to hold a pencil and write, but who can shift letters around a screen and read words. Will we see word recognition and reading happening in children early because of their ability to use apps that are built around the ideas of Maria Montessori? We will have to wait and see how this whole touchscreens and young children experiment we are all a part of goes.
L'Escapadou are a terrific mum and dad developer who have demonstrated how well the App Store model can support innovative development from small teams who are committed to a certain idea or approach. Their work has a maturity in the space because they come from such a strong background and understanding of their educational theory. They don't need to have bells and whistles, or badges, or a voice over saying "good job" every time you get an answer correct. They know their apps meet the needs of children who are programmed and want to learn. They deserve every success and much attention in the way they go about developing quality apps for children.
In the meantime, I had the chance to ask Pierre Abel who runs the show at L'Escapadou a few questions. His answers are both from the heart and enlightening. Please read on and learn more about the approach and purpose of this great children's app development team.
Daniel Donahoo: What is it that drives L'Escapadou to create apps for children?
Pierre Abel: Our kids! We (my wife and I) started creating apps for our homeschooled kids when the iPad was introduced, with the belief that the iPad could be a great tool for learning and creativity. As a homeschooling family, we are looking for learning activities that our kids loves, because we believe that kids learn better when they play and have fun. So our goal is to create this kind of apps on iPad and iPhone. It is also highly exciting to design educational apps, and imagine how we can use the latest technologies to make learning fun and effective.
__Donahoo:__Your apps deliver purposeful interactivity that is aligned to learning in that it actively requires children to create and build their knowledge and learning. How much thought do you put into this and what is the process?
Abel: It is an iterative process that usually takes 4 to 6 months. We start by choosing a non-digital learning activity that one of our kid loves - and up to now,it is a Montessori activity because we've got a lot of Montessori materials at home. It is important to note that we start from a "proven" activity that has demonstrated educational values. Then, we think how we can add adapt this activity for touch screens, and add some magic thanks the iPad/iPhone. The magic can be split in two categories : the "pure fun" features and the "facilitator" features. "Pure fun" is to simply to make the app appealing for kids (e.g. nice graphics, animation, sounds,...). "Facilitator" features are the most important, and the ones that add some smart behaviors to the app so that they help kids to learn more efficiently (e.g. when the child touches a number, the app says its name). The "Facilitator" features have always a highest priority, and we think carefully about what the app should do -and should not do- to help the child to learn efficiently (e.g. too much animations or sound may distract the child sometimes). We do a lot of prototyping and short iterations (at least 30) to test the app with our kids and their friends, and get some feedback from Montessori teachers and others parents. And once we're happy with the result, we release the app.
__Donahoo: __How important is it to not just provide apps that have a selection of answers to choose from, but rather ask the child to develop and build their own answer from the tools you provide?
__Abel: __It is based on our belief that kids learn better when they can experiment and play (and it's not only our belief because it has been shown in numerous publications). The child must take over concepts and for that he needs to play with them (and make errors). An interesting example is the quizzes that we provide in Word Wizard (parents can create quiz list with the words they want) : for us it is important that the child enters the right spelling every time, and not wait for the end of the quiz to know if it is right or wrong. So there is no "OK" button available to let the child tell the app that he thinks that it is the correct spelling. Actually the app will go automatically to next word only once the correct answer is entered. This way, it allows the child to experiment with different spelling and build the correct spelling in any case ( of course the child can ask for some hints if he can't find the correct spelling).
__Donahoo: __What do you see as the future for children's educational apps?
__Abel: __I currently wondering how social features (i.e. allow to see others kids who are playing, discuss with them,...) could be added to educational apps in a way that help kids to learn even more effectively. I see that my kids are very engaged and are learning a lot with their friends when they play, and I think it could be a nice feature to engage kids even more in educational apps. However, it is a really delicate subject because of privacy issues.
__Donahoo: __What is your response to the many simulation apps that crowd the market, the thousands of simple ABC apps or maths apps that simply simulate maths sheets?
__Abel: __Our response is innovation. We take a lot of times to design and test our apps (we release an app each year even if I work full-time on apps) and make sure this is something new and different ,and that it offers a lot of educational values.
__Donahoo: __Can you explain to readers how the Montessori approach aligns well with touch technologies?
__Abel: __One important thing in the Montessori way of learning is to let kids deal with materials (e.g. movable alphabet,beads,...). These materials have been carefully designed, as well as learning activities that use these materials. Kids must manipulate materials to learn concepts, and touch technologies aligns well with that because they allow a real, direct interaction with the virtual materials, without requiring another device such as a mouse. In addition, adding smart behavior to the virtual material can really help kids to grasp some concepts associated with the material. To finish, just let me say that Montessori philosophy is really more than just the materials - but that is a whole other subject.
__Donahoo: __What can we expect from L'Escapadou in the future?
__Abel: __We want to continue to create learning activities for the iPad and iPhone, and the next one is not decided yet. We have many ideas but we want to be sure to choose the good one, and to focus on it. The good one is the one that is useful for one of our kids, and where we see opportunities to leverage technologies to create a fun and educational app.


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As a resident of Morenci and a tenant of an apartment downtown I can let you know that the music downtown is annoying for residents of the apartments. The never-ending holiday music was so loud the last couple years it made the season miserable for us. What about residents who work third shift? Multiple times we had to call the police station because the music was still playing past 10 p.m.
I hate to hear that the Chamber of Commerce is planning to play it all summer long, too. I can see how it may be nice for those of you who come downtown to do business and shop. But for those of us who can't get away from it, it is maddening.
I really do not believe the music is going to increase shopping downtown, or boost morale. Maybe if it was limited to special occasions only, holidays, and Town and Country Festival weekend, it would be more welcoming. But the entire Christmas season was too long. I will be very disappointed if we have to listen to music all summer, as well.
– Stacey Wright
(former downtown apt tenant)
128 North St., Morenci