Adobe brings updated Photoshop to phones

Devin Coldewey , NBC News ? ? ? 33 min.

Mobile photographers will be happy to learn that Adobe has released a new and improved version of Photoshop to iOS and Android phones ? one that shares many features with the well-received tablet app.

The miniaturized Photoshop Touch app offers the usual touch-based tricks, filters, and tools. Like the tablet version, it ends up being a useful app even if it's not nearly at the level of its desktop-based cousin.

You can use layers, select objects with intelligent "scribble" selection, and apply a number of filters and adjustments. But watch those megapixels: Too much image data and you'll only have a couple layers to work with, or you may have a few seconds to wait as the app crunches through the effects.

Perfectionists looking to touch up their photos before sending them off to Instagram or Facebook will enjoy being able to fiddle with curves or add a tasteful lens flare. There are, of course, dozens of other photo-editing apps available, but Photoshop has proven to be a favorite on tablets owing to its robust feature set and compatibility with Adobe's other apps and services.

Unfortunately, upgrading isn't free, even for users with other versions of Photoshop on their phone or tablet. You'll have to pay $4.99, either in the iTunes App Store, Google's Play Store, or Amazon's Appstore for Kindle devices.

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC News Digital. His personal website is coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/adobe-brings-updated-photoshop-phones-1C8594050

maundy thursday fab melo google glasses kim kardashian and kanye west henrik stenson jobs act greg mortenson

What else could I write? I don?t have the right. (Unqualified Offerings)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/287441030?client_source=feed&format=rss

jionni lavalle earthquake san francisco donald payne elizabeth berkley lenny dykstra jenelle evans jenelle evans

'Identity Thief' tops box office with $14 million

FILE -This undated publicity file image released by Universal Pictures shows Jason Bateman, left, and Melissa McCarthy in a scene from, "Identity Thief." As of Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, ?Identity Thief?, with a cumulative total of $93.7 million viewers, is the biggest hit so far in 2013. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)

FILE -This undated publicity file image released by Universal Pictures shows Jason Bateman, left, and Melissa McCarthy in a scene from, "Identity Thief." As of Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013, ?Identity Thief?, with a cumulative total of $93.7 million viewers, is the biggest hit so far in 2013. (AP Photo/Universal Pictures)

NEW YORK (AP) ? A week after losing the box office title to Bruce Willis, Melissa McCarthy took it back again.

McCarthy's road trip comedy "Identity Thief" topped the box office in its third week of release on Oscar weekend with $14 million for Universal. 20th Century Fox's "A Good Day to Die Hard," starring Willis, slid to fifth with $10.1 million.

The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com are:

1. "Identity Thief," Universal, $14,017,085, 3,222 locations, $4,350 average, $93,619,615, three weeks.

2. "Snitch," Lionsgate, $13,167,607, 2,511 locations, $5,244 average, $13,167,607, one week.

3. "Escape From Planet Earth," Weinstein Co., $10,682,037, 3,353 locations, $3,186 average, $34,812,699, two weeks.

4. "Safe Haven," Relativity Media, $10,454,713, 3,223 locations, $3,244 average, $47,916,356, two weeks.

5. "A Good Day to Die Hard," Fox, $10,165,633, 3,555 locations, $2,860 average, $51,967,897, two weeks.

6. "Dark Skies," Weinstein Co., $8,189,166, 2,313 locations, $3,540 average, $8,189,166, one week.

7. "Silver Linings Playbook," Weinstein Co., $5,750,866, 2,012 locations, $2,858 average, $107,176,012, 15 weeks.

8. "Warm Bodies," Lionsgate, $4,825,388, 2,644 locations, $1,825 average, $58,243,441, four weeks.

9. "Beautiful Creatures," Warner Bros., $3,608,333, 2,950 locations, $1,223 average, $16,570,598, two weeks.

10. "Side Effects," Open Road Films, $3,357,039, 2,070 locations, $1,622 average, $25,099,555, three weeks.

11. "Zero Dark Thirty," Sony, $2,230,084, 1,197 locations, $1,863 average, $91,539,075, 10 weeks.

12. "Argo," Warner Bros., $1,827,165, 802 locations, $2,278 average, $129,653,502, 20 weeks.

13. "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters," Paramount, $1,684,532, 1,425 locations, $1,182 average, $52,945,086, five weeks.

14. "Life of Pi," Fox, $1,605,366, 572 locations, $2,807 average, $113,525,126, 14 weeks.

15. "Lincoln," Disney, $1,481,081, 875 locations, $1,693 average, $178,603,571, 16 weeks.

16. "Mama," Universal, $1,173,900, 1,163 locations, $1,009 average, $70,230,570, six weeks.

17. "Quartet," Weinstein Co., $1,125,886, 356 locations, $3,163 average, $8,844,950, seven weeks.

18. "Django Unchained," Weinstein Co., $971,655, 659 locations, $1,474 average, $158,783,430, nine weeks.

19. "Amour," Sony Pictures Classics, $716,186, 328 locations, $2,183 average, $5,147,242, 10 weeks.

20. "Wreck-It Ralph," Disney, $645,870, 402 locations, $1,607 average, $186,676,411, 17 weeks.

___

Universal and Focus are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of Comcast Corp.; Sony, Columbia, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount is owned by Viacom Inc.; Disney, Pixar and Marvel are owned by The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is owned by Filmyard Holdings LLC; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a group of former creditors including Highland Capital, Anchorage Advisors and Carl Icahn; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC is owned by AMC Networks Inc.; Rogue is owned by Relativity Media LLC.

___

Online:

http://www.hollywood.com

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-25-Box%20Office/id-27acdcca1a8e480fa333d5a29d84ff48

Xbox 720 HTC One NICOLAUS COPERNICUS kurt cobain Las Vegas shooting Jerry Buss Chris Bosh wife

Iranian educated in North Korea becomes minister

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran's parliament has approved a North Korean-educated former military official for a key post in President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government.

The official IRNA news agency says Mohammad Hasan Nami ? nominated by Ahmadinejad last week for the post of communications minister ? got 177 votes in parliament on Tuesday. There were 243 lawmakers present in the 290-seat chamber.

Nami is the third minister with a military background to join Ahmadinejad administration, after Defense Minister Gen. Ahmad Vahidi and Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar.

Nami holds a doctorate degree in state management from Kim Il-Sung University in Pyongyang, North Korea. He is also a former deputy defense minister and Iran's ex-deputy Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Army.

Nami is fluent in English and is reportedly behind Iran's national intranet project.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iranian-educated-north-korea-becomes-minister-092913575.html

smokey robinson Sandy Hook Elementary School Colors Cassadee Pope Victoria Soto nbc sports morgan freeman westboro baptist church

Best app to track bills and expenses from your iPhone

Pageonce provides not only an iPhone app to help keep you on track with bills but a whole suite of tools online as well as well as an iPad app. From linking bank accounts and credit cards to inputting bills and expenses, Pageonce is easy to use and understand. If you've got investments, it can also help you keep track of those as well.

Whether you're trying to save money or just want to know where you stand at any given point in time, Pageonce offers something for everyone.

To get started with Pageonce, you'll be asked to add any bank accounts and credit cards you'd like to track. You can then add bills and expenses to see what your monthly bills are and when they're due. You can add bills and expenses either automatically from a list of supported merchants or you can manually add them and set them up to recur regularly. The list of support merchants isn't huge but adding bills manually is pretty painless as well. Popular merchants such as cable providers, wireless carriers, and utility companies are supported and you should be able to import your bills automatically. Pageonce will then update them when they're paid and when a new bill is due.

The main menu of Pageonce is where you'll go to view how much cash you have on hand in your collective accounts, pay bills, view and manage investments, and information on credit card debt. Pageonce also bundles in offers that you can apply for and they consistently change. You can also sign up for Credit Guard and monitor your credit score directly within Pageonce without the need for a separate app or service. Add-on features aren't free and Credit Guard will automatically bill you $6.99 for the feature if you opt-in for it. Pageonce also gives you access to graphs and charts that show you what kind of things you're spending your money on. This makes for an easy way to adjust spending habits or to plan for paying down certain debts that are causing you problems.

If you prefer to pay and manage bills from your computer, Pageonce also has a robust website that you can log in to and view all the data you've entered from any computer or device. Once you've paid your bills and updated your accounts, the data will sync across any device you've got Pageonce installed on including iPhone and iPad.

When it comes to tracking expenses and monitoring your cash flow, Pageonce offers a lot of information at a quick glance while making more in-depth information available at the same time. The ability to pay virtually any expense or individual from your bank account directly within the app also sets is apart from other plain ledger and bill tracking apps. If your bank doesn't offer person to person pay services natively, Pageonce can fill that gap. Even if your bank does offer bill pay services natively, being able to track expenses, income, make payments, and monitor cash flow all in once place allows you to have a much tighter hold on your finances and that's where Pageonce really beats the competition.

• Free - Download Now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/esZt34xLtlo/story01.htm

nightline brady quinn brady quinn bloom box obama sweet home chicago accenture match play george washington carver

Spain's Caixabank planning significant job cuts: sources

MADRID (Reuters) - Caixabank is planning significant job cuts, union and bank sources said on Wednesday, after a media report that Spain's third-biggest lender was planning 4,000 redundancies.

Caixabank's staffing levels have jumped in the past two years following the purchase of smaller rivals.

"There is no number on the table as yet and there will be attempts to try and make the cuts as painless as possible," a source at the bank said.

Barcelona-based Caixabank, the commercial banking business of financial services group La Caixa, declined to comment.

Online news service El Confidential had earlier said Caixabank was planning 4,000 redundancies, citing sources close to the group.

Caixabank had 32,625 employees at the end of 2012, compared with nearly 27,000 a year earlier, while its network grew by over 1,000 branches.

The Catalan bank was one of the most active buyers in the consolidation of Spanish banking which has seen the number of lenders cut by 80 percent to around 10.

Among other purchases, Caixabank bought Banca Civica and rescued lender Banco de Valencia last year, although the latter has not yet been fully integrated.

Caixabank is one of Spain's healthier lenders, and it managed to weather the country's property crash without taking state aid, although its profits fell nearly 80 percent last year.

A government-enforced clean-up of banks' soured real estate assets forced Spain to seek around 40 billion euros in European aid last year to rebuild the capital of its weakest lenders.

Rescued banks have to shrink as a condition of receiving those funds, creating a big wave of layoffs.

Nationalised group Bankia is making 4,500 job cuts alone and unions have warned there are about 20,000 layoffs planned for 2013 when staffing across the industry could hit levels not seen since 1975.

Analysts had already warned that Caixabank was ripe for cutbacks after its branch network grew with its acquisitions.

Analysts at Nomura said in January that Caixabank would need to cut about 30 percent of its branches, or 2,000, to reach the same productivity levels as peers, partly because the bank has a larger number of smaller branches.

(Reporting by Jesus Aguado; Writing by Sarah White; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spains-caixabank-planning-significant-job-cuts-sources-183738396--finance.html

bulls california earthquake california earthquake tyson chandler tyson chandler stephen hill draft tracker

Greg Cote: NCAA?s buffoonery turns Miami Hurricanes into sympathetic victim

The NCAA ? corrupted, embarrassed and now playing the obstinate bully ? has managed to do the seemingly impossible: It has cast the University of Miami as the sympathetic victim. The side you root for. It has left even longtime UM detractors little choice but to see the judge and jury here as dirtier than the accused.

This is saying a lot, of course, because ever since the mid-1980s the Hurricanes have worn college athletics? national black hat, and worn it proudly, too, cocked and brim low, hip hop-style. The school?s notorious badge of honor grew from us-against-the-world, grew from street level, grew from camouflage and attitude. It was a cocktail of controversies off the field and punishing success on it. It was embodied in all of those NFL alums simply (and imperially) referring to ?The U.? It is reflected in all of those T-shirts claiming Miami ?invented swagger.?

The Hurricanes were anti-establishment and cocky and unless you loved them, you hated them. They were the Yankees, only more urban.

And the trouble Miami is in now? Man, it was so perfectly scripted to only feed any and all of those negative perceptions of the Canes. I mean, seriously, right? It involved a rampant, renegade booster supposedly offering yacht parties with strippers (not to mention more mundane handouts) to willing student-athletes. Opposing coaches recruiting against UM couldn?t have written it any better ? although you know they tried with various embellishments.

Yes, Canes-hating America should be howling at UM?s plight today, perhaps delighted that this long investigation grew so big it even shadowed the best story in college sports right now ? Miami?s astonishing ascension to a No. 2 ranking in men?s basketball.

Instead, the university that put the badass in college sports isn?t the bad guy here.

Don?t get this wrong. UM is plenty culpable for allowing defrocked booster Nevin Shapiro (since a convicted and jailed Ponzi schemer) to run and reign free. And any Canes athletes who partook violated rules. The Hurricanes had punishment coming, without question.

PROBE TURNS INTO A SHAM

The NCAA?s role in this investigation, though, has been a travesty far worse than any UM improprieties that invited the scrutiny in the first place. This NCAA probe turned into an outright sham that has shamed college sports? governing body ? all the more so because it has dragged on for more than two years.

The NCAA?s official Notice of Allegations against Miami, served late Tuesday, includes a charge of ?lack of institutional control,? a broad and serious claim. But what?s ludicrous, as well as serious, is the NCAA?s own lack of institutional control in this matter. ?The pot calling the kettle black,? as my Granpappy used to say.

It?s one thing for a school to violate rules, but far worse when the NCAA, the governing body and de facto police force ? the judge and jury ? itself proves corrupt.

Two high-ranking enforcement officials were fired for improperly paying Shapiro?s lawyers to obtain information against UM in unrelated depositions ? info that would not otherwise been gettable. These officials, renegades like Shapiro, went against the direct advice and order of the NCAA?s own staff counsel in doing so.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/20/3244225/greg-cote-ncaas-buffoonery-turns.html

san francisco 49ers stan musial Mega 49ers lance armstrong ufc Earl Weaver

Don't Follow Your Instincts When Replying to Freelance Customer Questions

Freelancing offers a lot of rewards, but plenty of challenges as well because you're doing it all on your own. Knowing when to reply to any given email is another, but developer lePunk found that your instincts are rarely give you the right answer.

To start, he suggests waiting a couple of hours before sending a reply when a customer asks you a question and you immediately know the answer:

When I know the exact solution [to a customer problem] I usually wait at least 2 hours to reply? Why? Because otherwise the customer will think this is a real time conversation and you will end up with an endless thread of questions. A two hours delay won't make him loose faith in your company but it is enough time to let him realize that you have other customers to take care of.

If you're worried you might forget, that's all the more reason to keep a clean inbox (but apps like Mailbox and Boomerang can help reschedule those messages). If you don't know the answer, however, lePunk suggests responding immediately. Inevitably it's going to take you some time to figure out the answer, so letting the client know you're working on the issue makes a big difference. Obviously these two rules don't apply to every kind of client email you'll receive, but demonstrate why you'd want to avoid your insatincts in many situations. In general, it's not a bad idea to think about the optimal response time when getting back to a client, regardless of why they're sending you a message.

For more freelance tips, check out the full post on lePunk's blog.

Tech support tips for developers | Shut Up and Code

Alexander Sherstobitov (Shutterstock)

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/65YLQHyR17g/dont-follow-your-instincts-when-replying-to-freelance-customer-questions

kyla pratt justified season 3 custer scott walker restaurant week type 2 diabetes occupy congress

Taylor Digital Scale & Measuring Cup simplifies cooking

Any cook worth his/her sea salt knows that weighing ingredients results in better, more consistent food. ?It’s a pain, though, to have to drag out your digital kitchen scale, tare the cup, measure the ingredients, then start again for the next ingredient. ?With the Taylor Digital Scale & Measuring Cup from Williams-Sonoma, you won’t need [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/02/19/taylor-digital-scale-measuring-cup-simplifies-cooking/

andrew bird lizzie borden lizzie borden iona taylor allderdice mixtape andrew bogut pi day

De-pressed! No media for Obama in Florida

(POLITICO) ? The White House press corps is expressing frustration over its lack of access this weekend to President Obama, who was on a golfing vacation in Florida.

Ed Henry, the Fox News correspondent and president of the White House Correspondents Association, released a statement Sunday evening in which he said the press corps had been given no access to the president, who was joined on his outing by star golfer Tiger Woods, and that the WHCA would fight for greater transparency in the days ahead.

?Speaking on behalf of the White House Correspondents Association, I can say a broad cross section of our members from print, radio, online and TV have today expressed extreme frustration to me about having absolutely no access to the President of the United States this entire weekend,? Henry said in a statement, relayed in a White House pool report. ?There is a very simple but important principle we will continue to fight for today and in the days ahead: transparency.?

Source: http://www.wnd.com/2013/02/de-pressed-no-media-for-obama-in-florida/

tagged Heptathlon London 2012 shot put London 2012 Track And Field Jordyn Wieber michael phelps Kerri Strug

Upgrading from Vista to Windows 8 Wifi lost on Laptop

http://support.ts.fujitsu.com/Download/Index.asp
Click my link, select 'mobile devices', select 'former models AMILO', then 'AMILO Li' then finally 'AMILO Notebook Li 1718'. Once the page has loaded, click the heading 'Microsoft Windows Vista', choose the 32 bit or 64 bit version (remember you need to chose which for your new Windows 8), then click the 'WLAN' header.
What Fujitsu Siemens have done is give you the device configuration files, and not an installer, so you're going to have to do it the manual way.
Make sure that you've extracted the files from the zipped folder and remember where you've put them.
Open device manager, find your wifi adapter and right click on it. Select the 'update driver software' option, then click the 'browse my computer for driver software'. Click browse and direct it to where you extracted the driver files, then finish the wizard.

------
However, it looks like the Fujitsu site isn't working properly, so you'll have to keep trying/ contact them and tell them.

Source: http://forums.computeractive.co.uk/showthread.php?t=231769&goto=newpost

katie couric good morning america the rock vs john cena acm awards 2012 january jones ncaa final game reba mcentire acm awards

Obama Has Own Plan for Immigration Reform in Congress Doesn't ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? President Barack Obama told a group of Senate Democrats Wednesday that Congress must move forward with comprehensive immigration reform, or else he will propose his own legislation on the hot-button topic.

Obama met with Sens. Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer, Robert Menendez and Michael Bennet, the four Democrats in the bipartisan group of eight senators who introduced a framework for immigration reform last month. A bipartisan group of House members is also working in secret to craft immigration reform measures.

In a description of Wednesday?s meeting, the White House said Obama ?reiterated the key principles he believes must be a part of any bipartisan, commonsense effort, including continuing to strengthen border security, creating an earned path to citizenship, holding employers accountable and streamlining legal immigration.?

Those measures are included in the bipartisan framework that was unveiled last month, though that proposal (which has yet to be drafted into formal legislation) would require bolstering border security as a prerequisite to a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the United States.

The White House has argued that the U.S. border is currently the most secure it?s ever been. Obama made the case Wednesday in his meeting with the lawmakers that ?continuing to strengthen our borders and creating a path to earned citizenship that ensures everyone plays by the same set of rules are shared goals and should not be seen as mutually exclusive.?

And the president warned that he ?stands ready to introduce his own legislation if Congress fails to act? on a comprehensive immigration reform plan.

In January ? at the same time the bipartisan group of senators was outlining its immigration framework ? Democratic sources told CNN that the White House had been advising senators and advocates that they were writing their own immigration bill in formal legislative language. The White House rarely writes its own legislation.

By presenting his own legislation, Obama could avoid GOP criticism that he?s disconnected from the process. Even if Obama?s bill failed to win congressional approval, the president would still be able to point to his legislation as evidence of engagement.

Democrats urged the president not to release his own bill in January, fearing such a move would stymie the delicate negotiations taking place among lawmakers in both parties. In terms of substance, sources familiar with both proposals said the border security trigger included in the bipartisan Senate framework was not a part of the president?s plan.

On Wednesday, an aide to one of the Democratic senators said the lawmakers told the president ?they remain confident that a bipartisan bill could be agreed to in the coming weeks.?

?The Senators said the bipartisan negotiations were progressing well and that both sides were making progress and working together in good faith,? the aide said.

In his State of the Union address Tuesday, Obama called on Congress to send him a comprehensive immigration reform package, saying both sides agree on what measures need to be included to make the system work better.

?We know what needs to be done,? Obama said. ?As we speak, bipartisan groups in both chambers are working diligently to draft a bill, and I applaud their efforts. Now let?s get this done. Send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and I will sign it right away.?

CNN

Source: http://ktla.com/2013/02/16/obama-has-own-plan-for-immigration-reform-if-congress-doesnt-act/

john lennon leann rimes pearl harbor Jacintha Saldanha Butch Jones thursday night football japan earthquake

US lawmakers meet with Iranian exiles in Paris

PARIS (AP) ? With its militant wing no longer a terror organization as far as the U.S. government is concerned, an Iranian opposition group hosted a U.S. House delegation for the first time Sunday and briefed the lawmakers on the fallout of a deadly rocket attack at a refugee camp in Iraq.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran, a France-based Iranian opposition group, gave a raucous welcome at a Paris hotel to the four representatives, with rhythmic clapping and chants of "Thank You!"

But the talks focused on a Feb. 9 rocket attack at a refugee camp in Iraq that houses many of members of Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK, the group's militant wing. Seven people died and dozens were wounded, the exile group said.

U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a California Republican, accused Iraq of breaking its promise to help protect the 3,100 refugees who now live on the former American military base known as Camp Liberty. He said he hopes the attack will help accelerate international efforts to resettle them abroad, while issuing a warning to the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

"Put everybody on notice ? and I think I speak for our whole delegation. ... If there is another attack on these helpless refugees by the government, obviously cleared by the government of Iraq, we will move in the United States Congress and put forward a resolution not only just condemning the act but declaring Prime Minister Maliki and his government state sponsors of terrorism," Rohrabacher told reporters.

Iraq's Shiite-led, pro-Iranian government considers MEK a terrorist group and wants the international community to speed up the resettlement of the refugees elsewhere. NCRI officials say only a handful of refugees have been resettled.

The refugee camp is meant to be a temporary way station while the United Nations works to find host countries for the refugees. They are unlikely to return to Iran because of their opposition to the Islamic regime. Before being moved to the Baghdad area camp, members of the MEK lived in another camp, called Ashraf, in northeastern Iraq ? itself the hub of deadly violence in the past.

The MEK, which is also called the People's Mujahedeen of Iran, opposes Iran's clerical regime and has carried out assassinations and bombings in Iran. It fought in the 1980s alongside Saddam Hussein's forces in the Iran-Iraq war, and several thousand of its members were given sanctuary in Iraq by Saddam. The group renounced violence in 2001 and the Obama administration took the MEK off the U.S. terrorism list in September.

"It was our belief that once we took that unwarranted designation off the MEK, that it would help facilitate the transfer of these helpless and defenseless refugees ... to safe havens in other countries," said Rohrabacher, who heads the subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats of the House Foreign Affairs committee. "I personally am disappointed in our government ? and other governments ? that we have not stepped forward more quickly to do this. Hopefully this attack, this murder of these innocent and unarmed people will speed up this process."

But Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, said through a spokesman that "there has been no change in resettlement since last week" and "a similar attack can take place any day and any minute."

Rohrabacher all but accused Iran of a hand in the Feb. 9 killings.

"We have to assume that the Iranian government and the Iraqi government are working together in order to murder unarmed opponents of the Iranian mullah regime. I don't believe that it is irrational for anyone to think that this act of terrorism that results in the death of these innocent people isn't a calculated effort ? and the mullahs couldn't do it on their own," he said.

"So we know that Prime Minister Maliki must be working with the mullah dictatorship to accomplish this end."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-lawmakers-meet-iranian-exiles-paris-212850001--politics.html

chris polk chicago bulls st louis blues rueben randle mike trout ryan broyles jerel worthy

Sponsors sticking by 'Blade Runner,' agent says

South African runner Oscar Pistorious is entering his fifth day in jail after allegedly murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Police are investigating damage to her skull and friends of Pistorious say he frantically called them and admitted to shooting Steenkamp. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports

By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News

Sponsors are standing by "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius, the Olympic and Paralympic star accused of murdering his model girlfriend, his agent said Monday.

"All sponsors are still on board, and they have given us their commitment towards Oscar, based on the relationships that they have formed with him over the past years," said Peet van Zyl, who represents the double-amputee. "They are quite happy to allow the legal process to take its course before they make any other further and formal announcements on it."

His sponsors include Nike and Oakley, neither of which was immediately available for comment when contacted by The Associated Press.

Dion Chang / AP

This photo taken through a car window shows workers taking down a billboard of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius endorsing a product in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday.

The 26-year-old sprinter is due to appear in a South African court on Tuesday, where he will seek bail. He strongly denied charges that he murdered model and law graduate Reena Steenkamp, 29, at his home near Pretoria early on Valentine?s Day.

Despite the bail hearing, all his upcoming races have been canceled, van Zyl confirmed.

Steenkamp died from gunshot wounds, according to police. Her funeral is due to take place Tuesday.

Karyn Maughan, legal correspondent for South Africa news channel ENCA, told NBC's TODAY that the sprinter would need to convince the court that her death was an accident.

?If he can?t prove that her death was unintentional then it is unlikely he will get bail and he also faces a life sentenced in jail,? she said.

?He must try to convince the court he shot her in confusion, thinking she was an intruder. His difficulty is that multiple credible witness accounts suggest there were noises that sounded like an argument coming from the house before the shooting.?

According to newspaper reports Sunday, two friends claimed?the sprinter?called them in a panic after the shooting, telling them he had shot Steenkamp in a "terrible accident."

Pistorius? uncle, Arnold,?on Saturday said the Paralympian was ?numb with shock, as well as grief.?

Karyn Maughan, senior legal reporter for eNCA news in South Africa, tells TODAY's Savannah Guthrie that Olympian Oscar Pistorius will have difficulty proving he didn't purposely shoot his girlfriend, and she explains that the Olympic runner kept a cricket bat next to his bed in fear of being attacked.

Related:

Prosecutor: 'Blade Runner' committed 'premeditated' murder of girlfriend

Reeva Steenkamp was model, budding TV star

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/18/17003585-sponsors-sticking-by-oscar-pistorius-despite-murder-charge-agent-says?lite

c. difficile carmelo anthony nurse jackie nurse jackie peeps nhl playoffs masters

Official says Afghanistan ready to take over

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? A Kabul official has welcomed President Barack Obama's decision to bring home half of the 66,000 American troops in Afghanistan with the next year, saying Afghan forces are ready to take responsibility for the country's security.

Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi said on Wednesday that Afghan troops will fill the "vacuum" caused by the withdrawal of 34,000 U.S. troops over the next 12 months.

Obama told Americans about his decision in his State of the Union speech. He had earlier briefed Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Karzai's office said the two leaders discussed strengthening and equipping the Afghan forces and a pending security agreement that will determine whether the U.S. will retain soldiers here after most foreign troops leave at the end of 2014.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/official-says-afghanistan-ready-over-053532320.html

Colorado Springs pga tour Nora Ephron mario balotelli mario balotelli espn3 kevin youkilis

Kids teach parents to respect the environment

Feb. 13, 2013 ? A child can directly influence the attitude and behaviour of their parents towards the environment without them even knowing it.

This is according to a group at Imperial College London who have, for the first time, provided quantitative support for the suggestion that environmental education can be transferred between generations and that it can actually affect behaviour.

Their findings have been published February 13, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters.

The study took part on the Mah? Island in the Republic of Seychelles, where there is a very strong history of environmental education. The researchers based their study around the degradation of freshwater habitats in the country's wetlands, which is being caused by litter, wetland reclamation and household wastewater.

A total of 15 wildlife clubs, who each provide environmental education to children in the school system through a series of activities, took part in the study.

"School children in the Seychelles are fortunate to have a curriculum that emphasises the teaching of environmental concepts across a broad range of subjects," said lead author of the study Peter Damerell of Imperial's Department of Life Sciences.

"In addition, NGO-supported wildlife clubs are present within all education institutions and represent an opportunity to undertake more detailed and interactive activities than are possible within the classroom setting alone."

Of the 15 wildlife clubs involved in the study, seven participated in wetland activities over a 12-month period, whilst the remaining eight worked on alternative subjects; 161 students were involved overall.

Questionnaires were issued to all of the students, as well as their parents, and were based on multiple aspects of wetland knowledge, such as the different species that live in the wetlands and the threats that they're being exposed to.

The questionnaires issued to the parents also included questions on their use of water, which were specifically designed to test how conscious they were of water shortages -- there were 16 possible behaviours that a parent was scored on.

Results showed that a child's participation in the activities not only increased their parent's knowledge of the wetlands but also their behaviour -- parents were more inclined to conserve water if their child participated in the wetland activity.

It is possible that the parents had a varying amount of wetland knowledge before the study; however, they had no control over which group their child was placed in, meaning the overall differences shown between the experimental and control group can be assumed to be down to the wetlands teaching.

Indeed, the researchers tested a wide range of possible explanatory variables for the observed differences in wetland knowledge and it was those related to children receiving wetland education at Wildlife Club Seychelles that were consistently the best at explaining the observed results.

"Within this study, parents were often shown to be unaware that they were gaining environmental knowledge via their children. This finding alone highlights the need for more quantitative, experimental style investigations into the capacity of children to influence their parent's knowledge and household behaviours.

"By providing evidence that shows children can cause their parents to take up more environmental practices, we hope that many more studies will attempt to look at how much knowledge is transferred under different scenarios, and which pieces of information are most likely to change household practices," continued Damerell.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Institute of Physics (IOP), via AlphaGalileo.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. P Damerell, C Howe, E J Milner-Gulland. Child-orientated environmental education influences adult knowledge and household behaviour. Environmental Research Letters, 2013; 8 (1): 015016 DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015016

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/ofWzWqKpTTU/130212210042.htm

football score ron paul nevada buffalo chicken dip soul train nevada caucus ufc 143 what time does the super bowl start

Spain busts 'ransomware' cybercrime ring

MADRID (AP) -- Spanish authorities say they have broken up a cybercrime gang that used a "ransomware" virus to lock computers throughout Europe, display a false message claiming the action was taken by police, and demand payment of ?100 ($135) to unlock the computers.

Authorities say the gang, operating from the Mediterranean resort cities of Benalmadena and Torremolinos, was making at least ?1 million ($1.35 million) annually. Their notices to victims were accompanied by false threats claiming they were under investigation for accessing child pornography or illegal file-sharing.

Spain's Interior Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that the gang's 27-year-old Russian founder was detained in the United Arab Emirates while on vacation and that an extradition petition is pending. Six more Russians, two Ukrainians and two Georgians were arrested in Spain last week.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/spain-busts-ransomware-cybercrime-ring-190208460.html

BET Awards 2012 declaration of independence 4th Of July 2012 Zach Parise Spain Vs Italy Euro 2012 Pepco erin andrews

1 Trend, 3 Ways: Animal Motif Tops

Suri Cruise, Flynn Bloom and Ignatius Upton look adorable in their animal print tees. Check them out, plus our picks for every budget.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/TPGDAds1d1U/

new mexico state kevin rose sessions march madness scores doonesbury padma lakshmi daughtry

Pope Benedict XVI to step aside on Feb. 28

Mentioning no specific ailment other than 'advanced age,' Pope Benedict's parting came as a shocking announcement for many ? except for the Pope's brother, who said he knew Benedict had been thinking about stepping down for months. NBC's Richard Engel reports.

By Claudio Lavanga, Erin McClam and Alastair Jamieson, NBC News

Updated at 2:57 p.m. ET: Pope Benedict XVI shocked Catholics around the world Monday by saying that he no longer had the mental or physical strength to carry out his job and would become the first pope since the Middle Ages to give up the title.

The pope, speaking in Latin, informed a small gathering of cardinals at the Vatican of his decision. The abdication will take effect on Feb. 28, and cardinals could gather as early as March to elect a successor.

Benedict, 85, said later in a statement that the papacy required ?strength of mind and body,? and that both had deteriorated in recent months. He said that he had made the decision ?after having repeatedly examined my conscience before God.?

The abdication closes an eight-year pontificate widely recognized as deeply conservative. The church also spent much of Benedict?s term grappling with sexual abuse scandals.

The pope?s decision shot quickly through the dioceses of the world, and some of the 1.2 billion faithful ? from laity to the very cardinals who were in the room ? expressed profound surprise.

?I?m as startled as the rest of you and as anxious to find out exactly what?s going on,? Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said on TODAY. ?Except for prayer, I don?t know what else to do. I?ll await instruction with everyone else.?

In an announcement that stunned Catholics around the world, Pope Benedict XVI revealed he will be stepping down from his position, citing failing strength. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports on his eight years as pope.

Monsignor Oscar Sanchez of Mexico, who was at the Vatican for the announcement, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying that the cardinals ?remained shocked and were looking at each other.?

President Barack Obama said in a statement that he and first lady Michelle Obama ?warmly remember our meeting with the Holy Father in 2009, and I have appreciated our work together over these last four years.?

Canon law says that the pope may relinquish his office provided that the decision is ?made freely and properly manifested? ? language to which Benedict appeared to allude in his statement.

Because there is no one in the church higher than the pope to accept a resignation, the renouncement is technically an abdication.

The last pope universally recognized to have abdicated was Celestine V, who was elected in July 1294 and gave up the job five months later after feeling that he was being manipulated by the King of Sicily and Naples. He was declared a saint in 1313.

During a period of division known as the Great Western Schism, from 1378 to 1415, there were three rival claimants to the papacy. The legitimate pope, Gregory XII, abdicated to make way for an undisputed pope.

Benedict?s abdication clears the way for the College of Cardinals to gather at the Vatican to elect a successor, a process in which the United States is expected to have unprecedented sway.

The U.S. will have 11 votes, almost 10 percent of the electorate and the second-largest voting bloc behind Italy, which will have 28 votes. Germany, the home country of the current pope, will have six.

It appears highly unlikely that an American will be elected Benedict?s successor. Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is considered a longshot for the job.

The archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, explains the "mixed emotions" he feels about the news that Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28, saying he feels a "special bond" with the pope.

Among the cardinals mentioned as possible successors are Angelo Scola of Italy, Peter Turkson of Ghana, Marc Ouellet of Canada and Francis Arinze of Nigeria and Christoph Schoenborn of Austria.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, told reporters that the cardinals would be looking for an ?articulate voice? for the church and would keep in mind Benedict?s tradition.

?He has called all of us to focus on the spiritual mission of the church, proclaim the gospel and once again begin this personal relationship all of us are capable of having with God back to the foreground,? he told reporters at St. Matthew?s Cathedral.

Benedict, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was elected April 19, 2005. He was the 265th pope and the successor to John Paul II, who had served since 1978 and was wildly popular among the faithful.

Born in 1927, he had been conscripted into the Hitler Youth during World War II, but he never joined the Nazi Party, and his family opposed the regime of Adolf Hitler, Reuters reported.

Ratzinger, before being elevated to pope, headed the Vatican?s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees church doctrine. His strict approach to theology earned him the nickname ?God?s Rottweiler.?

NBC New Vatican analyst George Weigel gives his thoughts on Pope Benedict XVI's announcement of his resignation, and explains how a new pope will be selected.

He sought to rekindle the faith of Catholics and bring them closer to the teachings of the church. He worried that too many had strayed, and said in 2005 that the parts of the world suffered from ?a strange forgetfulness of God.?

During Benedict?s papacy, thousands of people came forward to report that priests had raped or molested them as children and that bishops had covered it up.

It was Benedict?s old office that dealt with abuse cases, yet Benedict never admitted failure himself or of the Vatican, and never punished bishops who ignored or covered up the abuse.

?He could go around and minister to victims, which he did, and I think that was a brave and profound thing to do, but he couldn?t change the definitive elements of the Catholic Church that enable abuse,? said Michael D?Antonio, author of ?Mortal Sins: Sex, Crime, and the Era of Catholic Scandal.?

?He would have had to pick up the church and drag it into the 21st century, but you know he could have,? he said. ?He might have died trying, the stress of that might have been even more profound, he would have faced tremendous intrigue and opposition but I suspect that instead he may go down in history as a caretaker, an interpersonally kind pastor who made no mark when he had the chance to.?

Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League, said that Benedict had tackled the abuse problem much more aggressively than John Paul II, who he said had let the issue languish.

?Nobody clearly did more to counter this problem in the Catholic Church? than Benedict, Donahue said. ?I think history will treat him very well in terms of dealing with the problem.?

Benedict continued the outreach to Jews of his predecessor, John Paul II, and was the second pope to enter a synagogue. His relationship with Muslims, however, was much more complex.

He generated outrage among Muslims when, in 2006, he gave a speech in Germany and quoted a Byzantine emperor who had characterized some of the Prophet Muhammad?s teachings ?as evil and inhuman.?

Benedict also stirred an uproar in 2009 when, en route to Africa and discussing the AIDS epidemic with reporters, he said that the distribution of condoms ?increases the problem? rather than preventing the spread of the disease.

A year later, in an interview, he said that a male prostitute who used a condom to avoid passing HIV to his partner might be taking a step toward more responsible sexuality.

James Salt, executive director of Catholics United, which claims 40,000 members and wants the church to focus more on social justice and poverty, praised the abdication as a ?sign of humility from the aging Holy Father? and encouraged the church to reflect on the ?challenges of this papacy.?

He suggested that the church open itself to a pope from Latin America or Africa.

Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Look back at his life from childhood through his papacy.

NBC News staff writer Miranda Leitsinger, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related:

'Heavy heart but complete understanding': Pope's resignation stuns leadership

Archbishop Dolan of New York: I'm startled, anxious at pope's resignation

From prisoner of war to pontiff: A timeline of Benedict XVI's life

US will have unprecedented voice in electing new pope

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/11/16924342-pope-benedict-xvi-to-step-aside-on-feb-28?lite

Breaking Amish Indianapolis explosion mike brown bcs rankings jay cutler applebees jeff gordon

Miami-Dade principal, assistant principal tops in Florida

Miami-Dade County Public Schools has swept the Florida Department of Education?s top honors for principal and assistant principal in the state.

Pablo Ortiz, former principal of Miami Edison Senior High, was named the Florida Outstanding Principal of the Year. Denise Barrett-Johnson, assistant principal at Lake Stevens Middle School, received the same honor for assistant principals. Ortiz is now an assistant superintendent.

Tony Bennett, Florida?s Commissioner of Education, presented the two administrators Monday with checks - $5,000 for Ortiz and $2,500 for Barrett-Johnson - as well as money for their schools.

The sweep of the awards, which district spokesman John Schuster described as a first, comes on the heels of Miami-Dade winning the prestigious Broad prize and district teacher Alex Lopes being named as a finalist for National Teacher of the Year.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/12/3230172/miami-dade-principal-assistant.html

espn3 kevin youkilis Tropical Storm Debby legend of korra lebron james magic mike trailer Alan Turing

Local church leaders stunned

When Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation Monday, the world, in particular, the Catholic world, was stunned.

Benedict, 85, who was elected and installed in 2005, will step down on Feb. 28. He is the first pope to voluntarily leave office in more than 500 years.

Like many, Fr. John Neff of both St. Luke Catholic Church in Youngsville and St. Anthony of Padua in Sheffield was surprised by Benedict's resignation.

"We're just in shock right now," Neff said. "It's been since the 1400s" since a pope resigned.

"I heard it at mass this morning," Fr. James Gutting of Holy Redeemer in Warren said. "They usually don't resign or retire."

Although the papacy is a ministry, it is work, Gutting said. "There's a lot to it. It's an incredible ministry. I don't know how one person could do that job in their prime."

There are an estimated 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide.

Masses at Holy Redeemer include a prayer for "Our Holy Father Benedict," Gutting said. "He needs it."

Benedict's decision is one of strength in the face of growing weakness of body.

Neff said Benedict witnessed what deteriorating health had done to his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, for whom he was a close advisor. Pope John Paul died in 2005 at the age of 85.

"It took a lot of courage for him to get up there and say, 'I don't have the strength or the health to continue my ministry'," Neff said. "Anybody who's watched him for the last year and a half has seen him getting more frail."

"I admire his integrity," Gutting said.

The surprise, as well as the admiration for the decision, are mirrored by the head of the Diocese of Erie.

"It was with great surprise that I heard the news that Pope Benedict XVI is resigning- this is the first time in 600 years that a pope has resigned," Bishop Lawrence Persico said in a statement released Monday. "The Holy Father realized that his age and health would make it difficult to continue fulfilling the role entrusted to him as the supreme pastor of the church."

"I think he should be commended for his decision," Persico said. "He not only has the wisdom and foresight to see the limitations of his age and health, but also has the humility to give up the office of St. Peter. He was able to humbly resign the office entrusted to him, making way for the church to have a new pastor, someone who will take up his leadership and continue the pastoral and spiritual care of the church."

"It is a difficult time for the Roman Catholic Church, indeed for all churches," Neff said. "Western Europe has seen increasing secularization. (Benedict) sees the trend happening in this country."

"There's so much going on in the world with all the division," Gutting said. "There's a lot going on in our church too, right now."

"I think the (next) pope has to exercise a stabilizing ministry and also be faithful to the teachings of the church while at the same being pastoral to those who disagree," Neff said.

Gutting would like to see the next pope "incorporate the laity as much as possible with the clergy. We want to call out the gifts and talents of all the people... call for all baptized Catholics to be active outside the church door - preach it, mostly through the way we live our lives."

"I never had the opportunity to meet Pope Benedict XVI, but I certainly have a bond with him as he is the one who appointed me as Bishop of Erie," Persico said.

"Pope Benedict brought to the papacy the mind of a scholar and the heart of a pastor," he said. "For eight years he has led the church, during which time he responded to some very serious concerns. He gave us an excellent example of selfless leadership."

"At this time, I ask all of the faithful of the Diocese of Erie to pray for Pope Benedict XVI and to pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the cardinals of the Catholic Church as they prepare for the conclave where they will elect the new pope," he said. "Pray they will elect someone who will truly fit the needs of the time for the church."

Source: http://www.timesobserver.com/page/content.detail/id/562650.html

yankees Tagg Romney Bosses Day Cabin Fever 2 Alexis Wright Zumba binder full of women Microsoft Surface

New US commander takes the helm in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? A new U.S. commander is at the helm of international forces in Afghanistan.

Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford takes charge at a critical time for President Barack Obama and the military as foreign combat forces prepare to withdraw by the end of 2014.

He replaces Gen. John Allen, who has been nominated to become the head of NATO forces in Europe after he was exonerated in a Pentagon investigation of questionable email exchanges with a Florida woman linked to the sex scandal that led CIA director David Petraeus to resign.

Allen, who served for 19 months beginning in July 2011, was the longest-serving commander of the International Security Assistance Force.

Dunford said at Sunday's change of command ceremony in Kabul that "today is not about change, it's about continuity."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/us-commander-takes-helm-afghanistan-092414073.html

Carlton Morgan Freeman Dead Stand Up to Cancer Azarenka NFL fantasy football Chris Kluwe Jennifer Granholm

Once Upon a Time Season 2 Episode 13

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/nOHL1oIgyU8/viewtopic.php

lifelock camp david hawaii weather the jerk lake havasu halo 4 jewel

bohemian paisley wedding band ring set . wide thick engraved wedding rings . recycled silver by peaces of indigo by peacesofindigo

A set of thick and wide recycled silver wedding bands, with my perfectly fabulous bohemian paisley texture~

A handcrafted wedding ring set, made using recycled silver.
Each ring will have a message of your choice handwritten on the inside. I can fit up to 18 characters/numbers/letters in each ring.

This ring is not a stamped band of wire. I create the shape and texture for each band, so each is truly one of a kind. The edges are polished completely smooth for comfort.

The width is 7mm wide by 1.5mm thick for the womens ring,
The width is 9mm wide x 2mm thick for the mens ring.
These rings have a very substantial weight to them and feel AMAZING on.

*This listing is for TWO rings. Please specify your TWO ring sizes and the message that you'd like written inside when ordering.*

Each ring is made to order, so the texture will be very similar but not exactly like the rings in the photos.
*Your custom rings will be created to order with your own inscription*

Your purchase will arrive gift wrapped.

**To see my current time frame on creating custom pieces and for answers to commonly asked questions, please read my policies here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/peacesofindigo/policy?ref=shopinfo_policies_leftnav

Original design by Dawanna Young.
Artisan handmade using pure recycled silver.
Crafted with intent, infused with love, made to last.

Peruse my other handmade jewelry designs:
http://www.peacesofindigo.etsy.com

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/107587594/bohemian-paisley-wedding-band-ring-set

illinois primary 2012 michael bay zsa zsa gabor illinois primary trayvon martin 911 call kiribati vernal equinox

Track the Sneaky TOS Changes on Your Favorite Online Services

When Instagram announced its updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy back in December, the Internet went into a tizzy in large measure because people didn't really understand what was going on. Now, there's a watchdog service that tracks the changes of many of the most popular online services so that we're armed with real evidence when we freak out. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/aufHT0Woz8s/track-the-sneaky-tos-changes-on-your-favorite-online-services

Sugar Bowl 2013 chick fil a chick fil a rose parade bowl games rose bowl auld lang syne

Video: Tween marathon runners: ?It?s really hard?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3041426/vp/50729816#50729816

ok go peyton manning super bowl nsx chad ochocinco roman numerals superbowl halftime madonna

Boy Scouts delay decision on admitting gays

This photo taken Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, shows a close up detail of a Boy Scout uniform worn by Brad Hankins, a campaign director for Scouts for Equality, as he responds questions during a news conference in front of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas. The Boy Scouts of America's policy excluding gay members and leaders could be up for a vote as soon as Wednesday, when the organization's national executive board meets behind closed doors under intense pressure from several sides. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

This photo taken Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, shows a close up detail of a Boy Scout uniform worn by Brad Hankins, a campaign director for Scouts for Equality, as he responds questions during a news conference in front of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas. The Boy Scouts of America's policy excluding gay members and leaders could be up for a vote as soon as Wednesday, when the organization's national executive board meets behind closed doors under intense pressure from several sides. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Scott Hines, scoutmaster for Troop 16 and his son Garrett, pray during a prayer vigil in the First Baptist Church Moores Lane in Texarkana, Texas on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2013. Members of the troop, parents, and others prayed that the Boy Scouts of America would continue to keep their policy of excluding gay scouts and scoutmasters. The national executive board of the BSA began closed meetings on Monday to discus the policy. (AP Photo/Texarkana Gazette, Adam Sacasa)

FILE - In this Feb. 4, 2013, photo Eagle Scout Will Oliver, from left, former Scoutmaster Greg Bourke, former den leader Jennifer Tyrrell and Eric Andresen, right, a parent of a gay scout deliver boxes filled with a petition to the statue in front of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas. The Boy Scouts of America's policy excluding gay members and leaders could be up for a vote as soon as Wednesday, when the organization's national executive board meets behind closed doors under intense pressure from several sides. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

IRVING, Texas (AP) ? Faced with intense pressure from two flanks, the Boy Scouts of America said Wednesday it needed more time for consultations before deciding whether to move away from its divisive policy of excluding gays as scouts or adult leaders.

Possible changes in the policy ? such as a proposal to allow sponsors of local troops to decide for themselves on gay membership ? will not be voted on until the organization's annual meeting in May, the national executive board said at the conclusion of closed-door deliberations.

As the board met over three days at a hotel in Irving, near Dallas, it became clear that the proposed change would be unacceptable to large numbers of Scouting families and advocacy groups on the left and right. Gay-rights supporters said no Scout units should be allowed to exclude gays, while some conservatives, including religious leaders whose churches sponsor troops, warned of mass defections if the ban was eased.

"In the past two weeks, Scouting has received an outpouring of feedback from the American public," said the BSA's national spokesman, Deron Smith. "It reinforces how deeply people care about Scouting and how passionate they are about the organization."

Smith said the executive board "concluded that due to the complexity of this issue, the organization needs time for a more deliberate review of its membership policy." The board will prepare a resolution to be voted on by the 1,400 voting members of the national council at a meeting in Grapevine, Texas, he said.

The BSA announced last week it was considering allowing scout troops to decide whether to allow gay membership. That news placed a spotlight on the executive board meeting that began Monday in Irving, where the BSA headquarters is located, but the deliberations were closed to the news media and the public.

Early reaction to the delay from gay-rights supporters was harshly critical of the BSA.

"A Scout is supposed to be brave, and the Boy Scouts failed to be brave today," said Jennifer Tyrrell, a Ohio mother ousted from her post as a Cub Scout volunteer because she's a lesbian. "The Boy Scouts had the chance to help countless young people and devoted parents, but they've failed us yet again."

Brad Hankins, campaign director of Scouts for Equality, said the delay would have a direct impact on young men already in the scouting movement.

"By postponing this decision, thousands of currently active Scouts still remain uncertain about their future in the program and are shamed into silence. We understand that this change is a huge paradigm shift for some, but this isn't a religious issue. It's simply one of human morality, and that is something common to all faiths."

About 70 percent of all Scout units are sponsored by religious denominations, including many by conservative faiths that have supported the ban, such as the Roman Catholic Church, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Mormons' Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Michael Purdy, a Mormon church spokesman, said the BSA "acted wisely in delaying its decision until all voices can be heard on this important moral issue."

The National Catholic Committee on Scouting said it would join in the BSA's consultations over the coming months. Whatever the outcome, the committee said, "Catholic chartered units will continue to provide leaders who promote and live Catholic values."

Hundreds of conservative supporters of the ban meanwhile held a rally and prayer vigil at the BSA headquarters, carrying signs reading, "Don't Invite Sin Into the Camp," and "BSA please resist Satan's test. Uphold the ban."

Scoutmaster Darrel Russell, of Weatherford, took his wife and five of their seven children to the rally. Russell, 47, said having gays in the scouting movement would be like mixing boys and girls.

"The whole idea is to protect our boys at all costs," Russell said, warning that if the ban is lifted "we're shutting down our troop."

President Barack Obama, an opponent of the policy, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, an Eagle Scout who supports it, both have weighed in.

"My attitude is that gays and lesbians should have access and opportunity the same way everybody else does in every institution and walk of life," said Obama, who as U.S. president is the honorary president of BSA, in a Sunday interview with CBS.

Perry, the author of the book "On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts Are Worth Fighting For," said in a speech Saturday that "to have popular culture impact 100 years of their standards is inappropriate."

The board faces several choices, none of which is likely to quell the controversy. Standing pat would go against the public wishes of two high-profile board members ? Ernst & Young CEO James Turley and AT&T Inc. CEO Randall Stephenson ? who run companies with nondiscrimination policies and have said they would work from within to change the Scouts' policy.

Conservatives have warned of mass defections if Scouting allows gay membership to be determined by troops. Local and regional leaders, as well as the leadership of churches that sponsor troops, would be forced to consider their own policies. And policy opponents who delivered four boxes of signatures to BSA headquarters Monday said they wouldn't be satisfied by only a partial acceptance of gay scouts and leaders.

"We don't want to see Scouting gerrymandered into blue and red districts," said Brad Hankins, campaign director of Scouts for Equality.

Nancy Deveau accompanied her 10-year-old son, wearing his scout's uniform, to the rally at scouting HQ. She said she doesn't want Scout leaders to drop the ban.

"We wanted to pray for our Boy Scout leaders to keep our values," said Deveau, of Mansfield.

___

Crary reported from New York City.

___

Associated Press writer Jamie Stengle in Irving, Texas, and Brady McCombs in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-06-US-Boy-Scouts-Gays/id-104dd45f258f45aebd4bff957fb2b216

jack white kowloon walled city ronda rousey vs miesha tate lindsay lohan snl lindsay lohan on snl real housewives of disney awakenings