Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/252164324?client_source=feed&format=rss
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KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) ? A group of Muslims suspected of ransacking a Hindu temple in southern Pakistan may be charged with blasphemy, police said Sunday. The case is a rare twist on the use of the country's harsh blasphemy laws, which are more often invoked against supposed offenses to Islam as opposed to minority faiths.
The laws, sections of which carry the death penalty or life imprisonment, have drawn renewed international scrutiny this year after a young Christian girl in Islamabad was alleged to have desecrated the Muslim holy book, the Quran. A Muslim cleric now stands accused of fabricating evidence against the girl, who has been freed on bail and whose mental capacity has been questioned.
Police officer Mohammad Hanif said the anti-Hindu attack took place Sept. 21. The government had declared that day a national holiday ? a "Day of Love for the Prophet" ? and called on people to demonstrate peacefully against a U.S.-made anti-Islam film that has sparked protests throughout the Muslim world. Those rallies took a violent turn in Pakistan, and more than 20 people were killed.
Hanif said dozens of Muslims led by a cleric converged on the outskirts of Karachi in a Hindu neighborhood commonly known as Hindu Goth. The protesters attacked the Sri Krishna Ram temple, broke religious statues, tore up a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu scripture, and beat up the temple's caretaker, Sindha Maharaj.
"The attackers broke the statues of (Hindu deities) Radha, Hanuman, Parwati and Krishna, and took away the decorative gold ornaments," Maharaj said. "They also stormed my home and snatched the gold jewelry of my family, my daughters."
Maharaj and other Hindu leaders turned to the police, who registered a case against the cleric and eight other Muslims. But none of the suspects had been found as of Sunday, Hanif said.
The police officer said the case against the attackers was registered under Section 295-A of the blasphemy laws, which covers the "outraging of religious feelings." That section of the law can carry a fine or up to 10 years imprisonment, but, if the case were to proceed, it's unclear exactly what punishment would be imposed.
Court decisions in the past have often confused what penalties should be applied in blasphemy cases in Pakistan. And although many blasphemous acts are said to require the death penalty, Pakistan is not known to have executed anyone under the law. Still, many of the accused have been killed by extremists outside the courts.
Human rights activists say the blasphemy laws are too broad and vague, and that they often are used by people seeking to settle scores with rivals, or as a means of targeting Christians, Hindus and other members of minority religions. Pakistan has some 180 million people and is 95 percent Muslim.
Islamic conservatism, as well as extremism, is on the rise here, and even speaking out against the blasphemy laws can put people in danger. Two prominent politicians, including the sole Christian member of the federal Cabinet, were assassinated in 2011 for urging reform of the law.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-attack-hindus-prompts-blasphemy-case-082522255.html
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A few months ago, my cat ?Sola? passed away. My husband was through his grief almost immediately, rationalizing that our 17-year-old kitty had lived a long, happy life. My two-year-old son asked about Sola a few times and after many explanations of the fact that Sola died, as well as reading Cat Heaven several times, he too was over his loss. Considering that I lived with Sola his entire 17 years, I am taking longer to get over my grief. But one member of the family that seems to be suffering the most, is my four-year-old cat?Sushi.
Losing a pet is almost always hard for the pet owner, but it can be equally hard on other pets in the household. Experts say that dogs especially feel the loss of a fellow canine due to their pack mentality. A study from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) found that two-thirds of dogs show recognizable signs of grieving, such as decrease in appetite, clinginess, and?lethargy.
Last year, there was an image that instantly went viral?a brown Labrador retriever named Hawkeye lying beside the American flag-draped casket of his human companion, Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson. Hawkeye walked up to the casket at the beginning of the service and then dropped down with a heaving sigh as about 1,500 mourners witnessed a dog accompanying his master until the end. It was a truly heart-breaking image that showed the capacity for pets to grieve. Dr. Christopher Pachel, a board certified veterinary behaviorist says, ?When an extremely, socially bonded dog loses a member of the family, whether it?s another dog in the household or a human companion, the physical signs of depression can show up at greater heights and lengths. This may lead to a loss in appetite, lowered water intake, sluggish response to humans and other pets, a loss of interest in play or physical activity, and even a mournful howl here and there. The symptoms can also increase gradually over weeks or months. If you?ve noticed these symptoms in your pet, it?s best to get the dog to a vet as soon as possible to rule out any potential physical?illness.?
If you have recently lost a pet and your current pet seems to be grieving, help them recover by spending extra time together. If you have a dog, take longer walks together or try to spend a few extra minutes throwing a ball around at the park. If your dog seems interested in other dogs while at the park, think about scheduling doggy play dates. But if your dog doesn?t take an interest in other dogs, be sure to respect their need to be?alone.
If you have a cat who is suffering from grief, try to spend more one-on-one time with pole toys or other interactive games. Another idea to help your cat get over his grief is to groom them more. I found that grooming was one of the things that my cat Sushi stopped doing after Sola died. I set aside time to brush him every night, even if it?s just for a few?minutes.
Some pets suffer from grief with such extreme that they stop eating. If this is the case for your pet, it?s best not to try to coax them with human comfort food. Instead, try to encourage their appetite by minimizing extra stress and offering a few extra dog or cat treats. If their appetite doesn?t increase within a few days, you should consult your?veterinarian.
Although it may be tempting to run out and adopt another dog or cat after your pet passes away, most experts recommend waiting at least three months to give your pet time to adjust. Adopting a new puppy or kitten may not be the best idea since a hyperactive animal can be physically and emotionally stressful on your grieving pet. Even an older, mellower cat or dog may cause your pet to become territorial. Be sure your pet is fully over his grief before you bring a new pet into your?home.
Animal experts say that while pets may take many weeks or months to get over the loss of an animal companion, almost all pet owners eventually notice a return to normal activity. If your pet is taking longer then six months to get over a loss, you should take your pet to the veterinarian to rule out other medical problems. I?m hoping my cat Sushi will get over his grief relatively soon. My husband and I are able to understand and be patient with our cat?s withdrawn behavior and need to be alone. Our two-year-old on the other hand, continues his futile attempts at running after him to?play.
Fourth Annual K-9 PALS Dog Festival and Great Ball?Drop
The event will be held Saturday, September 29, 11 a,m.-3 p.m., at Chase Palm Park. This is a great family and dog friendly event, which benefits the homeless and abandoned dogs of Santa Barbara County. You?ll want to bring the kids?and your dogs?and enjoy the fun. All proceeds will go to support the K-9 PALS Medical Fund for the homeless and abandoned dogs of Santa Barbara?County.
This year?s festival includes dog agility exhibitions, dog behavior demonstrations, K9 police dogs, lots of wonderful dogs for adoption from local rescue groups and shelters, exhibits by local businesses and organizations with information about people, pet and eco-friendly products and services, live music and great?food.
Highlighting the day of festivities is the Great Ball Drop. At approximately 2 p.m., the Santa Barbara Fire Department will hoist 1,000 tennis balls up into the air and drop them over the specially designed prize board. This year?s Great Ball Drop Grand Prize is worth more than $750, and 30 other prizes are all worth more than $150 and all are donated from local businesses. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase prior to the event: 1 ticket for $10 or 10 tickets for $90. Contact info@k-9pals.org for more?information.
K-9 PALS is the all-volunteer nonprofit organization that provides medical care, support, food, medications, dog behavior training, foster homes, adoption promotions, and advocacy for the dogs of Santa Barbara County Shelters, with the goal for every adoptable dog to have a chance for a loving?home.
For more information about the 4th Annual K-9 PALS Dog Festival and Great Ball Drop, and about K-9 PALS, contact info@k-9pals.org or (805)?570-0415.
Adoptable Pet of the?Week
Horchata is a small sized two-year-old male Chihuahua mix. He is slim and trim and has a lovely coat of shiny black hair with white markings. He has a thick tail and soft floppy ears. Horchata is not a barker. He is a very sweet, super friendly little guy that loves to sit in your lap and give kisses. He is good with other dogs and cats. He is calm and happy and would be a wonderful companion for someone looking for a sweet, loyal little buddy. Horchata appears to be potty?trained.
To inquire about adopting a dog, visit DAWG in Santa Barbara. DAWG (Dog Adoption and Welfare Group) is a no-kill not for profit dog rescue/adoption organization located at 5480 Overpass Road in Goleta. For more information, call 805) 681-0561. You can view more adoptable dogs at www.sbdawg.org. All of the dogs have been spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, are current on their shots, and have flea/tick/mosquito protection. We ask for a minimum adoption donation of $250 for young dogs (under three years), $150 for adult dogs, and $125 for seniors (dogs 8 years old and?over).
For more information on our available dogs, call (805) 681-0561, email: adopt@sbdawg.org, or come by during open adoption hours, 12pm-5pm Thursday through?Monday.
Lisa Acho Remorenko is executive director ofAnimal Adoption Solutions, www.animaladoptionsolutions.com
Source: http://www.independent.com/news/2012/sep/28/do-pets-grieve/
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PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - Mauritius revised down its economic growth forecast for 2012 for the third time this year to 3.2 percent from 3.6 percent in June, the statistics office said on Friday, citing a bleaker outlook for key sectors of the economy.
The revision follows a similar move by the central bank this week which cut its growth forecast to 3.3 percent from 3.8 percent. The Indian Ocean island's economy expanded 4 percent in 2011.
The island is pushing to rely less on Europe, its main source of tourism revenue and a major market for its textile, sugar and services industry, and has been branching into information technology, business outsourcing and offshore banking.
Statistics Mauritius said its assumptions were based on lower sugar production of around 410,000 tonnes versus 435,310 tonnes a year ago, a lower expansion of 1.1 percent in manufacturing industries from 2.2 percent in 2011 and a slowdown in tourists arrivals and earnings.
The statistics agency said the key textile sector is expected to decline by 2.7 percent after high growth of 8.0 percent in 2011.
Construction is seen declining by 1.2 percent after negative growth of 2.0 percent in 2011.
Earlier this week Mauritius maintained its key repo rate at 4.9 percent citing risks to its inflation outlook.
The central bank's Governor, Rundheersing Bheenick, said year-on-year inflation would rise to 4.4 percent at the end of September from 3.7 percent in August.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mauritius-cuts-2012-growth-forecast-again-060127800--business.html
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This article may look different from the traditional, but you?d enjoy it.
Why? Because words are powerful and if you understand the effect of words, your success will be easier than picking up pretty girls. Lol!
When I started blogging, I came across an epic blog post and after going through it, my thoughts about making money changed.
The reason why you?re not making enough money from your website could be the wrong use of words.
Or better yet, you don?t even understand the impact of certain words.
Words are powerful because they?re the exact thoughts of the subconscious mind.
What we say from our mouths has its root from our thoughts. The earlier you realize the blogging is not all about waking up every morning to write, the better for you. Successful internet entrepreneurs don?t joke with words.
They can bury their heads meditating on a specific word ? and sooner or later, you?d see the effects: Thousands of subscribers, speaking engagements, six figure earnings and so much more.
At the end of this post, I?d like you to add your favorite word. Make sure it?s one word, and not a phrase. Here are 6 of my favorite words that could help you make more money.
Yes, that wasn?t a typo.
Email is my favorite word because with it, you I can build a strong nexus with potential customers.
Click here to see why email marketing is important.
The right email campaign could generate a staggering income ? I love email marketing.
Most of what you must do as a blogger or entrepreneur is to build an email list. In fact, nothing is as important as collecting leads.
It doesn?t matter whether you?re selling physical products from Amazon & Ebay, or digital products from Clickbank & CJ, the bottom line is to start collecting email leads from Day 1. Yes, from the very first day!
Let me shock you: if you?re a blogger and you?re not building a mailing list, I?m afraid because you may not be in business when next I see you.
Don?t get me wrong, you could make money without selling through emails, but it?s the most difficult thing to do. I make more money from my list, than I do from organic traffic. Is email your favorite word?
No matter what you?re selling online, content is the bedrock of your business. I like the word ?content? because it paves way for other marketing practices. Without quality content on your blog, don?t even bother guest blogging or marketing through social media.
And Google loves fresh content. If you can challenge yourself to produce quality and valuable content regularly, you?d reach 75% of your target audience, even without social media or forum marketing.
Organic visitors would trail your blog and hand you their hard earned money. If you enjoy reading quality content like this (I suppose), your readers also deserve the best. Make it your vision, pursue it.
Why is ?marketing? one of my favorite words?
It?s obvious; marketing is the fuel that powers your blog engine. If you don?t market your products and services, you?d be broke. Period!
And quality content without the right readers to consume it is a waste of time.
Most likely, you want to gain traction, build a community and make money online. Well, it?s not going to happen overnight. You need to market your blog post, your ?hire me? page, your new e-book and any other income asset. Don?t wait for them to come ? go and meet them wherever they are. But marketing is not for lazy people, here?s why:
Being smart is the key to winning the race of life. I know people who work 6 hours per week and make six figure income annually, whereas, a couple of my good friends works about 10 ? 12 hours weekly, but has nothing to show for it. What?s wrong with my friends?
Even though they?re hard working, it?s obvious that they?re working on the wrong tasks. For instance, if you spend 4 hours on Twitter every day and expect to grow your blog, how feasible is that? As a blogger, writing, optimizing, marketing and relationship building are fundamental elements that brings long-term success.
You?ve to work hard in a smart way. Don?t spend time on activities that can drain your energy, instead, work on your core objectives. Every task must be tailored to meeting your goal. I?m yet to find any secret to living the internet lifestyle. Anyways, if there is, taking action in a smart way is the ultimate.
When should you monetize your blog?
This has been a controversial question and I?ve seen it popping up from every nook and cranny of the web.
But what?s the BIG deal? If you feel comfortable monetizing in the first month of launching your business, go ahead.
If not, wait until you?ve built a community like Copyblogger media (Brian Clark) did.
As for me, I got my first client after 1 month of starting my freelance writing blog. So, it?s relative?
The bottom line is to ?monetize.? You can?t make money without a clear monetization path.
Most people who complain that blogging is full of crap and scam have issues with selling. Some people actually have problems with promotion or trying to convince their readers to buy.
The word ?monetize? is my favorite ? what?s yours?
Who doesn?t want more traffic?
The truth of the matter is, without traffic you can?t go far in your business. No matter what business model you?ve chosen, potential customers must come to your blog or you?d quit anytime soon. One of the blogging nightmares is lack of traffic, but there is more.
Here is the harsh truth: You don?t actually need thousands of traffic, you need targeted traffic. Why? Because 100 targeted traffic to your website is better than 1000 untargeted traffic to the same website.
For instance, if you?re selling web hosting, then, you need people who wants to buy web hosting and nothing else.
Now, if 10 people visits and buys the VPS or Dedicated hosting packages, isn?t it better than 100 people who just admire your animated header, the color merging and awesome design? I guess you don?t need that type of audience. They waste your time and burn your bandwidth.
I?d like to know your favorite word, how the word has aligned your thoughts and actions towards reaching your goals. Do you think words are powerful or just mere combinations of alphabets? The comment box below is yours ? share your opinion and let?s fall in love with words. Your success is sure!
Source: http://www.johnchow.com/6-favorite-words-to-help-you-make-more-money-online/
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He was administered the oath of the office by President Pranab Mukherjee.
Justice Kabir has succeeds SH Kapadia, who demitted office on Saturday. He will be the Chief Justice of India for nine months, till July 19, 2013.
Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, senior BJP leader LK Advani, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav were also present at the swearing in, as were scores of cabinet ministers, including Kapil Sibal, Anand Sharma and Farooq Abdullah.
All the sitting and some former judges of the apex court, Attorney General GE Vahanvati and other law officers of the government too were present.Born on July 19, 1948, Chief Justice Kabir is only the second Chief Justice, along with his predecessor, to be born in post-independence India.
Chief Justice Kabir is the fourth Muslim to occupy the top position after Chief Justice M Hidayatullah, Chief Justice M Hameedullah and Chief Justice AM Ahmedi.
After doing his MA and LLB, Chief Justice Kabir enrolled as an advocate in 1973 and practised in the district court and the Calcutta High Court.
Chief Justice Kabir was appointed permanent judge of the Calcutta High Court on August 06, 1990. Thereafter on March 01, 2005, he was appointed Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.
He was elevated as a judge of the apex court September 09, 2005.
It goes to the credit of Chief Justice Kabir that irrespective of the stature of the counsel appearing for the litigant - senior or greenhorn - he would get an equal measure of the court's attention.
Chief Justice Kabir is also instrumental in the design of the additional complex of the apex court that would be coming up at Pragati Maidan, in the site that once housed the famous Appu Ghar.
The building has certain features which make it an amalgamation of all religions traditions within the country.
Chief Justice Kabir said, on the sidelines of the function organised to bid adieu to his predecessor, Chief Justice Kapadia: "I wanted to show that the Supreme Court is a place where all religions have equal respect."
One of the most important cases that Chief Justice Kabir is hearing is the appeal by the Italian government asserting sovereign immunity to its two marines, accused of shooting down two Indian fishermen, mistaking them for pirates.
That incident occurred off the Kochi coast in February this year.
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(Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday rejected a proposed $8.5 million class action settlement with Groupon Inc
U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego found fault with a provision in the settlement that would have set aside $75,000 to be divided among two non-profit groups. The judge said neither of the organizations were "expressly committed to righting the specific wrongs alleged in this case."
While Sabraw denied other objections to the settlement by members of the class, he said he had to reject the entire settlement because he did not have the authority to strike just the charity provisions.
Representatives for Groupon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
John Stoia, a lawyer at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd representing plaintiffs who bought vouchers on Groupon, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The decision marked the latest by a court to address so-called cy pres awards in class actions, in which money is dedicated to charity rather than distributed to the plaintiffs themselves. Cy pres comes from a French phrase meaning "as near as possible."
The charitable awards have become common when the amount of money recovered is small and the class itself is large, making distribution impractical.
The charities are typically intended to represent the interests of the classes of plaintiffs.
But in several instances, courts have rejected the settlements after finding the money dedicated to the cy pres award should go to the plaintiffs themselves, or are going to inappropriate charities.
Groupon agreed to the settlement in April as the Chicago-based company sought to put behind it lawsuits alleging that its vouchers violated federal and state laws applying to the expiration dates for gift certificates.
Among the laws Groupon allegedly violated was the federal Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act, which restricts the sale of gift certificates that expire in less than five years. Groupon denied the allegations.
Of the $8.5 million, $75,000 was set to go to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Democracy and Technology, two organizations concerned with Internet rights.
But Sabraw said neither organization was focused on the core issue of the case -- expiration dates and other restrictions on consumer vouchers or misleading advertising related to vouchers.
"That consumers purchase vouchers on the Internet is not enough," he said. "Indeed, it is incidental to the claims at issue in this case."
Sabraw said he agreed with objectors who argued that the money should instead be distributed to the class itself.
Representatives for the non-profits did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The case is In re Groupon Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, No. 11-md-02238.
(Editing by Eric Effron and Richard Chang)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/judge-rejects-8-5-million-groupon-settlement-230458591--sector.html
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MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire inside a Minneapolis sign company on Thursday, killing several people including himself and wounding four others, police and hospital officials said.
Minneapolis Police spokesman Steve McCarty said "several" people were dead at Accent Signage Systems, including the gunman. He did not give the number of people killed. He declined to identify those killed or wounded, and said he did not know what connection the shooter may have had with the business, if any.
Three men were listed in critical condition at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis and another person had injuries not thought to be life threatening, a spokeswoman said.
A representative from Accent Signage Systems could not be reached for comment. A July article in a local business publication said the company had 28 employees.
Police cordoned off the area around the company and held residents back for at least a couple of hours.
The company is located on a tree-lined residential street. "It's the only industrial business right in the middle of a residential neighborhood," Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak said in a telephone interview with Reuters. "In a great neighborhood and a great business, we have a horrible tragedy."
Rybak said he could not remember anything similar ever happening in Minneapolis. "I don't think that it has," he said.
Governor Mark Dayton said in a statement: "I deplore this senseless violence. There is no place for it anywhere in Minnesota. I extend my deepest condolences to the families and friends of the innocent people killed or wounded."
The Minneapolis shooting comes a month after a work-related shooting near the Empire State Building in New York, which killed two people and wounded nine. This followed an July mass shooting in a crowded cinema in Colorado and an attack on a Sikh temple in Wisconsin in August, which rekindled debate about gun control in the United States.
(Reporting by David Bailey; Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Mohammad Zargham)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/two-dead-least-three-wounded-minneapolis-company-shooting-001129604.html
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ScienceDaily (Sep. 27, 2012) ? A new regulator for heart formation has been discovered by studying how embryonic stem cells adjust the packaging of their DNA. This approach to finding genetic regulators, the scientists say, may have the power to provide insight into the development of any tissue in the body -- liver, brain, blood and so on.
A stem cell has the potential to become any type of cell. Once the choice is made, the cell and other stem cells committed to the same fate divide to form organ tissue.
A University of Washington-led research team was particularly interested in how stem cells turn into heart muscle cells to further research on repairing damaged hearts through tissue regeneration. The leaders of the project were Dr. Charles Murry, a cardiac pathologist and stem cell biologist; Dr. Randall Moon, who studies the control of embryonic development, and Dr. John Stamatoyannopoulos, who explores the operating systems of the human genome.
The paper's lead author is Dr. Sharon Paige, a UW MD-PhD student who completed her Ph.D. in Dr. Murry's lab.
The results are published in the Sept. 28 edition of Cell.
Paige, an aspiring pediatric cardiologist, said, "By identifying regulators of cardiac development, this work has the potential to lead to a better understanding of the causes of congenital heart disease, thereby paving the way for therapeutic advances."
Previously UW researchers had examined the signals that prod cells to grow into various kinds of heart tissue. In this case, the researchers entered a relatively unexplored area. They decided to look at the genetic controls behind the transformation of stem cells into heart tissue.
Because stem cells keep their DNA code under wraps until needed, the scientists examined how this packaging is altered over time to permit reading of portions of the code and thereby produce changes in the cell.
DNA is wound up into a structure called chromatin. "DNA can be packaged as tightly closed, neutral or activated," Murry explained. The tightly closed state, he said, is analogous to setting the brakes on a car.
Like a child who clams up when asked, "What will you be when you grow up?" stem cells are protective of the genes that will determine their future cell type, or what scientists call their cell fate.
"We found that stem cells take great care to avoid turning on cell-fate regulating genes at the wrong time," Murry said. "These genes have their brakes on until they are needed." When the time is right, he said, "the brakes come off and the gas goes on."
He explained that the situation is different for genes that regulate cell functions, in contrast to those that regulate cell fate. Genes that control, for example, the production of proteins that allow the cell to contract or to generate electrical signals do not have such a complex braking system. Those genes can be more readily activated.
The researchers pointed out that it was already known that the patterns stem cells follow to modify their DNA packaging distinguished them from progenitor cells -- cells prepared to begin a lineage of a particular type of cell -- and also from cells that already had a working identity, such as blood or muscle cells.
However , the dynamics of the DNA packaging modifications -- how the packaging is programmed to change over time -- and how these dynamics influence which genes are "exposed" and activated to create, for example, heart muscle cells, was poorly understood.
The UW-led research team learned that, as human embryonic stem cells become heart cells, this differentiation is accompanied by distinctive dynamic alterations in DNA packaging. This tell-tale pattern enabled the scientists to distinguish the key regulators of heart development from other genes. The researchers referred to the carefully timed pattern of changes in the DNA wrapping as a "temporal chromatin signature."
Just as a bank robber leaves incriminating evidence in a handwritten note to the teller, the temporal chromatin signature gave the scientists the clues they needed to hunt down new genes that might be responsible for heart formation.
"We found a bunch of them," Murry said. Their system revealed the top candidate to be the homebox gene MEIS2. This gene seemed an unlikely choice because it had no previous record of participating in heart formation. However, when this gene was removed from a new generation of zebra fish, the developing fish embryos had heart tube formation defects and other heart abnormalities.
Murry and other members of the research team think patterns in DNA unwrapping could be broadly applicable to discovering the genes that regulate other aspects of tissue and organ formation beyond only the heart. Such a research approach might help reveal the major developmental decisions that occur inside of cells as an embryo forms and grows. These revelations could provide information useful to spurring stem cells to form specific tissues for organ repair later in life.
Acknowledging the limitations of a lab system in mimicking what happens inside living cells in the early stages of organ formation in humans, Murry said, "The use of the temporal chromatin signature to discover regulatory genes could give us new insights into human development and new tools to control cell fate."
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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/27hegCkUB3w/120927142526.htm
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Jesse Drucker on Mitt Romney:
Mitt Romney ?I Dig It? Trust Gives Heirs Triple Benefit: In January 1999, a trust set up by Mitt Romney for his children and grandchildren reaped a 1,000 percent return on the sale of shares in Internet advertising firm DoubleClick Inc. If Romney had given the cash directly, he could have owed a gift tax at a rate as high as 55 percent. He avoided gift and estate taxes by using a type of generation-skipping trust known to tax planners by the nickname: ?I Dig It.??
The Obama administration proposed cracking down on the tax benefits in February?. Romney or his trust received shares in DoubleClick eight months before the company went public in 1998. The trust sold them less than a year after the IPO?. Multimillionaires use such trusts to avoid? taxes? [by] assign[ing] a low value to assets they donate to the trust?.
The formal name for Romney?s shelter is the Ann and Mitt Romney 1995 Family Trust. Capital gains, interest and dividends from its holdings accounted for about a quarter of Romney?s 2011 income of $13.7 million. Romney set up his trust in 1995?. Here?s how they work: the person setting up the trust, like Romney, contributes assets such as an interest in a fund or shares in a company. If he makes that contribution before those assets appreciate -- particularly when they are privately held and difficult to value -- he can claim the gift tax obligation is low or non-existent since the declared value is low or zero.
If the trust generates any income -- such as by selling stock -- the eventual tax bill is the responsibility of Romney, not the trust. By paying the capital gains tax, which was 20 percent in the late 1990s and is now 15 percent, he can avoid depleting the funds in the trust -- in essence making an additional donation that?s free of gift taxes. That benefit in particular makes this type of trust ?a more powerful driver of wealth transfer in estate planning than almost anything else,? said Breitstone, the wealth preservation attorney?.
Bloostein, who didn?t respond to a request for comment, said it was common during the 1990s for lawyers to advise clients to value their stake in a fund?s future profits -- called carried interest in the private equity world -- at zero for gift tax purposes, according to his presentation reviewed by Bloomberg News?
Source: http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2012/09/i-do-not-understand-why-this-is-not-tax-fraud.html
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I am often asked if it is appropriate to practice yoga when sick with a cold or some sort of energy-zapping bug. Some experts are convinced that rest is the best medicine when not feeling well, but practicing a little bit of yoga when you are sick can be beneficial.
The following is an explanation of why yoga can help restore your health while you are fighting an illness.
Immune Boost
Yoga stimulates the immune system by flushing swollen lymph nodes and circulating white blood cells throughout the body. Gentle inversions such as downward dog help to create a small amount of pressure on the lymphatic system so fluids can flow freely and help the body fight infection.
The key point to remember is that too much yoga is not going to be beneficial. The body uses a lot of energy when it is sick, and stealing some of that energy so you can do a full yoga practice is not advised. Practice just a few poses, and make sure you have a lot of time to rest in between each pose. If your body is telling you to stop, honor its request and take a break.
Mood Enhancement
Feeling good physically is closely related to feeling good mentally and emotionally. Yoga helps both the mind and the body perk up and be cheerful. If feeling sick has snatched up your positive outlook, yoga poses that do not require a lot of energy, such as mountain pose or a seated spinal twist, are good choices to boost your mood. Just be sure and take it slow, because when you are sick a little bit will go a long way.
Detoxification
Toxins in the form of pathogens, a.k.a. germs, make us sick. It is up to our circulatory, excretory, and integumentary systems to help rid the body of these toxins. If our heart, kidneys, and sweat glands are doing their job, we can kick out these germs in no time.
Yoga stimulates all of the body?s systems. Rhythmic breathing, along with gentle movement, flushes our organs with oxygenated blood and nutrients. Stagnation only serves to delay the onset of healing, which is why it is important to keep the body moving and the body?s systems actively working.
As always, trust that your body knows best. Practice a few key poses with caution to stimulate your body, not to annihilate your health.
Also Read:
What Does the Color of Your Yoga Mat Mean?
Top 5 Foods to Prevent Cold and Flu
The Best Immune Boosting Foods
September 28th, 2012
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KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) ? A plane carrying trekkers into the Everest region crashed Friday morning in Nepal's capital, and all 19 people on board are believed dead, authorities said.
Thirteen people on board were foreigners, while three passengers and the three crew members were from Nepal, said Katmandu airport chief Narayan Bastakoti. He said all the 19 were believed to have been killed when the plane crashed.
The twin-engine prop plane belonging to the domestic Sita Air crashed onto open ground near the Manohara River on the southwest edge of Katmandu, just minutes after takeoff. Weather conditions were clear.
Firefighters brought the fire in the wreckage under control and police rescuers were trying to pull out the bodies, Bastakoti said.
The plane was heading for Lukla, the gateway to Mount Everest. Thousands of Westerners head to the region around the world's highest peak yearly for trekking trips. Autumn is considered the best time to trek the foothills of the Himalayan peaks.
The crash follows an avalanche on another Nepal peak Sunday that killed seven foreign climbers and a Nepali guide.
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ScienceDaily (Sep. 26, 2012) ? An artificially intelligent virtual gamer created by computer scientists at The University of Texas at Austin has won the BotPrize by convincing a panel of judges that it was more human-like than half the humans it competed against.
The competition was sponsored by 2K Games and was set inside the virtual world of "Unreal Tournament 2004," a first-person shooter video game. The winners were announced this month at the IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence and Games.
"The idea is to evaluate how we can make game bots, which are nonplayer characters (NPCs) controlled by AI algorithms, appear as human as possible," said Risto Miikkulainen, professor of computer science in the College of Natural Sciences. Miikkulainen created the bot, called the UT^2 game bot, with doctoral students Jacob Schrum and Igor Karpov.
The bots face off in a tournament against one another and about an equal number of humans, with each player trying to score points by eliminating its opponents. Each player also has a "judging gun" in addition to its usual complement of weapons. That gun is used to tag opponents as human or bot.
The bot that is scored as most human-like by the human judges is named the winner. UT^2, which won a warm-up competition last month, shared the honors with MirrorBot, which was programmed by Romanian computer scientist Mihai Polceanu.
The winning bots both achieved a humanness rating of 52 percent. Human players received an average humanness rating of only 40 percent. The two winning teams will split the $7,000 first prize.
The victory comes 100 years after the birth of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing, whose "Turing test" stands as one of the foundational definitions of what constitutes true machine intelligence. Turing argued that we will never be able to see inside a machine's hypothetical consciousness, so the best measure of machine sentience is whether it can fool us into believing it is human.
"When this 'Turing test for game bots' competition was started, the goal was 50 percent humanness," said Miikkulainen. "It took us five years to get there, but that level was finally reached last week, and it's not a fluke."
The complex gameplay and 3-D environments of "Unreal Tournament 2004" require that bots mimic humans in a number of ways, including moving around in 3-D space, engaging in chaotic combat against multiple opponents and reasoning about the best strategy at any given point in the game. Even displays of distinctively human irrational behavior can, in some cases, be emulated.
"People tend to tenaciously pursue specific opponents without regard for optimality," said Schrum. "When humans have a grudge, they'll chase after an enemy even when it's not in their interests. We can mimic that behavior."
In order to most convincingly mimic as much of the range of human behavior as possible, the team takes a two-pronged approach. Some behavior is modeled directly on previously observed human behavior, while the central battle behaviors are developed through a process called neuroevolution, which runs artificially intelligent neural networks through a survival-of-the-fittest gauntlet that is modeled on the biological process of evolution.
Networks that thrive in a given environment are kept, and the less fit are thrown away. The holes in the population are filled by copies of the fit ones and by their "offspring," which are created by randomly modifying (mutating) the survivors. The simulation is run for as many generations as are necessary for networks to emerge that have evolved the desired behavior.
"In the case of the BotPrize," said Schrum, "a great deal of the challenge is in defining what 'human-like' is, and then setting constraints upon the neural networks so that they evolve toward that behavior.
"If we just set the goal as eliminating one's enemies, a bot will evolve toward having perfect aim, which is not very human-like. So we impose constraints on the bot's aim, such that rapid movements and long distances decrease accuracy. By evolving for good performance under such behavioral constraints, the bot's skill is optimized within human limitations, resulting in behavior that is good but still human-like."
Miikkulainen said that methods developed for the BotPrize competition should eventually be useful not just in developing games that are more entertaining, but also in creating virtual training environments that are more realistic, and even in building robots that interact with humans in more pleasant and effective ways.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas at Austin, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
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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/~3/z_9Y-xYhQ78/120926133235.htm
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AMD has a disproportionately large $6.4 million investment in BlueStacks, and now we're seeing one clear reason why. The two companies have teamed up to create a special version of the BlueStacks App Player that's tuned for AMD's Fusion-based processors and Radeon graphics cards, running Android apps with the full help of the chip desgner's hardware in Windows 7 and 8 PCs. Accordingly, over 500,000 Android apps are invading AMD's new AppZone portal without any needed tweaks of their own, giving the service a much larger catalog than if it had gone with Windows alone. Both companies have a clear incentive to this melding of desktop and mobile: BlueStacks suddenly gets exposure to as many as 100 million AMD-running users, while AMD can tout a giant app catalog that may be preloaded on future PCs using its components. We don't know if the world needs yet another avenue for playing Angry Birds, especially when many AMD-based PCs won't have touchscreens, but the BlueStacks partnership could be a strong lure for new PC buyers who'd like an instant software library.
Filed under: Cellphones, Software
BlueStacks teams with AMD to optimize Android App Player for Fusion, Radeon chips (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) ? The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a proposed ballot measure that, if successful, would make the state the first in the South to legalize medical marijuana.
Justices rejected a challenge by a coalition of conservative groups who had asked the court to block the proposed initiated act from the November ballot or order the state to not count any votes cast on the issue.
The measure would allow patients with qualifying conditions to buy marijuana from nonprofit dispensaries with a doctor's recommendation. The proposal acknowledges that marijuana is still illegal under federal law, but the Coalition to Preserve Arkansas Values argued that it doesn't adequately explain that approved users could still face federal prosecution.
"We hold that it is an adequate and fair representation without misleading tendencies or partisan coloring," the court wrote. "Therefore, the act is proper for inclusion on the ballot at the general election on Nov. 6, 2012, and the petition is therefore denied."
Arkansas will be the first Southern state to put the medical marijuana question to voters. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have legalized it in some fashion. Massachusetts voters are also expected to vote on the issue this fall, while the North Dakota Supreme Court ruled a medical marijuana initiative can't appear on that state's ballot.
The conservative coalition argued that Arkansas' 384-word ballot question doesn't accurately describe other consequences of passing the 8,700-word law, including a provision that would allow minors to use medical marijuana with parental consent.
Justices disagreed and said the proposed law is fairly summarized in the question that will appear on the ballot.
"Here, after reviewing the ballot title of 384 words, we conclude that the title informs the voters in an intelligible, honest and impartial manner of the substantive matter of the act," the ruling said.
The group behind the measure, Arkansans for Compassionate Care, told the court it believes the measure is sufficiently fair to go before voters. David Couch, an attorney for the group, said he was pleased with the ruling and said it allowed them to shift gears to building support for the measure's passage.
"Now that we've passed muster with the Supreme Court we'll begin our campaign to show the people of the state of Arkansas that this is truly a compassionate measure," Couch said.
The coalition also shifted into campaign mode, preparing to mobilize church leaders and other conservatives to oppose the measure.
"This is about the first incremental step to legalizing marijuana for recreational use," said coalition member Larry Page, the director of the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council.
Under the proposal, qualifying health conditions would include cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS and Alzheimer's disease. The proposal also would allow qualifying patients or a designated caregiver to grow marijuana if the patient lives more than 5 miles from a dispensary.
The conservative coalition's members include leaders of the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, the Family Council Action Committee and the Families First Foundation.
Past efforts to put medical marijuana on the ballot in Arkansas have faltered, though voters in two cities in the state have approved referendums that encourage police to regard arrests for small amounts of marijuana as a low priority.
Supporters of the current proposal mounted an organized and well-funded campaign that surprised many political observers. Arkansans for Compassionate Care, the group advocating for the measure, won ballot access after submitting far more than the required 62,500 signatures.
Medical marijuana has never come before voters in the South partly because of the difficulty of getting such initiatives on the ballot. And conservative legislators throughout the region have not backed the efforts. The Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project has provided most of the funding for the campaign in Arkansas, contributing $251,000 to the effort.
Officials with the group said they stepped in after polling showed strong support for the measure in Arkansas. Group leaders also cite a "symbolic" value in passing a medical marijuana law in the South.
"I think it's a sign that marijuana policy reform is an idea that is coming of age now across the nation, rather than just in the states where we've seen it so far," said Morgan Fox, the group's communications director. "It's really an important moment."
Gov. Mike Beebe, who is opposed to the proposal, told reporters on Thursday he doesn't believe the state's voters would legalize medical marijuana. Beebe said he's asked for an estimate of how much it will cost the state to regulate the dispensaries if the measure passes.
"If I understand what I think I understand about it, if it passes, it's going to require a whole of administration from the health department," Beebe said. "I don't know where we're going to get it from."
___
Andrew DeMillo can be reached at www.twitter.com/ademillo
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Russia's new definition of high treason, which is likely to pass, could apply to any behavior that undermines 'constitutional order, sovereignty, and territorial and state integrity' in authorities' eyes.
By Fred Weir,?Correspondent / September 26, 2012
When the Kremlin-dominated State Duma passed a new law last summer requiring any "politically active" nongovernmental organization that receives any amount of outside funding to register as a "foreign agent," many people in Russia's broader NGO community became deeply alarmed.
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Now, after the Duma unanimously passed ? on the first of three readings ? new amendments proposed by the Federal Security Service (FSB) that will extend the definition of "high treason" so that it can be applied to almost any Russian citizen who works with foreign organizations, they are in full panic mode.
The new terms, which seem almost certain to sail through the Duma in coming days and be signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, will mean that "treason" no longer refers only to a concrete crime, such as knowingly passing state secrets to a foreign power, but could apply to any behavior that undermines? "constitutional order, sovereignty, and territorial and state integrity" in the eyes of the authorities. Under the new terms, any person that discloses information the state considers a secret to any "foreign government or international, foreign organization," even if that person has no access to classified materials and didn't know it was a secret, may be accused of betraying their country and face a potential 20 years in prison. It is unclear when the law, if enacted, would come into effect.
"Though these amendments are not even passed yet, many people have already started to become more prudent in their contacts with foreigners," says Andrei Soldatov, editor on ?Agentura.ru, an online journal devoted to studying the security services, and coauthor of "The New Nobility," which details the return to power in Russia of the former Soviet KGB.
"The new definition of treason that's before the Duma is a direct Soviet legacy. Treason will no longer be about a specific crime, but more about what's in your heart, whether you're truly loyal, as determined by the authorities. I can't even understand how it might be used," says Mr. Soldatov.
"Now, not only the person who divulges a secret, but also the person who asked ? such as a journalist ? can be charged with treason. It's dangerously vague," he adds.
Addressing the Duma last Friday, FSB deputy director Yury Gorbunov said that classic definitions of espionage and treason had to be broadened to include cooperation with international organizations, which might include NGOs and media groups, because the world has become more dangerous.
"We should include international organizations on the list of agents that can be charged with treason due to the fact that foreign intelligence agencies actively use them to camouflage their spying activity," Mr. Gorbunov said.
The proposed legislation follows the high-profile ejection of USAID from Russia last week after the Kremlin accused it of interfering with Russia's internal political processes.
In November, the new law requiring NGOs that have any level of political engagement and receive any amount of outside funding to register as "foreign agents" will come into effect.
The Kremlin almost certainly has just a few prominent organizations in its sights, including the grassroots election-monitoring network Golos, the global corruption watchdog Transparency International, and Russia's main human rights groups Memorial and the Moscow Helsinki Group.
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This extended mature detached house with Georgian styling and striking white pillars is situated on a generous plot in a semi rural location between the villages of Hartley Wintney and Odiham.
The spacious entrance hall leads to the 25ft ?L? shaped living room /dining room which provides plenty of space for the family to unwind in the living room area whilst still accommodating a sizeable dining table in the dining area. The focal point of the room is a large natural brick fireplace with coal effect gas fire. There is also an office, ideal for home working or studying and a cloakroom accessed from the entrance hall.
The practically styled kitchen /breakfast room provides a range of fitted units with tiled work surfaces, space for appliances and part tiled walls. To the breakfast area there is some fitted bench seating.
The kitchen/breakfast room provides access to the ?rear hall?, as part of the extension this portion of the house serves well as either additional living accommodation or as an annexe to the main house. This portion can also be accessed via the rear of the property and provides a wet room with ?Mira? electric shower and further two piece suite in addition to a 19ft reception room with brick fireplace, bay window and sliding doors to the side of the property and swimming pool.
The galleried first floor landing grants access to the four bedrooms, the master benefitting from a large fitted wardrobe and en suite bathroom. The three other bedrooms are also equipped with built in storage and all make use of the family bathroom.
Screened by trees and mature bushes the private rear garden extends round to the side of the property where the patio and swimming pool are found along with a tool shed and pool shed. There is a detached workshop building in the rear garden. The front garden provides an area of tarmac providing parking for several vehicles, a charming mature pond and an area of lawn and planting to each side.
Facing open countryside the front elevations of the house enjoy an uninterrupted view. Standing in tree fringed grounds the house provides an ideal environment for those who seek a home with a variety of facilities be it the countryside on the doorstep or at nearby Hartley Wintney, Fleet or Basingstoke.
The current owner commented ?Nearly 20 years ago, we looked for a home for our large family.? This is a lovely spacious house and the garden and swimming pool have given us lots of room to enjoy.? We love the view from the front of the house across the fields and often sit watching the birds and wild life.? We needed space when an elderly relative came to live with us.? The family room was perfect to give her the security and privacy she needed, including her own bathroom and access to the kitchen.?
Now on the market at ?550,000 through the Hartley Wintney Office, call 01252 844015 for further information or to arrange a viewing.
Click here to view property detials
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Source: http://blog.mackenziesmith.co.uk/general/striking-and-spacious-family-home/
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Klein Michael Thaxton, left, is lead into Pittsburgh Police headquarters after being apprehended without incident at Three Gateway Center in Pittsburgh, Friday Sept. 21, 2012. Thaxton held a businessman hostage inside the office building for more than five hours Friday, posting Facebook updates during the standoff, and surrendered to authorities without incident, police said. (AP Photo/The Tribune-Review, JC Schisler) PITTSBURGH OUT
Klein Michael Thaxton, left, is lead into Pittsburgh Police headquarters after being apprehended without incident at Three Gateway Center in Pittsburgh, Friday Sept. 21, 2012. Thaxton held a businessman hostage inside the office building for more than five hours Friday, posting Facebook updates during the standoff, and surrendered to authorities without incident, police said. (AP Photo/The Tribune-Review, JC Schisler) PITTSBURGH OUT
A posting from the Facebook page of Klein Michael Thaxton is shown along with his cover photo. According to police, Thaxton, who is armed, took a hostage inside a downtown Pittsburgh office building Friday Sept 21, 2012 and posted Facebook updates, like the one shown, before his profile page was shut down. Thaxton wrote on Facebook that people will "never have to woryy (sic) about me again" after he took a man hostage inside the office of a benefits administration firm on the 16th floor of Three Gateway Center. (AP Photo)
Hostage victim Charles Breitsman, 58, of Ligonier, Pa., walks into Pittsburgh police headquarters to be questioned after being released by Klein Michael Thaxton Friday, Sept. 21, 2012. Thaxton held Breitsman hostage inside the office building for more than five hours Friday, posting Facebook updates during the standoff, and surrendered to authorities without incident, police said. (AP Photo/The Tribune-Review, JC Schisler) PITTSBURGH OUT
Ronda Thaxton, the mother of Klein Michael Thaxton is escorted by Pittsburgh Police Officer Ray Kain to the command center during the standoff atThree Gateway Center, Friday, Sept. 21, 2012. Klein Michael Thaxton, 22, held a businessman hostage inside the office building for more than five hours Friday, posting Facebook updates during the standoff, and surrendered to authorities without incident, police said. (AP Photo/The Tribune-Review, Keith Hodan) PITTSBURGH OUT
Pittsburgh police and SWAT members escort a suspect, center right, from a hostage-taking on the 16th floor at Three Gateway Center to a police van on Friday, Sept. 21, 2012, in Pittsburgh. Klein Michael Thaxton, 22, surrendered just before 2 p.m., and the man he took hostage was unhurt, Police Chief Nathan Harper said. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
PITTSBURGH (AP) ? Pittsburgh police plan to train their officers to be fluent in social media, joining other departments nationwide, days after a man armed with a hammer and kitchen knife used a hostage's computer to post Facebook messages lamenting his troubles.
The case of Klein Michael Thaxton, who is accused of picking a hostage at random in a downtown office tower and then kept authorities at bay for hours before surrendering and releasing the hostage, was a first for the Pittsburgh department.
There is some reflection about whether officials did the right thing by not immediately shutting down the suspect's Facebook page. Police say they want to make sure officers are prepared for such judgment calls down the road.
"I think it's something we will train for in the future," said Lt. Jason Lando, who acted as a coach to the primary negotiator, Officer Matt Lackner.
Members of law enforcement are finding variations of the Pittsburgh situation nationwide. The International Association of Chiefs of Police now has a Center for Social Media to help officers prevent and solve crimes using social media. The center's website contains training tools for law enforcement, and a list of crimes where social media played a role. Special software applications are even being created to help monitor and solve crimes.
Gary Noesner, a former chief of the FBI's Crisis Negotiation Unit, said his instinct would have been to shut the Facebook page down immediately, though he agreed it might also have provided some useful information to law enforcement.
"The whole social media situation is really fascinating, the impact it is having on operations," Noesner added.
Pittsburgh police wouldn't detail their specific conversations with Thaxton, 22, whose defense attorney didn't return calls for comment.
But, in general, Lackner said negotiating with a hostage taker is like "riding a seesaw," as authorities try to "reduce the emotionality and raise the rationality" of their subject.
"When one goes down, the other goes up," Lackner said.
But until police got federal authorities to intervene and shut down Thaxton's Facebook page about four hours into the ordeal, the negotiators couldn't control how many other people might be riding that see-saw. Thaxton's posts drew about 700 responses, most from family members and friends expressing concern and the hope that he'd do the right thing. But other messages were "ridiculous," Lando said, and had the potential to incite Thaxton.
Lackner said that even seemingly positive messages could have posed a problem because police were primarily concerned with establishing a one-to-one rapport and building trust with Thaxton.
"Any outside influence is distracting and, generally speaking, does not help our cause," Cmdr. Scott Schubert said. "We want our subject speaking to us."
Last year, a Utah man posted updates on his Facebook page during a 16-hour standoff with police. According to reports at the time, some of his friends and relatives urged him to "be careful" while at least one tipped him off to the location of a SWAT officer.
In another Utah case last year, a woman used Facebook to seek help after she and her 17-month-old son were held hostage at a residence for nearly five days. According to police, the woman hid in a closet with a laptop computer to post her plea for help, saying she and her son would be "dead by morning" if they were not rescued.
Thaxton, who remains jailed unable to post $1 million bond, faces a preliminary hearing Oct. 17 on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and terroristic threats in the confrontation at a financial services firm on the 16th floor of Three Gateway Center, a 24-story office tower in Pittsburgh.
Although police were vitally concerned about the hostage's welfare, and did what they could to check up on him, the negotiators were careful not to ask Thaxton too much about his hostage.
"Clearly we're always very concerned about the hostage," Lando said. "But when we're doing negotiations, we have to make it all about the hostage taker."
Too many questions about the hostage and the suspect "might feel like, 'You don't care about me. You just want to say whatever you need to say to get this person (the hostage) out of here,'" Lando said.
Instead, negotiators try to find people the hostage taker cares about who will help the negotiator build empathy.
"People want to tell their story," Lando said. "Listening to them is a cheap concession."
In Thaxton's case, key issues were his inability to find a job and his feelings for an ex-girlfriend he hadn't seen since 2008. Police arranged for her to speak with Thaxton, but only once the hostage was released. Thaxton surrendered, and police were sure they could keep the woman safe with Thaxton handcuffed and in custody.
"We try to find hooks ? their schooling, work history, personal relationships," Lando said. "Oftentimes personal relationships are the source of why they find themselves in crisis."
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