Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Disick goes 'Psycho' in Kanye West promo video

Celebs

5 hours ago

Image: Scott Disick.

kanyewest.com

Scott Disick in "Yeezus" promo video.

If nothing else, the timing is interesting. Just days after Kanye West welcomed a baby girl into the world with girlfriend Kim Kardashian, Scott Disick has now appeared in a promotional video for West's new album "Yeezus" -- in a parody of "American Psycho."

Disick is the father of Kim's sister Kourtney's two children, and he appears frequently on E!'s "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."

In the video, available at KanyeWest.com (note, video contains off-camera violence and un-bleeped curse words), Disick appears as Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale in the 2000 movie of the same name), wielding an ax, wearing a raincoat and bearing down on Kim's friend Jonathan Cheban (who sits on a white sofa surrounded by pages of Billboard magazine). Disick/Bateman speaks in a weirdly choppy (no pun intended) manner while re-enacting/re-interpreting the Huey Lewis and the News scene from the film.

Disick asks, "Hey, do you like Kanye West? The early work was a little too hip-hop for me and my taste, but when 'Dark Twisted Fantasy' came out in 2010, I think he really came into his own both musically and lyrically.?

While wearing Bateman's protective clear raincoat, Disick calls "Yeezus" "the most exciting record so far." ?There?s the song 'I?m a God,'? he adds, regarding the album, which drops Tuesday. ?The title practically speaks for itself, but of course the insecurities of the mainstream music press will never understand its true meaning because it?s about me.?

And goodbye to Cheban after that.

The video has "Psycho" author Bret Easton Ellis' approval, apparently; he tweeted Monday that he wrote it.

But is it a good idea, or tasteless? Poking fun at ... something? All of those things are possible, and Kanye West is never afraid to push the envelope. Still, even spoofing scene from a film in which a killer appears to get his kicks from brutally murdering women while reveling in his wealth and sophistication puts a strange twist on West's wholesome new daddy shine, particularly when you've just hired a member of the baby's mother's family to do the dirty work.

What do you think? In bad taste or just typical Kanye? Let us know below!

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/scott-disick-gets-psycho-new-kanye-west-promo-video-6C10361410

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Sunday, May 5, 2013

harryingram2: Online Shop Cloning For Swift Business Establishment

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Source: http://harryingram2.blogspot.com/2013/05/online-shop-cloning-for-swift-business.html

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Friday, May 3, 2013

The meme-ification of the GOP (Washington Post)

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Tick-borne lone star virus identified through new super-fast gene sequencing

May 2, 2013 ? The tick-borne Lone Star virus has been conclusively identified as part of a family of other tick-borne viruses called bunyaviruses, which often cause fever, respiratory problems and bleeding, according to new research led by scientists at UC San Francisco (UCSF).

What made the work especially promising, said principal investigator Charles Chiu, MD, PhD, was the speed at which the virus was definitively identified. The team used a new approach to gene sequencing that enabled them to completely reconstruct the virus' previously unknown genome in less than 24 hours -- significantly faster than conventional sequencing techniques, which can take days to weeks.

The technique, called ultra-rapid deep sequencing, combines deep sequencing -- an emerging technology that reconstructs an entire DNA sequence from a tiny snippet of DNA -- with advanced computational techniques and algorithms developed in the laboratories of Chiu and his research collaborators.

Chiu, an assistant professor of laboratory medicine at UCSF and director of the UCSF-Abbott Viral Diagnostics and Discovery Center, reported the results in a paper published in PloS ONE on April 29.

The team found that the Lone Star virus, which is carried by the Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum, is related to a group of human pathogens including Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus, which infected hundreds of farmers in China between 2008 and 2010; Bhanja virus, initially found in India; Palma virus, found in Portugal; and Heartland virus, an illness recently reported among farmers in Missouri.

"We did not show that Lone Star virus causes disease in humans," Chiu cautioned, "although the laboratory and sequencing data suggest that this is a distinct possibility."

He said the work may prove to be significant in light of the fact that nearly all emerging diseases discovered over the past two decades have originated in animals. While the causes of many human infectious diseases have been "pretty well characterized," he said, researchers have "only touched the tip of the iceberg" with respect to pathogens that have the potential to pass from animals to humans.

Chiu pointed to a number of serious and unexpected animal-to-human disease transmissions over the last 10 years, including SARS in 2003, the H1N1 influenza in 2009, and the current outbreak of H7N9 avian influenza, which already has resulted in more than 20 deaths in China.

"Nature is continually throwing us curveballs," Chiu said. "We will likely always be faced with the threat of novel outbreak viruses originating in animals or insects. It will be extremely important to identify and characterize those viruses as quickly as possible -- to get a head start on the development of diagnostic assays for surveillance and drugs, or vaccines for treatment -- before they have a chance to really spread."

In such circumstances, ultra-rapid deep sequencing will be "extremely useful," he said. "By the time SARS was identified and sequenced using conventional methods, more than a week of time had been lost. That kind of delay could be quite risky in a virus that spreads rapidly in human populations."

Chiu and his team plan to introduce a graphical user interface that will allow small laboratories to analyze and access ultra-rapid, deep-sequencing data through cloud computing over the Internet, even though they do not have access to advanced computers.

"This will mean that any remote laboratory in Asia or Africa -- where a lot of these recent outbreaks have occurred -- will be able to use a portable, field-ready benchtop sequencer hooked up to a smartphone or laptop with an Internet connection, to obtain a complete genetic sequence of a novel pathogen within hours," said Chiu. "Our hope is that these efforts will democratize the surveillance and investigation of infectious diseases."

The first author of the study is Andrea Swei, PhD, of San Francisco State University. Other co-authors include Brandy J. Russell of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Samia N. Naccache, PhD, Beniwende Kabre and Narayanan Veeraraghavan, PhD, of UCSF; and Mark A. Pilgard and Barbara J.B. Johnson, PhD, of the CDC.

The study was supported by funds from the National Institutes of Health (R56-AI089532 and RO1-HL105704), an Abbott Viral Discovery Award, the QB3 Swartz Foundation Lyme Disease Grant, the National Research Fund for Tick-borne Diseases, a UCSF Microbial Pathogenesis training grant and the CDC.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), via Newswise.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Swei A, Russell BJ, Naccache SN, Kabre B, Veeraraghavan N, et al. The Genome Sequence of Lone Star Virus, a Highly Divergent Bunyavirus Found in the Amblyomma americanum Tick. PLoS ONE, 2013; 8(4): e62083 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062083

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/JefDtv5WHWM/130502185255.htm

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Incursion or fair play? Chinese, Indian troops face off along disputed border.

As Chinese and Indian troops face off again on a remote and barren Himalayan mountainside where the two sides fought a war 50 years ago, their governments are trying hard to play down the territorial dispute and prevent it from flaring into violence.

?It is a limited, localized incident in geography and scope,? insisted Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Syed Akbarudin in Delhi on Thursday.

?China and India are wise and capable enough to handle the existing differences ? while boosting friendly cooperation,? Mr. Akbarudin?s Chinese counterpart, Hua Chunying, said in Beijing.

But the standoff in disputed territory, now entering its third week, is threatening to derail preparations for a visit to Delhi later this month by new Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. His choice of India for his first foreign trip had seemed to signal a fresh turn in relations between the neighboring rivals.

RECOMMENDED: How much do you know about China? Take our quiz.

Two weeks ago, a platoon of Chinese People?s Liberation Army soldiers pitched tents in an area near the Tibetan border over which China and India both claim sovereignty. India complained about what it called an incursion into its territory, and sent soldiers who then pitched their own tents less than 100 yards from the Chinese encampment.

Three rounds of ?flag talks? ? parleys between local military commanders ? and diplomatic negotiations between Beijing and Delhi have so far failed to resolve the dispute. The Chinese unit, far from withdrawing, has been reinforced and resupplied, according to Indian officials.

'PROBLEMS INEVITABLY ARISE'

China does not dispute the location of its soldiers, but claims they are in Chinese territory. ?Chinese patrol troops have never crossed the line,? insisted Ms. Hua last week, but added that since the border had never been officially demarcated ?problems inevitably arise one way or another.?

Since a brief border war in 1962, China and India have been separated by a ?Line of Actual Control,? but where it runs is a matter of dispute. In northern Ladakh, extraordinarily harsh and high altitude desert country, a 12- to 15-mile-wide strip of no-man?s land claimed by both sides lies between the two countries? differing versions of the Line of Actual Control. It is there that the current incident is playing out.

Neither country?s army is technically supposed to send patrols into this territory, but both acknowledge that they do so. Under a 2005 agreement, however, patrols that come across each other are meant to ignore each other so as to ?avoid any unfriendly complications,? says Binod Singh, an Indian academic who teaches at Peking University?s South Asian Studies Center.

The Indians, accustomed to keeping an eye on passing Chinese patrols, were surprised when the PLA troops began to set up a camp on April 15, says Dr. Singh. Diplomatic overtures, flag talks, and a hurried visit to the site of the dispute by the Indian Army chief of staff then followed, but have failed to resolve the situation.

Chinese observers dismiss the spat, which has blown up in the wake of territorial disputes between China and several other neighbors, as insignificant. They say the close attention that the Indian media has paid to the incident has made it harder to resolve.

?This sort of thing has happened before,? says Ye Hailin, a South Asia analyst at the China Academy for Social Sciences, a government linked think tank. The PLA pitched tents ?to show our stand on the issue? of territorial sovereignty, adds Dr. Ye. ?Our military have always been there; they were following a pattern and they didn?t realize this would be a problem.?

?Since the border has never been officially delineated, both sides have different perceptions of the Line of Actual Control and both sides send out patrols ?some unexpected incidents are natural,? adds Lan Jianxue, an India expert at the China Institute of International Studies, a think tank linked to the Foreign Ministry.

MEANWHILE IN INDIA...

Indian observers are more suspicious. ?It is not a coincidence that the Chinese made their move now, with Li Keqiang due to visit India in May,? says Singh. ?They want to assert their power and their presence ? as a bargaining chip.?

It is unclear what Beijing might be seeking in return for a withdrawal of its soldiers; Indian press reports say PLA officers have complained during their flag talks about Indian construction in disputed territory. But the Chinese authorities have not mentioned any such complaints.

Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid is due in Beijing next week to prepare for the Chinese premier?s visit later this month to India, but he has warned that events might change his plans, and the Chinese government has not confirmed his trip here.

Border incidents similar to the current standoff have flared up episodically in the past, and have generally died down soon enough. Chinese analysts expect a similar outcome this time.

?Both governments share a deep consensus at a high level that they should not let their overall bilateral relations be hostage to the boundary question,? says Dr. Lan. ?This unexpected incident has been localized and it will not affect our relationship.?

In India, however, where many still smart from the memory of military defeat at Chinese hands in 1962, the mood is more belligerent, warns Singh. ?There is pressure on the Indian Army to do something tit-for-tat,? he says. ?If that happens, who knows what kind of unfortunate event we might see.?

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/incursion-fair-play-chinese-indian-troops-face-off-124639081.html

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Vt. woman disfigured in attack reveals new face

Carmen Blandin Tarleton, of Thetford, Vt,, embraces her surgeon Dr. Bohdan Pomahac during a news conference at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The 44-year-old mother of two underwent the transplant in February after a 2007 attack in which her estranged husband doused her with industrial strength lye, burning more than 80 percent of her body.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Carmen Blandin Tarleton, of Thetford, Vt,, embraces her surgeon Dr. Bohdan Pomahac during a news conference at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The 44-year-old mother of two underwent the transplant in February after a 2007 attack in which her estranged husband doused her with industrial strength lye, burning more than 80 percent of her body.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

This photo combination shows Carmen Blandin Tarleton, who suffered chemical burns over 80 percent of her body when her estranged husband doused her with lye in June 2007. The undated photo at left, provided by the Blandin family, shows Tarleton before the attack. The center photo, provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, shows Tarleton in July 2011. The photo at right shows Tarleton on Wednesday, May 1, 2013, after her successful face transplant in February. (AP Photo)

Carmen Blandin Tarleton, of Thetford, Vermont, speaks with reporters at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The 44-year-old mother of two underwent the transplant in February after a 2007 attack in which her estranged husband doused her with industrial strength lye, burning more than 80 percent of her body. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Carmen Blandin Tarleton of Thetford, Vermont, right, is embraced by Marinda Righter, daughter of face donor Cheryl Denelli-Righter, at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass., Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The 44-year-old mother of two underwent the transplant in February after a 2007 attack in which her estranged husband doused her with industrial strength lye, burning more than 80 percent of her body. At left is her surgeon, Dr. Bohdan Pomahac. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A file photograph of Carmen Blandin Tarleton, of Thetford, Vermont, is displayed during a news conference at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The 44-year-old mother of two underwent the transplant in February after a 2007 attack in which her estranged husband doused her with industrial strength lye, burning more than 80 percent of her body. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

BOSTON (AP) ? A Vermont woman revealed her new face Wednesday, six years after her ex-husband disfigured her by dousing her with industrial-strength lye, and said she went through "what some may call hell" but has found a way to be happy.

Carmen Blandin Tarleton of Thetford had face transplant surgery at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital in February and spoke publicly for the first time at a news conference at the hospital Wednesday.

"I'm now in a better place, mentally and emotionally, than I ever could have imagined six years ago," said Tarleton, a former transplant nurse. "I want to share my experience with others, so they may find that strength inside themselves to escape their own pain."

In 2007, the 44-year-old mother of two was attacked by her then-husband, Herbert Rodgers, who believed she was seeing another man. Police say he went to the house looking for that man, then went into a fury directed toward Tarleton, striking her with a bat and pouring lye from a squeeze bottle onto her face.

When police arrived, Tarleton was trying to crawl to a shower to wash away the chemical. It already had distorted her face.

In 2009, Rodgers pleaded guilty to maiming Tarleton in exchange for a prison sentence of at least 30 years.

"I learned that ... forgiveness doesn't condone anything he did and it's not about him ? it's about forgiving him, it's forgiving myself, it's allowing myself to move forward and not getting stuck in the tragedy of that night," said Tarleton, who has undergone 55 surgeries during the past five years.

During the face transplant surgery, more than 30 surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses worked for more than 15 hours to replace her skin, muscles, tendons and nerves, the hospital said.

The face donor was a Williamstown, Mass., woman named Cheryl Denelli Righter who died of a sudden stroke, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Righter's daughter, Marinda, told Tarleton on Wednesday that she looked beautiful, adding she was certain her mother had somehow picked Tarleton. "They are both mothers, they are both survivors, they are both beacons of light," she said.

Righter said that after meeting Tarleton for the first time Tuesday, she felt overjoyed for the first time in a long time.

"I get to feel my mother's skin again, I get to see my mother's freckles, and through you, I get to see my mother live on," she said before going to Tarleton to hug and kiss her again. "This is truly a blessing."

Tarleton is legally blind and read her remarks from a tablet. She thanked Righter's family for what she called "a tremendous gift" that's greatly alleviated the physical pain she'd felt daily.

She referred to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and said the city is "facing the challenges of pain and forgiveness."

"There is a lot to learn and take from horrific events that happen," Tarleton said. "I want others to know that they need not give up on feeling (like) themselves when tragedy strikes, but instead they can make a choice to find the good and allow that to help them heal."

Tarleton described how it feels to touch and wash her face since her transplant.

She said she still doesn't have full sensation on her new face, but she is experiencing tingling in certain areas. As all that tissue starts to settle, she feels the sensation change almost every week, she said.

The tingling and other sensations are triggered by the regrowth of nerves that were connected during transplant surgery, said Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, the lead surgeon for the face transplant and the director of Plastic Surgery Transplantation at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"Carmen will be able to feel her face, and gradually, close to what we feel (on) our faces," he said.

"I have been on this incredible journey for the last six years and receiving this wonderful gift ends this chapter of my life," Tarleton said. "What a great way to move forward with what life has for me now."

___

Associated Press Writer Jay Lindsay contributed to this report.

___

Rodrique Ngowi can be reached at www.twitter.com/ngowi

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-05-01-Lye%20Attack-Face%20Transplant/id-0154032f544d41af97b10897dbe15cd2

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Thursday, May 2, 2013

Bolivia's Evo Morales says 'adi?s' to USAID

Morales has made other important policy announcements on May Day in the past, like nationalizing Bolivia's oil and gas industry. This is not the first time tensions have run high with the US.

By Sara Shahriari,?Correspondent / May 1, 2013

Bolivia's President Evo Morales sings his national anthem during the annual May Day march in La Paz, Bolivia, May 1. Morales said Wednesday he is expelling the USAID from Bolivia for allegedly seeking to undermine his leftist government.

Juan Karita/AP

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Bolivia's President Evo Morales announced today that his government will expel the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The move coincides with Bolivia's annual May Day celebration, which has been used in the past as a date for President Morales to announce big moves like nationalizing the country's oil and gas industry.?

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"They still believe that they can manipulate politically and economically, but those times have passed," Morales said of the US. He later accused?USAID,?which acts as the US government's humanitarian arm abroad,?of attempting to influence local leaders through its programs, and objected to Secretary of State John Kerry's recent reference to Latin America as The United States' "backyard."

This is not the first time tensions have run high between the two countries. Bolivia ejected the US ambassador in 2008, claiming collaboration between the US Embassy and opposition political groups in Bolivia's eastern lowlands. The US subsequently expelled Bolivia's ambassador to Washington. That same year, Morales ended the US Drug Enforcement Agency's decades-long presence in the country.

"The United States government deeply regrets the Bolivian government's decision to expel the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). We deny the baseless allegations made by the Bolivian government," the organization said in a statement published on its website.?According to USAID Bolivia, the organizations focuses on health, sustainable development, and environmental programs here.

'Longstanding mistrust'

Morales, a former coca farmer who remains the leader of the Andean nation's largest coca growers union, has often spoken of his experience in the country's central Chapare region, where US-backed drug eradication policies led to sometimes violent conflicts with local residents. Since his 2005 presidential victory, Morales has clashed with the US over how to manage this indigenous crop.

"Morales's contentious relationship with USAID originated as a result of the largely ineffective alternative development programs it enacted in the Chapare region, which at the peak of forced eradication required coca growers to eliminate their coca and leave unions before they receive aid," says Kathryn Ledebur, director of the Andean Information Network, a Bolivia-based advocacy group.

"This longstanding mistrust was exacerbated after his election when the government accused USAID of working with opposition groups to undermine his administration," says Ms. Ledebur.

Funding for US military, economic, and social aid to Bolivia has decreased dramatically in recent years as Morales pushed back against US influence, falling from a total of more than 85 million dollars in 2009 to a projected 20 million in 2012, according to information aggregated by Just the Facts, a guide to defense and security assistance. Despite that decrease in funding, Bolivia's overall economic situation has improved in recent years.

Today's announcement comes days after a Bolivian court ruled that Morales can run for a third term in 2014. First elected in 2005, the president ended his first mandate early and was reelected in 2009 under the country's new constitution. "This is a forceful move," activist Raul Prada, a former government official turned critic, says of today's announcement. "It's a move to be used the campaign."

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/Z3thADc-GIA/Bolivia-s-Evo-Morales-says-adios-to-USAID

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As South Korea and US end military drills, how will North Korea react?

Many Korea watchers speculated that once joint military drills ended, so would increased tensions with North Korea. But at least one analyst says this might be the moment the North lashes out again.?

By Steven Borowiec,?Correspondent / April 30, 2013

US military vehicles cross Unification bridge, which leads to the demilitarized zone separating North Korea from South Korea near the border village of Panmunjom in Paju, South Korea, Tuesday. The US-South Korean annual military drills ended Tuesday without incident.

Ahn Young-joon/AP

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The US-South Korea annual military exercises ended without incident on Tuesday, perhaps allowing a chance for weeks of tensions on the Korean peninsula to enter an indefinite period of calm.

Skip to next paragraph Steven Borowiec

Korea Correspondent

Since 2009, Steven Borowiec has reported from Seoul, South Korea on politics, socio-economics, and culture. He is a deputy editor at South Korea?s Hankyoreh newspaper and a features writer for Yonhap News Agency.?

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The annual military defensive exercises are intended to act as a deterrent to North Korea through shows of military prowess.?North Korea, however, called the two month-long exercises an aggressive invasion threat and promised military retaliation if provoked directly.

But now that the exercises are over, the North could tell its people that its own military successfully warded off the threat, conceivably allowing it enter dialogue with the South without appearing to lose face.?But some analysts argue that as the general atmosphere has cooled, action by North Korea could actually be more likely.

?Now that the exercises are over, this is an opportune time for a missile launch,? says Sung-yoon Lee, professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. ?Now that their adversaries have their guard down, they could go ahead with a launch now, ahead of the upcoming summit between Obama and Park Geun-hye, to put pressure on Park.?

South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who was inaugurated on Feb. 25, is scheduled to meet with US President Obama in Washington on May 7. North Korea has been known to purposely raise tensions in an effort to rattle new administrations in Seoul or Washington.?

"The drill is over, but the South Korean and US militaries will continue to watch out for potential provocations by the North, including a missile launch," said Kim Min-seok, a spokesperson for South Korea?s Ministry of National Defense.

The two-month long exercises started up shortly after the North's third nuclear test in February and involved around 10,000 US troops and 200,000 South Korean forces. Throughout the exercises, some impressive weaponry was shown off, including B-52 bombers and a nuclear-armed submarine. After the exercises began, the North announced it was scrapping an armistice agreement that effectively put the Korean War on hold, and said it was?entering a "state of war." The North also cut two hotlines to South Korea, symbols of North-South cooperation, but left a joint economic region alone until April.?

The jointly-operated Kaesong industrial park, the last major symbol of cooperation between South and North?was designed to economically benefit both sides, providing South Korean companies with cheap labor, and North Koreans with much needed income. Since it was started in 2004, it has survived years of chilly inter-Korean relations.?

But North Korea unexpectedly barred South Koreans from entering the area early in April and then withdrew all its workers shortly thereafter. Though some South Korean workers stayed at the complex, many went back to South Korea.

The situation at Kaesong is one aspect of the crisis that appears set to continue.

Yesterday, 43 of the final 50 South Korean workers in Kaesong returned home. Seven stayed behind to deal with some unpaid wages, as North Korea has not approved their departure yet, according to Chosun. There is not yet any indication that Seoul and Pyongyang will cooperate in finding a way to get operations at the complex back underway. The complex brought in about $80 million in revenue for North Korea in 2012, so there is a large financial incentive for the North to restart business there.?

Today South Korean Minister of Unification Ryoo Kihl-jae said that while the South is interested in restarting operations at Kaesong, Seoul wouldn?t accept just any conditions demanded by North Korea.

"It is pointless to normalize operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex if it entails accepting unreasonable claims and preconditions," Minister Ryoo said.

All throughout the war games, many analysts speculated that North Korea?s intention was to stir tensions and pull back at the last minute from any kind of engagement in an effort to strengthen its bargaining position when it returns to the table at some later date.?

?The general principle is to escalate tensions in order to later be able to negotiate from a position of strength,? Leonid Petrov, a researcher in Korean studies at Australian National University, told the Monitor on Apr. 10.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/mCw340oEnTc/As-South-Korea-and-US-end-military-drills-how-will-North-Korea-react

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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Orb made 7-2 favorite for Kentucky Derby

Exercise rider Jenn Patterson rides Kentucky Derby entrant Orb for a workout at Churchill Downs Monday, April 29, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)

Exercise rider Jenn Patterson rides Kentucky Derby entrant Orb for a workout at Churchill Downs Monday, April 29, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)

Exercise rider Humberto Zamora rides Kentucky Derby hopeful Verrazano for a workout at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

Trainer Todd Pletcher watches morning workouts at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)

An exercise rider takes Kentucky Derby hopeful Itsmyluckyday for a workout at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)

Part-owner of Kentucky Derby hopeful Goldencents Rick Pitino, left, talks to jockey Kevin Krigger at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Garry Jones)

(AP) ? Trainer Doug O'Neill had a pretty darned good day on two courses.

First he birdied the eighth hole during a Wednesday afternoon golf outing at Valhalla and then he aced the Kentucky Derby draw when Goldencents landed in the No. 8 post and was made the 5-1 third choice for Saturday's race.

"It should be perfect for him," said O'Neill, who saddled last year's winner, I'll Have Another.

"Perfect" was not the way last year's Triple Crown series ended for O'Neill and his colt. He came under intense scrutiny after another one of his horses failed a drug test and I'll Have Another was retired with a leg injury the day before the Belmont Stakes.

As for the birdie ? the highlight of an otherwise forgettable round ? he said, "That was like winning the Derby on the golf course. It was a par-3 and I just knocked it right in the middle."

Orb was made the slight 7-2 favorite over undefeated Verrazano, one of a record-tying five horses for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Trained by Shug McGaughey, Orb drew the No. 16 post in a full field of 20 horses. Four horses have won from there, most recently Animal Kingdom two years ago. McGaughey is in racing's Hall of Fame, but the 62-year-old trainer has yet to win the Derby in six previous tries.

"I think where from he is, we'll be solid," McGaughey said. "Kind of hold our position, maybe try to creep in a little bit more around the first turn, and he can kind of watch what's going on down on the inside."

Orb comes into the Derby on a four-race winning streak. He won the Florida Derby in his last start.

Pletcher was pleased about where his posse landed in the starting gate.

Wood Memorial winner Verrazano drew the No. 14 post and was the 4-1 second choice.

"We got everything we wanted," Pletcher said. "No complaints whatsoever."

There were four spots left in the gate ? including the dreaded No. 1 and No. 2 ? before Verrazano's name was called. Being in the No. 14 hole gives the colt the benefit of extra room because of the gap between his spot and No. 15, which is the start of the auxiliary gate.

Another Pletcher horse, Revolutionary, was the fourth choice at 10-1 on the morning line set by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia. The colt is ridden by Calvin Borel, a three-time Derby winner famous for riding the rail. Revolutionary drew the No. 3 post, leaving Borel close to his favorite route on the track.

"Very happy," Pletcher said. "I think Calvin will be looking to go inside as soon as he could, so starting off inside was a good thing. Super Saver started from four."

Pletcher won his only Derby in 2010 with Super Saver under a rail-hugging ride by Borel.

Normandy Invasion is the fifth choice at 12-1.

The other 15 horses are all 15-1 or higher, including Pletcher's trio of Overanalyze (15-1), Palace Malice (20-1), and Charming Kitten (20-1).

Spiral Stakes winner Black Onyx drew the No. 1 post and is one of five 50-1 shots in the field. That spot has produced 12 Derby winners, tying with the No. 5 hole for the most successful post positions.

"The 1 post might not be ideal but we're going to make the best of what we can do with it," trainer Kelly Breen said. "After Saturday we're hoping to make it the most winningest post position in Kentucky Derby history."

Oxbow and Will Take Charge will be the record 46th and 47th Derby starters for Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time Derby winner. Both are long shots ? Will Take Charge at 20-1 and Oxbow at 30-1.

"The four I won it with I can't remember the post positions, so it must not be too important," said Lukas, who could become the oldest winning trainer in Derby history at 77.

The 21st horse on the points list is Fear the Kitten, an also eligible who would need a defection before 9 a.m. Friday, when Derby wagering opens, to get into the 1 ?-mile race.

If all 20 horses start, the total purse would be $2,199,800. The winner earns $1,439,800. Post time is 6:24 p.m. EDT.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-05-01-Kentucky%20Derby/id-f155ebfda9d444c3bdb77add2d820b53

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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

This Pristine Coffee Grinder Looks Like a Jet Engine

A quality grinder is an essential tool in making good coffee or espresso, but they're often known more for their utility than their beauty. The HG-One, though, is a different beast. Its sleek beauty will make you forget how much cranking is involved.

The HG-One requires good old-fashioned human strength to grind beans into fine grounds. Ironic, considering how futuristic the thing looks. Seems like annoying task to do every morning, but good design always comes at a cost.

What about quality? The grinder uses conical burrs, the standard in good grinders. But it's more than just the burr that matters. The construction must be precise, as any play or misalignment can lead to inconsistent grind size and thus sub-par coffee.

Can the HG-One deliver on that front? You'll have to plunk down about $900 to find out. But for now, might as well just sit back and enjoy the view. [HG-One Grinder via NotCot]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/this-pristine-coffee-grinder-looks-like-a-jet-engine-484341263

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Protein improves efficacy of tumor-killing enzyme

Protein improves efficacy of tumor-killing enzyme [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

Scientists have devised a method for delivering tumor cell-killing enzymes in a way that protects the enzyme until it can do its work inside the cell. In their study in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers assembled microscopic protein packages that can deliver an enzyme called PEIII to the insides of cells. By attaching a protein called ubiquitin to the enzyme, they were able to protect it from degradation by the cell, allowing the enzyme to complete its mission. The results indicate that ubiquitin may be a useful addition to targeted toxins.

Although researchers have been developing tumor-directed "targeted toxins" for decades, their success has been hindered by technical problems, including inadequate tumor specificity, low efficiency of delivery to the interior of the cell (also called the cytosol), and other issues. In this study, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases sought to improve the persistence of the enzyme in the cytosol.

They created bundles of proteins designed to carry this out. The targeted toxin assembly included two components the researchers have used before in targeted toxins: the "killing" enzyme PEIII, and a set of targeting proteins called LFn that deliver the PEIII enzyme via pores to the inside of the cell. The LFn delivery system was engineered to specifically target and attach to tumor cells.

The third component in the bundle was a new addition: ubiquitin, a small protein that is normally used by cells to target waste proteins for degradation. The researchers inserted ubiquitin in between the LFn and the PEIII, then tested the bundle on mice with tumors. The idea was to use the cell's own ubiquitin-cleaving enzymes to cut the ubiquitin off and free up the PEIII enzyme once it's inside the cell.

The system worked. Tumor growth was inhibited in mice treated with targeted toxins that either carried the wild-type ubiquitin or engineered ubiquitin without lysine residues in it, a change that should prevent it from being degraded by the cell. The addition of ubiquitin enhanced the ability of the PEIII enzyme to persist inside the cell thereby enhancing its potency. And the ubiquitin didn't seem to hinder the efficiency of delivering the PEIII inside the cell.

As an added bonus, the addition of ubiquitin reduced the toxicity of the targeted toxin to non-tumor tissues.

The authors point out that the use of ubiquitin linkers shows considerable promise and could be an effective strategy for enhancing the potency of tumor-targeting toxins for use in patients. In research currently underway, they are attempting to improve on the system by making changes to the ubiquitin that allow it to unfold appropriately inside the cell.

###

mBio is an open access online journal published by the American Society for Microbiology to make microbiology research broadly accessible. The focus of the journal is on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. It can be found online at http://mbio.asm.org.

The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Protein improves efficacy of tumor-killing enzyme [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 30-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa
jsliwa@asmusa.org
202-942-9297
American Society for Microbiology

Scientists have devised a method for delivering tumor cell-killing enzymes in a way that protects the enzyme until it can do its work inside the cell. In their study in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, researchers assembled microscopic protein packages that can deliver an enzyme called PEIII to the insides of cells. By attaching a protein called ubiquitin to the enzyme, they were able to protect it from degradation by the cell, allowing the enzyme to complete its mission. The results indicate that ubiquitin may be a useful addition to targeted toxins.

Although researchers have been developing tumor-directed "targeted toxins" for decades, their success has been hindered by technical problems, including inadequate tumor specificity, low efficiency of delivery to the interior of the cell (also called the cytosol), and other issues. In this study, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases sought to improve the persistence of the enzyme in the cytosol.

They created bundles of proteins designed to carry this out. The targeted toxin assembly included two components the researchers have used before in targeted toxins: the "killing" enzyme PEIII, and a set of targeting proteins called LFn that deliver the PEIII enzyme via pores to the inside of the cell. The LFn delivery system was engineered to specifically target and attach to tumor cells.

The third component in the bundle was a new addition: ubiquitin, a small protein that is normally used by cells to target waste proteins for degradation. The researchers inserted ubiquitin in between the LFn and the PEIII, then tested the bundle on mice with tumors. The idea was to use the cell's own ubiquitin-cleaving enzymes to cut the ubiquitin off and free up the PEIII enzyme once it's inside the cell.

The system worked. Tumor growth was inhibited in mice treated with targeted toxins that either carried the wild-type ubiquitin or engineered ubiquitin without lysine residues in it, a change that should prevent it from being degraded by the cell. The addition of ubiquitin enhanced the ability of the PEIII enzyme to persist inside the cell thereby enhancing its potency. And the ubiquitin didn't seem to hinder the efficiency of delivering the PEIII inside the cell.

As an added bonus, the addition of ubiquitin reduced the toxicity of the targeted toxin to non-tumor tissues.

The authors point out that the use of ubiquitin linkers shows considerable promise and could be an effective strategy for enhancing the potency of tumor-targeting toxins for use in patients. In research currently underway, they are attempting to improve on the system by making changes to the ubiquitin that allow it to unfold appropriately inside the cell.

###

mBio is an open access online journal published by the American Society for Microbiology to make microbiology research broadly accessible. The focus of the journal is on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. It can be found online at http://mbio.asm.org.

The American Society for Microbiology is the largest single life science society, composed of over 39,000 scientists and health professionals. ASM's mission is to advance the microbiological sciences as a vehicle for understanding life processes and to apply and communicate this knowledge for the improvement of health and environmental and economic well-being worldwide.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/asfm-pie042613.php

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NYC exhibition depicts ancient Buddhist caves

NEW YORK (AP) ? The China Institute Gallery has been transformed into an ancient cave, taking visitors back more than a millennium to a dazzling world where Buddhist worshippers adorned the walls with colorful frescoes, silk prayer banners and lavishly painted life-size clay sculptures.

"Dunhuang: Buddhist Art at the Gateway of the Silk Road" features a replica of an 8th century cave carved into the limestone cliffs at the edge of the Gobi Desert southeast of the oasis town of Dunhuang from 366 to about 1300.

It is one of 735 Mogao Caves constructed during what is known as the high Tang period (705-781), designed for devout Buddhists to gather and worship. Nearly every inch is covered in art, with a canopy ceiling resplendent in floral and diamond shapes. One end is filled with life-sized sculptures of a Buddha flanked by two monk disciples wearing luxuriously patterned robes, two bare-chested figures and two ferocious-looking guardians in military armor.

While there have been exhibitions that have featured individual pieces from the Mogoa Caves, this is the first exhibition in the United States to put all the elements of the cave shrines into context, said Annette Juliano, a professor of Chinese art history at Rutgers University.

It shows the "relationship between the architecture, the pictures, the subject matter and the (ritual) practices . the actual use of the cave, rather than just an abstraction," added Juliano, who visited the caves for the first time in 1980.

Many of the caves are exquisitely preserved but others are fragile due to neglect over the centuries and the conditions of the surrounding desert and sand dunes. To protect them from further erosion, tourist access is limited to several dozen caves a day that are rotated regularly.

The exhibition also features a 6th-century replica of an elaborate square altar called the Central Stupa Pillar that highlights the religious ritual of circumambulation ? an act of veneration ? in which the faithful walk clockwise around the altar that contains four niches, each holding a Buddha.

"Walking around the stupa pillar helps to empty your mind to allow visualization, to focus on the images of the Buddhas," said Juliano, who contributed an essay to the exhibition catalog.

Exact, hand-painted reproductions of wall motifs and story scenes complete the exhibition space in this gallery. Among the highlights is a Thousand Buddha pattern that covers an entire wall and is symbolic of the deity's omnipresence. Among the narrative paintings is the tale of the Deer King and his journey toward enlightenment.

Authentic silk prayer banners, a handwritten Buddhist scripture in near mint condition, a Yuan dynasty fragment of a mathematical document, small clay figurines, Persian silver coins that bear witness to foreign travelers on the Silk Road, patterned floor tiles and oil lamps used to light the dark caves round out the small two-gallery exhibition.

The Mogao Cave shrines, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, were largely unknown in the West until they were discovered in 1900 by a Hungarian archaeologist, Sir Aurel Stein.

Dunhuang, located at the north and south crossroads of the Silk Road, was a strategic hub of trade and religion. Stein, who made several treks through Central Asia, had heard rumors of a cave room sealed in the 11th century containing tens of thousands of manuscripts, scrolls, silk paintings and textiles dating in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit and other languages.

A local caretaker had uncovered the treasure trove after discovering a crack in the wall of a corridor leading to a larger cave. It's not clear why the room was sealed, but scholars speculate they were walled up to protect them from the threat of invasion from nomadic people.

Stein was able to persuade the caretaker to sell a portion of the material in exchange for money for the cave's upkeep. In subsequent years, almost 80 percent of the contents were taken out of the country by foreign adventurers. Today, the treasures are found in various museums and libraries around the world.

The exhibition, organized by the Dunhuang Academy, runs through July 21. A second exhibition in the fall will focus on paintings and sculptures by contemporary artists inspired by the caves.

__

Online: www.chinainstitute.org

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nyc-exhibition-depicts-ancient-buddhist-caves-063312779.html

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

OpenMobile ACL for webOS resurrected on Kickstarter, hopes to bring Android apps to HP Touchpad

OpenMobile ACL for webOS resurrected on Kickstarter, hopes to bring Android apps to HP Touchpad

The promise of OpenMobile's Application Compatibility Layer is enticing: seamlessly run Android apps on another operating system as if it was meant to be there. Unfortunately for fans of Palm's last hurrah, the project's webOS port died with the HP Touchpad. That won't stop dedicated fans, however -- Phoenix International Communications plans to resurrect webOS ACL. Taking the project to Kickstarter, the team is showing an early build on an HP Touchpad, seamlessly running Android apps in cards alongside native webOS applications. Phoenix hopes that a functional ACL will reduce Touchpad owner's reliance on dual-booting Android, giving them the freedom to enjoy webOS without sacrificing functionality. The team is promising a relatively short development time, thanks to OpenMobile's early work, and hopes to deliver a consumer ready build in July. But first the Kickstarter campaign will need to meet its $35,000 goal. Interested in pitching in? Check out the Kickstarter link at the source.

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Source: Kickstarter

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/28/openmobile-acl-for-webos-resurrected-on-kickstarter/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Protesters march against first British drone base

LONDON (AP) ? Anti-war protesters are demonstrating outside a Royal Air Force base used to control drone flights over Afghanistan.

Until this week, British drones were operated only from a U.S. Air Force base in Nevada.

The Ministry of Defense announced Thursday that a new drone-operating squadron had begun operating from RAF Waddington in eastern England.

The ministry says the Reaper drones are used for "intelligence and surveillance missions," but also are equipped with missiles and bombs.

Opponents who are marching Saturday say drones make it too easy to launch deadly attacks from a distance and out of public sight.

The defense ministry says drone operators "adhere strictly to the same laws of armed conflict and are bound by the same clearly defined rules of engagement" as other RAF pilots.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/protesters-march-against-first-british-drone-133618292.html

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Residents united, for now, in Texas town wrecked by explosion

By Corrie MacLaggan

(Reuters) - A black wreath hangs on the door of the brick City Hall in West, Texas, which was closed Thursday and Friday so workers could attend funerals for some of the 14 people killed in the fertilizer plant explosion last week.

One block south, at the volunteer fire department, well-wishers have set up an impromptu shrine with flowers, wreaths, a wooden cross and a concrete statue of a firefighter. Eleven of the dead were emergency responders.

Before April 17, most Americans had never heard of the small, heavily Catholic city about 20 miles north of Waco, with Czech bakeries, farms and a population of 2,700. That changed on the night a fire and explosion at West Fertilizer Co gutted an apartment complex, battered a nursing home and left 200 people with burns and broken bones.

Before the catastrophe, West paramedic Bryce Reed and others would always say they were from "West comma Texas" to avoid confusion with the western part of Texas.

"Now, you don't have to do that anymore, and that sucks," said Reed, 31, whose best friend, a volunteer firefighter, died in the blast.

In the last week and a half, local residents have honored their dead, found classrooms for children whose schools were damaged and begun returning to homes that had been evacuated. President Barack Obama visited to express his support.

On Saturday, residents were allowed for the first time to visit their homes in the most heavily damaged part of town. City Hall is expected to reopen on Monday.

Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosion at the plant, where hazardous materials such as dry ammonium nitrate and liquid anhydrous ammonia were stored.

Resident Mandy Williams said that - as she ran down her street hearing the screams of her neighbors - two doors down, she encountered a woman who was missing part of her leg.

"It was blown off below the knee," Williams recalled. "I got it from another yard, brought it back to her, and put it down beside her. The whole time I'm just calling 911, trying to get through."

The tragedy brought out the best of West.

The town, named for prominent businessman and landowner Thomas M. West, started attracting Czech and German immigrants in 1900 because of the railroad, according to the Handbook of Texas Online, which is published by the Texas State Historical Association. Downtown still reflects West's Czech heritage with businesses such as Nors Sausage and Burger House and Olde Czech Corner.

Many of those who lost their homes were taken in by friends and family and given food and clothing by local churches, whose clergy urged their congregations to pray for the town.

Many residents did not blame the plant owner, lifelong West resident and octogenarian Donald Adair, who has stayed out of the public eye but issued a statement vowing to cooperate with the investigation. The fertilizer plant was important to farmers who grow corn, wheat, milo and cotton in the area. It was a place where they gathered for coffee and a chat.

"You don't prepare for a fertilizer plant to blow up," said Brian Uptmor, whose brother, William "Buck" Uptmor, was among the dead. Brian Uptmor said his brother had gone to try to rescue horses from a pasture near the plant.

Adair bought the plant in 2004 when it was threatened with closure, and local farmers said they appreciated him doing so because it meant they did not have to drive long distances for fertilizer and other supplies.

But a few residents expressed concern whether the plant was being properly supervised. They said that after Adair bought West Fertilizer, he focused his attention on his farming operation, leaving General Manager Ted Uptmore, now 80, and other staff in place. Cody Dragoo, a plant employee as well as a volunteer firefighter, died in the blast.

As time goes on and lawsuits against Adair mount up, it is clear that not everyone has sympathy for the owner. The plant was last inspected for safety in 2011, according to a risk management plan filed with the federal Environmental Protection Agency.

Among those suing are Bridgett and Roger Bowles. Their lawyer, Jason Gibson, said the roof of their house was lifted up and then slammed back down in the explosion. As a result, he said, Bridgett Bowles suffered a broken jaw, a concussion and a blown out eardrum.

"Most of the residents there were unsuspecting of what was going on right underneath their nose," Gibson said. "They don't know what's going on inside that plant. They assume it's a nice couple that owns it and they're operating it the way they should, and that wasn't the case."

"It was a preventable tragedy that was not prevented, and it should have been," he added.

Two of the lawsuits filed so far have accused Adair Grain Inc, parent company of West Fertilizer Co, of negligence.

The Insurance Council of Texas, which represents property insurers in the state, said insured losses from the explosion should reach at least $100 million, with 140 homes and an as yet unknown number of cars destroyed. Many victims were not insured, however, and the council said at least 180 families have sought financial assistance from the Red Cross.

A number of downtown businesses also suffered losses such as shattered windows and damaged roofs.

Last Sunday, City Council member Steve Vanek opened a community meeting with a prayer and assured residents they would stick together.

"We will stand by you until the last nail is driven," he said. "This may be months; this may be several years."

The devastation was in part overshadowed in the national media by the search for the suspects in the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings. But at a memorial service on Thursday in Waco, Obama told more than 9,000 mourners: "Know this, for the eyes of the world may have been fixed on places far away, our hearts have also been here through times of tribulation."

Emergency vehicles arrived from across Texas for the service honoring the dead firefighters, during which a bell sounded as each victim's name was read out loud. Volunteer firefighter Joey Pustejovsky was remembered for his dimple and his love of fried chicken.

"I'll always put a (chicken) leg aside for you," his grandmother said at the service.

Billy Lewis, a directional driller at an oil field who had driven to the wreckage of an apartment complex to try to free people trapped inside, is among the many locals who are sure the fire department and town will rebuild and be okay.

"Everybody's strong here, man," Lewis said. "It will bring people closer if anything."

(Writing by Corrie MacLaggan. Additional reporting by Karen Brooks, Jim Forsyth, Lisa Maria Garza, Laura Heinauer, Carey Gillam and Ben Berkowitz. Editing by Gunna Dickson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/residents-united-now-texas-town-wrecked-explosion-175532933.html

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Greg Laurie On Prayer In Times Of Grief

By Adelle M. Banks
Religion News Service

(RNS) Pastor Greg Laurie knows a thing or two about prayer in tough times.

The honorary chairman of this year's National Day of Prayer (May 2) says prayer was the only thing that got him through his son's death five years ago. When fellow megachurch pastor Rick Warren lost his son Matthew to suicide, Laurie was the man he most wanted to hear from.

Laurie, 60, who leads the evangelical Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., talked about prayer, grief and what not to say when a friend's loved one dies. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: The prayer you wrote for the National Day of Prayer mentions "random acts of horrific violence." How did you pray after the Boston Marathon bombings?

A: I prayed that comfort would be extended to those who had lost loved ones. I prayed for those who were injured. And I prayed for no more of these attacks to happen.

Q: Then there was an explosion at the Texas fertilizer plant. How did you pray about that?

A: Anytime there's human suffering and anytime people have lost loved ones, I pray that God will extend comfort to them because, having had our own son die five years ago, I've been up close and personal with grief and I know the very real pain that it brings into a person's life.

Q: It's been a difficult month for the nation with these back-to-back tragedies. Do you think people should be more drawn to prayer in times like this, or is it wrong to mostly call on God when we're in need?

A: I don't think it's ever wrong to call on God. Certainly it's far better if we're calling on him all the time. Quite frankly, sometimes crisis is what shows us a need that we had all along, which was the need to pray.

Q: Can you discuss your role in talking to Rick Warren after he lost his son to suicide?

A: I called him the day after it happened and he said, "You're the one person I've been waiting to hear from." We talked for a while about it. We prayed. I shared some things that I learned over the years after losing our own son and then I spoke just last Sunday at Saddleback Church. I brought a message of hope and encouragement to his congregation.

Q: What was your major piece of advice for them?

A: I said, I just want you to know that Rick is going to come through this. He's going to come through this stronger but I also want you to know this is the hardest thing that can happen to a parent -- to lose a child.

Q: What should people not say when a friend is grieving the loss of a child?

A: Don't say, "I know what you're going through" because you probably don't.

I've had people come up to me and say, "I know what you're going through. My grandmother just died." And I pointed out that everyone's grandmother and grandfather will die, then their parents, then them. But no one expects their child to die before them.

Or saying things like "Well, just rejoice and smile they're in heaven." Understand that though that is technically true, it is also true that that person is in deep pain and that can come off almost glib and uncaring.

Q: Can you talk briefly about your son's death?

A: He was 33. He was actually working for our church as our lead designer and was on his way to work and had an automobile accident and died.

Q: Has that experience changed the way you approach prayer?

A: It has shown me how much I need to pray. When it was all said and done, being a preacher didn't give me a leg up on this. I still was a grieving father missing a son. And in the initial moments after it happens, and the hours and the days after that, one wonders if you can even survive such a thing. I've found that prayer is what got me through the day. Sometimes it wasn't so much day by day, it was even hour by hour.

Q: So what's the message you're going to bring to Capitol Hill on the National Day of Prayer?

A: I am going to talk about how God promises to heal a nation if we will pray. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 he says, "If my people which are called by name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I'll forgive their sin and heal their land."

What I find interesting about that verse is God is not pointing his finger at the White House, so to speak, but at his house. I think that it's very easy for people in the church to point their fingers at Washington or Hollywood. In effect, God points his finger at his own people.

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/26/greg-laurie-on-prayer-in-times-of-grief_n_3167284.html

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