Sunday, September 2, 2012

Blasphemy case evokes fear in Pakistan Christian town

For Rafia Margaret, the case of a young Pakistani Christian girl accused of blasphemy rekindled horrifying memories of the day a furious mob smashed through her front door and torched her house.

On August 1, 2009 Margaret, then aged 28, had just finished breakfast at home in the Punjab town of Gojra when she heard the announcements over the mosque loudspeakers urging Muslims to attack the Christian quarter.

Minutes later an angry crowd massed outside her modest one-storey house in the Korian area of the town baying for revenge after rumours spread that Christians had desecrated a Koran.

As the pack swelled still further and violence erupted, she ran to her roof to judge the seriousness of the situation while her mother and ailing father sought refuge in a Muslim neighbour's house.

The sight of the tall, elegant girl on the roof enraged the mob still further and they began attacking her door.

"I was terrified, so frightened I couldn't think. I thought I was going to lose everything. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to climb over to the Muslim neighbour's house where my parents were hiding," she said.

"Just as I got there, they entered our home and set it on fire. My father had had heart surgery a few days earlier and when he went back and saw his house burned down, he died," she told AFP, weeping.

The Muslim mobs razed a total of 77 houses in Gojra, which lies 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the industrial hub of Faisalabad and had never before seen tensions between its 495,000 Muslims and 35,000 Christians.

Seven members of a family were killed in the violence.

The terror of that day came flooding back to Margaret two weeks ago when angry crowds massed in a poor Islamabad suburb to demand punishment for Rimsha, a young Christian girl accused of burning papers containing verses from the Koran.

Rimsha, aged 14 and mentally subnormal according to a medical report, was arrested on blasphemy charges on August 16 and has been held in prison ever since.

"When I heard a Christian girl had burnt the Koran in Islamabad, I felt unsafe in my home. I thought they might come to attack us again," said Margaret.

"Whenever something happens between Muslims and Christians across the country, I'm frightened that somebody might attack my house and our colony to take revenge," she said.

Blasphemy is an extremely sensitive subject in Pakistan, where 97 percent of the 180 million population are Muslims. Even unproven allegations of insulting Islam or desecrating the Koran can prompt anger and even violence.

Last month a 2,000-strong mob stormed a police station in central Pakistan to seize a mentally disturbed man accused of burning the Koran and beat him to death before burning his body.

And last year two leading politicians were assassinated after raising their voices against the blasphemy legislation, which includes the death penalty for insulting the prophet Mohammad.

In Korian, the focal point of the violence in 2009, newly built red-brick houses with freshly painted walls and street lights have turned the village into a model town.

But Shamaun Masih's children, who witnessed the rampage in 2009, are still traumatised.

"They always start weeping whenever they see something unusual. They still remember that violence. When they heard about Rimsha's case, they reacted as if it happened here... and they were scared of a fresh attack," he said.

Three years on from the Gojra carnage, Margaret's house has been rebuilt along with 75 others.

Compensation of 500,000 rupees ($5,200) was paid to the families of the dead and 100,000 rupees to those who lost their homes, but the people responsible for the bloody rampage went free.

The main witness of the case, Almas Hameed, who lost seven relatives and reported the case to police, fled the country with the rest of the family.

His house was the only one of those torched in the violence that has not been rebuilt, and notices summoning him to court as a witness remain pasted to his front door.

Christians are among Pakistan's most marginalised minorities, with many impoverished and trapped in dirty, menial jobs.

The new houses built for Christians in Korian have created further jealousy among Muslims in the area.

"They mock us now, saying we have got new houses but one day they will also be destroyed," said Khaliq Barkat, the priest of the local church.

As Rimsha goes into her third week in prison and her family hide for fear of violent reprisals, Margaret doubts Pakistan's Christians and Muslims will ever live in true harmony.

"I don't think it will ever come to an end. There is lack of wisdom and knowledge among our people. We need to learn to tolerate each other," she said, wiping away tears.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blasphemy-case-evokes-fear-pakistan-christian-town-034246033.html

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Staples Awards $800,000 | County Life Online | stoptbpartners.org

Commissioner Staples Awards $800,000 To Schools, Community Organizations To Reverse Rising?Economic?Cost?Of Obesity

Grants Fund Obesity Prevention Programs To Encourage Healthy Eating, Active Living

AUSTIN?In an ongoing effort to promote healthy lifestyles while battling childhood obesity, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples today announced $809,979 has been awarded to 158 schools and community organizations to expand or enhance obesity prevention and nutrition programs. The grants are administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture?s 3E?s Grant Programs, created to encourage better nutrition and healthier lifestyles among Texas schoolchildren.

?Taxpayers are picking up the tab for poor eating choices,? Commissioner Staples said.??If we are going to win the battle against obesity and its costly effect on our citizens, we must engage Texans of all ages to take personal responsibility to live a healthy lifestyle. The 3E?s Grant Programs reward schools and community organizations who invest in health and nutrition programs that teach children about the 3E?s of Healthy Living?Education, Exercise and Eating Right. This knowledge gives children the power to make their own healthy lifestyle decisions.?

According to the Texas Department of State Health Service, if current trends continue, 75 percent of Texas adults will be overweight or obese by the year 2040, with taxpayers picking up a tab as high as $39 billion a year for obesity-attributable health care costs. The 3E?s Grant Programs incentivize the creation of new?nutrition education programs in schools and childcare institutions, and reward the expansion of?existing?nutrition education programs in public schools.

Waco Independent School District will use a 3E?s grant to expand its Weekend Backpack Program, which sends food-insecure children home with nutritious, easy to prepare, non-perishable food on weekends and school holidays.

In Corsicana, Advance Child Care Inc. established a 52-week program called You Got 2 Move It that integrates nutrition education and fitness activities for children. The main goal of the program is to provide parents and educators with information and tools to get children to become more active. The program also provides daily feedback to parents about what their children are eating.

?With the attention on childhood obesity in America, it is critical?that we educate children during their developmental stage?about proper nutrition and daily exercise,? said Max Taylor, president and CEO of Advance Child Care Inc. ?Nutritional curriculum that accomplishes these objectives, along with nutritional guidance to the parent, will go a long way toward the fight against childhood obesity.?

A complete list of grant recipients can be found?here. For more information on the 3E?s Grant Programs, visit the TDA website at www.TexasAgriculture.gov?or contact the grants office at (512) 463-6695 or Grants@TexasAgriculture.gov.

This article and all associated content and photos are the sole property of CountyLifeOnline, LandMarc Multimedia LLC, or the contributing author of the work. Use without permission is expressly prohibited.

Source: http://countylifeonline.com/2012/08/30/staples-awards-800000/

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Source: http://stoptbpartners.org/1870/staples-awards-800000-county-life-online/

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Plumbing, Plumbers - Emergency Plumbers Chicago provides 24 ...

Emergency Plumbers Chicago provides a 24-hour live help line to assist homeowners, and businesses with that rare but inconvenient emergency plumbing failure that requires immediate attention.

Send Feedback to 815-600-8762
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Tweet This Chicago, Illinois- Besides the 24 hour emergency service there are many reason to use Emergency Plumbers Chicago. One of the best reasons is prior to selling or buying a home; have them come and fix all the leaking sinks, replace the broken garbage disposal, or non working flush toilet, inspect the hot water heater, and install new outdoor water faucet bibs. Now when it comes to emergency services they can provide hydro-jetting, which uses high pressure water pressure to eradicate even the most stubborn pipe clogged line. They can also perform trench less pipe installation, by repairing existing pipes or installing new ones without digging. Trench-less pipe replacement uses the old broken pipes to guide installation of new pipe.

Emergency Plumbers Chicago also follows a Code of Service Standards that covers their service so a customer never has to worry about being scammed, as the company maintains the highest professional standards of workmanship and service to every customer, and conduct business affairs with honesty and integrity. They never resort to unfair trade practices, and avoid misrepresentation of products and services, false promises, misleading advertising, or any other promotion that might lead to misconceptions on the part of the consumer.

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Product Review: Prescription Glasses from Firmoo ... - Tynga's reviews

I don?t review products very often, but when Firmoo reached to me to review prescription glasses I had to accept!

First because I?ve been dreaming of prescription sunglasses for years, but didn?t want to pay the big price, but also because many of us book lovers are glasses wearers and who wouldn?t want to know how to get a free pair? Without further intro, here are my thoughts!

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About Firmoo:

"Firmoo is the world's most popular online eyeglasses store. Vision and Fashion the Frugal Way is the ultimate goal of Firmoo, so it has always committed itself to providing customers with high-quality and fashionable eyewear at the most affordable prices. Years of expertise in optical industry enable firmoo.com to offer varieties of prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses in a frugal way and to be the ultimate fashion events guide. Since the establishment of our company, we have served over 300,000+ customers and now we also have 470,000+ fans on facebook. We have always been committed ourselves to offering customers the best quality products at the most affordable prices, 85%~90% lower than that in the brick-and-mortar optical stores. Moreover, all our glasses are free for first-time customers.

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As I mentioned in the intro, I?ve been dreaming of a pair of prescription sunglasses for years, so the first thing I did was hit their sunglasses tab! While the selection of sunglasses was somewhat limited, I found a pair that worked perfectly for me!

Here?s a pic of me wearing them at the lake:

DSCF1230

I really like them and I?m so glad I picked them! They are perfectly adjusted to my eyesight, fashionable and came with some really cool accessories!

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It was easy to put in an order, the glasses came in bubble wrapped and the shipping was quick enough, considering they are shipped from Asia.

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Now how about a free pair for yourself?

Make sure you take a look and browse the wide selection of glasses available!tynsig_thumb[1]_thumb


About the Blogger

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Tynga is a 26 years old French Canadian from Montreal, working as a lab technician in an hospital specialized in heart disease. In her free time, she enjoys reading all things Paranormal and blogging about them. You might also catch her watching an hockey game. Make sure to say hi on twitter!
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Source: http://www.tyngasreviews.com/2012/09/product-review-prescription-glasses.html

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Law change for benefit of victims | Stuff.co.nz

ANDREA VANCE AND NICCI MCDOUGALL

A legal loophole that allowed a rapist to move in next door to his victim is to be closed.

Justice Minister Judith Collins asked officials to investigate after she learned of an Invercargill woman who was left "a prisoner in her own home" when her attacker was released.

Collins will introduce legislation to Parliament later this year to create a new kind of protection order. Victims of serious sexual or violent crimes will be able to apply to a court to prevent their attacker living or working near their home.

The rape victim whose plight prompted the law change said she did not want anyone to go through the same experience.

"Hopefully it will help other people," she said.

Her attacker, who served a four-year sentence, moved into a property next to her city flat. Police were powerless to act because a protection order in place did not specify he could not live beside her.

"I felt horrible knowing what he did to me and knowing he was right next door. It makes me want to cringe," she said.

Collins said she was deeply affected by the case and would take the proposal to Cabinet in the next few weeks, creating a new order under the Harassment Act.

"There was a gap in the law. The order is designed to prevent unwanted contact with the offender and covers situations such as employment in addition to residence. It's a high test: it's not just 'I don't like you'.

"There has to be a victim of a serious violent or sexual offence who has to apply to the court. There is no requirement for the victim to prove the offender is deliberately trying to cause distress, which is very hard to prove."

The order will apply for a fixed term which could be indefinite. Breaching the order will attract a maximum six-month jail sentence or a fine of up to $5000. If there are two breaches within three years the maximum penalty will be increased to two years' imprisonment.

She anticipates it will only apply to "a handful" of people.

Collins said she would be happy for a select committee to consider if the relatives of murder victims should be eligible.

National has proposed a series of measures to crack down on sex offenders, including tough new penalties for child pornography offences, announced last month.

GPS tracking for at-risk offenders has just been adopted by the Corrections Department. Public protections will give the Government the power to indefinitely detain the worst paedophiles. And Corrections Minister Anne Tolley is currently considering a sex offenders register.

"The actions of child sex offenders are some of the most despicable crimes imaginable," Collins said.

"They destroy children's lives and families for generations to come."

Collins said people were often naive about how dangerous sex offenders could be.

"They are highly manipulative and often get themselves into positions of trust," she said. She recalled a law reform lobbyist asking her "if I'd hugged a paedophile".

"He thought we should be embracing them and they would be cured by all this love.

"I thought that was naive. Am I waging something of a campaign against them? Yes. And for those who think there is something wrong with that - they are wrong."

- ? Fairfax NZ News

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/7596286/Law-change-for-benefit-of-victims

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Saturday, September 1, 2012

Penn State coach Bill O'Brien tries to rally team, fans

Photo credit: AP | Penn State head coach Bill O' Brien, center, stands in front of his team on the field at Beaver Stadium as they watch a video on the scoreboard during a Football Eve rally in State College, Pa. Penn State opens its season at home Saturday against Ohio University. (Aug. 31, 2012)

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Two days before coaching his first game at Penn State, Bill O'Brien was asked during his local radio show if he planned to run onto the field with the team, a move sure to evoke echoes of the icon he is succeeding. When O'Brien confirmed that he plans to lead the Nittany Lions into Beaver Stadium Saturday afternoon against Ohio University, the radio host said, "It's your team, it's your team."

For the past 46 seasons, Penn State football and the university itself were synonymous with Joe Paterno, who was a paragon of success and virtue up until his firing last November in the wake of the child sex-abuse scandal involving former assistant Jerry Sandusky.

Since Paterno's death from cancer in January, Sandusky was convicted on 45 counts and the football program was hit with a $60-million fine, a four-year bowl ban and a limit of 65 scholarships (20 below the maximum) starting in 2014. The university took pains to distance itself from Paterno by removing a statue of him that had become a shrine for his devotees. That action came in response to an investigation led by former FBI director Louis Freeh that concluded that Paterno aided the cover-up of Sandusky's criminal conduct.

It takes a determined man to step into the deep well of emotion and anger that still engulfs Penn State's bucolic campus and fill the shoes of a legend, but O'Brien was embraced at Friday night's "Football Eve" pep rally by a crowd approaching 25,000. Basketball coach Patrick Chambers even introduced a new chant, "O-B," that he said was for "our fearless leader, Bill O'Brien, baby!"

When the team appeared and O'Brien addressed the crowd, he got right to the point. "This is a very special group of players led by a special senior class that made a commitment to Penn State," O'Brien said to raucous cheers.

The memory of Joe Pa lingers, but O'Brien already is putting his stamp on a new era of Penn State football. For the first time ever, the Nittany Lions' stubbornly plain blue and white uniforms will have player names on the back. The idea is to honor those players who stayed instead of transferring, as they were free to do after NCAA sanctions were handed down.

"When we decided to put the names on the back of the jerseys," O'Brien explained earlier this week, "I felt it was important for the people out there to really know who these kids were that stuck with this program, that stuck with this university."

Nine veterans transferred, including tailback Silas Redd. The current three-deep depth chart includes 12 true freshmen. Because Penn State will be playing shorthanded for years, the No. 1 priority for those sharing the foxhole is commitment.

In fact, O'Brien's motto -- "One Team" -- has been adopted by the entire State College community.

"You've got a group of guys that really understand they're in a very unique situation, but it has a chance to be a special situation," O'Brien said. "No matter what happens on the field, these guys have developed an unbreakable bond."

Of course, what happens on the field always has been the point around Happy Valley. "This is about a little bit more than football, and I understand that," O'Brien said. "But as we head into this first game and get out there on Saturday, it's about football."

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Source: http://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-football/penn-state-coach-bill-o-brien-tries-to-rally-team-fans-1.3943729

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NFL NOTEBOOK: Fan dies from fall in preseason game

A 25-year-old fan died after tumbling about 60 feet from a fifth-floor escalator at Reliant Stadium during a preseason Houston Texans game, officials said Friday.

The man fell to the ground floor during Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings, and frantic witnesses called police to report where his body had landed, police spokesman John Cannon said.

The fall appeared to be an accident, police said. The fan's name was not released because police were working to notify his family.

Backup quarterbacks were prominent among players cut as teams whittled their rosters to the 53-man maximum.

Nine-year veteran Seneca Wallace was beaten out by Colt McCoy in Cleveland, Mike Kafka fell to rookie Nick Foles and journeyman Trent Edwards in Philadelphia, Brian Hoyer got axed in New England, Josh McCown was released by Chicago and 12th-year pro Sage Rosenfels didn't make the cut in Minnesota.

Other veterans released as team's prepare for the regular season included 2005 Super Bowl MVP receiver

Deion Branch and center Dan Koppen in New England; defensive backs Joselio Hanson and O.J. Atogwe in Philadelphia; Pittsburgh offensive lineman Trai Essex and punter Jeremy Kapinos, who were waived injured; Buffalo DT Dwan Edwards; New York Giants running back D.J. Ware, who won two Super Bowls with the team; and 10th-year cornerback Drayton Florence with Denver.

Other notable cuts included:

Running back Tim Hightower

of Washington. The Redskins also let go safety Tanard Jackson, who was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

Cornerback Alphonso Smith and punter Ryan Donahue of the Detroit Lions.

Former Pro Bowl punter Mat McBriar of the Eagles.

Veteran defensive ends Dave Ball (UCLA) and Leger Douzable were placed on IR by the Tennessee Titans.

Former first-round draft pick Vernon Gholston of the St. Louis Rams.

Outside linebacker Clark Haggans, a 12-year NFL veteran, by the Arizona Cardinals.

Long snapper Justin Snow, who had played in 192 straight games for the Indianapolis Colts, the second-longest streak in franchise history behind Peyton Manning.

Fullback Rock Cartwright of the San Francisco 49ers.

The NFL and its on-field officials' union began negotiating again, hoping to end the lockout that resulted in replacement officials working the preseason.

The league locked out the NFL Referees Association in early June, then hired replacements, whose work in exhibition games has been heavily criticized.

Earlier this week, NFL executive Ray Anderson said the regular season would open with replacement officials and that the league was prepared to use them "as much ... as necessary" afterward.

Backup QBs are biggest names cut

League, officials' union talking again

Also ...

Arizona will go with John Skelton as starting quarterback over Kevin Kolb in its season opener Sept. 9 against Seattle, coach Ken Whisenhunt said. ... Carolina acquired safety Colin Jones from San Francisco in exchange for a future unconditional draft pick. ... Minnesota rookie safety Harrison Smith was fined $21,000 by the NFL for a hit on San Diego receiver Mike Willie on Aug. 24.

Source: http://www.sgvtribune.com/sports/ci_21447894/nfl-notebook-fan-dies-from-fall-preseason-game?source=rss

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