Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Mother of Mo. Sen. McCaskill dies at age 84

(AP) ? The mother of Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill has died.

McCaskill's campaign said that 84-year-old Betty Anne Ward McCaskill died Monday at her home in St. Louis. The Democratic senator had said Saturday that her mother suffered from "acute cardio-renal failure" and had lost consciousness at several points in recent days.

Starting last Tuesday, McCaskill canceled most events in her re-election campaign against Republican Todd Akin in order to spend time with her mother.

Betty Anne McCaskill was a political trailblazer in her own regard. She was the first woman elected to the Columbia, Mo., City Council in 1971. She also aided her daughter's campaigns over the years, oftentimes drawing attention to the rising costs of health care for seniors.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-10-29-Obit-McCaskill's%20Mother/id-683d357f753b402b92088fbcc22e211f

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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Iron Nazi space Buddha may be fake, definitely from space

In a report released online, a Buddhism expert writes that the features of the statue are 'pseudo-Tibetan' and are more likely to be a European reproduction

By Stephanie Pappas,?LiveScience Senior Writer / October 25, 2012

A Buddha statue dating back to the 8th to 10th centuries is carved from a rare iron meteorite.

Elmar Buchner

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Researchers who reported that a potentially ancient Buddha statue is carved from a meteorite said they are not surprised that an expert in Buddhist history believes the statue to be a fake.

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"Honestly, that is what we expected," said Elmar Buchner, who along with his colleague?reported on the statue in September?in the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science. "We heard so many opinions from so many experts in art history and experts for Buddhism on the origins and the age of the statue prior to and after the publication."

The most public of these consultations is a new report from Achim Bayer, a Buddhism expert at Dongguk University in South Korea. In a report released online, Bayer writes that the features of the statue are "pseudo-Tibetan" and are?more likely to be a European reproduction?dating from 1910 to 1970 than a true ancient carving dating back 1,000 years, as Buchner and his colleagues had estimated.

Bayer did not contest that the statue is a made of meteorite

"The non-Asian features of the 'lama wearing trousers' should be immediately obvious to any scholar in the field," Bayer wrote, referring to the statue as a "lama" or guru. The shoes, pants and sleeves of the man's garments are all wrong for ancient Tibet, he wrote. The statue's hands, eyes and ears are also shaped unusually for Tibetan art, he said.

The statue was said to have come to Germany in the possession of a pre-World War II scientific expedition commissioned by the?Nazi party. Bayer called that into question, too, saying there is no documentation of the statue's transfer and arguing that it is more likely a fake created in the 20th century for the antique or Nazi-memorabilia market.

"For us, Bayer's hypothesis is just one opinion," Buchner wrote in an email to LiveScience. "However, we cannot decide whether this hypothesis is valid or not because we are not the experts in art history, and we told the press that our assumptions are speculative, accordingly," wrote Buchner, who is a geologist.

The geochemical analysis of the meteorite is still sound, Buchner said. The team found that the material used to make the statue is a rare type of iron- and nickel-rich meteorite from a meteorite fall along the Siberian-Tibetan border. [Top 5 Weirdest Meteorites]

That cosmic origin brings up one more mystery in the tale of the controversial space Buddha.

"I think it is not convincing that anybody took a very precious meteorite to produce a reproduction for the local antique market!?" Buchner wrote.

Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter?@sipappas?or LiveScience?@livescience. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/PUlwSpVZhE4/Iron-Nazi-space-Buddha-may-be-fake-definitely-from-space

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Friday, October 19, 2012

What women want: Is it abortion, contraception, and equal pay ? or jobs?

The Obama campaign is targeting so-called 'women's issues,' as Romney doubles down on an appeal to women on a promise for more and better jobs. The presidential race could turn on who gets it right.

By Liz Marlantes,?Correspondent / October 18, 2012

Ann Romney speaks to a crowd at an Elizabethtown College rally on Monday. Mrs. Romney called on women voters hit especially hard by the recession to rally behind her husband, saying they would have a brighter future under a Mitt Romney presidency.

Dan Marschka/Intelligencer Journal/AP

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What do women want?

Skip to next paragraph Liz Marlantes

Correspondent

Liz Marlantes covers politics for the Monitor and is a regular contributor to the Monitor's political blog, DC Decoder.

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Aside from not being relegated to binders (just kidding!), the answer to that question, it seems, may very well determine the outcome of the presidential election. And so far, President Obama and Mitt Romney are banking on very different sets of priorities held by the women they?re hoping to win ? by which we mean primarily blue-collar, suburban so-called ?waitress moms,? who are economically strapped but also tend to be socially moderate on issues like abortion.

Mr. Romney is hoping that those women care, first and foremost, about jobs and the economy. Although he?s been trying to modulate his stance on issues like abortion, saying in a recent interview that he did not know of any anti-abortion legislation he would push for, he?s really urging women to put so-called ?women?s issues? on the back burner and vote instead for the candidate they think would do the most for the economy and job creation.

Tellingly, a new Romney ad features a mom talking into the camera about how Romney ?doesn?t oppose contraception at all,? and believes abortion ?should be an option in cases of rape, incest, or to save the mother?s life.? She continues, as the camera shows her kids doing their homework: ?This issue is important to me. But I?m more concerned about the debt our children will be left with. I voted for President Obama last time. But we just can?t afford four more years.?

Mr. Obama, on the other hand, is counting on those ?women?s issues? being a top priority for many female voters. And he routinely makes the point that they often are economic issues ? equal pay is clearly a pocketbook matter, and paying for your own birth control, if insurance won?t cover it, is a not-insignificant expense for many women.

As for abortion, well, the Obama campaign has a new ad out responding to the above-mentioned Romney ad by showing footage of Romney in a GOP primary debate, being asked: ?If Roe v. Wade was overturned and Congress passed a federal ban on all abortions, would you sign it?? Romney responded: ?I?d be delighted to sign that bill.? The spot concludes: ?Ban all abortions? Only if you vote for him.?

The question is, which argument is more likely to succeed?

According to a recent Gallup poll of women voters in 12 swing states, Obama may have an edge: When asked what they viewed as the ?most important issue for women in this election,? the top response by far was abortion, at 39 percent. That was followed by jobs (19 percent), health care (18 percent), the economy (13 percent), and equal pay (15 percent).

However, it?s worth noting that it's unclear which side of the abortion issue those women who chose it as "most important" fall on. And since the question specifically asked women about the most important issue ?for women,? not just the most important issue overall, it may have directed respondents to think more specifically about ?women?s issues? than they otherwise would have. A previous Gallup poll asking women which issues they viewed as most important found health care was the top response, followed by the deficit and the national debt.

All of which probably means the verdict is still out.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/zLV5hkALBZI/What-women-want-Is-it-abortion-contraception-and-equal-pay-or-jobs

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Dennis Quaid?s Wife Kimberly Files For Divorce

Dennis Quaid’s Wife Kimberly Files For Divorce

Actor Dennis Quaid’s wife Kimberly has filed for legal separation, just months after she retracted her divorce petition to try and give their marriage another [...]

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Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/10/dennis-quaids-wife-kimberly-files-for-divorce/

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Family-friendly Halloween events - Entertainment - The Orange ...

For those looking for some fun Halloween events appropriate for all little boys and ghouls, there is plenty happening in Orange County this spooky season, including costume parties and parades, trick-or-treating events, Halloween themed-craft-making and more.

For more Halloween events, go to ocregister.com/events.

Park-goers pose for photos next to a giant Mickey "Jack-o-Lantern" on Main Street during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, an after-hours, trick-or-treat party at Disneyland.

KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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NORTH ORANGE COUNTY

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

On select nights, adults and kids alike can visit Disneyland in costume to trick-or-treat in the ultimate "neighborhood." Pose for photo ops with costumed Disney characters, ride Halloween-themed attractions, enjoy a special dance party, a parade and more. This event also allows guests to enter the park up to three hours before the party. Details: 6 p.m. Oct. 23, 29 and 31; 7 p.m. Oct. 19 and 26. Disneyland, 1580 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. Advanced: $54-$69; Advanced, pass holders: $46-$69; day of event: $64-$69.

Halloween Kids' Fest at 300 Anaheim

Dress up in costume to trick-or-treat with Tommy Ten Pin and play one free game of bowling (shoes included). Also enter a costume contest for kids 12 and under; the winner will receive birthday party for 10, goodies from 300 Anaheim and other local businesses. RSVP recommended. Details: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 28. 300 Anaheim Bowling & Entertainment Center, 321 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim. One free game and shoes. 714-783-2821.

Anaheim Fall Festival and Halloween Parade

The Fall Festival features game and food booths, live entertainment, a craft fair, a haunted house, a pumpkin patch, a children's costume contest, a doggy costume contest and trick-or-treating. Costume parade starts at 6 p.m. Details: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 27. Center Street Promenade, Downtown Anaheim, 201 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim. Free admission. 714-999-3456.

Halloween Celebration

The Halloween Celebration will feature a costume contest, music and games. Details: Noon Oct. 28. Anaheim Indoor Marketplace, 1440 South Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim. Free admission. 714-999-0888.

Haunted Gingerbread House Workshops

Kids of all ages are invited to partake in building and decorating their own haunted gingerbread houses. Reservations required. Details: Noon-2 p.m. Oct. 20, 27 and 28. Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen, 1590 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim. $48. 714-776-5200.

Kidz Block Party

Halloween event at Downtown Brea featuring face-painting, pony rides, games, bounce house, petting zoo, rock climbing wall, raffles, prizes, entertainment and free candy. Details: 5-9 p.m. Oct. 31. Brea Downtown, E. Birch Street and S. Brea Boulevard, Brea. Free admission.

VamPirates Halloween Dinner & Show Spooktacular

Pirates Dinner Adventure is featuring a special Halloween show with a costume parade and contest, a four-course meal and a theatrical show on the high seas with vampire pirates, or "VamPirates." Details: 7 p.m. Oct. 25, 29, 30 and 5 p.m. Oct. 31. Pirates Dinner Adventure, 7600 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. Adults: $57.95; kids 3-11: $38.95; kids under 3: free. 866-439-2469.

Snoopy's Costume Party in Camp Spooky

Knott's invites you to dress in costume and visit Snoopy's Costume Party in Camp Spooky. This daytime, non-scare celebration features shows, activities and trick-or-treating for kids ages 3-11. Kids can take part in the "Monster Dance Party and Costume Parade," sing and dance along with the Peanuts gang at the "Peanuts Halloween Spooktacular" and walk through the "Haunted Harvest" cornfield maze. Details: 10 a.m.-5:30 Saturdays and Sundays in October. Knott's Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. Event included in regular admission price: $35.99-$57.99 adults; $25.99-$57.99 ages 3-11 and 62 and over.714-220-5200.

21st Annual Mustang Madness Halloween Car Show

Enjoy entertainment, food, raffles, vendors and trophies for 42 driver's choice classes plus best of show. Costume contests for adults and kids and special prize for best decorated car. Details: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 28. Ken Grody Ford, 6211 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. Spectators: Free; car registration: $30-$40. 949-584-5111.

Family Friendly Halloween Costume Party

Come to this family friendly Halloween costume party benefiting the Make-A-Wish foundation. Activities will include cake decorating, a bounce house, a costume contest, raffle, music, games, food and more. Details: 4-9 p.m. Oct. 20. Elks Lodge #2046, 7212 Melrose St., Buena Park. Admission: $3-$5. Laurie Ruhnke 714-292-8241.

City of Cypress Halloween Carnival

Family friendly Halloween carnival with family games, entertainment and trick-or-treating. Food will be sold for an additional cost at the event. Professional pictures will be available for $10 (cash only). Details: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 31. Cypress Community Center, 5700 Orange Ave., Cypress. Admission: $3; kids under 1: free. 714-229-6780.

Trunk or Treat

Bring the family to an evening full of fun Halloween activities in a safe environment. There will be a Halloween costume contest, fun games with prizes, bar-b-que and more. Details: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 27. Fullerton Family YMCA, 2000 Youth Way, Fullerton. Free admission with a donation of kid zone supplies. 714-879-9622.

Kids Halloween Party at Fullerton Arboretum

For our younger Halloween lovers, there will be a special kids party in the afternoon featuring a costume parade, pumpkin patch tours, crafts, games and a few surprises. This is suitable for children ages 3-5; must be accompanied by an adult. Details: 1-3 p.m. Oct. 27. Fullerton Arboretum, 1900 Associated Road, Fullerton. $6 per child. 657-278-3407.

Happy House Halloween

Happy House is a Halloween alternative event. This year's theme is Superhero Factory. The event features free food, trick-or-treating through the dorms, superhero training, carnival games, haunted halls (through the dorms), live music, a discovery zone and bounce houses. Details: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 31. Hope International University, 2500 Nutwood Ave., Fullerton. Free. 714.879.3901, ext. 2692.

Spooktacular Kids Halloween Haunt & Party

The party features a costume contest, spooky showcases, fun Halloween games, cakewalk, lots of free candy and a haunted house with special effects. Details: 7 p.m. Oct. 28. The Bea Hive Dance Studio, 9627 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove. Admission: costume: $5; no costume: $8. 714-638-5601.

Youth Halloween Party at La Habra 300 Bowl

La Habra 300 Bowl will be hosting a youth Halloween party for ages 8-18 featuring cosmic bowling, costume contests, raffle prizes, pizza and candy. Details: 3-6 p.m. Oct. 27. La Habra 300 Bowl, 370 E. Whittier Blvd., La Habra. $20. 562-691-6721.

Halloween Carnival

This yearly spooktacular event features a fabulous costume contest for ghouls and boys with special prizes in each age division. This year's Halloween spookfest will feature carnival games, a "Goblin Gulch" for children under age 5 and a haunted area. Event will be canceled in the event of rain. Details: 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 31. City of La Palma Central Park, 7821 Walker St., La Palma. Free admission. 714- 690-3350.

The Treats in the Streets

Free community event including games, trick-or-treating, a costume parade and entertainment for participants of all ages. Local nonprofit groups provide delicious food and tasty treats for a nominal fee. Details: 4 p.m. Oct. 25. Old Towne Orange Plaza, N. Glassell St, Orange. Free admission. 714-744-7293.

Trunk or Treat

Trunk or Treat is a safe, family-friendly alternative for Halloween. Wear a costume for the contest and visit decorated trunks to trick-or-treat for candy. There will be a bounce house, face painting, games, food and lots of candy. Details: 4-6 p.m. Oct. 27. Placentia Presbyterian Church, 849 N. Bradford Ave., Placentia. Free admission. 714-528-1438.

Spooky Science

Spooky Science returns to Discovery Science Center this October. Packed with tons of fun activities including a scavenger hunt, a spooky science photo and Thor's Snake Show (on select dates: Oct 20, 21, 27 and 28). Plus, all children 17 and under will receive an awesome goodie bag. Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 20-31.Discovery Science Center, 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana. Adult (15+): $14.95; kids (3-14) and seniors (62+): $12.95. 714-542-2823.

Trunk or Treat Fall "Feastival"

This annual Fall "Feastival" will be complete with food, a chili cook-off, games, a glow room, an inflatable slide, trunk-or-treating and more. Bring a canned food item for the Caring Hands Food Pantry and get a glow bracelet. Details: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 26. Messiah Lutheran Church, 4861 Liverpool St., Yorba Linda. Presale: 50 cents per ticket; day of event: $1 per ticket. 714-528-8213.

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COASTAL

Halloween Spooktacular

A spooktacular?themed holiday concert with spooky music including Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain" and selections from the "Harry Potter" movies. Be sure to wear a costume. Details: 10 and 11:30 a.m. Oct. 20. Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $19-$39. 714-755-5799.

Halloween Foodtacular

Food Truck Fare will get spooky with the Halloween Foodtacular; a variety of gourmet food trucks with Halloween-themed menu items, a DJ, a cash bar with adult "spirits," truck-to-truck trick-or-treating for kids, and more. Family-friendly costumes encouraged. Details: 5:30-9 p.m. Oct. 31. OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. Admission and parking: free; food prices vary per truck. 714-708-1500.

Halloween Concert with Gods of Thunder KISS Tribute

The fourth annual Fall Concert Series at the Orange County Market Place features a thunderous Halloween concert featuring KISS tribute band Gods of Thunder. Dress in costume and makeup like any of the band members for a chance to win a matching Mr. Potato Head KISS character. Best overall costume wins the entire set of KISS spuds. Details: Noon-3 p.m. Oct. 27. OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. $2 or free admission with canned food item; kids 12 and under: free. 949-723-6660.

Pumpkins and Pancakes

South Coast Plaza's 21st annual children's Halloween extravaganza features a gourmet pancake breakfast, live entertainment, prizes and arts and crafts. Details: 8 a.m.-11. Oct. 28. Crate & Barrel/Macy's Home Store wing at South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. $30 per person; $25 for groups of 10 and older; $35 at the door; kids 2 and younger: free. 714-619-5158.

15th Annual Trick or Treat Festival & Halloween Hearse Show

The festival will feature the annual Hearse Show (10 a.m.), free sugar skull painting with frosting for kids (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), daytime trick-or-treating for kids in costume (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), a dead-celebrity costume contest for ages 13 and older (2 p.m.), a kids costume parade and the second annual I Scream for Ice Cream Contest. Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 28. Orange County Market Place, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. General admission: $2; kids 12 and younger: free. 949-723-6660.

Doheny State Beach Halloween Haunt

A section of the Doheny campground will be transformed into a spooky area with educational booths, arts and crafts, a fun zone and other fun activities. Details: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 20. Doheny State Beach, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. Free admission; bring one can of food per person. 949-496-6172.

Halloween 2012 at the Ocean Institute

Join the Ocean Institute for a family-friendly day of Halloween fun. Guests can trick-or-treat through the Ocean Institute, listen to a scary story from a pirate ghost and make a creepy critter craft. Throughout the day, guests can also participate in spooky science labs: Tidepool Terrors, Vampires of the Deep, Ghastly Goo Science Lab and Cow Eye Dissection. There will also be a kids costume contest and prizes for the most scary, best ocean-themed and most eco-friendly costumes. Details: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 28. Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. Adults: $6.50; kids (4-12): $4.50; kids in costume: free. 949-496-2274.

Halloween Spooktacular & Moonlight Movie

The city of Dana Point will host spooky fun including Halloween cupcake decorating and a best carved or decorated pumpkin contest for ages 3-10 (bring your already carved or decorated pumpkin). There will also be a children's costume parade with a free treat for each child. At 6:15 p.m., stay for the moonlight movie "Monster House," rated PG. Free popcorn during the movie and refreshments also available for purchase. Details: 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Oct. 26. Lantern Bay Park, 25111 Park Lantern, Dana Point. Free. 949-248-3530.

Halloween Boo Cruise

The haunted vessel, Sum Fun, will be cruising the harbor every 20 minutes. This event is fun for the whole family and there will be a costume contest on every cruise. There will be lots of goodies for the little ones, so be sure to dress in your best Halloween attire. Details: 5-7 p.m. Oct. 26. Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. $5; kids 1 and under: free. 949-496-5794.

Halloween Creatures of the Night

Guests can don spooky costumes and celebrate Halloween with Creatures of the Night, a unique treat for the five senses with activities that include the Shadow Game, a Ghoulish Smell, Bump in the Night, Monster Madness, Let Me Pick Your Brain and Candy Bar Taste Test. Details: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 25-27. The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, One Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point. $65 per person. 949-240-2000.

Howling Halloween in the Park

Family and pet friendly Halloween event with safe trick-or-treating for kids and dogs in costume. Featuring costume contests, games for kids and dogs, vendors of all types, pet adoptions, gourmet food trucks, drinks and more. Details: Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 21. Fountain Valley Recreation Center and Sports Park, 16400 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley. Free admission. 877-215-7297.

Main Street Halloween Celebration

Free event for children of all ages, this annual Halloween celebration features a moon bounce, a petting zoo, a Ferris wheel, pumpkin carving, costume contests and more. Children can trick-or-treat along Main Street and enter a costume contest. Also, feel free to dress up your dogs and bring them along, as this event is pet friendly. Details: 4-8 p.m. Oct. 31. Main Street Huntington Beach, 1000 Main St., Huntington Beach. Free admission. 714-536-8300.

Family Fright Zone Friday

A spooky twist on Family Fun Zone Fridays, this event features spooky storytelling, crafts, face painting, magic shows and live entertainment. Dress in costume and march in our Howlin' Halloween Costume Parade. Participate in the Monster Mash, the Mummy Wrap and other Halloween activities. Details: 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 26. ExplorOcean/Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, 600 E. Bay Ave., Newport Beach. Members: free; non-members: $2. 949-675-8915.

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SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY

Halloween Fair and Haunted House

A family-friendly Halloween-themed fair and haunted house (recommended for children 10 and up). Proceeds benefit Soka University student clubs. Details: 6-10 p.m. Oct. 26 and 27.Soka University, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo. Free admission; $5 for haunted house. 949-480-4081.

Fall Harvest Festival

Celebrate fall with family games, pony rides, arts and crafts, balloon twisters, DJ entertainment and a costume parade at 10:30 a.m. Also, bring three canned food items and be entered in an opportunity drawing to win a prize. Details: 10 a.m.-noon. Oct. 20. Grand Park, 26703 Aliso Creek Rd., Aliso Viejo. Free admission. 949-243-7747.

Trick or Treat at the Senior Center

Little ghouls and goblins can trick or treat on Halloween morning with special trick-or-treat stations, snacks and Halloween activities. Pre-registration is recommended. Walk-ups will be accepted while supplies last. Preschools and organizations must pre-register. Details: 9:30- 11 a.m. Oct. 31. Lakeview Senior Center, 20 Lake Road, Irvine. $2 per child. 949-724-6908.

A Ghostly Affair

A Ghostly Affair includes ghoulish snacks, exciting games, face-painting, Halloween crafts, tons of prizes and plenty of opportunities for great pictures. Dress in costume and join the fun. Details: Ages 6 and under: 5-5:45 p.m.; ages 7-12: 5:45-8 p.m. Oct. 27. Laguna Hills Community Center & Sports Complex, 25555 Alicia Parkway, Laguna Hills. Resident: $5; non-resident: $10. 949-707-2680.

Hometown Halloween

Hometown Halloween includes game booths, crafts, pony and hay rides, food and a pint-size haunted house. Trick-or-treating kicks off at 6 p.m. and lasts until the candy runs out. Also enjoy live music and participate in a costume parade. Details: 4-8 p.m. Oct. 27. Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. 949-768-0981.

Seventh Annual Halloween Pumpkin Patch at Irvine Park Railroad

This pumpkin patch is a fun event for the entire family with train rides, hundreds of pumpkins, a kid-friendly haunted house, a hay maze, a moon bounce, carnival games, food and more. Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 22-26, 29-31; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28. Irvine Park Railroad, Irvine Regional Park, Orange. Free admission; prices for activities vary. 714-997-3968.

Halloween Zoo-tacular

Visit the OC Zoo for some Halloween fun. See the animals receive treat-filled pumpkins throughout the day and enjoy activities including kids crafts, trick-or-treating, a scavenger hunt and face-painting. The first 100 children in costume (ages 12 and under) will receive a free gift. Details: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 27. Orange County Zoo, 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange. Free with zoo admission; $2 per person; ages 2 and under admitted free; parking: $5 per vehicle. 714-973-6847.


Source: http://www.ocregister.com/entertainment/halloween-374850-costume-oct.html

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Anheuser-Busch follows Nike in dropping Armstrong sponsorship

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Painkiller Abuse by Kids Way Up, Study Finds - iVillage

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 17 (HealthDay News) -- The rate of prescription painkiller abuse among American youth is 40 percent higher than in previous generations, and it is now the second most common type of illegal drug use after marijuana, according to a new study.

The current generation's abuse of prescription pain medications such as vicodin, valium and oxycontin is "higher than any generation ever measured," study author Richard Miech, a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado, Denver, said in a university news release.

The researchers analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 1985 to 2009, and found that prescription painkiller abuse led to:

  • A 129 percent increase in emergency department visits between 2004 and 2009.
  • A more than 500 percent increase in the number of people seeking treatment for addiction to prescription opioids between 1997 and 2007.
  • A threefold increase in accidental overdose deaths between the 1990s and 2007.

There are now more deaths due to accidental overdoses of prescription painkillers than due to overdoses of cocaine and heroin combined, Miech said.

Many factors contribute to the increasing abuse of prescription painkillers by youth, including greater availability. For example, the number of hydrocodone and oxycodone products prescribed legally in the United States increased from about 40 million in 1991 to nearly 180 million in 2007, according to the study, which was published Oct. 16 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

There are more of these drugs in people's medicine cabinets, Miech said, and if the drugs are not kept under lock and key they are easy to steal.

"Most people recognize the dangers of leaving a loaded gun lying around the house," Miech said. "What few people realize is that far more people die as a result of unsecured prescription medications."

The findings suggest that current efforts to prevent prescription painkiller abuse are not effective, and "it is critical that we devise a strategy to deal with an epidemic that shows little sign of ebbing," Miech said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has more about prescription drug abuse.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/painkiller-abuse-kids-way-study-finds/4-a-494977

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Browser and OS stats ? PaymentEvolution Blog

Recently our friends over at Xero posted some stats on small businesses?and the browsers / operating systems they use to access their accounting data. In the spirit of transparency ? here?s a quick look at the statistics for PaymentEvolution Payroll (our online secure app for processing your payroll):

1 month Sept 16 to Oct 16 2012

PaymentEvolution - browser stats 2012

Browser usage 2012 period

1 month Sept 16 to Oct 16 2011 (previous year)

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PaymentEvolution - browser stats 2011

Browser usage 2011 period

What?s most interesting to us (aside from the rapid decline in Internet Explorer usage) is the rate at which non-PC devices has grown. Cloud-based services like ours open up the possibility for small business owners to run their business from any computing platform they choose. And our clients have clearly voted ? Mac and iOS (not shown) has gone from under 3% of our secure app traffic to now over 1/3. We?ve spoken to several clients that now exclusively run their business on iPads. While that in of itself may not be news today ? the fact that these business owners can run their business on mobile devices means?freedom. Freedom from having to operate from your desk. Freedom from having to run your business during ?regular business hours?. And most importantly, the freedom to do everyday business tasks (like bookkeeping and payroll) from anywhere.

This is amazing change in a very short period of time. Obviously, if your old desktop payroll software can?t keep up ? we can recommend one that will :)

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Source: http://blog.paymentevolution.com/2012/10/17/browser-and-os-stats/

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Leaves of carob tree, source of chocolate substitute, fight food-poisoning bacteria

ScienceDaily (Oct. 17, 2012) ? Leaves of the plant that yields carob -- the substitute for chocolate that some consider healthier than chocolate -- are a rich source of antibacterial substances ideal for fighting the microbe responsible for listeriosis, a serious form of food poisoning, according to a report in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Nadhem Aissani and colleagues explain that the increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria has fostered a search for new natural substances to preserve food and control disease-causing microbes. They cite a need for new substances to combat Listeria monocytogenes, bacteria that caused food poisoning outbreaks in a dozen states with three deaths so far this year. Carob has attracted attention as a potential antibacterial substance, but until now, scientists had not tested it against Listeria. Carob may be best-known as a substitute for chocolate that does not contain caffeine or theobromine, which makes chocolate toxic to dogs.

Their report describes tests in which extracts of carob leaves proved effective in inhibiting the growth of Listeria bacteria growing in laboratory cultures. Further, it offers a possible explanation for the antibacterial action. The results were promising enough for the scientists to plan further tests of carob extracts on Listeria growing in meat and fish samples.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Chemical Society.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Nadhem Aissani, Valentina Coroneo, Sami Fattouch, Pierluigi Caboni. Inhibitory Effect of Carob (Ceratonia siliqua) Leaves Methanolic Extract onListeria monocytogenes. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2012; 60 (40): 9954 DOI: 10.1021/jf3029623

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_health/~3/IpmEl0dQOKo/121017141805.htm

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Guidelines In Regards To The Wedding Photography - The Yellow Ads

You are here: Home / Marriage / Guidelines In Regards To The Wedding Photography ? Assist You To Organize Your Particular Occasion



Make specific to take into account as numerous photographs as you possibly can in your wedding reception. These pictures will invariably assistance remind you from the memorable moments you had been in the great day. To possess the capability to capture every single moments in the excellent way you need to execute a big amount of organizing. Employing an specialist wedding digital photographer must leading their e mail list.

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It is best which you develop a listing on what shots really should be taken during the specific occasion, select the one particular with fantastic places, and gather just about every important things all through the marriage. Beneath are the crucial guidelines that may well assist you for making your photographs really distinctive and outstanding.

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The incredibly very first element as pointed out above could be to search for a specialist wedding digital photographer ahead of time by evaluating the expert?s qualifications coupled with other information and facts. Ought to you be unable to contact or get his service earlier you will not possess the capability to find excellent photography fanatics. After you have chosen the digital photographer that you will need it can be crucial that you train him and basically inform him all your requirements.

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That you are able to basically inform him all of the particulars concerning the essential moments you enjoy to become taken, the several places together with your relatives that?ll be included to make sure that he will be organize for that activity. Develop a comprehensive listing of shots that you?d prefer to be taken and inform him from the items he have to do all through the significant occasion.

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A lot more generally than not, you?ll miss lots of people inside your photographs, especially a number of your nearest relatives. To avert this sort of circumstance, it is ideal should you designate a household coordinator to assist the photographer on finding snapshots of all the substantial visitors devoid of missing anybody. It?s going to probably be a fantastic relief for you personally personally offered that they are able to proceed using the ceremony.

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Preparation is crucial to be able to acquire the ideal wedding photographs. It is best to check out some on the fantastic locations nearby which you would prefer to capture pics of. All through the marriage it is possible to turn to these places and request the digital photographer to take a image of you as well as your spouse.? You will discover some instances that the digital photographer brings along his help or staff to assist him on the major occasion. You will find some shots which have been hard to take. If these sounds like your predicament make certain you?ve decided on the cost or package and receiving his staff will not result in more charges.

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This is where weddings Adelaide comes in from. Their unique technique will dazzle you and you will never forget your experience and the wedding photography adelaide will provide you with.

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Source: http://www.theyellowads.com/relationships/guidelines-in-regards-to-the-wedding-photography-assist-you-to-organize-your-particular-occasion/

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Get Hooked on Crowd Funding! | WomensRadio

About Pat Lynch

In 1969 at the age of 25, Pat Lynch, having already served as the Press Secretary for a U.S. Senator and Congressman, founded her first advertising agency in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Lynch was the first woman to begin an advertising agency single-handedly in the South. By 1977, she had been listed twice in The World?s Who?s Who of Women and most recently in the International Who?s Who and Strathmore?s Who?s Who.

In 1996, she began Women?s Online Media and Education Network (W.O.M.E.N.) which produces WomensRadio, in order to ?give women a greater voice!? WomensRadio, a converging medium, had its beginning on the Web as a rich, content Website for women leaders. In 2001, her company also began WomensCalendar. Today it is the largest databank of women?s events in the world, #1 in all the major search engines and reaching hundreds of thousands of women leaders each week. In the summer of 2004, the company launched the SpeakerSpot, a dynamic speaker referral program which can be accessed by meeting planners internationally. In 2005, the company introduced a new audio production tool for the Web, AudioAcrobat?, that is now the state-of-the-art, audio and video production, streaming and Podcasting Web-based media tool. This service helps everyone to have audio and/or video streaming in their emails and on their Websites. It is the tool of choice for hundreds of broadcasting professionals who want to have their long-form programs included, both at WomensRadio and the new WomensRadio Channel, a syndicated 24/7 all talk Web radio for women. During her years as the founder and CEO of her own advertising marketing company in Atlanta, she and her agency gained a reputation for introducing media, particularly radio and television, to industries which had never considered them to deliver their advertising messages. One such industry was residential real estate (including both rentals and sales). Pat Lynch also contributes her time and experience to many not-for-profits. When the City of Atlanta had experienced a season of multiple killings of young people, a time when the economy was also in a slump, the city was looking for a number of ways to create community and give kids at risk a brighter outlook. She volunteered her time and helped to create the largest party for young people that has ever been conducted. With only three months to pull together all the details, ?It?s Time,? was an all-day event hosting some 10,000 kids in Piedmont Park, the largest park in the city. All the transportation to the event, all the food, all the cooks and servers, all the entertainment, all the prizes, everything ? was provided for free! Mayor Andrew Young and Gerri Elder, Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, created a special plaque of appreciation which was presented to Ms. Lynch for her work in creating and conducting this event. She has also worked tirelessly for other not-for-profits, largely in the area of publicity and/or fund-raising for such organizations as Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy, American Heart Association. While residing in California, she served on the boards of the Fresno, CA Court School PTA as President, Fresno Habitat for Humanity and the Fresno Ballet where she helped to raise funds to produce the first new Nutcracker in over 20 years. In the Bay Area, she served as the Media Chair for the California Women?s Agenda, was a member of the Women?s Leadership Alliance of the Bay Area, and was on the Board of Directors of the Afghan Coalition and Afghan Women?s Association International. She is a frequent speaker on the value of opening the media to women?s voices and creating new communication bridges to the future. To inquire about having her as a speaker for your event, please call (888) 658-4635. Pat is also the Host of Speak Up! on WomensRadio. Speak Up! invites women, and also men, who ?speak? to women in terms of their values, their goals and their strong sense of community, to address issues, opportunities and successes that need to be heard by a larger audience of women leaders.Web | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | More Posts (579)

Source: http://www.womensradio.com/2012/10/get-hooked-on-crowd-funding/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=get-hooked-on-crowd-funding

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

'American Horror Story' opens doors to 'Asylum'

FX

Sarah Paulson as Lana in "American Horror Story."

By Jenna Mullins, E! Online

Spoiler alert: Don't continue reading if you haven't watched the season premiere of "American Horror Story: Asylum." You have been warned, so don't continue reading and then complain in the comments about spoilers, or else we will send Bloody Face after you.

Welcome to the asylum! Why don't you pull up a chair and stay awhile. Hey, where ya goin'?

Briarcliff is certainly not a place you want to find yourself at for longer than a sneeze, as the season premiere of "AHS: Asylum" proved with vigor. However, as viewers, we definitely want to stick around to find out what happens next, because with all the creepiness and scares came questions and mysteries within the walls of the institution. Here is what we know so far about "Asylum" after one hell of a first episode:

A season-one alum is returning to "American Horror Story"

Past or Present, Briarcliff Is Terrifying: We saw in the beginning of the episode and at the end of the episode that modern-day Briarcliff is still haunted by either the ghost of Bloody Face or a copycat that's holing up in the asylum. The Lovers (Adam Levine and Jenna Dewan-Tatum) are separated, one is pretty much dead, while the other comes face to face with the killer himself before the screen fades to black.

Take a look back at "AHS" craziest moments!

Briarcliff in the 1960s is no picnic either. It's a sanitarium for the criminally insane, but the people in charge are quite possibly sicker in the head than the patients! Sister Jude (played to perfection by Jessica Lange) uses a cane to whip people into shape, and when she's not worshiping God and blaming all mental illnesses on sin, she's worshiping (and lusting after) Monsignor Howard (Joseph Fiennes). She's already seduced him in her imagination, and she has the red negligee under her robe to prove it.

Dr. Arden (James Cromwell) is not as into helping the patients as he is experimenting on them. And we also learned he's behind whatever is in the woods surrounding Briarcliff. Human? Monster? Half and half? We're not sure yet, but we do know they have a ferocious appetite, one that is kept at bay by buckets of flesh thrown to them by Sister Mary (Lily Rabe), who will do anything to please her superiors.

Get exclusive scoop from the "AHS" cast

Aliens Exist! Maybe: Kit Walker (Evan Peters) is taken to Briarcliff because he is not only suspected of murdering his young wife (an interracial marriage, by the way, that they kept secret) but he is thought to be the infamous Bloody Face, who has been going around town decapitating women. What Kit and the viewers witnessed is what looked like an alien invasion, but we weren't sure if it was a hallucination until Dr. Arden removed what can only be called a microchip insect from his neck. Surely the doc wasn't hallucinating also. Does that mean that Kit was telling the truth?

Once You Get Committed, You Don't Get Out: While all the madness is happening within the asylum, Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson) is doing her best as a reporter to infiltrate Briarcliff and get the inside story on what really happens there. Sister Jude catches on to her ploy quite quickly, but Sister Mary sneaks her in after Lana catches her feeding something in the woods. Desperate to keep that little ritual a secret from Sister Jude, Sister Mary takes Lana to the men's ward, where she is attacked by someone (or again, something). When Lana wakes up, she is strapped to a bed and is now a patient of the institution. Her disease? Homosexuality.

Sister Jude makes sure Lana's girlfriend Wendy (Clea DuVall) doesn't come looking for her by promising to out the couple and thus leading Wendy to lose her teaching job. Unless, of course, Wendy signs a form consenting to Lana's treatment, which she does. Welcome to Briarcliff, Ms. Winters.

"Dexter," "Sons of Anarchy," "The Walking Dead" and more TV recaps

Burning Questions

Who is Bloody Face? And who or what attacked the Lovers in present day?

Did Kit really see aliens, or was it all a hallucination?

What is Dr. Arden feeding out in the woods?

What happened in Sister Jude's past that makes her lust after Monsignor Howard so strongly?

Is Kit's new friend Grace really innocent, or is she loony like the rest?

What did you think of the first episode? Let us know on our Facebook page!

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Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2012/10/18/14531699-american-horror-story-premieres-season-2-opens-doors-to-asylum?lite

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Latest Google Play store update rolling out now, wishlists in tow

DNP Latest Google Play store update rolling out now, wishlists in tow

If you're indecisive about that pricey but hard-to-find new app, Google Play will now be offering another option in its store -- you can put it aside in a wishlist until you make up your mind. That new feature (which was espied in recent teardowns) is hitting devices now on a per-account basis, and if you have it (version 3.9.16) you'll notice a bookmark icon near the top right of the screen when you load up an app page. When you tap that icon, the software will be added to your wishlist, which can be scoped from the menu button with the "My Wishlist" setting, saving you the trouble of searching it out later. Depending on your Android device's settings, you may already have it or were notified of its availability -- if so, happy shopping.

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Latest Google Play store update rolling out now, wishlists in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 02:38:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/18/google-play-store-update-wishlists/

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In Syria, Sunni rebels besiege Shiite villages

BEYANON, Syria (AP) ? Anyone who dares try to slip out of the Shiite villages of Zahraa and Nubl is risking their life. Sunni rebel snipers outside are ready to gun them down. Roads out are blocked with barricades and checkpoints. Twice a day government helicopters bring residents supplies in a crucial lifeline.

For more than three months, Syria's rebels have imposed a smothering siege on the villages, home to around 35,000 people, which they say are a den of pro-regime gunmen who have shelled, killed and kidnapped Sunnis from nearby villages.

The scene of bitterness and reprisals between neighbors in the northern Syrian countryside illustrates how the civil war has torn apart the longtime coexistence among ethnic and religious groups under the rule of the secular Baath party of President Bashar Assad and his father before him. It points to the perils of the sectarian divisions that lie ahead for the nation of 21 million as the war worsens.

Zahraa and Nubl make up a small pocket of Shiites, largely Assad loyalists, in the overwhelmingly Sunni region of the north in Aleppo province. The siege has its roots in months of tensions between the two sides since the Sunni-led revolt against Assad began in March 2011. Sunnis in the area say pro-regime gunmen known as Shabiha operated from the two villages, attacking nearby towns as they rose up against Assad. The violence fueled a cycle of tit-for-tat killings and kidnappings and tore apart the social fabric between the sects.

Then in July, rebels overwhelmed most of Aleppo province, driving out government forces and taking control of the region's towns and villages. The tables were turned: Many Assad loyalists fled to Zahraa and Nubl for refuge, and the rebels clamped down with their siege, seeking revenge.

Perhaps more than anyone, Bashar al-Hajji feels the impact of the rift. He's a native of Beyanon, a Sunni village of 5,000 that lies across the main north-south highway from Zahraa and Nubl. He's the only Sunni in town who's married to a Shiite, and his wife of five years is from Zahraa.

"I am caught between the two sides," said al-Hajji, a 28-year-old mechanic who is not just Sunni but follows the sect's most conservative school, Salafism.

His wife's family shuns him and is persistently telling her to leave him and come back to them in Zahraa.

"They know that I am a Salafi, and they think it is permitted for me to kill Shiites," said al-Hajji, sitting in the inner yard of the family's home in Beyanon. "Well, if this is the case, I don't have to go far to kill one," he said smiling while looking at the house.

Al-Hajji limps from a gunshot wound he sustained in February, when a four-member Shiite gang from Zahraa beat and kidnapped him.

"Only when my family and others kidnapped about 20 of their own and threatened to kill them was I released," he said. He showed a photograph of himself taken after his release, with his face bruised and a deep cut across his cheek.

He pointed to a neighborhood of Zahraa in the distance and said that it had been home to pro-regime snipers and machine gun nests that shot at "everything that moves" in Beyanon.

"They killed and wounded so many of us, we had to block the road," he said.

His friend, Khaled Mohammed Saraj, a 29-year-old carpenter, was kidnapped by Shiites in July while driving near Zahraa at 6 a.m.

"They kept me in an underground room for six days," recounted the father of two. He said three others were also being held there, and that their captors did not abuse them. They were eventually released in a prisoner exchange.

Now dirt mounds ? and in some places limestone blocks ? block the roads leading into Zahraa and Nubl. Rebels have set up checkpoints on the roads, and snipers are positioned in empty buildings nearby. Zahraa has its own snipers, in buildings on a hill overlooking the road, and they open fire on anyone they see trying to get into the village, fearful of rebel attacks. The barricades were the closest The Associated Press was able to get to the two villages.

In the distance, Syria's national flag ? now the symbol of Assad's regime ? was visible flying from a water tower in Zahraa, unlike the rebel flags raised in Sunni towns. The Shiites in Zahraa and Nubl are coping with the siege by relying on supplies from a friendly Kurdish village on the other side. But they cannot venture further than that for fear of being killed or kidnapped. Government helicopters frequently land there, bringing the villagers further supplies.

For Beyanon and a cluster of nearby Sunni villages ? Hayan, Retan, Haritan and Mayer ? the feud means they can no longer go into the two larger Shiite villages like they used to ? for the restaurants, for the better-stocked grocery stores, mechanics and doctors. The two villages have the area's only high school, along with a vocational institute.

"Our villages are poor. Zahraa and Nubl are rich and have so much that we don't have," said al-Hajji, one of six siblings born to a retired military man with 30 years of service in the air force as an aircraft mechanic.

The tears in the social fabric are nationwide. Syria's multiple sects, religions and ethnicities long coexisted ? not always completely in tune, but usually more harmoniously than neighboring Lebanon. The country is predominantly Sunni Muslim, while Shiites make up a tiny proportion, less than 5 percent, though exact numbers are not known.

The most serious split now is between Sunnis and Alawites, members of an offshoot sect of Shiism who make up about 15 percent of the population and who dominate Assad's regime. The Assad family themselves are Alawites and elevated their community to many top military and government positions. Like the Alawites, Syria's small Shiite community has largely sided with Assad's regime, as has the small Christian minority, which fears the rise of Sunni fundamentalists if Assad falls.

"Syria has sustained sectarian scars that will simply take a long time to heal," said Loai Hussein, an opposition political activist. "There has been a great deal of polarization, some of which is encouraged by neighboring countries."

There have been countless incidents of slayings between Sunnis and Alawites-Shiites across much of the country. In the main cities, mixed Alawite-Sunni neighborhoods are fast disappearing, as residents of one sect are driven out by the other or choose to flee to the safety of areas where their community is the majority.

In Idlib province, which neighbors Aleppo and has been the scene of heavy fighting, a Shiite leader from the village of Kifaraya said his son-in-law was kidnapped seven months ago by Sunnis.

"I hope it is all part of the war and that it will go away when it is over and we live together again in peace," said Abu Abdullah Hassaneh. "I am not pointing an accusing finger at anyone. It is haram (religiously prohibited) to do so."

In a wider context, Syria's sectarian fault lines reflect a divide in the region, with Shiite powerhouses Iran and Hezbollah backing Syria and Sunni Egypt and Saudi Arabia alongside their smaller Arab allies aiding the rebels and calling on Assad to step down. Syria's rebels accuse Hezbollah guerrillas and Iraqi Shiite hard-liners of fighting alongside Assad's forces, though they offer no proof.

While Syrian opposition politicians in exile abroad speak of inclusion and equality in a post-Assad Syria, the Sunni rebels on the ground bitterly talk of the need to exact retribution against Alawites who they say victimized them for decades

Al-Hajji and fighters of the rebel Free Syrian Army in the area insist they will lift the siege on Zahraa and Nubl if the government forces and Shabiha surrender to them.

But their desire for vengeance against the Shiite residents there at times shows through. They say the Shiite villages are doing much more than providing sanctuary for the regime loyalists, accusing them of actively taking part in kidnappings and sniping at Sunnis. The brother of al-Hajji's wife was wounded when he took part in a recent firefight with Sunnis, said al-Hajji, but her family said nothing of his injury. They are also evasive when she asks them about conditions in the two villages.

Al-Hajji's 62-year-old father, Abdou al-Hajji, adopts a conciliatory tone when speaking about the area's divides. He notes how Sunnis "embraced" Shiites who fled Lebanon during Hezbollah's war with Israel in 2006.

"We have long lived in peace alongside the Shiites," said the senior al-Hajji. "We shared joy in weddings and grief in funerals."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-sunni-rebels-besiege-shiite-villages-193533327.html

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Danny Holloway, Music Industry Legend, Has the Nuts - Los ...

[Editor's note: Weekly scribe Jeff Weiss's column, "Bizarre Ride," appears on West Coast Sound every Wednesday. His archives are available here.]

Danny Holloway owns as many stories as vinyl records: 50,000. Before our waiter at El Tepayec takes drink orders, he's already riffing on how he almost signed N.W.A.

After stumbling across "Boyz in the Hood" and following a trail of Eazy-E phone and pager numbers, the former senior vice president of publishing at Island Records arranged a showcase for the soon-to-be gangsta-rap gods. The asking price for distribution was $200,000. But against Holloway's advice, Island balked. Priority didn't, and it still receives royalty checks whenever someone spins "Straight Outta Compton."

Over his half-century in music, the 62-year-old East L.A. resident has been a bassist, journalist, producer, label executive, DJ and party promoter. His story starts in Long Beach, where two parents with an extensive collection of 45s nurtured his obsession. As a teen, he played bass in surf rock and British Invasion-inspired bands before moving to London at 19. Lying about his resume, he wrangled a job writing for NME.

In 1972 and '73 Holloway interviewed almost everyone worth covering: Van Morrison, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa. Every cassette recording remains pristinely preserved, and Holloway recently sold his Bob Marley interview to Damian Marley. His most jealousy-inducing tale concerns a Jamaican trip to chronicle The Rolling Stones during the making of Goats Head Soup.

"They'd wake up around noon, drink all day and head to the studio after dark. Jagger strutted around like a petulant glamour queen, but everyone else was normal. I never saw drugs, but one producer always suspiciously carried a briefcase," Holloway says, pausing from his massive Hollenbeck burrito.

Despite the surfeit of stories, Holloway speaks without nostalgia. He's how you want to be at 62: excited about the future, enthralled by new ideas, absent any regrets. He looks like a hip-hop Gene Hackman, wearing jeans and a "Funky Ass Records" T-shirt, sunglasses resting below the crown of his shaved head.

Holloway left NME to work for Island founder Chris Blackwell, who broke reggae to the world. Holloway's most historic contribution occurred during the mixing of "Get Up Stand Up," when Marley asked the young American if he believed the song would win over his homeland.

Source: http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/10/danny_holloway_island_records_blazing_45s.php

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