Academic gains, improved teacher relationships found among high risk kids in Head Start

Jan. 30, 2013 ? A new study by Oregon State University researchers finds that Head Start can make a positive impact in the lives of some of its highest risk children, both academically and behaviorally.

Published in the current issue of the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, the study sheds light on how Head Start has helped children living in non-parental care, or living with someone who is not a parent or step-parent by biology or adoption.

"These children tend to have unstable home lives, sometimes transitioning between different relatives, living with their grandma one month, and later with an aunt or other family member," said lead author Shannon Lipscomb, an assistant professor of human development and family sciences at OSU-Cascades.

"These are kids who face heightened risk factors even beyond those of other children living in poverty. They are more similar to what we find in kids in child welfare. They have a lot of challenges in their lives, and the stresses of that can cause behavioral and development issues."

The researchers obtained data from the Head Start Impact Study, a nationally representative sample of Head Start programs and families commissioned by the federal government. Head Start provides comprehensive early child development services to low-income children and their families. That original study, published in 2010, looked at the general population of children attending Head Start programs, but did not examine impacts for children living in non-parental care.

"Children in non-parental care showed more problems with academics, behavior, and a wide variety of risk factors at the beginning of the study," Lipscomb said. "In addition, Head Start is designed as a wrap-around program, which links child, teacher, and parent. So we wanted to know if this model even works for kids who don't have a traditional family, and may have different caregivers at any given time."

The researchers found that Head Start appears to be as beneficial for this group of children as it is for the general population of children living in poverty who attend the program. Analyzing the data on 253 children in non-parental care, they found the program had short-term positive impacts on school readiness, particularly in regards to early academic skills, positive teacher-child relationships, and a reduction in behavior problems.

"Our findings show Head Start is at least as effective for this very high risk group as prior studies have shown that it is for other children," Lipscomb said. "The impact we saw was modest, not huge, but statistically significant. We think the positive impact on child-teacher relationships is especially important."

Lipscomb said this was a new finding; prior analysis of Head Start's impacts on children who live with their parents haven't found this effect.

Lipscomb is an expert on early childhood development, with an emphasis on preschool and early child care experiences, and how those early social experiences help kids prepare for success in life. Her work focuses on children from at-risk backgrounds.

"Children in non-parental care tend to struggle with socio-emotional development, likely due to the risk factors they experience such as transitioning between homes, special needs, and behavioral problems," she said. "Perhaps as a result of Head Start's whole-child focus and standards for teacher qualifications, their teachers may be more effective than caregivers in other types of programs in establishing positive relationships with children who have high needs."

OSU doctoral students Megan Pratt and Sara Schmitt, as well as Katherine Pears and Hyoun Kim of the Oregon Social Learning Center, contributed to this study.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Oregon State University.

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Journal Reference:

1. Shannon T. Lipscomb, Megan E. Pratt, Sara A. Schmitt, Katherine C. Pears, Hyoun K. Kim. School readiness in children living in non-parental care: Impacts of Head Start. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 2013; 34 (1): 28 DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2012.09.001

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/most_popular/~3/i8MOfHgA7lM/130130121654.htm

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Analysis: Immigration reform could boost U.S. economic growth

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The sluggish U.S. economy could get a lift if President Barack Obama and a bipartisan group of senators succeed in what could be the biggest overhaul of the nation's immigration system since the 1980s.

Relaxed immigration rules could encourage entrepreneurship, increase demand for housing, raise tax revenues and help reduce the budget deficit, economists said.

By helping more immigrants enter the country legally and allowing many illegal immigrants to remain, the United States could help offset a slowing birth rate and put itself in a stronger demographic position than aging Europe, Japan and China.

"Numerous industries in the United States can't find the workers they need, right now even in a bad economy, to fill their orders and expand their production as the market demands," said Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration specialist at the libertarian Cato Institute.

The emerging consensus among economists is that immigration provides a net benefit. It increases demand and productivity, helps drive innovation and lowers prices, although there is little agreement on the size of the impact on economic growth.

President Barack Obama plans to launch his second-term push for a U.S. immigration overhaul during a visit to Nevada on Tuesday and will make it a high priority to win congressional approval of a reform package this year, the White House said.

The chances of major reforms gained momentum on Monday when a bipartisan group of senators agreed on a framework that could eventually give 11 million illegal immigrants a chance to become American citizens.

Their proposals would also include means to keep and attract workers with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This would be aimed both at foreign students attending American universities where they are earning advanced degrees and high-tech workers abroad.

An estimated 40 percent of scientists in the United States are immigrants and studies show immigrants are twice as likely to start businesses, said Nowrasteh.

Boosting legal migration and legalizing existing workers could add $1.5 trillion to the U.S. economy over the next 10 years, estimates Raul Hinojosa-Ojeda, a specialist in immigration policy at the University of California, Los Angeles. That's an annual increase of 0.8 percentage points to the economic growth rate, currently stuck at about 2 percent.

REPUBLICANS' HISPANIC PUSH

Other economists say the potential benefit to growth is much lower. Richard Freeman, an economist at Harvard, believes most of the benefits to the economy from illegal immigrants already in the United States has already been recorded and legalizing their status would produce only incremental benefits.

While opposition to reform lingers on both sides of the political spectrum and any controversial legislation can easily meet a quick end in a divided Washington, the chances of substantial change seem to be rising. Top Republicans such as Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana are not mincing words about the party's need to appeal to the Hispanic community and foreign-born voters who were turned off by Republican candidate Mitt Romney's tough talk in last year's presidential campaign.

A previous Obama plan, unveiled in May 2011, included the creation of a guest-worker program to meet agricultural labor needs and something similar is expected to be in his new proposal.

The senators also indicated they would support a limited program that would allow companies in certain sectors to import guest workers if Americans were not available to fill some positions.

An additional boost to growth could come from rising wages for newly legalized workers and higher productivity from the arrival of more highly skilled workers from abroad. Increased tax revenues would help federal and state authorities plug budget deficits although the benefit to government revenues will be at least partially offset by the payment of benefits to those who gain legal status.

In 2007, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that proposed immigration reform in that year would have generated $48 billion in revenue from 2008 to 2017, while costing $23 billion in health and welfare payments.

There is also unlikely to be much of a saving on enforcement from the senators' plan because they envisage tougher border security to prevent further illegal immigration and a crackdown on those overstaying visas.

One way to bump up revenue, according to a report co-authored by University of California, Davis economist Giovanni Peri, would be to institute a cap-and-trade visa system. Peri estimated it could generate up to $1.2 billion annually.

Under such a system, the government would auction a certain number of visas employers could trade in a secondary market.

"A more efficient, more transparent and more flexible immigration system would help firms expand, contribute to more job creation in the United States, and slow the movement of operations abroad," according to a draft report, soon to be published as part of a study by the Hamilton Project, a think tank.

There was no immediate sign that either the Obama or the senators' plan would include such a system.

The long-term argument for immigration is a demographic one. Many developed nations are seeing their populations age, adding to the burden of pension and healthcare costs on wage-earners.

Immigration in the United States would need to double to keep the working-age population stable at its current 67 percent of total population, according to George Magnus, a senior independent economic adviser at UBS in London,

While Magnus says a change of that magnitude may prove too politically sensitive, the focus should be on attracting highly skilled and entrepreneurial immigrants in the way Canada and Australia do by operating a points system for immigrants rather than focusing mainly on family connections.

"The trick is to shift the balance of migration towards those with education (and) skills," he added.

HARD ROAD

Academics at major universities such as Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology often lament that many of their top foreign graduates end up returning to their home countries because visas are hard to get.

"We have so much talent that is sitting here in the universities," said William Kerr, a professor at Harvard Business School. "I find it very difficult to swallow that we then make it so hard for them to stay."

The last big amnesty for illegal immigrants was in 1986 when President Ronald Reagan legalized about 3 million already in the country. Numerous studies have shown that subsequently their wages rose significantly.

Research on how immigration affects overall wages is inconclusive. George Borjas at Harvard says immigration has created a small net decrease in overall wages for those born in the United States, concentrated among the low-skilled, while Giovani Peri at UC Davis found that immigration boosts native wages over the long run.

Hinojosa-Ojeda stresses that any reform needs to make it easier for guest workers to enter the country to avoid a new build-up of illegal workers.

"If we don't create a mechanism that can basically bring in 300,000 to 400,000 new workers a year into a variety of labor markets and needs, we could be setting ourselves up for that again," said Hinojosa-Ojeda.

Nowrasteh at Cato also believes an expanded guest worker program would stem illegal immigration and allow industries to overcome labor shortages.

He found that harsher regulations in recent years in Arizona were adversely affecting agricultural production, increasing financial burdens on business and even negatively impacting the state's struggling real estate market.

Some large companies have fallen foul of tougher enforcement regulations.

Restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc fired roughly 500 staff in 2010 and 2011 after undocumented workers were found on its payrolls. Putting the chill on other employers, it is now subject of an ongoing federal criminal investigation into its hiring.

"The current system doesn't seem to work for anyone," Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold said.

(Reporting By Edward Krudy; Additional reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Martin Howell and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-immigration-reform-could-boost-u-economic-growth-060933796.html

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African leaders meet in Ethiopia amid Mali crisis

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) ? African leaders met in the Ethiopian capital Sunday for talks dominated by the conflict in Mali as well as lingering territorial issues between the two Sudans.

The African Union says it will deploy a force in Mali, where French troops are helping the Malian army to push back Islamist extremists whose rebellion threatens to divide the West African nation.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is attending the two-day summit in Addis Ababa, where Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn took over from President Yayi Boni of Benin as chairperson of the African Union.

With Mali at the top of the agenda, African leaders hope they can make quick progress in deploying a substantial number of African troops there. As the African leaders met, French special forces fighting alongside Malian troops were pushing farther north into the Malian desert in an offensive against al Qaida-linked Islamists who took control of northern Mali more than nine months ago.

Africa's economic boom is threatened by violent conflicts across the continent, African Union officials said at the summit.

"While we are proud of the progress made in expanding and consolidating peace and security on the continent, we also acknowledge that much still needs to be done to resolve ongoing, renewed and new conflict situations in a number of countries," said African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Dlamini-Zuma said the Peace and Security Council of the African Union will report to the summit on efforts to resolve conflicts in countries ranging from Mali to Madagascar.

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union said in a statement Saturday that it wanted "the early operationalization of the African Standby Force" in Mali. The council also said it fully supports Mali President Dioncounda Traore but urged him to put in place a roadmap to free and fair elections. It also said the African Union is committed to preserving the unity of Mali and would "spare no efforts" to safeguard the country's territorial integrity.

A number of African countries have pledged to send troops to Mali, and on Tuesday the African Union will hold a conference of donors with hopes that money will be raised for the Mali force. The Peace and Security Council of the African Union urged member states to "seize the opportunity of the donors' conference ... to meaningfully contribute toward the mobilization of the necessary resources."

The council also urged the international community to contribute generously to the Mali force.

Meanwhile, the leaders of Sudan and South Sudan met at the summit in Addis Ababa, although African Union officials said they did not expect them to make much headway. South Sudan President Salva Kiir and Sudan President Omar al-Bashir earlier this month agreed to "the unconditional and speedy" implementation of deals they had reached back in September. But a subsequent meeting of the two countries' negotiating teams that should have outlined timetable for the deal's implementation ended in disagreement.

Ban urged the two Sudans to resume direct talks and spoke of the "dangerous humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states."

"In Sudan and South Sudan the parties have taken positive steps to resolve outstanding issues," Ban said. "But they should make more progress in meeting their agreements."

Mediators led by former South African leader Thabo Mbeki have until July to push the two sides to agree on the status of the disputed Abyei region as well as other contested border areas.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/african-leaders-meet-ethiopia-amid-mali-crisis-100222090.html

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Obama: Can we make a difference in Syria?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said he has been wrestling with the question whether a U.S. military intervention in Syria's 22-month-old civil war would help resolve the bloody conflict or make things worse.

In a pair of interviews, Obama responded to critics who say the United States has not been involved enough in Syria, where thousands of people have been killed and millions displaced according to U.N. officials. Transcripts of both interviews were released on Sunday.

The United States has called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, and has recognized an opposition coalition - but has stopped short of authorizing U.S. arming of rebels to overthrow Assad.

"In a situation like Syria, I have to ask: can we make a difference in that situation?" Obama said in an interview with The New Republic published on the magazine's website.

Obama said he has to weigh the benefit of a military intervention with the ability of the Pentagon to support troops still in Afghanistan, where the United States is withdrawing combat forces after a dozen years of war.

"Could it trigger even worse violence or the use of chemical weapons? What offers the best prospect of a stable post-Assad regime?

"And how do I weigh tens of thousands who've been killed in Syria versus the tens of thousands who are currently being killed in the Congo?" he said.

Obama's comments come as world leaders gathered in Davos, Switzerland, said they wished the United States were more engaged in geopolitical issues such as the conflicts in Syria and Mali, where France is attacking al Qaeda-affiliated militants.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Saturday that the United States will fly tankers to refuel French jet fighters, expanding U.S. involvement, which had been limited to sharing intelligence and providing airlift support.

In an interview with CBS television program "60 Minutes," Obama bristled when asked to respond to criticism that the United States has been reluctant to engage in foreign policy issues like the Syrian crisis.

Obama said his administration put U.S. warplanes into the international effort to oust Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, and led a push to force Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from office.

But in Syria, his administration wants to make sure U.S. action would not backfire, he said.

"We do nobody a service when we leap before we look, where we ... take on things without having thought through all the consequences of it," Obama told CBS.

"We are not going to be able to control every aspect of every transition and transformation" in conflicts around the world, he said. "Sometimes they're going to go sideways."

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-says-struggling-over-whether-intervene-syria-012714607.html

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For Super Bowl ads, it's go viral or go home

20 hrs.

Ben Popken, NBC News contributor

Call them super leaks, super teasers or super previews. But for a growing number of Super Bowl advertisers, they are super smart business.

For years, Super Bowl commercials were closely guarded secrets until they aired on the biggest ratings day of the year. These days, companies have discovered that teasing them online in advance of the big day is a more efficient way of getting their brand message in front of the masses.

CBS, which will broadcast Super Bowl XLVII on?Feb. 3, sold 30-second ad slots for up to $4 million, so it?s no wonder advertisers try to squeeze every drop of value out of their investment.

"We are seeing more teasers because they have been effective," said?Steve Posavac, professor of marketing at Vanderbilt University. "This year, many advertisers feel that if they don?t release a teaser, they will fail to gain consumers? mindshare, and that their ads will be lost in the clutter."

Mercedes-Benz roared out of the starting line first last week, with its spot featuring Kate Upton. Strutting in daisy dukes and a low cut tank top, the striking supermodel blows suds in slow motion at a group of guys as they wash her Benz and ogle her frame, mouths agape.

Though it shows less skin than a standard shampoo commercial -- and seems demure in comparison to?Upton's past backseat turn for Carl's Jr.?last year ? it has already drummed up plenty of buzz. As of Friday night, the teaser racked has up more than 4.6 million YouTube views.

That?s right, more than a week before the San Francisco 49ers face the Baltimore Ravens, Mercedes-Benz?s ad is already a success. And, thanks to the Parents? Television Council, we have the first Super Bowl controversy.

"This ad [reinforces] for millions of wives, daughters and sisters across the country that you use your sex appeal to get what you want," a Parents' Television Council spokesperson told the Daily Mail, complaining that the ad "isn't selling cars, it?s selling sexual objectification."

The sound bite provided global media outlets (ours included) the perfect news hook. In the following days, the ad has been discussed, analyzed, and played over and over again, at no cost to the Mercedes. Talk about return on investment!

The luxury German automaker isn?t the only player in this game. Coca-Cola, Sketchers, Wonderful Pistachios (with 'Gagngam Style' superstar Psy) and MiO (with Tracy Morgan) have released previews.

Coke is also making a huge social media play with its "Mirage" campaign. In it, three quirky character-driven groups -- show girls, badlanders, and cowboys -- race across an African desert to be the first to reach the thirst-quenching Coca-Cola oasis. A preview spot is circulating online encouraging viewers to vote online to determine which group ends up winning in the final spot. Online surfers can either vote by "old-fashioned" online button clicking, or vote-casting with the Twitter hashtags #CokeCowboys, #CokeShowgirls and #CokeBadlanders.

The beverage giant?s advertising company has also cooked up animated gifs, "sabotage videos" and other content ready-made for Tweeting, Tumbling, Instagramming, and Facebooking.?

Indeed,?Coke?has come a long way from Mean Joe Greene?s jersey toss in Coke?s legendary commercial 34 years ago.

The reason for the big social push is simple: More shares equal more views, which equals more brand exposure.

"Without a social media component, a Super Bowl ad is worthless," said?David Johnson, CEO of public relations agency Strategic Vision.

Social has risen and advertisers are rising to meet it.

"Three quarters of the audience will be on a 'second screen' during the Super Bowl,? said Ankarino Lara, chief product officer for Thismoment, which builds branded online content distribution software. "The biggest brands recognize the audience shift and plan mobile and on live elements in their campaigns."

According to data by the Unruly Viral Video Chart, the "Billboard 100 of viral videos," 75 percent of the top 20 most-shared ads from Super Bowl 2012 went up online before game day;? 55 percent of sharing happened after March 1, 2012; and total Super Bowl ads shares increased by 129 percent from 2011 to 2012.

Audi is taking a similar "choose your own adventure" approach as Coke's. On Thursday night, it posted the beginning of its ad, showing a kid driving to his high school prom dateless but in his dad's new 2013 Audi S6 high-performance sports sedan. The German automaker also uploaded three versions of the ending, giving viewers 24 hours to vote on which one will make the final cut.

Other companies are also hopping on the social bandwagon:?

• Doritos has reprised its annual "Crash the Super Bowl" contest, allowing a fan-made commercial to air during the game.?
  
• Lincoln has teamed up with Jimmy Fallon to let fans write the script for its commercial on Twitter with the hashtag #Steerthescript.?
  
• Pepsi, Pizza Hut and Toyota will include fan-submitted photos in a commercial.?
  
• VW is promoting the #GetHappy hashtag.
  

Advertisers still have plenty of tricks up their sleeves, though, and some are deliberately taking an "anti-leak" strategy that still has an eye on Twitter impact.

"Some advertisers are holding back ads for a 'surprise' factor and for the instant chatter that will take place on social media during the game," said Katherine Wintsch, founder of The Mom Complex, an Interpublic Group of Companies unit focused on marketing to mothers.

Brands still place a premium on using the Super Bowl as the ultimate stage for product debuts; Anheuser-Busch is going to debut two new drinks at the game: Budweiser Black Crown and Beck's Sapphire.

"I don?t know what it is, but everyone finds humor in dog ads or baby ads," John Yorke, President of creative firm Rain 43, said. "Last year, we saw lots of both ? and the highest rated ads came from these categories ? so if it ain?t broke, don?t fix it ? expect to see more of this trend."?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/super-bowl-ads-its-go-viral-or-go-home-1C8119016

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Webhosting for Little Companies | B2B Tech Marketer

Web hosting for Small Organizations

A small business requirements will be very completely different from those of greater businesses. They might need a lesser amount of space in contrast to a larger enterprise and may furthermore not need a few of the features which webhosting anbieter companies often offer to businesses. Through looking at the cool features that are available, a small business owner are able to determine which functions they need and also what versions they take into account unnecessary.

Tech support team is something that should be considered in the event the business owner can be looking at webhosting anbieter companies. Companies lose money when a thing goes wrong on their website and this can be devastating to small businesses. It?s important to realize that webhosting anbieter can be obtained and will answer any concerns quickly. A lot of webhosting anbieter companies possess a twenty-four hour assist line that may be reached in case troubles occur. It?s also important to make certain the technical support that is obtained is very beneficial and helpful.

Bundled software package should also be regarded when picking out a webhosting anbieter. Deciding on the specialized software package the small small business should be chosen before stepping into a commitment with any webhosting anbieter company. These kind of packages range from things say for example a content management system as well as shopping cart software. A number of webhosting anbieter present control panel software and this software package contains a component that is called Fantastico. This allows for the individual to easily deploy many different types of software that can be used on websites.

Editing application and script support can be quite important for a smaller business? website. A lot of webhosting anbieter companies offer you easy to use style and croping and editing tools. With regard to companies which can be using FrontPage because of their website, you will need to make sure that webhosting anbieter company that they decide on helps FrontPage extensions. It?s important too to make sure that webhosting anbieter company is also compatible with various other script different languages such as PHP, Or net, and Perl, to name just a few.

Small businesses should also take into account uptime and rate when studying different webhosting anbieter. A good hosting company ought to guarantee uptimes regarding ninety-nine percent. Small enterprises should also check the information about their own data center. This is because it?s crucial that you know that they have got high-speed connections for the Internet anchor.

Due diligence can be important in the event the small business owner is actually searching for an online webhosting anbieter company. First thing should be done through the small business owner is to check out the web host?s website. Some things that should be watched for tend to be awards along with seals involving approval. These are generally given out simply by magazines. It?s important too to look for the world wide web Better Business Bureau seal. One can also search the Internet to find reviews of the diverse webhosting anbieter companies. These kind of reviews are frequently found on website hosting forums, where other individuals will give an in depth version of their experience with a certain company. A couple of bad surveys are okay nevertheless one should be skeptical of a company that just has bad evaluations, and no excellent reviews to be able to balance it out.

You are able to always attain more facts about webhosting anbieter at our site devoted to internet hosting.

Source: http://b2btechmarketer.com/webhosting-for-little-companies/

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Fairfax County Public Schools to Close Two Hours Early ...

Fairfax County Public Schools will close two hours early Friday.

The decision comes as the area is expected to see anywhere from 1 to 2 inches of snow between 2 and 5 p.m., just?ahead of the evening rush hour,? the Capital Weather Gang reports.

Falls Church City Public Schools are not planning to close early, but officials there are keeping a watchful eye on the weather.?

What this means for children attending Fairfax County Public Schools:

• Morning preschool (special education) classes are dismissed at approximately 11 a.m.
• Full-day preschool (special education) and Family and Early Childhood Education Program/Head Start classes are dismissed two hours earlier than the usual time.?
• Afternoon preschool (special education) classes are canceled.
• Extended day care and SACC will stay open until 6:15 p.m.
• All late buses are canceled.

The following activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled, according to the release:

• extracurricular activities
• interscholastic contests
• team practices
• field trips
• middle school after-school programs
• professional learning and training courses
• all adult and community education classes
• recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS

You can learn more about how FCPS decides to close school?here.

The Capital Weater Gang said there's "No need to panic over today's PM rush hour snow chance."

It's not crippling, the gang said, but drivers should allow extra time for their commute and leave work early if possible.?

Source: http://centreville.patch.com/articles/fairfax-county-public-schools-to-close-two-hours-early

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Moviehole.Net :: Movie, TV & Entertainment News | Film, DVD & Blu ...

In a recent interview with MTV, Marvel?s Kevin Feige confirmed that ?Ant-Man?, the long gestating Edgar Wright adaptation of the popular comic series, will be the start of ?Phase 3? of the Marvel movie series.

??Ant-Man? is definitely part of Phase Three. Like ?Iron Man 3,? it?s certainly set in the Marvel Universe, but it?s also through the lens of Edgar Wright ? which is the only reason we?re making the movie?I?ve known Edgar since our first lunch together at Comic-Con in 2004. He asked me what Marvel was doing with ?Ant-Man? ? we weren?t even a studio then; what a difference eight years makes! It?s very much an ?Ant-Man? origin movie from the perspective of Edgar Wright and his co-writer Joe Cornish. It will of course be firmly planted in the MCU, but a different corner than we?ve seen before.?

As for what other characters we might see as part of Marvel?s ?Phase 3??

?Beyond that? ?Ant-Man? is the only one officially announced, but you probably don?t have to look too far to guess at the next list of characters we?re toying with and beginning to develop??Doctor Strange,? which I?ve been talking about for years, is definitely one of them. He?s a great, original character, and he checks the box off this criteria that I have: he?s totally different from anything else we have, just like ?Guardians of the Galaxy.? He?s totally different from anything we?ve done before, as is ?Ant-Man,? which keeps us excited.?

This year?s ?Iron Man 3? kicks off ?Phase 2? of the Marvel movie series, with new ?Thor?, ?Captain America? and ?Avengers? movies to follow it.

Source: http://moviehole.net/201361434ant-man-will-be-the-first-film-in-marvels-phase-three

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GOP senators will oppose Va electoral change (The Arizona Republic)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/279536487?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Fitness Equipment Recalled - KWQC TV6 Davenport

• Huge Fire In Rural Geneseo

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  Updated: Wednesday, January 23 2013 2:09 PM EST2013-01-23 19:09:01 GMT

  The Quad City chapter of the American Red Cross is helping a family after an intense house fire in Geneseo, Ill., Wednesday morning, January 23, 2013. Crews were called to the 9000 block of North 2150More >>The Quad City chapter of the American Red Cross is helping a family after an intense house fire in Geneseo, Ill., Wednesday morning, January 23, 2013. Crews were called to the 9000 block of North 2150More >>

• Arrest Made In Davenport: Attempted Murder/Arson

  Arrest Made In Davenport: Attempted Murder/Arson

  Updated: Thursday, January 24 2013 1:19 PM EST2013-01-24 18:19:13 GMT

  After spending weeks in the hospital recovering from his wounds, Davenport police say they have arrested a man in connection with a fire that burned two people. On December 5, 2012, firefighters wereMore >>After spending weeks in the hospital recovering from his wounds, Davenport police say they have arrested a man in connection with a fire that burned two people. On December 5, 2012, firefighters wereMore >>

• Casino Proposals Down To Two

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  Updated: Jan 23, 2013 10:19 PM CST2013-01-24 12:49:32 GMT

  The list of developers for a land based casino has dwindled down to two. The cities gaming consultant, Gary Buettner, said the Radisson casino proposal has been eliminated. "The two major were introducedMore >>The list of developers for a land based casino has dwindled down to two. The cities gaming consultant, Gary Buettner, said the Radisson casino proposal has been eliminated. "The two major were introducedMore >>

• Former Milan Auto Dealers Sentenced In Federal Court

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  Updated: Jan 23, 2013 10:47 AM CST2013-01-24 12:57:11 GMT

  The former owners of Blackhawk Autoplex in Milan, Ill., have been sentenced in federal court. Jens and Pamela Hirsch pleaded guilty on May 11, 2012, to federal charges of bank fraud, conspiracy to commitMore >>The former owners of Blackhawk Autoplex in Milan, Ill., have been sentenced in federal court. Jens and Pamela Hirsch pleaded guilty on May 11, 2012, to federal charges of bank fraud, conspiracy to commitMore >>

• Woman killed by train in DeWitt, Iowa

  Woman killed by train in DeWitt, Iowa

  Updated: Monday, January 21 2013 7:40 AM EST2013-01-21 12:40:05 GMT

  DEWITT, Iowa ? A woman was struck and killed by a train Friday night at the railroad crossing on 300th Avenue in east DeWitt. The Clinton County Sheriff says the woman was hit by a west-bound Union PacificMore >>DEWITT, Iowa ? A woman was struck and killed by a train Friday night at the railroad crossing on 300th Avenue in east DeWitt. The Clinton County Sheriff says the woman was hit by a west-bound Union PacificMore >>

• Davenport Boy Who Helped Reunite Family Appears On Talk Show

  Davenport Boy Who Helped Reunite Family Appears On Talk Show

  Updated: Thursday, January 24 2013 5:10 PM EST2013-01-24 22:10:38 GMT

  A Quad City boy who helped reunite two siblings, separated as children, is getting a moment in the spotlight for his efforts. Eddie Hanzelin was mugging for the camera with Whoopi Goldberg and other hostsMore >>A Quad City boy who helped reunite two siblings, separated as children, is getting a moment in the spotlight for his efforts. Eddie Hanzelin was mugging for the camera with Whoopi Goldberg and other hostsMore >>

About 75,000 Perfect Resistance Bands are being recalled. The manufacturer says the fitness bands can detach from the mesh cloth loops and pose injury to its user or anyone nearby.

Implus Footcare has received reports of 12 cases, including injuries to the back, hand and eye.

The bands were sold exclusively at Walmart and online at perfectonline dot com.

Consumers should stop using the fitness bands and contact Implus Footcare for a refund or replacement product at 800-446-7587.

Source: http://www.kwqc.com/story/20670636/fitness-equipment-recalled

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Emotional Freedom Technique EFT Master Featured in Free ...

Article category: healthnews

Title: Emotional Freedom Technique EFT Master Featured in Free Teleseminar Series

West Shokan, NY (PRWEB) March 1, 2009

Dr. Carol Robin hosts a free weekly teleseminar series ?Profound Paths to Health, Healing and Happiness? beginning Tuesday, March 3, 2009 and featuring Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Master Jan Luther.

Anyone interested in natural health and wellness is welcome to listen to these information and inspiration-filled weekly conversations via telephone or Internet. Free registration at: http://www.GuidedCDs.com/seminar.

?This series specializes in exploring the most innovative and visionary people and techniques in natural health, wellness and mind-body healing. These powerful techniques and philosophies help integrate and balance body, heart, mind and spirit and guide people to greater health, happiness, healing and empowerment,? says Dr. Robin.

Dr. Robin, DC, CCN has been a practitioner in the natural health and healing field for 30 years, and in this series she brings together some of today?s most innovative and pioneering health, wellness and mind-body healing experts for in-depth conversations about their philosophies and techniques for enhanced energy, health, well-being and happiness.

Speakers include:

Kathlyn Hendricks

Guy Finley

Dr. Darren Weissman

Dr. Loren Cordain

Jan Luther

Suzanne Scurlock-Durana

Drs Molly and Bob Roberts

Dr. Simon Evans

Janice Taylor

Stevan Thayer

Jordan Gruber

Topics include:

-Releasing stress, grief and trauma with EFT

-Transforming relationships and conscious loving

-The holistic approach to stress, anxiety and depression

-Fearless living

-Experiencing present moment awareness and full body presence

-The power of Infinite Love & Gratitude

-Brain fitness and improving your brain function

-The Paleolithic diet

-Weight loss as transformation

-Rebound exercise for health and wellness

-Integrated Energy Therapy (IET)

?Invest one hour a week in yourself, listening to today?s most brilliant and innovative health and wellness experts as they freely share their wisdom, insights and profound and practical paths to balance body, heart, mind and spirit. Let them guide you to greater health, happiness, healing and freedom,? says Dr. Robin.

For more information about the free ?Profound Paths to Health, Healing and Happiness? Teleseminar series that begins Tuesday March 3rd, 2009, or to register any time during the series, go to http://www.GuidedCDs.com/seminar.

Dr. Carol Robin is a Chiropractor, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Health and Healing Mentor and Coach, and co-founder and President of Guided CDs Inc., producers of guided imagery meditation CDs and mp3?s for natural health and healing.

# # #

Related Emotional Freedom Technique Press Releases

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Source: http://www.medicalguide.pro/6295/emotional-freedom-technique-eft-master-featured-in-free-teleseminar-series.html

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Youth Dance Clinic | Manassas Sports & Recreation and Classes ...

Saturday, February 2, 2013, 6:00 pm

Brickhouse Cardio Club of Manassas, 9654 Center Point Ln, Manassas, VA | Get?Directions??
$25.00

Calling all Tweens & Teens!? Tired of standing on the wall at school dances and house parties?? Are you ready to learn the latest dances?? During this semi-monthly class, we will break down the hottest dance trends and teach you how to move with confidence.? These clinic sessions even offer new ideas to dance teams and cheerleading squads.? A new line dance will be reviewed at the end of each class.? A BH Manassas Teen Dance Party follows each clinic so that you can apply what you learn right away (separate fees & restrictions apply).

?

More Details:

?

Youth Dance Clinic open to young people ages 12 - 18.

Cost* = $25 per person.

BH Manassas Teen Dance Party open to young people 14 - 18**.

?

?

* Not included in BH Manassas group fitness memberships.? Member discounts apply.? Additional discount available for registering online.

**Must be enrolled in high school.? Elementary school students and high school graduates prohibited from attending BH Manassas Teen Dance Party.

38.752728

-77.48861

primary

Youth Dance Clinic

February 2, 2013 / February 16, 2013 / March 2, 2013 / March 16, 2013, 6:00 pm?7:30 pm

Brickhouse Cardio Club of Manassas

9654 Center Point Ln, Manassas, VA

/listings/brickhouse-cardio-club-of-manassas

2299076

/locations/8661570

Source: http://manassas.patch.com/events/youth-dance-clinic

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Murder trial jury hears tapes of Duling's police interviews before his ...

[unable to retrieve full-text content]NASHUA ? Through three tape recorded interviews with State Police, Benjamin Duling sobbed but couldn't. ... Executive Drive, Hudson, NH 03051, (603) 882-2741 ? 2013 Telegraph Publishing Company, All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/991240-469/murder-trial-jury-hears-tapes-of-dulings.html

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Farming injustice: end all trade with Israeli agricultural companies

22 January 2013?| Palestinian agriculture organisations, Occupied Palestine

Palestinian agricultural organisations and the Palestinian BDS National Committee call for the launching of worldwide campaigns on February 9 against Israeli agricultural export corporations in light of their deep complicity in Israel?s ongoing violations of international law and Palestinian human rights. Following the successful campaign against Israel?s former leading agricultural export corporation Agrexco, and in light of the growing international consensus on the duty to enforce an effective ban on trade with the illegal Israeli settlements, we invite social movements, nongovernmental organisations, trade unions and human rights campaigners to take creative and effective action on February 9th in support of Palestinian farmers defending their land and natural resources.

The sale and purchase of goods from Israeli agricultural companies, such as Mehadrin and Hadiklaim, finance and reward the on-going illegal Israeli exploitation and colonisation of Palestinian land and further undermine the chances for a just peace based on international law and respect for universal human rights. As was demonstrated in the struggle to end apartheid in South Africa and the wide international solidarity movement with it, citizens can make a difference by refraining from buying products of complicit companies and by working to convince their supermarkets to stop trading with them.

Agriculture is a vital part of the Palestinian economy and national heritage, yet Palestinian farmers are being displaced from their lands and prevented from accessing it. Israel systematically exploits Palestinian natural resources in violation of international law and implements a range of restrictions on Palestinian agriculture in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, while allowing Israeli agricultural corporations to profit from Israel?s illegal settlement enterprise.

As Palestinian agricultural organisations have noted, Israeli agricultural export companies are at the heart of Israel?s system of domination over the Palestinian people. They are an integral component of the on-going process of colonisation and environmental destruction of Palestinian land, the destruction of Palestinian agriculture, the theft of water, and the abuse of Palestinian workers? rights, including child labourers.

Supermarkets should follow the lead of the Co-Operative Group in the UK, which has pledged to end trade with any company exporting goods from illegal Israeli settlements. Governments must meet their legal and moral obligation to take action in support of Palestinian self-determination and ban all forms of trade and cooperation with Israeli agricultural export companies complicit in the illegal settlement enterprise. People of conscience around the world can make sure such measures are taken. We count on your support to end business as usual with Israel?s agricultural companies as a contribution to our struggle for freedom, justice and equality.

Endorsed by:

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee
General Union of Palestinian Peasants and Cooperatives
Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees
Palestinian Farmers Union
Popular Struggle Coordination Committee
Stop the Wall
Union of Agricultural Work Committees
Union of Palestinian Agriculture Engineers

Please contact?info@bdsmovement.net?to let us know about your planned campaigns and actions or to discuss your ideas.

Source: http://palsolidarity.org/2013/01/farming-injustice-end-all-trade-with-israeli-agricultural-companies/

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Video: Brother: White House changed Michelle ?for the better?

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50533164/

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Blues fox backpack student bags shoulder Canvas Leisure travel

Some recent travel packages auctions on eBay:

1990 Classic MLB Travel Board Game with 50 cards in original sealed package

This entry was tagged B123z2, backpack, bags, Blues, Canvas, Leisure, Package, shoulder, student, Travel. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://www.tourstub.com/blues-fox-backpack-student-bags-shoulder-canvas-leisure-travel-package-b123z2/

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FISH TANK FOR SALE at Pets FREE Classifieds

??? Home :: Aquariums, Tropical Fish, Coldwater Fish & Ponds

	Fish Tank for Sale.... With Rounded Corners Size 24ins,L x 15ins,D, 12ins, W... Nearly New..... All Ready To Go!!!.... All You Need is a Pump For The Under Gravel Filter To Work....80 ovno....Sorry Pick Up Only From Exeter...Thanks For Looking. Contact pete knight Tel 01392 434787 Town exeter County Devon ? Added:21/01/13 ? Views:21 ? REF:86.173.97.148-43236 Scam Report to Webmaster ???? View all ads from pete knight This website bears no reponsibility for contacts with advertisers and such are made entirely on your own risks.

Source: http://www.pets-classifieds.co.uk/c39d127601.php

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Public trust in government, business leaders falls

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) ? Public trust in business, government and media leaders has fallen in the wake of financial and political scandals, according to a new global survey.

Heads of financial institutions did particularly poorly, mainly in richer countries that have suffered financial crises and fined banks for, among other things, manipulating markets and facilitating money-laundering.

The 2013 edition of the annual Edelman Trust Barometer found "a very significant crisis of leadership," said Richard Edelman, president and CEO of Chicago-based public relations firm Edelman. "Leaders are just not seen as leading."

A big problem is that people think their leaders "just can't get around to telling them the truth," he said.

As a result, people are increasingly looking to other sources of information for the straight story about what's going on, such as academic experts or even their peers through social media and the Internet.

Edelman said one of the glaring results of the annual survey, released ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, was that while 50 percent respondents trusted business in general to do what is right, only 18 percent trusted business leaders to tell the truth ? a 32-percentage point gap between the institution itself and the people in charge. Government didn't look much better, with 41 percent trusting government to do what's right but only 13 percent believing what

The overall share of people expressing trust in basic institutions rose in the survey from the 2012 edition, to 57 percent from 51 percent, as trust bounced back from the hit it took from the European debt crisis and disputes between President Barack Obama and Republicans in Congress over the U.S. debt limit, which caused the U.S. to losing its top credit rating. Yet while institutions were recovering some lost trust, the view of the leaders of those institutions remained sour.

Edelman suggested that the result may have been influenced by prominent corporate political and financial scandals ? the investigation into alleged rigging by big banks of the London Interbank Offered Rate, an important interest rate benchmark, insider trading cases in the United States and Britain, and the scandal surrounding Chinese politician Bo Xilai, who faces trial on corruption charges.

Leaders' truthfulness score in the survey was "pretty pathetic," Edelman told the Associated Press in an interview.

The survey measured rising levels of trust for non-government organizations. "The trust is now being placed in an expert, such as an academic, or in a peer ? someone, your friends on Facebook, or whoever," he said. "The crisis of leadership is leading to people having a very different view of who they may listen to."

The online survey queried 31,000 people in 26 countries, and broke down results between the general population and a smaller sample of university-educated, higher income people dubbed members of the "informed public." It was conducted Nov. 10-15, so it preceded the many December news stories about whether Obama and Congress would agree on a budget deal to avoid the so-called 'fiscal cliff' of automatic tax increases and spending cuts on New Year's day. As it turned out, the two sides agreed on some issues and postponed others for two months.

Among the informed public group, 69 percent viewed an academic or expert as a credible spokesperson, while 61 percent looked to "a person like yourself." CEOs lagged at 43 percent among this group.

The most trusted business sector was technology, with a 77 percent credibility rate, while banks and financial services trailed with 50 percent ? just behind the news media, which polled 53 percent.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/public-trust-government-business-leaders-falls-103658566--finance.html

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Crafts, Hobbies & Home 2018: How To Knit - A Guide For Newbies

Buy on the merchant's on-line shopping and read reviews. If you're making an attempt to seek out How To Knit - A Guide For Newbies with discount deals. This is the simplest deals for you. Where you could notice these item is by on-line searching stores? Read the review on How To Knit - A Guide For Newbies Now, it's special price. Thus don't lose it.

How To Knit - A Guide For Newbies
Sarah Taylor (Author)
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Download: $3.99 (as of 01/20/2013 05:41 PST)

Crafts, Hobbies & Home

The art of knitting is now popular with all age groups. You are fortunate if, like me, you were taught by someone in person (my Mother taught me, with never-ending patience), but if you don't have a knitter in the family or within your circle of friends there's no reason for you to miss out on learning this fun and relaxing craft.

The aim of this book is to teach you the absolute basics of knitting so that you can be up and running as soon as possible and make a start on your first knitting project.

I have included 6 knitting patterns in this book which are all quick and easy to knit. They include a striped scarf, slouchy hat, kindle cover, cup cozy, cowl and a toy bear.

Does this book cover everything you could possibly want to know about knitting? No, absolutely not. It covers the basics so that complete newbies to knitting can learn the basics and complete simple knitted projects.

Scroll up to the top and click on the link to "Buy Now" to deliver almost instantly to your Kindle or other reading device; remember, even the most talented knitters were beginners at the outset and there's no reason why you can't become as proficient as they are!

• Rank: #4882 in eBooks
• Published on: 2013-01-15
• Released on: 2013-01-15
• Format: Kindle eBook
• Number of items: 1

Source: http://hotcraftshobbieshome102.blogspot.com/2013/01/how-to-knit-guide-for-newbies.html

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UN: Prisoners still tortured in Afghan custody

FILE - In this Monday, April 25, 2011 file photo, a prisoner looks out of his cell window at the main prison in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The United Nations said Sunday that Afghan authorities were still torturing prisoners, such as hanging them by their wrists and beating them with cables. Particularly in the southern province of Kandahar, the U.N. received reports that authorities were using unofficial sites to torture detainees before transporting them to the regular prison. (AP Photo/Allauddin Khan, File)

FILE - In this Monday, April 25, 2011 file photo, a prisoner looks out of his cell window at the main prison in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The United Nations said Sunday that Afghan authorities were still torturing prisoners, such as hanging them by their wrists and beating them with cables. Particularly in the southern province of Kandahar, the U.N. received reports that authorities were using unofficial sites to torture detainees before transporting them to the regular prison. (AP Photo/Allauddin Khan, File)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghan authorities are still torturing prisoners, such as hanging them by their wrists and beating them with cables, the United Nations said, a year after it first documented the abuse and won government promises of detention reform.

The latest report shows little progress in curbing abuse in Afghan prisons despite efforts by the U.N. and international military forces in Afghanistan. The report released Sunday also cites instances where Afghan authorities have tried to hide mistreatment from U.N. monitors.

The slow progress on prison reform has prompted NATO forces to once again stop many transfers of detainees to Afghan authorities out of concern that they would be tortured.

In multiple detention centers, Afghan authorities leave detainees hanging from the ceiling by their wrists, beat them with cables and wooden sticks, administer electric shocks, twist their genitals and threaten to shove bottles up their anuses or to kill them, the report said.

In a letter responding to the latest report, the Afghan government said that its internal monitoring committee found that "the allegations of torture of detainees were untrue and thus disproved." The Afghan government said that it would not completely rule out the possibility of torture at its detention facilities, but that it was nowhere near the levels described in the report and that it was checking on reports of abuse.

The findings, however, highlight the type of human rights abuses that many activists worry could become more prevalent in Afghanistan as international forces draw down and the country's Western allies become less watchful over a government that so far has taken few concrete actions to reform the system.

As one detainee in the western province of Farah told the U.N. team: "They laid me on the ground. One of them sat on my feet and another one sat on my head, and the third one took a pipe and started beating me with it. They were beating me for some time like one hour and were frequently telling me that, 'You are with Taliban and this is what you deserve.'"

More than half of the 635 detainees interviewed had been tortured, according to the report titled Treatment of Conflict-Related Detainees in Afghan Custody: One Year On. That is about the same ratio the U.N. found in its first report in 2011.

It's a troubling finding given the amount of international attention and pledges of reform that came after the first report. At that time, the NATO military alliance temporarily stopped transferring Afghans it had picked up to national authorities until they could set up a system free of abuse. Though it said the findings were exaggerated, the Afghan government promised after the first report to increase monitoring.

But little appears to have changed. Once NATO forces resumed the transfers and decreased inspections, torture quickly returned to earlier levels, the report said. And even though the international military force was making a serious effort to delay transfers if there was risk of torture, about 30 percent of 79 detainees who had been transferred to Afghan custody by foreign governments ended up being tortured, the report said. That's higher than in 2011, when the U.N. found that 24 percent of transferred detainees were tortured.

"Torture cannot be addressed by training, inspections and directives alone," said Georgette Gagnon, the head of human rights for the U.N. mission in Afghanistan, explaining that there has been little follow-through by the Afghan government.

In particular, the U.N. report found that the Afghan government appeared to be trying to hide the mistreatment and refusing to prosecute those accused of torturing prisoners.

The U.N. team received "multiple credible reports" that in some places detainees were hidden from international observers in secret locations underground or separate from the main facility being inspected. Also, the observers said they saw what appeared to be a suspicious increase in detainees held at police facilities when an intelligence service facility nearby was being monitored.

And particularly in the southern province of Kandahar, the U.N. received reports that authorities were using unofficial sites to torture detainees before transporting them to the regular prison.

In a letter responding to the U.N. report, Gen. John Allen, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said that his staff had written letters to Afghan ministers urging them to investigate more than 80 separate allegations of detainee abuse during the past 18 months.

"To date, Afghan officials have acted in only one instance," Allen said in the letter. In that case Afghan authorities did not fire the official in question, but transferred him from Kandahar province to Sar-e-Pul in the north.

The report documents what it called a "persistent lack of accountability for perpetrators of torture," noting that no one has been prosecuted for prisoner abuse since the first report was released.

Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for the Afghan president, said torture and abuse of prisoners was not Afghan policy.

"However, there may be certain cases of abuse and we have begun to investigate these cases mentioned in the U.N. report," he said. "We will take actions accordingly."

But he said that while the Afghan government takes the allegations in the report very seriously, "we also question the motivations behind this report and the way it was conducted." He did not elaborate.

The NATO military alliance responded to the most recent report by stopping transfers of detainees to seven facilities in Kabul, Laghman, Herat, Khost and Kunduz provinces ? most of them the same facilities that were flagged a year ago. The transfers were halted in October, when the U.N. shared its preliminary findings with the military coalition.

"This action is a result of concerns over detainee treatment at certain Afghan detention facilities," said Jamie Graybeal, a spokesman for the international military alliance in Kabul.

He said there has been no suspension of transfers to the massive detention center next to Bagram Air Field outside of Kabul. That facility has been particularly contentious because the U.S. has held back from transferring all the detainees it holds there to Afghan custody.

But as international troops draw down in Afghanistan, there will be fewer people to monitor the Afghan detention centers. Allen said in his letter that the NATO military alliance planned to focus on monitoring only a subset of Afghan facilities in the future.

And even the manner in which the U.N. report was compiled and released shows the waning influence of Western allies over the Afghan government. Both last year and again on Sunday, the report was released without a news conference. Instead, it was quietly posted on the U.N. website in what appeared to be an effort to avoid publicly antagonizing the Afghan government that it criticizes in the report.

"I think it's being dealt with in the appropriate way. Maybe we don't need to do it publicly," Gagnon said, noting that there have been plenty of discussions with the Afghan government about how to improve the prison system.

Asked what actual improvements have been made to prisoner conditions since 2011, Gagnon was at a loss to give an example. But, she stressed: "There has been quite a lot of effort."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-20-Afghan-Prison%20Torture/id-c996b69c99854edfba9d07d33b4cc3bc

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Take Yourself To The Next Level With These Self Improvement Tips ...

How about taking a few minutes of your time in order to learn simple steps on improving the rest of your life? If you pay attention to what we have to say, that is what this article can do for you. Read the tips and tricks that we have provided for you, so that you can start to reach your true potential.

Don?t look at your outside beauty; seek out inner beauty. Wearing the latest styles or looking like a movie star does not make a real difference. Your personality will be what matters in the long run. Try and change the person you are inside rather than focusing on the outside.

Identify what is keeping you from being successful. Doing this is extremely hard for a lot of people. The first step in dealing with our weaknesses is actually identifying them. Your future will look much brighter if you acquire new strengths.

TIP! Set realistic goals that you can accomplish, and you?ll enjoy life so much more. Figure out what you do and do not do well, and you will learn a lot about yourself.

When working on your self improvement, it is often helpful to see what others have done. You can avoid both personal and business mistakes by knowing the trials that others have faced. Knowing that other people have succeeded at the same goal will make it seem more attainable to you.

It isn?t possible to care for someone else at your own expense. No matter your path, or whether you?re failing or thriving, take time out to restore and rest yourself.

Prospective employers will be more concerned as to whether you can do the job well. There are only very few exceptions to this rule, such as working with a large financial institution. It is really more important to simply have a quality degree that will open up opportunities for you.

TIP! Change should be a conscious choice, and is in fact a result of it. We need to choose the change if we expect to really grow.

Emergency Fund

Begin a fund for emergency purposes. Many people think that a credit card counts as an emergency fund. By putting aside only a few dollars each week, you can rapidly build a respectable emergency fund. These reserves can be of great assistance now and in the future, because the amount owed will drop, rather than build.

Leadership is essential in your personal development. Although there are many different definitions of leadership, the most common being ?influence?. Examine yourself as a leader. Think about the circumstances that have had the most influence in your life. What changes did those events bring forth in you? What do you feel makes you a good team player? By knowing yourself and your motives better, you can more easily integrate into a leadership role with others.

TIP! Fostering a strict sense of self discipline is a great way to improve yourself. Your body yearns to give into temptations, but you can control the desires with practice.

You can be unnecessarily stressed if you overact to situations. Think about the situation, and try to find constructive ways to deal with it. If a mistake is the issue, there are ways to correct it or cope with living with your mistake. When you start feeling anxious about a situation, focus on the positive things, not the negative ones.

Follow your own principles as strictly as you can. Your personal beliefs create the foundation for who you are. If you have good reason to have these beliefs, you will feel more confident and grow your self esteem by adhering to these beliefs and principles. This will also promote consistency in your life and actions, which is a trait almost everyone finds admirable.

Begin a special savings for emergencies. Most of us depend on credit cards to pay for unexpected expenses. All you will need to do is save a couple of dollars per week. This fund will help you stay out of debt if you have to face an emergency.

TIP! Your willpower can help you find more positive things in your life. Your attitude towards others will affect what happens to you.

Regular Exercise

Exercise even if you are at your ideal weight. There are many other benefits from regular exercise. For instance, regular exercise is a great way to boost your mood.

You should shoot to be the best at whatever it is that you do. Follow your passion to the greatest possible aspirations. You can?t be the best at everything, but you can inspire people in the same field as you. Enhance your standing in your niche, and your self-esteem will climb too.

TIP! Part of setting goals to better yourself is having an idea of where you want your life to go. Having long-term goals is great, because you could have a big change in your perspective.

When you are actively trying to improve yourself, failing to do well at something can hurt your self-esteem more than it otherwise would. However, failure is really an opportunity to grow as a person. Failure is only another way of learning about your strengths and weaknesses. Look at failure as another opportunity for you to improve and overcome.

As hard as it may seem, you must eliminate worry from your life. Most of the things you worry about never materialize, and creating them in the present is of no value to your self improvement. Instead of worrying, consider the worst case scenario, and start taking concrete steps to address that worst case. You will then be prepared and able to move forward.

One simple step to your personal development is doing things for the benefit of other people. You can cultivate a strong, positive character, by learning how to make sacrifices for the sake of helping others. When making sacrifices that help others without hurting your well-being, you can become that kind person that you wanted to be.

TIP! Often, the enemy of happiness is stress. When our minds are busy dealing with stress, we are causing damage to our entire body, both mentally and physically.

Try to make each day more excellent than the previous one. Discover innovative ways to increase your character development. Focus on a specific task that you want to do better today than yesterday.

Staying positive takes a lot of willpower and it might mean that if you are positive towards others, then good things will come to you. For this reason, it is important to wish only positive things for the people in your life. You are less likely to get burdened with bad feelings if you are striving to stay positive.

Are you having a difficult time meeting someone that you want to share your life with? Use the net to jump start your search. Almost half of all couples, about 40%, met their partner online. You may find one that is looking for someone like you. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

TIP! Sexual capitol is an important new trait that?s being researched. This means using your charm rather than your sexuality to acquire things you want.

Therapy might be beneficial if your problems are severe. Books that teach self help are helpful, but do not contain the one-on-one personal touch you can get from a therapist. Sometimes, simply talking through your problems can help you conquer them. Reading even the best self-help book cannot start up a back-and-forth dialog, the way a therapy session can.

Seek out those with similar positive attitudes. This will reinforce the aspects of your personality that you are seeking to develop, while allowing you to distance yourself from toxic individuals in your life.

Everybody makes mistakes, and making healthy food choices is definitely one field in which mistakes get made. Admit your poor choices, and move on with your life.

TIP! Failure at some task can seem like a devastating injury to your self confidence. However, failure is really an opportunity to grow as a person.

There is no way to make everyone in your life happy, so it is best to focus on first pleasing yourself. This doesn?t mean that you should only think of yourself, but in some cases, you really need to put yourself first. Whatever you do, make sure you follow your own values. The more you are a person who you like and respect, the happier you?ll be.

This information is so great that you probably are itching to not only put it into practice for yourself but share it with your loved ones, too. Diligently applying the suggestions in this article can generate positive changes you?ll enjoy for the entirety of your life. When you dedicate the time and determination to making serious personal change, the benefits are endless.

Do not overdo it when you are trying to achieve your personal development goal. Take your best shot, but know when you have reached your limit. You need to be careful about your physical health even while you are striving to achieve your goals. You will not be able to continue improving yourself if you don?t take care of your body.

TIP! Always have the attitude that you are worth it when working on your personal development plan. You need to be aware that you owe that to yourself.

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Source: http://www.samuellevitz.com/take-yourself-to-the-next-level-with-these-self-improvement-tips

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