'Django Unchained' Christians Evangelizing Military Youth on the Taxpayer?s Dime

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Quentin Tarantino deals in tawdry fiction writ large, bloody, and outrageous, as is the case with his latest Best Picture Oscar-nominated exploitation epic, " Django Unchained." Even he would be cowed by the pathetic tale of woe that follows.

From the onset of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2001, U.S. military servicemembers and their families have borne the tragic brunt of prolonged operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Herculean task at hand, spanning the full spectrum of human endurance, from coping with multiple deployments to the hopelessly bleak, inhospitable frontlines of the War on Terror hasn't fallen on war fighters alone. Indeed, the oozing sores of perpetual anxiety,?debilitating depression, and other extreme disorders have proven themselves across military and civilian communities to be communicable diseases, affecting servicemembers and their dependents alike. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has become a household word across the nation, as active-duty servicemembers, for the first time in a generation, are more likely to fall on their own swords and take their own lives than face death in a war zone. This national tragedy continues to play out despite the phasing out of the U.S. role in Iraq and a sharp drop in troop levels in Afghanistan.

Some of the most acute psychological torment has fallen heaviest on servicemembers' children. Speaking as a veteran "military brat" from a family with a long and proud multigenerational tradition of service in our nation's armed forces, I can surely empathize with these youth in terms of the trials that they face.?

Enter Tarantinoesque fiction - except it's real.

It came as a sickening jolt of shock when we at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) learned that a group of?savagely opportunistic fundamentalist Christian vultures known as " Club Beyond" are using taxpayer dollars - let me emphasize that point one more time: TAXPAYER DOLLARS - and Department of Defense property to aggressively prey on these youth, as well as advertising their activities via the official Army.mil website. Club Beyond's mission, in their own words, is to "'celebrate life with military kids, introducing them to the life giver, Jesus Christ, and helping them to become more like him,' while offering youth a chance build meaningful relationships." [italics added]. All of the foregoing would be just fine and dandy if only the United States military was not subject to the United States Constitution - but it is. Thus, the just-mentioned "sickening jolt."

In other words, Club Beyond's?nefariously unconstitutional modus operandi is the outright, incontestable proselytization and religious indoctrination of vulnerable youth perceived to be "unchurched." Club Beyond is a sectarian enterprise with global reach. It's a subsidiary of a raging fundamentalist Christian parachurch organization called " Military Community Youth Ministries" (MCYM). MCYM offers, get this, "well chaperoned" weekly 90 minute club meetings, retreats, and Bible Study courses facilitated by "staff and volunteers [that] love young people and are available to journey with them through the hard challenges of adolescence, providing positive role models and exhibiting Christ-like behavior." Uh huh. Want some more?

Ok. Well, one of the ways that Club Beyond shows its "love" for these captive audiences is by hosting so-called "Purity Conferences," events where the widely debunked abstinence-only movement is, ahem, propagated. In fact, this year's Valentine's Day was the occasion for one such "Virginity Ball," an event called "Can't Lose." At this "ball," rather than receiving a realistic sexual education, youth enmeshed in a cannonade of hormonal tides of teenage passion are schooled solely in the ways of puritanical self-denial. The "virginity movement" has long been exposed as a transparent, fundamentalist Christian campaign that perniciously undermines reproductive health and cloaks old-school misogyny of the very worst kind in mawkish rhetoric regarding "preserving yourself for your future husband." Yep. That'll work for sure.

Source: http://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/michaelweinstein/django-unchained-christians-evangelizing-military-youth-taxpayers-dime

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SAfrica police replace top Pistorius investigator

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. The lead investigator in the murder case against Pistorius faces attempted murder charges himself over a 2011 shooting, police said Thursday in another potentially damaging blow to the prosecution. Prosecutors said they were unaware of the charges against veteran detective Hilton Botha when they put him on the stand in court to explain why Pistorius should not be given bail in the Valentine's Day shooting death of his girlfriend. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius stands during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. The lead investigator in the murder case against Pistorius faces attempted murder charges himself over a 2011 shooting, police said Thursday in another potentially damaging blow to the prosecution. Prosecutors said they were unaware of the charges against veteran detective Hilton Botha when they put him on the stand in court to explain why Pistorius should not be given bail in the Valentine's Day shooting death of his girlfriend. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Investigating officer Hilton Botha sits inside the witness box during the bail hearing for Oscar Pistorius at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority acknowledged that the timing of attempted murder charges against a police detective leading the investigation into Oscar Pistorius is "totally weird" and that he should dropped from the case against the world-famous athlete. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius's father Henke Pistorius, right, with daughter Aimee, left, during his bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. The lead investigator in the murder case against Pistorius faces attempted murder charges himself over a 2011 shooting, police said Thursday in another potentially damaging blow to the prosecution. Prosecutors said they were unaware of the charges against veteran detective Hilton Botha when they put him on the stand in court to explain why Pistorius should not be given bail in the Valentine's Day shooting death of his girlfriend. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)

FILE- In this Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013 file photo, Investigating officer Hilton Botha, sits inside the court witness box during the Oscar Pistorius bail hearing at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa. The lead investigator in the murder case against Oscar Pistorius faces attempted murder charges himself over a 2011 shooting, police said Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, in another potentially damaging blow to the prosecution. Prosecutors said they were unaware of the charges against veteran detective Hilton Botha when they put him on the stand in court to explain why Pistorius should not be given bail in the Valentine's Day shooting death of his girlfriend. Police Brig. Neville Malila told The Associated Press that Botha ? who gave testimony in the Pistorius bail hearing on Wednesday ? is scheduled to appear in court in May on seven counts of attempted murder related to an incident in October 2011 when Botha and two other police officers fired at a minibus they were trying to stop. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

Graphic shows the layout of Oscar Pistorius??? apartment

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) ? South African police appointed a new chief investigator Thursday in the Oscar Pistorius murder case, replacing a veteran detective after unsettling revelations that the officer was charged with seven counts of attempted murder.

The sensational twist in the state's troubled investigation fueled growing public fascination with the case against the double-amputee Olympian, who is charged with premeditated murder in the Valentine's Day slaying of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius, a sporting icon and source of inspiration to millions until the shooting last week, is backed by a high-powered team of lawyers and publicists. The abruptness of his fall, and its gruesome circumstances, have gripped a global audience and put South Africa's police and judicial system under the spotlight.

The man at the center of the storm sat in the dock during his bail hearing, mostly keeping his composure in contrast to slumped-over outbursts of weeping on previous days in court. In front of Pistorius, defense lawyer Barry Roux pounced on the apparent disarray in the state's case, laying out arguments that amounted to a test run for the full trial yet to come.

Roux pointed to what he called the "poor quality" of the state's investigation and raised the matter of intent, saying Pistorius and Steenkamp had a "loving relationship" and the athlete had no motive to plan her killing.

Pistorius, 26, says he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he shot her through a locked bathroom door in his home. Prosecutors believe the shooting happened after the couple got into an argument, and prosecutor Gerrie Nel painted a picture of a man he said was "willing and ready to fire and kill."

Much of the drama Thursday, however, happened outside the courtroom as South African police scrambled to get their investigation on track.

In a news conference at a training academy, National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega said a senior detective would gather a team of "highly skilled and experienced" officers to investigate the killing of 29-year-old Steenkamp, a model and budding reality TV contestant.

The decision to put police Lt. Gen. Vinesh Moonoo in charge came soon after word emerged that the initial chief investigator, Hilton Botha, is facing attempted murder charges, and a day after he offered testimony damaging to the prosecution.

Botha acknowledged Wednesday in court that nothing in Pistorius' version of the fatal shooting contradicted what police had discovered, even though there have been some discrepancies. Botha also said that police left a 9 mm slug in the toilet and lost track of allegedly illegal ammunition found in Pistorius' home.

"This matter shall receive attention at the national level," Phiyega told reporters after testimony ended in the third day of Pistorius' bail hearing.

Bulewa Makeke, spokeswoman for South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority, said the attempted murder charges had been reinstated against Botha on Feb. 4. Police say they found out about it after Botha testified in Pistorius' bail hearing Wednesday.

Botha and two other police officers had seven counts of attempted murder reinstated against them in connection with a 2011 shooting incident in which they allegedly fired shots at a minibus they were trying to stop.

Makeke indicated the charges were reinstated because more evidence had been gathered. She said the charge against Botha was initially dropped "because there was not enough evidence at the time."

Pistorius' main sponsor, Nike, meanwhile, suspended its contract with the multiple Paralympic champion, following eyewear manufacturer Oakley's decision to suspend its sponsorship. Nike said in a statement on its website: "We believe Oscar Pistorius should be afforded due process and we will continue to monitor the situation closely."

On Thursday, Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair asked the defense regarding Pistorius' bail application: "Do you think there will be some level of shock if the accused is released?"

Defense lawyer Roux responded: "I think there will be a level of shock in this country if he is not released."

Prosecutor Nel suggested signs of remorse from Pistorius had nothing to do with whether he planned to kill his girlfriend.

"Even if you plan a murder, you plan a murder and shoot. If you fire the shot, you have remorse. Remorse might kick in immediately," Nel said.

As Nel summed up the prosecution's case opposing bail, Pistorius began to weep in the crowded courtroom, leading his brother, Carl Pistorius, to reach out and touch his back.

"He (Pistorius) wants to continue with his life like this never happened," Nel went on, prompting Pistorius, who was crying softly, to shake his head.

"The reason you fire four shots is to kill," Nel persisted.

Earlier Thursday, Nair questioned Botha over delays in processing records from phones found in Pistorius' house following the slaying.

"It seems to me like there was a lack of urgency," the magistrate said.

Botha is to appear in court in May to face seven counts of attempted murder in connection with the minibus shooting incident. He has been quoted in the South African media as denying allegations he was drunk at the time, saying he and the other officers were trying to stop the vehicle and didn't know there were people inside.

While Botha has been dropped from the Pistorius investigation, he has not been suspended from the police force, Phiyega said, and could still be called by defense lawyers at trial.

Pistorius, wearing the same gray suit, blue shirt and gray tie combination he has worn throughout the bail hearing, stood ramrod straight in the dock, then sat calmly looking at his hands.

Roux said an autopsy showed that Steenkamp's bladder was empty, suggesting she had gone to the bathroom to use the toilet, rather than fled there to escape an enraged Pistorius, as prosecutors contend.

"The known forensics is consistent" with Pistorius' statement, Roux said, asking that bail restrictions be eased for his client.

But the prosecutor said Pistorius hadn't given guarantees to the court that he wouldn't leave the country if he was facing a life sentence. Nel also stressed that Pistorius shouldn't be given special treatment.

"'I am Oscar Pistorius. I am a world-renowned athlete.' Is that a special circumstance? No," Nel said. "His version (of the killing) is improbable."

Nel said the court should focus on the "murder of the defenseless woman."

Botha testified Thursday that he investigated a 2009 complaint against Pistorius by a woman who said the athlete assaulted her. However, Pistorius did not hurt the woman, who in fact injured herself when she kicked a door at Pistorius' home, Botha said.

___

AP Sports Writer Gerald Imray contributed to this report from Johannesburg

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-21-OLY-Pistorius-Shooting/id-0ab7302a324342a0987ed250578736b2

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Military judge to issue Samaha indictment

BEIRUT: Military Investigative Judge Riad Abu Ghayda will issue a final indictment against former Information Minister Michel Samaha Wednesday, judicial sources told The Daily Star.

The sources said Tuesday that Abu Ghayda has finalized the indictment and he will submit it within the next 24 hours to the Military Tribunal.

They added that Abu Ghayda will submit his indictments against Samaha and two other Syrian officials identified as Syrian Gen. Ali Mamlouk and Col. Adnan, whose real identity is unknown.

The investigative judge will refer the case to Military Tribunal head Brig. Gen. Khalil Ibrahim.

Samaha, a longtime ally of the Syrian leadership, was arrested by the Internal Security Forces? Information Branch last year on charges of transporting explosives from Syria and plotting terror attacks in Lebanon.

Asked whether the Military Tribunal would hold a trial for the Samaha case in the next few weeks, one judicial source said it was highly unlikely.

?Once the indictment is made in the Samaha case, it will take months to get to the court due to judicial procedures,? the source said.

The evidence, which includes audio recordings implicating Samaha in terror plots with officials from the Syrian regime, is still with the Internal Security Forces? Information Branch, an issue that Samaha?s lawyer argues impedes a fair trial.

Samaha?s lawyer Sakhr al-Hashem said the defense has yet to be briefed on the evidence that the court has against the former minister.

?The day the case was handed to the prosecutor, evidence that the Information Branch had should have been submitted to the prosecutor?s office,? Hashem said. ?But this did not happen. Instead all the evidence has remained with the Information Branch and we have not seen it despite our demands to look at them.?

Earlier this month, Military Prosecutor Saqr Saqr requested that Samaha and Mamlouk be tried on counts of terrorism. In his last recommendation before referring the case to Abu Ghayda, Saqr asked that Samaha and Mamlouk be indicted for ?preparing bombs and explosives, transporting them from Syria to Lebanon to target Ramadan iftars with the aim to kill clergymen, politicians, lawmakers and citizens.?

Judicial sources said Samaha and Mamlouk could face the death penalty if charged for the crimes.

According to Hashem, the accusation to be issued by Abu Ghayda will likely be ?90 percent similar to the charges made earlier [by Saqr].?

?We have serious challenges against the charges being pressed against Samaha, and we will deal with the indictments of the court after they are officially issued,? he said, adding that Abu Ghayda?s indictment would not be politicized.

Hashem said he believes the defense will succeed in weakening the accusations against his client when trials commence at the Military Tribunal.

?I have full trust that our challenges will weaken the accusations and will dismiss 90 percent of the charges made against Samaha,? Hashem said.

Most of the evidence against Samaha was brought to police by an informant, Milad Kfoury, who had played the role of a double agent before the former minister?s arrest in August 2012.

Source: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2013/Feb-20/207160-military-judge-to-issue-samaha-indictment.ashx

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Pictures Don't Lie: Corn And Soybeans Are Conquering U.S. Grasslands

A corn field is shrouded in mist at sunrise in rural Springfield, Neb.

Nati Harnik/AP

For years, I've been hearing stories about the changing agricultural landscape of the northern plains. Grasslands are disappearing, farmers told me. They're being replaced by fields of corn and soybeans.

This week, those stories got a big dose of scientific, peer-reviewed validation. A study published in the Proceedings of the American Academy of Sciences shows actual pictures ? derived from satellite data ? of that changing landscape. The images show that farmers in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska converted 1.3 million acres of grassland into soybean and corn production between 2006 and 2011.

"This is kind of the worst-kept secret in the Northern Plains. We just put some numbers on it," says Christopher Wright, from South Dakota State University, who got funding from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy to take a close look at this phenomenon. Earlier studies from the Environmental Working Group and the USDA's Economic Research Service have also looked at it, each using slightly different methods.

Hot spots of grassland conversion: This map shows the percentage of existing grasslands that were converted into corn or soybean fields between 2006 and 2011.

Christopher K. Wright/South Dakota State University

Still, Wright's images are striking, and these changes are having profound effects on the environment of this region. For instance, it's bad news for wildlife, because corn fields are much less inviting habitat for a wide range of wild creatures, from ground-nesting birds to insects, including bees. Corn and soybean fields are increasingly encroaching into the Prairie Pothole region of the Dakotas and Minnesota, the most important breeding habitat for waterfowl in North America.

In southern Iowa, Wright says, much of the land conversion is taking place on hillsides. The soil of those fields, without permanent grass to hold it in place, is now much more likely to wash into streams and ponds. And on the western edge of this region, farmers are taking a chance on corn and soybeans in places that sometimes don't get enough rainfall for these thirsty crops.

Why? There's one very simple reason: Corn and soybean prices are high, so farmers can earn a lot of money growing those crops. Meanwhile, funding has been declining for one important alternative ? the government's Conservation Reserve Program, which pays farmers to protect wildlife and water quality by keeping land in grass.

Another reason, however, is getting increasing attention: crop insurance. The government subsidizes private insurance policies that cover the risks of poor harvests, or even that prices will fall. Because farmers don't pay for the full cost of this insurance, critics of crop insurance say that it encourages risky behavior: planting crops in areas that don't drain well, where rainfall is unreliable, or on hillsides where soil erosion is a problem.

Critics say that the government should drastically reduce its subsidies for such insurance. Not only is it fiscally irresponsible, they say. It's encouraging farmers to destroy the grasslands of the northern plains, a priceless and increasingly scarce natural treasure.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/02/14/172021095/pictures-dont-lie-corn-and-soybeans-are-conquering-u-s-grasslands?ft=1&f=1007

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What is President's Day?

To some, the observance of Presidents' Day in the United States goes very much unnoticed. Local newspapers splash ads of ?President?s Day Sales!? and many get the day off from work. But have you ever stopped to think about this important day of recognition?

Presidents' Day is intended (for some) to honor all the American presidents, but most significantly George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. According to the Gregorian or "New Style" calendar that is most commonly used today, George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. But according to the Julian or "Old Style" calendar that was used in England until 1752, his birth date was February 11th. Back in the 1790s, Americans were split - some celebrated his birthday on February 11th and some on February 22nd.

When Abraham Lincoln became president and helped reshape our country, it was believed he, too, should have a special day of recognition. Tricky thing was that Lincoln?s birthday fell on February 12th. Prior to 1968, having two presidential birthdays so close together didn't seem to bother anyone. February 22nd was observed as a federal public holiday to honor the birthday of George Washington and February 12th was observed as a public holiday to honor Abraham Lincoln?s birthday.

In 1968, things changed when the 90th Congress was determined to create a uniform system of federal Monday holidays. They voted to shift three existing holidays (including Washington's Birthday) to Mondays. The law took effect in 1971, and as a result, Washington's Birthday holiday was changed to the third Monday in February. But not all Americans were happy with the new law. There was some concern that Washington's identity would be lost since the third Monday in February would never fall on his actual birthday. There was also an attempt to rename the public holiday "Presidents' Day", but the idea didn't go anywhere since some believed not all presidents deserved a special recognition.

Even though Congress had created a uniform federal holiday law, there was not a uniform holiday title agreement among the individual states. Some states, like California, Idaho, Tennessee and Texas chose not to retain the federal holiday title and renamed their state holiday "President's Day." From that point forward, the term ?Presidents' Day? became a marketing phenomenon, as advertisers sought to capitalize on the opportunity for three-day or week-long sales.

In 1999, bills were introduced in both the U.S. House (HR-1363) and Senate (S-978) to specify that the legal public holiday once referred to as Washington's Birthday be "officially" called by that name once again. Both bills died in committees.

Today, President?s Day is well accepted and celebrated. Some communities still observe the original holidays of Washington and Lincoln, and many parks actually stage reenactments and pageants in their honor. The National Park Service also features a number of historic sites and memorials to honor the lives of these two presidents, as well as other important leaders.

Where to Visit

The George Washington Birthplace National Monument in VA, holds an annual birthday celebration on President's Day and on his actual birthday. Visitors can enjoy special colonial activities held throughout the day. Mount Vernon (now part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway) also honors George Washington with a birthday celebration weekend and an annual fee-free day (the third Monday of February).

Annual activities to commemorate Abraham Lincoln's birthday include: a February 12th wreath laying ceremony at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in KY; Lincoln Day, held each year on the Sunday closest to February 12th at Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in IN; and special birthday programs at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in IL. Each year, other special events are added, so be sure to check park calendars before you travel.

The National Park Service also maintains a number of sites that commemorate other past presidents, including John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant, James Garfield, Teddy Roosevelt, William Taft, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton. You may also want to visit inspiring places like Mount Rushmore or military parks such as Gettysburg for a fun-filled visit.

(SOURCE: About.com)

Source: http://clevelandsouth.woio.com/news/politics/89784-what-presidents-day

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Cape Girardeau to get more tornado sirens

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS)- The city of Cape Girardeau is getting more tornado sirens this year.

According to Fire Chief Rick Ennis, crews will be installing five or six more sirens. The city already has four.

The money for them reportedly comes from revenue from the casino.

"Its and overdue project with the outdoor sirens and we've wanted to do it for a long time," said Cape Girardeau Fire Chief Rick Ennis. "I think the citizens want the sirens, so it's a good step in the right direction."

Chief Ennis says the city hopes to install more sirens as more money becomes available.

Copyright 2013 KFVS. All rights reserved.

Source: http://capegirardeau.kfvs12.com/news/news/61540-cape-girardeau-get-more-tornado-sirens

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LG launches LTE-equipped Tab-Book Ultra and IdeaPad U460 in Korea

We weren't convinced LG's Z160 convertible was skinny enough for Ultrabook status when we went hands-on at CES, but the Korean company has run with the title and launched the Tab-Book Ultra in its homeland. The 11.6-inch slider runs full-fat Windows 8 on an Intel Core i5 CPU in the top-end configuration (GH5WK), and much to the joy of data-hungry users, packs an LTE radio in addition to standard WiFi. Those who want a more traditional laptop experience but also need 4G for the road can now purchase an LTE refresh of the IdeaPad U460, which has been launched in tandem. LG will be showing off the LTE-equipped Tab-Book Ultra at MWC later this month, although its 'new series' of smartphones is sure to steal all the attention. We're still in the dark about when the Z160 will be available elsewhere, but Korean e-tailers are listing it at circa 1,400,000 won (around $1,300), so we can probably expect a similar price when it starts touring.

Filed under: Laptops, LG

Comments

Source: LG (1), (2)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/19/lte-tab-book-ultra-and-ideapad-u460/

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