Former foreign minister Mottaki joins Iran's presidential race

DUBAI (Reuters) - Former Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has announced he will run for president in an election in June likely to be dominated by seething conservative rivalries.

The presidential poll is a crucial test for Iran after the last one in 2009 ignited mass street protests in Tehran and other cities after Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election.

As Iran remains locked in a stand-off with world powers over its nuclear program, rifts between Ahmadinejad and rivals loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threaten to tarnish the legitimacy of the state's theocratic ruling system.

"I will propose a plan in line with Supreme Leader's beliefs and the people's demands so that in a government with the name of the Islamic Republic, the president would be more than a sympathizer for the people and give something more than a future promise," Mottaki said on his website on Tuesday in a message to Iranians announcing his candidacy.

In a sign that Mottaki may not agree with the Supreme Leader on everything, a note on his website last month criticized "crude" suggestions set out by Iran's nuclear negotiators.

Diplomats and analysts say the defiant position of Saeed Jalili, Iran's chief negotiator, is firmly backed by Khamenei, who has the last word on nuclear and other state policies.

Jalili said two days of talks with world powers that ended in Almaty on Wednesday were a "positive step", but there was no sign of a breakthrough in the dispute. Iran denies Western accusations that it is seeking a nuclear weapons capability.

Mottaki is viewed as an ally of parliament speaker Ali Larijani, a conservative who lost to Ahmadinejad in the 2005 election and has since kept up an intense rivalry with him.

Mottaki served as foreign minister for five years until the president dismissed him in December 2010.

The struggle between president and parliament has intensified in recent weeks after Ahmadinejad publicly accused Larijani's family of using their position for financial gain.

Khamenei loyalists are scrambling to eradicate the power and influence of the more nationalist Ahmadinejad who they fear will back a candidate to pursue what they say is his plan to weaken the influence of Iran's clergy and the Supreme Leader.

Iranian media have suggested that Ahmadinejad is grooming his former chief of staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, despised by conservatives as a "deviant" influence on the president, as his approved candidate, but there has been no official word.

To prevent the next president from challenging Khamenei's authority, his close advisers are looking to unite around a single hard-line candidate to minimize chances of the virulent political divisions leading to post-election chaos.

The Supreme Leader controls the Council of Guardians, which oversees elections and can bar candidates from standing.

Reformists are unlikely to be allowed to run unless they distance themselves from Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who lost out in the 2009 election and who have been under house arrest for more than two years for "seditious acts".

Both opposition leaders said the 2009 vote was rigged and their supporters took to the streets in huge numbers to protest, only to be crushed by security forces and religious militia.

(Reporting by Zahra Hosseinian and Marcus George; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/former-foreign-minister-mottaki-joins-irans-presidential-race-093936628.html

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Syrian clashes reach 12th century Aleppo mosque

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels clashed Thursday with government forces around a historic 12th century mosque inside the walled old city of Aleppo, activists said.

The rebels won new support from the Obama administration. The U.S. pledged an additional $60 million in assistance and ? in a significant policy shift ? will for the first time provide nonlethal aid like food and medical supplies.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced the new support and the decision to back the rebel fighters on the sidelines of an international conference on Syria in Rome, where European nations were also expected to signal their intention to provide fresh assistance to the opposition, possibly including defensive military hardware.

The rebels have made a number of strategic gains in northern Syria in recent weeks, including the capture of a hydroelectric Dam and some military bases. They have also launched attacks deep in the heart of Damascus, President Bashar Assad's seat of power.

But at the same time, the opposition has grown more critical of the international community, accusing it of not providing adequate support.

In Aleppo, a key battleground in the civil war, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said there were clashes around the 12th century Umayyad Mosque in the walled old city with rebels controlling part of it and government troops holding another part.

The Observatory, which relies on reports from activists on the ground, also said rebels continue to battle troops for control of a police academy west of Aleppo.

Rebels launched an offensive on Aleppo, Syria's largest urban center and its commercial capital, in July 2012.

In months of street fighting, opposition fighters have slowly expanded the turf under their control. The fighting has left much of the city in ruins, and caused damage to its rich archaeological and cultural heritage.

The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Great Mosque of Aleppo, sits near a medieval covered market in the Old City, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The mosque was heavily damaged in October 2012 just weeks after a fire gutted the old city's famed market. Clashes at the historic site have raged for days.

Fighting also intensified in the outskirts of Aleppo around a police academy that has recently emerged as a new front in the battle for the city.

The police complex includes educational facilities for recruits and several army outposts to protect it. Anti-regime activists say the government has turned the facility into a military base, using it to shell opposition areas in Aleppo's countryside as well as rebel-held neighborhoods inside the city.

In the central city of Homs, state media reported a car bombing with some casualties and extensive material damage.

State-run SANA news agency said the car bomb was detonated by terrorists, a term the regime uses for rebels. It did not say how many people were killed in the blast.

An official in the Homs governor's office told The Associated Press that the city was hit by two explosions, killing four people and injuring at least six. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

He said some of the injured are in critical condition.

In Rome, Kerry is meeting Syrian opposition leaders and their Western backers in a bid to bolster Assad's political opponents and speed up his ouster.

The U.S. and its European allies have been reluctant to arm the opposition fighters on the ground for fear the weapons could end up in the hands of Islamic militants, battling Assad's troops among the rebels.

So far, the U.S. has largely limited its assistance to the Syrian opposition to funding for communications and other logistical equipment.

___

Associated Press writer Albert Aji contributed to this report from Damascus, Syria.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-clashes-reach-12th-century-aleppo-mosque-105910552.html

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Coyotes Beat Canucks 4-2: Kyle Chipchura Scores Twice, Mike Smith Makes 29 Saves (VIDEO)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Kyle Chipchura scored twice and Mike Smith made 29 saves to lead the Phoenix Coyotes to a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Antoine Vermette and Mikkel Boedker each added a goal and an assist for Phoenix, which was coming off back-to-back losses to Edmonton and Calgary over the weekend.

Jason Garrison and Henrik Sedin scored, and Cory Schneider made 18 saves for Vancouver.

Boedker scored in the second and then assisted on Vermette third-period goal that proved the winner, helping the Coyotes win on the road in regulation for the first time this season.

Chipchura opened the scoring in the first and then put the game away into an empty net with 23 seconds left as Phoenix moved into a tie for seventh in the Western Conference.

The Canucks were coming off a 2-1-1 road trip but have now dropped three straight at home. They have also lost two in a row after earning at least a point in 10 of the previous 11 games.

The Coyotes had a pair of quality chances while on the game's first power play in the opening period. David Rundblad threw it to Vermette down low, but his quick redirection went off the post. Boedker then one-timed a cross-ice pass but was robbed by Schneider's glove as he slid across to make the save.

Smith's best stop of the first came when he kicked out his right pad to stop David Booth's backhand in close with about seven minutes remaining.

Chipchura finally opened the scoring at 14:22 with his second goal in his past three games. While battling behind the net, Paul Bissonnette squirted the puck free to Chipchura, who knifed through a passive Canucks defense before cutting in front and roofing a backhand past Schneider.

The Coyotes doubled their lead at 9:54 of the second when Runblad's point shot ricocheted off Maxim Lapierre right to Boedker, who avoided the Vancouver forward's check before beating Schneider under the glove for his fourth of the year.

That goal seemed to wake up the Canucks, who got on the board just 91 seconds later. Ryan Kesler dug the puck out of the boards and threw it to Garrison at the point, who faked a slap shot before ripping a wrister past Smith for his third of the year.

Schneider then did his part to keep Vancouver close, robbing Raffi Torres on the doorstep twice just a minute into the third.

But the Coyotes made it 3-1 at 12:32 when Boedker stripped Alex Edler of the puck to create the odd-man rush and then centered for Vermette, who squeaked his fifth of the season through Schneider's pads.

Vancouver again responded quickly, drawing back to within one a minute later when Henrik Sedin deflected a shot from his twin brother Daniel past Smith.

That would be as close as the Canucks would get as Chipchura iced the game with his fourth of the season.

NOTES: Chipchura now has 51 points in 235 games NHL games. ... Bissonnette has assists in three consecutive games after going pointless through eight contests. It is the first point streak of his five-year career. ... Phoenix was missing Martin Hanzal and Radim Vrbata, out with injuries for their third and fourth straight games, respectively. Vrbata is the team's leading scorer and Hanzal has a team-high seven goals. The Coyotes were also without the services of D Derek Morris and David Schlemko. ... Vancouver was without defenceman Kevin Bieksa, missing his second straight game with a sore groin. ... Henrik Sedin played in his 600th consecutive game. Only Calgary D Jay Bouwmeester has a longer ironman streak currently going (606 games).

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/27/coyotes-canucks-4-2-chipchura-mike-smith_n_2770723.html

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Why Home Prices Are Rising. And Some Very Weird Listing Photos ...

February 26, 2013

Here is Redfin?s monthly email newsletter, with a little about Redfin and a lot about what?s happening in the real estate market.

Howdy Redfin Fans!

Welcome to our action-packed newsletter on the U.S. Housing Market. First, what?s new at Redfin?

Redfin Expands to Charlotte, Publishes Details on Bidding Wars

For starters, Redfin just expanded to Charlotte and The Triangle area of North Carolina, with Houston, Delaware and the Bronx to follow this week.

To help you figure out what it takes to win a deal, we also began publishing stats and notes on the 1,000+ offers Redfin?s own agents write each month. This is juicy stuff:

We also launched Redfin Collections, for sharing sets of pretty listing photos of celebrity homes, extreme taxidermy, luscious gardens, the weird stuff, gorgeous views, amazing kitchens, modern mansions and interesting art. Tucked into these Collections ?are some ?bizarre photos of how other people live?and some lovely ideas of how, perhaps in another life, you and I could live:

Meanwhile, for would-be home-sellers, we published a data-driven report on how to get top-dollar for your listing:

• by debuting in April not July, on Friday not Monday;
• by paying for professional photos rather than the agent?s instamatic; and
• by pricing at the middle of the market rather than the top, to attract competing buyers.

To learn more about listing your place, just give us a shout.

Silent Spring: Many Buyers, Few Sellers

But enough about us. What?s going on in the real estate market? The main thing is that many home-buyers can?t find a home to buy. After a year in which inventory fell 30%, things went from bad to worse. Through the first six weeks of 2013, new listings dropped another 18% over last year. Last December, we predicted it would start going the other way in 2013. You win some, you lose some.

What?s going on? Last year, the number of foreclosures reaching the market started to fall fast, as legal challenges mounted and banks saw their derelict properties plummet in value. In states that require court approval for a foreclosure, the number of foreclosed homes for sale peaked in the middle of 2012; elsewhere, foreclosures started falling three years prior. Mortgage delinquency rates have now declined to the lowest level since 2008.

But 2012 still had plenty of short sales, where banks agreed to let an underwater homeowner sell the place for less than the mortgage amount. Now this year, because of rising home prices and liberal loan modifications, fewer folks had to walk away from their mortgage, and even short sales began to disappear: short-sale listings are down 54% in 2013.

The Tweener Stage, Prices Up 10%

The market has now entered a tweener stage, where nobody has to sell, and not enough people want to sell either. Anyone thinking about listing a home bought in 2008 or 2009 is unlikely to make much money, and often decides to wait a bit longer for more price increases. As any East German will tell you, the transition from a command economy is always awkward.

As a result, 70% of the homes on which Redfin agents bid in January had competing offers; 30% of new listings were under contract in less than two weeks. Compared to last year, January prices increased 10% and sales increased 9.1%.

Sales would be much higher if there were more homes to buy. The number of construction projects started for single-family homes in the last three months of 2012 was up 44% compared to the same period in 2011 but still at just a quarter of the 2005 peak. Many builders are struggling to find lots anywhere in town that they can buy and develop.

What could slow the market down? Mortgage rates have increased in eight of the last nine weeks to 3.75%, the highest rate since last September. Eventually, money will get more expensive and buyers will become more scarce, but we don?t think that?s going to happen any time soon.

What?s your take on the market? Just leave a comment below or on Facebook.

Best, Glenn
Glenn Kelman | CEO, Redfin
Twitter | Blog

---

Source: http://blog.redfin.com/blog/2013/02/why_home_prices_are_rising_and_some_very_weird_listing_photos.html

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Which of your submissions should be our state poem? [POLL ...

After Sen. Bruce Anderson (R-Buffalo township) introduced a bill to make Keith Haugen's tepid "Minnesota Blue" the state poem, we asked you to do better.

And you did -- mostly. The submissions we got to our "Write the State Poem" contest included lines like: "birdhouses not from ikea, your grandfather made them/ menisota and womenisota equally," and "As if Portland is Minneapolis" (a poem that ended with, "You just got Ninja Mind Fucked").

Now, we've winnowed down the pool to four (those two didn't make the cut), and it's up to you to vote on which work should represent our 10,000 lakes in the poetry world.

See Also:
- If Minnesota is going to have a state poem, we want it to be yours [CONTEST]
- 50 Reasons Minnesota is the best state in America

Maybe none of them should. Maybe, as St. Paul's poet laureate Carol Connolly suggested in the Star Tribune, the best way to officially represent Minnesota's rich literary talents would be with a daily state poem. But barring that, now's the time to vote on whether any of these made you glad to know this state -- or at least made you laugh. We can't guarantee that the winning poem will wind up enshrined in the secretary of state's office, but we can promise a stack of poetry books to the writer.

Did you miss the deadline, but still have a haiku, sonnet, limerick, or sestina burning in your Minnesota-loving heart? Leave it in the comments below.

Here' are the top four, followed by a poll.

Poem 1: "Walking with the late Paul Gruchow," by Joshua P. Preston

Kind words and best wishes don't bring rain.
Subsidies won't end a drought. His spirit,
like the last boots he'll ever buy, wear
down down down in the dust.

"We never ran from change, but it sure
ran us out," he says. "There'll always be
somewhere to farm but there won't be farmers."
Footsteps scare out a ring-necked pheasant.

I ask what happened to the Farmer-Laborites,
the community, the culture. I've driven more
Interstates than walked desire paths, can
name more skyscrapers than native grasses.

Out on the wind everything I say is carried,
no telling where it'll end up or what marsh
it'll sink in. "I try not to dwell on it," he says,
"or there's bound to be a revolution.

Poem 2: "If Not River," by Weston Cutter

Minnesota I'm your river, I start distant,
in quiet, and I'm unfinished. I ache for scene's
completion, I'll flow till I get there and wonder
what I'll spill, when, where, etc. Minnesota
I rise and subside depending
on season, I swell and deserve
my own Army Corps to come install locks
to help with my overflow. Like water
is all or enough: Minnesota I'm made of 61 Highways
and have you heard how I sound
when my sky fluoresces? Sizzling in dark
and cold, that's what, Minnesota, shivers,
a whispering from the sky like a radio station
that died at sunset yet here we are, still
tuned in. I wonder about you, Minnesota.
I've ridden your hills and kissed your girls
and vice versa, I've let your winters finger me months
at a stretch, I've fallen for icy beauty, I've
gulped considering what lives in and/or through
such chill and I've dived into a lake's hole
to prove something about blood or toughness
or where I believe I belong and what I want
to know is this: Minnesota what if
I'm not river? What if I'm all boat?
Will you still love me Minnesota if I admit
that I, too, round up? That I don't have
ten thousand anything other than questions but I'm happy
to claim otherwise? All this water. All
that gouged fertility. Minnesota you wear
your trampled past well and don't let anyone fool you: it's not
nice, that flinty gaze you cast west to prairie, north
to another country, east to a lake bigger than sin
or the greatest awe but Minnesota neither you nor I
can pretend niceness was all we were ever after.

Click over to page two for the last two poems and the poll.

Source: http://blogs.citypages.com/dressingroom/2013/02/which_of_your_submissions_should_be_our_state_poem_poll.php

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NASCAR fans to sue? Maybe not

NASCAR fans injured at Saturday's race may sue, but experts say they'd have a hard time collecting damages.

By Kyle Hightower,?Associated Press / February 26, 2013

Kyle Larson's flaming car hit the safety fence at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, sending car parts and other debris flying into the stands and injuring spectators. Some of the injured NASCAR fans are considering suing, their lawyer says.

Chris O'Meara / AP

Enlarge

The attorney for three NASCAR fans injured last weekend during a race the day before the Daytona 500 says his clients may sue, but he hopes to reach a settlement with?NASCAR.? Some experts say they could face tough obstacles in winning damages.

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Matt Morgan, the Orlando-based lawyer for the fans, said at a news conference Tuesday that any suit would focus on the safety fence used along the track at Daytona International Speedway.

More than 30 people were injured last Saturday after a horrific wreck in a second-tier?NASCAR?series race sent chunks of debris, including a heavy tire, into the stands. Morgan declined to provide the identities of his clients, but said two of them were seated directly in front of the crash and sustained injuries ranging from a fractured fibula to abdominal swelling. All have been released from the hospital.

Some experts say there could be grounds for a lawsuit, and that courts have looked past liability waivers written on the backs of sporting event tickets. Others maintain the ticket is a legal contract that could be hard to overcome in court.

"Ultimately, I believe it would be gross negligence," Morgan said. "We all know that when you go to a race you assume a certain amount of risk. But what people don't assume is that a race car will come flying into the stands... That's why they make the fences."

Asked to comment on the fans' retention of a law firm,?NASCAR?spokesman David Higdon wrote in a statement, "We are unaware of any lawsuits filed."

Daytona International Speedway is owned by International Speedway Corp., a?NASCAR?sister company. Spokesman Andrew Booth said, "As per company policy, we do not comment on pending litigation."

Donnalynn Darling, a New York-based attorney who has been practicing personal injury law for 30 years, said there is a theory that a spectator who buys tickets to a sporting event assumes the risk of objects coming out of the field of play, such as a foul ball at a baseball game.

But she said there is also a foreseeable risk question that promoters of events also accept.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/XVc_uhi3GRE/NASCAR-fans-to-sue-Maybe-not

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U.S. justices agree to weigh defendant's self-incrimination claim

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Monday to consider whether a criminal defendant's right against self-incrimination is violated when a psychiatrist who examined him testifies about his mental state.

Scott Cheever was sentenced to death for killing Greenwood County, Kansas, Sheriff Matthew Samuels while officers sought to enforce a warrant for his arrest in January 2005.

Cheever's defense was that he was intoxicated after using methamphetamine and therefore incapable of the premeditation necessary for him to be convicted of murder and attempted murder.

The legal question is whether Cheever's Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination was violated when the state called a psychiatrist who had examined Cheever to testify in order to rebut the claim that the defendant was incapable of rational thought.

The psychiatrist's testimony was based in part on what Cheever had said to him during the evaluation. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in Cheever's favor.

Oral argument and a decision are expected in the U.S. Supreme Court's next term, which begins in October and runs until June 2014.

The case is Kansas v. Cheever, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 12-609.

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Howard Goller and Eric Beech)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-justices-agree-weigh-defendants-self-incrimination-claim-153202936.html

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TruexCullins Blog: TruexCullins Wins Awards for School Design

TruexCullins Architecture recently won national awards for their design of the Anglo-American School of Sofia (AAS), an authorized International Baccalaureate World School located in Bulgaria. TruexCullins was hired to create the ?Vitosha Wing?, the new home for the middle and high school programs.

The $8 million expansion, included? site planning and building design developed by Architect and Managing Principal David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP and Associate Architect Diantha Korzun, AIA, LEED AP. Epstein Leads the K-12 and International Education Studios at TruexCullins.

TruexCullins worked closely with the AAS; listening to the needs and desires of the administration, faculty, students and parents. ?The project is a result of unique community effort,? shares Marchella Ignatova, Business Manager of the AAS. ?Students, parents and teachers worked with the TruexCullins providing feedback and ideas for these buildings.?

The significant expansion, which doubles the capacity of the school, includes new classrooms, sports facilities and plans for a new performing arts complex. The campus layout was crafted to foster smaller learning communities within the larger school community.TruexCullins designed the new 8,500 sq. meter middle school and high school facility to incorporate green building features including storm water management and reuse. This is accomplished through the use of green roofs, constructed wetlands and ponds. Other green features include daylight harvesting, solar hot water, photo-voltaic roof covered parking and extensive use of local materials. The project is registered with the U.S. Green Building Council and is expected to earn LEED? Gold certification.

TruexCullins? building design earned first place at the National Building of the Year Awards in the Education Category and runner up in the Bulgaria Building of the Year in the Green Category.

The Bulgarian Chamber of Architects also awarded it first place in the Bulgarian Building of the Year ? Education Category. It also received a second place award in the Bulgarian Building of the Year ? Green Category.

?AAS was a great partner to work with," shared David Epstein, AIA, LEED AP. " They were truly interested in creating a facility that fosters collaboration, community, and engaged learning. And they were fiercely committed to sustainable design solutions. We are fortunate to work with clients with great vision."

Source: http://truexcullins.blogspot.com/2013/02/truexcullins-wins-awards-for-school.html

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Bork: Nixon offered next high court vacancy in '73

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Robert Bork says President Richard Nixon promised him the next Supreme Court vacancy after Bork complied with Nixon's order to fire Watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox in 1973.

Bork's recollection of his role in the Saturday Night Massacre that culminated in Cox's firing is at the center of his slim memoir, "Saving Justice," that is being published posthumously by Encounter Books. Bork died in December at age 85.

Bork writes that he didn't know if Nixon actually, though mistakenly, believed he still had the political clout to get someone confirmed to the Supreme Court or was just trying to secure Bork's continued loyalty as his administration crumbled in the Watergate scandal.

President Ronald Reagan nominated Bork to the high court in 1987. The nomination failed in the Senate.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-25-Bork-Posthumous%20Book/id-2cae6d59b1ed490a921e41a53237b33b

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Prime suspect sought in Las Vegas shooting, crash

This photo provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Ammar Harris in a booking photo from a 2012 arrest in Las Vegas. Police have identified Harris as a suspect in a shooting that sent a Maserati into a taxi that exploded, killing three people on Feb. 21, 2013 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

This photo provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Ammar Harris in a booking photo from a 2012 arrest in Las Vegas. Police have identified Harris as a suspect in a shooting that sent a Maserati into a taxi that exploded, killing three people on Feb. 21, 2013 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

This photo provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows Ammar Harris in a booking photo from a 2012 arrest in Las Vegas. Police have identified Harris as a suspect in a shooting that sent a Maserati into a taxi that exploded, killing three people on Feb. 21, 2013 in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

This photo provided by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows a black Range Rover SUV in Las Vegas that was found Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at an apartment complex east of the Las Vegas Strip. It has been impounded as evidence in connection with a shooting that sent a Maserati into a taxi that exploded, killing three people. Police are looking for 26-year-old Ammar Harris in connection with the shooting. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2013 file photo, law enforcement personal investigate the scene of a mulit-vehicle accident on Las Vegas Blvd and Flamingo Road Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. Variously known as an adult playground and Disneyland for grown-ups, Las Vegas has worked to brand itself as a place where tourists can enjoy a sense of edginess with no real danger. But a series of high-profile and seemingly random incidents that have left visitors to the Strip dead or in the hospital is threatening Sin City?s reputation as a padded room of a town where people can cut loose with no fear of consequences. (AP Photo/Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jeff Scheid) LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL INTERNET OUT; LAS VEGAS SUN OUT

This undated image provided by Robert S. Beckett shows Kenneth Cherry Jr., also known as rapper Kenny Clutch. The Clark County, Nev., coroner's office identified Cherry as the Maserati driver who died after being peppered with gunfire from someone in a Range Rover SUV, sparking a fiery crash that killed two others, in Las Vegas, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Robert S. Beckett)

LAS VEGAS (AP) ? Police are seeking a 26-year-old man as the prime suspect in last week's pre-dawn shooting and crash on the Las Vegas Strip that killed three people and injured several others

The black SUV used as a getaway car was found Saturday as police named Ammar Harris in connection with the shooting and six-vehicle chain-reaction carnage Thursday on the neon-lit boulevard near the Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Bally's and Flamingo resorts,

An aspiring rapper who was driving a Maserati was shot to death, while two people in a taxi died in the crash.

"His location is unknown," police Capt. Chris Jones said of Harris, who sometimes goes by the name Ammar Asim Faruq Harris. Police say he has been arrested for working as a pimp.

Police released a photo that was taken when Harris was arrested last year on pandering, kidnapping, sexual assault and coercion charges. The disposition of that case was not immediately known.

The photo shows Harris with tattoos on his right cheek and words on his neck above an image that appeared to depict an owl with blackened eyes. Jones warned that Harris should be considered armed and dangerous.

Police had been searching for the black Range Rover, with blackout windows and distinctive black rims, since it was last seen speeding from the shooting. It was located at an apartment complex just a couple of blocks east of the neon-lit boulevard, and was impounded as evidence, Jones said.

The shooting killed Kenneth Wayne Cherry Jr., who was driving the dark gray Maserati that was peppered by gunfire from the SUV. Taxi driver Michael Boldon and passenger Sandra Sutton-Wasmund, of Maple Valley, Wash., died when the Maserati hit their taxi, which exploded in flames.

Boldon, 62, was a family man who moved from Michigan to Las Vegas. Sutton-Wasmund, 48, was a businesswoman and mother of three.

A passenger in the Maserati was wounded in the arm and four people from four other vehicles were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The Maserati passenger was cooperating with investigators. His name hasn't been made public.

The shocking chain of events had family members and friends in Las Vegas, California, Michigan and Washington trying to grasp the blink-of-an-eye finality of it all.

"My son was a good boy," Kenneth Cherry Sr. told reporters Saturday in a news conference convened by Las Vegas lawyers Vicki Greco and Robert Beckett.

Beckett said they wanted to respond to rumors that the 27-year-old son ? who produced a rap video using the name Kenny Clutch ? was a gangster and a troublemaker. The attorneys had represented his son, and now represent his estate and the family.

"My son was a victim just like the two people in that taxi," Kenneth Cherry Sr. said. "Trouble found him. The people in the taxicab, trouble found them."

Court records show Cherry had no criminal cases or convictions in Las Vegas, and police said there was no record of arrests.

The Clark County coroner determined that Kenny Cherry died of at least one gunshot to the chest. Boldon and Sutton-Wasmund died of injuries in the crash. All three deaths were ruled homicides.

Police say the shooting appeared to stem from an argument at the valet area of the upscale Aria resort-casino about a block south of the crash scene. The shooting happened after a night featuring Morocco-born rapper French Montana at Aria nightclub Haze.

Cherry's parents live in Emeryville, Calif., and the father said his son's body would be taken back to Oakland. He said his son started a music career there and was recognized by other rappers within a West Coast hip-hop strain called hyphy.

Cherry wasn't well-known in wider music circles, according to Chuck Creekmur, CEO of AllHipHop.com.

Kenny Clutch's YouTube music video, "Stay Schemin," shows scenes of hotels along the Strip as he sings about paying $120,000 for his Maserati.

"One mistake change lives all in one night," he raps in one verse.

Kenneth Cherry Sr., who said he runs a cellphone business, said he helped his son make payments on the Maserati. He said he last spoke to him on Wednesday, when they talked about the high cost of the son's cellphone use.

Cherry Sr. described his son as an entrepreneur but didn't say how he made money or if he had jobs other than his music production.

Boldon's family in Las Vegas was struggling to cope with his death, said Tehran Boldon, the taxi driver's younger brother.

Boldon's sister, Carolyn Jean Trimble, said Boldon was a father, a grandfather and a car race enthusiast who drove a Mercedes when he wasn't in a cab. He owned a clothing store in Detroit and worked at a car dealership, his sister said, and drove taxis after moving to Las Vegas about 1? years ago.

The irony that a man with a taste for beautiful cars was killed by a sports car wasn't lost on Trimble.

"He would be tickled to death: 'Damn, of all things, a Maserati hit me, took me out like that,'" she said. "I'm happy he didn't suffer."

In Washington, Sutton-Wasmund co-owned a dress shop, said Debbie Tvedt, the office manager for a Maple Valley plumbing company that Sutton-Wasmund started with her husband, James Wasmund. Sutton-Wasmund was in Las Vegas attending a trade show with her business partner.

"It's a big loss," Tvedt said in a telephone interview with AP.

The Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce website said Sutton-Wasmund was a board member from 2004 to 2011 before becoming a marketing representative.

A phone message left for James Wasmund was not immediately returned.

The famously glowing, always-open Las Vegas Strip was closed for some 15 hours after the crash. Nevada Highway Patrol Sgt. Eric Kemmer recalled a similarly long closure after the 1996 drive-by slaying of rapper Tupac Shakur.

That shooting ? involving assailants opening fire on Shakur's luxury sedan from a vehicle on Flamingo Road ? happened about a block away from Thursday's crash.

The Shakur killing has never been solved.

___

Associated Press writers Michelle Rindels in Las Vegas, Garance Burke in San Francisco, Kathy McCarthy in Seattle and AP Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-24-US-Vegas-Gun-Battle/id-3d052e59c11e40d2833fb4fe2f8190c0

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Andy Samberg Is Engaged!

Nick Carter proposed to Lauren Kitt! See more stars who are planning to tie the knot

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/engaged-celebrities-they-put-ring-it/1-b-277661?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aengaged-celebrities-they-put-ring-it-277661

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All condemn pending budget cuts, spread blame

	Essential News from The Associated Press

? ?Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-02-24-Budget%20Battle/id-341da0c3b92644bbadf2cfd3091024b2

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Ron Thorne, Brigette Chism, Anja Trevino and 8 more joined Alternative Energy dot Com

There are many times when people need to find reliable financial resources but never seem to locate one that suits them. If you find yourself in this type of situation and need money now, but cannot find lenders to your liking, then you'll be able find a solution by utilizing fast bad credit loans. These types of loans were designed to provide you with quick cash when you need it. This way of money lending is very beneficial to the borrower, as it is one way to over come any financial?See More

Source: http://alternativeenergycom.ning.com/profile/RonThorne?xg_source=activity

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Microsoft is hacked by same people who hacked Facebook and Apple

Is the Chinese or Eastern Europeans? Maybe someone else? We don?t really know. All we know is there has been a recent string of hacks against multi-million and multi-billion dollar corporations in the past few months. Microsoft is now the latest victim.

According to a blog post, Microsoft ?found a small number of computers, including some in our Mac business unit, that were infected by malicious software?. While Microsoft says they ?have no evidence of customer data being affected?, they pledge to continue the investigation.

The kicker? Apparently the hack took place ?using techniques similar to those documented by other organizations?, i.e. Facebook and Apple. This means not only was Microsoft likely compromised by the same people that hacked Facebook and Apple but also during the same time and also through Java.

Nobody is safe. Time to build that doomsday shelter I have always been planning.

[via BBC, Microsoft]

About the author: Ashraf View all posts by Ashraf

Happily married to the most beautiful woman ever, Ashraf is the founder of dotTech. Ashraf spends insane hours on dotTech (usually writing articles but sometimes doing absolutely nothing except staring). Yes he is weird, but he is also very friendly.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/dottechdotorg/~3/ede4MqCkfrc/

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Indiana Mega-Church Faces New Foreclosure Lawsuit

One of the nation?s largest mega-churches is facing another foreclosure challenge.

NWTimes.com reports that the Munster, Ind.-based Family Christian Center, the state's largest mega-church and one of the nation's 20 largest Christian denominations, is the subject of a mortgage foreclosure case filed in Lake Superior Court by the First National Bank of Illinois. The bank's lawsuit targets the church, Senior Pastor Steve Munsey, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Sutton Place Condominiums relating to four condos in Munster - the IRS and the condominiums were included because they both filed liens against the Family Christian Center.

In its lawsuit, the bank charges that the Family Christian Center owes $604,447.02, which includes late charges and fees. Furthermore, court records show that the church owes Sutton Place $5,700 in unpaid association dues, while the IRS has two outstanding federal tax liens against the church totaling $53,790.34.

The new foreclosure lawsuit is the latest against the church, which was sued in 2011 by the California-based Evangelical Christian Credit Union after the church defaulted on the mortgage for its worship center; that case still is pending. Munsey, who is also a regular on the internationally broadcast "This is Your Day" television show, only informed his congregation of the 2011 lawsuit in the summer of 2012, explaining that he did not speak up earlier because he "really didn't know what to do but trust God."

(Editor's note: for more insight on the unique mortgage problems involving faith-based organizations, please read our article "When Churches Face Foreclosure.")

Source: http://www.mortgageorb.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.13357

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Fans Injured In Daytona Crash On Final Lap Of Nationwide Race (VIDEO/PHOTOS)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- At least 33 fans were injured Saturday during a NASCAR race when a car flew into the fence at Daytona International Speedway, hurling a tire and large pieces of debris into the stands.

The accident happened on the last lap of the second-tier Nationwide Series race on the eve of Sunday's Daytona 500, which officials said would go on as scheduled.

The crash began as the field approached the checkered flag and leader Regan Smith attempted to block Brad Keselowski to preserve the win. That triggered a chain reaction, and rookie Kyle Larson hit the cars in front of him and went airborne into the fence.

The entire front end was sheared off Larson's car, and his burning engine wedged through a gaping hole in the fence. Chunks of debris from the car were thrown into the stands, including a tire that cleared the top of the fence and landed midway up the spectator section closest to the track.

The 20-year-old Larson stood in shock several yards away from his car as fans in the stands waived frantically for help. Smoke from the burning engine briefly clouded the area, and emergency vehicles descended on the scene.

Ambulance sirens could be heard wailing behind the grandstands at a time the race winner would typically be doing celebratory burnouts.

"It was freaky. When I looked to my right, the accident happened," said Rick Harpster of Orange Park, Fla., who had a bird's-eye view of the wreck. "I looked over and I saw a tire fly straight over the fence into the stands, but after that I didn't see anything else That was the worst thing I have seen, seeing that tire fly into the stands. I knew it was going to be severe."

Speedway President Joie Chitwood said 14 fans were treated on site, and 14 others were taken to hospitals. Chitwood didn't give any updates on their conditions. Local officials said 19 fans were taken to neighboring hospitals, including two who were arrived in critical condition but were later listed in stable condition.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

• Kyle Larson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Parker Kilgerman, Justin Allgaier , Brian Scott

  Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne into the catch fence in a multi-car crash including Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Justin Allgaier (31) and Brian Scott (2) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson

  Driver Kyle Larson stands outside his car, missing the engine, after hitting the wall and safety fence along the front grandstands on the final lap of a NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013.(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

• Kyle Larson

  Pieces of Kyle Larson's car fly through the air as he slides down the front stretch after he was involved in a multi-car crash on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson

  Brad Keselowski (22) and Kyle Larson (32) slide across the finish line after they were involved in a mulit-car crash on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson, Eric McClure

  Kyle Larson (32) slides along the wall after hitting the catch fence as Eric McClure (14) goes low after the cars were involved in a multi-car crash on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson, Parker Klingerman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Justin Allgaier, Alex Bowman

  Kyle Larson (32) goes into the catch fence during a crash involving, among others, Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2), Parker Klingerman (77) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Getting past is Alex Bowman (99). (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

• Kyle Larson, Parker Klingerman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Justin Allgaier

  Kyle Larson (32) goes into the catch fence as he collides with Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2), Parker Klingerman (77) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

• Kyle Larson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Parker Kilgerman, Justin Alllgaier, Brian Scott, Alex Bowman

  Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne and into the catch fence in a multi-car crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Justin Allgaier (31) and Brian Scott (2) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson, Regan Smith

  Kyle Larson, left, slides to a stop near Regan Smith (7) after a wreck at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

• Kyle Larson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Parker Kilgerman, Jeffery Earnhardt , Brian Scott

  CORRECTS DRIVER OF NO. 31 TO JUSTIN ALLGAIER, INSTEAD OF JEFFERY EARNHARDT - Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne into the catch fence in a multi-car crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Justin Allgaier (31) and Brian Scott (2) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson, Parker Klingerman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Justin Allgaier

  Kyle Larson (32) goes into the catch fence as he collides with Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2), Parker Klingerman (77) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

• Kyle Larson, Parker Klingerman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Justin Allgaier

  Kyle Larson (32) goes into the catch fence as he collides with Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2), Parker Klingerman (77) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

• Kyle Larson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Parker Kilgerman, Justin Alllgaier, Brian Scott, Alex Bowman

  Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne and into the catch fence in a multi-car crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2) and Alex Bowman (99) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Parker Kilgerman, Jeffery Earnhardt , Brian Scott (2)

  Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne into the catch fence in a multi-car crash involving Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88), Parker Kilgerman (77), Jeffery Earnhardt (31) and Brian Scott (2) during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson

  Driver Kyle Larson climbs out of his car as Trevor Bayne (7) rolls past after a crash at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

• Kyle Larson, Regan Smith

  Kyle Larson, left, slides to a stop near Regan Smith (7) after a wreck at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

• Kyle Larson

  Race and track officials look over the torn safety fencing after parts from Kyle Larson's car went through the fence at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

• Kyle Larson

  Kyle Larson's car comes apart after a crash at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

• Kyle Larson

  Kyle Larson's car leaves a trail of flames following a crash at the conclusion of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

• Michael Annett, Johanna Long, Hal Martin, Mike Bliss, Jason White, Joe Nemechek, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Matt Kenseth, Danny Efland, Austin Dillon, Kasey Kahne

  Michael Annett (43), Johanna Long (70), Hal Martin (44), Mike Bliss (19), Jason White (00), Joe Nemechek (87), Jeffrey Earnhardt (79), Matt Kenseth (18), Danny Efland (4) and Kasey Kahne (5) collide and slide as Austin Dillon (3) escapes between Turns 1 and 2 during the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

• Michael Annett, Johanna Long, Travis Pastrana, Hal Martin, Kasey Kahne

  Michael Annett (43), Johanna Long (70), Travis Pastrana (60), Hal Martin (44) and Kasey Kahne (5) collide between Turns 1 and 2 during the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

• Emergency officials put out a fire from driver Kyle Larson's engine after his car hit the wall and safety fence along the front grandstands on the final lap of a NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. Larson's crash sent car parts and other debris flying into the stands injuring spectators. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

• The engine from Kyle Larson's car sits burning next to other parts from the car near a grandstand fence after the car hit the wall and safety fence along the front stretch on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

• Kyle Larson

  Kyle Larson (32) goes airborne and into the catch fence during a multi-car crash involving Justin Allgaier (31), Brian Scott (2) and others during the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, in Daytona Beach, Fla. Larson's crash sent car parts and other debris flying into the stands injuring spectators. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

• Kyle Larson

  A wheel, tire and suspension parts sit in the stands after crash on the final lap of the NASCAR Nationwide Series auto race Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Several fans were injured when large chunks of debris sailed into the grandstands after a car flew into the fence. (AP Photo/David Graham)

The accident happened the day before the Sprint Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500 - NASCAR's version of the Super Bowl. Daytona workers could be seen repairing the large section of fence where Larson hit, as well as the wall that was damaged in the accident.

"First and foremost our thoughts and prayers are with our race fans," Chitwood said. "Following the incident we responded appropriately according to our safety protocols, and had emergency medical personnel at the incident immediately.

"We're in the process of repairing the facility and will be ready to go racing tomorrow."

As emergency workers tended to injured fans and ambulance sirens wailed in the background, a somber Tony Stewart skipped the traditional post-race victory celebration.

Stewart, who won for the 19th time at Daytona and seventh time in the last nine season-opening Nationwide races, was in no mood to celebrate.

"The important thing is what going on on the frontstretch right now," said Stewart, the three-time NASCAR champion. "We've always known, and since racing started, this is a dangerous sport. But it's hard. We assume that risk, but it's hard when the fans get caught up in it.

"So as much as we want to celebrate right now and as much as this is a big deal to us, I'm more worried about the drivers and the fans that are in the stands right now because that was ... I could see it all in my mirror, and it didn't look good from where I was at."

The accident spread into the upper deck and emergency crews treated fans on both levels. There were five stretchers that appeared to be carrying fans out, and a helicopter flew overhead. A forklift was used to pluck Larson's engine out of the fence.

"It's a violent wreck. Just seeing the carnage on the racetrack, it's truly unbelievable," driver Justin Allgaier said.

It was a chaotic finish to a race that was stopped for nearly 20 minutes five laps from the finish by a 13-car accident that sent driver Michael Annett to a hospital, where his Richard Petty Motorsports team said he would be held overnight with bruising to his chest.

The race resumed with three laps to go, and the final accident occurred with Smith trying to hold off Keselowski through the final turn.

"I tried to throw a block. It's Daytona, you want to go for the win here," Smith said. "I don't know how you can play it any different other than concede second place, and I wasn't willing to do that today. Our job is to put them in position to win, and it was, and it didn't work out."

As the cars began wrecking all around Smith and Keselowski, Stewart slid through for the win, but Larson plowed into Keselowski and his car was sent airborne into the stands. When Larson's car came to a stop, it was missing its entire front end. The 20-year-old, who made his Daytona debut this week, stood apparently stunned, hands on his hips, several feet away from his car, before finally making the mandatory trip to the care center.

He said his first thought was with the fans.

"I hope all the fans are OK and all the drivers are all right," Larson said. "I took a couple big hits there and saw my engine was gone. Just hope everybody's all right."

He said he was along for the ride in the last-lap accident.

"I was getting pushed from behind, I felt like, and by the time my spotter said lift or go low, it was too late," Larson said. "I was in the wreck and then felt like it was slowing down and I looked like I could see the ground. Had some flames come in the cockpit, but luckily I was all right and could get out of the car quick."

It appeared fans were lined right along the fence when Larson's car sailed up and into it, but Chitwood indicated there was a buffer. He said there would be no changes to the seating before the Daytona 500.

"We don't anticipate moving any of our fans," Chitwood said. "We had our safety protocols in place. Our security maintained a buffer that separates the fans from the fencing area. With the fencing being prepared tonight to our safety protocols, we expect to go racing tomorrow with no changes."

Larson's car appeared to hit where the cross-over gate - a section that can be opened for people to travel back and forth from the infield to the grandstands - is located in the fence. Previous accidents in which drivers hit crossover gates were severe, but the gates were in the wall and not the fence for Mike Harmon's accident at Bristol in 2002 and Michael Waltrip's at the same track in 1990.

Still, NASCAR senior vice president Steve O'Donnell said it would be studied.

"I think we look at this after every incident," O'Donnell said. "We've learned in the past certain protocols put in place today are a result of prior incidents. Again, our initial evaluation is still ongoing. But it's certainly something we'll look at. If we can improve upon it, we'll certainly put that in play as soon as we can."

Larson had been scheduled to race his sprint car later Saturday night in Ocala, Fla., and even seemed restless to get there during the late stages of the Nationwide race. He pulled out of the event following the accident.

"Honestly, the race itself pales in comparison to the injuries sustained by the fans," said Chip Ganassi, the team owner who has Larson in his driver development program. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the fans that were injured as a result of the crash. As for Kyle, I am very happy that he is OK."

Keselowski watched a replay of the final accident, and said his first thoughts were with the fans. As for the accident, he agreed he tried to make a winning move and Smith tried to block.

"He felt like that's what he had to do, and that's his right. The chaos comes with it," Keselowski said. "I made the move and he blocked it, and the two of us got together and started the chain events that caused that wreck. First and foremost, just want to make sure everyone in the stands is OK and we're thinking about them."

Keselowski said the incident could cast a pall on the Daytona 500.

"I think until we know exactly the statuses of everyone involved, it's hard to lock yourself into the 500," Keselowski said. "Hopefully, we'll know soon and hopefully everyone's OK. And if that's the case, we'll staring focusing on Sunday."

___

AP Sports Writers Dan Gelston and Jerome Minerva in Daytona Beach and Associated Press writer Jennifer Kay in Miami contributed to this report.

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NY man dubbed No. 1 deadbeat parent pleads guilty

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) ? A New York man once dubbed by prosecutors as the government's most wanted deadbeat parent pleaded guilty Thursday to owing more than $1.2 million to three children from two failed marriages.

Robert Sand, 50, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Central Islip on Long Island to two counts of failing to pay child support. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Bode said in court that the child support orders, which were issued on Long Island, have been in arrears since at least 2002.

The figure cited by Bode includes interest and penalties. The prosecutor declined to comment to reporters after the court proceeding.

Sand told the judge he fled first to Florida and then to Thailand Sand's attorney, Glenn Obedin, said his client had grown tired of living on the run and contacted authorities late last year.

Sand left Thailand, where he had worked in an assortment of odd jobs, and flew to the Philippines. He was arrested and then deported from the Philippines in November 2012 because he lacked proper identification, prosecutors said. He was sent to Los Angeles, where he was arrested by federal marshals, and then extradited to New York, where he has been held without bail since December.

"He had enough and wanted to come back and have the opportunity to make it right," Obedin told reporters after the court proceeding on Long Island.

Sand faces up to four years in prison when he is sentenced in May.

"Neither court orders nor the familial bond meant anything to him as he fled to avoid his obligations," U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said in a statement.

The two mothers of Sand's three children were not in the courtroom for Thursday's proceeding, but Obedin has said he has contacted them and claimed their priority is for Sand to be free to earn a living so he can repay his debt. As part of the plea agreement, Sand is required to make full restitution. He waived his right to appeal the guilty plea.

Obedin said Sand has worked in the past as a car salesman and has an offer to work in that field when he is released.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-man-dubbed-no-1-deadbeat-parent-pleads-211554997.html

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How to kill an asteroid? Get out a paint spray gun

Feb. 21, 2013 ? There is research that is off the wall, some off the charts and some off the planet, such as what a Texas A&M University aerospace and physics professor is exploring. It's a plan to deflect a killer asteroid by using paint, and the science behind it is absolutely rock solid, so to speak, so much so that NASA is getting involved and wants to know much more.

Dave Hyland, professor of physics and astronomy and also a faculty member in the aerospace engineering department at Texas A&M and a researcher with more than 30 years of awards and notable grants, says one possible way to avert an asteroid collision with Earth is by using a process called "tribocharging powder dispensing" -- as in high pressured -- and spreading a thin layer of paint on an approaching asteroid, such as the one named DA14 that came within 17,000 miles on Feb. 15.

What happens is that the paint changes the amount by which the asteroid reflects sunlight, Hyland theorizes, producing a change in what is called the Yarkovski effect (which was discovered by a Russian engineer in 1902). The force arises because on a spinning asteroid, the dusk side is warmer than the dawn side and emits more thermal photons, each photon carrying a small momentum. The unequal heating of the asteroid results in a net force strong enough to cause the asteroid to shift from its current orbit, Hyland further theorizes.

The kind of paint used is not the kind found at your local hardware store, Hyland explains.

"It could not be a water-based or oil-based paint because it would probably explode within seconds of it entering space," he notes.

"But a powdered form of paint could be used to dust on the asteroid and the sun would then do the rest. It cures the paint to give a smooth coating, and would change the unequal heating of the asteroid so that it would be forced off its current path and placed on either a higher or lower orbit, thus missing Earth.

"I have to admit the concept does sound strange, but the odds are very high that such a plan would be successful and would be relatively inexpensive. The science behind the theory is sound. We need to test it in space."

As for getting the paint on the asteroid, a practical way to do this was discovered by a former student of Hyland's, Shen Ge, who has since started a new space company. The "tribocharging powder dispenser" would spray a mixture of inert gas and charged dry-paint powder at the asteroid that would attract the powder to its surface through electrostatics. Then solar wind and UV radiation would cure the powder, giving a smooth, thin coat on the surface.

Getting the paint in the asteroid's path in a timely manner will certainly be a challenge, Hyland observes.

"The tribocharged powder process is a widely used method of painting many products," he says. "It remains only to adapt the technology to space conditions."

NASA has approached Hyland for developing such a project to test the theory, and Earth may need it quickly. An asteroid called Apophis is due in 2029 and will come closer than many communications satellites in orbit right now. It will fly by on April 13 (Friday the 13 to be exact) of 2029 and make a return trip in 2036, and it's estimated to be more than 1,000 feet in length and is appropriately named for an evil Egyptian god of chaos and destruction. There is no chance of its hitting Earth in 2029, but a small chance in the next close approach in 2036, Hyland notes.

Asteroids have hit Earth before. One hit off the Yucatan coast of Mexico about 65 million years ago and is believed to have caused the eventual extinction of the dinosaurs. And in 1908, the fabled "Tunguska event" occurred in Siberia in which an asteroid or meteor exploded several miles above? Earth, flattening trees and killing livestock over 800 square miles. The explosion is now estimated to have been 1,000 times more powerful than the A-bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

"There are thousands of asteroids out there, and only a small percentage of them are known and can be tracked as they approach Earth," Hyland adds.

"The smaller ones, like DA14 are not discovered as soon as others, and they could still cause a lot of damage should they hit Earth. It is really important for our long-term survival that we concentrate much more effort discovering and tracking them, and developing as many useful technologies as possible for deflecting them."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/P-KSYEkOIYw/130221141102.htm

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Rape and murder of 3 young sisters shocks India again

NEW DELHI (AP) ? Police were searching villages in western India on Friday for suspects in the rape and killing of three young sisters, as Indians still angry over the fatal gang rape of a woman on a New Delhi bus in December face another heinous sexual attack.

The bodies of the sisters ? aged 7, 9 and 11 ? were found Feb. 16 in a village well in Bhandara district in Maharashtra after they had gone missing from school two days earlier, said police officer Abhinav Deshmukh. The area is more than 1,000 kilometers (630 miles) south of New Delhi, the capital.

The victims' mother said police did not take the case seriously and did nothing for several days until villagers held protests.

Deshmukh said Friday that 10 teams of 30 investigators were working on the case and that he was confident they would find the killers soon.

Police first dismissed the deaths as accidental, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. The girls' mother accused police of a shoddy investigation and said they did nothing for two days. Enraged villagers forced shops to close, burned tires and blocked a national highway passing in the area for hours earlier this week, demanding justice.

Police eventually registered a case of rape and murder after a post-mortem of the girls found that they had been sexually abused and brutally killed, PTI said.

One police officer has been suspended for not acting promptly, Indian Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel, who represents Bhandara district in Parliament, said Thursday.

Cabinet Minister Manish Tewari called the killings a "very, very heinous assault" and said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was sending 1 million rupees ($18,300) to the girls' family.

The case has horrified Indians two months after they were outraged by the gang rape and killing of a young woman on a moving New Delhi bus.

The gang rape sparked nationwide protests about India's treatment of women and spurred the government to hurry through a new package of laws to protect them.

The gang rape victim and her male friend, who also was badly beaten up in the attack, were dumped naked on the roadside, and the woman died from her injuries two weeks later in a Singapore hospital. Five men are being tried on rape and murder charges in that case, while a sixth, who is underage, is in juvenile court.

A new law enacted by the government has increased the prison sentences for rape from the existing seven to 10 years to a maximum of 20 years. It also provides for the death penalty in extreme cases of rape that result in death or leave the victim in a coma.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rape-killing-3-young-sisters-shocks-india-103625820.html

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