Police union seeks more help for Newtown officers

From left, Town of Ridgefield, Conn., Det. Durling, and Town of Greenwich, Conn., Officer Rivera stand near a memorial in Newtown, Conn. Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. Regional police agencies arrived in Newtown to relieve the local police force for the Christmas holiday. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

From left, Town of Ridgefield, Conn., Det. Durling, and Town of Greenwich, Conn., Officer Rivera stand near a memorial in Newtown, Conn. Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. Regional police agencies arrived in Newtown to relieve the local police force for the Christmas holiday. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Police continue to block the road to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. On Tuesday police officers from elsewhere are on duty, to give local officers a break on Christmas. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) ? Some of the police officers who responded to the school shooting in Newtown are so traumatized they haven't been working, but they have to use sick time and could soon be at risk of going without a paycheck, a union official said Wednesday.

The union, Council 15 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, is seeking more generous assistance in talks with the town's insurer. It is also reaching out to lawmakers and the governor's office with proposals to modify state law and expand workers' compensation benefits for officers who witness horrific crime scenes.

"The insurer for the town has taken a position that these officers are entitled to only what the statute allows. Unfortunately for these officers, the statute doesn't allow any benefits," said Eric Brown, an attorney for the union, which represents nearly 4,000 officers around Connecticut.

A gunman shot his way into Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 and slaughtered 20 first-graders and six educators. The gunman, who had also killed his mother that morning, committed suicide as police arrived.

Brown said that the number of officers "critically affected" by the tragedy is below 15 and that a small number of them are not currently working.

A spokesman for Newtown police, Lt. George Sinko, said the officers are generally holding up well.

"A couple of them are taking it harder than some of the other ones," he said. "The things that the officers had to experience underscores the need to support them in every way possible."

Officials with the town's insurer, the Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Authorities say the victims were shot with a high-powered, military-style rifle loaded with ammunition designed to inflict maximum damage. All the victims had been shot at least twice, the medical examiner said, and as many as 11 times. Two victims were pronounced dead at a hospital, while all others died in the school.

In the past, advocates have pushed to change the statutes on workers' compensation, which currently include provisions for officers who suffer mental impairment as the result of using or being subjected to deadly force ? but not for those who witness crime scenes with mass casualties.

Concerns about the potential cost to cities and towns have been an obstacle, but the issue is likely to resurface in the next legislation session, said state Rep. Stephen Dargan, a West Haven Democrat who is co-chairman of the legislature's public safety committee.

"We don't want it to be used in an abusive way, but the circumstances are so horrific in Newtown. We need to protect those first responders and give them all the help we can give them," he said.

Firefighters who responded to the scene at Sandy Hook also have described struggling with feelings of frustration and anguish, but said they were grateful they were spared from witnessing the scene that greeted police inside the school.

Brown said outside agencies have been meeting demands for counseling services, but it will be important to ensure support is in place over the long term. The officers who are not working also could use up available sick time by early January, he said.

"The emotional loads they're carrying far exceed anything they could imagine," Brown said.

Police have yet to offer a possible motive for gunman Adam Lanza's rampage.

Expansive memorials throughout the small New England town have become gathering points for residents and visitors alike. A steady stream of well-wishers have taken pictures, dropped off toys and fought back tears at a huge sidewalk memorial in the center of Newtown's Sandy Hook section that is filled with stuffed animals, poems, flowers, posters and cards.

Newtown officials plan to convert into a memorial the countless mementos paying tribute to the schoolhouse victims. Thousands of flowers, letters, signs, photos, candles, teddy bears and other items at sites around town will be turned into soil and blocks to be used in a memorial, The News Times in nearby Danbury reported.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-12-26-Connecticut%20School%20Shooting/id-5d138e8605a4439ea50b2a5ff56828d9

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Handling Difficult Relationships This Holiday Season : Easy Health ...

The holidays are upon us. Some say ?it?s the most wonderful time of the year!? Is it? For many of us, the holiday visits back home to family members is something to be dreaded. While we look forward to the pleasure of celebrating these festive times, there is also the memory of past conflicts and the very real possibility of new confrontations that we find ourselves eager to avoid. We can tell ourselves that this is the year we will not get stressed out or upset about visits with our families. This is what we strive for, yet rarely is it how things turn out.

In is common, according to Dr. Jeffrey Fine, Ph.D., director of the American Foundation for Conscious Parenting, that our families can be ?a breeding ground for repressed resentments and hostilities left over from childhood.? ^[1] We might anticipate that once we have grown up and moved away to create our own lives and families, such feelings would diminish. But, as many of us experience, they do not.

Applying Communication Skills

One potential solution to transforming the holidays from stressful to joyful is the application of identified communication skills that have been researched and shown to facilitate changing difficult relationships. Behavioral Engagement is a 12-step set of communication skills that has been the subject of hospital pilot studies over a 32-year period. ^[2]

The outcomes of these pilot studies showed that the participants experienced a significant improvement in their relational outlook and attitude after interacting with the communication skills model. Originally developed to enhance relationships between doctors, nurses and patients, the model was also applied to and studied with business and family relationships.

James Prochaska, Ph.D., renowned researcher on behavior change and the author of Change for Good ? the Six Stages of Transtheoretical Change, says of Behavioral Engagement: ?The process of Behavioral Engagement has the potential to transform relationships that are suffering or struggling to ones that are thriving!?

The Benefits Of Acceptance

Generally, one of the most recommended approaches to staving off holiday conflicts is to ?try and accept family members or friends as they are.? ^[3] Unfortunately, this good intention can be easily sidelined without specific communications skills that can help keep us on track.

The 12-Step Model of Behavioral Engagement endorsed by Prochaska offers specific, easy-to-learn communication skills that have been proven effective in changing conflicted relationships into compatible relationships based on the understanding that we all want to be valued, respected and listened to.

The steps are based on physical, psychological, hormonal and neurological aspects of human relationships and communication. They start with the understanding that, while we cannot change others? behavior, we can change how we relate to others, which can result in a transformative outcome for all participants.

We can do so by using specific, simple communication skills and following the steps that have been shown to be effective in creating greater receptivity and generating more positive emotions in relationships that have previously been conflicted or stressful.

Steps To Happiness And Health

If you have experienced or are anticipating challenging relationships during the holidays, you may wish to apply these easy steps and see if they can assist you in having happier and even healthier holidays.

• Step One: Be physically comfortable when communicating. This removes discomfort that can distract from providing your full attention to the person with whom you are speaking. Distractions reduce your focus on the person you speak with and decrease receptivity, sending the message that you may not be listening. That perception can flame the fire of resentment.

• Step Two: Understand what you want. Our intentions are powerful behavior motivators. The understanding of what we want from an exchange with another person can assist us in communicating more clearly our thoughts and feelings. That invites greater understanding and intimacy. An example is: ?I really want to understand what you are upset about.?

• Step Three: Maintain centered body posture. Uncross arms and legs; present open, receptive body language. To send the message that you are respecting the conversation and giving the other person your full attention, do not play with your watch, glasses or hair or continually look away from the person with whom you are speaking. Committing to being focused is an important element in communication and sends the message that you value your time with the other person. We can all feel when someone values being with or speaking to us.

• Step Four: ?Sustained, soft eye contact has been scientifically proven to stimulate oxytocin, opening emotional centers of the brain and enhancing trust ^[4] and feelings of love and intimacy.

• Step Five: ?Respectful inquiry. Asking rather than telling or directing and using ?I? statements rather than ?you? statements create a safe, non-judgmental environment for the other person to communicate openly.

• Step Six: Responsiveness. Using appropriate response (facial expressions, smiling, head nodding) indicates you are responding to and understanding what the other person is saying without interrupting or interjecting. This acknowledges the value you have for their communication.

• Step Seven: Pauses between responses, allowing for silence between statements. Instead of immediately speaking as soon as the other person is finished, allowing for appropriate silence when someone has shared a thought or feeling with you is an important part of the experience of respectfully listening to someone. It is also a component of being truly present to the person.

• Step Eight: Non-judgment. By not allowing your unspoken mental and emotional judgments to invade your attention, you eliminate the unconscious communication that is sent through subtle and gross body language. Unconscious, non-verbal body language is something most of us pick up on immediately. It can make or break your communication and relationships.

• Step Nine: Leave your ego at the door. Eliminate the push-pull or power struggle of previous relationship interactions by letting go of communication control; allow for equity between you and the other individual.

• Step Ten: Re-center when you start to lose focus. Mentally repeating simple words you identify as prompts to get you back to the focus of the conversation is a quick and effective way to get yourself re-centered in the exchange. For example, think ?back to focus? or ?get-centered.?

• Step Eleven: Collaborative mind-set. Working toward having a win-win outcome eliminates conflict and improves the quality of the relationship both in the short term and for the long term.

• Step Twelve: Sacredness of relationship. Sacredness means ?worthy of respect.? When we are aware of appropriate verbal and behavioral boundaries within our communications, we hold the other person in high esteem and create fulfilling, lasting relationships.

Wise Reflection

When dealing with family holiday conflicts, it can be helpful for us to try these simple, proven communications skills while reflecting on the wisdom of this question: ?Would you rather be loved than be right??

Often, when we elect love over being in control or being right, our relationships shift for the better. You can download a free excerpt of the book on Behavioral Engagement by visiting www.changingbehavior.org.

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Source: http://easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/handling-difficult-relationships-this-holiday-season/

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Google vs. Microsoft: Santa-trackers out of sync

21 hrs.

Alan Boyle , NBC News

Not even Santa Claus can avoid getting drawn into the tech clash between Google and Microsoft: The two companies have set up separate online systems to track where the Jolly Old Elf has been on Christmas Eve?? but they show him simultaneously at widely separated locations, delivering presents at a dramatically different rate.

On the official "NORAD Tracks Santa" website, powered this year by Microsoft, Santa Claus was in Rome, well past the 3-billion-present mark in his holiday rounds. At the same time, Google's Santa Tracker showed him buzzing through Agadez in the African country of Niger, not quite up to the 1-billion-present mark.

They can't both be right. Can they? Here's the word from Search?Engine?Land's Danny Sullivan, who has been tracking the discrepancy in this year's?Santa-tracking software:

"NORAD explains that it uses everything from radar to jets to track Santa. Google doesn?t explain its technology, but I suspect it tries to triangulate Santa using his cell phone signal or use of wifi hotspots.

"As for why NORAD shows Father Christmas delivering three?times the number of gifts that Google is listing, perhaps NORAD?s radars can better pinpoint presents while Google might be doing estimating.?Meanwhile? both services sometimes show presents being delivered over oceans! And why is NORAD showing Santa arriving in some places at 9pm rather than midnight, as has been the case in the past?"

Maybe this is just the sort of thing that happens when you switch software: NORAD (also known as the North American Aerospace Defense Command) has been monitoring Santa's flight as a public service since 1955, and five years ago, it teamed up with Google to keep up with the crush of Web traffic. This year, however, the NORAD Santa operation parted ways with Google and partnered with Microsoft instead.

Google stayed in the Santa game by setting up its own tracking system for "Santa's Dashboard" and Google Maps?? a system that doesn't make use of NORAD's tracking data.

Today, Canadian Maj. Gen. Andre Viens, a spokesman for NORAD, declined to intervene in the Santa-tracking war.

"It's not affecting our tracking," Viens told MSNBC. "We're not in competition with anyone. Our role, and we've been doing that for more than?50 years, is to track Santa and make sure that he has a safe and secure journey throughout the world, and throughout North America in particular."

TODAY:?Follow Santa's Christmas Eve flight

PhotoBlog: Inside NORAD's command center

Maybe it shouldn't be surprising to find?that it's so difficult to get a firm fix on Santa's position, considering how many presents he has to deliver in so little time. Some experts have speculated that the only way Santa could ?deliver gifts (or lumps of coal) to billions of homes in the course of just a few hours would be if he somehow harnessed quantum teleportation. And once you accept that, it's not that big of a leap to detect Santa in two places at once.

Alan Boyle is the science editor for NBC News Digital, and has been tracking NORAD's Santa tracker since 1998.?Boyle's usual online?hangout is over at Cosmic Log.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/google-vs-microsoft-santa-tracking-systems-go-out-sync-1C7657754

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PE Class Changes In Alabama Stress Student Health - Len Saunders

From Your Health Journal?..?I can always count on the publication SF Gate to have some quality articles on health or wellness. I encourage all of you to visit their page (link below) to read some quality article. Today?s article review discusses Alabama, and it change to a new fitness assessment test. The prevalence rate of obesity in Alabama is higher than the rest of the nation, for both adults and children, so the state decided to move to a newer test, replacing the President?s Challenges test. Though the individual students? results will be treated as confidential information, both parents and students will receive the assessment results. The PE teachers will report the results annually, which should eventually allow for comparisons to see whether the fitter children perhaps have higher test scores. PE teachers received training in how to test the kids, but videos that demonstrate the exercises used in the assessment are on the state Department of Education?s website. Articles like this stress the importance PE plays in the schools not only for health or fitness, but for improving cognitive skills and self esteem of children. With the obesity rates so high in the United States, it is important to support your local PE department, as well as trying to get the children daily, quality PE each day. Please visit the SF Gate page to read more.?

From the article?..

Alabama?s public school students are taking part in a new physical fitness assessment this year, replacing a series of tests that had not been updated since their parents were in school.

Citing a need to refocus on the fitness of the state?s children, the new Alabama Physical Fitness Assessment rolled out this fall in public schools. The tests are required for all students in grades 2 through 12 and replace the old President?s Challenge Fitness Test, which was adopted in 1984.

The new assessment has been in the works since 2010, when federal stimulus money started flowing to the states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded grant money to the Alabama Department of Public Health, which used the money to partner with the Alabama State Department of Education to try to improve the quality of physical education in the state, said Laurie Eldridge-Auffant, public health education manager for the ADPH.

?Our prevalence rate of obesity is higher than the rest of the nation, for both adults and children,? Eldridge-Auffant said. ?We have some other indicators that let us know we have many chronic diseases that are above the national average.?

Though the individual students? results will be treated as confidential information, both parents and students will receive the assessment results. The PE teachers will report the results annually, which should eventually allow for comparisons to see whether the fitter children perhaps have higher test scores.

?We?re excited about the potential data down the road,? Eldridge-Auffant said. ?We know from the research that the kids who are more physically fit and more physically active have better academic scores.?

But those comparisons will be some time away. For now, the teachers are finishing up the pre-testing on the kids. Post-testing will begin in March.

The new assessment measures four areas: Aerobic cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, abdominal strength and endurance and flexibility.

PE teachers received training in how to test the kids, but videos that demonstrate the exercises used in the assessment are on the state Department of Education?s website. The exercises include a partial curl-up (like an abdominal crunch); a timed one-mile run/walk test (the child can walk the whole way if necessary); and a 90-degree push-up (as many as the child can do in two minutes.)

To read the full article?..Click here

Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=10930

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Unwavering NRA opposes any new gun restrictions

The National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre, gestures during a news conference in response to the Connecticut school shooting on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 in Washington. The nation's largest gun-rights lobby is calling for armed police officers to be posted in every American school to stop the next killer "waiting in the wings." (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

The National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre, gestures during a news conference in response to the Connecticut school shooting on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 in Washington. The nation's largest gun-rights lobby is calling for armed police officers to be posted in every American school to stop the next killer "waiting in the wings." (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

The National Rifle Association executive vice president Wayne LaPierre pauses as he makes a statement during a news conference in response to the Connecticut school shooting, on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012 in Washington. The National Rifle Association broke its silence Friday on last week's shooting rampage at a Connecticut elementary school that left 26 children and staff dead. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? An unwavering National Rifle Association said Sunday that not a single new gun regulation would make children safer, that "a media machine" relishes blaming the gun industry for each new attack like the one that occurred at a Connecticut elementary school, and that a White House task force on gun violence may try to undermine the Second Amendment.

"Look, a gun is a tool. The problem is the criminal," said Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the nation's largest gun-rights lobby, in a nationally broadcast television interview.

LaPierre hardly backed down from his comments Friday, when the NRA broke its weeklong silence on the shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

LaPierre's assertion that guns and police officers in all schools are what will stop the next killer drew widespread scorn, and even some NRA supporters in Congress are publicly disagreeing with the proposal. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called it "the most revolting, tone deaf statement I've ever seen." A headline from the New York Post summarized LaPierre's initial presentation before reporters with the headline: "Gun Nut! NRA loon in bizarre rant over Newtown."

LaPierre told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that only those armed guards and police would make kids safe.

"If it's crazy to call for putting police and armed security in our schools to protect our children, then call me crazy," LaPierre said. "I think the American people think it's crazy not to do it. It's the one thing that would keep people safe."

He asked Congress for money to put a police officer in every school. He also said the NRA would coordinate a national effort to put former military and police officers in schools as volunteer guards.

The NRA leader dismissed efforts to revive the assault weapons ban as a "phony piece of legislation" that's built on lies. He made clear it was highly unlikely that the NRA could support any new gun regulations.

"You want one more law on top of 20,000 laws, when most of the federal gun laws we don't even enforce?" he said.

LaPierre said another focus in preventing shootings is to lock up violent criminals and get the mentally ill the treatment they need.

"The average guy in the country values his freedom, doesn't believe the fact he can own a gun is part of the problem, and doesn't like the media and all these high-profile politicians blaming him," he said.

Some lawmakers were incredulous, yet acknowledged that the political and fundraising might of the NRA would make President Barack Obama's push for gun restrictions a struggle.

"I have found the statements by the NRA over the last couple of days to be really disheartening, because the statements seem to not reflect any understanding about the slaughter of children" in Newtown, said Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent.

He said the NRA is right in some of the points it makes about the causes of gun violence in America.

"But it's obviously also true that the easy availability of guns, including military style assault weapons, is a contributing factor, and you can't keep that off the table. I had hoped they'd come to the table and say, everything is on the table," Lieberman said.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said LaPierre was "so extreme and so tone deaf" that he was making it easier to pass gun legislation.

"Look, he blames everything but guns: movies, the media, President Obama, gun-free school zones, you name it. And the video games, he blames them," Schumer said.

But Lieberman didn't seem to be buying it. He said the NRA's stand on new gun rules means passing legislation next year won't happen easily.

"It's going to be a battle. But the president, I think, and vice president, are really ready to lead the fight," he said.

Obama has said he wants proposals on reducing gun violence that he can take to Congress in January, and after the Dec. 14 shootings, he called on the NRA to join the effort. The president has asked Congress to reinstate an assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 and pass legislation that would end a provision that allows people to purchase firearms from private parties without a background check. Obama also has indicated that he wants Congress to pursue the possibility of limiting high-capacity magazines.

If Obama's review is "just going to be made up of a bunch of people that, for the last 20 years, have been trying to destroy the Second Amendment, I'm not interested in sitting on that panel," LaPierre said.

The NRA has tasked former Rep. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., to lead a program designed to use volunteers from the group's 4.3 million members to help guard children.

Hutchinson said the NRA's position was a "very reasonable approach" that he compared to the federal air marshal program that places armed guards on flights.

"Are our children less important to protect than our air transportation? I don't think so," said Hutchinson, who served as an undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security when it was formed.

Hutchinson said schools should not be required to use armed security. LaPierre also argued that local law enforcement should have final say on how the security is put into place, such as where officers would be stationed.

Democratic lawmakers in Congress have become more adamant about the need for stricter gun laws since the shooting. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California is promising to push for a renewal of expired legislation that banned certain weapons and limited the number of bullets a gun magazine could hold to 10. NRA officials made clear the legislation is a non-starter for them.

"It hasn't worked," LaPierre said. "Dianne Feinstein had her ban and Columbine occurred."

There also has been little indication from Republican leaders that they'll go along with any efforts to curb what kind of guns can be purchased or how much ammunition gun magazines can hold.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., noted that he had an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle in his home. He said America would not be made safer by preventing him from buying another one. As to gun magazine limits, he said he can quickly reload by putting in a new magazine.

"The best way to interrupt a shooter is to keep them out of the school, and if they get into the school, have somebody who can interrupt them through armed force," Graham said.

LaPierre also addressed other factors that he said contribute to gun violence in America, but he would not concede that the types of weapons being used are part of the problem.

He was particularly critical of states, which he said are not placing the names of people into a national database designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the dangerously mentally ill. He said some states are not entering names into the system and 23 others are only putting in a small number of records.

The American Psychiatric Association responded to LaPierre's comments by saying that he seemed to conflate mental illness with evil at several points.

"People who are clearly not mentally ill commit violent crimes and perform terrible acts every day," said Dr. James Scully, chief executive of the trade group. "Unfortunately, Mr. LaPierre's statements serve only to increase the stigma around mental illness and further the misconception that those with mental disorders are likely to be dangerous."

___

Associated Press writer Adam Goldman contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-23-Connecticut%20School%20Shooting-NRA/id-44c35361b02641fba1d952eece0c85af

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Max #pets #dogs #caes #retriever #instagramers | Flickr - Photo ...

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Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/immb/8301738136/

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Re: File won't compress - Family Tree Maker software - Family ...

It is version 2006. even though the splash screen says ver 16. I believe FTM started using the year reference in 2005. The dist sleeve says 2006 as does the help file. And it is installed (at least on my machine) in C:\Program Files\Family Tree Maker 2006\

2005 is version 15,
2006 is version 16,
--------------------
2008 is version 17
2009 is version 18
2010 is version 19
2011 is version 20
2012 is version 21
current release is 21.0.0.723

Source: http://boards.ancestry.co.uk/topics.software.famtreemaker/9258.1.1.1.2.1.1/mb.ashx

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Kate Middleton Handmakes Christmas Cards, According To Sister, Pippa

There's a constant buzz about Kate Middleton's effortless style and of course, her newly announced pregnancy, but who knew the Duchess had such a crafty past?

According to Daily News and Analysis, her sister Pippa Middleton, revealed in her book Celebrate, that when she and her siblings were younger, they would handmake their own Christmas cards. "When I was a child, my December weekends were spent making cards, decorating the tree, hanging the wreath and preparing brandy butter and peppermint creams,? she wrote.

The younger Middleton also said that every December the family repeats these family traditions. And since it was announced that the Royal couple will be spending Christmas with the Middletons? we?re hoping that means some DIYing.

Though, considering Kate?s recent health issues, the Duchess and Prince William might not be getting out their glue guns and glitter anytime soon, but it is nice to know that the Royal baby will have some crafty genes.

Click through our slideshow to see other celebs who craft in addition to Kate and Will.

• Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott

  Husband and wife, Tori and Dean, intently work on a craft project poolside. Photo by <a href="http://torispelling.com" target="_hplink">EdiTORIal/ToriSpelling.com </a>

• Jennifer Love Hewitt

  JLH looks pretty in pink as she navigates the aisles at a Michael's Craft Store. Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.fanpix.net/picture-gallery/jennifer-love-hewitt-picture-14838245.htm" target="_hplink">fanpix.net </a>

• Busy Phillips

  This actress digs right in to the art supplies with her daughter at the Baby Buggy for Havaianas Collection event. Photo by <a href="http://www.childmode.com/2012/05/09/celebrity-families-pose-play-at-the-baby-buggy-for-havaianas-launch/" target="_hplink">Childmode.com</a>

• Monet Mazur

  Actress Monet Mazur and her son Marlon stopped by the Michael's Craft Store booth at an event to build some wooden birdhouses decoupaged with vintage storybooks. Photo by <a href="http://www.dailydanny.com/?p=5188" target="_hplink">Dailydanny.com</a>

• Teresa Giudice and Aubrey O'Day

  This unlikely pair, NJ Housewife and singer, race to complete a crafting challenge while filming an episode of Celebrity Apprentice. Photo by Doug Meslzer/ <a href=" http://www.splashnews.com" target="_hplink">Splash News </a>

• Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

  The Princess takes time out of her day for arts and crafts with a young pal. Photo by Getty Images

• Kelly Bensimon and Diva Zappa

  Former New York City Housewife gets a quick knitting lesson from artist and actress Diva Zappa. Photo by Getty Images

• Kirsty Hume

  Model Kirsty Hume is caught knitting backstage during Olympus Fashion Week. Photo by Getty Images

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Do you have a home story idea or tip? Email us at homesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com. (PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.)

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/23/kate-middleton-christmas-cards-pippa_n_2355745.html

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Ryan Freel Commits Suicide: REPORTS

Gary Carter - 2/16/12

In tis Oct. 14, 1986, file photo, New York Mets' Gary Carter celebrates his 12th inning game-winning hit against the Houston Astros in Game 5 of baseball's National League Championship Series in New York.

Gene Bartow - 1/3/12

In this June 16, 2003 file photo, Gene Bartow, former basketball coach at Memphis State, UCLA and UBA, answers a question at a news conference in San Diego, where he was named the interim athletic director of San Diego State. Bartow, who succeeded John Wooden at UCLA and later began UAB's program, has died, UAB officials said. He was 81.

Ron Caron - 1/9/12

This Dec. 19, 1996 file photo shows St. Louis Blues general manager Ron Caron speaks during a news conference in St. Louis. Caron, a longtime assistant general manager with the Montreal Canadiens who went on to become GM of the Blues, has died. He was 82.

Jim Stanley - 1/12/12

In this photo provided by Oklahoma State University, former Oklahoma State head football coach Jim Stanley is shown in Stillwater, Okla. Stanley died Thursday morning, Jan. 12, 2012, in Arizona after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 77.

Sarah Burke - 1/19/12

Sarah Burke, of Canada, holds her gold metal after winning the Women's Superpipe event at Winter X Games 13 at Buttermilk Ski Area, near Aspen, Colo. Burke died Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, nine days after crashing at the bottom of the superpipe during a training run in Utah. She was 29.

Joe Paterno - 1/22/12

Penn State coach Joe Paterno stands on the field before his team's NCAA college football game against Northwestern, in Evanston, Ill.

Don Fullmer - 1/28/12

In this Sept. 12, 1964, file photo, former middleweight champion Dick Tiger, left, shakes up Don Fullmer with a hard left to the chin in a boxing bout in Cleveland. Fullmer, a former middleweight boxer who fought nine world champions and came within a fight of a world title himself, has died in Utah at the age of 72. His sons told the Deseret News that he died after suffering from lymphocytic leukemia for 15 years.

Alex Webster - 3/3/12

In this Sept. 3, 1963, file photo, New York Giants running back Alex Webster poses at the team's NFL training camp in Fairfield, Conn. The Giants say Webster, who also coached the team for four years, has died at age 80, Saturday, March 3, 2012, at a hospital in Florida.

Mel Parnell - 3/20/12

In this June 9, 1949 file photo, Boston Red Sox pitcher Mel Parnell warms up before a game in St. Louis. Parnell, the left-handed pitcher who faced the infamous Green Monster at Fenway Park and some of the best hitters of the 1940s and early 1950s, has died at age 89.

Mark Lenzi - 4/9/12

This July 29, 1996 file photo of Mark Lenzi, of Bloomington, Indiana, winner of the bronze medal smiling after medal ceremony for the Olympic men's 3-meter springboard competition at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. A former Olympic diving champion, Lenzi has died. He was 43, and had been hospitalized for two weeks after suffering fainting spells.

William "Moose" Skowron - 4/27/12

In this March, 1956, file photo, New York Yankees infielder William "Moose" Skowron is shown during spring training baseball in St. Petersburg, Fla. Skowron, a four-time All-Star first baseman who helped the Yankees win four World Series titles in the 1950s and 1960s, died Friday, April 27, 2012, at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Ill. He was 81.

Alexander Dale Oen - 5/1/12

Norway's Alexander Dale Oen shows the gold medal he won in the men's 100m Breaststroke event at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Shanghai, China. The Norwegian Swimming Federation said Tuesday May 1, 2012, world champion Alexander Dale Oen has died after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Junior Seau - 5/2/12

This July 28, 2007 file photo shows New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau smiling during NFL football training camp in Foxborough, Mass. Seau shot and killed himself at his home in May, authorities said.

Stacy Robinson - 5/8/12

In this Jan. 25, 1987 photo, New York Giants wide receiver Stacy Robinson (81) catches a pass and races for a 36-yard gain during the fourth quarter of the Giants 39-20 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXI. Robinson, a wide receiver who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants before working with the players' union, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 50.

Kevin Hickey - 5/16/12

Hickey, who pitched in six major league seasons with the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles, has died. He was 56. The team said Hickey died Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Hickey had been the White Sox's pre-game instructor since 2004.

Bob Boozer - 5/19/12

In this 1968 photo provided by the Chicago Bulls, Bulls' Bob Boozer poses in uniform. Former NBA star and 1960 Olympic gold medalist Boozer has died. He was 75.

Bill Stewart - 5/21/12

West Virginia coach Bill Stewart smiles during an NCAA college football game against Villanova in Morgantown, W.Va. Stewart, the former West Virginia coach, died Monday, May 21, 2012, of what athletic department officials said was an apparent heart attack.

Jack Twyman - 5/30/12

This Oct. 29, 1960 file photo shows Cincinnati Royals basketball player Jack Twyman posing for photographers in St Louis. Basketball Hall of Famer Jack Twyman has died at 78. Twyman was one of the NBA's top scorers in the 1950s who became the guardian to a paralyzed teammate. Jay Twyman, of Rye, N.Y., said that his father died at a Cincinnati hospice of complications from an aggressive form of blood cancer.

Orlando Woolridge - 5/31/12

This May 1, 1989 file photo shows Los Angeles Lakers' Orlando Woolridge dunking over Portland's Kevin Duckworth during an NBA game in Inglewood, Calif. Former NBA standout Orlando Woolridge has died at his parents' home in Mansfield, La. He was 52. He had been under hospice care for a chronic heart condition.

LeRoy Ellis - 6/2/12

In this Feb. 13, 1976, file photo, Houston Rockets' Kevin Kunnert (20) knocks the ball away from Philadelphia 76ers' LeRoy Ellis (25) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Philadelphia. St. John's announced that Ellis, who played 14 years in the NBA after a standout career at St. John's, had died of prostate cancer in Portland, Ore. He was 72.

Pedro Borbon - 6/4/12

This 1971 file photo shows Cincinnati Reds pitcher Pedro Borbon, who pitched 10 years for the Reds and helped the Big Red Machine win back-to-back World Series titles. Borbon has died of cancer. He was 65.

Teofilo Stevenson - 6/11/12

Cuban champion Teofilo Stevenson Soviet Pyotr Zaev and German Republic Democratic Jurgen Fanghanel wave on the podium of the Olympic heavyweight 81+ boxing event that won Teofilo Stevenson. Stevenson --who won 301 of the 321 fights he took part-- died of a heart attack at the age of 60 in Havana.

Garrett Reid - 8/5/12

Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, right, stands on the field as sign shows a photo of his son Garrett Reid before an NFL preseason football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012, in Philadelphia.

Michael Dokes - 8/11/12

This Dec. 11, 1982 file photo shows new World Boxing Association heavyweight boxing champion Michael Dokes gesturing after defeating Mike Weaver, with a first round TKO, in Las Vegas. The Rhoden Memorial Home in Akron, Ohio said Dokes died Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012. The Akron Beacon Journal reported that the boxer died in an Akron hospice from liver cancer.

Johnny Pesky - 8/13/12

Boston Red Sox great Johnny Pesky, center, is flanked by team president Larry Lucchino, left, and owner John Henry as they look past Pesky's Pole where Pesky's No. 6 adorns the upper deck. Pesky, who spent most of his 60-plus years in pro baseball with the Red Sox and was beloved by the team's fans, has died on Monday, Aug. 13, 2012, in Danvers, Mass. He was 92.

Simon Gourdine - 8/16/12

This July 22, 1995 file photo shows Buck Williams, left, president of the NBA Players Association, and Simon P. Gourdine, executive director of the players' association, during a news conference in New York. Gourdine, who became deputy commissioner of the NBA in 1974 and went on to work for and lead the players' association in the 1990s, has died. He was 72.

Steve Van Buren - 8/23/12

In this 1947 file photo, Steve Van Buren of the Philadelphia Eagles poses. Van Buren, the Hall of Fame running back who led the Philadelphia Eagles to NFL titles in 1948 and 1949, has died. He was 91. The Eagles said Thursday night, Aug. 23, 2012, that Van Buren died in Lancaster, Pa., of pneumonia.

Art Heyman - 8/27/12

In this 1960 photo, Duke basketball player Art Heyman plays in the Dixie Classic. Duke announces Heyman, the captain of the Blue Devils' first Final Four team, has died. The school said Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2012, family members say Heyman died Monday night in Florida. The cause of death was not available. He was 71.

Art Modell - 9/6/12

Owner and CEO of the Baltimore Ravens Art Modell talks with reporters at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. The Baltimore Ravens said Modell died early Thursday Sept. 6, 2012 at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he had been admitted Wednesday. A cause of death was not given.

Steve Sabol - 9/18/12

This Sept. 26, 2000 file photo shows NFL Films President Steve Sabol posed at his desk with an old 16mm movie camera at their headquarters in Mount Laurel, N.J. Sabol has died from brain cancer. He was 69. The NFL said Sabol died Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, 18 months after he was diagnosed with a tumor on the left side of his brain.

Corrie Sanders - 9/23/12

South African Corrie Sanders throws a left hook at Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko on April 24, 2004 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Sanders died after being shot at a restaurant. He was 46.

Alex Karras - 10/10/12

Detroit Lions football player Alex Karras, who gained fame in the NFL as a fearsome defensive lineman and later as an actor, has died. He was 77. Craig Mitnick, Karras' attorney, said Karras died at home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012, surrounded by family. (AP Photo/File)

Darrell Royal - 11/7/12

In this Dec. 5, 1970, file phot, Texas coach Darrell Royal is carried from the field on the shoulders of his Longhorns following Texas' 42-7 triumph over Arkansas in Austin, Texas. Royal, who won two national championships and turned the Longhorns program into a national power, died Nov. 7, 2012, at age 88 of complications from cardiovascular disease. Royal also had suffered from Alzheimer's disease. (AP Photo/File)

Hector 'Macho' Camacho - 11/24/12

Hector "Macho" Camacho, a boxer known for skill and flamboyance in the ring, as well as for a messy personal life and run-ins with the police, has died, after being taken off life support on November 24, 2012. He was 50. (AP Photo/Elias, File)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/22/ryan-freel-commits-suicide-dead_n_2353907.html

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PFT: Report: Cowboys weren't expecting Brent

The aftermath of the death of Garrett Reid, the son of Eagles coach Andy Reid, has resulted in an unexpected twist.? Although Garrett Reid died of a heroin overdose, authorities have now disclosed that steroids were found in Garrett Reid?s room at Lehigh University, site of the team?s training camp.

No evidence has been found that Garrett Reid, who was working with the team?s strength and conditioning coach, had distributed steroids to players.

?Lots of interviews were conducted by the police,? Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said, via the Associated Press.? ?And I can?t go into all of them, but all I can say is that we could not provide any evidence or substantiate that anybody in the Eagles organization was involved in this, or whether or not this was for his personal use.? It was just undetermined.?

Still, the fact that the son of the head coach had steroids at training camp doesn?t look good.? And the Eagles know that, given that the Eagles have issued multiple statements in response to the disclosure.

?The news today on Garrett Reid?s possession of steroids is disappointing,? owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement released by the team.? ?It?s clear the conduct in which he apparently engaged runs counter to the values and principles mandated for everyone associated with our organization.? We have spoken with the league office and have pledged our full cooperation with their requests should there be any.? While we remained saddened by the tragic end of a young man?s life and know how hard this must be for the entire Reid family, we are extremely confident that Garrett?s actions were unknown to those around him and did not involve our football team.

?The NFL has a rigorous drug testing program for its players.? It is a matter of record that none of our players has tested positive for any of the steroids mentioned in the district attorney?s report.?

Still, the fact that players aren?t caught using steroids doesn?t mean they?re not using steroids.? And when the son of the head coach is assisting with the strength and conditioning staff and has steroids in his possession at training camp, it all looks a little fishy, at a minimum.

Andy Reid also addressed the situation, in a statement released by the team.

?Today?s report saddens me greatly, but only confirms the troubles Garrett encountered in the final years of his life,? Andy Reid said.? ?As parents, we were encouraged by his apparent progress but, like many addicts, he was able to conceal the signs of relapse.

?Jeffrey Lurie, the Eagles organization and the people of Philadelphia have been remarkably supportive of my family throughout our ordeal.? I am confident that my son?s decisions did not affect our football team in any way.? I cannot apologize enough for any adverse appearances that my son?s actions may have for an organization and a community that has been nothing but supportive of our family.?

In our view, Garrett Reid?s use of heroin and possession of steroids are two separate issues.? Regardless of what he was doing with steroids, those substances have a far different use and purpose than recreational drugs like heroin.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/12/17/report-brent-caught-cowboys-officials-by-surprise-yesterday/related/

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AOL To Pay $1,056 Bonus To All Employees To Celebrate $1.056 Billion Patent Sale

Like Scrooge after discovering the True Spirit Of Christmas, AOL is offering a shiny half-crown (worth $1,056) to the little boy (its employees) as thanks for bringing the prize Turkey from the Poulterer’s this holiday. The $1,000 cash bonus is a celebration of the company’s $1.056 billion patent sale it made earlier this year. I rarely, if ever, comment on internal AOL stuff but this is a nice gesture at the right time. The company is doing well in the markets and traffic is up for its properties. Patch, the hyperlocal news organization of the future, has shown its true value in the wake of recent news in Connecticut and, in the end, AOL is still trucking even after many wrote it off. I wish, in my heart of hearts, that “Tiny” Tim Armstrong would appear before the gathered employees and do a quick, Mary-Lou-Retton-style tumbling routine like in Scrooged, but perhaps I’m dreaming too big. AOL closed at 30.94 today with a high of 31.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/uNnYTvVuBJo/

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Tricare Help ? How does Tricare work with our temporary travel ...

December 17th, 2012 | TriCare Help | Posted by Military Times

My wife and I are Tricare for Life beneficiaries. We are traveling to Europe this winter and realize that while our Medicare will not cover us overseas, Tricare will provide a degree of coverage. We purchased ?trip insurance,? which includes a medical portion. The trip insurance says they are the second payer, although I have heard that Tricare is always the second payer by federal law. Which will actually pay first?

You correctly note that by law, Tricare must be last payer to all other health insurance. But there is one exception to that rule: Tricare is first payer to supplemental insurance coverage, a category into which your short-term travel policy falls. Supplemental insurance pays after Tricare pays its portion of the bill, reimbursing beneficiaries for out-of-pocket medical expenses that you paid to civilian providers based on the plan?s policies. All supplemental insurance policies have their own fine print, so you should read your travel insurance policy carefully to make sure you know what it will and will not cover.

You can discuss this further with the managed-care contractor for the Tricare region in which you live. If you contact your managed care contractor, you should also inquire about any emergency guidelines you need to know about while you are outside the U.S.

As your primary coverage while overseas will be the Tricare Standard portion of your Tricare for Life benefit, be prepared to pay up front for urgent or emergency care. You will then have to submit a claim for reimbursement when you return home. Make sure you save all medical bills and receipts to submit with your reimbursement claim. You would file claims through International SOS, the contractor for the Tricare Overseas Program.

Some general tips: Before your trip, make sure that the registry information on you and your wife in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System database is accurate and up to date. DEERS is the Defense Department?s eligibility portal for Tricare; you can reach the DEERS main support office at toll-free 1-800-538-9552. Also, while you?re overseas, keep handy the phone number for the Tricare Area Office that covers Eurasia andAfrica. The number is 011-49-6302-67-6314.

Tags: Medicare, other health insurance, outside the U.S., supplements, Tricare For Life

Permalink | December 17th, 2012

Comments are closed.

Source: http://militarytimes.com/blogs/tricarehelp/2012/12/17/how-does-tricare-work-with-our-temporary-travel-insurance/

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Foreclosure auction at courthouse - Zillow Real Estate Advice

1. Is there anyway I can contact the bank to push out the foreclosure date? My real estate agent has tried to contact the bank's listing agent but in vain.

2. I'm planning to get a Title search done from an real estate attorney. Is this sufficient or should I have to do anything else before going into foreclosure auction? Does the title search indicate unpaid taxes, unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way etc? If not how can I get these information?
3. Should I be concerned that I get just 30 days to close in? My mortgage vendor is confident of getting loan in 30 days? Should I have full cash ready as back up?
4. As backup option my brother has offered me that he would buy this home in cash and then sell it to me. This is in case getting a loan timely manner fails. The plan is later on I buy back from him cutting out a mortgage loan. Is this option feasible? What are the consequences?
5. Lastly who do I hire to help me through process of foreclosure auction?

Thanks!

Source: http://www.zillow.com/advice-thread/Foreclosure-auction-at-courthouse/471457/

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President's pot comments prompt call for policy

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- President Barack Obama says he won't go after pot users in Colorado and Washington, two states that just legalized the drug for recreational use. But advocates argue the president said the same thing about medical marijuana ? and yet U.S. attorneys continue to force the closure of dispensaries across the U.S.

Welcome to the confusing and often conflicting policy on pot in the U.S., where medical marijuana is legal in many states, but it is increasingly difficult to grow, distribute or sell it. And at the federal level, at least officially, it is still an illegal drug everywhere.

Obama's statement Friday provided little clarity in a world where marijuana is inching ever so carefully toward legitimacy.

That conflict is perhaps the greatest in California, where the state's four U.S. Attorneys criminally prosecuted large growers and launched a coordinated crackdown on the state's medical marijuana industry last year by threatening landlords with property forfeiture actions. Hundreds of pot shops went out of business.

Steve DeAngelo, executive director of an Oakland, Calif., dispensary that claims to be the nation's largest, called for a federal policy that treats recreational and medical uses of the drug equally.

"If we're going to recognize the rights of recreational users, then we should certainly protect the rights of medical cannabis patients who legally access the medicine their doctors have recommended," he said.

The government is planning to soon release policies for dealing with marijuana in Colorado and Washington, where federal law still prohibits pot, as elsewhere in the country.

"It would be nice to get something concrete to follow," said William Osterhoudt, a San Francisco criminal defense attorney representing government officials in Mendocino County who recently received a demand from federal investigators for detailed information about a local system for licensing growers of medical marijuana.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano said he was frustrated by Obama's comments because the federal government continues to shutter dispensaries in states with medical marijuana laws, including California.

"A good step here would be to stop raiding those legal dispensaries who are doing what they are allowed to do by law," said the San Francisco Democrat. "There's a feeling that the federal government has gone rogue on hundreds of legal, transparent medical marijuana dispensaries, so there's this feeling of them being in limbo. And it puts the patients, the businesses and the advocates in a very untenable place."

Obama, in an interview with ABC's Barbara Walters, said Friday that federal authorities have "bigger fish to fry" when it comes to targeting recreational pot smokers in Colorado and Washington.

Some advocates said the statement showed the president's willingness to allow residents of states with marijuana laws to use the drug without fear of federal prosecution.

"It's a tremendous step forward," said Joe Elford, general counsel for Americans for Safe Access. "It suggests the feds are taking seriously enough the idea that there should be a carve-out for states with marijuana laws."

Obama's statements on recreational use mirror the federal policy toward states that allow marijuana use for medical purposes.

"We are not focusing on backyard grows with small amounts of marijuana for use by seriously ill people," said Lauren Horwood, a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner in Sacramento. "We are targeting money-making commercial growers and distributors who use the trappings of state law as cover, but they are actually abusing state law."

Alison Holcomb, who led the legalization drive in Washington state, said she doesn't expect Obama's comment to prompt the federal government to treat recreational marijuana and medical marijuana differently.

"At this point, what the president is looking at is a response to marijuana in general. The federal government has never recognized the difference between medical and non-medical marijuana," she said. "I don't think this is the time he'd carve out separate policies. I think he's looking for a more comprehensive response."

Washington voters approved a medical marijuana law in 1998, and dispensaries have proliferated across the state in recent years.

Last year, Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed legislation that would have created a state system for licensing medical dispensaries over concern that it would require state workers to violate the federal Controlled Substances Act.

For the most part, dispensaries in western Washington have been left alone. But federal authorities did conduct raids earlier this year on dispensaries they said were acting outside the state law, such as selling marijuana to non-patients. Warning letters have been sent to dispensaries that operate too close to schools.

"What we've seen is enforcement of civil laws and warnings, with a handful of arrests of people who were operating outside state law," Holcomb said.

Eastern Washington has seen more raids because the U.S. attorney there is more active, Holcomb added.

Colorado's marijuana measure requires lawmakers to allow commercial pot sales, and a state task force that will begin writing those regulations meets Monday.

State officials have reached out to the Justice Department seeking help on regulating a new legal marijuana industry but haven't heard back.

DeAngelo said Friday that the Justice Department should freeze all pending enforcement actions against legal medical cannabis providers and review its policies to make sure they're consistent with the president's position. He estimated federal officials have shuttered 600 dispensaries in the state and 1,000 nationwide.

DeAngelo's Harborside Health Center is facing eviction after the U.S. attorney in San Francisco pressured his landlord to stop harboring what the government considers an illegal business.

"While it's nice to hear these sorts of positive words from the president, we are facing efforts by the Justice Department to shut us down, so it's hard for me to take them seriously," DeAngelo said.

The dispensary has a hearing Thursday in federal court on the matter.

__

Associated Press writers Terry Collins in San Francisco and Manuel Valdes in Seattle contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/presidents-pot-comments-prompt-call-073857923.html

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Explore Beyond the Usual?: Top 7 Tips to Shift into Spiritual ...

Awakening is a process where you wake up from the dream to reality.?Life this way is so ordinary that it is extraordinary.?One feels that - that is how one has always been.?-Sri Amma Bhagavan
What is Spiritual Awakening?

Spiritual Awakening means dissolving of one?s self as a separate being. It refers to a growing awareness of reality, lived fully moment to moment. When you Awaken it feels like a familiar state you once knew.

With Spiritual Awakening You:

• Discover compassion, joy, love and peace.?
• Live more in the present rather than fear of the past or future.?
• Move automatically from being a ?doer? to living in your essence ? simply ?Being.??
• Function mentally without all the critical thoughts and judgments.?
• Experience the dissolving of your personal ego self.?
• Live life rather than search for the meaning or purpose of life.?

Awakening Includes Two Aspects

You may experience for months or years transitioning back and forth between altered states of being in an awakened state of greater joy or peace. Most of the time, however, we endure in a state of fear of the past and future, lots of mental activity and conflict, separation and suffering.

The transitioning gives you an experience of degrees of awakening. A permanent state of Awakening, however, remains as a possibility in Spiritual Awakening. As of November 21, the Oneness University in India has stated 161,000 people around the world now live in a permanent Awakened state.

Note: Of the over 7 billion people on the planet in 2012 in regards to the great Spiritual Awakening, some will have similar experiences, some will have different experiences and everyone will have a unique experience. According to awakened people, it will never be like you thought it might be. Also, it will occur in the right time rather than you making it happen. Spiritual Awakening comes as the next step in human evolution.

What Major Signs Indicate a Transitory Spiritual Awakening as Compared to a Permanent State?

The following information comes from statements of ordinary people who have experienced both transitory states and also a shift into permanent Awakening in their spiritual transformations. I will describe both the previous ?normal? state and also the permanent state. I use the terms ?we? and ?our? because we have plenty of experiences with how we feel before awakening. ?We? and ?our? also apply to all of us because we can choose to Awaken. Then with the Grace of God and the right time it will happen, regardless of how we think it should look like.

1. Mind/Body:

Before Awakening: Our mind creates a sense of separation. Our mind criticizes and judges ourselves and others. We endure constant mind chatter. We fear awakening will never happen for us. We believe we have to experience high mystical states of consciousness to Awaken.

After Awakening: Mind chatter decreases to nothing. Our minds become clear. In mystical terms, we see yet no seer exists. Our mind remains empty until it is needed then it clicks into automatic when we need it for work or for example driving a car. We still have our ?to do? lists. We now, however, focus fully on one task at a time without worrying about the rest of the list. We know the right action to take without having to figure it out. We experience calm and peace.

Our personal ego self dissolves which frees up that mind energy for healing our body and allowing restoration in sleep.

The Oneness University reports with Spiritual Awakening a shift in our brain reduces activity in the left and right parietal area eliminating our sense of separation. Activity increases in the frontal lobe, optimizing this area.

Christian Opitz, Neurophysicist, confirms Spiritual Awakening involves a neurobiological change in the brain. He states, With the blocking of the parietal lobes a feeling of expanded consciousness is produced.

2. Separation/Connection:

Before Awakening: We experience a separateness from ourselves, others, nature and God. In blunt terms, we reject ourselves and life as in being truly alive. We build up this sense of separateness with our beliefs. Our mind judges and measures us against everyone else. We feel less than. We know suffering and misery.

After Awakening: We no longer suffer. We feel wholeness, completeness. Our mind quiets, fears disappear. We feel safe, maybe for the first time with no need for concern for the future. We live fully in the present moment to moment, whether painful or pleasant. The past only as a memory no longer holds any emotional charge. We know gratitude.

3. Relationships:

Before Awakening: We judge our friends as well as strangers. We keep our guard up to avoid hurt. We fear feeling vulnerable. When we communicate our ego wants to be heard so rather than listening fully and validating another person, we focus on what we will say next or how we can fix their problem.

After Awakening: Judgments about others drop away. We have no emotional charge when we meet others. In other words, we bring no emotional baggage of past hurts and memories. Our guard takes a permanent holiday as we feel a connection to others. We may become childlike as we enjoy the inner essence of a person. We relax and enjoy people.

We may still dislike the people we disliked before Awakening. The difference; we have no emotional charge attached to our dislike.

4. Work:?

Before Awakening: Will I still function in my job once I Awaken? We feel anxiety before each business meeting. Will I do well? Will people like me? Will I be able to answer all the questions people ask me? Am I doing a good enough job? Does my boss like me? We have a conflicted mind. Fears become hyperactive.

After Awakening: Our fears and mental conflicts disappear for the personal ego self no longer exists looking for acceptance.

We still function at work and take care of daily responsibilities. We focus on one task at a time, regardless of how many demands or tasks we need to take care of. At work, meetings, or in our daily life we are fully present.

5. Perception/Paradigm Shifts:

Before Awakening: Our past haunts us with its wounds and emotional charges, which trigger emotional drama in our relationships. We live in fear anxious about the future. We feel separate from ourselves, others, and life. We worry about doing things right, about being accepted and loved.

After Awakening: Our expanded consciousness allows us to burst free of limited beliefs and perceptions. As our paradigms of limited perceptions shift, we see events and relationships in new ways. Spontaneous insights flow with new ways of doing old tasks. We accept and love ourselves and others just the way we and they are.

We see and feel the connection to everyone and everything. Strangers smile at us because they sense something different about us.

6. Intuition/Creativity:

Before Awakening: We think we know what Awakening will be like. Some of us want to figure everything out before we make a decision because of fear of making the wrong choice. Making the right choice remains unclear or conflicted. We doubt ourselves and the hunches and intuitions we receive. We feel out of balance.

After Awakening: We receive clear information. We no longer have judgments about people when we receive intuitions about them. We no longer have to think about the right thing to do, we just do it. We follow our hunches to take action without needing a rational reason and it works out. We learn new skills quicker and easier.

7. Meditation:

Before Awakening: We may experience some states of deeper silence and peace. We seldom or never meditate. Our mind never relaxes, never gives up the struggle, and never surrenders.

After Awakening: We stay connected to inner silence even amidst activity in the outer world. Despair dissolves, suffering ends. We radiate our inner presence/essence in our everyday world. When we close our eyes shutting out the sensory world, we sit in the presence of being. Surrender comes at the right time with Divine Grace.

What gets in the way of the west are all the concepts about awakening. We read so many books and think it has to be this huge mystical state or peak state. It is not that. It is simpler and yet more profound.

It's a ?3-minute brain surgery.? When this takes place, all the drama and conflict in the mind is no longer able to grab onto you. If anything, awakening makes you more ordinary. You can't hold onto the past and can't grab onto the future. The scale of the shift in consciousness is 1-100. Saints are beyond 70. Ramana Maharshi was 95. Buddha and Christ were 100.

Awakening is freedom from the conflicted mind. The mind can no longer grip you. It becomes like a radio that gets fainter and fainter. -Doug Bentley Oneness Guide

Scale of Awakening

Awakening occurs as a subtle shift of perception created by a neurobiological shift in the brain. Once you Awaken, you can continue to go deeper into awakening.?The scale of being permanently awakened goes from 1-100 as measured by the Oneness University in India.When you become awakened you could be at 1 through 6 on the scale.?If you do the ?Deepening? in India, at the Oneness University, you could be at 7-15.
Beyond 25 people feel your presence in a room. Between?30-40, you affect human consciousness on the planet. ?From?50-60, you are in the state of a great teacher.?Most of humanity will be between 1-10, happy human beings leading peaceful lives.

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Other Blog Posts By Michael D. Lawrience:?

2012 Scenario: Manifesto for the Noosphere Book Review,?Solar Revolution Book Review,?End of the world: December 21, 2012?,?Emotional Healing Tips: Angel Healing for Your Inner Child Part II,?Emotional Healing Tips: Angel Healing for Your Inner Child,?How to Heal the Pain of Low Self-Esteem,?Revealed: Why Men and Women Handle Stress Differently,?Top 5 Stress Relief Tips for Women,?Top 5 Stress Relief Tips for Men,?Energy Medicine: How to Reduce Fatigue and Stress?,?Does Your Inner Child Feel Abandoned?, Your Pain Body: Friend or Foe?, 21 Qualities to Cultivate for Spiritual Awakening Part 4,?21 Qualities to Cultivate for Spiritual Awakening Part 3,?21 Qualities to Cultivate for Spiritual Awakening Part 2,?21 Ways to Cultivate Spiritual Awakening Part 1,?7 Tips: How Does Emotional Abuse Damage Children?s Self-Esteem? Part 2,?7 Tips: How Does Emotional Abuse Damage Children's Self Esteem Part 1,?Energy Healing: What Everyone Should Know About Emotions,?Emotional and Physical Pain: The Only Way Out is Through,?Emotional Health and Solar Flares: The Miracle of Our Feelings,?Do Solar Flares and Earth Magnetics Affect Our Emotions?,?5 Tips to Overcome Self-Sabotage, Self-Sabotage - Why Do Our Intentions Fall Short of Our Desired Results?, What Self Sabotaging Behaviors Create Stress? What is the Difference Between a Subpersonality and a Multiple Personality?, Discover Your Subpersonalities: How Do We Heal Them? Part 3 Continued, 8 Steps to Discover Your Subpersonalities: How Do We Heal Them? Part 3, A Meditation for Discovering Your Subpersonalities, How Do We Discover the Subpersonalities That Run Our Lives? 12 Steps to Recovery from Codependency Traits - Part 3, 12 Steps to Recovery from Codependency Traits -Part 2, 12 Steps to Recovery from Codependency Traits - Part 1, Angel Light Healing, How Many People Does It Take for Planetary Awakening? What is the Phenomenon of Spiritual Awakening Sweeping Around the Planet? How Does Sedona, Arizona Assist with Emotional and Spiritual Healing? Top 10 Tips Indicating Signs of Spiritual Awakening, What Are the Benefits of Living Your Life Purpose?,How Do You Find Your Life Purpose? Self Love: Twin Souls Twin Flame Relationships, Spiritual Awakening and Enlightenment: What Does it Mean?, Spiritual Planetary Awakening and Enlightenment: How Many People Does it Take?

Source: http://explorebeyondtheusual.blogspot.com/2012/12/top-7-tips-to-shift-into-spiritual.html

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Top 3 Android phones on AT&T [December 2012]

With the holidays fast approaching, we're taking a look at some of the finest Android phones you can get your gadget-loving hands on right now.

Earlier this week, I shared my picks for the top three Android phones available today, regardless of provider. And now it's time to start breaking things down by carrier.

First up: AT&T. The company that was last to open its arms to Android has built itself an impressive arsenal of high-end devices this holiday season, with a lust-worthy smartphone for almost any taste or desire.

Before we get started, remember: There is no single universal answer as to which is "the best phone" for everyone; ultimately, it all comes down to what you want and what's important to you in a device. But based on the time I've spent with the various phones of the year, here are the AT&T-ready Android devices that stand out the most to me (in no particular order):

Nexus 4

Google's new flagship phone offers a pure Android experience -- Android the way Google designed it, with none of the heavy bloat and messy modifications so many manufacturers add into the OS.

That's no small distinction: The stock Jelly Bean setup provides the most intuitive and visually consistent user experience you can find on Android today. The Nexus stamp also means you get future software upgrades directly from Google within days of their release. If you've ever owned a non-Nexus Android device, you know how valuable of a guarantee that is.

In terms of hardware, the LG-made Nexus 4 has plenty of good things going for it, including a sleek and distinctive design, stellar display, great camera, and powerful engine. And it's sold unlocked, with no contracts or carrier commitments, for $299 to $349. That, my friends, is what we call a frickin' steal.

The Nexus 4 is available directly from Google; it'll work with any regular AT&T plan or with a cheaper plan from any of the prepaid providers that offer service on AT&T's network.

HTC One X+

HTC's One X was -- and still is -- a fantastic Android phone. The One X+ is the same basic phone, only better.

The One X+ gives you the whole package: one of the best displays and cameras on the mobile market today, screamingly fast performance, good battery life, and loads of internal storage (a full 64GB). It has a solid and well-constructed build, too, with a sharp-looking black color scheme that sets it apart from the original model.

So design aside, how much has HTC really improved the One X+ over the first One X? Well, it packed in four times the amount of internal storage, a new quad-core chip that's rated for 67-percent faster processing, and a beefier battery that claims 50 percent more up-time per charge.

And that's coming from a phone that was pretty damn great to begin with.

The HTC One X+ is available from AT&T for $200 with a new two-year contract.

Samsung Galaxy S III

Maybe you've heard of this one? Samsung's Galaxy line has won over legions of fans, and there's a reason. The Galaxy S III offers an eye-catching display, excellent camera, and top-notch performance, all secured inside a smooth and sexy outer shell that you won't want to put down.

Some of Samsung's design decisions do take away from the overall user experience -- namely the company's awkward button setup and busy UI -- but the Galaxy S III has plenty of positive qualities to balance those things out. Just ask the millions of happy Galaxy owners out there.

The Galaxy S III is available from AT&T for $200 with a new two-year contract.

Honorable mentions

If you want to supersize your smartphone experience, Samsung's Galaxy Note II ($300 from AT&T with a two-year contract) offers a hardware and software experience that's similar to the Galaxy S III but significantly larger -- and with a built-in stylus for on-screen sketching.

The LG Optimus G ($200 from AT&T with a two-year contract), meanwhile, has the same superb hardware as the Nexus 4; it's actually the device Google used as a base for that phone's design. The main difference is that the Optimus G uses LG's software interface instead of Google's and is capable of LTE data connections instead of the 21Mbps HSPA+ speeds the Nexus 4 delivers.

Up next: the top three Android phones of the season for Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Stay tuned.

THE FULL SERIES:

? Top 3 Android phones on any carrier [December 2012]
? Top 3 Android phones on AT&T [December 2012]
? Top 3 Android phones on Sprint -- coming soon
? Top 3 Android phones on T-Mobile -- coming soon
? Top 3 Android phones on Verizon Wireless -- coming soon

Source: http://blogs.computerworld.com/android/21462/top-android-phones-att-december-2012

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