Newtown trying to give kids a sense of normalcy

NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? The children at the Sandy Hook Elementary school won't be returning to classes for another week, but officials from the town, school district and local agencies are doing their best in the meantime to keep them occupied following a massacre at their school two weeks ago.

The students have not attended school since a gunman killed 20 of their schoolmates and six adults on Dec. 14. They are slated to return to a different school next Thursday.

In the meantime, they've been treated to field trips, toy giveaways and some organized play time.

"A couple of the teachers have done pizza parties," said Janet Robinson, Newtown's school superintendent. "Another met her kids at the library so they could have a little reading time together. The most important thing has been connecting the students back to their teacher and their classmates."

The Newtown Youth Academy, a nonprofit sports center, opened its doors to all kids in town at no cost shortly after the shooting. But from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. last week, the building's turf field, basketball and tennis courts, and giant inflatable obstacle course were reserved just for Sandy Hook Elementary students.

There have been arts and crafts for the smaller kids, as well as face-paintings. Some celebrities, including two members of the Harlem Globetrotters and former University of Connecticut basketball star Tina Charles, also have stopped by to play with the children. UConn's men's basketball team was making a trip Thursday.

"The idea was to get them away from the house, the television and all the coverage of this tragedy and get them to a place where kids can just be kids," said owner Peter D'Amico, a longtime youth coach in town.

On Thursday afternoon, school buses were loading up at the Youth Academy for a trip to Stamford and a larger complex, Chelsea Piers, which also has ice rinks and an indoor swimming pool, he said. Sports celebrities, such as Brooklyn Nets forward Kris Humphries, planned to meet them there. No media were allowed.

University of Connecticut psychologist Julian Ford, who spent time counseling in Newtown in the first days after the shooting, said it's important for the grieving process to include an outlet that lets children know that while things will never be the same, it's OK to enjoy life.

"They are all going to be thinking about what happened," he said. "That, unfortunately, is inescapable. But this gives them a chance to say, 'Life is carrying on.' Nothing will be the same, but it's also continuing in ways that it should be."

Some students and their parents on Thursday toured the Chalk Hill school in Monroe, a former middle school being reopened next week for the Sandy Hook students. An open house is planned for Wednesday.

"Getting back into the school is like getting back on the horse," Robinson said. "Some of the scariness is gone once they cross that threshold. They are just so happy to see their teachers."

State police said they plan to keep their contact with the children to a minimum as they continue investigating the shooting.

"We certainly don't want to traumatize them any more than they've already been traumatized," said Lt. J. Paul Vance, the department's spokesman. "If (an interview is) not necessary it won't be done. Our investigators will make all those determinations."

In the meantime, Ford has encouraged parents to keep the kids involved in a normal holiday routine and deal with the tragedy as it comes up, rather than making it a focal point of their lives.

David Connors, who has 8-year-old triplets who attend Sandy Hook, said he and his wife have made play dates with their friends, brought the kids to see family for the holidays and participated in the class get-togethers and recreation events.

"That's been, I think, helpful at least in the short term just to kind of keep them doing things, keep them seeing their friends and being nearby and talking to family," Connors said.

Todd Wood of Newtown has five children, the youngest age 4 and the oldest in college. His children's piano teacher lost a child in the shooting, and the family knows other victims as well.

He said he's found that each child has reacted differently to the tragedy. He said he is not making the shooting the center of his family's life but is not pretending it didn't happen, either.

"We did Christmas, we had our lights here, we've tried to make things as normal as possible," he said. "But we also went down to see the memorials. I don't want to shield them from it. I want to let them grieve in their own way."

Ford said that is healthy. He said children will remember their friends as they go about doing normal kid things.

Chris Wolcott, the sport's academy's operations manager, said the best part of having the kids at the center is that the tragedy is pushed aside, at least for a little while.

"A couple times someone would drop a weight (in the facility's health center) and you would hear a bang and there would be a kid who would freeze for a second," he said. "But that would last a split-second. Most of the time, everyone just had a great time."

___

Associated Press writer John Christoffersen in New Haven, Conn., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/newtown-trying-kids-sense-normalcy-193206806.html

New Orleans Pelicans frankie muniz today show powerball katt williams greg mcelroy new york post

Egypt's government sets priorities after charter

CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's government set legislative priorities for parliament on Wednesday as it convened for the first time since a new constitution was passed, asking lawmakers to focus on setting rules for upcoming elections, regulating the media and fighting corruption.

The official confirmation Tuesday that the Islamist-drafted constitution passed in a referendum ushered in a new chapter in Egypt's two-year transition from authoritarian rule, likely to be characterized more by legal battles and less by street protests.

The dispute over the constitution deeply polarized the country, reigniting mass street protests that turned deadly at times.

"We have now moved from conflict in the streets between political forces and the regime to a new phase of legal disputes over legislation and control of state institutions," said Nasser Amin, the head of the Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and Legal Profession. "This is the most critical phase...and the battle won't be very clear to regular people."

The constitution's supporters, including Islamist President Mohammed Morsi and his government, had argued it would pave the way for more stability in Egypt and the building up of state institutions.

The largely secular and liberal opposition who opposed the constitution fear it enshrines a prominent role for Islamic law, or Shariah, in governing the country's affairs and reinforces Islamists' hold on power. They say it constitution restricts freedoms and ignores the rights of women and minorities.

The main opposition group has questioned the legitimacy of the charter itself, saying it was rushed through without national consensus.

"Egypt constitution (is) void as it conflicts (with) certain peremptory norms of international law," such as freedom of belief and expression, opposition leader Mohammed ElBaradei said on his Twitter account Wednesday.

Under the new constitution, the Islamist-dominated Shura Council, the traditionally toothless upper house, was granted temporary legislative powers and began its work a day after the official results of the referendum said the charter passed with nearly 64 percent. It will legislate until elections for a new lower house are held within two months.

"I congratulate the Egyptian people on behalf of the government for the passing of the constitution of the second republic, which establishes a modern democratic state where the people's voices are heard and where injustice, dictatorship, repression, nepotism and corruption take a back seat," Cabinet Minister Mohammed Mahsoub, who hails from the Islamist Wasat Party, told the session.

But the 270-member council is boycotted by the largely liberal and secular opposition groups ?which has also rejected the presidential appointments to the upper house.

Morsi appointed 90 members to the council on the last day of the referendum on the constitution, in a bid to make it more representative. The other two-thirds of the members were elected last year with no more than seven percent of eligible voters.

But the new appointments maintained the hold of Islamists on the house.

Morsi has had legislative powers for months since a court dissolved the law-making lower house of parliament. He will address the nation later Wednesday to formally hand over legislative powers to the Shura Council.

In its first act, the Shura Council convened to swear in the 90 new members appointed by Morsi.

The government used the session to set its priorities for the coming period.

Speaking to the council, Mahsoub, the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, said the government will prepare new legislation for parliament to discuss, including a law to regulate the upcoming parliamentary elections, anti-corruption laws, and laws to organize Egypt's efforts to recover money from corrupt officials from the era of ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

Mahsoub said such bills can be ready as early as next week, when the council convenes again for its regular working session.

He said the government also wants to draft laws to revise maximum and minimum wages, expand social insurance coverage and regulate the media, as well as institute Egypt's first freedom of information act.

"At this critical time for the nation, this respected council is required to pass a set of laws for the state to complete building its institutions," he said.

Amin, the judicial expert, said the constitution will also reduce the number of judges sitting on the country's top court, the Supreme Constitutional Court, from 19 to 11. This was seen by some as a way to get rid of some of the most critical judges of Islamists. Some of them were appointed during the Mubarak era, and Morsi viewed them as holdovers who tried to undermine his authorities.

"The court now will constitute little danger to the legislation to be passed in the coming period," Nasser said. "After the end of the street battle, and after the constitution and new legislature, (the government) will make all the amendments it wants through the law."

The opposition also refused to attend a national dialogue hosted by Morsi's vice president, saying the agenda for the talks are not clear and the disputed constitution was already rushed through. Instead, it says it will contest the upcoming parliamentary elections and hopes to achieve a sizeable representation to challenge the constitution.

The opposition will be watching the Shura Council to see whether new legislation increases civil liberties and addresses poverty and social inequalities ? or increases the ability of the state to crack down on its critics and impose an Islamist rule, as many fear.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-government-sets-priorities-charter-142132944.html

jeremy renner best buy black friday deals breaking dawn part 2 breaking dawn part 2 Jennifer Lacy Honey Baked Ham hostess

One player needed, as of now(might change)

The gist of it is, Six abused people are kidnapped(along with others). They are forced to listen to 'Master'. Master wants them to get together. Master has made it easy for them to get together. You cant leave Masters mansion. If you want to know more, read below or go strait to the roleplay and read up on characters and what not. There is more info on the site then there is here.

The Beginning:
Every year a group of people are kidnaped and forced into a 'game.' They are locked away into a mansion, far, far away from civilization. The owner of the mansion kidnaps a large group of people. The owner doesn't ever reveal them self, only goes by Master. Master believes that they are a matchmaker. Well they should, they have been bringing people together for years now. Master makes these people participate in things of her liking, such as balls and pool parties. Girls and Guys have different floors, you must stay on your floor unless at an event. Masks do not have to be worn on your floor. Master decided, many years ago, that they do not like the worlds way of 'finding love.' Master has decided to bring people together, with true love and inner beauty. So, Master created this place, where only the real you is known. Master has convinced people to do as Master says. So, if you break the rules: you get punished. The less you get punished, the more Master gives you after you leave, called after homes. Master only wants you to be happy.

The Plot:
Master noticed six teenagers that needed each other. Shortly after they arrived, Master found out about their history. Master decided they these six odd teenagers, needed each other. Master decided this because of their sad backgrounds. Master ordered his guards to ensure that these teenagers ended up with each other, instead of any of the others. Master already set up their after homes. Master has made these six Master's children. Master wants Master's children to be happy.

The Characters:
Girl One:
Name: ? Age: 16 Background: Physically abusive guardian Other: Boy Three is overprotective brother Status: Taken by UniqueYetUnoriginal roleplay/masters-mansion/characters/alison-smith

Girl Two:
Name: ? Age: 17 Background: Sexually abusive guardian Other: Plans to find a way out Status: Reserved for graphicromantics

Girl Three:
Name: Delia Denight Age: 17 Background: Guardian is her 'pimp' Other: Is frightened by men Status: Taken by DandelionDelia roleplay/masters-mansion/characters/delia-denight

Boy One:
Name: ? Age: 17 Background: Does drugs with guardian Other: Girl Three's twin Status: Reserved for cirrus_sd

Boy Two:
Name: ? Age: 18 Background: Abusive foster home Other: Secretly is happy and wants to be loved Status: Open

Boy Three:
Name: ? Age: 19 Background: In and out of jail because anger issues. Other: Refuses love because killed a woman on accident but blames himself Status: Taken by Natzalia

roleplay/masters-mansion/characters/andrew-parker
Pair Ups:
Boy One and Girl Two Immediately
Boy Two and Girl One Has a few distractions
Boy Three and Girl Three Takes a while

There is more on the site.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/f7FP-Q_SHQ8/viewtopic.php

new york philharmonic marines urinating on taliban critics choice awards super pac dre kirkpatrick mls superdraft school cancellations

Best Science Books 2012: Teaching Biology ? Confessions of a ...

Another list for your reading, gift-giving and collection development pleasure.

Every year for the last bunch of years I?ve been linking to and posting about all the ?year?s best sciencey books? lists that appear in various media outlets and shining a bit of light on the best of the year.

All the previous 2012 lists are here.

This post includes the following: Teaching Biology: Top Books of 2012: Historical Geology.

• The Goldilocks Planet: The 4 Billion Year Story of Earth?s Climate by Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams
• What is Life?: How Chemistry becomes Biology by Addy Pross
• Secret Chambers: The Inside Story of Cells & Complex Life by Martin Brasier
• Evolution of Fossil Ecosystems, Second Edition by Paul Selden and John Nudds
• Why Geology Matters: Decoding the Past, Anticipating the Future by J. D. Macdougall
• Jewels of the Early Earth: Minerals and Fossils of the Precambrian by Bruce L. Stinchcomb
• Here on Earth: A Twin Biography of the Planet and the Human Race by Tim Flannery
• Historical Geology by Reed Wicander and James S. Monroe
• First Life: Discovering the Connections between Stars, Cells, and How Life Began by David Deamer

I?m always looking for recommendations and notifications of book lists as they appear in various media outlets. If you see one that I haven?t covered, please let me know at jdupuis at yorku dot ca or in the comments.

I am picking up most of my lists from Largehearted Boy.

For my purposes, I define science books pretty broadly to include science, engineering, computing, history & philosophy of science & technology, environment, social aspects of science and even business books about technology trends or technology innovation. Deciding what is and isn?t a science book is squishy at best, especially at the margins, but in the end I pick books that seem broadly about science and technology rather than something else completely. Lists of business, history or nature books are among the tricky ones.

And if you wish to support my humble list-making efforts, run on over to Amazon, take a look at Steve Jobs or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks or maybe even something else from today?s list.

Source: http://scienceblogs.com/confessions/2012/12/25/best-science-books-2012-teaching-biology-2/

Chi Magazine Kate Middleton Nude Photos glee glee boxing news Coptic Christian saturday night live

Hugo Chavez Health Update: Venezuela President Up, Walking, VP Says, But Doubts Persist

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Vice President Nicolas Maduro surprised Venezuelans with a Christmas Eve announcement that President Hugo Chavez is up and walking two weeks after cancer surgery in Cuba, but the news did little to ease uncertainty surrounding the leader's condition.

Sounding giddy, Maduro told state television Venezolana de Television that he had spoken by phone with Chavez for 20 minutes Monday night. It was the first time a top Venezuelan government official had confirmed talking personally with Chavez since the Dec. 11 operation, his fourth cancer surgery since 2011.

"He was in a good mood," Maduro said. "He was walking, he was exercising."

Chavez supporters reacted with relief, but the statement inspired more questions, given the sparse information the Venezuelan government has provided so far about the president's cancer. Chavez has kept secret various details about his illness, including the precise location of the tumors and the type of cancer. His long-term prognosis remains a mystery.

Dr. Michael Pishvaian, an oncologist at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center in Washington, said it was an encouraging sign that Chavez was walking, and it indicated he would be able to return to Venezuela relatively soon. But he said the long term outlook remained poor.

"It's definitely good news. It means that he is on the road to recover fully from the surgery," Pishvaian said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "The overall prognosis is still pretty poor. He likely has a terminal diagnosis with his cancer that has come back."

Pishvaian and other outside doctors have said that given the details Chavez has provided about his cancer, it is most likely a soft-tissue sarcoma.

Chavez first underwent surgery for an unspecified type of pelvic cancer in Cuba in June 2011 and went back this month after tests had found a return of malignant cells in the same area where tumors were previously removed.

Venezuelan officials said that, following the six-hour surgery two weeks ago, Chavez suffered internal bleeding that was stanched and a respiratory infection that was being treated.

Maduro's announcement came just hours after Information Minister Ernesto Villegas read a statement saying Chavez was showing "a slight improvement with a progressive trend."

Dr. Carlos Castro, director of the Colombian League against Cancer, an association that promotes cancer prevention, treatment and education, said Maduro's announcement was too vague to paint a clear picture of Chavez's condition.

"It's possible (that he is walking) because everything is possible," Castro told AP. "They probably had him sit in up in bed and take two steps."

"It's unclear what they mean by exercise. Was it four little steps?" he added. "I think he is still in critical condition."

Maduro's near-midnight announcement came just as Venezuelan families were gathering for traditional late Christmas Eve dinners and setting off the usual deafening fireworks that accompany the festivities. There was still little outward reaction on a quiet Christmas morning.

Danny Moreno, a software technician watching her 2-year-old son try out his new tricycle, was among the few people at a Caracas plaza who said she had heard Maduro's announcement. She said she saw a government Twitter message saying an announcement was coming and her mother rushed to turn on the TV.

"We all said, thank God, he's okay," she said, smiling.

Dr. Gustavo Medrano, a lung specialist at the Centro Medico hospital in Caracas, said if Chavez is talking, it suggests he is breathing on his own despite the respiratory infection and is not in intensive care. But Medrano said he remained skeptical about Maduro's comments and could deduce little from them about Chavez's prognosis for recovery.

"I have no idea because if it was such a serious, urgent, important operation, and that was 14 days ago, I don't think he could be walking and exercising after a surgery like that," Medrano said.

Over the weekend, Chavez's ally, Bolivian President Evo Morales, made a lightning visit to Cuba that only added to the uncertainty.

Journalists had been summoned to cover his arrival and departure in Havana, but hours later that invitation was canceled. No explanation was given, though it could have been due to confusion over Morales' itinerary as he apparently arrived later than initially scheduled.

Cuban state media published photos of President Raul Castro receiving Morales at the airport and said he came "to express his support" for Chavez, his close ally, but did not give further details. He left Sunday without making any public comments.

For the second day in a row Tuesday, Morales made no mention of his trip to Cuba during public events in Bolivia.

Yet more questions surround Chavez's political future, with the surgery coming two months after he won re-election to a six-year term.

If he is unable to continue in office, the Venezuelan Constitution calls for new elections to be held. Chavez has asked his followers to back Maduro, his hand-picked successor, in that event.

Venezuelan officials have said Chavez might not return in time for his Jan. 10 inauguration.

Opposition leaders have argued that the constitution does not allow the president's swearing-in to be postponed, and say new elections should be called if Chavez is unable to take the oath on time.

But government officials have said the constitution lets the Supreme Court administer the oath of office at any time if the National Assembly is unable to do it Jan. 10 as scheduled.

___

Associated Press writers Peter Orsi in Havana, Vivian Sequera in Caracas, Camilo Hernandez in Bogota, Colombia, and Paola Flores in La Paz, Bolivia, contributed to this report.

Also on HuffPost:

"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/25/hugo-chavez-health-update_n_2363092.html

lobster recipes hearts roses flower delivery e cards smash kate upton sports illustrated

365 Days of Health & Fitness: Shakeology a Healthy meal Alternative

Posted by Dana R. Arevalo

Written by Mike McGowan?

With each passing day the percentage of people becoming obese grows at an alarming rate. What is most disturbing is the number of children who are now classified as obese. The main causes for this are poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Kids today are eating fast food and spending way too much time playing video games, watching TV, or using a computer.

The Beachbody company has created a product that will help ?End The Trend? to obesity. This product is called Shakeology. Darin Olien, one of the creators of Shakeology, travels the world to find the best ingredients. Not only do you get a wide range of essential nutrients, from the fruits and vegetables you should be eating more of every day, you?ll also get the benefits of important foods from all around the world?foods that the latest scientific research has shown to be highly advantageous to your well-being. More than 70 different ingredients were chosen from around the world for their potency and bioavailability (the ability to deliver the nutrients your body needs).?

Shakeology contains high quality antioxidants, 23 vitamins and minerals, supergreen phytonutrients, whey protein that is found in the Chocolate and Greenberry flavors, rice protein which is in Tropical Vegan and Chocolate Vegan flavors, essential amino acids, prebiotics and digestive enzymes, and good carbs along with low fats. It can aid in weight loss by replacing 1 meal a day. Shakeology also helps you sustain your energy that you need for working out.?

This product comes highly recommended by many doctors. Check out this video to see and hear their thoughts on Shakeology. Click here.

Shakeology is a proprietary blend of digestive enzymes and prebiotics that help the body eliminate toxins that build over time from highly processed foods. It also contains whole food ingredients that deliver essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals the body needs to curb cravings allowing the body shed stored fat. While 20 different antioxidants and phytonutrients help reduce free radical damage that can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and stroke.

In an 90 day independent study people reported that they replaced all vitamin supplements with Shakeology and felt healthy and energized. Others reported they had more energy and less cravings. While other people said there able to stay focused and think more clearly. Doctors reported from this study that the participants had lowered their cholesterol by average of 30% and their bad cholesterol levels by an average of 38%.

The cost for Shakeology is $119.95 for a 30 day supply. It comes with a 30 day empty bag return policy which means after 30 days you don't like the product then send back the empty bag and Beachbody will refund your less the shipping and handling. The cost per day averages out to $4. Nowadays where can you get a meal for less than $4. I know times are tough for everybody financially but this an investment in your health.

For more information on Shakeology or any of the Beachbody programs and products you can reach at the following:

Source: http://www.365daysofhealthandfitness.com/2012/12/shakeology-healthy-meal-alternative.html

crimson tide crimson tide 2013 ford fusion bcs jay z glory alabama crimson tide barry larkin

Source: http://cortezkidd.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/365-days-of-health-fitness-shakeology-a-healthy-meal-alternative.html

own stacy francis tournament brackets 2012 ncaa basketball tournament walt what time is it current time

Weekly Photo Contest: Holidays!

After a short hiatus, iMore's weekly photo contest has returned, and this week's topic is the Holidays! Be it a photo of your gorgeous Christmas tree, a pic of a beautiful holiday decoration, or a snapshot of your kid all dressed up for Hanukkah, we want to see them! Any photo taken with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch that reflects the holidays is an acceptable entry. We hope you have a lot of fun with this one!

The contest begins today and ends Wednesday, December 26, the day after Christmas at 8p Pacific Time.

The prize: $30 iTunes gift certificate

In addition to a thumbs up from the iMore crew and all of us yelling about how great of a photo star you are, the winner of this week's photography contest will receive a $30 iTunes gift card allowing you to stock up on some of those photography apps you've been dying to buy!

The rules

The rules of entry are very simple. The photo must have been taken with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (we'll check the EXIF data of the original file to verify) and any edits must have been done with an iPhone or iPad app. No Photoshop CS6! If you have external lens accessories you are more than welcome to use them. You can submit as many photos as you'd like, but remember, this is a contest, so make sure you submit your best work!

Resources

Now, before you run off to take your photo, remember that it's not technical skill alone that will claim this prize. Even if you're not the best photographer (yet!), a great eye and a great subject can still get you the win.

However, a little help can never hurt, so make sure you check out our iPhone photography series for some tips.

How to submit

Submitting your photos is easy. just head over to the iMore Photography Forum and post your photos to the official contest thread. Don't forget to state which apps, if any, you used to edit your photo!

That's it! Now go out and shoot!

ENTER NOW

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/OSW6l2vvrmo/story01.htm

madonna half time show fiat 500 abarth madonna halftime m i a mia super bowl tom coughlin wes welker