2 Afghan police die in Taliban checkpoint attack

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? Afghan authorities say Taliban fighters attacked security checkpoints in a northern provincial capital, killing two members of a community-based security force. The officials claim 18 attackers died in the assault.

Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, spokesman for Kunduz provincial police, said Saturday that the initial Taliban attack Friday in the provincial capital of the same name killed one member of the Afghan local police and wounded two.

Hussaini says the Taliban then moved outside the city where a gun battle with Afghan security forces lasted until about midnight. He says 18 Taliban fighters and another local policeman were killed. Another 11 militants were wounded.

NATO formally handed over control of Afghanistan's security entirely to local forces on Tuesday. The transition comes as violence reaches levels matching the worst in 12 years.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-afghan-police-die-taliban-checkpoint-attack-084519297.html

titus young Kristen Wiig Leila Fowler Seth Meyers mothers day Mothers Day Cards Players Championship 2013

Scientists solve riddle of strangely behaving magnetic material

June 21, 2013 ? Materials scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Ames Laboratory have found an accurate way to explain the magnetic properties of a compound that has mystified the scientific community for decades.

The compound of lanthanum, cobalt and oxygen (LaCoO₃) has been a puzzle for over 50 years, due to its strange behavior. While most materials tend to lose magnetism at higher temperatures, pure LaCoO₃ is a non-magnetic semiconductor at low temperatures, but as the temperature is raised, it becomes magnetic. With the addition of strontium on the La sites the magnetic properties become even more prominent until, at 18 percent strontium, the compound becomes metallic and ferromagnetic, like iron.

"They knew that we could calculate x-ray absorption and magnetic dichroism, so we started doing that. It is a case where we fell into doing what we thought was a routine calculation, and it turned out we discovered a totally different explanation," said Harmon. "We found we could explain pretty much everything in really nice detail, but without explicitly invoking that local model," said Harmon.

The scientists found that a small rhombohedral distortion of the LaCoO₃ lattice structure, which had largely been ignored, was key.

"We found that the total electronic energy of the lattice depends sensitively on that distortion," explained Harmon. "If the distortion becomes smaller (the crystal moves closer to becoming cubic), the magnetic state of the crystal switches from non-magnetic to a state with 1.3 Bohr magnetons per Co atom."

Ames Laboratory scientists Bruce Harmon and Yongbin Lee partnered with the researchers at the Argonne National Laboratory and the University of California, Santa Cruz to publish a paper in Physical Review Letters, "Evolution of Magnetic Oxygen States in Sr-Doped LaCO₃."

This new understanding may help the further development of these materials, which are easily reduced to nanoparticles; these are finding use in catalytic oxidation and reduction reactions associated with regulation of noxious emissions from motor vehicles.

The research is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science through the Ames Laboratory.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/A90M7OEpGSk/130621121018.htm

Aaron Ross Sikh temple Nastia Liukin Gabby Douglas hair Kayla Harrison Mars landing Gabby Douglas

Grief-stricken Zito helps Giants beat Marlins

By JANIE McCAULEY

AP Baseball Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 7:42 p.m. ET June 22, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Even after his father's passing this week, Barry Zito planned to pitch on turn Saturday just three days later.

And pitch he did.

Zito tossed seven impressive innings with a heavy heart to keep the San Francisco Giants in the game, and they won it 2-1 on Hector Sanchez's bloop single with one out in the 11th inning to snap a nine-game home losing streak to the Miami Marlins.

"I'm doing all right," Zito said. "I went out there today and was able to keep my stuff down for the most part. ... I wanted to stay on turn and help the ballclub the best I can. It was good to be able to go out there and throw. I just try to minimize distractions and take the mound regardless of what it is. Some things are a little heavier than others."

Giants right fielder Hunter Pence made a diving catch to rob Placido Polanco of a likely go-ahead single to end the 11th as Miami left runners on first and second in back-to-back innings. The Giants beat the Marlins at home for the first time since July 28, 2010.

Mike Dunn (2-2) allowed Gregor Blanco's infield single to start the 11th. Ryan Webb relieved and gave up Buster Posey's infield single. Pence was intentionally walked and Sanchez singled to left for his third game-ending hit.

Blanco hit a tying double in the fifth for the Giants.

Sergio Romo struck out Giancarlo Stanton to end the eighth but yielded Polanco's leadoff single in the 10th. After a strikeout of Jeff Mathis, Javier Lopez relieved and gave up a base hit to pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs. Sandy Rosario (2-0) entered and struck out Justin Ruggiano and Ed Lucas, pumping his fists when the inning ended.

Lucas hit his first career home run as the Marlins grabbed a quick lead on Zito in the first, and added a pair of singles. He traded a signed bat for the souvenir home run ball.

"I think some kid caught it in the outfield," Lucas said. "They were yelling at him to throw it back. He held onto it. It was a pretty good decision for him."

Zito took the mound following the Wednesday death of his dad, Joe, at age 84. The left-hander spent that day in Southern California.

"Barry's the ultimate professional, but when you lose a family member, especially a parent, I can't imagine what he was going through," Posey said. "He stuck to his routine and gave us a great performance."

The pitcher told Bruce Bochy he planned to stay on schedule and make his Saturday start - and the sellout crowd of 41,683 showed its support with a roaring standing ovation when Zito walked off the mound in the seventh to end his outstanding day.

Zito allowed one run on six hits, struck out five and walked two in a second straight no-decision.

The Marlins' nine-game winning streak at AT&T Park was the club's longest in franchise history against any opponent.

The nine victories in a row in San Francisco tied the second-longest unbeaten run in the team's waterfront ballpark with the Padres from July 2, 1995, to Sept. 16, 1996. The Los Angeles Dodgers won 11 in a row in San Francisco from Aug. 19, 2006, to July 15, 2007.

Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford was 0 for 4 while returning to the lineup after missing three games with two sprained fingers on his right hand.

The Giants missed a chance in the first on Blanco's baserunning blunder. He and Marco Scutaro started the inning with consecutive singles, then Posey flied out to shallow center and Marcell Ozuna threw out Blanco at second when he was caught off the bag after taking an early jump.

In the second, Juan Perez reached on a two-out walk only to be picked off at first. Scutaro grounded into an inning-ending double play in the third for yet another squandered chance. Perez was thrown out at the plate in the fifth on a squeeze attempt.

In the fifth, Blanco was credited with an RBI double after a fan reached over the 20-foot wall in right field and snatched the ball on a high bounce. Blanco was then moved to third, as it is the umpires' discretion to determine where they thought the baserunner would have ended up without the interference.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond received his first career ejection as a skipper for arguing the ruling.

"I thought initially it was a ground-rule double. He called fan interference," Redmond said. "I just didn't think Barry Zito would have scored from first."

Bochy, meanwhile, thought Blanco might have had an inside-the-park homer otherwise.

The 31-year-old Lucas was a career minor leaguer who logged 925 games while trying to break into the big leagues, including six of his 10 minor league years at Triple-A. He finally got his shot on May 30 - eight days after turning 31 - when he made his major league debut as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning against Tampa Bay.

Marlins starter Jacob Turner, facing the Giants for the first time in his career, hung tough in his duel with Zito. Turner singled in the fifth for his first major league hit.

A day after going 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position, San Francisco didn't convert in such situations until Posey's hit - putting the Giants at 4 for 25 in the first three games.

NOTES: Stanton had a 10-game hitting streak against San Francisco snapped. ... Giants OF Andres Torres hobbled through the clubhouse with his right knee wrapped in ice a day after injuring it on a slide trying to stretch a double into a triple. He was still sore and had swelling in the knee, but improved enough that Bochy considered him a possibility to play Sunday's series finale. ... Marlins Spanish radio voice, Felo Ramirez, celebrated his 90th birthday. ... Redmond had one ejection during his 13-year playing career.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement

More newsPatrick Mcdermott / Getty Images

Returning ... when?

CSN Washington: Bryce Harper wants to take his rehab slowly. The Nationals want him to speed things up. Who will win this battle of wits?

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/52285881/ns/sports-baseball/

maria menounos Mermaids New Evidence Raspberry Pi memorial day stacy keibler stacy keibler bachelorette

NEON awarded funding to continue early childhood program ...

NORWALK, Conn.? ?? The early child development program run by Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now, Inc, (NEON) has been funded by the State of Connecticut Department of Education through June 30, 2014, a press release said.

The DOE has also increased NEON?s funding for the program by $1,424,831.20, raising the current contract amount from $6,199,038.20 to $7,623,869.40, the release said.

NEON Chief Operating Officer Chiquita Stephenson greeted the news with satisfaction, the release said.

?With this contract extension and the award of additional funding, we believe that the state has expressed confidence in the capable way in which our program is operated,? she said in the release. ?This action also recognizes the excellent performance of our staff in providing a quality and creative learning environment for our city?s most valuable and important asset, our children. In no way will we interpret this good news as a reason to relax. We will, however, work smarter and harder to ensure that effective, efficient and quality programs and services are provided to the children and families of Norwalk.?

NEON?s early childhood development program is separate from its Headstart program.

Source: http://www.nancyonnorwalk.com/2013/06/neon-awarded-funding-to-continue-early-childhood-program/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=neon-awarded-funding-to-continue-early-childhood-program

wonderlic test texas tornado fantasy baseball jared sullinger jaleel white levi johnston 2013 srt viper

A Sustainable Houseboat in Australia IKEA Family Live | Apartment ...

When I was a kid, I had a Little People houseboat. It was one of my favorite toys. In my mind a houseboat was the perfect place to live?? like always being at home and always being on vacation, all at the same time.?

On the banks of the river Yarra, in Fairfield, Australia, an interior designer named Jessica is living my dream. Jessica is also a sustainability expert, and she's incorporated sustainable practices into her home?? curtains shade the windows to save on cooling, and the tiny downstairs bathroom has a composting toilet.?

Yes, you read that right?? downstairs. Not only is Jessica lucky enough to live in a houseboat, she's lucky enough to live in a two-story houseboat. The top floor contains the living room and a little sliver of a bedroom, and the bottom floor (reached by a trap door!) has a small kitchen and bathroom. The space is fairly small, but luckily Jessica spends a lot of time outside, on the back patio and the jetty by the river.??Spending time outdoors relaxes and rejuvenates me," she says ? "and reminds me of what is important."

To see more photos (and floor plans!) of the houseboat, plus ideas for incorporating sustainable design into your own home, visit Live from IKEA Family.?

(Images: IKEA Family)

Source: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/houseboat-in-australia-ikea-family-live-190977

BlackBerry 10 superbowl Ron Jeremy Rudy Gay Jim Nabors The Americans bank of america online banking

PFT: Hernandez to be arrested?? |? Conflicting reports

AP

Coaches always will be tempted to take risks when the reward is winning.? Successful coaches find themselves having far greater license to do it.

For Patriots coach Bill Belichick, three Super Bowl wins in four years and the ongoing presence of one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history have empowered him to take chances.? After all, Belichick isn?t and for the foreseeable future won?t be on the hot seat.

And if he?d ever get fired by the Patriots, someone else would be willing to hire him immediately.

Hints of a greater willingness to embrace risk came in 2007, with the drafting of safety Brandon Meriweather in round one, and the trade that brought receiver Randy Moss to New England from Oakland.? Meriweather kicked an opponent in the head during an on-field fight at the University of Miami, and Moss?s tombstone will (or at least should) read, ?I played when I wanted to play.?

The habit accelerated in 2010, with the two-tight-end dice-roll on Rob Gronkowski (round two; back problems) and Aaron Hernandez (round four; failed drug tests).? Both looked great through their first two seasons.

In 2011, Belichick took risk-taking to a higher level, using a third-round pick on much-maligned quarterback Ryan Mallett and then, after the lockout, sending mid-round picks to the Redskins and Bengals, respectively, for defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and receiver Chad Ochocinco.? That same year, the Pats spent a fifth-round pick on Marcus Cannon, an offensive lineman who was diagnosed with cancer in the weeks preceding the draft.

In 2012, a seventh-round flier was taken on cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, who was charged with assaulting a police officer only days before the draft.? During the 2012 season, Belichick traded for cornerback Aqib Talib, a former first-rounder who had more than a few off-field predicaments in Tampa.

Then came the unexpected (but in hindsight brilliant) waiver claim on tight end Jake Ballard (ACL) and, most recently, a trade for running back LeGarrette Blount and the decision to bring Tebowmania to town.

It?s not that Belichick is harboring reputed bad guys.? Instead, he?s generally buying low ? whether due to injures, health problems, off-field issues, or perceived distractions from a nationwide army of fanatics and the overly zealous media horde trying to serve them.

In some cases, Belichick?s willingness to take risks has worked.? In other cases, it hasn?t.? For some players, it worked initially but then went the other way.

Regardless, Belichick has opted to take risks because he?s far more focused on cementing a legacy than keeping his job.? While it has yet to deliver a fourth Super Bowl win, there?s no reason to change, because he won?t be on the hot seat any time soon, if ever.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/20/report-aaron-hernandez-likely-to-be-arrested/related/

Romney Bosses Day 2012 Arlen Specter Winsor McCay Amanda Todd washington nationals Gary Collins

New Federal Registry for Educational Excellence (FREE) Site - U.S. ...

Visit the new Federal Registry for Educational Excellence (FREE) Homepage!

We are excited to announce that a beta version of FREE?s new website will launch tonight!

The new version of the Federal Registry for Educational Excellence (FREE) is powered by the Learning Registry, an open database for sharing digital learning resources. This partnership will provide our customers ? educators, parents and students ? with a broader inventory of educational materials from federal agencies and public and private organizations. More than 200,000 freely available resources are included in the new FREE.

The new site incorporates responsive design for mobile devices. This means FREE looks great and works well for customers on smartphones and tablets.

By modernizing the technology behind FREE, we are preparing a platform for future enhancements. It now will be easier to share content in FREE on social media networks. We envision crowdsourcing expertise from the education community and incorporating more customer-generated input in the future. We are considering new features so customers can rate, tag, and comment on specific resources, as well as save their favorites for future reference.

The new FREE is a work in progress. While new FREE is still in beta, we will be maintaining the previous version of FREE at free1.ed.gov.

We welcome your feedback on the new FREE! Send us your comments and ideas at FREE@ed.gov or on Twitter @FreeResources.

FREE is maintained by the Office of Communications and Outreach and the Office of Educational Technology at the United States Department of Education in partnership with the Advanced Digital Learning Initiative.

Jill James is web director at the U.S. Department of Education

Disclaimer: The U.S. Department of Education does not mandate or prescribe particular curricula or lesson plans. FREE contains links to learning resources created and maintained by other public and private organizations.? This information is provided for the visitor?s convenience and is included here as an example of the many resources that educators may find helpful and use at their option.? The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information.

Further, the inclusion of links to items does not reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or materials provide.

Source: http://www.ed.gov/blog/2013/06/new-federal-registry-for-educational-excellence-free-site-features-open-data-and-mobile-friendly-design/

Chechen Boston bombers chechnya live news nbc UMass Dartmouth Katherine Russell