Religion, 'Evil' Slip Into Media Reports on Shootings - FishbowlDC

It?s not just FNC?s Mike Huckabee who injected religion into the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school. He was just more explicit about it.

The dust had barely cleared before Huckabee blamed the incident, at least in part, on the secularization of schools. ?We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools,? he said on FNC Friday. The remarks made news and some in the media criticized Huckabee for what they saw as an oversimplified view.

But conservative commentator Erick Erickson said nearly as much in a column for RedState today. Erickson referred to the shooter, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, as ?an evil creature? and said ?liberal pundits? who ?mock? religion ?have chosen the very society that generates the heinous act we saw on Friday ? a society replacing ourselves and our standards with those of God.?

But the word ?evil? itself, a word often associated with religion, has been bandied about to describe what happened Friday and not just by conservatives?

At a vigil in Newtown, Conn., last night President Obama referred to the ?unconscionable evil? that took place. Last week, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Mallow said ?evil visited this community.?

Noting that Lanza has been diagnosed by much of the news media as ?mentally ill,? University of London Historian Lindsey Fitzharris wrote in The Guardian today: ?Very little discussion ? if any ? was given to the role of personal responsibility in this tragic event.It is an age-old question: what is evil? ??I want to remind the US and the world of one thing: evil is about choice. Sickness is about the absence of choice.?

In the New York Daily News: ?[Lanza] killed himself after wreaking pure evil.?

Even the AP, practically the Pope when it comes to reserving judgement, got in on it, publishing a story that characterized the tragedy as ?pure evil.?

Maybe Huckabee and Erickson are wrong about secularization having caused the shooting. But they?re not alone in suggesting it was caused by something unnatural.

Source: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/lanza-evil-huckabee-erickson-sandy-hook_b91923

blackout congress censored jerry yang stop sopa justified southland

Who should I follow on Twitter? Microsoft edition

2012 has been pretty busy for Microsoft. We've seen the new, very different, Windows 8, not to mention a new version of its mobile OS and no end of hardware permutations from PC and laptop makers. With that in mind, this time on WSIFOT, we've assembled a together who you should be adding to your timeline to keep abreast of Redmond's machinations. Alongside a chunk of official Twitter accounts from Microsoft, we've also focused in on the writers and MS employees that set the agenda for Windows, Xbox, Windows Phone -- and the rest. Is there someone missing? As always, these lists are constantly changing, so let us know your suggestions through Twitter or in the comments.

Continue reading Who should I follow on Twitter? Microsoft edition

Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Gaming, Laptops, Internet, Software, HD, Mobile, Microsoft

Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/S70feBBjnv0/

king arthur there will be blood there will be blood nigel barker 420 secret service fenway park

Broncos rout Ravens 34-17 for 9th straight win

Denver Broncos running back Jacob Hester to lifted into the air my teammate tackle Orlando Franklin after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Denver Broncos running back Jacob Hester to lifted into the air my teammate tackle Orlando Franklin after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning reacts to a touchdown by running back Jacob Hester during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker, left, is knocked out of bounds just short of a touchdown by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith during the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno is stopped by Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, top, and defensive back James Ihedigbo, bottom during the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker pulls in a touchdown pass as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Cary Williams looks on during the second half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

BALTIMORE (AP) ? The Denver Broncos no longer can be considered a notch below the best in the AFC, nor can they be viewed as a team that can succeed only when Peyton Manning puts up dazzling numbers.

Their 34-17 rout of the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday showed just how good these Broncos can be.

Chris Harris returned an interception 98 yards for a momentum-turning touchdown, and Denver cruised to its ninth straight victory in surprisingly easy fashion.

"You come to the Ravens' house and beat them handily, it's definitely a statement game," Harris said. "We definitely wanted to show to everybody that we're an elite team."

Manning threw for 204 yards and a score in his ninth consecutive win against Baltimore, the first with the Broncos (11-3).

But he was merely a role player in this one, because Denver's defense dominated the Ravens, who sputtered in their first game with Jim Caldwell as offensive coordinator.

This was supposed to be a test for Denver, which was 0-5 in Baltimore and was eager to face a quality opponent on the road.

"Pat Bowlen has owned the team for 29 years and has averaged 10 wins a season, but it's the first time he's won in this building," Broncos coach John Fox said. "I was proud to see that for him."

Down 10-0 late in the first half, the Ravens had a first-and-goal at the Denver 4 when Harris stepped in front of Anquan Boldin, picked off a pass by Joe Flacco and sprinted down the right sideline with Flacco in pursuit. The quarterback tripped up Harris, who tumbled into the end zone, leaving Flacco flat on his stomach and with a cut lip.

"He just ran the out route and I was waiting to see when he was going to look back at the quarterback," Harris said. "As soon as he looked back, I looked back and the ball was there. I just made a play on the ball."

It was the longest regular-season interception return in Broncos history, and it turned a close game into a rout.

"I made a mistake. No other way to say it," Flacco said.

"Baltimore had some momentum there on the drive and looks like they're probably going to get the touchdown ? plus they get the ball the first series of the second half," Manning said.

"So just a huge play. The turnover is good, the fact that he took it all the way to the house for a touchdown was even bigger. Big play, big swing in the game, in the momentum. I thought it kind of jump-started everything in the second half for us."

The Ravens (9-5) were playing their first game under Caldwell, who replaced the fired Cam Cameron. Baltimore's offense sputtered in the first half, gaining only 119 yards and committing two turnovers that led to 10 Denver points.

It was 31-3 in the fourth quarter before Flacco threw touchdown passes of 31 and 61 yards to tight end Dennis Pitta.

"We couldn't get anything going until late," coach John Harbaugh said.

Baltimore has lost three straight ? including two in a row at home for the first time since December 2007.

Despite the defeat, the Ravens qualified for the playoffs for a fifth straight season when Pittsburgh lost to Dallas on Sunday night. That gave the Ravens a wild-card berth, but they hope to enter the postseason as division champions.

Baltimore still leads the AFC North, but its lead has shrunk to one game with two to play.

"We're a 9-5 football team and we feel like we're 0-14 right now," Flacco said.

Caldwell's debut was a resounding flop. Flacco went 20 for 40 for 254 yards, lost a fumble and threw an interception. Ray Rice ran for 38 yards on 12 carries and the Ravens produced a meager 56 yards rushing.

Baltimore's previous two defeats were by three points apiece. This one wasn't even close, and the stadium was near empty in the middle of the fourth quarter.

"As a player, I am embarrassed for our city," safety Ed Reed said.

Denver, on the other hand, appears poised to reach the postseason with confidence and momentum. The AFC West champions haven't lost since Oct. 7, at New England. The Broncos, who can still capture the top seed in the conference, finish with home games against Cleveland and Kansas City.

Baltimore's first offensive series under Caldwell lasted three plays and ended badly. Flacco fumbled on a third-and-1 plunge and the Broncos recovered at the Denver 47, which led to a 27-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

In the first quarter, Baltimore totaled 21 yards on 12 plays, punted three times and lost a fumble.

Denver went up 10-0 when Jacob Hester ran in from the 1 to cap an 11-play, 78-yard drive. Baltimore answered with three more unproductive plays before punting. On their fifth drive, the Ravens finally got their initial first down ? on a 14-yard run by Bernard Pierce with eight minutes left in the half.

Pierce eventually left the game with a concussion, as did wide receiver Torrey Smith, who hit his head after attempting to make a leaping catch near the sideline in the third quarter.

Denver pulled away with two third-quarter touchdowns. Manning threw a 51-yard scoring pass to Eric Decker, and after the Ravens went three-and-out, Knowshon Moreno ended a 39-yard drive with a 6-yard run to make it 31-3.

Decker caught eight passes for 133 yards and Moreno finished with 118 yards rushing on 22 carries.

NOTES: Rice passed 1,000 yards rushing for a fourth straight season. ... Terrell Suggs returned for Baltimore after missing one game with a torn biceps and made one tackle. ... Hester's score was the second rushing touchdown of his career and the first since his rookie season in 2008. ... Pitta had seven catches for 125 yards.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-16-FBN-Broncos-Ravens/id-996a5129302e41d3b703311552592452

review.zazi.com/story.php?id=375216
>>missing argument rand key or category not chosen>>??Mitch Lucker Red Cross CMA Awards 2012 election day Electoral College map nyc marathon nyc marathon

Internet broadband subscriber base much below 40 mn target: Govt ...

New Delhi: There were 22.86 million Internet subscribers in India at the end of March 2012 ? way below the target that was set for 2010.

The number of Internet subscribers as reported by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the last three years was 16.18 million (2009-10), 19.67 million (2010-11) and 22.86 million (2011-12), Minister for Communications and IT Kapil Sibal said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The government had set the target of achieving 6 million, 18 million and 40 million Internet users for the years 2005, 2007 and 2010 respectively, under the Broadband Policy 2004, the minister said.

The number of wireline Internet users stood at 6.7 million (2005), 10.36 million (2007) and 18.69 million (2010).

Representational Image. Getty Images

The policy had set the target for broadband users at 3 million, 9 million and 20 million for 2005, 2007 and 2010. The actual numbers stood at 0.90 million (2005), 3.13 million (2007) and 10.99 million (2010).

An Internet connection with a speed of 256 kbps and higher is categorised as broadband as per the policy.

Sibal said the main impediments hindering the growth of Internet and broadband in the country include ?lack of interest in private operators, for broadband expansion in rural areas, being non-remunerative?.

Difficulty in laying optical fibre cable (OFC) network due to the issues related to right of way clearances and high cost of right of way charges, he said.

Other obstacles, Sibal said, are high back haul cost, low PC penetration, high cost of customer premises equipment, low literacy levels, lack of local content and poor power supply.

On government?s plans to provide Internet facility at cheaper rates, he said the government has approved a scheme for creation of a National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) to provide broadband connectivity to 247,864 village panchayats.

The project will be funded by USOF and initial estimated cost of project is Rs 20,000 crore. The project is proposed to be completed in 2 years.

NOFN project is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle ? Bharat Broadband Network Ltd, a company incorporated on 25 February, 2012, under Indian Companies Act 1956. It is fully owned by central government, with equity participation from the government, BSNL, Railtel and Powergrid.

Replying to another query in Rajya Sabha, Sibal said, ?On completion of the NOFN project, non-discriminatory access to the network will be provided to all the categories of ISPs.?

?These access providers/service providers like mobile operators, ISPs, cable TV operators, content providers can launch various services in rural areas. Various applications for e-health, e-education, e-governance etc will be provided,? he added.

PTI

Source: http://www.firstpost.com/tech/internet-broadband-subscriber-base-much-below-40-mn-target-govt-557507.html

sears Aeropostale Jcpenny abercrombie abercrombie ohio state football cyber monday

Man in Mitt Romney mask robbed a Virginia bank

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An entire classroom of students is unaccounted for following a shooting at an elementary school in suburban Connecticut on Friday, a local newspaper reported. The Hartford Courant, citing unnamed sources, said at least 20 people were shot and that many of the shootings took place in a kindergarten classroom at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. CBS News, citing unnamed officials, reported at least 27 people, including possibly 18 children, were killed when at least one shooter opened fire at the school in Newtown, Connecticut. (Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/man-mitt-romney-mask-robs-virginia-bank-162850096--politics.html

wnba draft tax day april 17 boston marathon tu pac hologram shuttle pippa middleton

Jordin Sparks To Pay Tribute To Whitney Houston On 'Divas'

She will be joined by Ledisi and Melanie Fiona at the show, airing live on Sunday on VH1.
By Jocelyn Vena

Jordin Sparks
Photo: Ethan Miller/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1698955/jordin-sparks-whitney-houston-vh1-divas.jhtml

school closures being human being human chicago news chicago news golden girls robert e lee

Susan Rice's surprise withdrawal saves Obama a fight

UN ambassador Susan Rice, once perceived as a natural replacement for Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, has withdrawn her name from the nomination process. It now seems likely that President Obama will pick Senator John Kerry for the role.?

By Steve Holland,?Reuters / December 13, 2012

This file photo shows UN Ambassador Susan Rice leaving a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Rice has withdrawn from consideration for secretary of state.

AP Photo/ Evan Vucci, File

Enlarge

Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the?United Nations?and a close confidante of President Barack Obama, withdrew her name from consideration as secretary of state on Thursday in the face of what promised to be a contentious?Senate?confirmation battle.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

Rice has drawn heavy fire from Republicans for remarks she made in the aftermath of a Sept. 11 attack on the?U.S. mission?in?Benghazi,?Libya, in which four Americans were killed, including Ambassador?Chris Stevens.

"I am highly honored to be considered by you for appointment as secretary of state,"?Rice said in a letter to Obama. "I am fully confident that I could serve our country ably and effectively in that role. However, if nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly."

Her decision increases the odds Obama will turn to Senator?John Kerry, chairman of the?Senate Foreign Relations Committee?and the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, to replace Secretary of State?Hillary Clinton?when she steps down early next year.

Rice's surprise withdrawal spares Obama a potentially bruising nomination fight in the?Senate, even as he grapples with congressional Republicans over tax, debt and spending policy to avoid the "fiscal cliff."

An announcement of Obama's national security team could come as early as next week. Officials say Obama is giving serious consideration to nominating former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as his defense secretary to replace the departing Leon Panetta.

Obama had harbored hopes of picking Rice, 48, as the nation's chief diplomat. She was an early foreign policy adviser to him when he ran for president in 2008 and became the first black woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to the?United Nations. She was widely seen as a natural replacement for Clinton.

But?Rice has faced relentless criticism from Republicans about comments she made days after the attack in?Libya.

She went on five Sunday television shows on Sept. 16 to say that preliminary information suggested the assault was the result of protests over an anti-Muslim video that was made in?California?rather than a premeditated strike.

The video, posted on the Internet under several titles including "Innocence of Muslims," mocked the Prophet Mohammad and portrayed him as a womanizer and a fool.?

'Strength of character'

U.S. intelligence?officials have since said that militants with ties to al Qaeda affiliates were involved in the attacks, and acknowledged there were no protests.?Rice?has said she relied on talking points from intelligence agencies when she spoke, and Obama has angrily denied suggestions the?White House?played down terrorist connections for political purposes.

The?White House?has said Rice's comments were based on the best information she had at the time.

The?Libya?controversy, combined with a combative style and an eagerness to engage in partisan politics, undermined Rice's case, and visits she made to Capitol Hill in late November seeking to bolster her potential nomination did not help.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/BkK6VW2t_WU/Susan-Rice-s-surprise-withdrawal-saves-Obama-a-fight

augusta national blake griffin pau gasol marlins park marbury v. madison 2013 lincoln mkz burger king mary j blige