Gingrich: Republicans "clearly have to change" (cbsnews)

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Arts and Entertainment: Theaters in the Great Washington DC Area

Washington DC is a town loaded in history and culture and is home to 1 or 2 of the states most major and famous theaters and concert halls. While there happen to be a variety of performing arts centers, theaters and concert halls in Washington DC to make a choice between the following theaters. They are the best this town has to give.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

John F. Kennedy spoke of the importance of making contributions to the human spirit and today his inheritance is stronger than before. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened in Sep of 1971 and still today remains one of the premier theaters in Washington DC, illustrating famous abilities from the realms of the dramatic humanities, musicals, as well as dance and ballet. In addition the Kennedy Center has hosted in its concert hall a spread of musical and chamber music.

Ford's Theater

Most famously called the location where President Lincoln was murdered in 1865, Ford's Theater essentially holds the title for the Washington DC theater with the richest history. Today, Ford's Theater brings in more than 1,000,000 visitors annually. The Ford's Theater Society has performed plays in this theater since its reopening in 1968 and since that time the theater has been home to several nationally commended and world premier productions.

Arena Stage

Due to its impecable organization, regarding the growing, the understanding, the showing and the production of the American theater, the Arena Stage is now considered one of the top theaters in Washington DC.

The National Theater

The National Theater, which opened for business in 1835, is commonly called the "Theater of Presidents" because of the fact the theater has hosted each US President at some particular point in their regime. Additionally, the National Theater holds the record for presenting the most first-class productions gradually longer than any other theater in the country.

Shakespeare Theater Company

The Shakespeare Theater Company is a dedicated classical theater in Washington DC and is striving to become the best classical theater in the country. The theater is famous both nationally and overseas as among the top 3 foremost Shakespearean theaters in the country. The Shakespeare Theater Company has won 59 Helen Hays Awards in the past twenty-one years, as well as countless Outstanding Director awards.

Source: http://aae4u.blogspot.com/2013/01/theaters-in-great-washington-dc-area.html

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Here's a look at some of the most deadly nightclub fires in recent memory

A fire that swept through a crowded nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday appears to be the deadliest in a decade. Here is a look at some other recent big nightclub fires:

? A blaze at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia, broke out in December 2009, when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches, killing 152.

? A fire at the Santika nightclub in Bangkok killed 67 people on New Year's Day in 2009. An indoor fireworks display set off after the countdown to the new year ignited the blaze.

?Fireworks sparked a blaze and stampede that killed at least 43 people at a Shenzhen, China nightclub in September 2008.

? A December 2004 fire killed 194 people at an overcrowded working-class nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after a flare ignited ceiling foam.

? A nightclub fire in the U.S. state of Rhode Island in 2003 killed 100 people after pyrotechnics used as a stage prop by the 1980s rock band Great White set ablaze cheap soundproofing foam on the walls and ceiling.

?Flames engulfed the tiny La Gojira discotheque in Caracas, Venezuela, in November 2002, leaving 50 people dead.

?A welding accident reportedly set off a Dec. 25, 2000, fire at a club in Luoyang, China, killing 309.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/heres-look-most-deadly-nightclub-fires-recent-memory-140215028.html

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Houstory, Heirloom register Garner | Dynamic

Ferndale, Wash. (PRWEB) January 23, 2013

The Register Heirloom has been described in the latest issue of Antique Trader magazine.

Into the article. Houstory founder Mike Hiestand response to questions from antiques and popular and highly respected publication collectibles
Into We are so honored and excited to be in the magazine, says Dan Hiestand, marketing director Houstory. This is a great time for our growing company. We feel that we have much to offer the antiques and collectibles market.
Into Antique Trader publishes Antoinette Rahn said Heirloom registry is a valuable tool for collectors of antiques, antique and family historians, when they are used.
Into ?A lot of collectors are attracted to an item to the memories and experiences that surround it, is what helps define his character, says Rahn Whether it?s grandma?s silver cutlery, call dad assembly fishing, or the belief in a just a few. a small antique shop on their honeymoon, each piece brings a piece of someone?s life with it. Heirloom Registry allows people to preserve, reflect and celebrate nostalgic today and in the coming years. solidifies nostalgia and its importance in a person?s life . ?

To be profiled by Antique Trader has another advantage for founder Mike Hiestand.

In my wifes cheesecake recipe came from legendary Antique Trader. The cut back in 1980, where his parents were regular subscribers. Ive told my in-laws on all the things we do new media (blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Pint Rest, YouTube), but it does not make much sense to them. Now that they were in the Antique Trader finally true!
Into Who Antique Trader Magazine

Antique Trader, a magazine published 26 times a year in Iola, Wisconsin, has served the antiques and collectibles community since 1957. Antique Trader magazine has a circulation of over 50,000 readers and more than 3,000 daily unique visitors to its website, which serves over 1 million page views each year. His blog has been regarded as one of the most widely read in antiques and collectibles. http://www.antiquetrader.com/

Who Houstory: stories of Home

The things they care about the stories they are home, keepsakes and family heirlooms. But if it says and just as importantly sharing these stories, who will? Houstory? has developed two products Register and Heirloom book home magazine Story Archive genealogists and historians to help families protect and share these priceless stories. Leave a gift to future generations by adding texture and color to your family tree now. http://www.houstory.com

The register heirloom

When you record the history of a family heirloom, antique or collectible Heirloom registry, history travels with it. Where he goes. Forever. In just 10-15 minutes, family history and backgrounds stored safely. Its cheap and simple: Mark / label your product with a high quality registry Heirloom glue, brass or aluminum plate and share stories about your articles in words and pictures to http://www.heirloomregistry.com. Once registered, these stories will be available for future owners, regardless of where the product goes.

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Source: http://dynamicnews.dynssl.com/houstory-heirloom-register-garner-praise-from-antique-trader-magazine.html

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Syrian rebels, army clash in Damascus during U.N. visit

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian rebels clashed with forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in southwest Damascus on Sunday, forcing the closure of the main highway to the southern town of Deraa, activists said.

The fighting came as United Nations humanitarian chief Valerie Amos visited Syria ahead of a U.N. aid conference which aims to raise $1.5 billion for millions of people made homeless, hungry and vulnerable by the 22-month-old conflict.

The United Nations says 60,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which started with mainly peaceful protests but spiraled into a civil war in which the mainly Sunni rebels have challenged Assad's control of all Syria's main cities.

In Damascus, the two sides fought around a railway station in the southwestern district of Qadam.

Footage posted on the Internet showed what activists said was a rebel attack on the station. One clip showed plain-clothed gunmen taking cover as gunfire could be heard. Another showed gunmen inspecting buildings by the track after what the narrator describes as the "liberation" of the station.

Another video showed black smoke billowing above concrete buildings, the result of what activists said was an air strike by Assad's air force near the railway terminal.

Syrian media did not comment on the fighting around Qadam and restrictions on independent media make it difficult to verify reports from activists.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based opposition group which monitors the violence in Syria, said jets and army artillery also struck targets in rebel strongholds to the east and south of the capital after fierce clashes there.

Amos, visiting Damascus ahead of Wednesday's U.N. pledging conference in Kuwait for Syria's humanitarian crisis, did not speak to reporters before heading for talks at the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

On Wednesday, Amos said Syrians were "paying a terrible price" for the failure of world powers to resolve the conflict, pointing to 650,000 refugees who have fled the country and the millions affected inside Syria.

"Four million people need help, two million are internally displaced and 400,000 out of 500,000 Palestinian refugees have been affected," she told an economic forum in Switzerland.

The United Nations and aid groups inside Syria, including the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, could not keep pace with the rising number of people in need, she said.

"We must find ways to reach more people, especially in the areas we are still unable to get to, and where there is ongoing fighting," she said.

Last month the United Nations withdrew 25 of its 100 foreign aid workers from Syria as fighting intensified around Damascus, but Amos said the organization remained committed to maintaining aid operations.

Most of the money from the Kuwait pledging conference will go to support neighboring countries hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees, while $519 million is earmarked for aid inside Syria.

(Reporting by Dominic Evans; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-rebels-army-clash-damascus-during-u-n-130725870.html

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Violence returns to Tahrir as Egypt marks revolution

Mohamed Abd El Ghany / Reuters

An anti-Morsi demonstrator tries to escape from a tent set on fire by riot police at Tahrir Square in Cairo on Friday.

By Ahmed el-Shemi and Tom Perry, Reuters

CAIRO -- Hundreds of youths clashed with Egyptian police in Tahrir Square on Friday in a violent start to the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak and led to the election of an Islamist president who is now the focus of protester rage.

Opponents of President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood allies are expected to mass in Tahrir Square later on Friday to revive the demands of a revolution that they say has been betrayed by the Islamists.

The square was calm by daybreak, following early morning battles between police and protesters who threw Molotov cocktails and firecrackers as they tried to approach a wall blocking access to government buildings near the square.

Plumes of teargas fired by the police filled the air.

The Health Ministry said 16 people had been wounded. At one point, riot police used one of the incendiaries thrown at them to set ablaze at least two tents erected by the youths, a Reuters witness said.

Inspired by Tunisia's uprising against President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Egypt's revolution helped set off more revolts in Libya and Syria. But the sense of common purpose that united Egyptians at the time has given way to conflict that has grown only worse and last month triggered lethal street battles.

Suhaib Salem / Reuters

After 18 days of public protests, Hosni Mubarak resigns as Egypt's president and hands over power to the military.

The anniversary will once again showcase the divide between the Islamists and their secular opponents. The Brotherhood has decided against mobilizing in the street for the occasion, a decision that could reduce the likelihood of confrontation.

"The people want to bring down the regime," declared banners in the square. "Save Egypt from the rule of the Supreme Guide," said another, a reference to leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie.

Morsi, in a speech on Thursday marking the Prophet Mohammad's birthday, called on Egyptians to mark the anniversary "in a civilized, peaceful way that safeguards our nation, our institutions, our lives".

"The Brotherhood is very concerned about escalation, that's why they have tried to dial down their role on January 25," said Shadi Hamid director of research at the Brookings Doha Center.

"There may very well be the kinds of clashes that we've seen before, but I don't see anything major happening that is going to fundamentally change the political situation," he said.

Discontent
Morsi faces discontent on multiple fronts.

His opponents say he and his group are seeking to dominate the post-Mubarak order. They accuse him of showing some of the autocratic impulses of the deposed leader by, for example, driving through a controversial new constitution last month.

The Brotherhood dismisses such criticism as unfair. It accuses its opponents of failing to respect the rules of the new democracy that put the Islamists in the driving seat by winning elections.

Six months into office, Morsi is also being held responsible for an economic crisis caused by two years of turmoil. The Egyptian pound has sunk to record lows against the dollar.

Other sources of friction abound. Activists are impatient for justice for the victims of political violence perpetrated over the last two years. Little has been done to reform brutal Mubarak-era security agencies. A spate of transport disasters on roads and railways neglected for years is feeding discontent.

The parties that have called for Friday's protest list demands including a complete overhaul of the Islamist-tinged constitution that was fast-tracked into law by Morsi in December, a move that fuelled street violence.

Its critics say the constitution, which was approved in a popular referendum, offers inadequate protection for human rights, gives the president too many privileges and fails to curb the power of the military establishment.

Morsi's supporters say the criticism is unfair, that enacting the constitution quickly was crucial to restoring stability, and that the opposition is making the situation worse by perpetuating unrest.

Related:

'Egypt is free,' crowds cheer after Mubarak quits

Egyptians fear decades of Muslim Brotherhood rule, warn Morsi is no friend to US

VIDEO:?US condemns Egyptian president's anti-Semitic comments

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/25/16692054-violence-protesters-return-to-tahrir-square-as-egypt-marks-revolution?lite

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Azarenka beats Li, defends Australian Open title

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Victoria Azarenka had the bulk of the crowd against her. The fireworks were fizzling out, and when she looked over the net she saw Li Na crashing to the court and almost knocking herself out.

Considering the cascading criticism she'd encountered after her previous win, Azarenka didn't need the focus of the Australian Open final to be on another medical timeout.

So after defending her title with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over the sixth-seeded Li in one of the most unusual finals ever at Melbourne Park, Azarenka understandably dropped her racket and cried tears of relief late Saturday night.

She heaved as she sobbed into a towel beside the court, before regaining her composure to collect the trophy.

''It isn't easy, that's for sure, but I knew what I had to do,'' the 23-year-old Belarusian said. ''I had to stay calm. I had to stay positive. I just had to deal with the things that came onto me.''

There were a lot of those things squeezed into the 2-hour, 40-minute match. Li, who was playing her second Australian Open final in three years, twisted her ankle and tumbled to the court in the second and third sets.

The second time was on the point immediately after a 10-minute delay for the Australia Day fireworks - a familiar fixture in downtown Melbourne on Jan. 26, but not usually coinciding with a final.

Li had been sitting in her chair during the break, while Azarenka jogged and swung her racket around before leaving the court to rub some liniment into her legs to keep warm.

The 30-year-old Chinese player had tumbled to the court after twisting her left ankle and had it taped after falling in the fifth game of the second set. Immediately after the fireworks ceased, and with smoke still in the air, she twisted the ankle again, fell and hit the back of her head on the hard court.

The 2011 French Open champion was treated immediately by a tournament doctor and assessed for a concussion in another medical timeout before resuming the match.

''I think I was a little bit worried when I was falling,'' Li said, in her humorous, self-deprecating fashion. ''Because two seconds I couldn't really see anything. It was totally black.

''So when the physio come, she was like, 'Focus on my finger.' I was laughing. I was thinking, 'This is tennis court, not like hospital.'''

Li's injury was obvious and attracted even more support for her from the 15,000-strong crowd.

Azarenka had generated some bad PR by taking a medical timeout after wasting five match points on her own serve in her semifinal win over American teenager Sloane Stephens on Thursday. She came back after the break and finished off Stephens in the next game, later telling an on-court interviewer that she ''almost did the choke of the year.''

She was accused of gamesmanship and manipulating the rules to get time to regain her composure against Stephens, but defended herself by saying she actually was having difficulty breathing because of a rib injury that needed to be fixed.

That explanation didn't convince everybody. So when she walked onto Rod Laver Arena on Saturday, there were some people who booed, and others who heckled her or mimicked the distinctive hooting sound she makes when she hits the ball.

''Unfortunately, you have to go through some rough patches to achieve great things,'' she said. ''That's what makes it so special for me. I went through that, and I'm still able to kiss that beautiful trophy.''

She didn't hold a grudge.

''I was expecting way worse, to be honest. What can you do? You just have to go out there and try to play tennis in the end of the day,'' she said. ''It's a tennis match, tennis battle, final of the Australian Open. I was there to play that.

''The things what happened in the past, I did the best thing I could to explain, and it was left behind me already.''

The match contained plenty of nervy moments and tension, and 16 service breaks - nine for Li. But it also produced plenty of winners and bravery on big points.

Azarenka will retain the No. 1 ranking she's mostly held since her first Grand Slam win in Melbourne last year.

Li moved into the top five and is heartened by a recent trend of Australian runner-ups winning the French Open. She accomplished that in 2011, as did Ana Ivanovic (2008) and Maria Sharapova (2012).

''I wish I can do the same this year, as well,'' Li said.

Later Saturday, Bob and Mike Bryan won their record 13th Grand Slam men's doubles title, defeating the Dutch team of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-4.

Sunday's men's final features two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic and U.S. Open winner Andy Murray. Djokovic is seeking to become the first man in the Open era to win three titles in a row in Australia.

Azarenka was planning a night of partying to celebrate her second major title, with her friend Redfoo and the Party Rock crew, and was hopeful of scoring some tickets to the men's final.

She said she needed to let her hair down after a draining two weeks and hoped that by being more open and frank in recent times she was clearing up any misconceptions the public had of her.

''When I came first on the tour I kind of was lost a little bit,'' he said. ''I didn't know how to open up my personality. It's very difficult when you're alone. I was independent since I was, you know, 10 years old. It was a little bit scary and I wouldn't show my personality.

''So the (last) couple of years I learned how to open up to people and to share the moments. I wasn't really good before. I hope I got better. It's your judgment.''

NFL video from Yahoo! Sports:

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/azarenka-secures-back-back-australian-113505989--ten.html

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Egyptian opposition to mark uprising with new protests

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi's opponents head to Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday to mark the anniversary of the uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak with protests against the new head of state and his Islamist allies.

On the second anniversary of the uprising, Mursi's secular-minded rivals aim to revive the demands of a revolution that they say has been betrayed by the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement that propelled him to power in an election last year.

"I call on everyone to take part and go out to every place in Egypt to show that the revolution must be completed," Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading liberal, said in a statement.

"It will be against the Brotherhood," said Ahmed Maher, founder of the April 6 movement that helped mobilize the uprising against Mubarak through social media. "The goals of the revolution have not been realized yet," he told Reuters.

Inspired by Tunisia's uprising against President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, Egypt's revolution helped set off more revolts in Libya and Syria. But the sense of common purpose that united Egyptians at the time has given way to conflict that has grown only worse and last month triggered lethal street battles.

The anniversary will once again showcase the divide between the Islamists and their secular opponents. The Brotherhood has decided against mobilizing in the street for the occasion, a decision that could reduce the likelihood of confrontation.

Mursi, in a speech marking the Prophet Mohammad's birthday, called on Egyptians to mark the anniversary "in a civilized, peaceful way that safeguards our nation, our institutions, our lives".

"The Brotherhood is very concerned about escalation, that's why they have tried to dial down their role on January 25," said Shadi Hamid director of research at the Brookings Doha Center.

"There may very well be the kinds of clashes that we've seen before, but I don't see anything major happening that is going to fundamentally change the political situation," he said.

Mursi faces discontent on multiple fronts.

His opponents say he and his group are seeking to dominate the post-Mubarak order. They accuse him of showing some of the autocratic impulses of the deposed leader by, for example, driving through a controversial new constitution last month.

The Brotherhood dismisses such criticism as unfair. It accuses its opponents of failing to respect the rules of the new democracy that put the Islamists in the driving seat by winning elections.

Six months into office, Mursi is also being held responsible for an economic crisis caused by two years of turmoil. The Egyptian pound has sunk to record lows against the dollar.

VIOLENCE FLARES NEAR TAHRIR

Other sources of friction abound. Activists are impatient for justice for the victims of political violence perpetrated over the last two years. Little has been done to reform brutal Mubarak-era security agencies. A spate of transport disasters on roads and railways neglected for years is feeding discontent.

Pointing to the potential for trouble, violence flared near Tahrir Square on Thursday when police clashed with several dozen youths who were trying to remove concrete barriers blocking a road to the nearby government offices.

Five members of the security forces were wounded by rocks and birdshot, the state news agency reported, and the smell of tear gas fired by the police hung over the square.

Some protesters began gathering in the square as night fell. "The people want to bring down the regime," said one banner, echoing the main chant of the revolt against Mubarak.

The parties that have called for Friday's protest list demands including a complete overhaul of the new, Islamist-tinged constitution that was fast-tracked into law by Mursi in December, a move that fuelled street violence.

Its critics say the constitution, which was approved in a popular referendum, offers inadequate protection for human rights, gives the president too many privileges and fails to curb the power of the military establishment.

Mursi's supporters say the criticism is unfair, that enacting the constitution quickly was crucial to restoring stability, and that the opposition is making the situation worse by perpetuating unrest.

With its eye firmly on forthcoming parliamentary elections, the Brotherhood is marking the anniversary with a big charity campaign. It aims to deliver medical aid to 1 million people, offer affordable basic foods, and renovate some 2,000 schools.

A strong turnout on Friday could also help the Brotherhood's opponents ahead of the elections. "There is a lot of power in this day and a real chance to use that to mobilize their supporters in the lead-up to the elections," Hamid said.

(Additional reporting by Mohamed Abdellah; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egyptian-opposition-mark-uprising-protests-012625590.html

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Smashed Lamborghini, insurance fraud charge the latest legal ...

David Juntunen (Courtesy of Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)

The gray Lamborghini must've looked as tempting as it was fast.

So tempting, prosecutors allege, that one night last March, the businessman entrusted by a customer to store the sports car over the winter squeezed into its bucket seats with a lady friend and took the car for a very fast spin.

The joyride that David Norman Juntunen and Pamela Jean DuPont took came to an abrupt end when Juntunen slammed the 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo into three trees, knocked over a light pole and tore off a front wheel, causing more than $84,000 in damage to the car.

Hennepin County prosecutors say that what followed was a string of lies to investigators that resulted in both Minneapolis residents being charged Friday, Jan. 25, with insurance fraud and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Juntunen, 39, is in jail in lieu of $80,000 bail and is to make his first court appearance Monday. DuPont, 40, was charged through a summons; no court appearance has been scheduled for her yet.

Juntunen -- who sometimes calls himself "Superdave" -- runs Top Gear Autoworks on Minneapolis' East Lake Street. The business services and provides storage for exotic foreign cars. A message left at the business was not immediately returned Friday.

"Top Gear was started by David 'Superdave' Juntunen who has garnered local acclaim as a responsible, experienced and trustworthy automotive specialist," proclaims the company's website, adding "What makes us different? In a word ... ethics."

But

cops in nine Minnesota counties know him as something else: a convicted sex offender, drunken driver, repeat traffic offender and a guy who'll flee. State records show that before Friday's criminal complaint was filed, Juntunen had been charged with 59 crimes in 30 court cases; 38 of the charges involved driving-related offenses, including 13 counts of driving after his license had been revoked and 10 counts of driving while impaired.

His state record includes convictions for criminal sexual conduct, driving after cancellation (five times), driving while intoxicated (two times), reckless driving and, most recently, fleeing a police officer in 2010.

He's due in court in Ramsey County on Feb. 11 on a charge of reckless driving filed in November -- a charge filed eight days after he pleaded guilty to driving 83 mph in a 70-mph zone in Freeborn County. A week after he was charged in that speeding case, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Hennepin County.

In the new criminal complaint, Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Paul Scoggin wrote that in November 2011, a man identified in the complaint only as "J.K.C." contracted with Juntunen's business to service and provide winter storage for two cars, including the Lamborghini.

A month later, the man emailed Juntunen and told him that since the cars were in storage, he had suspended their collision insurance.

The first Gallardo rolled off Lamborghini's Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, assembly line in 2003. Various online sources put the value of a 2007 Gallardo (depending on appointments) as between $178,550 to $200,000.

It has a top speed of nearly 200 mph and as one online reviewer noted: "This thing is so quick, so fast, so loud, and sounds so angry at full-throttle that it may scare kids, old people, pets, and livestock. But that's just part of its charm."

The complaint says that on the night of March 8, Juntunen took the Lamborghini out of storage.

About 1:45 a.m. March 9, a Fridley police officer had stopped a suspected drunken driver on University Avenue and was having the car towed when a Lamborghini sped by "at a high rate of speed," Scoggin wrote.

The tow truck driver got part of the license plate number.

About 15 minutes later, residents near B.F. Nelson Park on Main Street East in Minneapolis heard a crash. A car had struck three trees and knocked over a light pole. But when Minneapolis Park Police were called to the scene the next day, there was no car.

What followed was old-fashioned police work, said Lt. Robert Goodsell, who heads investigations for the park police.

He said there was no telling what speed the sports car was going when it hit the trees, but it was fast.

"I would say the damage to hit the trees, to take down the trees and the light poles and rip the wheel off the car, I would say that would take some velocity," said Goodsell. "For parts like that to be removed, it's hard to say what speed it was going. What does it take to rip a front wheel off a car?"

According to the criminal complaint, Juntunen had the car towed back to his business and didn't report the incident to police. Later that day, he filed a claim with Top Gear's insurer, whose adjustor determined it would cost $84,480.12 to repair the car.

Juntunen initially told the insurance company that he'd been driving the car to another Top Gear storage facility, but he apparently later said the car was being driven by DuPont, who had started working at Top Gear a few weeks before the crash, the complaint said.

When police spoke to Juntunen and DuPont, they claimed DuPont had been driving and "swerved to avoid striking an animal and went off the road where the vehicle hit trees and light poles," Scoggin wrote.

The insurance company didn't think their stories added up. The insurer told Juntunen and DuPont that they'd have to give sworn statements about the crash, but neither showed up on the scheduled date.

The insurer refused to pay the claim.

Scoggin said that on Dec. 13, Juntunen met with the vehicle's owner and admitted he took the Lamborghini out without permission.

The owner asked him why he wouldn't go back to the insurer and ask them to pay for the damage, and "Juntunen said, 'If I ask them to pay based on the statements I gave, I'm going to prison. It's insurance fraud,' " Scoggin wrote.

The owner had only storage insurance on the vehicle and, as Scoggin noted, "To date, the damaged Lamborghini has not been repaired."

The criminal complaint notes that because of Juntunen's driving-related convictions, "any vehicle he operates is required to be equipped with ignition interlock."

The insurance fraud claim against both alleges that they conspired to defraud the insurance company by lying about the crash and concealing facts about it. The maximum sentence for insurance fraud is 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

The second count each faces accuses them of taking the car without the owner's consent. That crime carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

David Hanners can be reached at 612-338-6516.

Source: http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_22453204/smashed-lamborghini-insurance-fraud-charge-latest-legal-trouble?source=rss

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Foes of NYC soda size limit doubt racial fairness

FILE - In this May 31, 2012 file photo, a man leaves a 7-Eleven store with a Double Gulp drink, in New York. Opponents of the city?s limit on the size of sugary drinks are are raising questions of racial fairness alongside other complaints as the novel restriction faces a court test. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

FILE - In this May 31, 2012 file photo, a man leaves a 7-Eleven store with a Double Gulp drink, in New York. Opponents of the city?s limit on the size of sugary drinks are are raising questions of racial fairness alongside other complaints as the novel restriction faces a court test. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Opponents of the city's limit on the size of sugary drinks are raising questions of racial fairness alongside other complaints as the novel restriction faces a court test.

The NAACP's New York state branch and the Hispanic Federation have joined beverage makers and sellers effort in trying to stop the rule from taking effect March 12. With a hearing set Wednesday, critics are attacking what they call an inconsistent and undemocratic regulation, while city officials and health experts defend it as a pioneering and proper move to fight obesity.

The issue is complex for the minority advocates, especially given obesity rates that are higher than average among blacks and Hispanics, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. The groups say in court papers they're concerned about the discrepancy, but the soda rule will unduly harm minority businesses and "freedom of choice in low-income communities."

The latest in a line of healthy-eating initiatives during Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration, the beverage rule bars restaurants and many other eateries from selling high-sugar drinks in cups or containers bigger than 16 ounces. Violations could bring $200 fines; the city doesn't plan to start imposing those until June.

The city Board of Health OK'd the measure in September. Officials cited the city's rising obesity rate ? about 24 percent of adults, up from 18 percent in 2002 ? and pointed to studies linking sugary drinks to weight gain. Care for obesity-related illnesses costs more than $4.7 billion a year citywide, with government programs paying about 60 percent of that, according to city Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley.

"It would be irresponsible for (the health board) not to act in the face of an epidemic of this proportion," the city says in court papers. The National Association of Local Boards of Health and several public health scholars have backed the city's position in filings of their own.

Opponents portray the regulation as government nagging that turns sugary drinks into a scapegoat when many factors are at play in the nation's growing girth.

The American Beverage Association and other groups, including movie theater owners and Korean grocers, sued. They argue that the first-of-its-kind restriction should have gone before the elected City Council instead of being approved by the Bloomberg-appointed health board.

Five City Council members echo that view in a court filing, saying the Council is "the proper forum for balancing the city's myriad interests in matters of public health." The Bloomberg administration counters that the health board, made up of doctors and other health professionals, has the "specialized expertise" needed to make the call on limiting cola sizes.

The suit also argues the rule is too narrow to be fair. Alcohol, unsweetened juice and milk-based drinks are excluded, as are supermarkets and many convenience stores ? including 7-Eleven, home of the Big Gulp ? that aren't subject to city health regulations.

The NAACP and the Hispanic Federation, a network of 100 northeastern groups, say minority-owned delis and corner stores will end up at a disadvantage compared to grocery chains.

"This sweeping regulation will no doubt burden and disproportionally impact minority-owned businesses at a time when these businesses can least afford it," they said in court papers. They say the city should focus instead on increasing physical education in schools.

During Bloomberg's 11-year tenure, the city also has made chain restaurants post calorie counts on their menus and barred artificial trans fats in french fries and other restaurant food.

In general, state and local governments have considerable authority to enact laws intended to protect people's health and safety, but it remains to be seen how a court will view a portion-size restriction, said Neal Fortin, director, Institute for Food Laws and Regulations at Michigan State University.

___

Follow Jennifer Peltz at http://twitter.com/jennpeltz

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-23-Sugary%20Drinks-Lawsuit/id-e4cf3a88aae24390817a4b86b0613c4e

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Obama Trumps Congress and Orders Research into Gun Violence

The president issued a memorandum directing the CDC and other public-health agencies to conduct or sponsor research into the causes of gun violence and the ways to prevent it, doing an end-run around congressional moves for several years to muzzle such efforts

By Meredith Wadman and Nature News Blog

Image: Centers for Disease Control

From Nature magazine.

US President Barack Obama waded directly into scientific politics yesterday when he announced a series of measures addressing gun violence in the wake of the 14 December shooting in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, that left 26 people dead ? 20 of them children.

Of the 23 actions he took under presidential authority on 16 January, Obama chose to highlight just a few in remarks he delivered at the White House. One of them was a presidential memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public-health service agencies to ?conduct or sponsor research into the causes of gun violence and the ways to prevent it?.

An accompanying White House document added:

The CDC will start immediately by assessing existing strategies for preventing gun violence and identifying the most pressing research questions, with the greatest potential public health impact. And the Administration is calling on Congress to provide $10 million for the CDC to conduct further research, including investigating the relationship between video games, media images, and violence.

The presidential move is a direct challenge to gun-rights proponents in Congress, who since 1996 have used prohibitions written into funding bills to muzzle CDC research on gun violence, as Nature noted in an August 2012 editorial (see ?Who calls the shots??).

Congress also last year began forbidding the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to spend any money, ?in whole or in part, to advocate or promote gun control.?

The White House document said that the administration had conducted a legal analysis of Congress?s prohibitions and has concluded that the research ordered by Obama yesterday ?is not prohibited by any appropriations language.?

It remains to be seen whether Congress will agree.

This article is reproduced with permission from the Nature News Blog. The article was first published on January 17, 2013.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=2e214c65ccb1136473c295384d10d687

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RIM notes 'remarkable' number of app submissions, extends $10,000 incentive deadline

After unveiling its new BlackBerry World app hub (music and video still incoming), its dev blog has now announced that RIM will be extending its Built for BlackBerry scheme. Intended to draw in even more native apps for its new mobile platform, the final cut-off date has now been moved from January 21st to February 18th. Talking to German paper, Die Welt, CEO Thorsten Heins recently backed up claims that BlackBerry's new OS would launch with 70,000 apps, although we all know that quality trumps quantity -- something that RIM aims to address. If devs submit an app that makes over $1,000 but less than $10,000, the Waterloo phonemaker will fork out the difference -- app authors can also submit their programs for approval without charge. If you're hungry for some app-based paychecks, check on the detailed criteria at our second source link.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, RIM

Comments

Via: TNW

Source: BlackBerry Dev Blog, Built for BlackBerry criteria

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/22/rim-extends-built-for-blackberry-scheme/

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MacGyver Challenge: Hack Something With a Clothes Hanger

Hello, fellow Lifehackers! Time for another MacGyver Challenge. What's a MacGyver Challenge, you ask? Simple. We give you an object and you show us what cool things you can do with it. Our editors pick the best submissions and our favorite will win an autographed copy of the Lifehacker book!

Ready? Yes. Yes, you are.

This Week's MacGyver Challenge: Hack Something With a Clothes Hanger

The clothes hanger has long been a powerful tool in the DIYer's arsenal. After all, if you're using the wire variety, you basically have a long, flexible, metal wire. What can't you do with that? We've shown you how to turn a hanger into a smartphone car dock, use a hanger for tangle-free Christmas light storage, and even repurpose a hanger for flip-flop storage. Now, it's your turn. Share your best hack using a clothes hanger. Your hack can use other materials, of course, but the hanger should be the defining element. Send us pictures and a description of your hack and feel free to annotate your photos if you need to. And don't be afraid to get creative!

How to Submit Your Entry

Make sure to follow these instructions when you submit your entry:

• Post your entry below or send it to challenge@lifehacker.com with the subject MacGyver Challenge: Clothes Hanger. If you post your entry below and need to include more than one image, just reply to your own comment or host your extra pics on a free, quick image-hosting site like imgur and link out to your gallery.
• We will accept entries up through Sunday night, January 27 at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time
• We will showcase the best submissions and announce our favorite on Monday, January 28.

So grab that leather flight jacket, comb your mullet, and start channeling those MacGyver vibes. Here's a little theme music to put you in the mood. And don't forget to check back every week for a new challenge. We'll be alternating between Hacker Challenges and MacGyver Challenges.

Standard Gawker contest rules apply, so be sure to check them out before submitting your entry.

Image by Jag_cz (Shutterstock) and svilen001 (stock.xchng).

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/D-teskzTiOM/macgyver-challenge-hack-something-with-a-clothes-hanger

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installation - How do I cut a brick fireplace hearth to allow for a ...

I am attempting to cut a small piece out of the brick fireplace (already in place) to allow for the expansion of the floating laminate flooring that I am installing. I don?t want to just leave the flooring short of the fireplace (I think this looks very unclean), I don?t want to put any molding across the front of the fireplace (I also think this would look terrible) and I don?t want to fill it with caulk. I also considered purchasing the end cap pieces, but I didn?t think having the trim going in a difference direction than the flooring would look very nice (fireplace is not parallel to the flooring, see image at the end).

I bought a carbide blade (said it would cut through brick on the packaging) for my oscillating tool. When I went to cut the brick, it barely put a dent in it. So I?m not sure if my oscillating tool (1.8A) is just too weak (had it cranked up the whole way) or if I need to go with a grinder and a diamond blade or some other tool.

The tricky part is, the fireplace is in the corner of the room, so I would need something that would get into a tight place. So before I sink any more money into trying things, I wanted to see if anyone had any advice on how to cut this. I was also thinking after making the cut, I would need to somehow chisel out the pieces at the bottom as well (maybe they would break off?).

Any advice would be appreciated.

Here is a zoomed out image if that helps (No I didn?t put in the off center fire place, it was like that when I bought the house).

Source: http://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/24615/how-do-i-cut-a-brick-fireplace-hearth-to-allow-for-a-laminate-flooring-expansion

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The New Tronic Carbon Fiber card wallet is flexible but not RFID-proof

It seems the ongoing new trends in card wallets is thin, hard-cased and RFID-safe, but the new Tronic Flexible Carbon Fiber card wallet bucks that trend. The Tronic wallet is an ongoing Kickstarter project being developed by Peter Wright out of the United Kingdom. What makes this wallet different from others I’ve seen lately are [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/01/23/the-new-tronic-carbon-fiber-card-wallet-is-flexible-but-not-rfid-proof/

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Tips on how to Avoid Computer Virus's ? Jackson Hole Compunet

When it comes to protecting all the data on your computer, there are certain rules you should really follow.? However, no matter how careful you are when surfing the internet and opening files from an?email, you can still expose yourself to some really bad computer virus?s.? If you do think your computer has?virus, don?t wait on getting it fixed.? The virus could be collecting important data off your computer or sending out emails to everyone in your contact list.? Bring your computer down to Compunet right away and have one of our trained professionals clean up your machine.? By following some simple steps, you can however, reduce your vulnerability to a virus.? Here are some great tips to follow.

• Never click on a link or attachment in an email that you are not positive is from a trusted source. If you think the e-mail looks suspicious, it probably is. It never hurts to send an email to verify that this is legitimate.
• Be wary of files with a double extension such as .txt.vb or .jpg.exe. As a default setting, Windows often hides common file extensions, meaning that a program like Paint.exe will appear to you as simply Paint. Double extensions exploit this by hiding the second, dangerous extension and reassuring you with the first, safe extension ? which is utterly meaningless to your computer; your system only recognizes the extension to the extreme right and run the file as such. If a common file type whose extension you never normally see suddenly becomes visible for no apparent reason, right-click on it, select Properties, and look for the complete file name. You may be surprised to find out what kind of extension it really has.
• Use USB drives with caution. Plugging someone else?s USB drive into your computer (or plugging your own into a computer at, say, an internet caf?) can spread an infection via the drive itself, not the file you?re actually trying to share. Whenever possible, transfer files between machines via email to keep potentially-infected hardware out of the equation.
• Beware of internet pop-ups. This may seem obvious, but the real danger is that some pop-ups are designed to look like they?ve originated from your computer. If you see a pop-up that looks like Windows (or another trusted program?s) anti-virus software but warns you of a problem that need to be fixed with an extreme level of urgency, it may be a scam. (To be sure, simply close the warning, then open that anti-virus software from your computer to see if the warning is still mentioned.) Other programs report false errors and then offer to fix them if you purchase their software. If you see a new type of anti-virus pop-up that you have not seen before, or if it appears to be from an anti-virus program that you did not install, it is fake. Close the pop up, update your anti-virus program, and run a full scan. Many of these browser-related apps keep temporary files on your computer and can store a virus there. To keep this risk low, make sure you clear your browser?s cache regularly.
• Beware of unusual emails from companies you do business with. If you receive an email from a company that you otherwise trust requesting information or recommending that you run a particular file, log into your account on that company?s page and see if there?s a notification there as well. Some scammers will get your trust by copying legitimate businesses? email styles and using a similar-sounding reply-to address to lower your guard.? Note that good businesses will never request sensitive information via email, which is one of the least secure ways of communicating.
• Install an anti-virus program. Paid versions include NOD 32, Norton, McAfee, F-Secure, and Sophos. Free versions include AVG, Avast, Comodo, BitDefender, and Avira AntiVir. Make sure you keep your virus definitions updated and run a full system scan weekly.? Note: just like anything in this world, you get what you pay for.? To get a truly reliable anti-virus program, you need to pay for it.? Compunet recommends NOD32 from ESET.
• Install an anti-spyware program. Ad Aware SE, Windows Defender, Malwarebytes, and Spybot Search and Destroy operate against internet malware and spyware that anti-virus programs overlook. Just like anti-virus software, keep it updated and do a full system scan weekly.
• Use a firewall. Either make sure your Windows Firewall is turned on (run a search for Windows Security Center on your computer to configure) or install a trustworthy firewall program to help block unwanted internet traffic. Note that you should not run two firewalls at the same time, as this will cause errors and can actually make your computer more vulnerable. If you?ve purchased or downloaded another firewall, make sure to disable Windows Firewall.
• Set up your Windows Update to automatically download patches and upgrades. This will allow your computer to automatically download any updates to both Windows and Internet Explorer. These updates fix security problems and block many spyware programs and viruses. Note that viruses sometimes piggyback onto trusted updates to infect your computer; however, this is much more typical of outdated updates, as they are less closely monitored. Therefore, it?s best to keep your updates as current as possible.
• Consider switching to a different web browser. Some web browsers are more customizable than others, allowing you more control over pop-ups, ads, tracking, and other concerns that all of us face on the internet. Firefox, for example, has a large array of privacy- and security-related add-ons that will allow you to reclaim control over your web experience.
• ?Google it. When in doubt about an email, file, warning, email address, advertisement, or anything else that seems suspect, do an online search to see what other people are saying. Throw in the word ?scam? to weed out results that may have been placed there by the very people who are trying to cheat you.

Source: http://jhcompunet.com/2013/01/tips-on-how-to-avoid-computer-viruss/

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Leader of Merkel's FDP allies keeps party post

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Among the throngs visiting Washington for the ceremonial swearing-in of President Barack Obama was David Richardson, 45, of Atlanta, with his children, Camille, 5, and Miles, 8 ? all bundled up in hats, scarves and mittens. Richardson said he wanted his children to "see history" firsthand and "witness that anything is possible through hard work."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/leader-merkels-fdp-allies-keeps-party-post-114148302.html

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Selena Gomez Covers "Cry Me a River," Hints at Justin Bieber Infidelity

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/selena-gomez-covers-cry-me-a-river-hints-at-justin-bieber-infide/

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Scores of recent Texas war veterans have died of overdoses ...

They survived the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. But they did not survive the homecoming.
?A six-month American-Statesman investigation, which paints the most complete picture yet of what happened to Texas? Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who died after leaving the military, reveals that an alarmingly high percentage died from prescription drug overdoses, toxic drug combinations, suicide and single-vehicle crashes ? a largely unseen pattern of early deaths that federal authorities are failing to adequately track and have been slow to respond to.
The Statesman obtained autopsy results, toxicology reports, inquests and accident reports from more than 50 agencies throughout the state to analyze the causes of death for 266? Texas veterans who served in operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and were receiving Department of Veterans Affairs disability benefits when they died.
The Statesman investigation, which relied on 345 fragmentary death records provided by the VA ? as well as obituaries and interviews with veterans? families ? reveals a phenomenon that has mostly been hidden from public view.
The investigation found that:

• More than 1 in 3? died from a drug overdose, a fatal combination of drugs or suicide. Their median age at death was 28 .
• Nearly 1 in 5? died in a motor vehicle crash.
• Of those with a primary diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, the numbers are even more disturbing: 80? percent died of overdose, suicide or a single-vehicle crash. Only two of the 46? Texas veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan operations who had a PTSD diagnosis died of disease or illness, according to the newspaper?s analysis.
• The 345 Texas veterans identified by the VA as having died since coming home is equal to nearly two-thirds of the state?s casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan. But that only includes veterans who have sought VA benefits, meaning the total number of deaths is likely much larger.

The investigation highlights the problem of prescription drug overdose among veterans, which has received scant attention compared to suicides: Nearly as many? Texas veterans died after taking prescription medicine as committed suicide. VA prescriptions for powerful narcotics have skyrocketed over the past decade? even as evidence mounted that such painkillers and PTSD make a dangerous combination. In effect, experts say, the military and VA exposed an especially vulnerable population to a flood of powerful drugs.
Although the VA has conducted limited studies into how Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are dying, it has not detailed their individual causes of death, a shortcoming critics say prevents it from understanding the full scope of the problems facing those who fought over the past decade.
?This is the data we?ve been looking for,? said state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, who chairs the Senate?s Veteran Affairs and Military Installations Committee. ?We know very well the numbers of active-duty (deaths), but what we don?t know is what happens once they separate from the military.
?Unless we know the extent of the problem, people don?t tend to act on things,? Van de Putte said. ?I?m hoping people will be appalled ... and feel compelled to take action.?
The deaths represent a fraction of the nearly 53,000 Texas veterans of the conflicts who had applied for disability benefits as of 2011, and veterans groups say most former combatants re-integrate into the civilian world without major trauma. Yet the autopsy reports and investigation narratives obtained by the Statesman paint a mosaic of pain, desperation and hopelessness among a significant number of Texas veterans.
Among them were:

• Chad Mitchell, 40,? a veteran of seven? overseas deployments who had settled in Austin after leaving the Navy. He died in September 2010? with a half-dozen prescription drugs in his system, including anti-anxiety medication and powerful painkillers oxycodone and methadone prescribed by physicians in a private pain clinic and VA doctors. Mitchell suffered from PTSD, chest pain from an earlier operation and nerve pain from a shoulder injury in Iraq.
• Justin Languis, a 31-year-old? veteran of Iraq who shot and killed himself in January 2011 at the Fort Hood memorial wall commemorating fallen soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division. Languis had deployed with the division twice, serving as a combat medic during the battles of Fallujah and Najaf and surviving an improvised explosive device blast that left him injured. Several soldiers from his units were killed during the deployments, their names etched in the wall where Languis committed suicide.
• Paul Norris, a 24-year-old Army veteran, who died when he lost control of his Honda Civic and slammed into a rock wall along an El Paso street. Police said Norris was speeding; his father said his son was usually a cautious driver and believes his son was experiencing a flashback to his time in Iraq when he lost control of his car.?

Meaningful results
The newspaper?s findings show that deaths from suicide and overdose were far higher among the veterans receiving VA benefits than for the overall state population: The percentage of suicides was nearly five times? higher, while the percentage of deaths from overdose and toxic drug combinations was 5.3? times as high. Controlling for age and gender, the differences remained: Among males under 35, for example, the percentage of veterans who died from overdoses was 2.6 times? the general population percentage, while the percentage of suicides was 1.6 times higher.
Former State of Texas? epidemiologist Dennis Perrotta said that although differences between the groups ? mostly male war veterans with medical ailments, versus a much more diverse overall population ? account for some of the discrepancies, the results are nevertheless meaningful. The newspaper?s findings also are echoed by broad data compiled by the Texas Department of State Health Services that indicate elevated levels? of suicide and overdose among veterans under the age of 35.
VA officials said that because they don?t have access to all individual causes of death, they couldn?t verify the newspaper?s numbers or determine if they mirror causes of death for young veterans nationally.
?These are important conclusions, but I would caution against applying them nationwide or VA-wide,? said spokesman Mark Ballesteros, adding that the VA is working to address gaps in its data collection and is planning a mortality study based on 2010 death records.
VA officials say it?s difficult to obtain individual causes of death because local authorities aren?t required to give the VA that information. The agency can get causes of death from a federal database called the National Death Index, but that data is hampered by a two-year lag. In 2008, the department ran its list of Afghanistan and Iraq veterans in the VA system through the index in order to study suicides, but it has not publicly released a comprehensive breakdown of causes of death.
?We don?t do a very good job of tracking these folks,? said U.S. Rep. Bill Flores, R-Waco, who sits on the House Committee on Veterans?? Affairs .? ?I would like to see a little more action and less talking.?
In many of the cases reviewed by the Statesman, veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan died in relative anonymity. Unlike those who die during active duty, the veterans? deaths often aren?t noted in press releases. Some did not even get an obituary in their local newspaper, including about one-third of those who committed suicide.
In Austin, a 44-year-old veteran? who left the Navy in 2007 was buried in Travis County?s pauper?s cemetery after dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in October 2007 . (The Statesman is not identifying veterans who died of overdose or suicide whose families could not be reached.) His body wasn?t discovered until neighbors noticed fliers piling up by the door to his North Austin apartment.
Inside, police found a mostly empty bottle of rum and a .380 handgun under his hand. In the closet, they found a bag of medical records that revealed a lengthy battle with psychological problems.
Colleen Rivas? of New Braunfels, whose husband, Ray, took his life in 2009, said her husband and his comrades who have died since returning home deserve to have the circumstances of their deaths investigated, in hopes of finding ways to reduce the death toll among veterans.
?They had a life; they had a story,? she said. ?They were soldiers, and they mattered. And they all left behind someone who loved them.?
Data difficulties
?Eleven years after the first troops entered Afghanistan? and two years after combat operations ended in Iraq, the nation still does not know how its fighting men and women are dying after they come home. No governmental entity follows the fates of the hundreds of thousands of veterans who aren?t enrolled with the VA? ? nearly? half of all recent veterans.
Part of the problem stems from data limitations: Many studies on veteran deaths rely on the National Death Index, a database maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention? using state death records. But death certificates, including those in Texas, only reveal whether the deceased has ever served in the armed forces ? which means active-duty service members are mixed in with veterans. Death certificates also can underreport suicides and drug overdoses, experts say.
Although the CDC?s National Violent Death Reporting System? can identify veterans who die from suicide or other violent causes, only 18? states make reports to the system. The CDC estimates that expanding to all 50 states would cost $25 million, which Congress has not yet appropriated.
But critics say the VA, too,? lacks the will to produce a comprehensive view of veteran mortality, which researchers say could conceivably be achieved by matching the names of veterans receiving VA care against the National Death Index.
?If VA looked into veterans? deaths, then VA would find answers,? said Paul Sullivan, veteran outreach manager for the Bergmann & Moore law firm and former head of Veterans for Common Sense . ?Then VA and Congress would be forced to act.?
Last year, after the San Francisco-based Bay Citizen reported that since 2007, more service members have died after returning home than in combat, VA officials told the news organization they had no interest in determining causes of death for every veteran, insisting the agency already had a handle on the problems.
The Bay Citizen used information from a little-known VA database that compiles information on the deaths of veterans receiving disability benefits. The database, however, does not track causes of death.
Through a Freedom of Information Request to the VA based on that death database, the Statesman received basic information on 345 Texas veterans who had served during the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, had received VA benefits and had died between January 2003 and? October 2011.
Using publicly available information from genealogy websites, obituaries and other sources, the newspaper was able to identify more than 300 of the veterans, then turned to local sources such as medical examiners and police reports to determine the causes of death of 266? of the veterans.
Military personnel records obtained by the Statesman indicate the list included a small number of veterans who didn?t deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan, but they are still considered participants in the conflicts by the VA.
The analysis revealed:

• 47 veterans died from drug overdoses or a toxic combinations of drugs ? 40? of them after taking prescription medications. Five? overdosed on heroin or cocaine and had no prescription drugs in their systems. One? died after huffing aerosol refrigerant and another after ingesting the illegal stimulant Ecstasy.
• All but seven? of the veterans who died from drugs were under age 35. The first to die was a 23-year-old Army veteran from the Houston area who overdosed on cocaine, hydrocodone and alprazolam, most commonly known as Xanax, two years after he deployed as one of the first soldiers into Iraq .
• Another 45 veterans committed suicide; 32 of them were under 35. The first suicide victim was also a veteran of a 2003 deployment to Iraq, a 26-year-old Army veteran from North Texas who killed himself in 2005. Researchers said the true number of suicides might be higher because medical examiners and justices of the peace are often reluctant to declare overdoses a suicide without definitive proof, such as a note.
• And 50 veterans, or 18 percent of the total, died in motor vehicle crashes, 35 of which were single-vehicle crashes. About half of those involved speed or alcohol, according to accident reports from the Texas Department of Transportation. Veterans groups and experts? say that although vehicle accidents are also common among young civilian men, reckless behavior and vehicle crashes are a recognized phenomenon among returning service members.

The deaths also included four veterans who died after returning to Iraq or Afghanistan as civilian contractors. Among them were victims of a helicopter crash and a suicide bombing.
And despite revolutionary advances in battlefield medicine that have increased the survival rate for wounded service members, at least four? of the Texas veterans on the newspaper?s list died of war wounds years after leaving the battlefield. They include Merlin German, a 22-year-old San Antonio Marine who survived a 2005 bomb blast in Iraq that left him with burns over 97 percent of his body. German endured more than 100 surgeries and was dubbed the ?Miracle Marine? before he died following a skin graft operation in 2008.
Researchers said the analysis gives what might be an unprecedented look at veterans? mortality.
?The VA really doesn?t know? the full picture of how veterans are dying, said B. Christopher Frueh, a PTSD expert at the Menninger Clinic in Houston who previously worked as a researcher at the VA for 14 years. ?I don?t know anyone who has really (tracked individual causes of death) for a large cohort of veterans.?
?VA officials say they are hopeful that better cooperation with the Department of Defense and individual states will help them better study the fates of the nation?s veterans. The VA is pushing all 50 states to improve reporting of veterans? deaths, although death certificate limitations will continue to bedevil researchers.
And perhaps most importantly,? the Department of Defense will soon merge computer databases with the VA, which VA officials say will give them the capability to track veterans outside of its system as well.
Those who work closely with veterans say that, given the many struggles they see among returning soldiers, the Statesman?s numbers look familiar.
?I am not shocked or surprised in any shape or form by that,? said Tom Tarantino, chief policy officer for the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
Still, Tarantino? said the federal government has failed to plan for the needs of returning service members.
?We basically ignored the fact that we had people coming home from war to an antiquated health system not set up for this,? he said. ?It was a health care support system designed for peace.?
Mental health woes
The VA says it has responded to the extraordinary needs of returning soldiers as best it can. It has added new treatment programs, adjusted drug prescription protocols and conducted leading-edge research into pain control, PTSD and other issues confronting veterans of the recent conflicts. The agency spends about $70 million a year on suicide prevention alone, with plans to increase funding each year through 2014. The VA?s overall mental health budget has grown 39 percent since 2009 to about $6 billion.
Yet there also is compelling evidence the agency did not anticipate the magnitude of mental health problems among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
In 2011, the VA said that, in more than 9 out of 10 cases, it gave first-time veteran patients a full mental health evaluation within 14 days, as required by policy. Yet an April 2012 audit by the Office of Inspector General? found the claim was dramatically inflated and the VA actually evaluated fewer than half of its clients in a timely manner. The Inspector General calculated the average wait time for a full mental health evaluation was twice as long as it should be.
The report cited insufficient medical personnel as a major reason for the long waits ? a common refrain. Although the VA increased its mental health staff 46 percent between 2005 and 2010, a recent survey found 71 percent of VA clinicians still felt short-staffed. Psychiatrists, especially, were in low supply.
Some family members contacted by the newspaper said medical delays were a frequent frustration for veterans before they died.
In 2010, 22-year-old Clint Dickey drove from College Station to Waco to try to see a VA doctor for back pain caused by an injury he suffered in Afghanistan. They gave him an appointment for four to six weeks later. He died of an accidental prescription drug overdose a few days later.
His widow, Samantha, suspects her husband?s pain became so bad that he obtained oxycodone without a prescription.
?If he hadn?t been ignored, he would have never gotten to this point,? she said. ?I think the checks and balances on our soldiers after they get back is absolutely disgraceful.?
This summer, the VA in effect conceded it was falling short and announced that it would hire 1,600 new clinicians to meet the soaring demand for mental health services.
Last month, President Barack Obama issued an executive order requiring the VA to come up with a plan to address another long-standing problem: getting crucial mental health services to veterans in sparsely populated rural areas, where patients can face a choice between traveling long distances for treatment or going without in-person counseling.
In Franklin County, a rural area between Dallas and Texarkana where a 31-year-old Marine veteran killed himself in 2008, veterans service officer Steve Austin? said the county?s veterans are about an hour?s drive? from the nearest VA-sponsored mental health counseling. ?We?re in a void here,? he said.
Treatment risks
The VA also has struggled with balancing the benefits of strong prescription drugs with their risks. Mirroring trends among civilian physicians, VA doctors over the past decade wrote dramatically more prescriptions for powerful painkillers ? hydrocodone use? among veterans jumped more than sixfold? between 2001 and 2011, according to records the Statesman obtained under the federal Freedom of Information Act.
Yet recent research has demonstrated that what doctors once thought they knew about the addictiveness of the powerful prescription painkillers was wrong.
?The research shows they?re highly addictive, especially using them in young adults,? said Andrew Kolodny, chairman of the psychiatry department at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing.
The VA said it has responded by changing its prescribing protocols, reducing use of the drugs and bolstering education efforts. In 2010, however, nearly a quarter of VA patients still received an opioid prescription, according to a VA study.
Complicating the prescription drug problem has been the presence of PTSD. Recent reports show more than a quarter of returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been diagnosed with the disorder.
A study published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that soldiers with PTSD were both more likely to be prescribed narcotic painkillers and to misuse them.
?Treating PTSD is complicated,? said Catherine Coppolillo, a staff psychologist at Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee. Responding to so many different symptoms ?is like trying to build a house during an earthquake.?
Dickey?s family and friends said he had a solid foundation for a new life. Dickey had started classes at Texas A&M University, and he and Samantha had gotten married and gone on a tropical honeymoon. Samantha said her new husband, although in physical pain and battling PTSD, talked about it being one of the happiest chapters in his life.
?We were having a spectacular time,? she said.
At Dickey mother?s house in Waco, pictures of her youngest of four children line the walls. Beverly Dickey says that when her son arrived home from war, she figured he was safe. His death, she said, has altered every part of her life, down to the prayers she says for the troops.?I ask that the Lord protect them while they?re over there, bring them home safely ? and cast out their demons when they?re home.??

Source: http://noahsarkconsulting.blogspot.com/2013/01/scores-of-recent-texas-war-veterans.html

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