NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) ? A Newtown home destroyed by a fire this week was owned by a couple whose children survived the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December.
The News-Times of Danbury reports (http://bit.ly/ZsimWk ) that Wednesday afternoon's fire left Hans and Audra Barth and their three children homeless. The American Red Cross has put them up in a hotel.
Two of their children attended Sandy Hook Elementary School, including a first-grader in teacher Kaitlin Roig's classroom. Roig has been called a hero for barricading her students in a bathroom as the shooter killed 20 other first-graders and six educators.
Friends say the family lost everything in the fire, and their pet dog and several baby chickens died. St. Rose of Lima Church is taking donations.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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Information from: The News-Times, http://www.newstimes.com
Donna Read never planned to spend the rest of her life working at a grocery store. But the decent wages and great benefits kept her there for 12 years, until she was fired last summer. At age 58, Read fell into poverty, and into a depression that kept her in bed for three months.
But now Read is going back to school, as she has always wanted, thanks to state retraining benefits for the unemployed. After over a decade of selling groceries and moving boxes, Read will train to become a substance abuse counselor, with the hope of helping the homeless with their addictions -- a struggle that she knows all too well herself. Along the way she also learned some harsh lessons about being laid off at midlife, and starting over.
12 Years of Loyalty
In many ways, the recession battered workers ages 55 or over the hardest; many baby boomers were laid off from companies that they'd been loyal to for decades, and then had less time to start over in new careers and recoup lost savings. In the past few years, older Americans were less likely than those in other age groups to lose their jobs, but were far less likely to find new work if they did. In early 2012, 44 percent of older job seekers had been out of work for at least a year, according to the Pew Fiscal Analysis Initiative. After all, a younger, cheaper worker seems, at first glance, to be a much better investment than 58-year-old Read.
More: How I Survived Nearly 2 Years Of Unemployment
Read's job at the supermarket chain QFC in Seattle began as a summer gig in the year 2000. She wanted to do something else with her life, but the paycheck wasn't too bad; over 12 years the annual raises brought her to $14.75 an hour. The stability helped her quit drinking and smoking. The generous benefits also covered her various medications -- for cholesterol, thyroid issues, restless leg syndrome and depression.
She was also good at it, she says. For the first eight years, she worked in a store, and always received positive evaluations. Then she moved into the warehouse where QFC made its sandwiches, salads, dressings and dips. "I worked with a bunch of kids who sometimes struggled to keep up with me -- which I was proud of."
'Walmart-ed'
Then last August, Read was fired, two days before her 58th birthday. Her boss said it was because she'd been late four times that year. "I essentially got Walmart-ed," says Read, referring to the common accusation that Walmart tries to keep its staff part-time, so as to avoid paying them benefits. QFC declined to comment on any element of Read's story, saying the company does not discuss personnel matters with the media.
Stunned, and believing the termination was unfair, Read had the union file a grievance on her behalf, and then another a month later, and then another a month after that. During that time, Read could hardly get out of bed. "I was so depressed, and so shocked. I couldn't even wrap my head around the idea that I had been fired."
More: What Teachers Don't Tell You About Succeeding In The Real World
Read was still hopeful that she could get her job back, but had nothing to live on while she waited. She had no savings, and says she was unable to get unemployment benefits. This can happen when there are inconsistencies between the employer and employee's stories, according to Sheryl Hutchinson, communications director for Washington's Employment Security Department. So Read applied for food stamps, and then sold most of her clothes and shoes on eBay.
Becoming A Human Being Again
Then something shifted. "I woke up one morning, and I thought, 'I never have to go back there again!' " Read chirps. "It was liberating."
In February, Kroger agreed to give Read $100 for each year she had worked. She thinks that the store settled because it was wary of the possibility of an age-discrimination lawsuit. At the same time, Read was able to get her unemployment benefits too.
"If a worker in a very similar circumstance had not had a union and a union contract that allowed her to challenge that, there wouldn't have been any recourse," Tom Geiger, the spokesman for Read's old union UFCW 21, told AOL Jobs.
"I'm a human being again," Read thought when she got the first check, which she handed straight over to her landlord, who had been letting her live in her apartment rent-free for six months.
More: Ready For A Career Switch? Don't Skip These Steps
Once Read got on the unemployment rolls, she had a mandatory meeting at WorkSource, the state's resource center for job seekers. That's where she learned about worker retraining programs. "There were ways that it could be completely funded, even books and a bus pass," Read says. "My ears went, 'What!' "
On April 1, Read will start classes at Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash., to become a certified substance abuse counselor. As a former addict who has spent stretches homeless, it felt suddenly like a calling.
"I've always wanted to do that," says Read, who realizes that she'll be starting her new career at the age of 60. "I can look at my experience, and say, 'This is what I thought about when I wanted a cigarette, or a drink, or to do a line. I know these things for real."
Toilet Paper Thief
But without any income, it's still a hard to get by each day. Read receives $291 a week in unemployment benefits, and three weeks of every month that check goes straight to rent. The final week goes toward utilities, Internet, cat food, and a bus pass. Then she has $16 a week in food stamps.
"You don't think about toilet paper, until you have no money," says Read, who admits that she began pilfering toilet rolls from the Safeway bathroom. "I became a thief, I did! And I felt so bad about it I wanted to confess."
More: Workers Over 50 Are The New 'Unemployables'
But overall, her unemployment has given her a new perspective on how she'll spend the final decades of her life. She's been taking more pictures, one of her greatest passions. And selling her belongings and cutting down on shopping, she says, "became a positive thing. ... I realized I had too much stuff."
And while she's excited about her new career, Read's more cynical about the state of her finances. When asked how long she'll keep working, she replies, like 28 percent of Americans, "until I die."
Now feeling back on a positive track, Read has some advice for the millions of other Americans who have been laid off:
1. Go to your state, and throw yourself on their mercy. Read urges people who lack savings to take advantage of all the benefits the state has to offer. "Get food stamps, that's a dignity," she says. "Get Medicaid, that's a dignity."
2. Don't listen to politicians. Read's frustrated by politicians who imply that the people using those services are freeloading in some way. "I paid into it for 30 years, and I had to use it," she says about the safety net. "I don't appreciate politicians, rich people, telling me it shouldn't be an entitlement. I paid for it. I paid for it out of the meager salary I earned all these years, compared to theirs'."
3. It's not about you. "No one has job security whether you think so or not," she continues. "A downturn in the economy can destroy your life. Anyone who is smug and arrogant enough to lump everyone together who's unemployed in the same category as lazy, shiftless -- they need to watch their backs. ... It can happen to anybody."
4. See a therapist. "With Medicaid, get a therapist. ... You slave away at a company for all those years, and they throw you out like you're worthless. It messes with your head," she explains. "Most people think they can do it, particularly women my age. They think they can do it on their own. And some can do. But it's better to have a couple therapy sessions than three months in bed."
5. Go out. Half of unemployed workers have avoided social situations with friends and acquaintances, according to a survey by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University. Forty-four percent said they'd lost contact with close friends. "When this happens to you, especially at this age, don't hide. Get help," advises Read. "So many people hide away, and slip into these deep, deep depressions, whether they've had it all their lives or not."
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There is no property to set the back color of Datetime Picker, is there another way to set backcolor of it?
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Replies To: Can i set back color of Datetime Picker?
#2 lar3ry ?
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Re: Can i set back color of Datetime Picker?
Posted Yesterday, 09:52 PM
yogesh7136, on 29 March 2013 - 10:19 PM, said:
There is no property to set the back color of Datetime Picker, is there another way to set backcolor of it?
It's a VERY weird thing... supposedly, you can use .CalendarMonthBackground or .CalendarTitleBackColor, but I can't get it to work. The properties are in the property list, they're in the docs too, but it doesn't seem to work at all.
#3 andrewsw ?
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Re: Can i set back color of Datetime Picker?
Posted Today, 01:36 AM
Yes, weird. It seems that MS in their wisdom haven't filled in these properties (excuse the silly pun! groan).
There is code here at SO to achieve this, but it is in C# and needs translation; but it requires creating a custom control that extends DateTimePicker.
const int WM_ERASEBKGND = 0x14; protected override void WndProc(ref System.Windows.Forms.Message m) { if(m.Msg == WM_ERASEBKGND) { Graphics g = Graphics.FromHdc(m.WParam); g.FillRectangle(new SolidBrush(_backColor), ClientRectangle); g.Dispose(); return; } base.WndProc(ref m); }
#4 CharlieMay ?
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Re: Can i set back color of Datetime Picker?
Posted Today, 05:47 AM
Quote
Starting with Windows Vista and depending on the theme, setting this property might not change the appearance of the calendar. For example, if Windows is set to use the Aero theme, setting this property has no effect. This is because an updated version of the calendar is rendered with an appearance that is derived at run time from the current operating system theme. If you want to use this property and enable the earlier version of the calendar, you can disable visual styles for your application. Disabling visual styles might affect the appearance and behavior of other controls in your application. To disable visual styles in Visual Basic, open the Project Designer and uncheck the Enable XP visual styles check box. To disable visual styles in C#, open Program.cs and comment out Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Doesn't solve your problem but it explains why those properties seem to have no affect. Unless you want everything to have that old ugly Win 98 look and feel
This post has been edited by CharlieMay: Today, 05:55 AM
#5 lar3ry ?
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Re: Can i set back color of Datetime Picker?
Posted Today, 08:38 AM
andrewsw, on 30 March 2013 - 02:36 AM, said:
There is code here at SO to achieve this, but it is in C# and needs translation; but it requires creating a custom control that extends DateTimePicker. Well, I have it translated (thanks to the folks at developerfusion.com...
Const WM_ERASEBKGND As Integer = &H14 Protected Overrides Sub WndProc(ByRef m As System.Windows.Forms.Message) If m.Msg = WM_ERASEBKGND Then Dim g As Graphics = Graphics.FromHdc(m.WParam) g.FillRectangle(New SolidBrush(Color.AliceBlue), ClientRectangle) g.Dispose() Return End If MyBase.WndProc(m) End Sub
This sets the BackColor of the form itself, so if anyone knows offhand, how to use this to extend another control, we have a workaround.
ST. CHARLES, Mo. (AP) ? A man accused of using a prosthetic penis to try to pass a drug test is now facing charges in eastern Missouri.
Authorities allege that 34-year-old Sydney Levin was submitting a urine sample last week as part of his probation when an officer allegedly spotted him using a prosthetic known as a Whizzinator. The prosthetic is advertised as a discreet device that includes synthetic "medical grade urine."
Levin, of Lake St. Louis, was charged last week with possessing a forging instrument, KMOV-TV (http://bit.ly/11SXafU ) reported. He was arrested and released after posting $25,000 bond, and pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Levin was on probation for possession of a controlled substance and felony stealing in 2009. Authorities said Levin's probation required that he submit a urine sample as part of drug test.
Levin did not have a listed phone number. Court records show that he does not yet have an attorney.
In 2010, Gerald Willis of Los Angeles was sentenced to six months in federal prison for running a company that sold the Whizzinator to cheat on drug tests. Willis' company disbanded, but the Whizzinator is still sold online as a sex toy. A message seeking comment Thursday from the company selling the device was not returned.
The actress won't attempt to take Senator Mitch McConnell's seat representing Kentucky in the U.S. Senate, according to a tweet published on Wednesday and confirmed by her publicist. McConnell's seat is one of 14 Republicans are defending in 2014.
By Roger Alford,?Associated Press / March 27, 2013
In this file photo, actress Ashley Judd, a Kentucky native, speaks at a Democratic get-out-the-vote rally. Judd announced Wednesday she won't run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky against Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
AP Photo/Brian Bohannon, File
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Actress Ashley?Judd?announced Wednesday she won't run for U.S. Senate in Kentucky against Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, saying she had given serious thought to a campaign but decided her responsibilities and energy need to be focused on her family.
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The former Kentucky resident tweeted her decision.
"Regretfully, I am currently unable to consider a campaign for the Senate. I have spoken to so many Kentuckians over these last few months who expressed their desire for a fighter for the people & new leader," Judd?wrote.
"While that won't be me at this time, I will continue to work as hard as I can to ensure the needs of Kentucky families are met by returning this Senate seat to whom it rightfully belongs: the people & their needs, dreams, and great potential. Thanks for even considering me as that person & know how much I love our Commonwealth. Thank you!"
Her publicist Cara Tripicchio confirmed?Judd's?decision.
The 44-year-old?Judd?had hinted last week that she was nearing a decision about the race.
Now living in suburban Nashville, Tenn.,?Judd?has said little publicly about her intentions. However, she has been meeting with several Democratic leaders, including Gov. Steve Beshear, to discuss a possible run.
Defeating McConnell would be the Democrats' biggest prize of the 2014 election. His seat is one of 14 that Republicans are defending while Democrats try to hold onto 21, hoping to retain or add to their 55-45 edge.
The star of such films as "Double Jeopardy" and "Kiss the Girls" is known for her liberal political views and she would have been running in a largely conservative state where Republicans hold both Senate seats and five of the six seats in the U.S. House.
Former State Treasurer Jonathan Miller, a?Judd?supporter, said she would have been a strong candidate.
"As a Kentuckian and someone who was really enthusiastic about her as a candidate, this wasn't the news I was hoping for," Miller said. "But as her friend, from the first time we talked about the race last summer, I was very candid about the grueling nature of politics. It's become a very unpleasant business and running against Mitch McConnell would be an extraordinarily difficult and grueling experience."
McConnell, who spent some $20 million on his last election and who has already raised $10 million for the next one, had already been taunting would-be Democratic challengers in a comical online video intended to raise second thoughts about taking on a politician known as brawler. The video plays on the fact that?Judd?lives in Tennessee.
Republican-leaning group American Crossroads in its own online video also plays on the Tennessee angle and ties her closely to President Barack Obama, who is unpopular in Kentucky.
University of Louisville political scientist Laurie Rhodebeck said?Judd?certainly wasn't frightened out of the race.
"She doesn't strike me as a shrinking violet," Rhodebeck said. "I think the real issue would be how much disruption she wanted in her life. This was the kind of thing that she would have to throw herself into 100 percent in order to make it worthwhile."
Judd?and three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti separated early this year after marrying in his native Scotland in 2001.
Judd's?decision not to enter the race leaves the Democratic Party in search of a candidate. Many of Kentucky's top Democrats, including Beshear, have said they won't run. However, a rising star within the party, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, hasn't ruled the race out. Grimes declined comment Wednesday evening through her spokeswoman, Lynn Sowards Zellen.
Associated Press writer Janet Cappiello contributed to this report.
The Universe is an old neighbourhood -- roughly 13.8 billion years old. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is also ancient -- some of its stars are more than 13 billion years old (eso0425). Nevertheless, there is still a lot of action: new objects form and others are destroyed. In this image, you can see some of the newcomers, the young stars forming the cluster NGC 2547.
But, how young are these cosmic youngsters really? Although their exact ages remain uncertain, astronomers estimate that NGC 2547's stars range from 20 to 35 million years old. That doesn't sound all that young, after all. However, our Sun is 4600 million years old and has not yet reached middle age. That means that if you imagine that the Sun as a 40 year-old person, the bright stars in the picture are three-month-old babies.
Most stars do not form in isolation, but in rich clusters with sizes ranging from several tens to several thousands of stars. While NGC 2547 contains many hot stars that glow bright blue, a telltale sign of their youth, you can also find one or two yellow or red stars which have already evolved to become red giants. Open star clusters like this usually only have comparatively short lives, of the order of several hundred million years, before they disintegrate as their component stars drift apart.
Clusters are key objects for astronomers studying how stars evolve through their lives. The members of a cluster were all born from the same material at about the same time, making it easier to determine the effects of other stellar properties.
The star cluster NGC 2547 lies in the southern constellation of Vela (The Sail), about 1500 light-years from Earth, and is bright enough to be easily seen using binoculars. It was discovered in 1751 by the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille during an astronomical expedition to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, using a tiny telescope of less than two centimetres aperture.
Between the bright stars in this picture you can see plenty of other objects, especially when zooming in. Many are fainter or more distant stars in the Milky Way, but some, appearing as fuzzy extended objects, are galaxies, located millions of light-years beyond the stars in the field of view.
###
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Hundreds rally outside the Supreme Court March 27. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)
A majority of Supreme Court justices expressed concern about a federal law that excludes same-sex couples from marriage in the court's second gay marriage case in history on Wednesday. The probing questions from both wings of the court suggest the law could be struck down in a victory for the gay rights movement, just a day after it appeared unlikely the court would decide the Proposition 8 California case in a way that broadly affirmed gay marriage.
At the arguments, the court's conservative leaning justices asked pointed questions about whether the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act intrudes into states' traditional right to regulate marriage, while the more liberal justices seemed amenable to the argument that DOMA discriminates against gay people and was passed with the intention of excluding an unpopular group.
The law prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages even in the nine states and District of Columbia that allow them. Justices could strike it down in a narrow way that would force the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages only in states where it's already allowed, or, much less likely, in a broader way that would make dozens of state gay marriage bans legally vulnerable. The Obama administration has declined to defend the law in court because it believes it is unconstitutional, so a group of House representatives appointed attorney Paul Clement to defend it.
Key swing vote Anthony Kennedy, who has written two landmark opinions affirming gay rights, seemed unconvinced by the argument advanced by Clement that DOMA defines marriage as only between opposite-sex couples to avoid confusion. Clement said that the federal government has an interest in "uniformity," and passed the law to avoid having to treat same-sex couples differently based on whether they live in states that allow gay marriage or not. But Kennedy pointed out that DOMA excludes gay couples from marriage in more than 1,100 federal statutes and laws, which has a substantial impact on the "day to day life" of gay couples and their children. He said the law does not provide uniformity because it affects "only one aspect of marriage."
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg interjected that excluding married couples from sick leave, tax benefits, Social Security survivor benefits, and hundreds of other federal benefits and obligations relegates same-sex couples to a "skim milk marriage," that is substantially worse than what heterosexual couples have access to. Justice Elena Kagan suggested that the law was not passed for uniformity's sake, but to discriminate. She read aloud from the House report on the law that said it was passed to express "moral disapproval of homosexuality."
Chief Justice John Roberts objected to the argument that Congress passed DOMA based on a dislike or hatred for gays and lesbians. He asked Attorney General Donald Verrilli, representing the Obama administration, whether he believed the 84 senators who voted for it were all motivated by animus. Verrilli said no, that they could have voted for it due to a "lack of careful reflection," but that the law discriminates no matter why it was passed. Roberts also objected to Attorney Roberta Kaplan's characterization of gay people as a discriminated-against, minority group that lacks political power. "As far as I can tell, political figures are falling over themselves to endorse your case," Roberts said.
But Roberts did seem concerned by the federalist argument. Kennedy joined with his conservative colleagues Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito in asking tough questions about whether the federal government was overreaching with the statute. Kennedy said DOMA did not seem to recognize states's "historical" responsibility for marriage and said he thinks the central question of the case is whether the federal government has the authority to regulate marriage. Both attorneys arguing against DOMA refused to make a federalist argument against the law, however, instead insisting it was a discrimination case.
Before even getting to the merits, the justices spent nearly an hour grappling with whether they should decide the case at all because of procedural issues. They appointed Harvard professor Vicki Jackson to make the case that House Republicans do not have the legal right, or standing, to appeal the lower court's decision. Many justices were also critical of the Obama administration's decision to stop defending the law in court while still enforcing it. Chief Justice John Roberts appeared to have serious doubts about the case's procedural issues, repeatedly saying that it is "unprecedented" for the U.S. government to appeal a case even though they do not disagree with the lower court's ruling.
Both historic gay marriage cases before the court this term have been dogged by procedural concerns, as both were left orphaned by public officials who no longer wanted to defend them. On Tuesday, Kennedy wondered whether they should have agreed to hear the Proposition 8 case at all, while other justices suggested they were skeptical that supporters of Proposition 8 had standing to appeal the case once California officials decided to drop it. It's possible that neither case could end with a decision. In DOMA, that means the lower court's decision would stand and DOMA would be illegal in the Third Circuit. In the Proposition 8 case, gay marriage would most likely become legal in California if the justices throw it out on standing or do not reach a majority.
A group from Alabama prays in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, before the court's hearing on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). In the second of back-to-back gay ... more? A group from Alabama prays in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, March 27, 2013, before the court's hearing on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). In the second of back-to-back gay marriage case, the Supreme Court is turning to a constitutional challenge to the law that prevents legally married gay Americans from collecting federal benefits generally available to straight married couples. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) less? ?
Countless people changed their Facebook profile picture to a red equals sign in a show of support for the same-sex marriage cases before the Supreme Court today and tomorrow.
By Associated Press / March 26, 2013
Senator Warner joined Facebook users across the country in adopting the pink and red adaptation of the Human Rights Commission's iconic equality symbol as his profile picture today in a statement of support for same-sex marriage, currently being debated by the Supreme Court.
Screenshot from Sen. Mark Warner's Facebook profile
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Like millions of others, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner changed his Facebook profile picture to a red equals sign today, announcing his support for the same-sex marriage cases being argued before the Supreme Court today and tomorrow. Senator Warner, a Virginia Democrat who describes himself as a centrist, announced yesterday on Facebook that he now supports same-sex marriage.
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On Facebook, Warner wrote that he supports marriage equality "because it is the fair and right thing to do."
Same-sex marriage is a top priority for the Human Rights Campaign, the nonprofit organization whose iconic symbol of a yellow equals sign against a blue background turned red and pink today to emphasize the love behind every same-sex (or opposite-sex) marriage.
Warner's disclosure marks an evolution of his opinion on same-sex marriage. He had previously supported civil unions for same-sex couples, and was the first governor to ban discrimination in hiring and workplace protection for gay state employees.
In 2010, he backed ending the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy toward gays in the military.
NEW YORK (AP) ? Netflix's newest original series will be science-fiction from the duo behind the "The Matrix" trilogy.
Netflix announced Wednesday that it will stream "Sense8" late next year for subscribers. The series is the first foray into television for Andy and Lana Wachowski, the filmmaking siblings who directed "The Matrix" and last year's "Cloud Atlas."
Netflix called the 10-episode series "a gripping global tale of minds linked and souls hunted." The show runner will be J. Michael Straczynski, creator of "Babylon 5," which aired for five seasons in the 1990s.
Netflix made its biggest splash with an original series last month with the debut of the political thriller "House of Cards," starring Kevin Spacey. This spring, it will premiere the horror series "Hemlock Grove" and the reborn comedy "Arrested Development."
People use ATMs outside a closed branch of the Bank of Cyprus in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
People use ATMs outside a closed branch of the Bank of Cyprus in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Students shout slogans outside from a Limassol district office during an anti-bailout protest in southern port city of Limassol, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. A banking official said Wednesday ? on condition of anonymity because the measures have yet to be officially announced ? that they include restrictions on large-scale money transfers from the country's two largest lenders to avoid a run. (AP Photo/Pavlos Vrionides)
A kiosk with the name Europe written in Greek, is closed as people use the ATMs outside a closed branch of the Bank of Cyprus in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Cypriot authorities are preparing limits on how much money depositors can take out of their accounts a day before banks are set to reopen. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Customers enter a Bank of Cyprus branch as a Piraeus Bank branch is seen in the background in Athens, Wednesday, March 27, 2013. Greece's Piraeus Bank reached an agreement Tuesday to buy the Greek operations of three Cypriot banks for euro 524 million ($678 million). Piraeus Bank said Cypriot bank branches in Greece re-open Wednesday, a day earlier than in Cyprus. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) ? Banks in Cyprus are to open for the first time in more than a week on Thursday, operating for six hours from noon (10:00 GMT), but restrictions will be in place on financial transactions to prevent people from draining their accounts.
Among the capital controls, cash withdrawals will be limited to 300 euros ($383) per person each day. No checks will be cashed, although people will be able to deposit them in their accounts, according to a ministerial decree that was released late Thursday.
The controls will be in place for four days.
Cyprus's banks were closed on March 16 as politicians scrambled to come up with a plan to raise 5.8 billion euros ($7.5 billion) so the country would qualify for 10 billion euros ($12.9 billion) in much-need bailout loans for its collapsed banking sector. The deal was finally reached in Brussels early Monday, and imposes severe losses on deposits of over 100,000 euros in the country's two largest banks, Laiki and Bank of Cyprus.
Since Monday's deal, Cypriot authorities have been rushing to introduce measures to prevent a rush of euros out of the country's banks when they do reopen.
Other capital controls include a cap of 5,000 euros on transactions with other countries, provided the customer presents supporting documents. Payments above that amount will need special approval.
Travelers leaving the country won't be able to take with them anything over 1,000 euros in cash ? as well as the equivalent sum in foreign currency.
Tuition fees and living expenses of up to 5,000 euros for three months will be permitted for overseas students, but documentation must be provided proving the student's relationship to the dispatcher.
Also investors will also not be able to terminate fixed-term deposit accounts before they mature unless the funds are to be used for the repayment of a loan in the same bank, the decree says.
In the capital, Nicosia, armed police officers guarded several trucks carrying containers arriving at the country's Central Bank, while a helicopter hovered overhead.
The contents of the trucks could not be independently confirmed, although state-run television said they were carrying cash flown in from Frankfurt for the bank reopening.
Meanwhile, private security firm G4S will dispatch 180 of its staff to all bank branches across the island to keep a lid on any possible trouble, said John Argyrou, managing director of the firm's Cypriot arm.
"Our presence there will be for the comfort of both bank staff and clients, but police will also be present," he said.
Argyrou said he doesn't foresee any serious trouble unfolding once banks open their doors because people had time to "digest" what has transpired.
"There may be some isolated incidents, but it's in our culture to be civil and patient, so I don't expect anything serious."
Another 120 staff from G4S would be assigned money transportation duties.
In Nicosia Wednesday night, several hundred demonstrators marched from the European Union's offices in the capital to Parliament to protest the bailout plan.
Before its collapse, Cyprus's banking sector grew to nearly eight times the size of the country's economy, mainly on the back of substantial deposits from Russia. This sparked accusations that the country was being used by Russian criminals to launder their money. Over the past week, the government in Moscow has criticized Europe's handling of the crisis in Cyprus.
Russian millionaire businessman Andrey Dashin told the Associated Press in an interview that he doesn't believe his fellow countrymen would rush to pull businesses or money out of the country once banks reopen, despite the fact that many will take a hit from a tax on accounts over 100,000 euros in both Bank of Cyprus and Laiki.
"There won't be a substantial Russian run" on Cypriot banks, said Dashin, 37, who runs his currency speculation company ForexTime from a brand-new high-rise in the southern coastal resort of Limassol. Dashin doesn't stand to lose on his deposits which aren't in either of the top two Cypriot banks.
"Russians are much more accustomed to such circumstances, we've had so many crisis in Russia...I don't have the feeling that (Russians) are ready to pull out their business or money out of their country," Dashin said.
But he said Russians want to have a "clear picture" on the kind of capital movement limits that will be imposed so as not to choke off businesses, warning that tight restrictions would be "a sign for businesspeople that their cash is trapped."
Dashin dismissed reports that Cypriot banks were being used to launder dirty Russian cash as unproven rumors and urged Cyprus to bring in internationally respected auditors to clear the air.
Under the deal clinched in Brussels early Monday, Cyprus agreed to slash its oversized banking sector and inflict hefty losses on large Laiki and Bank of Cyprus depositors.
Laiki is to be restructured, with its healthy assets going into a "good bank" and its nonperforming loans and toxic assets going into a "bad bank," officials have said. The healthy side will be absorbed into the Bank of Cyprus.
The board of directors of both banks has been fired and administrators appointed to handle the restructuring and absorption, the banking official said.
Bank of Cyprus CEO Yiannis Kypris issued a statement saying the Central Bank governor had asked him verbally Wednesday to resign.
"These are very difficult times for everyone. The Bank of Cyprus was and must remain the basic support of the economy and our society in the effort to deal with the crisis our country is going through," Kypris said. "I hope that the handling of this transition phase will respect the workers, shareholders and customers of the Bank of Cyprus."
Cypriot officials said the deal would mean the country would shift its focus away from being an international center of financial services. That is expected to cost jobs, adding to the unemployment rate which now stands at around 14 percent.
The country's foreign minister said his country almost left the eurozone during last week's bailout talks.
Ioannis Kasoulidis told German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in an interview to be published Thursday that dropping the common currency was "a possibility which we seriously considered for a while."
Everyone is trying to take our money, from credit card companies to cable providers. But did you know your local grocery store could be cheating you every time you pay for groceries?
According to a report by ABC?s Good Morning America, consumers lose up to $2.5 billion dollars every year as a result of scanner errors. The most common problems involve scanners that are not programmed with the correct sales price information, scales that weigh and charge for the packaging in addition to the food, and stores that charge tax on non-taxable items.
In California, the state even took the unusual step of suing Safeway and its Vons stores for frequently overcharging customers. Similarly, in Los Angeles, Ralph?s Grocery Co. agreed to pay more than $1.1 million in civil penalties, costs and restitution to settle allegations that it overcharged customers on deli and other weighed food products.
In New York City, inspectors visiting 2000 city stores found price overcharges on one third of the products they tested. The problem was so bad that New York City Consumer Affairs commissioner Jonathan Mintz considered proposing legislation which would require grocery stores to pay customers 10 times the amount of the overcharged item.
Unfortunately, supermarket overcharges aren?t always insignificant. I, for instance, once purchased frozen dinners at a major Chicago grocery chain. The sale price was 5 for $10. Instead, I was charged full price on all five frozen meals, creating an overcharge of nearly $11 dollars.
With scanner errors being relatively common, there are a few ways to protect yourself. Keep a mental running account of your grocery tab as you shop. Better yet, bring along a calculator or smartphone to tally your total. If your tab doesn?t come close to the cashier?s result then you know you have a problem.
Alternatively, watch the checkout register like a hawk as your items are checked out. When in doubt, always check your receipt before you leave the store. Remember, many stores offer a ?right at the register or it?s free? policy. If you catch an overcharge you get the item for free.
BMWK ? Do you take the time to check your supermarket receipts? If you catch an error do you challenge it or let it slide?
About the author
Alonzo Peters is founder of MochaMoney.com, a personal finance website dedicated to helping Black America achieve financial independence.
Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...
As we raise a generation of extroverted over-sharers, some are making tools that ensure that our private moments - baby's first steps, junior's tumble down the ski hill - remain private. Take Tweekaboo, for example. Created by an engineer and father, Eugene Murphy, the app allows you to give only your immediate family access to life's precious moments.
"Dancing With the Stars" pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy.
"Dancing With the Stars" pro Valentin Chmerkovskiy will be blogging about his experiences and thoughts on his fourth quest for the mirror ball trophy in The Clicker throughout the season. The 14-time US champion in dance is paired with 16-year-old Disney star Zendaya, who plays Rocky Blue on "Shake It Up!"
By Valentin Chmerkovskiy
First of all, thank you to all the fans for all of your support, the really encouraging, really great comments I received after the debut performance with Zendaya! It means a lot that people take the time to write something nice for us to see, whether it?s on Twitter or Instagram or a website. I want to say that I really appreciate all the love and support. It makes me stay motivated, and it really inspires me to do better.
Last Monday?s performance was so inspiring! Not just for people watching. When I dance, I?m just in a different zone. When she dances, she?s in a different zone. That Monday night performance, it was heaven on earth! It was a feeling that you can?t really explain. At the end when we took our bow, and just hearing the roar and understanding that we just did something special? All the hard work paid off. It?s an unexplainable high. That kind of feeling is what we?re fighting for every day, every week. It?s worth the sweat, it?s worth the hard work.
I feel the thing about Monday?s performance with the contemporary wasn?t even the choreography or the dancing. It was just her performance. She?s a star now. Mark my words: I?ve worked with her for three weeks. She?s going to be a superstar. She?s the next Beyonce. She?s the next mega superstar.
This week we?re doing the jive. The jive is a very fast, very upbeat type of dance. The origins are -- vaguely speaking -- of the rock ?n? roll genre and era of dance: swing, Lindy, all those higher-paced, energetic dances. This is where having an understanding for connection and synergy and bonding and understanding each other and dancing completely in unison is very crucial to making this dance work. She?s put on three-inch heels, which is very difficult to dance in, and is something that is pretty new to a girl who is 16 years old. She?s a sneakerhead! She loves her Nikes and her Adidas! So it?s a challenge.
I?m not going to reveal too much about it. The dance is ? honestly, I?m so happy with how the dance came out! We don?t need too much production. We don?t need too much story. The story is simple. The song is very old-school sounding. When I hear the song, I think 1920s flapper vibe. I?m going to wear my pinstriped suit and she?s going to wear her flapper dress, and we?re going to come out and show a jive.
I basically choreographed the routine that I would?ve been dancing with a pro. That?s how challenging it is. I basically drove her, destroyed her into doing it pretty damn close to a pro! I?m excited to do an authentic, really competitive, challenging routine that doesn?t have a lot of fluff, but is something different. ? I?m glad that I finally have a partner that I can showcase those things with. Zendaya is somebody that I don?t hold back anything with choreographically. I?m not sacrificing anything.
I want her to be Zendaya at her best. It?s not easy because it?s constant work. I?ve put her through the same grueling practice schedule and work schedule that everybody else goes through, if not probably more. When she goes through that, that?s the result that you see -- Monday?s performance.? And it doesn?t matter if it?s contemporary, jive or tango. I will put the pressure on and I know a diamond is going to be the result. I just want to keep doing that, keep creating beautiful things, keep putting the pressure on, and see what she can do. I think she can do anything.
Whatever the judges want to give us, I?ll be happy with. I?m looking for what I want to see. At the end of the day, this is a matter of my pride and my integrity ? my integrity to her parents, my integrity to ?Dancing With the Stars? and the production, my integrity to everything that I represent as a teacher. It?s my integrity to my craft. That?s all I want. I want to come out and I want to surprise the people that I love. I want to surprise her parents. I want to surprise my parents. I want to surprise our fans. Those are the people I?m really prioritizing here.
Tune in Monday night to ABC, ?Dancing With the Stars?! And vote for Team Valdaya (3406)! We really appreciate it!
Office workers carry biomarker of potentially harmful flame retardant, study findsPublic release date: 25-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lisa Chedekel chedekel@bu.edu 617-638-7721 Boston University Medical Center
(BOSTON) -- A flame retardant removed from children's pajamas 30 years ago but now used in polyurethane foam is prevalent in office environments, especially in older buildings, where urine testing of workers turned up widespread evidence of its biomarker, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health researchers has found.
The study, published in the journal Environment International, found that the chemical known as TDCPP -- chlorinated tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, or 'chlorinated tris' -- was present in 99 percent of dust samples taken from participants' homes, vehicles and offices, "demonstrating the widespread presence of this flame retardant in the indoor environment." The research team recruited 31 adults who worked and lived in the Boston area for the testing.
The study found that the office environment was the strongest predictor of metabolized TDCPP in urine, with significantly lower concentrations of the chemical among workers in a new office building than in older buildings. Similarly, the average concentration of TDCPP in dust was significantly lower in the new office building than in the older office buildings.
Urine samples were collected during the workday, which may explain why an association was found between the quickly metabolized chemical and characteristics of the office, rather than the vehicle or home.
"Overall, our findings suggest that exposure to TDCPP in the work environment is one of the contributors to the personal exposure for office workers. Further research is needed to confirm specific exposure sources (e.g., polyurethane foam), determine the importance of exposure in other microenvironments such as homes and vehicles, and address the inhalation and dermal exposure pathways," the research team concluded.
TDCPP, an additive to polyurethane foam used in upholstered furniture, is found in dust, where it can likely lead to human exposure. Potential health effects remain a concern. In 2011, TDCPP was added to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer.
In vitro studies suggest TDCPP may be neurotoxic, and one study found that increased concentrations in dust were associated with decreased semen quality and reduced free thyroxine in men, suggesting possible effects on fertility and thyroid function. Animal studies show TDCPP is readily absorbed through both the skin and gastrointestinal tract.
The researchers said the high concentrations observed in dust from offices could reflect requirements by the City of Boston that office furniture meet California fire retardant standards, a rule that is not required of residential furniture in Boston. The state of California has proposed a draft furniture flammability standard that could reduce the need for flame retardant chemicals in polyurethane foam. However, the standard used for office furniture has yet to be revised.
"It is currently very difficult to avoid flame retardants. Hopefully, better options will become available in the near future," said Courtney Carignan, a doctoral candidate in environmental health who co-authored the study. "Currently, the best advice we have for people is to wash your hands, especially before eating. Dust control, good ventilation and air purifiers may also be useful for reducing personal exposure."
The low concentrations of TDCPP in the newer office building suggest that its newer furniture did not contain TDCPP, or that it had not yet had sufficient time to migrate out of the products, the researchers said. If the new furniture did not contain TDCPP, it likely contained a different flame retardant such as the controversial FireMaster 550. Other differences between exposures include the possibility of more efficient ventilation or HVAC systems or cleaning methods in the newer building.
The authors urged that "more research is needed to determine factors that influence TDCPP concentrations in dust, in relation to building contents and characteristics."
###
Besides Carignan, researchers on the study included: Michael McClean, Alicia Fraser, Wendy Heiger-Bernays, Thomas Webster and Deborah Watkins from the BU School of Public Health; and Ellen Cooper and Heather Stapleton from the Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University.
The research was supported in part by grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
The full text of the article is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412013000433
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Office workers carry biomarker of potentially harmful flame retardant, study findsPublic release date: 25-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lisa Chedekel chedekel@bu.edu 617-638-7721 Boston University Medical Center
(BOSTON) -- A flame retardant removed from children's pajamas 30 years ago but now used in polyurethane foam is prevalent in office environments, especially in older buildings, where urine testing of workers turned up widespread evidence of its biomarker, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health researchers has found.
The study, published in the journal Environment International, found that the chemical known as TDCPP -- chlorinated tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate, or 'chlorinated tris' -- was present in 99 percent of dust samples taken from participants' homes, vehicles and offices, "demonstrating the widespread presence of this flame retardant in the indoor environment." The research team recruited 31 adults who worked and lived in the Boston area for the testing.
The study found that the office environment was the strongest predictor of metabolized TDCPP in urine, with significantly lower concentrations of the chemical among workers in a new office building than in older buildings. Similarly, the average concentration of TDCPP in dust was significantly lower in the new office building than in the older office buildings.
Urine samples were collected during the workday, which may explain why an association was found between the quickly metabolized chemical and characteristics of the office, rather than the vehicle or home.
"Overall, our findings suggest that exposure to TDCPP in the work environment is one of the contributors to the personal exposure for office workers. Further research is needed to confirm specific exposure sources (e.g., polyurethane foam), determine the importance of exposure in other microenvironments such as homes and vehicles, and address the inhalation and dermal exposure pathways," the research team concluded.
TDCPP, an additive to polyurethane foam used in upholstered furniture, is found in dust, where it can likely lead to human exposure. Potential health effects remain a concern. In 2011, TDCPP was added to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known by the State of California to cause cancer.
In vitro studies suggest TDCPP may be neurotoxic, and one study found that increased concentrations in dust were associated with decreased semen quality and reduced free thyroxine in men, suggesting possible effects on fertility and thyroid function. Animal studies show TDCPP is readily absorbed through both the skin and gastrointestinal tract.
The researchers said the high concentrations observed in dust from offices could reflect requirements by the City of Boston that office furniture meet California fire retardant standards, a rule that is not required of residential furniture in Boston. The state of California has proposed a draft furniture flammability standard that could reduce the need for flame retardant chemicals in polyurethane foam. However, the standard used for office furniture has yet to be revised.
"It is currently very difficult to avoid flame retardants. Hopefully, better options will become available in the near future," said Courtney Carignan, a doctoral candidate in environmental health who co-authored the study. "Currently, the best advice we have for people is to wash your hands, especially before eating. Dust control, good ventilation and air purifiers may also be useful for reducing personal exposure."
The low concentrations of TDCPP in the newer office building suggest that its newer furniture did not contain TDCPP, or that it had not yet had sufficient time to migrate out of the products, the researchers said. If the new furniture did not contain TDCPP, it likely contained a different flame retardant such as the controversial FireMaster 550. Other differences between exposures include the possibility of more efficient ventilation or HVAC systems or cleaning methods in the newer building.
The authors urged that "more research is needed to determine factors that influence TDCPP concentrations in dust, in relation to building contents and characteristics."
###
Besides Carignan, researchers on the study included: Michael McClean, Alicia Fraser, Wendy Heiger-Bernays, Thomas Webster and Deborah Watkins from the BU School of Public Health; and Ellen Cooper and Heather Stapleton from the Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University.
The research was supported in part by grants from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
The full text of the article is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412013000433
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf attends a ceremony to celebrate Pakistan National Day ahead his trip to Karachi on Sunday, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Musharraf says he will follow through with his plans to return to his homeland despite risks of arrest and other threats. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf attends a ceremony to celebrate Pakistan National Day ahead his trip to Karachi on Sunday, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Musharraf says he will follow through with his plans to return to his homeland despite risks of arrest and other threats. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
A Pakistani gardener works under a banner of Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, reading "come and join me," in Karachi, Pakistan on Friday, March 22, 2013. Former Pakistani leader Musharraf vowed to return Pakistan on Sunday to take part in the coming elections in May. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)
Supporters of Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf hold his poster and chant slogans during a ceremony to celebrate Pakistan National Day ahead his trip to Karachi on Sunday, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Musharraf says he will follow through with his plans to return to his homeland despite risks of arrest and other threats. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf talks to his party members during a ceremony to celebrate Pakistan National Day ahead his trip to Karachi on Sunday, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Musharraf says he will follow through with his plans to return to his homeland despite risks of arrest and other threats. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf salutes his party members during a ceremony to celebrate Pakistan National Day ahead his trip to Karachi, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, March 23, 2013. Musharraf says he will follow through with his plans to return to his homeland despite risks of arrest and other threats. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) ? Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf said he doesn't fear arrest despite facing criminal charges as he vowed Saturday to return to his homeland and contest upcoming elections after more than four years in exile.
But legal problems are only one challenge facing Musharraf as the Taliban warned they have an assassination team ready to kill the one-time military strongman if he sets foot in the country on Sunday as promised.
Musharraf announced in early March that he would return to Pakistan March 24 to take part in upcoming elections, despite allegations he was part of a conspiracy to assassinate ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, militant threats to his safety and a waning popularity. The deposed general said he would lead his party in elections scheduled for May 11.
"I am going back to save Pakistan," he told reporters Saturday during a press conference in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
Musharraf has earned a reputation as a strongman who cried wolf after failing to follow through on previous promises to return home, but the likelihood of his return this time got a boost on Friday when a Pakistan court granted him preemptive bail ? essentially preventing his immediate arrest ? in three cases in which he's implicated, including Bhutto's death. Under the preemptive bail, he has ten days to appear in court, which Musharraf promised he would do.
"I will face these cases with bravery," he said. Musharraf said that "elements in Pakistan and outside" were spreading rumors that he was not returning, but that the granting of the bail would address some of those concerns.
The former general plans to travel to Karachi from Dubai accompanied by journalists and supporters of his political party, All Pakistan Muslim League.
Musharraf took power in a 1999 coup after then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to dismiss the general while he was out of the country. Officers loyal to Musharraf put Sharif under house arrest. Upon return Musharraf took control of the government, eventually naming himself president in 2001. He ran the country for nearly a decade until he was forced to step down in 2008 after growing discontent with his rule.
His return comes as Pakistan is faces a historic election marking the first time an elected government has fulfilled its term and handed over power to another elected government. In a country that has undergone three coups, including Musharraf's, there are precious few democratic milestones. Pakistan is struggling with rolling blackouts, rising inflation and widespread security problems.
While he was given a reprieve from the legal charges, he received no such leniency from militants who have been gunning for him for years. Just hours after his announcement Saturday, the Pakistan Taliban released a video threatening to unleash suicide bombers and snipers against Musharraf if he comes back. One of the two people speaking in the video was Adnan Rashid, a former Pakistani air force officer convicted in an attack against Musharraf. The Taliban broke Rashid, along with nearly 400 other detainees, out of prison last year.
"The mujahedeen of Islam have prepared a death squad to send Pervez Musharraf to hell," said Rashid, who spoke in the video in front of a group of about 20 militants holding rifles.
"We warn you to surrender yourself to us. Otherwise we will hit you from where you will never reckon," he said.
Musharraf had been expected to address supporters at a gathering Sunday in Karachi near the mausoleum of Pakistan's founding father Mohammed Ali Jinnah. But police decided to cancel his permit because of a "very serious threat," said Tahir Naveed, the deputy inspector general of Karachi police. He said Musharraf would be provided with an armored vehicle to protect him due to the threats. Banners and billboards welcoming Musharraf back to Pakistan lined the street from the airport where he is expected to land.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, Musharraf came under intense pressure from the U.S. to back the Americans in the coming war and cut off ties with the Taliban, which he did. For that, militants as well as many other Pakistanis see him as carrying out the American agenda in Pakistan.
He's also vilified by militants for ordering the 2007 raid against a mosque in downtown Islamabad that had become a sanctuary for militants opposed to Pakistan's support of the war in Afghanistan. At least 102 people were killed in the weeklong operation, most of them supporters of the mosque.
Militants tried to kill Musharraf twice in December 2003 in Rawalpindi, where the Pakistani military is headquartered. First they placed a bomb intended to go off when his convoy passed by. When that didn't work, suicide attackers tried to ram his motorcade with explosives-laden vehicles. The president was unhurt but 16 others died.
The preemptive bail decision will delay his legal troubles but not necessarily get rid of them altogether.
Musharraf faces charges related to the assassination of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, who was killed in 2007, as well the killing of Akbar Bugti, a Baluch nationalist leader who died in August 2006 after a standoff with the Pakistani military. In another case, he's accused of illegally removing a number of judges including the chief justice of the supreme court.
Musharraf has called the charges baseless.
Human Rights Watch called on the Pakistani government to hold Musharraf responsible for abuses committed while he was in office.
Although Musharraf comes from the military, analysts say it is unlikely that they support his return to Pakistan. The head of the army, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, has shown a reticence to involve himself directly in politics.
Perhaps the biggest shock to Musharraf upon his return may be his lack of popularity. He appears to be banking on widespread voter disgust with the coalition government headed by Pakistan Peoples Party that just ended its five year term, but analysts say he has little support and will likely only win a few seats in parliament.
"He's always had a very high opinion of himself," said Talat Masood, a former Pakistani army general and political analyst. "He thinks he can play a major role, and he can be a savior to Pakistan."
Donna Read never planned to spend the rest of her life working at a grocery store. But the decent wages and great benefits kept her there for 12 years, until she was fired last summer. At age 58, Read fell into poverty, and into a depression that kept her in bed for three months.
yogesh7136, on 29 March 2013 - 10:19 PM, said:
As we raise a generation of extroverted over-sharers, some are making tools that ensure that our private moments - baby's first steps, junior's tumble down the ski hill - remain private. Take 
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Public release date: 25-Mar-2013
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