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Earth In Path of Large Solar Storm that Could Disrupt Power

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 7, 2012 at 9:37pm


 
 
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The largest solar storm in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights.
The sun erupted Tuesday evening, and the effects should start smacking Earth between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. EST Thursday, according to forecasters at the federal government's Space Weather Prediction Center. They say the storm, which started with a massive solar flare, is growing as it speeds outward from the sun.
"It's hitting us right in the nose," said Joe Kunches, a scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He called it the sun's version of "Super Tuesday."
Scientists say the sun has been relatively quiet for some time. And this storm, while strong, may seem fiercer because Earth has been lulled by several years of weak solar activity.
"This is a good-size event, but not the extreme type," said Bill Murtagh, program coordinator for the space weather center.
The solar storm is likely to last through Friday morning, but the region that erupted can still send more blasts our way, Kunches said. He said another set of active sunspots is ready to aim at Earth right after this.
But for now, scientists are waiting to see what happens Thursday when the charged particles hit Earth at 4 million mph.
NASA solar physicist Alex Young added, "It could give us a bit of a jolt." But he said this is far from a super solar storm.
The storm is coming after an earlier and weaker solar eruption happened Sunday, Kunches said. The latest blast of particles will probably arrive slightly later than forecasters first thought.
That means for North America the "good" part of a solar storm - the one that creates more noticeable auroras or Northern Lights - will peak Thursday evening. Auroras could dip as far south as the Great Lakes states or lower, Kunches said, but a full moon will make them harder to see.
Auroras are "probably the treat we get when the sun erupts," Kunches said.
But there is potential for widespread problems. Solar storms have three ways they can disrupt technology on Earth: with magnetic, radio and radiation emissions. This is an unusual situation when all three types of solar storm disruptions are likely to be strong, Kunches said.
That means "a whole host of things" could follow, he said.
The magnetic part of the storm has the potential to trip electrical power grids. Kunches said utility companies around the world have been alerted. The timing and speed of the storm determines whether it knocks off power grids, he said.
In 1989, a strong solar storm knocked out the power grid in Quebec, causing 6 million people to lose power.
Solar storms can also make global positioning systems less accurate, which is mostly a problem for precision drilling and other technologies, Kunches said. There also could be GPS outages.
The storm also can cause communication problems and added radiation around the north and south poles, which will probably force airlines to reroute flights. Some already have done so, Kunches said.
Satellites could be affected, too. NASA spokesman Rob Navias said the space agency isn't taking any extra precautions to protect astronauts on the International Space Station from added radiation.

SOURCE: The Associated Press
Seth Borenstein
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Google Play replaces Android Market, new source for apps, books, movies and music

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 6, 2012 at 9:27pm

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The Android Market has morphed significantly since its inception, which now allows users to purchase books, music and rent movies, all from within a hub that was originally designed for just apps. To recognize this fundamental shift — and emphasize the availability of content for sale — Google is launching a new platform known as Google Play. The move hints at a strategy shift from just Android to the cloud as a whole, and establishes an umbrella brand for the diverse content sold by Google. For example, its Books, Music and Videos apps will now become Play Books, Play Music and Play Movies, while the Android Market itself will take on the moniker of Play Store. Users of Android 2.2 (and above) should notice the software update within the next few days, although other than the new name, initial changes should be minimal. We’re also to be on the lookout for a new “Play” tab within the top toolbar of Google’s website. To mark the occasion, the company has announced a promotional “Seven Days to Play” sale, which will tease would-be shoppers with discounted apps, books, movies and music throughout the week. For an additional peek at what’s in store, you’ll find the gallery below and a video after the break.


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Review: Lots to Love in 'The Lorax'

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 9:49pm


 
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Release Date: March 2, 2012 (3D/2D theaters and IMAX 3D)
Rating: PG (for brief mild language)
Genre: Animated
Run Time: 94 min.
Director: Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
Cast: Danny DeVito, Ed Helms, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty White, Rob Riggle
There's a lot to praise--and even love--in the latest animated adaptation of Theodor Geisel's work. Dr. Seuss' The Lorax is a beautiful and entirely captivating visual feast, with cuteness and adorability in charming excess. Yet it's almost done in by one of the most ham-fisted examples of didactic liberalism to come out of any major studio release for quite some time (animated or otherwise).
I stress "almost" because its strengths not only save it but actually transcend its moralizing. This is a treat to be indulged in the theaters, and in 3D. I dare say it's a major accomplishment in modern animation. The Lorax's optical "wow" factor is high and occasionally off-the-charts. But as the film progresses, it builds from being a sensible parable about conservation to bald-faced demonizing of corporations.
The story opens with a high-energy pop-style Broadway chorus tune that sets a spectacular foundation--tonally and visually--for what's to come. It's set in the town of Thneed-Ville, a walled-in community teaming with life that is completely artificial; even air is produced and sold. The need for air production is due to the fact that there are no longer any trees (key organisms for photosynthesis, the naturally occurring process that releases oxygen into the atmosphere). 
Young Audrey (country music superstar Taylor Swift, Valentine's Day) dreams of having a real tree, not just the ones painted on the side of her house or the electrical gizmos that adorn the streets. Hoping to win her heart, Tweenager Ted (Zac Efron, New Year's Eve) follows the advice of his Grammy Norma (Betty White, You Again) to sneak outside Thneed-Ville's barriers and track down the mysterious Once-ler, a hermit rumored to hold the truth of where a seed may still exist.
Zooming out into the barren wasteland on his zippy uni-scooter, Ted finds The Once-ler (Ed Helms, The Hangover Part II) hidden in a rickety old shack under self-imposed exile. From behind the boarded-up walls, The Once-ler begins to tell the tale of how the once tree-filled landscape came to its lifeless ruin. It is a story at which The Once-ler's younger self plays an important part, and the mythical Lorax (Danny DeVito, When in Rome)--the guardian of the forest--serves as comic relief, Seussical poet, and moral conscience.

Click here to continue reading.

SOURCE: Crosswalk
Jeffrey Huston, Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
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NFL: New Orleans Saints Players Were Paid for Inflicting Game-Ending Injuries

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 9:47pm

 
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The NFL says that New Orleans Saints players maintained a bounty program over the last three seasons that targeted opponents with the intent to injure them. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Encouraging defensive players to be aggressive, hit hard and not back down is standard procedure in pro football. Paying them to injure the opposition is not.
New Orleans Saints players and at least one assistant coach, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, maintained a bounty pool of up to $50,000 the last three seasons, the NFL said Friday. Payoffs came for inflicting game-ending injuries.
Among the targets were Brett Favre and Kurt Warner, with "knockouts" worth $1,500 and "cart-offs" $1,000. Payments doubled or tripled for the playoffs, and, according to an investigation by NFL security, pool amounts reached their height in 2009 - the year the Saints won the Super Bowl.
"It was a terrible mistake, and we knew it was wrong while we were doing it," Williams said after the league said between 22 and 27 defensive players were involved in the program he administered, with the knowledge of coach Sean Payton.
"Instead of getting caught up in it, I should have stopped it. I take full responsibility for my role," added Williams, now the defensive coordinator in St. Louis. "I am truly sorry. I have learned a hard lesson and I guarantee that I will never participate in or allow this kind of activity to happen again."
Williams, the Saints organization and the players involved face hefty fines and possible suspensions. The team could lose draft picks when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hands out punishment.
"It is our responsibility to protect player safety and the integrity of our game, and this type of conduct will not be tolerated," Goodell said. "We have made significant progress in changing the culture with respect to player safety and we are not going to relent. We have more work to do and we will do it."
The NFL said its findings were corroborated by multiple, independent sources. Asked about potential criminal charges, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said:
"We believe that any violation of league rules should and will be handled by the commissioner."
All payouts for specific performances in a game, including interceptions or causing fumbles, are against NFL rules. The NFL also warns teams against such practices before each season.
Saints players contributed cash to the pool, at times large amounts, and in some cases the money pledged was directed against a specific person, the NFL said.
"The payments here are particularly troubling because they involved not just payments for `performance,' but also for injuring opposing players," Goodell said in a statement. "The bounty rule promotes two key elements of NFL football: player safety and competitive integrity."
"Cart-offs" are defined by the NFL as a player being carried off the field; "knockouts" as when a player cannot return to the game.
The league absolved Saints owner Tom Benson of any blame, but said the investigation showed Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis knew about the "pay for performance" program.
"Although head coach Sean Payton was not a direct participant in the funding or administration of the program, he was aware of the allegations, did not make any detailed inquiry or otherwise seek to learn the facts, and failed to stop the bounty program. He never instructed his assistant coaches or players that a bounty program was improper and could not continue," the NFL said.
When informed about it earlier this year, the NFL said Benson directed Loomis to "ensure that any bounty program be discontinued immediately." However, the NFL's report said evidence showed Loomis didn't carry out Benson's directions and that in 2010 Loomis denied any knowledge of a bounty program.
"There is no evidence that Mr. Loomis took any effective action to stop these practices," the NFL said.
The NFL found no evidence of similar bounty programs within the league, but several Redskins told The Washington Post that Williams had a similar system as defensive coordinator for the team.
Former defensive end Philip Daniels, now Washington's director of player development, said he believed Williams paid off big hits with fines collected from players for being late to meetings or practices.
"Rather than pocket that money or whatever, he would redistribute it to players who had good games or good practices," said Daniels, who added the most he received was $1,500 for a four-sack game against Dallas in 2005.
"I think it is wrong the way they're trying to paint (Williams)," Daniels told the Post. "He never told us to go out there and break a guy's neck or break a guy's leg. It was all in the context of good, hard football."
Benson responded to the NFL's report saying: "I have been made aware of the NFL's findings relative to the `Bounty Rule' and how it relates to our club. I have offered, and the NFL has received, our full cooperation in their investigation. While the findings may be troubling, we look forward to putting this behind us and winning more championships in the future for our fans."
The NFL's most infamous bounty case occurred in 1989 when Eagles coach Buddy Ryan was accused of putting a bounty on Cowboys players.
On Thanksgiving Day, Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson accused Ryan of putting a bounty on Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman and placekicker Luis Zendejas before a 27-0 Philadelphia victory. Ryan and his players denied the charges and NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue found no evidence of wrongdoing.
The NFL began its Saints investigation in early 2010 after allegations surfaced that quarterbacks Warner of Arizona and Favre of Minnesota had been targeted. After interviewing several Saints who denied the bounty program existed and after the player who originally made the allegations recanted, the league couldn't prove anything.
However, Goodell said the NFL "recently received significant and credible new information and the investigation was re-opened during the latter part of the 2011 season."
Warner, who retired after the 2009 season, responded to a fan's comment on Twitter that even if the Saints had a bounty program a playoff hit on Warner was clean. Warner tweeted, "I would have to agree with you!!!"
"I don't want to say that there was an attempt to injure, but I definitely think there were games where I could tell you that it seemed that they went beyond what was normal in regard to when they were going to hit me or how they were going to hit me," Warner said on the NFL Network. "Again, not with the intention necessarily of hurting me, but knocking me out of my game to get me to think about things differently. If by chance they hit me and knocked me out of the game, maybe that's a benefit for them."
Favre's agent, Bus Cook, said he was unaware of the investigation until Friday. He said the Saints should have been penalized for several hard, late hits during the 2009 NFC championship game and that he believed the contact was not coincidental.
"It was pretty obvious that the intent was to take Brett out of the game, and it happened the week before with Kurt Warner, too," Cook said. "I don't know anything about whether it was by design or whatever, but I think a lot of people shared that same viewpoint that there were some hits that didn't get called."
Cook, however, said Favre never suggested to him he was maliciously targeted.
"That's part of football, getting hit," Cook said. "Brett never complained to me one way or another."
After the news broke Friday, tackle Joe Staley of the San Francisco 49er tweeted: "Just seeing all the reports about the Saints D. I knew there was something fishy about getting punched in the face during our playoff game"
The 49ers beat the Saints 36-32 in the NFC divisional playoffs.

SOURCE: The Associated Press
Barry Wilner
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Tim Tebow Ministers at Las Vegas Church

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 9:44pm

 
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Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow laughs with Senior Pastor Kevin Odor, as seen on a television monitor, during his appearance at the evening service at Canyon Ridge Christian Church Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Las Vegas. (MONA SHIELD PAYNE / SPECIAL TO THE SUN)
Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow went deep Saturday night, inspiring thousands of church worshipers who came to hear him tell football stories and how his experiences have made him an inspirational Christian man in the National Football League.
Tebow spent about 45 minutes talking with Kevin Odor, senior pastor of Canyon Ridge Christian Church, in an interview that tied in to several Bible verses.
In the first of two Saturday services, more than 4,000 people -- hundreds of them wearing Tebow's No. 15 Broncos jersey -- crammed into Canyon Ridge's cavernous auditorium. Odor said before the interview that 1,000 more were logged on to the church's website, watching a live streamed broadcast of the service.
Tebow will appear at the church at Lone Mountain Road and Jones Boulevard Sunday at 9 and 11:30 a.m. It's the only church appearance of seven Tebow is making during the football off-season in which he's addressing more than one service.
Tebow talked about the trend of printing Bible chapters and verses on the eye paint players use to minimize glare, ministering to death row inmates, his mother's controversial television advertisement during last year's Super Bowl broadcast and the phenomenon of people "Tebowing" -- dropping to a knee in prayer -- in his presentation.
"I'm pretty sure I'm not the first athlete to get on a knee and pray," said Tebow, who was as casually dressed as the congregation in jeans and a sweater over a striped shirt. "It's funny, I've been doing this same exact routine for the last seven years and for some reason this was the first year that people started talking about it."
Tebow said in warm-ups before a game, he would do a few final stretches before finding a corner of the end zone, drop to a knee in prayer and do several jumps before sprinting up the sideline. Sometimes, he does the same thing after scoring a touchdown, but other times he'll look and point skyward or "jump into my linemen's arms."
Why does he do it?
"There's all this excitement in a game, whether it's playing the NFL or college, with all the hype. You're going to do good, you're going to do bad and all the eyes are watching you and for me, it's to be able to take a moment to block out everything else and just get on a knee and thank the Lord.
"One of the reasons I get on a knee is because that's a form of humbling yourself. I want to humble myself before the Lord and say thank you for this opportunity. Thank you for letting me play the game I love. Whether I'm good or bad, whether I'm the hero or the goat, whether I score four touchdowns or throw four interceptions, that will still be the same person, honoring the Lord."
Click here to continue reading.

SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun
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Pastor Takes New Approach to Lent, Encourages Congregation to Get Religious Tattoos

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 9:42pm

 
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In a hip, artsy, area of Houston, a hip, artsy pastor is taking an unorthodox approach to Lent.
Standing in front of his congregation at Ecclesia Church, a congregation he admits is different - more diverse, more urban - than many evangelical churches - Chris Seay encouraged them to do so something he said combines the ideas of sacrifice and devotion that mark the Lenten season, the 40-day lead up to Easter.
He asked them to get tattoos. Specifically, he asked congregants to get a tattoo corresponding with one of the Stations of the Cross, the collection of images that depict scenes in Jesus' journey to his crucifixion.
"The tendency we have as Christians is to skip past Jesus' suffering," Seay said in an interview. "Not only do tattoos come with a bit of suffering, they are also an art form that has not fully been embraced."
To help with the project, Seay enlisted Scott Erickson, artist-in-residence at his church. Erickson designed 10 distinct Stations of the Cross tattoos, leaving out four stations that Seay said changed in context when you are asking someone to get something permanently drawn on their body.
The Stations of the Cross depict Jesus from his condemnation to the Resurrection.
The church is now displaying photographs of the tattoos in the church's art gallery, in an exhibition called "Cruciformity: Stations on the Skin."
Initially, Seay has hoped that enough people - 10- would sign up to fill each station of the cross. But his expectations were far exceeded.
Seay says that more than 50 people are now brandishing one of Erickson's designs on their bodies.
Guadeloupe Rodriguez is among them. When Seay pitched the tattoo idea from the pulpit, Rodriguez's wife squeezed his hand. "That is what you have been waiting for," she said.
"I fell into some hard times in my past, hanging out with the wrong crowd ... got into some pretty tough drugs," said Rodriguez, who says he found Jesus at Ecclesia. "My aunt, though, on her deathbed, said to me, 'You only have one God, one mom and one dad - you need to be straightening up for all three of them."
Because of that experience, Rodriguez had the churches 10th station image, the resurrection, tattooed to his body. He felt that the two birds holding a suspended banner that read, "Rise Again," perfectly fit his personal story.
"From the day my aunt said that to me, I relied on the Lord a lot to guide me in the right direction," Rodriguez said. "I am where I am now because of God."
Click here to continue reading.

SOURCE: CNN
Dan Merica
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ABC's "GCB" Premieres Amid Criticism, Chenoweth Defends Show's Plotline What Are Your Thoughts?

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 9:14pm


 
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From left, Miriam Shor, Kristin Chenoweth, and Jennifer Aspen are shown in a scene from "GCB". (Karen Neal/ABC)
"GCB" brings together a Texas church, a klatch of stiletto-clad socialites and a secretly gay husband. Forget stirring controversy -- this show could whip it up into a froth.
Long before its Sunday night premiere on ABC, the series, originally titled "Good Christian B****es," rustled the feathers of critics and groups like the Parents Television Council and the Women's Media Center. Kristin Chenoweth, the star of the show and a vocal Christian herself, isn't about to smooth them all down.
"The Bible tells us that we're not supposed to judge, and people shouldn't judge before seeing the show," she told ABCNews.com. "I'm a Christian, I think that's pretty well known, and I would never do anything that I think crossed the line."
Chenoweth likened the soapy series to "chocolate cake and dessert." She plays the plastic surgery-perfected Carlene, the kind of woman who wears diamond hoops half the size of her head to daily services. "GCB" revolves around Carlene's crew of similarly well heeled girlfriends, one of which is knowingly married to a gay man whose sexuality is kept secret from the church-going community. What does Chenoweth say to those critical of that plot point?
"I'd say go to church and take a look around the room and see if you see any women who might be married to a man who might be gay," she said. "I'd say be very careful of judging someone who's in marriage who is gay because they don't want to be told they're going to hell. I think that happens and I think it's horrible."
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SOURCE: ABC News
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104-101: Deron Williams Scores Franchise-Record 57 Points In New Jersey Nets Victory

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 9:07pm

 
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DJ White #8 of the Charlotte Bobcats in the huddle before the game against the New Jersey Nets at the Time Warner Cable Arena on March 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images) DJ White
Deron Williams really wanted to make his tee time Monday morning in Miami.
Knowing coach Avery Johnson would be giving his team the day off if they won, Williams took matters into his own hands and scored a franchise-record 57 points to lead the New Jersey Nets to a 104-101 victory Sunday night over the Charlotte Bobcats.
"I had an 11:39 tee time, so I had to make sure I'd make that," said Williams, an avid golfer. "So I wanted to contribute."
The Nets needed just about every point they could get from Williams to fend off the pesky Bobcats, who led by as many as 16 in the first half.
"The first half was pretty pitiful," Williams said.
Williams had 17 points in the first half before erupting for 22 in the third quarter to help the Nets battle back from an eight-point halftime deficit and take the lead. He added 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a pivotal shot late in the game to give the Nets a four-point lead.
Johnson called Williams' effort unbelievable.
"He really was focused," Johnson said. "He was well-rested. He made a lot of shots yesterday in our mini-practice and it carried over into tonight's game. We were going back and forth on whether to have a shootaround this morning and we opted for rest. And he was pretty fresh."
Williams' eyes grew a little wider when he realized early on that the Bobcats weren't double-teaming him off pick and rolls.
It's something he hadn't seen all season.
"I'm used to getting double-teamed on those," Williams said. "It's kind of refreshing not to be."
The 57 points are the most in the NBA this season and breaks the Nets' previous team record of 52 shared by Mike Newlin and Ray Williams.
It was the second-most points scored against the Bobcats, one shy of Kobe Bryant's 58 in 2006.
Williams, who came in averaging 21.7 points, shot 16 of 29 from the field and hit all 21 of his free throws. He did miss one attempt at the line, but the Bobcats were called for a lane violation and Williams hit the second chance.
Williams said he was a little surprised when a teammate told him he had 39 points at the end of the third quarter, three shy of his personal career best set April 6, 2010, against Oklahoma City.
"You really don't pay attention to it," Williams said. "It's just one of those games where you start feeling good and let it go."
Added teammate Sheldon Williams: "When someone is hitting like that you want to keep going to the well until it runs dry. It never did tonight."
However, not all went right for the Nets on this night as starting center Brook Lopez rolled his right ankle and left the locker room on crutches. Lopez, who made his season debut Feb. 19 after missing the Nets' first 32 games while recovering from a broken right foot, had an X-ray but will be reevaluated on Monday, according to Johnson.
"It's a tough situation for him, especially coming back from the foot situation," Johnson said. "We're going to get him checked out tomorrow. We'll know more when we find out."
Afterward, Bobcats coach Paul Silas wasn't apologizing for his team's approach to defending Williams.
"You can do one of two things: You can try to stop him and double him and leave other players wide open or guard everybody," Silas said. "I thought that's mainly what kept us in the game. Nobody else was doing anything (for them). It gave us a chance."
Corey Maggette had 24 points and Gerald Henderson added 15 for the Bobcats, who've now lost five straight and 21 of 22.
Williams did just about everything right, adding six rebounds and seven assists. He also converted a four-point play after getting fouled while knocking down a 3-pointer from the wing.
With the Nets leading 96-94 with 1:04 remaining, Kris Humphries missed two free throws but Sheldon Williams got a key momentum-turning rebound and called timeout. Deron Williams hit a big jumper to give the Nets a four-point lead and Sheldon Williams followed by converting a three-point play off a pretty pass from Jordan Farmar.
The Bobcats would cut the lead to two with 3.5 seconds left, but MarShon Brooks knocked down one of two free throws with 1.7 seconds left. The Bobcats had a final chance to tie the game but Augustin's off-balance heave from 20 feet didn't hit the rim.
"We didn't give up," Silas said. "That was a great thing. In the last 1.7 seconds, we didn't execute that play particularly well. But we did have a chance. That shows me that we are getting there. It's certainly not there yet. But we are striving to get there. At least we're not just giving up and letting teams just run over us. If we continue to do this, we'll be OK."


SOURCE: The Associated Press
Steve Reed
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Opposition Cries Fraud After Vladimir Putin's Victory in Russia's Presidential Election

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 9:06pm


 
 
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Thousands of Russians gathered Monday for a massive rally to challenge Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's victory in Russia's presidential election, chanting "Shame!" and "Russia without Putin!"
Demonstrators are contesting the outcome of the vote, pointing to a campaign heavily slanted in Putin's favor and to reports of widespread violations in Sunday's ballot.
Putin won more than 63 percent of the vote according to the nearly complete official returns, but the opposition and independent observers say the election has been marred by massive fraud.
"The campaign has been unfair, cowardly and treacherous," said opposition leader Grigory Yavlinsky, who had been denied registration for the race on a technicality.
International election monitors pointed at the lack of real competition and said the vote count "was assessed negatively" in almost a third of polling stations observers visited.
The violations in the vote added fuel to Monday's protest in downtown Moscow by Putin's foes, who are demanding an end to his 12-year rule. The rally, which follows a series of massive previous protests, has been sanctioned by authorities but security was tight, with some 12,000 police deployed to ensure order.
"We are going to hold new elections," said Yevgeny Natarov, a 38-year old Moscow resident who attended the opposition protest.
Sergei Udaltsov, one of the organizers, urged protesters to stay on Moscow's iconic Pushkin Square until Putin steps down.
"If it was a free election, why have they flooded the entire city of troops?" Udaltsov shouted to the crowd, which responded with cries: "They fear us!"
The police presence was intense near the site of Monday's protest and other areas of the capital, with dozens of trucks carrying riot shield-wielding police and vans used for detaining protesters parked around downtown. Prosecutors warned the rally's organizers they would face criminal responsibility for any unsactioned protests.
Police quickly rounded up Eduard Limonov, the leader of the banned National Bolshevik Party and several dozen of his supporters, who attempted to hold an unsanctioned protest near the headquarters of Russia's main security agency.
About 100 protesters were also arrested in St. Petersburg, where about 2,000 gathered for an unauthorized rally.
The independent Russian elections watchdog Golos said Monday that incomplete reports from its observers of individual polling station counts contradicted the official vote count, indicating that Putin hovered perilously close to the 50-percent mark needed for a first-round victory.
"It's one pixel away from a second round," said Golos' Roman Udot.
Putin's win was assured as he faced a weak slate of Kremlin-approved candidates and many across the vast country still see him as a guarantor of stability and the defender of a strong Russia against a hostile world, an image he has carefully cultivated during 12 years in power. He has denounced his foes as Western stooges working to weaken Russia.


SOURCE: The Associated Press
Nataliya Vasilyeva and Maria Danilova
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Baby Found In Indiana Field After Tornado Dies from Injuries

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 8:53pm


 
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Angel Babcock was found out in the middle of a field, about 10 kilometres from her home in southern Indiana. (Facebook )
Fifteen-month-old Angel Babcock seemed to be the miracle survivor of a deadly tornado that killed her parents and two siblings when she arrived Friday night at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky. Though critically injured when the twister scooped her up and deposited her in a field, Angel was opening her eyes. Hospital workers said that was a hopeful sign.
But the New Pekin, Ind., girl's condition deteriorated Saturday as her brain swelled, chief nursing officer Cis Gruebbel said. As the day went on, Angel's eyes ceased to move, and there was no sign of brain activity.
The child's grandmother, Kathy Babcock, told ABC News that she and other relatives decided Sunday afternoon to remove Angel from life support after medical staff told them there was nothing more they could do.
"I had my arm around her when she took her last breath," Babcock said. "I sang to her `Itsy-bitsy spider.'"
Angel's death ended a hopeful tale for survivors in the Midwest and South and brought to 39 the number of people killed by the storms that devastated five states.
As residents picked through the rubble and made plans to bury their dead, they also began trying to find a semblance of normalcy as officials continued to assess the damage.
The National Weather Service in Louisville, Ky., said the tornado that struck New Pekin measured an EF-3 on the enhanced Fujita scale, while another tornado that struck nearby Henryville, Ind., was stronger yet, measuring an EF-4 and packing winds of 175 mph.
Early Monday, a blanket of wet snow covered Henryville and other parts of tornado-stricken Clark County. State homeland security spokeswoman Emily Norcross said the 2 to 4 inches of snow could slow cleanup efforts because it concealed potential hazards.
"It's slippery and it's hampering visibility on roads, so it's more difficult to see small debris like nails," Norcross said. "It's complicating things."
Theresa McCarty, owner of Pop Top Bar in New Pekin, said her husband was with emergency workers Friday when they found the Babcock family. Their bodies had been scattered, she said.
McCarty, her friends and co-workers talked about establishing the bar as a central refuge for victims of the tornado from the immediate region, including making roughly 1,000 meals Sunday for victims and volunteers.
But when she talked about the Babcock family, she got quiet: "It was the whole family."
Speaking from his bed at the University of Louisville Hospital, Jason Miller told NBC's "Today" show Monday that he invited the Babcock family into his home as the storm was bearing down. As it hit, they took shelter in the hallway, grabbed hands and began to pray.
Miller said he remembers being sucked up into the air but blacked out soon after. His arm, back and five ribs were broken.
"It's very saddening to hear that the whole family passed away and I was sitting right there holding their hands two seconds before they died," Miller said.
A memorial service for the Babcock family was scheduled for Monday afternoon at a church in Salem, Ind.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels told CBS' "Face the Nation" that the twister "moved like a lawnmower though some of the most beautiful countryside, and some of the most beautiful towns that we have."
A story of hope emerged from North Carolina, where three children survived after being torn from their beds by a tornado early Saturday. The twister sucked 7-year-old Jamal Stevens from his room and threw him about 100 feet from his Charlotte area home to land alongside an interstate. His 3- and 4-year old sisters were found in nearby yards. All three were released from a hospital Sunday.
In Henryville, about 20 miles north of Louisville, school was canceled for the week because of heavy damage to the education complex housing elementary through high school students.
Even so, small signs of normalcy slowly began to emerge.
Utility crews replaced downed poles and restrung electrical lines. Portable cell towers went up, and a truck equipped with batteries, cellphone charging stations, computers and even satellite television was headed to Henryville on Monday.
"We're going to keep living," said the Rev. Steve Schaftlein during a Sunday service at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where about 100 people gathered under a patched-up 6-foot hole in the church's roof to worship and catch up on news of the tornado.
Even with life upended in so many ways, one family got a reminder that a deadly tornado can't uproot everything.
The home that Shalonda Kerr shares with her husband and Jack Russell terrier outside of Chelsea, Ind., was obliterated: The front wall was ripped clean, leaving the home looking eerily like a shaken dollhouse. An upended couch and a tipped-over fish tank lay in the rubble.
The mailbox was untouched. Its front hatch was tipped open, revealing a white piece of paper.
"Inside was a $300 IRS bill," Kerr said, laughing amid the ruins.

SOURCE: The Associated Press
Tom LoBianco and Bruce Schreiner
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President Obama to Speak at High School Graduation Ceremony in Joplin

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 8:48pm


 
barack-obama-HANDSHAKE.jpg

President Barack Obama will speak at the high school graduation ceremony in Joplin, the Missouri city slowly recovering after being struck by a devastating tornado a year ago.
Obama will deliver remarks at the May 21 commencement, according a White House official, who requested anonymity in order to speak ahead of the formal announcement.
The president last visited Joplin in May 2011, just days after the massive tornado hit. More than 160 people were killed, including seven students and one staff member at the high school, making it the worst tornado to strike the United States in decades.
Speaking at a memorial service in Joplin last year, Obama pledged to residents that "your country will be there with you every single step of the way."
The killer tornado struck the city of 50,000 less than an hour after the local high school wrapped up its 2011 graduation ceremonies. Will Norton, one of the students receiving a diploma that day, was killed in the storm.
With much of Joplin High School leveled by the tornado, this year's seniors have been attending classes at a nearby mall. Other schools in the area have moved to temporary locations in abandoned warehouses and industrial buildings.
Despite the immense challenges, school officials pride themselves on having started the school year on schedule. While they expected a steep decline in enrollment, officials say about 95 percent of students returned to attend classes in Joplin this year.
News of Obama's return to Joplin comes as other towns across the Midwest and South are struggling with the aftermath of deadly tornados. At least 39 people across five states were killed in storms that struck Friday. In Henryville, Ind., tornadoes destroyed the education complex housing the Henryville Junior/Senior High School and the town's elementary school.
Another round of storms earlier last week killed 13 people.

SOURCE: The Associated Press
Julie Pace
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Obama, Netanyahu Meet to Discuss Iranian Nuclear Weapons Crisis

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 8:45pm

 

obama-netanyahu-MEET.jpg

President Barack Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Monday, March, 5, 2012, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
 
The United States and Israel agree that diplomacy is the best way to resolve the crisis over potential Iranian nuclear weapons, President Barack Obama said Monday, an optimistic view that Israel's leader declined to publicly endorse.
"Both the prime minister and I prefer to solve this diplomatically," Obama said as he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began several hours of White House consultations. The U.S. will consider all options in confronting what it sees as the unacceptable outcome of an Iranian bomb, Obama said.
 
Netanyahu used a brief, cordial session in front of the White House cameras to remind his host that Israel will decide for itself how to confront a looming threat that both unites and divides the longtime allies.
 
Israel, he said, must remain "the master of its fate."
 
That was a pointed reference to the main question hanging over Monday's high-stakes meeting: Whether to try to stop an Iranian bomb by with a military attack in the next several months. Many in the Israeli government lean toward striking very soon, a course the Obama administration sees as dangerously premature.
 
Looking directly at Obama, Netanyahu said Iran is right about one thing: Israel and the United States are indistinguishable as Iran's enemies.
 
"We are you and you are us," he said.
 
Obama will try to persuade Netanyahu to slow quickening pressure among many in his hawkish government to attack Iran's disputed nuclear development sites.
 
Each man tried to display unity despite policy and personal differences, but ended up putting some of their divisions on display.
 
"Israel and America stand together," Netanyahu said.
 
The president is expected to tell Netanyahu in private at the White House that although the U.S. is committed to Israel's security it does not want to be dragged into another war. Obama is unlikely to spell out U.S. "red lines" - markers that would trigger a military response - despite Israeli pressure to do so.
 
"It is profoundly in the United States' interest to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. We do not want to see a nuclear arms race in one of the most volatile regions in the world. We do not want the possibility of a nuclear weapon falling in to the hands of terrorists, we do not want a regime that has been a state sponsor of terrorists being able to feel that it can act more aggressively," Obama said.
 
Obama previewed the Oval Office meeting with a speech Sunday to American supporters of Israel, a key constituency in this election year.
 
Obama said he doesn't want war but insists he would attack Iran if that was the only option left to stop that nation from getting a nuclear weapon.
 
"Loose talk of war" only plays into Iran's hands, Obama said.
 
U.S. officials believe that while Tehran has the capability to build a nuclear weapon, it has not yet decided to do so. They want to give sanctions time to pressure Iran to give up any military nuclear ambitions. Israel says the threat is too great to wait and many officials there are advocating a pre-emptive strike.
 
Obama did not directly call on Israel to stand down, and made a point of saying Israel should always have the right to defend itself as it sees fit.
 
That was the part of Obama's speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that Netanyahu said he liked best. Speaking to reporters in Canada ahead of his arrival in the U.S., Netanyahu made no reference to the sanctions and diplomacy Obama emphasized.
 
Obama is unlikely to persuade Netanyahu that economic sanctions and diplomacy are enough to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and he is unlikely to win any new concessions from Netanyahu on peace talks, the issue that drew bad blood between the two men in previous meetings and led the Israeli leader to publicly scold Obama last year.
 
Netanyahu has not publicly backed a military strike, but his government spurned arguments from top U.S. national security leaders that a preemptive attack would fail.
 
"Now is not the time for bluster," Obama said. "Now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in."
 
Israeli President Shimon Peres, who had a meeting with Obama Sunday, said he "came out with the feeling that the man is determined to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons."
 
Netanyahu was more subdued in reacting to Obama's comments Sunday, saying, "more than everything, I value his statement that Israel must be able to protect itself from all threats."
 
Obama framed military force as a last resort, not the next option at a time when sanctions are squeezing Iran. He said just the talk of war has driven up the price of oil to the benefit of Iran.
 
Although Israel says it hasn't decided whether to strike, it has signaled readiness to do so within the next several months. The top U.S. military officer recently called a unilateral strike "imprudent," a mild catchall for the chain-reaction of oil price hikes, Iranian retaliation, terror strikes and a possible wider Mideast war that U.S. officials fear could flow from an Israeli strike.
 
Israel says a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence. It cites Iranian leaders' repeated calls for Israel's destruction, support for anti-Israel militant groups and its arsenal of ballistic missiles that are already capable of striking Israel. Israel also fears a nuclear Iran would touch off an atomic weapons race in a region hostile to Israel's existence.
 
Addressing the powerful pro-Israel lobby, Obama delivered messages to multiple political audiences: Israel, Iran, Jewish voters, a restless Congress, a wary international community and three Republican presidential contenders who will speak to the same group Tuesday.
 
At the core was his assertion that the United States will never settle for containing a nuclear-armed Iran or fail to defend Israel.
 
The head of the U.N. nuclear agency said Monday his organization has "serious concerns" that Iran may be hiding secret atomic weapons work, as he acknowledged failure in his latest attempt to probe such suspicions and listed recent atomic advances by Iran.
 
"The agency continues to have serious concerns regarding possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear program," International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano said in Vienna.

 

SOURCE: The Associated Press
Anne Gearan

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ASUS Details Padfone Specs, Crams A Snapdragon S4 Inside Your Phone, Inside Your Tablet

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 8:36pm

padfoneASUS has barely been able to contain its excitement for its Padfone device(s?). Finally, though, we get some more details about what the phone/tablet set will be packing. The former is sporting a a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 (it's unclear what model at this time) and 1GB of RAM, underneath a 4.3" 960x540 Super AMOLED screen. Much like Motorola's line of lapdocks, the SoC of the phone will power the tablet while docked.

padfone2

The tablet station has a 10.1" screen, a gratuitous 24.4Whr battery, and Micro USB and Micro HDMI connections. The tablet station will use the phone's 8MP rear camera, though it has its own front-facing camera for video chat. As if that wasn't enough, the tablet can also be docked into ASUS' now-iconic keyboard docks. The Padfone is not-so-subtly attempting to be the only device you'll ever need.

padfone3

I'm sure there's an Inception joke in here somewhere.

Here's the full list of specs for the phone half of ASUS' Padfone:

  • WCDMA 900/2100MHz
  • EDGE/GPRS 850/900/1800/1900MHz
  • HSPA+ 21/5.76Mbps (42Mbps Optional)
  • Android 4.0 (ICS)
  • Snapdragon S4 (dual-core Krait) with Adreno 225 GPU
  • 1GB LPDDR2 RAM + 16 - 64GB eMMC NAND
  • 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, 3.5mm audio jack, microUSB 2.0
  • 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD (960 x 540)
  • Rear Camera: 8MP F2.2, AF with LED Flash
  • Front Camera: VGA
  • Motion sensor, proximity light sensor, gyro sensor, e-compass
  • 1520mAh Li-ion
  • microSD expansion slot (SDHC/SDXC up to 32GB)
  • Dimensions: 128mm x 65.4mm x 9.2mm
  • Weight: 129g

When docked in the tablet, the Padfone gains the following new specs:

  • Micro USB + Micro HDMI
  • 10.1-inch 1280 x 800 display with Capacative Touch
  • Rear Camera: 8MP (via Padfone rear camera)
  • Front Camera: 1.3MP (1280 x 800)
  • Vibration sensor, 2 color LED indicators for battery status
  • 24.4Whr Battery
  • 2-in-1 audio jack, 40-pin connector
  • Phone/GPS
  • Dimensions: 273mm x 176.9mm x 13.65mm (h-average)
  • Weight: 724g

No details are available yet on pricing, availability, or if the Padfone will get its own keyboard dock or if it can use the same dock that other ASUS tablets use. If we had to guess, we'd say that another ASUS dock would work just fine for this tablet, though obviously you'll want to hear that from ASUS before you go out and buy a keyboard dock in anticipation.

So, are the specs nice enough to convince you to give up your phone, tablet, and laptop?

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More ‘iPad 3′ prototype parts show up, we go hands-on

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 5:34pm

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In recent years, it’s become a fashion for Apple prototype parts to pop up just weeks ahead of hardware launches; and it seems like there’s no exception for the upcoming next-gen iPad, which is believed to feature a 2,048 x 1,536 IPS LCD within the same 9.7-inch footprint. While we’re only two days away from seeing Tim Cook and co. unveiling said tablet, we couldn’t help but take a look at its bits and bobs acquired by our good friends over at M.I.C. Gadget.

What we have here is allegedly the external essentials of the “iPad 3,” which include a white glass cover (sans frame) with a home button already installed, along with a 3G-ready aluminum body plus cables for the dock connector and the volume rocker. With a quick glance you may easily mistake this as just the iPad 2 — it’s even compatible with the Smart Cover! But look close enough and you’ll spot the larger lens on the prototype, which may suggest that Apple’s finally giving its tablet a more capable back camera. There’s also a more subtle difference between the two bodies: not only is this “iPad 3″ marginally thicker, but the curvature from the flat bottom to the sides is ever so slightly more emphasized, thus providing a tad more internal space for the components — most likely the battery for the sake of feeding the rumored LTE radio. Well, until Mr. Cook gives us the answers, you can keep yourselves busy by watching M.I.C. Gadget’sfunkadelic hands-on video after the break.

Continue reading More ‘iPad 3′ prototype parts show up, we go hands-on

More ‘iPad 3′ prototype parts show up, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 

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ASUS claims it may be among first to get Android 5.0, confirms Jelly Bean moniker Plus Android 6.0 Is Code Named Key Lime Pie

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 5:30pm

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We’ve seen some pretty incredible smartphones and technologies at MWC, but it goes without saying that one of the hottest topics at the show was Android, and speculation over the release and alias of its next-gen operating system. Based on Google’s update schedule, it’s within reason to expect Android 5.0 to hit within the next year — but which popular confection will bear the honor or representing the latest OS flavor? There’s been little doubt that the jelly bean will fill that role, and now ASUS has confirmed to TechRadar not only that delectable moniker — Jelly Bean — but also that the company will likely be among the first to get the new OS. That claim came from VP Benson Lin, who said “Asus is very close to Google, so once they have Android 5.0 I think there will be a high possibility that we will be the first wave to offer the Jelly Bean update.” So, there you have it. Now go get to scooping up every variation of the Je!!y 8ean domain.

ASUS claims it may be among first to get Android 5.0, confirms Jelly Bean moniker originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 

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ANDROID 6.0 IS CODE NAMED KEY LIME PIE

Google has always had a sense of humor when it comes to their code names for their Android operating system versions which have always been named after a sweet dessert. Historically speaking, Google has also named their operating systems alphabetically.

Although Android 5.0 or Jelly Bean hasn’t been released, nor has it been announced yet, there are already rumors about what the version of Android after this one will be code named. According to therumors, Google will remain true to their naming convention and Android 6.0 if that is what the number system remains will be known as Key Lime pie. This time, Google has gone with a sweet Florida dessert for their name which comes by way of an anonymous tipster that was in contact with the website The Verge.

As mentioned earlier, we’re still waiting for the skinny on Android 5.0 of which Jelly Bean is the expected name. Though Google has not come out and confirmed this yet, the Mobile World Congress did have a visual aid that all but cemented this name into the minds of attendees. That’s because on the Google table was of course a large bowl of jelly beans. So, now that we know the names or at least what are likely to be the names, the next step will be to see what the features of these operating systems will be.

Source

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[Rumor] 16GB Galaxy Nexus And Droid Incredible 3 Coming To Verizon On April 5 and 26th, Respectively

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 4:53pm


 
 
[Rumor] 16GB Galaxy Nexus And Droid Incredible 3 Coming To Verizon On April 5 and 26th, Respectively

Hot on the heels of this weekend’s LG Cayman (now called the Lucid 4G) and Droid Fighter release date leak comes rumors of yet another set of release dates for some new VZW hotness. This go around is a 16GB version of the Galaxy Nexus – presumably in both white and black – set to hit on April 4th for all those folks who are convinced that 32GB is just too much storage, or perhaps those who just can’t justify the price tag but still want to get in on some of that Nexus action.

Aside from the GNex, the …

Official Android Police t-shirts are now on…

Continue Reading Here
[Rumor] 16GB Galaxy Nexus And Droid Incredible 3 Coming To Verizon On April 5 and 26th, Respectively
Cameron Summerson – rss.feedsportal

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The Samsung Galaxy S Advance Is Absurdly Expensive

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 5, 2012 at 4:43pm


 
The Samsung Galaxy S Advance Is Absurdly Expensive

We were waiting for this  and it’s finally here. It’s a surprise,  but not in a good way. The previously unpriced Samsung Galaxy S Advance is, to Samsung, seemingly priceless. The device is set to go on sale for a whopping $650.

To put it into perspective, take a look at what you get for that price as listed by the FCC documents.

1GHz dual-core CPU
4-inch Super AMOLED display
768 MB of RAM
5 MP rear facing camera and 1.3 MP front facing camera
Android 2.3 Gingerbread
1500 mAh battery

Essentially, you get a smaller screen, a slower processor, …

Continue Reading Here
The Samsung Galaxy S Advance Is Absurdly Expensive
Jim Farmer – talkandroid.com

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New Music From Shadow of the Locust “In The Name Of” prod. Upright feat. Reveal & Dirt (@eyeReveal, @shadowlocust)

Posted by Prince Malachi The First on March 2, 2012 at 9:34pm

In the Name of Feat. Reveal, Dirt and Upright

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO PLAY TRACK
YEAR of the LOCUST!
It is an exciting time in the fields of Hiphop! A plague of Locust has been sighted, inspired by the harvest fields. With them, they bring Offerings to the Masses! Every Month in the Year 2012, we will be offering free NEW music. Not previously released! Featuring the talent, skill and inspiration of SOTL members! For more info on this new and fresh movement of Shadow of the Locust, visit www.locustfist.com and pass the word around! Look to the sky ! Heed the warning the Shadow is coming, the Shadow is coming!
Year of the Locust! Free Downloads
Here is March 2012?s Song “in the Name of” produced by UpRight, featuring Reveal and Dirt.


 

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