Santos stands up to armed groups seizing rural land | The Impartial ...

Rural inhabitants threatened by armed groups to stop reclaiming territories; police confiscate printers used for false currency; football club discusses giving up titles won using ?dirty money?.

Rural inhabitants threatened by armed groups to stop reclaiming territories

President Juan Manuel Santos has offered a reward of up to two million Colombian pesos for any information that might lead to the capture of those who have been pressuring rural inhabitants to stop reclaiming territories.

Many of those attempting to reclaim land that has been taken from them are facing threats from armed groups.

The north of the country is worst affected, including: the south of the Bol?var department, Uraba Antioque?o, Bajo Cauca Antioque?o, and the departments of C?rdoba, Meta and Guaviare.

A report released by the Colombian Ministry of Justice and Law suggests that illegal organisations including ?Las ?guilas Negras?, ?Los Rastrojos?, ?Los Paisas?, el Erpac, and ?Los Urabe?os? have been threatening and attacking rural leaders and inhabitants.

The country dwellers frequently claim that their buildings have been occupied by members of the right-wing paramilitary organization Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (United Self-defence forces of Colombia ? AUC), or the heads of drugs-trafficking organisations.

Last Saturday, during a meeting in Medell?n, President Santos stated that ?the government will combat any threat? against people trying to reclaim their land.

He set out to restore 3.5 million hectares before the end of his term in 2014.

Police confiscate printers used for false currency

The Colombian authorities have dismantled two printers that were used to falsify foreign currency, particularly US dollars, in operations carried out in the centre and south east of the country.

Police discovered the printing works in the Cauca department and in Bogot?. They have now arrested fourteen people and confiscated approximately US$2 million, together with a similar amount in euros.

The operation, ?Aurora?, initially led to the discovery, in Piendam? in the Cauca department, of a house where dollars were being fabricated. It is believed the profits of this went to the VI Frente de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Sixth Front of the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia ? FARC).

A total of US$1 million in a variety of currency, and a printer were seized.

The operation in Bogot? led to the arrest of 12 people who were supposedly producing US dollars, pounds sterling, euros and Colombian pesos.

Millonarios to give up its two ?tainted? titles?

Last week it was rumoured that the most successful football team in Colombia?s history, Millionarios, was going to give up two of its 13 titles, which were won whilst the club was controlled and financed by drug-traffickers.

The news that the club may relinquish the titles it won in 1987 and 1988 has proved unpopular with fans, particularly after the team?s 8 ? 0 defeat by Real Madrid last Thursday.

However, Gustavo Serpa Preciado, an investor and member of the club?s board of directors, has defended the idea, arguing that it constitutes an important message of transparency and could consolidate the new kind of society being established in Colombia.

Millionarios was sold to notorious drug-lord Gonzalo Rodr?guez Gacha, also known as ?el Mexicano? in 1982. He bought it jointly with two livestock farmers, ?lmer Tamayo and Guillermo G?mez Melgarejo. The latter was also believed to be involved in organized crime.

The publication ?El Tiempo? claims that the club was the drug lord?s favourite ?plaything? and that he organised matches between Millonarios and his hired hit men, or ?sicarios?.

Upon buying Millos he immediately paid off its 250 million-peso debt. He also bought players including Pedro Alberto Vivalda, Jos? Daniel Van Tuyne, Juan Gilberto Funes, Marcelo Trobbiani and Mario Vanemerak.

A lawyer who advised the club whilst it was owned by ?el Mexicano? told ?El Tiempo? that a player could earn US$50,000 a month plus bonuses for each goal that pleased Rodr?guez Gacha?.

?El Mexicano? was also linked, during that period, with possibly the most famous drug lord of all time: Pablo Escobar.

The president of Millonarios, Felipe Gait?n, faced with a public outcry at the suggestion that the club would give up two of its titles, has since clarified that the proposal has not been officially presented to its governing board.

He added that ?no decision will be taken without taking into account the opinions of the club?s shareholders, directors, footballing stars and its fans?.

Source: http://www.pulsamerica.co.uk/2012/10/01/colombia-santos-stands-up-to-armed-groups-seizing-rural-land/

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Banned From Baby Showers: Bullying On the Playground of Life

I started writing this post months ago when my then-7th grader was being bullied by a girl half her size. ?This girl at school was doing things like cutting pieces of Vena's hair, taking her shoes and throwing them across the classroom, throwing her homework in the trash, and berating my daughter every chance she got.

I've had another kid boss one of my girls to give her answers to her homework and then turn the other girls on her, telling them not to play with Abby.

My son had his share of problems when he was little, but figured out pretty early on how to deal with it. ? ?As a junior in high school, he has a section leader (band) that he's had a hard time dealing with this semester, however. ?The guy even pushed him and has been verbally abusive. ?Daymon has just had to ignore him and stay out of his way. ?It's really affected how he feels about band this year.

My youngest doesn't like to take treats in her school lunches because there's a girl who always takes them from her.

So, like most families, we have this constant conversation at our house about what is acceptable behavior and what is not. ?The whole "treat others as you want to be treated" just doesn't pan out sometimes. ?You can be the nicest person on the planet and sometimes people are just jerks.

We have noticed a theme with children that bully:? they are either only-children or they have a dysfunctional family life. ?With the first category, I realize that all only-children are not bullies, but several of the bullies in our life have been. ?They have been poor communicators and do not have conflict resolution skills. ?They often get whatever they want at home and make fun of my kids who have to share the majority of what they have. ?(I'm so sick of "Why can't I have my own iPad like fill-in-the-blank?")

The second category is more difficult. ?These are the kids you would normally feel sorry for if they weren't such brats. ?They are likely bullied at home by either their parents or older siblings. ?This may be a rough analogy, but my favorite show is "Criminal Minds" on CBS. ?By the end of the program, I find myself feeling sorry for the "unsub" because his childhood was so rough, it's no wonder he became a sociopath. And yet, he's despicable for all the bad things he did. ?That's how I feel about some of these kids.

People who are bullied do become adults. ?If they never learn to stand up for themselves, they either keep being bullied or become angry, depressed, or resentful. ? I hope all children who are bullied are able to grow up, find their voice, and realize that the problem lies with the bully, not with the one who is bullied. They have to have people in their lives who tell them they are awesome though -- people who boost them up and help them see their worth.

My 11-year-old says, "You never lose a friend, you just figure out who the real ones are." ?She's so smart. ?She has awesome self-esteem and is still often treated awfully by some of the girls at school. She is able to let it roll off her though. ?I am so proud of her and her maturity in dealing with these snotty girls.

So what about those girls on the playground that made other girls do what they wanted them to? ?The ones who said that if you were friends with someone they didn't like, they wouldn't be friends with you? ?We all dealt with that as kids! ?Not much changes as adults, apparently. ?Not long ago, I was?told what Facebook pages I should and shouldn't "like"!?I also?know adults that have literally been told who they can and cannot be friends with by their supposed friends. ?Can you imagine an adult telling another adult who they can and can't be friends with?!
???

I believe this topic is so relevant in our lives, no matter our age or the age of our children, or even our parents. Why do people like to boss other people? ?It must make them feel powerful where they feel powerless in other areas of their lives. ?They have to manipulate others because they have no control over their lives, compulsions, or addictions. ?It's like the abusive husband that makes his wife think it's her fault he keeps hitting her. ?She keeps coming back apologizing because she shouldn't have worn that dress, or made that expression, or said what she thought. ?She deserved to be punched -- physically or verbally -- or so he makes her believe. This translates over to birth. ?Women are bullied into cesarean birth like never before. ?They are bullied by doctors, nurses, friends, mothers, etc.? ?They may want an entirely different birth but don't want to disappoint the people around them. ?They lack the self esteem to say "NO! ?This is my life, my baby, and my body. ?I will make my own decisions, like I expect you to make your own decisions. ?I'm not telling you how to live your life -- please give me the same respect."

This all boils down to self-esteem. ?If you are bullied, you lack the self-esteem to say STOP! ?If you are a bully, your lack of self-esteem is evident because knocking others down makes you feel better about yourself.

I've worked with hundreds of women over the years and I believe many of them would make different choices in many areas of their lives if they had good self-esteem. ?In the few months since starting training women as natural childbirth educators, it's been amazing to work with women and seeing them develop confidence in themselves. ?It has been awesome!

Winston Churchill once stated, "Do you worst - we'll do our best." ?I never want to be known as a bully, but rather someone who lifted people up and helped them become better people, reaching their full potential. ?I want my children to be better than me. ?I want the instructors I am training for Birth Boot Camp to be better than me.

If you are being bullied, you are worth so much more! ?If it's too hard to stand up to the bullies, walk away from them. ?Don't crawl back. ?It's better to stand alone than to let yourself be put under by someone who wants to control you. ? Like my very wise daughter says, "You never lose a friend - you figure out who the real ones are."

Source: http://banned-from-baby-showers.blogspot.com/2012/10/bullying-on-playground-of-life.html

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Afghan motorcycle bomber kills 14, including 3 NATO troops

KABUL - A suicide bomber driving a motorcycle packed with explosives rammed his bike into a patrol of Afghan and international forces on Monday morning in eastern Afghanistan, killing at least 14 people, including three NATO service members and their translator, officials said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast, which came a day after the U.S. death toll in the war in Afghanistan reached 2,000 troops and as relations between international forces and their Afghan partners have been pushed to the breaking point by a surge in insider attacks by Afghan allies.

The bomber struck a group of Afghan police and international troops shortly after they got out of their vehicles to walk through a market area in Khost city, the capital of Khost province, said provincial government spokesman Baryalai Wakman.

Six civilians and four police officers were killed in the blast, Wakman said. He said the police officers were part of a specialized quick-reaction force.

Blood could be seen on the market road as Afghan police and soldiers tried to clean up the area after the blast. Slippers and bicycle parts were strewn about.

"I heard the explosion and came right to this area. I saw the dead bodies of policemen and of civilians right here," said policeman Hashmat Khan, who ran to the site of the blast from his job as security for a nearby bank.

Coalition spokesman Maj. Adam Wojack would only confirm that three NATO service members and their translator died in a bombing in the east on Monday, without giving an exact location or the nationalities of the dead.

The international military alliance usually waits for individual nations to announce details on deaths. Most of the troops in the east and in Khost province are American. It was not immediately clear if the translator was an Afghan citizen or a foreigner, Wojack said.

Dozens of Afghan civilians were also wounded in the bombing. The city's hospital alone was treating about 30 people injured in the explosion, said Dr. Amir Pacha, a physician working there. He added there could be other victims being treated at nearby private clinics.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in text messages to media that the insurgent group was behind the attack.

Joint patrols between NATO and Afghan forces have become more limited following a tide of attacks by Afghan soldiers and police on their international allies. Last month, the U.S. military issued new orders that require units to get approval from higher-ups before conducting operations with Afghans. Then, two weeks later, U.S. officials said most missions were being conducted with Afghans again, though the system of approvals has remained in place.

The close contact ? coalition forces working side by side with Afghan troops as advisers, mentors and trainers ? is a key part of the U.S. strategy for putting the Afghans in the lead as the U.S. and other nations prepare to pull out their last combat troops by the end of 2014.

But the rising death toll for international troops has increased calls in the U.S. and other allies to get out as soon as possible. On Sunday, a U.S. official confirmed that an American soldier was killed in a firefight that broke out between Afghan and U.S. troops, sparked by either a premeditated attack or confusion about the origins of an insurgent strike.

According to an Associated Press count, that soldier's death brought American troop deaths in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion to 2,000 ? a cold reminder of the perils that remain after an 11-year conflict.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/afghan-motorcycle-bomber-kills-14-including-3-nato-085148091.html

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Rivers throws for 2 TDs as Chargers rip Chiefs

By DAVE SKRETTA

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 3:23 p.m. ET Sept. 30, 2012

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Philip Rivers threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns, and the San Diego Chargers capitalized on six turnovers by the Kansas City Chiefs in a 37-20 victory Sunday.

Five of the Chiefs' turnovers came in the first half, when San Diego (3-1) raced to a 27-6 lead. The Chargers coasted the rest of the way to sole possession of first place in the AFC West.

Matt Cassel threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns for Kansas City (1-3), but he also had three first-half interceptions. Jamaal Charles, who followed his big game last week at New Orleans with touchdowns rushing and receiving, fumbled twice.

San Diego running back Jackie Battle had a pair of scores against his former team. Dwayne Bowe had seven catches for 108 yards and a touchdown for Kansas City.

---

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

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

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Ryan rallies Falcons

Matt Bryant kicked a 40-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining and the Atlanta Falcons remained unbeaten, rallying past the Carolina Panthers 30-28 on Sunday.

49ers run all over Jets 34-0

Carlos Rogers returned a fumble 51 yards for a touchdown, and the San Francisco 49ers ran for more than 200 yards to rout the New York Jets 34-0 on Sunday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/49232383/ns/sports-nfl/

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Genetically engineered cow makes anti-allergy milk

LONDON (Reuters) - Researchers in New Zealand have genetically engineered a cow to produce milk with very little of a protein that causes an allergic reaction in some children.

They hope the technique, which uses a process called RNA interference that reduces the activity of certain genes without eliminating it completely, can be used to control other traits in livestock.

With mothers breastfeeding less, cows' milk is an increasing source of protein for babies, but the different composition of cows' milk can cause an allergic reaction.

"In developed countries, 2-3 percent of infants are allergic to cows' milk proteins in the ?rst year of life," the researchers said in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Anower Jabed and colleagues at the New Zealand government-run AgResearch company said their genetically modified cow produced milk with a 96 percent reduction in the protein beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), a component known to cause allergic reactions.

While there are dairy industry processes that can reduce the allergenic potential of normal milk, they are expensive and can result in a bitter taste.

Another gene manipulation technique using a process called homologous recombination could theoretically knock out, rather than suppress, the gene that produces BLG but the researchers said that, so far, this has not worked.

Bruce Whitelaw, professor of animal biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh, said the New Zealand research "offers a good example of how these technologies can be used to provide alternative strategies to current manufacturing process".

He said that although RNA interference has been shown to work in manipulating plants and worms, "it has not worked in livestock before".

Whitelaw told Reuters that aside from accentuating or reducing genetically determined characteristics in farm animals, such as growth rate, the technique could be used to improve defence against infection.

"Time will tell how widely applicable RNA interference will be in GM livestock. But this is certainly a milestone study in this field," he said.

(Reporting by Chris Wickham; Editing by Dan Lalor)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/genetically-engineered-cow-makes-anti-allergy-milk-192206421.html

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Review: The Step-by-Step Copywriting Course

by Jill Whalen 2005http://www.highrankings.com/copywritingcourse I?ve spent the past couple of weeks reading Karon Thackston?s copywriting course, and boy-oh-boy is it a winner! Karon spent five long months putting down on virtual paper everything that she?s learned in her 20+ years as a veteran copywriter. In fact, she told me that the hardest part was [...]

The article starts below...

Written on October 1st, 2012
Read more articles on Copywriting.

by Jill Whalen 2005
http://www.highrankings.com/copywritingcourse
I?ve spent the past couple of weeks reading Karon Thackston?s copywriting course, and boy-oh-boy is it a winner! Karon spent five long months putting down on virtual paper everything that she?s learned in her 20+ years as a veteran copywriter. In fact, she told me that the hardest part was consciously making note of what comes naturally to her when she writes. I understand that perfectly, as that?s the same thing I do when writing or speaking about search engine optimization. But, man, when you can get that natural process stuff down on paper, it really makes for killer material, and a great learning experience!
The major focus of the course is online and search engine copywriting, since Karon?s been into that since 1999.
The course itself is actually a jam-packed, 150+-page .pdf file, which could be read as a book if you wanted to be lazy and just learn the basics. However, if you?re serious about learning how to write great copy, you should take the course in the manner in which it was intended. That is, read all the lessons and try to complete the assignments. This is a self-paced, self-scoring course so you?ve got to use your own willpower for that one though, since no teacher will be standing over your shoulder waiting for you to hand it in!
What I like best about this course/book are the real world examples Karon uses. She doesn?t just *tell* you how to write great copy; she explains why certain techniques work and why others don?t, and provides stunning examples to back it all up. In fact, her writing samples were so good that I?m seriously thinking about signing up for some of the services she wrote about (a personal coach was one that sticks out in my mind ? if only I wasn?t such a procrastinator!).
And that, my friends, is the crux of what Karon will teach you, if you decide to give the course a spin: you too can write copy in a way that truly entices people to take action. The good news is that it?s priced extremely low at only $89.00. A whole heck of a lot cheaper than if you signed up for a copywriting course at a University or Business School, and most likely, a whole heck of a lot better!

You can get all the details or purchase the Step-by-Step Copywriting Course here: http://www.highrankings.com/copywritingcourse.

Jill Whalen of High Rankings (http://www.highrankings.com) is an internationally recognized search engine optimization consultant and editor of the free weekly High Rankings Advisor search engine marketing newsletter (http://www.highrankings.com/advisor.htm). Jill is also owner of the free High Rankings SEO Forum (http://www.highrankings.com/forum).

Written on October 1st, 2012
Read more articles on Copywriting.

Source: http://www.copywritinghelp.net/copywriting/review-the-step-by-step-copywriting-course-5/

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Free Medical Care For L.A.'s Uninsured Gets Largest Turnout In ...

Ron Cole proudly tries on his new glasses (Paige Brettingen/Neon Tommy)

Ron Cole taps his fingers along the clear plastic case that rests in his lap, as though checking to make sure it?s still there.

Inside is something he?s never owned before: A pair of glasses in dazzling neon orange- his favorite color.

?It was? beautiful,? said Cole, his voice choking slightly as he talked about his visit with the ophthalmologist. He will now be able to read for the first time in two years.

?I knew something was wrong,? said Cole, who was also diagnosed with glaucoma at the clinic. ?It was so hard for me to read, but now I know I?m not impaired. It was just my vision.?

The 49-year-old was one of over 4,000 people seeking free medical treatment at the Care Harbor L.A. Clinic held in the L.A. Sports Arena this weekend. The four-day event welcomed anyone in need of medical help, especially the uninsured. Patients camped outside last Monday to secure one of the coveted 4,800 wristbands distributed?the highest number Care Harbor has ever given in its four years of hosting the clinic.

(More photos from the Care Harbor L.A. Clinic)

?There is such a high need,? said Care Harbor volunteer Carson Myers, who has travelled from Atlanta for the past three years to help register patients electronically at the arena.

?We get people all across the board. We had a family of five people who you would think was the normal suburb family and they don?t have health care. They don?t have money much less a $20 co-pay.??? Another volunteer, Larry Richetts, offered a similar observation.

?A number of people I talked to? they work. They work hard? And to go to the dentist for a cleaning when they?re making 12, 14 dollars an hour, that?s just going to eat them up,? he said.

That?s not far off from Cole?s situation. Balancing work in construction and as truck-driver, the insurance he receives through his union doesn?t cover vision care.

Another patient, Sharon Montano, 46, lost her dental benefits when Medi-Cal dropped dental coverage in 2009. Asked why she came to the clinic, she prods her mouth, pointing out the three gaping sections of gums where her teeth used to be.

?I want to cry at times,? she said, describing the medical frustrations she?s dealt with over the past few years. A widow with two children, she has L.A. Care insurance which covers Medi-Cal participants but only covers extractions.

?They want to charge me a lot of money, but I can?t afford it,? she said.

(Why Governor Brown's Budget Is Filled With 'Horrific Choices')

Montano had been waiting five years for partials, but instead received ?Flippers?: temporary acrylic teeth being made in the arena.

Dental care is always one of the most in-demand services and this year proved no different, according to Myers.

?That?s really one of the crucial downfalls is that the community really needs dental care. Unfortunately dental procedures take a long time, so we can give them only one service when they?re here?medical, dental or vision,? Myers said.

From his post on the upper level of the arena, Richetts looked down at about 100 dental chairs and pop-up tents that serve as doctors? offices, covering every piece of the stadium?s 38,000 square-foot floor.

?Anybody who thinks we don?t need national health care?? His voice trails off as he slowly shakes his head.

?They should come here and look. Just look around.?

Whether the Affordable Care Act, or ?Obamacare,? will drastically reduce the number of people looking to Care Harbor for free medical help remains to be seen.

Though Richetts said nationwide health coverage is needed, he also acknowledged that it might not be the fix-all.

?Will it eliminate the problem [of people not having access to regular medical care?] Probably not,? he said.

(How Obamacare Could Impact The Healthcare Job Industry)

Myers said he wasn?t able to comment on how Obamacare may impact them, and instead remains focused on the current reality rather than future policy.

?We have to stop the trend eventually [of the clinic?s growing patient numbers], but we can?t just stop giving care,? said Myers.

Just as crucial as the care: the education coming with it.

?It?s important we refer patients to offer no cost or low cost clinics in the area,? Myers said. ?We want them to come back if they need to, but we want them to help themselves.?

That was one of the main tasks for nurses Nydia Fores and Rhea Rodelo.

After administering glucose blood tests, the duo rattled off advice to patients, giving them tailored suggestions for reducing risk of Diabetes.

(How Nurses Could Reduce Health Care Costs)

Fores and Rodelo discussed food strategies with each patient (soda was the first to get the boot) while also brainstorming activities to encourage more exercise.

?Many know they?re not doing what they should. And a lot of people want to know what they need to do,? Rodelo said. ?They?ve been really receptive.?

And grateful. That?s the word Myers uses to describe the patients he's encountered.

?When someone comes up to you and they start crying about how you helped them and that this was the highlight of their year, it makes it worthwhile for me to come out," he said.

For Ron Cole, who still clutches those prized orange spectacles as he exits the arena, the clinic has provided much more than free care.

?It?s a blessing,? he said. ?It?s like I can now take a new step in my life.?

?

Find more Neon Tommy coverage on health care here.

Reach Managing Editor Paige Brettingen here. Follow her here.

Source: http://www.neontommy.com/news/2012/09/free-medical-care-las-uninsured-gets-largest-turnout-care-harbor-clinics-history

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