Fire chief: Chaplain is 1 of 5 NM shooting victims

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) ? A 15-year-old boy remained in custody Sunday night as detectives tried to piece together what led to the shooting of five people, including three young children, who were found dead in a New Mexico home.

The teenager was arrested on murder and other charges in connection with the shootings, which happened Saturday night at the home in a rural area southwest of downtown Albuquerque, said Lt. Sid Covington, a Bernalillo County sheriff's spokesman.

Detectives did not immediately release the victims' names, but word of the shootings traveled quickly through the law enforcement community, and officials began offering their condolences for Greg Griego, a spiritual leader known for his work with firefighters and the 13 years he spent as a volunteer chaplain at the county jail.

"Chaplin Griego was a dedicated professional that passionately served his fellow man and the firefighters of this community," Fire Chief James Breen said in a statement. "His calming spirit and gentle nature will be greatly missed."

Jail Chief Ramon Rustin said Griego was instrumental in the creation of the Metropolitan Detention Center's chaplain program and worked to get inmates integrated back into the community.

Griego also was a former member of the pastoral staff at Calvary, a Christian church in Albuquerque. As part of his work there, he oversaw the Straight Street program for jail inmates.

Covington said detectives were working to positively identify the five victims as well as the teenager's relationship to them.

"Right now we're to the meticulous points of processing the scene and collecting physical evidence, and this is a vast scene with a lot of physical evidence," Covington said.

Authorities said each victim suffered more than one gunshot wound, and several guns were found at the home, one of which was a semi-automatic military-style rifle. Investigators were trying to determine who owned the guns.

Authorities also declined to release details of any conversation that the 15-year-old had with investigators. The teenager was booked on two counts of murder and three counts of child abuse resulting in death.

On Sunday, a police roadblock cut off public access to the narrow dirt road that leads to the home, which is surrounded by trees and an agricultural field on one side.

Neighbors said they saw the first police cars and ambulances arrive at the home Saturday night. The road was blocked and word of the shootings began to make its way through the neighborhood.

Peter Gomez, a 54-year-old carpenter who lives about 200 yards from the home, said he had seen the family ? a husband and wife and their four children ? pass by many times but didn't know them personally.

"It's a horrible thing," Gomez said. "You see all this stuff that happens all over the country, the shootings in the schools and theaters, and then it happens right here. It's sad."

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Associated Press writer Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fire-chief-chaplain-1-5-nm-shooting-victims-235547981.html

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Mali Intervention: U.S., West Reluctant To Join France

This is a translation of a piece from HuffPost France on the reluctance of the international community to intervene in Mali.

Eight days into the military intervention in Mali, France is still the only Western country with troops involved in active combat. Various countries, including Germany and the United States, have stressed the necessity and legitimacy of the French involvement. However, not a single Western country has sent, or even offered to send, soldiers to Mali. This comes as a blow to Paris, which has been labeled by some in the past as cowardly for refusing to send troops to Iraq and leaving the quagmire of Afghanistan prematurely.

It is true that France has close ties to Mali, owing to its colonial history. It is also true that France engaged unilaterally in the conflict, and never officially asked for anything beyond logistical assistance... But the French fighting forces are beginning to feel a sense of isolation.

Germany?s busy signal
Angela Merkel stated Wednesday that "terrorism in Mali" was "a threat to Europe" and to Germany.

Yet, one day earlier, the Chancellor dismissed the possibility of German participation in the fight against Islamic groups who seized control of Northern Mali in April 2012. "Germany is militarily very active in other areas, for example in Afghanistan (where Germany is the third largest provider of foreign troops with around 4,300 military personnel, editor's note) and in Kosovo, where other countries are not so active," she said. Still traumatized by its past, Germany sees itself first and foremost as a "civilian power," and a peaceful one, whereas France is less hesitant to intervene, with a faster decision-making process. On defense issues, the cooperation between the two countries is limited, as already illustrated by Germany's non-intervention in Libya. Furthermore, rumor has it that the German army is underfunded and breathless.

Support provided: Berlin has put at ECOWAS's disposal two Transall troop transport planes. In addition, the German Foreign Affairs Minister has announced 1 million euros in humanitarian aid to help refugees in neighboring countries.

Britain?s Red Herrings
Great Britain was the first country to officially voice its "support" for France after the launch of its operation in Mali. Prime Minister David Cameron then expressed "deep concern" about the recent Islamist rebel advances.

Great Britain is, aside from France, the only other European country capable of carrying out an intervention such as the one in Mali. Nevertheless, the British authorities have repeatedly stated that there are "absolutely no plans to deploy any ground forces to Mali," and provided no explanation for their decision.

Support provided: Two C-17 transport aircraft for transporting supplies and French vehicles.

The European Union Is Powerless
"We are directly impacted by the situation" in Mali because "terrorist groups based in northern Mali take advantage of the situation for all kind of drugs and arms trafficking. They have taken many hostages, a lot of them originating from European member states. We cannot be indifferent," stated EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton on Tuesday.

However, the EU cannot take any concrete actions: there is no European military force, and each decision requires the involvement of all 27 member States.

Support provided: Preparations for the EUTM, intended to train and advise the Malian army, have been fast-tracked. The member states are also "ready to examine" the possibility of providing financial aid for the AFISMA International Support Mission.

The United States? It's Complicated
Washington congratulated Paris for its "antiterrorist" actions and declared Friday that the United States shared France's goals in Mali. Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said he didn?t think the military operation in Mali was "a French war," and there should be "an international effort," to be confirmed by the UN.

And yet, American officials have made it clear that there was no possibility for the Obama administration to become involved militarily in another conflict. The first reason is that Mali is not considered to be of great strategic interest for the United States, as Washington is only starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel in Afghanistan. The second is because Washington has not forgotten its recent experiences in Mali: a number of Malian troops trained by Uncle Sam deserted, weapons and equipment in tow, to join the Islamist militants. And in March 2012, Captain Amadou Sanogo and his men--trained by Washington--headed up the military coup in Mali, forcing the Americans to cut off their support.

Support provided: Washington has promised to provide support by way of cargo planes, mid-air refueling and spy planes.

Other countries...
Italy, Denmark, and Belgium have offered France logistical support, including troop transport, supplies or training for the Malian army.

While NATO welcomed the French intervention, it expressed that it was a national intervention and that NATO had not received any requests for assistance from the French authorities. "There has been no discussion (within NATO) on the situation in Mali," spokesperson Oana Lungescu told reporters. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen had already stated in October that the alliance did not foresee any involvement in Mali.

For now, only a few African ECOWAS member countries have announced they would send troops. This military force, created in conformity with a UN resolution, called AFISMA (African-led International Support Mission to Mali), and made up of some 3,300 men from a number of West African countries (Nigeria, Niger, Togo, Senegal, Benin, Guinea, Chad and Ghana), should arrive in Mali on Wednesday. Chad, which is not a member of ECOWAS, also announced Wednesday, through its Minister of Foreign Affairs Moussa Faki Mahamat, that it intended to send "an infantry regiment and two support battalions, which comes to around 2,000 men." Around 200 Chadian special forces soldiers left Wednesday evening for Niamey.

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/19/mali-intervention-us-west-france_n_2507471.html

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Norwich City?s trip to Sunderland moved for Sky Sports broadcast

Sebastien Bassong opens the scoring for Norwich City against Sunderland in the fixture at Carrow Road earlier this season. Picture: Paul Chesterton / Focus Images

Friday, January 18, 2013
12:16 PM

Norwich City?s Premier League trip to Sunderland has been moved to Sunday, March 17 with a 1.30pm kick off time after being selected for live broadcast on Sky Sports.

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The Canaries were originally set to face Martin O?Neill?s side at 3pm on Saturday, March 16 but the match will now take place on the new date to complete a televised double between the two sides this season.

The switch also means that the last five meetings between the two teams will have taken place in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Latest Norwich City stories

Source: http://www.edp24.co.uk/norwich_city_s_trip_to_sunderland_moved_for_sky_sports_broadcast_1_1798118

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Fiscal cliff takes toll on consumer optimism

3 hrs.

Reuters

U.S. consumer sentiment deteriorated for a second straight month to hit its lowest in over a year in January, with a record number of consumers citing the recent "fiscal cliff" debate in Washington, a survey released on Friday showed.?

The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's preliminary reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment came in at 71.3, down from 72.9 the month before. The index was at its lowest since December 2011.?

It was also below the median forecast of 75 among economists polled by Reuters.?

"The most unique aspect of the early January data was that an all-time record number of consumers - 35 percent - negatively referred to the fiscal cliff negotiations," survey director Richard Curtin said in a statement.?

"Importantly, the debt ceiling debate is still upcoming and could further weaken confidence," he said.?

The survey's barometer of current economic conditions fell to 84.8 from 87.0 and was below a forecast of 88.0. The gauge hit its lowest since July.?

The survey's gauge of consumer expectations slipped to its lowest since November 2011 at 62.7 from 63.8, and was below an expected 65.2.?

The survey's one-year inflation expectations rose to 3.4 percent from 3.2 percent, while the survey's five-to-10-year inflation outlook was at unchanged at 2.9 percent.?

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/fiscal-cliff-takes-its-toll-consumer-optimism-1B8032418

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London Ambulance Service prepares for heavy snowfall

The London Ambulance Service is preparing for an increase in calls as London braces itself for some very cold weather and snow.

Past experience shows that when cold weather sets in, the Service is put under additional pressure with an increase in falls, heart attacks, respiratory problems, road collisions, and people calling with flu-like symptoms.

Assistant Director of Operations for Control Services, John Hopson, said: ?We are well prepared to deliver the same high standard to Londoners, but we would also ask the public to help us by using the 999 system wisely.

?We would ask people who have minor illnesses or injuries to think about using other healthcare options, for example GPs and pharmacies along with the NHS Direct helpline on 0845 4647.?

?This will enable us to ensure our frontline ambulances are available for people who really need them, such as patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries.?

In order to prepare for snow all of our ambulances are fitted with winter tyres which work more efficiently on snow or ice. Our cars also have a ?snow? button which assists when pulling away on slippery surfaces.

During the very cold weather 999 calls increase dramatically and people should take extra precautions to protect themselves from the risks associated with extremely cold weather so they don?t become ill or injured.

John continued: ?By following a few simple tips people can do a lot to keep themselves well.

?These include checking the weather forecast so you are prepared, wrapping up warmly, and taking extra care when out and about ? people seem to expect everything to work normally in cold weather but this isn?t always the case and I would urge Londoners to plan ahead when driving or using public transport to travel around the capital.?

10 tips to keep well this winter

1.?Check that your heating system works properly.
2.?Keep the temperature in the room you are using at around 21?C.
3.?Dress for warmth and comfort, putting on several thinner layers of clothing to trap the heat.
4.?When going outside take extra care to wrap up warm to ensure you are not exposed to the cold and wind.
5.?Wear warm, dry, flat boots or shoes with good non-slip soles, especially in frosty or wet weather.
6.?Eat a well-balanced diet with hot meals every day.
7.?Have regular hot drinks to give you extra warmth and energy.
8.?Keep as active as you can ? moving around generates extra body heat.
9.?Plan ahead by keeping a well-stocked medicine cabinet.
10.?Keep an eye on your neighbours to ensure they are looking after themselves.

-ENDS-

Notes to editors
For further information about the London Ambulance Service or this news release please contact the Communications Department on 020 7921 5113.

Source: http://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/news/news_releases_and_statements/preparing_for_heavy_snowfall.aspx?lang=en-gb&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=london-ambulance-service-prepares-for-heavy-snowfall

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Florida man killed after dog steps on gas pedal

We?ve all seen tragic headlines about a man being killed by his best friend. But this sad story out of the Sunshine State is truly bizarre: James Campbell died after his dog jumped into his van and landed on the vehicle?s accelerator.

The Associated Press reports that Campbell, 68, has just returned home with Iris Fortner, 56, who had backed up to the driveway of their Florida Panhandle home. Campbell got out and?stepped behind the vehicle to open the gate, and Fortner opened the driver?s side door to see where he was. That's when her boxer bulldog reportedly jumped in, landing on the vehicle?s accelerator.

The Florida Highway Patrol said Fortner tried to stop the van, but Campbell was already trapped underneath it. He was pronounced dead at the scene by officials.

In separate but related news, a New Zealand rescue dog trainer who has been teaching dogs to ?drive? cars captivated millions of viewers last month. In that case, the dogs were strapped into modified car sets and were trained to step on the accelerator and brake pedals when issued specific commands.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/florida-man-killed-dog-jumps-van-steps-accelerator-202043038.html

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Mona Lisa rides laser beam to the moon

As part of the first demonstration of laser communication with a satellite at the moon, scientists with NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter beamed an image of the Mona Lisa to the spacecraft from Earth.

By Alan Boyle, Science Editor, NBC News

NASA has turned the Mona Lisa into the first digital image to be transmitted via laser beam from Earth to a spacecraft in lunar orbit, nearly 240,000 miles away, thanks to a technology that may soon become routine.

The experiment took advantage of the laser-tracking system that's in operation aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been circling the moon for the past three and a half years. NASA sends regular laser pulses from the Next Generation Satellite Ranging station at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland to the space probe's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, or LOLA, to measure its precise position in lunar orbit.

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For last March's Mona Lisa maneuver, researchers encoded a black-and-white version of Leonardo da Vinci's enigmatic masterpiece as a series of values in a 152-by-200-pixel grid. Each value represented a shade of black to gray to white, ranging from zero to 4,095. The signal for each pixel was then piggybacked on the ranging station's laser-tracking pulses: Each pulse was fired during one of 4,096 super-short designated time slots, at a rate of about 300 bits per second.

As the pulses were received in lunar orbit, LOLA's software used the precise timing of each pulse to figure out the grayscale value for a given pixel?? and reassembled the black-and-white image. The process wasn't perfect: Atmospheric turbulence introduced laser transmission errors, even when the sky was clear. To accommodate the 15 percent error rate, the researchers used Reed-Solomon data coding, which is the same method used to smooth out the bumps in the playback of CDs and DVDs.

The picture was reprocessed and sent back to Earth using the orbiter's standard radio communication system, just to make sure that Mona survived the trip intact. Throughout the experiment, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter conducted its regular mapping tasks without interruption.

A?research report on the experiment, with Goddard's Xiaoli Sun as principal author, was published online by Optics Express on Thursday.

NASA

This composite image shows how the Mona Lisa image looked after its trip to the moon. The left side shows the picture before error correction, and the right side shows how it looked after error correction.

Sun said the Mona Lisa was chosen for the transmission because the painting is so much more visual than strings of random numbers. "It's a familiar image with lots of subtlety," he said. "You can immediately feel whether the image looks right, and how much information got lost."

The feat marked the first time anyone has achieved one-way laser communication at planetary distances, LOLA's principal investigator, David Smith of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said in a?NASA news release.

"In the near future, this type of simple laser communication might serve as a backup for the radio communication that satellites use," Smith said. "In the more distant future, it may allow communication at higher data rates than present radio links can provide."

A data rate of 300 bits per second may seem achingly slow by today's standards, but NASA is planning a higher-bandwidth laser communication demonstration for its next mission to the moon, known as the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer. When LADEE is launched in August, it will carry an experimental laser system?that's designed to transmit data at a rate exceeding 600 million bits per second.

In 2017, NASA is due to send an experiment called the Laser Communications Radar Demonstration into orbit aboard a commercial satellite to test a full-fledged, beam-based communication system. Studies suggest that laser systems have the potential to transmit data at rates 10 to 100 times faster than traditional radio systems for the same mass and power, or match radio's data rate with a smaller, more efficient package.

Who knows? Mona Lisa may well mark the start of a renaissance in high-speed satellite communications.

More about next-generation communications:

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Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's?Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page?to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out?"The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.

Source: http://cosmiclog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/17/16570676-one-to-beam-up-nasa-uses-a-laser-to-send-mona-lisa-to-the-moon?lite

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