pakistani news

Monday, July 1, 2013

Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook employees celebrated the San Francisco LGBT pride parade from a decorated trolley today, as tech companies across the country very visibly supported equal rights. According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook had over 700 employees at pride. Here are some of our favorite photos of tech companies celebrating equal rights at Pride?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/SMTWn8Nh5dE/

eric cantor eric cantor HGTV Sugar Bowl 2013 chick fil a chick fil a rose parade

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Bloody shows more about monster than gore

Ree Hines and Anna Chan TODAY

11 hours ago

Showtime

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan on "Dexter."

Summer is about to get really bloody! The return of "Dexter's" eighth and final season on June 30 means that viewers not only get their favorite blood-spatter analyst/vigilante serial killer back, they also get all the messes he helps investigate and of course, create.

"Dexter" leaves behind quite a few bloody murders each year, and its final season will no doubt have more of the same. But even as the Dark Passenger prepares to say goodbye, new creepy baddies -- including Hannibal Lecter -- have started stepping up to fill his bloody spot.

"Vampires and werewolves, those are always going to be cycling in and out. But then what is the scariest thing that is also a real possibility for people in their minds? The serial killer!" said Melanie McFarland, IMDb.com's TV editor. "The serial killer is a real life boogeyman."

And where there are murderers, whether they be supernatural or not, there will be blood. McFarland said that violence -- which tends to come with a bit of the red stuff -- in TV "has been upping the ante for a long time across the board," and not all of it is from killers such as Dexter.

"It's less about the blood than it is about the monster," she added.

Here are eight shows beyond "Dexter" -- both established and newer -- and their own monsters that leave viewers seeing red:

'Hannibal'
One of the new serial killers to come to the small screen is an oldie but goodie: Hannibal Lecter. This time he's played by Mads Mikkelsen in the new NBC drama, which premiered in April. Given the nature of Hannibal's many, many crimes -- not to mention the other murderers who make appearances -- it's no wonder the program might induce more than a few dry heaves. There are nearly decapitated heads (at the jaw, not neck!), women impaled on antlers, whole strips of skin ripped off from a living body, dismembered body parts and much more. As unappetizing as that sounds, the drama then tries to make viewers hungry by showing Hannibal cooking up some lavish meals that look nothing short of scrumptious -- until you remember his meat of choice.

'The Following'
Another new serial killer who reared his charming head this year was "The Following's" Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), an English professor and failed novelist who built a massive network of cult followers while imprisoned for the the murders of 14 female students. Carroll's crimes -- inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe -- were hardly romantic, and neither was the work of his devotees. The network of murderers left behind bodies with eyeballs removed, victims burned alive and even a basement full of tortured dogs.

'American Horror Story'
The warning is right in the FX drama's title: It's a "horror story," and horror stories are quite often scary and gory -- two things that are true of this program. The first season featured several murders along with bloody ghosts and a disfigured baby zombie thing. Season two offered up a tale in an insane asylum in the 1960s, where a Nazi doctor performed gruesome experiments on the residents, and also had a serial killer who seemed to take inspiration from "The Silence of the Lambs," killing women for their soft, supple skin. Oh, and he has a present day son who likes to follow in Daddy's bloody footsteps.

'Breaking Bad'
It's no surprise the drug trade would involve crime and blood. But the gore on "Breaking Bad" sometimes comes along with a science lesson too. Several bodies have been disposed of by using hydrofluoric acid to "melt" them, leaving bloody, gloopy messes in barrels, unaffected by the solution. (Except for that one time in the bathtub.) Beyond that, there's the gun violence, and who could forget the explosion that left Gus Fring with half a face?

'True Blood'
Blood and gore are just part of the landscape in Bon Temps. Vampires drink blood; they cry blood; and it leaks from their eyes and ears if they don't get a good day's rest. Heck, each time a vamp falls to the true death, there's a virtual explosion red, goopy remains. But even with all the bites, neck breaks and extreme violence the night crawlers are capable of, "True Blood's" werewolves are able to ramp up the gross-outs even more. It's bad enough when the weres go in for the kill in their canine form, but it's positively stomach churning when they revert to their human states to (respectfully) devour a dead member of the pack. At least the fairies give viewers a break -- at their most brutal, they're still just lobbing balls of light around.

'The Walking Dead'
Shows just don't get more violent than this AMC hit, wherein characters routinely machete, smash and crossbow their way through crowds of undead threats. But don't take our word -- or that of any violence-loathing watchdog group -- for it. A recent study conducted by Funeralwise.com revealed that the show racked up a higher body count than any other small screen offering last season with approximately 38 deaths -- per episode! Of course, the vast majority of those killed were technically already dead.

'Sons of Anarchy'
The scariest thing about the bloody violence on "Sons of Anarchy" is just how real it seems. There aren't any vampires or zombies here. The monsters that commit the savage acts on "Anarchy" are all too human. Bikers obsessed with backstabbing, betrayal and paybacks punish each other (and each other's loved ones and innocent bystanders) in savage-yet-mundane ways. Head shots and beatings account for much of the death toll, but the occasional act of extra brutality (like the revenge torching of Tig's daughter) adds a shocking, gut-wrenching twist.

'Game of Thrones'
Beheadings? Check. Disembowelings? Check. Consuming a freshly plucked horse heart? Unfortunately, check. When it comes to jaw-dropping scenes of death and destruction, "Game of Thrones" has it all. In fact, it has something more -- a gruesome bonus. In addition to the violence, it packs an emotional blow. Sure, seeing random warriors fall in battle might make some viewers wince. And seeing a baddie lose an appendage is tough stuff too. But none of that compares to seeing more than one beloved character come to a horrific, blood-spurting end -- at the same time.

Which TV show do you think is the goriest? Click on "Talk about it" below and share your thoughts!

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/dexter-hannibal-more-about-monster-all-blood-6C10442405

paulina gretzky paulina gretzky david bowie elvis presley elvis presley Rob Parker Comcast

Home price gains bring sellers off the sidelines

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? Robert and Emerald Oravec were itching to sell their condominium late last year to move closer to a favorite surfing spot, but they were stuck. They owed the bank $194,000 and figured the most they could get was $180,000.

When they put their San Diego home up for sale a few months later, they fielded five offers within two weeks. It sold for $260,000 in May, allowing them to invest profits in a new home that's more than twice the size on a large lot and 40 minutes closer to the surfing beach.

"We're stoked," said Robert, 50, a facilities engineer at Solar Turbines Inc., a maker of gas turbines that has employed him for the last 22 years. "It was better to be patient and wait it out."

Soaring prices are leaving fewer homeowners owing more money than their properties are worth, bringing them off the sidelines of the nation's surging housing market and offering relief to buyers who are frustrated by bidding wars. As more homes are put up for sale, price increases are expected to moderate.

Mark Fleming, chief economist at real estate data provider CoreLogic Inc., calls it "a virtuous circle."

"The fact that house prices have increased so dramatically ... has unlocked a lot of that pent-up supply," said Fleming, whose firm found that markets with the largest percentage of "underwater" or "upside down" mortgages often have the lowest supply of homes for sale.

From January to March, 19.8 percent of the nation's mortgaged homes were underwater, down from 23.7 percent a year earlier and 25 percent during the same period of 2011, according to CoreLogic. Gains spread across the country, though regions that rose high and crashed hard remained saddled with homeowners who bought near the peak.

Nevada had a nation-high 45.4 percent of mortgages underwater, followed by Florida at 38.1 percent, Michigan at 32 percent and Arizona at 31.4 percent. Montana had a nation-low 5.6 percent.

Among major metropolitan areas, Tampa Bay had a nation-high 41.1 percent of mortgaged homes underwater, followed by Miami at 40.7 percent. Dallas had a nation-low 8.3 percent.

San Diego, at 19.5 percent, was slightly better than the national rate and California's 21.3 percent. The region's median home sale price hit $406,500 in May, up 21.3 percent from a year earlier amid brisk sales, according to DataQuick.

Housing inventories remain unusually low. There was a 5.2-month supply of existing, single-family homes for sale in May, compared to 6.4 months a year earlier, according to the National Association of Realtors. California had only a 2.6-month supply, compared to 3.6 months a year earlier and well below the six months that is considered a balanced market.

San Diego broker Colleen Cotter began knocking on doors this year after scouring property records to find homeowners who didn't owe money. If someone answers, she makes an all-cash bid on behalf of investors who don't even visit.

Nearly one of three homes sold in Southern California is paid for in cash, putting borrowers at a disadvantage. Some buyers write sellers about how they would cherish a home, hoping to spark a personal connection.

Josh Martin, 26, discovered homes he and wife considered buying had changed hands less than a year earlier at much lower prices. The first-time homebuyers lost nine bids since August? many to cash buyers ? until finally landing a home in May for $250,000 in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista.

"It was very stressful because the prices just kept going up," said Martin, who recently left the Marine Corps. "Our lease was about to end and we didn't want to sign another year."

Economists expect many homeowners will continue to resist selling because they think they can profit more by waiting.

Nancy Randazzo, a 38-year-old public school teacher who owes about $240,000 on an Anaheim condominium that she bought for $335,000 in 2005, figures she might be able to sell for what she owes but wants to rent to Disneyland tourists. One potential snag is that she and her fiancee would need to find a place to buy.

"Prices are going up so fast that I don't know if I can," she said.

The huge price increases produced an unexpected retirement gift for Larry and Diane Plaster, who were resigned in January to selling their San Diego home for less than they owed the bank, known as a short sale. They owed $352,000 but accepted an offer for $290,000.

Their bank rejected the deal four months later, leading the couple to put the home up for sale again. On the second attempt, they took an all-cash offer of $380,000, yielding a windfall of $6,500 after broker fees and closing costs. The Plasters, who live on Social Security income, fulfilled a dream of moving to a geodesic dome they built in Janesville, 130 miles north of Lake Tahoe.

The former Catholic social service workers were so angry when Chase rejected the short sale that they closed their account after more than 40 years.

"Now I guess I should send them a thank-you note," said Diane, 66.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/home-price-gains-bring-sellers-off-sidelines-140703042.html

justin theroux Bumbo recall USA Basketball taio cruz taio cruz Winter Olympics 2014 freddie mercury

Washington area religion events

Saturday, 7 p.m.: U.S. Army Brass Quintet performs ?God Bless America,? ?Songs of the Soldier,? ?Grand Old Flag? and other favorites. U.S. Army Band (?Pershing?s Own?) will perform the third movement of the Haydn Trumpet Concerto. Free. 7 p.m. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Washington D.C. Temple Visitors? Center, 9900 Stoneybrook Dr., Kensington. Free. 301-588-0650.

Saturday, 8 p.m.: ?Cathedral, Court & Countryside,? an early music festival. Performances by Arco Voce, Armonia Nova, BHB, Ensemble Gaudior, Illuminaire, Modern Musick, the Suspicious Cheese Lords and the Vivaldi Project. Everyone gets a door prize. St. Mark?s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill, Third and A streets SE. $40; students, $20. 202-543-0053 or www.stmarks.net.

Sunday, 10 a.m.: The annual ?Blessing of the Dogs,? will be held. Take your leashed dog. Front steps of National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Cir. NW. Free. 202-232-0323.

Sunday, 10:10 a.m.: Cathedral Dean Gary Hall leads a discussion, ?Connecting Mission to Vision.? Questions and suggestions from the congregation are welcome. Washington National Cathedral, South Transept, Wisconsin and Massachusetts avenues NW. Free. 202-537-6200 or www.nationalcathedral.org.

Sunday, 11 a.m.: The Rev. Peter Storey, a prominent South African Methodist, will preach on the topic, ?Journeying Together to Healing.? Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 202-347-9620 or www.mvpumc.org.

Sunday, 11 a.m.-noon: An art show reception. Show includes photography, monotypes, multimedia works, pastels, oils and acrylics. Works by seasoned artists and beginners. River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 6301 River Rd., Bethesda. Free. 301-229-0400 or www.rruuc.org.

Sunday, 11 a.m.: Service of song. Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, 5301 North Capitol St. NE. Free-will offering. 202-723-5330.

Sunday, 2 p.m.: Cathedral docents lead an in-depth tour for ages 10 and older to view windows and carvings that recall the American Civil War and its influence on the nation. Washington National Cathedral, West End Docent Station, Wisconsin and Massachusetts avenues NW. Free. 202-537-6200 or www.nationalcathedral.org.

Sunday, 7 p.m.: Luzerner antorei, a 55-voice youth choir from Switzerland, performs European sacred music from the Renaissance to the present. Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land, 1400 Quincy St. NE. Free. 202-526-6800, Ext. 374, or www.myfranciscan.com.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/c/34656/f/647677/s/2df49395/l/0L0Swashingtonpost0N0Clocal0Cwashington0Earea0Ereligion0Eevents0C20A130C0A60C280Cd429b7de0Ede30A0E11e20Eb7970Ecbd4cb13f9c60Istory0Bhtml0Dwprss0Frss0Ifairfax/story01.htm

Cyber Monday 2012 Walmart.com detroit lions Thanksgiving Day cooking a turkey toysrus how to carve a turkey

New Jersey's Christie vetoes Medicaid expansion bill

(Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed a bill that would have expanded Medicaid eligibility under the healthcare law known as Obamacare, his office said on Friday, in an apparent reversal of position for the presumed 2016 Republican presidential hopeful.

Christie's office announced he vetoed eight bills that "would add potentially hundreds of millions of dollars to state and local budgets." He also signed a $32.9 billion budget and three other bills, his office said in a statement.

Among the bills he vetoed was a Medicaid expansion under the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law known as Obamacare.

Republicans have repeatedly tried to overturn the law since regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2010 election, making its repeal a centerpiece of their political opposition to the Democratic president.

While that has failed because Democrats still hold a majority in the Senate, many states led by Republicans have attempted to undermine the law by refusing to expand Medicaid, a program created by the federal government and administered by the states to pay for medical services for the poor.

Under Obama's 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the federal government is offering to pay states 100 percent of the cost of expanding Medicaid for three years beginning in 2014, declining to 90 percent in subsequent years.

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Obama's healthcare overhaul but allowed states to opt out of a provision expanding the Medicaid program.

Christie, a critic of Obamacare, said in February he would accept federal money to expand Medicaid in New Jersey because if he did not the money would go to other states.

The governor's press office did not immediately respond to requests to explain his apparent change.

Earlier this month, researchers said 14 Republican-led states that oppose expanding Medicaid under would leave 3.6 million of their poorest adult residents uninsured, at a cost of $9.4 billion per year by 2017.

The findings, published in the journal Health Affairs on June 3, did not include New Jersey among those 14 states.

Christie has emerged as a leading voice in the Republican Party and is seen as serious contender for the 2016 Republican nomination, should he decide to run. He is running for re-election as governor this year.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Eric Walsh)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jerseys-christie-vetoes-medicaid-expansion-bill-234624492.html

lena horne klay thompson kate upton the great gatsby the great gatsby one world trade center Benghazi

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Editor's Letter: More than a point release

In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news.

This week is Microsoft's time to shine. Its Build conference, typically held later in the year, kicked off on Wednesday and along with it came a lot more about Windows 8.1 -- which we thought we already knew plenty about, honestly. But there was more to learn, including a new milestone for the Windows Store: 100,000 apps. Well, almost 100,000 apps. Steve Ballmer said the store was "approaching" that number and has racked up "hundreds of millions" of downloads. A bit of a far cry from Apple's 50 billion, but hey, it's early days yet.

More interesting to me is the inclusion of native 3D-printing support in Windows 8.1. Good 'ol 2D printers were certainly common before the traditional driver came into standard practice, but that market didn't really take off until they effectively became plug and play. One could say it's perhaps a bit early for that kind of native support to be needed in Windows for a 3D printer, but better too soon than too late.

Filed under: Misc