Cardinal defends comparing gay parade organizers to Ku Klux Klan

Setting off a new round in his dispute with gay right activists, Chicago?s Cardinal Francis George has issued a statement defending his recent comparison of the gay rights movement to the Ku Klux Klan.

George?s initial comments came in connection with a controversy over whether next summer?s gay pride parade would interrupt morning services at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in the Lakeview neighborhood.

That dispute was resolved last week, but the cardinal?s KKK comparison ? and his new explanation of those comments ? have kept the controversy boiling.

?Organizers (of the pride parade) invited an obvious comparison to other groups who have historically attempted to stifle the religious freedom of the Catholic Church,? the cardinal said in a statement issued Tuesday. ?One such organization is the Ku Klux Klan which, well into the 1940s, paraded through American cities not only to interfere with Catholic worship but also to demonstrate that Catholics stand outside of the American consensus. It is not a precedent anyone should want to emulate.?

Gay rights advocates said today that George was expressing ?bigotry? and should apologize and resign.

In October, the route and time of the pride parade were changed to accommodate larger crowds. The start was changed from noon to 10 a.m., and the new route went past Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Church officials later objected, arguing that it would interrupt morning services. Last Wednesday, an agreement was reached to move the start time back to noon.

Meanwhile, George was interviewed by Fox News Chicago. He said: ?You know, you don?t want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan, demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism. So I think if that?s what?s happening, and I don't know that it is, but I would respect the local pastor?s, you know, position on that.?

When excerpts from the interview were disclosed last week, a spokeswoman for the archdiocese said people should view the entire interview, which aired on Fox on Christmas Day.

Gay rights groups on Wednesday said George needs to apologize ? among them the Rainbow Sash Movement, an organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics, which also called for George?s resignation.

?Cardinal Francis George?s recent statement comparing the gay community to the KKK is just another example of bigotry sidestepping what it means to be pro-life,? the group said in a statement. ?The cardinal promotes his brand of bigotry based on a case of selective Biblical literalism.?

While the cardinal defended his Klan comparison, he also wrote Tuesday: ?It is terribly wrong and sinful that gays and lesbians have been harassed and subjected to psychological and even physical harm.?

Joe Murray, executive director for the Rainbow Sash Movement, said George?s new statement is an attempt to have it both ways.

?It?s schizoid,? Murray said. ?You can?t say on one hand that you love people and on the other hand condemn them for who they are.?

In an email, the archdiocese declined any further comment on George?s new statement.

bslodysko@tribune.com

Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-cardinal-defends-comparing-gay-parade-organizers-to-ku-klux-klan-20111228,0,5334065.story?track=rss

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Gun Laws in California

Caution: This summary is meant for general purposes only. Firearm laws frequently change and the following answers may not reflect changes in the laws.

State Requirements

Rifles and Shotguns
  • Permit to purchase rifles and shotguns? No
  • Registration of rifles and shotguns? No
  • Licensing of owners of rifles and shotguns? No
  • Permit to carry rifles and shotguns? No

Handguns

  • Permit to purchase handgun? No*
  • Registration of handguns? Yes*
  • Licensing of owners of handguns? No
  • Permit to carry handguns? Yes (If concealed)

* Police record all purchases from dealers.
* Residents moving into California have 60 days to register their handguns.

Purchase

All firearms sales including private and gun show sales, transfers or loans, must go through a California licensed firearms dealer. An application for sale or transfer must be made with a licensed California gun dealer before any firearm may be sold or transferred.

The purchaser must present the dealer with a valid California Driver's License or a California I.D. Card and supply their thumbprint. The purchaser of a handgun must also provide additional proof of California residence. The dealer sends a copy of the application to the Ca. Dept. of Justice and the local police chief.

The CA DOJ will conduct a background check on each buyer at a fee. There is a 10-day waiting period before delivery of any firearm. Dealers must keep a register of all firearm transfers.

Possession of the firearm from the dealer must be done within 30 days or the entire purchase process must be repeated.

The waiting period and dealer application do not apply to:

  • Transfers to police officers
  • Other gun dealers.
  • Manufacturers or importers.
  • Antique firearms, and rifles and shotguns which are classified as curios or relics by the federal government.
  • Infrequent gifts or transfers to one's "immediate family," an infrequent temporary loan not to exceed 30 days to a person who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm.
  • A transfer of a rifle or shotgun at auctions by nonprofit or public benefit corporations.

No person shall make an application to purchase more than one pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person within a 30-day period and no delivery shall be made to any person who has made an application to purchase more than one pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person within any 30-day period. No person shall purchase or transfer a handgun to someone without a Handgun Safety Certificate (HRC).

To receive a handgun safety certificate, a person must pass a written test that includes but is not limited to laws applicable to the ownership, use, handling, and carrying of firearms, particularly handguns.

A CA DOJ certified instructor must administer the Handgun Safety Certificate test.

The HRC is valid for five years.

To receive a handgun from a dealer, a person must have or buy an approved firearms safety device. A list of firearms safety devices certified for sale can be found at California Department of Justice, Firearms Division.

Possession:

  • It is unlawful for anyone convicted of a felony, or who is a drug addict, present or former mental patient, ever committed for mental observation, or acquitted by reason of insanity to own or possess any firearm.
  • People with certain misdemeanor convictions involving force or violence may not possess or own any firearm within 10 years of the conviction.
  • A person who has been adjudicated as a juvenile offender or delinquent for any offense which would be classified as a felony or misdemeanor involving force or violence if committed by an adult may not own or possess any firearm until age 30.
  • A minor may not possess a handgun except with written permission or under the supervision of a parent or guardian.
  • A minor under 16 may not possess a handgun, unless they are accompanied by their parent or guardian while participating in a legal recreation activity involving firearms or has written permission to participate in such activities.
  • A minor under 16 may not possess live ammunition except with the written permission or under the supervision of a parent or guardian, or while going to or from an organized lawful recreational or competitive shooting activity or lawful hunting activity.

Carrying And Transportation In Vehicles:


It is unlawful to carry a loaded rifle, shotgun, or handgun in any public place or on any public street in an incorporated area or an area where firing a firearm is prohibited.

Exceptions include:

  • Persons shooting on target ranges, or while hunting on the premises of a shooting club.
  • A person who reasonably believes that he or his property is in immediate danger and the weapon must be carried for "preservation."
  • A person "engaged in the act of making or attempting lawful arrest."
  • A person carrying a firearm while at home or at his place of business, including temporary residences and campsites.
Carrying a handgun concealed is prohibited without a license. The law states "Firearms carried openly in belt holsters are not concealed within the meaning of this section."

Carrying a handgun concealed within a vehicle is prohibited without a license. A handgun carried in a glove compartment or under the seat of a vehicle is considered to be concealed. A handgun placed in the trunk of an automobile, or locked in a container in the vehicle other than the utility or glove compartment or while in a locked container carried directly to or from a vehicle is deemed not to be "concealed." A locked container means a fully enclosed secure container locked by a key lock or similar locking device.

Exceptions to this prohibition are:

  • Members of clubs organized for practice shooting while on any established target range or going to and from such range.
  • Licensed hunters and fishermen while engaged in hunting or fishing and while going to or from such hunting or fishing expeditions and members of an antique or historical collector's club while at a show, or while going to and from a display as long as the weapons are locked in a trunk or are in a locked container.

More Information

The California gun laws are complex and can not be fully explained within this section. For detailed information and clarifications of the current gun laws visit, NRAILA and the California Department of Justice, Firearms Division.

Source: http://crime.about.com/od/gunlawsbystate/p/gunlaws_ca.htm

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Bridal-Show Outing for Two or Four to the Kalamazoo Wedding Affair on January 7 (Up to Half Off)

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Source: groupon.com --- Monday, December 26, 2011
A successful marriage, like tiger training, requires clear communication, positive reinforcement, and at least one pair of bite-proof gloves. Gather nuptial necessities with today's Groupon to the Kalamazoo Wedding Affair on Saturday, January 7, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Rose Street Market. Choose between the following options: For $7, you get two tickets to the bridal show (up to an $14 value). For $14, you get four tickets to the bridal show (up to a $28 value). Heeding Kalamazoo brides? clarion calls, the best of west Michigan's Wedding vendors converge upon the Rose Street Market ?s elegant spaces to flaunt bridal wares and nuptial-related services. More than 40 exhibitors court discerning fianc?s and fianc?es looking for Wedding-day flourishes, displaying everything from entertainment options, such as photo booths and live music, to stationery samples. Soon-to-be-newlyweds and companions can enjoy cake tastings from Shabby Chic Cakes , or scour ShutterBooth for insider info on Wedding photos and the latest fads in facial contortions. Guests can also query local reception venues about potential spots for tucking in after jumping the broom. Kalamazoo Wedding Affair offers discounted tickets online before the event, but this Groupon still offers the best deal available. Groupon Says The Groupon Guide to: Classic Fast-Food Commercials Is there a monster who can feed my children? Read more... ...

Source: http://groupon.com/kalamazoo/deals/kalamazoo-wedding-affair-1

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(Ladies Check the Pic) NBA: Blake Griffin Graces the Cover of Men?s Health Magazine

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin lands on the cover of the January/February issue of Men?s Health, sharing the workout routine responsible for making him an explosive NBA player. ?Check the cover and some snippets of the interview after the jump.

@Shay_Marie x @gametimegirl

?

?Energy is something you can control,? Griffin said. ?In everything you do, you?re going to face people more talented than you. I set myself apart by bringing more energy than they do.?

In the issue, on the newsstands Tuesday, Blake talks on a variety of subjects.

On dunking: ?I constantly heard that all I do is dunk. ? And I can understand it. There aren?t ?SportsCenter? clips of me shooting 15-footers.?

On recovering from injury: ?There were days when I didn?t feel like going through the same routine. ? But I learned that if you?re positive, any situation can be a chance to improve yourself.?

On the importance of being a team player: ?I recently got to talk to Magic Johnson. ? He said he used to tell individual teammates, ?Come in before practice and work with me.? He emphasized that being a leader isn?t about just pushing yourself. It?s also about motivating teammates.?

ESPN

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Source: http://www.inflexwetrust.com/2011/12/24/ladies-check-the-pic-nba-blake-griffin-graces-the-cover-of-mens-health-magazine/

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NORAD Santa trackers having record holiday

FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2010 file photo, volunteers take phone calls and answer emails at the Santa Tracking Operations Center at Peterson Air Force Base near Colorado Springs, Colo. Santa is already piling up monster numbers on social networking sites this season, so the volunteer Santa-trackers at NORAD are bracing for tens of thousands of calls and emails when their operations center goes live on Christmas Eve. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2010 file photo, volunteers take phone calls and answer emails at the Santa Tracking Operations Center at Peterson Air Force Base near Colorado Springs, Colo. Santa is already piling up monster numbers on social networking sites this season, so the volunteer Santa-trackers at NORAD are bracing for tens of thousands of calls and emails when their operations center goes live on Christmas Eve. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 24, 2010 file photo, Air Force Lt. Col. David Hanson, of Chicago, takes a phone call from a child in Florida at the Santa Tracking Operations Center at Peterson Air Force Base near Colorado Springs, Colo. Santa is already piling up monster numbers on social networking sites this season, so the volunteer Santa-trackers at NORAD are bracing for tens of thousands of calls and emails when their operations center goes live on Christmas Eve. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

DENVER (AP) ? Santa's piling up more than presents this year. The big man's trackers at NORAD say Santa Claus also broke records this Christmas Eve.

Volunteers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado were fielding 8,000 calls an hour Saturday afternoon, on pace to break a record. Also, Santa's NORAD Facebook page approached 920,000 "likes" by midafternoon. Last year, Santa had 716,000 "likes."

Volunteers at NORAD Tracks Santa said kids started calling at 4 a.m. Saturday to find out where Santa was.

"The phones are ringing like crazy," Lt. Cmdr. Bill Lewis said Saturday.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command has been telling anxious children about Santa's whereabouts every year since 1955. That was the year a Colorado Springs newspaper ad invited kids to call Santa on a hotline, but the number had a typo, and dozens of kids wound up talking to the Continental Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD's predecessor.

The officers on duty played along and began sharing reports on Santa's progress. It's now a deep-rooted tradition at NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canada command that monitors the North American skies and seas from a control center at Peterson.

NORAD's Santa updates are blowing up on social media, too. In addition to the website and Facebook and Twitter pages, Santa this year has a new tracking app for smart phones. The app includes the Elf Toss, a game similar to Angry Birds.

First lady Michelle Obama was among the volunteers for a second year in a row. She took about 10 calls from her family's holiday vacation in Hawaii. Lewis said Obama's voice didn't throw any of the phoning children.

"They all just asked run-of-the-mill stuff. They wanted to know about Santa," Lewis said.

___

Online:

http://www.noradsanta.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2011-12-24-Tracking%20Santa/id-8fb0b494fd524f17a2e93d3e5d95db78

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Roethlisberger will not start for Steelers (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? Injured Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will definitely not start and probably will not play at all on Saturday when the Steelers host the St. Louis Rams, the National Football League team said on Friday.

Roethlisberger, who has a badly sprained left ankle, will be replaced by back-up Charlie Batch in the starting role, the Steelers said.

Roethlisberger was listed as questionable for the game.

Despite the injury that has limited his mobility, the two-time Super Bowl winner started Monday's game at San Francisco and passed for 330 yards but was intercepted three times in the 20-3 loss to the 49ers.

Coach Mike Tomlin decided to go with Batch against St. Louis, though, with the Steelers (10-4) already having clinched a playoff berth. They remain in the race for the AFC North Division title.

Batch, 39, has compiled a 4-2 record with the Steelers over the past six years. His last start came in October 2010.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo North Carolina; Editing by Julian Linden)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111223/sp_nm/us_nfl_steelers_roethlisberger

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What to shop for in the post-Christmas sales

Eric Thayer / Reuters

Catch a breather while you can -- the after-Christmas sales are coming.

By Herb Weisbaum

Bargain hunters will find some great discounts in the days after Christmas. It won?t be hard to find sale signs boasting markdowns of 70 percent or more. But don?t expect retailers to slash the price of everything in the store, just the things they need to get out the door.

Dealnews.com, a popular website that tracks retail prices, compared last year?s after-Christmas deals to this year?s Black Friday sales and found that post-Christmas sales in 2010 were ?notably less exceptional? in terms of top offerings. In other words, while the prices will be good, they won?t always be great.

?You?ll see some of the best sales of the year on apparel,? says Dan de Grandpre, founder and CEO of Dealnews. ?Merchants want to clear out their winter merchandise to make room for the new spring items.?

The focus this year, de Grandpre says, will be on brick-and-mortar stores, not online sales. Many retailers, he says, will use their websites to drive shoppers to their stores.

?Sometimes it will be a coupon that you print and take to the store,? de Grandpre says. ?Other times it will be another discount on top of the lowest prices available at the store.?

For example, last year on Dec. 26 Gap gave an extra 50 percent off all sale items in the store until noon. Some of the items were already marked down 50 or 60 percent.

Video games also go on sale right after Christmas, even the most recent titles.

?Some of the video game prices we saw last year right after Christmas were the best prices all year, and we?re expecting that again this year,? de Grandpre says.

Is there anything you should avoid buying? You might want to wait on electronics. Dealnews says the markdowns on electronics tend to be so-so right after Christmas. Closeout prices on TVs, laptops and GPS units usually hit early in the new year.

You can also expect another round of clothing sales in January. That?s when you?ll find the biggest discounts on winter apparel.

ConsumerMan Tip: As always, it?s the final price -- not the ?percentage off? -- that matters. Take the time to use a price shopping website to find out if that sale price is really as good as it seems.

Related:

NYT: Shoppers winning 'game of chicken' at stores

Will you be shopping the after-Christmas sales?

Strong holiday spending is helping the economy end the year on a high note. Retail sales are higher than this time last year and online holiday sales have reportedly hit $32 billion. CNBC's Ron Insana discusses.

Source: http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/23/9658086-what-to-shop-for-in-the-post-christmas-sales

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