NEW YORK (AP) — A leading Roman Catholic commentator and founder of a pro-Catholic media organization has landed a deal to write a "full-scale" biography of Pope Francis.
Publisher Henry Holt announced Wednesday that it has acquired a book by Austen Ivereigh, a British journalist who helped found Catholic Voices, which seeks to improve how the church is presented in the news. Ivereigh also is a former press secretary for the Archbishop of Westminster.
The book, currently untitled, is expected next year.
According to the publisher, Ivereigh's biography will show that the Pope has pressed the "reset button" for the church. Pope Francis has made international news by saying the church should not spend too much time focusing on gay marriage and abortion and should concern itself more with the poor.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Scientists have observed in unprecedented detail the birth of a massive star within a dark cloud core about 10,000 light years from Earth.
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By SIM?N RIOS
July 10, 2013 8:10 AM
NEW BEDFORD ? Commercial electricity consumers should dial back during summer's hottest days, as usage during the hour of highest demand could impact future bills by thousands of dollars.
That's the message of Brant Davis of SourceOne, an energy consultant for the SouthCoast Electric Power Group, a consortium of consumers including the cities of Fall River and New Bedford and area companies.
Capacity charges are set each year based on a company's consumption during the hour of peak demand, which usually occurs on one of the hottest days between 2 and 5 p.m. The set rate is then charged for a company's consumption throughout the year, only for the rate to be reset the following summer.
Davis said there are ways to respond during peak hours, such as lowering air conditioners, shifting production, scheduling maintenance or even shutting down a factory. Some New Bedford companies such as fish processing plants or ice makers can take advantage of this, he said, while consumers like hospitals or municipalities are less flexible.
Davis said though the numbers vary between companies, it's common to save 5 percent on a total bill by cutting back during peak hours. An example he provided showed a company cutting consumption by 100 kilowatts during the peak hour and saving $4,500 a year.
Davis' firm messages clients on the five or six summer days when a peak event is likely to occur.
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Survey shows limited use of sex offender registryPublic release date: 9-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Beth Kuhles kuhles@shsu.edu 936-294-4425 Sam Houston State University
HUNTSVILLE, TX (7/9/13) -- Texas has the second largest sex offender registry in the country, but relatively few people are accessing it or using it to develop protective actions against future sex crimes, a study by the Crime Victims' Institute at Sam Houston State University found.
Texas began its sex offender registry in 1991 to inform citizens about sex offenders living and working in communities throughout the state and to encourage the public to adopt preventive measures against sex crimes. The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains the registry and as of October 2012 there were more than 72,600 active offenders listed. The registry, which can be searched by name, address, zip code, county or institute of higher education, is located at https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/SexOffender.
In "Familiarity with and Uses of Sex Offender Registries," a report on a research study that utilized an online survey of 652 individuals from a Texas university found that while 74 percent of participants were familiar with the state's sex offender registry, only 43 percent have ever accessed the service. The main reasons for using the registry were curiosity, followed by concern for their safety or the safety of children.
Of those who had used the registry, only 17 percent took any protective measures, such as regularly locking doors, advising others about a registered sex offender living in the neighborhood, or not walking alone in the neighborhood. Protective measures for children, including not allowing children to stay home alone or go outside unsupervised, were relatively uncommon, but may be reflective of the age and familial status of those surveyed.
Crime victims were more likely to use sex offender registries and take protective measures, but it was the victims of identity theft that were the most active users, with sexual assault victims using it least, the study found.
"This study revealed two areas in which findings were contrary to the hypothesized results: minimal effect on registry use when sex crimes occurred in neighborhood and sex offenders lived in neighborhood, and sexual assault victims accessed the registry less than victims of other crimes," the study found.
There was little or no difference in the reported use of the registry if participants knew of sex offenders living in their neighborhood or if a sex crime occurred while they were living there, although participants were more likely to use the registry when they knew someone in the neighborhood had been arrested on a sex offense. Most respondents learned about the sex offender registry through word of mouth, internet searches or television reports.
As a result of these findings, the Crime Victims' Institute recommended that strategies be developed to increase awareness about the sex offender registry and what residents can do to protect themselves if a sex offender is living in their neighborhood. The full report can be found at http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/publications/
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The Crime Victims' Institute was created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 to conduct research on the impact of crime on victims, their families and society and to inform policymakers and the public on victim-related issues.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Survey shows limited use of sex offender registryPublic release date: 9-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Beth Kuhles kuhles@shsu.edu 936-294-4425 Sam Houston State University
HUNTSVILLE, TX (7/9/13) -- Texas has the second largest sex offender registry in the country, but relatively few people are accessing it or using it to develop protective actions against future sex crimes, a study by the Crime Victims' Institute at Sam Houston State University found.
Texas began its sex offender registry in 1991 to inform citizens about sex offenders living and working in communities throughout the state and to encourage the public to adopt preventive measures against sex crimes. The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains the registry and as of October 2012 there were more than 72,600 active offenders listed. The registry, which can be searched by name, address, zip code, county or institute of higher education, is located at https://records.txdps.state.tx.us/SexOffender.
In "Familiarity with and Uses of Sex Offender Registries," a report on a research study that utilized an online survey of 652 individuals from a Texas university found that while 74 percent of participants were familiar with the state's sex offender registry, only 43 percent have ever accessed the service. The main reasons for using the registry were curiosity, followed by concern for their safety or the safety of children.
Of those who had used the registry, only 17 percent took any protective measures, such as regularly locking doors, advising others about a registered sex offender living in the neighborhood, or not walking alone in the neighborhood. Protective measures for children, including not allowing children to stay home alone or go outside unsupervised, were relatively uncommon, but may be reflective of the age and familial status of those surveyed.
Crime victims were more likely to use sex offender registries and take protective measures, but it was the victims of identity theft that were the most active users, with sexual assault victims using it least, the study found.
"This study revealed two areas in which findings were contrary to the hypothesized results: minimal effect on registry use when sex crimes occurred in neighborhood and sex offenders lived in neighborhood, and sexual assault victims accessed the registry less than victims of other crimes," the study found.
There was little or no difference in the reported use of the registry if participants knew of sex offenders living in their neighborhood or if a sex crime occurred while they were living there, although participants were more likely to use the registry when they knew someone in the neighborhood had been arrested on a sex offense. Most respondents learned about the sex offender registry through word of mouth, internet searches or television reports.
As a result of these findings, the Crime Victims' Institute recommended that strategies be developed to increase awareness about the sex offender registry and what residents can do to protect themselves if a sex offender is living in their neighborhood. The full report can be found at http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/publications/
###
The Crime Victims' Institute was created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 to conduct research on the impact of crime on victims, their families and society and to inform policymakers and the public on victim-related issues.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Senior administration officials tell The New York Times that the U.S. is actually considering the idea of a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan before the official 2014 pull out.
The campaign has been fraught with recent disappointment, from the failure of peace talks in Doha, Qatar, and what seems to be a rapidly deteriorating security situation. To make matters worse, the consistent and growing intransigence of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has now led officials to lean on the less popular "zero option" ? complete withdrawal.
?There?s always been a zero option, but it was not seen as the main option,? said a senior Western official in Kabul to the Times. ?It is now becoming one of them, and if you listen to some people in Washington, it is maybe now being seen as a realistic path.?
Leaving the country isn't so easy though. First, the logistics alone would be a nightmare. Like Iraq, the U.S. is likely to leave several billion dollars worth of equipment behind.
Furthermore, the security agreement with Pakistan is likely to be a sticking point. Many analysts say Pakistan has grown to depend on American military assistance.
Furthermore, recent Taliban attacks on the capital, on judges, and even on schools, prompt one to believe that the extremist group is poised now more than ever to take over once the U.S. leaves.
The final question comes down to Afghan security forces: are they really ready to take over, or is the confidence coming from military leaders just more smoke and mirrors?
Hard-edged reporting, insight and analysis, Reuters TV breaks ground creating informative news and financial videos. Showcasing Reuters? 3000 award-winning journalists, Reuters TV delivers high-energy investigative journalism with concise explanations. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Concert at Stourhead to raise funds for theft-hit church
3:46pm Monday 8th July 2013 in Latest News
St Peter?s Church at Stourhead is to host a summer evening of choral music on Saturday July 27. Music will be performed by The St David?s Singers at 7.30pm, to raise essential funds for this picturesque church.
Thieves in the night recently stole the lead off the roof of St Peter's Church in Stourton. All proceeds raised from this concert will be used to restore the roof.
Visitors can first relax and unwind with a glass of wine on the Church Lawn overlooking Stourhead?s landscape gardens, before heading inside the historic St Peter?s Church to enjoy these talented and much respected singers.
Mike MacCormack, general manager at Stourhead, said: ?This musical event is a great opportunity to hear a really professionally group of singers in this picturesque and unique setting. Come along, enjoy the singing, have fun and help raise funds for this beautiful Grade 1 listed church.?
Formed more than 40 years ago, the St David?s Singers consist of over two dozen performers, and their Director of Music is Mark Perry. They will be performing several popular and secular musical pieces from a variety of composers including Byrd, Rutter, Tallis, Tippett and Whitacre.
The concert is to be held on Saturday July 27 at St Peter?s Church Stourton. Visitors can arrive from 6.45 pm onwards and the concert will begin at 7.30pm Ticket prices are ?10 and include a glass of wine. To purchase tickets and for more information please contact Jane Joyce on 01747 840149 or email j-joyce@dircon.co.uk
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Public release date: 9-Jul-2013
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