4-year-old kills himself with dad's stolen gun

Houston Police Department

By Berenice Garcia, NBC News

A 4-year-old Houston boy fatally shot himself with his father's stolen handgun Sunday morning, police say.

Marquiez Deshon Pratt, 21, was asleep on the couch when his son, Jaiden, picked up the gun and shot himself in the stomach, according to a report from the Houston Police Department.

The weapon, a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, was stolen during a burglary in 2011, according to the police report.

Jaiden was spending the weekend with his father when the incident occurred. The boy's mother dropped him off every Friday and was scheduled to pick him up Sunday at noon, according to the Houston Chronicle.

After the shooting, the elder Pratt ran out of his second-floor apartment with his son in his arms, yelling to his neighbors for help, according to the Houston Chronicle.

When officers arrived, Pratt handed his son over to them and ran back to his apartment.

While some officers pursued Pratt, others performed CPR on the young victim, but the boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

The officers who followed Pratt into his apartment discovered marijuana and crack cocaine along with weighing scales and other items used to sell drugs, according to the police report.

Pratt was arrested and charged with injury to a child by omission and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

"He's in mourning. He's in pain and feels a lot of self guilt," Sgt. Brian Harris, of the Houston PD's homicide department, told the Houston Chronicle. "He kept saying, 'I messed up. I messed up.'"

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/25/17089689-4-year-old-kills-himself-with-dads-stolen-gun?lite

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North Korea video: Welcome to theater of the bizzare

North Korea posted a strange video about an attack on New York City, accompanied by the tune 'We are the World.' Why you shouldn't worry.

By David Clark Scott,?Staff writer / February 5, 2013

North Korea posted this propaganda video of an attack on the US on its YouTube channel.

A propaganda video released by North Korea showing New York City being bombed is pure fantasy ? and just another weird window on the Hermit Kingdom's propaganda machine.

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David Clark Scott leads a small team at CSMonitor.com that?s part Skunkworks, part tech-training, part journalism.

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First, North Korea doesn't have a space shuttle (or the capability to launch one), as the video portrays in a boy's dream.

Second, North Korean doesn't yet have the capability to reach the US with one of their Unha rockets, let alone New York City.

As The Christian Science Monitor reported recently: "Concerns about their missile tests are overblown, according to RAND analyst Markus Schiller in a lengthy 2012 report on North Korea?s missile programs.

?Every launch further depletes the limited North Korean arsenals, and North Korea gains no real experience from these events. Since the purpose of the launches seems to be political, the United States and other nations should downplay or even ignore them,? he writes.

But this is classic North Korean propaganda, a sort of geopolitical WWE. All bluff and bluster. This latest video, like many before it, ignores copyrights and rips off from others.

Exhibit A of both weird and stolen: The theme music to this attack is "We are the World" by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. Really.

Exhibit B: The scenes of the New York attack are literally pulled directly from the video game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3." according to the blogger Kotaku. Apparently, Activision agrees. They complained and YouTube took down the North Korean video.

Remember, this video is a North Korean boy's dream sequence, and it may be an apt metaphor for North Korea's ambition to be taken seriously around the world. That isn't to say that the leadership's nuclear ambitions aren't real and don't present a threat, especially to its neighbors.

"North Korea is likely to carry out multiple nuclear tests at two places or more simultaneously" to maximize scientific gains from the event, said South Korea?s outgoing President Lee Myung-bak in an interview with the Choson Ilbo newspaper today, according to Agence France-Presse. And the UN voted last month to increase the sanctions on North Korea.

But don't confuse North Korea's silly propaganda with reality.

If you peruse the North Korea YouTube channel, you will find Disney characters and an homage to North Korea's fantasy world. You will find North Korean soldiers in a kazoo orchestra, a brand new (and completely empty) bowling alley, and 40 minutes of synchronized swimming, according to Business Insider.

You can't make this stuff up. Oh, wait, yes you can if you're in North Korea.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/3_uu04MtflA/North-Korea-video-Welcome-to-theater-of-the-bizzare

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Putting malaria on the SHELPH

Monday, February 25, 2013

Experts have disabled a unique member of the signalling proteins which are essential for the development of the malaria parasite. They have produced a mutant lacking the ancient bacterial Shewanella-like protein phosphatase known as SHLP1 (pronounced shelph). This mutant is unable to complete its complex life cycle and is arrested in its development in the mosquito. The discovery could help in the design of new drugs to arrest the spread of this killer disease.

SHLP1is critical to the cellular development of the malaria parasite. It can be found at every stage in the lifecycle of the malaria parasite and for the first time experts led by The University of Nottingham have analysed their biological function.

Dr Rita Tewari and her team in the Centre for Genetics and Genomics in the School of Biology have spent three years studying the phosphatase proteins that are important building blocks in the life cycle of the malaria parasite. The findings of their latest study are published today, 21 February 2013, in the academic journal Cell Reports.

Dr Tewari said: "SHLP1 is absent in humans and can be explored as an excellent target for malaria transmission control. Prevention of malaria transmission to and from the mosquito is vital in order to stop the devastating spread of malaria. Targeting SHLP1 could be an important step to achieve this goal."

Although great strides have been made in reducing the number of deaths from malaria, half the world's population remains at risk from the disease. In 2010 90 per cent of all malaria deaths occurred in Africa ? mostly among children under the age of five.

Dr Tewari's latest research has focused on the ancient bacterial Shewanella-like protein phosphatase (SHLP1) which is found only in bacteria, fungi, protists (organisms which paved the way for the evolution of early plants, animals and fungi) and plants.

The researchers, funded by the MRC and the Wellcome Trust, have discovered how SHLP1 controls development of the parasite at an essential stage of its life cycle. The parasite must move between human and mosquito in its quest to spread the disease. It does this every time the mosquito bites. Removing this enzyme causes defects in structures vital for invading the mosquito gut ? effectively stopping the mosquito from passing the disease on to another victim.

###

University of Nottingham: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk

Thanks to University of Nottingham for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127005/Putting_malaria_on_the_SHELPH

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Green Blog: A Report Card for Global Food Giants

The anti-poverty group Oxfam has come up with a scorecard that evaluates the impact that the supply chains of behemoth food companies have on water consumption, labor and wages, greenhouse gas emissions and nutrition.

The goal of the scorecard, called ?Behind the Brands,? is to motivate consumers to pressure companies like Nestl?, Kellogg and Mars to improve their policies on land and water use and the treatment of small farmers, among other things, and to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

?Customer choice helps these companies build brand loyalty and value, which helps them build the bottom line,? said Ray Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America. ?These supply chains are what connects the consumer to the farmer in the field, and there is an increasing interest in that.?

Apparel and mining companies have moved to increase the transparency of their supply chains, improving their practices in the process, Mr. Offenheiser said. But food companies are notably opaque when it comes to disclosing how they obtain the ingredients for the food they sell.

In fact, they sometimes openly fight such disclosure, spending tens of millions of dollars recently, for instance, to avoid disclosing the use of genetically engineered ingredients on food packaging. Some have also resisted identifying the countries where their ingredients originate.

But consumers today have more information about the food they eat than ever, and the impact of that knowledge is increasingly clear. The backlash against organic and natural food brands whose corporate parents fought a California ballot initiative requiring the labeling of genetically modified foods persists, even though it was defeated in November. And a 15-year-old recently waged a successful campaign to get brominated vegetable oil, a controversial food additive, removed from Gatorade.

?I think these companies understand that engaging stakeholders, not just shareholders, is a fact of life going forward,? Mr. Offenheiser said. ?Growing market share and customer loyalty as a result of that engagement has a direct impact on the bottom line.?

He emphasized that Oxfam did not wish to dredge up old scandals ? although the report accompanying the new scorecard mentions several ? but rather to create what he called ?a race to the top.?

Two giant European food companies, Nestl? and Unilever, scored highest on the initial scorecard, followed by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. But no companies received Oxfam?s highest ratings across the board. Nestl?, which has worked to reduce the use of water in its processes, was awarded a 7 out of 10 in the water and transparency categories of the scorecard. Unilever received the same score for its treatment of smallholder farmers.

Conversely, seven of the ten companies received the lowest score possible for their use of land. Scores for the treatment of women working in agriculture were generally low as well. Seven of the companies received a grade of ?extremely poor? or ?failing? for the impact of their businesses on climate change.

Source: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/a-report-card-for-global-food-giants/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Net providers begin warning of illegal downloads

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Internet users who illegally share music, movies or television shows online could soon receive warning notices from the nation's five major Internet service providers.

The Copyright Alert System, organized by the recording and film industry, is being activated this week to target consumers using peer-to-peer software.

Under the new system, complaints will prompt an Internet service provider ? such as Verizon or AT&T ? to notify a customer whose Internet address has been detected sharing files illegally. A person will be given up to six opportunities to stop before the Internet provider will take more drastic steps, such as temporarily slowing their connection, or redirecting Internet traffic until they acknowledge they received a notice or review educational materials about copyright law.

Consumers who maintain they have been wrongly accused would be forced to pay $35 to appeal the decision. The fee would be reimbursed if they prevail.

Proponents say the focus is on deterring the average consumer rather than chronic violators. The director of the organization behind the system, Jill Lesser of the Center for Copyright Infringement, said in a blog post Monday that the program is "meant to educate rather than punish, and direct (users) to legal alternatives."

Each Internet provider is expected to implement their own system. The program gives each customer five or six "strikes" after a music or film company has detected illegal file-sharing and lodged a complaint. The first alerts are expected to be educational, while the third and fourth would require the customer to acknowledge that they have received the warnings and understand their behavior is illegal. The final warnings are expected to lead to "mitigation measures," such as slowing a person's Internet connection speeds.

Officials involved in the effort acknowledge it's unlikely to stop the biggest violators. There are ways to disguise an IP address or use a neighbor's connection that is unlocked. Public wireless connections, such as those offered at coffee shops, also won't be monitored.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-02-25-US-Internet-Piracy/id-dfd9db3796ee402ebdfbc72f96e26294

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Kenya: Official who oversaw 2007 chaotic poll dies

Feb 25 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 2. Matt Kuchar $1,987,000 3. Hunter Mahan $1,412,965 4. John Merrick $1,296,014 5. Phil Mickelson $1,232,760 6. Dustin Johnson $1,200,125 7. Tiger Woods $1,144,000 8. Russell Henley $1,129,080 9. Brian Gay $1,089,181 10. Charles Howell III $1,087,944 11. Jason Day $1,009,164 12. Chris Kirk $990,013 13. Steve Stricker $940,000 14. Josh Teater $870,934 15. Bill Haas $816,300 16. Jimmy Walker $812,620 17. Scott Piercy $789,592 18. Charlie Beljan $785,800 19. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kenya-official-oversaw-2007-chaotic-poll-dies-140105570.html

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Blackhawks' streak at 19 after OT win over Oilers

Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81), of Slovakia, celebrates with teammates including Jonathan Toews (19) after scoring the winning goal during overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Edmonton Oilers, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Chicago. The Blackhawks won 3-2. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81), of Slovakia, celebrates with teammates including Jonathan Toews (19) after scoring the winning goal during overtime of an NHL hockey game against the Edmonton Oilers, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Chicago. The Blackhawks won 3-2. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Viktor Stalberg (25) stuff the puck in the net past Edmonton Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (35), of Russia, and Corey Potter for a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Chicago. The Blackhawks won 3-2 in overtime. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) is unable to get a rebound shot on Chicago Blackhawks goalie Ray Emery (30) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago Blackhawks center Patrick Sharp (10) battles Edmonton Oilers center Sam Gagner (89) for a loose puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jeff Petry (2) celebrates with center Lennart Petrell, of Finland, after his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Monday, Feb. 25, 2013, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

CHICAGO (AP) ? The streak is just a number now. The NHL record is in the rearview mirror, so each additional game just means another giddy opponent eager to stop the Chicago Blackhawks.

So far, the skaters in red and black have responded to each challenge.

"Without sounding arrogant, it's just business as usual," forward Patrick Sharp said.

Thing is, there's nothing routine about it. Certainly not after Chicago beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 in overtime on Monday night, stretching its opening points streak to 19 games.

The record went down days ago, when the Blackhawks beat San Jose 2-1 on Friday night to make it 17 in a row. Now the questions are how long can it go on, and which team will stop the streak.

The Oilers gave it a good run, but eventually succumbed to the waves of pressure from the Blackhawks.

"They are an amazingly powerful team," Edmonton coach Ralph Krueger said. "They are very strong on the puck and they never, never let up, at all."

Sharp set up the winning goal with a quick turn along the boards and a drive to the goal that led to two stops by Nikolai Khabibulin. Marian Hossa picked up the second rebound and was again stuffed by Khabibulin before he poked it in 1:44 into overtime for his ninth goal of the season.

"It is a great feeling, obviously," Hossa said. "It doesn't matter who's scoring and lately we have a lot of different guys scoring. We try to enjoy the streak, keep playing a simple game and try to find a way to win."

Patrick Kane and Viktor Stalberg also scored for Chicago (16-0-3), which has won six straight and nine of 10. Ray Emery made 17 saves to remain unbeaten in eight starts this season.

The Blackhawks have earned 35 of 38 possible points so far this season.

"It was a great third period," Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said. "We had the puck in overtime, too. Great pay by Sharpie going to the net; great patience and presence with Hossa to finish."

Nail Yakupov and Jeff Petry scored for Edmonton, which carried a 2-1 lead into the third period but couldn't hold on for what would have been its fourth consecutive victory over the Blackhawks. Khabibulin had 31 stops in the opener of the Oilers' franchise-record, nine-game road trip.

"Of course you feel pain, having the lead going into the third period," Krueger said. "It's definitely something you dream and believe you can close it."

Edmonton grabbed the lead for the last time in the second, taking advantage when Brandon Saad was sent off for high sticking. Yakupov, the No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft, one-timed a pass from Sam Gagner into the right side of the net at 14:17 for his fourth power-play goal and sixth overall.

Chicago looked listless for much of the second, but rebounded quickly in the third. Michal Rozsival was behind the net when he sent a pass in front to Stalberg, who poked the puck into the goal mouth as Khabibulin went to his knees to try for the stop.

The call on the ice was no goal, but replays showed the puck crossed the line before Khabibulin could make the play and Stalberg was awarded his fifth goal of the season after a short review.

The pace picked up after the tying goal, and each team had a couple of solid chances to move in front. Yakupov shot off the post on one power-play opportunity, and Khabibulin stopped Hossa on a short-handed chance.

"I think for us it would have been a big statement game if we were able to break the streak," Gagner said. "But at the same time, once we didn't do that, we wanted to find a way to get it in overtime and were unable to do that as well. So it was unfortunate we kind of squandered the lead there."

Edmonton moved in front in the first period after Duncan Keith lost his footing and coughed up the puck deep in Chicago's end. Lennart Petrell picked it up and skated in all alone on Emery, who stopped his backhand attempt. The rebound went out to Petry, who sent it over the prone goalie at 4:28.

Just over a minute later, Kane skated to the middle of the ice and beat Khabibulin with a slick backhander for his 10th goal of the season. It was his first goal since Feb. 10 at Nashville, ending a six-game drought.

"We keep finding ways to win," said Sharp, who picked up his 400th career point on the assist in overtime. "That's important at any time of the year. Those one-goal games, we're on the right side of them. We were thankful to pull it out today."

NOTES: Chicago closed out a 6-0-1 homestand. ... Edmonton F Taylor Hall served the second of a two-game suspension for his hit on Minnesota's Cal Clutterbuck on Thursday. ... Blackhawks C Dave Bolland missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Chicago also scratched D Sheldon Brookbank and LW Brandon Bollig for the second straight night. ... Ds Ryan Whitney and Theo Peckham were the other scratches for the Oilers. ... The Blackhawks improved to 10-0-3 in one-goal games.

___

Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-26-HKN-Streaking-Blackhawks/id-3a29142fbdae4b099daf5f0b32ca9ad8

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