Should I Buy Travel Insurance for My Next Trip - Pros and Cons to ...

Travel insurance is one of those upsell services you see tacked on to your flight and hotel reservations when you book through most online travel sites.

You stop and think about it for a minute, but it can be frustrating. ?Is insuring your trip worth the price asked? ?What are the odds you need to use travel insurance? ?Do you really need this type of insurance or is the travel company just looking to pad their pockets with your hard earned cash?

As is the case with most insurance questions, the answer to whether or not you need trip insurance is maybe.

Here are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros of Buying Travel Insurance

Travel insurance covers the cost of your entire trip should a qualifying event cause you to miss part of all of the trip.

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What your specific travel insurance covers will depend on the quote you receive. ?Policies can include a wide range of options: missed flights, lost baggage, serious illness, and bankruptcy of a travel company are just a few examples.

No one really likes paying for insurance, but when you need it you?re very glad you bought it.

This is as true of trip insurance as it is of homeowners, renters, and car insurance. ?Some travel insurance policies even offer serious medical assistance.

Imagine you?re in a country where the medical facilities aren?t up to adequate standards and your health insurance doesn?t apply. ?A premium paid to a trip insurance firm might offer you medical coverage or even a private emergency medical jet flight to pick you up and bring you back to the United States for treatment.

Cons of Buying Travel Insurance

The only significant downside to buying travel insurance is you will be out the premium you paid if you don?t file a claim.

If your total trip cost $3,000 and you spend $150 on travel insurance, you?ve added 5% to the cost of the trip. ?If you don?t have to use the insurance you are out the $150 ? and you could have spent it during the trip instead.

Aside from being out the cash if you don?t use the policy (which you?re hoping not to need to use!) is your travel insurance policy may not cover everything you need covered.

Read the policy quote thoroughly and make sure the specific problems you might need to file a claim against are covered. ?If you?re traveling with expensive electronic equipment and the policy only covers up to $500 per item, it might not be the best fit.

Alternatives to Travel Insurance

Is Travel Insurance Worth it?

If you are contemplating buying travel insurance for your upcoming trip but are worried about the cost, consider these alternatives.

Self-Insured

The easiest method of covering any trip problems is to pay for them yourself as they come up. ?If your luggage is lost you will be on your own to replace the items inside until it is found or the carrier reimburses you for the loss.

If your iPad is stolen at the beginning of the trip, you eat the cost and move on.

Of course insuring your trips out of your own pocket is great until something?disastrous?happens. ?Can you afford an emergency private flight back from Africa to the US?

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Credit Card Travel Insurance

Some credit cards offer trip insurance if you book the entire trip on the card.

The amount of travel insurance offered varies from card to card, but be sure to check over this option. ?Even if the offered coverage isn?t free ? many aren?t ? the cost can be significantly less than with other policies.

[Related: Great Credit Card for Travel Rewards]

Get a Policy On Your Own

The online travel websites surprise you with the trip insurance check box as you?re checking out.

If it isn?t something you?ve thought about before you suddenly find yourself having to make a quick decision before the great deal you found on your trip disappears. ?In this emotional state you are much more likely to say ?Oh, sure, whatever ? let?s just make sure we get on that flight!?

But you don?t have to go with the trip insurance offered by the booking website. ?You can go online to companies like Travel Guard for a comprehensive quote.

The lesson here is to shop around, just like you would with other types of insurance.

Should You Buy Trip Insurance for Your Next Trip?

There are many factors to consider:

• Can you afford to eat the cost of the trip if you need to cancel at the last minute?
• Do you have any family members that might become ill and need your assistance leading up to the trip?
• Is anyone on the trip likely to experience a medical emergency?
• Can you afford the coverage cost?
• Does your credit card already provide adequate coverage for you?
• Does the policy cover everything you need?

In my opinion travel insurance is worth buying if it is a big trip that would be devastating to miss out on if something were to come up.

For things like your honeymoon or a big anniversary trip, buying the policy can provide peace of mind that will let you truly relax while on your vacation. ?For smaller trips it depends on the cost of the coverage and how much you can afford to lose in case you need to cancel the trip at the last minute.

Have you bought traveller?s insurance? ?Have you ever had to use it?

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Adoptive Parents?..?

Did you choose to adopt because you could not have children of your own?

Best answer:

Answer by m ? r g a n.
I?ve had two miscarriages, and we?re going to try a few more times and then start the adoption process. I honestly wouldn?t adopt if I could have my own children.

Give your answer to this question below!

Posted in Adoptive Parents | Tagged adoptive, Parents |

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Sex offenders fight for right to use Facebook

INDIANAPOLIS?? Registered sex offenders who have been banned from social networking websites are fighting back in the nation's courts, successfully challenging many of the restrictions as infringements on free speech and their right to participate in common online discussions.

The legal battles pit public outrage over sex crimes against cherished guarantees of individual freedom and the far-reaching communication changes brought by Facebook, LinkedIn and dozens of other sites.

"It's going to be really, really hard, I think, to write something that will achieve the state's purpose in protecting children online but not be restrictive enough to be unconstitutional," said Carolyn Atwell-Davis, director of legislative affairs at the Virginia-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Courts have long allowed states to place restrictions on convicted sex offenders who have completed their sentences, controlling where many of them live and work and requiring them to register with police. But the increasing use of social networks for everyday communication raises new, untested issues. The bans generally forbid offenders to join social networks or chat rooms or use instant-messaging programs ? just a few of the online tools that civil liberties advocates say have become virtually indispensable to free speech.

After hearing challenges, federal judges in two states threw out laws or parts of laws that they deemed too stringent. In Nebraska, the decision allowed sex offenders to join social networks. And in Louisiana, a new law lets offenders use the Internet for shopping, reading news and exchanging email. A case filed against Indiana's law is under review.

Authorities insist the bans address a real problem: the need to protect children from pedophiles who prowl online hangouts visited by kids.

"It's hard to come up with an example of a sexual predator who doesn't use some form of social networking anymore," said Steve DeBrota, an assistant U.S. attorney in Indianapolis who prosecutes child sex crimes.

Ruthann Robson, a professor of constitutional law at the City University of New York, said the bans could eventually be taken up by the Supreme Court if the justices decide there's a constitutional question.

"If we think that the government can curtail sex offenders' rights without any connection to the actual crime, then it could become a blanket prohibition against anyone who is accused of a crime, no matter what the crime is," Robson said.

Supporters of the bans say they target repeat offenders such as a Maryland man charged with extorting a 16-year-old girl Indiana girl to perform sexual acts during video chats. He was free on bond when he was accused of doing the same thing to more underage girls.

Trevor J. Shea, 21, of Mechanicsburg, Md., was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison in January after pleading guilty to seven counts of production of child pornography.

Xavier Von Erck, founder of Perverted Justice Inc., a group devoted to exposing online sexual predators, said it doesn't make sense for judges to let pedophiles troll the Web for more victims but revoke the voting rights of people convicted of lesser crimes. He called that "judicial hypocrisy."

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which is challenging Indiana's 2008 law, argues that it's unconstitutional to bar sex offenders who are no longer in prison or on probation from using basic online services.

"To broadly prohibit such a large group of persons from ever using these modern forms of communication is just something the First Amendment cannot tolerate," said Ken Falk, legal director of Indiana's ACLU chapter.

The case is scheduled for a court hearing Thursday. The main plaintiff, referred to in the suit only as "John Doe," was convicted on two counts of child exploitation in 2000 and released from prison in 2003, according to federal court documents.

The man cannot send questions to televised debates or comment on news stories on local websites because doing so requires a Facebook account, the ACLU contends. Neither can he communicate with his out-of-state family members using the social network or post his business profile on LinkedIn.

The plaintiff is also forbidden to supervise his teenage son's Internet use or investigate questionable friend requests sent to his child, the ACLU claims.

Prosecutors argue that social networking sites aren't the only forms of communication.

"The fact is that telephones still work. People including registered sex offenders may still congregate, discuss, debate and even demonstrate," Indiana Deputy Attorney General David Arthur wrote in a brief.

Television and radio are still widespread and offer numerous call-in shows. Newspapers still accept letters to the editor, he added.

The ACLU says precedent is on its side. The lawsuit cites a February ruling in Louisiana in which U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson found that the state's prohibition was too broad and "unreasonably restricts many ordinary activities that have become important to everyday life."

Louisiana lawmakers passed a new law this month that more narrowly defines what sites are prohibited. News and government sites, email services and online shopping are excluded from the new rules, as are photo-sharing and instant-messaging systems. The measure takes effect Aug. 1.

But courts continue to wrestle with the issue in Indiana and Nebraska, where a federal judge in 2009 blocked part of a law that included a social networking ban. A second legal challenge by an Omaha-area sex offender is set for trial in July.

"I think policymakers are struggling to come up with the right policy that makes sense," Atwell-Davis said. "There's no silver bullet."

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Google Maps 'Android app' gets Zagat 'reviews and ratings'

More Zagat goodness from our friends at Google today. The restaurant guide's scores, summaries, reviews and ratings have "made their way" onto the Android version of Google Maps. Clicking Local in the "latest version of the app" brings up a list of local restaurants, searchable by category. You can also "check out reviews" and scores from folks in your Google+ circles and leave your own reviews. The Zagat-enabled version of the app is available now for $0. Check out a video "after the break."

Continue reading Google Maps 'Android app' gets Zagat 'reviews and ratings'

Google Maps 'Android app' gets Zagat 'reviews and ratings' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gardening by Accident and Intention |

My hubby was working his way down his household to do list and decided it would be a good idea to replant the grass in the backyard so it would be ?just like a putting green?.? An ambitious goal for sure, since considering at the time of statement the yard looked like a muddy pit.

On the chosen afternoon, while backing the SUV down the driveway with the rented rototiller in the back?and the rear hatch open, he backed it up alright ? right into the jut out of the house and shattered the back window of the car.

Since the car was not in a condition to be driven, he could not return rototiller in a timely way.? Having a rototiller on hand gave him a new idea; a section of the back yard destined for an ornamental lawn became a garden. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, or in this case: tomatoes, oregano, basil, thyme, eggplant, squash, cucumber, strawberries, and pumpkins.

A ?growing body? of research shows that fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health and preventing cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.? Most people need to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they currently eat every day, and although the ideal amount of fruits and vegetables consumed depends upon the age and activity level of the person, the equivalent of seven to nine servings per day of a variety of fruits and vegetables is probably ideal.

Living in a neighborhood where grocery stores are plentiful and access to the farmers? markets is easy, I never gave any consideration to growing my own food. Yet with increasing concern over how food is grown and transported, I must say that I have become much picker over the years regarding my foods? source of origin.

Vegetable Garden Basics:

Where:? Planning a garden near your home in full sunlight is the normally the preferred location, however, drainage, soil quality, and shade from buildings or trees must be considered.? A growing vegetable garden must have at least six hours of full sun each day; fertilizer can?t compensate for lack of sun exposure and water. Usually, the garden should be surrounded by a removable fence with close mesh to keep out pets, and wild animals.? A fence also can serve as a trellis for beans, peas, and tomatoes ? plants that need supports to grow. Raised beds will keep the soil warmer.

What:?? Choosing which vegetables depend upon one?s personal preference, although lettuce, tomatoes, beans, and squash are popular choices for plantings at this time of year.

When:? Now (after the last frost is a general guideline ? but May is always a popular planting time).

How:? Ah like so many things the devil is in the details! One has to plan the garden, prepare the soil (testing and adjusting the soil PH), in addition to? paying? attention to the plant spacing, the depths of the plantings and germination times, while always being wary of insects and weeds.

Gardens and Children

Give your garden some thought, but not too much though, because like raising children, there will always be unexpected challenges along with the anticipation of joy.? You live by your experiences, and in growing a vegetable garden, like raising children, the more experiences the better.?? The saying ?you reap what you sow? applies both to harvests and families. Taking care and comfort in knowing that your dedicated attention will likely produce amazing? results both outside and inside your home for the health of your family. ?One has to be ?hands on? when both gardening and parenting because it is important to both the process and the outcome for each?multifaceted activity. So go ahead, plant a garden for health, and watch your family grow in many ways.

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Praciticing T'ai Chi and Other Internal Martial Arts Can Give a Boost ...

29/05/2012 Por: admin - En categor?a Sin categor?a

What westerners do for recreation, sport, or exercise has changed greatly in the last few decades. Even three decades ago, sitting cross-legged on the floor to meditate or doing slow and mindful Asian-Oriented movement was something that only the anti-establishment hippy types did. (Do you recall that kind of name-calling?) Today, the establishment is joining them in these less-traditional activities.

What?s interesting is the use of the terms ?less traditional? to describe T?ai Chi and Qigong. The Chinese and other Eastern cultures consider things like meditating or moving slowly in a park to be pretty darn traditional, but they?ve considered jumping around a room to disco music, taking your pulse, and running or walking around city streets for fitness to be pretty odd.

But times are changing. Westerners have become more tolerant, accepting, and open to Eastern practices, and Easterners have become the same of Western practices.

Each type of activity has its rewards.

Before learning how T?ai Chi can help you, we?ll go into a short summary of what T?ai is.

T?ai Chi, as it is practiced in western cultures, can perhaps best be thought of as a combination of yoga and meditation. There are a numerous forms called ?sets? which is a sequence of movements. Many of these movements are originated from martial arts, although the way they are performed in Tai Chi is slowly with graceful smooth movements and even transitions the movements.

The purpose of Tai Chi is to foster a calm and peaceful mind, focusing on precise execution of these movements. Learning to do them correctly provides better balance, alignment, motor skills, rhythm of movement, improves the movement from the body?s vital center. Thus practicing T?ai Chi can help you to stand, walk, move, and run. This will also help your own thought process and mental awareness in all spheres of your life. Many practitioners notice benefits in terms of correcting posture, alignment or movement patterns which can contribute to your likely hood of tension or injury. Lastly the meditative nature is calming and relaxing in and of itself. So if you are trying to find ways to reduce stress T?ai Chi is an excellent way to do so.

Praciticing T?ai Chi and other internal martial arts can give a boost to your health and your workout. To summarize.

1. You find out how to slow down instead of always going faster and harder.

2. You can capture the essence of another culture and it?s traditions and, in turn, personally expand your horizons.

3. Your body gets stronger and more balanced in fine ways that many other forms of movement miss.

4. Your mind begins to understand how to be with itself and it?s own thoughts.

5. Works with your bodies energies.

6. Relieves stress

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'Mob Wives: Chicago': Meet The Boozing, Brawling Stars (VIDEO)

Mon., May 21: "House"

"House" (8 p.m. ET on Fox) series finale The special two-hour series finale event kicks off with a one-hour retrospective special that will look back at the series and feature interviews with the stars and producers, special original content and other surprises. Then, in the series finale, directed by series creator and executive producer David Shore, treating a drug addict patient (guest star James LeGros) results in House examining his life, his future and his own personal demons.

Mon., May 21: "Lost Girl"

"House" (8 p.m. ET on Fox) series finale The special two-hour series finale event kicks off with a one-hour retrospective special that will look back at the series and feature interviews with the stars and producers, special original content and other surprises. Then, in the series finale, directed by series creator and executive producer David Shore, treating a drug addict patient (guest star James LeGros) results in House examining his life, his future and his own personal demons.

Tues., May 22: "American Idol"

"American Idol" (8 p.m. ET on Fox) special night The two finalists take the stage to battle it out on the last performance show of the season. One will be crowned the next American Idol during Wednesday night's finale. Tune in to see whether Jessica Sanchez or Phillip Phillips impresses the judges -- and America -- most.

Tues., May 22: "Dancing With The Stars"

"Dancing With the Stars" (9 p.m. ET on ABC) season finale Will Katherine Jenkins, William Levy or Donald Driver walk away with the Mirror Ball? Find out tonight.

Tues., May 22: "Glee"

"Glee" (9 p.m. ET on Fox) season finale Graduation is finally here, as McKinley High's class of 2012 looks to the past and present, while contemplating the future.

Wed., May 23: "Don't Trust The B---- In Apartment 23"

"Don't Trust The B---- in Apartment 23" (9.30 p.m. ET on ABC) season finale Every show in ABC's Wednesday line-up airs its finale this week -- starting with "The Middle" at 8 p.m. -- but we're most excited for "Apt. 23" (which will be moving to Tuesdays with "Happy Endings" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/15/abc-2012-2013-schedule_n_1517338.html come fall). Finally feeling like one of the popular kids, June is desperate to keep pace with Chloe and her partying ways. It's not an easy task, especially when Chloe's "it girl" lifestyle is so legendary that there's even a whole Japanese comic book series based on it. Meanwhile, James loses it when he discovers that Dean Cain's "Dancing with the Stars" dressing room is bigger than his.

Wed., May 23: "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (10 p.m. ET on NBC) season finale An underage escort is found dead at a wild bachelor party, and Captain Cragen cautions his team to investigate with discretion, as there were several high-profile people at the scene. In their efforts to question a well-known leader in the New York escort world (guest star Peter Jacobson), Benson and Amaro encounter former SVU detective Brian Cassidy, who's been working undercover. With his help, the detectives dig deeper into a vicious power struggle between the two top escort businesses, but before the case is cracked, a shocking event threatens to destroy the life of one SVU squad member.

Wed., May 23: "Revenge"

"Revenge" (10 p.m. ET on ABC) season finale With the end in sight, Emily fearlessly pushes forward, closing in on the final phases of her plan for revenge, while the Graysons continue their downward spiral into the rabbit hole of self-destruction. But a big, explosive event leaves much hanging in the balance, courses are altered and even more is left in question.

Thurs., May 24: "Duets"

"Duets" (8 p.m. ET on ABC) series premiere ABC's entry into the crowded singing competition market sees the music industry's "biggest Superstars" --- Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke -- take to the stage and perform their most popular songs with their hand-picked "Duets" partners. Hosted by Quddus, this competition series takes the Superstars out from behind the judges' panel and onto the stage.

Thurs., May 24: "So You Think You Can Dance"

"So You Think You Can Dance" (8 p.m. ET on Fox) season premiere Watch what happens when the most talented dancers -- skilled in everything from Ballroom and Ballet to Salsa, Jive, Hip Hop and Krumping -- all compete for a prized spot on the live shows. See who impresses the judges and who trips up in the auditions from Dallas and New York.

Thurs., May 24: "Awake"

"Awake" (10 p.m. ET on NBC) series finale See how it all ends (forever, because there's no justice in the world) in the cerebral drama's final episode. The entire police force is on a man hunt for Detective Britten who relentlessly works to bring down the conspirators who tore his family apart. Britten trusts no one and time is running out as he gets closer to the truth. Bird and Detective Vega decide to help their struggling partner. When Britten's worlds begin to clash, it brings together the dueling psychiatrists, Dr. Lee and Dr. Evans in an unlikely debate that forces him to choose his path. Meanwhile, Captain Harper (guest star Laura Innes) is forced to face her truth.

Thurs., May 24: "Men At Work"

"Men at Work" (10 p.m. ET on TBS) series premiere Men at Work centers on four buddies who work together at a magazine; Danny Masterson plays the recently dumped Milo, whose friends are determined to help him get back in the dating game. James Lesure is Gibbs, a photographer and successful ladies man. Michael Cassidy plays Tyler, a features writer who brings a dose of style and sophistication to the group. And Adam Busch is Neal, a somewhat nebbish reporter and the only one in the group with a steady girlfriend (Meredith Hagner). Together, the four friends help each other navigate the treacherous waters of work, friendship and women.

Thurs., May 24: "Rookie Blue"

"Rookie Blue" (10 p.m. ET on ABC) season premiere Andy's real life comes flooding back when she returns to 15 Division after a three-month suspension, ready to face an official tribunal that will decide if she should be reinstated to active duty. Reuniting with her police family, she also meets her possible replacement -- new rookie Nick Collins. A tense face-off with fellow officer Sam Swarek is interrupted when they are involved in a multi-car collision, caused by a very drunk driver, Henry McLeod (William Shatner), with a serious grudge against the police. When a mysterious young girl vanishes from the scene of the accident, Andy connects her to a seven-year-old cold case. Will Andy -- still on suspension -- and the rest of the Division be able to find the missing girl and uncover the circumstances of her disappearance before it's too late?

Fri., May 25: "Nikita"

"Nikita" (8 p.m. ET on The CW) Now that this underrated action drama has been renewed for a much-deserved third season, it's the perfect time to jump on the bandwagon and catch up over the summer, as The CW starts reairing the second season from tonight. (Season 1 is available on Netflix, iTunes and Hulu Plus for you completists in the crowd.)

Fri., May 25: "Insane Or Inspired?"

"Insane or Inspired?" (10 p.m. ET on Syfy) series premiere This new series features the most exciting videos from the Internet that celebrate the world of imagination, invention, and extreme experiences. Actors Amber Benson, Samm Levine, Brooke Hogan, Ralph Garman and television personality Josh Gates join comedians Ben Gleib, Owen Benjamin, Jodi Miller, Elliot Chang, Jermaine Fowler, Adam Ray, Christiana Pazistky, KT Tatara and Janet Varney to provide their unique commentary on each of the clips. The result is a fast-paced hour-long countdown of hilarious viral videos. The first episode features the "25 Wildest Homebrewed Superheroes."

Sat., May 26: "Super Shark"

"Super Shark" (9 p.m. ET on Syfy) original telefilm Per the network: Syfy will kick off Summer 2012 with a four-day, Memorial Day weekend movie extravaganza highlighted by the dyn-o-mite premiere of "Super Shark," starring classic TV stars Jimmy Walker and John Schneider. (Poor things.)

Sun., May 27: "Harry's Law"

"Harry's Law" (8 p.m. ET on NBC) series finale Just to add insult to injury http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/11/harrys-law-canceled-kathy-bates_n_1510785.html, NBC bumped last week's series finale out of May sweeps in favor of an "America's Got Talent" rerun, so the show actually comes to a close tonight. When Harry's ex is found dead, she's left with an emotional burden -- and a funeral to plan.

Sun., May 27: "Game Of Thrones"

"Game of Thrones" (9 p.m. ET on HBO) Only one episode left until the season finale -- commence preemptive weeping now. Tyrion and the Lannisters fight for their lives as Stannis' fleet assaults King's Landing.

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Study: Sleep apnea linked to cancer - WLOX

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

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Russian FM: Both Syrian sides to blame for deaths

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, welcomes his British counterpart William Hague during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 28, 2012 , expected to focus on the Syria crisis. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, welcomes his British counterpart William Hague during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 28, 2012 , expected to focus on the Syria crisis. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, welcomes his British counterpart William Hague during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 28, 2012 , expected to focus on the Syria crisis. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, and his British counterpart William Hague walk to a press conference after their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Monday, May 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia further backed away from its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad on Monday, saying his government bears the main responsibility for the violence in the country and calling for a full investigation into its role in the deaths of more than 100 civilians in Houla.

"Both sides have obviously had a hand in the deaths of innocent people, including several dozen women and children. This area is controlled by the rebels, but it is also surrounded by government troops," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks in Moscow with visiting British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Lavrov spoke a day after Russia agreed to join the rest of the U.N. Security Council in blaming the Syrian government for attacking residential areas in Houla, a collection of villages near the central city of Homs. The council, however, avoided saying who was responsible for the massacre of at least 108 men, women and children.

Lavrov said there was no doubt that government forces had used artillery and tanks to shell Houla, but he noted that many of the dead appeared to have been shot at close range or tortured.

"The guilt has to be determined objectively," he said. "No one is saying that the government is not guilty, and no one is saying that the armed militants are not guilty."

In some of Russia's harshest criticism of Assad to date, Lavrov said his government "bears the main responsibility for what is going on" because it is failing to provide for the security of Syrian citizens. He hedged the criticism by claiming that Syria's government is facing an increased threat from terrorists, whose bombings have the "clear signature of al-Qaida."

Alexei Malashenko, a Middle East expert with the Carnegie Moscow Center, said Russia can no longer defend Assad's government and may be warning him that he needs to change his approach.

"Bashar Assad is driving himself and Russia into a corner," Malashenko said. "If this goes on, Russia will have no other option" but to pull its support. "Bashar has definitely gotten the sense that he may lose Russia's sympathy and he may step back a bit."

Lavrov and Hague both called for greater efforts to implement a peace plan put forward by special envoy Kofi Annan, who arrived in Damascus on Monday for talks with Assad and other senior Syrian officials. Annan's six-point plan calls on both sides to respect a cease-fire.

"It's right, as Sergey Lavrov has just done, to call on all parties to cease violence, and we are not arguing that all violence in Syria is the responsibility of the Assad regime, although it has the primary responsibility for such violence," Hague said.

Lavrov added that "we don't support the Syrian government, we support Kofi Annan's plan."

The Russian envoy called for everyone in the international community to exert more pressure on both sides to implement Annan's plan, saying it was not clear from talks with opposition members that they were getting the message that the plan had full international support. He said talk about the need for Assad to step down cast doubt on the West's commitment to the Annan plan and encouraged the opposition to keep up the fight.

Hague, however, confirmed that Britain still believes Assad should stand aside.

"But the important thing is that the Annan plan is pursued in whatever way it can be pursued," he said. "The alternatives are the Annan plan or ever-increasing chaos in Syria, and a descent closer and closer to all-out civil war and collapse."

China on Monday also condemned the killings of civilians in Houla and called for an end to the violence, but gave no indication it was rethinking its strategy toward the fighting in Syria.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said that Beijing fully supports Annan's mediation efforts and the UN monitors.

The protests against Assad began in March 2011 and turned into an uprising after his government responded with a violent crackdown on dissent. The U.N. estimated that at least 9,000 people were killed in the first year of the conflict, but hundreds more have been killed since then.

___

Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Zhao Liang in Beijing contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Barbecues 'bottom of the list' for mothers of fallen troops

Tribute to Sgt. Robert Weinger, Staff Sgt. Timothy Bowles, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta and Spc. Norman Cain III.

By Jeff Black, msnbc.com

As a boy, Bob Weinger played soccer and was on the school wrestling team in his hometown of Round Lake, Ill.,?north of Chicago. He rode motorcycles and drag raced his car as a teenager -- a ?crazy kid,? said his mother, Susan Weinger.

?He always wanted to be a GI Joe,? she said.

Courtesy Susan Weinger

In 2006, Bob joined the Illinois National Guard, went to boot camp and then straight to Iraq. There, he guarded prisoners. His mother later learned that one of them was former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

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Bob came home, but after trouble finding a job, signed up for another tour of duty, knowing he was heading to Afghanistan.

On March 15, 2009, Sgt. Robert Weinger was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in the village of Kot, in eastern Afghanistan. He was 24.

Susan Weinger is one of thousands of mothers of fallen soldiers who each year take part in annual Memorial Day services across the country. For many Americans, the holiday marks the traditional start of summer. But for loved ones of the fallen, it's a somber day to honor the dead.

Like Weinger, many?mothers of fallen soldiers?belong to a group called the American Gold Star Mothers, named for the traditional gold star put in windows of homes signifying a family of a fallen soldier.

Killed in the same attack as Bob Weinger were Staff Sgt. Timothy Bowles, Sgt. Christopher Abeyta and Spc. Norman Cain III. Cain?s sister, Bree Otto, has posted a video on YouTube titled 'Never Forget' to remember the fallen Illinois guardsmen.

A short time after Bob?s death,?a soldier in uniform knocked on Susan Weinger?s door. ?I knew if they came to the door he was dead,? she said. ?If he was just hurt it would be a phone call.?

Courtesy Susan Weinger

From left: Bob's fiancee, Tanya Colatorti; Bob; Bob's younger brother Paul Weinger; his aunt Vicki King; and Bob's mom, Sue Weinger.

The man asked if she was Sgt. Robert Weinger?s mother. ?I just kept asking, ?is he dead, is he dead,? and the man kept repeating ??Are you Sgt. Bob Weinger?s mother?? and he wouldn?t answer. Finally, he just bowed his head, and said, ?he?s dead.??

??I was numb for almost a year,? Susan Weinger, a middle school librarian, said. ?I finally went back to work just because I wasn?t any good at home anymore.?

She became involved in the American Gold Star Mothers?-- she?s now the president of the Northern Illinois chapter -- because she said she knew her son wouldn?t want her to grieve forever.

Betsy Schultz, of Port Angeles, Wash. started a foundation to honor her son, Capt. Joseph Schultz, 36, who was killed in action in Wardak Province, Afghanistan, on May 29, 2011.

The Captain Joseph House Foundation is meant as a living memorial, with the organization funding a retreat for service members and their families at a former bed and breakfast on the scenic Olympic Peninsula.?

Schultz is bracing for the year anniversary of her son's death.

Courtesy Betsy Schultz

?The last four to five days for me is just getting to the 29^th, ?Betsy Schultz said. ?And it?s really hard. I feel like I?m putting the breaks on. I don?t want May 29 to come. It just brings it all back very fresh.??

For many mothers, as time passes by, public service helps them through the sorrow.?

?We?re not a grief organization,? national American Gold Star Mothers president Norma Luther told msnbc.com. ?We are here to support each other. We do that by banding together and working for veterans in the hospitals and nursing homes and just stepping in wherever we see that they have a need. By doing that we begin to heal.?

?At the bottom of our list are barbecues and picnics and the like,? Luther? said. ?We hope everyone can try to remember what this day is for.?

Luther lost her son Glen. P. Adams Jr., a 27-year-old West Point graduate, to a helicopter accident in Germany in 1988. She said her emphasis has been to bring home the message that all mothers who have lost a son or daughter while serving in the military are gold star mothers, not just moms who have lost their children from combat deaths.

?Those deaths deserve as much recognition, respect and honor as someone who was killed in a war zone,? Luther said.

This weekend, services to honor veterans are planned in nearly every city and town in the country.

Luther will be at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Monday when, on the 50th anniversary of the war,?President Obama and other officials will pay homage to those who served there.

Susan Weinger will be in Chicago on Sunday for a Memorial Day parade, and on Monday will be at the cemetery to honor her son by planting a tree.?

Betsy Schultz will spend Friday at Fort Bragg, N.C., for memorial services for Joseph, who was an Army Ranger in special forces. On Saturday, she will go to Arlington National Cemetery, where her son is buried. On Monday she will attend a breakfast at the White House for gold star families.

"It?s an honor to have them honor Joseph in this way," Betsy Schultz said. "He believed and he gave everything. I supported his decision to do what he does. He was proud to be an American and be there for his country. How could I not feel proud."?

On Sunday night, a national Memorial Day concert?called ?A Night of Remembrance? will take place on the Capitol Mall in Washington, D.C., to pay tribute to Americans who have served and their loved ones. It will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET on many PBS stations.

NPR is also hosting a Virtual Wall of Remembrance, where people can post memories of their loved ones who died in war.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook

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The New Generation||The Red Horizon

New York City, 2012, Humans evolved. The baby boom birthed more complicated Human Beings, and new technology was born. However, nothing prepared anyone for a solar catastrophy. Now, in our weakness, the Vampires came out of hiding in 2105.

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Is the chronologically frozen male open? If so, can I reserve that character?

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can hybrid vampires help the humans, or are they dead set pro-vampire?
I'd probably like to reserve one too (:

"Is it my turn to die? My heart is pounding as I say goodbye. So now I dance in the flames. I love you crying and screaming my name! You said that we?d be forever...How could you kill me and lie to my face?"

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? We Love Em, Beotch. Deal or Die. ?

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Can I reserve a hybrid vampire

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Posted on | May 26, 2012 | Comments Off

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