A letter addressed to President Obama that field-tested positive for the poison ricin was received at the remote White House mail screening facility Tuesday, according to law enforcement officials.
Law enforcement officials emphasized that these tests are preliminary and are often unreliable. They said the final word would come from a complete lab test that should be completed in the next 24 to 48 hours.
A false positive for ricin occurs at least once each year, a homeland security official told ABC News.
The facility routinely identifies letters or parcels that require secondary screening or scientific testing before delivery.
The office of Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi also Tuesday received a suspicious letter potentially laced with ricin, postmarked from Memphis.
Testing on the first letter is incomplete but expected to be finished this afternoon. The first letter was addressed to Republican Wicker.
The Secret Service mail screening facility is a remote facility, not located near the White House complex, that all White House mail goes through.
The Secret Service is working closely with the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI in this investigation.
FBI sources say anytime suspicious powder is located in a mail facility, field tests are conducted. The field and other preliminary tests in this instance produced inconsistent results. The material has been sent to an accredited laboratory for further analysis.
Only a full analysis performed at an accredited laboratory can determine the presence of a biological agent such as ricin. Those tests are in the process of being conducted and generally take from 24 to 48 hours.
The Centers for Disease Control defines ricin as a poison that comes from castor beans and can be found in a powder, a mist, a pellet or dissolved in water.
“In the 1940s, the U.S. military experimented with using ricin as a possible warfare agent,” the CDC writes. “In some reports ricin has possibly been used as a warfare agent in the 1980s in Iraq and more recently by terrorist organizations.”
New Hampshire State Rep. Peter Hansen referred to women as “vaginas” in an email to colleagues sent on the legislature’s official internal listserv. In response to a message debating a “stand your ground” measure being considered by the State House, the Republican lawmaker wrote:
What could possibly be missing from those factual tales of successful retreat in VT, Germany, and the bowels of Amsterdam? Why children and vagina’s of course. While the tales relate the actions of a solitary male the outcome cannot relate to similar situations where children and women and mothers are the potential victims.
Hansen’s use of metonym outraged his Democratic and Republican colleagues, prompting Democratice State Rep. Rick Watrous to respond:
“Children and vagina’s”??!! Are you really using “vaginas” as a crude catch-all for women? Really? Please think before you send out such offensive language on the legislative listserve.”
NARAL Pro-Choice New Hampshire weighed in, too:
Shame on Representative Hansen — we will do everything in our power to ensure voters in his district know about his demeaning rhetoric. Women are more than their reproductive organs. We are daughters, sisters, mothers, students, professionals, and community leaders. We deserve more than being referenced by our body parts.
Hansen initially remained defiant in response to criticism, explaining that he had a “fairly well educated mind” and did not need his colleagues to act as “self-appointed wardens” to his speech. He went on to suggest that anyone offended by his use of female genitalia to describe women everywhere should “re-examine [their] psyche.”
But his critics persisted and Hansen relented over his figure of speech, at least a little:
was not, and is not, my intention to demean women at any time. It is apparent that the intent of my remarks has been misinterpreted, the true goal of the message lost and for that I apologize to those who took offense.
In a move of pure class, the New York Yankees paid tribute to the home of their baseball rivals in Boston. After suffering from the bombing acts of a coward, the Yankees acknowledged a moment of silence before their Tuesday night game with Arizona, and played a Boston favorite between the second and third quarter of their eventual win.
The Neil Diamond classic was appreciated by the Fans in attendance.
Showing his appreciation, Neil Diamond himself tweeted to say thanks to the Yankees for their support.
Thank you NY Yankees for playing ‘Sweet Caroline’ for the people of Boston. You scored a home run in my heart. With respect, Neil #OneBoston
Superman, the world’s greatest comic book super hero is back in the movies. And if great SFX is your thing, this movie looks like its got it!
In theaters June 14th
From Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures comes “Man of Steel”, starring Henry Cavill, directed by Zach Snyder. The film also stars Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Henry Lennix, Christopher Meloni and Laurence Fishburne.
The two sets of pictures below were obtained by Fox 5 Atlanta. The first set of pictures, a ‘before’ pic shows a bag placed by the barricades next to a mailbox. In the ‘after’ picture, the bag is gone.
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The next set of pictures show a man running away from the area where the bag was placed. Although it is possible that he was scared because of what had just occurred, it is a bit strange that while everyone around him seemed shocked, covering their ears and bending down, this man is seen running away in the opposite direction.
The Quik Cook! continues with national cuisine favorites from around the world from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe! Today’s port-of-call: Cambodia for Cambodian Fish Amok!
Cambodian Fish Amok (Curried White Fish Served With Coconut Sauce.)
Active Time: 30 mins / Servings: 2
Ingredients: Curry Paste 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 large shallot bulb, finely chopped 3 stalks lemongrass, ends trimmed, inner tender stalk only, finely chopped ½ -inch piece galangal, peeled and finely chopped 2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped 1 teaspoon tumeric powder 1 teaspoon light brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons chili paste – like Sambal Oelek Fish Amok 1 tablespoon vegetable oil ½ teaspoon shrimp paste (optional) – substitute anchovy paste if you can’t find shrimp paste 1 cup coconut milk, well shaken 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 teaspoon salt ¾ pound firm, mild white fish – like halibut, mahi mahi, or true cod, skin removed 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, cut into ½-inch thick ribbons 1 egg 1 tablespoon fish sauce Julianned red bell pepper Kaffir lime leaf ribbons – thinly sliced kaffir lime leaves
Preparation: Curry Paste: Make this curry paste with a mortar and pestle or use a food processor. The mortar and pestle will give the curry a deeper flavor. Place the first 5 ingredients in a mortar and pestle and pound to a paste. Alternatively, place first 5 ingredients in a food processor and process until a smooth paste forms. Add the remaining ingredients and pound or process until all spices are well incorporated. Fish Amok: Thinly slice the fish into ¼-inch thick bite size pieces and set aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp paste, coconut milk, sugar and salt, whisking to combine. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add the fish and spinach leaves, gently folding the fish into the curry sauce with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Let the amok simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. Turn the heat off. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of the curry sauce from the pan. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and gently fold it into the curry.
Serve the amok in a bowl with a spoonful of coconut cream (the thick cream that rises to the top of the remaining coconut milk), a few julienned red pepper pieces and a sprinkling of kaffir lime leaf ribbons.
The Maurice Podoloff Trophy is given to the Most Valuable Player each year in the entire NBA. This year the clear favorite to win his fourth MVP award if Miami Heat Forward Lebron James. I will not sit here and say Lebron James is not an amazing basketball player, but I do not believe he deserves the award this year. Yes, he led the Miami Heat to a franchise record 27 win streak, yes he is the most dominant player right now, and yes he is a full-fledged superstar, but he is on a team built to achieve above and beyond the known limits. He is a very important corner-stone to the team, but not the most valuable player in the league.
2008 NBA MVP Kobe Bryant
No matter what arena you see him play, no matter what team he is playing against, Kobe Bryant will always hear “M-V-P! M-V-P!” chants. Oddly enough Kobe has only won one NBA MVP award back in 2008. This year he easily deserves to be a front-runner in the MVP conversation. The horribly underachieving Lakers have been willed on by Kobe alone and even though he is now out with a season ending Achilles tear, he has gotten them into the 8th seed of the playoffs.
Clippers Guard Chris Paul
Chris Paul (a.k.a CP3) has made the Clippers the team in Los-Angeles now and for years to come. He will become the corner-stone of the new dominant west coast force that are the Clippers. Chris Paul is long due for a MVP award and after watching him this year lead the Clippers to their first division title in decades, hitting the 50 win mark for the first time since 1976, and taking the Clippers on a dominant and undefeated month of December.
New York Knick Forward Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony is poised to win his first NBA Scoring Title after this season just nudging out Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant. Over the month of April Carmelo has averaged nearly 29 points per game and lead his Knicks on a 13 game win streak that ended in Chicago. Anthony has always been an elite scorer but this season in New York he is proving to be a real MVP candidate. Over this season the Knicks were written off as “too old” but they have secured a second placed seed in the Eastern Conference and will match up against Boston in the first round (a real good game by the way). While Carmelo’s stats are no where as nice as James or other players, his Knicks are only 6-7 without him. I would easily give him the MVP Award this year since Melo is long overdue and has clearly proven his worth.
Spurs Guard Tony Parker
Ah, Tony Parker, he was once the “dark horse” MVP candidate throughout this season. In 65 games this season, Parked has averaged 20.4 points, 7.6 assists, while shooting 52.4%, and 35.3% from beyond the arc. He has once again lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 58-23 record while securing the second place seed in the Western Conference. Earlier this season some people would’ve penciled in Parker as the favorite to win the MVP as he was and the Spurs were just on a roll. Sadly in the month of April he has dropped off due to injuries and has only played four games. No matter what though, Tony Parker is still the dark horse candidate to win MVP.
Once again, I am not putting down Lebron James and his amazing talent and ability to play the game of basketball. He is the most dominant force in basketball right now and will be for a couple more years. James though, does not deserve another MVP award as he is clearly not the most valuable player for the team compared to others. Sadly though, a fourth trophy is inevitable.
Below is a video from Family Guy. In it, the eerie scene shows Bob Costas interviewing Family Guy’s Peter Griffin, asking him how he won the Boston Marathon.
The scene then shows Griffin’s answer where he makes two phone calls and two explosions are heard after each call.
Walking around in the aftermath of yesterday’s tragedy I heard people say over and over, “I can’t believe this happened here in Boston.”
Most tragedies seem distant and removed.
Until tragedy lands on our front door.
For those of us who have ever considered Boston to be home, yesterday’s explosions shook many to the core. The normal reaction is shock, anger, even numbness. It feels surreal that terror of this magnitude came so close. As the American Psychological Association states, “shock and denial are normal protective actions” after a traumatic event.
Today Everything Feels Normal
Walking through Downtown Crossing and into the Financial District this morning, it was hard to imagine the horror of yesterday’s events in the regular activities occurring today. It was business as usual.
Tourists clicked cameras and walked along the streets. Business people walked quickly down the streets. Phones were out, businesses were open. The usual suspects were on the corners asking for money. Students gathered to study and sip coffee. In Starbucks, a financial advisor counseled the woman sitting next to me on the best way to reallocate funds. I walked past a mailman, hands full of mail and packages. Checking my phone, I noted my landlord had emailed a request.
Life goes on. Part of the strength of the people in this country is our ability to be resilient, to cope, to go on.
As my own mentor told me recently; “Sometimes life is not about being successful at living. It’s about continuing on.” I was going through a personal trial, the kind that defines the rest of your life- how it’s lived out, what happens next.
As a city, Boston is also at the place of crisis: the explosions at the Boston Marathon will define every event that ever happens again. No marathon will ever go on in the same way, perhaps even with the same joy. Everything has changed.
When a crisis hits a city, such as yesterday’s explosions hit Boston, people stop. Yet while we stop momentarily, all of us tend to move on quickly if we are not directly touched by the tragedy.And I suppose the cynics among us, even in us, argue that trouble and tragedy is the common problem of modern humanity. Explosions in cities, shootings in towns, a shaky economy, earthquakes, floods, blizzards, and hurricanes are among the tumultuous events that hit us corporately.
Add to that personal trials of financial struggles, relational struggles, health crisis and the other difficulties and the only alternative to giving up in despair may be to continue on.
As I reflected on yesterday’s events – I was standing at the site of the explosion a mere 75 minutes before it occurred- I couldn’t get the phrase out of my head, how now shall I live? In the middle of the crazy times we are in, learning to live in response to these events rather than in spite of them seems to be a healthier, saner way to live.
So while we continue on in strength and resilience, let’s not forget to take time to reflect and heal.
Ideas on Healing and How to Continue on After a Tragedy
• Allow adequate time to feel and to heal.
It’s o.k. to be sad and grieve, even if we were not personally affected by the event.
We are in such a rush to get better and back to “life as normal” in the Western world. From insurance mandated hospital stays to treating illness with over the counter meds and powering through a cold, we are in a rush to get better.
There is no cookie cutter way of responding to traumatic events. According to the American Psychological Association, some people will respond right away and others will respond after time has passed. Some individuals grieve for an extended period of time and others move through grief quickly.
What is important is to be aware of ourselves and sensitive to others.
• Slow down, even for 5 minutes a day
Self-awareness and awareness of others can be difficult in the middle of noisy, busy life. But slowing down helps, even if beginning a “quiet time” for a mere 10 minutes a day. Turn off the electronics and breathe.
Be aware that extreme mood swings, increased irritability and feeling “off” may all be signals from the brain, body and heart that all is not well and restoration is needed.
• Don’t forget to remember
Remembering keeps us sane. Remembering is part of learning.
Remember those who have been injured. Don’t ignore the headlines. Don’t forget to remember those who suffer. Sometimes there is nothing we can physically do. Perhaps, even if we were not directed affected by yesterday’s tragedy, we can do this: extend a bit of kindness to those around us today.
• Share a meal with people you care about.
People who sit down and share meals together live better. Schedules are crazy and even sharing a meal once a day may be hard for families. Do it as the schedules allow. For singles, is it feasible to prioritize cooking and eating with a group of friends once or twice a week? The healthy habit of breaking bread is so much more than the physical food. It’s about what happens in our hearts and minds and souls.
One of my favorite phrases is, “Be kind. Everyone is facing a battle.” Indeed. The battle may be tangible, palpable, and able to be described in words- as in the betrayal of a friend or the diagnosis of cancer. Or it may be more subtle, yet just as potent- increasing fear and anxiety, a shorter tolerance, an inability to cope with today’s problems.
You can continue on. I can continue on. As I watch families laugh together and businesses set up shop, I am once again admirable of the American people who continue on despite the fact a terrorist(s) attempted to stop us from doing so yesterday.
As we continue on, may it be with greater care for one another- and ourselves.
Detectives investigating the Boston Marathon bombing are pursuing three major lines of inquiry after the worst terrorist attack on US soil since 9/11.
A wide-scale manhunt is underway for a mysterious, hooded ‘man in black’, seen loitering suspiciously near the finish line with a backpack moments before the blasts went off.
Meanwhile, agents, including the FBI and bomb disposal officers, swooped on an apartment in the suburbs of the city after questioning another man spotted driving erratically around state police barracks.
And a third man of Saudi origin is under police guard in hospital, where he is being treated for burns to his legs, after he was tackled to the ground by a civilian who believed he too was acting suspiciously.
A European security official said Tuesday initial evidence indicates that the attacks were not the work of suicide bombers.
“So far, investigators believe it was not the work of suicide bombers, but it is still too early to rule it out completely,” said the official, who spoke from the United States on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak about the U.S. investigation.
The Pakistani Taliban, which has threatened attacks in the United States because of its support for the Pakistani government, on Tuesday denied any role in the marathon bombings.
In a perfect world there would be no wars, the people who we love, love us back and fibroids would not exist. Well, one out of three isn’t bad.
Bronx, New York’s Montefiore Medical Center has become the first hospital in the United States to use a medical procedure called Radio Frequency Ablation to shrink uterine fibroids. The procedure was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration late last year.
Fibroids are benign tumors that grow in the uterus. They effect about one-third of all women and develop primarily in the reproductive years. African-American women are two to three times more likely to get fibroids than women of other races. Symptoms of fibroids are painful, heavy bleeding during menses, pressure in the pelvis area, infertility, pain during intercourse, abdominal bloating, frequent urination, backache and hormonal imbalances which can cause mood changes.
The procedure is minimally invasive and consists of the use of a tiny needle inserted through the abdomen which then emits a low-energy electrical current directly to the fibroid, shrinking it, often times completely destroying it The procedure is also used in the treatment of liver cancer, making it doubly valuable.
Fibroids are the leading cause of hysterectomies, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, responsible for more than 200,000 hysterectomies performed in the United States each year for women in search of relief…200,000!
Radio frequency ablation allows the surgeon to treat only the fibroids while leaving the uterus intact and preserving its normal functions.
One would think this type of breakthrough in women’s health would be broadcasted from the highest rooftops and written about in every medical journal in existence, but information is scarce. A sad testament of the medical profession’s lack of concern for women’s quality-of-life health issues.
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