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WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2007 – Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit group started shortly after the 9/11 attacks, recently earned a leading charity evaluator’s highest marks. Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities’ financial health, including day-to-day operations and sustainability, has bestowed its top “four-star” rating upon Operation Homefront. Less than a quarter of the charities Charity Navigator evaluates received their highest rating. “This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator differentiates Operation Homefront from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust,” said Trent Stamp, president of Charity Navigator, in a letter to Operation Homefront. Operation Homefront is...

Homeowner Puts Up Fight After Arriving Home To Find A Stranger Aiming A Gun At Him By DON STACOM And LARRY SMITH Courant Staff Writers August 15, 2007 ENFIELD Taking a break from work at his roadside farm stand, Richard Ouellette Jr. walked into his Washington Road house early Tuesday afternoon and suddenly faced a genuine nightmare: a 6-foot-8, 280-pound stranger aiming a gun at his head. The intruder demanded Ouellette open a small wall safe, but the 40-year-old produce farmer - who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 170 - wasn't going to oblige. "Basically I was in shock. I...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2007 – Marking a milestone, Operation Homelink, in collaboration with Dell, presented 250 refurbished computers to families of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force on Jan. 9 at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Marine Pfc. Kris Peoples helped distribute 250 refurbished computers donated by Dell through Operation Homelink to the families of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The computer distribution took place at the United Service Organizations in Jacksonville, N.C., on Jan. 9. Courtesy photo  '(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. “With this donation, Operation Homelink has now connected over 2,000 military families,” Dan...

In an secret attack on reporters in an attempt to find their sources, Hewlett-Packard's private eyes tapped into personal telephone records of journalists who had exposed the company's boardroom bickering and business weak spots..... the Hewlett-Packard officer who hired the private eyes - Chairwoman Patricia Dunn - was herself a former journalist whose rising paranoia over leaks to the media about her company's woes became an obsession that has dragged H-P into a far-reaching criminal probe. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer yesterday said laws were broken in the spying scandal and that charges are likely to be bought.......main target of...

VADUZ, Liechtenstein - Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein can see almost his entire realm from the castle — mountain ridge to mountain ridge and down to the capital below. In a Europe of nations coming together in a vast continental superstate, Liechtenstein is a quirk of history that harks back to an older world — of separateness, neutrality and sharp survival instincts. Created by Napoleon in 1806, it has managed to avoid the upheaval of the past century to celebrate its bicentennial, starting Wednesday, in peace and prosperity. This wedge of central Europe is no fairy tale kingdom, however,...

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2006 – When the USS James E. Williams sets sail from Norfolk, Va., tomorrow, it will be a special moment for the family of a top Army noncommissioned officer. Army Command Sgt. Maj. William J. "Joe" Gainey poses in his Pentagon office next to a portrait of his cousin, James E. Williams, a Medal of Honor recipient and the most decorated sailor in Navy history. A ship named for Williams, the USS James E. Williams, sets sail on its maiden voyage from Norfolk, Va., May 2. Photo by Kathleen T. Rhem  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image...

Iraqi army soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, stand tall during a transfer of authority ceremony March 2, 2006 at Forward Operating Base Constitution. The Iraqi army brigade assumes the security responsibilities from U.S. Army 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jason Thompson Transfer Ceremony Marks Accomplishments U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division hands over operations to 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division. By U.S. Army Pfc. Jason Jordan 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mtn. Div. CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, March 3, 2006 — “We are comrades. The Iraqi army and the American...

11/18/2005 - WASHINGTON (AFPN) -- One year ago this week, the Defense Department launched "America Supports You." This program showcases the nation's support for its men and women in uniform and the many ways citizens are expressing that support. Today, what began as a six-month campaign, has snowballed into a full-fledged effort that's showing no signs of waning, said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. She came up with the program concept and oversees its operations. The words "America Supports You" are as likely to be uttered by President George Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld...

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- The first weekend of deer season began with hunters adjusting to a new rule: spikehorn deer -- male deer that have just a single antler -- are off limits to this year. The regulation is designed to try and strengthen herd numbers. The regulations also reduce the number of deer a hunter can take during the state's archery, rifle and black powder seasons from three to two. "I was a little bit worried about it this year, but I think in the end it will be well-worth it," said hunter Jeff Kershner. I would like to see...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2005 – Fran O'Brien's Stadium Steakhouse in the Capitol Hilton here was the place to be Oct. 28, as the restaurant owners expressed appreciation for the troops and had the favor returned. "Tonight this is about reunion and thanks," Gordon England, acting deputy secretary of defense, told the group of about 230 people. "But it's primarily about thanks." Gordon presented steakhouse owners Hal Koster and Marty O'Brien with framed letters expressing his gratitude and that of President Bush, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Peter Pace. The "Friday...

World marks green day; big city mayors sign pacts 1 hour, 29 minutes ago World Wildlife Fund (WWF) members put up a giant faucet in front of the 'Christ the Redeemer' statue, atop Corcovado mountain, in front of one of Rio de Janeiro's best-known tourist attractions, Sugar Loaf mountain, during celebrations of World Environment Day in Rio de Janeiro, June 5, 2005. (Reuters/Bruno Domingos) SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Big city mayors from around the world signed a series of pacts on Sunday to improve the conditions of urban centers, capping a five-day U.N. World Environment conference in San Francisco, the...

Anti-communist analyst note: [As the presidential candidate John Kerry already twice stated in his "honest" responses during the presidential debates he wants our nuclear research stopped and he wants to send money to Russia to "protect the 'former' Soviet era nuclear weapons" from being 'lost' or 'stolen' by Russian Mafia. Please consider the following article in that light of the fact even though it has been written 10 years ago - it was as important then as it is today.Published with permission given by Inside Story Communications. HM note]. The Plot To Hijack the CIA Is nuclear terrorism about to...

Kathleen Parker: 'Rathergate' marks big victory for bloggers The CBS mess variously known as "Forgerygate" or "Rathergate" is by any other name a seminal moment in the blogosphere that holds promise not only for revolutionizing journalism, but also perhaps for problem-solving on a global scale. And why not? Still in relative infancy, the blogosphere - that new galaxy within the journalism universe wherein citizen journalists known as bloggers (short for keepers of Web logs) chat among themselves through mutual links and commentary - has defined itself in large part as a vehicle for challenging the mainstream media (MSM). Bloggers love...

Early human marks are 'symbols' By Paul Rincon BBC News Online science staff The 1.4-1.2m-year-old bone is incised with man-made markings A series of parallel lines engraved in an animal bone between 1.4 and 1.2 million years ago may be the earliest example of human symbolic behaviour. University of Bordeaux experts say no practical process, such as butchering a carcass, can explain the markings. But many researchers believe the capacity for true symbolic thinking arose much later with the emergence of modern humans, Homo sapiens. The 8cm-long bone was unearthed at the Kozarnika cave in north-west Bulgaria. Another animal bone...

MARKS OF A WORK OF THE TRUE SPIRIT.  1 John iv. 1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. In the apostolic age, there was the greatest outpouring of the Spirit of God that ever was; both as to his extraordinary influences and gifts, and his ordinary operations, in convincing, converting, enlightening, and sanctifying the souls of men. But as the influences of the true Spirit abounded, so counterfeits did also abound: the devil was abundant in mimicking, both the ordinary and extraordinary influences of...