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AUSTIN, Tex. & CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP & Staff) - Thousands of people are gathering in state capitals nationwide to rally against stricter gun control measures.
In Carson City, hundreds of people came together along Carson St. in a demonstration to show support for gun rights. Organizers emphasized it was an unarmed, peaceful rally.
In Austin, Texas an estimated 600 people turned out so far for Saturday speeches. Many are carrying signs with messages such as "An Armed Society is a Polite Society" and "The Second Amendment Comes from God."
Meanwhile, police say hundreds more joined rallies in New England while organizers also have plans to gather in capital cites to the west.
Activists have promoted the "Guns Across America" rallies primarily via social media. They're being held days after President Barack Obama unveiled a sweeping package of gun-control proposals.
First-term Texas state Rep. Steve Toth is among attendees in Austin. He's one of several state officials nationwide who've proposed trying to curb federal gun restrictions in states.


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Go For It
I'm turning 40 this year. I feel like life is passing me by. When opportunities present themselves, I hesitate, and then it's too late. I don't want to be looking back 10 years from now and feeling regret. What do you say, rabbi?
The Aish Rabbi Replies:
Let me share with you a story from the Bible. After the Jews left Egypt, amidst the plagues and miracles, the entire Jewish nation reached the shores of the Red Sea. The chasing Egyptian chariots began thundering closer. The Jews were panicked. They were surrounded, with no logical way out. And then Nachshon stepped foot into the Sea. (The original "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.") The Sea split - and all the other Jews followed Nachshon into the dry riverbed.
Although every Jew passed through on dry land, the experience of Nachshon was qualitatively different. For Nachshon, the future had issued its challenge, and Nachshon confronted it head-on. The Torah (Exodus 14:22) describes his experience as "going into the water (first), then dry land, and the water formed a wall." Slavery was baggage he'd left behind. He was liberated, both body and soul.
The others, having entered only after the sea split, expressed disappointment in themselves for not having the bravery of Nachshon.
The Red Sea is a metaphor for our own lives as well. Ultimately, the story of our lives comes down to a few key moments of decision. These spell the difference between a life of achievement versus one of regret. Often we procrastinate until the best option no longer remains. The door is closed and we comfort ourselves by saying, "Oh well, what could I do, things just didn't work out."
If you are struggling with this, I suggest taking a few minutes to ask yourself:
- What negative situation am I perpetuating simply because I am not willing to make the effort to change?
- Why am I afraid to change?
- What is the worst thing that can possibly happen?
- What is holding me back from achieving my full potential?
- In 10 years from now, what decision will I regret not having made?
Sometimes the answer is just "do it." To jump into the sea.
Of course, we cannot always know what's waiting on the other side of the sea. But that's part of the beauty. It's our chance to become invigorated with the fullness of life. Just as with Nachshon, the feeling is liberating. Our self-esteem depends on it. And it is our only true option.

subset: commoncrawl


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January 6, 2014
This article was reported by Medical Xpress.
Medical Xpress recently reported on a study showing that doctors were not providing information on sex to their adolescent patients during annual visits. Doctors also can use the annual visit to promote healthy behaviors by discussing topics such as tobacco and alcohol use. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that physicians talk about sex with teenage patients, as such conversations provide an opportunity to discuss sexual development, sexually transmitted infections, and preventing pregnancy.
Researchers from Duke University in Durham, N.C., including lead author Stewart Alexander PhD, associate professor of medicine, made audio recordings of 253 12-17-year-olds' visits to pediatricians and family medicine physicians at 11 North Carolina clinics. The visits included camp and sports physicals. The researchers listened to the recordings for conversations about sexual activity, sexuality, and dating. Findings showed that physicians mentioned sex in 65 percent of visits and the conversations lasted an average of 36 seconds.
Researchers concluded that the time spent discussing sex was inadequate to provide information on sexual health and prevention needs. Also, since none of the teenagers began the discussion on sex, the physician has to be the one to introduce the topic. Alexander noted that it is difficult to treat adolescents and help them make healthy choices about sex if physicians do not have these discussions with them.
The full report, "Sexuality Talk During Adolescent Health Maintenance Visits," was published online in JAMA Pediatrics (2013; doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.4338).
No comments have been made.
The content on this page is free of advertiser influence and was produced by our editorial team. See our content and advertising policies.


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Browse by Medical Category
Friday, February 3, 2012
It's never too late to change your brain. That was the key message at the Jan. 19 Senior HealthWISE "Boost Your Brain Power" event, where MGH neurologist Marie Pasinski, MD, spoke to a standing-room-only crowd about the importance of keeping the brain healthy, vibrant and resilient. "Your brain is very dynamic. It's constantly changing and making new connections," Pasinski said. "It has the ability to make new brain cells throughout your life. It truly is your most important organ."
The key to enhancing brain power is to increase neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to remodel itself. Pasinski, author of Beautiful Brain, Beautiful You: Look Radiant from the Inside Out by Empowering Your Mind, presented three key methods that can be introduced into one's daily life to help with this process.
Indulge in the new: "This is the use it or lose it mindset," Pasinski said. "You have to do more than puzzles or Sudoku because if you keep doing them, it's no longer challenging the brain. Take up a new activity and make it a truly educational experience. Learning physically changes the brain." For example, an artist who tends to use the right side of the brain should try a new computer program or play chess to challenge the analytical side of the brain.
Commit to exercise: "Exercise is one of the most important, wonderful things you can do for your brain. It increases brain blood flow which promotes the growth of new neurons and synapses. It also improves mood, lessens anxiety and decreases the risk of dementia," Pasinski said.
Socialize the mind: "Your brain is designed to socialize," Pasinski said. "Seek out a new group of people with similar interests, or catch up with an old friend to keep the brain involved and engaged. The way you use your brain determines its structure – and it's never too late to think about changing your brain for the better."
For more information about MGH Senior HealthWISE, call 617-724-6756.
Read more articles from the 02/03/12 Hotline issue.
Back to Top


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GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Cobra golf team is in fifth place at the Bearcat Invitational Golf Tournament in Greenwood, S.C. after two rounds of play. Coker has a two round combined score of 577 (+1), while host Lander University leads the field with an astounding two round total of 544 (-32). Lander is followed by Georgia College and State University (555, -21), Armstrong Atlantic University (561, -15) and Newberry College (563, -13).
Leading the Cobras is sophomore Jared Crane (Greer, S.C.) with a two round 143 (-1). He is followed by Chris Marsh (Georgetown, S.C.), Ben Conroy (Durham, Conn.) and Jay Goldenberg (Toronto, Ontario) who are all tied at 145 (+1). John LaDow (Pottstown, Pa.) rounds out the Cobras field with a two round 154 (+10).
Coker will complete the third and final round of the Bearcat Invitational on Tuesday, March 30. Tee times start at 9:00 a.m.


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The operating budget of the station is raised through a 4-day Sharathon, which will be conducted in the Fall. These four days are among the most exciting days of broadcasting of the year!
The first day of Sharathon, we devote some time to Praise and Prayer! Listeners call in prayer requests and praise reports letting other listeners know how the Lord has worked in their lives.
The rest of Sharathon is devoted to telling listeners about the operating budget of the station, and inviting them to participate in funding the budget for the next year.
Your Network of Praise deeply appreciates the gifts pledged during Sharathon which keep the Network budget needs met each year...and make it possible for us to concentrate on ministry,not fundraising, the rest of the year.


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Kyle Larson smacked race leader C.E. Falk III out his way on the last lap exiting Turn 4 on the temporary 0.4-mile short track to score a history-making NASCAR victory.
DAYTONA BEACH -- The first round of the inaugural UNOH Battle At The Beach was more like a last-round knockout punch.
Kyle Larson smacked race leader C.E. Falk III out of his way on the last lap exiting Turn 4 on the temporary .4-mile short track to score a history-making NASCAR victory.
Larson took his No. 98 Chevrolet Late Model to Victory Lane with a crumpled front nose after winning the inaugural Whelen All-American Series feature at the Speedway.
He exited the battered racer and stood on the roof his car where he was roundly booed by those in the grandstand.
"I don't get booed very often," Larson said. "It's kind of cool."
"I got into him and didn't get off of him," he continued. "I hate to win it that way. This was a pretty big race. I wanted to be the first to win it."
Falk was not pleased and admitted to "venting" in Turn 1 when the race was over. By the time he reached the media center, he had cooled off significantly.
"I knew he would hit me," said Falk, who led 61 laps. "He got me once, survived that, then got monster-trucked at the end."
"It's fair game to hit someone once. When you hit the guy a second time, it's a pretty crummy deal."
The contact caused Falk's No. 40 Toyota to spin once. It was enough to allow Ben Rhodes to slip past in his No. 46 Chevy for second-place honors.
"I started out with a great car today," Rhodes said. "I couldn't ask for a better team. The heat race went great. The car got tight during the race. I was running a little too hard trying to keep up with those guys."
Anthony Anders was fourth in the No. 36 Chevy followed by Deac McCaskill, No. 08 Chevy. Daytona Beach driver Dalton Zehr, wheeling the No. 30 Chevy, finished eighth, the last car on the lead lap in the 29-car field.
The 150-lap race was slowed by numerous caution flags as the Late Model drivers tried to negotiate the hairpin-like turns, which required heavy braking.
"It was like two drag strips connected by turns," said Larson, who swapped the lead with Falk four times over the last 10 laps.
Larson has enjoyed tremendous success in 2013. He has competed in a variety of racing series and won five features in eight starts. The 20-year-old driver from Elk Grove, Calif., finished second in Saturday's ARCA Lucas Oil 200 at Daytona.
"I was using my brakes up," Larson said of his battle with Falk. "On the last lap, I got a run on him, got underneath him, turned him around. I was glad to win.
"It's been a great 2013. Anything goes. I don't do this kind of racing very often, but it seems like the second-place guy always wins."
The Battle At The Beach continues Tuesday night on the Speedway backstretch with a doubleheader featuring the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour.
The modified race starts at 7:15 p.m. followed by the K&N Pro Series. Both of Tuesday's races are 150 laps.


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Exact Sciences has been awarded US Patent No. 8,916,344, "Methylation assay."
N-of-One has launched the RapidInsights for Illumina TruSight Tumor 170 (TST170) panel. RapidInsights is a fully automated interpretation solution that will read bioinformatics output of the genomic variants from the TST170 panel in minutes. Results from the panel are based on the medical literature, guidelines, and clinical trials to determine the best therapies and/or trials for the patient. The solution will be available through the Philips' Intellispace Genomics solution, the company said.
The University of Manchester has been awarded US Patent No. 9,519,823, "Biomarker method."
Edico Genome has been awarded US Patent No. 9,519,752, "Bioinformatics systems, apparatuses, and methods executed on an integrated circuit processing platform."
Beckman Coulter has been awarded US Patent No. 9,519,751, "Systems and methods for detecting the presence of a biological status using clustering."
Harvard College has been awarded US Patent No. 9,519,650, "Systems and methods for genetic data compression."
Beckman Coulter has been awarded US Patent No. 9,519,000, "Reagent cartridge."
Roche has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,999, "Instrument and process for the storing and/or processing of liquid samples."
Ramot at Tel Aviv University has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,994, "Method for diagnosing and monitoring schizophrenia and tauopathies."
Rappaport Family Institute for Research in the Medical Sciences has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,993, "Reagents and methods for detecting a polymorphic protein."
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,992, "Kits for the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia."
Columbia University has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,976, "Methods for identifying or assaying for agents that increase beta-cell proliferation, insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and decrease fat mass."
DNAForm has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,901, "Pretreatment method of biological sample, detection method of RNA, and pretreatment kit."
The University of Texas has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,303, "Methods and compositions for identifying enterovirus."
Life Technologies (Thermo Fisher Scientific) has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,302, "Method for direct amplification from crude nucleic acid samples."
Stanford University has been awarded US Patent No. 9,518,299, "Apparatus and methods for parallel processing of micro-volume liquid reactions."
Researchers have sequenced the northern white rhinoceros to gauge whether it could be brought back from the edge of extinction, the New York Times reports.
Bavaria expands its forensic genetic analyses to include DNA phenotyping, raising discrimination concerns.
Tufts University researchers found a role for miRNA in transmitting stress between generations, the Economist reports.
In Science this week: gut microbiome influences liver cancer growth, spread; and more.
This webinar will provide evidence for the use of RNA in situ hybridization (RNA ISH) as a replacement for immunohistochemistry (IHC) in cancer research and diagnostic applications.
This webinar will provide a detailed look at how a genomics lab implemented next-generation sequencing (NGS) liquid biopsy assays into its in-house clinical research program.
Privacy Policy. Terms & Conditions. Copyright © 2018 GenomeWeb LLC. All Rights Reserved.


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it would take a long time Loki and would likely incite violence across the nation in the form of riots. People wont do that easily. I think the only method that could really work would be a register requirement and then extremely stiff fines for failing to report stolen weapons or failure to register.
Although me a insanely long SCOTUS decisions don't get along, (so in other words I havent actually read a decision) I think the SCOTUS has already ruled that the second amendment cannot be infringed by placing undue restrictions or requirements upon ownership. SO it would require an amendment to accomplish that register law. That and the conspiracy nuts claim that if the government KNOWS about your guns then they can somehow get you. Let me tell you all right now if this government wants you then they will get you no matter what your packing. so that is a long lost battle people keep in their heads.
So I simply don't know. I think the long and the short of it is we will see a ineffective "assault looking" weapons ban and a restriction on number of magazines. Neither of which is very effective. Neither of which will result in changing behavior.


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As promised (story), the playable demo for Hitman: Blood Money is now available, offering the chance to deal out some death in IO Interactive's assassination sequel without parting with any of your own blood money. Word is: "Death of a Showman is the first level of the game and provides both newbies and long-time Hitman fans a refresher course in the mechanics of being the world's deadliest contract killer while tracking your target through a dilapidated theme park turned drug lab. Get a sneak peak at the incredible new graphic engine, ultra-realistic AI, and try out a few of Agent 47's new moves." The download debuted on GameSpot (registration required) and Download.com and mirrors can be found on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, 4players.de, Computer Games, eXtreme Players, Gamer's Hell, VGPRO, and Worthplaying.
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Leadership demands an answer
April 6, 2013
To the editor: As the saying goes, "If one does not learn from history, one is condemned to repeat it....
Everyone should get a chance to speak to our city elected officials. This is America and why do we to agree with everything these ELECTED officials say and do?
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You totally miss the point. We can reach back in history and name names of all those who have departed this earth to serve our purpose in whatever the argument is. Address the current issue. Do we have to reach so far down to prove a point? No....Just make your point. Others have been removed or asked to leave the podium...end of story. Does it make any issue more important....no.
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Lolita would you rewrite history to be politically correct? See it for what it was the truth. He made history under mayor Butler and Mayor Sullivan. Asked to leave those meetings by both. Why for carrying on after several warnings by both of those mayors.
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Monchichi, it was agreed upon quite a while back that no political statements would be allowed from the podium, period. Both camps agreed at the time. So, when Mr. Cummings approached the podium he KNEW what he was about to do would be disruptive, as he has been present when others have been warned in the past. You understand now?, it was a lack of good judgement on his part. Or calculated, to get his name in the public realm. Either way, he was fully aware what his actions would create within the chambers. So, regardless of his "tone" it was wrong based on previous agreements made to keep politics away from the podium.
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As usual, lightswitch, your bulb dims with your reference to someone no longer with us who served his City well. Whether any agreed with him or not, he should not be included in the diatribe being spewed on this blog. Keep your comments to those who can currently object, not those who are gone.
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I would think by now if this guy Commings is going to run for Mayor/city council he would by now have sense enough to conduct himself in chambers better than he did.
I would think by now he would have a website showing HIS ideas, how he was going to implement them, (probably classified?), and ultimately where the city would be in one year, two ywars and finally three years from the time he took office. Personally I related his antics at the meeting to another person who acted in public much like Cummings, Ralph LePera. Ralph is gone now and I only use his name to make the comparison. He two was out of order and even removed on I believe 2 occasions not just by one mayor! So I await the the platform, the ideas, and the execution timetable. This should be good. Ah and just as a sidebar. I admire the veterans, they many gave much. I have them in my own family as most do but realize while impressive it does not give them automatic entree into a job private or public.
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The issue at hand is not the content...as anything Vince says will be construed as political at this point. The issue is the subjectivity of the chair...and how he abuses that power. I find it very interesting when Mr. Deile speaks...he is given an open mike to ramble..but the first time this young man takes a stand...he is shut down within the first fifteen seconds. I was there too...and my friends who are truly in the know...were truly impressed by Vince's stature and ability to handle pressure under fire.
Regarding the blame game issue...yes the mayor has only one vote as a policy maker under our form of government. However, the mayor also shares the ceremonial role of the executive as our 'head of state', whose legacy will preside over the years of which he held office. This mayor did not lead by example, doing the right thing for all. Instead, he obstructed everything and trashed our city charter.
I applaud Vince for his remarks...the emperor has no clothes
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Small correction. Mr. Cummings never got 3 minutes...Only about 15 seconds then it hit the fan.
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Well shoot, I will say what no one else wants to say. There were many in the audience at this meeting who want nothing more that to see Sullivan out of office. Yet, after the meeting, those same people said that Mr. Cumming's comments were inappropriate and that he used his 3 minutes for politicking.
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1Sandy, as I said, I seldom agree with the Mayor but your point still does not equate with this entire mess falling in the Mayor's lap. Did he contribute? Yes. But is he solely responsible? No.
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Part 2 on Mayors race. Candidate #3 Would be Dan Ashby, who is an actual Veteran (like Cummings) and has been involved helping local vets. My question is...Does Dan know the issues? Where is his city involvement/he serves on no boards or committees and I have yet to run in to him at any Cape Coral clubs, groups or events. What is his platform? So far it seems he is a younger Sullivan, "No new taxes, but no new ideas either". Lastly we have Marni...same thing here, how long in the city, "any" Cape involvement, has she even attended one Council meeting or any Cape Clubs? Earning my vote takes more than filing papers and a facebook page pfft. Cummings best in field so far for Mayor.
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Ok lets handicap this Cape Coral 2013 election a bit and discuss the podium issue with Cummings/Sullivan. Cummings did not violate any rules/create a disturbance, he was calling out the Mayor on his lack of action (with his stooge Leetz jumping in with an exact date of when the Mayor last threw Cummings off ready??? Who keeps that info ready. BTW when is Rich Leon gonna start putting some fight against Leetz in this race, don't get me wrong I would vote for a shoehorn before Leetz). Puss n Boots Sullivan has been able to say "no" for 3 1 1/2 yrs hardly qualifies him for a second term. His re-election campaign revolves around buying drinks for actual Veterans, to make up for his no-show in Vietnam. Cummings has education, community involvement, knows the issues, and is an actual Veteran (perfect no, but so far best in the field as I see it). Sullivan's top 3 ideas #1 Outsource the cops to the sherrif #2 Wackenhut the Fire Dept #3 Hire Gary King and then pay him a 17k bonus.
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Evidently this blog will not accept links. Please go to the City of Cape Coral website, then to "WATCH" and then click on "City Meetings," then click on "Wednesday, April 03, 2013 City Council Special Meeting" to see for yourself.
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@onlythetruth: to repeat false statements about Mr Cummings' demeanor at the podium is truly a sign of a dispicable person with an agenda. Here is the video for all to see and judge what an untruthful person "onlythetruth" is. *******ecape.capecoral****/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1459&doctype=AGENDA
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Let me be clear again..I was there in the audience. Vince introduced himself, began making a statement, and was rudely struck down by the mayor. Never once did he lose his cool or composure or act in any disrespectful manner. The one thing he did was mainly remain silent and in control of the situation. After again reading the Cape Coral City Council Rules Of Procedures & Robert's Rules of Order, I did not see any violations. Just as your handle says...I guess your truth is relevant to you.
On the flag issue...have u no shame? Many of Vince's generation earned the right to speak in Iraq, have a political voice that is coming of age, and represent a threat to the mayor and his cohorts.
For someone such as the mayor, who refuses to answer questions about his lack of military service, but patronizes veterans groups for votes, shows the lack of integrity AND poor judgment on his part.
Why not hold the mayor accountable?
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Monchichi, I suggest you do not try to whitewash poor behavior under the guise the Man is untouchable due to his service to our Great Country. I appreciate his service, as I do all others who serve, but that does not exonerate him, or anyone else from poor behavior, period. In fact, his standards for decorum should be higher due to his service. So, don't try to wrap him in the flag to protect him from his own poor judgement. He could have stood outside the council building and held a news conference to announce his views in place of what he did so disrespectfully in chambers.
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Vince seems like a nice young man with the perfect background for dealing with city matters. I think the City Council meeting was a great example of way it is a time for a change in city government.
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I suggest you be very careful in how you criticize the military service of Mr.Cummings. He does practice what he preaches...everyday to be exact.
In his part time status with the Army, he serves an elite reserve civil affairs/special operations unit, that conducts real world missions in Latin America. He not only provides spiritual support to soldiers...but is also trained to do engagement with foreign clerics...sustaining political relationships with our allies.
On a regular basis, he works in special duty status for the Army, providing military funeral honors for the families of deceased soldiers. Vince presents the flag or presides over funerals of deceased soldiers, from WWII to the present,at our national cemeteries here in FL.
Vince has given his entire adult life in service to our nation. Between his character, education & experience, he is most qualified to be our next mayor.
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I saw on Cape Coral TV (City Government Channel) a mayor and a city councilman who would not let a public speaker complete his comments in the public comment segment. I guess it goes to show that there is no other opinion than their own opinion. This is probably why the opinion of the mayor is so low. Vince Cummings should not been treated so badly by these elected officials.
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1Sandy it appears you are willing to maniacally grasp onto anyone who appears to be against the remnants of the Fab 5. That is no way to measure a candidate's ability to do the job to which he/she is running for. Let's hear his ideas, then maybe a majority of us "voters" will get behind the man. Until then he is acting no differently than the individual he is seeking to unseat. Two wrongs do not make a right.
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@CapeCoralCuestions: For the sake of clarity, "boisterous or disruptive" is truly in the eye of the beholder. Definition of "boisterous or disruptive." Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline. I watched and heard no such thing and neither did anyone else. The Mayor was loud and disruptive because Cummings had couageously came forward and exposed him and rightfuly laid blame at the feet of the highest elected official. Obviously YOU did not like what you heard and YOU should take a second look at the video of the proceedings again. At no time was Cummings loud nor was he boisterous, so again I ask, where is the violation of Council rules? And if revealing the culprit in the scheme of ignoring City infrastructure for the last 3 budgets is NOT City business, YOU don't know what City business is.(All Caps by me for emphasis)
1 Agrees | 3 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Monchichi, A Chaplan? Really? I suppose he had better start practicing what he preaches.
2 Agrees | 3 Disagrees | Report Abuse »
Instead of tearing Mr. Cummings down....we should raise him up...for having the courage to tell the truth no one had the courage to speak. I was there...and was ashamed of the unethical misconduct shown by the Mayor and CM Leetz...but not surprised by their behavior.
What many not know about Vince...is that he has the background and training necessary to lead our city. This man is a commissioned officer in the Army Reserve, a combat veteran who still serves as a chaplain in his 24th year of service, and has five academic degrees. What candidate has that background?
Most importantly, he holds a Master Of Public Administration degree, and walked away from a bright future in public management, to pursue being mayor of his hometown. Vince could easily be the CM with his academic and leadership training...but he chose to serve in another way.
Vince has ideas...he is just separating himself from the amateurs in the race. I am sure will be letting us know where he stands very soon
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@onlythetruth: It is truly amusng that on this papers blog you go back to 2009 and relate "Msark Mason & Terry Stewart history of your percieved shortfalls without solutions but if anyone else does, it is wrong. Can you say hypocrisy?
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@KirstenThompson: Where I disagree with you was in the final analysis, after the CM had presented the demise of the infrastructure and it's negative effect on the Cape, this Mayor voted NOT to bail out infrastructure, without giving any solutions to the debacle from the dais. Now if you think that perpetuating a known infrastructure problem is not blame worthy, then we will agree to disagree. He has never, in the 3 and half years as Mayor, ever stood up and said, this is wrong. If that is acceptable to you, so be it.
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Tom Cable called it a "prevent mode," but defensive coordinator John Marshall said the final drive in a 24-20 loss to the San Diego Chargers was not a "prevent" defense.
"Absolutely not. No, no, no, no. We knew we couldn't," Marshall said Thursday following practice. "And the players knew they couldn't. But they just softened the underneath part of the coverage and eventually it hurt us."
The Raiders were rushing with four men and dropping linebackers into coverage and simply played too soft, Marshall said, failing to make tackles and keep Chargers players from going out of bounds.
"Hell, it's on me," Marshall said. "They needed to have a better understanding of what the situation was."
More news, notes and quotes:
— Remember when Thomas Howard said during training camp that the Raiders were going to blitz because he could see it in Marshall's eyes?
Marshall said the Raiders called five blitzes against San Diego. One was negated by penalty and two came on San Diego running plays. He admitted he's not much of "pressure" coordinator, anyway, just like every other coordinator who has worked for Al Davis.
"I know there are some pressure coaches," Marshall said. "That's what they do. That's their scheme, pressure. If you don't have to pressure and you've got the coverage people and the upfront people to do it, then why, other than a change up, why put yourself in that position where somebody could get a big play?"
Given a do-over, Marshall said he wouldn't be of a mind to dial up a few blitzes on San Diego's last drive.
"I'd have to say no right now, even looking back on it," Marshall said. "I would have done some things differently that I won't mention to you in that last drive. But up until that time we felt pretty confident."
— Marshall said Richard Seymour's presence elevated the performance of the entire defense, and cited the five-time Pro Bowler's bookwork and professionalism in getting ready for the game.
"It's not like Richard came in here, and we drew it on the board and he went and made a sandwich and went to bed," Marshall said. "He didn't. He studied. He and (defensive line coach Dwaine Board) spent probably, oh, I'd say, six seven hours between the two days they were in watching film, and he did a lot of film watching on his own."
— Guessing the legion of armchair defensive coordinators want no part of Nnamdi Asomugha as a future defensive coordinator. This was his response when asked if the "prevent mode" referred to by Cable against San Diego was a mistake:
"No, no, no, that's what was needed. Our underneath coverage, maybe we got a little further deep than we probably should have, but, no, that's how we needed to play in that situation."
Asomugha said the touchdown surrendered to Vincent Jackson came with a good fake and a back-shoulder fade, noting, "We thought Stan (Stanford Routt) was going to get a hand on it, I guess it was just outside of him."
— Justin Fargas is back at practice and said he was ready for any role the Raiders had in store for him. Michael Bush isn't sure as well. All he knows for sure is Darren McFadden is the lead back.
"I heard in the press conference earlier there's only two primary backs or something, "Bush said. "You never know what will happen. It's like when I had to wait my turn last year. I don't know if I have to take a step back and let him get back in or what. I'll just play it by ear and go with the punches."
— Defensive end Richard Seymour credited his coaches and teammates for getting him in the right position during the loss to San Diego.
"The coaching staff got me ready to play in less than 48 hours and even while we were on the field, my teammates helped me get lined up, told me where I was supposed to do, what I was supposed to do," Seymour said. "I have to get adjusted to the terminology that we have here . . . I still have a lot to learn but I'm eager to do it."
He said he didn't worry about any stories about what life with the Raiders would be like.
"I try not to judge a situation before I come into it," Seymour said. "That's just like when I watch a movie. Somebody says it's bad, you may like it. I just came into the situation and like I said, I had a lot of issues bigger than football at that time but the guys have been made my transition very easy."
— With Johnnie Lee Higgins out of practice again, it appears Hiram Eugene will return punts for the first time in the NFL. He said he last returned punts at Louisiana Tech.
"I always joke around with (coach Cable) about returning punts or kickoffs," Eugene said. "Now I get the opportunity. I've got to step up and show what I can do."
— Defensive end Greg Ellis was limited in pracitce with a sore shoulder but will play, Cable said. Wide receivers Chaz Schilens (broken metacarpal) and Nick Miller (broken bone below shin) are out and did not practice.l
— The way the bandwagon is rolling, you'd think the Raiders actually beat the Chargers instead of the other way around.
Even Marty Schottenheimer doesn't give the Chiefs much of a chance Sunday.
"I'm also going with the Raiders. Right now there's just too much that has to get done with Kansas City for them to be able to compete even with the Raiders," Schottenheimer said on Sirius Satellite Radio." I think the Raiders gave evidence the other night that maybe they've got some positive things going for them."
Rich Gannon, not one to hold his tongue regarding his former team, agreed with Schottenheimer.
"I think newly acquired Richard Seymour will continue to have an impact once again and I think the difference in this game is going to be Oakland's ability to run the football," Gannon said. "I think that will be the difference. I'm going to take the Raiders on the road."


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Thanks! With the exception of the expresso ingredient that looks good.
Like this blogger, I've seen this recipe from Anna Olson all over pintrest and other blogs, but I've not made them yet. I've read at least 5 blogs where the person who did try the recipe says they are the best ever.http://eatcakefordinner.blogspot.com/2012/01/best-ever-chocolate-chip-cookies-as.htmland here is another link that compares Alton Brown's chewy cookie, Cooks Illustrated chewy cookie and an adaption of Anna Olson's cookies.
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U.S. News
Illinois: HIV/STD Conference to Give Away Condoms
October 24, 2012
Adapted from:
The Illinois Department of Public Health will open its annual conference on HIV and STDs on October 24 with a "Save Lives, Condomize" giveaway campaign. The state's Public Health Director LaMar Hasbrouck will be in attendance for the handouts, noting that condom use decreases the risk of new HIV and STD cases. Attracting hundreds of health care providers, educators, and advocates from throughout the state, the two-day public health conference will allow participants to share information and develop strategies to prevent the spread of HIV and other STDs. Illinois ranks seventh in the nation in the diagnosis of HIV infections and fifth in the estimated number of AIDS cases. Cook County leads the nation in reported gonorrhea and primary and secondary syphilis cases and is second in reported chlamydia cases.
This article was provided by CDC National Prevention Information Network. It is a part of the publication CDC HIV/Hepatitis/STD/TB Prevention News Update.
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MORRIS – The city of Morris could spend an estimated $857,000 on widening Route 47 from north of Interstate 80 to the county line.
The council approved 7-0 during Monday's City Council meeting a resolution to appropriate the funds for the Route 47 highway improvement project. The money would come from the city's Motor Fuel Tax Fund, General Fund, and Water and Sewer Fund.
Money from the city's Tax Increment Financing Fund cannot be used for the project, as the Route 47 project falls outside of the city's TIF district. A TIF Fund is made up of money from a TIF district, which freezes the assessed value of properties in the district. Any tax money generated from increases in value of those properties then goes into a special fund to be used to improve properties in the district.
The highway will be widened to four lanes with supplemental turn lanes. There will be enough shoulder space – 12 feet – for bicyclists.
Nearly four and a half miles – beginning a half-mile north of Interstate 80 and ending a half-mile north of Sherrill Road – will be included in the improvements. Only one mile of the project falls within Morris's city corporate limits.
The Illinois Department of Transportation hopes to begin accepting bids for the project as early as November. Documents provided to council members estimate the total cost – including the federal, state and local shares – at more than $48 million.
"We would probably see a spring construction start time," Mayor Richard Kopczick said prior to Monday's meeting.
Once construction begins, the project could take more than two years.
"All of the utilities will have to be moved – your telephone lines, your gas and sewer mains, everything," said Kopczick, who signed a Plan Approval Letter for the project during Monday's meeting.
A cost-sharing agreement between Morris and the state of Illinois for the project also was approved during Monday's meeting. The agreement explains what project expenditures are the state's responsibility and which are the city's.
A new traffic signal at Route 47 and Prologis Parkway is estimated to cost the city $324,000. Another $323,000 is estimated to be spent on 15 free-standing roadway lights.
Other expenditures include adding a 5-foot wide concrete sidewalk and upgrading Granville and Airport roads.
The council also adopted an ordinance prohibiting parking on Route 47 from Interstate 80 to Morris's north corporate limits. Another ordinance, regarding encroachment on roadway right-of-way along Route 47, was adopted with a 7-0 vote. Both ordinances were necessary for the advancement of the Route 47 project.


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In these three areas, Google didn't shine:
1. Google Play Redesign; New Music Service
Google has revamped its Play store. Much of this is based on making the store more personal, and once again this personalization is fed by Google+. Since I've only bought a few things on Google Play (beyond Android apps), and my Google+ social graph isn't all that robust, Play's recommendations for me were off the mark. I suspect it will get better in time.
But Google also added Google Play Music All Access, which combines your acquired music (uploaded into, or acquired from Google Play Music) with a brand new subscription service ($9.99 per month. Google is offering it for $7.99 per month, if you take the 30-day free trial, before the end of June). With free services like Pandora, and paid services like Spotify, Google is, again, a bit late to this party.
It's difficult to provide a recommendation after a very limited experience using All Access, but so far I like it. The ability to combine music I like with new music discovery, and then customize that discovery by eliminating or re-ordering tracks was a vast improvement over other services. I also liked that I could create a radio station based on a track I was enjoying.
Google worked with the major record labels to create a library with more than a million tracks. There's an Explore feature that provides recommendations powered by experts. There's so much to discover here, I've only scratched the surface. "Radio without rules," announced Chris Yerga, Google's Android engineering director.
This one is a miss not because it's lacking as a service. It's just that being late to the game puts Google at a disadvantage.
2. Vertical Industries Get Short Shrift
Since Sundar Pichai, Google's senior VP of Android, Chrome & Apps brought it up ... one of the things professionals love about their Apple devices is access to some superb applications. Pichai highlighted Google's work in education, but he admitted that Google's journey here really starts with students and teachers using Google Apps. Pichai bragged that seven out of eight Ivy League schools were running Google Apps (Dartmouth is the lone holdout). But Google is investing more in education, hoping to get more students outfitted with tablets or Chromebooks.
Pichai also announced Google Play for Education. It is organized by subject categories and grade levels, and includes a variety of applications with recommendations from educators.
The problem for Google, again, is that Apple has a big head start and is killing it in U.S. schools, breaking its own sales records in that vertical market. Apple even hosts its own education event, and there's an independent iPad Summit for the education market.
Similarly, developers have created some killer applications for medical professionals, and it's difficult to find a doctor who doesn't rely heavily on an iPad or iPhone.
While it's good that Google is addressing this shortcoming, Google Play for Education will make only a small dent.
3. Where's The Commerce?
After much fanfare around mobile commerce, the dominant mobile platform (Android) has an empty wallet so far. If Google plans to know all of our habits and obsessions, there's no better (or more lucrative) avenue to that knowledge than what we purchase. Because Google Wallet is still in its infancy, it probably doesn't come as a shock that there weren't any big moves at I/O around the product. But that's disappointing.
Google did have several payment sessions for developers, and I sat in on one that provided some instruction on linking loyalty programs into Google Wallet. Also, Google did make two somewhat understated announcements. First, it added an Instant Buy API. This provides signed-in users the ability to simply select Google Wallet without providing any additional information (like shipping and billing).
Second, Google added Google Wallet functionality to Gmail, which will let you e-mail money. This does not work from mobile devices yet, only from Gmail on the desktop; the recipient doesn't need to have Gmail, but needs Google Wallet.
Although all of these are welcome enhancements, we need to see more merchants and partners buy into Google Wallet. If Google is going to put its weight behind ideas like anticipatory search, conversational user experiences and social connective tissue between services, then Google Wallet must go there, too.


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Vascon Eng has surged up by about 18% on relatively high volume.
Current share price:- 49.95
52 wk high :- 149.40
52 wk low :- 38.45
The stock is currently trading near the 52-wk low. It has recently reported quarter profit of 1.26 cr.
Now lets have a look at some of the fundamentals of the stock:-
1. The company's networth has been increasing consistently. Current networth is 687.66. Last years networth was 643.77.
2. Total debt for the company has also increased to 330.26
3. Reported net profit is 54.30. Last years value is 43.66.
4. Earnings Per Share(EPS) is 6.03. Last year it was 4.85.
The above numerals are from Mar'11 financial results.
The only problem currently looming the stock is that the company is recently under some sort of investigation for fraud. So investors should be wise enough to wait for the outcome, before they look to take in the plunge.
Kindly note that the advice we provide are based solely on technical analysis. There are thousands of factors that can affect the price of a stock. So do not rely solely on our tips. Please do listen to news and also perform your own analysis to determine whether you should enter a position or not. We would not be held accountable for any loss you might suffer in process of trading. The above are for information purposes only, trade at your own risk.


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Korean Blockbuster WOOCHI The Demon Slayer Makes North American Debut
March 7, 2013 by Brian Pate
Filed under Everything Else, Movies, Science Fiction and Fantasy
Comments Off on Korean Blockbuster WOOCHI The Demon Slayer Makes North American Debut
Press Release:
WOOCHI The Demon Slayer
A Major Motion Picture from the celebrated action-director Choi Dong-Hoon (Tazza: The High Rollers)
Non-stop action and amazing stunts by renowned choreographer Doo-hong Jung (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, The Good The Bad & The Weird)
OWN IT ON BLU-RAY and DVD
Discover the movie that delivered one of the biggest box-office openings in Korean Cinema history. On April 9, 2013 prepare yourself for mind-blowing thrills and non-stop action as Shout! Factory, in collaboration with CJ Entertainment and United Pictures, introduces WOOCHI The Demon Slayer on Blu-ray and DVD. The Blu-ray and DVD editions offer English and Korean audio tracks, English subtitles and revealing bonus content. This highly anticipated North American home entertainment release is priced to own at $26.97 SRP for Blu-ray; the DVD has a suggested retail price of $19.97.
Pre-order available now at Amazon.com
This fantasy-action blockbuster based on a Korean folktale broke all box-office records in Korea in 2009. Jeon Woo-chi, an undisciplined, womanizing wizard unjustly accused of the death of his master, is trapped inside an ancient scroll until he is set free in 2009 by the wizards that imprisoned him to help fight against evil goblins that have taken over present-day Korea. The only problem is that Woo-chi is more interested in his new modern home – and the women of Korea – than becoming a hero. Will he be the savior of mankind?
WOOCHI The Demon Slayer BLU-RAY and DVD Special Features:
- "Making-of" Featurette
- Deleted Scenes
- Production Featurettes
- The Magic Of CGI
- And More…
WOOCHI The Demon Slayer BLU-RAY
Street Date: April 9, 2013
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio: Korean: Korean: DTS-HD 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1. English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English
2009/Color/115 minutes/NOT RATED (contains adult-themes, violence)
WOOCHI The Demon Slayer DVD
Street Date: April 9, 2013
Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)
Audio: Korean: Dolby Digital 5.1; English: Dolby Digital Stereo
Subtitles: English
2009/Color/115 minutes/NOT RATED (contains adult-themes, violence)
WOOCHI The Demon Slayer (2009) Film Production Details
CJ Entertainment, United Pictures, Zip Cinema
Directed by Choi Dong-Hoon
Starring Gang Dong-Won, Kim Yoon-Suk, Lim Soo-Jung, Yoo Hae-Jin
Producer Lee Eugene
Executive Producers Katherin Kim and Lee Tae Hun
Music by Jang Young-Kyu
Editing by Shin Min-Kyung
Production Design by Cho Hwa-Sung
Cinematography by Choi Young-Hwan
Recording by Lee Ho-Won
Lighting by Kim Sung- Kwan
About CJ E&M
CJ E&M is one of Asia's leading entertainment and media companies and a total content provider encompassing broadcast networks and original programs, film production and distribution, music performances and distribution, and interactive game publishing and portals. Since 1995, CJ E&M has been the cornerstone of the Korean entertainment industry and leading its growing influence around the globe. Through its array of theatrical films, network of premiere multiplex cinemas, wide selection of video and DVD titles, the company provides an outstanding entertainment experience and is becoming a world-class entertainment group. For more information about CJ E&M, visit en.cjenm.com
About Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory's DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company's audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable "best of" compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com


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Tag Archives: israeli
GSTV Featured Artist : The Oz Noy Trio – Artist Showcase
Fusion guitarist Oz Noy chats with Guitar Shop TV backstage at The Bitter End in New York. Noy talks about his melodic approach to improvising, along with his interest in jazz guitarists who experiment with their tones to give them "the presence of a saxophone." Afterwards, The Oz Noy Trio delivers a smokin' live performance!
The Israeli-born NYC resident is a tasteful virtuoso who is receiving growing acclaim in jazz circles. He brings fresh energy to Read More
Posted in Artist Showcase Winner, Artists Tagged artist interview, Backstage, Fender Stratocaster, Fusion, fusion guitar, GSTV, Guitar Shop TV, guitarshoptv.com, improv, improvisation, interview, israeli, jazz, live performance, musician, nyc, nyc backstage, Oz Noy, Oz Noy Trio, solo, strat, The Bitter End
Acoustic Guitar Guide
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Friend of the MZone and fellow blogger, Dave, at Maize n Brew put up a very funny and clever post yesterday in which matched the plethora of Michigan blogs to current Michigan players (and coaches).
So, where did the MZone end up on the blog-to-player roster? Well...
DT Terrence Taylor - Big. Nasty. Damn, damn good. The Anchor of the Michigan defensive line this season. Had Branch stuck around, The M Zone would be Branch, but he's gone, so Taylor it is. Vicious and funny. Capable of moving like lightning to pummel any unwitting commentator dumb enough to cross them, the guys at M Zone are the first line of defense when people cross the Michigan fan base. Like Taylor, who obviously has never missed a buffet in his life, they're not afraid to indulge in the simpler pleasures of life from time to time. Whether it's beer bong Friday or the Coed BCS, the M Zone will put on their bib and dive right into the irreverence buffet face first. Just keep in mind, no matter how nice and cuddly they seem at the buffet table, the second football season starts they'll trample their own grandmothers to get at your quarterback.
Be sure to check out the rest of Dave's post at the link above. Really good stuff.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
A clever take on the Michigan blogosphere
Posted by Yost at 9:21 PM
Labels: Friends of the MZone, michigan
2 comments:
- MGoBlue93 said...
Speaking of Coed BCS... when is the next vote... the last vote was Cardinal v Rocky Top right?
- May 22, 2007 1:09 PM
- Cameron said...
I love TT, but damn he is in Ricks every time I go there
- May 23, 2007 12:27 AM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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When is it proper to do it?
When is it proper to do it?
We found your stolen Prius, it was voting for Ralph Nader.
When a guy is in the cellar and simply doesn't care any more = often
"The Hall of Fame is there to keep alive the memory of people. You don't need to do that with people like Buck [O'Niel] and Joe [Nuxhall]. Nobody's forgetting those guys."
- Joe Posnanski
The veto rule was instituted as a means of preventing collusion in leagues without a commissioner.
In free Internet leagues it is frequently abused by dishonest players to void trades that might help their opponents.
In free leagues it usually takes a good percentage 4 or more, to veto a trade. I'll make the arguement that in a free league, half the teams don't care enough to veto. If that many are against a trade, there's usually a reason for it beyond not wanting a good team to get better. It's a case-by-case basis.
In the case that Atomic is bringing up, the deal that got vetoed was:
Team A trades: Albert Pujols and Roy Oswalt
Team B trades: Chris Iannetta, Brad Lidge and Johnny Cueto
It's a 12-team, NL-only, Dynasty League
"The players make the manager, it's never the other way." - Sparky Anderson
This is what NJ Red Machine said after GOnaDs whined about the trade:
"That is a strange deal. I with you."
I took that to mean he was vetoing also.
This is a league where all the players are from Redszone. So you can't get away with anonymously doing things detrimental to the league. This is what sets the league apart from random Yahoo leagues with total strangers. When we started the league we hoped to avoid the types of shenanigans that occur in the random leagues by having a commissioner and a group of adult players that would feel some social responsibility to their "friends" from Redszone.
When two owners come to an agreement to make a trade you do not have the right to nullify the trade unless it can be shown those owners were colluding or conspiring to cheat.
Non-participants in a trade don't know the reasons the trade was made. Everybody has different strategies and ideas of a player's value, especially in a dynasty league.
This league seemed great when we first began. But then some owners quit paying attention early last season and half the owners dropped out after last year. A dynasty league must have continuity from season-to-season or it will quickly fail. The league has some major flaws and a lack of leadership and has devolved into something a few of us have already expressed an interest in leaving. A group of core owners might spin off into a new edition of the league next year and populate the league with other owners that share our vision of what a competitive, friendly, long-term dynasty league should be.
Last edited by AtomicDumpling; 05-22-2009 at 03:56 PM.
What this means is that every starting player in the National League is taken and so are almost all the bench players. Most of our teams have several prospects and minor leaguers as well. So if your team has a hole created by an injury for example, you may have to scramble just to find a warm body to put in your lineup. You can't just go to the free agent list and find someone to replace an injured player. The free agent list is completely barren and any prospect with any hope of becoming a good player is also taken. Some of our teams are forced to put part-time players and pinch-hitters in our starting lineups just to try and salvage any production at all.
This situation makes any good player a valuable commodity -- especially catchers and closers. Young guys are highly preferable to older players because this is a long term league.
Sometimes you can greatly improve your team by overpaying for a particular player or group of players. For example, due to Jeff Kent's retirement I was left without a second baseman on my roster this year. There were no starting second basemen available as free agents of course. So I was forced to overpay just to fill out my lineup. I had to give up Brad Hawpe and Casey Kotchman to obtain Dan Uggla. Hawpe and Kotchman are both out-producing Uggla by a wide margin, but otherwise I would have a vacancy at 2B.
Similarly, you can fill a group of positions with good players by trading a star player.
In an effort to balance my pitching-rich, hitting-poor team I offered Johan Santana for Albert Pujols of the New York Knights -- a hitting-rich, pitching poor team the exact opposite of mine. Knights declined that offer and countered with Pujols and rapidly deteriorating Roy Oswalt for young ace Johnny Cueto, a good hitting young catcher in Chris Iannetta and a proven stud closer in Brad Lidge. I accepted the deal. It helps both teams a lot by filling holes and balancing out lopsided teams.
I was excited by the deal because I enjoy making trades. It is one of the best aspects of fantasy sports. But the thrill was soon ruined when some competitors realized the trade significantly improved both my team and Knights' team. Why not veto the trade to prevent us from moving up in the ranks!
And that is how leagues quickly fall apart.
Teenagers and people new to fantasy sports don't realize the history of collusion that caused Yahoo to institute the veto process. They think the veto is an opportunity to prevent someone from gaining an edge, and that is where the problem begins.
Most people will pretend their reason for vetoing a trade was to valiantly come to the defense of a poor, foolish newbie that was taken advantage of by someone else. In reality they are just protecting their own interests.
There are no foolish newbies in our league. There are some dishonest people apparently.
The veto was instituted to prevent collusion in leagues without a commissioner. Most Yahoo leagues don't have commissioners. As a veteran of fantasy sports for about 20 years I have seen plenty of collusion. I have not seen any collusion in a Redszone league yet, but I have seen people try to prevent trades from happening. Vetoing has ruined more leagues than collusion in my experience. The best solution is a strong, fair, trustworthy commissioner.
In any event, the abridged version:
- Yes I was one of at least four, including the guy who made the deal, to veto it.
- No, I'm not a selfish owner or a teenager. I joined the league this year and took over the worst roster available. I'm not winning this year or, most likely next.
- I don't think the veto is only for the most extreme cases. In this case, I thought Cueto, Iannetta and Lidge was an extremely light return for Pujols, who is in his prime and will most likely never be dealt to the AL. If it was Pujols for Santana, I wouldn't have thought twice about it.
- I had a deal questioned in a Redszone league. Instead of namecalling and threatening to quit, I explained why I thought it was fair and let the chips fall.
- If the league owners don't want the veto, get rid of it and let the Commish decide on deals. If he's fine with this deal, let him override the veto. We haven't heard from him on this case. I'd be interested to hear his take.
"The players make the manager, it's never the other way." - Sparky Anderson
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.


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An outbreak of a bacterial infection in Stephenson County has health officials on guard, urging residents to help slow the spread of Shigella.
In the last month, health officials report at least 41 Stephenson County residents have been diagnosed with Shigella, a bacterial infection that causes vomiting, diarrhea, fever and stomach pain.
Health officials say the number of cases is unusually high for the area and they cannot determine a source for the outbreak of Shigella.
"In Illinois there are about 600 cases of Shigella reported each year. So 41 in just one month is quite a lot for us," said Jeff Todd, Stephenson County Health Administrator.
Experts say hand washing is the best way to stop the spread of Shigella. Todd says thorough hand washing involves 60 seconds of washing with water and soap.
Most of the infected are school-aged children, which prompted the Freeport School District to send a letter to parents warning them of the outbreak.
"We don't want to be alarmist. We don't send letters every time there's a flu outbreak or a rash of colds but when so many people in our area and school district are affected we wanted to make parents aware. Especially since it's so easy to prevent," said Peter Flynn, Freeport School Superintendent.
Todd says the symptoms of Shigella should go away in a few days but for some it could take several months to completely recover.


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(BPT) - The New Year's resolution is an annual tradition for many Americans. But year after year, Americans throw themselves into a harsh new routine of extreme weight loss and diet, which leaves little room for success. In fact, 92 percent of those who set a resolution fall short of keeping it. This year, kick those New Year's resolutions to the curb and revamp your lifestyle with a well-balanced eating revolution. What does this mean? Make small – and flavorful – changes to your daily routine to help you reach your goals and become a better you throughout the year. The following tips include new ways to prepare meals for every season, allowing you to boost your energy and make better choices without sacrificing taste.

Warm up for winter

Vegetable dishes are becoming the new normal and moving to the center of the plate according to USA Today. Sixty-nine percent of Americans are now making vegetables their main meal. Often times, vegetable based meals can be quick and easy, making weekday meals a cinch. One way to make a warm, toasty weeknight dish is to incorporate roasted veggies. Roasting can bring out robust flavors in favorites like asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower. Add a little zest to your vegetable medley with Marzetti Otria Greek Yogurt Veggie Dips. The veggie dips feature the light and creamy texture of Greek yogurt blended with an array of spices to create a uniquely fresh option for dips and main dishes.

Prepare for a spring in your step

With the arrival of spring, comes the anticipation of delicious seasonal veggies. After the winter months of eating hearty meals, try incorporating the delicious flavors of light spring vegetables in a fresh seasonal salad. Turn classic salad favorites into a new flavor exploration; rather than using blue cheese dressing on a wedge salad, opt for creamy Caesar dressing or top it with Marzetti Simply Dressed Lemon Vinaigrette. Making small changes to your staple dishes may just give you a whole new outlook on the season.

Smart summer snacking

Between backyard barbecues and frequent summertime get-togethers, summer can make well-balanced eating a struggle. But summer is also grilling season, which brings endless new options for mealtime and snacking in between. In fact, 55 percent of Americans are more likely to eat fresh vegetables if they can be dipped. So take grilled summer veggies like peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini from good to delicious with Marzetti Otria Cucumber Dill Feta Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip. When you have veggies and dip on-hand, you might find yourself reaching for a well-balanced snack rather than the potato chips or fries.

Power up for fall

Now that summer vacation is over, you may find you need more fuel to jumpstart a busy season ahead of juggling work, school, fall sports and activities for the kids. Adding lean proteins to your diet will help you increase energy, feel full and avoid indulging in foods with empty calories. Start your day off right with a veggie omelet. Try a spinach and mushroom omelet with Marzetti Otria Spinach Artichoke Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip as the perfect complement.

Striving to reach your goals for a better you can be as simple as ditching the idea of New Year's resolutions, committing to better eating, and incorporating creativity along the way. To help you on your eating revolution journey throughout the year, visit www.marzetti.com for recipe ideas and tips.


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jjmac wrote:So i figure the only real certainty is that it ain't what it seems. The contradiction kinda supports the idea too.
Maybe it's a Matrix and the OS is a little dodgy.
Question is, is it more likely to be proprietary or FOSS?
And to get back on topic, what would happen to us if it gets rebooted during "some necessary maintenance"?


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Honorable Mention: Pro Lacrosse-MLL Boston Cannons @ Chesapeake Bayhawks (Saturday 7pm Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium); Arena Football: AFL Kansas City Command @ Utah Blaze (Friday 8pm from Salt Lake City live on NFL Network); Boxing: Friday Night Fights-John Molina vs. Robert Frankel (Friday 9pm from Temecula, CA live on ESPN2), Devon Alexander vs. Lucas Matthysse (Saturday 9:45 from St. Charles, MO live on HBO); WNBA: Indiana Fever @ Washington Mystics (Tuesday 7pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet), Tulsa Shock @ Washington Mystics (Sunday 4pm from Verizon Center live on Comcast SportsNet)
10. "Bad Teacher" and "Cars 2" out in theaters (Friday)
Both of these flicks appear to be watchable at worst. Bad Teacher looks particularly good, as it includes the great Jason Segel…
…Phyllis from "The Office"…
…and of course the great Justin Timberlake…
9. Roots Fest (Wednesday-Sunday "Highway to Nowhere"-Route 40, Franklin and N. Gilmor)
Perhaps the highlight of the event? The dialogue on the future of Baltimore…with the cast of "The Wire."
Given the folks involved, is it safe to say that the future of Baltimore somehow involves drugs?
I'd pay ten dollars just to go and watch the guys re-enact their interrogations. Pardon the language…it's art.
8. Auto Racing: NASCAR Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sunday 3pm from Sonoma, CA live on TNT); IndyCar Series Iowa Corn Indy 250 (Saturday 8pm from Newton, IA live on VERSUS)
Rex Snider said something on Twitter the other day about NASCAR TV ratings being up. I would have kept reading, but it involved NASCAR so I'm pretty sure no one cared.
Jeff Gordon recently won an event. With Cars 2 set to open soon, I will admit that I am much more concerned with how Jeff Gorvette is doing…
7. Golf: PGA Tour Travelers Championship (Thursday & Friday 3pm live on Golf Channel, Saturday & Sunday 3pm live on CBS. All golf from Cromwell, Conn.); Champions Tour Dick's Sporting Goods Open (Friday 6:30pm Saturday & Sunday 7:30pm from Endicott, NY live on Golf Channel); Wegmans LPGA Championship (Thursday & Friday 12:30pm Saturday & Sunday 4pm from Pittsford, NY live on Golf Channel)
With the U.S. Open in the books (and Rory McIlroy still making a birdie somewhere at Congressional), all of us not named Drew Forrester now go right back to doing exactly what we were doing before-not really giving a crap about golf.
You know how that would change? More Bubba Watson in overalls and "ooh-da-lolly lolly."
Seriously…these guys need to make one of these videos every week, especially if Tiger Woods is going to totally stop banging whores.
I mean, what the hell else are we supposed to do? Talk about golf???
6. Mixed Martial Arts: UFC Live 4-Nate Marquardt vs. Rick Story (Sunday 9pm from Pittsburgh live on VERSUS); Strikeforce Challengers-Caros Fodor vs. James Terry (Friday 11pm from Kent, WA live on Showtime)
A couple of things. One-Is Kevin Connolly REALLY interested in making a movie about the life of one-time MMA star Kimbo Slice? REALLY? Is Mr. T available to play him???
And also-did you see this picture of Conor Heun that Bloody Elbow posted after the Strikeforce event Saturday night? Looks normal at first…but keep looking at his right arm. I'll give you about 5 seconds before you exclaim "Ohhhhh…………"


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Leesburg, Virginia offers many reminders and place-names echoing the Civil War. One that has interested me since moving here is the numerous defensive works built in and around town by both sides during the course of the war. These works span the time from just after the First Manassas to about mid-way through the war. Some of the works were active during the Battle of Balls Bluff. Others may be reminders of Federal occupation. Three historical markers discuss these works: Virginia State marker T-51 "Balls Bluff Masked Battery", A similarly titled Civil War Trails Marker, and finally a Civil War Trails Marker discussing wartime activity in and around Leesburg.
The most useful resource I've discovered thus far is a report commissioned by the town to survey these works as historical artifacts. Documentation of Eight Civil War Forts and Earthworks in the Vicinity of Leesburg, Virginia was delivered in 2002, and was prepared by Joseph Balicki and Walton Owen II, of John Milner Associates. About a third of the report included actual documentation of the sites and analysis of source material. The remainder reprinted several Federal advisories with regard to earthwork management.
Source material for the report included the Official Records, but also Confederate Engineer: Training and Campaigning with John Morris Wampler by George Kundahl (University of Tennessee Press, 2000). Wampler was a native of Leesburg, and originally joined the 8th Virginia Infantry. Wampler would serve on the staff of General Nathan "Shanks" Evans in an engineering capaicity in the fall of 1861. Later Wampler was transferred to the west, serving as Chief Engineer for the Army of Tennessee for a time. He was killed by a Federal bombardment at Battery Wagner, outside Charleston in August 1862.
Eight sites were surveyed – Fort Evans, the Masked Battery, the Richmond Howitzers winter camp, the Goose Creek battery position, an infantry winter camp with entrenchments, Fort Beauregard, Fort Johnston, and a trench line near the Balls Bluff battlefield. Fort these works, the survey team provided rather detailed site survey diagrams for all but Forts Beauregard and Johnston. Furthermore, of interest of those wishing to visit the sites today, all but the three named forts (Evans, Beauregard, and Johnston) are either clearly visible from roads or open for on site visits. I would stress that the three named forts and the masked battery stand on private property.
Fort Evans was the largest, most active, and most important. The fort today is on the site of an international corporation's North American headquarters. While the names and particulars of ownership are easily netted via searches, I'm reluctant to say too much about the owners here. While the management there is approachable, they are concerned about trespassing. I was allowed to tour the grounds, but out of respect for their wishes, I'll only post photos of the grounds that are taken from the public roads.
The Masked Battery and Richmond Howitzers winter camp were built within sight of Fort Evans and lay adjacent to Edwards Ferry Road. While the Masked Battery is on private property, the road bisects the works, which are easy to see from a passing car. The artillery camp is within a city "set-aside" further up a ridge line from the battery. Any earthworks around the camp are difficult to make out except in the winter when undergrowth is dead. The most significant remains around the camp are depressions from the winter huts.
The Goose Creek Battery position is just north of Virginia highway 7 and boasts two easily identified gun pits. The position defended the southeast approaches to Leesburg and a crossing point over the creek. Today the site is part of another "set-aside" sandwiched between the creek, a housing subdivision, and the highway.
The infantry winter camp site extends north from Fort Evans Road, east of the modern Highway 15 bypass (and the large outlet mall complex). A new strip mall development has encroached upon this site since the survey. Portions of the works that were indicated by the survey team are not extant today. However, the city must have required the developers to preserve portions of the earthworks, as today the line is within a "tree preservation area." The 13th, 17th and 18th Mississippi garrisoned the line at different times in the winter of 1861-62.
Fort Beauregard is more of a place name than an actual fort, in my opinion. A housing development stands on the site – a ridge line overlooking Leesburg from the southeast. Sections of the development have the "look" of earthworks, but could just as easily be post war terrain modifications. The location is entirely private property.
Fort Johnson also stands on private property, overlooking Leesburg from the west. One can only view it from a distance, but the outline of the fort is visible in Google Earth maps. The fort itself may be the most impressive of the set, but pending close inspection, that remains undetermined.
Lastly, the trench line on the Balls Bluff Regional Park grounds is accessable, but only after a good hike! The works were not used in the battle of Balls Bluff, but possilbly occupied during the following winter by Confederates and by Federals during different occupation periods. Portions of the earthwork line were lost to a housing development in the 1990s. About 300 feet remain. Just enough to leave an interesting set of questions regarding the purpose and function.
The eight sites represent a loose ring around Leesburg:
The image is based on a Google Earth satellite view of the town and surrounding area. Indicated for reference are the locations of Edwards Ferry, the Alexandria-Leesburg Pike, and the Balls Bluff Battlefield. Over the next several weeks I'll present each site in more detail, as my notes can be polished for presentation.
Follow Up Posts:
Part 2: Fort Evans.
Part 3: Masked Battery.
Part 4: Artillery Camp.
Part 5: Infantry Trenches (SE of Fort Evans).
Part 6: Goose Creek Battery.
Part 7: Forts Beauregard and Johnston.
Part 8: Potomac Crossing Trenches.


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ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, with host Mark L. Walberg, opens its lucky 13th season in Palm Springs, California, with a mix of great good fortune and an equally staggering loss. At one extreme, ROADSHOW experts discover the most valuable object ever appraised on the series: a 1937 painting by noted American abstract expressionist Clyfford Still - received as a housewarming gift - conservatively estimated to be worth $500,000. At the other, collector Jim McCarty invites ROADSHOW viewers to join the hunt for stolen works from his private collection of California plein air paintings.
Visit the Website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow/
Episode #1301 / Length: 56 minutes


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"As remarkable as these trends are, they are unlikely to amount to more than an small sideshow on the margins of the mainstream if the only way we can conceive of confronting corporate power and bringing about a new economy is through our buying decisions… What we really need to do is change the underlying policies that shape our economy. We can't do that through the sum of our individual behavior in the marketplace. We can only do it by exercising our collective power as citizens."
Via jean lievens, Monica S Mcfeeters


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2010 Baseball
ONU comes away with sweep at Bluffton
ONU improves to 9-1 with sweep at Bluffton
March 19, 2010
Game one box score I Game two box score
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Ohio Northern University baseball team scored two runs in the top of the seventh to take game one 10-9 before the Polar Bears completed the sweep with a convincing 13-2 win in the nightcap on Friday, March 19, 2010. ONU improved to 9-1 on the season, while the Beavers fell to 4-7.
ONU 10, Bluffton 9
Down 4-1 midway through the second inning, Bluffton took control with five runs on three hits in the home half of the frame. A Brennan Bauman (Milford) single, a walk to Stephen Torres (Lima/Juan Diego) and a pair of wild pitches put both runners in scoring postion with no outs. Matt Loudon (Lima/Bath) picked up Bauman with his RBI groundout before Nick Broyles (Toledo/Whitmer) pounded a three-run dinger down the right field line. One out later, Tyler Stephenson (Springfield/Northeastern) homered to right center, making the score 6-4.
The Polar Bears quickly fired back with three runs of their own in the top of the third. ONU rapped out three hits to take a 7-6 lead over the Beavers. Both teams added a run in the fifth before Bluffton went ahead 9-8 with two scores in the home sixth. Broyles again did the damage with a two-run shot to right center for his second home run of the game.
ONU responded with two unearned runs in the seventh and when the Beavers came up empty in the bottom of the frame, despite having the bases loaded with just one out, the visitors claimed a 10-9 win in game one.
Nick Broyles went 2-of-4 with five RBI and two home runs. Tyler Stephenson plated two runs and Ian Land (Troy, Mich./Athens) scored twice. Ryan Leugers (Botkins) started for the Beavers and gave up seven runs on seven hits in three inings of work. Cody McPherson (Northwood/Millbury Lake) dropped to 1-2 on the season after surrendering two runs in the seventh inning.
ONU 13, Bluffton 2
The Beavers managed just two runs on two hits in game two as ONU starter Justin Good went the distance while finishing with nine strikeouts. Land and Josh Runda (Lima/Bath) had the only Bluffton safeties in the fourth frame. The Polar Bears pushed runs across in every inning except the first, including three in the second and four in the fifth.
ONU pounded out 18 hits to complement Good's outstanding pitching performance and the Polar Bears took advantage of 10 Bluffton errors on the day. Jordan Kruse (Napoleon) fell to 0-1 on the year after giving up six runs on 10 hits in 3.2 innings on the mound.
Bluffton jumps right back into action when it travels to Thomas More College on Saturday, March 20. The first contest is slated to start at 12 p.m.


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With the NFL draft starting in six days, Vontaze Burfict knows he needs to change perceptions about him.
Burfict, the former Arizona State linebacker who struggled at the Combine, bombed his Pro Day, wasn't invited to visit any teams and was described as "non-draftable," has given an interview to Sports Illustrated in which he insists he has what it takes to be a tremendous NFL player.
"Whoever picks me in the draft," Burfict said, "is going to have a great middle linebacker."
The Sports Illustrated story about Burfict opens with the news that he was spending the day in Las Vegas, and frankly, it wasn't very smart of Burfict and whoever is advising him these days to have him conduct his interview from a Las Vegas hotel room. There's nothing wrong with a guy taking a vacation in Las Vegas, but if Burfict is giving interviews in an attempt to change public perceptions about him, he ought to allow some reporters to come join him when he's busting his butt in the gym, not calling reporters up in between playing blackjack and walking the Strip.
The criticisms of Burfict include his slow 40 times and his hot temper. Burfict says that while it's true he has some anger issues, he thinks he's misunderstood.
"[P]eople think I have a bad attitude because of the personal fouls on the field, or I ran a slow 40 at the Combine," he said. "I'm just real competitive, and I hate to lose. Because of the position I play … you have to have some emotions running through your head. When I'm on the field, I play with anger and aggression; just want to hit somebody. Certain people think, He's probably like that off the field. I've never been arrested, never been pulled over for anything. I wish that all 32 teams could just chill with me for a day and see what kind of person I am off the field. I'm soft-spoken and shy. I'm a laid-back guy."
It's too late for Burfict to chill with an NFL team before the draft. But it's not too late for him to prove that he can be a great middle linebacker. Probably by catching on somewhere as an undrafted free agent.


text: Fri December 10 2010 - NetteRadio 2nd Fridays at The Talking Stick NetteRadio XMas Party - Toys For Tots Toy Drive! $5.00 cover and/or bring one (or more) new/unwrapped toy(s) to be donated to Toys for Tots. with: Aubrey Bouskill, The Bogle Sisters, Jenni Alpert, Riddle the Sphinx, and The Conlons 1411-C Lincoln (@ California) Venice, CA 90291(310)450-6052 7-10PM ALL AGES Live Music, Opportunity Drawing, great food and beverages, and more! ABOUT THE EVENT: The NetteRadio 2nd Fridays Giveback series continues with our 2nd Annual 'NetteRadio X-Mas Party/Toys for Tots Toy Drive' at The Talking Stick. We will have members of the US Marine Corps on hand to answer any questions! It's easy to help.. simply bring a one or more new/unwrapped toy with you to the December 10th showcase. The Members of the US Marine Corps will personally collect the Toy Boxes from The Talking Stick and make sure that your toy donation reaches a Southern California child in need... just in time to celebrate the Holidays! Any cash collected will be used to purchase new toys and then donated! http://www.netteradio.com http://www.thetalkingstick.net http://www.toysfortots.org Broadcast LIVE on USTREAM.TV http://www.ustream.tv/channel/netteradio


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- Carl Froch v Yusaf Mack
Froch: Mack is in for a shock
Carl Froch has warned Yusaf Mack that he is "in for a shock" if he believes he will leave Nottingham with the IBF super-middleweight belt on Saturday night.
Froch has declared himself ready for the fight ahead of Friday's weigh-in, and while he insists he has taken the build-up to the bout seriously and has a healthy respect for the American, the Nottingham native is confident of retaining his world title.
"I'm not going to let that go for anybody," Froch told Sky Sports News. "If Yusaf Mack thinks he can come over here and take my belt off me, he's in for a terrible, terrible shock.
"The training camp's gone excellent, I'm feeling ready, I'm on the weight. The weigh-in is on Friday but I'm ready now. These last couple of days I'll relax, get my mind focused and get myself where I need to be mentally to do the business on Saturday night."
Mack has spent most of his career boxing at light-heavyweight and has not fought at super-middleweight in five years, but while many view the fight as a stepping-stone to a rematch with Lucian Bute, the Briton refuses to think of the bout as an easy fight.
"He's a fast fighter. He's been at the top level and he's only fallen short against top champions in a higher weight division, so I'm not sure what to expect punching-power-wise or strength-wise up close.
"I know we're fighting super-middleweight for my IBF world title, the one that I whipped away from Lucian Bute in my last fight.
"I've got to take this guy very, very seriously. He knows what it's like to fight for a world title, and he know's what it's like to lose. But he's coming into the lions' den in Nottingham and he knows what to expect from me.
"He will be well-prepared. He's coming over from Philadelphia, a tough place to live and be brought up, especially the boxing scene. He's going to be rough, tough, confident, brave, and he's going to have a real go.
"I'm taking it very seriously, but I'm confident I've got the tools, the experience and everything I need to do the business."


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When it comes to U.S. soybeans and farmers' ability to meet customer demands, the proof is not "in the pudding." It's in the numbers.
Farmers in Illinois and across the country have proven once again that we can produce the quality and quantity of soybeans desired by international customers.
The United States exported 1.8 billion bushels of soy during the 2011-12 marketing year. While slightly less than the 2 billion bushels exported the year before, the numbers indicate a continued preference and demand for our soybeans. Included in the total were 1.3 billion bushels of whole soybeans, meal from more than 413 million bushels of soybeans and the oil from 131 million bushels of soybeans.
Here's another number: U.S. soy exports for the year were valued at more than $23 billion.
Those are all pretty big numbers, especially the one with the dollar sign. Obviously, numbers and dollar signs are important – not only to Illinois farmers, but also to the people who live in our communities. Exporting soybeans and other ag products not only helps increase profits for local farmers, it also helps boost local economies.
On that note, it's important to remember that farmers in our area play a very prominent role in the export market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that, in any given year, between 44 and 54 percent of Illinois soybeans are exported. In 2010-11, Illinois ranked second nationally with soybean exports valued at more than $3.1 billion.
What many people don't realize is the role soybeans play in foreign trade as a whole. Soybean export sales are seen as a positive for the U.S. in the highly competitive global trading arena. In Illinois, about one-fourth of the soybean crop is sold to China, which ranks third on the list of the state's foreign trade partners after Canada and Mexico. China, by the way, is by far the biggest international customer of the U.S. soybean farmer, buying nearly 850 million bushels of U.S. soybeans in the most recent marketing year.
Customers use our soybeans to make livestock feeds, human foods, biodiesel and many other products. Foreign customers learn about our soybeans through programs we fund through our soy checkoff, which invests in efforts to increase international soy sales. The soy checkoff also works to assist foreign buyers with soybean purchases and keep them updated on the quality and condition of our crop.
Our international customers look for soybeans high in protein and oil. So the soy checkoff works with researchers to improve and maintain the amount of both of these components in our crop.
Our customers are also paying more and more attention to how we grow our crops. The production practices we use are important to many buyers. They're looking for soybeans planted, grown, harvested and shipped in a sustainable manner.
I think the fact that U.S. soy exports remain at such a high level shows that U.S. and Illinois farmers are giving these customers what they want.
A key part of our ability to export soybeans is our transportation infrastructure. The Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers provide an efficient avenue for Illinois soybeans to be sent to the Gulf of Mexico for shipping to Asia, the European Union and other overseas markets.
Our ability to continue meeting international soy demand hinges on the stability of our transportation system. And it's in need of improvements. Unlike the drought of 2012, fixing our transportation system is a challenge we have some control over.
It's hard to believe, but we're not far away from planting season. It's true – the calendar never takes a break. Right now, we're busy preparing machinery and equipment. We're also making final plans for the 2013 crop. Somehow I already have a great deal of confidence we'll again grow what our customers need. Again, the proof will be in the numbers.
Sharon Covert is the USB secretary and a soybean farmer from Tiskilwa.


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Maybe when it's all said and done, it'll turn out that Tim Thomas did the Bruins a major favor.
Especially when you factor in the favor the New York Islanders did for the Bruins – taking Thomas' $5 million cap hit off their hands – the two-time Vezina Trophy winner made the Bruins' goaltending decision for them.
We weren't forced to sit through off nights by Thomas, with everyone wondering if he's lost it and Tuukka Rask should take over. There's no goaltending controversy, and Rask has made sure the Bruins haven't missed Thomas.
Rask has been everything the Bruins wanted him to be this season. He won't really be tested until he's back in the playoff pressure for the first time since 2010. Here's a midseason report card for Rask and backup Anton Khudobin:
Tuukka Rask
Grade: A
The Bruins have made it relatively easy on Rask, as he hasn't faced more than 37 shots in any one game. However, sometimes the fewer shots faced the rougher life can be. Rask has answered the bell with a .927 save percentage and 1.96 goals-against average in 18 games.
Anton Khudobin
Grade: A
So far, there has been no reason for coach Claude Julien to hesitate to give Rask a night off and turn to Khudobin. He's been technically sound and has taken advantage of the Bruins' goalie-friendly system. The real test will come if Khudobin is thrust into a pressure situation either in the regular season or playoffs.


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Telos and Linear Acoustic: Helping Broadcasters Keep Their Eye on the Shifting Center of the Broadcast UniverseIn Three Part Interview, Chief Technology Officer of Telos Alliance Highlights Pressing Issues Broadcasters Face (August 07, 2014)
CLEVELAND, August 7, 2014: As the television broadcast industry increases in complexity with producers churning out more content than any other time in history, where and how consumers view content has become anything but predictable. This has put strain and uncertainty on broadcast professionals, who are constantly building and adapting new content distribution models and working methodologies where no precedents currently exist. There is a lot at stake for broadcasters, since their function is critical to both the content producers and consumers.
Linear Acoustic, part of the Telos Alliance, continues to play an active role not only in helping define this new broadcast distribution landscape, but also in helping its international customer base understand and overcome these new challenges. Tim Carroll, founder of Linear Acoustic and Chief Technology Officer of the Telos Alliance, discusses the changes taking place and how Telos and Linear Acoustic are positioned to help customers navigate and overcome these challenges in the first of a three-part interview.
What are some of the primary issues the television broadcast industry has faced over recent years? What has changed and what has remained the same?
When we consider television broadcast as we know it today, we can safely say that the loudness and surround problems have largely been solved. As an industry we have been at this for over 20 years, and it's mostly done. More recently, the way we are consuming television has dramatically changed. For example, I have a surround system, but I primarily listen to content in stereo. Many people in younger generations are consuming television online. Everyone is doing it differently; there are financial reasons for this, and the technology is making it easier to do so.
Has this made the 'traditional' delivery method of television less relevant?
Well, most of the media says that it is still the terrestrial delivery of television that generates the most revenue per second out of any content. But this is rapidly becoming an incorrect perception, because nowadays it is so difficult to measure exactly how many people are watching television let alone the methods they are using to watch it. We see many more people watching television on mobile devices in the middle of the day, for example.
What changed for the broadcasters? How does this affect them and how do they now think about broadcast delivery differently?
To start with, the normal tool set that broadcasters have in a linear broadcast chain is now completely different. The processes used to deliver broadcast content second over second have changed completely. Now, much of the produced content is chopped up, jammed onto a server and oftentimes played back from multiple servers. Additionally, commercials now are inserted on your portable device as part of an app. In the past, we used to know where to put the loudness correction, but where do we put it now?
This means the content has been more difficult to contain since the 'central point of origin' is not as easy to identify, right?
Yes. The industry has always had its eyes on the middle of the pie, because the middle is where traditional technology business is done at a television facility day in and day out ? it?s where all the servers have traditionally been located. You put a processor in there, and at prime time, it affects every sample of audio. But as soon as this center is fractured and audio is coming out from multiple places outside the edge of the pie, it becomes much more complicated and less predictable. We can control that content coming out of the middle of the pie where the central server is located, but we have no idea where the content goes after that. In some cases, broadcasters are making 8, 10 different versions of a single program to hit all kinds of mobile devices, to hit larger mobile devices, large and small. All of this has pushed us to accelerate our thinking at Telos and Linear Acoustic.
Can you give me an example of how broadcasting is now less location dependent?
Sure. Let?s say I am making a program ? a police drama. After it is produced, what happens is not necessarily up to the production people ? it?s up to the broadcasters who say, "Hey, thanks for the content, we have to get this through our linear paths without touching it. We?ve also got to send it out to all these other destinations, and we better get it onto YouTube before somebody rips it or sells it." Yesterday, you could often go to whoever owned the television station as a single point. But today, that producer's broadcast content could be housed in servers across multiple locations and therefore becomes much more difficult to manage.
Can anything be done to remedy this?
We can help the broadcasters get the loudness or the 5.1 correct, but eventually the garden hose turns into a firehose before the content is sprayed out across the universe. And if nobody was touching it, our job would be done. But with Internet, it is essentially the Wild West. So with our normal tools, we have to start thinking outside the box. We need to look at the guts of our products and say to our customers, "Hey, we are happy to help you integrate our technology in your server hardware instead of selling you boxes that might not fit your workflow."
Is technological innovation helping resolve these issues or exacerbating them?
It's a bit of cat and mouse. If you go and see a movie today, you might be lucky enough to find a theater and a piece of content that is being played back in Immersive Sound. Now, program producers are saying, ?Wow ? we can do a 360 degree immersive audio experience. But then the questions start coming out: ?Hey, can we get this same experience to consumers?? Then the broadcast industry says, "We just delivered 5.1 and now you want us to carry 128 channels to consumers?" But that?s what ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) 3.0 is all about: how do we deliver an entertainment experience like consumers have in a movie theater? If we are able to deliver an immersive experience to the home, how do we then ensure mobile device users can enjoy it to a similar degree? So there is no finite end point, because consumers always want more content and want to access it more conveniently. Consumers see the end and Hollywood sees the beginning. It is the middle that has to catch up, yet this is the part that nobody sees.
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