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Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith sees the same Dallas Cowboys team that we all see.
Three straight 8-8 campaigns punctuate a championship dry spell that stretches back nearly two decades, when Smith helped the 'Boys knock off the Pittsburgh Steelers back in Super Bowl XXX.
I asked Smith on Thursday over the phone why Dallas can't seem to put it all together.
"I think the Cowboys have somewhat lost their true identity," he said. "I mean, I think the team -- we don't know if we want to be a pass team or a run team."
Smith said the difference between today's Cowboys and the potent Dallas squads of the '70s, '80s and '90s channels back to that lack of a one-two punch, saying those old teams "had tremendous success having a very balanced offensive unit."
Only the Atlanta Falcons ran the ball fewer times than the 'Boys this season. Dallas dialed up just 336 runs, compared to a swath of playoff clubs -- Seattle (336), San Francisco (505) and Philadelphia (500) -- who all finished top five in attempts. Ten of the top 15 rushing squads, in terms of carries, made the postseason in 2013.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported last month that the relationship between quarterback Tony Romo and running back DeMarco Murray had grown "frosty" by December. Murray finished the season with the fourth-highest yards per rush (5.2) in the league, but tied for 17th in attempts.
I initially dialed up Smith to chat about a MetLife-sponsored video he shot with a cast of current and former NFL players. Justin Tuck, Nick Mangold, Greg Jennings, Eddie George and Josh Brown recently joined Smith in a singing of the national anthem, MetLife's way of welcoming fans to Super Bowl XLVIII.
Emmitt knows his Cowboys won't be in that game, and he knows why -- and he raises a good point.
The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.


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The "Veepstakes" are on - but the smart money says they're already over.
The "Veepstakes" are on - but the smart money says they're already over.
Like belles at a debutante ball, up-and-coming Republican politicians are lining up to campaign with Mitt Romney, hoping to catch his eye as a suitable choice for vice president. And Romney has an intriguing list of choices, some of them honest-to-God exciting.
There's Sen. Marco Rubio, the tea party darling from swing-state Florida who just happens to be Latino. There's Chris Christie, the volcanic (and rotund) governor of New Jersey. There's Rep. Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., the perky author of the House Republican budget, who got along so well with Romney during the Wisconsin primary campaign that reporters began writing about "bromance." And there's Bob McDonnell, the flinty GOP governor of Virginia, who's buying television commercials to tout his record even though he's not running for anything this year. (So much for the Republican virtue of thrift.)
With all those intriguing names in the mix, what's Romney going to do? I hate to spoil the fun, but every Republican strategist I surveyed this week had the same answer: Romney's almost certain to opt for the most boring, conventional choice possible, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio.
Four years ago, a Republican nominee chose an exciting, fresh face for his running mate, and she promptly landed the campaign on "Saturday Night Live." This year, the no-drama Romney campaign, so buttoned up that it makes Team Obama look like an improv troupe, wants to avoid a rerun of the Sarah Palin Experience.
"We already tried sexy," one GOP operative told me. "Sexy didn't work."
But wait a minute, I hear you saying. Rob who?
Robert Jones Portman, 56, junior senator from Ohio. A lawyer from the suburbs of Cincinnati, he won seven consecutive elections to the House beginning in 1993. He's a budget guy - he served in the White House as President George W. Bush's director of the federal budget - but he's not a firebrand like Ryan.
"He is a very conservative guy with good manners," Ted Strickland, Ohio's former Democratic governor, told reporters this week. "That causes some people to think he's a little more moderate than he is."
Portman's good-looking but no movie star. He's personable but not dazzling. He's virtually unknown outside his home state. In a recent national poll of Republicans, he landed at the bottom of the list, well behind Rubio, Christie, Ryan and McDonnell - not to mention former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who topped the chart at 26 percent, and presidential primary runner-up Rick Santorum, who scored 21 percent. Portman has the support of less than one-half of 1 percent of Republicans, the CNN poll found.
But that simply doesn't matter. A vice presidential candidate needs to do just three things for the ticket.
He or she needs to embody some quality the candidate needs help with, whether it's youthful conservative energy (Sarah Palin), blue-collar empathy (Joe Biden) or just adult supervision (Dick Cheney). He or she needs to be smart enough to survive a debate with the vice presidential candidate from the other side, and steady enough to avoid gaffes that get in the way of the campaign's message. (That's why Palin was such a disaster for John McCain.) And, if possible, he or she should help the candidate carry an important state - although that's optional (Palin wasn't chosen for Alaska, nor Cheney for Wyoming, but Biden spent a lot of time in Pennsylvania, the state of his birth).
Portman would help Romney on all those counts. He's a budget-savvy conservative who can talk about the economy, the only issue Romney really wants to highlight in the campaign. He's experienced enough - and bland enough - to avoid gaffes. He's smart enough to match or beat Biden in the vice presidential debate. (Portman played the role of Barack Obama in GOP debate preparation exercises in 2008, the role of John Edwards in 2004 and the roles of both Al Gore and Joe Lieberman in 2000.) And he might carry enough home-state appeal to help Romney prevail in Ohio, a swing state that he almost surely needs to win.
All the other potential candidates come with more flaws. Rubio, 40 years old and fresh from the Florida Legislature, is untested on the national stage; as a Cuban American, it's not clear how many Mexican American votes he'd sway in the Southwest, and he might not even guarantee a win in Florida. Christie is a favorite of campaign reporters because of his New Jersey penchant for blunt, undiplomatic remarks, but that might be enough to disqualify him right there. Ryan would please the tea party, but he would also shackle Romney to the Ryan budget, which proposes turning Medicare into a voucher plan, an issue on which the candidate has tried to retain a bit of wiggle room. McDonnell is popular in Virginia, but outside the state he's known mostly for promoting state-mandated vaginal examinations for women seeking abortions - an idea he abandoned after a nationwide outcry and not one the Romney campaign wants to spend much time on.
A business strategist from Harvard Business School and the Boston Consulting Group, where Romney started, would look at that field and say: Choose the one who best reinforces your agenda with the lowest degree of risk. If those are the criteria, the choice is easy: Rob Portman.
McManus is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

subset: commoncrawl


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The U.S. added 130 new solar electric plants between January and August this year.
But their output still didn't add up to the electricity generated by the country's new coal plants.
John Hanger points us to the total new electricity generating capacity added in the U.S. for the period.
The output produced by the country's three new coal plants — one in Mississippi and one in Missouri— is nearly triple the wattage produced by the new solar units that came online this year.
Check it out:
Also of note: the impressive gains made in new wind capacity, second only to natural gas.


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Wednesday night, the Knicks continued their early season struggles as they lost to the Charlotte Bobcats 118-110. Boris Diaw (yes, that Boris Diaw) looked like a fat, french Larry Bird tonight. He was 12-15 from the floor in a 27 point performance. Carmelo Anthony was the high point man with 32 points and 6 boards. Amar'e Stoudemire returned to the lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury. Stoudemire had 25 points and 12 boards but was abused defensively. Rookie Iman Shumpert returned to the lineup after injuring his MCL on christmas day. Shumpert shined on both sides of the ball and brought some great energy tonight for the Knicks. Despite the returns of Stoudemire and Shumpert, the Knicks were unable to consistently get stops and were abused on defense.
Here are some notes from the game
- Stoudemire finally got inside tonight. Early in the game, Stoudemire's jump shot was off, as it has been this season. Unlike some early games, GSW and LA, Stoudemire adjusted and took his offensive game to the paint. Stoudemire was 7-8 on shots at the rim while he was only 1-4 on shots between 16-23 feet. The important thing is that Stoudemire ditched the mid-range and started getting to the rack. He is unstoppable when he wants to drive and tonight he was more aggressive getting to the paint. However, just a nitpick on my part, there were multiple possessions where he should have taken Byron Mullens, yes the big, white, weird looking, lanky, horribly mustached Byron Mullens, off the dribble and to the rack and he passed the ball out. Stoudemire still needs to be more aggressive driving the ball but tonight was a good start. As a result of playing the way he should, Stoudemire was an efficient 10-19 from the floor and picked up 3 offensive rebounds. It's funny how these things work out.
- Toney Douglas reverted back to, well Toney Douglas. After his great showing in Sacramento, Douglas has reverted back to the shooting guard from Florida State rather than the point guard the Knicks desperately need. He had only 5 assists in 39 minutes tonight. Thats an average of 1 assist per 7.8 minutes. By comparison, DJ Augustin, who was fantastic tonight (more on that later), had 10 assists in 32 minutes. Douglas is no where near where he needs to be right now. He forces bad shots, he stops his dribble too early and he has no concept of what a proper pick and roll should look like. Douglas shot 6-17 from the floor including 1-6 from 3. That won't get it done. I love Douglas' confidence shooting the ball but in nights like tonight, where he was clearly cold, he needs to stop shooting. To add insult to his already poor performance, Douglas missed a contested layup badly that would have put the Knicks down 5 with 40 seconds left. Poor game tonight for Toney.
- Tyson Chandler got 4 shot attempts tonight. By contrast, Toney Bricklas took 17! Chandler was 4-4 from the field tonight. Early in the game, Chandler was very involved catching 3 alley oops. After the first quarter, the Knicks seemed to forget they had Chandler on their team and barely went to him at all. I said this after the Raptors game and I'll say it again: Chandler needs to touch the ball on offense more. The team is better when they can run some pick and roll action through him or go to him down low. 4 shot attempts is simply not good enough and Chandler's lack of involvement is a big reason the Knicks offense has struggled.
- Speaking of bricks, Fields was poor again tonight. Landry Fields is a player that I think can be a great piece on this team. Unfortunately, Fields is giving me no way to defend him or claim his upside. Like Douglas, Fields has been horrid since his great performance against Sacramento. Tonight, he was 2-5 with 5 points and 3 turnovers. Fields was abused defensively by Gerald Henderson all night and struggled to get involved with any offensive efficiency.
- Iman Shumpert was great tonight. In 30 minutes tonight, Shumpert scored 18 points on 4-6 shooting from 3. He brought energy on both ends and was aggressive in the offense. Shump even dished a little bit tonight with 3 assists and some other nice passes in the game. People keep talking about how Shumpert should be starting but I disagree. I really like Shumpert coming off the bench because right now he could be our scoring 6th man. We have no other consistent scoring option on the 2nd or 3rd units. Bibby has been garbage, Jorts is inconsistent and Walker sucks. If you move Shumpert into the lineup alongside Douglas, you lose that scorer off the bench. I think Shumpert's aggressiveness in taking a high volume of shots would be disastrous if he was playing big minutes along side superior scorers Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. However, with the 2nd unit Shumpert will and should be encouraged to try and get the ball in the hoop. I'd rather see Shumpert put up 15 shots playing with the backups than see Balkman or Jeffries ever shoot the ball. Walker is purely a 3 point shooter and doesn't do anything else well. Jorts and Novak only can really shoot the 3 ball and Bibby can't seem to make much of anything these days. Shumpert off the bench would give the Knicks a versatile scorer that can keep the games close while Melo and STAT catch their breath on the bench.
- DJ Augustin killed the Knicks. I thought the Bobcats point guard was excellent tonight. His 14 points and 10 assists were impressive but I really liked the manner in which he controlled the offense and distributed the ball. Augustin was everything tonight that Toney Douglas needed to be. Augustin tonight and the Raptors Jose Calderon Monday night both showed floor general ability that Douglas does not have. I think a big reason the Knicks defense struggled against Charlotte and Toronto is the play of the point guards. The Knicks last season showed the ability to defend isolation heavy teams like Miami and Atlanta. I believe that guarding isolation is just a matter of effort. The true measurement of strong defense is how you play against floor general point guards and so far the Knicks have been porous. Going back to last year, the Knicks still have no answer for Rajon Rondo. Baron Davis killed them last season with the Cavs. Early in this season, Jose Calderon and DJ Augustin have killed the Knicks. While these players aren't slashers and scorers, they get their offenses in the right sets. Many times tonight, Augustin set up the offense in a way that resulted offensive mismatches versus the Knicks. Since the Knicks seem content to continue switching on every pick (*forhead slap), Augustin was able to get his team in sets in which they had size and quickness advantages (i.e. Boris Diaw being guarded by Toney Douglas and STAT guarding Augustin). The Knicks must adjust their defense *cough Mike Woodson cough* in order to not be caught in these bad match ups continually throughout games.
- The Knicks do not seem to understand the concept of a four-quarter game. Against Golden State and Los Angeles, the Knicks got up early in each game only to fall apart in the second half of each game. Against Toronto and Charlotte, the Knicks have fallen behind early in each game and have been unable to complete second half comebacks. Their energy seems to fluctuate throughout games and I do not understand why. In the last two games, they seem to have only come alive in desperation times. The Knicks must find a way to balance their energy and play 4 solid quarters every game.
- D'Antoni's rotation tonight was very questionable. As you all know, I do support D'Antoni. I think he is a very bright coach, I think Knick fans give him a raw deal for being unsuccessful in his first 2 years. Nobody could have gotten those teams to the playoffs. However, my support of D'Antoni does not make him exempt from criticism. Tonight, I must criticize him. His rotation tonight was dangerous and made no sense to me. He played Shumpert, just coming off an injury, for 30 minutes tonight that resulted in Shumpert cramping in the 4th quarter. He played Stoudemire, coming off an injury, for 41 minutes. D'Antoni played Chandler 40 minutes for the second straight game. D'Antoni's bench was too short tonight. Balkman, Walker and Shumpert played rotation minutes. Bibby and Steve Novak, who have gotten rotation minutes, did not play tonight. Josh Harrellson, who has been serviceable the last few games, played all of 3 minutes tonight. YOU WERE PLAYING CHARLOTTE IN GAME 6 OF THE SEASON. Why the hell is D'Antoni playing with a short bench and playing injury prone players 40+ minutes. It is so early in the season and these games are important but not crucial. The NBA regular season, if you are a good team, is more of a formality than regular season in other sports. I understand trying to get the guys to gel together, I understand trying to win the game but this is a regular season game against Charlotte. There is no conceivable reason why STAT, Chandler and Shumpert should have played the minutes they did. There is no conceivable reason why D'Antoni, coaching against the worst team in the NBA, played a short bench tonight. I am a D'Antoni fan but I am not in support of the minutes he relegated to his players tonight and I hope that I am not blogging about this issue throughout the season. This type of rotation management is dangerous and D'Antoni must be careful with his players.
- The Knicks perimeter defense was horrible tonight. The Charlotte Bobcats were 21-40, or 52.5%, on shots from 16 feet and beyond. They were 7-11 from 3 point range. Your eyes do not deceive you. The CHARLOTTE BOBCATS, losers of 4 straight coming into the game, shot 7-11 from 3 point range. That is unbelievable and unacceptable. Mike Woodson, who for some reason is being called for by some Knick fans to replace D'Antoni, has to get this defense playing better on the perimeter or else games like this are going to plague the Knicks all season.
- Speaking of defense, why the hell do the Knicks continue to switch on every pick? Every once in a while, this is a good strategy to make sure a shooter coming off a screen isn't wide open but for the most part this defensive strategy is killing the Knicks defense. DJ Augustin abused the Knicks all night by getting good offensive match ups for the Bobcats. The Knicks have done this all season and they continually put themselves in tough spots. This team is already mediocre defensively. They aren't helping themselves by putting themselves in a worse position to defend.


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The St. Louis Rams believed Danny Amendola might be lost for a major chunk of the season with a possible broken collarbone suffered in Thursday night's 17-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals. The news isn't quite that grim.
NFL.com and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Amendola suffered a "shoulder separation where the collarbone meets the chest," according to a source who has spoken with the player. Amendola, who entered the game ranked second in the NFL with 31 catches, is expected to miss six to seven weeks.
That would place the wide receiver's return somewhere around Week 11 or 12. It still leaves quarterback Sam Bradford without his top target in a Rams offense populated with potential -- but little proven experience -- at receiver. Bradford threw a string of 12 consecutive incompletions Thursday night, and Amendola's absence won't help remedy those ugly streaks.
A combination of Steve Smith and Austin Pettis is best suited to replace Amendola in the slot, and we fully expect the Rams to keep him on the active roster. The team we saw Thursday night is very much a Jeff Fisher-esque operation: scrappy and willing to battle through inherent imperfections. In a suddenly competitive NFC West, the Rams hope to get Amendola back for more than just another hollow, late-season string of games in St. Louis.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.


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To Err is Human, To Arr is Pirate
Ahoy, ye mangy landlubbers! Do ye not know what today is?
Oh, ye be wanting a hint, do ye?
Blimey, that poop deck makes it clear as bilge water, aye? It's International Talk Like A Pirate Day, a'course!
Now, how many doubloons am I offered for this winsome wench? Ye did ask for the redhead, did ye not?
What else could ye be wanting, ye scurvy dogs? P'raps...some scurvy dogs?
Allison F., Mandy R., Alana F., Suzanne B., & Laura G., I've never been to Boston in the fall. How 'bout you?
- Related Wreckage: Dead Men May Tell No Tales, But Wrecked Cakes Sure Do


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Yup, another tale has begun. To kick it off, let's introduce one of our two key protagonists - Amarwen of Edholland...MAJOR RE-WRITE
Name: Amarwen (Gondorian Sindarin – Earth Maiden)
Born: Third Age 1398, Edhellond
Race: Dunédain
Height: 5' 8"
Build: Clean lines, curvaceous
Appearance: Blue black, glossy hair that falls straight to her hips, large clear grey eyes, fair skinned - Amarwen is a classically beautiful woman.
Skills: Amarwen is educated and trained in all the various arts a noblewoman is expected to have mastered. She dances well, plays a number of instruments but does not sing. She is well and widely read, has studied the history of her people extensively and can speak several languages. She rides well, hawk and hunt, and has a skill with the bow (at the archery range). She most certainly is not a warrior and has received no martial instruction in combat or war. However, she has a sharp mind and this has been encouraged by her parents.
Character: Amarwen was a warm hearted, rambunctious and joyous child with an honest nature, largely innocent of the world. Amarwen has been raised to place her family ahead of herself. She is very easy to love but she is far from passive.
History: Amarwen is the only child of the Lord and Lady of Edholland. She was born into a family distantly related to Eldacar through a daughter of Hyarmendacil, and she was cherished. Noble and wealthy, well loved by the people of Edholland, Amarwen's childhood is a happy and safe one. Her family enjoys the peace their life, retired from the royal court, affords them. They are far enough away that the cut and thrust around Gondor's throne little affects them.
All of this changes when Castamir usurps the throne and deposes Eldacar. Her father, having ridden out to support Gondor's king is taken captive as Eldacar flees in such haste that he cannot even take his son with him. The first Amarwen hears of this is when her mother received tidings in Edholland that Osgiliath has burned.
In time, after the sack of Osgiliath a group of men arrive in Edholland to demand fealty to Castamir and the re-opening of the important harbour. It is on this day that we meet Amarwen and it is a fearsome day indeed. Gondor is turned inside by the kinstrife. Kin turns against kin and friend against friend.


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Queen Elizabeth coming to Long Beachby Paul Motter | 2.22.13
Get onboard the Queen Mary, at no cost, for free fireworks and a salute from the Queen Elizabeth.
The Queen Mary will meet the namesake of her original sister shipAnd you're invited for free
The Queen Mary is one of the few success stories for turning an ocean liner into a museum anywhere in the world. The famous ship arrived in Long Beach after being retired by Cunard in 1967. She is also open for dining, entertainment and as a hotel. The ship is an excellent repository of maritime history with several authentic pieces from her glory days as both a troop carrier during World War II and her subsequent 20 years of service as an ocean liner. You can also tour her engine room, the crew areas and dine in her famous restaurants.
Board the Queen Mary for No Charge
Tickets just to enter the ship are regularly $25 per adult, but on March 12 anyone can come aboard for no charge starting at 4:00 pm, courtesy of Cunard Line, for a special event featuring fireworks, dancing to a live DJ, the Goodyear Blimp and a sail in and salute by the current Cunard ocean liner Queen Elizabeth. The newest Cunard ship will sail into Long Beach harbor for the very first time at about 6:30 pm.
The best place for viewing the two ships and all of the festivities will be the rear decks of the Queen Mary. Entrance to the ship is free until 9:00. Parking is $15 per vehicle.
The current Queen Elizabeth was inaugurated just two and a half years ago with Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, serving as Godmother and christening the ship in Southampton, U.K. as the third ship in the Cunard line to bear the name "Queen Elizabeth."
The Queen Mary, anchored permanently in Long Beach, is the original Queen Mary built in 1937 as a sister ship to the original Queen Elizabeth, but neither ship was able to start regular passenger service until 1947, after World War 2. They both served as troop carriers throughout the war. The Queen Mary is no longer owned by Cunard but rather belongs to the city of Long Beach. Cunard Line now also operates the much larger (christened in 2004) Queen Mary 2 on world-wide voyages.
Cunard retired the original Queen Elizabeth in 1968 and replaced both the Queen Mary (1) and Queen Elizabeth (1) with the Queen Elizabeth 2, which is now retired in Dubai also with plans to become a hotel. The ships was sold to an investor in Dubai, for $100-million, who hopes to make it into a hotel, but getting the project started has been challenging.
The original Queen Mary, now permanently moored in Long Beach harbor, last saw the her identical sister ship, the original Queen Elizabeth, when they passed during her during her final Transatlantic Crossing in passenger service of Cunard on the morning of September 25, 1967.
The ship that will visit her on March 12 is actually the third ship to bear the name Queen Elizabeth.
Royal Rendezvous Festivities
The Queen Elizabeth will have boarded passengers earlier in the day at the San Pedro Docks for Los Angeles, where she sets sail at 5:00 pm. She will then proceed to sail into the Long Beach harbor at about 6:30 pm. Joining these two maritime icons from high above will be the famed Goodyear blimp, the Spirit of America. This two ships will share traditional whistle salutes to signal the start of a fireworks display at 6:30 pm before the Queen Elizabeth sails away again on a journey through the Panama Canal.
For more information on the historic meeting of Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary, visit: www.cunard.com/rendezvous.
For information about the Queen Mary, visit www.queenmary.com.
Are you aware of ? Tell us here: Cruise Forum


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|Birth Date:
|San Jose, Calif.
|High School:
|Archbishop Mitty HS
Center Jenna Green was named the Team MVP at the conclusion of last season and there was little speculation as to who would receive that honor. The San Jose, Calif. native was defenitely UCSB's Most Valuable Player in 2006-07, leading the team in several statistical categories, including scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding, (7.1 rpg), blocked shots (1.7 bpg), field goals made (218), field goal percentage (.537), and free-throws made (113). The only player to start all 33 contests a year ago, Green led the team in scoring 19 times during the season, including both contests in the Big West Tournament and Santa Barbara's match-up with the University of San Diego and Oregon in the WNIT. She scored in double figures 29 times and scored 20 or more on 11 occasions, including the final three games of the year. The two-time All-Big West First Team selection also set new career highs in points (27), field goals made (12), field goals attempted (20), free throws made (11), free throws attempted (15), rebounds (13), assists (5), and blocks (6) as a junior last season. A Day To Remember
While Jenna Green turned in several memorable performances in 2006-07, there is one day in particular that sticks out above the rest. February 17, 2007 turned out to be a day of personal milestones for Green, as she set a new career-high scoring a game-high 29 points against visiting Cal Poly that afternoon. Green finished a very impressive 11-for-16 (.688) from the floor, went 7-of-8 at the free throw line and was one shy of her career mark with 12 rebounds. The performance eclipsed her previous personal best of 24 points that came against Cal State Northridge March 10, 2006. Additionally, the 6-foot-4 center became the 21st player in Gaucho history to reach the 1,000 point mark for her career when she scored her eighth point of the game with 7:53 remaining in the first half. Green went on to score another 160 points during the remaining eight games and now sits 17th on the UCSB all-time scoring chart with 1,160 career points. She is just 54 points shy of passing Kira Anthofer (1984-89) for 16th on the list. The only downside of the afteroon was Santa Barbara lost the game, 71-68. A Healthy Dose of Green Is A Good Thing
After missing all but three contests of the 2004-05 season with a torn medial collateral ligament, Green has returned healthy and been a force to be reckoned with over the last two years. In fact, Green has appeared in and started 62 of a possible 63 games combining 2005-06 and 2006-07, more than any other player on the roster over that span. She has averaged 29.8 minutes per game as a sophomore and junior, with only former teammate LaShay Fears seeing more playing time over the past two seasons at just under 31 minutes per contest. The one time head coach Mark French was forced to go without his star center since her return from injury was against UC Irvine in the Thunderdome February 16, 2006, a game the Gauchos lost 82-69. With the offense running through her at all times, there is no questioning how critical Green is to UCSB's success. 2006-07
The Gauchos' leader on offensive once again, Green scored in double figures in all but four games as a junior and had 11 performances of 20 or more...She led the team in scoring averaging 16.6 points, rebounding at 7.1 per night, and recorded a team-high 55 blocked shots...Was UCSB's leading scorer in 20 of 33 games last season...The two-time All-Big West First Team selection was tops in the conference shooting 53.7% from the floor, ranked second in both scoring and blocks, and ninth in rebounding...Was the only player on the squad to start every game and was third averaging 30.6 minutes per contest...Recorded four double-doubles during the year, including a 14-point and career-best 13-rebound performance against Louisville November 24...Blocked a career-high six shots to go with 15 points and 11 rebounds at Cal Poly January 20...Also scored a career-high 29 points on 11-for-16 shooting in a losing effort against the Mustangs February 17 and became the 21st player in program history to reach 1,000 points for her career in that game...In fact, Green enters her senior season 17th on the UCSB all-time scoring chart with 1,160 career points and is just 54 points shy of Kira Anthofer (1984-89) for 16th on the list...Made 12-of-19 shots and finished with 24 points and nine rebounds against Cal State Fullerton February 22...Tallied 14 points, six boards, and five blocks in a win over Pacific March 1...Had a very strong showing during the postseason, leading the Gauchos in scoring in both Big West Tournament contests and in two games in the WNIT...Erupted for 27 points on 11-for-14 shooting -- a career-best 78.6% from the field -- and hauled in seven rebounds to lead the Gauchos to a 57-52 victory over the Titans in the semifinals of the Big West Tourney March 9...Tallied a team-high 21 points against UC Riverside in the final the next day to earn a second consecutive all-tournament team selection...Scored a game-high 25 points propelling UCSB to a convincing 75-63 win over San Diego in the WNIT First Round...The performance raised her scoring average to a season-best 16.8 points per game...Was the named the Team MVP and UCSB's Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. 2005-06
UCSB's most consistent offensive weapon, she took no time shaking off the rust from her redshirt season in 2004-05...A member of the All-Big West First Team, ranking among the league's top-five players in four major statistical categories...Field goal percentage of 53.4% was second-best, while 14.4 points per game average ranked third in the conference...Owned the fourth-best rebounding average and fifth-highest blocks per game mark at 7.4 and 1.21, respectively...Was a double-digit scorer in 23 of her 29 appearances and led or tied for the team lead 15 times...All six career double-doubles came in 2005-06, including both Big West Tournament contests en route to a spot on the all-tourney team...24 points in the semifinal win over Cal State Northridge March 10 established a career-high and were the most by a Gaucho in 2005-06...Made 12 field goals in that game, equaling the most by any UCSB player in the history of league tourney competition...After amassing 17 points and nine boards in the win over NCAA-bound Pepperdine on December 30, Green earned her first Big West Player of the Week award...Had a rough Northern California roadtrip, fouling out at 14th-ranked Stanford before being elbowed in the head at UC Davis, forcing her to miss the following contest...Returned with a vengeance, scoring in double-digits seven games and leading UCSB offensively five times...Buried 36 of her final 52 shots (69.2%) to close the 2005-06 campaign...Selected to the six-player Preseason All-Big West Team. 2004-05
Granted a medical redshirt by the NCAA after tearing the medial collateral ligament in her left knee late in the second half against Purdue on December 3...Averaged 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 65.5% shooting in three games before her injury, starting and scoring in double-figures each time...Tallied a career-high-tying 19 points and eight rebounds during the season-opening win at Saint Mary's...Made five of six shots for 10 points against Michigan and then tallied 12 vs. the 13th-ranked Boilermakers. 2003-04
After initially being considered a candidate to redshirt as a true freshman, Green emerged as a valuable member of the Gauchos in 2003-04...15th player in UCSB history to earn Big West All-Freshman Team accolades...Started season opener in place of an ailing Lindsay Taylor, scoring nine points, grabbing four rebounds, and blocking two shots vs. San Diego...Was in the starting lineup for seven other contests...53.3% shooting percentage and 26 blocked shots both ranked second on the team...Buried all five shots in the January 29 win at UC Riverside, the best single-game performance on the season by a Gaucho with at least five attempts...Finished that contest with 10 points, one of her three double-digit efforts in 2003-04...Scored a season-high 19 points February 5, as UCSB avenged its lone conference loss to Idaho, the most scored by a Gaucho rookie in nearly two full years...Also hauled down nine rebounds in that game to lead all players...Sunk 15 of 21 shots (71.4%) during a four-game stretch of January league games...Went 3-for-3 in the Big West title game against Idaho...One week later, she tallied five points and seven boards in UCSB's NCAA First Round upset of Colorado...Her 0.76 blocks per game ranked 10th in the Big West and was the highest average by any league rookie. High School
Enjoyed standout four-year varsity career at Archbishop Mitty High School...Honorable mention McDonald's All-American as a senior, also earning All-CIF and First Team All-Central Coast Section acclaim...Mitty advanced all the way to the 2003 CIF Division I State Championship game after going undefeated in West Catholic Athletic League play...Averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds in 2002-03, shooting over 60% each season of her prep career...Blocked a school-record 212 shots as a junior en route to being named the Blossom Valley Athletic League MVP...Single-game high was an incredible 18 blocks vs. Bishop O'Dowd as a senior...Coached by Sue Phillips...Also lettered in volleyball for the Monarchs...An outstanding student, Green was a Mitty Honor Roll member for three years...Among her most memorable athletic achievements was hitting two free throws with no time remaining to give her team a championship in eighth grade. Personal
Jenna Marie Green came into this world on June 23, 1985 in San Jose, Calif....The daughter of Kenneth and Nancy Green...Has an older sister, Jacquelyn, and a younger brother, Kenneth, Jr....Affectionately nicknamed "Stretch"...A black studies and sociology double major at UCSB, with aspirations of becoming a sports psychologist...Roots for the Los Angeles Lakers and Sparks, but maintains her Nor Cal loyalties as a San Francisco 49ers fan...An avid swimmer and shopper...Favorite movies are "Friday" and "Blank Man," while she reads the works of authors John Edgar Wideman and Maya Angelou.


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Story highlights
- The shootout also injures two police officers
- The suspect's estranged wife filed for a restraining order this week
- Authorities say they had to shoot a police dog after he attacked a responding officer
- The suspect's body is eventually found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound
Kenneth James Bailey Jr. threatened violence against strangers and he delivered, shooting an innocent bystander dead and wounding two police officers before killing himself, authorities said.
The melee also resulted in the fatal shooting of a police dog by officers.
Police in Pendleton, Indiana, responded Thursday night to a report of shots fired. When they arrived, they were met with immediate and "overwhelming" gunfire from the suspect, according to a statement from police in nearby Anderson, Indiana.
The responding officer, Pendleton police Sgt. Shane Isaacs, "was ambushed by the suspect," according to a Pendleton police statement.
Isaacs was shot multiple times in the legs by the suspect before finding cover from the array of bullets, Pendleton police said.
Anderson police Officer Marty Dulworth was also injured from the suspect's gunfire, authorities said.
A total of 18 law enforcement agencies arrived at the scene. After the shootout, the suspect escaped, launching a six-hour manhunt.
The suspect's body was eventually found a block away.
Police believe Bailey, 59, shot himself sometime after authorities locked down the town of Pendleton, preventing anyone from leaving the area.
Authorities believe Bailey was in the neighborhood to confront his estranged wife, Claudia, whom he had been separated from for about 10 months, Pendleton police said.
According to Madison County court documents obtained by CNN affiliate WRTV, Claudia Bailey filed paperwork Thursday requesting a restraining order against Kenneth Bailey. In it, she cited multiple threats, including a 2010 report in which Kenneth Bailey allegedly said he wanted to "blow everyone away" at the store where she worked.
Claudia Bailey also wrote that as recently as a few weeks ago, Kenneth Bailey threatened that if he ever found her with anyone else, "he'd just shoot us from a distance where we stand."
"I'm scared he would. I'm looking over my shoulder," she wrote.
A magistrate granted the restraining order Thursday, but it is not clear if Kenneth Bailey received the paperwork before Thursday night's incident.
Shortly after the shootout, police discovered that the initial shots also struck nearby resident John Neal Shull Jr., who was sitting in his vehicle and had been blocked in traffic by the suspect's vehicle. Shull was killed.
"There is an innocent victim, he's a resident of the town, he's been a friend of mine for years, and he is deceased," Pendleton Police Chief Marc Farrer tearfully said in a press conference. "Innocent victim, totally in the wrong place at the wrong time."
The suspect was armed with a pistol and large capacity magazine, an assault rifle, a flak jacket and gas masks, Farrer said.
"He came with an ill intent," he said.
Four tactical SWAT teams were among the departments that responded to the scene. They helped move families from their homes in the early morning hours Friday as police set up a perimeter and searched for the suspect, Farrer said.
Hundreds of people gathered in a Pendleton church Friday night for a vigil in honor of Shull, the man shot dead in his car, CNN affiliate WXIN reported.
Earlier in the day, Shull's wife Noelle told WXIN she is at a loss for answers.
"Why? What was the purpose in this man shooting my husband who was only trying to come home?"
John Shull was a business owner and a volunteer in the Kiwanis club, Pendleton police added.
The shootout also led to the death of an Anderson canine officer named Kilo.
"When Officer Dulworth was shot, Kilo, in the midst of the surrounding gunfire and reacting to the loss of his handler, mistook one of the officers as an aggressor and attacked him, biting him several times," Anderson police said in a statement. "The officers found themselves faced with a confused K-9 and an armed suspect firing upon them."
Police said officers were forced to shoot Kilo during the chaos.
Kilo followed his instinct to protect his handler to the very end, police said.
Kilo had been partnered with Dulworth since 2010. He was the first Anderson police dog to die in the line of duty.


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Quick Thursday afternoon update: Running backs coach Terry Richardson officially has left UM to take the same job with the Jacksonville Jaguars. It will be interesting to see if UM speaks to Don Soldinger or Oakland Park Northeast's Donnell Bennett, the former Canes back. Soldinger would love to return.
A dozen Hurricanes and Heat notes:
### The final rating for UM's class varied widely, depending on who was doing the ranking.
UM's class was rated 17th by 247Sports; 21st by ESPN; and 44th by Rivals.com.
Despite missing out on linebacker Matthew Thomas and three defensive tackles, "It's a class that's done a nice job of addressing many needs at many positions," ESPN's Tom Luginbill said.
By the way, Alex Collins told NBC 6's Joe Rose tonight: "I'm staying with Arkansas" even though his mother wants him to go to UM and took his letter of intent without signing it.
### Puzzling quote of the day --- Keith Bryant, in picking FSU, said: "It's important for me to stay home because I have a one-year-old daughter." Earth to Keith: Coral Gables is a lot closer to Delray Beach than Tallahassee. Somebody buy the young man a map.
### UM self-imposed five to six scholarships to help mitigate NCAA sanctions.
### Though UM would have liked to get Denver Kirkland, a source said he seemed disinterested and aloof during his initial visit, which left UM with the impression he was never all that serious about going there.
UM lost no sleep over not getting Kirkland. What disappointed them was not snagging Thomas (who said he rated both FSU and USC ahead of Miami) and a d-tackle among Jaynard Bostwick, Bryant and Terrell Brooks. Curtis Porter better stay healthy next season.
### Though running backs coach Terry Richardson told me earlier today he's not sure if he will stay at UM or take the same job with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jaguars and UM people expect him to take the job and reunite with Jaguars and former Canes offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch.
Don Soldinger would love to work at UM again and would be a good choice. But Al Golden didn't pursue him the first time around.
### Five of UM's 16 signings already are enrolled: tight ends Beau Sandland and Standish Dobard, linebacker Alex Figueroa and offensive linemen Hunter Knighton and Sunny Odogwu.
Micheal Barrow said Figueroa, who also was targeted by Virginia Tech and Virginia after not playing last season due to injury, "is the type of linebacker Miami was built on – under the radar, not a four-star guy. The common denominator is they have speed and toughness. [Defensive backs coach] Paul Williams did a good job identifying him."
### Several readers have asked whether UM's academic standards have cost the Canes any recruits. Golden gave an unequivocal no when I asked him that today.
### Golden, on his decision to hire Mario Cristobal last month: "He's got a poise about him, a wisdom to see things like a head coach."
### UM set its spring game for April 13 at Sun Life Stadium.
### Odd to see Ray Allen in such a shooting slump: 1 for 8 Wednesday, 3 for his last 22. Even odder to see Allen not play in the last couple minutes of a close game. He had played in nearly every "clutch minute" before Wednesday.
In Wednesday's win against Houston, the Heat was outscored by 11 in Allen's 21 minutes, Miami's worst plus/minus of the night.
### Udonis Haslem (season-high 13 rebounds) and Mario Chalmers each drew key charges in the final 46 seconds, both with the Heat nursing a three-point lead.
Haslem was on the floor late because Chris Bosh missed the game with flu-like symptoms. How unusual has it been this season for Haslem to play with the game on the line?
Consider: The Heat has played 116 "clutch" minutes as defined by the NBA – a margin of five or less in the final five minutes.
Haslem had played only 8 of those, Chalmers 41 before Wednesday. Both justified being on the floor during crunch time tonight.
### Wade (31 points) "took it upon myself to be more aggressive" with Bosh out. As for James (32 points), he has now shot an absurd 53 for 83 in his last six games, including 8 for 15 on threes.


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App Review: Crazy Machines by dtp Entertainment AG
by Dorothy on
June 13, 2009
Filed under Daily App Reviews, Educational, Entertainment, Games, Kids
Crazy Machines by dtp Entertainment AG is a wonderfully creative problem solving game. The professor presents you with experiments that are not quite complete. He tells you the goal of the experiment and the tools that you need to make it reach its goal. You must figure out how to use the tools at your disposal to make things work the way they should. This app has a similar premise to that of Fantastic Contraption. I found this app to be much easier to play and therefore much less frustrating. It was, however, still challenging enough to make solving the puzzles rewarding. Crazy Machines also makes use of many more tools to accomplish the goals of the experiments, which I thought gave the game much more variety and interest.
While the game is easier to approach than other games like it, I would still highly recommend beginning with the tutorial. It only takes a few minutes and will walk you through all of the basics of the game. After you complete the tutorial, you can easily move on to the first experiment. At the beginning of each experiment, the professor will explain the goal of the experiment and may even give you some hints about how the tools should or can be used. You can see these instructions again if you need to at any time by tapping on the blue button with the exclamation point on it.
To run the experiment, tap the green play button. Sometimes when I didn't know what to do, I found that the best way to start was to run the experiment and see where it went wrong. Each time you run the experiment, you must press the red stop button to stop the experiment. Only after the experiment has been stopped can you work on it and make changes to the components. The components that are on the screen when you start the level are not adjustable. For the most part, the only components that you can make changes to are the ones that you add to the experiment. These adjustable pieces blink on the screen to indicate that they are adjustable.
When you tap on a component in the experiment it brings up a circular menu that gives you many tools including ones that move, turn, delete, activate, and provide more information about the component. One thing that took some getting used for me was that you cannot move the components by dragging them around. You have to touch on the the tool that moves the component and drag the component by dragging the tool button. In the end, this method is easier because you can see the placement of the component better when you finger in not right on top of it.
For each experiment, you have a limited number of components that you can use. These components can be found in your component inventory, which is accessed by tapping the yellow gear button. Sometimes you may not recognize a component or know what it can do. You can easily find out by placing the component on the screen and then tapping on it and tapping again on the question mark button. This button will bring up a brief description of the item and it's properties. There seems to be an endless list of objects and tools that are used in Crazy Machines. Everything from ropes to ping pong balls and motors with drive belts that need power supplies. The variety of the materials and the challenge of the puzzles will keep you interested and coming back time and time again. The app stores up to three profiles, allowing you to save multiple games concurrently. I highly recommend Crazy Machines to anyone who likes solving puzzles.
Crazy Machines is $2.99 in the iTunes App Store.
Developer's Website: http://www.dtp-entertainment.com/


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Epiroc simulators are built from the engineering plans of the real machine. All programs and controls are real machine components, giving you the exact feeling of using actual Epiroc equipment. To create a realistic field of view, and a more immersive experience, the Epiroc simulator uses the same cab as with the real equipment. Inside the cab, there is a multiple LED screen system, displaying real-time simulation.
To take advantage of the current session, a large screen is mounted outside the cab, enabling a small group of operators to watch and learn. The simulators include full documentation regarding manuals and quick start-up guides. They can also be remotely updated and simulator diagnostics can be monitored over the internet.
FlexiROC D simulator is designed with a number of training scenarios where you can increase your machine skills. The simulator has all the original components and controls integrated in an original cab.
Available formats: full cabin


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It's mid-April, and Tavon Austin is the belle of the ball.
Predict the Pick:
Create your own mock draft and you could win a trip to Kickoff 2013.
The West Virginia receiver's laundry list of pre-draft visits included a meet-and-greet Wednesday with the Detroit Lions, the team announced.
Asked to project himself into Matthew Stafford's offense, Austin told the team's official site he sees himself as "another type of player like Reggie (Bush). Me and him would probably be twins back there."
Austin to the Lions at No. 5 is unlikely, unless the Lions wheel and deal its way down the board. Still, it's an intoxicating thought and a potential nightmare for the rest of the NFC North.
Austin sees his role in the NFL as "pretty much all skill positions on offense you can play, as well as returning punts and kicks. Just get me in space."
His versatility has NFL teams drooling. He's regularly labeled a wideout, but Austin can line up all over the field and kill teams as a runner, too. Case in point: He rushed 21 times for 344 yards against Oklahoma last season.
In theory, the Lions already have Bush tapped for this role. Coach Jim Schwartz sees Bush potentially hauling in 80 passes next season, but Austin would give the Lions the type of No. 2 wideout they've long sought. It also might mean a whole new world for Calvin Johnson. Lions fans are allowed to dream.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.


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Major Areas of Research
Program Description
The Electron Microscopy (EM) Unit is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art technologies to support the ultrastructural imaging needs of NIAID scientists both in the Bethesda, Maryland, area and at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana.
The facility provides sample preparation and analysis ranging from basic to high resolution structural studies to immuno-localization of selected antigens for a wide array of specimens. A variety of methods, protocols, and equipment are employed to accommodate different preparative and imaging needs. Real-time viewing of samples by video image-sharing is available to NIAID users, enabling scientists at distant locations the ability to view samples simultaneously with microscopy staff.
Research Group
Beth Fischer, M.A.
David Dorward, Ph.D.
Vinod Nair, Ph.D.
Bryan Hansen, B.S.
Left to right: Bryan Hansen, Elizabeth (Beth) Fischer, Vinod Nair, David Dorward
Selected Publications
Chen Z, Fischer ER, Kouiavskaia D, Hansen BT, Ludtke SJ, Bidzhieva B, Makiya M, Agulto L, Purcell RH, Chumakov K. Cross-neutralizing human anti-poliovirus antibodies bind the recognition site for cellular receptor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Dec 10;110(50):20242-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1320041110. Epub 2013 Nov 25. PMID:24277851
Ngamskulrungroj P, Chang Y, Hansen B, Bugge C, Fischer E, Kwon-Chung KJ. Characterization of the chromosome 4 genes that affect fluconazole-induced disomy formation in Cryptococcus neoformans. PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e33022.
Offerdahl DK, Dorward DW, Hansen BT, Bloom ME. A three-dimensional comparison of tick-borne flavivirus infection in mammalian and tick cell lines. PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e47912
Fischer ER, Hansen BT, Nair V, Hoyt FH, Dorward DW. Scanning electron microscopy. Curr Protoc Microbiol. 2012 May;Chapter 2:Unit 2B.2.
Belov GA, Nair V, Hansen BT, Hoyt FH, Fischer ER, Ehrenfeld E. Complex dynamic development of poliovirus membranous replication complexes. J Virol. 2012 Jan;86(1):302-12.
Cocchiaro JL, Kumar Y, Fischer ER, Hackstadt T, Valdivia RH. Cytoplasmic lipid droplets are translocated into the lumen of theChlamydia trachomatis parasitophorous vacuole. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Jul8;105(27):9379-84.
The RML Microscopy Unit has state-of-the-art microscopy equipment, including two scanning electron microscopes, a high-pressure freezer, high-resolution transmission electron microscopes with 3D tomography capabilities, and more.


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The Memphis Grizzlies are a team that truly knows their identity. They are deep in the front court and they are a physical team that will beat you down low all day. They are led by Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, and the two help provide the Grizzlies with the ability to make a deep playoff run each and every year.
The Grizzlies solidified that identity of a defensive minded team when they traded the awful contract of Rudy Gay to acquire multiple players, including Tayshaun Prince. But the prize in that trade, in my eyes, was Ed Davis.
Davis is now in his fourth season in the NBA and his first full season with the Grizzlies after coming over in the trade deadline last year. Davis was posting career numbers with the Toronto Raptors before getting traded midseason; 9.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in about 24 minutes per game. Davis is extremely efficient, with a career field goal percentage of 54.4 percent. The problem in Memphis is that there are not a lot of minutes to go around at the power forward and center position because of Z-Bo and Gasol.
But the Grizzlies need to find a way to get Davis on the court. because he has the ability to contribute. Randolph is averaging a career low 11.2 points per game through the first five and is only playing about 27 minutes per. They are currently giving over 15 minutes per game to Kosta Koufos, and he is giving them about six points and four rebounds in that time. Davis is only receiving about 12 minutes per game thus far, and has a higher field goal percentage (53.3 percent) than Gasol, Randolph and Koufos.
The Grizzlies need to get Davis on the court for at least 20-25 minutes a game somehow. Whether that means taking minutes away from Koufos or going super big with Randolph, Gasol and Davis together, it needs to happen. Davis has proven that when he receives playing time, he is a good player and the Grizzlies need him down the stretch this year.
Zach Slotter is a contributor for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @zslot6, Like his Facebook page and add him on Google.


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Breaking: California has successfully weathered (at least in the lower court) another challenge to its cap-and-trade program. A state court has affirmed ARB's significant discretion to design offsets protocols that rely on standardized additionality mechanisms, denying a petition that had sought to invalidate those protocols. Argus has the first story on this that I've seen. Court opinion here.
At the heart of the case is the contention that ARB's offsets protocols violate the requirement in AB 32 that all offset reductions be, among other things, "additional" to reductions that would have been made anyway. Alan Ramo has a good analysis of the claims and underlying criticisms of ARB's offsets protocols here. The court summarizes the dispute this way:
The standards-based approach [to determining additionality] creates additionality thresholds for particular categories of projects instead of determining additionality individually for each project. This Court must determine whether the Legislature forcelosed Respondent's use of these mechanisms because they permit non-additional reductions to receive credit. Petitioners demand a perfect additionality determination that precisely delineates between additional and non-additional reductions. Respondent contents that additionality is inherently uncertain and it is impossible to design a perfect additionality mechanism.
When a court characterizes your argument as one demanding perfection, you tend to be in trouble. And sure enough, the court goes on to rely on the messiness of all additionality determination (see: CDM) to conclude that perfection could not have been the bar the Legislature intended to set here:
Determining additionality is difficult, and it is impossible to precisely delineate between additional and non-additional projects. All additionality determinations suffer from this limitation, not just standards-based approaches. Petitioners ignore this reality and insist Respondent must use a perfect additionality mechanism or none at all. This argument is inconsistent with the science behind additionality . . . . Petitioners request the Court to do something it does not have the power to do. Rewrite the statute to forbid the use of offsets.
In other words, offsets can't be known to be additional, ever, and therefore this regulatory approach is within ARB's discretion. Interesting outcome, and certainly one that will add to ARB's momentum in getting cap-and-trade succesfully off the ground. Not an outcome, however, likely to give comfort to those who fear that low-quality offsets may undermine the integrity of the cap.


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Google, Verizon net pact has 'many problems' says FCC commish
Interests of consumers versus giant corporations
If Google and Verizon thought that their "free except when it isn't" internet plan would have smooth sailing through the US Federal Communications Commission, a response by one FCC commissioner should snap them back to reality.
"Some will claim this announcement moves the discussion forward," said Michael Copps in a statement (PDF) referencing the Google/Verizon proposal. "That's one of its many problems."
Copps didn't detail the "many problems," but the remainer of his statement made it clear that he's firmly on the side of FCC chairman Julius Genachowski's third way plan, which claws back some of the regulatory mojo that the FCC lost when their ability to regulate internet traffic was dope-slapped into near irrelevancy by a federal judge in the Comcast decision.
"It is time to move a decision forward — a decision to reassert FCC authority over broadband telecommunications, to guarantee an open Internet now and forever, and to put the interests of consumers in front of the interests of giant corporations," Copps wrote.
From Copps' point of view, the battle lines in this tug of war are as clear as the stakes are great. Genachowski, a network neutrality proponent, has two "interests of consumers" allies on the commission: Copps and Mignon Clyburn, both Democrats. And then there are the "interests of giant corporations" commissioners, Robert McDowell and Meredith Baker, both Republicans.
While that characterization may seem simplistic, it's far from insupportable.
Genachowski's "third way" plan would grant to the FCC limited "Title II" powers, meaning that some aspects of broadband traffic and carriage would be subject to a subset of the regulatory strictures over which the FCC has control in the telephone marketplace.
When he announced that plan this June, McDowell and Baker pounced on it, characterizing it as a disincentive to investment in infrastructure and — brandishing the anti net-neuts' most powerful talismanic incantation in this time of high unemployment — a "job killer".
Commissioner Clyburn shot back: "I can understand why powerful companies balk at government oversight. They view any government authority as a threat to their unbridled freedom. Indeed, if it were up to them, we would not enact rules; but rather, rely on 'voluntary organizations and forums' made up solely of industry personnel to give us advice on how to serve as a backstop for consumers."
And now "industry personnel" from Google and Verizon have weighed in on how they believe broadband should be regulated: namely, that wireless broadband should be exempt from oversight and that the industry should be permitted to "allow broadband providers to offer additional, differentiated online services" that could be offered with "paid prioritization" — meaning the tiered-pricing plans anathema to net-neut supporters.
Copps is the first commissioner to issue a statement regarding the Google/Verizon "suggested legislative framework." To follow the fun, keep an eye on each of the commissioner's statements pages on the FCC website: Genachowski, Baker, Clyburn, Copps, and McDowell.
While reading their arguments, you can form your own opinion as to which of them side with the "interests of consumers" and which with the "interests of giant corporations". ®


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This ancestor photo is of the wedding of Lucy Rose b.1845 to Joseph Elliott b.1857. They married at Long Crendon in 1884 and most of the people in the photo are Lucy's Rose family.
When I put the photo together with the digital scrapbooking I did not have their actual dates to hand so those showing in the photo are not correct!! The dates I have mentioned above are the actual dates that apply to them.


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Making Sense of Climate Change: A Communications Challenge
By Jennifer Donovan | Published
Communicating science to the public is a challenging task. Michigan Technological University researchers are concerned about how to do a better job of communicating accurate climate change data. Through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, Michigan Tech also is training graduate students—the next generation of scientists—to take their research into K12 school classrooms and the community.
In 2009, NSF awarded Michigan Tech a 5-year, $2.5 million grant to improve the research communication skills of PhD students. The University in turn awards 2-year fellowships to PhD students to work with local and other K12 schools, bringing their research on water issues into the school classrooms.
Alex Mayer, professor of civil and environmental engineering, is heading the program,
which has three fellows this year: Meagan Harless, John Holtgren and Andrew Kozich.
They are taking a lecture-based class on teaching science to middle and high school
students. They are also taking a seminar-based class where they discuss topics such
as place-based education—making classroom topics relevant to the local community—and
inquiry-based instruction in K12 schools.
During the last four weeks of the seminar class, they examine ways to communicate research to lay audiences outside the schools. This year's fellows chose to study communication issues surrounding climate change research. They read materials on the topic and then worked together on a news release about climate change research at Michigan Tech.
Here is their news release.
Making Sense of Climate Change Science: Michigan Tech Researchers Stress the Importance of Communication
Climate change continues to be a "hot" topic as the nation digs itself out from record snowfalls after the warmest year on record. At Michigan Technological University, researchers studying climate change are concerned not only with the science, but equally with how to communicate the vast and complex information generated by the topic.
"Information on climate change is gushing like a fire-hose, and it's just impossible to sort through what's relevant," says Chris Swanston, who faces confusion from forest managers whenever the topic of climate change comes up. Swanston is director of the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science, a partnership between Michigan Tech and the US Forest Service. He studies changes in forest ecosystems related to climate change and their impact on forest management decisions. With so much "active misinformation" being distributed, one of Swanston's most challenging tasks is to help forest managers make the best decisions from most credible scientific information.
Climate change is a global phenomenon, yet many researchers have found that local concerns can help increase attention and understanding of the science. "People relate to what's familiar", says W. Charles Kerfoot, an aquatic ecologist from Michigan Tech's Department of Biological Sciences, involved in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Great Lakes Observing System. Here in the Great Lakes region, for example, "they kind of go, 'Oh my gosh' when you talk about Great Lakes water levels being lower than normal." He adds that information on climate change needs to read like a story that people can relate to, and that "There is no substitution for clear thinking, logical thinking, articulation; you have to be able to put the pieces together. I am most effective when I can tell a short story."
Kathleen Halvorsen agrees. A sociologist who studies relationships between people and the environment, she has conducted research to understand public perceptions of the causes, impacts and solutions to climate change."Climate change is a complex concept," which, she adds, is often misunderstood even by some advanced university students. "Many members of the public misunderstand the causes of climate change in very fundamental ways," Halvorsen says. She finds that people often confuse the climate change concept with earlier scenarios or historical environmental problems. For example, she has observed that many people assume climate change is related to industrial pollution or ozone depletion, and she finds that these impressions "are very hard to change." Like Swanston, Halvorsen devotes much of her time and energy working with decision-makers to help them understand the practical implications of climate change.
When it comes to climate change, sometimes it seems that scientists and non-scientists simply do not speak the same language. "I will say something, but they will hear something completely different," Swanston says. "First, we need to figure out how to communicate with each other. We need to learn how to take the flood of information from that fire hose and filter out what's credible, in a way that decision-makers can use it."
Forest managers need the best and most accurate information to make effective decisions regarding the health and sustainability of our vast forest resources, Swanston explains. For example, in the northern forests, scientists project that many cold-weather species, such as red pine, paper birch, balsam fir, and black spruce, will face increased stress and competition as their habitat moves northward. Kerfoot has documented similar shifts in Great Lakes aquatic communities, including increased phytoplankton blooms and decreased winter ice cover. "These changes will ripple through the food web, including shifts in fish species," he says. "I certainly am an advocate of people being aware of global climate change because I have seen the effects all over the world."
Michigan Tech scientists also say there is a fine line between informing the public and alarming them. "This issue is just too pressing and too big for scientists to be disinterested", Swanston observes. But, Kerfoot adds, "You better have the data to back up what you say. That is where you run into problems." Halvorsen often encounters resistance or anger among people she speaks with. "I think climate change is the big problem that humans face, and scientists should be contributing to solving it," she says.
Swanston's bottom line: "Climate change is happening, and it will continue to happen. We need to deal with it." Scientist or not, that should be understood in any language.
Michigan Technological University is a public research university, home to more than 7,000 students from 54 countries. Founded in 1885, the University offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social sciences. Our campus in Michigan's Upper Peninsula overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.


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Are you on Twitter? Hell yeah, since 2007! We are @PhilMusic (http://twitter.com/philmusic) Follow Us!
dude, there is a difference between having fun and just being a troll.
ano bang thread na to walang kalibog libogmay ganitong effects ka ba TS?share your thoughts naman tagalog ha mahina ako sa English e
Which of the following live situation set-ups would you prefer para sa Helix LT?a. Derecho in front of a clean pre amp + power amp?b. 4 cable method? Kaya ba nito 4 cable method? Is it noisy?c. Use LT as the pre amp and derecho effects loop papunta sa power amp?d. Derecho PA?e. Derecho FRFR cabinet?Thanks
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$149,141 Dakota Cash Jackpot Won in Sioux Falls
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - A ticket sold in Sioux Falls is a jackpot winner in the latest Dakota Cash drawing.
South Dakota lottery officials say the ticket is worth $149,141. The winner has about six months to claim the prize.
Dakota Cash is played only in South Dakota. The odds of winning the jackpot are one in about 325,000.
The jackpot starts again at $20,000 for the next drawing, on Saturday.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Disney Driven Week In Review 9-6-15
Maria H. (ndm#130) 0 Comments #forcefriday, 2015, 7D, a gift for teachers, action, activities, adopts a family, adults, agft, aida, Aladdin, ambassadors, amber, america, Animal Kingdom Lodge, animated, ariel winter, arnim zola, arts, attraction, aunt tilly, austin & ally, australia, avengers assemble, avery, back to the future lab, Back-to-school, bad seeds & bad dates, bb-8, benefit, berlin, best friends whenever, big fig, bionic island, bladebuilders, board, bob zombie, bonnie hunt, books, boots or consequences, box, Brave, brit cruise, callie, Captain Hook, captain jake, cart rustlers, cary elwes, case of the glitters, cast members, cedric be good, central florida, charity, Chicago, Children, chilly canyon, clover, cm, co-star-a-rooney, collectors, comedy, community, compete, concerts, continued-a-rooney, cory, cosmic seed, crafts, creative, creators, croctastrophy, cryptocube, D23, dana amendola, dark side, dean norris, digital, Disney, Disney channel, Disney Junior, disney press, disney publishing, Disney Store, Disney XD, Disneyland, dive quest, doc mcstuffins, doctor, dog with a blog, dr. phillips, Driving, droid tales, drum beats, ed catmull, educational, encore, engineering, enthusiasts, EPCOT, eric stonestreet, escape from jakku, evacuate, event, everything, family, FIRST, fl, flood, Florida, force awakens, force friday, free, game, game night, gamer's guide, gamers, gamora, garden, generators, Genie, girl meets i am farkle, girl meets world, giveaway, giving back, global, good morning america, gramma, Gravity Falls, great locomotive chase, greg, growing, guardians of the galaxy, hasbro, heart beats, high school, History, Hong Kong, hot wheels, hugh bonneville, hurricane, I didn't do it, identity thieves, interdiminsional field trip, into the heart of coldness, it, jafar, jake, jakks pacific, Jambo House, james, jane kaczmarek, Jasmine, jason alexander, jedi, Jessie, jimmy kimmel, john anderson, john henson, John Lasseter, k.c. undercover, katch kipling, khan academy, Kids, knowhere to run, korath, kylo ren, lab rates, land, last mabelcorn, Lego, library, light, lightsaber, lilly belle, lilo, literature, liv and maddie, live, Living with the Land, liz braswell, locomotive, london, loose screw, madrid, Magic Kingdom, Main Street, maker, maker studios, man, marco, mark hamill, Mars, Marvel, massive morphy merge mechs, math, mathmatics, mattel, memories, merchandise, Merida, michael c. hall, mickey's steamroller, micro machines, middle school education, mighty med, miles, miles from tomorrowland, miles vs the volcano, millennium falcon, minimus, mission to mos eisley, Moms, mother of all villains, museum, natural, ndk review, neverland pirates, new frontier, New York, nintendo, nora dunn, nurse's office, October, Ollie Johnston, onstage, Orlando, pal-scan, parents, Paris, part time hero, peanut, penn zero, performance, perspective, pickle, pickle the falcon master, Pixar, pixar university, poe, poster, power, preschool, pretty much, princess, princess adventure club, qpc, quill, R2-D2, rain, Raven-symone, remarkable beardini, remote, Resort, retelling, rileytown, rio, rival's arrival, road to knowhere, roadside attraction, rock of sages, roderick, Roy O. Disney, royal prep, runaway robot, ruth connell, scavengers of mars, Schedule, science, search, secret library, seoul, september, series, shelter, sheridd callie's wild west, shirley b. awesome, shiverjack, skyrise, social media, sofia, sofia the first, space mission, sphero, spider, star destroyer, Star vs. The Forces of Evil, Star Wars, starship, steam, stella starbella, Stitch, store, storm, storm the castle, stormtrooper, story time, storybook, storyteller, strategic thinking, strike, sultan, supply drive, sweetboy, swim lessons, sydney, synthezoids, tbt, technology, teens, telethon, Television, thanos, that's so raven, theme parks, throwback thursday, toddeler, toffee, tokyo, tony derose, topanga, topps trading cards, Toronto, tracey powell, train station, trains, tropical, TV, tv-y, Tweens, twin tweaks, twisted tale, Ultimate, ultrahyperball, unboxing, unexpected ally, usa, utilities, Vacation, voltage-a-rooney, voluntear, volunteer, Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney World, walt e. disney, wander over yonder, Ward Kimball, watch disney junior, WDW, weather, web warriors, wkmg, wonder forge, wonderful world, Wordless Wednesday, world championships, worlds, ww, x-wing, xd, y-7, young, young adult, YouTube
It's the Disney Driven Week In Review! We understand that life keeps you busy, so here is a listRead more


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Everyone is reporting today that Chad Henne will play about a half in Saturday's preseason game at Jacksonville. That is, after all, what coach Tony Sparano said.
"I think probably Henne's going to go, I'd like to take Henne into the half," Sparano said Thursday. "I got a play count particularly in my head right now, that would take him through the first half, but if you hit that play count a little bit earlier I might take him out. If we move the ball and had some success and he hit that play count and I felt good about it, I think I might do that. Unless there was a two minute situation before the half hanging there that I feel like he might need or something like that. Right now I'm thinking that he's going to go the first half of the game and then we'll see how it trickles down. I'd imagine at this point Tyler [Thigpen] would get in there and we'd see where we are."
Well, I'm more concerned with the "we'd see where we are" part.
Pat White, last year's second-round draft pick, is the see where we are guy. He is apparently an after-thought now, if one believes Sparano -- and I do. He was something of an afterthought last week when he came into the game the final series to do little other than take a knee.
Folks, his days on the Dolphins are numbered. I don't know if he makes it past the first round of cuts in a couple of weeks. It definitely doesn't look like he makes it out of the final cuts.
Simply, he's not a very good quarterback. Simply, there are no plans in the works to try him at another position. Simply, his goose seems nearly done if not out-right cooked.
Earlier this week Sparano said White showed marked improvement throwing the football a week ago. That grand improvement didn't get White any meaningful snaps in last Saturday's game. And it didn't vault him above fourth-string this week.
Sure, he's taking more snaps than Chad Pennington right now. But Chad Pennington is an established NFL quarterback who doesn't need to fry his surgically repaired arm in practices. The Dolphins know what Pennington can do.
Unfortunately for White, the Dolphins know what he can do also. And what he cannot do.
He's simply not good enough.
Is he better than he was as a rookie in 2009? Yes. Is he good? No, not really.
Sparano hasn't said any of this, mind you. He doesn't have to. Sometimes you don't have to hear it from the coach to know it is true. Pat White is the fourth-best quarterback in camp.
And unless the Dolphins keep four quarterbacks or trade one of those ahead of him, White's days in Miami are now numbered.


text: 50% OFF FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! GET IT NOW UNTIL THE PRICE IS BACK TO NORMAL! Bike fun and challenging tracks using your destructible stick biker including jumps, loopings, fire and other funny obstacles. Stick Stunt Biker is an agil and fast physic based bike game, with new updates every few weeks. (Stick Stunt Biker has seen more than 26 updates already). • The #1 most downloaded racing game in more than 20 countries including US, UK, Australia, Austria, etc. for more than 1 year • More than 26 released updates and more coming every few weeks... • More than 10 million addicted players can't be wrong! • From the makers of various top 100 apps like Line Birds, Rope'n'Fly, Line Surfer, Line Runner, RunStickRun and more • Selected by Apple for the "App Store Rewind 2011" category for best apps and games in 2011 FEATURES: • Includes 30 amazing well designed tracks, 16 optional tracks and more free tracks coming with each update • Fun ragdoll physics with destructible ragdoll (biker will shatter into parts if you crash hard enough) • Optimized for iPhone 5 and iOS 6 • Universal app, play on iPod, iPhone and iPad • Destructible motor bike • Realistic bike physics • Realistic bike shocks • Customizable bikes • Jumps, Loopings, Walls, Glass, Sigsaw, Fire, Elevator, etc. • Different difficulties from easy to bone breaking • Agil and fast reacting bike using accelerometer technology • More than 80 achievements to unlock! • Online and Offline leaderboard • World ranking displayed in game after each race finished • Directly compare yourself against all other players or your friends • Race against your own ghost! (ghost will show the best/last ride) • Head 2 Head racing support, race against your friends directly with Bluetooth or WIFI and Game Center • Synchronous Game Center multiplayer racing • Multiplayer online/bluetooth/wifi/gamecenter raceing against your friends • Multiplayer auto match making support This is update number 26 with following new features: • Optimized for iPhone 5 and iOS 6 • New an universal app, play on iPod, iPhone and iPad • Brand new synchronous Game Center multiplayer racing • Multiplayer online/bluetooth/wifi/gamecenter raceing against your friends • Multiplayer auto match making support • Fully integrated Leaderboards with Worldranking • New track 'Codename Ginger' • New achievements • New free bike styles • Various fixes and improvements Feel free to post your ideas, we will try to implement them as soon as possible Thank you very much for all your support and interest in our games! We would love to hear your suggestions!


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CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 19, 2013) - International Stem Cell Corporation (
"This pilot study represents a first essential step in bringing cell-based therapies for Parkinson's disease to clinical trials," commented co-author of the study Evan Y. Snyder, MD, PhD, Director of Stem Cells and Regenerative Biology Program at Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute.
These placebo-controlled studies were designed to demonstrate the viability, fate and functional efficacy of the stem cell derived neural cells after implantation to the brain. Highly pure populations of neuronal cells were differentiated from human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSC) according to the protocol developed by International Stem Cell Corporation and recently published in the Nature Publishing Group's Scientific Reports.
The studies employ MPTP-lesioned African Green monkeys and 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, the principle models used to study Parkinson's disease. The duration of the primate study was four months and the rodent study six months. In the non-human primate model, behavioral endpoints were assessed with parkinsonian scores. These scores, based on a standardized rating scale, were recorded by observers blinded to whether the primates were in the treatment or control group. Observations were done twice per day, five days per week. In the rodent model, behavioral improvement was assessed using the cylinder test, amphetamine and apomorphine induced rotation tests. Cell engraftment, viability and phenotype of the implanted cells were determined histologically at the end of the studies. Tumorigenicity and safety of the therapy was assessed at the end of both the rodent and primate studies by gross necropsy, and brain histology.
The primate study consisted of eight asymptomatic monkeys which have the pathology of the disease, low levels of dopamine induced by bilateral injections of the neurotoxin MPTP, and lack clinical symptoms. Four of the monkeys were transplanted with hpSC-derived neuronal cells, two monkeys sham transplanted with an equivalent volume of cell-less media thus serving as the placebo control group and two healthy monkeys serving as a positive control. Behavioral endpoints were recorded to evaluate possible adverse effects.
Subsequent to implantation of the neuronal cells, all monkeys in the treatment group had higher levels of dopamine in the brain compared with the control group. Additionally, the rats in the treatment group showed gradual improvements in motor symptoms consistent with cells survival, engraftment and dopamine release. No adverse events, including dyskinesia, deformations, tumors or overgrowth, were observed in the rat or monkey treatment groups. Overall, these results provide evidence to support the hypothesis that hpSC-derived neuronal cells can be safe and have a disease modifying effect. These results, although preliminary, are a strong indication that our approach to Parkinson's disease can succeed.
"These results are pivotal for our pre-clinical Parkinson's program showing, as they do, that the hpSC-derived neuronal cells can potentially ameliorate the behavioral symptoms without triggering dyskinesias. This data forms the foundation of our discussions with the FDA as we move towards our IND in 2013," said Dr. Ruslan Semechkin, Principal Investigator of this study, head of R&D for International Stem Cell Corporation and Member of the American Academy of Neurology.
These results will be presented and discussed at the 65th American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, one of the world's most important annual events for neurologists and neuroscience professionals and the largest such international meeting of its kind with more than 12,000 attendees at last year's meeting.
Location: San Diego Convention Center, 111 W Harbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92101
Session: Movement Disorders; Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics
Date and time: March 20th, 2012 at 3:30 PM PDT
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a progressive degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the central nervous system. Approximately 60,000 American's are diagnosed with PD every year, world-wide there are thought to be as many as ten million sufferers. Current PD treatments, including small molecule such as Levadopa which replaces the lost dopamine, are useful in the relatively early stage of the disease. As symptoms grow worse, the efficacy of such therapies declines, leaving many patients severely disabled.
About International Stem Cell Corporation
International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs) hence avoiding ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenetic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell™. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available at www.internationalstemcell.com.
To receive ongoing corporate communications via email, visit: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0
To like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter for company updates and industry related news, visit: www.facebook.com/InternationalStemCellCorporation and www.twitter.com/intlstemcell
Safe harbor statement
Statements pertaining to anticipated developments, the potential use of technologies to develop therapeutic products, potential opportunities for the company and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects" or "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products and the management of collaborations, regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, application of capital resources among competing uses, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the company's business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements.
Contact Information:
International Stem Cell Corporation
Dr. Simon Craw
Executive Vice President
Phone: 760-940-6383
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Dr. Ruslan Semechkin
Vice President, R&D
Phone: 760-940-6383
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Investor Relations:
MZ Group
Mark McPartland
Senior Vice President
Phone: 212-301-7130
Email: email@example.com
Web: www.mzgroup.com


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NASCAR already has kicked one driver out of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Now, new audio surfaces that brings possible deal between Joey Logano and David Gilliland to light.
NASCAR is investigating communications between the teams of Joey Logano and David Gilliland during Saturday night's race at Richmond.
Penske Racing's Logano, who got into the Chase with the help of Michael Waltrip Racing's cars, may also have been aided by Front Row Motorsports' Gilliland.
Gilliland, who shares the same manufacturer as Logano (Ford), may have given up his position to let Logano pass him in the final laps.
PENALTIES: Newman in, Truex Jr. out of Chase
MORE: NAPA reviewing sponsorship with MWR
In radio communications received by USA TODAY Sports for Gilliland and Logano's teams, it seems Gilliland's spotter is passing along a request to let Logano pass him on the closing laps while Ryan Newman was leading the race.
A voice, believed to be Gilliland crew chief Frank Kerr, asks who the request is coming from. The spotter replies: "We've got the big dog ... all his cronies." This is believed to be a reference to team owner Roger Penske, who often is on the spotter stand.
Kerr responds: "Travis knows what I've been asking for," possibly a reference to Penske Racing competition director Travis Geisler.
Logano passed Gilliland on a restart and finished 22nd.
"Good job, good job, man," the spotter says post-race. "Hopefully we'll get something out of that."
NASCAR released a statement Wednesday afternoon that reads: "NASCAR is aware of reports about the #22 and #38 radio communications at Richmond International Raceway and is looking into it, but has yet to see anything in full context that requires any action."
Front Row Motorsports spokesman Jeff Dennison said the team did not heed a Penske request to give Logano track position before the final restart, according to the Associated Press.
Penske Racing president Tim Cindric was on SiriusXM Radio late Wednesday night and said there was no conspiracy.
"I know that NASCAR is gathering the facts about the whole situation and that's their job, that's what they have to do," Cindric said. "But the facts from where I sit are, number one, there was no conspiracy, there was no bribe. Roger Penske is not involved in trying to manipulate the outcome of a race or what have you. In fact, the first time Roger heard any of this stuff was this afternoon.
"The facts are there was no radio communication on our side. There was a lot of discussion over there that I really can't explain because I really don't know the basis for it."
Even if Logano had gained an extra point from passing Gilliland, it had no impact on the final outcome of the race.
Logano made the top 10 by one point over Jeff Gordon, but he also owned a tiebreaker with Gordon. He would have had to finish two positions further back to be knocked out of the top 10.
But even then, Logano still would have made the Chase; he finished the regular season with a 10-point lead over Newman and Truex, who tied for the final wild card spot.
By finishing in the top 10, Logano will be able to use three bonus points from his Michigan win toward the Chase.
MWR was already given the largest penalty in NASCAR history for its intentional race manipulation, part of which knocked MWR driver Martin Truex Jr. out of the Chase.
On Monday, Truex Jr. was thrown out of the 12-driver Chase lineup and Ryan Newman, on pace to win at Richmond before MWR's Clint Bowyer spun with seven laps remaining, was allowed into the field. The team was fined $300,000 and each driver docked 50 points (pre-Chase). General manager Ty Norris was suspended indefinitely for giving Brian Vickers the command to pit under green with four laps left, allowing Logano to gain spots on the track.
Logano earned his first career Chase for the Sprint Cup berth during the Federated Auto Parts 400.
The drivers are on a nationwide tour today to promote the Chase, which kicks off Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.
GALLERY: Richmond final laps in photos


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Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Los Angeles, reacted to an opinion item and editorial that appeared in this newspaper by sending a letter of concern to the head of the California Public Utilities Commission.
The editorial was about the failure of NRG Energy Inc., which gouged Californians during the electricity crisis of more than a decade ago, to live up to the terms of a legal settlement with the PUC that requires the company to build a statewide network of charging stations for electric cars.
NRG is obligated to have 1,040 stations up and running by now, but only 104 are ready, Associated Press reported. The company agreed in the settlement to install 10,200 stations by the end of 2016, but is off to a very slow start on that commitment.
Congresswoman Hahn's letter decries the PUC's cavalier attitude toward the shortfall in stations, noting that she's offended by NRG's being allowed to take advantage of Californians for a second time.
As the owner of a Nissan Leaf electric vehicle, she cites the "range anxiety" of EV drivers who too often can't find a charging station to help them get back home. And she urges the PUC to enforce the settlement with NRG in order to help California reach its environmental goals.


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On the RCZ side no real news. She feels a little neglected lately.
On the house side. Since last week the RCZ has a roof, it's the first thing I moved. Priorities...
Moving myself will probably take 1 or 2 months extra. I'm now busy laying the floor tiles.
Than it's only placing the shower and furniture.


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View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.
A North Texas woman who says a Pantego police officer caused her breast implant to rupture during an arrest is suing the department.
Rebecca Van Hooser of Arlington, Texas, said the officer threw her against her car on Oct. 28, 2011, when he arrested her during a traffic stop.
The Pantego officer pulled her over on a headlight violation and arrested her after learning she had a warrant for an unpaid speeding ticket.
"She gets out of the car, (the officer) grabs her, throws her against the car, spreads her legs ... and grabs her arms and forcefully pulls them out and yanks them very hard behind her back," said her attorney, Susan Hutchison.
See the original story at NBCDFW.com | More from NBCDFW.com
Hutchison said throwing Van Hooser against the car caused her breast implant to burst.
"She's screaming in pain, and his response is, 'This isn't supposed to be comfortable,'" Hutchison said.
Van Hooser spent the night in jail.
Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com
Her attorney said the rupture has led to health problems.
"She's had a number of surgeries," Hutchison said. "She had two hematomas as a result, and she's going to have to have a partial mastectomy, tissue transplant and a new implant."
Hutchison said the lawsuit is not just about her client's medical problems.
"We respect police officers," she said. "We're glad they're out there protecting us. When you arm someone with a gun and a badge and the authority that they have over people, you've got to train them appropriately, and they have got to be able to react reasonably and responsibly."
Pantego officials said the town has complete faith in its police force. The town said its officers always conduct themselves in the most professional manner.
Hutchison said the damages Van Hooser will seek have not yet been determined.
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Accommodation details
- 2 storeys
- Sleeps 4 - 1 double, 1 twin with 6ft box beds
- Large sitting/dining room with working fireplace (bag of fuel provided)
- Kitchen
- Bathroom with bath and shower attachment
- Family room
- Small paved courtyard with garden furniture and barbeque
- Under-floor oil-fired central heating
- Internet access in adjacent Visitor Centre
- Off-road parking is available
- Public transport accessible
- EPC Rating: E39
The Pend has some doorways below standard height. The master bedroom's 17th-century windows open directly on to the street below and may not be suitable for young children.
...Our guests said...
"A few quiet days in the Shire over Half Term. By and large we retraced our steps from ( many ) previous visits : trying to spot all of the crosses in St Ninian's Cave; enjoying the snowdrops in the woods at Galloway House; book browsing in Wigtown, and watching wildflowl at the hide by the harbour... As always the local produce is so good that we hardly had anything that was not sourced with D&G" (Mr. Welfare,Director of English Heritage, York)
"A wonderful and special place for our holiday. We've never been to the area before, and your welcome and the beauty of this cottage were a gift to us...And peat fires every night" (Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, Pittsburgh, PA )
"The Pend is just fabulous, every conceivable thing is here ( including a beautiful Christmas tree and festive table decorations) all carefully thought about." ( McNaught Family, Edinburgh)
About Whithorn
The Pend lies at the heart of the Outstanding Conservation Area of Whithorn, one of Scotland's oldest settlements and once the seat of Celtic Christianity.
Visiting Whithorn Priory you will join a long line of Royal pilgrims, from Edward II of England through to Robert the Bruce, James IV and Mary Queen of Scots. 15th century pilgrims from Europe were required to obtain a badge from the priory as proof of their visit - the precursor to today's passports. The ruins of the 12th-century Romanesque cathedral and its adjacent crypts are only an echo of the grand structure that would once have stood.
Whithorn is famed for its outstanding local produce and is at most three miles in any direction from the sea. At nearby Garlieston the shallow sandy beach is very suitable for toddlers and young children, since there is no deep water.
About the area
Whithorn lies at the south end of the Machars, or 'plains of Galloway', a peninsula surrounded by sea on three sides and, rich dairy farm country on the fourth.
Inhabited since the Bronze Age, the surrounding countryside is an archaeological treasure trove. Ten miles away, Wigtown, Scotland's new Book Town, is home to a variety of bookshops and hosts a literary festival in September, as well as fairs and regular markets.
Things to do
- Pull on your hiking boots and head to the Southern Uplands, half an hour's drive away, for some challenging hill walking.
- The Galloway Forest Park is home to the UK's first Dark-Sky Park, a hotspot for stargazing, due to its pitch black unpolluted skies.
- Rock and harbour fishing, golf and off-road driving for the adventurous are available nearby.
Getting there
To reach Whithorn, turn south at the Newton Stewart roundabout on the A714 following signs to Whithorn.
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