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The 2012-2013 NFL season is officially in the books, and the Scouting Combine is less than a month away. Free agency opens on March 12. With coaching staffs settled, impending free agents identified, and salary cap situations beginning to clarify, here is a look at the four most glaring positional needs for every club entering the 2013 offseason.Teams are ranked in order of roster quality.1. San Francisco 49ersK: You're in pretty good shape when your most glaring offseason need is a kicker. David Akers is likely to be released after turning in a league-worst season with a $3 million non-guaranteed salary. The draft's top placekicker is expected to be Dustin Hopkins out of Florida State. WR: The Niners will expect bigger things from 2012 first-rounder A.J. Jenkins, but only he and Michael Crabtree return as probable 2013 receiver contributors. Randy Moss is a free agent, and Mario Manningham figures to be a cap casualty owed $3.95 million coming off two torn knee ligaments. To maximize Colin Kaepernick's cannon arm, the 49ers need another field stretcher. LB: This isn't quite a pressing need -- Parys Haralson's return should add depth behind starters Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks -- but even great teams know they can never have too many pass rushers. San Francisco's 2012 pass rush was exposed as a bit one-dimensional down the stretch when Smith wasn't harassing quarterbacks. This year's draft is rich at the position. DT: Starting nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga's contract is up and he's going on age 32. Top reserve Ricky Jean-Francois is undersized and best suited for a utility role. This is a position on which San Francisco may very well spend its top draft pick. Alabama's Jesse Williams, Georgia's John Jenkins, and Missouri Southern's Brandon Williams could be late first-round options for the 49ers. 2. Denver BroncosDT: Mitch Unrein, Malik Jackson, and Sealver Siliga are Denver's only defensive tackles signed for 2013. Justin Bannan, Kevin Vickerson, and Ty Warren are all free agents. The Broncos defended the run surprisingly well in 2012 despite fielding a rag-tag group on the interior, but they could really use a difference-making, building-block type. Expect this to be a focus in the draft. LB: While Wesley Woodyard and Von Miller are obviously entrenched on the outside, middle linebacker is a question mark for Denver's 2013 defense. Injured Joe Mays could be a salary cap casualty after losing his starting job to Keith Brooking, the latter of whom is a free agent. The top in-house candidate to take over would be Nate Irving, who's been a special teamer to this point. OG: Left tackle Ryan Clady will likely return on the franchise tag, and right tackle Orlando Franklin is signed through 2014. Center J.D. Walton returns from an ankle fracture. Left guard Zane Beadles is a stud, but right guard Chris Kuper is owed a $4.5 million base salary after two major ankle surgeries in as many years. The Broncos need to start contemplating Kuper's heir apparent. WR: This isn't a position of pressing need, but it could be soon with Brandon Stokley headed for free agency and Eric Decker entering a contract year. No. 4 wideout Andre Caldwell is more of a special teamer. The Broncos will probably address wide receiver in the late rounds of April's draft. 3. Green Bay PackersRB: DuJuan Harris, James Starks, and Alex Green are role-player backs. All have been given opportunities to run with Green Bay's feature back job, but only Harris has somewhat consistently produced and he is viewed internally as a scatback. It's time for GM Ted Thompson to take this position seriously. Thompson is a longtime admirer of Steven Jackson, who may hit free agency. OT: Bryan Bulaga's return should fortify right tackle for Green Bay, but maddeningly inconsistent left tackle Marshall Newhouse needs to be on the hotseat. While 2011 first-round pick Derek Sherrod is due back from a broken leg, he projected to right tackle or guard before the injury. The Packers are on the verge of committing a boatload of money to quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In order to make good on that investment, they'll need improved blind-side protection. S: Charles Woodson is owed $10 million in 2013 and will likely be a cap casualty. Free safety Morgan Burnett enters the final year of his rookie deal. While M.D. Jennings and Jerron McMillian both flashed promise in 2012, it's unclear if Thompson views either as a candidate to start. QB: The Packers luckily made it through 2012 without an injury to Rodgers, despite the pass-protection woes. Had Rodgers been hurt, incumbent backup Graham Harrell may have torpedoed Green Bay's season. Thompson needs to prioritize a competent No. 2 signal caller this spring. 4. New England PatriotsWR: The Pats risk losing Wes Welker and Julian Edelman to free agency, leaving Brandon Lloyd and special teamer Matt Slater as New England's only remaining receivers to have caught an NFL pass. Welker's subtraction can be minimized if Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez stay healthy, but another explosive outside receiver would add a new dimension to Josh McDaniels' attack. I have a gut feeling McDaniels and Bill Belichick are going to love Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson. CB: The Patriots gambled by sending the Buccaneers a fourth-round pick for Aqib Talib before the trade deadline without a contract extension in place. So he could conceivably be one-and-done in Foxboro. While New England did well to unearth seventh-round gem Alfonzo Dennard, Talib and slot guy Kyle Arrington's free agency leave the depth chart dangerously thin at cornerback. OT: Talib and right tackle Sebastian Vollmer are the Pats' two prime franchise tag candidates. Retaining Vollmer would turn tackle back from a potential weakness into a strength. The franchise number for offensive linemen is $9.66 million. The cornerback franchise number is $10.67 million. S: Devin McCourty is shaping up as New England's long-term answer at free safety, flourishing there after an early-season conversion from cornerback. Strong safety is more up in the air after impending free agent Pat Chung fell out of favor in 2012. Steve Gregory would ideally be a third safety and special teamer. Last year's second-rounder Tavon Wilson was an obvious draft reach. 5. Seattle SeahawksDE: Coach Pete Carroll has pinpointed defensive end as Seattle's biggest offseason need, which especially makes sense after Chris Clemons' ACL and meniscus tears. 2012 first-rounder Bruce Irvin is an explosive nickel rusher, not a viable starter. Red Bryant will return as the Seahawks' run-stopping left end, but he isn't a pocket pusher and Seattle covets another one of those. WR: While Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, and Doug Baldwin make up a formidable three-receiver set, the latter two are entering contract seasons and depth is a concern. If the Seahawks are going to open up the passing game in Russell Wilson's second season, they'll need a true vertical weapon. OT: Russell Okung has panned out as a top-ten left tackle, but the right side could use an influx of competition after Breno Giacomini's poor year. While Giacomini holds his own as a run blocker, he struggles mightily with speed off the edge. The Seahawks have settled on 2011 first-rounder James Carpenter as a long-term guard. Line coach Tom Cable's zone-blocking scheme should allow Seattle to address right tackle affordably in free agency or in the middle rounds of the draft. LB: The Seahawks need to move on from weak-side 'backer Leroy Hill following his latest off-field incident. Hill is a free agent and likely facing a multi-game suspension. Seattle is strong at middle linebacker (Bobby Wagner) and on the strong side (K.J. Wright), but thin on the weak side. 6. New York GiantsOL: Left and right tackles Will Beatty and Sean Locklear are free agents. 32-year-old David Diehl's effectiveness has evaporated and he's a surefire cap casualty on a $4.475 million base salary. Center David Baas is entering his age-32 season, right guard Chris Snee is coming off hip surgery, and left guard Kevin Boothe's contract is up. GM Jerry Reese has compiled intriguing young front-five depth in the draft, but there will likely be major changes on an aging Giants line. CB: Sagging pass rush contributed to the 2012 secondary deficiencies, but cornerback was still a huge weakness. Oft-burned supposed top corner Corey Webster is a release candidate on a $7 million salary. Rookie slot man Jayron Hosley was up and down in his first season. Likely to cut Webster, the G-Men need to find at least one starting cornerback via free agency or the draft. LB: Strong-side maven Mathias Kiwanuka is the Giants' only surefire linebacker starter for 2013. Weak-side incumbent Michael Boley is expected to be cut, and pedestrian middle man Chase Blackburn has run his course. In-house options include Mark Herzlich and Jacquian Williams. TE: Reese is high on 2012 fourth-round pick Adrien Robinson, but he was drafted as a height-weight-speed project and played three snaps as a rookie. The Giants can feel good at tight end if they keep free agent Martellus Bennett and use 2013 as another development year for Robinson. 7. Houston TexansWR: Much like the Panthers with Steve Smith, the Texans should feel lucky Andre Johnson is still going strong. They've done literally nothing to help him in terms of complementary wideouts. Kevin Walter is an offseason release candidate, and 2012 third-rounder DeVier Posey tore his Achilles' in the playoffs. Lestar Jean has starred in preseason, then vanished in real games. OT: Duane Brown remains among the league's elite left tackles, but the Texans put too much faith in their scheme in 2012 after releasing stalwart right tackle Eric Winston. Derek Newton was an abject failure in the role, getting knocked around in the run game and racking up penalties. If Houston doesn't find a wide receiver it deems worthy of the 27th overall pick, a tackle should do. S: Stud free safety Danieal Manning is signed through 2014, but underrated strong safety Glover Quin's contract has run out. The Texans do not have a viable in-house alternative. Quin is a top-notch run-support safety and often matches up with opposing tight ends. He'd be tough to replace. NT: Incumbent starter Shaun Cody is entering free agency, and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has never felt comfortable playing undersized Earl Mitchell full time despite annual glowing offseason reports. If the Cowboys release Jay Ratliff, he'd make sense in a reunion with Phillips. In addition to safety and nose, the Texans' defensive is needy at inside linebacker next to Brian Cushing.8. Atlanta FalconsOT: Atlanta is solid at right tackle with steady veteran Tyson Clabo, but left tackle Sam Baker and top reserve Will Svitek are both free agents. The Falcons have become a pass-first team under second-year offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, so protecting quarterback Matt Ryan is critical. Atlanta is also expected to break the bank on a contract extension for Ryan this offseason. DE: John Abraham probably has one year left as an impact pass rusher and Kroy Biermann was an important movable chess piece in defensive coordinator Mike Nolan's first season. Abraham is going on 35, however, and he's still Atlanta's only legitimate down-to-down sack threat. If the Falcons can come up with enough salary cap space, Cliff Avril would look awfully good in Red and Black. RB: Owed an impractical $6.9 million base salary, declining 31-year-old feature back Michael Turner is likely to be an offseason cap casualty. Diminutive scatback Jacquizz Rodgers averages under 4.0 yards per carry and isn't the answer for Atlanta's run game woes. The Falcons have the 30th overall pick and should seriously consider Alabama's Eddy Lacy if he's still on the board. TE: GM Thomas Dimitroff and Roddy White are lobbying Tony Gonzalez to opt against retirement, but the future Hall of Famer's mind seemed made up late in the year. Chase Coffman, Michael Palmer, and Tommy Gallarda round out the depth chart. The Falcons field arguably the NFL's premier wideout duo in White and Julio Jones, but replacing Gonzo's production underneath would be an almost impossible task.
9. Baltimore RavensOT: Baltimore got a major late-season boost when an in-shape Bryant McKinnie emerged as the team's starting left tackle. 33-year-old McKinnie is headed for free agency, however, and may not be in GM Ozzie Newsome's plans. It's clear by now that Michael Oher's best position is right tackle. Finding a long-term blind-side protector for Joe Flacco should be Newsome's top priority. LB: Ray Lewis' Last Ride is over, and every-down inside 'backer Dannell Ellerbe's contract is up. Jameel McClain's healthy return should give this unit some credibility, but it could quickly turn from a strength into a weakness. The cap-strapped Ravens also may not be able to afford free agent rush linebacker Paul Kruger. At least they can turn to 2012 second-rounder Courtney Upshaw.WR: Salary cap woes may force Newsome to part with Anquan Boldin ($6 million salary) and Jacoby Jones ($4 million in salary and bonus), depleting a receiver depth chart that would be down to Torrey Smith, Tandon Doss, and developmental project Tommy Streeter. In the Ravens' vertical-oriented pass offense, wideouts who can create separation are an absolute must. S: Lardarius Webb's return will shore up Baltimore's cornerback position, but stalwart free safety Ed Reed is expected to leave in free agency. Unless they know something we don't about 2012 fourth-round pick Christian Thompson, the Ravens are devoid of in-house replacement options. 10. Pittsburgh SteelersRB: Top returning backs Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman are restricted free agents. Longtime feature runner Rashard Mendenhall is an unrestricted free agent and not expected to return. In his season-ending press conference, GM Kevin Colbert conceded that Pittsburgh's talent level at running back has not been up to par. The Steelers figure to add multiple new faces this offseason. TE: Pro Bowl-caliber starter Heath Miller shredded his right knee in late December, tearing the ACL, PCL, and MCL. He's a candidate to open next season on PUP. The Steelers feel good internally about 2012 seventh-round pick David Paulson, but he'd be a big downgrade from Miller. DL: Franchise staple Casey Hampton will walk in free agency, leaving a 330-plus-pound hole at nose tackle. Perhaps Pittsburgh can paper over the position with Steve McLendon, Ziggy Hood, and Alameda Ta'amu, but none of the three looks like a long-term solution. The nose is a critical component of coordinator Dick LeBeau's 3-4 defense, which has long been stout versus the run. WR: The Steelers have turned the page on deep threat Mike Wallace, leaving Antonio Brown, restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders, and pedestrian veteran Jerricho Cotchery as their top three receivers. Sans Wallace, there isn't a vertical playmaker remaining in the group. Pittsburgh is apparently set to downgrade from a top-five pass-catching corps into the depths of mediocrity. 11. Washington RedskinsOL: Left tackle Trent Williams, center Will Montgomery, and right guard Chris Chester are all signed long term and make up the core of Washington's zone-blocking offensive line. The unit's two 2012 weak links -- left guard Kory Lichtensteiger and right tackle Tyler Polumbus -- are both headed for free agency. Last year's third-rounder Josh LeRibeus might be able to handle left guard moving forward, but Washington does not have a viable in-house right tackle replacement. CB: DeAngelo Hall's openness to a contract restructure helps matters, but there is next to no depth behind him and fellow starter Josh Wilson. Nickel back Cedric Griffin's contract is up, and seventh-rounder Richard Crawford was the only other Washington corner to play significant 2012 snaps. The Redskins shouldn't feel truly comfortable at any of their four defensive back positions. LB: Brian Orakpo's return helps this unit on paper, but it's fair to wonder if he's become unreliable physically. Orakpo has twice torn his left pectoral muscle and didn't recover fully the first time. Ryan Kerrigan remains a stud bookend, but 2012 Orakpo replacement Rob Jackson's contract is up and there is no remaining depth. Washington needs to continue to prioritize pass rushers. TE: The Redskins can make this position better if free agent Fred Davis is re-signed and recovers smoothly from Achilles' surgery, but it's a concern at the moment. Logan Paulsen is a high-effort player short on skill. Converted wide receiver Niles Paul is a situational tight end only. Chris Cooley is a free agent, and he may begin his broadcasting career as soon as this offseason.
12. Chicago BearsOL: The Bears don't just need a tackle, guard, or center. They need help at every line position. 2011 first-round pick Gabe Carimi is looking like a bust at right tackle, and J'Marcus Webb has been inconsistent at best on the left side. Guards Lance Louis, Chris Spencer, and Chilo Rachal are all free agents. 34-year-old center Roberto Garza has fallen off a cliff. It's time for an overhaul. LB: New Bears coach Marc Trestman doesn't seem inclined to bring back free agent middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, not that he should. Going on 35 with bad knees, Urlacher is a shell of his old self. Strong-side starter Nick Roach's contract is also up, giving Chicago two spots to fill. TE: Perhaps the worst move of GM Phil Emery's tenure so far was to re-sign Kellen Davis last offseason. Davis flopped as the Bears' starting tight end and will likely be released. 2012 fourth-rounder Evan Rodriguez is an intriguing prospect, but doesn't profile as an every-down tight end. DT: This position can remain a strength if the Bears re-sign free agent Henry Melton. After back-to-back productive seasons at "three technique," however, he won't be cheap. Stephen Paea is a solid run stuffer and Nate Collins is a quality reserve, but Chicago needs a pocket pusher inside. 13. Dallas CowboysDT: The Cowboys are switching from a 3-4 to 4-3 defense under new coordinator Monte Kiffin, meaning the complexion of their front seven will change. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff is in danger of being released, which would add yet another question mark to Dallas' defensive line. Jason Hatcher is a probable starter, but two quality interior linemen are required in the four-man front. DE: DeMarcus Ware should transition smoothly from linebacker to weak-side end, and the Cowboys want to re-sign Anthony Spencer to continue manning the position across from him. Spencer wants big money and is uncertain to return. 2012 third-rounder Tyrone Crawford may be an option at left defensive end, although Crawford wasn't a big-time pass rusher at Boise State. OG: The Cowboys seem to believe they have several viable guard options in Nate Livings, Ronald Leary, and Mackenzy Bernadeau, but of them only left guard Livings was a capable 2012 starter. Center Phil Costa is a restricted free agent coming off foot surgery. Even if Dallas appears to have numbers at guard and center, its interior run blocking was a huge problem area last season. RB: Starter DeMarco Murray has missed nine games through two seasons, and top backup Felix Jones is headed to free agency. Lance Dunbar and Phillip Tanner are borderline NFL players. The Cowboys could use a durable backup for Murray who would also function in a change-of-pace role off the bench. Expect Dallas to target this position in the middle rounds of April's draft. 14. Minnesota VikingsWR: The fact that Minnesota has never given Christian Ponder a legitimate outside receiver makes his early-career performance a blurry evaluation. Percy Harvin is a beast in the slot, but Jerome Simpson, Michael Jenkins, and Devin Aromashodu have served to hold back the offense rather than further it. The Vikings need to be in the market for a field stretcher like Mike Wallace to ease the burden on Harvin and Adrian Peterson, who operate around the line of scrimmage. S: Vikings 2012 first-round pick Harrison Smith paid immediate dividends with playmaking ability and coverage skills in the deep half. Running mate Mistral Raymond, however, was a liability across from him. Raymond would stick to special teams in an ideal world, and the Vikings would pair Smith with a safety offering better talent. Pat Chung would be an interesting free-agent target. LB: The Vikings enter 2013 feeling good about only one of their linebacker positions. Strong-side starter Chad Greenway is a Pro Bowl-caliber performer, but middle man Jasper Brinkley and weak-side 'backer Erin Henderson are both free agents. Brinkley is the guy they need to replace. QB: The jury remains out on Ponder after two NFL seasons. In 2012, he went through long stretches looking like a top-12 draft bust, and Ponder has also been prone to injury. Joe Webb clearly isn't a viable competitor, so the Vikings may tap the free-agent market for an upgrade at backup quarterback. Veteran Matt Moore would probably be GM Rick Spielman's best target. 15. New Orleans SaintsLB: Back from suspension, coach Sean Payton is hellbent on turning his defense into a 3-4. Perhaps the most critical 3-4 component is outside-edge rushers capable of harassing the quarterback from a two-point stance. Junior Galette and Martez Wilson are in-house options, but neither has experience at the position. Look for the Saints to draft two rush 'backers in April. The Saints should be fine at inside linebacker with thumpers Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne back. DT: Cameron Jordan and Akiem Hicks are ready-made 3-4 defensive ends; they both spent time there in college. At 6-foot-2, 306, incumbent 4-3 nose tackle Brodrick Bunkley is undersized to play the position in a 3-4. New Orleans got kicked in the mouth in the running game in 2012, so acquiring a lane clogger might be GM Mickey Loomis' top priority from a pure need standpoint. OT: This wouldn't be a need if left tackle Jermon Bushrod were under contract for 2013. Bushrod is indeed a free agent, however, and Loomis is unlikely to break the bank to retain him. Charles Brown might be an in-house replacement if he could stay healthy. So far in his career, he can't.DB: While the lack of pass rush made the entire unit appear worse than it really is, the Saints' defensive backfield didn't hold up its end of the 2012 bargain. Patrick Robinson was a frequent burn victim, and safeties Malcolm Jenkins and Roman Harper turned in career-worst years. The Saints need to add competition in the secondary. These guys seem to be getting complacent. 16. Cincinnati BengalsRB: Plodding early-down pounder BenJarvus Green-Ellis and 2012 practice squad member Dan Herron are Cincinnati's only two backs under contract for 2013. The Bengals need more "juice" at this position. UNC's Giovani Bernard -- profiled here -- would be a sensible target in the draft's second round. DE: Both of the Bengals' 2012 starters at defensive end have expiring contracts. Carlos Dunlap can take left end Robert Geathers' place, but Cincinnati may have to use the franchise tag to retain right end Michael Johnson. Even if Johnson returns, an explosive nickel rusher would be a welcomed addition to coordinator Mike Zimmer's defense. Depth is a concern either way. S: Zimmer played musical chairs at the safety spot opposite Reggie Nelson last season. When Nelson missed two games with a hamstring injury, the position turned into a disaster. Perhaps 2012 fifth-round pick George Iloka will get a longer look in training camp, but he won't be handed first-team snaps. Incumbent free safeties Nate Clements and Chris Crocker's contracts are up. The Bengals could also afford to address outside linebacker with Vontaze Burfict moving from weak side to the middle.QB: After back-to-back late-season collapses, there should be questions within the organization about whether Andy Dalton is the long-term answer. He didn't get better in his second year. At the very least, Cincinnati will be on the lookout for a backup upgrade on free agent Bruce Gradkowski. 17. Detroit LionsCB: Cornerback has seemingly been a trouble spot in Detroit forever. Top corner Chris Houston is a free agent and the Lions were torched opposite him for most of last season. 2012 draft picks Bill Bentley, Jonte Green, and Chris Greenwood are all talented prospects, but it's unclear if any of them is ready to start in 2013. Alabama's Dee Milliner is already a popular mock pick at No. 5. DE: Left end Cliff Avril's contract is up and right end Kyle Vanden Bosch's career is nearing its end. What was recently one of the league's most loaded defensive end depth charts has fast become among the thinnest. Only KVB, Willie Young, and Ronnell Lewis are signed for 2013. WR: Safety, interior offensive line, and linebacker are also needy positions for the Lions, but wide receiver is most pressing for the NFL's pass-heaviest team. Only Calvin Johnson can be counted on for 2013 production. Nate Burleson would have to accept a salary slash to return, and Ryan Broyles is coming off a second ACL tear. Titus Young has practically begged for his release. RB: While Mikel Leshoure and Joique Bell didn't embarrass themselves as a 2012 tandem attack, the Lions are looking to replace the homerun-hitting ability Jahvid Best left behind. Reggie Bush would be a sensible target in free agency, assuming he's willing to sign at an affordable rate. 18. Carolina PanthersCB: Salary cap problems will likely force the Panthers to release top cornerback Chris Gamble, and fellow starter Captain Munnerlyn is a free agent. Forced to start as a rookie, 2012 fifth-round pick Josh Norman was burned relentlessly in coverage. This is easily Carolina's weakest position. OT: Ryan Kalil's return will fortify center, while left tackle Jordan Gross, left guard Amini Silatolu, and right guard Garry Williams figure to return as Carolina's other three offensive line starters. Byron Bell has been a major liability at right tackle, however, and must be replaced. The Panthers haven't had effective right-tackle play since Jeff Otah stopped trying. That happened back in 2009. WR: The Panthers are lucky to have gotten as many quality seasons out of Steve Smith as they have. He's still going strong, but turns 34 in May and is Carolina's only dangerous wideout. Brandon LaFell disappointed in his 2012 opportunity to start, and once-promising David Gettis was a non-factor. The Panthers need to consider drafting a receiver in the first or second round. DT: Carolina doesn't have a single effective defensive tackle signed for 2013. Dwan Edwards is a free agent, and Ron Edwards is a likely cap casualty after getting pushed around in the run game last season. Blowing up this position to start from scratch wouldn't be a bad idea for the Panthers.19. Indianapolis ColtsOL: Right tackle and both guard positions could use offseason upgrades after the Colts overcame the AFC's worst line play to win 11 games. Despite elite pocket awareness and mobility, Andrew Luck absorbed 41 sacks -- the NFL's fourth highest total. New playcaller Pep Hamilton is a smash-mouth offensive mind, so look for Indianapolis to pursue maulers in the running game. CB: GM Ryan Grigson's trade for Vontae Davis paid dividends down the stretch, but the Colts were sorely lacking at slot and left corner. Jerraud Powers was benched for Darius Butler, and both of them are offseason free agents. Grigson is a lock to address cornerback in April's draft. LB: The Colts go three deep at inside linebacker with Pat Angerer behind Jerrell Freeman and Kavell Conner, but outside linebacker is a different story. While Robert Mathis can still get after the quarterback, he's 32 and battled back injuries in 2012. Dwight Freeney is a free agent, and Jerry Hughes is a mediocre situational player. Indianapolis needs a new franchise pass rusher. DE: Ends in Chuck Pagano's 3-4 scheme are supposed to be immovable gap pluggers. 32-year-old Cory Redding struggled to duplicate his Baltimore success last season, and Ricardo Mathews would be a wave player on a good defense. The Colts have been gashed by the run for far too long. Grigson should target five-technique defensive ends in the draft's early to middle rounds. 20. Miami DolphinsWR: Despite impressive individual play by rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, the Dolphins' 2012 offense was held hostage by their receivers' inability to separate. The Fins lacked playmakers out wide. Leading receiver Brian Hartline is now entering free agency, and Miami is left paper thin. The Dolphins have a ton of cap space and could pursue Greg Jennings, Mike Wallace, and/or Dwayne Bowe. OT: The Dolphins are not expected to re-sign free agent left tackle Jake Long because his salary demands are too rich for their taste. 2012 second-rounder Jonathan Martin got blown up in pass protection as a rookie, so he'd be difficult to justify as a viable alternative. Miami must acquire at least one starting offensive tackle. Martin's year-one performance suggests they may need two. CB: GM Jeff Ireland's 2012 trade of top cornerback Vontae Davis looks foolish in hindsight. Sean Smith took over as Miami's answer for No. 1 receivers and held up well, but is now a free agent. Offseason pickup Richard Marshall struggled in coverage before rupturing two discs in his back. Ireland's tendency to trade solid starters without a long-term replacement plan is head scratching. See also, Brandon Marshall.S: Strong safety Reshad Jones has quietly emerged as one of the league's premier players at his position, but free safety Chris Clemons is a free agent and backup Jonathon Amaya strictly plays on special teams. The Dolphins could also afford to add talent at running back and defensive end.
21. San Diego ChargersOT: Want a quick explanation for San Diego's 2012 offensive collapse? (The Chargers led the NFL in total offense as recently as 2010.) It all starts up front. $25 million left tackle Jared Gaither refused to play through pain, and when he wasn't in the lineup starting tackles Mike Harris and Jeromey Clary were turnstiles in pass protection. Philip Rivers began seeing ghosts in the pocket, sensing pass rush that wasn't there. San Diego needs to clean house at this position. CB: Starters Quentin Jammer and Antoine Cason's contracts have both expired, leaving San Diego with only Marcus Gilchrist, Shareece Wright, and practice squad-type Greg Gatson under contract at corner. The Chargers need speed in the secondary after Jammer and Cason were all too often exposed deep. New coach Mike McCoy has ties to likely Panthers cap casualty Chris Gamble, while assistant Ken Whisenhunt knows free agent Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie well. RB: Perhaps McCoy and Whisenhunt will feel differently, but outgoing coach Norv Turner had decided that 2010 first-round pick Ryan Mathews was not the solution as a foundation back. Mathews proceeded to justify Turner's opinion in 2012, fracturing his collarbone twice and running tentatively when healthy. Backups Ronnie Brown and Jackie Battle are both free agents, which means the Bolts will at the very least pursue a No. 2 back and possibly Mathews' replacement. QB: While Rivers gets something of a pass because ex-GM A.J. Smith did such an abominable job of compiling receivers and offensive linemen, it's fair to wonder how many quality years -- if any -- San Diego's quarterback has left. Going on 32, Rivers' arm strength has eroded and he's become increasingly turnover prone. A developmental prospect capable of at least pushing underwhelming backup Charlie Whitehurst would be a nice addition for Whisenhunt to groom. 22. Philadelphia EaglesQB: Owed a $15.5 million salary, Michael Vick is tentatively expected to be released sometime in March. 2012 third-round pick Nick Foles possesses some intriguing tools, but lacks the athleticism rookie coach Chip Kelly typically seeks in a signal caller. The Eagles are expected to sign Ravens practice squad quarterback Dennis Dixon in the coming days, but Dixon probably isn't a viable candidate to start. Kelly would likely love to get his hands on West Virginia's Geno Smith. CB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a free agent, and the Eagles will likely part with declining running mate Nnamdi Asomugha. Of Philadelphia's top three 2012 corners, only slot guy Brandon Boykin's roster spot is assured. Curtis Marsh and Brandon Hughes each have some potential, but lack starting experience. The Eagles need to add competition at both outside cornerback spots. DT: Kelly is installing a 3-4 scheme, a major departure from Philly's defenses of seasons past. While Trent Cole and Brandon Graham should hold their own as stand-up rush 'backers, the Eagles lack a double team-commanding nose tackle to anchor. The Eagles should feel okay at end (Cullen Jenkins, Fletcher Cox) and inside linebacker (DeMeco Ryans, Mychal Kendricks). S: Kurt Coleman would be covering punts on a team with a good secondary, and Nate Allen hasn't been the same since rupturing his patellar tendon in 2010. At the very least, the Eagles need one new starting safety. Kenny Phillips and Louis Delmas would be attractive free agent additions. 23. Buffalo BillsQB: Incumbent starter Ryan Fitzpatrick will be released before his $3 million roster bonus comes due on March 13. New coach Doug Marrone subscribes to a run-first philosophy, which should theoretically allow Buffalo to ease in a rookie signal caller. The obvious pre-draft connection is Ryan Nassib, whom Marrone and first-year coordinator Nathaniel Hackett developed at Syracuse. WR: "We want a guy who can go up and snatch the ball, that he's open when he's covered," GM Buddy Nix explained after the season. "Go up and high point the ball and get it." The Bills envision $36 million receiver Stevie Johnson's future in the slot, and were involved in the Vincent Jackson bidding even after re-signing Johnson last offseason. Nix would probably love a Dwayne Bowe. OG: The Bills could solidify this position for the long term by re-signing guard Andy Levitre, but he won't come cheap and intends to shop his wares. Top reserve Chad Rinehart is also a free agent. With Cordy Glenn and Chris Hairston at tackle, Eric Wood at center, and Kraig Urbik locked in at right guard, Levitre's left guard position is Buffalo's only real question mark on the line. LB: GM Nix wants "a guy who can run and cover and can match up against a slot or a tight end" to play between Nick Barnett and Nigel Bradham. Buffalo has soured on 2011 third-rounder Kelvin Sheppard and is in the market for a middle linebacker. Free agency is bone dry at this position. 24. Cleveland BrownsLB: Phil Taylor, Billy Winn, Ahtyba Rubin, and John Hughes give new defensive coordinator Ray Horton intriguing options on the line. D'Qwell Jackson and James-Michael Johnson could be a formidable inside linebacker duo. Outside rush 'backers are essential in Horton's 3-4, however, and would-be defensive end convert Jabaal Sheard is the Browns' only realistic option there. CB: Joe Haden is among the league's best cover guys at left corner, but 34-year-old right corner Sheldon Brown is a free agent and isn't expected back. The depth chart is rounded out by Buster Skrine, Trevin Wade, and Johnson Bademosi, none of whose performances will endear themselves to the new-look Browns on 2012 game tape. Horton likes big, physical press corners. QB: By now, it's no secret that new Browns personnel boss Mike Lombardi is not a fan of 2012 first-round pick Brandon Weeden. Coming off a 14-touchdown, 17-pick rookie season, Weeden didn't do enough to enter camp locked in as the starter. Lombardi has long been a fan of Patriots backup Ryan Mallett, who is expected to be available for offseason trade. Perhaps Lombardi will dangle this year's 68th overall pick and a future second-rounder to acquire big-armed Mallett. TE: It remains to be seen how new coach Rob Chudzinski and offensive coordinator Norv Turner view Jordan Cameron. Ben Watson and Alex Smith are free agents, leaving athletic specimen Cameron -- an ex-basketball player -- atop Cleveland's tight end depth chart. Tight ends have consistently been an integral part of both Chudzinski and Turner's offenses through the years. 25. Tampa Bay BuccaneersDE: Top defensive end Michael Bennett is scheduled for free agency, and would-be bookend Adrian Clayborn is coming off a torn ACL. 2011 second-round pick Da'Quan Bowers has yet to establish himself as a capable starter. The Bucs finished the season last in the NFC in sacks, exacerbating deficiencies in the back end. They must find a core pass rusher this offseason. CB: A combination of no pass rush and utter lack of reliable cover men can quickly torpedo any pass defense. So it isn't surprising that the Bucs surrendered the most passing yards in the league in 2012. Top corner E.J. Biggers is up for free agency, and Eric Wright is expected to be released. Tampa Bay currently does not have a cornerback it can count on to be a 2013 starter. QB: After a 2012 season that wasn't nearly as good as his stats suggest, Josh Freeman will enter a contract year without any plans from the Bucs to give him an extension. Freeman still struggles with accuracy and when surrounded by bodies, even if his vertical-passing arm is among the league's elite. GM Mark Dominik plans to upgrade the backup quarterback spot on Dan Orlovsky. DT: Gerald McCoy is a difference-making three-technique tackle, but nose guard Roy Miller is an unrestricted free agent and defensive tackle already had depth concerns. Even if Miller re-signs, the Bucs could use a third interior lineman to bolster the rotation and provide productive snaps. 26. St. Louis RamsOL: St. Louis fielded the most rag-tag offensive line in football last season and remains desperate for reliable, effective blockers. There isn't a position on the front five that couldn't use an upgrade. Only right guard Harvey Dahl and left tackle Rodger Saffold can be considered quality starters, and the latter is entering a contract year. Pricey center Scott Wells' right knee may be shot. S: The Rams will need two new starting safeties if they release Quintin Mikell, which is expected. They'll happily let free agent free safety Craig Dahl walk. St. Louis has built one of the NFL's more promising cornerback depth charts, but the secondary has a ways to go before it's solidified. LB: Middle man James Laurinaitis is St. Louis' only worthwhile every-down linebacker. Weak-side starter Jo-Lonn Dunbar was exposed as a 2012 pass defender, and strong-side 'backer Rocky McIntosh's contract has run out. Both outside positions should be open to competition in 2013. WR: Seemingly an annual offseason need for the Rams, receiver is slowly getting better but not quite there yet. While 2012 fourth-round pick Chris Givens flashed big-play ability and separation skills, fellow rookie Brian Quick was slow to develop. Top receiver Danny Amendola is a free agent. If the Rams re-sign Amendola, it's still possible that they'll continue to build this position from within. They've certainly not yet soured on Quick, who was last year's 33rd overall pick. 27. Tennessee TitansOL: Tennessee's tackle spots remain strong with Michael Roos on the left side and David Stewart on the right, but all three interior line positions have question marks. 35-year-old left guard Steve Hutchinson is a retirement candidate after knee surgery. Center Fernando Velasco is a restricted free agent, and right guard involved musical chairs in 2012 with Deuce Lutui and Leroy Harris both noticeably struggling. Interior penetration by defenses was a problem throughout the year. S: The Titans' safety play was among the league's poorest last season. Free safety Michael Griffin's five-year, $35 million deal is looking regrettable in hindsight, and strong safety was a revolving door of Jordan Babineaux, Robert Johnson, and Al Afalava. Tennessee must fortify the latter position in particular, allowing Griffin to focus on covering centerfield. He is an awful tackler. QB: It's fair to wonder if Jake Locker is the long-term quarterback answer in Nashville after he made no noticeable 2012 strides. If anything, Locker may have taken a step back. His accuracy hasn't improved since the University of Washington, and Locker will miss a chunk of offseason work while recovering from left (non-throwing) shoulder surgery. Backup Matt Hasselbeck, going on 38, has nothing left in his arm and probably will be cut due to a prohibitive $5.5 million salary. RB: Chris Johnson is expected to return despite a whopping $10 million base salary, but the Titans have zero depth behind him. Javon Ringer is a free agent, and Jamie Harper is an upright plodder. Ideally, Tennessee would find a power back to complement finesse runner Johnson. 28. Kansas City ChiefsQB: Matt Cassel won't see a penny of his $7.5 million salary. He'll likely be cut in February. Since the end of the regular season, a number of signs have pointed to Alex Smith being atop new coach Andy Reid's wish list. Smith -- or Kevin Kolb, if released by Arizona -- could serve as the Chiefs' band-aid quarterback as Reid develops a younger player with franchise-caliber potential. CB: The Chiefs knew quickly that 2012 free-agent signing Stanford Routt was a bust. They cut him in early November, and usual slot corner Javier Arenas was stretched as Routt's replacement in the starting lineup. Top cornerback Brandon Flowers is signed through 2016, but Kansas City must find a capable starter opposite him. Jalil Brown is an underwhelming in-house candidate. DE: Reid is keeping the 3-4 in place, but he'll have to renovate Kansas City's defensive line. Right end Glenn Dorsey is a free agent, and left end Tyson Jackson is a likely cap casualty due to a massive $14.72 million base salary. The Chiefs were consistently moved in the run game in 2012. WR: The Chiefs can solidify receiver by re-signing Dwayne Bowe. Left tackle is another need area, but can be fortified if free agent Branden Albert returns healthy. Albert battled chronic back injuries last season. If those two players leave, tackle and wideout suddenly move near the top of Kansas City's team needs. 2011 first-round receiver Jon Baldwin has been a bust thus far, and there isn't another viable starting wideout on the roster. Likewise, there is no Albert replacement. 29. Arizona CardinalsQB: A misfit for new coach Bruce Arians' vertical attack, Kevin Kolb figures to be cut ahead of his $2 million March 15 roster bonus. John Skelton isn't getting better, and Ryan Lindley is a long-term project. Among draft-eligible quarterbacks, big-armed Mike Glennon of N.C. State would best fit Arians' system. The Cardinals still must upgrade their line before installing a rookie QB. OT: The Cards can get by with Lyle Sendlein, Daryn Colledge, and Nate Potter on the interior, but tackle is a major issue. Bobby Massie wasn't remotely ready to play as a rookie, and Levi Brown -- back from injury -- belongs at right tackle or guard. If Arizona doesn't deem a quarterback worthy of the No. 7 overall pick, Central Michigan's Eric Fisher would be quite nice as a fallback plan. LB: New Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles' background is in the 4-3. Arizona currently has 3-4 personnel. If Bowles plans on changing the scheme, the Cards will need a weak-side end to rush opposite Calais Campbell, and at least one 4-3 outside 'backer. For the 4-3, Bowles might consider keeping Stewart Bradley to man the middle, with Daryl Washington on the weak side. CB: With only right cornerback Patrick Peterson entrenched as a starter, Arizona has holes at left and slot corner. Incumbent starter William Gay is a prime release candidate, Michael Adams and Greg Toler are free agents, and 2012 third-rounder Jamell Fleming didn't show much as a rookie. 30. Jacksonville JaguarsQB: The Jags finally have a pair of competent receivers in Cecil Shorts and Justin Blackmon, but they lack someone capable of consistently getting them the ball. Blaine Gabbert is a bust. Chad Henne is a career backup. Jacksonville will draft second overall in late April, and West Virginia's Geno Smith would be an awfully nice fit for new coordinator Jedd Fisch's West Coast offense. CB: The Jaguars are headed for a makeover in the backend. Top corner Derek Cox and nickel back Rashean Mathis are both free agents, while Aaron Ross is a candidate to be released. New Jags coach Gus Bradley has a history of success with big, physical press-man cornerbacks who don't necessarily cost a lot of money or high picks. Bradley's corners need to be route disruptors. LB: Jacksonville's defense got rag-dolled in the run game last season. Many of the failures can be attributed to poor play up front, but there are more holes to fill at linebacker. Stalwart strong-side 'backer Daryl Smith is a free agent after an injury-ruined season. Weak-side starter Russell Allen fared better in a utilityman role. The Jaguars need to find at least one new starting linebacker. RB: Maurice Jones-Drew suffered a Lisfranc fracture early in the 2012 season. Backup Rashad Jennings flopped in the feature back role, before getting injured himself. Jennings is now a free agent and unlikely to be retained. Jones-Drew has a ton of wear on his tires and is coming off a serious injury. Jacksonville needs to begin thinking about MJD's long-term replacement. 31. New York JetsQB: Where to begin. The Jets' roster disintegrated under since-fired GM Mike Tannenbaum to the point that it's arguably the worst collection of talent in football. Although Mark Sanchez is certain to return because Tannenbaum guaranteed his $8.25 million salary, the Jets would be better off never putting Sanchez on the field again. Due to cap concerns, New York will likely have to go cheap on a quarterback competitor, drafting one or scooping up a veteran off the scrap heap. RB: Impending free agent Shonn Greene head-scratchingly set a career high for carries in 2012 despite rushing for a career-worst yards per attempt. He's not expected back, leaving fellow plodder Bilal Powell atop the depth chart. The Jets are desperate for an injection of burst and explosion in the backfield. They've twiddled their thumbs with faux "power backs" for far too long. TE: Free agent Dustin Keller has all but begged out of New York and will likely depart for greener pastures. Backup Jeff Cumberland is a stiff-moving, upright tight end lacking field-stretching ability. The Jets need an athletic tight end and another wide receiver for their next quarterback. OL: While center Nick Mangold, left tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, and right guard Brandon Moore are still going strong, right tackle and left guard are needy positions on the line. We didn't even get to defense, where New York is desperate for an edge rusher. Calvin Pace will almost certainly be cut. Safety is yet another problem area as starters LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell head to free agency. As alluded to previously, this Jets roster is a complete and utter mess. 32. Oakland RaidersOL: Khalif Barnes and Willie Smith are turnstiles at right tackle. Right guard Mike Brisiel was signed for ex-offensive coordinator Greg Knapp's zone-blocking scheme, which has since been scrapped. Left guard Cooper Carlisle is going on age 36 and entering free agency. After the Raiders couldn't clear a running lane without a holding penalty in 2012, left tackle Jared Veldheer and center Stefen Wisniewski may be the only salvageable parts on this putrid offensive line. CB: The Raiders got so desperate last year that they converted safety Michael Huff to cornerback during the season. Huff is moving back to safety, and Oakland doesn't have a single solid starting corner left on the roster. They'll have to address this position in both free agency and the draft. DE: Three Oakland defensive ends -- Lamarr Houston, Matt Shaughnessy, and Andre Carter -- played 300 or more snaps in 2012. The first is entering a contract year, and the latter two are offseason free agents. Lacking talent both at pass rusher and cornerback, the Raiders' pass defense is headed for another very long year. GM Reggie McKenzie will have to get creative. LB: Strong-side linebacker Philip Wheeler was the Raiders' only quality starter at this position a year ago. Rolando McClain will be cut, while Miles Burris and Kaelin Burnett are projects. Oakland also needs an influx of talent at quarterback, tight end, and defensive tackle. This is the worst roster in the league.


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Link of the Day: Slashdot Poll - What's your usual coffee-making method? Thanks Ant. I use a manual Melitta, so I'm not sure if my choice would be "Conventional drip coffee maker" or "You've omitted my favorite method!"
R.I.P.: Steve Franken, Comedic Actor in 'Dobie Gillis,' Dies at 80. You didn't know you know him. Thanks Devicer.
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subset: commoncrawl


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What's an Oscar ceremony without a few surprises tucked in here and there?
There were a few shockers this year, not just in the winners but in who presented and the evening's highlights.
Here are our five biggest surprises.
1. Michelle Obama announcing the best picture: The first lady one ups Bill Clinton -- who showed up at the Golden Globes to introduce "Lincoln" -- by announcing from the White House the top prize. Some of us did a collective shrug when Jack Nicholson prepared to rattle off the nominees, but then the wily actor tosses to the first lady and she not only talks about the remarkable achievements in filmmaking this year, but then announces "Argo" has won. First you impress us by dancing with Jimmy Fallon and then you knock us out of our chairs at the Oscars. What's next?
2.) Ang Lee, best director for "Life of Pi": The second-time Oscar winner mastered one of the most challenging assignments of 2012 -- translating a seemingly unfilmable book to the screen. But he adapted it, splendidly creating a dazzling journey that thoroughly seduced the senses. Most thought this was Steven Spielberg's time again for his historical epic, but the Academy wasn't showering too much love on "Lincoln" on Sunday night.
2.) A tie!: OK, it was in the less than high-profile category of sound editing. Still, rarely do the Academy Awards result in a tie; only twice before -- in 1932 for best actor (Fredric March and Wallace Beery) and again in 1968 for best actress (Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand). While both "Skyfall" and "Zero Dark Thirty" were well-deserving of the win, what kept us most interested was how this category was won by guys with long hair. What's up with that?
3.) The song and dance numbers were not only good but the best parts of the show: The big production numbers were the bright spots. A sultry Catherine Zeta-Jones was sassy and fun during the "Chicago" number, even if it turns out she was lip-synching, the "Les Miserables" cast powerful and stirring. But it was Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson's powerhouse vocal on "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" that literally brought the house down and the audience up on its feet. It was the most goose pimply moment of the night. Flat-out brilliant. The one disappointment: Adele, who was overpowered by the orchestra during her "Skyfall" number.
4.) The Christoph Waltz win: Everyone knew the best supporting actor contest was going to be too tough to call. But in the days leading up to the Oscars, most expected Tommy Lee Jones ("Lincoln") or Robert De Niro ("Silver Linings Playbook") to be heading up the podium. But one of the biggest upsets of the night came when the talented Waltz -- seeming practically as stunned as everyone else at the ceremony, including director Quentin Tarantino -- collected his second Oscar. Waltz praised Tarantino extensively; as he should since his previous win came for playing a Nazi in Tarantino's"Inglourious Basterds." Don't mess with a winning team like that.
5.) Sally Field in the opening number: William Shatner beamed himself in, and didn't really add much. Charlize Theron and Channing Tatum showed off some nifty dance moves and a whole lot of chemistry, while Daniel Radcliffe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and host Seth MacFarlane tried to revive the spirit of the Rat Pack and didn't quite do it. The real scene stealer in the show's opening number was Oscar nominee Sally Field who coyly fends off MacFarlane's advances and then makes like a bandit in a TransAm. Her comic timing was impeccable.


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The U.S. chemical weapons assessment says Syrian President Bashar Assad's government used an unidentified nerve agent in the attack. The report cites human and satellite intelligence that it says backs up publicly available videos and other evidence.
The unclassified report says at least 426 children died.
The report says the "high confidence" assessment is the strongest position that U.S. intelligence agencies can take short of confirmation.
It dismisses the Assad government's contention that rebels were responsible.
The U.S. says additional intelligence remains classified but is being provided to allies and Congress.


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The Honeywell VBN3BC3PRB 3/4 Inch, 3-Way Actuated Control Ball Valve is designed to control hot and chilled water in HVAC systems. This two-way ball valve has four options of factory-installed actuation control schemes: the Floating, the Modulating (2-10 V), the Spring Return 2-Position, and the Spring Return Modulating/Floating. This Honeywell VBN3BC3PRB 3/4 Inch, 3-Way Actuated Control Ball Valve is designed for a medium temperature range of from 35 to 250°F at a 360 psi maximum operating pressure, and utilizes Teflon seals with EPDM O-rings. It also has a removable manual operating handle so you can easily control the valve during installation or in case of power failure. There is no need for extra elbows or extra piping because the valve installs in globe "T" pattern. The Honeywell VBN3BC3PRB 3/4 Inch, 3-Way Actuated Control Ball Valve ensures quality performance in both commercial and industrial applications. These ball valves are for water applications up to 50% Glycol content, but are not to be used with steam or fuels.
|3 Way
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4.5 out of 5 rating is our rating for PlumbersStock, we got that rating because we have lots of experience and great people with expertise in plumbing. BUT WE WANT YOUR HELP. This product doesn't have any reviews yet, and we don't want to write our own reviews. It is more valuable to us that the customers get to share their experience with our products. Please, if you have any experience with this product, take a moment to share and help someone else who is trying to make a decision. Thank you!


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Wired spoke with Bethesda's Todd Howard about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and he described for them how in addition to scripted quests, the Radiant quest system in the imminent RPG sequel will offer an infinite supply of procedurally generated quests. "The vibe of the game is that it's something that you can play forever," says Howard. He stresses this will not just be random chores, but rather an extension of lessons learned from development of Fallout 3, as they worked on motivating players to explore a vast game world. "With Fallout, it's not as beautiful a world to everybody. We had to find ways to make exploration of [a destroyed wasteland] interesting," he says. "The world is probably the one thing that sets [Skyrim] apart from other games. It feels really real for what it is … It's just fun to explore."
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Chatbear Announcements.


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TEHRAN, Iran — Summer in Tehran can be tough on women, as temperatures rise and the Islamic Guidance Patrols are on the lookout for citizens who might be persuaded by the heat to ignore — more than usual — Iran's dress code.
This summer's different. In the pause between the June 14 election of a new president, Hassan Rohani, and the Aug. 3 exit of the old, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the green and white vans of the fashion police are rare sights. Women, who are expected to conceal their hair and body shapes, are taking advantage.
"Finally, we can breathe," said Parvin, a 56-year-old wearing a zebra-themed headscarf tied so that it failed to hide her neck as she shopped for groceries. Like others interviewed, she declined to give her last name for fear of reprisal.
"Who knows what Rohani will do as a president?" she said. "But so far, he's come across as more understanding."
The answer is crucial for women who chafe at the rules and conventions that restrict their freedom to choose a career or show some ankle. While they use the summer hiatus to don cloaks made of see-through linen or silk and adorned with glitzy beads, they're prepared for a crackdown.
"Ahmadinejad in the beginning said he didn't care about what people wear, but it turned out to be the opposite," said Hanieh, 30, an architect in a coat that opened to reveal a pair of skinny jeans as she drove to work. "We are in a transition period between the two presidents, and they have more important things to worry about."
Rohani, a Scottish-educated lawyer and cleric, may be a departure from Ahmadinejad, whose anti-Israel rhetoric and questioning of the Holocaust during his two terms in office helped make Iran a pariah.
Courting the women's vote, Rohani talked about creating more job opportunities for them while "the other candidates saw women's active participation in society as a threat," said Nayereh Tavakoli, a Payam Nour university professor and member of the Iran Sociological Association women's studies committee.
The 64-year-old president-elect pledged to reduce what he called the government's "attack against people's privacy." He was quoted during the campaign by Khabar Online as saying that Iran "can't solve cultural problems through police force," and on Twitter seemed to question the Islamic Guidance Patrols, also known as the fashion or morality police. "If someone doesn't comply with rules for clothing, that person's virtue shouldn't come under question," a July 3 tweet from his office said.
The way women dress is a political marker in Iran, where policies and the enthusiasm of enforcement have changed with leaders since the 1979 revolution. "There have always been differences about what's acceptable," Tavakoli said, and Rohani's government could be another turning point.
In the 1980s, while the republic's founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, held the position of supreme leader, women were shrouded in dark chadors or billowy blouses over loose-fitting slacks, and were supposed to shun nail polish and lipstick, even perfume. They could be arrested for showing a wisp of hair.
"Unveiled women represented Western values, which the Islamic regime wished to eradicate," said Faegheh Shirazi, a professor at the University of Texas in Austin and author of "The Veil Unveiled: The Hijab in Modern Culture."
As standards relaxed — and women, mostly in urban areas, tested the fashion limits — colorful scarves and shawls appeared, negligently wrapped around heads and shoulders. During the eight-year presidency of Mohammad Khatami, who served from 1997 to 2005 and was known as the "father of reforms," jeans became common, and long-sleeved tops grew more fitted. Women would venture out with bare ankles — and sometimes calves.
The administration of Ahmadinejad, Khatami's successor, clamped down, and Capri trousers, open-toed sandals and lively colors could once again be infractions. His ministries also banned women from studying dozens of subjects, including oil engineering and nuclear physics, citing high unemployment in the fields as justification.
While women are allowed to vote and drive, they're segregated on buses, mosques and public pools and forbidden from entering sports stadiums to watch male teams play. They're educated separately from as early as primary school.
About 52 percent of university graduates in 2009 and 68 percent of science graduates were women, according to data for the most recent year available by the Paris-based UN Education Scientific and Cultural Organization. In 2011, women accounted for 27 percent of the workforce.
Sweeps for the inadequately covered tend to increase in the summer, when temperatures can reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Tehran. Patrol vans are usually prominently parked outside shopping malls and cinemas. Women may be stopped just for questioning or taken into custody; punishment is usually a scolding or a fine, and they'll be asked to sign a document acknowledging that they weren't in modest attire.
There's no one written code that defines what that is. Conservatives and progressives in Iran tend to disagree whether only the black, heavy and to-the-floor chador should be acceptable or if coats and scarves are sufficient protection.
Noushin, 32, a graphic designer in Adidas sneakers and black leggings, said she's optimistic moderation will prevail under Rohani, whose slogan was "prudence and hope." He won 50.7 percent of the vote in a victory that wasn't predicted by polls published in state-run media.
"Rohani understands the importance of freedom for people, that the government needs people's backing," said Noushin, wearing a pink shawl. "And women are half the population."


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Democrats meet Tuesday in Bronson
The Levy County Democratic Committee will meet at the Bronson Restaurant on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Anyone interested in the Democratic Party, discussing the upcoming elections or just interested in getting involved in the Democratic Party is welcome to come to the meeting and join.
The committee is seeking people that are interested in the party and interested in fairness in the political system.
A dinner menu will be available for purchase.
For more information, call Charley King 352-493-4797.
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For lightweight cutting of wallpaper, cord, Mylar, balsa wood, poster board, foam board, and cardboard. Snap-off blades for continuously sharp edge. For use with Light-Duty Snap-Off Blade Utility Knife no. X3244.
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A fire left a family of four in the Laquey area homeless this morning.
A fire left a family of four in the Laquey area homeless this morning.
Firefighters from the Hazelgreen, St. Robert, Tri-County, Dixon, and Waynesville rural fire departments responded to the fire that occurred around 2:30 a.m. this morning in the 28000 block of Highway AA.
According to the Hazelgreen fire department, there were no injuries in the fire, but the house was a "total loss."
An American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteer from Pulaski County is assisting the four-member family and the Red Cross also provided financial resources for the family to meet their immediate emergency needs with the purchase of food and clothing.


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Blizzard announces the 2012 Battle.net World Championship, a major global eSports event to take place in Asia before the end of this year, though exact details on the event's timing and location are not being supplied at this time. As a result, the next BlizzCon convention will not be held until 2013, as they say:
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Hey Collective!
I'm going to be driving from San Francisco (Reebok #8 will be worn for Venezuelan vote on Sunday btw) to Crescent City on Monday. I've never done the 101/1 drive and want to see the cool stuff on the way. I've seen the Redwoods; but my girlfriend hasn't who is from Ven. All she's seen is Jungles and crap, haha. Any tips? She knows about and wants to do the car drive through tree.....To me it looks like the 1 up the coast until it gets back to the 101? I guess I'm asking about things to check out on the way? The maps show tons of state and one or two natl parks...recommendations? I think she'd rather see 350ft trees than beaches though. We'll basically have all day to go from SF to Crescent City (~10 hours?)
Thanks in advance!


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Contact Taft Chamber of Commerce if you are interested
Here's your chance to get a bit part in a movie.
The Taft Chamber of Commerce is helping recruit extras for the final days of local filming of "A Girl Walks Home Alone in the Dark."
If you or someone you know is interested in participating, send an email to email@example.com or call 765-2165 for more information.
The crew of is seeking extras to work Friday and Saturday.
They are looking for male and female extras, ages 18 to 65, to be available on Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. until about 11 p.m.
Dark hair and mustaches for the men are preferred.
There will be snacks and hot beverages and hot meals provided in addition to screen credit in the film. Men should look like backgammon players. They are looking for people of all ages and sizes and moustaches are definitely welcome.
(If you don't have one they will put one on you).
Extras should wear collared shirts, V-neck sweaters and sweater vests or "Bill Cosby-type" sweaters. With blazer jackets on top.
Khaki pants or trousers with pleats preferred and loafers or leather slippers for shoes; "Paperboy caps" or other vintage hats from 50's or 60's.; scarves and gloves with no finger tips.
There is also a preferred dress for the ladies – "velvet ladies of the night."
All ages and sizes are welcome and must look Iranian.
Wear a trenchcoat or jacket in the style of 50's 60's with tight pants, knee length leather high heeled boots or high heels (not platform, more standard and classic) are the preferred shoes.
Bring a purse and they will put a headscarf on you.


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Lingerie Football League Goes on Extended Hiatus
You never want to hear the words Lingerie and Hiatus in the same sentence.
Not good in the bedroom or the football field, but alas our scantily clad ladies from the LFL will sit out the 2012 Season like Sean Payton while the league re-brands itself.
"Yes, we have shifted the LFL US schedule, because we believe ultimately LFL Football in the US and abroad is a better product in the Spring and Summer months. This extended hiatus also enables our LFL US teams to focus on recruiting and ultimately continuing to teach the fundamentals of the game."
"This hiatus also enables us to take this great game of ours international with the premiere of LFL Canada and in 2013 the kickoff of LFL Australia. We are focused to not simply resting on being called the 'fastest growing sports league in the US' (BusinessWeek) but the fastest growing sports franchise in the world." said Mitchell Mortaza.
Don't know if this is wishful thinking or excellent business strategy, we will see.
What we do know is this is one less league Terrell Owens can play in now.
H/T Busted Coverage


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"You can go around me,"
said the Goddess,
twirling on her heels like a bird
darting away,
but just a little away,
"or you can come after me.
This is my forest too,
you can't pretend I'm not here."
- The Very Short Sutra on the Meeting of the
Buddha and the Goddess [1]
You can't pretend the Goddess isn't here. That's especially true in your Cancer house and it's what Hercules learns on his Cancer journey. In the hero's third labor, King Eurystheus directs him to capture (without harming) the Ceryneian hind, a red doe sacred to Artemis, Goddess of the Moon. The bronze-footed doe is faster than an arrow. She's as elusive as the security we usually seek with our Cancer planets and as agile and unpredictable as our feelings.
The Ceryneian hind is feminine, but has a stag's antlers, golden ones, symbolizing divine power and receptivity. The antlers are like cosmic antennae into which the Moon Goddess pours her Cancer gifts of intuition and inspiration. (Not surprisingly, Moon-ruled Cancer is often strong in the charts of successful creatives like artists and businessmen, who like mothers and gardeners, have rich imaginations and enjoy making things grow.) The doe is a formidable quarry - but also sensitive and vulnerable (as are we in our Cancer house). One critic has suggested the hind is reminiscent of Sibyls and ancient priestesses who were incapable of issuing prophecies in anything less than a harmonious environment.[2] Their delicate sensibilities required seclusion, being protected from anything unpleasant, harsh or upsetting.
To unfold the sensitive powers of Cancer is what Hercules' mission is all about. It's not easy. If the doe were a monster, he could grab his club and kill it, but to capture the deer without injury is more challenging. The focused masculine is disadvantaged in the feminine realm. Hercules sees the hind's antlers sparkling in the sun and starts his chase in high spirits. A year later he is still in pursuit, traveling across Greece, Thrace, Istria and the land of the Hyperboreans. The doe keeps eluding him. When finally he sights her at a nearby stream, he is both elated and exasperated. Hercules draws his bow and shoots. "Just a little wound," he tells himself. He throws the injured doe over his shoulder, relieved at his victory. His joy is short-lived. Just beyond the next grove of trees, he meets the Goddess. Artemis is furious. The hero wilts under her gaze.
We can't pretend the Moon Goddess isn't watching - especially if we seek her Cancer blessings. Whether we desire more affection, a safe haven, or creative inspiration, we must play by her rules. Ignoring her guarantees her wrath. Case in point: the tale of a modern-day Hercules who hoped to capture her goodies. Jay Chiat was one of the top advertising executives in the last quarter century. When his agency's reputation began slipping, he hoped to regain its creative edge by radically redesigning its offices (a Cancer domain). This was long before the lean Pluto-in-Capricorn years of downsizing and pragmatism. It was the early nineties, when Pluto was approaching Sagittarius. Chiat dreamed of an office that ran wild with Sagittarian freedom.
There would be no cubicles, no walls, not even a desk. His gypsy employees would have only a laptop, a portable phone, and their portable imaginations. They would improvise their workspace wherever inspiration took them, joining with co-workers in an inspired ebb and flow of productive community. The liberated employees got minimalist lockers and a new morning ritual, lining up at the equipment cubby to get their daily laptop and phone. After that they were free to roam among the futuristic artwork and clusters of couches, or brainstorm with coworkers in the wacky "Tilt-a-Whirl" cars salvaged from amusement park rides. And if the mood struck, they could carry their work outside, to the park or the beach. With bodies thus freed, Chiat enthused, what creative marvels their unfettered minds might produce!
Chiat claims he did listen to employee input, but according to one insider, he listened only to himself. When workers complained they needed more privacy, Chiat replied, "You will have private space, it just won't be personal space."[3] A critical miscalculation. Private spaces don't satisfy emotional needs nearly so well as personal ones do. People want to nest. They need desks, places for family photos. They crave the comfort of familiar things. They have a natural terror of too much exposure. In the ocean of life, everyone wants a shell of safety, a protected place we can call our own. Because of this universal need that astrologers call "Cancer," Chiat's bold experiment was doomed.
Still, Chiat fought hard. He roamed his building on the lookout for "nesters." If he found someone sitting in the same spot for two days, he'd tell them to move. He wanted no paper in his virtual office. But employees gradually began sneaking their hard copies out to the parking lot, loading the trunks of their cars like file cabinets. At least one worker wheeled her belongings around in a little red wagon. Soon people stopped returning their laptops and phones at the end of the day, hiding them in corners and behind plants. Nasty signs started to appear in the client meeting rooms: "Keep out! This is mine!" Knee deep in squabbles and grumbling, Chiat's wide open spaces were eventually carved up by turf wars as bitter as any fought in ancient Greece.
Offices are Cancer-ruled. So are nests, warrens and cubbies; cradles, wombs, wells, and boats; parking spaces too, also skyscrapers and cities. We judge these Cancer spaces by how they feel to us. Humans are territorial because we like feeling nestled in the arms of the Mother, nourished, comforted, and safe. Sure as Hercules collided with Artemis, so did Chiat run afoul of the Moon Goddess. She reacted with fury, raising an army of self-centered whiners. She soured the workers and turned them into a retaliating, manipulative mob. Creativity suffered. Chiat surrendered. He sold his company and, like Elvis, left the building. Its new owners partitioned the open floor into workstations (called "nests"). Cave-like offices were installed along the wall ("cliff dwellings"). Lessons were learned. The Goddess returned to her heaven. Everyone got a personal space of some kind.
In the sky, Cancer's constellation includes a faint smudge of stars called "Praesepe" (meaning "manger"); the ancient Greeks pictured in Cancer a manger from which two neighboring (donkey) stars were feeding. "Beehive" is another traditional name for this cluster, as its round, fuzzy appearance can also look like a swarm of bees. Both images are similarly Cancerian. Neither heroic nor dazzling, they describe simple holding places, for bees and livestock feed, containing the Goddess' goods, honey and grain. Today we view this constellation as a crab. The Babylonians saw a tortoise, the Egyptians a scarab beetle. How similar are these creatures! Each carries its hard-shelled home around it, and with it, the Goddess' values, concern for lowly, vulnerable (even creepy) things.
Astronomers are quick to point out that Cancer is an inconspicuous constellation. This news is generally delivered with an air of triumph-as though its dim stars were proof of astrology's ignorance, confirming that its practitioners don't know much about the real sky. Cancer may not be a spectacular-looking constellation. But that this little collection of stars should keep evoking similar perceptions in us is perhaps itself spectacular-how again and again, this piece of the sky reminds us of the Goddess and her values.
First, the obvious: its defensive shell signals how Cancer planets can be inward turning, secretive and self-protective. Mercury in Cancer is an excellent listener and has a fine intuition, but it can also be shy about expressing what it knows. Gentle Venus in Cancer may trade passion for security, then pout or issue the silent treatment to draw the love she craves. An angry Cancer in Mars might pretend nothing is wrong as he inwardly broods and steams. What else does the crab suggest? Its branched limbs give it remarkable mobility on rocks and in tide pools. But on straight sand, its scuttling sideways walk looks strange. Likewise Cancer planets may scuttle around, approaching destinations obliquely rather than head on. I once worked with two women who both had Mars in Cancer. They were often huddled and whispering together, plotting, I presumed. And they were forever surprising me by tacking in new directions, yet never staying with a particular course very long. Jupiter in Cancer can get easily side-tracked too, expanding its sentimentality and self-indulgence rather then the good fortune this exalted placement can bring. If provoked, however, Cancer planets can be quite focused. When a crab raises its pincers in attack, it is pointed and persistent. Likewise, if a Cancer Moon senses a threat to herself or a loved one, she'll go at it with a vengeance.
Crabs are scavengers. They pick among the seaweed and whatever else washes up on shore, looking for fish and shellfish carcasses to tear apart with their strong claws. Their work creates food for smaller creatures, which is in tune with the Mother's business of nurture. I don't typically think of Cancer planets as scavengers. But they do chew on the past. (And we might wonder what food gets dispersed for the rest of us with their nibbled memories.) Cancer's crab of course was a favorite of the Goddess Hera. She was a break-down artist. Consider the way she worked to bring down Zeus. How audacious to go after the God of all gods! Yet she didn't meet him as a hero would, eye to eye, in a fair fight. She tore at him from the sidelines, till he cringed, cowered, and hid.
Cancer planets may likewise take on bigger foes, wielding power through nagging or manipulation. Passive aggression and resistance are other common Cancer tactics. Two figures most revered for their passive resistance, the 14th Dalai Lama and Ghandi, have Cancer on the Ascendant and Midheaven, respectively. The persona and global reputations of these men certify them as Cancer icons, embodiments of the Mother's compassion and protection. Their careers have broadcast Cancer's great and patient strength: holding one's position until the surrounding world yields.
But perhaps the most telling fact about crabs is where they choose to live. Crabs dwell on the shoreline, a transitional space, between the swirling ocean and solid earth. It is turbulent and variable there, among the rocks and sand, with the tides rushing in and out. Why didn't crabs evolve to forever swim in the endless, formless water, like an octopus or fish? Why not run on hard land like lions? Crabs must have a love - or need - for both form and formlessness. With the vast ocean at their back, they are still in touch with the rhythms of creation's great womb, while their body is suited to clutch and maneuver on the anchoring presence of solid ground. Shuttling between sea and land, they manage to thrive in this tumultuous meeting place. It's the habitat that most explains the protected shell, the sideways walk, and the grabbing pincers. Cancer's crabs seek security because, fundamentally, the world they know is constantly shifting.
This is useful information for your Cancer house. Whether it rules your 7th house of partnership, the 2nd of money and resources, or the 11th of friends and future dreams, think of this territory as a symbolic shoreline, a transitional space between two receptive elements, earth and water. Water is the Mother's nurturing medium, everyone's first home. It bonds the psyche to invisible forces, things felt but not seen: intuition, memory, emotion. You bring a special sensitivity to whatever area of your life is Cancer-ruled, an awareness of more than meets the eye. There is an action of cycles too, a rhythm beyond your conscious control. You must tune in and flow along-or you'll struggle against the tide. You also need solid ground in this house, the feeling that you're anchored and safe. Your Cancer planets crave security, the sensuality of form, the pleasures of shelter, and the intricate beauty of varied terrains. Cancer brings the comfort of familiar possessions-as well as collisions with whatever is hard and resistant. Given the shifting pulls of water and earth, it's easy to understand the deep anxiety this house can hold. At times your Cancer house may be an uneasy, unsteady world.
How well you do in this house may depend on the rest of your chart. With an afflicted Moon and many placements in water, the chaotic swirl of emotions within and around you can make you confused, unable to ground your efforts, vainly clutching for security and form. Too little water and you may deny your sensitivity, keeping emotional secrets from yourself. Denial is a way of making the visible invisible and reality formless. Not-knowing is turning the Goddess' gift of intuition inside out. Losing touch with the action of cycles, you may express them unconsciously as moodiness; you're helpless against the changing circumstances you find yourself in. (The one who drives these tides is often your own Moon.).
At best your Cancer house can be an area of tremendous creativity. With patience and skill, you can tease the invisible into form in countless ways. You may feel the trembling, fluttering movement of spirit and capture it in a poem that stands forever. You might simply sense another's need for comforting and offer it. You may intuit a social ideal and hold it so strongly that like Ghandi or the Dalai Lama, the world gradually adjusts to it. Whatever your vision or call, you have the capacity to cultivate and feed the very processes of life. You are the bird who knows life is coming and so builds a nest for it, you are the mother who makes space in her womb.
The United States is a Cancer Sun nation. We like to think of ourselves as being compassionate protectors of the world (we'll forget about Iraq). We are sensitive and sentimental. Hollywood knows this about us and considers carefully before giving us an unhappy ending. They know we hate to throw our hearts into characters and see bad things happen to them. We like to exit the theater in an upbeat, victorious mood. Poet Robert Bly declared that America has achieved the dubious honor of being "the first consistent culture of denial in the modern world." Denial, he says, "is the naive person's inability to face the harsh facts of life."[4]
It would be denial to study Cancer without wondering what happens to the inevitable pain we experience with our sensitivity. Not all our conceptions result in a glorious birth. No matter how great our love, we cannot protect everything we cherish. Even what thrives under our care will at some point outgrow us. And we ourselves may have painful memories of being young and defenseless, under the care of parents who should have loved us more expertly (or so the therapists say). Bad things can happen and sometimes it is we ourselves who do bad things. Nests can be full of bad dreams. Nightmares are the inexorable flip side of Cancer's dependencies, of being mothered and mothering. It's the pain summed up by the poet Andrei Voznesensky as darkmotherscream. "Darkmotherscream is... /a cry from prison or a yell for help... / Darkmotherscream is ... /the original mother of languages... /Don't forget - Rome fell/ not having grasped the phrase: darkmotherscream."[5]
Cancer's sensitivity is heart-breaking - or more precisely, it breaks our hearts open. The gift of our dark scream is a compassion that can change the world. This is Cancer's ultimate destination and task. It requires a new partnership between the masculine and feminine - or intellect and feeling. Hercules' labor with the Ceryneian Hind provides a roadmap for this process. (That Hercules must labor at all is the result of his own darkmotherscream. Hera had driven him mad enough to kill his wife and children; the 12 labors are his atonement for that crime.) Hercules, as intellect, must learn to listen. The year he spends following the hind is a training in receptivity. We too must train our minds to follow the inner emotional life, to track the varied movements of our heart without interference, going wherever it takes us.
But the mind chasing after feelings isn't enough. At a certain point intellect is hijacked. It circles around the same stories, trapped in old fears and resentments. To break the spell, the doe must let herself be caught. She must stand in her vulnerability and be pierced. We often avoid our own wounding with secondary feelings like anger and self-pity. But opening to our source pain is a critical step in emotional mastery. As psychologist John Welwood writes:
When we first open to our pain, it often feels as though we are bleeding. Yet this kind of emotional bleeding helps awaken the heart, allowing vital energies in us that have become coagulated to circulate again. To let our pain move in this healing way requires awareness, courage, and gentleness - being present with the pain instead of believing scare stories in our mind about where it might take us.[6]
We must join our pain with our warrior spirit; this is reflected in the image of Hercules carrying the wounded doe on his shoulders. Of course he quickly runs into Artemis. Something divine is about to happen. He stammers an explanation. He tells the angry goddess about his madness, his wife and children, the labors of King Eurytheus. Artemis is moved. Her heart breaks open with sympathy and compassion. She heals the doe and lets the hero complete his labor. She models empathy - which is the divine potency we unleash when we awaken to our pain. Empathy is the real treasure in our Cancer house. During difficult and transformative years ahead, I suspect we will need a lot of it.
Current Planets
19-Jun-2018, 09:36 UT/GMT
|23' 9"
|34' 0"r
|Explanations of the symbols
|Chart of the moment


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On Sale - ProjectoScreen120HD & 144HD
Epson Refurbished Projectors
Save with Epson Refurbished Projectors
Epson Refurbished Projectors
This product is no longer available!Replacement:
Overview: 75601
75601 Details:
Required Options:
Please select both a case design and a veneer or laminate finish to complete your order. Note your choices in the "Special Instructions for Order Processing" field at checkout.
Case Designs:
The Designer Da-Tab Electrol screens allow you to choose from six contemporary and traditional case designs. You must select a case design for your order to process.
**Screen Ordering Notes:Please allow 48 hours to process screen orders.Screens are only shipped in Contiguous US (48 states).Screen dimensions are based on manufacturers details and subject to change. Tolerances are typically ±1 inch.


text:
Consumers worried about the National Security Agency's ability to read even encrypted electronic data have few options, according to cybersecurity and privacy experts.
And some experts said the NSA's reported actions to crack the sophisticated technology that masks data traveling over the Internet may have made that information more vulnerable, possibly exposing Web users to criminal hackers.
"People understandably are frustrated because they are powerless," said Susan Grant, director of consumer protection for the Consumer Federation of America. "Even if you're the kind of consumer who is concerned enough and have the time to bother to explore how to encrypt your communications so that they're confidential, the government is obviously intent on getting around any attempt to keep your information private."
The New York Times, Britain's Guardian newspaper and the nonprofit news website ProPublica reported Thursday that the NSA has bypassed or cracked much of the digital encryption used by businesses and everyday Web users. Since 2000, according to the reports, the NSA has worked with the British government and spent billions of dollars to break encryption technology and insert "back door" access into software before data could be encrypted and transmitted over the Internet.
The revelation about the NSA's abilities to peer into people's private information has created an even bigger opportunity for foreign governments and criminals to scoop up information on untold numbers of Americans, said Trevor Timm, digital rights analyst at the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation.
"Even if you trust the NSA 100 percent, they're weakening the cybersecurity system so that it's more vulnerable," he said. "When you place back doors into services or software, that back door is there for everyone. It'll make it easier for criminals to find and for foreign governments to find."
Or as Jeff Hudson, CEO of encryption key provider Venafi put it, "The foundation of this world that we built is starting to crumble. When people say, 'I didn't think the government could do this to me,' I look at it and say, 'Guess what? That's not the worst thing.' This has become a template for criminals who are going to use it to destroy the most important thing on the Internet, which is trust."
A survey released by the Pew Research Center this month, before the latest NSA program was revealed, showed that Americans are increasingly concerned about protecting their online information.
About 86 percent of adult Internet users have taken steps at some point to avoid surveillance by other people or organizations, the study found. Still, 21 percent of them had an email or social media account hijacked and 11 percent had critical information stolen, including Social Security, bank account and credit card numbers.
"We really don't know for sure what all is going on and that is incredibly anxiety-producing to people," said Dorothy Glancy, a Santa Clara University law professor who teaches about privacy and was part of the Senate staff that worked on the Watergate hearings in the 1970s. "Personally, I want to be smart about privacy and proactive about privacy. But there's really very little we can do until we know exactly what the threats are, and the chances of finding that out are zero."
Grant said the NSA program has a "chilling effect on our ability to speak freely and to associate with other people, all of these democratic values that we hold dear. When you hear the lengths that the government is doing to get around technologies that people are deliberately using to be private, it makes you careful about what you say and what you do. We shouldn't have to worry about that."
Several people such as Grant who are concerned about the NSA revelation said worried Americans have little recourse other than to contact their representatives in Washington and demand an end to the NSA program.
"Companies that are providing secure communications are in a quandary," she said. "They can't really guarantee that their communications are private." On Friday, the Washington Post revealed that Google (GOOG) is taking steps to better encrypt its data.
Dave Anderson, senior director at Cupertino-based Voltage Security, which sells encryption technology, said consumers worried about the security of their banking or medical information should ask their institutions about how they encrypt information and keep it secure.
"Has their code been reviewed?" Anderson asked. "Is their keying generated in a random versus a non-random way? The general consumer may not understand the strength of the algorithms at play, or how the key management systems work or the underlying crypto-speak, but they can ask their banker or insurance company if they're implementing sound, secure, auditable processes."
Even if consumers accepted -- or understood -- the answers, Anderson acknowledged that local banks and hospitals probably would not know if the NSA also had access to their information.
"You'd have to ask the NSA," Anderson said.


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Pine Canopy is built with a solid pine face and molding with birch veneer top and sides. Radiused edges. Canopy lid opens fully, hinges at rear and has rounded edges and lip.
Sizes listed are based on measuring from one flat panel to the opposing flat panel. Available in unfinished, natural, light, medium, dark, whitewashed and black pine ( see choices in Finish drop-down window above ).


text:
Products >
Protein_Interactions_and_Profiling >
Yeast_Two-Hybrid >
pGBKT7 is a yeast two-hybrid bait expression vector that is designed to express a fusion protein of the GAL4 DNA-binding domain (DNA-BD; amino acids 1–147) and a bait protein. The fusion protein is expressed at high levels from the ADH1 promoter. The fusion protein also contains a c-Myc epitope tag. To facilitate in vitro transcription/translation, pGBKT7 includes the T7 promoter between the GAL4 DNA-BD and the epitope tag.
pGADT7 AD is a yeast two-hybrid expression vector that is designed to express a fusion protein between the GAL4 activation domain (AD; amino acids 768–881) and a protein of interest. The fusion protein is expressed at high levels from the full-length ADH1 promoter. The fusion protein also contains a hemagglutinin (HA) epitope tag. To facilitate in vitro transcription/translation, pGADT7 AD includes the T7 promoter between the GAL4 AD and the epitope tag.
The pBridge Vector allows you to investigate tertiary protein complexes with any GAL4-based two-hybrid system. pBridge may be used instead of pGBKT7 in the Matchmaker Gold System. With its two distinct multiple cloning sites, pBridge allows expression of a DNA-BD fusion protein and another distinct protein that acts as the 'bridge' between the bait and prey (1, 2).
A three-hybrid system allows you to investigate more complex protein interactions than is possible with standard two-hybrid analysis. The third protein in this system can participate in the interaction in several ways:
Expression of the additional protein is controlled by a conditional methionine promoter—it is expressed in the absence of methionine. This allows expression to be switched on or off by culturing in media with or without methionine. The effect of the third protein is indicated by expression of a reporter or nutritional marker. We offer yeast media lacking methionine (Cat. Nos. 630430 & 630429) that are ideal for use with this vector.
Please see the product's Certificate of Analysis for information about storage conditions, product components, and technical specifications. Please see the Kit Components List to determine kit components. Certificates of Analysis and Kit Components Lists are located under the Documents tab.


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DUBLIN -- Rapper and entrepreneur MC Hammer spoke out Saturday on Twitter, saying he was accosted without cause by a police officer in Dublin before being cited for obstructing the cop Thursday night.
Hammer, an Oakland native and Tracy resident whose birth name is Stanley Kirk Burrell, was arrested at the Hacienda Crossings shopping center on suspicion of obstructing an officer in the performance of their duties and resisting an officer, according to Dublin police Lt. Herb Walters. He was booked and released at Santa Rita Jail, Walters said, adding that police do not believe either alcohol or drugs were involved in the incident.
Burrell, 50, a multiplatinum recording artist who scored hits with songs like "U Can't Touch This" and "Too Legit to Quit," said on Twitter that an officer approached him in his car, tapped on his window, and asked if he was on parole or probation. A devout Christian who has spoken publicly about his faith on numerous occasions, Burrell has not had any public run-ins with the law.
As he attempted to give the "chubby elvis looking dude" his identification, Burrell said on Twitter, the officer reached inside the car and attempted to pull him out of the driver's seat through the window. Burrell said he "was laughing when he was grunting and pulling on me ... I had just left the weight room."
"It was comical to me until he pulled out his guns, blew his whistle and yelled for help," Burrell tweeted. "But make no mistake he's dangerous. (The) only thing more dangerous than a scared man with a gun, is a scared man with an agenda, a gun and a badge.
"Instead of being bitter, I'm taking the opportunity to make this a 'teachable moment' and 'eye opener' for my many friends & colleagues."
Friday morning, Burrell appeared at San Quentin Prison as a mentor in the "Last Mile" program, which helps prison inmates prepare for new lives out of custody by encouraging them to develop smartphone and computer apps.
Burrell declined interview requests sent through Twitter on Saturday.
Contact Daniel M. Jimenez at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/DMJreports.