text: Let's say that Agassi is in the prime of his career and that he's playing against the current top field. What rank would he be? Personally, I can't see him getting past #4 in the world. The current top three (and Nadal, if he can be counted) seem like they've taken tennis to an entirely new level. Even though someone like Murray is definitely not a greater player than Agassi in that he's less accomplished, I think his level of tennis right now is better than anything Agassi could achieve. What do you guys think?


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Buchholz to make next rehab start Friday
By Jason Mastrodonato / MLB.com
BOSTON -- The next step in Clay Buchholz's recovery process is a rehab outing on Friday, either with Double-A Portland or Triple-A Pawtucket.
It could be his last before the Red Sox bring back the man who posted a 9-0 record with a 1.71 ERA through his first 12 starts this season before being consumed by injury woes in his right shoulder. But considering the length of time since his last start on June 8, and that his first rehab outing lasted just two-thirds of an inning, took 38 pitches and ended with three runs to Buchholz's name, two more rehab appearances might be necessary.
The good news is that Buchholz reported feeling good after pitching for Class A Lowell on Sunday and the Red Sox feel confident enough to keep him going.
"He came out of the outing the other day fine physically, so he'll go through a normal five-day work cycle," said manager John Farrell.
Buchholz won't ramp up the length of the outing too much -- he's likely to only throw about 55 pitches -- but he could also throw a bullpen session this week with hitters standing in, which isn't quite the same as an in-game experience. At this point, though, anything to get Buchholz back into his comfort zone is a good thing.
"I can definitely use another one," Buchholz said after his outing Sunday. "I feel like I hadn't pitched in two and a half months. It's an art. If you don't do it for an extended period of time, you feel awkward doing it. Facing batters in a game situation is completely different than facing the guys on my team in my [simulated-game] situations. I think one more could do it if I can get up and down enough times."
Farrell is still tempering expectations.
"I still go back to it being almost three months since he's been in a Major League game," Farrell said. "The need for a third Minor League appearance [after Friday's] is probably more realistic at this point."
Bogaerts looks forward to making first Fenway start
BOSTON -- Xander Bogaerts jogged in from right field and walked down the steps of the home dugout at Fenway Park for the first time on Tuesday afternoon.
The Red Sox's top prospect wasn't expecting about 25 reporters, many holding video cameras with bright lights attached. But that's part of the gig as Boston's shortstop of the future. He understands it. Always has.
Hopeful of making his first appearance at Fenway during a three-game series with the Orioles that began Tuesday, Bogaerts handled some difficult questions with grace and glee.
"I guess it's something natural for me," Bogaerts said.
Even with Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen on the mound for on Tuesday, manager John Farrell kept the right-handed-hitting Bogaerts out of the lineup in favor of the left-handed-hitting Stephen Drew. Chen has held left-handers to a .191 average this year, compared to a .262 average against right-handers.
"I'm not going to turn away from Stephen Drew," Farrell said. "He's been a very good player for us. And probably Game 7 after he came back from the DL to now, he's been one of our most consistent hitters. He's been a very good shortstop defensively for us. And I just don't want to let the splits of a given starter determine and cause us to turn away from a guy who has been very good for us."
Bogaerts, who entered as a defensive replacement in the Red Sox's 13-2 rout, understood the decision.
"These guys played 120 games without me," he said. "I'm just here to contribute and do the best I can to win some games while I'm in there."
Cecchini headlines Red Sox's AFL roster
BOSTON -- Will Middlebrooks called his time in the Arizona Fall League in 2011 one of the best baseball experiences he's ever had. Garin Cecchini, the top-rated third base prospect and No. 7 overall in the Red Sox's organization, will get his chance in the AFL this year.
The rosters were announced Tuesday for the star-studded league that is filled with some of the best prospects in baseball each year. About 60 percent of Fall Leaguers have eventually made it to the Majors, and Middlebrooks said it's an experience that a young player can learn a lot from.
"It's tough, because it's right after a season, so you're exhausted," said Middlebrooks, who was a standout in 2011 and participated on the East squad of the AFL Rising Stars game. "But you get out there and you're surrounded by a lot of great players and coaches. ... That was the first time I really got to know other guys on a personal level. It's a lot of fun. I learned a lot just from watching those guys. There are a lot of good players on those teams."
Cecchini, a fourth-round pick who fell in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft due to concerns over whether he would sign, leads a talented group of six players in the Red Sox's organization who will travel to Arizona in early October. Cecchini, who went 1-for-2 with an RBI in the United States' 4-2 win over the World Team in this year's SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Citi Field, will be joined by pitchers Keith Couch, Noe Ramirez and Pete Ruiz, along with infielders Derrik Gibson and Travis Shaw. Each Major League club must have seven players represented, so the Red Sox will have one more player to be added before the league begins.
The Surprise Saguaros will host Boston's talented youngsters along with those from the Orioles, Rangers, Indians and Brewers. Rich Gedman, the hitting coach at Double-A Portland, will serve as the hitting coach for the Saguaros.
Former AFL standout Dustin Pedroia is one of 11 Fall Leaguers to win an MVP award.
WEEI, NESN go to bat for Jimmy Fund
BOSTON -- One of the Jimmy Fund's biggest annual fundraisers, the 12th WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon had raised more than $800,000 before game time on Tuesday.
The telethon began at 6 a.m. ET and continues until midnight before starting up again on Wednesday morning. The two-day event raised more than $3.4 million last year, bringing the 11-year total to more than $31 million.
WEEI radio teamed with NESN in the 36-hour telethon in which compelling stories from Dana-Farber patients, doctors, nurses and guests were shared on air. David Ortiz joined a handful of Red Sox players to make public appearances asking for donations.
The Jimmy Fund solely supports Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer institute, raising funds for adult and pediatric cancer care and research. This year celebrates the 60th anniversary of the relationship between the Jimmy Fund and the Boston Red Sox.
To donate, call 877-738-1234 or online. Donations can also be made by texting KCANCER to 20222 to make a $10 gift.
Worth noting
• Injured closer Andrew Bailey was at Fenway Park on Tuesday for the first time since undergoing reconstructive labrum surgery on his right shoulder, and doctors have told him he's expected to make a 100 percent recovery. The surgery is expected to sideline him for about a year.
• Farrell offered his strategy in containing Orioles' slugger Chris Davis, who entered the series with a .304 average, 46 homers and 118 RBIs: "We're planning on our outfielders playing high and deep the way he's been swinging the bat."
• In light of the devastating news regarding Mets ace Matt Harvey and his partially torn UCL in his pitching elbow, Farrell said there's no way to predict those types of injuries and extra attention on pitch-counts may not necessarily be the answer.
"I mean, it's a debatable question," Farrell said. "Just by watching Matt Harvey pitch, you'd never think that he'd be a guy that would be more susceptible to an arm injury, as clean as his arm is and as consistent as his delivery is. I think you're always aware of the progression, the innings increase year over year. Certainly the intensity at the big league level is going to be greater than at the Minor League level.
"But if you go in with the thought of protecting first, you might not get the most out of a given guy."
• Red Sox starters posted a 1.17 ERA over the six-game West Coast road trip. Boston starters entered Tuesday with a 2.76 ERA over its last 12 games.
• The Orioles have won 24 of the last 35 games between the two teams.
Jason Mastrodonato is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @jmastrodonato. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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New Car Review
2014 Audi S7: New Car Review
The 2014 Audi S7 is a good measure of how lofty the standards are for luxury cars these days. Not even a decade ago, the regular A7 would have been considered an incredible performance machine, with its athletic all-wheel-drive chassis and 310-horsepower supercharged V6. But these days, it's just par for the course, so Audi felt compelled to crank up the performance a few more notches. That's where the S7 comes in -- and believe us, we're not complaining one bit.
The S7's magic mostly emanates from under its curvaceous hood, where you'll find a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that's good for 420 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. We're honestly running out of superlatives to describe these new force-fed German engines. Audi's twin-turbo V8 is distinguished by its relatively small displacement, but otherwise its principal attributes are as expected: incredible strength and equally incredible refinement. There are much stouter engines available at the S7's price point, of course, but we could use this one every day without ever wanting more.
Like the regular A7, the S7 is a questionable choice if you want to carry people or cargo, as its fastback roofline takes a big bite out of cabin volume. Nonetheless, you can squeeze in four adults and their luggage, and we think the S7's dashing style makes up for any inconveniences. We still can't quite believe that Audi felt the S7 was really necessary, but, hey, it's a great time to be a driver if you appreciate great cars. Add the 2014 Audi S7 to that list.
What's New for 2014?
A blind spot monitoring system and power-folding exterior mirrors are newly standard, and the Black Optic appearance package debuts as an option.
What We Like
Phenomenal twin-turbocharged V8; sport-sedan handling; finely crafted interior; enviable looks
What We Don't
Limited rear headroom; shallow hatchback trunk
How Much?
Fuel Economy
The all-wheel-drive S7 packs a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 rated at 420 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is a 7-speed dual-clutch automated manual.
Fuel economy is a strong suit, at least by segment standards. Thanks in part to a cylinder-deactivation system that enables the engine to cruise with just four cylinders, the Environmental Protection Agency rates the S7 at 17 miles per gallon city/27 mpg highway.
Standard Features & Options
Like other Audi S models, the 4-seat S7 ($81,095) is offered in one well-equipped trim level. It comes with 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels, quad exhaust tips, xenon headlamps, an adjustable air suspension, a sport rear differential, a sunroof, a blind spot monitoring system, power-folding exterior mirrors, Audi's Drive Select system (featuring electronic adjustments for steering, throttle and transmission) and Multi-Media Interface (MMI), leather upholstery, a sport steering wheel with shift paddles, power sport seats with diamond stitching, a Google-Earth-based navigation system, Wi-Fi hot spot capability and a Bose audio system.
Options include an Innovation package (head-up display and night-vision assistant with pedestrian detection); full LED headlights; a Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation with automatic braking, lane-departure prevention and a corner-view camera system); a Cold Weather package (heated steering wheel and rear seats); a Comfort Seating package (22-way power front sport seats with ventilation and massage functions, as well as Valcona leather upholstery); a Black Optic package (gloss black exterior trim and bi-color 20-in wheels); an Alcantara headliner and a concert-quality Bang & Olufsen audio system.
The 2014 Audi S7 comes with standard stability control and 4-wheel anti-lock ventilated disc brakes. Eight standard airbags are located throughout the cabin (front, front side, front knee, full-length side curtain), with additional rear side airbags offered as an option. The S7 also offers a blind spot monitoring system, a lane-departure prevention system, a collision-mitigation system with automatic braking, a corner-view camera system and night-vision assist with pedestrian detection.
Behind the Wheel
The S7 is a porker on paper, with a curb weight approaching 4,400 pounds. You'd never know it from behind the wheel, though, as the S7 feels for all the world like a compact sport sedan when you're pushing it. Audi has worked some serious magic here, starting with the rear-biased Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which features a standard sport rear differential that keeps power and grip on the same page in hard cornering. The S7 also boasts a responsive, precise steering calibration that imparts a sense of confidence and control. On the flip side, the ride is rather firm, even with Drive Select set to Comfort. But that's generally the way it is with high-performance German machines, and we think it's a small price to pay given the S7's stupendous all-around skill set.
Other Cars to Consider
BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe -- Skip the 6-cylinder 640i if this Audi is in your sights, but the 650i Gran Coupe with its twin-turbo V8 is aimed squarely at the S7.
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class -- Even the base CLS550 is a twin-turbocharged beast with surprisingly capable handling for a Benz. If you've got the cash to spare, though, there's no substitute for the shockingly fast CLS63 AMG.
Porsche Panamera -- The reality is that even a standard Panamera V6 can cost more than an S7 with the typical array of Porsche options. We consider the S7 a superior alternative to the Panamera V6, and a tough matchup even for the V8-powered Panamera S.
AutoTrader's Advice
The S7 keeps the A7's beauty and adds a hefty helping of brawn. What's left to complain about? If you buy it, we can more or less guarantee you'll love it.


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NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Carleton College women's track and field team hosted its lone indoor meet of 2012 on Friday night, welcoming competitors from the College of Saint Benedict and St. Olaf College.
"This team does an incredible job every time they step onto the track or into the ring," said Carleton head coach Donna Ricks. "They put in a lot of heart into their performances."
The mile run featured a spirited battle between Alison Smyth (Sr./Billings, Mont./Billings West) and former teammate Laura Roach '10. Smyth was on a mission and prevailed with a personal-best time of 5:08.91. Roach did finish second, followed by Taylor ffitch (Sr./Portland, Ore./St. Mary's Academy) who PR'd as well at 5:17.80.
Megan Erlandson (Sr./Minneapolis, Minn./Minnehaha Academy) continued her development as an all-around track athlete with a busy night. She not only won the pole vault (10 feet, 6 1/4 inches), but she also ran the second leg of the 4x200-meter relay, ran to a third-place finish in the 1,000-meter run with a personal-record time of 3:09.01, and ran leadoff on Carleton's B team in the 4x400 relay.
The Knights gave a glimpse of what the future may hold as Anna Persmark (Fy./Eugene, Ore./South Eugene) leadoff the winning 4x200 relay and the second-place 4x400 relay. She also was first to the line in the 400-meter dash at 62.75.
Her classmate Ellie Wilson (Roseville, Minn./Roseville) stepped up by winning the 200-meter dash with a season-best time of 26.63. She also ran a leg of the victorious 4x200 meter relay.
In the field events, Kao Sutton (So./Hilo, Hawaii/Kamehameha Schools) placed second in the shot put (10.57m) and third in the weight throw (11.88m).
The Carleton men's track and field team officiated the meet, marking the occasion by donning their Sunday best. Some members of that squad could be seen wearing top hats, bow ties, and even suits. At the conclusion of the competition, the men's team bestowed the Carleton women with roses. They even recognized the birthday of the St. Ben's head coach by serenading her with "Happy Birthday" and presenting her chocolates.
The Knights will next compete on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Grinnell College (Iowa).


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Check out the "North Pole Diaries" to learn just what secrets Santa, Mrs. Claus, Dancer, two Elves, Santa's Mechanic, Bob, and the North Pole Chief of Staff have this season! Each of these seven featured characters shares witty rhyming diary entries, followed by a chorus (of any size) singing and dancing a corresponding festive novelty song. Yes, holiday preparations for Santa and the gang are definitely in full swing! The fully reproducible script and score include complete choreography, making it simple to create a hilarious and entertaining musical production. The enhanced P/A CD includes reproducible PDF files of student pages and cover art. 30 minutes.
North Pole DiariesSally Albrecht, Jay Althouse, Andy Beck & Brian Fisher - Alfred Music Publishing
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SANTA ANA – Investigators have arrested two men and a woman suspected of killing a 20-year-old man in October and shooting at undercover officers in November.
Jeamy Beatriz Melendez, 23, Ricardo Alcala, 23, and Issac Angel Martinez, 25, were arrested Thursday on suspicion of murder, assault with a deadly weapon and gang enhancements, the Santa Ana Police Department said.
Officers responding to reports of an argument followed by at least three gunshots shortly before 1 a.m. Oct. 19 found Edgar Omar Sura of Anaheim dead of multiple gunshot wounds.
Police now believe Alcala and Martinez had stepped out of a vehicle driven by Melendez to confront Sura, asking if he was affiliated with gangs. Investigators allege Alcala shot and killed Sura, who police say had no known gang ties.
"He said 'I'm not a gang member,' but they started blasting him anyway," Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
On Nov. 13, Garden Grove officers in an undercover police vehicle conducting surveillance of burglary suspects in a Santa Ana neighborhood near First and Euclid streets just after 10 p.m. noticed a group of males standing on a corner.
The males yelled at the officers and shined a light at them as they drove by, authorities said. As the officers pulled onto Euclid, they heard several gunshots. The shots reportedly struck the rear of the police vehicle, but no officers were injured.
During their joint investigation, Santa Ana and Garden Grove investigators determined that the shooting and murder had been committed by members of the same street gang, and that Melendez, Alcala and Martinez were suspects in both.
On Thursday, Garden Grove SWAT and gang officers, assisted by Santa Ana gang detectives, arrested Alcala at a Motel 6 on Dyer Road in Santa Ana. Several weapons were found in the room, Bertagna said.
That same day, Martinez was arrested at his Santa Ana home, while Melendez was taken into custody at her place of work in Anaheim.
All three were booked into the Santa Ana city jail. Police described both Martinez and Alcala as documented gang members and say Melendez was a gang associate.
Police say Martinez and Alcala are on parole.
Orange County Superior Court records show a man with the same name and birth date as Alcala pleaded guilty to felony car theft, street terrorism and drug possession charges in 2007, as well as felony car theft, street terrorism and attempted burglary charges in 2008.
Court records show that a man with the same name and birth date as Martinez pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy, street terrorism and weapons charges in 2007, as well as assault misdemeanor assault and felony conspiracy and street terrorism charges in 2011.
Contact the writer: 714-796-7939 or email@example.com


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Not good news at all
Source - Click hereThe 28-year-old Kleiza has been sidelined for the last couple of months and has appeared in only 20 games this season. According to Asta Zukaite of 15min.lt, this number is unlikely to change.
It is claimed that the player could not only be done for the season, but the future of his career in general is in doubt.
Although Kleiza has stated that the knee issues have been caused by a long summer with the Lithuanian national team, unconfirmed sources suggest that the first arthroscopic surgery, which was performed by Dr. J. Richard Steadman in Colorado in 2011, might not have gone fully according to plan.
According to the former head of the Lithuanian national teams delegation and a good friend of Kleiza, Antanas Guoga, it is likely that the surgery will need to be repeated.


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This teaser does nothing to shed any light on the upcoming animated feature from director Gore Verbinski and starring the voices of Johny Depp, Bill Nighy, Isla Fisher, Stephen Root and Abigail Breslin. Enjoy!
We don't waste our time on anything not worth your time. We celebrate the best of what's coming on film and TV. We cheer when our expectations are met and criticize when we're let down.


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Critics bashed [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Britney Spears'[/lastfm] "Hold It Against Me" video for basically being a commercial (even [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Katy Perry [/lastfm]allegedly made a comment) and [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Rihanna[/lastfm]'s new video for "Man Down" had multiple shots of her drinking a certain brand of coconut water. Many music videos these days are full of subtle (and totally overt) product placements.
We've rounded up our Top Ten Cheesy Product Placements in Pop Videos. Some are really awful and others make sense. Can you spot any product placements we missed?
10. "Love The Way You Lie"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Eminem[/lastfm] featuring [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Rihanna[/lastfm]
Fight, fight, fight. And then Megan Fox's boyfriend steals a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka from a liquor store. They drink it while making out (with lots of tongue.)
And then things burn. The end.
9. "Not Myself Tonight"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Christina Aguilera[/lastfm]
After Christina Aguilera makes out with a few boys and few girls while wearing latex, she takes a picture of a closet fire with her Nokia phone and they show her spraying herself with her perfume.
More things burn.
8. "E.T"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Katy Perry[/lastfm] featuring [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Kanye West[/lastfm]
After she awakes the human in the junkyard, she picks up some "human glass" from the brand Vogue. And then for some reason, she has deer legs because that totally makes sense for an extraterrestrial.
Katy Perry's retinas burn? Damn, that sun is bright.
7. "Billionaire"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Travie McCoy[/lastfm] featuring [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Bruno Mars[/lastfm]
In Travie McCoy's world where he is a "billionaire," he spends his time driving around Venice Beach in a convertible Mini, some Vespa scooters, and drinks Tuborg beer at their beach party (who even drinks that.)
We don't even want to think about the kind of burning that happened after this video.
6. "Give Me Everything"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Pitbull[/lastfm]
This is basically just a giant ad for Kodak. How many times does he say Kodak? There is even a shot of Kodak's Time Square electronic billboard.
Wait, did we just say Kodak more than Pitbull? The brainwashing is working.
5. "On The Floor"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Jennifer Lopez[/lastfm] featuring[lastfm link_type="artist_info"] Pitbull[/lastfm]
J.Lo gets dropped off at the club in a black leather hoodie jacket and a jet black BMW. Posh. Then for some reason she immediately opens a box that says "Swarovski" on it, pulling out some crystal earrings that match the chandeliers inside the club.
A minute or two into the song, while she is sitting like the Goddess of Latin Dance Pop surveying the dance floor, she gets poured a delicious glass of Crown Royal.
Which for those who don't know, comes in a super cute purple velvet bag.
4. "We R Who We R"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Ke$ha[/lastfm]
Somehow, with her magical super powers of glitter and glass shards, Ke$ha shuts down a whole entire freeway tunnel and turns it into a dance party. At the dance party are two hot DJ chicks presumably manning the turntables. Instead we see them looking at Plenty of Fish.
Then there are four flashes of bottles of Tequila Revolucion being served, which apparently makes Ke$ha so drunk she feels motivated to randomly show us her hot pink Baby G watch.
Ke$ha then jumps off a giant building and by magic doesn't die. So much magic in one short video.
2. "Telephone"-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Lady Gaga[/lastfm]
After being stripped down to her underwear and then throwin' on her "smokin'" sunglasses, Gaga heads out to the prison hard where another inmate is waering a pair of triangle shaped ear buds from Beats by Dre. Gaga then makes out with an androgynous looking inmate and steals her LG cellphone with Virgin Mobile service.
None of this is realistic whatsoever, but it's Gaga so we'll pretend prisons are actually like this. Inside Gaga is wearing her fiercest Chanel sunglasses (we thought the prison guards took them away from her?) and Diet Coke hair rollers. On of the butch prison guards is looking on Plenty of Fish on a laptop with a Beats by Dre logo on it.
After Beyonce picks her up from the prison, Gaga takes pictures of her with a Polaroid camera as she is driving. Gaga makes a poison sandwich with Wonderbread and Miracle Whip.
We're hungry. It worked. Wait, we don't want to die though.
1. "I Like It (Jersey Shore Version)-[lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Enrique Iglesias[/lastfm] featuring [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Pitbull[/lastfm] (and the whole entire cast of Jersey Shore)
In case you've never seen or heard of Jersey Shore before, some music big wig thought it would be a great idea to advertise a.k.a pimp out an MTV television show (remember when that stood for Music Television) by re-creating Enrique Iglesias' music video for "I Like It" with the cast of Jersey Shore.
Nope, didn't work. Not going to watch the Jersey Shore. We win this round advertising companies!


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CES is also often used by all of the big boys of technology (other than Apple and Microsoft) to launch new products to the public. It is the show of choice for new product rollouts; over 20,000 were released at CES in 2013. Some greats like the VCR, the Commodore 64, the Xbox and even Tetris made their debuts at CES over the years. There has also been the fair share of awful products like Microsoft Bob (remember the talking dog?) and the iPotty, a kids training potty with an iPad stand attached.
The first thing a spectator will notice about CES is the effect it has on on Las Vegas, the host city. Hotels are more expensive, restaurants are packed, Taxis take a lifetime and the bars are out of control. (Not out of control like the NAMA OneShow, no one parties as hard as Vending.)
With that many visitors, the city slows down. Getting to and from the show is done at a turtle's pace -- thank god for your electronics or you would be bored stiff. The monorail took me an hour and a half just to get to the convention center on day one.
Once you arrive, however, you immediately know it was worth the minor inconveniences. The excitement and mass of the show leave you in awe. The show floor is over 1.5 million square feet, and every inch of space is used up, it even spills over into the Venetian and LVH convention areas. Even the outside parking areas are used for everything from food trucks feeding the masses to a BMW Electric Vehicle test dive area.
Vending was represented in a couple of interesting ways. Engadget, a Web magazine devoted to consumer electronics, used an ISIS-enabled vending machine to distribute t-shirts by tweeting your favorite gadget of 2013 using their hashtags. CES reportedly also used Social Media Vending to distribute t-shirts, although I never found it.
There are too many cool things to fit them all in this piece, so I will share some of the highlights of things to come in 2014.
Some of the coolest products were the new 4k televisions. The clarity was unbelievable. The curve was also everywhere you turned (pun intended). Curved surface televisions have me dreaming of a panorama home theatre in my future.
Wearable Technology
As you would expect from the hype around Google Glass, there were many displays showcasing wearable technology. Imagine what the effect of wearable computing would have on your organization: a route driver being able to see a planogram while looking at the machine or micromarket, ensuring compliance, or a technician having access to any manual or instructional video to assist in repairing equipment. The applications for business are endless.
Oculus Rift, a virtual reality technology, works like virtual reality ski goggles. The goggles have amazing graphics and positional tracking to change your gaming experience forever. Oculus Rift is working with gaming companies to match the hardware with new games -- immersing you in the 3D action.
Nearly all auto companies were showing off an enhanced dashboard of some kind. Mercedes Benz, Audi, BMW and Ford (to name a few) displayed the level of engagement we can expect in the future. Apps of all kinds are headed to your car. One cool example was from Delphi Connect. This app collects all kinds of data from your car and reports it back to you on your smartphone. This seems to be a no-brainer for route planning and management.
Internet of Things
Cisco is calling this movement the "Internet of Everything" -- one example of its recent interest in the vending-mircomarket space. Imagine every device connected to your phone, to one another or being able to customize and combine a variety of different features. The value of this was demonstrated with Google recently buying connected thermostat and household device maker Nest for $3.2 billion in cash. Connected crock pots, basketballs, tennis rackets, sprinklers, blinds, dishwashers and refrigerators -- get ready for every device to become smarter and measurable.
3D Printing
Makerbot continues to impress in this field. Soon, you will be printing replacement parts on demand from your warehouses. This is one of the most interesting and growing fields with too many applications to mention, but how cool is the idea of custom printed chocolates?
Health Technology
This was my most favorite part. The low cost of hardware and the advancement of the smartphone have really been applied in health monitoring technology. Many applications to track your health have evolved from the typical step counter-sleep monitor. Personal oxygen monitors, blood pressure monitors and general health and wellness apps are a part of the Internet of Everything. Be sure to keep an eye on this exciting segment of the market. Muse, iHealth and Moxy are worth taking a look at.
So how does this all relate back to kiosks and micromarkets? The answer is pretty simple: As consumers' expectation levels evolve with their phones, televisions, thermostats, household appliances, etc., their expectations for the rest of their daily lives evolve.
Micromarkets are expected to not only mirror advanced technologies, but also lead in many cases. A kiosk and point-of-sale software are just not enough for today's savvy customer. They require interaction, new features and useful functions they already have from every other device.
I suggest anyone that who has the opportunity to go to CES make time to attend. For a few days, you get to experience the future all around you. CES 2015 will be held Jan. 6-9, again in Las Vegas.
About Joseph Hessling: Joe Hessling is the founder and chief executive of 365 Retail Markets, a foodservice technology company based in Troy, MI. Since founding 365, the company has experienced tremendous growth under his leadership and has become the industry leader in micromarket technology.
About 365 Retail Markets: 365 Retail Markets, an expanding self-checkout technology company based in Troy, MI, offers the best in class platform for vending, foodservice, and hospitality. Its proprietary 365SmartShop is a turnkey unmanned micromarket that allows customers to increase sales, improve the customer experience, and increase profits, while decreasing operating costs. 365 Retail Markets has been pioneering innovation in the vending industry for over five years and continues to revolutionize the market with superior technology and ultimate flexibility in customization and branding. Visit 365retailmarkets.com.
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A day after McDaniel admitted to the relationship with Andrea L. Davis, his campaign offered few details Wednesday about the duration or nature of their contact. McDaniel admitted to the relationship after a sexual affair between the two was alleged in documents filed in a custody dispute between Davis and her ex-husband.
Davis, who has said her attorneys have advised her to not comment, did not return calls Wednesday morning. She represented a group of parents who successfully challenged the state's school choice law, a case in which McDaniel's office represented state education officials.
McDaniel, who has been married since 2009, is the only announced candidate for the 2014 governor's race and has raised more than $1 million for the bid. His admission to the relationship came just days after his campaign touted internal polling that showed the attorney general with a strong lead over potential rivals for the party's nomination.
"We are off to a strong start," McDaniel said in a fundraising email to supporters last week. "A lot will happen over the next two years and it is critical that we have the resources to make our case and turn back the inevitable attacks to come."
Political observers say the disclosure raises the likelihood that McDaniel will have to contend with a heated fight for his party's nomination. He already faced the likelihood of an uphill general election fight, after Republicans took over the state Legislature in last month's election. Several Republicans, including former Congressman Asa Hutchinson, are considering a run for the state's top office.
"This does seem to make it all but certain that he'll have primary opposition and maybe a decent amount of it," said Jay Barth, a political science professor at Hendrix College who has been active with the Democratic Party.
McDaniel's two chief rivals for the Democratic nomination have so far held off on targeting McDaniel over the relationship. Highway Commissioner John Burkhalter declined to comment on the revelation this week, while former Lt. Gov. Bill Halter was on vacation and unavailable.
"His level of interest remains the same and it's serious," Halter spokesman Bud Jackson said.
McDaniel's campaign refused to answer questions about the length or nature of his relationship with Davis and said he hoped voters would accept his apology.
"It is Dustin's hope that he will be judged on the totality of his record of accomplishments for the state," spokeswoman Tricia Wallace said.
The most immediate threat to McDaniel's political future stems from questions surrounding the impact that his relationship with Davis had on the school choice case the state lost earlier this year.
In June, a federal judge struck down the law, saying race couldn't be the only factor considered in deciding whether students could transfer between districts. Arkansas is appealing that decision, but state lawmakers are expected to consider proposals to rewrite the transfer law next year.
McDaniel's office on Wednesday said the attorney general never discussed the case with Davis, and he didn't tell anyone involved in the case that he knew her. Assistant Attorney General Scott Richardson is listed as the lead attorney for the state in the case.
It's unclear whether McDaniel or Davis could face a complaint before a disciplinary panel. The state's professional conduct rules for attorneys says a conflict of interest exists if there's a significant risk that a client's representation will be "materially limited" by a personal interest of the lawyer.
Stark Ligon, director of the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct, has said he can't comment on specific cases. Lawyers who violate the conduct rules can face sanctions that include law license suspension and disbarment.
McDaniel's campaign has refused to offer many details about his relationship with Davis, who was questioned by police in February after a Hot Springs man was fatally shot outside her home.
An initial report by the Garland County Sheriff's Office lists Davis' brother, Matthew Davis as a "suspect" who was present at the scene. State police, who have taken over the investigation, wouldn't discuss whether they have any suspects.
Davis also faces being found in contempt of court after not appearing for a Tuesday hearing in a case in which she represents a man charged with rape and incest with his stepdaughter. She must appear for a Jan. 8 hearing.
Debbie Willhite, a Democratic political consultant in Little Rock, said she hasn't seen signs yet of McDaniel's supporters throwing their support to another candidate. The damage to McDaniel's campaign probably won't be clear until next spring, since a quarterly campaign finance report due Jan. 15 would only reflect roughly two weeks of fundraising after he disclosed the relationship.
Willhite said McDaniel's campaign has handled the admission well but said the attorney general needs to have a "public mea culpa" about the relationship soon.
"People don't want to just read a press release," Willhite said. "They really want to see him, feel his pain and feel his remorse."


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Just Born: Frazier Parkinson
Proud mum Lindsey Parkinson welcomed her first child into the world at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald.
Baby boy Frazier was born on January 15 at 4.07pm, weighing in at 9lbs 2oz.
Lindsey (27) said she was admitted on Friday, January 13 before going into labour on the Sunday.
"It was a normal birth, but it was awfully traumatic," she said.
"You're sort of wondering: 'Where did all these people in the room come from?'"
Frazier himself, although now much better, was a little poorly shortly after he was born.
"He hasn't been very well, but he has picked up now," said Lindsey. "He couldn't feed and he has a line in for antibiotics and stuff because his heart rate was low."
But Lindsey said the staff who spent six days caring for her and her baby were "lovely". Proud dad Ian (33) said his son had really noticeably improved over the last few days.
"After the first day, once they gave him the antibiotics, he then really picked up."
Lindsey, a nail technician, said she would likely be off work until at least the summer — giving her plenty of time with her little bundle of joy.
She said countless members of both families had been in to check up on the infant — the first boy on Lindsey's side of the family for some time.
"Oh yeah, we've been bombarded with visitors, they were here before we were back on the ward. The grandparents were absolutely over the Moon."
She said she hoped to have all the folks around soon after arriving back home — including the grandparents.
Belfast Telegraph


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Veiled warnings
Ways of dodging the face-veil ban in France
Karima has a plan. If police stop her for wearing a veil over her face, she'll remove it - then put it back on once they're out of sight. If that doesn't work, she'll stay home, or even leave France.
For Muslim women who cover their faces with veils, it is the moment for making plans.
From Monday, April 11, a new law banning garments that hide the face takes effect. Women who disobey it risk a fine, special classes and a police record.
The increasing focus on France's Muslims - who number at least five million, the largest such population in western Europe - comes with presidential elections a year away and a far-right party resurging.
France's challenge is evident in the Paris suburb of Trappes. It has a large Muslim population and is one of the few towns in France where, before talk of a ban surfaced, veiled women were occasionally seen on the streets.
At the town hall, the subject of the impending crackdown is taboo. Some predict police will turn a blind eye to any veils to keep things tranquil. "I have a choice to take it off. I choose not to," said Karima, 25, shopping at the outdoor market.
Karima is forthright, though she refuses to provide her full name because of her defiant stance on the ban. Others are not so willing to talk. Two women veiled in black scurried away when approached.
"The problem of veils and so on become public issues because people are afraid," said Farhad Khosrokhavar, a noted expert on Islam in France. "It's a process of scapegoating and it works beautifully."
Yesterday, President Nicolas Sarkozy's governing conservative party was discussing ways to strengthen secularism in French society at a politically charged conference that Muslim leaders fear could stigmatize Islam.
The UMP party was to consider 26 ideas such as banning the wear of religious symbols by day-care personnel and preventing Muslim mothers from wearing head scarves when accompanying school field trips.
The debate could lead to a legislative bill in the National Assembly, where the UMP has a majority. Its backers say debate is needed to address evolutions in French society - such as a growing demand for mosque building and Islamic butchers - since the country's 1905 law formally separates the state from the Catholic Church.
Detractors, however, see a sheer political ploy to lure potential voters as Sarkozy's popularity keeps sinking and the extreme-right National Front is getting a second life under its new leader, Marine Le Pen, the daughter of party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen. While Le Pen's party performed well in local elections in March, Sarkozy's party suffered a drubbing.
Muslims have felt stigmatized by the 2004 law banning Islamic headscarves in classrooms and again during the intense debate that preceeded the face veil ban. Muslim leaders are now so irked they have refused any role in the discussions.
France's top religious leaders - Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists - published a joint statement last week saying the debate could add "to the confusion in the troubled period we are traversing".
Abdallah Zekri, a member of the High Council of Mosques of France from the southwestern city of Nimes, claims Arabs are being targeted. "Muslims will always be scapegoats," he said. "We no longer talk about immigrants. We talk about Muslims."
In unusual terms for a secular leader, Sarkozy extolled the virtues of his country's "Christian heritage" during a recent visit to Puy-en-Velay, the starting point of a famed medieval Christian pilgrimage route. "Without identity there is no diversity," the president said.
"The (French) republic is secular. It belongs to each citizen without any distinction."
Muslim women who choose to cover their faces with veils may doubt that they belong.
The measure banning the veil forbids women to hide their faces in public places, even in the streets. It punishes those who defy the law with a fine of €150 ($210), a citizenship course, or both.
Anyone discovered forcing a woman to cover her face risks a year in prison and a €30,000 ($42,000) fine - doubled if the veiled person is a minor. Authorities estimate about 2,000 women in France wear the garment.
Top Headlines
- This French politician managed to offend millions of Muslim women with an Islamophobic bikini tweet
- The clash of the bikini and the burka - French minister stresses national duty to wear a bikini to ward off the veil threat
- American in Arabia on the latest niqabi must-have: Just Zip-it!
- Bin Laden warns France over veil
- Summaya Al Khashab might choose to veil-up


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Quote:Try the ki-key
Quote:i want to unlock my ki and then use it to my advantage
Quote: What would u be if you stripped away the suit and tie, the ghetto look, or the preppy clothes? Do you even know? Think about it.........and post your answer as a comment!
Quote:this is not very related but, i have been experimenting with my ki (i actually prefer spelling it chi)
Quote:for the past... 15 minutes.
Quote:i discharged a ki ball into some water and it has been vibrating since.
Quote:i am absolutly sure it exists (IT IS NOT A BUNCH OF HOCUS POCUS.)
Quote:i need some help though:
Quote:i was drawing ki from the earth and air to create a ki ball in each of my hands. once i accomplished this i began spining and compressing the ki balls. then, i merged them by putting my hands together. the closer my hands got the more pressure i felt in between them. when i finally put my hands completely together.
Quote:i started feeling the tingling sensation ki generates (still feeling it,)
Quote:The following comment was self-censored by Kempoman
Quote: so i concluded there was ki trapped within my aura meaning i did not absorb all of the ki into my "sea of Ki." my hands are cramping and twitching now as i write. could i have damaged my hands?
Quote:P.S. how can i discharge the ki "resedue" in my aura? (or in my hands)
Quote:EDIT:im going to post this in a seperate thread
Quote:And where in the heck have you been?
Quote:What in the hell is this?
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Lamoille Canyon is one of several glacially carved canyons in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada, situated in the basin and range region of the western United States. Reaching altitudes above 11,000 feet, the range captures significant precipitation creating a cool green oasis above the surrounding desert.
Lamoille Lake rests at an elevation of 9740 feet just below and on the north side of Liberty Pass and Liberty Peak.


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A Winter Climb on the Jubiläumsgrat
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Duane climbing on the Ridge. Picture taken December 16, 2006.
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At Gemvara, we believe that the jewelry you wear should be one of a kind, like you. That's why we make each piece to order, one at a time, just the way you want it. Choose Lemon Quartz and Sterling Silver or White Sapphire and Platinum: it's your choice. Mix and match gems and precious metals for a look that's exactly you. Gemvara uses only the highest quality materials to craft your Multistone Green Tourmaline Antique-Inspired Jewelry design with meticulous attention to detail. Our precious metals are recycled or responsibly mined. Tourmaline is named from the Sinhalese tura mali, which means "mixed stone." Available in a rainbow of colors and color combinations, tourmaline lives up to its name. Gemvara offers tourmaline in a warm pink and a lush green. Tourmaline is an October birthstone and the 8th anniversary gem.Our wide selection of Multistone Green Tourmaline Antique-Inspired Jewelry by talented designers means you can find jewelry that's exactly your style. You can also shop by style, choosing our Modern, Cocktail, or Claddagh Collections. Multistone jewelry styles sparkle from every angle. Each gem is carefully set by hand for lasting quality.Gemvara's fine quality Multistone Green Tourmaline Antique-Inspired Jewelry is designed to be passed down for generations to come, crafted by hand in the United States.
We can help right away. Chat with a jewelry expert now!


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CARSON, Calif. – Landon Donovan will return to the LA Galaxy in late March, but while he is away from the game, LA continue to press forward ahead of the season opener on March 3.
The Galaxy announced on Sunday that Donovan will not return to the club until late March, which means that he will likely miss the first three MLS regular season games as well as both CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal fixtures against CS Herediano. On Monday, Arena admitted that while the Galaxy captain's return "could be earlier," but by no means is he displeased with Donovan.
"Am I unhappy? No, I'm not unhappy. Whether I think it is necessary or not, it is not important what I think. That's the player and that's how he feels and what he thinks he needs," said Arena. "It'll just set him back at the end of the March and he'll probably be playing somewhere close to the end of April."
LA's other Designated Player Robbie Keane—who is likely to take the captain's armband while Donovan is away — added his own thoughts on Donovan's absence.
"Of course it's difficult when you don't have your best players and you want them here to start the season but if an extra two weeks is going to do him the world of good then good," said the Irish forward.
With Donovan out of the lineup, the Galaxy will likely turn to their younger attacking options to lead the way. From the outset, Mike Magee seems likely to take over for Donovan alongside Keane while younger alternatives Jack McBean and Jose Villarreal fight for playing time.
As the club accounts for Donovan's absence, Arena admits that there will be a period of transition.
"The more high-quality players you put on the field for your team, the chances are you're going to be a better team, that they'll offer different dimensions. When you take one of those pieces away, you're not going to replace him with similar players. That's the facts of life," said Arena. "You always play games without key players. It won't be the first time, and it won't be the last time."


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Sunday was a regeneration day for the starters from Saturday's 1-0 win over Toronto FC in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic. The tweet below is from Head Athletic Trainer Dave Lagow, showing the players' makeshift recovery setup in Orlando following their weight room session. On Monday the guys will get back into full action.
First game in Orlando down, now 3 more. This is how we recover. #crew96 @gatorade @columbuscrew @psats_mls twitter.com/DaveLagow/stat…— Dave Lagow (@DaveLagow) February 10, 2013


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ORLANDO, Fla. - We have a warning about a new scam that's going after consumers in Central Florida.
It's so unique -- even investigators admit that they've never seen anything quite like it before.
"I think people are going to fall for this," says Carl Fritsch, who was targeted by thieves in latest scam to hit our area. "But then, when they get their bank statement, then it's too late."
The whole thing started with a phone call.
"I get this robotic type voice," says Fritsch.
The voice told him that his debit card had been cancelled, and the only way to reactivate it was to type in the full card number, PIN number, and expiration date.
Doing something like that can secretly give crooks full access to your bank account.
"I was just totally blown away with that," says Fritsch.
But he knew that something wasn't right, and didn't fall for the scam. Instead, he contacted Local 6.
Local 6 traced the caller ID to a mortgage company in New Jersey called Financial Freedom.
The company denies any involvement in the fraud, instead saying that its phone number has been hijacked by thieves.
It isn't the only new scheme in town. A similar one is going after customers at Fairwinds Credit Union, which just sent out an e-mail alert about the fraud.
The idea is the same -- your debit card has been suspended, and you need to enter your personal information to get it back.
"It really would not be difficult for somebody to pull off this type of scam," says Special Agent Steve Brenton with the FDLE'S Cyber Crimes Unit.
He admits that he's never seen this kind of twist before.
But, if you're sharp, you can easily spot the warning signs.
"Generally, a bank is not going to send you any information regarding your account using a recorded type message," says Brenton. "Banks are going to use a real person to call you."
Also remember -- a legitimate agency will not ask you for your account numbers or passwords over the phone.
Brenton says that if the caller is suspicious, hang up right away.
"When it involves your money, you've gotta protect yourself," says Brenton.
Local 6 brought this to the attention of the State Attorney General's office in Tallahassee. It says that if you get one of those calls, report it to the agency right away.
Fairwinds Credit Union has alerted the Secret Service about this scam.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Video: NFL Conference Championship Breakdown
In this week's conference championship game edition, Jonathan Clegg and I break down the last four teams left in the hunt for the Super Bowl and discuss who we think will make it. The Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots are back for a rematch from last year's game in the AFC while the San Francisco 49ers return for the second straight year as well, except this time it's to face the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons. Do the Falcons deserve the lack of respect oddsmakers and prognosticators are showing them?


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Third baseman Chavez works out for Dodgers
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
Among club officials attending the workout were assistant general managers De Jon Watson and Logan White and batting coach Jeff Pentland. Chavez has already worked out for a handful of American League clubs that could also use Chavez as a designated hitter, among them Toronto, Seattle and the Yankees. The White Sox also are believed very interested.
The native Californian has been on the club's radar since the Winter Meetings, but the big issue is his health.
A six-time Gold Glove third baseman, Chavez is only 33 but coming off four years of injuries, primarily to his shoulder and back. He hasn't played more than 90 games in a season since 2006.
He has spent all 12 seasons of his Major League career with Oakland, having just finished up a six-year, $63 million contract. At one point, he was a legitimate left-handed-hitting run producer, with four seasons of 100-plus RBIs and four seasons of at least 29 home runs to go with a .267 lifetime average.
If the Dodgers are impressed, they would be looking at Chavez as a backup or platoon-mate with Casey Blake at third base and a power left-handed bat off the bench. They would likely offer him an incentive-filled Minor League contract, as their 40-man roster if full.
Scott Leventhal, Chavez's agent, declined to comment.
Chavez played only 33 games last season, hitting .234 with one home run and 10 RBIs.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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What Does a 'Free' Horse Cost? Part 1
Here's what you need to know before acquiring a free (or nearly free) horse.
Photo by iStock
My Mustang Isn't Who I Thought She Was
A DNA test offers Alayne surprise answers to questions about her BLM mustang's ancestry.
Photo by Alayne Blickle
Best Practices for Equine Rescues
Quality rescues practice good horse husbandry, maintain a realistic annual budget, seek continuing education, and more.
Photo by Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse
What Does a 'Free' Horse Cost? Part 1
December 07, 2017
Here's what you need to know before acquiring a free (or nearly free) horse.... Read More
Poll Recap: Free Horses
July 18, 2017
Of the 502 respondents, 348 (69%) said they have acquired a horse for free.... Read More
Adopting a Mustang: What It Takes
April 13, 2017
Considering adopting a mustang? Here's what you need to know. ... Read More
My Mustang Isn't Who I Thought She Was
February 13, 2017
A DNA test offers Alayne surprise answers to questions about her BLM mustang's ancestry.... Read More
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February 02, 2017
Quality rescues practice good horse husbandry, maintain a realistic annual budget, seek continuing education, and more.... Read More
Secretariat Center Places Record Number of Horses in 2016
January 07, 2017
The Kentucky-based organization placed 62 retired Thoroughbred racehorses in new homes for second careers.... Read More
9 Ideas for Giving Tuesday
November 29, 2016
What equine organizations do you support on Giving Tuesday? ... Read More
Adopting Aging Equids
November 17, 2016
November is "Adopt a Senior Pet" month. Have you adopted or taken in a senior horse? ... Read More
Wild Horse Sanctuary Must Rehome Horses Before Dec. 1
November 15, 2016
Any horses and burros not adopted by Dec. 1 will be sold at auction.... Read More
Learning from the Corolla Wild Horse Adoption Program
May 11, 2016
Researchers attributed the program's success to a rigorous adoption process, pre-adoption gentling of horses, and more.... Read More
2016 From Rescue to Rockstar Contest
May 10, 2016
Readers submitted stories of their horses that have made vast improvements since being rescued or adopted. ... Read More
How To Feed Your Newly Adopted Mustang
March 28, 2016
Our equine nutrition expert (and past mustang owner!) offers advice about feeding easy-keeping mustangs.... Read More
Choosing an Ex-Racehorse
November 11, 2015
Before you take the plunge, learn what to be wary of as well as what to expect when choosing an ex-racehorse.... Read More
Mustang Mania in Idaho
September 21, 2015
The 2015 Nampa, Idaho, Extreme Mustang Makeover featured 5- and 6-year-old mustang mares.... Read More
Oklahoma Racetrack Adopts Anti-Slaughter Policy
August 24, 2015
Remington Park has adopted a policy that denies stall space to those who sell retired racehorses for slaughter.... Read More
NYSGC to Host Retired Racehorse Summit on Sept. 1
August 06, 2015
The summit will feature Thoroughbred and Standardbred aftercare leaders, accredited organizations, and more... Read More
New Vocations to Build New Racehorse Retraining Facility
May 30, 2015
The new facility will include two 15-stall barns, indoor and outdoor arenas, and multiple pastures and paddocks.... Read More
NTRA Safety and Integrity Alliance Reaccredits Finger Lakes
May 04, 2015
The New York track received "best practice" grading in the area of aftercare and transition of retired racehorses.... Read More
Helping Horses Through Rescue or Adoption
April 24, 2015
Here are a few of the stories and photos from our readers about horses they have rescued or adopted.... Read More
Poll Recap: Adopting a Wild Horse
March 31, 2015
Of the 620 poll respondents, 266 (43%) said they would like to adopt a wild horse, but have not yet. ... Read More
Awakening to Thoroughbred Aftercare
January 15, 2015
The Blood-Horse's editor-in-chief explains how the TCA's creation raised both money and awareness.... Read More
Life Is Short: Just Get the Horse
December 24, 2014
After 10 horseless years, The Horse's editor-in-chief is back in the saddle on her own gelding. ... Read More
10 Horse Rescue Resources on TheHorse.com
November 20, 2014
Get horse rescue resources to help with everything from finding a reputable rescue to refeeding a starved horse.... Read More
Rehabilitating, Refeeding, and Rehoming Rescue Horses
November 19, 2014
Rescued horses require special care to bring them back to health. Learn how you can help during our live event.... Read More
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November 11, 2014
Of the 738 respondents, 440 (60%) said they prefer to sell horses using online or print classifieds and flyers.... Read More
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Roly Owers of World Horse Welfare discusses their international projects.
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Soak up Mississippi River views at our Moline hotel
Radisson Hotel on John Deere Commons-Moline provides the best views of downtown, from the popular John Deere Pavilion on its one side to the Mississippi River on its other. Wake up to a complimentary, hot breakfast, and go for a morning run along the river walk. When your stay ends, our complimentary shuttle can take you to Quad City International Airport (MLI), just six miles south of the hotel.
See what our guests are saying about us.
Hotel amenities & services
Ride our complimentary shuttle to and from the Quad City International Airport (MLI), about 10 minutes from the hotel. Before you go, enjoy a complimentary breakfast in the John Deere Room, or stop by TGI FridaysSM Restaurant for lunch, dinner, or snacks and drinks. Your hotel stay includes:
- Free airport shuttle
- Complimentary breakfast
- TGI FridaysSM Restaurant
- Indoor pool and whirlpool
- Business center
- Fitness center
Learn more about our hotel's amenities and services.
Our rooms & suites
Spend your night on a comfortable Sleep Number® bed, and begin your morning with a free hot breakfast. You can brew a cup of coffee with the in-room coffeemaker and use the free high-speed Internet access to keep up with social media or work emails. Our hotel rooms and suites feature:
- Sleep Number® beds available
- Free high-speed Internet access
- Room service
- Coffeemaker
For additional space and amenities, reserve a King Deluxe Suite, which features these upgrades:
- Living area
- Pullout sofa
- Dining table
- Bedroom with king bed
- Bathroom with jetted tub
Where to eat while you're here
Stop by our on-site restaurant, TGI FridaysSM Restaurant, for food that tastes as good as Friday feels. Whether you're chowing down on baby back ribs with the family or sipping cold beers with colleagues, this casual restaurant offers an inviting atmosphere every day of the week. TGI FridaysSM Restaurant also offers room service for those times you want a quiet night in. In the morning, find a complimentary breakfast of eggs, sausage and waffles waiting for you in the John Deere Room.
Things to do in Moline
Nestled in the John Deere Commons, the Radisson is in the center of downtown and just a two-minute walk from the bus station. Explore these Moline highpoints while you're in town:
John Deere Pavilion – Showing off more than tractors, the John Deere Pavilion promotes farming's history and its developing future. Children and adults can enjoy the engaging videos and exhibits that tell the nearly two-century legacy of John Deere. You can find this popular attraction just across the street from the hotel.
Celebration Belle River Cruises – Climb on board Celebration Belle, a 750-passenger paddlewheel boat that has been cruising down the Mississippi River for more than 30 years. Located about two miles from the hotel, this cruise offers lunch, dinner and great views.
The Rock Island Arsenal – When you arrive at this 946-acre island two miles from the hotel, make the Visitor's Center your first stop so you can discover highlights like the Colonel Davenport House, the golf course, the national cemetery and the museum.
Read more about our hotel's location.
Groups & meetings
Plan your next social or business event at the Radisson in downtown Moline. Our location just six miles from Quad City International Airport is convenient for out-of-towners. If you're planning your wedding reception at a popular nearby venue like the iWireless Center or The Moline Club, then spend the night at the Radisson and take advantage of our wedding deals, such as a free bottle of champagne and 50 percent off your room on your wedding night.
Learn more about our meeting facilities and floor plans.
100% non-smoking facility
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As mentioned in the last post, the Senate dramatically weakened the Independent Medicare Advisory Board in the health care legislation currently being debated.
Today, Concord released an issue brief discussing this and highlighting the fact that there is an amendment being proposed by Senator Rockefeller that would restore the board's potential for cost control and delivery system reform.
The legislative process right now is quite a jumble and it is unknown whether any amendments still have a chance to be voted on or folded into the final "manager's amendment." Hopefully, Senators concerned about cost control will see the wisdom in still altering the bill to strengthen its provisions on that score. Ruth Marcus at the Washington Post had a good column about this in the paper yesterday.


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I created a guest account today and zonealarm said license was expired.
Tried to enter new license key (cut and pasted) and it claimed it was invalid. The chat with support was frustrating. He said that ZAX does not support guest account - what the heck???? Can this be right? I thought that the license was for the computer. In the past on other computers, I had multiple users and never a problem.


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I really need help. I'm currently taking a course in C++ and I am using an awful textbook to get me through it. I just started a new job and I'm exhausted, so the last thing I want to be struggling with is a midterm. I'm sure that most of you will find these assignments very trivial, however, I'm having a VERY hard time. For those of you who don't mind posting or emailing code, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I honestly don't think I will ever use C++ again in my lifetime, so you won't be doing me a disservice by working the code out for me. I promise!! I'm not going into programming, I'm looking more at a Network Admin job, or something along those lines. At this point, I don't think I would even accept a job that required me to do any programming. I took VB last term and actual got it and did well, unfortunately I can't say the same for C++. So PLEASE help me, I want to pass the course, but I can't write the code.
I have one assignment partially done except for the errors, I have attached it. Please help me work out the errors, I don't have a clue what to do.
Here's the second assignment, for those of you who might like to code it for me. I'm terrible with arrays.
You are asked to write a C++ program that can be used to determine grades at the end of the semester. For each student, who is identified by an integer number from 1 to 20, four examination grades must be kept. The final average is determined by simply averaging the four examination grades. You must allow the input of student grades via the keyboard. You are to construct a 20 x 6 two dimensional array in which the first column represents the student number, the 2nd through the 5th the examination scores, and the 6th column the final average. The following data is provided for verification of your program.
Student Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4
1 100 100 100 100
2 100 0 100 0
3 82 94 73 86
4 64 74 84 94
5 94 84 74 64


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Minneapolis represents a city that is hard to beat—really. Nestled in southeast Minnesota, this bustling destination is consistently voted one of the cleanest, healthiest, most walkable and most innovative cities in the United States. With world-renowned shopping, an irresistible art and dining scene, and endless rivers, lakes, and forests to explore, Minneapolis should skyrocket to the top of your list of cities to visit. Get much-needed rest for exploration within a conveniently-located IHG® Minneapolis, Minnesota hotel. Book today and start planning to discover all Minneapolis has to offer.
Things to See
While you may want to join the 40 million people that visit Minnesota's famous Mall of America per year, you'll have to step out of the box to get a true taste of Minneapolis. For those interested in contemporary art, the Walker Art Center (the upper Midwest's first public art gallery) and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden offer a feast for the eyes. Looking for an actual feast? Dig into a Korean BBQ pizza at Pizzeria Lola, or indulge in all the meat dishes your heart desires at Butcher & The Boar. Once you're all fueled up, visit some of Minneapolis' most notable attractions, including plays at the Fitzgerald Theater or Guthrie Theatre on the banks of the Mississippi River, and concerts, walks, and bike rides at Minnehaha Falls Park. Spend an afternoon on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul to bask in culture by taking in local restaurants and shops or transport yourself to the tropics at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.
Hotels in Minneapolis
From areas in downtown or close to the mall, to surrounding cities like Roseville, Shakopee, Rogers, and St. Paul, IHG hotels span widely around the Minneapolis area, offering travelling a wide range to choose from for maximum comfort and convenience. With this type of variety, you can choose a hotel closest to the priority spots on your list that you wish to visit.
Where to Stay
If you're travelling for work, downtown Minneapolis is likely the most convenient place to stay to get to meetings while staying close to museums, restaurants, and sports or concert venues. If you're interested in nightlife, downtown and uptown both offer active bars and clubs. Staying in Bloomington (south of downtown Minneapolis) or Eagan (southwest of Bloomington) offers close proximity to the Mall of America. Checking out the University of Minnesota? Roseville is your best bet to get close to the college and visit student hot spots.
How to Get to Minneapolis
Fly in at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), made up of two terminals. Trains from the airport to go downtown, providing easy access to your destination. You can also choose Amtrak or Northstar Line trains to get around the city and neighboring suburbs, or hail a cab. Minneapolis' four designated quadrants, grid system, and multi-colored street signs make getting around town quite easy. Since Minneapolis gets quite cold in the winter and like any city, rains from time to time, the city's enclosed walkways downtown and widespread bus and light-rail networks are appreciated and commonly used.
Insider's Guide to Getting Outside in Minneapolis
Check out this insider guide to outdoor activities you can enjoy in the Twin Cities.
Five FREE Things To Experience In Minneapolis
No need to break out your wallet—these fun Minneapolis activities are free.
To book more than 9 rooms for one stay or request a quote, please use our Easy Meetings tool or call 1-800-MEETING (in United States, Mexico and Canada).


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Banking on raising funds for a worthy cause were employees at the High Street branch of the NatWest Bank in Doncaster who organised a charity day.
The staff held a raffle and sold cakes and promotional items in aid of the Aurora cancer charity.
The workers are pictured with volunteers from the worthy cause during the day.


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Barbara Banker '63 to Receive School District's 'Award of Excellence'
February 1, 2012
Barbara (Smith) Banker, director of community services for School District 200 in Woodstock, Illinois, and 1963 graduate of DePauw University, will be the recipient of the second annual Award of Excellence. Banker, who is retiring at the end of the current school year, will be honored by the District 200 Education Foundation at a Saturday dinner.
The Northwest Herald of suburban Chicago notes that Banker joined District 200 in 1989. "A native of Illinois and a teacher and guidance counselor after graduating from DePauw University, Banker came to the district after serving four years in a similar position with the Clarkston, Mich., school district."
District 200 Superintendent Ellyn Wrzeski wrote a letter of recommendation for Banker, calling her "one of the most skilled, hardworking and dedicated individuals that I have ever worked with. Everything that Barb has done throughout her career in District 200 has reverberated throughout the district."
The newspaper notes that Banker -- who majored in sociology at DePauw -- has also been honored by the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association, which she has served in several roles, including president.
Read more at the Herald's website.Back


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Fearless Tom Cleverley quick to show his class for England against Italy
Tom Cleverley had cut and pasted a newspaper cutting on to his Facebook page before kick-off that summed up his thrill of the debut to come. It depicted one of the anticipated head-to-heads from the friendly with the Azzurri, a duel that pitted the fresh-faced youngster against the grizzled, battle-hardened Daniele de Rossi: a collision between a man with 76 caps against a boy with none. Yet, even 85 seconds into his international career, it was very clear Cleverley feels comfortable in this company.
By then the Manchester United midfielder was already picking himself from the turf with a wave of disgust offered towards the Swiss official, his flash of intuitive skill having hoodwinked Italy's captain for the night. De Rossi had ploughed through him regardless that the ball had long gone, a crunching tackle from behind that, if not necessarily intentional, would at least normally serve as a warning to any young pretender keen to dazzle. It said much about Cleverley's self-confidence that he did not shrink thereafter. This chance, even at 23, has been a long time coming and had to be taken.
Cleverley has already publicly conceded this must be a defining season for him at Old Trafford but, even before the domestic campaign is sparked, he had been presented with an opportunity to become an essential member of England's future. Roy Hodgson was in experimental mood against the Italians, his team's conquerors at Euro 2012, and the novice had been granted a key role in the side's evolution. Gone was the rigid 4-4-1-1 from Ukraine and instead came evidence that the English have players who can thrive in the more fluid and sophisticated surroundings of a 4-2-3-1.
"We do have quality players with good technique," Hodgson had claimed on the eve of the match. His faith in a player who has made only five Premier League starts for Manchester United to revel in that central attacking trio was evidence to back up that conviction. Cleverley has not been employed in the hole for his club. Indeed, with Team GB this month he had busied himself collecting the ball from deep, alongside the impressive Joe Allen, before meandering into more attacking positions. Here he darted into pockets of space, teasing Federico Balzaretti and Angelo Ogbonna when he escaped De Rossi's maniacal stare. The United player buzzed and prompted, fizzing passes to team-mates with the confidence of one who belonged. He appeared to be enjoying himself.
The eagerness was refreshing to behold, though it was also understandable. Had things turned out differently, Cleverley might have imposed the same qualities a year ago only for last summer's surge in form to prove a false dawn. He had dazzled as the then champions recovered a two-goal deficit to eclipse Manchester City in the Community Shield curtain-raiser, would have made his England debut against Holland a few days later only for the game to be postponed due to the London riots, then impressed again in the demolitions of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal that followed.
Such form hinted at a watershed, yet it was the frustration endured on the sidelines recovering from injury, damage initially sustained in a tackle from Kevin Davies in the rout of Bolton in mid-September, that came to define his campaign. Club appearances were sporadic thereafter, his involvement reduced to cameos in the spring. An insistence earlier this week that "I was 30 seconds from winning my first Premier League winner's medal" was him painting an optimistic picture. Had he not already sported a crew cut, he would have been tearing his hair out anyway.
His, at least, is an old head on relatively young shoulders. On the pitch, he has a maturity that has long been recognised by Sir Alex Ferguson – "He has a great understanding of the game," the United manager had said a year ago" – with his diligent and instinctive tracking back into the space vacated by Frank Lampard when the captain moved upfield an indication of his thought processes. Off the field of play he has recognised there is time aplenty ahead to make his mark, even if he need only have glanced at the club-mate at his back to comprehend that chances must be seized.
Michael Carrick was making his 23rd England appearance over 11 years since his debut in Sven-Goran Eriksson's first game in charge, his return here a recognition of England's principal failing at Euro 2012: an inability to retain possession. His range of passing is more impressive than that of most but he has not demanded inclusion enough in the seasons since. He rarely imposes himself on contests at this level. He could be England's metronome, setting their tempo, if he was more dynamic.
Maybe that role still awaits the 31-year-old, who took the armband from Lampard on his substitution and whose ability to summon flashes of class will surely appeal to Hodgson. Certainly Cleverley's energy and eager quality on the ball will also be on the manager's mind when it comes to selecting his squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers. One sharp rat-a-tat exchange with Ashley Young and Lampard, culminating in the veteran having a shot saved by Salvatore Sirigu, had demonstrated both his awareness and his potential. He pushed up further in support of Jermaine Defoe after the interval and sought out possession even if he, too, must develop that knack of conjuring magic from occasions this scrappy. Yet he has time on his side. A refusal to cower in De Rossi's presence represented a promising start.


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OCEAN CITY – Although the Ocean City Police Department has cut over $1 million from its budget over the course of the last four years, Mayor Rick Meehan urged them to find a way to trim another big expense.
Chief Bernadette DiPino updated the Mayor and Council on Tuesday, citing the department's ongoing efforts to cut spending and improve efficiency while still providing the same level of protection and service to the public.
DiPino stated that the department saved almost half a million dollars from their fiscal year 2008 budget of just over $18.7 million and is taking "huge steps" to continue to trim overtime and operational costs.
"We are looking at what we do and how we do it and then we do it in a more efficient manner. Even in boom times, it's the right thing to do", said DiPino.
The overtime budget for the department makes up almost 60 percent of the town's entire overtime budget in the summer months, and the month of June, makes up 25% of that total, or more than $400,000.
Budget Manager Jennie Knapp said last week in her overtime report the reason the month of June is so high as far as overtime goes is the majority of seasonal officers are not sworn in until the second week of June, necessitating year-round officers to work overtime to compensate.
Meehan challenged the chief to try to curb that large spike in overtime spending in June.
"Wouldn't it be more advantageous to start their training early or at some point to get down to one graduation class and get them sworn in earlier in order to cut down on overtime costs? The sooner you bring them on or even having one graduating class would save us a lot of money in overtime spending," he said.
DiPino said most of the seasonal officers are college students and have scheduling conflicts with classes and testing.
"If we moved the June graduating class, we'd lose a large pool of officers," she said.
DiPino said the fact that "the largest returning number of summer time officers on memory" are returning this year could reduce overtime costs, reporting only 59 returning officers will only have to go through a modified training session.
Council President Joe Mitrecic praised former Councilman Jay Hancock for his efforts to educate people on the importance of retaining summertime police officers. "The fact that we have 59 returning summer cops is a statement that he got something done," he said.
Mitrecic also gave "kudos" to DiPino for "doing your part to slim the department down in these times" by reducing the overtime budget.


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Playing God with plants!
Plants make and store energy from the sun using a process called photosynthesis. This process has evolved on planet earth over millions of years. How can we mess with plant DNA to improve on what nature has evolved?
Three research teams--each comprised of scientists from the United States and the United Kingdom--have been awarded a second round of funding to continue research on news ways to improve the efficiency of photosynthesis.
The ultimate goal of this potentially high-impact research is to develop methods to increase yields of important crops that are harvested for food and sustainable biofuels. But if this research is successful, it may also be used to support reforestation efforts and efforts to increase the productivity of trees for the manufacture of wood and paper and thousands of other products that are derived from wood and chemicals extracted from trees. Another reason why photosynthesis is an important research topic: It has made the Earth hospitable for life by generating food and oxygen.
A photosynthesizing organism uses sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce sugars that fuel the organism and release oxygen. But photosynthesis is a relatively inefficient process, usually capturing only about 5 percent of available energy, depending on how efficiency is measured. Nevertheless, some species of plants, algae and bacteria have evolved efficiency-boosting mechanisms that reduce energy losses or enhance carbon dioxide delivery to cells during photosynthesis.
Each of the three funded research teams is working, in a new and unique way, to improve, combine or engineer these types of efficiency-boosting mechanisms, so they may eventually be conferred on important crops that provide food or sustainable biofuels.
Scientists have long sought ways to increase the efficiency of photosynthesis but without, thus far, producing significant breakthroughs. The potentially transformational methods currently being pursued by the three funded teams were developed during an "Ideas Lab"--a workshop held in 2010 that was specially designed to generate innovative, potentially transformative research projects that might open longstanding bottlenecks to photosynthesis research.
If successful in helping to open such bottlenecks and generate ways to improve photosynthetic efficiency, any of the three re-funded research projects could provide critical support for efforts to address food and fuel challenges currently created by increasing human populations and other factors.
John Wingfield, NSF's assistant director for the Directorate of Biological Sciences, said, "Photosynthesis captures abundant and free solar energy and generates food and oxygen for the planet. Emerging technologies, like synthetic biology, are used in these potentially transformative projects to address the long-standing quest to increase efficiency of photosynthesis."
Photo of rainforest ferns via Shutterstock.
Read more at Research.gov.


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front page
List of Americans Abroad
Friedel, Aston Villa fade in English Premier League despite unbeaten streak.
After long layoff, Dempsey scores decisive goal, Fulham edges Juventus in Europa Cup.
Donovan's highly successful Everton tenure ends on quiet note.
Both succeeding in Greece, Johnson gets critical U.S. call, Adu does not.
'Player of Month' Donovan, Howard help Everton stun Chelsea, Man. United.
Friedel streak ends, but Villa draws with Manchester United 1-1.
Altidore goal helps Hull defeat Manchester City 2-1.
Beasley's car is destroyed in Scotland racial incident.
Cherundolo agravates ailing shoulder, will miss at least month for Hannover.
Donovan scores first, sparks Everton past Sunderland in Premier League.
Howard, Donovan go down with Everton, eliminated from FA Cup.
Dempsey avoids surgery, his World Cup hopes remain intact.
Donovan is impressive, helping Everton draw with Arsenal in his debut.
Busy Dempsey continues to make his mark with Fulham.
Adu joins Johnson as loan acquisitions by Aris of Greece.
Friedel posts three more shutouts as Aston Villa climbs in English Premier League.
Beasley finally gets starts and he responds for Rangers in big way.
Howard stops penalty kick, rallies slumping Everton to victory, draw.
Dempsey finds net twice, Fulham blanks Blackburn 3-0 in EPL.
Setback in recovery from shin injury casts doubt on Jones joining U.S. team.
Dempsey runs his EPL scoring streak to three games, helping Fulham tie Wigan 1-1.
Mönchengladbach, Bradley experience improved play in Bundesliga.
Dempsey regains scoring touch, helps Fulham drop Liverpool.
Davies improves, but faces several surgeries, long road back.
Dempsey, injured in England, will miss at least one U.S. qualifier.
Injury problems continue for DeMerit who hurts eye in accident.
Americans Abroad
(Monday, March 29, 2010) -- Aston Villa has taken pride this season in having one of the stingiest defense in the English Premier League. That came to an end Saturday.
Entering the weekend just behind league-leading Manchester United, having conceded 25 goals in 30 matches (United allowed 25 goals in 31 games), Villa was thrashed 7-1 by host Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, one of the worst outings in the long career of American goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
Chelsea was smarting from its Champions League failure and is now focused on winning the Premier League, where it trails Manchester United by one point.
After demolishing Portsmouth 5-0 Wednesday, Chelsea hosted Villa with the same determination. Friedel did well to stop a sharp, low drove from Frank Lampard in the 14 th minute, but a minute later Lampard found net with the first of his four goals.
Chelsea scored its goals on nine shots on frame.
Villa remained in seventh place at 13-6-12 with 51 points.
In a Saturday meeting between U.S. gpalkeepers, Everton and host Wolverhampton played to a 0-0 draw. While the score was even, the performances by the keepers were in no way comparable.
Tim Howard was not called on to make a save for Everton, while Marcus Hahnemann was sensational, making 10 stops. Wolves were outshot 24-10, but Hahnemann was up to the task, making excellent saves on Leon Osman, Leighton Baines and Louis Saha.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy said Hahnemann was "terrific" and added: "He has been since getting into the side, but (the whole team) have all had to work hard. It has been workmanlike, full of desire, effort and honesty."
Everton (13-9-10, 49 points) maintains an outside chance of earning a Europa League berth next season. If England is awarded a third spot in the second-tier European competition, it will go to the seventh-place Premier League finisher. Aston Villa currently is in seventh, two points and a game in hand ahead of Everton.
Wolves (8-16-8, 32) are tied for 14th place, five points clear of the relegation zone.
Hull City (6-16-9, 27) is in 18th place and in the relegation zone, tied on points and with a game in hand with West Ham United (6-17-9), but behind by 16 in the tiebreaking goal differential after surprising visiting Fulham 2-0 at Kingston Communications Stadium. Hull snapped a five-game losing streak.
U.S. striker Jozy Altidore started for Hull and had an impressive afternoon. In the 15th minute, Altidore took a pass in the penalty area box, settled, turned and was taken down by defender Chris Smalling. Jimmy Bullard converted the penalty kick.
Altidore, who picked up a yellow card in the 36th minute, was replaced in the 79th minute.
U.S. forward Clint Dempsey made his first start since coming back from a knee injury and went the full 90 minutes in a lineup that featured a number of reserves. Several starters were held out in anticipation of Fulham's Europa Cup match Thursday at home against Germany's VfL Wolfsburg.
U.S. defender Jonathan Spector went the distance for West Ham United, which suffered its sixth straight defeat 1-0 to visiting Stoke City at Upton Park.
Despite West Ham taking 19 shots, only three were on goal, and none came close to beating Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen.
In the second-division League Championship, Watford continued to cling to a perch just above the relegation zone after earning a much-needed point in a 1-1 home draw with Middlesbrough.
As usual, Watford's American captain Jay DeMerit was in the center of a Watford defense that held up well over 90 minutes. Watford (11-17-10, 43) is now four points clear of the relegation zone, ahead of Crystal Palace (12-14-13, 39) with a game in hand.
U.S. forward Kenny Cooper again spent the afternoon on Plymouth Argyle's bench in a 2-0 loss to Blackpool.
American defender Frank Simek was also on the bench, but did not play for Sheffield Wednesday in its 1-1 draw with Coventry City.
In the third-tier League One, American forward Mike Grella came on in the 15th minute for injured Luciano Becchio and Leeds United could not recover from losing its top striker, losing to Norwich City 1-0.
Norwich is in first place at 25-6-7 with 82 points, 11 ahead of Leeds (20-7-11), which is tied for second with Milwall (20-11-7). In its previous outing, Leeds lost to Milwall 2-0.
The top two teams are promoted with the next four going into a playoff with the winner moving up to the League Championship. Trailing Leeds and Milwall are Swindon Town (19-6-13) with 70 points and Charlton Athletic (18-6-14) with 68 points. Eight matches remain.
Do you have a comment on this story or something to say about soccer in general? Send us a letter.


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A Cy Young winning night in Game 1 of the World Series
Game 1 of the 2012 World Series featured three Cy Young Award winners, and one of them got rocked.
It wasn't Barry Zito.
It wasn't Tim Lincecum.
It was Justin Verlander.
On an amazing night at AT&T Park, Zito had another amazing outing. Zito gave up one run on six hits and one walk in 5 2/3 innings, striking out three.
Zito didn't want to come out with two outs in the sixth, after throwing 81 pitches.
Eighty-one pitches to get through almost six innings?!?!? From Zito!?!? He needed 76 to get through 2 2/3 in Cincinnati two weeks ago.
But in the past two postseason starts, Zito has been efficient with his pitches. He's stayed in the strike zone, pitched to contact and trusted his defense.
On Wednesday, they helped him out. Gregor Blanco made two very nice sliding catches on sinking liners off the bat of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. He got Dmitri Young to hit into a double play with a chop off the plate that was fielded nicely by Buster Posey.
When Zito averages fewer than four pitches per batter faced, good things happen.
In Game 5 of the NLCS, he averaged 3.97 pitches per batter. In Game 1 of the World Series, it was 3.52. In Game 4 of the NLDS vs. the Reds, it was 4.75.
In his final five starts of the regular season (all Zito wins, four of which were quality starts, the other one out from a quality start), Zito averaged 4.15, 3.81, 3.54, 3.78 and 3.88.
And then there was Tim Lincecum, who retired all seven batters he faced in 2 1/3 innings of relief, striking out five of them.
In Lincecum's one postseason start, he gave up four runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. In his four postseason relief appearances, he's given up one run on three hits with one walk and 14 strikeouts in 10 2/3 innings pitched.
"For me, it's just getting mentally locked in," Lincecum said. "When I'm starting, I fall off. I start thinking about the wrong things. When I'm in the bullpen, I'm just out there, just thinking about getting outs."
Clearly, the bullpen is the place for the Freak this October. And Bochy was brilliant to leave him there.
If there was one complaint about Bochy's usage of Lincecum, it's that I would have rather seen Lincecum not used in Game 1 to nurse a 6-1 lead when there were only 10 outs to get.
I felt like the Giants could have managed the relief innings Wednesday with the likes of George Kontos, Jeremy Affeldt, Jose Mijares and Santiago Casilla.
I would have felt much better with the Freak in the pen in Game 2, behind the out-of-whack Madison Bumgarner.
After Lincecum had only needed 19 pitches to get four outs, I thought Bochy should have gone to another reliever after the Giants added some insurance runs. But Lincecum came back for the eighth. Apparently Bochy made a commitment not to use Lincecum on back-to-back days, however many pitches he used.
But Bochy's thought process probably was that it was better to use a committee of 4-5 relievers in the event of another meltdown by MadBum in Game 2, given the day off on Friday, than to use the pen heavy in Game 1.
We'll see if he's right.
Or ever better, we won't have to see … provided that Bumgarner can give the Giants 5 or 6 quality innings. But that's something we haven't seen a lot of in the past two months.


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ACT trans-Tasman Test a World Cup audition
Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens says next year's first ever trans-Tasman rugby league Test in Canberra will be the "first step" towards 2013 World Cup selection.
The Canberra Test will be the first in a big year for League, with the 2013 World Cup to be held later in the year in the UK, Ireland and France.
Sheens said he expected the lure for players of competing in next year's World Cup would make the Canberra Test one to remember, as the Kangaroos ramped up their campaign to win back the World Cup trophy from the Kiwis.
"Every player who wants to be part of the World Cup squad will be aiming to play in this Test and perform well, and that should make for a great contest," Sheens said on Wednesday.
"There's no doubt a good performance always sticks in the mind, not only of myself as coach, but also the selectors.
"We need to win the game and we need to play well. And I think that's the first step towards World Cup selection."
Kiwis assistant coach Tony Iro said his team still had some improvements to make before they would be capable of beating the Kangaroos, but said they would "definitely" be paying attention to Sonny Bill Williams' return to League early next year.
"We're really excited about him coming back to the game," he said.
"But after his boxing and after he gets settled back into the NRL, then we can establish whether he is ready.
"Sonny is an experienced guy now, so he'll know himself, but he is definitely in our plans."
Test and Queenslander star David Shillington said playing the Kiwis was comparable to State of Origin.
"Every game is tough ... the Kiwi forward pack is massive and like I said, they always play aggressively," Shillington said.
"This could be the game where Sonny-Bill comes back and plays as well, so I'm looking forward to that aspect of it as well."
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