hullabaloo ageratum: March 2013

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Make The Ocean Your Play Area; Water Sports In Male

By: Nelson With a brilliant tropical weather and gorgeous beaches with crystal clear ocean waters and powdery sand beaches that set for endless miles, these islands exude the essence of any holiday, spelling out relaxation, rejuvenation and adventure with a healthy mixture of all three.

Maldives welcomes both veteran as well as new players into the excitement of water sports. The group of islets each has hotels and rest houses and villas that also provide services and centres that facilitate water sports, by providing and renting equipment like surfboards and other items to lending instructors and giving lessons in numerous water based sports. The range of water sports are so diverse and provide diving into the depths of the ocean or rising above it with the giant waves or gliding across it or merely sailing with it to different destinations. Diving and snorkelling offers fascinating views of the ravishing Indian Ocean and its treasure troves of colourful reefs, the haunts of manta rays and the flamboyance of multi coloured fish and other sea creatures that frolic in the waters.

Water skiing as well as wind surfing allows you to glide across the water and catch the wind while getting quite a bit of the warm sun and a glowing tan on your back while having the pleasure of a lifetime. Kayaking offers a more relaxed journey to explore the islands and the lagoon with its crystal clear waters at your own gentle pace and savour the scenery and the moments in the sun. kite surfing, para sailing and wake boarding are more adventurous forms of water sports that can also be seen in plenty around the coasts of Maldives by both locals and foreigners.

There is no end to the array of accommodation for the vast number of foreign visitors who travel to Maldives right around the year. However the requirements of some would be to ensure that they experience Luxury Holidays Maldives with an insight into all the heavenly and almost surreal experiences and exposure and sights that it can offer. This is where Silver Sands provides their services as a travel house that offers to tailor make your visit to your own whims and dreams by presenting Maldives and its various perspectives in a way that appeals to your tastes and requirements.

About the Author:
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

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South Africa "" Nature"s Backyard By: southafricatravel | Mar 29th 2013 - The journey of the oppressed clans of tribes, the relevance and the struggles of apartheid are even today resonant in many parts of South Africa.
Classification Of Modern Limo Services By: Shae Lynn | Mar 29th 2013 - Modern limo service providers have classified their services on the basis of diverse transportation needs and requirements of individuals. They range from wedding limo service to airport transfers, meet and greet wedding, graduation and corporate limo services in Vancouver.
Mexico City International Airport Information By: Philip Lord | Mar 28th 2013 - A brief article on Mexico City's Benito Juarez International airport. Including passenger facilites, location, transportation to and from the airport and which airlines serve the airport.
The Priceless Benefits Of Apartments On The Beach By: aayana | Mar 28th 2013 - Apartments on the beach are a great location to call home, to vacation, relax, and take in all of the waterfront activities and lifestyle has to offer. There are different styles and sizes of apartment homes for a single person, vacation rental or a large family of any size.
Saving Time And Energy Looking For Apartments For Air Force Professionals By: aayana | Mar 28th 2013 - As a busy military professional it is important to know that one has a secure and comfortable space to call home or for their family when they are not there. Apartments for Air Force professionals are provided on Base as well as in the nearby area to accommodate overflow and family nee ...
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Beijing Tours - The Best Places To Explore In Beijing By: Billy Harris | Mar 28th 2013 - China Travelling tours are a lot popular because China also lies in the list of those destinations that can make a trip memorable. China is rich is cultural heritage. It has got plenty of mammoth palaces, museums, templates, strolls and historical buildings that are quite exciting to b ...
Luxury Seminyak Accommodation By: Dewey Noel | Mar 28th 2013 - Sound appealing? Well without a doubt it is, company being able to stay in trendy Seminyak, effortlessly its stores ,nightlife and restaurants.
The Travel From Beijing To The Great Wall Of China By: Billy Harris | Mar 28th 2013 - Beijing being the capital of Peoples Republic of China has got a great historical and cultural background to represent. It has been more than 800 years since Beijing has been declared the capital city of China. In the year 2008 when Beijing hosted the 2008 Olympics Games, it started ...

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Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Make-The-Ocean-Your-Play-Area--Water-Sports-In-Male/4507888

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Friday, March 29, 2013

ZigBee IP spec goes public, offers open IPv6 mesh networking

While ZigBee hasn't become as ubiquitous in wireless as the likes of Bluetooth or WiFi, it has carved out niches in home automation and low-power gear. The format is about to expand its world a little further now that a more network-savvy spec, ZigBee IP, is officially available for everyone. The upgrade adds IPv6 and tougher security to the open mesh networking formula, letting it more easily join an internet of things where there's potentially billions of connected devices. The ZigBee Alliance isn't naming customers at this stage, although it's quick to note that ZigBee IP was built for smart grid use: don't be surprised if you first see it behind the scenes, keeping energy use in check.

Filed under: Household, Networking

Comments

Source: ZigBee Alliance

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/ZkzyxVKfeSw/

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Thursday, March 28, 2013

PFT: Browns announce signing of QB Campbell

As the calendar approaches April, the pre-draft spin cycle will soon hit overdrive.

The rules are simple.? Teams that don?t like a player will say good things about him, hoping that someone with a higher pick will take the player, which will push a more viable prospect down the board.? Teams that like a player will say bad things about him, hoping that he?ll still be there when the team makes its pick.

It?s important to keep those rules in mind when considering any off-the-record assessments of players by scouts and coaches who, depending on the teams for which they work, may be hoping to influence what other teams will or won?t do.

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports spoke to scouts and coaches from multiple unnamed teams who attended the Monday Pro Day workout of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te?o.? And none of those folks regard Te?o as a first-round pick.

?Nice player, but not worth a first-round pick.? Not in my view,? said an unnamed ?AFC personnel man.?

?He?s not a star,? an AFC head coach said.? ?If I?m taking a linebacker in the first round, I want a guy who can change my defense.? Trust me, I?ve been wrong about linebackers before, but this guy doesn?t fit the bill of what I spend a high pick on.?

?[H]e?s not good enough in my view,? an NFC defensive coordinator said.

We don?t doubt for a second that these sources said what Cole says they said.? But without knowing which team they work for, it?s impossible to know whether they really mean it.

It?s a common reality of the pre-draft process.? Scouts and coaches knock certain players, possibly because the scouts and coaches believe what they?re saying ? and possibly because they have an agenda.? When it comes to the draft, everyone has an agenda.? When it comes to the strategy-driven NFL, everyone periodically (or more often) tells untruths to advance their agenda.

We?re not saying it?s right or it?s wrong.? That?s just the way it is.? But that makes it impossible to put much stock in the things being said by unnamed sources who may be secretly hoping that the player they?re knocking slides into their laps.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/26/browns-announce-acquisition-of-jason-campbell/related/

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James Holmes offers to plead guilty

Click image to see more photos. (Pool/Reuters)

[Updated at 6:25 p.m. ET]

The man jailed in the Aurora, Colo., movie theater massacre is willing to plead guilty to avoid being executed, according to a court motion filed on Wednesday.

The offer from James Holmes, who is charged with shooting 70 moviegoers last July, killing 12, would mean his spending life in prison without parole.

News of the offer comes five days before prosecutors were scheduled to announce whether they will seek the death penalty in the case.

"The prosecution at this time has not accepted that offer because it may choose to pursue the death penalty. Consequently, it appears the only impediment to a resolution of this case would be if the prosecution chooses to seek the death penalty," defense attorneys wrote in the motion, which was published online by the Denver Post. "If the prosecution elects not to pursue the death penalty, it is Mr. Holmes' position that this case could be resolved April 1."

?Yes!? shooting victim Marcus Weaver shouted when Yahoo News told him of Holmes' offer.

Weaver's right shoulder was peppered with gunshot pellets when the heavily armed assailant burst in and opened fire during a midnight showing of the Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises." Rebecca Wingo, one of his best friends, died in the attack.

"Admitting to what he did is doing us all a favor," Weaver said on Wednesday. "Without a long, drawn-out trial, then we can move forward. As a community, it would bring about more healing."

According to the motion, defense attorneys made the plea offer prior to the suspect's arraignment earlier this month. If prosecutors reject the offer, "counsel will vigorously present and argue any and all appropriate defenses at a trial or sentencing proceeding, as necessary," Holmes' lawyers wrote.

During Holmes' arraignment on March 12, his lead attorney, Daniel King, told Judge William Sylvester that the suspect wasn't prepared to enter a plea because the defense wasn't sure if the prosecution planned to seek the death penalty. Knowing that could alter Holmes' plea and significantly alter how the defense moves forward, King explained.

The judge then entered a plea of not guilty on Holmes' behalf and noted that the defense would have the opportunity to change its plea at a later date.

The prosecution has repeatedly sought input from victims and victims' families on major decisions. Weaver said late on Wednesday that he had not yet heard from the district attorney's office, but he predicted they would be calling soon.

"I'll tell them to take the deal," Weaver told Yahoo News.

Yahoo staff writer Tim Skillern contributed to this story from Denver.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/shooting-supsect-james-holmes-reportedly-offers-plead-guilty-210535570.html

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Requests for lower-back MRIs often unnecessary, experts say

Mar. 25, 2013 ? More than half of lower-back MRIs ordered at two Canadian hospitals were either inappropriate or of questionable value for patients. And family doctors were more apt to order these unnecessary tests compared to other specialists, demonstrates newly published medical research from Alberta and Ontario teams. The findings are important because in some parts of the country, MRI tests for the lower back account for about one-third of all MRI requests. Across the country, wait times for MRIs are long and patient access is limited.

The findings were published online in the peer-reviewed journal, JAMA Internal Medicine, earlier today. The lead author is Derek Emery, a U of A researcher in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and a neuroradiologist. His co-authors included: Tom Feasby from the University of Calgary, Alan Forster and Naghmeh Mojaverian from the University of Ottawa and Kaveh Shojania from the University of Toronto.

The research, which was led by the U of A and U of C, found more than 50 per cent of the lumbar spine or lower-back MRIs had questionable value or were deemed inappropriate. However, the study found requests for head MRIs in patients with headaches were appropriate 83 per cent of the time. The researchers used best evidence and expert opinion to determine whether the scans were appropriate. MRIs for the back are usually done to determine the cause of back pain, while head MRIs in this study were done to identify the cause of headaches.

"It is commonly believed that MRI is overused and this is the first time its use has been rigorously measured," says Emery. "The results tell us that we should not assume there is overuse in any given area without measuring. We were surprised by the results about head MRIs -- we thought the rate of inappropriate use would have been much higher but the results showed otherwise."

Tom Feasby, a neurologist at the U of C and member of the Institute for Public Health and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, added: "We had suspected that MRI scans might be overused but we had to do the study to be sure. We wanted to gather evidence to help make the health system safer and more effective." Emery said the study results indicate MRI use of the lower back may need to be reined in since the requests for these tests have rocketed in recent years.

"MRI is a limited resource in Alberta, so if the number of inappropriate MRIs can be reduced, there will be more capacity to perform MRIs on patients who really need them This is all about improving patient care, imaging those patients who will benefit and not imaging those who will not. It is important to note that we did not measure underuse of MRIs. There are many patients who would benefit from MRIs who are not being imaged due to lack of access."

When it came to lower back MRIs, about 34 per cent of those tests ordered by family doctors were considered appropriate. MRIs ordered by neurologists and orthopedic surgeons had value in less than 50 per cent of the cases examined, while neurosurgeons had a higher rate of pegging a test's value -- at 75 per cent.

These findings demonstrate doctors may need to be better educated about when it's appropriate to order an MRI, Emery says. Creating a tool that could give doctors instant feedback when submitting a request for an MRI on behalf of a patient would also be beneficial. Both of these solutions are currently being examined to help reduce overuse of lower-back MRIs, he said.

"I think we need to provide better tools to doctors to help them determine when imaging of the lower back is likely to help," says Emery, who is an associate professor in the departments of radiology and diagnostic imaging, and biomedical engineering at the U of A.

The research teams looked at requests for MRI imaging of the lumbar spine and head at the University of Alberta Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital. They looked at outpatient requisitions for MRIs at the Edmonton site from the spring of 2008 to the fall of 2009, while requisitions from the eastern Canada site were reviewed from the fall of 2008 to the spring of 2010. In total, 2,000 MRI imaging requests were reviewed -- 500 for the head and 500 for the spine at each site.

The research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research who "congratulated Dr. Feasby, Dr. Emery, and their teams on the publication of these important research findings," said Jane Aubin, CIHR's Chief Scientific Officer and Vice-President of Research and Knowledge Translation.

"Under Canada's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research, we are seeking to bring research evidence to the front lines of health care, and these findings are poised to do just that."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Journal Reference:

Derek J. Emery et al. Overuse of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. JAMA Internal Medicine, 2013; : 1 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.3804

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/MdppBEa74qI/130325183945.htm

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Rotoworld: Team-by-team NFL free agent buzz

Free agency came hard, and it came fast on Tuesday. We here at Rotoworld were cranking out blurbs all day long as the smoke wafted out of our keyboards.

There were a couple of first-day winners, but I won?t go as far as to say there were losers. After all, we?re only one day into the madness. Let?s get to the action, and there sure was plenty of it.

The 49ers enjoyed a relatively quiet Tuesday after making noise on Monday. ? San Francisco has lined up three free-agent visits for the coming days: safeties LaRon Landry and Charles Woodson and defensive end Glenn Dorsey. Landry and Woodson make sense as cheaper replacements for free agent safety Dashon Goldson. Dorsey would be a nice fallback plan to free agent Ricky Jean-Francois. ? The Niners were interested in defensive lineman Desmond Bryant, but they never got a chance to talk to him. He inked a monster five-year, $34 million deal with the Browns on Tuesday. ? San Fran is said to still be in the mix for free agent cornerback Sean Smith, but common assumption is that he?s out of their price range. ? The Ed Reed speculation figures to be a smokescreen, but we wouldn?t rule it out just yet.

The Bears spent some coin on the opening day of free agency. Chicago locked up left tackle Jermon Bushrod to a five-year, $36 million pact and tight end Martellus Bennett to a four-year, $21 million deal. Bushrod will replace turnstile J?Marcus Webb on Jay Cutler?s blindside, while Webb and Gabe Carimi figure to duke it out for the right tackle gig. Bennett was arguably the top tight end on the market. He?s young, an excellent blocker, and creates mismatches over the middle of the field. Bennett has TE1 fantasy potential as Cutler?s No. 2 target in the passing game. ? The Bears were interested in free agents left guard Andy Levitre and Phil Loadholt before they signed with the Titans and Vikings respectively. ? Franchise player Henry Melton signed his tender and will earn $8.5 million in 2013. ? Chicago has yet to respond to free agent Brian Urlacher?s contract proposal, and they don?t appear to be in a rush to do so. GM Phil Emery could look Urlacher and fellow free agent linebacker Nick Roach?s way on Wednesday.

The Bengals kept the wallet tightly closed on Tuesday, just as we?ve grown accustomed to with them. They did re-sign 29-year-old left end Robert Geathers to a new deal. He?s the Bengals? longest-tenured player, and will be entering his tenth season with the club. ? Free agent running backs Mike Goodson, Beanie Wells, and Reggie Bush are expected to make visits. Bush might not make it out of Detroit. Wells is essentially the same player as BenJarvus Green-Ellis, except worse. We do like Goodson?s fit as a change-of-pace back.

The Bills? lone move on Tuesday was the release of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. The transaction brings a $10-plus million cap hit for 2013, but GM Buddy Nix realized it was time to move on from that mistake. Nix was recorded in a phone conversation saying he believed Fitzpatrick was nothing more than a backup. Buffalo looks to be the early favorites for West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith in the draft. The Bills pick No. 8 overall, but they may have to trade up to the No. 1 spot to get ahead of Jacksonville at No. 2.

The Broncos were one of the more active teams on Tuesday. Denver signed left guard Louis Vasquez away from the division rival Chargers on a four-year, $23.5 million deal. Vasquez, 26 next month, is a fine pass blocker and was arguably the top guard on the market. His arrival puts incumbent right guard Chris Kuper?s future in Denver in doubt. Kuper, 30, hasn?t been able to stay healthy anyway. ? Defensive tackle Kevin Vickerson was re-signed to a two-year deal. He started 14 games last season and proved to be a quality run defender. The Broncos are reportedly close to an agreement with free agent defensive tackle Terrance Knighton to play next to Vickerson. They?ve also kicked the tires on free agent Richard Seymour. ? The Broncos are said to be the favorites for free agent running back Rashard Mendenhall, but he may not make it out of his visit with Arizona. His signing would likely spell the end for Willis McGahee. ? Free agents cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, safety Louis Delmas, and linebacker Stewart Bradley are scheduled to visit Denver. ? Right end Elvis Dumervil has changed his stance on the pay cut front, and he is now open to a slash. Peyton Manning wants his old buddy free agent Dwight Freeney to join him in Denver. Speaking of Manning, the Broncos guaranteed his $20 million base salaries for 2013 and 2014.

The Browns made two of the biggest signings of the day. Outside linebacker Paul Kruger agreed to a five-year, $41 million deal, and defensive lineman Desmond Bryant signed the dotted line of a five-year, $34 million contract. Cleveland?s front seven is looking pretty sharp. Kruger will bookend Jabaal Sheard, and Bryant will likely play end on the front line with Ahtyba Rubin and nose tackle Phil Taylor. ? Free agent outside linebacker Quentin Groves will make a visit. He played under DC Ray Horton in Arizona last season.

The Bucs didn?t spend any money on Tuesday, but they?re linked to plenty of big names. Tampa Bay is rumored to be the destination for Darrelle Revis via trade, but there are still hurdles to be cleared. Other teams may be interested, as well. ? The Bucs are in the midst of wooing free agent safety Dashon Goldson, and the two sides are said to be close on a deal. ? Tampa Bay is one of a handful of teams in the mix for free agent cornerback Sean Smith. ? As you can see, there?s a common theme here. The Bucs are intent on fixing a dreadful pass defense. ? Other free agents linked to the Bucs: cornerbacks Brent Grimes and Derek Cox and defensive end Cliff Avril. ? GM Mark Dominik is actively searching for a No. 2 quarterback and someone to push Josh Freeman. The Bucs came up as a potential destination for Patriots quarterback Ryan Mallett. Dominik is also interested in free agent Drew Stanton. ? Offensive lineman Jamon Meredith is reportedly up for trade. They?d be lucky to get a late-rounder for him.

The Cardinals have plenty of free-agent visits lined up, and they include quarterback Drew Stanton, running backs Reggie Bush and Rashard Mendenhall, safety LaRon Landry, linebacker Rey Maualuga, and cornerback Jerraud Powers. Bush is unlikely to make it to the desert. The Lions are putting the full-court press on him. Mendenhall is more realistic. Maualuga and Daryl Washington would make a nice inside linebacker duo. ? Arizona is one of free agent returner Josh Cribbs? two choices, and free agent linebacker Lorenzo Alexander is rumored to be signing with the Cardinals.

The Chargers signed a couple second- or third-tier free agents in offensive tackle King Dunlap and tight end John Phillips. Phillips was given a three-year deal. He?ll likely replace Randy McMichael as the blocking tight end in San Diego. McMichael was released on Tuesday, along with nose tackle Antonio Garay. ? Free agent cornerbacks Derek Cox and Jerraud Powers are scheduled to visit. ? Running back Fozzy Whittaker was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals.

The Chiefs snatched up a few depth players as free agency opened. Defensive lineman Mike DeVito signed a three-year, $12.6 million deal, tight end Anthony Fasano inked a four-year, $16 million pact, and quarterback Chase Daniel was signed for three years and $10 million. DeVito likely replaces free agent Glenn Dorsey at right end, and Fasano will be the No. 2 tight end and blocking specialist behind Tony Moeaki. Daniel got a nice payday for a backup, but we wouldn?t expect him to give Alex Smith a run for the starting job in 2013. ? Kansas City is reportedly trying to trade Matt Cassel, but they?re not going to find any takers.

Free agency came hard, and it came fast on Tuesday. We here at Rotoworld were cranking out blurbs all day long as the smoke wafted out of our keyboards.

There were a couple of first-day winners, but I won?t go as far as to say there were losers. After all, we?re only one day into the madness. Let?s get to the action, and there sure was plenty of it.

The Colts weren?t afraid to open up the pocketbook. Indianapolis went out and got a right tackle in Gosder Cherilus on a five-year, $34 million deal. He?s a massive upgrade on Winston Justice, and is a strong pass protector. Offensive guard Donald Thomas was brought in to help the interior of the line. He can play all three spots. ? Cornerback Greg Toler was signed to a three-year, $15 million contract. Fellow cornerback Darius Butler re-upped in Indianapolis for two more years. Toler and Vontae Davis will likely handle the outside, while Butler mans the slot. ? The Colts also brought in a couple of pass-rushers. Outside linebacker Erik Walden got the surprise deal of the day at four years and $16 million. GM Ryan Grigson added outside linebacker Lawrence Sidbury to the mix, too. It remains to be seen if free agent Cliff Avril is still on the radar. ? Free agent safety LaRon Landry set up a visit.

The Cowboys laid low on Tuesday. They don?t have any money to spend, but Dallas was mentioned as having interest in free agent linebackers Brian Urlacher and Chase Blackburn. Urlacher doesn?t make a whole lot of sense with Sean Lee in the middle already, but Blackburn could compete for the strong-side job. The Cowboys were also linked to free agent DeAngelo Hall. They reportedly view him as a free safety. ? Franchise player Anthony Spencer signed his tender and will earn $10.627 million in 2013.

The Dolphins were the big spenders of the day. They fired the first shots by signing receiver Mike Wallace to a five-year, $60 million contract that includes $30 million guaranteed. We?re not big on Wallace?s fantasy prospects in Miami, but his addition certainly opens up the offense. ? Miami added a pair of linebackers, while also subtracting two. Dannell Ellerbe signed a five-year, $35 million deal, and Philip Wheeler inked a five-year, $26 million contract. It?s not quite certain what spots they?ll play, but middle linebacker Karlos Dansby and strong-side linebacker Kevin Burnett were released to make room. Ellerbe is strong against the run, and Wheeler can do it all. ? Free safety Chris Clemons re-upped for one year. ? GM Jeff Ireland missed on tight ends Jared Cook and James Casey. ? The Fins are likely moving on from free agent left tackle Jake Long, and they appear dead-set on moving Jonathan Martin to the blindside. ? The Dolphins are interested in a trio of free agent cornerbacks: Antoine Cason, Captain Munnerlyn, and Chris Houston. They could be searching for two starters.

The Eagles were never expected to go after any big-ticket items in free agency, and they didn?t. Philadelphia did bring in a handful of quality players, though. Outside linebacker Jason Phillips and cornerback Bradley Fletcher signed two-year deals. H-back James Casey, nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga, and safety Pat Chung inked three-year deals. Sopoaga?s is for $12 million. ? We really like the signings of Casey, Chung, and Fletcher. Casey is a perfect fit as a ?joker? in Chip Kelly?s spread-out offensive attack. Fletcher is a big corner who can play press coverage in DC Billy Davis? system, and Chung was with Kelly at Oregon. He?s a physical player, and is easily the best safety on the team at the moment. ? The Eagles finally released cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Fellow cornerback bust Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will not be re-signed.

The Falcons continued locking up their own players. Left tackle Sam Baker, one of the better free-agent left tackles left on the market at the time, re-upped on a six-year deal. It?s quite the score for a guy that has battled back issues throughout his career. Baker picked the right time to have his best season. ? A report leaked that free agent cornerback Brent Grimes was re-signing in Atlanta, but that was later retracted. Grimes is still on the market. ? Center Todd McClure announced his retirement. Peter Konz is expected to move to center in 2013. ? The Falcons are sniffing around on free agent defensive tackle Richard Seymour. He?d be a good fit. Atlanta needs to get bigger in the middle.

The Giants are another team that is strapped by the cap at the moment. However, they did bring back a familiar face on Tuesday. Cornerback Aaron Ross returns to New York after a one-year stint in Jacksonville. ? Running back Ryan Torain was re-signed after being non-tendered as a restricted free agent. ? With Martellus Bennett now officially out of the picture, second-year tight end Adrien Robinson might see an increased role. He played very limited snaps as a rookie, but he?s a height/weight/speed specimen.

The Jaguars weren?t linked to a single free agent on Tuesday. They?re not expected to join the fray until the second wave of free agency.

The Jets were pretty active for a team with limited funds. Cornerback Antonio Cromartie and receiver Santonio Holmes restructured their deals to help alleviate some pressure. Nose tackle Sione Pouha was released in a money-saving move. ? Gang Green is interested in quite a few second-tier free agents: quarterback Jason Campbell, receivers Braylon Edwards, Mohamed Massaquoi, and Brandon Gibson, and running back Mike Goodson. Gibson is the only one that has scheduled a visit. He?d vault to the No. 2 receiver spot on the depth chart if signed. ? The Jets are engaged in Darrelle Revis trade talks, but no deal is imminent. That could change any moment.

The Lions were the pre-free agency darlings. They were being connected to almost every free agent, but they didn?t make any major moves on the opening day. Special teams ace Kassim Osgood re-upped for one year. Kicker Jason Hanson said he?d like to return for another season. He?s a free agent, but the two sides will likely work something out. Detroit extended a second-round tender to restricted free agent defensive end Willie Young. Safety Amari Spievey, a restricted free agent, signed a one-year deal, as well. ? The Lions have four free-agent visits lined up. Running back Reggie Bush is already in town, and Detroit has reportedly offered him the full-time running back gig. They?re considered the front-runner. Defensive lineman Jason Jones and safeties Glover Quin and LaRon Landry are also expected to make visits. ? Detroit made an offer to free agent receiver Domenik Hixon, but he has tabled it as he searches for a better one.

The Packers remain the favorites for free agent running back Steven Jackson?s services, and there are reports that a deal is close to being done. Jackson would be a massive upgrade on who Green Bay has been trotting out there in recent years. ? Free agent running back Peyton Hillis visited on Tuesday. ? The Packers extended a second-round tender to restricted free agent cornerback Sam Shields. They failed to tender offers to tight Tom Crabtree and linebackers Frank Zombo and Rob Francois, making them free agents. ? Green Bay reportedly made free agent receiver Greg Jennings an offer for $10 million annually. If true, Jennings would be crazy not to take it. Some think Jennings is likely to end up back in Green Bay, and we tend to lean that way, too. Jermichael Finley could then be released in a corresponding move.

The Panthers are another team that is expected to keep quiet during the opening days of free agency. Carolina released linebacker James Anderson to free up a little bit of money, and they re-signed tight end Ben Hartsock. Anderson, 30 in September, was one of ex-GM Marty Hurney?s many busts. Thomas Davis, Jon Beason, and Luke Kuechly will handle linebacker duties. ? Carolina failed to tender offers to defensive tackle Andre Neblett and cornerback Nate Ness.

The Patriots lurked in the shadows on Tuesday. New England lets everyone else make the silly deals, and they find value. ? Talks have reportedly broken down with free agent slot receiver Wes Welker, but we?re still not ready to rule him out. Fellow free agent slot machine Danny Amendola is waiting in the wings as a fallback plan. ? A Ryan Mallet trade is unlikely. The Browns and Bucs remain interested. ? New England is one of free agent return man Josh Cribbs? top-two choices, along with Arizona.

The Raiders cut bait with three more players. First-round busts receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey and safety Michael Huff were among them. Defensive end Dave Tollefson, a free agency failure from last offseason, was the other. We like Heyward-Bey as a fit with the Vikings or Patriots. It?s quite possible Oakland has the worst roster in the league. We certainly think so. ? Cornerback Phillip Adams wasn?t tendered an offer as a restricted free agent, but he later re-signed for one year and $630,000. He might have a shot at a starting job in 2013 the way it?s looking now.

The Rams had their sights on tight end Jared Cook, and they landed him for five years and $35.1 million. He?s essentially replacing Danny Amendola as the slot receiver in St. Louis, since he can?t block much at all. The Rams were set on finding more weapons for Sam Bradford, and Cook?s vertical skills are some of the best in the league. Cook chose the Rams over the Dolphins and Browns. ? Free agent left tackle Jake Long will visit on Wednesday, and he is expected to sign as long as he passes a physical. ? Free agent safety Louis Delmas arrived in St. Louis on Tuesday night and he?ll also officially visit on Wednesday. His old position coach with the Lions, Tim Walton, is the new defensive coordinator with the Rams. ? The Rams re-signed defensive end William Hayes to a three-year, $10.5 million deal. It?s a good keep after Hayes had a career year in 2012. He was expected to draw heavy interest on the open market. ? St. Louis extended an original-pick tender to safety Darian Stewart.

The Ravens suffered a crushing blow by losing linebacker Dannell Ellerbe to the Dolphins, but they did lock up a few of their own free agents on Tuesday. Special teams ace David Reed signed a two-year, $2.5 million deal, long snapper Morgan Cox re-upped, safety James Ihedigbo signed a one-year contract, and offensive lineman Ramon Harewood inked a one-year pact of his own. ? Baltimore also added a new face to the defensive line. Chris Canty signed a three-year, $8 million deal. He?s likely to play end for the Ravens. ? Baltimore is believed to be one of two teams interested in free agent receiver Danny Amendola.

The Redskins continued to keep the 2012 team together as much as possible. Defensive end Kedric Golston re-signed for three years and $5.2 million. The rotational lineman recorded 16 tackles in 16 games last season. Santana Moss reworked his deal, and he?ll be back to compete for a roster spot this summer.

The Saints lost a big part of their offense in left tackle Jermon Bushrod on Tuesday. He was thought of as a top priority in New Orleans, but the Saints wouldn?t fork out the dough. He instead signed a five-year, $36 million deal in Chicago. Charles Brown is expected to compete for the starting job on Drew Brees? blindside. ? Defensive end Will Smith and linebacker both took pay cuts to stay with the Saints. Smith took a $6 million hit, and Vilma took a $3.7 million slash. New Orleans also released linebacker Will Herring. ? Free agent cornerback Derek Cox is scheduled to make a visit.

The Seahawks were busy introducing new acquisition Percy Harvin to the media on Tuesday. He?ll wear No. 11 for Seattle, and he inked a new six-year, $67 million deal upon his arrival. Harvin is now the league?s fifth-highest paid receiver in terms of annual average behind Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Mike Wallace, and Dwayne Bowe. ? Kick returner and running back Leon Washington was released. The 30-year-old should latch on elsewhere. ? There reportedly isn?t much cooking on the Matt Flynn trade front.

The Steelers took care of a few of their own on Tuesday. Fullback David Johnson re-signed for one year, linebacker Larry Foote re-upped on a three-year deal, and receiver Plaxico Burress is expected to get a one-year deal, too. Outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley finally restructured his deal, and left guard Willie Colon was released. Pittsburgh designated him as a post-June 1 cut, allowing them to spread the cap hit out over 2013 and 2014. ? The Steelers are interested in free agent running back Beanie Wells. Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski and linebacker Dan Connor are scheduled to make free-agent visits. Connor played his college ball at Penn State. We don?t like the Wells fit. Pittsburgh already has two plodders in Jonathan Dwyer and Isaac Redman.

The Texans remained quiet, as well. Houston released receiver Kevin Walter, clearing the way for the team to finally address the No. 2 receiver spot with an athlete. ? Free agent outside linebacker Connor Barwin?s chances of re-signing remain slim.

The Titans were the big winner of the day. Tennessee addressed one of the biggest holes on the team by signing top free agent guard Andy Levitre to a six-year, $46.8 million deal. Levitre is a top pass-blocking guard, but he?s also a quality run blocker. Jake Locker and Chris Johnson certainly signed off on it. The Titans could make their line one of the best in football by drafting one of Jonathan Cooper or Chance Warmack with the No. 10 overall pick in the draft. ? Tight end Delanie Walker inked a four-year, $17.5 million contract. One of the top blocking tight ends in football, Tennessee will likely pair him with raw and athletic Taylor Thompson to replace Jared Cook?s production. ? Tennessee is also expected to sign free agent defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill. The wide-bodied former Lion is adept at pushing the pocket. Free agent linebacker Moise Fokou has scheduled a visit. ? The Titans released guard Mitch Petrus and safety Jordan Babineaux. They?re also shopping receiver Nate Washington as they eye free agent Danny Amendola.

The Vikings were also a winner on the opening day of free agency. Sure, they didn?t go out and sign any new players, but they kept some important pieces. Mauling right tackle Phil Loadholt re-signed for four years and $25 million after flirting with the Bears. Exceptional lead blocker fullback Jerome Felton agreed to a three-year, $7.5 million deal. Run-stuffing weak-side linebacker Erin Henderson agreed to a two-year contract, as did safety Jamarca Sanford. Backup center Joe Berger signed a one-year deal, and so did receiver Jerome Simpson. We don?t like the Simpson deal. At all. ? However, the Vikings did make a release that rubbed some people in the organization the wrong way. Cornerback Antoine Winfield was cut. He?s still one of the best slot corners in the game, and shouldn?t be on the market for long. ? Tight end John Carlson restructured his contract. He?s shaping up as a free-agent bust. ? The Vikings aren?t actively pursuing free agent receiver Greg Jennings, but they could if his price comes down. Danny Amendola could also be an option. Minnesota badly needs receivers. ? Minnesota may be interested in quarterback Matt Cassel once he gets released by the Chiefs.

Source: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/42754/310/nfl-hot-stove-day-2

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Claims Of A Meteorite's Ancient Aquatic Fossils Spark Debate

Images show what researchers say could be a "hystrichosphere," a fossilized dinoflagellate cyst.

Journal of Cosmology

Images show what researchers say could be a "hystrichosphere," a fossilized dinoflagellate cyst.

Journal of Cosmology

A meteorite that lit the sky over Sri Lanka with a yellow and green flame when it fell to earth on Dec. 29, 2012, contains "fossilized biological structures," according to researchers in Britain, Sri Lanka, and the United States. Elaborating on claims they first made in January, the scientists are also seeking to answer critics who are skeptical of their findings.

The team, led by Jamie Wallis of Cardiff University and Chandra Wickramasinghe, director of the Buckingham Center for Astrobiology, says that electron microscope images depict what look to be microscopic diatoms, a form of algae, along with other structures in fragments of the meteorite.

Such a finding would bolster the theory of "panspermia," which Wickramasinghe helped develop, and which posits that asteroids and other bodies spread tiny tidbits of life as they travel through space.

The study released Monday is based on a sample that was gathered by police and examined by the Medical Research Institute of the Ministry of Health in Colombo. Scientists say they later obtained 628 other samples, of which only three were found to be possible meteorite fragments.

The researchers say they analyzed the stones with a scanning electron microscope at Cardiff University, which "resulted in a number of images showing diatom frustules, some of which were clearly embedded in the rock matrix, thereby excluding the possibility of post-arrival contamination." Frustules, we should note, are the silica-based shells of diatoms.

The new study expands on a paper published in January, which reported "the discovery for the first time of diatom frustules in a carbonaceous meteorite" that fell near the historic city of Polonnaruwa.

That initial bulletin was criticized for its lack of detail on how the samples were recovered, with many observers concluding that the samples had been contaminated by water in the rice paddies that dot the region. And some have questioned whether a meteorite actually fell near Polonnaruwa. It is not registered, for instance, at the Meteoritical Society's site.

But that has not deterred the study's leaders from saying their work may represent one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in hundreds of years. And they say the samples' extremely low levels of nitrogen provide further proof that they have found ancient fossils.

"I think the discovery of an unequivocal microbial structure such as a diatom, deeply trapped in the rock matrix, proves beyond doubt that this life existed in the parent comet from which the meteorite was derived," Wickramasinghe told Sri Lanka's The Island news site in January. "The highly intricate and woven patterns on the outer shells of diatoms are impossible to generate by any other process than biology.... The cosmic ancestry of humans becomes ever more securely established."

Technology Review, which notes that the new study must be peer-reviewed ? and samples must be shared with other scientists ? before its theories can be considered, also notes a couple of alternate explanations:

"One is that the fireball was of terrestrial origin, a remnant of one of the many asteroid impacts in Earth's history that that have ejected billions of tonnes of rock and water into space, presumably with biological material inside. Another is that the structures are not biological and have a different explanation."

After the January study was published, astonomer Phil Plait wrote a detailed and deeply skeptical review of the findings for Slate. In short, he said the researchers were wrong ? or, as he put it, "meteorwrong."

Plait consulted evolutionary biology professor Patrick Kociolek of the University of Colorado at Boulder, who found that "the 'source' of the diatoms from outer space, must have gone through the same evolutionary events as here on earth." The sample, Kociolek said, was clearly contaminated.

This afternoon, Plait offered an analysis of the new study, in which he remains unconvinced of its merits.

Both of the studies by Wallis, Wickramasinghe, and their colleagues were published in The Journal of Cosmology, which has previously been moved to defend its articles, including a 2011 paper that stated "structures in rare meteorites appear to be microscopic fossils of extraterrestrial beings that resemble algae known as cyanobacteria," as The Guardian reported.

The skeptical response to that article, The Journal of Cosmology's editors wrote, caused them to reminisce about "totalitarian states and theocracies, where defenders of the faith, and Grand Inquisitors, armed with their Bibles, threatened, tortured, and killed those who challenged prevailing dogma." The Journal's editorial statement was posted by David Dobbs for the Neuron Culture blog at Wired.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/11/174041948/claims-of-a-meteorites-ancient-aquatic-fossils-spark-debate?ft=1&f=1007

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Sunday, March 10, 2013

How the next pope will be chosen, step by secret step

The cardinals will fill out ballots in the Sistine Chapel until all 77 ballots ? two-thirds plus one of the cardinal electors ? reach a consensus. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.

By M. Alex Johnson, staff writer, NBC News

When the College of Cardinals convenes Tuesday to choose a pope, it will revive a centuries-old tradition ? cut off from the world by an oath of secrecy and doors that close with a firm and final thud.

In a ritual that has been described by participants as solemn and moving, the cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel for their conclave, a word drawn from the Latin terms for "with" and "key." They will vote, four times a day after the first day, until they settle on a leader for the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

In many respects, the ritual is unchanged from the rules Pope Gregory X instituted 800 years ago. But this time, there's a wild card: The previous pope, Benedict XVI, is still alive, and while he won't be in the room, he will probably have an indirect say in the outcome.

Benedict spent just seven years as pope but appointed 67 of the 115 cardinals eligible to vote on his successor. The rest were appointed by his predecessor and theological soul mate, Pope John Paul II. Benedict also made changes to the voting rules that could keep the cardinals working long past the four ballots it took to elect him in 2005.

"It takes as long as it takes. No one wants to rush this," Cardinal Daniel Di Nardo, the archbishop of Houston, told reporters this week. While he spoke, Vatican workers were preparing the chapel for the gathering ? closing it to visitors and installing anti-bugging devices and the stove where the cardinals' ballots will be burned to produce the black or white smoke that tells the world how they're coming along.

Locked up in the Vatican

However long it takes, the cardinals will be locked inside the Vatican, with no newspapers, no TV, no radio, no Twitter or Facebook.

During the day, they will deliberate inside the Sistine Chapel, beneath Michelangelo's breathtaking "Creation of Adam," with its famous depiction of God and Adam touching fingers.

At night, they will bed down in the Casa Santa Marta, which John Paul II had built in 1996. It's relatively modest but a dramatic upgrade from what the cardinals were provided before then ? cubicles furnished only with cots and washbasins, with but one bathroom per 10 people.

Pope Benedict XVI delivered his final audience Feb. 28, 2013, in St. Peter's Square as he prepared to stand down.

Usually, the dean of the College of Cardinals presides, but the current dean, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, is 85 and disqualified from the voting, which is limited to cardinals under 80. So Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Bishops, will be in charge.

Custom and conclave rules fashioned over centuries mean the cardinals have assigned seating, with the prime seats going to two "cardinal bishops" ? the senior Rome cardinals who are younger than age 80 and therefore eligible to vote.

Then come the four patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic churches, the middle-ranking "cardinal priests" who make up the bulk of the college, and the most junior members, the "cardinal deacons."

"It does look quite dramatic, all of the cardinals dressed in scarlet sitting around," said Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, who took part in Benedict's election in 2005.

Then somebody says extra omnes: Everybody out except the cardinals.

"That's a very dramatic moment, because the door is shut ? there's a thud," Murphy-O'Connor, who is too old to take part this time, told the BBC in a long interview for its radio documentary series "Witness" last month. "I remember looking around at the other 114 cardinals and thinking to myself, 'Well, one of us will be going out with a white cassock on.'"

Ballot after ballot, day after day

Once locked in the room, the cardinals will take a collective oath of secrecy. That's followed by a roll call in which each cardinal, with his hand on the Bible, individually swears: "And I, (name), do so promise, pledge and swear. So help me God and these Holy Gospels which I touch with my hand," according to John L. Allen's book "Conclave: The Politics, Personalities, and Process of the Next Papal Election."?

Allen, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, is considered one of the world's foremost experts on the church. His book, published in 2002, is an encyclopedic chronicle of how things work when the cardinals gather. Much of what else is publicly known about the process comes from the Vatican's Code of Canon Law and history and apostolic letters on the election of the pope issued in 1996 by John Paul II and in 2007 by Benedict XVI.

When the voting finally begins Tuesday, there will be one round of voting in the afternoon, followed by two every morning and two every afternoon until someone gets two-thirds of the votes.

Each cardinal gets two or three ballot papers, inscribed Eligo in summum pontificem ("I elect as supreme pontiff"). They're encouraged to disguise their handwriting and to fold the paper twice to prevent eavesdropping.

Then each cardinal walks up to an altar that stands before Michelangelo's turbulent "Last Judgment." After kneeling in a brief moment of prayer, he recites in Latin: "I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected." He then slides his ballot into a chalice using a large circular plate.

Three cardinals chosen at random count the ballots; three others chosen at random check their work. The cardinals can keep their own tallies, because each vote is read out before it's threaded with a needle and string; at the end, they're all gathered by the strings and tied together in a knot. Assuming there's no winner, the session's second round of voting begins immediately.

Twice a day, after the morning and afternoon sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove.

That's how the masses outside know how things are going. If there's no new pope, the knotted-up ballots are treated with damp straw or a special chemical so that they produce a black smoke. The dramatic appearance of white smoke ? signaling a winner ? is produced by using a different chemical or by leaving it out altogether.

Technically, the cardinals are supposed to keep their own counsel, but many accounts over the decades make it clear that extensive debate and discussion goes on during breaks and in the residence.

A (relatively) new way of doing things

?Benedict's election was unusually quick, coming after only four ballots. More commonly, the balloting takes a few days, and because of a change Benedict instituted in 2007, there's the potential for a long conclave this time.

Benedict was elected under rules stipulating that after about 30 ballots, depending on how many votes are taken on the first day,?the cardinals could choose to drop the threshold for election to a simple majority.

Benedict threw out that stipulation, meaning a two-thirds vote will be needed for all of the ballots. After 33 or 34 ballots, and occasional one-day breaks for prayer and reflection, the election is narrowed to the two leading vote-getters ? but even then, Benedict ordered, the winner has to get two-thirds.

Many "Vaticanisti" ? the pundits and journalists who obsessively follow the political goings-on of the church ? predict that this change will result in a compromise pope, with the leader in early balloting ultimately fading.

Eventually, someone will be chosen, at which point the senior cardinal will ask the winner, "Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?" If he says yes (accepto), he is the pope, just like that. The new pope will then declare his papal name.?

"Then he goes out," Murphy-O'Connor said. "There's a papal tailor outside with three cassocks, white cassocks ? large, medium and small ? and then after 10 minutes or so he comes back and he's put in the middle and we all go up and kiss his ring.

"It doesn't matter how you voted, whatever. He's the pope now," Murphy-O'Connor added. "It's very dramatic, it's very moving, and it's very faithful."

After the white smoke appears ? historically triggering extended cheers from the thousands gathered outside ? a senior cardinal will step onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica and declare: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus papam. ("I announce to you news of great joy. We have a pope.")

The new pope, whoever he is, then appears before the throng and performs his first official public act. It is a simple apostolic blessing called Urbi et orbi ("to the city and the world"):

May the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in whose power and authority we have confidence, intercede on our behalf to the Lord.

Through the prayers and merits of the Blessed Mary ever-virgin, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of Blessed John the Baptist and of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of all the saints, may Almighty God have mercy on you, and with your sins forgiven, may Jesus Christ lead you into everlasting life.

May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant you indulgence, absolution and remission of all your sins, time for a true and fruitful penance, an always repentant heart and amendment of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit and final perseverance in good works.

And may the blessing of Almighty God, and the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit descend on you and remain with you always.

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Thursday, March 7, 2013

LG's 55-inch OLED HDTV gets UK launch details: ?9,999, ships in July

LG's 55inch OLED HDTV gets UK launch details 9,999, ships in July

Nearly a year after LG first showed off the production design for its 55-inch OLED HDTV and just as it begins shipping in Korea and the US, the company has announced UK details for the set. The 55EM970V with its ultra-thin frame and high contrast screen is available for pre-order now at Harrods, Knightsbridge for about £9,999, with delivery expected in July. The only problem (other than scraping together the necessary cash) is deciding between this one and LG's other "world's first" HDTV, the 84-inch 4K model it's also currently shipping. Of course, waiting until 2014 (or beyond) for more supply and lower prices is also an option -- we're sure you will choose wisely.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, LG

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/07/lgs-55-inch-oled-hdtv-gets-uk-launch-details-9-999-ships-in/

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Rockfest '13, Missouri State Fair lineups announced - KansasCity.com

Alice in Chains will headline Rockfest '13, the 12-hour, 15-band hard-rock festival in downtown Kansas City.

It starts noon on May 11, a Saturday, at the Liberty Memorial.

Radio station KQRC-FM (98.9), known as the Rock, announced the schedule Monday. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday via Ticketmaster. The presale is Wednesday for the station?s fan club known as the Rockaholics. You can register here if not already a member. Tickets are $40.

The lineup: Alice in Chains, Seether, Papa Roach, Volbeat, Halestrom, Sevendust, All That Remains, Device, Killswitch Engage, In This Moment, Red Line Chemistry, Young Guns, Aranda, Eye Empire and Heaven?s Basement.

Gov. Jay Nixon announced the entertainment lineup for the 2013 Missouri State Fair Tuesday.

Country music stars Chris Cagle, Gary Allan and Toby Keith are among the entertainers scheduled to perform.

In the Pepsi Grandstand, Cagle and Will Hoge will open the fair the evening of Aug. 8. Gary Allan and Randy Houser will play Aug. 10, and The Oak Ridge Boys will take the stage Aug. 14. Toby Keith and Kelsey K will play Aug. 16. All concerts in the Pepsi Grandstand are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

The 2013 Missouri State Fair is from Aug. 8 to 18 in Sedalia. Additional acts, special events and promotions are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster or by calling 1-800-796-6776

For more information on the 2013 Missouri State Fair, visit the state?s website, mo.gov.

Source: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/05/4101011/rockfest-13-missouri-state-fair.html

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Video Shows Democratic Leader Reluctant To Pay State Debt Back In 2008

Augusta - Democratic leaders have been skeptical of the governor's proposal to repay Maine's hospital debt using future state liquor revenue. Democratic leaders have introduced their own plan on how to spend Maine's future liquor profits.

Democratic leaders have maintained they're fully committed to repaying Maine's hospitals.

But a video has surfaced of Maine Senate President Justin Alfond that casts some doubt on that.

The video was taken in 2008 when Alfond was a state senate candidate and was taking part in a televised debate.

He was asked how he would fill the $800 million budget hole the state faced at the time. In the video a younger Alfond suggested that one option was to stop paying hospitals. "I think we might have to stop paying the hospitals," Alfond says in the video. "There's a $102 million that we owe the hospitals. We would continue to make payments in the future but we've got an $800 million gorilla looking at us."

Wednesday, Alfond said the statements were five years old and he was only answering a question with a hypothetical response. "I was a candidate. Never stepped foot into the state Senate. I was talking about possibilities that we could put on the table, so again the Republicans are being incredibly inaccurate," Alfond said.

As a member of the Maine State Senate, Alfond voted in favor of one of the largest state debt payments to hospitals in Maine history. A Democratic spokesperson also pointed out that under Democratic leadership $3.2 billion has been paid to hospitals since 2002.

House Republican Assistant Minority Leader Alex Willette said the video shows where Democrats stand on paying the state's bills. "I thought the most concerning part was the Democrats have never really thought paying their debts is a priority," Willette said. "Even back then he just said nonchalantly maybe we won't be able to pay the hospitals."

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wabi/news/~3/YgxrUA4gOxc/video-shows-democratic-leader-reluctant-to-pay-state-debt-back-in-2008

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Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Page Not Found (404) - Salon.com

Source: http://feeds.salon.com/salon/index

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Enamored With Social Media Marketing? Don't Forget Search and ...

Social media marketing is top of mind with everyone today and for good reason. It?s new(ish) and it?s exciting. It?s also the hip and ?in thing? to be associated with if you are a marketer.

The question to ask yourself though is this, ?Is my concentration on social media marketing taking my efforts away from places that, while much less sexy, have the majority of Internet users using them??

Sadly, if many marketers are being honest, the answer would be yes. Money is being redistributed within online budgets to pay for social media ads because the big players like Facebook and Twitter are pushing it hard. Why? They need revenue and lots of it. At what price? Just look at the impact changes at Facebook regarding advertising have had on engagement for one New York Times writer.

So what might marketers be overlooking in this rush to be all things social? Good old search and email marketing. These numbers from eMarketer around the adoption rate of both are hard to ignore.

FOR EMAIL

US Email Users 2012 to 2017

FOR SEARCH

US Search Engine Users 2012 to 2017

Granted, if you look at the fine print for these results the parameters for these numbers are pretty loose in that all that is required to be counted is that a person look at email or use search at least once a month. How many people use these things that infrequently though? Not many.

The takeaway here is that marketers must make sure that while they need to be at the leading edge of what is considered the ?future of marketing? it should never be at the expense of what might work best in the present. Balance between the ?tried and true? and the ?new and exciting? should be struck to ensure that marketers are not leaving money on either table.

How do you feel about the old standards of search and email marketing? Are they something that will start to fade in favor of social or is social simply another way to reach a market and should be treated accordingly?

Source: http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2013/03/enamored-with-social-media-marketing-dont-forget-search-and-email.html

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Friday, March 1, 2013

Kristen Bell?s Baby Shower Doubles As Breast Pump Demo

A few days before baring her bump, Kristen Bell, 32, celebrated her baby's pending arrival with an A-list bash in Los Feliz, Calif. on Saturday.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/k9A3JWAedfo/

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Obama administration urges court to overturn Calif. gay marriage ban

Kat McGuckin holds a gay marriage pride flag in front of the Supreme Court in November 2012. (Chip Somodevilla??

The Obama administration has waded into the legal battle over California's gay marriage ban, filing a brief with the Supreme Court Thursday evening that argues the state's voters did not have the right to decide gay couples cannot wed.

In the brief, the Justice Department--which is not involved in the case--argues that the gay marriage ban violated same-sex couples' constitutional guarantee to equal protection under the law and is the result of prejudice.

"Prejudice may not...be the basis for differential treatment under the law," the brief said.

But the Obama administration stopped short of calling for a countrywide guarantee of equal access to marriage for gay people in the brief, keeping its arguments focused on California.

"Throughout history, we have seen the unjust consequences of decisions and policies rooted in discrimination," Attorney General Eric Holder said in a statement. "The issues before the Supreme Court in this case ... are not just important to the tens of thousands of Americans who are being denied equal benefits and rights under our laws, but to our Nation as a whole.?

The California ballot initiative, called Proposition 8, was passed in 2008 with 52 percent of the vote and reversed an earlier state Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage in the state. Thousands of gay couples in the state had already tied the knot when the ban passed.

In its brief, the Obama administration also argued that laws targeting gays and lesbians specifically should face "heightened scrutiny" from the courts, since gay people have faced a history of discrimination, share a trait they cannot change, and lack political power.

President Barack Obama announced last year that he believes gay couples should be allowed to get married but did not say they have a constitutional right to wed.

At his inaugural address in January, Obama seemed to suggest he did believe the government has a role in ensuring gay people are allowed to marry. "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law?for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well," he said then.

Two federal courts have already decided that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, saying it discriminates against a group of people without proving there is a legitimate government interest in doing so. The higher of the two courts, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, decided the case in a way that ensures it will affect only California and will not invalidate gay marriage bans in the dozens of other states that have adopted them.

But it's possible the Supreme Court could take a broader view of the case when it hears oral arguments in late March. Justices could decide whether or not there is a fundamental right to marriage that the government cannot deny people based on sexual orientation. If they uphold Proposition 8 under these terms and allow the ban on same sex nuptials to stand, the ruling could cement state gay marriage bans for decades.

More than 100 Republicans, including former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, signed a brief filed earlier in the week encouraging the court to strike down Proposition 8. One of the lead attorneys arguing against the ban is Ted Olson, the former solicitor general under George W. Bush.

The president of the anti-gay marriage group Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, criticized Obama for what he termed "hypocrisy" on gay marriage. "This is a sharp reversal from the position President Obama articulated just last May, when he declared that this is an issue that is gonna be worked out at the local level," Perkins said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-administration-files-brief-supporting-gay-marriage-california-233220441--election.html

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