Pau Gasol takes latest rumor in stride

MINNEAPOLIS -- Another day, another trade rumor for Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol to deal with.
This time Gasol was supposedly on his way out of town. Deal had been done. Destination unknown.

But Gasol never got a call from either his agent, Arn Tellem, or Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak telling him that anything serious was happening, so he brushed off the thousands of tweets flooding his inbox and took an hour an a half nap before the Lakers 105-102 win over the Timberwolves.
That's right, with the trade winds swirling again, Gasol managed to take a nap.
"I slept a good hour and 15. I'm that kind of guy. What can I say? It was impressive," a clearly bemused Gasol said.
"I said to myself: 'If anything serious was about to happen, I would get a call from a significant person,' and I didn't get that. And I also said to myself that anybody can start out rumors. They start out small and then they come out big. With me it's been like that several times this season.
"I can't control certain things. I'm just going to continue to do my job as best as I can this season. Obviously, the less I hear about it the better. But March 15 is around the corner, so one way or another I'll be here or I'll be, who knows?"
While the rumor of his imminent departure was obviously overblown this time around, there was some substance behind it. According to multiple league sources, the Lakers have continued to field calls and listen to offers for the talented Spaniard. While there were talks with the Houston Rockets in recent days, nothing became serious because the Lakers aren't inclined to move Gasol unless they can get an All-Star-caliber player in return, most likely a point guard.
"Nothing surprises me anymore," said Gasol, who had 12 points, 11 rebounds and made a game-saving block in Friday's win. "It's never pleasant because it kind of puts you on edge, but it's going to be like this I think for the rest of these next six days."
While Gasol is getting used to the constant distraction, his teammates say they still feel for him.
"I love, I adore Pau," Kobe Bryant said. "It's tough to see him go through this crap. I wish that I could do something. It's tough, it's tough.
"It upsets me because the one-on-one relationship we've had since he's got here. We met in the hotel soon as he got off the plane [from Memphis in 2008]. The 2 a.m. meetings in my room in Boston during the Finals. All of that stuff, it's not going anywhere." 


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Robert Griffin III May Be The Last Hope For Redskins Fans

Jerry Larson - AP More photos »

This might be pre-mature, but welcome to the Nation's Capital, Robert. Don't screw up.

 Redskins fans are torn. There are two sides to the reported deal done with the Rams to acquire the 2nd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. One side is overjoyed and can't wait to see RGIII in Redskins Burgundy and Gold, while the other is riddled with fear that the Redskins may have overpaid for him.

Robert Griffin III will cost the Redskins their 2012, 2013, and 2014 first round draft choices, as well as their 2012 second round pick. That is a lot to lay on the line for one player. But is it too much?
The Redskins haven't had a signature franchise quarterback since the days of Sonny Jurgensen or Sammy Baugh, and deserve another. The fans deserve another. One of the questions to ask now is:
If RGIII doesn't pan out to be 'that guy' for the Redskins, will the fans understand?

The Washington Redskins thrive on their overwhelmingly loyal fanbase. Of late, however, the loyalty has been laid on the line with statements like, "If the Redskins don't ______ I am done with them", and "I swear that I will _______ if the Redskins don't ______".
If Robert Griffin does what he is expected -which is a lot- this trade will likely be forgotten by 2015 (Or earlier depending on how the Redskins front office decides to handle future offseasons). If he doesn't, the fanbase that has been so loyal and understanding these past 20 years, may decide that enough is enough. Only then will the RGIII supporters (Like myself) begin to understand what was just given away.
This, of course, doesn't apply to everyone. No matter what, I will still be attending Redskins games, wearing my Redskins jersey to Eagles games in Philadelphia, and force-feeding my future daughter Redskins history. In case you're wondering, my wife is an Eagles fan. Born and raised in Philly. It makes for some interesting Sundays.
This isn't the first time the Redskins have been in this type of slump, and it won't be the last. Hopefully, though, this is the beginning of the end of this iteration of Redskins-ism. 


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Out of touch on Colorado pot policy

We're happy to see that Barbra Roach, who took over as head of the Denver division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration this year, is committed to focusing on the "top echelon" of criminal organizations given the agency's limited resources. "I want to see the cases we work are quality," she told The Denver Post's Felisa Cardona. "I want to continue to strive for the large drug trafficking organizations -- not just domestically, but internationally."
That seems like the right priority, since those groups not only traffic in large quantities of dangerous drugs but are ruthless and violent, too.
Meanwhile, we suppose, any DEA official coming to Colorado will feel obliged to reiterate the federal government's opposition to medical marijuana, as Roach did, but we were nonetheless surprised at the extent of her indictment.
"By federal law, marijuana is illegal," Roach said. "There is no medical proof it has any benefit. People are not taking into account what can happen to those who are growing it. There are homes with mold and water damage in the hundreds of thousands and there are children in there, too."
For that matter, Cardona wrote, "she is choosing a city for her husband and two children to live in where no marijuana dispensaries are allowed."
Yet surely Roach is aware that prescription Marinol contains synthetic THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana. Indeed, the DEA contends Marinol is an appropriate legal substitute for marijuana. So if there is an unsettled scientific question, it's whether marijuana provides relief to some that Marinol does not. Unfortunately, the research appears inconclusive even if personal anecdotes suggest the answer is "yes."
As for choosing a city where marijuana dispensaries are barred, Democratic Congressman Jared Polis said it best in reacting on Facebook to the article. "Why should it matter if there is a dispensary across town?" Polis asked. "I mean, by all means don't get a place next to a dispensary if you dislike them so intensely, but who cares if there is one somewhere else in town? Personally, as a father, I would much rather have a well-regulated dispensary as a neighbor than a seedy liquor store, but neither one would absolutely disqualify an otherwise perfect place to live with good schools and a safe neighborhood."
Meanwhile, he noted, "the fact that an opponent of medical marijuana uses arguments like 'it causes water damage to homes' shows how bankrupt that side is of facts."
And even if an opponent of medical marijuana settles in a city without dispensaries, it doesn't mean she won't be next door to someone with state permission to use medical marijuana or to function as a caregiver assisting such patients.
Like it not, Colorado voters defied federal law a dozen years ago when a majority chose to legalize the use of marijuana to provide pain relief. And the entire state is implicated in the decision, not just dispensary-friendly cities such as Denver and Boulder.
-- The Denver Post 


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W.F. anti-litter campaign gets new focus

ST. FRANCISVILLE — West Feliciana Parish Sheriff J. Austin Daniel said he and 20th Judicial District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla plan a renewed focus on littering in the parish in advance of the annual Audubon Pilgrimage, scheduled March 16-18.
During the week of March 12, extra litter patrol crews will be operating throughout the parish in an effort to clean up the roadsides, and residents are asked to help clean up the areas around their homes, Daniel said.
Educational literature will be distributed in the schools for children to take home and share with their parents, he said.
“Hopefully, an awareness process will start at home, and all residents will be encouraged to dispose of trash properly. The local judges also are on board with this effort and have agreed to take a firm stand on litter bugs,” Daniel said.
Forward any questions or suggestions to the Sheriff’s Office by calling (225) 784-3109 or the District Attorney’s Office at (225) 635-4612, he said.


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Colts release Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark

First it was Peyton Manning. Now the Colts have continued their offseason house cleaning with the release Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark, Gary Brackett, Melvin Bullitt and Curtis Painter. The biggest fantasy names, of course, are Addai and Clark — both were once No. 1 options at their respective positions, at least up until recent seasons. Unfortunately, injuries and the loss and Manning might have put a nail in their respective fantasy coffins in 2011.
Neither player will warrant a ton of attention on the open market or in fantasy land, though a potential Manning and Clark reunion somewhere around the league could put the tight end back on the radar. In their absence, the fantasy value of Donald Brown, Delone Carter and Jacob Tamme (assuming he re-signs) will increase in Indianapolis, at least for now.
Brown, who showed flashes of potential last season, looks like the favorite to start at the current time. But I’d keep expectations low, as he’s not a tough runner between the tackles and won’t be a true featured back for coach Chuck Pagano. As for Tamme, he could turn into a popular option for the Colts’ new quarterback (Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III?) if he returns to the team.
With so many players gone and more moves on the horizon, the Colts aren’t going to be a cornucopia of fantasy production like they were in the past with Manning at the helm.
Times, they are changing … 


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Eddie Murphy's 'A Thousand Words' Among the Worst Reviewed Films in Rotten Tomatoes History

The widely panned comedy earned an incredible score from critics aggregated on the site: Zero.

Eddie Murphy's attempted comeback movie A Thousand Words, made in 2008 and opening March 9, is the first wide-release movie of 2012 to earn a score of zero from the critics aggregated on the site Rotten Tomatoes. The Hollywood Reporter reviewer Frank Scheck calls the film "a tired, formulaic comedy."

The zero score is an historic critical attack that puts Murphy in a special category.
PHOTOS: 15 Biggest Box Office Flops of 2011
"Since we put a score up for a film with as little as five reviews, there are a lot of very small films that have releases, but for wide releases, there are probably only 3 or 4 dozen [zeroes] going back to the start of the site in 1999," Rottentomatoes editor-in-chief Matt Atchity tells THR.  "On the list of the zeroes, it will probably come in at fifth or sixth worst in history, but since reviews are still coming in, it may rank higher (or lower depending on your POV) on that list." Atchity estimates that there are at least 10,000 better-reviewed films on the site.
"Bucky Larson was the worst of the bunch last year, with a zero, and that joins the ranks of other 0% wide releases like Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, One Missed Call, Benigni's Pinocchio, and Killing Me Softly," says Atchity. Rottentomatoes published a Worst of the Worst list in 2009. 


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Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls) Top 8 R&B Influenced Songs

Biggie only had 2 solo studio albums but those 2 albums (I won’t count “Born Again” because he didn’t have input on this album because it was posthumous and some of the collaborations are suspect) are better than some rappers who have catalogs of 10+ albums. Very profound and very prolific, he was. The Notorious B.I.G. could appeal to many walks of life through his music. His lyrical content ranged from his personal struggles via his upbringing and environment to the materialistic bragging that a lot of people aspire to acquire. He portrayed himself as a family man, a playboy, a gangster, a drug dealer, and the list goes on. Not only were his lyrics versatile, but his style of music that made his music so great. Biggie could rap on almost any track and you had to listen. Here are some of his best songs that incorporated R&B or funk:
1. Party & Bullsh*t {REMIX] — This song uses a sample from Alexander O’Neal. Who else has done that or would even think of sampling an Alexander O’Neal song…and make it work?
2. Juicy — Using the “Juicy Fruit” sample, Biggie caught the ear of everybody because of the sound. R&B lovers appreciated the music but had to pay attention to the lyrics which profiled his upbringing, love for his daughter, dreams of being a rapper finally making it, and his love for his mother. The street could appreciate it because of the delivery and the struggle of no hope for the future, selling drugs, getting arrested, and exploring a brighter path.
3. Big Poppa — Another song using a sample R&B heads could recognize, The Isley Brothers “Between the Sheets”. This song painted Biggie as a lover of sorts. It also spawned him a nickname that would stick forever.
4. One More Chance [REMIX] — DeBarge’s  “Stay With Me”, a song no one had thought to use prior to this single is another smash that’s enjoyable to the ears. Biggie brags so much on this song that every wannabe player, pimp or otherwise had to take notes.
5. Hypnotize — Another song that took the commercial world by storm. This song sampled Herb Alpert. Who would’ve thought…again. It was funky, catchy, and upbeat. He was the first artist to be approved to use this sample.
6. I Love the Dough — Contains a sample from “I Love You More” by Rene & Angela. Another good choice most likely by Puff Daddy. Biggie couldn’t lose when he sampled R&B. As the title says he rapped about lavishness basically.
7. Mo Money Mo Problems — Biggie raps about the perils of being a hip hop superstar, since at this point of his career, he was. This song sampled Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out”. It’s funky, it had a good hook by Kelly Price and people could understand his struggle.
8. Miss U — This song samples “Missing You” by Diana Ross which is sad enough but Biggie talks about a homegirl who died to violence. A hustler’s prayer.
Phenomenal. RIP Biggie
What’s your favorite? 


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Illinois’ Bruce Weber fired

FILE - In this March 8, 2012 file photo, Illinois head coach Bruce Weber reacts in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten Conference tournament in Indianapolis. A person familiar with the decision says Weber has been fired after nine seasons. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Friday, March 9, 2012, on condition of anonymity because the move hasn't been announced. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Illinois fired Bruce Weber Friday, letting go of a fiery coach whose first three years with the Illini included a run to the national championship game before a long, lackluster slide the past six years that concluded with a 17-15 mark this season.
“Bruce is everything you’d want as a coach,” athletic director Mike Thomas said at a news conference that Weber did not attend. “We had great success here but in the last four or five years, I don’t know if you want to say (that) we’re running in place, or maybe even digressed.”
Thomas, who in his first year on the job also has fired football coach Ron Zook and women’s basketball coach Jolette Law, said fans expect the Illini to be “a factor” in the Big Ten and the “national conscience” each season.
Full story: Illinois’ Bruce Weber fired 


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NBA Trade Rumors 2012: Josh Smith Asks Hawks To Trade Him By Deadline, According To Report

The Atlanta Hawks are right in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, thanks in large part to the play of forward Josh Smith. However, the talented forward doesn't seem to be too enamored with playing for the franchise. Smith has told the Hawks that he would like to be traded before the NBA Trade Deadline on March 15, according to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The reasons for Smith's reported trade request are numerous. In the past, Smith has reportedly felt singled out by coaches and media members for his mistakes. Now, Cunningham reports that Smith is not happy that the Hawks didn't promote him to be an All-Star and doesn't believe the franchise is fully committed to winning.
Cunningham reports that the Hawks have not yet begun actively shopping Smith, though they do take plenty of calls. Smith is averaging 17.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game this year, helping the Hawks to a 23-16 record despite a season-ending injury to Al Horford and nagging injuries to Joe Johnson.



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Celebrity chef Mario Batali settles for $5.25 million in lawsuit

According to the complaint, employees said that the celebrity chef and his partner unlawfully confiscated a portion of their workers' tips in order to supplement their own profits.

 Mario Batali agrees to pay $5.25 million in a lawsuit filed by employees at his Manhattan restaurants. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

 

Mario Batali, the New York restaurateur and celebrity chef, agreed to pay $5.25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit claiming that his restaurants had illegally confiscated part of their tips to supplement their profits, said Bloomberg.
The suit covers over 1000 employees, including busboys, servers, runners and bartenders, who worked Batali's upscale Babbo and Del Posto restaurants in Manhattan and claims that the restaurants had a policy of pocketing an amount equivalent to 4 to 5 percent of total wine sales at the end of each night from the tip pool.
Batali was sued in a New York federal court along with his business partner Joseph Bastianich, said the New York Times.
According to the complaint, employees said that "Mr. Batali, Mr. Bastianich, and their restaurants unlawfully confiscated a portion of their workers' hard-earned tips in order to supplement their own profits."
The New York Daily News reported that when the workers sued the duo two years ago, Bastianich called the suit a “shakedown” and discouraged other workers from joining their colleagues by saying “Only the lawyers make money on these lawsuits."
 “The matter has been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties,” Rachel Bien, a lawyer for the employees, and Carolyn D. Richmond, a lawyer for Mr. Batali, said in identical statements quoted by the New York Times.


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ACC Tournament Preview: Maryland

Kevin C. Cox - Getty Images
 Nick Faust attempts a shot in the first half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during their first round game of 2012 ACC Men's Basketball Conferene Tournament at Philips Arena


If your first encounter with Maryland was today's NCAA Tournament game, you might find yourself pretty worried about UNC's opening opponent tomorrow. The eighth-seeded Terps ran the ninth-seeded Demon Deacons out of the building in a 22-point romp. Terrell Stoglin had a great game, with 25 points, 7 rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Nick Faust added a career-high 19 points. In addition, the narrative has already been set; Stoglin is irked about being passed over for first team All-ACC, and has a trio of UNC players upon which to have his revenge.

Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen Maryland. UNC has played the Terps twice already this season, winning by nine in College Park and the ridiculous margin of twenty-four in Chapel Hill. They did it mainly by forcing Maryland to take bad shots, and miss, keeping them to 41% or less from the field. They also push Stoglin to take bad shots – he's only hit 3 of his 17 threes against the Heels – and draw a lot of fouls, much to Maryland fans' chagrin.
But what it comes right down to, and this is what the Wake Forest game masked with their own horrible play, is that Maryland's defense is really poor. Of course, UNC is more than capable of missing shots without the defense's help, but they've had a couple of good shooting games of late (against Duke and N.C. State) and this team seems to finally be settling into a rhythm. We'll see how the week off treated UNC, and whether they can continue to pay at the level they did in the Duke game. Maryland shouldn't be a problem either, but the Heels have played to the level of their competition way too often this season. Now that we're in the tournaments, that needs to stop. 


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First ‘Lone Ranger’ Image: Yet Another Weird Johnny Depp Costume

Jerry Bruckheimer has revealed the first image of Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp as (respectively) a masked John Reid and Tonto in Disney’s ‘Lone Ranger’.

After what feels like a short eternity of production delays due to a budget which (at one point) had inflated to over $250 million, Gore Verbinski’s unorthodox Lone Ranger movie has at last begun principal photography. Verbinski is reuniting with his Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy star Johnny Depp on the flick, which features Armie Hammer (The Social Network, Mirror Mirror) as the titular gunslinger, and Depp as his more capable sidekick Tonto.
Lone Ranger producer Jerry Bruckheimer (also a Pirates franchise alum) has tweeted the first image of Hammer and Depp in costume. As you might imagine, Hammer as the masked John Reid looks conventional enough while Depp as Tonto looks like… well, a very “Depp-ish” take on the traditional American Indian character.
 Here’s the film’s official synopsis, followed by the aforementioned image of Hammer and Depp in costume:

“The Lone Ranger” is a thrilling adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Native American spirit warrior Tonto (Johnny Depp) recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid (Armie Hammer), a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.

While few people might’ve predicted the specifics of Depp’s Tonto outfit (especially the stuffed bird on his head), is there anyone who’s genuinely shocked to see the actor will be donning unusual makeup and strange body decorations in Lone Ranger? After all, Jack Sparrow’s eccentric look was also personally fashioned up by Depp.
NOTE: As some readers have pointed out, Depp’s Tonto getup may not be as unprecedented or bizarre (at least, in terms of historical accuracy) as one might think at first.
Case in point: check out this artist’s rendition of a Dakotan American Indian in traditional attire, and compare it to Depp’s outfit:

Verbinski previously promised that Lone Ranger will be “photo-real… a complete stepping back over the fence from ‘Rango’,” but that doesn’t mean the former is going to be a fully (if at all) grounded western adventure. Considering that an earlier draft of the film’s screenplay featured “supernatural coyotes,” an elaborate animated sequence, and other seeming incongruous elements, it stands to reason that Lone Ranger could feel more like the third – and overall most peculiar – of the Pirates films, At World’s End, rather than a comparatively down-to-Earth western like, say, 3:10 to Yuma (for better or for worse).

The Lone Ranger rides into theaters around the U.S. on May 31st, 2013. 


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Toyota recall: Tacomas, Venzas, Camrys on the list

Toyota recall involves nearly 700,000 cars from model years 2005 to 2011. The Toyota recall this time involves flaws in the air-bag system and a lamp switch. 

A Toyota Camry is seen at the Chicago Auto Show in this 2010 file photo. The Japanese automaker said Wednesday that it will recall about 495,000 Tacoma pickup trucks from model years 2005 to 2009 to replace a part in the steering wheel. It is also recalling about 70,500 Camry mid-sized cars and 116,000 Venza crossover vehicles from model years 2009 to 2011 to replace a stop lamp switch.

John Gress/Reuters/File

LOS ANGELES

Toyota Motor Corp. plans to recall almost 700,000 vehicles because of a variety of safety issues.

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Chrysler Group also announced a big recall.
Toyota said it will recall 495,000 Tacoma trucks from the 2005 to 2009 model years to replace the steering wheel spiral cable assembly.

RELATED: Top 12 best cars for the money

The automaker has detected friction in the cable assembly that can disconnect the driver's airbag, preventing deployment in a crash.
Additionally, Toyota will recall 2009 Camry sedans and 2009 to 2011 Venza vehicles to replace the stop lamp switch. Approximately 70,500 Camrys and 116,000 Venzas are covered by this recall. The Camry is the best-selling passenger car in the United States.
Toyota said that during the installation of the switch at one of its North American assembly lines, silicon grease may have reached the inside of the switch and caused an increase in electrical resistance.
"If this occurs, warning lamps on the instrument panel may be illuminated, the vehicle may not start, or the shift lever may not shift from the 'park' position. In some cases, the vehicle stop lamps may become inoperative," the automaker said.
Meanwhile, Chrysler is recalling about 210,000 Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicles originally in Midwestern and Eastern Seaboard states that use road salt during the winter months. Corrosion issues with rear lower control arms could cause a driver to lose control of the SUV. 


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Spanx Creator Becomes Youngest Woman On Forbes Billionaires List

Sara Blakely was just 27-years-old when she decided to create smoothing undergarments that would flatter a females figure, since that time Spanx has become a worldwide recognized brand worth an estimated $1 billion making Blakely the youngest woman on the Forbes billionaires list thanks to her 100% ownership of the private company.
The company’s wealth was estimated by several Wall Street Bankers and their estimate ranks Sara at 1,153 out of 1,226 on the Billionaires list.
Based out of Atlanta, GA the company employees 125 staff members including 16 men and the company claims to now control 20 percent of revenue in the “shapewear” industry for a value of $250 million.
According to Blakely she started her company with just $5,000 in the bank and a hatred for old fashioned pantyhose:

“I cut the feet off my pantyhose and wore them underneath,” she told Forbes. “But they rolled up my legs all night. I remember thinking, ‘I’ve got to figure out how to make this.’ I’d never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn’t exist.”

For three years Blakely wore the same cream pants every single day to promote Spanx because she had no money to advertise her product. She supported herself by working a nine to five sales job while performing stand-up comedy at night.
In 2000 Blakely received orders from Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Later she would receive a resounding endorsement from billionaire Oprah Winfrey who added them to her annual “favorite things” show.
Spanx now offers more than 200 products which are featured in more than 11,500 department stores and boutiques in 40 countries.
Are you impressed with Sara Blakely’s success story?


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Teacher Buyouts: A Sign Of The Times

School Systems Struggling To Deal With Funding, Budget Cuts

  (CNN) -- It's happening now in Grapevine,Texas: Almost 40 teachers have signed up for an early buyout. Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District is making an offer that many can't (or simply don't want to) refuse: a bonus of 10 percent of teachers' salaries to those who retire or resign.

The offer, which was popular in Grapevine, will help the district cut down a $7 million budget shortfall. And it's certainly not the only district to try this.Late last year, Pittsburgh Public Schools approved a buyout plan that would offer some teachers almost 70% of their pay, plus severance, over eight years. Baltimore offered more than 700 teachers 75 percent of their pay over a five-year period. And in Dallas, hundreds of teachers camped out to accept as much as $10,000 to resign at the end of the 2010-2011 school year.
Offering experienced teachers buyout plans enables schools to save money in the long run. Those who've spent years in the classroom are more likely to have higher salaries, so giving them incentive to quit by offering lump sums of money or percentage pay enables schools ultimately to save on teacher pay and benefits. Then, the school systems have the option to hire younger teachers who command smaller salaries -- or simply downsize.It's not a bad deal for many teachers who are close to retirement anyway (or considering a career change). But where this hurts is in experience: Most veteran teachers have lasted decades in the classroom because they're effective, they're dynamic, and they like their jobs. District officials say the Grapevine-Colleyville district stands to lose about 1,000 years of combined experience from buyouts there. Whether or not those who accept them are replaced by younger teachers, the plan could weaken the educational system.And critics question what other professions would do this. Would it be a good thing if hospitals bought out the most experienced doctors, for example? What about the most experienced airline pilots or police officers?Since 2008, we've seen school systems consider everything imaginable to deal with funding and budget cuts. Eliminating bus routes, laying off teachers, canceling extracurricular activities and courses and field trips, expanding class sizes: It's all had an impact on education across the country. Teacher buyouts are yet another sign of the times in a field that used to be recession-proof -- at least until the latest recession hit. 


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'Pink Slime': Too Disgusting For McDonald's But Good Enough For Schoolkids

Flickr user aMichiganMom

Not pink slime, but pink and slimy.

​
It had seemed that "pink slime"--the gross-out term for ammonium hydroxide-treated beef cuts--would die a slow, toxic death after McDonald's announced it was cutting it out of its products back in January. 

Nope. It's back. And this time, it will be served in school lunches.

The USDA plans to buy 7 million pounds of the slime (officially called Lean Beef Trimmings) for the national school lunch program, according to a report by tablet newspaper The Daily. In a statement, the department said that all of its ground beef purchases "meet the highest standard for food safety."

Ammonium hydroxide is added to beef scraps to kill off bacteria such as E. Coli. Beef Products Inc., which manufactures the ground beef, said in a statement that the chemical is a "natural compound" that's "widely used in the processing of numerous foods."

Tell that to Jamie Oliver and others who've crusaded against the not-quite-meat meat. A Change.org petition calls for the USDA to stop using pink slime in school food, stating "it is simply wrong to feed our children connective tissues and beef scraps that were, in the past, destined for use in pet food and rendering and were not considered fit for human consumption." 


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Dems put boot to Kucinich

WASHINGTON — Congress without Kucinich?
The colorful and combative Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) lost his primary race Tuesday, eliminating yet another bombastic personality in an increasingly flavorless Congress.
The eight-term liberal flag bearer (pictured), the most outspoken critic of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, once proposed a Department of Peace and made two quixotic runs for president.
With the retirement of the acerbic Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Congress will be absent two of its most dynamic members.
“Kucinich succeeded in not blending in,” said Nathan Gonzales of the Rothenberg Political Report. “No one ever accused him of sitting on the bench.”

Kucinich lost the Democratic primary to Rep. Marcy Kaptur. Redistricting threw the two into a district that stretches from Toledo to Cleveland.
Kaptur’s Republican challenger will be Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher, who gained fame during the 2008 presidential campaign when he spoke to Democratic candidate Barack Obama about Obama’s small-business tax plan. 


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East African defense and security arrangements gains momentum

five-member East African Community comprises
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi
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KIGALI (Xinhua) -- A senior instructor at Kenya’s famed Defense Staff College (DSC) on Wednesday expressed optimism about regional cooperation in boosting security.

The five-member East African Community (EAC) comprises Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.

The optimism was voiced at a meeting held in the Rwandan capital Kigali to examine strengths and weaknesses of a security plan in the region.

Col. Alex Angogo told reporters, "We have the social, political, security and economic aspects of a society.

"We are coming together as East Africa to address the aspect of security."

Emphasis is being put on making sure that the products from the bloc’s command and staff colleges come out with the ability to think strategically, and have an analytical thinking on how security issues can be handled, Col. Angogo noted.

"The progress has been very good in the sense that we can be able to meet and discuss issues of common interest and come up with a plan or strategy on how to deal with it," he added.

"The best way to promote and safeguard the regional interests is ... we must have a man power resource that is well trained, well equipped, well motivated."

The Kigali session is the third since 2010.

Participants in the Kigali session on Wednesday travelled to Nyakinama, Musanze District, in northern Rwanda, where a military academy was transformed into a Senior Command and Staff College to be shared by all the five EAC partner states.

"Remember, doctrine puts a team together.

"Look at what is going on in Somalia.

"You will see three East African countries are involved.

"The operation there is based on the aspect of doctrine and common training and you find that most of the commanders there have been in these colleges."

"So long as Somalia is not safe and secure, we will have a security threat in the region and beyond.

"Somalia has to be secure- - the Congo has to be secure.

"Without that, the region cannot move, " he added.

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KONY 2012: Bringing Joseph Kony to justice

CLEMSON, SC, March 7, 2012 — The KONY 2012 documentary has become an Internet sensation.  Less than two days after its initial release, the video on YouTube and Vimeo had garnered almost 20 Million views.  Most viewers have been referred from Facebook and are between 13 and 24 years of age.
The KONY 2012 documentary was created by Invisible Children and ”aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.”
Joseph Kony is a very evil man.  Kony is Ugandan warlord who kidnaps children and uses them as child soldiers and sex slaves for his militia: the LRA.  A radically perverted and delusional terrorist, Kony has claimed to get orders and authority from divine powers.  Many of his followers and enemies believe he has been possessed by powerful spirits, which dictate orders through him.
Instigating a cult in the form of an army of child soldiers, Joseph Kony is responsible for numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity.  He is among the International Criminal Court’s most wanted.
The documentary calls for a massive event on April 20^th called “Cover the Night,” culminating in the form of hundreds of thousands of supporters placing posters and stickers in every city across America.  These materials seek to make the name of Joseph Kony famous and eventually bring him to justice via awareness.
Instantly, “Cover the Night” events on Facebook were started and grew to many hundreds of members who each committed to take part in this effort on the night of April 20^th.
The video states that when Kony is a household name, the US Government will have to keep American soldiers in Central Africa, on their mission to find Kony.
“In order for Kony to be arrested this year, the Ugandan military has to find him.  In order for them to find him, they need the technology and training to find him in the vast jungle. That’s where the American advisors come in.  But in order for the American advisors to be there, the US government has to deploy them.  They’ve done that, but if the government doesn’t believe that the people care about arresting Kony, the mission will be canceled.  In order for people to care, they have to know, and they will only know if Kony’s name is everywhere.”
Dissenting voices raise objections.  As this video has spread, many people have begun questioning some of the basic premises of the film.  Many think that the documentary does a great job of emotionalizing the situation and connecting with people, but the aims and goals of the Invisible Children organization are skewed.  Their points are summarized below.
Don’t make KONY famous.   Invisible Children shouldn’t aim to make Kony famous, but infamous.  Many claim that the campaign is actually making him famous.  The KONY 2012 awareness banners look like campaign signs used in political elections, giving credibility of Kony where none should be due.  The signs just say “KONY 2012” and not "Justice for Kony 2012" or anything that would indicate the negativity surrounding Kony.  Many express that their first impression of the sign was that it was actually campaigning for him.
Awareness is not the solution.  Awareness is the key goal in the KONY 2012 campaign, and making Kony infamous may do nothing to actually stop the problem.  Critics claim that awareness alone has never solved anything.  Everyone has known about breast cancer for years, yet awareness has done very little or nothing to find the cure.  Donations made to non-profits that champion awareness generally finance awareness of the problem rather solutions to the problem.  The Invisible Children organization isn’t attacking the root of the problem by creating awareness
Kony won’t stop simply because more people know about him.  In fact, some think that this makes him more powerful, like Gadhafi or Hussein.   Saddam Hussein was a household name, famous for brutally slaughtering between 50,000 and 150,000 of his own people.  Everyone knew that Hussein used biological and chemical weapons against the Iraqi Kurdish people.  Mass Genocide in Iraq didn’t warrant a US response for nearly two decades, until 2003.  Even then, the war wasn’t cast in a positive light for giving freedom to more than 30 Million Kurds in Iraq.  Public opinion for using the US military for humanitarian aid doesn’t always work.  People knew about Hussein’s atrocities for years, yet that didn’t help in solving the problem.
Will only 100 American soldiers really be able to find Kony?  The documentary seems to indicate that if we leave the American soldiers in Central Africa long enough, Kony will be found sometime this year.  Considering the ten years it required International and US Militaries to find Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan and Pakistan, this seems highly unlikely.
Indeed, the US military has been instrumental in trying to hunt down Kony for years now.  According to Foreign Affairs, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has been on several missions to kill or capture Kony.  Each mission was a failure for several reasons.
The Ugandan military is indeed inept.  US military planning and assistance doesn’t appear to solve the problem of the Ugandan military, either.  After watching KONY 2012 people don’t take into account that the Ugandan military, which Invisible Children is supporting, like Kony, is committing atrocities such as rape and looting, on a consistent basis.  Furthermore, it is reported that Kony hasn’t been active In Uganda since 2006.  If this is true, why is Invisible Children still supporting the Ugandan military?
What does the Invisible Children organization do with donations?  Invisible Children has generated revenues of $29,863,723 during the past three years (2009-2011).  Not to mention the amount generated this year, Invisible Children has had a significant amount of support.  The accusation is that this money is not being spent wisely.
In the past year, with revenues of almost $9 million, only 37% ($3,303,228) went to direct services or central African programs, while almost 47% ($4,146,833) was spent on advertising, awareness and fundraising efforts.  The rest of the budget is spent on management and general expenses.
Even those direct services provided appear to include nothing that actually relates to solving the problem for the future (except possibly a vaguely worded entry for “Congo.”)  The money is mostly spent on scholarship and educational programs as well as livelihood programs for African people, with a strong focus on women.  While these may be worthwhile programs that help to restore Kony’s victims, they do absolutely nothing to stop Kony.
One woman asks, “They made $13 Million last year, and yet they haven't considered hiring a small private security force to go and wipe Kony out?”  The use of private security forces could get messy.  However, any military force against Kony will be messy.  Using children as his bodyguards, Kony uses child soldiers to fight for him.  Why doesn’t any of Invisible Children’s fiscal budget go toward military training and resources instead of awareness t-shirts and bracelets?  With all of the programs Invisible Children supports, why not a more direct approach to Kony’s extraction?
Questions abound.  In the emotionally gripping documentary, the filmmaker asks his young son, “What do I do for a job?”  The son responds, “You stop the bad guys from being mean.”  With so much evidence stacked against them, is that really what he and the rest of Invisible Children are doing?  Questions like these remain unanswered. 


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Solar Flare 2012: Massive Solar Storm Headed For Earth

One of the most powerful solar storms in the last five years was unleashed yesterday after a massive solar flare erupted from the sun. Space weather scientists are closely watching the sun’s activity as the storm could interfere with satellite communication and power grids.
Joseph Kunches, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said:

“Space weather has gotten very interesting over the last 24 hours… When the shock arrives, the expectation is for heightened geomagnetic storm activity and the potential for heightened solar radiation… There is the potential for induced currents in power grids… Power grid operators have all been alerted. It could start to cause some unwanted induced currents.”

NASA captured a video of the solar flare (below) as it erupted and hurled a “big blob of magnetized material” toward the earth. The AR1429 sunspot region shout off a solar flare on Sunday and two more yesterday. The AR1429 region is currently pointing almost directly at earth which means that the coronal mass ejection could have a big impact on earth.
Harlan Spence, an astrophysicist at the University of New Hampshire, told SPACE.com:

“The sun is waking up at a time in the month when Earth is coming into harm’s way. Think of these CMEs somewhat like a bullet that is shot from the sun in more or less a straight line. When the sunspot is right in the middle of the sun, something launched from there is more or less directed right at Earth. It’s kind of like how getting sideswiped by a car is different than a head-on collision. Even still, being sideswiped by a big CME can be quite dramatic.”

The New York Times reports that the coronal mass ejection will hit earth at about 1:30 a.m on Thursday morning.

The giant active sunspot AR1429 has given space weather scientists plenty to monitor recently and the solar activity isn’t expected to slow down anytime soon.  The sun’s activity is expected to increase until it peaks next year.

“We’ve got a whole series of things going off, and they take different times to arrive, so they’re all piling on top of each other. It complicates the forecasting and predicting because there are always inherent uncertainties with any single event. Now, with multiple events piling on top of one another, that uncertainty grows.”

Alex Young, a solar physicist at NASA Goddard, said that it isn’t inevitable that the solar storm tonight will interrupt satellite communication. Young says that the solar storm may just put on a great light show, saying that auroras will be visible as far south as Illinois.
Do you think satellite communication will be disrupted by the solar storm? Or will we just get a chance to watch a great light show? 


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Dennis Kucinich is looking forward to spending more time annoying Fred Flintstone

And that’s pretty much the extent of my interest in Dennis Kucinich. But it’s a good opportunity to send you over to a brand-new site from Michelle Malkin called Twitchy.com. I’ll let her describe it:

Twitchy is a ground-breaking Twitter curation site powered by a kinetic staff of social media junkies. We mine Twitter to bring you “who said what” in U.S. politics, global news, sports, entertainment, media, and breaking news 24/7. If it’s news, we’re on it. If it should be news, we’re ahead of it. Get Twitchy and stay connected to our twire — the news wire of the 21st century.

This is a great idea, especially if you find Twitter bewildering and overwhelming, and you wish there were some way to filter out all the dross and nonsense (like @jtLOL) to find the good stuff. Hell, I find Twitter bewildering and overwhelming, and I’m on it constantly. Which would explain the twitch under my eye… Oh, I get it. Twitchy! Okay, that works.
Anyway. Go read “Buh-bye: 10 Kucinich defeat tweets.”
P.S. Here you go, Mom: “Granny’s Guide to Twitter.”
P.P.S. Cleveland’s loss is CNN’s gain. They just announced a new primetime show with co-hosts Anthony Weiner and Dennis Kucinich. Weeknights this fall: Weiner & Nuts. 


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Peyton Manning released: 'I have no idea who wants me,' QB says in Miami

MIAMI — Touchdown, Peyton Manning.
The former Indianapolis Colts quarterback landed late this afternoon in South Florida, drawing the attention of local TV news helicopters and NFL fans everywhere.
His private plane arrived at a small airport 30 minutes from the Miami Dolphins’ complex, but he then rode off in a different direction with the news media in pursuit. When his van reached Miami Beach, it pulled over in a church parking lot, and Manning emerged to tell reporters South Florida might not be his final destination.
Manning has a condo here and has been working out with former Colts teammate Reggie Wayne, who lives in South Florida. Manning’s not necessarily Dolphins-bound, he said.
“I have no idea who wants me, what team wants me, how this process works,” Manning said. “I don’t know if it’s like college recruiting where you go take visits. I mean, this is all so new to me.”
One TV station broadcast the interview live, even staying with the audio feed when the video turned shaky.
Manning landed in South Florida just four hours after he bid the Colts goodbye at a news conference in Indianapolis. They cut the injured quarterback rather than pay a $28 million bonus due this week.
The Dolphins are one of several teams expected to court Manning, but a person familiar with their plans said Manning wasn’t in town to meet with the team. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins hadn’t commented on Manning.
Other teams considered potential suitors for Manning include the Cardinals, Broncos, Chiefs, Jets, Seahawks, Titans and Redskins.
“I literally have not had one conversation with anyone about these teams,” Manning said. “It has been so hard for me trying to figure out some closure with my situation with the Colts. ...
“I haven’t thought about teams and I don’t know who is interested, I really don’t. This is all new to me. But look, the Miami Dolphins have a great organization, a great history there, they have new people in place. And so you have no idea what teams are interested.”
When the Dolphins hired Joe Philbin as coach in January, team officials privately said owner Stephen Ross would strongly pursue Manning if he became available.
The team has started 16 quarterbacks since Dan Marino retired. The incumbent is Matt Moore, who played well last year after Chad Henne was sidelined in Week 4 by a season-ending shoulder injury.
But there are doubts that Moore is a franchise quarterback, and if the Dolphins don’t sign Manning, they may pursue the Packers’ Matt Flynn or try to trade up from the No. 8 spot and draft a quarterback in the first round in April.
Henne is a free agent and unlikely to return.
Miami has developed a recent habit for big-name acquisitions. The Heat landed LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and the Marlins added four All-Stars and manager Ozzie Guillen in a recent spree.
Heat guard Dwyane Wade tweeted that he liked the idea of Manning joining the Dolphins.
Wade said, “peyton that number 18 wld look gr8 in a dolphins uniform..steve ross let’s go.. marlins & heat style..All in." 


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