Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/192798723?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Charlie Sheen: Ashton "Deserves Better" Than 'Two & A Half Men'
The uneasy truce between Charlie Sheen and Two and a Half Men appears to be over. For the past few months, Sheen has been gracious and supportive of the show's new direction with replacement star Ashton Kutcher. But now that he's got a new sitcom in production, Sheen is once again saying that the top-rated CBS comedy is no good without him.
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French breast implant firm's former execs arrested (AP)
PARIS ? Police in pre-dawn sweeps Thursday arrested two top former executives of the now-defunct French company at the center of a breast implant scandal affecting tens of thousands of women worldwide.
Jean-Claude Mas, who founded and ran implant-maker Poly Implant Prothese, was detained as part of a judicial probe in the southeastern city of Marseille into manslaughter and involuntary injuries, an official said. A regional official said former No. 2 executive Claude Couty also was detained.
The suspect PIP implants have been pulled from the market in several countries in and beyond Europe amid fears that they could rupture and leak silicone into the body. The suspect implants are made with industrial-grade silicone instead of medical-grade gel.
Mas' arrest before dawn at a family residence in the Mediterranean resort town of Six Fours Les Plages culminates weeks of speculation about whether judicial investigators would be able to assemble enough evidence to detain him on legal grounds.
"Everything's fine. This conforms to procedure. There's nothing extraordinary," Mas' defense lawyer, Yves Haddad, told reporters outside the home. "Stop looking for the scoop."
Mas, 72, had been believed to be residing in the home. Haddad earlier this month denounced the "numerous un-truths, nonsense and aberrations" in the case, but said Mas would speak only with authorities.
So far no specific defendant has been named, but an official with knowledge of the probe said Mas was expected to face preliminary charges after appearing before an investigating judge in Marseille later Thursday. He was being held in resort town ahead of that anticipated transfer.
The three officials all spoke on condition of anonymity because the case is in the hands of judicial investigators.
Investigating judge Annaick Le Goff opened the probe after a woman in the southwestern Gers region filed a lawsuit in the wake of the 2010 death from cancer of her daughter who had received a suspect implant.
Since then, a complaint by the sister of Marseille resident Edwige Ligoneches, a breast implant recipient who died in November of complications from lymphoma, has been included in the case file ? along with as many as 3,000 other complaints by other alleged victims.
Le Goff also spoke with the head of a victims' association, Muriel Ajello, on Thursday, the regional official said.
A secretary at the Toulon office of Haddad told The Associated Press that the defense lawyer was with Mas during police questioning, and was not immediately available for comment.
Mas had run PIP until the company was closed in March 2010. Mas is also on Interpol's most-wanted list, but the international police agency said its "red notice" was issued in June at the request of Costa Rica, where he faces a drunken driving charge.
Authorities worldwide have been scrambling to strike a proper public response to the scandal, notably concerning who will pay to remove the implants or if the implants need to invariably come out.
European governments have taken different positions: German, Czech and French authorities say they should be removed, while Britain says there is not enough evidence of health risks to suggest removal in all cases.
On Wednesday, health authorities in Brazil said the government will fine private health plans that refuse to pay for the removal and replacement of faulty breast implants sold by PIP and a Dutch company.
The scandal has put pressure on French health authorities for allegedly not doing enough to vet the quality of a product used by so many women in France and abroad.
France's Health Safety Agency has said the suspect implants ? just one type of implants made by PIP ? appear to be more rupture-prone than other types. Investigators say PIP sought to save money by using industrial silicone, whose potential health risks are not yet clear.
PIP's website said the company had exported to more than 60 countries and was one of the world's leading implant makers. The silicone-gel implants in question are not sold in the United States.
According to estimates by national authorities, over 42,000 women in Britain received the implants, more than 30,000 in France, 9,000 in Australia and 4,000 in Italy. Nearly 25,000 of the implants were sold in Brazil.
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Top Google Executives Approved Illegal Drug Ads
Come on all you Ron Paul supporters, let's hear it. We *should* be able to buy Canadian drugs at 1/10 the price of what we're being ripped off in the USA for the same crap.
And before you bring up safety/prescriptions/handling/lifethreating issues as a factor, consider this: We buy food from China, which has far less controls regarding safety than Canada does.
That Apple Juice you're buying in Walmart? Madde from Chinese grown Apples. Who knows what those apples were exposed to, what toxins are in the ground the were grown in, how they were handled/processed and what else the factory that makes this juice also makes?
The Apple Juice you buy in Walmart could be as deadly, or even more deadly than any Canadian Pharmacy or drug "internet purchase".
The *ONLY* reason that drugs are as heavily regulated as they are in this country is to protect Corporate interests (aka BigPharma). There is NO OTHER reason. Any other excuse you've been given by the talking heads on TV is window dressing.
And if we had a real free market economy, sure, some people would die, but that's the way free market economies work. Frankly, that's the way this economy works as well, regulated or not.
Think about how many people die because they are denied health care due to insurance rates, or they can't afford the medication they've been prescribed.
No matter which way you go, people are going to die, that's just a reality. But to say that you're saving lives by not allowing Canadian Pharmacies to sell in the USA is a complete lie.
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Thursday, January 26, 2012
2nd day of mourning for Paterno to end with burial (AP)
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ? The second day of a three-day period of public mourning for the late Joe Paterno will culminate with the funeral and burial service for the Hall of Fame football coach who became the face of Penn State University.
Hundreds ? if not thousands ? of alumni, residents and students are expected to attend a four-hour visitation Wednesday morning to begin a slate of events that will end with a funeral service in the afternoon that the family has made private.
The 85-year-old Paterno died Sunday of lung cancer. He had been ousted just days before learning of his diagnosis in November, forced out of his job in the wake of child sex-abuse charges against a former assistant.
This week, mourners are focusing on the full body of accomplishments and philanthropy compiled by Paterno over his 46-year tenure as the Nittany Lions' coach.
"His legacy is still going to be filled with the great things that he did. Look at this place," said Tom Sherman, a 1969 graduate from Johnstown, Pa. Before tearing up, Sherman said he attended Paterno's first game as head coach in 1966.
"It's like he's part of your life. I admire that guy so much."
Thousands more waited in line Tuesday on an overcast winter afternoon for the first day of visitation at the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, where Paterno family members regularly attended services.
Inside the hall, the coach's body lay in a closed, hardwood casket topped by a spray of white roses. About six feet away sat a stylized black-and-white picture of the man who became lovingly known on campus as "JoePa," smiling and peering out through his trademark thick-rimmed glasses.
Paterno's casket had an "honor guard" of two Penn State players ? one past and one present. Some mourners stopped for a moment of reflection, or to genuflect in the interfaith hall.
Others fought back tears and sniffles. The only other sounds were the occasional clicks of news photographers taking pictures.
Paterno won 409 games and two national championships in a career admired by peers as much for its longevity as its success. Paterno also took as much pride in the program's graduation rates, often at or close to the top of the Big Ten.
"The passion, the love that he gave almost gave you a sense that you wanted to give it back to him," Penn State men's basketball coach Patrick Chambers said after escorting his team to the worship hall Tuesday evening. "We're forever indebted to him and we will continue to work as hard as we can."
On Thursday, the school's basketball arena will be the site of a public service called "A Memorial for Joe." Tickets on Tuesday were quickly snapped up for the event, even though there was a two-per-person limit for those ordering.
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Romney reports tax bill of $6.2 million for 2010-11 (Reuters)
TAMPA, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney bowed to political pressure and cracked the books on his personal finances on Tuesday, releasing tax returns showing he will pay $6.2 million in taxes on $42.5 million in combined 2010 and 2011 income.
Unlike most Americans who earn a paycheck, Romney gets the majority of his income from investment profits, dividends and interest. One of the wealthiest men ever to run for the White House, he made his fortune buying and selling companies as a private equity financier with Bain Capital.
Romney and his wife Ann paid an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent in 2010 and expect to pay a 15.4 percent effective tax rate when they file their returns for 2011.
Those rates are roughly in line with the effective tax rates paid by most Americans, but they are far below the top income tax rate levied against wages, which is 35 percent, because the U.S. tax code favors investment income over wage income.
Romney released the tax returns after a week when his chief rival for the Republican presidential nomination, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich, questioned whether Romney was hiding information about his finances and cast him as out of touch with most Americans.
Romney's estimated net worth is $190 million to $250 million.
The candidates are engaged in the state-by-state battle for their party's nomination to face President Barack Obama, a Democrat, in the November 6 election. The next contest is the Florida primary on January 31.
Gingrich's attacks helped him upset the former Massachusetts governor in the South Carolina primary on Saturday. Since then, Romney has fired back with attacks questioning Gingrich's character, judgment and lucrative work as a consultant.
Romney's release of his tax returns is meant to try to blunt Gingrich's criticisms on that front, but the returns could further fuel a national debate about the fairness of the tax code and rising U.S. income inequality.
Romney campaign officials said his tax rate is based mostly on blind trust investment income. They said he makes no decisions on how his money is invested. They said his holdings include amounts in funds based in the Cayman Islands and other overseas entities.
The Caymans holdings and holdings in a Swiss bank account - which was closed in 2010 after an adviser decided it could be politically embarrassing to Romney - were reported on tax returns and were not vehicles to avoid taxes, the advisers said.
Regardless, the emerging picture was of a man of great means who contributes mightily to charity. The tax returns showed he and his wife contributed $7 million in charity over the two years, much of it going to the Mormon church. That represents more than 15 percent of the Romneys' income for those years.
Romney had total capital gains income of $12.5 million for 2010 and an estimated $10.7 million for 2011.
'FULSOME RELEASE'
Top campaign officials and the director of Romney's blind trust, Brad Malt, briefed Reuters on the details ahead of a more general release of the information on Tuesday morning.
Campaign counsel Ben Ginsberg, asked why Romney was not releasing tax records for the years in the 1980s and 1990s in which Romney made his fortune at private equity firm Bain Capital, said the two years covered by the tax returns should give a broad picture of Romney's financial situation.
"We're not going to get into the game of once you give them something, they demand more," Ginsberg said. "This is a fulsome release and we're proud of it."
The tax issue may have been a factor in Romney's loss to Gingrich in the South Carolina primary last Saturday. It became a distraction to Romney's campaign, and Romney's fuzzy answers on when and if he would release his records aggravated the problem.
First he said he might release them, or might not. When the questions kept coming, he said he would put them out in April, after his 2011 forms were completed. Only after he was defeated in South Carolina did his aides say he would release them this week. Gingrich has released his returns for 2010, but has not released an estimate for last year, as Romney did.
Long considered the front-runner for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, Romney was staggered by Gingrich's lopsided win in South Carolina, and is looking to regain enough momentum to defeat Gingrich in Florida.
(Editing by Will Dunham)
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
NFL draft: Top 5 players at each position
As Senior Bowl all-star practices kicked off Monday in Mobile, NFL Network?s Mike Mayock released his top-five player rankings at each position. Mayock's ranks have not yet made their way onto NFL.com, so after reading this writeup, consider yourself early to the party. We don't like to be late.
(* = underclassman.)
Quarterbacks
1. Andrew Luck*, Stanford
2. Robert Griffin III*, Baylor
3. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
4-5. Open to competition.
Notes: Mayock left open slots four and five and says he's waiting for the next tier to create separation. Per Mayock, the "next" group is comprised of Brandon Weeden (Oklahoma State), Brock Osweiler* (Arizona State), Nick Foles (Arizona), Kirk Cousins (Michigan State), and Ryan Lindley (San Diego State). In terms of potential to be top-five draft-eligible passers, undersized Kellen Moore (Boise State) and Russell Wilson (Wisconsin) did not warrant mentions from Mayock, although he did praise Moore's football intelligence and compared Wilson to Doug Flutie.
Running Backs
1. Trent Richardson*, Alabama
2. David Wilson*, Virginia Tech
3. Lamar Miller*, Miami
4. Doug Martin, Boise State
5. LaMichael James*, Oregon
Notes: Mayock's most notable top-five running back snub is Chris Polk (Washington), whom we've independently heard ranks second to Richardson on multiple teams' pre-Senior Bowl draft boards. Mayock's rankings tend to change throughout "draft season," so perhaps he'll move Polk into the top tier after grinding more tape. Richardson won't be challenged for the top spot in this year's tailback class. Wilson and Miller are speed merchants in the Jamaal Charles/Chris Johnson/LeSean McCoy mold. There are mixed opinions about James, who has a reputation for shying from contact. Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead could pass James before this week is through.
Wide Receivers
1. Justin Blackmon*, Oklahoma State
2. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
3. Kendall Wright, Baylor
4. Alshon Jeffery*, South Carolina
5. Chris Givens*, Wake Forest
Notes: Givens' inclusion was interesting because he has received little fanfare since declaring for the draft on December 31. Givens beat out more high-profile receivers like Dwight Jones (North Carolina) and T.J. Graham (NC State) for first-team All-ACC honors as a junior and is expected to run in the 4.38-4.44 range at February's Scouting Combine. It's worth noting that Givens tallied 96 total yards in Wake Forest's 2011 matchup with Notre Dame. Mayock was in attendance as the Fighting Irish color commentator. Amid concerns about Jeffery's fitness and ability to beat press coverage, Blackmon, Wright, and Floyd seem to have emerged as the draft's consensus top-three receivers. Unfortunately, none of the above is attending the Senior Bowl.
Tight Ends
1. Dwayne Allen*, Clemson
2. Coby Fleener, Stanford
3. Orson Charles*, Georgia
4. Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette
5. Michael Egnew, Missouri
Notes: Fleener, who has drawn generous comparisons to Rob Gronkowski, declined a Senior Bowl invite for undisclosed reasons. Fleener remains this year's clear-cut top "in-line" tight end with the ability to impact games both as a blocker and receiver. Allen and Charles are "joker" tight ends, as Josh Norris likes to call them, posing matchup problems for defenses by lining up in the slot and stretching the field vertically. Green, who is in Mobile, has added ten pounds in the last year and should run in the 4.6s at the Combine. He is a lanky tight end at 6-foot-6, 237. Another terrific athlete, Egnew ran a 4.6-flat last spring and goes 6-foot-5, 251. Coming from Mizzou's Mike Leach-like spread offense, Egnew has Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman working against him as former Tigers tight ends who could catch but block too poorly for an NFL impact.
Offensive Tackles
1. Riley Reiff*, Iowa
2. Matt Kalil*, USC
3. Jonathan Martin*, Stanford
4. James Brown, Troy
5. Zebrie Sanders, Florida State
Notes: Mayock's ranking of Reiff as this year's top tackle goes against conventional wisdom, as Kalil is widely considered the best pass protector eligible for the 2012 draft. We'll be looking for an explanation in the coming months. Martin protected Andrew Luck's blind side for the Cardinal. Brown is a sleeper from the Sun Belt Conference. Mayock did not include Ohio State's Mike Adams, who by all accounts dominated on the first day of Senior Bowl practice.
Interior Offensive Linemen
1. David DeCastro*, Stanford
2. Peter Konz*, Wisconsin
3. Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin
4. Cordy Glenn, Georgia
5. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State
Notes: Glenn and Osemele are college tackles slated to move inside as pros. DeCastro is often compared to Steve Hutchinson as an NFL-ready guard coming from Stanford's pro-style offense. He is the lone guard tentatively expected to be drafted in the first round this April.
As Senior Bowl all-star practices kicked off Monday in Mobile, NFL Network?s Mike Mayock released his top-five player rankings at each position. Mayock's ranks have not yet made their way onto NFL.com, so after reading this writeup, consider yourself early to the party. We don't like to be late.
(* = underclassman.)
Quarterbacks
1. Andrew Luck*, Stanford
2. Robert Griffin III*, Baylor
3. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
4-5. Open to competition.
Notes: Mayock left open slots four and five and says he's waiting for the next tier to create separation. Per Mayock, the "next" group is comprised of Brandon Weeden (Oklahoma State), Brock Osweiler* (Arizona State), Nick Foles (Arizona), Kirk Cousins (Michigan State), and Ryan Lindley (San Diego State). In terms of potential to be top-five draft-eligible passers, undersized Kellen Moore (Boise State) and Russell Wilson (Wisconsin) did not warrant mentions from Mayock, although he did praise Moore's football intelligence and compared Wilson to Doug Flutie.
Running Backs
1. Trent Richardson*, Alabama
2. David Wilson*, Virginia Tech
3. Lamar Miller*, Miami
4. Doug Martin, Boise State
5. LaMichael James*, Oregon
Notes: Mayock's most notable top-five running back snub is Chris Polk (Washington), whom we've independently heard ranks second to Richardson on multiple teams' pre-Senior Bowl draft boards. Mayock's rankings tend to change throughout "draft season," so perhaps he'll move Polk into the top tier after grinding more tape. Richardson won't be challenged for the top spot in this year's tailback class. Wilson and Miller are speed merchants in the Jamaal Charles/Chris Johnson/LeSean McCoy mold. There are mixed opinions about James, who has a reputation for shying from contact. Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead could pass James before this week is through.
Wide Receivers
1. Justin Blackmon*, Oklahoma State
2. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
3. Kendall Wright, Baylor
4. Alshon Jeffery*, South Carolina
5. Chris Givens*, Wake Forest
Notes: Givens' inclusion was interesting because he has received little fanfare since declaring for the draft on December 31. Givens beat out more high-profile receivers like Dwight Jones (North Carolina) and T.J. Graham (NC State) for first-team All-ACC honors as a junior and is expected to run in the 4.38-4.44 range at February's Scouting Combine. It's worth noting that Givens tallied 96 total yards in Wake Forest's 2011 matchup with Notre Dame. Mayock was in attendance as the Fighting Irish color commentator. Amid concerns about Jeffery's fitness and ability to beat press coverage, Blackmon, Wright, and Floyd seem to have emerged as the draft's consensus top-three receivers. Unfortunately, none of the above is attending the Senior Bowl.
Tight Ends
1. Dwayne Allen*, Clemson
2. Coby Fleener, Stanford
3. Orson Charles*, Georgia
4. Ladarius Green, Louisiana-Lafayette
5. Michael Egnew, Missouri
Notes: Fleener, who has drawn generous comparisons to Rob Gronkowski, declined a Senior Bowl invite for undisclosed reasons. Fleener remains this year's clear-cut top "in-line" tight end with the ability to impact games both as a blocker and receiver. Allen and Charles are "joker" tight ends, as Josh Norris likes to call them, posing matchup problems for defenses by lining up in the slot and stretching the field vertically. Green, who is in Mobile, has added ten pounds in the last year and should run in the 4.6s at the Combine. He is a lanky tight end at 6-foot-6, 237. Another terrific athlete, Egnew ran a 4.6-flat last spring and goes 6-foot-5, 251. Coming from Mizzou's Mike Leach-like spread offense, Egnew has Martin Rucker and Chase Coffman working against him as former Tigers tight ends who could catch but block too poorly for an NFL impact.
Offensive Tackles
1. Riley Reiff*, Iowa
2. Matt Kalil*, USC
3. Jonathan Martin*, Stanford
4. James Brown, Troy
5. Zebrie Sanders, Florida State
Notes: Mayock's ranking of Reiff as this year's top tackle goes against conventional wisdom, as Kalil is widely considered the best pass protector eligible for the 2012 draft. We'll be looking for an explanation in the coming months. Martin protected Andrew Luck's blind side for the Cardinal. Brown is a sleeper from the Sun Belt Conference. Mayock did not include Ohio State's Mike Adams, who by all accounts dominated on the first day of Senior Bowl practice.
Interior Offensive Linemen
1. David DeCastro*, Stanford
2. Peter Konz*, Wisconsin
3. Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin
4. Cordy Glenn, Georgia
5. Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State
Notes: Glenn and Osemele are college tackles slated to move inside as pros. DeCastro is often compared to Steve Hutchinson as an NFL-ready guard coming from Stanford's pro-style offense. He is the lone guard tentatively expected to be drafted in the first round this April.
Defensive Ends
1. Quinton Coples, North Carolina
2. Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
3. Whitney Mercilus*, Illinois
4. Nick Perry*, USC
5. (tie) Chandler Jones*, Syracuse
Andre Branch, Clemson
Notes: Coples measured in at an impressive 6-foot-6 and 281 pounds during Monday's Senior Bowl weigh-in and was the nation's highest rated senior entering the last college season. His production dipped a bit in 2011, however, and NFL scouts were concerned that Coples played "not to get hurt." Ingram is a freak athlete with rare versatility, capable of playing defensive end, tackle, and perhaps even outside linebacker in a 3-4. Draftniks are divided on Mercilus, who led the NCAA in sacks (16) and forced fumbles (9) before declaring for the draft on January 3.
Defensive Tackles
1. Devon Still, Penn State
2. Jerel Worthy*, Michigan State
3. Michael Brockers*, LSU
4. Brandon Thompson, Clemson
5. (tie) Fletcher Cox*, Mississippi State
Dontari Poe*, Memphis
Notes: Out for the Senior Bowl with a sprained big toe, Still is considered far and away the top 4-3 tackle eligible for the 2012 draft. At the Combine, Still is expected to measure in at around 6-foot-5, 307. "Scheme versatile," he should appeal to 3-4 teams as well at that size. Brockers, a redshirt sophomore, is a less experienced version of Still. Worthy is more of a 4-3 tackle only at a listed 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds. Poe (6'4/350, listed) may be the top true nose tackle in 2012.
Linebackers
1. Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
2. Luke Kuechly*, Boston College
3. Dont'a Hightower*, Alabama
4. Zach Brown, North Carolina
5. Vontaze Burfict*, Arizona State
Notes: Mayock uses the term "linebacker" loosely with Upshaw, who played outside 'backer in Nick Saban's 3-4 defense. Upshaw is a power player and may land on the line as a 4-3 end in the pros. Kuechly is this year's top true middle linebacker prospect. Hightower will likely play inside in a 3-4. Brown is a weak-side prospect for 4-3 teams. Burfict has a big name after earning first-team All-American honors as a sophomore. His performance dropped off significantly as a junior, however, and Burfict did not even earn 2011 all-conference honors in the Pac 12.
Cornerbacks
1. Morris Claiborne*, LSU
2. Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama
3. Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
4. Leonard Johnson, Iowa State
5. Dre Kirkpatrick*, Alabama
Notes: Mayock presumably ranked Jenkins based on his 2010 tape at Florida, because buzz among small-school insiders is that he was not dominant in one year at North Alabama. Mayock has compared Johnson to Kansas City's Brandon Flowers for his highly competitive play. Claiborne won the 2011 Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back and is a consensus top-five player. Kirkpatrick is ranked relatively low here, perhaps due to his recent marijuana arrest.
Safeties
1. Mark Barron, Alabama
2. Harrison Smith, Notre Dame
3. George Iloka, Boise State
4. Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State
5. (tie) Janzen Jackson*, McNeese State
Antonio Allen, South Carolina
Notes: Barron was among the top-rated prospects to decline Senior Bowl invites, but Smith, Iloka, Martin, and Allen are all in Mobile. Per Mayock, some NFL teams have first-round grades on Smith, whom he describes as physical with underrated range. Be wary of most draftniks' "scouting reports" on safeties, because without All-22 film defensive backs that play deep in the secondary are impossible to properly evaluate. Mayock does have the All-22 access.
Source: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/39725/60/draft-2012-mayocks-top-fives
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Monday, January 16, 2012
caseyclayton4 - Razer's Project Fiona: A Tablet From Portable ...
[unable to retrieve full-text content]Unless your head?s in the sand, you know where portable video games are headed: Cheaper to develop, less expensive to sell, easier to pick up and less time consuming to play. Smartphones and tablets are slowly pushing the established ...
Source: http://caseyclayton4.livejournal.com/44744.html
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Paterno speaks for 1st time since firing (AP)
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ? Joe Paterno speaks mostly in a whisper these days. His hand sometimes trembles. His thick black hair is gone; in its place is a wig.
Sitting at his kitchen table in a wheelchair, a blanket rests in his lap. A broken pelvis has taken its toll, so have the constant radiation treatments for lung cancer.
In his first interview since being fired by Penn State two months ago, the winningest coach in Division I football told The Washington Post he's "shocked and saddened" by the scandal that enveloped the place where he spent more than six decades.
Yet the 85-year-old Paterno refused to bash the school or say a bad word about the man at the center of the turmoil.
Instead, Paterno said he "didn't know which way to go" after an assistant coach came to him in 2002 saying he had seen retired defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing a boy.
"I think we got to wait and see what happens," Paterno said in an interview posted Saturday on the newspaper's website. "The courts are taking care of it, the legal system is taking care of it."
Post reporter Sally Jenkins paints a portrait of a frail Paterno, hardly the robust character seen walking the sidelines for so many years.
"Speak up," Paterno's wife, Sue, sometimes says.
Paterno told the Post that assistant Mike McQueary "didn't want to get specific" about details in his allegation involving Sandusky, who McQueary said was showering with a boy in the Penn State football facility.
Paterno said he was hesitant to make follow-up calls because he didn't want to be seen as trying to exert influence either for or against Sandusky.
"I didn't know which way to go ... And rather than get in there and make a mistake," he told the Post before trailing off.
A day after he heard McQueary's allegation, Paterno reported it to his superiors. Paterno said he previously had "no inkling" Sandusky might be a child molester.
Sandusky was criminally charged on Nov. 5 and faces dozens of counts. Paterno was ousted four days later after 46 years as head coach.
"Right now I'm trying to figure out what I'm gonna do," Paterno said. "`Cause I don't want to sit around on my backside all day."
Paterno was diagnosed with lung cancer days after his dismissal. He was readmitted to the hospital Friday for observation for what his family called a minor complication from treatments. He has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation.
His condition improved Saturday morning, and he remained in the hospital, the family said.
Paterno said he was initially reluctant to speak because "I wanted everybody to settle down," but the Post reported he was so eager to defend his record that he insisted on continuing the interview from his bedside Friday morning, though ill.
Paterno, who testified before a grand jury investigating Sandusky, is not a target of the criminal probe.
But his firing came as criticism mounted against Paterno and other Penn State leaders that the 2002 allegation should have been reported to authorities outside of Penn State.
"You would think I ran the show here," Paterno said.
The 67-year-old Sandusky is charged with sexually abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period. He maintains his innocence and remains out on $250,000 bail while awaiting trial.
If Sandusky is guilty, "I'm sick about it," Paterno said.
Paterno said he wished he knew how the charges against Sandusky didn't come to light until years after the alleged assaults occurred. "I don't know the answer to that," he said. "It's hard."
Asked to respond to the Paterno interview, Sandusky lawyer Joe Amendola said in a statement to The Associated Press that the former Penn State assistant was "greatly dismayed by the knee-jerk reaction" of the Penn State Board of Trustees in firing Paterno.
"In the meantime, we'll continue to keep Coach Paterno and (Athletic Director) Tim Curley in our thoughts and prayers for a speedy and full recovery from their illnesses and Jerry and I will continue our work in preparation for this trial."
In court testimony last month, McQueary said his account about the 2002 allegation to Paterno wasn't as detailed as what he relayed to Paterno's superiors out of respect for the older Paterno.
According to the Post, Paterno reiterated that McQueary was unclear with him about the nature of what he saw ? and added that even if McQueary had been more graphic, he's not sure he would have understood it.
"You know, he didn't want to get specific," Paterno said. "And to be frank with you I don't know that it would have done any good, because I never heard of, of, rape and a man. So I just did what I thought was best. I talked to people that I thought would be, if there was a problem, that would be following up on it."
In recent weeks, Paterno's dismissal has come under question from many former players and alumni wondering about the motivations of trustees.
Others are roiled by a perceived lack of communication by trustees and President Rodney Erickson during a period when the school has promised to be more open and transparent. Many alumni who attended town hall meetings in Pittsburgh, suburban Philadelphia and New York this week questioned why Paterno, after 61 years of service to the school, wasn't afforded due process before his dismissal.
Paterno met his legal requirement to report suspected abuse, according to authorities.
But two days after Sandusky was charged, state police Commissioner Frank Noonan said Paterno and other school leaders had a "moral responsibility" to do more and report allegations to police.
With a media storm descending on the campus, Paterno announced his resignation the morning of Nov. 9. That day, he called the scandal "one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."
The trustees fired him about 12 hours later. Paterno recounted that he was passed a note at the door of his home by an assistant athletic director with the name of trustees vice chairman John Surma and a phone number.
According to the Post, Surma told Paterno, "In the best interests of the university, you are terminated." Paterno hung up and repeated the words to his wife, who redialed the number.
"After 61 years he deserved better," Sue Paterno said. "He deserved better."
Paterno could not recall the last time he had seen or spoken to Sandusky. He declined to offer his opinion on the charges other than saying he would wait for the legal process to unfold.
Paterno reminded the Post he is not a victim.
"You know, I'm not as concerned about me," he said. "What's happened to me has been great. I got five great kids. Seventeen great grandchildren. I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State. I don't want to walk away from this thing bitter. I want to be helpful."
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Sunday, January 15, 2012
Guy Creates Realistic Photoshop Simulator For the Web [Photoshop]
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Hands on with the Invisible Keypad for iPhone prototype
At CES 2012, we encountered the Invisible Keypad, an iPhone case that allows you to “feel” your keyboard. The screen protector part of the case has ridges strategically placed
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/MfcLNSOHi3Q/story01.htm
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Saturday, January 14, 2012
Largest bird alters its foraging due to climate change
Friday, January 13, 2012
Wandering albatrosses have altered their foraging due to changes in wind fields in the southern hemisphere during the last decades. Since winds have increased in intensity and moved to the south, the flight speed of albatrosses increased and they spend less time foraging. As a consequence, breeding success has improved and birds have gained 1 kilogram. These are the results of the study of an international research team published in the latest issue of the Science journal. However, these positive consequences of climate change may last short if future wind fields follow predictions of climate change scenarios, researchers warn.
For this study, biologists had combined data on the duration of foraging trips and breeding success over the last 40 years, as well as foraging and body mass over the last 20 years of wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) breeding in Crozet Islands. This archipelago lies approximately in the heart of the southern Indian Ocean (halfway between Madagascar and Antarctica). It belongs to the French Southern Territories and it is located in the windiest part of the Southern Ocean. The new findings are the result of an international research team from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS-CEBC) and the German Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ).
Thanks to miniaturised tracking devices, researchers were able to track the foraging movement of albatrosses at a distance of 3500 kilometers from the colony. They found that albatross have altered their search patterns following changes in wind conditions over the past two decades. Females used increasingly more poleward and windy areas for foraging. As a consequence their travel speed increased while the total distance covered during foraging flights did not change. "This means that they spend less time at sea while incubating the egg and thus the breeding success increases" explains Dr. Henri Weimerskirch of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS-CEBC). Researchers were surprised that both females and males have increased their body mass in one kilogram, which corresponds approximately to one tenth of their total body weight. This could be not only a result of shorter incubation periods on the nest, but also an adaptation to windier conditions.
"The wandering albatross Crozet population has decreased as a result of adult mortality on longline fishing in subtropical waters, especially females since they favour warmer subtropical waters in the north compared to the more southerly distribution of males" says Dr. Maite Louzao Arsuaga, who has been modelling albatross movement from 2009 to 2011 at the UFZ. "Due to the changing wind conditions, females are now foraging in more southward areas where such fishing is not that widespread". However, the positive effects of changing environmental conditions of the last decades will not last in the future. Climate scenarios predict that westerly winds will move even further south by 2080 and wandering albatrosses might have to fly further to find optimal conditions for flying.
The total population of the wandering albatross is currently estimated at around 8,000 breeding pairs. All populations have shown a decrease at some stage over the last 25 years. This endangered species is threatened primarily by incidental catch in fisheries, especially longline fishing at sea, whereas the introduction of alien species (such as rats or cats) are a key conservation threat for the species on breeding colonies. Additionally, the accumulation of anthropogenic debris such as plastic and fishing hooks on albatrosses have negative effects on their populations. Thus, it is important to continue with monitoring programs of population trends and distribution at sea, as well as to undertake effective conservation measures. The foraging habitat of wandering albatrosses is managed by more than one Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, which makes it difficult to implement conservation measures for the species.
The wandering albatross has fascinated people for centuries. With a wingspan of over three meters and a half, it is the largest seabird in the world, surpassing just the Andean condor (Vultur fulvus). This elegant sailor, which spends most of its life flying, breeds on remote subantarctic islands over the Southern Ocean. They travel thousand of kilometers searching for fish and cephalopods like squids, often following ships and feeding on offal. The plumage of wandering albatrosses is variable, whitening with age. The maximum known age is 55 years old. Since the rearing of chicks takes a whole year, they breed only every second year
Apart from the study published in the latest Science issue, the research team has identified the key marine areas for the conservation of wandering albatrosses in the southern Indian Ocean published in 2011 in the Journal of Applied Ecology. This study provided the first map to support the future development of a network of priority protected areas in the southern part of the Indian Ocean, which are based on habitat predictions. "Because the species has no natural enemies and is at the top of the food web, it is particularly well suited as an indicator of the health of marine ecosystems," says Dr. Thorsten Wiegand from the UFZ, who supervised the work of Dr. Maite Louzao. "This could help not only a single species, but the underlying biodiversity associated with pelagic key habitats to protect Southern Ocean. Moreover, we have developed methods of habitat modelling broadly applicable and can be used to assess changes in species distribution within the current global change scenario."
###
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres: http://www.helmholtz.de/en/index.html
Thanks to Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres for this article.
This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.
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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116717/Largest_bird_alters_its_foraging_due_to_climate_change
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Friday, January 13, 2012
U.S. wins Japan support over Iran nuclear program (Reuters)
TEHRAN (Reuters) ? The United States won key support from Japan Thursday for tough oil sanctions against Iran over a nuclear program that the West suspects is geared to developing atomic bombs.
Japan pledged to take concrete action to cut Iranian oil imports after visiting U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner urged Tokyo, a major importer, to help deprive Iran of vital oil revenues. In Iran, sanctions are biting, with the rial currency losing 20 percent of value against the dollar in the past week.
Escalating tensions over Iran's enrichment of uranium for nuclear energy, which has shifted to an underground mountain bunker better protected from possible air strikes, has raised fears for the flow of world oil supplies and even war.
An Iranian nuclear scientist was blown up in his car by a motorbike hitman Wednesday. Tehran blamed Israeli and U.S. agents but insisted this would not derail its nuclear activity. Washington denied involvement in the attack and condemned it, while Israel declined comment.
The morning rush-hour bombing - the fifth daylight attack on technical experts in two years - killed 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi-Roshan. The chemical engineer's driver was also killed, Iranian media said, and a passer-by was slightly hurt.
The attack came in a week of heightened tensions.
Iran has launched an underground enrichment plant and sentenced an American to death for spying, while Washington and Europe have stepped up efforts to cripple Iran's oil exports for its refusal to halt work the West says betrays an ambition to build nuclear weapons. Iran says its aims are entirely peaceful.
Tehran has threatened to choke the West's supply of Gulf oil if its exports are hit by sanctions, drawing a U.S. warning that its navy is ready to open fire to prevent any blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which 35 percent of the world's seaborne traded oil passes.
In Tokyo, Geithner welcomed Japanese cooperation in tightening the screws on Iran, a positive sign for Washington after China and Russia rebuffed sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
China, Japan and India are Iran's top three buyers, taking more than 40 percent of its crude exports. The European Union, which collectively buys another fifth or so of Iran's exported crude, has committed to banning imports of oil from Tehran, an OPEC member and the world's No. 5 crude exporter.
EU diplomats said Wednesday they were advancing toward agreement on banning imports of crude after a six-month grace period and banning petrochemical products after three - provisions similar to U.S. new legislation. It was likely, however, that EU firms could continue to take Iranian oil in payment for outstanding debts.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said he shared serious concerns about Iran's nuclear capabilities but expressed concern that the sanctions could seriously affect the Japanese and world economies, depending on how they were implemented.
President Barack Obama's administration has also announced that it would freeze out financial institutions that deal with Iran's central bank out of U.S. markets.
"We are exploring ways to cut Iran's central bank off from the global financial system. We are in the early stages of consulting with Japan and our other allies," Geithner told reporters after the talks with Japanese leaders.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
IRAN DEFIANCE
On a visit to Cuba Wednesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said nothing about the bomb attack but flashed the victory sign and said Iran had done nothing to warrant enmity from its enemies.
"Have we assaulted someone? Have we wanted more than we should have? Never, never. We have only asked to speak about and establish justice," said Ahmadinejad.
Analysts saw the latest assassination, which would have involved considerable expertise, as less a reaction to recent events than part of a longer-running, covert effort to thwart Iran's nuclear development program that has also included suspected computer viruses and mystery explosions.
While fears of war have forced up oil prices, the region has seen periods of saber-rattling and limited bloodshed before without reaching all-out conflict. But a willingness in Israel, which sees an Iranian atom bomb as a threat to its existence, to attack Iranian nuclear sites, with or without U.S. backing, has heightened the sense that a crisis is coming.
Israel, whose military chief said Tuesday that Iran could expect to suffer more mysterious mishaps, declined comment on Wednesday's bomb attack.
While Israeli or Western involvement seemed plausible to independent analysts, a role for local Iranian factions or other regional interests engaged in a deadly shadow war of bluff and sabotage could not be ruled out.
The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, which has failed to persuade the West that its quest for nuclear power has no hidden military goal, said the killing of Ahmadi-Roshan would not deter it. "We will continue our path without any doubt ... Our path is irreversible," it said in a statement carried on television.
"The heinous acts of America and the criminal Zionist regime will not disrupt our glorious path ... The more you kill us, the more our nation will awake."
Iran's leaders, preparing for the first national election since a disputed presidential vote in 2009 brought street protests against 32 years of clerical rule, are struggling to contain internal tensions. Defiance of Israel and Western powers plays well with many who will vote in March.
U.S. DENIAL
In Washington, White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said: "The United States had absolutely nothing to do with this (bombing) ... We strongly condemn all acts of violence, including acts of violence like what is being reported today."
Israel, which has a history of covert killings abroad, declined comment, though army spokesman Yoav Mordechai wrote on Facebook: "I don't know who settled the score with the Iranian scientist, but I am definitely not shedding any tears."
Analysts say that killing scientists - especially those whose lack of personal protection suggests a relatively junior role - is unlikely to have much direct impact on Iran's nuclear program, which Western governments allege is seeking to enrich enough uranium highly enough to let it build weapons.
COVERT WAR
Sabotage - like mysterious reported explosions at military facilities or the Stuxnet computer virus widely suspected to have been deployed by Israel and the United States to disrupt nuclear facilities in 2010 - may have had more direct effects.
However, assassinations may be intended to discourage Iranians with nuclear expertise from working on the program.
Bruno Tertrais from France's Strategic Research Foundation said: "It certainly has a psychological effect on scientists working on the nuclear program."
Trita Parsi, a U.S.-based expert on Iran, said the killing might, along with the heightened rhetoric of recent weeks, be part of a pattern ahead of a possible resumption of negotiations on Iran's nuclear program; some parties may want to improve their bargaining position, others may see violence as a way of thwarting renewed negotiations altogether, Parsi said.
Last month, Iran signaled a willingness to return to a negotiating process which stalled a year ago, though Western officials say a new round of talks is far from certain yet given that Iran has said enrichment will not be up for negotiation.
Iran's decision to carry out enrichment work deep underground in the once undeclared plant at Fordow, near the holy Shi'ite city of Qom, could make it harder for U.S. or Israeli forces to carry out veiled threats to use force against Iranian nuclear facilities. The move to Fordow could reduce the time available for diplomacy to avert any attack.
The announcement Monday that enrichment - a necessary step to turn uranium into atom bomb fuel - had begun at Fordow has given added impetus to Western efforts to impose an oil export embargo intended to pressure Tehran to halt enrichment.
Iran, a signatory to the treaty banning the spread of nuclear weapons, says it is entitled to conduct peaceful research and denies any military nuclear aims. Its adversaries say its failure to take up their offers of help with civilian technology undermine the credibility of its position.
Oil prices have firmed 5 percent since Obama moved on New Year's Eve to block bank payments for oil to Iran.
(Additional reporting by Robin Pomeroy and Mitra Amiri in Tehran, Stanley White and Tetsushi Kajimoto in Tokyo and David Brunnstrom and Julien Toyer in Brussels; Writing by Ralph Gowling; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/iran/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120112/ts_nm/us_iran
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Thursday, January 12, 2012
Video: Images from Alaska town buried in snow
>>> back now at 7:49 with a sno snow-weary town in alaska that has a pressing need for shovels. right, al?
>> the residents of alaska are used to snow and ice but the blizzard pounding the town this week is unlike anything in recent memory. as alaska digs out from an extreme winter storm , this is the sound of hope. but with many residents trapped in their homes and more snow on the way, one fishing village has been hit with a peculiar problem -- a shovel shortage. welcome to cordova, population 2,200 where residents have been pummelled by nearly 18 feet of snow.
>> i would love some help.
>> reporter: jeff bailey can barely see his home.
>> i have to tunnel into the front door.
>> reporter: others found their way to social media giving the outside world a glimpse of what they are living through.
>> oh, my god. beth's roof just went.
>> reporter: the massive snows triggered avalanches in a state used to ice and snow. this is different. the mayor declaring a disaster. dozens of national guard troops arriving to help. 700 miles away --
>> as soon as we get out of the critical range i'll tell you.
>> reporter: help could not come soon enough for a russian fuel tanker on a resupply mission. the coast guard trying to provide assistance but with shifting ice up to three feet thick the operation at times comes to a halt and even they aren't sure if the tanker will make it to nome.
>> we have been working, assisting them if they get stuck and escorting them.
>> reporter: back in cordova, residents are bracing for another one to two feet of snow as they await a tool for the ultimate shovel-ready project.
>> eight to ten buildings have been damaged or destroyed from the weight of the snow.
>> wow.
>> it's amazing with technology. in the old days they would have needed -- to help them.
>> we have a severe winter and many areas are having a mild winter. i have people saying, we're not going to get snow. maybe a little bit.
>> that's optimistic.
>> everybody's stressed out about whether this is global warming . should we be stressed out?
>> i don't think so. but there is some concern. climate change. let's call it that.
>> whatever the heck it is,
Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45955963/
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Twinkies maker Hostess seeks bankruptcy protection (AP)
NEW YORK ? Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of Twinkies and Wonder Bread, is seeking bankruptcy protection, blaming its pension and medical benefits obligations, increased competition and tough economic conditions.
The Chapter 11 filing on Wednesday comes just two years after a predecessor company emerged from bankruptcy proceedings.
That company, called Interstate Bakeries and based in Kansas City, Mo., filed for bankruptcy protection in 2004. It emerged in February 2009.
But Hostess said Wednesday that its previous efforts to produce incremental change, including the prior Chapter 11 case, were insufficient.
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Hostess disclosed that its biggest unsecured creditor is the Bakery & Confectionary Union & Industry International Pension Fund, which it owes approximately $944.2 million.
Its second-largest unsecured creditor, Central States, Southeast and Southwest Areas Pension Plan is owed far less, about $11.8 million.
Hostess President and CEO Brian Driscoll said in a statement that the company is working to reach a consensual agreement with its unions to modify its collective bargaining agreements. The company said that its current cost structure is not competitive mostly because of legacy pension and medical benefit obligations and restrictive work rules.
Hostess said those issues, coupled with more competition and the difficult economic conditions, created a worsening liquidity situation that drove its need to reorganize.
In its bankruptcy filing, Hostess also listed its estimated assets between $500 million and $1 billion and its estimated liabilities at more than $1 billion.
The privately held Irving, Texas-based company said that it will be able to maintain routine operations thanks to a $75 million financing commitment from a group of lenders led by Silver Point Capital LP.
Reports had surfaced earlier in the week that the bakery company was planning to make such a filing.
Hostess said that it will look to restructure into a "strong, competitive" company. It will continue to run bakeries, outlet stores and distribution centers and deliver its goods during the process. The company said that it does not anticipate any disruptions in the making of or delivery of its breads or cake products and reassured that its popular brands, which also include Drake's, Ding Dongs and Ho Hos, will still be available.
Hostess said that it is looking to "create a sustainable cost structure with competitive employee benefit plans." It also hopes to modernize its systems, fleets and plants to keep pace with customer needs.
"This company has tremendous potential if we can remove the barriers to success," Driscoll said.
Hostess has about 19,000 employees and operates in 49 states. Annual sales are about $2 billion, according to the company's website.
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Citizens Property Insurance president resigns
By
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Tbo.com
Published: January 09, 2012
Updated: January 09, 2012 - 6:00 PM
TALLAHASSEE ? Citizens Property Insurance Corporation President Scott Wallace is resigning after six years at the head of the state-backed property insurer.
Wallace turned in his resignation to Board Chairman Carlos Lacasa on Friday. Wallace will remain at Citizens into early April to assist with a transition to new leadership.
Lacasa on Monday credited Wallace for improvements in Citizens' service levels, risk transference initiatives, and professionalism towards its policyholders, agents, legislative leaders and stakeholders.
Citizens is Florida's largest property insurer for home and business owners with roughly 1.5 million policyholders. It has grown rapidly in recent years despite legislative efforts to reduce its size and liabilities.
Citizens was created by the Legislature in 2002 to provide insurance to homeowners in high-risk areas and those unable to find coverage in the private market.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/tbo/politics/~3/ocksh6u8i1s/
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Monday, January 9, 2012
Golden Nuggets: Sandy Barbour Explains the Fiasco that is Cal Football's 2012 Schedule
As most of you know, the Pac-12 schedule was released earlier this week. Few fanbases are as disappointed in the schedule as Cal fans, who have to put up with both an October rivalry game and a schedule with no bye weeks. Anticipating some outcry, Sandy Barbour sent out an explanation for why the Big Game is in October. Apparently the only other option was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, an offer they did not want to put on the table.
Why is the Big Game in October in 2012?
Playing the Big Game at the end of the regular season has been a Bay Area tradition for many, many years, one that fans and everyone within Cal Athletics would like to see continue. However, recent changes in the football landscape have made assembling a Pac-12 schedule more and more challenging.
The schedule for all conference games is decided by a vote of the league's athletic directors. For 2012, three football schedules were presented to the conference ADs for approval - one with the Big Game on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Schedule A with the game on Oct. 20 and Schedule B with the game on Nov. 17. Both Cal and Stanford favored Schedule B and lobbied for its acceptance. While this version kept the Big Game on a more traditional Saturday late in the season, other dates for conference games were significantly impacted.
In line with conference policy, the schedules were put to a vote among the 12 athletic directors, and the majority vote favored schedule A - which slots the Stanford-Cal game on Oct. 20.
...
We do not expect this 2012 scenario to be the norm, but an exception. The 2013 and other future schedules have not yet been approved by the conference, and Cal will do its best to help ensure the Big Game will be scheduled as close to the end of the season as possible.Why not play the Big Game on Thanksgiving Weekend?
As all Cal fans know, the Big Game is more than just a football game played on a Saturday in the fall. The buildup to the annual contest includes a weeklong list of events - from the Cable Car Rally in San Francisco on Mondays to the Bonfire Rally at the Greek Theatre on Friday nights, not to mention the series of alumni luncheons and dinners, including the Guardsman Luncheon, and the annual Laugh Your Axe Off student comedy show.To hold the Big Game on Thanksgiving weekend would mean that many of these beloved activities would have to be eliminated because so many of our ticket holders, particularly our students, want to spend time away with their families during this period.
After the jump the men's team could have used some of the women's team's excellent defense as Cal basketball splits its games against Oregon State.
Football
Basketball
Source: http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/2012/1/6/2687391/cal-bears-2012-schedule-sandy-barbour-big-game
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