Saturday, December 31, 2011

Open Thread (Balloon Juice)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/180830135?client_source=feed&format=rss

mike starr one life to live ufc 141 fight card gli ifl joseph gordon levitt kevin durant

Congress Passed Few Jobs Bills in 2011

(NewsCore) - Despite the urgent appeals out of Washington to tackle the jobs crisis, Congress succeeded in passing more laws naming post offices in 2011 than those aimed at propping up job-seekers and businesses.

Though what constitutes a jobs bill is not an exact science, only six laws appear to meet the basic definition. Congress passed three trade deals, a patent reform package, a bill to repeal a withholding provision for government contractors and most recently the year-end payroll tax cut extension.

The latter was the most sweeping of the year's jobs bills. It covered an extension of the payroll tax cut at current rates, an extension of long-term unemployment aid, a provision pertaining to the stalled Keystone pipeline and other smaller measures.

The extension, however, lasts just two months and leaves it up to lawmakers to negotiate a longer-term package early next year. If the debate follows the pattern of 2011, the process will be laced with partisanship, the outcome uncertain.

Political deadlock prevented a glut of proposals from both parties from advancing this past year. House Republicans saw much of their legislation stall in the Senate. Democrats on the Hill stood next to no shot of getting their proposals taken up in the Republican-dominated House.

Lawmakers instead found common ground on the least controversial of proposals -- like naming US Postal Service buildings, which they did 10 times in 2011, in addition to naming other federal buildings.

The epic debt-ceiling debate and other budgetary battles consumed much of the year's legislative energy. For a brief period, lawmakers talked about using the so-called supercommittee -- the panel established out of the debt-ceiling debate and tasked with reducing the long-term deficit -- to enact jobs-focused reform. The panel broke apart without a deal.

The persistent deadlock on economic proposals gave way to compromise on a few occasions. Lawmakers were able to work out the kinks this year on three trade deals -- with South Korea, Panama and Colombia -- which leaders of both parties ostensibly supported.

Congress also passed the "America Invents Act," a law aimed at overhauling the patent process and spurring American innovation. And lawmakers came together to repeal a provision that would withhold three percent of payments to government contractors -- a bill that also contained tax credits for companies that hire jobless veterans.

In a "year in review" circulated Friday, House Speaker John Boehner's office called on President Barack Obama to urge Senate Democrats to approve "more than 25 bipartisan, House-passed jobs bills that are languishing on their doorstep."

Obama, meanwhile, has tried to move unilaterally. Only pieces of his American Jobs Act made it through Congress, and he has tried to go around Congress through what the White House describes as the "we can't wait" initiative. Through this, the administration has announced new rules to protect workers who provide in-home care for the elderly; $2 billion in support for entrepreneurs; $4 billion in private/public energy upgrades to buildings; and other proposals.

Source: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/news/congress-passed-few-jobs-bills-in-2011-dpgonc-20111230-kh_16700065

extreme couponing taylor lautner nfl playoff picture nfl playoff picture act new orleans saints sinead o connor

Friday, December 30, 2011

Website says Sinead O'Connor's marriage is over (AP)

LONDON ? A statement on Sinead O'Connor's website says her brief marriage to therapist Barry Herridge has ended amicably.

The statement on sineadoconnor.com says "the marriage was 16 days. We lived together for 7 days only.. Until Xmas eve."

The statement says "from the moment myself and my husband got together ... there was intense pressure placed upon him by certain people in his life, not to be involved with me."

She adds: "As my good friend said `well, at least you got married in Vegas in a pink Cadillac! Can't get more Rock n Roll than that.'"

Roman Szendrey, who maintains the site, told The Associated Press by phone Wednesday the report is accurate and was personally posted by O'Connor.

______

Online: http://www.sineadoconnor.com/

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/celebrity/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111228/ap_en_ce/eu_people_sinead_o_connor

bcs bowl games jose reyes capital one bowl college football bowl schedule college football bowl schedule bcs double mastectomy

KCOY: Rose Parade Float Preparations Well Underway: By parade day the floats will all be covered in flowers which mea... http://t.co/kdICsaYZ

  • Passer la navigation
  • Twitter sur votre mobile ? Cliquez ici m.twitter.com!
  • Passer cette ?tape
  • Connexion
Loader Twitter.com
  • Connexion
Rose Parade Float Preparations Well Underway: By parade day the floats will all be covered in flowers which mea... bit.ly/tZNlct KCOY

Central Coast News

Pied de page

Source: http://twitter.com/KCOY/statuses/151698719547457537

brian williams patrice o neal patrice o neal paulina gretzky paulina gretzky wayne gretzky wayne gretzky

Thursday, December 29, 2011

'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo': Why It Didn't Dominate

Experts explain to MTV News why the best-selling book didn't translate to a box-office #1.
By Eric Ditzian


Rooney Mara in "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
Photo: Sony Pictures

Stieg Larsson's "Millennium" trilogy of crime thrillers has sold about 17 million copies in the United States alone. The first novel in the series, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," is the first book ever to sell a million digital copies. The books have become nothing short of cultural touchstones, the collective response of devoted fans to the uninitiated being something along the lines of "You haven't read 'Dragon Tattoo'? What's wrong with you?"

That's the entertainment scene onto which David Fincher's American adaptation of "Dragon Tattoo" came last week. What's more, the movie received strong critical reviews, Sony's marketing campaign was lauded by industry insiders and MTV named it the Best Movie of 2011. Yet "Dragon Tattoo" wound up with a six-day gross of just $27.8 million — the highest total of any new release but good for just fourth place overall and undoubtedly disappointing given its lofty pedigree.

So what happened?

"Maybe fans of the Stieg Larsson novel were satisfied by last year's Swedish film and weren't feeling David Fincher's Hollywood version," writes Deadline editor in chief Nikki Finke, who notes the weak opening is especially surprising given the film was the only rated-R wide-release over the Christmas season and that "adults are flocking to specialty box-office hits like Fox Searchlight's 'The Descendants' and the Weinstein Co's 'The Artist.' "

The release date could also have been a factor, even as Sony positioned "Dragon Tattoo" as the "feel-bad movie of Christmas." "The dark and violent subject matter coupled with intense competition for the attention of mature adults led to an underwhelming result over the happy and cheery yuletide holiday," says Gitesh Pandya, editor of Box Office Guru.

With no wide releases slated for the upcoming weekend, however, "Dragon Tattoo" could see its box-office haul grow significantly. Sony's distribution chief, Rory Bruer, told TheWrap that the film "is off to a good start and it's just going to get better with every day through the rest of the holiday season and well into the new year."

Finke, too, expects the film's B.O. numbers to pick up this week, and Pandya suggests "a domestic final of $100 million cannot be ruled out this early in the run as moviegoers continue to catch up on films they are interested in."

That's good news for fans of the series and of Fincher's film, who have their fingers crossed that the Oscar-nominated director gets the go-ahead to make the final two pictures in Larsson's series. As Fincher told us recently, he hopes that the first film is received well enough that he's able to revisit, in journalist Mikael Blomkvist and hacker Lisbeth Salander, "two fascinating characters who I have really come to care about."

In the end, though, the chance to see Fincher's adaptations of "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" might be entirely out of the hands — or, rather, the wallets — of American moviegoers. "Ironically, the biggest factor in this sequelizing or not will come down to how well it does in foreign market — a place where the Swedish version of the film already made nearly $100 million just a couple years ago," said Jeff Bock, box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. "Do overseas audiences really want to see the Hollywood version after the original is so fresh in their minds and was equally well-received?"

Check out everything we've got on "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Related Videos

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676485/girl-dragon-tattoo-box-office.jhtml

ucla usc sean taylor usc football cybermonday coach outlet apostasy canon powershot elph 300 hs

Futures point to higher open, volume seen low (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open on Wednesday in what looks like another low-volume session, with investors waiting for the start of 2012 before placing any large bets.

Equities ended mostly unchanged on Tuesday on about half of the year's daily average volume as investors paused following a 5 percent gain in the previous week. Markets may continue to struggle for direction, with no major economic indicators on tap or S&P 500 companies scheduled to report quarterly results until January.

European shares were modestly higher on light volume, rising 0.5 percent after short-term Italian debt costs were cut in half at an auction, which improved confidence about demand for Thursday's Italian long-term bond sale.

"This portends good news and is a positive as the European Union tries to become more stable," said Tim Speiss, head of personal wealth advisors at EisnerAmper in New York. "However, with the limited participation, I still expect today to be fairly quiet and flat."

Wall Street movements have been closely correlated to European markets in recent weeks as the region deals with a debt crisis, but the problems have receded into the background with the lack of new developments. Still, any sign of improving conditions could spur further gains, with the light volume amplifying any moves.

S&P 500 futures rose 2.8 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 22 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures put on 7.5 points.

For the year, the Dow is up 6.2 percent, while the S&P is up 0.6 percent, and the Nasdaq is down 1 percent.

Energy shares may be in focus after Iran's navy chief said it would be "easier than drinking a glass of water" for Iran to close off the Strait of Hormuz if foreign sanctions are tightened. Iran warned Tuesday it would stop the flow of oil through the strait.

"While OPEC has already offered to step in and make up for any shortfall, meaning we may not see an impact in prices for a while, this brings up the issue of stability in the Middle East, so it could be very significant," Speiss said. "A disruption of oil shipments globally could have a significant impact on prices."

U.S. crude futures slipped 0.1 percent, while Brent crude was off 0.5 percent.

Among individual stocks, Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp (MRX.N) fell 2.7 percent to $32.85 in premarket trading a day after cutting its fourth-quarter earnings outlook.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission won a delay in its securities fraud lawsuit against Citigroup Inc (C.N) as the regulator tries to appeal a judge's decision to reject its $285 million settlement with the bank. The stock rose 0.8 percent to $27.12 in premarket trading.

U.S. stocks ended flat on Tuesday after fluctuating between small gains and losses in light volume as investors took a breather following last week's rally. A stronger-than-expected reading on consumer confidence added credence to the idea that the economy was growing faster than previously thought.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111228/bs_nm/us_markets_stocks

nba lockout news gifts for mom gifts for mom pepper spray storage auctions storage auctions les miles

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

2011 Texas Rangers Timeline: October

October 2011

When last we left the 2011 Texas Rangers Timeline, the team was coming off an 19-6 September and had wrapped up the 2011 regular season at 96-66. The 96-66 mark beat the 1999 Rangers for best record in franchise history.

The Rangers began September with a 3 1/2 game lead in the A.L. West and survived a mid-month scare from the Angels as they whittled the division lead down to 1 1/2 games on September 10. From that date on, however, the Rangers only lost two more games until season's end and finished off Anaheim on the 23rd of September.

The Rangers won their second consecutive American League West title and finished one game back of the New York Yankees for best record in the American League. Even though a team in each league qualified for the playoffs thanks to hot finishes combined with epic collapses, the Rangers were arguably baseball's hottest team coming into postseason play.

Game 162 - September 28 - 96-66 1st Place lead 10.0 - Texas @ Anaheim:

Rangers 3, Angels 1

The Rangers' ALDS opponent would be the Tampa Bay Rays once again. The Rays were nine games back of the heralded Boston Red Sox as late as September 3. In baseball history, no team had qualified for the playoffs after trailing by nine games or more with less than a month remaining in the season. However, the Red Sox went 7-20 in September, including six losses in seven games against the Rays, and were tied with the Rays for the Wild Card by September 26.

On September 28, the final day of the season, the Rays and Red Sox were tied for the Wild Card. The Red Sox were in Baltimore to play to Orioles and held a 3-2 lead going into the bottom of the 9th. In Tampa, the Rays were trailing the Yankees 7-0 going into the bottom of the 8th before rallying for six runs in the 8th and then getting a 2-strike, 2-out home run from pinch hitter Dan Johnson in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game. Johnson, hitting .108 coming into the game, had hit only one other home run on the year, on April 8, and hadn't had a hit in the big leagues since April 27.

As the Rays tied the Yankees, Jonathan Papelbon was blowing the game in Baltimore. All with two out, the Orioles got a double from Chris Davis, a double from Nolan Reimold to tie the game, and then a game-winning single from Robert Andino. Boston was done. In Tampa, in the 12th inning, to cap off one of the most amazing days in baseball history, Evan Longoria snuck a pitch over the short left field fence and propelled the Rays to a rematch of the 2010 ALDS against the Rangers.

ALDS Game 1 - September 30 - Tampa Bay @ Texas - Rays lead Series 1-0:

Rays 9, Rangers 0

In 2011, C.J. Wilson dominated the Tampa Bay Rays (17 IP, 7H, 2 ER, 14 K). The Rangers were opening the ALDS at home for the first time in franchise history. The Rangers hadn't lost a game by more than a run in half a month.

Oops.

Star-divide

ALDS Game 2 - October 1 - Tampa Bay @ Texas - Series tied 1-1:

Rangers 8, Rays 6

In 2011, James Shields dominated the Texas Rangers (17 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 13 K). Shields hadn't lost a game in half a month. The Rangers hadn't scored a run in the postseason going into the bottom of the 4th inning. But then the NAP-O-LI! NAP-O-LI! NAP-O-LI! chant was born. Baseball is weird.

4rch8_medium

You mad, James?

ALDS Game 3 - October 3 - Texas @ Tampa Bay - Rangers lead Series 2-1:

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Ngdd6_medium

The Year of the Napoli!

ALDS Game 4 - October 4 - Texas @ Tampa Bay - Rangers win Series 3-1:

Rangers 4, Rays 3

Fhkea_medium

h/t: dshep

Adrian Beltre smashed Cinderella's glass slipper. The Rangers finished off the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS at Tropicana Field for the second consecutive season. The Rangers are now 5-0 at Tropicana in October.

In many ways, this series reminded me of the 1996 ALDS between the Rangers and Yankees. The Rangers won the first game of that series easily on the road and were leading in the second game at Yankees Stadium before losing late. Then, in the first home playoff game in Arlington, Texas history, the Rangers got a standout performance from starter Darren Oliver before he ran out of gas and the bullpen blew the lead. In game four, the Rangers threw the kitchen sink at the Yankees but they were just too powerful.

I imagine we'll see the Rays in October a lot over the next several years. I wouldn't mind it if the Rangers were the Yankees to their late '90s Texas Rangers.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees three games to two in the other Division Series. For the Rangers to return to the World Series, they would have to defeat the Comerica Curse and a Tigers team that went 6-3 against Texas in the regular season, went 20-6 in September, and had just beaten the team with the best record in the league. The Rangers lost four of those six games against the Tigers in one-run contests that were decided late in the game by the bullpen. Clearly, the revamped bullpen that the Rangers had put together in the second half of the season would need to come up big in this series.

All three of the Rangers wins against the Tigers in the regular season were won by Alexi Ogando. Ogando won each of those games as a starting pitcher for the Rangers. In the postseason, however, Ogando was being used as a late-innings reliever due to fatigue over the second half of the season and a pitching arsenal better suited for the bullpen. Many predicted that Ogando would be something of an X-factor for the Rangers in the ALCS given his success against the Tigers during the season.

ALCS Game 1 - October 8 - Detroit @ Texas - Rangers lead Series 1-0:

Rangers 3, Tigers 2

Hptdu_medium

The Unbeatable Justin Verlander - 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 5 K

The Maligned in '11 Texas Bullpen - 4 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 HR, 1 BB, 8 K

Mike Gonzalez was the Willow of the bullpen!

ALCS Game 2 - October 10 - Detroit @ Texas - Rangers lead Series 2-0:

Rangers 7, Tigers 3 in 11 innings

Zzbq1_medium

Happy Birthday to me!

ALCS Game 3 - October 11 - Texas @ Detroit - Rangers lead Series 2-1:

Tigers 5, Rangers 2

Oackk_medium

The Curse of Comerica Continued.

ALCS Game 4 - October 12 - Texas @ Detroit - Rangers lead Series 3-1:

Rangers 7, Tigers 3 in 11 innings

Vtwm7_medium

Nelson Cruz doesn't believe in curses! At this point in the series, Cruz had hit a home run off of Justin Verlander which was ultimately the game winning run, hit the tying solo shot in the 7th inning of Game 2 before making baseball history by hitting the first walk-off grand slam in postseason play, and in Game 4, Cruz threw out Miguel Cabrera in the 8th inning of a tied game. Then, just to show off, Cruz hit a three run home run in the 11th to put the Rangers first road playoff win in Detroit to bed.

The Rangers did what they needed to do. They won once in Detroit to give themselves two chances to beat the Tigers at home to win the series. Of course, the Rangers could finish off the Tigers in Detroit if they could beat Justin Verlander for a second time.

ALCS Game 5 - October 13 - Texas @ Detroit - Rangers lead Series 3-2:

Tigers 7, Rangers 5

Ajaxv_medium

Even though the Rangers shockingly won a game in Detroit to set themselves up favorably for the rest of the series, they were facing Justin Verlander at Comerica in Game 5. Verlander had been wholly mediocre in the postseason in his first three starts, including a Game 1 loss to the Rangers. But, with the Rangers history at Comerica on his side, odds were in favor of Verlander sending the series back to Arlington.

The Rangers had Verlander on the ropes in a 2-2 game in the top of the 6th when Ian Kinsler hit into a bases loaded double play to keep the game tied. In the bottom of the inning, the Tigers got an even bigger break when a ground ball to third hit by Miguel Cabrera -- destined to be a double play for the Rangers -- bounced off of the front corner of the bag and ended up in the left field corner for a go-ahead run scoring double. After that, the wheels came off and the story became how Verlander had propelled the Tigers back into the series.

ALCS Game 6 - October 15 - Detroit @ Texas - Rangers win Series 4-2:

Rangers 15, Tigers 5

Sacpa_medium

Texas returns to the World Series! The Rangers were down 2-0, and facing a potential Game 7 against Doug Fister, when in the bottom of the 3rd inning, they made magic happen:

- I. Kinsler grounded out to third
- E. Andrus walked
- J. Hamilton singled to shallow left, E. Andrus to second
- M. Young doubled to shallow left, E. Andrus and J. Hamilton scored
- A. Beltre singled to center, M. Young scored
- M. Napoli walked, A. Beltre to second
- N. Cruz walked, A. Beltre to third, M. Napoli to second
- D. Schlereth relieved M. Scherzer
- D. Murphy singled to shallow center, A. Beltre and M. Napoli scored, N. Cruz to second
- C. Gentry hit for E. Chavez
- R. Porcello relieved D. Schlereth
- C. Gentry reached on fielder's choice, N. Cruz to third, D. Murphy to second
- I. Kinsler singled to left, N. Cruz and D. Murphy scored, C. Gentry to second, C. Gentry to third, I. Kinsler to second on left fielder D. Young's fielding error
- E. Andrus grounded into fielder's choice, C. Gentry out at home, I. Kinsler to third
- J. Hamilton intentionally walked
- M. Young doubled to shallow right, I. Kinsler and E. Andrus scored, J. Hamilton to third
- R. Perry relieved R. Porcello
- A. Beltre flied out to left

9 runs, 6 hits, 1 errors
Detroit 2, Texas 9

Alexi Ogando won his second game of the series and finished with 7 2/3 innings, 3 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 BB, 10 K in the ALCS. Ogando was spectacular in his role as bridge from Rangers starter to Mike Adams/Neftali Feliz in every game the Rangers won in the series. In many series, he might have been the MVP. However...

Bnnp7_medium

Nelson Cruz finished the ALCS with a .364 average and broke the record for most home runs (6) and RBI (13) in a single series. He became the only player to hit two extra inning home runs in a series. He is the only player to hit six or more home runs in two postseasons, and he did it in back-to-back seasons. Cruz had become the Rangers' Mr. October.

------------------------------------------------------------

The St. Louis Cardinals stunned the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS three games to two and then beat their division rival Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS four games to two to qualify for the 18th World Series in franchise history. Coming into the playoffs, the Cardinals were as much of a "Cinderella story" as the Tampa Bay Rays. However, the Rays seemed to be the more heavily reported story and the team most proclaimed as the "Team of Destiny."

With the Cardinals facing a Phillies team with the best record in baseball and the "Four Aces," St. Louis was considered something of an afterthought regardless of their equally amazing run to qualify for the playoffs. Everyone was wrong about which team to call the Team of Destiny. Cinderella didn't reside in Tampa Bay.

The Atlanta Braves held a 10.5 game lead on the Cardinals on August 24th. With 16 games left to play, the Cardinals had cut the lead to 4.5 games but still only had a 7.7% chance of making the playoffs according to Baseball Prospectus playoff odds. With a week to go in the season, the Cardinals still trailed the Braves by 2 games with only six left to play. By the time the final series remained, the Cardinals had brought the Braves' lead down to a single game.

The Cardinals won a series against the Houston Astros while the Braves were swept at home by the Phillies which gave the National League Wild Card to the Cardinals. Interestingly enough, the Phillies beating the Braves essentially meant the Phillies chose their future postseason failure fate by allowing the Cardinals into the playoffs. The Cardinals went 23-9 over the final 32 games of the season to erase that 10.5 game deficit. They went 18-8 in the month of September while the Braves went 9-18 to finish the comeback. St. Louis finished the season 90-72.

World Series Game 1 - October 19 - Texas @ St. Louis - Cardinals lead Series 1-0:

Cardinals 3, Rangers 2

Dxcdr_medium

When C.J. Wilson lost the All-Star Game, you could see it coming. The Rangers were going to go back to the World Series and they were going to have play on the road with horrible National League rules. NL Baseball sucks. And so, the Rangers lost Game 1 of the World Series. Again.

World Series Game 2 - October 20 - Texas @ St. Louis - Series tied 1-1:

Rangers 2, Cardinals 1

The Rangers went into the 9th inning of Game 2 of the World Series having scored their only runs off of a Mike Napoli two run home run in Game 1. National League baseball still sucks.

With the Rangers three outs away from trailing the Cardinals 2-0 in the World Series the Cardinals went to closer Jason Motte. Motte had only given up one baserunner in the entire postseason when Ian Kinsler lead off the 9th with a single. Kinsler dared to challenge the elite arm of Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina and stole second. With the bunt off, Elvis Andrus singled to center and then advanced to second on a poor throw from center fielder Jon Jay that glanced off of Albert Pujols' glove.

Two sac flies from Josh Hamilton and Michael Young later, and the Rangers had pulled off a 9th inning comeback win to draw the World Series even at one game apiece. And that was cool. But hey, look at this thing that Elvis Andrus did:

E45pf_medium

World Series Game 3 - October 22 - St. Louis @ Texas - Cardinals lead Series 2-1:

Cardinals 16, Rangers 7

Khsx3_medium

Runs allowed in the two World Series games I've seen the Rangers play in person: 27. That's an average of 13.5 Runs Allowed Per Fittz Attended Game. Runs allowed in the 10 other games the Rangers have played in the World Series: 39. That's an average of 3.9 Runs Allowed Per Non-Fittz Attended Game. Sigh.

World Series Game 4 - October 23 - St. Louis @ Texas - Series tied 2-2:

Rangers 4, Cardinals 0

3hufz_medium

No matter what, we'll always have Derek Holland's Game 4.

World Series Game 5 - October 24 - St. Louis @ Texas - Rangers lead Series 3-2:

Rangers 4, Cardinals 2

5fcq6_medium Dxwzd_medium

The day Texas Rangers fans won a World Series game.

World Series Game 6 - October 27 - Texas @ St. Louis - Series tied 3-3:

Cardinals 10, Rangers 9 in 11 innings

World Series Game 7 - October 28 - Texas @ St. Louis - REDACTED:

SCORE REDACTED

DruShep's got this.

No, the Rangers didn't actually win the World Series. And yes, it still hurts. But the Rangers did play in one of the best World Series ever. Because our team didn't win it is possible, and even probable, that we, as Rangers fans, will never truly be able to enjoy the gravitas of that fact.

But it remains true, regardless. When I think of the 1991 World Series, I think of it as a classic between the Braves and Twins, not so much that it was a World Series that Minnesota won. Likewise, when I think of the 1997 World Series, I think of it as an all-time great Series between the Marlins and Indians. I don't really think of the 1997 champion Florida Marlins.

That's not to take anything away from Minnesota, Florida, or St. Louis. They won. They will forever be the champions. But, eventually, when a World Series becomes an classic, it transcends who ultimately won. When a World Series transforms into a defining memory, it becomes an immortal battle in the minds of baseball fans forever. It's a shame they only play seven.

Perhaps someday that final score can be revealed without heartache and we can enjoy the fact that the Rangers played in a true Fall Classic. Perhaps it won't be possible until the Rangers do finally get that final strike in October. But someday, in addition to remembering the good times from a great baseball team, perhaps we'll remember the World Series for what it was: A special baseball moment in time.

For a Rangers franchise that has had so few special moments, we have now witnessed two consecutive American League Pennants and have seen the Texas Rangers lead in a excellent World Series. Even 14 months ago, that would have seemed preposterous. And yet, here we are. The 2011 Texas Rangers will mean more to us than a couple of games in a filthy National League city.

I still do think about those final games in St. Louis, probably every hour. It's not pleasant. But that's not what this is all about. Back before the postseason began, Adam wrote a post imploring us to Enjoy Every Sandwich. And that's what this exercise in remembering the 2011 Texas Rangers has been about. These Rangers didn't win 'em all. These Rangers didn't win it all. But these Rangers were the best team in the history of this franchise and it was delicious.

This was the best sandwich we've ever had and, ultimately, everything about it was enjoyable even though they got a few crumbs in the bed there at the end. We're still brushing them off but, before we know it, we'll be hungry again.

Fvlwv_medium

Source: http://www.lonestarball.com/2011/12/27/2659999/2011-texas-rangers-timeline-october

unthink julianne hough chris cook nest williams syndrome jay leno machine gun kelly

Look for Less: Honor Warren?s Sporty Chic

Honor Warren looks so cute in her Ash Footwear sneakers. Check her out, plus our look for less.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/YOyyOOqsD6M/

vs fashion show 2011 victoria secret fashion show beverly hills hotel beverly hills hotel tori spelling duke basketball brian williams

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

saraivaonline: "O X da Quest?o" O ?cone no mundo dos neg?cios, Eike Batista, narra sua trajeto?ria de sucesso. http://t.co/SgfuAI10

Twitter / Saraiva.com.br: "O X da Quest?o" O ?cone n ... Loader "O X da Quest?o" O ?cone no mundo dos neg?cios, Eike Batista, narra sua trajeto?ria de sucesso.

Source: http://twitter.com/saraivaonline/statuses/150697298417041408

cmas world series of poker joe walsh zsa zsa gabor heavy d dead heavy d dead alaska weather

Mayor: House fire kills 5 in Stamford, Connecticut

Story Published: Dec 25, 2011 at 6:55 AM PST

Mayor: House fire kills 5 in Stamford, Connecticut

Firefighters are seen on the roof of a house where an early morning fire left five people dead Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011, in Stamford, Conn. Officials said the fire, which was reported shortly before 5 a.m., killed two adults and three children. (AP Photo/Tina Fineberg)

STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) - Fire tore through a house in a tony neighborhood along the Connecticut shoreline early Sunday, killing five people, making it among the worst Christmases in the city's history, the mayor said.

Officials said the fire, which was reported shortly before 5 a.m., killed two adults and three children. Two others escaped. Their names have not been released.

"It is a terrible, terrible day for the city of Stamford," Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia told reporters at a news briefing at the scene of the fire. "There probably has not been a worse Christmas day in the city of Stamford."

Acting Fire Chief Antonio Conte said attempts by firefighters to rescue the house's occupants were pushed back by intense flames and heat.

He said fire officials do not yet know the cause of the blaze and will not likely get clues for a few days until fire marshals can enter the house "and figure out what happened."

Conte said he did not know the conditions of the two survivors.

"We had our hands full from the moment we arrived on the scene," he said.

A neighbor, Sam Cingari Jr., said he was awakened by the sound of screaming and that the house was entirely engulfed by flames.

"We heard this screaming at 5 in the morning," he said. "The whole house was ablaze and I mean ablaze."

Cingari says he does not know his neighbors, who he said bought the house last year and were renovating it. Power also was out in the neighborhood, he said.

Charles Mangano, who lives near the scene, told The Advocate of Stamford he saw a barefoot man wearing boxers and a woman being led out of the house.

The woman said, "`My whole life is in there,"' he said. "They were both obviously in a state of shock."

The 3,349-square foot, five-bedroom home sold for $1.7 million in December 2010, according to the Stamford assessment office's website. It's located in Shippan Point, a neighborhood that juts into Long Island Sound.

Tony Low-Beer, another neighbor, said he was awakened by a neighbor after 4 a.m. who told him about a "raging fire" next door.

"Cinders were flying all over the place," he told The Associated Press.

He said he secured his three dogs and put his iguana in a carrying case because he was concerned he might have to evacuate. As of Sunday afternoon, he was still at his home.

Stamford, a city of 117,000 residents, is about 25 miles northeast of New York City.

Source: http://www.kimatv.com/news/national/Mayor-House-fire-kills-5-in-Stamford-Connecticut-136203383.html

war in iraq war in iraq barbara walters government shutdown sofia vergara jacksonville jaguars jacksonville jaguars

Monday, December 26, 2011

Starbucks' cup of woe: $7.5 million civil award

By Joseph M.D. Young, NBCSanDiego.com

A San Diego jury awarded a man and his wife nearly $7.5 million Friday in their civil suit against Starbucks after the man fell inside a North County business in 2008.

The case, which was filed in 2009, centered on Anthony Zaccaglin, who reportedly sustained a concussion after falling inside a Starbucks located on Melrose in Vista. Zaccaglin slipped and hit his head on a cash register as he was walking from the cashier to the pickup counter, according to Zaccaglin's attorneys, who added that witnesses at the scene said a manager had just mopped the area where Zaccaglin slipped and also said that that employee later apologized for not "dry mopping."

Read the original story on NBCSanDiego.com

Zaccaglin alleged that he suffered complications stemming from the fall and was unable to return to work as a chiropractor.

Starbucks initially offered a $100,000 settlement to Zaccaglin; he declined to accept that proposal, however, said Zaccaglin's attorney John Gomez.

After two and a half weeks in court, a jury returned a verdict against Starbucks on Friday, awarding $6,456,230.50 to Zaccaglin. His wife was awarded $1 million for loss of consortium, or the loss of her husband?s love, companionship, comfort and care.

The total amount could grow to as much as $8.5 million, including added costs, Gomez said.

Starbucks spokesman Jim Oslo said the company was disappointed with the size of verdict:

Providing a safe environment for our customers is always a top priority for us at Starbucks. We are sorry that Mr. Zaccaglin was injured at our Vista, Calif., store. However, we are disappointed with the size of the verdict as we made every effort to reach a mutually agreeable and reasonable settlement with Mr. Zaccaglin. We are reviewing the decision to determine what, if any, steps we may take in response.

If Starbucks appeals, it could take up to two more years for the case to be settled, according to Gomez.

"For a national chain, Starbuck's safety policies were shockingly inadequate and inconsistently applied," Gomez said. "The family hopes that today's verdict will cause Starbucks to take safety as seriously as it does sales."

Gomez added that he and Zaccaglin were hoping to work it out with Starbucks to avoid an appeal.

More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:

?

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/23/9665765-cup-of-woe-75-million-award-to-man-who-fell-at-starbucks

bcs double mastectomy 2011 bowl schedule bcs games kennedy center honors bcs championship heath bell

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Australian court extends ban on Galaxy tab sales

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2011 file photo, people walk by a Samsung store in Sydney. Samsung Electronics Co. is closer to selling its new Galaxy tablet computer in Australia after a court on Wednesday, Nov. 30, overturned a ruling that favored Apple's allegations Samsung had copied its iPad and iPhone. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2011 file photo, people walk by a Samsung store in Sydney. Samsung Electronics Co. is closer to selling its new Galaxy tablet computer in Australia after a court on Wednesday, Nov. 30, overturned a ruling that favored Apple's allegations Samsung had copied its iPad and iPhone. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)

(AP) ? Apple Inc. won a small victory on Friday in its global patent battle with rival Samsung, after Australia's highest court temporarily extended a ban on sales of Samsung's Galaxy tablet computers in the country.

Samsung Electronics Co. is desperate to begin selling the Galaxy in Australia in time for Christmas sales, but the High Court's decision means the device can't go on the market until at least Dec. 9.

Apple took Samsung to court in Australia after accusing the Suwon, South Korea-based company of copying its iPad and iPhone. In October, a Federal Court judge ordered Samsung to halt sales of the device ahead of a trial. Samsung appealed, and on Wednesday, a full bench of the Federal Court threw out the earlier ruling and said Galaxy sales could resume on Friday.

But Apple immediately appealed that decision to the High Court, which on Friday said the temporary injunction against sales would be extended for another week while it considers Apple's latest arguments.

"Samsung believes Apple has no basis for its application for leave to appeal and will vigorously oppose this to the High Court," Samsung said in a statement.

The legal back-and-forth is all part of a larger, international battle over the technology giants' competing tablets. Cupertino, California-based Apple struck first when it sued Samsung in the United States in April, alleging the product design, user interface and packaging of the Galaxy "slavishly copy" the iPhone and iPad. Samsung hit back with lawsuits accusing Apple of patent infringement of its wireless telecommunications technology.

The companies have now filed lawsuits in 10 countries. Courts in several nations, including Germany and the Netherlands, have issued rulings that favor Apple.

Apple spokeswoman Fiona Martin declined to comment on Friday's ruling, instead issuing a general statement blasting Samsung.

"It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," Apple said in the statement. "This kind of blatant copying is wrong and, as we've said many times before, we need to protect Apple's intellectual property when companies steal our ideas."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2011-12-01-AS-Australia-Samsung-Apple/id-7886ea7db7d14c85abbfeda571cf4c5e

snl boxing news boxing andy dalton waterboarding corporal kelsey de santis corporal kelsey de santis

Candy, cash ? al-Qaida implants itself in Africa (AP)

SOKOLO, Mali ? The first time the members of al-Qaida emerged from the forest, they politely said hello. Then the men carrying automatic weapons asked the frightened villagers if they could please take water from the well.

Before leaving, they rolled down the windows of their pickup truck and called over the children to give them chocolate.

That was 18 months ago, and since then, the bearded men in tunics like those worn by Osama bin Laden have returned for water every week. Each time they go to lengths to exchange greetings, ask for permission and act neighborly, according to locals, in the first intimate look at how al-Qaida tries to win over a village.

Besides candy, the men hand out cash. If a child is born, they bring baby clothes. If someone is ill, they prescribe medicine. When a boy was hospitalized, they dropped off plates of food and picked up the tab.

With almost no resistance, al-Qaida has implanted itself in Africa's soft tissue, choosing as its host one of the poorest nations on earth. The terrorist group has create a refuge in this remote land through a strategy of winning hearts and minds, described in rare detail by seven locals in regular contact with the cell. The villagers agreed to speak for the first time to an Associated Press team in the "red zone," deemed by most embassies to be too dangerous for foreigners to visit.

While al-Qaida's central command is in disarray and its leaders on the run following bin Laden's death six months ago, security experts say, the group's 5-year-old branch in Africa is flourishing. From bases like the one in the forest just north of here, al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, is infiltrating local communities, recruiting fighters, running training camps and planning suicide attacks, according to diplomats and government officials.

Even as the mother franchise struggles financially, its African offshoot has raised an estimated $130 million in under a decade by kidnapping at least 50 Westerners in neighboring countries and holding them in camps in Mali for ransom. It has tripled in size from 100 combatants in 2006 to at least 300 today, say security experts. And its growing footprint, once limited to Algeria, now stretches from one end of the Sahara desert to the other, from Mauritania in the west to Mali in the east.

The group's stated aim is to become a player in global jihad, and suspected collaborators have been arrested throughout Europe, including in the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, England and France. In September, the general responsible for U.S. military operations in Africa, Army Gen. Carter Ham, said AQIM now also poses a "significant threat" to the United States.

The answer to why the group has thrived can be found in this speck of a town, where homes are made of mud mixed with straw and families eke out a living either in the fields of rice to the south or in the immense forest of short, stout trees to its north.

It's here, under a canopy stretching over an area three times larger than the city of New York, that Sokolo's herders take their cattle. They avoid overgrazing by organizing themselves into eight units linked to each of the eight wells, labeled N1 through N8, along the 50-mile-long perimeter of the Wagadou forest. They pay $5 per year per head of cattle, and $3 per head of sheep, for the right to water their animals.

When the al-Qaida fighters showed up about 1 1/2 years ago with four to five jerrycans and asked for water, they signaled that they did not intend to plunder resources. They stood out in their tunics stopping a little below the knees, small turbans and beards, a foreign style of dress associated with the Gulf states and bin Laden.

"From the moment you lay eyes on them, you know that they're not Malian," said 45-year-old herder Amadou Maiga.

They started to come every four or five days in Land Cruisers, with Kalashnikovs slung over their shoulders. At first they stayed for no more than 15 to 20 minutes, said the villagers, including herders, a hunter and employees of the Malian Ministry of Husbandry who travel to the area to vaccinate animals and repair broken pumps. If on Monday they took water from one well, on Wednesday they would go to another, always varying their path.

Fousseyni Diakite, 51, a pump technician who travels twice a month to the forest to check the generators used to run the wells, first ran into the cell in May 2010, when he saw four men in Arab dress inside a Toyota Hilux truck, all with AK-47s at their feet.

He said the men come with medical supplies and try to find out if anyone is sick.

"There is one who is tall with a big chest ? he's Arab, possibly Algerian. He's known for having an ambulatory pharmacy. He goes from place to place giving treatment for free," Diakite said.

They venture into the camps where the herders sleep at dusk and hand out cash to villagers who join them for prayers, he said ? bills of 10,000 West African francs (about $20), equal to nearly half the average monthly salary in Mali.

Most of the herders sleep in lean-to's in camps at the forest's edge. Because these are temporary settlements, they do not have mosques, unlike most villages in this nation twice the size of France that is 90 percent Muslim.

In Boulker, a hamlet near the forest, the fighters left 100,000 francs (around $200), instructing locals to buy supplies and build an adobe mosque, Diakite said.

"They said that for every population center with at least 10 people, there should be a mosque," he said.

Along with its poverty, Mali has an enormous geography and a weak central government ? not unlike Afghanistan, where bin Laden first used the charm offensive to secure the loyalty of the local people, said Noman Benotman, a former jihadist with links to al-Qaida, now an analyst at the London-based Quilliam Foundation.

"We used to teach our people about this. It's part of the military plan ? how to treat locals. This is the environment that keeps them alive," said Benotman, who first met bin Laden in Sudan and who spent years fighting alongside al-Qaida in Afghanistan. He said bin Laden gave his fighters specific instructions on how to conduct themselves: Don't argue about the price, just make the locals happy. Become "like oxygen" to them.

AQIM is taking the lesson to heart. Soon after they began taking water, one of the bearded fighters approached a shepherd at the pump to buy a ram. The fighters were looking to slaughter it to feed themselves. The shepherd offered it to him for free ? too afraid to ask for money, said Maiga, the man's friend.

But the stranger refused to take the ram without payment, and immediately handed over a generous sum.

"They seem to know all the prices ahead of time. They point to a ram and say, `I'll buy that one for 30,000 cfa ($60),'" said Maiga, quoting the highest sum a herder could expect to get for a ram in these parts. "They never bargain."

AQIM grew out of the groups fighting the Algerian government in the 1990s, after the military canceled elections to stave off victory for an Islamist party. Over the next decade, they left a trail of destruction in Algeria. Around 2003, they sent an emissary to Iraq to meet an al-Qaida intermediary, according to Benotman. Three years later, the insurgents joined the terror family, in what second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri called "a blessed union."

Since then, their attacks have taken on the hallmarks of al-Qaida. A pair of explosions this August killed 18 people as they tore through the mess hall of Algeria's military academy, with the second bomb timed to hit emergency responders.

Al-Qaida in turn appears to be learning from its affiliates, which have used kidnappings for ransom in Algeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan. After bin Laden's death in May, investigators found files on his hard drive showing plans to turn to kidnapping to compensate for a decline in donations.

AQIM in particular has perfected what analysts call a "kidnap economy," drawing on its refuge in Mali, according to diplomats, hostage negotiators and government officials. In 2003, the group kidnapped and transported 32 mostly German tourists from southern Algeria to Mali, where, according to a member of Mali's parliament, they struck a deal with local authorities that is still in effect today.

"The agreement was, `You don't hurt us, we won't hurt you,'" said the parliament member, formerly involved in hostage negotiations, who asked not to be identified because of the danger involved.

The government of Mali denies these accusations, but officials cited in diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks make the same assertion. The president of neighboring Mauritania, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, told his American counterparts in 2009 that Mali is "at peace with AQIM to avoid attacks on its territory." Whereas the al-Qaida cell has captured more than 50 foreigners in Algeria, Niger and Mauritania, hardly any of the violence has touched Mali.

The cell has also managed to recruit local fighters, including 60 to 80 Tuaregs, the olive-skinned nomads who live in the Sahara desert, according to a security expert. And villagers say they have seen black-skinned sub-Saharan Africans in the pickups speaking the languages of Mali, Guinea and Nigeria.

"The situation in Mali is they have become locals ? they are not foreigners," said Benotman. "This is really, really very, very difficult to do, and it makes it very hard to get rid of them."

One thing still stands in al-Qaida's way: Its hardcore ideology does not gel with the moderate Islam practiced by Mali's nomads. Most of them said they were afraid, caught between need for the money al-Qaida offers and wariness of its extremist beliefs.

When bin Laden died, the members of the local cell went from well to well to ask people to pray for his soul, according to Amaye ag Ali Cisse, an employee of the Ministry of Husbandry who travels twice a month to the wells to oversee the vaccination of animals.

"Everyone is uncomfortable," he said. "This is a religion that doesn't belong to us."

The herders say the fighters have not tried to impose their ideology by force. Instead, they say that the AQIM members wait until they have seen a herder at least a few times before broaching the subject.

"It was the third time that I saw them that they started preaching to me," said Maiga. "They said that everything they do is in order to seek out God."

Herder Baba Ould Momo, 29, said he tries to come up with an excuse to leave when the pickup trucks arrive at the well, because he's afraid the terror cell will pull him in. He said they backed off when they noticed he wasn't interested.

"The first thing they try to do is invite people to join them in the forest. If they see that the person is wavering, it's then that they start preaching ? saying everything is transitory," said Momo, who like most of the herders wears plastic flip-flops, with a robe of wrinkled cloth. "But if the person is categorical in saying `No,' they leave them alone."

In June, Mauritania and Mali led a rare joint attack on the al-Qaida cell in the Wagadou Forest. However, herders say that a week earlier, the al-Qaida fighters told them that an attack was imminent and that they had laid down land mines in the forest. Mauritania blames Malian officials for tipping off AQIM.

The herders said that for around two weeks, they didn't see the bearded fighters. Then they returned with a new fleet of Hilux pickup trucks, and with more men. Since then, the fighters' tracks have been all over the forest floor, in a map of constant movement, said 60-year-old hunter Cheickana Cisse. They no longer sleep in the same place.

Just as Cisse was taking a drink of water at the N7 pump on a recent evening, two pickup trucks mounted with anti-aircraft cannons and loaded with combatants drove up. The men had chains of ammunition strapped across their chests, and belts loaded with cartridges.

They laid their AK-47s in a circle on the ground to create a space to pray, like a symbolic mosque. One of them asked Cisse if he had heard of bin Laden.

"He said, `We're like this with bin Laden,'" Cisse explained, intertwining his right and left index fingers like a link in a chain. "He said, `We're al-Qaida.'"

The elderly hunter tried to slip away just as one of the fighters made the call to prayer.

"And they said, `You? Aren't you going to pray?' They told me to come into the circle. I could feel them watching me," he said.

The men kneeled inside the circle of weapons. Four others guarded them, including one who climbed on the roof of the truck. Cisse tiptoed inside and began going through the prayer. "I kept stealing glances to see if they were doing the same moves as me," he said. "I know the words, but I was scared."

When the group had finished, the four who had kept vigil took their turn inside the circle. Cisse quietly walked away.

They didn't try to stop him.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111203/ap_on_re_af/af_mali_al_qaida_in_the_forest

beverly hills hotel beverly hills hotel rajon rondo tori spelling duke basketball brian williams patrice o neal

Monday, December 5, 2011

Tech Ticker: Yahoo stock jumps, Apple exec departs, Sprint mends fences

Yahoo stock jumps as board contemplates offers

As Yahoo's (YHOO) board continues to debate bids for all or part of the company, investors are betting the end result of the current negotiations will be a higher stock price.

Yahoo stock rose as much as 4.8 percent during Thursday trading, and settled at $16.23 at the close for a gain of 3.3 percent. That price is not far from the $16.60 a share that a group led by Menlo Park-based private equity firm Silver Lake Partners has reportedly offered for a large stake in Yahoo.

Yahoo's board reportedly met Wednesday to discuss bids for the company, including the Silver Lake bid and another bid for a minority stake by TPG Capital, according to reports from The New York Times and Bloomberg News.

Reports say nobody has yet made a bid for the entire Sunnyvale company, but Alibaba -- one of China's biggest Internet companies, which is partly owned by Yahoo -- is reportedly building such a bid with partners that would exceed $20 a share after factoring in tax savings.

-- Jeremy C. Owens, staff

Apple exec who boosted government sales exits

Apple's (AAPL) vice president in charge of sales to the U.S. government, who helped get its devices into more federal agencies, has left the company, according to a person with knowledge of the move.

Ron Police, who had run the government sales force since 2004, left in October, said the person, who asked not to be named because the departure hasn't been disclosed. Police's LinkedIn profile indicates that he's no longer at the company.

Police helped Apple's iPhone and iPad gain a foothold at government agencies, a market traditionally dominated by technology products from companies such as Microsoft, Dell and Research In Motion. To further that effort, Apple is seeking security certification from the National Institute of Standards, the agency that provides technology recommendations to the federal government.

-- Bloomberg News

Sprint renews commitment to Clearwire's WiMax

Sprint Nextel is mending fences with independent subsidiary Clearwire, pledging Thursday to use the data network Clearwire is planning to build and to participate if the company raises more capital.

The announcement is a lifeline for Clearwire, which is struggling financially. It's using a network technology called WiMax that has been bypassed by all phone companies except Sprint, and lacks the funding to upgrade to the industry's standard technology.

Sprint said it will collaborate with Clearwire on building the new network and expects to sell phones that can use it, starting in 2013. It will pay up to $350 million in advance for network capacity if Clearwire meets certain buildout goals.

Clearwire shares climbed 14 percent 2 to $2.03 in Thursday's trading. Earlier in the day, the stock was up as much as 37 percent.

-- Associated Press

Source: http://www.siliconvalley.com/ci_19450661?source=rss_viewed

malawi malawi angela davis angela davis zombie apocalypse matt moore matt moore

Westwood takes 7-shot lead at Sun City after 62 (AP)

SUN CITY, South Africa ? Defending champion Lee Westwood shot 10-under 62 Saturday to take a seven-shot lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The No. 3-ranked Westwood produced the best round under normal rules at the Sun City tournament, reeling off 10 birdies for a 16-under 200 at the $5 million invitational event.

After Padraig Harrington's 61 in 2001 ? when players were allowed to clean and place their ball because of wet weather ? Westwood's performance was the lowest score in the 30 years of the Nedbank Challenge.

The Englishman picked up eight shots on overnight leader Graeme McDowell (70), who shared second at 9 under with Robert Karlsson (69).

Westwood didn't drop a shot in a third-round performance that topped the second-round 64 he shot here last year to set up an eight-stroke win.

He left the top-ranked player, the No. 4-ranked player, two current major champions and one former major winner all trailing in his wake.

Westwood had three birdies in a row from No. 2 and three more in succession through the turn. He finished by picking up four more shots on Nos. 14 through 17.

Westwood made birdies on each of the four par-5s and his score would have been even lower had he holed one of the four eagle putts he had on those long holes.

"If you ask me now (about) the poor shots I hit in the round, I probably could not tell you one," Westwood said. "I hit it over the flag or right where I was aiming all day. It was as good as I've played in a long time."

McDowell ? the 2010 U.S. Open winner ? had an eagle, three birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey to share second with Karlsson, who carded his third straight 69 at Gary Player Country Club.

American Jason Dufner returned a 70 after dropping a shot on No. 18. The Nedbank Challenge rookie was tied for fourth with No. 4-ranked Martin Kaymer, who also shot 70 with five birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey.

But none of the 12-man field ? which also features top-ranked Luke Donald, Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and British Open winner Darren Clarke ? could come close to the consistent brilliance of Westwood.

"It is great that it is a strong field this week, but you do not go in thinking about that at the start of the week," Westwood said. "I enjoy playing this golf course. It is one of my favorites and you get what you deserve. It all went to plan."

Donald was unable to launch a challenge as he was pulled back by bogeys early and late in his round to go with four birdies. He shot 70 for a 5-under 211 for eighth place, 11 shots off the pace.

South Korea's Kyung-tae Kim and South African Schwartzel shared sixth at 6 under, a shot ahead of Donald.

England's Simon Dyson (75) Denmark's Anders Hansen (77) and Clarke, who shot 76 after a 69 on Friday, dropped to 3 over.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/sports/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111203/ap_on_sp_go_su/glf_sun_city

barry sanders tim allen enlightened enlightened stand and deliver when does ios 5 come out when does ios 5 come out

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Grammy surprise: Who's that? His name is Skrillex (AP)

NEW YORK ? Many people were surprised when the name Skrillex was announced in the best new artist category, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj and The Band Perry, during this week's televised Grammy nominations special.

Count Skrillex as one of them.

A day after earning a whopping five nominations in total, the 23-year-old dance and dub-step producer is still taking it all in.

"It just hasn't really hit me yet," he said in a phone interview from Manchester, England, on Thursday. "I wouldn't have thought I would come this far in so many ways."

Skrillex scored the third-most nominations, matching Lil Wayne. Kanye West leads with seven nods; Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars scored six each.

The Los Angeles-based Skrillex, born Sonny Moore, may be best known for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" (he's also a producer on Korn's new album, "The Path of Totality," out next week).

Skrillex hasn't had much success on the Billboard charts ? he's more of an underground artist. He'll have some tough competition in the best new artist category: Besides facing The Band Perry and Minaj, who were both nominated for Grammys earlier this year and have dominated their respective fields and at other awards shows, he'll compete with Bon Iver, a critical darling, and J. Cole, who had a No.1 album and is the protege of Jay-Z.

Skrillex is nominated for best dance recording for "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," and also nominated for best dance/electronica album for his EP, which shares the same name. In 2010, Lady Gaga earned those trophies, and Rihanna's "Only Girl (In the World)" was the winner of best dance recording earlier this year.

Skrillex will have to battle Robyn, Deadmau5 and David Guetta, acts who come from a similar background to his.

"I feel very proud of where I come from," Skrillex said of being in the electronic music scene, a genre that has exploded on Top 40 radio in recent years. "I do feel like I represent something and I'm a part of something and it's an honor to be there."

Skrillex, who is also nominated for best remixed recording (non-classical) and best short form music video, says he hopes his Grammy love will give more attention to the dance music genre.

"I just hope it opens more doors for next year, not only Grammy nominations, but just everything in general," he said.

The Grammys will be held Feb. 12 in Los Angeles.

____

Online:

http://www.skrillex.com/

http://www.grammys.com

____

Mesfin Fekadu covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/entertainment/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111202/ap_en_ot/us_music_skrillex

philip rivers chanukah chanukah 11 11 11 meaning miracle berry billy crystal veterans day thank you