jasons cab: 2011

Monday, October 3, 2011

?Occupy Wall Street,? a primer

Wonkbook today was about ?Occupy Wall Street,? the growing, decentralized protest movement that?s clashing with police in New York City, spreading across the country, and grabbing headlines across the world. It is also, somewhat unusually, a protest movement without clear demands, an identifiable leadership, or an evident organizational structure.

Decisions are made by the NYC General Assembly, which Nathan Schneider describes as ?a horizontal, autonomous, leaderless, modified-consensus-based system with roots in anarchist thought,? and thus far, the General Assembly has decided against yoking the movement to a particular set of goals, or even a particular ideology.

Which is all to say that it?s important to try and understand the movement on its own terms, rather than the terms most of us are used to. Here are five places to start:

- The official -- or perhaps just mostly official -- ?Occupy Wall Street blog?, and in particular, the blog?s forums. Here, for instance, is the movement?s ?Declaration of the Occupation of New York City.?

- The moving ?We are the 99? tumblr.

- Nathan Schneider?s ?Occupy Wall Street FAQ?. I?d perhaps recommend this as the single best place to start.

- ?Understanding the theory behind Occupy Wall Street?s approach,? by Mike Konczal. A deep dive into the theoretical underpinnings of the protest movement?s tactics and organization. Also see his post, ?15 definitions of freedom from Occupy Wall Street,? which records the answers 15 protestors gave when Konczal asked them to define ?freedom.?

- ?Occupy Wall Street is a church of dissent, not a protest,? by Matt Stoller.

- A nicely produced video interviewing a number of protesters:

[Some content could not be displayed]

- Greg Mitchell?s OccupyUSA blog is essentially liveblogging the protest movement.

If you know of more worthwhile links for people looking to better understand these protests, leave them in comments. I?ll update the post with the best of them as time allows. If you?re a member of the movement, I?d be interested in hearing from you in the comments.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=1eb5d7cf734cf05500179f9b8769bacc

Climate change Occupational pensions Lloyds Banking Group House prices Short breaks Comedy

Boys soccer: St. Ignatius 4, Mentor 0

The top-ranked Wildcats (12-1) got goals from seniors Matt Foldesy, Zachary Martin, David Mog and Noah Toumert. The host Cardinals drop to 7-6.

Source: http://highschoolsports.cleveland.com/news/article/-5246641925850989740

Alastair Cook Retail industry Documentary Censorship Biology Lee Bowyer

Grimsby Telegraph published A venue for all ages

Article

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503342/s/19011fb9/l/0L0Sthisishullandeastriding0O0Cvenue0Eages0Cstory0E134622690Edetail0Cstory0Bhtml/story01.htm

Chelsea Panto season Communities Regulators US economic growth and recession Tuition fees

Leicester Mercury commented Here's hoping Sven has another anniversary at Leicester City

Article

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503348/s/19013e04/l/0L0Sthisisleicestershire0O0Cs0Ehoping0ESven0Eanniversary0ELeicester0ECity0Cstory0E13462530A0Edetail0Cstory0Bhtml/story01.htm

Health & wellbeing Soap opera Pensions Animals Recession The X Factor

Medicaid?s looming Supreme Court battle

The Supreme Court will open its 2011-2012 term on Monday

with a crucial case on Medicaid, the federal health insurance program for low-income Americans. The case, Toby Douglas vs. The Independent Living Center of the United States, will likely determine whether private Medicaid providers, like hospitals and doctors, have a right to challenge payment rate cuts in court. It centers on a 10 percent rate cut that the state of California attempted to enact in 2008. California already has the lowest Medicaid reimbursement rates in the country; Medicaid advocates pushed back in the courts, contending that such a cut would push providers out of the program.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Lloyd Bookman, an attorney who has carried the case with his firm, Hooper Lundy and Bookman, for the past three years. We discussed the key questions of the case, what he?ll be watching for Monday and the possible implications of the Court?s final decision. What follows is a transcript of our interview, lightly edited for length and clarity.

Sarah Kliff: Explain what?s at stake in this case. What is the Supreme Court going to be deciding on?

Lloyd Bookman: The main conflict before the Supreme Court is whether there?s a private right of action, by a beneficiary of a state Medicaid program, or a health care provider, to challenge state Medicaid rates being set so low that they violate the federal mandate [which requires Medicaid to provide payments ?sufficient to enlist enough providers?]. That?s the basic issue that?s going to be decided here.

SK: When you?re in the courtroom on Monday, what kind of questions are you hoping the Supreme Court justices will ask? What should we look for to get a sense of their thinking?

LB: What I would hope to hear are questions directed at the notion this case is a constitutional case and not reliant on Congressional statute. If the Court focuses on whether we have a private right of action, directly under the Supremacy Clause [which says federal laws preempt state ones], we should come out well. It would be unprecedented to say private litigants can?t rely on the provisions of the United States constitution to pursue their litigation.

If we start hearing questions about what did Congress intend, did Congres intend a right of action [in the legislation creating Medicaid], that indicates they?re thinking that Congress can narrow the scope of remedy and narrow the ability of private litigants to get into court. We could hear those questions, but I?d prefer not to.

SK: One interesting thing about this case is that it?s split Democrats. Some Congressional Democrats have written an amicus brief in support of your case, while the Obama administration has supported California?s right to make the rate cut without challenge. Are you worried to go into the courtroom with the White House supporting the other side?

LB: We found that decision by the White House, besides very disheartening, also very curious. Health and Human Services hasn?t signed onto the solicitor general?s brief, which is unusual. It indicates to us that there?s some disagreement within the administration about what the outcome should be. We did do some research though, looking at previous cases that have been supported our opposed by the solicitor general, and it frankly it doesn?t seem to matter. Although we?d obviously prefer to have them on our side, we?re not thinking it will affect the material outcome.

SK: What?s at stake here? What changes if the Supreme Court says that Medicaid providers don?t have a right to challenge rate cuts?

LB: If this case is decided adversely to our clients, it could have very significant implications for the Medicaid program and health reform. Medicaid is one of the largest budget items and, since it?s hard to cut benefits, it?s easier, politically, to cut provider rates. Fear of litigation is one of the only things holding states back from making rate cuts right now. Absent that, we think we?d see a lot more. Medicaid beneficiaries won?t be able to get access to services, hospitals could go out of business. I?m really fearful an adverse decision can cause a domino effect that could lead to a really compromised Medicaid program.

SK: In the larger context of all the things that could impact Medicaid, how much does this case matter?

LB: At our firm, our clients are primarily health care-focused. And for them, I can?t imagine a more important case.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=afab0a4b38897c4c83604fb806b7e930

Motoring Vladimir Putin Manchester City Television Floyd Mayweather Post-traumatic stress disorder

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Hull Daily Mail published ANNUAL LAUGH FEST CRANKS UP MORE HUMOUR

Article

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503342/s/18f96a29/l/0L0Sthisishullandeastriding0O0CANNUAL0ELAUGH0EFEST0ECRANKS0EHUMOUR0Cstory0E134473130Edetail0Cstory0Bhtml/story01.htm

Milan Baros Tottenham Hotspur Mikel Arteta Student politics Spending review 2010 Psychology

Paul Dewar enters NDP leadership race, promising a common touch

NDP MP Paul Dewar launches his campaign for the leadership of the federal NDP party at the Lord Elgin hotel in Ottawa. (Oct. 2, 2011)

While NDP leadership candidate Brian Topp added some star power to his list of endorsements from party heavyweights this weekend, Ottawa MP Paul Dewar highlighted his common touch.

Source: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1063264--paul-dewar-enters-ndp-leadership-race-promising-a-common-touch

Job hunting European football Incineration Tony Cottee Aberdeen Wigan Athletic

Hull Daily Mail commented BIG MATCH LIVE: Hull City 2 Cardiff City 1

Article

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503342/s/18fb4f22/l/0L0Sthisishullandeastriding0O0CBIG0EMATCH0ELIVE0EHull0ECity0E20ECardiff0ECity0E10Cstory0E1344840A60Edetail0Cstory0Bhtml/story01.htm

Awards and prizes Tobin tax Belarus Xabi Alonso Top 10s Manchester City

Berea High School cross country runners strong at Cloverleaf Invitational

Bereas cross country team had a pair of first place finishers in the Cloverleaf Invitational, and the Braves boys team finished in fourth place in overall team standings.

Source: http://blog.cleveland.com/newssun/2011/10/berea_high_school_cross_countr_3.html

Allied Irish Banks Yorkshire England cricket team Eric Pickles Cultural trips Sunderland

How natural disasters blew through FEMA?s budget, in one graphic

As Congress battled over whether to offset additional FEMA funding, the disaster response agency has been busily responding to a record number of natural disasters. Via design firm Digital Surgeons, here?s a very cool infographic showing where the money has gone - and why this year?s budget ran out early.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=a15ce5fa4187a1e824e61cdd373edc09

Global terrorism International criminal court Small business Ukraine Rugby union Blackburn Rovers

Leicester Mercury published Brave dog handler Kaye 'humbled' by her MBE

Article

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503348/s/18f9c1c3/l/0L0Sthisisleicestershire0O0CBrave0Edog0Ehandler0EKaye0Ehumbled0EMBE0Cstory0E134482180Edetail0Cstory0Bhtml/story01.htm

Christmas Clint Eastwood US Congress Digital media United Nations Financial Services Authority (FSA)

Offensively-hapless Ohio State largely inept in 10-7 home loss to Michigan State

Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller was ineffective, along with the entire OSU offense, and eventually replaced by Joe Bauserman.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerMichigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard (left) outwrestled Ohio State's Devin Smith for an acrobatic interception late in the second quarter Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium. MSU safety Trenton Robinson followed the play. The Spartans' defense totally dominated the Buckeyes in the 10-0 MSU victory.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Forced into a tough situation by suspensions, a coaching change and injuries, the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday made everything look exactly as tough as it is. And maybe worse.

An anemic, one-dimensional offense couldn't take advantage of Michigan State's attempts to keep the Buckeyes in the game, and Ohio State's final 10-7 loss wasn't a true indication of how far below their recent standard the Buckeyes are playing. The Buckeyes avoided their first home shutout since 1982 only by scoring on a desperate touchdown pass with 10 seconds to play.

Ohio State (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) couldn't run consistently, couldn't stop the Spartans' aggressive pass rush and could barely even attempt a passing game to counter the blitzes. Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller gave way to fifth-senior Joe Bauserman, the starter for the first three games, in the fourth quarter, complicating an agonizing defeat.

Ohio State's only choice as a team is to hope that the return of three suspended offensive starters for the primetime road game at Nebraska next week will fix something.

"Without those guys, we've still got to be a team," sophomore safety Christian Bryant said.

Saturday wasn't close to good enough.

"It's just hard when nothing is working for you," junior fullback Zach Boren said.

All week, Ohio State planned for the attacking defense of MSU head coach and former defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio, and OSU coach Luke Fickell said after the loss, "I don't know that they did a lot to surprise us offensively."

Yet the Buckeyes looked unprepared, allowing pressure up the middle and off the edges while giving up nine sacks. The Buckeyes gained a total of 178 yards, an average of 2.8 yards per play, and 30 of their 64 snaps went for no gain or negative yardage.

And they couldn't stop, or wouldn't try to stop, Michigan State's basic plan.

Miller finished 5-of-10 for 56 yards with an interception before Bauserman came in down 10-0 and went 7-for-14 for 87 yards, including the touchdown to Evan Spencer, in the final 15 minutes.

"It was frustrating at times. It seemed like there were guys everywhere," senior center Mike Brewster said of the MSU defense. "Even sometimes when we had good protection, it seemed like they would break free after four seconds. There's not much to say, I guess."

What, typically, is the answer to that kind of defensive pressure?

"You've got to pass the ball," Brewster said. "You've got to get them out of there. That's really the only thing you can do. Pass the ball and hopefully that will draw them back a little bit."

Miller, clearly, isn't prepared to read complex defensive looks, or make quick decisions under pressure. Few, if any, true freshmen quarterbacks are. So he hesitated at times, and when he didn't throw, he wasn't able to do anything to hurt Michigan State as a runner, gaining five positive yards but absorbing 32 negative yards on the ground.

But Ohio State's game plan did little to help Miller's cause. It featured few short, quick passes and few of the misdirection run plays or screens that might cause the Spartans to put on the breaks a bit.

Missing those suspended players -- receiver DeVier Posey, running back Dan Herron and tackle Mike Adams -- as well as injured receiver Corey "Philly" Brown and departed quarterback Terrelle Pryor, offensive coordinator Jim Bollman's plan seemed to point exactly at what the Buckeyes didn't have.

"I think we should have done a couple quick routes," junior running back Jordan Hall said. "When they're in man, do a couple quick routes and get the ball out faster."

"It just got to the point where they started bringing seven or eight guys and just playing the run," running back Carlos Hyde said. "We couldn't pass the ball, so they just played the run. It my opinion it was more than we could handle.

"Right now, I feel like people are just thinking, 'They can't pass,' so they stack the box."

Hyde, who carried five times for 33 yards, was so frustrated, he forgot the Buckeyes got on the board. "I know our guys are capable of scoring points. It's frustrating we couldn't score," he said.

It felt that way. Practically for both teams.

Michigan State receiver B.J. Cunningham was the lone spark as the best offensive player on the field, with nine catches for 154 yards. His 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter was nearly all the Spartans needed. His 52-yard catch in the third quarter also helped change field position, and that led eventually led to Dan Conroy's 50-yard field goal.

Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins allowed the Buckeyes to hang around, with two interceptions, and several other close calls, among his 250 passing yards. The Spartans had 321 yards to Ohio State's 178.

Though the defense kept the Buckeyes in the game, it wasn't enough to win it.

"Of course it hurts. But we'll get after it, trust me," Bryant said. "Our offense has got some work to do. They've got some work to do. But they'll get better."

Just like after the 24-6 loss to Miami in week three, it's hard to imagine that it could get worse.

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/osu/index.ssf/2011/10/hapless_ohio_state_shut_out_at.html

Economic policy Science fiction The Archers Cornwall European debt crisis Florida

A final with a difference

Barry Coughlan
MUNSTER and Leinster A Schools met in an interprovincial game at Musgrave Park this week and it was a break with tradition.

In years gone by, these two teams would have had representatives from a mere handful of well known schools; in Munster probably the likes of Newtown School, Waterpark, Midleton College and Bandon Grammar, in Leinster schools such as St Columba’s, Newpark or Sandford Park.

The ground rules have changed and there were no less than 30 schools represented, with both showing the colours of 15; each and every one of the players looked comfortable in possibly unfamiliar surroundings, and it might even be appropriate for some to go on to play at a higher level.

Leinster backs coach Ian McKinley, whose professional rugby career came to an unfortunate end in recent weeks – he lost the sight of one eye – is a former Leinster Schools A player (St Columba’s) and he welcomed the development where youngsters from a variety of schools not known for their rugby prowess have been given a chance to shine.

“It’s a brilliant development,” he said, “because it gives young lads in the weaker section of schools something to aspire to. I came through these ranks but only three or four schools formed the backbone of the team. I suppose it shows that the game is developing through the province and that can only be a good thing.

“Some people have already come through different routes, Shane Horgan and Sean O’Brien for instance; there is now an avenue for many more. You would be surprised too how good some of them are and I’m sure at least a couple of them will come through down the line to make their mark.”

Eoin Cahill of Shannon and Bruff fame is the Munster coach and he explained how so many schools were represented this year. “We contacted all of the schools in the province and asked them to put forward names of the guys they considered to be their best players. We then got together for a couple of trial matches and that’s how we came to produce this team.”
After successive victories over Connacht and Leinster, it appears the schools were totally honest in their appraisal of students and Cahill admitted that a number of players were unlucky to be excluded: “In some cases it was almost a toss of a coin.”

Munster beat Leinster 30-11 although it was a closer issue than the score line suggests for a long spell. Ultimately, the game was won with the aid of a powerful pack and some brilliant individualism.

Cahill delighted in the ability of the pack to show traditional Munster attributes and said: “You could see the forwards played in a traditional Munster manner, getting struck into the opposition from the start, and with certain individuals sticking out by the way they way they took on ball.”

But Munster also boasted a half back partnership of real quality in scrum half Jaco Oosthuysen and Tip Delaney from what could not be described as well known rugby academies – High School CBS Clonmel and Pobalscoil Corca Dhuibhne respectively!

Oosthuysen’s low centre of gravity, powerful frame and exciting turn of speed helped yield him two excellent tries and Delaney, apart from shrewd distribution, proved capable of kicking goals, even under pressure.

Cahill is excited for both and for centre Ben Mitchell, whom he said had played full back in the trials but had settled brilliantly into the middle of the field after being considered, on the basis of height, for the second row!

But the coach is looking further and noted: “We’ve put together a good bunch of guys, we’re expanding our influence and hopefully we’re going to have players come through thick and fast from now on.”

And for the record, Leinster had representatives from: Sandford Park, Ard Scoile Na Tridnoide, St Pats Navan, Newpark, De La Salle Wicklow, Dunshaughlin CC, Abbey CC, Colaiste Bhruide, Mount Temple, Gorey CC, Ashbourne CC, Good Counsel, Wilsons Hospital, St Columba’s and East Glendalough.

Munster’s players came from: Bandon Grammar, Newtown School, Vocational School Abbeyfeale, Midleton College, High School CBS Clonmel, Pobalscoil Chorca Dhbuibhne, Villiers, Limerick, St Annes CC Killaloe, CBS Sexton Street, John The Baptist, Hospital, Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh, Pobailscoil Youghal, St Nessans CC, De La Salle, Waterford and St Clements.

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/ym16-4Gj4pM/post.aspx

Short breaks Comedy Dennis Bergkamg Bulgaria Europe Canada

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Cleveland Browns defenders keeping a wary eye on Tennessee's Johnson, Hasselbeck

The Browns defense will face two of its biggest challenges to date: Titans running back Chris Johnson and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

John Russell, Associated PressStar receiver Kenny Britt may be lost for the season, but the Browns' defense remains concerned about the performances of Tennessee QB Matt Hasselbeck (8) and running back Chris Johnson.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns' young defense is developing quite a swagger, but there's two guys coming to town Sunday that could make it stagger: Titans running back Chris Johnson and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

Hasselbeck -- coached by Mike Holmgren for 11 seasons -- is arguably off to the best start of his 13-year career in a new system in Tennessee. And Johnson -- the NFL's leading rusher over the last three years -- is a ticking bomb. Johnson -- who held out 35 days for a blockbuster $53 million deal -- is averaging just 2.1 yards per carry, hasn't rushed for more than 54 yards this season and has yet to score a touchdown.

"He's been waiting to have a breakout game," said defensive end Jabaal Sheard. "Nobody wants to be the team that lets this guy run wild."

Browns running backs coach Gary Brown, who once rushed for 1,000 yards for the Oilers in half a season, knows it's just a matter of time.

"If you look at all the great ones, everybody hits slumps in sports," he said. "It just happens that Chris Johnson's is in the beginning of the year. But I guarantee you this: Elite players like that find ways to get things done, and I'm sure he will -- not this week, though."

"We know it's coming," said safety T.J. Ward. "We just don't plan on letting it be this weekend."

Tony Grossi’s Four Things on Browns-Titans

1. Strength v. strength: The Browns’ defensive line has emerged as a strength, if not its defensive identity. The Titans’ strength may be their offensive line. It should be good. Head coach Mike Munchak is a Hall of Fame lineman, as is Bruce Matthews, their line coach. The old cliche of football being won or lost in the trenches certainly rings true.
2. Tick, tick, tick: Titans running back Chris Johnson has rushed for 24 yards, 53 and 21 in three games. Not too long ago, that would be one offensive possession for him. Johnson is the NFL’s most lethal “home run hitter” at his position. When those kind of guys are in a slump, look out when they bust out. With receiver Kenny Britt lost for the year, Johnson’s time may have arrived.
3. Josh b’Gosh: Josh Cribbs should be able to return to kickoff and punt return duties after being slowed by a groin injury. Titans kicker Rob Bironas has a strong leg; only six of his 14 kickoffs have been returned. But punter Brett Kern is averaging only 34.6 net yards on 14 punts. Cribbs could affect this game as he did against Cincinnati and Indianapolis.
4. Where’s Jerry? Titans coach Mike Munchak is a fan of Browns history, having played in 23 games against the former division rivals of his Houston Oilers. In an NFL questionnaire, Munchak, a native of Scranton, Pa., actually lists the Browns as the team he followed as a child. With all those connections, Munchak should have left a ticket for former Oilers coach Jerry Glanville, who used to do the same for his hero, Elvis Presley, who also was a Browns fan.

-- Tony Grossi

Plain Dealer predictions

Tony Grossi (1-2) / Browns 27, Titans 24: Peyton Hillis, Tony Pashos, Josh Cribbs (returns) should bolster the offense.
Mary Kay Cabot (2-1) / Browns 20, Titans 19: Browns start quicker and hang on through another close game.
Bill Livingston (1-2) / Browns 20, Titans 17: Delirious Browns fans book flights to Super Bowl, then realize it’s only a drive to Indianapolis.
Bud Shaw (2-1) / Titans 20, Browns 17: Tennessee RB Chris Johnson’s 2.1 yard per carry average can’t last.
Terry Pluto (2-1) / Titans 24, Browns 20: I have a bad feeling about a hot Matt Hasselbeck and Chris Johnson due to snap out of his funk.

Michigan State deals reeling Ohio State a major dose of 2011 reality: Bill Livingston

It's easy to criticize the quarterbacks and players on the field for the mess at Ohio State. But they didn't create it. They are just trying to clean it up.

Marvin Fong, The Plain DealerMichigan State linebacker Denicos Allen (top center) celebrates with his teammates after one of the nine sacks of Ohio State quarterbacks Joe Bauserman (14) and Braxton Miller on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The sky looked like the bruise the Ohio State football team absorbed Saturday from Michigan State.

A television camera whistled like a zip line rider above the wreckage on the field, giving the audience a bird's-eye view of a landscape of loss. Joe Bauserman, the deposed quarterback, in relief of Braxton Miller, the quarterback presumptive of tomorrow, drove the Buckeyes to the last-minute, half-loaf score that is better than none.

It was cold and misty at the Horseshoe, as Ohio State lost to the Spartans, 10-7, in a game that was close only because Michigan State's mistakes made it that way. The camera and the weather, if not the quality of play, seemed out of November games in seasons past.

That was when the Buckeyes were winning or sharing six straight Big Ten championships. That was when BCS games against the other members of the cabal that runs college football were considered a birthright here. That is a memory now, one that is almost certainly not going to be freshened this season.

Miller, said Luke Fickell, the coach hauled into the spotlight to manage this mess, is still the starting quarterback. Then again, Fickell also said he was going to open up the competition. "Rattled" might be the term for Fickell's view at the moment.

They say if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none. But when the quarterback who was the franchise for the last three seasons, Terrelle Pryor, is commenting about the game on Twitter from Oakland as a suspended member of the Raiders, that's when you really, most sincerely, have nothing.

Except maybe regrets.

If Fickell turns the game over to Miller or Bauserman, what are they going to do with it? It is easy to criticize the unready (Miller) and the unable (Bauserman), but no one expected Miller to be starting this soon and no one expected Bauserman to do anything but mop up as a fifth-year senior and career backup. They can do better than this and the bookend nightmare in Miami two weeks ago, of course.

So can the coaches, who seem to have no screen pass in their playbook against a ferocious pass rush such as Michigan State showed and whose routes for young receivers seem to consist of 18-yard, slow-developing patterns.

Ohio State wants to run, an imperative in the cold and wind with an inexperienced quarterback like Miller. But feeding smallish Jordan Hall against an opponent with nine defenders in the box was as self-defeating as it was revelatory of the utter lack of creativity on the staff the defensive-minded Fickell inherited.

It says here that Miller can play. Everything he showed in the frost at Canton's Fawcett Stadium for Huber Heights Wayne in the big-school championship game against St. Edward last December did not melt away like snowflakes on your tongue. But he is not the same athlete as the NFL defector and scandal trigger, Pryor. Few are.

Shambles on the field were Pryor's meat and potatoes. Everything would be broken, all plans in flames, and there he would go, reversing field at Iowa and gaining 14 yards on fourth-and-10 in the fourth quarter, throwing it up for Jake Ballard to go and get in the Rose Bowl on third-and-long, gold spun from soiled straw.

Pryor, along with Jim Tressel, the coach who coddled him and covered up his transgressions and those of his teammates, should take the blame for the state of Buckeyes football now. Not Fickell, not Miller or Bauserman, and not the confused offensive line that gave up nine sacks to the Spartans.

Tressel escapes his portion of the blame to many people, what with high school coaches saluting him on the opening weekend of games and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, Tressel's former OSU aide, holding him in such reverence that the only way the Spartans might have lost was if Fickell had worn a sweater vest on the sideline.

Fans have no problem heaping all the scorn they can summon up on Pryor, though. Pryor spent the afternoon and evening tweeting about the game, drawing down criticism from fans who made it clear that, as one tweeted, "You're not one of us."

In a tweet Pryor later took down, he said, "I know I made mistakes. Never heard of one that didn't but one. But I'm always going to be a Buckeye. Like it or not."

The messianic biblical reference should be clear. And he made it just in time for the return next week at Nebraska of the four suspended players who didn't flee to the NFL (DeVier Posey, Dan Herron, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas).

Fans will look at them as saviors. They deserve a second chance. But this season at Ohio State has devolved into one of salvage, not salvation.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Source: http://www.cleveland.com/livingston/index.ssf/2011/10/michigan_state_deals_reeling_o.html

Middle East Radio 4 Poland Madagascar City breaks Lee Cattermole

North Suncoast: Strong kickers win Gator Invitational cross country meet

By Derek J. LaRiviere, Times Correspondent
Saturday, October 1, 2011

SHADY HILLS — Two new individual champions took center stage at the 15th annual Gator Invitational on Saturday at Crews Lake Park.

Gulf's Kari Grippo (18 minutes, 9 seconds) dominated the girls race, winning by almost 20 seconds over her nearest competitor, Belleview's Anne-Marie Blaney. The feat was impressive considering there were 146 runners, six of them breaking the 20-minute barrier.

Grippo, a sophomore, pulled away from challenges by not only Blaney (18:28), but a local rival in Wiregrass Ranch's Nikita Shah (18:59), who finished third.

"I passed Nikita in the first 800 meters," Grippo said. "Once we got into the woods, I stopped hearing footsteps, so I think that's where it spread out."

The Buccaneers (137 points) finished third in the team standings behind Sarasota Riverview (63) and Wiregrass Ranch (81).

Riverview had three runners finish in the top 10, including Abigail Hagan (fourth), Kayla Miller (seventh) and Sarah Miller (eighth).

The boys race was won in a sprint finish by Anclote's Argishti Gazari over Baker's Alan Wise. Gazari (16:16) crossed the line four seconds faster than Wise, who was followed closely by Land O'Lakes' Travis Nichols (16:21).

Gazari, a Shark senior, had to overcome a late injury. He believes he fractured the second toe on his right foot at some point.

"I think I broke my toe coming down the last hill," Gazari said. "It feels great to win this race though. That's the important thing right now."

Anclote's Chris Sorrick (16:55) came in 10th to support his teammate, setting a personal best. Last season, Sorrick's best time was 18:35, a major difference from the runner that is now gracing the course for the Sharks. Both Sorrick and Gazari credited Anclote coach Alan Parmenter for their success.

"Our goal is to make our coach look like a genius," Sorrick said. "He's the best coach I've ever had in any sport, and the progress I've made is all because of him."

Wiregrass Ranch (69 points) won the team championship over Nature Coast (92) thanks to two runners placing in the top five, Ermias Bireda (fourth, 16:31) and Sam Hippely (fifth, 16:34). The Bulls' pack-running style also allowed them to have their other three scoring runners finish 19th (Tyler Mattera), 20th (David Hill) and 21st (Ben Hall).

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/crosscountrypreps/north-suncoast-strong-kickers-win-gator-invitational-cross-country-meet/1194831

US politics Dolomites London Folk music Russia Climate change

Rocky River, Bay, Westlake High School runners gearing for the finish-Bay golfers take West Shore Conference crown

A winning formula.

Source: http://blog.cleveland.com/westshoresun/2011/10/rocky_river_bay_westlake_high.html

France Everton Sevilla Ann Widdecombe Family finances BBC

How robots will replace doctors

Farhad Manjoo has a provocative thesis on the future of medicine: Robots will take the jobs. And not just the bottom-rung of jobs. ?The doctors who are the juiciest targets for automation might not be the ones you?d expect,? he writes. They?re not the nurses or the primary-care docs. ?They?re specialists like my wife ? the most highly trained, highly paid people in medicine.?

I?m not convinced. Manjoo?s argument is that robots tend to be good at doing a very specific thing over and over again. That?s pretty much the definition of specialization. Ergo, specialists had best welcome their new robot overlords. Conversely, robots aren?t very good at having a long conversation with a human to figure out, in a subtle and sensitive way, what?s really wrong with them. But ? and I recognize this will be an unpopular sentiment ? are doctors?

After all, who becomes a doctor? High-achieving type-A folks who are really, really good at science. Some of them also happen to be very humane, very empathetic people. But not all of them. Perhaps not even most of them.

But then, we?re not sitting in that room wrapped in a garment made of the finest recycled sandpaper because we were hoping for a good conversation. We?re there because we?re sick, or worried we might be sick, and we?re hoping this arrogant, hurried, credentialed genius can tell us what?s wrong. We go to doctors not because they?re great empaths, but because we?re hoping medical school has made them into the closest thing the human race has developed to robots.

As Atul Gawande wrote in ?The Checklist Manifesto,? ?the ninth edition of the World Health Organization?s international classification of diseases has grown to distinguish more than thirteen thousand different diseases, syndromes, and types of injury.? And that doesn?t take into account all the possible symptoms and recommended lab tests and side effects of, and interactions between, various medications. That?s complexity beyond any human?s capacity to handle. But it?s not beyond a computer?s ability.

Manjoo suggests robots are built for surgery. But most doctors right now are thinking about robots built for diagnostics. They?re thinking about a version of IBM?s Watson that can cross-check symptoms with medications with a patient?s history and come up with an array of possible diagnoses ranked by likelihood. They?re thinking about that so much that, on Tuesday, the famed Cleveland Clinic is hosting an innovation conference in which clinicians will be competing against Watson.

My prediction is that long before robots undermine specialists, they will undermine primary-care doctors. But here?s where Manjoo is right: They will do that by specializing. They will allow the medical profession to break the conversation, the human element of the practice, from the technical diagnosis. Because doctor?s offices already have people who are really, really good at talking to patients, and they?re also the people who, more often than not, actually know how to use the computers.

They?re called nurses, and patients like them quite a bit. They?ll speak with the patient and then they?ll go to the computer and type up what they have heard and refer the patient to the appropriate specialists or medications. The software will ?know? more and catch more than most doctors could on their own, and the nurses, by virtue of being less expensive, will have more time to talk with the patients and inform the computer of what they said.

There?s precedent for this. Librarians, for instance, now work with the public to find information on computers. Loan officers now speak with eager borrowers and plug their financial system into a computer program. Accountants now plug their client?s income information into tax-preparing software. There are plenty of professions that used to mix technical skills and conversational skills and now mix conversational skills and computers. Eventually, medicine will be one, too.

Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=dcf8bb342c68398c579d597953477c36

Sevilla Ann Widdecombe Family finances BBC International criminal justice Italy

Serbia belong at Euro 2012

?Serbia will be playing ahead of their own fans next Friday and will do their best to use the chance and get a result that will guarantee them a play-off place in the qualifying group even before the final game against Slovenia. I expect a high-intensity encounter in Belgrade with a high level of technical ability,? said Italy national football team coach Cesare Prandelli in an interview for Blic. Serbia entertain Italy in the penultimate qualifier for the Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine.

Source: http://english.blic.rs/Sports//8054/Serbia-belong-at-Euro-2012

Peter Atherton Republicans Pakistan cricket betting scandal Mergers and acquisitions Dimitar Berbatov Work & careers

Phillies 4, Braves 3, 13 innings

Times wires
Thursday, September 29, 2011

ATLANTA — With the season on the line, the Braves couldn't get the final three outs.

Now, they'll have the whole winter to ponder an unprecedented collapse.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel surrendered the tying run in the ninth, and Hunter Pence came through with a two-out RBI single in the 13th to give the Phillies a 4-3 victory that ended Atlanta's season Wednesday night.

"Things started moving too fast. My head started moving too fast,'' Kimbrel said.

The game ended more than an hour after St. Louis won. The Cardinals earned it outright when David Herndon earned his first career save by getting Freddie Freeman to hit into a season-ending double play.

The Braves were 10½ games ahead of St. Louis before play Aug. 26. They led by 8½ the morning of Sept. 6. Instead of popping champagne for a second straight trip to the playoffs, they became the first major-league team to blow a lead of at least eight games for a playoff spot in September.

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/phillies-4-braves-3-13-innings/1194281

Celebrity Liverpool Sweden Amir Khan Lee Carsley Jonny Wilkinson

College football scouting report: No. 12 Florida vs. No. 3 Alabama, 8 p.m. Saturday, Ch. 10, 1250-AM

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Friday, September 30, 2011

Florida fans have had this one circled since the Tide's 31-6 beat-down last season. UF (4-0, 2-0 SEC) is counting on home field. On the personal side, Florida coach Will Muschamp faces his mentor and former boss, Alabama's Nick Saban. Tide starting LB C.J. Mosley (elbow) will miss the game, Saban said. A pair of UF starters, DT Dominique Easley (ankle) and DE Sharrif Floyd (shoulder), reportedly were injured this week in practice but are expected to play.

WATCH OUT FOR …

The most fascinating pawns on this chess table may be Saban vs. UF offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. Florida's downfield passing game hasn't been expansive. Nobody expects Alabama (4-0, 1-0), with Division I-A's No. 3 rushing defense (45.8 yards per game) led by LB Courtney Upshaw, to allow RBs Chris Rainey, left, and Jeff Demps to run wild without the threat of a passing game. Alabama has the personnel to limit UF's ground game. That's where TEs Gerald Christian and Jordan Reed may come in. The Tide most likely will throw both man and zone coverages at QB John Brantley to force him to go downfield to receivers who so far haven't been impressive. But Weis' use of tight ends is legendary, and he admitted he plans to "throw the kitchen sink" at the Tide.

Antonya English, Times staff writer

No. 12 Florida vs. No. 3 Alabama, 8 p.m., Ch. 10, 1250-AM

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/college/college-football-scouting-report-no-12-florida-vs-no-3-alabama-8-pm/1194519

Twitter Petrofac Robert Schumann Office for National Statistics Qatar Sir Michael Lyons

Friday, September 30, 2011

Derby Lane's Fall Sprint final kicks off season for stakes races

By Don Jensen, Times Correspondent
Friday, September 30, 2011

ST. PETERSBURG — They will walk in unison to the starting box tonight and wait for it to open. For the greyhounds in the fifth annual $50,000 Fall Sprint championship, that will be one of the few similarities.

Derby Lane's first stakes race of the season blends speedsters with closers, sprinters with dual-distance dogs, and veterans with pups. Together, the eight finalists have 564 starts and 192 victories. None has won a stakes with a purse this high ($22,000 to the winner). And none will be concerned with defending champion Flying Coal City, the industry's 2010 Triple Crown winner who was retired from racing Wednesday after the McAllister kennel standout failed to qualify for the 550-yard finale, track spokeswoman Vera Rasnake said.

The field in the Fall Sprint (Race 10, 10:11 p.m.) from the rail: Sand Cloud (D'Arcy kennel), Aerial Battle (Capabal), Ahk Colormegone (Abernathy), Storm Rush (Hambleton), Jw Titleist (Capabal), Uss Gazillionair (Lester Raines), Craigie I Am Jak (Campbell) and Manicotti Manny (Hambleton).

"I think every one of them can win," Rasnake said. "That's what is exciting about the way they drew (posts). Dog owners are coming to town (from as far as Kansas and Texas)."

Aerial Battle (Matinee Idol), Storm Rush (St. Petersburg Derby) and Uss Gazillionair (Fall Juvenile) have won stakes before. Aerial Battle turned 4 in September and is the event's senior greyhound. He is going for his 70th victory in his 140th start. Aerial Battle has overcome two injuries — including a career-threatening ankle stopper-bone issue — and is one of the early speed dogs with Ahk Colormegone, Manicotti Manny and Sand Cloud. Aerial Battle is 6-for-6 at making stakes finals and is half-brother to Jw Titleist, the meet wins leader. Abernathy has been the hottest kennel in recent stakes, winning three of the previous seven at Derby Lane.

This is the fifth stakes finale for Uss Gazillionair, who can extend Lester Raines' streak of having a stakes winner at St. Petersburg to seven consecutive meets. Storm Rush comes from well off the pace as does Craigie I Am Jak, the youngest qualifier at 21 months old. In 10 lifetime wins, Craigie I Am Jak has beaten only one dog out of the starting box. He led qualifiers with 56 points and, with a win, would give Campbell its first stakes victory at Derby Lane since Jr's Flashy won the 2005 T.L. Weaver Memorial.

HORSES: Belmont Park will host six of the 13 graded races on today's national scene. The track in Elmont, N.Y., has five Grade I races (Jockey Club Gold Cup, Joe Hirsch Turf, Flower Bowl, Beldame and Vosburgh) and a Grade II (Kelso). … Tampa Bay Downs trainer Anthony Pecoraro got his 1,000th win Sept. 24 when I'm Steppin' It Up won the Grade III Kent Stakes at Delaware Park in Wilmington.

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/parimutuels/derby-lanes-fall-sprint-final-kicks-off-season-for-stakes-races/1194667

Global economy Redrow Tesco India Children Nuclear weapons

Remember Tampa Bay Rays' Kelly Shoppach by Game 1 of AL Division Series vs. Texas Rangers

By John Romano, Times Sports Columnist
Friday, September 30, 2011

ARLINGTON, Texas — Your mind was likely made up long ago. The strikeouts have been too frequent and the highlights too rare to expect it any other way.

So if Kelly Shoppach parts ways with the Rays this winter — and that's a real possibility — the mood will likely involve more relief than regret around Tampa Bay.

Just do Shoppach this one favor. Or maybe do it for yourself.

Remember the afternoon when he stood taller than ever before. The game when his bat was magic and his work behind the plate was flawless.

Remember the playoff game when Shoppach did everything possible to erase the memories of last year's postseason disappointment.

"I'm happy for him, I really am," said hitting coach Derek Shelton, who has been with Shoppach since their days together in Cleveland.

"A big situation like this and look at what he does. The work he did with Matt Moore (Friday) and the fact he comes into a playoff game and comes into his hometown (and) has this kind of day? Pretty cool."

Shoppach had two huge home runs, a single, five RBIs and three runs scored in Tampa Bay's 9-0 whipping of the Rangers on Friday afternoon.

He guided the 22-year-old Moore through an impressive seven-inning effort, and maybe he rid himself of a little of the bad taste of last season's playoff series against Texas.

You might recall that disappointment. It's hard not to because Shoppach could hardly have been worse. He was 0-for-9 with three strikeouts, allowed five stolen bases in three games and committed an error in the 2010 American League Division Series loss.

Shoppach swears he didn't lose any sleep over that during the offseason. Instead, he found a new trainer to help improve his strength and thought about coming back stronger in 2011 instead of fretting over 2010.

"I don't want to take it too seriously. I think y'all do. You really do. This is a fun game. Why can't we have fun playing it," Shoppach said. "You leave it here at the yard. I'm going to go home, play with my kids, have some barbecue. That's what we do.

"It's my job, and I understand the severity of my actions here, but I also have a great family at home, and they're my backbone."

Even so, Shoppach is aware that his bat has not lived up to expectations since he signed with the Rays before the start of the 2010 season.

His batting average has been rolling downhill for three seasons. Shoppach has gone from .261 to .214 to .196 to .176. Among players with at least 400 plate appearances, his .185 average the past two seasons is the fourth worst in the majors.

Shoppach has been a pretty good hitter against left-handed pitching. Actually, better than league average. The problem is he has been atrocious against right-handers. He hit .114 against them in 2010 and followed that up by hitting .115 this season.

What's key, however, is he has not allowed it to affect his defense. Shoppach was not real impressive behind the plate last season, but he says that was due more to injuries.

This year he has been among the best defensive catchers in the game. He has handled a young pitching staff with a deft touch and has been a huge asset taking away the stolen base from opponents.

Of catchers who started at least 70 games this year, none threw out a higher rate of baserunners than Shoppach, who was at 40.9 percent. That goes for the National League, too.

"He's a guy with a lot of pride," Shelton said. "I was with him when he had the big year in '08 when he led all catchers in home runs. He takes a lot of pride in his offense, and the fact he hasn't produced weighs on him. It weighs on him because he cares a lot and he wants to win. As much as anybody I've been around in the game, he cares about winning.

"He doesn't care about the individual stuff, only in the sense that it might impact how much we're winning."

From that standpoint, Shoppach has shown up with his bat when the Rays have needed him most. He has hit seven home runs in his past 19 starts.

The Rays tried giving his job away a couple of months ago to rookie Jose Lobaton, but their confidence in him has obviously grown in the past few weeks. He has been back in the lineup more often, and he hit in the No. 6 spot on Friday for the first time in two months.

The Rays might not pick up his $3.2 million option for next year, but they might consider re-signing him for a lower salary.

"He's never talked about his hitting at all. He's handled it very well," said centerfielder B.J. Upton, who has the locker next to Shoppach. "He's always upbeat in the clubhouse; he doesn't wear it on his shoulders. He comes to the park every day in a good mood, and he's ready to play.

"He deserves a game like this because he's been there for us."

One afternoon does not change the past two years, but it does leave you with another perspective. It helps you recall the good things Shoppach has done.

When the time comes, remember that.

John Romano can be reached at romano@sptimes.com.

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/remember-tampa-bay-rays-kelly-shoppach-by-game-1-of-al-division-series-vs/1194707

Newspapers & magazines Arsenal Job hunting European football Incineration Tony Cottee