Friday, January 4, 2013

Golson hopes Notre Dame's season ends on BCS note

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin, left, and quarterback Everett Golson laugh as they answer questions during a news conference, Friday, Jan. 4, 2013 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Notre Dame is scheduled to play Alabama on Monday, Jan. 7, in the BCS national championship NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin, left, and quarterback Everett Golson laugh as they answer questions during a news conference, Friday, Jan. 4, 2013 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Notre Dame is scheduled to play Alabama on Monday, Jan. 7, in the BCS national championship NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, right, talks with quarterback Everett Golson during practice, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013, at the Miami Dolphins' training facility in Davie, Fla. Notre Dame is scheduled to play Alabama on Monday, Jan. 7, in the BCS national championship NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) ? When Everett Golson sees a piano, he usually sits down and starts entertaining. He plays several instruments, keeps a keyboard in his room and loves to sing.

Music is a huge part of his life, perhaps only topped by basketball.

And in Golson's spare time, he plays quarterback for Notre Dame.

"He's pretty good at his hobby," Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chuck Martin said. "This being his hobby."

Golson's biggest game ? and biggest opportunity ? awaits Monday night when the top-ranked Fighting Irish (12-0) take on No. 2 Alabama (12-1) for the BCS national title. Golson's season started with him winning a competition to be the quarterback for a then-unranked team, and now he's got the chance to lead Notre Dame back to the top of college football.

Or in musical vernacular, to be ND's maestro.

"It is a big stage," Golson said. "I don't ride the wave too much. I'm kind of just focused on what's played between the yard lines, what's played on the field. Can't really focus on everything that's off the field because that's out of my control."

A redshirt freshman, Golson didn't play last season, instead running the scout team. He won starter job entering this season, yet even when he was picked to be under center as Notre Dame opened the season in Ireland against Navy, there was some question about how long he would actually be able to keep his spot.

Golson had all the answers. His numbers aren't catchy ? 11 passing touchdowns in 11 appearances ? but his record is unblemished, 10-0 as a starter.

"I think he understood more of what our coaches wanted from him," Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert said. "When they would coach him up on something, he kind of better understood that as the year went on."

One of the major issues Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly had with the Irish offense a year ago was its penchant for turning the ball over.

Golson rarely dealt with that problem.

Poised more often than not, Golson has only five interceptions in 282 attempts this season. He averages 191 passing yards per game ? only 79th-best in the nation ? but he's not necessarily asked to win games with wild throwing sprees, either. Kelly's mandate was simply for his quarterback to avoid the big mistake that would lose games.

So far, so good.

"First-ever college game in Dublin, Ireland, first-ever home game against Purdue, road game primetime Michigan State, night game at Notre Dame against Michigan, on the road at Oklahoma, on the road at USC, coming off the bench ... take any other quarterback this year and try to figure out if they've gone through as much as Everett Golson," Martin said. "To me it's not even close. Not even close."

It goes deeper than the experiences of 2012.

In Golson's mind, not getting a chance to play in 2011 may have been more significant in pushing his development along.

"I think me being put back on the scout team, it was just really a humbling experience for me," Golson said. "Coming in, I thought I was ready to play or had that confidence that I was ready to play, but it wasn't that way for me. I think being put back on the scout team, like I said, really humbled me, made me kind of reassess myself."

Even the Crimson Tide can see that.

When Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart first started breaking down tape of the Irish, he predictably watched every play of every game several times. And by the end of that film study, Smart knew the Golson who started the season isn't remotely close to the player who now is tasked with running the Irish offense.

"You can't give the guy the ability to run all around and make plays, yet that's what he's going to do, so it's who's got the greater will to contain and keep him in the pocket," Smart said. "So it's a tough thing. The guy is going to scramble. He's going to be a better, quicker athlete than the people we have up front."

The thing the Irish rave about most when talking about Golson is his confidence.

Even when things were tough at times this season ? particularly the game against Pittsburgh when Notre Dame trailed 20-6 entering the fourth quarter, then won 29-26 on his touchdown run in the third overtime ? Golson continually showed he can do the job.

"He's a very important part of our offense and he's a big playmaker," Notre Dame offensive lineman Zack Martin said. "Any time we can take a hit off of him, it's going to be big. He's a playmaker. He makes plays."

If that happens Monday, Golson may make football's equivalent of beautiful music.

"The race is not given to the swift or the strong ... but it's given to the one that endures to the end," Golson said. "We're obviously the underdogs coming into this game. ... Alabama has, like I said, a great defense, great team, bigger, faster, stronger. But it's really about who's going to endure to the end."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-04-T25-BCS-Notre%20Dame-Golson/id-c01438d9505744a7a68702fa03048657

bells palsy channel 5 news uc berkeley harrison barnes brett ratner stevie nicks anchorman

Posted by at No comments:

FTC says Google does not abuse its power

The FTC ended a 19-month investigation into Google's business practices, concluding that the company didn't violate antitrust law.

By Jeff Ward-Bailey,?Contributor / January 3, 2013

The FTC reached a settlement with Google on Thursday when the search-engine company agreed to change the way it deals with rival companies. Here, FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz gestures to a number of mobile devices during a news conference in Washington, D.C.

Jose Luis Mangana/AP

Enlarge

On Thursday the Federal Trade Commission ended a 19-month probe into Google?s business practices, a closely-watched effort to determine whether the search-engine giant violated antitrust laws. The verdict? Not guilty.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Google struck a deal with the FTC to put the probe to rest, volunteering to change the way it handles search results as well as agreeing to license some mobile phone patents to rival companies.

The antitrust investigation centered on the way Google treats its own products in its search results. Rival companies -- especially Microsoft, which runs the number-two search engine, Bing?-- complained that Google was highlighting its own services, like business listings and its Google+ social network, while unfairly burying those of other companies on its search result pages.

The FTC disagreed. ?Although some evidence suggested that Google was trying to eliminate competition, Google's primary reason for changing the look and feel of its search results to highlight its own products was to improve the user experience," FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz told CBS News.

Google reached a settlement with the FTC by agreeing to limit the ways it uses snippets of other companies? content, as well as giving advertisers more control over how their ads are displayed. For years the company has argued that its use of these snippets -- things like reviews and summaries -- constitutes fair use. But several companies, including review site Yelp, complained about the way their material appeared on Google search pages. Now Google says that it will honor requests to exclude snippets from other sites in its searches.

In spite of this friction between Google and its rivals, the FTC stated that its investigation hadn?t found any indication that the company violated antitrust laws. The Commission noted in its statement that while ?Google took aggressive actions to gain advantage over rival search providers ... the evidence did not demonstrate that Google?s actions in this area stifled competition in violation of U.S. law.?

The Commission also investigated how Google has been handling some of its mobile phone patents, especially those it acquired when it purchased Motorola Mobility last May. Rival companies -- including Microsoft, Apple, and Research in Motion, which makes BlackBerry -- complained that some of the patents Google acquired were essential to their own products. Google had been threatening injunctions against these companies, blocking them from using these ?standards-essential? patents. But as part of its settlement, the company agreed to allow rivals to license these patents, even in cases where the patent would ultimately be used in a device that competes with one of Google?s own.

Google emerged from the investigation with its reputation more or less intact. That?s a good thing, if you ask the FTC, but probably frustrating to Google?s rivals -- especially Microsoft, which has been prodding the Commission to check Google?s perpetually-expanding online influence (and, to be sure, no stranger itself to anti-trust accusations).

For more tech news, follow Jeff on?Twitter:?@jeffwardbailey.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/IdKzMP8AQ3s/FTC-says-Google-does-not-abuse-its-power

Jason Terry IFE Fireworks 2012 4th Of July independence day BET Awards 2012 declaration of independence 4th Of July 2012

Posted by at No comments:

Why car sales are strong in the US

DETROIT (AP) ? It's not quite boom times for the U.S. auto industry. But it's getting there.

Sales of new cars and trucks rose 13 percent to 14.5 million in 2012. And if they climb much beyond that, they'll be closing in on a high set in 2005.

Cheap loans, a host of new cars and greater confidence in the economy are drawing buyers into showrooms. Plus, Americans who hung on to aging cars during the recession are ready to trade them in.

Here are the highlights and lowlights of 2012, and what's coming from the industry in 2013:

WINNERS

Volkswagen saw a 35-percent jump in sales in 2012, one of the biggest increases in the industry. The new Passat midsize car was the driver, with sales up 413 percent over 2011. Chrysler's sales jumped 21 percent thanks to strong sales of the Dodge Caravan minivan and the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV.

LOSERS

Both General Motors and Ford gained sales in 2011 when the earthquake hurt their Japanese competitors. But the Japanese snatched those sales back in 2012, and GM and Ford lagged behind the industry. GM saw a 4 percent sales increase for the year, hurt by weak truck and Cadillac sales. Ford's sales were up 5 percent after new versions of some of its biggest sellers ? the Ford Escape SUV and Fusion sedan ? had to be recalled for safety problems. But they still had plenty of bright spots. Car and SUV sales were solid. New models like the Ford C-Max hybrid and the Buick Verano small car were well received.

WELCOME BACK, JAPAN

Those who wrote off Japanese carmakers after Toyota's recalls in 2010 and earthquake-related car shortages in 2011 were wrong. Japanese companies, who struggled after the earthquake, got their U.S. supplies back to normal in the first few months of 2012 and never looked back. Toyota's U.S. sales rose 28 percent and the Camry sedan had its best year since 2008. Honda's sales rose 24 percent, while Subaru was up 26 percent.

HOT CARS

The Chevrolet Sonic, GM's first really competitive small car, quickly became the best-selling subcompact in the U.S. last year. Sales hit 81,247. Sales of the Volkswagen Beetle surged 400 percent to 28,654 after a more aggressive, masculine design hit showrooms. The latest version of the Honda CR-V, a favorite family hauler, set an annual sales record of 281,652. The Toyota Prius jumped 73 percent to 236,659 thanks to new wagon, subcompact and plug-in versions.

SLOW STARTERS

The new Dodge Dart, a compact that was rolled out with much fanfare last summer, didn't start gaining momentum until the end of the year. December sales were 6,105, or more than double those in August, but still just a fraction of competitors like the Chevrolet Cruze. Sales of the new Chevrolet Malibu were up just 3 percent in 2012. The new Nissan Altima, which has a more dramatic design and a host of advanced features like a lane departure warning system, has struggled in a crowded market. Altima sales were flat or down for three of the last four months of 2012.

THINKING SMALL

Small cars were big sellers as gas reached $3.60 per gallon, which AAA said was the most expensive annual average on record. The Ford Focus compact jumped more than 40 percent and outsold Ford's midsize Fusion. Honda Civic sales jumped 44 percent and nearly outsold the Accord. Sales of the Fiat 500 mini car more than doubled.

PICKUPS PICK UP

After four years of lackluster sales, big pickups started to gain traction late in the year. Home construction began to recover. That directly affects pickup sales because builders feel more confident and replace old trucks. Those trucks needed replacing; the average U.S. pickup is more than 11 years old. Sales of Ford's F-Series rose 10 percent for the year. Chrysler Ram sales rose 20 percent, and the Toyota Tundra was up 23 percent. Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends for the TrueCar.com auto pricing site, said businesses buy trucks when they see new ones on the road.

"When a couple of businesses buy, other businesses see this as a 'go' sign," he said.

POWER OUTAGE

Electric cars continued to struggle because of high price tags and worries about a lack of places to charge up batteries. GM cut production of the Chevrolet Volt in the spring and later began offering big discounts to juice sales. The Volt ended 2012 with total sales of 23,461, which was triple its sales in 2011. But the electric Nissan Leaf was up just 1.5 percent to 9,819, far short of Nissan's goal of selling 20,000 Leafs in the U.S. in 2012.

FISCAL CLIFF

Carmakers don't expect the tax increase on people making more than $400,000 a year to impact sales. Ford's chief economist says only 2 percent of new-vehicle buyers are in the top tax bracket. Audi of America President Scott Keogh says the increase won't cut disposable income enough to hurt luxury sales. He says the average income of an Audi buyer is about $191,000, not in the status-conscious top tax bracket. "We are not what I would call a frivolous, over-the-top vanity purchase," he said.

RISING STOCKS

GM and Ford investors had a happy finish to 2012. Ford's stock price is trading at more than $13, up 22 percent over the past year. It has climbed steadily since October, when the company announced an overhaul of its struggling European operations. GM's stock price has jumped 42 percent in the past year and is now nearly $30. The carmaker turned a strong profit over the summer. It also restructured in Europe and has started buying back the government's stake in the company.

LOOKING AHEAD

There's cause for optimism this year because of employment, housing and consumer confidence gains, said Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends for the TrueCar.com auto pricing site. Interest rates remain low. Fierce competition is holding car prices in check. And many people simply need to replace their cars, whether they were destroyed by Superstorm Sandy or because they're just getting too old. Toprak predicts that Americans will buy a million more cars this year than they did in 2012. Ford thinks sales could reach 16 million. The most recent high set in 2005 was nearly 17 million.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/why-car-sales-strong-us-201952511--finance.html

national wear red day gunner kiel gunner kiel groundhog soulja boy did the groundhog see his shadow punxsutawney phil

Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Rufus Xavier Sasparilla in motion. ? Dentistry, Health and Fitness

Five days ago I rescued an American Bulldog. He didn?t have a name and they didn?t know how old he was. A trip to the vet discovered a chronic ear infection, respiratory infection, inflamed gums, swollen glands, and his liver starting to shut down. He refused food and on Wednesday seemed barely able to walk around. After feeding him by hand with prescription food and putting him on some new medications, he started not only eating, but playing. His stools are solid and he?s a whole new dog. Hurley?s still not sure what to think about ?im, though.

? previous post

Banish Bad Breath And Gum Disease!

www.ChrisQueen.com Banish Your Bad Breath And Gum Disease! Newly Increased Commissions. Affiliates Receive $23.49 Per Sale!... Find Out More Now: www.ChrisQueen.com bad breath halitosis gingivitis periodontal disease bleeding gums sensitive gums mouth ulcers dry mouth canker sores...

next post ?

Gum Disease Stages by Implant Denti....

dentistlaurelmd.com In this interview, Dr. Daniel Melnick Dentist in Laurel MD, talks about Gum disease stages. Gum disease, periodontosis witch has 3 stages. In the first stage, the gums become inflamed because of bacteria formed after you inadequately brush or floss. The soft food lodges in the cr...

No post with similar tags yet.

Source: http://dentist.coastalweddingdreams.com/?p=3542

batman Colorado Shooting News joe paterno British Open MC Chris Colorado shooting suspect accuweather

Posted by at No comments:

Cardinals interview Horton, plan to meet with Reid

PHOENIX (AP) ? The Arizona Cardinals officially have begun their coaching search with a formal interview of defensive coordinator Ray Horton.

The interview, conducted Tuesday by team president Michael Bidwill, was the first in the team's search for a replacement for Ken Whisenhunt, who was fired Monday after six seasons on the job.

The team has reached out to Andy Reid but had not scheduled an interview. Reid was fired Monday after 14 seasons as head coach in Philadelphia.

Bidwill plans to fly to Denver over the weekend to interview Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.

Horton, Reid and McCoy are the only candidates thus far identified by the Cardinals.

Horton is a rising star in NFL coaching circles, despite Arizona's lack of success.

The Cardinals' defense was among the league leaders in several categories, with the 5-11 overall record due mostly to the worst offense in the NFL.

Horton reportedly had other interviews scheduled. Buffalo CEO Russ Brandon confirmed Tuesday that he, general manager Buddy Nix and other front office personnel were flying to Arizona with Horton and Whisenhunt presumed to be among those targeted for the Bills' coaching vacancy. Horton also is reported to be a candidate for the Cleveland Browns.

Reid is an intriguing prospect for the Cardinals. He could be reunited with quarterback Kevin Kolb, who had some big games with the Eagles before being traded to Arizona just before the start of the 2011 season. Kolb remains under contract with Arizona but the team is expected to want to restructure his contract. He is set to make $9 million plus a $2 million roster bonus for the coming season.

"I'm not ready to give up on Kevin Kolb yet," Bidwill said Monday.

Bidwill has to interview McCoy this weekend in Denver under NFL rules that provide a narrow window for such meetings with members of coaching staffs whose teams have a bye the first round of the playoffs. McCoy also has an interview scheduled with the Browns.

Larry Fitzgerald, who had one of his worst seasons as the Cardinals struggled at the quarterback position, weighed in on the firing of Whisenhunt and general manager Rod Graves. In a lengthy tweet, Fitzgerald thanked the pair for giving him the opportunity to "live my dream in the NFL."

"We all shoulder the blame for a disappointing season which began with such promise," Fitzgerald wrote.

He said that "even in the midst of a tumultuous season, it was still a pleasure to work for the staff we served under, and for that we remain grateful."

"Their professionalism will provide for renewed accomplishments in different environs," Fitzgerald wrote. "We all, to a man, thank them and wish them the best."

Whisenhunt set the record for victories by a Cardinals coach, going 45-51 in six seasons, 4-2 in the playoffs. The team got off to a 4-0 start but lost 11 of 12 to finish 5-11 for the second time in three seasons.

Whisenhunt and his staff was never able to find success on offense after the retirement of Kurt Warner, who quarterbacked the team to its surprise run to the Super Bowl in the 2008 season and the NFC West title in 2009.

Bidwill said he decided over the last few weeks that Whisenhunt and Graves should be replaced, making the final decision on Sunday night. Graves had been with the organization for 16 years.

Bidwill said he had no preference on the order of hiring a new general manager and coach.

___

AP Sports Writer John Wawrow in Buffalo, N.Y., contributed to this report.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

___

Follow Bob Baum at www.twitter.com/Thebaumerphx

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-02-FBN-Cardinals-Coach/id-b27d6b8411bb44beb69a02c500bbf5c9

mega mill power ball april fools pranks livan hernandez soledad o brien mega ball lottery winner

Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

American journalist missing in Syria

BEIRUT (AP) ? An American journalist has been missing in Syria since he was kidnapped more than one month ago, his family said Wednesday, less than two years after he was held by government forces in Libya while covering that country's civil war.

The family of James Foley, of Rochester, N.H., said he was kidnapped in northwest Syria by unknown gunmen on Thanksgiving day.

Foley, 39, has worked in a number of conflict zones around the Middle East, including Syria, Libya and Iraq. He was contributing videos to Agence France-Press while in Syria.

Foley's disappearance highlights the risks to reporters seeking to cover the civil war from inside Syria.

The Syrian government rarely gives visas to journalists and often limits the movements of those it allows in. This has prompted a number of reporters to sneak into the country with the rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad. Some have been killed or wounded while others have disappeared.

Foley and another journalist were working in the northern province of Idlib when they were kidnapped near the village of Taftanaz on November 22. He had entered Syria a short time earlier.

Media outlets refrained from reporting on Foley's kidnapping until his family released its statement. The other reporter's family has requested that that reporter's name not be made public.

Foley's family said they have not heard from him since.

"We want Jim to come safely home, or at least we need to speak with him to know he's OK," said his father, John Foley, in the online statement. "Jim is an objective journalist and we appeal for the release of Jim unharmed. To the people who have Jim, please contact us so we can work together toward his release."

The Chairman of Agence France-Press, Emmanuel Hoog, said in a statement that the news agency was doing all it could to get Foley released.

"James is a professional journalist who has remained totally neutral in this conflict," Hoog said. "His captors, whoever they may be, must release him immediately."

In April 2011, Foley and two other reporters were detained by government forces in Libya while covering that country's civil war. They were released six weeks later. South African photographer Anton Hammerl was shot during their capture and left to die in the desert.

"I'll regret that day for the rest of my life. I'll regret what happened to Anton," Foley told The Associated Press at the time. "I will constantly analyze that."

The U.N. said Wednesday that more than 60,000 people have been killed since the start of Syria's conflict in March 2011. This number represents a large jump from death tolls previously given by anti-regime activists.

The Committee to Protect Journalists said that Syria was the most dangerous country in the world for journalists in 2012, when 28 reporters were killed.

Those who lost their lives include award-winning French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier, photographer Remi Ochlik and Britain's Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin. Also, Anthony Shadid, a correspondent for The New York Times, died after an apparent asthma attack while on assignment in Syria.

Last month, NBC correspondent Richard Engel and his crew were detained by pro-regime gunmen near where Foley was kidnapped. After his release, Engels said they escaped unharmed during a firefight between their captors and anti-regime rebels.

___

Associated Press writer Elaine Ganley contributed reporting from Paris.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/american-journalist-missing-syria-160529301.html

pregnant man outside lands 2012 lineup beloved ufc results water for elephants old school nick swisher

Posted by at No comments:

Square Island: 2012: Year of Speaking

Happy New Year! 2012 has been wonderful to me. I started out with the goal of becoming a public speaker, with the specific goal of 5 lightning talks and 3 full-length lectures. While I came short on the lightning talks (4 instead of 5), I went way beyond on the lectures (13 instead of 3), speaking at far away places like London, Bucharest and Antwerp. You can see all my talks at my speaking profile. (Yup, I have a speaker profile!)

Besides giving talks, I also wrote a few blog posts on speaking:

All in all, I consider it mission accomplished!

New Resolution?

I really enjoy public speaking, and will continue to do so in 2013 and beyond. I wanted to set a new goal for the new year, but I couldn't come up with a crisp one like last year. Here are a few of my candidates:

  1. Mentor others to speak at tech conferences
  2. Give a keynote speech
  3. Write a book

Mentoring

Mentoring others is a great goal, but I have difficulty coming up with a measurable result. Initially I thought, "put 3 people on stage", but I suspect I won't be the sole reason someone is speaking, so it is really hard to quantify.

Keynote

Keynote speech is an interesting goal. Keynotes open conferences, address to a large crowd with a diverse background, and have everybody take home a learning or two. It is quite a daunting task. My aspiration would be to give a keynote speech that is deeply rooted in my technical knowledge, but unveil general life lessons. I have no idea how I would write a speech like that, and even if I do, keynotes don't have open call for speakers, so I have no idea how I would be invited to deliver one. The lack of a game plan makes me uneasy, but perhaps that's the kind of goal I should shoot for?

Book

For the book, I'd like to write an advanced Android book that expands on my various talks. The main holdback for this goal is the time. I have spoken to many tech book authors, and all of them told me it is a lot of work. More work than you think, and then some more. I have so many projects going on that I am not sure if I should take on such a big goal.

No Resolution

In the end I decided I won't have a new year resolution. I will still mentor others to speak, think about my pie-in-the-sky keynote, and test the writing waters with a chapter or two. But I won't have a resolution with a font-size: 1.8em measurable result like last time ^_^

Source: http://blog.sqisland.com/2013/01/2012-year-of-speaking.html

shrimp scampi kate upton si cover lobster recipes hearts roses flower delivery e cards

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)