Tonight's super perigee moon a rare treat

When the super perigee moon hits the sky, like a big pizza pie, that's amore. Check out the full moon this evening--it could be 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than usual, according to NASA . The moon has an elliptical orbit around the Earth; when the moon seems smaller and more distant, it's on the farthest side (apogee) of its orbit, while the perigee side is about 31,000 miles closer to Earth. So what makes tonight special?"The full Moon of March 19th occurs less than one hour away from perigee--a near-perfect coincidence that happens only every 18 years or so," says Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The best time to view the moon will be at about sunset. There's an illusion during a low hanging moon that makes it seem larger when seen behind trees and buildings. Despite seeming so near, our closest neighbor in space will still be 221,000 miles away. Those of you familiar with the moonknow it has a very distinct relationship with ocean tides. But despite talk of a link between supermoons and natural disasters , tonight's mega moon won't cause too much trouble, at least according to Dr. Tony Phillips, an Editor for NASA's Science News Web site. "In most places, lunar gravity at perigee pulls tide waters only a few centimeters (an inch or so) higher than usual. Local geography can amplify the effect to about 15 centimeters (six inches)--not exactly a great flood." Sit back and enjoy tonight's moon, and please share your pictures

Busch Gardens Pass Members GetFirst Look at New Attractions

Construction began on the Mach Tower in February. It will open later this spring. Busch Gardens Williamsburg pass members will get a sneak peek at the Mach Tower construction today during Pass Member Preview Day. Pass members will also be the first to experience the park’s newly revamped Oktoberfest village, where the Mach Tower will open later this spring. The German-inspired village will now feature a pretzel shop and beer garden, along with a maypole and a new blue-and-white color scheme inspired by the Bavarian flag. The Mach Tower, set to open late this spring, will be a 246-foot-tall drop ride. Riders will rise 6 feet per second, rotating to get a glimpse of the Peninsula, before plunging 60 miles per hour to the bottom. It will be Busch Gardens’ first tower ride. A special picnic lunch will be offeredto pass members in the Black Forest picnic village, and new merchandise will be marked down 30 percent until March 27.

The Dugout: Minnesota Twins Spring Training 2011

For those of you who are new to The Dugout, each year we spend March writing “The Dugout: Spring Training.”  We cover 30 teams in 30 days, and fans of the Pirates or the Astros get their one strip a year before we start calling Alex Rodriguez gay and Manny Ramirez stupid for seven months.  With a March 15 end date set for FanHouse, I started 2011′s Spring Training in the middle of February, thinking it would give me time to get to everyone before I was outsourced.  Out of nowhere, the Sporting News decided they wanted FanHouse to be incomprehensible and awful RIGHT AWAY, and March 15 became March 1. Now that The Dugout is back in full swing on With Leather, we can pick back up where we left off.  Today’s Spring Training is about the Twins, and it has nothing to do with Jim Thome being a member of the team and me wanting people to like these right away, swear to God. So read, enjoy, and drop a comment.  I love The Dugout fan community more than I love baseball itself (which is not a lot, apparently), so make your voices heard.  Dugout got, after the break.

Abel Wolf gets three life sentences

A Bryan County District Judge sentenced 37-year-old Abel Wolf this morning to three 100 year sentences and another five years for child abuse, neglect and moving his 12-year-old daughter's dead body across the country. A Bryan County District judge is calling a rural home in southern Oklahoma a house of horrors. It's the place where 12-year-old Cheyenne Wolf endured years of abuse and neglect by her stepmother and her own father. "That little girl went through so much that words can't even describe," said OSBI Director Stan Florence. Cheyenne suffered from Spina Bifida.Authorities say her stepmother, Denise Wolf abused her for years. She tied her to a bed or chair every night -- sometimes even face down --and it all happened while her father turned a blind eye. But one night Abel Wolf said he did check on his daughter after he heard his wife yelling and then heard a loud thud. "His wife had been beating her and knocked her to the floor. Afterward her motor skills weren't the same, she wasn't acting appropriately. The next day Cheyenne died,"said DistrictAttorney Emily Redman. That's when they buried Cheyenne's body under a porch in a Bryan County home, but in an effort to escape arrest they dug out her remains and moved them to Montana and then Oregon in Rubbermaid tubs. "The information began to seep out from Denise Wolf, she began to shareinformation with family members and in turn contacted Ardmore police," said Redman. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, along with several other agencies, spent months investigating the Wolfs and gatheredenough evidence to file a litany of charges against the pair. When the Wolf's were taken into custody, Abel Wolf told detectives he had a weak personality and couldn't stand up to his wife's form of discipline and that's why he let the abuse continue. But court documents reveal that Wolfbeat up another inmate after he learned that inmate was arrested forfor abusing a child. "That child Mr. Wolf didn't know and didn't know the facts of the case, yet he admitted, pleaded guilty, and wasconvicted for beating up an inmate for harming a child," Redman said. And now Abel and Denise Wolf will spend the rest of their lives behind bars for committing a horrific crime that prematurely ended Cheyenne Wolf's life. But in all the bad those close to the case say people must notforget about Cheyenne's two sisters, who have to live with what they sawhappened for the rest of their lives. "They experienced that same type of abuse to some extent, and that's something they live with everyday and we would ask the public to keep them in their thoughts and prayers," said Redman.

Wolf Pack Softball Sweeps Doubleheader

RENO, Nev. - The University of Nevada softball team won its first two games of the Silver and Blue Classic Friday, defeating Saint Mary's 5-2 and Northern Illinois 9-1 in five innings. Mallary Darby threw two complete games, giving up eight hits, three runs , only one of which was earned, and striking out 17 hitters in 12 total innings. Nevada improved to 9-17, and Darby improved to 9-10 with the wins. In Nevada's first game, the Gaels jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with a pair in the top of the first, including a run forced in when Christine Torrisewas hit by a pitch. Nevada got one run on a Megan Fincher solo homer in the bottom of the second inning. The blast to left center was Fincher's second of the year. With Darby settling in after the two run first, The Wolf Pack jumped ahead in the bottom of the third on a three-run home run by Danielle Patrick. Last week's WAC Hitter of theWeek, Patrick lifted a fastball out to dead center field to give the Pack thelead. Darby struck out the side in the top ofthe fourth to keep the Gaels bats quiet, and the Nevada offense continued to add to the lead. She finished the game with 12 strikeouts and one walk, and gave up no earned runs. Karley Hopkins doubled for the 10th time this season in the bottom of the fourth, plating Jayme King, who led off the inning with a single up the middle. Darby's dominance was more than enough, as Nevada collected its eighth win of the year. The Pack was the designated visitingteam against the Northern Illinois Huskies in its second game Friday, in which Fincher hit another solo shot, this one straight to left field, in the top of the second. Keeping the pressure on the Huskies, Nevada scored again in the top of thethird, this time on a bases-loaded walk by Jayme King. NIU scored one in the fourth for their only run of the afternoon. Six runs from Nevada in the top of the fifth, including Patrick's second homer of the day, and a two-run triple by Lauren Lastrapes, pushed the lead to 9-1. Darby got the Huskies to go down 1,2,3 in the fifth to end the game by run rule. Four total games will be played Saturday, with Nevada closing out the action, taking on NIU at approximately 2 p.m. and Idaho State at approximately 4 p.m. The first two games of the day, featuring Saint Mary's vs. Idaho State, and Saint Mary's vs. Northern Illinois, will take place at 9:30 a.m. and approximately 11:45 a.m. respectively.

Panguni Uthiram 2011, Tamil Festival

It falls on the day the moon transits in the asterism or nakshatram of Uttara-phalguni or Uthiram in the twelfth month of the Tamil solar calendar i.e. Panguni (March-April). It is the full moon of the month of Panguni. This month is special because the Uthiram nakshatram coincides with the full moon. This full moon signifies the marriage of Parvati and Parameswara (Lord Shiva), Murugan and Deivanai, and Aandaal (also known as Kothai) and Rangamannar took place. On Panguni Uthiram, Narayana marries Kamalavalli Naachiyar and give his Kalyana Kola Seva to his Bhakthas. Again, Valmiki’s Ramayana says it is on this day and star that Sita’s marriage with Rama was celebrated. From Brahmanda Puranam we learn that on Panguni Uthiram every holy water joins Thumburu teertha (also spelt as Tirtha), one of seven sacred tanks in Tirupati Tirumala. Via Panguni Uthiram 2011, Tamil Festival | Indian Public Holidays | Public Holidays in India

Evergreen gets budget-cutting advice from panel

An ad-hoc budget committee mostly composed of Evergreen Public Schools parents has turned in a prioritized menu of where to start cutting as much as $27 million from the 2011-12 district budget.

And, there are some surprises.

The panel chose to draw outside the lines: It offers three new savings ideas beyond those floated by Evergreen leaders, owing to input from school employees and community members, the volunteers said.

Elimination of 33 academic coaches — certificated teachers who spend their days coaching their peers, one inside each Evergreen school — and culling one associate principal from each of four high schools, would save $2.4 million and $540,000, respectively.

Combined, the two cuts rank in the top eight items listed. They would produce nearly $3 million of the first $3.5 million in savings targeted by the group, which handed its recommendations to Superintendent John Deeder and the school board Tuesday night.

Deeder and the board aren’t beholden to the suggestions, the culmination of several weeks’ work. The board won’t vote on a final budget plan until summer. That’s well after state legislators determine large state funding reductions, certain to force Evergreen to trim its current $241.5 million operating budget — anywhere from $5 million to $20 million, by most estimates.

The committee’s recommendation proposes cuts beyond those estimates.

But, the menu does jump-start the conversation to be led by Deeder and Mike Merlino, Evergreen finance director, when they host a series of community forums on budget choices, starting next Tuesday.

Parkinson may earn $750,000/year from advocacy group when he leaves office

Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson announced Monday his future employment with the American Health Care Association & National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) when he leaves office in a few months.

Washington, DC-based AHCA/NCAL claims it advocates for long-term care professionals to help member facilities deliver quality care and services to America’s frail, elderly and disabled. Parkinson will be the leader for 11,000 member facilities and the 1.5 million Americans they care for each day.

Parkinson will succeed Bruce Yarwood as President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL in Jan. 2011.

A review of recent salary information for the top AHCA/NCAL executive suggests Parkinson‘s new salary may be in the $750,000 range. As Kansas Governor Parkinson now earns approximately $110,000 according to KanView.

IRS 990s filed by AHCA, a 501(c)(6) non-profit, can be viewed online at GuideStar.org:

Year	AHCA President/ CEO	Salary	Other Compensation
2005	Hal Daub	$787,927	$1,083,333
2006	Bruce Yarwood	$638,461	$5,619
2007	Bruce Yarwood	$695,514	$31,722
2008	Bruce Yarwood	$729,427	$33,372

Amy Jordan Wooden, Gov. Parkinson’s press secretary, said Parkinson’s salary at AHCA was not open public information.

AHCA Public Affairs Manager Katherine Lehman did not immediately respond to phone and E-mail requests for comments.

Parkinson’s salary in 2011 at AHCA will become open in late 2012 when the organization files its 990 form with the IRS.

AHCA also maintains a federal PAC for contributions to congressional candidates. OpenSecrets.org classifies AHCA’s PAC as a “Heavy Hitter:”

The American Health Care Association is the largest association of long-term care providers in the country, composed of 11,000 member facilities and nursing homes. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and it advocates on behalf of the elderly and disabled, as well as its members. Of particular concern to AHCA is Medicare/Medicaid policy and health policy affecting long-term care and the elderly. But AHCA also takes pro-business positions on labor regulations and arbitration law that may affect the owners of its member facilities. AHCA contributions tend to split between Republicans and Democrats, with more tending to go toward the party in power.

The Center for Responsive Politics, the group that maintains OpenSecrets.org, shows this graph for AHCA contributions by political party by election cycle:

AHCA's contributions to federal candidates by election cycle (Source: OpenSecrets)

All current members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate from Kansas, except Congressman Todd Tiahrt, received political contributions from this PAC.

In addition to contributions through their federal PAC, AHCA spends a considerable amount on lobbying activities according to OpenSecrets.org:

AHCA's lobby expenditures by year (Source: OpenSecrets)

Through AHCA and its PAC, Gov. Parkinson will join former Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in Washington, DC as another major player from Kansas in the national health care policy debate.

Via Parkinson may earn $750,000/year from advocacy group when he leaves office

Diora Baird: Queen Scream Queen

In celebration of Women in Horror Month we will be running a series of articles focused on the women of horror from guest contributors. Articles will run the gamut from spotlighting women authors, women filmmakers, female characters in horror films, scream queens, horrific artists and more and will run every Friday in February!

This week we have guest contributor Felix Vasquez Jr. of Cinema-Crazed.com dishing on his love for up-and-coming scream queen Diora Baird.

Check out the article below!

Written by Felix Vasquez Jr.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono once presented a performance art routine that was most unorthodox. What they did was completely cover themselves from head to toe with a white amorphous body cover, and explained that the cover is meant to explore how human beings have biases whether they know it or not. Hearing a person talk without indication of their physical appearance is a much more interesting way of getting to know someone, especially when you’re not noticing blemishes, body language, and race. If we could listen instead of judge, we’d be able to learn so much more.

With the majority of beautiful women in Hollywood, if you covered them up and heard them talk, your first instinct would be to consult a learning annex about their apparent disability, or you’d zone out in a matter of twenty minutes. If you put an amorphous sheet over Diora Baird and just heard her talk for an hour, after constant laughter, there’s a great chance you wouldn’t really care what was underneath the sheet. Baird (while being so beautiful it sometimes reduces me to soft whimpers) is much more than just looks. Though she was at one time a Playboy model, she is without a doubt one of the most interesting figures in filmmaking and horror today.

She’s insanely gorgeous but hasn’t had it easy in Hollywood. She’s earned her licks and her credibility by starring in bit parts, and covering herself from head to toe in body paint, foam latex, and even filming in horrible conditions. And from the ground up Diora Baird has gone from another pretty face, to a woman who is trying her damnedest to be a huge star. And to her hardcore fans, she already is one. Go on her Twitter page, and you’re likely to find pictures of Diora that she takes for her fans. Sometimes she gives the fans a peek and will take a risque picture, and most times she’ll just take peeks in to her life for them (ooh, dogs!). More times than not you’ll see an obscene comment from someone about her breasts and her butt, and oddly enough Baird is never put off by the comments.

Sometimes she even takes pictures of herself at her worst. But, she just keeps letting her fans in to her life bit by bit to explain something they may never catch on to: She’s just a person paying her dues. And to boot, she happens to be a hilarious, witty, and clever person whose tweets about being mouth-raped by Smurfs and eating glass keep her followers chuckling incessantly. And I can’t be the only one who remembers her guest-spot on The Soup lampooning her role in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. It’s a far stretch from a woman who went into acting to overcome social anxiety and even considered a breast reduction. Many women get branded scream queens these days if they star in more than one horror film, but Diora Baird is a woman who fits the mold of scream queen perfectly.

She’s in the league of Debbie Rochon and Linnea Quigley; beautiful with a willingness to do whatever it takes to sell her part even if it means covering herself in blood or dressing in goofy outfits. She has a quirky, sometimes demented sense of humor, and she’ll be in any horror title if it grants her work and allows her a great experience. She’ll even go to extremes to sell her part (for Night of the Demons in 2010, she covered herself in body foam for her role as an ill-fated collegian who is transformed in to a demon after being sodomized by her demonic boyfriend). She’s not quite mainstream enough to be rejected by cult fans, but not too cult where she’s incapable of breaking out in to a big title with big stars.

Baird has earned her marks starring as extras, she once worked as a party clown for kids parties (no seriously), and identifies herself as the other green girl you almost saw in Star Trek. No, not Rachel Nichols, silly. Baird was unfortunately edited out of the final film. But that’s not to say fans of horror aren’t appreciative of her genre outputs. 2010 saw Baird fighting vamps and chugging booze in 30 Days of Night: Dark Days and what do you know? She didn’t show skin. However by the end of the movie she had it torn from its roots by hungry vampires, and in Night of the Demons she was given the honor of being raped by hell’s minions, and performed the infamous boob and lipstick trick for the camera. She can scream, she’s a queen, and I love her for it more and more everyday. Sure she’ll stray from genre fare to star in Young People F*cking and her upcoming heist film co-starring with Jim Caviezel.

But in spite of her apparent ambition and desire to break in to a role that will assure her legendary status, Baird is pretty much already there with a humility that’s admirable, and a humor that most people wish they had about themselves. She doesn’t acknowledge her apparent beauty, she knows that in Hollywood pretty faces are a dime a dozen, and her humor seems to be a wonderful form of coping with insecurity and social situations. Take for example her interview in FHM where she explained her inability to fire off a gun during the shoot of 30 Days of Night: Dark Days which resulted in the gun coordinator scolding her about acting responsibly. To which she responded with a witty retort!

Baird is the heir apparent to Linnea Quigley. And she’s the alpha female of the new generation of women in horror, setting the path for girls of this generation who can look incredible on-screen and have a good time, whether it’s fighting blood suckers, ghouls, or Leatherface.

Via Diora Baird: Queen Scream Queen | Fatally Yours

Can-Am Spyder: Three wheeled Motorcycle, open air race car, or what?

A friend of mine, Tyler Risk, began riding a Can-Am Spyder about a year ago, after a devastating motorcycle accident, one she was fortunate enough to survive. She surprised everyone as she healed by getting on another steed of her choice: a Can-Am Spyder. She chose this vehicle, one that was more stable than a two-wheeled motorcycle, because it still provided the ergos and controls of riding a motorcycle. Tyler herself exclaimed, “After several skin grafting surgeries on my legs, I chose the Can-Am because it still allows me the adventure of what riding is about, seeing the world in a different way than others, the wind in my face, the throttle in my hand, and 1000cc between my legs.” It was in this spirit that she made her choice to return to riding on a vehicle providing her with a ton of fun and surrounding her in controversy.

A few weeks ago, she posted a ride report on her home forum which had photos and text of her first spring ride. Combined in the mix of kudos and photo oohs and aahs was one post, tucked indiscreetly among the others, saying that she should not have posted this under “motorcycle” ride reports but instead should have posted under “off topic”. Ok… so, this brings up the debate of whether or not the Can-Am Spyder is classified as a motorcycle and do we really care whether it is or not??

I am often one to quibble over proper usage of English language and grammar, however, I see the distinction between the definition of the Can Am Spyder and a motorcycle as superfluous and loosely translated. Wikipedia weighs in: “The legal definition of a motorcycle for the purposes of registration, taxation and rider licensing in most countries is a powered two-wheel motor vehicle. Many jurisdictions include some forms of three-wheelers as motorcycles, such as motorcycles with side car rigs”. Wiki defines the Can-Am Spyder as a “three-wheeled motor vehicle (two wheels in the front, one in the rear) similar in layout to a modern snowmobile. The Spyder uses an ATV-like chassis with a single rear drive wheel, and two wheels in front for steering. It is often referred to as a “roadster” but in technical terms is more of what has been traditionally called a three wheeled trike”. So, can the three wheeled trike be placed in the motorcycle definition as a form of three-wheelers? I believe it can, and I also could truly care less!!

Suddenly we have yet another example of label bashing that different groups exercise in the motorcycle community. There are the sportbikers, the cruisers, the scooter riders, the trike riders, the squids, the racers, the rockers, the stunters, the dirty riders, the distance riders, RTW riders and they all have one thing in common, they are riding a machine that they straddle and they are out challenging themselves and the environment. So, we all ride, what difference does it make what we ride?

I love seeing the diversity of machines on the road and the rider’s attitude of Woman vs machine. I love the camaraderie at gas stations, campgrounds, roadside attractions, eateries and wherever else riders paths cross. I believe that when we are all out traveling the roadways and countryside, the playing field is leveled and that the passion of “the ride” is alive in each of us regardless of what we are riding. I believe that it simply doesn’t matter what you ride. What matters is THAT you ride!

More Can-Am info!

Demenshea sez... Ya, we don't like to see ads, either, but it helps pay the rent... so please visit our (randomly supplied) sponsors to keep the content coming! ;-) Via Can-Am Spyder: Three wheeled Motorcycle, open air race car, or what? | Demenshea's Ride like a Girl

Future Transportation - Can-Am Spyder Roadster Hybrid (video)

The Centre de technologies avancées BRP at the Université de Sherbrooke (CTA) was granted C$11.3 million ($11.3 million U.S. at the current exchange rate) to develop a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the Can-Am Spyder roadster – a three-wheeler produced by Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). The Can-Am plug-in hybrid will feature a 600 cc engine linked to a 20 kW electric motor that’s powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The total range for the plug-in version is expected to be 375 miles, 20 of which can be traversed without the gasoline engine firing up. Mihai Rasidescu, president and general manager of the CTA, sums up the goals that will drive the development of the plug-in hybrid Can-Am:

“Our goal is to develop completely new electric hybrid technology for a three-wheel vehicle that uses 50 percent less fuel and reduces CO2 emissions by 50 percent while maintaining its speed, power and performance.”

The project’s research team is headed up by professor Alain Desrochers from the CTA’s mechanical engineering department. The development team includes 30 individuals from the CTA and BRP. Desrochers describes the specific challenges that must be overcome in developing a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the Can-Am:

“Creating a three-wheel vehicle as opposed to a hybrid car poses significant design challenges that require a very high degree of innovation. These challenges include the lack of space to accommodate hybrid motorization, cooling problems, aerodynamics, vehicle weight, and noise. Everything must be studied and modified.”

Source:  Green.AutoBlog.com

Via Future Transportation - Can-Am Spyder Roadster Hybrid (video)

Tennessee still botching Bruce Pearl firing (or lack thereof)

Bruce Pearl may be out of a job -- finally -- after Tennessee's last game. (AP photo)

There was a moment in 2010 when I actually felt sorry for the Tennessee athletic department because it’s not every day a university gets blindsided and has its football coach bolt after one season, even if that coach (Lane Kiffin) is pretty much a clown.

Well, any sympathy is gone now. Seldom has an athletic department so completely botched a situation as Tennessee did with basketball coach Bruce Pearl. He should’ve been fired in September when he admitting to lying to the NCAA and committing several violations stemming from hosting a barbecue for recruits at his home. Pearl even asked the father of one of the recruits to help him cover up the incident.

It gets better. Four days AFTER Pearl wept and asked for forgiveness, Jimmy Swaggart style, in a news conference, Pearl and assistant coach committed another violation, making illegal contact with another potential recruit.

Now comes this: Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton, after inexplicably allowing Pearl to keep his job this season despite the NCAA’s unethical conduct charges, is suddenly balking on the coach’s future. When asked if Pearl would be the team’s coach next season on a Knoxville radio station Wednesday, Hamilton responded: “We don’t know the answer today.”

The problem is not that Pearl is in trouble, or that many now expect him to fired after Tennessee’s last game. The problem is that, because of Hamilton, this is being debated now. The Volunteers play in the NCAA tournament Friday. This isn’t something the Tennessee players should have to deal with now. It all could have been avoided if a change was made six months ago.

Back in September, Tennessee chose to ignore the fact that Pearl is a dog with fleas because, well, he’s a really good basketball coach. Now that they’re in the tournament, Hamilton is creating a firestorm at the worst conceivable time.

“I think that we’ve done a lot of soul-searching about the direction of our program and we’ll continue to do that,’’ Hamilton said.

Via Tennessee still botching Bruce Pearl firing (or lack thereof) | Jeff Schultz

Mega Millions winning numbers worth $201 million

A large pot of gold is still available after St. Patrick’s Day. Tonight’s MegaMillions jackpot is estimated to be worth $201 million. There was no jackpot winner in the latest Mega Millions drawing that took place this past Tuesday night, but 18 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $250,000 prize, including 2 from New Jersey. The jackpot has been steadily growing since Feb. 1, when megamillions.com reports a $93 million prize was claimed by winnersin Michigan and Indiana. Mega Millions has now gone 12 drawings without a winner being selected. Yahoo News reports the largest payout for a single lottery ticket tookplace in February 2006, when a Powerball jackpot with an annuitized payout of $365 million was won by eight people who worked together at a meat processing plant in Nebraska. In that case, they opted for the $177 million cash payout. MEGA MILLIONS WINNING NUMBERS FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2011: 14, 33, 34, 54, 56 Mega Ball = 37 The New Jersey Lottery has used the slogan, “It pays to dream.” And dreaming of luxuries to spend your winnings on is half the fun of playing. For instance, according to aolnews.com, 110-acre private islands in Thailand are available starting at $160 million. In November 2006, Jackson Pollock's"No. 5, 1948" and Willem de Kooning's "Woman" sold for an estimated $140 million and $137.5 million. You could afford to pay for one of them and have funds to spare. For those who would rather be more conservative with their cash, $2 million will buy you and 10 friends a trip into space. Winning a lottery prize can change your life, but people always need to handle their winnings with care. Lotterypost.com reports Curtis Sharp Jr., an air-conditioning technician from Newark, N.J., who won $5 million playing Lotto in 1982. Sharp filmed commercials for the New Jersey Lottery Division, became something of a local celebrity — and blew his money on cars and fine living. Before long, he was borrowing against his future payout checks. Eventually the cash disappeared, andhe moved to Tennessee and became a minister. According to thatmoney.com, 80% of all lottery winners file for bankruptcy. That's because they don't know the true power of money and they don’t appreciate how crucial it is to make solid decisions. Stay within your means. Invest, but it only takes one dollar to win.

NASCAR to change tire compounds for races at Bristol

During Friday's practice sessions for the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series atBristol Motor Speedway, there was one tiny problem: the rubber from the tires wasn't sticking to the track.Instead, the rubber was marbling -- no, we didn't have anything to do with this -- much like what happened at Indianapolis in 2008, when a caution had to be thrown every nine laps to prevent widespread tire failures.NASCAR announced Friday afternoonthat the right-side tires would be different for Saturday and Sunday's races at the half-mile oval. Goodyearhad brought a new tire combination this spring in hopes for more grip, butDenny Hamlinsaid Friday that his tires were showing cords after 30 laps. A fuel run at Bristol is 130 laps.Since the new tires were being shipped in from Charlotte on Saturday, the Sprint Cup cars qualified on the tires that they already have and the final Nationwide practice Friday afternoon continued as scheduled despite the fact that the teams wereusing the right-side tires that are being replaced.

First Look: ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2′ (Video)

Here’s the first look at the upcoming final chapter in the massive Harry Potter series Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 . Wow, this movie really does look awesome. Now I know this might anger some Potter fans out there, but I really thought that HPATDH:Part 1 was boring. Part 2 on the other hand looks like it gets backto the action and fun that everyone has come to love from these movies. I’ve still never read past the first book, so everything is still new to me. I’m really looking forward to thisone!

Craig Sager sets the bar for NCAA Tournament suits very high

Craig Sager's Friday appearance at the NCAA Tournament makes you wonder if he's auditioning for a role as the Easter Bunny. Long known for his extravagant fashion sense , Sager began Friday's broadcasts in a light pink plaid suit. Craig Sager's wild suit caught the eyes of many fans on Friday. (Steve Greenberg/SN) Mike Freeman, a columnist for CBS Sports, highlighted the humor of Sager's suit with a Twitter post saying, " Elton John to Craig Sager: 'Love your style, bra.' " Sager used to work for CBS but now is a sportscaster for TNT and TBS. Four networks are carrying NCAA Tournament coverage this year, and Sager was part of the CBS broadcast from the West Region early game Friday. Referred to as "America's Sideline Reporter", Sager has worn the pink plaid blazer before , and Kevin Garnett reportedly told him he should burn it. But that time, the shirt and tie were horribly paired with the jacket. Friday's white shirt and pastel tie were comparatively conservative. Sager was at the Texas-Oakland game in Tulsa for second-round play in the NCAA Tournament. Sager's Friday suit would match Walt Frazier's wardrobe from Thursday night's Knicks game very well. St. Patrick's Day pink ... that's a new one.

Eva Longoria Wishes You a Happy Purim

What do you get when you ask a Roman Catholic actress to describe a Jewish holiday on a children’s television show ? A complete misinterpretation of Purim. Before you role your eyes and say, “Oh jeebus, here’s one of those  ‘gentiles just don’t get it’ spiels,” I have to confess — I’m in the same religious boat as Eva. But when I sawthis clip from Sesame Street , attempting to be informative and inclusive, I felt more confused and excluded. First off, I had a hunch Purim was more than costumes, noisemakers and silliness. And of course it is. Check out the Purim story in the Biblical Book of Esther: a Persian king kills his wife because she doesn’t want him to show her off. Then, at a week-long party, the king chooses his second wife, Esther, who hides the fact that she’s Jewish. When there’s an impending extermination of the Jews, Esther steps in and sets the deliverance of her people from the Persian Empire in motion. While there’s mention of hard-core partying, disguises (in the metaphorical sense), and feasting, I wouldn’t exactly say Eva’s interpretation really nails the essence of the holiday. Second off, I kept thinking, “Why Eva? Why would Sesame Street hire aRoman Catholic to say Shalom? She’s making us gentiles look like condescending ignoramuses .” So I went to the ultimate source of knowledge, Wikipedia, to get to the bottom of my queries. Turns out, Eva might be a Crypto-Jew,someone who secretly practices Judaism, or secretly has Jewish roots while outwardly professing another faith or religious lineage. According to this hodge-podge of a wiki-article , a fellow member of Eva’s clan, when tracing back to their Spanish roots, indicates that the Longorias may have “conversos” (Crypto-Jews) for ancestors.

George Mason Uses a Little Magic to Advance

CLEVELAND - Mike Morrison returned to earth after the second of his thunderous two-handed dunks in thefinal minute wrapped up George Mason's 61-57 victory over Villanova, and was so happy he bounded the whole way down the court. Momentslater, his teammate Luke Hancock, whose stepback 3-pointer with 19.8 seconds gave the Patriots their final lead, left with court with both arms raised. Though trailing most of the game, eighth-seeded George Mason (27-6) took advantage of several Villanova miscues down the stretch to advance to the third round, winning its first N.C.A.A. game since its magical Final Four run in 2006. Villanova (21-12) finished its season with six consecutive losses. The Wildcats led, 54-48, with less than 4 minutes 40 seconds to play, but scored only 3 points the rest of the way, all on foul shots by Corey Fisher with 31.7 seconds left. In that stretch, the Patriots had scored eight consecutive points to go ahead - a 3-point jumper by Isaiah Tate, a conventional 3-point play by Ryan Pearson off a feed from Hancock, and Morrison's put-back dunk with under a minute to go. Meanwhile, Villanova's Antonio Penamissed two foul shots and Mouphtaou Yarou missed the front end of a one-and-one. After Fisher's foul shots and the 3-pointer by Hancock (18 points) made it 59-57 for George Mason, the Wildcats had two chances to go ahead, but could not convert. Maalik Wayns missed a driving layup,and the rebound came to Pearson sitting on the floor in the middle of the lane. Villanova tied him up for a jump ball and kept possession with 9.1 seconds left. But Corey Stokes (14 points), whose erratic 4-for-15 shooting included two air balls, badlymissed a jumper off the backboard, and Morrison (11 points, 10 rebounds) broke ahead of the field for his second dunk. Fisher finished with 20 points for Villanova. via http://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/sports/ncaabasketball/19georgemason.xml

Designer Tory Burch on 'The View': Get her Japan relief T-shirtnow

American designer, Tory Burch , dropped by Friday's (March 18) "The View" to share some styles fromher new 70s-inspired spring collection and announce that her"We Heart Japan" T-Shirt becomes available today. The proceeds from the tee (which she's wearing in the photo above) goto the American Red Cross to benefit the Japan earthquake and Pacific tsunami relief efforts. You can buy the shirt on her companywebsite, toryburch.com, here . The mother of three young boys and three grown stepdaughters also told the women that she had never takena design class. In fact, she was an art history major who went on to fashion PR and advertising for designers such as Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang and Narciso. She only started designing when she created her owncompany, which is now very popular with celebrities such as Catherine Zeta-Jones , Cameron Diaz and"Gossip Girl's" Blake Lively . What did you think of her spring collection? Will you be buying her Japan relief T-shirt?

Stephanie Seymour & Son -- Sun Kissed on the Beach

Two months after causing a stir withsome beachy PDAs with her 17-year-old son , supermodel Stephanie Seymour returned to St. Barths for some more wholesome seaside family fun. The 42-year-old is one hot mama. More Stephanie Seymour Stephanie Seymour's Son -- a REAL Touchy Subject Seymour's Son Defends Strange Beach Photos Stephanie Seymour Goes Two Pieces

Frizzell wins Mensa scholarship award

Glen Rock resident Bradley Robert Frizzell has been named the Wendy Sailer Award winner for 2011. The Sailer Scholarship is awarded to the best essay received by Northern New Jersey Mensa each year. His essay was selected from a very competitive field and has been sent to the Regional level where it will beevaluated for another round of awards. Frizzell is an engineering and design student at Bergen Academies in Hackensack.

He said, she said: Reflecting on NCAA misfortunes

he said-she said He said It’s impossible to discuss the fun-for-the-whole-family gambling fiesta that is March Madness without briefly touching upon the latest setback to intelligent life on this planet. A battle between reason and ignorance ended on national television Sunday, and — sorry Mensa — the idiots won. The NCAA selection committee once again managed the astounding feat of making its BCS counterparts look competent. “Praise be to the holy RPI,” the committee proclaimed from drool-covered pulpits. “Cast into the fires ofthe NIT those teams who struggle in the final week, for the schedule is not equally weighted.” Blockbuster executives did a better job running their organization. NFL labor negotiators reached a more satisfying conclusion. Congress appears a bastion of logic and efficiency in comparison. I don’t mean to pile on these poor oxygen-deprived souls, but it’s not a stretch to say that a room full of baboons could do a better job, and I mean that with all due respect to thebaboons. While it is tempting — not to mention completely warranted — to crank out another 500 words of vitriol directed at our dear NCAA friends, bitterness is not the Hokie way. We’ve always been keener on resigned cynicism in maroon and orange country. In that respect, I will place my overflowing bounty of selection committee jokes on the shelf to present a brief primer about yet another Hokieless bracket. Narrative writing will be tossed aside in favor of a dos and don’ts format, partly for comedic value but mostly so that I finish this column before my first TOTS Tuesday. Via http://www.collegiatetimes.com/stories/17115/he-said-she-said-reflecting-on-ncaa-misfortunes

Dukan Diet: Newest Fad or Weight-Loss Answer?

There is a new diet in town, and this one is already making big waves. The Dukan Diet has been popular in France for years, and now Dr. Pierre Dukan is bringing his weight-loss plan overseas to North America. There are reports that soon-to-be Princess Kate Middleton and her mother are on the diet to try and drop extra pounds before the royal wedding in April. Dukan’s book has already sold millions of copies worldwide and has been translated into 14 languages—but is it all just hype? In the preface of the American edition of his book, “The Dukan Diet: The Real Reason the French Stay Thin,” Dukan wrote, “My dear friends,today I am reaching out to you with the certainty that I can help you put an end to the inevitability of weight problems in North America," according to the New York Times. The diet consists of high-protein, low-fat meals—which is nothing new—but adds very large amounts of water and oat bran. The diet is cut into week-long cycles with some including vegetables. There is no fruit allowed, but wine and dessert are allowed for a certain number of days—thus appealing to the French. And what about exercise? The requirement is very light, about 20 minutes a day, with no elevators allowed Tanya Zuckerbrot, New York City registered dietician and Fox News contributor, told FoxNews.comshe doesn’t think the Dukan Diet is anything to get too excited about. “The Dukan Diet is not based on any scientific data, and seems to be a modified version of the Atkins Diet . This diet is protein-centric and highlyrestrictive in the initial stages, without much research to back it up,”Zuckerbrot said. Zuckerbrot was concerned about the restrictions on fruits and vegetables in the plan. “A diet consisting of high fiber carbohydrates, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and a small amount of heart healthy fat is the key to looking and feeling your best,” she said. According to Zuckerbrot, the Dukan Diet already has a bad reputation in the world of dietitians. “France’s National Agency for Food, Environmental and Work Health Safety pointed out the Dukan Diet as one of 15 imbalanced and potentially risky diets. The British Dietetic Association, has also listed the Dukan Diet as one of the five worst diets of 2011,” she said. By eliminating key foods from your diet, Zuckerbrot said Dukan’s plan can create a nutrition deficiency as well as high cholesterol and even kidney problems. The bottom line with this diet, is it will more than likely come and go with the rest — there is just not enough variety, Zuckerbrot added. “You will initially see weight loss on the Dukan Diet, but this eating plan is not sustainable. Also a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates is expensive. This diet is just that, a diet, not a healthy maintainable lifestyle,” she said.

The French Diet You’ve Never Heard Of

A popular French diet is crossing the Atlantic, reports today’s Styles section. Pierre Dukan has been called the Dr. Atkins of France. Well over a million people there have tried the 69-year-old doctor’s program, a method that promises — like countless diets before and since — no hunger, no calorie counting, instant weight loss and lifelong weight maintenance. The original Dukan diet book sold 3.5 million copies in French and has been translated into 14 languages. Next month, the diet will make its American debut when Crown Publishing rolls out the North American edition of “The Dukan Diet,” its cover featuring a plate with two Eiffel Towers and the words, “The Real Reason the French Stay Thin.” The diet’s high-protein, low-fat approach is organized into four phases, the first of which encourages dieters to eat as much as they want of non-fatty, protein-rich foods, including oat bran — a key component — washed down with oceans of water. The second stage introduces vegetables, but no fruit; the third brings with it two slices of bread, a serving of cheese and fruit and two servings of carbohydrates a day, with two weekly “celebration” meals with wine and dessert (the diet is French, after all); and the final stage — six days a week of “anything goes” and one day of reversion to strict stage one. To learn more, read the full report, “Warmed-Over Atkins? Don’t Tell the French,”

Dukan Diet: The real reason French stay so thin?

(CBS) What's the real reason French women stay so thin? We actually have no idea, but if you believe the smooth words of the diet industry's latest pitch man, it's a diet he stumbled upon by accident four decades ago. The man in question is Dr. Pierre Dukan, a 69-year-old neurologist whose books have already sold millions of copies and been translated into 14 languages. Now Dukan is set to bring his gospel to America. "My dear friends, today I am reaching out to you with the certainty that I can help you put an end to the inevitability of weight problems in North America," he wrote in the preface of the American edition, according to the New York Times. We sure hope so. With up to one third of Americans overweight or obese and type-2 diabetes on the rise, helping us drop a few pounds would be a welcome piece of cross-Atlantic good will. But critics call Dukan's plan either an Atkins retread or an unhealthy fad. "This is just another one of those diets invented by a charismatic individual who makes a lot of promises and has loads of testimonials but is not based on any scientific data whatsoever," Frank Sacks, professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at Harvard, told the Times. The basics are a high-protein, low-fat approach, lots of water, all the oat-bran you can eat, lots of veggies, no fruit, and a few wine and desert days to make it all livable. The exercise requirement sounds light enough for most Americans - 20 minutes of walking and no elevators. Does any of this work? Supermodel Giselle Bundchen and Kate Middleton's mom thinks so, according to the Boston Globe, but you should probably decide for yourself.

Via http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20044630-10391704.html 

Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Welcome to the National Risk Management Research Laboratory's Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) web site. The use of LCA to make more informed decisions through a better understanding of the human health and environmental impacts of products, processes, and activities.

The site is divided into 4 primary areas to help educate people new to the concept of LCA while serving as a focal point for LCA practitioners and decision-makers to stay current with the field of LCA. LCAccess provides information on why one would want to perform an LCA, an overview of LCA, how to find LCI data sources, and available LCA resources.

LCA is a technique to assess the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product, process, or service, by:

• compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental releases;
• evaluating the potential environmental impacts associated with identified inputs and releases;
• interpreting the results to help you make a more informed decision.

Sylvia Lim’s candidacy at Aljunied confirmed?

I would like to share an interesting discovery when I chanced upon this website: http://www.singapore-elections.com/candidates-l2.html (Please see attached image) Sylvia Lim has a label 2011 WP candidate dubbed red appearing beside her 2006 record. Curiously, allpast GE candidates (past and presentincumbents, plus every losing candidates to date) have only their previous candidacy recorded. Why is Sylvia’s 2011 candidacy, which is neither been declared or known, came up in this official website? Note the 2 PAP candidates Lim Swee Say and Lim-Tan Hwee Hua, which I have also included in this image (which came alphabetically after Sylvia Lim), current MPs, have only their past candidacy recorded. Who administrating this website hasthis forecasting ability? Clairvoyance or Kelong?

HPH Trust sets IPO at US$1.01 per unit

SINGAPORE: Hutchison Port Holdings Trust (HPH Trust) said it has set the price for its Singapore's initial public offering at US$1.01 per unit, below the top end of its indicative price range of US$0.91 and US$1.08. The trust also said that it has allowed the joint book runners, led by Deutsche Bank, to exercise an over-allotment option, which gives them the right to subscribe as much as 15 per cent of the public offer. If the over-allotment is exercised in full, parent Hutchison Whampoa, which is controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, would raise over US$6 billion from the listing, making it the largest IPO in both Singapore and Southeast Asia, exceeding last year's US$3 billion offering by Global Logistic Properties and the US$4.1 billion Malaysian IPO by Petronas Chemicals. The money raised by HPH Trust will be used to pay for the port assets that it is buying from Hutchison Port Holdings, which is 80 per cent-ownedby Hutchison Whampoa and 20 per cent by Singapore's PSA International, a wholly owned unit of Temasek Holdings. - CNA/cc

Lâm Phong khóc vì lộ ảnh nóng -Lam Phong khoc vi lo anh nong - Tin nhanh Việt Nam

Trong buổi thử trang phục của phim mới, có vẻ như anh đã khóc trước khi trả lời các câu hỏi của phóng viên về vụ việc.

Một loạt hình ảnh mặn nồng của nam diễn viên nổi tiếng Lâm Phong với người mẫu đại lục Mavis Pan Shuang Shuang đã được đăng tải trên tạp chí gần đây. Với sự xuất hiện của những bức ảnh này, mối quan hệ của cả hai cũng đã được hé lộ với công chúng. Trong buổi thử trang phục cho bộ phim mới "Trở Lại Tam Quốc" (tên dự kiến), anh đã khẳng định anh và Pan đã từng quen nhau.

Lâm Phong trả lời phỏng vấn với đôi mắt ngân ngấn nước

Anh cho biết "Nhiều phóng viên biết tôi đã có một cô bạn gái trước khi tôi gia nhập làng giải trí. Kể từ đó tôi luôn luôn dính vào những tin đồn nhưng tôi không có cơ hội để giải thích. Tôi đã cố gắng nói với tất cả mọi người rằng đó chỉ là các chiến dịch cho phim, nhưng mọi người không chịu tin tôi."

Về mối quan hệ với Mavis Pan Shuang Shuang, anh thật thà chia sẻ:"Chúng tôi thực sự có hẹn hò với nhau một thời gian ngắn, nhưng tôi không bao giờ nghĩ là tôi sẽ công khai chuyện này như thế này cả. Tôi đã nghĩ đến việc phát triển mối quan hệ này một cách nghiêm túc. Và tôi không muốn chia sẻ nó nhưng các phóng viên đã phát hiện ra, nên tôi đã phủ nhận tất cả. Hiện tại, chúng tôi đã kết thúc chuyện này được một thời gian ..."

Via Lâm Phong khóc vì lộ ảnh nóng -Lam Phong khoc vi lo anh nong - Tin nhanh Việt Nam

Pan Shuangshuang

From a country of almost a billion and a half people, the chances of finding someone beautiful is pretty high. So high that we’re featuring one of those beauties right now. Pan Shuangshuang was known as the ‘Soccer Girl’ for her sexy pictorials for a website. The World Cup fever may have simmered down now but our desire for soccer chicks is just getting more torrid.

Via Pan Shuangshuang

Todai – The International, Seafood and Sushi Buffet At Marina Bay Sands!

Todai has finally reached our shores at Marina Bay Sands! Hailed as “The Mother Of All Seafood Buffets” in the US, Todai Singapore presents an array of visually enticing treats of Salads & Cold Cuts, Sushi & Sashimi, Noodles, Italian Pizza & Pasta, Meat & Seafood, Brazilian Churassco, Korean treats, Desserts and More! And yes, those Snow Crab Claws are part of the buffet.

For the Grand Opening of Todai, the Korean Ambassador Oh Joon was present to grace the event.

 

Tucked in a cozy corner of Marina Bay Sands, Todai has about 50 chefs whipping up delights hot from the stove, slicing meats, flipping pizzas and pastas and even shucking fresh oysters just for your platter. At the Grand Opening last Thursday, all guests were treated to a mind boggling selection, that just for that moment, my senses flipped, and I knew I had to come back for another feast.

The snow crab claws (dinner only) were without doubt one of the most sought of items for the night. For a buffet, any guest will be impressed by the gargantuan pincers and claws ready to be devoured. Cut the shell open and juicy crab meat await.

Sweet, meaty and wholesome, its not difficult to see why many would be unable to resist such temptation. Diners piled the plates, round after round after round and after round.