Monday, September 30, 2013

UC Berkeley Campus Evacuated After Explosion, Power Outage getdiscountz.blogspot.com

Written By Unknown; About: UC Berkeley Campus Evacuated After Explosion, Power Outage getdiscountz.blogspot.com on Monday, September 30, 2013

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® UC Berkeley Campus Evacuated After Explosion, Power Outage

The University of California, Berkeley, has been evacuated after an explosion occurred as a result of a campuswide power outage.




According to the university, an explosion occurred as a result of a “power system failure” that began affecting the campus around 4:45 p.m. PDT. The Berkeley campus lost power from Strawberry Canyon to University Hall, as buildings including University House, the chancellor’s residence, units 1, 2 and 3, Maximino Martinez Commons and Foothill were all reported affected.


Some 90 minutes later, an explosion occurred on campus, though the exact location remains unknown. Berkeley Fire Department Chief Gil Dong tells the Daily Californian that the explosion may have originated at an underground electrical vault near Bancroft Library. He also added that multiple emergency vehicles were already on the scene.


Soon after the explosion, around 6 p.m. PDT, Berkeley officials sent out an emergency message to all students and staff canceling classes for the day and advising everyone to leave the campus as quickly as possible.


“The power outage and explosion were due to a power system failure. All are asked to leave the main campus area immediately,” Berkeley officials wrote in an emergency announcement. “The main Berkeley website is experiencing difficulties due to a power outage on campus. Classes are canceled and labs are closed.”


Currently, there is no word on what caused the UC Berkeley fire, though Christine Shaff, communications director for Facilities Services, tells the Daily Californian that the power outage and resulting explosion could have been caused by vandals attempting to strip copper from the university’s high-voltage power system.


She also added that some students and faculty are still stuck inside campus buildings, and that rescue crews are currently at work attempting to free them.


“We do know there are some people are stuck,” she said. “That’s one of our top priorities.”


Watch an eyewitness video of the UC Berkeley explosion below.



UC Berkeley Campus Evacuated After Explosion, Power Outage

Bloomberg Announces Free Wi-Fi Hotspots Across All 5 NYC Boroughs getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Bloomberg Announces Free Wi-Fi Hotspots Across All 5 NYC Boroughs

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Monday that he will expand free wireless Internet service to select neighborhoods in all five of the city’s boroughs.




Starting in December, AFP reports, neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx will all receive new free wireless hotspots funded by a combination of public and private money. Bloomberg announced that the “wireless corridor” would run on some $900,000 of government money and $3.4 million in funding from the private sector.


"If New York City is going to remain competitive in the global economy, we must find ways to support the entrepreneurs who are driving technological advances and creating jobs," Bloomberg said. “With these new initiatives, we are making targeted investments to improve our city’s wireless infrastructure and expand Internet access."


Engadget reports that neighborhoods receiving the free wireless internet will include Downtown Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan and Harlem, among several more neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. Currently, New York City has around 20 free Wi-Fi zones in parks across the city as well as certain locations in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea.


Throughout his 12-year stint as New York City’s mayor, Bloomberg has worked to attract more tech businesses to New York City. The free Wi-Fi initiative, set to go live in his final month in office, seems in many ways a final push for his focus on increasing New York City’s status as a tech hub.



Bloomberg Announces Free Wi-Fi Hotspots Across All 5 NYC Boroughs

'Breaking Bad' Smashes Ratings Records With 10.3 Viewers Series Finale 'Felina' getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® 'Breaking Bad' Smashes Ratings Records With 10.3 Viewers Series Finale 'Felina'

“Breaking Bad” may have aired its final episode Sunday night, but there’s no cause to mourn. Just like Walter White, “Breaking Bad” went out on top, at least in its ratings.




According to TV By The Numbers, the “Breaking Bad” series finale “Felina” raked in an impressive 10.3 million viewers on its first airing alone, including 6.7 million viewers in the advertisers’ favored 18-49 demographic. The numbers far outpace the series’ previous ratings high of 6.6 million viewers. Ratings increased an incredible 300 percent over the last season finale and handily bested the night’s other non-football programming, including the return of Showtime’s “Homeland.”


“Breaking Bad is simply unique,” AMC President Charlie Collier said in a press release. “It all starts with Vince Gilligan, who really only ever asked for one thing – the opportunity to end the show on his own terms. That is exactly what Vince did last night and, as always, brilliantly so. Congratulations to Vince and to every single person involved in this remarkable journey. We’re proud that AMC will forever be known as the birthplace and home of this iconic show and, at the same time, we tip our Heisenberg hat to the fans who made this a truly shared experience.”


Throughout most of “Breaking Bad’s” run, the viewership hovered in the sub-2 million range. Its pilot episode premiered Jan. 20, 2008, with a relatively unassuming 1.4 million viewers. The series rarely made it past the 2 million mark for most of its first four seasons, even for special events like season finales. Most critics assumed that “Breaking Bad” would simply remain a little-watched but critically beloved show.


After the series debuted on Netflix’s streaming service, however, AMC saw its ratings jump dramatically. After barely ever clearing the 2 million viewers mark, the fifth season premiered with a record 2.9 million viewers. Ratings continued to climb throughout the fifth season, making a dramatic spike for Sunday night’s finale.


The “Breaking Bad” companion series “Talking Bad” ended on a high note as well, taking in some 4.4 million viewers for Chris Hardwick’s post-episode interview.



'Breaking Bad' Smashes Ratings Records With 10.3 Viewers Series Finale 'Felina'

Barcelona Vs. Celtic: Preview And Team News For Tuesday’s Champions League Match; Injured Lionel Messi To Be Replaced By Neymar Or Cesc Fabregas? getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Barcelona Vs. Celtic: Preview And Team News For Tuesday’s Champions League Match; Injured Lionel Messi To Be Replaced By Neymar Or Cesc Fabregas?

Barcelona will be without Lionel Messi as they look to avoid a repeat of last season’s shock defeat to Celtic at Parkhead. In the surprise result of the Champions League’s group stage and one of the best in Celtic’s recent history, the Scottish champions stunned their illustrious opponents with a 2-1 win.




At the time it was seen as nothing more than blip for Barcelona, but it turned out to be a forbearer of far more costly failures to come in the knockout stages. Putting that result right would be a welcome early statement by Gerardo Martino that the Catalans are in a position to return to Europe’s summit.


Yet, they will have to do it without their talisman. Martino has been vocal about the need to keep the likes of Messi fresh for the end of the season and his words now have extra weight after the Argentinian suffered a thigh injury in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Almeria. While not underestimating the loss of Messi, Martino believes he has the players capable of meaning it is not a crucial factor.


"It isn't easy to replace the best player in the world, but we have a great squad,” he said, according to Marca. “If we don't have a good night and lose, we won't use his absence as an excuse. I don't see Messi's absence being be a problem for the other players.”


In the past, the automatic response to Messi being unavailable was to bring Cesc Fabreags into the side as a “false nine.” But Martino has suggested that this is far from the only option he will look to utilize.


“He’s great at linking up with the three behind and he sets his team mates up really well,” Martino said of Fabregas, according to Spanish sports daily AS. “With Leo we cause the opposition problems in the last 25 meters.


“The season is very long and there will be times we don’t have Leo. Neymar can’t be ruled out, just as Alexis [Sanchez] can’t be. We’ve got various options and we’ll see which one is the best. It’s not always going to be that when Messi is out Fabregas replaces him.”


The news of Messi’s injury has predictably been greeted quite differently in Glasgow than in Catalonia. Although even Celtic boss Neil Lennon admits his disappointment that the Ballon d’Or winner will not be gracing the Celtic Park turf, he could not hide his relief that his side will not have to try and keep a lid on Messi’s talents.


“It´s obviously very good news for us as he´s the best player in the world," he said in his pre-match press conference on Monday. "However, it´s tinged with sadness as it´s always good to see the best players play here in Glasgow."


Celtic are likely to be further encouraged that Barcelona’s already vulnerable backline has been further weakened by Javier Mascherano joining Carles Puyol and Jordi Alba on the sidelines.


The home side are not without their own injuries. Midfielder Joe Ledley is definitely ruled out, while Derek Boerrigter is a major doubt after failing to train on Monday. James Forrest and Beram Kayal are both fit and available for selection.



Barcelona Vs. Celtic: Preview And Team News For Tuesday’s Champions League Match; Injured Lionel Messi To Be Replaced By Neymar Or Cesc Fabregas?

Surgery To Stop Autistic Boy's Screaming Tic Raises Ethical Questions getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Surgery To Stop Autistic Boy's Screaming Tic Raises Ethical Questions

What would you do if your child couldn’t stop screaming?




The parents of a 16-year-old boy with autism are breathing a little easier after a vocal cord surgery virtually eliminated his tendency to scream nearly 2,000 times a day. But the idea of separating a child’s vocal cords to quiet him can be troubling, to say the least. Some autism rights advocates are furious, calling it tantamount to torture.


Seth Dailey, a surgeon at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, performed the operation on Kade Hanegraaf in 2011. The operation, called a thyroplasty, involves spreading the vocal cords apart and inserting a mesh shim to keep them from touching during a spasm. The result is a larger gap between the vocal cords, resulting in a softer voice. He and his colleagues reported on the surgery in the Journal of Voice earlier this year, but the operation recently gained attention thanks to an article in the Wisconsin State Journal.


According to the paper from Dailey and colleagues, Kade Hanegraaf’s screaming was an involuntary vocal “tic” stemming from Tourette syndrome, which is often crops up in people with autism spectrum disorders. Before the surgery, his screams could reach up to 90 decibels in volume – louder than a hair dryer. Six months after the thyroplasty, the frequency of screams dropped by 90 percent, and what tics remained were half as loud as before, according to the paper.


“Additionally, he has shown improved ability to converse with his peers, participate in school activities, and even has improved nutritional status,” Dailey and colleagues wrote in the Journal of Voice.


But many activists, including autistic adults, are troubled by a lack of information on whether or not Kade gave consent for the operation to go through. It’s hard not to cringe at a procedure that resembles the “debarking” operation sometimes performed on dogs. And the framing of Kade’s story in the media has largely ignored his own bodily autonomy. Autistic writer Lydia Brown pointed out on her blog that neither the Wisconsin State Journal article nor the research paper address the question of whether or not the tic was harmful to the patient himself, not just his parents.


If the tic wasn’t harmful to Kade, “there are other ways to address the issue than forced surgery,” Brown wrote. “I've heard from other autistic people writing that they learned coping skills and ways to avoid some types of self-harming, for example, from other autistic people. Noticeably not from therapists, clinicians, or other professionals.”


In an interview with Salon, Dailey (who himself has an autistic child) noted that the procedure is reversible.


The tic “was by [Kade’s parents’] judgment deleterious to him, not to mention his brother, who is sensitive to noise, as many autistic children are,” Dailey told Salon. “It was impairing his ability to get support and get things he needed. His support train had derailed during this time because it was literally impossible to be around as a caregiver.”


The family had also tried behavioral treatments, medications and injections of Botox inside the throat before they came to Dailey, the surgeon says.


Autism advocates are wary of medical “corrective” procedures, some of which are seen as more of a way to normalize autistic people than to truly benefit the patient. And many of the conversations about autism – whether in charity groups, government buildings or research journals – tend to leave the thoughts and desires of people with the condition out of the equation.


But “when you see your child tormented, hardly able to eat without screaming, with this taking over his whole life, it’s unethical to let him suffer like this,” Kade’s mother, Vicki Handegraaf, told Salon. “When you see it trickle down to his brother, this was a life sentence. I didn’t see my son smile for three and a half years. Now, he has a whole new life inside him.”



Surgery To Stop Autistic Boy's Screaming Tic Raises Ethical Questions

Continuing Resolution 2014: 'You Can't Shut It Down,' Obama Tell Republicans Of Obamacare getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Continuing Resolution 2014: 'You Can't Shut It Down,' Obama Tell Republicans Of Obamacare

President Barack Obama warned Republicans Monday afternoon that they are on a fool’s errand trying to destroy the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, which he said will be implemented whether there is a government shutdown or not.




In a late afternoon White House address, Obama called on Congress to call off the brinkmanship and reiterated that he’s willing to work with any party to make the health care law work better and keep the economy improving.


“But one faction of one party, in one house of Congress, in one branch of government, doesn’t get to shut down the entire government just to fight the results of an election,” Obama said, clearly referring the Republican right wing in the House. “Keeping the government open is not a concession to me. ... It’s not something you give to the other side. It is our basic responsibility.”


Obama is banking on cooler heads prevailing and that lawmakers will come to a deal at least at the eleventh hour. Without action for Congress to pass a 2014 continuing resolution by midnight, there will be a government shutdown Tuesday that will affect hundreds of thousands of federal employees. Those federal workers who stay on the job, the president said, will do so without pay -- money that could’ve been spent in the economy.


“A shutdown will have a very real economic impact on real people right away,” Obama said. “The idea of putting the American people’s hard-earned progress at risk is the height of irresponsibility. It does not have to happen.”


The president again called on Congress to pass a "clean" continuing resolution without making any extraneous demands.


“An important part of the Affordable Care Act takes effect tomorrow no matter what Congress decided to do today,” Obama warned. “You can’t shut it down,” he added, pointing out the U.S. Supreme Court has deemed the law constitutional.


After the Senate rejected a House GOP amendment to delay the law and repeal the medical device tax earlier Monday, a clean continuing resolution to fund the government for the 2014 fiscal year now returns to the House. Lawmakers there must decide whether to pass the measure as is -- funding the health care law and keeping the government open after midnight, or to make other amendments and send the bill back to the Senate for consideration.


But a 2013 government shutdown is ever so likely, as at this time, the House reportedly plans to delay the individual mandate and cancel health insurance subsidies for members of Congress, the president and administration appointees, according to Politico.


This move is certainly a gamble and could result in lawmakers missing the deadline, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said the Democratic-led upper house will not cave in to any “Republican attempt to force changes to the Affordable Care Act through a mandatory government funding bill or the debt ceiling.”


Reid has since called on Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to “stop trying to force a government shutdown” and let all 435 House members have their say instead of just the majority.


As for the chances of bill without the attacks on Obamacare hitting the House floor, Boehner said, “That’s not going to happen.”



Continuing Resolution 2014: 'You Can't Shut It Down,' Obama Tell Republicans Of Obamacare

‘Breaking Bad’ Finale And Walter White’s End Leave Fans In The Lurch, Luckily Saul Goodman Has A Spinoff! [VIDEO] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® ‘Breaking Bad’ Finale And Walter White’s End Leave Fans In The Lurch, Luckily Saul Goodman Has A Spinoff! [VIDEO]

In an epic finale, the show that has captivated us for five seasons - Breaking Bad has ended. With the series’ main character Walt White dying, and Jessie with a chance for redemption everyone is weighing in on the ending. Was Walt’s death something we all saw coming?




IBT Senior Media and Culture Editor Ellen Killoran sat down with IBTimesTV to share her thoughts about the finale and discussed if the producers of the show made a wise choice with ending the cult series in the peak of its popularity. With each episode the ratings only grew, and it fast became the show everyone was watching.


But this may not be the end for Breaking Bad as it has been reported that the morally corrupt lawyer, Saul Goodman, will be getting his own spinoff. But in the meantime, what will we be watching now that Breaking Bad is well and truly over?



‘Breaking Bad’ Finale And Walter White’s End Leave Fans In The Lurch, Luckily Saul Goodman Has A Spinoff! [VIDEO]

Aaron Hernandez Court Details Update: 4 Of The Former Football Player's Associates Face Charges getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Aaron Hernandez Court Details Update: 4 Of The Former Football Player's Associates Face Charges

It’s been three months since Aaron Hernandez was arrested for the murder of Odin Lloyd. Now, many of the former football player’s associates are facing charges of their own in relation to the case.




This past week, Hernandez’s girlfriend and cousin were indicted for trying to protect the ex-New England Patriot. His fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins, is facing charges of perjury. Tanya Singleton, the daughter of Hernandez’s uncle is being charged with conspiracy to commit accessory after the fact. She had been previously been indicted for criminal contempt after she refused to testify before a grand jury.


Jenkins faces up to 20 years in prison for lying under oath. Her attorney has accused Bristol County prosecutors of trying to coerce her to offer up incriminating evidence against Hernandez by using abusive tactics.


In addition to Hernandez’s family members, two of his friends have also been indicted on charges that relate to Lloyd’s death. Carlos Ortiz has been indicted for accessory to murder after the fact. The charge, which could land Lloyd in jail for seven years, comes after he plead not guilty to gun charges.


Ortiz is viewed as a key witness in the trial, but his account of what happened on the night of Lloyd’s death has changed. Ortiz originally stated that Hernandez and Ernest Wallace, who has been charged with assisting Hernandez in the murder, both left the car when Lloyd was killed. On Thursday, Ortiz claimed only Hernandez was away from the vehicle with Lloyd when he heard gunshots. Ortiz says he didn’t see who fired the gun, but Wallace told him it was Hernandez who pulled the trigger.


Wallace remains in jail after facing a charge of accessory to murder. The bail was set at $500,000 for the man that is described as Hernandez’s “right hand man.” He reportedly slept at Hernandez’s home a lot, where maids often saw guns being kept. The firearm that was used to kill Lloyd still has not been found by police.


Hernandez claims he is innocent of the charges. He remains at Bristol County Correctional Center, where he was not granted bail.



Aaron Hernandez Court Details Update: 4 Of The Former Football Player's Associates Face Charges

MLB 2013 Wild Card Playoffs: TV Channel, Where To Watch Online, Betting Odds, Prediction, And Preview For Tampa Bay Rays Vs Texas Rangers And Cincinnati Reds Vs Pittsburgh Pirates getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® MLB 2013 Wild Card Playoffs: TV Channel, Where To Watch Online, Betting Odds, Prediction, And Preview For Tampa Bay Rays Vs Texas Rangers And Cincinnati Reds Vs Pittsburgh Pirates

With 162 games in the books for each team in baseball, the playoff picture still isn’t completely set. The second American League wild card spot is up for grabs between the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers. The two clubs will square off on Monday for the right to visit the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.




The two National League wild card teams have been set for some time, and they will officially begin the 2013 MLB playoffs on Tuesday. The Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates will play, with the winner getting a chance to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS.


Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers


The Rangers enter game No.163 playing as well as any team in the majors. Texas needed to win its last seven games, in order to get one final opportunity to make the postseason. Tampa Bay blew a chance over the weekend to avoid a one-game playoff, but losses on Friday and Saturday have them visiting Texas on Monday night.


The Rays may have the edge in the starting pitching matchup, as they send David Price to the mound against rookie Martin Perez. However, the Rangers might not mind facing the defending Cy Young award winner. In four regular season starts in Texas, Price has a 10.26 ERA. He’s also struggled against the Rangers in meaningful games, going 0-3 with a 4.66 ERA against the Rangers in the playoffs.


With this being his first year, Monday will be the biggest game of Perez’s young career. However, he hasn’t been fazed during his important starts down the stretch. He beat the Houston Astros in a game last week that Texas needed to win and his September ERA was actually better than what he had pitched to the rest of the season.


Even though they are on the road, the betting odds have the Rays (-111) as slight favorites over the Rangers (+101). The contest will begin on TBS at 8:07, but myTBS will allow fans to watch a free live stream online.


Prediction: Texas 4, Tampa Bay 1


Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates


These two teams know each other all too well after facing off in six of their final nine regular season games. Pittsburgh swept the last series to secure home-field advantage in their game on Tuesday night. They’ll enter the wild card playoffs on a high note, having won five of six. Cincinnati, on the other hand, hasn’t won a game in a week.


The Pirates will look to finally have some success against Johnny Cueto, who has rarely had any trouble with Pittsburgh. In 17 career decisions, the right-hander has 13 wins with a 2.37 ERA, including a 1.80 ERA in Pittsburgh. It’s just Cueto’s third start since the end of June, but he’s allowed one run in 12 innings since returning from the disabled list.


Cincinnati will face, perhaps, the leading candidate for NL Comeback Player of the Year in Francisco Liriano. His 16 wins have been one of the biggest reasons why the Pirates are back in the playoffs. The left-hander, though, hasn’t been the same pitcher since the All-Star break. In the second half, his 3.95 ERA is almost twice what it was in early July.


Like Monday night’s AL play-in game, the NL wild card game will air on TBS at 8:07 p.m. At home, the Pirates (-128) are favored over the visiting Reds (+118)


Prediction: Cincinnati 6, Pittsburgh 2



MLB 2013 Wild Card Playoffs: TV Channel, Where To Watch Online, Betting Odds, Prediction, And Preview For Tampa Bay Rays Vs Texas Rangers And Cincinnati Reds Vs Pittsburgh Pirates

Mystery Parachuters Descend Near World Trade Center, Vanish Without A Trace Early Monday Morning getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Mystery Parachuters Descend Near World Trade Center, Vanish Without A Trace Early Monday Morning

Two parachuters were seen near the Goldman Sachs building, located near the World Trade Center, but would disappear without a trace. The New York Police Department is currently investigating the odd occurrence but do not believe it was a malicious event.




The event was capture on video by a surveillance camera around 3 a.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 30. According to reports, two men, wearing black, were seen parachuting down to the street near the Goldman Sachs building, located at 200 West Street in Manhattan, reports Wall Street Journal. No airplane can be seen in the video and the two individuals walked out of camera frame.


Speaking about the event, NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly said in a press conference, “If they came out of an aircraft, it’s unknown at this time but they were seen walking with parachutes away from the location,” reports Wall Street Journal. The individuals did not leave any notes and police were notified by a security guard in the area. With little to no details, police are investigating the event to determine if the individuals parachuted out of a plane or a building and hope to find more video of the event captured by other cameras in the area. The NYPD have not determined if the event was a prank or an actual threat, notes New York Daily News.


Shimon Prokupecz, a reporter for NBC New York, tweeted that one of the individuals was seen “dragging the parachute thru the street. still unclear where they came from. NYPD attempting to identify the two.” Prokupecz said that many believe the incident was a stunt but are still unsure due to the lack of details.



Mystery Parachuters Descend Near World Trade Center, Vanish Without A Trace Early Monday Morning

Sanborn Regional High School Lockdown Lifted; Person Taken Into Custody At New Hampshire School [PHOTO] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Sanborn Regional High School Lockdown Lifted; Person Taken Into Custody At New Hampshire School [PHOTO]

A person was taken into custody Monday after a lockdown was instituted at Sanborn Regional High School in Kingston, N.H., following reports of a gunman with a shotgun.




The superintendent of the Sanborn Regional School District said in a Facebook message the school went under lockdown around 12:15 p.m. when someone called authorities to report a person with a shotgun. The person who was taken into custody was not identified.


"The school took immediate action by notifying the Kingston Police Department, and placed the school into a lock down," Superintendent Dr. Brian Blake wrote in the Facebook message. "The Kingston Police Department, in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies responded, deemed the school to be safe, and determined that no weapon had entered the building. We take the safety of our students very seriously and we will continue to work with our local authorities to ensure that our campus is a safe place for all."


A police search of the high school, conducted at around 1:30 p.m., did not yield any guns, according to New Hampshire television station WMUR. The lockdown was lifted after the search, and the school was deemed safe.



Sanborn Regional High School Lockdown Lifted; Person Taken Into Custody At New Hampshire School [PHOTO]

Arsenal Vs. Napoli: Preview And Team News For Tuesday’s Champions League Clash; Will Gunners Be Undone By The Transfer Target Who Got Away? getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Arsenal Vs. Napoli: Preview And Team News For Tuesday’s Champions League Clash; Will Gunners Be Undone By The Transfer Target Who Got Away?

Arsenal go into their crunch Champions League clash with Napoli on Tuesday hoping for further inspiration from a former Real Madrid star, while being all too aware of the need to ensure it’s a quiet evening for another who got away. Since his arrival Mesut Ozil has enlivened Arsene Wenger’s side and added a much-needed sparkle of world-class quality to their lineup. The German has been a key part of an encouraging start to the season that means Arsenal go into their next encounter at the Emirates in far better spirits than when they were thrust into a “group of death,” also featuring Borussia Dortmund and Marseille, a month ago.




After a summer of bold statements about Arsenal’s ability to compete in the transfer market, it appeared as it would be another transfer window of financial prudency trumping the realization on the pitch that the squad needed dramatic investment to once again challenge. And Gonzalo Higuain looked set to become a symbol of the club’s failings.


The Argentinian striker had appeared on his way to the Emirates before he became the latest name to slip away. The Gunners dallied over meeting Real Madrid’s asking price and Napoli swooped. The thought of then potentially being a victim of Higuain’s in the Champions League was doubtless almost too much for Arsenal fans to bear.


A 3-1 opening day home defeat to Aston Villa led to boos and talk of crisis. Yet, despite its paper-thin squad, or perhaps in part because of the continuity it brought, Arsenal recomposed and on deadline day the club obliterated its transfer record to, for the first time in years, sign a player who would be welcomed into any squad in the world. With Ozil settling in straight away, Arsenal have won nine matches in succession to take them top of the Premier League and begin their Champions League campaign with a potentially vital 2-1 win in Marseille.


There are sure to still be some boos from some misguided Arsenal fans on Tuesday at the Emirates, but they will now not be tinged with the same despairing longing as might have been expected. However, it would be dangerous to get too blasé, either about the failure to secure Higuain or the challenge that Napoli will pose.


As good as Ozil has been in the formative days of his Arsenal career, Higuain has been equally so in settling into life in Italy. The 25-year-old has four goals in six starts, including a strike in a 2-1 victory over last year’s Champions League runners-up. His team has been equally impressive.


Following four years under the charge of Walter Mazzarri in which Napoli had been restored to the upper echelons in Serie A, there were plenty of doubts as to what would happen when he stepped aside in the summer and a man well known to English soccer observers, Rafael Benitez, stepped in. Those qualms were not helped by memories of Benitez’s only previous stint in the Italian game when he was axed by Internazionale after just six months in charge.


So far, as he did at Chelsea last season, he is proving the skeptics wrong. Just two points have been dropped in their first six league matches and they sit second in the table, as well as producing an impressive win to begin their return to the Champions League. Higuain has been key, but the two other procurements from Real Madrid, Jose Callejon and Raul Albiol have also made their mark. Callejon, who has three goals to his name, has quickly formed part of a thrilling attacking midfield trio alongside Marek Hamsik and Lorenzo Insigne. Their pace and creativity provides a real threat on the counter attack that Arsenal will have to curtail if they are to prevent Higuain coming back to haunt them.


Team News


Arsenal: Wenger’s thin squad has been stretched to its limits in recent weeks by injuries to the likes of Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. But the Arsenal boss has been boosted ahead of the visit of Napoli with the return to fitness of Tomas Rosicky.


Napoli: Higuain and Hamsik will come back into the starting lineup after beginning on the bench for Saturday’s 2-0 win at Genoa. Right-back Christian Maggio will be the only enforced absentee.


Follow Jason Le Miere on Twitter



Arsenal Vs. Napoli: Preview And Team News For Tuesday’s Champions League Clash; Will Gunners Be Undone By The Transfer Target Who Got Away?

Scientists Make Gasoline From E. Coli That ‘Could Be Used In Your Car’ getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Scientists Make Gasoline From E. Coli That ‘Could Be Used In Your Car’

South Korean scientists have successfully produced gasoline using genetically engineered Escherichia coli or E. coli. The findings, published in the journal Nature, described the scientists’ novel technique where the bacterium was capable of making the liquid fuel.




“The significance of this breakthrough is that you don’t have to go through another process to crack the oil created by E. coli to produce gasoline. We have succeeded in converting glucose or waste biomass directly into gasoline,” Prof. Lee Sang-yup at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology told the Wall Street Journal.


The technique involved feeding E. coli glucose, which produced enzymes that converted the sugar to fatty acids. The fatty acids were than converted into hydrocarbons that resemble commercial fuel, Lee told the news outlet.


“The gasoline we’re generating could be used in your car. It has identical composition and chemical properties to conventional petrol,” Lee said.


This “platform” that allowed the bacterium to create biofuel can also be modified to make other products such as short-chain fatty esters and short-chain fatty alcohols. And while his team is capable of making just 580 milligrams of gasoline per liter, Lee said the breakthrough is in its early stages.


“It is only the beginning of the work towards sustainable production of gasoline,” he said. “We are currently working on increasing the titre, yield and productivity of bio-gasoline. Nonetheless, we are pleased to report, for the first time, the production of gasoline through the metabolic engineering of E. coli, which we hope will serve as a basis for the metabolic engineering of microorganisms to produce fuels and chemicals from renewable resources."


While gasoline and other fossil fuels have contributed to global warming, biofuels are seen as a viable alternative. But some say greener fuels might divert food crops and drive up food prices.


“I know there’s the food-versus-fuel controversy. But I don’t buy that argument,” Lee said. “There are tons of biomass which are being wasted on earth. There are a lot of biomass we can smartly use. Smart use is the key here. And then you can generate energy without harming the food chain or the environment.”


Europe has felt the impact of crop-based biofuels. Earlier this month, the European Union Parliament voted to limit the continent’s use of biofuel since it was found to produce more emissions than fossil fuels and drove up food prices, Nature reports.


The KAIST team isn’t the first to turn bacterium to biofuel. Back in April, British scientists were able to make E. coli convert sugar into an oil similar to conventional diesel.


"Rather than making a replacement fuel like some biofuels, we have made a substitute fossil fuel,” Professor John Love, a synthetic biologist from the University of Exeter, told the BBC. "The idea is that car manufacturers, consumers and fuel retailers wouldn't even notice the difference - it would just become another part of the fuel production chain."



Scientists Make Gasoline From E. Coli That ‘Could Be Used In Your Car’

Broncos-Jaguars Betting Odds: Denver Could Be 28-Point Favorite In Week 6, Largest Spread In NFL History, Reports Say getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Broncos-Jaguars Betting Odds: Denver Could Be 28-Point Favorite In Week 6, Largest Spread In NFL History, Reports Say

Early reports suggest that the Denver Broncos’ Week 6 matchup against the woeful Jacksonville Jaguars could feature the largest betting spread in NFL history.




The Broncos, who are 4-0 this season and have defeated their opponents by a combined score of 179-91, are considered by many to be the favorite to win this year’s Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Jaguars have been outscored by their opponents 129-31, and have shown no signs of improvement.


The disparity between these two teams is so severe that Las Vegas oddsmakers claim that the Broncos will be favored by close “to four TDs,” or 28 points. If true, the betting line would make the Broncos the largest betting favorite in NFL history, FanSided.com reports.


“With the Denver Broncos seemingly historically good, and the Jacksonville Jags seemingly historically bad – I asked multiple Vegas bookmakers to project a pointspread on Jacksonville traveling to Denver (scheduled in two week),” RJ Bell of betting site Pregame.com said, according to FanSided. “The consensus Vegas opinion: Denver favored by 28 points hosting Jacksonville.”


In an interview with CBS Sports, Kevin Bradley, sports book manager at Bovada.lv, echoed Bell’s sentiment regarding the Broncos-Jaguars point spread. “Before yesterday I would have said it would be three touchdowns but considering [Sunday]'s results, the fact that Seattle easily covered 19.5 at home against Jacksonville, and how our bettors have been pounding Denver every week and betting against the Jags like it is free money, this spread is looking closer to four touchdowns,” Bradley told CBS Sports. “Barring any injuries or something very dramatic occurring, I would expect this to be the biggest spread we have ever posted."


Bradley was referring to the Jaguars’ Week 3 game against the Seattle Seahawks, another team that remains undefeated this season. The Seahawks were favored by 19.5 points—nearly three touchdowns—and still covered the spread, defeating Jacksonville by a score of 45-17.


A potential -28 spread for the Broncos-Jaguars game would surpass the previous record, set in 1976, Jimmy Shapiro of Bovada told CBS Sports. On Dec. 5, 1976, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a 27-point favorite against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—the largest spread in NFL history. The Steelers covered, winning the game 42-0.



Broncos-Jaguars Betting Odds: Denver Could Be 28-Point Favorite In Week 6, Largest Spread In NFL History, Reports Say

New Orleans Saints Vs. Miami Dolphins: TV Channel, Where To Watch Free Online, Prediction, Betting Odds, Team News And Preview For Monday Night Football getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® New Orleans Saints Vs. Miami Dolphins: TV Channel, Where To Watch Free Online, Prediction, Betting Odds, Team News And Preview For Monday Night Football

As the first quarter of the 2013 NFL season comes to a close, six teams have yet to lose their first game. By Tuesday morning, that number will be down to five.




Monday Night Football in Week 4 features two teams with a perfect record. The New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins both enter the contest at 3-0.


Both clubs are off to hot starts, but they appear to be viewed very differently by most experts. After missing the playoffs at 7-9 in 2012, the Saints have recovered to be the contender that many expected. With Sean Payton back on the sidelines following the Bountygate scandal, New Orleans is one of the favorites in the NFC. The Dolphins are in a similar position as the Saints, starting off undefeated after finishing two games under .500 last year. Miami, however, isn’t universally seen as a force to be reckoned with in the AFC.


The betting line has doubled since it was first set at the end of Week 3, making the Saints seven-point favorites. Only the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars were bigger underdogs in Week 4. The Eagles played the Super Bowl favorite Denver Broncos and the Jaguars have lost every game by double-digits.


The point spread can be partially explained by New Orleans’ dominance at home, but it may have more to with Miami. Despite wins against the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons, expectations for the Dolphins have remained the same. Their Super bowl odds remain unchanged from the offseason, according to Bovada.


A win on Monday night could solidify the Dolphins as one of the best teams in football. One of the biggest reasons for the team’s improvement from last year has been the play of Ryan Tannehill. The quarterback no longer looks like the rookie that threw more interceptions than touchdowns in 2012. In his first season, 26 starting quarterbacks had a better passer rating than Tannehil. In 2013, he’s in the top 10 in rating, completion percentage and yards per attempt.


The Saints should have a chance to slow down Tannehill by putting pressure on the quarterback. The Dolphins offensive line has been susceptible to the pass rush, allowing him to be sacked 14 times, which was a league-high at the start of the week. New Orleans defensive end Cameron Jordan will look to take advantage and add to his team-leading three sacks.


Through three games, Drew Brees has continued to put up big passing numbers, averaging 340 yards in the air per game. It’s been the Saints defense, though, that has carried them to an unblemished record. The worst unit in 2012 looks completely different, allowing 12.7 points per contest, good for fourth in the league. Only the Houston Texans have allowed fewer passing yards.


This isn’t the first time these two teams played each other in 2013. Miami concluded the preseason with a 24-21 victory over New Orleans. Neither starting quarterback took a snap in the game. The Saints won the last regular season meeting between the two in 2009.


New Orleans enters the contest as the healthier team. A knee injury could keep defensive end Cameron Wake off the field. Defensive tackle Paul Soliai and linebacker Koa Misi are questionable, as well.


Start Time: 8:30 p.m. ET


Betting Odds: New Orleans-7, 48.5


TV Channel: ESPN


Live Stream Online: WatchESPN


Prediction: New Orleans 34, Miami 24



New Orleans Saints Vs. Miami Dolphins: TV Channel, Where To Watch Free Online, Prediction, Betting Odds, Team News And Preview For Monday Night Football

Government Shutdown: No Federal Government Means Delayed September Jobs Report getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Government Shutdown: No Federal Government Means Delayed September Jobs Report

If the U.S. government shuts down, arguably the most important and closely-watched economic statistic in the U.S. economy would be delayed – the monthly U.S. Department of Labor’s Non-Farm Payroll Report, commonly known as the jobs report.




The September jobs report would be delayed, the department’s head said. "All survey and other program operations will cease and the public website will not be updated," Erica Groshen, the commissioner of the DOL's Bureau of Labor Statistics, said in a memorandum posted on the department's website.


If a government shutdown does not occur, the DOL will release the September jobs report on Friday, Oct. 4 at 8:30 a.m. EDT.


The U.S. Commerce Department, which releases data on the economy’s growth, such as GDP, among other data, also would not release economic data.


The aforementioned delay in the jobs report would likely affect both U.S. and global financial markets (including stocks, bonds, currencies): institutional investors scrutinize the monthly jobs report to determine the U.S. economy’s strength, gauge which sectors are adding jobs, and evaluate the fall/rise in the unemployment rate, currently 7.3 percent.


What’s more, the monthly jobs report has taken on added importance in the financial crisis era: the Great Recession resulted in the loss of more than 10 million full-time jobs and the longest period of high unemployment (above 7 percent) since the Great Depression of the 1930s, and investors zero-in on the jobs total to determine whether the economy is growing at rate strong enough to lower unemployment.


Moreover, many economists agree that jobs total is a key factor in the Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain/reduce stimulus, or quantitative easing. In its latest meeting, the Fed maintained stimulus of $85 billion per month, due to inadequate job growth.


The U.S. economy created only 169,000 jobs in August, the latest jobs report available, and many economists agree that the Fed would like to see job growth of 200,000 per month for at least three consecutive months to be confident that the economy is strong enough to decrease monetary stimulus.



Government Shutdown: No Federal Government Means Delayed September Jobs Report

Black Holes Have ‘Hair,’ Say Scientists: Wait, What? Explaining The Hairy New Developments getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Black Holes Have ‘Hair,’ Say Scientists: Wait, What? Explaining The Hairy New Developments

According to a new study, researchers are suggesting black holes have “hair.” Not actual hair but scientists do have a sense of humor and the proclamation is meant to poke fun at a previous conclusion about identifying a black hole’s physical traits.




Researchers from the International School of Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, and IST, Lisbon believe there needs to be some changes in the traditional models used to define black holes. According to the research, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, black holes are defined by two properties, mass and angular momentum, and are virtually identical in terms of appearance.


According Thomas Sotiriou, from SISSA Trieste, the hair comment is in response to a statement made by John Wheeler. Wheeler, deceased in 2008, was a theoretical physicist and is credited for coining terms such as “black hole,” “wormhole” and the “no-hair” theorem.


According to Wheeler’s theorem, black holes had no distinguishing physical features and could be defined by their mass, angular momentum and charge. Two black holes with the same mass, angular momentum and charge could, in theory, be made up of totally different matter but to observers outside of the event horizon, “the point of no return,” they are completely identical.


Sotiriou and his team performed a series of calculations that indicate a black hole’s classification may not be as simple and that black holes may, in fact, have hair, or different traits that can be identified. “This is why we have carried out a series of new calculations that enabled us to focus on the matter that normally surrounds realistic black holes, those observed by astrophysicists. This matter forces the pure and simple black hole hypothesized by Kerr to develop a new ‘charge’ (the hair, as we call it) which anchors it to the surrounding matter, and probably to the entire universe.”


The researchers say the “bald” theory, first explained by Roy Kerr, works with Einstein’s theory but may not be consistent with scalar-tensor theories, recent extensions of Einstein’s theory that include a scalar field and a tensor field. These fields interact and cause gravity to become variable, notes Universe Today.


The new calculations are just a beginning and new data will be needed to test out this theory. According to the researchers, interferometers, which are used to record gravitational waves, may be used to measure the gravitational wave associated with this charge. “The growth of the black hole’s hair is accompanied by the emission of distinctive gravitational waves. In the future, the recordings by the instrument may challenge Kerr’s model and broaden our knowledge of the origins of gravity,” said Sotiriou.



Black Holes Have ‘Hair,’ Say Scientists: Wait, What? Explaining The Hairy New Developments

Gender Wage Gap: Women Workers Earn Least In Wyoming, Louisiana [Interactive Map] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Gender Wage Gap: Women Workers Earn Least In Wyoming, Louisiana [Interactive Map]

Though women form about half of the U.S. labor force, they get paid significantly less than men do, it’s been well documented. On average, a woman worker earns about 77 cents for every dollar that a white man is paid for an equivalent amount of work.




But the gender wage gap is wider in some states than in others, according to a recent study by the American Center for Progress.


In Vermont and Nevada, women earn 85 cents for every dollar a white man makes, but in Wyoming, women earn only 64 cents, 25 percent less than in Vermont or Nevada.


The situation is a lot worse for women workers of color. On average, African American women earn 63 cents on the dollar, while Hispanic women earn just 54 cents for every dollar a man earns.


But even in the states where women's pay rate is relatively high, it still varies according to race. While Vermont is a great place to work for the "average" woman, it is also the worst place to work for African American women, who earn only 40 cents on the dollar -- the widest gender wage gap in the U.S.


The only outlier is Montana, where African American women actually earn more than white men -- $1.17 to a man's dollar.


California and New Jersey, both states in which the gender wage gap is narrower for the average woman, are not great places to work for Hispanic women. While women workers make 79 cents on the dollar in New Jersey and 84 cents on the dollar in California, Hispanic women earn only 44 cents on the dollar in both states.


Here’s a map that charts how much the average woman earns for every dollar a man earns in the United States. Click on any state for more info:


Here’s a map that charts how much the African American woman earns for every dollar that a man earns in the United States. Click on any state for more info:


Here’s a map that charts how much the Hispanic woman earns for every dollar that a man earns in the United States. Click on any state for more info:



Gender Wage Gap: Women Workers Earn Least In Wyoming, Louisiana [Interactive Map]

Brony Fired For 'My Little Pony' Obsession: 'FiredBrony' Tells Reddit His Co-Workers Grew Uncomfortable Over 'MLP' Fandom getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Brony Fired For 'My Little Pony' Obsession: 'FiredBrony' Tells Reddit His Co-Workers Grew Uncomfortable Over 'MLP' Fandom

A male fan of “My Little Pony” – a subculture known as “Bronies” – claimed he was fired from his job because co-workers were uncomfortable over his affinity for the children’s show that mostly caters to girls.




The man, who did not give his name but used the user name “FiredBrony” to complain about his firing on Reddit, said friction between him and his co-workers began a few months ago when he used a picture of the pony Applejack and his desktop wallpaper.


FiredBrony wrote, “a few weeks after having no issues with it I got called in by my boss who essentially tells me it's weird and it makes people uncomfortable that I have a ‘tv [sic] show for little girls as a background’ (how did he know about it?) but I acknowledge this, keep my head down and change it back to the standard default background.”


Fast forward a couple of months later, and FiredBrony said he took heat again when he complimented another co-worker’s daughter on her Rainbow Dash t-shirt during a take your child to work day.


“After the day is done, my boss brings me into his office and confronts me about it, telling me again he thinks it's weird and to cut it out at work. I try to tell him it's no different than people pulling my son aside and talking about sports with him and stuff. But I oblige and for the next few months, didn't bring it up at all feeling now like my boss has it out for me,” FiredBrony wrote on Reddit.


When his co-workers brought up Brony culture, FiredBrony said he was mocked for speaking up and was called into his boss’ office on Saturday.


“Then yesterday my boss called me into his office, told me people were uncomfortable working with me (I do nothing but sit in my little hell-cube and do work all day, I hardly interact with anybody) and that they were going to have to let me go. WTF? Can they even fire me for that? I write this after contacting HR because I think that's bulls---. I did nothing at all and I get fired for talking about MLP,” the Reddit user wrote.


Reddit users who saw the post sympathized with FiredBrony, with some urging him to take legal action over his firing.


“That seemed a bit much...usually bosses don't give a s--- what you do on your own time so long as you do your job,” wrote Stony_Pony. “That's like firing someone because they like anime. It makes no sense. Rationally, and financially as well. You'd be in the hole one worker simply because you disagreed with their choice of media. Hopefully, the next boss you have won't be a complete a--hole.”


Reddit user Master-Thief, who said they were an attorney, said FiredBrony may have been wrongly canned.


“Actual lawyer here. I would at least contact a good labor and employment lawyer in the state where you were working and ask if you have a case for wrongful termination,” the user wrote.


User PatricRsGhost agreed.


“Nothing but a bunch of illegal bulls---, if you ask me,” the user wrote. “I'd go straight to your state's department of labor and file a complaint/grievance. If it turns out that was the reason why you were terminated, then they would be fined heavily, and may not only be forced to pay unemployment insurance, but you can take them to court, and they could be ordered to pay a considerable amount to you.”



Brony Fired For 'My Little Pony' Obsession: 'FiredBrony' Tells Reddit His Co-Workers Grew Uncomfortable Over 'MLP' Fandom

Cris Collinsworth Ignores Aaron Hernandez Murder Case, Praises Patriots' Effect On Aqib Talib [VIDEO] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Cris Collinsworth Ignores Aaron Hernandez Murder Case, Praises Patriots' Effect On Aqib Talib [VIDEO]

NBC announcer Cris Collinsworth is a big fan of “The Patriot Way.” The Sunday Night Football color commentator praised the New England Patriots for their ability to make troubled players’ off-field issues “disappear,” blatantly ignoring the ongoing Aaron Hernandez murder case in the process.




Collinsworth’s comments were in reference to Aqib Talib, a Patriots cornerback who has been a standout performer for the franchise after a series of off-field altercations forced his dismissal from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While in Tampa Bay, the 27-year-old was arrested twice for violent altercations, including a 2009 incident in which he assaulted a taxi driver and a 2011 case in which he allegedly fired a gun at his sister’s boyfriend. However, the once-troubled Talib appears to have flourished under Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s structured, team-first atmosphere.


“We all know about Aqib Talib and his history, and what happened in Tampa,” Collinsworth said during Sunday night’s game between the Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons. “All Bill Belichick does is, brings them [to New England] and there hasn’t been one ounce of a problem. There’s something about when they come in and play for the Patriots, whatever their issues may have been before, they disappear. They play great football for them and Aqib Talib is at the top of that list.”


However, Collinsworth’s comments ignore the fact that a “troubled” player that the Patriots attempted to “rehabilitate” is currently awaiting trial for his alleged role in the murder of a semi-pro football player.


The Patriots, and, more specifically, Belichick, have earned a reputation for subjecting talented-but-troubled players to the “Patriot Way”—in which a strictly disciplined environment prevents high-risk players from running into legal issues. Hernandez, who fell to the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft after failing several drug tests and engaging in violent behavior at college, was supposed to be the “poster boy” for the program.


Instead, Hernandez was arrested in June in connection with the alleged murder of Odin Lloyd, a former friend who Hernandez allegedly suspected of collaborating with perceived enemies. The 23-year-old is currently being held without bail and faces five felony charges, including first-degree murder and various gun-related crimes.


It’s likely that Collinsworth simply neglected to consider the Hernandez case when discussing the merits of the Patriots’ player management, but his comments were controversial nevertheless. A video of his exact words can be seen below.



Cris Collinsworth Ignores Aaron Hernandez Murder Case, Praises Patriots' Effect On Aqib Talib [VIDEO]

USC Football Coach Search: Pat Haden To Target NFL Head Coaches Jon Gruden, Jack Del Rio, Or Jeff Fisher As Top Candidates? getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® USC Football Coach Search: Pat Haden To Target NFL Head Coaches Jon Gruden, Jack Del Rio, Or Jeff Fisher As Top Candidates?

Perhaps the most coveted position in college football became available this weekend with the firing of Lane Kiffin. A blowout at the hands of Arizona State was the last straw for USC athletic director Pat Haden and his advisors, who made the decision at halftime to relieve Kiffin of his duties, according to the L.A. Daily News.




When Kiffin was hired in 2010, USC lost its spot as the most successful program in college football. After having lost no more than two games in seven of eight seasons, the Trojans went 28-15. Last year the team was one defeat away from finishing below .500 for the first time since 2000.


With the firing occurring in the first month of the 2013 season, USC has plenty of time to make a hire, and numerous candidates to consider for their next head coach. A few big names have already emerged as potential targets for Haden.


Jack Del Rio


The former USC player may be the early favorite to take over for Kiffin. Del Rio is an attractive option for the Trojans, who’ve had a history of hiring NFL coaches. Del Rio made a few playoff appearances as the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach and helped turn the Denver Broncos into a top defensive unit as a coordinator. According to Gil Brandt of nfl.com, Del Rio’s clean background makes him an ideal candidate in eyes of Hayden.


Del Rio is reportedly set to remain with the Broncos for the rest of the season, but that might not be a problem for USC. Accepting the head coaching position at a top program would be an upgrade for the 50-year-old, and it’d give him the opportunity to succeed in college, something he’s yet to do in his career.


Jeff Fisher


He’s just begun his second season with the St. Louis Rams, but Fisher could be a top target. Even before Kiffin was fired, there had been rumors that Fisher would be the favorite to be the Trojans next head coach. In early September, ESPN’s Ted Miller reported that the 55-year-old could top USC’s list of replacements. Travis Haney of ESPN confirmed the report.


At this point, the level of interest may be one-sided. Fisher is a USC alumnus, having won a national championship in 1978. However, he has never coached at the college ranks, spending almost 30 years in the NFL. He helped the Rams make a five-win improvement in 2012, and isn’t likely to bolt for another job any time soon.


Jon Gruden


Whenever a top NFL or college coaching position becomes available, Gruden’s name is mentioned among the most likely candidates. This time is no different, with the Super Bowl winner bound to be at the center of USC coaching rumors. It’s hard to imagine the school not wanting Gruden if he expressed any interest in the job. He’s had success in the NFL and spent five years as an assistant in college.


Gruden, however, hasn’t given any indications recently that he’s ready to return to the sidelines. Since he last coached in 2008, he’s been approached by several college and NFL teams, but remains an analyst for Monday Night Football.



USC Football Coach Search: Pat Haden To Target NFL Head Coaches Jon Gruden, Jack Del Rio, Or Jeff Fisher As Top Candidates?

Tropical Storm Jerry Becomes 10th Tropical Storm Of Atlantic Hurricane Season [PHOTO] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Tropical Storm Jerry Becomes 10th Tropical Storm Of Atlantic Hurricane Season [PHOTO]

Tropical Storm Jerry has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the tenth tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center announced Monday.




As of the hurricane center’s 11 a.m. update on the tropical storm, Jerry is here, or about 1,200 miles east-southeast of Bermuda and 1,325 miles west-southwest of the Azores. Jerry has maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and is moving east at about 7 mph.


Formerly known as Tropical Depression 11, satellite images showed that the depression “strengthened into a tropical storm,” the National Hurricane Center said.


“Jerry is moving toward the east near 7 mph … and a slow and erratic motion is expected over the next couple of days,” the NHC said.


Jerry’s tropical storm-force winds extend 45 miles from the center of the storm. There are currently no coastal watches or warning in effect, although that may change as Jerry moves closer to land in the coming days.


The NHC is scheduled to give another update on Tropical Storm Jerry at 5 p.m. Monday.



Tropical Storm Jerry Becomes 10th Tropical Storm Of Atlantic Hurricane Season [PHOTO]

NASA Moves Forward With Its Plans To Send A 3D Printer Into Space By 2014 getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® NASA Moves Forward With Its Plans To Send A 3D Printer Into Space By 2014

NASA is moving forward with its plans to send a 3D printer into space by fall 2014. With its arrival at the International Space Station, the printer would be used to create, or replace, tools and other parts, helping to reduce any downtime while aiding in research experiments conducted by astronauts.




The space agency announced its partnership with Made in Space, founded in 2010, earlier in the year and has spent the last few months testing the new 3D printers, reports the Associated Press. Made in Space was tasked with designing a printer that would work in space and withstand tremendous force and pressure from launches.


Aaron Kemmer, CEO of Made in Space, speaking to AP, described a life-or-death scenario where a 3D printer could create the tools necessary for survival, removing any doubt that the available equipment was already on the ISS. A real-life correlation, the Apollo 13 mission, further emphasizes the need for quick repairs in an emergency.


Apollo 13’s oxygen tank ruptured causing damage to the service module forcing the crew to abandon their mission and return to Earth. Unable to remove carbon dioxide from the craft, the astronauts had to improvise their own filter, using duct tape, a manual cover and a plastic bag, reports AP. A 3D printer could have created a filter, or the parts needed for the filter, reducing the danger faced by the astronauts.


Made in Space has been testing 3D printers in NASA’s reduced gravity aircraft and will continue to conduct prelaunch tests, reports AP, but the company showed off its progress last week and displayed printed wrenches, tools and other components. In August, the Engineering Test Unit, ETU, printer passed a series of microgravity tests, certifying the printer would survive a launch and function in microgravity. A flight-ready model of the 3D printer will undergo the same Critical Design Review, CDR, in order to achieve flight certification.


NASA is actively pursuing new construction methods, including fabricating food, as it attempts to reduce the cost of space missions. As part of the NASA’s 2013 class of Innovative Advanced Technology Concepts, NIAC, Tethers Unlimited will continue to explore its SpiderFab technology to create small satellites and antennas in space.


In the future, 3D printers could be developed to become more efficient as resources in space are limited. Made in Space, and other manufacturers, could develop a printer that could recycle old parts or create parts necessary for self-repair, notes AP.



NASA Moves Forward With Its Plans To Send A 3D Printer Into Space By 2014

Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Unlikely To Dethrone Hong Kong As World's Gateway To China, At Least In Short Term getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Unlikely To Dethrone Hong Kong As World's Gateway To China, At Least In Short Term

Shanghai’s new Free Trade Zone (FTZ) could prove to be a game-changer for China’s carefully managed economy and free up the yuan in unprecedented ways. But so far Hong Kong, for which many speculate the FTZ could pose a competitive threat, is feeling secure in its position as one of the foremost global financial centers and the world's gateway to the mainland.




The FTZ, instead of being a competitor for Hong Kong, could instead provide more business for the special administrative region (ADR).


Hong Kong has been a beneficiary of preferential economic policies in comparison with mainland China since its 1997 handover from the United Kingdom, and acted as China’s designated global offshore yuan center. The Shanghai FTZ, which promises a more open and streamlined environment for foreign firms to do business in China, could become a second Hong Kong. However, experts don’t think that is bad news for Hong Kong at all, Reuters reported Monday.


“Shanghai’s rise means that the international trading pie in the yuan only gets bigger and Hong Kong’s share will grow in absolute terms,” said Robert Minikin, a strategist at Standard Chartered Bank in Hong Kong.


The FTZ is expected to relax policies for a number of service sectors, including banking, which has been Hong Kong’s stronghold in Asia. However, far-reaching reforms like a more convertible yuan and liberalized interest rates could take time. In the short term, Hong Kong is unlikely to be adversely affected, officials from the ADR believe.


"We’re not looking at Chinese cities as [competition], rather we see Chinese cities as customers of HK," Chan Ka-Keung, secretary of Hong Kong Special ADR Financial Services & Treasury said, according to CCTV, China’s state media.


But in the long-term, Hong Kong will need to face international competition, from Shanghai but also from financial centers like New York and London, and will need to foster its own strengths and specialties, instead of worrying about Shanghai, said Sung Yun-wing, director of the Hong Kong Shanghai development Institute, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).


For example, the FTZ will force Hong Kong to look closely at the competitiveness of its financial services sector as costs skyrocket and its business from the mainland slows, as well as the pricing of its financial services.


"We don't mind being expensive, but we have to provide value for money," said Nicholas Kwan, research director for Hong Kong's Trade Development Council, according to Reuters.


The Shanghai FTZ will not be finished until 2020, giving Hong Kong still more than a decade to consolidate and press ahead in its advantage, but it will definitely need to be proactive.


"I think it's clear Hong Kong will face pressure of competition from Shanghai," Shen Minggao, Citibank's chief economist for Greater China, told the AFP. "Hong Kong should take advantage that it has been the first mover in China's financial sector. If it doesn't do that, it will be waiting for Shanghai to catch up and let Hong Kong be marginalized."



Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Unlikely To Dethrone Hong Kong As World's Gateway To China, At Least In Short Term

Chicago Train Crash: CTA Trains Collide As Commuters Scream ‘Stop The Train,’ Nearly 50 Hospitalized [PHOTO] getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Chicago Train Crash: CTA Trains Collide As Commuters Scream ‘Stop The Train,’ Nearly 50 Hospitalized [PHOTO]

Nearly 50 people were hospitalized on Monday morning after a Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) train collided head-on with stopped train.




According to The Chicago Tribune, the accident happened at 8 a.m. Monday morning when an outbound Blue Line train hit an out-of-service train going the opposite direction. CTA spokeswoman Lambrini Lukidis confirmed the details of the crash at the Harlem station, but officials are investigating why the stopped train was on the track.


Forest Park Mayor Anthony Calderone told The Chicago Tribune that 48 people were taken to 10 hospitals, none with serious injuries. Loyola University Medical Center told NBC Chicago that four patients arrived from the crash but their injuries were "not serious.”


It is unclear how many people were on the train during the crash, but Lukidis said there were no passengers on the out-of-service train. Lukidis said officials do not know how many workers were on the stopped train.


The Chicago Tribune reported that onlookers heard the crash and screams, with one person allegedly yelling, "Stop! Stop! Stop the train!” according to witness Taylor Pettiford.


"I instantly started crying and I called my mom to come pick me up," 17-year-old Pettiford said, adding she was rushed off the platform by the CTA.



Chicago Train Crash: CTA Trains Collide As Commuters Scream ‘Stop The Train,’ Nearly 50 Hospitalized [PHOTO]

Preschoolers Taking Less Psychotropic Drugs, Doctors ‘Exercising More Caution’ getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Preschoolers Taking Less Psychotropic Drugs, Doctors ‘Exercising More Caution’

Psychotropic drug prescriptions among preschoolers leveled off by the end of the last decade, according to a new study.




While the percentage of very young children receiving psychiatric drug prescriptions peaked in 2004, it stabilized between 2006 and 2009. Boys, white children and those lacking private health insurance had increased usage during this time.


"I'm very excited that the use of these drugs in this age group seems to be stabilizing," Dr. Tanya Froehlich, the study's senior author from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio, told Reuters. "It's good to get a gauge on what we're doing with psychotropic medications in this age group, because we really don't know what these medications do to the developing brain."


The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, which used a national representative sample of 43,000 U.S. children between 2- to 5-years-old, showed that children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as anxiety and mood disorders, were less likely to receive a prescription for psychotropic drugs within the past decade compared to 1994 to 1997.


Although there was increase rate in diagnosis in psychiatric disorders for the age group in the 2000s, 29 percent of the children were given medication compared to 43 percent between 1994 to 1997.


Previous studies have shown higher rates of psychiatric drug use during the 1990s for children with conditions such as attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but they were limited to demographics, Medicaid samples or a single medication class.


One reason behind the stabilization could be health warnings issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on psychotropic medications including risk of suicide, and heart complications from ADHD drugs.


"I think those warnings gave doctors pause," Froehlich told LiveScience. "It seems like from mid- to late-2000s, we started exercising more caution."


The latest study shows that between 1994 and 1997, 1 percent of preschoolers were given a psychotropic prescription. Between 1998 to 2001 the rate dropped to 0.8 percent, then jumped to 1.5 percent between 2002 and 2005 before leveling off to 1 percent between 2006 and 2009.


"We were very pleased to see that the rate of psychotropic drug use in this age group isn't going steadily up each year," Froehlich told MedPage Today. "Our findings reveal not only a stability of overall psychotropic use over time in very young children but a diminished likelihood of psychotropic use for those with behavioral diagnoses," the researchers wrote.



Preschoolers Taking Less Psychotropic Drugs, Doctors ‘Exercising More Caution’

National Aquarium Will Close Its Doors In Washington D.C. After 125 Years getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® National Aquarium Will Close Its Doors In Washington D.C. After 125 Years

The National Aquarium, first founded as a public aquarium in 1878, will close its Washington D.C. location on Sept. 30. The aquarium has spent the last 81 years in the same location but had to close due to renovation and construction on the Herbert C. Hoover Department of Commerce building.




The 2,500 animals, including poison dart frogs, electric eels and alligators, that called the National Aquarium home will be moved to other aquariums and accredited institutions, including the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Funding was not a concern for the aquarium but had to vacate its longtime home for “necessary” renovations on the Herbert C. Hoover Building which also houses the Department of Commerce as well as the White House Visitor Center.


The closing of the National Aquarium’s Washington D.C. location was announced in May and the aquarium has set up a feasibility study and states that it wants to continue operating in the area. Tamika Langley Tremaglio, National Aquarium, Washington, DC, Board Chair, said in a statement, “Here at the National Aquarium, we value our DC venue’s rich history as the nation’s first public aquarium, and we are committed to maintaining a presence in the capital, where a public aquarium has existed since the late 1800s.”


Studio Gang Architects (SGA) and IMPACTS Research & Development will be leading the feasibility study. According to the National Aquarium the study, named BLUEprint, will, “Include research, engagement, design and analysis to determine the National Aquarium’s best use of resources in the nation’s capital, identifying key partners, defining the optimal facilities and program and delineating the range of costs.”


While the National Aquarium will close its doors to the public on Sept. 30 it will have until March 2014 to relocate all the animals. The closing of the Washington D.C. location will not affect operations of the National Aquarium’s Baltimore location.



National Aquarium Will Close Its Doors In Washington D.C. After 125 Years

Microsoft Reveals User Data Requests From Governments In 2013; US, Europe Top List getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® Microsoft Reveals User Data Requests From Governments In 2013; US, Europe Top List

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) received more than 37,000 requests for data from law enforcement agencies around the world in the period between January 2013 and June 2013, with more than 73 percent of such demands coming from the U.S., Germany, France, UK and Turkey, the company revealed on Sunday.




The volume of requests totaling 37,196 affected 66,539 accounts in the first half of 2013 as compared to 75,378 requests involving 137,424 potential accounts in the whole of 2012, Microsoft said, adding that 77 percent of the requests were answered with “non-content data,” while no data was disclosed for more than a fifth, or nearly 21 percent, of such requests.


“Only a small number of requests result in the disclosure of customer content data, just 2.19 percent of total requests. 92 percent of the requests that resulted in the disclosure of customer content were from United States law enforcement agencies. This is again, broadly in line with what we saw in 2012,” Microsoft said in the report.


Non-content data refers to information about users such as their email address, name, location and IP address, while content data refers to what users are saying when they communicate through online services such as emails, photographs, and documents uploaded online.


The report, which covers requests for data relating to all of Microsoft’s online and cloud services, including Skype, did not include any government requests for data pertaining to national security, such as those issued under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, due to legal constraints.


In the U.S. alone, Microsoft received more than 7,000 law enforcement requests affecting more than 18,000 accounts in the first half of 2013, with 65 percent of the requests answered with non-content data, while 10 percent of all requests were answered with content. Requests for data pertaining to Skype accounts came close to 1,000 and affected more than 3,500 users, with 80 percent governmental requests receiving a non-content response from Microsoft.


Less than 0.01 percent of Microsoft’s hundreds of millions of accounts were potentially affected by law enforcement requests during this period, the company said, but added that it cannot determine how many individuals were potentially affected by the requests, because a single request may have multiple accounts used by a single user, or involve different accounts for different users.


“A number of law enforcement requests were rejected across all Microsoft services (2.5%), including Skype (7.3%),” Microsoft said. “Challenges to government requests can take many forms. In many of these cases, we simply inform the requesting government that we are unable to disclose the requested information, and explain our reason for doing so.”



Microsoft Reveals User Data Requests From Governments In 2013; US, Europe Top List

US September Jobs Report 2013 Preview: Non-farm Payrolls To Show Moderate Growth, Unemployment Rate To Hold At 7.3% getdiscountz.blogspot.com

getdiscountz.blogspot.com ® US September Jobs Report 2013 Preview: Non-farm Payrolls To Show Moderate Growth, Unemployment Rate To Hold At 7.3%

The closely-watched September jobs report set for release on Friday -- if the federal government doesn’t shut down -- is expected to show another month of modest improvement in the U.S. labor market.




The government hasn’t labeled the release of economic data as essential and necessary to produce in a shutdown.


For the September employment report, economists expect headline nonfarm payrolls to increase by 180,000. That’s slightly above the increase of 169,000 in August and the six-month moving average of 160,000. This average has dropped recently because of more-modest job growth in July and August, and the sizable downward revisions recorded in those months. Given recent experience, July and August results could be revised even lower.


The unemployment rate probably held steady at 7.3 percent in September, but there’s a good possibility that it could have declined to 7.2 percent. Average hours worked in the private sector should hold steady at 34.5 per week, while the consensus estimate looks for a modest 0.2 percent month-over-month pickup in average hourly earnings.


The Federal Reserve will be paying close attention to the figures in this last payrolls report before the Federal Open Market Committee meeting in late October. “Unless jobs surprise to the upside, the likelihood of a taper at the October meeting will stay quite low,” Paul Edelstein, IHS Global Insight U.S. economist, opined in a note to clients.


Leading up to the government jobs report, market participants will receive a few other labor-related reports, including the September ADP estimate of private payrolls and weekly jobless claims.


Economists forecast Automatic Data Processing, or ADP, private-payrolls growth of 180,000 in September, up from 176,000 in August. That’s higher than the six-month moving average of 164,000. In August, ADP payrolls came in 7,000 higher than the government’s jobs report.


The New Norm


Barclays economist Dean Maki believes that the combination of moderate gross domestic product and job growth and a rapidly falling unemployment rate will be with us for some time.


A drop in the unemployment rate because more people left the labor force is not always “a decline for the wrong reason,” Maki said, adding that structural forces can explain two-thirds of the reduction in the labor force participation rate over the past decade, with the retirement of baby boomers the largest downward force.


As they retire, less job growth is now needed to push the unemployment rate down. Maki estimates that a 75,000 -100,000 monthly pace of jobs growth will keep the unemployment rate steady and anything notably stronger than 100,000 will push it down.


This also means that potential GDP growth is much slower than it used to be because labor supply growth is a key element of potential GDP growth and is therefore much slower than it used to be.


The main question is how the Fed will react to these data in its choice of when to taper the pace of asset purchases.


At his June press conference, Chairman Ben Bernanke seemed to emphasize the unemployment rate as the key driver of tapering, as he said the FOMC planned to finish the asset purchase program when the unemployment rate was in the vicinity of 7 percent.


Since then, the unemployment rate has fallen from 7.6 percent to 7.3 percent, suggesting significant progress on this front, which would seem to argue for tapering. However, in his September press conference, Bernanke backed away from the 7.0 percent rate as a guidepost and did not provide any others to take its place.


“With no clear guidance from the Fed on the criteria it will use to decide when to taper, uncertainty about this decision is very high,” Maki said. “At this point, we believe one factor holding back the Fed in September was the slowdown in job growth, with the three-month average down to 148,000 in August from a recent peak of 233,000 in February.”


He expects some improvement on this front over the next few months and the Fed to taper the pace of asset purchases in December.


“However, if the Fed chooses to focus on meeting its forecast for GDP growth to reach 3-3.5 percent, it could take considerably longer, as we do not expect growth to reach that point consistently through 2014,” Maki said, adding that the Fed has regularly been too optimistic on GDP growth in this recovery, and he expects this pattern to persist.



US September Jobs Report 2013 Preview: Non-farm Payrolls To Show Moderate Growth, Unemployment Rate To Hold At 7.3%