Calcutta, June 30: Top business leaders will gather here on Saturday for one of the largest such congregations in recent memory but the change agent they are eager to meet is unlikely to be there.

Ficci, the business lobby Mamata Banerjee’s finance minister Amit Mitra graced till the other day, had invited the chief minister to its national executive committee meeting but the communication sent to the media today did not contain her name.

Mitra and his colleague heading the industry and IT ministries, Partha Chatterjee, are expected to participate in the interaction with at least 100 chief executives and promoters of Indian business. The subject is Bengal’s rejuvenation.

Although Mamata is unlikely to attend the noon meeting — attempts are still being made to get her — a Ficci delegation is expected to pay her a visit at Writers’ Buildings.

“We have arranged a call-on with the chief minister later. A small team will meet her,” a Ficci official said.

The chief minister’s office said that as head of the administration she has pressing duties. “It is not mandatory for her to attend such an event. She has conveyed her best wishes to the organisers but will be unable to attend the event.”

Mamata will be missed at such a star-studded show, which, many believe, would have been an ideal platform to display Bengal’s merits as an industrial destination.

“We never had it this big in Calcutta before. It is a clear demonstration that they are keen to know about Bengal where a new government has assumed charge after 34 years,” said a Ficci official.

Other than Harsh Mariwala, president of Ficci and CMD of Marico Ltd, and Naina Lal Kidwai, vice-president of Ficci and country head of HSBC, the meeting will be attended by Rajan Bharti Mittal of Bharti Enterprises, Vinita Bali of Britannia, Ashwin Dani of Asian Paints, Uday Khanna of Lafarge, Sangita Reddy of Apollo Hospitals, Niranjan Hiranandani of Hiranandani Constructions, Sonjoy Chatterjee of Goldman Sachs India, Kuldip Kaura of ACC Ltd, and Praveen Kadle, MD of Tata Capital. An industry observer said: “Chatterjee and Mitra are very competent but when top CEOs visit the state, they generally like to hear from the head.”

Mamata spent nearly two hours recently with industrialists, most of whom are Calcutta-based. Although business leaders from outside the state were also invited by the government, few turned up. The absence could not have gone unnoticed by Mamata.

Article source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110701/jsp/frontpage/story_14183829.jsp

Steve Cherundolo

AMSTERDAM — Europa League entrants Hannover 96 are starting preseason without injured captain Steve Cherundolo, but say they are crossing fingers that the American stalwart will be fit for Bundesliga opening day.

The US international suffered an ankle ligament injury early in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final, leaving on just 11 minutes shortly after getting mixed up in a tackle by teammate Jermaine Jones on Mexico’s Giovani dos Santos.

This week, the Reds medical staff determined that the setback was not as bad as they first feared, giving manager Mirko Slomka hope his skipper and regular right back could join full team training by the end of July.

“We think maybe it will be four weeks,” Hannover press officer Bernd Reiser told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday. “It could be six weeks, but Steve usually [returns quickly]. We think he can make it for the Bundesliga start.”

Upon recovery, Cherundolo will be taking part in his 14th season with Hannover, making him the second-longest serving active Bundesliga one-club man behind Eintracht Frankfurt ‘keeper Oka Nikolov.

Having set a club best with a fourth-place finish last term in the Bundesliga, Die Roten will kick off the new Bundesliga season with an August 6 visit from Hoffenheim.

Article source: http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/06/30/hannover-brass-hopeful-quick-cherundolo-return

The double bell euphonium will be on display with other unusual and exotic instruments in the university’s musical instruments museum.

Also on show will be a helicon – a large tuba-style instrument that wraps around the body – and a selection of serpents, which are jet black snake-like brass instruments, which date from the 1850s.

The university is in the final stages of digitising its collection, housed in St Cecilia’s Hall and Reid Concert Hall Museum of Musical Instruments.

The Edinburgh collection will be at the centre of Europe’s first digital archive of major musical instruments.

Norman Rodger, of the university, said: “We hope the exhibition serves as an introduction to the fascinating world of musical instruments.”<!—
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Article source: http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Uni-has-brass-to-put.6793659.jp

The double bell euphonium will be on display with other unusual and exotic instruments in the university’s musical instruments museum.

Also on show will be a helicon – a large tuba-style instrument that wraps around the body – and a selection of serpents, which are jet black snake-like brass instruments, which date from the 1850s.

The university is in the final stages of digitising its collection, housed in St Cecilia’s Hall and Reid Concert Hall Museum of Musical Instruments.

The Edinburgh collection will be at the centre of Europe’s first digital archive of major musical instruments.

Norman Rodger, of the university, said: “We hope the exhibition serves as an introduction to the fascinating world of musical instruments.”<!—
MPUMinCharsCutOff:210 PageLength:753
MPUPositionFromStart:250 MPUPositionRange:1000
hasVideoOrImage:False
—>

Article source: http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Uni-has-brass-to-put.6793659.jp

The Secretary of State for Defence Liam Fox has unveiled a drastic reorganisation of the armed forces’ command structure and a cut in the number of senior officers.

Dr Fox outlined the changes to Parliament on Monday to coincide with the publication of Lord Levene’s Defence Reform Review report.

In a speech at the Reform think tank in London, Fox called the MoD a “department with overly bureaucratic management structures, dominated by committees leading to indecisiveness and a lack of responsibility”.

He described the Defence Board as being “bloated” and “without ministerial membership, allowing strategic decision to drift and unable to reconcile ambition with resources”. This has left “budget holders without the levers needed to deliver and ministers kept in the dark”, he continued.

The Defence Board, the MoD’s top decision-making body, will no longer include representatives from all three services (the First Sea Lord, the Chief of the General Staff and the Chief of the Air Staff). The Chief of the Defence Staff, currently Sir David Richards, will represent the views of all three services.

The board will now be chaired by the Defence Secretary and will include an additional minister.
Fox told Parliament that he had already established a new board and chaired the first meeting last week.

The report recommended the creation of a new Joint Forces Command, which will integrate cyber warfare and military intelligence. These capabilities are currently divided between the Air Force, Army and Navy.

Service chiefs are to be given control of their own budgets. The report criticised the current system in which Whitehall delegates budgets but continues to manage the tactical detail of how they are spent.
These reforms come after Fox warned senior officers against publicly voicing concerns over the sustainability of the Libya air campaign.

“We must be very careful, those of us who have authority in defence, when discussing the sustainability of a mission. People’s lives are at stake and there can only be one message that goes out on Libya and that is we have the military capability, we have the political resolve, we have the legal authority and we have the political cohesion in the alliance to see through what we started,” he said.

“That is: we have the military capability, political resolve and legal authority to see through what we started. We will continue our mission until our mission succeeds and Colonel Gaddafi must get no other signal than that.”

Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, the First Sea Lord, recently told a press briefing: “How long can we go on in Libya? In terms of NATO’s current time limit that has been extended to 90 days, we are comfortable with that. Beyond that, we might have to request the government makes challenging decisions about priorities.”

The RAF’s second-in-command, Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, has also questioned the sustainability of the current Libya bombing campaign.

In response, David Cameron told a press conference, “There are moments when I wake up and read the newspapers and think: ‘I tell you what, you do the fighting and I’ll do the talking’.”

Article source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/united-kingdom/top-brass-face-cuts-in-major-shake-up-of-armed-forces-58442.html

On Tuesday Google launched Google+, a social network to compete with the likes of Facebook. Some people like it. Some people don’t. But one would assume the search giant’s top executives are the most enthusiastic of Google+ users Well so far, as Techmeme’s Lidija Davis points out, they’re still just warming up to the social network.

Related: Google Launches Google+, a Facebook Clone

Out of the gates, Google CEO Larry Page shared some warm words with his colleagues: “Best of luck to the team, and congratulations on such a great effort so far!” That’s it, though, which is sort of underwhelming engagement for an executive who told his employees earlier this summer that “When we release products, try them and encourage your family and friends to do the same” while tying their pay to Google’s performance in the social space. Here’s what his meager page looks like now:

Related: Why Google Won’t Survive the Facebook Threat

Related: The Irony of Facebook’s Secret PR War Against Google

Meanwhile, Google’s other co-founder, Sergey Brin, is utterly speechless:

Related: Web Buttons Boom: Get Ready for Google’s ‘+1′ and Twitter’s ‘Follow’

Related: Why Facebook May Actually Have the Groupon-Killer

Over at YouTube, founder Steven Chen’s not so much of a talker either but at least he’s changed his photo (also props to Chen for having at least 18 friends in his circle, unlike Brin and Page who don’t appear to have any, though perhaps that’s a privacy feature):

And then there’s Alan Eustace, senior vice president of engineering and research, who at least has his page up.

Of course, everybody deserves some time to get used to a new social network, so we presume there will be an uptick in usage in the coming weeks. Still, you’d think some of the company’s top brass would at least have profiles by now. Some notable absentees include: Patrick Pichette, chief financial officer; Nikesh Arora, president of global sales and business development; Jonathan Rosenberg, senior vice president of product management; and Marissa Mayer, vice president of location and local services.  

Want to add to this story? Comment below or send the author of this post, John Hudson, an email. Have a hot tip or story idea? Let us know on the Open Wire.

Article source: http://news.yahoo.com/googles-top-brass-still-warming-google-190653957.html

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Rochester Americans fans, who haven’t seen their team win a Calder Cup playoff series in six years, will learn today just what approach the Buffalo Sabres will employ with their new old development team.

With the purchase from Curt Styres finalized, the Sabres will officially assume control of the American Hockey League franchise this morning.

Sabres owner Terry Pegula, team president Ted Black and general manager Darcy Regier will be in town for an 11 a.m. news conference today, which will be streamed live from Blue Cross Arena at the Community War Memorial on DemocratandChronicle.com.

The NHL executives are expected to explain just why they wanted the AHL franchise back, and how they plan to use the Amerks for both prospect development and Sabres brand enhancement.

Fans are already excited. Mark Schlageter, 48, of Rush has been following the Amerks and Sabres for years. Having watched Amerk crowds dwindle since the Sabres left town three years ago, he worried about the long-term future of professional hockey in Rochester.

“The crowds were getting smaller and I started thinking we may not even have a team here in a few years,” Schlageter said.

When rumors of a possible sale to Pegula became public, Schlageter proclaimed that he would buy a Sabres jersey if it ever happened.

The AHL board of governors approved the franchise transfer to Pegula on Friday afternoon and on Friday night Schlageter bought a Sabres jersey online.

“If we kept on with parent clubs like Florida, it (the Amerks) would eventually go away,” he said. “I wanted to show how happy I am.”

Robert Wrights, 34 of Fairport is just as happy. Last summer he canceled his season ticket, the one he had since 1987-88.

“I saw myself going to the games and not being very interested,” Wrights said.

The Panthers prospects just didn’t create excitement, not the way watching Buffalo’s draft picks had during the Sabres’ 29-year presence in Rochester (1979-80 through 2007-08).

“I love and I enjoy seeing them here and then moving on to Buffalo,” Wrights said of the player development process.

“It felt like I had a vested interest (in their development),” he said. “That was the value for me.”

Upon learning on Friday that the sale to Pegula was official, Wrights immediately phoned the Amerks office to buy back his season ticket.

“Going to Amerk games has been a tradition for my father and I and I want the same thing for my son,” Wrights said. “My son (Brendan) is 8 and he loves the Sabres.”

The Sabres have many personnel decisions to make.

The NHL team has given no indication if they plan to keep director of player personnel Jody Gage, broadcaster Don Stevens or the medical and equipment staffs.

“You know I love the Amerks,” said Gage, who also oversees the rosters and contracts of Styres’ lacrosse teams (the indoor Rochester Knighthawks and outdoor Hamilton Nationals).

KEVINO@DemocratandChronicle.com

Article source: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110629/SPORTS02/106290312/1007/rss02

American Express made quite a splash last week with the announcement of its new reloadable prepaid debit card. The card is being billed as a great alternative for those fed up with their current debit or credit cards.

[In Pictures: 10 Affordable Spots for Summer Vacation]

In many respects, the hype is well-deserved. The card sets itself apart from the rest of the reloadable prepaid debit market by charging only one fee, $2 for ATM access (the first transaction each month is free). Meanwhile, competitors’ cards tend to come with a laundry list of fees, including those for monthly or annual maintenance, reloading, usage, replacement cards, and even calling customer service. Even the Walmart MoneyCard, which is considered one of the most consumer-friendly options, charges a $3 monthly fee and $2 for ATM access.

However, there seems to be a gaping hole in the Amex card’s terms. While most prepaid debit companies allow free reloading of their cards through direct deposit, American Express doesn’t yet offer this feature. It’s a subtle problem, but an important one, since without direct deposit the card is no longer helpful for most prepaid debit users.

Why is direct deposit so important?

As a general rule, prepaid debit cards are created for and marketed toward the unbanked (or underbanked) population. Something like 7 percent of the US population eschews normal bank accounts, including checking, savings, or credit card accounts, because they don’t believe they have enough money, they don’t trust banks, or they don’t have access to bank branches. These people then rely on “alternative financial services,” such as third-party check cashing, payday lenders, and prepaid debit cards.

With a prepaid debit card, they can get the convenience and flexibility of an ATM card or credit card, without the need for a bank account or a credit line. And with free direct deposit, they can effectively use the card as a checking account replacement.

This is where the American Express option falls a bit short. There are only three ways to load the card—transferring money from an existing checking or savings account, using an Amex credit card, or using a $4.95 MoneyPak from Green Dot to deposit cash (Amex will refund the cost of the first load). So in order to avoid paying hefty reloading fees to Green Dot, the user has to have either a bank account or a credit card. But bank accounts come with free debit cards, and no one with a credit card has any need for prepaid debit.

Because of this subtle hiccup in the card’s terms, the “no-fee” or “low-fee” promises of this new card ring a bit hollow. Anyone who would have use for this card would have to pay $4.95 every time they need to reload it. So if they get two paychecks a month, that’s $9.90 a month in necessary fees, plus any fees they have to pay to get their check cashed. Compare that to the RushCard’s $9.95 monthly fee or Walmart’s $3 fee. (How Laziness Can Cost You Money)

So who exactly is American Express targeting? Amex is a name typically associated with well-heeled, well-banked customers. After all, this is the company that popularized charge cards that have to be paid off every month, as well as premium cards like the Platinum and the Centurion “Black” cards. So a move into the “alternative” market is puzzling.

Even the website for the new card seems to reflect financial freedom, rather than promoting “no credit checks” and “instant approval” like some other sites. But their traditional premium, banked clientele has absolutely no need for a prepaid debit card. For someone with a checking account, a prepaid card would just be another ATM card with more fees. And loading a debit card with a credit card nullifies the purpose of having a debit card in the first place.

Everyone else will have to pay to load the card with cash, and would therefore be better off with any number of other prepaid cards. The only benefit I can see is the “cachet” of carrying an American Express, rather than an off-brand, off-the-shelf card.

[In Pictures: 10 Smart Ways to Improve Your Budget.]

Andrew Carr at American Banker sees this as Amex’s attempt to skirt Durbin Amendment regulations, since prepaid cards are exempt from debit card interchange fee limits. But Amex doesn’t have a debit card business, and credit cards haven’t come under the same rules yet, so this seems unlikely. And

Felix Salmon posted at Seeking Alpha that this aggressive new entrant to the market could be the company’s roundabout way of getting more American Express cards into more hands, forcing more and more merchants to start accepting their cards. Right now, Amex cards are only accepted at about 4.5 million merchants, compared to about 7 million for Discover, and around 8 million for Visa/MasterCard. But this also begs the question—who will benefit from using this card?

Representatives of the company said that they hoped to incorporate direct deposit later this year, but until they do, most consumers will do well to stay away from these cards. While I applaud any effort to bring lower fees and more competition to the prepaid market, it doesn’t seem like Amex quite has it figured out yet.

Tim Chen is founder and CEO of NerdWallet.com, a site dedicated to educating consumers about credit cards.

Article source: http://www.usnews.com/mobile/blogs/my-money/2011/6/27/the-problem-with-the-new-amex-debit-card.html

Federal Premium Crowns Bill Stevens 4-H Leadership Award Winner
Honors Conservation Efforts and 4-H Shooting Sports Program.

Bill Conrad 4-H Leadership Award Recipient

FederalPremium.com

ANOKA, Minn. --(Ammoland.com)- Federal Premium Ammunition announces the inaugural Bill Stevens 4-H Leadership Award winner.

Conrad Arnold, from Cambridge, MD is first the recipient of the award. He was honored and received the award Monday evening during the 2011 National 4-H Invitational Shooting Sports Invitational in San Antonio, Texas.

New Award Signifies Conservation Efforts in Youth
Bill Stevens retired in 2007 after more than 40 years working as Federal Premium Ammunition’s Conservation Manager. He increased Federal’s support of the 4-H program and also helped launch the 4-H Shooting Sports Program—now reaching nearly 200,000 total participants each year. Bill was also instrumental in recruiting other members of the firearms industry to support the 4-H family, the Youth Shooting Sports Alliance and other successful programs.

This year marks 32 consecutive years of support from Federal for the 4-H Shooting Sports Program. Federal also sponsors numerous 4-H youth shooting camps that teach safe hunting, shooting and wildlife management techniques. The company has been supporting the conservation efforts of 4-H since 1934.

2011 Award Winner
Conrad Arnold is an extension educator from Cambridge, MD, and is the first ever Bill Stevens 4-H Leadership Award winner. His support and advancement of the 4-H Shooting Sports Program has been hugely successful. In the last few years, Conrad has assembled and managed 4-H leader training programs across the country. These programs help certify more than 5,000 adult coaches and 200,000 participants nationwide.

Conrad is also a National 4-H Committee Member. His leadership has been a crucial part of the 4-H Shooting Sports program’s development—and has helped increase its membership and coverage. Last year was Illinois’ first year of having a Shooting Sports Program. That program certified 188 instructors who went on and taught more than 800 youth. Thanks to individuals like Conrad, youth program enrollment is expected to increase across the country.

“Conrad has been a huge asset to 4-H these last few years,” said Federal Premium Conservation Manager Ryan Bronson. “His involvement, dedication and leadership has helped further 4-H’s mission and introduced countless more youth to hunting and shooting with the 4-H Shooting Sports Program. He has led by example and we’re proud to honor Bill Stevens’ values and legacy by presenting Conrad with this award.”

Federal supports numerous conservation organizations, participates in many ammunition royalty programs, and provides many shooting sports educational materials. To learn more about Federal’s support, please visit www.federalpremium.com/hunters_education/programs.aspx.

About Federal Cartridge Company
Headquartered in Anoka, Minnesota, Federal Cartridge Company has been providing hunters and shooters with high-quality rimfire, centerfire and shotshell ammunition since 1922. It pioneered the Premium category of ammunition and is part of the world’s leading ammunition manufacturer, ATK Security and Sporting. For more information on Federal, visit www.federalpremium.com.

About ATK Security and Sporting
ATK Security and Sporting, headquartered in Anoka, MN, is a leading technology developer and supplier of ammunition for law enforcement, military and sporting applications; a manufacturer of optics, reloading gear and sport shooting accessories; and a leading producer of tactical accessories. The company serves sport shooting enthusiasts, law enforcement professionals, military and tactical markets worldwide. The group’s products include some of the most widely known and respected brands in the industry, including Federal Premium, CCI, Speer, RCBS, Alliant Powder, Champion, Weaver, Eagle Industries, and BLACKHAWK!.

About ATK
ATK is a global aerospace and defense company with operations in 24 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and revenues in excess of $4.8 billion. News and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com.

Distributed to you by - AmmoLand.com – The Shooting Sports News source.Tags: 4H, ATK, Awards, Federal Premium

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Article source: http://www.ammoland.com/2011/06/24/federal-premium-crowns-bill-stevens-4-h-leadership-award-winner/

SHOT in the face at point-blank range, Newcastle traffic cop David Rathband
knew he had just seconds left to raise the alarm on his patrol car radio.
But the 43-year-old PC had been blinded in the attack by gunman Raoul Moat –
who was reloading his shotgun to finish him off.
Today, in the second exclusive extract from his book Tango 190, David tells
how only a split-second reflex and a powerful vision of his family prevented
his certain death.

MOAT had got me right between the eyes.

I was aware that blood was spraying everywhere but all I could concentrate on
was the sound within my skull.

It was as if I’d put my head in a big silver drum and someone was rasping my
face from the forehead down to my throat with an angle grinder. The noise
was relentless.

I knew Moat was still there lurking and I knew in the seconds that followed I
had to save my skin.

I had a good sense of where everything was in the patrol car and I was trying
to hit the little red triangle – the emergency button.

My brain was telling me I could see it but my fingers couldn’t locate it. I
was in serious trouble and worse was to follow. With the reverberations of
the gunshot splintering my head, I heard my blood spraying over the
dashboard and felt its warmth as it soaked through my clothing.

Half of my face felt like it was hanging out and the impact of the shot had
forced me into the footwell.

Then Moat came again. He had been waiting to see if I was dead. I don’t think
he really expected me to sit up again but he’d reloaded.

For some reason, something made me raise my left arm to cover my face – it
would save my life. He fired a second time, aiming at my throat as soon as I
sat up.

The flesh beneath my left shoulder took all the blast. The second shot,
straight through the glass, meant I was probably looking at minutes left
rather than hours. Moat would have been convinced I was finished.

I had slumped back into the same position he would have seen me in after the
first shot.

“I’ve got to find the gear lever,” I told myself. I needed to find the little
red or yellow push-to-talk button Velcroed on the side of the stalk. This
would activate the radio. This was my last chance.

I was playing dead – I knew that if he saw me move he would shoot again. He
wanted me dead.

My left hand inched slowly towards the lever and pressed hopefully into the
darkness. My joy turned to agony instantly. I couldn’t get on the damn
thing. Another cop was already on the radio, booking off from his shift. He
seemed to take for ever. Eventually the radio went live but even then I was
still in trouble because the mic in the Volvo is situated by the interior
light in the roof of the car.

I knew I had to turn my face to be heard or I would be talking to the
footwell.

I felt groggy with the pain and the noise and not sure if Moat was still there
or not.

“I’ve been shot. I need urgent assistance,” I whispered.

Nothing. Exhausted, I let go of the button. The radio fell deadly quiet.

This was the lowest moment of my life. I lay there, lonely and alone. No
longer a cop, just me, abandoned and helpless.

One of my traffic colleagues broke the silence. “Did he just say he’s been
shot?”

Nothing happened for 15 seconds. Then the radio picked up again.

“LB, he’s just said he’s been shot. Find out where David is on his satnav. Do
a GPS on him,” I heard.

My loneliness lifted. If I could hang on, they would come and find me. It
reinvigorated me. I knew if they took much longer than that I would bleed to
death.

I managed to hit the radio again but in my hurry I gave out the wrong
location. It was to be the last thing I did – but at least now they would
know.

It was Tango 190. My world turned to blackness.

I can only recall that my wife Kath, my daughter Mia and my son Ashley
appeared before me. There was no sound, no wind, no bright lights, no
heavenly gates.

Kath was standing far away to the left of the kids. Mia seemed small, about
half the size of Ash, who was huge.

He drifted his six-foot figure from left to right and began to pull at me
using his right hand.

I attach no religious significance to any of this but I can’t help but wonder
if Ash came back for me in some sort of parallel moment.

Sirens entered my consciousness. My colleagues Nathan Crain, Paul Beavis and
Steve Winn were among the first to arrive. I also heard another voice which
I now know was Shaun Wright, a paramedic. “Keep still, I’m trying to put
something on your face,” Steve urged me frantically. “What’s his name?”
shouted Shaun.

“It’s David, it’s David,” said Nathan.

“I can’t keep pushing his face. I’m scared of putting my fingers in his
brain,” said Steve.

I could hear the ambulance trolley being wheeled closer to the car.

“We’re going to struggle to get him out of the car,” I heard someone say.

I remember thinking that there was no way I was going to die there.

I could never leave Kath and the kids with their dad dead in the car for as
much as two days while the investigating team were doing their scene
preservation.

While they argued about me, I found some mental strength to manoeuvre my right
leg on to the tarmac. Shaun held my left shoulder beneath my armpit and as
he pulled me I stepped up out of the car towards the stretcher.

“He’s getting out of that himself,” I heard a disbelieving Nathan say.

Nothing else in my body worked but I knew I wanted to walk. The top half of my
body was gone. I was like a dangly string puppet, like somebody fainting.

As soon as I hit the stretcher I let go of the power in my legs. Holding both
of Shaun’s arms tightly I begged him: “Please don’t let me die. Tell my wife
I love her.” I still remember “seeing” the ambulance with the lights on
while Shaun was talking to me. My brain was probably just snatching at
familiarities without any particular foundation.

I was blind from the moment I was shot, medics have confirmed. But there seems
to be a disparity between mind and time. My brain was offering me a few last
pictures.

To this day I will always be grateful to my colleagues and the other people
who came to my aid, with no thought for their own safety, despite there
being a mad gunman on the loose.

At the hospital I was given Bed One in the Resus Room. I had been here many
times before – this was the room where people came to die.

I was woken by a rubbing sensation on my chest. Kath was to my right and I
could hear the temporary Chief Constable, Sue Sim, to my left.

“I’m sorry,” I cried to Kath.

I thought I could see them. I knew my right eye was gone. I had felt it being
sucked out, like a balloon filled with water being squeezed through your
hands.

I was sure I had protected my left one by moving my head quickly away from the
white flash.

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for, it’s not your fault,” she replied. I
could barely reply – so many tubes were in and out of me. I knew the
implications of what had happened. It was clear what this would do to our
life. That’s the only reason I said what I said. I wasn’t apologising
because I had done anything wrong.

Kath had arrived at 1.40am, knowing only that I had been badly injured. Before
she entered the room, two nurses had gestured that they were cleaning me by
making a circular motion with the hand around the face. It was a poor way
for Kath to find out.

She was holding it together, drawing on her experience as a nursing manager to
get through. She would have wanted to pick up the clipboard by the bed but
that would have been unprofessional in her eyes.

Anyway, she didn’t need to. She could see how bad I was.

Ashley arrived at 3.30am and Mia much later in the day. Kath left the
Intensive Care Unit to find her shaking like a leaf, with all the colour
drained out of her.

She had warned her, of course, that I was really poorly and not to be
frightened.

“Daddy, it’s Mia,” she said and held my hand for 20 minutes.

Lying on my bed in the Intensive Care Unit, I didn’t even know my little girl
was there.

Adapted by BEN JACKSON

PC David Rathband and Tony Horne. Tango 190: The Gateshead Shootings And
The Hunt For Raoul Moat by PC David Rathband is published by Biteback
Publishing on July 5 at 15.99.

Sun readers can buy the book for the special price of 14.39 including free
pp. To order call 0845 271 2136 or go to thesunbookshop.co.uk.

Article source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3662896/My-daughter-held-my-hand-and-said-Daddy-its-Mia-I-didnt-even-know-she-was-there.html

TONY LIM says he always maintains sufficient credit on his prepaid mobile phone.

But in April, LIM says his service provider, Maxis Sdn Bhd, suddenly began sending SMS reminders of missed calls.

“This is not a free service and I do not want it.”

LIM says Maxis ignored his request to have it terminated.

“I am unhappy because every time I reload my phone, the credit balance is lower.”

LIM says he has stopped reloading his phone two weeks ago.

“If Maxis does not refund the amount they automatically deducted, I will stop subscribing to their services.
I am upset over this underhanded tactic.”

● A Maxis spokesperson  says: “We have informed LIM this service is free. As per his request, we have removed this service from his account and LIM is pleased with the resolution.
“We thank LIM for highlighting this matter and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Maxis encourages their customers to contact them directly through customercare@maxis.com.my or call 1-800821123.
LIM confirms a Maxis representative contacted him and says: “I consider the matter solved.”

Article source: http://www.mmail.com.my/content/76273-end-unwanted-sms-service

Picture the chief of police.

He’s leaning over a filthy wooden desk – sweating, shirt stained yellow at the armpits. He’s slamming a meaty palm down on his desk, yelling at a rogue detective. “Dammit, Johnson!” he says, wiping sweat from his forehead with an old rag. “Pull that kind of crap again and I’ll have your badge!”

A fistfight starts. And maybe after it’s over, the chief puts on a pair of sunglasses and says something like, “Book ’em, Danno.”

And then, after a few shots of rot-gut whiskey after work, he goes home and creates a beautiful stained-glass window based on the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Hear that? It’s the sound of a needle scratching across a record – the audio version of someone saying, “Wha-a-a-a?”

True, a police chief who makes stained-glass art would seem out of place on an average 10 p.m. network cop drama. Nevertheless, it’s exactly what Fort Wayne’s Police Chief Rusty York does in his spare time. Not golfing. Not gambling. Stained glass.

“Early on, I learned an important lesson,” York says. “You have to leave your job at work and have a life of your own. I love being a cop, but I have a different life at home. Your whole life cannot be about work. You can’t live that way.”

During his downtime – not that he has a lot of that lately, he says – York can be found in his basement, listening to jazz on his iPod and constructing Tiffany-style lampshades and stained-glass side light and transom windows.

And – perhaps this will surprise you even more – they’re really good.

“I say they’re Frank Lloyd Wright-esque,” York says. “But I don’t consider myself an artist. I’m more of a craftsman. Real artists – people who can see something in their mind and create it – amaze me. I can’t even pick out clothes. I need Granimals.”

Despite his modesty, York’s stained glass can be seen in homes scattered around the area. That window in your neighbor’s kitchen? There’s a chance it could be an original Rusty.

Fifteen years ago, York – a police captain at the time – began partnering with local Realtors and Dan and Judy Wire, owners of Great Panes Glass Co., to create stained-glass windows for local homes. York calls the Wires his stained-glass mentors.

“Originally, it was just a hobby,” York says. “And then I got really busy with it. When I became chief, I quickly realized I wouldn’t have time for it the way I used to. When I retire, I’m looking forward to going back to it.”

In his own home, York prefers subtle geometric designs, similar to Wright’s prairie style.

Since Christmas, he’s been working on a stained-glass window to place near his fireplace.

Downstairs in his workshop, a sketch of the project’s design is spread out on a table, pieces of clear and amber glass in baggies, metal stacked in a corner for framing, lead purchased and all of it waiting to be assembled.

“It’s all here,” he says. “My wife, Judy, has picked out the colors. We know where we’re going to install it. Now it’s a matter of finding the time to do it. And then surprising everyone when it’s done.”

edowns@jg.net

Article source: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20110628/FEAT/306289998/-1/FEAT11

Howson, in turn, rounded up an envoy that included head coach Scott Arniel and team captain Rick Nash to fly to Philadelphia and drive to Carter’s offseason residence in Sea Isle City, N.J., to seek out their new star player.

The four emerged after a 90-minute meeting, which Howson later called “very positive” on his Twitter feed, and Carter finally publicly put to bed his 6-year tenure with the Flyers.

“You feel anger and betrayal and all of the emotions that go along with being traded,” Carter told the Columbus Dispatch. “Sometimes, it’s best to just sit back and think about what you’re going to say than get right out there and say things that you’ll regret.”

“Betrayal” was Carter’s way of referencing a face-to-face meeting his agent, Rick Curran, said took place last week in which Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren reassured Carter he would not be traded.

Carter is set to begin a fresh 11-year, $58 million contract – except that it’s in Columbus and not Philadelphia. His no-trade clause was set to kick in on July 1, 2012.

“My decision not to talk had nothing to do with being traded to Columbus,” Carter said. “I know that it’s a team that has struggled in the past, but there’s a great future. I’m excited to be there, to be a part of it.”

Carter, 26, said yesterday he was excited to be united with perennial Blue Jackets All-Star Rick Nash. The two played against each other in 2001-02 in the OHL, while Nash played for Carter’s hometown London Knights.

“Anytime you get a chance to play with Rick, it puts a smile on your face,” Carter told reporters on a conference call. “I’m excited to get out there and see what we can do together. A lot of people have been keying on him, and it’s not easy to do things by yourself. I’m looking forward to helping him out and helping the team out. I’m really excited about letting him develop into a better player than he is now.”

Still, it will be a big adjustment for Carter. Whether it’s going from a big team in a big market to classic college town, or going from the Eastern Conference to one of only two Eastern time-zone teams in the Western Conference, or going from a bona fide Stanley Cup contender to a franchise that has never won a playoff game, it will all be new.

“It’s still a work in progress, but I think we can be pretty good,” Carter said. “I really appreciate them making the trip down here to come see me. It shows a lot on their part, that they’re excited to have me. We talked for a while about the team, their direction. We talked about the city. Just sitting down and talking with them, it got me real excited, and wishing the season would start a little earlier.”

Slap shots

The Flyers announced the signing of enforcer Tom Sestito. Sestito, 23, played in nine games with Columbus last season before being traded to the Flyers at the Feb. 28 deadline. Sestito actually announced his own deal on Twitter weeks ago . . . The Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee will announce its class of 2011 today at 3 p.m. live on NHL Network, which could finally include former Flyers coach Fred Shero . . . The Flyers will hold a news conference today to formally introduce newly acquired forwards Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn. *

Article source: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20110628_After_visit_by_brass__Carter_looks_forward_to_playing_for_Blue_Jackets.html

28th June 2011   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
The Louisiana Weekly

“Brass bands are takin’ over, baby,” ReBirth’s leader and tuba player Phil Frazier laughingly exclaims. Though in truth, he’s a believer.

The always good-natured musician is referring to the fact that in 2011 four brass bands — the most ever — will perform at the Essence Music Festival (July1 –July 3). For many years, ReBirth was the only brass band blowing in the event’s superlounges, the four, more intimate, dance-friendly venues found on the Dome’s upper lounge level. Then the Soul Rebels became regulars and just last year the Hot 8 got the call. All three remain on the bill joined by the youthful To Be Continued (TBC) Brass Band that is getting its first shot at Essence performing under its own name. Previously, the members enjoyed a taste of the event as guests of the Roots band.

Whether intentional or not, each year the superlounges seem to carry a musical theme. Last year, New Orleans funk was heavily on the menu; in 2009 it was deejays and in 2008 jazz trumpeters like Terence Blanchard, Nicholas Payton and Irvin Mayfield reigned. And while some fine local artists from other genres will be in the house – vocalists Irma Thomas (Friday) and Charmaine Neville (Saturday), jazz/funkman trumpeter Shamarr Allen (Saturday) and gospel group Trin-I-Tee 5:7 (Sunday) are onboard, like Frazier says, brass bands are dominating the home field. Whether or not this indicates a breakthrough for brass bands on a broader scope remains debatable.

“I’m glad it’s happening,” concurs Soul Rebels’ leader and snare drummer Lumar LeBlanc. “I hope they put even more brass bands on in the years to come. It’s still a tight business for brass bands. The idiom has an advantage in that there are festivals that just have to have a brass band to parade or for a mock New Or­leans-style performance. But the ceiling is low. We feel that given the right investment dollars and publicity, a brass could break out just like any other band. Hope­fully it’s going to grow, but it’s still climbing the ladder.”

To that end, the world-traveled Soul Rebels put a different edge on its style by adding more commercial music. “Say you have a fan from Topeka, Kansas who doesn’t know anything about “Do Whatcha Wanna” or a tuba with a bass drum. He will gravitate to us because we’re playing music that he can relate to like a cover of Jay-Z or Lady Gaga. Everybody doesn’t understand second line rhythms. They look at it like it’s foreign or folkish, thinking ‘ That’s some culture from New Orleans – that’s some Cajun culture.’”

Interestingly, Bennie Pete, the tuba player and leader of the Hot 8 Brass Band, offered similar advice to the TBC Brass Band regarding its debut performance at Essence. “I just tell them when you’re performing in that type of environment to change the lyrics of certain songs to make them more acceptable and to play more tunes that people are familiar with and can relate to. We’ve been working with them really closely, reaching back and helping out.”

“They’ll know what to do,” says Frazier of TBC whose tuba player Bernard Adams has played by his side. “They really know how to do a good show because they really follow – they really pay attention to everything. They remind me of me a long time ago. I love them. They’re my boys.”

“We’re learning a couple of new songs just for the occasion,” Adams says adding that he and TBC are excited about the gig. “We’re probably going to look on the schedule and see who’s playing and learn one of their songs.”

Probably not deliberately, it is notable that each of these brass bands were added to the Essence schedule by seniority. The ReBirth being the elder statesmen of the crowd was formed in 1982. This year the Soul Rebels are celebrating their 20th anniversary with the Hot 8 hitting it since 1995 and the TBC striking up in 2002.

Both the Hot 8 and the TBC first experienced the excitement of the crowds heading toward Essence Festival from the street. The Hot 8 would play under the ramp that leads into the Dome. “People liked it and they always wondered why we weren’t playing inside,” says leader Pete. “I think that’s what sparked it (getting hired). I said the first time I would go to Essence would be when I performed in there. It was the highlight of my career. I had a blast and we really worked at trying to network ourselves.”

Meanwhile, the young men of the big sounding TBC Brass Band drew the attention of those heading to the festival blowing at their spot on the corner of Canal and Bourbon streets. “I guess we’re finally getting a little recognition,” says leader Adams, who, in part, credits the HBO series “Treme” in generating greater interest in brass bands.

“They are now really coming into their own,” says Frazier, who heads the already established ReBirth that has helped pave the way for up-and-coming brass bands. Of his band he laughingly says: “The name is so big, it’s too big for myself.”

“I think they’re (Essence) doing it on a respectful level,” says the Soul Rebels leader LeBlanc of the brass band phenomenon. “You come into our city – take over our city – for basically three or four days and c’mon you should throw the locals a bone. Anybody who’s been a legend in the industry – Beyonce, Patti LaBelle – they’ve all played Essence. To be in that Rolodex is an honor for the Soul Rebels.”

“You gotta love it,” exclaims Frazier of the Essence Festival in its entirety. “It’s so soulful. I love you Mary J., I love you!”

This article originally published in the June 27, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.

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Article source: http://www.louisianaweekly.com/essence-fest-2011-puts-spotlight-on-local-brass-bands/

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David Henning, Sheboygan

Troop withdrawal

President Obama has committed to remove 30,000 troops from Afghanistan by the summer of 2012. It is imperative that the troops remaining after the drawdown are brought home as soon as possible; not only from Afghanistan but Iraq also. While I am not an Obama fan, I give him credit for standing up to his military commanders on this one and doing the right thing.

Tom Pilgrim, Kohler

Road construction

First county roads O and J are closed for construction. Next the only road between them that crosses Interstate 43, Mueller Road, is closed for construction. That creates a four-mile stretch where there is no crossing of I-43. Did all these crossings have to be done at the same time? Why can we not do the one thing that would be productive and extend Taylor Drive all the way to Calumet Drive?

Mike Bean Town of Sheboygan

Justice system

J. P. Morgan Chase, fined $154 million for illegal complex mortgage securities transaction, given no jail time. Goldman Sachs Group, fined $550 million for similar crime, given no jail time. Richard James Verone of N. Carolina, forced to rob bank of $1 to get jail time and thereby obtain medical care. These three cases show how bad times have become when people involved in stealing millions get no jail time and a poor, homeless individual has to steal in order to get medical care.

Rosemary Reiter,

Sheboygan Falls

Involvement in Libya

The consensus from Republican presidential candidates on U.S. involvement in Libya was that we should not be involved, because we had not been attacked, nor was Libya part of our national interest. My comment is, “Do they not remember Bosnia?” Bosnia did not attack us, nor would it fit the definition of our national interest, but due to the genocide going on there, we felt it was important enough to get involved. Secondly, have we forgotten the amount of terrorism that has originated from Libya and our vow to hunt down and eliminate terrorists?

Steven Carter, Henderson, Tenn.

Article source: http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20110627/SHE06/106270352/What-s-Your-Mind-?odyssey=nav|head

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has announced a clear-out of senior military officers designed to produce more streamlined management of the “top heavy” armed forces.

The chiefs of the Army, Royal Navy and RAF are to be removed from the decision-making Defence Board chaired by Dr Fox. And the post of commander-in-chief – the second-ranking officer in each of the three services – is to be phased out, along with a number of other senior positions.

Meanwhile, a new Joint Forces Command, led by a four-star commander, will develop cross-service co-operation as part of the more integrated defence approach which ministers want to encourage for the future.

Dr Fox announced the “radical new approach” for the Ministry of Defence after accepting the recommendations of Lord Levene’s report into what he said was “a department bedevilled with weak decision-making and poor accountability”.

The announcement comes after a war of words between military top brass and ministers which last week saw an exasperated Prime Minister David Cameron tell service chiefs: “You do the fighting, I’ll do the talking.”

A string of senior officers went public with their concerns over the strains of conducting simultaneous operations in Afghanistan and Libya, with Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope questioning how long the campaign against the Gaddafi regime could be sustained and Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant warning RAF morale was “fragile”.

Dr Fox was blunt in warning top brass of the dangers of loose talk: “We must be very careful, those of us who have authority in defence, in discussing the sustainability of our mission. People’s lives are at stake. There can be only one message that goes out to Libya – that is we have the military capability, political resolve and legal authority to go through with what we started . We will continue our mission until our mission succeeds and Col Gaddafi must get no other signal than that.”

A new “cost-conscious mentality” will drive a greater focus on affordability throughout the MoD. And a new approach to personnel will aim to ensure promotions go to the right person for the job, rather than operating on the principle of “Buggins’ turn”, said Dr Fox.

Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said Labour broadly welcomed the changes, but added that there had been a “fracture” in the relationship between ministers and the service chiefs, reflected in Mr Cameron’s comments last week.

“For some, unfortunately, today’s announcement of the removal of the three service chiefs from the defence board will be seen as a structural confirmation of that strident sentiment,” said Mr Murphy. “The rushed and arbitrary decisions taken in the Government’s defence review… have created a black hole in MoD finances.”

Article source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/mod-faces-radical-spending-reform-022241511.html

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STOCKTON – Sunday was as clear as any summer day, but it certainly thundered at University of the Pacific.

Professional drum and bugle corps from throughout the nation took center stage at Amos Alonzo Stagg Memorial Stadium, treating Stockton to an evening of synchronized marching, drum and trumpet playing, baton twirling and flag swirling.

The 32nd annual Moonlight Classic show drew hundreds of spectators, from families hoping for wholesome entertainment to high school marching band members looking for inspiration.

“I’ve never seen professional field shows,” said Chris Carreon, 14, of Lodi, who plays trumpet and bass guitar and plans to join the Tokay High band his upcoming freshman year.

Article source: http://recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110627/A_NEWS/106270312/-1/rss02

WASHINGTON — In promising a U.S. military pullout from Afghanistan will begin in July, President Barack Obama is permitting his commanders to decide critical details, including the number of troops to depart first and whether any of those will be combat forces, administration and military officials said Sunday.

Providing that leeway is important to Army Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. It allows him to pace this year’s phase of the withdrawal in a way that preserves combat power through the end of the traditional fighting season in October or November.

Mr. Obama said in a national address Wednesday that he was ordering 10,000 troops home by year’s end; as many as 23,000 more are to leave by September 2012.

The 33,000 total is the number that Mr. Obama sent as reinforcements in December 2009 as part of an effort to reverse the Taliban’s momentum and hasten an eventual political settlement of the conflict. The U.S. and its allies plan a full combat withdrawal by the end of 2014.

“Starting next month, we will be able to remove 10,000 of our troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year,” Mr. Obama told the nation last week.

He did not say how many would leave in July.

In congressional testimony Thursday, neither Gen. Petraeus nor Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided details on what the July pullout would look like.

Gen. Petraeus, who is leaving his post this summer, said he was returning to Kabul to work out details of how he will fulfill the order to reduce by 10,000 by year’s end and by an additional 23,000 next year.

There currently are about 100,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Adm. Mullen indicated that Mr. Obama was giving commanders wide latitude to shape the withdrawal, so long as they meet the president’s broad timelines.

Gen. Petraeus and his designated successor, Marine Lt. Gen. John R. Allen, “will be given the flexibility — inside these deadlines — to determine the pace of this withdrawal and the rearrangement of remaining forces inside the country,” Adm. Mullen told the House Armed Services Committee.

Gen. Allen’s Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Other administration and military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said Mr. Obama has left it to Gen. Petraeus to determine exactly how big a reduction to make in July and whether they include combat forces, so long as the drawdown reaches 10,000 by year’s end. Those officials said it was agreed that no reductions in July was not an option.

Through his spokesman in Kabul, Gen. Petraeus on Sunday declined to discuss the subject of how the July phase of the withdrawal will be executed.

Gen. Petraeus, in line to be CIA director, told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday that Mr. Obama chose a faster-paced troop withdrawal than Gen. Petraeus had recommended. But Gen. Petraeus said it was understandable that Mr. Obama had weighed more than strictly military factors, and that Gen. Petraeus supported the decision.

Mr. Obama’s troop withdrawal plan was criticized Sunday by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich.

Mr. Rogers said he thinks the president shaped his plan mainly to fit the needs of his 2012 re-election campaign rather than the needs of commanders in Afghanistan.

“Unfortunately I think this was more written by the political shop than by the Pentagon,” Mr. Rogers said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

In an interview on the same program, the top House Democrat, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, acknowledged that domestic presidential politics played a role. She said he had hoped that Democrats who compose Mr. Obama’s base of political support would have some influence over his Afghan war decision.

“And I think they have,” she said. “The president has taken out more troops than some others wanted him to.”

One element of the July troop drawdown is set in motion.

Gen. Petraeus decided this month that two battalions of an Oklahoma Army National Guard infantry brigade that had been scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in July to perform security duties would go to Kuwait instead. When the two battalions that those 800 soldiers would have replaced in Afghanistan go home in July, the total U.S. presence will drop by that amount.

It’s not known whether Gen. Petraeus intends to make other July reductions.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said while visiting Afghanistan in early June that he expected the first withdrawals to include a mix of combat and support troops.

Article source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11178/1156532-82-0.stm?cmpid=nationworld.xml

The NBA Draft is all about teams bolstering their talent pipeline for the future.

However outside of welcoming the league’s new crop of rookies into the fold, draft night has also become known as an annual trade bash second only to the yearly trade deadline each February.

The 2011 Draft did little to break from tradition as it also produced a plethora trades ranging from the league worst Minnesota Timberwolves getting into the dealing spirit all the way to the world champion Dallas Mavericks reloading their roster for another run at a championship in 2012.

Here are some brief summaries of the major deals during last night’s action:

Charlotte, Milwaukee and Sacramento three-way deal

Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Beno Udrih, Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston, and draft rights to No. 19 pick Tobias Harris.
Sacramento Kings Receive: John Salmons and draft rights to No. 10 overall pick Jimmer Fredette
Charlotte Bobcats Receive: Corey Maggette and draft rights to No. 7 overall pick Bismack Biyombo

Bucks Analysis: In 2010 the Bucks seemed to be a team on the rise recording 46 wins and a playoff berth, but a myriad of injuries stifled the team’s ascent this past season. Make no mistake; Milwaukee doesn’t want to miss the playoffs in 2012. The deal adds two established veterans in Jackson and Udrih who boast starting caliber talent. Jackson is the gem of the deal and from 2008-10 averaged over 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Jackson will fit in well within head coach Scott Skiles’ defensive schemes.  

Kings Analysis: The Kings are obviously in rebuilding mode but managed to land the rights to high scoring guard Jimmer Fredette who will keep defenses honest on the perimeter and fan interest high. Salmons played with the club from 2007-09 where he established himself as a strong scorer on the wing. The move is also an insurance policy if the team decides not to match offers for restricted free agent guard Marcus Thornton.

Bobcats Analysis: Charlotte has decided to revamp the entire roster in an attempt to remove itself from its “middle of the pack” positioning over the past few years. Gone are guys like Jackson, Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler who helped lead the team to its first ever playoff berth in 2010. The addition of Maggette will provide much needed scoring on an extremely young unit, but he’s also known around the league for his mentoring work with younger players. The Bobcats also landed the draft rights to Bismack Biyombo who lacks a refined offensive game, but is athletically gifted and could develop into one of the draft’s impact players down the road.

Dallas, Denver and Portland three-way swap

Dallas Mavericks Receive: Rudy Fernandez and the draft rights to Petteri Koponento (2007)
Denver Nuggets Receive: Andre Miller, draft rights to No. 26 overall pick Jordan Hamilton, and a future second round pick from Portland
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Raymond Felton, draft rights to No. 57 overall pick Tanguy Ngombo

Dallas Analysis: The Mavericks take a proactive step by bringing in the perimeter oriented Fernandez since it’s likely the club could lose both Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson in free agency.

Denver Analysis: It was clear Felton was unhappy coming off the bench in Denver behind Ty Lawson. The Nuggets now have options with Miller. The team can either waive his unguaranteed contract for 2012 or bring him off the bench for Lawson in case of injury or struggle.

Portland Analysis: The Trail Blazers were trying to deal Miller for quite some time and now land the younger Felton who demonstrated he has borderline All-Star potential during his brief stint as the New York Knicks’ starting point guard in 2010.

Indiana and San Antonio trade

Indiana Pacers Receive: George Hill
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Draft rights to No. 15 overall pick Kawhi Leonard, draft rights to No. 42 overall pick Davis Bertans and the draft rights to Erazem Lorbek (2005)

Indiana Analysis: The Pacers haven’t been pleased with the development of Brandon Rush at shooting guard and while Paul George played admirably in the role during the playoffs he’s more of a natural small forward. Enter Hill who has proved to be capable on multiple occasions of handling heavier workloads on perennially playoff bound Spurs teams.

San Antonio Analysis: It was rumored all week the Spurs were willing to part ways with a guard to get into the draft lottery, but the speculation revolved around veteran Tony Parker – not Hill. In Leonard, San Antonio receives a wing prospect who many believed was a lock for the top 10.  The Spurs also begin their future retooling project adding the rights to Bertans as Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili continue to show signs of decline.

For the full trade action and analysis from last night, check out HOOPSWORLD’s Trade Tracker by Mark Nugent.

Still Big Names Available (Undrafted): With only sixty draft slots available and franchises continuing to use the latter portion of the draft to reach on unknown commodities, it’s inevitable some players will be left out even though they possess NBA talent.

Here are some names who will undoubtedly receive interest from teams looking to fill out their training camp rosters before the start of next season. Some may say it’s better to be a rookie free agent than being drafted on the back end of the draft anyway.

Jacob Pullen, PG/SG, Kansas State

Pullen averaged over 20 points as a senior this past season, but at 6 feet he’s extremely undersized for a combo guard at the next level. There are guys with his physical attributes who manage to carve out a niche career in the pros, but Pullen will have to fight for his spot going forward.

Gilbert Brown, SF, Pittsburgh

Brown worked out for numerous teams in the build up toward the draft and while he showed flashes of brilliance at the collegiate level his inconsistency most likely was the determining factor in turning teams away from his obvious talent.

Ben Hansbrough, PG, Notre Dame

Hansbrough’s older brother Tyler was selected No. 13 overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2008. However, the younger sibling will not have the luxury of a guaranteed contract. Projected to be a mid-to-late second round pick because of his perimeter marksmanship, work ethic and leadership, Hansbrough will now have the opportunity to select the best team fit for his game post lockout.

Malcolm Thomas, PF, San Diego State

Thomas’ teammate Kawhi Leonard was selected by the Pacers with the No. 15 overall pick and subsequently dealt to San Antonio. It’s somewhat surprising the 6’9 Thomas didn’t hear his name called by a team looking for a potential defensive role player as the draft came to a close. Offensively Thomas is limited and not as polished but he’s shown the ability to play solid defense.

Jamie Skeen, PF, VCU

Skeen was the team leader for VCU during an improbable Final Four run last season in the NCAA Tournament. He wasn’t a draft lock by any stretch but his name recognition will surely lead to a few training camp invites and a potential stint in the D-League to prove his professional mettle.

Rick Jackson, PF, Syracuse

Jackson, a rugged power forward, averaged a double-double last season for the Orange and was one of the hopefuls selected to participate in the May combines held in Chicago. Being tapped to participate in that event is usually an early indicator of whether scouts believe a player has a NBA toolset. Jackson, one of the most underrated players in the draft field, is familiar with proving skeptics wrong. He’ll get another chance.

Scotty Hopson, SF, Tennessee

Hopson told media members during the Chicago combine that he aspired to be one of the greatest to ever play in the NBA. Lofty goals for sure, so Hopson will need to harness that inner confidence while navigating the rigors of earning a NBA roster spot.

Michael Dunigan, C, BC Kalev

Dunigan played two seasons at Oregon before signing a deal to play abroad where he won a championship with BC Kalev. He put up an impressive stat line of 11 points and 8 rebounds on the squad in a time when younger players typically struggle to adapt to life far away from home. At 6’10 and 240 pounds, there will always be a team looking for additional size in the middle.

Greg Smith, C, Fresno State

It is reported Smith has an 7-foot-3 wingspan. With that being said, it is somewhat surprising a team with a late pick didn’t select him based on his immense physical size alone. Smith doesn’t possess a strong offensive game at all, but the center spot remains one of the toughest to fill in the modern NBA so it should be expected that Smith will receive more than a few strong looks post draft.

NBA Chats: There are no NBA chats on the schedule for today. Susan Bible will host her weekly NBA Chat tomorrow at 11am (EST), if you want to get an early start get your questions in now! You can always find the next chat here: Upcoming NBA Chats.

Article source: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=20252

NEW YORK — On Sunday afternoon, former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre put on the pinstripes for the first time since Oct. 8, 2007.

And as he sat down in full uniform to take questions from the media before the 65th Old-Timers’ Day in the franchise’s illustrious history, it was as if Torre had never left.

“Putting it back on felt good,” said Torre, who managed the Yankees to four World Series championships (1996, ’98, ’99, 2000) during his 12 years as their skipper. “Taking it off was quite emotional back in ’07 because when I was doing it, I knew I wasn’t going to be here anymore. I just don’t like to dwell on stuff, but I certainly did feel different when I put it on (Sunday morning), because it was something I hadn’t done it in a long time, and it’s obviously the uniform that has meant the most to my career.”

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Torre, who now serves as MLB’s vice president of baseball operations, had been asked to come back for Old-Timers’ Day ever since he left the Yankees four years ago, but couldn’t because he was managing the Los Angeles Dodgers. But now that the opportunity to finally attend arose, Torre wasn’t going to miss it.

“I knew this day would come,” said Torre, who received a rousing ovation from the Yankee Stadium crowd after his introduction. “I’ve been looking forward to this. I think I’m going to enjoy this day.”

“It was heartwarming,” Torre said of the ovation he received. “These fans are so special, and you can feel their heartbeat.”

Several of his former players also received sustained ovations, with Bernie Williams receiving chants of “Bernie! Bernie!” for more than a minute. Williams was cheered when ran out to center field, his position for 16 seasons, and when he jogged into second base with a double.

Although Torre and the Yankees achieved a bevy of success together, their relationship soured and ended tumultuously after New York was eliminated by the Cleveland Indians — three games to one — in the 2007 American League Division Series.

Owner George Steinbrenner told Torre that his contract wouldn’t be renewed if the Yankees failed to advance in that series, and they didn’t.

Steinbrenner eventually reneged on his word and offered Torre a one-year, $5 million contract — with the opportunity to earn millions more in incentives — but it was seen as an insult to Torre, and he and the organization parted ways.

That prompted Torre to co-write a book with Tom Verducci in 2009 called “The Yankee Years,” in which he criticized general manager Brian Cashman, saying Cashman “betrayed” him during his final contract negotiations with the team.

Torre didn’t return to Yankee Stadium until Sept. 20, 2010, following Steinbrenner’s death, when the Yankees honored him with a statue in Monument Park.

Torre called his intial return an “ice-breaker” and says the awkwardness and animosity between he and the organization is “gone.”

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“That’s what I sense,” Torre said. “I didn’t know how much longer (I’d be here), I probably was wanting to do it one year, and it’s a tough thing to say goodbye here. But that last year I knew all the questions that started right from spring training that I wasn’t gonna be able to do that on a one-year basis anymore, and I think they probably wanted to do something else. But the fact that I was there so long, it became uncomfortable on both sides on how to separate, and it’s unfortunate because it wasn’t pretty.”

Torre has since spoken with the Steinbrenner family and Cashman, and all sides have moved on.

“It’s very comfortable for me,” Torre said. “I enjoy coming here (for my job) and just feeling free to go in the clubhouse.”

Torre said he has no plans to return to managing, and is comfortable with his new job.

“No, I’m not doing that!” Torre said Sunday, as he was being asked whether he had any desire to follow Jack McKeon back to the manager’s chair.

Lou Piniella, who joined Torre as a first-timer at Old-Timers’ Day, was equally emphatic about being satisfied with his decision to retire from his job as a big league manager. He called it quits as skipper of the Chicago Cubs last summer.

Torre mentioned how strange it was knowing some of his former players are now Old-Timers themselves.

“You realize how long it’s been … when you see Brian Boehringer and Clay Bellinger and Ramiro Mendoza and Charlie Hayes and Cecil Fielder,” he said. “When the players you manage are Old-Timers’ now, you figure it out. But it was fun reminiscing with everybody.”

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Want to get the scoop on everything in pinstripes? ESPNNewYork.com has you covered. Blog

Torre feels grateful for the opportunity to manage the Yankees, a team he called “the center of the baseball universe.”

He recalled how nervous he was when he first spoke with his team during spring training upon being hired by Steinbrenner in 1996.

“Every single coach on my staff had participated in a World Series except me, and I remember having this opportunity and I was very nervous talking to my club for the first time in the spring of ’96,” Torre said. “And I said at the time, ‘I don’t want to win just one World Series, I want to win three in a row.’ And the reason I said that was the fact that I’ve seen other teams win championships in other sports and you don’t hear from them again.

“I think it’s so important when you accomplish something to go out there and repeat it. It just shows a lot of character, and that was important to me to make sure if we did win something, to understand that that’s not enough yet. It was very satisfying here for obvious reasons.”

Asked about where he believes his legacy lies, Torre said, “That’s for someone else to decide.”

“It goes very quickly,” Torre said of his career in professional baseball. “That’s one thing about baseball. I’ve been in professional baseball since (the) 1960s, and in a lot of ways it feels brand-new because you spend your life doing things you love to do, but as far as professional baseball, this opportunity to be with the Yankees for as long as I was here, and to get the opportunity, was amazing for me. I’ve been very fortunate. It’s been my life and I’ve had the opportunity to stay in the game and do things that have been significant for me, so it’s been great.”

Mike Mazzeo is a regular contributor to ESPNNewYork.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Article source: http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6705961&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

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EXETER — The Exeter Brass Band will hold its first concert of the season Monday, June 27, at the Exeter Bandstand on Water Street in downtown Exeter.

Concerts will be held Mondays, July 4, 11, 18 and 25, 7:30 to 9 p.m. In case of inclement weather, concerts will be held in Exeter Town Hall.

The band will be conducted by Edward Flanigan, a longtime member. The Exeter Brass Band is said to be the oldest of its kind in continuous service in the United States, having been founded in 1847.

For more information, call Charles H. MacDougall at 772-4967.

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Article source: http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110626-NEWS-106260341

BOUNTIFUL — An extended fireworks season with fireworks which heretofore were illegal has fire official concerned, not only about the increased risk of fires, but also increased risks of injury.

In its last session, the State Legislature extended the summer fireworks season to run from June 26 through July 26. Other dates include New Year’s Eve and Jan. 1, the day before and on chinese New Year.

A new type of aerial firework is also now legal. Called multiple tube, repeater or cake fireworks, they appear to be professional displays in miniature, according to the state fire marshal.

Still not allowed are firecrackers, M-80, cherry bombs, bottle rockets, Roman candles, single or reloading mortars and ground salutes.

“For us, the problem is the unknown,” South Davis Metro Fire Agency Chief Jim Rampton said. “The season is a whole lot longer,” the full month of July, rather than a few days before and after the holidays, meaning a much greater fire danger, Rampton said.

But his real concern lies in the fact many people won’t know how the new fireworks work, and with them shooting as high as 150 feet in the air, those shooting them off must have ample clearance around trees, carports, homes and garages

And, Rampton said, not knowing how they work will cause people to put themselves and others in danger.

He said he can see a scenario in which someone lights several of the new fireworks. Only half go off, and the person investigates why the others didn’t go off. The firework then goes off causing injury.

The fire marshal also issued a warning on the sometimes seemingly harmless sparklers, saying the tip of a sparkler burns at 1,200 degrees fahrenheit — hot enough to cause third-degree burns. Children under 12 should not be allowed to use sparklers without extremely close supervision, the fire marshal’s office warns.

Sparklers should be held at arms length, with at least 6 feet between those using sparklers and children should not wave a sparkler or run while holding a sparkler.

“For us in the fire service, if we had a choice, we’d have no fireworks at all,” Rampton said.

Three south Davis cities abutting the mountains have adopted summer fire restrictions.

In Bountiful, that’s east of Bountiful Boulevard and north of 400 North, east of 900 East.

In North Salt Lake no fireworks will be allowed east of Eagle Ridge Drive, and in Centerville, no fireworks will be allowed basically east of 700 East.

“We took the farthest east road as the cutoff,” Rampton said. “We don’t want fireworks used in the (urban-wildlands) interface.”

mwilliams@davisclipper.com

Article source: http://www.clippertoday.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Extended+fireworks+season+has+officials+concerned%20&id=14361030&instance=secondary_stories_left_column

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Boston Bruins Select Solid Prospects in 2011 NHL Entry Draft

The Boston Bruins are fresh on the heels of their first Stanley Cup Championship in 39 years. While the skaters are most likely still celebrating and racking up ridiculously awesome tabs at Foxwoods, their front office has been hard at work the past two days during the 2011 NHL Draft.

The Bruins selected six times over the seven rounds including 9^th overall, which is a great spot to be selecting as Stanley Cup Champs. They snagged blueliner Dougie Hamilton here and he looks to be the natural replacement for Zdeno Chara. The BIG 6-foot-4 defenseman has a complete game and he will only get stronger and more intimidating as he prepares himself in the junior league, where the Bruins have the luxury of stashing him for a few years.

Alex Khokhlachev is a C/F prospect who is only 17 years old and had a great showing in the OHL playoffs his rookie season. He will be a project but one that has good potential and value for being the 40^th overall selection.

The Bruins then tabbed Anthony Camara, Brian Ferlin, Rob O’Gara, and Lars Volden in the subsequent rounds. These players will be stashed away in their respective leagues for a while and can be developed while the Bruins continue to compete with their Stanley Cup nucleus.

I would say the Bruins had one of the better drafts given that they are defending Cup champions and got a top tier talent to make them even better in the future. They will be postseason regulars for years to come. 

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Article source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/748249-caroline-wozniacki-kurt-rambis-serena-willams-and-todays-top-sports-news/entry/101420-2011-nhl-draft-results-boston-bruins-ready-to-repeat-after-reloading-in-draft

25 June 2011
Last updated at 11:56 ET

The band was formed in 1946 at Leyland

A world-famous brass band has been forced to re-think a return to its Lancashire home after concerns were raised about the noise.

The Leyland Band, which was established in 1946 as the Leyland Motors Band, has more recently been based in Warrington and Wigan.

Determined to return to Leyland, it applied to convert an industrial unit in the town into a rehearsal space.

But neighbours raised a petition and the application was withdrawn.

People living in Gower Court, near the proposed site, said the noise levels would not be acceptable.

Not ideal

Resident John Mansley said: “We’re in the immediate vicinity of this unit they are proposing to use, it is really noise levels that are the main item.”

Allan Littlemore, chairman of the band, said: “Most of the people come from the central Lancashire area – we just need to come back here.

“We will have Leyland Band rehearsing on a long-term lease, who with and exactly where remains to be seen.”

South Ribble Council said the application was submitted in May but withdrawn soon afterwards.

Council Leader Margaret Smith said the council would do all it could to help the band find a new home.

“I know they have somewhere at the moment but it’s not ideal so we’ll keep working very hard at it,” she said.

The band is made up of more than 30 musicians and has members from as far away as Norway, Australia and Luxemburg.

It has recorded more than 40 records and won the 1994 British Open Championships, the All England Masters in 1989, 1992 and 2003, and the 2005 National Brass Band Championships.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-england-lancashire-13915554

An unusual rash of thefts has been happening in the Medical Center in certain parking garages.  But it’s not people who are being robbed.  Rather, thieves are ripping off the fire equipment.

KENS 5 has learned that thieves are stealing the brass hardware for a quick buck.

The brass caps are smaller than a dollar bill and weigh less than a pound.  But if one is missing in the event of a fire, it could cost precious seconds.

Police at the UT Health Science Center say thieves are snatching the brass caps off fire hose valves found in stairwells.

“If those caps are missing,” said San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood, “there could be debris or garbage in there. And it’s going to impede the flow of the water.”  That flow is critical in fighting fires in high-rise buildings.

Plus, your tax dollars paid for the caps, and taxpayers now will be paying to replace more than 30 of them.  UTHSC police said recently 34 to 37 have been stolen.

But with the price of copper and brass at a premium, it’s one more way thieves are cashing in – even if it costs people their safety.

“Especially a fire in a high-rise building,” said Chief Hood.  “We need to get water to those upper floors.”

If anyone comes across a suspect trying to sell a multitude of brass caps, call UTHSC police at (210) 567-8822.

Article source: http://www.kens5.com/news/local/EXCLUSIVE-Thieves-stealing-brass-hardware-on-fire-equipment-124464229.html

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Ian Ritchie, the chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, has
heard enough. Ritchie, who heads an eight-member committee that oversees
Wimbledon, wants players to turn down their grunting.

“We would like to see less of it,” Ritchie told The Daily Telegraph. “I think
there is an education problem with younger players. And certainly, if you
say, ‘What do you get most letters about?’ I would say that grunting is high
up.”

On Wednesday, Victoria Azarenka shrieked loudly on Court 15 during a
straight-set victory over Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic.

Asked whether she was aware of the sound, Azarenka, 21, said she was taught to
grunt as a 10-year-old beginner to compensate for her weak physical
condition.

“I was told to do the thing,” Azarenka said, “so I just needed extra power to
hit the ball. It became part of my breathing routine when I play.”

Among the loudest players at Wimbledon during the years have been Maria
Sharapova and Serena Williams.       

Article source: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/tennis/wimbledon-brass-want-to-tune-out-players-grunts--video-1559603.html?cxtype=ynews_rss

The Monterey Bay Symphony Brass Ensemble plans to perform at the Spreckels Fourth of July Celebration.

The 13-member brass ensemble, augmented by two drummers and conducted by music director Carl Christensen, will present a one-hour program titled “Main Street Classics” at Spreckels Memorial Park from 10 to 11 a.m. on July 4.

The performance is part of the annual Spreckels Fourth of July Celebration presented by the Spreckels Volunteer Fire Company.

The program will include “Fanfare for the Common Man” by Aaron Copland; the “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “Liberty Bell” marches of John Philip Sousa; the “Armed Forces Salute,” a medley of service themes; the Grand March from Verdi’s “Aida”; the traditional American favorite “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”; Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks”; and the gospel standard “Down by the Riverside.”

Article source: http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110624/OFFSIXTYEIGHT01/106240303/-1/RSS06

Outdoors calendar

Educational

Basics of Reloading: Every Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Memphis. Learn the ins and outs of reloading from the Bass Pro experts. Contact: (901) 213-5800.

Live Fish Feedings: Every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Memphis. Visitors can learn about the different species of fish kept in the aquarium at Bass Pro. Contact: (901) 213-5800.

Fly Tying for Beginners: July 11 from 6-8 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Memphis. Expert instructors from the Mid-South Fly Fishers will teach visitors to tie flies that can be used in local streams and lakes. Tools and materials are provided; there is no charge or registration required. Contact: (901) 213-5800.

Meetings

Mid-South Fly Fishers: July 5 at the Holiday Inn, 5795 Poplar Ave., Memphis. Wet fly hour begins at 6 p.m. with dinner to follow at 7. Meeting is free with a buffet dinner available for a fee. Guest speaker will be Dennis “Wild Bear” Reed. Visit msff.org.

Outdoors Shows

Mid-South Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza: Aug. 12-14 at Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Road, Memphis. Show times will be Aug. 12 from 2-9 p.m., Aug. 13 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Aug. 14 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets will be $7 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12. Contact: (901) 867-7007.

Fishing Tournaments

Bassmaster Northern Open on the James River: July 7-9 in Richmond, Va. Visit bassmaster.com.

EverStart Series Central Division event on the Detroit River: July 14-16 in Detroit, Mich. Visit flwoutdoors.com.

FLW Tour Major on Kentucky Pickwick Lake: July 21-24 in Florence, Ala. Visit flwoutdoors.com.

Bassmaster Elite Series Ramada All-Star Semifinal on Lake Jordan: July 23-24 in Wetumpka, Ala. Visit bassmaster.com.

EverStart Series Northern Division event on 1,000 Islands: July 28-30 in Clayton, N.Y. Visit flwoutdoors.com.

Bassmaster Elite Series Evan Williams Bourbon All-Star Championship on the Alabama River: July 29-31 in Montgomery, Ala. Visit bassmaster.com.

FLW Tour Major Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita: Aug. 11-14 in Hot Springs, Ark. Visit flwoutdoors.com.

Sending information: E-mail: brasher@commercialappeal.com; fax: 529-2362 or mail to: Sports Department, 495 Union, Memphis, Tenn. 38103.

Solunar tables

This schedule is from Mrs. Richard Alden Knight’s Solunar Tables. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 11/2 -2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.

—-Begin Table—-

/ A.M. / A.M. / P.M. / P.M. /

Day / Min / Maj / Min / Maj /

Today / 12:20 / 6:20 / 12:30 / 6:40 /

Saturday / 12:55 / 7:00 / 1:15 / 7:20 /

Sunday / 1:35 / 7:40 / 1:50 / 8:05 /

Monday / 2:20 / 8:25 / 2:35 / 8:50 /

Tuesday / 3:05 / 9:10 / 3:20 / 9:35 /

Wednesday / 3:50 / 10:00 / 4:15 / 10:25 /

Thursday / 4:40 / 10:50 / 5:00 / 11:15 /

Friday / 5:30 / 11:40 / 5:50 / /

—-End Table—-

Article source: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jun/24/no-headline---2011-06-23-232955589426/?partner=RSS

WASHINGTON — U.S. military leaders said Thursday that President Barack Obama’s decision to remove forces from Afghanistan in the middle of a fighting season poses some risk to recent battlefield gains, but they publicly supported his plan to bring home 33,000 troops by the end of next summer.

Neither his civilian advisers nor his military commanders won all that they had sought in Mr. Obama’s withdrawal decision, which will bring home 10,000 troops this year and another 23,000 by September 2012. But Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. David Petraeus, the commander in Afghanistan, said in testimony on Capitol Hill that they believed that the president had heard their proposals and set a policy they can carry out.

“The ultimate decision was a more aggressive formulation, if you will, in terms of the timeline, than what we had recommended,” Gen. Petraeus told the Senate Intelligence Committee during a hearing on his nomination to head the CIA. “That is understandable in the sense that there are broader considerations beyond just those of a military commander.”

In the weeks leading up to his decision, Mr. Obama faced growing calls from Congress to draw down U.S. forces swiftly and narrow the mission to focus on destroying al-Qaida, abandoning some of the expensive nation-building tasks that are part of the counterinsurgency strategy championed by Gen. Petraeus.

Lawmakers have offered a mixed reaction to Mr. Obama’s decision. Some have criticized the drawdown as too precipitous a withdrawal given the fragility of recent successes, while others have said it is too slow given the mounting domestic demands being neglected as a result of the $10 billion-a-month war effort.

But Adm. Mullen and Gen. Petraeus said Mr. Obama effectively assessed the ramifications of withdrawing forces at the pace he chose, and that the military would be able to carry out its mission effectively. The drawdown will leave 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan by the end of next summer, still a larger force than when Mr. Obama took office.

Together, the military leaders managed to blunt criticism, especially from some Republican lawmakers, that Mr. Obama’s decision was driven more by political considerations than strategic ones.

Article source: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11175/1155862-82.stm?cmpid=nationworld.xml

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – United States military commanders distanced themselves on Thursday from President Barack Obama’s timetable for withdrawing forces from Afghanistan, telling Congress they had sought a slower, less risky drawdown.

General David Petraeus, who is leading the US war effort in Afghanistan, and Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were clear in stating their public support for the decision Obama announced on Wednesday and said they would do their best to carry it out.

But at the same time they warned that the pace of the drawdown, which calls for a third of US forces in Afghanistan to leave by the end of next summer, would create additional risks to the unpopular, nearly decade-old campaign.

“The President’s decisions are more aggressive and incur more risk than I was originally prepared to accept,” Mullen, the top US military officer, told a House of Representatives committee hearing. Pressed by lawmakers, Mullen later added that he had concluded that the risks were manageable.

Petraeus scoffed at a suggestion he could have resigned over the President’s plan. Obama, he said, ultimately had to factor in more than just battlefield conditions when making his decision — an apparent reference to crumbling domestic support for the Afghan war.

“It is again a more aggressive approach than (top commanders) and I would have indeed certainly put forward, but this is not something I think where one hangs up the uniform in protest, or something like that,” Petraeus said at his Senate nomination hearing to become the next Central Intelligence Agency director.

Obama, speaking to about 200 soldiers at an Army base in upstate New York, defended his drawdown timetable and said the United States had turned a corner in the campaign that would allow for withdrawal.

Article source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/324078/us-brass-dissatisfied-over-pullout

In the first round, the Celtics sat back and watched several players get drafted higher than their expected slot, leaving many prognosticators shaking their heads. Several teams pulled off trades involving picks and players, causing more confusion. But the Celtics fully expected the night to play out this way, and they carried very little expectations for the clubs picking in front of them.

Article source: http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/06/24/celtics_brass_happy_with_polished_jajuan_johnson

THE nation’s top brass were frozen out of a review that could lead to the biggest military transformation in decades.

Defence insiders say military chiefs were informed of the government’s intentions but not invited to help plan the wide-ranging Force Posture Review announced by Defence Minister Stephen Smith on Wednesday.

“The military is already paranoid about a civilian take-over and this has them talking about the ‘thin edge of the wedge’,” one source said.

Under the review – led by former civilian Defence secretaries Allan Hawke and Ric Smith – more Defence assets could be based in western and northern Australia to protect Australia’s energy assets and help forge closer ties with the US.

No military officers were included in the high-level review team and it will be up to Dr Hawke and Mr Smith to select Defence staff to participate. Mr Smith pointedly announced the review would be conducted by the two-man expert panel and “the Department of Defence” – not the Australian Defence Force.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.

End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.

The only mention of the ADF came when Mr Smith said the review would assess whether ADF is correctly “positioned to meet Australia’s modern and future strategic and security challenges”.

The minister’s spokesman denied the military had been snubbed and said Mr Smith had discussed the review with all the service chiefs.

The Chief of Defence Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston also denied there was a problem with the process and said he was aware of the review weeks ago and had provided some input to the minister.

“There has to be military involvement (in the review) and there will be military involvement,” ACM Houston said yesterday.

“I don’t see any threat here to the military.”

He said Dr Hawke and Mr Smith would work closely with the military.

Relations between top brass and the government have been strained several times since Labor came to power in 2007. Mr Smith fell out badly with the military over the ADFA “Skype sex” scandal and he has since announced several high-level reviews that do not include any military officers.

In some cases even the civilian side of Department of Defence has been snubbed, but it is the lack of military input generating the most chatter at Defence headquarters.

Article source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/defence-review-snubbed-top-brass/story-e6freuzr-1226080895525

ST. JOHNS — The Capital City Brass Band performs June 29 at the
St. Johns City Park Performance Shell.

Music begins at 7 p.m. at the weekly Concert in the Park series.
There is no admission charge.

The all-volunteer brass and percussion ensemble that’s inspired by
traditional, British-style brass bands was organized in 2001.
Players come from across mid-Michigan, and represent a
cross-section of the community at large.

Band members recently had the honor of participating at the North
American Brass Band Association (NABBA) competition where they won
championship honors in the third division.

Conducting the band is Dr. Kenneth Kroesche, who has a wealth of
knowledge and experience as a conductor of brass ensembles, teacher
of low brass, and is a nationally renowned euphonium soloist and
clinician. He is the associate professor of trombone, euphonium and
tuba at Oakland University  where he serves as the Coordinator of
Applied Instrumental Music.

Concerts are held each Wednesday evening, beginning at 7 p.m., in
the beautiful outdoor concert venue at the St. Johns City Park,
located near Park and Morton streets. The St. Johns Lions and
Lioness Club staff a concession stand each week that offers light
refreshments. All concerts are held rain or shine.

For information on Concert in the Park call the Clinton County Arts
Council, (989) 224-2429.

Article source: http://www.argus-press.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_8859d240-9da4-11e0-bf3e-001cc4c002e0.html

23rd June 2011   ·   0 Comments

By Geraldine Wyckoff
The Louisiana Weekly

New Orleans brass bands, Mardi Gras Indians and social aid and pleasure clubs share the culture of the street. The mutual heritage is celebrated on Treme Traditions, a new release by the Treme Brass Band joined by David Montana, the Second Chief of the Yellow Pocahontas representing the Mardi Gras Indians. The two entities will again meet on Thursday, June 23, for two shows at Snug Harbor.

“I always did follow the Mardi Gras Indians so I thought it was time for me to put an Indian song out there,” says Benny Jones, the leader and snare drummer of the Treme Brass Band. “Years ago, I used to go to all of the Indian practices. I started off playing tambourine with the White Eagles — with Jake (Big Chief Jake Millon). I used to go to Bo Dollis’ Indian practice, the Creole Wild West. I’d play tambourine with them when they were on the street.”

The album approaches the collaboration of the traditions in three ways. On tunes like the fine chestnut “When My Dreamboat Comes Home,” the Treme plays the tune straight-up brass band style. It opens with Kirk Joseph’s sousaphone mimicking a fog horn before everybody jumps in to swing it. Uncle Lionel Batiste brings his usual charm and sense of sincerity to the lyrics with tasty solos provided by (Dirty Dozen) saxophonist Roger Lewis, trombonist Corey Henry and trumpeter Kenneth Terry. This group of horn players complement each other well during their ensemble work.

The Mardi Gras Indian chant, “Corrine Died on the Battlefield” remains in its classic state. Chief Montana sings lead with Fred Johnson supporting on vocals. Johnson used to mask Indian with the Yellow Pocahontas but is now best recognized as a founding member (along with Jones and trumpeter Gregg Stafford) of the Black Men of Labor Social Aid Pleasure Club.

On this song and the other Mardi Gras Indian offerings, Jones wields a tambourine and sings background vocals along with other members of the band. We assume that drummers and tambourine aces Herlin Riley and Shannon Powell, both of whom enjoy a strong presence on the CD, are among the group.

“David and I got tight years ago,” says Jones of selecting David Montana for the album. “My father {the noted drummer Chester Jones} used to have a bar in the 7th Ward and he knew Tootie {David’s uncle, Big Chief Allison “Tootie” Montana}. So I’ve been knowing the family for years.”

Jones’ father was a great influence in sparking his son’s interest in brass bands. Jones remembers following his father at parades when the elder was a member of the Onward and Eureka brass bands. Growing up in the Treme neighborhood, Jones, 66, was surrounded by all of the street cultures that thrived there.

Brass bands and Black Indians have traveled on similar back-of-town paths for decades but it hasn’t been until more recent times that they have joined forces. Those involved with these street traditions, however, have a tendency to mix and mingle. Both entities take part in the Tambourine Fan’s Super Sunday parade and the Mardi Gras Indian Council’s uptown Indian Sunday procession though as separate units that stay within their own musical traditions. When a brass band takes a break during a designated stop at a social aid and pleasure club parade, it’s common to hear a circle of Indians chanting on a nearby street corner. Notable too is that there are a handful of brass band musicians who have also masked Indian including Treme Brass Band trumpeter Kenneth Terry, drummer Gerald French, trombonist Stafford Agee and drummer A.J. Mallory.

“Now, everybody’s supporting one another,” says Jones noting that many members of the brass bands, Black Indians and social aid and pleasure clubs turn up at each others’ events. These days, Jones is often asked to hire several Mardi Gras Indians for the Treme Brass Band’s gigs at events like conventions and parties. They’ll generally come in for a couple of numbers. “I always try to pick a songs like “Lil Liza Jane” that Indians can dance off – songs where we can communicate,” Jones explains. “We put it all together.”

That’s just what the Treme Brass Band does on cuts from the album like the Mardi Gras Indian staple “Shallow Water.” On this rendition, horns join the background vocalists chanting the “response” to Montana’s traditional “call.” Joseph’s sousaphone is particularly effective on the prayer song “Indian Red.”

Two other solid tunes that fit comfortably within the album’s theme are the Meters/Neville Brothers’ signature “Hey Pocky Way” with Powell on vocals and Riley on drums and the ear-opener, Earl King’s “Big Chief” with Riley on, yes, piano.

“He was playing the piano in the studio and he was sounding good so I asked him if he wanted to play it on the album,” explains Jones who had never heard him on piano before. “So Shannon got on the drums. That’s Shannon singing and whistling too.”

At the CD release party at Snug Harbor this Thursday night, the Treme Brass Band will be six members strong plus Chief David Montana. Jones expects they’ll be some other musicians making guest appearances too. “There’s no telling who is going to show up,” says Jones, who plans on more such parties in coming months at nightspots around town. “It might end up to be a big band at the second show.”

This article originally published in the June 20, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.

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Article source: http://www.louisianaweekly.com/treme-brass-band%E2%80%99s-album-is-all-about-cultural-traditions/

Over 40 Companies Sponsor USPSA’s Area 1 Regional Handgun Championship Presented by Springfield Armory

U.S. Practical Shooting Association

SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. --(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) announced the final list of sponsors for this weekend’s 2011 USPSA Area 1 Regional Handgun Championship, Presented by Springfield Armory. The match, which takes place at the Albany Rifle and Pistol Club in Shedd, Ore., has the support of more than 40 companies committed to growing the sport or practical shooting.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the support we’ve received from across the shooting community. Our sponsors have been extremely generous and the impact of their support can be seen in the overwhelming response we’ve received from shooters wishing to compete in the championship,” said Chuck Anderson, the USPSA Area 1 director.

The newly announced stage sponsors for the match are Blackhawk Industries, Briley, Cameron’s Custom Guns, CPWSA, Competitive Edge Dynamics, Grams Engineering, Rainier Ballistics, Redding Reloading Equipment, Safariland, Schuemann Barrel, Springer Precision, Starline Brass, TechWear USA and Tyler Firearms Instruction.

Additional sponsors include those supporting the match’s special events, Columbia River Knife Tool, Danner, E.R. Shaw, Gemini Custom Apparel, Hi-Viz Shooting Systems Sights, STI International, Trijicon Inc. and Unique-Tec, as well as contributing sponsors Action Target, Decot Hy-Wyd Sport Glasses, Pro-Tech Co., Sam Keen, Sierra Bullets, Wolf Performance Ammunition and Zero Bullet Co.

These companies join previously announced sponsors Springfield Armory (presenting), Brownells and Montana Gold Bullet (premier), Cheaper Than Dirt!, Crimson Trace, MGM Targets and Warne Scope Mounts (match), Cameron’s Custom Guns, CR Speed , CZ-USA, ESP Electronic Hearing Protection, Hogue Grips, Hornady Manufacturing, Sig Sauer and Starlight Cases (division).

“The list of companies lined up to support the Area 1 match reads like a who’s who of the shooting sports industry, and is a testament to the hard work that match officials have put in to making this the best possible event for our members,” observed Dave Thomas, USPSA executive director.

The 2011 USPSA Area 1 Regional Handgun Championship, Presented by Springfield Armory is the third of eight regional pistol championships on the USPSA calendar. Match officials are expecting more than 300 top pistol shooters from around the country, as well as Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, the states that make up the Area 1 region.

To learn more about practical shooting, or to join the 20,000 members of USPSA in the most dynamic and fast-paced shooting sport around, visit www.USPSA.org, follow @USPSA_Shooting on Twitter, like USPSA on Facebook (www.facebook.com/USPracticalShootingAssn) or read the Practical Shooting blog (www.practicalshooting.posterous.com).

Distributed to you by - AmmoLand.com – The Shooting Sports News source.Tags: Area 1, Competitive Shooting News, Shooting Industry News, Sponsorships, United States Practical Shooting Association, USPSA

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Article source: http://www.ammoland.com/2011/06/23/40-companies-sponsor-uspsas-area-1-regional-handgun-championship/

by Takashi Ohira, Masahiro Terada, Fuminori Kawano, Naoya Nakai, Akihiko Ogura, Yoshinobu Ohira

Response of adductor longus (AL) muscle to gravitational unloading and reloading was studied. Male Wistar Hannover rats (5-wk old) were hindlimb-unloaded for 16 days with or without 16-day ambulation recovery. The electromyogram (EMG) activity in AL decreased after acute unloading, but that in the rostral region was even elevated during continuous unloading. The EMG levels in the caudal region gradually increased up to 6th day, but decreased again. Approximately 97% of fibers in the caudal region were pure type I at the beginning of experiment. Mean percentage of type I fibers in the rostral region was 61% and that of type I+II and II fiber was 14 and 25%, respectively. The percent type I fibers decreased and de novo appearance of type I+II was noted after unloading. But the fiber phenotype in caudal, not rostral and middle, region was normalized after 16-day ambulation. Pronounced atrophy after unloading and re-growth following ambulation was noted in type I fibers of the caudal region. Sarcomere length in the caudal region was passively shortened during unloading, but that in the rostral region was unchanged or even stretched slightly. Growth-associated increase of myonuclear number seen in the caudal region of control rats was inhibited by unloading. Number of mitotic active satellite cells decreased after unloading only in the caudal region. It was indicated that the responses of fiber properties in AL to unloading and reloading were closely related to the region-specific neural and mechanical activities, being the caudal region more responsive.

For the full article visit:
Region-Specific Responses of Adductor Longus Muscle to Gravitational Load-Dependent Activity in Wistar Hannover Rats
Syndicated from:PLoS ONE

Article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

Article source: http://elitestv.com/pub/2011/06/region-specific-responses-of-adductor-longus-muscle-to-gravitational-load-dependent-activity-in-wistar-hannover-rats

MANILA, Philippines – Letters and numbers on the tombs of the late President Manuel Roxas, his son Sen. Gerry Roxas, and grandson, Congressman Gerardo Roxas Jr. were found missing last Saturday.

Manuel Roxas is the grandfather of former Senator and incoming Transport Secretary Mar Roxas, Gerry Roxas is Mar’s father and Gerardo Roxas Jr. his brother.

The management of the Manila North Cemetery said they have identified a suspect in the theft. Cemetery OIC Edgardo Noriega said the suspect is a repeat offender and has been jailed several times before for petty theft.

Noriega said the letters on the Roxas tombs are made of brass, which can be sold for P100-P200 per kilo.

He said the suspect also stole steel bars and other materials in the area. He expects the suspect to be apprehended soon.
 

Article source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/06/23/11/brass-letters-3-roxas-graves-stolen

The event followed a successful performance in last year’s festival, when diverse groups of percussionists — some on shore, others on floating barges — played Xenakis’s complex “Persephassa” as people listened from a flotilla of Central Park rowboats.

“Swelter,” an ambient piece by the Australian sound artists Julian Day, Luke Jaaniste and Janet McKay, was presented by MATA, an organization that promotes works by young composers. It was performed by nearly 30 brass players, including several young students, recruited by Tilt Brass, a Brooklyn organization that fosters contemporary brass music.

The performers played in small, separated groups on the rim of the lake’s west side, and the audience listened from rowboats, though not quite as many as last year, perhaps because this time the boats were not free. For the Xenakis event a foundation that supports Greek culture covered the rental costs for any audience member willing to take out a boat and listen. Still, the lake was fairly crowded for “Swelter.” Mixed into the brass music were the sounds of creaking oaks, lapping water, quacking ducks and an occasional helicopter.

“Swelter” was part of a continuing performance-installation project called Super Critical Mass. There was no score, hence there were no music stands and no conductor. The players, cued to begin by a collective text message, executed a series of algorithms for specific pitches and phrase patterns.

At first “Swelter” was a subdued collection of sustained sounds coming from surrounding enclaves of brass players on the edges of the lake: a distant hum of mellow tones that piled up to form quivering chords. Sometimes a buzzing low note on a tuba, or swelling sustained trombone tones, or some fragment of an ascending whole-tone scale, would break through the texture of murmuring sounds. Eventually the music became a web of fractured phrases, riffs and harmonies.

The mood of “Swelter” was contemplative over all, and for the most part the rowers and their passengers entered into the spirit of the event and listened quietly, even when drifting boats collided amid murmured apologies. After a long silence it became clear that “Swelter” was over. People applauded, and the clapping sounds created another short-lived lake-top piece.

While heading back to the dock, I found out that during “Swelter” a marriage proposal was offered and accepted aboard one boat. I tracked down the happy couple afterward, tourists from Germany. Looking delighted, Natalia Giesbrecht said that the proposal from her boyfriend, Andrej Ruff, had taken her by complete surprise. Here were two listeners who should always have good memories of “Swelter.”

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/arts/music/make-music-new-yorks-swelter-at-central-park-lake.html

BY FRAN SPIELMAN
City Hall Reporter
fspielman@suntimes.com

June 22, 2011 4:42PM

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Article source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/6120410-417/ot-wrongly-paid-to-fire-department-brass-wiped-out-furlough-savings-watchdog.html

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

It goes without saying, that every year every team has much go gain or lose from the NBA Draft. A lottery pick, especially, could mean the difference between an Oklahoma City Thunder-like ascension to the NBA’s elite behind Kevin Durant or four years worth of knee-related frustration behind Greg Oden. 

Especially for small market teams that have neither the money nor the big-market appeal for free agents, the draft is pivotal for any rebuilding or reloading franchise. 

So who are this year’s most at-risk teams?

3: Sacramento Kings 

The Kings fell to No. 7 in the 2011 NBA Draft, despite the NBA’s fifth worst record. Few expect the Kings to land a new franchise player at No. 7, but there’s more at stake in Sacramento. 

Sacramento is in a fierce fight to avoid relocation and secure an arena deal that would keep the team in Sacramento. The Kings have drafted well in grabbing talented DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans in the last two drafts, but neither, despite their talent, have given the city much to rally around from a fan standpoint. 

The Kings need fans in seats to prove that a new arena is scalable and an attention-grabbing pick could do just that (see: Walker, Kemba). 

2: Minnesota Timberwolves 

The Timberwolves had the league’s best chance at landing the draft’s top pick as reward for a very forgettable regular season. 

Instead Cleveland landed the top pick along with the fourth overall pick, leaving David Kahn fuming over his team’s perceived misfortune. 

Now they’re left with the No. 2 pick where the consensus seems to be either Derrick Williams—who has drawn comparisons to current Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley—or Turkish project Enes Kanter. 

Good luck with that, boys. 

1: Cleveland Cavaliers 

Of course, this is easier said than done, but Cleveland: Do. Not. Screw. This. Up. 

The Cavaliers were jilted publicly by native son LeBron James last summer and endured a horribly embarrassing campaign where their fondest moment had nothing to do with a win in Cleveland but a win for a team from Texas. 

They were handed a golden opportunity with the Nos. 1 and 4 picks, now it’s theirs to not endure another embarrassing summer. 

For more 2011 NBA Draft coverage, stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated NBA mock drafts, B/R’s Big Board of Recruits, NBA Draft rumors, NBA Draft results and draft grades.

-Sean Swaby

Most recent updates:

• NBA Draft 2011: Who Will Go First, Kemba Walker or Brandon Knight?
• NBA Draft 2011: Should the Minnesota Timberwolves Trade the No. 2 Pick?
• NBA Draft 2011: Sacramento Kings and Kemba Walker, a Perfect Fit?
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Article source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/741088-2011-nba-draft-real-time-nba-draft-analysis/entry/99271-nba-draft-2011-the-3-teams-with-the-most-to-lose-on-draft-day

Strike a balance … it’s not easy weighing up the best travel card option for your particular needs. Photo: Greg Bakes

What it is Travel cards are an alternative – often a cheaper one – to using your own debit card or credit card while on holiday. Specialists such as Travelex have issued them for some time and have been joined in recent years by the likes of the ANZ and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Following in those footsteps is the American Express GlobalTravel Card, a prepaid card that can be loaded with the US dollar, the euro or the British pound.

As well as being available through American Express foreign exchange outlets, the card is sold through Australia Post.

How it works For a fee of $15 you receive a card (and a back-up) you can load with the currency of your choice. The card can then be used for store and online transactions outside Australia or to withdraw money from overseas ATMs wherever a standard American Express card would be accepted.

Pros The advantage of a travel card is that you save on what can be punishing transaction costs when you use your personal cards for purchases overseas. With a card such as GlobalTravel, paying for goods or services is fee-free.

The other potential advantage is that you get to lock in your exchange rate now – you get the rate prevailing on the day you load the card with money. In contrast, you’ll get the rate prevailing at the time of each purchase or withdrawal if you use your personal debit or credit card overseas.

But locking in the rate is only an advantage if your view is that this is as strong as the Australian dollar is going to get against the currency you’re buying. If you think it could rise even higher, you might not want to lock in but wait for the further gains.

That said, currencies are notoriously volatile and hard to predict, so you might consider certainty an advantage in itself.

Amex says a specific advantage of its card is access to its 24/7 emergency assistance, which you might not get with other cards or to a more limited extent. It also provides emergency cash, at no extra fee, while a lost or stolen card is being replaced, when some others charge or don’t have this service.

Emergency card replacement is free, when some other cards charge a shipping or replacement fee in the order of $35 to $40.

A big difference is that funds on the GlobalTravel Card never expire, whereas any leftover money is forfeited if you don’t withdraw it before expiry on other cards – usually a year after the last transaction on the card. Amex doesn’t levy an inactivity fee either.

Another plus is that the 1 per cent fee for reloading a GlobalTravel Card (which you can do online via Bpay) is capped at a maximum charge of $10, whereas other cards skim off 1 per cent whatever the reload amount. If you suspect you’ll be reloading sums above $1000, you’ll be better off with a $10 cap.

By the way, any amateur currency speculators among you should note there’s a $30,000 annual limit on how much you can load or reload on all the Amex GlobalTravel cards you hold.

Cons The GlobalTravel Card costs up to $15 to buy, which is in line with the CBA Travel Money Card but is higher than the ANZ Travel Card at $11.

Also, other cards have more extensive currency options so you will be forced to turn elsewhere if you need something outside the three most popular denominations – New Zealand dollars, for instance.

Amex has stuck with providing just one currency per card.

The CBA, meanwhile, offers multiple currencies on the one card, which may suit some travellers better.

And then there’s the question of acceptance. While Amex is globally recognised, some merchants don’t accept Amex cards because its merchant fees tend to be higher than others’ fees.

You might also strike merchants who won’t accept the GlobalTravel Card – and similar cards – because they don’t have your name embossed on them.

Amex acknowledges in its product disclosure statement that ”some merchants who accept American Express Cards may not accept the card”.

All travel cards charge a fee for ATM withdrawals – usually between $2 and $2.50 – and this will be in addition to any fee charged by the ATM’s owner.

Article source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/money/saving/test-drive-american-express-globaltravel-card-20110621-1gc9v.html?from=age_ft

The smartphone has multiple rotary dials that can be swapped like camera lenses.

(Credit:
Richard Clarkson)

It’s silly, inevitable, and inspired. Of course, in this retro-crazed world, somebody was bound to slap a real rotary dial on a smartphone. And you know what? It looks cool.

New Zealand designer Richard Clarkson has come up with a concept smartphone that features a digital touch screen on the front and a space on the back where heavy brass dials, a traditional rotary dial and a dial with buttons can be interchanged like camera lenses. The phone is enclosed in a painted copper case designed to show metal where paint wears through.

Clarkson explains his motivation for the phone, dubbed Rotary Mechanical:

The rotary mechanical smartphone is based on the idea of incorporating more feeling and life into our everyday digital objects. In modern times these objects have come to define us, but who and what defines these objects? Are we happy with generic rectangles of a touch screen or do we want something with more tangibility, something with more life, something with more aura?

Clarkson’s concept phone is a fine example of steampunk craft, never mind that rotary dial telephones came on the scene in the chrome-and-glass art deco ’20s, several decades after the leather-and-brass Victorian era. I guess to do a truly period-appropriate steampunk smartphone you’d have to slap a crank handle on the side –not so appealing, or pocketable.

Brass dials on the back can be interchanged with alternately hued dials to give the phone a new look.

(Credit:
Richard Clarkson)

It’s also ironic that a rotary dial, a prime example of automation in its day, serves as the mechanical, handcrafted contrast to the digital, mass-produced smartphone components of today.

The leather carrying case and swappable dials hark back to early 35mm cameras, and the combination of painted case and rotary dial gives the impression of an early transistor radio (the
iPod of our grandparents’ generation.)

As cool as the concept is, the phone itself isn’t so practical, as all that brass and copper would probably be a lot to lug around.

The Rotary Mechanical features a touch screen on the front.

(Credit:
Richard Clarkson)

(Via Dezeen)

Article source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20072977-1/rotary-dials-give-smartphone-retro-flair/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave

Holiday and overtime pay for some of the Chicago Fire Department’s top personnel wiped out hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings from making them take unpaid days off work, according to a new report from the city’s top internal watchdog.

As the number of unpaid days off swelled to 24 last year, so too did overtime and holiday pay for dozens of deputy district chiefs, assistant deputy chief paramedics, internal affairs investigators and administrative workers.

Imposing 15 unpaid days in 2009 and 24 the next year saved the city nearly $806,000. But holiday and overtime pay topped $1.1 million during those two years, for a net loss of about $335,000, according to the report by Inspector General Joseph Ferguson.

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Ferguson recommended that the department not pay its top commanders for overtime or holidays because they are on salary and not covered by the union contract for lower-level employees that mandate those benefits. At the Chicago Police Department, non-union supervisors are given time off as compensation for overtime and holidays, his report states.

The report also questions whether that group was entitled to about $208,000 in “availability pay” and clothing and gear allowances they were paid in 2010 alone. Those payments also are in the contract for rank-and-file firefighters but are not guaranteed to non-union supervisors.

Ferguson’s report follows a preliminary one on the same topic last July. Since then, the department has stopped compensating commanders for holidays at pay that is about two-and-a-half times the normal hourly rate. It labeled those payments as clerical errors and took steps to recover a good portion of the money, according to the latest report.

The report also notes that the imposition of unpaid days off work could be the reason overtime spiked in 2009 and 2010 among district deputy chiefs and assistant deputy chief paramedics. It recommends the city evaluate whether it should impose unpaid days off on those workers.

Higher rates of medical absence and overtime pay to deputy chiefs who oversaw once-a-decade promotion tests also boosted overtime, the report states.

Article source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-report-ot-pay-for-fire-department-brass-wiped-out-furlough-day-savings-20110622,0,4275801.story?track=rss

The Euphoria Brass Band, a New Orleans–jazz outfit, is working out some rhythm parts on a Monday night in the band room at Mission Bay High School. When fully engaged, it is a brassy conflagration. The horn players sound as if on the verge of blowing gaskets. But in this case, the members of Euphoria are determining where the snare and bass-drum accents will land in their arrangement of “Blues for Ben.” “Less Bonerama, more Stanton Moore,” says Drew Miller by way of direction.

Miller is Euphoria’s bass drummer and host of a weekly radio program called the Second Line Parade on the City College radio station Jazz 88. Miller cofounded Euphoria Brass three months ago with a pair of New Orleans musicians who moved to San Diego post-Katrina. Oceanside guitarist Dave Bandrowski of the Zapf Dingbats and snare drummer Ron Bocian are both former students of a New Orleans wild man named Johnny Vidacovich. The two have the air of hipsters; one wonders how they came to be drawn to such traditional music.

“Living in New Orleans, you hear this stuff constantly,” says Bocian. “You hear a few second lines, then, you start looking for them. Then you’re staying out and partying and the next thing you know, you’re looking for rehab.” He laughs. Bocian says he tried to start a brass band for two years after relocating to San Diego but had no success. “You gotta speak the same [musical] language to be able to do this,” he says.

But after he heard Dave Bandrowski as a featured guest on Miller’s radio show, connections were made, says Bocian, and the band was launched. The eight-piece includes trombonist April West, Dave Jackson on tenor sax, tubist Wayne Rice, Steve Ebner and Tim Jameson on trumpets, and J.P. Balmat on bari sax and reeds. Balmat is band instructor at Mission Bay High.

Miller says that the Euphoria Brass Band is the only New Orleans jazz band in town and as such, they have been invited to play club dates and the recent Gator by the Bay and Fiesta Del Sol festivals. In keeping with tradition, they were also asked to play a funeral. “It was a guy’s death-bed request,” says Bocian. The term “second line” refers, in fact, to a funeral procession. “The first line (or main line) is the deceased, friends, and family,” says Miller. “And the second line,” he says, “is the band.”

The Euphoria Brass Band plays Dizzy’s on Sunday, July 3.

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Article source: http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2011/jun/22/blurt-euphoria-brass-band/

BII launches mobile banking service

JAKARTA: Bank Internasional Indonesia (BII) launched on Tuesday a mobile banking service to provide services such as account management, funds transfer, reloading pre-paid cell phone accounts and bill and online shopping payments.

“The investment was somewhere between US$300,000 to $500,000, mainly for the mainframe and network,” BII consumer banking manager Stephen Liestyo told reporters at the launch ceremony.

Stephen said BII customers could use the service to transfer funds to more than 80 banks connected to ATM Bersama, ALTO, and Prima networks.

“Fund transfers are limited to Rp 25 million [$2,900] a day and Rp 10 million per transaction, in accordance with Bank Indonesia regulations,” he said, adding that currently only rupiah transfers were available.

Stephen said the service was available through several platforms: SMS, SIM Application Toolkit, USSD Menu Browser (UMB) and a Java applet for BlackBerrys that could also be accessed from Nokia smartphones. Similar applications were not developed for the less popular iPhone and Android smartphone platforms, he said.

BII electronic transaction channel head Laksono said that the bank targeted 50,000 mobile banking users by the end of the year with 300,000 mobile transactions per month. — JP

Article source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/22/bii-launches-mobile-banking-service.html

The comments at one of his regular briefings to journalists represented the first serious attack by the Prime Minister on the Nationalists since he launched his “respect agenda” with Scotland after taking office last year.

The Prime Minister said: “What I worry about is the government of Scotland is going to be too much about how to bring about the right circumstances for his referendum and whether he (Alex Salmond] wants two questions or four questions or six questions or whatever, rather than actually trying to do the right thing by the people of Scotland.”

He added: “What I won’t have is just an endless situation where this isn’t about the health and wealth and wellbeing of the people in Scotland, it’s just about trying to get to a referendum situation to satisfy his needs. That’s not right at all.

“I’ve always said if the Scottish Parliament votes to have an independence referendum, that’s a vote we have to respect and we have to allow and enable that to happen.

“I don’t believe in Scottish independence. I believe in the United Kingdom. I want to keep the United Kingdom together.

“I’m not going to play a game with Alex Salmond about the hows, whens and wherefores. He should get on delivering good government for the people in Scotland and working with the Westminster government to make sure we join him in that endeavour. But I’m not going to play games over independence.”

His attack on the SNP agenda for government in Scotland came as the UK government has been showing signs of frustration over the lack of a date being set by the SNP for a referendum and vagueness over the question.

First Minister Alex Salmond has proposed to put two questions offering independence or fiscal autonomy.

However, the SNP has also snubbed an offer by Tory Scotland Office minister David Mundell for Westminster to help out with the legal problems around the election including allowing the Electoral Commission to police it properly.

But Mr Cameron also insisted that he did respect Scotland and its government.

He went on: “I genuinely believe in the respect agenda. I respect the mandate that Alex Salmond has. “The government here at Westminster will work with him and talk with him, how we can amend the Scotland Bill, how we can make sure everyone benefits from the policies of the UK government and the two governments work well together.”

But following his comments, the debate on the report stage and third reading of the Scotland Bill was chopped down to four hours, preventing serious debate on the Supreme Court, transferring corporation tax and broadcasting powers and revising legislation on road safety.

Calls by Labour and the SNP for the bill to be rescheduled were rebuffed by the government after parliamentary time was taken up by an emergency statement on the government’s justice policy, a ten-minute rule bill that ate up more time because it was, unusually, opposed by the Tories and another debate on a health bill.

Article source: http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/news/David-Cameron39s-double-broadside-at.6789090.jp

22 June 2011 – NZSO Media Release for immediate release

Brass players set to surprise with breakaway
NZSO tour

Brass players of the NZSO are
promising to blow apart everything you thought you knew
about brass music, in a breakaway tour next month.

Brass Splendour strips away the full
orchestra to bring an NZSO brass ensemble centre-stage. It
features four horns, four trumpets, four trombones, a tuba
and a percussion section and will tour Auckland ,
Wellington , New Plymouth and
Nelson.

While brass is often seen as the muscle
of the orchestra, NZSO Associate Principal Trumpet
Cheryl Hollinger says the tour will prove that the
section is in fact capable of an incredible musical range.

“The programme really showcases all that brass
instruments can do. It doesn’t matter if you’re a jazz,
rock, brass band or symphony lover – there’ll be
something in this programme for everyone.

“There’s
some huge sonorous brass playing, but you’re also going to
get the more lyrical, soft, gentle playing that a lot of
people don’t think of when it comes to brass.”

As
well as the large-scale excitement of Gabrieli and the
medieval pageantry of Elgar, the brass ensemble will also
perform a funeral march by Grieg and Handel’s cork-popping
Music for the Royal Fireworks.

NZSO
Associate Principal Trombone Peter Maunder has
arranged the Handel and Festmusik der Stadt Wien by
Richard Strauss especially for Brass
Splendour.

“The Strauss is my kind of music,
and I’ve wanted to arrange it for a long time. It’s not
often done, and so I’m very excited about performing
it!”

Brass Splendour is proudly
supported by National Bank Private Banking and Ryman
Healthcare Ltd. It is the latest tour in the popular
NZSO Soloists series, which singles out
individual sections of the orchestra.

Attached imagery
features NZSO Associate Principal Trumpet Cheryl Hollinger;
NZSO brass players left to right David Bremner (trombone),
Michael Kirgan (trumpet), Graeme Browne (bass trombone) and
Mark Carter (trumpet). Photo credit: Russ Flatt

–

NZSO Soloists: Brass Splendour

NZSO brass ensemble

ELGAR Severn Suite

GRIEG Funeral March in Memory of Rikard
Nordraak
R STRAUSS Festmusik der Stadt
Wien
GABRIELI Sacrae symphoniae: Canzon
10
HANDEL Music for the Royal Fireworks

Auckland / Holy Trinity Cathedral,
Parnell / Tue 26 July / 7pm
New Plymouth
/ TSB Showplace / Wed 27 July / 7.30pm

Wellington / Town Hall / Thu 28 July /
6.30pm
Nelson / Theatre Royal / Sat 30
July / 7.30pm

ENDS

Article source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1106/S00308/brass-players-set-to-surprise-with-breakaway-nzso-tour.htm

In order to watch Current TV ON ROKU(and Keith Olbermann’s “Countdown”), basically what you are doing is loading Justin Tv onto ROKU.  JustinTv then transmits Current TV via Ready-TV.com, got that?

JustinTV says that it might take 24/48 hrs. to upload.  Mine did so right away.

OK, these are the steps I took:

1.  HOW TO LOAD JUSTIN.TV ONTO ROKU:

    JustinTV is not in the Newscaster Menu, so you have to add it to the menu first.  In
This Roku Forum, the subject of how to add Justin TV is discussed.  Some good ROKU links are in this Forum.

Basically,

If you don’t currently have the channel installed, you can do so via this link: https://owner.roku.com/add/JustinTV

2.  When you go to this link, you will be asked for your ROKU user name and password.  (samo, samo)  

3.  Then, if you need a code, I thank GooderService for this great contribution:

h/t GooderService:

…..
Justin TV does provide a live stream at this time of every live twit.tv  netcast on Roku.

BUT, BUT, BUT — and here’s the but:  I searched and searched and searched, you get the point, for the Justin TV channel on my Roku.  Time, by the way, that I can never get back.

Some compassionate soul in a twit.tv chatroom, when I asked how to find Justin TV,  gave me this link

http://www.roku-channels.com/roku-channels.com

Guess what?  Justin TV is on that list at that link.  I actually had to sign up for Justin TV with the special code given at that link, and now FINALLY Justin TV is added as a channel on my Roku.

WTF… is all I can say.  There’s a secret password that you can only find at the link I was given and now provided to you.  That’s crazy.

So now I know that I have to get my secret decoder ring updated.  Geesh.

I never knew that there were secret channels that you couldn’t add on the Roku — that you had to go to the website and use a PIN or password to add it to your Roku channels.  And even then it takes 24 to 48 hours to have the channel added.

by gooderservice

4.  At this point, JustinTv should show up in your NewsCaster lineup under News Section, and you can now upload it to your lineup.

5.  When you get JustinTv in your line up, go to the ‘news’ section of JustinTV and select “Countdown” and you can put it in your ‘favorites’ section (the one with the heart!)

6.  Now you should be able to watch the show when it is streamed live.

However, as explained in the Intro., I had a LOT of problems with reloading, especially during the commercials.  When it worked well, it was fine.

Okay, that’s the deal.  You should be able to get Countdown on ROKU.

BUT, BUT, BUT…….

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU SOLVE THE FEED PROBLEM.

Happy Viewing.

UPDATE:
I have gone to this trouble, for myself and the community, because I think something really, really important is going on here.  I just wanted to repeat what I said the last night, on the occasion of Keith’s show.

I call it the “American Spring”:

I didn’t expect to be able to watch this show live tonight and came home from work late, grumbling to myself that all my efforts to try to find a live connection brought me nothing.

And then as I researched, I found this link and when I clicked on it, viola there he was!  Awesome.  Threw up a quick diary to let other folks know how to listen.

Now that its over, I am left with a sense of what an historic event just took place.

Our original progressive tv voice returned tonight after an exile for being too progressive.  And he came roaring back, better than ever.

This was not just about a return, a comeback.  It was about a re-invention of enormous proportions.  As many of us struggled to find a way to watch Keith via commercial, plutocratic media only to find the prices jacked up, or the plug pulled, tonight via that other populist medium – the internet – we were able to join in.  

For me it was like an “American Spring”…..  the voices of the people were not able to be drowned by the ‘powers that be’ and the ‘media empire that serves them.’

We now have Current TV, thanks to Al Gore and Keith Olbermann.  And at least for tonight, we found a way to bypass all the commercial censorship.  

Hopefully, this will be Day One of a long, long time of listening to the progressive message.

Article source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/21/987446/-How-to-watch-Current-TV-on-ROKU?via=siderecent

Top Air Force personnel will soon be sporting new secure smart phones. The service signed a contract for 300 General Dynamics Sectera Edge phone-PDAs, which are equipped with built-in Suite B encryption, according General Dynamics.  

Intended for senior leadership at the air staff and major command levels, the smart phones are part of a broader Air Force plan to integrate Secure Mobile Environment – Portable Electronic Devices (SME-PED) into its consolidated enterprise network.

Already in use across the federal government, the Sectera Edge is the first SME-PED with National Security Agency certification for classified voice and data, according to General Dynamics. The device can access commercial WiFi and cellular networks and safely communicate with classified and unclassified government networks. It also can send and receive both classified and unclassified phone calls and emails.

The device can also synchronize data with a user’s computer to access calendar, address book, calculator, notepad and other capabilities similar to a personal digital assistant, the company said.

The Sectera smart phones can operate on both Global System for Mobile Communications and Code Division Multiple Access commercial cellular networks. The phones are also interoperable with more than 350,000 fielded Secure Communications Interoperability Protocol devices.

The SME-PED program was launched by the NSA to provide the government with a handheld communication device that can securely access classified data. SME-PED smart phones are produced by General Dynamics and L-3 Communications.

Article source: http://gcn.com/articles/2011/06/21/air-force-brass-secure-smart-phones.aspx

Enlarge Image

Former Jets assistant coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov is the new coach of the Russian national team. (ITAR-TASS / THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES)

IT’S been a slam dunk, a done deal, a fait accompli, essentially since hockey fans in this province spoke loudly with their wallets in the Drive to 13,000 over two weeks ago.

That said, Tuesday, June 21 will also be remembered as a monumental day in the history of pro hockey in this city — this country — as the National Hockey League’s board of governors, meeting in New York, will approve the sale of the Atlanta Thrashers to True North Sports Entertainment and the relocation of the franchise to Winnipeg.

The vote should occur early on the agenda, but likely won’t be confirmed until after the governors’ meeting is completed around 2 p.m. CT. A transfer of ownership requires 75 per cent approval from the board while relocation needs only a majority vote, but both are expected to be unanimous.

The sale will be officially closed on Wednesday when True North fires off a cheque to the NHL to complete the reported $170-million transaction that includes a relocation fee of $60 million, which will be shared among the 29 other teams.

Meanwhile, reports are circulating the NHL’s governors will also approve a near $5-million jump in the salary cap for next season, pushing the upper limit to $64 million with a minimum floor of $48 million. The cap has risen every year under the current collective bargaining agreement, signed at the end of the lockout seven years ago, when it was set at $39 million.

WITH THE SEVEN PICK, THE WINNIPEG WHATSITS SELECT… : Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said Monday he’ll likely be front and centre Friday night when the franchise makes its first pick, seventh overall, at the NHL entry draft. Question is, what logo will be featured on the jersey and ball hat the kid pulls on for the ceremonial photo opportunity?

Speculation continues to swirl that even if the franchise picks its name beforehand, True North might not have its logo and uniform design ready for this Friday and the draft pick may wear an NHL jersey.

“Certainly there will be a sweater but whether it will be a team sweater, that remains to be seen,” said Cheveldayoff. “There has been different discussions of what to do in case of sweaters not being available. I think the elation for many young kids to hear their name called in the first round will be one of exuberance.”

‘BILL’ ON BOARD: The Russian ice hockey federation has appointed one-time Winnipeg Jets assistant Zinetula Bilyaletdinov as head coach of the national team. He replaces Vyacheslav Bykov, fired last month after Russia exited the world championships in May without a medal for the first time in five years.

A former Olympic champion defenceman for the Soviet teams of the 1970s and ’80s, Bilyaletdinov was an assistant with the Jets from 1993-95 before working with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL in 1995-96 and then the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996-97. Now 56, Bilyaletdinov is currently the coach of Kazan-based Ak Bars in the Kontinental Hockey League and his offer runs through the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

MORE HELP SOON?: Cheveldayoff said the organization will be looking to bolster its hockey staff after this weekend’s draft in Minnesota. But with so much on their to-do list, some of the additional hirings have been moved to the back burner.

“We’ll probably wait until after the draft to really round out our staff from the hockey ops side,” he said. “There are some different things to have to happen concurrently with the sale. We’re dealing with a lot of different things in a parallel time frame.”

ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Article source: http://www.brandonsun.com/breaking-news/league-brass-poised-to-officially-bless-transfer-of-thrashers-to-true-north-124261004.html?thx=y

Brass from toilets in parks and copper wire from utility poles have been taken in St. Paul’s latest metal-theft cases.

The thief or thieves hit 12 toilets at parks that are not close to one another – Mounds, Como and Phalen – from late Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, said Brad Meyer, St. Paul Parks and Recreation spokesman.

The department estimated the culprit could have gotten $85.44 by selling the brass flush valves and adjacent piping as scrap, but it cost $3,750 in materials and labor to repair the damage, Meyer said.

On Sunday, a man called police at 8:47 p.m. to report he saw someone cut copper ground wire from utility poles in the area of Arundel Street and Lawson Avenue in St. Paul, according to a police incident report. Police arrested a man in that case.

St. Paul police have seen an increase in copper theft cases this year, said officer John Keating, department spokesman.

In the past year, copper prices have risen nearly 40 percent on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

St. Paul officers are paying special attention to areas that might be targeted, such as construction sites, city park areas and vacant houses, Keating said. Officers on patrol have come across suspicious activity in recent months and made arrests, he said.

Beyond the property damage, copper theft can be hazardous, Keating said. Recent thefts of pipes from vacant homes have led to gas leaks, he said. Police are asking neighbors to call 911 if they see suspicious

activity around vacant buildings.

In Sunday’s case, the man who called police followed the suspect from the scene of the theft to a nearby residence and reported the location to police, who arrested a man there.

Chao Vue, 36, of Minneapolis had about 30 sections of cut copper wire, presumably from as many poles, Keating said.

Police arrested Chao Vue on suspicion of felony theft and criminal damage to property. He is being held in Ramsey County Jail but has not been charged.

The utility poles are owned by Xcel Energy, who reported to police it would cost about $440 per pole to repair the damage, Keating said. If 30 poles were damaged, damages would add up to $13,200.

It would be difficult to provide an accurate dollar figure per pole because it would depend on the circumstances and damage, Steve Roalstad, Xcel spokesman, said Monday.

He said he wasn’t aware of Xcel seeing a lot of instances like Sunday’s case in St. Paul, but he said such thefts can pose a safety hazard.

In the cases of the metal stolen from toilets in the city’s parks, Parks and Rec notified scrapyards of the thefts immediately, Meyer said. Police continue to investigate.

The toilets were repaired before the weekend, when the city’s parks get the most use, Meyer said.

Anyone who sees suspicious activity at parks – such as people around restrooms in the middle of the night, because park facilities are closed from dusk to dawn — is asked to call police, Meyer said.

Tom Webb contributed to this report.

Mara H. Gottfried can be reached at 651-228-5262.

Article source: http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_18318870?source=rss

I’ve never been a big fan of prepaid cards, as many charge exorbitant fees from monthly maintenance to reloading fees. But with such rapid growth in the industry, this category of plastic is becoming a fierce contender to credit and debit cards, and I can’t help but take notice. Americans spent $140 billion using prepaid cards in 2009, according to the Federal Reserve. That’s a 21.5% jump from the previous year.

And just last week, American Express announced its foray into the prepaid card market with relatively low fees; the card only charges for ATM withdrawals (past the first free one provided each month).

[Related Article: AmEx, Usually Exclusive, Offers Debit Card for Everyone Else]

It’s tempting. Prepaid cards are convenient, safer to use than cash and don’t require credit background checks. But here are some important caveats to consider before going prepaid:

Monthly fees can rack up

While the AmEx prepaid card is attractively priced, most prepaid cards have high fees. A Consumers Union report published last year found that fees run the gamut. Activation fees can be as high as $39.95 and initial load requirements range from $10 to $20 on the card at the time of purchase. Between those two fees alone, a consumer is likely to pay at least $30 to obtain or purchase a prepaid card. Monthly fees, meantime, range up to $10 per month.

[Related Article: Russell Simmons' Prepaid Card Company Subpoenaed]

You’re not building savings

One of the advantages to having an actual savings or checking account tied to a debit card is that you can earn interest on that account. Prepaid cards offer no incentive to save. They’re more like gift cards that can be used at almost any store.

The card won’t necessarily  help you build credit

Beware of some prepaid cards that claim they can help you strengthen your credit. For example, Russell Simmons’ RushCard says it reports your history of paying bills with the card to LexisNexis and PRBC, a national credit reporting agency. But your traditional FICO credit score, which is the most widely referenced score by lenders—is only based on your credit activity as tracked by Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

[Related Article: Prepaid Cards---Hot or Not So Hot?]

Tagged as:
american express,
prepaid debit cards

<!––>

Farnoosh Torabi
Credit.com’s Money Expert and Personal Finance Contributor, Farnoosh is a nationally recognized author, expert and television host. Her first book, You’re So Money, is an acclaimed tell-all for young adults searching for financial independence. Her new book Psych Yourself Rich, gives readers the mindset and discipline to build their financial life.

Article source: http://www.credit.com/blog/2011/06/are-prepaid-cards-worth-it/

American Express, a company typically associated with people who have Roman numerals after their names and use “summer” as a verb, did something surprising last week: It introduced a prepaid card.

• 

  AP

  A sample of a prepaid American Express card.

AP

A sample of a prepaid American Express card.

Prepaid cards are re-loadable cards that can be used anywhere credit or debit cards are accepted. They’re popular with people who can’t afford a traditional bank account, or who have been turned off by overdraft fees and other costs. They also offer a way for consumers who don’t have credit cards to shop online. That’s not the type of person you usually see in American Express ads. But the market for prepaid cards has grown so large that big financial companies can’t afford to ignore it.

American Express says its prepaid card is a cut above the rest. There are no activation fees, and it’s free if you buy it online. Also, the card gives users access to American Express perks, such as roadside assistance, coverage for theft or damages of card purchases and trip-planning services.

Prepaid vs. debit

More than 17 million Americans don’t have bank accounts, and that number could grow as checking accounts become more expensive. The broad financial reform bill Congress enacted last year required the Federal Reserve to place “reasonable” limits on the fees banks charge retailers every time a consumer swipes a debit card. That rule is scheduled to take effect July 21. To make up for the loss of billions of dollars in swipe fee revenue, many banks and credit unions are adding fees for services that used to be free.

Before long, “free checking may be a thing of the past,” says Bill Hardekopf, chief executive of LowCards.com.

Prepaid cards offer “unbanked” consumers a safer and less expensive alternative to check-cashing stores and pawnshops, prepaid card issuers say. Many prepaid issuers allow card holders to have their paychecks direct-deposited to their cards. Card holders can also use the cards to pay bills.

Still, prepaid cards have plenty of detractors. Consumer groups say many of the cards are loaded with activation, reloading, maintenance and other fees that can quickly erode the card balance. In May, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that she was investigating five large prepaid card companies for possible unfair and deceptive practices.

Compared with other prepaid cards, the American Express version “is definitely an improvement in that the number of fees has been drastically whittled down,” says Michelle Jun, an attorney for Consumers Union.

But even a consumer-friendly card like the one introduced by American Express lacks the advantages of a checking account, says Tim Chen, a former hedge fund analyst and chief executive of NerdWallet.com, a credit card comparison website. Some potential drawbacks:

•Reloading fees. To add cash to your American Express card, you’ll need a Green Dot MoneyPak, which you buy for $4.95 at a retail or drug store, then reload your card online or by phone.

Users can load their cards for free from a bank or checking account, but if you have a bank account you probably don’t need a prepaid card, Chen says. American Express says it plans to add a direct-deposit feature sometime in the future.

•Withdrawal costs. Most bank and checking accounts allow free ATM withdrawals from their network, and some allow it for out-of-network ATMs, too. American Express prepaid card holders get one free ATM withdrawal a month; after that, they’re charged $2 for every withdrawal.

•Lack of consumer protections. Federal law protects you from liability if someone steals your credit or debit card and embarks on a spending spree. Those protections don’t apply to prepaid cards, Jun says. While most prepaid card issuers, including American Express, provide “zero liability,” that protection is voluntary, Jun says.

•Limited use. American Express says its prepaid card can be used anywhere that accepts American Express. Trouble is, a lot of small retailers don’t accept American Express because it has higher transaction fees than other card issuers.

Consumers can still find free checking accounts with no minimum balance requirements, particularly if they’re willing to bank online. Chen says.

Even some major banks continue to offer free checking with no minimum, along with many credit unions, Chen says. Even after July 21, he adds, “there will be options out there.”

Sandra Block covers personal finance for USA TODAY. Her Your Money column appears Tuesdays. E-mail her at: sblock@usatoday.com. Follow on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sandyblock

Posted | Updated

Article source: http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/columnist/block/2011-06-20-prepaid-cards-getting-cheaper-your-money_n.htm?csp=34money&dlvrit=110940

If I asked you to tell me what was the most important rifle ever used in Russia, what would it be? Many people might answer: “the AK-47.”

However, it was the Mosin-Nagant rifle that drove Nazis from the Motherland. The same rifle guarded the Czars, and later deposed them.

The AK may be the Cold War face of the Evil Empire, but the Mosin-Nagant was the backbone of a country when their very survival was in doubt.

In a great twist of historical irony, the former Communist county is selling the rifles that guarded the revolution to the very citizens once considered her enemies.

History

Let me introduce you to the Russian Mosin-Nagant rifle. Adopted in 1891, the Three Line Rifle was first carried by Russian troops under Czar Alexander III. Later, the gun would be known as the Mosin-Nagant rifle.

As might be expected due to the passage of 120 years and various revolutions, many of the original records regarding the origins of the rifle have been lost. However, it is generally accepted that the competing designs of Sergei Mosin, a Russian, and Belgian Leon Nagant were combined to make the rifle that would be the main battle rifle of both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union through World War II.

Did you ever see Enemy at the Gates? Russian sniper Vasily Zaytsev sent many a Nazi to the grave using a standard Mosin-Nagant rifle, and later a sniper version of the rifle. The story is true, though the movie took its fair share of liberties with the events.

After World War II, the Soviet Union ceased production of the Mosin-Nagant rifle, replacing them with SKS and AK-47 rifles.

However, the Mosin-Nagant rifles were held in storage for reserve troops should they ever be needed. Additionally, Mosin-Nagant rifles were used by troops during the Cold War period in places like North Korea, Vietnam, China, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.

Believe it or not, the Mosin-Nagant rifle is still used on the battlefield today. An acquaintance of mine has spent far too many years during the past decade in Afghanistan hunting America’s enemies. He tells an amazing story of engaging in a short firefight with a Taliban fighter, and later relieving the corpse of a Mosin-Nagant model 1891/30 rifle.

America’s Rifle?

It would be heresy to suggest that an ugly, cheap Russian rifle might be “America’s Rifle.” I’m not sure I would try to make that argument, but I can make the case that this is a good rifle for a lot of Americans.

I think the Mosin-Nagant is an excellent choice for many people due to it’s relative power, reasonable accuracy, and incredible price. Let me explain…

Power

The Mosin-Nagant rifle is chambered for the 7.62x54r cartridge, which is a rimmed .30 caliber round. The power of this round is frequently described as being similar to the great .30-06 cartridge.

The power in this cartridge is more than enough for most game in North America, and there are various soft-point loads available from 150 to 203 grains.

Of course, handloading is almost always a better solution with a surplus gun, and dies are readily available. I’ve got a set myself.

You will have to slug your barrel to get the right bullets. With factory reconditioning, many of the rifles went into surplus with larger-than-spec bores. Matching your bullets to your bore will increase accuracy.

Brass is most easily obtained by shooting some new brass cased ammo, as there isn’t much virgin or once-fired on the market.

Most of the reloading manuals have recipes for the 7.62x54r, so you can work up a good load for the power level you need.

Accuracy

Ok, the Mosin-Nagant is a surplus rifle. Sometimes the tolerances are a little sloppy. But, many of these guns are surprisingly accurate, with many people reporting groups of 4” or less at 100 yards.

That is not bad at all for a rifle that may be more than 100 years old. It is certainly good enough for hunting hogs in the brush or whitetail in the dense forests of the eastern US where a 75 yard shot might be the longest you make.

I’ve had my M44 carbine Mosin-Nagant out to the range, and at 50 yards I make for 2.5-inch groups with surplus ammo. Not bad, but I know I can do a lot better with some handloads.

Value

The amazing thing about the Mosin-Nagant rifles is the incredible deal they represent in modern shooting. The rifles are extremely inexpensive, often available for less than $100 in very good condition.

Some models command higher prices due to scarcity, but the common 1891/30 model rifle can be had for as little as $69 from some wholesalers. If you have a Curio Relics license, you can order one today and have it shipped to your door.

Surplus ammo is cheap and easy to come by. Most of the local dealers I know carry some, and all of the online retailers have ample stocks of the cartridge. You can get a sealed “spam-can” of 440 rounds for less than $90 if you do a little shopping around.

Why Don’t You Have One?

For less than $200 you can have a rifle and enough ammo to keep you busy for several weekends. The Mosin-Nagant is reasonable accurate, suitable for medium to large game and is rugged enough to outlast you and me.

Even if you don’t do a lot of shooting, having one of these guns in your closet with a can of ammo is your responsibility. You never know when the king of England might come looking for back taxes.

Article source: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=44306

The 2001 fire season starts today, June 20, CalFire’s
Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit has announced.

Staffing will gradually increase at CalFire stations in the
Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit.

CalFire will assign an engine at each of its 20 fire stations in
the three counties, as well as three bulldozers, 11 fire crews, and
one helicopter. Sonoma’s Air Attack Base will also open for
reloading air tankers, CalFire said.

On July 1, one air tactical plane and two air tankers will arrive
at the Air Attack Base. The Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit will enter into
its peak staffing period July 4.

Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Tim Streblow reminds everyone to use
caution when mowing grass to maintain defensible space for fire
protection. Residents should mow early in the day and avoid high
temperatures and windy conditions. Each year, CalFire said, mowing
equipment causes fires. Most are caused when a blade strikes a
rock, casting a spark into the dry grass, CalFire said. For more
information, visit fire.ca.gov.

Article source: http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/article_41b889c8-9afa-11e0-96d6-001cc4c002e0.html

WASHINGTON • Missouri’s congressional
delegation fired off a letter recently saying many of their
constituents believe that flooding along the Missouri River might
have been prevented with better planning by the Army Corps of
Engineers.

That letter arrived, and on Monday Brig. Gen. John
McMahon, commander of the corps’ Northwest Division, will
travel to Jefferson City from Portland to field some of those
concerns, Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St.
Elizabeth, said Sunday.

McMahon and Col. Tony Hofmann, commander of the
Kansas City District, are scheduled to meet with Luetkemeyer, Rep.
Vicki Hartzler, R-Harrisonville, mayors from the
region, emergency management directors and levee district
presidents at 10:30 a.m. in the city council chamber in the Christy
Municipal Building. Afterward, they will visit areas on the river
threatened by rising water.

Record-breaking rains and heavy snow in the basin’s western
reaches have filled upstream impoundments to near capacity, forcing
the corps to evacuate the waters with dam releases more than double
any in history. The record volumes of water that are working their
way to the confluence with the Mississippi are scheduled to last
into August.

Corps officials acknowledged over the weekend that they are
failing to keep up despite the releases. Continuing snowmelt and
rain is complicating matters and corps officials said on Friday
that they are moving more water from two upstream reservoirs into
the Fort Randall impoundment in South Dakota,
where space had been kept open.

More heavy rains are forecast in coming days, prompting Army
engineers to warn on Saturday that if weather continues to
deteriorate, they will lose their ability to make adjustments
between dams and may need to increase releases from Fort Randall
and Gavins Point dams.

Gavins Point — where the flow on Saturday averaged 150,300
cubic feet per second — is the easternmost dam in the system. The
corps said that the strong weather system moving across Montana and
the Dakotas into the upper Midwest this week will have “a big
impact” on the basin.

The corps reported Sunday that a levee at Atchison County in
northwest Missouri had overtopped after the water rose two feet in
a 24-hour period.

Army engineers in the St. Louis District said last week that
major problems will be avoided in the St. Louis area barring heavy
rains in coming weeks.

The corps has argued that the high releases are unavoidable. But
several Missourians in Congress are blaming a management plan
requiring the corps to operate the river for purposes other than
flood control.

Luetkemeyer spokesman Paul Sloca said in a
statement that “Blaine appreciates the willingness of Gen. McMahon
and Col. Hofmann to visit and hear from our front-line folks
because this kind of face-to-face communication is critical when
preparing to battle rising water that is already affecting parts of
Missouri.”

Article source: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/4fcd5966-9aa1-11e0-a53b-001a4bcf6878.html

The Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra will present its Lowcountry Brass section performing an “American Salute,” a Picnic Pops concert at 7 p.m. June 29 at Shelter Cove Community Park on Hilton Head Island.

In the tradition of national service academy bands, the orchestra brass and percussion dazzle in this performance celebrating all things American.

Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a family picnic, chairs and blankets. Food and beverages will be available. Gate opens at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20; children 12 and younger get in free.

Details: www.hhso.org, 843-842-2055.

Article source: http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/06/19/1694807/hhso-lowcountry-brass-to-salute.html

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Calcutta News.Net
Sunday 19th June, 2011 (ANI)

With Gopinath Munde publicly airing his resentment against the Nitin Gadkari camp on his home turf, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) top brass is meeting in New Delhi today to discuss the crisis in the party’s Maharashtra unit.

Munde, BJP National Vice President and the party’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha, has been sharing cold vibes with party president Gadkari over the appointment of Vikas Mathkari as the party president of Mumbai, instead of the candidate he had proposed, former BJP (Mumbai) General Secretary Yogesh Gogawale.

Munde, a prominent OBC leader and a powerful name in Maharashtra BJP, is scheduled to meet party veteran L.K. Advani over the issue.

BJP President Nitin Gadkari, who also hails from Maharashtra and with whom Munde is said to have strong differences, may meet the disgruntled leader in a bid to sort out the issues raised by the latter.

Others expected to attend today’s meeting are senior party leaders M. Venkaiah Naidu, Sushma Swaraj and Maharashtra BJP chief Sudhir Mungantiwar.

Munde on Saturday said he would put forward issues of the party workers of Maharashtra in front of the top leadership.

“I am going to hold talks with top leaders of the BJP. The feelings, pains and problems of common workers in Maharashtra that I will present in front of top leaders. I am hopeful that they will do justice with me,” he said.

Over the past few weeks, Munde had not been attending party events in Maharashtra and also made frequent visits to the Shiv Sena’s top leadership, sparking off rumours that he is unhappy with the outfit and might break away soon.

Responding to speculations, Munde, however, said there were attempts to fracture the relationship of his party and the Shiv Sena. (ANI)

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Article source: http://www.calcuttanews.net/story/799139/ht/BJP-top-brass-to-discuss-Maharashtra-crisis-in-Delhi

Concert series will open with Boulder Brass Friday evening

By
Tammy Gemaehlich

Friday, June 17, 2011

They’re bringing out the big brass to open the 2011 Hear it through the Grapevine Summer Concert Series, beginning Friday, June 17, at Grande River Vineyards, 787 N. Elberta in Palisade.

Boulder Brass, based in Boulder, will open the series with a concert that will benefit the Grand Junction Symphony. The 12-member brass band was founded in 1993, according to its Facebook page, and is committed to advancing the brass ensemble as an engaging art form with outstanding performance, education, and development.

Tickets for the first concert are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

The Hear it Through the Grapevine Summer Concert Series continues through August with these scheduled performances:

Quemando, Saturday, July 9; $18 in advance, $20 at the door, proceeds benefit Child and Migrant Services

Stray Grass, Saturday, July 16; $15 in advance, $20 at the door, proceeds benefit Roice-Hurst Humane Society.

Exit 42, Saturday, July 23; $15 in advance, $20 at the door, proceeds benefit American Red Cross.

Marcia Ball, Sunday, Aug. 14; $20 in advance, $25 at the door, proceeds benefit the CSU Tree Fruit Research Program.

Hazel Miller Band, Saturday, Aug. 20; $20, proceeds benefit Mesa County Partners.

Mariachi Los Reyes de Jalisco, Saturday, Aug. 27; $15 advance, $17 at the door, proceeds benefit Head Start.•

Grande River Vineyards is just off Interstate 70, at Exit 42. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Families are welcome and kids ages 12 and younger are free. Concerts are performed outdoors on the lawn, rain or shine. Bring a lawn chair.

Dinner is available to purchase as well as wine by the glass or bottle, along with soft drinks and water. No beverages may be brought in. Tickets are at Roper Music, Fisher’s Liquor Barn and Grande River Vineyards.

Go to http://www.granderiverwines.com or call 464-5867 for information.

Article source: http://www.gjsentinel.com/entertainment/articles/concert_series_will_open_with

SANTA PAULA, CA – The Santa Paula Art Museum invites you to delight in the unique sounds of the Ventura British Brass on Saturday, June 25th at 4:00 p.m. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served. The cost is $25 for members and $30 for non members. Please call 805-525-5554 or email info@santapaulaartmuseum.org for an invitation and reservation information. All proceeds directly benefit the Museum.

The British Brass Band is a unique ensemble with a very specific instrumentation. Originating in Britain, it is naturally quite popular in the commonwealth countries and has become very popular throughout Europe and the rest of the world. The rich, dark, and mellow tone quality stems from the fact that all the instruments except the trombones, are conically bored in design, permitting the brass band to produce a most distinct and unique sound.

Unlike most popular brass ensembles in the United States, the British style brass band has a fixed, standard instrumentation using cornets, not trumpets, and alto horns, not French horns. Cornets are pitched the same as trumpets, but have the different shaped conical bore, and the tubing is wrapped tighter, making it appear smaller than a standard trumpet. The different bore gives the cornet a darker, mellower, more lyrical sound.

The Museum is located at 117 North 10th Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060.

Article source: http://www.fillmoregazette.com/arts-entertainment/british-brass-comes-santa-paula-art-museum

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June 17th, 2011, 12:48 GMT| By Lucian Parfeni

Article source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Google-Chrome-14-Lands-206757.shtml

By Craig Whitlock

WASHINGTON

The Navy has fired a dozen commanding officers this year, a near-record rate, with the bulk getting the ax for offenses related to sex, alcohol or other forms of personal misconduct.

The terminations, which follow a similar spike in firings last year, have shaken the upper ranks of the Navy, which has long invested enormous responsibility in its commanding officers and prides itself on a tradition of carefully cultivating captains and admirals.

Over the past 18 months, the Navy has sacked nine commanding officers for sexual harassment or inappropriate personal relationships. Three others were fired for alcohol-related offenses, and two on unspecified charges of personal misconduct. Combined, they account for roughly half of the 29 commanding officers relieved during that period.

Adm. Gary Roughead, the chief of naval operations, called the increase in firings “bothersome” but said the Navy was duty-bound to uphold strict behavioral standards, even when commanders are off duty.

“The divide between our private and professional lives is essentially gone,” he said. “People can engage in the debate – does it really matter what a commanding officer does in their personal life? We believe it does, because it gets right to the issue of integrity and personal conduct and trust and the ability to enforce standards.”

Capt. Donald Hornbeck, commander of a destroyer squadron attached to the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, was fired April 23 while deployed in the Arabian Sea after Navy officials said they found evidence of an “inappropriate personal relationship.”

Four days later, the Navy cashiered Cmdr. Jay Wiley, the commanding officer of the Momsen, a destroyer, citing “misconduct,” according to a Navy statement.

Military officials did not elaborate on the alleged transgressions. The Navy Times newspaper, citing an anonymous naval source, reported that Hornbeck was found to have had a relationship with another officer’s wife and that Wiley’s problems involved alcohol and inappropriate behavior with a sailor under his command.

April was a particularly tough month for Navy commanders. On April 11, Cmdr. Timothy Murphy, a squadron commander at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station in Washington state, was fired after he was cited by police for driving under the influence, according to a Navy statement. Two other commanders were sacked the same month for on-the-job performance woes.

None of the fired Navy commanders named in this article responded to requests for comment submitted through Navy public affairs officials.

The Navy is not the only military service dogged by poor performance in its upper ranks. The Army has relieved or disciplined three brigade commanders this year who were en route to – or returning from – war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Navy’s rash of firings has stirred special anxiety, however, with some officials and analysts characterizing the problem as a leadership crisis.

Since January, the Navy has booted a dozen commanding officers and temporarily removed a 13th, pending an investigation. At that pace, the Navy will match the record total of 26 commanders it fired in 2003.

“It’s a phenomenally high number,” said Norman Polmar, a naval historian in Alexandria who has served as an adviser to several top Navy officials. “There is something seriously wrong.”

He said the trend is a clear sign that the Navy’s screening process for promotion is flawed. “Perhaps we don’t have the best and brightest.”

Navy officials said they have been consistent and rigorous in holding their commanders responsible.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said he didn’t think the firings illustrated a broader problem, noting that only a tiny percentage of the roughly 1,500 commanding officers in the service have been affected.

“We hold absolute standards of conduct, and if you breach those, you’re going to be relieved,” he said in a phone interview. “But I don’t see a pattern, and I don’t think it’s an epidemic in that sense.”

After the record number of sackings in 2003, the Naval Inspector General conducted a review of terminations over the previous five years. Although the review found that personal misbehavior was the largest single cause, it found “no systemic factors relating to the increase,” such as shortcomings in the Navy’s promotion system.

Some officers and analysts suggested the rash of inappropriate relationships stemmed from the Navy’s continuing adjustment to the presence of women on ships.

“Many commanding officers didn’t deal with women when they were junior officers, and now they have to,” Polmar said.

The Navy opened its entire surface combat fleet to women in 1994 and began training female officers to serve on submarines last year. Overall, women make up about 15 percent of the active-duty Navy.

Roughead, the chief of naval operations, scoffed at the idea that gender integration was to blame.

“I’ve never heard anybody say, ‘I wouldn’t have strayed if there were no women on this ship,’ ” he said.

Of the 29 commanding officers fired since last year, three have been women.

Cmdr. Mary Ann Giese, commanding officer of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station in Bahrain, was relieved Aug. 21 after a Navy investigation found that she had engaged in “inappropriate relationships” with other sailors.

The two other female commanders were terminated for excessively harsh leadership styles.

Capt. Etta Jones, commander of the amphibious transport dock Ponce, homeported in Norfolk, was fired April 23 after a sailor called an anonymous Navy hotline to report a “hostile command climate” while the ship was in the Mediterranean Sea to support the war in Libya.

The Navy also intervened on the Cowpens, a guided missile cruiser operating in the Pacific, after sailors complained that their commander, Capt. Holly Graf, was verbally abusive, forced them to take “time-outs” like toddlers, and created an “environment of fear and hostility,” according to a Naval Inspector General report.

Article source: http://hamptonroads.com/node/604156

For nearly three decades, the Rebirth Brass Band has kicked brass around the world.

Matthew Hinton / Times-PicyaneThe Rebirth Brass Band performs on the Congo Square Stage at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival or Jazz Fest 2011 Sunday May 8, 2011 in New Orleans at the Fair Grounds

Modeled after the Dirty Dozen, the Rebirth is now the inspiration for another generation of brass band musicians. Founder/sousaphonist Phil Frazier still leads the group, having recovered from a stroke he suffered after Hurricane Katrina.

Even as they continue to parade on the streets — and hold down most Tuesday nights at the Maple Leaf Bar — they also break new ground. Rebirth is part of the ongoing “A Night in Treme” tour, alongside other musicians featured in HBO’s “Treme.”

Additionally, the band’s Basin Street Records debut, “Rebirth of New Orleans,” has remained on Billboard’s jazz album chart since its release this spring.

On Friday, June 17, Rebirth celebrates its 28th anniversary with a blowout at the Howlin’ Wolf.  Show time is around 10 p.m.

Article source: http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2011/06/rebirth_brass_band_to_celebrat.html

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Article source: http://citizentribune.com/businessdirectory/businesses/m-and-m-fire-arms-130905/index.htm

Advanced Technology Investment Company – the moneybags of the Abu Dhabi government that bought foundries from Advanced Micro Devices in 2008 to become a player in chip manufacturing – is shuffling its top brass as it prepares to pump more money in the business and knock its foundries into shape.

The executive changes at ATIC come as partner AMD is struggling to find a new CEO – and present an interesting possibility for Intel’s archrival in desktop and server processors.

Doug Grose, who has served as CEO since GlobalFoundries was formed, is stepping down but is remaining on board at the chip maker as a technical advisor. According to a statement release by GlobalFoundries, Grose will have “a focus on technology leadership and ensuring delivery of next generation technologies for competitive differentiation,” which sounds a bit vague.

Grose came to GlobalFoundries through the $2.1bn acquisition of AMD’s Dresden fabs in October 2008. Grose joined AMD in 2007 and was senior vice president of technology development, manufacturing, and supply chain. Prior to that he did a 25-year stint at IBM, rising to the position of general manager of technology development and manufacturing for Big Blue’s Systems and Technology Group. He also did a stint as general manager of IBM’s storage division, too.

Doug Grose

And, if no one else wants the job, Grose might make a good candidate for the CEO position at AMD, which has been headless since the company asked CEO Dirk Meyer to step down in January. AMD did not explain why Meyer was let go, but the speculation is that AMD’s loss of share in the server chip business and AMD’s non-start in smartphone and tablets was the cause.

Another potential AMD CEO is Chia Song Hwee, who has been chief operating officer at GlobalFoundries and who will be stepping down in August and returning to an unspecified position in the wafer baker’s Singapore operations.

Chia joined GlobalFoundries in September 2009 when ATIC shelled out $3.9bn to acquire Singapore-based chip giant Chartered Semiconductor, and in a pinch, he could also do the CEO job at AMD. Chia was a bean counter at services giant Schlumberger and joined Chartered in 1996, rising through the ranks to become CFO and then, in 2002, CEO.

Grose and Chia were asked to step aside at GlobalFoundries because its customers – and that means mostly AMD at this point – want more capacity and faster ramping of new wafer-baking technologies. It is interesting to contemplate if the executive changes at GlobalFoundries mean there has been some slippage with 32 nanometer processes.

AMD said in a statement that it was “pleased to see them taking steps to become more agile”. If there has been slippage, it is hard to imagine that Grose or Chia would be offered the CEO job at AMD; but they might be better suited to steering a chip design and marketing company than they were a fab.

Chia Song Hwee

Thomas Siefert, who has been interim CEO at AMD since Meyer’s departure, has made it clear that he does not want the job and has also renegotiated its chip fabbing commitments with GlobalFoundries to properly motivate the foundry to get its 32 nanometer act together. AMD’s future in servers and on most desktops is still tied to GlobalFoundries, although the company has tapped Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, the long-time fab partner for ATI’s and now AMD’s GPUs, for some of its Fusion CPU-GPU hybrid processors. So at least not all of the AMD chips are in the same basket these days.

What no one seems to want is Siefert’s job as CEO. A report in Bloomberg indicates that Mark Hurd, former Hewlett-Packard chairman and CEO and current Oracle co-president, has been approached to take the CEO job at AMD and has declined.

Tim Cook, COO at Apple has also demurred, as has Pat Gelsinger, former general manager of Intel’s Data Center Group and now a COO at EMC. Greg Summe, a managing director at private equity firm Carlyle Group and formerly the chairman and CEO at defense contractor PerkinElmer and previously a top exec at Honeywell and General Electric.

Back over at GlobalFoundries, the wafer baker says that it has named Ajit Manocha, an advisor to ATIC who used to run the chip operations of Spansion, as interim CEO. James Norling, who was chairman of the Chartered board and who spent 25 years at Motorola, has been tapped as executive chairman of the ATIC board while Ibrahim Ajami, who has been in charge of acquisitions for the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, is now vice chairman at ATIC.

ATIC has spent over $6bn on acquisitions as well as improvements in its Dresden and Singapore fabs and the construction of a high-tech fab in upstate New York, and in its statement announcing the executive changes, ATIC said it has another $6bn it wants to blow by the end of 2012 on expanding its fabs in Dreden, Singapore, and New York as well as starting construction of its first fab back in Abu Dhabi.

Money is not the problem, thanks to oil revenues, but yields on 32 nanometer processes at GlobalFoundries’ fabs have been. And an even larger problem is that GlobalFoundries has to catch up to Intel, which is on a feverish and relentless pace to 14 nanometers in the next three years. Which just goes to show you that outsourcing your problems does not always solve them. ®

Article source: http://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/17/atic_exec_changes_amd_ceo_search/

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) — Police are searching for the burglars caught on camera trying and failing to steal valves from Fort Lauderdale businesses.

The suspects however, did leave a trail of damage and a flood of trouble after destroying plumbing. Smalley’s Tire and Auto Repair shop was one of the latest targets for criminals looking to cash-in on loose, precious metal, sometime Thursday night or early Friday morning.

Surveillance video at the auto shop captured the crook ripping off a pipe from a wall but found nothing worth putting into a backpack he had brought to the scene. As water starts spilling through the parking lot, the vandal walks away, living costly damage in his wake.

Michael Simpson of Smalley’s Tires said the crook broke the PVC piping hoping to find metal he could sell for scrap. “He just vandalized and cost us in bills because we have to pay our plumber to put it back, and the water bill just goes sky high,” Simpson said.

Friday morning, just blocks away, at the National Church of God, piping was yanked out of the wall, leaving its parking lot flooded. “One of out deacons got the call regarding someone had stolen the faucet, broke it off,” said pastor Willie Coleman.

This kind of theft is a common crime where the culprits hope to sell the copper or brass for a profit, and what they make is often far less than the damage that results. The vandalism has left the church in a particular bind, as they have their annual convention on Monday, not to mention their regular Sunday service before then.

If you have any information on these thefts, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.

(Copyright 2011 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Article source: http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21004602665251/

The toolbars at the top of your web browser allow you to access actions such as reloading a page, stopping a webpage from loading or even printing a page. It is relatively easy to customise these toolbars to ensure actions you use frequently are displayed and those that you don’t often use are removed. We’ve already shown you how to customise the toolbars in Firefox and Internet Explorer but here’s how to implement it in Safari.

Ensure the commands you use are displayed

Step one
Open Safari, and then using the icon that looks like a cog, open the settings menu and select Customize toolbar.

Step two
Just like in Firefox, a window will pop-up with icons depicting various actions. Simply drag and drop the icons you require onto the toolbar. You can re-arrange them by dragging them to the new position you want them in, while you can arse icons by simply dragging them from the toolbar to the pop-up window. When you’re finished, press Done.

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Article source: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/internet/3286648/how-to-customise-the-browser-toolbar-in-safari/

Baptist

Bethlehem Baptist Fellowship

Meeting at the First Church of Bethlehem

21 Main Street, South Bethlehem, CT 06750

Saturday Evening Service @ 6:00 PM

Tuesday Bible Stidy @ 7:00 PM

Pastor Duane Crossman @ 860-459-8452

www.bethlehembf.com

Friendship Baptist Church

441 Torrington Rd, Litchfield Ct 06759

860-567-3389 www.friendshipbc.com

Sunday Morning classes 9.00am

Sunday Morning Worship 10:30am

Sunday Classes Children’s Choir 6:00pm

Wednesday Classes (youth group, royal Ambassadors, Girls Action, Mission Friends) 6:30

Cable 5: Sunday Service 6:00pm

Unity

Unity in the Foothills

102 Prospect Street Torrington, CT 06791

www.unityinthefoothills.org

Sunday Celebration at 10:30am

Methodist

First United Methodist Church

21 Fern Drive, Torrington, CT 06790

Rev. Barbara B. Shaffer, Pastor

860-489-8084 www.fumctorr.org

Email fumctorr@sbcglobal.net

Sunday Service 9:30am

Sunday School 10:45am – 11:45am. Pre K thru Adult

Lutheran

St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church

30 Prospect St.

New Hartford, CT 06057

860-379-3172

Website: www.stpaulnewhartford.com

email: slutheranchurch@snet.net

Rev. Timothy Yeadon

Sunday Services: 8:00am, 9:15am, 10:45am.

Sunday School Bible Study: 7:00pm

Wednesday’s: Prayers at 6:30pm Service: 7:00pm

Home of St Paul’s Community Nursery School Programs for 3-4 year olds September thru May www.stpaulscns.net

Vacation Bible School: June27th – July 1

Evangelical

Northfield Bible Church

10 Camp Hill Road, Northfield, CT, 06778

860-283-9598 www.nccindependent.org

Bible Doctrines Class: Sunday 9:00am

Sunday Service: 10:00

Bible Study: Wednesday 7:00pm

Pot Luck Supper every 4th Friday of the Month at 6:15

Roman Catholic

Saint Maron Church

613 Main Street, Torrington, CT 06790

860-489-9015. www.stmaronchurch@aol.com

Liturgy Schedule Saturday Vigil at 4:30pm

Sunday Liturgies at 8:30am and 10:45am

Religious Education October-May Sunday Mornings at 9:30am – 10:30am

Lourdes in Litchfield

Sunday – 11:30 am Mass in the Grotto

Sunday – Benediction Rosary @ 3:00pm in the Grotto

In the Event of inclement Weather, Services are held in the Grotto Chapel.

Immaculate Conception Church

4 North Street, Norfolk CT 06058

860-542-5442 / 860-542-1536

(Office 860-824-7078)

www.sacrement7.org

Email imconception@sbcglobal.net

Weekend Liturgies:

Saturday Vigil Mass 6:00pm

Sunday Mass 11:00am

Weekday Liturgies: Monday, Tuesday 8:00am

Saint Joseph Church

4 Main Street, Canaan, CT. 06018

860-824-7078 / Fax 860-824-4925

www.sacrement7.org • sacrament@sbcglobal.net

Weekend Liturgies : Saturday Vigil Mass 4:00pm

Sunday Mass at 8:30am

Weekday Liturgies Wednesday and Friday at 7:30am

Weekday Mass held in Chapel

Assemblies of God

First Assembly of God

387 New Harwinton Road, Torrington, CT 06790

860-482-7464 www.firstagtorr.org

Sunday School for all ages 9:30am

Sunday Worship Service 10:45am

Family Night Thursday 7:00pm

Adult Bible Study Prayer Service : Saturday 9:15am

Cable 5 Sundays, Wednesdays, Friday at 3pm

Royal Rangers Missionettes, Teens,”Cross – Walk”

Congregational Christian Churches

Founders Congregational Church

41 Birge Park Road, Harwinton, CT 06791

860-485-1120 www.founderscongregationalchurch.com

Sunday School and Services 10:00am

Bible Study: Tuesday 7:00pm and Thursday at 10:00am

Center Congregational Church

155 Main Street, Torrington, CT 06790

860-489-8301

www.centerchurchtor.org

Email – centerchurch@snet.net

Sunday Services and Church School at 10am

Riverton Congregational Church

A Church for all the People for over 150 years.

9 Robertsville Road

Riverton, CT 06065

860-618-3114

www.rivertonchurch.com

Pastor Denise Clapsaddle

Website: rivertonchurch.org

Sunday Service : 10:00am

Fellowship after the service

Ham Dinner every third Sunday at the Riverton Grange.

NON DENOMINATIONAL

The Salvation Army

234 Oak Ave, Torrington, CT 06790

860-482-3569

Email: angiegalentine@use.salvationarmy.org

Website: www.salvationarmyct.org

Sunday Worship Service: 10:30am

Sunday School: Noon (refreshments served)

Sondays cool (5-15 years old) Thusrday 5pm

(dinner served)

Article source: http://registercitizen.com/articles/2011/06/16/sports/doc4dfad4284e1b5100262006.txt

MidwayUSA Celebrates 34th Anniversary

Midway USA

Columbia, MO --(Ammoland.com)- MidwayUSA, a catalog and Internet retailer offering Just About Everything for Shooting, Reloading, Gunsmithing and Hunting, will celebrate their 34th Anniversary on Friday, June 17, with their employees.

On June 18, 1977, MidwayUSA first opened their doors under the name Ely Arms, Inc, operating from a small (1,536 square foot) metal building and serving mid-Missouri customers with new and used long guns, handguns and shooting and reloading supplies.

‘”Most people think founding the company was a great stroke of genius, but it wasn’t. Simply stated, the beginning of MidwayUSA was a little bit of dream and a lot of circumstance,” said Larry Potterfield, founder and CEO of MidwayUSA. “I have always loved guns – shooting, reloading and gunsmithing are my hobbies – and we have been fortunate to find other like-minded folks to join us at MidwayUSA to serve our Customers.”

Brenda and Larry Potterfield, Founder and CEO of MidwayUSA

MidwayUSA has experienced a significant amount of growth and change in thirty-four years. The first decade brought an entry into mail order, a name change to Midway Arms, Inc. and closure of the retail business to focus on mail order. The second decade saw a major product expansion, the launching of an international division and the establishment of the MidwayUSA name. The third decade saw continued steady growth and witnessed the creation of an award-winning website, the debut of a Master Catalog and the launch of the GunTec division. The last several years have brought a Missouri Quality Award, a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and an ISO 9001:2008 certification to MidwayUSA.

“Larry and I have always put our customers and the industry first,” said Brenda Potterfield, co-founder and vice president of Industry and Community Relations. “The employees at MidwayUSA are passionate about shooting and hunting – and that passion shines through to our Customers. Larry and I also believed that supporting the National Rifle Association and the Shooting Sports Industry was something we had to do.”

Both MidwayUSA and the Potterfield family have generously supported the NRA over the years, both in personal contributions and the start up of two important NRA Programs. The NRA Round-Up program was created by MidwayUSA in 1992 and has raised over six million dollars for the National Endowment for the Protection of the 2nd Amendment. The Friends of NRA (FNRA) program was also created by MidwayUSA in 1992 and several “friends of the company” from the local community. FNRA has generated millions of dollars for shooting programs all over the country.

For more information about MidwayUSA, please visit www.midwayusa.com or call 1-800-243-3220.

Distributed to you by - AmmoLand.com – The Shooting Sports News source.Tags: Friends of NRA, Gun Retailers, Larry Potterfield, MidwayUSA, Shooting Industry News

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Article source: http://www.ammoland.com/2011/06/16/midwayusa-celebrates-34th-anniversary/

The toolbars at the top of your web browser allow you to access actions such as reloading a page, stopping a webpage from loading or even printing a page. It is relatively easy to customise these toolbars to ensure actions you use frequently are displayed and those that you don’t often use are removed. Here’s how to customise the browser toolbar in Firefox 4.

Ensure the commands you use are displayed

Step one
Right-click in a free area in the Tab strip and select Customize.

Step two
From the Window that appears, simply drag and drop any icons that you want to appear in your browser to the relevant toolbar. You can also remove any icons by dragging then from the toolbar to window containing all the icons. Furthermore, you can rearrange icons by simply dragging them to a new position on the toolbar. Press Done.

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Article source: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/how-to/internet/3286361/how-to-customise-the-browser-toolbar-in-firefox/

What’s harder: Rebuilding vs. Reloading

Published 3:45pm Thursday, June 16, 2011

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With high school football two months away, opinions will soon be forming about what kind of season the Atmore area’s three football teams will have in 2011.

Last season, the Escambia County Blue Devils and the Northview Chiefs each went three rounds deep into the playoffs, while the Escambia Academy Cougars ended with a losing season.

As each team prepares for the upcoming season, they each have their minds set on different goals, but they all have one in common. Win a state championship.

Escambia County and Northview are each looking to reach the playoffs and push further than they did last year, but for the Cougars of Canoe, the goal is to make it back to the playoffs.

The question for each of the coaches is what is harder for a program? Rebuilding after a losing season or building on the success from a winning one?

Cougars head coach Heath Gibson said that building on a winning season is tougher in his eyes.

“After you have a great season, it can be tough to build on that success,” he said. “Sometimes, players get complacent and used to doing well, so they might slip up or let the success get the best of them.

For more on this story see Saturday’s edition of The Atmore Advance.

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Article source: http://www.atmoreadvance.com/2011/06/16/whats-harder-rebuilding-vs-reloading/

Best of Brass and sounds of success

THE Best of Brass competition did not go out quietly, with hundreds of people pouring through the doors of the Brolga Theatre on Monday.

Article source: http://www.northernstar.com.au/photos/galleries/best-brass/

The Flyers’ courtship of star free-agent goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov officially got under way in style yesterday, as they fueled up Ed Snider’s private jet and sent it to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport to ferry Bryzgalov to Philadelphia after his 9-hour flight from Moscow.

The Flyers acquired Bryzgalov’s exclusive negotiating rights in a June 7 trade with Phoenix that cost them a third-round pick in 2012, the rights to Phantoms forward Matt Clackson, and a conditional pick if Bryzgalov inks a deal.

Bryzgalov’s agent, Rich Winter, has spoken to Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren in preliminary negotiations prior to his arrival in town this week, but little progress has been made.

That should come as no surprise, since the Flyers would not be in a position to sign Bryzgalov to any contract without first making a trade to clear up salary-cap space and until the NHL’s salary-cap numbers for next season are released in the days following the conclusion of last night’s Stanley Cup final.

Sources say Bryzgalov, who turns 31 on June 22, is seeking a contract worth approximately $6 million per season for a term of 4 or 5 years.

Bryzgalov is scheduled to meet with Snider, Holmgren and team president Peter Luukko today and tomorrow, as well as receive a tour of the team’s facilities and a brief look at the city.

It isn’t often, though, that a high-profile free agent would travel all the way from Russia to visit a city if the negotiating team did not have serious intentions of striking a deal.

The Flyers have until July 1 to negotiate with Bryzgalov exclusively before other teams will have the chance to make an offer.

Without first making a trade, the Flyers would need to shed substantial salary off their roster in order to stay salary-cap compliant. Teams are allowed to exceed the salary cap by no more than 10 percent at any given time in the offseason. Last summer, the Flyers went over the cap by more than $3 million and were forced to deal Simon Gagne’s $5.25 million contract on July 19.

An ideal situation would have Bryzgalov under contract with the Flyers before next Friday’s draft kicks off in St. Paul, Minn., where they would then be in a position to wheel and deal.

Article source: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/20110616_Bryzgalov_arrives_in_Philly_to_meet_with_Flyers_brass.html

It all started with an offer, a bar — or restaurant, depending on who you talk to — and a U-Haul truck.

That’s how the Smoky Mountain Brass Band, one of the region’s first and longest standing community bands, got its genesis. Thirty years later, it’s still going strong.

The offer was from Yamaha, a world leader in musical instruments. They were trying to drum up some interest in brass bands in America, so they offered free leases on instruments for the first year.

So, said Dick Trevarthen, the group’s founding conductor, he and a few others who had gone to Raleigh for an interest meeting, went across the street to the bar/restaurant to discuss the proposition.

The next day, they’d loaded a U-Haul and drove their new instruments back to Waynesville. They had officially started a brass band.

In the intervening three decades, the band has gone through many incarnations — a string of conductors, and a long roster of members. They were once fierce competitors, winning the first North American Brass Band Association championship in 1985. Then they had a smaller performing group called the Smoky 12 who traveled to fairs, festivals and the like most every weekend there for a while.

After a few years, they got out of the competition circuit — too taxing, both physically and financially — but they kept on performing around the region, eventually raising enough money to pay off their instruments about 10 years into it.

Ron Heulster is the only band member who has been with it for all 30 years. He figures he wins the group award for going the longest stint without playing his instrument. Heulster spent 20 years away from the horn, and the instrument he plays today he’d never touched before joining the band.

For Heulster, those years of competition and performance-heavy calendars were probably the most exciting he’s seen with the band. But they were also the hardest.

“I think there was a time I thought, ‘is this what it’s like to be a musician?’” said Huelster, who isn’t a musician by trade. In fact, none of the band members are, or ever have been, really.

There have always been music professionals in the band or leading it — band directors of all stripes, some music professors — but mostly, the group is comprised of people in thoroughly non-musical careers.

“The people come from all over,” said John Entzi, the group’s current director. “We’ve got a math teacher at Asheville High School, a financial planner, a former band director retired from Florida, a middle school teacher, a retired salesman, a former music teacher, a pharmacist at Mission. So you can see the wide angle. We’ve got people in there who are professional quality players and people who play the horn only once a week.”

And that has always been a mission of the band, to be for the community.

“One of the first things our board of directors decided was that anyone who wanted to play who could play halfway decently could play at any age,” said Dick Trevarthen, a founding member of the group and its conductor for 11 years.

Of course there is an audition process, but mostly people come for the love of the music.

Before he founded the brass band, Trevarthen tried to get a concert band going in Waynesville. It was mostly brass players that showed up, though.

“Brass players showed up from all over, and very few woodwind players, and that seems to be characteristic,” said Trevarthen.

Bill Bryant, who conducted the group until 2006, said that’s because, among brass players, there’s a distinct camaraderie.

“Brass players feel a certain kinship,” said Bryant. “With brass band people, it’s a following, so that they have their own festivals and their own competitions and their own literature. It’s its own family, its own fraternity of brass players.”

And that probably has something to do with the history of the brass band itself.

Brass bands in the United States just started springing up over the last three decades, and even now they’re usually only found in larger cities like Raleigh and Atlanta.

But the brass band tradition was birthed over a century ago in Great Britain, where amateur musicianship found a home among the working class. Bands were formed in communities, but most notably around large-scale employers such as mills and mines. Where America had company baseball leagues, the British had company brass bands that would pack theaters to compete against each other for cash prizes.

In the 1890s, there were more than 40,000 amateur bands up and down the country, practicing in lunch breaks and after work.

So the tradition is built around the people and the brotherhood that the band forms.

For most in the Smoky Mountain Brass Band, that’s what keeps it an appealing prospect 30 years in.

“I keep going back to the people. They’re the driving force in that band,” said Entzi.

Trevarthen agrees, and he’s glad that the group’s original focus has remained essentially the same.

“It’s the music itself and the camaraderie. We had great musical moments in concerts and in competitions, but also just a great deal of fun,” said Trevarthen.

Now that they’re heading into their 30th season, they’re still looking to make great music and have a great time doing it.

Heulster said he, like many musicians, just love getting up on the stage and performing with other players.

“I do it for the enjoyment of playing,” said Heulster. “I’m not a crossword puzzle person, I read a lot, but music is a way of keeping active. There’s something exciting about playing in a group of people.” And it’s what, after 30 years, keeps him coming back to practice every Tuesday.

See them in concert

When: 3 p.m., June 19

Where: Waynesville Courthouse Steps

Why: Donations will benefit the Phil Campbell High School Band in Phil Campbell, Ala., which was destroyed by tornadoes in April.

Article source: http://www.smokymountainnews.com/contact/item/4192-for-the-love-of-music-haywood-based-smoky-mountain-brass-band-marks-30-years-of-camaraderie

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Kemba Walker and Jimmer Fredette never made it onto the same court during their last year of college hoops. It finally happened behind closed doors at the Utah Jazz practice facility.

Walker and Fredette auditioned for Jazz coaches and team officials Wednesday in a workout ahead of the June 23 NBA draft.

Walker and Fredette are firmly on Utah’s draft radar. The Jazz pick at No. 3 and No. 12 and it’s expected that at least one of those picks will be used on a point guard to fill the void left when Utah traded Deron Williams to New Jersey last season.

Walker lifted Connecticut to an NCAA championship last season while Fredette led the nation in scoring at BYU with 28.9 points per game and swept nearly every national player of the year award.

Seeing both players on the same court was a dream for many college basketball fans. It never happened in college. Both players came away painting their workout together in glowing terms.

“It was great to be able to go against him,” Fredette said. “That’s what you want. You want to play against the best, at least I do. I want to go out there and compete against the best players.”

Jazz coaches put both players through the wringer. They tested their ability to run plays out of the pick and roll, evaluated their shooting and defensive skills and had them go through conditioning drills.

Walker walked away feeling like both he and Fredette did enough to leave a good impression.

“That’s what it’s all about,” Walker said. “We’re all here for jobs. It’s like interviews. We’re going to go hard and try to impress. I think we both did a great job at impressing these guys today.”

Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said Walker showed a ton of defensive quickness and good scoring ability.

He said he liked what Fredette showed in terms of athleticism and defensive commitment.

“They’re both competitors,” Corbin said. “You can’t argue against the success that either one of those kids has had. They had great college careers and their talent level and the work they demonstrated today show why.”

Fredette has sought to quiet critics who question his defensive skills. His focus during workouts with the Jazz and elsewhere has been to show teams he is not afraid to be aggressive on defense.

Utah is at the top of Fredette’s wish list. He feels like his skills are a perfect match for what the Jazz like to do.

“I just think it would be a great fit for me basketball-wise,” Fredette said. “I fit into the system. They need a guy who can stretch the floor, get into a lane, get other guys involved and that plays right into my strengths.”

Walker also thinks he can carve out an NBA home with the Jazz. He is small by NBA point guard standards, but Walker feels he makes up for that with energy, intensity and desire. He said he feels he can develop his game with the Jazz.

“I feel like I have a great vibe with the team and the staff,” Walker said. “Hopefully, I can come to Utah.”

It was not the first time Walker and Fredette spent time together on the basketball court. The two became friends after playing together on the USA Select team last summer. Walker has seen and played against many great players since then.

He is convinced this won’t be the last time he and Fredette duel on a basketball court.

“He can play the point guard position on the next level,” Walker said. “Today, he definitely showed that. Him scoring is just a plus. He made some pretty impressive passes also. I think he’ll be great.”

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Article source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/nba/06/15/jimmer.kemba.jazz.ap/index.html?section=si_latest

LAST week, it was mice causing fires in a house and a factory by chewing through the wiring.

This week it’s mice in ATMs.

Staff at a Deniliquin bank were reloading the hole in the wall when a couple of mice came scurrying out of the innards.

Let’s hope they don’t eat the money or cause a malfunction that will send notes spewing out of the machine willy-nilly.

That would be terrible.

Article source: http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2011/06/16/344601_back-paddock.html

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Article source: http://www.policeone.com/training/events/3803104-Survival-Pistol-Skills-for-the-Female-Officer

DALLAS (AP) — Dirk Nowitzki was talking about the NBA championship capping his career wish list and how much it meant after all the heartbreaks along the way.

In a somber voice, he wondered aloud about trying to find something else that could push him to continue a work ethic that routinely includes returning to the gym for nighttime shooting drills.

Then he stopped, laughed and said, “I’m not going to retire or anything if that’s what you think.”

While the Mavericks know they’ll have the finals MVP back next season, it remains to be seen who will be part of Nowitzki’s supporting cast. Starting center Tyson Chandler, valuable guard J.J. Barea, injured scorer Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are all free agents. The NBA’s uncertain labor status further complicates things.

So instead of looking ahead, the Mavs are focused on savoring the first title in franchise history – especially the free agents-to-be.

“If I get focused on that (contract) stuff, I can’t enjoy it,” Chandler said. “I’ll probably go home and Slip ‘n Slide. … Just run up and down and slide on the front lawn. Any kids are welcome to join me.”

That was the tone at the team’s annual exit interviews Tuesday: fun, loose, relaxed. Since none of the players had ever won a championship, it was the best season wrapup they’d ever been through. The team’s PR staff even got in the spirit, too; the daily email with the team’s schedule read, “The World Champion Dallas Mavericks …”

Interviews were held on the team’s downstairs practice court at the arena. Jason Terry stole the show by strutting down the stairs in a white terry cloth robe, sunglasses and a baseball cap, carrying a fat, unlit cigar and his invitation to the ESPY awards for the Mavericks’ nomination as Team of the Year.

The robe was a gift from coach Rick Carlisle, replacing one he’d taken away from Terry two years ago.

Terry wore his old one – featuring a Mavs logo and his jersey number – to team meetings, breakfasts on the road and whenever else he could. After losing a few games in a row, Carlisle said something along the lines of, “You’re not focused. Get that robe out of here.” The replacement delivered Tuesday is white terry cloth with the finals logo on one side of the chest, gold leaves in front of the NBA logo on the other.

“The robe is back, baby!” Terry said.

The glory of winning a championship comes in many forms.

For team owner Mark Cuban, it was walking into his kitchen Tuesday morning and seeing the Larry O’Brien Trophy on top of a counter.

For Barea, it’s planning to take the championship trophy to his native Puerto Rico. President Obama was in his native land on Tuesday and said of the tiny guard: “That guy can play.”

For Donnie Nelson, the team’s president of basketball operations, it’s a congratulatory text from his dad, Don Nelson, who started the Mavericks down the path to a title when he took over the club in the late 1990s. The elder Nelson won five titles as a player, but none in a long, distinguished career as a coach and executive.

For Carlisle, it’s the satisfaction of making champions out of guys who’d made millions and been All-Stars but had never won it all.

“There’s a big difference between success and fulfillment,” Carlisle said. “These guys have had incredible success in the league. You go right down the list of guys, Dirk, Jet, Kidd, Marion, Stojakovic, Chandler, all these guys. But the thing that’s eluded them and myself on the coaching side of it has been the fulfillment of achieving the ultimate dream. … Once you’re an NBA champion and you have the ring, you’re a made man in NBA circles.”

Nowitzki and Carlisle emphasized the importance of the way Dallas won, with a “strength in numbers” approach best evidenced by Terry and the supporting cast pulling them through the clincher while Nowitzki struggled.

“They needed each other to be successful,” Carlisle said. “A lot of people are going to reference back to the 2011 Dallas Mavericks as the team that … found a way collectively to achieve the highest achievement.”

That achievement usually is marked by championship rings. Cuban is considering another kind of jewelry, but is being strongly urged to stick with tradition.

“You win an NBA championship, you’ve got to have a ring,” Carlisle said. Laughing, he added, “I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

Nowitzki spoke for the locker room when he said, “We know he always wants to do something different, something bigger. But the ring is just so classic. … I mean, I’m a man. I don’t know how I’d feel about a bracelet. I’d rather go with a ring.”

A parade through downtown is planned for Thursday, with 250,000 people expected. Cuban has offered to pick up the tab, so it should be a doozy of a party, especially after the way he celebrated Sunday night in Miami. He footed the bill at a chic club on South Beach; there was talk of a single, oversized bottle of champagne that cost $90,000.

“Mark understands the importance of this moment, not only to him and to the league but to this city,” Carlisle said.

On Monday night, Cuban, Nowitzki and several others took the trophy to a favorite watering hole. The celebration including a rendition of “We Are The Champions.” Cuban even tweeted a link to a YouTube video of it.

They better enjoy being champions for as long as they can because come next season, it will be used against them by every team they face. Carlisle called it “another challenge that we’ll embrace.”

Another, similar challenge is dealing with talk of whether they can repeat as champions.

“The lockout is the only thing holding this team back,” Terry said. “Hey, you know what? If they lock us out ’til January, it would be a shorter journey. But I know nobody is going to pick us again next year. … But we’ll love it. We like the underdog role. I believe if we have the same team coming back next year, we’re going to be tough to beat.”

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Article source: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/nba/06/14/mavs.future.ap/index.html

NEW YORK — American Express is offering a lost-cost prepaid card that’s exempt from new U.S. caps on debit-card swipe fees.

AmEx, unlike other prepaid-card issuers, won’t charge for online purchases, monthly maintenance, balance inquiries, activation, replacement cards, or for reloading the cards through checking and savings accounts, the New York lender said this week. There will be retail fees for customers who reload with cash.

The cards may be an alternative for customers of the biggest U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase Co. and Wells Fargo Co., which announced plans to scale back their debit-rewards programs after caps on the swipe fees they collect were enacted last year.

A cap on swipe fees of 12 cents a transaction is to take effect July 12, replacing a formula that averages 1.14 percent of the purchase price.

Article source: http://www.toledoblade.com/Retail/2011/06/15/American-Express-offers-prepaid-debit-card.print

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DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki was talking about the NBA championship capping his career wish list and how much it meant after all the heartbreaks along the way.

He wondered aloud about trying to find something else that could push him so hard. Then he stopped, laughed and said: “I’m not going to retire or anything if that’s what you think.”

The Mavericks are back in Dallas after wrapping up the franchise’s first title.

While the Mavericks know they’ll have the finals MVP back next season, it remains to be seen who will be part of Nowitzki’s supporting cast. Starting center Tyson Chandler, valuable guard J.J. Barea, injured scorer Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are all free agents.

The NBA’s uncertain labor status complicates things.

So, for now, the Mavs are focused on savoring the first title in franchise history.

Jason Terry delighted in wearing a new white robe with the finals logo on one side of the chest, gold leafs in front of the NBA logo on the other; it was a gift from coach Rick Carlisle, who two years ago took away his favorite robe during a losing streak.

Barea already has plans to take the championship trophy to Puerto Rico. Nowitzki hadn’t asked yet to take it to Germany, but upon hearing about Barea’s plan said he liked the idea.

The big celebration will come Thursday, with a parade through downtown.

Team owner Mark Cuban has offered to pick up the tab, so it should be a doozy of a party, especially after the way he celebrated Sunday night in Miami.

Cuban also has thrown out the idea of doing something other than championship rings.

Carlisle said he’d be OK with Cuban giving everyone a piece of jewelry in addition to a ring, but when “you win an NBA championship, you’ve got to have a ring.”

“I don’t know what he’s thinking,” Carlisle said, laughing.

Nowitzki spoke for the locker room when he said, “We’ve got to talk to him about that. I don’t think the last word has been spoken yet. We know he always wants to do something different, something bigger. But the ring is just so classic. … I mean, I’m a man. I don’t know how I’d feel about a bracelet. I’d rather go with a ring.”

Article source: http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20110615/OSH02/106150513/Dallas-Mavericks-savoring-title-put-reloading-talks-hold?odyssey=tab|topnews|img|OSH-Sports

DALLAS – Dirk Nowitzki was talking about the NBA championship capping his career wish list and how much it meant after all the heartbreaks along the way.

In a sombre voice, he wondered aloud about trying to find something else that could push him to continue a work ethic that routinely includes returning to the gym for nighttime shooting drills.

Then he stopped, laughed and said, “I’m not going to retire or anything if that’s what you think.”

While the Mavericks know they’ll have the finals MVP back next season, it remains to be seen who will be part of Nowitzki’s supporting cast. Starting centre Tyson Chandler, valuable guard J.J. Barea, injured scorer Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are all free agents. The NBA’s uncertain labour status further complicates things.

So instead of looking ahead, the Mavs are focused on savouring the first title in franchise history — especially the free agents-to-be.

“If I get focused on that (contract) stuff, I can’t enjoy it,” Chandler said. “I’ll probably go home and Slip ‘n Slide. … Just run up and down and slide on the front lawn. Any kids are welcome to join me.”

That was the tone at the team’s annual exit interviews Tuesday: fun, loose, relaxed. Since none of the players had ever won a championship, it was the best season wrapup they’d ever been through. The team’s PR staff even got in the spirit, too; the daily email with the team’s schedule read, “The World Champion Dallas Mavericks …”

Interviews were held on the team’s downstairs practice court at the arena. Jason Terry stole the show by strutting down the stairs in a white terry cloth robe, sunglasses and a baseball cap, carrying a fat, unlit cigar and his invitation to the ESPY awards for the Mavericks’ nomination as Team of the Year.

The robe was a gift from coach Rick Carlisle, replacing one he’d taken away from Terry two years ago.

Terry wore his old one — featuring a Mavs logo and his jersey number — to team meetings, breakfasts on the road and whenever else he could. After losing a few games in a row, Carlisle said something along the lines of, “You’re not focused. Get that robe out of here.” The replacement delivered Tuesday is white terry cloth with the finals logo on one side of the chest, gold leaves in front of the NBA logo on the other.

“The robe is back, baby!” Terry said.

The glory of winning a championship comes in many forms.

For team owner Mark Cuban, it was walking into his kitchen Tuesday morning and seeing the Larry O’Brien Trophy on top of a counter.

For Barea, it’s planning to take the championship trophy to his native Puerto Rico. U.S. President Obama was in his native land on Tuesday and said of the tiny guard: “That guy can play.”

For Donnie Nelson, the team’s president of basketball operations, it’s a congratulatory text from his dad, Don Nelson, who started the Mavericks down the path to a title when he took over the club in the late 1990s. The elder Nelson won five titles as a player, but none in a long, distinguished career as a coach and executive.

For Carlisle, it’s the satisfaction of making champions out of guys who’d made millions and been all-stars but had never won it all.

“There’s a big difference between success and fulfilment,” Carlisle said. “These guys have had incredible success in the league. You go right down the list of guys, Dirk, Jet, Kidd, Marion, Stojakovic, Chandler, all these guys. But the thing that’s eluded them and myself on the coaching side of it has been the fulfilment of achieving the ultimate dream. … Once you’re an NBA champion and you have the ring, you’re a made man in NBA circles.”

Nowitzki and Carlisle emphasized the importance of the way Dallas won, with a “strength in numbers” approach best evidenced by Terry and the supporting cast pulling them through the clincher while Nowitzki struggled.

“They needed each other to be successful,” Carlisle said. “A lot of people are going to reference back to the 2011 Dallas Mavericks as the team that … found a way collectively to achieve the highest achievement.”

That achievement usually is marked by championship rings. Cuban is considering another kind of jewelry, but is being strongly urged to stick with tradition.

“You win an NBA championship, you’ve got to have a ring,” Carlisle said. Laughing, he added, “I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

Nowitzki spoke for the locker-room when he said, “We know he always wants to do something different, something bigger. But the ring is just so classic. … I mean, I’m a man. I don’t know how I’d feel about a bracelet. I’d rather go with a ring.”

A parade through downtown is planned for Thursday, with 250,000 people expected. Cuban has offered to pick up the tab, so it should be a doozy of a party, especially after the way he celebrated Sunday night in Miami. He footed the bill at a chic club on South Beach; there was talk of a single, oversized bottle of champagne that cost US$90,000.

“Mark understands the importance of this moment, not only to him and to the league but to this city,” Carlisle said.

On Monday night, Cuban, Nowitzki and several others took the trophy to a favourite watering hole. The celebration including a rendition of “We Are The Champions.” Cuban even tweeted a link to a YouTube video of it.

They better enjoy being champions for as long as they can because come next season, it will be used against them by every team they face. Carlisle called it “another challenge that we’ll embrace.”

Another, similar challenge is dealing with talk of whether they can repeat as champions.

“The lockout is the only thing holding this team back,” Terry said. “Hey, you know what? If they lock us out ’til January, it would be a shorter journey. But I know nobody is going to pick us again next year. … But we’ll love it. We like the underdog role. I believe if we have the same team coming back next year, we’re going to be tough to beat.”

Article source: http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/sports/article/889571--mavs-savouring-title-reloading-talk-on-hold

Washington DC – Jun 13: A Night In Treme closes out the DC Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center. Dr. Michael White, center, with the Rebirth Brass Band. (All photos by Josh Sisk/FTWP)Feel a few tremors in Foggy Bottom on Monday night? Chalk it up to “A Night In Treme: The Musical Majesty of New Orleans,” which shook the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. The performance delighted and nearly deafened a capacity crowd with a series of blasts from the vast wealth of music that has poured out of the Crescent City for ages. A more jubilant and jarring way to cap the DC Jazz Festival is hard to imagine.

Though inspired by the popular HBO program “Treme,” and hosted by actor Wendell Pierce, who plays a prominent, trombone-wielding character in the series, the concert soon developed its own brassy charm, momentum and power. Pierce narrated the first half of the concert, and the script proved worthy of the music, concisely describing the evolution of New Orleans percussion and early jazz traditions, linking ties to Caribbean, Native American and French opera influences,  referencing modern jazz innovators and seminal Louisiana RB and rock artists. If that sounds like a tall order for a two hour concert, it is.

But the pacing was brisk early on, and the musical illustrations, especially those contributed by clarinetist Dr. Michael White and alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, Jr., were often revealing and compelling. White contrasted breathtakingly elegant phrasing with the rich vocabulary of minor key blues during “St. James Infirmary,” while Harrison adroitly demonstrated how John Coltrane and other jazz titans indebted to New Orleans jazz pioneers boldly reconfigured pop standards with their harmonic and rhythmic ingenuity.

Virtuosic turns, however, weren’t the only thing that kept the audience standing, stomping and dancing for most of the evening. Trumpeter James Andrews, trombonist Big Sam Williams and the relentlessly loud and funky Rebirth Brass Band won over the audience with the force of their exuberant personalities during individual showcases and collective romps. “Just A Closer Walk With Thee,” “When The Saints Go Marching In” — many of the tunes were Crescent City staples, but there were more than a few flashes of spontaneous combustion.  

Washington DC – Jun 13: A Night In Treme closes out the DC Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center. L-R (front row): Donald Harrison Jr, James Andrews, Big Sam Williams. Back row: Rebirth Brass Band. (Josh Sisk/For The Washington Post)Rebirth opened the second half by marching down an aisle in festive second-line fashion, horns blaring, drums pounding, umbrella twirling en route. The group powered up a boisterous tribute to Duke Ellington, via “Caravan,” and pumped out several of its own party favorites, including “Feel Like Funkin’ It Up.” But it soon became clear that the more musicians gathered onstage the better. Eventually all the performers reunited, and to no one’s surprise they took special delight in turning the “Treme” theme song into a resounding shout.
     Near the end of the show, several revelers who were hoisted onstage by the musicians created their own house party. A few ushers arrived moments later, apparently to guide the dancers offstage when the music ended. The ushers stood like disciplined sentinels amid the frenzy until one of them, a middle-aged women,  suddenly broke ranks and  busted loose, nearly dancing her shoes off for a brief moment. In an evening filled with huge ovations, she may well have received the biggest of them all.
Dr. Michael White, center, with the Rebirth Brass Band. (Josh Sisk/For The Washington Post)

L-R (front row): Donald Harrison Jr, James Andrews. Back row: Rebirth Brass Band. (Josh Sisk/For The Washington Post)

Article source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/click-track/post/in-concert-a-night-in-treme-the-musical-majesty-of-new-orleans-at-the-kennedy-center/2011/06/14/AGybnoUH_blog.html?wprss=click-track

Ah, gypsy music! The wild violins, the flamenco style guitar, the hammered strings of the cimbalom, the deep rumble of a double bass and the careening clarinet accompanying a tortured voice singing of love, religion, troubles and other aspects of their marginalized lives. In spite of the fact there are Romany people living across a span of territory stretching from India to Spain in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, most people tend to latch onto this one, very romantic, notion of what their music should sound like. While its true there are bands where the violin is important, the music can not only be radically different depending upon which country those who play it reside in, even within a single country it can change from province to province and town to town.

For not only were the Romany a nomadic people who absorbed the musical influences of those whose territories they passed through, they were also survivors who learned quickly how to adopt the music of the local dominant culture so they could earn their keep as entertainers. While in some cases it has become difficult to tell whether the Romany have adopted local folk traditions or vice versa, in others the non Romany influence is obvious. When the Ottoman Empire of Turkey swept up the Danube River through Eastern Europe, until they were halted at the gates of Vienna from entering the West, they brought with them a sound that was new to European ears. While marching bands, military bands especially, are now commonplace, they were first introduced to Europe by the conquering Turkish armies. Throughout the territories they occupied they brought with them their love of brass bands and those wishing to perform for the new rulers quickly learned to play what would sell.

Not only did the Romany people under the Ottoman Empire pick up brass music, they gradually developed their own distinct styles of performance which reflected both their own musical heritage and the regions of Europe they lived in. Although it’s only been recently this style of music has made its way over to North America, it is easily as popular and well known as what we refer to as “traditional” Romany music elsewhere. The Guca Festival of brass bands in Serbia, featuring Romany bands from across Europe, is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year and routinely draws over two hundred bands who compete for the title of champion brass band of Europe. One of the most celebrated contestants was Serbian native son the Boban Marko Markovic Orchestra, who, after receiving unprecedented high marks from all the judges in all the categories at the 2001 festival, no longer competes but performs as a special guest every year. Needless to say they were shocked when whispers began reaching their ears of a band of part time musicians from a small town in Romania who were gaining international recognition and acclaim and being talked about in the same reverential tones usually reserved for them.

Article source: http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-boban-and-marko-markovic/

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats have had an
opening in the front office for two years. For nearly that long, Rod Higgins has
been “beating Michael’s ear up” about the need to fill a blind spot in a front
office filled with “traditional basketball guys.”

Enter Rich Cho, a former engineer with a law degree, who is a stark
departure from Jordan’s tendency to hire only old buddies. It may signal a sense
of urgency and seriousness by the Charlotte owner to finally produce a winner.

The Bobcats introduced Cho as general manager on Tuesday in a front-office
shake up just over a week before the draft. Cho takes over from Higgins, who was
promoted to director of basketball operations.

“This will give us a whole different area that we can open up our minds
to,” Higgins said. “He’ll bring in some concepts and some stats and some
analytics that we haven’t done in the past. I think that’s the beauty of it.”

It’s a quick return to the NBA for the 45-year-old Cho, who was fired as GM
of the Portland Trail Blazers last month after less than a year on the job. Now
he’s charged by Jordan with making a success out of a franchise with one playoff
appearance and no postseason victories in seven years.

“He’s open to listening to new ideas. He’s open to a lot of dialogue,” Cho
said of Jordan. “I really, really feel like he wants to win.”

Cho acknowledged he “didn’t see it coming” when the Blazers fired him.
President Larry Miller said it was because of “chemistry issues,” believed to
be with owner Paul Allen. Cho declined to address the issue, saying he didn’t
want to “dwell on the past.”

The Bobcats moved quickly to get him.

Higgins said he called Cho the day after his dismissal to wish him luck.
Then Higgins met with Jordan about hiring Cho. Jordan, who was a former teammate
of Higgins and whose team president Fred Whitfield is an old friend, agreed.

“I don’t think Michael has ever felt that he wouldn’t hire outside his
group, his whatever you want to call it,” Higgins said. “I don’t think he’s
ever been scared to hire somebody he hasn’t had a past with.”

As has been his custom following major moves, Jordan ducked questions. He
skipped Tuesday’s news conference and released a statement.

“Rod’s tireless efforts and leadership have our team and our basketball
operations staff moving in the right direction, and the addition of Rich Cho
brings another bright basketball mind to our organization,” Jordan said. “In
making these moves, I am confident that we will continue to build this team into
one that can compete at the elite levels of the Eastern Conference and the
NBA.”

A native of Burma, Cho has a diverse background. He worked as an engineer at
Boeing and earned a law degree at Pepperdine before moving into sports. He
served several roles with Seattle/Oklahoma City, including assistant GM, before
becoming the NBA’s first Asian GM last year.

He faces a tall task with the Bobcats, who have spent the past several
seasons making numerous trades and dealing with major salary-cap issues.

“It’s not going to happen overnight,” Cho said. “Oklahoma City is one of
the best up-and-coming teams and it didn’t happen overnight there. It’s going to
be a process. The good thing is we do have some flexibility cap-wise coming up
in the next few years. We have some good young players in D.J. Augustin(notes) and D.J.
White(notes), Gerald Henderson(notes) and Tyrus (Thomas). We’ve got three picks in the top 39
this year.”

The added first-round pick is, oddly, because of a deal Higgins brokered
with Cho at the February trade deadline. The much-scrutinized deal sent Gerald
Wallace(notes)—the last original member of the team, its only All-Star and most
popular player—to the Blazers for draft picks and salary-cap space.

“After we made the trade with Rod, I talked to him the day after and I
said, ‘Rod, I really think this is a good trade for you because you guys are in
a little different situation than we are in Portland,”’ Cho said. “I think
it’s really smart to go get some assets, a couple picks and some cap room.”

Jordan inherited plenty of cap space from former GM Bernie Bickerstaff in
2006, but quickly used it up in trades before reaching a crisis situation last
summer.

To get under the luxury tax payroll threshold—something Jordan said the
money-losing team wouldn’t go over—Charlotte traded Tyson Chandler(notes) to Dallas
for Erick Dampier’s(notes) non-guaranteed $13 million contract.

The Bobcats eventually waived Dampier to avoid the tax and was short-handed
at center for most of a 34-48 season that included coach Larry Brown’s
dismissal. Chandler went on to become a key cog in the Mavericks’ championship
season.

Higgins will remain the top basketball man under Jordan. But Cho will be
given plenty of freedom to talk trades and manage the cap. Jordan is hoping Cho
can help the Hall of Famer produce his first winner from the boardroom.

“If you can get a guy that has the legal background and cap management,
it’s a win-win because of the assets we already have here,” Higgins said of
Cho. “He glues the whole team together because of his skills set.”

Follow Mike Cranston on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MikeCranston1.

Article source: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-bobcats-cho

San Diego State put itself on the basketball map in 2011. The Aztecs had a brilliant 34-3 season, losing to only two teams: The Jimmer Fredette-led BYU Cougars and the Kemba Walker-led Connecticut Huskies. The latter loss came in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, a place San Diego State hasn’t visited often in its hoops history, and one that marked the culmination of coach Steve Fisher’s total long-term construction efforts at the school.

The biggest question: After losing three senior starters in D.J. Gay, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White — and one bonafide star in likely lottery pick Kawhi Leonard — where does San Diego State go from here?

If Fisher keeps landing transfers at this rate, the answer is bound to be “nowhere.”

A few days ago, San Diego State announced it had landed Utah freshman transfer J.J. O’Brien. Then, on Monday night, more good news: St. John’s forward Dwayne Polee II is also transferring to the school, a decision he announced to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Polee II has some close connections with the school. His former high school, Westchester High in Los Angeles, has sent a pair of players the Aztecs’ way in the past, players like Tony Bland and Brandon Heath, both of whom Polee’s father, Dwayne Polee Sr., counted as factors in his son’s decision. Polee II also wants to be closer to his hometown, where his mother — herself an SDSU alumni — is suffering from an undisclosed medical condition that requires surgery.

“Dwayne loved the coaching staff (at St. John’s), but it was just wrong timing with my wife’s illness,” Polee Sr. said. “He loves his mom and he wanted to be closer to her. (St. John’s coach) Steve Lavin was great to him. We have no hard feelings. It was just too far away.”

Added Polee: “She’s had my back for this long. Knowing I could be here for her while she’s going through her thing is a real joy for me.”

Thanks to the illness, Polee II will apply for a hardship waiver and hope the NCAA grants it, but also said he’d be OK with sitting out a year if that’s what it took. If Polee II can play right away for the Aztecs, then Fisher’s team will immediately get a lanky, athletic forward that started 27 of 33 games for a surprisingly good Big East team in 2011, and you don’t exactly need me to tell the kind of impact a player like that can have in the BYU-less Mountain West.

But even if Polee II can’t play right away, his prospective presence remains a boon. The Aztecs have programmatic momentum unlike any time in their school’s history. Another 34-3 season may not be on the way, but a long-term stay in the national college hoops conversation — even without all the stars from last year’s team — is starting to seem more likely than ever.

Article source: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/31902/sdsu-lands-dwayne-polee-keeps-reloading

Dirk Nowitzki was talking about the NBA championship capping his
career wish list and how much it meant after all the heartbreaks
along the way.

He wondered aloud about trying to find something else that could
push him so hard. Then he stopped, laughed and said: “I’m not going
to retire or anything if that’s what you think.”

The Mavericks are back in Dallas after wrapping up the
franchise’s first title.

While the Mavericks know they’ll have the finals MVP back next
season, it remains to be seen who will be part of Nowitzki’s
supporting cast. Starting center Tyson Chandler, valuable guard
J.J. Barea, injured scorer Caron Butler, DeShawn Stevenson, Brian
Cardinal and Peja Stojakovic are all free agents.

The NBA’s uncertain labor status complicates things.

So, for now, the Mavs are focused on savoring the first title in
franchise history.

Jason Terry delighted in wearing a new white robe with the
finals logo on one side of the chest, gold leafs in front of the
NBA logo on the other; it was a gift from coach Rick Carlisle, who
two years ago took away his favorite robe during a losing
streak.

Barea already has plans to take the championship trophy to
Puerto Rico. Nowitzki hadn’t asked yet to take it to Germany, but
upon hearing about Barea’s plan said he liked the idea.

The big celebration will come Thursday, with a parade through
downtown. Team owner Mark Cuban has offered to pick up the tab, so
it should be a doozy of a party, especially after the way he
celebrated Sunday night in Miami.

Cuban also has thrown out the idea of doing something other than
championship rings. Carlisle said he’d be OK with Cuban giving
everyone a piece of jewelry in addition to a ring, but when “you
win an NBA championship, you’ve got to have a ring.”

“I don’t know what he’s thinking,” Carlisle said, laughing.

Nowitzki spoke for the locker room when he said, “We’ve got to
talk to him about that. I don’t think the last word has been spoken
yet. We know he always wants to do something different, something
bigger. But the ring is just so classic. … I mean, I’m a man. I
don’t know how I’d feel about a bracelet. I’d rather go with a
ring.”

Article source: http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/article_1de2e2a4-c4e2-5088-b8ef-d941c36c5ed0.html

NDP leaders in Toronto appear to be pushing for a higher-profile candidate than the three current nominees in hopes of capturing Windsor West following longtime Liberal MPP Sandra Pupatello’s sudden departure from politics.

While the party’s constitution is clear candidates must declare 10 days before the nomination meeting -being held Thursday -another nominee could enter the race at the meeting, said Jen Hassum, manager of communications for Ontario’s New Democrats.

“It’s a question of precedence,” she said. “It will be up to the local membership of Windsor West to decide who is the best candidate.”

Hassum confirmed Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath will be in attendance. The party spokeswoman repeatedly refused to dismiss the possibility another candidate will enter the fray during the nomination meeting.

“Local members will have a chance to vote on who they feel is the best candidate to run for the NDP,” she said. “To date, we have three candidate nomination forms.”

The three current nominees for the riding are lawyer and longtime party activist Victoria Cross, downtown restaurant owner Louis Sleiman and Helmi Charif, who owns an auto sales and service shop. He ran for the NDP in Windsor-Tecumseh in 2007.

The riding’s top executive Mariano Klimowicz said he has been approached by an unnamed potential newcomer, but was adamant Monday that deadlines for entering the race are long past.

The NDP candidate for Windsor West will be one of the three nominees who stepped forward weeks ago, the riding president insisted.

“Somebody did call me, but I told them it’s too late in the process,” he said. “There is not a chance to even put your name in at the mercy of the membership. It’s impossible to do.

“They have to be vetted by the selection committee and approved by the provincial office and the cutoff mark was two Sundays ago.”

Any new additions to the riding membership list also must be in place 30 days before the nomination meeting, meaning a new candidate could not bring a legion of supporters into the meeting, Klimowicz said.

“We’ve already got three good strong candidates with strong backgrounds,” he said.

Coun. Ron Jones, a longtime NDP member who lives in the riding, dismissed any talk he would pursue the nomination and that anybody else should even be considered this late in the process.

“It’s too late,” he said.

Former councillor Ken Lewenza Jr., another NDP supporter, was suggested as a possibility to enter the race. He did not return a message left Monday by The Star.

Cross said she has heard none of the rumblings of lastminute competition and believes Thursday’s choice will be among the three standing nominees.

“I haven’t heard a thing about that,” she said. “It would be quite the shocker if that was to take place.

“I’m absolutely not concerned about it because good New Democrats don’t behave that way. We have a wide-ranging field and people will be able to choose who they best want to represent them in the legislature. I’m really looking forward to Thursday. It will be an exciting night for the New Democrats.”

Kieran McKenzie, an aide to federal MP Brian Masse (NDP -Windsor West), is on the nominee search committee for the riding and also dismissed talk of a last-minute addition.

“Our field is set,” he said. “It would be against the rules to permit that.”

Article source: http://ca.news.yahoo.com/ndp-brass-looking-brighter-light-112241642.html

Music and Movies in the Park continue this week with a brass band concert and “Despicable Me.”

Palladium Brass will perform a free concert Wednesday in Bayliss Park from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Palladium Brass is an Omaha brass ensemble with a repertoire that includes works from the Renaissance, Baroque, classical, jazz and popular genres.

“Despicable Me” will be the featured movie presentation for Movies in the Park, starting at dusk on Friday. The 2010 computer-animated comedy film was nominated for several awards. It’s rated PG and runs 95 minutes.

All concerts and movies are free and open to the public.

To obtain a schedule for both the concerts and the movies, go online at www.bluffsarts.org or call the Bluffs Arts Council office at 328-4992 and one will be mailed to you.

Music in the Park Series produced by the Bluffs Arts Council and the city of Council Bluffs. Music and Movies in the Park is sponsored by the Musicians’ Trust Fund and the Ellsworth-Cox Fund.

 

Boys Girls Clubs a meal site for free lunches
 
Methodist clinics honored

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Article source: http://www.southwestiowanews.com/articles/2011/06/14/council_bluffs/news/doc4df78a1fd8065478315156.txt

CASTLE HAYNE, NC (WECT) – A brass bell was dedicated to a fallen Wilmington Fire Department Captain Tuesday morning at CFCC’s Safety Training Center.

The bell is engraved with Capt. John Miller’s name and will become a permanent addition at CFCC’s facility, where hundreds of fire, law and rescue personnel go to receive training every year.

Miller died in a helicopter accident in March 2008.  He was an accomplished pilot and had his private pilot’s license with multi-engine and commercial rating

The captain had worked for the WFD for 18 years and was a graduate of New Hanover High School.  He was an avid boat captain and scuba diver.  Miller started his own business, which provided maintenance service for many volunteer fire department vehicles.

Copyright 2011 WECT. All rights reserved.

Article source: http://www.wect.com/story/14903838/brass-bell-honors-fallen-wfd-captain

The communications industry is raising money for St Vincent de Paul Society by staging a sleepout, where top managers will sleep rough for the night in cities across Australia. The event will be held on Thursday this week.

The Melbourne event of the 2011 Vinnies CEO Sleepout will be held at the Etihad Stadium. Participants include Rhys Holleran, CEO of Souther Cross Media Group, Peter Whitehead, Austereo’s director of sales, Kim Jenkins, MD of Experian, and Ed Carveth, executive creative director of Sputnik Agency.

At the Sydney event in Luna Park, News Ltd’s chairman and CEO John Hartigan, ABC MD Mark Scott, Tourism Australia MD, Andrew McEvoy, Jakob Overduin, CEO of Let’s, The Brand Connection Agency, and McDonald’s Australia CEO, Catriona Noble, will brave the cold in tribute to the 100,000 Australians who sleep rough every night.

Vinnies expects Sunrise and Today to cover the event on Friday, and post event coverage to run in The Circle. The event wraps up at 6am on Friday.

Donations can be made by visiting the website, www.ceosleepout.org.au.

June 14th, 2011 at 9:48 am

Have your say

Article source: http://mumbrella.com.au/industry-brass-sleeps-out-for-the-homeless-48957

THE MoD is squandering hundreds of thousands of pounds flying top brass to
meetings – some just a few miles away, The Sun can reveal.

At a time when drastic cuts are being made to frontline troops, RAF, Army and
Navy officers are using aircraft like taxis.

In the most extreme case, an AgustaWestland 109 helicopter was used to
carry a Flight Lieutenant 14 miles from Northolt RAF base in West London to
Wellington Barracks in Westminster and back.

To hire the same helicopter privately would cost 1,500 an hour, more than a
soldier in Afghanistan gets paid in a month. The journey in a car would cost
a fraction of the price. And it is only 25 in a taxi.

The flights were made by 32 Squadron of the RAF which looks after the Queen,
other members of the Royal Family and military VIPs. It provides aircraft,
pilots and cabin crew.

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In another trip, Air Vice Marshal Phil Osborn and a Flight Lieutenant flew
just 38 miles in an AW109 chopper from Air HQ in Naphill, High Wycombe, to
Wellington Barracks.

The Army’s commander-in-chief of the land forces, General Sir Nick Parker, has
also used the flights to travel just over 100 miles – a 90-minute car
journey.

On April 4, he used an AW109 on his own to fly 71 miles from the Army base at
Andover to Wellington Barracks.

The Navy’s Rear Admiral Ian Corder, head of the submarine service, is also on
the list for using RAF flights to take him from Northolt to a naval base in
Plymouth 230 miles away.

The passenger lists seen by The Sun are just a snapshot of flights taken by
forces’ personnel on a monthly basis. The true number is far higher, with
the annual cost to the taxpayer estimated as being in six figures.

The details were exposed by a military whistleblower shocked by the scale
of waste by the forces’ top brass.

He said: “People should know how much is being wasted flying the top people
around.

“Some of these journeys would take no time in a car.

“It’s unbelievable that these flights are coming out of forces’ budgets when
there are serious cuts happening.

“The top brass should be leading by example.

“The lads on the frontline who are fighting the Taliban are furious about this
sort of thing. How can the top officers justify this sort of spending under
the current climate.”

There have been swingeing cuts to forces’ budgets. The MoD is planning to axe
10,000 jobs this year. Wounded heroes will also be sacked under defence
cuts.

And there have even been barmy plans to make soldiers pay for their uniforms.

A spokesman for the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “The cheapest method of
transport should be used no matter how high-ranking the passenger.”

An MoD spokesman said: “We rigorously scrutinise the use of aircraft to make
sure that they are only used to shorten journeys and allow senior staff more
time to deal with key operational business.”

a.west@the-sun.co.uk

Article source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/3635990/Scandal-of-MoD-chiefs-who-are-blowing-hundreds-of-thousands-of-pounds-on-taxi-flights.html?OTC-RSS&ATTR=Our+Boys

BRASS bands from across Queensland marched and trumpeted their skills during the Best of Brass event in Maryborough over the weekend.

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THE Best of Brass competition did not go out quietly, with hundreds of people pouring through the doors of the Brolga Theatre yesterday to be blown away by the final performances.

Best of Brass committee treasurer Meryl Plate said about 1000 people caught one or more performance in the three-day event.

“The performances have been very good,” Mrs Plate said.

“There was a packed house for the Saturday night performance.”

More than 800 people filled the Brolga’s auditorium to catch performances by the state’s best brass bands for the gala event.

Yellow Cabs Bayside Brass Band member Raymond “Fred” McMurray said the 26-member ensemble performed at Maryborough every year.

“It’s always a great contest and a lot of fun,” he said.

Despite the parade being cancelled due to wet weather, he said everyone had enjoyed the trip and were awaiting competition results with bated breath.

“We’ll definitely be back next year,” he said.

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Article source: http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2011/06/14/the-sounds-of-success/

After all the confetti has been swept from the floor of AmericanAirlines Arena and the aroma of champagne has faded from the visitors locker, the Miami Heat will be charged with the task of re-evaluating their season and reloading for another run at an NBA championship.

Like many of us — the Heat most of all — we made the mistake of thinking that this title was prepackaged for Miami as soon as they strode on stage and shimmied their way into our collective consciousness. It seemed all they had to do was show up to claim what was theirs, but it didn’t quite work out like that. Instead, Miami needs a bit more seasoning and a few more quality pieces to strengthen a roster with quite a few holes. This we now know: They need to get younger, tougher and deeper.

So management has a lengthy to-do list this summer that will need to be dealt with before the Heat can deliver what they’re truly capable of, and much of the focus in the coming months will be on what they need to do.

But what they shouldn’t do is as equally important. Here are four key “don’ts” for the offseason (however long) ahead:

1: Don’t fire Erik Spoelstra

He very well could be the LeBron James of the coaching ranks in that he’s taken an inordinate share of knocks this season. From his seeming inability to motivate to redundant battle cries (“stay the course,” anyone?) to being in the unenviable position of having a Hall of Famer looking over his shoulder every waking moment and the speculation that came with it, this hasn’t been an easy season. His lineups were questioned, as were his sets, timeouts and news conferences.

Let’s get this straight: Erik Spoelstra didn’t lose this series.

To see more reasons why the Miami Heat should not make any rash moves, you must be an ESPN Insider

Article source: http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2011/insider/news/story?id=6656157&addata=2009_insdr_mod_nba_xxx_xxx

Article source: http://www.ammoland.com/2011/06/13/rcbs-reloading-accessories/

The 2011 Great American Brass Band Festival has marched through Danville, and once again organizers are pleased with the event. Niki Kinkade, director of the brass band festival, said, “It was a perfect festival, and we’re looking forward to it next year.”

The crowd was better than it has been in the last several years, according to Kinkade, giving some credit to “fantastic” weather. Even the short rain shower Saturday afternoon helped to cool things off and didn’t dampen the event. “It was a neat thing to have happened,” Kinkade said.

She said the fun part was meeting people from all over the state, country and even the world. When driving folks from here to there in golf carts, Kinkade said people always remarked about the uniqueness of the festival and the “small town feel,” it has.

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Kinkade described a 97-year-old man who has attended the festival for several years. This year, he was enjoying the music and atmosphere with his daughter and her son. And even though he has heard the music at the festival year after year, he still loves it.

The backbone of making the festival strong is the immense support and experience of the volunteers and sponsors, Kinkade said. Volunteers such as Larry Vaught and Jim Rankin make the whole weekend go smoothly, she said.

The audience and band members alike seemed to be very impressed with 12-year-old trumpet prodigy, Natalie Dungey. Kinkade said many people were very glad that they had the opportunity to hear her perform in person.

Jerry Boyd, a volunteer who helps with logistics of the event, said after talking to several festival organizers, they all feel this was one of the better festivals they’ve had in years. He thinks this year’s festival is even one of the top five.

Last year’s numbers were down, Boyd said, probably due to the heat. This year, however, they were impressed with the crowd.

The only glitch during the festival, according to Boyd, was when the Marine Corp Silent Drill Platoon that performed Saturday failed to get a flight out of Lexington that evening. Apparently the airplane destined to fly from Washington D.C. to Lexington for the Marines had mechanical trouble and eventually had to be cancelled.

Boyd said the festival logicstics crew returned to Lexington to pick up the Marines, “greased the wheels, got them fed,” and made arrangements for them to spend the night in dorm rooms on Centre College campus. They were supposed to return to Lexington to catch another flight today.

Even the food and drink vendors seemed to be happy with the crowds, according to Jim Page. He said the 14 vendors agreed Saturday was a great day, but Sunday was a little slow. Alcohol wasn’t sold at this year’s festival, and several vendors reported many people asking for beer.

After being postponed due to weather Friday night, The Great American Balloon race lifted off from Stuart Powell Field on Sunday evening.

Even though some balloonists had a bit of a struggle taking off with a breeze over the ground, once up it was smooth sailing. Winners of the race were: First place, Chris Spalding; second-place, Jady Wade; third-place, Tom Brutscher; fourth-place Patrick Dailey; fifth-place Peyton Hoge. All winners were from Louisville.

Article source: http://www.centralkynews.com/amnews/news/local/cky-2011-great-american-brass-band-festival-deemed-a-success-20110613,0,2609954.story

New York, NYJambalaya Brass Band will be performing live in the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island on Saturday, June 18, 2011 at 2:00 PM. The formation area for the parade will be between 21st and 22nd Street on Surf Avenue, Coney Island. The Parade will proceed down Surf Avenue to W. 10th Street, turn right on W. 10th, then go up on the Boardwalk and double back to Stillwell Avenue.

At the Coney Island Mermaid Parade, Jambalaya Brass Band’s foundation will be provided by Chauncey Yearwood on bass drum; Kevin Razcka on snare drum; and Ibanda Ruhumbika on tuba and this rhythm section cooks with a flavor as driving as it is subtle! Filling out this tasty gumbo and adding the spice on top will be the trombone of Stafford Hunter; the trumpet of Walt Szymanski; and the tenor sax of leader and founder Ric Frank, an alumnus of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

The Jambalaya Brass Band is a group of seasoned musical pros from a variety of impressive previous musical settings as diverse as the Duke Ellington Orchestra to the Lounge Lizards, yet they have a knack for integrating these disparate musical experiences into one dynamic setting. They embody the history of the best American music of the last hundred years while at the same time suggesting a prescient trajectory of America’s musical future. Some of the Band’s arrangements are traditional, and many are original and innovative while the playing is precise and spontaneous at the same time, yet all is conceived with imagination and wit. Because after-all, let’s face it, this is New Orleans party music and, if anything, the Jambalaya Brass Band is a joyous and exuberant musical celebration as they have proven on many occasions. From the Warner Bros. film Where the Wild Things Are, to the Britney Spears Super Bowl Party in New York City at Planet Hollywood, to the half-time Mardi Gras show for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, this group of talented musical revelers has literally made the party.

“ Jambalaya could stand side-by-side with most any New Orleans brass band in terms of sheer exuberance and energy . . . a party from start to finish.” Henry Smith, All About Jazz

At the Coney Island event, Jambalaya Brass Band will be performing tunes from their recent CD release, It’s a Jungle Out There, along with other New Orleans fare. Jungle is a rollicking musical journey and a great celebration of American music while at the same time an appetizing preview of what this group is capable of live. Putting on It’s a Jungle Out There at a party is a sure bet, but seeing these talented players live really brings the party directly home to you.

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Article source: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=82630

Firearms Industry Celebrates 20th Annual Smith Wesson International Revolver Championship

International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts

LOS OSOS, Calif. --(Ammoland.com)- This Thursday, June 2, marks a major milestone for the International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts’ (ICORE) International Revolver Championship as it celebrates its 20th year, and does so with overwhelming support from the firearms industry.

First held in 1992 with just 51 shooters in attendance, this year’s event will see more than 240 of the best wheelgun shooters from across America and beyond competing for titles in ICORE’s Open, Limited and Classic revolver divisions and their share of $200,000 in cash and prizes.

And when those first shots are fired at the 20th Annual Smith Wesson International Revolver Championship in San Luis Obispo, California, it will signal not just 20 years of revolver shooting excellence but the culmination of a year long effort to build industry support for the match.

“Over the past year, ICORE has been working closely with our partners within the firearms industry preparing for this weekend’s championship. While the shooters will be celebrating the 20th year of competition, we’ll also be celebrating the successful growth of revolver competition in America and the broad industry support of 107 sponsors that has made that growth possible,” said Ron Joslin of ICORE.

Led by the 159-year-old iconic firearms maker Smith Wesson, which has supported ICORE’s efforts from day one, a host of companies have jumped on board the Wheelgun Nation bandwagon and helped make ICORE and the 20th Annual Smith Wesson International Revolver Championship a success.

A total of 107 companies have donated to the International Revolver Championship. Smith Wesson, Hogue Inc., Brownells and Secure Firearm Products are each premier sponsors of the match.

ADCO, California Competition Works, Cheaper Than Dirt!, Cold Steel, Competitive Edge Dynamics, Ergo Grip, GSI International, The Inhibitor, ProMag Industries, RangeMasters of SLO, RCBS. Springfield Armory, Stack-On Safes, Vang Comp Systems, Winchester Ammunition and XS Sight Systems serve as stage sponsors for the championship with Front Sight Firearms Training Institute sponsoring the shoot off.

Additional sponsors include:
3M – Peltor, Action Target, Advantage Tactical Sight, Alco Targets, Allchin Gun Parts, Americase, Apex Tactical Specialties, Armscor, ATK Group, Babes With Bullets, Barsto Precision, Battle Lake Outdoors, Bear Creek Bullets, Benchmade, Billy Bullets, Birchwood Casey, Black Hills Ammunition, Body Specs, Boker USA, C-More Sights, CamelBak, Chris Reeves Knives, Cobra Firearms, Columbia River Knife Tool, Crushed Grape, Cylinder Slide, Dac Technology, Danner, Inc., DC Ammo, Decot Hy Wyd Sport Glasses, DeSantis Holsters, Dillon Precision, Don Hume Leathergoods, DS Welding, ESP Electronic Shooters Protection, ESS Eyepro, Goldenrod Dehumidifiers, Harris Engineering Bipods, Hearthco Moonclips, Henry Repeating Arms, Hi Viz, Hodgden Powder, Homak Gunsafes, Hornady Manufacturing, ICORE Southwest Regional, Ionbond, IOSSO Products, J Dewey Mfg. Co., Kroll Corp., L. Bengtson Arms, Le Vigne Winery, M-PRO7, Mack’s Earplugs, Mag-Na-Port, Magnum Shooter’s Supply, Marvel Precision, Memphis Charity Challenge, Midway USA, Mil-Comm, Mil-Tak Knives, North American Arms, NRA Action Sports, Otis Technology, Pro-Shot Products, Ranch Products, Redding Reloading, Robar Companies, Ruger, Safariland, Sentry Solutions, Shooting Chrony, Sierra Bullets, SKB Cases, Slip 2000, Speed E-Rack, Starline Brass, Tactical Solutions, Tai Johnson, Trijicon, Inc., Truckvault, Inc., Uniquetek, V-Line Industry, Warne Scope Mounts, Western Powders, Wiley-X Eyewear and Wolf Performance Ammunition.

The 20th Annual Smith Wesson International Revolver Championship will be hosted by the San Luis Obispo Sportsmen’s Association and take place on the association’s Hogue Action Pistol Range.

There are still a few slots left and those interested in entering the competition should submit their match application (www.icore.org/IRC_2011/IRC_Entry_2011.pdf) as soon as possible.

For more information on ICORE, the 2011 ICORE Regional Series presented by Smith Wesson or the 20th Annual Smith Wesson International Revolver Championship, visit www.ICORE.org, follow @ICORE_Shooting on Twitter or find ICORE on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ICOREshooting.

Distributed to you by - AmmoLand.com – The Shooting Sports News source.Tags: Competitive Shooting News, ICORE, International Confederation of Revolver Enthusiasts, Smith Wesson

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Article source: http://www.ammoland.com/2011/05/31/20th-annual-smith-wesson-international-revolver-championship/

People attending the Great American Brass Band Festival in Danville were treated Saturday afternoon to a most unusual sound: silence.

During a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, 24 Marines executed a series of precise drill movements, spinning and tossing their hand-polished M1 Garand rifles with fixed bayonets in an exhibition that “exemplifies the pride and professionalism” the Marines are known for, according to a news release.

The Centre College football stadium was about 80 percent full for the performance, which lasted about 15 minutes.

Article source: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/06/11/1771753/bayonets-brass-blend-in-danville.html

Top Democrats including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Steve Israel called for the resignation of New York Congressman Anthony Weiner on Saturday, less than a week after he admitted carrying on flirtatious online relationships with a series of women in a tearful press conference. DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz joined her colleagues, telling the AP that Weiner’s digital dalliances were an “unacceptable distraction” to the party and that his role in Congress was “untenable.” Last Monday, Weiner said he would not resign, but his office announced Saturday that he will take a “short leave of absence” from the House to seek treatment at a live-in facility.

The controversy, which started when a lewd picture accidentally went public on Weiner’s Twitter account, has gotten progressively worse during its two weeks in the public eye. After scrambling to cover his digital tracks and lying to reporters in a series of confrontational interviews, Weiner admitted to carrying on online relationships with six women over three years Monday, including during his marriage to State Department aide Huma Abedin. On Friday, Weiner admitted that he sent messages to a 17-year-old Delaware girl. Though he says those messages were not explicit, authorities are reportedly investigating the exchange.

Weiner’s transgressions — and the prospects of facing a media maelstrom when the House returned to session next week — proved too much for the Democratic leadership. Though Weiner might be forced out in New York’s congressional redistricting next year anyway, the slow bleed 0f new revelations and the possibility of a drawn out ethics investigation put Democratic leadership in a tough spot. Pelosi was in fact the first to call for an ethics probe, and with the exception of William Jefferson, the Louisiana congressman with $90,000 of cash in his freezer, Pelosi has rarely turned one of her members so quickly. (Charlie Rangel, with his defiant rambling diatribes on the House floor and all, remained in Pelosi’s good graces for far longer.) One possible explanation for her swift reaction is that she is attempting to set a precedent for any Republican scandals down the road.

But Weiner, whose aggressive media presence and penchant for partisan bombast had ruffled feathers in the New York delegation and beyond, was left with few if any allies in the wake of the scandal.  While his colleagues were largely silent when the controversy first began, their ambivalence has since turned to hostility. Details of his online communications with a minor were the final straw, and on Saturday, the leadership decided it was time for Weiner to go. Rep. Chris Van Hollen called Weiner’s actions a “violation of the public trust.” “I pray for his family and hope that Anthony will take time to get the help he needs without the distractions and added pressures of Washington,” Israel said in a statement.

“Congressman Weiner takes the views of his colleagues very seriously and has determined that he needs this time to get healthy and make the best decision possible for himself, his family and his constituents,” spokeswoman Risa Heller said in a statement announcing Weiner’s decision to seek professional help and keep out of the Washington spotlight for now. Still, with his decision not to resign, Weiner seems to be clinging to the hope that like David Vitter or Bill Clinton, he can ride the scandal out in office.  Of course, if further embarrassments continue to trickle out at the current pace, that will be difficult to do.

Article source: http://swampland.time.com/2011/06/11/as-weiner-takes-leave-of-absence-democratic-brass-call-for-him-to-go/?xid=rss-topstories