One-Minute Physics: Are unknowns part of the universe?

Sandrine Ceurstemont, editor, New Scientist TV

What's part of the universe? You may think of it as incorporating everything that exists - both on Earth and in space - but could it also include the unknown?

In this One-Minute Physics episode, film-maker Henry Reich delves into the notion of the universe as described by physics, distinguishing between the whole universe and what's observable. He looks at the three components of the universe that we are sure of and whether mathematics could be included or not. Then there is the concept of parallel universes that could extend our understanding of space.

If you enjoyed this post, check out our previous animations, to find out, for example, if space is infinite or why mass has a split personality.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/28b0c779/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cnstv0C20A130C0A20Cone0Eminute0Ephysics0Eare0Eunknowns0Epart0Eof0Ethe0Euniverse0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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Joe Lunardi / Bracketology - Kentucky out of the tournament field in latest S-curve - College Basketball

- A quick Bracketology update after Saturday's action-packed day: NO. 1 SEEDS Midwest: Indiana East: Miami South: Florida West: Duke (No. 5 on the S-cu...

- Welcome to SportsNation! On Tuesday, ESPN college basketball Bracketology expert Joe Lunardi will drop by to take your questions on this year's tourna...

- Joe Lunardi provides an updated look at where every team in the NCAA tournament mix stacks up. The bubble expands as previous "safe" tournament bets such as North Carolina and Kentucky are no longer locks, while the middle of the Pac-12 struggles.

Source: http://www.fantasysp.com/columns/cbb/206274/bracketology--kentucky-out-of-the-tournament-field-in-latest-s-curve--college-basketball

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Blackhawks beat Kings, get point in 15th straight

CHICAGO (AP) ? Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews each had a goal and an assist to help the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 on Sunday, extending their season-opening points streak to 15 games.

Patrick Sharp also scored for the Blackhawks (12-0-3), who matched the 1984-85 Edmonton Oilers for the second-longest season-opening points streak in NHL history. Chicago is one away from the league record, set by Anaheim in 2006-07, and will try to match the mark on Tuesday when it hosts Vancouver.

Mike Richards scored two power-play goals in the third period to pull the Kings within one after Chicago had built a 3-0 lead.

Blackhawks backup goalie Ray Emery made 25 saves. He lost a bid for his first shutout in more than three years when Richards connected 56 seconds into the third period.

Emery made back-to-back starts for the first time this season as Corey Crawford missed his second game with an undisclosed upper-body injury.

Sharp, who led Chicago with 33 goals last season, ended a 10-game drought without a score.

The Blackhawks outshot the Kings 37-27, and defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions for the second time this season to end Los Angeles' two-game winning streak. Chicago won 5-2 in the teams' season opener at Staples Center.

Jonathan Quick started in goal for the Kings after backup Jonathan Bernier was in the nets in Los Angeles' previous two games. Quick finished with 34 saves.

Los Angeles played again without three injured defensemen ? Willie Mitchell, Matt Greene and Alec Martinez.

Chicago was a step faster than the Kings in the first period and held a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

Seabrook opened the scoring 6:29 in to cap a Chicago flurry in the Kings' zone, and after Quick had made several in-close saves.

Seabrook pinched down to the low edge of the left circle, and took a pinpoint feed from Duncan Keith who threaded a cross-ice pass from the top of the right circle. Seabrook then slid a shot into an open net before Quick could dive across.

Toews' power-play goal 4 minutes later made it 2-0. Stationed in the slot, Toews first tipped Keith's feed off the right post, but buried the loose puck before Quick could cover it.

Sharp exploited a Kings coverage breakdown and increased Chicago's lead to 3-0 just 56 seconds into the second period. Quick dropped to the ice to block Toews' stuff-in attempt at the side of the net, but the puck popped into to slot. Sharp was wide open and fired high into the net before Quick could recover.

The Blackhawks were in control for most of the second period and outshot Los Angeles 21-10. But Emery had to make several tough saves late in the period ? including in-close stops on Dustin Brown and Jeff Carter ? to keep the Kings off the scoreboard.

Richards cut it to 3-1 early in the third. With Brown providing a screen at the edge of the crease, Richards' high shot from the top of the slot sailed past Emery.

Richards' second power-play goal trimmed it to 3-2 with 7:10 left. This time, he beat Emery from the top of the left circle with Brown screening.

The Blackhawks spent the final 1:04 short-handed after Johnny Oduya was sent off for slashing, and Quick was pulled for an extra attacker during span.

NOTES: Before the game, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said Crawford was "progressing" and is day-to-day. When asked if Crawford's condition might be long-term, Quenneville replied, "I don't foresee that yet." Crawford ? who has a 7-0-3 record, 1.65 goal-against average and .935 save percentage ? has not skated since sustaining his injury, apparently in a 3-2 shootout loss to Anaheim last Tuesday. ... Anaheim won the Stanley Cup in 2007 after its record-setting points start. Edmonton, which started the 1984-85 season with points in 15 straight, and Montreal, which opened with 14 straight in 1943-44, also won the Cup in those seasons.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blackhawks-beat-kings-point-15th-straight-233123216--spt.html

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Plans to Expand Preschool Unveiled (WSJ)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/284801180?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Largest known prime number discovered; has 17,425,170 digits

Feb. 13, 2013 ? On January 25th at 23:30:26 UTC, the largest known prime number, 2^57,885,161-1, was discovered on Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) volunteer Curtis Cooper's computer. The new prime number, 2 multiplied by itself 57,885,161 times, less one, has 17,425,170 digits. With 360,000 CPUs peaking at 150 trillion calculations per second, 17th-year GIMPS is the longest continuously-running global "grassroots supercomputing"^[1] project in Internet history.

Dr. Cooper is a professor at the University of Central Missouri. This is the third record prime for Dr. Cooper and his University. Their first record prime was discovered in 2005, eclipsed by their second record in 2006. Computers at UCLA broke that record in 2008 with a 12,978,189 digit prime number. UCLA held the record until University of Central Missouri reclaimed the world record with this discovery. The new primality proof took 39 days of non-stop computing on one of the university's PCs. Dr. Cooper and the University of Central Missouri are the largest individual contributors to the project. The discovery is eligible for a $3,000 GIMPS research discovery award.

The new prime number is a member of a special class of extremely rare prime numbers known as Mersenne primes. It is only the 48th known Mersenne prime ever discovered, each increasingly difficult to find. Mersenne primes were named for the French monk Marin Mersenne, who studied these numbers more than 350 years ago. GIMPS, founded in 1996, has discovered all 14 of the largest known Mersenne primes. Volunteers download a free program to search for these primes with a cash award offered to anyone lucky enough to compute a new prime. Chris Caldwell maintains an authoritative web site on the largest known primes as well as the history of Mersenne primes.

To prove there were no errors in the prime discovery process, the new prime was independently verified using different programs running on different hardware. Serge Batalov ran Ernst Mayer's MLucas software on a 32-core server in 6 days (resource donated by Novartis^[2] IT group) to verify the new prime. Jerry Hallett verified the prime using the CUDALucas software running on a NVidia GPU in 3.6 days. Finally, Dr. Jeff Gilchrist verified the find using the GIMPS software on an Intel i7 CPU in 4.5 days and the CUDALucas program on a NVidia GTX 560 Ti in 7.7 days.

GIMPS software was developed by founder, George Woltman, in Orlando, Florida. Scott Kurowski, in San Diego, California, wrote and maintains the PrimeNet system that coordinates all the GIMPS clients. Volunteers have a chance to earn research discovery awards of $3,000 or $50,000 if their computer discovers a new Mersenne prime. GIMPS' next major goal is to win the $150,000 award administered by the Electronic Frontier Foundation offered for finding a 100 million digit prime number.

Credit for GIMPS' prime discoveries goes not only to Dr. Cooper for running the software on his University's computers, Woltman and Kurowski for authoring the software and running the project, but also the thousands of GIMPS volunteers that sifted through millions of non-prime candidates. Therefore, official credit for this discovery shall go to "C. Cooper, G. Woltman, S. Kurowski, et al."

About Mersenne.org's Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search

The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) was formed in January 1996 by George Woltman to discover new world-record-size Mersenne primes. In 1997 Scott Kurowski enabled GIMPS to automatically harness the power of hundreds of thousands of ordinary computers to search for these "needles in a haystack." Most GIMPS members join the search for the thrill of possibly discovering a record-setting, rare, and historic new Mersenne prime. The search for more Mersenne primes is already under way. There may be smaller, as yet undiscovered Mersenne primes, and there certainly are larger Mersenne primes waiting to be found. Anyone with a reasonably powerful PC can join GIMPS and become a big prime hunter, and possibly earn a cash research discovery award. All the necessary software can be downloaded for free at www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm. GIMPS is organized as Mersenne Research, Inc., a 501(c)(3) science research charity. Additional information may be found at www.mersenneforum.org and www.mersenne.org; donations are welcome.

For More Information on Mersenne Primes

Prime numbers have long fascinated amateur and professional mathematicians. An integer greater than one is called a prime number if its only divisors are one and itself. The first prime numbers are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, etc. For example, the number 10 is not prime because it is divisible by 2 and 5. A Mersenne prime is a prime number of the form 2^P-1. The first Mersenne primes are 3, 7, 31, and 127 corresponding to P = 2, 3, 5, and 7 respectively. There are only 48 known Mersenne primes.

Mersenne primes have been central to number theory since they were first discussed by Euclid in 350 BC. The man whose name they now bear, the French monk Marin Mersenne (1588-1648), made a famous conjecture on which values of P would yield a prime. It took 300 years and several important discoveries in mathematics to settle his conjecture.

Previous GIMPS Mersenne prime discoveries were made by members in various countries. In April 2009, Odd Magnar Strindmo et al. discovered the 47th known Mersenne prime in Norway. In September 2008, Hans-Michael Elvenich et al. discovered the 46th known Mersenne prime in Germany. In August 2008, Edson Smith et al. discovered the 45th known Mersenne prime in the U.S. In September 2006, Curtis Cooper and Steven Boone et al. discovered the 44th known Mersenne prime in the U.S. In December 2005, Curtis Cooper and Steven Boone et al. discovered the 43rd known Mersenne prime in the U.S. In February 2005, Dr. Martin Nowak et al. discovered the 42nd known Mersenne prime in Germany. In May 2004, Josh Findley et al. discovered the 41st known Mersenne prime in the U.S. In November 2003, Michael Shafer et al. discovered the 40th known Mersenne prime in the U.S. In November 2001, Michael Cameron et al. discovered the 39th Mersenne prime in Canada. In June 1999, Nayan Hajratwala et al. discovered the 38th Mersenne prime in the U.S. In January 1998, Roland Clarkson et al. discovered the 37th Mersenne prime in the U.S. In August 1997, Gordon Spence et al. discovered the 36th Mersenne prime in the U.K. In November 1996, Joel Armengaud et al. discovered the 35th Mersenne prime in France.

There is a well-known formula that generates a "perfect" number from a Mersenne prime. A perfect number is one whose factors add up to the number itself. The smallest perfect number is 6 = 1 + 2 + 3. The newly discovered perfect number is 2^57,885,160 x (2^57,885,161-1). This number is over 34 million digits long!

There is a unique history to the arithmetic algorithms underlying the GIMPS project. The programs that found the recent big Mersenne finds are based on a special algorithm. In the early 1990's, the late Richard Crandall, Apple Distinguished Scientist, discovered ways to double the speed of what are called convolutions -- essentially big multiplication operations. The method is applicable not only to prime searching but other aspects of computation. During that work he also patented the Fast Elliptic Encryption system, now owned by Apple Computer, which uses Mersenne primes to quickly encrypt and decrypt messages. George Woltman implemented Crandall's algorithm in assembly language, thereby producing a prime-search program of unprecedented efficiency, and that work led to the successful GIMPS project.

School teachers from elementary through high-school grades have used GIMPS to get their students excited about mathematics. Students who run the free software are contributing to mathematical research. Historically, searching for Mersenne primes has been used as a test for computer hardware. The free GIMPS program has identified hidden hardware problems in many PCs.

Notes:

^[1] Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science), May 6, 2005 p810.

^[2] Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) is the global pharmaceutical research organization for Novartis, committed to discovering innovative medicines that treat disease and improve human health. For more information, see www.nibr.com.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS).

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/1b5RiXus4Hg/130213225424.htm

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90% Lincoln

All Critics (233) | Top Critics (44) | Fresh (209) | Rotten (24)

This is movie magic -- history coming to life, before our eyes.

It's the most remarkable movie Steven Spielberg has made in quite a spell, and one of the things that makes it remarkable is how it fulfills those expectations by simultaneously ignoring and transcending them.

Lincoln paints a powerful and compelling portrait of the man who has become an icon. We don't need to see more of his life to understand how rare a figure he was - this window is more than sufficient.

Lincoln offers proof of what magic can happen when an actor falls in love with his character. Because as great as Day-Lewis has been in his many parts, he has never seemed quite so smitten.

The film masterfully captures the dual dilemmas facing the president in the final months of his life: how to bring the war between the states to an end, and how to eradicate slavery, once and for all.

Lincoln is a stirring reminder that politics can be noble. Might there be a lesson here for today's shrill D.C. discourse? 'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

A remarkable performance by Daniel Day-Lewis is the glue that holds Lincoln together. Without him, this would be a very unremarkable film.

Spielberg's guarded representation of Honest Abe highlights some problems with the biopic format, especially in terms of veracity, and especially in terms of how we can (or can't) measure accuracy as the years roll by.

Every ounce of time-honoured respect a nation has seen fit to bestow upon The Great Emancipator is addressed frame by frame in Steven Spielberg's stately masterwork, Lincoln.

For the most part Lincoln is not a significant inclusion into Spielberg's filmography despite the noblest of intentions and undeniable cinematic craftsmanship.

A focused, remarkably human production, anchored by Day-Lewis' understated performance as the softly spoken, long winded, devilishly funny Abraham

Those interested in the subject matter should find it informative, eye-opening and rewarding.

Lincoln is a far more reckless, entertaining, unusual, but ultimately horribly uneven film than its pedigree may suggest.

This is easily Spielberg's best picture since Schindler's List. Having a two-term black president now in the White House can't hurt its chances, either.

A literally and metaphorically towering performance by Daniel Day Lewis as the 1.93cm Abraham Lincoln drives this historically riveting and personally impassioned ... riveting ... film

It is Daniel Day-Lewis' indelible portrait of the President, visionary, raconteur, husband and family man that stands at the forefront, as he resolutely realises his goal to abolish slavery

One never feels alive or inspired watching this history, merely intrigued, as if watching a film made for a museum exhibit.

The biggest compliment we can pay Joanna Johnston's costumes in Lincoln is that you hardly notice them. This is a far subtler film than you might expect.

A shamelessly hagiographic chronicling of the final months of the Great Emancipator's life.

It may indulge its subject a little too much but it highlights the road to a momentous occasion with an intimacy that gives emotional weight to political machinations

The actual vote on the Amendment proves surprisingly gripping, but elsewhere moments of piety and sentimentality undermine Day-Lewis's magnificent, credibly flesh-and-blood Lincoln.

It's an impeccably crafted history lesson that, unusually for a Spielberg film, tells us why its subject matter is important, instead of engaging with it on an emotional level.

Daniel Day-Lewis gives a towering performance in Steven Spielberg's bravest picture to date.

N?o ? um retrato multidimensional de um indiv?duo complexo, mas uma f?bula. Um letreiro de "Era uma vez..." em seu in?cio n?o ficaria deslocado.

Against the odds, Spielberg makes something genuinely exciting of the backstage wheedling.

A historic epic from Steven Spielberg carries a lot of baggage, but he surprises us with a remarkably contained approach to an iconic figure. What's most unexpected is that this is a political drama, not a biopic.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lincoln_2011/

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Fox's Scales Attacks Sequestration Defense Cuts Without Disclosing Personal Financial Ties To Major Military Contractors

Fox News military analyst Maj. Gen.?Robert Scales (ret.) has appeared on-air decrying sequestration-related?defense?spending?cuts without disclosing that his consulting company generates profits from companies dependent on military spending.

In two separate February 13 appearances on Fox News, Scales?attacked the?possible defense cuts mandated by Congress' failure to pass deficit reduction legislation, but neglected to disclose that he is the?co-founder?of Colgen, which describes itself as "the latest and fastest growing defense consulting firms in the United States."

In his appearance on?Fox & Friends, Scales said he was hoping that there would have been some statement?in President Obama's State of the Union address?"that sequestration wouldn't happen,"?and that it would be a "tragedy" if?the?cuts were triggered.

Later in the day, Scales appeared on?Happening Now?to reiterate his opposition to defense cuts, arguing that "these cuts couldn't happen at a worse time" and?are?"awful" and "misdirected." He also warned about the Pentagon "going after its budget with a meat axe."

In both appearances, Scales was identified by anchors and on-screen text as a Fox "military analyst" and no reference was made to his role with Colgen.

Both sides of the political aisle have opposed the sequestration cuts. Speaker John Boehner?described?them as "bad policy" while President Obama?referred?to them in his State of the Union address as "sudden, harsh, arbitrary cuts" that "would jeopardize our military readiness." Yet Fox chose to host someone, out of all the available voices, with a financial stake in the issue.

A report?from Barr Group Aerospace, a consulting firm "dedicated to economic and industrial aerospace & defense market research," lists several Colgen clients among the top recipients of U.S. Department of Defense contracts for fiscal year 2012. These include Lockheed Martin with $29 billion in contracts, Boeing ($27 billion), Raytheon ($14 billion), General Dynamics ($13 billion), Northrup Grumman ($8.7 billion), SAIC ($5 billion), and Booz Allen Hamilton ($2.5 billion).?

A Boeing executive?has?expressed? concerns to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about the sizeable impact sequestration cuts would have on their business.

Northrop Grumman?sponsors?a site called "Stop Sequestration" which claims that "these spending cuts would have a significant impact on the size and capability of the military and the defense industrial base." They are a Colgen client.

Lockheed Martin?published?a 2012 memo?about?their efforts to "raise awareness in Congress as to the devastating effects of sequestration."?General Dynamics'?chairman?told investors?in October that they "remain cautious given the unprecedented uncertainty in the coming months caused by the threat of sequestration."

Booze Allen Hamilton and SAIC?have?both?noted?that sequestration would negatively affect their business.

The U.S. military itself, which would of course directly feel the effects of cuts, is represented on Colgen's client list. U.S. military groups listed as clients include the Army, Army National Guard, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, and the Navy among others.

Fox News is also listed as a "client" of Colgen's.

In an op-ed?from Scales published in the Washington Post and syndicated to several other newspapers, a?disclosure?was added indicating that he "is president of the consulting firm Colgen." While this does not adequately detail possible conflicts in Scales' writing, it is at least more than Fox News chose to disclose.

Source: http://feeds.mediamatters.org/~r/mediamatters/latest/~3/_QOsy5ESHZs/192652

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Golf: Hall handed a major invite to Mission Hills in California

Golf: Hall handed a major invite to Mission Hills in California

7:00am Thursday 14th February 2013 in Sport By Ian Wadley

AMATEUR golfing sensation Georgia Hall expressed her pride after being invited to play in her first professional tournament later this year.

The Dorset star will showcase her skills alongside the world?s leading players when she tees up in the opening major of the season in California.

British girls? champion Hall is one of nine top amateurs to get the call to feature in the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills Country Club.

The 16-year-old Remedy Oak ace is relishing the opportunity to prove her credentials in the prestigious event, which runs from April 1-7.

Hall told englandgolf.org: ?It is a great honour and I can?t wait. I?m over the moon.

?It is the biggest major in the world ? what a way to start! My first aim is to make the cut and also to see how other people play and what I can learn from them.

?I want to see if I?m doing anything wrong ? or right.?

The Californian tournament will be Hall?s first at professional level and it will also mark her debut appearance in the USA.

She added: ?I didn?t expect the invitation and it is just amazing. I have always wanted to go to America to play.?

The England international will go into the event in fine form having won two gold medals at the recent Australian Youth Olympic Festival.

Hall, who is hoping to compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, saw her achievements in 2012 recognised when she was shortlisted for the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.

Source: http://www.thisisdorset.net/sport/tidsport/10226370.Golf__Hall_handed_a_major_invite_to_Mission_Hills_in_California/?ref=rss

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Should You Be Using Rubrics? | Faculty Focus

February 14, 2013

By: Maryellen Weimer, PhD in Teaching and Learning

Use of rubrics in higher education is comparatively recent. These grading aids that communicate ?expectations for an assignment by listing the criteria or what counts, and describing levels of quality from excellent to poor? (p. 435) are being used to assess a variety of assignments such as literature reviews, reflective writings, bibliographies, oral presentations, critical thinking, portfolios, and projects. They are also being used across a range of disciplines, but so far the number of faculty using them remains small.

This background is provided in an excellent article that examines the ?type and extent of empirical research on rubrics at the post-secondary level? and seeks ?to stimulate research on rubric use in post-secondary teaching.? (p. 437) A review of the literature on rubrics produced 20 articles, which are analyzed in this review.

So far, rubrics in higher education are being used almost exclusively as grading tools, even though some educators, like these authors, see them as having formative potential. When rubrics are given to students at the time an assignment is made, students can use them to better understand expectations for the assignment and then monitor and regulate their work. They also make the grading process more transparent. In fact, in one of the studies analyzed in the review, one group of students were given the rubric after their work had been graded and another group got the rubric at the time the assignment was made. Both groups wanted to use rubrics again, but the rubric was rated as useful by 88 percent of the students who got it when the assignment was made as compared with 10 percent who rated it useful when it was returned with their graded assignment.

?One striking difference between students? and instructors? perceptions of rubric use is related to their perceptions of the purposes of rubrics. Students frequently referred to them as serving the purposes of learning and achievement, while instructors focused almost exclusively on the role of a rubric in quickly, objectively, and accurately assigning grades.? (p. 439)

Do rubrics promote student learning?
For teachers who might be considering use of rubrics or using them as something more than a time-saving grading mechanism, the key question is whether rubrics promote learning and achievement. The authors of this review found the evidence inconclusive. One study did find that involving students in developing and using rubrics prior to submitting an assignment was associated with improved academic performance, but another study found no differences in the quality of work done by students with and without rubrics.

Also missing from the research so far are answers to questions related to validity and reliability. Do rubrics measure what they purport to measure?the validity question? ?A large majority of the studies reviewed did not describe the process of development of rubrics to establish their quality.? (p. 445) A bit more work has been done on reliability and it shows that with training, separate raters consistently give similar ratings to a piece of work when using the same rubric. However, the authors note that more work on rubric validity and reliability is needed.

Are rubrics worth using?
Research answers to the question are still few and not always conclusive. Among practitioners, there is general agreement that rubrics do expedite the grading process and make it seem more objective and fair to students. Among students, there is agreement that rubrics clarify expectations and are especially useful as they prepare assignments. The researchers recommend ?educating instructors on the formative use of rubrics to promote learning by sharing or co-creating them with students in order to make the goals and qualities of an assignment transparent, and to have students use rubrics to guide peer and self-assessment and subsequent revision.? (p. 444)

Reference: Reddy, Y. M., and Andrade, H. (2010). A review of rubric use in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35 (4), 435-448.

Reprinted from Rubrics: Worth Using? The Teaching Professor, 26.1 (2012): 4.

Tags: rubrics

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Source: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-and-learning/should-you-be-using-rubrics/

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Proposed NCAA rule would ban Boise all-blue home uniform

EyeOn

College Football

By Jerry Hinnen | Blogger

04:26 PM ET February 13, 2013

Boise State's all-blue uniforms can't catch a break.

First, rivals like San Diego State coach Rocky Long called them unfair, helping lead to a Mountain West conference ban on them on the Broncos' famed Smurf Turf. Things looked like they'd turned around for the uniforms when Boise bolted for the Big East and got even better when the Mountain West agreed to waive the ban as part of the Broncos' readmittance to the MW.

But the recommended changes announced Wednesday by the NCAA Rules Committee would see the Bronco all-blues re-consigned to the college football fashion history books, at least where Boise's home games are concerned. Though the proposal to eject players flagged for targeting defenseless players drew most of the announcement's attention, the following section was also included in a list of other proposals:

To require teams to have either their jersey or pants contrast in color to the playing field.

Boise won't be the only team potentially affected by the change; teams like Oregon or Michigan State would no longer be permitted to wear all-green uniforms (or so it would appear), Eastern Washington couldn't go all-red, and maybe Central Arkansas won't be able to wear uniforms with alternating gray and purple stripes.

But, of course, none of those uniforms has been called an unfair advantage by opposing coaches or been banned by their teams' respective conferences -- which is why the loudest, longest opposition to the recommendation (which isn't official yet) is likely to come from Boise.

Tags: Mountain West Conference, Boise State Broncos, NCAAF

" } callFBApi = function() { var accessToken; var uid; CBSi.injectJS('//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1', 'facebook-jssdk'); FB.init({ appId : '297742330311988', oauth : true }); FB.login(function(response) { if (response.authResponse) { uid = response.authResponse.userID; accessToken = response.authResponse.accessToken; //CBSi.log("== FB APP DATA ==", response); FB.api('/me', function(social) { //CBSi.log("== FB USER DATA ==", social); log_in_socially(social.name, social.username, 'fb'); }); } }); }; log_in_socially = function(dn, userid, site) { $.ajax({ url: "/data/common/livefyre/lf_social_login", dataType: 'json', data: { lfdn: dn, lfuser: userid, ssite: site } }).done(function(profile) { //CBSi.log("== Social Login ==",profile,site); if (profile.error) { //CBSi.log("Social login failed with error: ", profile); return null; } else { document.cookie = "lf_social_login="+ profile.socialsess +"; expires=0; path=/"; profile.socialsess = '1'; userObj = profile; doLivefyreAuth(profile); } }); }; callTwitterApi = function() { window.open('/common/livefyre/V3/via_twitter','twitterOauth','width=600,height=500,menu=0,status=0'); }; function doLivefyreAuth(cval) { //console.log("== Attempting LF Login ==",cval); var isLoggedIn = 1; if (cval) { try { fyre.conv.login(cval.token); } catch (e) { isLoggedIn = 0; } } } changeDOM = function() { // DOM hacks. Change the UI for the dropdown box //console.log("== Running Dom Hacks =="); if (isLoggedIn == 1){ //console.log("== Checking Match =="); if (hasProfile == 0) { CBSi.log("== adding get comment link =="); // They need a screen name //$('.lf_auth_section a.lf_user_loggedout').html('Get a Screen Name to Comment').addClass('loginLink'); $('.fyre .fyre-user-loggedout').hide(); $('#getScreenName').show(); var screenNameContent = 'Get a Screen Name to Comment'; $('#getScreenName').html(screenNameContent); } else { if (typeof userObj.profile.profile_url != 'undefined'){ if (userObj.profile.profile_url) { //CBSi.log("== adding login profile links =="); $('.fyre .fyre-box-wrapper a.fyre-user-profile-link').attr('href',userObj.profile.profile_url); $('li.fyre-edit-profile-link').html('Edit Profile'); } } } } changedDom = 1; //console.log("== finished dom hacks =="); }; function updateCommentCounts(element,count){ //CBSi.log("== updating comment counts =="); if (count == 1){ $(element).html('' + count + ' ??| ?Comment'); $(element).show(); $('.commentsCountLabel').html('comment'); } else{ $(element).html('' + count + ' ??| ?Comments'); $(element).show(); $('.commentsCountLabel').html('comments'); } $('.commentsCount').html(count); } function removeLfError(){ $('#cbsLfError').remove(); } var authDelegate = new fyre.conv.RemoteAuthDelegate(); authDelegate.login = function (handlers){ if (isLoggedIn Please log in above to post a comment.'); handlers.failure(); } else{ removeLfError(); handlers.success(); } }; function updateAuthorLinks(){ $('.fyre-comment-username').each(function() { $(this).click(function() { window.location.href = $(this).attr('href'); }); }); $('.fyre-comment-author').each(function() { $(this).click(function() { window.location.href = $(this).attr('href'); }); }); } $(document).ready( function () { // Log in the user if we got a token for them // Change the DOM after login since things get re-rendered //console.log("== LF Calling Load =="); var conv = fyre.conv.load({"network": "cbssports.fyre.co", 'strings': customStrings, authDelegate: authDelegate}, lf_config, function(widget) { //console.log("== LF in Load =="); widget.on('initialRenderComplete', function () { //console.log("== LF Render Complete =="); $('#lf_comments_label').show(); loggedin = readCookie('pid'); CBSi.log(loggedin); if ((typeof loggedin == "string") && (loggedin.match(/^L:/))) { isLoggedIn = 1; if (typeof userObj.token != 'undefined'){ if (userObj.token) { hasProfile = 1; doLivefyreAuth(userObj); } } changeDOM(); } updateCommentCounts('.commentsBubble',$('.fyre-stream-stats .fyre-comment-count span').html()); updateAuthorLinks(); }); widget.on('userLoggedIn', function () { //CBSi.log("== LF Logging In User =="); changeDOM(); removeLfError(); }); widget.on('userLoggedOut', function () { //CBSi.log("== LF Logging Out User =="); document.cookie = "lf_social_login=; expires=0; path=/" }); widget.on('commentCountUpdated', function (countData) { //CBSi.log("== LF Comment Added =="); updateCommentCounts('.commentsBubble',countData); }); widget.on('commentPosted', function (countData) { updateAuthorLinks(); }); }); });

Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=2cd08fbfc1005ec8ce49a68dabba92eb

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Chris Boardman calls for clear national vision in cycling | Latest ...

Chris Boardman

Chris Boardman MBE told MPs today we need clear national vision, measurable goals and funding to get more people cycling.

Boardman was among experts speaking at today's fourth Get Britain Cycling evidence session, focussing on health and recreation, cycling to work and school, and the role of sport in inspiring cycling.

Speakers from NICE, Natural England, the Department of Culture Media and Sport and the Forestry Commission among others gave evidence to members of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group.

1992 Olympic gold medallist Boardman said the summer's sporting successes were an advert creating a demand for cycling, and now we needed to "keep that momentum."

Boardman played a video (see below) of a cycle lane near his home, which includes a section of pavement, signs in the middle of the path and several road crossings, saying: "I think that signifies where we are at right now... it shows we haven't got a vision of where we are trying to get to."

He said people will do the easiest thing, and it needs to be easier for most people to take up cycling, adding 20 mph speed limits was a "no brainer" in making people feel safer.

Boardman was enthusiastic about the rise of sportives, which get people on their bikes from "couch to club" whether they aim to win or simply ride with their mates.

Meanwhile, health professionals agreed cycling and walking are good value solutions to the UK's health problems.

Adrian Davis is currently the UK's only transport and health professional funded by the NHS, working in Bristol City Council.

He says more councils and health authorities should work together in this way, describing co-benefits such as promoting cycling among school children, which helps kids' concentration and improves school performance.

Around cycling to school and work Mark Brown, Head of Ride2Work at Evans Cycles, said the cycle to work scheme had brought huge numbers of new cyclists to the business and that women's bikes are one of the fastest growing categories of the bike market.

He added businesses can do more, however, saying: "Secure bike parking, lockers and showers are fundamental reasons not enough people are cycling to work."

Patrick Salmon, of Mountbatten School in Hampshire, says it is vital to get children cycling in primary school as into secondary school academic commitments reduce the take-up of Bikeability training.

A short journey from British Cycling on Vimeo.

Related links
Cycling experts present evidence to Parliament
What is 'Get Britain Cycling'?

Source: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/536898/chris-boardman-calls-for-clear-national-vision-in-cycling.html

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Rights group: Israel violated laws of war in Gaza

JERUSALEM (AP) ? A U.S.-based rights group said Israel violated laws of war in a series of airstrikes it conducted during an eight-day military operation last November against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

Human Rights Watch said it counted 14 airstrikes in which there didn't appear to be a valid military target, and four others targeting militants, but which used disproportionate force.

HRW said the attacks killed more than 40 Palestinian civilians. They included a bomb attack on a home in the northern Gaza Strip town of Jebalia that killed Fouad Hijazi, a 46-year-old janitor, and two of his children, ages 4 and 2.

Israel's air assault came after weeks of increased rocket fire by Palestinian militants in Gaza toward Israeli communities.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said the army "established an inquiry board" headed by a major general to look into the eight-day operation, including incidents raised by HRW. She said the board's work hadn't yet been completed.

"It is regrettable that the organization has opted to publish unverified claims," the spokeswoman said. She could not be identified, citing military policy.

HRW based its report on interviews with residents, who were asked whether there was militant activity nearby attack sites. It also crosschecked the names of slain Palestinians against lists issued by Gaza militant groups to ascertain whether they were civilians. Gaza militant groups tend to announce the deaths of their fighters.

In the past, Israel has blamed Hamas for civilian casualties, saying the group uses schools, mosques and residential areas for cover while carrying out attacks. But cases of mistaken identity or faulty intelligence have also been known to result in civilian casualties.

The HRW report said attacks included bombings of civilian locations like homes and farm groves, "without any apparent military objective."

That included a strike on Nov. 21 that killed a 48-year-old farmer, Talal al-Asaly, and two of his children, Ayman, 19, and Abeer, 11, in northern Gaza while working in their garden.

Another drone strike two days earlier killed Ibrahim al-Astal, 48, and his nephew, Omar al-Astal, 14, in the southern area of Khan Younis.

In each case, residents said they did not observe Palestinian militants trying to fire missiles nearby, the usual target of such Israeli strikes.

The report said other strikes appeared to have military targets but caused disproportionate harm to human life and property.

They cited an attack on Nov. 20 may have targeted the home of a Palestinian militant, killing three civilians and wounding at least 20 others. Another strike hit the home of a man that Israeli officials identified as a Hamas militant, killing 12 civilians.

The report comes after other criticisms of Israel's conduct during the military operation, including attacks on reporters working for Palestinian news outlets sympathetic to militants. One attack killed two cameramen, another wounded seven media workers and a third strike on a media office inside a residential building killed a 2-year-old boy.

Human Rights Watch has also criticized Hamas for firing rockets at Israeli civilian areas.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rights-group-israel-violated-laws-war-gaza-112941416.html

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9 things Apple could do with $137B

Apple Inc. has recently come under attack for its practice of stockpiling cash. At the end of last year, the company was sitting on $137 billion ?and the heap keeps growing.

Corporations normally don't hoard cash the way Apple does. They keep enough around for immediate needs, and either invest the rest in their operations or dole it out to shareholders in the form of dividends or stock buybacks. If they need more cash for, say, an acquisition, they borrow it.

Apple has never explained why it is salting away so much money ?other than to say the company is preserving its options.

The money belongs to shareholders, so Apple is limited in what it can legally do with it. Leaving legality aside, here are some things Apple could do with $137 billion:

?Give every American a check for $437.

?Buy 213 million iPhones at the average wholesale price, enough for every American who lives east of the Mississippi River, plus Texas.

?Based on market value at Thursday's close, Apple could acquire Facebook, Groupon, LinkedIn, Netflix, Pandora, Research In Motion (Blackberry), Yahoo, Yelp, Zillow and Zynga ?and have more than $2 billion left to spare.

?Create a stack of dollar bills 9,300 miles high, 38 times higher than the orbit of the International Space Station.

?Buy 100,000 luxury Manhattan apartments, enough to house the population of Omaha.

?Foot the bill for U.S. federal spending on education for two years.

?Give every Apple employee a bonus of $1.7 million.

?Double U.S. foreign economic aid to the developing world for three and half years.

?Provide shareholders with a one-time dividend of $145 per share. (The stock closed Thursday at $456.95)

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-02-08-Apple-Cash/id-499a7e9826fc4faca9c2c809bc5c35d5

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Let's Talk About Sex: purity lessons and some practical application

Yesterday I talked about purity. It seems like sometimes we, as the church, are saying the wrong things and maybe even making it more difficult for young people to keep themselves sexually pure. Sometimes we place a lot of emphasis on virginity, and forget about practical instruction on how maintain that virginity. And I really think that causes so many young people to feel condemnation and shame. As youth leaders, we get really excited when kids make the right choices. When they sign those purity cards we display them proudly, and then we go about our business and they go out into a culture that glorifies easy sex. They can't get away from it, and we fail to provide them the tools they need to stay pure in a sex crazed world. Because of that we have failed them. Practical instruction is needed here, way more than a whole stack of signed purity pledges.

Where do we start?

Guard yourself

King David said he would set before his eyes no vile or unclean thing. That's good advice for us today. We've got to be real with ourselves. Just don't even go there, mentally of physically. So you're dating someone and it's getting serious? Set up really clear boundaries. Don't spend time alone. Stay in public. That sex drive God gave you? It's really strong, he did that for a reason. It's how babies are made so we won't become extinct. Have a healthy respect for that sex drive. You know it's there, but you don't have to feed it. Fix your eyes on Jesus. And then take these words from Paul to heart: whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) Your brain is one of the most powerful things you have concerning your sexuality, so guard your thoughts vigilantly. This is true if you are still waiting for the one, or you are already married. Because us married folks don't get a free pass on purity. We still have to walk this out and protect ourselves for sexual temptation, just like anyone else does. If you're on a diet you don't spend your days going to bakeries. When I had to stop eating gluten I didn't buy donuts to sit around at home, because I knew the temptation to eat them would be real. And I knew it would be really hard to stick to it. And that's the thing. Be very careful about who you form relationships with, also be very careful about what you do and where you go once you do start a relationship. Because going to the clubs, or bars, or to other places that promote a promiscuous lifestyle won't help you to maintain your purity.

Watch out for temptation

Pray for God to remove sexual temptation from your life, and be willing to take action if he's the one asking you to be the one to remove things. That stash of magazines? The internet browsing history? Those movies? You know the ones. Those are not even close to God's heart for your sex life. Don't leave the donuts on the counter, don't give the devil an opportunity. We are told that no temptation has seized us that hasn't seized other people, and we are also encouraged that God will always provide a way out. That way out almost always requires us to take an action. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Receive grace

Recognize that you might mess up and that it will be okay. God loves you wildly and and deeply. No matter what. "I'm convinced that neither death or life, neither angels or demons, neither the present or the future, not any powers, neither height or depth, or anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38) Remember that not committing certain specific sexual acts isn't the goal, having a heart pure before God is. The right actions will always follow a pure heart. Even King David committed adultery. And even then God was still able to say that he was a man after his own heart because what David did after he messed up put him in right standing with God. He blew it and he knew it, so he made it right. He confessed his mistake and moved forward with God. Because here's the thing, we will mess up in life, whether it's about our sexuality or our nasty tempers. And when we do God offers grace and forgives us. The enemy only offers guilt and condemnation. So take a stand against the enemy, we are all damaged in one way or another, but we all have the gift of God's grace available to us.

Don't let get too hung up on that future spouse

You know it's been said: we have to save ourselves for our future spouse. And of course it's true. But our actions today, or lack of, will not doom us to a miserable marriage or guarantee us a happy one. So think about your future spouse, but don't think about them too much. The point is that there is a lot of emphasis placed on how your actions today will affect your future marriage, and that's true, to a point. I think we can trust that God is working in your future spouse's life even as he works on yours. I remember feeling so much guilt for my young mistakes with boys, and always feeling plagued by the thought of my future husband's reaction when he learned about them. Here's the honest truth, I spent way too much mental energy worrying about that thing that was completely out of my control. When the day came for some honest conversations with him before we were married he took the news with grace and love, because he is a good man and he knew that the woman who sat before him that day was not the same girl who made the mistakes she made a long time before. We all have our issues, we are all damaged in some way or another. We get the opportunity to practice lives of grace all the time. Did some of those mistakes affect our marriage? Yes, they did. But we could say the same about different mistakes he made. Are we still happily married and enjoying a good sex life? Yes. Has it been easy? Nope, but marriage never is. So don't spend too much time mourning your past and worrying about your spouse's reaction to it.

The bottom line is this: life is hard enough as it is, without all the extra confusion out there over purity and virginity and all of that. But I feel like we need to be very careful in how we teach our young people, and the greater body of Christ, about sexuality. I would hate to have a teenager sign a purity pledge, or pledge to virginity without being involved in a long term discipling, mentoring relationship. Because we are doing teenagers, and our children, a great disservice by asking them to pledge themselves to purity without giving them the tools to be successful. The reality of it is that this is an area that nearly everybody struggles with in some way or another. Married folks, young teenagers, young adults, and singles of every age will deal with issues regarding their sexuality. There is a real enemy who would use all the discussion to distract from the simple fact that God calls all of us to purity in every area of our lives. If we are teaching a life style of purity then abstinence will naturally follow. But, it's not just about out sexuality. If God is asking us to do this we have to know that we can, because he would not ask us to do something impossible. He's not asking us to grow wings and fly; but he is asking to put him first, before our sexuality, before our relationships, before everything. It is isn't easy, but it's not impossible either.

So what are your thoughts on this? How do we teach young people, and not so young people, to live out purity? And what would you want your kids to be hearing from their youth pastors about sex?

Source: http://notsorandomstuff.blogspot.com/2013/02/let-talk-about-sex-purity-lessons-and.html

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Better checking: No fee, no minimum, 4% interest

Herb Weisbaum, NBC News contributor ? ? ? 7 hrs.

Let?s be honest, the interest rate on most interest-bearing checking accounts these days is a joke. The average rate is a measly 0.05 percent, according to the latest report from the FDIC.

Imagine if you could earn 3 or 4 percent interest on a ?free? checking account ? with no minimum balance requirement, no monthly fees and free transactions at any ATM in the country?

It sounds too good to be true, but it?s not.

The Kasasa checking account (pronounced kah-sah-suh) offered by dozens of community banks and credit unions across the country is for real. Right now, 29 of these institutions are paying 3 to 4 percent APY to those who qualify.

The 4.01 APY offered by Pelican State Credit Union in Baton Rouge is 80 times more than the average interest-free checking account pays these days. Heck, it?s more than four times what you can make with the average 5-year CD. (National average: 0.86%, Bankrate.com)

?Consumers have been wrongly led to believe that earning competitive rates on checking is not an option anymore,? said Kasasa CEO Gabe Krajicek. ?That?s costing them hundreds of dollars each year.?

For many people, the Kasasa account can be an easy way to boost the return on cash savings.

?It?s a good way to put all or most of your emergency fund into an account that?s going to earn a higher rate of return without sacrificing safety or liquidity,? said Greg McBride, senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com.

The key is you have to clear certain hurdles every month to earn that higher interest rate: get an e-statement, log in to online banking and use your debit card 10 times.

?For most people it?s not hard to satisfy the qualification criteria,? Krajicek said. ?This is the stuff you probably do anyway.?

Should you fail to qualify for that month, say you only used your debit card nine times, you?ll get paid a much lower rate that?s comparable to a typical checking account.

?While the interest drops, there is never any sort of fee and you can try next month to meet all the qualifications,? Krajicek explained.

Joe Ridout, who lives in San Francisco, is very happy with his Kasasa checking.

?It?s a no-brainer,? he said ?It beats the pants off of any other bank account I have.?

Ridout is the spokesperson for the advocacy group Consumer Action, so he knows a good deal when he finds it.

?If you are interested in saving money in a bank account, this is an easy way to do it,? he told me. ?You?ll earn exponentially more than what you?d get from a mega-bank as long as you meet the monthly requirements.?

How do they do it?
Kasasa is designed to attract the type of customers that community banks and credit unions want: people who lower their costs and generate revenue.

A financial institution saves around $2 a month when an e-statement replaces a paper one. They make money every time you use your debit card. People who use online banking are more self-serve and that helps reduce overhead costs.

And it turns out, someone who has Kasasa checking is also twice as likely to apply for a loan.

Even so, there?s a limit to how much profit a bank can expect to make from these accounts. That?s why there?s a cap on the amount of money that can earn the maximum interest rate. It varies from $5,000 to $50,000 depending on the institution.

?We?re not trying to make this a place to park a million dollars,? Kasasa?s Krajicek told me.

What he wants to do is get more people to invest their money with community banks and credit unions because they offer personal service and reinvest that money in the local community.

?There are so many community financial institutions that will treat you like a person and not a number,? Krajicek said. ?Consumers really do have a much better banking alternative than just sitting there and having it stuck to them by mega-banks.?

More information:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/better-checking-no-fee-no-minimum-4-interest-1B8310118

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Israel: Obama visit on Iran, Syria, Palestinians

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the upcoming visit of U.S. President Barack Obama will focus on Iran's nuclear program, the violence in Syria and the stalled peace process with the Palestinians.

Speaking at a government meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said he had agreed with Obama on the issues to be discussed.

Obama is expected to visit Israel along with the Palestinian Authority and Jordan next month.

The visit has raised expectations that peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which collapsed about four years ago, can be resumed.

Netanyahu welcomed Obama's trip, his first visit to Israel as president.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-obama-visit-iran-syria-palestinians-110442640.html

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