Online Pretty News: November 2014

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Jimmy Graham is wrong: He completely deserved a flag on would-be Hail Mary TD

On Sunday, Jimmy Graham was called for pass interference on a would-have-been game-winning Hail Mary reception against the San Francisco 49ers. Though replays clearly showed Graham giving a purposefulshove to the back of Perrish c*x, Graham and his New Orleans Saints brethren immediately complained about the call and Fox announcer John Lynch suggested c*x had flopped to draw the flag.

The cries from the Saints grew louder when the 49ers won in overtime. After the game, Graham still couldnt believe hed been flagged and said so to reporters. Before we begin: You cannot, and should not, blame Graham for pleading his case. Thats what a guilty man is supposed to do. But nothing says you cant point out how wrong he is about it. (Quotes in bold, via NOLA.com)

It was definitely not a push-off.

That sentence either needed to remove a not (it was definitely a push-off) or addone(it was definitely not not a push-off.)

Im running down the field telling myself, Whatever you do, dont push off.'

Oh, well then! He didnt want to push off, so clearly he couldnt have done so! Look, if desiredictated reality, place kickers would never miss field goals, Rex Ryan would have six Super Bowl rings and Id be writing this post from my yacht while drinking bellinis alongside my best friends George Clooney and Veronica Mars. No receiver everwants to push off. No defender ever wants to interfere. These are unfortunate byproducts of the desire to make big plays.

Its interesting how guys grab me everywhere on the field and I put literally two fingers on somebody and they make that kind of call.

A) Jimmy Graham has a questionableinterpretation of what constitutes interesting.

B) Two fingers.

The general consensus is, you go down there, you can kick somebody in the chest and go up there and get it and youll be fine.But apparently not.

So which is it? Did you not touch the guy or did you give him the shoving equivalent of a kick to the chest?

This was a clear, no doubt pass interference call. Graham extended both hands, shoved and positioned himself for the catch. He cleared space to make the grab. Coxs stumble looks suspicious if you want to see suspicion, but if you watch all angles of the replayyoull see he didnt start stumbling until he was shoved. Anyway, who plays a Hail Mary hoping to get a call? If Graham is right in that the general consensus is players dont expect flags on Hail Marys, then c*x would have no expectation to receive one.

All that being said, utilizing the Graham strategy is a phenomenalstrategyforHail Marys. Receivers in those big scrums should give a little shove every time. Best-case scenario, the refs miss it and you catch a touchdown. Worst-case scenario, you get flagged and are forced to make a disingenuous defense of yourself after the game.

(Thanks to @cjzero for the GIF.)

Controversy, Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints, Perrish c*x, Referees, San Francisco 49ers, NFL

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Source: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/11/jimmy-graham-pass-interference-saints-49ers-perrish-c*x

JCPenney Wants to Show Customers It's 'Heart and Wallet Responsible'

J.C. Penney will contine its efforts to reconnect with customers this holiday season. "Jingle More Bells," which launched last year, aims to show consumers that the brand is both "heart and wallet responsible" through the idea of giving, said Debra Berman, CMO at J.C. Penney.

"We were disconnected for a long time, so this is a big deal for us," she said, acknowledging J.C. Penney's ongoing battle to attract consumers. "We will spend the whole season helping people unlock what it feels like to give."

J.C. Penney saw a 3% rise in sales last holiday season, according to quarterly reports, which was on par with overall retail growth in the industry. Ms. Berman said J.C. Penney's media spend will be in line with a year ago.

The retailer's store associates are at the heart of this year's campaign. They're featured in J.C. Penney's "Jingle Brigade" spot -- its first of the holiday season. And they will also be ushering consumers into stores with red-and-white gloves that symbolize giving.

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Using #JustGotJingled, the campaign aims to encourage random acts of kindness among consumers through social media. J.C. Penney will promote customer videos that demonstrate the spirit of giving online. Similarly, the company made a separate video mash-up this month, saluting body confidence, to the tune of Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass."

"There are some pretty powerful moments," said Ms. Berman, adding J.C. Penney received more heartwarming clips than it expected. "Even a scrooge might tear up."

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On Dec. 2, Giving Tuesday -- an annual event meant to be an antidote to the holiday shopping frenzy -- will kick off the bulk of J.C. Penney's experiential push, which includes a coffee truck takeover in Seattle, a tree lot takeover in San Diego and a street team of elves, among other efforts. The retailer will also bring Boys and Girls Clubs into its stores for a holiday shopping trip.

The company also aims to connect with Hispanic audiences again this year -- a market that is growing more quickly than the general market, according to Ms. Berman. J.C. Penney will employ Spanish-language TV ads, digital and mobile search.

"It's very important to us that our content cues the world the Latina muse lives in and how she looks at the holidays," said Ms. Berman.

J.C. Penney created a video series on AOL that looks at how Hispanic families celebrate the holidays. The brand is also expanding its holiday calendar to include Three Kings Day, an important holiday in Hispanic culture.

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Source: http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/jcpenney-emphasizes-giving-holiday-season/295995/

Black Friday Deals 2014: Macy's, JCPenney Offer Best Deals While Wal-Mart ...

Aye, reports have it that the Black Friday deals are more vast and varied at JCPenney than any other merchant this year. But for those who go overboard on the spending, the savings may be all for naught.(Photo : Powhusku | Creative Commons)

Some people enjoy the adrenal jolt of surging through the doors on Black Friday morning, while others are just there to pick up one item and escape unscathed.

Since being thankful is a tad tougher after waiting in the cold for hours and still missing out on the year'shottestdeals, a new survey of retail outlets has revealed the merchants who have the most bountifulselectionof deeply discounted products this Black Friday.

WalletHub looked at the best and worst retail outlets to find deals for the 2014 edition of Black Friday, surveying 5,525 ads to find out where the discounts are concentrated. The shoe-scuffed battlegrounds of historic sites like Wal-Mart and Costco didn't even rank in the top 10 places to find Black Friday plunder.

JCPenney topped WalletHub's ranking of retailers by average discount, offering price cuts that are around 65.44 percent off retail prices. JCPenney was followed by Macy's (53.52 percent), Rite Aid (53.34 percent), Meijer (50.85 percent) and Sears (50.19 percent).

Theretailersrounding out the bottom half of the top 10, listed in descending order, include Walgreens, Office Depot and OfficeMax, Ace Hardware, Kohl's and Staples.

Retailers ranked 11 to 22, in descending order, include hhgregg, RadioShack, Kmart, Target, AAFES, CVS Pharmacy, Dell, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Amazon, Big Lots and Costco.

Beyond detailing the places to find the greatest amount of discounts, WalletHub reported which retailers are offering the best value in categories like consumer electronics and apparel.

Sears is best place to go for apparel andaccessories, Office Depot and OfficeMax for computers and phones; Macy's for consumer electronics and packaged goods; Kohl's for toys and furniture; Kmart for jewelry; and JCPenney for appliances and anything that doesn't fall into the aforementioned categories.

While the Black Friday deals are carefully crafted to help retailers get out of the red on the accounting sheets, the University of Southern California's Mathew Curtis is reminding consumers not to hurt themselves while taking advantage of the fleeting deals. Curtis is a clinical assistant professor at the university's Annenberg School of Communication.

"Your focus should not be on how much you saved," says Curtis. "If you saved $500 but spent more than you can afford, was that saving of $500 sensible? Focus more on what you spend, not what you save. Try looking for reasons as to why you do not need a product rather than why you want a product."

Source: http://www.techtimes.com/articles/20795/20141127/black-friday-deals-2014-macys-jc-penney-offer-best-deals-while-walmart-best-buy-amazon-lag.htm

Remembering comedy legend 'Chespirito'

Legendary Mexican comedian Roberto Gomez Bolanos known as Chespirito died Friday in Cancun at age 85.

The comedians work was wildly popular, spanning dozens of countries and languages. He even inspired the iconic Simpsons character Bumblebee Man.

Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto tweeted his condolences Friday, saying Chespiritos work transcended generations and borders.

News of Chespiritos death quickly spread on social media, where fans posted tributes to the late star. Telemundo reported that Chespirito was the No. 1 trend on both Facebook and Twitter Friday evening. Chespirito was the No. 2 trending termFriday in the U.S. on Google, with more than 500,000 searches.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/remembering-comedy-legend-chespirito

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Despite Cold Weather And Protesters, Shoppers Seek Black Friday Sales

Shoppers flocked to the malls on Thanksgiving, but the rush didn't impede Black Friday sales. Protesters are also trying to put a mark on this day, but their actions haven't taken a bite out of sales.

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

Black Friday can signify a lot of different things. It can mean braving freezing temperatures in Minnesota like this.

SHACARAH REYNOLDS: I'm out here with everyone else for a TV.

SHAPIRO: That's shopper Shacarah Reynolds bound and determined to get that 50-inch TV set for just $200. Black Friday can also be a sign of retail trends. This year, the ritual seems to be losing its edge as retailers start offering deals throughout the month of November. And Black Friday can be a symbol worth protesting. NPR's Richard Harris has the story of today.

RICHARD HARRIS, BYLINE: Organizations that object to our consumer-oriented culture have tried to single out Black Friday as a day to avoid shopping. That hasn't gotten much traction. This year, there's also a social media campaign to boycott Black Friday in protest of the Ferguson, Missouri grand jury's decision not to indict the policeman who shot and killed Michael Brown. Jessie Davis of Chicago took part in that movement at the Galleria Mall in St. Louis.

JESSIE DAVIS: Black lives matter more than your iPhone, more than your new dress for New Year's Eve. This is what we're saying. People got to lift their heads, get out of their houses and into the streets.

HARRIS: That protest led some stores in that mall to shut their doors this afternoon. Advocates for higher wages also chose this day to stage protests at many Wal-Mart stores. I came across the results of that in downtown Washington, D.C.

There's a man outside of the Wal-Mart here with a bucket and a brush and he's scrubbing off some chalk graffiti that was put on the sidewalk in front of the store. And among the things that it says is workers deserve a living wage, and a frowny smiley face that says always poverty and is pointing toward Wal-Mart. Shoppers here, like Dominique Small, seemed unperturbed by both the protests and the Black Friday hype. What were you shopping for?

DOMINIQUE SMALL: Right now, just kind of things to put in the house. And I just was looking at some prices for toys and stuff for Christmas.

HARRIS: But not buying the toys today?

SMALL: No, not today. No.

HARRIS: Is it crazy in there?

SMALL: No, it's actually really good. No lines - a lot of people just available if you need them.

HARRIS: Wal-Mart gave an upbeat report, saying 22 million people came to their stores on Thanksgiving. The top items sold were tablets, TVs, sheets, kids clothing and videogame gear. Marshall Cullen, chief retail analyst at NPD group, says early indications are that sales for both Thanksgiving and Black Friday are strong, and that the protests didn't make a dent.

MARSHALL CULLEN: The consumer didn't see the direct connection between the grand jury's decision and the retail opportunity.

HARRIS: He was a bit surprised that shopping trips on Thanksgiving itself didn't steal the Black Friday thunder. But Chris Christopher at IHS Global Insight wasn't quite so enthusiastic.

CHRIS CHRISTOPHER: Black Friday seems to be a little bit lackluster - still relatively an important day, but not just what it used to be.

HARRIS: Sales are now spread out throughout the month of November, and online sales are also increasing by the year. Black Friday leaves Boston College sociology professor Juliet Shor with complicated feelings. On the one hand, she says, Americans attach too much importance to consumer goods, and a shopping extravaganza plays into that.

JULIET SHOR: I think the one thing about Black Friday that I would say I like is it does make things more affordable for people who don't have enough purchasing power.

HARRIS: Wages for most workers have been stagnant for years. And Shor says Black Friday gives many Americans a chance to buy more or more generous gifts for their loved ones. Richard Harris, NPR News.

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Source: http://www.npr.org/2014/11/28/367244304/despite-cold-weather-and-protesters-shoppers-seek-black-friday-sales

Actor Shia LaBeouf says woman raped him during LA art performance

Actor Shia LaBeouf's bizarre stunts and behavior have gained him publicity and landed him in jail in the past year.

Now the "Transformers" star is making news again, alleging a woman raped him in February during an #IAMSORRY performance art show in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. During the five-day event, LaBeouf -- clad in a tuxedo and wearing a paper bag over his head -- sat alone and met one-on-one with visitors.

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For the Record

An earlier version of this story misstated the location of the art show. It was in the Fairfax district, not downtown Los Angeles.

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The 28-year-old actor told Dazed Digital that the woman "whipped my legs for ten minutes and then stripped my clothing and proceeded to rape me" while her boyfriend stood outside.

"There were hundreds of people in line when she walked out with disheveled hair and smudged lipstick," LaBeouf said. "It was no good, not just for me but her man as well."

His girlfriend was also waiting in line to meet with him because it was Valentine's Day, he said. But word about the alleged attack, he said, traveled fast and his girlfriend soon found out.

"When she came in she asked for an explanation, and I couldnt speak, so we both sat with this unexplained trauma silently," he said. "It was painful."

During the interview, LaBeouf did not say whether he contacted police to report the alleged rape. He also did not say why he waited so long to publicly speak about the incident.

Los Angeles Police Officer Jane Kim, a department spokeswoman, said her office had not been alerted about any incidents involving LaBeouf. In any case, she said, police don't report the names of rape victims.

Calls and requests to LaBeouf's publicist for comment were not immediately returned.

LaBeouf told a female reporter with Dazed Digital about the alleged rape during a two-week email exchange. The two then agreed to meet in October for an hour.

But they never actually spoke during the meeting. Instead, the two sat silently in separate hotel rooms with GoPro cameras strapped to their heads while others filmed them.

LaBeouf's erratic behavior was famously on display when he wore a brown paper bag over his head on which he scribbled "I AM NOT FAMOUS ANYMORE" at Berlin Film Festival's "Nymphomaniac" premiere.

In September, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was ordered into alcohol treatment after he disrupted a production of "Cabaret" in New York and had to be removed by police.

For breaking California news, follow @VeronicaRochaLA.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-actor-shia-labeouf-says-woman-raped-him-during-la-art-performance-20141128-story.html

Defending champs Altavista hands Fighting Blues their first loss of the season

ALTAVISTA A group of local business people put together a considerable financial contribution in order to entertain the masses at Altavista Highs football playoff games with some pregame pyrotechnics.

The best fireworks Friday night were on the field.

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New Star Wars trailer definitely looks like Star Wars

The first trailer forStar Wars: The Force Awakens.

Stormtroopers. Landspeeders. R2-unit bleep-boops. X-wing, Millennium Falcon, TIE fighter. Lightsaber. A deep voice, ominously rasping something about the Dark Side. If we were coming up with a checklist for a minute-and-a-half long teaser trailer for the nextStar Wars movie, it would be pretty much the same as what you get if you watch the one that was released today.

Not that we can fault director JJ Abrams for sticking to the familiar. One of the challenges he faces in reviving theStar Wars movie franchise is winning over hardcore fans and washing away the bad taste of the critically reviled prequel films, and there's no better way to start doing that than by appealing to nostalgia. Everything in the trailer is changed just ever-so-subtly from the way it was in the original films. Remember R2-D2? Here's some kind of R2 robot that has a bouncy ball for a body. Remember those spaceships you like? Here they are again, with just a little more detail and a fresh coat of paint. Remember red lightsabers, the universal symbol for "a bad guy is holding this?" Here's one, but with a subtle fire-esque effect and little baby stumpy extensions sticking out of a hilt.

Enlarge / This guy seems like bad news.

Lucasfilm

One alternate explanation for the excess of familiarity is that, unlike 2009'sStar Trek,The Force Awakens is a true sequel and not a reboot. Abrams' firstTrek film hit a big reset button for a franchise that was in much worse shape thanStar Warsis noweven though reviews of Episodes I, II, and III were mostly negative and remain popular punching bags to this day, they were still big financial successes. The same cannot be said forStar Trek Nemesis andEnterprise, the final fizzling embers of theStar Trek revival that began with Wrath of Khan andThe Next Generation. Abrams had a lot of latitude in reimaginingTrek's most iconic elements, butThe Force Awakens is sticking closer to the aesthetic established in the original 1970s and '80s films.

My favorite sign of this in the trailer might be the scuffed-up Rebel Alliance uniform, worn by a tired-looking guy who certainlylooks like he spends his time fighting against a Galactic Empire with vastlysuperior equipment and greater resources. The original movies were full of this stuffthe Millennium Falcon was held together mostly by bubble gum, paper clips, and hopeand it's nice to see Abrams' film break away from the shiny and sterile designs found in most of the prequels.

Enlarge / This guy easily could've been pals with Porkins.

Lucasfilm

Of course, this trailer gives us just a glimpse of what we'll actually see in theaters in December 2015, and it tells us nothing about the stuff that really ruined the prequel moviesboring stories, wooden acting, and stilted, ridiculous scripts. We're inclined to be hopeful, given Abrams' track record, but we're still in for a long wait.

Listing image by Lucasfilm

Source: http://arstechnica.com/the-multiverse/2014/11/new-star-wars-trailer-definitely-looks-like-star-wars/

Friday, November 28, 2014

This Victoria's Secret Sports Bra Can Hook Up With A Heart Rate Monitor

It was only a matter of time fancy lingeriebrand Victorias Secret is now selling a sports brafor around $75 with built in electrodes that hook up to aheart rate monitor. Sign of ourwearable tech times.

Smartgarments were recently identified by analyst Gartner as thefitness wearable with the greatestpotential for growth vs other device types such as smart wristbands, sports watches and chest straps with the rational being thatthe smart garment category isemerging from the testing phase and starting to find its way into products.

Built in tech is also hidden from view which makes it more aesthetically pleasing than the parade of ugly plasticwristbands that have characterized the early years of this space. So smart garments may well be anatural counterbalance reaction to asurfeit ofugly fitness wearables.

Gartner is projecting shipments of smart garmentswillgrow from practically nothing (0.1 million units) in 2014, to 26 million in 2016.

However how smart these garments are remains to be seen, given that clothes need washing regularly and electronics generally dont like taking that kind of punishment.

Whether thisVictorias Secretsports bra would be defined by Garner as a smart garment is another matter. It does not contain a heart rate monitor itself just a pair ofelectrodes that connect your skin and allow a heart rate monitor to be hooked up to the other side.

The product description is light on compatibility details, saying the electrodes will fit most clip-on heart rate monitors from leading brands presumably those that already come with a belt, such as this Garmin model.

A Victorias Secret customer rep was unable to elaborate any further oncompatibility, saying she did not know which models the bra is compatible with, and addingthat the product only does away with the need to wear a separate belt.

So it sounds like the early years of smart garments could squander anyaesthetic advantage by combining it with somenot-so-smart customer service.

Source: Wearable Tech Insider

Source: http://techcrunch.com/2014/11/25/victorias-secret-heart-rate-sports-bra/

iPad Air 2: Overkill and underwhelming

They've reduced the form factor and it's faster!

As I mentioned a few weeks ago,I sold my original iPad Air back to Amazon, and ordered the new iPad Air 2.

I knew at the time that it was going to be thinner and the processor would be more powerful and have more memory.

It has the Touch ID and the anti-reflective coating. It has new cameras.

All of this is great, right? Well, mostly, I guess.

It's not like the original iPad Air was a slow tablet or not thin enough. Frankly, the Air was already too thin for my tastes, if they had stuck with the thickness of the iPad 4, the tablet could have accommodated a much larger battery.

My only major complaint about the iPad and the iPhone is that the designs are overall too fragile and require highly protective cases to prevent them from being damaged with regular use. But this is true of most tablet and smartphone designs, including Android ones, although Apple products are particularly susceptible to damage.

When friends and family have asked me about which iPad they should buy -- the Air 2 or the original Air, I ask them about what they actually do with the things. Many, if not all of them answer "Use email, Facebook, browse websites, play casual games and watch Netflix."

My answer is almost always "You don't even need an iPad for that." But if they press, I tell them they could probably get a nice deal on a previous generation device at Apple Outlet.If you are in the market for an iPad (or even a Mac) but don't need the latest and greatest, you can buy certified and refurbished stuff there that is good as new.

So what has my practical experience with the Air 2 been like? Well, first of all, before I even opened the packaging I did a Dremel job on a hard shell Trident Aegis iPad Air case, along with some cardboard for padding, to protect the new device until I could get one of the current generation hard shell cases in.

The volume controls don't work because their position has been moved and the mute button is now gone (I have it pre-set to an acceptable volume) and the camera is out of alignment and partially blocked. But the power button works ok and I have access to the charger port and with the Dremel job, the Touch ID.

That's not a major complaint though. I understand why Apple changes designs. And there's a whole accessories industry to keep alive.

The endless pursuit of thinness though is becoming a bit ridiculous. And it has had a detrimental effect on battery life, never mind the need to produce thicker and tougher case accessories.

I used to be able to get a solid 10 hours of use on an iPad Air. Now, I'm maybe getting eight, best case scenario. Other reviewers have reported they used to get around 12, but now get get 10.

The variation has to do likely with how bright you set the display (I like mine brighter than most) and how CPU and graphics-intensive the apps you use are. But the general consensus is that the iPad Air 2 has a worse battery life than its predecessor.

It's true that the CPU is faster. There is some improvement in how the Safari web browser responds and how fast pages load, and in the performance of a number of apps. However, it isn't like the performance of the previous generation was bad. It was excellent.

So while the Air 2 is faster, it doesn't feel so much faster that most people will notice a difference with the mix of apps they normally use.

What is worth mentioning, however, is that there are only a scant few apps for iPad that can actually fully exploit the power of the Air 2. There are some games I play that are probably the most graphically and CPU intensive you can find on the iOS platform, such as Real Racing 3, Asphalt 8, X-Plane 9, Infinity Blade 2, and Godus.

Most iPad games I play, though, are not super CPU or graphics intensive. Boom Beach, which is one of the highest grossing games on the platform, plays just as well on an Air, or an iPad 4th Generation. You could say the same for This is War! which is similar "attack the base" sort of isometric game.

Of all of those, only Asphalt 8 isiOS 8 "Metal" enhanced, and there are only 7 Metal-enhanced games for iPad in the App Store today. So if you have an iPad Air 2, chances are, there are only few apps that can actually take advantage of the thing. I expect this to change over time, but right now, most of the horsepower of the Air 2 (and even the iPad Air, for that matter) is wasted.

By far the most popular apps on the iOS platform do not require an iPad Air 2, or even an iPad Air to run well, and that's because of the very modest memory capabilities of the earlier devices the developers have to shoot for.

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have the additional RAM, the 2GB on the Air 2 versus the 1GB on the original Air. There's less chance of stuff crashing, particularly with more resource-intensive games like Godus or Real Racing 3, should you have other processes running in the background.

What about the faster networking, the 802.11ac MIMO? Well, I have a 3000 square-foot, 5 bedroom home. I never had serious reception issues using 5Ghz bands on the previous model.

Although 802.11ac MIMO is a nice to have, and I have an 802.11ac router here, it's not like I can exceed the throughput of my broadband connection anyway, which is 50Mbps.

Even the previous Air was able to push it to near-wireline speeds on a good day. So unless Google Fiber comes to town, I'm probably not taking full advantage of that either. However, if an Apple TV 4th-Generation makes an appearance that permits the Air 2 and iPhone 6 to do AirPlay and screen mirroring at those speeds, that's another story.

Am I disappointed that I upgraded? For the time being, yes.

I'm sure that at some point, we'll see some apps that can actually put this device through its paces. But for now, until those apps materialize, I'm underwhelmed by the iPad Air 2, and I'm convinced the product is overkill for most folks who would be better served by previous generation devices, especially if they haven't done an upgrade in several years.

What do you think of your iPad Air 2? Talk Back and Let Me Know.

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/ipad-air-2-overkill-and-underwhelming-7000035200/

Thanksgiving Day dining guide: No reservations needed

Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in a beautiful setting with an array of menu options at El Chorro in Paradise Valley.(Photo: Al Payne)

Sure, there are fancy places to dine on Thanksgiving Day if the wallet allows, and with some advance planning. But there also are plenty of restaurants where you can still get a table on Thursday, Nov. 27, without reservations. Our list of 13 provides options for every area of the Valley.

West Valley

Arrowhead Grill

Come for Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and get such specials as lamb-chop fondue, butternut-squash soup, traditional turkey with ham and fennel-cornbread stuffing, turducken (turkey breast stuffed with duck and chicken), prime rib, salmon, mashed potatoes, creamed spinach or corn, sweet-potato pie, pumpkin cheesecake, flourless chocolate cake ($49.99; $25.99 for child-size portions). Kids menu also available. Walk-ins available in the bar area.

Details: 8280 W. Union Hills Drive, Glendale. 623-566-2224, arrowheadgrill.com.

Brothers Family Restaurant

Share some brotherly love with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner of soup or salad, turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, vegetable and pumpkin pie ($11.99) or prime rib with three sides and dessert ($14.99). Some walk-ins accepted.

Details: 8466 W. Peoria Ave., Peoria. 623-979-1077, brothersfamilyrestaurant.com.

Phoenix

Luci's Healthy Marketplace

Get a complete meal to go that includes a precooked roast turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, cornbread stuffing, green-bean casserole, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, with substitutions available ($139.99, serves six to eight people). Sides are available a la carte ($7.99- $8.99). Desserts are also available ($12.99- $30). Order by Saturday, Nov. 22. Open Thanksgiving Day with Luci's regular menu.

Details: 1590 E. Bethany Home Road, Phoenix. 602-773-1339, lucishealthymarketplace.com.

Windy City Sports Grill

Windy City caters to football fans on Thanksgiving Day from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. with specials, including pumpkin-pie French toast ($7.99); turkey and mashed-potato skillet ($9.49); turkey, cranberry and stuffing hoagie ($9.89); and drink specials such as pumpkin-pie martinis ($5) and bottomless mimosas ($12). Walk-ins accepted.

Details: 2121 E. Highland Ave., Phoenix. 602-977-2700, halfmoonsportsgrill.com.

Rustler's Rooste

Dine in from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a meal that serves six to eight people: whole oven-roasted turkey, mushroom-sage stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, corn, cranberry-pear relish, Indian fry bread and biscuits, whole apple or pumpkin pie ($139.95). Also available: traditional turkey dinner ($19.95; $6.95 for age 10 or younger); baked ham dinner ($19.95; $6.95 for age 10 or younger); New York steak with candied yams and corn-on-the-cob ($21.95); prime-rib dinner with yams and corn ($18.95- $29.95); mesquite-grilled salmon dinner with corn and rice ($19.95); sauteed-shrimp dinner with corn and rice ($18.95). Kids menu: chicken fingers ($6.50), hamburger meal ($5.95), grilled-cheese sandwich meal ($5.95). Some walk-ins available. Live music 4- 8 p.m.

Details: 8383 S. 48th St., Phoenix. 602-431-6474, rustlersrooste.com.

Northeast Valley

Sapporo

This Pacific Rim restaurant is getting into the spirit of the day 2-8 p.m. with several specials in addition to its menu of sushi and teppanyaki: slow-braised Korean short ribs with sweet-and-spicy barbecue sauce ($12), East-meets-West sushi roll with tempura asparagus, prosciutto and pineapple ($11), sweet-potato and maple cheesecake with layers of cinnamon cheesecake and sweet-potato spice cake topped with maple icing and toasted hazelnuts ($10), and a pumpkin pie martini ($8).

Details: 14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-607-1114, sapporoscottsdale.com.

Fogo de Chao

During Thanksgiving weekend Thursday-Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., this Brazilian steakhouse will serve its regular churrasco menu with some specials: carved roast-turkey breast, sweet-potato cinnamon-scented casserole topped with toasted marshmallows, cranberry relish with apples and oranges, and roasted vegetables with pineapple, yellow beets, zucchini and red and yellow peppers ($49.50; half-price for ages 7-12; free for 6 or younger). Walk-ins subject to availability.

Details: 6300 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-609-8866, fogodechao.com.

El Chorro

Dinner is served noon-7 p.m.: butternut-squash and apple soup or Waldorf salad, with sticky buns; organic roast turkey with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry chutney; or herb-roasted beef tenderloin with sweet-potato gratin, brussels sprouts, baby carrots; pan-roasted salmon with corn succotash, endive salad and saffron-butter sauce; apple cobbler with vanilla-bean ice cream, pumpkin pie with cinnamon whipped cream or bourbon-pecan tarts with chocolate sauce ($58, $24 for age 11 or younger). Each dinner guest can also take home a "leftovers" package of one pound of turkey, one pound of mashed potatoes, one pound of cornbread stuffing, a quart of sage gravy and a half-quart of cranberry chutney ($18). Some walk-ins accepted.

Details: 5550 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley. 480-948-5170, elchorro.com.

Southeast Valley

Chompie's

All locations will serve Thanksgiving dinner 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: sliced roast turkey breast, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied yams, green beans amandine, dinner roll, cranberry relish and a slice of apple or pumpkin pie ($15.99). Individual meals are available to go. Reservations required for parties of six or more.

Details: 1160 E. University Drive, Tempe. 480-557-0700, other locations at chompies.com.

Crowne Plaza Resort San Marcos Golf Resort

The resort starts with champagne breakfast 6-11 a.m.: omelet and carving stations, fresh meats and cheeses, egg dishes, eggs Benedict, bacon, sausage, waffles and pancakes ($23.95). Dinner is served noon- 5:30 p.m. Family-style meal includes such choices as mixed green salad; platters of pork loin, prime rib, salmon, orange-glazed ham or herb-garlic roast turkey (choose two); bowls of sides including whipped potatoes with creme fraiche, cornbread stuffing with apples and pecans, lemon-and-herb green beans, orange-ginger cranberry sauce, candied butternut squash; dessert of pumpkin pie-cranberry layer cake and pecan bar with caramel sauce ($44.95, $17.95 for ages 12 or younger). Some walk-ins accepted.

Details: One San Marcos Place, Chandler. 480-812-0900, crowneplaza.com.

Green New American Vegetarian

Once again, the Tempe cafe pardons all turkeys by offering its ThanksLiving celebration noon- 4 p.m. with a menu that includes Seitan wheat meat turkey, vegan gravy, sun-dried cranberries, toasted-walnut stuffing, roast-garlic mashed potatoes, sweet corn, brown "butter" asparagus, brussels sprouts, salad, cranberry sauce, artisan breads, vegan pecan and pumpkin pies with whipped cream, winterberry and oat-granola cobbler ($28.95 Thanksgiving Day; $8.95 for age 12 or younger. Activities include music and kids crafts.

Details: 2240 N. Scottsdale Road, Tempe. 480-941-9003, greenvegetarian.com.

Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse

The Steakhouse hosts a buffet 11 a.m.-6 p.m.: rosemary-crusted prime rib, maple-roasted turkey, honey-baked ham, grilled top sirloin, garlic-mashed potatoes, bacon mac and cheese, roasted green beans, baked-potato bar, salads, fruit and cheeses, dessert station with fudge brownies, cookies, pumpkin pie, apple crisp and an ice-cream sundae bar ($18.95, $9.95 for ages 3-12, free for 2 or younger). Some walk-ins accepted.

Details: 5700 W. North Loop Road, Gila River Reservation. 480-502-5600, rawhide.com.

Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/1rkeiwr

Source: http://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/dining/2014/11/26/thanksgiving-day-dining-guide-reservations-needed/19300637/

Thursday, November 27, 2014

TrailerWatch: "Jurassic World"

The raptors are backand badder than ever.

Universal has hatched the first trailer for Jurassic World, the long-gestating sequel to Steven Spielberg's rampaging-dinosaurs trilogy.

While archeology buffs are already complaining about the details--none of the dinosaurs in the trailer have feathers!--movie buffs are salivating.

In this installment, scheduled for release next June, the genetic research lab on Isla Nublar had been transformed into a full-scale theme park (not unlike Universal Studios). Which means we see a lot of smiling tourists who will like awfully juicy to the genetically engineered super-dinosaur that it is lurking in the forest.

We don't know how the humans fare, but there might be a clue in the title of director Colin Treverrow's previous movie: Safety Not Guaranteed.

Source: http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/movies/joe-williams/trailerwatch-jurassic-world/article_4d93ec3a-09dd-5131-b648-fbfbc77e0381.html

14-year-old Emily battling lymphoma

By ROBERT PIERCE

Leader & Times

Recently, Emily Bremenkamp was taken to Liberals Southwest Medical Center with what was first thought to be a simple case of pneumonia.

Physicians at the local hospital, however, seemed a bit confused though as to what the 14-year-old girl actually had.

Her lung function just wasnt getting better, said Emilys mother, Michele Bremenkamp. Her kidneys and blood levels were just out of control. They really couldnt figure out what was wrong with her.

This is when young Emily was sent to a hospital in Wichita, where doctors discovered she was suffering from Burkitts lymphoma.

According to the medical site Web MD, Burkitts lymphoma is a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma in which cancer starts in immune cells called B-cells.

As one could imagine, Michele was more than a little scared when she heard the news about Emilys condition.

Absolutely horrified, she said. You never think your baby will have anything like this. You cant fathom it. You do everything youre supposed to do as a parent, and all of a sudden, your child has something horrible. Its something no parent should have to go through.

As of Monday, Emily was still at Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, where her family is waiting for her condition to stabilize so she can come home.

Kathy Bloom and Kylee Harrison of Seward Countys K-State Research and Extension office, the administrators of the local 4-H program of which Emily is a part, are asking for help with money and prayers for the youth.

Prayer, prayer and more prayers, the agents said in an e-mail to the Leader & Times. Donations of money to be used for things not covered by insurance. Emilys room is literally filled with flowers and plants.

The e-mail also stated the Extension is working to set up an account at a bank, but until all the paperwork is complete, donations may be dropped off at the K-State office at 1081 Stadium Road in Liberal.

Make checks to the Emily Bremenkamp fund, the e-mail said.

Michele said many other people in the community are helping the family out, including Liberals Parks and Rec Department, which is hosting the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K for Emily. That event is scheduled to begin at 9:30 this morning at the Rec Center in Blue Bonnet Park.

Liberal High School, where Emily is currently a student, has likewise helped out with fundraisers, and Michele said this is just the beginning of the community support the Bremenkamps have received.

Weve had tons of letters and cards and prayers, she said. The Southwest Miracles has helped us with our motel expenses while were here. Weve been here almost three weeks now.

All of this support has come willingly from all involved, as Michele said the family has not asked for anything.

The things that are being done on behalf of us is because people want to, she said. Weve never asked for anyone to do anything. Weve not asked the community or any organizations for a dime. Anything thats been done has been done because somebody else started the ball rolling. We havent asked for anything and would not. You try to do what you can do to take care of your child, and the outpouring of support has been fabulous.

Today is Thanksgiving, and at this point in time, Michele said the Bremenkamps are thankful for the doctors in Liberal who sent Emily to Wichita to find what was wrong with her and start immediate treatment.

Had we waited, the prognosis probably wouldnt have been as good, so were thankful that they sent us here, she said. Were thankful for all the things the doctors and nurses have done here. Were thankful for the communitys prayers and love and support. We feel with everything people are doing, praying for Emily to get better is going to help us and help her spirit as we move through the next few months.

Michele said the doctors in Wichita are not sure how long it will take to get the cancer out of Emilys system, but they, along with the Bremenkamp family, are confident the young lady will be cured and survive the condition.

Itll be months of chemo, Michele said. When this type of cancer is caught, as they have here, the chemo is very, very successful. Different cultures show different numbers, but were talking 80, 90 percent success rate for this type of cancer. It is the fastest growing cancer from what weve been told, but the chemo can almost melt the tumor and the cancer cells.

Emily has been at Wesley for about three weeks now, and Michele said the family is thrilled with the progress she has made thus far.

She has made great strides in getting better, and the chemo has already started to show good results, the mother said. Were very optimistic that shes going to beat this and be the active kid that shes always been with school and 4-H and bowling and all the things that she does.

Doctors likewise were not sure how long the lymphoma had been in Emilys system before she was diagnosed, but original estimates put that time frame at about two to three weeks.

It just progresses that rapidly, Michele said.

Emily is heavily involved with 4-H, serving as the president of the local Wide Awake chapter.

She does arts and crafts, foods, quilting, photography and the shooting sports, Michele said.

Outside of 4-H, Emily also has a few other activities shes involved with, according to her mother.

She is active in bowling and marching with the high school in That Liberal Band, she said.

Michele emphasized that the support the Bremenkamps have received has been wonderful.

Theyve sent lots of notes and cards of encouragement and balloons and texted her and communicated back and forth with her, she said. That helps a lot knowing so many people care.

Michele said she would once again like to thank the community for all the support the family has received.

We go about living our lives, she said. We dont ask for anything. You dont seek out anybody to help you, but its been overwhelming the amount of support weve received from the community as a whole in getting us through this.

Source: http://www.leaderandtimes.com/index.php?option%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D19078:14-year-old-emily-battling-lymphoma%26catid%3D12:local-news%26Itemid%3D40

TFD: Johnny Manziel eats dinner a lot later than you do

Per ESPN.com:

The Cleveland Police Departments report stated that Johnny Manziel was approached by a fan named Chris Gonos who says he was assaulted by the rookie quarterback and his entourage.The incident was reported at 2:36 a.m. from the Metropolitan at The 9 hotel in Cleveland. The report does not indicate that police made any arrests.

A Manziel associate, listed as Dana Kirk, told police the victim attempted to assault his client and he defended him, according to the police report. Gonos, the alleged victim, told police he was assaulted by Johnny Football and his entourage after he tried to approach Manziel as a fan by saying, Im the biggest Browns fan ever, I love you, I want to give you a hug, according to the report.

A statement made by Manziels agent paints a slightly different picture of the incident.

Johnny and his roommate had been out to dinner earlier in the evening with Johnnys mother, who is staying with him this week, Erik Burkhardt said in a statement. There was no entourage. Johnny and his roommate were trying to get on the apartment elevator at his home when they were accosted by a very aggressive man and his associates. It was an unfortunate situation and he immediately let [Browns general manager] Ray Farmer and the team know what happened.

There is either a gap in the evening between dinner with mom and 2:36 a.m., or Manziels mom doesnt mind eating late. Either way, we imagine Teddy Bridgewater had been asleep for several hours at 2:36 a.m. Saturday, cuddling up to his playbook.

Source: http://blog.startribune.com/sports/randball/tfd-johnny-manziel-eats-dinner-a-lot-later-than-you-do

St. Louis man found shot to death Tuesday night

ST. LOUIS Police say a man was fatally shot Tuesday night in St. Louis.

Harrol Berry, 23, was found shot to death about 10:15 p.m. in the 4700 block of Vernon Avenue, police said.

Berry, who lived in the 5200 block of Helen Avenue in Jennings, was found shot multiple times, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses told police they heard gunfire and found Berry's body.

Police had no further details on the killing.

Berry's death is at least the city's 135th homicide of the year.

In all of 2013, the city had 120 homicides. In 2012, there were 113. The last time St. Louis saw this many homicides was in 2010, when there were 144 homicides, according to statistics on the St. Louis Police Department's website.

Editor's note: an earlier version of this story had the wrong first name, date, and address of victim, as provided by police.

Source: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/st-louis-man-found-shot-to-death-tuesday-night/article_331c3fa5-2329-542b-b1f8-21359b610150.html

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Former Vol Eric Berry may have lymphoma

Former Vol Eric Berry will see a specialist to determine whether he has lymphoma.(Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

Hyde5: Jets' Geno Smith to start (Happy Thanksgiving)

1. Among Dolphins' fans Thanksgiving blessings, add this from the New York Jets' Twitter site last night: "QB Update: Rex met with Geno Smith & Mike Vick this morning & told the QBs that Geno will get the start vs MIA on Monday night."

Not that it should matter, but if you're the Dolphins you'd rather face Smith than Michael Vick. Vick has at least shown the ability to have good games. Before his brutal game Monday against Buffalo (27.6 rating), Vick had a 105.7 rating in a loss to Kansas City and a 110 rating in a win against Pittsburgh.

Smith has thrown seven touchdowns against 10 interceptions this year with a 57.4 percent completion rate and 67.4 quarterback rating.

In the big picture, the Jets' starter doesn't matter. They'll be shopping for a new one this off-season. And a coach. And maybe a general manager. But this quarterback decision also makes you wonder: Wouldn't it be more fun if Tim Tebow was on the Jets this year?

One cautionary note: Smith, or Miramar High, was the starter in last year's season finale that kicked hte Dolphins out of the playoffs. He was 17 of 27 for 190 yards with no touchdowns in the Jets' 20-7 win.

2. The signing of Giancarlo Stanton probably cost Jeffrey Loria the worst-owner-in-sports mantel. How else to explain he only finished second in a Rolling Stone poll of 200 ESPN panelists? New York Knicks' owner James Dolan was third and ... wait for it ... Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder was No. 1.

3. Jim Larranaga has a fun team to watch again this year.

4. Missouri is 6-1 and winning the SEC East. It went 7-1 to win the division last year (losing to Auburn in the championship game). Remember when everyone (me, too) said the SEC would tear up the Big 12? But then a Big 12 team came into the SEC and tore it up. Makes you wonder if the SEC is really as strong as everyone (me, too) makes it out to be.

5. If the Heat put on a show like Tuesday for 3 1/2 quarters against a great team and lose, I can live with it.

Source: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-dolphins/sfl-hyde5-geno-smith-to-start-happy-thanksgiving-20141126-story.html

Who Is Paige VanZant? UFC Fighter Thanks Fans On Twitter

It was her first time in The Octagon, but Paige VanZant won her Ultimate Fighter Championship debut against Kailin Curran (3-0) after she knocked her out in the third round at UFC Fight Night 57Saturday. She took to Twitter over the weekend to thank her fans for their support.

Winner winner!!!! she tweeted. G*d and my fight team got me this win tonight!!:) thank you. She added the hashtags FanZant, UFCAustin and UFC.

The official UFC Twitter page congratulated VanZant on her win. Welcome to the UFC, Paige.

After her victory, VanZant plans to continue mixed martial arts fighting. .........and this is only the beginning!! she wrote.

Its an unlikely career change for the former model, 20, who originally started to fight because she was bored. I started with boxing, and my coaches told me I had a lot of potential (in MMA), and that I should consider making it a career, VanZant told Fox Sports. I was like, Whatever.

The UFC womens straw weight wanted to appear on the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter 20, but wasnt admitted to the cast because of her age. VanZant said it ultimately worked out in her favor that she wasnt allowed on the show.It was bittersweet not being on The Ultimate Fighter, she said, according to Yahoo Sports. I was really fortunate that I was considered for such a great thing. But this ended up being the best thing for me. VanZant added she didnt need the reality show to make a name for herself.

VanZant, who is the youngest womens MMA fighter, received a $50,000 bonus for her Fight of the Night acknowledgement.

Her Twitter fans looked forward to her next fight. Some of their comments have been posted below:

Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com/who-paige-vanzant-ufc-fighter-thanks-fans-twitter-1728721

Five Children Killed in Texas Mobile Home Fire

Five children one as young as 4 died after a fast-moving fire consumed their mobile home early Tuesday in rural southeast Texas, officials said. Two adults, identified as Johnny Hernandez and Annabelle Ortiz, and one of their kids escaped the blaze, which broke out around 5 a.m. local time in Edna, about 100 miles southwest of Houston. Ortiz was taken to the hospital, while Hernandez was treated for minor injuries at the scene, Jackson County Sheriff A.J. Louderback told NBC News.

Hernandez, 30, was able to help his wife and one of their 4-year-old children out of a window, but was held back when he tried to go back inside. The victims were identified as: Noah, 15, Nicholas, 13, Julian, 10, Ariana, 5, and Liliana, 4, NBC affiliate KPRC reported. Were taking it really hard. Its probably one of the biggest tragedies in Edna, in all around, Hernandezs brother, Rico Hernandez, told the Victoria Advocate. The fire remains under investigation. "It was an old trailer so maybe it was something electrical, Rico Hernandez added. Im guessing it was cold last night so something with the heater."

Denise Royal and Erik Ortiz

First published November 25 2014, 9:02 AM

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/five-children-killed-texas-mobile-home-fire-n255861

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Chiefs: Eric Berry has mass in chest, possibly lymphoma

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -

Chiefs starting safety Eric Berry has a mass in his chest, and it is likely lymphoma, a team doctor said Monday afternoon.

Team head trainer Rick Burkholder said he could not officially diagnose the mass as lymphoma. Berry traveled to Atlanta to see Dr. Christopher Flowers, a specialist at Emory University Hospital, and will undergo more testing including having a biopsy of the mass performed.

"We think we have Eric in a real good spot right now to have really good outcome with this mass in his chest," Burkholder said.

Berry is obviously out for the rest of the season, but in a statement Berry indicated he is hopeful that he will play again.

"I have great confidence in the doctors and the plan they are going to put in place for me to win this fight. I believe that I am in G*d's hands and I have great peace in that," Berry said. "I know my coaches and teammates will hold things down here the rest of the season and until I am back running out of the tunnel at Arrowhead."

Berry underwent testing after complaining about chest pain during the Raiders loss last Thursday night. On Friday, doctors determined it wasn't an orthopedic injury. He underwent tests with the team on Friday including an X-Ray and an MRI, which revealed the mass on the right side of his chest. He then went to the University of Kansas Hospital on Saturday for additional testing including CT scans and blood work.

The Chiefs next game is on Sunday Night Football at home against the Broncos. Coach Andy Reid said he, his staff and Berry's teammates were shocked by the diagnosis. Reid said the upcoming battle against the Broncos is secondary now.

"We know it's going to work out for Eric," Reid said. "He's a beast and right now he needs to be beast. He'll attack this along with Dr. Flowers and I think it will be a very positive result when it's all said and done."

Berry addressed his teammates on Monday. Reid, Burkholder and physicians told Berry about the test results on Saturday and that lymphoma was the likely cause.

Lymphoma is a form of cancer in the lymph nodes. Some of the symptoms include abdominal pain, swelling, sudden weight loss and heavy sweating.

Reid said Berry felt his teammates love and support on Monday.

"When you get into these situations, you honker down and you battle for your life is what you do," he said. "You have to be in a certain frame of mind. You have to have a certain support system to back you up and Eric's got that, not only with family but also with the Chiefs."

Berry, 25, underwent his yearly physical in June, which included a chest X-Ray and blood work, but nothing was turned up at that time. He doesn't have a family history of the illness.

Berry is being placed on the non-football injury list. Berry was drafted by the Chiefs as the fifth overall draft pick in the 2010 draft. Berry is from the Atlanta area and he wanted to undergo treatment closer to his family. The Atlanta Falcons are assisting the Chiefs and Berry in getting him treated in Atlanta.

Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said he was shocked by the news and sad for Berry. He said as an organization and family that the Chiefs will be there for Berry and his family.

". . .. Just to tell Eric that we love you, we're thinking about you and we hope that you have a quick recovery," Hunt said, adding his prayers are with Berry. "He's a very focused individual and his mindset was very much of tackling this and trying to get past it as soon as possible."

Reid said that Berry is in good spirits all things considered.

"He was upbeat and very positive. He was awesome this morning," Reid said. "He's not one that likes to do a lot of talking but he felt like the team needed to hear it from him that he's Ok and he's going to get after this thing and get it fixed. . . .Football isn't as important as him getting himself better at this present moment."

He said Berry is a big part of the team as a player, person and leader.

Dr. Joseph McGuirk works at the University of Kansas Hospital and is familiar with cases like Berry's but is not treating Berry. The physician said it's rare for someone as young as Berry to have the disease, but said it's very treatable and Berry can return to play in the NFL.

"Possibly we look forward to seeing him on the field next fall," McGuirk said. "The good news is that these lymphomas in generally are highly treatable."

He said that Berry's age and physical condition will help him beat the cancer and endure the chemotherapy treatments.

"There's probably 50 to 75 to 80 percent chance that one way or another this is going to be cured," he said.

On Tuesday, teammates Josh Mauga and Dee Ford said during a previously scheduled community blood drive that they are rallying around Berry.

"Eric is a soldier," Ford said. "He's an angel to me. I feel like his spirit will carry him so far. He has an incredible work ethic. This is just the beginning and G*d is using him. He's going to be a testimony for his situation."

Here is Berry's entire statement:

I am truly thankful for all of the support from family, friends, coaches, teammates and the entire Chiefs kingdom. At first I was in shock with the diagnosis on Saturday and did not even want to miss a game, but I understand that right now I have to concentrate on a new opponent. I have great confidence in the doctors and the plan they are going to put in place for me to win this fight. I believe that I am in G*d's hands and I have great peace in that. I know my coaches and teammates will hold things down here the rest of the season and until I am back running out of the tunnel at Arrowhead. I am so thankful and appreciative of being a part of this franchise and playing in front of the best fans in the NFL. I will be back!

Source: http://www.kctv5.com/story/27471447/chiefs-eric-berry-has-mass-in-chest-possibly-lymphoma

Hundreds mourn Marion Barry at his annual turkey giveaway

Hundreds of people gathered outside Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast Washington on Tuesday for Marion Barry Jr.s turkey giveaway, an annual holiday ritual that turned into a vigil for Barry, who died early Sunday morning at 78.

For years, Barry, the Districts four-time mayor and Ward 8 councilman, had raised thousands of dollars to buy turkeys and give them away to the poor. He called the long lines of people waiting for free Thanksgiving fixings a sad commentary on poverty in the richest nation in the world.

During his career as a civil rights activist and then the Districts most charismatic, powerful politician, Barry was viewed by many as a champion of the poor and disenfranchised. His annual turkey giveaway was something his constituents had come to count on in a tough economy and they were mourning him as they waited for the 3,500 turkeys and fresh vegetables that would be given away.

Marion Barry is going to be truly missed, said Ernice Beasley, 49, who lives in Southeast. I dont think well find anybody to fill his shoes.

LaToya Foster, a spokesperson for Barry, looked at the crowd and cried. This is what Marion Barry lived for, giving back to people, giving to the poorest people, making sure those who felt like they didnt have a voice were served.

As some in line wept, Foster said Barry was a voice for the voiceless, a voice for the disenfranchised who didnt feel they had any hope. He always said if you found yourself down but you could look up, then you could get up.

Barrys memorial service wont be held until next week because of the scale of the events planned.

DeNeen L. Brown is an award-winning staff writer at The Washington Post who has covered night police, education, courts, politics and culture.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/hundreds-mourn-marion-barry-at-his-annual-turkey-giveaway/2014/11/25/c7be81da-74b3-11e4-bd1b-03009bd3e984_story.html

Steve Austin podcast to air live on WWE Network with special guest Vince ...

During tonight's Survivor Series pay-per-view, WWE officially announced that Stone Cold Steve Austin's podcast, The Steve Austin Show, will air live on the WWE Network immediately following Monday Night Raw on Dec. 1, 2014.

And Vince McMahon will be his special guest.

WWE partnering up with Austin always made sense and, frankly, I'm shocked it didn't happen sooner. Austin's podcast is wildly successful for Podcast One and the WWE Network is desperately in need of compelling, easy-to-produce content that appeals to the wrestling audience.

Airing an Austin podcast with Vince as special guest is the best of all worlds.

You tuning in?

Source: http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2014/11/23/7273247/steve-austin-podcast-live-wwe-network-guest-vince-mcmahon-wwe-raw-dec-1-2014

LeGarrette Blount

Bill Belichick doesn't care about your fantasy team.

Yes, that line could've been written at any time during the past 15 seasons, spanning Belichick's tenure as coach of the New England Patriots. But there might not be any more compelling evidence than what he has done with his backfield the past two weeks.

On Sunday of Week 11, Jonas Gray burst onto the scene with a 201-yard, four-touchdown, 44-point fantasy performance. He played a team-high 55 of 74 snaps and amassed 38 of the team's 45 carries, en route to being the week's most-added player in ESPN leagues: As of Sunday, his ownership had gone from 8.4 to 75.7 percent, and after being started in 1.3 percent of leagues in Week 11, he was started in 32.9 percent in Week 12.

This Sunday, Gray didn't only get shut out on the fantasy scoreboard, he didn't even play a single snap. That came on the heels of a report that he missed Friday's practice after oversleeping; the team did announce beforehand that he wouldn't start.

Meanwhile, LeGarrette Blount -- who ironically played only one snap for his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Monday of Week 11 before leaving the field before the game's conclusion, a contributing factor to his release the following day -- joined the Patriots on Thursday, played 17 snaps for his new team (that per ESPN NFL Nation reporter Mike Reiss' account) and scored 19 fantasy points.

Oh, and just for an added wrinkle, per Reiss, Shane Vereen played 62 snaps Sunday, which would represent his season high in that department.

Let's start with Blount's performance, perhaps the least likely outcome in a season of unlikely outcomes from Patriots running backs. Historically speaking, for a player to score as many fantasy points as he did following a midseason change of teams is extremely unusual, or, at least, a player doing so in his first game for his new team -- among those without any gap in playing time between teams (other than bye weeks) -- is unusual. In fact, since 1960, only one player has scored more than 19 fantasy points in those circumstances, and only eight have scored as many as 14:

PlayerPosYearWkTeamFPTSHopalong CassadyRB19626Phi25LeGarrette BlountRB201412NE19Chris ChambersWR20099KC19Paul PalmerRB19897Dal17Joe NedneyK20006Car15Deion BranchWR20106NE15Randy MossWR20105Min14Herschel WalkerRB19896Min14

Interestingly, there are common threads between multiple pairs of players on this list. Walker was traded to the Minnesota Vikings midseason, with Palmer acquired by Walker's former team, the Dallas Cowboys, to serve as Walker's replacement. Moss, meanwhile, was traded to the Vikings by the Patriots, who then acquired Branch the following week to help fill out their wide receiver corps. Meanwhile, Cassady, Chambers and Nedney, along with Blount, were free-agent pickups.

As for Gray, his 44-point decline in fantasy production from one week to the next also ranked among history's most unusual occurrences. Since 1960, only three players have suffered a greater drop-off in fantasy points from one game to the next, and only 15 have seen their scores decline by 40 points or more:

PlayerPosYearTeamWkFPTSWkFPTSDiff.Jerry RiceWR1990SF65273-49Paul HornungRB1965GB1347141-46Jerry ButlerWR1979Buf45054-46Jonas GrayRB2014NE1144120-44Kellen WinslowTE1981SD1244131-43Barry SandersRB1991Det1349146-43Jimmy SmithWR2000Jac24734-43Wesley WalkerWR1986NYJ34341-42Gale SayersRB1965Chi13551414-41Adrian PetersonRB2007Min946105-41Joe KappQB1969Min24434-40Dave WilliamsWR1969StL74080-40Brian WestbrookRB2007Phi34040*-40Kenny BrittWR2010Ten74080-40Doug MartinRB2012TB9511011-40* Westbrook missed Week 4 of 2007

So what's in store for Belichick and the Patriots next week?

Well, that's obvious, isn't it? Vereen and Gray share the backfield evenly in Week 13, with so-so, eight-point fantasy efforts, and then Brandon Bolden explodes for a multiple-touchdown Week 14. Yup, totally predictable.

Miscellany

This might, to date, have been a disappointing season as far as first-round picks are concerned, but for one week, at least, it wasn't so much the case. Six running backs were selected in the first round on average in ESPN leagues -- Adrian Peterson (first overall), LeSean McCoy (second), Jamaal Charles (third), Marshawn Lynch (fifth), Matt Forte (sixth) and Eddie Lacy (eighth) -- and those six had their greatest combined weekly fantasy total in Week 12: 91 points (15.2 per player, 18.2 if you exclude Peterson).

These six running backs, in fact, have enjoyed their three most productive fantasy weeks during Weeks 10-12: In Week 10, they scored 88 combined points, and in Week 11 they scored 85. If it's a matter of their heating up after slow starts, they sure picked a good time to do it, what with many fantasy leagues' playoffs nearly here.

The Philadelphia Eagles' D/ST -- who else? -- had the honor of scoring the first touchdown Sunday, as Josh Huff returned the opening kickoff 107 yards for a score. That gave the Eagles' D/ST their 10th touchdown of 2014, which is twice as many as any other team has scored (the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans each have five).

It also put the Eagles within three scores of the single-season mark by any D/ST since 1960, held by the 1998 Seattle Seahawks (13). It also makes them the 15th team during that time span to score at least 10 touchdowns in a season ... and remember, they have five games remaining on their schedule. Here are the 15:

The Eagles' D/ST now has 124 fantasy points for the season, with 60 of them -- or 48.4 percent -- coming via touchdown. That's an extremely high rate; only six had a higher percentage since 2001:

TeamYearTDsFPTS% FPTSfrom TDsNew Orleans Saints201255158.8%Chicago Bears201377754.5%Tampa Bay Buccaneers201144652.2%Arizona Cardinals20101213951.8%Denver Broncos201022450.0%Tennessee Titans2012911049.1%Philadelphia Eagles20141012448.4%

I've likened what the Eagles have done this season to that 2010 Cardinals team, a touchdown-dependent unit, albeit one that maintained a level of consistency all the way through their TD-heavy year. Those Cardinals amassed 64 fantasy points from their D/ST in six games from this date forward, averaging 10.7 per contest; it was the following season during which their touchdown total regressed to the mean: The 2011 Cardinals D/ST scored just four touchdowns, all on Patrick Peterson punt returns. Keep that in mind if you've been relying upon the Eagles to regularly fill your D/ST slot, as while their big-play potential makes them a viable option regardless of matchup, in the weeks they don't score -- such as the Week 11 game at the Green Bay Packers (0 TDs, minus-5 fantasy points) -- their downside is rather extreme.

Odell Beckham Jr. has enjoyed one of the more beneath-the-radar starts to an NFL career, at least as wide receivers are concerned. With his career-high 26-point fantasy performance Sunday night, he joined an exclusive group of young wideouts. Only one wide receiver since 1960 scored more points in his first seven NFL games:

PlayerTeamYear/WeeksFPTSMarques ColstonNO2006 Weeks 1-890Odell Beckham Jr.NYG2014 Weeks 5-1289Willie GaultChi1983 Weeks 1-788Randy MossMin1998 Weeks 1-885

But it's not acrobatic catches alone that make Beckham a burgeoning fantasy WR1; it's also his quick ascent to a prominent role with the New York Giants. Consider that Beckham has been targeted at least 10 times in each of his past four games and, using the early-run snap counts from Sunday's game, he has played 333 of the Giants' 344 offensive snaps (96.8 percent) in his past five contests. And with Victor Cruz out for the season, plus Beckham making the kinds of catches he has the past two weeks, there's little doubt he'll continue to be used this heavily going forward.

Senior writer for ESPN.com
Co-host of the Fantasy Focus Baseball podcast
Two-time LABR, two-time Tout Wars champion
Member of the FSWA Hall of Fame

Source: http://espn.go.com/fantasy/football/story/_/page/fantasyfallout141124/jonas-gray-legarrette-blount-switch-roles-surprise-many

Monday, November 24, 2014

TY Hilton marks baby's birth with adorable touchdown celebration, emotional ...

On Sunday morning, the wife of Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton gave birth to the couples third child and after making sure that Shantrell and the baby were fine, he headed for Lucas Oil Stadium and the Colts game against Jacksonville.

Hilton was asleep at the teams hotel when his wife went into labor. When attempt to rouse Hilton failed, his best friend raced to the hotel, the NFL Networks Ian Rapoport reported, roused him and drove him to the hospital just in time for the arrival of little Eugenia. (Shes named for him; his given name is Eugene.) Afterward, Hilton promised to make the day even more special by scoring a touchdown for the newest member of the family.

Darned if, like his wife, he didnt deliver, hauling in a pass from Andrew Luck for a 73-yard touchdown. After crossing the goal line, he stopped and gently cradled the ball, rocking it like a proud new dad. It was adorable.

After the game, he was one emotional new papa and his postgame interview, coupled with his celebration, made one of the best days of his life one of the best Sundays of the season for everyone else.

Very emotional game for me. Little bit of rest just came out here and gave it my all, Hilton said, his voice and composure cracking.

Again, very emotional. I aint got no pulse in my body today. Ive been there with my baby girl the whole time. I just wanted to give it my all and play this game for her.

After spending most of her career in traditional print sports journalism, Cindy began blogging and tweeting, first as NFL/Redskins editor, and, since August 2010, at The Early Lead. She also is the social media editor for Sports.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/11/23/t-y-hilton-marks-babys-birth-with-most-adorable-touchdown-celebration-ever/

Big Sean shares a touchy feely shot of himself getting steamy with girlfriend ...

Published: 16:29 EST, 22 November 2014 | Updated: 16:32 EST, 23 November 2014

They performed together on Tuesday, after finally confirming their relationship last month.

However, not only are Big Sean and Ariana Grande happy to flaunt their love on stage, it seems they're open to showing fans what they get up to backstage too.

On Saturday rapper Big Sean posted a very intimate snap of the pair locked in a passionate embrace while kissing each other.

Scroll down for video

Private moment: Big Sean and Ariana Grande are no longer hiding their love, as he posted this intimate moment to his Instagram on Saturday, captioned 'Me n my Ari'

PDA: Ariana and Big Sean put on a loving display as they performed a duet together at the A Very Grammy Christmas event in Los Angeles on Tuesday

On-stage however, it was a slightly more restrained affair.

The two artists held hands as they performed A Very Grammy Christmas event in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening.

The 21-year-old Problem singer held onto the lapel of the rapper's tuxedo as she showcased her vocal talents on her track Best Mistake at the event, held at the Shrine Auditorium.

Affectionate: The 21-year-old singer put her hand on the lapel of the rapper's jacket as they performed at the gig, held at the Shrine Auditorium

The two seem to be in a honeymoon state since officially announcing their relationship back in October.

Ariana told The Telegraph: 'He is one of the most amazing men in the whole world, and that includes my grandfather and my brother,' she said of Big Sean.

'I think the world of him, and hes an amazing person,' she gushed of her new beau. 'Thats kind of all there is to it.'

Big Sean also said in an interview with Ryan Seacrest: 'That Ariana is very, very special. Shes very special to me. Everything she has going on is good with her, everything I have going on is good with me, everything between me and her is good, and Im just going to leave it at that.'

Dynamic duo: Both were glammed up at the performance as 26-year-old Sean looked dapper in a black tuxedo with a smart white shirt and bowtie

Red hot: Ariana looked ravishing in a crimson-coloured number featuring a midriff revealing panel as she teamed the look with a pair of matching pumps

The two lovebirds also initially hinted at their coupling when they posted photographs wearing matching jewellery.

Ariana was said to have received the necklace as a small token of appreciation from the I Do It rapper.

The necklaces, which both are seen wearing in numerous Instagram photographs, are lion charms on gold chains.

Intimate: The two artists poured on the PDA as they got up close and personal for the performance

Enchanted: The I Do It rapper couldn't help but gaze into the eyes of his lady love as she put her vocal talents on full display

Just the two of us: Ariana and her beau put on a united front as they walked off stage hand-in-hand

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2845590/Big-Sean-shares-touchy-feely-shot-getting-steamy-girlfriend-Ariana-Grande-backstage.html

Why Univision is so important to Obama

On Thursday night, the usual rump shaking and pyrotechnics of the Latin Grammys were delayed as President Obama announced his executive action on immigration.

ABC, NBC and CBS chose not to air the address. That left Spanish-language network Univision, which pushed back the Latin Grammys by about 15 minutes to make time for the president, as the largest network to broadcast it.

That was one of the most important audiences for Obama. And Univisions successes and challenges in the U.S. over the last few years offer a powerful perspective on how Americas Hispanic population is changing.

First, Univision has a huge and growing potential audience for its Spanish-language programming: 35 million Hispanics speak Spanish at home today, up from 10 million in 1980, writesMarco Hugo Lopez of the Pew Research Center.

Univision consistently ranks as the fifth largest American broadcast network by viewers, after NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox. The network has the most watched local news shows in cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Houston, all of which have big Hispanic populations.

And during July sweeps this year, Univision finished first before all other broadcast networks among viewers 18-49 during prime time, due largely to the popularity of the cheesy Mexican telenovela, Mi Corazon Es Tuyo (My Heart Is Yours).

Yet the Spanish-language network has also been losing viewers under 35 for several years, according to Nielsen. The reason is that, as for all immigrant groups, younger generations of Hispanics are increasingly assimilating into English-language culture.

The U.S. Census Bureau projects that, by 2020, one-third of Hispanics age 5 and older will speak only English at home, up from a quarter of the population today. The share that speaks only Spanish at home is also falling sharply.

As a result, more and more Hispanics are choosing to get their news in English. Univision realizes this: In an effort to capture this demographic, it launched an English-language cable news channel called Fusion in late 2013 aimed at young English-speaking Hispanics.

Despite these demographic changes, however, the market for Spanish-language programming in the U.S. is still promising. While the share of Hispanics that watch TV in Spanish is falling, the total population is increasing so quickly that the overall audience for Spanish-language TV is still growing.

Even those who speak English fluently may not abandon Spanish-language TV altogether. Pew studies continue to show that younger Hispanics value bilingualism: In a survey in 2011, 95 percent of Hispanic adults said it was important for future generations of Hispanics in the U.S. to be able to speak Spanish. And research by Nielsen suggests that bilingual audiences tend to have stronger emotional reactions to ads in Spanish.

The decision to air Obamas speech on Univision before the Latin Grammys may have gained the president several million more viewers. Last year, 4.5 million viewers tuned in to the Latin awards show, according to tracking from Nielsen.

Amid furious dance performances and musical numbers, the awards show contained a few nods to the presidents speech. One came as the show began, when host Eugenio Derbez, a Mexican actor, remarked, We stopped being the minority a long time ago. Latinos are already part of this country, everyone!

Ana Swanson writes for Know More and Wonkblog.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/11/23/why-univision-is-so-important-to-obama/

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Another Day, Another Brilliant, Out-of-the-Blue Beyonc� Music Video

Many have danced toBeyonc in the bathroom; few have done it like Queen Bey herself. The singer has a new, unusually candid music video, and it dropped in the most Beyonc way possibleon a Friday, at night, without any announcement at all. The video is for 7/11, one of two bonus tracks on the deluxe release of her most recent record. But dont expect the intricate, lavishly produced feel of that visual albumthis video looks more like what the biggest pop star in the world does on a free Friday with her friends, family, a few drinks, and a selfie stick.

That isnt a criticism. The video is delightfully low-concept: Bey and her backup dancers nail some loose, spastic, pants-free choreography in august venues like the bathroom, balcony, and hotel hallway. Acrobatic cartwheels and synchronized twerks abound, but Beyonc injects some dorkiness into her woke up like this imageat one point she dials her foot like a phone and screams into it, at another she playfully scales a human pyramid in pajamas.If thats not enough, watch for the heartwarming Easter eggs, which include a quick glimpse of Blue on a bed and the first recorded footage of Jay Z doing a somersault.

Source: http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/11/22/beyonc_711_music_video_the_singer_films_herself_dancing_in_the_bathroom.html