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Another earnings season is upon us. The telecom sector leads off with some heavy hitters, and it all starts on Thursday night with Verizon's (NYSE:VZ) third-quarter report.

Analysts expect Big Red's earnings to jump 16% year-over-year, landing at $0.65 per share. Sales are seen climbing 3.8% to $29 billion.

The Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone 5 is a key driver of this quarter's results. The handset was introduced with a record-breaking bang, and carriers could hardly get their hands on enough units. Verizon's iPhone sales are still in pre-order mode, as orders placed today aren't expected to ship until early November. Verizon's management saw this coming. As CFO Fran Shammo explained at a recent industry conference, "It all comes down to allocation from Apple, and they have an allocation worldwide. So look, we'll sell what we get."

A long, hard look at Verizon's iPhone numbers should give you a clue to other important reports. Apple and AT&T (NYSE:T) both report next week, and are working under the same iPhone supply constraints as Verizon. What Verizon's management says about iPhone sales will move markets far beyond the company's own stock.

Wireless is the sexy side of Verizon, but don't forget about the good old wireline connections. The segment sported a 23% EBITDA margin and $2.3 billion in EBITDA profits last quarter. Verizon drives a hard line on operating efficiency here, and is likely to sell off underperforming assets rather than wasting time, money, and sweat on turnaround efforts.

The wired division remains important, but if you follow the money, you'll see that Verizon doesn't mind it slipping into the darkness:

Data from S&P Capital IQ.

That mind-set goes a long way toward explaining the $8.5 billion sale of copper line and FiOS assets to Frontier Communications (NASDAQ:FTR) back in 2010. Frontier is perfectly happy putting its back into low-performing FiOS accounts with infrastructure upgrades and marketing blitzes, while Verizon has bigger (wireless) fish to fry.

Every time Verizon reports, I'm looking for clues to the next wireline yard sale. It's how Big Red keeps its margins fit and trim, while allowing smaller players a shot at massive overnight growth. You can play the winners on both sides of these deals.

Fool contributor Anders Bylund has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Check out Anders' bio and holdings, or follow him on Twitter and Google+. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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Industry juggernaut Liberty Media (NASDAQ:LMCA) is a busy, busy organization -- acquiring and spinning off companies at an impressive clip. While it has recently taken the reins over satellite-radio company Sirius XM (NASDAQ:SIRI), it has also spun out the largest premium cable company available, Starz (NASDAQ:STRZA). Liberty gives investors plenty of options (no pun intended) to evaluate with its myriad of subsidiaries, not to mention the parent company itself. And still, the company has a sizable cash hoard and the ability to tap capital markets for another substantial acquisition. Though at this point it is mere speculation, where could Liberty be heading next?

Strong start
Liberty Media spent much of 2012 getting ready to take control of Sirius XM. While the company is now officially under the Liberty umbrella (Liberty CEO Greg Maffei is chairman of Sirius' board), there has plenty other action in the new year.

Most recently, the company took a 27.3% stake in cable operator Charter Communications (NASDAQ:CHTR). The deal cost Liberty $2.62  billion in cash with proceeds from the Starz spinoff. Charter is the eighth biggest pay-TV provider in the United States. After a period of struggle, Charter is quickly approaching profitability -- an effect of a very capable management team that Maffei strongly supports. Liberty's motive was probably the seemingly endless demand for broadband services in the country.

The deal came on the heels of another, much larger deal with European pay-TV operator Virgin Media. Liberty acquired all of Virgin Media for $16 billion, putting it in direct competition with News Corp. as one of the top cable companies on the continent.

So what's next for the media giant, famous for its insatiable appetite for acquisitions and investments?

Look abroad
According to Maffei, Liberty still has around $1 billion in non-core assets that it could sell, in addition to tapping capital markets for cheap financing. The company may have exhausted most of its appealing prospects in the U.S., but there remains an enormous opportunity beyond our borders. Possible interests lie in South America, Europe, and the Middle East.

Recently, Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) bid $1 billion for Turkey's largest cable operator, ATV. For cable, at least, the U.S. is a saturated market. Now, Liberty is by no means confined to cable businesses -- it holds stakes in businesses ranging from bookstores to ticket sellers. But with valuations high, especially in the U.S., investors should keep an eye on potential acquisitions abroad. Liberty could benefit from greater exposure in Brazil or the aforementioned Turkey.

As for now, investors in Liberty Media or its subsidiaries (namely Sirius) should look for further shareholder value in the form of share buybacks and dividends. While it has made some missteps in the past, Liberty Media continues to be one of the dominant forces in the industry, and investors should consider it a stable, long-term holding.

Fool contributor Michael Lewis and The Motley Fool have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Crewe make point with lack of goals

One of the most prevalent feelings upon leaving Gresty Road on Saturday afternoon was one of satisfaction that lessons have been learned, as was so vitally necessary, from the opening of the season and the startlingly ramshackle defence that hit a watershed moment away at Brentford.

No league goals have been shipped since that 5-1 defeat as the club have clawed a decent four point return from back to back home games, but a completely opposite viewpoint was also valid in that goals are not coming so freely at the other end either; one in ninety minutes of football is that stat will give cause for concern to Steve Davis’ winning nature.

It is a problem uncharacteristic of Crewe too after the club hit 67 goals on their way to promotion in League Two last season and 87 the year before that. They even notched 68 goals when finishing 18th in the fourth tier three years ago, goals have also been synonymous with a club that prided itself on expansive football and entertainment. Goals at both ends have been the order of the day at Gresty Road along the years and now, rather strangely, the flow is starting to dry up.

A goalless draw to ensure a point against Tranmere was a good result, it would be hard to find a Crewe fan who could abandon realism too much to think otherwise; Ronnie Moore’s side were unbeaten, sitting top of the league before Saturday’s excursion at Gresty Road where they employed examples of undeniable gamesmanship that comes with battle-hardened experience of the lower leagues, to ensure a point. Moore obviously didn’t want his men to go the same way as Coventry a week before in South Cheshire, where Steve Davis’ Alex are beginning to forge a reputation as a difficult host to negotiate for many clubs in League One, and that in itself, is a huge positive to take.

Crewe were unchanged from the side that triumphed over Coventry, meaning Arsenal loanee Chuks Aneke had to settle for a place on the bench. However, even though the vibrant fluidity that was in place throughout the front four enough for Davis to avoid inserting Aneke so soon, the cutting edge was not and chances went astray. Max Clayton illustrated once more his precocious talent, fearlessly running at defenders with the ball and showing an abundance of intelligent movement, yet his final decision-making proved frustrating, preferring to shoot, almost anxiously, when a better option was available.

Ajay Leitch-Smith buzzed around the periphery of Clayton’s display, providing some neat link-up play, while Harry Bunn also impressed, before a nasty fall on the hour mark saw the end of his contribution, and possibly his entire season if the medics are to be believed, another set-back to squad numbers that Steve Davis will have to address. Bunn will be wished well in his future and thanked for his contribution in his short spell at the Alex.

Aneke was introduced but remained uninvolved for the most part, despite some neat touches which will be enough to persuade Crewe fans he may make a decent contribution over the next month. The huffing and puffing continued throughout from the home side, but there was always a lack of conviction in the thought of where the goal would come from, Tranmere’s defence and Owain Fon Williams, the goalkeeper produced by the Alex, looked rather comfortable throughout in the face of some attacking that constantly looked, worryingly, a bit powder-puff.

Tranmere didn’t look all too threatening either and the Alex’s back-line, led by another excellent performance from Mark Ellis, picking up his second man of the match award in a row, managed to deal with Jake Cassidy, the red-hot loanee who looked sporadically dangerous and Jean Lewis Akpa-Akpro who spurned the game’s best chance with ten minutes to go when clean through on the goalkeeper, Alan Martin standing firm to add to his rising reputation as he fills in for the injured regular number 1 Steve Phillips.

Perhaps Crewe fans are too alien to goalless draws, this was the first 0-0 the Railwaymen have experienced in 61 matches, to know how to react to them, but there were positives and negatives to take from the final whistle in equal measure. The defence remained sturdy, Luke Murphy and Abdul Osman provided more signs their midfield partnership is burgeoning as life after Ashley Westwood continues and the attack, for the most part, linked well and impressed without creating too many gilt edged chances.

Perhaps it would be Tranmere who would be more disappointed with a point being as their game-plan managed to churn out the better chances as the game wore on, but for Crewe it was another point on the way to League One survival which should still be the aim when it is considered the players the club have lost and the promotion from League Two that may be argued as being premature. The focus of Steve Davis will now move to this coming Saturday’s visit to Stevenage, a club who have shown how to rise through the lower divisions at quick haste and possess the nous to remain in League One despite a strain on resources.

Crewe have so often been the example set to lower league clubs of how to manage in a climate that focuses on finances now more than ever, but perhaps Crewe will do well to learn from Gary Smith’s outfit, who sit third in this year’s League One, of how to deal with on the pitch matters this weekend at Broadhall way.

You can follow me on Twitter @AdamGray1250


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By Harvey Byrne

Stan Collymore has predicted Arsenal to come out as victors in Sunday afternoon’s north London derby.

The outspoken football pundit has predicted the Gunners to play out a convincing 2-0 victory against their fierce rivals at the Emirates Stadium.

It would mean Mauricio Pochettino’s side will lose their current unbeaten league status after 11 fixtures in England’s top flight.

Despite the unbeaten status Spurs are currently going through a poor spell of form in all competitions, as they go into their seventh fixture without a win.

By contrast, Arsenal are currently in good form with 10 wins from 11 matches and Collymore has predicted their good form to continue on his personal Twitter account with a win on Sunday.

Only three places and three points separate the two London rivals going into the clash with Arsenal in second on 23 points and Tottenham in fifth place on 20 points.

The two sides last met in March, which saw the pair share the spoils in a 2-2 draw with goals from Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane for Tottenham, while Aaron Ramsey and Francis Coquelin scored for Arsenal.

However, Spurs’ two scorers on that day have only just returned to full time training following long-term injuries and it remains to be seen if either star will feature on Sunday.

In other Arsenal news, Michael Owen has predicted the outcome of the game against Tottenham.


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By Will Butcher

Eddie Howe has rubbished claims that Newcastle are looking to sign Bournemouth’s star-striker Callum Wilson.

The Evening Chronicle claimed last week that the 24-year-old ace was high on the radar of Magpies manager Rafa Benitez, as the January transfer window looms.

However, Howe told his players to concentrate on themselves and reminded his Cherries squad that speculation should not affect their performances on the pitch.

“It’s got no relevance to us,” Howe told the Bournemouth Echo. “Not to the football club or to Callum. There’s no substance to the story.

“The only time that will influence him is if he believes it or reads it himself. And I would encourage my players to just concentrate on their day-to-day job.”

Wearing the number 13 shirt for Howe’s Bournemouth, Wilson has scored four goals this season in 12 games against the likes of Arsenal, Hull and Watford.

His impressive ability to lead the line had reportedly interested Newcastle, despite Benitez’s squad already boasting strikers such as Dwight Gayle, Daryl Murphy and Aleksander Mitrovic.

Wilson is in his third season at the Vitality Stadium, after moving to Bournemouth from League One side Coventry City in 2014 for a fee believed to be around £3million.

Since the move, Wilson has found the back of the net 33 times in 75 league and cup encounters for the Cherries, with 23 of those strikes coming in Bournemouth’s 2014-15 promotion winning season.

Newcastle are likely to enter the market in January, despite bringing in 12 new faces in the summer.

But a move to link Wilson with former teammate Matt Ritchie has been laughed off by Howe, who is set to keep his attacking spearhead.

In other Newcastle transfer news, this Serbian is reportedly on Benitez’s radar but the Toon face a battle to sign the defender.


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CEO Compensation
#122 Mark C Pigott
04.30.08, 6:00 PM ET

< Previous: Timothy R Eller Next: Gregory E Johnson >
Total Compensation
$14.50 mil

5-Year Compensation Total
$41.32 mil

Mark C Pigott has been CEO of Paccar ( PCAR) for 11 years. Mr. Pigott has been with the company for 31 years. The 54 year old executive ranks 7 within Capital Goods

College: Stanford University BS '76
Graduate School: Stanford University MS '84
Courtesy of Paccar

See Org Chart for PCAR
Performance Vs. Pay
Rank: 55 / 175     Paccar

6-Year Annual Total Return
Mr. Pigott

6-Year Average Compensation
$7.43 mil
6-Year Return Relative to Industry 102
6-Year Return Relative to Market 120
Relative returns: 100 equals the market or industry.

Mark C Pigott's Compensation Vs. Capital Goods Medians
Salary Mark C Pigott's Compensation $1.30 mil         Capital Goods Industry CEO Compensation $1.07 mil
Bonus $2.06 mil  $1.89 mil
Other $0.67 mil  $2.26 mil
Stock Gains $10.48 mil  $10.46 mil
Total Compensation $14.50 mil  $14.50 mil
(PCAR: quote, news, org chart)

777 106th Avenue NE
Bellevue, WA 98004

Mark C Pigott's Ownership Of Paccar
Industry Medians
Stock Owned (% of Co)  0.87%  0.27%
Stock Owned  $148.1 mil  $0.02 mil
Paccar's Stock Performance
Total Return During Tenure  23%
Relative to Market  115

< Previous: Timothy R Eller Next: Gregory E Johnson >

Rank | Name | Age | Company | Efficiency
Total Compensation | 5 Year Compensation | Market Value
Compensation rank is based on total compensation for latest fiscal year. Total compensation for each chief executive includes the following: salary and bonuses; other compensation, such as vested restricted stock grants, LTIP payouts and perks; and stock gains, the value realized by exercising stock options. Efficiency rank is based on our chief executive's performance/pay score. Ranks are given only to chief executives who have a six-year tenure and six-year compensation history. The most efficient rank is 1 and least efficient is 175. Compensation rank is based on total compensation for latest fiscal year.

Total returns and value of stock owned (including all classes) is based on Apr. 10, 2008 stock price. Compensation percent change is based on combined salary and bonus. Annualized total return during tenure covers the tenure of the executive or from the time of the IPO or available stock history. Relative to market is the ending value of $100 invested in the stock, divided by the ending value of $1 invested in the S&P 500 (a score of 100 = the S&P 500).
NA: Not available or not applicable.
2Four-year total.
3Three-year total.
4Less than 0.01%.
5Prior-year data.
6New chief executive; compensation may be for another executive office.
7Less than $100,000.
8Received options or restricted stock in lieu of portion of salary.
9Received options or restricted stock in lieu of portion of bonus.
10Includes shares indirectly held.
Sources: Company SEC Filings; FT Interactive Data and LionShares via FactSet Research Systems; Forbes

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English: RADARSAT image of Lake Vostok, Antartica.

Image via Wikipedia

A team of Russian scientists have been drilling through ice in Antarctica in an attempt to reach the surface of Lake Vostok, which exists under the surface of all that ice. Today, the scientists announced that they have successfully reached the surface of the lake. The Lake itself is buried under over 2 and a half miles of ice, and its likely that any life that exists in the Lake hasn't seen the surface, which may give a picture of what life was like in the region millenia ago.

When the drill was over 3700 meters deep to get to the lake's surface, the pressure differential caused water to shoot up close to 40 meters up the borehole, and then it froze again. The team will return to the Lake next Fall to recover the lake ice that froze and investigate it for signs of life.

David Pearce of the British Antarctic Survey told ScienceInsider that "They're the first people to penetrate a subglacial Antarctic environment, and that's a real technological first."

There are two other project teams working on looking at subglacial environments in Antarctica, and when all the projects are complete, it should provide a fascinating look at whether life can survive in such extreme conditions. I'm excited to see this kind of exploration going on on our own planet.

Follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Read my Forbes blog here.


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The so called "incense blend" spice ...

New York has just placed a statewide ban on the sales of synthetic marijuana.  Last week it issued a warning of the dangers of the drug, which can be significantly more severe than natural marijuana.  Study after study has found that synthetic pot is linked to serious side effects, which often require emergency room visits and medical intervention.

According to NY State’s official order, synthetic pot has been shown to bring about “severe adverse reactions, including death and acute renal failure, and commonly cause: tachycardia (increased heart rate); paranoid behavior, agitation and irritability; nausea and vomiting; confusion; drowsiness; headache; hypertension; electrolyte abnormalities; seizures; and syncope (loss of consciousness)."

Synthetic pot also goes by the names K2, Spice, Aroma, Earth Impact, Mr. Smiley, Mr. Nice Guy, Zohai, Eclipse, Black Mamba, Red X Dawn, Blaze, and Dream, among others. The products often carry the futile “not for human consumption” label.

The synthetic form of cannabis is often a mix of innocent-enough botanical products, like bay bean, blue lotus, rose, and vanilla, to which a toxic chemical like JWH-018 is added. The JWH-018 compound was first developed by the scientist John W. Huffman, who synthesized versions of THC to study its effects in the lab.

Once it was discovered in Europe that the drug didn’t show up on most clinical tests, its popularity took off.  Now, many countries in Europe ban the drug, but the U.S. has been slow to take action.  It was only a month ago that the first five synthetic cannabinoids became Schedule 1 controlled substances.

Synthetic pot is more dangerous than the natural drug because the active ingredient binds more strongly to cannabis receptors in the brain (CB1). For young people using it, the drug poses especially serious risks. This is because the adolescent brain is still developing, and continues to do so through the teen years, and likely beyond. Infusing a toxic chemical into the delicate developing network can lead to major disruptions in the ways in which nerve cells form patterns and connections.

According to U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, New York "did the right thing enacting a state ban on this noxious product. We are working very hard to establish a federal ban so that kids seeking out these dangerous drugs can't simply hop in a car and cross state borders to get a deadly high."

Time will tell whether other states or federal government follow suit.  It will also be interesting to watch whether increasing bans have any measureable affect on use of the drug, or emergency room visits.

Follow me on Twitter or find me on Facebook.


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English: An iPad 2 on stand.

English: An iPad 2 on stand. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I hit the mall along with countless other fiercely determined, value-hunting shoppers this weekend. Everywhere, it seemed, people were holding up their smartphones, scanning in items and comparing prices online. So many in fact that, like the ever-present Christmas decorations, after a while I saw the phones but didn't really see them, if you get what I mean.

Also, I had an eye peeled for something else--people using tablets to shop, especially the smaller tablets like the iPad Mini. I got this idea a month or so ago from a poll (and, sorry, I can't remember where) asking if it was acceptable to take photos in public with the iPad Mini.

It's a fascinating question and the answer has implications for showrooming too, of course. While few people won't hesitate to hold up a palm-sized device to scan, calculate and compute whether to buy a product, holding up a tablet seems too intrusive, almost akin to standing too close to someone in the elevator.

But maybe that's just me. I didn't see that many people holding up tablets to scan products and/or take pictures of items to send to someone else, but I did see a few.

Apple Rules Mobile Online Shopping

A more convincing piece of evidence—albeit still not conclusive—that tablets are making their way into the shopping center comes from the last tally of online shopping stats provided by IBM's Smarter Commerce for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. As IBM's early statistics suggested it would, the iPad generated more traffic than any other tablet or smartphone, reaching nearly 10% of online shopping. This was followed by iPhone at 8.7% and Android 5.5%.

Not surprisingly, the iPad dominated tablet traffic at 88.3% followed by the Barnes and Noble Nook at 3.1%, Amazon Kindle at 2.4% and the Samsung Galaxy at 1.8%.

One theory for the iPad's dominance this weekend is that more people than expected retired to their sofas after Thanksgiving Day dinner and shopped, using their iPads.

Standing in Line, Clutching a Tablet

Another, though, is that more people were totting their iPads and Android devices (sorry, Google OEMers I don't mean to give your product lines the short shrift but the numbers are what they are) to the store to make sure they got the ultimate, best, bottom-dollar value.

The jury's still out on this, but here is one observation made by Thom Blischok, chief retail strategist for Booz & Company, on Thanksgiving Day. Blischok visited about a dozen stores that day and evening, spending about eight to ten hours talking up some 100 to 150 shoppers. One of them was a woman standing in line waiting to enter Kmart at 6 am.  She enters, checks out the sale prices on the appliances and then pulls out her tablet. "She found a better price online and bought it from her tablet right there on the spot," Blischok says.


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Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (AMEX: VYM) where we have detected an approximate $73.7 million dollar inflow -- that's a 1.6% increase week over week in outstanding units (from 89,689,959 to 91,089,959). Among the largest underlying components of VYM, in trading today Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) is down about 0.9%, Home Depot Inc (NYSE: HD) is down about 0.7%, and United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) is lower by about 0.2%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the VYM Holdings page »

Click here to find out which 9 other ETFs had notable inflows, at ETFChannel.com »

The chart below shows the one year price performance of VYM, versus its 200 day moving average:

Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF 200 Day Moving Average Chart

Looking at the chart above, VYM's low point in its 52 week range is $45.00 per share, with $52.6435 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $52.26. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».

Special Offer: Find out what Dave Moenning is holding in the ETF Channel Flexible Growth Investment Portfolio with a special 20% off coupon from Forbes and 30 Days Free.

Exchange traded funds (ETFs) trade just like stocks, but instead of ''shares'' investors are actually buying and selling ''units''. These ''units'' can be traded back and forth just like stocks, but can also be created or destroyed to accommodate investor demand. Each week we monitor the week-over-week change in shares outstanding data, to keep a lookout for those ETFs experiencing notable inflows (many new units created) or outflows (many old units destroyed). Creation of new units will mean the underlying holdings of the ETF need to be purchased, while destruction of units involves selling underlying holdings, so large flows can also impact the individual components held within ETFs.


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When massive open online courses (MOOCs) took off three years ago, many educators had high hopes that these courses could expand and diversify access to education. Early aspirations were soon replaced with criticism: studies showed that MOOCs weren’t reaching those who needed access the most. Further data revealed that completion rates were strikingly low, even among students who intended to complete courses and not just browse or sample lectures.

Yet as an educational technology, the MOOC platform offers possibility. MOOC providers are branching out into new areas, and courses have grown to include a wide variety of courses that span academia and professional development. One area where they can have an enormous impact is increasing the percentage of women and people of color who study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). We must begin to address the challenges facing these groups earlier in their educational lives.

It is an enormous challenge. While women and minorities are making progress in a few areas of STEM, their numbers are still abysmally low in computer science and physics. Only 14% of CS majors in the U.S. are women; 3.8% are African American (both genders), and 1.7% are Hispanic (both genders), according the Computing Research Association’s most recent Taulbee report. The American Institute of Physics reports that 21% of those receiving a bachelor’s degree in physics are women; 3% are African American (both genders) and 4% are Hispanic (both genders).

How do we spark interest and nurture ability in CS and physics in these underrepresented groups? One way to build interest is to introduce students to these subjects earlier in their education, in the K–12 pipeline. Research shows that early exposure to science and math classes increases the likelihood that students will pursue STEM fields in college.

Yet many middle and high schools, especially those serving students from underrepresented populations, don’t have the resources or training to offer CS. Only about 10% of U.S. K–12 schools offer classes in computer science and just 5% of U.S. high schools were certified to teach AP CS in 2012–13.

To help fill this gap in K–12 STEM education, Harvey Mudd created its first MOOC for middle and high school teachers. Middle Years Computer Science (MyCS) walks a teacher through the lesson plans, activities and exercises of a curriculum developed to appeal to students with a broad range of interests and no prior CS experience. Schools that have been using it have found it to be easy to use, accessible and engaging for their students.

Our second MOOC offering, How Stuff Moves, supports students in their first course in calculus-based physics, a fundamental building block to further physics study in college. The course provides lectures, demonstrations, problem sets, worked solutions to every practice problem and concept tests— a wealth of resources to help students master the material, whether they are considering taking a high school AP physics course or their first mechanics course in college.

These two MOOCs were developed over the past year by four teams of Harvey Mudd students, working with CS and physics faculty members and MOOC coordinator Elly Schofield, a 2013 Harvey Mudd alumna. A third course, Programming in Scratch, was created by computer science professor Colleen Lewis. It will be the first MOOC focused solely on teaching Scratch, a user-friendly programming language designed for students as young as elementary school. The free courses are opened for registration via edX on Nov. 18 and will begin in early February, 2015.


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LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 02:  Orb runs on the trac...

LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 02: Orb runs on the track during the morning training for the 2013 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2, 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

On May 4th, the 20 horses in the Kentucky Derby will race for the finish line and a healthy purse, but the winnings are actually much bigger for the owners, trainers, jockeys and many others connected with the sport. And the gambling take is another matter entirely. It’s traditional to place a bet and the winnings can pay off handsomely.

Plus, U.S. law still allows legal online betting and some of the rewards are grand. How grand? 2012 saw a 15-1 payoff on I’ll Have Another, and the second-place finisher Bodemeister was 4-1. As handicapper Seth Merrow points out in Who Do You Like? Betting The 2013 Kentucky Derby "the exacta paid $306.60. In 2011, it was 20-1 over 8-1, paying $329.80. In 2010, 8-1 over 11-1 for a $152.40 exacta. And in 2009 --- when things got 'a little bit crazy' --- it was 50-1 Mine That Bird winning over a 6-1 shot. The exacta paid a whopping $2,074.80. At the $1 bet increment, a seven-horse exacta box will cost $42, and we win if any of our seven horses finish first and second."

Top choices this year include Orb at 5:1, with a Florida Derby win. The jockey is Joel Rosario, now ranked third among active jockeys. Verrazano is at 9:2 with a Wood Memorial win, ridden by 2011 Kentucky Derby winner, John Velazquez. But whoever wins, there will be some nice payoffs. But remember to save some for the tax man.

Gambling winnings are fully taxable and must be reported. Yup, gambling winnings are always taxable income. What’s included? Gambling income includes winnings from lotteries, raffles, horse and dog races and casinos. What’s more, if you win in kind, you’ll have to pay tax on the fair market value of prizes such as cars, houses, trips or other noncash prizes. You name it, it’s taxed. Here are six tax rules about gambling winnings:

1. Depending on the type and amount of your winnings, the payer might provide you with a Form W-2G, a special form for reporting certain gambling winnings. They may even withhold federal income taxes from the payment. But even if they don’t, you still have to report and pay tax. For information on withholding on gambling winnings, refer to IRS Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.

2. The full amount of your gambling winnings for the year must be reported on line 21 of IRS Form 1040. You like the simpler form? Too bad. You can’t use Form 1040A or Form 1040EZ. But don’t wait until tax return time. In some cases you may be required to pay an estimated tax on your gambling winnings.

3. If you itemize deductions, you can deduct your gambling losses for the year on line 28 of Schedule A, Form 1040. (But see below for strict recordkeeping rules.)

4. You can’t deduct gambling losses that are more than your winnings.

5. It is important to keep an accurate diary or similar record of your gambling winnings and losses. To deduct your losses, you must be able to provide receipts, tickets, statements or other records that show the amount of both your winnings and losses.

6. To deduct your losses, you must be able to provide receipts, tickets, statements or other records that show the amount of both your winnings and losses. Sadly, this is why most people are not able to claim their losses. See IRS Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions.

Bottom Line? Keep Good Records. Recreational gamblers need to keep a diary or other contemporaneous record of how much they bet and lose on each visit. That’s because your occasional big win will be reported to the IRS by the casino. You can use gambling losses to offset your winnings. But if you don’t keep good records you could end up a two-time loser—losing once at the tables and once to Uncle Sam.

Robert W. Wood practices law with Wood LLP, in San Francisco. The author of more than 30 books, including Taxation of Damage Awards & Settlement Payments (4th Ed. 2009 with 2012 Supplement,Tax Institute), he can be reached at Wood@WoodLLP.com. This discussion is not intended as legal advice, and cannot be relied upon for any purpose without the services of a qualified professional.


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Steven Spielberg

This is the place to talk about films from around the world.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby Ria » Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:50 pm

Minority Report, again like with so many others of his films, he just doesn't know when to stop. He just have to go on and explain in excruciating detail what happened and give it a totally sugary ending.

I think it should have ended with the shooting. No matter how he tried, his fault or not, he couldn't prevent what was happening. That would have been full circle - that would have been perfect.

I felt the same about A.I, he just took it too far. If it only ended with the Blue Lady.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby felipejuanfroilan » Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:28 pm

EXPLANATION: This is the most famous moment of the film, but I don't feel any spetial emotion, because I can't feel the emotion of Elliot.
Elliot is alone with ET, nothing is more important than him, so: why does Spielberg choose a general image, showing the sightseeing, instead of focusing on the face of the obviously elated Elliot?
Moreover, the widened moon. OK, It is a traditional and efficient idea to create a special environment. But for Elliot it's the same, because he isn't looking at the moon!
I already know that the moon is beautiful, what I want to see is the emotion of Elliot staring at the moon, bigger than ever.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby Gaz » Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:36 am

Maybe Spielberg is prolonging the Elliot facial close-up until the end, when the tension is brought to a head. The problem I have with E.T is that it seems too cold, calculating and frankly manipulative. It's possible to achieve poignancy without recourse to Spielberg's particular brand of deviousness, his clear objective of making the viewer cry.

Watch, for example, Whistle Down the Wind, and compare the two. I know which film is more moving for me.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby Knoxville » Wed Oct 01, 2003 6:19 pm

I understand that Mr. Speilberg is very popular with the masses. I've seen a few of his films and been entertained by them, but they are far too family friendly for me to love them.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby Gaz » Wed Oct 01, 2003 9:03 pm

Most of the posts I leave on this site seem to be nothing more than statements of agreement with others, but here goes again... I know exactly what you mean and could not agree more.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby HenryGinsberg » Sat Oct 11, 2003 3:42 pm

I have a question for all those who say that Spielberg's films have no depth, or say that they are just popcorn films - has it ever occured to you that maybe you just don't understant Spielberg's work? That maybe there was something deeper in all those films that you just missed? Oh wait, these are Hollywood film, so there couldn't possibly be anything of depth there. I am really angry with all the f*cking anti-Spielbergism that is plaguing the film society. Every film he makes, you all immeadiatly search for ways to critasize it. With just about any highly rated film ever made, I can imagine the ridiculous critasisms that people would throw at it had it been directed by Spielberg. If you viewed his films with an open mind (that would mean making you're critasisms of his films AFTER you've seen them), and actually bothered to analyse them rather than dismis them at the earliest opotunity, you'd realise that Jurassic Park is about a lot more than dinosaures. Please stop taking the view of "it's Hollywood and it makes a lot of money so it MUST be crap".

...and I suppose that like all the rest of the media snobs who like to think of themselves as intellectuals, you've already asumed that the reason I rate Spielberg is that I'm a stupid teenager who thinks that cinema began with The Terminator and is unawear of any films pre-James Cameron. Well I'l have you know that I am a teenager, and my other favourite directors are Kurosawa, Kubrick, Eisenstein, S.Ray, Fellini, Sorsese and Truffaut, so go f8ck yourselves.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby jasjesbe » Sat Oct 11, 2003 5:39 pm

When you grow older, you'll learn that you don't have to insult to make your point clear.

Take it easy. It's just a chat.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby HenryGinsberg » Sat Oct 11, 2003 6:03 pm

Please don't patronise me. Don't talk to me like I'm some stupid kid who doesn't know what he's talking about. I have a very high IQ (not that I really belive that you'r intellegence can ever be determined through a test), and I recognise that I don't need to insult to make a point. Hawever I have a deep simering hatred of anti-Spielbergians, because among other things, their ignorance has often provoked me to hurt myself. I have some serious mental problems, and am often effected by comparitively small things.

BTW, I'm sick of you people thinking you're better than me just because I'm younger than you. If you tried living my life for a while, you wouldn't last 2 weeks, so don't talk down to me as if you're a world-weary man of wisdom.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby Gaz » Sat Oct 11, 2003 8:07 pm

btw it's 'criticism' not 'critasism' - hence the word 'critic'.

Re: Steven Spielberg

Postby Gaz » Sat Oct 11, 2003 8:20 pm

Sorry, I'm an arsehole, I know.

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    Elk Family Cervidae, Cervus elaphus nelsoni deer family light tan hair dark mane males' antlers shed each winter bulls cow's calves' forests meadows Early European explorers in North America, who were familiar with the smaller red deer of Europe, believed that the much larger North American animal looked more like a moose, so they used the common European name for the moose, which is elk. While actively growing, the antlers are covered with and protected by a soft layer of highly vascularised skin known as velvet. The velvet is shed in the summer when the antlers have fully developed. Bull elk may have eight or more times on each antler; however, the number of tines has little to do with the age or maturity of a particular animal.Yellowstone - Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. Located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, it is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and a collection of the world's most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Experience Old Faithful, the most popular geyser in the world, and hundreds of other geysers and hot springs. View the colorful Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and enjoy the wild beauty of Yellowstone Lake. Look for bears coyote coyotes and wolves, elk and buffalo in the Lamar and Hayden Valleys.Tower falls road herd crossing road
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Water on the Land—The Coast People

Historical Essay

by Nancy J. Olmsted

About 15,000 years ago the level of the sea began to rise, and over the next 10,000 years ocean waters gradually drowned the great inland valley of an ancient river that had carved the deep canyon of the Golden Gate with the sands of the Sierra, that had been carried in snowmelt to the sea. The ancient river canyon was cut more than 10,000 years ago when the sea was more than 300 feet below its present level and the coastline was west of the Farallon Islands.3 The ocean did not spill through the Golden Gate all at once with a great shaking of the earth, as the Indians recounted, but filled in slowly as the great glaciers of the last ice age melted, raising the sea level. Filling first the deepest canyons of the great river, the sea rose until it reached a point 381 feet above the river’s bedrock at the Golden Gate.

2-indans-with-bow-and-arrow-brk00001577 24a.jpg

Bowstrings were made of sinew or vegetable fibers. Louis Choris, 1816. Arrows were tipped with chipped stone or bone arrowheads and the shanks had feathers attached with asphaltum. Quivers for the arrows appear to be fox skins in this view. These San Francisco Bay Indians are not drawn as a European would have imagined them to be, but are close representations. On this same voyage, Choris made careful drawings of Pacific Islanders and Eskimos. His detailed renderings of their artifacts are so correct from an anthropological viewpoint that we can have confidence that his watercolors and lithographs of the Coast People are equally accurate.

Image: Bancroft Library (brk00001577_24a)

The tidal lagoon of Mission Bay was created late in this period of rising sea, which reached its present height about 5,000 years ago. A contoured underwater ridge, 200 feet above the floor of the bay, extends south from Rincon Hill (near the western footing of the San Francisco Bay Bridge) to Mission Rock at the outer edge of Mission Bay. It then curves northeast to include Yerba Buena Island, channeling water to the east.4 This relatively recent event was not the first time the ocean flooded the floor of the bay-the presence of seawater has been traced back 125,000 years. Beneath the layers of mud and peat sediments that underlie Mission Bay there may be another far more ancient alluvium floor. After the last ice-melt raised the ocean level, Mission Bay extended over at least 560 acres of tidal mudflat. By the time of the Coast Survey Map of 1852, the silt deposited by the tides had transformed the 300 acres above normal high-water into salt marsh, leaving 260 acres of shallow lagoon covered by a foot or more of water at low tide.

The 260 acres of shallow seawater spread out to receive the sun like a great floating greenhouse. As microscopic diatoms, eel grass and other plant life photosynthesized the sun’s energy, generations of underwater vegetation grew superabundant grazing grounds for such herbivores as sea snails. Unconsumed plants decayed into the mud, feeding microscopic bacteria. If not swept out by the tides, the residues formed layers of peat on the bottom. Twice a day seawater swept in waves of tiny crustaceans to nourish the millions of mussels and other filter feeders that burrowed in the rich ooze, awaiting the tidal surge.

The incoming tides carried sediments from the engulfed river and the ocean. Mud and sand built up along the edges of the lagoon, forming islands that sprouted cordgrass and, at the higher levels, pickleweed. The lagoon began evolving into a salt marsh, the most energy-productive source of life of all natural habitats. As salt marshes do, it gave more to the world’s ecosystem than it received.5

Except for the occasional winter storm, blowing in from the southeast, Mission Bay remained a lagoon and marshland of calm, protected sunny water. With such a setting it became the banquet ground for an enormous bird population, both the year-round residents, such as the phenomenal duck community, and the migrating birds, among them the Canada geese and visiting loons. “The smelt turned the water silver,” attracting egrets, herons, osprey and gulls.7 Hawks, owls and falcons fed on multitudes of mice, shrews and rabbits in the upper reaches of the salt marsh.

The variety of the landscape at Mission Bay added to the abundance and diversity of plant and animal life, as a winding, fresh-water stream joined the salt marsh from the west. One of many small streams that originated in Twin Peaks, Mission Creek first appeared as a small waterfall that fed a seasonal pond fringed with willows and then made its way into the tidal estuary of Mission Bay. (Within historic times the site of the freshwater wetlands underlay what is now Seventeenth to Nineteenth streets at Valencia; Mission Creek joined the tidal arm of Mission Bay at Sixteenth Street).8

The Coming of the Coast People

Into this landscape that was more water than dry land, the coast people came, skimming over the shallow water of Mission Bay in their balsas, the bouyant watercraft made of tule reeds lashed together in bundles. With pointed sticks they pried mussels from rocks and dug up clams; with woven baskets they scooped up smelt; with throwing nets weighted by grooved stones, they snared ducks and shorebirds. Independent of the tides, they could paddle up Mission Creek to cut willow withes for their baskets and for lashings to hold the pole framework of their huts. In the brackish back water along the creek, they harvested the tule reeds that gave them new boats, fibers for their sleeping mats and aprons, and thatch for their conical houses. Beside fresh-water springs they set up their encampments, living lightly on the land until the season changed or their food supply was exhausted and they had to move on within their tribal territory.

San-Francisco-Natives-in-canoe-brk00001587 24a.jpg

Earliest European view of the Coast People. Unique among California Indians, the double-bladed paddle was a special innovation of the coast people. With its pointed prow the buoyant balsa could carry four people, swiftly and easily, into inlets and coves, from island to island in the bay. The Spanish invention in this view is the woven, striped blanket, made by the woman neophytes at the mission. This is the earliest view we have of the Coast People, made in 1816 by Louis Choris, a world traveler of acute perception who wrote, “I have never seen one laugh. I have never seen one look one in the face. They look as though they are interested in nothing.” By 1816, this was true.6

Image: Bancroft Library (brk00001587_24a)

It is uncertain when the wandering coast people first appeared on Mission Bay. Burial mounds with artifacts and middens dating back to an estimated 3,500 BC were found on Hunters Point, some near the shore at Candlestick Park.9 The people of these mounds may have been the ancestors of the Costanoans, as the Spanish named the coast people. The Costanoan linguistic group, comprised of eight separate languages spoken by 50 autonomous tribes (each with its own dialect), has been traced to 500 A.D. At the time the Spanish arrived the coast people had fished the waters of Mission Bay for 1,275 years. They numbered 10,000, all in the same linguistic group, of which 1,400 are thought to have spoken Ramaytush—the language spoken by the group most closely associated with Mission Bay.10

The Coast People, Half Revealed

We do not know the name they called themselves. “Costanoan” has been the useful descriptive category for the people who belonged to this large linguistic group and lived on San Francisco Peninsula as far south as Monterey on the ocean side. Indians living in the Bay Area today reject “Costanoan” because it is Spanish; they prefer “Ohlone,” meaning “the abalone people,” which is closer to their own conception of their ancestors’ identity.11 Studies of basket fragments and materials found in middens, descriptions of the tribes’ physical and social life set down by the Spanish Fathers and visiting explorers (mostly in the early 19th century), plus the threads of memory recorded in ethnographers’ field notes of the early 20th century—these form the basis for all later accounts of the coast people. The fundamental agreement of these sources, as late as many of them are, is the basis for what follows.

An Ohlone Indian as drawn by Louis Choris in 1816.

Image: Oakland Museum of California

The Coast People on Mission Bay

That the coast people had an encampment at Mission Bay seems certain. The seasonal pond edged with willows, and Mission Creek leading directly to the sheltered feeding ground for thousands of birds, made the sunny bay the perfect setting for a people whose choice of food was mussels. Whether their settlement was large or small, temporary or permanent, we cannot say.

Tribelets ranged from 50 to 500 members; the average village had about 200 people. Larger groups were more likely to have a permanent central village with outlying, temporary camps placed near specific food sources. The absence of oaks at Mission Bay, in a culture where acorns were used every day as a staple food in the form of gruel or small cakes, suggests that Mission Bay was one of several temporary encampments visited periodically from a permanent village further inland.

One of the puzzles about California Indians is the fact that the languages of the tribes differed so greatly, even within the same linguistic group. Captain Juan Bautista de Anza, for example, brought an Indian from Monterey to San Francisco to serve as interpreter, but even though he was a Costanoan he could not understand Indians in the Bay Area. Anza also discovered that his Indian guides were afraid to cross specific physical boundaries; a certain territory was allotted to each tribe, and boundaries were respected.12

Sfmap preurban enlarged.jpg

San Francisco before European arrival. Yellow circles represent villages, half circles and triangles represent seasonal camps and artifacts.

Poster by Nancy Morita, sponsored by Planet Drum Foundation

Whatever the reasons for this multiplicity of small, isolated tribes, one result was to spread the Indian population out over the land. Food supplies were not over-used, so each tribe could count on having enough roots, berries, seeds and acorns. The Indians developed a sophisticated method for making sure crops of clover and other annuals were abundant; they set fire to certain grasslands every year, which assured them of a fast second crop with plenty of seeds and bounteous grazing for the deer they hunted. But beyond this practice they planted no crops; they depended instead on the natural course of the seasons to bring them berries, acorns, amole plant, wild onions and the roots of lilies. One indication of the coast people’s self-sufficiency is that although they supplied inland Yokut Indians with salt, mussels, abalone shells and dried abalone meat, their only import was pinon pine nuts. So abundant was the wildlife near Mission Bay that quail could be killed by throwing stones, rabbits caught by hand and fish scooped up by the basketful.

Baskets for gathering, cooking and storage were essential to the coast people’s existence. The bracken fern, sedges, rushes, tule and willow were woven into a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They decorated these twined baskets with olivella-shell beads, quail feathers, abalone pendants and woodpecker crests of red feathers. Not only did they decorate their baskets, they painted themselves with hematite, cinnabar and white clay, and wore necklaces of shell beads.13

The coast people played music on flutes fashioned from hollowed alder branches, whistles made from hollow bird bones and rattles made with cocoons. They decorated their bodies for the dances and music that were their ceremonial celebrations. Their dances went on for hours. Sometimes just the men danced, other dances were performed by the medicine men, still others were reserved for women. Among their traditional dances were the coyote dance, the dove dance and the bear dance. Dancing sometimes seemed to produce a state of self-hypnosis in which the coast people were seen to swallow live embers.14 The religion of the tribes was a mixture of witchcraft and their belief in magic, myths and the importance of their dreams. All of this would have made them particularly vulnerable to the Spanish missionaries. Mission music and ritual chanting at high mass had great fascination for the neophytes. The importance their own ceremonies had for the Indians was matched by the great significance religion held for the Spanish Fathers.

This is chapter one of "Vanished Waters: A History of San Francisco's Mission Bay" published by the Mission Creek Conservancy, and republished here with their permission.

1. San Francisco’s rowing clubs used the sunny expanse of Mission Bay and Long Bridge from the 1860s right up through the turn of the century. The clubhouses of the Ariel and South End rowing clubs were moved to Aquatic Park in San Francisco in the 1930s.
2. James Roxburgh was the historian for the South of Market Journal during the 1920s and ‘30s. His recollections match the city directory addresses from 1875 through 1880. A man of many south-of-Market trades, he was a frequent toast-master at picnics and banquets, holding forth on the good old days of his boyhood on the south waterfront. Bound copies of a complete run of the South of Market Journal may be found in the California History Room of the San Francisco Public Library.
3. Salem Rice, geologist, comments “When San Francisco’s ancient river canyon was cut, 15,000 to 20,000 years ago, the sea level was more than 300 feet below its present level and the coastline was on the far side of the Farallon Islands.” George D. Louderback, Geologic Guidebook of San Francisco Bay Counties, Bulletin 154 (San Francisco: Division of Mines, 1951), 85.
4. “On the average, sea-level in the vicinity of San Francisco Bay rose about 2 cm/yr from 9,500 to 8,000 years ago, but it has risen only 0.1-0.2 cm/yr from 6,000 years go to the present. . . . The rising sea entered the Golden Gate 10,000-11,000 years ago. . . an estuary then spread rapidly, advancing about 30 m/yr along the course of the trunk stream draining the site of southern San Francisco Bay and reaching the vicinity of Menlo Park by 8,000 years ago. . . Most of the bayward growth of marshes has occurred during the past several thousand years as evidenced by lower intertidal and subtidal deposits which typically lie no more than a few meters below mean sea level, beneath historic salt marshes.” Brian F. Atwater, Charles W. Hedel, and Edward J. Helley, Late Quaternary Depositional History, Holocene Sealevel Changes, and Vertical Crustal Movement, Southern San Francisco Bay, California, Geological Professional Paper 1014 (Washington, D. c.: United States Government Printing Office, 1977), 1112; Louderback (from Hoover-Young Bay Bridge Committee Report), 7-8.
5. Michael G. Barbour and Robert Craig, Frank R. Drysdale and Michael Ghiseline, Coastal Ecology: Bodega Head (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973), 157ff.
6. Louis Choris, Voyage Pittoresque du Monde (Paris: Firmin Didot, 1822).
7. James Roxburg, South of Market Journal (October, 1926).
8. H.H. Bancroft, History of California, 7 vol. (San Francisco History Company, 1884-1890), vol. 1:293-294, footnote.
9. Roger R Olmsted and Nancy Olmsted, Research Design to Locate Nelson Shell Mounds (San Francisco: San Francisco Clean Water Program, 1981).
10. Richard Levy, “Costanoan,” Handbook of North American Indians (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institute, 1978), 485.
11. F.W. Beechey spoke of the “Alchone” and the “Olchone” in 1826, placing them as a tribelet living on the seacoast between Monterey and San Francisco. Their harvest of abalone would have been prodigious on this stretch of coast. Levy, p. 494; Malcolm Margolin, The Ohlone Wa'y (Berkeley: Heyday Press, 1978), 34.
12. Fray Francisco Palou Account of the Founding of San Francisco, edited by H.E. Bolton (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1930), vol. 3:129.
13. Levy, “Costanoan,” 493.

Vanished-waters-cover-2x3.jpg Continue reading Vanished Waters


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David Villa gave the champions the lead after 22 minutes and Pedro thought he had made it two shortly afterwards, but saw his effort ruled out by an erroneous offside call.

Nilmar then levelled for Villarreal as the Nou Camp continued to jeer the officials.

But, as he has done so often in the past, Messi came to the Catalans' rescue with a brilliant goal after 59 minutes and the Argentinian wrapped up the points with a contentious second late on.

Also in La Liga this evening, Diego Forlan brought an end to his goal drought in fine style to help Atletico Madrid record a 3-0 victory over 10-man Osasuna at the Vicente Calderon.

Forlan had not scored in his 12 previous appearances for Atletico stretching back to mid-September, but the Uruguay international put that slump behind him with a brace tonight and also put the Rojiblancos' other goal on a plate for Sergio Aguero.

Osasuna had no answer to that and their already slim hopes of getting anything out of the match were all but ended in the 60th minute when left-back Nacho Monreal was sent off for a second booking.

The result lifted Atletico provisionally into the top five while Osasuna, who have now recorded just one point and one goal from their six away games this season, missed the chance to climb into the top half.

Athletic Bilbao had two players sent off and missed a penalty but still ran out 1-0 winners over struggling Almeria thanks to star striker Fernando Llorente.

The tall Spain forward netted what turned out to be the only goal of the game in the 11th minute after Athletic had already spurned a great chance to take the lead when Mikel San Jose saw his penalty saved.

Athletic were looking in control of the match but two dismissals left them needing to hold on for the final 21 minutes.

Lertxundi Koikili was the first to receive his marching orders on the stroke of half-time for a second booking and he was joined on the sidelines by fellow defender Xabier Castillo, who was shown a straight red for a professional foul in the 69th minute.

However, despite their numerical advantage, fifth-bottom Almeria could not get back on level terms at San Mames as they stuttered to their fourth defeat of the season.


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Showing Off: The 2011 SEMA Show

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The Specialty Equipment Market Association, better known as SEMA, throws a gargantuan show every year in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s known as the SEMA Show (imagine that!) and it’s the largest annual specialty-equipment show on the planet. The four-day 2011 show, held this past November, drew over 100,000 people from over 100 countries. The show featured 12 themed sections including Mobile Electronics; Tools and Equipment; Wheels and Accessories; and Trucks, SUVs, Off-Road. It also contained the New Products Showcase with over 1,500 newly introduced parts, tools, and components (you can read more about the new products elsewhere in this issue). But that ain’t all. In addition, the show hosted seminars, demos, celebrity appearances, and special events.

Let’s back up. If you’re not familiar with the SEMA organization, you need to know that it is involved in a number of aftermarket areas, and it works hard to protect consumers’ rights to drive accessorized, customized, and vintage vehicles. The SEMA Show is born of that mission, and it is an industry-only trade show where manufacturers exhibit their latest offerings to international and domestic buyers (60,000 of ’em at the 2011 show), distributors, and the press. The sheer size of the SEMA Show is truly mind boggling and its packed with a fascinating collection of four-wheel-drive vehicles that feature modifications to suit every taste.

Holding down the carpet at the Ford booth was this awesome ICON Ford Bronco. It’s modeled after the ’66-’77 bobtail, but it sports a drool-worthy collection of modern components like a 412hp 390 lb-ft 5.0L Coyote V-8 engine mated to an Aisin Warner five-speed manual transmission and Atlas transfer case. It also sports a custom coilover suspension with Eibach coils and Fox Racing shocks. More than just a pretty matte face, the Bronco also has Dynatrac axles, ARB Air Lockers, and Stop Tech disc brakes.

For those of you who weren’t able to attend SEMA ’11 we submit a collection of some of the most noteworthy rigs at the show. These are some of the trucks that drew crowds and got people talking.

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Saline County Settles In Civil Suit Against Deputy

Published 07/16 2014 07:08PM

Updated 07/17 2014 01:08PM

SALINE COUNTY, AR - The Saline County Sheriff's Office opting to settle in a civil rights case filed by a former jail inmate who alleged abuse.

Anthony Westbrook is shown in this video from May 2011 being shoved against a jail wall. Westbrook contended the officer in question was jail deputy Calvin Reed.

Westbrook filed suit against Reed and others, including the county but before it went to trial a settlement was reached.

According to attorney George Ellis, who represented the county, the settlement will be paid with public funds through a risk pool fund of which Saline County is a member.

Copyright 2016 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Stifel Financial to Buy Knight Capital Unit

By Features FOXBusiness

Stifel Financial (SF) said on Friday it will acquire Knight Capital Group’s (KCG) U.S. institutional fixed-income brokerage business.

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Stifel, a midsize broker that owns Stifel Nicolaus & Co., also announced it will hire Knight’s European institutional fixed-income sales and trading team.

The firm expects to complete the acquisition and the hiring of the European team in the second quarter. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Combined, the U.S. and European units have about 100 sales and trading professional that cover emerging markets, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities, high-yield and investment-grade corporate bonds and fixed income research in selected sectors and companies.

Stifel offers securities brokerage, investment banking and other services. It recently acquired financial-services firm KBW for more than $575 million.

“Expanding our fixed income business has been an initiative of ours,” Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman, President and CEO of Stifel Financial, said in a statement. “We continually evaluate opportunities to drive our growth and expand our product offerings to our clients. This addition is a continuation of that goal.”

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Last month, Stifel announced fourth-quarter earnings that soared 48% on strong revenue growth.

Knight is set to be acquired by Getco, a Chicago trading firm, for a deal that was valued in December at $1.4 billion. About four months earlier, Knight lost $461 million when a software glitch led to erroneous trades.

Shares of Stifel were down 20 cents to $36.45 a share Friday morning, while Knight Capital was trading a penny lower to $3.73 a share.


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To a certain generation, Florence Henderson will forever be known as Carol Brady. But that’s only a small slice of her long career, which dates back to her 1950s debut in the theater company of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first classic, “Oklahoma.”

What did [your first] write-up [in Variety] mean to you?

From the beginning of my career, if you were in Variety, you had made it. Variety was the show business bible.

How did you get that part in “Oklahoma”?

It was my first break. I had come to New York the year before to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. I was barely 17 years old. I went to an open call. It turned out it was for Rodgers and Hammerstein, who were sending out the very last national company of “Oklahoma.” After meeting them and reading some lines, they offered me the role of Laurey. I had never seen “Oklahoma,” so I said, “Well, gosh, what’s she like?” And they said, “She’s an awful lot like you.” They went on to be great mentors of mine. I did most of the leading ladies they wrote in their great shows.

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Did you enjoy the tour?

That was the best of times and the worst of times. My father had just died, but they had no understudy for me. Plus, I had a bad cold, and they gave me penicillin. My whole body swelled. My feet wouldn’t fit in the little Mary Jane shoes Laurey wore, so the wardrobe mistress cut out a pair of house slippers. If the critic at Variety knew all the drama that was going on, it might have been a different review.

Who were your contemporaries at the time?

Julie Andrews, who became a very dear friend. Our stage doors were back-to-back. She was in a musical called “The Boyfriend” while I was in “Fanny.” Our careers paralleled each other. I was doing “The Sound of Music” onstage, so I didn’t get the opportunity to screen-test for it. So I’ll be darned, Julie got it! But that’s OK, we’re still friends.

What did you learn from working with Rodgers and Hammerstein?

Everything! I remember asking Richard Rodgers, there’s this one note I’m having trouble with. He said, forget about the note, think about the lyric, think about what you’re saying. That’s stood me in very good stead over the years.

It must have been an extraordinary time to be working in the theater.

It was a fantastic time. I know there are great composers and lyricists working now. But you don’t leave many Broadway shows now singing a tune, or being able to remember the music or lyrics.

What’s the secret of your longevity in this business?

I say yes a lot. I realized at a very early age how important it was to diversify. I realized I loved the stage, but I also loved television. I loved the challenge of it, the speed of it. I do a lot of motivational speaking. I do my one-woman show. I still sing, and I love to make people laugh.

What lesson have you learned about show business?

A wonderful teacher told me, “Keep a cool head and a warm heart.” I think of all the things I’ve achieved in my career, at the end of the day, I’ve retained a sense of humanity. I love this business more than ever. I’m accessible to fans. I have an incredible family. What more could you ask for, except to get a great review in Variety?


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The Patriots added two players to their practice squad on Wednesday. Bob Donnan USA TODAY Sports

As if the Patriots didn't already have a ton of talent at tight end, they felt the need to add even more. According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Patriots have signed Joseph Fauria to their practice squad.

Fauria hasn't played this season, but he was most recently with the Cardinals. His performance as a rookie in 2013 with the Lions that put his name on the map, though. In two starts, Fauria caught 18 passes for 207 yards. Incredibly, seven of those catches went for touchdowns.

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An interesting wrinkle in the Patriots signing Fauria is the fact that his uncle, Christian Fauria, played for New England from 2002-2005. Belichick was asked about coaching both players, to which he said "it's a sign of my age."

Additionally, the Patriots also reportedly signed second-year safety Brock Vereen to their practice squad. Vereen started four games as a rookie last season, recording 39 tackles and one interception.


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SEATTLE (AP) Franklin Gutierrez hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Dae-Ho Lee added a three-run shot in the fourth and the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 on Tuesday night.

The Mariners took the first two games of the three-game series and won for the 18th time in the past 25 games. This time it was thanks to home runs from an unlikely duo, both off Tampa Bay starter Drew Smyly.

Gutierrez's homer was his first of the season after hitting 15 in just 59 games last year. Lee's homer was his fifth of the year in limited action while splitting time at first base.

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Steve Pearce hit a pair of solo homers and Steven Souza Jr. added a solo shot for Tampa Bay. But those were the only costly mistakes made by Seattle starter Wade Miley (3-2), who allowed four hits and struck out six over six-plus innings in winning his third straight decision.


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New Orleans, announced Friday as the new location of the game, replaces Charlotte, which was set to host the game until the NBA decided last month to move it elsewhere.

Unlike several other Southern states, Louisiana has not been swept up in legislative efforts to pass laws similar to that in North Carolina — a fact Gov. John Bel Edwards has touted while lobbying the NBA to bring its All-Star weekend to New Orleans.

"We embrace our rich cultural heritage and see our diversity as a virtue," Edwards wrote in a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in late July. "Should the NBA choose to bring the All-Star Game back to New Orleans in 2017, it will strongly reaffirm its commitment to communities that value fairness and inclusion."

The NBA's decision — and the economic boost it will bring — provides a timely dose of good news following disastrous flooding across large swaths of southeast Louisiana that has killed at least 13 people and damaged an estimated 40,000 homes, mostly around Baton Rouge. Much of the New Orleans metropolitan area has been spared from the flooding.

"While we move into the recovery phase of this disaster, I want to thank the NBA for the vote of confidence in our state to host this event and their support of the relief efforts currently underway," Edwards said.

This marks the third time New Orleans, which became an NBA city for the second time in 2002, has been selected to host the league's All-Star Game.

When the All-Star Game first came in 2008, the NBA spearheaded numerous community service projects aimed at helping neighborhoods hard hit by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The NBA will be presented with similar opportunities next year to assist flooded communities within an hour's drive of New Orleans.

Indeed, the New Orleans Pelicans and the NFL's Saints, both owned by Tom Benson, already have begun deploying administrative staff to assist flood relief efforts while opening the teams' headquarters as a collection point for donations of basic supplies for flood victims.

"As we know, the NBA will engage thousands of local children and charities during this weekend," Benson said in written comments thanking the NBA for choosing New Orleans.

All-Star weekend also came to the Big Easy in 2014, when Pelicans forward and center Anthony Davis made his All-Star debut. Davis would play the All-Star Game in his home arena again if he is named to the Western Conference squad for a fourth straight season.

New Orleans, which has a history of hosting major sporting events, has seen its last two bids to host a Super Bowl come up short. It also bid unsuccessfully to host one of the NCAA Final Fours between 2017 and 2021. Those disappointments provided even more motivation for state and city officials to act decisively to lure the NBA All-Star Game after the league's decision to take it away from the initially designated host city.

A number of entertainment acts, including a Bruce Springsteen concert, have canceled North Carolina events because of its so-called HB2 law.

Louisiana hasn't enacted — or debated — a "bathroom bill" of the type passed in North Carolina. Edwards earlier this year issued an LGBT rights anti-discrimination order.

In the April order, the Democratic governor banned discrimination in state government based on sexual orientation and gender identity. State contracts also were required to comply, except contractors that are religious organizations. Edwards' anti-discrimination order was similar to orders enacted by two former Louisiana Democratic governors — but he added language protecting against discrimination based on gender identity, a provision that protects transgender people.

Republican Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry's office has issued an opinion claiming that Edwards' order has "no binding legal effect" and exceeds the governor's authority. But the order hasn't been challenged in court, and Edwards has vowed to follow it. Landry's office also has joined 10 other states in a lawsuit filed in May against President Barack Obama's administration over its directive to U.S. public schools to let transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.

The Human Rights Campaign, a national civil rights group working on behalf of lesbian, gay and transgender people, applauded the NBA's decision to choose New Orleans.

"The NBA and Commissioner Adam Silver have sent a clear message to lawmakers in North Carolina and across the country that discrimination against LGBTQ people has consequences and will not be tolerated," HRC President Chad Griffin said in a statement. "New Orleans' explicit LGBTQ non-discrimination protections will ensure all NBA employees, players, and fans who participate in the All-Star Game are protected from discrimination."

The All-star Game is scheduled for Feb. 19, which falls during the first weekend of Mardi Gras parades. That weekend presents some logistical challenges for New Orleans in terms of policing and traffic control, but considerably less so than the following weekend, when the largest parades roll in the days leading up to Fat Tuesday, which is Feb. 28.

"The combination of NBA All-Star with the first weekend of Mardi Gras will provide our residents, visitors and NBA fans an even more special experience," Mayor Mitch Landrieu said.


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Hi, I'm Bill O'Reilly.  Thank you for watching us tonight.

The tragic Jesica Santillan story.  This is the subject of this evening's Talking Points Memo

I'm going to put myself in the position of being Jesica's father to do this analysis.

First of all, I do try to get my 14-year-old daughter into the United States any way I can, knowing that she will probably die in Mexico.

Two, after paying a smuggler and arriving in North Carolina, where I had friends, I would have done everything possible to get my daughter on the organ donor list at Duke.  In the USA, 5 percent of organ donations are set aside for non-citizens.

Three, before the operation on my daughter, I would have prepared myself for the worst, knowing that complicated transplants are extremely risky.

Four, after I found out human error had killed my daughter, I would have been distraught, angry and bitter, and I would have had headed to directly to church for spiritual counseling.

Five, after some reflection, I would have consented to have my daughter's organs donated so that another person might live.

Six, suing the medical people involved in the screw-up in the hospital would be out of the question.  These people tried to save my daughter's life.  They failed.  Maybe they were incompetent, but trying to punish them further would be morally wrong in my opinion.

I brought my daughter to America illegally.  I allowed Americans to pay for her medical treatment.  The hospital did me a huge favor by performing the operation.  No way I would turn around and hurt them.

Tragedy is a part of life.  Millions of Americans have lost children.  That doesn't mean they lose all sense of fair play.

America's chaotic border policy is leading to unforeseen tragedies all over the place.  Aliens are dying in the deserts, border patrol agents being gunned down, crime and social disorder is out of control along the southern border, if the federal government continues to be paralyzed.

The solution is this: a guest worker program should be set up simultaneously in the USA and in Mexico.  All illegal Mexican aliens here should be required to immediately register by mail.  If they do not, they should be deported when found and never again allowed to come to the USA under threat of incarceration.

Each registration would then be examined.  And if the person's record was clean, he or she would be issued working papers and a tax number.  No blanket amnesty issued would be issued, but permanent status could be requested.

In addition, a humanitarian medical program would be set up inside Mexico that would allow people like Jesica to come here for treatment based on need.

These programs are doable.  They are fair and would cost far less than the chaos we have now.  So why are they not in place?

We'll have further debate on the Jesica situation coming up.  And that's The Memo

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

Time now for "The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day"...

Our competitor over at MSNBC, Phil Donahue, is out of a job.  His program, which began last summer, has been canceled.

Mr. Donahue gave it a good try, and we respect his professionalism.  He is not a phony like so many other broadcasters are.

The competition in primetime television is intense and ridiculous, but it's noble to try even if you fail.  We wish Phil Donahue much happiness and good health.

--You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points Memo and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel. Send your comments to:


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Mike Tyson (search) is making headlines again — and this time it's for shooting off his mouth to Fox News.

The former boxing champion once again denied he raped Desiree Washington (search) in 1991 in an Indianapolis hotel room, but told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren that he'd like to now.

"I just hate her guts. She put me in that state, where I don't know," Tyson said in an interview for The Pulse. "I really wish I did now. But now I really do want to rape her."

Van Susteren spoke to Tyson in Miami for a TV piece that looks back at the circumstances of Tyson's 1992 trial that ended with him convicted of rape and sentenced to six years in prison.

News Corp. is the parent company of the Fox News Channel, which operates Foxnews.com.


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A severe case of gallstone pancreatitis (search) has put Attorney General John Ashcroft (search) in an intensive care unit, his chief spokesman said Friday.

The 61-year-old former Missouri senator canceled an appearance Thursday afternoon, believing at the time that he had the stomach flu, said Justice Department (search) spokesman Mark Corallo. But Thursday night, Ashcroft was admitted to George Washington University Hospital (search) for tests.

"He went home and when the condition worsened, he was visited by White House physician Daniel Parks, who advised that he go to the emergency room," Corallo said.

"After a full medical work-up in the emergency room, it was determined that he was suffering from a severe case of gallstone pancreatitis," Corallo said. "He was admitted to intensive care for careful monitoring and is being treated with antibiotics."

Corallo said he expects Ashcroft, who has not had any prior health problems, will spend a couple of days in the hospital.

President Bush called Ashcroft on Friday and spoke briefly with him and Mrs. Ashcroft. Bush told them that his thoughts and prayers were with them, government sources said.

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas usually caused by excessive alcohol use or, as in Ashcroft's case, a gallstone that blocks the passage leading from the pancreas to the beginning of the small intestine. It also may be caused by infection, injury or certain medications.

Symptoms include sudden, severe abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and fever.

In 85 to 90 percent of patients, acute pancreatitis resolves completely in three to seven days after treatment is instituted. Medical therapy is aimed at reducing pancreatic secretion, thereby "resting" the pancreas, and usually involves intravenous fluids and eliminating oral intake.

Ashcroft canceled a Thursday afternoon event in which he was to have announced verdicts in a terrorism case.

Fox News' Anna Stolley and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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We've got dope in the water!"

Kevin Stanfill, the top U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent in the Bahamas, snapped shut his cell phone. An Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot had just reported a possible air drop of five large drug bundles in the water 30 miles south of Nassau — about an hour from "Hawk's Nest," a U.S. antidrug installation on this island in the central Bahamas.

The DEA quickly got its own chopper into the air while the Royal Bahamas police launched a speedboat to check out a suspicious vessel near the possible drop zone. U.S. Coast Guard and Army helicopters circled the target area, waiting for the police boat to arrive.

Within minutes, the 43-foot Bahamian police boat roared up at 50 mph. Two officers boarded the boat and a diver plunged into the shark-infested sea.

The possible drugs, it turned out, were actually large squares of sheet metal used by some fishermen to lure lobsters. The suspect boat was innocent after all.

But the recent episode witnessed by an Associated Press reporter and photographers who accompanied DEA agents on patrol demonstrated the challenges faced by U.S. and Bahamian officials, who are battling drug traffickers in a 700-chain of islands as large as the state of California.

The two governments, along with officials from the Turks and Caicos islands to the south, have collaborated since 1982 in a joint operation credited with driving many cocaine and marijuana smugglers toward Mexico's border with the United States.

The Caribbean has long been a paradise for smugglers who take advantage of the many islands, crowded waters and weak law enforcement in countries such as Haiti. The DEA has estimated that as much as 20 percent of the cocaine that reaches the United States moves through the Caribbean, although that figure has varied over time.

"We've been successful here," said Stanfill. "We always want to maintain that presence."

It is often difficult to quantify whether the United States is gaining ground in the long, costly war on illicit drugs.

Despite hundreds of arrests and billions of U.S. dollars spent, cocaine continues to be "widely available throughout the nation," the DEA said in a 2006 drug threat assessment. Yet there are some success stories and the DEA points to the Bahamas as one of them.

Since 2000, Operation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos has resulted in seizure of more than 25 tons of cocaine, nearly 82 tons of marijuana and the arrests of 786 people, according to the DEA. The operation costs the U.S. government about $30 million a year.

With its hundreds of tiny islands and cays, a vast expanse of water and prime location as close as 45 miles east of Florida's coast, the Bahamas has long been a haven for pirates and smugglers of every stripe.

During the drug traffickers' 1980s heyday, airplanes laden with cocaine regularly took off for the United States from clandestine airstrips in the Bahamas. Boats carried drug loads every day — some of them blending into the legitimate maritime traffic, others speeding toward the coast under cover of night.

Although the United States hasn't proposed pulling out of the joint operation, Bahamian officials fear that if Washington were to turn attention elsewhere it would jeopardize hard-won progress. The amount of cocaine that is smuggled through the Bahamas has dropped from about 80 percent of the drugs that reached the United States 20 years ago to about 10 percent today.

"We have to be cognizant of the open corridors we have here in the Bahamas," said Bahamas Drug Enforcement Unit Inspector Samuel Butler. "We have actually been able to hold the tide. If we do not have these assets in place, certainly the drug enterprises will be back in the Bahamas."

Mark Trouville, special agent in charge of DEA's Miami office, said U.S. officials fear that increased law enforcement efforts along the Mexico-U.S. border could raise the costs of smuggling drugs in the Southwest. That in turn could make the Caribbean and the Bahamas attractive again to the drug cartels.

"One of the reasons we stay vigilant is that these folks are nothing if not innovative, and they respond to pressure," Trouville said. "As more of our resources are going to the Mexican border, these folks will look at the original route and start to come back this way."

The smugglers use a network of caves in a part of the Bahamas known as the Raggeds to store drugs, sometimes marking their loads with brightly colored children's toys. Traffickers' planes regularly ditch in the ocean or crash on an island — finding wreckage is common — and speedboats are often run aground deliberately while being chased so smugglers can escape on foot.

These losses are all figured into the drug traffickers' costs of doing business, said DEA's Stanfill. It's an acceptable cost as long as cocaine that runs $2,000 a kilogram in Colombia retails for $20,000 in Miami.


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Defense Secretary Robert Gates pushed strongly for the closing of the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, shortly after joining the Bush administration but lost the battle after he was opposed by other top administration officials.

Gates sought to follow up on President Bush's expressed wish to close the prison, which has been a major source of criticism internationally, The New York Times reported Friday, citing anonymous administration officials.

But Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Vice President Dick Cheney opposed Gates, and Bush ended up on the side of keeping the prison open for the time being.

• Click here to read the story.

Gates wanted to close the prison and bring the remaining prisoners back to the United States, saying that the international distaste over the facility would weaken any legitimacy of military trials held there. Gonzales argued, and Cheney agreed, that there could be legal problems with bringing the prisoners state-side. Gates argued, and was backed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

There now are fewer than 400 prisoners held at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo. The prisoners have been captured in the War on Terror and are said to have terrorist connections. The prison also holds a number of senior Al Qaeda members, including Khalid Sheik Mohammed, who recently confessed to being the mastermind of the Sept. 11 plot among others.

The officials speaking for the story said that the Gates' battle to close the prison might not be over yet because of the political uproar over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, which has dogged Gonzales. Although Bush has expressed public confidence in Gonzales, he could be politically weakened or even forced out, the officials said, which would change the playing field.


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No matter who you are or where you live, growing a great garden is an excellent way to spend some quality free time. Let Home Depot help you enjoy the fruits of your labor by watching your garden grow from newly planted seeds to beautiful flowers, fruits or vegetables!

Planting annual and perennial flowers is an easy task, but with a few tips, your flowers will get off to a fast, healthy start that will reward you with bigger and better blooms down the road.

Planting Flower Basics:
— Look for short, stocky plants with few flowers and healthy, disease-free foliage.
— Although flowers are pretty, it's best to pinch them off.
— Plant flowers at same soil level they were in container. Mulch with aged wood chips, bark, grass, etc.

Caring for Annuals:
— It's not too late, even if you already planted.
— Good soil is necessity. Spread bed with 2" layer of compost. Work into top 2-3" of soil around annuals.
— Watering annuals is critical. Don't wait for them to wilt. Look for signs e.g. loss of gloss on leaves.
— Mulch w/1-3" aged wood chips, grass, pine needles, etc.

— Hybrid tea and most shrub roses need pruning to grow healthy.
— Prune dead wood back to live plant. You'll recognize living tissue by green bark and white-pith core.
— Cover each cut with drop of white glue or prune paint seal to ensure quick recovery and protection.
— Cut out stems that fill up the center. Remove all spindly growth — most canes thinner than a pencil.
— Remove remaining foliage from canes & clean up debris from around bush.

— VIVA! Sunpatiens ($4.97-$7.99): Exclusive to Home Depot. Great in flower beds or patio containers.
— VIVA! New Lemon Zest Petunias ($4.97-$7.99): Perfect petunia. Works well in patio pots, hanging baskets.
— Proven Winners Brand Annuals 4.5" ($3.87-$4.48) (1 gallon $4.97-$8.99): Spreading. Low maintenance.
— Premium Rose Collection 5 gallon roses ($16.99-$19.97): Exclusive to Home Depot. Masses of blooms.
— Controlled-release fertilizer (FREE w/every plant): Specially formulated for 6-8 months cont. release.

— For more ideas, visit:


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Younis Mahmoud's victory celebrations were tempered by reality.

Mahmoud scored the winning goal in Iraq's 1-0 Asian Cup final win over Saudi Arabia on Sunday, yet he feared for his life if he went home to celebrate the stunning victory.

"I don't want the Iraqi people to be angry with me," he said. But, "If I go back with the team, anybody could kill me or try to hurt me.

"One of my closest friends, they (the authorities) came to arrest him, and for one year neither me nor his family knew where he is."

The Iraqi captain — who like the rest of the team wore a black arm band to remember the dozens killed by carbombers following the side's semifinal victory over South Korea on Wednesday — said the American presence in his homeland was a "problem."

"I want America to go out," he said. "Today, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, but out. I wish the American people didn't invade Iraq and hopefully it will be over soon."

A first Asian Cup title has provided rare joy for people in Iraq amid continuing ethnic, religious and sectarian violence.

The team's players do not live in Iraq and work for clubs across the Middle East — Mahmoud works for Qatar club Al Gharafa and was leading scorer in the domestic league last season.

Iraq has not been allowed to host a match at home in 17 years, and even preparing for major events takes place on foreign soil.

The Iraqi squad gathered in Jordan ahead of the Asian Cup.

On Sunday, the government in Iraq enforced a vehicle ban in an effort to prevent a repeat of the two car bombings that tore into people celebrating Iraq's semifinal win over South Korea on Wednesday.

Mahmoud said that one of the victims was a small child.

"His mother said when her child was killed in front of her, she didn't cry. She said, 'I present my son as a sacrifice for the national team.' Then we had to win."

Mahmoud scored the winner on 71 minute after Iraq had dominated most of the match in front of some 60,000 fans, most of them Indonesians cheering on the underdogs.

When the final whistle blew, many players pressed their heads to the ground in prayer.

"Thanks be to God," said defender Bassim Abbas. "I am happy because the people in Iraq are happy."