Wichita State upsets OSU 70-66 for Final Four trip

Wichita State's Carl Hall (22) and teammates pose with the regional trophy after defeating Ohio State 70-66 in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Wichita State's Carl Hall (22) and teammates pose with the regional trophy after defeating Ohio State 70-66 in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Wichita State's Carl Hall, right rear, Fred Van Vleet, left, and Demetric Williams celebrate their team's 70-66 win over Ohio State in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall celebrates after Wichita State defeated Ohio State 70-66 in the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Wichita State players react to a field goal scored against Ohio State during the second half of the West Regional final in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Wichita State's Carl Hall, rear, and Malcolm Armstead, right, break up a scoring attempt by Ohio State forward Evan Ravenel (30) during the first half of the West Regional final in the NCAA mens' college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Cleanthony Early kept stealing glances down at the hat in his hands while he waited for his turn to climb the stepladder, scissors in hand. The Wichita State forward seemed stunned at the words embroidered on his brand new ballcap: "Final Four Atlanta."

"It's crazy. I still can't believe we're here," Early said. "You try to expect it, but you expect a lot of things that don't happen. This really happened."

Believe it. Wichita State is going to Atlanta, and these Shockers are no longer a surprise after the way the tenacious ninth seeds held off mighty Ohio State in the West Regional final.

Malcolm Armstead scored 14 points, Fred Van Vleet bounced in a big basket with 1 minute left, and Wichita State earned its first trip to the Final Four since 1965 with a 70-66 victory over the Buckeyes on Saturday.

Van Vleet scored 12 points as the Shockers (30-8) followed up last week's win over top-ranked Gonzaga with a nail-biting victory over the second-seeded Buckeyes (29-8), whose 11-game winning streak ended one short of their second straight Final Four. Wichita State's 20-point lead in the second half dwindled to three in the final minutes, but several Shockers stepped up with big plays to stop the surge, heeding coach Gregg Marshall's halftime command to "play angry."

All that anger turned into a joyous postgame party at midcourt, even though the Shockers realize they've got more work to do.

Wichita State is just the fifth team seeded ninth or higher to reach the Final Four since seeding began in 1979, but the second in three years following 11th-seeded VCU's improbable run in 2011. The Shockers' celebration was wild, if a bit disbelieving, in front of several thousand roaring fans.

"Last year we were watching all this on television," said Early, who scored 12 points despite spraining his ankle in the second half. "Now I'm looking at a hat that says 'Final Four Atlanta' with my team on it. ... It feels good, and it feels even better that I could experience it with these guys who had to struggle so hard to get here."

Wichita State roared to a 20-point lead with 11 minutes to play after Ohio State played an awful first half, but LaQuinton Ross scored 15 of his 19 points after halftime, leading a ferocious rally that got the Buckeyes within three points in the final minutes.

Tekele Cotton hit a clutch 3-pointer for Wichita State with 2:20 left and grabbed a key offensive rebound moments later, allowing VanVleet to score on a shot that bounced all over the rim before dropping. Ron Baker and Cotton hit last-minute free throws to secure the second Final Four trip in Wichita State's history and a school-record 30th win.

"We're happy, but I'm still shocked," said Carl Hall, the glasses-wearing big man who scored eight points and led the Shockers' strong defensive effort. "We've got a team full of fighters. I brought them all together near the end and said, 'No matter what happens, I love y'all.' We had to fight so hard. We've got each other's backs, and it's hard to beat a team that's got five guys who work together like us."

Deshaun Thomas scored 21 points after missing nine of his first 12 shots for Ohio State, which made just 24 percent of its first-half shots. Aaron Craft scored nine points on 2-for-12 shooting against Armstead and a host of defenders for the Buckeyes, who dug a hole too deep to escape with their second-half rally.

"The way we shot coming into the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, everything was falling," Thomas said. "Today, it just wasn't our night. Nothing was falling. We had great looks, some of them, but they just weren't falling."

Yet after two weeks of upsets in the wild West bracket, underdog Wichita State seemed an appropriate pick to cut down Staples Center's nets. The Shockers' well-balanced roster managed built that enormous lead with the same consummate team play that they've shown throughout the tournament.

The Shockers are also the kings of Kansas, reaching the national semifinals after the powerful Jayhawks and Kansas State both went down.

Two sections packed with cheering Shockers fans provided all the encouragement necessary for a team that didn't win the Missouri Valley Conference tournament and was thought to be a bubble team for an NCAA berth. Now, Wichita State is the MVC's first Final Four team since Larry Bird led Indiana State to the title game in 1979.

Another giant awaits the Shockers in Atlanta next weekend: They'll face the winner of Sunday's Midwest Regional final between Duke and Louisville.

"We're all new to this, but I think we're ready for this," Early said. "We're going to prepare ourselves, and this game was pretty good preparation. We started at the bottom, and we've been working our way up."

Seven seasons after underdog George Mason crashed the Final Four and underlined college basketball's growing parity, the Shockers are the latest smallish school to get on a big roll in the tournament. Butler made the national championship game in 2010 and 2011, and the Bulldogs were joined by that VCU team in the Final Four two years ago.

This year's tournament included stunning wins by Florida Gulf Coast, La Salle and Harvard, but nobody kept it going longer than Wichita State.

Although the Shockers have a beautiful home arena and robust support from fans and donors in Kansas' largest city, Marshall acknowledged that Wichita State's athletic budget is a fraction of what a BCS school can spend. He hasn't let it slow the Shockers, who made the NCAA tournament last year only to lose to 12th-seeded VCU in the first round.

After the Shockers easily beat La Salle two days ago to reach their first regional final since 1981, Marshall's pregame speech to the Shockers on Saturday finished with talk of cutting down the nets at Staples Center before getting on that plane back to Kansas, saying Wichita State didn't have to play "a perfect game" to beat mighty Ohio State.

"The Mecca awaits in Atlanta," he said.

Marshall was right, but he couldn't have anticipated just how imperfect Ohio State would be.

The postseason-tested Buckeyes appeared calm and confident during warmups in front of their healthy fan contingent, yet they proceeded to play the first half just like NCAA newbies.

They missed their first seven shots after the opening tip in a string capped by an airballed 3-pointer from Thomas, who missed his first five overall. The junior star was labeled "a bad-shot taker and a bad-shot maker" by Marshall on Friday, but he only lived up to the first part of that billing while going 4 for 13 in the first half.

Early hit two 3-pointers in the opening minutes, and the Shockers stretched their lead to 13 points shortly before halftime.

"You've got to give them credit," Craft said. "They really came out firing and we really didn't regain our footing until it was too late."

Hall went to the locker room after drawing a charge from Thomas early in the second half, holding the back of his head after Thomas' elbow clipped him on the jaw. Hall found his glasses and got back in the game 66 seconds later.

Wichita State gradually stretched its lead early in the second half, with Early's layup putting the Shockers up 53-33 with 12:09 to play.

Ross desperately tried to rally the Buckeyes, scoring eight consecutive points and leading a 23-6 run midway through the second half. Ohio State went into a full-court inbounds defense, and Shannon Scott's free throws with 2:49 left cut the lead to 62-59 ? but Ohio State couldn't get any closer.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-30-BKC-NCAA-Wichita-St-Ohio-St/id-358a2d25bf37425eb61200777759e8ad

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Qualifier Wheatcroft leads Houston Open

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) ? Steve Wheatcroft has gone from sweating out a qualifier to leading the Houston Open.

Wheatcroft shot a 5-under 67 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead over first-round leader D.A. Points and Jason Kokrak. He hasn't made a bogey through 36 holes and had the overnight lead at a PGA Tour event for the first time.

"My only good finishes were when I putted really well," said Wheatcroft, a former walk-on for the Indiana golf team. "When I putt well, it's scary good."

On Monday afternoon, Wheatcroft didn't think he'd even make the field. He failed to qualify for last week's Web.com event in Louisiana and only decided to try Houston because it was a 3-hour drive away.

He shot a 5-under 67 on Monday morning at nearby Cypresswood, but he didn't like his chances of making the cut for Houston when he saw a bunch of former PGA Tour pros ready to tee off in the afternoon. So he went to a movie.

"I didn't want to sit here and watch everybody finish and figure out what they're fist-pumping for on 18," he said. "Figured that would take my mind off things."

But Wheatcroft kept updating the scores on his phone, returned to the course and found out that he had earned one of the final four spots available for Redstone.

"I knew my swing was getting a lot better in the last month or so," he said, "just a matter of showing up at the right time, I guess."

Stewart Cink, winless since the British Open in 2009, shot a 66 and was tied for fourth with Brian Davis (70). Two-time major champion Angel Cabrera, the Argentine who has a home at Redstone, had a 72 and was four shots behind, along with Bill Haas (70) and Cameron Tringale (73).

Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson were both nine shots back. Even though he'll have two more rounds in Houston, McIlroy committed to play in next week's Texas Open for one more tuneup before the Masters.

A victory would put Wheatcroft in the Masters field for the first time and also earn him a two-year exemption on the tour. He can become the first Monday qualifier to win on the PGA Tour since Arjun Atwal at the Wyndham Championship in August 2010.

Wheatcroft's best finish on the PGA Tour was a tie for third in the Puerto Rico Open in March 2010. His only victory was a 12-stroke romp at the Prince George's County Open in 2011, the highlight of his career so far.

He was back struggling on the big tour in 2012, making only seven cuts in 22 starts. His only two previous starts this year came on the lesser tour, in Panama and Colombia.

But Wheatcroft felt completely at ease Friday, humming The Killers' song "Runaway" as he walked the fairways. He was looking forward to watching some college basketball on Friday night ? even though Indiana was out of the NCAA tournament ? and seeing his fiancee, who was flying in to meet him on Saturday.

"I don't have to worry about the money list out here, I don't have to worry about my status out here," Wheatcroft said. "If I win, it's great. It's kind of a win, or nothing. I just get to go play golf this week."

Wheatcroft will play in the final group on Saturday with Kokrak, a close friend.

"I'm happy for him," Kokrak said. "I'm happy he's doing well. Hopefully, I can go out there and overtake the lead. Hopefully, I overtake him late Sunday."

Points followed a 64 with a bland 71 ? 17 pars and a birdie on the par-4 12th. When the wind picked up in the afternoon, Points played it safe.

"I was maybe a little cautious, but I didn't have a lot of green lights," he said. "When you don't have that, you know, when you're in the position of (the) lead or close to the lead, you can't really squander them."

McIlroy (70) and Mickelson (71) will play the weekend, but just barely.

Playing just his 10th full round of the year, McIlroy got up and down from 85 yards on the par-5 15th, then rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th. He felt better much about his game than he did after his opening 73.

"I think there was a lot more consistency in it, wasn't as many loose shots in there," he said. "All in all, it was an improvement (from Thursday), which is the main thing."

Mickelson also rallied with three straight birdies on the back nine.

"I feel like tomorrow, I have a chance now when I show up," he said. "I'm not searching, I'm not trying to find it. I know what it is I'm trying to do and the feelings I'm trying to create to hit certain shots."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/qualifier-wheatcroft-leads-houston-open-072426199--spt.html

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Americans back preparation for extreme weather and sea-level rise

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Images told the story: lower Manhattan in darkness, coastal communities washed away, cars floating in muck. Superstorm Sandy, a harbinger of future extreme weather intensified by climate change, caught the country off guard in October.

Unprepared for the flooding and high winds that ensued, the East Coast suffered more than $70 billion in property damage and more than 100 deaths.

Will Americans prepare and invest now to minimize the impact of disasters such as Sandy, or deal with storms and rising sea levels after they occur?

A new survey commissioned by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and the Center for Ocean Solutions finds that an overwhelming majority of Americans want to prepare in order to minimize the damage likely to be caused by global warming-induced sea-level rise and storms.

A majority also wants people whose properties and businesses are located in hazard areas to foot the bill for this preparation, not the government. Eighty-two percent of the Americans surveyed said that people and organizations should prepare for the damage likely to be caused by sea-level rise and storms, rather than simply deal with the damage after it happens.

Among the most popular policy solutions identified in the survey are stronger building codes for new structures along the coast to minimize damage (favored by 62 percent) and preventing new buildings from being built near the coast (supported by 51 percent).

"People support preventive action," said survey director Jon Krosnick, a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and professor of communication, "and few people believe these preparations will harm the economy or eliminate jobs. In fact, more people believe that preparation efforts will help the economy and create jobs around the U.S., in their state and in their town than think these efforts will harm the economy and result in fewer jobs in those areas. But people want coastal homeowners and businesses that locate in high-risk areas to pay for these measures."

The challenges posed by rising sea levels and increasingly severe storms will only intensify as more Americans build along the coasts. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report released March 25 predicts that already crowded U.S. coastlines will become home to an additional 11 million people by 2020.

Survey questions were formulated to assess participants' beliefs about climate change and gather opinions about the impact of climate change, sea-level rise and storms on communities, the economy and jobs.

The survey also gauged public support for specific coastal adaptation strategies and how to pay for them. "People are least supportive of policies that try to hold back Mother Nature," Krosnick said. "They think it makes more sense to recognize risk and reduce exposure."

Among the survey's respondents, 48 percent favor sand dune restoration and 33 percent favor efforts to maintain beaches with sand replenishment, while 37 percent support relocating structures away from the coast and 33 percent support constructing sea walls.

Eighty-two percent of the survey's respondents believe that Earth's temperature has been rising over the last 100 years. However, even a majority of those who doubt the existence of climate change favor adaptation measures (60 percent).

"The question is, how does public support for preparation translate to action?" asked Meg Caldwell, executive director of the Center for Ocean Solutions. "Our impulse is to try to move quickly to put communities back together the way they were after devastation. But that impulse often leads to doubling down on high-risk investments, such as rebuilding in areas likely to experience severe impacts. To move toward long-term resiliency for coastal communities, we need to seize opportunities to apply new thinking, new standards and long-term solutions."

Krosnick presented the survey results this morning at a policy briefing hosted by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The survey was conducted via the Internet with a nationally representative probability sample of 1,174 American adults, 18 and older, conducted by GfK Custom Research March 3-18, 2013. The survey was administrated in both English and Spanish. The survey has a margin of error of +/-4.9 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

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Chavez's legacy gains religious glow in Venezuela

FILE - In this March 8, 2013 file photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's acting President Nicolas Maduro stands in front of a portrait of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez after a symbolic swearing in ceremony in the presence of the flag-draped coffin of Chavez at the military academy where the funeral ceremony was held earlier in Caracas, Venezuela. For his loyal followers, Chavez was already a living legend on par with independence era hero Simon Bolivar even before his March 5 death from cancer. In a mere three weeks, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status, at least according to political rhetoric, as the government and his die-hard loyalists build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections scheduled to pick a new leader. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, File)

FILE - In this March 8, 2013 file photo released by Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's acting President Nicolas Maduro stands in front of a portrait of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez after a symbolic swearing in ceremony in the presence of the flag-draped coffin of Chavez at the military academy where the funeral ceremony was held earlier in Caracas, Venezuela. For his loyal followers, Chavez was already a living legend on par with independence era hero Simon Bolivar even before his March 5 death from cancer. In a mere three weeks, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status, at least according to political rhetoric, as the government and his die-hard loyalists build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections scheduled to pick a new leader. (AP Photo/Miraflores Press Office, File)

FILE - In this July 4, 2011 file photo, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez kisses a crucifix as he greets supporters from a balcony in Miraflores presidential palace, after returning from Cuba where he underwent cancer surgery, in Caracas, Venezuela. For his loyal followers, Chavez was already a living legend on par with independence era hero Simon Bolivar even before his March 5 death from cancer. In a mere three weeks, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status, at least according to political rhetoric, as the government and his die-hard loyalists build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections scheduled to pick a new leader. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

FILE - In this March 5, 2013 file photo, candles, placed by mourner demonstrators, burn in front of an image of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez outside the Venezuela's embassy in La Paz, Bolivia. For his loyal followers, Chavez was already a living legend on par with independence era hero Simon Bolivar even before his March 5 death from cancer. In a mere three weeks, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status, at least according to political rhetoric, as the government and his die-hard loyalists build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections scheduled to pick a new leader. (AP Photo/Juan Karita, File)

FILE - In this March 8, 2013 file photo, supporters of Nicolas Maduro watch on a giant screen outside the National Assembly the ceremony in which he is sworn in as Venezuela's acting president in Caracas, Venezuela. For his loyal followers, Chavez was already a living legend on par with independence era hero Simon Bolivar even before his March 5 death from cancer. In a mere three weeks, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status, at least according to political rhetoric, as the government and his die-hard loyalists build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections scheduled to pick a new leader. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos, File)

FILE - In this March 5, 2012 file photo, a mural imitating the religious painting The Last Supper covers a wall of a popular housing complex, showing from left to right, Fidel Castro, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Mao Tse-tung, Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, Jesus Christ, Simon Bolivar, Venezuelan rebel fighters Alexis Gonzalez and Fabricio Ojeda and Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in Caracas, Venezuela. For his loyal followers, Chavez was already a living legend on par with independence era hero Simon Bolivar even before his March 5 death from cancer. In a mere three weeks, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status, at least according to political rhetoric, as the government and his die-hard loyalists build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections scheduled to pick a new leader. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Holding a Bible in her arms at the start of Holy Week, seamstress Maria Munoz waited patiently to visit the tomb of the man she considers another savior of humanity.

The 64-year-old said she had already turned her humble one-bedroom house into a shrine devoted to the late President Hugo Chavez, complete with busts, photos and coffee mugs bearing his image. Now, she said, her son-in-law was looking for a larger house to display six boxes' worth of Chavez relics that her family has collected throughout his political career.

"He saved us from so many politicians who came before him," Munoz said as tears welled in her eyes. "He saved us from everything."

Chavez's die-hard followers considered him a living legend on a par with independence-era hero Simon Bolivar well before his March 5 death from cancer. In the mere three weeks since, however, Chavez has ascended to divine status in this deeply Catholic country as the government and Chavistas build a religious mythology around him ahead of April 14 elections to pick a new leader.

Chavez's hand-picked successor, Nicolas Maduro, has led the way, repeatedly calling the late president "the redeemer Christ of the Americas" and describing Chavistas, including himself, as "apostles."

Maduro went even further after Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis earlier this month. Maduro said Chavez had advised Jesus Christ in heaven that it was time for a South American pope.

That comes as Maduro's government loops ads on state TV comparing Chavez to sainted heroes such as Bolivar and puts up countless banners around the capital emblazoned with Chavez's image and the message "From his hands sprouts the rain of life."

"President Chavez is in heaven," Maduro told a March 16 rally in the poor Caracas neighborhood of Catia. "I don't have any doubt that if any man who walked this earth did what was needed so that Christ the redeemer would give him a seat at his side, it was our redeemer liberator of the 21st century, the comandante Hugo Chavez."

Chavistas such as Munoz have filled Venezuela with murals, posters and other artwork showing Chavez in holy poses surrounded by crosses, rosary beads and other religious symbolism.

One poster on sale in downtown Caracas depicts Chavez holding a shining gold cross in his hands beside a quote from the Book of Joshua: "Comrade, be not afraid. Neither be dismayed, for I Will be with you each instant." The original scripture says "Lord thy God," and not "I," will accompany humanity each instant.

The late leader had encouraged such treatment as he built an elaborate cult of personality and mythologized his own rise to power, said Carolina Acosta-Alzuru, a University of Georgia media studies scholar who hails from Venezuela.

She said Chavez's successors are clearly hoping that pumping up that mythology can boost Maduro's presidential campaign, which has been based almost entirely on promises to continue Chavez's legacy. The opposition candidate, Gov. Henrique Capriles, counters that Maduro isn't Chavez, and highlights the problems that Chavez left behind such as soaring crime and inflation.

"They're fast-tracking the mythification," Acosta-Alzuru said of the government. "Sometimes I feel that Venezuelan politics has become a big church. Sometimes I feel it has become a big mausoleum."

Teacher Geraldine Escalona said she believed Chavez had served a divine purpose during his 58 years on earth, including launching free housing and education programs and pushing the cause of Latin American unity.

"God used him for this, for unifying our country and Latin America," the 22-year-old said. "I saw him as a kind of God."

Such rhetoric has upset some religious leaders and drawn the reproach of Venezuela's top Roman Catholic official, Cardinal Jorge Urosa Savino, on the eve of the Easter holidays.

"One can't equate any hero or human leader or authority with Jesus Christ," Urosa warned. "We can't equate the supernatural and religious sphere with the natural, earthly and sociopolitical."

Chavez, in his days, crossed paths frequently with Venezuela's church, which sometimes accused the socialist leader of becoming increasingly authoritarian. Chavez described Christ as a socialist, and he strongly criticized Cardinal Urosa, saying he misled the Vatican with warnings that Venezuela was drifting toward dictatorship.

Emerging this week from a church on the outskirts of Caracas, Lizbeth Colmenares slammed politicians from both sides for using derogatory language in the campaign, particularly during Holy Week.

"They are not following the words of Christ," said Colmenares, a 67-year old retiree who was holding palm fronds woven into the shape of the Holy Cross. "They should be more humble and they shouldn't be attacking each other that way."

Of course, politics and religion have long mixed in Latin America, starting with the Spanish conquest of the New World, which Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes famously said was carried out "between sword and cross."

In the 20th century, Argentine first lady Eva Peron helped start a leftist Latin American pantheon after her untimely death in 1952. She's since become a veritable saint for millions in her homeland, with pictures of her angelic face still commonly displayed in homes and government offices. Like Chavez, Peron was worshipped as a protector of the poor as well as a political fighter.

Chavez tied his own legacy to Bolivar, incessantly invoking his name and delivering hundreds of speeches with Bolivar's stern portrait looming over his shoulder. Chavez renamed the whole country "The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" and ordered a giant mausoleum built to house Bolivar's bones.

A short animated spot shown repeatedly on state TV this month makes clear that Chavez has already become a political saint for millions. It shows Chavez, after death, walking the western Venezuelan plains of his childhood before coming across Peron, Bolivar, the martyred Chilean President Salvador Allende and Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, among others.

"We know that in Argentina we have a Peronism that is very much alive," said Acosta-Alzuru. "And there are other examples in Latin America where a leader, a caudillo, tries to be everything for the country. What Maduro and Chavez's followers are doing is trying to keep Chavez alive."

Some Chavez supporters waiting to visit his tomb on a hill overlooking Caracas said their comandante is with them in spirit ? and for that reason they planned to vote for Maduro, confident that Chavez was guiding his hand.

Reaching the marble tomb means first walking through an exhibit celebrating Chavez's life and military career, with photos and text exalting a seemingly inevitable rise to immortality.

"He's still alive," said 52-year-old nurse Gisela Averdano. "He hasn't died. For me, he will always continue."

___

AP writers James Anderson and Christopher Toothaker contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-30-Venezuela-Religion/id-87874fc713ef4622be29571048b8a740

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Samsung Exynos Octa now rocking LTE, destined for Korean market

When Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa was announced, it was believed to be compatible with 3G networks only. As such, the HSPA+ (global) version of the Galaxy S 4 was the only handset to feature the company's eight-core SoC -- the LTE model shipping with Qualcomm's 4G-capable, quad-core Snapdragon 600 instead. That's apparently changed, with the Korean giant tweeting that the Exynos 5 Octa now supports LTE on 20 bands. So why even make a Snapdragon 600 version of the Galaxy S 4, then? Perhaps Samsung can't produce as many chips as Qualcomm to meet the upcoming worldwide demand for its new flagship. This appears likely, with inews24 and new-samsunggalaxys4 reporting that the Exynos 5 Octa with LTE is currently reserved for Korean models only (SHV-E300S, SHV-E300K and SHV-E300L, to be exact). So, anyone fancy a trip to Seoul in the near future?

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Jupiter's Moon Europa May Have 'Spikes of Ice'

THE WOODLANDS, Texas ? The equator of Jupiter's icy moon Europa may be covered with huge spikes of ice, scientists say.

Astronomers have known for some time that?Jupiter's moon Europa is icy, and now scientists are trying to understand just what form that ice takes by using some of the coldest places on Earth as analogues. Huge ice spikes, known as penitents, found on Earth could form on Europa, they said.

"It's a pretty obscure geological feature on the Earth," Dan Hobley, an astronomer at the University of Virginia, told SPACE.com after he presented his findings at the 44th annual Lunar and Planetary Science Conference.

The 3.3 to 16.4 foot (1 to 5 meter) spikes of ice only grow in certain parts of the Andes mountains on Earth, but those areas of the world serve as good proxies for what Europa's geology might be like, Hobley said. [Photos of Europa, Jupiter's Mysterious Icy Moon]

It takes a very specific set of circumstances for penitentes to form, Hobley said. The angle of the sun has to hit the ice in just the right way to keep the spikes of ice standing on end and buried deep into the ground. The blades grow in very dry conditions and can thrive in dirt-filled or clean circumstances.

As far as scientists can tell right now, all of those environments exist along Europa's equator, Hobley said.

Although?Europa?has been observed using radar and spectroscopy, scientists have not been able to understand exactly what the surface of this moon looks like. The geological features of Europa seem "basically random," Hobley said, but the existence of penitentes could offer an explanation.

Scientists have found that Europa's equator is warmer than it should be, and penitentes could explain that mysterious temperature, Hobley said. The ice spines reflect heat onto one another, creating a warmer area because the sunlight gets trapped bouncing from ice spike to ice spike, Hobley explained.

The scientist and his colleagues are interested in understanding what the surface of Europa looks like, partially because it's a first step towards designing a viable lander that could safely touch down on the moon's frozen surface.

But it might not be that simple, Hobley said.

The icy shell of Europa's?surface might shift occasionally, displacing the area of the alien world that used to be its equator. Penitentes don't naturally form in higher latitudes, so if the shell does shift, that could create a problem for astronomers trying to map exactly where to set down a lander.

"We're at the state where this is a good, solid guess," Hobley said.

Follow Miriam Kramer?@mirikramer?and?Google+. Follow us?@Spacedotcom,?Facebook and?Google+. Original article on SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/jupiters-moon-europa-may-spikes-ice-181826939.html

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Bluenote Is a Secure Note Taking, Tasks, and Password Manager for Mac

Mac: If you don't want to just leave your notes, to-dos, and passwords sitting around, Bluenote is a Mac app that encrypts everything you put into it and locks it all behind a password so nobody can see what you're up to.

Bluenote is a number of different things. At its core, it's a to-do and note-taking app that encrypts everything. It organizes those notes and tasks in simple lists and you can select from a huge set of icons so you can quickly spot what you're looking for. The nice thing is that Bluenote automatically encrypts and saves everything you do, so you won't need to worry about saving or selecting security settings. Additionally, Bluenote has a password manager built in to store your passwords and offer suggestions to make better ones. It's not nearly as robust as something like Lastpass, but it's better than just leaving your passwords hanging out in your Keychain.

Bluenote's also incredibly easy to use. Once you fire up the app, you're given a tutorial of the features, but it's hardly necessary. Adding tasks and notes is as simple as you'd expect, and you can organize them by just clicking and dragging. The interface is easy on the eyes and you're never distracted finding out how to do something. Syncing support is currently missing, but it's on its way in a future update. If you're looking for a way to hide your notes and tasks behind a encrypted password wall, Bluenote is worth a look.

Bluenote ($5.99 until April 5th, $9.99 after)

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/_ojnJLjVH2U/bluenote-for-mac-is-a-secure-note-taking-tasks-and-password-manager-for-mac

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EBay targets Gross Merchandise Value of $110 billion in 2015

March 28 (Reuters) - Rory McIlroy, playing for the first time since losing his world number one ranking earlier this week, got off to a shaky start at the Houston Open on Thursday where he dropped three shots over his opening eight holes. The 23-year-old Northern Irishman, who was replaced atop the world rankings by Tiger Woods this week, struggled to find his rhythm on an ideal day for low scoring at the Redstone Golf Club in Humble, Texas. He bogeyed the par-four second hole and made a double-bogey seven on the eighth hole to limp to the turn at three-over. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ebay-targets-gross-merchandise-value-110-billion-2015-195151702--sector.html

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Canada only UN member to pull out of droughts and ... - CTV News

CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Wednesday, March 27, 2013 5:50PM EDT
Last Updated Wednesday, March 27, 2013 11:13PM EDT

The Conservative government is pulling out of a United Nations convention aimed at fighting droughts and desertification in Africa, making Canada the only country in the world to leave the agreement.

The withdrawal from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification was ordered last week by the federal cabinet on the recommendation of Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, but only made public Wednesday.

Every UN nation -- a total of 194 countries and the European Union -- is part of the convention. Canada was one of the first countries to sign the UNCCD in 1994. Now it is the first to walk away.

Sources told CTV News that the decision was made more than a year ago as part of the government?s plan to cut the deficit. It was announced to the affected departments a few months ago and there was little, if any, consultation, they said.

Meanwhile, just two weeks ago, Canada attended a high-level meeting about the issue in Geneva, Switzerland.

At the Geneva meeting, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada manager Harvey Hill said it was ?critical? that the international committee address drought.

The UN secretariat for the convention was not aware of Canada?s withdrawal, and was only informed through a telephone call from The Canadian Press.

Baird?s office forwarded questions about the withdrawal to the Canadian International Development Agency, but CIDA did not respond to interview requests.

In an email statement, a spokesperson for International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino said "membership in this convention was costly for Canadians and showed few results, if any for the environment."

Fantino?s office would not say how much money was being saved by withdrawing from the convention, but documents show that the government committed to providing around $350,000 a year to the convention.

Fantino said Canada is focusing tax dollars where they can provide ?real results,? and remains committed to fighting desertification and drought.

NDP foreign affairs critic Paul Dewar said the move risks further isolating Canada, by indicating that the government acts outside of ?international norms.?

Dewar also questions why the move went unannounced.

?Was this something they were hoping no one would notice?" Dewar asked.

Canadian NGOs told CTV News they don?t understand the move.

?The biggest impact (made by) this move, for me, is the signal it?s sending to the world,? Oxfam Canada?s Robert Fox said. ?And it isn?t clear what that signal is.?

Established in 1994 following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the UNCCD aims to fight increasing desertification and land degradation.

Desertification is defined by the UN as ?the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas.? It is caused when dryland ecosystems, vulnerable to over-exploitation, are used inappropriately.

Increasing desertification has been pushed to the forefront in recent years, as droughts in Africa?s Sahel belt in 2012 and East Africa in 2011 pushed millions into poverty and caused severe food crisis.

The UN says that the UNCCD is the sole legally binding international agreement that links environment and development to sustainable land management.

Canada?s withdrawal comes before a major meeting about the convention in Bonn, Germany, next month.

Major stakeholders including scientists, governments and members of civil society will be heading to the meeting, where the United Nations Environment Program plans to complete ?a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of desertification, land degradation and drought.?

The analysis will be the first ever, the UNEP said.

Canada?s withdrawal from the convention will likely prompt more criticism of the Harper government?s handling of environmental issues.

Critics have already slammed the Conservatives for their track record on the environment, pointing to the decision to opt out of the Kyoto Protocol, removing protections from thousands of lakes and streams in Bill C-45, and the muzzling scientists.

?Canada has been strong supporter? of UNCCD: 2008 UN speech

Canada?s participation in the UNCCD has been overseen by CIDA.

In a report called ?Canada's First Report on Domestic Activities Relevant to the United Nations Convention to Combat Diversification,? CIDA said that Canada is affected by desertification because of the ?existence of drylands in the Canadian prairies.?

According to the CIDA report, the convention requires Canada to address the issue of desertification in any sustainable development plans and policies. As well, Canada would be required to report on its progress in fighting desertification.

During a May 2008 speech to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, Canada?s representative said that ?Canada has been a strong supporter? of the UNCCD.

The text of the prepared speech said that Canada pledged to support the fight against desertification and drought.

With a report by CTV News? Daniele Hamamdjian and files from The Canadian Press

Source: http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-only-un-member-to-pull-out-of-droughts-and-deserts-convention-1.1214065

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Mali secular rebels appoint administrator in Kidal

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso (AP) ? A secular rebel group seeking independence in northern Mali said late Wednesday it has appointed a civil administrator for the region of Kidal, signaling it is retaking control of the government there as French forces battle radical Islamic fighters.

The National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad, or NMLA, has been reasserting its presence in Kidal since the French-led intervention forced many of the extremists into the surrounding desert.

Mohamed Aly Ag Al Bessati was chosen Tuesday for the position, according to NMLA representative Moussa Ag Assarid.

"Today our priority is to protect people and property," he said. "These people need an administration to better lead activities and regain daily life."

The secular rebels have said they are willing to work with the French forces but not Malian troops, whom they accuse of committing reprisals against the lighter-skinned Tuaregs and Arabs.

"We can't entrust our destiny to any army that executes our families," Assarid said.

By comparison, Malian soldiers have bolstered the French presence in the northern cities of Gao and Timbuktu that also had been overrun by the radical Islamic fighters.

The Tuareg separatists who make up the NMLA have long sought independence from Mali, and their rebellion last year triggered a March coup in the distant capital.

In the aftermath, the Tuaregs and Islamic extremists had both made rapid advances across northern Mali and the poorly armed Malian soldiers fled.

For several months, the Islamic extremists controlling northern Mali coexisted with the secular Tuareg rebels who want their own state.

The black flag of the extremists fluttered alongside the multi-colored one of the secular rebels, each occupying different areas of the towns.

In late May 2012, the two sides attempted to sign a deal, agreeing to create an independent Islamic state called Azawad.

The agreement between the bon vivant Tuareg rebels and the Taliban-inspired extremists seemed doomed from the start. It fell apart days later. By June, the Islamic extremists had chased the secular rebels out of northern Mali's main cities.

However, a French-led military operation launched in mid-January forced the radical Islamists to flee northern Mali's major towns.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mali-secular-rebels-appoint-administrator-kidal-222804999.html

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Engineers enable 'bulk' silicon to emit visible light for the first time

Mar. 27, 2013 ? Electronic computing speeds are brushing up against limits imposed by the laws of physics. Photonic computing, where photons replace comparatively slow electrons in representing information, could surpass those limitations, but the components of such computers require semiconductors that can emit light.

Now, research from the University of Pennsylvania has enabled "bulk" silicon to emit broad-spectrum, visible light for the first time, opening the possibility of using the element in devices that have both electronic and photonic components.

The research was conducted by associate professor Ritesh Agarwal, postdoctoral fellow Chang-Hee Cho and graduate students Carlos O. Aspetti and Joohee Park, all of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in Penn's School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Their work was published in Nature Photonics.

Certain semiconductors, when imparted with energy, in turn emit light; they directly produce photons, instead of producing heat. This phenomenon is commonplace and used in light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, which are ubiquitous in traffic signals, new types of light bulbs, computer displays and other electronic and optoelectronic devices. Getting the desired photonic properties often means finding the right semiconducting material. Agarwal's group produced the first ever all-optical switch out of cadmium sulfide nanowires, for example.

Semiconducting materials -- especially silicon -- form the backbone of modern electronics and computing, but, unfortunately, silicon is an especially poor emitter of light. It belongs to a group of semiconducting materials, which turns added energy into heat. This makes integrating electronic and photonic circuits a challenge; materials with desirable photonic properties, such as cadmium sulfide, tend to have poor electrical properties and vice versa and are not compatible with silicon-based electronic devices.

"The problem is that electronic devices are made of silicon and photonic devices are typically not," Agarwal said. "Silicon doesn't emit light and the materials that do aren't necessarily the best materials for making electronic devices."

With silicon entrenched as the material of choice for the electronics industry, augmenting its optical properties so it could be integrated into photonic circuitry would make consumer-level applications of the technology more feasible.

"People have tried to solve this problem by doping silicon with other materials, but the light emission is then in the very long wavelength range, so it's not visible and not very efficient and can degrade its electronic properties," Agarwal said. "Another approach is to make silicon devices that are very small, five nanometers in diameter or less. At that size you have quantum confinement effects, which allows the device to emit light, but making electrical connections at that scale isn't currently feasible, and the electrical conductivity would be very low."

To get elemental, "bulk" silicon to emit light, Agarwal's team drew upon previous research they had conducted on plasmonic cavities. In that earlier work, the researchers wrapped a cadmium sulfide nanowire first in a layer of silicon dioxide, essentially glass, and then in a layer of silver. The silver coating supports what are known as surface plasmons, waves that are a combination of oscillating metal electrons and of light. These surface plasmons are highly confined to the surface where the silicon dioxide and silver layers meet. For certain nanowire sizes, the silver coating creates pockets of resonance and hence highly confined electromagnetic fields -- in other words, light -- within the nanostructure.

Normally, after excitation the semiconductor must first "cool down," releasing energy as heat, before "jumping" back to the ground state and finally releasing the remaining energy as light. The Penn team's semiconductor nanowires coupled with plasmonic nanocavities, however, can jump directly from a high-energy excited state to the ground state, all but eliminating the heat-releasing cool-down period. This ultra-fast emission time opens the possibility of producing light from semiconductors such as silicon that might otherwise only produce heat.

"If we can make the carriers recombine immediately," Agarwal said, "then we can produce light in silicon."

In their latest work, the group wrapped pure silicon nanowires in a similar fashion, first with a coating of glass and then one of silver. In this case, however, the silver did not wrap completely around the wire as the researchers first mounted the glass-coated silicon on a sperate pane of glass. Tucking under the curve of the wire but unable to go between it and the glass substrate, the silver coating took on the shape of the greek letter omega -- ? -- while still acting as a plasmonic cavity.

Critically, the transparent bottom of the omega allowed the researchers to impart energy to the semiconductor with a laser and then examine the light silicon emitted.

Even though the silicon nanowire is excited at a single energy level, which corresponds to the wavelength of the blue laser, it produces white light that spans the visible spectrum. This translates into a broad bandwidth for possible operation in a photonic or optoelectronic device. In the future, it should also be possible to excite these silicon nanowires electrically.

"If you can make the silicon emit light itself, you don't have to have an external light source on the chip," Agarwal said. "We could excite the silicon electrically and get the same effect, and we can make it work with wires from 20 to 100 nanometers in diameter, so it's very compatible in terms of length scale with current electronics."

The research was supported by the U.S. Army Research Office and the National Institutes of Health.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Pennsylvania.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Chang-Hee Cho, Carlos O. Aspetti, Joohee Park, Ritesh Agarwal. Silicon coupled with plasmon nanocavities generates bright visible hot luminescence. Nature Photonics, 2013; 7 (4): 285 DOI: 10.1038/nphoton.2013.25

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/technology/~3/U1h28iUkbn4/130327133517.htm

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Halfbrick announces Fish Out of Water

Halfbrick Studios, the fine folks behind such classics as Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride, announced a brand new property at GDC 2013 called Fish out of Water. It takes the highly-recognized long-toss type of game and adds in a bunch of interesting elements, including weather and crafting.

Players pick from six different fish to skip across the sea as far as possible. Okay, fine, the whale and dolphin are technically mammals, but they each have their own unique properties: one explodes into a school of multiple fish, another has smooth scales to maximize skippability, the whale is light (for some reason) and bounces particularly high, while the dolphin can dive beneath the waves and come out the other side with plenty of velocity. Just to mix things up a bit, the game's weather changes hourly, so during one match, you may have perfectly calm waters, while the next day you may be wrestling against massive waves.

Along the skipping path, players pick up boosts tokens which fill a meter along the top. By tapping and holding the screen, players can eat into that boost bar for an extra shot of speed. Players that have spent any time with Tiny Wings will quickly get comfortable with the boost mechanic. Players will also pick up gems along the way for completing certain missions, which can be combined in various ways to create power-ups that are used in your next run. After three tosses, a panel of judges come out to give you a score based on how much distance you've covered, how many skips you've made, and other criteria. Players are able to issue challenges to their buddies through Game Center to see if they can beat their scores.

There's no firm date on release, but Fish out of Water will be going for $0.99 when it launches. Personally, I really enjoyed this one as a casual, colorful time-waster with a nice mix of familiar but fresh elements. What about you guys? Do you see this one taking off as well as Jetpack Joyride or Fruit Ninja?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/FxKJ_cksRdE/story01.htm

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GCC Government and Business 2020 Human Resources ... - AME Info

The three-day conference will highlight the 21st century megatrends, challenges, and opportunities that are influencing and reshaping the performance of the human resource department in the GCC region and the various strategies that are in the forefront for talent management and capacity building in a modern economy. The event witnesses the presence of various keynote speakers and delegates who have made a mark transforming the HR map of the region.

Mr. Ali Al Kamali, Managing Director, Datamatix, extended a warm welcome to the participants and delegates and briefed about the vision and objective of the conference. He said that the conference envisions paving a successful, strategic, and knowledge-based framework for the GCC human resource department and its delegates focusing on the current scenarios of national talent retaining strategies, capacity building, talent management challenges, and criteria and drawbacks in achieving and competing for international position leadership.

Day 1 commenced with the keynote address of Ms. Salama Al Amimi, Executive Director, Organizational Development and Excellence Office, Abu Dhabi Educational Council who focused on the 'GCC Government and Business 2020 HR The next Generation Roadmap?Planning and Building the capabilities'. She emphasized on the various aspects of bridging technology and assessment and ensuring interoperability that will develop a realistic transition in HR strategy and plan for the next generation corporate.

Mr. Abdulhussain Tejani, Director of Learning & Development, Merck, focused on the 'Continual HR Transformation in Government and Business Organizations' wherein he highlighted on the need to make the existing HR strategies more efficient, effective, and yielding and in building compatible HR strategies that will go beyond supporting business operations.

Dr. Ahmed Tahlak, President & Chairman, LEVENBERT, presented his views on 'The HR Revolution: Transforming HR To A Business-Enabling Partner that Contributes to the National Economy Development and Business Sustainability' wherein he emphasized on the multiple features of HR and the need to move beyond strategic operations and paly an effective role in becoming an all-over business enabling partner by extending indulgence in all departments. Mr. Mohammed Jassim, Director General, Management Innovation Consultancy, spoke on 'Standards and Requirements for Developing Leadership Skills to Achieve Organization Goals 'emphasizing on the modern technologies and criteria that can enhance the development of GCC leadership.

Datamatix has been a leading knowledge and service provider in the GCC for 24 years, welcoming businessmen, intellectuals, leaders and professionals and providing valuable business and leadership advice for change by promoting development and economic empowerment.

Source: http://www.ameinfo.com/gcc-government-business-2020-human-resources-335258

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The Bay Bridge's Crazy Light Show Has an Illuminating Documentary

Whether you think it's a fantastic expression of creativity, or a horrible waste of money, for the next two years San Francisco's Bay Bridge will be illuminated every night with 25,000 animated white LEDs. And that like all large-scale projects, there's a fascinating story behind it. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/ukk2VyIt9QM/the-bay-bridges-crazy-light-show-has-an-illuminating-documentary

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Wade & Debi Norton of Northstar Travel Announced Today That ...

American Express Travel Now Offers Exclusive Cruise and land Packages Through National Affiliate

St George, UT, March 26, 2013 - (PR.com) -?Wade & Debi Norton of Northstar Travel announced today that they have joined Cruise Planners - American Express Travel, an award-winning national cruise and travel company. Affiliation means that ?Cruise Planners ? Northstar? can now offer customers exclusive pricing on a wide range of cruise destinations, wedding packages, a choice of thousands of group departures, private cruise sales, as well as cabin upgrades and special amenities such as shore excursions, discounted fares, travel gifts and more. As a Cruise Planners travel advisor, Cruise Planners ? Northstar also provides specialized land and tour packages to the most sought-after destinations around the world.

?Cruising has become one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry. More and more people are taking cruises every year,? said Norton. ?The cruising trend has changed and cruisers are more adventurous and youthful. There?s also been the emergence of multi-generational cruisers ? families that take their cruise vacations together. Cruises offer the most satisfying, convenient and value-oriented way to travel. Cruise Planners has ?Top Producer? status with virtually every cruise line which enables us to provide our customers with the best prices along with my expertise and personalized service.?

As an American Express Travel Services Representative agency, Cruise Planners-Northstar offers Mariner Club sailings, which means their customers receive exclusive benefits such as a gracious and complimentary host, private cocktail party, shore events, additional shipboard credits, and more?adding value to the vacation. New this year is the exclusive ?Cruise for Free? program that allows customers to use their American Express Reward Points to cover all or part of their cruise or land vacation.

Licensed, bonded, and insured, Cruise Planners ? American Express Travel is a member of CLIA (Cruise Line International Association), NACOA (National Association of Cruise Only Agencies), and the BBB (Better Business Bureau). For more information, contact Wade or Debi of Cruise Planners-Northstar at 435-703-9980 or visit www.cruisenorthstar.com.

About Cruise Planners - American Express Travel

Founded in 1994, Cruise Planners is an American Express Travel Services Representative national cruise agency headquartered in Coral Springs, Fla, that operates a franchised network of more than 800 experienced travel professionals who independently book cruises and other associated travel. Cruise Planners gross sales totaled $120 in sales each year and has achieved the highest industry awards year after year such as Royal Caribbean International?s Home-based Partner of the Year, Carnival?s Agency of the Year, Norwegian Cruise Line?s Franchise of the Year, American Express Travel Services Representative Excellence Award and Entrepreneur magazine?s Franchise 500 ~ Ranked Number 1 in Category for the past nine years. For more information, please visit www.cruiseplanners.com.

Contacts:

Debi Norton | Wade Norton
St George, UT
435-703-9980
wnorton@cruiseplanners.com

Cruise Planners - Northstar Travel
Wade Norton
435-703-9980
www.cruisenorthstar.com
800-774-6150

###

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Source: http://www.franchising.com/news/20130326_wade_amp_debi_norton_of_northstar_travel_announced.html

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Administrators armed in W. Colo. school district

DENVER (AP) ? As lawmakers across the country debate arming teachers and administrators to prevent another deadly school shooting, one Colorado school district has voted to let its superintendent and a high school principal carry concealed semi-automatic pistols on campus ? a move some say sidesteps laws meant to keep schools gun-free.

The seven-member school board in southwestern Colorado's rural Dolores County voted unanimously in February to allow Ty Gray, principal of Dove Creek High School, and Superintendent Bruce Hankins to double as security officers, who under state law are allowed to carry guns on elementary, middle and high school campuses.

Hankins and Gray ? both lifelong hunters ? will receive an additional $1 per year for the extra responsibility after completing a concealed-carry course and receiving permits from the county sheriff before they can carry a gun on school grounds.

"We won't live our lives in fear, but we realize the world we live in today and need to do everything in our power to keep kids safe," Hankins told The Cortez Journal after the vote.

"If somebody comes into the building making threats or shooting, I'm not going to hide behind my desk. I'd prefer to have more than a chair (as a weapon)."

The superintendent of District RE-2J, which serves about 275 students, declined an Associated Press request to be interviewed by phone or in person, though he did respond to emailed questions.

"In most school shootings, they are over in just a few minutes," Hankins wrote. "We will have immediate response capability."

In New Jersey, Passaic Valley High School's board of education voted unanimously last month to allow the school's principal, a retired police sergeant, to carry a concealed weapon during the school day.

Before becoming principal, Ray Rotella spent four years as the school's safety officer and carried a gun.

Rotella said the board proposed the idea for him to carry a concealed weapon. He said he is licensed to carry one in the state of New Jersey. and would have no problem doing so in school.

"It's a unique situation. I'm not advocating administrators carry weapons," Rotella said last month. "You don't just give a gun to someone even with a little training. You're talking about someone who was in law enforcement. I was a firearms instructor."

In Colorado's rural Dolores County, the Feb. 6 school board resolution argued that because of an average police response time of 40 minutes ? and a limited budget ? "it is necessary to rely upon existing staff to fulfill the function of the needed security personnel."

Authorities say in the spring of 2009, a 16-year-old student plotted to kill Dove Creek High School's principal, then ambush the county sheriff, take his weapon and continue shooting. Sheriff's deputies recovered seven rifles, including .22-caliber weapons, shotguns and an M1 carbine, at the boy's Dove Creek home, and three more weapons when the teen and a 19-year-old friend were arrested in New Mexico.

Authorities made the arrests after one of the teens told his family about the plot, which was delayed because the school was on spring break. The 19-year-old was not charged, and the district attorney's office does not release information on cases involving juveniles.

"They had stolen the guns and it just happened that the day they planned we were not in session. So, it is real to our community," Hankins said.

But some say the school board's decision is merely a semantic argument that skirts state laws prohibiting guns at schools.

"I think it really does subvert the intention of the law, and I don't think that is ever a good thing," said Laura Cutilletta, a senior staff attorney for the San Francisco-based Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. "I think, unfortunately, this would probably make them less safe by introducing a gun into school."

Cutilletta added that school administrators already are "swamped" by their primary duties and don't have the experience of a security guard or a police officer.

"They're not used to being in that type of stressful situation, not the type of stress that a police officer faces," she said. "The likelihood of causing more death and injury is through the roof. Even police officers have a hard time hitting the target during a stressful situation, so how can we expect a superintendent or principal to do it?"

The school board's resolution theoretically could allow any employee with an extra-duty security officer contract to bring a gun to school. It came a little more than a week after a Colorado Senate committee rejected a guns-in-schools bill that would have allowed local districts to decide whether their employees could carry concealed weapons on campus.

The decision, strongly backed by the National Rifle Association, is part of a larger debate sparked by the mass shootings in an Aurora, Colo., movie theater and at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed several bills into law last week, including requiring background checks for private and online gun sales and banning ammunition magazines that hold more than 15 rounds.

Figures compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures indicate that most states ban guns on campus, unless they are carried by peace officers, security guards or by employees who have written permission from the schools superintendent.

But since the Sandy Hook shooting, lawmakers in almost two dozen states have introduced legislation that would make it easier for school employees or volunteers to carry guns on campus.

South Dakota's Republican governor, Dennis Daugaard, signed a bill March 8 allowing districts to permit teachers and other personnel to serve as "sentinels" and carry firearms on campus. The law takes effect July 1.

Legislatures in a handful of other states, including Georgia, New Hampshire and Kansas, are working on measures similar to South Dakota's.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-26-Guns%20In%20Schools/id-04f7e7b22b8f409789e0307e54aa6edc

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Gordon-Levitt gets excited on 1997 'Jeopardy'

By Randee Dawn, TODAY contributor

Before he was a time traveler ("Looper") or Abraham Lincoln's rebellious son ("Lincoln"), Joseph Gordon-Levitt was a young actor appearing on "Third Rock from the Sun." And in 1997, he was also a contestant on a celebrity charity "Jeopardy!" episode who was very excited to know the answer. Or rather, to know the question.

As the video clip shows, from the moment host Alex Trebek pulled up the "answer" clue that referred to Holden Caulfield, a long-haired Gordon-Levitt starts pulling an Arnold Horshack (look it up, kids) impersonation in the back: "Oooh! Oooh!" he cries, and is just so thrilled to be able to give the correct "question" of "What is 'Catcher in the Rye?'" adding "that's my favorite book!"

Amusing additional notes: Trebek referring to him as "Joey," hearing his voice break just a little when giving the "question" and a quick flash of the other contestants -- Kirsten Dunst and Benjamin Salisbury (from "The Nanny"). Props to Buzzfeed for explicating the entire episode, pointing out some highlights (Gordon-Levitt, of course) and lowlights (no one knew "Moby Dick"). You can watch the whole show below, if you like!

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Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/03/25/17455404-joseph-gordon-levitt-gets-very-excited-in-1997-jeopardy-episode?lite

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