Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Montgomerie, Schofield chosen for golf's hall

Colin Montgomerie has been elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame by the slimmest of margins.

Montgomerie and Ken Schofield, head of the European Tour for nearly 30 years, were announced Tuesday as the latest inductees. They fill out the 2013 class that includes Willie Park Jr., Fred Couples and Ken Venturi.

Montgomerie won the European Tour money list a record eight times. He received 51 percent of the vote on the international ballot. That makes two inductees in this class - Couples was the other - who got in through a special provision. If no one gets the minimum 65 percent, the player with the most votes gets elected as long as it's more than 50 percent.

The induction ceremony will be May 6 in St. Augustine, Fla.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/18/3147542/montgomerie-schofield-chosen-for.html

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My Kids - Embrace the Chaos

You know when your kids are fighting about something trivial and they are both at fault; neither of them are listening to each other and they are kicking and punching and maybe a little head butting. Perhaps they are fighting over who gets to cuddle with the dog, but the dog ends up getting a little beat up in the middle of the fracas.

You have two choices: sit between them and negotiate or send them to their rooms. But for negotiating to work there has to be some buy-in. So you have a choice, send them for time-outs or give yourself one and hope that they learn to co-exist.

Welcome to Ontario's educational system. We have two sides unwilling to negotiate with each other and our kids are the ones suffering.

The government has not created any faith by forcing through a contract that wasn't negotiated and therefore put worker's rights at risk. But for all intensive purposes the teachers union didn't want to negotiate. (Yes, I know the union would say otherwise but my son would also say that he didn't kick his brother when I saw him kick his brother.)

Is this really about sick days? Not really, which is a good thing because it is hard to feel sympathetic for teachers on the sick days issue.

Is it about worker's rights? Absolutely. But has the union lost the sympathy of the public? Most probably.

So everybody made mistakes and now the Ontario education system is stuck in some kind of limbo between strike and agreement. The teacher's union put a "pause" on all extra activities to show everyone how hard teachers work. There are no extra-curriculars, sports, after-school meetings or field trips.The union representatives will insist that this does not affect students' education. But it does affect students.

Yes, those are the?extras but to some kids they are the everything. Some kids thrive on extra-curriculars and need them to feel part of their school. The Grade Sixes are losing their turn to be the leaders of their teams and be the stars of the school plays. The high schoolers are losing important experience that can lead to university scholarships. It denies kids a chance to shine, and that does affect their education.

But the union leadership will tell you that the kids are not suffering because of the "pause", they will tell you that it is a great bargaining chip. They are wrong. Many teachers don't like the pause either, they can see that kids are getting the short end of the stick because of the protracted non-negotiations.

Today there is a one-day strike that is leaving kids at home and parents scrambling. Personally, I prefer the one-day strike to the "pause" but I am lucky enough to have a flexible schedule that allows me to be home today to watch my kids, and some others as well. Not all parents are so lucky, nor can they afford the pricey, one-day camps that have sprung up across the city. My guess is there are a lot of kids home alone today.

But still, the message is that kids aren't suffering.

At the local middle school, students organized a walk-out to protest the situation and the teachers told them that they weren't allowed to miss school.

Just another example of the mixed messages that are being perpetuated by all sides of this debate. The union and the government need to solve this but just like two kids squabbling over something trivial, they have lost the point, and possibly the skills to make this happen. Their behaviour is showing them to be terrible role models to our kids.?

What do you think of teacher strikes?

Want more chaos? Last year, I wondered if anyone sent Christmas cards anymore, this year I have received even less.

Enjoy this post? 'Like' the Embrace the Chaos Facebook page to get each post directly in your newsfeed?

?

Source: http://www.embracethechaos.ca/2012/12/my-kids-school-is-on-strike-today.html

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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Religion, 'Evil' Slip Into Media Reports on Shootings - FishbowlDC

It?s not just FNC?s Mike Huckabee who injected religion into the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school. He was just more explicit about it.

The dust had barely cleared before Huckabee blamed the incident, at least in part, on the secularization of schools. ?We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools,? he said on FNC Friday. The remarks made news and some in the media criticized Huckabee for what they saw as an oversimplified view.

But conservative commentator Erick Erickson said nearly as much in a column for RedState today. Erickson referred to the shooter, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, as ?an evil creature? and said ?liberal pundits? who ?mock? religion ?have chosen the very society that generates the heinous act we saw on Friday ? a society replacing ourselves and our standards with those of God.?

But the word ?evil? itself, a word often associated with religion, has been bandied about to describe what happened Friday and not just by conservatives?

At a vigil in Newtown, Conn., last night President Obama referred to the ?unconscionable evil? that took place. Last week, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Mallow said ?evil visited this community.?

Noting that Lanza has been diagnosed by much of the news media as ?mentally ill,? University of London Historian Lindsey Fitzharris wrote in The Guardian today: ?Very little discussion ? if any ? was given to the role of personal responsibility in this tragic event.It is an age-old question: what is evil? ??I want to remind the US and the world of one thing: evil is about choice. Sickness is about the absence of choice.?

In the New York Daily News: ?[Lanza] killed himself after wreaking pure evil.?

Even the AP, practically the Pope when it comes to reserving judgement, got in on it, publishing a story that characterized the tragedy as ?pure evil.?

Maybe Huckabee and Erickson are wrong about secularization having caused the shooting. But they?re not alone in suggesting it was caused by something unnatural.

Source: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowldc/lanza-evil-huckabee-erickson-sandy-hook_b91923

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Monday, December 17, 2012

Who should I follow on Twitter? Microsoft edition

Who should I follow on Twitter Microsoft edition

2012 has been pretty busy for Microsoft. We've seen the new, very different, Windows 8, not to mention a new version of its mobile OS and no end of hardware permutations from PC and laptop makers. With that in mind, this time on WSIFOT, we've assembled a together who you should be adding to your timeline to keep abreast of Redmond's machinations. Alongside a chunk of official Twitter accounts from Microsoft, we've also focused in on the writers and MS employees that set the agenda for Windows, Xbox, Windows Phone -- and the rest. Is there someone missing? As always, these lists are constantly changing, so let us know your suggestions through Twitter or in the comments.

Continue reading Who should I follow on Twitter? Microsoft edition

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/S70feBBjnv0/

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Broncos rout Ravens 34-17 for 9th straight win

Denver Broncos running back Jacob Hester to lifted into the air my teammate tackle Orlando Franklin after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Denver Broncos running back Jacob Hester to lifted into the air my teammate tackle Orlando Franklin after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning reacts to a touchdown by running back Jacob Hester during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker, left, is knocked out of bounds just short of a touchdown by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith during the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno is stopped by Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, top, and defensive back James Ihedigbo, bottom during the first half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker pulls in a touchdown pass as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Cary Williams looks on during the second half of an NFL football game in Baltimore, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

(AP) ? The Denver Broncos no longer can be considered a notch below the best in the AFC, nor can they be viewed as a team that can succeed only when Peyton Manning puts up dazzling numbers.

Their 34-17 rout of the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday showed just how good these Broncos can be.

Chris Harris returned an interception 98 yards for a momentum-turning touchdown, and Denver cruised to its ninth straight victory in surprisingly easy fashion.

"You come to the Ravens' house and beat them handily, it's definitely a statement game," Harris said. "We definitely wanted to show to everybody that we're an elite team."

Manning threw for 204 yards and a score in his ninth consecutive win against Baltimore, the first with the Broncos (11-3).

But he was merely a role player in this one, because Denver's defense dominated the Ravens, who sputtered in their first game with Jim Caldwell as offensive coordinator.

This was supposed to be a test for Denver, which was 0-5 in Baltimore and was eager to face a quality opponent on the road.

"Pat Bowlen has owned the team for 29 years and has averaged 10 wins a season, but it's the first time he's won in this building," Broncos coach John Fox said. "I was proud to see that for him."

Down 10-0 late in the first half, the Ravens had a first-and-goal at the Denver 4 when Harris stepped in front of Anquan Boldin, picked off a pass by Joe Flacco and sprinted down the right sideline with Flacco in pursuit. The quarterback tripped up Harris, who tumbled into the end zone, leaving Flacco flat on his stomach and with a cut lip.

"He just ran the out route and I was waiting to see when he was going to look back at the quarterback," Harris said. "As soon as he looked back, I looked back and the ball was there. I just made a play on the ball."

It was the longest regular-season interception return in Broncos history, and it turned a close game into a rout.

"I made a mistake. No other way to say it," Flacco said.

"Baltimore had some momentum there on the drive and looks like they're probably going to get the touchdown ? plus they get the ball the first series of the second half," Manning said.

"So just a huge play. The turnover is good, the fact that he took it all the way to the house for a touchdown was even bigger. Big play, big swing in the game, in the momentum. I thought it kind of jump-started everything in the second half for us."

The Ravens (9-5) were playing their first game under Caldwell, who replaced the fired Cam Cameron. Baltimore's offense sputtered in the first half, gaining only 119 yards and committing two turnovers that led to 10 Denver points.

It was 31-3 in the fourth quarter before Flacco threw touchdown passes of 31 and 61 yards to tight end Dennis Pitta.

"We couldn't get anything going until late," coach John Harbaugh said.

Baltimore has lost three straight ? including two in a row at home for the first time since December 2007.

Despite the defeat, the Ravens qualified for the playoffs for a fifth straight season when Pittsburgh lost to Dallas on Sunday night. That gave the Ravens a wild-card berth, but they hope to enter the postseason as division champions.

Baltimore still leads the AFC North, but its lead has shrunk to one game with two to play.

"We're a 9-5 football team and we feel like we're 0-14 right now," Flacco said.

Caldwell's debut was a resounding flop. Flacco went 20 for 40 for 254 yards, lost a fumble and threw an interception. Ray Rice ran for 38 yards on 12 carries and the Ravens produced a meager 56 yards rushing.

Baltimore's previous two defeats were by three points apiece. This one wasn't even close, and the stadium was near empty in the middle of the fourth quarter.

"As a player, I am embarrassed for our city," safety Ed Reed said.

Denver, on the other hand, appears poised to reach the postseason with confidence and momentum. The AFC West champions haven't lost since Oct. 7, at New England. The Broncos, who can still capture the top seed in the conference, finish with home games against Cleveland and Kansas City.

Baltimore's first offensive series under Caldwell lasted three plays and ended badly. Flacco fumbled on a third-and-1 plunge and the Broncos recovered at the Denver 47, which led to a 27-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

In the first quarter, Baltimore totaled 21 yards on 12 plays, punted three times and lost a fumble.

Denver went up 10-0 when Jacob Hester ran in from the 1 to cap an 11-play, 78-yard drive. Baltimore answered with three more unproductive plays before punting. On their fifth drive, the Ravens finally got their initial first down ? on a 14-yard run by Bernard Pierce with eight minutes left in the half.

Pierce eventually left the game with a concussion, as did wide receiver Torrey Smith, who hit his head after attempting to make a leaping catch near the sideline in the third quarter.

Denver pulled away with two third-quarter touchdowns. Manning threw a 51-yard scoring pass to Eric Decker, and after the Ravens went three-and-out, Knowshon Moreno ended a 39-yard drive with a 6-yard run to make it 31-3.

Decker caught eight passes for 133 yards and Moreno finished with 118 yards rushing on 22 carries.

NOTES: Rice passed 1,000 yards rushing for a fourth straight season. ... Terrell Suggs returned for Baltimore after missing one game with a torn biceps and made one tackle. ... Hester's score was the second rushing touchdown of his career and the first since his rookie season in 2008. ... Pitta had seven catches for 125 yards.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-16-FBN-Broncos-Ravens/id-996a5129302e41d3b703311552592452

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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Internet broadband subscriber base much below 40 mn target: Govt ...

New Delhi: There were 22.86 million Internet subscribers in India at the end of March 2012 ? way below the target that was set for 2010.

The number of Internet subscribers as reported by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the last three years was 16.18 million (2009-10), 19.67 million (2010-11) and 22.86 million (2011-12), Minister for Communications and IT Kapil Sibal said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

The government had set the target of achieving 6 million, 18 million and 40 million Internet users for the years 2005, 2007 and 2010 respectively, under the Broadband Policy 2004, the minister said.

The number of wireline Internet users stood at 6.7 million (2005), 10.36 million (2007) and 18.69 million (2010).

Representational Image. Getty Images

The policy had set the target for broadband users at 3 million, 9 million and 20 million for 2005, 2007 and 2010. The actual numbers stood at 0.90 million (2005), 3.13 million (2007) and 10.99 million (2010).

An Internet connection with a speed of 256 kbps and higher is categorised as broadband as per the policy.

Sibal said the main impediments hindering the growth of Internet and broadband in the country include ?lack of interest in private operators, for broadband expansion in rural areas, being non-remunerative?.

Difficulty in laying optical fibre cable (OFC) network due to the issues related to right of way clearances and high cost of right of way charges, he said.

Other obstacles, Sibal said, are high back haul cost, low PC penetration, high cost of customer premises equipment, low literacy levels, lack of local content and poor power supply.

On government?s plans to provide Internet facility at cheaper rates, he said the government has approved a scheme for creation of a National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) to provide broadband connectivity to 247,864 village panchayats.

The project will be funded by USOF and initial estimated cost of project is Rs 20,000 crore. The project is proposed to be completed in 2 years.

NOFN project is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle ? Bharat Broadband Network Ltd, a company incorporated on 25 February, 2012, under Indian Companies Act 1956. It is fully owned by central government, with equity participation from the government, BSNL, Railtel and Powergrid.

Replying to another query in Rajya Sabha, Sibal said, ?On completion of the NOFN project, non-discriminatory access to the network will be provided to all the categories of ISPs.?

?These access providers/service providers like mobile operators, ISPs, cable TV operators, content providers can launch various services in rural areas. Various applications for e-health, e-education, e-governance etc will be provided,? he added.

PTI

Source: http://www.firstpost.com/tech/internet-broadband-subscriber-base-much-below-40-mn-target-govt-557507.html

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Man in Mitt Romney mask robbed a Virginia bank

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An entire classroom of students is unaccounted for following a shooting at an elementary school in suburban Connecticut on Friday, a local newspaper reported. The Hartford Courant, citing unnamed sources, said at least 20 people were shot and that many of the shootings took place in a kindergarten classroom at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. CBS News, citing unnamed officials, reported at least 27 people, including possibly 18 children, were killed when at least one shooter opened fire at the school in Newtown, Connecticut. (Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/man-mitt-romney-mask-robs-virginia-bank-162850096--politics.html

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