Rick Warren returns to pulpit after son's suicide

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Nearly four months after his son's suicide, popular pastor Rick Warren returned to the pulpit Saturday afternoon at the Southern California megachurch he founded.

Warren, dressed in his usual casual black T-shirt and jeans, took the stage at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif. with wife, Kay Warren, and was greeted with a long standing ovation by the congregation.

A shout of "We love you!" came from the crowd before Warren began.

"I love you, too," a smiling Warren replied. "Have I told you lately that I love you?"

It was the first time Warren had taken the Saddleback pulpit since his 27-year-old son Matthew shot and killed himself on April 5.

In the sermon, first in a series called "How To Get Through What You're Going Through," Rick Warren said he had the perfect role model for his struggles.

"God knows what it's like to lose a son," Warren said.

He remained mostly composed, but choked back tears at times, including when he thanked his surviving two children.

"How proud I was of Amy and Josh, who for 27 years loved their younger brother," Warren said. "They talked him off the ledge time after time. They are really my heroes."

He delivered a formal, prepared speech with notes and quotes from Scripture but often broke off to talk frankly about his son.

"I was in shock for at least a month after Matthew took his life," Warren said.

But, Warren said he was grateful to come from "a family of spiritual redwoods."

"Satan picked the wrong team to pick on," he said.

Warren has been an essential figure in the modern, megachurch brand of Christianity.

His multimillion-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life" made him a national star in the realms of religion and self-help, and he delivered the opening prayer at President Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration.

Saddleback, the church he founded in 1980, has grown to 20,000 members, according to Warren's biography on the church's website.

But in April, Matthew Warren, after a lifetime of struggle with depression, shot and killed himself in what Warren at the time called "a momentary wave of despair."

"For 27 years I prayed every day of my life for God to heal my son's mental illness," Warren said.

But Warren said Saturday that he intended to turn his grief into a message of service and hope.

"God wants to take your greatest sorrow and turn it into your life's greatest message," he said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rick-warren-returns-pulpit-sons-suicide-235912447.html

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A First Look At Younity, The App That Lets You Access All Your Files All The Time

Younity, which is in the current class of Los Angeles-based startup accelerator MuckerLab, purportedly creates a "personal cloud" for the files shared on all of your various devices to let you access them anytime, anywhere. I met Younity co-founder Erik Caso while we were in L.A. visiting MuckerLab earlier this month, and his pitch was quite interesting -- from the looks of it, I'd be able to access vacation photos that are on my home computer from my phone in a snap (that is, if I had an iPhone.) Essentially, it makes the experience of the cloud come to you, rather than the other way around.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/E4FZgzbPQNk/

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You Can Use Your Own Body Way To Build Muscle

The information in this article will help you become educated in all aspects associated with fitness. If you want to avoid hurting yourself or wasting your time, it?s important that you have some knowledge beforehand. Take the time to do some research before you begin to exercise.

Consider opening up your own garden. Gardens aren?t a joke, they require a lot of effort and labor. You will need to weed, dig, turn over sod, and your body will be moving around a lot! When you are looking for a non-traditional exercise that gets you outdoors, you can do worse than garden.

If you have never worked out before, consider buying one or two sessions with a trainer to learn proper form and good exercises to use while you are starting out. A personal trainer can help you establish your goals and set up a workout that focuses on your problem areas. You can get some extra motivation to get to a new gym with the help of a professional trainer. This can give you a leg up for kicking off an effective, long-lasting exercise routing.

Signing up for a multi-month gym membership is a great way to make sure that you stick with your fitness program You will be more motivated because the money is already spent. However, you should only do this if you?re struggling to get yourself to workout.

You can boost your own motivation to get fit by purchasing something cute to exercise in. Even if it is just a small item, it will motivate you to show it off (and more importantly, get to the gym).

When working out using weights, start by using smaller machines first. Your smaller muscles get tired before larger ones do, so it makes sense to start with dumbbells or barbells before the bigger machines, for example. If you follow this plan, your small muscles can cool off while you work out the larger ones.

Crunches alone won?t help you build abs. A prominent university found that only one pound of fat gets burned even after 250,000 crunches. Simply doing only crunches means that you aren?t getting as much of a workout as you need. Therefore, it is important to work your abs in other ways.

Plant a garden of your own. Many don?t expect gardening to be as difficult as it is. You will need to weed, dig, turn over sod, and your body will be moving around a lot! It?s one of several hobbies you can do around that house that can actually help you get in shape.

Working out while enjoying your favorite t.v. show can take your mind off the exercise and increase the number of calories you burn in a day. Something as simple as a few minutes of walking during each commercial break can be very effective. Try small weight training as you sit on the couch. There is no shortage of ways to get a bit more exercise in during the day.

If you?re dedicated to getting in shape, consider hiring a personal trainer. A personal trainer is a wealth of knowledge, and they can motivate you to keep going when times are tough. However, some people are very successful when they work out on their own.

When you set goals for yourself, it is easier to stay motivated. It keeps your focus locked on the end point you want to reach, rather than getting caught up in how to get past the inevitable obstacles. Goals help you to see that fitness is an ongoing process.

You can boost your workouts by controlling your breathing. Try a powerful exhale when your shoulders reach the top of your crunch or sit-up. Exhaling deeply causes muscles to contract and forces them to work more intensely on your behalf.

Before starting any workout routine, make sure to visit a doctor to get a checkup. Your doctor will make sure that you are healthy enough to exercise and can give you some tips. If you smoke or have health problems, it is extremely important to speak with your doctor.

Depending on your ultimate goal, the frequency of your strength training will vary. If your target goal is bigger and bulkier, then you will actually have fewer strength sessions over time. However, those aiming to be lean, mean, and defined will more frequently stress the muscles in a strength training session.

Offer to help out during school fitness programs, and demonstrate to your child that you?re just as enthusiastic about health and fitness as you think that they should be. Showing your interested can help you child to become more involved.

Adding weight through barbells or dumbbells while doing bench training is a good way to increase fitness levels. Picking just the right bench can really help to make your workout powerful. If you feel wood from the bench on your back, you need to try a different bench. Benches that have flimsy cushions like this can hurt your back.

Strengthening your thighs is a great way to protect your knees. Tearing a knee ligament is among the most common injuries in sports. Work out both your hamstrings and your quads to ensure that your knees are protected. Leg curls and extensions are great for this.

Avoid bouncing when you stretch. This could lead to muscle strain. In spite of popular belief, stretching and bouncing at the same time does not make you more flexible. You might even hurt yourself in the process. You should do strong and steady stretches.

It is tempting and easy to go way too hard when you decide to embark on a fitness journey. You need to be careful to build up slowly when you first start exercising so that your body adapts to the new level of activity. To avoid getting hurt, slowly work into exercise, because your body and muscles have been sedentary and not used to the exertion required.

If you have problems working out often enough, or motivating yourself for exercise, you need to plan out a schedule. You should strive to work out a set number of times each week, and never miss a day. If you have to miss a workout, you should schedule an additional session and approach it with as much vigor as you would any other workout.

To keep your fitness routine from stagnating, it is important to change it up every now and then. There are many reasons why variety is a good idea. Number one is that you want to avoid becoming bored. If you become too used to old exercises, you may work less and you may not see the results you want. That?s why it?s important to try out new exercises on a regular basis.

You can consider adding yogurt to any diet plan. Yogurt offers a wide range of health benefits, including digestive aid. Yogurt is also high in calcium and protein. People who ingest more dairy tend to have better health.

You should take time out of your day to exercise. Doing extra things like taking the stairs can help you burn extra calories.

The best way to stay in shape is to set aside time in your schedule every day to exercise. Don?t schedule your day full of other productive activities and neglect your fitness. Otherwise you might lose the progress you?ve made in the exercise room. Any occasion of free time throughout your day could be utilized wisely by engaging in physical fitness.

There are many options when it comes to exercise. You need to find what works right for you. With the wealth of fitness information available today, it?s easier than ever to put together a customized workout plan that is fun and engaging. You will find fitness very interesting if you start to learn about it.

If you are looking for a fun and new method of working out, try kickboxing. There aren?t many people that try kickboxing and don?t end up drenched in sweat, knowing that they just completed a big workout. This exercise is great for quickly burning lots of calories and building up your strength.

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Tulsa Community College program gives prisoners a Second Chance

By MIKE AVERILL World Staff Writer on Jul 26, 2013, at 2:22 AM??Updated on 7/26/13 at 2:52 AM

HOMINY - After he graduated from Collinsville High School, Trymaine White planned to take a year off before attending college to become a pediatrician. A felony conviction derailed that plan.

White, who had been a juvenile offender, was sentenced to five years in prison for possession of a firearm.

Now the father of three is determined to do right by his family when he is released from the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy.

On Thursday, he took the first steps down that path when he received a business computer user certificate from Tulsa Community College through its Second Chance program.

"I want to let them know that even though I got in trouble, I'm not a bad person," White said.

"I want to be an inspiration to my two sons and daughter because everyone was always telling me I was a bad person."

White was one of 26 inmates to receive certificates or associate's degrees during a graduation ceremony at the prison Thursday.

Through the Second Chance program, TCC sends faculty members to the prison to teach classes to medium- and minimum-security offenders.

The inmates can obtain certificates in areas such as computers, hotel and restaurant management, and landscape design.

Associate's degrees are available in business and enterprise development.

"People with felonies have a hard time getting a job," said Jim Maxson, an associate professor at TCC and the corrections education organizer.

He said TCC chose those particular fields of study because they are industries that are open to hiring felons.

"We know they'll start at the bottom, but as their peers move on, our hope is that they will be able to move into supervisor positions in those industries," Maxson said.

TCC created the Second Chance program in 2007 with a grant and now funds the program with scholarships and private funding.

Since its inception, nearly 320 inmates have gone through the program.

"More than 60 percent of those incarcerated have less than a ninth-grade education," Maxson said.

He added that the average recidivism rate is 23.8 percent. But for offenders with some college education, it's less than 12 percent, and for those with an associate's degree, it's less than 1 percent.

"If you give them an education, you save money and create a productive citizen," Maxson said, adding that the average cost for an incarceration is $100,000.

The graduation address was given by Jeff Henderson, an award-winning chef, author and convicted felon who spent 10 years in a California state prison, where he developed a passion for cooking.

"I never would have imagined I would value education," he said. "Education is power. Education is money in the bank. Education is the only way to achieve the American dream the right way.

"It's not easy to have a house with a nice kitchen and a swimming pool in the backyard," Henderson told the honorees, "but this is a road map that leads to success."

---

Mike Averill 918-581-8489
mike.averill@tulsaworld.com

Original Print Headline: Prison to paycheck

Source: http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Tulsa_Community_College_program_gives_prisoners_a_Second/20130726_11_A11_CUTLIN715599?rss_lnk=1

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Pocket-sized sensor gives instant fat burning updates

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Fitness fanatics may soon be able to gauge if their hard work is paying ?off without the need for weighing scales thanks to a new device that can ?instantly tell if your body is burning fat. The portable, pocket-sized sensor, produced by a group of researchers in ?Japan, works by measuring increased levels of acetone on the breath - a ?good indicator of when the body has begun to break down fat.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/aK8iDXXmSBc/130724200213.htm

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Report Card Day Not Just for Students | NCC News

? AP, 2013

By Jeffrey Tousey SYRACUSE (NCC News)-?The days of only students stressing out over report cards are officially over, at least in New York State. ?For the first time in New York state history all 700 hundred school districts have implemented mandatory teacher evaluations. Every teacher in every district received a report card based on their performance in the classroom and how their students scored on standardized tests.

?

Why are we evaluating teachers?

This comes after the federal government ?put together an incentive program that would provide states with millions of dollars in additional funding if they had a teacher evaluation system in place for every school district. ?Governor Cuomo realized that New York state spends more money on education that any other state in the nation, and had no system in place to track how the money was being distributed.

After a failed attempt to get the teacher?s union to work with him on getting an evaluation system put in place, he came back with an ultimatum; if school?s did not put in an evaluation system they would not receive any state funding. ?By early 2012, every school district in the state of New York had a teacher report card in place. ?This now gave state officials the ability to measure every teacher, every classroom and every school in the state and further cross reference between districts, to better determine what is and isn?t working in the New York state education system.

How are the teachers being evaluated?

The teacher evaluations are scored on a 100 point system and broken down into three sections.

Weighing in the heaviest and accounting for 60 points is teacher performance in the classroom. ?This is scored by an unannounced visit by the principal or a school administrator, where they will observe the teacher for a 40 minute lesson.

?I don?t care if people are in my classroom,? said Anna Morrow, a teacher at?Liverpool elementary, ??Like come in, see what I?m doing, and come in often, so that my evaluation isn?t based on a 40 minute lesson.?

The other two sections are a twenty, twenty split based on student achievement in state and local standardized tests.

?And that?s scary to me that we?re?. We?re taking 20 points and basing it on six days of testing,? said Morrow.

Once all the observations are recorded and the test scores returned teachers are then rated as either ineffective, developing, effective, or highly effective.

If a teacher scores ?ineffective,? the school district is then required to work with that teacher individually to help them become a stronger educators. ?If after two years, the teacher is still scoring ?ineffective,? they may face a termination hearing.

Governor Cuomo believes?the program puts students first and makes New York a national leader in holding teachers accountable for student achievement.

Listen to the story here

?

Source: https://nccnews.expressions.syr.edu/?p=101967

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Pope's Brazil security questioned after mob scene

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ? There was widespread finger pointing on Tuesday over the security scheme meant to protect Pope Francis during his seven days in Brazil after a frantic crowd of faithful Catholics repeatedly surrounded and halted the vehicles he was riding in as he paraded down main avenues.

But one of biggest hurdles to avoiding such mob scenes is Francis himself. The pope has repeatedly said he wants the church to go out among the masses, a practice he has personally adopted.

The "slum pope," as was dubbed in his native Argentina for the amount of time he spent in impoverished areas most people consider dangerous, smiled as his car was mobbed Monday shortly after his arrival in Brazil. He kept his window rolled down and even kissed a baby passed into the vehicle by its mother.

"I was so surprised! Maybe I'm looking at it from a foreign perspective, but it seemed odd that the people were allowed that close on the roads," said the Rev. Joseph Tan, a priest from the Philippines, echoing the reaction of many in Rio for the papal visit. "In the Philippines, people would have gathered to get a glimpse, but nothing like what we saw. But that's the pope's personality, he was just being himself."

Papal spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi made clear that despite the mobs, Francis wouldn't change his decision to use an open-air vehicle and specifically planned to use the open car for the very events expected to draw the largest crowds: a speech on Copacabana beach on Wednesday, a Way of the Cross procession on Friday, and a weekend vigil and Mass in a rural part of Rio.

Lombardi said the pontiff deliberately chose to use the same car he uses in St. Peter's Square, and not the bulletproof popemobile, to be closer to people and interact with them. But that square is a closed and controlled; Vatican and Italian police ring the square, the faithful are fenced into pens, and bodyguards trail the car at all times.

But how Vatican and Brazilian authorities decide to organize his security going forward is ultimately not the pope's responsibility, Lombardi said. "Obviously he desires to have a possibly very direct contact with the people. This is clear, and not a militarization of the situation," said the spokesman. "But the concrete solutions are not chosen by him."

Figuring out how to keep this hands-on pontiff safe is now the nightmare chore for Brazilian security forces. The Federal Police are mostly in charge of the pope's security in Brazil, though when he travels to a rural part of Rio this weekend, the army will secure the massive pasture where he'll celebrate Mass.

On Tuesday, authorities blamed each other for the traffic fiasco the day before.

Officials with the Federal Police who have control of the pope's security in urban Rio told the local press the blame belonged to Federal Highway Police. But the highway police said they were just following specifications laid out by the Federal Police. Neither agency returned calls. Meanwhile, the Rio mayor's office said it knew nothing about the plan for the pope's travel from the airport to the city center while even the secretary general for President Dilma Rousseff said he didn't know who was to blame but that he was "relieved" no harm came to Francis.

It wasn't the best means to project confidence on security arrangements for a nation that saw widespread anti-government protests paralyze scores of cities last month and that's preparing to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.

Authorities in Brazil earlier said about 10,000 police officers and more than 14,000 soldiers would take part in the overall papal security plan, but on Monday virtually no uniformed officers were seen along the route as Francis was mobbed by the crowds.

There were few barricades set up along the route and thousands of faithful easily made their way onto streets that were meant to be shut off from the public. In some places along the route, people could be seen forming "human chains" to keep the crowds at bay.

About three dozen plain-clothes officers including the pope's personal bodyguards and some Brazilian officers were seen surrounding the pope's vehicles, trying desperately to push the crowds back

Paulo Storani, a Rio-based security consultant who spent nearly 30 years on the city's police force and was a captain in an elite unit sent in to clear out slums, said the fiasco seen Monday had to be analyzed in two ways.

"From the point of view of a head of state, and the pope is a head of state, it's unacceptable what happened. The proximity people had with him was a huge risk, even for his image," Storani said. "On the other hand, in the case of a head of a church and having a charismatic figure like this pope, the situation is different because he wants to be close to the people.

"The police intelligence units have to do a lot more work to detect potential threats to the pope's security and there needs to be a bigger presence of plainclothes officers in the middle of the masses to ensure his security," he added.

There was no word on whether Francis would agree to a heavier security presence when he travels to the city of Aparecida on Wednesday, or holds a Thursday meeting with Catholic youth on Copacabana beach that is expected to draw a crowd of 1 million.

But many changes seemed unlikely.

Francis made clear even before he was pope that the Catholic Church must stop being so closed and self-referential and go out to the edges of the world to interact with the most marginalized. Many cardinals point to a speech Francis made as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, days before he was elected pope, as the mission statement that essentially got him elected.

In that pre-conclave speech, Bergoglio said the church must "move toward the peripheries, not only geographic but also existential: those of sin, suffering, injustice, ignorance and religious abstention, thought and all misery."

"When the church does not emerge from itself to evangelize, it becomes self-referential and therefore becomes sick. ... The evils that, over time, occur in ecclesiastical institutions have their root in (being self-referential), a kind of theological narcissism," Bergoglio said then.

After becoming pope, he followed those words up with actions even before his Rio trip. His first parish visit in Rome was to a church in a poor neighborhood on the farthest outskirts of the capital. His first trip outside Rome was to the most peripheral part of Italy, Lampedusa, a speck of an island closer to Africa than the Italian mainland, where he mourned the deaths of refugees trying to reach Europe.

Francis is visiting his home continent for the first time since becoming pontiff, with his visit coinciding with the church's World Youth Day, an event held every three years to bring young Catholics together in an effort to inject new energy in the church.

He will celebrate two Masses expected to each draw more than 1 million people: one on Copacabana beach and the other in a rural pasture. He'll also visit a slum in Rio in an area known by locals as the Gaza Strip because of its heavy violence before police "pacified" it in January, pushing out powerful drug gangs and setting up a permanent outpost.

___

Associated Press writers Marco Sibaja and Vivian Sequera contributed to this report.

___

Follow Bradley Brooks and Nicole Winfield on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bradleybrooks and www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/popes-brazil-security-questioned-mob-scene-165431856.html

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WSJ: Apple testing larger iPhone, iPad screens with suppliers

Rumors that Apple is looking to super-size its upcoming iPhone and iPad lineups are gathering steam, thanks to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal. It cited Apple's suppliers in Asia, who said that Cupertino is testing a 13-inch iPad design and prototype iPhone screens larger than the current four inches. While Apple wouldn't comment, of course, that jibes with an earlier Reuters report, which claimed it was considering 4.7- and 5.7-inch iPhone screens. If accurate (and that's always a big if with such rumors), the report doesn't necessarily mean that products with larger displays will ever come to market -- Apple routinely changes specs and tests components during the development cycle. Still, it would be further evidence that the company's willing to bend on its one-size-fits-all screen size policy, which is something that the large-handed (or weak-eyed) among us might appreciate.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Apple

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Source: WSJ

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

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If you're in Fallon today, the Fallon Youth Baseball Babe Ruth All Stars are hav...

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Chinese man sentenced to death for child sex abuse

The convict lured the girls on the pretext of buying them soda or pencils and committed the crime after taking them to obscure alleys.

BEIJING: A man dubbed as "sex offender" in China was sentenced to death on Sunday for raping and molesting minor girls between 2008 and 2012.

Zhang Qinghai, a coal mine worker, was found guilty of raping two girls, aged seven and nine, a court in east China's Anhui province said while pronouncing the sentence with a two-year reprieve.

Zhang was also guilty of molesting four other girls, the youngest of whom was five years old.

The court said the sex offender also took many nude pictures of the girls.

Zhang committed the offences between 2008 and 2012, the court said.

He lured the girls on the pretext of buying them soda or pencils and committed the crime after taking them to obscure alleys, the court said.

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For African-American and White Women Factors Influencing Delay in Breast Cancer Treatment Differ

The study used data from the Carolina Breast Cancer Study (CBCS) Phase III, a program of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Scientists found that among White women, household size and losing a job due to one's diagnosis were reasons for delay in treatment, while among African-American women, the type of treatment received influenced delay. Both African-American and White women experienced delay if they underwent immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy. African-American women were more likely than White women to experience delay associated with this procedure (92.5 percent versus 60.6 percent).

The study was published in the July 3, 2013 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The researchers categorized women into two groups: those who received treatment within 30 days of diagnosis, and those whose treatment was delayed by more than 30 days.

"Our goal was to identify the factors that contribute to treatment delay and to assess whether disparities in delay exist between African-American and White women," said Sasha McGee, PhD, an epidemiology graduate student at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health at the time of this study.

The study found that African-American women between the ages of 20 and 49 were more than three times as likely as White women in this age range to experience treatment delay.

"The study results suggest that specific populations of women need to be targeted when characterizing and addressing determinants of treatment delay, and that younger African-American women may benefit from interventions to reduce disparities in treatment delay," said McGee.

The study population consisted of 601 women with breast cancer between the ages of 20 and 74, who were enrolled in the CBCS between 2008 and 2010. The CBCS is an ongoing population-based study that recruits women from 44 counties in in North Carolina. "We used information from interviews and questionnaires to collect socioeconomic data for each woman," McGee added. "Larger studies often use area-level information for groups of people [e.g. based on census data] and apply these data to individuals in the study, which may not always be accurate." Clinical and treatment information were obtained by reviewing the medical records for each study participant.

"One of the goals of the CBCS Phase III is to assess five- and ten-year survival for study participants once recruitment ends in 2014. Follow-up interviews for study participants will continue for up to five years after diagnosis, therefore not only will we be able to evaluate the impact of a treatment delay of more than 30 days on survival, but also the impact of barriers to treatment and healthcare access," said McGee.

Source-Eurekalert

Source: http://feeds.medindia.com/~r/allhealthnews/~3/d1WwcHCjFLI/for-african-american-and-white-women-factors-influencing-delay-in-breast-cancer-treatment-differ-121982-1.htm

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California Supreme Court orders state's governor to respond to legal bid to halt same-sex marriages by Friday night - @latimes

Gov. Jerry Brown, shown Thursday, was ordered by the California Supreme Court to respond to a petition seeking to reinstate the ban on same-sex marriage. (Carolyne Corelis / Associated Press / July 11, 2013)

By Maura Dolan

July 12, 2013, 3:50 p.m.

This post has been corrected. See note below for details.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-prop-8-petition-gov-brown-20130712,0,4697958.story?track=rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=649324

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Florida jury has question for judge about manslaughter charge

SANFORD, Florida (Reuters) - A Florida jury interrupted deliberations on the fate of George Zimmerman for the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin on Saturday to ask a question about manslaughter, the presiding judge in the case said.

The query for Judge Debra Nelson came about nine hours into the first full day of deliberations in the case. The jury of six women weighed evidence in the Seminole County courthouse for more than three hours on Friday.

The jury must reach a unanimous verdict of second-degree murder, manslaughter or acquittal for Zimmerman, who says he shot the 17-year-old in self-defense.

(Reporting by Tom Brown; Editing by Dina Kyriakidou)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/florida-jury-judge-manslaughter-charge-221452403.html

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Thousands mourn UK soldier slain in London

Story Highlights

• David Cameron joins those mourning Lee Rigby
• Rigby, 25, was slain in broad daylight by alleged Islamic extremists
• The service was private, but broadcast on loudspeakers outside

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LONDON (AP) ? British Prime Minister David Cameron joined thousands of mourners Friday at the funeral of a British soldier killed in broad daylight by alleged Islamic extremists.

Lee Rigby, 25, was hacked to death May 22 on a London street near his army barracks. The killing shocked Britain and much of the world.

Rigby's family and mourners were greeted on Friday with applause by members of the public lining the streets outside Bury Parish Church in northwest England, where soldiers from Rigby's Royal Regiment of Fusiliers had maintained an honor guard overnight.

The soldier's widow, Rebecca, walked into the church with the couple's 2-year-old son Jack, who wore a T-shirt bearing the words "My Daddy My Hero." Rigby's parents and sisters were in tears.

London Mayor Boris Johnson was among the public officials in attendance.

The service was private, in keeping with the family's wishes, but broadcast on loudspeakers to well-wishers packing the street outside the church.

Rigby's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Jim Taylor, described the soldier as "extremely popular" and "truly charismatic," telling mourners the man known to friends as "Riggers" loved to perform.

"To be with Lee was to be where it was most fun ? the center of good times and much mischief," Taylor said in a eulogy. "People fell quickly under his spell. Whether it was in work or off duty, at a ceremonial engagement or on operations, Lee just knew how to lighten the mood. He could brighten a room within moments and, by all accounts, clear a dance floor in seconds, if a Whitney Houston track was playing."

Rebecca Rigby had earlier expressed gratitude for the "overwhelming" outpouring of support following the attack.

"There are so many kind and generous people out there," she said in a pool interview ahead of the funeral. "It's just horrible that it takes something such as this to make you see how many good people there are."

Rigby's death caused a spike in racial tensions in Britain due to the apparent involvement of religious extremists. Police reported an increase in attacks against Muslim mosques and community centers in the subsequent weeks.

The two men charged in relation to Rigby's killing ? Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22 ? are due to stand trial starting Nov. 18.

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Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://rssfeeds.usatoday.com/~r/UsatodaycomWorld-TopStories/~3/pKVHTo3Q3LE/

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Dead Russian lawyer Magnitsky found guilty

MOSCOW (AP) ? More than three years after he died in prison, whistle-blowing Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky was found guilty of tax evasion by a Moscow court Wednesday.

The posthumous trial of Magnitsky was a macabre chapter in a case that ignited a high-emotion dispute between Russia and Washington that has included U.S. sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators, a ban on the adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens and calls for the closure of Russian non-governmental organizations receiving American funding.

Magnitsky was a lawyer for U.S.-born British investor William Browder when he alleged in 2008 that organized criminals colluded with corrupt Interior Ministry officials to claim a fraudulent $230 million tax rebate after illegally seizing subsidiaries of Browder's Hermitage Capital investment company.

He subsequently was arrested on tax evasion charges and died in prison in November 2009 of untreated pancreatitis at age 37.

His death prompted widespread criticism from human rights activists and the presidential human rights council found in 2011 that he had been beaten and deliberately denied medical treatment.

Announcing his verdict Thursday, Judge Igor Alisov said "Magnitsky masterminded a massive tax evasion scheme in a ... conspiracy with a group of people," according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.

Browder, a strident critic of the lack of transparency at top Russian companies who has been banned from Russia since 2005 as a security threat, was also found guilty in absentia along with Magnitsky of evading some $17 million in taxes. He was sentenced to nine years in prison.

"Today's verdict will go down in history as one of the most shameful moments for Russia since the days of Joseph Stalin," Browder said in a statement. "The worst part of today's verdict is the malicious pain that the Russian government is ready to inflict on the grieving family of a man who was killed for standing up to government corruption and police abuse."

Sen. Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Magnitsky's posthumous conviction was "nothing short of a message to Russia's activist community of the repercussions of opposing the state."

"The trend toward authoritarianism in Russia and the accompanying escalation in violations of human and civil rights is reason for grave concern," Menendez said in a statement.

Russia's top court ruled in 2011 that posthumous trials are allowed, with the intention of letting relatives clear their loved ones' names. But Magnitsky's relatives said they had no desire for such a proceeding. Instead, the trial of Magnitsky underlined Russia's strong resentment of foreign criticism of its human rights record.

The court said the verdict ends the case against Magnitsky, and his lawyer Nikolai Gerasimov said he had no authority to try for an appeal. Kirill Goncharov, the court-appointed attorney for Browder, told ITAR-Tass that "undoubtedly, today's verdict will be appealed."

Russia's top investigative body in March closed its probe into Magnitsky's death, finding that no crimes were committed. A prison doctor charged with negligence in his death was acquitted in December.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dead-russian-lawyer-magnitsky-found-guilty-083929210.html

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Lack of Placebo Hobbles Studies of Brain-Training | Psych Central ...

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on July 11, 2013

New research suggests those thinking about buying products to boost their brain power would do well to heed the motto ?caveat emptor.?

Researchers have discovered that while many brain-training companies emphasize the scientific rationale or proof?that their programs sharpen the mind, most studies do not adequately account for the placebo effect, a major limitation.

The new analysis appears in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science.

The results of psychological interventions, like medical ones, must be compared to improvements in a control condition, said University of Illinois psychology professor Dr. Daniel Simons, who co-wrote the article with Dr. Walter Boot, and cognitive psychology graduate students Cary Stothart and Cassie Stutts, of Florida State University.

In a clinical trial for a new drug, some participants receive a pill with the critical ingredients, and others receive an identical-looking pill that is inert ? a placebo.

Because participants cannot tell which they received, people in each condition should be equally likely to expect improvements.

In contrast, for most psychology interventions, participants know what?s in their ?pill,? Simons said.

?It?s not possible to use a brain-training program for 10 hours without knowing the type of training you received,? he said.

?People can form expectations for what will improve based on their experiences with the training tasks, and the existence of differences in expectations between people in treatment and control groups potentially undermines any claim that improvements were due to the treatment itself. Not one of the studies cited by the brain-training companies looks at differing expectations between the groups.?

Merely having an ?active control group,? one that does something for the same amount of time as the treatment group, does not protect against the placebo effect, Simons said.

A treatment group that completes an intensive memory-training regimen might expect improved performance on other cognitive tasks assessing memory. A control group that does crossword puzzles or watches DVDs for the same amount of time likely won?t expect the same amount of improvement on the same tasks, he said.

?These problems are not limited to brain-training studies,? Simons said. ?They hold true for almost all intervention studies.?

To illustrate the pervasiveness of this problem, the researchers examined expectations for improvement in studies of the effect of playing action video games on measures of perception and attention.

?Such studies find greater improvements in performance on attention and perception tasks after training with action video games than after training with non-action games for the same amount of time,? Boot said. ?However, even with this sort of active control condition, these interventions still are at risk for differential placebo effects.?

In one experiment, researchers measured expectations in two survey studies involving 200 participants each.

Participants watched either a short video of an action game (?Unreal Tournament?) or one of the games commonly used as controls in these studies (?Tetris? or ?The Sims?).

They then read descriptions of the cognitive tests used in the studies, watched short videos of the tests, and answered questions about whether they thought their performance on the tests would improve as a result of training on the video game they had viewed.

The actual impact of the intervention can be skewed by an individual?s expectations.

In this case, the results showed that expectations for improvement were greater for the action-game group than for the control games on exactly the same tests that showed bigger improvements for action-game training in the intervention studies.

In fact, the pattern of expected improvements exactly matched actual improvements seen in video game intervention studies, the researchers found.

?If expectations for improvement align perfectly with the actual improvements, then any claim that the treatment was effective is premature,? Simons said. ?Researchers must first eliminate differences in expectations across conditions.?

?Even though participants in psychology interventions typically know the nature of their intervention ? you can?t play a video game without knowing the game you?re playing ? there are steps researchers can take to ensure that the advantages of the treatment group are not due to expectations,? Boot said.

For example, researchers can mislead participants as to the expected benefits of a particular intervention, giving those in the control group higher expectations for improvement than those in the treatment group.

Researchers also can assess expectations generated by treatments in a separate sample of participants to ensure that expectations do not differ between intervention and control treatments.

?Although placebo effects can be helpful as well, we need to know what causes improvements in an intervention,? Simons said.

?We don?t want to recommend new therapies, change school curricula, or encourage the elderly to buy brain-training games if the benefits are just due to expectations for improvement.

?Only by using better active controls that equate for expectations can we draw definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of any intervention.?

Source: University of Illinois

APA Reference
Nauert, R. (2013). Lack of Placebo Hobbles Studies of Brain-Training. Psych Central. Retrieved on July 12, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/07/11/lack-of-placebo-hobbles-studies-of-brain-training/57064.html

?

Source: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/07/11/lack-of-placebo-hobbles-studies-of-brain-training/57064.html

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OK! Wake Up Call: Olivia Wilde Reveals Her Wedding Gown Designer, Adam Lambert Joins Glee and More!

Rise and shine, pop culture fans! Rub your eyes, get to?stretchin?, and pour yourself a hot cup of coffee because it?s time to start your day off right with a little?OK! Wake Up Call. It?s better than the blaring ring from your alarm clock, right?

Here are some things to know today:

Here comes the bride all dressed in?.Find out which designer Olivia Wilde has chosen for her wedding gown and bridesmaid dresses. (People StyleWatch)

It?s a?Clueless?reunion! Donald Faison and Stacey Dash reunite after 14 years on The Exes. (US Weekly)

We could just burst into song after hearing the exciting news of Adam Lambert joining?Glee! (Perez Hilton)

Disney plus boy bands?is there a better combination? (Glamour)

Happy Birthday, Lisa Rinna! Help the actress celebrate her special day by sending her a tweet! (Twitter)?

Jennifer Aniston looks flawless as usual in her new Smartwater ad. (E! News)

Does Ryan Seacrest have a new gig lined up with NBC? Get the scoop here. (Vulture)

?Hit YouTube?series?Sh*t Girls Say scores big deal with?Style Network. (Cosmopolitan)

Did L?Oreal discover the secret cure for gray hair? (The Cut)

Source: http://okmagazine.com/news/ok-wake-up-call-olivia-wilde-reveals-her-wedding-gown-designer-adam-lambert-joins-glee-and-more/

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Jury in Zimmerman case may consider manslaughter

George Zimmerman leaves the courtroom during a recess in his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. Wednesday, July 10, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Gary W. Green, Pool)

George Zimmerman leaves the courtroom during a recess in his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. Wednesday, July 10, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Gary W. Green, Pool)

Trayvon Martin's parents, Sabrina Fulton, left, and Tracy Martin, center, stand with their attorney Daryl Parks during George Zimmerman's trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. Wednesday, July 10, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin.(AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Gary W. Green, Pool)

George Zimmerman, left, shakes hands with his defense attorney Mark O'Mara during a recess in his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla. Wednesday, July 10, 2013. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Gary W. Green, Pool)

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) ? A judge said Thursday that jurors in the George Zimmerman case can consider the lesser charge of manslaughter, but she denied a request for the jury also to consider third-degree murder after a defense attorney called the proposal "outrageous."

Prosecutor Richard Mantei argued that instructions for third-degree murder should be included on the premise that Zimmerman committed child abuse when he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin because Martin was underage.

But defense attorney Don West called the proposed instruction "a trick," and he accused the prosecutor of springing it on the defense at the last minute.

"Just when I didn't think this case could get any more bizarre, the state is alleging child abuse?" West said. "This is outrageous. It's outrageous the state would seek to do this at this time."

Judge Debra Nelson denied the third-degree murder instruction, saying she was exercising caution since she was unsure if prosecutors could prove intent.

"I just don't think the evidence supports that," Nelson said.

The judge, however, agreed with the prosecution that jurors could consider manslaughter as a lesser charge.

West said he wanted the six jurors to only consider the second-degree murder charge or not guilty.

"The state has charged him with second degree murder. They should be required to prove it," West said. "If they had wanted to charge him with manslaughter ... they could do that."

Jurors could begin deliberating as early as Friday. Prosecutors were expected to give closing arguments Thursday afternoon, followed by the defense closing on Friday morning.

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. On the night of the fatal scuffle in February 2012, Martin was visiting his father and his father's fiancee at the same townhome complex where Zimmerman lived.

Zimmerman observed Martin while driving in his neighborhood, called police and the fight ensued after the neighborhood watch volunteer got out of his vehicle. Zimmerman claims Martin was slamming his head into the concrete pavement when he fired his gun.

Some civil rights activists argued that a delay in charging Zimmerman was influenced by Martin's race, and protests were held around the nation in the 44 days between the fatal fight and Zimmerman's arrest. Martin was black and Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

___

Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://twitter.com/khightower.

Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-07-11-US-Neighborhood-Watch/id-d4e47beb17c247d2be987ddbe76dcf5b

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Abdominal Fat Linked to Raised Heart, Cancer Risks

From

Published: July 10, 2013 4:49 PM
?-- Robert Preidt

People with excessive belly fat have a greater risk of heart disease and cancer than those who have fat in other body areas, a new study finds.

Researchers used CT scans to assess fat in the abdomen, around the heart tissue and around the aortic artery in more than 3,000 Americans, average age 50. They were then followed for up to seven years.

During the follow-up, there were 90 cardiovascular...

Content Preview This content is exclusive for Newsday digital access and 7-day home delivery subscribers and Optimum Online customers.

Source: http://www.newsday.com/news/health/abdominal-fat-linked-to-raised-heart-cancer-risks-1.5662740

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Gunmen kill 14 Iraqi security troops in Iraq

July 11, 2013 - 14:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - An Iraqi official said gunmen have killed 14 Iraqi security troops in the country's west in an attack that coincided with the breaking of the fast on the first day of Ramadan, The Associated Press reports.

The official said the attack took place on Thursday, July 11, when gunmen first overran an army checkpoint near the town of Barwana. The town is about 220 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of Baghdad.

The attackers then shot up a trailer used by special oil industry police force protecting a nearby pipeline as the men were sitting down to have the iftar meal that breaks the daytime Ramadan fast at sunset.

Barwana mayor Meyasser Abdul-Mohsin says three soldiers died at the checkpoint and 11 troops at the trailer.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Source: http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/165268/

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College Football Betting: Season O/U Wins - Greek vs. 5Dimes

Sports Betting Podcast 7-9-2013 with Handicappers Ian Cameron and Erin Rynning

Tags: MLB Ian Cameron Erin Rynning

Yo! It's $20 Tuesday at Sportsmemo

Tags: MLB Ian Cameron Erin Rynning

MLB Handicapping: Los Angeles Dodgers Dominating Division Lately

Submitted by Stat Intelligence Lost amidst all the Puig-headed arguing about how great six-week stats have to be to earn an All-Star invitation?is the message that the Los Angeles Dodgers have been sending lately to the rest of the NL West. After Monday Night?s 6-1 victory in Arizona, the Dodgers are 7-4, with a 59-38 run differential in their last 11 ROAD games in the division. Not 7-4 with a split schedule. Seven of 11 with a big run differential only counting games away from home against the teams they need to beat to reach the playoffs. Strong stuff. The offense has been lethal lately with both Puig and Ramirez putting up monster numbers (they were 5 of 10 combined tonight with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI). Kershaw is the ace of the league. Greinke was back in form tonight. If recently acquired Nolasco from Florida can settle down the back end of the rotation?we could have a rags to riches story that moves very quickly. The Dodgers play two more games in Arizona before hosting Colorado for four games just before the All-Star Break. Their current overall run is 13-3 the last 16 games. Other quickies: *Feldman of Baltimore struggled tonight vs. Texas. He?s another great example of how mediocre AL pitchers can thrive in the National League. He drew raves in a half a season with the Cubs this year. That after a career 4.82 ERA as a starter in the American League. Two games now with the Orioles and his ERA is over 7.00 since they acquired him. One of the unmentioned things about Puig looking like Superman is that he?s doing it in Quadruple A. The mainstream media bends over backwards to not talk about the difference in leagues because they?re marketing product and promoting the sport. *Didn?t have time to dig through a lot of five inning stuff tonight. I was trying to come to a final conclusion about the NY Jets line mystery that I?ve mentioned a couple of times. Talked to a few people about it. No resolution?because it?s just something that can?t make sense if you work through it. The NY Jets can?t be 4-5 points worse than Tampa Bay, and 5 points worse than New England?though that?s what the early Cantor lines were suggesting based on their projected pointspreads. New England can?t be 10 points better than Buffalo, but only 5 points better than the Jets if Buffalo and the Jets look to be relatively evenly matched. There are ramifications for this if you were using Cantor?s numbers to estimate regular season win totals. If the Jets are 4-5 points worse than Tampa Bay, then they?re a 5.5-win team rather than a 6.5 win team (which is the current line for their Regular Season Win totals). If the Jets are only 5 points worse than New England?then either the Jets are more like a 7.5-win team?or the Patriots aren?t as good as their win total is suggesting. Use your own numbers. Tags: MLB Los Angeles Dodgers Stat Intelligence

LVH Sportsbook gears up for footbal season

Head's up for football bettors in the Las Vegas area. According to LVH oddsmaker Jay Kornegay, College Football Season O/U Wins, Games of the Year, and Conference Title odds while be available July 21 at 10:30 am PT. Also note that registration for LVH's SuperContest is underway. The entry fee is $1,500. Also note a few changes for this year... The 2013 LVH SuperContest will see a couple of changes. We have expanded the cash prize pool to the top 30 and the new breakdown will be listed on the SuperContest Rules page. In addition, the LVH SuperBook has increased the two bonuses. Anyone selecting over 67% or wins the mini-contest (best record over the last 3 weeks of the season) will now win an aggregate cash prize of $15,000. To be eligible for this year?s mini-contest, contestants must sign up before September 2nd. Tags: College Football NFL

College Football Betting: Season O/U Wins - Greek vs. 5Dimes

Below is a chart of College Football Regular Season Over/Under Wins from The Greek and 5Dimes. Most of the numbers are similar with the only difference being a few cents worth of juice. There is however some varying opinion, most notably teams lined a flat 6 wins at the Greek are all lined 5.5 at 5Dimes (Iowa, Mississippi State, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia). Also interesting is the price on Alabama. The Greek has the Crimson Tide at 11 wins but heavy juice (-200) towards the under. 5Dimes meanwhile lists Alabama at 11 wins but slightly towards the over (-120). There is also some opinion on USC with The Greek at a flat 9 wins and 5Dimes 9.5ov-125. 2013 College Football Season O/U Wins - Greek vs. 5Dimes Team Greek 5Dimes Alabama 11un-200 11ov-120 Arizona 7.5ov-130 7.5un-135 Arizona State 8.5 8ov-150 Auburn 7un-155 6.5un-180 Baylor 8un-120 7.5ov-175 Boise State 10 9.5ov-120 Clemson 9.5 9.5ov-130 Florida 9un-135 9un-160 Florida State 10ov-120 10ov-150 Georgia 9.5ov-135 9.5ov-150 Georgia Tech 8.5un-135 8.5 Iowa 6 5.5un-140 Iowa State 6un-125 5.5un-185 Kansas State 8ov-150 8.5un-195 Louisville 10.5ov-155 10.5ov-170 LSU 9un-120 8.5ov-135 Miami (FL) 9un-135 8.5 Michigan 8.5ov-125 8.5ov-140 Michigan State 8.5 8.5ov-145 Mississippi 8 8.5un-170 Mississippi State 6 5.5un-135 Missouri 6 5.5ov-260 NC State 7 6.5ov-185 Nebraska 9.5un-130 9.5ov-125 North Carolina 9 9.5un-230 Notre Dame 9 9un-150 Ohio State 11un-240 11un-125 Oklahoma 8.5ov-130 9un-120 Oklahoma State 9.5un-135 9.5un-125 Oregon 11un-155 11un-160 Oregon State 8.5ov-130 8.5ov-170 Penn State 8 8.5un-175 Pittsburgh 6un-135 5.5un-130 Rutgers 7un-120 6.5un-150 South Carolina 9.5 9.5ov-140 Stanford 9.5un-135 9.5 TCU 8ov-120 8un-120 Tennessee 6 5.5ov-210 Texas 9.5ov-125 9.5ov-160 Texas A&M 9.5un-125 9.5ov-150 UCLA 7.5un-120 7.5un-135 USC 9 9.5ov-125 Vanderbilt 7ov-125 7.5un-165 Virginia Tech 8.5ov-120 8.5ov-155 Washington 7.5ov-125 7.5ov-160 West Virginia 6 5.5ov-245 Wisconsin 9un-135 9un-140 Tags: College Football

The one where a nun walks into a casino to gamble with a bunch of stolen money

Stories about God's ?workers? stealing from the church till to fuel their gambling addiction never get old. This one involves a 68-year-old nun who pocketed over $100K. Sister Mary Anne Rapp will need to do more than a quick trip to confession to atone for her sins. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 100 hours of community service.Tags: College Football

College Football Betting: Ted Roof takes over DC duties at Georgia Tech

Article from SI.com on Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Ted Roof, who played linebacker for the Yellow Jackets back in the mid-80's. Roof takes over for Al Groh who spent the last three years running his 3-4 defense. Tech, who returns eight defensive starters, will now switch to a 4-3. This?marks Roof's fifth DC gig over the last six years, the last of which at Penn State. From a points-per-game allowed perspective, Georgia Tech's defense has gotten progressively worse each of the last five seasons. Georgia Tech's PPG allowed (NCAA rank)? 2012 - 28.3 (65th)? 2011 - 26.1 (60th)? 2010 - 25.2 (57th)? 2009 - 24.8 (56th)? 2008 - 20.3 (28th)? Tags: College Football Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets ACC

College Football Gambling: Strength of schedule rankings

Here?s a link?to strength of schedule rankings for the upcoming college football season. The first is the traditional model of opponent's winning percentage from the previous year. Using that formula Kentucky (103-50, 67.3%) tops the list followed by Arkansas (99-54, 64.7%) and Purdue (96-56, 63.2%). Phil Steele's SOS rankings are slightly different with Florida, Oklahoma, and California in the top three spots.Tags: College Football

MLB Gambling News: Which is the Best Division in Baseball?

Submitted by Stat Intelligence Another topic fitting for our lawyer/judge conversation of late. Today SB Nation posted an article called ?The NL Central, Baseball?s Best Division.? That seemed odd, considering that: *Cincinnati fans are up in arms about how the Reds were squashed in their recent matchups with Oakland and Texas from the superior American League. The Redlegs went 1-4, getting outclassed on the scoreboard 23-11 *St. Louis fans were licking their own wounds after going 1-5 vs. the same two American League teams. Remember that the Cards were swept at home by the Rangers last weekend, before dropping two of three to the A?s this weekend. I mean?NOW?s the time you want to make the case that the NL Central is the best in baseball?! The American League has established superiority for several years now. Both the Reds and Cards just flunked their toughest litmus tests of the year against the superior league. In the meantime, the AL East has established itself as a true power. Everyone?s right around .500 or better (no weak spots), and the last place team has actually been one of the best in baseball over the past month. They?ve been playing each other lately, which makes it harder to see the AL East as dominant overall. But?that clearly seems like the strongest group top to bottom. The American League is the best league. The East is its best division. I tweeted back my disagreement with the premise when SB Nation posted its link. It became clear from a subsequent twitter conversation with the author that it was another of those web articles too common at SBN and Grantland where the headline writer significantly overstates what the author is saying because wild overstatements get hit counts?then the poor author has to say ?I never said that? even though it?s in his article?s headline. The author actually said in the article: ?Halfway through the season, there's a very good case to be made that the best baseball in all of baseball is being played in the National League Central.? Again, the timing is odd since St. Louis and Cincinnati just got spanked by the superior league. But, you can?t blame an author for a bad headline. Did SBN post a factual error in their headline? Or, is the NL Central actually the best division in baseball? Let?s take a crack at reaching a verdict after studying various evidence. *At the time the article was posted, here were the composite divisional win differentials for all six MLB groups. Since every divisional game counts as a win for one team and a loss for another, win differentials show you how that division is performing against outsiders. AL East +33 NL Central +22 NL West -8 AL West -11 AL Central -12 NL East -24 For several years now, the American League has been the superior of the two leagues. So, if there are any hidden kickers in there, they would favor the AL East in this debate because of schedule strength. Perhaps the leagues have pulled even now. I don?t know of anyone who believes the NL is now superior. For that one attempt at divining an answer, we get a pretty clear verdict for the AL East. *What if we go to the SuperLeague approach and only count what teams are doing against opponents who are at .500 or better (easy to look up daily on the expanded standings pages at Baseball-Reference). At the time the article was posted, we had? AL EAST VS. .500 OR BETTER Baltimore 28-18 Boston 26-19 Tampa Bay 26-26 NY Yankees 21-26 Toronto 27-32 That?s seven games over .500 for the division?which is hard to do because most divisions have one or two lousy teams who get rocked in this stat. Last place Toronto is still doing much better than third place Cincinnati over in the NL Central (note that Toronto?s win today over Detroit puts them back at .500, which means what those other teams did vs. Toronto will be in the statline if you go to baseball-reference on Tuesday?games vs. Toronto weren?t being counted at the time the article was posted because Toronto was a game below .500). ? NL CENTRAL VS. .500 OR BETTER Pittsburgh 18-14 St. Louis 15-15 Cincinnati 15-26 Chicago Cubs 13-27 Milwaukee 11-29 The games the Pirates/Cards/Reds play against each other split out because a win for one is a loss for another. The division as a whole is 39 games below .500 in this sampling devoted only to the upper half of the sport. Another reminder that the Reds have been horrible vs. quality this year. The Cards are only 50/50 here. Given what we know about the recent difference between leagues, and what we?ve learned over the years on these pages about the illusions that can be created by teams who dominate soft schedules, I?m going to be solidly in the corner of the AL East. And, to me?this is a verdict from being a judge rather than a lawyer lobbying for something because those categories have always guided me in the right direction. Unbiased input I trust. But, maybe I?m biased with how I choose categories. Let?s see how a few other sources are ranking the teams. TEAMRANKINGS.COM: OVERALL POWER RANKING AL East: Boston (1), Baltimore (4), Tampa Bay (7), Toronto (12), NYY (13) NL Central: Pittsburgh (2), St. Louis (3), Cincinnati (11), Cubs (24), Milwaukee (26) ?Averages: AL East 7.4, NL Central 13.2 Medians: AL East 7, NL Central 11 The Cubs and Brewers are such stragglers that it?s going to be tough to get the Central up to ?best in baseball? by any objective measure. You see those, and the SBN headline really jumps out as nonsensical. ED FENG, THE POWER RANK AL East: Boston (1), Baltimore (4), Tampa Bay (8), Toronto (11), NY Yankees (16) NL Central: St. Louis (2), Pittsburgh (10), Cincinnati (12), Cubs (20), Milwaukee (26) Averages: AL East 8.0, NL Central 14.0 Medians: AL East 8, NL Central 12 Don?t think I buy that Pittsburgh is down at #10, even if there are reasons for skepticism about their current record. But, it?s not that big a deal in the big picture in terms of influencing the conclusions we?d draw from those five-team numbers. JOHAN KERI, GRANTLAND AL East: Boston (1), Baltimore (8), Tampa Bay (10), NY Yankees (14), Toronto (15) NL Central: St. Louis (2), Pittsburgh (3), Cincinnati (7), Cubs (23), Milwaukee (28) Averages: AL East 9.6, NL Central 12.7 Medians: NL Central 7, AL East 10 We get a win for the Central in the median category. Apparently Keri isn?t bothered by Cincinnati?s very poor record this year vs. teams at .500 or better. Still, the average goes to the East. To me?the preponderance of evidence favors the AL East. You can really ONLY make the case for the NL Central if you don?t hold Cincinnati?s poor performances vs. quality against them?AND use medians to eliminate the drag that the Cubs and Brewers cause. A stretch. There are other ways to look at the problem. I can?t say I?ve come up with one that would make the NL Central look any better. Bill James would answer some questions of this type (greatest brother combinations, greatest baseball families) with an approach that would single count the best guy, double count the second best guy, triple count the third best guy?and so on. That way, you wouldn?t get Babe Ruth and his adopted sister as ?best baseball siblings? just because Babe Ruth was so great. The approach let you marvel at the DiMaggio brothers because even the third best got a lot accomplished. Or, you could appreciate how many different Boone?s mattered over time. Use that for this debate and it?s a squash for the AL East because the Yanks and Jays re so much better than the Cubs and Brewers. That would actually magnify the impact of the bottom of the division and make a much stronger case for the AL East. What?s your verdict? You know mine. One of the great things about twitter is that you can follow various publications for alerts when articles go up. One of the worst things about twitter is that you?re bombarded by blowhard headlines that are often outright false, and don?t capture what the author was actually saying. Tags: MLB Stat Intelligence

Teddy Covers' Las Vegas Wise Guy Report: College Football Season O/U Wins

Submitted by Teddy CoversThe college football betting market matures slowly over the summer months compared to the NFL betting marketplace.? We?ve had NFL Week 1 lines and College Football Game of the Year lines since May, both here in Vegas and offshore.? The NFL season win market wasn?t far behind, with most of the leading indicator sportsbooks standing knee deep in season win wagers by the second week of July. But with 125 FBS teams on the betting board, the sportsbooks take more time doing their homework and research before posting a bevy of NCAA Football lines for the upcoming season.?? The Golden Nugget was the first to market with their Games of the Year lines last month.? The first college football season win numbers were posted offshore less than two weeks ago, with the 5Dimes sportsbook emerging as the global market leaders for 2013.? Here in Vegas, we?re not far away from heavyweights Cantor Gaming, the LVH Superbook and William Hill posting their first NCAA win totals. College win totals are a very different animal compared to the NFL.? You don?t see many NFL pointspreads higher than -14, and even that is a rare case.? Of the 16 games set for Week 1 of the regular season, only one (Baltimore at Denver on the Thursday Night national TV opener) is lined at higher than -7.????? The old adage about any NFL team being able to beat any other team on ?any given Sunday? has more than a little bit of truth to it.? Arizona finished 5-11 last year, but they won straight up at New England.? The Eagles finished 4-12, but one of those wins came against the Super Bowl champion Ravens.? I could list a dozen more major upsets from last year alone. In college, the best teams are routinely four, five or six touchdown favorites against the weaker foes on their schedule.? Even in conference play, it?s not unusual to see a top notch squad like Alabama to be favored in those pointspread ranges.? The Crimson Tide were 30+ point favorites against an Ole Miss team that won a bowl game by three touchdowns over Pitt last December.? They were road favorites of 20 points or higher against the likes of Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas. Alabama probably isn?t the best example to use to illustrate my points, because it?s not just ?ultra-elite? teams like Nick Saban?s squad that are routinely favored in those type of pointspread ranges.? Florida State was a two TD favorite or higher in 13 of their 14 games last year.? Oregon laid -20 or higher nine times. Boise State has been 20+ point favorites in 29 of their last 43 regular season games. What does all of this pointspread info tell us about season win totals?? Simple ? there?s a lot less wiggle room for college football season win totals than there is compared to the NFL.? When we look at the teams near the top or the bottom of the college football world, more than half of their games are near guaranteed wins or losses from a straight up perspective.? Oregon is not going to lose SU at home to Cal, Washington State or Utah.? Nicholls State isn?t going to beat them once in 100 hypothetical matchups, and road games at Virginia or Colorado aren?t really tests.? Before the season starts ? before fall camp starts ? you can assume a minimum of six wins for the Ducks, even in a near worst case scenario.? It?s a similar story with Alabama, or Florida State or Boise, to stick with the team examples listed above. As a result, the standard NFL conversion formula (a half win worth approximately 50 cents of juice) doesn?t apply to the college football world.? In NCAA win total action, a half win difference between sportsbooks can be routinely priced as being worth a full dollar or more in extra vig.? And professional bettors have no hesitancy laying a full dollar?s worth of extra juice to bet a top team Over 10 wins instead of Over 10.5, for example.? Getting that ?push protection? is worth the cost! As the college football season win marketplace starts to mature over the next few weeks, we?ll see the lack of wiggle room for the books on full display, with bettors taking advantage of any arbitrage opportunities available as soon as they show up.? From a return-on-investment perspective, getting the best of those half win differentials between books makes an enormous difference in the professional bettor?s bottom line. I?ve been doing my college football homework in recent weeks, prepping for marketplace maturity.? Here are two Overs and two Unders that caught my eye from the offshore openers at 5Dimes.? The juice is current as of early Monday morning on July 8th. Arkansas Over 5.5 wins (-140) ? The switch from head coach Bobby Petrino to John L. Smith was a disaster for the Razorbacks last year, resulting in a seven win drop-off from their 11 win 2011 season.? Brett Bielema should be an immediate upgrade and the Petrino/Smith duo most assuredly did not leave the cupboard bare of talent upon their departures.? Arkansas has a solid chance to start 4-0 in non-conference play ? their toughest early season opponent is Rutgers ? meaning a 2-6 SEC record will cash an Over bet.? With home games against Mississippi State and Auburn, they?ll have the opportunity to deliver those two wins in the ?home favorites? role without pulling an upset. Indiana Over 5.5 wins (-210)? The Hoosiers have only reached a bowl once since 1993; a longtime Big 10 football bottom feeder.? Two years ago, head coach Kevin Wilson relied heavily on his own freshman recruits in his first season on the job, benching numerous veterans and creating ample dissention in the ranks for a 1-11 football team.? But that reliance on youth is primed to pay dividends this year, as the Hoosiers return 19 starters from a team that averaged 31 points per game last year.? In what looks like a down year for the Big 10, all eight home games for Indiana fall into the winnable category. UNLV Under 4.5 wins (-175)? The Rebels haven?t won more than two games in any of Bobby Hauck?s first three seasons on the job, and Hauck is clearly on the hot seat heading into 2013.? The Rebels haven?t won a road game since 2009, and three of their four Mountain West home games are against the elite teams of the conference.? Throw in a 1-5 SU track record over the past two years as a favorite (including two SU losses as double digit chalk over 1-AA teams) and asking this Rebels team to win five games this year is simply not something I?m willing to do.? There?s a reason that Cantor hung a 2.5 win total on UNLV this year (Cantor posted totals on both Nevada FBS teams months ago); giving bettors an extremely rare TWO GAME differential between sportsbooks. West Virginia Under 5.5 wins (+175)? With a first round NFL draft choice at quarterback, a first and third rounder at wide receiver and a loaded, experienced offensive line, West Virginia finished the regular season 6-6 last year.? Five of those wins came in games that the Mountaineers were favored by double digits.? This year, they?ve got only two real patsies on the slate and it?s a clear rebuilding season for a weak defensive team in a tough conference.? Dana Holgorsen?s honeymoon period in Morgantown didn?t last long.? West Virginia?s streak of seven consecutive 9+ win seasons ended last year and isn?t likely to start up again anytime soon. Follow me on Twitter @teddy_covers Tags: College Football Teddy Covers

Sports Betting Podcast 7-8-2013 with Handicappers Rob Veno and Teddy Covers

Tags: MLB College Football Rob Veno Teddy Covers

MLB Handicapper Free Pick: Atlanta Braves at Miami Marlins

Submitted by Rob VenoAtlanta (Minor) -155 at Miami (Slowey) O/U 8? Recommendation: Over After opening the season with 10 quality starts in his first 13 outings, Atlanta?s Mike Minor is now in the midst of one of those rough patches that have plagued his young career. Minor?s recent four game stretch has totaled 24 innings, 37 hits, 58 total bases, 5.63 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. He?s had difficulty getting through innings as evidenced by the fact that he?s averaged facing 4.5 batters per inning in four of his last five starts after averaging only 3.84 in his 12 prior starts. Minor?s track record indicates he?s not a pitcher who quickly snaps out of funks which could bode well for Miami which has scored four or more runs in 10 of its last 15 games. Atlanta?s offense has supported Minor well all season scoring 5.35 runs per game while batting .282 and recording an .816 OPS. Those numbers indicate the Braves could have success against Miami?s Kevin Slowey who?s now taking the rotation spot vacated by the trade of Ricky Nolasco. Slowey threw two innings of relief vs. Atlanta just six days ago and was lit up for four runs. The righty has not had much success against the Braves and his contact style of pitching isn?t a good fit for their strikeout prone, LH dominant power hitting traits. Expect each of these teams to score plenty of runs tonight and get this game over the total.?? Tags: MLB Atlanta Braves Miami Marlins Rob Veno

MLB Handicapping: Analyzing Offenses Over the Past Four Weeks

Submitted by Stat Intelligence Because a lot of the ?four-max? data that we?ve been presenting on Sunday nights has become fairly locked in halfway into the season, I wanted to focus instead today on what?s been happening the past month. There are some fairly established surges and collapses that you should be aware of if you?re reporting on baseball as a writer or betting on baseball in Las Vegas. If this is your first time reading about the four-max approach (always some newbies popping in), here?s what we?re doing. *Only recording offense in the first five innings *Cutting off scoring at a maximum of four runs *Tabulating full season averages from that 0-1-2-3-4 scale This was started as a way to have a framework for handicapping ?first half? betting propositions in the markets (you can pick the winner or bet Over/Unders for just the first five innings of baseball games). But, it was clear pretty quickly that the numbers painted accurate pictures of all 30 offenses because you were seeing what each manager?s chosen lineup was doing against rotation caliber pitchers. I cut off at 4 four runs to keep outliers from polluting the numbers. A team can have a great game and score 7 early runs, but a bad game will never ?score? as bad as negative 3?so we use a scale with a median of 2 that reflects the reality of true expectations. A three-game series with 3-3-3 is a lot more valuable than one with 0-1-8, even though they both end up with the same average if you don?t use the cut-off. Turning that 8 into a 4 gives the offense credit for a good day?but doesn?t reward them extra for pounding a guy who didn?t have anything and the lousy long reliever who replaced him. The numbers you see below are for THE LAST FOUR WEEKS ONLY. This listing generally show the usual suspects in the usual places. But, you regular readers will notice right away when a team shows differently here than what we had seen in earlier season-to-date editions. AMERICAN LEAGUE *Detroit 2.69? Wow?that?s a huge number for that many games. This approach doesn?t reward you for flying past four (which the Tigers are prone to do), and a string of bad games will really pull you down. Detroit had as string of FIVE straight fours this week (2-4-4-4-4-4-1), and had nine fours in the last 2.5 weeks. Studs! *Boston 2.62? The Red Sox would have led the league (and majors) if not for the getaway goose-egg Sunday night vs. Weaver in the TV game. That was only their fourth zero in the four-week sample, compared to a whopping dozen 4?s on their scorecard. As we?ve mentioned a few times, it looks like they have a good pure offense that also gets to play home games in a hitter?s park. Really sets them up well for production at Fenway. *Oakland 2.58? This may actually be more impressive than what the Tigers and Red Sox have done because Oakland plays its home games in a pitcher?s park. They rocked NL pitching on their last homestand (which helped alleviate lesser scoring conditions), then just put up some more numbers in Kansas City. If the media talks about Oakland, they typically kneejerk to pitching stuff out of old habit. The A?s were basically the Tigers and Red Sox for the last month with the bats. Amazing. There had to be 100 guys in the media whining about All-Star selections this weekend. I think we?ll come across a few developing stories today (like Oakland?s offensive surge) in this study of offenses that are much more relevant. *Toronto 2.26? This kind of straddles what had been a fantastic prior period for the Jays and their most recent cooling off. And, I don?t know what to make of a week that went 4-4-0-0-4-0-4. That?s both being hot and cooling off simultaneously! Generally, in Vegas terms, ask them to score on vulnerable pitching, but don?t equate them with Detroit. *Cleveland 2.23? Not quite as electric as earlier in the season (they were at 2.43 for the year when this measured month began), but still capable of posting numbers. Similar to Toronto this week with a 4-0-3-0-1-4 yo-yo. *Tampa Bay Rays 2.19? Another of the teams that dropped from around 2.40 a month ago in a way that keeps you on your toes. The quality is still there?but they?re not reliable as they had been. Poised for a very strong second half if Price is back to full strength, and Moore settles down. Arguably the best top-to-bottom team in baseball with Price and Moore in form and a 2.20 type offense. The better offenses don?t have ace-heavy rotations. *Minnesota 2.12? Somehow Minnesota stays above 2.00 but turns invisible whenever I?m paying closest attention to them. They shriveled at home against the Yankees. And, they should have done better than 0-3-2 this past weekend in Toronto in good scoring weather. *Baltimore 2.08? This is a big developing story we?ve been following. Baltimore was at 2.45 when the measured month started, and was every bit as scary as that sounded. They were rarely shut out early on. As we?ve been documenting periodically on these pages, they?ve suddenly started to look like a team that just sits around and hopes somebody hits a homer. Sunday?s shutout at NYY was their second of the week, fourth of the last two weeks, and fifth in the last 14 games. They were only shut out three times in the prior 39 games. Baltimore doesn?t have the pitching to overcome a hitting slump in terms of contending in a tough division. They can?t be Minnesota on offense if they want to make the playoffs. They have to be Detroit, or at least Cleveland. *Texas 2.08? Goofy team. The first week of the measured month was that disastrous 3-0-1-1-0-0-0 stretch that led to the closed door meeting. They exploded offensively after that meeting, but calmed back down again this week with a 1-2-1-4-0-4 in hot Arlington weather (where par is often 3 because of the high Vegas totals). Probably best to generally think of them as about 1.80 at home, and 2.30 at home?which probably means ?not as good as most were thinking.?? *Kansas City 1.92? The Royals offense has been like me trying to drive a stick shift. Fits and starts. Just when you give up on them, they light up the scoreboard for a few days. Just when you admire the fireworks show, they finish a week with 1-0-0-2-2 to bring them right back to where they were a month ago. Kansas City was exactly 1.92 for the year when this month began?then they went 1.92 during the measured month. *LA Angels 1.88? The Halos look really impressive a few times a week. But, they?re just not getting the job done consistently. At least they just finished their best single week in a long time, with a statline of 4-2-3-2-3-1. Avoiding shutouts is the first step toward combining volume with consistency. Maybe that?s the red flag everyone?s been waiting for signaling a surge to join the elite offenses. Just no reason for this offense to be sitting alongside Kansas City and Seattle with this roster so deep into the season. *Seattle 1.88? Nice weekend for them in Cincinnati?but that may just be the latest litmus test showing that the Reds have a staff that?s outclassed by American League hitters. Gives you a sense of how badly things had been going that the Mariners had to go 4-3-3 this past weekend just to get up to 1.88. Not a meaningful home/road split for them yet to this point. *NY Yankees 1.72? Great pitching has kept the Yankees in the mix as they wait for high priced stars to get healthy. They?ve had 10 games at 0-1 over the last three weeks. Amazing that they could turn into the White Sox offensively and still contend in a killer division. ?*Chicago White Sox 1.68? You know that the four in four-max stands for a maximum of four runs credited to a team in any one first half. The White Sox scored a total of four first half runs THIS WEEK amidst a 1-2-0-1-0-0 sixpack. A minor league offense. *Houston 1.52? Getting to finish up 4-4 Saturday and Sunday with great hitting weather in Arlington could only lift the Astros to 1.52 for the month. They were shut out six times in the last two weeks?and are on the verge of being utterly helpless if they?re not in an easy home run park. Home scoring has died. Road scoring has been dead all season. ?NATIONAL LEAGUE ?*St. Louis 2.38? The Tigers of the National League, the Cards are still getting the job done. They have six 4?s in the last two weeks, and weren?t shut out a single time after a little chill the prior two weeks that had seen three goose-eggs. The Cards grade out as an elite AL offense even though their pitcher has to bat! *Chicago Cubs 2.35? Holy Cow! That?s a pretty legitimate number because there wasn?t much wind-aided scoring at Wrigley during this sample. And, the Cubs had a West Coast trip to the AL in recent days. WOW! The sabermetric principals that Theo Epstein brought over from Boston and Bill James have taken hold even though these are still the early days of rebuilding. They still have to fix the bullpen and figure out a rotation of guys who aren?t just trade bait. The Marmol disaster took attention away from why Marmol was in position to blow saves in the first place?the Cubs were scoring enough to get leads. Something you definitely want to pay attention to. It?s not a pennant race story. It might be a ?rocket just launched? story that?s going to lead to something important next season. *Pittsburgh 2.33? Whoa! The Pirates were way down at 1.61 for the season when this measured month began. So, in a finger snap, they went from being a horrible offense to a great offense. This is basically a month of being the Cardinals with the bats. Wasn?t supposed to happen. Given this rotation, the Pirates are a legitimate WORLD SERIES threat if this holds up. Doubtful that many expect it to. The team should have cooled off after one week or two. Amazing story developing. *Philadelphia 2.04? This is a big jump. Philadelphia had been at 1.66 for the season at the spot where this measured month begins. They still lack the consistency you?d like to see (0-1-1-4-1-4 this week). But, at least the team isn?t an offensive doormat any more. *Washington 2.00? This is pretty big news, though on a quieter scale that what was happening with the Pirates or Cubs offensively. We all know Washington has pitching. If they can stay at 2.00 on offense the rest of the way, they?re going to be in the playoff mix (particularly playing in a crappy division). The number is 2.53 over the last two weeks alone. That?s partly because of a downgrade in schedule. But?this is a team that?s going to have a very manageable schedule the rest of the way. Welcome back to the pennant race Nats! *Milwaukee 1.96? That?s a decent number for the league, but represents a cooling off from what had been around 2.10 for the season a month ago. They just got shout out by Hefner of the Mets Sunday, which was their fourth shutout of the last 11 games. Capable of a few good outings per week, but fading. *LA Dodgers 1.92? This group has definitely had an uptick. Though, it wasn?t as correlated to Puig as you might have thought. They kept struggling in this stat even when he first started hitting. But, the statline over the last 10 games is 3-0-3-4-4-4-2-4-2-1. Only two games below par, and four different max-outs. What?s important here is that this is the first NL West team we?ve discussed. By the standards of this division, the Dodgers just spent a week hitting like the ?27 Yankees on steroids. If Greinke just approximates his old self, we?re looking at the divisional champs. *Cincinnati 1.88? The Reds have been very stable in this range near 1.90 all year. And, they?re still doing it by alternating feast with famine. The last two weeks are 3-0-0-4-0-4-1-1-1-4-0. Not a single par score in the bunch. Maybe they were inspired by Phil Mickelson?s style of play during the US Open. Being in a holding pattern becomes a big negative when the Pirates and Cards are scoring so much more impressively. And, running into a stretch of AL teams didn?t help either. *Miami 1.88? You don?t normally get excited about a team at 1.88. But, Miami was at 1.41 for the season when this measured month started. So?they at least lifted themselves from pathetic doormat up to reasonably normal. That?s worth knowing if the markets are going to keep pricing them as a doormat. *Atlanta 1.76? We?ve talked a few times about Atlanta cooling off recently. This is why they couldn?t run away and hide in the NL East. And, now Washington?s getting its act together. The good news for Braves fans is that consistency and volume picked over the last week and a half. The long slump may have ended. 21 four-max runs in the last eight games (meaning the average was really ugly in the first two-and-a-half weeks of the measured month. *San Francisco 1.76? This Giants started this measured period with a great week that pushed them up to 1.90 for the whole season. Then, a wreck: Three weeks ago, San Francisco scored 10 four-max runs in 7 games Two weeks ago, San Francisco scored 9 four-max runs in 6 games This week, San Francisco scored 9 four-max runs in 6 games Four of the nine runs two weeks ago game in one game against Pomerantz. Four of the nine runs this week came Saturday against Fife (?Citizen?s Array-yest?Citizen?s Array-yest!!). Really in trouble vs. quality pitching, which is true for the whole NL West right now. *NY Mets 1.74? The Mets had a real nice run going there for awhile (roughly the middle 10 games of this monthlong measured stretch), but were crappy enough the rest of the time that they still couldn?t post a good number. This week?s 0-1-2-2-4-2-1 doesn?t feel like a disaster at first glance. But, that?s three games below par and only one above it. I guess they?re a bit more competitive than 1.74 would make it seem?but their pitcher needs to throw a gem for you to win with them. *San Diego 1.65? The Padres have been dealing with some injuries (not very well). You can?t blame this on playing home games in a pitcher?s park either. San Diego just played a 10-game road trip where they only scored 13 first half runs. So, the average was only 1.30 on that road trip (including some beautiful scoring conditions in Fenway). *Arizona 1.48? This was basically a monthlong collapse for a team that had been at 2.04 for the season prior to this cut-off period. And, that horrible 1.48 includes a pair of 4?s this weekend against Pomerantz (who SF also scored on) and Oswalt (who everyone?s scored off of, though he got hurt early today and his relief didn?t help). Three weeks ago, Arizona scored 8 four-max runs in 6 games Two weeks ago, Arizona scored 5 four-max runs in 6 games This week, Arizona scored 15 four-max runs in 7 games, but 8 came the last two days against struggling pitchers A lot of teams are anxious for the All-Star Break I think. *Colorado 1.17 (road only); 2.31 home (where par is 3 at altitude)? A total and utter offensive debacle in recent weeks, triggered by some injuries. They just went 0-0-0 in Arizona?s hitter?s park! They?ve been shut out six times in their last 12 road games. Ghastly?in a division that?s well represented down here at the bottom of the league. Tags: MLB Stat Intelligence

Paul Pierce the latest pro athlete to compete at WSOP

In case you missed it, Paul Pierce was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Yeah, late June NBA trades aren't exactly on our radar either. But Pierce's appearance at the World Series of Poker $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event caught our eye. He made it to the third day and ended up finishing 147th. Kudos, Paul. Tags: Poker

MLB Betting Notes: Philadelphia Phillies offense starting to produce

Some numbers of note regarding the Philadelphia Phillies offense. April 1-May 31? Record: 26-29? Batting Average: .244? On-Base: .302? OPS: .691? Runs Per Game: 3.49? Over/Under: 27-26-1 June 1-July 7? Record: 17-17? Batting Average: .279? On-Base: .329? OPS: .762? Runs Per Game: 4.64? Over/Under: 22-12 MLB Gambling News: Phillies close but not ready to quit on season At 7.5 games out in the National League East, the Philadelphia Phillies are at a crossroads in their season. It is an aging team that has had a difficult time staying healthy and some folks would argue that now is the time to start looking towards next year and beyond. General Manager Ruben Amaro came out yesterday and essentially said that if the team doesn't get after it during its upcoming 10-game home stand then break out of the white flags. So far so good as they beat the Braves 5-4 last night. ?This homestand is very important,? general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said before Friday night?s game. ?We?ve got to play well to stay in contention, clearly. I think we?ll know a lot more about this team after this homestand.? ?It could,? Amaro admitted. ?It could. I hope we?re adding to this club rather than subtracting. That?s the goal, but as I always say and I?ve been saying, the players will dictate it. ?These next 10 days are big.? ? Tags: MLB Philadelphia Phillies

MLB Gambling News: Streaks abound in the National League West

The National League West has officially become a handicapping nightmare. Arizona lost eight of nine but bounced back with five straight wins. Los Angeles has crawled back into the division race having won 12 of 15. San Diego was hovering around .500 but just wrapped up a 1-9 road trip. San Francisco has lost five straight series to fall 6.5 games back of the D-Backs. And Colorado has lost six of seven and had two more players go down with injuries as Roy Oswalt left Sunday's start with a bum hamstring and Carlos Gonzalez hurt a finger. "We have to figure it out. We are banged up, but a lot of teams are. We have to find a way to win games, that's the bottom line," Weiss said. "We have to put together better at-bats. I don't care who's pitching. You can only give credit to the pitcher so much." "We are in a bad situation right now. We have to play better. We don't look the same. It's been a bad time. They totally played better than us," said Gonzalez, whose finger X-Ray didn't reveal a break, leaving him hopeful he can play Monday. ?Tags: MLB Colorado Rockies San Diego Padres San Francisco Giants Arizona Diamondbacks Los Angeles Dodgers

Canadian Football League Betting Free Play: Edmonton Eskimos at Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Submitted by ICCEdmonton at Hamilton -7.5 O/U 55.5? Recommendation: Under The Hamilton Tiger-Cats spent much of their practice time leading up to this afternoon?s Week 2 matchup against Edmonton retooling and working on their defense. Last season, it was the team?s achilles heel and the problems on defense reared its ugly head once again last week when the Ticats allowed 39 points and nearly 500 total yards to the Toronto Argonauts. Head coach Kent Austin has made several changes on defense entering today?s game; some of them due to injuries and others due to underperformance. As a result, I expect a much stronger and better effort despite the fact they are still a work in progress on that side of the football. Anyone that watched Edmonton last week saw an offense that was pathetic and completely out of sync. Edmonton starting quarterback Mike Reilly was off target throughout the game and the Eskimos? offensive line was a disaster failing to open holes for the ground game or adequately protecting Riley who took several sacks in last week?s ugly 38-18 loss to Saskatchewan. Reilly completed just 48.6% of his passes with one touchdown and three interceptions. Even a suspect Hamilton defense should be able play much better as they are taking a major step down in class going from arguably the best offense in the CFL with Toronto to the worst. Hamilton?s offense is the strength of their team and it was on full display last week against Toronto as the Ticats and veteran quarterback Henry Burris put up 34 points. However,? most of that output came in the first half and once Toronto made their halftime adjustments on defense, Hamilton was held to just three points after the break. The ability to make plays at key times was a problem for Hamilton?s offense last season and while they can strike at any moment, today?s game will be a test for the Ticats offense because they will be facing what had been one of the best defenses in the CFL. The Eskimos didn?t really show it in their season opener as the defense was gashed for 39 points but the stats look worse than how things truly unfolded. Saskatchewan scored a touchdown off a Mike Reilly pick six and two more of their toucchdowns came directly off Edmonton turnovers which gave Saskatchewan terrific field position. All of that resulted in 21 of their 39 points. Edmonton?s defense didn?t play well but they were not as bad as the final score indicated. They will be facing a Hamilton offense that will be without a significant component today as wide reciever Andy Fantuz is out with a lower body injury. I usually don?t overreact to the absence of one player, particularly a receiver, but Fantuz led Hamilton in receiving yards and receptions last week ? he was clearly a prime target for Burris. His ability to find open spaces on the field and make big time catches can?t be replaced so Hamilton may rely more on the run game today with C.J. Gable and Lindsey Lamar. I think we have a little bit of inflation with this total sitting at 55.5 after a 4-0 Over sweep in Week 1. Two of the three Week 2 games have gone under and I look for that mini trend to continue. Play it UNDER. Tags: CFL Edmonton Eskimos Hamilton Tiger-Cats Ian Cameron

College Football Betting: 5 Things I Just Noticed About The Big Ten

Submitted by Stat Intelligence I?ve started preparing for college football. Which means?making humongous plans for what I?m going to try to keep track of only to find out in September that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I?m at least planning to keep track of drive points (those scored on drives of 60 yards or more) out of the gate this season. If I get a bunch of charts made up for that in July and August, it won?t be too onerous a time commitment on the fly once games start. Today I was playing around in the Big 10. Here are 5 things I noticed.? ?? *Michigan only ranked #78 in total offense last year. There?s a lot to like about Brady Hoke. But, they were a consensus top 10 pick a year ago in the preseason, and only managed 8-5 against a schedule that included some auto-wins. Honeymoons go quickly in the Big 10. They did put up some points late in the year against Ohio State and South Carolina, after struggling for 6 at Notre Dame, 12 vs. Michigan State, and 9 at Nebraska in earlier action. Key year on that side of the ball for the Wolverines. Revenge game vs. the Irish on September 7 will be one to watch to learn about both teams.? ?? *Wisconsin will be a team in transition, which is the main reason why Arizona State steamed so much in that early ?Game of the Year? line? for September 7 that went up a few weeks ago. It opened near pick-em, but sharps pounded the Sun Devils up to -3. Here?s why in short: Wisconsin has a new head coach (Gary Andersen from Utah State) Wisconsin will be breaking in another new quarterback Wisconsin?s first two games are against inert Massachusetts and Tennessee Tech Extremely untested Wisconsin will be a northern team forced to play in desert heat Arizona State returns its head coach and quarterback Arizona State?s supposed to have a strong front 7 defensively Arizona State is a popular pick to win the Pac 12 South This is a statement game for ASU, while Wisconsin will be more focused on Ohio State later in the month, Could the line move even more? Might already be a game you want to circle for second half consideration on the assumption Wisconsin might wilt in the heat (hint, go through and find the potential climate games now while you have time!)? ?? *Taylor Martinez is back for his ninth year of eligibility as Nebraska?s quarterback. Seems like that anyway. They don?t play a road game until mid-October. And, they don?t play a good team in their conference until November?when Northwestern, Michigan, and Michigan State come in succession. Good revenge spot vs. UCLA on September 14. The Bruins have a bye the week before, which is a horrible time to have a bye because everyone?s still trying to get their timing down. UCLA?s defense ranked #76 last year. That?s also currently scheduled for a noon ET start on ABC, which means 9 a.m. body time for the Bruins. Definitely a spot to think about Nebraska (-) in the first half with revenge against a bleary eyed rusty opponent, and Over its team total offensively for the full game. Early opener of Nebraska -6 was bet up to -6.5, but not all the way to the key number of -7.? ?? *Ohio State will play Florida A&M in Columbus on September 21. PLEASE! I?m sure that?s Urban Meyer doing something nice for somebody he respects. Great fundraiser for Florida A&M?s program. How about this?schedule a REAL game against a top team that will draw huge TV ratings?then donate some of the proceeds from that to Florida A&M! It?s gotten to the point that the best teams are only playing 4-5 real games each season (occasionally less). At some stage?it?s going to hurt recruiting when high school kids realize that they won?t be on the field much in garbage games that their insecure head coach scheduled to project his job. *Northwestern has set up its schedule in a way that will allow it to find some form, then prepare for an ambush of Ohio State. Wildcats go? at Cal, vs. Syracuse, vs. Western Michigan, vs. Maine, bye Get everybody on the same page in the first three games, then get healthy and let the smartest players in the league gameplan. Ohio State comes to visit on October 5 in what will surely be one of the biggest home games in recent memory because NW usually isn?t this good when they play Ohio State?and Ohio State will probably be #1 or #2 in the country at the time. An opener of Ohio State -8 was bet down to -7. This may be Ohio State?s toughest real world test this year because they?ll have just played Wisconsin without a week off, while Northwestern has loaded the dice the best they know how. Tags: College Football Big Ten Stat Intelligence

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Tags: College Football Big Ten Stat Intelligence

Source: http://www.sportsmemo.com/blogs/view/?name=College-Football-Betting:-Season-O/U-Wins---Greek-vs-5Dimes&blog_id=12993

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