A big deal in Sathosa Motors where Access Engineering acquired 60% control, buying out Japan’s Itochu Corporation for Rs.846 million paying Rs.235 a share, dominated trading on the Colombo bourse yesterday.
The market posted a turnover of nearly Rs.1.7 billion, down from the previous day’s Rs.5.86 billion, with both indices moving up – the All Share by 26.42 points (0.49%) while the Milanka was up 25.41 points (0.54%) with 121 gainers outpacing 92 losers.
In addition to the deal in Sathosa Motors, there were substantial trading in Lanka Lubricants closing Rs.3.60 up at Rs.175, JKH gaining 50 cents to close at Rs.175.50 on over 0.2 million shares, Lion up Rs.2.10 to Rs.199.90 on over 0.1 million shares and Aitken Spence down 50 cents to Rs.115 on nearly 0.2 million shares.
"Over Rs.1 billion of the day’s turnover was accounted for by crossings – Sathosa and others," a broker said. "The market started slow and moved somewhat following the Sathosa deal."
Acess will now have to make a mandatory offer to minority shareholders of Sathosa at the Rs. 235 price, brokers and analysts said. The acquisition has triggered the mandatory offer rule.
Access Chairman Sumal Perera has been Chairman of Sathosa Motors from around 1998 as the nominee of Itochu with whom he has had a long trading relationship.
Perera said yesterday that the acquisition was an opportunity for diversifying Access which is focused on construction and engineering and also owns a valuable building, Access Towers, on a prime Dr.Colvin. R. de Silva Mawatha (Union Place)location.
Sathosa Motors was spun out of what was originally the CWE’s motor division which held the Isuzu agency in Sri Lanka which Sathosa Motors, a high dividend paying company, continues to hold.
Itochu will continue to be Sathosa Motors’ partner shipping Isuzu vehicles and spares to the Sri Lanka company, Perera said.
During his tenure as chairman of the company, the Sathosa share issued at Rs. 15 when the company was privatized, has grown strongly in value with shareholders, principally Itochu, benefiting from a two for one bonus as well.
Regnis which had demonstrated substantial price gains in recent weeks announced a final dividend of Rs.6 per share for 2011 XD from March 12 with payment on March 20 while Singer Industries where the share price has similarly moved up sharply announced a final dividend of Rs.8.75 per share for 2011 XD from March 12 and with payment on March 20.
The parent, Singer Sri Lanka will pay a final dividend of Rs.6 per share for 2011 XD from March 12 and with payment on Marc h 20.
James Finlay announced a final dividend of Rs.1.50 per share for 2011 following shareholder approval at a March 28 AGM. The share will trade XD from March 29 with payment on April 9.
Beruwela Walk Inn announced that after prolonged negotiations it has received a final settlement payment from its insurance broker of Rs.104.7 million for property damaged claim following the December 2004 tsunami.
A total of Rs.105.1 million had been received earlier from the insurer in 2005 and 2006 with total final settlement from the tsunami claim adding up to Rs.209.8 million against an original claim of Rs.215.5 million plus interest.


Multiple listing service software vendor FBS is planning to roll out a platform that will allow software developers to create products for brokers and MLSs using standardized data from more than two dozen MLSs representing more than 230,000 brokers and agents.
FBS says the Spark Platform will feature an online store for the products created, the Spark Store, which the company says will be "an app store for real estate software."
The Spark Platform is currently in alpha testing and is slated for a soft launch in July and a full launch in September.
FBS — provider of the flexmls Web MLS system — says at least 26 MLSs have signed on as charter members. Participants include several of the nation’s largest MLSs: California Regional MLS, Midwest Real Estate Data LLC (MRED), and Metrolist. The latest MLS to sign a letter of intent to become a charter member of the platform is Boston area-based MLS PIN, which has nearly 30,000 members.
"Together, the Spark Platform brings together MLSs, brokers, agents and software developers to create an ecosystem for innovation in real estate software," said Michael Wurzer, FBS’ president and CEO, in a blog post announcing the platform.
The Spark platform has three components: the Spark API, the Spark Store, and the Spark Bar. The Spark API will allow authorized MLS members and developers access to MLS data standardized according to the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Data Dictionary, which includes some common vocabulary for fields used to represent real estate data in MLSs. The data available will include listings, contacts and market statistics. MLSs will maintain control of what data is visible through the API and what permissions each user has for using the data, FBS said.
There is no fee to sign up for the platform. Fees come into play only when a developer licenses an application through the Spark Store. Developers get 70 percent of an app’s sale price minus credit card fees. FBS and the developing MLS will share the 30 percent cut of the sales price retained by the store, "providing the MLS with a source of non-dues revenue," FBS said.
Agents and brokers will be able to review and rate products.
The Spark Bar is a type of bookmarklet that can be installed on any website, including an MLS system, a broker’s intranet, a mobile site, an Internet Data Exchange (IDX) site or a Virtual Office Website (VOW). The Spark Bar will provide one-click access to the Spark Store and to any of the apps users purchase from the store.
Brian Boero, a partner at real estate and technology consulting firm 1000Watt Consulting, called the platform "a very big deal."
"To bottom-line it, this platform has the potential to produce an explosion of better software for brokers and agents; make innovating within the boundaries of MLS rules dramatically easier; (and) create significant new revenue for MLSs," Boero said in a blog post about the announcement.
Boero had previously advocated for what he called a "data socket" containing standardized data from multiple MLSs that developers could plug into to create software products for agents and brokers.
FBS’ Wurzer used similar language during an MLS issues panel at the Real Estate Connect conference in January, where he proposed a "data socket," or a standardized, "one-size-fits-all" platform that different developers could create products on top of.
Wurzer said there had long been a "dream of plug and play" that had been the impetus for data standards that could open the doors for more innovation in the MLS industry by allowing vendors to build tools that could be adopted across the country, rather than in a piecemeal fashion.
Wurzer noted at the time that "the idea of plug-and-play (technology) is a threat to MLS vendors. Differing MLS standards across the country has made it difficult for new entrants to quickly take root," he said. "It is hard for those third parties sometimes to come into those markets and do something that makes sense."
Nonetheless, Wurzer said standards were unavoidable for the industry and "even though that’s going to bring a lot of competition in our markets, to our products, it’s something we’re inviting because it’s the future. You can’t really innovate in the long term with one vendor."


Why the Wizards need to part ways with Andray Blatche sooner rather than later.
Andray Blatche, shown here with a sprained shoulder during a Wizards-Bucks game last March. Photograph by Flickr user Keith Allison.
If you squint hard, you can start to see what the 2014 Wizards will look like.
They’re an athletic and aggressive playoff team (stop laughing and squint, dammit) in the mold of their franchise point guard. They generate plenty of turnovers, and they like to get out and run. Trevor Booker, Chris Singleton, and Jan Vesely have developed into excellent complementary players alongside John Wall and the first pick of the 2012 draft. Meanwhile, Andray Blatche is nowhere to be seen.
And how could he be? Blatche—the recipient of a regrettable contract extension from Ernie Grunfeld at the outset of this rebuilding project—doesn’t have a place on a team like this. His presence runs contrary to everything these new Wizards are trying to become. His game, while oftentimes effective, is lethargic.
Even when he’s trying to fit in with the team’s new culture (and he has tried), he winds up doing more harm than good. Like when, in an attempt to support his coach, Blatche let it slip out that the team has pretty much tuned him out. Thanks, Dray!
That makes me feel better. Like a swimmer saying he’s ready to race, so long as he doesn’t have to get wet.
The Wizards are not going to win with Blatche in the starting lineup. They’re not going to win with him coming off of the bench. And, as we saw last night in Chicago, they’re not going to win with him unable to play due to a chronically ailing shoulder. This team just isn’t built to win yet.
I don’t expect Blatche to be happy with a reduced role. After all, he’s been here longer than anyone. He’s also the team’s second-highest-paid player, and self-described captain. He expects to play big minutes, and the less he does, the more of a malcontent he’ll become. That’s why Grunfeld needs to trade him now. Trade him for pennies on the dollar if you can get it. The team can hardly afford to lose one of the few scorers they have, but they’ll be better off in the long run.
Development and progress are the keys to this season. Andray Blatche is just going to get in the way.


WASHINGTON — In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy exhorted the youth of America to ask what they could do for their country. In his inaugural budget, President Trump wants the government largely out of the national service business.
Mr. Trump’s budget proposal would eliminate the Corporation for National and Community Service, and with it, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Vista, one of Kennedy’s first national service programs.
He would zero out a popular loan forgiveness program for graduates who choose public service jobs, and he would cut the Peace Corps by 15 percent. The cuts would extend to other programs that encourage young Americans to teach in at-risk schools, become police officers or take careers in social work.
The Trump administration has said the proposals are part of the larger effort to balance the nation’s budget, emphasize national security and spend taxpayer dollars on programs that are efficient and effective.
But since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps, which helped the country recover from the Great Depression, presidents have used service programs to engage Americans in tackling issues such as poverty, housing and disaster relief; offer young people experience; and create jobs. Kennedy founded the Peace Corps for Americans to provide service abroad, and Vista for those wishing to serve at home.
Government spending would be cut substantially. See how every budget item would be changed.
Richard M. Nixon created the Senior Corps for older Americans. Jimmy Carter’s Habitat for Humanity still receives federal assistance for its efforts to build affordable housing. George Bush promoted his “Points of Light” to enroll the private sector and lay the groundwork for Bill Clinton’s AmeriCorps. George W. Bush embraced the USA Freedom Corps and made the largest investment in national service ever, including expanding the Peace Corps program.
John Bridgeland, who served as director of the USA Freedom Corps, which coordinated service after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said presidents had turned to national service programs to heal divides, solve public problems at a lower cost and train young people to become leaders who can get past their differences.
Mr. Trump’s tax and spending blueprint for the fiscal year that begins in October is a break in a nearly century-old tradition of layering service programs on existing service programs. The president’s proposed cut to the Peace Corps would be the largest the agency has seen in 40 years, the National Peace Corps Association said.
Mr. Trump’s “orderly shutdown” of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which has been operating national service programming since 1993, has the goal of “returning responsibility to fund national service and volunteerism to the private and nonprofit sectors,” according to the Trump budget.
The proposals are almost certain to face bipartisan opposition. Eric Tanenblatt, who served on the board of the national service corporation during the George W. Bush administration, said that the agency is one of the few with a bipartisan board, and it retains support in both parties. While Congress funds about $1 billion of its budget, another $1.2 billion comes from private and local sources.
Disbanding the organization’s most high-profile programs, AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, would jeopardize posts for about 80,000 AmeriCorps members and 245,000 Senior Corps volunteers serving in more than 50,000 locations across the country.
The cuts could also have collateral damage to high-profile education programs, such as City Year and Teach for America, which rely on AmeriCorps experience to supply the educators that they send to low-performing schools. The most recent Teacher of the Year, Sydney Chaffee, is an AmeriCorps alumna.
Precious Lango, 25, relied on federal student loans to get through Georgia Southern University. When she graduated in 2014, her plans to pursue an advanced degree in physical therapy fell through. Then she came across AmeriCorps.
She moved across the country to Tulsa, Okla., where for two years she has been helping to teach math in a high school of at-risk youths through City Year, which is supported by AmeriCorps. Next year, she will continue teaching at the school through Teach for America.
The Trump budget disproportionately cuts programs that benefit women.
In exchange for their service, AmeriCorps members receive an education award, currently $5,815, another benefit on the chopping block. And cuts like that come at a time when college students looking to go into public service are facing the loss of other financial assistance.
The proposed 2018 budget would also zero out a student loan forgiveness program for college graduates who choose lower-paying service careers, such as teaching and public safety. More than 500,000 people have signed up for the Public Loan Forgiveness Program, which started in 2007. Under the program, college graduates who pursue certain public service jobs are relieved of student loan debt after 10 years. If the Trump proposal is adopted, the program would not be available to students borrowing after 2018.
Teachers’ union leaders say the program has been a valuable recruitment tool, especially for teachers who take on hard subjects, like special education, and go to particularly rural or urban areas.
The budget proposal has shaken the public service community, and many borrowers who benefit from the program are panicking, said Natalia Abrams, executive director of Student Debt Crisis. She said that even borrowers who qualify are concerned about what will happen to the program 10 years from now.


Chef Seamus Mullen shares six winning strategies for making healthy food a feast for the senses and your stomach.
I’m a firm believer that first and foremost, food needs to be delicious. There is simply nothing very inspiring about a bland bowl of flavorless quinoa. Yeah, perhaps it might be “healthy,” but who really wants to eat it? Where is the joy? Where is the pleasure? As a professional chef, I’ve watched from a distance as the Internet has exploded with endless recipes for healthy food. And while there are a lot of great ideas and great dishes circulating, I find that the little tricks of the trade that we chefs learn growing up in kitchens are often overlooked. Armed with a little bit of savvy and a well-tuned palate, you can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
One of the most common mistakes home cooks make is not being assertive enough when it comes to seasoning. Often, a little extra salt and pepper or even some lightly chopped herbs will go a long way to bringing out the natural flavors of a dish. Just imagine a roast chicken without salt and pepper. Blech! Now add some coarse sea salt, cracked pepper, crushed thyme and rosemary, lemon zest, maybe even some coriander seeds and sesame seeds. Suddenly, that pedestrian bird has become a flavorful masterpiece.
You want to add salt in stages to build flavor. Taste your salt to see how salty it is and adjust the amounts you add to your dish accordingly. Keep in mind that teaspoon for teaspoon, finer salts tend to add more saltiness.
Chef Seamus Mullen eating a beautiful and healthy breakfast of eggs, bacon and kimchi in his Brooklyn kitchen.
I prefer sea salt for its complex and concentrated saltiness and its abundance of minerals. My friends at Jacobsen Salt Co., in Portland, Oregon, harvest all their salt from the pristine waters of the northwestern coastline. I often finish dishes with Jacobsen’s flake finishing sea salt and really like Jacobsen’s specialty salts, particularly the one infused with ghost chile.
4. Think of the four points of the compass of our palate: salty, sweet, sour, spicy.
Playing spicy off sweet (think: mango and chiles) or sour off salty (think: salt and vinegar chips) can make a dish really feel balanced and craveable. I don’t always have these elements in equal parts. Sometimes you want one flavor profile to dominate the others, but having a balance makes for a successful and exciting dish.
I’m not saying you should pull out tweezers to compose fussy plates of food, but you shouldn’t dump the food on a plate. There’s a difference between rustic and sloppy.
Playing spicy off sweet (think: mango and chiles) or sour off salty (think: salt and vinegar chips) can make a dish really feel balanced and craveable.
They’re really healthy, add a bright pop and change the character of a dish to make it tastier and more exciting. I add them at the end so they stay bright. Feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand. To chop them, I run a knife through them just enough to discipline them, or I simply tear them up by hand.
Ready to put these tips into practice in your own kitchen? Build flavor with quality ingredients, herbs and spices with this delicious curry recipe.
Talk about a one-pot powerhouse. You’ve got proteins, vegetables, and good fats all in one warming and delicious dish. Even though there isn’t curry powder in the dish, it tastes like a curry, with its blend of coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, and fish sauce. Keeping out the spice highlights the delicate sea-sweetness of the fish, scallops, and mussels.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepot, heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil over high heat. Season the monkfish and scallops with salt and pepper and place them in the hot pan, working in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding. Cook, turning once, until nicely seared, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then the squash and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushroom and lemongrass and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 5 minutes.Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated. Add the coconut milk and fish sauce. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the lemongrass. Add the shallot and seared monkfish and scallops and gently poach for a minute or two. Add the bok choy, chile, garlic, ginger, and mussels. Cover and steam until the mussels have opened, 3 to 5 minutes.
Uncover and season with salt and pepper. Divide among four serving dishes and top with the avocado, scallions, cilantro, and mint. Serve immediately, with lime wedges for squeezing.
Seamus Mullen is a New York City–based chef, cyclist, cookbook author, restaurateur and wellness advocate. His latest book is Real Food Heals: Eat to Feel Younger and Stronger Every Dayby Avery Books.


Make your outfits pop with the Think! Julia 80334 Thong Sandal. With a deep foot bed, you will rock this comfortable sandal all day long. Deep foot bed Made in Romania.
Don't put away your favorite summer shoes quite yet! This new trend is breaking all the rules, and we've come up with three cute socks-and-sandals combos you'll actually want to wear this fall.
Julia is a sassy cork slide sandal with a decorative button.


A grand London townhouse which was once the home of Mary Poppins star Julie Andrews has been put up for sale for £24 million.
The famous singer and actress, who played Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music, lived at the grand property on Chester Square with director husband Blake Edwards in the 1970s.
Chester Square, which is named after the Duke of Westminster's ancestral home, is one of the finest addresses in Belgravia, central London.
Over the years the square has been home to Roman Abramovich, Margaret Thatcher, Nigella Lawson, Mick Jagger and various foreign Royals.
Until recently, Julie Andrews' old property was home to a wealthy Argentinian family but it has just been fully refurbished and modernised.
It boasts six bedrooms, large entertaining rooms, lift, cinema and a health spa with gym, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.
There is also a separate mews house - ideal for a nanny - with a media room, living room/study, rooftop terrace and garage.
Chester Square is a beautiful and leafy residential garden square set in the heart of Belgravia.
The elegant stuccoed houses are amongst the most exclusive and sought after addresses in Prime Central London.
Developer Saigol DDC has created a magnificent new residence behind the retained period facade, a truly distinctive family home of the highest quality.
It is perfect as a London base for a discerning buyer looking for a home with an abundance of bedrooms and space to entertain.
The elegant property was built in 1835-36 by renowned developer Joseph Cundy to designs by architect Thomas Cubitt.
The main house has a Doric entrance portico, tall sash windows and first floor balconette, with a mews house with garaging to the rear.
During the 1970s, Blake Edwards directed and produced the legendary Pink Panther movies including The Return of the Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again and Revenge of the Pink Panther.
The grand ground floor entrance hall leads to the staircase and seven person passenger lift.
There is a 12-14 seat formal dining room and family kitchen and breakfast room are located off the entrance hall.
The first floor features a double reception room, dual aspect with high ceilings.
To the front facade, two sets of French doors open onto a walk-on balconette overlooking the garden square, to the rear French doors open onto a large south facing garden terrace.
Across the terrace is the sliding glassed walled living/study of the rear mews property, surmounted by a rooftop terrace with bbq.
The master bedroom suite has its own private floor on the second level, with bedroom lined with fitted wardrobes, walk-in dressing room and master bathroom. On the two upper floors are four further bedroom suites, all with ensuite facilities.
On the lower ground floor is the health spa, with gymnasium, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.
There is also a sixth bedroom suite, opening onto a sunken patio, and a 138 sq/ft wine cellar with large humidor along with a utility room/staff kitchenette.


An Airy Hall fisherman was fatally struck with a piece of wood in his head on Sunday night by a relative following an argument between the two and the police have recorded a confession.
Twenty-three-year-old Muneshwar Bisnauth, a father of one, of Sideline dam, Airy Hall Village, Mahaicony. Bisnauth was found unconscious at around 7.30 pm on Sunday with a wound to his head.
Bisnauth is survived by his one-year-old daughter, parents and siblings.


The Kardashian sisters spend a ton of time together, and frequently travel near and far for zany adventures and family hangs. This time, they opted to stay close to home and familiarize themselves with a crucial organization.
They were clearly moved by their visit, and shared some of the knowledge they picked up from their time with the PP crew: Kim posted the photo above with information about how the government can drastically affect the care Planned Parenthood provides, and Khloé shared stats about just how many people Planned Parenthood treats in the U.S. — a whopping 2.5 million patients.
It's good to know the Kardashians #StandwithPP — and that they're using their platforms to prove it.


? Philip Icenhour, 44, of 1 Clarion St., Bridgewater, in a two-vehicle accident around 9 p.m. Aug. 6 at Bridge and Market streets in Bridgewater. Borough police reported a blood-alcohol level of 0.187 percent.


James Palmer Jr. scored a game-high 21 points, leading the East squad to a 110-105 victory over the West in the Reese's NABC College All-Star Game at US Bank Stadium on Friday.
Palmer, a 6-foot-6 guard from Upper Marlboro, Md., hit 8-of-14 shots from the floor and went 4-of-4 from the foul line, including a pair of free throws with 3.5 seconds to ice the win for the East. Palmer, who also had four rebounds, a block and a steal, was one of seven players in double figures for the East squad, as the squad overcame a 10-point first-half deficit.
Palmer became the fifth player to play in the Reese’s College All-Star Game and first since Aleks Maric in 2008.
This past season, he averaged 19.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game, ranking third in the Big Ten in scoring and fourth in steals. A third-team All-Big Ten selection and a first-team All-District pick by the USBWA, Palmer had 18 20-point games as a senior, including a 34-point effort against Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament. He is also one of just five Big Ten players in the last 50 years to have 200 field goals and 200 free throws in a season. In his two-year career at Nebraska, Palmer finished with the second-highest career scoring average in Husker history (18.5 points per game) as he started all 69 games in that span.
He is one of two Husker seniors competing this weekend in Minneapolis, as Glynn Watson Jr. begins action in the 2019 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship later this evening.


Create your Custom Business Card or full size CDs that share the Gospel of Jesus. Dustan Soul Adventures is a multimedia, interactive; fully Customizable Adventure program that uses Microsoft Accessibility options such as (text to speech), and a built in artificial intelligence, to compares what you believe today with what God tell us in the Bible. It will analyze your understanding of the bible, and directs you to a clear understanding of Gods Plan of Salvation for all mankind. It includes an online Bible study database that is continually updated with new study material. You can also enjoy fun and educational Bible Games like; "I want to be a Millenniumaire", "Wheel of Truth", Wheel of Truth in Marriage", "The Cross-Word, Puzzles", "Crucified for All", "Search the Word, Puzzles". Version 5.1 includes an online bible study database that is continually updated with new study material, also record voice message bug fixes.


Upon voter approval in November for the Lee County School District half cent sales tax referendum, the district voted this week to increase spending from $8,159,801 to $57.4 million on safety measures.
The school board placed the referendum on the General Election ballot in February. The surtax, if passed, would be in effect for 10 years, and would be used for financing the construction of new schools, renovations and additions to existing schools and upgrades and equipping of schools for safety and technology.
Chairman Cathleen O'Daniel Morgan said the average family of four making $50,000 a year would pay an additional $64 a year in sales tax, or 18 cents a day.
Food, gasoline and medicine would not be subject to the half-penny tax. which would be capped for high-end purchases.
"The surtax tops out at $5,000 for a single purchase," Morgan said.
The school district, in a 5-1 vote approved a $57.4 million list that will keep students safe. Melisa Giovannelli opposed.
"The reason why people are not being supportive is we, as a board, our actions have to speak louder than our words. We can do better by presenting everything we do," she said.
Board member Chris Patricca asks that those who are against the tax referendum to offer an alternative solution.
"Our business leaders support this referendum. I will enthusiastically vote yes," she said.
The $57.4 million safety measure will include lockdown view panels, access control, surveillance with integrated technology, physical and technology single point entry, hardened doors and ADA/safety improvements.
Superintendent Dr. Greg Adkins said one of the initiatives the school district is currently undertaking is the Red Lock Program, which allows doors to be locked by a teacher while they are in the actual classroom, so they don't have to step out into the hallway to lock a door.
"The protocol that is coming from the district is that any classroom that is not equipped is going to have to be locked at all times," Adkins said. "In addition to that, if you have outdoor school buildings with outdoor classrooms those doors are to be locked. There will be no exceptions; that will be the rule that the doors have to be locked."
He also explained that they will continue to work on single point entry at all of the schools.
"There will be work ongoing this summer, so we can take some large steps towards the goal of every school in the district being a single point entry," Adkins said. "They have already ordered equipment that is used as single point entry and you have to be rung in and recognized by video."
Lockdown access control is also a priority.
Operations Executive Director Jerry Demming said right now it is a challenging time for safety and security.
"After Parkland the state came down with every school should have an officer, if you are going with School Resource Officers, and we are doing that," he said. "Every school will have a School Resource Officer."
Demming said the county is no longer covering all of the district schools.
"The county is going to cover unincorporated Lee County, which is approximately 39 as you look at it now. They are adding an extra SRO in the big high schools, so they are adding another five SROs. They are in the mid 40s," Demming said. "We had to figure out what is going on in the other two major cities, Fort Myers and Cape Coral. Both of those groups have stepped up and they are going to do the exact same contract as the Sherriff's Office has done, which is we pay 50 percent of the cost of the SRO up to $50,000. They have agreed to that. The city of Cape Coral will be providing 19 officers and I believe the Fort Myers PD is 17."
They are still working with the city of Bonita and Estero and the town of Fort Myers Beach. He said it will come down to the Sheriff's Office paying, or the incorporated communities paying.
Adkins said he had a conversation with Sheriff Mike Scott recently relative to the municipalities in question. He said Scott has assured him that the district will have SROs in the buildings.
"We have decided to go with SROs because they are proven. They do a good job. They make the kids and the community feel safe. We have to make our children feel safe. If we can't make our children feel safe they are not going to learn. These kids really have things to worry about. We have to make it to where they can go to school and they can enjoy what they can do at school. School should be a joyful time," Demming said.
Safety & Security Director Richard Parfitt said they have reorganized the safety and security department by eliminating one of the two coordinator positions. With the elimination they added three zone security managers.
The security managers, he explained will have such responsibilities as assisting schools with their emergency responses, assisting risk assessments, being a liaison with SROs and school security specialists.
"These individuals would check in the district office, respond on daily basis for pressing issues and normal visits," Parfitt said.
The initial salary was about $42,000 for school zone managers, he said.
Adkins said they have allocated a little over a million dollars out of the general fund to make sure the schools are safe schools.
"Our allocation from a district perspective has increased over the years with SRO. The state level has decreased the amount of dollars put into the SRO program and safe schools categorical until there was a tragedy in Parkland. All of a sudden they are now adding more dollars. If you look at where we are putting our priorities, we have our priorities squared away," he said. "We are doing what I believe strongly is the safest option (SROs). The law enforcement has been there for us for many years. I have a comfort that we as a school district are partnering with the Sheriff's Department that has been a phenomenal partner. I have to say that Chief Diggs with Fort Myers and Hanley with the City of Cape Coral have also really done us proud. I think they know the priority the community has of securing their schools."


We read so many good stories every day, many more than would fit on our blog at tompeters.com. So, we started thinking of a way to capture them, and TP Wire Service was the result.
Most days Tom’s staff picks the stories. Often, Tom points to stories he wants to include.


Reply to post: "Short dip in the deep end of a pool"
"Short dip in the deep end of a pool"
There are no phones rated to survive a drop in the pool - even in the shallow end. Not just because they are over a meter deep, but because the IP ratings are for fresh water only. Now obviously just because the rating doesn't tell us it can survive a drop in a pool doesn't mean it won't - pretty sure all phones rated IP6x would if you fished it out right away. Apple even said they'd tested with chlorinated water, salt water etc. which is isn't part of the IP6x regimen.
I just find it amusing that people think the difference between IP67 and IP68 matters. It does not.


LOS ANGELES -- Sherlock Holmes is facing his worst enemy: declining crowds at theaters, as this year's domestic movie attendance dips to the lowest in 16 years.
After two previous weekends that were Hollywood's worst of the year, overall business was down again, about 12 percent lower than the same weekend in 2010, as Hollywood struggles to interest audiences in its big year-end releases.
That would be the lowest attendance since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion. Domestic attendance in modern times peaked at 1.6 billion in 2002 and has generally been on a decline since.
Tom Cruise and Paramount had a spot of good news. Their action sequel "Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol" got off to a healthy start at No. 3 with a $13 million weekend playing exclusively at huge-screen IMAX theaters and some other large-format cinemas.
Hollywood still can go out with a bang. Along with the new "Mission: Impossible," the holidays bring two more big thrillers  Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin" and David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"  along with Spielberg's historical epic "War Horse" and Cameron Crowe and Matt Damon's family-friendly comic drama "We Bought a Zoo."
3. "Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol," $13 million ($68.2 million international).
6. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn  Part 1," $4.3 million.


LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Captain Marvel” has continued to dominate the global box office in its second weekend in theaters, leaving newcomers in the dust.
Walt Disney Studios estimated Sunday that the intergalactic superhero fell only 55 percent from its record-breaking opening. This weekend, “Captain Marvel” earned an additional $69.3 million from North American theaters and $119.7 million internationally, bringing its global grosses to $760 million.
But it wasn’t all bad news for the films in “Captain Marvel’s” shadow. The Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson film “Five Feet Apart” opened in third place with $13.2 million in ticket sales, which is nearly double its production budget. The film from Lionsgate and CBS Films is centered on two teens with cystic fibrosis.


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Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyah Medini was born in Jerusalem on the seventh day of Cheshvan, in the year 5593 (1833), or perhaps a year or two later. Originally he had only one first name Chizkiyah, but when he was once gravely ill, the name "Chaim" ("Life") was added to his name, as is customary in such a case.
He was born into a distinguished Sephardic family. His father's name was Rabbi Rafael Eliyahu, and his mother's Kalu Vida. The boy showed extraordinary qualities of character and intelligence from his earliest youth. He studied Torah with unusual diligence and devotion. His brilliant mind and memory helped him absorb knowledge with ease. His teachers were some of the most outstanding Rabbis of Jerusalem, particularly the Rishon Mion (Sephardic Chief Rabbi) Yitzchak Kubo and Rabbi Joseph Nissim. Burla, Head of the Beth Din of Jerusalem.
In the year 5613 (1853) Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyah's father passed away. The burden of supporting the entire family, including his own wife Rivkah, his widowed mother and two young sisters fell upon the twenty year old son. However, the young scholar had never learned how to cope with such a responsibility, for he knew only his books and studies. There was nothing for him to do but to follow the advice of the elders of his community to move to Constantinople, where he had rich relatives, rich both in learning and in worldly goods.
Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyah Medini was warmly welcomed in Constantinople. The Jewish community soon recognized that the young Rabbi from Jerusalem who had settled in their midst was an outstanding scholar. The local Rabbis and there were many great scholars among them - were delighted to discuss Talmudic topics with him. He was also offered to become a member (Dayan) of the Beth Din. This he refused, wishing to devote all his time to his studies of the Talmud, and also Kabbala, and to the writing of books in the field of his studies.
In 5625 (1865) his book Michtav Chizkiyahu appeared. It contained his interpretations and comments on the six orders of the Mishnah and on certain sections of the Talmud. This work clearly showed the great erudition of the author in the entire Talmudic literature, and placed him among the foremost Rabbis and scholars of Turkey. His fame spread far and wide.
For thirteen years he lived, studied and taught in Constantinople. The burden of his responsibilities became too much for him. He longed for peace and quiet, to be able to study and write undisturbed. The opportunity came when a wealthy Jewish merchant from the Crimea (in southern Russia) arrived in Constantinople on business and offered Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyah Medini to become the spiritual leader of the Crimean Jews. The merchant promised the Rabbi adequate support and ample time for study and writing.
At that time, as for generations past, the Jews of Crimea were without a spiritual leader. They were simple but pious and hardworking people. Their cultural level wa's not high. Here was an opportunity as well as a challenge, and Rabbi Chaim Chizkiyah Medini (ChaChaM) accepted it.
The ChaChaM was about 33 years old when he settled in Karasubazar, in the Crimea, in the year 5627 (1867). He was received with the respect accorded to a venerable sage, and soon won also the affection and devotion of his flock. During the next 33 years of his life he lived among the Crimean Jews and was their devoted and dedicated leader. He established Yeshivoth and spread the knowledge of Torah among the Crimean Jews, so that their cultural position was raised to a level unknown in that part of the world before. The ChaChaM's influence was enormous. His noble character and personal life were a constant source of inspiration to his community. Despite his great learning and fame, he was a very humble person, who took a personal interest in anyone seeking his help or advice. It is characteristic of him that he chose as sons-in-law for his three daughters outstanding scholars who were at the same time plain artisans. One of his sons-in-law was a shoemaker, the second a tailor, and the third a hatter! His noble character is also evidenced from his last will and testawent.
The ChaChaM was a man of striking appearance, with a long white patriarchal beard and a saintly countenance. He was revered not only by the Jews, but also, by the non-Jews, who considered him a G‑dly man.
In 5628 (1868) his only son died. The ChaChaM wrote a special book in memory of his son. He called the book Or Li ("Light Unto Me"), and published it in Smyrna in 5634 (1874). In his great humility the author published the book anonymously. It contains responsa and Talmudic interpretations.
His greatest work, for which he is most famous, is his Halachic encyclopedia in eighteen volumes, the Sede Chemed. Most of the volumes were published in his lifetime, some of them several times, and the rest -after his death.
In this gigantic work, the author set for himself the task of presenting in a clear and comprehensive form each and every Jewish law and Halachah, tracing it to its sources in the Talmud with the discussions and treatment of the subjects in subsequent Rabbinic literature, down to his own time. It is a treasure-store of Talmudic and Rabbinic knowledge, which at once became most popular throughout the Jewish world. The ChaChaM became a recognized authority on Jewish Law, and his opinions and decisions were eagerly sought by Rabbis in all parts of the world.
Some of the wealthiest Russian Jews, knowing that the ChaChaM did not welcome monetary donations, sent him rare volumes and books in the field of Halacha to help him develop and perfect his great compendium, and increase the yield of his gifted mind.
In addition to the works mentioned, the ChaChaM wrote a Halachic work entitled Pka'ath Sadeh (Jerusalem, 1900) ; Sefer Bakashoth (Odessa, 1879), containing Piyutim (liturgical poems) which oriental Jewish communities included in their services on Shabbos and Yom Tov. The latter was republished in an enlarged edition under the name Ne'im Zemiroth (Warsaw, 1886). He is the author also of several collections of responsa which appeared in various books by other authors.
In 1899 the ChaChaM decided to return to his native Holy Land. He was received with much honor in Jerusalem, but soon afterwards he was called to Hebron, where the title of "Chacham Bashi" (Chief Rabbi) and Head of the Beth Din was bestowed upon him. He immediately established a Yeshiva in the city of our Patriarchs, where he gave regular lectures, and spread the knowledge of Torah also among the lay members of the Jewish community.
On erev Shabbos, which was also erev Chanukah (Kislev 24th), in the year 5665 (1905) Rabbi Chairri Chizkiyah Medini passed away and he was laid to rest in this most ancient city in the Holy Land, the resting place also of our Patriarchs.


BREATHITT CO, Ky. (WYMT) - The owner of an Eastern Kentucky ambulance service has been sentenced.
Our partners at the Herald Leader report Hershel Jay Arrowood admitted to defrauding the federal government.
He will spend the next year and a day in prison. After that, he will be placed under house arrest for the next twelve months and a day.
Arrow-Med Ambulance also agreed to repay nearly $250,000 to Medicare and Medicaid.


'Two-faced' politicians have opened the door to an EU superstate by giving up on democracy, Václav Klaus, the veteran Czech statesman, tells Bruno Waterfield.
The new push for a European Union federation, complete with its own head of state and army, is the "final phase" of the destruction of democracy and the nation state, the president of the Czech Republic has warned.
In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Václav Klaus warns that "two-faced" politicians, including the Conservatives, have opened the door to an EU superstate by giving up on democracy, in a flight from accountability and responsibility to their voters.
"We need to think about how to restore our statehood and our sovereignty. That is impossible in a federation. The EU should move in an opposite direction," he said.
Last week, Germany, France and nine other of Europe's largest countries called for an end to national vetoes over defence policy as Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister, urged the creation of a directly elected EU president "who personally appoints the members of his European government".
Mr Westerwelle, in a reference to British opposition, called for nation states to be stripped of vetoes on defence to "prevent one single member state from being able to obstruct initiatives" which "could eventually involve a European army".
The new offensive followed the unprecedented declaration by the Commission's president, José Manuel Barroso, during his "state of union" address to the European Parliament on 12 September, that he would make proposals for a fully-fledged EU "federation" in 2014. "Let's not be afraid of the word," he said.
Speaking in Hradcany Castle, a complex of majestic buildings that soars above Prague, and is a symbol of Czech national identity, Mr Klaus described Mr Barroso's call for a federation, quickly followed by the German-led intervention, as an important turning point.
"This is the first time he has acknowledged the real ambitions of today's protagonists of a further deepening of European integration. Until today, people, like Mr Barroso, held these ambitions in secret from the European public," he said. "I'm afraid that Barroso has the feeling that the time is right to announce such an absolutely wrong development.
"They think they are finalising the concept of Europe, but in my understanding they are destroying it."
President Klaus, 71, is one of Europe's most experienced conservative politicians; he has served as his country's prime minister twice after winning national elections and will complete his second term as Czech President next year.
Frequently referred to as the "Margaret Thatcher of Central Europe", Mr Klaus was born in Nazi-occupied Prague, played a key role in the 1989 Velvet Revolution that overthrew Communism and became founder of the Czech Civic Democratic Party, which has remained in government for most of the Czech Republic's independence.
He reluctantly recommended Czech Republic membership of the EU in 2004 and five years later was the last European head of state to sign the Lisbon Treaty, delaying signature, under intense international pressure, until all legal and constitutional appeals had been exhausted against it in his country. "We were entering the EU, not a federation in which we would become a meaningless province," he said.
Mr Klaus is a courteous old-school European, a keen and frequent public speaker, who insists on an intellectual critique of ideas rather than the personal criticism that often substitutes for serious political debate today. To his "great regret" he finds himself a lone fighter for democracy among Europe's heads of state.
"When it comes to the political elites at the top of the countries, it is true, I am isolated," he said. "Especially after our Communist experience, we know, very strongly and possibly more than people in Western Europe, that the process of democracy is more important than the outcome.
"It is an irony of history, I would never have assumed in 1989, that I would be doing this now: that it would be my role to preach the value of democracy."
In his book, Europe: The Shattering of Illusions, to be published by Bloomsbury on Thursday, Mr Klaus makes the case that the EU has evolved into its current form because political leaders have found it convenient to turn away from their nation states, where voters have historically been able to hold them to account.
"Political elites have always known that the shift in decision-making from the national to the supranational level weakens the traditional democratic mechanisms (that are inseparable from the existence of the nation state), and this increases their power in a radical way. That is why they wanted this shift so badly in the past, and that is why they want it today," he writes.
"The authors of the concept of European integration managed to short circuit the minds of the people, making a link between Hitler's aggressive nationalism (nationalism of a totally negative type) and the traditional nation state, calling into question the existence of nation states in general. Of the many fatal mistakes and lies that have always underpinned the evolution of the EU, this is one of the worst."
Mr Klaus is genuinely baffled and aghast when describing his state visit to Italy last week, where he encountered what he called the "destructive mentality" of Italian politicians who were using the eurozone crisis to give up on democracy and to evade responsibility for running their country.
"It was really very depressing for me how many leading Italian politicians expressed the view that it is necessary to shift competences from Italy to Brussels because of one thing: they passively accept they are not able to make rational decisions themselves," he said. "They can now find the excuse or alibi that 'we are forced to do it'. I have never heard it before so explicitly or directly.
"It is a flight from accountability and responsibility. They have given up on the role and importance of democracy. That is the final and really tragic consequence."
With sadness, more than anger, he concludes that the Conservatives, in government under David Cameron, are no better than any other national politicians with "two faces", who "show one to their voters and the other when speaking in Brussels, at various EU summits and similar events."
"We see it best with the British Conservatives after Margaret Thatcher. With the full weight of public opinion behind them, sharply opposing the euro and any further transfer of powers to Brussels - winning many a vote thanks to this - as soon as they step on to the continent, their resolve to fight for these principles evaporates," he writes.
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, he is too courteous as Czech head of state to criticise directly the Prime Minister's leadership, but is privately said to be despairing at his lack of fight at the EU summit table. "I would wish to return to the original position with the Conservative Party. I don't really wish to add to what I say in my book," he said.
After the collapse of Communism, conservatives in the Czech Republic found natural allies in their Britain counterparts under Baroness Thatcher - a relationship that has continued, with members of Mr Klaus's party sitting in the grouping led by British Conservatives in the European Parliament.
But Mr Klaus himself is beginning to think beyond that. As Czech president he cannot act unilaterally, but he expresses his personal support for the UK Independence Party, a relationship that became closer after a recent meeting with its leader Nigel Farage, and he hinted at possible plans when his second and last term of office ends next March.
"Involvement in an explicit way is at the moment out of the question. I suppose in the long run, but definitely not as president of this country," he said, adding: "I support many of their ideas."


Like Jon Snow making the trek back to Winterfell, “Game of Thrones” returned home Friday night to Belfast, the Northern Ireland city that has been the series’ main production base for most of the past decade.
For the first (and last) time in eight seasons, the HBO series held its European premiere at Waterfront Hall overlooking the River Lagan.
While the event was more modest than the one at Radio City Music Hall in New York City last week, it held a special sentimental value for the cast — particularly locals such as actors Conleth Hill and Richard Dormer — and several hundred crew members in attendance.
“We feel honored and fortunate to call Belfast our home and we are forever joyful to be a member of the mighty Belfast family,” said executive producer Bernadette Caulfield before the screening.
Caulfield oversaw production out of Titanic Studios — in the same massive space where the doomed ship was built — and in dozens of picturesque locations around the countryside.
With its scope, ambition, meticulous craftsmanship and eye-popping budget, the series has been a boon to the local industry and helped develop a new generation of homegrown talent in all aspects of production. It has also helped turn the city, once known for sectarian violence, into a filmmaking hub and major tourist attraction.
“There’s been a lot of talk about legacy this week, and the legacy we are proudest about is the legacy of the crew that has progressed in leaps and bounds,” Caulfield said.
At a party afterward, “Thrones” stars Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) and Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) cavorted hand in hand. Nathalie Emmanuel (who stars as Missandei, an advisor to Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen) swayed to the music while clutching her infant niece, who wore ear-protecting headphones.
Bartenders dressed in Dorne-style tunics and scarves poured shots of White Walker, a “Game of Thrones”-themed whisky (alas, from Scotland, not Ireland). A massive throne sculpted from willow dominated the room, while a matching trio of sinuous dragons hung from the ceiling.
Each piece took artist Bob Johnston three months to construct by hand, using different varieties of willow grown on his farm in Moneyrea, just outside Belfast. He’d spent a year of his life crafting the sculptures, which will go on display at the Ulster Museum.
Other attendees included Sue Perkins, former host of “The Great British Baking Show” and host of a “Game of Thrones”-themed talk show that airs on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
Perkins was joined at the party by Candice Brown, who won “The Great British Baking Show” in 2016. The two bonded over their love of “Game of Thrones” during filming of the somewhat less deadly yet still quite intense competition.
Perkins was pleased to be visiting Belfast for the first time, and decided it would not be her last.


The Benzinga delayed price quotes API delivers 15 minute delayed price quotes for the most popular American exchanges. Data points include open, low & high (including 52-week), close, daily volume, and various % change numbers are available in the API. For a full list of fields view the documentation.
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The City of Lights is bracing for darker times.
In a Feb. 9 press conference, Paris’s deputy mayor Jean-François Martins unveiled a proposal to build a permanent bulletproof glass wall around the base of the Eiffel Tower to protect France’s most popular tourist attraction from terrorist attacks. The “aesthetic perimeter,” as Martins called it, will replace unsightly metal fences the city erected as preventive measures when it hosted the Euro football tournament last year.
“Sadly, the risk of terrorism hasn’t gone away,” said Martins.
Measuring 8 ft (2.4 m) high, the glass wall will protect the 128-year old landmark as well as two adjacent ponds. Tourists can only access the areas after clearing security checkpoints, which are quickly becoming standard fixtures in cultural attractions around the world.
The mayor’s office will seek design proposals through an official tender process. Like New York officials who commissioned sculptural bollards to protect downtown Manhattan after the Sept. 11 attacks, Paris is actively seeking counter-terrorism architecture and urban planning solutions that preserve its charm. “We have three aims: to improve the look, make access easier, and strengthen the protection of visitors and staff,” explained Martins. Le Parisien estimates the city will spend $22 million (link in French) for the security barriers.
France’s capital has been on high alert since jihadists killed 130 people in attacks across the city in November 2015, including at the Bataclan music hall. On Feb. 3, a machete-wielding Egyptian citizen lunged at two soldiers at the Louvre museum.


Why justification by faith alone is still our defining doctrine.
Evangelicals who visit Rome cannot help but enjoy the stately buildings and stirring sense of history. A few like it so much they never leave. Such is the case with Francis Beckwith, former president of the Evangelical Theological Society. In April, the Baylor University philosopher rejoined the Roman Catholic Church.
Such defections always provoke a little evangelical soul-searching, in this case about the classic doctrine of justification. Beckwith found the Protestant view, which assumes that sanctification follows justification, inadequate.
"As an evangelical, even when I talked about sanctification and wanted to practice it, it seemed as if I didn't have a good enough incentive to do so," Beckwith told Christianity Today. "Now [in Catholicism] there's a kind of theological framework, and it doesn't say my salvation depends on me, but it says my virtue counts for something."
Beckwith, in describing his confusion, has done us a favor, giving us an opportunity to explore a question that frankly many Christians ask: Why be good?
July 2007, Vol. 51, No. 7, Pg 20, "Virtue That Counts"


Get the latest news on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is an independent agency related to the US federal government. NASA conducts aerospace research. Follow RT on the latest updates and news on NASA’s work and activities and its space scientific studies. NASA is behind many groundbreaking space research project, including Mars exploration missions. Visit RT.com to get the news and information on history and development of NASA.
NASA chief Jim Bridenstine said India’s recent anti-satellite missile test was a “terrible thing” because it has created dangerous space debris – despite the US being one of the major orbital litterers.
People on social networks are struggling to understand how NASA prepares for its missions after the space agency announced that its historic all-woman spacewalk will be canceled due to problems with spacesuit sizes.


CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns rookie Darius Eubanks is making his first career start at inside linebacker against Jacksonville.
Eubanks is in the lineup because Craig Robertson (knee) and Tank Carder (shoulder) are both sidelined with injuries Sunday. Eubanks came in last week after Carder was hurt in the first half against Pittsburgh.
With Browns quarterback Jason Campbell out with a concussion, Brandon Weeden is back behind center. Campbell was injured on a hit by Steelers cornerback William Gay, who was fined $15,750 for the blow to Campbell’s head. Campbell was ruled out Friday.
Weeden is 0-4 as a starter and has twice been benched.
The Jaguars have no significant inactives and no lineup changes as they try to win their third straight road game.


Sekondi, Jan. 10 - GNA - The Very Reverend Doctor Jacob Welbourne, Dean of the Anglican Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle has congratulated the election of Mr. Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi- Hughes as the new Speaker of Parliament.
He said the election of Mr. Sekyi-Hughes has brought a great deal of joy to the Anglican Diocese of Sekondi and the Beach Road Church of the Ascension in Takoradi where he is the Acting Warden. These were contained in a congratulatory message signed by Rev. Welbourne on Monday.
"The church in the entire diocese are solidly behind you and we wish you well in your new role and environment".
The message called on Mr. Sekyi-Hughes to serve as a bridge between the various groups in Parliament and be fair, truthful and impartial to all of them.
"Mr. Sekyi-Hughes being a senior member of the church is expected to perform creditable and ensure that laws that are passed for the country by Parliament would be in the national interest".


Check out our full review of the Nikon D800 for a more in-depth look at Nikon’s newest DSLR.
The Nikon D800 has all but been announced, and now we have the official pictures and nearly all of the full details prior to its launch. Brazilian site ZTOP accidentally published photos and specs before Nikon’s embargo lifted and it looks like everything we thought about the D800 is being confirmed.
The full-frame DSLR will indeed feature a 36.3-megapixel sensor and ISO sensitivity 100-6400. Fully 1080p HD video is available and the camera features a 3.2-inch LCD screen. Full specs haven’t obviously haven’t been released yet, but the D800 is rumored to have the same, much-lauded 51-point AF system of the Nikon D3 and recently introduced D4. We’ll know more tomorrow when Nikon is expected to officially announce the D800.


It's hard to define who plays what instrument in the band, as performers tend to swap instruments from song to song.
Vocalist, banjo and fiddle player Rhiannon Giddens is a native of the North Carolina Piedmont. She's been trained in opera and Celtic music, but decided to get back to the roots of music from her local area.
Also a fiddler, vocalist and banjo player, Justin Robinson, who grew up in Gastonia, was trained in classical violin as a young man. Dom Flemons, originally from Arizona, plays guitar, banjo, harmonica, jug, snare drum and sings.
Their music has been described as country, folk and old-time, but would be best defined as traditional Piedmont string band music.
In this music, the banjo is the lead instrument and the fiddle serves as backup or accompaniment, rather than serving as lead instrument as it would in Appalachian string music.
North Carolina fiddler Joe Thompson, now in his 90s, has helped mentor the group. Thompson has been called a living legend and is said to be the last black traditional string band player. Thompson grew up performing at barn dances and eventually made his way to Carnegie Hall.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops released CD s in 2006 and 2008. The band has been hailed by Henry Saint Clair Fredericks (performer Taj Mahal), a Grammy Award-winner for whom the Chocolate Drops opened in 2008.
The group will perform at the McCelvey Center in York on January 9.


United States' Erin Hamlin and home hope Wolfgang Kindl each claimed surprise sprint gold medals today as the International Luge Federation (FIL) World Championships began in Igls.
Hamlin, who had claimed an equally unexpected non-sprint world title at Lake Placid in 2009, clocked a time of 30.074sec in the shortened format in the Austrian resort.
This proved enough for her to get the better of defending champion Martina Kocher of Switzerland.
Kocher finished 0.009 behind as Tatjiana Huefner of Germany took bronze a further thousandth of a second back.
“This is incredible, I wasn’t expecting it at all," said the winner.
Local hero Kindl delighted the home crowd with his win in the corresponding men's event.
He clocked a time of 32.467 to win by 12 thousandths over Russia's Roman Repilov.
Italy's Dominik Fiscgnaller was a comparatively distant third in 32.590.
“I knew I could win here,” said Kindl afterwards.
Last year’s sprint competition was the first time the event had featured in the FIL World Championships.
Action in the longer two-run Olympic discipline will begin tomorrow.


The producers responsible for a recall of some 550 million potentially tainted eggs have found another outlet for the inventory that just keeps coming: They’ll turn them into liquid eggs used in everything from cookies and cakes to egg substitutes and pet food.
Eggs from the two Iowa farms at the heart of a salmonella scare could still make it into your shopping basket — but not in the way you'd think.
Patricia El-Hinnawy, a spokeswoman for the federal Food and Drug Administration, confirmed Wednesday that Wright County Eggs and Hillandale Farms will send recalled eggs and ongoing inventories of eggs to so-called "breaking plants" to be processed and sold.
FDA and Animal science experts say the eggs will be pasteurized, a process that indisputably kills the salmonella bacteria responsible for infections that have sickened at least 1,300 people.
And officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture say that lots of the eggs suspected in the outbreak will be segregated from other eggs and subjected to a new, second inspection to ensure that no salmonella remains.
Still, experts concede that the move to send previously tainted eggs into the market might not sit well with a public worried about food poisoning.
"There's a possibility that consumers could overreact and consider them not safe when they really are," said Patricia Y. Hester, a professor of animal sciences at Purdue University. "There could be a public perception problem. There usually is."


After two faculty members at Punjab Engineering College (PEC) University of Technology were caught in plagiarism net, the authorities at the institute have woken up to the need to have guidelines for conducting and publishing research.
The authorities have constituted a committee to formulate research guidelines. Also, the institute will be acquiring anti-plagiarism software to overcome basic issues such as giving attributions and also references.
HT had recently highlighted the issue where research work of two faculty members, Dr Sanjeev Sofat and Divya Bansal, had been rejected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
The society has also banned both Sofat and Bansal from approaching the institute for getting their works published for a period of three years - from January 10, 2011 to January 10, 2014 - for plagiarism.
While Sofat is the dean academics and also head of the department of computer science and engineering, Bansal is also from the same department.


The transaction management team at Clayton Holdings led by Vicki Beal doesn’t deal in small potatoes. This year alone, they provided independent third-party review due diligence services to 16 nonagency residential mortgage-backed securities deals.
Since 2009, the year after the crash and as lending ground to a virtual halt, they have provided the service to practically every major RMBS deal. The senior vice president is a member of the transaction and credit risk management leader’s securitization group, the hub of Clayton’s approach to RMBS due diligence. The company considers Beal key to its success.
She is the primary ratings agency contact for Clayton and has had input on securitization standards adopted by the American Securitization Forum as well as being used in the current ratings process. Beal, who has more than 38 years of mortgage banking industry experience, acts as the go-to person at Clayton on the subject matter of due diligence, being considered an expert on all elements of the origination, collection, servicing, regulatory and vendor sides of the mortgage business.
“She is the face and the voice of Clayton and has appeared before the Senate Banking Committee in Washington and other regulatory committees to represent the firm in explaining the diligence process,” a spokesperson for Clayton said.


Nov 21 Tackle changed from 0 to 1.
Nov 21 Tackle changed from 4 to 5.
Nov 21 Games Played changed from 1 to 0.
Nov 21 Pass Defended changed from 1 to 2.
Nov 21 Sack changed from 1 to 0.
Nov 21 Sack Yards changed from 6 to 0.
Nov 21 Tackle changed from 2 to 3.


A new report claims Iowa’s health care industry adds $6.2 billion dollars to the state’s economy. Scott McIntyre is spokesman for the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA), which conducted the study. “Our hospitals alone provide more than 71,000 jobs and about $4 billion dollars in economic impact,” McIntyre says.
Overall, Iowa’s health care sector provides nearly 294,000 jobs. McIntyre says the data is compiled annually and shared with legislators and other key decision makers to spread awareness of the impact hospitals and other health care operations have on Iowa’s economy. “Not everybody is aware of that, not everybody looks at health care and hospitals as an economic engine, but the reality is they are a large economic engine,” McIntyre says.
As an income source, the report notes Iowa’s 118 community hospitals provide $4.2 billion in salaries and benefits and generate another $1.8 billion through other jobs that depend on hospitals. The entire health care sector is responsible for about one-fifth of the state’s total non-farm employment.


Mondelez International is stepping up its investments and innovation in marketing and product development. The Kraft global-snacks spinoff may have stumbled a bit since its Oct. 1st debut as a new company on the world stage. But give it time.
Today it’s hosting a Mobile Futures conference (follow on Twitter at #MobileFutures), taking pitches from “SoLoMo, mobile at retail, and social TV” startups as part of its commitment, under digital strategist Bonin Bough, to invest in mobile startups.
For example, one idea already submitted in the contest that began last month, for prizes totaling $11,000, is for a Chocolate Piano concept — a chocolate bar that looks like the keys of a piano. “Every key has its own flavor so the bar itself writes a melody of flavors” such as white chocolate, white chocolate with strawberries, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate with almonds, wrote the contestant named Elena.
Mondelez also is betting heavily on a proven creative genius as it builds its brands and marketing presence: David Droga, founder and creative chairman of ad agency Droga5. The outfit is doing work for a handful of Mondelez brands (and some owned by Kraft Foods, the other part of the old Kraft company), though no one will quite specify which ones. BelVita is rumored to be one of them.
“You feel that kind of sense of calm” in working with Droga, Dana Anderson, SVP of marketing strategy for Mondelez, told Adweek.
And Mondelez has put itself down for sponsoring the 2013 world tour of One Direction, including sponsoring its current worldwide tour (and bringing its brands along for the ride via sweepstakes and cross-marketing) adding its own brands to PepsiCo’s heavy support of the group.
Good things, because in non-marketing aspects of its business, Mondelez is facing growing pains. For instance, the company already is shuffling management in its developing-markets and gums businesses after missteps in Russia and Brazil hurt Mondelez sales in the third quarter, its first since the breakup of the old company.
Some investors express faith that Mondelez is getting things figured out, including on the mobile and digital front, and remains a long-term growth story because about 44 percent of its sales come from emerging markets, where food consumption — and especially of snacks — is rising more rapidly than in developed markets.


Carwyn Jones calls for Wales to be the safest place in Europe for women, after 'vile' treatment of women who complain of sexual harassment.
Welsh Government says it needn't release a leak investigation report into events leading up to Carl Sargeant's death, despite losing a vote.
It's been revealed that Carwyn Jones doesn't possess a personal mobile phone "for security reasons".
The Welsh Government says the European market is vital for exports and demands a UK-EU customs union, with full access to the single market.
Leighton Andrews has wrritten to Carwyn Jones saying he has misled the National Assembly 'several times' since the death of Carl Sargeant.
Conservative AM Darren Millar has revealed that Carl Sargeant asked him to question First Minister about bullying in the Welsh Government.
Carwyn Jones was told in the Senedd that the timing of his agreement to an independent investigation of his conduct was "suspect".
27% of Welsh voters think the First Minister should resign after claims of bullying in his government and the death of Carl Sargeant.
UKIP have responded to Carwyn Jones' statement by calling on other parties to support a vote of no confidence in the First Minister.


Yahoo is bidding to strengthen its presence in the increasingly important mobile space with the acquisition of Alike, a location discovery app.
The move comes as Yahoo faces rising pressure to stay relevant and offer mobile products for consumers as it struggles to compete against Google, Facebook and other social networks.
Alike is designed to let users enter a specific location or business into their device, and it then provides recommendations on places to go that share qualities with the original place.
For instance, a person can enter the name of a boutique, single-origin, small-batch roasted coffee shop in San Francisco, and the app can return a list of similar cafés in Portland, according to a video posted on the service’s website.
“We believe that distilled information, deeply personalized and made accessible anytime and anywhere, is what makes mobile experiences a part of our customers’ daily lives,” the Alike team posted Tuesday morning on its website.
Alike posted this message on its website Tuesday, announcing its purchase by Yahoo.
“In Yahoo we’ve found a team as excited about this vision as we are, and who are serious about making it real,” they said.
The acquisition follows recent remarks by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer on the importance of mobile in restoring the company’s growth.
In October Yahoo also bought Stamped, a mobile app for recording and sharing recommendations of people’s favorite places or things.
But the extent to which the Alike acquisition will allow Yahoo to stake a claim in mobile location discovery remains unclear, given that Alike occupies a similar space as industry stalwarts like Yelp and Foursquare.
Other players in the location discovery space include Facebook’s mobile Nearby feature, which recommends places to go based on users’ friends, and also Google+ Local, which gives place recommendations based on users’ circles, past reviews and current location.
Interestingly, the Alike app’s partners have included Foursquare, as well as Yext, Citysearch, Factual, Singleplatform and Sqoot.
As of Tuesday the Alike applications for both iPhone and the desktop are no longer active, the team reported. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.


A Japanese chiropractor thinks he knows why Freiza lost to Gokku in Dragon Ball Z. And what is said reason? Bad posture.
In an interview with Netarika, chiropractor Yuji Ogawa discussed exactly this, pointing out Frieza's poor positioning in his hover pod.
Ogawa notes that it's hard to tell how first-form Frieza sits in the pod from the manga, so he used a collectible to explain what he meant.
Frieza sits slightly forward in his hover pod, making a strong impression when viewed head on. But from the side, he's hunched over.
Which makes it easier to see said posture in these images from the anime.
"In the pod, he's relaxing in a stooped over position. He also has his arms in the worst position." Because of that, Ogawa says that he will get stiff shoulders, which aren't good if you are planning on kicking Goku arse.
Ogawa images that Frieza is in this position for long stretches of time, saying this not only puts a burden on his nervous system, but also his internal organs.
All this means he is not operating in optimal condition. And because this, he was not going to perform well and was bound to lose.
His third form, no doubt, was a direct result of slouching, so please, sit up straight regardless or not if you're going to fight Goku.
But in his final form he had perfect posture and form.
I was expecting him to say "He lost because he cut in half between these to vertebrae here."
Yep, that's what I was thinking too.


The exclusive track from Radiohead, one of the world’s biggest rock bands, and Zimmer, one of the best-known movie composers, will feature in a prequel to the blue-chip series. A short teaser version of the prequel will be released online Sept. 26 ahead of its full launch at a “Blue Planet II” premiere at London’s BFI Imax on Sept. 27.
Thom Yorke will re-record his vocals for the track, which will be recorded at AIR studios in London with the BBC Concert Orchestra. The Radiohead lead singer said the first “Blue Planet” was the starting point for the original track.
“Blue Planet II” bows on the BBC in the U.K. and BBC America in the U.S., where it has the title “Planet Earth: Blue Planet II.” BBC Worldwide is selling it internationally and will hope to follow the success of its other blue-chip titles, notably “Planet Earth II,” which was a huge international hit.


Here’s an update to a chart I have shown regularly. Housing PRICES showed a bottom a while ago. Due to crowding out from the fiscal stimulus, it was expected that a housing recovery would be more visible in housing prices than in housing CONSTRUCTION. Nevertheless, it would not be a housing recovery unless construction increased to more normal levels, which is why I have watched the construction activity closely.
I have expected non-residential construction to be high, and it is compared to most of 2007 and all of the years before that. But it appears that construction spending now is just a bit lower than it was when the recession began.
Note that this graph is construction SPENDING, which differ from the VOLUME of construction according to construction prices. 2009’s construction prices must be especially low, so a time series for the volume of construction activity should show 2009 to be less below prior years’ than shown by the spending series.
During the boom, I see an obvious crowding out (as opposed to the “crowding in” claimed by Professor Krugman): more housing construction was reducing non-residential construction, not increasing it. Remember that the multiplier advocates claim that spending in one sector motivates spending in another.
During the early part of the bust — though the end of 2008, and thus through 12 months of recession — I also see a clear crowding out: less housing construction was increasing non-residential construction. That non-residential construction spending increase did not need a spending boom in the housing or any other sector to get going (Krugman’s view) but rather needed LESS spending in other areas.
Even during 2009, it’s difficult to see housing spending drops doing much to significantly pulling down non-residential spending. To the degree that non-residential spending fell, it may be due to crowding out by public construction spending (not shown in the graph) … when I get some numbers on this I’ll let you know.


Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison have one of the most fascinating bromance relationships in Silicon Valley.
Benioff started his career at Oracle and was Ellison's top lieutenant, becoming the company's youngest VP at age 26. Ellison was also one of the first investors in Salesforce, long serving as Benioff's closest business partner and mentor.
But the relationship took a sharp turn when Benioff discovered Ellison was secretly building a Salesforce competitor, all the while sitting on Salesforce's board. The rivalry reached its peak in 2011 when Ellison booted Benioff from speaking at Oracle's OpenWorld show at the last minute.
The two still continue to take swipes at each other openly in the public. Benioff recently told us that Oracle's "scrambling" for growth with its $9.3 billion NetSuite acquisition. Ellison, in return, has made a comment implying Oracle could beat Salesforce to the $10 billion revenue mark.
But despite all this, Benioff says he still loves Ellison, according to an interview with Bloomberg. In fact, he says it was Ellison who taught him these things, and the constant back-and-forth is just part of the game, pointing out their 30-year relationship is "far more eternal and enduring."
"Business is a lot like tennis. You get on the court with your friends, you play as hard as you can, you get really upset, you say crazy things, you go off the court, you go and have lunch and have a glass of wine and remember how much you love them.
I love Larry Ellison, he's a great mentor to me, he's been a great friend, and probably there is no one in the industry who has done more for me than Larry Ellison, and I'm very grateful to him."
Benioff and Ellison's rivalry will be put on full display in the coming weeks when both Salesforce and Oracle will hold back-to-back, week-long events in downtown San Francisco. Oracle's OpenWorld will run from September 18 to 22, while Salesforce will have its own annual conference Dreamforce from October 4 to 7.


Brian Williams returned to the airwaves of MSNBC to anchor coverage of the visit of Pope Francis to the United States on Tuesday.
NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Williams returned to the airwaves of MSNBC to anchor coverage of the visit of Pope Francis to the United States on Tuesday, his first day back at work following his suspension from NBC News and demotion for misleading viewers about his role in news stories.
Dressed in a suit and blue striped tie, Williams made no mention of his absence. He anchored the network's coverage from 3 to 5 p.m. EDT, stationed in a Manhattan studio.
All business at first, Williams seemed to loosen up as his two-hour shift moved along. At one point, he was talking with NBC correspondent Anne Thompson, who was on the plane with the pope, after it had landed.
"Thank you, Anne. Grab your personal belongings," Williams said.
Williams had opened his broadcast by introducing White House correspondent Chris Jansing, at the airport where the pope arrived, for a report, followed by short interviews with Maria Shriver and Jose Diaz-Balart. "Meet the Press" anchor Chuck Todd was in the studio with him to discuss the trip's importance.
Network news divisions had been gearing up for pope coverage, with Lester Holt, George Stephanopoulos and Scott Pelley anchoring special reports on Tuesday's arrival on NBC, ABC and CBS.
But Williams' return attracted the most notice. Except for an interview with Matt Lauer on "Today," he'd been off the air since his suspension from "Nightly News" in February. He was caught telling a false story about his coverage of the Iraq War, and lost his "Nightly News" job after an NBC investigation turned up other instances of exaggerating his role.
Although Williams won't have a regular daily show on MSNBC, he's expected to anchor during busy news periods a couple of times a week. The network has ditched its daytime opinion programming in favor of news coverage that emphasizes its ties to NBC News.
His return was timed to coincide with MSNBC's revamp and to offer some control over his first appearance. Williams is to anchor coverage of breaking news, which, for the most part is unpredictable. But the pope's visit has a strict schedule and media outlets have been planning for it for months.
NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said last week that Williams is one of the best in his generation for covering live, breaking news on television.
"I'm confident that he deserves a second chance and I'm confident that Brian is as good at his job as he was last year at this time," Lack said. "I think viewers will engage with good work. It's not going to happen overnight. ... We're playing a long game here."


Schools participating in the city's premier rugby competition have agreed on a new set of conditions ahead of the 2019 season.
In an independent review panel decision released yesterday, Saint Kentigern College said it would stand down some of its new-to-school first-fifteen rugby stars for at least six games in the secondary schools first XV 1A tournament, after being chided for recruiting out-of-town players.
In a statement, College Sport Auckland (CSA) said the 10 schools, along with St Kentigern, met "amicably" this morning to sign a new set of conditions restricting player movements between first XV rugby teams nationwide.
Myles Hogarty is the principal of De La Salle in South Auckland and the spokesperson for 10 other schools in the 1A competition that were threatening to boycott games against St Kentigern in the upcoming season.
Mr Hogarty said schools would now not refuse to play against St Kentigern College's first XV.
Schools in the Auckland 1A competition are no longer able to offer partial or full academic scholarships to players in other first XV sides nationwide and will have to stand down any players that transfer to their school for the first six games of the tournament, including potential semi-final and final games.
As part of the eight new conditions, CSA detailed any form of "player recruitment or inducement to attract a student from another school's first XV rugby team" will not be permitted in the competition.
It said a student transferring schools with the potential to join the new institution's first XV programme within two years of enrolling had to be documented.
The behaviour of the St Kentigern College's management staff has been brought into question, with one condition underlining their position as "role models" to the players, and another reminding them to act "in the spirit of schoolboy sport" when communicating with other teams' management, as well as before and after games.
Alongside the conditions restricting player movements, a set of principles for the competition were established - ensuring both the players' best interests and the "true value of schoolboy sport" were upheld.
CSA review panel chair Tim Castle told RNZ other schools were not immune from allegations similar to those made against St Kentigern College.
"There has been a growing concern about teams being stacked with good players to the disadvantage of the competition."
Mr Castle said targeted player recruiting in secondary school rugby teams had to stop.
CSA and the schools involved declined interview requests.
A New Zealand schoolboy rugby ranking specialist says there's nothing wrong with private schools offering scholarships to promising youngsters.
Leading Auckland rugby college Saint Kentigern insists it's playing by rules despite allegations of player poaching.


Robert Morris guard Mezie Nwigwe�s most impressive point total of the season wasn�t his 18 against Albany, or even his team-leading 15 in a Northeast Conference win over Monmouth, a victory that pushed the Colonials (12-8, 7-1) into a first-place tie in the league.
His best performance came when Morgan State guard Reggie Holmes scored 11 points against him.
You see, Holmes averages nearly 22.9 points per game to rank fifth in the country. Nwigwe held him to 3-of-15 shooting.
�Yeah, I felt pretty good about that one,� he said.
�A defensive stopper must revel in the disappointment of others, and Nwigwe has certainly defined that twisted logic all season. But when Robert Morris coach Mike Rice asked him to fill that role two years ago, he hesitated. He had averaged more than 22 points per game as a senior in high school and was former coach Mark Schmidt�s first option off the Colonials� bench as a freshman. He could penetrate, shoot and create, a potentially dynamic combination.
Because the NEC is guard-heavy, Rice needed an athletic player to neutralize the opposition�s backcourt weapon. While Nwigwe was uncertain, Bateko Francisco emerged as that player. Francisco ended up putting the NEC defensive player of the year award in the school�s trophy case.
Now, after three years of being the first guy off the bench, Nwigwe may be the most important player in Rice�s defense-first strategy. But that doesn�t mean he doesn�t channel his offensive roots every so often.
On a team where a different player carries the scoring burden almost every game, Nwigwe has registered eight double-figure efforts. Five have come in the past eight games, which were mostly in conference. His .444 field-goal percentage is tops among Colonial guards.
And, in that Morgan State win, Nwigwe had 14 points.
But it�s defense that Nwigwe now finds fascinating, like he�s been brainwashed by a coach who has a love affair with low field-goal percentages. Although embracing it took him some time, he thrives on an identity he�s finally created.


Fiji's prime minister has launched a scathing attack on hoteliers who have warned that they might have to shut down operations if the government's Qoliqoli Bill is passed in its current form.
Laisenia Qarase has told Radio Legend that some of these hoteliers are going berserk over the issue and misinterpreting the Bill completely.
Mr Qarase says some of them have still have a colonial attitude and look down on the Fijian people.
He says they cannot continue to marginalize the indigenous people of Fiji and should give them their proper dues in relation to their rights to their land and their Qoliqoli.
Mr Qarase says they should look at this as the foundation for building partnerships between the investors and the landowners.
He says he has come across quite a lot of foreign investors who are going to establish hotels along the coast who are already getting into partnerships with the landowners for the use of their Qoliqoli.
Mr Qarase says that's the sort of attitude that Fiji wants, not threats.


Actors James Franco and Seth Rogen arrive for the premiere of the film “The Interview” at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles, California on December 11, 2014.
A little controversy added up to $1 million for “The Interview” at the box office on Christmas Day, Sony Pictures reported Friday.
That’s an impressive haul when you consider the $44 million film was shown in only 300 independent theaters on Thursday, after also being released online Wednesday — and especially considering it wasn’t going to be shown at all, as of late last week.
Most of the 300 theaters reported sold-out screenings, indicating “The Interview” could finish the holiday weekend with several million at the box office. Those theaters accounted for only 10 percent of the planned release for the film, said Rory Bruer, Sony’s president of worldwide distribution.
“Considering the incredibly challenging circumstances, we are extremely grateful to the people all over the country who came out to experience ‘The Interview’ on the first day of its unconventional release,” Bruer said in a statement.
Christmas Day also showed solid returns for Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken,” which pulled in a first-day total of $15.59 million. That’s the third-biggest Christmas Day debut, behind “Sherlock Holmes” with $24 million and “Les Miserables” with $18 million.
“Into the Woods,” with Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt, finished second with $15.08 million.


Google Inc. was upgraded to overweight from neutral at Atlantic Equities on Wednesday on recent improvements in mobile search and the potential for YouTube to serve as a "material growth driver" as advertising dollars continue to shift from traditional TV. Analyst James Cordwell also raised his 12-month price target on the stock, to $825 from $560, making him one of the most bullish analysts among a poll of 40 analysts on FactSet. The average target on Google's stock is $763.30, according to FactSet. Cordwell's previous bearishness was related to questions surrounding the company's ability to successfully transition its desktop search product to mobile. However, resilient revenue growth from Google websites suggests the company is "navigating this transition better than anticipated," he said. The analyst is modeling for a more than 50% annual increase in YouTube revenue from 2015 to 2017. Shares of Google were up 0.4% to around $691.44 in premarket trade Wednesday. Its shares have surged more than 25% over the last three months, outperforming the broader S&P 500, down 1.5%.


Willow Smith's hair-whipping days may be over for now, but it looks like someone else is happy to take over the reins — on ice no less.
Starr Andrews, a 9-year-old figure skater, has performed a routine to the infectious tune full of sass, style (check out those Converse skates) and lots of tress-flinging — it would surely make Smith proud.Who doesn't want to see this at the next Winter Olympics?
5 Changes to Expect From the Arsenio Hall Show RevivalIt's been nearly 20 years since Arsenio Hall has graced the late-night desk, and he's returning to a crowded market. "There's a lot of competition," Hall said at the Television Critics Association fall previews on Monday to promote the revival of The Arsenio Hall Show, which premieres on Sept. 9 (syndicated, check local listings). "I know that not everybody has a late-night host. It's hard to get people to watch you and make appointments for television… "