This weekend marks a meeting of one of the most storied series in the NCAA as Notre Dame and Navy will take the field for the 92nd-consecutive time Saturday, this time in San Diego.
The No. 3 Irish (7-0) hold a 75-13-1 lead in the series over the Midshipmen (2-5, 1-3 AAC) and defeated them at home last season on Senior Day. However, the Midshipmen were able to grab a victory the last time the two teams were on the road, when they played in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2016.
With Notre Dame heavily immersed the College Football Playoff picture at the moment, Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo knows that taking down the squad at a neutral site will be a tough task. But he also feels the Midshipmen have been on the up and up in the last few weeks and hopes they will be up to the challenge.
Irish junior receiver Chase Claypool makes a diving catch in front of his Pittsburgh defender during Notre Dame’s 19-14 win over the Panthers on Oct. 13 at Notre Dame Stadium.
The Midshipmen are coming off back-to-back close losses to Temple on Oct. 13 and Houston last weekend, but the simple fact of his players being students at the Naval Academy has helped to prepare to rebound from tough losses, Niumatalolo said.
The Midshipmen boast a unique triple-option offense and employ three quarterbacks, two of whom they have play nearly interchangeably this season in senior Garet Lewis and junior Malcolm Perry. Senior Zach Abey has battled injury, but is also expected to be healthy going into the weekend’s matchup. The three quarterbacks all boast efficiency ratings of well over 100, while Perry is also the squad’s leading rusher with 729 yards on the season, averaging 104.1 yards per game.
Navy’s approach to the game will not stray from its typical gameplan, which is cause for concern for Notre Dame and Irish head coach Brian Kelly, and the Midshipmen are masters of controlling the clock and minimizing their opponents’ possessions.
Navy defensive coordinator Dale Pehrson is particularly concerned about going up against Notre Dame’s offensive line, which he noted is made up of future NFL players, year in and year out.
The Midshipmen are well-aware of the unique position they are in to take down one of the top teams in the nation, turn heads across the country and completely disrupt the playoff picture, but Niumatalolo warned against aiming too high, as he would prefer to not be on the receiving end of the complete opposite result either.
For Kelly, however, the Navy matchup is one that is slightly fear-inducing. Despite the fact that the Irish are coming off a bye week, Kelly cautioned that a team can never feel fully prepared to play the Midshipmen.
The Notre Dame–Navy rivalry is one of the longest-running rivalries in college football history, as the two programs are both respected nationwide. Niumatalolo said he is expecting this high-profile game to bring out the best in his players.
Niumatalolo also said he is excited to get out to the West Coast because of the Naval presence in the San Diego region, and joked that it will help the Midshipmen grab a win from the undefeated Irish.
Kelly reinforced that the most important thing that comes out of the weekend is the continued brotherhood between Notre Dame and Navy.
“They play extremely well against us. We’ll have to be at our best playing a complete football team that plays hard for four quarters,” he said.


JACKSONVILLE, Fla., July 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Fidelity National Financial, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new FNF Group (NYSE: FNF) three-year stock repurchase program, effective August 1, 2015, under which the company may repurchase up to 25 million shares of FNF common stock. Purchases may be made from time to time by the company in the open market at prevailing market prices or in privately negotiated transactions through July 31, 2018. Under its previous three-year repurchase program, which expires on July 31, 2015, the company repurchased a total of 3.4 million shares of common stock.
Fidelity National Financial, Inc. is organized into two groups, FNF Group (NYSE: FNF) and FNFV Group (NYSE: FNFV). FNF is a leading provider of title insurance, technology and transaction services to the real estate and mortgage industries. FNF is the nation's largest title insurance company through its title insurance underwriters - Fidelity National Title, Chicago Title, Commonwealth Land Title, Alamo Title and National Title of New York - that collectively issue more title insurance policies than any other title company in the United States. FNF also provides industry-leading mortgage technology solutions and transaction services, including MSP®, the leading residential mortgage servicing technology platform in the U.S., through its majority-owned subsidiaries, Black Knight Financial Services and ServiceLink Holdings. FNFV holds majority and minority equity investment stakes in a number of entities, including American Blue Ribbon Holdings, LLC, J. Alexander's, LLC , Ceridian HCM, Inc., Fleetcor Technologies, Inc. and Digital Insurance, Inc. More information about FNF and FNFV can be found at www.fnf.com.


Published: July 24, 2013 at 04:53 p.m.
Updated: July 25, 2013 at 01:40 a.m.
Miami Dolphins rookie defensive end Dion Jordan hasn't been on the field a lot as a professional. He missed much of the offseason because of NFL rules and a nagging shoulder injury, then briefly was on the non-football injury list to start training camp.
Jordan is back on the practice field now, but he hasn't been cleared for full contact in training camp. That's expected to happen in the next few days. Speaking to NFL Network's Warren Sapp live on "Inside Training Camp" on Wednesday, Jordan said he'll be ready for Week 1. And he plans on starting.
"Oh yeah, yes, sir," Jordan told Sapp. "I can handle it. I'll be ready to go."
» Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid told NFL Network's Steve Wyche that No. 1 overall draft pick Eric Fisher's contract "will get done." The Chiefs aren't worried that Fisher is missing a few days with his fellow rookies. It sounds like the team expects Fisher in place by the weekend.
» Aditi Kinkhabwala passed along word that the Baltimore Ravens gave their rookies the day off from camp. Instead, coach John Harbaugh took his players to Gettysburg.
» Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs to Kinkhabwala: "You've never won a Super Bowl in training camp, but you've lost one."
» Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller told reporters that he doesn't believe he let down his teammates, following NFL.com's Albert Breer's report from earlier in the week that Miller is facing a four-game suspension for violating NFL policy. Miller insisted that marijuana was not a part of his life.
» Broncos coach John Fox told NFL Network's Michelle Beisner about Miller's situation: "I think right now it's all speculation. It's a confidentiality matter that we can't comment on. ... Nothing's changed. It's a league matter, and with respect to that, we'll keep marching forward until we hear something different."
» The Philadelphia Eagles run more plays per practice than any team NFL Network's Brian Baldinger has ever seen.
NFL Network's "Inside Training Camp" is running all day with the latest information from every training camp. All football, all day long. Goodbye offseason.


An online virtual charter school in Indiana has once again been spared from closing, despite persistently low academic scores.
The state school board last week deferred closing the Hoosier Academy Virtual School, which is operated by K12 Inc. Instead, the school, which serves more than 3,000 students, will be prohibited from enrolling new students, and the amount of administrative fees its authorizer, Ball State University, receives will be cut.
Hoosier Academy Virtual has posted failing grades for six consecutive years. State board members learned last week that much of the school's curriculum is not aligned to Indiana's academic standards.


Some commonly used antidepressants may increase certain patients' risk of developing mania or bipolar disorder, a large study suggests.
The strongest link was for depressed patients prescribed Effexor (venlafaxine) or antidepressants called serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the British study found. SSRIs include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft).
However, many patients who developed mania or bipolar symptoms likely had underlying bipolar disorder or a predisposition because of family history or other factors, the researchers believe.
Also, the study was observational, and "we did not demonstrate a causal association between antidepressants and mania and bipolar disorder," said lead researcher Dr. Rashmi Patel, of the department of psychosis studies at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience.
Still, the findings highlight the need to consider risk factors for bipolar disorder in people treated for major depression, Patel said.
These include a family history of bipolar disorder, a prior depressive episode with psychotic symptoms, depression at a young age, or depression that doesn't respond to treatment, he said.
"If you are taking antidepressants and are concerned that you might be experiencing adverse effects, it is important to seek medical advice to review your medication and to not stop your treatment suddenly, as this may result in withdrawal symptoms," Patel said.
Major depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States, According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in 10 Americans aged 12 years and over takes antidepressant medication.
For the study, Patel and colleagues studied the medical records of more than 21,000 adults treated for major depression in London between 2006 and 2013.
SSRIs were the most commonly prescribed antidepressants (35.5 percent), the researchers said.
Effexor, a dual-acting drug used to treat both depression and anxiety, was taken by less than 6 percent of patients. Fewer than 10 percent took mirtazapine (Remeron) and fewer than 5 percent used tricyclics (Elavil).
Nearly 1,000 patients were diagnosed with bipolar disorder or mania during the follow-up period of roughly four years.
"We found that antidepressants were widely prescribed and associated with a small increased risk in developing mania and bipolar disorder," said Patel.
This association was particularly strong for SSRIs and Effexor. These drugs seemed to increase the risk 34 percent to 35 percent, the researchers said.
The peak age for manic or bipolar episodes among depression patients taking antidepressants was 26 to 35, the researchers reported.
According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels and the ability to carry out everyday tasks.
The study authors noted that people with undiagnosed bipolar disorder may be more likely to seek treatment when in the depressive stage of the illness, which could help explain the link between antidepressants and later bipolar behavior.
The report was published Dec. 15 in the online journal BMJ Open.
Dr. Ami Baxi, interim director of inpatient and emergency psychiatry at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said, "As the prevalence of depression increases, more and more antidepressants are being prescribed and patients often ask about the risks associated with these drugs."
In this case, however, it is difficult to say that these medications cause bipolar disorder, since several risk factors related to underlying bipolar disorder were not assessed in this study, said Baxi, who was not involved with the study.
This research indicates a correlation of antidepressant treatment and manic episodes without reviewing preexisting risk factors of developing bipolar disorder, she explained.
"For patients who are concerned about this risk of conversion to bipolar disorder, the results of this study should encourage a discussion with your doctor regarding the benefits of the antidepressant and your risk factors for developing bipolar disorder before making any changes in medications," she said.
Patel agreed and said better ways of identifying depression patients who may be at risk of developing bipolar disorder need to be developed.


OEL spring testing window opens for ages 3 through Pre-K.
Fifth grade trip to Jekyll Island: Fowler Drive Elementary, 400 Fowler Drive; (706) 357-5330, ext. 50210, or email johnsonan@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Fifth grade trip to Jekyll Island: Winterville Elementary School, 305 Cherokee Road; (706) 357-5222, ext. 68211, or email stapletonj@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Ground breaking: 9 a.m., Clarke Central High School; 350 S. Milledge Ave.; (706) 357-5200, ext. 17211, or email hookerp@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Battle of the Books: 10-11 a.m., Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary, 1150 Oglethorpe Ave.; (706) 549-0762, ext. 60212, or email dunnes@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Third grade parent/HLC: 12:30-1:30 p.m., Cleveland Road Elementary School, 1700 Cleveland Road; (706) 357-5333, ext. 42243, or email longt@clarke.k12.ga.us.
PTA meeting: 5:30-6:30 p.m., Barrow Elementary School, 100 Pinecrest Drive; (706) 543-2676, ext. 38210, or email sabatine@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Skate night: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Winterville Elementary School, 305 Cherokee Road; (706) 357-5222, ext. 68211, or email stapletonj@clarke.k12.ga.us.
PTA meeting and dinner: 6-7 p.m., Timothy Road Elementary School, 1900 Timothy Road; (706) 549-0107, ext. 63210, or email hardemana@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Parent coffee: 8-9 a.m., Alps Road Elementary School, 204 Alps Road; (706) 548-2261, ext. 32213, or email barnettan@clarke.k12.ga.us.
School council meeting: 8 a.m., Fowler Drive Elementary, 400 Fowler Drive; (706) 357-5330, ext. 50210, or email johnsonan@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Poem in Your Pocket Day: Barrow Elementary School, 100 Pinecrest Drive; (706) 543-2676, ext. 38210, or email sabatine@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Second grade breakfast: 8 a.m., J.J. Harris Elementary Charter School, 2300 Danielsville Road; (706) 357-5203, ext. 45210, or email thomasx@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Governance meeting: 5-6 p.m., J.J. Harris Elementary Charter School, 2300 Danielsville Road; (706) 357-5203, ext. 45210, or email thomasx@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Work session: 6 p.m., Board of Education, Clarke County School District administrative offices, 240 Mitchell Bridge Road; (706) 546-7721, ext. 18248, or email jimenezan@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Buddy Picture Day: Clarke Middle School, 1235 Baxter Street; (706) 543-6547, ext. 23212, or email macmillt@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Career fair: Gaines Elementary School, 900 Gaines School Road; (706) 357-5338, ext. 53210, or email danielk@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Eagle of the Month reception: Gaines Elementary School, 900 Gaines School Road; (706) 357-5338, ext. 53210, or email danielk@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Principal's coffee: 7:30-8:30 a.m., Barnett Shoals Elementary School, 3220 Barnett Shoals Road; (706) 357-5334, ext. 35212, or email scottj@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Safe Routes to School: 7:30-8:30 a.m., Barrow Elementary School, 100 Pinecrest Drive; (706) 543-2676, ext. 38210, or email sabatine@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Parent coffee: 7:30-8:30 a.m., Chase Street Elementary School, 757 N. Chase Street; (706) 543-1081, ext. 41210, or email kurtza@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Principal coffee: 7:30-8:30 a.m., Fowler Drive Elementary, 400 Fowler Drive; (706) 357-5330, ext. 50210, or email johnsonan@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Principal coffee: 7:30-8:30 a.m., Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary, 1150 Oglethorpe Ave.; (706) 549-0762, ext. 60212, or email dunnes@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Principal coffee: 7:45-8:15 a.m., Barrow Elementary School, 100 Pinecrest Drive; (706) 543-2676, ext. 38210, or email sabatine@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Principal coffee: 7:45-8:45 a.m., Timothy Road Elementary School, 1900 Timothy Road; (706) 549-0107, ext. 63210, or email hardemana@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Parent/principal coffee: 8-9 a.m., Winterville Elementary School, 305 Cherokee Road; (706) 357-5222, ext. 68211, or email stapletonj@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Spring picture day: 8:30-11 a.m., Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary, 1150 Oglethorpe Ave.; (706) 549-0762, ext. 60212, or email dunnes@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Spring picture day: 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, 1600 Tallassee Road; (706) 548-7208, ext. 25212, or email siglerm@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Fifth grade Tybee HLC: 1-2 p.m., Cleveland Road Elementary School, 1700 Cleveland Road; (706) 357-5333, ext. 42243, or email longt@clarke.k12.ga.us.
Honor roll celebration: 2:45-3:45 p.m., Coile Middle School, 110 Old Elberton Road; (706) 357-5318, ext. 24213, or email manzyd@clarke.k12.ga.us.


A Cambuslang gran , who has fostered more than 40 children in 25 years, admits it breaks her heart every time she has to wave off a child to embark on their new life.
Liz King’s warmth, patience and, ultimately love, has transformed the lives of youngsters whose own parents have lost their way.
Liz was a 35-year-old lone parent bringing up two daughters back in 1993 when she asked her mum why a neighbour always seemed to have different children.
When it was explained that the neighbour was a foster carer, it prompted Liz to respond to an advert in the Rutherglen Reformer appealing for people to come forward to foster and adopt.
After going through the application process, Liz welcomed into the family home a four-year-old boy – a departure from normal family life which her daughters Angela, then 11, and nine-year-old Michelle took in their stride.
“It was nerve-racking, because he was my first and you know he is not yours and you wonder how you’ll manage,” remembers Liz.
“He was with me for two years. He was nearly seven when he left to go to Barnardo’s in Dunfermline.
That little boy may have been challenging, but the experience only made Liz more determined to make a difference to the lives of children.
After providing respite care to a brother and sister, a six-year-old girl was next to become part of Liz’s family, of which her loving partner, Willie Loughrie, was now at the heart.
That little girl, who was with them until she was 17, stands alongside sisters Michelle and Angela in a picture on the wall of Liz’s Woodlands Crescent home, which pays testimony to how much a part of the family she became.
It is among many framed photos of children who have been lovingly nurtured by Liz and Willie.
“I love the fact that I am helping a child move on and get over some of their wee problems.
“It is not nice to see them coming in with burdens. But you witness them changing and gaining the confidence they never had,” said Liz, who is soon to become a great grandmother.
“I have had a few babies come to me with withdrawal symptoms from drugs and wee ones who are hard to reach – totally withdrawn.
“I started fostering when I was 35 and said I’d give it until I was 40. I’m 61 now and still doing it. I can’t imagine a time when I won’t.
“In the early days, someone told me that I would reach a stage when I wouldn’t want babies.
Liz’s daughter, Angela, followed her mum’s example and was a foster carer for eight years, almost always for babies.
Even after 25 years of caring for other people’s children as well as her own, saying goodbye to a child who is moving on to a new chapter still cuts Liz up.
“It is heart breaking. You know you are working towards it and they are eventually going to go,” said Liz.
“I am not too bad until I am doing their ironing, packing their bag, knowing that is them away.
“When they go out the door, I have a good cry. My lassies come up and we go out and do something to take our minds off it.
Sometimes, Liz’s apron strings are ties that children choose never to cut.
One boy, who came to her as a baby and was adopted by a local couple when he was aged three, is 19 now and visits her several times a week and calls her gran.
His visits became even more frequent when Liz’s partner of 20 years, Willie, sadly passed away last Christmas.
Liz is keen to emphasise the tremendous support she’s received from social worker Janice Heaslet, who has become a good friend and has been there whenever she needed her for two decades.
To those considering becoming a foster carer, Liz said: “Go for it. You might think you cannot do it, but you can.


Golfing great Tiger Woods is off to a strong start at this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Consider this MNST bullishly biased vertical call spread expiring in June.
The price run-up from $56 looks like the pole of a bull flag formation.
Pepsico shares are up 5% since the start of the year, while Coca-Cola's stock are up 8.7%.
After trading sideways for 2 years, beverage company is back to the top of its range.
Shares of the energy-drink company are poised for an upside breakout.
Try this call spread in MNST, but don't chase on this thin trading day.
What Makes for a Truly Great Stock?
This century's best-performing names offer some clues.
Action may be mixed, but there's a strategy worth considering buried in the numbers.
Are Monster Beverage's Charts Scary Post-Halloween?
It might take a couple of closes above $165 to signal a breakout on the upside, or $120 on the downside.
The beverage and snack giant just can't seem to do any wrong.
The leadership is quite stark.
The energy-drink maker is sitting on a potential emerging-market payday.
A close below $140 on MNST will look bearish and potentially trap a lot of new longs.
It seems as if the best quarters are behind the beverage maker.
Analysts are overestimating Monster's potential for revenue growth and margin expansion.


Kentucky has won 10 straight games since losing to Alabama in its conference opener on Jan. 5.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) - PJ Washington scored 23 points, Keldon Johnson added 13 and No. 5 Kentucky held on to beat Mississippi State 71-67 on Saturday.


This comic is factual, but it requires a couple clarifications: Wallace Stevens was an executive at an insurance company, not your average insurance salesman. And there’s no evidence that Emily Dickinson liked cats, but her sister Lavinia was cat-obsessed. So Emily must have been forced to cat-sit occasionally.


The Bank of Butterfield announced financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2017.
Net income for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $153.3 million, or $2.76 per diluted common share, compared to $115.9 million or $1.18 per common share for the year ended December 31, 2016.
Core net income1 for the year ended December 31, 2017 was $158.9 million, or $2.86 per diluted common share, compared to $138.6 million, or $2.48 per diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2016.
The core return on average tangible common equity for the year ended December 31, 2017 was 22.4%, up from 20.5% for the year ended December 31, 2016. The core efficiency ratio1for the year ended December 31, 2017 was 64.3%, compared with 63.8% in the previous year.
“I am pleased to report that Butterfield achieved record profits in 2017,” said Michael Collins, Butterfield’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “These strong results were driven by our specialized banking and wealth management businesses that generate consistent fee income and an expanding net interest margin that benefited from our efficient deposit franchise and a rising rate environment.
“We delivered core net income1 of $158.9 million, up $20.3 million or 14.6% year-on-year, and a core return on average common equity1 of 19.7% driven by strong performances in our core banking markets, as well as strong growth in our UK mortgage business.
“As part of our acquisition strategy, in October, we announced that we had reached our first agreement with Deutsche Bank to acquire its Global Trust Solutions ["GTS"] business. The GTS integration process is well underway and anticipated to close early in the second quarter of 2018, ahead of plan. We are pleased that over 90% of the staff have now accepted employment agreements with Butterfield.
“This morning we announced that we have reached a second agreement with Deutsche Bank to acquire their banking businesses in the Cayman Islands, Guernsey and Jersey. We are very excited about this acquisition as it could increase our deposit base by about 20% once integrated.
Net income for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $40.3 million, or $0.72 per diluted common share, compared to $41.1 million or $0.74 per common share for the third quarter of 2017. Core net income1 for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $42.2 million, or $0.76 per diluted common share, compared to $40.7 million, or $0.73 per diluted common share, for the third quarter of 2017.
Net interest income [“NII”] for the fourth quarter of 2017 was $76.1 million, an increase of $1.8 million compared with NII of $74.3 million in the third quarter of 2017 and an increase of $9.3 million compared with NII of $66.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. Improvements in NII were driven by higher volumes and higher yields on the investment portfolio and increased yields on the adjustable-rate loan portfolio.
Net interest margin [“NIM”] for the fourth quarter of 2017 was 2.87%, up 6 basis points from the NIM of 2.81% in the previous quarter and up 42 basis points from the NIM of 2.45% in the fourth quarter of 2016.
Results for the fourth quarter of 2017 included lower credit costs with a release of provision for credit losses of $5.4 million compared with a release of provision for credit losses of $0.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. In the fourth quarter of 2017 the provision release was partially offset by $2.5 million of valuation loss adjustment on a foreclosed property included in other real estate owned.
Non-interest income improved to $42.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with $38.2 million in the previous quarter and $38.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2016.
The bank said, “Core non-interest expenses were $78.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with $71.6 million in the previous quarter and $70.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. Expenses were significantly elevated in the quarter as the Bank accelerated investment in multiple programs, particularly Sarbanes-Oxley as well as compliance related systems and processes.
“Additionally, some office set up costs in Singapore were incurred ahead of completing the GTS acquisition. Finally, Butterfield increased the year-end performance-related compensation accruals in the quarter to align the 2017 bonus pools to the record financial performance for the year.
“The total capital ratio as at December 31, 2017 was 19.9% as calculated under Basel III, which was effective for reporting purposes beginning on January 1, 2016. As of December 31, 2016, the Bank reported its total capital ratio under Basel III at 17.6%. Both of these ratios are significantly above regulatory requirements.
“The Board remains committed to a balanced and progressive capital return policy. The Board declared an interim dividend of $0.38 per common share, an 18.8% increase over the previous quarter, to be paid on March 9, 2018 to shareholders of record on February 26, 2018.
Could we get interest on our savings?


Barton Rovers retained the Beds County Cup by beating AFC Dunstable 2-1 in the final at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday evening.
Both teams sounded each other out for the first 10 minutes as Barton almost struck first, but Jordan Davis’ effort was blocked by Newman Carney.
AFC then started to gain the upper hand and were in front on 12 minutes when Carney’s corner was headed home by Nathan Frater.
Looking for a second, AFC thought they had it when Christie unleashed a shot that seemed destined for the top corner only for Kyle Forster to pull off a wonder save and somehow deny him.
Forster was again to frustrate Christie midway through the half when he saved well from a low shot.
It seemed it would only be a matter of time before AFC got their second, only to hit the self destruct button on 37 minutes as former player James Bishop slotted home from close range.
After the break, both sides began by cancelling each other out as Forster stood firm for Barton.
With 20 minutes to go, Josh Humbert had the chance to put AFC back in front, but he didn’t get enough power on his header to worry Forster.
Soon afterwards, AFC had a penalty appeal turned down when Carney’s shot appeared to have struck a hand.
With the game entering the final 10 minutes, both teams decided to go for it as Rovers brought on Jason Blackett to partner Matt Nolan up front.
The pair started to get behind the AFC defence and with penalties looming, combined for the winning goal as an effort deflected perfectly into the path of Nolan, who tapped home from a matter of yards.
With three minutes of stoppage time added, AFC went all out to take the game to spot kicks and nearly succeeded when the ball dropped to Frater 15 yards out but his shot was saved by Forster.
Barton chairman Darren Whiley said: “If the game was about chances and possession, AFC should have won but it’s goals that count and the lads took their chances to win it.
“Our manager watched them a number of times and had a game plan, I can’t say it worked well but our defending was resolute against their quality front-line.
“The lads had to dig deep as AFC came at us for the whole 90 minutes but credit to every Barton player as they really did put in a massive shift and ground out the result.
“Back to back wins is fantastic for every one connected at the club and shows how far we have come in the last few seasons.
Meanwhile, AFC boss Steve Heath added: “Firstly I would like to congratulate Barton on their success but it would be only fair to say we dominated most of the game, took a deserved lead and apart from their keeper making two great saves from BJ Christie, we could have been 3-0 up after 25 minutes.
“But and a big but, we gifted them the equaliser, as we did not clear our lines and the winner was just a fluke and we had no time to recover as it was in the 90th minute.


Brandon Jay McLaren is headed to Lifetime. Deadline reports the Ransom star has joined season three of UnREAL.
The series centers on the drama behind the scenes of a reality dating show called Everlasting. The cast includes Shiri Appleby, Constance Zimmer, B.J. Britt, Craig Bierko, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, Josh Kelly, Brennan Elliott, and Amy Hill.
In season three, McLaren will play “Dr. Simon, an excellent psychologist brought in by Quinn to work on “Everlasting” this season. He’s a former corporate crisis counselor who is known as a bit of a ‘fixer.'” The actor joins fellow new castmembers Caitlin FitzGerald, Kassandra Clementi, and Jaime Callica.
Lifetime has not yet announced a premiere date for season three of UnREAL.
What do you think? Do you watch UnREAL? Are you excited for the third season?


Even though many groups of environmentalists might not warm up to President-elect Donald Trump regarding environmental issues, the National Mining Association is more than pleased with his choice for interior secretary.
Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers (R-Wash.) has been chosen to be Interior Secretary in the Trump administration. As one of the highest-ranking female Republicans in the United States Congress, McMorris-Rodgers is also a member of what is known as the Western Caucus.
Luke Popovich of the National Mining Association gives accolades to Trump for deciding on McMorris-Rodgers.
"We think it's a very good choice for a number of reasons," Popovich pointed out. "She is very familiar with all the land-use issues that we're concerned about as a mining industry. And then don't forget she's from the eastern part of Washington state – the Spokane area – which is one of the most mineral rich, resource rich sections of the entire country."
Seeing things differently, the Sierra Club stated in a press release that McMorris-Rodgers the wrong choice for America's public lands and wildlife.
"The Department of the Interior exists to protect and manage the nation's natural resources and cultural heritage,” the environmentalist group announced. “Yet President-elect Trump seems to have missed the 'protect' part of that statement when nominating Rep. McMorris-Rodgers to head the agency."
"We are concerned about it, but we are also more concerned that we're not going to be able to use the natural resources that this country has if we continue the policies of the Obama administration – if we continue to develop policies and support extreme environmental groups that simply want to keep resources like coal, gold, silver [and] nickel in the ground," Popovich replied. "We've got to use these resources responsibly, and that's what we're hoping the Trump administration can do for us."
The Interior Secretary of any presidential administration may not be on everyone's radar, but the person in that position is involved in policies that have big implications on the economy.
"The issue here is going to be how is she going to strike the balance between developing resources that we need for our economy, as well as preserving lands that are going to be necessary for environmental protection and developed recreation," Popovich explained. "That, too, is very important, but I think – given her experience – she's going to be able to do that. "


Actress Thandie Newton has revealed an awkward conversation between her and Victoria Beckham where VB mistook her for pregnant Guardians of the Galaxy star, Zoe Salanda, despite the fact Thandie had given birth months before.
In a tale that carefully manicured Victoria may not want revealing to the public, Thandie - who stars in dystopian robot based series, Westworld - said the fashion designer had been left ‘mortified’ after the cringe-worthy chat.
The British actress bumped into Posh at a spin class in Los Angeles, and, having met her a few times before, the pair started talking.
But part way through the conversation, Thandie, 45, started to realise Vicky thought she was speaking to someone else.
I said, 'I actually had my baby a couple of months ago'."
But as the conversation got more awkward, Thandie finally twigged what was going on.
"We carried on chatting and it was obvious she thought I was someone else so I said, 'Do you think I am Zoe Saldana?'" she shared, adding that poor Posh was "absolutely mortified."
While Thandie - who also starred in critically-acclaimed series, Line of Duty - was pleased with the compliment, she was also baffled at how VB had managed to mistake the two.
She added: "It was actually OK as Zoe is a rare beauty, but really? Up close? Come on! And, I am British!"


A Sydney magistrate has criticised a drink driver who attended court in tiny denim shorts.
THE right to bare legs has been cut off by a Sydney magistrate after a woman charged with driving at more than double the legal blood alcohol limit appeared in court wearing thigh-high denim shorts.
Sutherland Local Court Magistrate Jayeann Carney asked Barbara Diana Vasconcello Cardenas, 37, if she had a jumper she could tie around her waist to supplement her tiny denim shorts during her court appearance.
"What I'm going to say is it is completely inappropriate to wear cut off denim shorts up to your thighs in court," Ms Carney told Vasconcello Cardenas through a Spanish interpreter.
"I'm very tolerant to all types of attire but this is beach attire, what you're wearing.
"This is a court. Do you appreciate what I've said?"
Barbara Diana Vasconcello Cardenas fronted court wearing tiny denim shorts.
The Peakhurst resident caught officers' attention on December 22 because she was driving with her lights out on Belmore Rd in Riverwood.
Vasconcello Cardenas then ran up the back of another car which had stopped at a pedestrian crossing after police activated their warning lights to pull her over.
"The accused began to brake but collided with the rear of the Mazda 3, causing minor damage," agreed police facts stated.
"The accused was breath tested and returned a positive result."
The Mazda driver tested negative but Vasconcello Cardenas returned a blood alcohol result of 0.117 after a breath analysis at Kogarah police station.
She pleaded guilty and was fined $400, disqualified from driving for three months and ordered to hold an interlock licence for 12 months following her disqualification.
Vasconcello Cardenas is a Chilean national in Australia on a bridging visa while she works as a cleaner, and on social media said she previously worked for several different banks in Chile.
Vasconcello Cardenas and her interpreter declined to answer questions about her fashion choice following her court appearance.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who hails proudly from Cronulla's shorts-wearing, thongs-loving community near Sutherland Local Court, recently banned beach attire at formal events prior to Australia Day citizenship ceremonies.
In an interview with 2GB the Prime Minister said if it was not appropriate for court, it was not appropriate for citizenship ceremonies.
"There needs to be appropriate standards of dress, I wouldn't turn up to my kids' graduation wearing thongs," he told 2GB.
"If someone appeared in court in thongs you wouldn't be terribly happy. Why not? Because it's not showing proper respect."
The St George Shire Standard has previously spotted the Shire's Prime Minister at Wanda Beach in his cap and boardies after enjoying a midafternoon swim.


Nominations will be accepted from the floor.
The municipal election will be held in November.
"Volunteers for town boards and commissions are the life-blood of small towns," said committee vice chairman Karen Casey.
"The challenge lies in finding the right people to serve in positions such as treasurer, Board of Finance, Board of Education, Planning and Zoning and the like," she said.
For the past several elections, Republicans have endorsed incumbent tax collector Deborah Devaux, a Democrat.
In 2005, both parties endorsed Tanya Horgan, an unaffiliated voter, to serve as town treasurer.
Mrs. Horgan has decided to step down in order to devote more time to her business.
Nick Downes, a member of Planning and Zoning who is now seeking the office of first selectman, and incumbent Selectman Vincent LaFontan have announced their candidacies for the top spots last month.
Kent GOP chairman Tony DiPentima describes the two as "men with strong leadership experience."
Republicans and unaffiliated voters who would like to serve in any office of the town are asked to call Tony DiPentima, Karen Casey or contact any member of the Republican Town Committee.


Neighborhood-based social network Nextdoor has named Sarah Friar as its new chief executive officer. Friar previously worked at Square, the payments technology company founded by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
Over the past year, Nextdoor — a social network for people who live in the same community to privately discuss local issues — has begun offering a listing search feature and home valuations that put it in competition with Zillow. Its former CEO, Nirav Tolia, announced he was leaving in July and has spent the time since then helping find his replacement.
But now, Friar — who studied engineering at Oxford and spent more than a year at Goldman Sachs — is set to take over the company in December. Friar joined payment company Square in 2012 and has helped steer it in going public with an IPO in 2015. It has enjoyed success as a business-to-business company through its Square Reader point-of-sale devices and tablets.
Square’s stocks also dropped by more than 8 percent after the news of Friar’s upcoming departure broke, according to CNBC.
Still, most analysts have agreed that Friar is an excellent choice for Nextdoor, which now serves over 200,000 neighborhoods across five countries. Along with her wide range of financial experience, Friar also sits on the boards of Slack and Walmart.
Friar’s appointment is also a major move for an industry that often gets called out for lack of diversity: across the globe, only 10 percent of senior level positions and 5 percent of CEO positions are held by women, according to a report released in October by alternative assets data provider Preqin.


Dex Frier told BuzzFeed News he felt "suppressed" by his school's insistence that he had to run on the prom queen ballot — or not at all.
A 17-year-old senior at Johnson High School in Gainesville, Georgia, says he is being forced to run as a candidate for prom queen, despite being nominated by several of his peers for prom king.
Dex Frier, who identifies as male, told BuzzFeed News his school is giving him one of two options ahead of prom on Saturday: Either run on the prom queen ballot, or not at all.
Last Friday, Frier said he was pulled into a meeting with the principal and a school supervisor where they delivered the message.
Frier said the news was "upsetting" and that he felt "suppressed" by officials at his school — especially after feeling excited and celebrated upon learning he'd been nominated for prom king by several classmates two weeks ago.
"The announcement came on [and] I was one of six prom king candidates, which is insane. I was one among some of the most popular kids at school," he added.
According to Frier, during the meeting with his principal he was told the directive was given by the superintendent of the school district, Will Schofield.
Schofield declined to comment on the matter to "protect the privacy rights of our student body," but in an email to BuzzFeed News said he didn't want the issue "to substantially disrupt us from our core mission."
"I am not interested in being responsible for placing our school district, by acts of commission or omission, in the middle of a national social, societal and legal issue which would have the potential to substantially disrupt us from our core mission of providing an education for the boys and girls in our community," he said.
Schofield added that he wants prom to remain an event where students "fellowship together and celebrate their local school."
When the news traveled around Johnson High School, a fellow senior and friend of Frier's, Fiona Sandi, sent Schofield an email asking that he reconsider the decision that she believed was "sending a message of intolerance" to the student body. Several other classmates were added to the email.
Students then organized a Change.org petition titled "Allow transgender boy to run for Prom King." The petition has so far been signed by over 11,300 people.
"Just because I’m not legally male I was going to get excluded from something that every guy has the opportunity to be in high school. It was really upsetting," said Frier. "As a student I felt I had the right to be put on the ballot."
He said the petition prompted people from around the world, including Russia and Germany, to reach out to lend their support.
"It’s actually overwhelming," he said.
On Saturday, the day of prom, Sandi told BuzzFeed News the attention the controversy and petition received caused Johnson High School to offer a "compromise" to Frier and the students.
According to Sandi, school officials at the dance announced Frier was one of two students from an apparent gender-neutral pool to win the title of "prom representative." The other prom court winner was also male.
"We’re still not sure if the policy of having gender-neutral prom representatives will be permanent or will revert back to the traditional prom king and queen," Sandi then added.
Frier told BuzzFeed News he was a bit "upset" that the situation wasn't handled effectively prior to prom. However, he's seen so much more positive things to come of this as a result.
"I'm kind of upset that the situation wasn't left alone in the first place but because of this experience, I've received so much support and love that it's kind of overwhelming," he said.
"The moment I got to prom all of the staff made sure to tell me that I looked handsome and that they were glad to see me and i just felt nice to be recognized," said Frier.
He and his friends even attended prom with specially designed face masks painted with the colors of the trans flag. The masks were made by fellow students Aniyah Norman, Suheyla Kipcakli, and Riley Catledge.
After prom night, and after discussing it with his family, Frier said he felt inspired to start a GoFundMe to raise money for his own transition. "This number, while rather large covers Top Surgery, and a supply of testosterone," his crowdfunding campaign described.
Frier had previously asked Schofield and the school principal to allow him the "ability ... to express the way I feel and the way I think about myself ... without having politics come into play."
"Especially in a school setting," he added. "I don’t know of many trans people who go to this school [but] I don’t want anyone else to have to go through this. It hurts being told you don’t deserve the same rights as someone else because you’re not the same as them."
Frier said he's mostly grateful for his classmates who've rallied behind him.
"I have some of the most supportive friends I could ask for surrounding me — actually I’m surrounded about 12 people right now," he said, laughing, during his interview with BuzzFeed News. "They just wanted to to listen in to make sure I'm OK."
This story has been updated with the latest outcome from prom night and with further comment from Frier.


The former secretary of state leads the popular former Florida governor by two points in the state, a new Quinnipiac University poll shows.
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton has a narrow 2-point edge over former Florida governor Jeb Bush in a hypothetical 2016 presidential election matchup in the Sunshine State, a new Quinnipiac University poll says.
In a head-to-head contest, the Democrat gets the support of 47 percent of Florida voters while the Republican receives 45 percent, the poll out Friday shows.
The poll also reveals that the two politicians are the early leaders in their parties’ potential presidential primaries in Florida – with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio lagging behind them.
Bush, a former two-term governor, has 22 percent support in a hypothetical Republican Party primary, topping Rubio with 18 percent, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie with 14 percent and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz with 12 percent. No other candidate was in double figures.
Clinton enjoys a large theoretical lead on the Democratic side, with 70 percent of Florida voters supporting her, compared to just 9 percent who are backing Vice President Joe Biden.
Head to head, Clinton would beat Rubio 50 percent-43 percent. She would also defeat Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul 51 percent-41 percent, Wisconsin Congressman and 2012 vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan 50 percent-42 percent, and Cruz 52 percent-36 percent.
Clinton, who finished second to President Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic presidential race, received the best score of any candidate when Florida voters were asked who would make a good president, the poll showed. Fifty-six percent of respondents said she would make a good president, and 39 percent said she would not.
Christie received a favorable 45 percent-35 percent review on that score, while voters were split on Bush at 46 percent-44 percent. Rubio had a negative score, with 39 percent saying he would make a good president, and 47 percent saying he would not.
“It’s no surprise that Hillary Clinton is well thought of by Florida voters, but when asked whether she would be a good president, more voters say yes than say they will vote for her," said Peter Brown, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, in a news release.
Quinnipiac surveyed 1,648 registered voters from Nov. 12-17, and the poll had a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points.
Just a year after Obama narrowly beat Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in Florida, a large majority of the state’s voters disapprove of the job the Democratic incumbent is doing, the poll found.
Fifty-seven percent of voters said they disapprove of the job Obama is doing, with only 40 percent approving. That tied his worst disapproval rating in Florida, from a Sept. 22, 2011 poll when 57 percent said they did not approve of the job he was doing, and just 39 percent said they did.
Nearly all Republicans disapproved of Obama’s job performance, while an overwhelming number of Democrats still support him.
Florida voters oppose the Affordable Care Act by 54 percent-39 percent, with partisan numbers roughly matching Obama’s approval rating, the poll found.


The longest-tenured Jets player may be sticking around for at least another season.
The Jets are considering re-signing free-agent outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, according to two sources.
Thomas missed most of the 2011 season with a torn left Achilles tendon, but he has been rehabilitating the injury and expects to be 100 percent for next season.
The Jets selected Thomas, 32, in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft. When they let go defensive end Shaun Ellis last summer, Thomas became the longest-tenured Jet. Thomas’ 145 games played are the fourth-most for a linebacker in team history.
He suffered the season-ending injury on Oct. 2 in a 34-17 loss to the Ravens. Many in the organization felt the loss of Thomas severely hindered the team’s defense, and the team never found a stable replacement for him. Jamaal Westerman, Garrett McIntyre, Josh Mauga and Aaron Maybin all spent time in Thomas’ spot.
Thomas spent the rest of the season working out at the Jets’ training center, so the team’s doctors should have a good idea of how healthy Thomas is.
It is unclear what role the Jets would bring back Thomas in. Maybin emerged last season as the team’s best pass rusher. The Jets could use a combination of Thomas on running downs with Maybin entering in pass situations.
If you believe Mike Tannenbaum, Wayne Hunter will remain in the team’s starting lineup in 2012.
The Jets general manager said Hunter is the team’s starting right tackle in an interview on WFAN yesterday. Hunter had a rough season in 2011 when he replaced Damien Woody as the team’s starting tackle.
Tannenbaum touched on a few topics in the interview. He said it’s “hard to say” if running back LaDainian Tomlinson will return. Tannenbaum said they have talked, but Tomlinson is still unsure if he wants to play. Tomlinson has told friends if he does play in 2012 it will not be with the Jets.
As for disgruntled linebacker Bart Scott, Tannenbaum said the veteran is still on the roster and they will let everyone know if that changes. Not exactly a strong endorsement.
Three years ago, the Jets pursued Scott just after the free agency period began at midnight. Tannenbaum said he does not anticipate the Jets chasing any big free agents the minute free agency begins this year on March 13.


The sixth annual Native American Friendship Pow Wow at the College of DuPage attracted dancers, drummers and vendors from throughout the Midwest.
It also brought out spectators such as Mary Grach of Naperville who wanted good seats for her den of 5th-grade Cub Scouts from Ellsworth Elementary School.
"Everyone said to sit close to the drums," she said. "Boy Scouting has Indian folklore woven throughout it, and I thought it would be good for them to see authentic dancing."
Saturday's event, a friendship powwow, differs from a competitive event, in which dancers perform for prize money, explained Jim Frank, coordinator of the college's Native American Studies Program, which sponsored the powwow.
"It's a social gathering to keep the culture alive in songs and dance, and to renew friendships," Frank said. Among the Native Americans participating in the event, he said, several were from Chicago's Northwest Side.
The powwow featured two opening ceremonies at 1 and 6 p.m., complete with a parade, prayer, singing, drumming and dancing.
"The drummers honor the feminine, which is the heartbeat of Mother Earth," he said. "The women, as they dance, stand very erect and always keep one foot on the ground to show a connection to the earth."
Another important custom is to protect the eagle feathers that adorn the native costumes. Should one drop on the floor, the powwow stops while a tribal elder stands guard and decides if the dancer was careless in handling his or her costume. That dancer could be banished from the event.
About 2,000 people attended the all-day powwow, which included vendors selling Native American foods, such as fry bread, and all types of crafts and art. Proceeds from admission will go to the College of DuPage program, as well as the Native American Education Services College in Chicago.
Spectator Mike Willuweit of Glen Ellyn has attended both schools in hopes of becoming a lawyer and defending tribal treaty rights.
"Native American studies classes require active participation to understand the culture," he explained. "And the more you give, the more you get back."


Quinn called Vallejo police March 23 to report Huskins’ kidnapping from their Mare Island home. He told investigators they were awakened at gunpoint and drugged. He said he woke to find Huskins gone. He said he received several texts and emails from the kidnappers requesting a ransom of $17,000, split into two payments, the claim said.
Huskins, 30, was held hostage in a small room, drugged and raped, the claim said.
Two days later, Huskins was dropped off at her family's home in Huntington Beach. In a March 25 press release, the police department suggested the kidnapping was a hoax.
“Today, there is no evidence to support the claims that this was a stranger abduction or an abduction at all. Given the facts that have been presented thus far, this event appears to be an orchestrated event and not a kidnapping,” it read.
In a subsequent press conference, department officials described the search effort as “wasted” resources.
“Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins have plundered valuable resources away from our community, and have taken the focus away from the true victims of our community, while instilling fear amongst our community members. So, if anything, it is Mr. Quinn and Ms. Huskins that owes this community an apology,” police Lt. Kenny Park told the media.
According to the claim, Huskins sought a public apology, but police refused. The claim includes a copy of a letter from police Chief Andrew Bidou saying the department would make a public apology once Muller was indicted.


A POLITICIAN has urged public bodies and companies to crack down on plastic straws and other single-use plastics to save the environment.
Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, is seeking commitments from rail company ScotRail and ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne.
She has also written to the National Galleries and National Museums for similar action in their public cafes, and has also called for action in catering and canteen facilities.
The SNP member has launched a “final straw” campaign, asking companies to go “straw-free” by not automatically providing plastic straws with drinks and providing paper or biodegradable ones.
She said: “Most of us don’t need plastic straws in our drinks and yet in Scotland we throw away a staggering three billion each year.


Manulife Financial Corp. says it has won its legal battle with hedge fund Mosten Investments over universal life insurance products.
Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench ruled Friday that the fund cannot deposit an unlimited amount of money in these contracts to get a guaranteed return of four per cent.
Mosten Investment LP had sued Manulife, Industrial Alliance and BMO Life over the policies. Similar suits by Ituna Investment LP and Atwater Investment LP also were dismissed.
Mosten which holds one such insurance policy dating from 1997 had argued it should be allowed to deposit unlimited amounts of capital and earn the guaranteed rate. It planned to sell partnerships in the policy.
Prominent short-seller Muddy Waters had warned that could cripple Manulife financially and shorted the stock. .
Universal life policies, sold more than two decades ago when interest rates were higher, allowed holders to invest their surplus funds into side accounts with guaranteed rates of at least four per cent.
In a statement released Monday Manulife says the ruling in Saskatchewan court found the policy "does not provide for unlimited stand-alone investment opportunities within the carrier fund."
The court held that payments to the contract are "limited to funds paid or invested to pay current and future costs of insurance, related premium taxes, specified administration fees, and the permitted accrual tax-exempt investments."
Manulife welcomed the ruling which it said backed its position that Mosten's request was "legally unfounded and commercially absurd" as universal life policies were not meant to be used as securities contracts.
On Monday, Manulife stock jumped more than three per cent to $23.32 Cdn.
Last October, Saskatchewan regulators published new rules limiting the amount of premiums a life insurer may receive or accept for deposit in life insurance policies.
Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, which had called for the new rules, welcomed the court ruling on Monday.
"This important ruling unequivocally supports what insurers, their customers and regulators already know to be true: the purpose of an insurance policy is to protect the lives of the insured and their families. Insurance policies are not intended to offer an unlimited investment opportunity completely unrelated to insurance coverage," said CLHIA President and CEO Stephen Frank.


The first time you watch Insidious, the bloodless, old-school scare show from Saw director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell, the most likely reaction is unnerved fear, mixed with the exhilaration of realizing you've actually watched a genuinely scary movie—the total opposite of Hollywood's horror output in recent years. But it's not until the second or third time that one sits with Insidious that Wan's low-budget remixing of old-school haunted house movie tropes really earns its stripes.
In ways similar to Stanley Kubrick's The Shining (which, of course, is superior—relax, purists), Insidious maintains its scariness upon repeat viewings. Credit the slow, methodical pacing, which allows the film's well-timed jump scares to impact greatly (you'll never look at a baby's crib the same again), and Whannell's knack for creepily iconic imagery, such as a spirit that looks like Ozzy Osbourne in drag, malevolent ghouls that resemble those in the slept-on horror gem Carnival Of Souls, and a final shot reminiscent of Donald Sutherland's last hurrah in Invasion Of The Body Snatchers.
The frights come often and hit hard in Insidious, and it's been far too long since we've said that about a horror flick not made in France or Spain.


If you've ever tried to game on PC using that pathetic piece of DRM crap known as Games for Windows Live, then you already know how much of a piece of crap that piece of crap is. And let's be honest, I'm being extremely nice about it. Well, for all of you out there who absolutely abhor GFWL (and I've never met anyone who uses it regularly and actually thinks it's okay) then you will be glad to know that Max Payne 3 will not support Games For Windows Live. Sound a horn and a blow a trumpet.
For those of you who have never experienced the horrors of GFWL, imagine a retarded, autistic version of Xbox Live but without half the updates and absolutely zero support. To make it worse is that GFWL does not only work as pseudo-DRM but it also works to manage your "online profile" which can be attached to your Xbox Live account, and keeps all your saved games stored on the profile. The good part is that you can have shared achievements, score, rankings, saved games, etc., etc,. and it seems cool at first but then after the thing starts crashing you'll realize that it takes your entire account with it. What's more is that there is no fix for Games For Windows Live. Awesome, right?
Now I'm sure many of you are wondering why on Earth companies would continue to use GFWL if it's so pathetic? Well, that's a good question but no one has received an answer yet and Microsoft refuses to fix it, so if you're a PC gamer and you want to play online with your Live account, you better buy an Xbox 360.
Anyways, according to PC Gamer, Rockstar has officially calmed worrisome gamers who felt that perhaps Max Payne 3 would be worth skipping if it used GFWL, by announcing that the game will not be supporting Games For Windows Live.
The announcement comes courtesy of the Rockstar Twitter account, which simply states, in reply to a concerned gamer, "No, Max Payne 3 for PC will not use Games for Windows Live".
Whew, I'm sure a lot of PC gamers are taking a sigh of relief right now. That definitely eases the process of diving head first into Rockstar's latest release.
You can look for Max Payne 3 to launch next week on May 15th for the Xbox 360 and PS3. The game is scheduled to arrive shortly thereafter for PC, two weeks later. For more information on the game feel free to visit the Official Website.


Someone thought the Nathanael Greene monument in Savannah, Georgia, needed a makeover.
On Thursday, the 50-foot white marble obelisk was defaced with none other than googly eyes, which added a comical flare to the statue. But city officials didn't find the stunt funny.
"Who did this?! Someone placed googly eyes on our historic #NathanaelGreene statue in #JohnsonSquare. It may look funny but harming our historic monuments and public property is no laughing matter, in fact, it's a crime," the Savannah city government said on its Facebook page Thursday.
The city's post was shared more than 29,000 times and more than 8,000 people commented on it. Commenters posted memes of the googly eyed Greene with captions like "What are those pigeons doing?" as well as pictures of inanimate objects like trees and doors with googly eyes. Someone even posted a link to a site selling T-shirts with the googly eyed statue.
"The eyes were quickly removed and did not appear to do any damage to the statue," said Greene -- the officer not the statue. She added that the stunt "is technically trespassing."
"Officers wrote a report for trespassing and will be reviewing cameras in the area to see if the incident was captured on camera," Greene said.
Greene -- the general not the police spokeswoman -- was "one of the most respected generals of the Revolutionary War and a talented military strategist," according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia.


A recent hearing involving former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates is a good example. Sen. Al Franken used most of his allotted time to lecture on the criteria to attain and hold a security clearance. He barely directed any questions at Yates. Franken then offered his own conspiracy theory, which included most everyone within a few hundred yards of the White House.
Maybe Franken should go back to his old gigs as comedian and comedy writer?


Sandy Town Council (STC) is urging residents to have their say over plans for a new housing development on land north of Sunderland Road.
The plans, by Pigeon Land Ltd, are for up to 228 dwellings.
These will include 6 self-build plots, affordable housing, associated access and spine road, reserved site for medical surgery, care home site, pub/restaurant, amenity space, allotment site and associated infrastructure (all matter reserved except for access and spine road) according to the plans.
More than 150 people attended public exhibitions earlier this year. The developers say support was expressed for the development in principle but there were concerns about the impact of the A1.
STC is discussing the application at a meeting on Monday 25 June at 7.30pm at the Council Offices on Cambridge Road.


“Star Trek” — now for kids too! Nickelodeon and CBS Television Studios are in negotiations for an animated “Star Trek” series from “Trollhunters” and “LEGO Ninjago” writers Kevin and Dan Hageman.
Even though the project in development is being overseen under Alex Kurtzman’s watchful eye, this will be the first of these new “Star Trek” TV projects not intended for CBS All Access. The series, targeted towards younger audiences, will be a major tentpole series for Nickelodeon, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told us.
McMahan’s targets more mature audiences.
Read more from Kurtzman here.


10. "RE: S27: Preseason Spoiling"
To tell you the truth, I don't really trust anyone from that place of chaos but Missyae has repeatedly shown he's got the goods when it comes to *who* is on the show, as compared to where they finish or might do in the game. He'll occasionally get his in-game info mixed-up but is reliable when it comes to the cast.


In the not-so-distant past, news generally tended to travel in a few well-worn paths. It was reported by a newspaper, it appeared on television at noon or 6 p.m. or it was mentioned on a drive-time radio show — and those involved usually had plenty of time to report it and produce it. The arrival of CNN and 24-hour news changed all of that, however, and Twitter and Facebook have changed it again: Now the news is just as likely to appear in a tweet or to be posted as a status update by someone who is directly involved in the event. In a nutshell, this means that the value of a simple “scoop” or breaking news report is declining rapidly — and that might just be a good thing.
Whenever there is a news event like Houston’s death, someone inevitably points out that Twitter also routinely reports things that aren’t true, including the deaths of innumerable celebrities who later turn out to be perfectly healthy. And they note that new-media sources — such as the student-run blog network that mistakenly reported Penn State football coach Joe Paterno’s death — can wind up publishing inaccuracies in a rush to be first. But this ignores the fact that mainstream media outlets also routinely report things that aren’t true and have to correct them later.
Much of that journalistic process of verifying and making sense of news reports used to happen behind the scenes, inside newsrooms and TV studios and newswire offices. Increasingly, however, it is happening out in the open, where anyone can see it — and where anyone can take part in it by committing what Andy Carvin of NPR has called “random acts of journalism.” German chancellor Otto von Bismarck allegedly warned that anyone who enjoys either the law or sausages should not watch either one being made, and the same is true of the news. But we have no choice but to watch now, because it is happening all around us.
I would say until about 11 September 2001 it was three hours. Now it’s 30 minutes. You might say if you are a certain age – with Twitter and Facebook and all that type of stuff – it’s three minutes.
Curley said the focus for the Associated Press is on speeding up its ability to post scoops and news reports, which presumably is one of the reasons why the service has a prohibition on reporting news on Twitter before it appears on the wire, something the BBC also lectured its journalists about last week. The AP head told the Guardian that if the service (which is owned by a group of member newspapers) can “win by two minutes, on just about every story we can charge a premium.” Curley also said the newswire is working on developing a mobile news app that will feed breaking news reports to users, Twitter-style.
But is this the right response to the shrinking news cycle, to simply speed up the attempt to beat Twitter or the social web to the news by one or two minutes? Perhaps for the AP it is, but that solution arguably contains the seeds of its own demise. As I have argued before, the half-life of a scoop or a breaking-news report grows shorter every day, in part because sources like Whitney Houston’s hairstylist or the former chief of staff to the Secretary of Defense (who was the first to report that Osama bin Laden had been killed) can “go direct” rather than waiting to have their news reported by a traditional outlet.
Instead, it might be worth more — particularly in the long term — to spend the time trying to confirm the reports that emerge through social media (was that tweet really from the niece of Whitney Houston’s hairstylist?) or to push the story beyond the simple report that something has happened and figure out what it means or why it matters. That kind of analysis and context has always been the most long-lasting aspect of journalism, but mainstream media outlets continually get distracted by the need for another scoop or another “exclusive,” something very few non-journalists care about.
This mentality isn’t confined to mainstream media, of course. The blogosphere is just as guilty of obsessing over scoops and exclusives or trying to pump out as much content as quickly as possible. But there have been some encouraging signs from sources like the Atlantic and Salon that quality content — longer pieces, more thoughtful analysis, etc. — can generate the kinds of results that matter for media entities. Better that than chasing a news cycle whose value continues to diminish with every passing day, and in the end news consumers are better served as well.
Excellent piece Mathew, thank you :-) As a journalist that turned to the ‘dark side’ many years ago I’ve become increasingly frustrated by the focus on ‘first’, rather thank ‘accurate’.
Interesting site that deals with the new media in really fresh ways.Thank God for a democratized mediascape.
twitter brings news … but the news doesn’t tell us what is happening ..
Social media, including Twitter, has democratized access to information — reporting and consuming. But the importance for critical thinking by readers is just as important as ever.
Interesting article. But you are confusing ‘scoop’ with simple news. Houston’s death will always be reported, it is just news that has happened. Even when it breaks, it is not a scoop. Watergate needed journalists to dig it out, which is why it was a scoop. And as such, scoops still have enormous value.
I agree there is a difference between the two, but I think the life-span of both has changed — any scoop will be reblogged and aggregated and tweeted as soon as it is published. It’s what comes after that that really matters.
Very interesting post; I posted this on our company twitter feed.
So the broadcast industrial complex has not adjusted from information begin a scarcity good to being in abundance? Colour me not surprised!
If i wanted to go all Manfred Macx (via Accelerando, ie throwing out a free business idea) someone should be looking a building (in addition to the thoughtful analysis you mention) a service around Verification and/or Confirmation : looking at breaking trends, find out where and who it’s originating from and look to build facts around the emerging story. Basically NPR’s Andy Carvin, plus some wikipedia, with a subscription plan?
Thanks, Ian — I think newspapers or newswires like Reuters are ideally placed to do that, but not many seem to be taking up the challenge. And you are right that this opportunity is available to anyone, not just traditional journalists.
News/Media has gotten lazy and in the majority of cases has been nothing more than information parrots. Distribution of just news is no longer enough. As you mentioned what we really need is verification, context, and in-depth analysis.
I’m going to scream if I see another news outlet ‘report’ by playing a 3 to 5 second sound bite from a politician. What I want is an in-depth reporting that says, xyz says this, meant this, voted like this, and 3 years ago said the exact opposite.
Now that information is ‘free’, it is time for these news outlets to learn about value add.
Great point, Don — thanks for the comment.
Great point; especially since the rest of the article proves that being the first to announce breaking news is not sustainable.
You’re welcome ^_^ No hesitation to reblog quality posts (most particularly those which content I agree with ^_^).


In Indian Wells, Calif., K.J. Choi (right) overcame the nerves of playing in his first LG Skins Game by using a precise short game and key putts to take the first-day lead in the 26th annual event yesterday.
* In Singapore, Annika Sorenstam, playing her second-to-last event before retiring, holed a 45-foot pitch for eagle on the par-5 18th hole to give herself and Suzann Pettersen a 1-up victory over Inbee Park and Eun Hee Ji in the Lexus Cup.
* In Shenzen, China, Brendan Jones made a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, giving Australia a 9-under 63 and a share of the lead with Spain after the third round of the World Cup of Golf.
* In Melbourne, Australia, Robert Allenby holed a 3-wood shot for a double eagle on the par-5 seventh and finished with a 5-under 67 for a share of the third-round lead in the Australian Masters with Michael Sim.
The Bears placed Nathan Vasher on injured reserve with a broken right hand, ending the defensive back’s season.
* Dolphins defensive tackle Paul Soliai was suspended for the second time this season for an unspecified violation of team rules. . . . Former Patriots player Tebucky Jones was granted probation on charges stemming from a fight at a Connecticut casino.
In London, U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel set a record with his 167th consecutive Premier League appearance in Aston Villa’s 0-0 tie with Fulham.
Friedel twice denied former American teammate Clint Dempsey and earned a third straight shutout.
Magic guard Mickael Pietrus will be out three to five weeks because of a torn ligament in his right thumb.
Pietrus averages nearly 13 points and is one of the Magic’s main 3-point shooters.
COLLEGE: Croom out at Mississippi St.
Sylvester Croom resigned from Mississippi State on Saturday, five years after becoming the SEC’s first black head football coach.
Croom, who took over the team while it was under NCAA sanctions, won 2007 SEC coach of the year honors after leading the Bulldogs to an 8-5 finish and the Liberty Bowl. He signed a contract extension in the offseason that paid him $1.7 million this year. His resignation means half of the six Division-I black football coaches who started the season won’t be back next season.
* Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody is out indefinitely with pneumonia.
Harangody, the Big East player of the year last season, became ill after scoring 29 points and grabbing 13 rebounds in No. 8 Notre Dame’s 81-80 victory over No. 6 Texas on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational.


European Daily Catch: Retail Sales Stabilizing?
Today's real retail sales gave the ECB and EU heads of state another reason to keep their fingers crossed for stability of the Euro area economy (.pdf of release). In January, volume adjusted retail sales increased 0.3% in the Euro area (EA) and broke a 4-month trend downward. On a 3-month annualized basis, though, real retail sales are falling at a 2.2% pace. Therefore, on a trended basis the second derivative may be stabilizing but the first derivative remains conspicuously negative.
I suppose that the ECB and EU heads of state will take this month of reprieve to pat themselves on the back for policy well done. However, in looking at the cross section of the monthly gains, France was the primary driver of the regional improvement, +2.1% over the month. We're not out of the woods yet.
Greece, Spain, and Italy haven't reported for January, so we'll have to wait on the over or under regarding revisions. I'll take the under, however, given that Spanish and Italian service PMIs are in the low 40′s with the employment component a serious drag (.pdf of the Markit release).


Firefighters right the fallen digger, a hire bobcat.
1.10pm: A 74-year-old man has been freed from underneath a digger outside a home at Woonona.
The man has suffered a crushing injury to his right foot and will be transported to Wollongong Hospital.
Senior Constable Jason Huggins, from Wollongong police, said the man had been working on the small excavator – a hire bobcat – in his front yard.
“The excavator’s tipped over and trapped his right foot,” Sen Con Huggins said.
“It was a mini excavator, which is quite heavy.
It is understood the man’s foot is not broken. His injuries are not life-threatening.
Sen Con Huggins said it appeared the man was home alone at the time.
“If you’re working with this kind of equipment it is dangerous and unpredictable, so have someone help you out,” he said.
Greg Shepherd, Wollongong Fire Station commander, said the man spent about 25 minutes trapped under the machine, which is believed to weigh 2-3 tonnes.
"We used our 20-tonne airbag and hydraulic spreaders," he said.
"Working with ambulance crews, we slowly lifted it away so that it caused no further injury."
A neighbour, Mel Brown, said he heard the trapped man crying out in pain and came to his aid.
“I brought a bit of an iron bar to lever it but couldn’t budge it,” he said.
“He just said his leg was under there and he was in a lot of pain with it.
The man appeared to be working on his front yard – a flat, grassy surface, when the machine tipped.
12.50pm: Emergency services are at a home in Woonona, where a man has become trapped under a digger.
Paramedics were called to a home on Narelle Crescent about 12.30pm on Wednesday.
Early reports are that the man is trapped by his leg and is in pain.
Police and Fire and Rescue NSW crews are also on site.
Fire crews are preparing to lift the machine off the man, as at 12.50pm.
Discuss "Man trapped under digger at Woonona"


ONE of the country’s most prolific sci-fi directors rode his Tardis into Caernarfon last week as part of the highly anticipated Celtic Media Festival.
Former Llanrug resident Euros Lyn was part of a five strong panel of behind the scenes figures from the cult TV series Doctor Who to speak about the show at an event in the Galeri.
The 38-year-old, who has directed episodes for the hit show since it returned to British screens in 2005, said he was overjoyed when he found out he had bagged his “dream job”.
“I remember I was in Russia at the time I heard that they were going to relaunch Doctor Who,” said the former Ysgol Gynradd Llanrug pupil.
“I wrote a letter to Russell T Davies (writer) and Julie Gardner (executive producer) begging them to consider me for the directing job.
Although Euros didn’t hear back from them for a little while, eventually he got the news he had been waiting for.
Since landing the top job four years ago, Euros has directed nine episodes of Doctor Who including The Girl in the Fireplace which won the 2007 Hugo Award for best dramatic presentation, short form.
He has also directed episodes of the hit spin-off Torchwood and is a former winner of the best director category at the BAFTA Cymru Television Awards.
On Monday, Euros began shooting the last two special episodes to feature the current Doctor Who, David Tennant, before he leaves the show for good later this year.
Speaking about the incumbent Doctor, Euros said: “David’s a very talented actor.
“It was only a matter of time before he left. I don’t think it came as a surprise to anyone.
“He has a lot of things to prove so it will be interesting to see what he does next.
“A lot of people think that because Doctor Who is based on fantasy and set on far away worlds that it’s not relevant to us.
And what of Tennant’s successor Matt Smith who will play the 11th incarnation of the Time Lord in the new series which airs in 2010?
“I haven’t had any contact with Matt Smith yet,” said Euros.
“I only found out when my dad texted me to say he’d been cast and I can tell you, it was as much a surprise to me than it was to anybody.
“He’s obviously a good actor and I’m looking forward to working with him.
Speaking of his most memorable Doctor Who moments, Euros said: “I still remember when Tom Baker, who is my all time favourite Doctor Who, was replaced by Peter Davison.
“I was so upset. I felt like I had been cheated.
When asked who he thought the scariest villain was, Euros answered: “Davros definitely does it for me.


Scientists have described a way to convert human skin cells directly into a specific type of brain cell affected by Huntington's disease, an ultimately fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Unlike other techniques that turn one cell type into another, this new process does not pass through a stem cell phase, avoiding the production of multiple cell types, the study's authors report.
The researchers, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, demonstrated that these converted cells survived at least six months after injection into the brains of mice and behaved similarly to native cells in the brain.
"Not only did these transplanted cells survive in the mouse brain, they showed functional properties similar to those of native cells," said senior author Andrew S. Yoo, PhD, assistant professor of developmental biology. "These cells are known to extend projections into certain brain regions. And we found the human transplanted cells also connected to these distant targets in the mouse brain. That's a landmark point about this paper."
The work appears Oct. 22 in the journal Neuron.
The investigators produced a specific type of brain cell called medium spiny neurons, which are important for controlling movement. They are the primary cells affected in Huntington's disease, an inherited genetic disorder that causes involuntary muscle movements and cognitive decline usually beginning in middle-adulthood. Patients with the condition live about 20 years following the onset of symptoms, which steadily worsen over time.
The research involved adult human skin cells, rather than more commonly studied mouse cells or even human cells at an earlier stage of development. In regard to potential future therapies, the ability to convert adult human cells presents the possibility of using a patient's own skin cells, which are easily accessible and won't be rejected by the immune system.
To reprogram these cells, Yoo and his colleagues put the skin cells in an environment that closely mimics the environment of brain cells. They knew from past work that exposure to two small molecules of RNA, a close chemical cousin of DNA, could turn skin cells into a mix of different types of neurons.
In a skin cell, the DNA instructions for how to be a brain cell, or any other type of cell, is neatly packed away, unused. In past research published in Nature, Yoo and his colleagues showed that exposure to two microRNAs called miR-9 and miR-124 altered the machinery that governs packaging of DNA. Though the investigators still are unraveling the details of this complex process, these microRNAs appear to be opening up the tightly packaged sections of DNA important for brain cells, allowing expression of genes governing development and function of neurons.
Knowing exposure to these microRNAs alone could change skin cells into a mix of neurons, the researchers then started to fine tune the chemical signals, exposing the cells to additional molecules called transcription factors that they knew were present in the part of the brain where medium spiny neurons are common.
"We think that the microRNAs are really doing the heavy lifting," said co-first author Matheus B. Victor, a graduate student in neuroscience. "They are priming the skin cells to become neurons. The transcription factors we add then guide the skin cells to become a specific subtype, in this case medium spiny neurons. We think we could produce different types of neurons by switching out different transcription factors."
Yoo also explained that the microRNAs, but not the transcription factors, are important components for the general reprogramming of human skin cells directly to neurons. His team, including co-first author Michelle C. Richner, senior research technician, showed that when the skin cells were exposed to the transcription factors alone, without the microRNAs, the conversion into neurons wasn't successful.
The researchers performed extensive tests to demonstrate that these newly converted brain cells did indeed look and behave like native medium spiny neurons. The converted cells expressed genes specific to native human medium spiny neurons and did not express genes for other types of neurons. When transplanted into the mouse brain, the converted cells showed morphological and functional properties similar to native neurons.
To study the cellular properties associated with the disease, the investigators now are taking skin cells from patients with Huntington's disease and reprogramming them into medium spiny neurons using the approach described in the new paper. They also plan to inject healthy reprogrammed human cells into mice with a model of Huntington's disease to see if this has any effect on the symptoms.
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (DGE-1143954), the fellowship from Cognitive, Computational and Systems Neuroscience Pathway (T32N5023547), and grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (MH078823), including from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01 GM104991) and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (T32 HL007275), the NIH Director's Innovator Award (DP2) and awards from the Mallinckrodt Jr. Foundation, Ellison Medical Foundation, and Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
Victor MB, Richner M, Hermanstyne TO, Ransdell JL, Sobieski C, Deng PY, Klyachko VA, Nerbonne JM, Yoo AS. Generation of human striatal neurons by microRNA-dependent direct conversion of fibroblasts. Neuron. Oct. 22, 2014.
Washington University School of Medicine. "Human skin cells reprogrammed directly into brain cells." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 24 Oct. 2014. Web.


Nearly 25 years after the "Lyndonville outbreak" of chronic fatigue syndrome, a controversy is brewing among scientists over what causes the disease. A small-town doctor hopes his patients will help provide the answer. WSJ's Jason Bellini reports.


Jesus loved to use stories to illustrate profound, life-transforming concepts. He loved to use real and genuine settings, characters, and ideas that apply to all of us to reveal God’s heart of pursuit and love. This week we’re going to spend time allowing the parables of Jesus to speak directly to our situations, mindsets, and core beliefs about who God is. Open your heart and mind to be transformed by the powerful and captivating stories of Jesus.
Jesus tells a beautiful parable of the kingdom of God in Matthew 12:31-32. He teaches, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” Trees are beautiful pictures of God’s ability to take what we view as weak or insignificant, a seed, and make a magnificent and life-giving creation out of it. And Matthew 12 reveals how trees can be viewed as pictures of the very kingdom of their Creator. It’s remarkable that God would begin his kingdom small and grow it by his faithful stewardship into a beautiful and life-giving creation.
God took the seed of the death of one man, Jesus, to create a beautiful tree of salvation for all of humanity. John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Our heavenly Father’s wrath over our sin poured out on Jesus allowed God to free the rest of us from eternal condemnation. And through the seed of Jesus’ death, God has been creating a powerful and eternal global movement, bringing people to restored relationship with himself across thousands of years. Just as the mustard seed grows large enough to become a tree in which birds make their home, the kingdom of God has transferred our citizenship to a new home with him. Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” John 15:19 says, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” The kingdom of God established through Christ has saved us from slavery to this world and ransomed us back into restored relationship with our heavenly Father.
Not only does the parable describe the incredible expanse of God’s kingdom from a few to many, it can also illustrate the seed of salvation planted within each of us that God intends to grow into a beautiful and fruit-bearing tree. Luke 17:21 says, “The kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” God’s kingdom is not built of brick and mortar, but of human hearts. And 1 Peter 2:2 commands us, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation.” God’s desire is to water the seed of salvation he’s planted in us with the Spirit and the word. He longs to mold and shape us into the likeness of Jesus, that we might live lives that bear incredible life-giving fruit. Hosea 14:4-7 illustrates God’s heart beautifully when it says, “I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.” God wants to constantly steward this gift of salvation in each of us, as he does with the global advancement of his kingdom, that we might bear the wonderful fruit of the Spirit in every area of our lives.
And God is so patient with us. The earth illustrates his patience. Trees grow year after year, season to season by his faithful stewardship. Flowers never begin as beautiful as they are in full bloom. The earth is constantly undergoing abundant transformation as God’s creation grows and changes. You and I are no different. God’s plan has always been to mold us into beautiful pictures of his love. He’s always longed to fashion us until we walk in full, restored relationship with him. And by the life and death of Christ, he’s paved the way for his desires to come to fruition. All that’s left is for us to engage fully in this wonderful process he’s created for us. Engage in the growth he longs to birth in you by spending time in his presence and his word. Allow his gaze to transform you into his likeness. Live in obedience to the word, and allow it to lead you to an unconformed life in this world. Follow the guidance of the Spirit as he brings healing to your heart and fruit in your life.
Spend time in prayer allowing God to work in your heart today.
1. Meditate on God’s desire to grow the seed of salvation he’s planted within you.
2. Where do you need growth in your own life? Where do you need to bear more fruit?
3. Ask the Spirit to fill you anew today. Be filled with the presence of God and allow his love to mold and shape you into his likeness. Ask the Spirit to guide you into areas in where he wants to grow you today. Find Scripture that pertains to those areas in which you need growth and live in obedience to God’s word.
How great is God’s love for us that he doesn’t leave us where we are but is always transforming us! In the blink of an eye, God sees who we’ve been, who we are, and who we will be. He knows your form, how he’s created you, and what you were born to do. The more time you spend allowing him to transform you, the more you will understand yourself. May you discover and engage with all that your heavenly Father wants to do in you through his love today.


MANILA, Jan. 14 (PIA) -- The energy sector is eyeing to increase the country's biomass capacity by an additional 277 megawatts biomass by the year 2015.
To achieve this target, 25 biomass projects will be implemented nationwide, said Marriz Agbon, President of the Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corporation (PADCC).
During the 1st Philippine International BioEnergy Conference held Jan. 12-13 at the Manila Hotel, Agbon cited a study conducted by the United States- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (US NREL) which shows that the Philippines has a potential output of 235.7 megawatts for biomass (bagasse only).
To maximize these potentials, the Biofuels Act of 2006 and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 were enacted.
The Biofuels Act mandates a ten percent ethanol blend for gasoline and two percent biodiesel blend for diesel. On the other hand, the Renewable Energy Act was enacted "to accelerate the exploration and development of renewable energy resources," Agbon said.
In accordance with these laws, 18 ethanol distilleries with an annual capacity of 30 million liters were established to meet the 10 percent bioethanol blend mandate, he said.
He added that development of new areas is also pursued for the production of feedstock mix of sugarcane, sweet sorghum and lignocellulosic feedstock such as rice hull, corn stover, rice straw, corn cob, coconut shell and coconut husk. "We've already mapped out over 450,000 hectares as potential areas for ethanol feedstock," he said.
Agbon said the development of the bioenergy sector will also generate around 89,000 more jobs--78,000 jobs for the construction of power plants, 4,000 for plant operation, and 7,000 for the feedstock supply chain. Around 577,000 farmer families will also benefit from this endeavor.


On April 3, community leaders and elected officials assembled at a town hall meeting to discuss proposals to reform the United States immigration laws.
Approximately 200 community members came to discuss the debate taking place in Washington surrounding the immigration system and the role individuals can play in ensuring the passage of fair immigration reform.
The meeting convened in the auditorium of PS 19Q, located at 98-02 Roosevelt Ave. The key speakers at the town hall included U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Bayside), Jose Tejada, executive director of Dominico-American Society of Queens; Jose Calderon, president of the Hispanic Federation and Julio Hernandez, a member of the Dominico-American Society of Queens.
Aside from the key panelists, members of the community spoke about their personal experiences of working illegally and struggling after a member of their family is deported back to their homeland. A young girl came close to tears as she pleaded to see her father come back to the U.S. and reunite with her family.
The topics highlighted during the debate included the key representatives in Congress driving this debate, the immigration principles, what the reform means to immigrants, how to prevent being victimized by immigration fraud and how individuals can join the fight to ensure immigrant justice.
Meng spoke to the crowd about her parents immigrating to the U.S. in the early 1970s with only $200 in their pockets.
“According to data, 30 percent of the immigrant families are more likely to start their own business and are capable of starting up to four million jobs a year,” Meng said.
“We are gathering today to push for a new comprehensive immigration reform law that will help immigrant families by granting legal permanent status to the undocumented, so they can work legally and reunite with their families, while helping generate increased economic activity in states that are in financial crisis,” Tejada said.
“Do not pay anyone who says they will help you with your immigration process,” said Hernandez. He overtly explained to the community that immigration reform is still underway and they should learn English to avoid any immigration scams.
“A central principal in any immigration reform bill must be a broad and generous legalization program that reaches even the most marginalized and vulnerable of immigrant workers by bringing them out of the shadows and onto a clear path to citizenship,” said Valeria Treves, executive director of New Immigrant Community Empowerment in a earlier statement issued by the Hispanic Federation.


DECATUR, Ga. - May 24, 2018 - PRLog -- Estate & Asset Protection Attorney, Victoria Collier recognizes that for prospective clients it may be difficult to decide between Asset Protection and Elder Care Attorneys.
DECATUR, GA, May 24, 2018: Victoria L. Collier, founder of The Estate & Asset Protection Law Firm, has posted a new blog on her law firm's website entitled "Elder Care Attorney Or Estate Planning Attorney." Ms. Collier acknowledges that it could be either or if the attorney is good and well versed in both areas.
As Collier points out, "Getting older comes with its own unique set of legal issues, especially if we, or a loved one, are not able to care for ourselves." She continues, "If no arrangements have been made earlier, it can be emotionally difficult watching a loved one struggle with health and financial difficulties."
"It is during times like these that one is faced with how to best solve the issues," Collier writes, adding, "Sometimes it is not clear to whom we should turn for help."
According to Collier, "While some Estate Planning Attorneys are versed in Elder Care Law, many are not." She continues to elaborate, "However, a good Certified Elder Law Attorney should be well versed in issues regarding estate planning. Their expertise should include powers of attorney, advanced directives for health care, guardianship and conservatorship actions, trust and will creation and management, Medicare and Medicaid, and asset protection. So, depending on your circumstances and requirements, either, an Estate Planning Attorney versed in elder care or a reputable Certified Elder Care Attorney should be able to meet all of your needs."