Finally, at 9:30 p.m., tournament officials announced that no matches would be played. Guests with individual Session 8 tickets from Friday night may exchange them at the front gate box office for: Session 9 March 28 Day Session Grounds Passes, Session 12 March 29 Evening Session tickets or March 30 Evening Session tickets.
Nadal, the No. 2 seed, was relieved to get through his first match, but it wasn’t as easy as the score might look because of the weather conditions, he said.
Nadal is particularly motivated to win here because he has played here 11 times, reached four finals but never won the title. It is the tournament in which he has played the most times and never won.
He tweaked his ankle at practice Monday but said it did not affect his performance Friday.
Joining Nadal in the third round will be third seed Andy Murray, who also battled heat and wind to defeat Donald Young 6-4, 6-2. It was the fifth time in six meetings that Murray beat Young. The Scot owns a condo in the Brickell Avenue area, trains here in the winter and typically does well in Key Biscayne. He won the titles in 2009 and 2013.
In other men’s matches, seventh seed Stan Wawrinka rallied past Carlos Berlocq 6-7 (9-11), 7-5, 6-2. Czech eighth seed Tomas Berdych beat Chung Hyeon of Korea 6-3, 6-4.
American Sam Querrey lost to South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 in a battle of big men. Querrey is 6-6 and Anderson is 6-8. Austria’s Dominic Thiem upset 10th seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-3.
On the women’s side, 15-year-old phenom Catherine (Cici) Bellis beat rising Kazakhstan star Zarina Diyas 6-2, 6-1 and could face Williams in the next round. The win was especially gratifying for Bellis because she lost to Diyas at the U.S. Open. Last fall Bellis became the youngest player to win a match at the U.S. Open since 1996 when she upset No. 12 Dominika Cibulkova.
Bellis, who is still an amateur but plays in limited pro events, said she would relish the chance to play Williams, a 19-time Grand Slam champion and seven-time winner in this tournament.
In other women’s matches, Indian Wells (California) winner Simona Halep beat Nicole Vaidisova 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. Fifth seed Ana Ivanovic eliminated Irina Falconi 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3. Two-time Miami winner Victoria Azarenka needed seven match points, but beat Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 6-1.
Sloane Stephens won an all-American match on Stadium Court, converting five of six break-point chances to beat No. 17 Madison Keys 6-4, 6-2.
Tomas Berdych (8), Czech Republic, d. Chung Hyeon, South Korea, 6-3, 6-4; Kevin Anderson (15), South Africa, d. Sam Querrey, U.S., 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-3), 6-4; Bernard Tomic (25), Australia, d. Austin Krajicek, United States, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5; Andy Murray (3), Britain, d. Donald Young, United States, 6-4, 6-2; Santiago Giraldo (27), Colombia, d. Robin Haase, Netherlands, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0; Leonardo Mayer (24), Argentina, d. Jarkko Nieminen, Finland, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5); Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (23), Spain, d. Jan-Lennard Struff, Germany, 6-4, 6-4; Dominic Thiem, Austria, d. Feliciano Lopez (10), Spain, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-3; Stan Wawrinka (7), Switzerland, d. Carlos Berlocq, Argentina, 6-7 (9-11), 7-5, 6-2; Rafael Nadal (2), Spain, d. Nicolas Almagro (96), Spain, 6-4, 6-2; Fernando Verdasco (29), Spain, leads James Duckworth, Australia, 1-0, Suspended; Adrian Mannarino (28), France, vs. A. Ramos-Vinolas, Spain, 6-4, 3-6, 1-1, Suspended.
Simona Halep (3), Romania, d. Nicole Vaidisova, Czech Republic, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1; Svetlana Kuznetsova (24), Russia, d. Alison Riske, United States, 6-2, 6-2; Johanna Larsson, Sweden, d. Lucie Safarova (10), Czech Republic, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2; CiCi Bellis, United States, d. Zarina Diyas (29), Kazakhstan, 6-2, 6-1; Camila Giorgi (30), Italy, d. Alison Van Uytvanck, Belgium, 6-3, 6-2; Victoria Azarenka, Belarus, d. Jelena Jankovic (20), Serbia, 6-1, 6-1; Garbine Muguruza (21), Spain, d. Sesil Karatantcheva, Bulgaria, 6-1, 6-3; Sloane Stephens, United States, d. Madison Keys (17), United States, 6-4, 6-2; Ana Ivanovic (5), Serbia, d. Irina Falconi, United States, 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3; Sabine Lisicki (27), Germany, d. Julia Goerges, Germany, 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (5-7), 6-4; Flavia Pennetta (15), Italy, d. Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria, 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-3; Sara Errani (11), Italy, leads Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, 6-1, 4-1, Suspended; Angelique Kerber (13), Germany, leads Heather Watson, Britain, 7-5, 0-0, Suspended; Belinda Bencic, Switzerland, d. Casey Dellacqua (32), Australia, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Eugenie Bouchard (6), Canada, is tied with Tatjana Maria, Germany, 0-0, Suspended.


Click to viewThree MacBook Air reviews are in from USA Today, Newsweek and the WSJ. The first two reviews are both fairly positive, with caveats, but the WSJ's reads slightly less so. Lets begin.
USA Today: USA Today's Ed Baig summarizes with this verdict: "Given the compromises, I don't expect anyone to use Air as their only computer. But it is a yummy machine for people who spend a lot of time traveling." Going more in depth, he lauds the Air's thinness, and revels at the little things like the magnetic latch and the backlit LED display. The worst part? He got more than an hour less than Apple's rated battery life.
Newsweek: Steven Levy at Newsweek compares the Macbook Air's thinness to ritualistic circumcision, noting that they sliced off just enough to make it meaty, yet super thin. Thin enough for him to spend a good third of his review saying how thin it is, and how it's so great on a lap, on a Starbucks' table, on a conference table, and on an airplane seatback tray. He then decries the obvious lack of features we've been talking about since we heard about the Air: lack of user-replaceable battery, the one USB port, no optical drive, blah blah blah.
Wall Street Journal: Mossberg from the big J also loves the svelteness, owning up to his own Contact moment by saying that "it's impossible to convey in words just how pleasing and surprising this computer feels in the hand." Of course, he hates the non-removable battery, the 1 USB port, the fact that you can't put a bigger hard drive in there and the lack of an optical drive.


Is there a word that promises fun more than "festival?" We know. "Chocolate" is right up there, but stop being a distraction. Summer music festivals are a Chicago sonic mainstay, in a city that seems to have gone fest crazy of late. It used to be that it was just Lollapalooza, Blues Fest and Ravinia. But recently, everyone has raised their game, from Grant Park's classical music fest to Riot Fest, and all points in between. We asked our critics, Greg Kot, Howard Reich and John von Rhein, to lay out their summer of festival goodness.
Local classical music buffs get to hear world-class performances week after week at the area's "Big Two" summer fests, the Grant Park Music Festival in downtown Chicago, and the Ravinia Festival in north suburban Highland Park. That's not something you should take for granted.
To help you navigate the hot-weather bounty, we have singled out five events at each festival that look unusually promising from this distance. Go and enjoy!
Berlioz's "Romeo et Juliette": Complete performances of this strange and wonderful dramatic symphony are rare in Chicago, so these concerts, led by principal conductor Carlos Kalmar, are to be eagerly anticipated. June 13-14. Note that the venue has been shifted to the Auditorium Theater to avoid conflicting with the nearby Chicago Blues Festival.
Grant Park Chorus: The annual a cappella choral program by director Christopher Bell's remarkable ensemble once again includes intriguing 20th century repertory you don't get to hear very often. July 17 at South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive; and July 20 at Columbus Park Refectory, 5701 W. Jackson Blvd.
Leonard Slatkin: The festival's former principal conductor returns to lead contrasting rarities by Dmitri Shostakovich and the Dominican composer and pianist Michel Camilo. July 25-26.
National Youth Orchestra of the U.S.: David Robertson conducts the ensemble, which is made up of some of America's finest young instrumentalists, with the Illinois-born violin virtuoso Gil Shaham as soloist. July 28.
"The Legend of the Northern Lights": Inspired by a children's story about the origins of the aurora borealis, Christopher Theofanidis' symphonic work will be accompanied by a film by Jose Francisco Salgado that incorporates NASA and Canadian Space Agency images. World premiere. Aug. 8-9.
Susanna Malkki leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Amid the movie, Broadway and pops nights crowding the 78th CSO residency, this concert stands out. The highly regarded Finnish conductor will be making her Ravinia debut, and her soloist in a Tchaikovsky-Prokofiev program will be the superb violinist Midori, who joins the Ravinia Steans Music Institute faculty this summer. July 16.
Strauss' "Salome": The first of music director James Conlon's three operas with the CSO this summer should almost make up for the orchestra's relatively scant attention to Richard Strauss' 150th birthday anniversary during the winter season. Patricia Racette will sing her first Salome, with Egils Silins, Wolfgang Schmidt and Gabriele Schnaut in other leading roles. Aug. 2.
Chicago Pro Musica: The multi-talented Hershey Felder is back, this time as director, presiding over stagings of Stravinsky's wry fable "The Soldier's Tale" and a sequel, "The Devil's Tale," by composer James Stephenson. Aug. 5, Martin Theatre.
Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and "The Marriage of Figaro": There are few more alluring combo-pacs under the summer sun than Conlon, Mozart, the CSO and the intimate Martin Theatre. The casts are pretty alluring too. Christopher Maltman will portray the dissolute Don, with Tamara Wilson, Aga Mikolaj and Ailyn Perez as the women in Giovanni's life. The servants and their masters in "Figaro" include John Relyea, Lisette Oropesa, Soile Isokoski, Stephane Degout and Renee Rapier. Aug. 14 and 16 ("Giovanni"); Aug. 15 and 17 ("Figaro").
The Knights: The dynamic, Manhattan-based chamber orchestra returns to Ravinia with soloists Dawn Upshaw singing Maria Schneider's Grammy-winning "Winter Morning Walks" on the first program, cellist Yo-Yo Ma playing Strauss' "Don Quixote" on the second. Aug. 20, Martin Theatre; Aug. 21, Pavilion.
Tony Bennett will return to Ravinia at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 16 to perform in the Pavilion.
Chicagoan Maggie Brown will present "A Legacy of Jazz and Poetry: Tribute to Oscar Brown Jr.," a salute to her father, at 6 p.m. Aug. 22 in Bennett Gordon Hall.


From 6,000 feet, the Mississippi sunset looked like a postcard in a souvenir shop. Billy Powell was enjoying the view. Ronnie Van Zant was asleep on the floor. Some of the guys were playing poker. And the hardest-working rock 'n' roll band in America was about to run out of gas.
It was the last flight of Lynyrd Skynyrd: Oct. 20, 1977, the night they drove Ol' Dixie down.
The band had risen out of Jacksonville on the wings of such anthems as "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama." But just as they were beginning to reach their zenith, the Skynyrd boys would go down with the sun, plunging into the southern Mississippi countryside in a plane crash that would kill Van Zant; guitarist Steve Gaines; his sister, backup vocalist Cassie Gaines; and road manager Dean Kilpatrick.
"We were cut off right in the middle of our stride," drummer Artimus Pyle says.
If you believe in omens, there were plenty: flames shooting from an engine on a previous flight, a just-released album featuring a song about "the smell of death," Van Zant's own premonition that he would die young. But it wasn't supposed to happen so soon.
"It was a real pleasant flight, and I remember it to this day, to this second," Powell, the Skynyrd keyboard player, recalls. "I looked at my watch when we were going down. It was 6:48 p.m., and there was a beautiful horizon. The sun was going down, and I had like a panoramic view of a beautiful sunset. It was just as peaceful as all get-out. We were playing cards, and everybody was just doing their own thing."
It was only days after the release of the Street Survivors album -- whose cover showed the group engulfed in flames -- and the Skynyrd band, which had just begun a nationwide tour, was on its way to Baton Rouge, La., from the previous night's performance in Greenville, S.C.
Two days earlier, on a flight from Lakeland to Greenville, guitarist Allen Collins reported seeing a 10-foot flame shooting out of the right engine of the chartered Convair 240.
"When Collins got on, he was sitting there going, 'Man, this ain't right,' " Rossington adds. "He knew."
The group decided the flight to Baton Rouge would be one of Skynyrd's last in the 30-year-old aircraft. The hardest-working band in America deserved better and was planning to switch planes a few days later in Dallas.
"We had talked about that an hour before we went down," Pyle remembers. "We had decided to get a Learjet for the band, a beautiful bus for the crew. It was ridiculous for us to be on an old plane like that."
At 6:42 p.m., according to a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the crash, the Convair's flight crew radioed the Houston Air Traffic Control Center and reported the plane was low on fuel: "Yes, sir, we need to get to a airport, the closest airport you've got, sir."
But they'd already flown over the closest airport, in McComb, Miss., and co-pilot William Gray told the 24 passengers to strap in, that the plane was running on empty and an emergency landing was imminent. They hoped to belly- flop in a muddy field a few miles to the south.
"I was real proud of everybody," Powell says. "Instead of panicking, everybody was sitting there praying."
Pyle, who like Powell is a pilot, instructed the other passengers in the proper crash procedure. "I told everybody to put out their cigarettes and turn out all the lights and bend over," Pyle says. "I did the stewardess trip." Then he went to the cockpit.
"The pilot, Walter McCreary, turned around and looked at me and said, 'Go back to the fuselage and strap yourself in,' " Pyle says. "And I could see fear. . . . I could see death in the man's eyes. He was a good pilot, but he kind of freaked a little bit. Nothing like that had ever happened to him."
On his way back to the cabin, Pyle met Van Zant, and they grasped each other's hands.
"Ronnie Van Zant walked to the back of the plane to get a pillow, and as he walked forward, he shook my hand," Pyle says. "We looked at each other and smiled, and he continued forward and sat down. Ronnie knew that he was going to die."
Van Zant took a seat between Collins and Rossington. Across from them, in facing seats, were Gaines, his sister and Kilpatrick. Of the six, only Rossington and Collins would survive.
Powell buckled in next to production manager Clayton Johnson. Johnson joked that this would be his last "low-budget tour." Powell prayed that it wouldn't.
Almost 10 minutes elapsed from the first warning until the eventual crash, Powell says. It was as if he were standing on a gallows, waiting to hear the executioner's song.
"I was going, 'We're fixing to die, man.' I said, 'God, please don't take my life.' . . . I can't describe the feeling that was going through me, knowing that I was fixing to die."
The Convair came down at a 5-degree angle that grew steeper after the initial impact with the treetops. As it sliced its way through the timber, the plane cut a 500-foot path.
"I remember we started clipping those pine trees, and I heard a real loud cracking noise," Powell says. "The crash itself only lasted about 15 seconds at the most. . . . It felt like being rolled down a hill in a garbage can and being hit by about a hundred baseball bats at the same time. That's the only way I can explain it."
The estimated time of the crash, according to the NTSB report, was 6:52 p.m. It occurred a few miles outside of Gillsburg, Miss., a blink-and- you'll-miss-it crossroads just north of the Mississippi-Louisiana line. Including both pilots, six people died. Twenty survived.
Of the survivors, Rossington, Collins, bassist Leon Wilkeson and backup vocalist Leslie Hawkins were the most critically injured. Powell and Pyle were two of the most fortunate.
"I remember my seat belt breaking, and I crashed through a table face- first," Powell says. He felt for his nose and found it on the side of his face, but he remained conscious.
"I walked out of the fuselage, and the cockpit was gone, both wings were gone and the tail section was gone, just crushed to pieces," he says. "I sat on top of the airplane, which was turned sideways. I just sat there for a while, going, 'What has happened?' And I was crying.
"I jumped off and there were people screaming. I remember hearing Leon screaming, 'Get me out of here.' People that were still in the fuselage were trapped by seats and debris and metal and stuff. I just walked around trying to help whoever I could. I took my T-shirt off and I was holding my nose on with that."
Pyle, a former Marine, had noticed the plane's path as it was descending and kept an eye out for any sign of civilization. Although he suffered cracked ribs in the crash, he managed to run for help, along with road-crew members Ken Peden and Mark Frank.
"I made my way through a swamp," Pyle says. "The impact of the crash had knocked my shoes off and my socks were hanging over my toes about six inches, but my chest was so broken up, I couldn't bend over to pull my socks up. It was very hard to walk through the briars and the brambles. . . .
"I got up in the front yard of this house, and this guy -- his name was Johnny Mote, and I'll never forget him -- he had a shotgun and he pointed it at me. Then he put it up in the air and fired it 'cause I was covered with blood and he thought I was an escaped convict. When he did, I fell to the ground and I yelled, 'Plane crash.' And he ran to me and helped me to my feet."
While Pyle navigated, Mote drove to the crash site with a caravan of pickups and four-wheelers in tow. "He put me in a pickup truck, man, and said, 'You point to where you came out of the swamp.' . . . This guy drove right through the fences, across the road, through the ditch, and I'm looking behind us, and there's like all these vehicles following us through the mud." Mote, a dairy farmer, was bailing hay when the twilight crash occurred. He and his workers heard the noise but thought it was an automobile wreck. "It sounded like a car sliding in gravel or something," Mote says. "We drove up and down the road hunting it, and we couldn't find anything, so we went on back in the field and started working. It was just beginning to get dark."
Mote says it was "a good 20 minutes, maybe 30 minutes" before help arrived.
"I had heard it," Mote says, "but I didn't know what it was. If I had known what it was, I could have got there as soon as it crashed. I could have driven right to it.
"If they had gone another 100 yards, they would have landed in my field, but they just didn't quite make it."
Mote wasn't prepared for what he saw.
"When we first got down there, you could hear them whining," he says. "Some of them were crying and hollering. It got to me."
A neighboring farmer, Dwain Easley, helped lift the bodies out of the wreckage. "To me, it looked like everybody in there was all on top of each other, packed in there," Easley says. "As we pulled people off the top, we found people underneath those people. I never had seen anything like that."
The rescue operation became a community effort. In addition to the local citizens, the Pike County Civil Defense Council, the Pike County Sheriffs' Department, the Amite County Sheriffs' Department, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center and the U.S. Coast Guard assisted in the rescue operation.
"I just remember waking up in a field with the helicopters over us, with their search lights shining on us," Rossington says. "I've been somewhere lately where a helicopter came over with them lights and it just freaked me out. I can remember that feeling, and I felt like shooting it down or something."
"The injuries were such that every single second counted because every single second there were people losing blood," Pyle says. "To me, it's a miracle that a plane that crashed in the manner that we did, and the tiny little pieces of garbage that the plane ended up being, it's just a miracle that 20 people lived through it, that only six people were killed."
It was because of Pyle's instincts that more lives were spared, Powell says.
"I can say to this day, honestly, Artimus Pyle, thanks to him and Kenny Peden, that they saved more lives," Powell says. "Thanks to Artimus, the townspeople came. And they came on foot and pulled people out one by one and put us in different cars and trucks and stuff and took us to the emergency rooms.
"If he didn't run for help, then more people would have died from loss of blood, like Leon. He was dead on arrival at the hospital, and they pumped blood back into him and brought him back to life -- twice. But he would have definitely died in just a few more minutes from loss of blood. It was scary, the scariest thing I've ever experienced."
Pyle feels it was God's will that he was saved.
"There were no heroes, man," he says. "I went for help, yeah. . . . I really felt like God spared me to do that, but I certainly wasn't a hero. It had nothing to do with that."
Wilkeson, who suffered a broken jaw, a crushed chest and internal bleeding, was rushed to a hospital in nearby McComb. Rossington, Collins and Hawkins were transported to hospitals in Jackson. Powell and Pyle were taken to hospitals in Jackson and Magnolia respectively and were released the week following the crash.
Powell was the only survivor who was able to attend Van Zant's memorial service in Jacksonville five days later. Steve and Cassie Gaines were buried in their hometown of Miami, Okla., two days earlier.
The probable cause of the crash, according to the NTSB report, was "fuel exhaustion and total loss of power from both engines due to crew inattention to fuel supply."
The report added: "Contributing to the fuel exhaustion were inadequate flight planning and an engine malfunction of undetermined nature in the right engine, which resulted in higher-than-normal fuel consumption."
The Convair had taken on an additional 400 gallons of fuel before departing Greenville at 5:30 EDT on the evening of the crash. According to pilot McCreary's flight plan, the trip to Baton Rouge was to take two hours and 45 minutes. Including the supply added in Greenville, the plane had five hours' worth of fuel on board. When it crashed more than two hours later, it was carrying a single quart. Because so little fuel was on board, the plane did not go up in flames on impact, which helped save more lives, the NTSB report says.
The report, issued in June 1978, concludes that the fuel supply was exhausted because the right engine -- the one from which Collins had reported seeing flames earlier -- was burning more fuel than anticipated because it was being operated in the "auto-rich" fuel mode, which increases consumption.
The report adds: "The crew was either negligent or ignorant of the increased fuel consumption because they failed to monitor adequately the engine instruments for fuel flow and fuel quantity.
"Had they properly monitored their fuel supply and noted excessive fuel consumption early in the flight, they could have planned an alternate refueling stop rather than attempting to continue the flight with minimum fuel.
"In addition, the Safety Board believes that the pilot was not prudent when he continued the flight with a known engine discrepancy and did not have it corrected before he left Greenville."
Between them, McCreary and co-pilot Gray had logged more than 9,000 hours of flight time, but only 106 of those hours were in the Convair.
Rossington, though, blames no one for what happened.
"There's a million 'maybes' and 'ifs' and 'should haves,' " he says. "But what happened has already happened. It didn't matter what caused it. It was unfortunate, but it happened. After the fact, to learn why, it doesn't really do anything to you."
Although he acknowledges pilot error, Pyle says the band's management and the band itself were just as responsible for the crash.
"We should have had better transportation," he says. "The cheapness ended up taking us down.
"The reason we crashed was as much our fault as it was anybody's fault," he adds. "And I don't think anybody in the band would dispute that. We can be held to blame as much as our management, as much as neglect on anybody else's part. We were so happy to have those gigs to go to, like any rock 'n' roll band is really glad to have a gig. And we lost sight of how we were getting there.
"There were a lot of people on the plane that knew something was wrong," he says. "But we all kind of followed each other, and that's where we made our mistake.
"With our management neglect and our own neglect, it added up to a plane crash, and we had one."
For Powell, the emotional scars left by the crash cut deeper and crueler than the physical ones.
"I wondered when the airplane crash happened what I was doing alive," he says. "I blamed it on God: He took my career away from me. And I went into a deep state of depression for about a year. I hit the bottle real heavy."
Three years after the crash, Rossington, Collins, Powell and Wilkeson reunited to form the Rossington-Collins Band. Beset by personal problems -- including the death of Collins' wife, Kathy -- the group broke up after two albums for MCA.
"We were still pretty bitter that Ronnie was gone and Steve was gone and Cassie was gone and Dean was gone," Powell says. "The drinking and drugs got heavier during the Rossington-Collins Band than ever."
Rossington has tried to put the crash behind him, and it's been only in the past months -- since the surviving band members announced plans for a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute tour -- that he's talked candidly about it.
"For that to happen was such a shock," he says. "We were real close and we were like brothers. We weren't like a band that just got together when we played. We lived together and fished together and hung out together.
"We had our act together, and we were doing good and we were happy and Ronnie had just had a new baby," Rossington says. "It was just real bad timing. . . . I didn't ever -- until today -- come to terms with it. It's just something you learn to live with."
Since the crash, Rossington has married Dale Krantz, who sang vocals in the Rossington-Collins Band, and they've moved to Wyoming, where they have two babies, Mary and Annie, and a log cabin in the shadow of the Grand Tetons. Family life, Rossington says, has helped him deal with the memories of 10 years ago.
"It makes me know I had a reason to keep on living," he says. "If I would have died, Mary and Annie wouldn't be here. It's kind of funny how your fate ends up. The people who died, I see their ex-wives and families have changed. They've gone on their ways.
"It's 10 years later," he adds. "You've got to go on with life. Everybody would be crazy if they thought about all the bad stuff."


Recovery is possible. Isn’t that the message that we’ve been listening to for the past few years? Our community is in crisis over the deaths and overdoses that are a direct result of substance use.
I am probably one of the very few who have never personally been affected by opioid use. I have not lost a family member, a friend or a loved one due to drugs. Some would argue that years ago, I would have thought I was too good to know someone who was addicted. If you’re one of those people who think that you’re too good to be associated with someone who suffers from addiction, I’m sorry for you.
Addiction doesn’t discriminate like we do. It’s natural to develop a jaded sense of reality over time. Lived experience tells us to become hardened to a problem, yet, contradicts human nature of lived experience bringing us to our knees.
I consider myself a privileged woman who grew up in Harford County, attended private schools, attained a college degree and never really had to work too hard to excel. I am one of the lucky ones to make it out unscathed. So far.
Even though I have not been affected by opioid use, alcohol is a different story. My first experiences with those battling addiction wasn’t until I began working in a restaurant at age 15.
Night after night, I saw the same faces walk through the door headed straight for the bar. They were regulars and I loved them like friends. We laughed over drags off cigarettes — back when you could smoke in a bar — and they usually stayed well after closing.
Fast forward a few years when I received a phone call to inform me that one of my favorite bar regulars had died. His body had succumbed to the years of alcohol flowing freely in his system. I was heartbroken. The next year, another favorite died. The next year, one more.
Today, most of my beloved bar regulars have passed. I helped feed their addiction. I didn’t know they couldn’t say no and I didn’t know they were suffering. Never once did I think about their health because I was only concerned with the money I took home every night from their tips. After all, I was saving for a spanking new pair of UGGs. I was clueless. For my adored bar regulars, they were not so clueless. The struggle was real.
Naturally, my life experiences expanded and I was more exposed to those who suffered from substance use. I worked at a company that provided counseling to Department of Transportation employees who tested positive for substances. To say that job was eye opening is an understatement. I quickly learned what a hold addiction had on people. Yet again, my life experiences grew and I began working at the Harford County Health Department.
Three years ago, I was lucky enough to attend Harford County’s first Opioid Town Hall meeting at the college. Being pregnant at the time, already scared about what was ahead of me, I saw mothers stand and fight back tears while saying “heroin killed my child.” At that moment, a whole new fear was introduced into my already terrified mind. The stories of beautiful children who were good kids with promising futures, who were part of a loving family and an active member of society were dead. No one in that room thought they would endure the pain of losing someone to something so deadly.
To the mothers courageously sharing their story, that meeting was a safe place. There was no judgement, just compassion. Something that someone struggling with addiction is rarely greeted with. The stigma associated with a struggle as serious as addiction was something that the community was trying to transform that night.
At that time, I witnessed the power of community affected by the power of addiction. Sadly, this was only the beginning of the crisis in Harford County.
Sometimes it feels like our work is done but the staggering number of deaths posted on the board outside our Sheriff’s Office is a reminder that we need to work harder. That number doesn’t reflect how many lives were saved because of treatment and education. Or because of the love and compassion that we gave to those who needed us. Because no one is immune to being affected by drugs or alcohol.
To work in a community where there is an abundance of partnerships and passion to save the lives of our neighbors, friends and family is beyond rewarding — it’s humbling. From the Health Department, to the Sheriff’s Office, to the Town of Bel Air, to County Government, to the hospital, to the school system, to all the recovery programs…the list of partnerships is longer than you can imagine.
Day in and day out, our community is working around the clock to raise awareness, hoping to save the lives of someone who is struggling. Millions of dollars are being spent. Blood, sweat and tears are being poured into the belief that recovery is possible. Recovery IS possible. There are resources available to anyone who needs them.
For those who are in need of help, I have a message for you: YOU CAN DO IT. No one will judge you. No one will turn you away. You matter to us and to our community. We need you to stay here with us to help fight a fight that’s worth fighting for.
Molly Mraz is communications director and public information officer for the Harford County Health Department.


The season finale of Fox's House earned high marks, giving the network a tight win over CBS. The network's both registered 3.9 ratings overall but Fox won in audience share, 11 to 10.
House took first place at 8 p.m. with a 4.6/13, tying the second hour of Dancing With the Stars for highest-rated show on the night. The first hour of Dancing earned a 3.7/11 and was first with 17 million viewers. CBS was third at 3.6/11 for Big Bang Theory (3.6/11) and How I Met Your Mother (3.6/10). Gossip Girl. Which featured something of a backdoor pilot on a potential spinoff was fourth at 1.2/3. that was a slight improvement in the demo from last week. NBC game show Deal Or No Deal was fifth at 1.0/3.
Dancing With the Stars was the most-watched show of the night with 19.6 million viewers and a 4.6/12. CBS came in at 4.0/10 with Two and a Half Men (4.4/11) and Rules of Engagement (3.6/9). 24 on Fox was third at 3.3/8. NBC was next with a 1.9/5 for Medium. The CW fell to fifth with One Tree Hill earning 1.1/3.
At 10 CBS took first with a 3.9/11 for CSI: Miami. The show grabbed 13.4 million viewers. The season finale of ABC's Castle earned a 2.5/7. NBC was third at 2.3/6 for the second hour of Medium.
Fox won the night with a 3.9/11 with CBS just behind at 3.9/10. CBS edged out Fox for second place in total viewers, 11.4 million to 11.2. ABC was third in ratings at 3.6/10 but led the way in viewers with 15.7 million. NBC was fourth at 1.8/5. The Cw finished fifth with a 1.1/3.


Florence And The Machine played to a rapturous Glastonbury crowd this evening (June 27).
The collective, led by singer Florence Welch, drew one of the biggest crowds of the weekend so far on the John Peel Stage, playing songs from her newly-released debut album ‘Lungs’.
The show finished with a cover of Candi Staton‘s club classic ‘You Got The Love’ at almost the same time as Kasabian were playing their version of the same track on the Pyramid Stage.


The All-New Kia Stonic is finally available in Malta and you can see it up close this weekend at the Kia Showroom in Mdina Road, Qormi. Kia is proud to introduce the innovative compact SUV to Malta which can be viewed on Friday 27th from 09:00 to 20:00, and Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th April between 09:00 and 14:00.
The Kia Stonic combines innovative design with clever capability. The model's cutting-edge build, with sculpted lines and contours, is not only striking to the eye but is designed to maximise technological enhancements such as engine-cooling systems and airflow direction.
With its bold, two-tone body colour options, the Stonic certainly makes a statement on the road. Owners can mix and match colours for the lower exterior and roof from a broad palette for a distinctive visual impact.
The Stonic comes in a range of engines to cater for the specific driving needs and preferences of owners. The model is available different versions, each version engineered to deliver outstanding handling with a touch of sportiness. The Stonic brings a solid, intense driving experience with elegant manoeuvrability.
The youngest of the Kia family comes packed with intelligent functionalities including bi-projection headlamps, side-mirror repeaters, skid plates, three-dimensional rear lights and more, making the Stonic as much practical as it is stunning.
A glance at the car's interior immediately shows that it has been beautifully thought out to provide comfortable and safe mobility with every journey. Use of space is expertly designed to give the Stonic a roomy feeling in a compact shell. The attention to detail goes down to the ingenious blend of soft and firm materials, with an unapologetic nod towards the adventurous spirit of the Stonic. From the D-cut steering wheel, to the stitching on the seats, every part of the interior demonstrates style and quality.
The Stonic is serious on safety and comes loaded with smart features that make the difference when it really matters. Kia's DriveWise technology protects the driver and passengers with intelligent systems such as blind-spot collision alert, driver attention signal, and lane departure warning.
The All-New Kia Stonic is an exciting package combining forward-looking aesthetics with day-to-day practicality. The model starts at only €14,900 including scrappage scheme deductions. Kia is delighted to welcome the public for viewing at the Open Weekend. Visitors to the showroom will be treated with refreshments.
For further information on the All-New Stonic, kindly visit the Kia showroom in Mdina Road, Qormi. Alternatively, you can email [email protected], call on 2269 2120/3 or log on the kia.com/mt web portal.


This morning during a news conference at the statehouse, Governor Chet Culver dismissed a handful of reporters’ questions about a weekend poll which indicated Culver faces an uphill battle for reelection. The Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll found just 36% of those surveyed approve of Culver’s performance in office.
“I’ve never really paid much attention to polls. It’s about getting the job done every day,” Culver said. “And there’s a long time between now and November. Twenty-four hours is a long time in government and in politics.” Culver said he “feels good” about the steps he’s taken as governor, specifically mentioning his I-JOBS program which saw the state borrow millions to bankroll infrastructure projects.
“I want all Iowans to feel good about finding a good-paying job, so this is going take some time for the local folks and individuals to find that job that they’re looking for whether it’s through the I-JOBS program or additional support from the federal government on unemployment compensation,” Culver said.
“I’m not suggesting that Iowans feel good. I know that it’s been very tough on families across the state. That’s why I’m working so hard to do all I can as governor.” Reporters asked Culver six different questions about the “Iowa Poll” that was released this weekend, asking him at one point if he were surprised or disappointed.
Culver stuck to the same answer, that he is “focusing on doing his job” and not paying attention to polls.
Read more about the poll on O.K. Henderson’s blog.


HELENA - Supporters of a primary seat belt law told legislators that it would save both lives and money, while those opposed say such a requirement is not the appropriate role of government.
Lawmakers heard testimony Thursday on Senate Bill 9, which would allow law enforcement officers to pull people over for not wearing a seat belt. Currently, a person can be cited for not wearing a seat belt if they are pulled over for another traffic violation.
Supporters included family and friends of those who have died in crashes while not wearing seat belts, as well as doctors, Montana Highway Patrol troopers and other state officials.
Lee Newspapers of Montana reports Montana’s legislature has rejected a primary seat belt law several times and those opposed continued to argue such a law would infringe on their rights.
The Senate Judiciary Committee did not take any action on the bill.


Mini-Farm Between Lexington & Jackson. Approximately 30 acres. Wooded. City water and gas. Paved county road. Just 2 miles from 412. Westover School District. Call Linda at 731-695-1118 for more info.


The Ethiopian scrambled eggs at Royal Coffee in Rogers Park are made with tomato paste, green pepper and onion and come with mi mita (chili powder) and injera (flatbread) on the side.
Way back in 2014, I wrote that I loved biscuits and sandwiches on biscuits. I’m still enamored of them, so I went for a second helping at two places that serve fine examples of this flaky treat. But first, let’s visit an unlikely spot known for its coffee, the sliver of Lake Michigan you can see from the outdoor patio, and one dish that is particularly haunting.
Sometimes it’s the entire menu that entices me, and sometimes it’s one dish that is so good, so unusual and so memorable, I have to write about it. The latter is the case here.
The word “Royal” in the restaurant’s name describes the pure Ethiopian Highland coffee it imports, never blending it with any other bean. The latte I had was full-bodied and smooth.
The counter here has trays of sweets and breads. The menu features egg dishes, including traditional omelets, but I was drawn to the Ethiopian scrambled eggs, featuring tomato paste, mitmita (chili powder) and tiny flecks of green peppers, served with injera (flatbread).
When it arrived, it was a mound that looked more like red rice. When I tore off a piece of the injera that came rolled up on the plate, put a small spoonful of the eggs on it and tasted it, I was hooked. I’m not an intense-spice or green-pepper lover, but the balance and goodness were exceptional.
That it was served with warm hospitality, surrounded by regulars working on laptops, only contributed to the sense of peace the meal offered.
Of note: Fast casual, street parking, outdoor patio (you can see the lake down at the end of Pratt Boulevard), open mic Monday nights, bags of coffee for sale.
Find it: 6764 N. Sheridan Road, 773-761-8100, royalcoffeechicago.com.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Royal Coffee is named for the pure Ethiopian Highland coffee beans the cafe imports.
Moving just a few blocks from its original spot on Western Avenue to Lincoln Avenue seems to have energized everyone and everything at Baker Miller.
First, there’s air conditioning, which is a big deal, since the Western Avenue location used to feature an open kitchen. The new space offers lots of great natural light, bright colors and the “L” overhead, reminding you that city life is to be enjoyed.
Greeting you as you enter, the baked goods are situated next to the counter where you place your order. Get your buzzer and your utensils, then choose your own seat from wide booths occupying the front windows, or tables and chairs hugging the wall.
You’ve seen shakshouka on other menus, but here they put the tomato sauce, feta, avocado, poached egg, radish and cilantro over their whole oats, which takes it to a new satisfying level.
I cannot resist grits or elotes (Mexican grilled corn), and the combination served with tomatoes, salsa verde, chipotle aioli and tajin (a blend of lime, mild chili peppers and sea salt), topped with a soft egg, made it even more appealing.
With a biscuit on the side, I had to agree with their motto: “We share love through bold and beautiful food.” They should add: “with the warmest welcome in Chicago.” I’ll drink to that; pour another cup of coffee.
Of note: Fast casual, metered street parking, baked goods can be preordered.
Find it: 4655 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-654-3610, bakermillerchicago.com.
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
It’s a bar by night and a great hideout for breakfast by day.
Opposite the long bar inside The Long Room, you’ll find a window/counter with a warm, smiling welcome. Place your order, then grab your own setup and find a round booth. a table or a seat at that bar, and wait for the magic to arrive.
A good biscuit memory lingers: I’ve been thinking about the ones served here since I had them last year — or maybe the year before?
My recent visit came just before Chef Zeeshan Shah announced he’d be stepping away sometime this winter to focus on his new Logan Square restaurant, Superkhana International. The restaurant builds on Bombay Breakdown, the pop-up restaurant Shah and Yoshi Yamada staged in the Long Room and elsewhere. Shah will leave The Biscuit Man in the hands of sous-chef and kitchen manager Analia Beltran-Lang.
The rice bowl with cauliflower, sweet potato, peas and just enough curry was my way of soothing my minor guilt over inhaling the fried chicken biscuit with dill pickles. If you like a grilled cheese sandwich on Texas-size toast, you will love The Biscuit Man version with American cheese and sweet tomato jam.
It’s tough for me not to return often.
Of note: Fast casual, street parking, delivery.
Find it: Tucked inside The Long Room, 1612 W. Irving Park Road, 773-665-8210, biscuitmanchicago.com.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.


Find out how a health savings account can help you save money.
A health savings account might enable you to offset costly medical expenses at tax time. If you qualify, an HSA provides you with a triple tax break: Your contributions are tax-free, they grow tax-deferred and you can use them at any time to pay for medical expenses tax-free.
Businesses and individuals use HSAs to help pay for the steep costs of healthcare. Many employers contribute to employees’ HSA accounts — and because this type of spending account doesn’t expire, you can keep it through retirement and use it as an extra savings fund. Learn what an HSA is and if it benefits your financial situation.
Learn what an HSA is and how it can benefit your financial situation so that you can find ways to survive rising healthcare costs.
An HSA is a tax-free savings account designed to help qualified individuals offset healthcare costs. HSA enrollees must be covered by insurance plans with high deductibles. As a cost-saving measure, many businesses are encouraging employees to enroll in high-deductible plans and pair them with HSAs.
How Does an HSA Work?
You make pretax contributions to an employer-sponsored HSA and your contributions are tax-deductible if you have an individual HSA. You can make tax-free withdrawals from your HSA for medical expenses at any time.
Annual HSA contribution limits for 2017 are $3,400 for individuals and $6,750 for families. If you’re 55 or older you can make an extra $1,000 as a “catch-up” contribution each year. You can contribute to an HSA until Tax Day.
Although you don’t need IRS authorization to establish an HSA, there are several eligibility requirements and governing rules you must follow. You must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, which for 2017 translates to plan with a $1,300 deductible for individuals and $2,600 for families. Because not all high-deductible plans are eligible for HSAs, it’s important to choose one that is.
To be eligible for an HSA, no other taxpayer can claim you as a dependent on his returns. In addition, you cannot be enrolled in Medicare or have any supplemental health coverage.
Qualifying trustees must establish HSAs. Examples of these might include insurance companies, banks and IRS-approved individuals.
Many businesses work with a designated HSA administrator but you can choose any qualified trustee to open and manage your account. It often pays to go with your employer’s administrator, however, because otherwise you might miss out on valuable employer contributions and experience longer claims processing times, according to Kiplinger.
If you decide to enroll in an HSA on your own, check HSASearch.com to find a plan. The site provides advanced search functions that enable you to compare more than 350 HSA administrators.
To better decide whether an HSA is right for your financial strategy, understand the advantages and disadvantages of this type of savings account.
HSAs come with a wide variety of attractive benefits. Decide if they are tempting enough for you to enroll in a plan.
You can withdraw funds tax-free to pay for healthcare, your money grows tax-deferred until you use it and you don’t pay taxes on the money you contribute.
You have no deadline for eligible withdrawals and you keep your tax-deferred contributions until you use them.
Most insurers have a streamlined system for easy record keeping and medical billing.
If you change jobs, there is no complicated HSA rollover process.
An HSA can double as a supplementary retirement account.
Many employers contribute to their employees’ plans.
All out-of-pocket medical expenses qualify, including co-pays.
HSAs have a few drawbacks, too. See if any of these is a deal breaker for you.
Withdrawals for non-medical purposes are subject to a 20 percent penalty plus taxes.
HSA administrators and trustees charge maintenance fees.
Your contributions might not cover all your medical expenses.
If you have a high-deductible insurance plan and expect considerable medical expenses, an HSA could be a good choice for you.
Learn how to get the best savings account for your needs.


Every Christian deserves an observance of Christmas. But some people have life circumstances that make a 50-member choir belting out “Joy to the World” a poor fit.
Memorial Presbyterian Church recognized that more than 15 years ago, and offers a quieter option with its Service of Comfort and Hope, at 7 p.m. Sunday.
“I know the paths of darkness well. … I’ve followed them into the bottomless abyss where even the smallest step took all I had,” she wrote.
Mayton said the service originated for those who are struggling as they face challenges such as death or divorce. Job losses in the community have taken their toll as well, but he said this isn’t just for people who have suffered losses. People who have just moved to the area might be away from family and not know anyone yet, for example.
They even thought of moving the nondenominational service from the soaring church sanctuary, but decided instead to stay with the traditional setting. It is fully handicap accessible, he pointed out, and an organist and cellist will help set the tone.
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Schacher, who took over as senior pastor in August, will offer a message, as will Mayton and another pastor, the faith community nurse and the counselor who leads two groups that meet at the church and are especially invited: an eight-week grief recovery group that meets Wednesday nights through the second week of January and welcomes new participants, and a monthly kinship/caregivers group for people who care for grandchildren and elderly parents. Candles will be lit in remembrance of those lost.
After the 50-minute service, there will be a reception in the parlor, a “more intimate” space where people can greet each other and share stories if they wish.


Todd and Renee Strelko, Stoystown, a daughter, Dec. 21. Gregg and Barbara Lemmon, Markleton, are the maternal grandparents. Don Strelko, Stoystown, and Leah Hays, Blairsville, are the paternal grandparents.


I didn’t want to watch it. It was everything that I feared it would be…boring, excruciating, and mind-numbing. But nevertheless, I sat through almost the entire 90 minutes of the Presidential debate last Thursday evening and endured it all…the lies, the deceit, and the evasions. The viewers were exposed to so much toxic BS that I found myself scanning my living room for a HazMat suit.
While it may have been painful for me, the experience must have been positively agonizing for President Bush. He stood on the podium, dumb-founded, while John Kerry ripped his Iraq adventure to shreds. It didn’t appear that Bush had ever been aggressively exposed to a real dissection of his war up until this contest. He seemed to be angered that anyone could have the impudence to question his policies, much less excoriate them.
Again and again, Bush retaliated by accusing Kerry of vacillation of his opinions. As he did so, I kept being reminded of that famous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of a little mind." And President Bush is nothing if not consistent. It is inconceivable to me that anyone could still think that this invasion was a good idea. But apparently President Bush does.
Overall, I must confess to a certain schadenfreude during this whole affair. Seeing Bush squirm was my sole pleasure of the evening…one of the few that I’ve had since this awful campaign began.
Although watching Bush stumble and mumble may have been amusing, I was much more alarmed by Senator Kerry’s performance. I was awed by the ease with which he slithered around his past foreign policy positions and shed his skin to reveal a shiny new antiwar paint-job.
But we cannot allow ourselves to take our eyes off of the ball. Specifically, three issues surrounding Kerry’s debating points were most disturbing and need to be further examined.
#1 Where was Kerry when it mattered most?
As much as he may attempt to rationalize his actions, Senator Kerry voted in favor of the Iraq War resolution. Why he did so remains a matter of opinion. My hunch is that he opposed an attack on Iraq, but was intimidated by the overwhelming support that the invasion had amongst the post-9/11 masses. They were howling for blood, and Kerry was simply unwilling to stand up and speak the truth.
Leadership is about stating your convictions even when it hurts and even when it might be unpopular. In the months leading up to this war, America was in desperate need of a national political figure who was willing to lay his career on the line and speak out against this unfolding tragedy.
Senator Kerry was not that man. When the going got tough, he followed the path of least resistance.
And even more annoying, he has attempted to parse the issue of his vote with murky legalisms. He repeated his belief that prudence required that the president be given authority to invade Iraq, and he claims that he had no idea that Bush would attack with such haste and in such a reckless manner.
Everyone on the planet knew that Bush was champing at the bit to invade Iraq. And everyone knew that he was going to use the congressional resolution as political cover to do so. Kerry’s weasel-words notwithstanding, his explanation doesn’t hold water.
The time to stop this atrocity was before the invasion, before the deaths, and before the expenditure of hundreds of billions of taxpayers’ money. Kerry laid out a beautiful case for the inanity of the invasion, but he was a day late and a dollar short.
And furthermore, why does he still believe that Bush should have been given congressional authority to invade Iraq? Iraq did not attack America. Iraq was not threatening to attack America. Iraq was not involved in 9/11, and it had only tenuous connections to Islamist terror organizations.
Given these facts, by what standard does Kerry still believe that the war resolution was the right thing to do?
And this opens a Pandora’s Box of additional questions. Are there any other nations that Kerry thinks congress should permit the president to invade? Syria? Iran? North Korea? If the target of the war needs not be a direct threat to America, then exactly what criteria does Senator Kerry use to decide who gets invaded and who doesn’t? And why did he vote for a war resolution when he didn’t think that it should actually be carried out?
His entire approach to this issue is awash in non-sequiturs. He was molting and morphing right before our very eyes. Had it been about anything less crucial, it would have been funny.
#2 What’s the deal with Kerry’s alleged "plan"?
Despite long, entertaining dissertations on the foolishness of invading Iraq, Kerry does not really have any legitimate ideas on how to end the conflict. It is one thing to run from his war vote and trash Bush’s performance…but what are we going to do now?
The obvious answer, in my opinion, is to withdraw the troops immediately and allow the Iraqis to sort this mess out for themselves. The country may well fall apart, but our staying there will only continue to make the situation even worse.
But Kerry absolutely rejects a withdrawal. He stated flatly, "I’m not talking about leaving, I’m talking about winning."
But how does he define "win"?
Back in his anti-Vietnam War days, Kerry famously asked, "How do you ask men to continue to die for a mistake?" That is a very good question. If he now admits that this war is a debacle which was carried out under false pretenses, how can he rationalize keeping troops there even for another minute, much less into the indefinite future?
And since he discards the possibility of a withdrawal, what are his specific ideas about prosecuting the conflict?
The only things that I’ve heard from him are banalities that are already being tried by Bush. Kerry wants to bring more allies into the war. But France and Germany have already said that they will not send troops, regardless of who wins the election. Realistically, what sane nation would go there now given the situation on the ground? Kerry says he wants to train indigenous forces. But Bush is already doing that, albeit poorly. And it is doubtful that Kerry will be able to make these forces into any more of an efficient military than Bush has.
In essence, Kerry’s ideas are more of the same failed ones already being implemented by the president.
The bottom line is that if Kerry believes that the war is as big of a disaster as he vividly described on Thursday, then there is no legitimate moral justification for keeping our troops there. Period.
Senator Kerry spent most of the debate skewering Bush’s Iraq policy. But he also touched on several other brewing crises. Most specifically, he ruminated about the ongoing weapons programs in Iran and North Korea. While he was berating President Bush for not doing anything about these "rogue nations," I was left in a rhetorical whipsaw. How on earth can he complain about Bush invading Iraq, ostensibly to rid that nation of WMDs, and simultaneously clamor for urgent action to prevent Iran and North Korea from further developing these very same weapons?
He again lapsed into banalities about bilateral negotiations and sanctions, but does anyone really believe that North Korea cares about written agreements? If Kerry thinks that it is intolerable that these nations should develop WMDs, then exactly how does he plan to stop them if they ignore negotiations? Will he go to war? And if so, how does that make him different from Bush in Iraq?
In short, does Kerry believe that we have the right to invade sovereign nations on the suspicion of WMD development alone? If so, then how can he criticize Bush’s invasion of Iraq? If not, then how does he propose to stop these other nations from building the weapons that he has flatly stated they must not to be permitted to possess?
After moving on from WMDs, the issue of the Sudan appeared. Kerry was asked what, if anything, he thinks should be done about the ethnic conflict in Darfur. While expressing the usual hope that "US troops don’t need to go" and that the "African Union would take care of the situation," Kerry implied that he would send American troops to the Sudan if things deteriorated and no one else picked up the ball.
I nearly fell from my chair. Did we learn nothing in Somalia? How on earth can Kerry spend an hour trashing Bush for trying to "build democracy" in Iraq, and then quickly turn around and suggest the possibility of a "nation building" escapade in the Sudan?
And this is the ultimate crux of the matter. Neither of these candidates is opposed to overseas adventurism. As best I can tell, Kerry’s major complaint about Iraq is that it was a Republican who launched the war. Assertions of what is in the best interest of the American people have almost dropped off the radar screen entirely. Apparently, Kerry is OK with sending US troops into a Sudanese meat grinder if the excuses are more PC than Bush’s Iraq ones.
Near the end of the debate, Jim Lehrer asked both candidates what is the most urgent national security concern for the United States. Both men replied that it was the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
I disagree. From what I’ve seen over the past several years, the correct answer to that question is the insane ideology of military interventionism that has captivated the elites across both political parties. No Americans have died from nuclear or biological weapons. But this manic series of wars, either of the rightist/imperialist or the leftist/nanny-state variety, has already killed over 1000 Americans in Iraq, plus dozens more in Somalia, Panama, Haiti, etc… going all the way back to the 58,000 who fell in Vietnam. And there is no end in sight.
Regardless of who wins this election, the only certainty is that there will be continued war in various locales, and that American soldiers will continue to die even as America sinks into bankruptcy.
People shouldn’t delude themselves into thinking that this election represents a season of renewal. Judging from what I saw in the debate, more of the same is on the way.
Hurray for Burt Rutan and Paul Allen: Now It's Time to Deep-Six NASA!!!


When Windows Store launched, it featured apps and games that had a clear mobile focus. Games made available via Windows Store were casual for the most part, and it seemed unlikely that the situation would change in the future.
It changed however with the launch of the Universal Windows Platform which improved what developers could do with the framework that Microsoft provided them with, and the release of Windows 10.
Rise of the Tomb Raider was the first major AAA title offered through Windows Store but it won't be the last. Microsoft announced plans recently to bring the Xbox One exclusive game Quantum Break, developed by Remedy Software, to Windows Store on launch day. Other games such as Gears of Wars Ultimate Edition and Fable Legends are also lined up to be Store exclusives.
The games will only be available for Microsoft's game console and through Windows Store, and Microsoft will use the same strategy to push Windows Store by making other games it has control over as Store exclusives.
This is beneficial to PC gamers on first glance as they gain access to games that they would not be able to play at all on the platform or only after years of delay.
But what about games that are available on other PC stores or even retail channels? Are there differences between Universal Platform versions of games and regular desktop versions of said games?
If you compare the Windows Store version of Rise of the Tomb Raider with the Steam version, you will notice that there are huge differences between both versions.
A thread on Reddit was the first to highlight major differences between Windows Store games and regular PC games.
Windows Store games cannot run in exclusive fullscreen mode right now.
You may notice that this benefits Alt-Tabbing out of games as the switch to other programs or apps is instant, but it does come with a slight drop in performance usually and it enforces Vsync on top of that.
The main purpose of Vsync is to prevent screen tearing in games. Both AMD and NVIDIA introduced better methods to avoid screen tearing in games, namely FreeSync and G-Sync.
Unfortunately, neither of these features can be used if Vsync is active. In addition, Vsync may cause input lag and a drop in performance.
SLI and Crossfire are techniques to combine two or more video cards to improve the video processing performance on the device.
Windows Store games don't support these right now which means that only one video card will be used to power these games.
Windows Store games don't support modifications, say, better texture packs or software like SweetFX, that improve the visual quality of games.
Fraps, MSI Afterburner and other screen recording or FPS monitoring applications are not compatible with Windows Store games either at this point in time.
If you want to record games, you need to rely on the built-in recording capabilities instead or find another app that adds the capabilities to the system.
If you buy a game on Steam, Origin, uPlay or Gog, you can expect it to run on a variety of operating systems usually.
Rise of the Tomb Raider on Steam is compatible with Windows 7, Windows 8.x and Windows 10, whereas the Windows Store version of the game only with Windows 10.
You buy the game once on Steam, and can install it on all supported platforms. Yes, that may include Mac or Linux as well depending on the game.
The universal platform offers some benefits when it comes to running Windows Store games. They tie in with several Xbox features for instance, achievements, screen recording and friends you may have on your Xbox One system.
The usefulness of most of these features depends largely on how invested you are in Microsoft's Xbox ecosystem.
If you own an Xbox One and have friends on the system, you may like the idea that you can buy a game for your console and get the same version for your Windows PC free of charge.
Games may sync data so that you can continue playing them on either system, and cross-play may also be supported depending on the game.
The screen recording is a universal feature, it works with non-Store apps and games as well as it does with them.
The UWP is at the beginning of its journey, and it may seem a bit unfair to compare it to established platforms like Steam or PC games in general.
The situation may, and probably will, improve in the future when new capabilities and features are added to the platform that games will benefit from.
For now however, you may want to weigh up the benefits and disadvantages against each other before you make a buying decision.
It is fair to say though that the majority of issues described above won't be noticed or affect the majority of PC gamers.


Salesboom.com, the provider of on demand customer relationship management software who aspires to play in the salesforce.com, NetSuite and RightNow league for SMB hosted CRM, has announced an enhanced administrative upgrade feature for Salesboom users.
Dubbed the Salesboom “SmartUpgrade,” the new feature will allow Salesboom administrators to select which updates they wish to use and when to introduce them to their users.
Salesboom has been releasing new updates to their hosted CRM, with an update at least every 4 weeks. The new “SmartUpgrade” feature will allow system administrators more control and flexibility over which updates they would like to see launched. The new “SmartUpgrade” system will be available to all Salesboom users with the upcoming release of Salesboom v7.0.
Fargo, North Dakota-based Vtrenz, Inc. has announced product enhancements for its marketing automation platform. Vtrenz iMarketing Automation is engineered to give marketers tools to plan, build, manage, execute and measure both online and offline marketing activities, designed to help companies “generate, qualify and nurture leads as well as retain and win-back customers,” according to company officials.
Adding behavior-based segmentation capabilities, a new integrated campaign management tool, and multi-track rules-based campaign automation, iMarketing Automation has improved its offerings for running automate marketing campaigns triggered at the time most appropriate for the contact instead of the time most convenient for the sender.
When SAP’s VP of CRM application solution management, Siegfried Leiner, said in an interview last week with ComputerWire that hosted CRM is “commodity CRM,” dissing it in favor of componentized, platform-based CRM where CRM functionality is integral to the application infrastructure, it was up to someone from the hosted community to swing back.
Kudos to founder and CEO of hosted CRM supplier RightNow Technologies Inc, Greg Gianforte, for picking up the gauntlet, pointing out that SAPs approach is just an attempt to save an outmoded way of operating, according to ComputerWire.
As to the question at hand, which is the model of the future for CRM, First CoffeeSM would note that on-premises vendors Siebel and SAP are introducing hosted products, but none of the significant hosted vendors are introducing on-premises products.
The word is that Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk will be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature tomorrow. The Nobel Prizes, of course, have descended into self-parody, what with naming career mediocrity Mohamed El-Baradei and his pitifully inept International Atomic Energy Agency recipients of the once-prestigious Peace Prize, which used to mean something before it was awarded to people like Yasser Arafat, who will go down in history as the man responsible for inventing the airplane hijack.
As a friend of First CoffeeSM’s asked, are they going to give it to North Korea’s Kim Jong-Il next on the grounds that he could have nuked South Korea but didn’t?
And of course it goes without saying that nobody has ever heard of any of the Literature recipients in the last 20 years – $10 if you can name last year’s recipient. Give up? Bitter, hateful Austrian novelist Elfreide Jelinek, whose detractors describe her work as turgid, nihilistic, violent, unreadable, sexually brutal sludge and whose supporters describe her work as socially observant turgid, nihilistic, violent, unreadable, sexually brutal sludge.
First CoffeeSM remembers working as a journalist in Istanbul in the 1990s, when Turkish Kurdish novelist Yasar Kemal was yearly touted as a certainty to win, as he was an outspokenly political Kurd at a time when such were fashionable. Only thing is, he didn’t write books anybody outside of Turkish-Kurdish intellectual circles had ever heard of, let alone read. First CoffeeSM struggled through his signature work, Mehmed, My Hawk and hopes never to have to read anything as boring again.
Yet Kemal visited the newspaper First CoffeeSM worked at then, and was a thoroughly gracious man, so it would have been nice to see him win.
Handicapped as Pamuk is by the fact that he dares to write books people outside of leftist literature faculties like – Snow and My Name Is Red are good places to start – he is an acceptably politically outspoken author from a politically trendy country who says politically correct things and gets in trouble with the political authorities for doing so, acts which impress the small-minded, politically-fixated Nobel committee and should balance out the fact that commoners actually read and enjoy his books, usually the kiss of death in Nobel Literature Prize considerations.
First CoffeeSM is considering securing citizenship in Uzbekistan – no Uzbek author has ever won the Nobel Prize for Literature! What indefensible cultural prejudice! – adopting the currently popular politically-correct beliefs and churning out childish rants against Worldwide Corporate Hegemony and Western Cultural Imperialism and in a few years cashing a check for 10 million kroner.
First CoffeeSM met the shy yet polite and courteous Pamuk at a party in Istanbul back in those days, he was in the middle of defending himself in some court proceeding for saying something the government didn’t like, and was swapping stories with an American journalist who was also in trouble with the authorities for writing stuff the government didn’t like – that was back in the era when Turkey was second only to China in the number of journalists killed on the job.
To First CoffeeSM’s knowledge no CRM writer has ever been killed on the job. Funny how once Mrs. First CoffeeSM agreed for better or for worse such considerations became more, well, considered.


You definitely know Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch in Avatar. You've probably seen him as a guest star in reruns of Law & Order or as Ike Clanton in Tombstone. He gives an awesome performance as a blind veteran defending his home from thieves in the current horror flick Don't Breathe. He's "that guy," one of those constantly working actors who makes any movie or show better.
You may not know that he's had an equally celebrated career in the theater and that he's created Beyond Glory, a one-man play that pays tribute to eight Medal of Honor recipients. He's performed the piece over 400 times for theater and military audiences around the world. In 2014, he invited a film crew to join him as he brought the production to the military bases and theaters in America's heartland.
The result is Beyond Glory, a documentary/performance hybrid film that follows Lang on tour and manages to include almost a complete performance of the play pieced together from many different shows. The play features Lang's performance as eight men who received the Medal of Honor: Vice Adm. James B. Stockdale, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, First Lt. Vernon Baker, Specialist Clarence Sasser, Staff Sgt. Nick Bacon, Chief Petty Officer John William Finn, Captain Lewis L. Millet and PFC Hector Caffareta.
You can buy or rent a digital verison of Beyond Glory now from iTunes, Google Play, Amazon or VUDU. It's also available to rent on demand from many cable and satellite providers.
Stephen Lang talked to us about what motivated him to write and create this show, why he turned it into a movie and offered some insight into how he's enjoyed such a long and successful career. Plus, he offers some insight into what's going on with the four upcoming sequels to Avatar.
What inspired you to write this play? How did this all get started?
I had reached a point in my life and my career where I wanted to be more proactive, I wanted to initiate something myself, my own kind of project rather than just wait for the telephone to ring. That was back in 2003.
A guy I used to play ball with was a writer named Larry Smith. He had retired as managing editor of Parade Magazine and just happened to tell me that he had just finished a book of interviews with living Medal of Honor recipients. I expressed a casual interest in reading it. The next time we got together, he brought me an uncorrected copy of it. When I got back from playing ball that afternoon, I just stood there and read it and it knocked me out.
That night, I began to kind of noodle around with it. I just intuitively felt that there was something inherently theatrical about it. There were possibilities there. These men interested me. Their stories were incredibly compelling and the men themselves were such vivid and authentic characters that I felt there was dramatic potential.
I really didn’t start out with anything in mind. I just kept putting one foot in front of the next and wrote this solo performance. It's a piece of theater, but I don’t even really know that it's properly called a play. I found that it was incredibly challenging for me to do. I began working on it and evolving it, first in private and then in a more public setting at my artistic home, The Actor's Studio in New York. At the Actor’s Studio, I did a lot of work, a lot of improv in front of members who would comment on it.
Before I knew it, I had ownership in every sense over this piece of work. That was in 2003, the first production was in April 2004 and from then until 2007, I really concentrated on doing Beyond Glory, although I did a few other gigs during that time. Then I put it to bed for a while, because I'd done it a lot.
When I finally did bring it to New York City, James Cameron saw an ad in The New York Times for the play. In the ad, I was looking pretty strapped and military, and Jim began to think of me in terms of Colonel Quaritch in Avatar. And so that became another chapter in my life.
From 2007 to 2013, I did other things. And then I brought Beyond Glory back and began performing it and touring it again and decided to transform it into a film.
The film gives a sense that the performance is different every night because you're connecting with the each particular audience.
Absolutely. Occasionally, I get asked, “Who's your favorite character?” Of course the answer is it's like deciding who's your favorite child. I don’t have a favorite, but on a nightly basis one or another character can assert themselves in different ways. Each of the characters themselves are capable of having emotional climaxes, both within the context of their own story and within the context of the 80-minute piece.
The first character I do is John Finn, who was a navy man, Chief of Ordinance at Kaneohe Bay on December 7, 1941. It’s very appropriate to me to open the piece with the Day of Infamy. When he talks about his wife, Alice, he gets very, very emotional with it. He loves her so deeply, but the truth of the matter is you're only 10 minutes into the play at the time and you don’t want to shoot your emotional wad because you still have got a long way to go. Over the years, I’ve learned how to measure it out in a way, to reign in my own emotions, but nevertheless it changes from night to night.
You’ve toured the play at military bases around the world. How is it different performing for an active duty military audience versus a theatrical performance in New York City?
When you perform for a theater audience, you know "theater audience" in New York City or in Chicago or in any other kind of theater-savvy town, there's an immediate understanding by the audience of what's being done onstage. There's a certain amount of theatrical sophistication.
When you do it for the troops, many times you're doing it for people who don’t have a hugely vested interest in the theater. It may not be one of the top five things that they enjoy doing and they may not have been exposed to it in the way that many theater-goers are. More than once a guy has come up to me and said, “You know that’s like the second best play I ever saw.” And I will ask, “What was the first best play?” He said, “Well, my sister did The Music Man in junior high. That’s the best.” If a lot of the time that’s the experience they’ve had, that presents its own challenge to me.
First of all, across the board, there's always tremendous appreciation expressed by a military audience quite simply for the fact that you’ve shown up. They really appreciate you being there and that has significance to me. But when they start to dig what's going on, what's happening in the play, when they understand that it's okay to laugh, if I'm successful and really can immerse them in the theater experience, then it can have a really wonderful effect as well.
What I like to think is that so many people join up for all the right reasons, for those reasons that we see in the ads on television. You know what I mean? “Be All That You Can Be.” It portrays this incredibly exciting, inspirational sort of service. Of course, life in the military can be that, but it's also a 24-hour gig that goes on for years and there's an often lot of humdrum routine that’s involved in it as well.
If in some way Beyond Glory reminds them of the original intention, of what inspired them to join in the first place, I think that’s a positive as well. I don’t know if it has that effect, but I hope it does.
I also really like to entertain them with it. To that end, I change the format when I do it for military audiences. I do more of an annotated version of Beyond Glory. I work with a mic in my hand, almost like I'm doing a piece of standup, and I talk.
I come out and I launch right into a piece. Usually, that’s Nicky Bacon, who is Army down in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, because it's an exciting piece and it's a very jazzy piece and it's kind of a showoff piece. And I just do it. They watch it and then I talk about what I just did. I tell them the bit about Beyond Glory and I tell them a bit about me.
A lot of times I'll reference other work that I've done, which I know that they’ve probably seen, whether it's Tombstone or Avatar or whatever it may be, because that establishes a connection as well. Then I prepare them and I do another piece for them. Usually, I'll end up doing three or four pieces for them. The military program is usually just about as long as the theatrical piece itself. But in the military version, they get a lot of me as well, not just the characters.
The movie is not a straight document of a performance, it's something different. What were you trying to do with your approach to the film?
As I say, I'm not sure that the play is in fact a play. I wanted to try to achieve something like that with the film. It's a hybrid and not a straight piece of cinema.
What we wanted to do was we wanted to take the theater experience and use as many elements of cinema as we could to make it an exciting experience. In my view, as a rule, filmed theater does not work particularly well as a movie. If a filmed theater doesn’t work, a film solo show can be even more difficult because it could be extremely static.
In the movie, the performance itself is only slightly annotated. You see me offstage making entrances, making exits, you see some interaction, some movement. But I would say the film is 90 percent performance. But it's about 20 different performances in different venues that are hopefully stitched together in a way where you never lose the thread of what's going on, but there’s visual excitement which makes it fun and interesting to watch.
The director Larry Brand takes the credit “Directed and Edited by Larry Brand.” He gives the editing equal weight in this. We had a pretty vast amount of performance footage, of performance and he figured how it could be stitched together, knowing you're never going to cover the stitches. The stitches will be visible, there's nothing wrong with that. But you want it to be seamless as well, you wanted it to flow in kind of a natural and exciting way. I thought Larry did a really good job of that. It's a difficult task.
I probably thought that if I made this film, that maybe I'll stop doing the play because it weighs on you after a while. You know, “Time to make the donuts.” You gotta do the play again. But I don’t think that'll really be the case. I think that I'll probably take a year off and then do it again because it's familiar and it's a real, real good stretch of the muscles for me.
Are there parts of the play that don’t actually appear the movie?
You wouldn’t notice the difference because it's a matter of cutting lines and sections of lines, rather than cutting characters. When I do the play, it's the same eight characters that I do in the movie. We have condensed it a bit and we cut small sections. When I watch the movie, I see the little bit that’s missing. It's kind of appalling to me, because I wrote it and I miss it. It's like, “How dare he cut that line!” But I understand the need for it.
The real answer to that question is that I don’t know if watching the film can ever replace the live performance of a play. It's not intended to, nor should it. Plays are really meant to be seen. What we tried to do is not an approximation, but something that stands on its own that is interesting in a cinematic way as well.
You never know when and if I'm gonna do the play again, so it's always nice to know that this film is there. People ask me all the time, “When are you gonna take it out, when are you gonna tour it again?” Now I can say, “I’m not sure, but it is available on iTunes,” you know?
You’ve had a long and varied career. You’ve done theater, you’ve done "Law & Order," you’ve played a lot of military roles. You're a trained actor. How do you approach your job?
I've been doing it a long time. There's certainly have been times in my life when I took what was offered because I wanted to work. My wife and I were raising four children. And acting is my livelihood. There were definitely times when it had less to do with how great the role was, how great the project was. It had to do with making a living and there's sure nothing wrong with that.
As time goes on, I am fortunate in that I'm able to bounce between mediums with ease. I can work onstage, on television, or in film without any problem. It's a known fact that I can do it and I'm happy to do it. I love to bounce back and forth.
I can't say that there has been a gameplan or a blueprint. You see what's available and you accept what really appeals to you. Once in a while you get very fortunate and something that you do turns out to be incredibly successful and it may move you along, it may move you up a rung in terms of your career. Certainly something like Death of a Salesman did do that for me. It took me from being kind of an unknown, younger actor to being a little more well-known actor.
At some point I think it really dates to A Few Good Men on Broadway. Military roles just started coming my way. And I think it's great at this point I know that I'm in the equation. If something like that comes up, I'm not always gonna get it, I may not always want to do it.
Take a movie like Beyond Valkyrie.That was a case where they called and they could shoot my role in four days. We looked at the schedule and I thought the script was fine and the role not difficult for me to do. There was no reason not to do that one. The fact that it may not get a huge release, that doesn’t concern me in the least because I know I'm doing other pictures that are gonna get a huge release.
In terms of Valkyrie, I actually think that they were pleased enough with the finished movie that they did open it in theaters, which is an absolute delight for the director. He is just completely thrilled about that. Me, I'm cool one way or the other.
So I guess the short answer is this: at this point I look at what's available and if I feel like it's worthwhile or if it's gonna challenge me, and I'm free, then I'll do it. You have to be flexible in your thinking.
You’ve got three "Avatar" sequels on the schedule. Have you shot those yet or is that going to be done in pieces?
Well, we've actually got four. We're doing four more Avatars. It turned into four because the story was really, really vast, is vast. And Jim couldn’t tell it in three, so we're doing four.
We haven't rolled camera on it because the last couple of years have really been about getting the scripts in absolutely pristine shape, in the shape that Jim Cameron really demands of himself, before we roll camera on it.
There's been a huge amount of preproduction work that’s been going on for a long time in terms of character design, in terms of the environment, the environments that are being created for it, because so much of that is generated in computer workshops. My job has been tough, which is to say it's been to stay in shape and to just be ready and to give Jim comments when it's appropriate to do so.
I really can't say anything about the story. I can say that Colonel Quaritch returns even though he was killed in the first movie. It is science fiction, and his return seems organic and natural and he appears in all the films. I can say that, because that’s a matter of public record that Cameron has said it himself at this point. I'm really looking forward to getting to work.
James Cameron has always tried to push things technically as much as possible when he makes a film. Have you been involved in the testing of the new tech? Have you been scanned for these movies?
I've been scanned a number of times. I haven't been scanned lately, but it's all in the bank, as it were. All the assets are there. They could recreate me out there as we speak right now with what they’ve got in the scans, but I have no doubt that we'll be redoing all kinds of new things.
What Jim does, in my view, is that he writes and creates kind of these challenges for himself. A lot of times they're technical challenges in order to tell the story the way it needs to be told. For it to happen, he's kind of got to invent a new lens or a new way of shooting something.
I don’t think it's any secret to say that Jim has always been involved in underwater work. He loves it. There will be a certain amount of water work in these four movies, and that’s gonna require some real new technologies to do that, some advanced stuff to get that done correctly.


Scott Shaw, The Plain Dealer With Shaquille O'Neal likely out for the rest of the regular season and Zydrunas Ilgauskas gone from the roster for at least three more weeks, the Cavaliers will be relying on their frontcourt depth to maintain a chase for the NBA's best record.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal will have surgery on his sprained right thumb on Monday morning in Baltimore, which likely will mean he will be out for the remainder of the regular season.
Though the Cavs did not place any timetable on O'Neal's return, injuries of this nature that require surgery typically take six to nine weeks to heal. In 1995, O'Neal suffered a torn ligament in the thumb that caused him to miss 22 games for the Orlando Magic. There are seven weeks remaining in the regular season.
The Cavs obtained O'Neal in a trade with the Phoenix Suns last June in order to counter the height problems posed by the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers in the playoffs. Provided the Cavs can continue to hold onto the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, they likely wouldn't face Boston or Orlando until at least the second round, by which time O'Neal could be back.
But it remains to be seen what O'Neal's absence will mean to the Cavs' attempt to finish with the best record in the league, which would give them home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They currently have the best record in the league at 46-14 heading into Monday night's home game against New York. Los Angeles is 45-15.
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown acknowledged how much the team would miss O'Neal, whose contributions have gone far beyond his averages of 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in 53 games this season.
"There have been plenty of games that he's played for us where without him, we probably wouldn't have won," Brown said after Sunday's practice before O'Neal's surgery was announced. "He has had an impact against the Lakers. He has had an impact against Orlando. He has had an impact against a lot of teams, especially when Mo [Williams] was out and Delonte [West] was out.
"We won 13 in a row and he was a big part of it. He allowed us to still be able to score buckets easily in the halfcourt."
John Kuntz / The Plain Dealer Anderson Varejao was the starting center in Friday's win at Toronto, but struggled with fouls. He'll need to be able to stay on the court while the Cavaliers are shorthanded.
Brown will start Anderson Varejao in O'Neal's place and also use J.J. Hickson, Antawn Jamison and Leon Powe at center.
"It impacts everybody's game when you don't have a presence like Shaq around," Brown said. "I think your team is different. He's hard to replace on both ends of the floor.
"We don't have a power inside presence that we're able to come down and play the ball into. We're going to try to spread teams out a little bit more and play a little more pick and roll after a little bit of movement, play some catch-and-shoot and post up our smalls a little bit more."
O'Neal suffered the injury on Thurday at Boston, where Glen "Big Baby" Davis hit his hand while he was shooting. Television replays later showed Davis pulling on the thumb while defending O'Neal.
O'Neal had an MRI on the thumb on Saturday at The Cleveland Clinic. On Sunday, O'Neal and Cavaliers team physician Dr. Richard Parker visited Dr. Thomas Graham at the National Hand Center in Baltimore. Graham is a renowned hand surgeon who operated on former Cav Larry Hughes in 2006. The surgery will be at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore. It will be performed by Dr. Graham, with Dr. Parker assisting.
The Cavs will update O'Neal's status after the surgery.
The Cavs had two All-Star centers at the start of the season and now they have none. Zydrunas Ilgauskas was sent to Washington in the deal that brought Jamison from the Wizards. Ilgauskas was released by the Wizards and will clear waivers and become a free agent on Monday. If he decides to re-sign with the Cavs, the earliest he can do so is March 22, according to league rules.
Ilgauskas' agent, Herb Rudoy, denied a report on ESPN.com on Sunday that he had told the Dallas Mavericks that Ilgauskas was going to re-sign with the Cavaliers as soon as possible.
Rudoy said he had not talked to Mavericks General Manager Donnie Nelson in days.
"No decision has been made," Rudoy insisted in an email on Sunday night.
James, Varejao rest: James and Varejao received treatment on Sunday and did not practice. James suffered a bruised left thigh when he was kneed by the Raptors' Antoine Wright in the first half at Toronto on Friday.


Addressing the team before the season, Garrett said: “The most successful people in life, they have an edge.
“They have a [expletive] you attitude. If you don't have an edge, you can't compete at the highest level, period. Go do something else."
Also in the opening episode, Garrett ripped the Cowboys for being “soft” in the Week 2 blowout loss at Denver.
Later in the series, Garrett is shown on the sidelines talking to Dez Bryant after he fumbled the ball away.


Golf Course and mountain views from this lot in Maggie Valley Country Club Estates.The only parcel left without a home on it that runs between Country Club Drive and Cedar Drive. Sit on your deck and watch the golfers on hole 18 with the mountains as a back drop. This choice lot is ideally situated. Close to the Maggie Valley Club and Resort clubhouse and Pro Shop and other amenities such as the pool. Easy access all year long. Homesite is off of Cedar Drive. 3 bedroom septic approval on file.


The James L. Sorenson Molecular Biotechnology Building, an engineering building at the University of Utah | Chronicle archives.
If you’re a student with plans to live and work in Utah’s growing tech industry, your student loan debt could be forgiven.
The Utah System of Higher Education is rolling out a forgiveness program for students who promise to stay and work in Utah’s technology sector. For the U, this means an opportunity to aid financial relief for students interested in working Utah’s tech industry upon graduation.
The program, passed last year during the state’s General Session, is called the Talent Development Incentive Loan Program. The forgiveness initiative aims for those who completed at least a semester of post-secondary schooling and will work in approved jobs.
Concerns of failing to attract promising workers intending to pursue a job in Utah’s rapidly growing ‘Silicon Slopes,’ prompted the passage of this piece of legislature. The state will allocate $2.5 million dollars to support the program’s goal to build its increasingly popular industry.
John Melchi, the director of Business Affairs at the School of Computing, thinks the program will be promising for computer science students at the U who go to work after graduation. “I think it’s a fascinating example of how the state of Utah is working hard on trying to help the middle-class obtain an education — particularly in the technology sector,” Melchi said.
Due to the suddenness of USHE’s announcement, the School of Computing is currently underway to build effective student outreach for those interested in the forgiveness program.
However, Zachary Zundel, a senior in computer science, plans to move out of state to work in the tech industry, regardless of the attractive offer from the state.
“There’s clearly money out there, but specifically allocating it to one major that’s already lucrative? I think that’s a bad idea,” Zundel said.
On Friday, he received an email from his major’s department outlining the program and encouraging to contact the financial aid office for more info. Supported by the figures within the same Deseret News article, Zundel explained the email estimates the U will receive over $700,000 to curb the costs for accepted applicants for the upcoming 2019-2020 academic year.
The most recent data for the state indicates that the median starting salary is $65,337 per year for Computer Majors at the U. These statistics are pulled from a 2013 report released by the USHE.
Those interested to learn more and see if they qualify for this program should contact the U’s financial aid office at 801-581-6211.
I tried contacting the U’s financial aid office in January and was told they hadn’t heard about this yet. I’ll try again and see if they know more about it now.


The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has confirmed that Michael Jackson will remain in the prestigious institution, despite facing extensive allegations of child abuse.
Leaving Neverland, which split opinion when part one aired in the UK earlier this month, focuses on testimony by Wade Robson, 36, and James Safechuck, 41, who both claim that Jackson sexually abused them when they were children.
The music icon was inducted into the prestigious hall twice during his lifetime, once with the Jackson 5 in 1997, and again as a solo artist in 2001.
While the documentary sees extensive allegations of abuse being levelled against Jackson by Wade Robson and James Safechuck, it seems his position in the hall isn’t up for question.
Now, official confirmation comes via a statement issued to Pitchfork.
“Michael Jackson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Jackson 5 in 1997 and as a solo artist in 2001,” they confirmed in a statement.
This comes after Madame Tussauds have said that all waxwork statues of Michael Jackson are set to remain on display at all of their museums while the Thriller musical will also continue.
‘The figures on display at Madame Tussauds reflect profiles that have had an impact on popular culture and that visitors expect to see,” a spokesperson told NME.
Rudi Dolezal, a music video producer who worked with Jackson for numerous years, also recently described the singer as “a predator” and spoke out for the accusers.
But Jackson’s niece Brandi has also claimed that the accusers were “liars” and “motivated by money”, while Aaron Carter also questioned their motives and said that they were “stomping on a legend’s grave“.
Earlier this month, Jackson’s nephew Taj confirmed to NME that he was working on a counter-documentary to hit back at the claims made by Robson and Safechuck in the film.


JBL offers its refurbished JBL Flip 3 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker in several colors (Black pictured) for $49.95. Coupon code "FLIPNOW" cuts it to $39.95. With free shipping, that's tied with our May mention and the best price we've seen for it in any condition. (It's also a low now by $29.) It features a 3,000mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery, waterproof casing, and up 10 hours of playtime per charge.