Republican aide resigns after saying Sasha and Malia Obama lack class

Several media outlets noted that the girls looked distinctly underwhelmed and were casually dressed as their father spoke on the eve of Thanksgiving. But Ms Lauten went much further.

Dear Sasha and Malia I get you re both in those awful teen years but you re a part of the First Family try showing a little class she wrote. Rise to the occasion. Act like being in the White House matters to you. Dress like you deserve respect not a spot at a bar.

Her derogatory comments quickly went viral on social media and Ms Lauten clearly grasped that she had blundered badly with an updated message on Facebook.

I quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager she said. After many hours of prayer talking to my parents and re reading my words online I can see more clearly just how hurtful my words were.

But that apology failed to curb the criticism and Ms Lauten on Monday tendered her resignation.

The Obamas like their predecessors have aggressively pushed to protect their children from the media glare during their time in the White House.

Articles Source here

Lewis Touchdowns or thoroughbreds Jimmy and James Graham get it done

Photo courtesy New Orleans Saints Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and Fair Grounds jockey James Graham chat at the Saints' practice facility.

As far as they know Jimmy Graham and James Graham have never gotten each other s mail or been involved in any other identity mix up.

And it s very doubtful that they ve ever been mistaken for the other.

Jimmy Graham is the 6 foot 7 265 pound tight end of the Saints.

James Graham is the 5 2 110 pound jockey competing at the Fair Grounds. Standing side by side the difference seems even greater.

But they do have one thing in common In New Orleans they re the best at what they do. Jimmy s the Saints leading receiver and James is the young season s leading rider at the Fair Grounds.

So when they recently met for the first time thanks to Saints senior vice president of communications (and racing aficionado) Greg Bensel it didn t take long for a mutual admiration society to develop.

He might be short in stature but he has a great heart Jimmy said. Just talking to him you can tell how competitive he is by what he has to do during a race and even before one.

Ever since he s been with the Saints I ve been a big fan. James said of his almost namesake. (Jimmy s actual first name is Jimmy not James.) After finally meeting him I can t believe how big he is.

Of course to James most adult males look big to him.

But being diminutive never kept him from being competitive in other sports.

In his native Dublin James played rugby until I stayed scrawny and everybody else my age caught up and passed me.

And although he never boxed professionally James knows his way around the ring.

I wasn t a great boxer he said. But I was pretty good with my hands. If it came down to me and another guy about the same weight I can hold my own. I sure wouldn t roll over and die.

Strong words from someone who last week was named a finalist for the George Woolf Award a peer voted honor for jockeys whose careers and character are held in the highest esteem.

Jimmy as has been well chronicled was a basketball player at Miami before turning to football for a single season with the Hurricanes that impressed the Saints enough that they made him their third round pick in 2010.

He s parlayed that talent into becoming an All Pro and the league s highest paid player at his position. But he can t do what James does at least not very well.

Well maybe if they were riding elephants instead of horses James joked.

Not that Jimmy doesn t know a thing or two about horses. Growing up in rural North Carolina he had several friends whose parents owned farms and ranches where there were plenty of horses around.

I haven t ridden in a while but horse racing has always been interesting to me Jimmy said. But the best job for me out at the track right now would probably be shoveling out the stables.

And while James obviously would have a hard time cutting it in the NFL Jimmy can appreciate what he does.

It s amazing to hear him talk about how he prepares both when he s riding and in the offseason which isn t much for him Jimmy said. He has to fight to keep his weight down but more than anything else the passion for what he does come through.

Indeed James devotion to his craft is increasing after 20 years of riding the past 13 in the United States.

He won the riding title at Arlington Park in Chicago this summer and ranks 27th nationally in purses earned in 2014 at $5.9 million.

At the Fair Grounds James scored nine first place finishes nine seconds and four thirds in the first five days of the meet including a victory aboard Delaunay in the Thanksgiving Handicap giving him an early leg up on the riding title after three straight second place finishes behind the now retired Rosie Napravnik.

I don t think about the money or riding titles because I can t ride that way he said. I do this because I have a want and desire to win and to be as good as I can at what I do.

But at the end of the day my biggest reward is to be able to come home healthy to my family (wife Lisa daughters Hannah and Ella and son Christopher) every night.

Similarly for Jimmy while he went to arbitration with the Saints and the NFL this summer over his contention that he should be receive the franchise tag as a wide receiver rather than a tight end there s personal pride that comes through in his wanting to do his part to right the Saints listing ship.

Losing three in a row at home sucks he said. We re not used to it and we re not going to get used to it. We know Sunday (at Pittsburgh) will be a challenge. That s why we re preparing so hard for them.

James won t be able to see much of how Jimmy s doing against the Steelers on Sunday. He ll be riding in eight races a symbol of how much he s in demand.

And Jimmy doesn t get much of a chance to get out to the Fair Grounds during the season but he s coming as James guest as soon as he can.

In return Jimmy has invited James to go flying with him.

And both will be elevating the name Graham in New Orleans.

One of these days he s going to make a reservation in his name at a restaurant Jimmy said. And when I show up they re going to be really disappointed.

Articles Source here

Five Things We Learned from the Ravens 34 33 loss to the San Diego Chargers

As he does each week Childs Walker shares his five biggest takeaways from the Ravens' 34 33 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday at MT Bank Stadium.

1. This could be the loss the Ravens regret most in four weeks.

The players mournful expressions in the post game locker room packed more meaning than their words of regret.

The Ravens could hardly have faced a better scenario and they knew it. Two AFC North rivals the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers had already lost. The Ravens held a six point lead at home against another contender from the West Coast. If they could cling to it for a bit more than two minutes they d be sitting pretty.

Instead they watched Phillip Rivers prove quickly and decisively that a great quarterback can check all other advantages in the NFL. Rivers pitilessly vivisected an overmatched defense and put the Ravens in danger of falling from contention if they can t win on the road next week against the underrated Miami Dolphins.

It really sucks linebacker Terrell Suggs said. You have to win all of your home games. Especially as tough as our division is and as tough as our conference is you can t afford to lose games down the stretch.

The Ravens 33 points should have been enough Suggs added.

He s right. The Ravens are a playoff quality team in virtually every aspect of the game but they ve struggled to put away good teams because their defense falters against the best quarterbacks.

They also left the door open for Rivers by ending too many drives with field goals rather than touchdowns and by racking up 14 penalties for 98 yards. If they had done just a few more things right they likely would have won. Instead they might look back on this as the week when their season fell into the precipice.

lRelated Mike Preston's Report CardsMike Preston grades the Ravens' 34 33 loss to the Chargers in Week 13See all related

2. The Ravens secondary facing any top quarterback is a terrifying prospect.

You might have instinctively felt comfortable when Justin Tucker kicked a field goal to put the Ravens up 33 27 with 2 22 left. But the feeling evaporated with the realization Rivers had that much time to move the ball against an overmatched secondary.

Hello butter. Meet hot knife.

I m not sure I can remember a good all around Ravens team with such a clear Achilles heel. This secondary handicapped by the loss of its best player Jimmy Smith the injury struggles of Lardarius Webb and the disappointing development of first round pick Matt Elam simply cannot handle a star NFL quarterback.

With 383 yards on 34 for 45 passing Rivers joined Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger on the list of quarterbacks who ve posted Nintendo numbers against Baltimore in recent weeks.

The Ravens staked everything on their ability to hit Rivers before he could hit one of his receivers. That worked on the Chargers first drive when a blitzing Elvis Dumervil hooked Rivers arm and forced an interception.

But Rivers stared down the Ravens blitz on his next drive and sure enough the Baltimore secondary couldn t hold. Chargers tight end Antonio Gates manhandled Will Hill like the Ravens safety was a grade schooler. And San Diego receiver Keenan Allen was open by five yards when he caught Rivers touchdown pass with Lardarius Webb staring on helplessly.

Gates tortured the Ravens all day with linebacker C.J. Mosley unable to check him any better than Hill.

On the Chargers first drive of the second half Malcom Floyd zipped past Danny Gorrer with ease for a 59 yard gain to set up a field goal.

As the half wore on and the Ravens rushers failed to bother Rivers he seemed able to find whichever receiver he wanted for a 12 or 15 yard gain. Allen caught 11 passes on 15 targets. Gates caught seven on eight targets. Eddie Royals caught nine on 10 targets.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh tried to put the best face he could on the situation saying Those quarterbacks in this league are going to be tough to defend. We have the players to win.

But what else is he going to say He can t snap his fingers and genie up a new secondary with four weeks to go.

The path won t get much easier next weekend when the Ravens travel to Miami to face the Dolphins Ryan Tannehill who has quietly become a very good quarterback.

3. The narrative of Torrey Smith having a disappointing season has flipped.

Smith did little to hide his frustration in the season s early weeks as Joe Flacco targeted him infrequently and he struggled to handle passes he d turned into big plays in previous seasons

He suddenly seemed the team s clear No. 2 receiver behind the Ravens newest big play threat Steve Smith.

Against the Chargers however Torrey was clearly the team s No. 1 Smith with Steve struggling to get anything going against top cover corner Brandon Flowers. Aside from a late injury that kept him out of the Ravens final series Torrey Smith was one of the best players on the field.

Smith had played an exceptional second half six days earlier in New Orleans. And he rapidly followed it with a sensational touchdown catch on the Ravens first drive against San Diego getting one hand on an errant Flacco pass and volleying it until he could pull it in.

Smith scored another touchdown when he slipped in front of his man and handled a Flacco bullet on the Ravens first drive of the second half. That gave him seven touchdowns in seven games.

Smith also did what he does better than any receiver in football drawing 38 yards on two passs interference penalties to move his league leading total to 199 penalty yards drawn. The only receiver in the same universe is Green Bay s deep threat Jordy Nelson who entered Sunday with 128 penalty yards.

Far from luck this is a repeatable skill Smith has demonstrated season after season. It s a big reason he entered the weekend as a more productive receiver than Steve Smith according to the advanced metrics favored by the website Football Outsiders.

As Smith approaches free agency he s looking like a top receiver again by measures obvious and not.

4. The most impressive thing about Justin Forsett s style is his patience.

We re running out of ways to talk about what a cool season Forsett is having. He crossed the 1 000 yard mark against the Chargers an achievement obscured by bitter defeat.

At this point I watch the guy week after week and try to discern why he was passed over for so many years. His slight stature and lack of breakaway speed are the obvious reasons.

Articles Source here

Homeland season 4 episode 8 recap Halfway to a Donut

Season 4 episode 8

Carrie steers people to their deaths. It's an occupational hazard of the job she's in and almost always inadvertent on her part but nevertheless it's been consistently the case since early season one (remember Lynne Carrie's young CIA asset who was killed during the CIA's investigation of the prince ) She admitted last week that she was willing to let Brody die in Iran and she knew the plan with Aayan had a good chance of going south. Two weeks ago she was willing to do it again with Saul when she ordered her team to take the shot at Haqqani. So when Carrie tells Quinn that just for once she wanted to keep somebody she loves alive who can blame her

Showtime / Ilze Kitshoff

But sending Saul back to his captors in order to save his life wasn't the right choice ( There are only wrong choices ) it's just the only choice Carrie was able to make in that moment. When she's literally looking at the big picture seeing Haqqani and Saul as little dots from an aerial drone it's easy for her to take the hard line and order the shot. When she's actually talking to Saul hearing his exhaustion and fear first hand she can't conceive of letting him go even when he's putting the gun to his own head.I had some misgivings a few episodes ago about how Carrie was being used this season and specifically how having her seduce yet another asset was undermining her credibility. But taking such a low blow from the enemy really seemed to light a fire under her in this episode where she's more measurably skilled and smart and resilient than ever before. First off as Quinn points out she's vindicated Saul would have wanted her to take the shot and her being overruled on that has put the CIA in a terrible position. For Saul being a bargaining chip for the release of terrorists (or prisoners at any rate) is a fate so much worse than death that he literally has Carrie promise she will blow him up rather than let this go any further. There's a reason why he asks her this in private because she is the one person he believes has the guts to follow through. Then there's the moment when Carrie quietly puts two and two together during the second summit the Pakistani delegates' oddly smug demeanour tipping her off to the fact that they already know where Saul is.

Showtime / David Bloomer

And finally there's the more general fact of just how spectacularly Carrie bounces back from the terrifying experience of being drugged. We still don't know exactly what her pills were switched with but any kind of hallucinogen could easily have triggered actual psychosis or at the very least left Carrie fragile and anxious and unable to think clearly. That outcome would probably be more medically realistic but it wouldn't be dramatically satisfying instead we have Carrie fighting back and taking the drugging more or less in her stride.We do eventually see how upset she is by it at the end with Khan but she's also prosaic about the tactical side. They exploited a weakness she shrugs and she's right she's been living with her disorder for long enough to know it's a chink in her armor and she's been in her job for long enough to know that the enemy doesn't always play fair. On the subject of seeing people be great at their jobs it was fun to witness Saul being such a badass escaping by picking the lock on his cuffs and then staging his own hanging. We've always heard about his reputation from former missions but he's been desk bound for a majority of Homeland's actual timeline playing the professorial role rather than going out in the field. He's still got it. And Mandy Patinkin was so great in that final scene particularly where the Taliban are descending and you can hear in his voice that he's afraid but overwhelmingly just weary and resigned to the ending he's decided for himself. Everything from his escape onwards was so brilliantly tense and stripped back just the simplicity of Quinn and Carrie directing him on foot and later Carrie directing him in a more abstract way. I loved that when she saw him put the gun to his head the only thing she could think of to say was I'm here kind of desperately reaffirming their bond in lieu of anything more concrete.

Showtime / David Bloomer

But ultimately she betrays him to save his life and just when she's feeling disillusioned and hopeless up crops that nice Colonel Khan with a pick me up in the form of some crucial information. We learn very early in this episode that Khan isn't in cahoots with Tasneem but Carrie remains suspicious right up until that beautifully filmed ending scene which was like something out of a film noir Carrie and Khan meeting in the middle of the night under heavy rain. I cannot wait for Dennis to get what's coming to him. Other thoughts Transparency teamwork and there was another T I forget what the f k it was. I think I may love Lockhart. When did this happen Okay having walked 26 miles in a day before I was seriously feeling for Saul when he got told that he had to trek 20 miles in order to get to safe haven. That's going to hurt especially after the beating he took earlier in the episode. As was pointed out in that first tense summit it is strange that the ISI would sanction the release of a prisoner who's responsible for a bombing on home soil. There's obviously a bigger picture to what they're doing with Haqqani but everyone was too focused on Saul this week to pay it much attention. When Carrie initially told Lockhart that her meds had been tampered with I was worried that he wouldn't believe her. Because to be honest 'somebody tried to poison me with secret drugs' is very much the kind of thing a psychotic person would say. But I'm glad we didn't have to waste half an episode on Lockhart being sceptical and questioning Carrie's authority yet again he seems more happy to take her at her word nowadays. You thought I was someone else. Someone you were fond of. Delicately put Khan.

Articles Source here

FauxPelini ponders future after Nebraska fires real Bo Pelini

Jeff Hanisch USA TODAY Sports

When Bo Pelini was fired by Nebraska few were caught more off guard than the man who anonymously runs the FauxPelini Twitter account a popular parody account.

So as he started to come to grips with the news FauxPelini decided to call it quits from the Nebraska coaching job that his inspiration had just been fired from with an all caps tweet

WAIT WHAT

Fake Bo Pelini ( FauxPelini) November 30 2014

LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT YOU ARE PAYING ME NOT TO LIVE IN LINCOLN NEBRASKA AND I AM SUPPOSED TO BE SAD

Fake Bo Pelini ( FauxPelini) November 30 2014

THIS IS VERY CONFUSING I DIDN'T KNOW OUR ATHLETIC DIRECTOR WAS A REAL PERSON

Fake Bo Pelini ( FauxPelini) November 30 2014

Probably the first couple of tweets were my reaction before I switched into the character or whatever FauxPelini s founder told For The Win. I didn t see it coming I wasn t even checking the news to see if it was happening

But will it be the end of the Twitter account itself Maybe.

So the what comes next question depends on a couple of variables the account s founder told For The Win. One is whether he gets a job and how quickly and where it is. Another question is who s the next (Nebraska coach) going to be

I haven t figured out what it will be if anything. I do know what it probably won t be which is I m not really up for following him to the next place. I m a Husker fan that s how I got started with this thing.

A few options include being like the fake Dan Beebe account that just generally trolls college football or a ghost of Bo Pelini at Nebraska. Later in an email to For The Win he said that there is potentially one school that he won t reveal that FauxPelini would follow the real Pelini to. And while he said he hasn t quite made up his mind about the option of creating an account for the new coach he said he thinks he d rather let someone else do that.

It probably would just be a different character depending on who it is the account founder said. It might not be a yell y guy it might be a quiet and shy guy and that s what the parody is.

I HEREBY OFFER TO COACH NEBRASKA IN THE BOWL GAME I CAN DO IT VIA TWITTER HOW HARD CAN IT BE

Fake Bo Pelini ( FauxPelini) November 30 2014

The account began in 2010 and quickly took on a life of its own by capturing Pelini in a series of hilarious and perfectly timed tweets. It now has over 161 000 followers and has interacted with the real Bo Pelini Nebraska basketball coach Tim Miles a few NFL players and dozens of fans.

One thing that may come with the end of Pelini s career at Nebraska is the Twitter account s founder may reveal his own identity something he said that Pelini himself despite having communicated with him on Twitter doesn t know.

But with so many things unresolved still he s still not even sure about that.

I think that day will come probably when it s out there for whatever reason fauxpelini s founder said. Right now I m going to stick with the anonymity of it it s just kind of easier to manage it but I also don t know what s going to happen with the account. I really haven t made up my mind on what s going to happen next.

Articles Source here

Green Bay Packers report card Offense outperforms Patriots in statement win

GREEN BAY Wis. Handing out grades following the Green Bay Packers' 26 21 win over the New England Patriots in Week 13 of the 2014 season

Passing Offense A minus

When the Packers took a 13 0 lead in the first quarter there was absolutely no way to predict they'd do so despite having their production distributed the way it was. At that stage in the game rookies Davante Adams and Richard Rodgers combined for 122 yards while the Pro Bowl bound duo of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb had zero yards.

Adams was targeted early and often by Aaron Rodgers. That was a result of Darrelle Revis covering Cobb and Brandon Browner (with safety help over the top) defending Nelson. That meant someone else had to step up and Adams did so in a big way.

Nelson credited Adams' early game plays as the reason for New England adjusting its coverage. Beginning on Green Bay's fourth drive Patriots cornerback Kyle Arrington began to follow Cobb and Revis switched over to Nelson. It wasn't until there was 30 seconds remaining before halftime that Nelson had his first catch an eight yard completion. Two plays later Nelson broke away from Revis on a slant route and as he's done so often this season outran everyone for a 45 yard touchdown.

Rodgers had uncommonly long to throw the ball on several plays. Though Rodgers ended up being sacked three times the protection was very good. Surprisingly Rodgers was unable to complete one particular pass despite having the ball in his hands for 11 seconds. Later when the Packers needed it most Rodgers again had forever to throw but that time he connected with Cobb for seven yards to get a first down and win the game.

Adams had the best game of his young career by leading the team with 121 receiving yards to go along with six catches on 11 targets. Even with all the positive plays he made it will likely be Adams' dropped pass near the goal line late in the fourth quarter a sure touchdown that would have put the game out of reach that he remembers.

Rodgers outdueled Tom Brady by completing 24 of 38 passes for 368 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions (112.6). Rodgers threw more passes behind receivers than usual but with the coverage as tight as it was he delivered the ball in the right spot far more often than not.

Rushing Offense A minus

Three plays into the game Eddie Lacy already had 49 total yards. Yes 12 of those yards came on a passing play but Lacy was obviously a big part of the game plan early and he delivered. Gaining 37 yards on his first two rushing attempts really helped set the tone.

This wasn't a basic approach in the backfield from play calling head coach Mike McCarthy. He had Cobb back there on several occasions gaining eight yards on two carries. McCarthy even had a two receiver look in the backfield with Jarrett Boykin lining up behind Cobb. Boykin wasn't handed the ball but he did catch a pass from that spot which was clearly designed for him.

Lacy left the game for two plays in the first half exiting briefly with a slight but noticeable limp. It didn't seem to slow him down much though as he powered through the game.

Lacy finished with 98 yards on 21 carries (4 yard average) and deserves a lot of credit for forcing New England's defense to worry about him. Rodgers added two scrambles for 26 yards.

This is filed under both the passing offense and running offense of course but the biggest issue was the lack of red zone success. In four trips inside the 20 Green Bay didn't convert one of them into a touchdown. As Rodgers stated after the game a team is quite fortunate to win when going 0 for 4 in the red zone.

Rushing Defense B

Hello Sam Barrington. Goodbye A.J. Hawk No player on the Packers' defense had played more snaps this season entering play Sunday than Hawk. Yet in an unexpected change Hawk played very little while Barrington got the start at inside linebacker next to Clay Matthews.

It didn't take long for Barrington to make an impact either. He had two run stuffs on the Patriots' first drive helping to force a punt.

As predicted New England was unpredictable in its ground attack. It was largely focused around power runner LeGarrette Blount but Brandon Bolden (who didn't have a single carry since Week 6) was involved while Week 11 superstar Jonas Gray touched the ball just once.

Blount had 58 yards on 10 carries and was able to beat up a couple Green Bay defensive players along the way. It was Bolden who scored the sole rushing touchdown as Julius Peppers missed a tackle near the goal line.

Given the Packers' struggles this season stopping the run it was surprising to see the Patriots run the ball 18 times and pass it 35 times.

Passing Defense B

Green Bay tried just about every possible candidate on Rob Gronkowski Matthews Tramon Williams Ha Ha Clinton Dix Morgan Burnett Davon House and Micah Hyde. When defensive coordinator Dom Capers said in the days leading up to the game that he planned to change up the looks on Gronkowski he wasn't kidding. Gronkowski had a productive game with seven catches for 98 yards but he could've done even more damage had he been able to haul in all 12 targets sent his way.

Williams gave a nine yard cushion when on Gronkowski resulting in an easily completed short pass. Burnett committed himself too much near the line of scrimmage on one play when lined up with Gronkowski and it resulted in a wide open catch in the middle of the field. It was the rookie Clinton Dix who had the most success on Gronkowski including knocking away what would have been a Patriots go ahead touchdown.

Gronkowski (or The Terminator as Mike Daniels refers to him) also showed that it takes great tackling technique to bring him down. On one play alone Gronkowski had three Packers bounce off of him including Clinton Dix who foolishly tried a hard shoulder tackle. It's the second week in a row Clinton Dix has attempted that type of takedown with no success. He's still a rookie and will learn his lesson with that sooner or later.

Brandon LaFell did a number on Williams for his first touchdown. Later House didn't turn around quickly enough as LaFell beat him for another touchdown catch.

Brady was his typical MVP caliber self with 245 yards two touchdowns no interceptions and a 102.7 passer rating. Green Bay got good pressure on him at times. Matthews rushed from right outside linebacker and hit the ball from behind Brady upon release. Daniels created pressure up the middle that led to Barrington tipping a pass intended for Gronkowski. Datone Jones beat Ryan Wendell to get pressure on Brady forcing an incomplete pass and a New England punt. But it wasn't until what became the Patriots' final offensive play that the Packers actually took him down for a sack. That sack courtesy of initial pressure by Neal with Daniels finishing it off was critically important. It turned a 38 yard field goal attempt into a 47 yard try that Stephen Gostkowski missed.

Special Teams B

Every time Green Bay's offense failed to score in the red zone Mason Crosby cleaned up by adding three points. Crosby connected on field goal attempts from distances of 35 33 28 and 32 yards. However Crosby missed a 40 yarder wide left in the third quarter when the Packers were trying to add to a nine point lead.

Crosby had a kickoff go out of bounds allowing New England to begin that drive at the 40 yard line. The Patriots' average drive began on the 27 yard line while the Packers' average was a starting position at the 25.

Overall A minus

There were plenty of smart football people who still had some doubts about Green Bay before Sunday. The argument for having that doubt wasn't that difficult to make considering the Packers lost badly to three NFC opponents (Seattle Detroit and New Orleans) and only had a notable victory over Philadelphia. Beating New England even if it was a game at Lambeau Field should have almost everyone convinced that Green Bay has a great chance to find itself Super Bowl bound in two months.

The Patriots had more matchups that favored them but it wasn't enough. The only evidence needed to prove the Packers are now very highly respected is the way Patriots coach Bill Belichick acted after the game. Not often one to go out of his way to congratulate an opposing team following a New England loss Belichick made sure to find both McCarthy and Rodgers. Those conversations weren't short either. Consider it the Belichick seal of approval that Green Bay is legit.

The question now is Will we be watching these two teams square off again in the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 in Arizona With as well as the Packers and Patriots played it would make for a great rematch.

Follow Paul Imig on Twitter

Articles Source here

Walking Dead producer on deaths Its painful

Andrew Lincoln left Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride star in 'The Walking Dead's' Season 5 midseason finale.(Photo Gene Page AMC)

Spoiler alert This story contains surprise elements from Sunday's midseason finale of The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead closed the first half of Season 5 Sunday with a wallop the death of the increasingly mature and able Beth (Emily Kinney).

The killing of the character who had grown from a meek background presence when introduced in Season 2 to a resolute and even heroic young woman devastated her fellow post apocalyptic survivors including big sister Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and virtual big brother Daryl (Norman Reedus).

We want people to love these characters so when we lose them it's awful. It's painful says executive producer Scott M. Gimple discussing the deaths of beloved characters. Losing Bob was horrible losing Hershel was horrible not being able to work with these actors is painful but it's also part of the show. I'm sure more painful times are ahead. It is a zombie apocalypse.

ENTERTAIN THIS

The 5 most shocking moments in 'The Walking Dead' mid season finale

Beth's demise overshadowed what otherwise might have been a celebratory gathering the reunion of three survivor mini groups that had split for various reasons after coming together in the aftermath of the escape from Terminus at the season's start.

Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and his fire truck saved the day at Father Gabriel's rural church arriving just in time to fend off zombie walkers who threatened Michonne (Danai Gurira) Carl (Chandler Riggs) and Judith his baby sister. They joined Abraham Maggie Glenn (Steven Yeun) and company getting to the Atlanta hospital where Beth was being held just after she was killed by Dawn (Christine Woods) the officer in charge there.

Many fans are discussing the circumstances of Beth's death including her attack on Dawn with a pair of scissors after the officer ordered Noah (Tyler James Williams) to stay at the Atlanta hospital. Dawn reflexively shot Beth in response Gimple says.

Gimple who calls Kinney and her performance fantastic during a post episode interview on Monday offers his thoughts on the situation.

Beth was a strong person. She could not accept seeing Noah being taken back into that situation and seeing Dawn doing that seemingly for appearances to look strong he says. If Dawn hadn't pulled the trigger I'm thinking Beth had a good shot of taking her out. She knew Dawn's situation was fraught.

Viewers will see how Beth's death affects the others including Maggie and Daryl when Season 5 of the hit AMC drama resumes on Feb. 8.

This event was devastating crushing. It was painful and will be painful for these people for some time Gimple says.

The survivors' leader Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) was on the shooting end of another death Sunday when he killed Lamson one of Dawn's officers who was trying to escape. Gimple says it echoes a scene in The Governor's storyline from the comic book series.

As for Rick's state of mind in killing Lamson He doesn't want to take chances. It's a little bit more of shoot first ask questions later Gimple says. It's all about the safety of his people and anything uncertain beyond that he wants to make certain.

The episode also featured the return of Morgan Jones (Lennie James) who was seen briefly at the beginning of the season. There's a lot of questions there but there was a pretty big answer though. He has that map. At least he knows that Rick Grimes might be somewhere nearby and might at least be alive. At the very least it's a bread crumb Gimple says.

On Sunday's Talking Dead the AMC analysis show that follows each Walking episode executive producer Robert Kirkman said that Daryl is straight squelching speculation about his sexuality but confirmed that a gay character from the comics will be introduced in the second half of this season.

When the series returns Rick and his wandering family of survivors will be together in Atlanta but out in the open without a safe home. Gimple says they will be together for some time.

Where does it go from here They're trying to figure it out Gimple says. It will be answered quite quickly.

Articles Source here

Cyber Monday Shoppers Give Retailers Sales Bump

Cyber Monday is turning into Cyber Month.

Retailers rolled out discounts and free shipping deals on Cyber Monday with millions of Americans expected to log on and shop on their work computers laptops and tablets after the busy holiday shopping weekend.

But with retailers extending their online deals into Cyber Week and even Cyber Month early reports indicated shopping was less robust online on Monday compared with prior years. As of 3 p.m. ET online sales rose just 8.7 percent compared with last year according to IBM Digital Analytics. The figures don't take into account the many shoppers who plan to head online after work or in the evening. But a year ago Cyber Monday sales jumped 20.6 percent according to IBM.

It is still expected to be the biggest online shopping day again as it has been each year since 2010. That is good news for retailers after a Thanksgiving weekend that saw fewer shoppers and lower spending than last year according to some estimates. Mobile traffic which includes smartphones and tablets has accounted for nearly 39 percent of all online traffic compared with 30 percent a year ago. Average order value was $133.07 flat with 2013.

Forrester analyst Sucharita Mulpuru said retailers could be playing it safe on deal offers since shoppers have been conditioned to head online to look for sales on Monday.

Cyber Monday offers aren't super compelling but don't need to be she said. It's been the biggest shopping day of the year for the last few years so they know that people are going to come.

Courtney Lane Greenley 25 from Alexandria Virginia was feeling regret Monday that she didn't buy a knife block and cutlery earlier in the week when she saw better deals online. Amazon was running a limited time lightning offer for some Rachael Ray cookware on Friday under $100 but on Monday the same products cost more than $100.

I should have pulled the trigger earlier she said. Greenley didn't think she would make the purchases on Monday.

Jack Kananian of Brunswick Ohio 31 was more satisfied with his purchase. He waited months to buy a computer because he wanted to wait for Cyber Monday deals. He found one on HP's mobile site and bought it via his smartphone on Monday a computer with a touch screen for $550 marked down from $800.

I've been taking a look at different prices but I bought it once I saw the deal it was the best price I saw by far he said.

On Monday Gap and Banana Republic offered 40 percent off all purchases. Amazon offered up to 45 percent off some Samsung TVs and a deal later in the day for its Amazon Fire TV video streaming box marked down to $69 from $99.

Wal Mart said it has doubled its Cyber Week deals to 500 compared with last year including up to half off some TVs tablets and toys with free shipping offers. Wal Mart is also rolling out new deals later in the day in its so called Evening Edition round of deals including a Straight Talk Moto E Android Phone for $9.99 90 percent off its regular price.

The name Cyber Monday was coined in 2005 by the National Retail Federation's online arm Shop.org to encourage people to shop online. After retailers revved up deals it became the busiest online shopping day in 2010. The name was also a nod to online shopping being done at work where faster connections made it easier to browse less of a factor now.

Articles Source here

Gabrielle Union videobombs Dwyane Wades postgame interview

Dwyane Wade s wife actress Gabrielle Union has been vocal about her husband s game whether it s mocking opponents in the stands or yelling at him from her seats. And after the Heat s win over the Knicks on Sunday she did the ultimate videobomb.

It was OK Union said of her husband s performance. I mean a hamstring pull wow. To come back with 27 points we re going to talk about the free throws later he did good for an old geezer.

Wade scored 27 points in the Heat s win including 13 in the fourth quarter. He did however only make five of his nine free throws.

(Thanks to ESPN.com for bringing this to our attention)

Articles Source here

American Express Global Business Travel Appoints Elyes Mrad to Run EMEA ...

NEW YORK Dec 01 2014 (BUSINESS WIRE) American Express Global Business Travel ( GBT ) today announced the appointment of Elyes Mrad as Managing Director of Europe the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Mr. Mrad will run the Company s business in the region and oversee the hundreds of professionals who serve clients headquartered in EMEA. He will also be responsible for driving a strong retention and acquisition strategy in the region through servicing product and marketing strategies appropriate to local needs.

Bill Glenn President and CEO of American Express Global Business Travel said Elyes s proven record with international commercial development and enhancing performance efficiencies are an ideal match for our growing business in the region. Elyes has a wealth of experience serving the needs of multi cultural operations from some of the most respected brands in the world. His focused approach to customers and relationships are aligned with our customer centric organization and plan for global expansion.

Mr. Mrad joins GBT from Hertz International where he was most recently the Senior Vice President of Sales Marketing. Previously he held the position of Managing Director for Hertz Germany Czech Republic and Slovakia. In addition to positions within the Hertz Corporation Mr. Mrad has held senior roles in Asia Pacific with Sita Japan Tobacco International and in the production department of Rolex Geneva. He holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne Switzerland and a Master of Science degree in Precision Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

Mr. Mrad will be based in London and he will report directly to Mr. Glenn.

About American Express Global Business Travel

Positioned at the intersection of commerce and travel American Express Global Business Travel offers its customers a comprehensive network service dependability and deep insight to help move people and businesses forward. American Express Global Business Travel provides leading travel solutions integrated consulting services proprietary research and end to end meetings and events capabilities. These innovative offerings enable clients to optimize the return on their travel and meetings investments. Learn more at www.amexglobalbusinesstravel.com.

American Express Global Business Travel is part of one of the world's largest travel agency networks with locations in nearly 140 countries worldwide.

American Express Global Business Travel ( GBT ) is a joint venture that is not wholly owned by American Express Company or any of its subsidiaries ( American Express ). American Express Global Business Travel American Express and the American Express logo are trademarks of American Express and are used under limited license.

SOURCE American Express Global Business Travel

Media American Express Global Business Travel Katie Robson 44 (0)1273 215172 katrina.j.robson aexp.com or 80 20 Communications Sharon Lane/Trudi Beggs 44 (0)20 7664 6310 slane 8020comms.com / tbeggs 8020comms.com or American Express Global Business Travel Tess Alberts 212 640 8801 tess.alberts aexp.com or Kwittken Jessica Nelson 646 747 7141 jnelson kwittken.com

Copyright Business Wire 2014

Articles Source here

Family and Friends Remember Paul Walker on One Year Anniversary of His Death

It has been a year since Paul Walker died in a car crash Nov. 30 2013.

But memories of the Fast Furious star are fresh on the minds of his family and friends who shared tributes to the late actor on the one year anniversary of his death at age 40.

They were led by his 16 year old daughter Meadow who posted a baby pic of her with her dad on Instagram writing simply I love you.

A photo posted by Meadow Walker ( meadowwalker) on Nov 11 2014 at 8 06pm PST

Walker's Fast Furious co stars also penned tributes.

'Fast Furious' Star Paul Walker Killed in Crash in Los Angeles

Paul Walker's Brother Cody Remembers Late Actor Year After his Death

Beside a picture of Walker rapper Ludacris wrote on Instagram Can't believe it's been a year already. Your spirit will be felt in volumes across the world forever.

A photo posted by ludacris on Nov 11 2014 at 9 46am PST

Michelle Rodriguez tweeted her tribute.

I love you Paul. Your living in the hearts of all who love you for sure. Sending mad love out to Heaven SupportROWW pic.twitter.com/q9qDx8PXob

Michelle Rodriguez ( MRodOfficial) November 30 2014

Furious co star Vin Diesel took to Facebook to remember the late actor. He was a part of so much in my life he wrote on his page. He was an important part of my transition into fatherhood... that healthy family member with the most positive outlook on life.

Walker's co star Tyrese shared his own tribute on Instagram.

A celebration of Paul William Walker will be echoed around the world.... In this life one would hope to be this effective 1 year ago today God called an angel home early.... I miss my brother I miss my friend and I miss OUR STAR Physically gone but forever alive in our minds hearts and spirit.... What was once tears of pain and shock are now tears of JOY celebrating all that you stood for..... Everyone worldwide please take 5 mins out of your day to send live prayers and energy to Paul's family his daughter Meadow and immediate circle today will be a tough day for us.... To this day his arm is still around my neck with love and protection..... Rest in heaven....

A photo posted by TYRESE ( tyrese) on Nov 11 2014 at 12 54am PST

Articles Source here

Homeland season 4 episode 8 Halfway to a Donut Can Carrie save Saul

Carrie s on a mission to save Saul (Picture C4)

Homeland ramps up the tension as Carrie tries to identify a security breach within the US Embassy while struggling to keep an escaped Saul from harm.

If last week s episode was Claire Danes showreel for next year s Emmys then this week was Mandy Patinkin s as Saul is put through the emotional wringer. Carrie prevents her mentor from committing suicide at the expense of breaking a promise to kill him rather than let him fall back into captivity.

Carrie Mathison super spy

Homeland at times gets bogged down by the weight of its political intrigue and there s plenty of that in this episode but it s at its best when it combines this with its tense portrayal of contemporary spycraft.

In between her doomed romances and bipolar misadventures it s easy to forget that Carrie Mathison is a brilliant spy. She s at her best when forced to rely on her wits and come up with instinctive out of the box solutions.

Here she s once again three steps ahead of all her colleagues.

With Saul on the run having faked his own hanging to engineer his escape from Haqqani s camp it s Carrie who smells a rat when the Pakistani delegation seem unworried by their negotiations with Ambassador Boyd. And it s she who realises they are using the CIA s drone to lead them to Saul.

With Taliban forces swarming around the town to which he has fled for extraction Carrie has to talk Saul back from the edge of the cliff as he prepares to kill himself. To save his life she deliberately steers him directly into the heart of the Taliban forces realising that imprisonment is her best chance to keep him alive at the cost of breaking her promise.

This whole sequence plays out from a distance as Carrie and her team watch as a series of on screen markers converge on Saul s position like a real life version of Pac Man. If the Kabul control room from which she ordered the initial air strike on Haqqani was clinical and businesslike in Islamabad this time there s an unmistakable crackle of emotion and stakes that are high on both a geopolitical and personal level.

But now what with Lockhart agreeing to the terms of Haqqani s prisoner exchange Is it really game over

Who s on whose side

By the end of the episode it s clear that counter terrorism chief Khan and ISI agent Tasleem Qureshi are pulling in different directions.

Tasleem s plan to discredit Carrie and have her sent home is thwarted by Khan s intervention. He instead exposes Dennis Boyd as the security breach. But does he have an agenda of his own

What else is going on

This was a fabulous episode of Homeland the closest the show has come to the high points of its first season. Political power plays wrapped up in the twin guises of diplomacy and terrorism. Genuine uncertainty over key characters motivations and loyalties. And top notch performances from the entire cast but Danes and Patinkin in particular.

And there s a sense that the main event is still to come. Next week s episode is intriguingly titled There s Something Else Going On. Have the dramas involving Saul and Carrie merely been window dressing and if so who s planning to do what

Homeland just got seriously good again.

MORE Homeland season 4 episode 7 Redux OMG Brody s back (or is he )

MORE Homeland season 4 episode 7 6 unanswered questions about Redux

Articles Source here

Broncos defense puts Kansas City Chiefs in deep freeze

KANSAS CITY Mo. The defense rested at 10 26 p.m. Sunday night. The verdict was in before the trial was over.

It wasn't a shutout by the Broncos but the defense put the deep freeze on Kansas City.

The Orange crushed the Chiefs restricting and restraining them to a not so grand total of 151 meager yards in their own house.

Through three quarters the Chiefs had 66 yards on offense. It was rout 66.

Errorhead Stadium which held the noise decibel record briefly last season was hushed up throughout and it was nearly empty midway through the fourth quarter on the cold as ice end of November evening.

The Broncos permitted just 16 points their lowest yield of the season.

Broncos coach John Fox said It's only fun when you win.

Sunday night was fun for these Broncos. Be aware of and beware of DeMarcus Ware and this defense which is missing two cornerbacks and two linebackers but keep on playing remarkably well. John Elway spent more than $100 million during the offseason to improve the Broncos' defense.

He got his money's worth Sunday night starting with Ware and continuing with Win where why what and Ward.

The Broncos' Force Field has given up 17 20 17 17 17 21 17 22 and now 16 points in nine games. Those numbers are right out of the 1977 Broncos' defensive playbook when coordinator Joe Collier posted a big 17 in the team meeting room signifying the Broncos should not be lighted up for more than that number.

The 2014 version allowed only 30 something to the Miami Dolphins a week ago.

With a similar symphony in Orange the Broncos can win in San Diego and Cincinnati and even in New England and Glendale Ariz.

The offense and Peyton Manning have been the Broncos' workhorses all season. The defense carried the heavy load again Sunday.

Here are some of the things the Broncos did against the Chiefs

Jamaal Charles one of the premier running backs in the NFL was held to 35 yards on 10 runs. K.C. wound up with 41 yards on the hard ground. The Broncos are the best team in the league against the run. Ask around.

Quarterback Alex Smith who is known for managing a game and scrambling when in trouble and rarely throwing an interception was picked off was sacked six times was held to 15 completions for 153 yards and most of those yards were meaningless late in the game.

Smith did throw two touchdown passes but seldom hurt the Broncos with his arm and never with his legs. His long gainer was five yards.

Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe might as well have spent the night barbecuing in the parking lot. Two receptions for 18 yards.

The Chiefs were pathetic on offense but Denver was the guilty party.

Here are some more things

The Chiefs were 1 of 9 on third down. They had two rushing first downs. Smith was sacked for losses of 43 yards. The average per pass attempt was ugh 3.8 yards.

They didn't make a first down until past the middle of the second quarter. They had negative offensive yardage a long time into the game and not long before the Broncos had finished scoring on their first four offensive possessions.

At halftime the Chiefs had four first downs 59 net yards and seven points.

Ware looked like he was everywhere finishing with a sack (he could have been credited with half sacks twice more) and get this the third interception of his notable career. For the second time in Kansas City games this year Terrance Pot Roast Knighton batted a pass with his ham hock hand and this one deflected to Ware.

Playing without cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Kayvon Webster plus linebackers Danny Trevathan and Nate Irving the Broncos never let up.

This is a defense team Clarence Darrow and Randy Gradishar would be proud of.

Woody Paige woody woodypaige.com or twitter.com/woodypaige

Articles Source here

Aaron Rodgers Takes Another Big Stride into Realm of NFL Quarterback Legends

The legend in the making got his hand stepped on. It looked to be a bloody mess. But a bleeding limb can't stop Aaron Rodgers. A truck might not. Maybe not even a nuke.

The throws the legend in the making made despite a hurt hand were uncanny. So was the movement of his feet. It is not an exaggeration to say the way Rodgers is playing the position is the best we've ever seen. Better than Montana. Better than Marino. Better than Tom Brady the man he was playing Sunday at Lambeau Field. Rodgers' offense generated 347 total yards in the first half alone.

The current legend did not get his hand stepped on. But if there is one thing Brady can still do and has always done it is step on the gas pedal. He tried to match Rodgers and came close but what we are learning from watching Rodgers is that not many sometimes not even the greats not even the best can play on his level.

This was a masterclass in quarterbacking. The only thing missing was a blackboard Johnny Unitas a film projector and Bill Walsh barking out play concepts from the back of the room. On a cold day in Green Bay we saw in some ways Rodgers take control of the projector from Walsh and teach the position himself as he and the Packers beat the New England Patriots 26 21.

It turns out the only thing that can stop Aaron Rodgers is Brett Favre's shadow. When that disappeared the blossoming happened at warp speed to where Rodgers has surpassed the man whose play kept him on the bench during his first three years in Green Bay.

Morry Gash/Associated Press

NFL coaches and players despise when the media make a game about the two quarterbacks and of course they are correct to feel that way. Except in this case. No this game wasn't flawless as Brady and Rodgers' hot starts cooled slightly in the second half but it was still a clinic. Especially by Rodgers.

This wasn't an official passing of the mantle. Not yet. Because we could easily see these two teams in the Super Bowl. But it was for the moment a sort of symbolic torch passing from the Brady Peyton Manning era to this one where Rodgers rules as the Lord of the Flings.

Rodgers went against Bill Belichick the best defensive mind the NFL has ever seen and prospered. Sure Belichick slowed Rodgers so the quarterback couldn't drop a 50 burger as he did against the Bears and Eagles or even 40 plus as he did against the Vikings.

Then Brady was Brady. Early in the fourth quarter with Green Bay leading 23 14 Brady threw a remarkable touch pass to a back shoulder spot where only Brandon LaFell could catch it. That made it 23 21.

After the score Brady went facemask to facemask with LaFell screaming in his face in celebration. Rodgers may be king but Brady isn't done just yet.

Then on the next series you saw why Rodgers is the 21st century Brady. On one play with the pocket crumbling he sidestepped two Patriots linemen and threw a dart downfield. On the next play he threw another incredibly accurate pass to Davante Adams. The next play another rocket on target.

By my count Rodgers had two inaccurate throws (not incompletions inaccurate throws) against a Belichick defense. That's pretty damn incredible.

The sure touchdown pass to Adams with approximately eight minutes remaining hit Adams right in the hands. He dropped it.

Brady trailing 26 21 came close to making Rodgers sweat in the final five minutes but he was sacked on third down at the Green Bay 29. The Patriots then missed a field goal.

The game basically ended when Rodgers shockingly made another pinpoint pass. It was a Green Bay first down. Cameras caught Brady on the sideline after that play screaming F k three times. That's the competitor in Brady.

Aaron Rodgers is a great quarterback Belichick told reporters after the game. As mundane as that quote seems you won't hear Belichick use that word often to describe quarterbacks. Or almost any player for that matter.

Rodgers finished 24 of 38 for 368 yards and two passing touchdowns. He didn't throw an interception and also rushed for 22 yards. Brady threw for 245 yards two scores and was also without a pick. Rodgers tied Peyton Manning at six games for most in the Super Bowl era with two passing touchdowns and no interceptions in a game at home. Brady and Brett Favre both have five.

This season at home Rodgers has 20 touchdown passes and no interceptions. 20 0.

What you see with Rodgers is a quarterback who combines all of the great aspects of quarterbacks throughout history. He has the accuracy of Joe Montana the savvy of John Unitas and Brett Favre the arm strength of Dan Marino the escapability of Steve Young the brains of Warren Moon the study habits of Peyton Manning and the competitive drive of the legend he just beat.

Rodgers is all of those things and more. No again that's not hyperbole. That's a fact. That's how good he's become.

The current legend and the future one battled and Rodgers won. That's not a shock. It's what Rodgers does.

Because he's the best maybe the best we've ever seen.

Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report.

Articles Source here

Ohio State Football Coach Says Death of Kosta Karageorge an Incredible ...

An Ohio coroner on Monday ordered a special examination to look for signs of traumatic brain injury in the Ohio State football player who apparently shot himself to death.

The body of the player Kosta Karageorge was found in a trash bin on Sunday. His mother Susan told police that her son had suffered several concussions and had bouts of extreme confusion.

She said he sent her a text message four days before his body was found saying that concussions had messed up his head. I am sorry if I am an embarrassment the text said.

The coroner Dr. Anahi Ortiz of Franklin County told NBC News that the special examination in which a pathologist will examine slides from the player's brain was not routine but has been conducted in other cases.

In this case she said it was because of Karageorge's reported history of concussions and because he played football and wrestled.

Earlier on Monday Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer said he had been told not to talk about Karageorge's medical history. A team doctor has also said he cannot comment on the medical care of athletes.

The Ohio State wrestling coach told The Columbus Dispatch that Karageorge who wrestled for the Buckeyes for three years had no documented concussions.

Meyer called the apparent suicide an incredible tragedy.

We'll never get over it he said.

Karageorge was a walk on and was recognized Saturday on Senior Day as the Buckeyes beat archrival Michigan. Ohio State plays for the Big Ten championship this weekend. To overcome the incredible tragedy that happened last night this is a real challenge Meyer said.

A growing body of research shows that repeated concussions can cause permanent brain damage and organized football has come under criticism for ignoring the danger for too long.

A federal judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement under which the NFL would pay thousands of former players for concussion claims. She did so only after the NFL agreed to remove a $675 million cap on damages.

In college sports the NCAA has proposed spending $70 million on a program that would monitor athletes for brain trauma.

And The Associated Press reported over the weekend that a former high school quarterback in Illinois is suing a state governing body for not doing enough to protect him from concussions. The organization says reducing concussion risk is a priority.

Ohio State students said Monday they were saddened by the death.

It's really disheartening to see that someone at you know one of the happiest and best universities in the country felt like that and then didn't realize or didn't want to take advantage of the resources that we have possible here said Josh Ahart who is studying public affairs. So we need to do better as a university and as a family.

IN DEPTHOhio State Player Kosta Karageorge's Body Found in Dumpster PoliceOhio State University Football Player Kosta Karageorge Remains MissingSOCIAL Erin McClam with Caitlin Essig and The Associated Press

Articles Source here