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What's Different With Dalton?
What's different about Andy Dalton?
The Bengals quarterback gets that question every week. So do his teammates and coaches. So do those of us that cover the team (when we're not the ones asking about it).
There isn't one correct answer. Instead, there are a series of factors – some beyond his control — that help explain Dalton's sensational start.
Now in his fifth NFL season and second with Hue Jackson as offensive coordinator, Dalton clearly has a total understanding of the Bengals offense. Additionally, between practices and games he's thrown thousands of passes to the same group of receivers to develop exquisite timing.
"He's doing a good job of distributing the ball," said Marvin Lewis. "It's always helpful when guys get to the right spots."
"He's seeing the field, he's making all of the right checks, and it seems like every time he checks to something it turns out to be very productive," said my broadcast partner Dave Lapham. "I think that shows his comfort level and understanding of every intricacy of that offense. He has got it down cold and is playing at a super high level."
Consider last week's come-from-behind win at Baltimore. When Dalton's fourth quarter fumble was returned for a touchdown by C.J. Mosley, the Bengals found themselves trailing for the first time all season.
Dalton remained confident and his coaches and teammates took notice.
"When that happened I wanted to see how he was going to respond," said Jackson. "He came over and said, 'Coach. That's on me. I get it and we're going to go win this game. We don't need to rush. Let's just stick to our plan. But if you want to chuck one down there, we can do that too.' He said it with a big smile on his face, and to me, the calmness that he had gave the rest of the offensive unit calmness. I saw him really emerge right then and there. That's what leadership is all about."
Pick Your Poison
The Bengals have had a different player lead the team in combined rushing/receiving yards in each of the first four games: Tyler Eifert (Oakland – 104), Giovani Bernard (San Diego – 139), A.J. Green (Baltimore – 227), and Mohamed Sanu (Kansas City – 84).
Add Jeremy Hill, Marvin Jones, Rex Burkhead, and Brandon Tate (whose 55-yard TD catch vs. the Chiefs came on his first offensive snap all season), and Dalton has the ability to attack the weakness of the opponent's defense instead of forcing the ball to a particular target.
"Every week it's going to be different guys making plays," said Dalton. "That's the good thing about this team – we have a lot of different guys that can make them."
"We have so many playmakers that you never know when your time is going to come," said Sanu.
So far this season, the Bengals have run the ball 124 times and thrown it 116 times. Bernard and Hill have combined to rush for 460 yards which projects to 1,840 yards in a 16-game season. That forces the defense to defend the run and gives Dalton more openings to exploit in the secondary.
"I don't think you can just drop back and keep throwing it play after play after play," said Jackson. "You have to have a semblance of a running game to be good in the National Football League and you've got to have balance. We're built that way. We have a bunch of players that can do a lot of different things and that's how you can cause the most headaches for defenses."
In Sunday's win, the Bengals ran for four touchdowns in the red zone against a team that had not given up a rushing touchdown all season.
"A lot of those plays were pass plays and Andy did a good job of getting us into the right play," said Hill.
The Kansas City Chiefs have two of the NFL's most potent pass rushers in Justin Houston and Tamba Hali. Their Pro Bowl nose tackle Dontari Poe added six sacks last season. On Sunday, that trio did not have a single quarterback hit, much less a sack.
"Hue puts dots on guys every week," said Andre Smith. "He put the dots on those three guys and we had to take care of them. They make the big plays for that defense and we knew that if we could control those guys we would have a great chance of winning."
After four games the Bengals have only allowed two sacks – tied for the fewest in the NFL with the New York Jets.
"The offensive line is playing extremely well," said Hill. "They're protecting Andy and getting push in the running game. They're just doing their thing. Paul Alexander is doing a great job of coaching them up."
"We take pride in keeping Andy clean," said Smith. "If he's upright, he can make our offense go as fast as we want to go. If he's on the ground we're going to have issues, so we decided to keep him clean."
On Tate's 55-yard TD catch, Dalton was flushed out of the pocket, scrambled to his right, and floated a long ball after the wide receiver saw what was happening and went deep.
"He did a great job," said Dalton. "He saw me get out of the pocket and went off of his route and made a huge play."
"Tate did a great job of doing what he's coached to do," said Lewis.
Jackson has had the Bengals regularly practicing scramble drills and has tweaked the receivers' responsibilities when Dalton vacates the pocket. In Oakland, it resulted in a 24-yard pass to Rex Burkhead. In Baltimore, the game-winning touchdown drive began when Dalton escaped pressure and found Bernard for a 23-yard gain.
Dalton is not Boomer Esiason. Being the vocal leader of 53 guys isn't wired into his DNA. But at the age of 27 with four playoff trips behind him, Andy is clearly more comfortable is that role.
"It's been a process for him obviously, but I think he's Andy Dalton," said Jackson. "He understands that there's more to it than just playing quarterback. You are the leader and you're the face of the franchise. You need to get the defense going, and you need to get the special teams going as well as the offense. I think he's taken that on his shoulder and I think to a man in the locker room, I think everybody is pulling on the same rope with him."
"It's just Andy being Andy," said Sanu. "He's very smart, very accurate, and he's taking advantage of what's around him. We look up to him and know that he's our leader so we're going to go as he leads us."
OK. I have written 1,133 words about Andy Dalton and I know what many of you are thinking: "Yeah, yeah. We've seen this before in the regular season. Let's see him do it in a playoff game."
"I don't agree with that," said Jackson. "I don't think he has done it like this before.
"And we're looking forward to squashing some of the things that are said about him. He's playing good and he has to continue to play good in order for us to win."
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Deja Vu In Baltimore
Five days after the passing of Yogi Berra it was déjà vu all over again.
Last year in Baltimore, the Bengals blew a 15-0 halftime lead and fell behind in the fourth quarter before winning on a 77-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Green with 4:58 remaining.
This year, the Bengals blew a 14-0 halftime lead and fell behind twice in the fourth quarter before Green answered both times. His 80-yard touchdown grab came 12 seconds after Baltimore took the lead for the first time, and his 7-yard game-winning TD happened 1 minute and 46 seconds after Cincinnati trailed for the second and final time.
"It was fun man," said Green. "We know that every time we come up here that it's going to be a fight. We stayed the course and just ran our offense and it worked out."
"What is there to say?" said Marvin Jones. "He's a great talent obviously. He made the big play that gave us some juice and we feed off of him."
Green's biggest play was the 80-yard stadium silencer that came on the first play from scrimmage after C.J. Mosley recovered an Andy Dalton fumble and raced 41 yards for a touchdown to give Baltimore a 17-14 lead with 6:49 on the clock.
"That was the first time we were down all year," said Domata Peko. "We just had to keep our composure and we did."
"I was next to (Director of Player Relations) Eric Ball on the sidelines because we only had two receivers out there," said Mohamed Sanu. "He told me what the play was and said, 'Watch. In about two minutes it's about to get real quiet.' It sure did. A.J. made a phenomenal play. (Eric) came running over and said, 'I told you! I told you!' It was pretty cool."
But the home crowd wasn't silent for very long as Steve Smith hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to give Baltimore a 24-21 lead with 3:56 remaining. Smith finished with 13 catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
"His competitiveness is breathtaking," said my broadcast partner Dave Lapham. "In my mind he is Corey Dillon at wide receiver. They couldn't tackle him because he refused to be tackled. He was just better than they were when they were one-on-one in space."
For the second straight year in the last five minutes of the Ravens home opener, it was up to the Bengals offense to deliver a game-winning drive.
"If you would have looked into our huddle, our faces all said, 'We're going to get this,'" said Jones.
"Of course we were upset, but we knew what we had to do," said Sanu. "You can't drop your head. We knew there was time on the clock and that we had to go make plays."
On the Bengals final drive it wasn't strictly the A.J. Green show. Dalton completed four straight passes to four different targets: Giovani Bernard for 23 yards, Sanu for 19, Jones for 31, and Green for the 7-yard touchdown to win the game 28-24.
"Marv made a big play to get us down there," said Green. "Mo made a 5-yard route into like a 15-yard play. Andy made a play with his legs where he got the ball to Gio and he picked up 23 yards. It's not just me. We've got playmakers all over this field."
"That's what we say in the receiver room: 'Pick your poison,'" said Jones. "We're all going to do what we have to do to catch the ball and make big plays when we need them. It didn't come as a surprise. Andy did a great job of getting us the ball and we just did the fun part."
The end result is a 3-0 record and five wins over the Ravens in their last six meetings.
"We still have things to fix, but at the same time, we have resolve," said Jones. "They came back and turned it up a little bit, but we did too."
"To show the fiber that they showed is something that I think will carry over," said Lapham. "To fall behind twice and answer quickly – I think that's going to play well during the course of the season."
"It's not our first rodeo," said Green. "We were here last year in the same situation and came out with the 'W.' We didn't flinch."
"It was kind of like déjà vu," said Peko.
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Bits From The Booth: Baltimore
This Thursday, the UC Bearcats played the first of three straight nationally televised weeknight games when they faced Memphis. Next Thursday, the Bearcats host the University of Miami, and 15 days later they travel to Utah for a Friday night game at BYU.
The non-Saturday games are probably not ideal for many Bearcats fans, but they are helpful to a certain broadcaster trying to get from one assignment to the next.
The BYU game is on the same weekend that the Bengals are in Buffalo. I haven't checked, but I'm guessing that there aren't a lot of "red-eye" flights from Provo to Buffalo.
So thank you ESPN for making my travel itinerary a little easier.
Now time for this week's Bits From The Booth.
Dalton Defender
When Memphis beat Cincinnati 53-46 on Thursday, it gave the Tigers an 11-game winning streak.
Memphis is coached by Justin Fuente who was the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator at TCU when Andy Dalton played for the Horned Frogs. Prior to Thursday's game against the Bearcats, I asked Fuente about his former quarterback.
"He drove through Memphis not too long ago and we sat down and ate lunch and he seems to be handling everything in stride," Fuente told me. "That league is so tough. I know that the people of Cincinnati are hungry for playoff success and I certainly understand that, and I know that Andy is too. I just hope that they can get to that point with a healthy roster and can really put their best foot forward because I think they have had some things working against them over the last couple of years. But he seems to be handling it well and I know he really loves living there and being a part of the Bengals organization."
Does it hurt you when you hear or read people taking shots at him?
"Of course it does. Obviously I'm not his dad, but I'm close to him and I know what kind of person he is. It's the same way I feel about our current players. But it's part of the business. Right or wrong, that's the way it goes – especially when you play that position. A lot of people say that you get paid good money not for the hits that you take on the field but for the hits you take off the field. That part if probably true, but that doesn't mean that I can't stick up for him because I certainly will."
Every Play Rey
If you had to guess which Bengals defensive player has not missed a snap so far this season would your answer be Vinny Rey?
The fifth year linebacker has been on the field for all 127 defensive snaps in the first two games and clinched last week's win over San Diego with a spectacular juggling interception.
"I'm thankful because there was a time where I would never get snaps on defense," Rey told me. "I love being out there. I know that I need to continue to play better and I know that I can."
"He's tremendously valuable," said defensive coordinator Paul Guenther. "He's the brains of the operation out there and understands what we're trying to get done. He's a guy that can play all three linebacker positions and when Vontaze got hurt last year he stepped in and did a nice job for us. He's carrying that over to this year so we're glad to have him out there."
Rey has gone from being an undrafted free agent…to a practice squad player…to a special teams standout…to an indispensable member of the defense.
I asked the former Duke captain to explain the key to his hard-earned NFL success.
"There are a lot of things that happened in my favor and were out of my control, but listening to the coaches and the authority figures has really helped me," Vinny said. "They've been coaching and have been around the game for a long time, and listening to them and doing what they say over and over and over really helps."
Takeo's Takes
Former Bengals linebacker Takeo Spikes, now covering the league for Sirius NFL Radio, was among our guests on Friday on the "Bengals Pep Rally" show (3-6 on ESPN 1530).
Takeo spent a day at Bengals training camp in early August and came away raving about Geno Atkins. On Friday I asked Spikes how he could tell from watching one practice that Atkins was back to his pre-injury dominance.
"This was the first indication," said Spikes. "It was 9-on-7 and they ran a power play with Jeremy Hill running to the right side. Geno was on the back side so the center blocks back on the three technique (Atkins). Geno literally ran through the center and made the play in the backfield for a tackle for a loss. I never had an ACL injury, but I've talked to plenty of guys that have and the hardest thing to do is to not only generate power, but to be able to redirect and get upfield. He did all of that on one play. Then another time on 11-on-11, they did a play-action pass where Geno kind of paused a little bit while he looked at the running back and diagnosed the play. Then he immediately got on his saddle, got back upfield and did a pass rush move where he spun his hips and cleared the offensive guard and put all his weight on the surgically-repaired ACL. I knew at that time that he was back."
The Bengals are obviously hoping for a similar recovery by linebacker Vontaze Burfict when he returns from microfracture knee surgery. Burfict will be eligible to come off of the PUP list in time for the November 1 game at Pittsburgh.
"I love the fact that he plays the game with reckless abandon," said Spikes. "He doesn't even care about his body, so you know darn well that he doesn't care about the person that he's getting ready to hit. I love that about him. That may be the reason why he's out right now. But he's a relentless guy. He's a tone-setter, and I love the way that he plays the game. When I watch him play he can probably come off as being a little selfish, but he wants to make every play and there's nothing wrong with that. As an inside backer you have to feel that way. You have to feel like you're the last line of defense. If they get past you, then chances are it's going to be a score. I think that mentality is what makes him such a good football player. I wish he could stay healthy, because if he does, he would definitely be one of the better linebackers in the league."
Several years ago when Bengals fans voted on a 40th Anniversary Team, Spikes received the second-most votes at linebacker behind Reggie Williams.
Willing To Share
In 2013, Giovani Bernard was the first running back selected in the NFL draft. The following year, Jeremy Hill was the second running back picked.
Last week's win over the Chargers provided a reminder that both are among the best running backs in the NFL.
Hill was the league's leading rusher over the final nine weeks of the 2014 season, but when he fumbled two times in 10 carries last Sunday, Bernard stayed on the field for nearly every snap and carried 20 times for 123 yards.
After the game, Hill didn't complain saying that he deserved to be benched and that he was happy for Bernard. Gio deflected praise and said that Hill would bounce back quickly.
This week I asked Marvin Lewis if their willingness to share the load without complaint was unusual in this day and age.
"I think their humility and their ability to be good pros is exceptional," Lewis told me. "That's the key element for them to continue to be successful in the league – not only this year but in future years. It's going to come to that for those guys. That's where everything is headed. There's too much pounding for one back to take and you have to feel like you're a starter even if you're not the first guy that runs out there because maybe the next time you are. So you've got to prepare that way each and every week."
Quoth The (Former) Raven
Brad Jackson has a unique perspective on a Bengals/Ravens match-up.
The former UC linebacker spent his first three NFL seasons in Baltimore and was a member of Marvin Lewis's record-setting defense on the Ravens' 2000 Super Bowl winning team. Last year, Jackson worked with Coach Lewis as a coaching intern during training camp for the Bengals.
Jackson currently covers the Ravens for CSN Mid-Atlantic and described the mood in Baltimore after the team's 0-2 start.
"Right now they don't have their hand on the panic button but it is close by," said Jackson. "There's a lot of concern here.
"Right now there's no identity. It week one they couldn't do anything against the Broncos defense. In week two, the offense got it together and the defense didn't even leave the hotel. Right now they're counting on the home crowd here in Baltimore and they're trying to find a way to get a win. Next Wednesday they have to get on a plane and go to Pittsburgh in a short week, so they could go from 0-2 to 0-4 very quickly, or they could have a chance to be 2-2. Iit all starts with trying to figure out that Cincinnati Bengals offense and defense come Sunday at 1 o'clock."
It should be a great game. Andrew Whitworth is the subject of this week's "Fun Facts" interview on the Bengals radio network pregame show. It should run at approximately 12:30.
Talk to you from the booth at Paul Brown Stadium. Hope you'll be listening.
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Dalton Quiets Critics…For Now
It was Cincinnati vs. San Diego and Bengals fans turned on their starting quarterback.
His name was Ken Anderson.
I'm referring to a 31-14 home loss to the Chargers in 1980. Here's how it was described in the UPI's account of the game:
"When Anderson trotted onto the field to start each new offensive series, some of the fans booed. Late in the third quarter when Anderson went down with an injury to an already gimpy knee, cheers erupted from several sections of the stadium"
So if anybody can identify with the harsh treatment that the current #14 often receives, it's the quarterback who wore that number in Cincinnati for 16 seasons.
"It goes with the territory," said Anderson. "If you want to play quarterback in the NFL, that's all part of it. They love you when you're playing good, and when you're not playing good, the most popular guy in town is the backup. You've got to have thick skin. (Andy Dalton's) had so much success already in his career. For crying out loud – the numbers of games that he's won, going to the playoffs in his first four years – it's been remarkable."
Remarkable is a good word to describe Dalton's play in the first two games of the season. He's completed 68% of his passes with 5 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and has a passer rating of 120.3.
"He hasn't made any mistakes and he's not a game-manager either," said tight end Tyler Eifert. "We're making big plays and we're taking care of the football."
Eifert has been on the receiving end of three of Dalton's five touchdown passes in the first two games, including what proved to be the game-winner on Sunday. With a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter, the Bengals faced third-and-goal from the Chargers' 9-yard-line. The 25-year-old tight end lined up as the lone receiver to the right and faked an outside move before getting inside position on San Diego cornerback Brandon Flowers. As soon as Tyler got separation, Dalton hit him in the back of the end zone.
"It was a perfect ball because it went right by his fingertips," said Eifert. "I kind of took a while at the line, but Andy stuck with it."
Dalton also made a pretty throw to A.J. Green to beat Flowers for the Bengals' first touchdown. Green had a seven inch height advantage in that match-up, and the Bengals quarterback tossed it high enough where Flowers was defenseless.
"We do that every day in practice," said Green. "Just give me a chance and I'll go try to make a play. It's as simple as that."
"He put the ball up in their eyes where we want it," said head coach Marvin Lewis.
The stats through two games speak for themselves, but earlier this week, I asked offensive coordinator Hue Jackson to take us behind the scenes into the locker room and the meeting rooms and tell us what he sees out of Dalton.
"I see a different quarterback," Jackson told me. "I see a quarterback that's functioning at a high level on-and-off the field with his teammates. I think there is a confidence there and I think there is a comfortability between him and myself, and I think he knows that there's nothing that we can't talk about. There might be something that he sees differently than me and we can have that conversation. There might be something that he feels very strongly about and wants to do and my door is always open. To me, that's the quarterback's deal. This is your offensive football team. We're going to go as you go. And you should never go into the game feeling uncomfortable about anything. You should feel very comfortable about what we're trying to accomplish."
Dalton obviously won't have a triple digit passer rating every week and won't silence his critics until he achieves postseason success.
But first he has to lead the team back to the playoffs, and he's guided the Bengals to a 2-0 start.
"Andy is a great quarterback," said Green. "He gets us in great position to score. He's not going to make any big mistakes and he's playing great. And if we keep making plays when our number is called he's going to play even better."
"He's done so much work this offseason," said Jackson. "I cannot commend him enough and hopefully we can stay consistent and he can continue to play like that for the rest of the year."
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Bits From The Booth: San Diego
If Sunday's game was in San Diego, the Bengals would be a lock.
I've had the pleasure of calling eight sporting events in San Diego and Cincinnati has won all of them.
2001: Bearcats beat BYU and Kent State in NCAA Tourney to advance to Sweet 16.
2005: Reds sweep a 3-game series vs. the Padres (subbed for George Grande).
2007: UC football team beats San Diego State 52-23.
2012: Bengals beat Chargers 20-13.
2013: Bengals beat Chargers 17-10.
I interviewed to be one of the Padres' radio announcers once and did not get the job. They missed out on the opportunity to go 81-0 at home.
Enough about me…time for this week's Bits From The Booth.
Eagle Eye:
Ian Eagle, who will call Sunday's game on CBS-TV with Dan Fouts, joined Dave Lapham and me on Wednesday night's "Bengals Game Plan" show. Ian typically broadcasts a few Bengals games every season and told us that he's impressed by Cincinnati's ability to draft and develop players.
"The Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers get a lot of credit for homegrown talent and developing talent," Eagle told us. "When I was going through my prep and my spotting boards and looking through my stuff from last year, it just blows my mind how good the Bengals have been in the draft. And not just hitting home runs occasionally which you have to do – we know that – but a lot of doubles and triples. They're so efficient year after year. Fourth round picks that play for them, sixth round picks that stick around for a length of time. That's saying something. It's saying something about Mike Brown, it's saying something about Marvin Lewis and this staff and their ability to dissect talent at the collegiate level and translate it to the professional level. Now you know better than me that at the end of the year they're going to have a lot of decisions to make. There are a bunch of unrestricted free agents on this team, so if this is the last go-round for this particular group as it's currently constituted, I'm sure they want to change the way there are perceived around this league. The only way to do that is by going out in the postseason and winning a game or two."
Howdy Neighbor:
UC head coach Tommy Tuberville has a vacation home in Destin, FL. Believe it or not, his next-door neighbor is Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers.
"I've known Philip for a long time," said Tuberville. "I've actually known his dad a lot longer – his dad is a football coach from Athens, Alabama and when I was at Auburn we actually recruited Philip. Now this is how good of a recruiter I am – I told him that he couldn't play quarterback; he was probably going to have to play tight end. He was coming to Auburn, and then North Carolina State came in at the last minute and offered him a scholarship to play quarterback. I said, 'Hey, if you want to play quarterback you probably need to go there because it's going to be tough to beat out Jason Campbell.' That's who we had coming in. We've become good friends ever since and recently, in the last eight or nine months, he bought a house next to me in Destin and we kind of renewed our friendship during a week of vacation. He's got seven kids with an eighth on the way and I tell you, he just loves football. He and Peyton Manning are nearly identical in that they are hard workers, love football, and really understand it. Philip was really excited about his next few years in the NFL."
With his large – and growing – family, Rivers has to be the only quarterback in the NFL that drives a 12-passenger van.
What's My Line?
San Diego enters Sunday's game with some issues on its offensive line. Projected starter Johnnie Trautman suffered a broken arm in the Chargers' first preseason game and right guard D.J. Fluker was taken off the field on a cart with an ankle injury last week vs. Detroit. Fluker is listed as doubtful for this week's game.
The likely starter at right guard is converted tackle Chris Hairston who would frequently be matched up against Geno Atkins. Not a fun way to make your first NFL start at guard.
The Chargers are accustomed to having to make changes on the offensive line. Last year they became the first team since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970 to use five starting centers in a season: Nick Hardwick, Rich Ohrnberger, Doug Legursky, Chris Watt, and (former Bengal) Trevor Robinson. That was one of the big reasons why San Diego missed the playoffs last season after a 5-1 start.
Read My Lips:
Last week, the Chargers fell behind Detroit 21-3 before rallying to beat the Lions 33-28. Rivers threw a pick-six in the second quarter and a terrible red zone interception just before halftime before going 21-for-23 in the second half with a team-record 20 straight completions to end the game.
Chargers radio voice Josh Lewin jokingly told us on the "Bengals Pep Rally" show on Friday that you could tell that Rivers was going to turn it around by his language.
"He looks like he's just a complete maniac on the field, but he doesn't swear," said Lewin. "He's a real goody-goody – he doesn't drink and he doesn't swear. You could actually read his lips when he underthrew Malcom Floyd at the end of the second quarter. He let out this huge, 'Dad-gummit!' You kind of knew at that point, 'Ok, now it's on.' Once you hear 'dad-gummit,' things are about to turn and they did."
After one week, Rivers leads the NFL in passing yards (404), completion percentage (83.3) and dad-gummits (1).
He Who Shall Not Be Named:
Every Wednesday on "Bengals Game Plan," we do a deep dive with one of the Bengals assistant coaches and this week it was tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes. Here's what he had to say about the players he's currently working with: Tyler Eifert, Ryan Hewitt, Tyler Kroft, C.J. Uzomah, and practice squad member Matt Lengel.
"They're very willing young men and it's fun when you have a bunch of guys that come to work every day to get better," said Hayes. "That's all you ask for as a coach. As a player, I sat in their seats and I wanted to be the same way. You don't want to be the guy that's always misstepping. You want to be the guy that's helping to bring the room up and I think they all do in their own way. It's good to see and it's fun to be around. I'm really enjoying coaching these guys."
Coach Hayes did not specifically mention Jermaine Gresham but you can't help but wonder if the former first round pick did not fit the above description. In case you missed it, Gresham had 1 catch for 4 yards in Arizona's season opener.
Mr. Perfect:
Marcus Mariota began his NFL career by posting a perfect passer rating (158.3) against Tampa Bay. Former Oregon teammate Jake Fisher claims that he was not surprised.
"I told everybody that he's going to be one of the best that's ever played this game," said Fisher.
Fisher helped to protect Mariota's blind side last year and I asked Jake what it meant to him when his teammate won the Heisman Trophy.
"I guess I can say that I helped a little bit," Fisher told me. "I was a leader in my group, but that guy works so hard and does such a great job at what he does. He puts his whole lifestyle into it. And off the field he's a high-character guy that's probably the best person that I've ever met. So for me, nothing personal came from that but I was so happy for him to get that award. He should have had it two years in a row in my opinion. I was extremely happy for him and excited about everything that he's accomplished."
Jake Fisher is the subject of this week's "Fun Facts" interview on the Bengals radio network pregame show. It should run at approximately 12:30.
Among other things, we'll discuss this.
Talk to you from the booth at Paul Brown Stadium. Hope you'll be listening.
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Smith and Whitworth Pitch Shutout In Oakland
The late, great, former Raiders owner Al Davis famously said that, "Somewhere within the first five to 10 plays of the game, the other team's quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard."
On Sunday in Oakland, the other team's quarterback didn't go down at all. Andy Dalton threw 34 passes without being sacked in Cincinnati's 33-13 win over the Raiders.
"We came in and wanted to execute a plan and we were able to do that," said left tackle Andrew Whitworth. "We were able to protect him and give him the opportunity to make the throws that he needed to make."
All week, the Bengals offensive lineman heard that Oakland defensive end Khalil Mack had been unblockable in the preseason – a "rolling ball of butcher knives" according to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson.
"I think Khalil Mack is very deserving of all of the credit that he's received," said right guard Kevin Zeitler. "Watching him last year on film and even the preseason, he's a very good rusher and the sky is the limit for him. But he was not their only weapon."
On Friday, the Raiders signed free agent Aldon Smith who had 44 sacks in his last 50 regular season games with San Francisco. Throw in two-time Pro Bowler Justin Tuck and his 65.5 career sacks, and it might be the most formidable pass rush the Bengals will face all season.
"The Raiders have a great defensive line," said Zeitler. "Their depth of pass rushers presented a great challenge for us to start the season. There were a couple of problems here and there but overall we did well. But we're already thinking about all of the things that we can do so much better."
"I was proud of what the guys did up front and we have to build upon that," said head coach Marvin Lewis. "This is step one."
Mack spent the majority of the game lined up on Andre Smith's side. In the first half of a nationally televised preseason game against Arizona, the 2nd year defensive end had two sacks, a forced fumble, and four quarterback hits on Carson Palmer. In 58 snaps against Smith and the Bengals offensive line, he came up empty in all of those categories.
"We took pride in that today," said Smith. "He's a great football player and does a lot of things for that defense. We knew that if we took him away we could have success and we did an outstanding job."
So what's new? Last year, the Bengals were one of only four teams to hold NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt (20.5 sacks) without a sack in a 22-13 win at Houston. Additionally, Von Miller (14 sacks) and Elvis Dumervil (17 sacks) failed to sack Andy Dalton, and Dumervil faced the Bengals twice.
Cincinnati's top two draft picks this year, Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher, are the team's projected offensive tackles of the future. But the season opener provided a reminder that their tackles of the present – Whitworth and Smith – are still among the NFL's best.
"That O-line is good, obviously," said Tuck.
"They did an unbelievable job," said Dalton. "We knew what we were going up against and they accepted the challenge and played really, really well. It's what we expect from those guys and I'm really happy for them."
"Khalil Mack is a fantastic player and Aldon Smith is right there with J.J. Watt in sacks-per-game," said Whitworth. "They're both great rushers. But the Cincinnati Bengals have two pretty good guys themselves."
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Bits From The Booth: Oakland
One of the things I enjoy about my job is the homework (my 9-year-old son finds that hard to believe). In addition to spending time simply memorizing names and numbers each week, I am always looking for anecdotes and statistics that will help to make the broadcast both entertaining and informative.
But most of the material never gets used.
The number one priority during a game broadcast is to try to paint a vivid word picture of what's happening on the field. As a result, much of the prep work gets left on the cutting room floor.
That's why I've decided to write some of it in blog form. Each week I plan to plan to share some "Bits from the Booth" leading into that week's matchup, beginning with Sunday's game at Oakland.
As you have probably heard this week, the Bengals have never won a game in Oakland in franchise history. Their all-time record is 0-10. But that shouldn't mean much to the current players. Seven of the 10 games took place before 1981, meaning no current Bengals were even born for 70% of the losing streak. The only game of the 10 that any of the current players appeared in was a 20-17 loss in 2009. Seven players (Leon Hall, Michael Johnson, Rey Maualuga, Domata Peko, Pat Sims, Andrew Whitworth, and Kevin Huber) played in that game. Andre Smith was on the roster but inactive that day. The current Bengal who has played in the most games at Oakland is Wallace Gilberry, and he went 3-1 as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Big Mack
The Raiders third preseason game was nationally televised on NBC's Sunday Night Football, and if you tuned in you saw Khalil Mack put on an incredible show against the Arizona Cardinals. The fifth pick in last year's draft tormented Carson Palmer in the first half, sacking him twice and hitting him four times. I asked Raiders radio voice Greg Papa about Mack's performance when he joined us on "Bengals Game Plan" this Wednesday night.
"Last year he was unblockable at times in the run game," said Papa. "He would just rag doll whoever was against him, and a lot of times they would put a tight end on him because he played strong-side linebacker. It was just amazing to me week after week after week. I remember Jordan Cameron of Cleveland trying to block him and that's just not going to work. But he's changed positions now. He's not playing SAM linebacker, he's playing defensive end. I was a little bit worried about it because he's going up against bigger men now. He's not going up against tight ends and backs chipping, he's going up against 325 pound offensive lineman. But as you saw in the Arizona game, Jared Veldheer is a little top-heavy, and I think Mack's low leverage – a lot like Elvis Dumerville who is able to be explosive as a pass rusher under six feet tall with those long arms – Khalil was getting under his pad level and showing him a variety of moves that I had never seen before. He was strictly a bull rusher last year as a rookie and he could do it because he's so strong. But in that game he showed a spin move back to the inside, and he showed an edge rush to the outside. Now the Bengals have good tackles in Whitworth and Smith – I don't know if he'll be on Whitworth's side as much come Sunday, but I think that's going to be an area where Hue is possibly going to send help."
Last year the Bengals were one of only four teams to hold J.J. Watt without a sack in their 22-13 win at Houston. We'll see if the O-line can neutralize Mack on Sunday.
Carter on Culture
One of the biggest standouts during the Bengals' four preseason games was linebacker Chris Carter who led the team with 3.5 sacks and earned a spot on the 53-man roster.
The four year veteran joined the team prior to Game 13 last year and told me he feels like he's found a home.
"Since I walked into this building, everybody has treated me with nothing but courtesy and respect," said Carter. "My teammates welcomed me in like a brother. As soon as I got here, Vontaze Burfict – a guy that I thought didn't want to talk to anybody and was just doing his own thing – he was the first person to take me in and try to teach me the plays and he helped me get around the city. He talked to me and motivated me and I'm very grateful to him. Rey Maualuga, Domata Peko…all of those guys. It's more like a family here than any environment that I have ever been in before. I'm happy and grateful to be here."
Carter spent three years in Pittsburgh and part of last season in Indianapolis. His comment about the family environment in Cincinnati is indicative of the great culture Marvin Lewis has built in the Bengals locker room.
Dirty Dozen
Bengals fans remember all too well how much of a struggle it was for the team in the 1990s and early 2000s. In the 12 years before Marvin Lewis was hired as head coach, the Bengals went 55-137.
So we can sympathize with Raiders fans. Over the last 12 years, Oakland's record is nearly identical: 56-136. Since a 48-21 loss to Tampa Bay in the 2002 Super Bowl, the Raiders have lost at least 11 games in 10 out of the last 12 seasons.
Additionally, during Marvin Lewis's tenure in Cincinnati, Oakland has had nine head coaches: Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable, Hue Jackson, Dennis Allen, Tony Sparano, and Jack Del Rio.
Speaking of Hue
In the last 12 years, the only seasons where the Raiders managed to win more than five games were the two years that Hue Jackson was part of the coaching staff. He was dumped after going 8-8 in his one year as the head coach and Oakland has gone 11-37 in the three seasons since.
I asked Hue how emotional it will be to return to the Oakland sidelines on Sunday.
"I don't know if it will be emotional, but there will be memories," said Jackson. "I had a great run there in my opinion. I was the coordinator in 2010 for Tom Cable and we won eight games. I was the head coach the year after and we won eight games. The guy that gave me both of those opportunities, Al Davis, was like my mentor – he's like what Mike Brown is to me now. Al gave me the opportunity to lead an organization and for that I will always be grateful. There are some old wounds there, but we'll let those go really quickly because we have a game to win."
My broadcast partner Dave Lapham expects the Bengals players to get added motivation on Sunday from their desire to 'Win It For Hue."
Black Hole Beckons
I'm excited to get my first-ever look at Oakland's famed "Black Hole" on Sunday. The late Hunter S. Thompson once wrote that, "The massive Raider Nation is beyond a doubt, the sleaziest, rudest, and most sinister mob of thugs ever assembled."
But Dre Kirkpatrick doesn't sound concerned.
"I played in the SEC," Dre told me. "LSU is crazy, Auburn is crazy, Florida is crazy, so every week was mayhem. Every week was chaotic. So it kind of prepared me."
I'm guessing that a majority of Bengals players have been in a road environment that was every bit as rowdy as Oakland will be on Sunday.
Mike Brown on Odell Thurman
On this week's radio pregame show, my weekly "Fun Facts" segment is with Bengals president Mike Brown as we look back at the 10-year anniversary of the 2005 team.
Here's what Mike had to say about linebacker Odell Thurman who led the team in tackles and had five interceptions and five forced fumbles in his only NFL season before violating the league's substance abuse policy.
"He was a great talent and it's such a shame that we lost him and he lost his career to the off-field problems that he had," said Brown. "I have real regrets about that. He's a nice person – you'd like him if you knew him. He had the whole package – quickness, suddenness, and he was as decisive as you could be. He was a difference maker and I think he would have been a Hall of Fame player if he could have hung on to his career."
The Mike Brown interview is scheduled to run at approximately 3:50 this Sunday on the Bengals Radio Network.
Talk to you from Oakland. Hope you'll be listening.
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Jenkinson Chooses Bearcats, Home Over Ivy League
When freshman Bryce Jenkinson signed his letter of intent to play college football at Cincinnati last February, one of the schools that he turned down was Yale.
"To be honest with you, all of my friends back home wanted me to go there," Jenkinson said with a laugh. "They said, 'You'll be a millionaire when you get out of school.' But I wanted to be close to home and I love it here in Cincinnati. I couldn't pass it up.
"Now my family can come and see me – my parents, my grandparents, and my friends. It's a great place to be."
The 6'1", 235 pound linebacker is from Greenville, OH – about two hours north of Cincinnati.
"It's a small little country town and I'm very proud of it," Bryce told me. "I went to Greenville Senior High School with a graduating class of about 225 kids. We were a powerhouse in football and I loved playing there."
Jenkinson began attracting interest from college programs after his sophomore year of high school. The attention skyrocketed when he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash.
"I didn't know that I could do it, but out of the blue I started running fast times and jumping really high," he said. "That's what sparked the interest. Once I did that, the word got out. Being from a little country town, you never really think that you could get to the Division I level. So I came here to camp and they offered and I was ecstatic."
Thanks to his excellent grades, Jenkinson was able to leave high school early and he enrolled at UC last January. That allowed him to take part in spring practice and gave him a head start going into his freshman season.
"Bryce is the epitome of hard work," said linebackers coach Jeff Koonz. "He came in early and sacrificed part of his senior year of high school. He really progressed from the spring into fall camp and the reps added up and mattered. He's a smart guy and he really works hard."
"All he needed was one spring and he was equal to or beyond other guys that have been with us for two or three years," said head coach Tommy Tuberville. "That's the kind of football player he is mentally."
"It was so worth it now that I look back," said Jenkinson. "There are a lot of kids that come in and they're all stressed out over classes and I can say, 'Guys, trust me – it's going to get easier.'"
With senior Clemente Casseus under suspension to begin the season for breaking team rules, Jenkinson played an estimated 40 out of 63 defensive snaps at middle linebacker in the season opener as he shared time with starter Kevin Brown. Whichever of those two players was on the field called the defensive signals.
"From that standpoint, we didn't lose much going from the first group to the second group," said Koonz. "Bryce is a vocal guy in the huddle. It's a fine line trying to talk to upper classmen like you've been there and done that before, while also conveying that they can have confidence that you're going to get them into the right fronts and checks. For the most part he did that on Saturday night and I'm really proud of him. I'm happy to see that the work he's put in really paid off."
"I remember the first meeting at spring practice because my head was spinning," Bryce told me. "Coach was drawing all these formations on the board and going 100 miles an hour and I was thinking, 'How am I going to get a hold of this?' But once we started to break it down at practice and I got some reps, it got a lot easier. I've got to give credit to the seniors and the coaches – including Coach (Luke) Goodwin the grad assistant. He's spent a lot of extra time with me going over plays and formations late at night when he could have been home."
"Linebackers are like your quarterbacks on offense – they have to know what everybody else does and Bryce has picked it up very quickly," said Tuberville. "He reminds me of Michael Barrow who I coached at Miami. He absorbed everything that you told him and never forgot it. Well, Bryce is the same way. He's a sure tackler because he takes shortcuts to the ball. That's hard to explain, but when you understand the play and the formation you can take those shortcuts."
"He's a talented kid, but there are a lot of talented kids in college football," said Koonz. "It's what you do in the meeting rooms. He came in early and the things he's done to prepare are leading to success."
And while the decision to play football for Cincinnati means he won't get a degree from Yale, Jenkinson intends to get multiple degrees at UC.
"I did a post-secondary program back at my high school which allowed me to take college and high school classes, so I actually came in here with 33 credit hours," he said. "After this semester, I will be a true freshman on the field but a junior in college. I'm trying to get as much education as I can because I'm not going to rely on my football career to carry me. I'm trying to get my finance major and then I'll probably double-major or get a Masters. We'll see where it goes."
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The Votes Are In. Are So Are My New Glasses
For most of my life I had freakishly good vision. We're talking read the license plate on a moving car hundreds of feet away kind of stuff.
Then a few years ago when I was broadcasting baseball for the Pawtucket Red Sox, I began having trouble reading on our long bus rides. I assumed it had to be the dim light – after all, I had freakishly good vision – but I decided to have my eyes checked.
After a lengthy examination, an eye doctor gave me a stern look and informed me that I had presbyopia.
"Good lord, am I going blind?" I asked.
"No," he said with a chuckle. "You're 40 and you need reading glasses."
After wearing them for several years and increasing the magnifying power a few times, I've decided to make the move to full-time prescription glasses.
And thanks to Frameri Eyewear in Over-the-Rhine it's proving to be fun.
Frameri is reinventing the eyewear industry by making stylish Italian frames with interchangeable lenses. In other words, you can change glasses as frequently as you change your shoes. Additionally, when your prescription changes your frames are no longer obsolete – you simply change the lenses.
I met the team at Frameri at their showroom at 1308 Race Street on Washington Park and tried on a wide variety of frames before turning to social media for feedback.
Initially I asked for input on my two favorite frames and voters selected the ones on the top.
Then I asked for feedback on three different colors.
The response has frankly been overwhelming. Between Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram I received hundreds of votes (including one from my mother who added that I would look handsome in any of them. Thanks mom). Over the last few weeks, dozens of people have asked me what frames I picked and when I am getting my new glasses. That's one of the reasons why I decided to write about it.
Voters narrowly picked the middle pair, but thanks to Frameri I didn't really have to choose one color thanks to the interchangeable lenses. I got the two darker frames for eyeglasses and the lighter frame for a hip pair of sunglasses.
If you live in the Cincinnati area and are looking for new glasses, I highly recommend visiting their showroom. If you don't live here, you can use their virtual try-on tool and shop online at Frameri.com.
I no longer have freakishly good vision. But I do have freakishly good glasses thanks to the #FrameChangers at Frameri Eyewear. #MadeToChange
Carter Making Case For Hybrid Role
In their 2010 season opener at Fresno State, the UC Bearcats were simply unable to protect Zach Collaros. The UC quarterback was sacked eight times, including three times by one of the Bulldogs defensive ends.
His name was Chris Carter.
Five years later, Carter's pass rushing skills are the biggest reason why he's staging a strong bid to make the Bengals 53-man roster as a hybrid linebacker/rush end.
"I had some really crazy coaches when it came to pass rushing back in high school and college," Carter told me. "It was all about repetition. Don't get tired. Wear them out with your speed. And then wear them out again, and again, and again. Eventually they're going to get tired and before you know it, you've got a sack.
"That's a skill that I'm really trying to capitalize on, but at the same time, I have to keep throwing other things in there as well – playing in space, playing linebacker, and that's something I've been improving on as well."
The 26-year-old leads the Bengals in the preseason with 2.5 sacks, and would have had another in Saturday's win over the Bears if not for a penalty in the secondary. Carter has also consistently flashed his speed rush off the edge throughout training camp.
"Any time you step on the practice field you want to make sure you get noticed by the coaches, scouts, and all of the staff," said Carter. "I just come out here every day with my hard hat on ready to work.
"Fortunately, I've been able to come out and stack good days on top of good days. That's the goal. To continue to be consistent with that and to show my worth on the practice field and in the games."
"Chris Carter has done a nice job all training camp and this preseason," said Marvin Lewis.
After recording 19.5 sacks and 38 tackles-for-loss in his four seasons at Fresno State, Carter was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round in 2011. After battling hamstring and abdomen injuries in his first two seasons, Carter appeared in 13 games for Pittsburgh in 2013 including a start at outside linebacker.
But last year, the Steelers waived Carter just before the start of the season. He was quickly picked up by the Colts and spent several weeks with Indianapolis before being waived again. The Bengals signed him in early December and Chris played in the final three games of the regular season and the Wild Card playoff loss.
"A lot of guys can get discouraged when you kind of become a journeyman," Carter told me. "I spent three years with Pittsburgh, a short time with Indy, and hope that I've found a home here.
"I respected the Bengals when I was in Pittsburgh. I don't think many Steelers will say that until they get out of the program, but when I was there, any time we talked about the Bengals there was a great amount of respect because we knew it was going to be a physical game. We knew that we were going to be hurting on the Monday and Tuesday after that game. So I was excited to come here and when a lot of the Steelers guys found out that I signed here, they were excited for me because they have a lot of respect for the coaches and players here."
While playing for Dick LeBeau and Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh, Carter says he learned an important lesson that he is keeping in mind during his strong preseason showing with Cincinnati.
"They told me, 'One day you're drinking wine and the next day you're crushing grapes,'" said Carter. "So don't ever get too high on yourself. Just stay humble, keep your nose to the grindstone, and your eyes to the sky and you'll be alright."
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Sony Xperia Z will reach the rest of the world in March
Sony Xperia Z hits UK mobile carriers following its earlier release in Japan.
The phone comes with a 5-inch touchscreen, 1.5 GHz quad-core processor with 2GB RAM, a 13 megapixel camera with 16x digital zoom, and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean installed, with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean likely to be updated soon after launch.
The waterproof phone is likely to be Sony's first serious competitor to other smartphones in the market such as Apple's iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S3.

subset: commoncrawl


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Don't miss your chance to see Beethoven in Nashville! Check out the schedule below for the concert date of your choice, then buy your Beethoven Nashville tickets before they sell out!
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Sorry! We couldn't find any events for Beethoven in Nashville.
If you were searching to see if Beethoven is coming to Nashville, then you're in luck! For their latest tour, Beethoven will indeed hold a concert in Nashville. Have an awesome concert experience when you go to see Beethoven in Nashville. Get your Beethoven tickets Nashville and join fellow fans for a concert to remember!


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Anna Kannava Scholarship
If you are a female student enrolling in or currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Arts and not born in Australia, you should consider applying for this scholarship.
|What are the benefits for you?
Cash payment of up to $1000
|One year
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All conditions must be met
Areas of hardship include:
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Your application will be assessed and ranked on information you provide in your application and supporting documentation.
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Applications for Trimester 1 2016 open 1 April 2016 and close 31 May 2016 at 5pm.
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Apply online via the Deakin Course and Scholarship Applicant Portal.
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As part of the application process you will also be required to provide supporting documentation. You must email your supporting documents with your applicant ID number in the subject line to email@example.com no later than the closing date of the scholarship.
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Please visit the Supporting documentation page for examples of the types of documents you could provide. Late or incomplete documentation will not be accepted.
|When will I know
|You will know the outcome of your application within six weeks of the closing date
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text:
Arun elated over 'Thadaiyara Thaakka' success
Arun Vijay seems to be on a happy high note, what with the success of 'Thadaiyara Thaakka'.
Arun Vijay seems to be on a happy high note, what with the success of 'Thadaiyara Thaakka' that showcased him in a different role from what we've seen in his earlier ventures.
"I thank everyone for the support showered towards Thadaiyara Thaakka, the film is running on its fourth week in more than 70 centers", says a visibly excited Arun Vijay.
The action entertainer helmed by Magizh Thirumeni, a former associate of Gautham Vasudev Menon, sees Arun Vijay and Mamta Mohandas in the lead roles with Rakul Preet Singh in a pivotal role.
TT received positive reviews from critics and is seeing a decent showing in the box-office, thanks to a commercial script that makes it a family watch


text: Posted January 10, 2013 he has been healthy every year but this year and only missed 2 games prior to this year. People keep saying this while completely ignoring DWill is that guy. Maybe I think that because he always starts training camp hurt. But you are right!! Seems like he missed more time than just 2 games. My apologies. I was going with truthiness. Something that feels true even if it isn't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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Listen to the hot new Podcast, Episode #3- "The Last Superstars". I'm predicting we may never see the rise of another Superstar again. Jump onboard "The INSIDE Groove" and find out why??
Hey guys, we're elated to announce the OFFICIAL RELEASE of "Back 2 Smooth". I'm so truly humbled by the opportunity to publish this labor of love. We are pioneering the breakdown of genre walls, and the fusion of R&B with Jazz and Inspiration. I hope with all of my heart that you're blessed by the music, and inspired by its messages.....Stay Godstrong Always
these r the things that drive me and hopefully will inspire you guys.......Demand more from yourself than anyone else......Always perform in peak mental state......Lasting change starts with a Vision coupled to a reason that's encased inside e of a great strategy!! If it's executed consistently at the highest standard possible....it goes from vision to reality!!! Remember, change is automatic, but progress isn't....it requires MIND OVER EMOTION!!.......................Godstrong/ 1Luv Vision without Action is merely a Dream! Action without Vision just passes the Time! Vision with Action can Change the World!!!!


text:
Android Apps Secretly Sending GPS User Data to Advertisers
Researchers from Duke, Penn State, and Intel Labs confirm the process.
Privacy has been a long-held concern with the Android OS and the news that a significant number of popular apps sending GPS location data to advertisers certainly won't quell these concerns.
Ars Technica reports that researchers from Duke, Penn State and Intel Labs have confirmed that of the 30 popular applications they tested, half sent data to remote advertising servers without the users' knowledge. The researchers performed this test with an application called TaintDroid, named so because it uses dynamic taint analysis to detect and report when applications send sensitive information.
Any Android user who has installed an app knows that before installing, the app prompts the user with a list of phone features the app will be able to access. A user looks these over and if they approve of the features, approves the app and it installs. It's a safety feature designed to give users control and reveal permissions that might seem fishy.
But when an app already uses location features to function, there's no way of knowing what else the app will use those features for, based on the generic description.
OMGThats because I use rooted firmware, protecting from 3rd vendors software crap.
Issue 191/2016
Buy this issue as a PDF
LinuxCon North America Convenes in Toronto, Canada
Linux Foundation's big event celebrates the 25th anniversary of Linux
Linux Turns 25
Linux has evolved from a "won't be a professional" project to one of the most professional software projects in the history of computers.
Mirantis Joins Hands with SUSE To Offer RHEL Support; Red Hat Not Happy
Competitors get in the game with RHEL without Red Hat
Linux on Windows 10 Poses a Security Risk
Security researchers have already notified Microsoft; some fixes are available
Mirantis to Refactor OpenStack Fuel for Kubernetes
The company is collaborating with Google and Intel to use Kubernetes as an engine for Fuel
Canonical Joins Document Foundation Advisory Board
The upcoming release of LibreOffice will be available as a snap package
SUSE Joins the Microsoft Test Drive Program
Customers can take a free test drive of SLES for HPC on the Azure Cloud
SiFive Launches a Line of Open Source Chips
San Francisco-based chip company announces their first fully open source chip platform.
Fedora 24 Released
The whole distro gets rebuilt on glibc 2.3
Canonical Announces Cross-Distro Support for Snaps
Ubuntu Vendor tries to solve app packaging and distribution problem across distributions.


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Fetching data from CrossRef. This may take some time to load.
Research at the interface of chemistry and biology: chemical biology, -omics sciences and systems biology.
Impact Factor 2.829 12 Issues per Year Indexed in Medline
The spectral networks paradigm in high throughput mass spectrometry
Corresponding authors
Dept. Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, USA
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Department of Pharmacology and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, USA
Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, USA
Mol. BioSyst., 2012,8, 2535-2544
Received 11 Mar 2012, Accepted 20 Apr 2012
First published online 20 Apr 2012
This article is part of themed collection: Molecular BioSystems Emerging Investigators 2012
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Cave Adventures
Many of Waitomo's subterranean adventure tours involve black-water rafting—that is, floating through the underground caverns on inflated inner tubes, dressed in wet suits and equipped with cavers' helmets. Be prepared for the pitch-black darkness and freezing cold water. Your reward is an exhilarating trip gliding through vast glowworm-lighted caverns, clambering across rocks, and jumping over waterfalls. There are also dry options. Some tours involve steep rappelling and tight underground squeezes. Each company runs several trips daily.
Kiwi Cave Rafting. Thrill-seekers can venture down below on a five-hour combo adventure that includes rappelling, black-water rafting, rock climbing, caving, and checking out the glowworms, pretty good value at NZ$225. Or you can keep dry on a three-hour tour (NZ$125) that still includes the thrilling rappel. 95 Waitomo Caves Rd., Waitomo, Waikato, 3977. 07/873–9149. www.caveraft.com.
The Legendary Black Water Rafting Company. Most adventurous types can handle the basic, three-hour Black Labyrinth trip (NZ$125), which finishes with a welcome hot shower and mug of soup back at base. Then there's the more challenging Black Odyssey (NZ$175), with four hours of twisting and turning "dry caving," and the five-hour Black Abyss (NZ$225). Though the guides and the underground scenery are great (you'll learn caving techniques from experts), these are staunch physical and emotional challenges and can be scary. Departure times depend on demand. 585 Waitomo Caves Rd., Waitomo, Waikato, 3977. 07/878–6219 or 0800/228–464. www.waitomo.com.
Waitomo Adventures. Five different trips with these caving enthusiasts release serious adrenaline. A challenging 100-meter (328-foot) rappel into the famous Lost World cave system is spectacular—not just for a thumping heart, but also for the underground landscape, illuminated by daylight sneaking in a couple of surface openings. Other tours include TumuTumu Toobing (climbing, swimming, tubing, and rafting), Haggas Honking Holes (rapelling, rock climbing, and crawling), and the seven-hour Lost World Epic (rapelling, wading, swimming, and climbing). These caves are a little way out of the main Waitomo tourist center, beneath picturesque farmland. Book ahead for discounted prices. Waitomo Adventure Centre, Waitomo Caves Rd., Waitomo, Waikato, 3977. 0800/924–866. www.waitomo.co.nz.


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Fannie, Freddie Shares Plunge
Ugly day for the common stock of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Fannie shares dropped as much as 44% Tuesday and Freddie's stock fell 39% at its low after the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Banking Committee said they had reached agreement on the broad outlines of a bill to overhaul the nation's $9.9 trillion mortgage market.
More In Fannie Mae
- Appeals Court Rules In GSE Case--But Not That GSE Case
- Stress Test Shows Fannie and Freddie Would Suffer $127.6 Billion Loss in Severe Downturn
- Fannie Mae Results Cast Pall on Shareholder Lawsuits
- Hopes Dim For Freddie Mac Shareholders
- Bond Investors Fear These Words: Call Me Maybe?
- A Surprise Twist in the Fannie and Freddie Appeal
The bill will call for replacing Fannie and Freddie with a new system of federally insured mortgage securities in which private insurers would be required to take initial losses before any government guarantee would be triggered.
Of course, considering these issues relate to Washington and the housing market, the bill most likely has a long road ahead before getting passed. But that hasn't stopped investors from fleeing the stocks Tuesday.
Both stock declines–which occurred on more than seven times their average daily volume, according to FactSet–represent a major reversal from the sharp gains registered over the past 12 months. Fannie shares, which traded as low as 29 cents a year ago, peaked at $6.35 on Tuesday before falling sharply.
The rally had reflected a major gamble by some deep-pocketed investors that they can force the government to change its stated policy and allow outside investors to share in the profits the companies have reaped in the wake of a taxpayer bailout that began in 2008 and cost $187 billion.
A big loser in Tuesday's drop is Bill Ackman, the founder of Pershing Square Capital Management, which is the top holder in Fannie shares. Pershing has notched a $231 million decline in paper losses today on Fannie's drop.
Here's a look at Fannie's stock over the past 12 months:
A 10-year chart tells a much different story:
The agreement announced Tuesday between Sens. Tim Johnson (D., S.D.) and Mike Crapo (R., Idaho) follows closely on the work of a proposal released last year by Sens. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) and Mark Warner (D., Va.).
"There is near unanimous agreement that our current housing-finance system is not sustainable in the long term," Mr. Johnson said in a statement. The current arrangement, in which Fannie and Freddie are backing nearly three in five new loans while under government control, is "unacceptable," Mr. Crapo said. Their proposal "provides a balance between providing broad access to mortgages while protecting taxpayers from losses."
–Nick Timiraos contributed to this report.


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- Report: #937774
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: Cash Net Network USA
Cash Net Network USAInternet United States of America
Cash Net Network USA Anthony Gibbs, legal adviser This people have been harrassing me for over a year; first, on the phone and now they have stolen my money e-mail address. They are threatening me with taking me to Court if I don't respond, Internet
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"My name is Anthony Gibbs and I am a legal adviser with CASH NET Network USA law firm. ...
"Our client is pressing charges against your name regarding three serious criminal allegations:
1) Violation of federal banking regulations; 2) Collateral Cheque Fraud; 3)Theft by deception. . . . .
" We have all the rights reserved to inform to FBI, FTC, your employer and bank about fraud.
"The entire cost for this law suit is $5.468.89 which is excluding loan amount, attorney's fees,and the interest charges. You have the right to hire an attorney. If you don't have one or if you can't afford then one will appointed for you, but please make sure you have someone to take you out of jail whe the judge hears the case.
Legal Adviser Anthony Gibbs, Cash Net Network USA"
This is in essence the e-mail I received. I don't know how this people acquired my name, SSN, telephone number and now my e-mail address. I know this is a scam because you have other reports regarding this issue with the exact words. When they were calling, they used different names, different law firms, but it was usually the same person talking even though he was using a different name , and a different phone number everytime he called.
Every peron who called had an Asian Indian accent. I asked them many to stop the scams that they would not take one cent out of me and that they were wasting their time, now they have resorted to this threatening e-mails. I reported them to the FTC, but they continued to call and now this. Apparently, nothing can stop them from harrassing people, but at least I am letting others know through your website. Thank you for being a means where we can alert others of criminal activities against us.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 09/06/2012 08:36 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Cash-Net-Network-USA/internet/Cash-Net-Network-USA-Anthony-Gibbs-legal-adviser-This-people-have-been-harrassing-me-for-937774. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.
Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Cash Net Network USA
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#1 Consumer Suggestion
This is what I do
AUTHOR: Niko234 - (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, September 06, 2012POSTED: Thursday, September 06, 2012
My personal favorite is "when was the last time you ate spaghetti?". They will not know how to answer your question because that is not on their call cards. Keep pressing them for information on who "they" are and I will bet a bottom dollar they leave you alone. While it is a scam they fall under the same rules as telemarketers here in the US. If they do not make their quota of scam calls that produce results they are fired.
Are you an owner, employee or ex-employee with either negative or positive information about the company or individual, or can you provide "insider information" on this company?
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If you haven't seen your alma mater recently, take a look at what all the buzz is about.
During the month of January 2016, Sycamore High School's Student Athletic Leadership Team (SALT) and Student Council teamed up for the "Hoops for Hope" effort to raise money for Liz Lothrop, daughter of SHS Math Teacher Randy Lothrop, as she battles cancer. A check was presented to Liz at the basketball game on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016.
Donations are still being accepted...anyone wanting to donate money to the Hoops for Hope fundraiser can send the donation to: Sycamore HS SALT7400 Cornell Rd. Cincinnati OH 45242. Please make checks payable to Sycamore Athletic Boosters
On January 30th, 2016, the following individuals were inducted into the Sycamore Athletic Hall of Fame. Congrats to them all!: Barbara Barnes Lunkenheimer, Jim Chumbley, Wesley Brown, Steve Hull, Karen Nesbitt, Coach Deb Klemt, Jim Stoll; Paula Gill (Spirit Award); Team honor: the 2002 Girls Softball team.
Several hundred retirees, alumni, and staff shared in the fellowship of the holiday season on Thursday, Dec. 17th 2015. We hope to see you next year!
Russ Newsom (Class of 2002) and Andrew Mott (Class of 2008) spoke to students at Sycamore High School in November of 2015. Russ worked in the White House from 2004-2007 and Andrew has worked in over 80 countries in seven years. Students were excited to hear from these two accomplished alumni.


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I have a BMW 2003 325i. I wanted to try and get the rear seats to fold so that I can transport some luggage. However, I couldnt find any levers or anything.
I read the manual and it lists the folding seats as an optional item; if its present, then I should see some levers inside the trunk. I didnt find any. To make things horrifying, I found a metal sheet behind the seats which pretty much implies that even if I manage to fold the seats, its pointless; the trunk space doesnt increase.
So is there anyway to get extra trunk space in my car? How much will an average BMW dealer charge me to get this option?
Thanks, Veerags.
You can't add the option, it has to be built in. If you have it, the mechanism is obvious, if you haven't got it, you'll never have it with this car. There is nothing preventing you from putting the luggage directly into the back seat.
Jeff Strickland wrote:
I feared as much.
BTW, the "luggage" I was talking about was 6 feet long. Some custom made stuff. It wont fit in the car unless I fold the back seats.
I guess I will ask my Corolla driving colleague to help out then; thats going to crush my BMW ego :-(
Class-1 wrote:
I was thinking about this other day - can one just cut a great big hole in the metal sheet across the back or does there need to be some more reinforcement somewhere?
firstname.lastname@example.com wrote on 25 Apr 2006 02:52:28 -0700:
You should be able to fit an aftermarket "ski bag" (if it's the same as the metal not-folding rear seat in my E36 - never even checked before I bought it) - there's a rectangular panel in the middle of the sheet which can be punched out (it has reinforcement around it), and the ski bag fits into the hole. It'll take long thin items (I never got around to actually fitting one for my snowboard, I ended up just slinging it onto the back seat), and extends out where the rear seat armrest folds down.
Fred W wrote:
(mumble, mumble) cant have a single thread thread here without the "driving machine" argument popping up. :-(
Motorsforum.com is a website by car enthusiasts for car enthusiasts. It is not affiliated with any of the car or spare part manufacturers or car dealers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.


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Japanese role playing games haven't been doing too nicely recently. The most successful series like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest have been struggling in the West due to the uneven quality of the latest titles and the lack of new releases respectively, leaving a void that has yet to be filled properly.
The Tales Of series, developed by Bandai Namco, on the contrary, has definitely been on the rise in the West in recent years, trying to fill the void left by the lack of good JRPG releases on home consoles. Tales Of Graces F and Tales Of Xillia have managed to become somewhat successful, despite some shortcomings that prevented them from appealing to a bigger audience and not just die-hard fans of the series. Combining the best from both games, Tales Of Xillia 2 has the potential of becoming a really big hit, thanks to its strong story, characters and gameplay experience.
Being a direct sequel to the first game, Tales Of Xillia 2 features, alongside the new main characters, the same cast of the original game and a similar gameplay experience with some important enhancements. While some shortcomings and small issues are still present, Tales Of Xillia 2 is overall a better game than its predecessor and a really good Japanese role playing game.
Tales Of Xillia 2 stars Ludger Kresnik, who lives in the city of Trigleph on Olympios with his brother Julius and his cat Rollo. On the first day on his new job, Ludger finds himself on a hijacked train after following the little girl Elle Mel Marta. Little does he know that this fateful encounter will bring him not only to discover the hidden power of the Kresnik family but also to become an agent from Spirius Corporation, embarking on a journey to destroy alternate timelines and reach the fabled Land Of Canaan, where Elle has to go under orders from her father.
Joining Ludger and Elle on their quest are all the main characters of the original Tales Of Xillia, including Gaius and Muzèt, who were not playable in the original game. The old cast, however, doesn't have a huge role in main storyline, letting Ludger and Elle stay in the spotlight for the majority of it. And this is not a bad thing at all since this is their quest and their story and it will be their lives that will be forever changed at the end of this journey. The focus on the two new main characters also makes the story more heartfelt and personal, with a lot of unexpected dark turns and sad moments that truly make it shine. Everything still resolves in a "save the world" outcome, but the way it's presented involves players on an emotional level unlike any other Tales of game. The pacing of the story is also excellent, with very few dull moments.
One of the main features of Tales Of Xillia 2 is the choices system, which allow gamers to choose Ludger's response during many dialogues. The dialogue choices will influence the following cutscene and, at times, change how the other characters feel towards Ludger, raising or lowering their affinity with him. Unfortunately the choice system comes with a price, as Ludger is completely silent during story scenes. The inclusion of a silent protagonist is pretty hit and miss: it's clear how Ludger has a definite and honestly quite likeable personality, but the choice system ultimately damages the character. It's almost if the team decided to make him silent only after the character has been created as a regular Tales Of main character. It's possible to unlock Ludger's voice from the second playthrough onward, but it does very little to ease the issue.
One of the biggest complaints about the original Tales Of Xillia was its linearity. The sequel does give gamers more freedom as well as plenty of side content that can be completed between story chapters. The side quests are actually needed to gather money, as players will have to repay a debt to move forward. After a certain point early in the game, Ludger will become indebted, with new story chapters and areas of the world becoming available only after a certain amount of the debt has been paid. The debt system can be a little annoying at times, with Nova constantly calling you during exploration if you have enough money to pay the current threshold, but it's not a major issue, especially if you pay pack the needed amount of money to proceed as soon as possible.
Between story chapters it will also be possible to go through Character Episodes, which are side story chapters focused on the Tales Of Xillia cast. Character Episode are probably one of the best features of the game, since they allow gamers to learn more of the characters and see what their lives have become following the events of the first game. This allows for plenty of character development without slowing down the main plot, since they're completely optional. However it's better not to skip them, as they are really interesting and add quite a lot to the game's story.
Tales Of Xillia 2 uses an enhanced version of the battle system used in Tales Of Xillia, with a lot of new features that make battles even more enjoyable. The Cross Dual Raid Linear Motion Battle System is an action battle system that allows players to link with other characters during battle and perform powerful Link Artes. Together with the unique Link Artes that can be performed with a specific combination of characters and Artes, in Tales Of Xillia 2 it's also possible to perform generic Link Artes with any character and Arte combination, further expanding battle possibilities. These Link Artes aren't the only addition to the battle system, as it's now possible to side step to avoid attacks and obtain a damage bonus multiplier by hitting several weak spots, just like in Tales Of Graces F. The weakness system also makes boss battles slightly more enjoyable, as obtaining a big multiplier reduces the chances of the enemy breaking out of combos.
Tales Of Xillia 2 employs the same Assault Counter system used by the first game, with the total AC number dictating the number of actions and Artes that can be performed consecutively. The system works as nicely as in the first game, allowing gamers to create some really nice and powerful combos. And you will be doing plenty of them during the course of the game, as the combo possibilities for the old characters have even been enhanced with some brand new Artes. Leia is definitely the character that enjoys the biggest improvement, as her moveset has been expanded vastly, making her one of the funnest characters to use in battle.
For obvious reasons, Ludger will play a central role during battles, as he is the only one who can hit pretty much all weaknesses by himself thanks to its huge moveset. Ludger's special ability is Weapon Shift, which allows him to seamlessly switch between Dual Swords, Hammer and Dual Guns. It's entirely possible to create some multi weapons combos, making the character incredibly unique among the playable cast and even the whole series. During the course of the game he will also acquire a special ability that will allow him to use the powers of the Kresnik family and fight the enemies in a special area where he fights alone and cannot be damaged for a limited amount of time.
While the battle system has been expanded and improved, sadly the rest of the experience didn't. The game recycles pretty much all locations and bosses from the first game, with some of the older bosses appearing even more than once between story chapters and Character Episodes! Rieze Maxia is also identical to the first game, with only Olympios receiving two new towns and a few new fields, designed with the same Tales Of Xillia mentality: lots of items to collect and enemies to fight but no real incentive for exploration, with the exception of the Giganto Monsters hunt, a welcome return from Tales Of Vesperia. The few new dungeons are slightly better than Tales Of Xillia's ones, with a few simple puzzles to complete, but they're too few to actually make a difference. Recycled locations mean that the graphics don't look that much better than Tales Of Xillia. There are some small improvements that enhance them, but it's really nothing major. Sadly, the game still suffers from the same slowdowns during battles that plagued the original game.
The soundtrack, on the other hand, is excellent from beginning to end. Alongside tunes from the original Tales Of Xillia, there are some new ones that are truly excellent like the new battle themes, some boss themes and all the background tracks for the Olympios towns and fields, which retain the same unique jazzy feel of the Trigleph town track. Voice acting is also quite good from beginning to end, with only Elle's voice feeling a bit forced. This also was an issue in the Japanese version so it's not a huge problem. There's an awkward delivery here and there as well, like during Jude's Mystic Arte, but nothing truly grating.
Everything considered, Tales Of Xillia 2 is a worthy addition to the Tales Of series and a better game than its predecessor thanks to the great story and characters and improved battle system. The amount of recycled content is disturbing at times but if you can look past this and a few other small issues, you will find a remarkable role playing game that can keep you engaged for a very long time.


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Skill Level Beginner
- The courtesy is one of the most complex business-writing concepts with much psychological impact. The two prongs of courteous writing are writing with a positive tone, and writing from your reader's viewpoint. Let's first discuss the importance of having a positive tone and how to achieve it. A positive tone results from positive words. Negative words often referred to as red flag words causes to have negative reactions. Negative words come in a variety of categories.
The obvious "no" or "not" words. The negative connotation words. Reminders of the negative situation. Preachy words and doubtful words. Think how you react when someone says to you, "You can't." "You won't be able to." "You failed." Human nature is such that we immediately become defensive and reply with something such as, "Well, it wasn't my fault." "No one told me." Or "You didn't make it clear what you wanted." Here's an example. The first thing someone says to you when you arrived to work is "You forgot to turn off the lights last night" "before you left." Maybe you're a kinder person than I am and might respond with, "Thank you for reminding me." "I'll try to do better next time." My response would probably be, "Everyone expects me to do everything," or "That's not in my job description." If you can keep out all or at least most of the negatives, then you reduce your reader's resistance.
Focus on what is or can be rather than on what isn't or can't be. That's sort of like the glass is half full or half empty analogy. Do you see the differences in these sentences? You won't get your supplies until Friday. You will receive your supplies on Friday. Or you can't reserve Room 111 on June 10 which is negative. But Room 111 is already reserve for June 10 but it is available on June 9 or 11.
That revision has a positive tone. Or we can't allow you a refund after 30 days. It can be revised to have a positive tone to your item is eligible for a refund for 30 days. These no are not words or obviously negative and usually are easy to identify. However, negatives come in a variety of other categories. Let's look at the next kind of negatives. Superior words. These words have negative connotations.
Grant, permit, and allow. If you are in a higher level position, you usually allow or permit someone in a lower position to do something. If you tell a customer, we will permit or allow you to return the item for replacement. The customer is likely to hear a condescending tone. Writing, "Please return your item for a replacement," eliminates that tone. The next type of negative words are reminders of a negative situation.
Writing about the problem, the inconvenience, the broken part, those all remind the reader of the negative. Look at the negative focus in these sentences. The broken computer you sent is now repaired. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Broken and inconvenience are the words the reader sees. You want your reader focusing on the repair and the solution. Your repaired computer will be delivered tomorrow. Or a new process will help you get faster service.
Preachy words also cause us to become defensive. You must fill out this form if you want to enroll in the program. Change the preachy tone to please fill out the form so that you will be enrolled in the program. You have to have your receipt before you get a refund. Or please show your receipt to get a full refund. Finally, we have doubtful or uncertain words. Hope and if can also be negative words when used to show that you aren't certain you've satisfied the reader that he will return.
I hope I've satisfied you. Here is a 20% off coupon if you ever do business with us again. Writing, "You will receive your requested replacement." Or here is a 20% off coupon to use the next time you're in the store. Remove the doubt and the uncertainty. Using positive language to give negative information takes more thought but is possible and worthy effort. The second part of courteous writing is called reader benefit or you viewpoint.
Always ask yourself what the reader gets rather than focusing on what you, the writer, are giving or your emotional state. Put yourself in your reader's position. Try to think like that reader. How would you react if you receive that message? Look at this sentence. I'm happy to inform you that we are giving you a $10 discount. The writer is telling the reader how she feels rather than giving the reader the news that she really wants.
Here's another example. We have had to raise our prices because we've had a decline in profits and can't continue to lose money. The writer's only concern in that sentence is that our company continue to make money. Let's rephrase those sentences to focus on the reader's interests. You will receive a $10 discount. So that you may continue to receive high-quality service, the minimum charge on your account is now $10. Courteous writing means using a positive tone and focusing on reader's benefits.
Human nature is that we all want to know what's in it for me. We want a tone that doesn't cost us to become defensive or insulted. Writing courteously is a win-win situation. The writer makes the reader feel valued.


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ASB tenant evicted from home
Published by Katie for Cross Keys Homes in Housing and also in Communities, Health
A HARSH warning is being sent to nuisance neighbours following the eviction of a tenant from a local housing association for anti-social behaviour.
Cross Keys Homes successfully gained an eviction order against Dennis Kelsey (58), from his sheltered scheme home at Norburn in Bretton, following months of noise disturbance and rowdy gatherings at his property which often went on into the early hours of the morning.
Mr Kelsey only moved into the property in June 2013 and by October several complaints about his behaviour and noise nuisance had already been made by his neighbours.
Cross Keys Homes' Anti-Social Behaviour team firstly worked to try and engage with Mr Kelsey to limit the number of visitors and improve their collective behaviours, however Mr Kelsey was never at home for any of the pre-arranged home visits and the nuisance continued, despite also multiple written warnings about his conduct.
As Mr Kelsey had lived on the scheme for under a year his tenancy agreement meant that the housing association could invoke eviction proceedings which took place at court in December, giving him two months to leave the property. As Mr Kelsey did not leave, Cross Keys Homes then applied to the court to evict him and the eviction took place last week.
Cross Keys Homes' Anti-Social Behaviour Manager, Gemma Wood said: "Mr Kelsey and his visitors severely affected the quality of life for other residents on this very popular sheltered scheme. It is very unusual for us to take this kind of action against residents of our sheltered schemes for obvious reasons but if we are put in a position where we have no other choice we will not hesitate to do so.
"It's great that as a result of intensive support from the Scheme Manager, the residents helped us to gather evidence to show that Mr Kelsey repeatedly breached his tenancy agreement, despite warnings from us. This enabled us to gain a possession order which was enforced because Mr Kelsey refused to mend his ways.
Gemma added: "We hope now that he has been evicted, peace and quiet can be restored to the scheme once more."
If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour in your neighbourhood and are a Cross Keys Homes' tenant, then call its Anti-Social Behaviour team on: 01733 386404.
You can also text: ASB followed by the details of the problem to: 60066. This is a free service which tenants can use to text any anti-social behaviour problems to Cross Keys Homes whenever and wherever they occur.
For further information on Cross Keys Homes visit: www.crosskeyshomes.co.uk
£10.8m upgrade for homes in Northern Ireland
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