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New Hornets brass already facing crisis with Paul
July 21, 2010
By Ken Berger
CBSSports.com Senior Writer
Tell Ken your opinion!
Welcome to the hottest seat in the NBA, Dell Demps. All you have to do is persuade Chris Paul to stay in New Orleans -- an uphill battle that begins now.
Chris Paul has spent time planning changes to his branding strategy. (US Presswire)
Chris Paul has spent time planning changes to his branding strategy. (US Presswire)
When Paul was quoted a few weeks ago as saying he'd be open to a trade if the Hornets aren't committed to building a championship team, it was only a small hint as to the size of the chasm that exists between the franchise and its cornerstone player. Paul, in fact, has put into motion an aggressive exit strategy that will accelerate in the coming weeks, and his clear intention is to be traded before the start of the 2010-11 season, a person with direct knowledge of his plans told CBSSports.com Wednesday.
"He wants out," said the person, who has been briefed on Paul's strategy but spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it publicly. "He wants to play with another superstar. He wants to follow LeBron's model of teaming up with other great players."
Paul's list of preferred destinations consists of the Knicks, Magic and Lakers, and members of his inner circle already have sent word to the Hornets of his desire to be traded to one of those teams, sources say. If Paul has his way, he's played his last game in a Hornets jersey.
"He feels like they haven't put the right pieces together," said the person familiar with the star point guard's plans.
Paul, a three-time All-Star, still has two years before he can become a free agent. But his dissatisfaction with the Hornets' downward spiral, coupled with the coup pulled off by James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami has only accelerated his desire to seek a trade. Sources within the NBA say members of Paul's camp have told them recently, "He's not going to start the season in New Orleans."
In the past year, Paul has publicly expressed mild and measured frustration with the direction of the Hornets, who have spiraled out of contention since they capped a 56-win season in 2007-08 with a loss to the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals. That was followed by a 49-win season that ended with an embarrassing first-round loss to the Nuggets, including a disgraceful 58-point home loss in Game 4. Bryon Scott was fired nine games into the 2009-10 season, and that only seemed to exacerbate Paul's concerns about his future in New Orleans.
Early last season, days before Scott was fired, Paul admitted he was "envious, very envious" of his friends and peers -- James, Wade and Carmelo Anthony -- who had enjoyed far more team success in the early stages of their careers.
"Those guys have been where I want to get to," Paul said. "This is my fifth year in the league and I'm not trying to wait until I'm an old veteran in this league trying to win a championship. We're trying to win now. Whatever we have to do to win, we've got to do now."
The Hornets missed the playoffs for the first time in three years under interim coach Jeff Bower, who was reinstated to his GM post with the hiring of coach Monty Williams and then fired last week. Enter Demps, a respected personnel man who played an important support role in the Spurs' decade of success. Will the duo of Williams and Demps, both having ascended to top NBA jobs for the first time, be enough to get Paul to backtrack from his desire to be traded?
Williams and Hornets president Hugh Weber both told CBSSports.com in the past week that they plan to sit down face-to-face with Paul to sell him on the team's new direction. Paul won't go public with his trade request -- if he did, he'd be subject to a fine under NBA rules -- but those with knowledge of his plans believe his desire to pair up with another superstar (or two) has gained too much momentum to stop.
Related Info
* Moore: Who's in line for CP3?
* Young: What the Hornets should get for Paul
* Hornets pluck Demps to be GM
* Paul update, other news
In late June, Paul, 25, spent several days in Akron, Ohio, with James, who was busy orchestrating his own exit strategy from Cleveland. The two friends and superstars picked each other's brains, with each persuading the other to make significant changes in their branding strategies. For Paul, it was a big step to persuade James to join the social networking phenomenon that is Twitter. For James' part, he finally persuaded Paul to join his Cleveland-based marketing company, LRMR.
Paul's decision to sign with LRMR, headed by James' close friend and advisor, Maverick Carter, was only the first step in his exit plan from New Orleans. Paul officially severed his representation agreement with Octagon earlier this month and will soon officially join the influential stable of clients represented by Creative Artists Agency.
With a stranglehold on the top free-agent talent, CAA dictated the terms, pace and outcome of the monumental free-agent class of 2010. CAA clients James and Bosh agreed to join forces with fellow CAA client Wade in Miami, forming a rare triumvirate through the leverage and friendship of players as opposed to the whim of management.
Paul will be represented by CAA agent Leon Rose, who also represents James and potential 2011 free agents Anthony and Tony Parker. Miami's Big Three haven't even run a layup drill, and yet CAA already has the foundation in place to run the table in the free-agent summer of 2011, as well. But with a lockout looming and superstars Paul, Anthony, and to a lesser degree Parker uneasy about their current situations, those plans already are in motion.
Paul's former representatives at Octagon, Jeff Austin and Lance Young, did not respond to phone calls seeking comment, nor did Rose. William Wesley, CAA's behind-the-scenes operative known as "World Wide Wes," who is now a coaching agent with CAA, declined to comment. Paul's strategy has yet to reach the team level in terms of proposals exchanged, sources say. For one thing, Paul has been mired in the 15-day waiting period to officially hire a new agent after severing ties with Octagon. Also, it has been his desire to be forthright with ownership and management in discussing the matter. Williams, a first-year head coach, was hired last month and plans to meet with Paul extensively in the coming weeks to explain his vision. Demps hasn't even completed his first day on the job yet.
Paul's inclusion of the Magic on his list dovetails with CBSSports.com's report June 30 that star center Dwight Howard has asked Orlando management to pursue a trade for Paul -- although Magic GM Otis Smith said by phone Wednesday that he is unaware of such a plan. The team that has most aggressively positioned itself to reap the benefits of CAA's latest power nexus is the Knicks, who struck out in their pursuit of this summer's Big Three but perhaps didn't whiff permanently.
Team president Donnie Walsh's first step was signing power forward Amar'e Stoudemire to a five-year, $99.9 million deal. The move wasn't successful in swaying James or Wade, but it represents the first piece of a strategy designed to land Paul, Parker or Anthony -- or perhaps, even two of them. According to sources familiar with the Knicks' strategy, part of the reason for orchestrating the sign-and-trade for David Lee -- which yielded young talents Anthony Randolph and Kelenna Azubuike from Golden State -- was to stock the roster with attractive assets that could be used to acquire such marquee players if the opportunities presented themselves.
Since they are not free agents at the same time, sources say Paul, Anthony and Parker won't have the same power that Miami's Big Three wielded this summer. Given that he has two years left on his contract before he can exercise a player option, Paul's desire for a trade will be a test of his leverage. It will also be a test of the Hornets' new duo of decision-makers, Williams and Demps, who will have to determine when Paul's value will be maximized -- if they agree to trade him at all.
Parker already has publicly stated his intention to pass on an extension and become a free agent next summer, while Anthony thus far balked at signing the Nuggets' three-year, $65 million extension offer. With a lockout looming after the season, friends of Anthony believe he is seriously torn between cashing in on what's left of max money as we know it and following his buddy, James, in trying to orchestrate a surefire championship celebration. Earlier this month, empowered by his time spent in Ohio with James, Paul was reported to have toasted the idea of forming "our own Big Three" with Stoudemire and Anthony during Anthony's wedding in New York. That comment, never publicly corroborated by Paul, is directly in line with what sources say has become his overriding strategy for the next step in his career. Call it the Miami Model, the South Beach Effect, or whatever you want. It's the new normal for young NBA superstars looking for a new home and a better chance to win.
"Players want to follow in those footsteps," an NBA front office source said. "They all want to do that. Everyone got excited about it, and it opened up the players' imaginations as to what they could do."


text: This news item expired on 5/2/2014, so the information below could be outdated or incorrect. Bids Accepted for Janitorial Services at Branch Libraries ELECTRONIC ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 143-131as amended, informal bids and proposals will be received by the Purchasing Division for the County of Buncombe for the following: Janitorial Services – Branch Libraries Bid Event #242 There will be a pre bid meeting on April 21, 2014 at 10:00 AM (EST). The meeting will be held in the Lord Auditorium – lower level of Pack Library, 67 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC 28801. Bids will be due on, May 2, 2014 at 3:00 PM (EST) and must be submitted electronically through the Buncombe County electronic bidding system. The system can be accessed at the Buncombe County website. There will be no public bid opening to comply with North Carolina General Statute 143-131. Buncombe County encourages bids from minority businesses by providing certified minorities an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of the procurement process. For questions on viewing specifications electronically or on how to receive bid information, please contact the Purchasing Department at: (828)250-4130. The Purchasing Manager reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all bids. Bid Request Authorized by: Buncombe County Purchasing Department: Buncombe County Public Libraries This, the 14th day of April, 2014.

subset: commoncrawl


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CLARETS superfan Dave Burnley will be celebrating 40 years without missing a game, at Blackpool on Good Friday.
Dave will wear his special denim suit, which he calls his 'thirty three piece suit' to commemorate the milestone.
The suit makes an appearance every year at the first away game, after April 10, as he last missed a competitive match against Newcastle on April 10, 1974.
That means it will be on show at the seaside as Burnley look to edge clos-er to promotion back to the Premier League.
Dave, who lives in Madeley, near Stoke, and changed his name by deed poll in 1976, said: "I started going to games in 1968 and got a denim jacket for my 15th birthday, which I still wear now.
"I always used to wear a denim shirt and jeans to the games in that era, which is why I wear the suit at the away game after April 10 every year.
"The game I missed was away at Newcastle in 1974.
"There was a miners strike going on and week-day matches were being played in the afternoon to save electricity.
"The Newcastle game had been postponed six times already, and I had gone to two of those.
"I was ringing the club on my dinner hour every day to ask if it had been rearranged.
"But they never told me, and it went ahead without me realising.
"I'm very proud of going 40 years without missing a game.
"But I would love to go back and be at that game as well."
Friday's game also brings back good memories for Dave, who celebrated the second division title in 1973 in the town.
After the Clarets drew at Preston, Dave headed to the coast and, after a long night of partying, ended up sleeping in a lifeboat moored on the famous promenade.


text:
Mail: Southern statues symbolize suppession
Mail: Thanks for helping Aiden
More opinion
Fall: Good time to spray musk thistle in rosette stage
Robertson and Delsing re-elected chair, vice chair of NWB
More Ag News
A rundown of entertainment in North Platte and Lincoln County.
Every Saturday - Outdoor farmer's market, downtown Parkade Plaza. Produce, crafts, etc. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Also, open air market @ Garden Glove Garden Center (1800 E. 12th). Crafts, produce, flowers, meat, live music, etc. 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 21
North Platte High School parking lot Bulldog Backyard BBQ with competing cooking teams. Public welcome. 5-7:30 p.m. Adults: $10, Kids 6-10: $5, Kids 5 and under: free. Funds support NP Public School students and educators.
VFW Post 1504 (2100 E. 4th) - Dance to Jim Calhoun. Open to public. Starts at 7 p.m.
Cedar Bowl (1100 S. Jeffers) Cosmic bowling under black lights. 8-11 p.m. $4 per game.
Sculleys Shooters (2221 E. Fourth) Live music by Judd Hoos. 9 p.m. Cover charge.
Saturday, Sept. 22
Autumn Park Community Room (off of 900 E. Philip) Third annual Fall Into Winter Craft Bazaar with fall, winter and holiday themes. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
D&N Center Platte River Sportsmens Club Gun and Knife Show with raffle and door prizes and lunch and snacks available. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $3, 12 and under: free.
Centennial Park - Second Annual Out Of The Darkness Walk for suicide prevention. Registration at 9 a.m. Walk starts at 10:30 a.m. Contact Mellisa Millard 539-0440.
Platte River Mall National Gymnastics Day featuring children ages 2-18 and sponsored by Starz School of Gymnastics. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
A to Z Books (507 N. Jeffers) West central Nebraskas Open Mic Nite. Established performers and newcomers. 7-10:30 p.m. Free-will donation. Refreshments provided or bring your own.
VFW Post 1504 (2100 E. 4th) - Dance to the band Cruzin. Open to public. Starts at 6 p.m. in beer garden.
Sculleys Shooters (2221 E. Fourth) Graveyard of Empires Tour 2012 featuring Evans Blue with special guests State Your Cause and Preffered Meathod. Begins 8:30 p.m. Tickets: $12.
Sunday, Sept. 23
VFW Post 1504 - Live music/dance with Ray Mullen. Starts at 7 p.m. Public welcome. Free-will donation.
Wednesday, Sept. 26
Pop Corner (1847 W. A) Live piano and song by Shermie Wiehe. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
VFW Post 1504 (2100 E. Fourth) bingo, total of 24 games, starts at 6:45 p.m.
North Platte Senior Center (900 E. Tenth) the Golden Classics, a four-piece combo, plays a dance. 7-10 p.m. $3.
Friday, Sept. 28
Harvest Christian NW campus (2607 US-30 W.) Spaghetti dinner sponsored by HCF Poland Mission Team with 50% proceeds dontated to Kendra Burkholder Medical Fund. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Adult: $5, Children 10 and under: $3.
Sculleys Shooters (2221 E. Fourth) Live music by Lewis Brice. 9 p.m. Cover charge.
Saturday, Sept. 29
Potters Pasture (Brady) Campfire run with chili feed, smores, and live music. Live music by Paul Siebert. Starts at 5 p.m. Free laser tag at 2:30 p.m.
Childrens Museum (314 N. Jeffers) PaleoAdventures Day Camp lead by Walter Stein, student of fossils and dinosaur skeletons. Morning class for grades K-5 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Afternoon class for grades 6-12 1:30-4:30 p.m. Lecture and book signing at 7 p.m. Members: $20, Non-members: $25.
Sunday, Sept. 30
Linden Estates (3700 W. Philip) Hike to the Spike to End Alzheimers. Registration at 1 p.m. Walk begins at 1:30 p.m. Awards at 3 p.m. Silent auction and raffle prizes at 3:30 p.m.
VFW Post 1504 (2100 E. 4th) - Dance to Jim Calhoun. Open to public. Starts at 7 p.m. Free-will donation.
Monday, Oct. 1
Holy Spirit Catholic Church Story & Song Tour featuring top musicians Steve Angrisano, Sarah Hart, and Jesse Manibusan. Begins 7 p.m. Free will offering.
Friday, Oct. 5
Harvest Christian Fellowship main campus (1501 S. Dewey). Family movie night, Madagascar 3. 7 p.m. No admission charge.
Sculleys Shooters (2221 E. Fourth) Live music by Sheila Greenland. 9 p.m. Cover charge.
Saturday, Oct. 6
Quality Inn & Suites (2102 S. Jeffers) 10th annual GREEN fundraiser to support North Platte Catholic Schools. Dinner, entertainment, auctions, and a lottery drawing. Begins 5 p.m. Tickets: $50.
Friday, Oct. 12
The Depot (520 N. Jeffers) North Platte Business & Professional Women Wine & Brews Festival with mirco brews and hors doevres. Silent auction at 5 p.m. 5-8 p.m. Tickets: $25.
Saturday, Oct. 13
D&N Event Center Disorderly Conduct Mixed Martial Arts fights. 7-9 p.m. General admission: $20, Cageside: $45. Tickets available at cagetix.com.
Sunday, Oct. 14
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church (3301 Echo Dr.) Pumpkin festival with games, food, auction, raffle, and pony, hayrack, and mini-train rides. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 18
Sculleys Shooters (2221 E. Fourth) Live music by Jason Boland and The Stragglers. 9 p.m. Cover charge.
To get your entertainment event listed, email firstname.lastname@example.com, call 308-696-0052 or drop a note at the Bulletin office.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
1300 E 4th St., Suite F
North Platte, NE 69101


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Collaborating with the Music Industry
November 27, 2013
Elliot Lum of Columbia Records discusses the five differences between music marketing and marketing a traditional consumer product or service in this Insight Brief. Read about the key players in the music ecosystem, core partnership principles, and more, told through brand case studies and interviews.
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With just less than two weeks before the start of our draft I would like to make sure everyone has their player list, if not finsihed, at least started?
I'm not so much concerned about our returning owners but I'd like to hear from you as well, just to be sure. If you're new to the league this year I'd like to know if you have an ordered list that you will be using to make your picks from. I really don't need to know any details as long as you have a plan thats good enough for me. There will be 288 players drafted so plan accordingly.
If you are a rookie to the ABA this year & do not have a player list started, let me know ASAP. I have a very detailed list that I'm willing to share with the rookies.
I know the draft will not be nearly as rushed as before but I would like everyone as prepared as possible when the 21st rolls around.


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honors program
Grants & Scholarships
EMU offers merit-based scholarships to students with outstanding academic achievement. In recent years, EMU has offered close to $1 million in academic merit scholarships to first-year classes. Academic scholarships are based on a students three-year cumulative high school average (freshman through junior year) and the highest SAT combined score or ACT composite score of tests taken by January of the senior year. Academic scholarships range from $10,000 to $17,000 per year and are renewable for four years depending on academic performance.
Federal | State | EMU | Outside Agencies | Estimator | Admissions
Federal Pell Grant
Awarded to students with exceptional financial need. The amount of the award is determined annually by the U.S. Department of Education based on information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). See Federal Pell Grant Information.
Federal Need-Based Grant
Awarded to students with exceptional financial need. The amount of the award is determined by EMU based on the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Funds are limited.
More information on the retention of federal grants can be found at Satisfactory Academic Progress
Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG)
Awarded to Virginia residents regardless of financial need. The amount of the award is determined annually by the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia. In 2016-17 students will receive up to $3,200. A VTAG application must be filed by July 31. Students who remain continuously enrolled full-time are not required to re-apply each year. Students who do not stay continuously enrolled may need to reapply.
AHANA Student Grant
Eastern Mennonite University offers this grant to AHANA (Americans of African, Hispanic, Asian and Native American descent). Admitted students must have a cumulative high school or transfer GPA of 2.5 or above and show financial need as determined by the FAFSA.
Departmental Scholarships
Several academic programs offer scholarships. These include:
- digital media and photography
- education
- engineering
- math
- music
- theater
Local Hispanic Grant
Awarded to local Latino students with financial need from Augusta, Page, Rockingham and Shenandoah counties of Virginia. More information is available from the Financial Assistance Office or Multicultural Programs Office.
Honors Scholars
A limited number of first-year students are awarded Honors Scholarships. These major grants are renewable for three additional years. Honors Scholarships are highly selective and are awarded on the basis of academic performance in high school, SAT or ACT scores and demonstrated leadership potential. The Honors Program involves a mentoring relationship with a professor, as well as honors courses. Students who apply for admission by November 1 and meet minimum academic criteria will be invited to apply for the Honors Program .
Academic Scholarships
Awarded to students based on high school GPA, SAT scores, ACT scores, or previous college GPA. A separate application for academic scholarships is not required. Students who qualify for an academic scholarship will be notified with their admissions decision letter.
Students must maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA (3.0 for Honors Scholarship) at EMU to continue receiving the scholarship. Lost scholarships may not be regained. Academic scholarships are limited to 8 semesters of full-time career enrollment at EMU and at any prior higher education institutions. More information on the retention of academic scholarships can be found at Satisfactory Academic Progress
Endowed scholarships
Most of these scholarships follow specific guidelines established by the endowment fund. Criteria include such items as GPA, major, place of residence, level of financial need, and demonstrated abilities. The Financial Assistance Office works closely with appropriate academic departments in selecting recipients each year.
Alumni Dependent Grant
An award of $1000 to students who have a parent(s) who is an alumnus of EMU. The grant is only awarded for the first year of attendance. Students who are first-time attenders in the spring semester will be awarded $500.
Tuition Discounts
For dependents of faculty and staff at Mennonite colleges, universities, high schools, and elementary schools. Certain restrictions apply. Contact the financial assistance office for a list of participating schools or for more information.
Outside agency
Church Grants
Students who receive tuition assistance grants that originate from a congregation, a church conference, or a group of churches who have pooled resources for the purpose of providing tuition assistance grants are eligible to receive a matching grant. March 1 is the "preferred response date" for churches to inform EMU of their intent to send funds for students.
Undergraduate students attending EMU may receive matching grants of up to $1,000 for the first $1000 received, and a 1:4 match for amounts over $1000.
Adult Degree Completion Program students are also eligible for church matching grants (limited to $1000/year).
Outside scholarships
High school guidance counselors maintain extensive files of local scholarship opportunities.
Students are encouraged to begin the research and application process early in their senior year of high school. A national scholarship database is also available at www.fastweb.com
Contact the financial assistance office if you have additional questions.


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found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
I am already spayed, housetrained, purebred, up to date with shots, good with kids, good with dogs, and good with cats.
All interested parties must fill out an Adoption Application, which will be reviewed to find the best possible match. You can find our application online at: http://www.thepetrescuecenter.org/adoptapet.html. Completed applications can be faxed to 949-768-5759 or emailed to: firstname.lastname@example.com
Our adoption fee is $300 for dogs and $150 for cats, and includes spay/neuter, microchip, flea treatment, deworming, regular veterinary check-ups, and current vaccinations. This fee helps to defray the costs of medical care, supplies and boarding while the animals are in our care.
The Pet Rescue Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization that seeks to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome pets from high kill shelters and is temporarily housed inside the Alicia Pet Care Center at 25800 Jeronimo Rd. Suite 100, Mission Viejo, CA 92691.
Margaret, a Mission Viejo Basset Hound dog was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Basset Hound for sale in Mission Viejo, or seeking a Basset Hound dog from a breeder in Mission Viejo.


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Feb 15, 2011
Social listening done right
- Posted in Tracking & Measurement
- Tagged in Social Media, Brand Monitoring, Media Monitoring
- Leave a Comment
I had the privilege of attending the "Pay Attention! Social Listening Done Right" panel at this year's Social Media Week in New York. As the title of the session conveys, this was a discussion about how brands and marketers listen in on conversations happening on social media channels, separate noise from meaningful signals and properly respond to the information they glean. In the company of about 120 fellow attendees (by my rough count), I enjoyed the free-flowing conversation that touched on a handful of intriguing topics and first-hand tales of the trade.
Michael Learmonth (@learmonth), digital editor at Ad Age, was the moderator of this five-man panel:
Kyle Monson (@kmonson), senior technology editor, JWT
Shiv Singh (@shivsingh), head of digital, PepsiCo Beverages
Brian Clark (@gmdclark), CEO, GMD Studios
Ed Sullivan (@ed_sullivan), vice president of strategic alliances, Radian6
Michael Jaindl (@jaindl), chief client officer, Buddy Media
Instead of typing out a play-by-play of the discussion, I've rummaged through my notes and have spotted four main points that I'll recap below. If you would like to watch the entire session, head over to Social Media Week's Livestream video of the event.
The panel was kicked off by Learmonth, who noted that though big brands are now listening to conversations happening in the realm of social media, "any 2-year-old" can do that. The real question, he asked, is: "What do I take from all of this information and how do I act?"
This led to the discussion of the following topics, among others:
1) The challenge of separating noise from meaningful signals: Singh was first to offer his thoughts on this, the "heart of the challenge we face." He said that the information gathered through social listening "only makes sense when it's put in the context of other information." Digital dashboards that help his company track how they're faring against their competitors in the social space are interesting when they're placed beside volume data and brand-health data so correlations can be observed. Singh added that while his company listens to conversations on a daily and hourly basis, "The challenge continues to be separating the noise from meaningful insight, and then data that can be actionable and data that we can respond to in a real-time sense."
Sullivan, whose company makes software and analytics to help deal with this issue, added, "The good news is that as more money is being invested into social media as a medium, as part of a fabric of a company's strategy, there are really cool tools that are coming out to actually help that entire process of finding the right piece of information, the right nuggets, and getting them to where they need to be."
Monson (who, funny enough, was monitoring the tweets about the panel with his laptop) added that the trick is putting the right person in front of all the information who can interpret the data and make the right decisions in a timely manner, an inherently risky task that might go against a marketers' nature.
An easy way to discern the noise from the signals, according to Jaindl, is to start paying attention to anything with a question mark: who, what, when, where, why and how? This is a good place to start if you want to know what you should respond to.
2) How companies should respond/act: Once you identify the important signals, the issue becomes how you should respond to them, if at all. One of the more intriguing points of the conversation occurred when Learmonth brought up an example of Virgin America sending a traveler a $200 voucher by way of a direct message on Twitter because the traveler's flight was delayed. Monson contrasted this with an airline responding to an angry tweet with just an apology and explanation, and drew the "common sense" conclusion that brands shouldn't get involved with a customer's moment of despair unless they can actually do something about it. "If you can't do something, you're just reinforcing the negative perception that I already have of your brand because my flight's delayed."
Clark pointed out that sometimes people will tweet in anger without wanting a response. He added, "The novelty of, 'Oh look, the brand actually is listening to me,' I think, over the next few years is going to be replaced by a sort of creepiness about, 'Oh, the brand is listening to me.'"
The recent Wheat Thins commercials, where consumers who tweet about the brand are visited by a yellow van and a film crew, and given a pallet stacked with boxes of Wheat Thins, was used as a possible example of this. "Now, at some point that novelty's going to wear off and that's going to be creepy," Clark said. He then told members of the audience who partake in social media listening that they are "professional voyeurs," and that there are creepy ways to use the information gathered from these activities. Clark warned that every brand that messes things up will change the landscape of consumer reaction, forcing brands to be more sensitive to this matter of privacy.
Later in the discussion, Singh brought the conversation back to gray areas when he called out "the elephant in the room," which was Facebook. While the giant social networking site clearly houses a wealth of valuable conversations for brands and marketers to tap into, the problem is that only a small slice of that is open to viewing and listening via brand pages and public profiles. Monson dubbed this walled-off information the "holy grail."
"And that's the big missing thing," said Singh. "Listening is never going to be totally scalable until we can listen to that, or we can at the very least model out the impact of what's happening on those pages." He stopped short of saying whether Facebook should actually be opened up to this extent or not, but did say he thinks what keeps Mark Zuckerberg up at night is the decision to make Facebook profiles private instead of public by default, which is the opposite of what Twitter has done.
3) Determining who brands should respond to: While it's easy for brands to respond to customers who are either big supporters or detractors, "How do you find the normal people out there?" asked Learmonth.
"Normal people don't make footprints in social media," said Clark. After some laughter, he continued, saying, "People who make footprints are having an extreme reaction. They either really love the brand or they really hate the brand."
Monson added that brands often respond to sentiments not held by the larger community. Nevertheless, Clark noted that by responding to extreme reactions, brands are showing that they're actually listening.
During the Q-and-A time later in the session, when the panelists were discussing the concept of influencers, Jaindl made the point that brands might want to worry a little bit less about who their influencers are. "Everybody has a little bit of influence, and I think people like brands that are genuine and treat everybody equal," he said. "So if someone's looking at a brand and they say, 'OK, that brand is only responding to who they think has 'influence' — that comes across as a little bit insincere." Jaindl's bottom-line suggestion was, "Stop trying to figure out who the influencers are and start responding to everybody."
4) The perils of using Twitter as a focus group: "There's a danger in putting too much stock in what Twitter users are saying, I think, because they're not always going to be representative of the audience," said Monson regarding the idea that social media conversations may offer a glimpse into the future for brands.
"You end up with 'Snakes on a Plane,'" Clark added.
Learmonth added that listening to what consumers are saying online led to the failed attempt by CBS to bring the show "Jericho" back on the air.
"It's so tempting to use Twitter as your focus group because it's free, it's pretty easy to mine what people are saying and it's easy to throw those results into a PowerPoint deck," said Monson. "But I think you still need to actually talk to humans because…humans talk in different ways than they do on Twitter."
My takeaway: While many subjects were covered in this discussion, the overall sentiment that I walked away with was, well, more of an image — an image of a child on a quest, trying hard to wield a large sword. While it's clear that social listening is a potent new tool that can benefit brands and marketers, there's a distinct tension between that and the cost to the unknowing consumer. As it stands, there's much to be learned about listening, responding and balancing this task in the grand scheme of bigger strategies. The path to the holy grail might be blocked, but it doesn't mean people will stop searching for other ways to that prize, no matter how many times they might fumble their weapons along the way.
Authored by Jason Hahn, editor, Profnet.
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2 Comments on Blog Post Title
Great writeup, Jason. You add some good insight in your last graf
Thanks for the kinds words, Kyle. You and the rest of the panel participants gave us a lot of keen and interesting insights to chew on, so thank you for that, too.
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ARLINGTON, Va.—Most of Monday was about establishing Team USA's gold-medal expectations for the Sochi Olympics. That didn't stop Dustin Brown and Peter Laviolette from waxing nostalgic over some nine-year-old bronze.
Of the 48 players USA Hockey invited to off-ice workouts and meetings, 16 were a goal away from gold at the 2010 Games in Vancouver. Four were part of the World Junior championship team earlier this year. One—Brown—was a third-place finisher at the 2004 World Championships. Laviolette, an assistant for Sochi under Dan Bylsma, was the coach of that team. Both look back on it with obvious, genuine fondness; Laviolette called it "one of my great experiences in hockey."
MORE: USA camp notebook | A fresh 'Miracle on Ice' story | Camp Canada
That's worth remembering when you listen to general manager David Poile, who has the ultimate say in which 25 players actually make the roster: "We're not going into Sochi as an underdog. We expect to win." The expectations have changed since 2010—and certainly since 2004.
That team featured Brown, who was 20 years old. Keith Ballard was in college. Brett Hauer spent the previous season in the Swiss league. The goalies were Mike Dunham, Ty Conklin and Alex Westlund. In short, it didn't look like much of a medal contender. In the end, though, the look of things didn't matter much.
"They were a terrific group that came together and really played hard for their country. In the end, that's what it's about," Laviolette said. "They were all from different places, different coaches, different whatever, different roles, and that team bought in. And that team got it done in two weeks. Not the ultimate experience, but it's still something I look back on, and I was proud to be associated with that group."
It was a group that eliminated the Czech Republic in front of 18,000 fans in Prague, then beat Slovakia in a shootout before losing to Sweden in the semifinals. Not bad at all. The team's leading scorer, for the record, was Richard Park. He had a long, solid career as a defensive center.
"We probably weren't the best team there, or the most skilled team, but we ended up coming home with a bronze medal," Brown said.
This time, they probably have to come back with a little more, and they're cool with that. To a man, the players and staff welcome the pressure. This isn't 2010, either, when then-GM Brian Burke went out of his way to play down outside expectations, even if he, his coaches and the guys who actually played the games wanted more. The secret is out.
"Brian did a terrific job from the outside taking the pressure off the U.S," Poile said. "I don't think we snuck up on anybody, but it didn't feel like anybody was giving us much of a chance. We give Brian all the credit for that. I don't think that's possible (again)."
If it was, it's not anymore. The U.S. might have the deepest bunch of goaltenders in the tournament, and Poile's leadership group is focused on building a team tailor-made for the larger international ice surface while also taking past production into account. That means emphasis on skating and puck-moving ability. The forwards aren't as good as, say, Canada's, but whose are? If nothing else, the rhetoric has changed.
"That's a credit to USA Hockey, and the standard that they expect. I think there's a difference between hoping you're gonna win and expecting you're gonna win," Brown said. "Expectations internally, which are probably the most important, are that we expect to win. That maybe wasn't the case 15 or 20 years ago, but that's kind of evolved, just based on the growth of the game and USA Hockey."
Another reason to think that standard is realistic: Nobody in camp is older than 33. Fourteen were born in the '90s. That's a lot of guys in their primes and a bunch more who are years from it. Compare that to 2010, which was widely viewed as a transitional phase between the Bill Guerin/Chris Drury generation and the guys who currently make up the program's core. This time, there's a middle ground.
"There's maybe a changing of the guard that's still in the process, but we'd like to, as a group of American hockey players, not have a change of the guard. You'd like to see some of the younger guys mixed in with the older guys and a constant evolution," center David Backes said.
Evolution—and, maybe, alchemy.


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It looks like charging debit card fees is going to start becoming the norm, at least for large national banks. The Wall Street Journal is reporting today Bank of America will start hitting customers with a $5 a month fee for using a debit card at the beginning of next year:
The fee will apply to customers with various checking accounts during any month they use their debit card to make a purchase. The fee will not apply to customers who do not use their debit card to make a purchase or who only use it to make ATM transactions.
Bank of America is trying to cushion revenue losses it expects to incur from new caps on the fees merchants pay when a customer uses a debit card at their stores. In June, the Federal Reserve Board finalized rules capping such fees at 24 cents per transaction, compared with a current average of 44 cents.
Bank of America has said it expects the caps, which take effect Oct. 1, to erase $2 billion in revenue annually. Industrywide, the caps, which apply to banks with $10 billion and more in assets, could wipe out $6.6 billion in annual revenue for banks, according to an August report from Javelin Strategy and Research.
It's no surprise we're seeing banks floating these plans now. As the WSJ article points out, the Durbin limits on swipe fees take effect on Saturday, and banks are still scrambling for ways to deal with it.
Maria Aspan over at American Banker has a column on the move today, titled "New B of A Fee May Hasten Debit's Demise," which argues this is just the beginning of an industrywide abandonment of debit card payments:
Many consumers prefer to use debit cards to credit cards, and debit became increasingly popular during the recession as consumers cut back on buying all but household necessities.
Some banks, including Wells Fargo & Co., have already started testing fees for customers who pay with their debit cards. But now Bank of America, which does business with one out of every two U.S. households, is killing debit's popularity in one fell swoop.
"Because the bank is so big, other institutions will likely follow suit, so you'll have a part of the population that probably begins to move away from being active debit card users," says Mary Beth Sullivan, managing partner at consultancy Capital Performance Group Inc.
Bank of America is also consciously driving away some customers who cannot afford, or will be alienated by, the new fee.
I think Aspan may be right that BofA has made a calculated decision to let go of a pretty big group of customers who won't pay the $5 debit card fee. But I don't think what we're seeing here is the beginning of the end for debit.
Sure, banks are trying to figure out ways to make debit cards profitable, but it's important to remember that both banks and consumers still have a lot of reasons to like debit cards.
First off, 24 cents -- the new limit for swipe fees -- may not be as much as the 44 cents banks are used to getting, but it's not nothing. I think even at that level, banks will still be making a good bit of money on debit card purchases, particularly considering the swipe-fee hikes on small purchases coming down the pike from Visa and MasterCard.
Debit cards also eliminate several of the risk factors and costs banks have to account for with the other type of card payment, credit cards. When a consumer makes a debit card purchase, they are directly using their own funds. The bank isn't supplying the money itself, and so doesn't have to tie up its own funds or run the risk that it won't be paid back.
And while there's still a risk of fraud losses associated with debit transactions, I think it's likely that fraud losses are lower on debit cards, since a big proportion of debit transactions are made with a PIN, which greatly reduces the risk of fraud. The most recent data I could find comparing credit to debit card fraud losses for issuers came in a 2010 Kansas Fed report, which had annual credit card losses for issuers at $1.24 billion and debit losses at $762 million, a difference of nearly half.
Add to that the fact that banks can hold off paying back customers for fraud losses while they investigate, and debit cards have a lot of appeal for banks, even if they won't make the kind of money for banks credit cards can.
On the consumer side, I don't think people are ready to abandon the combination of pay-as-you-go budgeting with the convenience of plastic that debit cards represent. Debit cards' share of U.S. payments has risen dramatically over the last few years, with a 2010 Fed study finding 35 percent of noncash payments were made via debit, amounting to nearly 40 billion transactions.
I agree with Aspan that a lot of frugal and money-conscious folks will probably either switch to small banks, credit unions and online banks who will keep free checking and debit cards alive, or abandon debit cards altogether.
But it seems likely a lot of people will overlook the fee, or decide they're willing to pay $5 a month to avoid having to carry cash or running up a big credit card balance by accident. I think financial reporters of all stripes overestimate the importance of fees to consumer purchasing decisions in the same way political reporters overestimate the importance of "messaging" to elections.
It's worth noting, too, that for the designers of the Durbin amendment and the changes to regulation E, debit card fees are a feature, not a bug. The whole idea behind these changes was to increase the transparency of the debit-card fee structure. Now, instead of debit card fees being embedded into retail prices and massive overdraft fees levied on consumers, they're right there on monthly banks statements for everyone to see. If nothing else, that should help keep banks' overall debit fees from expanding as quickly as they have in the past, which was what Durbin advocates were hoping for.
What do you think? Is debit on its deathbed? Or will it carry on despite new regulations?


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Ginetta G40R costs from £29,995 and offers 208bhp/tonne
One of those things, as Lawrence points out in typically jocular fashion, was the not insignificant chance of said imaginary MGA driver missing the drive home from Oulton Park altogether, due to being dead or similarly inconvenienced. A risk that Ginetta's engineers have gone to decent lengths to minimise for customers of its new road-going racing car - the G40R.
That's because a full FIA-approved safety cage, made from laser-cut and TIG welded tubes, is the starting point for every G40 racer and thus also for its new sibling the G40R. They are essentially the same machine, the latter with lights and number plates. Oh, and a late substitution on the engine front because, instead of the racer's 1.8 litre, 150bhp Ford Zetec lump, the new road car has a zingy 1999cc 175bhp four lifted directly from the Mazda MX-5, along with its slick shifting six speed gearbox and differential. The Ginetta has a bespoke propshaft though, because at 3748mm nose-to-tail it's a tiny little thing. The latest MX-5 is 4020mm.
Fortunately the G40R's compact yet muscular GRP body means it's pretty enough to sell on looks alone, I reckon. At least from a reasonable distance. Up close, and certainly from inside the cabin, you quickly understand the difference between a road-prepared purpose built racing car like this, and even the most extreme version of any mass-produced hot hatch you'll get to play with. The car's not painted for starters, the six-part body shell comes instead with a gelcoat colour finish, and the shutlines are... well, not too bad actually. The lightweight door linings feel flimsy, and there's exposed roll cage all over the place (although not in the roof where a trim panel is fitted), and there's none of that 'exposed structure equals art' approach espoused by the Ariel Atom.
Also on the plus side are Ginetta racing seats and steering wheel, a heated windscreen, and a 200 litre boot that we happen to know can accommodate a finely-proportioned (if reasonably compact) adult female. Why you might want to know this too, we can't imagine, except perhaps as reassurance that tent, luggage and beer can all be carried on your Le Mans trip next year. (That 'golf bag' thing is so boring, isn't it?)
So, the little G40R is already heaps of fun (in case you were wondering), and we haven't even fired it up yet. Press the starter and the grin will widen instantly as the four cylinder rumbles and rattles life into the machine. 'Noise, Vibration and Harshness'? Yep, we've got plenty. If you want to listen to birdsong on your cross-country jaunts, then buy the MX-5 and find out how a bit of sound-deadening and a few creature comforts can add 400kgs to the weight of a sports car. And how taking off the roof lets so many noises escape from the cabin....
It weighs 795kgs, giving it 208bhp/tonne, and the sort of performance that will easily take your mind off the cacophony of mechanical, wind and road noises that flood the cabin. When you're in the mood and setting the car at a B-road like a bull in a china shop, it's entirely intoxicating. Although that Le Mans trip - or any significant high-speed 'cruising' - will probably require a set of ear plugs. (The Ginetta engineers are mulling the possibility of adding a bit of sound deadening over the back axle, but once you go down that road, where do you stop? Best leave it, perhaps, as it's all part of this car's special 'USP'.)
But you'll probably leave it in the hardcore track set-up, I reckon. Because if you buy one of the 100 G40Rs that Ginetta hopes to sell each year, you're probably half way to certifiable already. And if you're not predisposed to occasional bouts of maniacal laughter, after this you will be.


text: Chicago Auto Show Partners with Uber to Offer Rides to Attendees February 8, 2014 09:00 AM The Chicago Auto Show announced a new partnership with Uber, a technology company that seamlessly connects riders to drivers through their mobile apps. During the 2014 Chicago Auto Show, Uber is offering a free ride to the show for both current and new Uber users beginning Monday, Feb. 10 through Friday, Feb. 14. Additionally, Chicagoans not only have a free ride to the show, but will receive half off admission on weekdays by showing their Uber receipt. "We are excited to partner with the Chicago Auto Show to make the show just the touch of a button away for everyone in Chicago," said Max Crowley, Uber Chicago senior community manager. "It also gives driver partners a great opportunity to check out vehicles they might purchase this year since they'll receive half off admission during the week." New Uber users can enter the code UberCAS for a free first ride up to $30 to or from the Chicago Auto Show, during all show hours. Plus, existing Uber users can check out the Auto Show during uberX hours, from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays. All uberX rides to or from McCormick Place are free for current Uber users. The code UberXHours can be used for a free uberX ride to the show, up to $20. "The Chicago Auto Show is proud to partner with Uber to bring more Chicagoans to the nation's largest auto show," said David Sloan, Chicago Auto Show general manager. Uber will be present throughout the Chicago Auto Show at their booth located on the east side of the Chicago Auto Show ticket lobby in the North Hall. Visitors are encouraged to stop by to receive their half priced discount coupon for entry into the Chicago Auto Show by providing their Uber receipt. Chicago Auto Show attendees can download the Uber app at www.uber.com/go/uberCAS and enter either code to receive the promotional offer. For more information about the Chicago Auto Show, please visit www.chicagoautoshow.com. Back to News


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Foothill College is scheduled to host the second Innovative Educators Technology Conference, "Leveraging Technology to Support Students, Faculty & Staff," noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 24 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 25 in the college's Smithwick Theatre, Room 1001, 12345 S. El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills.
According to Denise Swett, Ed.D., Foothill's vice president of student services, the two-day conference is designed for faculty, staff and administrators from K-12 schools and two- and four-year colleges and universities.
Attendees can learn how inventive technology-based solutions can reduce staff overload, engage students, support innovative instruction, promote career opportunities and supplement services impacted by budgetary reductions. Presenters will focus on how to use technology to improve student support and staff development so that educators do more with less.
The conference will feature keynote addresses by Alexis Ringwald, LearnUp co-founder and CEO; Candace Thiele, Stanford University Graduate School of Education assistant professor; Andrew Maguire, InternMatch founder and CEO; Chuck Geiger, chief technology officer at Chegg; and Elizabeth Slavitt of Khan Academy.
Workshop topics include using a flipped classroom, leveraging analytics, building mobile apps for higher education and increasing online student retention.
"With increasingly limited resources and high demands from students, faculty and staff, institutions are finding it difficult to provide effective support services," Swett said. "We want educators from our community to come explore a wide range of technology solutions that are focused on supporting student success, such as teaching and learning, learning analytics, mobile applications, Massive Open Online Courses and professional development. There will also be a special strand on using technology for communicating about campus safety."
The conference is underwritten by sponsors and exhibitors, and does not expend any college or public funds.
Admission is free and includes registration, parking, exhibit-hall access, giveaways and a continental breakfast and lunch Oct. 25. Register in advance for free conference admission.
Parking lots 1, 7 and 8 provide the best access to the theater.


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LAGUNA BEACH – With its coastal location, the land beneath the South Laguna Community Garden is worth a lot more than a hill of beans.
South Laguna gardeners are working to raise $1 million to purchase the land, two parcels off Pacific Coast Highway that have housed their vegetable plots since 2009. After three years of donating the space to the garden, the owner of the 11,250-square-foot area is ready to sell. For sale signs went up earlier this fall, and a real estate listing touts the location's potential as retail space, offices or apartments.
Earlier this month, the City Council denied garden supporters' request for $250,000 in seed money, calling it too high an expense for a small park.
Councilman Kelly Boyd pointed out that with 52 plots, the cost worked out to be a little more than $19,000 per plot.
"The city doesn't have that kind of money to open up small parks to grow our gardens," he said.
Though council members said they saw the garden as a good cause, the council voted 3-2 against using the money to kick start fundraising. Mayor Pro Tem Verna Rollinger and Councilwoman Toni Iseman were in the minority.
"$250,000 is a very small investment for this kind of a park," Rollinger said. "It's something the community will enjoy for years."
The $250,000 requested by supporters is a windfall that originally came to the city after Rollinger questioned the sale of an undeveloped South Laguna parcel that had been under county jurisdiction.
South Laguna resident Ann Christoph, one of the garden founders, suggested the city might have a claim to the proceeds of a sale. Research found the parcel had originally been dedicated as parkland by early developer Guy Skidmore.
Over the course of several meetings, South Laguna residents turned out in force to request the money be dedicated to a South Laguna park and describe the benefits the garden had brought.
"When you meet someone at the garden, it gives you a starting point for a conversation," said Bill Rihn, president of the South Laguna Civic Association. "It builds community. It builds friendships in addition to growing vegetables and flowers."
Odin Flores, 8, stayed up past his bedtime for a Nov. 13 meeting to speak on behalf of the children who participate in the garden.
"Please fund the garden so more and more kids can learn fascinating facts about gardening and plants," he said.
Though they'll be proceeding without city funds, the gardeners are committed to staying in the space they've poured their sweat into the last three years. The location off of Coast Highway adds to the public atmosphere of the garden, Christoph said.
"If we were in some secluded corner, we wouldn't have nearly the interest and participation we do," she said.
Right now, garden members are working on partnering with a nonprofit group to handle their fundraising so money is properly accounted for and tax deductible. They should be ready to accept donations in about two weeks, Rihn said.
The public is also invited to a community potluck Dec. 2 and a holiday sing-a-long is in the works. In the future, Christoph said the garden will host monthly programs that are open to the public.
"It just becomes a community focal point," she said.
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.com or 949-454-7309


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The early departures of LSU football players to the NFL accelerated Friday as consensus All-America safety Eric Reid and three of his teammates announced the end of their careers as Tigers.
Two other juniors — running back Spencer Ware and cornerback Tharold Simon — and one redshirt sophomore — punter Brad Wing — joined Reid in forgoing their remaining eligibility to enter the April NFL draft.
Those announcements came a day after middle linebacker Kevin Minter, the team's Most Valuable Player this season, announced he would leave a year early.
None of the early departures came as much of a surprise, and more early departures are likely before the Jan. 15 deadline for underclassmen to declare for the draft.
Other LSU underclassmen who are likely considering an early entrance into the NFL draft are defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery, defensive tackle Bennie Logan and running back Michael Ford.
Reid was third on the team this season with 91 tackles. He had seven pass breakups, two interceptions, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery.
"I've been very fortunate and blessed to have been able to play football at LSU," Reid said in a statement released by LSU. "It was always my dream to go to LSU and play football.
"I want to thank coach (Les) Miles and all of the people that played a role to get me to this point in my life. This was a very difficult decision because I always wanted to be a Tiger and I love LSU. But, after careful consideration and talking with my family, I feel like this is the right time to make this decision. I will always be an LSU Tiger."
Reid was named first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and the American Football Coaches Association. He was also a first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick from both the media and the SEC coaches.
For his career, Reid had 194 career tackles, 41/2 tackles for loss, and six interceptions. He was one of five permanent team captains for LSU this season.
Reid's departure means Ronald Martin of White Castle likely will move into the starting free safety position as a junior next season. Martin played in all 13 games this season, starting one. He had one tackle for loss and made two interceptions, both against Idaho, returning one 45 yards for a touchdown.
According to the statement, Reid said he is two semesters shy of graduating and he will continue to pursue his degree during the offseason.
The departure of Simon figures to be more easily absorbed than Reid's, as two freshmen played key roles at cornerback this season, though Simon led the team with four interceptions.
True freshman Jalen Mills moved into the starting lineup when Tyrann Mathieu was kicked off the team early in preseason camp.
Mills started all 13 games, and redshirt freshman Jalen Collins earned first-team all-freshman honors from the SEC as LSU's third cornerback.
Simon was a two-year starter and had 96 tackles, 21/2 tackles for loss, 22 pass breakups and seven interceptions. He said in a statement released by LSU that he was leaving the Tigers with "mixed emotions and serious consideration."
As for Ware, it's unlikely he could have improved his draft stock had he returned next season. He has been part of one of the most talent-rich positions on the team in his career and would have shared the position with Jeremy Hill, Alfred Blue, Kenny Hilliard and possibly Ford had he returned.
Ware was fourth on the team with 367 rushing yards this season. He averaged 3.9 yards per carry and ran for one touchdown.
His versatility as a receiver and a blocker figures to be attractive to NFL teams.
Ware said in a statement released by his agent that he came to his decision "after much consideration and evaluation with my family."
Ware, a native of Cincinnati, said he has made lifelong friends at LSU and that he was grateful for the opportunity to attend the university.
"I will forever wear purple and gold as a badge of honor," Ware said, "and I wish continued prosperity and success to the Tiger Nation."
Ware, who played quarterback in high school, accomplished the rare feat of scoring touchdowns as a rusher, receiver and passer during his career. He finished with 1,249 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns and caught 39 passes for 404 yards and two touchdowns. He threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Rueben Randle against Auburn in 2010.
Wing's departure had been anticipated since he was suspended last month for the Chick-fil-A Bowl for violating a team rule, which was reportedly because of multiple failed drug tests.
In two years, he punted 118 times for a 44.6 average, which is the highest average in school history for a player with at least 100 punts.
Freshman Jamie Keehn, whom Wing helped recruit from their native Australia, was effective in the bowl game against Clemson on Monday. He punted nine times for an average of 44.6 yards, hitting five for 50-plus yards and placing two inside the 20.
After LSU announced his departure, Wing tweeted: "Can't express enough love for Tiger Nation. Thank you for making these 3 years so amazing. Love to the fans, my teammates and coaches."
Strong TV ratings for bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl between LSU and Clemson may have had trouble putting fans in the stands, but it had no trouble drawing the eyes of college football fans to their TVs.
LSU's dramatic 25-24 loss to Clemson on Monday night resulted in a 5.6 rating on ESPN and an average of 8.6 million viewers, making it the most-watched non-BCS bowl game ever on the network.
The old record for Chick-fil-A Bowl viewership was 7.52 million viewers for the 2007 game between Auburn and Clemson.
Certainly, though, some of that record TV audience was comprised of LSU and Clemson fans who stayed home.
Attendance for the game was listed at 68,027 at the Georgia Dome, which seats just under 72,000, but the stands appeared to be only about two-thirds full. LSU returned about 5,500 of its allotment of 16,000 tickets, while Clemson returned nearly 9,000 of its 18,000 tickets.
Advocate sportswriter Scott Rabalais contributed to this report.


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2. B. Brown's MatchesRebus brain teasers use words or letters in interesting orientations to represent common phrases.
What phrase could be used to describe B. Brown's match schedule below?
2. B. Brown's Matches
vs 1. A. Adams
vs 3. C. Cook
vs 5. E. Evans
vs 7. G. Green
vs 9. I. Ives
vs 11. K. Kelly
HintThe numbers, not the names, of the opponents are important
AnswerAgainst the odds.
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text:
Oregon Business: 'Help us stay open, please eat here!'
ROSEBURG, Ore. -- A Roseburg business is pleading with the public for patronage, and it seems to be working.
The sign out front says it all: 'Help us stay open, please eat here!'
Pete's Drive-In has been a Roseburg staple for decades.
But, lately, business has been slow.
Employees came up with the idea for the sign, but owner Chuck Caskey didn't like the idea. "They asked me for about two weeks solid and I said, "No" every time," said Chuck. "So, when they put it up, they said 'we're not going to listen to you,' and they put it up there anyway."
Chuck says he's glad they didn't listen to him.
The sign has only been up for a few days, but it's been working.
The parking lot has been packed pretty much non-stop since the sign went up, and customers KPIC News spoke with said they came in because they wanted to help.
Chuck says it's humbling to see how many people care about keeping his business afloat.
A Facebook group for Pete's started just a few days ago and already has over 600 followers.
Organizers are asking people to stop by Pete's this Saturday to help the old business stay up and running.


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Your Daily Roundup of Celebrity Gossip & Star Shenanigans!
He's Done It Again: Shia LaBeouf is not shy about letting it all hang out (remember his nude appearance in the Sigur Ros music video for "Fjogur Piano"!) and now the actor is baring his stuff again on Twitter. Shia posted a nude (NSFW!) photo to promote his upcoming movie, "Charlie Countryman." "Tune in, turn on, drop out - #CharlieCountryman 11/15," he Tweeted. We're not sure how this will entice audiences into seeing the movie, but here's semi-nude Shia!
Bey Goes Topless: Beyonce was also getting nude online last weekend, but she kept it classy opting for a topless (work safe) shot in hammock… just another day in the life of Queen Bey!
Taylor Momsen Drops Raunchy New Music Video: Former "Gossip Girl" star Taylor Momsen continues to squash her teen star status with her latest music with her band, The Pretty Reckless. In the spot, there's nudity, snakes and piles of naked bodies. Enjoy!
PHOTOS: Stars In Their Underwear
Gaga Drops New Song: Lady Gaga has released another single from her upcoming new album, "ARTPOP." Her latest single, "Do What U Want," debuted last night at midnight and features R. Kelly. Check out the track!
-- Jesse Spero


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In the third quarter Ron Artest gave Derek Anderson an elbow to the face underneath the basket. ESPN had two really good angles of it, not if Fox Sports Midwest did.
Artest did it on purpose, it was not vicious and Anderson was fine, but it could warrant a suspension.
If this were last year at this time Ronnie would be suspended for sure, but this season I say there is a chance he might, will get a fine. I think there is about a 40% chance that he will get suspended.
Did anyone else think Artest was out of sorts tonight. He played a good game, but he seemed to play more like he did last season, trying to do too much offensively, he just seemed a little out of sorts.


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Pre/Post Test by Course:
Pre/Post Test by Instructor:
Post Test Benchmarks:
The Post Test Benchmark report reflects the percentage of students who passed a post test with a grade of 70% or higher. The totals presented in each report are cumulative totals of all course sections for each instructor by campus and division. The percentage in the last column of the report reflects the number of students who scored greater than or equal to 70% on post-test and whose grades were entered into BORIS.


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A WORLD Cup-winning All Black could be playing at the Kassam Stadium this season after reports in New Zealand linked Piri Weepu with a move to London Welsh.
The 30-year-old, who started at scrum half in the 2011 final victory over France, has played 71 times for his country.
Weepu will be leaving the Auckland-based Blues when their season finishes tomorrow and Welsh, who won promotion back to the Aviva Premiership via the Championship play-offs last month, is believed to be his destination.
Blues coach John Kirwan told the New Zealand Herald: "He's been a great servant of the game.
"It's great for him to go overseas and get a new experience.
"He's helped us win a World Cup. He's been a great All Black.
"It's a good natural progression that he rolls on."
Latest Sport news


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http://www.rotoworld.com/content/pla...rt=NFL&id=1655NFL.com reports that the Raiders have agreed to send Randy Moss to the Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick.
A new contract has already been worked out and Moss is arriving Sunday for a physical. More to come shortly.
Well, I'm glad that his contract was restructured, but I really hate Randy Moss. Corey Dillon did not have a good reputation either, but he was only upset because he was the only player on his team that was trying. Moss on the other hand gave up and is one of the reasons the Raiders were so awful last year. He's talented, but he's a poisonous player. But..Moss and Stallworth is easily one of the top WR tandems in the league. Time to see what Brady can do when he has great WRs for once. But from a talent standpoint, this has to be one of the greatest offseasons ever for any team. Adding Adalius Thomas, Donte Stallworth, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker is hitting a home run. You've effectively added 2 WRs (Moss, Stallworth) with blazing speed and who are red zone targets as well as a WR (Welker) who can play in the slot and return punts and kickoffs.


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The Weekly Health Quiz: Migraines, Drinking and Belly Fat
September 22, 2017,
Polymyositis is a rare inflammatory disease that leads to muscle weakness, swelling tenderness, and tissue damage. It is part of a larger group of diseases called myositis.
Polymyositis affects the skeletal muscles. It is also known as idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. The exact cause is unknown, but it may be related to an autoimmune reaction or infection.
Polymyositis can affect people at any age. It most common in adults between ages 50 and 70, and in children ages 5 to 15. It affects women twice as often as men. It is more common in African Americans than Caucasians.
Polymyositis is a systemic disease, which means it affects the whole body. Muscle weakness and tenderness can be signs of polymyositis. A rash is a sign of a similar condition, dermatomyositis.
Common symptoms include:
You may also have:
Tests may include:
People with this condition also must be watched carefully for signs of cancer.
The main treatment is with corticosteroid medicines. The dose of medicine is slowly tapered off as muscle strength improves. This takes about 4-6 weeks. You will stay on a low dose of a corticosteroid medicine after that. Medicines to suppress the immune system, such as methotrexate and azathioprine, may be used for people who do not respond to corticosteroids.
Intravenous gamma globulin has been tried, with mixed results. Biologic drugs also may play in part in treating this condition but it is too soon to know.
If the condition is associated with a tumor, it may improve if the tumor is removed.
Response to treatment varies based on the complications. The 5-year mortality rate can be as high as 1 in 5 patients.
Many people, especially children, a period when no symptoms are present and recover. For most other people, immunosuppressant drugs can control the disease.
In adults, death may result from:
The major causes of death are cancer and lung disease.
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of this disorder. Seek emergency treatment if you have shortness of breath and difficulty swallowing.
Nagaraju K, Lundberg IE. Inflammatory Diseases of Muscle and Other Myopathies. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, et al, eds. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology . 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2012:chap 85.
Miller FW, Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine . 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 277.


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SANTA CRUZ -- The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium was filled Wednesday with people who believe the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of racial equality is as important today as it was nearly 50 years ago when he gave his "I Have A Dream" speech.
An estimated 400 people attended UC Santa Cruz's 29th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Convocation, an event headlined by Robert Moses, a leader of the American Civil Rights movement who went on to create an educational equity organization called the Algebra Project.
Other speakers included UC Santa Cruz Chancellor George Blumenthal and the Rev. Deborah L. Johnson of Inner Light Ministries in Soquel.
The soft-spoken Moses, 77, asked the audience to repeat the preamble of the U.S. Constitution aloud to spark thought about "what does the preamble do? Not what it says, but what does it do?"
In a speech laced with history reaching back 150 years to the Emancipation Proclamation, Moses said people should "take seriously the commitment the Constitution invites."
The struggle of eliminating inequality among different races and human suffering is "far from over," Moses said.
Watsonville resident Janna Rivas attended the memorial gathering with her 4-year-old son specifically to hear Moses speak.
"I want to be a teacher, so I think it will be so interesting to hear what he has to say," said Rivas, 26. "Absolutely, I think Martin Luther King's message is still important."
San Jose resident Kim Chortek, watching her daughter perform in UCSC's gospel choir, said prejudice against minority races has improved in the past few decades. However, it's still a pressing concern in her mind.
"It's an issue that has not been resolved between blacks and whites or some other color," Chortek said. "We still need to work on it throughout the world. We are making progress."
The annual MLK event has also come to include the presentation of the Tony Hill Award for Community Service. Hill was a Santa Cruz resident and community activist who died of a heart attack in August 2007 at age 62.
Hill's wife Melanie Stern Hill and daughter Tara Kemp presented the 2013 award to Stephen Nelson.
Nelson was a homeless addict when he moved to Santa Cruz eight years ago. Now clean and sober, Nelson is said to be a skillful and inspiring leader at the Homeless Services Center in Santa Cruz.
He works as the center's overnight campus supervisor and leads groups of homeless in service projects that include cleanups of the San Lorenzo River levee.
Follow Sentinel reporter Shanna McCord on Twitter at Twitter.com/scnewsmom


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Sea turtles are among the oldest creatures on earth and have remained essentially unchanged for 110 million years. However, they face an uncertain future due to threats of many kinds.
There are seven species of sea turtle: green, hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead, olive ridley, Kemp's ridley and flatback. All but the olive ridley and flatback are found in Florida. The six below are found within the US.
Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles remarkably suited to life in the sea. Their hydrodynamic shape, large size, and powerful front flippers allow them to dive to great depths and swim long distances. After their first frantic crawl from the nest to the ocean, male sea turtles never return to the shore again, and females come back only long enough to lay eggs.
Sea turtles have long and narrow wing-like flippers in place of forelimbs and have shorter flippers as hind limbs; unlike their terrestrial relatives, they cannot retract their heads into their shells.
In most sea turtles, the top shell, or "carapace", is composed of many bones covered with horny scales or "scutes." Turtles are toothless but have powerful jaws to crush, bite, and tear their food.
The smallest of the sea turtles are the ridleys, weighing in at 85 to 100 pounds as adults. Leatherbacks are the behemoths and can grow to 2,000 pounds. Most sea turtles grow slowly and have a life-span of many decades. Although sea turtles can remain submerged for hours at a time while resting or sleeping, they typically surface several times each hour to breathe.
Newly hatched sea turtles inhabit a much different environment than adult turtles. After emerging from the nest, hatchlings enter the water and must swim quickly to escape near shore predators. There is strong evidence that many sea turtle species employ an open ocean developmental stage because encounters with healthy, neonate sea turtles are extremely rare in near shore waters.
Juveniles of many species of sea turtles have been known to associate with floating sargassum seaweed, utilizing the sargassum as an area of refuge, rest, and/or food. This developmental drifting period is hypothesized to last about two years or until the turtle reaches a carapace length of about 8 inches (20 cm).
Subsequently, these sub-adult turtles return to neritic zones of the Gulf of Mexico or northwestern Atlantic Ocean to feed and develop until they reach adulthood.
Mating occurs roughly every 2 to 3 years in shallow waters. In summer, an ancient reproductive ritual begins when the female leaves the sea and crawls ashore to dig a nest in the sand. She uses her rear flippers to dig the nest hole and then she deposits 80 - 150 eggs that look a lot like ping-pong balls.
When egg-laying is complete, the turtle covers the eggs, camouflages the nest site, and returns to the ocean. Nesting turtles may come to shore several times in a nesting season to repeat the process.
As is true for some other reptiles, the temperature of the sea turtle nest determines the sex of the hatchlings. Warmer temperatures produce more females, whereas cooler temperatures result in more males. Consequently, conservationists and wildlife managers leave turtle eggs in their original location whenever possible so that sex ratios are determined naturally.
After incubating for about two months, the eggs begin to hatch. Hatchlings range from 1.5 - 3 inches in size, depending on the species, and emerge from the nest as a group. This mass exodus usually occurs at night, and the hatchlings use the bright, open view of the night sky over the water to find their way to the sea. Artificial lights on beachfront buildings and roadways can distract hatchlings on their way to the ocean. Because of this danger, many beachfront communities in Florida have adopted lighting ordinances requiring lights to be shut off or shielded during the nesting and hatching season.
Track a Sea Turtle!
See where sea turtles go at the Sea Turtle Conservancy website.
All sea turtles are endangered. NOAA provides the status of sea turtle species.
In general, sea turtles are threatened by the following risks:
In the U.S., NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) have joint jurisdiction for marine turtles:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources
Florida's Fish & Wildlife Research Institute
University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web
Sea Turtle Conservancy
Sea turtles nesting in the southeastern United States are recovering, but the ancient reptiles still face formidable threats
A marine biologist champions an unconventional approach to saving the world's waters and their inhabitants
A determined cameraman captures only known pictures of this elusive sea turtle after years of searching remote Pacific waters
Saving endangered sea turtles calls for more than protecting the reptiles on their nesting beaches
Learn more about the state of wildlife in the Gulf since the Deepwater Horizon disaster
Fascinating facts about sea turtles


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Frandsen's time with Giants still paying off
SAN FRANCISCO -- Kevin Frandsen's versatility as a Washington Nationals utility man has taken on a new dimension, for which he can thank the Giants.
Frandsen, who began his professional career with six years in the Giants organization, has received the bulk of his playing time this year in left field -- a position he initially played during his 2007 stint with San Francisco. That year, Frandsen appeared in 10 games in left field, starting three.
So when a reporter asked him earlier this season about the pressure of filling in for injured Nats star Bryce Harper, Frandsen didn't even blink.
"I backed up Barry Bonds," Frandsen recalled Tuesday. "This is nothing."
This year, the 32-year-old Frandsen has started 11 games in left field, six at third base, three at second base and two at first base. He and others have helped prevent Washington from imploding when injuries forced position players such as Harper, catcher Wilson Ramos, first baseman Adam LaRoche and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman to the disabled list. Ramos, LaRoche and Zimmerman have returned, helping Washington climb into a first-place tie with Atlanta in the National League East as Tuesday began.
"I feel like the way we're playing now is the direct result of us keeping our heads above water when guys were hurt," said Frandsen, who took a .234 batting average through 48 games into Tuesday.
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, and follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat. Ryan Hood is an associate reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanhood19. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Will the Thrill laughs off milestone birthday
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Giants legend and current club special assistant Will Clark was greeted with birthday wishes Thursday, and they weren't standard birthday wishes. William Nuschler Clark, after all, was born in New Orleans on March 13, 1964, or 50 years ago.
When asked in the Giants clubhouse how he felt now that he's reached the half-century mark, Clark smiled.
"Everything still hurts like it did yesterday," Clark said. "Forty-nine is the same as 50."
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DougMillerMLB. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment Susan Markham will travel to Thailand and Bangladesh October 12-22. Her visit will focus on USAID's development assistance, specifically programs supporting gender integration and women's empowerment through public-private partnerships in the economic, democracy and governance, health, food security, and education sectors.
I am thrilled that USAID's Ebola Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has been selected as a Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal recipient in the National Security and International Affairs category.
I am thrilled the MacArthur Foundation has honored Patrick Awuah as a 2015 MacArthur Fellow. As the founder and President of Ashesi University, one of Africa's top institutions of higher learning, Patrick is helping to empower the next generation of Ghana's leaders.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a $1.8 million partnership with Michigan State University to help the African Great Lakes region maintain its international position in the coffee market. Today, the first ever International Coffee Day, provides an opportunity to reflect on how the coffee in your cup is connected to the lives of smallholder farmers in low income countries around the world. This partnership launches the Feed the Future African Great Lakes Region Coffee Support Program that will help coffee farmers in Rwanda support their families.
The United States remains deeply concerned by the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in Yemen, where millions of people now face pre-famine conditions. A collapsing health system is allowing rapid spread of dengue fever and other diseases, and child malnutrition is reaching alarming levels.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt and People's Republic of China Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to create a framework to facilitate expanded U.S.-China collaboration, communication and cooperation to achieve our shared objectives on development issues.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), along with world leaders and development partners will host "Partnering to End Extreme Poverty and Achieve the Global Goals" alongside the United Nations General Assembly.
Acting Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Ambassador Alfonso Lenhardt, will travel to New York to participate in the 70th UN General Assembly from September 26-29. This year's gathering is especially important as the UN will host the Sustainable Development Summit,September 25-27, where world leaders will adopt a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will stimulate action for the next 15 years.
The United States announced today nearly $419 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the conflict in Syria. With this new funding, total U.S. humanitarian assistance since the start of the crisis is now more than $4.5 billion.
On Tuesday, September 22, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will host a luncheon on behalf of the U.S. Government in honor of the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis to Washington, D.C. At the luncheon, Senior Administration and USAID officials, as well as leaders of faith based organizations, will discuss their vision for ending extreme poverty, the importance of the papal visit to this goal, and the role that faith-based organizations play in international development. Grammy Award winning rock band Jars of Clay will perform during the event.
The United States announced today more than $89 million in additional humanitarian aid to help people affected by the ongoing conflict in Yemen. This brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance for this crisis to nearly $170 million in fiscal year 2015.
On Thursday, Sept. 17, from 10 to 11 a.m. EDT, the U.S. Agency for International Development will host a town hall to discuss its partnership with NASA to use space data to help international development efforts around the world. The event will be held in Washington in the amphitheater of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced an additional $86 million in food assistance through the UN World Food Program (WFP) to help feed millions of displaced and food-insecure people in Sudan. Of the $86 million, $75 million will be used to provide more than 69,000 metric tons of U.S. food and $11 million to provide food vouchers and support the local procurement of specialized nutrition products. The new contribution brings the total U.S. Government contribution of food assistance for Sudan to $170 million this year.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator Thomas H. Staal is in Kuwait August 30-September 2. During his visit, he will meet with the United Nations and top donors to discuss the worsening humanitarian crises in Syria and Iraq.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today launched "SERVIR-Mekong," a project to promote the use of satellite imagery to help Asia's Lower Mekong region better predict and cope with floods and other natural disasters and increase resilience to the negative effects of climate change.
The U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) U.S. Global Development Lab today announced $10 million for 45 new research projects that will address evidence gaps and advance technical capacity in critical areas of development. Spanning 23 USAID partner countries, the 45 new projects are funded through the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program, an initiative designed to foster collaborative global research. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine implements the program.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment Susan Markham will travel to Japan August 26-September 1. Her visit will focus on USAID's development assistance to improve the lives of women and girls and solidify a shared commitment with the Government of Japan to gender equality and women's empowerment.
The United States Agency for International Development today released a new report showing that its maternal and child survival efforts have resulted in nearly two-and-a-half million more children surviving and 200,000 maternal deaths averted since 2008 in USAID's 24 priority countries. In addition, the USAID report details how to reach 38 million of the most vulnerable women around the world with increased access to health care during delivery by 2020.
The U.S. Government today announced an additional $6 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to UNICEF to provide education to children and youth affected by conflict. The additional contribution brings USAID's total grant to UNICEF for emergency education in South Sudan over two years to $23.5 million.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt will travel to India and Bangladesh August 24 to September 1. While in Mumbai, India, Lenhardt will launch the India premier of the new girl's education film 'Girl Rising: Woh Padhegi, Woh Udegi', and tour a Tata lab as part of the Agency's focus on innovation. In New Delhi, India, Lenhardt will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Third Global Call to Action Summit 2015, a confluence of health ministers, practitioners and global leaders meeting to share best practices and reaffirm their commitment for ending preventable child and maternal deaths.
Last updated: September 21, 2017


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Anne Fenley (Class of 2013)
Photography by Lance Holt
Anne Fenley, a native Texan who majored in history at Southwestern describes herself as cheerful, reliable, quirky and musical. As a student, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Omicron, Student Congress, Chorale and Opera Theatre; she held a job at a law office and an internship at the Williamson County Museum; and says during all of that she "consumed copious amounts of coffee at Cianfrani Coffee Co."
Biggest take-away from SU?
To ask questions. Life and its different entities are confusing and need further questioning; ask away and further your understanding.
Best lesson learned at SU?
Do your own dishes, don't eat leftover Indian food, hydrate, trust your friends, buy a coffee machine and don't stress over the small things.
If you could do college over again, what would you do?
I don't think I would change a thing. I took the classes I thought were interesting; I studied abroad and traveled with the choir; and I made wonderful friends and participated in so much.
Who is the person you'll miss most and why?
My roommate, Elise. She has laughed at my silly and dramatic reactions, made me a better student, is my competition in mundane contests and is my best friend. I don't know who I would be without her.
Why Southwestern?
It was an instantaneous and instinctual gut feeling that this was home. I don't know why, but as soon as I stood on campus, I knew this is where I wanted to be—meant to be.
What would people be surprised to learn?
I'm a world traveler. I've climbed the French Alps and the Rockies, zip-lined in Mexico, climbed the Great Wall of China, mastered the streets of London, Paris and Venice, and sang in the Forbidden City in Beijing and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Life is an adventure waiting to happen!
What's your favorite memory of the university?
The Candlelight Christmas Service. It's a wonderful service that moves me every year. The lights are turned off and the candles are lit and then the hall is filled with carols sung by the University Chorale. It's magical.
Anne worked at the Texas Capitol after graduation and has since begun graduate school at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C.


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CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. - A police chase following a bank robbery at a Sun Trust Bank branch in Coral Springs ended in a crash on the Gratigny Parkway and three arrests.
The chase began after the robbers hit a Sun Trust Bank at 9501 Wiles Road, according to the FBI. Two men entered the bank about 10 a.m. Tuesday and demanded money from a teller.
"Two males entered the bank, one with a crowbar, one with a weapon, a handgun," said Coral Springs Police Chief Tony Pustizzi.
The bank manager was on the phone at the time with a customer and asked the person on the line to call police because they were being robbed. No one was injured during the robbery.
The robbers made off with a black bag of cash and on their way out robbed an approaching customer, said Pustizzi.
Police said the two men then jumped into a car being driven by a third man. They drove a few blocks and ditched the car before jumping into another one. A UPS driver witnessed the men switch cars and called police.
"Saw a vehicle with a couple guys jump out, leave the car doors open, jump in another vehicle and take off," said Pustizzi.
The FBI says the UPS driver's eyewitness testimony is crucial because it places the robbers both in the stolen Nissan Sentra they used to leave the bank and in the second getaway car they later crashed.
The bank robbers then led police on a chase onto the Sawgrass Expressway, Interstate 75, and the Gratigny Parkway, said police. At least three vehicles were involved in the crash, which happened about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday between 32nd and 36th Avenues.
"There were cops on top of that roof already waiting for them," said Leo Villa, who saw the crash. His car was hit by the bank robbers' car.
Three men were quickly arrested. One suspect was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for injuries he suffered. A law enforcement officer was also injured.
According to the FBI, the men arrested have robbed at least five other banks in Broward County since May.
"The FBI wants to thank all the local agencies for putting a stop to this one group. They were considered very dangerous, and if they continued on, who knows what would have happened," said FBI agent David Beall.
Coral Springs Police, Miami-Dade Police, Hialeah Police, Miramar Police, Opa-locka Police, the Broward Sheriff's Office, and the FBI were involved in the pursuit. Pustizzi said the quick arrests were a credit to the cooperation of the community and his responding officers.
The Gratigny Parkway reopened about an hour and a half after the crash.
Copyright 2012 by Post Newsweek. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Education resources supplier The Consortium is celebrating after being shortlisted for two prestigious awards.
The Education Res-ource Awards (ERAs), highlight the quality and diversity of educational products and resources and The Consortium was selected for two categories – Supplier of the Year (over £3million turnover) and Education Exporter of the Year.
The Consortium, which includes Midlands-based West Mercia Supplies, has been the winner of the Supplier of the Year category for the last three years, but this is the first time it has been shortlisted for Education Exporter of the Year.
Managing director Melanie Teal said: "We are especially pleased to be selected as finalists for the Education Exporter of the Year Award as developing our international business has been a particular focus for us.
"However, being selected as a finalist in two categories is a fantastic achievement. It really does recognise the hard work of all our staff."
The winners will be announced at a gala event at the Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham on March 15.


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Canaries Postponed Due To Power Outage
SIOUX FALLS, SD –Wednesday's game between the Sioux Falls Canaries and Grand Prairie AirHogs was postponed due to a power outage.at Sioux Falls Stadium.
The teams will now play a doubleheader on Thursday with the first game scheduled for 5:05pm at the Birdcage. The games will each be seven innings.
Fans with tickets to Wednesday's game can redeem their tickets Thursday or for a future date.