IBM's results hampered by slowing hardware sales

Managing its way nimbly through times of economic sluggishness, IBM reported a 6 percent increase in profit for the third quarter even as its revenue declined.

IBM's third-quarter profit was $4.0 billion, compared to $3.8 billion in the third quarter of 2012, the company announced Wednesday. Revenue was $23.7 billion, compared to $24.7 billion in the year prior.

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"In the third-quarter we continued to expand operating margins and increased earnings per share, but fell short on revenue," said Ginni Rometty, IBM chairman, president and CEO, in a statement.

Most noticeably, hardware sales continued to hamper the company's business.

Revenue from IBM's Systems and Technology segment generated $3.2 billion in revenue, down 17 percent from the third quarter in 2012. System x revenue fell by 18 percent, Power Systems revenue fell by 38 percent and storage system revenue fell by 11 percent.

Rometty characterized IBM's hardware business as "under performing" and said the company is "taking action to improve execution." It plans to put more emphasis on growth markets to reignite revenue growth, Rometty said.

Revenue from the Americas, totalling $10.3 billion, decreased 1 percent from the same quarter a year ago. Revenue from Europe, the Middle East and Africa increased 1 percent to $7.3 billion, while revenue from the Asia-Pacific region declined 15 percent to $5.5 billion.

The services divisions produced middling results for the company. Revenue from the Global Technology Services segment decreased 4 percent to $9.5 billion for the quarter, which ended Sept. 30, while revenue from the Global Business Services segment was flat at $4.6 billion.

Revenue from IBM's software segment climbed modestly to $5.8 billion, up 1 percent from the same quarter a year ago.

Joab Jackson covers enterprise software and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Joab on Twitter at @Joab_Jackson. Joab's e-mail address is Joab_Jackson@idg.com

Source: http://www.infoworld.com/t/technology-business/ibms-results-hampered-slowing-hardware-sales-228932
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Healthy Eats: Satisfy Your Chocolate Craving With This Protein Shake

By Kelly Bryant

I'm an NKOTB afficionado, makeup junkie and aspiring Real Houswife of Anywhere.

I’m always looking for ways to game the system and satisfy my chocolate cravings while staying within my dietary budget. Fitness expert and trainer Chris Powell (who you may remember from ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition) offers up a delicious protein shake recipe that delivers all kinds of good stuff while feeding my need for chocolaty goodness.

OK! News: How Cameron Diaz Prepped To Show Major Skin in The Counselor

Chris Powell’s Chocolate-Almond Banana Protein Shake

Created by Chris Powell

Serves 1

Ingredients
1 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk

1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (or Powell Perfect Chocolate Ice Cream protein powder)

1 tablespoon almond butter

1/2 banana

1 cup of ice

OK! News: Get ScarJo’s Sexiest Woman Alive Hair

How do you satisfy a chocolate craving without going crazy on calories? Tell us in the comments or tweet @OKMagazine.

Source: http://okmagazine.com/live-big/healthy-eats-satisfy-your-chocolate-craving-with-this-protein-shake/
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LeAnn Rimes: Cowgirl Cutie

It’s always fun to get the girls together for a crazy evening out, and last night (October 15) LeAnn Rimes and her crew hit up Oil Can Harry’s gay bar.

The “How Do I Live” songstress got all done up in a denim top, jean shorts, and white fringe boots and performed “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” for the karaoke contest.

Meanwhile, LeAnn’s ex-husband Dean Sheremet has struck up a friendship with Rimes’ hubby Eddie Cibrian's ex-wife Brandi Glanville, and they were spotted out in Los Angeles together.

Glanville tweeted, "I'm sorry if it bothers some of u that I am friends with Dean but we have remained in touch over the years. He is in LA 4 work."

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/leann-rimes/leann-rimes-cowgirl-cutie-943616
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Deadly Calif. boardwalk crash was 'horrendous accident,' not 'intentional act,' defense lawyer says

A 35-year-old man is in custody after a car drove onto the crowded Venice Beach boardwalk over the weekend, killing one woman who was on her honeymoon and injuring a dozen. NBC's Miguel Almaguer reports.

By Daniel Arkin, Staff Writer, NBC News

The man accused of plowing his car through the Venice Beach boardwalk, deliberately running people over and killing an Italian newlywed, did not mean to hurt anyone, his public defender said Tuesday, adding that the crash was a "horrendous accident."

Nathan Louis Campbell, 38, has pleaded not guilty to murder, assault with a deadly murder and 17 counts of felony hit-and-run related to the August incident.

"This had nothing to do with him committing an intentional act," public defender Philip Dube told Reuters following a Los Angeles court hearing, adding that he believed the vehicle may have had mechanical problems.

Bay County Sheriff's Office

This undated booking photo released by the Bay County Sheriff's Office showing Nathan Louis Campbell, 38, from a 2008 arrest in Panama City, Fla.

"This was a horrendous accident," Dube said. "The question is whether or not this was his fault."

Handcuffed and dressed in a yellow and blue prison uniform, Campbell sat expressionless Tuesday as his attorney asked a judge for more time to interview witnesses and allow an expert to look over a vehicle inspection report on the 2008 Dodge Avenger in question.

The judge assigned to the case, James Dabney, refused those motions, and set a preliminary hearing for mid-November.

Prosecutors allege Campbell tore through the crowded boardwalk in the his dark blue 2008 Dodge Avenger on Aug. 3, injuring 16 people and killing Alice Gruppioni, a 32-year-old Italian woman who was in California on her honeymoon.

Witnesses at the time described a chaotic, bloody scene in which people screamed and dved to get out of the Dodge's deadly path at the key Los Angeles tourist attraction.

The car knocked also over two mannequins, an ATM and at least three vendors, including a fortune teller.

Video footage showed the car slamming into a throng of people. It then appeared to back up and barrel into a nearby crowd.

Related: Honeymooner 'destroyed' after hit-and-run kills wife

Authorities said Campbell abandoned the car and turned himself at a police station in neighboring Santa Monica shortly after the rampage on Saturday. Witnesses told the Los Angeles Times that the car was speeding as fast as 60 mph as it sped down the boardwalk.

Dube, the public defender, said Tuesday that his client was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash, which occurred in an area known for its array of street vendors, souvenir stands, eateries and, of course, tourists.

He also reiterated earlier comments made in the wake of the crash that Campbell was mentally competent, adding that this was "not a mental health issue." 

And Dube rebutted the notion that the Dodge Avenger had been in perfect working order Aug. 3.

"That's simply not true," he said. "Sure, at the time of testing, but there were mechanical issues with that car. There's much more to this story."

Public records show that Campbell had resided in Georgia, Florida and Colorado, and was implicated in a series of petty crimes in recent years.

NBC Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Times reported that Campbell pleaded guilty to public drunkenness in Santa Monica, Calif., in 2002, and reckless driving with alcohol in Panama City Beach, Fla., in April 2008.

The Times, citing Colorado authorities, reported that Campbell was picked up by security guards at a Virgin Megastore in February 2009 after he stuffed a pair of headphones down his pants and tried to exit. He spent five days in jail, the authorities said.

The paper  also reported that Campbell was arrested in July 2009 on suspicion of trespassing at a mall after he purchased a movie ticket and refused to leave the theater. He had been warned twice not to go to the theater, Colorado prosecutors told the Times.

Sources told the Times that Campbell had a history of drug and alcohol addiction, had been sober for some time but then had relapsed.

An autopsy on Gruppioni found that she had died from blunt-force trauma to the head and neck. She was the daughter of a prominent Italian businessman who was once president of a top-tier Italian soccer club.

“There’s no words to describe our situation, our love,” her husband of two weeks, Christian Casadei, told NBC Los Angeles in a tearful interview. Casadei was also struck by the car and sustained minor injuries.

All 16 of the other crash victims were treated at local hospitals and released. 

Reuters contributed to this report.

 

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/663306/s/3280ef03/sc/3/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C10A0C150C20A980A5230Edeadly0Ecalif0Eboardwalk0Ecrash0Ewas0Ehorrendous0Eaccident0Enot0Eintentional0Eact0Edefense0Elawyer0Esays0Dlite/story01.htm
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Voting error could shake up results on next 'DWTS'

TV

Michael Maloney
TODAY contributor

20 hours ago

Kelsey McNeal / ABC

Viewer votes count on "Dancing With the Stars" — but the question is who do they count for?

After Monday night's show, some voters may have inadvertently thrown their support behind couples that aren’t their favorites due to an error.

“There were technical difficulties with posting the voting numbers during the East Coast broadcast; we are reviewing the data and will determine the best course of action,” ABC said in a statement following the East Coast and Central time zone broadcast. “The errors were fixed for both Mountain and West Coast broadcasts.”

So, how did the error play out on the show?

“Somebody came up to us and said there was a system error, and Bill (Engvall's) number got switched (on the screen) with Elizabeth Berkley’s,” Engvall's partner, Emma Slater, told TODAY after the show. “So the East Coast got the two numbers wrong. I don’t know how that happened.”

“I’m not going to worry about,” Engvall told us. “After you call, there’s a recorded message that says, ‘Hey, thanks for voting for (the name of your couple),' so they’ll know (something’s amiss) after they make their first call.

“Emma and I have gone so much further than I thought we’d go,” the standup comedian offered. “Each week, we’re living on gravy.”

Corbin Bleu and pro Karina Smirnoff embraced the snafu with a bit of humor when they learned their voting number had been switched with the one for former "Jersey Shore" star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and her partner Sasha Farber.

“Hey, I used to live in New Jersey,” Smirnoff said. “I love New Jersey!”

“You can’t control it,” Bleu philosophized. “Fans have the numbers. It’s one of those scary things. If something goes on with either of us (as a result of the snafu) you have to roll with the punches and let God take you were you gotta go!”

“There’s nothing you can do about it,” Engvall added. “You hope that people who’ve been voting for you for five weeks (will use the same, correct numbers). We’re going to tweet out the right numbers.”

After the shocking elimination of Christina Milian and Mark Ballas on Monday night, Bleu emphasized how important voting for favorites really is.

“To have Christina and Mark get the first 10 of the season and be the top-scoring couple of the night and still be sent home shows us that no one is safe,” he said.

Source: http://www.today.com/entertainment/voting-error-could-shake-results-next-episode-dancing-stars-8C11397316
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Deadspin The Ballad Of The Fake Dodgers Bear Mascot | io9 Is the Ant-Man casting down to just two na

Deadspin The Ballad Of The Fake Dodgers Bear Mascot | io9 Is the Ant-Man casting down to just two names? | Jezebel Britney Got a Digital Slimdown to Look Skinny in 'Work Bitch' Video | Lifehacker How to Break the Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck Cycle

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/nUyQYKz-3ng/@gmanaugh
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Welcome To Week Three Of The Shutdown

Speaker of the House John Boehner arrives at the U.S. Capitol on Monday. House Republicans remain an obstacle to any emerging deal.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Speaker of the House John Boehner arrives at the U.S. Capitol on Monday. House Republicans remain an obstacle to any emerging deal.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The partial government shutdown begins its third week on Tuesday as the debt ceiling deadline looms just two days from now. Congressional leaders seem to be inching toward a deal that could prove acceptable to both sides and the White House. But, we've been here before.

USAToday describes the broad outlines of the emerging deal:

"A flurry of negotiations occurred throughout [Monday] as [Sen. Majority Leader Harry] Reid and his Republican counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, engaged with each other, their own members, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and White House staff on the terms of a deal to end the budget impasse, which has kept the government partially shut down since Oct. 1.

McConnell said Monday morning, 'I share his optimism that we will get a result that is acceptable to both sides.'

The draft proposal still under negotiation would approve a stopgap funding bill to reopen government through Jan. 15; suspend the debt ceiling until Feb. 7; and create the framework for formal budget negotiations to conclude by Dec. 15 with long-term recommendations for funding levels and deficit reduction."

The Washington Post fleshes out some details.

"In the meantime, policymakers would launch a new round of talks over broader budget issues in hopes of developing a plan to replace deep automatic spending cuts known as the sequester before Jan. 15. That is when the next round of sequester cuts is scheduled to slice another $20 billion out of agency budgets, primarily from the Pentagon.

The framework under consideration includes only minor changes to President Obama's signature health-care law, falling well short of defunding it or delaying major provisions as conservative Republicans initially sought. Instead, Republicans would get only new safeguards to ensure that people who receive federal subsidies to purchase health insurance under the law are eligible to receive them.

But talks were hung up over another provision, aides and lawmakers said: a demand by Democrats to delay the law's 'belly button tax,' a levy on existing policies that is set to add $63 per covered person — including spouses and dependents — to the cost of health insurance next year. Republicans derided the proposal as a special favor to organized labor."

The Chicago Tribune warns of the potential for a Senate filibuster:

"A potential filibuster could prolong the debate. But experts have said the promise of a deal could calm the restless financial markets. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who spearheaded the drive to kill or delay Obama's healthcare law using the government-funding bill, held out the possibility that he would filibuster, but said, "I want to wait to see what the details are."

And, as NPR's Alisa Chang reports, whatever the deal, even if it passes the Senate, it's – not surprisingly — going to be a hard sell to House Republicans. She reports:

"[For] the stalwart Republicans who have been determined to cripple the healthcare law, the Senate deal won't do enough devastation to Obamacare. The proposal will likely require tighter income verification for people who get healthcare subsidies, but Tim Huelskamp of Kansas says that's nowhere near adequate.

Huelskamp: 'When you're given 98, 99 percent of Obamacare, I don't see how that would ever pass over here, if it even passes the Senate.'

And as the days rapidly melt away before a debt ceiling breach, John Fleming of Louisiana says House Republicans are not feeling the time pressure.

Fleming: 'I don't think it has anything to do with it for the vast majority of Republicans. As you can see, we're down, how long, two weeks now into this? And we're working to re-open government as quickly as we can, but you know, for us, it's important to get government right.'"

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/10/15/234621414/welcome-to-week-three-of-the-shutdown?ft=1&f=1014
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Report: NSA Harvests Contact Lists From Email, Facebook

The Washington Post has published new revelations about the National Security Agency's electronic snooping, indicating that the intelligence branch gathers millions of contact lists from personal email accounts and instant messaging around the world.

The new information is attributed by the Post to "senior intelligence officials and top-secret documents provided by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden."

The Post reports:

"The collection program, which has not been disclosed before, intercepts e-mail address books and 'buddy lists' from instant messaging services as they move across global data links. Online services often transmit those contacts when a user logs on, composes a message, or synchronizes a computer or mobile device with information stored on remote servers.

Rather than targeting individual users, the NSA is gathering contact lists in large numbers that amount to a sizable fraction of the world's e-mail and instant messaging accounts. Analysis of that data enables the agency to search for hidden connections and to map relationships within a much smaller universe of foreign intelligence targets."

According to the newspaper, in a single day last year the NSA harvested 444,743 email address books from Yahoo, 105,068 from Hotmail, 82,857 from Facebook, 33,697 from Gmail and 22,881 from unspecified other providers.

The Post story quotes Yahoo as saying in response to NSA effort, it would begin encrypting user connections using SLL technology in January.

However, last month, The Two-Way's Eyder Peralta wrote that The New York Times and The Guardian, relying on documents from Snowden, revealed that the NSA has the keys to crack most Internet encryption methods.

"In plain English, this means that many of the tools — like , used by many banks and email providers — that people worldwide have come to believe protect them from snooping by criminals and governments are essentially worthless when it comes to the NSA."

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/10/15/234776676/report-nsa-harvests-contact-lists-from-email-facebook?ft=1&f=1049
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Kylie Minogue Heartbroken After Split With Model Andres Velencoso

Kylie Minogue is reportedly devastated after ending her five-year relationship with Spanish model Andres Velencoso.

The 45-year-old singer and her younger model beau decided to call time on their relationship after their hectic work schedules became unbearable.

Kylie is currently recording tracks for her upcoming album and is also a judge on the talent competition “The Voice UK”.

The singer’s rep confirmed the split today, saying the couple ended on friendly terms and that there was no third party involved.

Minogue’s work commitments have left little time for the couple to see one another the past few months.

A friend stated, “Kylie and Andres haven’t been spending much time together because she’s been holed up in the studio in LA working on her new album. He’s also been trying to carve out an acting career for himself. When she signed up for The Voice they knew they couldn’t cope with the long distance pressures the job would put on them.”

Kylie is said to be devastated over their split. Her pal adds, “This is a big blow for her”.

The split news comes just a year after Kylie gushed about her younger stud, saying, “He’s the one. Sound the alarm, four years. I think I’m pretty settled.”

Kylie’s friend Matthew Horne revealed that the couple were hoping to have children together.

He told Hello magazine, “They are very much in love. I think she wants to [have kids]. Andres is obviously the guy for her. I don’t think it’s a secret that she would like children.”

Kylie Minogue began dating Andres Velencoso after they worked together on an advertisement for her perfume line in 2008.

The singer has previously dated Jason Donovan, musician Lenny Kravitz, late singer Michael Hutchence and actor Olivier Martinez, who she dated until 2007.

Click thumbnails for larger pictures

Images: wenn.com

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/stupidcelebrities/~3/YVEkoNQMRYc/
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Iran nuke talks begin amid hopes of progress

GENEVA (AP) — The United States and five other world powers sat down Tuesday for the first talks on Tehran's nuclear program since the election of reformist Iranian President Hassan Rouhani four months ago.

The talks are being seen as a key test of Iran's overtures to the West. The U.S, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany are eager to see whether Iran's new style since Rouhani's election will translate into progress on dispelling concerns that Tehran may want to make nuclear weapons.

Iran has long insisted it does not want such arms and that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful, and top Iranian officials have come to the negotiating table saying Tehran is willing to make concessions to end a decade of deadlock. But the U.S. and its allies insist it will take more than words to advance negotiations and end international sanctions crippling Iran's economy.

One immediate change from previous negotiations was the choice of language at the talks. A senior U.S. official said they were being held in English, unlike previous rounds under Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Rouhani's hard-line predecessor, where Farsi translation was provided. The official demanded anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss any details of the talks.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, a senior member of negotiating team, said Sunday that Tehran is bringing a new proposal to the talks to dispel doubts about the nuclear program. While offering no details, he told Iran's student news agency ISNA that the Islamic Republic should "enter into a trust-building path with the West."

No final deal is expected at the two-day session.

However, if the Iranians succeed in building trust, the talks could be the launching pad for a deal that has proven elusive since negotiations on Iran's nuclear program began in 2003.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iran-nuke-talks-begin-amid-hopes-progress-090114674--finance.html
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Rose McGowan & Davey Detail Are Married!

The actress and the artist got hitched! See more stars who made their romances official.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/celebrity-weddings-0/1-b-16623?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Acelebrity-weddings-0-16623
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Shortage Of Workers Hampers Chili Harvest In New Mexico

Southern New Mexico is America's iconic home of chili harvesting and production. But production is a fraction of what's produced in India and China — countries with large pools of labor. Still, in the fall, New Mexico farmers need hundreds of workers to handpick their crops. Even paying $14 an hour, they can't find enough help.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=233472080&ft=1&f=1053
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'Storage Hunters' Stars Sue TruTV After Being Cut From Season 2

Two stars of the hit reality series Storage Hunters sued TruTV and the company behind the show Tuesday for breach of contract, claiming they were improperly cut out of a second season.

Read the complaint here.

Scott Tassone and Chrissy Tassone say in a filing in California Superior Court that they were cut from the second season of the show because of things said about them by some employees of T Group Productions, which produces the show. The suit claims the husband and wife were initially given a contract to appear in season 2.

"The defamatory and harassing actions were made in an attempt to cause irreparable damage to plaintiffs businesses, name and reputation," charges the suit, adding that in "public postings and direct correspondence" they were accused of being liars, con artists, thieves, operating illegal businesses, operating various scams, conspiring to harm others, making bogus claims on a consumer website and harassment, along with other allegations.

The suit says there was an intentional effort to interfere with their employment, even though they were "exemplary employees … well-liked by the production staff and the viewing audience," and after they "greatly contributed to the success of Storage Hunters."

PHOTOS: THR's Reality Heat List: Sean Lowe, Kim Kardashian and Others Who Sizzle

On the TruTV website, Scott and Chrissy Tassone are described as having been "in the auction game for more than a decade."

"But theirs is more than just a casual interest. These two are serious pros, bringing with them the experience of having their own moving business," the site reads. "In other words, this husband and wife team knows what sells ... and what doesn't. They have an eye for antiques and high-end collectibles. And with a take-no-prisoners attitude, when they want something, they get it."

The suit says the couple notified T Group and TruTV (a unit of Turner Broadcasting, which is a division of Time Warner) but their requests for assistance did not remedy the situation. "In fact," alleges the suit, T Group and TruTV "conspired with and encouraged the other defendants to continue this wrongful behavior in an effort to boost ratings for Storage Hunters."

The suit says T Group exercised an option for the defendants to appear on the second season of the show, but then two weeks before production was to begin, revoked that option renewal.

STORY: 'Storage Wars' Star Brandi Passante Wins 'Stalker Porn' Lawsuit

The Tassones say their efforts to reach a settlement prior to filing the suit were unsuccessful.

The complaints in the suit also include intentional infliction of emotional distress; negligence; trade libel; fraud and intentional deceit; and negligent misrepresentation.

The list of those individuals named in the suit includes Jenny Daly, David Kelleher, Stacia Thompson, Mark Powell, Lori Bernier, Brandon Bernier, Elenna VanMeter, Jason VanMeter, Ronald Kirkpatrick, Virginia Kirkpatrick, Jesse McClure, Ashley McClure, and Terence Lindsey.

A spokesperson for Turner Broadcasting had no immediate comment, but was looking into the matter further. Scott and Chrissy Tassone declined to comment.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/THREsquire/~3/yecKwB_0Cms/story01.htm
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You Can Make Beautiful Abstract Art With The Google Maps API

Google Maps offers a lot of tools for developers (or anyone!) to work with, visualize and customize the existing service. And a lot of cool maps, infographics and tools come out of the APIs. But sometimes it's nice to take something like the topographical data and move it in a totally different direction. Like maybe art?

Designer and artist Kim Asendorf created a site that highlights a different combination of maps elements every time you refresh. Using crazy color combinations, the site will show things like rivers, streets or mountains in different combinations and tones. And the maps show landscapes all over the world at different magnifications. It's great when something beautiful comes out of something powerfully practical. [Creative Applications]

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Source: http://gizmodo.com/you-can-make-beautiful-abstract-art-with-the-google-map-941154638

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Ryanair hits 70 year milestone at London Stansted

Ryanair has helped celebrate 70 years of flight at London Stansted, by flying a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 aircraft into Stansted for a special ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Stansted?s runway.

Ryanair positioned one of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft alongside a P-47 Thunderbolt fighterplane, which had originally been based at Stansted during World War II. 70 years later, Ryanair is now Stansted?s largest airline having grown to operate 118 routes, carrying over 170m passengers to/from Stansted since first arriving there in June 1987. This year, Ryanair will carry over 13m passengers to/from Stansted, sustaining over 13,000* ?on-site? jobs at Stansted Airport.

To celebrate 70 years of flight at Stansted, Ryanair is releasing 100,000 seats across its entire European network at prices starting from just ?19.99 for travel on Mon, Tue, Wed & Thur in September and October and these ?all in? low fares will be available on over 1,000 of Ryanair?s European routes, but must be booked on www.ryanair.com before midnight (24:00hrs) Mon, 29 July.

Ryanair?s Robin Kiely said: ?Ryanair is pleased to join in today?s celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of flights at London Stansted. In just 26 years, Ryanair has carried 170m passengers to and from Stansted and we currently operate 118 routes. We look forward to bringing even more passengers to and from Stansted throughout 2013 and beyond.

To celebrate, Ryanair is launching a 100,000 seat sale on over 1,000 European routes at prices starting from just ?19.99, for travel in September and October. These seats are only available until midnight (24:00hrs) Monday (29 July) and are sure to be snapped up fast, so we urge passengers to book them on www.ryanair.com before they sell out.?

Source: http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/ryanair-hits-70-year-milestone-at-london-stansted/

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The Weiner in Pictures: Special Bonus Pictorial (Powerlineblog)

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Cleveland kidnapping victim Amanda Berry surprises concert crowd

Just a day after kidnapper Ariel Castro plead guilty, one of the three women held captive in his home for a decade made an appearance at a concert. TODAY's Jenna Wolfe reports.

By The Associated Press

One of three women held captive in a Cleveland home for a decade appeared at a public event for the first time since her rescue, a day after her abductor pleaded guilty in the case.

Amanda Berry made a surprise appearance at the daylong concert RoverFest in Cleveland on Saturday night, walking on stage with her family and waving at the cheering crowd. Wearing sunglasses and dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, Berry smiled broadly while acknowledging the applause, but she didn't address the crowd. The rapper Nelly called Berry back to the stage after his music set.

The appearance came a day after Ariel Castro, a former school bus driver, pleaded guilty to 937 counts in a deal that will send him to prison for life without parole, plus 1,000 years.

Berry, now 27, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight disappeared between 2002 and 2004 when they were 14, 16 and 20 years old. They escaped in May when Berry kicked out part of a door and called to neighbors for help.

Berry told a police dispatcher in a dramatic 911 call: "Help me. I'm Amanda Berry. I've been kidnapped, and I've been missing for 10 years, and I'm, I'm here, I'm free now."

Hennes Paynter Communications

This frame grab image from a July 2, 2013 video courtesy of Hennes Paynter Communications shows freed kidnapped victim Amanda Berry, as she speaks at the law offices of Jones Day in Cleveland, Ohio. Berry made a surprise public appearance at a concert in Cleveland on Saturday.

Castro, 53, who was arrested and jailed shortly afterward, was accused of raping and beating the three repeatedly. He also fathered a 6-year-old daughter with Berry, authorities say.

The women didn't attend the court proceeding but said in a statement that they were relieved by the conviction and looking forward to the end of the legal proceedings.

Berry and the other women said she had accepted a ride from Castro, who had remained friends with DeJesus' family and attended vigils over the years marking her disappearance.

Castro was accused of restraining the women, sometimes chaining them to a pole in a basement, to a bedroom heater or inside a van. The indictment included two counts of aggravated murder related to accusations that he punched and starved one of the women until she miscarried.

Earlier this month, the three women offered thanks on YouTube for emotional and financial backing they've received since going "through hell and back."

Related:

? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Big Time Rush See 'Booze And Boobs' In Their Future

While the fate of their Nickelodeon TV show is uncertain, BTR tells MTV News their vacation plans are in the works.
By Cory Midgarden

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1711349/big-time-rush-future-booze-boobs.jhtml

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NBC Sports, Cowboys partner on red zone view

This publicity image released by NBC shows, from left, Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBC Sports Group, coordinating producer Fred Gaudelli, Al Michaels, analyst Cris Collinsworth, and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya at the " Sunday Night Football" session during the NBCUniversal Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)

This publicity image released by NBC shows, from left, Mark Lazarus, Chairman of NBC Sports Group, coordinating producer Fred Gaudelli, Al Michaels, analyst Cris Collinsworth, and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya at the " Sunday Night Football" session during the NBCUniversal Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday, July 27, 2013. (AP Photo/NBC, Chris Haston)

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) ? NBC Sports and the Dallas Cowboys are partnering on a new 360-degree look at red zone plays for TV viewers and fans attending the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, this season.

The network will use 24 high-speed cameras ? 12 in each red zone on both sides of the field from the 20-yard line to the goal line and in the back of each end zone ? to produce seamless views of the action.

"Sunday Night Football" producer Fred Gaudelli says the system will give fans a new perspective on big plays during games. The 360-degree view will debut on the Sept. 8 broadcast of the New York Giants-Cowboys game.

The Giants have yet to lose at newly christened AT&T Stadium.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-07-27-TV-NBC-Sunday%20Night%20Football/id-f94b5dd46b864a9ea33eeb612d03f8f2

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'The Forgotten War': Five facts you should know about the Korean War (+video)

North Korean war veterans of the Korean War watch the 'Arirang' mass games song-and-dance ensemble at the May Day stadium, Friday, July 26, 2013 on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the Korean War armistice in Pyongyang, North Korea. (Wong Maye-E/AP)

Soviet Ambassador to the United Nations Jacob Malik first proposed a cease-fire in 1951, and the first negotiations began in July of that year at Kaesong. However, talks broke down in 1952 over the issue of how to deal with prisoners of war. Meanwhile, hostilities continued. It wasn?t until April of 1953 that the issue was resolved and an agreement was reached and signed in July. Though South Korea refused to sign, fighting ended soon after.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ps_touC8Yek/The-Forgotten-War-Five-facts-you-should-know-about-the-Korean-War-video

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Catholics hear pope's call to shake up church

Pope Francis blows a kiss from his popemobile as he arrives for the Stations of the Cross event on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 26, 2013. Also known as the Via Crucis and Via Dolorosa, the Stations of the Cross are built around reflections on Jesus' last steps leading up to his crucifixion and death. Francis started off the day, his fifth in Rio, by hearing confessions from a half-dozen young pilgrims in a park and met privately with juvenile detainees. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Pope Francis blows a kiss from his popemobile as he arrives for the Stations of the Cross event on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 26, 2013. Also known as the Via Crucis and Via Dolorosa, the Stations of the Cross are built around reflections on Jesus' last steps leading up to his crucifixion and death. Francis started off the day, his fifth in Rio, by hearing confessions from a half-dozen young pilgrims in a park and met privately with juvenile detainees. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Anti-government protesters demonstrate just outside the media center for journalists covering events related to World Youth Day, on the Copacabana beachfront, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 26, 2013. The demonstration numbering a few hundred protesters took place after Pope Francis presided over the WYD event, Stations of the Cross. The sign held by a protester refers to Rio de Janeiro State Gov. Sergio Cabral and Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes. (AP Photo/Enric Marti)

Pope Francis speaks during the Stations of the Cross event on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 26, 2013. Also known as the Via Crucis and Via Dolorosa, the Stations of the Cross are built around reflections on Jesus' last steps leading up to his crucifixion and death. Francis started off the day, his fifth in Rio, by hearing confessions from a half-dozen young pilgrims in a park and met privately with juvenile detainees. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Pope Francis waves from his popemobile as he arrives for the Stations of the Cross event on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 26, 2013. Also known as the Via Crucis and Via Dolorosa, the Stations of the Cross are built around reflections on Jesus' last steps leading up to his crucifixion and death. Francis started off the day, his fifth in Rio, by hearing confessions from a half-dozen young pilgrims in a park and met privately with juvenile detainees.. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

A woman watches a Stations of the Cross performance, on the Copacabana beachfront in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, July 26, 2013. Pope Francis presided over one of the most solemn rites of the Catholic Church on Friday, a procession re-enacting Christ's crucifixion, that received a Broadway-like treatment; staging a wildly theatrical telling of the Stations of the Cross, complete with huge stage sets, complex lighting, a full orchestra and a cast of hundreds acting out a modern version of the biblical story. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ? In the thick of his historic visit to Brazil this week, Pope Francis urged young Catholics to make a "mess" in their dioceses and break out of their spiritual cages.

Francis' exhortation, spoken Thursday during a special meeting with Argentine faithful, won him acclaim as a renegade leader of the world's biggest church. But it also left many of his followers with their own interpretations of the pontiff's words about the need to shake up the church.

Some said they thought Francis wanted them to object more forcefully when taught modern ideas that clash with church doctrine. Others said it meant hitting the streets and pushing for social change.

"If in my biology class they speak about abortion, I should raise my hand and say I don't believe in that," said Maria Alejandrina de Dicindio, a 54-year-old Argentine catechism teacher who had traveled to Rio to see her pope, a fellow Argentine. "The youth should open their mouths when it's their turn."

For Mexican pilgrim Gilberto Amado Hernandez, the pope's message meant he should start showing off to the world Jesus Christ's message of love.

"It's difficult to meet young people who want to get close to Christ," Amado said. "We have to show them that faith is something beautiful."

Francis himself didn't specify what to do, but he has displayed his own mold-breaking ways throughout this week's visit to Rio de Janeiro and rural Sao Paulo state, his first overseas trip as pope.

The first pontiff from the Americas worried security officials by riding through massive crowds atop an open-sided popemobile rather than the fully enclosed, bulletproof vehicle his last two predecessors used. He's also ventured straight up to well-wishers to kiss babies and bless children and met privately Friday with juvenile offenders to provide counsel.

While speaking to his fellow Argentines Thursday, Francis said Catholics should make a concerted effort to get outside their own worlds.

"I want to see the church get closer to the people," he told them. "I want to get rid of clericalism, the mundane, this closing ourselves off within ourselves, in our parishes, schools or structures, because these need to get out."

His final message: "Don't forget: make trouble."

In his own way, he lived those words as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, before being selected as pope in March.

Then known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the future pope largely abandoned the kinds of luxuries favored by other high-ranking church officials. He rented out the archbishop's luxurious suburban mansion, living instead in a spartan room in a downtown church office building. He also rode subways and buses around town rather than keep a chauffeur.

Francis' visit to a Rio slum on Thursday wasn't his first such venture. He made regular unescorted trips to dangerous slums as archbishop and saw to it that every major "misery village" in Buenos Aires had a chapel and a priest to spread the Lord's word.

He also encouraged young people and the laity to take on leadership roles in parishes that were previously held by priests, so that church members would have much more say in what happens in their communities. Though the Catholic Church openly supported Argentina's 1976-1983 dictatorship, Francis later approved sainthood investigations for priests who were killed by the military government.

Yet pope biographer Sergio Rubin said Francis the archbishop also had a very keen sense of politics and took care to act prudently, choosing his battles and avoiding challenging superiors in ways that would backfire.

He wasn't so gleeful and devoted to the crowd, seemingly mindful that he didn't yet have the power to make a big splash in the church, according to an Argentine Catholic official who asked not to be identified because he wasn't authorized to talk publicly about church politics.

Instead, Francis molded the church in Argentina in quieter ways by hiring and promoting a new generation of outgoing priests in his own model, and not only fellow Jesuits used to living among lay people.

His replacement as archbishop, Mario Poli, had impressed Bergoglio by earning a degree in social work from the public University of Buenos Aires. In a book of dialogues with a friendly rabbi, Francis said, "This is a much better situation, because in the (university) you become acquainted with real life, the different points of view there are about it, the different scientific aspects, cosmopolitanism. . It's a way of having your feet well planted in the earth."

The shake-up message is also one he's applying as pope to the Vatican's staid and dysfunctional bureaucracy. Francis has made clear that big change is on the way, naming commissions of inquiry to investigate the scandals at the Vatican bank and propose an overarching reform of the entire central governance of the Catholic Church.

The pontiff has dived into the crowds that have greeted him at the Vatican and in Brazil.

During two raucous rides down Copacabana beach, he's waved, smiled and stopped repeatedly to accept gifts thrown at him from the crowd. At one point, Francis gave away his own white skullcap and put on another one tossed in from the street.

For Argentine student Ana Paula Garrote, Francis was showing Catholics they needed to live that type of spirit.

"For me, the pope wanted to say that we should go out into the streets, not stay in the parishes, and not be ashamed of talking about God," Garrote said. "The pope is telling us to talk about God without impunity because we have the truth, in uppercase, and we aren't alone."

___

Associated Press writer Marco Sibaja contributed to this report from Rio de Janeiro.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-07-27-LT-Brazil-Pope-Rebel/id-2415d3fe82d64b408836078a5e8dfe6b

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Want to stick with your diet? Better have someone hide the chocolate

[unable to retrieve full-text content]If you are trying to lose weight or save for the future, new research suggests avoiding temptation may increase your chances of success compared to relying on willpower alone.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/m1MVvQdWmGo/130724124913.htm

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Foyle Cup extravaganza kicks off with carnival parade

Foyle Cup 2013 23-7-13 The Foyle Cup parade of players taking place in Derry on Tuesday morning. thousands of young players and their families from across the UK and abroad are taking part in the 2013 event with matches taking place across the North West. Picture Margaret Mclaughlin ? by-line

24 July 2013

YOUNG footballers from around the world have converged on Londonderry as the Foyle Cup officially gets under way following the opening parade.

?

Thousands of people turned out yesterday to see the emerging stars launch the annual soccer tournament.

The competition continues to be one of the city's main summer attractions as the public turns out to support emerging local talent pitting their skills against world-class opposition.

Foyle Cup Chairman Michael Hutton has been heartened by the progress the competition has made over the years.

He said: ?It is a true success story for all of us here in Derry city.

?It has been amazing to note the ever-growing interest in this event which began as a one-day, eight-team tournament in 1992 and now has developed into a truly international |festival of football. There can be no doubt about the respect the Foyle Cup has gained over the years. Our economy has been in a deep recession for the past five or six years and yet the tournament continues to prosper. This year we have 216 teams competing.?

Teams gathered at Ebrington Parade Ground yesterday, before crossing the Peace Bridge led by the Caw Flute Band and making its way along Foyle Embankment to the city?s walls.

Local clubs will be able to measure themselves against US-based Everton America, as well as English and Scottish Premiership teams such as Norwich, Glasgow Celtic and Hearts.

Mayor Martin Reilly said it was a great honour to welcome football teams and their families to Derry to take part in the tournament.

Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/845/f/10684/s/2f15baa2/sc/10/l/0L0Sbelfasttelegraph0O0Csport0Cfootball0Cfoyle0Ecup0Eextravaganza0Ekicks0Eoff0Ewith0Ecarnival0Eparade0E294451280Bhtml/story01.htm

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World awaits first glimpse of Britain's new prince

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - The world could get its the first glimpse of the new prince on Tuesday, with Prince William and his wife, Kate, expected to leave the hospital with their baby son.

Kate, 31, gave birth to the couple's first child, who is third in line to the throne, on Monday afternoon, ending weeks of feverish anticipation about the arrival.

Royal aides said the couple and their newborn were all doing well and expected to leave hospital after 6 p.m. British Time on Tuesday, or possibly on Wednesday morning.

"We would like to thank the staff at the Lindo Wing and the whole hospital for the tremendous care the three of us have received," William and Kate said in a statement.

"We know it has been a very busy period for the hospital and we would like to thank everyone - staff, patients and visitors - for their understanding during this time."

The baby's name will be announced at a later date but George and James, both traditional royal names, were favoured choices with British bookmakers for the child, who is destined, one day, to be king.

The popular couple are expected to adhere to tradition by giving the public the first sight of the royal baby on the steps when they leave St Mary's Hospital - just as William's father Prince Charles and late mother, Princess Diana, did with him.

"We're here to witness history, where a future monarch has been born. I just can't wait to see them today," said Maria Scott, a housewife from Newcastle who has camped outside the hospital since Saturday.

Kensington Palace announced the arrival of the boy, weighing 8 lb 6 oz (3.8 kg) at about 8:30 p.m., on Monday, four hours after his birth, saying Kate and her child were doing well and would remain in hospital overnight.

William, who said he and Kate could not be happier, was with them.

Their son is third in line to the throne after grandfather Charles and William, 31, and pushes the fun-loving Prince Harry, William's brother, into fourth place.

"I'm thrilled and very excited," said Charles during an official visit to northern England.

His second wife Camilla said: "I think mother, son and father are all well. And I think it's a wonderfully uplifting moment for the country," adding that Charles would make a "brilliant" grandfather.

Congratulations flooded in from around the world after the announcement of the birth, which was followed moment-by-moment by global media as well as TV and press in Britain.

British tabloid newspaper the Sun temporarily renamed itself the Son in honour of the baby, while the left-leaning Guardian newspaper provided readers of its website with a "Republican" button so that they could filter out the barrage of royal news if they wanted.

ROYAL POPULARITY

The birth fuels a new wave of popularity for the House of Windsor led by the younger royals, William and Harry, who were both born to Diana at St Mary's Hospital.

Support for the royals dipped after Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in 1997, a year after her divorce from Charles, as the royals were accused of being out of touch with modern Britain over their handling of the aftermath.

But last year's celebrations of the Queen's 60th year on the throne showed support for the monarchy was running at a record high.

Hordes of TV crews and photographers, and royal fans wrapped in Union Jack flags, remained camped outside the hospital, waiting for the first photo of the baby, who will be called the Prince of Cambridge.

There will also be a 41-gun salute at London's Green Park and 62 rounds fired at the Tower of London to herald news of the birth.

Outside the Buckingham Palace, a military band played "Congratulations" following the traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony.

William and Kate, who met when they were students at St Andrews University in Scotland about 10 years ago, have officially been known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge since their sumptuous royal wedding in April 2011.

The couple, who have been living in a cottage in north Wales where William is based as a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot, will eventually take up residence with their baby at Apartment 1A at the Kensington Palace, William's childhood home, when a one million pound refurbishment is completed later this year.

Royal experts said after they leave the hospital, the new prince will be taken out of the public glare.

"All we will probably see is a glimpse of the top of the baby's head," said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine.

"After that we won't see them for some time. Having a baby is a very private moment and they are a private couple so the next time we see the baby will be the official photo and that could be weeks."

Not all Britons were celebrating the news however, with Britain's small Republican movement saying it was wrong the future head of state should be chosen by birth.

"Storms over London. God must be unhappy with media coverage too," the campaign group Republic tweeted as London was hit by a heavy downpour of rain.

(Additional reporting by Belinda Goldsmith, Li-Mei Hoang, Stephen Addison and Dasha Afanasieva; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/world-awaits-first-glimpse-britains-prince-000228872.html

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RECRUITING: De Smet football duo makes college pledges

The De Smet football program has had a good offseason.

The Spartans already have had four players who are entering their senior seasons make verbal commitments to continue playing football at Division I schools.

Offensive lineman Andy Bauer pledged to Mississippi in March. Offensive lineman Mitch Palmer made a commitment to Miami-Ohio in early July. Then, recently, defensive backs Wilbert Vails Jr. and Dedrick Cromartie made commitments to a pair of Mid-American Conference schools.

Cromartie, a 5-foot-10, 185-pounder, pledged to Ball State after also considering Illinois State and SIU Carbondale.

?When I went up to Muncie, when I talked with and met all the coaches, there was something about the coaching staff that I didn?t see in other schools,? he said. ?I feel like we bonded really well. I feel like I can fit in with them and the program. I just think it?s the perfect fit for me.?

Vails, a 6-1, 185-pounder, committed to Miami-Ohio.

?I like the coaching staff,? he said. ?I love the coaching staff. Then, when I went down there for my unofficial visit, I loved it, like the whole family. That?s our football motto for this year at De Smet: ?Only the Family.? I thought this was a family environment.?

Cromartie had a breakthrough junior season for De Smet.

Playing linebacker and then moving to safety after an injury to a teammate, Cromartie racked up a team-high 71 tackles (12 for loss) and six interceptions to go along with five sacks and one fumble recovery.

Cromartie showed his explosiveness during a three-game stretch in the 2012 playoffs when he grabbed four interceptions and returned three for touchdowns. He returned an interception 25 yards for a score against Pattonville. He had a 70-yard interception return in the fourth quarter of a 40-30 win at Hazelwood Central. He had two interceptions during a 56-35 win at CBC, including a 15-yard interception return for a score.

Cromartie said he will play safety this fall for the Spartans but that he was recruited by Ball State to play a nickel back-cornerback position.

?I?ve been working real hard, because actually a lot of the schools that were looking at me, a lot of the bigger schools, were looking at me to play corner actually,? he said. ?So I?ve been working real hard at playing corner and trying to get better.?

Vails, who had 64 tackles (9 for loss), eight sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery as a junior, also will be changing positions at the next level.

?I played linebacker for De Smet last year, outside linebacker, and (Miami-Ohio) recruited me to play anything in the secondary, more than likely safety, but if they need me at corner they?ll put me at corner,? he said.

Vails became the area?s third player from his graduating class to pledge to Miami-Ohio, following Parkway Central linebacker Trey Knes and his De Smet teammate, Palmer.

?It?s nice to know I?m going somewhere with him,? Vails said of Palmer. ?I get to play against Dedrick (Cromartie), and I?ll be able to play against KeVonn (Mabon), people I?ve played with.?

Mabon, who graduated from De Smet in 2012, is heading into his sophomore season as a wide receiver at Ball State. He had 23 catches for 335 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman a year ago.

The De Smet football program will send at least one more senior player to a Division I program in 2014, as running back Marcus Jester has offers from Wyoming and Illinois State .

?We?ve got more to come,? Cromartie said. ?Marcus. We have a couple other linemen that are going to be on the radar after this year. Our quarterback (Scott Sinovich) is really, really good this year. He?s totally off the radar, but he?s really good.?

?I think it might be three more,? Vails said. ?Everybody knows about Marcus, but we?ve got Trey Weaver, another one of our corner-receivers. We?ve got another corner named Adrian Bowman, and he?s a really good corner. I think we?ve got three more who could possibly go D-I.?

Source: http://www.stltoday.com/sports/high-school/recruiting/recruiting-de-smet-football-duo-makes-college-pledges/article_b5a7c810-f491-11e2-ba64-001a4bcf6878.html

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317 Power Words That'll Instantly Make You a Better Writer

Posted by Jon in Beginners, Engagement, Standing out, Writing | 76 comments

Ever noticed how some writers have an uncanny ability to toy with your emotions?

Within the span of a few pages, you can go from shaking with excitement to bawling your eyes out to flying into a rage and throwing the book across the room. It?s the hallmark of great writing, proof of mastery of the craft, and the yardstick by which aspiring writers measure their work.

And it goes beyond storytelling.

Sure, taking the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride is essential in novels and short stories, but what about emails, resumes, blog posts, proposals? They?re all designed to influence the reader in some way. You want to pass along information, yes, but you also want the reader to feel a certain way about that information.

Maybe you want to impress them, get them excited, make them cautious, get them angry, encourage them to keep going, or any number of emotions. The better a job you do at making them feel, the more influential you are, and the better your chances of getting what you want.

So, you might wonder? how?

The world is full of people who can scribble down their ideas, but to bring those ideas to life, to make them take up residence in the mind of the reader, lurking in the background, tugging, pulling, and cajoling their emotions until they think and feel exactly as you want? That?s a rare skill indeed.

The good news is it can be yours. There?s even a shortcut.

How to Instantly Become a Better Writer

It?s simple:

Use power words.

Rather than describe what I mean, let?s deconstruct an example from the great Winston Churchill:

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.

Inspiring, right?

Well, there was a lot on the line. Under attack from Germany, Britain was fighting for its survival, and somehow, someway, Churchill had to find a way to inspire his countrymen to greatness.

He chose words. Or, to be more accurate, power words.

Let?s take a look at the passage again, this time with all the power words underlined:

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival.

Each underlined word makes the audience feel something. In this case, Churchill intermixes words that cause fear, such as ?struggle,? ?tyranny,? and ?terror,? with words that cause hope, such as ?strength,? ?God,? and ?victory.? The last, in particular, is repeated over and over, practically drilling the emotion into the minds of the audience.

It?s no accident. Smart speakers, as well as their speechwriters, sprinkle their speeches with carefully-chosen power words, drawing the audience from one emotion to another as skillfully as any novelist or screenwriter.

Granted, that?s not all they do. The best writers use an entire tool chest of techniques to create emotion, and power words are only one such tool.

But there?s good news.

For beginning writers, power words are one of the easiest tools to master. Unlike many storytelling strategies which can take years of practice to master, you can start sprinkling power words into your writing, and you?ll notice an immediate lift in the quality of your prose.

All you lack is a list of power words to use, but of course, I have you covered there too.

317 Power Words to Start Using Immediately

For years now, every time I mentioned power words to my students, someone always asked:

?Where can I get a list? Is there a book I can buy??

Sadly, not that I?m aware of.? That?s why I created this list.

Slowly, over a period of several weeks, I catalogued all the power words that jumped out to me, organizing them into categories based on the emotion you want to create, so you can easily find the right word. In the future, I?ll also update the list, adding new words on a regular basis to make it the most comprehensive list of power words available anywhere.

It costs nothing. All I ask in return is you share it with your friends and readers when appropriate, helping it reach the people who need it most.

Enjoy.

Calling All Fearmongers

Let?s do a little experiment.

Just for a moment, stop reading this post, turn on the television, and go to a major news channel. Watch it for five minutes, listening for the words below.

Chances are, you?ll hear dozens of them. Here?s why:

Fear is without a doubt the most powerful emotion for grabbing and keeping an audience?s attention. To make sure you don?t change the channel, news networks load up with fear words, making you worry you might miss something important.

It?s effective. Granted, you can overdo it, but in my opinion, most writers don?t use these types of words nearly enough. They really do connect with people.

Here?s a bunch to get you started:

Agony
Apocalypse
Armageddon
Assault
Backlash
Beating
Beware
Blinded
Blood
Bloodbath
Bloodcurdling
Bloody
Bomb
Buffoon
Bumbling
Cadaver
Catastrophe
Caution
Collapse
Corpse
Crazy
Cripple
Crisis
Danger
Deadly
Death
Destroy
Devastating
Disastrous
Drowning
Dumb
Embarrass
Fail
Feeble
Fired
Fool

Fooled
Frantic
Frightening
Gambling
Gullible
Hack
Hazardous
Hoax
Holocaust
Horrific
Hurricane
Insidious
Invasion
IRS
Jail
Jeopardy
Lawsuit
Looming
Lunatic
Lurking
Meltdown
Mired
Mistake
Murder
Nightmare
Painful
Pale
Panic
Peril
Piranha
Pitfall
Plague
Played
Plummet
Plunge
Poison

Pommel
Poor
Prison
Pus
Reckoning
Refugee
Revenge
Risky
Scary
Scream
Searing
Shatter
Shellacking
Silly
Slaughter
Slave
Smash
Strangle
Stupid
Suck
Tailspin
Tank
Targeted
Teetering
Terror
Terrorist
Toxic
Trap
Vaporize
Victim
Volatile
Vulnerable
Warning
Worry
Wounded

Give Your Readers a Pep Talk

Let?s face it.

When they?re reading, most people aren?t exactly bouncing off the walls with energy and enthusiasm. They?re probably bored, maybe a little depressed, and almost definitely tired. And they?re looking for something, anything, that?ll wake them up and make them feel better.

The good news?

Your writing can do that for them. Use these power words to give them a pep talk and get them charged up again:

Amazing
Audacity
Backbone
Belief
Blissful
Bravery
Breathtaking
Cheer
Conquer
Courage
Daring
Defiance
Delight
Devoted
Excited

Eye-opening
Faith
Fearless
Fulfill
Grateful
Grit
Guts
Happy
Heart
Hero
Hope
Jaw-dropping
Jubilant
Magic
Mind-blowing

Miracle
Pluck
Sensational
Spectacular
Spine
Spirit
Staggering
Stunning
Surprising
Triumph
Uplifting
Valor
Victory
Wonderful
Wondrous

Take a Page from Cosmopolitan (or Playboy)

Like it or not, lust is one of the core human emotions.

Just look at the men?s and women?s magazines in the checkout aisle, and you?ll see what I mean. Nearly every headline on the cover is either blatantly or indirectly about sex.

And it works, not just for men?s and women?s magazines, but for anything. As a writer, you can use words that inspire lust to make almost anything intriguing.

For example: take a look at these two posts I wrote for Copyblogger:

Sex, Lies, and the Art of Commanding Attention

Copyblogger Editor Admits to Sleeping with Readers and Recommends You Do the Same

Both posts use the power of lust to teach people about headlines, of all things. Proof positive that it can be used for anything.

Here?s a lascivious list to get you started:

Brazen
Crave
Depraved
Dirty
Exposed
Forbidden
Hypnotic
Lascivious
Lick
Lonely

Lust
Naked
Naughty
Provocative
Scandalous
Sensual
Sex
Shameless
Sinful
Sleazy

Sleeping
Spank
Steamy
Sweaty
Tantalizing
Tawdry
Thrilling
Uncensored
Wanton
Whip

Start a Riot

As writers, sometimes our job is to anger people.

Not for the fun of it, mind you, but because someone is doing something wrong, and the community needs to take action to correct it. The problem is, with wrongdoing, most people are pretty apathetic ? they?ll wait until the situation becomes entirely intolerable to do anything, and by then, it?s often too late.

So, we have to fan the flames. By using the below power words, you can connect with people?s anger, and slowly but surely, you can work them into a frenzy. Just be careful who you target. Lawyers can eat you alive if you pick on the wrong person.

Abuse
Arrogant
Ass kicking
Backstabbing
Beat down
Bullshit
Bully
Coward
Crooked
Crush
Disgusting
Evil
Force-fed

Foul
Hate
Know it all
Lies
Loathsome
Loser
Lying
Maul
Money-grubbing
Nazi
No Good
Obnoxious
Payback

Pound
Preposterous
Punish
Revolting
Ruthless
Sick and Tired
Smug
Sniveling
Snob
Snooty
Snotty
Stuck up
Underhanded

Stomp on Their Greed Glands

The legendary copywriter Gary Halbert once said, ?If you want people to buy something, stomp on their greed glands until they bleed.? Graphic, yes, but also true.

Skim through good sales copy, and you?ll find a lot of these power words. Many of them are so overused they?ve become clich?, but that doesn?t stop them from working.

The truth is, nearly every human being on the planet is interested in either making or saving money. Use these words to tap into those desires:

Bargain
Best
Billion
Bonanza
Cash
Cheap
Discount
Dollar
Double
Explode
Extra
Feast
Fortune
Free

Freebie
Frenzy
Frugal
Gift
Greatest
Inexpensive
Jackpot
Luxurious
Marked down
Massive
Money
Nest egg
Pay zero
Prize

Profit
Quadruple
Reduced
Rich
Savings
Six-figure
Skyrocket
Soaring
Surge
Treasure
Triple
Whopping

Make Them Feel Safe

Greed isn?t the only emotion you want buyers to feel. You also want to make them feel safe.

They need to trust both you and your product or service. They need to have confidence you?ll deliver. They need to believe they?ll get results.

Of course, building that kind of trust starts with having a quality brand and reputation, but the words you use to describe yourself and your product or service also matter. To help your customers feel safe, try to use as many of these power words as possible:

Anonymous
Authentic
Backed
Best-selling
Cancel Anytime
Certified
Endorsed
Guaranteed
Ironclad
Lifetime

Moneyback
No Obligation
No Questions Asked
No Risk
No Strings Attached
Official
Privacy
Protected
Proven
Recession-proof

Refund
Research
Results
Secure
Tested
Try before You Buy
Verify
Unconditional

Offer Them a Forbidden Fruit

Remember when you were a kid, and someone told you NOT to do something? From that point on, you could think about little else, right?

The truth is, we?re all fascinated by the mysterious and forbidden. It?s like it?s programmed into our very nature.

So why not tap into that programming?

Whenever you need to create curiosity, sprinkle these power words throughout your writing, and readers won?t be able to help being intrigued:

Backdoor
Banned
Behind the Scenes
Black Market
Blacklisted
Bootleg
Censored
Concealed
Confessions

Confidential
Controversial
Covert
Cover-up
Forbidden
Forgotten
Hidden
Illegal
Insider

Lost
Off-limits
Outlawed
Private
Secrets
Smuggled
Strange
Unauthorized
Withheld

Go Ahead and Tell Me. What Words Did I Miss?

Yes, this is an enormous list, but so many power words are available, nobody can possibly catch them all on the first pass. What are some other words that seem to have that extra little spark of emotion inside them?

Leave your answer in the comments, and as time goes by, I?ll come back periodically and update the list. Eventually, I hope to have over 1,000 words here, separated and organized by category, making this the definitive resource for power words on the web.

Thanks in advance for commenting and sharing the post with your friends!

About the Author: Jon Morrow has asked repeatedly to be called ?His Royal Awesomeness? but no one listens to him. So, he settles for CEO of Boost Blog Traffic, LLC. Poor man.

Source: http://boostblogtraffic.com/power-words/

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