Mega Millions: How Winning Numbers Would Change Our Lives

Mega Millions: How Winning Numbers Would Change Our Lives:I’m not really into lotteries. I’ve never even played one. In fact, the only direct impact they have on me is an annoying one—namely, they often delay me while waiting in a convenient store line. Thanks to the lottery addicts who are busy scratching off their latest loser. Don’t get me wrong. Annoying players notwithstanding, I’m just fine with lotteries. They obviously raise a lot of revenue and they are a self-selected tax. So I’m all for them. They’re just not right for me.

But thanks to Mega Millions, I’m starting to reconsider that.

I read in the USA Today where it’s gotten up to $237 million. Holy cow, people. That’s a lump sum cash value of nearly $151 million. So maybe I should play.

After all, we are expecting our fifth child in July. And our little bundle of joy will certainly cost us a pretty penny, indeed. As will the help we had just cut back on. And while these expenses are costly, they’re nothing that a quick hundy million couldn’t cover. And just think what it would mean for the triplets. We could get these little monsters anything they wanted.

But, now that I think about it, that might not be such a good idea. They’re already fighting tooth and nail over what toys they already have. I thought Kirby was gonna go all Kung-Fu on Sammy for picking up her Dora book the other day. And you better not think about touching even one of Jack’s matchbox cars. Unless you want an earful. Or want to see a bizarre looking tantrum.

In fact, the fighting over material possessions has reached an all-time high at our house, thanks to Christmas and two well-intending but over indulgent Santas. Just last night, I was lamenting the fact that we had gotten them too much. Who would have thought that adding more toys to the mix would lower their overall contentment level, but I promise that’s what has happened. At least judging from all the fighting. And ugliness.

Speaking of ugliness, I’ve witnessed some of the ugliest things ever when it comes to fighting over money. One family I know intimately is currently in the middle of a lawsuit that’s costing them, quite literally, hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. Because the son of an extremely wealthy decedent has sued his two siblings as well all of the trustees of their various trusts. The details aren’t important, but this part is: The fallout has not so sad to witness. The two siblings have not even spoken with their brother in over two years.

I know that not everyone fights over money. In fact, I truly don’t think our kids would. I know my wife and I wouldn’t fight over money. It just doesn’t mean that much to either one of us.

Tucker Carlson: Michael Vick 'Should Have Been Executed'

Tucker Carlson: Michael Vick 'Should Have Been Executed':Tucker carlson,Michael Vick 'Should Have Been Executed',Breaking news,world news,
ONLY USA NEWS.Tucker Carlson filled in for Sean Hannity Tuesday night on Fox News and made a shocking claim: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick should be executed.

Carlson led a panel discussion pegged to President Obama's recent phone call with the Eagles owner, in which he applauded the Eagles for giving Vick a second chance following his time in jail over his dogfighting scandal.

But Carlson is not as forgiving as Obama or the Eagles.

"I'm a Christian, I've made mistakes myself, I believe fervently in second chances," Carlson said. "But Michael Vick killed dogs, and he did in a heartless and cruel way. And I think, personally, he should've been executed for that. He wasn't, but the idea that the President of the United States would be getting behind someone who murdered dogs? Kind of beyond the pale."

Diana Taurasi Reportedly Tests Positive for Banned Stimulant in Turkey

Diana Taurasi Reportedly Tests Positive for Banned Stimulant in Turkey:Diana Taurasi, the WNBA standout and former UConn All-American, reportedly has tested positive for a mild stimulant while playing in a professional league in Turkey.

Taurasi's lawyer, Howard Jacobs, told The Associated Press Taurasi was provisionally suspended from the Turkish league after her "A" sample came back positive. She has requested a test of her "B" sample.

Jacobs wouldn't identify the stimulant to the AP other than to say it "was not a steroid or recreational drug."

Taurasi has missed the last three games for the well-known Turkish club Fenerbahce.

"While she is fully cooperating with authorities, there are serious doubts about the accuracy of the test results," Jacobs said in a statement to the AP. "We are confident that Diana will be fully vindicated once all the evidence is reviewed. She regrets that someone has violated the confidentiality rules of this process and will make no further statement at this time."

The 28-year-old led the WNBA with 22.6 points per game last season, good for her third consecutive league scoring title. She was the top overall pick in the 2004 draft by the Phoenix Mercury.

Taurasi was suspended for two WNBA games in 2009 after pleading guilty to a DUI charge.

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French maid barbie

French maid barbie:The French Maid Barbie doll, designed by Robert Best, celebrates the working woman. Black mary janes and feather duster complete the ensemble.

Which is not an actual Barbie produced by Mattel? There were three choices: Sunday School Barbie or French Maid Barbie or Lingerie Barbie.

The couple was not sure of their answer and placed their bets on Sunday School Barbie and Lingerie Barbie.

The answer is Sunday School Barbie.

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Footaction|Gilford Securities Has Buy Rating On Foot Locker

Footaction|Gilford Securities Has Buy Rating On Foot Locker:Gilford Securities has a Buy rating and a $25-$30 price target on shares of Foot Locker, Inc\.

In the research report Gilford Securities writes, "CEO Hicks began repositioning Foot Locker a year ago and got about 70% toward his goal of broadening the merchandise assortment by the holiday season. FL should be 100% there in the spring. Assortment refinements will continue after that. Repositioning of Foot Locker, Footaction, Champs, Lady Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker has a long way to go. Sales of basketball shoes, FL's primary category, have revived a year or more of rising sales seems likely. Foot Locker added more running shoes, a hot category—its running shoes sales should be strong in the spring. Foot Locker's 2Q/10 same-store sales rose 2.5%. With assortments 50% toward Hicks' objective, the gain jumped to 8.1% for 3Q/10. Gains were near 10% in September and October. We assume FL had a similar gain in November, as 4Q/10 began. Guidance for 4Q/10 assumes a mid-single digit same-store gain."

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Texaco|Carl Icahn Recounts the Pennzoil Texaco/Getty Oil Feud|texas instruments|texas holdem poker

Texaco|Carl Icahn Recounts the Pennzoil Texaco/Getty Oil Feud|texas instruments|texas holdem poker:The Getty Oil takeover battle between Texaco and Pennzoil was probably one of the ugliest in Wall Street's history. In 1984, Texaco swooped in at the last minute with a winning bid before Pennzoil was able to finalize an already agreed-upon deal with Getty Oil.

A furious Pennzoil filed suit and started a bitter legal feud that lasted for the following four years, which pushed Texaco into bankruptcy, until a settlement of $3 billion, brokered by Carl Icahn, was reached. At the time, Cal Icahn, a noted corporate raider and financier, accumulated over 13% of Texaco's stock in a failed attempt to take control of the board.

However, the settlement, in which Icahn acted as a catalyst, removed the dark clouds hanging over Texaco and Pennzoil. As a result, both companies were able to move on and refocus on business. The resulting gains in stock prices also got Icahn some sizable financial windfall.

In the end, the biggest winner of all were the law firms, as Texas lawyer Joseph Jamail (whom Icahn mentioned in the video below) reportedly got $600 million for leading Pennzoil's attack against Texaco.

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Smokey the bear|Smokey the Bear Says, “Fires Allowed Here”!|Song|Costume|History

Smokey the bear|Smokey the Bear Says, “Fires Allowed Here”!|Song|Costume|History:Want to give your students transformative learning experiences? You’ll need these:

* Engagement
* Content
* Relevance

Students must be engaged and involved to the point of being vested in the outcomes of the experience. They must encounter content that deepens their knowledge base and provides them with the intellectual tools they need to be successful. And the task, project, and/or objectives must have a meaningful context in order to be meaningful to the students.

However, even with these three elements in place, a lesson or unit or project may still fall flat. Students engaged in relevant content does not necessarily translate to inspired learning.

Herein lies the piece of the teaching puzzle than cannot be standardized, scripted, or tested. It’s the magic voodoo that the best teachers possess and the worst lack. It’s the catalyst that turns a humdrum subject into something powerful and life changing. And it’s the red thread that ties together all those gushy “The Teacher That Changed My Life” stories.

Passion.

Ironically, it’s also an ingredient that is altogether missing from our national edu-speak about quality education, and for the most wonkish of reasons at that: It’s utterly unquantifiable. Passion can’t be graphed, charted, or objectively assessed. It defies convention and refuses to be contained.

Yet anyone who has ever been to school knows this simple truth: Passion is also what separates the teachers who teach from the teachers who inspire. As William Yates famously opined, “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.”

The question for many leaders close to the ground floor of education is “How?” Amid standards, accountability, achievement, and performance, finding time to develop the less results-driven talents of teachers can seem like a luxury more than a necessity. They wonder, “How can I inspire teachers to truly inspire their students while achieving quantifiable results?”

(That policy makers answer this question with “merit pay” is illustrative of the gaping disconnect between politicians and educators. “Everyone we interact with is motivated by money. Therefore, aren’t teachers?” But I digress.)

Turns out, passion is contagious. Inspired teachers inspire students. Inspired students are learners. Learners “achieve”.

But again we wonder, “How do we effectively inspire teachers?”

I’m not sure. But there are some things I do know:

1. There are no silver bullets for cultivating passion in teachers. Chocolate helps, but it’s only a short term solution.
2. Canned curriculums taught the same way year after year stifle passionate teaching.
3. “Burn out” burns out passion.

The passionate teachers connect deeply with both students and content. They love who they teach and they love what they teach. They’ve invested themselves emotionally in both the subject matter and the students. It’s this dual emotional commitment that leads to transformative learning experiences.

Cultivating that passion is an indirect process, but it is possible. We must re-personalize teaching. Teachers need to feel that the classroom is an extension of their own love of learning, a place where curiosity reigns and it is okay to say, “I’m not sure. Let’s find out.” We need to give teachers autonomy to adjust curricula to the students in their charge, to tailor the learning to meet the needs AND interests of the kids in their classrooms.

Find out what your teachers care about, what their hobbies are, what they google when they want to know something, and encourage them to bring that learning to the classroom.

Passion is contagious. Let’s create an epidemic. Fire up your teachers to bring what they love about learning into the classroom, share it with their students, and let’s start some fires.

Why did 'Tron: Legacy' do so well at the box office?

Why did 'Tron: Legacy' do so well at the box office?:The 1982 'Tron' movie didn't make much money when it opened. But 'Tron: Legacy' topped the weekend box office with more than $43 million.

The computer fantasy film, “Tron: Legacy,” topped the weekend box office with more than $43 million – not quite the $50 million that Disney reportedly hoped for. But the domestic total is a far cry from the $8 million that the original “Tron” made back in 1982 when it opened, points out Sean Phillips, executive producer of Yahoo! Movies.
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The first film, he adds, “was pretty much a bomb.” This faltering performance leads to the obvious question: Why bring back a story that didn’t resonate the first time around?

Partly because Disney can, says Hezekiah Lewis, a filmmaker and professor at Villanova University in Pennsylvania. The initial movie was produced long before the heady world of today’s computer-enhanced special-effects wizardry, he points out. And the story of a man who gets trapped inside a digital universe could barely be realized onscreen in those days.

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A Light in the Forest of This Debussy Work

A Light in the Forest of This Debussy Work:The conductor Simon Rattle, making his long-overdue debut at the Metropolitan Opera on Friday, brought an unusual sense of structure to Debussy's "Pelléas and Mélisande" in a revival of the 1995 Jonathan Miller production. This lengthy 1902 masterpiece of Impressionism, based on an inscrutable Symbolist play by Maurice Maeterlinck, can feel like an excursion into the dark, trackless forests so often invoked in the opera, but Mr. Rattle's masterly shaping of its flowing melodies and shifting harmonic landscape turned it into a drama. This reading had both spine and direction, heightening the beauty and danger in Debussy's music. It was less mysterious, perhaps, but more gripping.
The outline of the story is simple. Prince Golaud encounters the weeping Mélisande in a forest. He marries her, and takes her back to the castle of his aged grandfather, King Arkel. She and his much younger half-brother, Pelléas, become close. Golaud grows jealous and, catching the two together, kills Pelléas. Mélisande gives birth to a baby girl, and dies.
However, the play, and Debussy's setting of it, are anything but simple. Mélisande is a mystery—no one knows who she is, or where she came from. The actual relationship of Pelléas and Mélisande is not clear. The atmosphere of the castle itself, permeated with age and death and surrounded by dark forests where no one can see the sky, is as much of a character as any of the humans. There are continual references to blindness.

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John madden|Dominating Performance by O-Line Earns John Madden’s Top Honors

John madden|Dominating Performance by O-Line Earns John Madden’s Top Honors:San Diego O-Line Provides Balance with Strong Run Blocking and Powerful Pass Protection; Chargers Now In Contention for Madden MVP Award Presented By Prilosec OTC

CINCINNATI, OH (December 15, 2010)– Backed by the dominating performance of their offensive line, the San Diego Chargers embarked on three long touchdown-scoring drives in the first-half on their way to a 31-0 victory Sunday over the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers now join the list of this year’s contenders for the 2nd annual Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award, presented by Prilosec OTC. The award honors the NFL’s best offensive line and will be presented on February 2, 2011 during the week of Super Bowl XLV which will be played on February 6 in North Texas.

The Madden Most Valuable ProtectorsAward recognizes the fundamental role offensive linemen play in their teams’ success by providing consistent and reliable protection day in and day out, just as Prilosec OTC provides 24-hour heartburn protection when used as directed. For more information on the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award presented by Prilosec OTC, visit www.MaddenProtectorsAward.com.

Providing the protection up front for the Chargers this season are tackles JEROMEY CLARY (Kansas State) and MARCUS McNEILL (Auburn), guards KRIS DIELMAN (Indiana) and TYRONNE GREEN (Auburn) and center NICK HARDWICK (Purdue). Second year tackle BRANDYN DOMBROWSKI (San Diego State) and veteran center SCOTT MRUCZKOWSKI (Bowling Green) also saw action on the line Sunday afternoon. Offensive Line coach HAL HUNTER joined the Chargers in 2006.

“The San Diego offensive line set the tone early by physically dominating the line of scrimmage and helping the Chargers score touchdowns on three of their first four possessions,” said Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach JOHN MADDEN. “Up front, the line paved the way for the team to both run and pass for over 200 yards. It’s really hard to do much better than that. I was impressed by the balance the Chargers line was able to establish against a first-place opponent.”

Sunday afternoon, the Chargers were able to make good on three long first-half scoring drives, including two nine-play scoring drives and a ten-play drive that gave San Diego a 21-0 halftime lead. Quarterback PHILIP RIVERS (North Carolina State) completed 12-of-15 passes in the first half for 132 yards and tossed a pair of touchdown passes to MALCOM FLOYD (Wyoming). Rivers finished the game 18-of-24 for 226 yards as the Chargers outgained the Chiefs 426 yards to 67. San Diego rushed for a season-high 207 yards including fifty three or more yards from three different backs RYAN MATHEWS (Fresno State), DARREN SPROLES (Kansas State) and MIKE TOLBERT (Coastal Carolina). With the victory, San Diego moves into sole possession of second place in the AFC West, one game behind the Chiefs and a game ahead of the Oakland Raiders.

San Diego has now won five of their last six games to crawl back into the playoff picture. During that stretch of games, the Chargers have scored 177 points (29.5 average). Overall, San Diego ranks 2nd in the league in average yards per game (399.6) and passing yards per contest (286.2) and 3rd in average points per game (27.2).

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Dan connolly|Dan Connolly’s 71-yard Kickoff Return

Dan connolly|Dan Connolly’s 71-yard Kickoff Return:Dan Connolly, a 315-pound offensive lineman on the Patriots, ran a kickoff late in the first half back 71-yards to set up a touchdown. On a record-setting day when DeSean Jackson had the NFL’s first “walk-off” punt return touchdown, Connolly has unofficially set a record for longest kickoff return in NFL history by anyone over 300 pounds

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