Stockton Ruling Seen as Key to US Municipal Bankruptcy Options ...

A federal judge on Monday is expected to rule on whether the city of Stockton, California is eligible for bankruptcy protection, a key milestone in a case likely to set critical precedents for cash-strapped U.S. cities, their employees and their bondholders.

The decision follows a three-day trial last week in which the city argued it had no choice but to file for bankruptcy after the financial meltdown devastated local tax revenues and harsh budget cuts still left the city with a $26 million shortfall.

Municipal bankruptcies have historically been rare, but troubled American cities increasingly see it as an option as they struggle with big debt loads, shrinking tax bases and massive pension and healthcare obligations. The California city of San Bernardino has also filed for bankruptcy, and some expect the city of Detroit, Michigan eventually to surpass Stockton as the biggest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy.

In the Stockton case, attorneys for bond insurers, who could potentially be forced to absorb major losses in a bankruptcy, argued the city could have done more to cut costs and raise revenues. The bondholders, who are not being paid in full under the city?s interim operating plan, have also argued that pension payments made to the California Public Employees Retirement System (Calpers) should be slashed.

Bankruptcy experts expect U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein to find the city eligible for bankruptcy.

Michael Sweet, a lawyer at Fox Rothschild who helps local governments on bankruptcy issues but is not directly involved in the Stockton case, said the city had proven even before last week?s trial that it was truly broke when it filed for bankruptcy protection last June. A municipality must be insolvent to be eligible.

?It will be hard for the judge to conclude that they weren?t insolvent,? Sweet said.

Stockton, a city of 300,000 residents in California?s Central Valley, aims to use the Chapter 9 bankruptcy process to right the city?s finances with a number of drastic measures. The city has already defaulted on some debt and allowed creditors to seize the assets ? including a parking garage and a city building ? and has cut payments to other municipal bondholders.

The city slashed the police department by 25% and cut other departments even more before it filed for bankruptcy. It has moved to eliminate a generous retiree healthcare plan ? a major hit for many former city employees ? but has not challenged pension payments to Calpers.

The retirement fund argues that under state law, pension payments cannot be reduced even in bankruptcy ? an issue that is also front-and-center in the San Bernardino bankruptcy and one that could eventually find its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

KEEPING TRADITION INTACT

Bondholders in major U.S. municipal bankruptcies have been repaid all of their principal since at least the 1930s ? and Stockton?s creditors don?t want to see that change.

Bond insurers Assured Guaranty Corp, Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp and National Public Finance Guarantee Corp were joined by Wells Fargo Bank, the Franklin California High Yield Municipal Fund and Franklin High Yield Tax-Free Income Fund in contesting Stockton?s bid for bankruptcy eligibility.

Assured?s net exposure to Stockton?s general fund-backed debt is $158 million. A spokesman for National said the MBIA Inc unit?s Stockton-related exposure is $224 million, $89 million of it tied to the city?s general fund. Franklin Advisers Inc, holds $35 million of uninsured Stockton lease revenue bonds.

Lawyers for the creditors argued to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Klein that Stockton did not meet requirements to be eligible for bankruptcy court protection.

They claimed Stockton officials did not do enough to mend the city?s finances and acted in bad faith by exempting the city?s largest creditor ? Calpers ? from concessions in a mandatory pre-bankruptcy mediation.

They also said Stockton is not really broke, and that city officials are conflicted because they have accounts with the pension fund.

James Spiotto, a municipal law specialist at the Chapman and Cutler law firm, said that attack fell flat, noting that a finding of bad faith is a high bar.

Article source: Reuters US News

Source: http://vicksburgdailynews.com/2013/04/01/stockton-ruling-seen-as-key-to-us-municipal-bankruptcy-options/

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Sunken Apollo rocket engines raised

21 March 2013 Last updated at 09:43 ET

Two long-lost engines from Apollo-era rockets have been hauled from a depth of more than 4km in the Atlantic Ocean.

The F-1 engines are from the first stage of a Saturn rocket, which were used throughout the Apollo programme - one of which launched men to the Moon.

A number of engines were first found nearly a year ago by Bezos Expeditions, run by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The two recovered engines will now be restored and put on public display.

The F-1 was a workhorse engine for the US space agency Nasa as the most powerful single-chamber liquid-fuelled engine ever developed. Five F-1 engines sat at the bottom of the Saturn-V rockets used throughout the Apollo programme.

After three weeks at sea, the Bezos Expeditions team recovered two such engines using remotely-operated vehicles.

Because the engines' serial numbers are partially missing, it remains unclear which Apollo mission they are from - that may become clearer during restoration.

Continue reading the main story

Mr Bezos is a long-time space enthusiast and also leads Blue Origin, one of a number of private spaceflight firms aiming to drastically reduce the costs of spaceflight.

"We've seen an underwater wonderland - an incredible sculpture garden of twisted F-1 engines that tells the story of a fiery and violent end, one that serves testament to the Apollo program," Mr Bezos wrote in a blog post from the ship Seabed Worker, now on its way back to Cape Canaveral.

"Each piece we bring on deck conjures for me the thousands of engineers who worked together back then to do what for all time had been thought surely impossible."

Nasa administrator Charles Bolden released a statement congratulating the team, saying: "This is a historic find and I congratulate the team for its determination and perseverance in the recovery of these important artefacts of our first efforts to send humans beyond Earth orbit."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21880147#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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Biden and Bloomberg urge Congress to have ?courage? on gun laws

Biden and Bloomberg at City Hall (Screenshot via NYC Mayor's Office Live Feed)NEW YORK?Vice President Joe Biden and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued a joint appeal to members of Congress, urging lawmakers to ignore politics and do the ?right thing? by passing new federal gun-control laws.

In an appearance at City Hall, Biden and Bloomberg were joined by family members of some of those killed in December?s mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in urging Congress to immediately pass legislation including stricter rules on background checks and a ban on assault weapons, which they both described as ?weapons of war.?

?It?s time for the political establishment to show the courage that your daughter showed,? Biden told the father of Lauren Rousseau, a Sandy Hook teacher killed while trying to protect her students.

The vice president signaled the White House wasn?t giving up on its push to ban assault weapons, insisting ?this is not about anybody?s constitutional right to own a weapon.?

He added, ?For all of those who say we can?t and shouldn?t ban assault weapons, for all those who say the politics is just too hard, how can they say that? When you take a look at those 20 beautiful babies and what happened to them? And those six teachers and administrators? Think about Newtown. Think about Newtown."

Biden's comments came just days after Senate Democrats dropped an assault weapons ban from their proposed package of gun reforms, arguing it would kill any chance of passing any new gun laws.

Bloomberg, who has emerged as one of the leading voices in favor of new gun-control laws in the aftermath of Newtown, called on lawmakers to have ?courage.? He argued that if new gun-control laws don?t pass this year, at least 12,000 people are likely to die from gun violence in 2013 alone, based on past statistics.

?In the end, what Congress has to decide is whether it?s politically popular or is it the right thing to do,? Bloomberg said.

The mayor insisted ?there is no debate? among the majority of Americans about the need for tougher background checks and bans on sales of high-capacity magazines and assault rifles.

At one point, Biden praised Bloomberg for his advocacy on guns, saying ?no support has been more consequential than the support coming from Mayor Bloomberg.?

After Biden and Bloomberg spoke, Neil Heslin, whose 6-year-old son Jesse was killed at Newtown, approached the podium and issued an emotional plea for members of Congress to pass new gun laws.

?I'm really ashamed to see that Congress doesn?t have the guts to make a change,? Heslin said, speaking in a somber tone that was barely audible. ?I never thought my son would be a victim. I wish it upon nobody what I have had to go through.?

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/biden-bloomberg-urge-congress-courage-gun-laws-164714274--election.html

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Weak Oracle sales, Cyprus fears weigh on US shares

In this March 19. 2013, photo, specialist Joseph Dreyer, left, works with traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. World stock markets stalled Thursday March 21, 2013 as uncertainty mounted over whether Cyprus can stave off bankruptcy after the country's government rejected a plan to contribute to a bailout by seizing money from people's bank accounts. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

In this March 19. 2013, photo, specialist Joseph Dreyer, left, works with traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. World stock markets stalled Thursday March 21, 2013 as uncertainty mounted over whether Cyprus can stave off bankruptcy after the country's government rejected a plan to contribute to a bailout by seizing money from people's bank accounts. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Stocks fell on Wall Street Thursday as Oracle's weak sales results weighed down big U.S. technology companies. Traders worried about Cyprus running out of time to avoid bankruptcy.

Major indexes followed European markets lower at the open. The Dow Jones industrial average fell as much as 98 points. By mid-day they had pared the losses. Shortly before noon eastern time, the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 index were down about 0.3 percent. The Nasdaq composite index, which is heavily weighted toward tech shares, declined more than 0.6 percent.

All three indexes felt the drag from technology stocks after Oracle reported an unexpected decline in sales in its fiscal third quarter. Oracle was the biggest decliner in the S&P 500 index; Juniper networks also fell steeply. The S&P 500 fell five points to 1,553.

The Dow dropped 36 points to 14,476. Cisco was the Dow's biggest loser, followed by IBM, H-P and Intel.

The Nasdaq fell 20 points to 3,234.

Still, stocks remain near multi-year highs reached in recent weeks after a rally powered by optimism about the U.S. economy and the Federal Reserve's easy-money policies. The Dow is up 3 percent this month. The S&P 500 has gained 2.6 percent in March, and is 11 points from an all-time high set in October 2007.

The recent gains leave the market vulnerable to any negative news about corporate earnings, the economy or Europe, said Uri Landesman, president of the hedge fund Platinum Partners.

"It's priced like everything's going to be wonderful," Landesman said. He said stocks aren't likely to go higher in the next few weeks. They may drop another 3 percent before making another run at the S&P record sometime next month.

U.S. stocks are benefiting from money flowing out of other investments like bonds and overseas stocks, he added.

European markets closed sharply lower Thursday. The main indexes in Paris and Frankfurt fell a percentage point or more on fear that the crisis in Cyprus will intensify. The European Central Bank has threatened to end emergency support of the nation's banks next week unless leaders can secure more funding.

Cyprus must raise about $7.5 billion in the next four days to avoid bankruptcy. Several plans have failed, including a proposal to tax deposits held by the nation's banks. If the Mediterranean banking haven is unable to secure a bailout, its banks will fail and it could be forced to leave the euro currency.

In the U.S., the yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.94 percent from 1.96 percent earlier as demand increased for ultra-safe investments.

The U.S. job and housing markets continue to improve gradually, according to economic reports released Thursday morning. The Labor Department said the number of people claiming new unemployment benefits last week was roughly flat near a five-year low. Sales of existing homes rose in February to a three-year high, according to the National Association of Realtors.

In the tumbling tech sector, Oracle fell $2.98, or 8 percent, to $32.79. Juniper dropped 56 cents, or 3 percent, to $18.75. Cisco fell 75 cents, or 3 percent, to $20.92. IBM declined $3.45, or 2 percent, to $211.61. And Intel was off 11 cents, less than 1 percent, at $21.07.

Outside of technology, here are some stocks making big moves:

? Struggling drug company AstraZeneca jumped after saying it would cut 2,300 more jobs worldwide and overhaul its research operations. That brings to 11,000 the number of job cuts announced in the past 13 months. Shares rose $1.43, or 3 percent, to $47.61.

? Publisher Scholastic Corp. plunged after shrinking demand for its best-selling "The Hunger Games" books forced it to cut its guidance for the year. The company's fiscal third-quarter loss nearly doubled. Shares fell $4.48, or 14 percent, to $26.59.

? Movado Group Inc. dropped after the luxury watchmaker said its fiscal fourth-quarter net income fell 26 percent. The stock fell $1.96, or 5 percent, to $35.16.

___

Daniel Wagner can be reached at www.twitter.com/wagnerreports.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-21-US-Wall-Street/id-3f78970839a540e7b64bbf7068b85ea9

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Apple Patents iPhone Drop Protection Mechanisms That Are Built Right Into The Device

A new Apple patent filing describes a variety of methods to protect a dropped iPhone during a fall, lessening damage through a number of clever systems. The USPTO filing, spotted by AppleInsider, includes a rotational mechanism to change the orientation of a falling iPhone, for instance, as well as on-device thrusters, and a way to clamp down on inserted cables when a fall is detected.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/06D2eMLnW2A/

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Spring Cleaning: Tips To De-Clutter Your Life For A Fresh Start

It's one of the greatest ironies of life: We're too frantically busy to deal with the stuff that makes us feel frantically busy -- the to-dos that overwhelm us, the clutter that eats up our homes, the niggling personal and professional issues that preoccupy our minds. Tackling them might feel like a someday project, the kind you'll get around to when you have the time. Right.

The key to a calmer existence, experts say, is finding bite-size, everyday solutions for stressors and releasing what we can, be it physical or psychological clutter. "When you start to let go, your life lightens up because you have less to think about and less to maintain," says Geralin Thomas, a professional organizer in Cary, N.C. "You finally feel in control." The payoffs don't end there -- you can sharpen your focus and even lose weight, too. These are the strategies that will ease your load and let you enjoy life a lot more.

More from Health.com
5 Ways To Create A More Peaceful Home
Energy Booster: Stop The Stress
How to Clean Everything Better

Clear Your Schedule

Photo: Shutterstock
As we juggle it all, we're often fueled by an I-can-do-it! sense of pride. But we might be deluding ourselves, suggests a study in the Journal of Communication that found that people misperceive the emotional high they get from multitasking as productivity. And we're not even as good at it as we may think. Another study, published in Psychological Science, revealed that women's ability to keep track of several tasks at once dipped significantly during ovulation, when estrogen levels are high (and can mess with brain function).

Technology sometimes hampers us more than it helps, adds Laura Vanderkam, author of 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think. "Time speeds by when you're on your smartphone e-mailing," she says, "even if you're really not doing anything important."

What To Do:

• Suss Out Time Sucks. For one day, every couple of hours note down exactly what you just did, including things like "Read Facebook updates for a half-hour" or "Scanned catalogs for 15 minutes after opening mail," says Vanderkam. "You start to see the time periods that you're not using as well as you'd like."
• Stop The Auto-Yes. "Everyone lives in an optimistic world and thinks that if we say yes we will find the time, but the truth is we are in denial," says Julie Morgenstern, one of the top organization and productivity experts in the country. Instead, experiment with saying, "Let me think about how I can do that," says Morgenstern. "This way you can step back and evaluate if you really can do what is being asked."
• Have A Plan. "Most people's to-do lists actually create fatigue, because they don't clarify how, exactly, they are going to handle Mom's birthday, so tasks feel bigger than they are," says David Allen, a productivity expert and author of the best seller Getting Things Done. Take a second to jot down how you'll tackle something. Feel better already?
• Just Do It. Allen regularly tells clients to follow his Two-Minute Rule: If something can be done in two minutes, go ahead and get it done. Explains Allen, "It will take you longer to look at it again than it would take to finish it the first time you think of it."
• Reconsider Rewards. Carefully examine your commitments, says Morgenstern, and decide which ones energize you -- and which deplete you. For the tasks that send your misery Geiger counter off the charts, pinpoint whatever reward you get from them and find a better way of scoring it. One client of Morgenstern's wasn't really enjoying volunteering for the PTA because it took time away from her kids, but she kept at it because she thought it showed her children she considered school important. Ultimately, she switched over to running the occasional fun class activity and giving her kids more hands-on help with homework. "These things took less time," Morgenstern notes, "and she and her family got more out of them."

Clear Your Clutter

Photo: Shutterstock
Dusting, mopping, vacuuming: That's easy. Getting rid of all the junk you have to dust, mop and vacuum around? Not so much. "Giving things up is tough because it's not so clear-cut when they're no longer useful," says Morgenstern, author of Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life. You don't stop wearing jeggings on a Tuesday at 4 p.m.; you just gradually stop doing so, even as they languish on a hanger.

The thing is, those pile-ups of possessions can create anxiety; a study at UCLA found that just looking at clutter elevated women's stress hormones (although, no surprise, the men's cortisol levels remained unchanged). Motivation to get going on cleaning house: You may look better, too. As Geralin Thomas points out, "One big change I see in clients who have de-cluttered is weight loss. Once they have shaped their environment, they're ready to shape up themselves."

What To Do:

• Think Small. "We know from research that little acts of neatness cascade into larger acts of organization," says Christine Carter, Ph.D., a sociologist at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. Forget about organizing the entire kitchen; focus on, say, the plastic containers taking over your cabinets. "With random de-cluttering, there's always more that you can do," notes Thomas. "When one category is tackled, there's definitely an end point."
• Be A Regular. Perhaps you dedicate, say, 10 minutes a weekday to an organizing project. Or you commit to doing a couple of hours for a few weekends in a row. The point is, be consistent and attentive; turn off your cell phone and schedule child care. Thomas does a weekly "Trash Eve" de-clutter: "The garbage in my neighborhood is picked up on Wednesdays, which makes Tuesdays the night I make an easy supper and clear the decks!"
• Decide What's Treasure And What's Toss-Able. Ask yourself just one question before you start purging any collection of stuff, recommends Morgenstern: "If everything was stolen, what pieces would I go out and buy the very next day?" There you go -- the costume jewelry, canned goods and linens you truly want and need.
• Pre-Arrange Pickups. About 40 percent of people who purge never manage to get the stuff out of their homes, per a poll of 23,000 people on Morgenstern's website. Avoid becoming a hoarder statistic by scheduling a pickup before you start to clean your house. Try salvationarmyusa.org, goodwill.org or excess access.org, a not-for-profit that connects people with local schools and charities in need of specific goods.

Clear Your Mind

Photo: Shutterstock
It's not just that we have a lot to keep track of -- it's our DIY mentality, says Orit Avni-Barron, M.D., director of Women's Mental Health at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "I hear women say, 'My husband is so great, he helps me,'" as if our partners are our sous chefs instead of co-cooks. Another issue: Women worry twice as much as men, research shows. "Worrying impairs concentration and memory," says Robert Leahy, Ph.D., director of the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy in New York City. "You can't tend to the present and worry about the future at the same time. It's overwhelming."

What To Do:

• Pop Annoying Thought Bubbles. Psychologists talk of the Zeigarnik effect, named after a Russian shrink who realized that a waiter could more easily recall incomplete orders than served ones. The follow-up study showed that people are 90 percent more likely to remember undone tasks than those they completed. "Tell your brain when you'll get a task done," says Carter. "It kills the worry loop."
• Control What's Possible. "When we don't know how something will work out, we worry to get certainty," says Leahy. Yet one study at Penn State University found that 85 percent of things people fretted about had neutral or positive outcomes. To quell anxiety, throw yourself into what you can accomplish -- say, writing the introduction to the PowerPoint document instead of ruminating on the presentation. "You'll feel good about the present and put other thoughts on pause," says Leahy.
• Be Hands-On. Weed, knead dough, do a craft, says Gayatri Devi, M.D., associate professor of neurology at New York University. "When you think about something tangible, you stop thinking about the theoretical."
• Grade Perfection On A Curve. "We have reached a tipping point in perfection. People are realizing we can't do it all at the level that we used to," says Morgenstern. That means you, sister! Start with the obvious: Divvy up more responsibilities with your partner, even if he does them differently. And try Morgenstern's Minimum, Moderate, Maximum strategy: Decide what level of effort you can give tasks (and get away with). As she says, "You may be surprised to find that everything works out OK."

"How To Spring-Clean Your Life" originally appeared on Health.com

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/20/how-to-spring-clean-your-life_n_2875639.html

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The Goddard School? Raises More than $185,000 for Ronald ...

The philanthropic campaign kicked off The Goddard School's 25th anniversary celebration.

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. - March 19, 2013 - (BUSINESS WIRE) - To celebrate 25 years of service as the leader in early childhood education, The Goddard School kicked off its festivities with a special philanthropic campaign to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities? (RMHC?).

To commemorate its milestone anniversary, Goddard Schools nationwide participated in a variety of fundraising activities to support their local RMHC Chapters. In total, more than $185,000 was raised. Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), franchisor of The Goddard School, contributed a gift of $25,000 to help provide families a ?home-away-from-home? while their child receives specialized medical treatment far from home through the Ronald McDonald House? program.

?At The Goddard School, providing children with the opportunities for long-term success in school and in life is the focus of everything we do, so supporting RMHC seemed like the perfect way to celebrate that mission,? said Joe Schumacher, Chief Executive Officer for GSI. ?We are extremely proud of each of the nearly 400 Goddard Schools across the nation that helped us with this effort. This clearly demonstrates that when we work together, we can accomplish great things for our communities.?

In addition to collecting monetary donations, children at The Goddard School created birthday cards for their local RMHC Chapters. The birthday cards will be distributed throughout the year by RMHC directors to pediatric patients or family members celebrating birthdays during their hospital stay.

?With the unwavering support of donors like The Goddard School, at RMHC we are able to make a positive impact in the lives of children through our family-centered programs and services,? said J.C. Gonzalez-Mendez, president and CEO, RMHC.

?Our support of RMHC was the perfect opportunity to get the children involved and teach them the importance of giving back to their community,? said Paula Beverage, on-site owner of The Goddard School located in Independence, Ohio. Her school collected pop tabs, auctioned off the children?s artwork and hosted a silent auction to raise more than $3,000 for the Ronald McDonald House in Cleveland.

For Michelle Sims, Quality Assurance Representative at GSI, the partnership between The Goddard School and RMHC had personal significance. When her daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2004, Sims was referred to a pediatric specialist in New York. Unable to afford the constant commute between New York and their home in Florida, the Sims family spent more than five years in and out of the Ronald McDonald House in New York.

?Honestly, we would have never been able to afford to stay in New York for the amount of time we did if it weren?t for the Ronald McDonald House,? said Sims. ?Because of the cutting-edge treatment my daughter was able to receive, her life has been saved. I hope people understand this partnership isn?t just about fundraising; it is about making a real, meaningful difference in the lives of families.?

For more information, visit www.goddardschool.com.

The Goddard School?: Celebrating 25 Years of Learning through Play.

Learning for fun. Learning for life.SM The Goddard School uses the most current, academically endorsed methods to ensure that children from six weeks to six years old have fun while learning the skills they need for long-term success in school and in life. Talented teachers collaborate with parents to nurture children into respectful, confident and joyful learners. The Goddard School?s AdvancED and Middle States-accredited F.L.EX.SM Learning Program reaches more than 45,000 students in nearly 400 Goddard Schools in 35 states. The Goddard School?s comprehensive play-based curriculum, developed with early childhood education experts, provides the best childhood preparation for social and academic success. To learn more about The Goddard School, please visit www.goddardschool.com.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities? (RMHC?), a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and wellbeing of children. Through its global network of local Chapters in 57 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House?, Ronald McDonald Family Room? and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile?, and millions of dollars in grants to support children's programs worldwide, RMHC provides stability and resources to families so they can get and keep their children healthy and happy. All RMHC-operated and supported programs provide a bridge to quality health care and give children and families the time they need together to heal faster and cope better. For more information, visit www.rmhc.org, follow RMHC on Twitter (@RMHC) or like RMHC on Facebook (Facebook.com/RMHC Global).

The following trademarks used herein are owned by McDonald's Corporation and its affiliates: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald McDonald House Charities Logo, RMHC, Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room, and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile.

Contact:

The Goddard School

Ashley Pitlyk
314-469-3500
apitlyk@standingpr.com

###

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Source: http://www.franchising.com/news/20130320_the_goddard_schoolreg_raises_more_than_185000_for_.html

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Professional Business Marketing ? Research and Markets: China ...

DUBLIN?(BUSINESS WIRE)?

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/k45q2x/china_automotive)
has announced the addition of the ?China
Automotive Battery Market Forecast Opportunities, 2018?
report to their offering.

In the past decade, China has witnessed remarkable improvement in the
growth of automobile sector, both commercial and passenger. China is
also the largest manufacturer of automotive batteries globally due to
cheap and easy availability of labor. With the growth of automobile
sector, the demand for automotive replacement battery market is also
growing rapidly. The sales of e-bikes during 2009 to 2012 has recorded
compounded annual growth rate of 11.52% which is expected to grow at
around 16% for the next five year period. In addition, the automobile
production in China has 18.72 Million units in 2011 which is further
expanding the demand for automotive batteries.

According to China Automotive Battery Market Forecast Opportunities,
2018? the automotive battery market in China is growing rapidly and is
set to boost further over the coming years. The value of China?s
automotive battery market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 23.85%, over
the next five years. The automotive replacement battery market in China
is forecasted to surpass USD 16 Billion in 2018. The market is being
driven by the increasing demand for cars, rising middle class population
and massively growing production in China.

?China Automotive Battery Market Forecast Opportunities, 2018?
discusses the following aspects related to automotive batteries market
in China:

? Global Automotive Battery Market Size, Share Forecast

? China Automotive Battery Market Size, Share Forecast

? China Automotive Replacement Battery Market Analysis

? Market Trends and Dynamics

? Competitive Landscape Strategic Recommendations

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Global Automotive Battery Market Outlook

3. China Automotive Battery Market Outlook

4. China Automotive Battery Replacement Market

5. Raw Material Analysis

6. Market Dynamics

7. Legal Regulatory Environment

8. Industry Risk Analysis

9. Market Trends Developments

10. China Economic Profile

11. Competitive landscape

12. Strategic Recommendations

Companies Mentioned

? Johnson Controls Inc.

? Chawoi Power Holding Limited

? Zhejiang Haijiu Battery Company

? Douglas EnerSys Home

? Fiamm Group

? Hitachi Limited

? GS Yuasa Corporation

? Huawei Corporation

? Shandong Sacred Sun Power Sources Co. Ltd.

? Zhejiang Narada Power Source Co. Ltd.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/k45q2x/china_automotive

Source: http://lowbrowse.org/research-and-markets-china-automotive-battery-market-forecast-opportunities-2018.html

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Oil cuts losses as Cyprus worries ease

NEW YORK (AP) ? The price of oil reversed sharp early losses Monday as nervousness over a bailout plan in Cyprus abated.

By early afternoon in New York, benchmark oil for April delivery was down just 3 cents to $93.42 a barrel. It had dropped as low as $91.76.

Traders initially worried about possible fallout from a plan to pay for a bailout for cash-strapped Cyprus by slapping a tax on deposits in the country's banks. Some bank customers withdrew as much of their cash as they could and the fear was the panic could spread to other countries and prompt capital flight from weaker EU economies.

Stock markets in Asia and Europe fell sharply. But as U.S. markets recovered from an early decline, oil started to rise.

Natural gas rose again, building on a monthlong run that has seen the price jump 23 percent. Futures gained 3 cents to $3.91 per 1,000 cubic feet.

At the gas pump, the average price for a gallon of gas held steady at $3.69. That's down about 15 cents from a year earlier.

Brent crude, used to price many kinds of oil imported by U.S. refineries, was down 46 cents to $109.36 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

In other energy futures trading on the Nymex:

? Wholesale gasoline lost 2 cents to $3.14 a gallon.

? Heating oil was unchanged at $2.94 a gallon.

___

Pamela Sampson in Bangkok and Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-18-Oil-Prices/id-3ab79563cf6542f7825c6feedaade806

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Experiments find strongest shapes with 3-D printing

Mar. 18, 2013 ? Prof. Heinrich Jaeger's research group examines materials and phenomena that appear simple at the surface, but which reveal tremendous complexity upon close examination. One such phenomenon is jamming, in which aggregates of randomly placed particles, including spheres or more complicated shapes, or even molecules, transition from fluid-like to solid-like behavior.

Jamming lends itself to soft robotics, in addition to other applications as explored in a workshop at the University of Chicago last October. In recent computer simulations and experiments, Jaeger, the William J. Friedman & Alicia Townsend Professor in Physics, and graduate student Marc Miskin investigate another aspect of jamming. They analyzed how the properties of a jammed material can be tuned by changing the shape of the constituent particles. Their results on "Adapting granular materials through artificial evolution" appeared Jan. 20 as an Advance Online Publication in Nature Materials.

Miskin and Jaeger addressed a daunting question in their research: Given a design goal for the jammed aggregate, for example to have it as stiff or as soft as possible in response to an applied force, what particle shape will best produce the desired outcome? For this complex optimization problem, they faced an infinite variety of shapes to choose from. So Miskin employed a computer algorithm -- referred to as an "evolutionary optimization" to answer this question.

The computer designed particles by starting from a random shape, and then iteratively altered its configuration, at each stage performing a series of simulations that tested how close the performance approximated the stated goal. Once an optimal shape was identified, Miskin then manufactured a large number of copies with the lab's 3D printer for testing in a vise-like squeezing apparatus to verify his algorithm's predictions.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Chicago. The original article was written by Steve Koppes.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Marc Z. Miskin, Heinrich M. Jaeger. Adapting granular materials through artificial?evolution. Nature Materials, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nmat3543

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/L3A5Bt7YQmM/130318202919.htm

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To the Moon and Back: 17 Weeks and Counting: Toddlers and ...

During each of my pregnancies after my first, I have had a toddler in the mix. When my second was born, my oldest was only 22 months old.? When my third was born, my second was only 2 1/2.? This time around, I'll have a 3 year old when the baby arrives. It can definitely be exhausting chasing a precocious toddler while waddling like a duck, but it also provides a wonderful opportunity to watch a sense of wonder and discovery come alive in a small child as they watch and become curious about Mommy's growing belly.
We've always been very open with our children when we are expecting a new baby.? They know very soon after we know.? It's just news that we have a hard time keeping to ourselves and they are always first in line to hear the good news.? We talk about the coming of the new sibling, talk about memories of the other children when they were infants, and just begin to lay the ground work of preparing them for an addition to our family.

It can be difficult for the young ones to go from being the baby

to being not-quite-the-baby anymore (let's face it, toddlers are still babies themselves!).

Sometimes they also just can't process what Mommy's growing middle really means.? A few days ago, Lydia asked me, "Is there a baby in your belly?"

"Yes, honey.? There is a baby in there!"

"Mommy, are there two more babies in here?" (and she pointed to two other, ahem, growing areas on my torso.)

I had to chuckle.? The workings of a child's mind are often amusing. :)

They wonder, "Will Mommy still cuddle me?"

"Will she still ...

"Read to me?"?

"Play with me?

"Will she still love me?"

Oh, how we have to be very careful in the midst of the sleep deprivation, aches and pains, and nausea to not push our little ones to the side.? Because now, before baby's arrival will lay the groundwork for how they will feel after.? If throughout the pregnancy, Mommy has become more distant and more preoccupied AND your toddler associates those things with the "baby in Mommy's belly," then there is a good chance that they will feel resentful of that baby when it's taking up even MORE of Mommy's time outside of her belly!

It's always an adjustment for everyone in the family when another member joins, but that adjustment doesn't have to be a painful one. Include your toddler in talk about baby, let them help you fold the baby clothes in preparation, let them feel your belly when baby kicks, and tell them how special it is to be a big brother or sister.? Cuddle them, squeeze them, tickle them, and (if it is still physically possible) get down in the floor and play with them (even if you need help getting back up!).? Don't let them ever think that they are losing their special place in Mommy's heart just because they aren't the "baby" any longer.

Time is fleeting.? They are only little once, and if you are like me, this becomes even more obvious when a new baby comes.? The older ones, no matter how young, looks so big compared to an infant.? It's enough to make a hormonal Mama need some tissues.? Don't miss out on this time to include your toddlers with your pregnancy.? Even if they don't fully understand why things are changing, they will notice how.? Make it count.

What's your advice to pregnant mothers with toddlers?

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Source: http://www.tothemoonandbackblog.net/2013/03/17-weeks-and-counting-toddlers-and.html

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Renewed nuke sale fear after recent NKorea test

A North Korean soldier looks at the southern side through a pair of binoculars at the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 19, 2013. The United States is flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers on training missions over South Korea to highlight Washington's commitment to defend an ally amid rising tensions with North Korea, Pentagon officials said Monday.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A North Korean soldier looks at the southern side through a pair of binoculars at the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 19, 2013. The United States is flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers on training missions over South Korea to highlight Washington's commitment to defend an ally amid rising tensions with North Korea, Pentagon officials said Monday.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A North Korean soldier, right, looks at the southern side as a South Korean soldier stands guard at the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 19, 2013. The United States is flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers on training missions over South Korea to highlight Washington's commitment to defend an ally amid rising tensions with North Korea, Pentagon officials said Monday.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A North Korean soldier, left, salutes to his senior North Korean soldier as a South Korean soldier stands guard, center bottom, at the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, March 19, 2013. The United States is flying nuclear-capable B-52 bombers on training missions over South Korea to highlight Washington's commitment to defend an ally amid rising tensions with North Korea, Pentagon officials said Monday.(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

North Koreans walk past posters reading "Forward to the ultimate victory under the leadership of the great party!" left, "not with words but with arms," center, and "Higher, faster," right, on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, on a street in Phyongchon District in Pyongyang, North Korea. The banner partially shown at right reads in its entirety "Let?s strengthen and enhance our party as the party of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il!" (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)

A couple walks past posters reading "not with words but with arms," left, and "Higher, faster," second from left, as well as a banner reading "Let?s strengthen and enhance our party as the party of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il!" on a street in Phyongchon District, Pyongyang, North Korea, on Tuesday, March 19, 2013. (AP Photo/Jon Chol Jin)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? North Korea's nuclear test last month wasn't just a show of defiance and national pride; it also serves as advertising. The target audience, analysts say, is anyone in the world looking to buy nuclear material.

Though Pyongyang has threatened to launch nuclear strikes on the U.S., the most immediate threat posed by its nuclear technology may be North Korea's willingness to sell it to nations that Washington sees as sponsors of terrorism. The fear of such sales was highlighted this week, when Japan confirmed that cargo seized last year and believed to be from North Korea contained material that could be used to make nuclear centrifuges, which are crucial to enriching uranium into bomb fuel.

The dangerous message North Korea is sending, according to Graham Allison, a nuclear expert at the Harvard Kennedy School: "Nukes are for sale."

North Korea launched a long-range rocket in December, which the U.N. called a cover for a banned test of ballistic missile technology. On Feb. 12, it conducted its third underground nuclear test, which got Pyongyang new U.N. sanctions.

Outside nuclear specialists believe North Korea has enough nuclear material for several crude bombs, but they have yet to see proof that Pyongyang can build a warhead small enough to mount on a missile. The North, however, may be able to help other countries develop nuclear expertise right now, as it is believed to have done in the past.

"There's a growing technical capability and confidence to sell weapons and technology abroad, without fear of reprisal, and that lack of fear comes from (their) growing nuclear capabilities," Joel Wit, a former U.S. State Department official, said at a recent nuclear conference in Seoul.

Pyongyang says it needs nuclear weapons because of what it calls a hostile U.S. policy aimed at invading the North. The U.S., South Korea and others say North Korean brinksmanship meant to win aid and other concessions is the real motive. Even China, North Korea's most important ally, opposes its neighbor's nuclear ambitions.

North Korean nuclear sales earn the impoverished country money that can be pumped back into weapons development, analyst Shin Beomchul at the South Korean-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul said Tuesday.

Its growing capabilities could make North Korea more attractive to buyers, especially if it is determined that highly enriched uranium was used in last month's test.

Proliferation worries have ramped up since late 2010, when North Korea unveiled a long-suspected uranium enrichment operation. North Korea's first two nuclear tests, in 2006 and 2009, were suspected to be fueled by its limited plutonium stockpile. A crude uranium bomb is easier to produce than one made with plutonium, and uranium production is easier to conceal.

Little is known about North Korea's uranium program, but Washington and others are keenly interested in whether it is producing highly enriched uranium for bombs and whether uranium was used in the third test ? two things suspected, but not yet confirmed, by outsiders.

A nuclear test using highly enriched uranium "would announce to the world ? including potential buyers ? that North Korea is now operating a new, undiscovered production line for weapons-usable material," Allison, the Harvard nuclear specialist, wrote in a New York Times op-ed after the North's test.

U.S. officials have hinted that retaliation would follow should Washington discover North Korean cooperation behind any atomic attack on an American city or U.S. ally.

Pyongyang's nuclear transfers and any use of weapons of mass destruction "would be considered a grave threat to the United States and our allies, and we will hold North Korea fully accountable for the consequences," President Barack Obama's national security adviser, Tom Donilon, said last week.

U.S. officials have long tracked North Korean dealings in nuclear and weapons technology. Sanctions have cut down on missile sales, but Iran and Syria, two countries seen by Washington as rogue actors, may continue to be customers.

In November, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization proposed observing North Korea's nuclear test, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported, citing an unidentified Western diplomatic source privy to Pyongyang-Tehran ties.

North Korea is believed to have helped Syria build what senior U.S. intelligence officials called a secret nuclear reactor meant to produce plutonium. In 2007, Israeli jets bombed the structure in a remote Syrian desert.

Japan's government said Monday that it has determined that a shipment believed to have originated in North Korea violated U.N. sanctions because it contained material that could be used to make nuclear centrifuges.

The shipment of an aluminum alloy was seized from a Singaporean-flagged ship transiting Tokyo last August. The ship was reportedly bound for Myanmar from the Chinese port of Dalian, although Japanese government officials didn't confirm Myanmar as the destination.

Japan's chief government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said officials searched the ship because they believed it carried North Korean cargo. News reports said the United States tipped off Japan. Suga said officials had determined in subsequent analyses that the rods were made of an alloy that suggests they were intended for use in a nuclear centrifuge.

Suga said the seizure was the first to be conducted under a law Japan passed in 2010 to clamp down on the movement of materials that could be used for nuclear weapons development being brought into, or exported from, North Korea.

The murkiness of the clandestine nuclear trade is a major worry. It's difficult to know how a buyer would use atomic material or know-how, or where material could end up after being sold.

"The terrorist threat of an improvised nuclear device delivered anonymously and unconventionally by a boat or a truck across our long and unprotected borders is one against which we have no certain deterrent or defensive response," Robert Gallucci, a former senior U.S. diplomat who negotiated a U.S.-North Korea nuclear deal used to defuse a nuclear crisis in the 1990s, said late last month in Seoul.

"For Americans, this threat is far greater than the unlikely threat that may someday be posed by North Korean nuclear weapons delivered by a ballistic missile," he said.

___

Eric Talmadge in Tokyo and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this report. Follow Foster Klug on Twitter at twitter.com/APKlug

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-19-AS-NKorea-Nukes-For-Sale/id-fc1007934a0f456a985466bbe5606023

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RNC to spend $10 million to reach minorities

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Reeling from back-to-back presidential losses and struggling to cope with the country's changing racial and ethnic makeup, the Republican National Committee plans to spend $10 million this year to send hundreds of party workers into Hispanic, black and Asian communities to promote its brand among voters who overwhelmingly supported Democrats in 2012.

Committee chairman Reince Priebus on Sunday also proposed shortening the presidential nominating calendar in 2016 and limiting the number of primary-season debates to avoid the self-inflicted damage from inside-party squabbling on the eventual nominee. Priebus' top-to-bottom changes include picking the moderators for the debates and then crowning the nominee as early as June so he or she could begin a general election campaign as quickly as possible.

"Mitt Romney was a sitting duck for two months over the summer," Priebus said of the 2012 GOP nominee.

To help his party ahead of the 2016 contest already in its earliest stages, Priebus said he would be hiring new staffers to build the GOP among voters in the states.

"It will include hundreds of people ? paid ? across the country, from coast-to-coast, in Hispanic, African American, Asian communities, talking about our party, talking about our brand, talking about what we believe in, going to community events, going to swearing-in ceremonies, being a part of the community on an ongoing basis, paid for by the Republican National Committee, to make the case for our party and our candidates," Priebus said.

That move was part of the recommendations included in a monthslong look at what went wrong in 2012. Priebus tapped a handful of respected party leaders to examine how the GOP could better talk with voters, raise money from donors and learn from Democrats' tactics. Priebus also asked the group to examine how they could work with independent groups such as super political action committees.

Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary under former president George W. Bush, and Sally Bradshaw, a veteran strategist and top adviser to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, were among those leading the inquiry. Republican National Committeeman Henry Barbour, a GOP strategist and nephew of former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, was also part of the group. RNC members Zori Fonalledas of Puerto Rico and Glenn McCall of South Carolina rounded out the five-person committee that listened to Republicans' ideas and frustrations.

Those leaders heard from 50,000 rank-and-file members about how to respond to the nation's shifting demographics.

Priebus planned a full-scale rollout of their recommendations Monday, although the proposals are far from a done deal. They would have to win the approval of the 168-member Republican National Committee and then each state's election chief would have to abide by the party's proposed calendar or face consequences, such as losing voting delegates to the nominating convention. The states previously have ignored such penalties.

Priebus said the party review recommended downplaying its internal divisions among candidates, which forced Romney to take more conservative positions on issues such as immigration during his quest to capture the party's nomination. In all, Priebus counted 23 debates among his party's crowded field of contenders, and there were a handful of other events ? including a Newt Gingrich-Herman Cain faceoff in Texas ? that distracted from their main task of defeating Obama.

"Our primary process was way too long... I think we had way too many debates with our candidates slicing and dicing each other," Priebus said, adding that under his proposal the party would pick the networks that would host the debates and journalists who would question the candidates.

"I would limit the debate to a reasonable amount, maybe seven or eight. But not 23. It's ridiculous," Priebus said. "While we were playing footsy debating each other 23 times, what was the other side doing? ... They were actually getting the job done."

Exit polls indicated Obama carried female, black, Hispanic and Asian voting blocs. He also won among voters under the age of 45 and those who lived in mid- to large-sized cities.

That spells troubles for the GOP in a nation that is increasingly diverse. The latest census data and polling from The Associated Press suggest non-Hispanic whites will lose their majority in the next generation, somewhere around the year 2043.

In 2010's elections, Republicans enjoyed the biggest midterm gains since 1938 and became the majority party in the U.S. House. Yet two years later, Democrats captured the biggest prize in American politics, the presidency, and picked up seats in both of Congress' chambers. Despite solid fundraising from the party and quick work from Romney after he won the nomination, the GOP couldn't overcome Obama's four-year head start and on-the-ground organization.

"We have become a party that parachutes into communities four months before an election," Priebus said. "The Obama campaign lived in these communities for years."

Priebus spoke with CBS' "Face the Nation."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rnc-spend-10-million-reach-minorities-150656306--election.html

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Burger King Turkey Burger Rolling Out On Limited-Time Spring Menu

NEW YORK -- If you think a Whopper's too indulgent but are sick of chicken sandwiches, Burger King is offering a turkey burger for the first time.

The Miami-based company is rolling out the new sandwich this week as part of its limited-time offers for spring, marking the latest fast-food effort to cater to health-conscious diners. Last week, McDonald's said it plans to offer a lower-calorie version of its Egg McMuffin made with egg whites. The Oak Brook, Ill.-based chain said the egg whites will be available for any other breakfast sandwich on its menu as well.

McDonald's and Wendy's said they have no records indicating they ever offered a turkey burger, meaning Burger King would be the biggest fast-food chain to do so. But it's not the first. Sister chains Carl's Jr. and Hardee's launched a trio of turkey burgers as limited-time offers in late 2010; they were so popular that they're now a permanent part of the menus.

"Turkey burgers as a category is growing pretty rapidly in the restaurant space," said Eric Hirschhorn, who heads global innovation for Burger King.

As with Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, Burger King said its turkey burger could be added to the permanent lineup if sales are strong enough.

Carl's Jr. and Hardee's introduced turkey burgers in response to consumers in their 20s and 30s, who are more mindful about what they're eating than past generations, said Brad Haley, chief marketing officer for CKE Restaurants, the parent company of the chains. At the same time, he noted that the turkey burgers ? which come with toppings like guacamole and pepperjack cheese_ are successful because they're still seen as indulgent and filling. In terms of nutritional content, he said the key was just to keep them under 500 calories.

Showing that the healthy glow isn't strictly about calories, Burger King's turkey burger clocks in at 530 calories, compared with 470 calories for its grilled chicken sandwich. A regular Whopper is 630 calories.

Burger King's ability to charbroil its turkey burgers may play an important role in whether they're successful. That's what helped the turkey burgers at Carl's and Hardee's do so well, Haley said. When cooked on a flat-top griddle, Haley said turkey burgers can end up having "that refrigerator flavor" that makes them taste gamey.

"If you charbroil them, that doesn't happen," Haley said. "It has a nice, fresh, clean turkey meat flavor."

Although beef prices have been climbing and pressuring restaurant chains, Haley noted that chicken and turkey remain more expensive because the supply chains are still far smaller than for beef. That means turkey burgers at Carl's and Hardee's are more expensive than beef burgers of comparable size.

At Burger King, the suggested price for the new turkey burger is $3.99, compared with $4.29 for its new Chipotle Whopper, which is also being introduced as part of the spring menu.

That menu will also tout a veggie burger, although the only difference from the chain's current veggie burger is that the new one has red onions.

For those who want something more indulgent, Burger King is also offering a Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger, which includes a ground beef patty stuffed with smoked bacon and cheese.

It's also offering loaded tater tots stuffed with bacon and sweet onions, a pina colada smoothie, "Donut Holes" and a trio of iced teas.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/18/burger-king-turkey-burger_n_2901168.html

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Two killed in race car crash in northern California

By Alex Dobuzinskis

Sun Mar 17, 2013 2:04am EDT

(Reuters) - A race car struck and killed a teenage boy and a man at a northern California speedway during warm-up laps on Saturday, and authorities are investigating what led to the fatal mishap, a sheriff's official said.

The 14-year-old boy and 68-year-old man were standing in the maintenance pit area alongside the dirt track of a sprint-car race at Marysville Raceway Park, about 100 miles northeast of San Francisco, said Yuba County Sheriff's Captain Ron Johnson.

"One of the cars left the track and drove into the pit area," Johnson said, adding that it remained unclear whether the driver exited the track because he was done with his warm-up or lost control of his car due to mechanical problems.

The car ended up striking the teenager and the man who were "standing basically next to each other," Johnson said.

The man died at the scene and the teenager was pronounced dead at a local hospital, Johnson said. Their names have not been released.

A half-dozen racers were performing their warm-up laps at the time of the incident, police said.

The two victims were "both legitimately in the pit area (and) were associated with race-driving teams," Johnson said.

Neither the driver nor anyone else was injured, police said.

The dirt-track race was scheduled as the first round of this year's California Sprint Car Civil War Series, according to a statement from race organizers sent out before the event.

The compact, high-horsepower cars in the racing series are equipped with a metal wing mounted on top the roll cage. Drivers compete for thousands of dollars in prize money, the statement said.

Marysville Raceway Park said in a recorded phone message that the Saturday evening races had been canceled. Event organizers could not be reached for comment.

Last month more than 30 NASCAR fans were injured at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida in a multi-car accident in the last lap of the Nationwide Series race a day before the Daytona 500.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Steve Gorman and Xavier Briand)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Reuters/domesticNews/~3/7CCDpZESrO4/us-usa-racing-crash-idUSBRE92G02K20130317

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LOCAL RECREATIONAL RESULTS: Swimming, Gymnastics, Running

FROM STAFF REPORTS / THE FREE LANCE-STAR

LOCAL SWIMMING

VSI SHORT COURSE AGE GROUP CHAMPS

Regency Park Swim Team participated in the meet on March 7?10 at Christiansburg Aquatic Center. Darren Durocher won the 11?12 year old male High Point Award and the overall male High Point Award

Durocher, Darren (12): 50 Breast 30.20, 1st; 50 Breast 30.86, 2th; 100 Fly 56.20, 1st; 100 Fly 57.44, 1st; 100 IM 58.59, 1st; 100 IM 58.76, 1st; 50 Free 23.70, 1st; 50 Free 23.86, 1st; 50 Back 26.17, 1st; 50 Back 26.38, 1st; 100 Free 52.01, 1st; 100 Free 52.99, 1st; 50 Fly 25.38, 1st; 50 Fly 25.41, 1st; 400 IM, 4:42.01, 3th.

Durocher, William (14): 1000 Free, 10:22.71, 7th; 100 Back 55.22, 5th; 100 Back 55.38, 5th; 200 Back, 2:00.52, 4th; 200 Back, 2:01.55, 5th; 400 IM, 4:22.29, 2th.

Horne, Rheagan (13): 100 Free 54.98, 1st.

Turbyfill, David (14): 1000 Free, 10:21.46, 5th; 500 Free, 5:00.05, 6th; 500 Free, 5:01.20, 6th.

VSI SHORT COURSE SENIOR CHAMPS

The Rappahannock Area YMCA Stingrays (RAYS) competed at the event held on Feb. 28?March 3 at Collegiate School Aquatic Center in Richmond. The RAYS team placed ninth overall and the girls team finished sixth:

Kayla Brumbaum (18): Female Senior 100 Breast 1:02.62Y 1st; Female Senior 400 IM 4:29.23Y 11th; Female Senior 200 Breast 2:16.31Y 1st.

Noland Butler (16): Female Senior 200 Free 1:52.67Y 20th; Female Senior 100 Free 53.39Y 23rd; Female Senior 100 Free 53.39Y 23rd; Female Senior 200 IM 2:11.71Y 23rd.

Billy Howell (17): Male Senior 100 Back 52.96Y 20th.

Annalee Johnson (15): Female Senior 100 Breast 1:07.22Y 21st; Female Senior 400 IM 4:36.27Y 24th; Female Senior 200 Breast 2:24.68Y 16th; Female Senior 200 IM 2:10.88Y 22nd.

Liz Kleveno (18): Female Senior 100 Breast 1:06.57Y 12th; Female Senior 400 IM 4:37.40Y 23rd.

Allison Lloyd (18): Female Senior 100 Fly 58.52Y 19th.

Katie Sell (15): Female Senior 100 Back 58.57Y 16th.

Karah Sizemore (15): Female Senior 200 Fly 2:09.38Y 22nd.

Kara Wineinger (15): Female Senior 100 Breast 1:05.68Y 8th; Female Senior 200 Breast 2:24.17Y 13th; Female Senior 200 IM 2:11.24Y 24th.

VSI SHORT COURSE AGE GROUP CHAMPS

The Rappahannock Area YMCA Stingrays (RAYS) competed in the event on March 7?10 at Christiansburg Aquatic Center in Christiansburg. The RAYS team placed 10th overall with the girls finishing ninth and boys placing 13th.

Caroline Bentz (10): Female 10 & Under 200 Free 2:18.68Y 4th; Female 10 & Under 100 IM 1:13.76Y 6th; Female 10 & Under 50 Fly 32.75Y 9th; Female 10 & Under 100 Free 1:00.78Y 2nd; Female 10 & Under 200 IM 2:40.40Y 7th; Female 10 & Under 50 Free 27.47Y 1st; Female 10 & Under 100 Fly 1:18.45Y 15th.

Kinsey Brooks (10): Female 10 & Under 50 Breast 37.09Y 4th; Female 10 & Under 50 Back 34.71Y 12th; Female 10 & Under 50 Fly 32.34Y 5th; Female 10 & Under 100 Free 1:07.72Y 16th; Female 10 & Under 100 Breast 1:25.68Y 10th; Female 10 & Under 100 Back 1:16.10Y 15th; Female 10 & Under 50 Free 30.07Y 15th.

Maggie Heath (10): Female 10 & Under 50 Back 34.35Y 8th; Female 10 & Under 100 Back 1:14.23Y 8th.

Matt Howard (14): Male 13-14 1000 Free 10:32.64Y 14th; Male 13-14 200 Free 1:52.42Y 14th; Male 13-14 50 Free 23.86Y 13th; Male 13-14 500 Free 5:02.37Y 12th; Male 13-14 100 Free 51.43Y 11th.

Ryland Leupold (12): Male 11-12 200 Free 1:59.46Y 5th; Male 11-12 100 IM 1:02.56Y 6th; Male 11-12 50 Free 24.35Y 4th; Male 11-12 100 Breast 1:13.90Y 11th; Male 11-12 200 Breast 2:42.63Y 14th; Male 11-12 100 Back 1:03.53Y 7th; Male 11-12 100 Free 54.83Y 5th.

Jacob Miller (12): Male 11-12 200 Free 2:01.57Y 12th; Male 11-12 100 Fly 1:03.16Y 11th; Male 11-12 200 Back 2:18.98Y 14th; Male 11-12 50 Free 25.51Y 10th; Male 11-12 50 Back 29.54Y 8th; Male 11-12 100 Back 1:02.76Y 5th; Male 11-12 100 Free 56.57Y 7th; Male 11-12 50 Fly 27.83Y 7th.

Patrick Pins (10): Male 10 & Under 50 Breast 38.70Y 8th; Male 10 & Under 100 Breast 1:27.31Y 12th.

Nikki Reeves (14): Female 13-14 100Breast 1:08.71Y 4th; Female 13-14 200 Breast 2:31.49Y 10th.

Madilyn Walker (12): Female 11-12 50 Free 26.73Y 15th; Female 11-12 100 Free 57.69Y 13th.

Shay Walker (10): Female 10 & Under 50 Breast 36.42Y 2nd; Female 10 & Under 100 IM 1:16.23Y 11th; Female 10 & Under 100 Breast 1:23.36Y 4th; Female 10 & Under 100 Back 1:16.51Y 16th.

Helen Wang (10): Female 10 & Under 100 Fly 1:15.60Y 11th.

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LOCAL GYMNASTICS

FREDERICK CLASSIC

Gymnasts from the Paragon Training Center competed in the Frederick Classic on March 9?10 in Frederick Md. hosted by the Frederick Gymnastics Club:

LEVEL 7

Katherine Basso (Jr B): Vault 9.025 5th; Bars 8.65 (tie) 4th; Floor 9.15 (tie) 4th; AA 35.025 4th.

Victoria Garrett (Sr A): Bars 8.9 1st; Beam 9.2 1st; Floor 9.1 (tie) 3rd; 35.950 1st.

LEVEL 8

Abigail Howes (Jr A): Bars 9.4 (tie) 4th; Floor 8.95 6th; AA 35.8 6th.

Katie Chenoweth (Jr A): Bars 9.45 2nd.

Jennah Gephart-Chang (Jr B): Bars 9.6 1st; Beam 8.85 6th; Floor 9.05 (tie) 4th; AA 36.15 (tie) 4th.

Emily Brutski (Sr A): Vault 9 1st; Bars 8.8 3rd; Beam 9 1st; Floor 9.075 2nd; AA 35.875 1st.

Amanda Lowe (Sr A): Bars 8.9 2nd; Beam 8.4 6th; Floor 8.55 6th; AA 34 3rd.

LEVEL 9

Jordan Steadman (Jr B): Vault 8.9 2nd; Bars 8.4 3rd; Beam 8.75 3rd; Floor 9 2nd; AA 35.05 2nd.

Maci Winebarger (Jr B): Vault 8.7 4th; Beam 8.7 (tie) 4th; Floor 8.3 (tie) 3rd; AA 33.4 5th.

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MARCH MADNESS INVITATIONAL

Stafford Royals participated in the meet hosted by Chantilly Academy Gymnastics in Chantilly on March 9?11.

LEVEL 4

Julianna Ferrel (7&under): Vault 9.275 3rd, Balance Beam 9.000 4th

Kaitlyn Lawson (7&under): Uneven Bars 9.000 5th, Balance Beam 8.700 6th, Floor 8.925 3rd, All-Around 35.575 2nd

Morgan Moore (7&under): Vault 9.200 4th (tie):

Samantha McMichael (7&under): Vault 9.200 4th (tie):

Ashley Lingerman (8Jr): Floor 9.200 1st

Gianni Morgan (9yrs): Vault 9.425 2nd, Uneven Bars 9.050 3rd, All-Around 36.225 3rd

Jaclyn Ferrel (9yrs): Vault 9.450 1st

Lauren Doty (9yrs): Floor 8.800 5th

Megan Straightiff (9yrs): Vault 9.200 6th

Kaelan Beggan (10+): Vault 9.150 6th, Floor 8.850 5th

Nora Peters (10+): Uneven Bars 9.150 6th

Juliana Reihms (10+): Vault 9.475 1st

Lexie Nicholson (10+): Vault 9.350 3rd, Uneven Bars 9.250 3rd, Balance Beam 9.350 4th, All-Around 36.750 3rd

LEVEL 5

Mackenzie Fox (All): Balance Beam 9.250 1st (tie): , Floor 8.350 5th, All-Around 34.700 5th

Breana Spain (All): Vault 9.500 1st, Uneven Bars 8.925 3rd, All-Around 35.275 3rd

Emily Grooms (All): Vault 9.300 4th, Uneven Bars 9.000 2nd, Balance Beam 9.250 1st (tie): , Floor 9.050 1st, All-Around 36.600 1st

Cassie Sissom (All): Uneven bars 8.700 5th, Floor 8.850 2nd, All-Around 35.200 4th

Jamie Macecevic (All): Vault 9.325 3rd

LEVEL 6

Madison Klump (10-11): Uneven Bars 8.800 4th, All-Around 34.850 4th

Karrie Stuchell (12+): Uneven Bars 8.750 1st, Balance Beam 8.700 4th, Floor 8.400 5th, All-Around 34.850 2nd

Leah Morgan (12+): Uneven Bars 8.700 4th, All-Around 34.425 6th

Rachel Hunter (12+): Balance Beam 8.750 3rd

Kayla Rice (12+): Vault 9.350 4th, Uneven Bars 8.650 5th, Balance Beam 8.600 6th, All-Around 34.700 3rd

LEVEL 7

Brianna Arre (11&under): : Floor 9.325 3rd, All-Around 36.600 5th

Alexis Bush (14+): : Vault 9.350 1st, Uneven Bars 9.350 1st, All-Around 35.550 4th

Faith Kelley (14+): : Vault 9.200 4th, Uneven Bars 9.100 3rd, Balance Beam 8.950 4th, Floor 9.050 2nd, All-Around 36.300 2nd

Katherine Pontarelli (14+): : Uneven Bars 8.975 6th, Balance Beam 9.000 3rd, Floor 8.850 6th, All-Around 35.875 3rd

Madison Amos (14+): : Vault 9.200 Tied 4th, Uneven Bars 9.050 5th, Floor 9.025 3rd, All-Around 35.275 5th

Naomi Cassell (14+): : Uneven Bars 9.250 2nd, Balance Beam 8.800 6th (tie):

Shannon Lea (14+): : Balance Beam 9.050 2nd

LEVEL 8

Aaliyah Kerr (All): : Vault 9.450 1st, Uneven Bars 9.500 2nd, Balance Beam 9.550 1st, Floor 9.525 1st, All-Around 38.025 1st

Abigail Whitehead (All): : Uneven Bars 9.525 1st, All-Around 35.700 4th

Ashley Hinton (All): : Vault 9.200 4th, Balance Beam 9.125 5th, All-Around 35.475 6th

Brooke Hensen (All): : Vault 9.200 3rd, Uneven Bars 9.325 4th, Balance Beam 9.200 3rd, All-Around 36.850 2nd

Brynne Reeves (All): : Balance Beam 9.150 4th

Dylana Wilhelm (All): : Vault 9.300 2nd, Balance Beam 9.250 2nd, All-Around 36.250 3rd

VIRGINIA ALL-STARS?INTERMEDIATE

Ayzjah Mercer (11&under): Vault 8.825 4th

VIRGINIA ALL-STARS?ADVANCED

Anna Jordan (All): Vault 9.150 3rd, Uneven Bars 9.350 2nd

Hailey Roman (All): Balance Beam 9.050 5th, Floor 9.200 4th

Alysia Gray (All): Vault 9.300 2nd, Uneven Bars 9.150 3rd; Balance Beam 9.350 2nd, Floor 9.250 3rd, All-Around 37.050 2nd

Nia McManama (All): Floor 9.025 5th

Caroline Posillico (All): Vault 9.350 1st, Uneven Bars 9.050 4th, Balance Beam 9.550 1st, All-Around 36.700 3rd

?

RUNNING

JOHN ROBBINS 8 KM?

Results from the race held in Fredericksburg on March 10. It was the second race in the 2013 Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix.

Women Overall: 1. Vicky Jasparro (Fredericksburg 6:19; 2. Amy Huerta (Fredericksburg) 6:48; 3. Sara Perez (Stafford) 6:50.

Women Masters: 1. Carol Krill (Stafford) 6:55; 2. Michelle Dolby (Fredericksburg) 7:00; 3. Helena Bozarth (Fredericksburg) 7:33.

Athena: 1. Patricia Kramer (Stafford) 9:04; 2. Renee Almond (Unionville) 9:16; 3. Amie Nester (King George) 10:13.

Women?s 19 & under: 1. Harper Lovegrove (Fredericksburg) 7:08; 2. Maree Baird (Stafford) 9:03; 3. Rio Weber (Fredericksburg) 9:51.

Women?s 20-24: 1. Kimberly Jewell (Fredericksburg) 7:57; 2. Andrea Grimsley (Shenandoah) 8:02; 3. Rachel Stoffan (Fredericksburg) 8:46.

Women?s 25-29: 1. Kells Parady (Newington, Conn.) 8:33; 2. Elizabeth Klein (Arlington 8:57; 3. Becky Minter (Fredericksburg) 9:15.

Women?s 30-34: 1. Heather Morgan (Fredericksburg) 7:53; 2. Kristen Morris (Tappahannock) 8:25; 3. Christine Demetz (King George) 9:10.

Women?s 35-39: 1. Tracy Dzibela (Fredericksburg) 7:12; 2. Clara Schuster (Stafford) 7:18; 3. Tresa Jones (Fredericksburg) 7:18.

Women?s 40-44: 1 Julia Chase (Fredericksburg) 8:29; 2. Kimberly Willits (Fredericksburg) 8:38; 3. Michele Shanks (Rixeyville) 9:02.

Women?s 45-49: 1. Mary Flower LeMaster (Fredericksburg) 8:17; 2. Jami Mckenna (Fredericksburg) 8:26; 3. Lacey Fulton (Fredericksburg) 8:37.

Women?s 50-54: 1. Carol David (Stafford) 7:37; 2. Ellen Jones (Fredericksburg) 8:02; 3. Ruth Olson (Fredericksburg) 8:09.

Women?s 55-59: 1. Leslie Kash (Round Hill) 8:38; 2. Nancy Ball (Fredericksburg) 8:57; 3. Beth Venable (King George) 9:23.

Women?s 60-64: 1. Jannette Martin (Fredericksburg) 10:45; 2. Alice Austiff (King George) 11:16; 3. Anita Perrow (Stafford) 14:34.

Women?s 65-69: 1. Nancy Morrissette (Stafford) 11:26; 2. Marcia Hall (King George) 12:46.

Women?s 70+: 1. Arlowene Garland (Warsaw) 11:37.

?????????????-

Men Overall: 1. Stephen Harrison (Fredericksburg) 5:19; 2. Bryan Morgan (Mineral) 5:47; 3. Justin C. Neibauer (Spotsylvania) 5:49.

Men Master: 1. Craig Chasse (Reston) 6:03; 2. Ted Poulos (McLean) 6:05; 3. Jack Morrison (Fredericksburg) 6:10.

Men Assisted Wheelchair: 1. Team Porter (Fredericksburg) 6:48.

Clydesdale 200+: 1. Andrew Sullivan (Fredericksburg) 6:48; 2. Timothy Daniels (Stafford) 8:02; 3. Jay Gordon (Fredericksburg) 8:23.

Men?s 19 & under: 1. Brian Quintana (Stafford) 6:10; 2. Mason Mendenhall (Bristow) 6:26; 3. Alex Hawley (Fredericksburg) 6:52.

Men?s 20-24: 1. Stephen DeCoito (Fredericksburg) 7:40.

Men?s 25-29: 1. Thomas Syre (Fredericksburg) 6:10; 2. Zach Minter (Fredericksburg) 7:17; 3. Schyler Kopp (Remington) 7:35.

Men?s 30-34: 1. Nick Dunford (Fredericksburg) 5:53; 2. Joey Hess (Fredericksburg) 5:59; 3. Rodger Palko (Fredericksburg) 6:48.

Men?s 35-39: 1. Tony Calvert (Fredericksburg) 6:19; 2. Bob Blunkosky (Fredericksburg) 6:43; 3. Bryan Schuster (Stafford) 7:02.

Men?s 40-44: 1. Daniel Huerta (Fredericksburg) 6:18; 2. Andy Gotchel (King George) 6:48; 3. Nathan Howes (Port Royal) 7:03.

Men?s 45-49: 1. Duane Williamson (Warrenton) 6:18; 2. Rex Edwards (Spotsylvania) 6:55; 3. Donny Self (Fredericksburg) 7:11.

Men?s 50-54: 1. John Taninecz (Stafford) 6:39; 2. David Croteau (Stafford) 6:59; 3. Charlie Penn (Fredericksburg) 7:01.

Men?s 55-59: 1. Jeff Peterson (Fredericksburg) 6:46; 2. Mike Cannon (Springfield) 7:06; 3. Rolando Pancotti (Fredericksburg) 7:12.

Men?s 60-64: 1. Steve Sakry (Stafford) 6:57; 2. Allen Vaughan (Stafford) 7:16; 3. Steve Schaeffer (Mt. Airy, Md.) 8:26.

Men?s 65-69: 1. Ronald Edington (Fredericksburg) 7:47; 2. Bob Morrissette (Stafford) 10:38.

Men?s 70 and over: 1. Robert Gurtler (The Plains) 9:59; 2. Charles C. Hall (King George) 11:32; 3. Tom Kenney (Glen Echo, Md.) 11:33.

Permalink: http://news.fredericksburg.com/sports/2013/03/15/local-recreational-results-swimming-gymnastics-running/

Source: http://news.fredericksburg.com/sports/2013/03/15/local-recreational-results-swimming-gymnastics-running/

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St-Pierre manhandles Diaz at UFC 158

Carlos Condit, right, lands a kick to Johny Hendricks during their UFC 158 welterweight fight in Montreal, Saturday, March 16, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

Carlos Condit, right, lands a kick to Johny Hendricks during their UFC 158 welterweight fight in Montreal, Saturday, March 16, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)

MONTREAL (AP) ? UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre manhandled Nick Diaz for five rounds en route to a lopsided unanimous decision at UFC 158 on Saturday night.

St-Pierre (24-2) pitched a shutout, winning 50-45 on all three judges' cards.

"Nick Diaz is a good guy," said the champion, looking to end the bad blood between the two.

Diaz, who said he was flat after a 13-month layoff, thanked St-Pierre "for giving him the credit I think I deserve."

Diaz came to the fight with a chip on his shoulder and plenty of attitude. He leaves with a loss and lumps on his face, although he showed the champion respect after the fight.

As expected, St-Pierre used his wrestling to control the chirpy challenger, rag-dolling him at times and bullying him on the ground. But he also used his jab and kicks to pick apart the challenger on his feet.

A calm, calculating St-Pierre won almost every battle during the fight without putting himself in harm's way. Diaz (27-8-0 with one no contest) never quit, but showed less of his trademark trash-talking. He had his hands full.

The main event had been rife with animosity, with Diaz showing St-Pierre little respect. The normally calm champion was red-hot coming into the fight, saying he wanted to "retire" Diaz.

He may have done it. Diaz said his fighting days may be over.

"I think I'm done with this mixed martial arts," he said.

In the lead up to the fight, Diaz skipped a public workout, then put on a strange one-man show at the pre-fight news conference that managed to befuddle and antagonize St-Pierre.

"I never took it personally," the champion said after the fight.

The antagonism continued right up to the fight with fellow fighter Jake Shields, a member of the Diaz entourage, complaining about St-Pierre's hand wraps.

"I checked GSP's glove and the wrap looked shady," Shields, beaten by GSP at UFC 129, tweeted before the fight.

UFC President Dana White said Shields had OK'd the wrap, only to have another member of Diaz's camp complain later.

The 31-year-old from Montreal was looking for his eighth straight successful title defense since winning his 170-pound championship back from Matt Serra at UFC 83 in April 2008. Only middleweight champion Anderson Silva has more title defenses (10).

The welterweight contenders' picture grew clearer earlier in the main card as Jonny Hendricks (15-1) won a unanimous 29-28 decision over Carlos Condit (28-7) in a wild co-main event that left both men blooded, and with the respect of their boss.

"These boys are holding nothing back," tweeted an appreciative White.

Hendricks, who said he broke his left hand in the fight, was promised a title shot if he won.

"Guess what, I earned it," said Hendricks.

And welterweight Jake Ellenberger knocked out former Strikeforce champion Nate Marquardt in the first round.

Diaz came out to a chorus of boos, one man against a champion backed by thousands in the stands. He calmly walked inside the cage, his four corner men urging him on.

Then the lights dimmed and St-Pierre followed, bouncing up and down in his traditional karate garb to pulsating French-language rap. The crowd erupted.

Diaz walked over to the cage and yelled something as St-Pierre prepared to enter. It didn't seem like a hello. Montreal referee Yves Lavigne then moved over to keep a close watch on the challenger.

The place was rocking before the cage doors closed.

St-Pierre's first takedown came seconds later. Diaz looked to work a submission, but the champion controlled him, firing punches as Diaz tried to get up. A pair of elbows produced a knot on the challenger's forehead.

The crowd started chanting "Ole! Ole!" St-Pierre responded by dropping Diaz on his head, capping a dominant first round.

St-Pierre landed another takedown 40 seconds into the second round and soon had Diaz on his knees face down again, hitting him with knees and punches. Diaz's face was showing damage.

Diaz tried to get in the champ's face as the round ended.

Diaz went down again in the third, after eating some punches. When Diaz got back up, he fired some leg kicks and scored with some jabs. Then St-Pierre dumped him, battering him on the ground.

Diaz flicked a punch after the bell at St-Pierre, whose face was bloodied.

Both men looked tired in the fourth, but St-Pierre scored another takedown and Diaz soon had the champion clamped to him again.

The two clinched in the fifth before Diaz fell attempting a kick. St-Pierre jumped on him and Diaz was again face down on the mat. The fight finished fittingly with St-Pierre on top and the crowd roaring.

The two shook hands, hugged and Diaz raised St-Pierre's hand.

The champion came into Saturday's fight on a 10-bout win streak. And needing just three rounds to erase Randy Couture's UFC record of 44 championship rounds fought.

It was St-Pierre's 13th championship fight, second only to the retired Couture (15).

Condit was initially due to face Rory MacDonald but the Montreal fighter had to pull out with a neck injury. That forced a reshuffle of the welterweight bouts with Hendricks moved to face Condit and Marquardt brought in to take on Ellenberger.

Ellenberger (29-6) made short work of Marquardt (35-12-2), knocking him down with a left-right and then hurting him with another. Marquardt did not seem to like the stoppage by Philippe Chartier, at 3:00, but he was dazed and vulnerable.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-17-MMA-UFC-158/id-55b7d199e16c4739bc08a372cb6cf459

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