Mammoth Blog

On today's date in 1923, Harry Houdini freed himself from a straitjacket while suspended upside down 40 feet above a crowd in New York City. It was on June 12, 1957 that Monsanto opened its House of the Future at Disneyland. The striking structure had four wings elevated on a central pedestal, and a giant (non-working) wall mounted TV set. source>>>

Food is like air, an essential ingredient of life that most of us consume daily without much thought. "Food, Inc." may change your attitude.

The new documentary dramatically shows how the U.S. food industry is controlled by a handful of conglomerates that churn out products that can make us -- and their workers -- sick.

"It's all about producing food that's cheap and plentiful," Michael Pollan, a journalism professor at the University of California-Berkeley who has written extensively on food, said in a phone interview. "We love cheap food and big portions. Subway sells sandwiches based not on how good they are, but how long they are."

The 54-year-old author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" is featured in the film along with Eric Schlosser," who wrote "Fast Food Nation." Robert Kenner's movie, which opens today in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, also includes interviews with organic farmers and Barbara Kowalcyk, who became a food-safety advocate after her 2 1/2-year-old son died from eating hamburgers infected with E. coli bacteria.

Fast, Cheap

Warner: Monsanto, Tyson, Smithfield, Perdue. Why are so few companies producing most of our food?

Pollan: Fast-food franchises have a lot to do with it. They need huge quantities of beef for hamburgers and huge quantities of chicken for chicken nuggets. And they want their food to taste the same everywhere in the country. So they'd rather deal with one producer instead of 50.

Warner: Cows are now being fed corn instead of grazing on grass because it makes them grow bigger and faster. How does that affect the health of the cows and the quality of the meat they produce?

Pollan: Cows aren't designed to eat corn, so it makes them sick and their guts become a breeding ground for E. coli. Forty percent of the animals on feed lots are carrying it. It gets into the food supply through manure. And when you're slaughtering 400 cows an hour, the way some of these places do, it's very easy for the manure to get into the meat.

Warner: The woman whose son died from E. coli has been campaigning to improve food safety. Is it true the U.S. Department of Agriculture can't shut down a plant that is producing contaminated meat?

Pollan: Incredibly, yes. The government can recall toys and cars, but it doesn't have the power to recall meat. That's left up to the companies. Which tells me the government can't ensure the safety of our food supply.

Revolving Door

Warner: Isn't part of the problem the revolving door between the industry and government agencies? The movie documents how industry officials end up running the agencies that are supposed to regulate their former businesses.

Pollan: People go back and forth all the time. The food industry is one of the most powerful lobbying forces on Capitol Hill. They usually get what they want.

Warner: No representative from any of the major food companies would comment on camera. What are they afraid of?

Pollan: They don't want to debate. They'd rather get the message across through advertising. And that's too bad, because they have some valid points to make. For instance, we spend only 9.5 percent of our income on food today in the U.S., half of what we spent in 1960.

Corn Subsidies

Warner: Studies show that poor people eat the most fast food because it's cheap and filling. What can be done about that?

Pollan: Make fresh produce and other healthier foods more affordable. Meat is cheap because of federal subsidies for corn, which is used to feed the cattle. Burgers are cheaper than broccoli. I'm not against subsidies, but we're subsidizing the wrong crops.

Warner: What can the average person do to change the system?

Pollan: They can do a lot. Never underestimate the power of the consumer. Wal-Mart listened when consumers said they didn't want milk from cows treated with (artificial growth) hormones. And McDonald's stopped using genetically modified potatoes after consumers complained. People can vote with their pocketbooks. source>>>

On the same day the first global flu epidemic in 41 years was confirmed, Valley health authorities took the opportunity to urge parents to immunize their children against seasonal flu before an outbreak hits this winter.

Doing so, the officials said, might help avoid an overload on hospitals, doctors and community health workers caused by the expected second wave of the H1N1 influenza virus - known as the "swine flu."

On Thursday, World Health Organization officials said the spreading of H1N1 has reached a pandemic level. WHO said 74 countries had reported 28,774 cases, including 144 deaths.

The last pandemic - an outbreak of Asian flu in 1968 - killed between 750,000 and 1 million people, including nearly 34,000 in the U.S.

According to the Arizona Department of Health's most recent tally, made Wednesday, there were 597 H1N1 cases statewide, including six deaths. Maricopa County is home to 322 victims.

Maricopa County public health director Dr. Bob England declared, "This epidemic will be back," basing his statement upon studies of past pandemics and news from the Southern Hemisphere, where it is now flu season.

Although England said the WHO's announcement "changes nothing," it presents "a teachable moment," because he wants to get word out to stress the importance of seasonal flu immunizations when they become available.

It's difficult to say how many children get vaccinated for the flu each year, because it's not required, England said.

"Our goal this year is to get as many kids as possible vaccinated so you can dramatically cut the regular flu count," he said. "Frankly, it's something we should have done before."

PREPARATIONS UNDER WAY

If enough children are immunized against the flu, England said, that creates a "herd effect," or "herd immunity," in which the virus cannot find a toehold in a community. And if a child does come down with the flu, the odds of the virus spreading are greatly reduced because the victim's peers are immune.

The seasonal flu vaccine may be available as early as September. But England said federal officials are telling state and county health authorities the vaccine for swine flu, which requires a separate inoculation, won't be ready until mid to late fall.

Even prior to the appearance of H1N1, the state's Vaccines for Children program placed an order for nearly three times as much seasonal flu vaccine as it did last year, said Will Humble, interim director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Last year, the department ordered 152,000 children's vaccines for the state's uninsured children, Native Americans and those on Medicare. For next year, the program will have 408,000 doses available.

The push came because the Centers for Disease Control changed its policy. It now recommends the seasonal flu vaccine for all children, and not just those under 18 months or with underlying health issues, Humble said.

Another order may be put in if supplies are available.

Chandler Regional Medical Center conducts flu vaccine clinics around the East Valley each season. Cheryl Shafer, director of pharmacy services, said 8,000 doses of adult vaccine have been ordered for this coming flu season. That's 1,000 more than 2008 and 2,000 more than 2007.
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swine flu

"We base it on last year's usage and increase it a little bit," Shafer said. "It's also based on how many clinics we have, which we don't know yet. So we'll be placing more orders."

While the seasonal flu vaccine created for this coming winter will not protect against H1N1, drug makers are working on a vaccine for the previously unknown influenza.

Nadine Miller, director of health services for the Mesa Unified School District, said the nearly 69,000-student school district has joined with city and county officials in discussions, including what could happen in the case of a widespread flu outbreak.

While the junior high and high schools have had roving "shot clinics" in the past, Miller said that has not been done in the elementary schools because of logistics.

"We can't have 30 kids crying in a classroom with one teacher," she said. But there may be other options, such as using a nasal spray version of the influenza vaccine that's now in use or setting up a clinic at a time parents can come to the school with their children.

Mary Ann Yahl, the senior infection preventionist at Banner Desert Medical Center and Cardon Children's Hospital, said regular planning meetings take place every year for flu preparations. Steps include taking stock of mask, antiviral and glove supplies, as well as looking at medical data.

This spring, the hospital received some of the national stockpile of antivirals and still has that available for fall and winter, Yahl said. The H1N1 virus responds well to those.

Communication with patients, employees and the community will be key, Yahl said, as the hospital places restrictions on visitors and asks coughing patients to don masks as they enter.

Susan Horan, director of the Chandler Care Center (formerly known as the San Marcos Family Resource Center), said each year notices are sent out to school families about the vaccine and the vaccine clinics held at the care center.

"We push and push, and we send home information on fliers," Horan said. "People either love flu shots or hate them. Some would rather take the chance or say they got the flu" from the shot. That is not likely happening, Horan said, because people cannot get the flu from the dead virus used in the seasonal flu vaccine.

COMMON SENSE URGED

Another message England said he wants to get out is the need for sick kids - and their parents - to stay home. Parents should start thinking about what they will do if they need to keep their kids home, he said.

"Who spreads the virus each year? Children are the main amplifier of the flu," England said Thursday. "Every flu season we see the first signs of influenza in the school setting."

Schools can be germ farms with younger kids standing in line close together or just playing right up in each other's faces. Besides the vaccine, parents can help by keeping sick kids with high fevers at home, Miller said.

"It's very important. That's the only way we're not going to spread this," Miller said.

The problem, Miller said, is that people think of the flu as the aches, pains and troubles they may feel when the get a virus or a stomach bug. They don't think of the flu as what it is - a respiratory ailment.

"We have to continually ramp up information," Miller said. "People say, 'Oh, I didn't get it (the shot) last year and it wasn't bad. It's hard sometimes to talk to people about respiratory flu. It's not a little tummy ache and throwing up. I don't think people understand the difference ... Seasonal flu is serious."

England added businesses also must prepare during these months before swine flu's expected return. What happens when employees must stay home to tend to sick children? And what's the plan when employees themselves fall ill?

Said England: "We have to use the time we've got now."

DIFFERENT STRAINS

The seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus can affect people in different ways. The seasonal flu for some may cause aches and pains but can be deadly to those with underlying respiratory issues.

The H1N1 virus may do the same, but there have been deaths reported around the world in people who were otherwise healthy prior to getting the virus.

Because there's been an increase in tracking influenza in Arizona with the H1N1 strain, England said health officials have discovered that the seasonal flu sticks around longer than previously thought.

Arizona was still reporting widespread seasonal influenza to the Centers for Disease Control the last week of May. As of June 2, there have been 4,877 confirmed cases of seasonal flu in Arizona and six influenza-associated pediatric deaths for the 2008-09 flu season.

School, county and city officials will join together for a pandemic preparedness course in August. There, officials can collaborate on plans that may be put in place should a large flu outbreak affect the East Valley, said Mesa assistant fire chief Gil Damiani, emergency management coordinator for the city.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO STAY HEALTHY

* Stay informed.
* Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people, so watch out for that.
* Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
* Stay home if you get sick. The Centers for Disease Control recommend that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
* Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
* Find healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety.

Source: Centers for Disease Control

H1N1 FLU HOTLINE

(602) 263-8856

(800) 352-3792

24 hours/7 days (bilingual) source>>>

The American Academy of Pediatrics wants doctors to take an active role in preventing bullying in schools and violence among dating teenagers.

The academy gives doctors tips for doing that in an updated policy being published in the July issue of its journal, Pediatrics.

Doctors should tell parents to talk to their children about bullying, teach children how to resolve conflicts and promote respectful relationships in dating, the policy says. It also suggests doctors volunteer to talk about the topics at schools, churches and youth organizations.

The doctors' group has published educational materials on bullying and dating before, but this is the first time the policy has addressed the issues in detail.

"Violence is a public health problem that needs to be dealt with in the context of health care," said Dr. Joseph Wright of Children's National Medical Center in Washington. Wright heads the academy's violence prevention committee and helped write the recommendations.

Studies suggest children's early home life, if stimulating and emotionally supportive, can protect them from being victims of bullying later in life, Wright said.

"Having meals with your child, watching television with your child" are among ideas that doctors can share with parents at "every single visit between birth and age 21," Wright said. The AAP's Connected Kids protocol provides more detail on what doctors should address.

The policy also says a European program that emphasizes the role of bystanders in preventing bullying in schools could be a good model for prevention efforts in the U.S.

Dr. Robert Sege of Boston Medical Center, who also helped write the policy update, said the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program teaches children that bullies are kids with problems and bystanders can protect victims.

Schools that use the program teach children that "we take care of our own," Sege said. Kids learn "even if you have freckles or wear glasses, it's our job to include you in the social environment."

To prevent dating violence, pediatricians should tell teenagers that respect is important in relationships, Sege said.

He said his personal approach is to ask teens how they make decisions with their boyfriends and girlfriends. He also asks if they're ever afraid on dates.

"I make sure the young lady knows she deserves to be treated with respect and she doesn't need to put up with a boyfriend who's so jealous he tries to control what she's doing," Sege said. source>>>

A growing number of businesses are using eBay to turn idle assets into cash.

Businesses Use eBay to Boost Bottom Line
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Businesses are turning to eBay to turn unwanted assets into cash.

"We've seen a tremendous increase in the number of businesses that are seeking us out," said David Goldstein, of Easysale, a chain of eBay stores headquartered in North Texas.

One of Easysale's clients is Softlayer, an Internet hosting company. Softlayer uses Easysale to sell computer equipment it no longer needs because of system upgrades.

"It seems to get us the broadest range of customers and access to people," George Karidis said.

Revenue from eBay sales is then reinvested in the company.

But there's another reason stores such as Easysale are seeing more business from commercial clients -- the struggling economy.

Goldstein has everything from chandeliers to cosmetics for sale.

"It may be less than what they paid for it, but they can then turn around and take that money and invest it in new inventory that they can sell profitably, and that's good for business," he said.

Sometimes eBay is the final stop for business owners who've decided to close. Goldstein has shelves of shoes from a now-closed store.

"We're seeing a lot more brand-new inventory," he said.

But the boom is bittersweet.

"We're doing really well, but you hate to profit from other people's misfortune," Goldstein said. source>>>

Online poker players recently took what in their parlance would be called the ultimate bad beat.

When they went to cash checks that had been issued to them from poker Web sites, the checks bounced. It turns out that the Department of Justice had seized more than $30 million in assets related to online poker.

Legal Gray Area

Online poker exists in something of a gray area of legality, though just how gray depends on what cards one is holding.

Former New York Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, chairman of the Poker Players Alliance, wants everyone to know that playing poker online is not illegal.

True enough, but last week the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York added a little addendum: You can play poker online, you just can't legally collect your winnings.

The seizure of assets controlled by such banks as Wells Fargo and Citibank is a new gambit in anti-gambling enforcement. Until now, the federal government relied on the Wire Act, which prohibits certain types of betting in the U.S., to go after offshore bookies, says Joseph Kelly, a professor of business law at Buffalo State College.

"Most lawyers would say that the Wire Act only applies to sports betting and not other types of gambling," Kelly says. "This is going to be one of the arguments that all the payment processors will be using -- that this is poker, it has nothing to do with sports betting and, therefore, the Wire Act is inapplicable."

'A Terrible Law'

Three years ago, Congress did pass the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, but gambling experts such as Kelly, who is co-editor of Gaming Law Review and Economics, say that despite the tough-sounding name, the law is a bit toothless. It also doesn't seem to be coming into play in the latest seizure. More likely, the Department of Justice is relying on a few different federal statutes, like the Wire Act, but also laws designed to stop money laundering.

The Justice Department has always maintained that any form of online gambling is illegal, even if it never went after the assets of poker players themselves.

Benham Dayanim, a lawyer with the Washington firm of Paul Hastings who has represented online poker sites, says he believes the U.S. attorneys have legal backing in defining poker as gambling, and online gambling as illegal.

"Most poker aficionados and professional poker players would tell you that skill really determines the outcome over the long term," he says. "Nonetheless, if you look at the court decisions that have examined this question, they almost uniformly determine that poker is a game of chance for purposes of gambling, and therefore is considered gambling."

Not that Dayanim agrees with the courts, or even agrees with the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.

"It's a terrible law," he says. "Absolutely terrible."

The Poker Players Alliance thinks so, too, and says a better one is needed. It wants a law that legalizes and regulates a potential source of tax revenue.

New Measure In Congress

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has authored a bill that would legalize online poker. D'Amato supports the bill even if he hasn't always seen eye-to-eye with Frank on issues that don't include one-eyed jacks.

"These kinds of prosecutorial tactics sometimes gain great headlines for those who are pushing them, but doesn't really advance the cause of justice," D'Amato says.

"To try to stop people playing poker on the Internet should be one of the last considerations of government."

Dayanim predicts that the issue will be resolved when the poker sites find a way to quietly reimburse their customers and establish more elaborate payment methods far outside the reach of U.S. authorities.

Until then, the Justice Department has pushed its chips forward and is daring anyone to call. source>>>

The Seminoles aren't likely to approve a gambling deal under terms set by the state Legislature, citing provisions that could increases costs and competition, the tribe's attorney said Thursday.

Billions in funding for public schools are on the line at a time of severe deficits.

The key sticking points, tribe attorney Barry Richard said: an increase in the annual payment to the state -- to $150 million -- and a provision dealing with the tribe's exclusive right to offer blackjack and slots outside South Florida.

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What's next

Legislators, who approved the gambling deal in May, built in wiggle room for future gambling expansion. Voters or legislators can give racetracks or other facilities games similar to those offered at tribal casinos, without voiding the state's deal with the Seminoles. And even if new competition cropped up, the tribe would still be required to make payments, albeit at a potentially reduced rate.

"I feel firmly that the tribe couldn't live with it and the [federal] Department of Interior wouldn't approve it," said Richard, referring to federal regulators who oversee state-tribal negotiations. The annual minimum payment, an increase over the $100 million negotiated by Gov. Charlie Crist and the tribe in 2007, also "throws the economics out of whack," he said.

Richard said he hoped representatives from the Legislature, the governor's office and the tribe would sit down and negotiate new terms.

"We're hopeful we can correct those things and send it back," Richard said. "Hopefully we can come up with something that everyone will be happy with."

The 15-year, $2.3 billion gambling deal crafted by top legislators is now on the governor's desk, awaiting his signature. After Crist signs the bill, as expected, the tribe and governor's office have until Aug. 31 to finalize the details under the parameters set by the Legislature. Then, the Legislature would meet in special session to ratify the final language.

The bill gives the tribe blackjack, baccarat and other table games at two Hard Rock resorts in Hollywood and Tampa, as well as two other casinos in Broward. Three Seminole casinos elsewhere in the state would be limited to slots.

Reaching a gambling deal not only has major financial implications for education funding, but is atop Crist's list of accomplishments as governor. Crist, now a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010, spent months pressuring the Legislature to sign off on blackjack at Seminole resorts, after his original 2007 deal was tossed out by the state Supreme Court.

"I think we'll come to a resolution," said George Lemieux, Crist's former chief of staff who negotiated the original deal. "My experience has been the Seminoles are extremely professional in these negotiations."

The tribe's spokesman, Gary Bitner, said the Seminoles wouldn't add to Richard's comments until negotiations resume with the governor. "There's no date set for that," he said.

But trying to force changes on a Legislature dominated by Republicans reluctant to embrace gambling is politically treacherous.

The leading legislator on the issue, Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, said overhauling the gambling deal is not an option. He said the $150 million minimum is reasonable, given how much the tribe has expanded its gambling operations.

Rather than reopen the gambling discussions, Galvano said he'd advocate a hardball route if the tribe balks at the Legislature's deal: lobbying the federal government to enforce the state's current gambling laws, which ban blackjack. The tribe continues to offer the games at several casinos, including Hard Rock, under a legal cloud.

"If we're talking about filling in details or making a policy tweak, that's not going to be very difficult," Galvano said. "But if the tribe expects that we would come back to the Legislature with major structural changes, I think the more appealing route would be to just let the feds enforce."

For his part, Richard said neither side should make a "take it or leave it" demand. But he said the Legislature has an incentive to craft a deal that's acceptable to the tribe: money.

"There's another side to this story: If we don't work it out, the Legislature won't get anything at all," he said. "That's the worst thing for the state of Florida." source>>>

Tim Donaghy, the ex-NBA referee serving 15 months for his part in a betting scheme, has told a consultant he hired that he was beaten in prison by an inmate with connections to the New York mob.

Next week, Donaghy, whose sentence at the federal prison camp in Pensacola, Fla., is set to expire in October, will enter a halfway house in Tampa, Fla., a process aimed at easing his post-release transition.

Yesterday's news came not from federal prison officials but via a press release from Executive Prison Consultants, a company which serves as an advocate for federal prisoners.

According to that release, Donaghy was injured in a November assault by a fellow inmate "claiming ties to the New York mob." That prisoner beat Donaghy with a heavy object, causing severe knee and leg injuries that will require surgery.

Prison officials did not immediately return phone calls. Asked how the consulting firm learned of the assault on its client, company spokesperson Pat Zaranek said "from him."

"We are also in possession of the various medical reports," Zaranek said. "The medical reports and the particular incident reports cannot yet be released - not until he is released in October. He plans to tell his story via a book that is being written."

Zaranak also told the Associated Press that Donaghy claimed he was told he would be shot in the head and his kneecaps would be broken. The alleged attacker's motives have not been made clear and, according to the company, the prison handled the incident internally.

Donaghy, Zaranak said, was placed in protective status and the other inmate punished.

Donaghy, 42, a graduate of Cardinal O'Hara High and Villanova University and a 13-year NBA veteran, pleaded guilty in August of 2007 to charges that he engaged in wire fraud and transmitted wagering information through interstate commerce.

Two high school friends, Thomas Martino and James Battista, who said they received inside information from Donaghy, also were convicted in the scheme. Donaghy testified against both of them as part of his plea agreement.

If Donaghy is suffering from a medical condition as a result of the attack, the release suggested it was possible his sentence could be altered.

"Donaghy's release date has recently been in question due to concerns about his medical condition," according to the statement from Executive Prison Consultants.

According to Zaranak, at the halfway facility, Donaghy will start his search for a job and begin reconnecting with his family.

Arnie Wexler, a psychologist who works with compulsive gamblers, said he had been in contact with Donaghy during his prison stay and said he believes the ex-referee also will seek help for an admitted gambling addiction.

According to Wexler, the federal prison system does not provide inmates with help for gambling-addictions. source>>>

The New York Jets went for it all in 2008, as the brought in Brett Farve to take over the quarterback spot. It started out looking like the Jets were going to be Super Bowl contenders, but they went 1-4 in their final 5 games to finish just 9-7. Brett Farve is no longer with the team, as he retired for the second straight season, and the team closed the door on head coach Eric Mangini. A lot will have to go right for the Jets to sneak their way into the playoffs this season, but this team is definitely heading in the right direction.

First off the team landed one of the premier coaching candidates this offseason, in the Baltimore Ravens former defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. Ryan not only adds new life to a team dying to get back to the postseason, but he is a much more relaxed guy than the hard nosed Mangini. Ryan who has had one of the best defensives in the league for the years now, brought one of his own along with him, as the Jets signed free agent linebacker Bart Scott to help sure up the defense. The Jets also went out and picked up veteran cornerback Lito Sheppard to help sure up the secondary. In the 2009 draft the Jets were quick to make moves, as they first sent two draft picks and three veterans to Cleveland so they could draft USC quarterback Mark Sanchez. Then in day two the Jets traded up to select Iowa running back Shonn Greene in the third round. Even with the new faces in the lineup the Jets suffered some key losses as well, as veteran wideout Laveranues Coles and tight end Chris Baker signed else where in free agency.

With there being so much money to be made this season in the NFL, why not take advantage of the $500 match bonus from BetUS. All you have to do is deposit $500 and they will give you another $500 on the house.

How good the Jets offense is in 2009, will depend in large part on how fast Sanchez can learn the NFL game. Coming from an NFL type system at USC, the transition might be a little smoother than some think. Still there are questions with the running game, as the AFC's leading rusher, Thomas Jones, is unhappy with his contract and has missed all offseason workouts. The running game could be sured up if the rookie Greene can step in and give this team some solid play, and the team still has the homerun threat of Leon Washington. Where this team could really be hurting is in the passing game, as the team will turn to Jerricho Cotchery to become the new No.1 receiver, and its not that he is all that bad, but the team's next best receiver is former star college quarterback Brad Smith. The Jets could improve in this area if either David Clowney or Chansi Stuckey can step in and play at the level needed. At tight end the Jets are going to miss the strong play of Baker, but it looks like they have landed themselves a future star in second year tight end Dustin Keller, who stepped in as a rookie to grab 48 balls for 535 yards and 3 scores. Where the offense looks like it will be at its best is up front on the line, as the Jets return all five linemen for the first time since 2001. All 5 starters are solid and they will be asked to once again open huge holes for the running game and most importantly keep the rookie quarterback off his back. Bet the Jets +700 to win the AFC East at Sportsbook.com.

Defense is where the Jets are going to have to win games, and with Ryan as the new head coach I expect this unit to be even better in 2009. Up front the Jets return both pro bowl defensive tackle Kris Jenkins and long time Jet Shaun Ellis, while the team hopes another Raven free agent pickup in Marques Douglas can fill in for Kenyon Coleman at the other end spot. There is a lot of potential for the linebacking group that is now led by the veteran Scott, as he will team up with an emerging star in David Harris on the inside. It looks like Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas will be the starters on the outside, but keep a close eye on last year's first round pick of Vernon Gholston, who could emerge as a star pass rusher under Ryan's new scheme. In the secondary the Jets added yet another Raven to the mix, as they brought in strong safety Jim Leonhard to play along side free safety Kerry Rhodes, who has the potential to be a star safety in this league. The secondary will be even better if Sheppard can return to the Pro Bowl form he had not that long ago with the Philadelphia Eagles, as he will team up with Darrelle Revis, who made the Pro Bowl in just his second season a year ago. I look for the Jets to look much like the Ravens team's over the last couple of years, and that means strong defense and a heavy dose of the running game. Bet the Jets +5000 to win the Super Bowl at Sportsbook.com.

My Prediction: Tie for 3rd in the AFC East (8-8) I am not sold on Sanchez coming in and leading this team to a 10 win season, and lets face it this team is in one of the toughest divisions in all of football. If Sanchez turns out to be the right pick, this team has playoffs written all over it in 2010. source>>>

Finally, we could have an Eagles training camp where there aren't doubts about Donovan McNabb's future.

That's because Philadelphia has reworked the starting quarterback's contract, giving him a raise over the final two years of his deal and some guararanteed money for 2010.

The story was first reported by FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer.

The five-time Pro Bowl selection was due to make $9.2 million this season and $10 million next season. The size of the raise wasn't announced.

However, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press, McNabb's new deal is worth $24.5 million over the next two seasons.

"Donovan has played a large part of this team's success over the last 10 years," Eagles chairman Jeffrey Lurie said. "He has been a professional in every sense of the word."

"We are thrilled that this all worked out," team president Joe Banner said. "He is a great football player, a great person, and someone who gives back to the community. We are lucky to have him in Philadelphia."

McNabb is the franchise's all-time leader in several categories, including passing yards (29,320) and touchdown passes (194). He also has taken the team to the playoffs seven times, best in team history.

Last season, McNabb threw 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on his way to leading the Eagles to the NFC championship game, where they lost to the Arizona Cardinals.

That was the first time since 2003 that McNabb, 32, had played an entire regular season. This isn't to say that the season in which he threw for 3,916 yards went smoothly.

The quarterback was benched by coach Andy Reid in a Week 12 blowout loss to the Ravens, prompting some speculation that his time in Philly was coming to an end. McNabb's replacement Kevin Kolb didn't fare much better against the fierce Ravens defense.

However, McNabb rebounded a few days later, passing for four touchdowns in an easy win over the Cardinals on Thanksgiving.

The relationship between McNabb and Reid (the man who drafted McNabb in 1999) has been bumpy in recent years.

McNabb tore his anterior cruciate ligament midway through the 2006 season and as he was rehabbing the injury, the Eagles drafted Kolb with their first pick in the subsequent draft. That move created some friction and fueled speculation that the Eagles were preparing for life without McNabb.

But, with the move Thursday, it looks like McNabb will be an Eagle for the near future. source>>>

A former NFL linebacker has pleaded not guilty to killing a wealthy Southern California businessman 14 years ago.

Orange County district attorney's spokeswoman Farrah Emami says Eric Naposki entered the plea Thursday in Superior Court in Newport Beach.

Naposki, who played in the late 1980s for the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, is charged with one count of murder in the December 1994 shooting of millionaire William Francis McLaughlin.

Authorities say Naposki was romantically involved with McLaughlin's girlfriend, Nanette Ann Packard McNeal, who stood to collect $1 million in life insurance from McLaughlin's death. She also is charged with murder. source>>>

-Injured golfer Ken Green issued a statement Friday thanking those who have offered him support since the fatal accident that claimed his brother, girlfriend and dog.

Green remains hospitalized with unknown injuries and is in fair condition. He has declined Associated Press interview requests, but wanted to thank the golf community.

"I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and support that have come my way these past few days,'' Green said in the statement. "The golf community is like one big family, and it means so much to me to have all of you wonderful people by my side.''

The Champions Tour player and five-time PGA Tour winner from Indiantown, Fla., was originally listed in critical condition after a tire blew out on his recreational vehicle Monday afternoon near Hickory, Miss.

The RV rolled down an embankment and smashed into a tree, killing Green's brother, William Green, also of Indiantown, his girlfriend, Jean Marie Hodgin, of Greensboro, N.C., and Ken Green's German shepherd.

"The pain and emptiness of losing my brother Billy, my girlfriend Jeannie and my dog Nip are enormous,'' Green said. "They were always supportive and loving and stuck by me during my struggles. Not having them around is a tremendous loss and leaves a void that will never be filled.''

Green said he's not sure if he will be able to play golf again. He joined the Champions Tour two years ago after struggling through the final years of his PGA Tour career with mental problems.

Green has talked openly of hearing critical voices in his head that made it almost impossible to focus on the golf course. He took 2007 off before joining the senior circuit. He was traveling east from Austin, Texas, where he'd played in a tournament last weekend when the accident happened.

"I don't know if I will ever play on the Tour again,'' Green said in Friday's statement. "But I do know this: I am so proud to have been a professional golfer for 30 years. I am proud of my five Tour wins and to have represented my country in the 1989 Ryder Cup. That will never be taken away from me.''

Green assured well-wishers, "I'm not giving up.''

"You can't always choose what happens to you in life; but you can choose how you deal with these setbacks,'' he said. source>>>

Boston College has signed a 25-year-old former minor-league pitcher to a football scholarship, raising yet again the question of why the NCAA allows this sort of return to amateur status and not others.

If Dave Shinskie, after six years of earning a paycheck in Double-A ball, is eligible for football, why shouldn't a basketball player be able to try the NBA and then return to college ball if that doesn't pan out? Why couldn't Michael Phelps have taken Speedo money one year, and then swam for the University of Michigan the next? Why couldn't Tiger Woods return to Stanford at age 50 and get in another season?

The main concern, at least ostensibly, has always been that it would be unfair for college kids to have to compete against someone good enough to make the pros. But how is it fair to ask a 19-year-old to try to beat out Shinskie at quarterback?

Even if Shinskie hasn't had the benefit of professional coaching and competition in football, his physical maturity gives him a huge advantage. More to the point, he is not an amateur athlete (not that there's anything wrong with that). The fact that he didn't get paid in the sport he will play at BC should be irrelevant.

Jeremy Bloom, the Colorado football player/Olympic skier/fashion model, fought the NCAA in court so that he could make endorsement money as a skier but retain amateur status in football. He lost. Because he wanted to ski, collect endorsements and play college football simultaneously, he was deemed a pro all-around.

But Shinskie will have been paid pro baseball money in the same year he takes snaps for BC. The NCAA doesn't care. Apparently, it's OK if an athlete gets paid by a team versus corporate sponsorship. Could that be because the NCAA will never receive payroll money from a minor-league club? Endorsement dollars are another matter. Athletes receiving them individually might cut in on the colleges' opportunities. source>>>

Peruse the entries for Sunday's LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway and you'll find a welcomed listing: Bill Elliott, in the No. 21 Ford, fielded by Wood Brothers Racing. That one line has it all: Legendary driver, legendary team - and a legendary number.

The number has visited Victory Lane 90 times in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, a total shared among 17 drivers. No other car number has had so many different winners.

Arguably, no other car number has had so many great drivers behind the wheel. David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker, A.J. Foyt, Tim Flock, Marvin Panch and Curtis Turner all drove the 21. Pearson had the most victories in the ride, 43, that total coming in 157 starts, another high for the 21.

Elliott is the latest of the greatest to take over the No. 21, albeit in a limited role. Both Elliott and the Wood Brothers compete part-time these days.

Michigan is a good fit for the team's schedule, considering the car's history at the 2-mile track. In 1969, Yarborough was in the No. 21 and won the track's first NASCAR Sprint Cup event. Pearson had eight MIS wins in the 21 during the 1970s. Dale Jarrett drove the 21 in '91 at MIS, capturing his very first NASCAR Sprint Cup win. And then there's Elliott, with seven MIS wins in his storied career, although none came driving the 21.

The Wood Brothers first fielded the No. 21 in 1953, with team founder Glen Wood in the seat.

"Somehow along the way we ended up with 21," said Glen's son Len, now a part-owner of the team. "The story goes that there was somebody from South Carolina who had 21 and it was really running fast, so we numbered our car 21 in hopes it would be fast as well.

"We always like to do well in front of Ford [people] at Michigan. When you go to Michigan you think of Detroit, and when you think of Detroit you think of the manufacturers and for us it's Ford. I won't say we try harder there, but we certainly give it as good a shot as we can."
source>>>

A year after Carl Edwards led a strong Roush Fenway Racing showing with nine Sprint Cup wins and teammate Greg Biffle added two more, the sport's leading Ford team appears to be struggling to find the same level of success this season.

Edwards has come close on occasion this year, but has yet to visit Victory Lane. Teammate Matt Kenseth has Roush Fenway's only victories, the back-to-back triumphs he scored in the season's opening two events.

Rea White (NASCAR Scene)

While Edwards, Biffle and Kenseth are all in contention for a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup by virtue of their current points positions (sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively), teammates Jamie McMurray and David Ragan are lagging in 22nd and 31st.

Having only three drivers in contention for the championship may be a problem some teams would love to have, but fans and competitors have come to expect Roush Fenway drivers to challenge for wins week to week. When they fail to do so, either because of setbacks or performance issues, questions are raised.

That is particularly true in Edwards' case. One of the preseason favorites to win the title, he endured a bit of a rough stretch that saw him collect three consecutive finishes of 24th or worse from Talladega through Darlington. Now, though, the tide appears to be turning as Edwards earned his third consecutive top-10 finish last weekend at Pocono Raceway.

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After 14 races in 2008, Edwards was fourth in the standings with 10 top-10 finishes and three Cup victories. Kenseth was 15th in the standings. Ragan was 13th and challenging for a bid in the Chase, Biffle was seventh with seven top-10s (his exact numbers for this season), and McMurray was 22nd, the same as this season.

Expectations for the group were heightened, though, after Edwards closed 2008 with nine wins and finished as a 69-point runner-up to champion Jimmie Johnson. Biffle finished third in the standings with a pair of wins during the Chase and Kenseth was 11th. Ragan finished 13th, just one spot outside of the Chase.

Edwards won three of the final four races and excelled in the Chase with seven top-10 finishes. McMurray closed the year with a trio of third-place finishes. Biffle had two wins and tallied four top-10 finishes in the Chase, Kenseth had a pair of top-five finishes in that stretch and Ragan earned four top-10s in the final four races.

All of that led competitors and analysts to expect strong things from Roush Fenway from the opening race this season.

Around the track

Follow the action:

* Michigan practice

Watch:

* Video Central

Check it out:

* PHOTOS: Pocono 500 weekend
* PHOTOS: Busch's wild celebration

Read all about it:

* GM to make "NASCAR-wide" cuts
* Crew chief banned for racial slur
* Fired crew member sues Roush

Analysis:

* Spencer: Drivers to watch at Michigan
* Larry Mac: Groovy race weekend
* Mondaca: NASCAR's guitar hero

Edwards admits that his Roush Fenway team hasn't achieved the level of success it hoped for this season. And competitors are taking notice.

Prior to the Pocono Raceway event, three-time defending Cup champion Johnson admitted that the fact that Edwards and the Roush Fenway teams weren't continually challenging for wins was one of the more surprising stories of the 2009 season.

"The Roush cars got off to a quick start with Matt (Kenseth's win) and then they've had some issues," he said. "As strong as they were last year, really all their cars, it's a bit shocking to see that, including Carl."

Johnson, however, doesn't seem to expect Edwards and Co. to continue to struggle.

Nor does Edwards, who has seven top-10 finishes in the opening 14 races. While he admits that his season has not gone as well as hoped for, he also sees improvements coming.

"Obviously we haven't gotten off to the start that we planned on," he said shortly before his runner-up performance at Pocono. "I felt like at the end of last season we were winning, it seemed like every other week we were winning races. But this is a long season. We've performed pretty well; we've had a little bit of bad luck. There are about three or four races I feel like we could have won."

Edwards, for his part, is keeping his eye on the big picture. He vaulted five spots in those crucial standings after Pocono and sees signs of a team that could make it back to Victory Lane soon.

Asked which he considered to be more important, chasing wins or chasing a championship, Edwards said that his team was definitely more concerned about the 10-race Chase that will determine the 2009 champ. In recent weeks, as he fell toward the bottom of the top 12 that will contend for the title, Edwards has talked about racing more conservatively as he tries to move back up the standings.

And he admits that the battle for a championship is far more important in the big picture that winning races, which isn't to say that he wouldn't like to do both.

"There is nothing better than winning races," he says. "It feels good to win races, real good. I would rather be winning races, but I won nine races last year. I'd trade that for a zero-win, championship season any day of the week. Really, the goal right now is to keep my pride at bay and not get frustrated, but to focus on how we can be the best we can for the last 10 (races). I think that's the key."

Still, the drivers within the organization feel that they are gaining ground. They've historically run well at Michigan International Speedway, site of this weekend's Cup race, and could end their recent victory drought there.

Kenseth sees his team as on par with where it was a year ago, and Biffle says his may be a little ahead of where it was in terms of performance.

While McMurray can point to a trio of top-10 finishes, Ragan has struggled significantly more this season. In a year when many predicted he would break out, win races and earn a berth in the Chase, he is still trying to get his season going in the right direction.

Biffle says that setbacks have hampered the effort and that having things go wrong merely serves as motivation for the team. He has seen strong runs go awry for a variety of factors, as in the Coca-Cola 600, where he had a top-10 run going but finished 20th when the race was shortened because of rain following a pit stop. Or Kenseth's top-five run at Pocono that ended with a 16th-place finish because he had to pit late for fuel when others were able to stretch their mileage.

"I think that us as a team are about where we were last year -- maybe a tick ahead at some race tracks," says Biffle. "But as an organization, (we're) not quite as good. Obviously, Carl was running better last year, and so was Matt and I think David was as well. Jamie seems to be running fairly well. Again, just terrible finishes for him, but he's running good. I think we're off just a little bit to our competition, but the (No.) 16 is really, I have to say, about where we were last year, I feel."

Kenseth, too, says his group is about on track with where it was last season.

With NASCAR's new car, and the continual gains being made with it, it is simply difficult for teams to find an edge in the sport.

And for right now, there are ones that appear to be a step ahead of the Roush Fenway contingent. The drivers quickly point out, though, that is something that could change at any time.

"It's harder to find an advantage," said Kenseth. "But certainly, I think the Hendrick cars, including the Stewart-Haas cars, obviously are the guys to beat right now. If you're (going) to win a race or have a chance at winning a race or a championship, you certainly have to go through all of those guys; there really isn't a weak one. They're pretty stout right now." source>>>