<![CDATA[NCAAbbs - All Forums]]> http://ncaabbs.com/ Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:22:56 -0500 MyBB <![CDATA[Palin realizes she too stupid to be Governor - steps down today.]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376288 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:14:41 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376288 <![CDATA[Greetings from Bogota!]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376286 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:09:15 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376286
Well this is my last day in Bogota, it has been a very rewarding trip. First of all, the weather has stayed in the 60's-70's. It's like that all year round! The city is beautiful (and so are the women), and is home to 10 million people. Located in the mountains, 2 miles above sea level, the air is very thin here which makes it hard to breath at times.

We have been doing block parties in the poorer areas. We bring toys and candy and such and play with the kids for a while. After that we perform skits and tell Bible stories. It's been great. We do these in conjunction with with a local church, trying to help increase its membership. In the evenings we have been teaching english classes for free to any locals interested. The turnout has been great and it has been very rewarding!

The city/country is safe, I want to emphasize that. People have a misconception of Columbia thanks to Pablo Escabar and the drug cartels that used to control portions of the country. Those days are long gone. In fact, the military has managed to push most of the illegal drug operations out of Columbian borders. The cities are secure and the people are very friendly. I wouldn't recommend hiking through the jungle on your own, FARQ is still around, but if you avoid the obvious pitfalls you'll be fine.

We visited a mountain-top monastery called Monserrate (sp?) which overlooks the city. I can't describe the scope of the view. The city of Bogota stretches as far as the eye can see. It also climbs the mountains, which is very cool to see. I'll be posting pictures when I get back state-side. We visited their capitol district and saw their version of the White House, Congress, Justice Department, and several other important government buildings, all located in the dead center of the city.

The news down here has been obsessed with Michael Jackson as I'm sure it has been in the Estados Unidos. On the local channels, all they've talked about is the anniversary of Operation Jack. That military endeavorer saved 12 hostages from FARQ without firing a single shot. It was pretty cool. They tricked the rebels by sending in choppers disguised as Red Cross aid platforms. The rebels thought they were there to help them move to a new location. When the hostages got on board with two rebels, they beat up the guerillas and flew off. It was a big deal.

Anyways, I need to run. it's time to start our last ESL (English as a Second Language) class. I hope all of you have been well over this past week and I look forward to showing you all the sites I've been privileged to see first hand.

God Bless,

Greg]]>
Well this is my last day in Bogota, it has been a very rewarding trip. First of all, the weather has stayed in the 60's-70's. It's like that all year round! The city is beautiful (and so are the women), and is home to 10 million people. Located in the mountains, 2 miles above sea level, the air is very thin here which makes it hard to breath at times.

We have been doing block parties in the poorer areas. We bring toys and candy and such and play with the kids for a while. After that we perform skits and tell Bible stories. It's been great. We do these in conjunction with with a local church, trying to help increase its membership. In the evenings we have been teaching english classes for free to any locals interested. The turnout has been great and it has been very rewarding!

The city/country is safe, I want to emphasize that. People have a misconception of Columbia thanks to Pablo Escabar and the drug cartels that used to control portions of the country. Those days are long gone. In fact, the military has managed to push most of the illegal drug operations out of Columbian borders. The cities are secure and the people are very friendly. I wouldn't recommend hiking through the jungle on your own, FARQ is still around, but if you avoid the obvious pitfalls you'll be fine.

We visited a mountain-top monastery called Monserrate (sp?) which overlooks the city. I can't describe the scope of the view. The city of Bogota stretches as far as the eye can see. It also climbs the mountains, which is very cool to see. I'll be posting pictures when I get back state-side. We visited their capitol district and saw their version of the White House, Congress, Justice Department, and several other important government buildings, all located in the dead center of the city.

The news down here has been obsessed with Michael Jackson as I'm sure it has been in the Estados Unidos. On the local channels, all they've talked about is the anniversary of Operation Jack. That military endeavorer saved 12 hostages from FARQ without firing a single shot. It was pretty cool. They tricked the rebels by sending in choppers disguised as Red Cross aid platforms. The rebels thought they were there to help them move to a new location. When the hostages got on board with two rebels, they beat up the guerillas and flew off. It was a big deal.

Anyways, I need to run. it's time to start our last ESL (English as a Second Language) class. I hope all of you have been well over this past week and I look forward to showing you all the sites I've been privileged to see first hand.

God Bless,

Greg]]> <![CDATA[U.S. reaches second round at worlds]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376283 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:51:13 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376283 U.S. reaches second round at worlds

Associated Press

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Seth Curry scored 12 points and the United States advanced to the second round of the FIBA under-19 world junior basketball championships with a 71-55 win over France on Friday.

Gordon Hayward added 11 points and five rebounds as the United States stayed atop Group B with one pool match remaining, against Egypt on Saturday.

The U.S. led 19-10 at the end of the first quarter and 35-20 at halftime. The United States shot 28 of 70 from the floor and 10 of 37 from three-point range, while France made 17 of 53, from the floor and 5 of 18 three-pointers.

"It was a pretty decisive win, but we could have played better," U.S. coach Jamie Dixon said. "They're good, they're athletic and we couldn't dominate them inside. We needed to shoot the ball well and we didn't, but our defense was pretty good and that was probably the final margin."

In other games, Croatia beat New Zealand 79-72 to overtake Argentina at the top of Group D, and Lithuania earned a 104-46 win over Angola. Argentina beat Kazakhstan 98-69.

Australia topped Spain 69-62 to move to the top of Group C with a 2-0 record. Canada moved to second place in the group with a 99-53 win over Syria.

Egypt beat Iran 95-91 in overtime.

Greece leads Group A with a 107-98 win over Puerto Rico.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news...id=4304272]]> U.S. reaches second round at worlds

Associated Press

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Seth Curry scored 12 points and the United States advanced to the second round of the FIBA under-19 world junior basketball championships with a 71-55 win over France on Friday.

Gordon Hayward added 11 points and five rebounds as the United States stayed atop Group B with one pool match remaining, against Egypt on Saturday.

The U.S. led 19-10 at the end of the first quarter and 35-20 at halftime. The United States shot 28 of 70 from the floor and 10 of 37 from three-point range, while France made 17 of 53, from the floor and 5 of 18 three-pointers.

"It was a pretty decisive win, but we could have played better," U.S. coach Jamie Dixon said. "They're good, they're athletic and we couldn't dominate them inside. We needed to shoot the ball well and we didn't, but our defense was pretty good and that was probably the final margin."

In other games, Croatia beat New Zealand 79-72 to overtake Argentina at the top of Group D, and Lithuania earned a 104-46 win over Angola. Argentina beat Kazakhstan 98-69.

Australia topped Spain 69-62 to move to the top of Group C with a 2-0 record. Canada moved to second place in the group with a 99-53 win over Syria.

Egypt beat Iran 95-91 in overtime.

Greece leads Group A with a 107-98 win over Puerto Rico.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news...id=4304272]]> <![CDATA[AL.com on George Drake transfer]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376282 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:49:13 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376282 http://blog.al.com/offthevine/2009/07/ge...nsfer.html]]> http://blog.al.com/offthevine/2009/07/ge...nsfer.html]]> <![CDATA[It's so wrong to celebrate Manny's return]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376281 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:47:05 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376281 It's so wrong to celebrate Manny's return
Widespread love for Ramirez upon his being back in Dodgers' lineup a puzzling thing

By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com
[Image: Stark_Jayson_35.jpg]

That dreadlocked bon vivant, Manny Ramirez, will rejoin us -- and the Dodgers -- this weekend after eight weeks of purgatory on Planet Manny. Whoop-de-doo.

If this were a logical world, we'd be greeting him like the team-wrecking, alibi-distorting, female-fertility-drug-popping scoundrel he is. But friends, this planet clearly has lost its grip on logic.

[Image: mlb_u_ramirez_400.jpg]
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireThe Dodgers were 29-21 in the 50 games that Manny Ramirez missed due to suspension.

So instead, the reaction to Manny, from Albuquerque to Ensenada, has been -- what else? -- downright hero worship. You'd think the guy had spent the past 57 days curing cancer, dousing tensions in Iran and smoothing out plot glitches for the final season of "Lost."

But why? That's the question we've been struggling with since Manny-mania busted out in Albuquerque last week.

Why is America so ready to forgive this guy, of all guys? Because he has fun hair? Because he has a lovable smile? Because he has a long, not necessarily proud, history as baseball's foremost goofball?

Why would that be enough to outweigh his disgraceful exit from Boston, his indisputable guilt in this case and the dubious alibi his spin doctors typed up to explain his way out of this mess?

Why? We posed that question to four men who have thought about it a lot themselves: esteemed Columbia School of Journalism professor Sandy Padwe, cerebral journalist/author Robert Lipsyte and two of the most thoughtful players we have ever covered, Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt and a man who has turned into an official New York Times op-ed columnist, Doug Glanville.

Let's just say "shock" wouldn't be the word we'd use to describe the reaction of any of them.

"It just doesn't surprise me," said Padwe, a long-time sportswriter, editor and educator who also serves as a consultant for ESPN's investigative reporting unit. "I read the blogs. I read the chat rooms. And it seems to me that this is just another episode of Manny being Manny."

"Manny is also a caricature, more so than other players," said Glanville, whose Times columns provide a window into life and baseball you won't find anywhere else. "His hair, his mysterious ways -- he almost seems surreal in some way. No one has more latitude to 'Let Manny Be Manny.' … I think that softens the blow, almost like when you see your favorite cartoon character fall down the stairs. You tend to believe, like Tom from 'Tom and Jerry,' that he will get up and make up for it. And even when he doesn't, no one notices."

"I think it comes down to perception," said Schmidt, a man still frustrated by the perception, during his own career, that he was some kind of distant, supercool, above-it-all iceman -- a perception that was, in effect "the exact opposite of reality," he said.

Schmidt ticked off a long list of ex-players who have been demonized for their crimes against baseball -- Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Pete Rose, Roger Clemens -- and the image they gave off:

"Tough, cocky, surly, aloof, wealthy" were the words Schmidt chose.

But Manny? He's "soft, flawed, happy, innocent, smiley, goofy," Schmidt said. So he's crafted an image as "warm and affectionate, which the media and fans gravitate toward."

Seriously, though, folks. Is that really what Manny is? Warm and affectionate? Soft? Innocent? It's a great persona if you can pull it off. But in actuality, Schmidt said, that innocence -- or what Schmidt pointedly called Manny's "innocent act" -- is really "a cover-up to the dark side of his existence as an athlete."

But do we even care about that dark side anymore? That's the question here. Padwe, a man long consumed with issues like this, says he believes that moral indignity over athletes and their indiscretions has all but "evaporated." Instead, the masses seem to have reached the point that all they really want to do is just "move on."

"That kind of mentality -- 'OK, everyone has done it, so let's just give into it because nothing can be done' -- is getting more and more prevalent," Padwe said. "And I think we have to find out what's at the root of that, why people think that way. This whole thing with Manny leads to something bigger in the American psyche that hasn't been scientifically probed yet."

But maybe, Lipsyte suggested, that "something" is no more complicated than a massive disconnect between fans and media.

"I don't think fans are trapped in the righteous indignation of all the sportswriters who blew the steroids story as it grew on their watch," Lipsyte, a long-time New York Times columnist who also has done work at ESPN, wrote in an e-mail. "Fans understand that ballplayers have the same goals as they do: win. How mad can you get at someone who endangers their health to entertain you (like Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson)? These aren't the crooked financiers or irresponsible politicians who do deserve our anger."

Oh, he's right about that, clearly. One thing we can all agree on about Manny: He's no Bernie Madoff.

But that doesn't explain why this man is getting such a heroic welcome back. Does Manny really fit the mold of previous baseball players whose PED stains have been forgiven? Not that we can see.

His statement of "confession" -- that he was given a prescription for a "medication" that was "not a steroid" for a "personal health issue" -- was obviously a giant baloney sandwich. And the only apology he has issued was to his teammates, for screwing up their fun-filled season.

Plus, Manny has that other heinous transgression on his rap sheet: the outrageous pull-the-plug act he sprung on the Red Sox last summer just so he could chase more dollar signs. You don't get that combination of sins real often in one package, do you?

But Padwe thinks American sports fans have reached the point now that, as "half-hearted" as Manny's admission may have been, "it comes off as, 'OK, I did take something.' " And that at least puts him in a different category than Clemens, McGwire, Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro.

"Those guys never did come clean," Padwe said. "And had they come clean, they would have been forgiven. I really believe that."

But there is another way that Manny separates himself from virtually all the other world-famous members of the PED crowd:

He served his time.

He's the first star player in the history of this drug agreement to get caught and take his 50 games' worth of penance when he was still a prime-time, middle-of-the-order All-Star. So maybe, for many people, just doing that time is enough.

And if that's really all it takes now, it's a sign that we've crossed a line into a whole different dimension, in terms of how the public is going to view "steroid guys."

Maybe, now that this sport has penalties this stiff, people are going to treat baseball players who serve their sentence the way they treat NFL players like Rodney Harrison and Shawne Merriman, who came back after their suspensions with no apparent damage to their reps.

"I think we are in a different realm," Padwe said. "I think this is probably what's going to happen, that people who are going to get suspended, or have been suspended, are going to be viewed as having served their time, and now they'll get a second chance, which is also supposedly part of the American way of life. So they serve their time and then it's over and done with -- until it happens again."

So maybe this is just an indication that baseball has finally pulled even with the other sports on this issue. You serve your suspension. You throw together some kind of half-baked statement, sort of owning up to what you did. Then you resume your regularly scheduled life. And we guess that's good.

But Schmidt, for one, is appalled by the idea that that's what we've come to.

"Accountability, morality, substance, trust, honesty and so on, are all on a steady decline in our country," Schmidt said. "And Manny's world, like some other 'worlds' we know, is perpetuating it. At this rate, 20 years from now, pro sports are going to be just like pro wrestling -- marketing to the masses who just want to be entertained."

We can't say we share that vision. We can't say we see Vince McMahon as the next commissioner of baseball, and The Undertaker negotiating the next PED agreement.

But we do share Mike Schmidt's view that there's something appalling going on here. Does Manny Ramirez deserve a second chance? Absolutely. But does he deserve to be celebrated by anyone who isn't a tunnel-visioned Dodgers fan? Absolutely not.

If that's the greeting America heaps on him, though, the moral of Manny's story will be clear to every one of us:

It's time to grow some cool hair. Immediately.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/st...ings090703]]> It's so wrong to celebrate Manny's return
Widespread love for Ramirez upon his being back in Dodgers' lineup a puzzling thing

By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com
[Image: Stark_Jayson_35.jpg]

That dreadlocked bon vivant, Manny Ramirez, will rejoin us -- and the Dodgers -- this weekend after eight weeks of purgatory on Planet Manny. Whoop-de-doo.

If this were a logical world, we'd be greeting him like the team-wrecking, alibi-distorting, female-fertility-drug-popping scoundrel he is. But friends, this planet clearly has lost its grip on logic.

[Image: mlb_u_ramirez_400.jpg]
Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireThe Dodgers were 29-21 in the 50 games that Manny Ramirez missed due to suspension.

So instead, the reaction to Manny, from Albuquerque to Ensenada, has been -- what else? -- downright hero worship. You'd think the guy had spent the past 57 days curing cancer, dousing tensions in Iran and smoothing out plot glitches for the final season of "Lost."

But why? That's the question we've been struggling with since Manny-mania busted out in Albuquerque last week.

Why is America so ready to forgive this guy, of all guys? Because he has fun hair? Because he has a lovable smile? Because he has a long, not necessarily proud, history as baseball's foremost goofball?

Why would that be enough to outweigh his disgraceful exit from Boston, his indisputable guilt in this case and the dubious alibi his spin doctors typed up to explain his way out of this mess?

Why? We posed that question to four men who have thought about it a lot themselves: esteemed Columbia School of Journalism professor Sandy Padwe, cerebral journalist/author Robert Lipsyte and two of the most thoughtful players we have ever covered, Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt and a man who has turned into an official New York Times op-ed columnist, Doug Glanville.

Let's just say "shock" wouldn't be the word we'd use to describe the reaction of any of them.

"It just doesn't surprise me," said Padwe, a long-time sportswriter, editor and educator who also serves as a consultant for ESPN's investigative reporting unit. "I read the blogs. I read the chat rooms. And it seems to me that this is just another episode of Manny being Manny."

"Manny is also a caricature, more so than other players," said Glanville, whose Times columns provide a window into life and baseball you won't find anywhere else. "His hair, his mysterious ways -- he almost seems surreal in some way. No one has more latitude to 'Let Manny Be Manny.' … I think that softens the blow, almost like when you see your favorite cartoon character fall down the stairs. You tend to believe, like Tom from 'Tom and Jerry,' that he will get up and make up for it. And even when he doesn't, no one notices."

"I think it comes down to perception," said Schmidt, a man still frustrated by the perception, during his own career, that he was some kind of distant, supercool, above-it-all iceman -- a perception that was, in effect "the exact opposite of reality," he said.

Schmidt ticked off a long list of ex-players who have been demonized for their crimes against baseball -- Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Pete Rose, Roger Clemens -- and the image they gave off:

"Tough, cocky, surly, aloof, wealthy" were the words Schmidt chose.

But Manny? He's "soft, flawed, happy, innocent, smiley, goofy," Schmidt said. So he's crafted an image as "warm and affectionate, which the media and fans gravitate toward."

Seriously, though, folks. Is that really what Manny is? Warm and affectionate? Soft? Innocent? It's a great persona if you can pull it off. But in actuality, Schmidt said, that innocence -- or what Schmidt pointedly called Manny's "innocent act" -- is really "a cover-up to the dark side of his existence as an athlete."

But do we even care about that dark side anymore? That's the question here. Padwe, a man long consumed with issues like this, says he believes that moral indignity over athletes and their indiscretions has all but "evaporated." Instead, the masses seem to have reached the point that all they really want to do is just "move on."

"That kind of mentality -- 'OK, everyone has done it, so let's just give into it because nothing can be done' -- is getting more and more prevalent," Padwe said. "And I think we have to find out what's at the root of that, why people think that way. This whole thing with Manny leads to something bigger in the American psyche that hasn't been scientifically probed yet."

But maybe, Lipsyte suggested, that "something" is no more complicated than a massive disconnect between fans and media.

"I don't think fans are trapped in the righteous indignation of all the sportswriters who blew the steroids story as it grew on their watch," Lipsyte, a long-time New York Times columnist who also has done work at ESPN, wrote in an e-mail. "Fans understand that ballplayers have the same goals as they do: win. How mad can you get at someone who endangers their health to entertain you (like Janis Joplin, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson)? These aren't the crooked financiers or irresponsible politicians who do deserve our anger."

Oh, he's right about that, clearly. One thing we can all agree on about Manny: He's no Bernie Madoff.

But that doesn't explain why this man is getting such a heroic welcome back. Does Manny really fit the mold of previous baseball players whose PED stains have been forgiven? Not that we can see.

His statement of "confession" -- that he was given a prescription for a "medication" that was "not a steroid" for a "personal health issue" -- was obviously a giant baloney sandwich. And the only apology he has issued was to his teammates, for screwing up their fun-filled season.

Plus, Manny has that other heinous transgression on his rap sheet: the outrageous pull-the-plug act he sprung on the Red Sox last summer just so he could chase more dollar signs. You don't get that combination of sins real often in one package, do you?

But Padwe thinks American sports fans have reached the point now that, as "half-hearted" as Manny's admission may have been, "it comes off as, 'OK, I did take something.' " And that at least puts him in a different category than Clemens, McGwire, Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro.

"Those guys never did come clean," Padwe said. "And had they come clean, they would have been forgiven. I really believe that."

But there is another way that Manny separates himself from virtually all the other world-famous members of the PED crowd:

He served his time.

He's the first star player in the history of this drug agreement to get caught and take his 50 games' worth of penance when he was still a prime-time, middle-of-the-order All-Star. So maybe, for many people, just doing that time is enough.

And if that's really all it takes now, it's a sign that we've crossed a line into a whole different dimension, in terms of how the public is going to view "steroid guys."

Maybe, now that this sport has penalties this stiff, people are going to treat baseball players who serve their sentence the way they treat NFL players like Rodney Harrison and Shawne Merriman, who came back after their suspensions with no apparent damage to their reps.

"I think we are in a different realm," Padwe said. "I think this is probably what's going to happen, that people who are going to get suspended, or have been suspended, are going to be viewed as having served their time, and now they'll get a second chance, which is also supposedly part of the American way of life. So they serve their time and then it's over and done with -- until it happens again."

So maybe this is just an indication that baseball has finally pulled even with the other sports on this issue. You serve your suspension. You throw together some kind of half-baked statement, sort of owning up to what you did. Then you resume your regularly scheduled life. And we guess that's good.

But Schmidt, for one, is appalled by the idea that that's what we've come to.

"Accountability, morality, substance, trust, honesty and so on, are all on a steady decline in our country," Schmidt said. "And Manny's world, like some other 'worlds' we know, is perpetuating it. At this rate, 20 years from now, pro sports are going to be just like pro wrestling -- marketing to the masses who just want to be entertained."

We can't say we share that vision. We can't say we see Vince McMahon as the next commissioner of baseball, and The Undertaker negotiating the next PED agreement.

But we do share Mike Schmidt's view that there's something appalling going on here. Does Manny Ramirez deserve a second chance? Absolutely. But does he deserve to be celebrated by anyone who isn't a tunnel-visioned Dodgers fan? Absolutely not.

If that's the greeting America heaps on him, though, the moral of Manny's story will be clear to every one of us:

It's time to grow some cool hair. Immediately.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/st...ings090703]]> <![CDATA[Former Bronco baseball pitcher obituary]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376280 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:45:12 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376280
Quote:He attended the University of Michigan for a year before transferring to WMU, where in 1958 he pitched a semifinal game victory in the National Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament in Omaha, Neb. ``He (also) hit a home run in the semifinal game ... that got them into the championship game,'' his son, James, said.

As a senior, Topp was Western's winningest pitcher, with nine victories against three defeats, as the team again advanced to the national semifinals.

William Topp obit article]]>
Quote:He attended the University of Michigan for a year before transferring to WMU, where in 1958 he pitched a semifinal game victory in the National Collegiate Athletic Association national tournament in Omaha, Neb. ``He (also) hit a home run in the semifinal game ... that got them into the championship game,'' his son, James, said.

As a senior, Topp was Western's winningest pitcher, with nine victories against three defeats, as the team again advanced to the national semifinals.

William Topp obit article]]> <![CDATA[MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Rising debt may be next crisis]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376279 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:36:19 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376279 MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Rising debt may be next crisis

Published - Jul 03 2009 05:02PM EDT

By TOM RAUM - Associated Press Writer

[Image: capt.3bef338f46d641d48a8cdc4d43425924.mo...5TBXs4qw--]
The soaring national debt is recorded on the National Debt Clock in New York, Friday, July 3, 2009. Already complicating efforts by President Barack Obama and Congress to cope with the worst recession in decades, economists warn that the mountain of debt easily could become the next full-fledged economic crisis without firm action from Washington. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

The Founding Fathers left one legacy not celebrated on Independence Day but which affects us all. It's the national debt.

The country first got into debt to help pay for the Revolutionary War. Growing ever since, the debt stands today at a staggering $11.5 trillion _ equivalent to over $37,000 for each and every American. And it's expanding by over $1 trillion a year.

The mountain of debt easily could become the next full-fledged economic crisis without firm action from Washington, economists of all stripes warn.

"Unless we demonstrate a strong commitment to fiscal sustainability in the longer term, we will have neither financial stability nor healthy economic growth," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently told Congress.

Higher taxes, or reduced federal benefits and services _ or a combination of both _ may be the inevitable consequences.

The debt is complicating efforts by President Barack Obama and Congress to cope with the worst recession in decades as stimulus and bailout spending combine with lower tax revenues to widen the gap.

Interest payments on the debt alone cost $452 billion last year _ the largest federal spending category after Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security and defense. It's quickly crowding out all other government spending. And the Treasury is finding it harder to find new lenders.

The United States went into the red the first time in 1790 when it assumed $75 million in the war debts of the Continental Congress.

Alexander Hamilton, the first treasury secretary, said, "A national debt, if not excessive, will be to us a national blessing."

Some blessing.

Since then, the nation has only been free of debt once, in 1834-1835.

The national debt has expanded during times of war and usually contracted in times of peace, while staying on a generally upward trajectory. Over the past several decades, it has climbed sharply _ except for a respite from 1998 to 2000, when there were annual budget surpluses, reflecting in large part what turned out to be an overheated economy.

The debt soared with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and economic stimulus spending under President George W. Bush and now Obama.

The odometer-style "debt clock" near Times Square _ put in place in 1989 when the debt was a mere $2.7 trillion _ ran out of numbers and had to be shut down when the debt surged past $10 trillion in 2008.

The clock has since been refurbished so higher numbers fit. There are several debt clocks on Web sites maintained by public interest groups that let you watch hundreds, thousands, millions zip by in a matter of seconds.

The debt gap is "something that keeps me awake at night," Obama says.

He pledged to cut the budget "deficit" roughly in half by the end of his first term. But "deficit" just means the difference between government receipts and spending in a single budget year.

This year's deficit is now estimated at about $1.85 trillion.

Deficits don't reflect holdover indebtedness from previous years. Some spending items _ such as emergency appropriations bills and receipts in the Social Security program _ aren't included, either, although they are part of the national debt.

The national debt is a broader, and more telling, way to look at the government's balance sheets than glancing at deficits.

According to the Treasury Department, which updates the number "to the penny" every few days, the national debt was $11,518,472,742,288 on Wednesday.

The overall debt is now slightly over 80 percent of the annual output of the entire U.S. economy, as measured by the gross domestic product.

By historical standards, it's not proportionately as high as during World War II, when it briefly rose to 120 percent of GDP. But it's still a huge liability.

Also, the United States is not the only nation struggling under a huge national debt. Among major countries, Japan, Italy, India, France, Germany and Canada have comparable debts as percentages of their GDPs.

Where does the government borrow all this money from?

The debt is largely financed by the sale of Treasury bonds and bills. Even today, amid global economic turmoil, those still are seen as one of the world's safest investments.

That's one of the rare upsides of U.S. government borrowing.

Treasury securities are suitable for individual investors and popular with other countries, especially China, Japan and the Persian Gulf oil exporters, the three top foreign holders of U.S. debt.

But as the U.S. spends trillions to stabilize the recession-wracked economy, helping to force down the value of the dollar, the securities become less attractive as investments. Some major foreign lenders are already paring back on their purchases of U.S. bonds and other securities.

And if major holders of U.S. debt were to flee, it would send shock waves through the global economy _ and sharply force up U.S. interest rates.

As time goes by, demographics suggest things will get worse before they get better, even after the recession ends, as more baby boomers retire and begin collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits.

While the president remains personally popular, polls show there is rising public concern over his handling of the economy and the government's mushrooming debt _ and what it might mean for future generations.

If things can't be turned around, including establishing a more efficient health care system, "We are on an utterly unsustainable fiscal course," said the White House budget director, Peter Orszag.

Some budget-restraint activists claim even the debt understates the nation's true liabilities.

The Peter G. Peterson Foundation, established by a former commerce secretary and investment banker, argues that the $11.4 trillion debt figures does not take into account roughly $45 trillion in unlisted liabilities and unfunded retirement and health care commitments.

That would put the nation's full obligations at $56 trillion, or roughly $184,000 per American, according to this calculation.

___

On the Net:

Treasury Department "to the penny" national debt breakdown: http://tinyurl.com/yrxrsh

Peter G. Peterson Foundation independent assessment of the national debt: http://www.pgpf.org/

"Deficits do Matter" debt clock: http://tinyurl.com/l6mvjb

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...isis/full/]]> MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Rising debt may be next crisis

Published - Jul 03 2009 05:02PM EDT

By TOM RAUM - Associated Press Writer

[Image: capt.3bef338f46d641d48a8cdc4d43425924.mo...5TBXs4qw--]
The soaring national debt is recorded on the National Debt Clock in New York, Friday, July 3, 2009. Already complicating efforts by President Barack Obama and Congress to cope with the worst recession in decades, economists warn that the mountain of debt easily could become the next full-fledged economic crisis without firm action from Washington. (AP Photo/Yanina Manolova)

The Founding Fathers left one legacy not celebrated on Independence Day but which affects us all. It's the national debt.

The country first got into debt to help pay for the Revolutionary War. Growing ever since, the debt stands today at a staggering $11.5 trillion _ equivalent to over $37,000 for each and every American. And it's expanding by over $1 trillion a year.

The mountain of debt easily could become the next full-fledged economic crisis without firm action from Washington, economists of all stripes warn.

"Unless we demonstrate a strong commitment to fiscal sustainability in the longer term, we will have neither financial stability nor healthy economic growth," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently told Congress.

Higher taxes, or reduced federal benefits and services _ or a combination of both _ may be the inevitable consequences.

The debt is complicating efforts by President Barack Obama and Congress to cope with the worst recession in decades as stimulus and bailout spending combine with lower tax revenues to widen the gap.

Interest payments on the debt alone cost $452 billion last year _ the largest federal spending category after Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security and defense. It's quickly crowding out all other government spending. And the Treasury is finding it harder to find new lenders.

The United States went into the red the first time in 1790 when it assumed $75 million in the war debts of the Continental Congress.

Alexander Hamilton, the first treasury secretary, said, "A national debt, if not excessive, will be to us a national blessing."

Some blessing.

Since then, the nation has only been free of debt once, in 1834-1835.

The national debt has expanded during times of war and usually contracted in times of peace, while staying on a generally upward trajectory. Over the past several decades, it has climbed sharply _ except for a respite from 1998 to 2000, when there were annual budget surpluses, reflecting in large part what turned out to be an overheated economy.

The debt soared with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and economic stimulus spending under President George W. Bush and now Obama.

The odometer-style "debt clock" near Times Square _ put in place in 1989 when the debt was a mere $2.7 trillion _ ran out of numbers and had to be shut down when the debt surged past $10 trillion in 2008.

The clock has since been refurbished so higher numbers fit. There are several debt clocks on Web sites maintained by public interest groups that let you watch hundreds, thousands, millions zip by in a matter of seconds.

The debt gap is "something that keeps me awake at night," Obama says.

He pledged to cut the budget "deficit" roughly in half by the end of his first term. But "deficit" just means the difference between government receipts and spending in a single budget year.

This year's deficit is now estimated at about $1.85 trillion.

Deficits don't reflect holdover indebtedness from previous years. Some spending items _ such as emergency appropriations bills and receipts in the Social Security program _ aren't included, either, although they are part of the national debt.

The national debt is a broader, and more telling, way to look at the government's balance sheets than glancing at deficits.

According to the Treasury Department, which updates the number "to the penny" every few days, the national debt was $11,518,472,742,288 on Wednesday.

The overall debt is now slightly over 80 percent of the annual output of the entire U.S. economy, as measured by the gross domestic product.

By historical standards, it's not proportionately as high as during World War II, when it briefly rose to 120 percent of GDP. But it's still a huge liability.

Also, the United States is not the only nation struggling under a huge national debt. Among major countries, Japan, Italy, India, France, Germany and Canada have comparable debts as percentages of their GDPs.

Where does the government borrow all this money from?

The debt is largely financed by the sale of Treasury bonds and bills. Even today, amid global economic turmoil, those still are seen as one of the world's safest investments.

That's one of the rare upsides of U.S. government borrowing.

Treasury securities are suitable for individual investors and popular with other countries, especially China, Japan and the Persian Gulf oil exporters, the three top foreign holders of U.S. debt.

But as the U.S. spends trillions to stabilize the recession-wracked economy, helping to force down the value of the dollar, the securities become less attractive as investments. Some major foreign lenders are already paring back on their purchases of U.S. bonds and other securities.

And if major holders of U.S. debt were to flee, it would send shock waves through the global economy _ and sharply force up U.S. interest rates.

As time goes by, demographics suggest things will get worse before they get better, even after the recession ends, as more baby boomers retire and begin collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits.

While the president remains personally popular, polls show there is rising public concern over his handling of the economy and the government's mushrooming debt _ and what it might mean for future generations.

If things can't be turned around, including establishing a more efficient health care system, "We are on an utterly unsustainable fiscal course," said the White House budget director, Peter Orszag.

Some budget-restraint activists claim even the debt understates the nation's true liabilities.

The Peter G. Peterson Foundation, established by a former commerce secretary and investment banker, argues that the $11.4 trillion debt figures does not take into account roughly $45 trillion in unlisted liabilities and unfunded retirement and health care commitments.

That would put the nation's full obligations at $56 trillion, or roughly $184,000 per American, according to this calculation.

___

On the Net:

Treasury Department "to the penny" national debt breakdown: http://tinyurl.com/yrxrsh

Peter G. Peterson Foundation independent assessment of the national debt: http://www.pgpf.org/

"Deficits do Matter" debt clock: http://tinyurl.com/l6mvjb

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...isis/full/]]> <![CDATA[Happy 4th of July]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376278 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:23:05 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376278
Freedom is not Free.]]>
Freedom is not Free.]]> <![CDATA[2012]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376277 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:19:10 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376277
Romney

Palin

Newt

Perry

Jindal

Huckabee

Bloomberg

Pawlenty]]>
Romney

Palin

Newt

Perry

Jindal

Huckabee

Bloomberg

Pawlenty]]> <![CDATA[New Pics of the UC Center]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376276 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:13:38 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376276
[Image: UCCenter008.jpg?t=1246658613]

[Image: UCCenter004.jpg?t=1246658832]

[Image: UCCenter003.jpg?t=1246658871]

[Image: UCCenter002-1.jpg?t=1246659296]

[Image: UCCenter005.jpg?t=1246659364]]]>
[Image: UCCenter008.jpg?t=1246658613]

[Image: UCCenter004.jpg?t=1246658832]

[Image: UCCenter003.jpg?t=1246658871]

[Image: UCCenter002-1.jpg?t=1246659296]

[Image: UCCenter005.jpg?t=1246659364]]]> <![CDATA[You think?!?]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376275 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:00:27 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376275
Quote:The country first got into debt to help pay for the Revolutionary War. Growing ever since, the debt stands today at a staggering $11.5 trillion — equivalent to over $37,000 for each and every American. And it's expanding by over $1 trillion a year.

The National debt is just the tip of the iceberg you don't even want to see the number for total government obligation. As for the $1 trillion a year increase in the national debt. That means the gubment is spending $3,260 of your money, your wife's money, your kid's money, etc...etc... that they will have to collect at some point, WITH INTEREST!!! Remember there is a little down payment that could be made on the debt in the form of repaid TARP money, but Barney Frank is going to steal that money from the "rich" and give it to the ENTITLED poor.

So how bad is it?

Quote:Interest payments on the debt alone cost $452 billion last year — the largest federal spending category after Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security and defense. It's quickly crowding out all other government spending. And the Treasury is finding it harder to find new lenders.

Without willing buyers for treasury notes, the Gubment has two choices, Pay a premium on treasury notes causing interest rates to rise, or monetize the debt (print more money) causing hyperinflation.

Land of the Lost]]>
Quote:The country first got into debt to help pay for the Revolutionary War. Growing ever since, the debt stands today at a staggering $11.5 trillion — equivalent to over $37,000 for each and every American. And it's expanding by over $1 trillion a year.

The National debt is just the tip of the iceberg you don't even want to see the number for total government obligation. As for the $1 trillion a year increase in the national debt. That means the gubment is spending $3,260 of your money, your wife's money, your kid's money, etc...etc... that they will have to collect at some point, WITH INTEREST!!! Remember there is a little down payment that could be made on the debt in the form of repaid TARP money, but Barney Frank is going to steal that money from the "rich" and give it to the ENTITLED poor.

So how bad is it?

Quote:Interest payments on the debt alone cost $452 billion last year — the largest federal spending category after Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security and defense. It's quickly crowding out all other government spending. And the Treasury is finding it harder to find new lenders.

Without willing buyers for treasury notes, the Gubment has two choices, Pay a premium on treasury notes causing interest rates to rise, or monetize the debt (print more money) causing hyperinflation.

Land of the Lost]]> <![CDATA[Am i wrong for doing this???....well i did it anyway!]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376274 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:50:18 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376274
I have a "way" of knowing when she is eavesdropping on our conversations at home.

This week, while on the phone with a buddy, I got the heads up signal, and just started talking about seeing her teenage daughter climbing out her window at 1 am when i was taking a leak off my deck.

My alert dropped off immediately.

Later on in the week I am talking to someone else, and sure enough, i get the alert again.

I went for broke...

This time I start talking about seeing her boyfriend up at Coltons tongue wrestling at the bar with some other chick, and should I tell her ( the neighbor ) about it.... blah blah blah.

Am I evil?

I dont feel guilty yet....]]>
I have a "way" of knowing when she is eavesdropping on our conversations at home.

This week, while on the phone with a buddy, I got the heads up signal, and just started talking about seeing her teenage daughter climbing out her window at 1 am when i was taking a leak off my deck.

My alert dropped off immediately.

Later on in the week I am talking to someone else, and sure enough, i get the alert again.

I went for broke...

This time I start talking about seeing her boyfriend up at Coltons tongue wrestling at the bar with some other chick, and should I tell her ( the neighbor ) about it.... blah blah blah.

Am I evil?

I dont feel guilty yet....]]> <![CDATA[Mo.. Money.. Mo... Money...Mo Money...]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376273 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:40:40 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376273 Meanwhile 94% of the Stimulus package is yet to be spent, but since the economy isn't growing Barry's clowns may consider another $700billion.


Obama could mull second stimulus if needed: adviser

Let me guess Stimulus II spending would hit around September 2012.]]> Meanwhile 94% of the Stimulus package is yet to be spent, but since the economy isn't growing Barry's clowns may consider another $700billion.


Obama could mull second stimulus if needed: adviser

Let me guess Stimulus II spending would hit around September 2012.]]> <![CDATA[Federer, Roddick to meet in 3rd Wimbledon final]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376272 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:27:11 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376272 Federer, Roddick to meet in 3rd Wimbledon final

Published - Jul 03 2009 05:08PM EDT

By STEPHEN WILSON - AP Sports Writer

[Image: A-Rod(13).jpg]
Roddick celebrates after a point during his victory over
Andy Murray in the semifinals (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Five-time champion Roger Federer reached his seventh straight Wimbledon final Friday and will face Andy Roddick for a chance at a record 15th Grand Slam title.

Federer delivered a masterful grass-court performance to beat Tommy Haas 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-3, extending his winning run to 18 consecutive matches and closing in on the mark he shares with Pete Sampras of 14 major titles.

Federer will meet Roddick in the final for the third time in six years after the American defeated Andy Murray 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5). The Swiss star beat Roddick in the 2004 and '05 finals and leads 18-2 overall.

The third-seeded Murray had been seeking to become the first British man to reach the final in 71 years and first to take the title since 1936, but Roddick outplayed him on the big points to silence the home fans.

"To be honest, the last couple of years I didn't know if I'd ever get a chance to play for another Grand Slam title," said Roddick, who won the U.S. Open in 2003. "Now I get to. It's just a dream."

Roddick saved a break point with Murray leading 4-3 in the fourth set with a forehand winner, then came through with big serves in the tiebreaker. When Murray slapped a backhand into the net on the second match point, Roddick fell to his knees on the grass and leaned forward covering his head.

"I had to play my best tennis out there to win today," Roddick said. "I can't say enough good things about Andy's game, but I can play some tennis sometimes, and not many people were giving me much of a chance at all and I knew if I could stay the course that I had a shot and that's all you can ask for."

Murray dominated the statistics, but still couldn't overcome Roddick's clutch play. Murray had 25 aces, 76 winners and 20 errors, compared with 21, 64 and 24 for the American.

"Throughout my career I've had a lot of shortcomings, but trying hard hasn't been one of them," Roddick said. "To be fair, he had all the pressure on him and I could come out and kind of swing and that probably helped me today."

Federer finished his match with a flourish, leaping high for a smash reminiscent of Sampras in his Wimbledon heyday. He is the first man to make it to seven consecutive Wimbledon finals in the history of a tournament that began in 1877.

Federer never faced a break point as he beat Haas for the ninth straight time to reach his record 20th Grand Slam final. He and Ivan Lendl had been tied at 19 apiece.

"I'm very happy with my performance and it's unbelievable to be back into another Wimbledon final," Federer said. "I've had a lot of pressure over all the years, so this is just another great match, great opportunity for me to get into the history books."

If Federer wins Sunday, he will be the third player to win six or more Wimbledon titles. William Renshaw and Sampras both won seven.

"I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved because I never thought I would be that successful as a kid," Federer said. "I would have been happy winning a couple tournaments and maybe collecting Wimbledon. It's quite staggering now having reached ... my sixth straight Grand Slam final. Having so many things going for me now again, opportunity again on Sunday, it's fantastic."

If he beats Roddick, Federer will regain the No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal, who beat him in the Wimbledon final last year and missed this year's tournament with knee problems.

Federer said he is feeling less pressure this year than in 2007 when he equaled Bjorn Borg's record of five straight Wimbledon titles. Borg was among those watching Friday from the Royal Box.

"For some reason that meant the world to me," Federer said. "I was like in a bubble for two weeks, just trying to achieve it. So this time around I think I'm much more relaxed."

Federer, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open last month, said he would be happy if Sampras came to Wimbledon to watch him try to break his record. Sampras is home in California looking after his two young sons.

"He might come around, he might not," Federer said. "It's his choice. I'd love to see him because he's a good friend of mine. Very honored of course that I share the record of 14 with him."

Murray had won six of eight matches against Roddick, including their last three, but couldn't overcome the American's steady serving and attacking game on this day.

"He served great," Murray said. "Served really, really well in the tiebreaks. I think he maybe missed two first serves. If someone serves 130 mph consistently throughout the match, it's very tough to break them, especially on a court like this that's quick."

Roddick took the first set by converting the first break point of the match for either player. Murray broke in the next game and that held up to decide the second set.

Roddick was up a break in the third at 5-2, but an inspired Murray broke back at love in the ninth game. In the tiebreaker, Murray held a set point on Roddick's serve at 6-5, but the American erased it with a winning forehand volley. Roddick missed a set point at 7-6 but converted at 8-7 when Murray netted a low forehand passing shot.

In the fourth set, with shadows creeping over the court and Murray looking a bit tired, Roddick saved the break point in the eighth game. He held a first match point at 6-4 in the tiebreaker, but Murray ripped a crosscourt backhand pass that left Roddick diving to the turf. On the next match point, Roddick hit a forehand approach deep into the corner that forced the final error from Murray.

On Saturday, sisters Venus and Serena Williams will meet in their fourth Wimbledon women's final and eighth Grand Slam title match. Five-time champion Venus is bidding to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win Wimbledon three years in a row.

The sisters reached their second straight Wimbledon doubles final Friday, beating top-seeded Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of the U.S. 6-1, 6-2. They will face Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs of Australia for the title.

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...inal/full/]]> Federer, Roddick to meet in 3rd Wimbledon final

Published - Jul 03 2009 05:08PM EDT

By STEPHEN WILSON - AP Sports Writer

[Image: A-Rod(13).jpg]
Roddick celebrates after a point during his victory over
Andy Murray in the semifinals (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Five-time champion Roger Federer reached his seventh straight Wimbledon final Friday and will face Andy Roddick for a chance at a record 15th Grand Slam title.

Federer delivered a masterful grass-court performance to beat Tommy Haas 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-3, extending his winning run to 18 consecutive matches and closing in on the mark he shares with Pete Sampras of 14 major titles.

Federer will meet Roddick in the final for the third time in six years after the American defeated Andy Murray 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5). The Swiss star beat Roddick in the 2004 and '05 finals and leads 18-2 overall.

The third-seeded Murray had been seeking to become the first British man to reach the final in 71 years and first to take the title since 1936, but Roddick outplayed him on the big points to silence the home fans.

"To be honest, the last couple of years I didn't know if I'd ever get a chance to play for another Grand Slam title," said Roddick, who won the U.S. Open in 2003. "Now I get to. It's just a dream."

Roddick saved a break point with Murray leading 4-3 in the fourth set with a forehand winner, then came through with big serves in the tiebreaker. When Murray slapped a backhand into the net on the second match point, Roddick fell to his knees on the grass and leaned forward covering his head.

"I had to play my best tennis out there to win today," Roddick said. "I can't say enough good things about Andy's game, but I can play some tennis sometimes, and not many people were giving me much of a chance at all and I knew if I could stay the course that I had a shot and that's all you can ask for."

Murray dominated the statistics, but still couldn't overcome Roddick's clutch play. Murray had 25 aces, 76 winners and 20 errors, compared with 21, 64 and 24 for the American.

"Throughout my career I've had a lot of shortcomings, but trying hard hasn't been one of them," Roddick said. "To be fair, he had all the pressure on him and I could come out and kind of swing and that probably helped me today."

Federer finished his match with a flourish, leaping high for a smash reminiscent of Sampras in his Wimbledon heyday. He is the first man to make it to seven consecutive Wimbledon finals in the history of a tournament that began in 1877.

Federer never faced a break point as he beat Haas for the ninth straight time to reach his record 20th Grand Slam final. He and Ivan Lendl had been tied at 19 apiece.

"I'm very happy with my performance and it's unbelievable to be back into another Wimbledon final," Federer said. "I've had a lot of pressure over all the years, so this is just another great match, great opportunity for me to get into the history books."

If Federer wins Sunday, he will be the third player to win six or more Wimbledon titles. William Renshaw and Sampras both won seven.

"I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved because I never thought I would be that successful as a kid," Federer said. "I would have been happy winning a couple tournaments and maybe collecting Wimbledon. It's quite staggering now having reached ... my sixth straight Grand Slam final. Having so many things going for me now again, opportunity again on Sunday, it's fantastic."

If he beats Roddick, Federer will regain the No. 1 ranking from Rafael Nadal, who beat him in the Wimbledon final last year and missed this year's tournament with knee problems.

Federer said he is feeling less pressure this year than in 2007 when he equaled Bjorn Borg's record of five straight Wimbledon titles. Borg was among those watching Friday from the Royal Box.

"For some reason that meant the world to me," Federer said. "I was like in a bubble for two weeks, just trying to achieve it. So this time around I think I'm much more relaxed."

Federer, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open last month, said he would be happy if Sampras came to Wimbledon to watch him try to break his record. Sampras is home in California looking after his two young sons.

"He might come around, he might not," Federer said. "It's his choice. I'd love to see him because he's a good friend of mine. Very honored of course that I share the record of 14 with him."

Murray had won six of eight matches against Roddick, including their last three, but couldn't overcome the American's steady serving and attacking game on this day.

"He served great," Murray said. "Served really, really well in the tiebreaks. I think he maybe missed two first serves. If someone serves 130 mph consistently throughout the match, it's very tough to break them, especially on a court like this that's quick."

Roddick took the first set by converting the first break point of the match for either player. Murray broke in the next game and that held up to decide the second set.

Roddick was up a break in the third at 5-2, but an inspired Murray broke back at love in the ninth game. In the tiebreaker, Murray held a set point on Roddick's serve at 6-5, but the American erased it with a winning forehand volley. Roddick missed a set point at 7-6 but converted at 8-7 when Murray netted a low forehand passing shot.

In the fourth set, with shadows creeping over the court and Murray looking a bit tired, Roddick saved the break point in the eighth game. He held a first match point at 6-4 in the tiebreaker, but Murray ripped a crosscourt backhand pass that left Roddick diving to the turf. On the next match point, Roddick hit a forehand approach deep into the corner that forced the final error from Murray.

On Saturday, sisters Venus and Serena Williams will meet in their fourth Wimbledon women's final and eighth Grand Slam title match. Five-time champion Venus is bidding to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win Wimbledon three years in a row.

The sisters reached their second straight Wimbledon doubles final Friday, beating top-seeded Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of the U.S. 6-1, 6-2. They will face Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs of Australia for the title.

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...inal/full/]]> <![CDATA[VP Biden urges Iraqis to make political progress]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376271 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:16:42 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376271 VP Biden urges Iraqis to make political progress

Published - Jul 03 2009 04:46PM EDT

By KIM GAMEL - Associated Press Writer

[Image: capt.f528cc51b44a4635a4b5c06634e5ac45.ap...rjYcrcVA--]
U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden, left, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, right, arrive at a joint news conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, July 3, 2009. Biden made his first visit to Iraq after being appointed to oversee the administration's Iraq policy. Biden's arrival late Thursday came just came days after all U.S. combat troops were pulled out of Iraq's cities and towns on June 30, part of a security agreement that will see all American soldiers out of the country by the end of 2011. (AP Photo/ Khalid Mohammed, Pool)

Vice President Joe Biden pressed Iraqi leaders Friday to do more to foster national reconciliation and offered U.S. assistance in achieving that, as concerns grow that a lack of political progress is fueling violence in Iraq.

Protesters, meanwhile, burned an American flag and chanted anti-U.S. slogans in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City.

Followers of anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr hold such demonstrations weekly after Friday prayers, but the rally underscored the challenges facing the United States as it begins drawing down its military forces and losing its dominance in Iraq.

Biden, who was making his first visit to Baghdad since being appointed to oversee the administration's Iraq policy, said he came with a message of continuing support for the country even as the U.S. military pulls back.

"There are still political steps that must be taken and Iraqis must use the political process to resolve their remaining differences and advance their national interest," he said at a joint news conference after meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

He added that "we stand ready, if asked and if helpful, to help in that process."

The news conference was held in the same hall at al-Maliki's ceremonial residence in which an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at former President George W. Bush during his last visit to Baghdad in December.

Biden arrived in Baghdad late Thursday for the unannounced visit, two days after all U.S. combat troops were pulled out of Iraq's cities and towns as part of a security agreement that will see all American soldiers out of the country by the end of 2011.

President Barack Obama also has said all combat troops will be gone by the end of August 2010, leaving 30,000 to 50,000 troops in advisory roles.

But Biden's visit and his new position as Obama's point man on Iraq reflect growing concern in the U.S. administration about a recent rise in violence after a series of bombings that killed scores of people.

Al-Maliki, a Shiite, has been criticized for failing to take advantage of security gains to make progress on the political front as divisions deepen before Jan. 30 general elections.

Wearing a tan suit and suede combat boots, Biden held a morning meeting with Gen. Ray Odierno and Ambassador Christopher Hill, America's top soldier and diplomat in Iraq.

The trio made no comments as they emerged from their talks at Odierno's palatial residence at a U.S. military base, but Biden's office said they discussed the withdrawal, the security situation in Iraq, the capabilities of Iraqi forces and political issues.

He then traveled in a 22-vehicle motorcade after a sandstorm prevented him from flying to the walled-off Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and the Iraqi government headquarters, where he held meetings with al-Maliki and other senior Iraqi officials.

It was his first trip to Iraq as vice president, although he has traveled to the country and met many of its leaders as a senator and said he wanted to re-establish contacts with Iraqi leaders. He plans several trips to the region in the future.

Violence remains at low levels in Iraq compared with previous years, but U.S. and Iraqi officials have warned of more attacks after the city withdrawal deadline.

At least 447 Iraqi civilians were killed in June, double the toll from the previous month, according to an Associated Press tally.

Al-Maliki has called the U.S. withdrawal from cities as a "great victory" and declared June 30 National Sovereignty Day.

On Friday, he expressed gratitude for the U.S. support.

"I have seen very clearly the keen determination from the vice president and his administration to support Iraq ... and a great readiness to give us a lending hand and support when we ask," he said.

Biden also had breakfast with his son, Beau, an Army captain serving in Iraq, in the private room where the vice president spent the night.

Biden planned Saturday to speak at a naturalization ceremony for U.S. troops to mark the Fourth of July, then to travel to the semiautonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq for meetings with President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani.

___

Associated Press Writer Qassim Abdul-Zahra contributed to this report.

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...ress/full/]]> VP Biden urges Iraqis to make political progress

Published - Jul 03 2009 04:46PM EDT

By KIM GAMEL - Associated Press Writer

[Image: capt.f528cc51b44a4635a4b5c06634e5ac45.ap...rjYcrcVA--]
U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden, left, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, right, arrive at a joint news conference in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, July 3, 2009. Biden made his first visit to Iraq after being appointed to oversee the administration's Iraq policy. Biden's arrival late Thursday came just came days after all U.S. combat troops were pulled out of Iraq's cities and towns on June 30, part of a security agreement that will see all American soldiers out of the country by the end of 2011. (AP Photo/ Khalid Mohammed, Pool)

Vice President Joe Biden pressed Iraqi leaders Friday to do more to foster national reconciliation and offered U.S. assistance in achieving that, as concerns grow that a lack of political progress is fueling violence in Iraq.

Protesters, meanwhile, burned an American flag and chanted anti-U.S. slogans in Baghdad's main Shiite district of Sadr City.

Followers of anti-U.S. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr hold such demonstrations weekly after Friday prayers, but the rally underscored the challenges facing the United States as it begins drawing down its military forces and losing its dominance in Iraq.

Biden, who was making his first visit to Baghdad since being appointed to oversee the administration's Iraq policy, said he came with a message of continuing support for the country even as the U.S. military pulls back.

"There are still political steps that must be taken and Iraqis must use the political process to resolve their remaining differences and advance their national interest," he said at a joint news conference after meeting with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

He added that "we stand ready, if asked and if helpful, to help in that process."

The news conference was held in the same hall at al-Maliki's ceremonial residence in which an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at former President George W. Bush during his last visit to Baghdad in December.

Biden arrived in Baghdad late Thursday for the unannounced visit, two days after all U.S. combat troops were pulled out of Iraq's cities and towns as part of a security agreement that will see all American soldiers out of the country by the end of 2011.

President Barack Obama also has said all combat troops will be gone by the end of August 2010, leaving 30,000 to 50,000 troops in advisory roles.

But Biden's visit and his new position as Obama's point man on Iraq reflect growing concern in the U.S. administration about a recent rise in violence after a series of bombings that killed scores of people.

Al-Maliki, a Shiite, has been criticized for failing to take advantage of security gains to make progress on the political front as divisions deepen before Jan. 30 general elections.

Wearing a tan suit and suede combat boots, Biden held a morning meeting with Gen. Ray Odierno and Ambassador Christopher Hill, America's top soldier and diplomat in Iraq.

The trio made no comments as they emerged from their talks at Odierno's palatial residence at a U.S. military base, but Biden's office said they discussed the withdrawal, the security situation in Iraq, the capabilities of Iraqi forces and political issues.

He then traveled in a 22-vehicle motorcade after a sandstorm prevented him from flying to the walled-off Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and the Iraqi government headquarters, where he held meetings with al-Maliki and other senior Iraqi officials.

It was his first trip to Iraq as vice president, although he has traveled to the country and met many of its leaders as a senator and said he wanted to re-establish contacts with Iraqi leaders. He plans several trips to the region in the future.

Violence remains at low levels in Iraq compared with previous years, but U.S. and Iraqi officials have warned of more attacks after the city withdrawal deadline.

At least 447 Iraqi civilians were killed in June, double the toll from the previous month, according to an Associated Press tally.

Al-Maliki has called the U.S. withdrawal from cities as a "great victory" and declared June 30 National Sovereignty Day.

On Friday, he expressed gratitude for the U.S. support.

"I have seen very clearly the keen determination from the vice president and his administration to support Iraq ... and a great readiness to give us a lending hand and support when we ask," he said.

Biden also had breakfast with his son, Beau, an Army captain serving in Iraq, in the private room where the vice president spent the night.

Biden planned Saturday to speak at a naturalization ceremony for U.S. troops to mark the Fourth of July, then to travel to the semiautonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq for meetings with President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, and Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani.

___

Associated Press Writer Qassim Abdul-Zahra contributed to this report.

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...ress/full/]]> <![CDATA[Iran Cleric Says British Embassy Staff to Be Tried]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376270 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:04:51 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376270 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,5299...latestnews

Iran Cleric Says British Embassy Staff to Be Tried

A top Iranian cleric said Friday that some of the detained Iranian staffers of the British Embassy in Tehran will be put on trial, and he accused Britain of a role in instigating widespread protests that erupted over the country's disputed presidential election.

The announcement by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati came a day after the European Union demanded Iran release the staffers, who were detained on June 27. Britain is pressing EU countries to pull their ambassadors out of Tehran in protest.

[Image: 0_62_070209_iran01.jpg]

Jannati, a powerful hard-liner who is close to Iran's supreme leader, told worshippers during a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran that the detained staffers "made confessions."

"In these events, their embassy had a presence," he said, referring to the post-election turmoil. "Some people were arrested. Well, inevitably, they will be put on trial."

He did not say how many staffers will be tried or on what charges. Earlier Iranian officials said all but one of the nine embassy personnel originally arrested had been released, but European Union officials said they believed more than one was still being held.

Click here for photos. (Warning: Graphic)http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,7500,00.html

In London, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said of Jannati's comments that British officials are "very concerned about these reports and are investigating."

In Sweden, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said "it's not acceptable to file charges against the ones released or the ones still in custody," though he added that the report had not yet been confirmed.

Jannati does not hold a position in the government or judiciary, but is the head of the Guardian Council, a powerful body in Iran's ruling clerical hierarchy that stands above the elected government. He is also close to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Jannati told the thousands of worshippers that the British "had designed a velvet revolution ... In March, they said (in their Foreign Ministry) that street riots were possible during June elections. These are signs ... revealed by themselves."

Protests erupted in Tehran and other cities after official results showed a landslide victory for incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 presidential election over his pro-reform rival Mir Hossein Mousavi. The pro-reform camp said the results were fraudulent.

The protests were quashed in a tough crackdown, and Iran's police chief has said 20 "rioters" were killed during the unrest. During his sermon, Jannati said seven or eight members of the paramilitary Basij militia were also killed. Basijis took a leading role in putting down the protests, often clashing with demonstrators.

Iran's ruling clerics have called the elections "pure" and "healthy" following Khamenei's declaration that the results would stand.

Still, Mousavi appears driven to maintain his opposition and even to raise the stakes — though there have been no protests since Sunday. In a challenging statement on Wednesday, he said he considered the government illegitimate and demanded political prisoners be released.

Jannati took a tough line, indirectly accusing Mousavi of treason.

Though he did not name Mousavi directly, Jannati pointed out that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, once said that "anyone disrupts unity has not only committed a sin but also has committed treason against the Islamic Republic and the system."

Jannati demanded that those involved in the protests "repent and ask God to forgive them."]]> http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,5299...latestnews

Iran Cleric Says British Embassy Staff to Be Tried

A top Iranian cleric said Friday that some of the detained Iranian staffers of the British Embassy in Tehran will be put on trial, and he accused Britain of a role in instigating widespread protests that erupted over the country's disputed presidential election.

The announcement by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati came a day after the European Union demanded Iran release the staffers, who were detained on June 27. Britain is pressing EU countries to pull their ambassadors out of Tehran in protest.

[Image: 0_62_070209_iran01.jpg]

Jannati, a powerful hard-liner who is close to Iran's supreme leader, told worshippers during a Friday prayer sermon in Tehran that the detained staffers "made confessions."

"In these events, their embassy had a presence," he said, referring to the post-election turmoil. "Some people were arrested. Well, inevitably, they will be put on trial."

He did not say how many staffers will be tried or on what charges. Earlier Iranian officials said all but one of the nine embassy personnel originally arrested had been released, but European Union officials said they believed more than one was still being held.

Click here for photos. (Warning: Graphic)http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,7500,00.html

In London, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said of Jannati's comments that British officials are "very concerned about these reports and are investigating."

In Sweden, which currently holds the rotating EU presidency, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said "it's not acceptable to file charges against the ones released or the ones still in custody," though he added that the report had not yet been confirmed.

Jannati does not hold a position in the government or judiciary, but is the head of the Guardian Council, a powerful body in Iran's ruling clerical hierarchy that stands above the elected government. He is also close to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Jannati told the thousands of worshippers that the British "had designed a velvet revolution ... In March, they said (in their Foreign Ministry) that street riots were possible during June elections. These are signs ... revealed by themselves."

Protests erupted in Tehran and other cities after official results showed a landslide victory for incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the June 12 presidential election over his pro-reform rival Mir Hossein Mousavi. The pro-reform camp said the results were fraudulent.

The protests were quashed in a tough crackdown, and Iran's police chief has said 20 "rioters" were killed during the unrest. During his sermon, Jannati said seven or eight members of the paramilitary Basij militia were also killed. Basijis took a leading role in putting down the protests, often clashing with demonstrators.

Iran's ruling clerics have called the elections "pure" and "healthy" following Khamenei's declaration that the results would stand.

Still, Mousavi appears driven to maintain his opposition and even to raise the stakes — though there have been no protests since Sunday. In a challenging statement on Wednesday, he said he considered the government illegitimate and demanded political prisoners be released.

Jannati took a tough line, indirectly accusing Mousavi of treason.

Though he did not name Mousavi directly, Jannati pointed out that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, once said that "anyone disrupts unity has not only committed a sin but also has committed treason against the Islamic Republic and the system."

Jannati demanded that those involved in the protests "repent and ask God to forgive them."]]> <![CDATA[Encarnacion returns; Richar to DL]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376269 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:49:39 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376269 Encarnacion returns; Richar to DL
Posted by TomGroeschen at 7/3/2009 2:13 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com

Updated 4:27 p.m. -- The Reds announced that 3B Edwin Encarnacion has been activated from the DL. INF Danny Richar (shoulder) has been placed on the DL.

Encarnacion (chipped fracture in left wrist) has been out since April 28. He made 11 rehab apps at Class AAA Louisville (.270, 2hr, 8rbi). Richar suffered torn labrum/left shoulder sliding home in Wednesday's game.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Encarnacion, who was reinstated from the 60-day DL, IF Wilkin Castillo was transferred to the 60-day DL.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...innati.com]]> Encarnacion returns; Richar to DL
Posted by TomGroeschen at 7/3/2009 2:13 PM EDT on Cincinnati.com

Updated 4:27 p.m. -- The Reds announced that 3B Edwin Encarnacion has been activated from the DL. INF Danny Richar (shoulder) has been placed on the DL.

Encarnacion (chipped fracture in left wrist) has been out since April 28. He made 11 rehab apps at Class AAA Louisville (.270, 2hr, 8rbi). Richar suffered torn labrum/left shoulder sliding home in Wednesday's game.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Encarnacion, who was reinstated from the 60-day DL, IF Wilkin Castillo was transferred to the 60-day DL.

http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll...innati.com]]> <![CDATA[Palin Resigns]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376268 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:42:45 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376268
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/03/palin/index.html]]>
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/03/palin/index.html]]> <![CDATA[Iranian cleric: British Embassy staff to be tried]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376267 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:39:37 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376267 Iranian cleric: British Embassy staff to be tried

Published - Jul 03 2009 03:39PM EDT

By LEE KEATH - Associated Press Writer

[Image: ALeqM5iCJLEYDnYMdJaunayS2rgRzAxTBQ?size=l]
Top Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, delivers a sermon during Friday prayers at the Tehran University campus, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, July 3, 2009. Jannati, who is the head of the Guardian Council, a powerful body in Iran's ruling clerical hierarchy that stands above the elected government, said Friday that some of the detained Iranian staffers of the British Embassy in Tehran will be put on trial, and he accused Britain of a role in instigating widespread protests that erupted over the country's disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.

___

A powerful cleric said Friday that Iran will put British Embassy staffers on trial for fomenting postelection turmoil, a step that would likely increase Iran's isolation and alienate Western nations that have been trying to keep options open with Tehran despite its crackdown on protesters.

The announcement fueled calls in Europe for tougher action against Tehran. Britain is pressing for members of the European Union to pull their ambassadors out of Tehran to protest the staffers' arrests last week.

The standoff is a test of how far Iran's clerical rulers are willing to go to shore up their position at home after the wave of protests _ even if they risk wrecking possibilities for dialogue between Tehran and the West, a major policy goal of President Barack Obama that Tehran cautiously welcomed.

After quashing the street demonstrations, Iran's leadership has been trying to erase any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by portraying the unrest as sparked by foreign meddling, not by public anger over the June 12 election, which the protesters said was fraudulent. Prosecuting the detained Iranian members of the British Embassy staff could help boost its case before the Iranian public.

At the same time, the arrests test the U.S. and Europe's policy, which has so far been to avoid an overly harsh reaction to Iran's postelection crisis. The West has been wary of condemnations of Iran's leadership, in part for fear of undermining prospects for future talks with Tehran, particularly over its controversial nuclear program.

So far, the EU has taken an incremental approach. On Friday, a day after issuing a public call for the staffers' release, governments across the 27-nation bloc summoned Iran's ambassadors to present the demand in person.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said the EU's "escalatory approach to Iran was working."

But French President Nicolas Sarkozy said his country backs Britain's push for tougher action, "so that Iranian leaders will really understand that the path that they have chosen will be a dead end."

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said his country is "deeply concerned" about the personnel, who he said "have not engaged in any improper or illegal behavior." He said he would speak with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki about the issue.

Word of the trials came from Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, an ultra-conservative who is one of the most prominent figures in Iran's clerical leadership and is close to the country's supreme leader.

Jannati took a tough line in a sermon to thousands of worshippers attending Friday prayers at Tehran University, accusing Britain of being behind the protests.

London "designed a velvet revolution" to topple Iran's Islamic government and the detained staffers confessed to their role, he told the crowd, where some chanted slogans against the U.S. and Israel.

"In these events, their embassy had a presence," he said. "Some people were arrested. Well, inevitably, they will be put on trial."

He did not say how many staffers will be tried or on what charges. Earlier Iranian officials said all but one of the nine embassy personnel originally arrested had been released, but British officials say two are being held.

Government officials could not be reached on Friday for confirmation the staffers would be tried. Jannati does not hold a position in the government, but is the head of the Guardian Council, a powerful body in the clerical hierarchy that stands above the elected government.

The council oversees elections, and it carried out a partial recount which was ordered after Ahmadinejad's pro-reform rival Mir Hossein Mousavi cried fraud and said he was the victor. The recount ultimately upheld Ahmadinejad's election victory.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared the results would stand, and ruling clerics promptly called the elections "pure" and "healthy."

Giant protests erupted in Tehran and other cities over the results, but they were put down in a tough crackdown after Khamenei declared unrest would no longer be tolerated. Police say 20 "rioters" were killed during the violence. During his sermon, Jannati said seven or eight members of the paramilitary Basij militia were also killed. Basijis took a leading role in putting down the protests, often clashing with demonstrators.

There have been no street protests since Sunday, but Mousavi appears driven to maintain his opposition and even to raise the stakes. In a defiant statement on Wednesday, he said he considered the government illegitimate and demanded political prisoners be released. Still, he has been laying low, making no public appearances for days amid calls by many hard-liners for him to be prosecuted.

In major cities across Iran, clerics delivering Friday prayer sermons told worshippers to accept the supreme leader's ruling on the results, according to transcripts on the state news agency IRNA.

In the northern city of Rasht, Ayatollah Zeinolabedeen Ghorbani said "anyone still saying they don't accept the results ... should be ashamed of themselves as a believer and a Muslim."

Jannati's message in his sermon was clear _ that supreme leader Khamenei had guided the country out of the crisis. "A nation that has rule by the cleric (the supreme leader) and the law does not leave a problem unsolved," he told the crowd.

He indirectly accused Mousavi of treason, pointing out that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, once said that "anyone disrupts unity has not only committed a sin but also has committed treason against the Islamic Republic and the system."

Jannati demanded that those involved in the protests "repent and ask God to forgive them."

____

Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press correspondent Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...ried/full/]]> Iranian cleric: British Embassy staff to be tried

Published - Jul 03 2009 03:39PM EDT

By LEE KEATH - Associated Press Writer

[Image: ALeqM5iCJLEYDnYMdJaunayS2rgRzAxTBQ?size=l]
Top Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, delivers a sermon during Friday prayers at the Tehran University campus, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, July 3, 2009. Jannati, who is the head of the Guardian Council, a powerful body in Iran's ruling clerical hierarchy that stands above the elected government, said Friday that some of the detained Iranian staffers of the British Embassy in Tehran will be put on trial, and he accused Britain of a role in instigating widespread protests that erupted over the country's disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.

___

A powerful cleric said Friday that Iran will put British Embassy staffers on trial for fomenting postelection turmoil, a step that would likely increase Iran's isolation and alienate Western nations that have been trying to keep options open with Tehran despite its crackdown on protesters.

The announcement fueled calls in Europe for tougher action against Tehran. Britain is pressing for members of the European Union to pull their ambassadors out of Tehran to protest the staffers' arrests last week.

The standoff is a test of how far Iran's clerical rulers are willing to go to shore up their position at home after the wave of protests _ even if they risk wrecking possibilities for dialogue between Tehran and the West, a major policy goal of President Barack Obama that Tehran cautiously welcomed.

After quashing the street demonstrations, Iran's leadership has been trying to erase any lingering doubts about the legitimacy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by portraying the unrest as sparked by foreign meddling, not by public anger over the June 12 election, which the protesters said was fraudulent. Prosecuting the detained Iranian members of the British Embassy staff could help boost its case before the Iranian public.

At the same time, the arrests test the U.S. and Europe's policy, which has so far been to avoid an overly harsh reaction to Iran's postelection crisis. The West has been wary of condemnations of Iran's leadership, in part for fear of undermining prospects for future talks with Tehran, particularly over its controversial nuclear program.

So far, the EU has taken an incremental approach. On Friday, a day after issuing a public call for the staffers' release, governments across the 27-nation bloc summoned Iran's ambassadors to present the demand in person.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said the EU's "escalatory approach to Iran was working."

But French President Nicolas Sarkozy said his country backs Britain's push for tougher action, "so that Iranian leaders will really understand that the path that they have chosen will be a dead end."

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said his country is "deeply concerned" about the personnel, who he said "have not engaged in any improper or illegal behavior." He said he would speak with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki about the issue.

Word of the trials came from Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, an ultra-conservative who is one of the most prominent figures in Iran's clerical leadership and is close to the country's supreme leader.

Jannati took a tough line in a sermon to thousands of worshippers attending Friday prayers at Tehran University, accusing Britain of being behind the protests.

London "designed a velvet revolution" to topple Iran's Islamic government and the detained staffers confessed to their role, he told the crowd, where some chanted slogans against the U.S. and Israel.

"In these events, their embassy had a presence," he said. "Some people were arrested. Well, inevitably, they will be put on trial."

He did not say how many staffers will be tried or on what charges. Earlier Iranian officials said all but one of the nine embassy personnel originally arrested had been released, but British officials say two are being held.

Government officials could not be reached on Friday for confirmation the staffers would be tried. Jannati does not hold a position in the government, but is the head of the Guardian Council, a powerful body in the clerical hierarchy that stands above the elected government.

The council oversees elections, and it carried out a partial recount which was ordered after Ahmadinejad's pro-reform rival Mir Hossein Mousavi cried fraud and said he was the victor. The recount ultimately upheld Ahmadinejad's election victory.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared the results would stand, and ruling clerics promptly called the elections "pure" and "healthy."

Giant protests erupted in Tehran and other cities over the results, but they were put down in a tough crackdown after Khamenei declared unrest would no longer be tolerated. Police say 20 "rioters" were killed during the violence. During his sermon, Jannati said seven or eight members of the paramilitary Basij militia were also killed. Basijis took a leading role in putting down the protests, often clashing with demonstrators.

There have been no street protests since Sunday, but Mousavi appears driven to maintain his opposition and even to raise the stakes. In a defiant statement on Wednesday, he said he considered the government illegitimate and demanded political prisoners be released. Still, he has been laying low, making no public appearances for days amid calls by many hard-liners for him to be prosecuted.

In major cities across Iran, clerics delivering Friday prayer sermons told worshippers to accept the supreme leader's ruling on the results, according to transcripts on the state news agency IRNA.

In the northern city of Rasht, Ayatollah Zeinolabedeen Ghorbani said "anyone still saying they don't accept the results ... should be ashamed of themselves as a believer and a Muslim."

Jannati's message in his sermon was clear _ that supreme leader Khamenei had guided the country out of the crisis. "A nation that has rule by the cleric (the supreme leader) and the law does not leave a problem unsolved," he told the crowd.

He indirectly accused Mousavi of treason, pointing out that Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, leader of Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, once said that "anyone disrupts unity has not only committed a sin but also has committed treason against the Islamic Republic and the system."

Jannati demanded that those involved in the protests "repent and ask God to forgive them."

____

Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press correspondent Ali Akbar Dareini in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

http://www.rr.com/home/home/article/rr/9...ried/full/]]> <![CDATA[Heralded WVU recruit breaks foot ,out 6-8 weeks]]> http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376266 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:22:21 -0500 http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=376266 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4297553]]> http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4297553]]>