EPA on Friday proposed new regulations to require refineries to make cleaner gasoline. The cost? EPA says less than a penny a gallon. Oil industry says nine cents a gallon ? and higher gas prices.
By Ron Scherer,?Staff writer / March 29, 2013
Suzanne Meredith, of Walpole, Mass., gases up her car at a Gulf station in Brookline, Mass., July 2012. Reducing sulfur in gasoline and tightening emissions standards on cars beginning in 2017, as the Obama administration is proposing, would come with costs as well as rewards.
Steven Senne/AP/File
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The Obama administration proposed on Friday new ? and more costly ? regulations of the refining industry to produce cleaner gasoline and clearer skies.
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If the new rules are implemented as scheduled in 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says, they will spare thousands of people from premature death and prevent respiratory problems in tens of thousands of children. The cost: on average less than a penny gallon.
Not so, says the oil industry, which has been battling the EPA over the proposed rules. The new rules will add as much as nine cents a gallon to the cost of making fuel and will produce ?ambiguous? results, says The American Petroleum Institute.?API, the industry?s lobbying arm in Washington, refers to the proposed new rules as part of a ?tsunami of regulations? the industry faces this year that could add as much as 65 cents to the cost of producing a gallon of fuel in the future.
Gasoline prices are politically sensitive. Consumers often know how much they have paid for a gallon of gasoline compared with their prior fill-up. When pump prices are rising, consumers grumble and, if prices get high enough, cut back on other discretionary purchases. As a result, economists refer to rising fuel prices as a tax on the economy.
But will Americans pay more for fuel and smile about if they believe it will result in cleaner air?
?Some will, but the majority won?t,? answers Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at GasBuddy.com. ?There is a sense among a lot of people that we are entitled to cheaper fuel prices than the rest of the world.?
The proposed changes would make US standards the same as most of Europe, Japan, and South Korea, Mr. Kloza says. ?We would be joining 45 other countries with tougher fuel standards,? he says.
Republicans quickly attacked the proposed regulation. ?The Obama Administration is modeling our regulations after California, which has the worst economy in the nation, and today?s announcement is essentially a guaranteed energy tax hike and unfortunately is just one of many radical policies coming out of this Administration that will deal a heavy blow to middle-class families and small businesses,? said Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, in a statement.??
In January, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, often associated with Democratic issues, conducted what it termed a ?bipartisan survey? of 800 registered voters for the American Lung Association on whether Americans favored tougher fuel regulations and improved antipollution laws. It found 62 percent of voters supported new gasoline and vehicle standards, and 32 percent opposed them.
Utterakhand, situated in lap of Himalayan mountain ranges, is a place blessed with superb natural beauty and exotic wildlife. There are plenty of wildlife parks & sanctuaries, making it a favorite haunt of nature-lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. If you happen to visit the state for wildlife excursion, the following places are worth taking a leap into.
Askot Sanctuary: nestled at an elevation of about 5400 ft in the Pithodagarh district, this sanctuary is a treasure trove of exotic flora & fauna. The scenery that abounds the region is captivating in every sense. Moreover, it is home to many wild animals including leopard, deer, bear and a variety of birds. This place is visited by many wildlife photographers and researchers year-round.
Best time to Visit: April to Sept Nearest railhead: Tanakpur (204km) Road: Pithorgarh (55kms)
Kedarnath Sanctuary: this place is like a dream comes true for nature-lovers. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, fascinating glaciers, shimmering rivers & streams, this animal park is one of most beautiful corners of the state. Along with the captivating natural bounties, tourists can feasts their eyes on splendid wildlife scenes. One can spot many species of wild animals including snow leopards, snow cock, tahr and serow behaving in their home ground. In proximity to this sanctuary is the Kedarnath temple: one of the major sites of Chardham Yatra.
Best Season: April to September Nearest railhead: Rishikesh (235kms) Roads: 136kms from Chamoli and 47kms from Gtkashi
Valley of Flowers: rated among the natural wonders of India, this marvelous vale is a heaven for botanists and nature-lovers. Additionally, the awesome trekking trails make it favorite of mountaineers and researchers. This place is widely famous for its largest collection of wild flowers blooming in vibrant colors. The River Pashupati passes through the valley, adding more to its natural grace. For wildlife lovers, the region has a lot to brew in their platters; it houses splendid variety of fauna including tahr, snow leopards, black bears and musk deers.
Best time to Come: April to October Nearest railhead: Rishikesh 302kms Road: 25kms from Badrinath
Corbett National Park: the Indias first and finest wildlife sanctuary is the Corbett National Park in Nainital district of Utterakhand. Nestling along the beautiful River Ramganga, the Park is packed of natural fascinations. It was named after the great haunter, naturalist and author Sir Jim Corbett who spent an exciting life in this forestry. Inside the park is the residence of Sir Jim Corbett, which is now a fine museum with great collection of relics and souvenirs. With over 600 species of birds, this place is a real delight for bird-lovers. In term of wild animals, this place is home to a mix variety of the animals of Himalaya and the ones found in peninsular India. Over 50 mammals and 25 reptile species can be explored at Corbett. The River Ramganga boasts great opportunity for water sports like angling and boating.
Best season: mid-Nov to mid-June Nearest railhead: Ramnagar and Kathgodam Nearest airport: Pantnagar (130kms) Roads: hire a jeep from Ramanagar Park.
About the Author: whether you plan a wildlife tour in Utterakhand or looking for a spiritual sojourn like chardham yatra, hungry Bags can plan your trip to the finest level. A variety of tour packages including chardham yatra packages are offered by the company.
Those of you using Skype in Windows 8 will be happy to know that Microsoft's just bumped the app to version 1.6. It's been a few months since the last update, and this revision brings more features to the table, including contact blocking and a slew of performance tweaks. You're now able to block users, with an option to remove or report the offending party. Speed and reliability have been improved, especially when loading contacts, and a number of bugs have been fixed, including one where the outgoing video was not always displayed after switching cameras. The update's available in Windows Store, so what are you waiting for?
When Samsung's Exynos 5 Octa was announced, it was believed to be compatible with 3G networks only. As such, the HSPA+ (global) version of the Galaxy S 4 was the only handset to feature the company's eight-core SoC -- the LTE model shipping with Qualcomm's 4G-capable, quad-core Snapdragon 600 instead. That's apparently changed, with the Korean giant tweeting that the Exynos 5 Octa now supports LTE on 20 bands. So why even make a Snapdragon 600 version of the Galaxy S 4, then? Perhaps Samsung can't produce as many chips as Qualcomm to meet the upcoming worldwide demand for its new flagship. This appears likely, with inews24 and new-samsunggalaxys4 reporting that the Exynos 5 Octa with LTE is currently reserved for Korean models only (SHV-E300S, SHV-E300K and SHV-E300L, to be exact). So, anyone fancy a trip to Seoul in the near future?
Act Fast, but have it together; if you don?t, you might as well get out of the game.
The great news is that investing in today?s market is very forgiving, if you implement a few simple concepts and navigate a clear path to minimize your risk.
The not so great news is that if you don?t have it together you will, at best, lose out; at worst, lose money.
With properties flying off the market in record time these days, you have got to be decisive and quick; the current real estate climate is merciless and, at risk of sounding trite, if you snooze, you will lose.
One of the most recognizable differences between a ?newbie? real estate investor, and an experienced real estate investor, is the time it takes to walk in, assess the property and make a decision about its viability as an investment.
The new real estate investor will often put in a lot of time checking the property, looking into the deal, re-checking the property, checking the competitive market analysis, having the property inspected and asking for advice or opinions; meanwhile, the experienced real estate investor will walk in behind him, take a look at the property, make a quick initial determination about whether or not the property is a good investment and, often without even having inspected it, get it under contract, thereby tying it up quickly and taking control of it.
What about consideration?
Won?t an investor lose his ?earnest money? by acting so hastily?
Not if you have done your first line of due diligence; you should be prepared to snap up that property quickly by getting it under contract and then follow up with your ?serious? due diligence.
So what is the first line of due diligence?
Know enough about the area and what you are looking for.
Know what kind of financial evaluation you need to conduct and know what it needs to look like when you?re done.
Know your exit strategy.
This is where contingency clauses come in. A contingency clause is a condition, which must be met before a contract becomes legally binding. When you write up your contract, always make sure you have included contingencies. By putting the property under contract, you have basically made it yours; you control it. By putting in the right contingency clause, you will have a legal ?out? should you discover something that doesn?t work for you as you conduct your ?serious? due diligence; ?you will be able to get your money back.
When you have the property under contract you are the only one that can buy it and you only have to buy it if you want to. However, you will have that exit only if you have written the contract correctly, with the right contingencies, and if you have followed it to the letter.
Of course, you should always have your lawyer approve your contract and check your state?s laws that surround contingency clauses.
Use contingencies judiciously and use them ethically, but do use them because they will help you get that deal quickly and they will save your butt if it doesn?t work out.
Smart Real Estate Investors learn the ropes before getting into the game by getting some strategic marketing and real estate training. Do your homework; when you do, regardless of how new you are to the real estate investment game, you will be able to move quickly and make informed decisions so that you make money, not mistakes.
About Kent Clothier
Kent Clothier is President and CEO of Real Estate Worldwide (REWW), a multi-faceted real estate education company with headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, San Diego, California, and Boca Raton, Florida.
FILE - In this June 17, 2010 file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela leaves the chapel after attending the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko, Pool, File)
FILE - In this June 17, 2010 file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela leaves the chapel after attending the funeral of his great-granddaughter Zenani Mandela in Johannesburg, South Africa. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko, Pool, File)
FILE - In this Wednesday, July 18, 2012 file photo former South African President Nelson Mandela as he celebrates his birthday with family in Qunu, South Africa, Wednesday, July 18, 2012. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
FILE - In this Wednesday May 30, 2012 file photo South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela, after receiving a torch to celebrate the African National Congress' centenary from ANC chairperson Baleka Mbete in Mandela's home village of Qunu in rural eastern South Africa. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Lulamile Feni-Daily Dispatch) SOUTH AFRICA OUT
FILE - In this Aug. 29, 2007 file photo, former South African President Nelson Mandela pauses during a statue unveiling ceremony in his honor at Parliament Square in London. The South African presidency says Nelson Mandela was re-admitted to hospital with a recurrence of a lung infection Thursday March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Daniel Berehulak, Pool, File)
In this photo taken on Thursday, March 14, 2013, a statue of former South African president Nelson Mandela stands at the entrance to the Robben Island ferry departure point at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, South Africa, Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who became South Africa's first black president, has been admitted to a hospital with a recurring lung infection, South Africa said Thursday, March 28, 2013. Mandela, 94, has become increasingly frail in recent years and has been hospitalized several times since last year, mostly recently earlier this month when he received what a presidential spokesman described as a "successful" medical test. (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)
JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? South Africa's presidency says 94-year-old Nelson Mandela is responding positively to hospital treatment for a recurring lung infection.
The office of President Jacob Zuma also said in a statement Thursday that the former president and anti-apartheid leader remains under observation.
Mandela was admitted late Wednesday to a hospital in Pretoria, the South African capital.
Mandela contracted tuberculosis during his 27-year imprisonment for fighting white racist rule in South Africa. He has repeatedly had lung problems.
Set yourself all kinds of useful reminders with today's leading fresh app, Rethink. The app lets you set contextual reminds, which send you notifications to buy something when you walk into the right store or message someone when you open up your email. We've also got Qustodio Parental Controls, an app that helps you keep track of (and block) what your kids are doing on their mobile devices. Finally, there's Ravensword: Shadowlands, a 3-D role-playing title with some awesome graphics.
Also on Android Apps
Zinio put together a survival guide for magazine lovers, now that many magazine and newspaper publishers are embracing digital. Read about their counsel in this Guest Post.
What?s it about? CanWeNetwork leverages your social networks to help you expand your business network, tracking down like-minded folks near you who might make good contacts and putting you in touch.
What?s cool?Tracking down new people to meet and to add to your network of business contacts can be tough, but with social networks, there's already a whole lot of information out there about you and the people around you. CanWeNetwork grabs that information by linking to your LinkedIn profile, and those of other users, and finds people who it thinks would be compatible with you and who have similar goals for networking, then puts you in contact. The idea is that with the help of CanWeNetwork doing some searching and screening for you, you can expand your professional network with people already all around you.
Who?s it for? Professionals looking to meet more people and do more networking should try CanWeNetwork.
What?s it about? Google's social network answer to Facebook brings the ability to post lots of different media like videos and photos, as well as integration with chat and the ability to create Google Hangouts.
What?s cool?Tracking Social networking on Google+ has a few cool benefits over other networks such as Facebook, most notably the ability to tie into other Google features like YouTube and Hangouts. The network's Android app is also pretty handy, allowing users to post items like pictures and videos, access profiles, search through friends and strike up group chats. The app's latest update adds a few more features, like new photo and video filters for posting things to your profile, video chat with up to nine people through Google Hangouts, and the ability to automatically sync up any photos you snap with your Android device straight to your Google+ profile.
Who?s it for? Social network fans with a Google slant should find a lot of useful features in the Google+ Android app.
What?s it like? Check out Instagram for more photo sharing and filters, as well as that old favorite, Facebook.
What?s it about? Take down castles and fortresses with the power of your catapult in Catapult King, which imagines games such as Angry Birds from a 3-D perspective.
What?s cool? Catapult King is a pretty simple premise: you use your touch controls to determine the power and aim of a catapult, and then use it to take down structures and enemies in the distance to earn points. Imagine playing Angry Birds from the perspective of the slingshot and you'll have a solid idea of what to expect. You can also find power-ups that make your catapult more effective, and use various kinds of different projectiles to help you in different situations and against lots of different kinds of fortresses.
Who?s it for? For a different take on titles that use similar mechanics to Angry Birds, try Catapult King.
What?s it like? Angry Birds is a good place to start, and Siege Hero will give you another take on the third-person perspective with similar mechanics.
In Local Business provides business owners with professional internet marketing solutions--such as search engine optimization and website analysis--to help bring in more customers and generate more sales.
1. Why is SEO marketing so much more affordable than offline forms of marketing like direct mail--and other online forms of marketing like email marketing?
When using SEO marketing, there are many advantages over other marketing media:
First, the people who are looking in the search engines are very precise; they are looking for something using keywords (whether it is for information, a service provider, a product, or a local business), which means that when using SEO on the right profitable keywords will be very effective because you get found by people who are looking for you.
In other marketing there is much less certainty whether the people who are exposed to your marketing are in need of your service, or if they are the right clients for your service. In SEO perhaps you are targeting fewer people, but those are the relevant people for your business.
Second, when comparing the prices of actually obtaining a client from any kind of marketing, the stats are shown as follows:
Average Cost Per Customer
Television Ad - $230 for obtaining a customer Specialty Magazine - $125 for obtaining a customer Direct Mail - $70 for obtaining a customer Email Marketing - $60 for obtaining a customer Yellow Pages - $20 for obtaining a customer SEO - $8.5 for obtaining a customer
Because SEO is the most direct kind of marketing you can use, simply because the people who will find you through organic search (search engines) are looking for your service, your marketing is much more specific and effective; therefore, the price of obtaining a client through SEO is much more affordable then other kinds of marketing.
2. In starting your business, why did you decide to specialize on offering local SEO optimization (and how does this differ from SEO in general)?
There is a huge difference between local SEO and general SEO, especially for local businesses. We have noticed many local businesses are performing their SEO in a bad way, and have much more room to improve. Let me give you an example:
A dental clinic is Houston, Texas is trying to advertise their business through SEO; the keywords they have chosen are:
Dental Implants Cosmetic Dental Dental Clinic Dentists Best Dentist in Texas
Choosing general keywords is a big mistake that many small businesses make. They are trying to rank for general keywords, which will make them face more competition; it will be much harder to rank high for those keywords, and more importantly, they will get seen by people who are unlikely to use their services.
Let?s say this specific dental clinic have done a huge SEO campaign and spent a lot of money to achieve first ranking on those general keywords. Most of the people who will perform an internet search and will find this clinic probably will be from many parts of the world, and will unlikely go to Houston, Texas for a dentist.
Therefore, it will be wiser to perform your SEO locally, using local keywords such as:
Dental Implants Houston TX Cosmetic Dental Houston Dental Clinic Houston TX Dentists in Houston Best Dentists in Houston Texas
Although those keywords will have fewer searches in the search engines, the people who are looking for those keywords are probably located in Houston, Texas and will more likely to use a local dentist (especially if they are looking for it now).
Keywords should be determined by keyword research, the amount of monthly searches, and competition level. We are specialized in helping local businesses in establishing their business in the search engines, both with their local listing on Google+ and in the organic search for Google / Bing / Yahoo and other big search engines.
We help simply by optimizing business websites to target the profitable, relevant keywords so that they can rank more easily when potential clients are looking for their services.
3. What are some typical packages of services that you put together for companies?
We have many different packages that can fit for every business and every budget. The packages are divided into four different classes. Each package is divided according to the amount of keywords you wish to target; you can choose between 5-30 keywords in a package.
We offer a free consultation on our website in order for companies to choose the right package for their business, as it depends on their current performance, budget, and market competition. We recommend that clients consult with us before choosing a package. More details about the different packages are available here.
4. What is unique about reaching customers via mobile devices as opposed to more generalized internet marketing?
In today's world, most people in the western civilization have smartphones, and those mobile devices are going with them everywhere; when those people are looking for a service online, they go to their mobile device first, and perform a search. In the future we can only expect this trend to expand.
In the United States alone, over 90% of the population now owns a cell phone. If that is not enough,?over 25% of the U.S. population are "mobile-only," which means they mostly use only the mobile and?rarely?if ever use a computer.?
Mobile marketing gives local?business more customers, and right now in 2013 most of the local?business?that have a website don't optimize it for mobile use. Therefore, it?is still relatively?easy to dominate in the local mobile results for any business that starts to optimize for mobile marketing.
5. For a local business owner who is just beginning to explore SEM and SEO opportunities, what do you recommend as a good way to get started?
Since there is a lot to learn about the subject, I would recommend a local businessperson who is just starting his or her internet marketing to learn about the subject first. There are many ways one can advertise a business; understanding the big picture is extremely important, and can save a lot of time, money, and trouble.
First, I would recommend that a business owner perform keyword research (by a professional) so the local business owner will understand the business' online market.
--How many people are looking for each keyword a month? --What is the competition on those keywords? --Is it worth it to target those keywords, or other keywords?
All of those questions can be answered by good keyword research. It will help build the strategy for the business and clear things out, as well as anticipate how long it will take to see results.
Second, after you have the keyword research complete and you know how many keywords you wish to target, plan your SEO for the long run. SEO takes time, and to see real results can take a few months, but there are also a few things you can do to help make it faster and more effective.
"On Page Optimization." This refers to your website content. If you optimize your website to the profitable keywords you have decided to target, it will help rank you higher on Google because it will see that your website is optimized for those keywords, and will give you a better ranking then your competition who haven't done it.
"Off Page Optimization." This mostly refers to how many links are connecting to your website, and what the web is saying about your website. Again, this is measured by the amount of links your website has, and the quality of those links.
However, for individuals or businesses who don't have the time or will to learn all about internet marketing, I would simply recommend the use of a professional service for SEO. It's worth the time and money, since you will see results in few months without all the headache of studying internet marketing.
Anytime there's a lull in our outrage over the public nature of social media, a new site shows up to again demonstrate its dangers. Like clockwork, the latest to play on users' fears is FireMe!, a website that tracks when people are saying inappropriate things about their jobs on Twitter, including their hatred for their boss, their desire to murder said bosses or co-workers, and even those making comments about "sexual intercourse," in relation to their jobs.
Geoscientists to meet in Austin, Texas, to discuss groundwater, petroleum, and Texas geologyPublic release date: 28-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Christa Stratton cstratton@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America South-Central Section Meeting, April 4-5, 2013
Boulder, Colorado, USA - Geoscientists from the south-central U.S. and beyond will convene in Austin, Texas, USA, on 4-5 April to celebrate GSA's 125th Anniversary and discuss new science, expand on existing science, and explore the unique geologic and historic features of the region. Topics discussed include water sustainability and groundwater management, petroleum potential in the Gulf of Mexico, engaging the next generation of geoscientists, and climate change and human impacts on Earth's landscapes.
Each day of the meeting will feature special keynote talks, beginning Wednesday evening, 3 April, with Cliff Frohlich, Associate Director of and Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Geophysics at The University of Texas at Austin, speaking on "Texas Earthquakes: Natural and/or Man Made?"
Thursday morning's keynote, "The Ophiolite Enigma Resolved," will be delivered by John Dewey, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. Thursday afternoon's keynote by Derek C. Briggs of Yale University and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will cover the preservation and evolutionary significance of fossil biotas with a talk titled "The Limits of Fossilization." Briggs will also present the Friday keynote, "The Silurian Herefordshire FaunaSoftBodied Fossils in Volcanic Ash."
Friday's events include the start of the popular HydroDays Workshop, which will run through 7 April, in the surrounding karst areas of Texas. Karst researchers, educators, students, policy makers, cavers, and karst lovers of all persuasions are invited.
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Selected Highlights of the Scientific Program
The scientific program is composed of oral and poster presentations organized into 21 themed sessions plus an array of research in general discipline areas. Go to http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/ to learn more. Two Plenary Sessions on careers in geoscience are also planned (one for academic and one for industry careers): http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/students.htm#plenary.
THURSDAY, 4 APRIL
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability I: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 4).
Paper 4-8: Sustainability on the U.S./Mexico Border: 1. Water, Climate, And Social Change in a Fragile Landscape. Lead author: William Hargrove of The University of Texas at El Paso: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217075.html (10:40 a.m.).
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability II: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 14).
Paper 14-6: Sediments, Nutrients, and Fecal Matters Impair Surface Water Quality in a Coastal Agricultural Watershed. Lead author: Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session33344.html (3:30 p.m.).
New Ideas about the Geologic Evolution and Petroleum Potential of the Gulf of Mexico
Robert Stern of The University of Texas at Dallas and Peter Clift of Louisiana State University, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 13).
Paper 13-5: Multidisciplinary Investigation of Surface Deformation in Houston, Texas. Lead author: Shuhab Khan of the University of Houston: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session32126.html (3:10 p.m.).
Engaging the Next Generation of Geoscientists
Katherine K. Ellins of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Laura F. Serpa of The University of Texas at El Paso, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (sessions 16).
Paper 16-10: Serious Gaming as an Educational Approach: Initiatives Designed to Engage At-Risk Students with Geosciences and Hands-On Computational Skills. Lead author: David Conover, Video Game Design Instructor at Connally High School, Austin, Texas, USA: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217791.html (4:50 p.m.).
FRIDAY, 5 APRIL
Geology of Texas
John Snedden of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Pamela A. Speciale of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (session 20).
Paper 20-2: Natural Fracture Characterization in the Haynesville Shale, East Texas. Lead author: Frank Morgan of Louisiana State University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217161.html (8:20 a.m.).
Paper 20-3: Thermal Energy in Place in Texas: A Novel Method for Estimating Accessible Geothermal Power with Existing Oil and Gas Wells Using ArcGIS. Lead author: Daniel S. Zafar of the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217271.html (8:40 a.m.).
Paper 20-4: The 1928 Cline, Texas, Meteorite. Lead author: Robert A. Graham of The Tome Group: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217388.html (9 a.m.).
Desired Future Conditions and Modeled Available Groundwater: The New Groundwater Management Paradigm in Texas
WF (Kirk) Holland of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 23).
Paper 23-10: A Policy Proposal for Regional Aquifer-Scale Management of Groundwater in Texas. Lead author: John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217344.html (11:25 a.m.).
Climate Change, Earth Process, and Human Impacts on Determining Earth's Landscapes
Rong Fu of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Suzanne A. Pierce of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (session 35).
Paper 35-2: Modeling the Impact of Afforestation on Global Climate. Lead author: Craig Jackson of Ohio Wesleyan University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217554.html (11 a.m.)
View the complete session schedule by day or search the program by keywords at https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013NE/webprogram/start.html. Click on session titles for a list of presentations, and click on presentations for the individual abstracts.
Find complete meeting information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/index.htm.
Find local contact information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/contact.htm.
MEDIA REGISTRATION
Eligibility for media registration is as follows:
Working press representing bona fide, recognized news media with a press card, letter or business card from the publication.
Freelance science writers, presenting a current membership card from NASW, ISWA, regional affiliates of NASW, ISWA, CSWA, ACS, ABSW, EUSJA, or evidence of work pertaining to science published in 2012 or 2013.
PIOs of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies.
Present media credentials to William Cox onsite at the GSA registration desk to obtain a badge for media access. Complimentary meeting registration covers attendance at all technical sessions and access to the exhibit hall. Journalists and PIOs must pay regular fees for paid luncheons and any short courses or field trips in which they participate. Representatives of the business side of news media, publishing houses, and for-profit corporations must register at the main registration desk and pay the appropriate fees.
For additional information and assistance, contact Christa Stratton, GSA Director of Communications, at the address above.
http://www.geosociety.org
The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, is a scientific society with more than 25,000 members from academia, government, and industry in more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, GSA encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists, fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues, and supports all levels of earth science education.
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Geoscientists to meet in Austin, Texas, to discuss groundwater, petroleum, and Texas geologyPublic release date: 28-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Christa Stratton cstratton@geosociety.org Geological Society of America
The Geological Society of America South-Central Section Meeting, April 4-5, 2013
Boulder, Colorado, USA - Geoscientists from the south-central U.S. and beyond will convene in Austin, Texas, USA, on 4-5 April to celebrate GSA's 125th Anniversary and discuss new science, expand on existing science, and explore the unique geologic and historic features of the region. Topics discussed include water sustainability and groundwater management, petroleum potential in the Gulf of Mexico, engaging the next generation of geoscientists, and climate change and human impacts on Earth's landscapes.
Each day of the meeting will feature special keynote talks, beginning Wednesday evening, 3 April, with Cliff Frohlich, Associate Director of and Senior Research Scientist at the Institute of Geophysics at The University of Texas at Austin, speaking on "Texas Earthquakes: Natural and/or Man Made?"
Thursday morning's keynote, "The Ophiolite Enigma Resolved," will be delivered by John Dewey, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. Thursday afternoon's keynote by Derek C. Briggs of Yale University and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History will cover the preservation and evolutionary significance of fossil biotas with a talk titled "The Limits of Fossilization." Briggs will also present the Friday keynote, "The Silurian Herefordshire FaunaSoftBodied Fossils in Volcanic Ash."
Friday's events include the start of the popular HydroDays Workshop, which will run through 7 April, in the surrounding karst areas of Texas. Karst researchers, educators, students, policy makers, cavers, and karst lovers of all persuasions are invited.
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Selected Highlights of the Scientific Program
The scientific program is composed of oral and poster presentations organized into 21 themed sessions plus an array of research in general discipline areas. Go to http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/ to learn more. Two Plenary Sessions on careers in geoscience are also planned (one for academic and one for industry careers): http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/sc/2013mtg/students.htm#plenary.
THURSDAY, 4 APRIL
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability I: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 4).
Paper 4-8: Sustainability on the U.S./Mexico Border: 1. Water, Climate, And Social Change in a Fragile Landscape. Lead author: William Hargrove of The University of Texas at El Paso: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217075.html (10:40 a.m.).
The Role of the Geosciences in Water Sustainability II: Examples, Challenges, and Societal Impacts
David M. Borrok of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and Johnathan R. Bumgarner of the U.S. Geological Survey, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 14).
Paper 14-6: Sediments, Nutrients, and Fecal Matters Impair Surface Water Quality in a Coastal Agricultural Watershed. Lead author: Durga D. Poudel of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session33344.html (3:30 p.m.).
New Ideas about the Geologic Evolution and Petroleum Potential of the Gulf of Mexico
Robert Stern of The University of Texas at Dallas and Peter Clift of Louisiana State University, presiding, 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (session 13).
Paper 13-5: Multidisciplinary Investigation of Surface Deformation in Houston, Texas. Lead author: Shuhab Khan of the University of Houston: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Session32126.html (3:10 p.m.).
Engaging the Next Generation of Geoscientists
Katherine K. Ellins of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Laura F. Serpa of The University of Texas at El Paso, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (sessions 16).
Paper 16-10: Serious Gaming as an Educational Approach: Initiatives Designed to Engage At-Risk Students with Geosciences and Hands-On Computational Skills. Lead author: David Conover, Video Game Design Instructor at Connally High School, Austin, Texas, USA: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217791.html (4:50 p.m.).
FRIDAY, 5 APRIL
Geology of Texas
John Snedden of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Pamela A. Speciale of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (session 20).
Paper 20-2: Natural Fracture Characterization in the Haynesville Shale, East Texas. Lead author: Frank Morgan of Louisiana State University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217161.html (8:20 a.m.).
Paper 20-3: Thermal Energy in Place in Texas: A Novel Method for Estimating Accessible Geothermal Power with Existing Oil and Gas Wells Using ArcGIS. Lead author: Daniel S. Zafar of the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217271.html (8:40 a.m.).
Paper 20-4: The 1928 Cline, Texas, Meteorite. Lead author: Robert A. Graham of The Tome Group: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217388.html (9 a.m.).
Desired Future Conditions and Modeled Available Groundwater: The New Groundwater Management Paradigm in Texas
WF (Kirk) Holland of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District, presiding, 8 a.m. to noon (session 23).
Paper 23-10: A Policy Proposal for Regional Aquifer-Scale Management of Groundwater in Texas. Lead author: John Dupnik of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217344.html (11:25 a.m.).
Climate Change, Earth Process, and Human Impacts on Determining Earth's Landscapes
Rong Fu of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin and Suzanne A. Pierce of the Jackson School of Geosciences at The University of Texas at Austin, presiding, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. (session 35).
Paper 35-2: Modeling the Impact of Afforestation on Global Climate. Lead author: Craig Jackson of Ohio Wesleyan University: https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013SC/webprogram/Paper217554.html (11 a.m.)
View the complete session schedule by day or search the program by keywords at https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013NE/webprogram/start.html. Click on session titles for a list of presentations, and click on presentations for the individual abstracts.
Find complete meeting information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/index.htm.
Find local contact information at http://www.geosociety.org/Sections/ne/2013mtg/contact.htm.
MEDIA REGISTRATION
Eligibility for media registration is as follows:
Working press representing bona fide, recognized news media with a press card, letter or business card from the publication.
Freelance science writers, presenting a current membership card from NASW, ISWA, regional affiliates of NASW, ISWA, CSWA, ACS, ABSW, EUSJA, or evidence of work pertaining to science published in 2012 or 2013.
PIOs of scientific societies, educational institutions, and government agencies.
Present media credentials to William Cox onsite at the GSA registration desk to obtain a badge for media access. Complimentary meeting registration covers attendance at all technical sessions and access to the exhibit hall. Journalists and PIOs must pay regular fees for paid luncheons and any short courses or field trips in which they participate. Representatives of the business side of news media, publishing houses, and for-profit corporations must register at the main registration desk and pay the appropriate fees.
For additional information and assistance, contact Christa Stratton, GSA Director of Communications, at the address above.
http://www.geosociety.org
The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, is a scientific society with more than 25,000 members from academia, government, and industry in more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in the service of humankind. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, GSA encourages cooperative research among earth, life, planetary, and social scientists, fosters public dialogue on geoscience issues, and supports all levels of earth science education.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The Oscars, the SAG awards, and several other awards shows announced their 2014 and 2015 schedules, which were tweaked to avoid conflicting with the next Winter Games.
By Associated Press / March 25, 2013
Daniel Day Lewis and Meryl Streep charm reporters in the press room at the Oscars on Feb. 24, 2013. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that next year?s Oscar ceremony will be held on March 2, 2014. The 2015 trophies will be handed out Feb. 22.
John Shearer/Invision/AP/File
Enlarge
Film fans can already mark their calendars for the Academy Awards in 2014 and 2015.
Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday that next year's?Oscar?ceremony will be held March 2. The 2015 trophies will be handed out Feb. 22.
Awards shows, including the?Oscars, are juggling their calendars to avoid overlap with the 2014 Winter Olympics, which will be held Feb. 7-23 in Sochi, Russia.
The Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild of America each pushed up their 2014 awards ceremonies to the weekend of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, on Jan. 18 and 19, respectively.
The Directors Guild will present its annual awards on Jan. 25, 2014. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has yet to announce when its Golden Globe Awards ceremony will be held.
Nominations for the 86th annual Academy Awards will be announced Jan. 16, 2014, more than six weeks before the ceremony.
The Academy Awards in both 2014 and 2015 will be presented at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and broadcast live on ABC.
FILE - In an Oct. 14, 2012 file photo trainer Steve Donohue, left, and New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, right, help Yankees' Derek Jeter off the field after he injured himself during Game 1 of the American League championship series in New York. Derek Jeter will likely join Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson on the New York Yankees' star-studded disabled list for the season opener against the Boston Red Sox on April 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya )
FILE - In an Oct. 14, 2012 file photo trainer Steve Donohue, left, and New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi, right, help Yankees' Derek Jeter off the field after he injured himself during Game 1 of the American League championship series in New York. Derek Jeter will likely join Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson on the New York Yankees' star-studded disabled list for the season opener against the Boston Red Sox on April 1, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya )
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Yankees captain Derek Jeter is resigned to starting the season on the disabled list for the first time since 2001.
Jeter is undergoing treatment for his sore left ankle, still recovering from surgery last October. His last game action came as a designated hitter Saturday in a minor league exhibition.
"Of course, it's disappointing," Jeter said Tuesday. "I told you guys all along the goal was to be ready on opening day, and I didn't reach it. I ran out of days. I pushed to try to get there opening day, and it didn't work out. But I've still got to be ready for the majority of the season."
Jeter broke the ankle in the opening game of last year's AL championship series.
"It's a setback for opening day, but it's not a setback in terms of the recovery process," Jeter said. "I heard from the doctor yesterday. It's supposed to happen. Some things you can't control. It's a normal recovery process."
Jeter is expected to join Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson on the disabled list at the start of the season and could be activated for the April 6 game at Detroit. He will meet with team officials to finalized his rehab schedule.
Rodriguez isn't expected back until after the All-Star break following left hip surgery on Jan. 16. Teixeira hasn't ruled out missing the first two months of the season because of a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist, while Granderson is expected to be out until the first week of May after breaking his right forearm.
ROME (Reuters) - A state prosecutor urged Italy's top court on Monday to overturn the acquittal of American Amanda Knox and a former boyfriend for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
Kercher's half-naked body, with more than 40 wounds and a deep gash in the throat, was found in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia in 2007.
The Court of Cassation, Italy's final court of appeal, is due to decide on Monday or Tuesday whether to start the process for a retrial or to uphold the 2011 verdict and close the case definitively.
"In this trial the judge lost his way," state prosecutor Luigi Riello told the court, urging it to accept the request for an appeal from Perugia prosecutors and Kercher family lawyers, who say the verdict was flawed and left central aspects of the case unexplained.
Both Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga and Giulia Bongiorno, a lawyer for Knox's former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, said they were confident the court would uphold the verdict clearing their clients of murder.
Prosecutors accused Knox and Sollecito of killing Kercher in a drug-fuelled sexual assault. They were initially found guilty and sentenced to 26 and 25 years in prison respectively after a trial that grabbed headlines all over the world.
FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2008 file photo, American murder suspect Amanda Knox , center, is escorted by Italian penitentiary police officers to Perugia's court at the end of a hearing, central Italy. ... more? FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2008 file photo, American murder suspect Amanda Knox , center, is escorted by Italian penitentiary police officers to Perugia's court at the end of a hearing, central Italy. On Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 Rudy Hermann Guede, of the Ivory Coast, appealing his conviction for murdering British student Meredith Kercher in Italy, testified Wednesday that he heard the victim arguing with American defendant, Amanda Knox, in the case minutes before she was slain. Guede's appeals process began Wednesday even as the initial trial implicating American student Amanda Knox, of Seattle, and Knox's ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, continued. (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito, files) less? ?
In 2011, their convictions were overturned and they were released after serving four years in prison.
"We all still miss Meredith terribly," her sister Stephanie said in a statement on Monday. "A beautiful young girl, my little sister, was taken from us far too soon in such a brutal way with too many unexplained factors."
Monday's ruling, which will be made on procedural issues, not on questions of merit, could be the last development in a case whose initial handling was sharply criticised by independent forensic experts.
"There seems to be very little criticism of the technical aspects of the trial," said Ghirga.
Prosecutors last year filed a motion to appeal against the acquittals, calling the verdict "contradictory and illogical".
Francesco Maresca, a lawyer representing Kercher's family, said in a statement on Monday the acquittals had been "defective" and "lacked transparency".
"There was a lot of external pressure and the judge showed a will from the start to acquit," Maresca said.
COHERENT
If the Court of Cassation upholds the request and decides to go back to trial, new hearings will be held at a later date.
However, Bongiorno said there was little room for the decision to be challenged.
"We have a verdict behind us that is so well-grounded, coherent and logical that we're very calm," she said as she entered the court.
Italian law permits prosecutors to appeal against not guilty verdicts. The Court of Cassation will decide whether there were any procedural irregularities that give grounds for a retrial, rather than examining the facts of the case.
Knox and Sollecito were acquitted after the independent forensic investigators challenged police scientific evidence.
A third man, an Ivorian drifter named Rudy Guede, was found guilty and sentenced to 16 years in a separate trial. He is now the only person serving time for the murder, although prosecutors say he could not have killed Kercher by himself.
Kercher, a student at Leeds University, was 21 when she died.
Knox, dubbed "Foxy Knoxy" in many early media reports, was initially portrayed as promiscuous and dishonest but a lobbying campaign by her family helped change perceptions.
She returned to her Seattle-area home after she was released from prison in Italy and is scheduled to speak publicly about the trial for the first time on American television in April, when her book of memoirs is also due to be released.
(Additional reporting and writing by Catherine Hornby,; Editing by Ruth Pitchford)
Evernote has finally brought its Android client up to par with its iOS counterpart, pushing it to version five. The update, which just hit the Play store, includes a mild face lift that offers more contrast between notes and other UI elements, as well as a few new icons with a bit more depth and detail. The visual tweaks aren't particularly exciting, though. What has us rushing for the update button are all the new features, like the completely revamped camera interface. You can now take several images and add them all to a note in one shot. While a dedicated "page" camera helps you get the best results when snapping photos of hand-written missives by boosting contrast and removing shadows. Of course, the company thinks that feature works particularly well when paired with its branded Moleskin notebooks, but those are purely optional. The results from the couple of quick snapshots we took were bright clear and as legible as could be expected. Unfortunately there are continued issues with Evernote's text recognition, which tends to be slow for non-premium users.
An adult male tiger photographed on March 13, 2013, in Kerala shortly after eating a gaur, an Indian bison.
By Douglas Main, LiveScience
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A camera trap has captured photos of two healthy tigers using a protected corridor in the Kerala province of southwest India this year, evidence that the pathway could help populations of the endangered animals.
The first photo shows an adult male tiger in very good health that has just preyed upon a gaur, also known as an Indian bison, according to a release from the World Land Trust, which funded the creation of the protected area. The camera trap spotted another adult tiger, also in good health, earlier in the year.
The corridor, which is about 4 miles (6 kilometers) long and connects two adjacent wildlife reserves, was originally created to allow elephants to move between the parks. Indeed, elephants have been spotted moving through the area, as have sloth bears, leopards, barking deer and mongooses, according to the release.
World Land Trust
An adult tiger photographed on Jan. 5, 2013, in Kerala, southwest India.
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"We are all very pleased to see the increased usage of the corridor by a wide range of animals, and capturing these tigers on film is very exciting," said Sandeep Kr. Tiwari, deputy director at Wildlife Trust of India.
The Thirunelli-Kudrakote corridor, as it's called, runs through a global hotspot of diversity, the World Land Trust reports. India's largest elephant population calls the corridor home, as do 10 native mammal species (including the Salim Ali's fruit bat and the Nilgiri tahr, a type of goat) and 13 endemic bird species, like the Malabar parakeet.
Email Douglas Main ?or follow him @Douglas_Main. Follow us? @OAPlanet, Facebook ?or ? Google+.Original article on LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet.
Oklahoma's Sharane Campbell, left, and Joanna McFarland celebrate during the second half of a first-round game against Central Michigan in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. Oklahoma beat Central Michigan 78-73. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Oklahoma's Sharane Campbell, left, and Joanna McFarland celebrate during the second half of a first-round game against Central Michigan in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. Oklahoma beat Central Michigan 78-73. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Central Michigan's Crystal Bradford, right, drives to the basket against Oklahoma's Sharane Campbell during the first half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Oklahoma's Joanna McFarland, right, tries to dribble past Central Michigan's Crystal Bradford during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. Oklahoma beat Central Michigan 78-73. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Oklahoma's Aaryn Ellenberg takes a shot against Central Michigan during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. Oklahoma beat Central Michigan 78-73. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Oklahoma's Morgan Hook, right, drives to the basket against Central Michigan's Crystal Bradford during the second half of a first-round game in the women's NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 23, 2013, in Columbus, Ohio. Oklahoma beat Central Michigan 78-73. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) ? Joanna McFarland stepped in when no one else would for Oklahoma, then Aaryn Ellenberg waited until the right moment to take over.
McFarland had 18 points and a career-high 17 rebounds and Ellenberg scored 18 of her 22 points in the second half Saturday to lead the Sooners to a 78-73 victory over Central Michigan in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
They made for quite a lethal tandem.
"She's just a beast," CMU coach Sue Guevara said of 6-foot-3 McFarland.
Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said of Ellenberg, her 3-point specialist: "That's how she plays. The points come in fits and starts. She calmed down, let the game come to her and found her spots."
Sixth-seeded Oklahoma (23-10) advances to Monday night's second-round game against the winner of Stetson and UCLA at Ohio State's St. John Arena.
It was clear who the Sooners wanted to play.
"We'd definitely like to see UCLA advance," McFarland said.
The Bruins came to Norman, Okla., on Nov. 14 and thoroughly outplayed the home team in an 86-80 victory. The Sooners have not forgotten.
As if that weren't enough motivation, the Sooners know that if the survive the two rounds in Columbus, they would return to nearby Oklahoma City to play in the regional next week.
Despite 24 turnovers, the Sooners had just enough to hold off the Chippewas (21-12), who were making their third trip to the NCAA and first since 1984. Crystal Bradford had a sensational game for CMU with a career-high 36 points (on 14 of 31 shooting from the field) plus 14 rebounds and seven steals.
"I was playing with everything I've got," said the sophomore, who averaged 15.5 points during the season. "It hurt more to give it all and come up short."
Ellenberg, who held Oklahoma's season (103) and career (272) records for 3-pointers made, hit 4 of 5 in the second half to rally her team, which was struggling to hold onto the lead. She hit three in a row during one span for the Sooners. With 3:11 left and late in the shot clock, she hit another to extend the lead to 71-60.
"When they got close, we knew we had to gather ourselves," Ellenberg said. "We were not going to give up the lead."
Every time CMU would draw close, it seemed, the Sooners would get a key bucket from either McFarland or Ellenberg. The lead waffled between nine points but as few as two for most of the second half, with the teams trading runs.
Ellenberg's three 3s in the middle of the second half allowed Oklahoma to hold off CMU, which had drawn to 49-47 on a three-point play by Bradford. When her third 3 caught nothing but net, it gave the Sooners a 58-49 lead.
Still, the Chippewas fought back to 73-68 with just over a minute left on a floater by Brandie Baker, who had 12 points, but they could get no closer.
"We kept coming back," Guevara said. "We had wide-open shots, but they just didn't go."
Amazingly, Central Michigan had 31 more shots from the field (84-53) but made only 31 percent to the Sooners' 47 percent.
Oklahoma put the game away on two foul shots apiece by Morgan Hook and Sharane Campbell and one by Ellenberg in the final 25 seconds.
Oklahoma, making its 16th trip to the NCAA and 14th in a row, has won its first-round games eight years in a row. The Sooners suffered a blow that might have crippled many teams when they lost their top player, senior guard Whitney Hand, to a knee injury on Dec. 6.
"Central Michigan gave us all we could handle and then some," Coale said. "Crystal Bradford was unbelievable all day long. But our kids took their best shot and weathered it. We just find a way to win. That's been the identity of this squad all season long and we did it again today."
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Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rustymillerap
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In Local Business provides business owners with professional internet marketing solutions--such as search engine optimization and website analysis--to help bring in more customers and generate more sales. 
Anytime there's a lull in our outrage over the public nature of social media, a new site shows up to again demonstrate its dangers. Like clockwork, the latest to play on users' fears is ![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v2ZiilwcVZOoOO-rXg1PA49XH1nS8vWpwYnpMgIRb50wFwIRTlPHZQlLlqZPgu74KdHHAcvxcAzW2GLF6_5oSQUxYODTmcrYaTEW1lkWI=s0-d){kind=small}
Public release date: 28-Mar-2013
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