Notre Dame vs. Alabama: Star power, power football

Notre Dame running back Theo Riddick, right, and wide receiver Luke Massa, left, celebrate after Notre Dame defeated Southern California 22-13 in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

Notre Dame running back Theo Riddick, right, and wide receiver Luke Massa, left, celebrate after Notre Dame defeated Southern California 22-13 in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

Alabama defensive lineman Quinton Dial (90) runs on the field with a Alabama flag after their 32-28 win in the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football?game against Georgia, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

NEW YORK (AP) ? On one side, a blossoming dynasty from the college football capital of the Deep South. On the other, the sport's most famous team, trying to reclaim its place among the elite.

Notre Dame and Alabama bring star power and power football to the BCS championship.

The matchup becomes official Sunday night when the full BCS lineup is announced on ESPN. There's still some mystery about whether Northern Illinois or Boise State could slip in as a BCS buster, but there's no drama about the main event: No. 1 Notre Dame against No. 2 Alabama in Miami on Jan. 7.

The Irish clinched their spot a week ago in Los Angeles by completing a perfect season against rival Southern California.

Alabama earned its spot Saturday, beating Georgia 32-28 in a thrilling Southeastern Conference title game.

The program that coach Paul Bryant turned into an SEC behemoth in the 1960s and 70s, winning six national championships during his tenure, is again dominating college football with a modern-day version of the Bear leading the way in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide are on the verge of one of the great runs in history. Alabama would become the first team to repeat as champions since the Bowl Championship Series was implemented in 1998, and the 11th team to win consecutive AP titles since the poll started in 1936.

The Tide also won the 2009 BCS championship. The last team to win three major national titles in four seasons was Nebraska, which went back-to-back in 1994 and '95 and finished No. 1 in the final coaches' poll in 1997.

In a spread-the-field, hurry-up offense world, the Tide is homage to traditional football.

The Tide put its no-frills muscle on display Saturday, mashing Georgia with 350 yards rushing, most impressively when Alabama trailed 21-10 in the second half and you might have expected the Tide to open up its passing game.

Eddie Lacy, listed at a conservative 220 pounds, went for 181 against the Bulldogs to up his season total to 1,182 with 17 touchdowns. T.J. Yeldon, at 216 pounds, provides more speed with his punch. The freshman has run for 1,000 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.

But this is no 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Both backs average over 6 yards per carry, behind an offensive line anchored by All-American center Barrett Jones. And quarterback AJ McCarron has thrown 26 touchdowns with only three interceptions.

The Tide has been more potent offensively this season than last to make up for a defense that has slipped, but only a bit. Alabama leads the nation in total defense (246 yards per game) and is second in points allowed (10.7 per game). Linebackers Adrian Hubbard, Nico Johnson, CJ Mosley and Trey Depriest average 242 pounds.

When Brian Kelly was hired at Notre Dame three years ago, he looked at Alabama and the SEC, which has won six straight BCS titles, and decided the Irish needed to play like that.

Kelly built his reputation and winning teams at previous stops on fast-paced spread offenses. In South Bend, Ind., he has put the fight back in the Irish, who have won eight AP national titles ? only Alabama has as many ? but none since 1988.

Notre Dame has allowed the fewest touchdowns in the country (10) and is sixth overall in total defense (286 yards per game). The face of the Irish isn't a strong-armed quarterback or speedy ball carrier. It's middle linebacker Manti Te'o, a 255-pound offense wrecker with a nose for the ball. The senior has seven interceptions and is a likely Heisman finalist.

Te'o, along with 300-pound linemen Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix, have formed a red-zone wall for the Irish. Late goal line stands highlighted victories against Stanford and USC.

While nurturing redshirt freshman Everett Golson, Kelly has leaned on Notre Dame's running game, which averages 202 yards. Alabama averages 224 on the ground.

If Notre Dame, making its first appearance in a BCS championship, is going to break the SEC's strangle hold on the crystal ball trophy, the Irish will try to beat 'Bama at its own game.

And Kelly will try to uphold a Notre Dame tradition, by winning a national title in his third season as coach. Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz all won it all in Year 3 playing in the shadows of the Golden Dome.

Notre Dame will try to become the first team since BYU in 1984 to start the season unranked a win a national title.

Expect plenty to be watching. With the popularity of both programs, the second-to-last BCS title games is expected to be the highest rated ever.

In two years, college football switches to a four-team playoff to determine its champion. No doubt fans of Florida (11-1), Oregon (11-1), Stanford (11-2) and Kansas State (11-1) wish they could push the start date up on that, but for the most part there isn't much griping about this championship matchup.

Notre Dame is the only undefeated team that is eligible ? thanks to Ohio State's NCAA sanctions ? and Alabama is the champion of the league that has produced the last half dozen national champs.

Roll Tide or return to glory? To be determined in south Florida.

___

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphdrussoap

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-12-02-T25-BCS%20Championship/id-bac8fa9a30cc4a59aba054cc20b4647b

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How to Refresh Your Small Business Brand in 2013 - SmallBizLady

I love this time of year. ?An ending giving way to a beginning. A new chance to be everything you wanted to be. A clean slate.?An opportunity to start over.

However, you approach the New Year personally, when you have a business, more often than not, you?ve got your mind on the bottom line. You?re wondering how you can make that line bigger next year. What will you be known for next year? How will you increase your influence, expand your reach and make more of an impact?

Reflect ?Some people spend too much time looking forward, forgetting to look back. I have been guilty of this. Sometimes I think so much about what?s around the next corner that I fail to adequately reflect on all of the amazing things that have happened. That whole concept of being in the present? I?m terrible at that. But I have found that I have to take or make the time to reflect on the past, because that helps me decide what things I want to keep doing, or, stop doing.The year?s end is the perfect time to devise an action plan to refresh your business brand for the coming year. Here are three ways to make that process easy.

So what happened to you this year? What were your major accomplishments? What were your mistakes? Did you launch a new product or service for your business? How did it go? Did you reach out to the media more, or try to land more speaking opportunities to get your name out there? Were you pleased with the results?

Reflect on everything ? the good and especially the bad. ?Remember those good things that made you feel like your business was truly achieving its mission? Do more of those. Do them in a bigger way. And the bad things ? the products that flopped, the concepts that didn?t take off? Either refine them or chalk them up as a loss and move on. Don?t beat yourself up for trying something new.

Aspire ?I?ve recently started reading Grant Cardone?s book The 10x Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure. He advises that business owners stretch themselves and expand their thinking for what is possible in business. Instead of setting smaller goals so that you will be to attain them, he says you should set unrealistic goals, you should be unreasonable and you should ultimately push yourself past points you thought were imaginable. Because there?s something pretty amazing about the human spirit, we often can do exponentially more than we give ourselves credit for.

So what is it that you?ve dared to dream of for your business? Are you ready to cross that 6 or 7 figure mark? Go for it! Why not set that as a goal for 2013. Because once you start thinking big, you?ll automatically have to start ACTING big to catch up with your thoughts. As entrepreneurial mind Dan Sullivan has said, once you master 10x thinking, you?ll begin seeing opportunities all around you ? opportunities that you never even noticed before because your thinking wasn?t big enough to compute how massive growth opportunities could factor into your success.

Create ?At the end of the day, if you want to refresh your business brand in 2013 and hit the market in a way that will make your customers take notice, you have to get to work. You have to go into your creative zone, your lab, your atelier or what have you ? and create something new. You may come up with a new way of doing something, a new way of communicating yourself, or a new way of packaging your products. Creating may mean devising a new event, creating a complementary industry organization, finally starting your blog, or hiring a new team member that can help you offer your clients more. But whatever it means to you, get ready to roll up your sleeves and work. Make your list of what you want to accomplish, but don?t forget to implement.

To recap, reflect on your past year, stretch yourself with massive goals, and roll up your sleeves to create something brand new. Your brand will receive the ultimate refresh and your customers ? whether they love or hate the changes you?ve made ? will be forced to take notice.

Amanda Miller Littlejohn is a former journalist turned business coach, blogger, idea oven and award-winning PR practitioner at ?Mopwater PR. She helps entrepreneurs brainstorm new business models and fresh approaches to personal branding through her signature Brand Brainstorm Sessions. Amanda blogs at?Mopwater PR + Media Notes?and tweets from?@amandamogul.

This article is from the SmallBizLady special blog series: 31 Ways to Boost Your Small Business in 2013. #Boost2013

About Melinda Emerson

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America's leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. Her latest ebook, How To Become a Social Media Ninja; 101 Ways to Dominate Your Competition Online was released in 2012.

Source: http://succeedasyourownboss.com/12/2012/how-to-refresh-your-small-business-brand-in-2013/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-refresh-your-small-business-brand-in-2013

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A Very Different Lame-Duck: Lessons From 2010

In Congress's last lame-duck session, things went swimmingly.

Washington saw an historically productive lame-duck session after the 2010 midterm elections. President Obama and Congress managed to extend the Bush tax cuts, keep the government funded, abolish the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy, extend unemployment-insurance benefits, renew the "doc fix" to set Medicare reimbursement rates, grant new FDA powers to recall tainted food, prevent an estate-tax hike, and ratify the New START nuclear-arms reduction treaty with Russia.

The 2012 lame-duck looks very different: Washington is focused on one thing.

With the Bush tax cuts set to expire and budget sequestration set to kick in on Dec. 31, Obama and congressional Republicans are negotiating for a big, singular deal to solve them both. The National Defense Authorization Act looms as another item on the to-do list, but the fiscal cliff is the main attraction.

Obama has launched a public campaign around it. House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor have been holding press conferences to talk about it.

"The fiscal cliff is what we're focused on," Cantor spokeswoman Megan Whittemore said. "That's what we need to get a resolution for."

The 2010 and 2012 lame-ducks offer a case study in opposite political moments, but there are lessons to be learned from last time.

Back then, Republicans had just thumped Democrats in the midterm elections, and President Obama vowed to learn a lesson from his party's loss. Subsequently, he gave in to GOP demands on the Bush tax cuts, extending them for two years and earning himself some centrist plaudits. This time around, no one is backing down so easily.

And this time around, the political moment isn't so clear. Both Obama and congressional Republicans won in 2012, and neither has shown signs of backing down.

Back then, Democrats controlled the House and had the luxury of pushing items on their actual agenda: the Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal and the DREAM Act immigration bill (which failed), putting even more major bills on the floor. This time, Congress will confront the fiscal cliff out of sheer necessity.

Things could be easier this time around. With so much on the agenda in 2010, time became a major problem, as the slow-footed Senate struggled to move each bill through. Due to procedural rules, it can take three days to pass a bill if the opposition gathers enough votes against it. Senators harbored resentments that unrelated amendments didn't receive enough time for debate. In 2012, distractions are limited.

They could also be harder, thanks to the fiscal cliff's singularity. In less ideological times, legislation moved with trade-offs. Supporting one bill could earn a lawmaker returned favors on another. A full slate of unrelated bills can, in theory, facilitate compromise. With only the fiscal cliff to worry about, such opportunities will be few and far between.

But the main political lesson from 2010 is that compromise can be politically advantageous. In early November 2010, Gallup showed Obama with 43 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval. But acceding on the tax cuts (and passing a slew of other bills) worked: After a productive lame-duck session, his approval rating crested at 50 percent, with 42 percent disapproving.

One could say this proves the GOP agenda on taxes is more popular, but President Obama's re-election seems to disprove that. More likely, it means America just wants fiscal compromise at the end of the year.

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/very-different-lame-duck-lessons-2010-130055187--abc-news-politics.html

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Handicap International urges U.S. to join the Mine Ban Treaty

U.S. delegation to attend Mine Ban Treaty's 12th annual Meeting of States Parties; 2012 Landmine Monitor Report underlines Treaty's importance

Takoma Park, Maryland (PRWEB) November 30, 2012

Handicap International welcomes the participation of the U.S. delegation at the 12th Meeting of States Parties to the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva, from December 3 to 7. In response to calls from civil society, the Obama administration began a review of U.S. landmine policy in December 2009, but has yet to announce its conclusions. Now that President Obama has been elected for a second term, Handicap International urges his administration to move swiftly towards accession to the treaty. News of the administration?s progress is expected during the upcoming conference.

The 2012 Landmine Monitor?an annual report that provides a global overview of developments in mine ban policy; mine contamination, clearance, and casualties; and support for victim assistance and mine action?was released on Nov. 29, and presents several disturbing findings. Handicap International is particularly concerned about a reported 30% drop in international funding for victim assistance last year. Despite the overall reduction in aid to victims, however, the U.S. has increased its mine action aid.

?I applaud the generosity of the U.S., which has supplied $534.5 million in aid since 2007, making it the biggest funder of mine action,? says Elizabeth MacNairn, Executive Director of Handicap International U.S. ?However, assistance must be coupled with an absolute ban on further use of the weapon. It is time for the U.S. to match its policy to its financial commitment by ratifying the Mine Ban Treaty and destroying the 10.4 million landmines currently held within the U.S. stockpile." The Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty bans the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel landmines.

The 2012 Landmine Monitor counted 4,286 new victims of landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2011. It estimates that around the world, there are more than 500,000 survivors of mine accidents who require lifelong assistance. However, the resources deployed by the State Parties to the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty are not equal to the very serious challenges faced.

?Funding for victim assistance is at its lowest ever level since the Landmine Monitor began keeping records,? says MacNairn. ?Last year the State donors gave only $30 million to support 500,000 survivors and their families and communities which is clearly not enough.?

Eighty-eight countries and territories are still affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war. One new victim of these weapons is recorded every two hours. Almost three-quarters of these victims are civilians, and more than 40% are children. In some countries, the proportion of child victims is much higher: in Kenya, Uganda, and Yemen, 90% of victims are children and the figure stands at about 60% in Libya, Afghanistan, and Laos (58%). Yet, because of the reduction in international aid, countries such as Afghanistan and Uganda have had to scale down or halt victim assistance projects.

"The needs [of child victims] are greater than those of adults,? says Rahmatullah Merzaveean, an Afghan Ban Advocate who lost both legs in a landmine explosion at the age of nine. ?Their prosthetic limbs need regular adjustment as they grow, treatment is lengthy and costly, and they run a particularly high risk of exclusion from the education system."

Handicap International and Ban Advocates, an association of survivors of landmine and cluster munition explosions, will attend the 12th Meeting of States Parties, to remind the governments present of their responsibilities and to call on them to fully respect the obligations set out in the Treaty. Ban Advocates will also confront the States Parties with the appalling consequences of landmines and explosive remnants of war.

Handicap International currently works in 63 countries, 40 of which are polluted by landmines and explosive remnants of war. The organization implements mine clearance, risk education, rehabilitation, and victim assistance projects. Its expertise in the field gives legitimacy to its international advocacy work to ban and eradicate these weapons.

About Handicap International

Co-winner of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, Handicap International is an independent international aid organization. It has been working in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster for 30 years. Working alongside persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, our actions and testimony are focused on responding to their essential needs, improving their living conditions, and promoting respect for their dignity and basic rights. Since its founding in 1982, Handicap International has set up development programs in more than 60 countries and intervenes in numerous emergency situations. The network of eight national associations (Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States) works constantly to mobilize resources, jointly manage projects and to increase the impact of the organization?s principles and actions. Handicap International is one of six founding organizations of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and winner of the 2011 Hilton Humanitarian Prize. Handicap International takes action and campaigns in places where ?standing tall? is no easy task.

About Ban Advocates

Ban Advocates are survivors of landmine or cluster munition accidents who lobby governments in favor of banning these weapons and ensuring that the rights of victims are fully respected. Today the group is comprised of 30 victims from eight polluted countries (Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kosovo, Laos, Lebanon, Serbia and Vietnam). This project was launched by Handicap International in Serbia in September 2007. Handicap International has supported their initiatives every year since.

Mica Bevington
Handicap International
(240) 450-3531
Email Information

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/handicap-international-urges-u-join-mine-ban-treaty-170636633.html

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Monty Python stars in court over "Spamalot" profits

LONDON (Reuters) - Three members of the Monty Python British comedy troupe were in court in London on Friday for the opening of a lawsuit over the profits from a spin-off of one of their greatest hits, the 1975 movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail".

Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Jones arrived together and sat at the back of a small, modern courtroom to listen to opening arguments in the case. All three are expected to give evidence next week.

The Pythons are at odds with Mark Forstater, the producer of the "Holy Grail", who says he has not received his fair share of profits from "Spamalot", a spin-off musical.

Inspired by the original film, the musical opened on Broadway in 2005 and has enjoyed a successful run in Britain too. Idle wrote the lyrics and collaborated on most of the music.

Forstater, an American based in Britain, says that under a 1974 agreement between him and the Pythons, he is entitled to one-seventh of profits derived from "Holy Grail" and any merchandise or spin-offs (MSO).

His lawyer, Tom Weisselberg, told the court that for the purposes of profit-sharing, it had been agreed in 1974 that Forstater was "the seventh Python".

"Spamalot is a spin-off from the film and has been a huge international commercial success," Weisselberg said in his opening argument.

He said that Forstater had been receiving his seventh of the profits from "Holy Grail" until 2005, when the Pythons had unilaterally reduced his share to one-fourteenth.

In court, Forstater sat with his lawyer, with the Pythons behind him. They did not talk. The Pythons listened with serious faces and exchanged occasional whispers.

Forstater told Reuters outside the courtroom he had tried to resolve the dispute with the five surviving Pythons: Idle, Palin, Jones, John Cleese and Terry Gilliam, but that talks had failed.

He said the amount he believed he was owed in relation to Spamalot was 250,000 pounds.

The three Pythons present in court declined to comment on the case. Palin told Reuters he was there to observe and would "do my bit in court when the time comes".

The trial is scheduled to last four to five days.

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon, editing by Paul Casciato)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/monty-python-stars-court-over-spamalot-profits-172119902.html

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kijatikaam: Hitman: Absolution Self-improvement Achievement | My ...

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UK business turning to ecommerce as spending soars | ChannelBiz ...

E-commerce is becoming an increasingly important way for businesses to make purchases, as companies become more reliant on high speed broadband.

A survey by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has shown the growing value to businesses of the procurement of goods via the internet, known as e-commerce. ??The results showed that in 2011 e-commerce sales reached ?483 billion in total, accounting for 19 percent of total turnover.

Sales for wholesalers such as distributors saw the highest level of e-commerce sales at ?181 billion for 2011, while retail and other sectors also saw increases.

The survey has shown that all businesses regardless of size are increasingly looking to make purchases online, which could impact on the way that channel firms sell to SMBs for example.

However e-commerce spending is still dominated by the bigger businesses to a large extent. ?Those employing over 1,000 staff ? of which there are relatively few in the UK ? account for 46 percent of all sales via the internet.

The survey also showed that 5.8 percent of businesses had broadband with a connection faster than 100Mbps, while 34 percent of larger businesses have access to these high speeds.

In addition the reports highlighted that over half of the 7,700 businesses surveyed are now providing one or more members of staff with a portable devices such as a tablet or smartphone.

Mobile broadband usage has also increased, with 3G connections purchased by business rising from 36 percent in 2009 to 57 percent in 2011. ?Over half of businesses with under 50 employees now use 3G, while 97 percent of businesses with over 1,000 staff have 3G in place.

Source: http://www.channelbiz.co.uk/2012/11/30/uk-business-turning-to-ecommerce-as-spending-soars/

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