Madonna set to tackle the Super Bowl

Madonna will headline the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show, the National Football League said, in a performance co-created by the Cirque Du Soleil.

The Grammy-winning pop star, who in the past has garnered attention and stoked controversy with provocative performances, joins a roster of A-list stars who have appeared at the high-profile Super Bowl.

The annual ritual, which will take place on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, has come to be defined as much by its halftime shows and the innovative television commercials that run during the program, as by the football game itself.

More than 162 million TV viewers watched last year's halftime show, making it the most watched musical event of the year, according to the NFL which announced Madonna's appearance on Sunday.

For the Indianapolis show, Madonna, 53, has partnered with a creative team from Cirque du Soleil, the innovative Canadian circus troupe, as well as choreographer Jamie King who has worked with Prince and Michael Jackson, and multimedia artists from Moment Factory, the NFL said.

Past Super Bowl performers have included Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Prince, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and U2.

In an especially notorious appearance, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's 2004 "wardrobe malfunction," in which Jackson's nipple was fleetingly exposed, causing an outcry, and a subsequent FCC fine against CBS Corp. television stations which an appeals court recently threw out.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45550508/ns/today-entertainment/

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Is Child Sexual Abuse on the Rise? (LiveScience.com)

With the stream of accusations of child sexual abuse not losing any gusto lately, from the ever-growing charges against former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky to allegations of such behaviors by assistant basketball coach Bernie Fine, it'd be easy to assume a real upsurge in such abuse.

But that may not be the case.?

First, Sandusky was accused of sexually molesting at least eight boys over the past 15 years; he has pleaded not guilty to the more than 40 charges against him.

Then last week Fine of Syracuse University was fired amid accusations of sexual abuse. So far three men, including two former Syracuse ball-boys, have come forward stating that Fine molested them as minors.

Neither Sandusky nor Fine has been found guilty of any crime, but these are only the latest in what seems to be a year filled with news reports about sexual harassment and sexual abuse. Earlier this year an ABC News investigation revealed that USA Swimming (the governing body for the sport up to and including the U.S. Olympic team) has banned for life nearly 40 swimming coaches over the last decade because of sexual misconduct. [Child Abuse: Why People Look the Other Way]

So what's going on?

According to the nation's top experts, children are actually safer from physical and sexual abuse than they have been for decades. A National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect issued by the Department of Health and Human Services found that both physical and sexual abuse of children have dropped significantly over the past 20 years: From 2005 to 2006, an estimated 553,000 children suffered physical, sexual or emotional abuse, down 26 percent from the estimated 743,200 abuse victims in 1993. And between 1993 and 2005, the number of sexually abused children dropped 38 percent, while number of children who experienced physical abuse fell by 15 percent and those who were emotionally abused declined by 27 percent.

In fact, incidence of sexual abuse of children began to drop two decades ago, according to Dr. David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.

In his book "Childhood Victimization: Violence, Crime and Abuse in the Lives of Young People" (Oxford 2008), Dr. Finkelhor notes, "The child victimization declines of the 1990s were something new, and not simply the extension of trend lines from the past. For example, available data on child abuse show strong increases in all forms of maltreatment from the mid-1970s into the 1990s. After a short plateau, the sexual abuse decline seemed to start in 1992, and the physical abuse decline gained momentum after 1996. Many analysts did not interpret the earlier rise as necessarily indicative of a real increase in child maltreatment but rather as the result of a new public and professional mobilization to identify and report cases. But some data suggested real increases in the 1980s."

Overall, Dr. Finkelhor told LiveScience.com, "There is very little evidence that child sexual abuse is on the rise in the U.S., and considerable evidence that it is declining, including data from law enforcement, child protection and surveys of victims themselves." He added that though the prevalence of child sexual abuse worldwide is hard to assess, "there are some indicators of decline in other countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom."

Many of the recent accusations of sexual abuse date back many years; just because the public is hearing more about it now doesn't mean that it's on the increase. Thus while the barrage of news reports about sexual abuse of children may make parents fearful, the reality is that kids today are safer than ever.

Causes of the drop in child sexual abuse are complex and not completely understood. Some experts point out that the overall crime rate dropped significantly during the same time, and that child abuse rates fell along with murder and assault rates. Other analyses credit the economic prosperity of the 1980s and 1990s as improving overall social conditions, while still others note that tougher penalties for sex crimes led to higher numbers of offenders being jailed. It's also likely that greater social awareness of child abuse through television news (and even Hollywood films such as "Mystic River") resulted in parents taking more precautions for their children's safety. Like most social problems, there's no simple answer.

Benjamin Radford is deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine and author of Media Mythmakers: How Journalists, Activists, and Advertisers Mislead Us. His Web site is www.BenjaminRadford.com.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20111202/sc_livescience/ischildsexualabuseontherise

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Bugbatter replied to Microsoft Security Essentials - how good is it? in Virus & Spyware Discussions Forum .

Welcome to the Virus & Spyware Discussion Forum. Please join the discussions around spyware, malware, and virus protection software.

As of August 26, 2011 the Dell Community Forum will no longer be providing one on one malware removal services.

If you are experiencing a spyware, virus, or malware issue and need help resolving it, there are a number of options available to you.

Dell provides some self-support content here:
Security 101: How to Protect Yourself Online: http://dell.to/rrLUSn
Dell Security Center: http://dell.to/ozpq5Z

And also offers fee-based support at:
Dell Solution Station: http://dell.to/q0YZSt

Dell does not recommend or endorse specific vendors for removal of malware, but there are some vendors we believe are worthy of mentioning as options:

Source: http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/virus-spyware/default.aspx?ActivityMessageId=80affcf6-cafe-454e-b911-5ce69900bd3a

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[OOC] Inferior Hearts

Forum rules
This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.

Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Inferior Hearts?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Inferior Hearts"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

Horseygirl

Member for 2 years

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This sounds so cool! I think i might be interested! I'm writing up a female Spark now (and hopefully i'll have time to finish it!)

Last edited by BelleOceane on Sat Dec 03, 2011 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

BelleOceane

Member for 0 years

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Thank you! Can can reserve now and send in your writing example later if you want. ;D

Horseygirl

Member for 2 years

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Can I reserve female spark two or am I too late.

bananaramma

Member for 0 years

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yay! :D
By the way, what (specifically) do you mean by a writing example?

BelleOceane

Member for 0 years

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I want to reserve a vampire... do we send you the writing sample here or through PM?

jadedragon66

Member for 0 years

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May I reserve a Spark? Idc if male or female, but they sound like more fun to play.

We are all like fireworks. We climb, shine, and always go our separate ways and become further apart. But even if that time comes, let's not disappear like a firework, and continue to shine forever.
Capt. Hitsugaya Toushiro

Auricambrflaym

Member for 0 years

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And what do you want as a writing sample? backstory, something off the top of our heads, something from another rp that we do? kinda confused there.....

Auricambrflaym

Member for 0 years

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By a writing example, it can be a post that you've made before. I just want to get a feel of how long your posts are. ;)

Jadedragon: Either one, but I prefer pm.

Horseygirl

Member for 2 years

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neh, horsey.. can I just send you a post from the previous rps that I was in? :x
(and what happened to the one Animegirl made? I wasnt on for 2 days because I was busy and when I came back on, it seemed like nobody posted for like 4 days... I'm guessing it's dead :/ ? )

jadedragon66

Member for 0 years

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Sure. (And yeah, it died. I pmed people asking them to post, too, but they didn't. T.T)

Horseygirl

Member for 2 years

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Ok thanks! Oh....My posts vary in length depending on what's going on....... you want me to send one of my average length?

Auricambrflaym

Member for 0 years

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ahhh well that sucks. xP

hmm.. I need to start thinking of my character's personality ... suggestion~?

jadedragon66

Member for 0 years

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Well the vampires have grown up in a rich town, so he could be a little conceided.

Horseygirl

Member for 2 years

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not sure if i can play a conceded character too well..
question~~ can vampires eat/drink other than blood? like 'human' food?

jadedragon66

Member for 0 years

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Horseygirl did I get spark girl 2 reserved or did you miss that???

bananaramma

Member for 0 years

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Oh, i'm sorry. She's taken already. =(

Jadedragon: yeah. Normally they only have blood once a day, and after that eat like regular humans. It's just not as. . . yummy as blood.

Horseygirl

Member for 2 years

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I just sent my sample! hope it's alright and doesn't have too many spelling mistakes (Like i said, i'm overtired and probably shouldn't be trusted around computers)!

BelleOceane

Member for 0 years

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oh okay~ thank you for clearing that up :3

jadedragon66

Member for 0 years

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Return to Out of Character

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CSN: Valentine brings bright lights to Fenway

?

BOSTON -- About an hour after he had been formally introduced as the new manager of the Red Sox, Bobby Valentine was surrounded by reporters on the State Street Pavillion at Fenway Park, taking questions and parrying answers.
?? ?
One reporter noted that this job represents the first time that Valentine had become manager of a quality team. Valentine, as he often does, did the reporter one better, noting that it's also the first time that he's not taken over in the middle of the season.
?? ?
"This is going to be different," said Valentine.
?? ?
Is it ever.
?? ?
Valentine is the 45th manager in the Red Sox history, but the first rock star manager the franchise has ever had.

The press conference featured reporters from five different New York-area newspapers -- and not just because Valentine's last job in Major League Baseball was as manager of the Mets.
???
Valentine's introduction was carried live not only by CSNNE and NESN but several of the network affiliates in town.
?? ?
There were so many cameras and microphones and notebooks in the room that it was difficult to maneuver. Many would have been there if Gene Lamont had been the one being introduced Thursday afternoon, but Valentine's presence made it An Event.
?? ?
He salivated over the prospect of taking part in the Red Sox-Yankee rivalry. He teared up and let out a sigh as he tried on the uniform for the first time. He smiled, joked and thanked all the right people.
?? ?
He was "humbled, honored and pretty damn excited," he said.
?? ?
Never, it seems safe to say, have the Red Sox had a manager like this, who arrives with a built-in star quality.
?? ?
They've done scrappy first-timers (Dick Williams). They've done loyal organizational men (Eddie Kasko) and they've done grizzled retreads (Ralph Houk, John McNamara). They've done local natives (Joe Morgan) and good ol' sons of the South (Butch Hobson).
?? ?
They've done old-school lifers (Jimy Williams) and cornpone (Grady Little). They hired someone who had four losing seasons and watched him win two World Series (Terry Francona).
?? ?
But they've never done this before -- an honest-to-goodness, larger-than-life, scenery-chewing, ready-for-my-closeup manager.
?? ?
It's not just his TV experience that prepared him for this, the role of a lifetime. Though Valentine was a natural on TV, it was a mere professional layover for him, something to keep him occupied and around the game while waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.
?? ?
Enter the Red Sox.
?? ?
For all his polish and savvy and comfort in front of the camera, Valentine is actually a throwback to a time when baseball managers had personalities. He would have fit right in in the 1970s with Billy Martin, Earl Weaver and, of course, his baseball godfather, Tommy Lasorda.
?? ?
Lately, it's as if the personalities have been scrubbed clean from the game. Too many managers speak Cliche as a second language and measure every response about their starting rotation as though it was a matter of national security.
?? ?
Valentine doesn't do dull or predictable. He has boundless energy, an unquenchable appetite for baseball and a genuine love of the game. He even married into baseball bloodlines (his wife is the daughter of Ralph Branca).
?? ?
His postgame press conferences will become appointment viewing and there may be nights that Pam Ganley, the team's media relations director, will have to yank Valentine off the podium with a cane, Vaudeville-style -- not because he's bombing but because he can't/won't stop talking.
?? ?
Sports is big business, a battle for the entertainment dollar with plenty of competition elsewhere. Don't think for a minute that the Red Sox didn't take that into consideration when they settled on Valentine. They not only have a skipper of the local nine, as Morgan quaintly put it two decades ago, they have a honest-too-goodness personality.
?? ?
Ultimately, of course, Valentine wasn't brought in to entertain or make the post-game show compelling. He was brought in to win. If he doesn't, or fails to get the reins on the clubhouse, it could get ugly.
?? ?
Like every other Red Sox manager in the last 30 years, the expectations will be huge and the honeymoon brief.
?? ?
But it will be an interesting ride along the way. Bobby Valentine may be a lot of things, but "dull" isn't one of them.

Source: http://www.csnne.com/baseball-boston-redsox/news/McAdam-Valentine-brings-bright-lights-wi?blockID=604164&feedID=3352

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DeMarco: Expect Cubs to make big splash

With trimmed-down payroll and weak lineup, Theo and Co. want big bat

Matt Slocum / AP

Prince Fielder has up to five seasons of major production ahead and should be a big target for the Cubs, NBCSports.com contributor Tony DeMarco writes.

OPINION

updated 4:52 p.m. ET Dec. 1, 2011

Tony DeMarco

The winter meetings begin Sunday in Dallas, and although the general manager and manager shuffling is complete, so much needs to happen player-wise, led by the destinations of free-agents Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and C.J. Wilson.

So who's going where? Here are a handful of teams primed for action on which to focus:

Chicago Cubs
Add it up: Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are the new guys in charge, they've already changed managers, and $40 million has come off the payroll from Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome and Carlos Pena. Think things are about to change on the north side? You bet.

Although the new front office will put major emphasis on procuring and developing young talent, and are certain to bring their brand of statistical analysis/roster building with them from Boston, the trimmed-down payroll and lineup needs dictate the signing of an impact free-agent bat.

After all, Ramirez and Pena tied for the club home-run lead, and Ramirez led in RBIs. And you know that Epstein and Co. also will try to unload Alfonso Soriano, the antithesis of their type of player.

So somebody will have to pick that power slack, and that's why the reported interest in Fielder fits. Body-type notwithstanding, there should be little argument that at 27, Fielder has up to five seasons of major production ahead. And you'll just have to live with an expected decline in defense in that period.

Plus, the Fielder market might not be as crowded as originally thought, as only other non-contenders such as the Nationals seem to be involved at this point. Meanwhile, Pujols is at least four years older, and is more valuable to the Cardinals than to anyone else, and offers are likely to reflect that.

The other option is signing neither, and instead taking a course of a slower rebuilding and implementation of a new way of doing things. Not the worst way to go, although maybe not a sellable idea to the Wrigley faithful.

The next major need lies in the rotation, where only Ryan Dempster can be counted on, while Carlos Zambrano can't, but will return anyway. This makes speculation about trading arbitration-eligible Matt Garza (the staff's top pitcher) a bit out of whack.

Look for more subtle moves like the signing of free agent David DeJesus, who probably will play right field. One possibility: A change of scene is a must for Colorado third baseman Ian Stewart.

Tigers
After getting to the ALCS, there's even more urgency to take the next step. And when you consider that both the Yankees and Red Sox find themselves in ? by their standards ? slightly vulnerable positions, there might be no more opportune time for the Tigers than in 2012.

There also is $23 million to spare with Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen coming off the books. Third base must be addressed, and there are several options. Signing Reyes and moving Jhonny Peralta to third sounds sexy, but taking the longer-term risk on the mercurial Reyes doesn't seem like a Dave Dombrowski move.

Signing Aramis Ramirez for two years does, and the Tigers could use another power bat. That also could lead them to making the biggest offer to Cuban-defector outfielder Yoennis Cespedes ? especially if they can put Delmon Young in a deal for either a third baseman or even a top-of-the-order type such as Coco Crisp. Maicer Izturis at third/top of the order is another way to go that fits manager Jim Leyland's style, as Austin Jackson has to move to the bottom third of the order for good.

One more quality starting pitcher ? Buehrle, Wilson ? would put them a very enviable position rotation-wise. But adding another quality reliever would be the more cost-efficient way to go.

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'It's more than a special day'

Bobby Valentine took over as manager of the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, promising to be hard-working, open-minded and even humble.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45514517/ns/sports-baseball/

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Manning's doctor says fusion has healed firmly

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Peyton Manning's injured neck is healthy enough for more work.

He's just not ready to start taking hits.

One day after Manning's latest monthly checkup, Dr. Robert Watkins gave the winless Indianapolis Colts and their franchise quarterback some good news in this miserable season: The four-time league MVP is healing.

"I am encouraged with what Doc had to say," Manning said. "I am happy that I can increase my rehabilitation program as outlined by him ... and the Colts' medical staff. I am hopeful for continued progress in this next phase of my rehab."

Watkins believes Manning's recovery will continue.

The 35-year-old quarterback hasn't practiced since having a spinal fusion Sept. 8. The surgery was intended to repair a damaged nerve in his neck that caused weakness in his throwing arm. It was Manning's third neck surgery in 19 months and the most risky and complicated of the three.

It sounded as though things were going well when Manning provided reporters with his first medical update, after a checkup in early October. He was thrilled when doctors cleared him to move from the press box to the field and he started taking brisk walks around the practice field.

A month later, in early November after another checkup, Manning said doctors were still waiting for the fusion to become firmly healed before letting him do more strenuous workouts. The comments prompted speculation that Manning may not recover fully from the operation.

On Sunday, television commentators on the Colts-Panthers broadcast even discussed the possibility of Manning retiring after the season, a contention team vice chairman Bill Polian shot down on his weekly radio show Monday night.

In a statement issued by the team Thursday night, Watkins said Manning's neck has finally healed ? right in the two- to four-month timeline predicted by neck and back specialists who did not treat Manning.

Indy's franchise player is expected to speak with reporters later this week.

"X-ray and CT examination of the surgical area shows that the fusion performed in September has achieved firm fixation," Watkins said. "Peyton will now be allowed to increase the intensity and breadth of his workouts as tolerated. There remains every indication that his recovery will continue.

"There still is no timetable for Peyton's return to practice, which is one of many steps in his expected return to game action. He is working hard on a rehabilitation program. ... His response to this plan in the future will dictate his return date."

Manning had less invasive neck surgery in May, but when the nerve did not regenerate as quickly or as well as anticipated, he had the fusion.

Indy (0-11) has kept Manning on the active roster all season in hopes he could start throwing later this month, though it remains unclear whether that will happen.

With Manning, the Colts were a perennial Super Bowl contender.

After being drafted No. 1 overall in 1998, Manning didn't miss a start in his first 13 seasons, starting 227 consecutive games including the playoffs. He holds every major passing record in franchise history, has 399 career TD passes and trails only Brett Favre and Dan Marino on the career passing list.

Without Manning, the Colts have fallen apart.

Streaks of nine straight playoff appearances and nine straight 10-win seasons have already ended, and the Colts are 0-11 for the first time since 1986.

And they have not found an answer at quarterback.

Kerry Collins started the first three games after signing a $4 million contract, then was lost for the season with a concussion. Curtis Painter started the next seven games but after he threw eight interceptions and one touchdown pass in the last five games, coach Jim Caldwell decided to bench Painter and start Dan Orlovsky.

The questions will continue into the offseason, too.

Indy is the heavy favorite to get the No. 1 pick in April's draft, and many expect the team to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

First, though, Indy must decide what to do with Manning, who is owed a $28 million bonus before free agency opens. If the Colts opt out of the deal, Manning would become a free agent.

Polian said Monday the Colts could keep Manning and draft Luck and still remain competitive under the salary cap, and team owner Jim Irsay has said he believes the two sides could work out a new contract that would make it less costly to keep Manning.

But first, the Colts need to know whether Manning can come back ? something that seems more plausible after Watkins' exam.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2011-12-01-Colts-Manning/id-b3065f1d10314b3ea0ab784f11a6779c

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