James leads Heat over Bucks and into next round

Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) dunks against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of Game 4 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April. 28, 2013, in Milwaukee. Giving chase are Bucks' Brandon Jennings (3), Ersan Ilyasova (7), of Turkey, and Heat's Shane Battier. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) dunks against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of Game 4 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April. 28, 2013, in Milwaukee. Giving chase are Bucks' Brandon Jennings (3), Ersan Ilyasova (7), of Turkey, and Heat's Shane Battier. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) drives against Milwaukee Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova, left, and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute during the first half of Game 4 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April. 28, 2013, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Milwaukee Bucks' John Henson fouls Miami Heat's Norris Cole, left, during the second quarter of Game 4 in their first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Al Diaz) MAGS OUT.

Miami Heat's LeBron James (6) drives against Milwaukee Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova during the first half of Game 4 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April. 28, 2013, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Miami Heat's LeBron James dunks against the Milwaukee Bucks during the first half of Game 4 in a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April. 28, 2013, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

MILWAUKEE (AP) ? After getting treatment "around the clock" for two days, Dwyane Wade tested his aching right knee in warm-ups before Game 4.

It still hurt.

"I could have pushed through it," he said. "But my teammates told me if it's hurtin', they got it."

The Miami Heat reminded everyone Sunday why they're heavy favorites to win a second straight NBA title. Despite Wade being reduced to a spectator, the Heat completed their sweep of the Milwaukee Bucks and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Heat never trailed in their 88-77 victory, finishing the first-round series with a fourth straight double-digit win.

LeBron James did most of the work with 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Ray Allen added 16 points, the third game in the series he reached double figures, and also had seven rebounds. Mario Chalmers had eight rebounds and six assists.

"We're a good basketball team. That's nothing that's a secret," Wade said. "We're not a one-man show, a two-man, a three-man (show). We're a basketball team."

The Heat won't play again until Saturday, at the earliest, facing the winner of the Brooklyn-Chicago series. While the extended time off provides a much-needed break for Wade, who is still recovering from the three bone bruises that forced him to miss six games near the end of the regular season, this is no vacation for the Heat. They won't be spending the week lounging in South Beach or jetting off to some exotic location.

They'll be working, trying to get even better.

"That won't be a problem," James said. "We've got an opportunity to rest because we took care of business, but our business is not done. The only thing we guaranteed ourselves is the next round. That's it."

Miami knew it would get a spirited effort Sunday from the Bucks, who were hoping to extend their first playoff appearance in three years even if it was only for a few more days.

After the Heat raced out to an 11-point lead in the first half, the Bucks steadily chipped away and were within a basket or two for most of the third quarter. When Mike Dunleavy drained a 3 and Monta Ellis scored on a floater with 9:34 left in the game, Miami's lead was down to 69-67.

"We knew they were going to come out and play as hard as they could and with as much desperation as they could to try and continue series," James said.

But James was even more determined.

When Ellis missed a free throw, failing to convert the three-point play, James grabbed the rebound and directed a 19-5 run in which he had a hand in every single score. First he fed Allen, who knocked down ? what else? ? a 3. After J.J. Redick missed a long jumper, James found an open Chalmers for another 3 that gave the Heat a 75-67 lead with 8:27 left.

The 3 was Chalmers' 80th in the postseason, tying Tim Hardaway's franchise record.

After Luc Richard Mbah a Moute made the second of two free throws, James scored on a layup. Redick made a jumper, but Shane Battier and Allen closed out the Bucks with a pair of 3s, with James credited with the assist on each.

He then converted a three-point play and added a layup to finish up the run.

"At some point during that stretch right there, (James) decided he was going to put his imprint on the game and he did. In a big way," Bucks coach Jim Boylan said. "When you're a superstar player like he is, that's what superstar players do."

Superstar teams, too.

Though Milwaukee had chances to win Games 2 and 4 late, and led Game 3 by 10 in the first half, there was never a sense Miami would lose any of them. Any time the Bucks showed the slightest bit of momentum, the Heat were quick to snuff it out.

"They'd either make a big play or it was a turnover on our part," Boylan said. "When you're playing against a quality team like Miami, you make some mistakes, they usually capitalize on them. And they did that."

The Bucks had seven turnovers before the first quarter ended Sunday, and shot just 37 percent for the game. Ellis led the Bucks with 21 points, and Larry Sanders had 11 rebounds to go with seven points.

But Milwaukee got almost nothing again from Brandon Jennings, who was benched for the entire fourth quarter. Jennings, who had guaranteed the Bucks would win the series in six games, finished with three points on 1-of-7 shooting.

After scoring 26 points in Game 1, Jennings had 27 total in the final three.

"We've been playing close, playing hard," Ellis said. "They're just a better team."

And that is what makes them so dangerous at this time of year.

Despite their star-studded roster, the Heat have little use for individual accolades or accomplishments right now. They have one goal in mind, and one goal only, and it will take the entire team to achieve it.

"I'm glad to get this," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It's the first step in our journey. Hopefully, a long journey."

NOTES: This is the first time the Heat have swept a playoff series since James and Chris Bosh came to Miami three years ago. ... The Heat have won eight straight postseason games dating to last season. That matches the franchise record. ... NBA Commissioner David Stern was in attendance. ... James scored 30 or more for the 54th time in the postseason, second only to Kobe Bryant among active players. ... The Bucks are 20-26 in elimination games. ... Packers LB Clay Matthews was at the game.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-29-BKN-Heat-Bucks-Folo/id-81d0a9f5c96c47aebd35d30601dcd6af

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Living with Glass, Day Four: Canyon Carving

More Info

• Living with Google Glass, Day One: The Reveal
• Living with Google Glass, Day Two: Around the House
• Living with Google Glass, Day Three: Security Checkpoint

Finally, the flash of newness is wearing off. It's taken a few days, but the initial novelty of Glass, enjoying wearing it simply because I could wear it, is running thin. The haze of new gadget excitement is clearing and we can truly get down to brass tacks -- but that doesn't mean I'm not having fun. In fact I've had the opportunity to take Glass with me to do something very fun indeed: ride a Ducati 848 Streetfighter on some of the most amazing roads in the world.

Even as I did this, a jaunt more focused on gathering some exciting footage than truly evaluating the device, I learned some things -- including the fact that a Google Glass headset doesn't really fit underneath a full-face helmet. Not comfortably, anyway.

Gallery: Google Glass motorcycle ride

Filed under: Wearables

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/28/living-with-glass-day-four/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Oklahoma cracking down on food stamp recipients

By Steve Olafson

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - Oklahomans would face stricter requirements for receiving food stamps under a measure approved by lawmakers this week and now awaiting Governor Mary Fallin's signature.

The bill, approved by large margins in both chambers of the Republican-controlled legislature and finalized on Wednesday, requires most able-bodied adults from age 18 to 50 who aren't raising children to either hold a job or be involved in job training, volunteer work or a literacy program if they want to receive food stamps.

Fallin, a Republican, has not yet reviewed the final version of the measure, but is expected to act on the bill by the end of the month, spokesman Alex Weintz said on Thursday. He did not indicate whether she would sign or veto the measure.

"We want to encourage a culture of responsibility here in Oklahoma," said Joe Griffin, spokesman for Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon. "We want people to break the cycle of poverty and move on to prosperity."

The work requirement for food stamps is part of a federal mandate dating to 1996. But after the 2008 recession led to a sharp rise in unemployment, Congress approved economic recovery legislation that allowed states to seek waivers from the work mandate.

Oklahoma sought and received the food stamp work exemption in 2009. However, the Oklahoma bill revives the requirements for state residents and also prevents the state from seeking future waivers, Griffin said.

(Reporting by Steve Olafson in Oklahoma City; Writing by Carey Gillam; Editing by David Bailey and Andrea Ricci)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/oklahoma-cracking-down-food-stamp-recipients-171108472.html

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In This Times Runefest Yearly Conference - ArticleSnatch.com

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but because it is a 3D web RS Gold activities, they still blossomed as a location.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/-In-This-Times-Runefest-Yearly-Conference/4570987

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Health and Fitness Audio Book - iLounge Forums

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iPod, iPhone, iPad, iTunes, Apple TV, and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc.
iLounge is ? 2001 - 2013 iLounge, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

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Social Media Marketing Tricks To Boost Your Business - Maynas Eric

Every company has to find a way to garner an online presence. You can do this through online marketing methods like search engine optimization and also by marketing articles that you write. Social media marketing is a new and favorite way to start a company. With the social media tips here and a little business savvy, you can boost your company to new heights.

A lot of businesses go into social media after they?re already established and ultimately lose customers. To avoid this, make sure you alert your customers about your new social presence. If they follow you on the social media that they use, all their contacts will be able to see that. Don?t underestimate the power of this type of free advertising. Make good use of it!

Social Media

TIP! When designing your social media marketing strategy, you should put a great deal of thought into your company?s objectives and priorities. If you take the time and the money to figure out the latest in social trends, but go to whatever is new next, eventually this causes dead ends.

Be sure to link all of your social media sites to one another for the best results. Put up links on your site or blog to your Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter accounts. Be sure your Twitter profile contains a URL for your Facebook profile and your blog. If you link each type of social media you use, your customer audience will grow exponentially.

Put a Facebook ?like? button on the homepage of your blog, in the top right corner. Readers can easily ?like? it and it will show up on their page. Visitors won?t need to navigate away from your blog to give you a ?like?. Making it this easy makes it more likely that people will do so and it gives you more exposure.

It is important to decide how involved you want to be with your customers. Keep your advertising ploys simple by using social channels. Send a message that arouses your customer?s curiosity and encourages them to respond. Follow your customers? lead after this.

TIP! In order to assist your site in becoming social media interactive, add comments and ratings. In addition, you should have the ability to be able to sort out items.

Keep social network sites fresh and novel for your readers. Most social network users expect updates as often as possible, and if you do not provide them with it, you could give yourself a bad name and lose many customers. Work on updating your followers a couple of times each week.

It is critical to interact with the people who post questions and comments on your social media feeds. Comments can get lost in the shuffle, so make a habit of specifically looking for new comments every time you check your feed.

Generate Interest

TIP! While you may not know what you are doing at first within social media marketing, fake confidence until you get the hang of it. For inspiration, you should analyze your competitors? social media strategy until you are able to establish your own distinctive formula.

Avoid making every one of your posts a product push if you want to attract new followers. Include testimonials, relevant articles and links to content your followers will find useful. Perform activities that will generate interest with the audience, such as a few questions or a contest that spans over several weeks. Interact with those whom you follow. Rather than looking for areas to place your products cleverly, you should think of how to generate interest in your products through content. Try to find ways to have customers think about how your business and products adds to their way of life, rather than how you will affect them financially.

Allow consumers to easily subscribe to your social media pages. The majority of Internet users make good use of social media sites daily. It only makes sense to set up your website so that Twitter, LinkedIn and FaceBook users can connect with you easily and see all your comments.

A strong social media network will take a lot of time, effort and determination. Unless you are Justin Beiber, don?t expect thousands of followers to just magically appear when you put up your profile. Since it takes time to build a profile, you should create a reasonable timeframe for success. Practice patience until your page is successful.

TIP! Harness the power of social media to make user-friendly storefronts that appeal to a wider customer base. As an additional presence to your unique online presence, you can easily make a Facebook storefront that can be accessed with ease from your posts.

Social Media Marketing

Don?t fear asking for assistance with social media marketing. Although professionals are available to help you with your social media marketing campaign, they can be quite expensive. They can be expensive though, so you may have to spend a considerable amount of money if you choose this path.

Like many other marketing strategies, the positive effects of social media marketing tend to snowball. Social media presents great opportunities for many companies worldwide, and yours is no exception. Hard work and tips from those with experience is all you need.

TIP! Stay active! If you would like to see positive results, social media requires you to be social! If you don?t provide any activities or interact with people, your social media marketing strategy probably will not work. By contrast, if you are constantly adding something new to the mix, you will generate buzz that keeps your followers coming back for more.

Join me on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/maynaseric

Source: http://www.maynaseric.com/social-media-marketing-tricks-to-boost-your-business-8

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Stocks little changed as investors weigh earnings

Specialist Michael Pistillo, right, works with traders at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday, April 16, 2013. Stocks are sharply higher in early trading, a day after the market's worst drop this year, as the government reported a surge in home construction last month. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Specialist Michael Pistillo, right, works with traders at his post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday, April 16, 2013. Stocks are sharply higher in early trading, a day after the market's worst drop this year, as the government reported a surge in home construction last month. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Stocks were little changed in early trading on Wall Street Wednesday as investors considered mixed earnings results from several major U.S. companies.

Yum Brands, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, was among the early gainers, advancing 7 percent to $68.70. Yum Brands reported earnings late Tuesday that exceeded the expectations of financial analysts. General Dynamic, the aerospace and defense company, also surged after posting a profit that was better than expected. The stock jumped 5 percent to $70.46.

Other companies disappointed investors.

Procter & Gamble, the world's largest consumer goods maker, fell 4.9 percent to $77.97 after the maker of Tide and Gillette issued a weak forecast for the next quarter. AT&T dropped 5.8 percent to $36.75 after it lost phone subscribers from its contract-based plans for the first time as sales of smartphones slow.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 28 points, or 0.2 percent, at 14,691 as of 10:16 a.m. EDT. The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell two points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,576. The Nasdaq composite was down 11 points, or 0.3 percent, at 3,258.

While the majority of companies have been exceeding Wall Street's expectations on earnings, their performance on sales hasn't been as strong.

About 67 percent of S&P 500 companies that have reported earnings so far have beaten expectations, better than the 10-year average of 62 percent, according to S&P Capital IQ. However, only 42 percent of companies have reported better revenue than forecast.

A report that orders for long-lasting U.S. factory goods fell more than economists expected last month also weighed on the stock market. The Commerce Department said orders for durable goods declined 5.7 percent in March following a 4.3 percent gain the previous month. February's figure was revised lower.

The report will add to concerns that the U.S. economy is slowing. Stocks logged their biggest weekly drop in five months last week after growth in China, the world's second-biggest economy, slowed.

Among other companies that reported earnings Wednesday, Boeing rose 3.6 percent to $91.27 after the airplane maker said its first-quarter net income rose 20 percent despite problems with the 787 Dreamliner. The company said it would still meet its financial and delivery targets this year even after the 787 was grounded in mid-January because of problems with its batteries.

In government bond trading, the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which moves inversely to its price, was little changed at 1.71 percent.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-24-US-Wall-Street-/id-5db13350b16748b288eb4b62f43522f9

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?Most documented? Hemi Charger heads to auction | Hemmings ...

Photos courtesy Mecum Auctions.

Five years ago, we asked on the cover of Hemmings Muscle Machines whether this 1970 Dodge Charger was the world?s most documented Hemi car. It?s no idle question, either: Documentation can make or break a car on the marketplace, and the value of this particular Charger?s documentation will soon be revealed when the car goes up for auction at Mecum?s Indy event.

To begin with, Dodge didn?t build all that many Hemi-powered four-speed Chargers in 1970: 56 total, and only 10 in R/T trim with the SE package. After decoding its broadcast sheet and fender tag, owner Steven Segal figured he knew as much as there was to know about the Charger when he bought it from ibaey role in discovering the rest of its backstory. Segal restored the Charger with a non-numbers-matching but era-correct Hemi to replace the original engine, long since scattered in a street race by the original owner. By coincidence, a subsequent magazine feature on the Charger landed in the lap of the man cleaning out old sales files at Suburban Dodge in Metuchen, New Jersey, where its original owner bought the Charger. A muscle car enthusiast, he found the car?s file, saved it from disposal, and sent it on to Segal, who found within it the car?s original dealer order form, Chrysler invoice, notes from the negotiating process, delivery paperwork, and dealer prep work order.

Segal didn?t keep the car babied, either. At the time we photographed it, we took it out for a spin and got to hear the Hemi clear its throat through those over-the-counter headers, still with the car. Sometime later, Segal has located and installed the Cragar mags and Parnelli Jones tires that the original owner put on the car, giving it an authentic Day Two vibe.

Since our article appeared, we?ve yet to hear of any Hemi car with more documentation than Segal?s Charger.

Mecum?s Original Spring Classic Auction in Indianapolis will take place May 14-19 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. For more information, visit Mecum.com.

Source: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/04/24/most-documented-hemi-charger-heads-to-auction/

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France legalizes gay marriage after harsh debate

PARIS (AP) ? France legalized gay marriage on Tuesday after a wrenching national debate and protests that flooded the streets of Paris. Legions of officers and water cannon stood ready near France's National Assembly ahead of the final vote, bracing for possible violence on an issue that galvanized the country's faltering conservative movement.

The measure passed easily in the Socialist-majority Assembly, 331-225, just minutes after the president of the legislative body expelled a disruptive protester in pink, the color adopted by French opponents of gay marriage.

"Only those who love democracy are here," Claude Bartelone, the Assembly president, said angrily.

In recent weeks, violent attacks against gay couples have spiked and some legislators have received threats ? including Bartelone, who got a gunpowder-filled envelope on Monday.

One of the biggest protests against same-sex marriage drew together hundreds of thousands of people bused in from the French provinces ? conservative activists, schoolchildren with their parents, retirees, priests and others. That demonstration ended in blasts of tear gas, as right-wing rabble-rousers, some in masks and hoods, led the charge against police, damaging cars along the Champs-Elysees avenue and making a break for the presidential palace.

Justice Minister Christiane Taubira told lawmakers that the first weddings could be as soon as June.

"We believe that the first weddings will be beautiful and that they'll bring a breeze of joy, and that those who are opposed to them today will surely be confounded when they are overcome with the happiness of the newlyweds and the families," she said.

When President Francois Hollande promised to legalize gay marriage, it was seen as relatively uncontroversial. But the issue has become a touchstone as his popularity has sunk to unprecedented lows, largely over France's ailing economy.

But the most visible face in the fight against gay marriage ? a former comedienne who goes by the name of Frigide Barjot ? said the movement named "A Protest for Everyone" will continue beyond the law's passage and possibly field candidates in 2014 municipal elections. She said anyone involved in protest violence would be marginalized, but blamed the government for its failure to listen.

"The violence comes from the way in which this was imposed," Barjot told France Info radio.

French conservatives, decimated by infighting and the election loss of standard-bearer Nicolas Sarkozy, had found a rallying cause in same-sex marriage. Hoping to keep the issue alive, the conservative UMP party planned to challenge the law in the Constitutional Council.

French civil unions, allowed since 1999, are at least as popular among heterosexuals as among gay and lesbian couples. But that law has no provisions for adoption, and the strongest opposition in France as far as same-sex couples goes comes when children are involved. According to recent polls, just over half of French are opposed to adoption by same-sex couples ? about the same number who said they favored same-sex marriage.

Christophe Crepin, spokesman for the police union UNSA, says the extraordinary security Tuesday includes a total of about 4,000 officers in the area near the National Assembly building and water cannon positioned nearby. One group of anti-riot police swarmed the banks of the Seine River about a quarter-mile from the legislature, hours before protests were scheduled there.

France is the 14th country to legalize gay marriage. On the cover of Tuesday's Liberation newspaper, the famed gay photographers Pierre and Gilles took over the front page and several of the inside pages, splashing them with some of their most provocative photos, including one of three soccer players ? nude but for the footwear ? facing the camera.

In New Zealand, where gay marriage enjoys popular support, people gathered outside Parliament and joined in singing a traditional Maori love ballad after a vote last week making it legal. Nine states and the District of Columbia in the U.S. also recognize such marriages, but the federal government does not.

___

Follow Lori Hinnant at https://twitter.com/lhinnant

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/france-legalizes-gay-marriage-harsh-debate-151608251.html

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Ichiro comes up big as Yankees top Rays

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:43 p.m. ET April 23, 2013

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Struggling Ichiro Suzuki came up big for the New York Yankees.

Suzuki hit a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth inning and the Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 Tuesday night.

"I haven't been able to do much, but hopefully things like this will help me get past it," Suzuki, who is hitting just .220 this season, said through a translator.

Robinson Cano ended AL Cy Young Award winner David Price's night with a leadoff single in the ninth. After Cano stole second on a pitch by Fernando Rodney that struck out Vernon Wells, pinch-hitter Travis Hafner was intentionally walked and Lyle Overbay walked to load the bases.

First baseman James Loney helped Rodney by making a sliding catch on Chris Stewart's foul ball, but Suzuki then drove in two for a 4-2 lead on a liner to center.

"We put some tough at-bats on some really tough pitchers," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Tampa Bay is winless in all five of Price's starts this year. The left-hander (0-2) allowed three runs and eight hits over eight-plus innings.

"I thought he threw the ball really well tonight, so if he throws the ball like that and we had scored four runs tonight, he walks away and feels like he was fantastic," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "But we don't score enough runs and he doesn't feel as good about himself. That's just how this baseball thing works."

The only other team to lose the first five starts made by a reigning Cy Young winner was the 1989 Minnesota Twins. They lost in Frank Viola's first seven starts before finally winning on May 9 that year.

A frustrated Price spent just about one minute talking with reporters after the game, saying that there is no satisfaction from what was called a better start and that he wanted to remain in the game.

"We're still 0-5 when I pitch, I don't feel good," Price said. "I want to be in that game. It's like it's my game to lose."

David Robertson (1-0) worked a perfect eighth before Mariano Rivera got his sixth save despite allowing Evan Longoria's leadoff homer.

Suzuki singled with one out in the eighth, went to third on Jayson Nix's single to left, and scored to get the Yankees even at 2 when Brett Gardner hit a grounder to second.

"I just had a feeling I could make it there," Suzuki said. "It was a steal and I was just running. I didn't see where he hit the ball but I heard it, and luckily when I looked up I saw the ball in front of me."

Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead in the seventh on Jose Molina's run-scoring single off Phil Hughes, who allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings.

"I felt like I had to pitch well," Hughes said. "Price wasn't going to continue the way he'd been throwing. I knew he was going to be tough, and I though the game was over in the seventh after making that bad pitch (to Molina). But thankfully the guys fought back hard and got us the win."

Ben Zobrist put the Rays up 1-0 on a first-inning sacrifice fly.

The Yankees tied it at 1 on Wells' RBI single in the fourth, but Price avoided further damage by getting a fly ball from Ben Francisco and Overbay's double-play grounder with runners on first and second with no outs.

Maddon's effort during the current homestand to keep his team loose Tuesday featured a cockatoo, which he had in clubhouse and later on his shoulder as he held his pregame media session. In previous games, Maddon had a DJ play music in the clubhouse and a magician do card tricks, and promised a big animal finale on Wednesday night when the homestand ends.

"Snakes are out," Maddon said. "I will not be in the clubhouse with a snake. Regardless of what people say, I'm not on board with that."

Yankees infielder Kevin Youkilis was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game with lower back tightness. Girardi expects Youkilis will also miss Wednesday's series finale.

NOTES: Price has given up six leads over his last three starts. ... New York SS Derek Jeter will be in a walking boot for a left ankle injury when rejoins the team Thursday at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees captain found out last Thursday that he fractured the ankle for a second time in six months. ... Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira (wrist) continues taking dry swings with a bat, but hasn't started hitting off a tee. ... Rivera met with a group of wounded soldiers and veterans before the game. The closer, who is retiring after the season, is taking part in events like that in road ballparks this year. ... Longoria has reached base in 34 straight games dating to last season.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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DENVER (AP) - Jeff Francis was beaten by the home run ball in the opener of the day-night doubleheader. Jon Garland didn't fare much better for the Colorado Rockies in the nightcap against the Atlanta Braves.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51640550/ns/sports-baseball/

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MDs warn teens: Don't take the cinnamon challenge

This undated photo provided by Frederick Reed shows Dejah Reed, an Ypsilanti, Mich., teen who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the cinnamon challenge. A new report from doctors to be published Monday, April 22, 2013, advises against taking the challenge that involves daring someone to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water. The fad depicted in wildly popular YouTube videos has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers. (AP Photo/Frederick Reed)

This undated photo provided by Frederick Reed shows Dejah Reed, an Ypsilanti, Mich., teen who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the cinnamon challenge. A new report from doctors to be published Monday, April 22, 2013, advises against taking the challenge that involves daring someone to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water. The fad depicted in wildly popular YouTube videos has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers. (AP Photo/Frederick Reed)

CHICAGO (AP) ? Don't take the cinnamon challenge. That's the advice from doctors in a new report about a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers.

The fad involves daring someone to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water. But the spice is caustic, and trying to gulp it down can cause choking, throat irritation, breathing trouble and even collapsed lungs, the report said.

Published online Monday in Pediatrics, the report said at least 30 teens nationwide needed medical attention after taking the challenge last year.

The number of poison control center calls about teens doing the prank "has increased dramatically," from 51 in 2011 to 222 last year, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

"People with asthma or other respiratory conditions are at greater risk of having this result in shortness of breath and trouble breathing," according to an alert posted on the association's website.

Thousands of YouTube videos depict kids attempting the challenge, resulting in an "orange burst of dragon breath" spewing out of their mouths and sometimes hysterical laughter from friends watching the stunt, said report co-author Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, a pediatrics professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Cinnamon is made from tree bark and contains cellulose fibers that don't easily break down. Animal research suggests that when cinnamon gets into the lungs, it can cause scarring, Lipshultz said.

Dr. Stephen Pont, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics and an Austin, Texas pediatrician, said the report is "a call to arms to parents and doctors to be aware of things like the cinnamon challenge" and to pay attention to what their kids are viewing online.

An Ypsilanti, Mich., teen who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the cinnamon challenge heartily supports the new advice and started her own website ? http://nocinnamonchallenge.com ? telling teens to "just say no" to the fad.

Dejah Reed, 16, said she took the challenge four times ? the final time was in February last year with a friend who didn't want to try it alone.

"I was laughing very hard and I coughed it out and I inhaled it into my lungs," she said. "I couldn't breathe."

Her father, Fred Reed, said he arrived home soon after to find Dejah "a pale bluish color. It was very terrifying. I threw her over my shoulder" and drove to a nearby emergency room.

Dejah was hospitalized for four days and went home with an inhaler and said she still has to use it when she gets short of breath from running or talking too fast. Her dad said she'd never had asthma or breathing problems before.

Dejah said she'd read about the challenge on Facebook and other social networking sites and "thought it would be cool" to try.

Now she knows "it's not cool and it's dangerous."

___

Online:

Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org

___

AP Medical Lindsey Tanner can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/LindseyTanner

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-04-22-US-MED-Cinnamon-Challenge/id-46b219b4fccd494592a073b6c2e8ab00

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Boston bomb suspect hospitalized under heavy guard

Police officers stand near statues of former Boston Red Sox greats, from left, Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio during a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox, the first game held in the city following the Boston Marathon explosions, Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Boston. Police captured Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect, late Friday, after a wild car chase and gun battle earlier in the day left his older brother dead. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Police officers stand near statues of former Boston Red Sox greats, from left, Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johnny Pesky and Dom DiMaggio during a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox, the first game held in the city following the Boston Marathon explosions, Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Boston. Police captured Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect, late Friday, after a wild car chase and gun battle earlier in the day left his older brother dead. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

This Friday, April 19, 2013 image made available by the Massachusetts State Police shows 19-year-old Boston Marathon bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, hiding inside a boat during a search for him in Watertown, Mass. He was pulled, wounded and bloody, from the boat parked in the backyard of a home in the Greater Boston area. (AP Photo/Massachusetts State Police)

An official wearing SWAT gear walks behind a fenced off area outside of Fenway Park during a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox, the first game held in the city following the Boston Marathon explosions, Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Boston. Police captured Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect, late Friday, after a wild car chase and gun battle earlier in the day left his older brother dead. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

This Friday, April 19, 2013 image made available by the Massachusetts State Police shows 19-year-old Boston Marathon bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, hiding inside a boat during a search for him in Watertown, Mass. He was pulled, wounded and bloody, from the boat parked in the backyard of a home in the Greater Boston area. (AP Photo/Massachusetts State Police)

This Friday, April 19, 2013 image made available by the Massachusetts State Police shows a police vehicle probing the boat where 19-year-old Boston Marathon bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, was hiding in Watertown, Mass. He was pulled, wounded and bloody, from the boat parked in the backyard of a home in the Greater Boston area. (AP Photo/Massachusetts State Police)

BOSTON (AP) ? Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev lay hospitalized in serious condition under heavy guard Saturday ? apparently in no shape to be interrogated ? as investigators tried to establish the motive for the deadly attack and the scope of the plot.

People across the Boston area breathed easier the morning after Tsarnaev, 19, was pulled, wounded and bloody, from a tarp-covered boat in a Watertown backyard. The capture came at the end of a tense day that began with his 26-year-old brother, Tamerlan, dying in a gunbattle with police.

There was no immediate word on when Tsarnaev might be charged and what those charges would be. The twin bombings killed three people and wounded more than 180.

The most serious charge available to federal prosecutors would be the use of a weapon of mass destruction to kill people, which carries a possible death sentence. Massachusetts does not have the death penalty.

President Barack Obama said there are many unanswered questions about the bombing, including whether the Tsarnaev brothers ? ethnic Chechens from southern Russia who had been in the U.S. for about a decade and lived in the Boston area ? had help from others. The president urged people not to rush judgment about their motivations.

U.S. officials said an elite interrogation team would question the Massachusetts college student without reading him his Miranda rights, something that is allowed on a limited basis when the public may be in immediate danger, such as instances in which bombs are planted and ready to go off.

The American Civil Liberties Union expressed concern about that possibility. Executive Director Anthony Romero said the legal exception applies only when there is a continued threat to public safety and is "not an open-ended exception" to the Miranda rule, which guarantees the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.

The federal public defender's office in Massachusetts said it has agreed to represent Tsarnaev once he is charged. Miriam Conrad, public defender for Massachusetts, said he should have a lawyer appointed as soon as possible because there are "serious issues regarding possible interrogation."

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said Saturday afternoon that Tsarnaev was in serious but stable condition and was probably unable to communicate. Tsarnaev was at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where 11 victims of the bombing were still being treated.

"I, and I think all of the law enforcement officials, are hoping for a host of reasons the suspect survives," the governor said after a ceremony at Fenway Park to honor the victims and survivors of the attack. "We have a million questions, and those questions need to be answered."

The all-day manhunt Friday brought the Boston area to a near standstill and put people on edge across the metropolitan area.

The break came around nightfall when a homeowner in Watertown saw blood on his boat, pulled back the tarp and saw a bloody Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hiding inside, police said. After an exchange of gunfire, he was seized and taken away in an ambulance.

Raucous celebrations erupted in and around Boston, with chants of "USA! USA!" Residents flooded the streets in relief four days after the two pressure-cooker bombs packed with nails and other shrapnel went off.

Michael Spellman said he bought tickets to Saturday's Red Sox game at Fenway Park to help send a message to the bombers.

"They're not going to stop us from doing things we love to do," he said, sitting a few rows behind home plate. "We're not going to live in fear."

During the long night of violence leading up to the capture, the Tsarnaev brothers killed an MIT police officer, severely wounded another lawman and took part in a furious shootout and car chase in which they hurled explosives at police from a large homemade arsenal, authorities said.

"We're in a gunfight, a serious gunfight. Rounds are going and then all of the sudden they see something being thrown at them and there's a huge explosion," Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau said Saturday of the melee.

The chief said one of the explosives was the same type used during the Boston Marathon attack, and authorities later recovered a pressure cooker lid that had embedded in a car down the street. He said the suspects also tossed two grenades before Tamerlan ran out of ammunition and police tackled him.

But while handcuffing him, officers had to dive out of the way as Dzhokhar drove the carjacked Mercedes at them, Deveau said. The sport utility vehicle dragged Tamerlan's body down the block, he said. Police initially tracked the escaped suspect by a blood trail he left behind a house after abandoning the Mercedes, negotiating his surrender hours later after an area resident saw blood and found the suspect huddled in his boat.

Chechnya, where the Tsarnaev family has roots, has been the scene of two wars between Russian forces and separatists since 1994. That spawned an Islamic insurgency that has carried out deadly bombings in Russia and the region, although not in the West.

Investigators have not offered a motive for the Boston attack. But in interviews with officials and those who knew the Tsarnaevs, a picture has emerged of the older one as someone embittered toward the U.S., increasingly vehement in his Muslim faith and influential over his younger brother.

The Russian FSB intelligence service told the FBI in 2011 about information that Tamerlan Tsarnaev was a follower of radical Islam, two law enforcement officials said Saturday.

According to an FBI news release, a foreign government said that Tamerlan Tsarnaev appeared to be strong believer and that he had changed drastically since 2010 as he prepared to leave the U.S. for travel to the Russian region to join unspecified underground groups.

The FBI did not name the foreign government, but the two officials said it was Russia. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the matter publicly.

The FBI said that in response, it interviewed Tamerlan Tsarnaev and relatives, and did not find any domestic or foreign terrorism activity. The bureau said it looked into such things as his telephone and online activity, his travels and his associations with others.

An uncle of the Tsarnaev brothers said he had a falling-out with Tamerlan over the man's increased commitment to Islam.

Ruslan Tsarni of Montgomery Village, Md., said Tamerlan told him in a 2009 phone conversation that he had chosen "God's business" over work or school. Tsarni said he then contacted a family friend who told him Tsarnaev had been influenced by a recent convert to Islam.

Tsarni said his relationship with his nephew basically ended after that call.

As for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, "he's been absolutely wasted by his older brother. I mean, he used him. He used him for whatever he's done," Tsarni said.

Albrecht Ammon, a downstairs-apartment neighbor of Tamerlan Tsarnaev in Cambridge, said in an interview that the older brother had strong political views about the United States. Ammon quoted Tsarnaev as saying that the U.S. uses the Bible as "an excuse for invading other countries."

Tamerlan Tsarnaev studied accounting as a part-time student at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston for three semesters from 2006 to 2008, the school said. He was married with a young daughter. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

As of Saturday, more than 50 victims of the bombing remained hospitalized, three in critical condition.

___

Associated Press writers Denise Lavoie and Steve Peoples in Boston; Mike Hill in Watertown, Mass.; Colleen Long in New York; Pete Yost in Washington; Eric Tucker in Montgomery Village, Md.; and AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen in Boston contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-04-20-Boston%20Marathon-Explosions/id-786b0cca458046c5a6559a59f8a5b080

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MPs to investigate decline of refining industry

LONDON (Reuters) - A committee of MPs will examine the decline of the country's refining industry and its potential implications on the security of energy supplies, it said on Friday.

High costs, foreign competition and declining margins have led in recent years to a dramatic consolidation in Europe's refining industry, which today counts around 130 plants.

Just seven refineries remain in Britain after Coryton in Essex, eastern England, closed last year.

The Energy and Climate Change Committee invited short submissions of evidence from industry players and observers about the potential energy security implications of refinery closures.

The call for feedback comes as Murco has been unable to find a buyer for its Milford Haven plant in Wales, which some industry observers say is likely to face closure.

It also follows the first meeting of the Forum for EU Refining last Friday to discuss the situation in the industry, which covered topics including competitive pressure now felt from Russia and U.S. unconventional energy.

The Petit Couronne refinery in northern France was the latest European refinery to shut down after a court rejected two takeover offers for the 84-year-old 162,000 barrels per day (bpd) plant on Tuesday.

The deadline for responses to the UK parliamentary investigation is May 20, while the next meeting of the Forum for EU refining is in the autumn of 2013.

(Reporting by Simon Falush; Editing by Mark Potter)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mps-investigate-decline-refining-industry-114504611--finance.html

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Amanda Thatcher?s reading (Powerlineblog)

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Experts Caution Against Rushing to Conclusions in Boston Bombings (Voice Of America)

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Twitter can give power to the people

Public release date: 18-Apr-2013
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Contact: Andy Henion
henion@msu.edu
517-355-3294
Michigan State University

Twitter can easily teach people about social movements such as Occupy Wall Street and even entice them to participate, according to a new study by a Michigan State University education researcher.

The social networking site which lets users read, send and group together 140-character messages known as tweets can actually be a better source of information than traditional news sources and online search engines, Benjamin Gleason reports in the journal American Behavioral Scientist.

"Reading on Twitter about a particular topic will expose learners to multiple perspectives far more than is possible by reading a newspaper or even doing a Google search," said Gleason, a doctoral student in MSU's College of Education. "Imagine how much more rich and complex our teaching and learning could be if learners brought such diverse ideas into the classroom."

Gleason has been following Occupy Wall Street Twitter posts since the protest movement began in New York City's Wall Street financial district in September 2011. He compiled a database of tweets documenting whether each tweet linked to a photograph, video or website to figure out how users specifically learned from them.

Users can "tag" tweets for grouping with a preceding "#" symbol, or hashtag. Gleason said tweets tagged "#OWS," for #Occupy Wall Street, contained a wide range of information about the movement.

Gleason was part of a previous study (led by Christine Greenhow, MSU assistant professor of education) that found Twitter has become a new literary format that is improving student learning.

Gleason said the research offers "powerful implications for formal and informal educational settings the most critical being that using Twitter can complement formal teaching and learning."

He added that he wants to see how students could use Twitter to learn about a complex topic of their own choosing.

"Basically, how young people read and write on Twitter may be similar to, and different from, reading and writing in other literacy spaces," Gleason said. "The question is: how can we support the literacy practices that young people are currently engaged in how can we validate the learning that's already happening?"

###

---

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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.

Public release date: 18-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andy Henion
henion@msu.edu
517-355-3294
Michigan State University

Twitter can easily teach people about social movements such as Occupy Wall Street and even entice them to participate, according to a new study by a Michigan State University education researcher.

The social networking site which lets users read, send and group together 140-character messages known as tweets can actually be a better source of information than traditional news sources and online search engines, Benjamin Gleason reports in the journal American Behavioral Scientist.

"Reading on Twitter about a particular topic will expose learners to multiple perspectives far more than is possible by reading a newspaper or even doing a Google search," said Gleason, a doctoral student in MSU's College of Education. "Imagine how much more rich and complex our teaching and learning could be if learners brought such diverse ideas into the classroom."

Gleason has been following Occupy Wall Street Twitter posts since the protest movement began in New York City's Wall Street financial district in September 2011. He compiled a database of tweets documenting whether each tweet linked to a photograph, video or website to figure out how users specifically learned from them.

Users can "tag" tweets for grouping with a preceding "#" symbol, or hashtag. Gleason said tweets tagged "#OWS," for #Occupy Wall Street, contained a wide range of information about the movement.

Gleason was part of a previous study (led by Christine Greenhow, MSU assistant professor of education) that found Twitter has become a new literary format that is improving student learning.

Gleason said the research offers "powerful implications for formal and informal educational settings the most critical being that using Twitter can complement formal teaching and learning."

He added that he wants to see how students could use Twitter to learn about a complex topic of their own choosing.

"Basically, how young people read and write on Twitter may be similar to, and different from, reading and writing in other literacy spaces," Gleason said. "The question is: how can we support the literacy practices that young people are currently engaged in how can we validate the learning that's already happening?"

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/msu-tcg041813.php

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Rain brings flood worries in Mo., Ill., Iowa

ST. LOUIS (AP) ? The Mississippi River, so low for much of the winter that barge traffic was nearly halted, could reach up to 10 feet above flood stage by the middle of next week in parts of Iowa, Illinois and Missouri, National Weather Service hydrologists said Wednesday.

The weather service is predicting 3 to 4 inches of rain ? and perhaps more ? from Kansas City, Mo., to Chicago by Friday morning, the result of an unsettled weather pattern that prompted widespread tornado and thunderstorm watches. Soil is already saturated from an unusually wet early spring, raising concerns along the Mississippi from the Quad Cities, which are along the Iowa-Illinois border, south to St. Louis.

"I'm worried," said Mark Fuchs, a National Weather Service hydrologist in suburban St. Louis. "Major flooding appears to be on the table at a lot of locations. North of St. Louis, we're looking at the kind of flooding we haven't seen since 2008."

Floods in the spring of 2008 were particularly troublesome in Iowa, where hundreds of homes were damaged in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and other towns. Maren Stoflet, a hydrologist for the weather service in the Quad Cities, said that with the ground already soaked, all the new rain will run off into rivers.

The flooding is an ironic twist considering that the Mississippi was approaching record low levels all winter following months of drought. The Corps of Engineers worked feverishly to dredge the bottom of the river enough to keep barge traffic moving, though loads were limited for several months.

But late-winter snow and frequent rains have pushed river levels back to normal and beyond. The Mississippi on Wednesday was at or near flood stage at several spots north of St. Louis, slightly lower to the south.

The rain this week is expected to be furious at times, up to an inch an hour in some cases, Stoflet said. That could create flash flooding at smaller waterways. Tributaries to the Mississippi and Missouri rivers could also flood, and that water eventually pushes into the bigger rivers, which would crest next week.

Fuchs said if the rain falls as predicted, minor flooding would occur on the Missouri River in Missouri, while the Mississippi could rise 8 to 10 feet in some spots, including St. Louis.

Already in southeast Iowa, heavy rain Wednesday led to some road closures and rising creaks, according to hydrologist Maren Stoflet. And more rain was in the forecast.

Property buyouts, enhanced levees and flood walls will limit any damage, but several roads, thousands of acres of farmland and a few homes and businesses would be impacted and small levees could be overtopped.

Emergency management operators say they've begun to brace for the worst.

"I'll go into a full-scale flood fight," said John Hark, emergency management coordinator in Hannibal, Mo., the scenic hometown of Mark Twain.

The historic downtown area, including Twain's boyhood home, is protected by an earthen flood wall, and buyouts have removed flood-prone homes outside the wall's perimeter. But Hark said the excessive rain could create a sudden rise that would cause Bear Creek, a Mississippi River tributary, to back up, closing roads and threatening some homes.

About 30 miles to the south, Louisiana, Mo., has no flood wall. The downtown is far enough from the river that it is in no danger, but a flood reaching 8 to 10 feet above flood stage would push muddy river water over Highway 79 ? the main north-south highway through town ? and damage a few homes and businesses, City Administrator Bob Jenne said.

"We do have sand and all the bags already stockpiled in the event we need them," Jenne said. "Right now, it's wait and see."

Potentially worsening the flooding in the not-too-distant future is another strong snowstorm in the northern Plains, snow that will eventually melt and trickle into rivers. The newest system could drop as much as 15 inches of snow in western South Dakota by Thursday, forcing schools to close and making travel dangerous. It follows a weekend storm that dumped a single-day record 17.3 inches of snow on Bismarck, N.D.

The National Weather Service on Wednesday told Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn., residents to prepare for flooding along the Red River. It would be the fourth major flood in five years for an area that has about 200,000 people.

The weather service said there's a 40 percent chance the north-flowing river would top the 2009 record of 40.84 feet, or nearly 23 feet above the point when the river spills its banks. That would likely mean sandbagging for more than 200 homeowners in Fargo and about 40 homeowners in Moorhead.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rain-prompts-flood-worries-mo-ill-iowa-171620201.html

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