Sunday, September 30, 2012

Letran nears NCAA Final Four but coach says team can do more

By Mark Giongco
INQUIRER.net

NCAA/September 29,2012Jamieson Cortes of Letran drives the ball against King Igee of Emilio Aguinaldo College during thier NCAA game atFiloil Arena San Juan. EDWIN BELLOSILLO/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines ? Letran held off a late run by Emilio Aguinaldo College to win, 86-80, Saturday night in the NCAA Season 88 men?s basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

But despite the victory that pulled the Knights to just a win away from a Final Four berth, head coach Louie Alas knew his team has to do a lot more.

?If you want to go to the next level, you just can?t play 25 minutes and expect to win,? said Alas on his squad which allowed the Generals to chip its lead away.

?We didn?t play to win [when we led]. They have to play better in the end game.?

The Knights have won seven of their last eight games to remain in third place and still be in contention for a twice-to-beat edge with San Sebastian just a game ahead.

A second-place finish would definitely put Letran in a better semi-final position but Alas said it wasn?t in his mind.

Letran needs to beat Arellano University in its last game as well as San Sebastian to lose one of its remaining two games.

?We don?t talk about the twice-to-beat. Ayoko ng umasa na matalo yung ibang [I don?t want to hope for a loss by the other] teams,? said Alas.

The Knights leaned on inside operator Jam Cortes, who didn?t disappoint with 25 points and 14 rebounds.

Kevin Alas played second fiddle but still had a huge game with 17 points, four rebounds and eight assists.

Letran also chalked up its fifth straight win for an 11-6 record making them one of the hottest teams in the league.

?Naniniwala ako sa capability ng [I believe in the capability of the] team. There are teams reaching their peak but when the semis come their play dips. What I like more is my team to have consistency,? said Alas.

Russell Yaya had 20 points and five rebounds for EAC, which absorbed its 10th loss in 17 games.


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Tags: 88 NCAA , Basketball , EAC , Emilio Aguinaldo College , Letran , Sports

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Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/64464/letran-nears-ncaa-final-four-but-coach-says-team-can-do-more

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Carmageddon 2, the sequel: Serious this time?

By NBC News and wire services

Updated at 5:15 p.m. ET: Other than having to chase some motorists, skateboarders, and walkers off a 10-mile stretch of Highway 405 in Los Angeles, few problems were reported in the early hours of "Carmageddon II," officials said on Saturday.

The stretch of one of the world's busiest freeways was shut down early Saturday, and if all goes according to plan it'll stay that way until a bridge is rebuilt before the Monday morning traffic crunch.

Construction crews with giant cranes on Saturday chipped away at a bridge spanning the 405, with pieces of concrete dropping dozens of feet to the ground below. A four-foot pad of dirt laid down in advance protected the pavement from the falling debris.


The work is to widen the bridge itself to expand the freeway below.?

For weeks drivers have been warned to stay away from the segment of Interstate 405 that is now shuttered through the Sepulveda Pass on Los Angeles' west side for the entire weekend.

If drivers don't avoid the area, officials warn, a city-wide traffic jam could result. But beyond just scare tactics, city officials have been encouraging Southern Californians to get out and enjoy their own neighborhoods on foot, on bikes or via short drives on surface streets.

During a similar closure last year commuters stayed away from the freeway in droves, the shutdown was considered a success, and crews finished the first phase of the work early.

This time, the contractor faces a penalty if the work isn't done in 53 hours: $6,000 per lane of freeway per 10 minutes.

Watch live video from NBCLosAngeles.com of bridge demolition:

Meanwhile, TV news crews have a plan to avoid a traffic jam in the sky as they cover the shutdown.

Residents complained of low-flying, noisy helicopters hovering nonstop over the region last year.

Watch video report from NBCLosAngeles.com as Carmageddon 2 officially begins:

"It was constant," Richard Close, president of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association, whose members live in many of the homes closest to the freeway, recently told The Associated Press. "It was a combination of the news media paparazzi and tour operators taking people who wanted to get a picture of the 405."

Although the area gets its share of paparazzi helicopters because of Charlie Sheen and other celebrities who live in the area, Close said they usually go away when the sun sets. During Carmageddon, however, the area is brightly illuminated overnight so construction workers can safely do their jobs.

This time, local television news directors have plans to pool coverage by using video from a single helicopter making limited flights over the freeway, according to Rick Terrell, executive director of the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California.?

NBCLosAngeles.com as well as Reuters contributed to this report.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/29/14148452-carmageddon-2-the-sequel-this-time-it-might-or-might-not-be-serious?lite

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Video: Roundtable preview upcoming debate

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032608/vp/49230051#49230051

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The Black Keys Rock New York's Global Citizen Festival

The Keys joined a lineup that included the Foo Fighters and Neil Young to help end Global Poverty.
By James Montgomery


The Black Keys perform at the 2012 Global Citizen Festival
Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1694692/black-keys-global-citizen-festival-performance.jhtml

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Indonesia Open GP Gold: Yeni Asmarani upsets Adrianti Firdasari in ...

Indonesia Open GP Gold: Yeni Asmarani upsets Adrianti Firdasari in Women?s Singles semi-final

Indonesia?s young and talented player Yeni Asmarani stole the limelight by reaching into Women?s Singles final after showing her incredible skills in the semi-final contest against her higher ranked team-mate Adrianti Firdasari at the Indonesia Open GP Gold Badminton 2012 in Indonesia, on Saturday, September 29.

The talented Asmarani, who is an un-seeded player in Women?s Singles main draw of the tournament, surprised everyone by continuing her winning run on court and she showed exit to Adrianti who was the seventh seed in the main draw.

Asmarani was in tremendous form on court as she played top quality badminton and made her presence strongly felt by finishing up the semi-final battle in straight games with a decent difference on score board.

On the other hand, the higher ranked Adrianti was really shocked with the impressive play of her un-seeded compatriot and she also failed to cope up with the mounting pressure of being seeded shuttler in the tournament.

Adrianti could not put up strong show against Asmarani and bowed down to her in straight sets in just 31 minutes.

In the opening game, both Indonesian shuttlers entertained their local fans but failed to set up a clear lead at the starting rallies.

The seventh seeded Adrianti tried her best to take a reasonable lead but failed to manage it and both shuttlers were close on the board until the break.

After the mid-game interval, Asmarani showed impressive performance as she started to play positive and attacking badminton and remained successful in claiming the opening game with a comfortable difference of 21-15.

In the second game, Asmarani again proved her mettle by playing attacking badminton and she managed to establish a three-point lead of 11-8 until the end of first half.

After the mid-game interval, Adrianti lifted up her level of play and made the score levelled by reaching at 19-19.

The score progressed closely from this stage and reached at 22-22 when Asmarani played smart badminton and took the ending points to bag the game with a 24-22 margin on the board.

Asmarani registered a wonderful victory over Adrianti by ending up the semi-final contest in straight games with a decent score of 21-15 and 24-22.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Indonesia-Open-GP-Gold-Yeni-Asmarani-upsets-Adrianti-Firdasari-in-Womens-Singles-semi-final-a191185

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Saturday, September 29, 2012

AP NewsBreak: Man behind Muslim video changed name

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? The mystery surrounding the man behind the crudely produced anti-Islamic video that sparked violence in the Middle East deepened when he appeared in court and identified himself by yet another name.

Arrested on Thursday in Los Angeles after authorities said he violated his probation from a 2010 check fraud conviction, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula told a judge his real name was Mark Basseley Youssef. He said he had been using that name since 2002, even though he went by Nakoula in his fraud case.

Court documents filed in Orange County Superior Court show he was granted a name change petition in 2002 and legally changed his name to Mark Basseley Youssef because "Nakoula is a girl's name and it cause me troubles."

On Friday, federal prosecutors said court documents will now reflect Youssef's real name. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Dugdale said Youssef didn't give that name when he was charged two years ago. Also, he had a driver's license under Nakoula, authorities said.

"He did not provide his true legal name at the time of prosecution," Dugdale said.

The full story about Youssef and the video "Innocence of Muslims" still isn't known more than two weeks after violence erupted in Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world where at least 50 people have died in protests related to the film.

Citing a lengthy pattern of deception and the potential to flee, U.S. Central District Chief Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal ordered Youssef to remain in prison without bond until another judge can hold a hearing to determine if he broke the terms of his probation.

"The court has a lack of trust in this defendant at this time," Segal said.

Prosecutors noted Youssef had eight probation violations, including lying to his probation officers and using aliases. He could face new charges that carry a maximum two-year prison term.

After his 2010 conviction, Youssef was sentenced to 21 months in prison and was barred from using computers or the Internet for five years without approval from his probation officer, though prosecutors said none of the violations involved the Internet. He also wasn't supposed to use any name other than his true legal name without the prior written approval of his probation officer.

Three names, however, have been associated with Youssef this month alone.

The movie was made last year by a man who called himself Sam Bacile. After the violence erupted, a man who identified himself as Bacile spoke to media outlets including The Associated Press, took credit for the film and said it was meant to portray the truth about Muhammad and Islam, which he called a cancer.

The next day, the AP determined there was no Bacile and linked the identity to Nakoula Nakoula, a former gas station owner with a drug conviction and a history of using aliases. Federal authorities later confirmed there was no Bacile and that Nakoula was behind the movie.

Some of the false statements in Youssef's alleged probation violations had to do with the film, Dugdale said. Youssef told probation officials his role was just writing the script, and denied going by the name Sam Bacile in connection with the film, Dugdale said.

Before going into hiding, Youssef acknowledged to the AP that he was involved with the film but said he only worked on logistics and management.

Youssef, a Christian originally from Egypt, then went into hiding after he was identified as the man behind the trailer, which depicts Muhammad as a womanizer, religious fraud and child molester. He met with federal probation officials two weeks ago, was led out of his home in suburban Cerritos in the middle of the night, flanked by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies and cloaked in heavy clothing to protect his identity.

Youssef came out of hiding Thursday for his court appearance, although the news media were banned from the courtroom and reporters had to watch the proceedings on a TV in a nearby courthouse. No photos were allowed.

Youssef wore beige pants and a collared shirt when he was led into the courtroom handcuffed and shackled. He appeared relaxed, smiling at one point before the hearing and conferring with his attorney.

Youssef's attorney, Steven Seiden, sought to have the hearing closed and his client released on $10,000 bail. He argued Youssef has checked in with his probation officer frequently and made no attempts to leave Southern California.

Seiden was concerned that Youssef would be in danger in federal prison because of Muslim inmates, but prosecutors said he likely would be placed in protective custody.

Lawrence Rosenthal, a constitutional and criminal law professor at Chapman University School of Law in Orange, said it was "highly unusual" for a judge to order immediate detention on a probation violation for a nonviolent crime, but if there were questions about Youssef's identity it was more likely.

"When the prosecution doesn't really know who they're dealing with, it's much easier to talk about flight," Rosenthal said. "I've prosecuted individuals who'd never given a real address. You don't know who you're dealing with, and you're just going to have very limited confidence about their ability to show up in court."

Enraged Muslims have demanded punishment for Youssef, and a Pakistani cabinet minister has offered a $100,000 bounty to anyone who kills him.

First Amendment advocates have defended Youssef's right to make the film while condemning its content. Federal officials likely will face criticism from those who say Youssef's free speech rights were trampled by his arrest on a probation violation.

In arguing that Youssef is a possible flight risk, Dugdale said Youssef couldn't even reveal something as fundamental as his real name.

"He's a person who simply can't be trusted," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Gillian Flaccus and Amy Taxin in Orange County, Calif. contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-newsbreak-man-behind-muslim-video-changed-name-170401337.html

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