Lov-3

Barney Frank takes to the Sunday airwaves with blunt criticism of Newt Gingrich

With Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich surging in the polls, Massachusetts’ outspoken Democratic Representative Barney Frank took another jab at his long-time Capitol Hill nemesis.

“Newt is the Wizard of Oz,” Frank said, speaking on ABC’s This Week with Christiane Amanpour. “There’s nothing there. He’s ginned up this whole big thing.”

Frank, a 16-term representative, announced last week that he will retire at the end of his term. At a press conference, Frank referred to Gingrich as “the best thing to happen to Democrats since Barry Goldwater,” referring to the 1964 Republican presidential candidate who lost to Democratic President Lyndon Johnson in a landslide.

Today, Frank expanded on his criticism. “He would be a very weak candidate, he would lose heavily and a lot of Democrats would win races,” Frank said. Frank attributed the groundswell of support for Gingrich to conservative antipathy for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.

“Romney is understandably seen as insufficiently conservative, because Mitt is insufficiently anything if you believe in principles,” Frank said.

Frank said voters will see Gingrich as a Washington insider who was reprimanded by the House, and who has been married three times and admitted infidelity. The House reprimanded Gingrich in 1997 for using tax-deductable money for political purposes and giving inaccurate information to investigators. (Frank has been reprimanded by the House, too, for fixing parking tickets for a male prostitute.)

Asked for a response, Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond said, “We have nothing but warm wishes to the congressman in his retirement.”

On another subject, Frank predicted that, despite the intense partisanship that has characterized Congress in recent months, Congress would not be caught in gridlock between now and the 2012 election. If Congress does not act, Frank pointed out, former President George W. Bush’s tax cuts will expire at the end of 2012. Because a congressional supercommittee tasked by President Obama with reducing the deficit failed to meet its charge, automatic spending cuts are schedueld to take effect next year, including defense cuts that Republicans do not want.

Frank said the threat of higher taxes and defense cuts will give Democrats leverage to reach a deal to deny continued tax reductions for the wealthiest Americans while preserving them for the rest. He also suggested that Democrats would be open reducing the amount of automatic defense cuts in store.

“Under this unusual circumstance, where bad things from the conservative perspective will happen, there will have to be a deal,” Frank said.

Shira Schoenberg can be reached at . Follow her on Twitter @shiraschoenberg.

Harry Reid to introduce payroll tax cut compromise Monday, Conrad says

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.). (Alex Brandon – AP)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plans to introduce a compromise measure Monday to extend the payroll tax cut, according to a key Senate Democrat.

“Majority Leader Reid called me yesterday and said he will propose tomorrow a compromise plan to extend the payroll tax cut,” Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said on “Fox News Sunday.” “He will offer it at that point – I don’t think it’s probably in my purview to announce his plan – but he indicated to me it will be paid for. It will be paid for in a serious way.”

News of the compromise measure comes three days after the Senate held votes on competing versions of legislation to extend the one-year tax holiday. Both measures failed to garner the 60 votes necessary to progress, and a majority of Senate Republicans voted against their own party’s proposal – a sign that GOP leaders face a tall task in rounding up support for a tax cut to which many rank-and-file members are opposed.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who was among the 26 Senate Republicans voting “no” last week on the GOP plan, told “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace that he is opposed to paying for a one-year tax cut through measures that would span the next decade.

“I don’t think I can speak for all the GOP,” Coburn said. “The principle that you would in fact create a tax cut and then say you’re going to pay for it over 10 years is exactly why we’re bankrupt as a nation.”

Coburn criticized both of last week’s Senate votes as political posturing but acknowledged that some version of the payroll tax cut and an extension of unemployment benefits must pass Congress before the year is out.

“Both votes on Thursday didn’t matter at all because no tax item like this can start in the Senate. … All we were doing was playing a charade and Americans saw right through it,” Coburn said.

Both Coburn and Conrad are members of the bipartisan “Gang of Six” senators who earlier this year worked toward a comprehensive deficit-reduction plan; the two also served on last year’s bipartisan Simpson-Bowles debt commission.

In the weeks after the debt supercommittee’s failure, some lawmakers have called for a vote on the Simpson-Bowles plan as a way of continuing to move forward on the debt debate. Both senators said Sunday that they believe it’s possible for a broader debt-reduction effort to be revived in Congress. Coburn added that he thought the supercommittee in some ways was designed to fall short in that effort.

“I think some of the supercommittee was designed to fail from the start simply because it was so polarized from the leadership on both sides,” Coburn said.

Coburn also was asked about former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), who has surged to the lead in some recent GOP presidential primary polls and stands to benefit from former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain’s (R) exit from the race.

Coburn, who was first elected to the House during the 1994 Republican Revolution and frequently battled with Gingrich, said that he would have difficulty supporting Gingrich for president.

“There’s a lot of candidates out there,” Coburn said. “I’m not inclined to be a supporter of Newt Gingrich’s having served under him for four years and experienced personally his leadership.”

Asked to elaborate further, Coburn said he found Gingrich’s leadership “lacking” as speaker.

“Well, the thing is, there’s all kinds of leaders— leaders that instill confidence, leaders that are somewhat abrupt and brisk, leaders that have one standard for the people that they’re leading and a different standard for themselves,” Coburn said. “I just found his leadership lacking, and I’m not going to go into greater detail on that. And I think if you were to poll the group of people who came into Congress in 1994 – which he did a wonderful job of organizing that; he’s brilliant; he has lots of positives – but still I will have difficulty supporting him as president of the United States.”

Oregon runs past UCLA, into Rose Bowl

LaMichael James ran for 219 yards and three touchdowns as No. 8 Oregon raced past UCLA 49-31 in the inaugural Pac-12 championship game Friday night, giving the Ducks their third consecutive conference title and a Rose Bowl berth.

Rick Neuheisel tipped his hat to the UCLA fans in his last game as coach. Neuheisel, a former Bruins quarterback, was fired this week after four seasons with his alma mater.

While the visiting Bruins (6-7) played with passion for their outgoing coach and kept it closer than expected, it was not nearly enough to overcome the Ducks (11-2), who will play in a BCS bowl for the third straight season.

Darron Thomas threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns, becoming Oregon’s career leader with 63 TD passes. James became the first running back in Pac-12 history with three straight 1,500-yard seasons.

Afterward, James and fellow running back Kenjon Barner danced as other Ducks players held roses clenched in their teeth. Fans swarmed the players as fireworks exploded above Autzen Stadium and confetti rained down.

“These guys go play,” coach Chip Kelly said. “They’re fearless competitors.”

Neuheisel, fired following last weekend’s 50-0 loss to No. 9 USC, hugged quarterback Kevin Prince as time ran out.

“Well, we weren’t good enough, but it wasn’t because we didn’t have enough heart,” Neuheisel said.

Oregon will play the winner of today’s Big Ten championship game between No. 11 Michigan State and No. 15 Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2.

#24 Southern Mississippi 49, #7 Houston 28: Austin Davis threw four touchdown passes and No. 24 Southern Mississippi ruined Houston’s perfect season and Bowl Championship Series hopes with a 49-28 victory over the seventh-ranked Cougars on Saturday.

It was star quarterback Case Keenum’s last home game for Houston for sure, and could’ve also been the finale for coach Kevin Sumlin, who has been mentioned as a top candidate for virtually every higher-profile job opening.

Houston (12-1) was poised to impress a national-television audience and representatives from the Orange and Sugar Bowl, who attended Saturday’s game. Keenum could’ve also made one last case for an invitation to next week’s Heisman Trophy ceremony.

Instead, the Golden Eagles (11-2) turned it into their big day, shackling Houston’s high-powered offense and striking with several big plays of their own to win their first league title.

Northern Illinois 23, Ohio 20: Mathew Sims kicked a 33-yard field goal on the final play to cap a furious comeback and push the Huskies to victory in the Mid-American Conference title game in Detroit.

The Huskies (10-3) trailed 20-0 after an abysmal first half before rallying behind quarterback Chandler Harnish. Ohio (9-4) still led 20-7 in the fourth quarter, but Harnish threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Martel Moore and a 22-yarder to Nathan Palmer to tie the game.

Briefly: Boise State coach Chris Petersen spurned UCLA’s overtures, according to the Los Angeles Times. … Vanderbilt coach James Franklin, after leading the Commodores (6-6) to bowl eligibility, agreed to a contract extension.

This article appeared on page B – 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Mindy McCready’s son in custody in Arkansas, sources say

Video from NBC-2

Authorities say they’ve located country singer Mindy McCready’s 5-year-old son in Arkansas and taken him into custody.

Florida Department of Children and Families spokeswoman Terri Durdaller said in an email Friday night that her agency was working with Arkansas state officials to bring the boy, Zander, back to his legal guardian in Florida, his grandmother. Officials say he’s safe and in good health.

McCready took her son Zander McCready during a recent visit at her father’s Florida home, and a judge signed an order Thursday ordering authorities to take the boy into custody and return him.

Officials say Mindy McCready, was hiding in a closet with her son when law enforcement entered the home in Heber Spings, Arkansas, NBC-2 reported.

It’s not yet clear whether the singer could face criminal charges.

McCready was pushing her luck with the legal system by not following a judge’s order to return Zander to the care of her mother in Florida, her ex-boyfriend and father of the boy said Friday. McCready said Thursday she would not bring her son back, despite violating a custody arrangement.

“I’m doing all this to protect Zander, not stay out of trouble,” McCready wrote in an email to The Associated Press on Thursday. “I don’t think I should be in trouble for protecting my son in the first place.”

McCready said she was in Tennessee and could not travel because she’s nearly seven months pregnant with twins.

The judge’s order meant law enforcement anywhere could pick up the boy and bring him back to Florida.

The boy’s father, Billy McKnight, told the NBC “Today” show Friday he spoke on the phone with McCready and their boy after the judge’s deadline expired.

“He did sound healthy and ok. He wasn’t crying or scared,” McKnight said about their son.

“I think she believes she has a case and doesn’t realize she’s pushing her luck on this one,” he said.

McCready and her mother have had a long custody battle over the boy. The boy was living with McCready’s mother, who was awarded guardianship in 2007. McCready says her son has suffered abuse at her mother’s house; her mother, Gayle Inge, denies the abuse allegations.

“Once the child is located, we will pick him up and bring him back to Florida,” said Terri Durdaller, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Children and Families. “Although these circumstances are unfortunate for a young child, his safety and well-being are our number one priority.”

McCready provided a series of emails to the AP with Lee County Judge James Seals’ ruling to return the boy.

“Mom has violated the court’s custody order and we are simply restoring the child back into our custody,” the judge wrote. “Nothing more. Nothing less. The court makes no judgment about whether Mom will or will not competently care for the child while in her custody. It only wants the child back where the court placed him.”

McCready found fame in the mid-1990s and has lived a complicated life in recent years.

In August, she filed a libel suit against her mother and the National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media Inc., over a story published in the tabloid newspaper that quoted Inge.

And in 2008, McCready was admitted to a hospital after police said she cut her wrists and took several pills in a suicide attempt.

During the TV show “Celebrity Rehab 3” in 2010, McCready came off as a sympathetic figure, and host Dr. Drew Pinsky called her an angel in the season finale.

Why do people support Herman Cain when black presidents cannot be successful?

Obama is living proof that we should never vote for black presidents again. So knowing that, then why do people support Herman Cain?

Genetically we have not had an African American president yet. Obama is maybe half. Herman Cain would be very successful if the people on the democratic plantation weren't so foolish to vote for anyone that has a (D) next to their name. Democrats want the black population to stay where they have been for generations to keep them voting for them making the republicans out to be the bad guys. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton etc. are the dems puppets.

Chairman Obama is a Half White Atheist Democrat…Big Difference

and a stereotype was born…

Remember BUSH, f**ggot?

good grief

pity you

BC-AP Sports Digest

The supervisor is Simmi Buttar, followed by Jay Cohen at 5 p.m. The supervisor can be reached at 800 845-8450, ext. 1630. Sports Photos, ext. 1918; graphics, ext. 7636; agate, ext. 1635. AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, also can be obtained from apexchange.com. Reruns are available from the Service Desk (800 838-4616) or your local AP bureau. All times EST.

BKC–SYRACUSE-FINE INVESTIGATION-BOEHEIM

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim says he’ll go ahead with his campaign against child abuse even though he knows his motives will be questioned. By Michael Hill.

PENN STATE-ABUSE-SANDUSKY

NEW YORK – Former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky said Joe Paterno never spoke to him about any suspected misconduct with minors, the New York Times reported Saturday. Sandusky has been charged with molesting eight boys over 15 years. Sandusky in the report paints a picture of a chaotic extended family scene at his State College, Pa., home, a description that’s a stark contrast to the shocking allegations outlined in a grand jury report. By Genaro Armas.

FBC–T25-SEC CHAMPIONSHIP

ATLANTA – Top-ranked LSU tries to secure its spot in the national championship game, but the Tigers are likely to get in even if they lose to No. 12 Georgia in the Southeastern Conference title game. By Paul Newberry. Game starts at 4 p.m.

FBC–TIM DAHLBERG-120311

His football life is now officially over, ended early by a leg injury that cost him one final game. Julian Paksi now looks forward to graduating from college, and getting the liver transplant that could save his life. By Sports Columnist Tim Dahlberg

PARIS – Soccer star, fashion icon, ambassador for Britain, friend to Hollywood stars – David Beckham is many things. To that list, he could soon add player in Middle East politics. By Sports Columnist John Leicester. Sent.

FBC–T25-BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP

INDIANAPOLIS – Big Ten offensive player of the year Montee Ball will lead No. 15 Wisconsin into a rematch with No. 11 Michigan State in the inaugural conference championship game. The Spartans won the October matchup, 37-31, after a replay review overturned a call on the field after time expired, giving Michigan State the winning touchdown. The winner goes to the Rose Bowl. By Michael Marot. Game starts 8:17 p.m.

FBC–T25-OKLAHOMA-OKLAHOMA ST

STILLWATER, Okla. – Harboring an outside shot at reaching the national championship game, No. 3 Oklahoma State will try to snap an eight-game losing streak against rival Oklahoma in the Bedlam game. The 13th-ranked Sooners can win their eighth Big 12 title with an upset on the Cowboys’ home field. By Jeff Latzke. Game starts at 8 p.m.

The Bowl Championship Series matchups will take shape as conference titles are decided around the country, including a likely rematch between LSU and Alabama for the BCS crown. By College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo.

- WACO, Texas – FBC–T25-Texas-Baylor. By Jim Vertuno.

- HOUSTON – FBC–T25-CUSA Championship. By Chris Duncan.

- MANHATTAN, Kan. – FBC–T25-Iowa St-Kansas St. By Dave Skretta.

- CHARLOTTE, N.C. – FBC–ACC Football Championship. By Steve Reed.

- FORT WORTH, Texas – FBC–T25-UNLV-TCU. By Stephen Hawkins.

GLF–CHEVRON CHALLENGE

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Tiger Woods has a three-shot lead over Matt Kuchar and K.J. Choi going into the third round of the Chevron World Challenge. It’s the second straight tournament Woods has a 36-hole lead. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson.

BKC–T25-NCAROLINA-KENTUCKY

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Freshman Anthony Davis blocked John Henson’s shot in the final seconds and Doron Lamb scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half as No. 1 Kentucky held on to beat No. 5 North Carolina 73-72 to extend the Wildcats’ home winning streak to 39 games. By Colin Fly.

INDIANAPOLIS – The highlight reels show the same signature moment from Indiana’s 1987 season over and over — Keith Smart’s game-winning shot in the national title game. It’s an unforgettable image. But those who played that season remember it for much more than one play or one glorious basket. As they gather for this weekend’s 25-year reunion, the player on that team remember it more for the teamwork they used to win the national championship. By Michael Marot.

NEW YORK – Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito have sold out Madison Square Garden, proving there’s plenty of interest in what happens in their rematch. Margarito beat Cotto in July 2008. This time, they fight for Cotto’s WBA super welterweight title. By Dan Gelston. Main card starts at 9 p.m.

- ANAHEIM, Calif. – BOX–Mares-Agbeko. By Greg Beacham.

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. – Taking massive risks, Bode Miller soared down the demanding Birds of Prey course to win a World Cup downhill. Using that same hold-nothing-back approach, he will try for another in a super-G race. By Pat Graham.

- PORTLAND, Ore. – FBN–Suh-Car Crash. Police in Oregon say Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh crashed his car into a tree in downtown Portland, but was not injured. Police say Suh was not impaired and was cooperative with officers following the accident at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday. Suh lost control of the 1970 Chevrolet Coupe he was driving, which then hit a curb, light pole, drinking fountain and tree. His vehicle was towed from the scene. Sent.

- SUN CITY, South Africa – GLF–Sun City. Defending champion Lee Westwood shot 10-under 62 to take a seven-shot lead at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. By Gerald Imray. Sent.

- LILLEHAMMER, Norway -JUM–Ski Jump World Cup. American teenager Sarah Hendrickson won the first women’s World Cup ski jump on the same Lillehammer hill used by the men in the 1994 Winter Olympics. Sent.

- SEVILLE, Spain -TEN–Davis Cup Final. Argentina won the doubles against Spain to trail 2-1 and stay in contention at the Davis Cup final. David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank, partnering for the first time, eased to a 6-4, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Spanish pair Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez on the clay at Olympic Stadium. By Paul Logothetis. Sent.

- MANILA, Philippines – SOC–Galaxy-Philippines – David Beckham scored the opening goal in the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 6-1 win over the Philippine national team in a friendly that was part of the MLS champions’ Asian tour. Beckham gave his team the lead with a curling shot in the 20th minute, and Mike Magee was set up by Landon Donovan for the second goal before halftime. Sent.

- ANAHEIM, Calif. -BBA–Blue Jays-Angels Trade. The Los Angeles Angels have traded catcher Jeff Mathis to the Toronto Blue Jays for left-hander Brad Mills. Sent.

- ATLANTA – SWM–US Winter Nationals. Missy Franklin swims in two more events, Rebecca Soni returns in the breaststroke, and Brendan Hansen gets another race against Kosuke Kitajima on the final day of the U.S. Winter Nationals at Georgia Tech. By George Henry. Finals begin at 6 p.m.

- KENNESAW, Ga. – SOC–Women’s College Cup. Top-ranked Stanford will get a chance to make up for last year’s loss in the finals of the Women’s College Cup. The Cardinals will face Duke in the title game.

- STORRS, Conn. – SOC–UConn-December Soccer. Connecticut soccer star Tony Cascio remembers hearing all about Connecticut’s tradition, its two national titles, and the players who became pros when Ray Reid was recruiting him out of Arizona. The coach, he said, never mentioned he might be playing in snow. By Pat Eaton-Robb. Sent.

Saturday’s Time Schedule (EST)

College Football (Top 25)

No. 1 LSU vs. No. 12 Georgia, SEC championship at Atlanta, 4 p.m.

No. 3 Oklahoma State vs. No. 13 Oklahoma, 8 p.m.

No. 5 Virginia Tech vs. No. 21 Clemson, ACC championship at Charlotte, N.C., 8 p.m.

No. 7 Houston vs. No. 24 Southern Miss, CUSA championship, Noon

No. 9 Boise State vs. New Mexico, 6 p.m.

No. 11 Michigan State vs. No. 15 Wisconsin, Big Ten championship at Indianapolis, 7:30 p.m.

No. 16 Kansas State vs. Iowa State, 12:30 p.m.

No. 18 TCU vs. UNLV, 2:30 p.m.

No. 19 Baylor vs. Texas, 3:30 p.m.

College Basketball (Top 25)

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 5 North Carolina, Noon

No. 2 Ohio State vs. Texas-Pan American, Noon

No. 8 UConn vs. Arkansas at the XL Center, Hartford, Conn., 3:15 p.m.

No. 9 Wisconsin vs. No. 16 Marquette, 4:30 p.m.

No. 11 Xavier vs. Purdue, 3 p.m.

No. 14 Michigan vs. Iowa State, Noon

No. 15 Kansas vs. South Florida, 5:15 p.m.

No. 17 Pittsburgh at Tennessee, 5:15 p.m.

No. 19 Gonzaga at Illinois, 3:15 p.m.

No. 21 Mississippi State vs. West Virginia, 9 p.m.

No. 22 Memphis vs. Austin Peay, 8:30 p.m.

No. 23 Saint Louis vs. Portland, 8 p.m.

No. 25 Texas A&M vs. Stephen F. Austin, 8 p.m.

No. 16 Penn State at No. 19 Texas Tech, 3 p.m.

No. 22 DePaul vs. Loyola of Chicago, 8 p.m.

Montreal at Los Angeles, 3:30 p.m.

Toronto at Boston, 7 p.m.

New Jersey at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at Washington, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Carolina, 7 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Chicago at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

Buffalo at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Philadelphia at Phoenix, 8 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Calgary at Edmonton, 9 p.m.

Florida at San Jose, 10:30 p.m.

Hedy Lamarr Biography: Hedy’s Folly by Richard Rhodes (Review)

December 3, 2011No Comments

How did a woman who couldn’t spell (by some accounts) make such signif-icant contributions to science? Born Hedwig Kiesler into a refined Viennese Jewish family in 1914, she dropped out of high school to act on stage and screen. In 1931, when she was 16, the director Max Reinhardt cast her in the play The Weaker Sex and called her “the most beautiful woman in the world”—an epithet that stuck. two years later, she attained notoriety for her memorable (if fleeting) nude scenes in a Czech art film called Ecstasy. The film horrified her parents but thrilled munitions mogul Fritz Mandl.

Hedy Lamarr., MGM-Corbis

Marrying Lamarr in short order, Mandl threw glittering dinner parties where his colleagues in arms—generals and scientists—entertained the child bride by bragging about their advances in missile technology. In 1937, bucking her marriage, Lamarr fled Europe for America on the Normandie liner, where she befriended the MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer. Before the ship came to port, she’d landed a seven-year contract. In Hollywood three years later, as German torpedoes downed boats in the North Atlantic during the Blitz, Lamarr remembered every ballistic boast she’d absorbed around her husband’s table and put her memories to work.

Hedy’s Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most beautiful Woman in the World by Richard Rhodes. Doubleday. 272 pages

Rhodes’s book is really a dual history, exploring Lamarr’s close collaboration with another German-speaking polymath in Hollywood, the composer George Antheil (famous for the cacophonous Ballet Mécanique, for which he synchronized 16 player pianos, drums, cymbals, and an airplane propeller). Though Lamarr and Antheil’s Secret Communication system received a patent in 1942, the U.S. Navy chose not to use it. Decades after war’s end, American scientists repurposed the “frequency-hopping” innovation Lamarr had envisioned—renamed “spread spectrum” technology—and used it to create cell-phones, GPS, and Wi-Fi. you could almost say that, without Lamarr, there would be no Siri … and no iPhone 4.

Rhodes’s beguiling book shows Hedy Lamarr to have been a secret weapon in more ways than one. “Any girl can be glamorous,” she was famous for saying. “All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.” but it’s not every girl who can be glamorous, stand still, and take the future in a new direction.

Tags: czech art, dinner parties, fritz mandl, max reinhardt, mgm studioIn The papers

No. 3 Pokes bring BCS title hopes into Bedlam

/ By JEFF LATZKEupdated 5:54 p.m. ET Dec. 2, 2011

STILLWATER, Okla. – In more than a century’s worth of Bedlam games, the stakes have never been higher for Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys (10-1, 7-1 Big 12) are No. 3, matching their highest ranking ever heading into the annual rivalry game against No. 13 Oklahoma (9-2, 6-2), and they still have an outside chance at getting into the national championship game with an impressive win Saturday night.

At the least, the in-state showdown is a substitute for the Big 12 championship game, which went away when the league shrank to 10 teams this year.

The Sooners will be attempting to win their eighth Big 12 crown, by far the most in the league’s 16-year history. Oklahoma State is after its first outright conference title since 1948.

“We know we have a lot at stake and it’s going to be a fun challenge down there,” Oklahoma cornerback Demontre Hurst said. “Going down there to their place, playing against one of our biggest rivals, going on the road, trying to defend the Big 12 title again, there’s a lot going on. It’s exciting.”

To earn a shot at its first national championship, Oklahoma State will have to put together a strong case against a Sooners team that has won eight straight Bedlam games and is 81-17-7 in the series — with one of the losses coming by forfeit.

The Cowboys are third in the BCS standings, but must make up the most ground on top-ranked LSU and No. 2 Alabama in the human polls. They’re ranked fifth in the coaches and Harris polls, and — unlike the idle Crimson Tide — have one last chance to make an impression before ballots are due.

“The way I look at it is that if we go out and play well enough and win the football game, then somebody’s going to have to make a decision based on it,” OSU coach Mike Gundy said. “And if it’s actually going to happen the way it should, that decision’s going to be made after we play Oklahoma. So, it really doesn’t matter what I say.”

It does matter what the Cowboys do.

They bring in the nation’s second-rated passing offense, averaging 401.6 yards per game behind quarterback Brandon Weeden and All-American receiver Justin Blackmon. That strength will go up against what has been Oklahoma’s weakness, a pass defense that allowed 452 yards through the air in a loss to Texas Tech and 485 yards passing in a loss at Baylor.

The Sooners are determined to prevent that from happening again — particularly with their own chances to win a conference title and play in a BCS bowl hanging in the balance.

“I do feel like you can play with a chip on your shoulder. You just can’t be mad at the world about it,” safety Aaron Colvin said. “You still have to understand what you came to do and what the coaches have been telling you all week and just trust your instincts.”

“We’ve learned lessons but, at the same time, we knew what we were doing wrong,” he added.

It will be the third straight year that Oklahoma State carries the higher ranking into Bedlam, but the Sooners still won the last two years — costing the Cowboys a chance at an at-large BCS bowl two years ago and the Big 12 South title last year. OSU is trying to prove it’s even better this season, carrying its highest Bedlam ranking since the No. 3 ‘Pokes lost to the No. 2 Sooners back in 1984.

“Even though they’re ranked higher, I don’t think that they’ve proven that they’re that much better of a team and that we’re an underdog or anything,” Oklahoma center Ben Habern said. “I think we’re evenly matched. No matter what, we could both be unranked and I think both teams are going to come to play and it’s always a shootout when we go out there.”

Oklahoma State players have been wearing a black wristband this season that serves as a reminder of a missed opportunity last season, when they gave up two touchdown passes of over 75 yards in the final 3:03 and lost 47-41. They’ll get a second chance, and it’s even at home for the second straight year due to a rearranged conference schedule brought on when Nebraska and Colorado left the Big 12.

“It’s a great situation to be in,” Weeden said. “Not a lot of teams are in this situation and we have to be thankful that we are, and we have to take advantage of it.”

There’s no guarantee that the Cowboys can leapfrog either of the two teams in front of them in the BCS standings, and Gundy may not have helped their case by saying this week that even he considers LSU and Alabama the best teams in the country, at least for now.

With a win, he may change his tune and offer reminders that the Cowboys would then have five wins against the Top 25 teams in the BCS — compared with two for Alabama — and they would be conference champions, unlike the Tide.

But none of that means anything if Oklahoma State can’t prove it’s the best team in its own state.

“If we take care of business this weekend, all of that stuff will fall into place. We’re not looking ahead or anything,” cornerback Brodrick Brown said.

“It’s time to break that little tradition, losing to them eight years in a row,” he added.

DAILEY: It’s been 70 years since the world changed

Most people I talk to nowadays figure that anything thathappened 70 years ago is the stuff of history books.

In spite of my own gray hair, I’m far too young to remember.

Dec. 7, 1941, changed the world.

It even gave us Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Seventy years ago this week young men hopped into high-techwarplanes. They flew 200 miles to drop bombs on Pearl Harbor,Hawaii, in a surprise attack on America.

It’s a history that helped to bring televisions to BelleFourche, the Internet to New York City and cell phones to LosAngeles.

Over the years I’ve written many Pearl Harbor Day columns. Butso many of the folks who told first-hand tales of that day aregone.

If you’ve ever been to Hawaii, you may have driven to PearlHarbor. It’s not far from the beach hotels.

The tour to the memorial over the sunken battleship Arizonaincludes time in a nice little museum. A boat ride takes you past aWorld War II submarine to a white building on stilts that straddleswhat remains of a proud ship. It was manned by sailors proud to beon one of the world’s most famous seagoing fortresses.

One of the youngest sailors was Howard Bowman.

His rank was seaman second class – a beginner rank for thosejust beginning a Navy career.

Howard was – is – a medium-distant cousin.

He remains on the Arizona today, 70 years later.

Had he lived, he’d see a far different world that he helped topay for.

It’s sometimes easy for somebody my age to forget that a40-year-old can’t imagine a world where most homes had notelevision. Folks stared at a big tube-type radio dial as theylistened to news, comedies, detective stories and westerns. Or theywent to movies.

After World War II there were millions of radio tubes no longerneeded for battle. For the younger generation, radio tubes did whattoday’s computer-type chips do to let a radio capture and amplifysound. They look like strange light bulbs.

After the war, those left-over tubes went into radios andtelevision sets.

Radio tubes, including “war surplus” from World War II, wentinto early guitar amplifiers and public address systems that letbands get smaller – but also very much louder.

Rock as we know it suddenly was possible.

The technology brought a kick start to a television industrythat hit virtually every North American home within 10 years afterthe war ended in 1945.

Those tubes soon downsized into transistors that in turn weredownsized onto computer chips. Those chips enabled personalcomputers and eventually the Internet.

A movie star once called “the most beautiful woman in film,”Hedy Lamarr, helped invent the cell phone during World War II.

Her patent was a technology to protect ships from radio-guidedtorpedoes. It allowed radio to skip between 88 frequencies.

That same technology remains more or less in your cellphone.

Technology isn’t all of the change.

Millions of men and women put off families for military serviceor jobs manufacturing radio tubes and bullets.

Around 1946 or 1947 the men were home, married, and the BabyBoom began.

The population today is more than twice what it was in 1945.

We read the newspaper on the Internet as well as on paper.

We carry telephones in our pockets instead of leaving them wiredto the wall.

Dec. 7, 1941, didn’t make these things happen, but the war andits exploding technology brought them to us much faster.

The rusting remains of the Arizona are straddled by a whitemonument.

Black letters spell the names of men who would never use a cellphone.

Cousin Howard never came home, never had a family.

Franklin D. Roosevelt called it, “a date which will live ininfamy.”

It certainly is a date which still lives.

Robertson Treatment Syndicated Column (RTSC): Six Questions with Common

America’s Premiere Urban Lifestyle Column – Edition 15, Issue 11 By Gil Robertson

*Born Lonnie Rashid Lynn in Chicago on March 13, 1972, Common rose to prominence as one of hip-hop’s most poetic and respected lyricists, having garnered multiple Grammy Awards for his first eight albums. Common’s ninth, The Dreamer, The Believer, will be released in December by Warner Brothers Records.

In 2004, he partnered with fellow Chicago native and rap music mega-star Kanye West to produce the album BE, which went on to garner four Grammy Award nominations. Three years later, Common released his critically-acclaimed seventh album, Finding Forever, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Album Chart and went on to earn him another Grammy. His eighth album, Universal Mind Control, was released in 2008 and was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Rap Album.

Common’s film credits include “Smokin’ Aces,” “American Gangster,” “Wanted,” “Terminator Salvation,” “Date Night” and “Just Wright.” In addition, he is set to co-star opposite Jennifer Garner next year in “The Odd Life of Timothy Green.”

On TV, Common enjoys a recurring role on the AMC Network series “Hell on Wheels.” He plays Elam, a freed slave who heads West in search of work on the Transcontinental Railroad in post-Civil War America.

His memoir, One Day It’ll All Make Sense, was published in September by Atria Books. He is also the author of several children’s books, including The MIRROR and M, its follow-up, I Like You But I Love Me, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and M.E. (Mixed Emotions).

In 2000, Common launched the Common Ground Foundation, with the mission to empower disadvantaged youth in urban communities by mentoring them. Here, he talks about serving as the voice of Seymour in the animated comedy Happy Feet Two.

ROBERTSON TREATMENT: What interested you in playing Seymour?

COMMON: The reason why I really wanted to play Seymour was because Happy Feet Two is a family movie that can touch people of all ages. So, I saw the opportunity to be in the movie and to work with [director] George Miller, who is an incredibly talented visionary, as a great honor and blessing.

RT: What is the acting process like when you’re voicing an animated character?

C: First of all, you start by finding the pulse of the character, because even though it’s animated, it still has a soul. George Miller creates characters who have heart, so you start by finding their essence. Then you bring that essence to the character, and add your imagination.

RT: What film role will you tackle next?

C: God willing, I’ll be doing leading roles in some dramas, comedies and action films. My goal is to develop into a great actor.

RT: What message do you want the public to take away from your recent memoir, One Day It’ll All Make Sense?

C: I just want people to feel like they can achieve something great in their lives. We all go through rough times, but love is the antidote. You’ve got to dream and just believe in yourself. And if you believe, you will achieve it.

RT: How maintain your cool in the craziness of show business?

C: I attribute it to God, self-esteem, and knowing your purpose in life. It can’t be based on anything material or external.

RT: Tell me how your journey has morphed you into the man you are today.

C: I put God first, and strive to do my best by being a loving human being, recognizing that sometimes I make mistakes and bad choices. But God is my guide and love is the strongest element in the mix, so I try to not judge myself too much, knowing that at the end of the day, my greatest judge will be Jehovah God.

BEST BETS – THEATRE

The Mountain Top

“THE MOUNTAINTOP and BEYOND”

One of the most provocative and unconventional plays ushering in the Fall Season on Broadway is the production of “The MountainTop”. Written by the one of theatre’s “Rising Stars”, Katori Hall, the play represents a creative and compelling retrospective of a night in the life of Civil Rights Icon-Dr. martin Luther King Jr. More specifically, the play chronicles the fictionalized events of the night of April 3, 1968-the evening before Dr. King was shot on the balcony of The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Interspersed with fact, fiction and humor, “The MountainTop” challenges the audience to vicariously consider Dr. King-the man.

Although he was indeed the world renowned Civil Rights Leader of the day, he was also a man with personal emotions, aspirations and fears.

The play unfolds with a thunderous and torrential southern rainstorm. We are introduced to the imposing yet beleaguered figure (Dr. Marin Luther King Jr.) , played masterfully through the unique style of Academy Award nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson. At first glimpse, we identify with the image of Dr. King that is most familiar to us, this being Dr. King, the “Icon”. We hear the southern cadences and intonations we have grown to trust and love. We are mesmerized and inspired by the words of Dr. King delivered in the style of Samuel Jackson. As we prepare to sink into the comfort zone of the Dr. King we know we are introduced to a beguiling and intriguing character named Camae, who is a newly hired “Maid” at the Lorraine Motel. However, as we become immersed in the skill and complexity of the play’s events we are presented with an unexpected enigma. Is Camae, the beautiful and alluring character who speaks simple yet compelling thoughts and commentary r-e-a-l-l-y a “Maid”, or is she a “Mystical Messenger” sent to fulfill a monumental edict? Camae is brilliantly played by fellow Academy Award Nominated actress, Angela Bassett.

Throughout the play, with the backdrop of the raging southern rainstorm, we witness a slice of history interspersed with the creative and imaginative writing of Katori Hall. Fact, fiction and humor are intertwined to create a plausible yet unconventional look into the thinking, aspirations, frustrations and fears of the “man” we know as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Through the directorial skill and majesty of Tony nominated and Award Winning Director, Kenny Leon, fact and fiction are juxtaposed travelers on an “Unforgettable Journey”. We are witnesses to a “Journey” which begins with a Civil Rights Icon and evolves into a life Changing Experience of an ordinary man with extraordinary “Dreams” for the future of mankind. During our “Journey” the image of the man we know as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,-“The Icon” is challenged with by events of the mind, heart and soul. What emerges by the plays end is the image of a “man” with a “Dream” which is not realized during his lifetime but is left to present and future generations to achieve! As the play comes to a close, the audience becomes engulfed in a steady stream of powerful and prophetic images of past, and present leaders and Icons. These images come from all “Walks of Life”. Their individual and collective “Journey” is an invaluable part of our “Shared Journey” to eradicate racism, sexism and inequality as we strive to create a world in which Love, Equality and Justice prevail!

The play ends, with each of us being implored to “Pick Up The Baton” and become “Dream Bearers” as we strive to achieve, not an “Impossible Dream” but a “Dream” only possible through our shared commitment, struggle and perseverance as we strive to get to “The Mountain Top” and Beyond!

Become a part of “The Journey” and experience theatre at its best while contemplating a vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the “Man”, not “The Icon” and embracing the Challenge to work toward The Continued Evolution of Humankind!

The “MountainTop” is currently playing on Broadway at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre located at 242 West 45th Street in New York City.

Lauvia Sherma, New York Correspondent RTSC

AUOTOMOTIVE SPIN

FORD F-150

Like a prize race horse the Ford F-150 is universally admired for its stamina, superb handling and classic rugged features. Recently, I had the chance to put this ride up to various challenges and found that it more than lived up to its reputation.

Wow Factor: Beginning with its imposing exterior that is well complimented by it high quality interior features, F-150 looks good, both inside and out. Add to that its performance upgrade and this ride delivers is a driving experience that is above expectations.

Ride: The F-150 is outfitted with a 3.7-liter V6 that gets 302 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque to work with, which makes it ideal for hauling large loads. Another great feature is an impressive electric power steering that maneuvers well on a variety of road conditions.

Comfort: The seats on this ride were built with endurance in mind and offer the space and back support for road trips and big city drives. Not surprisingly, the F-150 has great storage space for both everyday items such as drinks and files, not to mention big loads. I was also impressed with its upgrades sound system, which greatly enhanced my drives.

Spin Control: With its winning attributes, the Ford F-150 lives up to its status as the ultimate all around road vehicle. With a base sticker price that starts in the mid-$20,000, this ride has everything it takes to sustain its world class legend.

Visit: robertsontreatment.com