PFT: LB McClain arrested? |? Done with Ravens?

Getty Images

Browns owner Jimmy Haslam apparently has received ? and is heeding ? advice from his lawyers regarding the fact that anything he says can and will be used against him, if/when he personally faces charges for fraud allegedly committed by the billion-dollar, family-owned truck-stop company he runs.

As a result, Haslam met with the media again on Monday, but instead of speaking extemporaneously and then answering questions, he read from a lengthy prepared statement that surely was written or at least reviewed and revised by one or more lawyers.

Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer has the full text of the statement, which says nothing about the Browns.? While the smartest move at this point would be to say nothing at all about anything, Haslam realizes that his customers could scatter and his employees could flee and the entire operation could disintegrate without real efforts to hold the business together.

But in starting the process of rebuilding trust and restoring confidence, Haslam comes dangerously close to admitting that improprieties occurred.? For example, in explaining that the company will now have a ?Chief Compliance Officer,? Haslam basically acknowledges that, if whoever blew the whistle to the feds had a way to blow the whistle internally, the whole thing could have been fixed without outside scrutiny.

?The establishment of a position of Chief Compliance Officer is important, because had we had one before, perhaps some team member would have raised a question about manual rebates internally before anyone would ever have gone to federal investigators,? Haslam said.

Haslam also continues to emphasize that the situation affects only a ?narrow? portion of the company?s business.? But with 3,300 trucking-company customers, a lot of fraud can still happen to a ?narrow? band of customers.? Reciting instances of compliance with the lawyer is never a defense to the specific instances when the law was broken.

Most significantly, Haslam explained that the company placed on ?administrative leave several members of our diesel fuel team.?? Presumably, that includes V.P. of sales John Freeman, whose colorful and profane terms were caught on tape by an informant, along with an admission that Haslam was aware of the alleged rebate scam.

If/when Freeman agrees to testify against Haslam, Haslam will have a serious problem; in the interim, Haslam and his lawyers necessarily must commence preparations for painting this once-trusted employee as inherently unreliable, especially as to anything he would say under oath about Haslam.

Of course, none of it matters if Pilot Flying J ends up being driven into the ground by the loss of customers and personnel.? Haslam?s statement from Monday is aimed at keeping that from happening.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/22/new-raven-rolando-mcclain-arrested-for-disorderly-conduct/related/

prince jessica biel Lena Dunham elton john janelle monae weather nyc national signing day

AdvSecret.com Trick Photography and Special Effects | AdvSecret.com

By Brian W

Photography is actually the fine art of capturing images working with light along with a camera to portray a message, meaning or even aesthetic. There tend to be simply no hard and fast rules to photography however most photography enthusiasts possess a trademark style or perhaps utilize techniques which help to make the work they do stay ahead of the rest.

The camera is really a complicated instrument and also the best way to be an expert or perhaps great photographer is to comprehend its working and intricacies. For the majority of photographers who will be seeking to up their game, my biggest recommendation is to get free from the automatic and also preset modes and experiment with manual picture taking. Understand the diverse elements and also beauty of photography to be in a position to come forth with much better results. Photography these days is digitised along with gone are the days of film as well as needing to develop photos. Right now you are able to view final results quickly upon your camera providing you with the liberty to experiment with your artwork as well as acquire the desired effect from a number of pictures.

The technique behind special effects and trick photography is actually exclusively manipulating the abilities of your camera to radicalize your photography result making use of digital settings and concepts. A thorough Understanding of the various components of photography such as lighting, shutter speed, point of view and depth of field will go a long way within artistic photography plus several years may be invested playing along with cameras along with lighting just before one is actually able to create pictures that he/she visualizes before pointing the camera. The use of these kinds of different aspects of photography is exactly what creates the best picture plus can add the fourth dimension and innovative depth for your work. The easiest method to experiment with trick photography is to be prepared to try something new. Do not be afraid of the possibilities and look objectively at ideas to consider methods that generate exciting photographs. Team your creativity along with your cameras plus shooting capability to create photography magic. Always try to find intriguing ways to obtain a photo and also include capture elements like light flare, motion blur and also placement of subjects to make images that are generally dizzy with creativity.

With regards to editing, special effects and trick photography the view of most photographers could differ. The process of Editing and effects is to produce a far better impact from the picture simply by getting rid of unwanted elements or even altering the effects of an image utilizing computer software. This is usually referred to as post production work and Photo editing is actually a serious technical knowledge which requires some fundamental insight directly into editing software. Most photography enthusiasts are generally skilled at photography effects and also editing to develop separately unique works of art. Photographs are usually edited on Software like CorelPaint shop or Photoshop. The basic idea for utilizing photo editing as well as special effects would be to include digital components to an image to help make it far more appealing. Additionally to help make a photo look more realistic by eliminating undesirable components inside the image. There usually are a number of editing techniques for example HDR in addition to Layering which tends to make the photography look realistic and lively. Within the majority of instances, the reason behind editing would be to achieve within the photograph precisely what the camera was not able to because of shooting constraints for example light and exposure.

For more information on trick photography and special effects, check out my Trick Photography Book Review by clicking Here! I?m sure you will like it!

---

Source: http://www.advsecret.com/trick-photography-and-special-effects/

Cam Cameron Ada Lovelace 12/12/12 manny pacquiao Chopper Live jerry brown michael buble

Twitter #music

After months of rumor and speculation, Twitter has officially unveiled #music, the company's surprising foray into the music space. Twitter #music (pronounced Twitter Music), however, isn't like any other music service on the market. Twitter #music leverages your social circle to serve up music recommendations and song samples. In this regard, Twitter #music is fairly effective, but it asks you to jump through some rather bizarre hoops to receive those personalized recommendations or listen to full tracks?hoops that will likely turn away many people expecting a true streaming music service. Note: I'm reviewing the Twitter #music website, but there's also an iPhone app.

Getting Started
Pointing your browser toward music.twitter.com takes you to a panel-driven interface which displays by default the 140 most popular songs currently trending on the 140-character social network. If you'd like to bypass the most popular artists, a drop-down menu in the upper-left lets you check artists who are Emerging (described as "the hidden talent found in the Tweets"), Suggested (recommended tracks based on musicians you follow), Now Playing (music "Tweeted by people you follow"), and the ones you follow, called Me in the menu.

An artist panel features an artist's photo, the artist's Twitter handle, and song name, but mousing over it reveals more information. A highlighted panel becomes greyed out and reveals the artist's name, a Twitter follow icon, an "Explicit" label when appropriate, and a play button which streams a crisp iTunes?song snippet when clicked (you can also purchase the song from iTunes). This is easily Twitter Music's most disappointing and frustrating aspect as you need to use other services?namely Rdio or Spotify?to listen to tracks in their entirety. Existing Rdio and Spotify subscribers may see the integration as a nice touch, but those who don't subscribe to those streaming music services (or use a non-supported service like Slacker Radio) may feel left out in the cold.

Music Discovery, Not Music Listening
Clicking the big, blue "Play Full Tracks" icon lets you select either Spotify or Rdio as a music source. Twitter #music then requests permission to access either Spotify or Rdio. I logged into Spotify using my Facebook account, but I still couldn't access full-length songs because I needed a $9.99 per month Spotify Premium account (it's the same with Rdio). That would've been nice to know beforehand.

So, I whipped out my credit card and subscribed. A few minutes later, the "Play Full Tracks" icon became a "Spotify Settings" icon when I returned to it. Clicking the icon let me disconnect Spotify from Twitter #music. An additional option becomes available when you click the gear icon?it lets you ban explicit songs. The banned songs will still appear in the Twitter Timeline, but you can't play them.

I dove into the music catalog by playing the #1 most popular song on Twitter?Demi Lovato's "Heart Attack." It was, as one would expect from crowded sourced recommendations, typical pop music fare. At least the audio streamed smoothly and sounded good. The Twitter #music player has a skip icon that lets you jump to the next most popular song, but there's no back/rewind button. Instead, you simply click a panel representing a previously played song to hear the track again. It also serves up a single track from an artist at a time?there's no way to see, for example, an album's track listing from within Twitter #music. You can, however, click on the Rdio or Spotify icon to visit the external artist pages on those sites if you'd like more information.

Twitter #music also gives you the option to Tweet what you're listening to at the moment. My immediate thought was that if the service caught on, my Timeline would be filled with these annoying shout outs and links to Rdio and Spotify. I could happily do without it.

That said, Twitter #music may serve music artists fairly well. No matter where you are in the app, an artist is staring back at you. The sheer number encourages exploration, but that may not result in finding music you like. In my case, the Popular section meant nothing to me?it was mainly pop swill. Now Playing, the music tweeted by my Twitter buds, didn't help much either (at least on launch day). There were nine recommendations and none moved me. The Emerging section was a mixed bag of potential Vice-worthy indie darlings, but certainly a step up from Popular. The Suggested section proved the most helpful as it recommended songs based on the two musicians I follow: Chuck D and Talib Kweli. Naturally, there were a lot of hip hop-heavy songs from the likes of Q-tip, Pharoahe Monch, and Bumpy Knuckles. I would have preferred if my actual tweets influenced the suggested artists, too, as I tweet about all types of music. In order to get a more varied suggestion range, I would have to follow more artists?and I don't want to do that. I prefer a clean Twitter feed.

There's also a search button, but it doesn't return song results?it returns user names. Type in "Walk This Way" and you'll get zilch unless that name is actually a Twitter handle. In this instance, Twitter #music felt even less like a music service and simply a tool to drive up engagement numbers.

Room For Improvement
The intermingling of music and social network in the manner presented here is troublesome. I like, for example, John Mayer's music, but do I really want to follow his Twitter account in order to receive Mayer-like recommendations? No. ?Plus, I don't want to clutter my Twitter stream with a slew of artists just to help sculpt personalized suggestion results.

The Twitter brand has given this service a lot of buzz, but I predict that the hype will quickly fade when the limitations arise. By requiring users to sign up for a premium Rdio or Spotify account and follow musicians to receive personalized music recommendations, Twitter #music has erected roadblocks for those who simply want to hear a quick song or two. That's not to say that Twitter #music doesn't have room for improvement. Should Twitter #music implement album info and create a way to get personalized recommendations without the need for users to follow artists it could be worth consideration. But for now? Pass unless you're a Twitter diehard.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/fiM2YUzh87M/0,2817,2417950,00.asp

target jason wu gi joe jason wu for target collection nick diaz vs carlos condit the patriot hall of fame occupy dc

Alleged next-gen iPad rear casing suggests mini-esque design and finish

We've seen a possible case, what could be the front portion of Apple's next iPad and this time around, Tactus has got its hands on the other half, the rear casing. Unfortunately, it's the not-so-interesting view, but we can still make out the space for the hole for the camera lens, sharper corners and the same dark blue finish we saw on both the fifth iteration of the iPhone and the iPad Mini. Tactus reckons it'll hold onto the original iPad's 9.7-inch display, but surround it with a thinner bezel. As for the rest of the specs that will eventually reside inside the redesigned shell, well, we'll have to wait for the official reveal from Apple for the full story.

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

Comments

Via: Apple Insider

Source: Tactus

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/22/alleged-next-gen-ipad-rear-casing/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

facebook ipo facebook ipo mike kelley puxatony phil josh harvey clemons college football recruiting rankings ground hog day 2012

Revis enjoyed time as?Jet? |? No other teams pursued

Getty Images

Last week, when the Jets pressed ?pause? on the Darrelle Revis trade talks, some thought that another team or two could try to jump into the fray.

It didn?t happen.

In fact, it never happened.? Per a source with knowledge of the process, it was always Tampa ? and only Tampa.

That reality kept the Jets from getting more than a first-round pick in 2013 and a fourth-round pick in 2014 (which will become a third-round pick if he?s on the Tampa Bay offseason roster next year).? It also kept Revis from getting anything more finite than a pay-as-you-go contract that promises him annual compensation of $16 million, with nothing guaranteed.

In the end, it was the best deal the Jets and Revis could get, because it was the only deal they could get.

?If we had the luxury of time, if we had the luxury of Darrelle not having been injured, not having gone through rehab, then I think things would be a lot clearer both from our standpoint and in the case of potential trade suitors,? G.M. John Idzik told reporters on Sunday.

He?s right.? Only one team was willing to give up a first-round pick plus a 2014 selection for the hope that Revis will be back to his old self after ACL replacement.? Only one team was willing to commit $16 million to him for 2013.? (Though it?s not actually guaranteed, there?s no way he?ll be cut before Week One, when his $13 million base salary becomes guaranteed as a practical matter by the labor deal.)

Perhaps most importantly, only one team was willing to do a deal that, if Revis goes back to being Revis, will necessitate an adjustment or risk his third career holdout.

The thinking was that the next contract for Revis would have to carry enough guaranteed money to make him or his agents never complain again about his compensation.? The Bucs instead have created a situation in which it?s highly unlikely that both sides consistently will be content with Revis earning total compensation that equates to $1 million per game.

If he plays poorly, the Buccaneers eventually will have to explore paying him less, or possibly moving on.? If he plays well, the Bucs will have to brace for Revis wanting more.

Still, after blowing a first-round pick in 2008 on Aqib Talib and a third-round pick in 2010 on Myron Lewis, the Bucs will now gamble those same two picks on the chance that Revis will get back to form.? If he does, and if he wants more money because of that, it?ll be a very good problem for the Buccaneers to have.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/21/darrelle-revis-six-years-with-jets-were-unbelievable/related/

Dave Grohl 121212 Cal State Fullerton Pacific Rim tumblr Ravi Shankar Geminid meteor shower

Biden says response to tragedies 'incredible'

DETROIT (AP) ? Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday said the strength of those devastated by the Boston Marathon bombing, Texas plant explosion and Connecticut school shooting is remarkable and proof that some good can come from carnage and pain.

"It showed the incredible resilience, heroism, commitment and love of the people who responded to these tragedies," Biden said at a major fundraiser for Democrats in Michigan, which could play a big role in the 2016 presidential election.

Biden's 50-minute speech in Detroit came at the end of a difficult week marked by violence, tragedy and a jarring defeat for the Obama administration on gun control. The vice president said he was amazed to see footage of marathon runners moving forward despite the explosions.

"I wondered what in the heck are they doing? Were they running away from harm? They were running through it. They were running to a hospital. They were running to help their fellow runners and citizens watching. It was an instinct, sort of stamped in our DNA," he told 1,500 gathered for the state Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner.

Biden, who has not ruled out a presidential bid in 2016, led the Obama administration's gun-control push. It was defeated Wednesday in the Senate.

The vice president credited Newtown, Conn., victims' families for reliving their losses over and over again while lobbying Congress to act.

He said senators told him not to ask for their vote because "even if we do this, it will never pass the House." Not one of the more than 15 Republican and Democratic senators he called gave him a "substantive reason" for opposing it, he said.

Five still voted for it and "believed that they may be writing themselves into the second edition of 'Profiles of Courage,'" he said.

Biden said winning back the Republican-controlled House in 2014 is crucial and that the American people are on the side of expanded background checks for gun purchases.

He turned his attention to more typical fare for such a political gala ? criticizing the GOP's budget proposals and talking up Democrats' vision for the middle class. He also criticized Michigan's new right-to-work law, which prohibits workers from having to pay union fees or dues.

"We know that the future of this country is going to continue to be built on the backs of the middle class. And we understand it was organized labor who built that middle class. Therefore labor must have a seat at the table, not this right to work for less," he said to loud applause.

Biden never mentioned the 2016 presidential election. Michigan could be important in the campaign because it could have one of the earlier Democratic primaries and is a traditional stronghold for Democrats. The party's candidate has won the past six presidential races in the state.

In May, Biden will keynote a Democratic fundraising dinner in South Carolina, which traditionally holds one of the first primaries of the season.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/biden-says-response-tragedies-incredible-005658046--politics.html

walking dead The Pope bruno mars the Grammys 2013 State of the Union 2013 katy perry Rihanna

?If Your Fidelity to Perfectionism is Too High, You Never Do Anything?

In order to be successful, it's important to not just get things done, but to get the done well. The desire to be perfect in what you do can help you out immensely?provided that you do things and finish them.

This animated radio interview with the late David Foster Wallace stresses how perfectionism can get in your way if you lose sight of that. The relevant stuff is right at the beginning, stick around if you want some insight into the acclaimed author's life.

David Foster Wallace on Ambition | The World's Best Ever

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/MHvanNUGY0I/if-your-fidelity-to-perfectionism-is-too-high-you-nev-476451037

Summer Solstice 2012 Waldo Canyon fire nba finals K Michelle roger clemens multiple sclerosis falling skies