News
My Blog List
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
School Delays Due To Ice
Public School System Closings For Friday, January 22, 2010 Updated 1/22/2010 9:10 AM
Colleges/Universities
| |
State Of The State Address?
What did you think of the Governor's vision for Maryland, as laid out in the State of the State address?Our Governor has a good plan. The people just needs to support him. Ted of WestminsterIt all sounds good when you have a "politician" standing before stating what he wants for the state. However, it is another thing if they deliver. I would like for someone to write down everything that Governor O'Malley has stated and keep a score as they do in sports and see how many things actually happens and how the state prospers from it as he has "stated". There is where the true approval rating lies. Sandy/WoodlawnPlain and simple, the man is smoking crack! Nuff said..Off to DelawareI have a severe / profound Autistic son and was told the Gov. cut more (Disability) DDA $ than ever before, leaving the possibility for a lack of funds in his much needed adult placement. Are we facing another set of Reagan yrs episode where the severely mentally ill have no place to go? Don't insult our intelligence! That's not governing; in fact that's keeping their jobs secure, while the less fortunate wander aimlessly... Shame on you! Ms. G , Balto., MDSend your responses to watercooler@wbaltv.com... and we'll read some of them on air at 6:45am.
source : http://www.wbaltv.com/news/17179119/detail.html
Andres Alonso Alienates Baltimore Teachers
It took Andres Alonso about 2 minutes of leading the Baltimore school system to alienate the teacher union - following the Plan. Expect the same to happen in Washington with another Klein acolyte running things. Note that teachers are fighting
back by refusing to work the extra hours. After working in NY as Klein's assistant, Alonso is unfamiliar with unions that aren't interested in collaborating. 
City Teachers To Picket Over Planning Time
back by refusing to work the extra hours. After working in NY as Klein's assistant, Alonso is unfamiliar with unions that aren't interested in collaborating. 
City Teachers To Picket Over Planning Time
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore city school teachers concerned about their contracts are planning to set up what they call informational pickets. They said the goal of the picketing is to put pressure on the administration to sign on the dotted line. City teachers agreed over the summer to work only those hours called for in the contract, refusing to take part in before- and after-school activities. The teacher's union is currently vowing to go a step further by setting up informational pickets this week outside at least three schools. "It will inform the public. We will be asking them to contact the school board in support of us, and let them know that teachers in Baltimore city are working without a contact, and they are to support this effort," said Marietta English of the Baltimore City Teacher's Union. The union said the main sticking point in the contract is teacher planning time. City School Chief Executive Officer Dr. Andres Alonso said that the contract dispute really boils down to a simple request by the administration. "The board and I have asked for one planning period a week to be used for common planning time or professional development at the discretion of the principal. I hear I'm trying to take away planning time. That's ridiculous," he said. "We are talking about planning time, time that is precious to teachers and time that they need to plan their lessons to mark papers to get prepared for the next class," English said. The union said that until there's a new agreement, teachers will continue to work by the terms of their old contract. WBAL TV 11 News learned that the Baltimore city teachers union is not pleased with the school board or Alonso. The union said it is prepared to take a vote of no confidence as it relates to the contract controversy.
How Baltimore TV stations are covering the storm
WBAL's Tom Tasselmyer was supposed to be on Christmas vacation Friday, according to news director Michelle Butt. Instead, he worked all day and slept overnight at the station and was on the air at 5 a.m. Saturday morning, going head to head to with an amped up WJZ crew chaired by lead anchor Denise Koch.
Baltimore's leading TV stations hit the airwaves with everything they had Saturday morning at 5 a.m., and WMAR wasn't far behind launching its live coverage at 7.
WBFF, meanwhile, was showing infomerials for mini-hibachi grills and such syndicated fare as "Wild America." The station did have headlines at the bottom and side of the screen with area closings and weather information. But Fox45 had no real continuing coverage like the competition until much later in the day.
And the live coverage was in many ways, local TV news at its best -- providing viewers with information they needed to make informed decisions about their lives in the face of a major disruption in normalcy. It was an example straight out of the textbooks on the purpose of news.
READ ON FOR A 4:50 P.M. UPDATE ON COVERAGE
The presence of strong anchors early on made a big difference. Denise Koch gave WJZ's presentation a sense of order and authority from the opening bell. Having its lead anchor on the set instantly created the impression that Channel 13 was on top of this huge story. She was later joined by Kai Jackson who provided just as solid a presence.
Of course, there was more to the Channel 13's sense of authority than one anchor. WJZ had meterologist Tim Williams and Marty Bass in the studio and out back behind the station. They also had strong reporters on Baltimore area streets. Andrea Fujii and Gigi Barnett did some especially nice work early on.
Lisa Robinson and Deborah Weiner anchored WBAL's coverage until Stan Stovall and Sarah Caldwell took over after about six hours. Robinson and Weiner also provided a strong presence for WBAL, although the real punch for Channel 11 came from having Tasselmyer and John Collins providing constant weather information.
WBAL was also out on Baltimore area roadways. Tim Tooten did some very animated reporting from the parking lot at White Marsh Mall, while Jennifer Franciotti was a font of energy and enterprise in the wind and snow out in Westminster. She had no trouble finding intrepid and interesting residents out in the snow.
WMAR's strength was in having its regular morning anchor team of Jamie Costello and Megan Pringle. Their on-air ease brought a sense of coherence to Channel 2's coverage as well.
The importance of going all-out in covering the storm was not lost on local news executives.
"Everyone is working - whether they're on vacation or not," WJZ's Bending said. "This is what we do. Weather affects everyone and everything in our lives. All four of our weathercasters are working round-the-clock. Meteorologists Tim Williams and Bernadette Woods, Bob Turk and Marty Bass have been tracking this storm since it was on the horizon. Our role is to make sure our viewers stay safe and that we immediately relay critical information from our governor and all emergency departments across the state."
WBAL's Butt said: "This storm may not be the biggest story of the year in Baltimore, but it will be without question the biggest weather story of this year. And my staff understands its role in getting viewers through the storm. Folks are prepared to be here; sleeping bags and pillows can be found all over the building and crews in the field know it means long days. People are working today and tomorrow that are on vacation next week; just as Tom did. But that's what we do at WBAL-TV! We are committed to coverage of big stories and this storm is without question a big story.
UPDATE 4:50 P.M. -- It looks like covering this storm is going to be marathon event. And while WMAR started two hours after WBAL and WJZ, by 4:30 p.m., it was the only Baltimore station still offering continuous coverage.
WMAR's newsroom is showing some real grit in its coverage of this big story. And given the way that viewers find a sense of reassurance and community in local TV coverage during a big snow event like this, I think WMAR might just win back some old and find some new viewers with its effort.
Besides, Channel 2 had the best dog-in-the-snow pictures Saturday from their viewers. And I love dogs-looking-goofy-in-the-snow pictures. I really do. Beyond the high-end, all-important duty of providing citizens with needed information, that sense of fun and over-the-backfence neighborly feeling of conversation between on-air personalities and viewers are also a major part of successful snow coverage on television.
WBFF was reporting the storm at 5 p.m. in what co-anchor Jennifer Gilbert described as "special coverage." It was very good coverage. WBFF's images of the storm were among the best, and the field reporting was clean, fast and focused. Kathleen Cairns did a textbook taped report from Howard County, while Melinda Roeder generated energy and even a bit of joy in her snowball reports from Rodgers Forge.
In fairness, by having only cut-ins since 7 a.m., WBFF had far more time to put the 5 p.m. broadcast together than did the three stations that went into continuous coverage at 5 and 7 a.m. Saturday. Still, it was nice to see each of Baltimore's four stations doing some good work.
WBFF News Director Scott Livingston said station management wanted to try and put on some of its best work later is the day as counterprogramming to the other stations as they cut away from their coverage.
It was nice to always have at least one station in continuous coverage from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday.
source : http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/zontv/2009/12/baltimore_tv_snow_coverage_wjz.html
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Hot Offers Nfl Pro Bowl Schedule,Nfl Pro Bowl time, Nfl Pro Bowl, Nfl Probowl, Nfl All Star Game, Pro Bowl Skills Challenge | UssPost.com
Nfl Pro Bowl Schedule,Nfl Pro Bowl time, Nfl Pro Bowl, Nfl Probowl, Nfl All Star Game, Pro Bowl Skills Challenge | UssPost.com:And 2010 Pro Bowl is a great game, is more than expected. 7:30 pm Pro Bowl Sunday, January 31st, 2010 in the Middle starts. 2010 Pro Bowl in 2010 and more than expected within one week before the Super Bowl is. 2010 Pro Bowl and National Football League game between the American Conference football during the conference. In 2010 Pro Bowl player in each of the lists of the first conference to share with a new access for the occasion could be more enthusiastic. 2010 Pro Bowl G ESPN channels, sports and games are available in other places.
source : http://www.111breakingnews.com/30976-nfl-pro-bowl-schedulenfl-pro-bowl-time-nfl-pro-bowl-nfl-probowl-nfl-all-star-game-pro-bowl-skills-challenge-usspostcom/
NFL Pro Bowl 2010 Schedule: Time, Date and Channel Information
One of the much awaited games on the National Football League it the Pro Bowl where AFC all-stars play against the NFL all-stars. This is usually held one week before the Super Bowl. The NFL Pro Bowl 2010 is going to be held at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida which is also the home of Super Bowl XLIV. People are now starting to ask for the basic information about this NFL event like the Pro Bowl Time, Pro Bowl Schedule and Pro Bowl Channel. More details about this NFL game are available below. CLICK HERE to watch the Pro Bowl 2010 Live Stream. Pro Bowl 2010 Game Preview: The Pro Bowl’s experimental one-year move to Miami has resulted in better ticket sales, more media coverage and some grousing by players. “I like Hawaii a lot better,” Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison said. He and the other all-stars wanted to end the season in Miami – but not this week. With a new venue and new slot on the league calendar, the Pro Bowl will be played Sunday as a preliminary to next week’s Super Bowl on the same field. It definitely feels like a warmup act. “There’s a bittersweet taste,” said quarterback Tony Romo, a late addition to the NFC roster after his Dallas Cowboys came up two wins shy of a Super Bowl berth. “You’re always hoping to play in the big game.” The NFL is trying to transform the Pro Bowl into a bigger game by playing it before the Super Bowl for the first time. The league also moved the game from Honolulu, its home since 1980. One result: the best attendance in 51 years, with a sellout crowd of more than 70,000 expected. But some players said they preferred the more exotic setting of Honolulu for the game. For the Pro Bowl Time, this game will start at 7:20 PM Eastern Time. Live streaming of this game will also start on the same time. ESPN will be the official Pro Bowl Channel. There will also be some other sports channels where fans can watch the Pro Bowl 2010. Online channels are also available so if ever ESPN is not available in some place, people can still watch it on the Internet. More details about the Pro Bowl 2010 Live Stream will be available on the next few blog updates. source : http://www.showbizgalore.com/4402/nfl-pro-bowl-2010-schedule-time-date-and-channel-information/
Pro Bowl NFL alternative: UVA at UNC basketball game tonight
At the same time as the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl, the UNC Tar Heels men's basketball team will host the Virginia Cavaliers tonight, Jan. 31.
The Pro Bowl time is 7:20 pm ET on ESPN. The Virginia at Carolina game will tip off at 7:45 on Fox Sports. The Cavaliers, who just lost a big game in overtime to Virginia Tech a couple of days ago are looking to rebound and remain in the ACC's top few spots.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are looking to work back into the conference, as they presently sit among the bottom four teams in the ACC. North Carolina lost many of its players from last year's national championship team before this season, and the team is very young and somewhat under-experienced as of now.
Though not a huge game, for those who want to keep up with a sporting event other than the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl, UNC has a chance to pull off a big win over a top ACC team tonight.
source : http://www.examiner.com/x-34492-Raleigh-Headlines-Examiner~y2010m1d31-Pro-Bowl-NFL-alternative-UVA-at-UNC-basketball-game-tonight
Roger Goodell: NFL may keep Pro Bowl before Super Bowl in Hawaii next year
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league may keep the Pro Bowl in place prior to the Super Bowl next season, even as the game returns to its longtime home in Hawaii.
The Pro Bowl has drawn criticism for its timing this week as Colts president Bill Polian has led a chorus of NFL stakeholders who've said it's unfair to require pariticipants in the Super Bowl to make ceremonial appearances at the league's all-star game. But Goodell said the league may not adjust the date of the game next year.
He told the Miami Herald:
"Here's where I like it: I think you should stop or end your season when you reach the pinnacle. The pinnacle is the Super Bowl. I think it's anticlimactic when you come back with the Pro Bowl the week after the Super Bowl."
The Pro Bowl, held on Sunday in Miami, is taking place on the U.S. mainland for the first time since 1980 and for the first time ever before the Super Bowl.
Polian said last week mandating Colts and Saints players to appear -- a day before their teammates even arrive at the Super Bowl site -- was "stupid." Others, including Eagles QB Donovan McNabb and former Super Bowl-winning coaches Jon Gruden and Brian Billick, agreed with his criticism.
Goodell said the NFL can choose to play next year's Pro Bowl before or after the Super Bowl. The league said it expects to make a decision within about six weeks.
He said the league has been pleased by the reaction to the Pro Bowl in Miami and the attention the game has received:
"We'll talk to our partners, including our players. I do like the idea of building up to the Super Bowl. We're still in season. Watching the reaction of this community and looking at other communities, we've seen a lot more attention than ever on the Pro Bowl. That's a plus."
-- Sean Leahy
source : http://content.usatoday.com/communities/thehuddle/post/2010/01/roger-goodell-nfl-may-keep-pro-bowl-before-super-bowl-in-hawaii-next-year/1
NFL Pro Bowl Schedule 2010 - Probowl info
Tonight will mark the NFL's annual All-star game of football, better known as the Pro Bowl. The NFL Pro Bowl schedule has changed quite a bit from the years prior, with the game having a new location and channel this year. The game is set to take place on Sunday, January 31, 2010 and will feature some of the top AFC players versus the best NFC players in the NFL.
For this year's Pro Bowl, the game will be televised by ESPN, rather than CBS. CBS has hosted the game for many years past, but due to tonight's 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, the game moves channels. Also, the location has shifted from the Hawaiian islands to warm and sunny Florida. The Pro Bowl has spent most of its time being played in Hawaii, but now moves to Miami.
The other interesting aspect of tonight's game is the fact that it is played a week ahead of the Superbowl. What makes this particularly interesting is that several of the probowl selections are also part of next weekend's Superbowl. The starting quarterbacks for the Pro-Bowl, are also the starting QB's for the Superbowl, with the Colts' Peyton Manning and Saints' Drew Brees. It's unlikely that they will be playing due to their Superbowl status, nor will any of their pro-bowl teammates.
You can view the AFC roster and NFC roster for tonight's game which starts just after 7PM EST from Florida. The NFL Pro Bowl schedule may be different, but it still offers football fanatics a chance to see some of the top stars in the game showing their skills!
source : http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978024124&grpId=3659174697259360
Friday, January 29, 2010
Australian Open Tennis 2010: Venus and Serena Williams Win Ladies Doubles
Venus (left) and Serena (right) Williams pose with their Australian Open 2010 trophy
American sisters, Venus and Serena Williams, have won their 11th Grand Slam doubles title today with a 6-4, 6-3 victory in the Australian Open 2010 doubles final over Cara Black and Liezel Huber.
The pair, seeded second, overcame their top seeded opponents in just under one and a half hours.
Venus, 29, admitted after the match that she had not realised their second break of serve in set two was a match winner: “I actually didn’t know the score and I thought that it was 5-2″ her sister, Serena, 28, however, was already celebrating what she hopes will be the first of two Australian Open 2010 titles – she faces Justine Henin in the Ladies Final on Saturday.
Serena hinted that they will be taking part in more doubles tournaments in future, admitting that they “wished we had have played more [doubles] when we were younger” – if this is the case, then they just might become the most successful pair in history: Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver won 21 Grand Slam titles.
Whatever they do in future, the Williams’ proved yet again that, as a twosome, they are every bit as difficult to play as individually, perhaps even more so.
source : http://theglobalherald.com/australian-open-tennis-2010-venus-and-serena-williams-win-ladies-doubles/1939/
Tennis Australia Serves Up High-Speed Wi-Fi At The Australian Open Using 802.11n From Aruba Networks
Aruba Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARUN), a global leader in 802.11n wireless LANs and secure mobility solutions, today announced that Tennis Australia, the national governing body for the sport of tennis in Australia, has deployed a state-of-the-art 802.11n Wi-Fi network at Melbourne Park to provide network access during the Australian Open Tennis Championship from January 18-31. Because of the scalability, reliability, and security of its adaptive Wi-Fi networks, Aruba has a long and successful track record providing portable and fixed networks for sporting events. In addition to the Australian Open, Aruba provided network upgrades to Tennis Australia’s headquarters and regional offices countrywide.
Tennis Australia required a single wireless LAN infrastructure that would support the Australian Open Tennis Championship as well as day-to-day business at its Melbourne headquarters and across its interstate branch network. The solution included 802.11n networks at the event sites and head offices, a secure branch network solution for regional offices, and portable Wi-Fi gear for local sports events.
Each year the Australian Open places an enormous demand on the network at Melbourne Park as journalists, photographers, and other high profile users simultaneously access the Internet and send large multimedia files. To address this need, the legacy Cisco network in the media centre and photographers area was removed and replaced with Aruba AP-125 802.11n Access Points and 3600 Series Mobility Controllers managed by the AirWave Wireless Management Suite. The same network also serves wireless hand-held scanners located outside of the players’ locker rooms.
“Tennis Australia prides itself on its innovation and service to players, guests, media and fans alike, and this Aruba initiative has been tremendous,” said Steve Wood, CEO of Tennis Australia. “As we approach our finals weekend, the Aruba network is delivering wire-like performance that far exceeds our expectations. We have more than 1,500 journalists, photographers and producers on site that require reliable, time-critical access to the network, and they have been getting best-in-class service.”
source : http://www.thestreet.com/story/10669866/1/tennis-australia-serves-up-high-speed-wi-fi-at-the-australian-open-using-80211n-from-aruba-networks.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEFI
Federer Easily Advances to Final
MELBOURNE, Australia — So much for all the pre-tournament talk about how Roger Federer was distracted, aging and vulnerable here at the Australian Open, and how there were eight to 10 players here ready to knock him from his throne. After filleting Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets, now there is only one — the scrambling Scotsman Andy Murray.
It took the world’s top player less than 90 minutes to showcase his touch shots, mastery of angles and all-around court command and reach his 22nd Grand Slam final, a record, and eighth in a row. He broke Tsonga’s serve in the fourth game of the first set, and then toyed with the Frenchman, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
“It’s nice going through a match like that,” Federer said. “I think against top players, it’s always positive if you can win the first set.”
Tsonga, a finalist here in 2008, and the No. 10 seed, had played back-to-back five-set thrillers, including a grueling quarterfinals victory over No. 3 seeded Novak Djokovic. He was unable to make Federer face a break point, and said the world’s top player was just too much for him.
“He was really good, and that’s it,” said Tsonga, 24, who along with Juan Martin del Potro, Rafael Nadal and Djokovic were among the up-and-coming challengers ready to unseat Federer.
Federer agreed.
“I felt like right from the start I was hitting the ball well,” he said. “But then I didn’t expect the second and third to sort of be able to run away with the score the way I did.”
Now, it falls on Murray to try to unseat arguably the best tennis player ever from the Grand Slam stage, which he has owned now for six years. Murray does hold a 6-4 edge in their head-to-head matchups.
The only other time he has played a center-court final of a Grand Slam, however, he lost to Federer in straight sets at the 2008 United States Open. Murray, 22, is also carrying the hopes of British fans on his thin shoulders — England has been waiting 74 years, since Fred Perry captured the 1936 United States Open, to cheer on a Grand Slam champion.
It is not going to be easy for Murray as a confident Federer made clear in a loose and jovial quip that was obviously buoyed by his dominant play.
“I know he’d like to win the first for British tennis in, what is it, like 150,000 years?” Federer said jokingly in a courtside interview. “The poor guy has to go through those moments over and over again. He’s done tremendously. We match up well. I’m looking forward to the final.”
Murray has been brilliant here, dropping only a single set in six matches, and he is feeling like a world beater after running Federer’s long-time rival Rafael Nadal ragged in the quarterfinals. Murray was up by two sets and leading, 3-0, when Nadal retired after feeling something amiss in his right knee.
“This is the best I’ve played at a Slam,” Murray said. “Obviously Roger’s record in Slams speaks for itself. He had a great year last year in them, making all four finals. You know, he lost the two — the two that he lost were incredibly tough five-setters. If I’m going to play against him, it will take a special performance to win against him. But I feel like I can do that.”
This is Murray’s 17th Grand Slam tournament; Federer broke through in his 17th major at Wimbledon in 2003 to notch his first of a record 15 major titles. Federer knows he will be facing a much saltier and serene Murray than the nervous kid whom he swept at Flushing Meadows.
“He was already an excellent player back then,” Federer said, referring to their meeting in the 2008 United States Open. “I just think now he has more, again, more matches in his body. He knows what to expect from the crowds, from the opponents, from the conditions and everything. And I think that’s a big step, just playing a lot of tough matches on center courts.
“He knows his fitness more now,” he said, “where maybe in the beginning it was unsure if he was fit enough for tough matches. I think the last two years have given Andy many answers.”
Federer, 28, has already won the Australian Open three times — in 2004, 2006 and 2007 — and is now through to his fifth final after losing an epic five-set clash with Nadal last year. He has made eight consecutive Grand Slam finals dating to the 2008 French Open, winning three of them.
Federer likes getting to them, and knows what to do when he arrives. He likes reminding Murray, and all the younger guns trying to knock him down. He knows how to get in their head, too.
“I mean, look, he’s in his second Grand Slam final now,” he said. “I think the first one’s always a bit tougher than the second one. But now that he didn’t win the first one, I think doesn’t help, for the second one around. Plus he’s playing, you know, me, who’s won many Grand Slams prior to that, been able to win here three times so I know what it takes and how to do it, which is definitely an advantage.
“I don’t feel like the pressure is really on me having to do it again, because I did it before,” he said. “I think he really needs it more than I do.”
source : http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/sports/tennis/30tennis.html
Australian Open Tennis 2010: Serena Williams enters into final!
By Agencies
Australian Open Tennis 2010: At the Australian Open semi finals 2010, Serena WIllaims defeated Li Na with a score of 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1) on Thursday and secured her place into the finals.
On the other hand, Zheng Jie also lost to Justine Henin with a score 6-1, 6-0. Serena is all set to play against Henin to grab the Open title.
Both the Chinese players lost in the semi finals. In China, there were large applauds for the semifinalists.
Li said that large attention they got in China will be helpful for the growth of Tennis in China.
source : http://www.duniyalive.com/?p=95338
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
