The Associated Press Posted: Jun 19, 2012 LeBron James arrived for practice Monday wearing lime-green sneakers, a highly fluorescent shade.
It was the fashion statement du jour for the NBA's three-time most valuable player, much like the eyeglass frames he's been sporting after games throughout this post-season. But those sneakers probably would have remained tucked away in the drawer beneath his locker during last year's NBA finals since very little about James' game would be considered glowing or luminous during those two weeks.
Roundup: Mets’ R.A. Dickey hurls another one-hitter
FRom bostonglobe.com
Yankees top Braves for 10th straight
ASSOCIATED PRESS JUNE 19, 2012
R.A. Dickey’s impeccable control with that dancing knuckleball has made him the most dominant pitcher in baseball.
Dickey became the first major league pitcher in 24 years to throw consecutive one-hitters and Ike Davis hit a grand slam to lead the New York Mets past the Baltimore Orioles, 5-0, Monday night at Citi Field.
Coming off a one-hitter against the Rays last Wednesday, the knuckleballer struck out a career-high 13 and allowed only Wilson Betemit’s clean single in the fifth inning. He has not permitted an earned run in 42 2/3 innings, the second-longest stretch in club history behind
By Bob Velin, USA TODAY Jun 18, 2012
Floyd "Money" Mayweather's nickname fits his new title to a tee: The world's highest-paid athlete.
Forbes.com named Mayweather its highest-paid athlete over the last year. Mayweather earned $85 million, knocking golfer Tiger Woods out of the top spot that he has held since 2001. Woods fell to third behind another boxer, Manny Pacquiao, who earned $62 million. Woods took home $59.4 million.
Mayweather, who is currently serving an 87-day jail sentence in Las Vegas, earned his $85 million for a little more than an hour's work in the ring. He knocked out Victor Ortiz in the fourth round last September, earning $40 million, then dispatched Miguel Cotto by a unanimous 12-round decision on May 5, taking home $45 million.
Stratford, Ont.-born superstar releases third album today By Andre Mayer, CBC News Posted: Jun 19, 2012
Justin Bieber, the Stratford, Ont.-born music superstar, is releasing his third album today. Believe is more than just a collection of frothy tunes — it’s part of his evolution from squeaky-voiced tween idol to adult pop artist.
Here’s a look at some of the milestones that have marked Bieber’s growing “maturity.”
1. He’s ditched the Bieber cut.
Gone is the shaggy coif that galvanized hair salons and confounded the parents of teenage sons. In its place is a sculpted up-do that defies gravity and comprehension. (No word yet on whether he’s capable of growing facial hair.)
2. His voice has broken.
Between the release of Bieber’s squeaky 2010 hit Baby and his breathy 2012 single Boyfriend, something big happened. No, not megastardom — puberty.
By STEPHEN CASTLE and RAPHAEL MINDER June 19, 2012
Spain was forced to pay significantly more to raise short-term money Tuesday, a day after its long-term borrowing costs rose to a record high — increasing fears that the crisis in the euro zone was entering another critical phase.
The Spanish Treasury sold €2.4 billion euros, or $3 billion, of 12-month bills at a yield, or interest rate, of 5.074 percent. compared with 2.985 percent at a similar auction last month. It also sold 640 million euros of 18-month debt with a yield of 5.107, compared with 3.302 percent last month.
June 19, 2012 From Fox news
WASHINGTON – For the first time, the influx of Asians moving to the U.S. has surpassed that of Hispanics, reflecting a slowdown in illegal immigration while American employers increase their demand for high-skilled workers.
An expansive study by the Pew Research Center details what it describes as "the rise of Asian-Americans," a highly diverse and fast-growing group making up nearly 6 percent of the U.S. population. Mostly foreign-born and naturalized citizens, their numbers have been boosted by increases in visas granted to specialized workers and to wealthy investors as the U.S. economy
RIALTO, Calif. — Results from toxicology tests could as long as six weeks to gather before coroner's officials can determine how Rodney King died. King was pulled from the deep end of his pool early Sunday by police who were called to his home by his fiancee. Investigators conducted an autopsy on his body on Monday.
King became famous after he was severely beaten by Los Angeles police in 1991. The beating was captured on videotape and broadcast worldwide, as were photos of King's bloodied and bruised face. The more than 50 baton blows and kicks inflicted by officers left King with 11 skull fractures, a broken eye socket and facial nerve damage.
Fed Seen Twisting To Risk Management To Spur U.S. Growth
By Craig Torres - Jun 18, 2012
Federal Reserve officials must choose this week between their best estimates and their worst fears of what will happen to the U.S. economy.
Policy makers will bring new forecasts to their June 19-20 meeting and probably will mark down their April central-tendency estimate for growth of 2.4 percent to 2.9 percent this year. Lurking in the background is the risk of increasing financial stress in Europe and stubbornly high U.S. unemployment that has remained above 8 percent for 40 consecutive months.
All this could prompt them to move away from their outlook for moderate growth and tilt toward a “risk-management” strategy pioneered by former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, which puts more emphasis on tracking and containing high-cost threats. Both Janet Yellen, the Fed’s vice chairman, and William C. Dudley, head of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, used the phrase in the past month.
NFL reveals 'overwhelming evidence' to reporters in Saints case
Peter King>INSIDE THE NFL June 18, 2012
NEW YORK -- As Mary Jo White, the former federal prosecutor who examined the evidence for the National Football League in its pay-for-performance/bounty case against the New Orleans Saints, went through reams of evidence Monday afternoon for 12 reporters in league offices, I had one overriding thought: All of this cannot be invented.
• The testimony from disgraced defensive coordinator Gregg Williams to the league, in which he said he knew the program "was rolling the dice with player safety and someone could have been maimed."
• The charge, from what the league said was a handwritten note from a Saints defensive coach, that the defense pledged $35,000 for a defender to knock Brett Favre out of the January 2010 NFC Championship Game -- including a $5,000 pledge to the kitty from current Saints interim coach Joe Vitt.
Katy Perry's 'Wide Awake' Video: Through The Looking Glass
Perry's fairy-tale clip closes the book on her Teenage Dream story and finds her living happily ever after. By James Montgomery Jun 18 2012
Katy Perry certainly isn't the first artist to get all Lewis Carroll-ian with a video — Tom Petty's iconic "Don't Come Around Here No More" certainly springs to mind — though, in some ways, her brand-new "Wide Awake" clip (which borrows from Carroll's "Through the Looking Glass" book) does manage to cover new territory — namely by transforming the fantasy trope into a bit of an autobiography.
Google: government requests to censor content 'alarming'
From smh.com.au
June 19, 2012
Google has received more than 1000 requests from authorities to take down content from its search results or YouTube video in the last six months of 2011, the company said on Monday, denouncing what it said was an alarming trend.
In its twice-yearly Transparency Report, the world's largest web search engine said the requests were aimed at having some 12,000 items overall removed, about a quarter more than during the first half of last year.
Jun 18, 2012 By Fahmida Y. Rashid
Google released its latest Transparency Report, which provides insight into the types of data governments around the world have asked the company to scrub from the Internet. The latest report covers the last six months of 2011.
As PCMag.com reported earlier today, Google received 6,321 government requests for disclosure of user data in the U.S., and Google partially or completely complied with 93 percent of those demands in the last six months of 2011. That was up from 5,950 requests in the first half of the year, according to the Google Transparency Report.
Putin-Obama: results of talks on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit
Jun 19, 2012 gor Siletsky Bilateral meetings between the leaders of the G-20 have become, what might be called a prelude to the G-20 summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin is representing the Russian Federation at the forum which opened on June 18th in Los Cabos, Mexico. Politicians and journalists were especially looking forward to the outcome of talks and negotiations between Russia’s president and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama.
The White House called the talks between the two presidents one of the most important events of the American leader's visit to Mexico. The prospects evident in the dialogue between Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama have been discussed by press all over the world: after all, the U.S. and Russian leaders are meeting for the first time since President Putin's re-election.
By NICK WINGFIELD Published: June 18, 2012
LOS ANGELES — In its biggest-ever push into the hardware business, Microsoft on Monday unveiled a tablet computer called Surface that is designed to challenge Apple’s iPad.
At an event here, the company showed off the device, which is about the same weight and thickness as an iPad, with a 10.6-inch screen. The tablet has a built-in “kickstand” that will allow users to prop it up for watching movies, and a detachable cover that will serve double duty as a keyboard.
US Air Force's X-37B spaceplane ends secret mission
By William Harwood, CBS News, 18 June, 2012 NEWSAn unmanned Air Force spaceplane dropped out of orbit and glided to a computer-controlled California landing early on Saturday to close out a classified 469-day military mission.
The reusable Boeing-built X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle touched down on a runway at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, at 5:48 am PDT (GMT-7). The US Air Force did not provide any advance warning of the re-entry and landing time and no technical details about the vehicle's performance were released.
But in a statement, the Air Force said the autonomous landing by the nation's "newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft" was executed "safely and successfully".
Buffett Extends Real-Estate Bet With ResCap Pursuit: Mortgages
By Noah Buhayar and Dakin Campbell | Bloomberg Jun 18, 2012 Warren Buffett, whose prediction last year of a housing recovery was premature, is raising his bet on a rebound with his $3.85 billion bid for a mortgage business and loan portfolio from bankrupt Residential Capital LLC.
The offer "certainly indicates that he thinks the worst is behind us," Jeff Matthews, author of "Secrets in Plain Sight: Business & Investing Secrets of Warren Buffett," said in a phone interview. "Yes, he's been wrong about housing before. But if you look at any credit metric, if you look at any of the banks and what's happening in their loan portfolios, it's getting better."
Foreclosure filings in the U.S. have fallen on an annual basis for 20 straight months, according to
NEWARK -- Under cloudy skies with the sun peeking out occasionally, a crowd gathered Sunday on the west side of the Licking County Courthouse Square to hear Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.
Only people who had obtained free tickets were allowed inside roped-off area surrounding the west entrance of the courthouse. A large American flag was the backdrop to the small bleacher section the speakers and Romney stood in front of. The rest of the crowd was behind the bleachers and on the sides, under the shade of large trees.
By Christian Fraser BBC News, Paris 18 June 2012
The election was a ringing endorsement of the growth-led policies Francois Hollande has outlined.
Last night, his Socialist Party won more than 300 seats, an absolute majority in the lower house of parliament. It is the first time they alone have held the National Assembly in 30 years, since the days of Francois Mitterrand, and it underlines once again that across Europe people are turning against the austerity agenda.
"With a new, solid, large majority we can pass laws for change," said Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.
By Gary Washburn | GLOBE STAFF JUNE 18, 2012 MIAMI - Perhaps the Oklahoma City Thunder are talented enough but just too young. When they needed someone to emerge down the stretch, to make solid decisions and clutch shots, no one assumed that role, not even three-time scoring champion Kevin Durant.
Holding a 10-point lead over the Heat with 4:33 left in the third quarter, the Thunder managed just 21 points the rest of the way, unable to run a cohesive offense and committing boneheaded turnovers as Miami won Game 3 of the NBA Finals, 91-85, at AmericanAirlines Arena by being the more efficient team.
Portugal, Germany advance to Euro 2012 quarterfinals
June 17, 2012
KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) | Cristiano Ronaldo finally found the form he was lacking at the European Championship, scoring twice Sunday to give Portugal a 2-1 win over the Netherlands and a spot in the quarterfinals.
The Real Madrid forward failed to sparkle in Portugal’s two previous matches but he was devastating against the Dutch. He produced an equalizer with his first goal of the tournament in the 28th minute and scored the winner in the 74th.
“Once again we showed how united we are as a team,” Portugal midfielder Miguel Veloso said. “It wasn’t easy to start with a defeat. The secret was our defending, our humility.”
Needing a win to have a chance at staying in the tournament, the disappointing Dutch fielded an impressive attacking lineup featuring Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie up front, but it wasn’t enough to keep them at Euro 2012.
Jack Osbourne reveals he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Son of rock star Ozzy Osbourne and fiancee recently welcomed first child
BY ERIK ORTIZ / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Sunday, June 17, 2012, 8:37 PM
New dad Jack Osbourne has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 26.
“I was just angry and frustrated and kept thinking, ‘Why now?’” Osbourne, the son of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne, told People magazine.
He learned of his illness two weeks after his daughter Pearl Clementine was born.
Doctors broke the news to Osbourne after he lost 60% of his vision in his right eye, he said in another interview with Britain’s Hello! magazine.
“I got really sad for about two days, and after that I realized being angry and upset is not going to do anything at this point — if anything it’s only going to make it worse,” Osbourne told Hello! “Adapt and overcome’ is my new motto.”
The Associated Press June 17, 2012
Financial journalist Dan Dorfman, known for moving stock prices in the 1990s with his comments on CNBC, has died. He was 82.
According to the family, he died Saturday in New York of cardiogenic shock, a heart condition.
Dorfman's influential market comments on the cable financial news channel could propel and sink stocks. He worked there until 1996, when he suffered a stroke.
That same year, he was fired as a Money magazine columnist over an ethics controversy involving a stock promoter, but he was never charged by regulators.
Pa. authorities: Standoff ongoing after off-duty NJ officer fires at cops
By the CNN Wire Staff updated 8:05 PM EDT, Sun June 17, 2012
(CNN) -- An off-duty police officer opened fire Sunday at Pennsylvania authorities dispatched to address a "neighbor dispute," wounding one officer and pelting several police vehicles with bullets, authorities said.
Doylestown Township police received its call around 1:44 p.m. ET about an apparent quarrel in the community of about 17,500 people, which is located about 30 miles north of Philadelphia, Pennridge Regional Police Department Chief David Mettin told reporters.
About 15 minutes later, a man inside a residence began shooting at approaching authorities.
"One officer has been injured by shrap metal and two police vehicles have been shot," Mettin said late Sunday afternoon. "And an armored personnel vehicle also was struck."
LOS CABOS, Mexico,| Sun Jun 17, 2012
(Reuters) - The following are highlights of comments by leaders and officials ahead of the Group of 20 summit meeting in the Mexican beach resort of Los Cabos on Monday and Tuesday.
WORLD BANK PRESIDENT ROBERT ZOELLICK
"Everybody knows that this meeting is coming at an absolutely critical time. We're waiting for Europe to tell us what it is going to do. Markets can manage and hedge risks that they are generally aware of. The danger we're creating is that the pattern of policymaking is increasing uncertainty."
U.S. Open updates: Jim Furyk leads by one after front nine
Furyk has a one-stroke lead over Webb Simpson during the final round at The Olympic Club. Graeme McDowell and Ernie Els are among those still in the hunt.
Associated Press
June 17, 2012 From latimes.com
SAN FRANCISCO — Jim Furyk has made the turn alone at the top of the U.S. Open and the only player at par.
That might be all it takes to win.
Furyk was 1 over through nine holes in the final round Sunday, holding onto a one-shot lead over Webb Simpson while an eerie fog swallowed The Olympic Club. Simpson was 2 under through 12 holes.
Michael Thompson shot a 3-under 67 to take the clubhouse lead at 2 over. The 27-year-old was the runner-up at the U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club in 2007.
17 June 2012 By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News China's Shenzhou-9 capsule, with its crew of three, remains on course to dock with the Tiangong-1 space lab.
National media reports said the coupling of the two vehicles was expected at 15:00 Beijing time (07:00 GMT; 08:00 BST).
The latest Shenzhou mission was launched on Saturday, taking China's first female astronaut into orbit.
Thirty-three-year old Liu Yang flies with Commander Jing Haipeng, 46, and fellow flight engineer, Liu Wang, 42.
It is China's fourth manned mission and another opportunity to see how far the Asian nation has developed its space technology.
June 17, 2012
From espn.go.com BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory in four years, ending a 143-race winless streak Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.
The victory came almost exactly four years to the day after his last trip to Victory Lane in a Cup race. That also was in Michigan on June 15, 2008. He led for 36 laps last weekend at Pocono but made a late stop for gas instead of trying to stretch the fuel to the end.
On Sunday, it wasn't even close. He pulled away over the final 25 laps of the 400-mile race, and his black Chevrolet with the green No. 88 finally crossed the finish line 5.393 seconds ahead of Tony Stewart.
"Those last 15 laps were the longest laps ever," Earnhardt said.
Earnhardt already had 11 top-10 finishes this season and was second in the points standings entering this race. But after another close run at Pocono, the questions kept coming about his dry spell.
For Greek Politicians, Election Doesn’t Make Governing Any Easier
By Nick Malkoutzis on June 17, 2012
There has never been anything simple about the Greek debt crisis. Forming a government following Sunday’s national elections will be no straightforward task either.
With nearly all the votes counted, New Democracy–the conservative party that promised to stick with the EU-IMF bailout propping up Greece’s public finances –was set for a narrow victory over leftist Syriza. The latter opposed the austerity-heavy terms of Greece’s loan package.
New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras interpreted the results as Greek voters saying they want to remain in the euro. He used his victory speech, which he also delivered in English, as an attempt to convince Greece’s lenders that an ND-led government would mean business. “This is a victory for all Europe,” he said. “We are determined to do what it takes and to do it fast.”
Sheldon Adelson Tops Romney Donor List That Now Includes 32 Billionaires
Clare O'Connor, Forbes Staff 6/13/2012
Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson has reportedly donated $10 million to a super PAC supporting Mitt Romney, as he hinted he would after a recent Las Vegas meeting with the GOP candidate.
Adelson’s $10 million check is by far the biggest gift to date to Restore Our Future, a group that’s attracted five new billionaire donors in as many weeks.
As my colleague Steve Bertoni pointed out, having spoken at length to Adelson for a Forbes cover story, $10 million may just be the start of the Las Vegas Sands chief’s generosity. He may well give $100 million, as he’d planned to donate to Newt Gingrich’s now-defunct campaign.
Calif Jury Awards $28M in Jehovah's Sex Abuse Case
OAKLAND, Calif. June 17, 2012 (AP) From abc news
A Northern California jury has awarded $28 million in damages to a woman who said the Jehovah's Witnesses allowed an adult member of a Fremont church to molest her when she was a child in the mid-1990s.
Alameda County jurors awarded $7 million in compensatory damages on Wednesday and another $21 million in punitive damages on Thursday to Candace Conti, her attorney, Rick Simons said.
"This is the largest jury verdict for a single victim in a religious child abuse case in the country," Simons told The Associated Press.
Niagara Falls has a long list of larger-than-life daredevils and stuntmen
By Scot Lehigh | GLOBE COLUMNIST JUNE 15, 2012
When Nik Wallenda starts out across a cable strung near the brink of Niagara Falls Friday night, he will be walking into history in more ways than one. If successful, Wallenda will add his name to the record books as the first tightrope walker ever to balance on a high wire so close to the falls.
But in a sense, he will also be walking back in time, to an era of larger-than-life daredevils and stuntmen.
LeBron James arrived for practice Monday wearing lime-green sneakers, a highly fluorescent shade.
