Mandatory News

Friday, February 20, 2015

ALESSANDRO VOLTA: Father of the electrical battery sparks inspiration for ...

(Courtesy of Google 2015)

NEW KIDs got spark. Google just plugged him into the lineup, and he delivered.

The tech titans newest charge is Mark Holmes, and today, the artist trots out one beautiful Doodle his second one ever.

Googles homepage Wednesday celebrates the 270th anniversary of Alessandro Voltas birth with an animated illustration befitting the father of the first electrical battery.

Holmes writes about his creative process, and you can just feel the new-assignment energy. Render a Doodle for the 18th-century Italian science pioneer, came the call. The artist calls the opportunity particularly thrilling.

A Doodle most always begins with the homework information before inspiration and so the artist read up on how the physicist/chemist was in friendly competition with his professor pal Luigi Galvani. Galvani, an anatomy man, discovered while dissecting a frog that its legs, even in death, would twitch if touched by an electric current.

For Galvanis part, this research would reportedly be a spark of inspiration that led Mary Shelley to create Frankenstein. But Volta who a quarter-century earlier had designed his first invention to create static electricity had his own takeaway from the amphibians last spasm, and it involved the touching of two metals.

Volta, a physics professor at the University of Pavia, created a voltaic pile a stack of alternating zinc and copper discs with interstitial pieces of brine-soaked cardboard. Just like that voila, Doc Volta! the electrical battery was born. For the first time, in 1800, scientists could tap a steady flow of electric energy; the revelation was a revolution, as the battery sparked a new era of invention and discovery.

By immersing himself in Voltas creations like so much salty cardboard, Holmes seems pretty charged up by the challenge of transferring a scientists legacy into a representational Doodle. Something to illustrate a little measure of the man for whom a measure of electromotive force (the volt) is named.

Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta, who received the Legion of Honor and the Order of the Iron Crown (as well as the admiration of Napoleon), died in Como, Italy, in 1827. He was 82.

Congrats, Google, on your latest art. And your latest artist.

[PERCY JULIAN: Google Doodle salutes pioneering chemist as a man utterly in his elements]

[MARIE CURIE: Art celebrates birthday of Nobel Prize-winning pioneer]

[GREGOR MENDEL: Google goes green for the father of genetics]

Writer/artist/visual storyteller Michael Cavna is creator of the "Comic Riffs" column and graphic-novel reviewer for The Post's Book World. He relishes sharp-eyed satire in most any form.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2015/02/18/alessandro-volta-father-of-the-electrical-battery-sparks-inspiration-for-team-google-doodles-new-artist/

Duke Basketball: Blue Devils' 5 Best Moments in Rivalry with UNC

Duke and North Carolina.

There is no other explanation needed outside of those words. This is the best rivalry in all of college basketball and arguably all of sports, and the illustrious history comes rushing back any time the two programs lace it up for another chapter in the storied book.

Between the iconic stadiums, the legendary coaches, the raucous student sections, the Hall of Fame players and the championship banners, this rivalry has a little bit of everything.

It pits brother against brother, sister against sister and an entire state against each other for two or three nights a year and determines bragging rights for the rest of the season and beyond.

The first 2015 clash between the Blue Devils (22-3, 9-3 ACC) and Tar Heels (18-7, 8-4 ACC) takes place Wednesday in Cameron Indoor Stadium as the two squads battle for positioning in the ACC standings.

However, this rivalry is about more than just an individual season or game. With that in mind, here is a look at the best moments in the history of the series from Dukes perspective.

No. 5: Demolition Before the Title

Sometimes its just fun to destroy your archrival, and that is exactly what Duke did on March 6, 2010.

The Blue Devils beat the Tar Heels 82-50 in the largest margin of victory in the recent history of the rivalry and earned the top spot in the ACC tournament in the process. Jon Scheyer, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith all cracked the 20-point plateau, and Duke actually scored 53 points in the first half.

Thats right, the Blue Devils scored more points in the first half alone than the Tar Heels did in the entire game. That was a heck of a way to go out in Cameron for the seniors before what ultimately proved to be a title-winning run in the NCAA tournament.

No. 4: Thrill of Defeat

Its not very often that a moment in a rivalry is particularly memorable for the losing team, but Jeff Capels miracle shot in 1995 makes the cut.

While the Tar Heels eventually prevailed 102-100 in double overtime, Duke found itself down six with 10 seconds remaining in the first extra period.The Blue Devils converted on an and-one opportunity to trim the lead to three, North Carolinas Serge Zwikker missed two critical free throws and Capel launched a shot from just inside half court at the buzzer.

Naturally, it went right in, and the Cameron Crazies went absolutely nuts.

The argument can be made that this was the best individual game of the entire rivalry, and it featured a moment that wont soon be forgotten in Duke historyeven if it did come in an eventual loss.

No. 3: Austin Rivers Silences the Crowd

Duke knocked off North Carolina 85-84 in 2012 in the most memorable Duke moment of the rivalry in recent years thanks to the dramatic finish from Austin Rivers.

The Tar Heels appeared to be well on their way to an easy home victory with a 10-point lead with less than four minutes remaining, but Rivers carried the Blue Devils back to within a single basket for the last possession.

Everyone in the state probably knew who was going to take the shot for Duke, but it didnt matter. Rivers drilled a contested three over the outstretched arms of Tyler Zeller to put a metaphorical dagger in the hearts of the Carolina faithful.

He finished the game with 29 points but probably never scored a more important three points in his entire life.

No. 2: Mike Krzyzewski Inspires a Championship

The 2000-01 Blue Devils eventually won the national title, but they didnt appear to be a championship team before their March 4 victory over North Carolina.

The reason for that was the late-season injury to star center Carlos Boozer before this rivalry clash. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski responded by inserting surprise starter Casey Sanders at center to deal with North Carolinas Brendan Haywood and freshman Chris Duhon for Nate James on the perimeter.

The idea was to add quickness to the defense and focus more on three-point shooting on the offensive end.

Star forward Shane Battier commented on Coach Ks move, via Al Featherston of GoDuke.com:

Ill never forget the look on Brendon Haywoods face when Casey stepped into the jumpball circle. He got this sarcastic smile on his face and started shaking his head. He was thinking, "Youre starting this guy?" I looked over at Mike [Dunleavy] and we smiled at each other. We were thinking, "Haywood, you dont know whats coming. You dont know."

Nobody on North Carolina saw what was coming next, and the Blue Devils unleashed 38 three-point attempts on the way to victory to clinch a share of the ACC regular-season title.

Duke repeated the feat and strategy in a rematch against North Carolina in the conference tournament to perfection and won 79-53 before eventually taking home the national championship.

No. 1: Wojo Goes Out a Winner

Let Brett Friedlander of StarNewsOnline.com set the scene for this dramatic showdown in February of 1998:

Senior Day is always an emotional time at Duke. This one was even more over the top than usual because the guest of honor was popular point guard Steve Wojciechowski. Wojo put on what coach Mike Krzyzewski called one of the greatest one-point games in the history of basketball, by recording 11 assists and three steals to go with his single point.

"The victory was Krzyzewskis 500thas a head coach, and produced one of the mostnotable images in Duke Basketball history, as Wojciechowski and Krzyzewski embraced after the game," wrote Ryan Claxton of The Chronicle.

While Steve Wojciechowski was brilliant and the ultimate reason why this 77-75 victory for the Blue Devils will go down in the history books at Duke, freshman Elton Brand may have been the most important player.

In only his third game back from a nasty foot injury, the center scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half and helped his squad overcome a 17-point deficit. However, his defense on North Carolinas Antawn Jamison was just as importantif not more sothan the effective offense late in the game.

Naturally, the Cameron Crazies came storming onto the floor, and Wojo'slegendary career in Cameron came to a close just as Brands was getting started.

This rivalry is filled with countless memorable moments, many of which could have been included here. Let me know which ones you think should be on here in the comments.

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Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2367984-duke-basketball-blue-devils-5-best-moments-in-rivalry-with-unc

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Goran Dragic trade: Guard traded to Miami Heat from Phoenix Suns

Fifteen minutes before the NBA trade deadline, Goran Dragic finally gothis wish.

The Phoenix Suns have reportedly traded the unhappy point guardto the Miami Heat in exchange for package of two first-round picks and several players.

The deal is a big win for the Heat, who were previously struggling to stay in the playoff picture. Adding Dragic does several things for them. First, it gives them a clear and massive upgrade at the point-guard position. Dragic is an All-Star level player who can carry an offense on his shoulders while both scoring and distributing, an attribute Miami has sorely lacked since LeBron's departure (although, clearly, Dragic isn't on LeBron's level).

Second, the Heat are able to take some pressure of Dwyane Wade to be healthy and perform for the rest of the season. Dragic can attack the rim and score around the basket, creating opportunities for others while collapsing the defense. If Wade needs to rest his legs, which is likely given his age and the miles on his odometer, Dragic can pick up the slack.

Meanwhile, the Heat still have Chris Bosh and the surging Hassan Whiteside on their squad as the playoffs approach. Thatwon't be enough to vault them back into the title conversation, but it probably makes them a team that top seedsare not looking forward to facing in the first round.

Phoenix, meanwhile, got what it hoped for in exchange for Dragic -- a pair of first-round draft picks. The other players in the deal aren't particularly important to the Suns -- they simply wanted the picks, and they got them from a Miami squad that desperately wanted to secure Dragic's Bird Rights this summer.

The Heat are the big winners here. They acquired an All-Star who pairs nicely with their other All-Stars, and they now have the rights to sign him to a big contract. Phoenix did what it could, given their predicament, but acquiring value for a player who made it very clear he wanted to leave was always going to be an uphill battle.

Source: http://www.masslive.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/02/goran_dragic_trade_guard_trade.html

The time Michael Jordan wore No. 12

When Michael Jordan came out of retirement in 1995, he famously donned No. 45 rather than his trademark 23. But do you know about the time Air Jordan wore the No. 12?

The circumstances were unique in both cases. When Jordan wore No. 45, he had spent several months wearing the same number with the Birmingham Barons, a Double A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Upon returning to the NBA, Jordan sported the same digits he later described as his favorite in high school.

For most of his career, Jordan was synonymous with the No. 23. His accomplishments lent the number a sort of validation. The best player of the post-Jordan era, LeBron James, has rocked 23 for the majority of his career.After David Beckham wore No. 7 at English Premier League power Manchester United for years, he switched to No. 23 when he joined Spanish Club Real Madrid. One popular theory was that it was a nod to Jordan.

MORE NBA: SI's 100 best Michael Jordan photos | 50 covers

On one February night 25 years ago, however, Jordans trademark No. 23 jersey was the subject of a minor controversy.

The Bulls traveled to Orlando to face the Magic. Chicago was making the final stop of a six-game road swing that also included games in Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Denver and, one night before the matchup with the Magic, Miami. Chicago entered with a 29-19 record but had lost four of its last five games, while Orlando, at 14-33, had dropped three of four.

The Magic were in the midst of their first season, while Chicago was under the charge of a first-year coach, Phil Jackson. At this point in Jordans career, he had already won one Most Valuable Player award and earned five All-Star appearances, including during the 1989-90 campaign. That season, he led the league in scoring at 33.6 points per game while playing all 82 regular-season games.

But No. 23 did miss one game that season, although Jordan did not. On Valentines Day, MJ wore No. 12 instead of his iconic number. The sequence of events surrounding the jersey swap are not entirely clear, but a few details seem plausible in retrospect. Of the people familiar with the event who spoke to SI.com, there was an agreement on some basic points.

Photo: Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images

Jordans No. 23 jersey is believed to have been stolen on the day of the game. The Bulls did not bring a backup No. 23 jersey with them, but the team did have a just-in-case No. 12 kit bearing no name on the back. Sam Smith, who covered the game for the Chicago Tribune and now writes for Bulls.com, remembered a search in the crowd for a No. 23 jersey that would fit Jordans 66 frame.

The search reportedly turned up nothing and, according to the Orlando Sentinel, security interviewed Orlando Arena (now Amway Center) employees and tried to find the No. 23 jersey inside the building. With no success, the Bulls suited Jordan in the nameless No. 12 thread. The good news for Chicago is that the uniform switch didnt really seem to affect Jordans play.

Over 47 minutes, Jordan scored 21 of his 43 shot attempts for a game-high 49 points. Chicago led by double digits in the third quarter, but the Magic buoyed by 34 points from Terry Catledge, 16 off the bench from Scott Skiles and a then-franchise high 19 rebounds from Sidney Green mounted a comeback to force overtime, where they pulled out a 135-129 win.

"The frustration comes from losing a game that we should havewon," Jordan said afterward, according to the St. Petersburg Times. "I don't give a d**n about the way that I played.We hadour opportunities to win and we should have capitalized on them." Embedded below is video footage of the game, posted on the NBAs official YouTube page in February 2013.

The clip includes an important message from the public address announcer in pre-game warm-ups. Please note that, for the Bulls, Michael Jordan is wearing number 12 tonight.

John Harris of the Times, who is now a columnist for the Tribune-Review in Pittsburgh, described the electric atmosphere for Magic home games during the franchises first season. In his story on Orlandos win over the Bulls, Harris wrote that the rollicking sellout crowd made so much noise that Jackson threatened to file a complaint with the leagueoffice.

MORE NBA: James Harden: The NBA's unlikely MVP

Former Bulls teammate Stacey King said he remembers the jersey theft being a big deal and how Jordan was very superstitious about his jersey. After the game, Jordan spoke about having to wear a different number. That has never happened to me before,'' Jordan said, according to the Sentinel. "It's pretty irritating because you're accustomed to certain things and you don't like to have things misplaced."

It is not known who stole the jersey, but a person familiar with the event indicated the No. 23 jersey was taken between shootaround the day of the game and tipoff, and that it was found a couple of days later in the ceiling tiles of the visiting locker room. A Bulls spokesperson said that he does not recall the team ever getting the jersey back.

Barring new information, the nature of the jerseys disappearance ensures it will remain a mysterious footnote on the rsum of the greatest player in NBA history.

Source: http://www.si.com/nba/2015/02/18/michael-jordan-bulls-jersey-number-12

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Amber Rose: Is Ex Wiz Khalifa Trying To Take Custody Of Son? The Truth

It looks like Wiz Khalifa is not happy with his ex, Amber Roses, parenting. A new report claims hes ready to take on more custody of theirson, Sebastian, because Amber isa bad mom.Yikes!

It seems the relationship between Wiz Khalifa, 27, and his ex, Amber Rose, 31, is getting even uglier. A new report claims that the rapper is planning onfighting his ex for more custody of their son,SebastianTaylor Thomaz and he has quite a few good reasons.

Amber Rose: Wiz Khalifa Fighting For Custody Of Their Son?

When it comes to raising children, parents dont always see eye-to-eye. Wiz reportedly isnt happy with the way his sons mother, Amber, is parenting their little boy. He reportedly wants to take on more custody, and you cant blame him. Wiz allegedlyhas a long list of reasons as to way he should be the sole provider.

It seems that Amber is more concerned about partying and staying out late than taking care of Sebastian, reportsTMZ.

Of coursethat wouldnt sit well with Wiz.

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Allegedly, Amber doesnt want to be bothered with her son when she is home, and will only play with Sebastian for 15 minutes and then disappear.Thats so sad!

The new report also claims that the toddler has to listen to verbal abuse between Amber and her mom. The mother and daughter reportedly have a roughrelationshipand partake inshouting matches and vulgar exchanges. To make matters worse, the arguments reportedly involve heavy use of the n word by Ambers own mom.

Thats so upsetting no child should have to witness this.

Although, the news outlet is reporting that Wiz has yet to file papers, he is reportedly getting his ducks in a row to make a strong case.If the report is true, he should take Amber to court right away and get more custody of Sebastian.

That little boy deserves to be in a loving home where heis the main priority.

Amber IsAlso Dealing With Kardashian Drama

Aside from baby daddy drama, Amber has gotten herself in another battle this time with the Kardashian/Jenner family.

Miss Rosedissed 17-year-oldKylie Jenner during a radio interview forPower 105.1s The Breakfast Club, when she brought up the youngest Jenners relationship with Tyga, 25.

Shes a baby, she needs to go to bed at 7 oclock and relax, Amber stated. Thats ridiculous. He [Tyga] should be ashamed of himself. Thats how I feel. For sure. He has a beautiful woman and a baby and left that for a 16-year-old who just turned 17.

The Kardashians dont take too well to haters, and have unleashed their well manicured claws on Amber via social media. We dont see that battle ending any time soon.

What do YOU think, HollywoodLifers, do you believe that Amber is partying way too much? Let us know.

Brittany King

Source: http://hollywoodlife.com/2015/02/17/amber-rose-custody-battle-wiz-khalifa-son-sebastian/

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Khlo� Kardashian and Amber Rose Embroiled in Massive Twitter Feud

Khlo Kardashian (left) and Amber Rose

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

By Amanda Michelle Steiner

@amandamichl

02/17/2015 AT 11:45 AM EST

Amber Rose's feud with the Kardashians has officially reached its peak, with Khlo Kardashian fighting back to defend her family and, in particular, youngest sister Kylie Jenner.

It all started on Friday when Rose, 31, spoke to New York's Power 105.1 about the Kardashian clan and gave her thoughts on rapper Tyga's alleged relationship with Jenner, 17. (He denied the romance on the same station Tuesday: "I'm not dating Kylie, I just want to get that out of the way. I want to be clear to everybody that I didn't leave my family to be with Kylie.")

Rose, who is close friends with Blac Chyna, the mother of Tyga's child, did not hold back.

"Kylie's a baby," she told The Breakfast Club. "She needs to go to bed at 7 o'clock and relax. It's ridiculous. Tyga should be ashamed of himself. That's how I feel, for sure. He has a beautiful woman and a baby that he left for a 16-year-old who just turned 17."

While rumors have been swirling about Tyga and Kylie ever since Tyga left Blac Chyna in the summer, Kardashian, 30, finally chose to set the record straight and fire back at Rose on Twitter.

" 'I was a stripper since I was 15 years old,' Amber Rose told Foxx," Kardashian Tweeted on Monday, quoting an old Amber Rose interview in which she divulged her past job. "Please don't worry about my sister who has a career and her s--- together at ONLY 17. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones," she continued, adding: "Please stop talking about us in interviews mama. None of us talk about you."

Please stop talking about us in interviews mama. None of us talk about you. (3)