Warriors, Cavaliers both know The Finals can turn quickly

Sean Rooks, former Arizona Basketball great, dies at 46

CLEVELAND (AP) Golden State has won the first two games of the NBA Finals, both of those wins coming by double figures and with a few dominant stretches of basketball in there.

Strange as this sounds, that has the Warriors feeling a bit uneasy.

The champions know exactly how fast a series can change, having just pulled off a mathematically improbable comeback from 3-1 down against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals. And even with the odds now stacked high against Cleveland in these NBA Finals, the Warriors say they cannot fall into the trap of thinking this series that resumes with Game 3 on Wednesday night is already over.

Thats a great analogy, one that weve already used, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday. It doesnt matter what the scores are, doesnt matter if you win by 25 or lose by 25, its one game in the series. And we got blown out twice in a row in OKC, down 3-1, and we were able to come back. We know were playing against a great team. Theyre coming home. They can change the momentum around with just one win.

Cleveland hopes hes right.

The Cavs might be without concussed Kevin Love for Game 3, but they are 7-0 at home in these playoffs winning by an average of 20.9 points.

Its a do-or-die game for us, Cavaliers forward LeBron James said. We cant afford to go down 3-0 to any team, especially a team thats 73-9 in the regular season and playing the type of basketball theyre playing.

When the Warriors were on the brink of elimination against the Thunder, history suggested that they had a 3.9 percent chance to win the series 232 previous NBA teams were down 3-1 in a best-of-seven, and only nine won.

Compared to that, Clevelands chances look fabulous.

Were not in that bad of shape as they were 3-1 is worse than 2-0, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said. And they came back and took it one game at a time, like we have to do.

Teams that have fallen behind 2-0 in the NBA Finals have rallied to win 9.7 percent of the time, with three of them getting it done in 31 past opportunities. The 1969 Boston Celtics, 1977 Portland Trail Blazers and 2006 Miami Heat all lost the first two games of the finals on the road before winning the title the Celtics doing so in seven games, the Blazers and Heat getting it done in six.

History, Lue said, is something thats made to be broken.

Despite their predicament, the Cavaliers certainly seemed confident and loose on Tuesday.

During the open portion of practice, James was laughing with teammates and tossed up the occasional underhanded 60-footer reacting with mock disbelief when the low-percentage shot didnt fall. Point guard Kyrie Irving played a long game of 1-on-1 with Cavs assistant coach James Posey, who was on that Heat team that rallied from 2-0 down in the finals against Dallas and hit a huge shot in the clinching game.

Their thinking is simple: Take care of home court Wednesday and Friday, knot the series and see what happens in a best-of-three.

When they go on their runs, we have to be able to withstand those punches, Irving said. And Game 1 and Game 2, weve done it at times. Weve shown that were capable of doing it, but were just constantly on our heels.

Thats what the Warriors do against everyone, not just the Cavs.

Clevelands biggest lead in the series so far is six points. Golden States is 33. In four games this season, including the two regular-season matchups, the Warriors have held the lead for a staggering 87 percent of the time. And in last years finals, Golden State won twice in Cleveland more than proving that it can handle the Cavs raucous home crowd.

We know theyre going to make adjustments, Warriors star and two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry said. We know theyre going to come out with a sense of urgency in the moment. But we need to have that same mentality, because for whats at stake, if were able to go up 3-0, that is a great position to be in. That is the opportunity in front of us.

And no one has ever come back in an NBA series from 3-0 down, either.

We cant relax, Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. No time to relax.

Source: http://nba.nbcsports.com/2016/06/07/warriors-cavaliers-both-know-the-finals-can-turn-quickly/

Continue Reading ..

Kimbo Slice"s death draws plenty of reaction on social media

Kimbo Slice, mixed martial arts fighter, dead at 42

The mixed martial arts world lost one of its most iconic fighters when Kimbo Slice died Monday at the age of 42.

His loss obviously resonated throughout the MMA community. Here"s a sampling of the reaction to Slice"s death:

RIP Kimbo pic.twitter.com/Q4kZ4xhff8

Dana White (@danawhite) June 7, 2016

We battled inside the cage, warrior vs warrior. Outside the cage, we have loved ones. REST IN PEACE KIMBO SLICE. May G*d Watch Over You.

KEN SHAMROCK (@ShamrockKen) June 7, 2016

Prince, Ali, Kimbo, Jordan Parsons RIPLike I said before make sure you tell everybody that"s important to you that you love them everyday!

Anthony Johnson (@Anthony_Rumble) June 7, 2016

Be blessed on your new journey Kimbo. You inspired so many! With our short time in life,inspiration is King. My condolences to the Slice fam

Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) June 7, 2016

Sad to hear about the passing of Kimbo Slice. Condolences to his family. #RIP

Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) June 7, 2016

Rip kimbo Slice...

A photo posted by natediaz209 (@natediaz209) on Jun 7, 2016 at 1:28am PDT

There were also an outpouring of sympathy from elsewhere in the sports world:

Im at a loss for words... Rest In Heaven @KimboSlice pic.twitter.com/dFL7m8X0ck

SHAQ (@SHAQ) June 7, 2016

#RIPKimboSlice - Im glad I got to know you my friend. You were a badass SOB and extremely kind at the same time. U will be missed. #itstrue

Kurt Angle (@RealKurtAngle) June 7, 2016

RIP Kimbo my brother,we will miss you in the 305,only love4U. HH

Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) June 7, 2016

Don"t tell me Unc gone !!!!! pic.twitter.com/CwiuyEwY3P

Antonio Brown (@AntonioBrown84) June 7, 2016

Kimbo Slice. Smh. I Use To Sneak To Watch Your Videos In High School. Rest Easy. #TooYoungTooSoon

Eric Ebron (@Ebron85) June 7, 2016

Source: http://espn.go.com/mma/story/_/id/16020037/kimbo-slice-death-draws-plenty-reaction-social-media

Continue Reading ..

The Iraqi government"s fight to drive ISIS from Fallujah may be long and b****y

Incubus - Drive

Fallujah is a community that many Americans will recognize, because US military forces fought so long and hard to gain control of the city during the Iraq War.

Hugh Naylor"s latest dispatch from Iraq

Iraqi civilians are being targeted by both ISIS and Shia militias. Read the full story.

Thats one reason it came as such a shock in early 2014 when ISIS militants seized Fallujah, only about 40 miles from Baghdad in Iraq"s Sunni heartland. Since then, residents have endured "two-and-a-half years of living h**l," saidPrince Zeid bin Ra"ad,United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The Iraqi militarys offensive to drive ISIS out of Fallujah has been under way for two weeks now. The soldiers are getting help from Shiite militiamen on the ground a fact that puts many Iraqis on edge, says Hugh Naylor of the Washington Post, who traveled with the Iraqi military to the outskirts of Fallujah early this week. It could create ... a pretty combustible situation given Iraqs sectarian politics."

Indeed, thousands of Iraqis in Fallujah are in danger. ISIS is using civilians as human shields, while Shiite militiamen have been accused of torture and abuse.

Husseinsaid in a press release that "there are extremely distressing, credible reports that some people who survive the terrifying experience of escaping from ISIL, then face severe physical abuse once they reach the other side.

He continued: "Eyewitnesses have described how armed groups operating in support of the Iraqi security forces are intercepting people fleeing the conflict, separating the men and teenage boys from the women and children, and detaining the males for security screening. ... There are even allegations that some individuals have been summarily executed by these armed groups."

Source: http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-06-07/iraqi-government-s-fight-drive-isis-fallujah-may-be-long-and-b****y

Continue Reading ..

Watch: David Gilkey"s powerful video series from Iraq

David Gilkey Sex Scene

Detroit Free Press 2:21 p.m. EDT June 7, 2016

Courage: High in the mountains of Kandahars Minashan district in Afghanistan, soldiers brave 100-m.p.h. wind from a CH47 Chinook helicopter. Their mission was to help provide stability for a 2004 presidential vote.(Photo: David P. Gilkey/Detroit Free Press)Buy Photo

During his time at the Detroit Free Press, photographer and videographer David P. Gilkey made numerous trips into troubled countries like Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia. Through his lens, Free Press readers saw the horror of war and its toll on the citizens and soldiers embroiled in those conflicts.

Gilkey was killed on Sunday, June 5, 2016, when an armored vehicle he was traveling in while on assignment in Afghanistan for NPR came under attack.

Between 2003 and 2006, Gilkey made several trips to Iraq for the Free Press. He was embedded with the first wave of ground troops that invaded the country on March 20, 2003. His eeriegreen photos of soldiers shot with night vision optics were the first images out of Iraq. He would return to the country seven times over the course of three years to cover that conflict.

In 2006, Gilkey and reporter Joe Swickard traveled to Iraq with a 900-member Marine Reserve Unit from Michigan to tell in words, photos and videos the stories of life on the front lines. The resulting video series won the Free Press its first National Emmy in 2007 from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

This series of videos highlights a selection of that video work from 2006 as well as from a trip Gilkey made to the Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq, for USA Today. In addition, hear Gilkey talk about his time covering Iraq from the first days of the war in 2006 through his trip to Balad.

Band of Brothers: Twentynine Palms Training

This video launched the series and documented intense training in the California desert at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. David P. Gilkey, DFP

In 2006, the Detroit Free Press told the story of Michigans 1/24 Marines, documenting their tour of duty in Iraq as well as theirfamilies lives back home. This video launched the series and documented intense training in the California desert at Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. The video series, filmed and edited by David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee among others, went on to win a national Emmy Award.

Band of Brothers Fallujah Patrol

In 2006, the Detroit Free Press told the story of Michigan"s 1/24 Marines, documenting their tour of duty in Iraq as well as their families" lives back home. Here, soldiers patrol Fallujah, a hotbed of insurgency within a community of civilians. David P. Gilkey, DFP

Here, soldiers patrol Fallujah, a hotbed of insurgency within a community of civilians. The video series, filmed and edited by David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee among others, went on to win a national Emmy Award.

Band of Brothers Home away from Home

In 2006, the Detroit Free Press told the story of Michigans 1/24 Marines, documenting their tour of duty in Iraq as well as their families lives back home. Here, soldiers live day to day in a train station on the outskirts of Fallujah.

Here, soldiers live day to day in a train station on the outskirts of Fallujah. The video series, filmed and edited by David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee among others, went on to win a national Emmy Award.

Band of Brothers Sgt. Bryan Burgess

In 2006, the Detroit Free Press told the story of Michigans 1/24 Marines, documenting their tour of duty in Iraq as well as their families lives back home. Here, friends and family of Sgt. Bryan Burgess mourn his passing thousands of miles apart. David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee, DFP

Here, friends and family of Sgt. Bryan Burgess mourn his passing thousands of miles apart. The video series, filmed and edited by David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee among others, went on to win a national Emmy Award.

Band of Brothers Christmas

In 2006, the Detroit Free Press told the story of Michigans 1/24 Marines, documenting their tour of duty in Iraq as well as their families lives back home. Here, soldiers patrol Fallujah on Christmas night while also celebrating.

Here, soldiers patrol Fallujah on Christmas night while trying to retain some semblance of the season. The video series, filmed and edited by David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee among others, went on to win a national Emmy Award.

Band of Brothers End of a Tour

In 2006, the Detroit Free Press told the story of Michigans 1/24 Marines, documenting their tour of duty in Iraq as well as their families lives back home. Here, soldiers deal with what theyve seen and look homeward. David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee, DFP

Here, soldiers deal with what theyve been through and look homeward for a return to normalcy. The video series, filmed and edited by David P. Gilkey and Stephen McGee among others, went on to win a national Emmy Award.

Dust Off Medical Evacuation in Iraq

In 2006, Detroit Free Press photographer David P. Gilkey teamed up with USA Today reporter Gregg Zoroya to tell the story of medical evacuations of Marines in Iraq. Video produced by Stephen McGee. David P. Gilkey, DFP

In 2006, Detroit Free Press photographer David P. Gilkey teamed up with USA Today reporter Gregg Zoroya to tell the story of medical evacuations of Marines in Iraq. Video produced by Stephen McGee.

David Gilkey recounts Iraq coverage

Photojournalist David P. Gilkey recounts his coverage of the Iraq war while working for the Detroit Free Press. Gilkey was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday, June 2, 2016, while on assignment for National Public Radio.

Photojournalist David P. Gilkey recounts his coverage of the Iraq war while working for the Detroit Free Press. Gilkey was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday, June 2, 2016, while on assignment for National Public Radio.

Read or Share this story: http://on.freep.com/1X8L2qx

Source: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/06/07/david-gilkey-band-brothers-iraq-videos/85546136/

Continue Reading ..

Today Is the 72nd Anniversary of D-Day: Do You Know What the "D" Stands For?

Normandy Surviving D-Day(full documentary)HD

To military historians, millions of Americans, Europeans and especially the survivors and families of those who fought in World War II, June 6, 1944, is known solely as D-Day a day widely recognized as a turning point in World War II.

On the morning of the historic day, a coordinated assault was launched involving more than 160,000 Allied fighters storming the beaches of Normandy, France.

Success on D-Day was critical to an Allied win over n**i Germany. But, what does it mean? What does the D in D-Day stand for?

Could the D stand for decision, doomsday or even death?

While there is not complete agreement on the answer to the question, a couple of generally accepted explanations lead all possible answers.

The World War II Museum in New Orleans offers clarity on the topic citing author Stephen Ambroses D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II:

Time magazine reported on June 12 [1944] that as far as the U.S. Army can determine, the first use of D for Day, H for Hour was in Field Order No. 8, of the First Army, A.E.F., issued on Sept. 20, 1918, which read, The First Army will attack at H-Hour on D-Day with the object of forcing the evacuation of the St. Mihiel salient.

According to Time, the D in D-Day merely means day.

Could it be that simple? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Another book, War Slang from Paul Dickson, offers the following accounts for consideration:

Many explanations have been given for the meaning of D-Day, June 6, 1944, the day the Allies invaded Normandy from England during World War II. The Army has said that it is simply an alliteration, as in H-Hour. Others say the first D in the word also stands for day, the term a code designation. The French maintain the D means disembarkation, still others say debarkation, and the more poetic insist D-Day is short for day of decision. When someone wrote to General Eisenhower in 1964 asking for an explanation, his executive assistant Brigadier General Robert Schultz answered: General Eisenhower asked me to respond to your letter. Be advised that any amphibious operation has a departed date; therefore the shortened term D-Day is used.

The short answer here, the D in D-Day could mean day, departure, disembarkation, debarkation or day of decision.

The only real agreement on D-Day is the fact the invasion forever changed the course of WWII.

Need to more about the events of D-Day? You can follow a timeline of the invasion on Twitter.

Follow the author of this story on Twitter and Facebook:

Source: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/06/06/today-is-the-72nd-anniversary-of-d-day-do-you-know-what-the-d-stands-for/

Continue Reading ..

DIY Democracy

♫ Best Progressive House Mix 2016 Vol. #2 [HD] ♫

Illustration by Jem Sullivan

In my travels and conversations this year, Ive been encouraged to meet grassroots people of all progressive stripes: populist, unionist, liberal, environmentalist, feminist, civil libertarians, civil rights activists, and others. Over and over, the question I encounter is some variation of What should we do? How do we make Washington govern for all the people?

Thanks for asking. The number-one thing you can do to bring about change is to show up. Think of showing up as a sort of civic action, where you get to choose something that fits your temperament, personal level of activism, and your available time and energy. The point here is that every one of us can do somethingand every bit helps.

Simply being there matters. While progressives have shown up for elections in winning numbers, our movement tends to fade politely into the shadows after the polls close, leaving public officials (even those we put in office) free to ignore us and capitulate to ever-present, ever-insistent corporate interests. No more. Grassroots progressivesas individuals and through our groupsmust get in the face of power and stay there.

This doesnt require a trip to Washington, though it can. It can be done right where you livein personal meetings, on the phone, via email and letters, through social media (tweet at the twits!), on petitions, and any additional ways of communication that you and other creative people can invent.

Hey, were citizens, voters, constituents. We should not hesitate to request in-person appointments with officials back home (these need not be confrontational). We should attend forums where theyll be: local hearings, town hall sessions, speeches, meet-and-greets, parades, ribbon-cuttings, receptions. They generally post their public schedules on their websites. Go to their meetings, ask questions, or at least say hello, introduce yourself. Make them learn your name.

Okay, youre too busy to show up at all this stuff, but think about going to one every month or so. And you dont have to go alone. Get a family member, a couple of friends, a few members of the groups youre in to join you. Make it an excursion, rewarding yourselves with a nice glass of wine or a beer and some laughs afterward.

Then there are times (in the course of human events, as Jefferson put it) when citizens must come together in big numbers to protest, to insist on being heard. And when were shut out, a higher form of patriotism demands that ordinary folks surround a public officials district office or a high-dollar fundraising event to deliver a noisy message about the peoples needs.

This is especially necessary for officials who get a substantial, or even majority, vote from progressive constituencies but still stiff us on such major needs as increasing the minimum wage, overturning Citizens United, endorsing a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street speculators, and prohibiting voter suppression. We have a right to expect them to respect our vote, and stand with us on the big issues. Weve been too quiet, too indulgent with such office holders, and they wont change until we start confronting them publicly.

Both in terms of having your own say and in demonstrating the strength of the grassroots numbers behind the policy changes we want, you and I are going to have to get noisier, more demonstrative, more out-front in demanding that elected officials really pay heed to those who elected them. Lets make 2016 the year of reintroducing ourselves and our expectations to policymakers. At their every turn, we should be there, becoming a personal human presence (even an irritant) that they cannot ignore.

Jim Hightower produces The Hightower Lowdown newsletter and is the author, with Susan DeMarco, of Swim Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow.

Source: http://www.progressive.org/news/2016/06/188767/diy-democracy

Continue Reading ..

US journalist David Gilkey, translator killed in Afghanistan

David Gilkey - Photographing Haiti
WASHINGTON: Award-winning American journalist David Gilkey and his translator were killed while traveling with an Afghan army unit that came under fire in southern Helmand province, in a sign of just how dangerous the conflict remains for the media trying to cover it.

The translator was identified as Zabihullah Tamanna, 38. Two other National Public Radio journalists traveling with Gilkey in a separate vehicle, reporter Tom Bowman and producer Monika Evstatieva, were unharmed.

NPR said the vehicle in which Gilkey, 50, and his translator were traveling was struck by shellfire near the town of Marjah yesterday.

A Taliban hotbed, the opium-rich province of Helmand is almost entirely under the control of insurgents.

"David has been covering war and conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. He was devoted to helping the public see these wars and the people caught up in them. He died pursuing that commitment," said Michael Oreskes, NPR"s senior vice president of news and editorial director.

"As a man and as a photojournalist, David brought out the humanity of all those around him. He let us see the world and each other through his eyes."

The Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom group, said that prior to the deaths of Gilkey and Tamanna, 24 journalists and one media worker have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001 US-led invasion.

Reports said Gilkey was the first non-military American journalist killed since the start of the conflict.

"Even though much of the world"s attention has shifted away, let no one doubt that Afghanistan remains a dangerous place for journalists - local and foreign - working to cover that protracted conflict," said Bob Dietz, CPJ"s Asia program coordinator.

"We are deeply saddened by the deaths of Zabihullah Tamanna and David Gilkey. There are too many journalists who have given their lives to tell the Afghan story."

Gilkey"s colleagues responded with shock at the news of his sudden death, the first time in NPR"s 46-year history that it has lost a journalist on a reporting assignment.

Lulu Garcia-Navarro, NPR"s South America correspondent who previously served as Iraq and Middle East bureau chief, said on Twitter: "We honor our dead. We remember them. We know that their work lives on. It"s not enough though. We mourn. #davidgilkey#ZabihullahZamanna."

"Where to begin. This is an unimaginable loss. David Gilkey was one of our greatest journalists," tweeted "All Things Considered" co-host Audie Cornish.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/us-journalist-david-gilkey-translator-killed-in-afghanistan/articleshow/52618223.cms

Continue Reading ..