Consol Energy Center Ice Problems

A quote from Sidney Crosby, of all people, has led some to speculate about the quality of the Consol Energy Center ice surface. Given the schedule of the arena this week, things are probably bound to get worse before they get better.

Great piece by City of Champions Sports when they picked up on the following Sidney Crosby quote following the Buffalo game:

"For whatever reason, I?ve always been able to put some points up here. It?s great ice here. That?s all I can say.?

Factor in the Penguins 8-2-0 road record and the offensive outbursts they've had away from the friendly confines of Consol Energy Center and CoC speculated that the quality of the ice might be a detraction for the Pens- who's speed and skill can be slightly negated by less than ideal conditions.

CoC also cited a goal Pascal Dupuis scored against the Washington Capitals where a bad bounce worked to the Pens advantage:

For the video-impaired, Dupuis has a soft 10-foot pass from Crosby jump over his blade and bounce crazily on the ice. Luckily for the Penguins, Dupuis? desperate swipe at the puck produced an ugly goal that rattled into the net off goalie Michal Neuvirth.

That incident is one of many bad hops that pucks have taken in Penguins home games, and those are just ones that are detectable while watching on television. Yes, the bad ice affects both teams, but the Pens are designed to win via speed and skill, from coach Dan Bylsma?s up-tempo approach to the personnel on the payroll

Part of this can be the events that the venue hosts. The Pens are lucky- they don't share their arena with a full-time NBA or collegiate basketball team, but the CEC does host non-hockey events, but surprisingly there haven't been too many.

Since hockey season has started, Consol has had 'Nuclear Cowboyz' (the z makes it extreme, I'm guessing) which was a motocross show with pyrotechnics. That was two shows over two days, and since then, only one other non-hockey event took place.

Until this past weekend when MONSTER JAM was in town. That could make for interesting ice conditions for the Flyers game tomorrow night. Then, the arena crew will have to flip things around for a Bon Jovi concert Thursday before flipping it back for the Penguins vs. Panthers game on Friday before again changing it up for what appears to be a Christian/worship concert Saturday (Chris Tomlin) before then flipping it AGAIN back to hockey for the Pens to meet Tampa on Sunday night.

It was tiring just to write that all out, let alone for all the changes. So I guess if the Consol Energy Center ice was bad before, it's definitely not going to be looking any better now that the monster trucks have been to town and the crews will have to setup and dismantle two stages in between hockey games.

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Source: http://www.pensburgh.com/2013/2/19/4004534/consol-energy-center-bad-ice-pittsburgh-penguins

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Philippine, Aussie shares at new peaks; yen firms

TOKYO (Reuters) - Philippine and Australian shares scaled new heights on Tuesday but other Asian shares were mixed, with worries about the risk of an inconclusive outcome in Italy's election and about U.S. budget talks limiting the upside after strong rallies in early February.

European markets looked set to inch higher, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100 <.ftse>, Paris's CAC-40 <.fchi> and Frankfurt's DAX <.gdaxi> would open up 0.1 percent. <.l><.eu/>

U.S. stock futures rose 0.1 percent to suggest Wall Street will reopen with a firmer tone after the President's Day holiday on Monday. <.n/>

"Markets have become top-heavy after rallying through early February on signs of economic recovery in the United States and Europe, and investors now await fresh factors to push prices higher from here," said Tomomichi Akuta, senior economist at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting in Tokyo.

"The broad sentiment is underpinned by a lack of tail risks, but investors are turning to some potentially worrying elements such as Italian elections and U.S. budget talks," he said.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.miapj0000pus> edged up 0.1 percent. Earlier in the day it had touched a 18-1/2-month high. The index has gained 3.5 percent this year.

Shares in the Philippines <.psi>, where a strong economic growth has led to rising interest in the country as an investment destination, hit a record. The Thai index <.seti> was also up 0.3 percent after recent data showed robust fourth-quarter economic numbers.

Australian shares ended 0.4 percent up at a 4-1/2 year high, continuing a recent rally on better-than-expected corporate earnings.

But Hong Kong shares <.hsi> fell 0.2 percent and Shanghai shares <.ssec> shed 1.1 percent, with real estate and financials leading the declines on concerns that rising property prices would lead to fresh restrictions on the sector.

Tokyo's Nikkei stock average <.n225> ended down 0.3 percent, after surging on Monday to approach its highest level since September 2008 of 11,498.42 tapped on February 6. <.t/>

The concerns about Italy's election this weekend and the talks in Washington over a package of budget cuts set to kick in March 1, also helped limit gains in commodities and also weighed on the euro.

The dollar's strength against a basket of currencies <.dxy> capped gains in gold, with the spot price up 0.2 percent at $1,613.01 an ounce.

London copper steadied at $8,122.50 a metric ton as Monday's three-week low drew bargain hunting given prospects for a slowly improving global economic recovery. Unease over China's limp return to the market from a week-long break held back upside momentum, however.

"I think we've already had the nicest rally that we're going to get this year," Singapore-based Credit Suisse analyst Ivan Szpakowski said. "You can still get some more mild upturns, but frankly as you move to the second half of the year industrial metals are going to trend down.

U.S. crude fell 0.5 percent to $95.43 a barrel while Brent steadied around $117.37.

The euro was steady around $1.3348.

YEN JITTERY

Bank of Japan minutes revealed board members had discussed buying longer-dated government debt at their January meeting, sending the yield on five-year Japanese government bonds to record low.

The yen firmed, however, after Finance Minister Taro Aso told reporters Japan has no plans to buy foreign currency bonds as part of monetary easing and as attention remained focused on who will be the next Bank of Japan governor.

The dollar fell 0.3 percent to 93.61 yen, but remained near its highest since May 2010 of 94.465 hit on February 11. The euro eased 0.4 percent to 125.00 yen, below its peak since April 2010 of 127.71 yen touched on February 6

The yen, which has dropped 20 percent against the dollar since mid-November, fell further at the start of the week after financial leaders from the G20 promised not to devalue their currencies to boost exports and avoided singling out Japan for any direct criticism.

The choice of the next BOJ governor and two deputies has drawn attention as a gauge of how strongly Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is committed to reflating the economy. The G20's message was that as long as Japan pursues aggressive monetary easing to achieve that goal, a weaker yen as a result of such domestic monetary policy will be tolerated, analysts say.

"But that means that some other economy's monetary conditions have been tightened," said Barclays Capital in a note.

"Japan hasn't even changed its policy stance thus far, and the effect of expectations of a looser setting have led to limited moves in domestic interest rates, but the sell-off of the JPY has been marked and has clearly caused unease in other economies," the note said.

(Additional reporting by Melanie Burton in Singapore; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/yen-firmer-near-lows-asian-shares-capped-004411589--finance.html

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Burger King sold to McDonald's? No, just hacked

Rosa Golijan , NBC News ? ? ? 49 min.

As if it isn't embarrassing enough for a company to have its official Twitter account compromised, sometimes hackers like to add insult to injury. On Monday, a post on the official (and verified) Twitter account for Burger King declared that the fast-food chain "just got sold to McDonalds!"

The Twitter account was renamed "McDonalds" and the profile image was changed to the iconic golden arches. The account description? "Just got sold to McDonalds because the whopper flopped ..." After the "announcement," a stream of tweets and retweets followed, making light of the situation. Based on retweets between @YourAnonNews, a Twitter account associated with Anonymous, and the compromised @BurgerKing account, it appears as if the hacktivist group is behind the hack.

Twitter suspended the account about an hour after the first compromised tweet.

We reached out to Twitter and Burger King for an explanation as to what efforts are being made to reinstate Burger King's control of the Twitter account. A Twitter spokesperson responded with a standard explanation that the social network doesn't "comment on individual accounts for privacy and security reasons."

"This incident has nothing to do with us," a McDonald's spokesperson told NBC News, dismissing the question of an acquisition (and making plain that it wasn't to blame for the social media mess, either). "We empathize with our @BurgerKing counterparts. Rest assured, we had nothing to do with the hacking," a tweet laterposted through the official McDonald's Twitter account further emphasized.

No matter. The Internet's getting a kick out of the whole incident. "The fact that @BurgerKing got hacked and turned into a @McDonalds feed is pretty funny," one Twitter user wrote. "Never know what is going to happen in social media."

"Somebody needs to tell Burger King that 'whopper123' isn't a secure password," another quipped.

A social media specialist for Wendy's, Amy Rose Brown, tweeted (on her personal account), that her "real life nightmare is playing out over on @BurgerKing."

It's not all bad news for Burger King, though. As toy review site OAFE tweeted: "They may be hacked, but when was the last time ANYBODY talked about @BurgerKing this much?" Indeed, the Twitter account gained some 30,000 new followers before the account suspension.

Want more tech news or interesting links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on Twitter, subscribing to her Facebook posts, or circling her on Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/burger-king-sold-mcdonalds-no-hacked-twitter-account-says-so-1C8417250

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Josh Hamilton: Dallas is not a true baseball town; Rangers fans ?a little spoiled?

Josh Hamilton has had his fair share of ups and downs both in life and his baseball career. He has been worshipped and booed by Texas Rangers fans in the same season, but something tells me he?ll be hearing more of the latter when the Los Angeles Angels visit Texas on April 5.

For starters, fans tend to frown upon players leaving their team for more money ? despite the fact that many of them would likely do the same. Hamilton, who signed a $125 million contract with the Angels this offseason, was already going to hear it because of that. Now, he has given the fans more fire power.

?They?re supportive?but they also got a little spoiled at the same time pretty quickly,? Hamilton said of Rangers fans during an interview with DFW CBS on Sunday (via ESPNDallas.com). ?You think about three to four years ago. It?s like, come on man, are you happier there again??

Hamilton is referring to the back-to-back World Series appearances he helped lead the Rangers to in 2010 and 2011. He also mentioned how the Dallas area has ?always been a football town.?

?There are true baseball fans in Texas, but it?s not a true baseball town,? Hamilton said.

While the slugger made some valid points, I doubt Rangers fans are going to see it that way. Throwing the world ?spoiled? around is never a good idea, let alone from a player who is no longer with the team. Texas manager Ron Washington stopped short of getting into detail but made it known that he disagrees with Hamilton about Dallas not being a baseball town.

?I?m not answering anything that Josh said,? Washington said. ?That?s Josh. Josh is an Angel. That?s Josh?s opinion. My opinion is there were 3.5 million fans that came through the turnstiles. That answers it right there.?

Hamilton likely lost some respect for the fans in Texas when they booed him during his massive slump last year, which is understandable. However, that is simply how star players are treated. Now that the Angels are paying him $25 million a year, Hamilton can expect similar treatment in LA if he struggles for an extended period of time.

Tagged with: Josh Hamilton ? Texas Rangers
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/larrybrownsports/rKCQ/~3/j8ZOPU6Qi8g/175549

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Teenage fan shot in Brazil football violence

The Seattle Times - Saturday 16th February, 2013

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Global Times - Saturday 16th February, 2013

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Sports Briefing | Tennis Rafael Nadal Beats Martin Alund to Reach Brazil Open Final

New York Times - Saturday 16th February, 2013

Rafael Nadal outlasted 111th-ranked Martin Alund, 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-1, at the Brazil Open in S&atilde;o Paulo on Saturday, making it to his second straight final after a long layoff to treat his ...

Libya Celebrates Revolution Anniversary

VOA - Saturday 16th February, 2013

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Jamaica Edges Haiti in Caribbean Slalom Duel

VOA - Saturday 16th February, 2013

SCHLADMING, AUSTRIA -- Like Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt, Jamaica's Michael Elliott Williams is surrounded by photographers and autograph hunters when he finishes a race and even performs ...

Car shortage drives up prices in Venezuela

Star-Telegram - Saturday 16th February, 2013

The Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuela may be the only country in the world where a new car becomes more expensive the instant it's driven off the dealership ...

In Venezuela driving a car off the lot increases its value

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Nadal makes it to Brazil Open final

ABC Australia - Saturday 16th February, 2013

Brazil Rafael Nadal booked a place in the final of the Brazil Open in Sao Paulo by downing Argentine Martin Alund in three sets.The former world number one, who is recovering from a knee injury, ...

British actor Hugh Grant announces birth of second child

Reuters - Saturday 16th February, 2013

Actor Hugh Grant arrives on the red carpet for the gala presentation of the film ''Cloud Atlas'' at the 37th Toronto International Film Festival, September 8, ...

UPDATE 1-Bolivia says LAN TAM airlines no longer authorized to fly there

General Sources - Saturday 16th February, 2013

(Adds LAN's comments) LA PAZ/SANTIAGO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Bolivia's air transport regulator said on Saturday that units of LATAM Airlines Group had lost their operating licenses to ...

US issues kidnap threat warning for travelers to Perus Machu Picchu

Fox News - Saturday 16th February, 2013

LIMA, Peru ? The United States Embassy in Peru issued a warning to travelers heading the country's famed Incan citadel of Machu Picchu and other parts of the Andean nation on the threat ...

Argentinas wine industry savors progress still struggles

Yahoo!7 News - Saturday 16th February, 2013

View Photo A general view of a vineyard in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina on January 28, 2013. Argentina has built up a world-class wine industry, luring a flood of wine tourists, but boosting ...

FARC releases soldier captured in combat

Colombia Reports - Saturday 16th February, 2013

Colombia late last month. The 19-year old Soldier Josue Alvarez was released in Policarpa, the same municipality in the southwest of the country where he was captured while engaged in combat with a ...

Vatican Cardinals Could Meet Early to Elect New Pope

VOA - Saturday 16th February, 2013

Current rules call for the cardinals who elect the pope to meet on March 15th -- 5 days after Pope Benedict formally steps down. But a Vatican spokesman says since the cardinals know the exact date ...

Nadal through to final in Brazil

BBC Sport - Saturday 16th February, 2013

Rafael Nadal beat Argentina's Martin Alund at the Brazil Open to reach his second successive final since returning from a serious knee injury. The Spaniard came through 6-3 6-7 (2-7) 6-1 ...

Brazil launches sustainability party

BBC - Saturday 16th February, 2013

In Brazil, a former presidential candidate and environment minister has launched a new political party, Sustainability Network, ahead of next year's presidential elections. In a speech to ...

Human right activists in Uruguay storm the Supreme Court to protest judge?s transfer

Merco Press - Saturday 16th February, 2013

The Uruguayan police evicted dozens of protestors that during three hours occupied the seat of the Supreme Court to impede the transfer of a magistrate, closely linked to human rights cases, from ...

Famed US hacker helps Ecuador secure its vote

The West Australian - Saturday 16th February, 2013

QUITO (AFP) - Kevin Mitnick, who once gained notoriety as America's most wanted computer hacker, now heads a thriving Internet consultancy tasked with helping keep Sunday's presidential ...

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VOA - Saturday 16th February, 2013

The Israeli military says it evacuated seven Syrians wounded in clashes in the Golan Heights to a hospital in Israel. A military spokeswoman says Israeli soldiers treated the wounded Syrians ...

Puerto Rico party to seek political status change

San Diego Union-Tribune - Saturday 16th February, 2013

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -; Puerto Rico's pro-statehood party is organizing marches to demand that the U.S. government honor the results of a referendum regarding the Caribbean island's ...

Nalbandian tops Bolelli reaches Brazil Open final

San Diego Union-Tribune - Saturday 16th February, 2013

Argentina's David Nalbandian returns the ball to Spain's Nicolas Almagro during a Brazil Open ATP tournament tennis match in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Andre ...

Source: http://www.argentinanews.net/index.php/sid/212630247/scat/1f5f6572907d15fb

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Smith scores 15 as No. 12 Louisville shuts down South Florida 59-41 to keep pace in Big East

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TAMPA, Florida ? Russ Smith scored 15 points and No. 12 Louisville stayed within a game of first place in the Big East with a 59-41 victory over South Florida on Sunday.

Smith, Wayne Blackshear and Kevin Ware did all the scoring for the Cardinals during a 22-3 run in the first half. Smith finished with six rebounds and four assists for Louisville (21-5, 9-4), which has won four of five.

Blackshear's 3-pointer tied it 11-all with 12:58 left in the first half and launched the decisive rally. Smith scored the final seven points of the spurt, which left the Cardinals with a 30-14 lead.

JaVontae Hawkins' 3-pointer provided USF's only points in a 9-minute span.

The Bulls (10-15, 1-12) got back in the game early in the second half with the help of a spectacular dunk by Victor Rudd and two free throws by Anthony Collins that made it 36-30 with 12:57 left. But Louisville went back to its full-court pressure, producing a 19-3 run that made it 55-33 with 6:12 remaining. Chane Behanan had a couple of dunks, a layup and two free throws during the surge.

Blackshear and Behanan scored 12 points apiece, and 6-foot-11 center Gorgui Dieng had 10 rebounds and five blocks for the Cardinals.

Jawanza Poland scored 11 points for USF, which shot 24.5 percent (13 for 53) and lost its eighth straight. Hawkins and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick had nine points apiece for the Bulls, while Rudd and Kore White each had nine rebounds.

Louisville scored 23 points off 16 turnovers and shot 46 percent (22 for 48). The Cardinals had a 36-34 rebounding advantage.

Source: http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/cdc508a8c144479b9ddfa338f1e3027b/BKC-T25-Louisville-South-Florida/

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