Ohio collector sells 'Star Trek' TV prop vehicle

CANTON, Ohio (AP) ? A prop vehicle that was used in the original "Star Trek" TV series in the late 1960s and acquired by an Ohio collector has sold at auction for just over $70,000 after a last-minute bidding war.

The Repository in Canton (http://bit.ly/LGw6wE ) reports an Akron-area collector had been storing the partially restored 24-foot-long Galileo shuttlecraft for several years before putting it up for auction online.

Auctioneer Brooks Ames says the selling price soared during the final 90 seconds of the auction on Thursday as three late bidders fought to claim the structure used as the shuttlecraft of the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Ames says he believes the buyer plans to restore the fake shuttlecraft and possibly display it in a museum.

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Information from: The Repository, http://www.cantonrep.com

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-06-29-Star%20Trek-Vehicle%20Auction/id-bd68c98644f5476fb8e00cb37ee93efe

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Saving on energy bills with smart home improvement plans | Aspire ...

The rising cost of amenities has led people to switch to smart and economical plans that would be lighter on their pockets. Recent reports display that a majority of home owners have shifted their interests towards energy efficient home remodeling plans to save a substantial sum by curtailing energy bills.

The proficient home remodeling ideas are 100% eco-friendly and manageable. Technical advancement has resulted in improved and environment friendly thinking. If you are one among the mass who thinks positive about keeping energy bills low to support a green cause then you can take a look at the eco-friendly and cost-effective suggestions:

1) Prior to thinking about some fulfilling plans you need to get an energy audit done on your property. The audit would let you know the current stand of your property with respect to its energy efficient values.

The energy professional would come to inspect parts of your home that needs a remodeling for enhanced energy efficiency so that you can pay special attention to those areas.

2) Plug up those openings that let in cold air and surge up those heating bills. Air mostly flows in through gaps beneath doors and windows. Allow yourself to seal the gaps in between and see your bills stay within limits.

3)?Add some insulating elements upstairs that would help capture heat and keep your home cozily warm during chilly nights.

4)?Use duct sealants to close leakage in air ducts that are known for carrying cool and warm air across the house. The leaks only allow the forced air to escape.

5)?The old and leaky windows can no longer keep your home energy efficient. Install the energy-efficient models to let warm hair stay for long during winter months.

6) Replace the old doors that have enough gaps and openings to let out warm air and welcome cold air inside. Doors that are hollow and metallic should be avoided; this is because the air tends to infiltrate through the doors itself.

7)?Install storm windows in your house to slice down energy bills.

8)?Okay the most important thing to stop electricity bills from rising is to discard older HVAC models that consume greater energy for functioning; but before all of these take place you need to find out if your home?s wiring system works proficiently.

9) You must also focus your attention towards advanced water heaters that are low on energy costs and work miracle when installed. Yes, you can curtail your energy bills to 25% if you get new ones installed.

So, all these tips were about how you can lessen your annual energy bills for your home; but did it ever cross your mind that your home needs security measures to keep away from external hazards other than saving your pockets? Well, that doesn?t really mean that you?d have to install electronic devices and get your bills increased to stay protected.

All you have to do is install automated gates In Surrey for enhanced security. These gates may proactively help you save your property and loved ones.

Source: http://www.aspirehomeimprovements.com/home-improvements/saving-on-energy-bills-with-smart-home-improvement-plans

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A Canada Day seafood feast from the bounty of our own national waters

I?ll be the first to admit it: Ever since I wrote Bottomfeeder, a n expos? of the parlous state of the global fisheries and the sketchiness of much of the aquaculture industry, a trip to the seafood counter has been an occasion fraught with anxiety.

More Related to this Story

That sushi-grade toro? Tempting ? but it was cut from the belly of a bluefin tuna, a species driven to the brink of collapse by overfishing. Those farmed salmon fillets? They owe their pleasingly pinkish hue to chemical colorants and are raised in net-pens that contaminate the ocean floor and pass sea lice on to the remaining stocks of wild salmon. Marlin and swordfish steaks? Thick, meaty, overfished ? and so laden with mercury that you might as well be sucking on a cracked thermometer. And don?t get me started on the barbecue-ready farmed shrimp. I?ve visited India and seen the antibiotic-spiked ponds they?re raised in.

Yet, in spite of all I?ve learned, I always come back to the virtues of protein plucked from our rivers, lakes and oceans. Sea fish are nature?s richest source of omega-3 fatty acids, shellfish brim with brain-boosting minerals and there?s nothing as satisfyingly delicious as trout or whitefish that you?ve pulled out of fresh water and prepared over a grill of your own stoking. The catch, for an ecologically minded host, is sorting out what kind of fish makes for a dinner that is as decent as it is delicious.

It can be hard enough choosing among the 350-plus species of fish and seafood available in North America, let alone remembering to ask your fishmonger whether his scallops are diver-gathered rather than dragged. Fortunately, there?s more guidance available than ever for the befuddled piscivore. Greenpeace has worked hard to convince major Canadian retailers to pull red listed seafood like Chilean seabass, orange roughy and shark off shelves, and stores in the Loblaw and Overwaitea chains have made great strides in switching to sustainably sourced species (though they still have a long way to go when it comes to salmon farmed in net-pens (which can?t contain disease), antibiotic-laden farmed tropical shrimp and overfished Atlantic groundfish such as sole and halibut. Retailers that adhere to Vancouver Aquarium?s Ocean Wise program, which rates sustainable seafood, can be found in most major cities, and high-profile restaurateurs, among them Jason Bangerter of Toronto?s Luma, Robert Clark of Vancouver?s C Restaurant and Paul Rogalski of Calgary?s Rouge, have committed to keeping overfished species off their menus. And if you?re lucky enough to live near an ethical fishmonger, like Toronto?s Hooked or Vancouver?s The Daily Catch, shopping becomes a no-brainer: Everything on the board is sustainable.

So, what should a fish-lover who?s planning a summer feast be looking for at the market? First, look for fish that?s low on the food chain ? the closer you are to oysters, sardines and herring and the farther you are from endangered (and mercury-heavy) tuna, swordfish and shark species, the better. (If only a premium, centre-of-the-plate protein will do, rosy-fleshed farmed Arctic char and wild-caught pink salmon, available in burger form for grilling in many supermarkets, are currently good choices.)

Also pay attention to the way your fish is caught: Traps and pots (for lobsters, crabs), and purse seines (for sardines, anchovies and herring) are tried-and-true low-tech methods with little bycatch of non-targeted species, while bottom-raking trawls (often used to catch Atlantic sole, cod and halibut) are the oceans? weapons of mass destruction.

Finally, it?s always best to buy as locally possible. Some of the heaviest environmental impacts of the fisheries come from the fossil fuels burned in shipping them from distant bodies of water. This summer, Ontarians should be looking for lake whitefish from lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron, as well as yellow perch and pickerel from Lake Erie, while Quebeckers and Atlantic Canadians should be snapping up trap-caught northern shrimp and purse-seined capelin and mackerel. Farmed oysters, mussels and clams ? the ultimate examples of maritime terroir ? are an excellent choice wherever you happen to be.

Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/a-canada-day-seafood-feast-from-the-bounty-of-our-own-national-waters/article4377902/?cmpid=rss1

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VIDEO: Creating 'Policy Change Agents' to Reduce Latino Childhood

In its effort to reduce the Latino childhood obesity epidemic, Salud America!?through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)?funded 20 pilot research projects to build the field of Latino researchers and increase evidence to fight Latino childhood obesity.

The resulting 20 Salud America! pilot grantees have since tested innovative interventions and evaluations in Latino childhood nutrition, fitness and policy. The grants are ?career-builders,? helping grantees leverage their data to get a foothold at their institutions, as well as embark on larger-scale work based off their successful pilot results.

The 20 grantees already have accrued more than $30 million in new funding, and more proposals are in review and development.

They also are sharing their individual research briefs (featuring preliminary research and policy implications) with local, regional and national policymakers.

Meanwhile, grantees also helped develop the Policy Contribution Spectra model, which visually illustrates how researchers can work in and between different levels in the policy development process?thus defining and measuring policy contribution. Grantees worked with a spectra expert to see how their work contributes to policy development, opening pilots? eyes to innovative ways they can influence policy even when their pilot project expires.

Watch how far the grantees have become sort of ?policy change agents?:

Salud America! The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Research Network to Prevent Obesity Among Latino Children, is led by the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the team behind SaludToday. Salud America! has built a network?an online community?of nearly 2,000 researchers, academics, community leaders and other advocates dedicated to reversing Latino childhood obesity.

Source: http://www.saludtoday.com/blog/video-creating-policy-change-agents-to-reduce-latino-childhood-obesity/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=video-creating-policy-change-agents-to-reduce-latino-childhood-obesity

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mikeyanderson: Here's a post I wrote on 5 principles of church website design: http://t.co/xtVtuhWO // let me know if you have any questions

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://twitter.com/mikeyanderson/statuses/218353454131847168

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College Students Compete in EcoCAR2 to Improve Vehicle Efficiency

When General Motors looks to the future of automotive engineering, they literally look to the group that embodies what the next generation of innovation will look like: student engineers.?

As such, it sponsors EcoCAR2: Plugging In to the Future.
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EcoCAR2 is a three-year competition that provides students from 15 universities real-world, hands-on experience and tasks them to improve the energy efficiency of an already efficient vehicle, the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu.?
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Rounding out the first year of the competition in Los Angeles, Calif., the students competed for $100,000 in prize money, as well as the keys to their Malibu.?
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Each team successfully designed? a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle architecture, developed a hybrid control strategy using hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) simulation tools, and began designing hybrid powertrain, energy storage, and high-voltage electrical systems.? Industry and government professionals judged them on their mechanical, electrical, control and HIL strategies, project initiation approval, outreach and business plans, and trade show display.
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"The design and simulation portion of this competition really challenges us to balance detailed engineering analysis with overall vehicle design trade-offs," said Matthew Doude, team leader for Mississippi State University.
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Nine-year veteran Mississippi State University took the Year One grand prize with its series-parallel plug-in hybrid electric vehicle design.? MSU has won first place three times in GM-sponsored competitions.
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"Mississippi State University's students brought tremendous ingenuity and innovation to their vehicle designs that will help them launch successful careers as leaders in the clean energy field, ensure the United States leads in the global auto industry, and create an American economy that's built to last," said Dr. David Danielson, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy.
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The Ohio State University and The University of Waterloo came in second and third place, respectively.
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Now that their vehicle architectures are finalized, the 15 teams will receive keys to their GM-donated 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and will spend the next two years rebuilding, testing and refining it.
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"Our goal is to provide students with the most realistic career experience, and we chose the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu for EcoCAR 2, as we believe it is a great platform to allow students to show us what they can do," said Kent Helfrich, Executive Director, electronic controls and software engineering, of General Motors. "The students are exercising their talents and are truly making great strides. We look forward to their developments over the next two years."
GM joins U.S. Department of Energy as headline sponsor, and 25 other government and industry leaders.

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Google Nexus 7 tablet is HD movie, book and game machine

9 hrs.

Wilson Rothman

Just as?Google's developer conference was getting started, details of the company's?rumored Nexus 7 tablet emerged. As previously reported, it is a 7-inch tablet powered by a Nvidia?Tegra 3 quad-core processor?that will run Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and come in 8GB ($199)?and 16GB versions ($249). You can order today, but it ships in mid-July.

The display is true high-def ? 1280x800, so a bit better than 720p ? and there's a front-facing 1.2-megapixel camera and microphone?for video chatting, though there's no rear-facing camera. (That's okay -- do you really take pictures with tablets?) It also has a micro?USB port, GPS, near-field communication and both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. There's no mention of an SD card slot for expanding the memory, however.

Not surprisingly, it was built by (and even branded)?Asus, the manufacturer that had already?made the most headway with quad-core gamer-friendly Android tablets. (See our video on the Transformer Prime below.)

Clearly, at a starting price of $199, the Nexus 7 is positioned to compete with the similarly 7-inch?Kindle Fire, rather than taking on the 9.7-inch?iPad (and the 10.6-inch Surface tablet from Microsoft).

Although they were careful to make the device comfortable to hold, with a textured back and light weight, some people just prefer to have a case anyway. And there is indeed a nice little $20 matte polymer cover in which you can ensconce your Nexus 7 and protect its screen. It's available in gray right now, but Asus sent out a picture showing it in a number of bright yet muted colors:

Meanwhile, Google pitched the Nexus 7 ? with its gryoscope and accelerometer ??as "a serious gaming device." By way of example, they showed off the action-heavy game "Horn" and the zombie shooter "Dead Trigger."?

And because, with all of those tablets, content seems to be the biggest incentive, Google is playing up the Play store, even granting early buyers $25 in Google?Play credit and "some great free content" including "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." Even if you don't think any of the "Transformers" films is truly "great," it is nice to see Google aggressively pushing content, even adding TV shows and magazines to their lineup. Tablet buyers need a reason to buy a tablet.?

UPDATE:?Google has made the above video operational again, along with the following links to the?8GB and 16GB versions on Google Play. Have at 'em!?

--?Via TechCrunch and The Verge

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Looking for Web Design Businesses that Take Your business ...

Should you wish to go ones own online business, you will mainly possess a few choices where design is involved. It?s possible your self, hire someone, or maybe try a design template. Doing it on your own definitely won?t be an option without the skill sets, and you?ll n?t want to utilize web on account of your homepage will resemble a huge selection of others.

In search of web design businesses to build your internet site is a very good preference if you have the funds. Given that so there many various businesses that may be contesting for a corporation, you might have trouble selecting the best an individual. Here are a couple what you require to find in the quality corporation.

Child hire a company that won?t gives excellent reasons browsing versions. To find out if often the hard can achieve great, you need to take a look at its collection. There are artwork with their work trials at the significant web site, or even it?s possibly that they offer backlinks to live a life internet sites the fact that they designed.

If you?re expending hard earned money, you will plan to find a design you will be happy with. To ensure that this amazing, it is important to look for web design businesses that supply you with numerous advice about the design strategy. That?s possess a hard time implying specific modifications you expect done ahead of finalized edition is finished.

Expense will of course be important relating to deciding web design corporations. You will need to note that is normally should be looking to cover quality if you need them. You must never agree on a business or company since they contain the most inexpensive price tags.

The root reason for possessing a webpage is to buy visitors to the application. Perhaps the best tips to get lots of traffic is to optimize your site for ones major search engines. This really is an element that web design law firms use into consideration when designing web webpages, subsequently guarantee the only one one makes a decision performs this.

Forms of graphical factors that will come as a group to create your main web internet site design. Even though you be satisfied the actual design currently, you need to alter somethings about it at some point. Typically, you?ll need these PSD docs of doing this. Many web blog page graphic designers will not provde the PSD data, especially when ones own fees are pretty much affordable. They can demand that you pay a top value for you to acquire people recordsdata extremely, as a result be sure that you are acquainted with the actual web design company?s policy.

As a general editor, one can find far fewer possibilities more important compared to selecting connecting web design providers. A beautifully built web page coming from reliable enterprise including web box that gives creedence to Search engine marketing will surely end up with an ankle on its competition. They are able also offer other similar providers love throwing in making your work like a webmaster a little easier.

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Nathan Followill and Jessie Baylin: Expecting!

The Kings of Leon's Nathan Followill and his wife, singer/songwriter Jessie Baylin, are expecting their first child in December, the band’s rep confirmed today.

“I’m beyond excited/anxious. Life is beautiful,” the drummer, 33, Tweeted.

Nathan Followill wed Jessie Baylin, 28, in late 2009 in Brentwood, Tenn.

It’s been a big year for the family. Caleb Followill and Lily Aldridge married in May 2011 and the couple welcomed daughter Dixie Pearl just last Thursday.

Brother Jared became engaged to Martha Patterson in May.

In other unrelated, but still wonderful celebrity baby news, True Blood's Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer are having twins! Congratulations to all!

[Photo: WENN.com]

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HBT: D-backs remove TV play-by-play man

Daron Sutton has been the Diamondbacks? television play-by-play announcer since 2007, but last week he was removed from the team?s broadcasts without explanation.

Senior vice president of communications Josh Rawitch said only that ?we?ve made a change in the broadcast-talent lineup? and ?Daron will be taking some time off.?

Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic finds the whole situation very odd, writing: ?You can?t remove a play-by-play guy out of the broadcast booth during the middle of the season without explanation, from a team with great television ratings, at a time when the Diamondbacks are finally finding a groove, and expect muted compliance from the masses.?

And yet the Diamondbacks have done just that, with managing general partner Ken Kendrick declining to comment yesterday except to say it was ?a personal matter? and ?I suspect the situation will become clear soon enough.?

Adding to the drama is that Sutton is scheduled to work the FOX national game Saturday, which is Diamondbacks versus Brewers.

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More Mobile Wallets Incoming: Placecast Launches White Label ShopAlerts Wallet

We've seen some notable developments around mobile payments that turn handsets effectively into credit cards, credit card processors, reward point aggregators, and more. A new product out today could see the ranks of these services swell even larger: mobile marketing company Placecast is launching ShopAlerts Wallet, an HTML5-based, white-label service combining local offers and payments, which it wants to sell on to credit card companies, carriers and retailers to develop their own mobile payment wallets and loyalty services. PlaceCast says that this is service is the first of its kind, in that it ties location-based offers?(the service Placecast is best known for)?to mobile payments in a "turnkey", plug-and-play solution. Based on HTML5, the service works across all smartphone platforms, and is potentially easier to implement and use than a native app:?"There?s no app to build for marketers, and no app for consumers to download," the company says.

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Five Best Real Estate Markets For 2012-2017

The U.S. continues to struggle out of a slumping housing market and foreclosures continue to loom, but some analysts who are looking on the brighter side forecast investment opportunities will grow in some areas. The top five cities expected to see substantial market growth in the next five years includes, from least to best, according to HousingPredictor.com: Medford, Oregon; Seattle; Lost Altos, California; San Francisco; and Miami. The researcher looked at factors like job prospects and future projected economic conditions to pinpoint expected property appreciation, which helps explains how foreclosure-ridden Miami tops the list. For more on this continue reading the following article from TheStreet.

Market watcher HousingPredictor.com thinks U.S. home prices could keep falling across much of America for years -- but believes a handful of markets offer great investment opportunities right now.

"When most people figure out that this really is a great time to buy in some areas of the country, it will be too late to make a really good profit," HousingPredictor.com's Mike Colpitts says. "In some areas, it is a great time to jump back into the market -- but you have to be very careful [given] all the concerns about the overall economy."

The firm recently analyzed 230 cities' housing and economic conditions and found about a dozen it expects will produce double-digit price gains over the next five years.

"These are places that have better job prospects and stronger economic conditions than most other areas," Colpitts says.

For instance, HousingPredictor.com expects upscale Los Altos, Calif., to see prices rise 15.5% over the next five years as staffers from nearby Facebook use gains from the company's recent initial public offering to buy homes.

Here's a look at the five U.S. markets HousingPredictor.com thinks will offer the best average price appreciation over the next five years.

Listing information comes from Realtor.com, the National Association of Realtors' official property-listing site, and excludes mobile homes, parcels under agreement and houses still under construction.?

Fifth-best market: Medford, Ore.
Expected five-year price gain:13.9%

This metro area of some 200,000 people just north of the California border in south-central Oregon has had high unemployment in recent years, but Colpitts sees an improvement coming.

"Medford has grown a lot over the past decade and has more employers these days," he says. "More jobs translate to more home purchasers."

Historically a farming area, Medford has become a regional hub for medical care, as well as a destination for more and more retirees.

The city also hosts the New York Stock Exchange-listed Lithia Motors chain of car dealerships, the famous Harry & David food company (parent of the Fruit-of-the-Month Club) and a few other important employers.

As for housing, Realtor.com lists some 350 Medford properties for sale, priced from $33,000 for a two-bedroom condo to $2.3 million for a four-bedroom home on 166 acres.?

Fourth-best market: Seattle
Expected five-year price gain:14.9%

"Seattle has weathered the housing downturn better than the majority of the nation, despite a sizable decline in home values," Colpitts says.

He adds that the Emerald City's stable of large, well-paying tech firms -- from Amazon to Microsoft -- bodes well for real estate prices in the 3.4-million person metro area.

"Higher salaries paid to workers should bolster the housing market," the expert says.

Realtor.com lists roughly 1,800 Seattle homes for sale, from a $60,000 two-bedroom condo to an $18 million waterfront estate.?

Third-best market: Los Altos, Calif.
Expected five-year price gain:15.5%

This affluent community of 28,000 people is in the heart of Silicon Valley, just up the road from Apple and other high-tech firms.

In fact, Los Altos' current or former residents have included late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Yahoo! co-founder Jerry Yang and other tech titans.

Colpitts said that group should drive Los Altos' home prices higher and higher over the next five years.

"More millionaires are busting out [in Silicon Valley] than anywhere else in the United States -- and the majority of buyers are paying cash for homes," he says.

If you're looking to move to Los Altos, there are 135 properties listed for sale there on Realtor.com. Prices range from $340,000 for a one-bedroom condo to $13 million for a 4-acre estate.?

Second-best market: San Francisco
Expected five-year price gain: 15.9%

Sometimes called the "Wall Street of the West," San Francisco's large financial sector, seven Fortune 500 companies and thriving tech industry underpin the 7.6-million-person metro area's economy and housing market.

Large employers that call San Francisco home range from Wells Fargo to Craigslist. The 25,000-student San Francisco State University also adds to local housing demand that Colpitts expects will increase in the next few years.

"A rich, diverse cultural mix of people has transformed the greater Bay Area into a world-class city to make home," he says.

Realtor.com has some 1,800 San Francisco homes for sale, from a $99,000 fire-damaged teardown to a $38 million eight-bedroom estate.?

No. 1 best market: Miami
Expected five-year price gain: 18.7%

Long the poster child for South Florida's housing bust and foreclosure crisis, Miami gets the top spot in HousingPredictor.com's study because the 2.5 million-population metro area's real estate market has finally begun to turn around.

Media list prices already rose 15.5% over the past year on Realtor.com, and Colpitts thinks the recovery has just begun -- fueled partly by investors from Latin America and other foreign locales.

"Miami is an international designation for vacationers and has become a world-class resort community, attracting home and condo purchasers from all over the world," he says. "If there's ever been a time to buy housing in Miami in this decade, chances are this is it."

Property buyers will find some 12,000 Miami homes listed on Realtor.com. Prices start at $12,600 for a one-bedroom condo and run to $125 million for an 11-bedroom oceanfront estate.

This article was republished with permission from TheStreet.

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How My Girlfriends and I Lose our Shirts Betting On Sports

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There are a lot of similarities between betting on sports and the stock market. Both can be risky propositions, and making money is not always easy, but the goal in sports betting and stocks is to win (either by beating the market, or beating the bookie).

In the stock market, common mistakes can include ?speculating instead of investing? and ?using too much leverage?. A savvy bettor who knows the ins and outs of wagering and avoids common errors can certainly pull it off.

Precise play and using percentages in your favor is a great strategy, but only when you take common mistakes out of the equation.

Your strategy, analysis, and luck will ultimately determine your success, avoiding these mistakes will not only make you a better handicapper, but hopefully give you enough of an edge to turn losing bets into profitable ones.

1. Losing track of which team is better

It is highly fashionable for a bettor to analyze every statistical and psychological factor imaginable. Unfortunately, they often forget one basic fact; the best team is usually going to win. Not surprisingly, those better teams often cover the spread as well. That doesn?t mean you won?t cover some point spreads over the course of the year with inferior teams, but good teams win, and win handily.

Historically speaking, most teams with a winning record during a particular season also had a winning record against the spread for the year. Conversely, teams with a losing record generally didn?t cover the line too often.

2. Betting with your heart instead of your brain

If you ever want to?make money?betting on sports, you need to be sure you aren?t wagering as a fan. Your like or dislike for a certain player or team cannot enter into your thinking. In general, betting on or against your favorite team is going to leave you in a bad mood 75% of the time? How? If you bet on them and they lose, you will be mad that you lost money. If you bet against them, you are going to either be upset that they lost or upset that they won and cost you money. That leaves you a mere 25% chance of having a great day, and that is if you have bet on them and they won.

3. Chasing longshots

If you want to chase longshots, stick to horse racing. Yes, the payoff can be sweet if youwager?on that 14-point NFL or NBA underdog to win outright, but making this a regular part of your wagering tactics doesn?t make much sense. Occasional longshot wagers are fine, but remember, there is a reason they are such a huge underdog, and it?s not like you know something that the oddsmakers don?t.

4. Relying too much on trends

Just like with the stock market, past results don?t mean much in sports either. A historical trend between two teams can be an interesting side note, but it rarely has much to do with the current contest. So Team X has covered the spread against Team Y the last six times they have played; so what? Each game needs to be analyzed based on its own merit, taking only current player and team ability into account.

5. Getting too excited over a recent performance

Regardless of the sport, there is one truth that every smart bettor should keep in mind; a team is never as good as they look in victory, and never as bad as they look in defeat. Basically, a single exceptionally great or disastrously poor game shouldn?t detract from a team?s overall body of work. A team that gets hammered one game shouldn?t necessarily be written off for the next game. Not to mention that the line will adjust to that poor performance, making it more advantageous to wager on a team coming off a poor showing.

6. Becoming too enamored with offense

We have all heard the phrase ?Defense wins championships.? It is as true in sports betting as it is in the individual sport itself. For example, you wager on a basketball team and they can?t seem to make a bucket. If they are a solid defensive team, they can hang around until the offense wakes up. In baseball, teams that pitch well and play good defense will always be a few swings away from covering your?bet. It is true with every sport, yet bettors get hooked on teams that can light up the scoreboard. Well, what happens when they don?t?

7. Not shopping for lines

It is crucial to have multiple places to shop for lines. Lines can vary greatly from one oddsmaker to the next, so why not get as many points as you can with your selection? On the internet it?s as simple as having accounts with several sportsbooks. It doesn?t cost you anything to open an account, and there are several 3rd party payment processors that make it easier to move money around. If you?re in Las Vegas, it?s as simple as walking to the next casino or using an online service like VegasInsider.com or Covers.com to see which casino is offering the best line. A 6.5 versus 7.0 spread is HUGE, and can dramatically change your probability.

Speaking of lines?

8. Chasing line movement

This is all too common with inexperienced bettors. A line moves from 3 to 5 and the bettor jumps all over those 5 points, thinking it is a steal. That may be the case, but let me explain something. You are not betting against the bookmaker, you are betting against other bettors. Whoever you are placing your bet with has no interest in whether you win or lose. His take is the extra 10% (this number can vary) that you put up to place your bet. If a line is made at say 3 points, and 75% of bettors are betting on the favorite, the line will be moved to force people to bet the other side. Obviously, this can backfire if the outcome falls above 3 and below 5, but all they are trying to do is even out the betting and collect 10% from everyone.

9. Falling for ?free? picks

You have seen those ads in the back of the newspaper and on the internet, offering free sports picks. The regular cost of an expert pick with them is $24.99, but they are giving you a one-time complimentary pick; how wonderful right? Not so fast! Yes, you will get a free pick, but let me tell you how it works. They pick a random game and give 50% of the people who click or call one side, and the other 50% receive the other team. So, if 500 people take advantage of this free pick, 250 have scored. Maybe 100-150 of those will be so impressed that they will pay the $24.99 for another pick.

Of course, the same 50/50 tactic is used for that game, so 50-75 people are getting the next winner, and so on. A few lucky people will make a fortune, but at $24.99 each, you know who the real winner is.

10. Betting because you are bored

If you are that bored, read a book before throwing good money out the window. I get it; there is a nationally televised game and you want to sit down and enjoy the game with a six-pack, while also making a few bucks. That is a great idea, but unless you have put in the time to analyze the matchup, just like you would for other games, then it makes no sense to place a ?guess bet? on it. If you absolutely must have some action on the game, make a recreational bet that equates to about a quarter of your normal wager amount.

11. Wagering with a hangover

It has happened to everyone, so don?t feel bad. You stay out a bit too late enjoying some adult beverages with the boys and get home at about 3 a.m. Because of this, you wake up the next day about an hour before games are starting and have a splitting headache. Without a bit of analysis or research, you throw down your hard earned money and hope for the best. There is no need for it. The matchups and schedules for every sport are laid out well in advance, so there is no excuse for not having done your homework, then betting blind.

12. Chasing lost money

If you lose one bet, just double up on the next one right? If you lose again, just double it once more, and keep doubling until you win, right? Wrong! Trust me, if you get into a losing streak, you will run out of money before you run out of chances to double up. Each bet needs to be considered on its own merit, without any thought to past bets. Wagering on sports is often a lifetime investment and should be viewed on a larger scale and not on a wager by wager basis. A savvy (and successful) bettor has maturity, discipline, and a short memory.

13. Worrying too much about injuries

Some people base their entire betting strategy around injuries. That isn?t to say that an injury to a star isn?t important, because it certainly is, but the oddsmakers know the importance as well, and have already adjusted the line to reflect this. Plus, it?s not like teams play one guy short; there is always someone to replace that player, and he often turns out to be pretty good in his own right. Historically, when a line moves due to a key injury, the team that suffered the injury ends up covering the spread.

14. Placing too much emphasis on the psychological aspect of the game

Sit down and watch a few games in any sport and you will hear some common phrases uttered. ?Guy X is playing his old team and is really motivated.? ?Team Y is playing the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year and will be giving an extra effort.? It?s all rubbish. Effort and motivation count for something, but nothing beats pure talent. So what if a team lost by 30 points to their opponent last year. Are they really out for revenge? Perhaps the team that won last year is motivated to do it again and prove it wasn?t a fluke.

15. Wagering too much on a single game

A professional sports bettor wagers about the same amount on each game, give or take 10%. There is no ?lock of the day? in real-life sports wagering. You either like a game or you don?t. Losing a large amount on a single game will lead to a steady bet increase across the board, which can lead to a missed mortgage payment.

16. Not betting enough games

This probably doesn?t apply to a novice gambler, but for anyone who knows what they are doing, this makes perfect sense. If you have a system for handicapping and analysis, and you know it works, then betting just a few games leaves you more susceptible to luck. Weather changes, a few freak bounces and lucky plays here and there and you are staring at a bad day. If your analysis gives you seven games that you really like, by all means play them all. Just like the stock market, diversification is key to long term success.

17. Desperation wagering

This is the most dangerous type of wagering. The rent or mortgage is due, or your car needs $2,000 worth of repairs, so you turn to sports wagering to make ends meet. Sure, you may have a great day and pull it off. However, more likely is that you will wager on games that you haven?t properly analyzed, turning your $2,000 debt into a $4,000 debt.

18. Wagering beyond your means

Just like when you walk into a casino to play the slots or into the racetrack to play the ponies; wager what you can afford to lose. It may seem self-defeating, but assume you are going to lose. Hypothetically, if you were to lose every bet you make today, would it cause financial distress? Some people will bet two or three sports at a time and make 15 small wagers, with the thinking that they can?t possibly all lose. Unfortunately, they can all lose.

19. Focusing on exotic wagers

Horse racing has the Pick 5, Pick 6 and Superfecta, and sports wagering has teasers, parlays and futures. What do they have in common? A smart bettor avoids all of them. An occasional exotic play is alright, but since most of these wagers come down to guessing and luck, they are best left for others. Coincidentally in horse racing these are the types of wagers where the track get?s the highest take-out, in other words they make the most money.

20. Wagering on too many sports

Sports betting has more to do with ego than most people imagine, and I completely understand. We want to seem like an expert on every sport, so we spray wagers across a wide variety of contests. Sadly, no one is an expert on every sport. It is about making money, so keep track of your wagers and figure out which sports you excel at and which give you trouble. Concentrating on sports where you have proven success is just one more tip to bettering your chances at a fat bankroll.

Work Hard. Win Big!

So, what does this all mean? It means that if wagering on sports is considered merely ?entertainment? or ?fun? in your life, then you probably won?t be successful at it over the long haul. If that type of random entertainment appeals to you, and you can afford to lose, then by all means go for it. However, if you are serious about making money by wagering on sports, you have to view it as a job.

Investing the proper time and research is the first major key. And there are no guarantees in gambling, like everything in life. But avoiding the mistakes we?ve brought to light in this report will definitely increase your odds of making a substantial profit (and have some fun in the process).

?

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Verizon discontinues its Android data widget

Just a quick heads up to you Verizon peeps -- who by now should have seen this -- that Big Red apparently is discontinuing its "My Verizon Data Widget." That's the handy little tool that would show your data usage right on your homescreen, without having to navigate VZW's website to find the same info. It was a handy little bugger, especially in a day and age when unlimited data's going the way of the dinosaurs.

We also can't  help but wonder if Thursday's launch of Verizon's "Share Everything" shared data plans has anything to do with this? Hopefully we'll see an update widget soon. Verizon (and all the carriers) needs to make seeing where you're money's going as transparent as possible.

Thanks, Adam and Broken007!

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Summit health and fitness - HEALTH, BEAUTY & FITNESS

Therefore will get eliminate numerous illnesses and discomforts like sleep issues, uneasyness, tooth pain, candida albicans and so forth. It features its own devote skin and hair conditioning mediums for example shampoo, lipstick and lip balm. However it might even include serious issues like child abuse, or discrimination or might be, even self produced stress. The health natives of southern India uses the Red- colored hibiscus ( Hibiscus rosa- sinensis) as hair treatment. However, from the medical perspective, the issues developing from consistent utilization of marijuana are considerable. As detecting diabetes has skyrocketed in recent decades, so has got the growth of diabetes health education. Which means that a patient? s records inside a New You are able to City hospital can immediately be submitted to some clinic in La without anybody needing to visit the trouble of mailing paper print- outs. They are able to also regulate the quantity of chemicals used. They are launched gradually over twelve hrs, this periodic release guarantees the procedure to take easily. Health problems posed to low- birth- weight health babies include respiratory system- distress syndrome, vision loss, unformed organs and bleeding within the brain. It may trigger lack of versatility and mobility while going through potential health disorders otherwise cared correctly. Consequently, we might be investing as much as eight hrs or even more each day before some type of computer either at the office, or like a home- based business. It? s apparent to a lot of that something must be completed to keep medical health insurance costs in check. Also safeguards you from immunodeficiencies and coronary disease. Putting on weight may also be an problem. The plans which cover the medical costs summit health and fitness in your trip include medical expenses, dental expenses, price of treatment and price of medications. Very couple of people take the time to workout regularly. A number of specialists, each coping with summit health and fitness a remote condition isn? t enough for that thorough proper care of a ladies health. Of fitness course, speak to your physician before by using this or other supplement. The issues run deep and wide. A couple of days inside a month with summit no alcohol can be quite advantageous to your state of health, too. healthcare you will find multiple plans choice available, you will get the very best insurance appropriate. Thus adding salt moderately could be of great benefit for individuals who are suffering from or webmd health are in danger of diabetes. Healthcare and Blue webmd Mix and Blue Shield of Florida can be found in and most Florida areas. The official letter in the training agency verifying the amount of training hrs completed should be mailed straight to the Board.

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World Leaders React to Egypt's Election Results (Voice Of America)

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Ways to notice the colorectal cancer signs ? Social Networks Sites ...

A lot more than 120,000 new cases of colon cancer happen annually in America, which makes it among the commonest cancer diagnosed. Most colon cancers develop originating from a polyp in the liner of the colon. Relying on the location of the cancer within the colon, a cancerous growth might grow numerous years prior to diagnosis, which is why routine screening is important.

Modifications in bowel habits

Changes in bowel habits are essentially the most common signs and symptoms in both early and advanced colon cancer, based on the NCI. Constipation with less than three bowel movements per week, diarrhea with loose bowel movements 3 instances per day lasting much more than three days, or constipation switching with looseness of the bowels are typical advanced indicators and symptoms of colon cancer. Diarrhea may also result in dehydration when too much fluid is lost in the body. Discomfort and pain may go with both constipation and diarrhea. If bowel habits don't become typical after over-the-counter treatment options, more fluids and increased fiber, contact the doctor.

Bowel blockage

In accordance with the NCI, colon cancer commonly causes bowel obstruction that occurs if the tumour develops so much to clog up the passage of waste materials. Motility, or the capacity of the colon to move wastes out, may be limited in case the growth grows huge enough to affect neural system. Not experiencing a bowel movement or experiencing extremely small bowel movements for a duration of weeks, pain inside the lower part of the abdomen, an enlarged or distended belly, and vomiting might all indicate a bowel blockage in accordance with the NCI.

Bleeding might occur within the rectum or there could be blood within the stool. Colon cancers typically hemorrhage slowly, in accordance with the Merck Manuals. The feces may be streaked or mixed with blood, but the blood just isn't often noticed. The initial sign for many people with colon cancer is bleeding in the course of a bowel movement.

Discomfort

Swelling or flatulence inside the abdomen may cause a sensation of bloatedness and clothes could get tight. Cramps or too much gas may also trigger stomach pain. Discomfort may be distinct or dull, however gradually worsen when the tumor develops. Initial phase colon cancer doesn't typically cause pain. When pain is present, colon cancer is often at a later stage, according to the NCI.

Troubles with food

Fat loss, nausea and vomiting happen with advanced colon cancer, as reported by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Because the tumor grows, vomiting may happen because food is unable to move by means of the colon. Fat loss occurs as nutrients inside the food can't be assimilated or pain restricts the capability to eat.

Metastases

Late stage colon cancers, Stage III and Stage 4, spread or metastasize by means of the lymphatic system to both close by and far sections of the body. Stage 3 colon cancer has propagated to lymph nodes and Stage IV colon cancer typically spreads towards the liver organ, lungs and other organs, as stated by the NCI. Having liver metastases, the skin changes yellow or jaundiced. If colon cancer distributes to the lungs, a suffocating feeling happens. Other symptoms could occur depending on exactly where the colon cancer cells go in the body.

Extra articles

Causes of colorectal cancer

Colon cancer different stages

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Local exec pay rises modestly, still sky-high (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)

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Plenty of compelling stories beyond Phelps, Lochte

AAA??Jun. 24, 2012?3:30 PM ET
Plenty of compelling stories beyond Phelps, Lochte
By PAUL NEWBERRYBy PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer??

Katelyn Sowinski stretches during practice at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Sunday, June 24, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. The trials are scheduled to start on Monday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Katelyn Sowinski stretches during practice at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Sunday, June 24, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. The trials are scheduled to start on Monday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Jessica Hardy arrives at a news conference at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on Sunday, June 24, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. The trials are to start on Monday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Water drips from the face of Lindsey Horejsi, 14, of Fairbault, Minn., as she takes a position on a starting block during practice at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on Sunday, June 24, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. The trials are to start on Monday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

An unidentified swimmer dives during practice at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, Sunday, June 24, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. The trials are scheduled to start on Monday. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Missy Franklin speaks during a news conference at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials on Sunday, June 24, 2012, in Omaha, Neb. The trials are to start on Monday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) ? Forty-somethings and teen phenoms.

Records and rivalries.

Comebacks and farewells.

While Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are getting much of the attention, there's no shortage of compelling stories heading into the U.S. Olympic swimming trials, which begins Monday at a temporary pool set up in the middle of the 13,200-seat CenturyLink Center Omaha.

On the women's side, 11-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin will be matched against 17-year-old Missy Franklin, who emerged as the sport's next big star with a dazzling performance at last year's world championships. Then there's 40-year-old Janet Evans, attempting to qualify for the London Games after retiring for 15 years. And let's not forget 45-year-old Dara Torres, back again trying to make her sixth Olympic team. She insists this will be her last attempt.

Associated PressNews Topics: Women's swimming, Swimming, Men's swimming, Women's sports, Olympic games, Sports, Events, Summer Olympic games, Aquatics, Women's aquatics, Men's aquatics, Men's sports, 2012 London Olympic Games, Olympic trials

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WIMBLEDON 2012: Top trio won 28 of past 29 majors

This combo made from 2009, left, 2008, center, and 2011 file photos shows from left: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic after winning at Wimbledon. As Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer step back on the grass at Wimbledon, each has reason to believe he'll be hoisting the trophy overhead in two weeks' time. Indeed, it's tough to imagine anyone outside that trio winning this year's championship at the All England Club, where play begins Monday June 25, 2012. (AP Photo/FILE)

This combo made from 2009, left, 2008, center, and 2011 file photos shows from left: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic after winning at Wimbledon. As Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer step back on the grass at Wimbledon, each has reason to believe he'll be hoisting the trophy overhead in two weeks' time. Indeed, it's tough to imagine anyone outside that trio winning this year's championship at the All England Club, where play begins Monday June 25, 2012. (AP Photo/FILE)

Rafael Nadal of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia pose for photographers ahead of the mens final match at the French Open tennis tournament in Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday June 11, 2012. Rain suspended the final making it the first French Open not to end on Sunday since 1973. Nadal is trying to pass Bjorn Borg as the all-time record-holder for French Open titles, and Djokovic is trying to become the first player since Rod Laver to win four straight Grand Slam tournaments. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Spain's Rafael Nadal during their men's final match in the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday, June 11, 2012. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns in the mens final match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia at the French Open tennis tournament in Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Monday June 11, 2012. Rain suspended the final making it the first French Open not to end on Sunday since 1973. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Swiss Roger Federer reacts during his match against Germany's Tommy Haas at the Gerry Weber Open ATP tennis tournament final in Halle, western Germany, Sunday June 17, 2012. Wild card Tommy Haas of Germany defeated five-time winner Roger Federer 7-6 (5), 6-4 to win the Gerry Weber Open for the second time on Sunday. The 87th-ranked Haas, the oldest player in the singles draw at 34, recovered from losing his serve in the first game by winning the first set on a tiebreaker and then getting the decisive break in the ninth game of the second set. (AP Photo/dapd/Joerg Sarbach)

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) ? As Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer step back on the grass at Wimbledon, each has reason to believe he'll be hoisting the trophy in two weeks.

None of the other 125 men in the field can honestly say the same.

Indeed, it's tough to imagine anyone outside that trio winning this year's championship at the All England Club, where play begins Monday.

"They've, you know, been pretty selfish about Grand Slam titles for a little bit," said 2003 U.S. Open champion and three-time Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick.

They sure have.

Either Nadal or Djokovic has won each of the past nine major tournaments, and they met in the last four finals, to boot.

"It's up to somebody ... to break that mold," said Federer, owner of a record 16 Grand Slam titles. "I hope I can do that."

Add him to the equation, and those three men have combined to win 28 of the past 29 majors, a seven-year run of dominance that began with Nadal's victory at the 2005 French Open. (The lone exception was the 2009 U.S. Open, where Federer lost in the final to Juan Martin del Potro.)

The top-seeded Djokovic is the defending champion at Wimbledon ? and while it's the only grass-court title on his resume, it's a rather significant one.

"I mean, this is what I'm born for," he said after beating Nadal in four sets in the 2011 final. "You know, I want to be a tennis champion. I want to win more Grand Slams. I will definitely not stop here."

He moved to No. 1 in the ATP rankings the next day and has remained there, while compiling a 27-match Grand Slam winning streak that included titles at the U.S. Open in September and Australian Open in January, before ending with a loss to Nadal in the rain-interrupted, two-day French Open final two weeks ago.

Nadal once was thought to be a clay-court expert but has shown that he can adapt to, and excel on, other surfaces, joining Federer among the seven men who completed a career Grand Slam. At Wimbledon, the Spaniard reached the final each of the last five times he entered the tournament, winning twice and finishing runner-up to Djokovic or Federer the other three.

And Federer? Well, all he's done is win six championships plus make one final at the All England Club in a seven-year span from 2003-09.

"I would just like to get another Wimbledon crown. It would be amazing to get No. 7," said Federer, who lost in the quarterfinals the past two years, to Tomas Berdych in 2010, and to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2011.

He's gone about 2? years without winning a Grand Slam title, his longest drought since he won his first nine years ago.

"The hunger is obviously big," Federer said.

His mastery of faster surfaces such as the grass at Wimbledon and the hard courts at the U.S. Open makes it tough to rule him out, even if he's approaching his 31st birthday on Aug. 8.

Asked to size up his prospects for adding to his Grand Slam total, Federer said, "I think the upcoming two," referring to Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, "those will be my best chances to win."

While players such as Berdych or Tsonga or Roddick or del Potro have shown they can compete with the best on their best days ? and No. 4 Andy Murray, a three-time major finalist, gets plenty of home-crowd support because he represents Britain ? the expectation is that Djokovic, Nadal or Federer will extend their hard-to-believe rule at Grand Slam tournaments.

"Murray is obviously the other guy. He would be the other guy that would have the next best chance," said seven-time major champion John McEnroe, who'll be calling matches for ESPN as it takes over from NBC as the main Wimbledon TV channel in the United States.

Murray, for his part, dismisses questions about being burdened by all the attention he gets these two weeks ? and all the hopes the locals have.

"Doesn't add any extra pressure. I think in all sports, playing at home is viewed as being a huge advantage, whereas for some reason when it comes to Wimbledon, everyone thinks it's a bad thing," he said. "I haven't really found it that way. When I've played here, I've enjoyed the challenge, I've enjoyed playing in front of a passionate crowd, and it's helped me."

He also refuses to dwell on what might be considered the bad fortune of playing tennis at the same time as the top three.

For some perspective, consider what's been going on in golf: When Webb Simpson won the U.S. Open last weekend, he was the ninth consecutive first-time major champion in that sport; he also was the 15th man to win one of the past 15 majors. That sort of parity does exist in tennis, too, but only in the women's game, where six players divided up the most recent six Grand Slam titles, capped by Maria Sharapova's triumph at the French Open.

That return to the top ? and to No. 1 in the WTA rankings ? makes her a popular pick to do well at Wimbledon, too. She did, after all, make her breakthrough at the grass-court tournament by winning it at age 17 in 2004.

There also are cases to be made for four-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams, who is sure to be intent on making up for a first-round loss at Roland Garros; defending champion Petra Kvitova; recent No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, a semifinalist a year ago; 2007 runner-up Marion Bartoli; former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, probably the best player without a Grand Slam title; and even Venus Williams, who might be slowed by an autoimmune disease but still knows how to get the most out of her big serve and powerful groundstrokes at a tournament she's won five times.

It's much easier to come up with a lengthy list of contenders for the women's title than it is for the men's.

Why has tennis' top trio won major after major?

"Because they are too good," Tsonga said. "That's it. They're just too good."

___

Associated Press Writer Ciaran Fahey in Halle, Germany, and AP freelancer Barry Wood in Eastbourne, England, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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Several thousand protest Arpaio's Tent City

Demonstrators gather outside a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office jail, called "Tent City", Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Phoenix. Critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gathered Saturday night for a rally to call for the closure of the sheriff's complex of canvas jail tents. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Demonstrators gather outside a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office jail, called "Tent City", Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Phoenix. Critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gathered Saturday night for a rally to call for the closure of the sheriff's complex of canvas jail tents. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Demonstrators gather outside a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office jail, called "Tent City", Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Phoenix. Critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gathered Saturday night for a rally to call for the closure of the sheriff's complex of canvas jail tents. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Demonstrators gather outside a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office jail, called "Tent City", Saturday, June 23, 2012, in Phoenix. Critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gathered Saturday night for a rally to call for the closure of the sheriff's complex of canvas jail tents. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio signs autographs for inmates as he walks through a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office jail called "Tent City" in Phoenix on Saturday, June 23, 2012. Critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gathered outside the facility Saturday for a rally to call for the closure of the complex of canvas jail tents. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Rev. Geoffrey Black, president of the United Church of Christ, talks with inmates during a tour led by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio of a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office jail called "Tent City" in Phoenix on Saturday, June 23, 2012. Critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gathered outside the facility Saturday for a rally to call for the closure of the complex of canvas jail tents. (AP Photo/Matt York)

PHOENIX (AP) ? Several thousand critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio gathered outside "Tent City" Saturday night for a rally calling for the closure of the sheriff's complex of canvas jail tents.

Organizers say conditions at "Tent City" complex are inhumane. The sheriff has said he doesn't see any problems with housing inmates in tents and often points out that some members of the U.S. military live in tents.

"We are with you," protesters chanted in both English and Spanish, in hopes that inmates could hear them.

Most protesters held candles and wore yellow T-shirts that read "Standing on the side of love," a slogan of the Unitarian Universalist Association, which was holding its annual convention in Phoenix this weekend.

The rally was the latest effort by the association to promote social justice, association spokesman John Hurley said. The Unitarians organized the rally along with the immigrant rights group Puente Arizona.

The Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, attended the rally and was among a group that accompanied Arpaio on a tour of Tent City. In 2010, Morales was arrested at a protest in Phoenix over Arizona's immigration law.

Rachel Walden, who works at the Unitarian Universalist Association headquarters in Boston, said the group also gathered Saturday to protest the immigration law.

"We wanted to stand in solidarity with the immigration groups," she said. "We just wanted to be there to have a big presence and say this is wrong."

Arpaio is a national political fixture who built his reputation on jailing inmates in tents during Phoenix's triple-digit summer heat, dressing inmates in pink underwear, selling himself to voters as unceasingly tough on crime and pushing the bounds of how far local police can go to confront illegal immigration.

The U.S. Justice Department has accused the sheriff's office of racially profiling Latinos in its immigration patrols.

The sheriff has said the Justice Department's investigation of his immigration patrols was a politically motivated attack by the Obama administration and denied allegations of systematic discriminatory policing.

The jail complex in west Phoenix was the site of a January 2010 protest that drew 10,000 immigrant rights advocates and was marked by a clash between a small group of protesters and police officers.

The county's jails were closed to visitors on Saturday because of the rally.

Associated Press

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