NCAA tournament’s opening week

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NCAA tournament’s opening week. Just because six of the NCAA tournament's top eight seeds survived the opening week doesn't mean this year's Sweet 16 lacks surprises.

Five teams seeded eighth or higher have advanced to the NCAA tournament's second weekend, a group that includes last year's runner-up Butler, major-conference surprise teams Florida State and Marquette and city rivals Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth.

We'll have plenty of time to examine the Sweet 16 matchups and offer some revised Final Four projections in the next few days. Let's first take a look at some of the best and worst of the NCAA tournament's opening week.

Player who shined in the spotlight: Butler's Matt Howard may have a game-winning putback and free throw and Florida's Erving Walker has his late heroics against UCLA, but Jimmer Fredette is the face of this NCAA tournament for a reason. Shrugging off the pressure on him to meet expectations, the BYU star had 32 points and seven assists against Wofford and 34 and six against Gonzaga, propelling the Cougars to their first Sweet 16 in three decades.

Player who faded in the spotlight: Why did sixth-seeded Xavier struggle to even be competitive in its opening-round 66-55 loss to Marquette? Mostly because its best player simply didn't perform to his usual high standard. Point guard Tu Holloway, who averaged 20.2 points per game and carried the injury-plagued Musketeers to another Atlantic 10 title this year, managed just five points on 1-for-8 shooting against the Golden Eagles.

Conference that has excelled: Three teams in the Sweet 16 isn't exactly a rarity for the ACC, but consider that the league endured a down season and only landed four NCAA tournament bids this year. Duke, North Carolina and Florida State have each advanced, giving the ACC more Sweet 16 teams than any other league in the nation.

Conference that was exposed: Despite sending a record 11 teams to the NCAA tournament, the Big East only has two left: 11th-seeded Marquette and third-seeded Connecticut. Even more embarrassingly, those two teams advanced by beating other Big East teams in the round of 32. Not so fortunate were Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Louisville, all top four seeds that failed to make the Sweet 16.

Most surprising Sweet 16 team: Of the five teams seeded eighth or higher to advance to the Sweet 16, the biggest surprise is VCU. The 11th-seeded Rams, one of the most controversial teams to even make the NCAA tournament, won a First Four game against USC on Wednesday, a Round of 64 game against Georgetown on Friday and a Round of 32 game over Purdue on Sunday to advance to their first-ever Sweet 16.

Most surprising early exit: Even though Pittsburgh has a history of NCAA tournament flameouts, who would have thought the top-seeded Panthers wouldn't even make the Sweet 16 after receiving what appeared to be a favorable draw? The Big East champion bowed out Saturday against eighth-seeded Butler, extending the school's Final Four drought another year.

Best game: Saturday's Butler-Pittsburgh game was already on the verge of becoming a classic even before the wild drama of the final seconds. First Andrew Smith's go-ahead layup with less than three seconds left appeared to give the Bulldogs a win. Then Shelvin Mack's inexplicable foul at midcourt gave Pittsburgh the chance to steal it. And finally a second even more baffling last-second foul on Nasir Robinson enabled Matt Howard to sink the game winning foul shot.

Worst game: If Florida State-Texas A&M was the only first-round game available in your market in years past, you probably would have either spent those two hours running errands or hunched over your laptop watching another game. Fortunately, three other games were available on other channels this year, so everyone besides Aggies and Seminoles fans were able to find another matchup to watch.

Biggest upset: The only team seeded 13th or lower to win a game was Morehead State, which toppled fourth-seeded Louisville on Thursday afternoon. Demonte Harper sank the go-ahead 3-pointer with five seconds left and Kenneth Faried sealed the one-point win by blocking Mike Marra's jumper as time expired, giving the Eagles an improbable win over an in-state juggernaut that has long overshadowed them.

Biggest beatdown: Maybe Florida got tired of hearing that it didn't deserve its No. 2 seed because the Gators took out their frustration on poor 15th-seeded UC Santa Barbara in a round of 64 game on Thursday night. Florida shot 58.1 percent in the first half and led 43-19 at the half en route to a 79-51 throttling of the Gauchos.

Team that deserved a higher seed: Richmond's No. 12 seed was a sham even before it waylaid Vanderbilt and ousted Morehead State to reach its second-ever Sweet 16. The Spiders (29-7) defeated Purdue in non-league play, went 13-3 in the Atlantic 10 and defeated Rhode Island, Temple and Dayton to win the conference tournament.

Team that didn't belong in the field: Instead of taking advantage of its opportunity to prove it belonged in the NCAA tournament, UAB rolled over against Clemson in the inaugural First Four game on Tuesday night. The Blazers to their credit won Conference USA's regular-season title and boasted an RPI of 31, yet their most noteworthy victories came against VCU and Arkansas and they had suffered losses to the likes of East Carolina and Arizona State.

Best career-ending soliloquy: Here's how teary-eyed Morehead State senior Kenneth Faried responded when asked about his emotions after Saturday's loss to Richmond: "I never had time to look back. But now I get the chance to, so, I'm going to miss it. I mean, Morehead is now my second home. I'm going to miss each and every last person that came out and supported us. I'm going to miss my teammates, playing with them, having a great time. ... I'm going to miss being coached as hard as I was by Coach Tyndall. Even though it was hard, it helped me."

Worst career-ending soliloquy: We'll never know how Jacob Pullen would have responded to a similar question to the one Faried received because Kansas State coach Frank Martin instead yanked the spotlight from his senior by scolding the reporter who asked it. "That is what you wanted to see?" Martin said as emotion overcame Pullen. "That what you were trying to get out of him? Make him cry here in front of people? Good question."

Signs Causes and Symptoms Kawasaki Disease

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Signs Causes and Symptoms Kawasaki Disease. The worst diseases you can think of are ones that target little children. Those that are helpless and innocent do not seem like they should be up for disease and torment but so many times this is just not the case. There are many people fighting to find a cure for this disease but still it eludes even the best of them. Kawasaki disease can affect the heart if not caught and treated early.

If Kawasaki disease is treated quickly children could recover in as little as a couple of days. I suggest that you keep a good look out if you notice your children getting some of these symptoms.

* severe redness in the eyes
* a rash on the stomach, chest, and genitals
* red, dry, cracked lips
* swollen tongue with a white coating and big red bumps
* sore, irritated throat
* swollen palms of the hands and soles of the feet with a purple-red color
* swollen lymph nodes

While Kawasaki disease can occur in any ethnic group it is more common among children of Japanese or Koren descent. There are 19 out of every 100,000 kids in the US that have this disease.

205 Recap Shark Tank, Episode

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205 Recap Shark Tank, Episode. After over a year off the air, the Shark Tank is back! The First episode, episode 205 which aired on March 20, featured returning Sharks, real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran, technology innovator Robert Herjavec, fashion icon Daymond John and financial expert Kevin O’Leary. Entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban also joined the panel of Sharks for his first time.

The Shark Tank has a simple set of rules; entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to the Sharks that are looking to invest. The entrepreneurs must get all the money that they ask for in order to close a deal, this means that if an entrepreneur asks for $100,000 for 25% of their company they can only alter the percentage of the company they are willing to give up in order to close a deal.

First into the Shark Tank was Jonathan Boos and his business, Wurkin Stiffs. Wurkin Stiffs makes several products that help keep your shirt collar from curling, giving you that button down look. His flagship product, Power Stays uses a metal insert that goes into your shirt collar pocket, and then a powerful magnet is placed underneath your shirt to hold it in place.

Jonathan also makes a full line of other men’s accessories, including fun cufflinks. His products are for sale in major retailers including Norstrom, and he did over $500,000 in sales last year. He is predicting to do $1.8 million in sales this year. Jonathan was hoping use the money to help develop other products to enhance his line.

The Sharks really liked his products, but Kevin was the first one to make an offer. Kevin offered $100,000 for 30% of the business and 14% royalties (The percentage paid off the gross sales of the product). Jonathan wasn’t keen on the idea of a royalty, he said he wanted more than money; he wanted someone who could help him grow his business. It is obvious that Jonathan really wanted a deal with Daymond, Daymond is a self made millionaire, who started the successful FUBU clothing brand.

With Daymond contacts Jonathan could surely grow his business. The problem was Jonathan wouldn’t listen, and before he knew it Daymond was out. Robert offered $100,000 for 30%, but Jonathan quickly asked for $200,000 for the same percentage. Kevin again countered with $100,000 for 20% but still kept his 14% royalty. Not to be outdone Robert came in again for $100,000 for 25%. Barbara began trying to put together a deal with Daymond for $100,000 for 20%, but Daymond wouldn’t come back for anything less than 40%.

The reason Daymond was asking for a higher percentage was because of his knowledge and contacts. After a little more negotiation the deal was done, and Jonathan walked away with $100,000 for 40% of his business in a deal with Daymond and Barbara.

In the end it came down to Daymond contacts, which I’m sure would help Jonathan get working stiffs into the stores quicker. The lesson to be learned from this pitch is to know when to talk and when to listen.

Tippi Toes is a children’s dance company, run by sisters Sarah Nuse and Megan Reilly. They came into the Shark Tank asking for $30,000 for 5% of their business. What makes Tippi Toes unique is that they go directly into preschools and day care centers to teach children dance. Most dance companies have studio space that they rent, which creates high overhead.

The day care centers and preschools pay a monthly fee, and they can advertise it to their families as an extra service. The sisters run their business as a franchise, and so far they have 7 franchises around the country. Sarah and Megan are real sharks, they offer financing for their franchisees, require a 10-year contract, and charge a minimum of $1000 each month in royalty fees.

The sister next goal is to grow their brand by developing a DVD, featuring the fun characters that they creative.

Kevin again was the first Shark to offer $50,000 for 51% of the business, but the girls wisely turned down a deal. Barbara then offered $60,000 for 20% of the business, but Mark wanted in as will. He told the girls to make him an offer, they countered with $100,000 for 30% of business, and before Barbara knew what hit her Mark closed the deal!

These girls have a solid business, but it may be expensive developing a brand, and a DVD serious to sell. They should concentrate on their core business and use the exposure from the Shark Tank to sign new franchises. I’m sure with Mark Cuban’s guidance these girls will be millionaires before you know it.

Shawn Davis, otherwise known as Chef Big Shake entered the Shark Tank with his business CBS Foods. CBS foods manufactures and distributes the original shrimp burger. Which features four different flavors, including Original, Jalapeno, Cajun and Teriyaki. He also sells other products including a lobster slider. This year CBS Foods sold $30,000 worth of product, and had commitments from two major supermarkets for an order worth $87,000. Shawn was looking for $200,000 for 25% of his business.

Seafood is an expensive commodity, and due to price fluctuations and the cost or refrigeration most similar companies have margins of around 70%, CBS Foods only had margins of 53%. Unfortunately the Sharks felt that Shawn over evaluated his business. With only $30,000 in sales they could not justify an $800,000 evaluation, the Sharks were out.

Over evaluating your business is a trap that a lot of entrepreneurs fall into. You need to separate yourself from your business, and look at it from an outside perspective. Unless you’re some crazy popular tech startup, you will most likely have base your value on your current sales and assets. The Sharks, or any investor is going to evaluate your business based on what it is worth, and not what you believe the potential value is in a year from now.

Last into the Shark Tank was James Martin with his business Copa De Vino, which is Italian for wine by the glass. James developed a method to individually package premium wine in glasses. James has patented his packaging, which keeps wine fresh for up to a year.

Copa De Vino sold $500,000 of product last year. He is currently working with two large wine companies hoping to close a deal that could be worth between $3 and $5 million.

Although there is a potential to license the product (allowing another company to use his patent, and paying a royalty fee) James believes that by keeping the businesses together he was proving the concept worked, which could lead to more money in the future. In reality if he separated the packaging from his wine brand, his wine would blend in with all the rest of the thousands of wines out there, and have nothing to make it stand out amongst the crowd.

Kevin offered $600,000 for 51% of the patent company, and not the wine company. James countered with $3 million for 51%, Kevin was not impressed and was out.

Remember that Shark Tank moves to its regular timeslot, Friday nights at 8PM on ABC, this week.

Guns not necessary on campus

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Guns not necessary on campus. Considering we live in a day in age where fears run amok, it is no surprise a handful of students would want to find better means to protect themselves from the possibility of another Virginia Tech or Northern Illinois shooting incident. Come on, what says deterrent more than a 9mm in the face of a mad gunman? We all want to be heroes.

The big question is, at what point do we view the allowance of guns on campus as protection versus paranoia.

Wednesday the Idaho House of Representatives passed House Bill 222 by a vote of 41-28 to allow card carrying concealed weapons holders the right to walk through campus strapped and primed to discourage the next gun-toting maniac who decides to start unloading on unsuspecting campus-goers at Boise State University and other institutions of higher learning. Undergraduate students living on campus will not be given the right to carry concealed weapons into their dormitories.

Texas’ Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee moved forward House Bill 750 for vote to allow guns on their campuses, too. Utah currently allows firearms on campuses and in school buildings.

In what has become the typical mode of maneuvering around opposition, Idaho lawmakers have decided to curtail input in-mass in order to push through a bill where the people directly affected being us students were completely overlooked, with the exception of top ASBSU officials who offered their input while the bill was in committee.

Idaho’s major universities Boise State University, Idaho State University and University of Idaho were void of forums entertaining students’ or professors’ thoughts on the matter of guns on campus prior to the bill moving to committee, where it was approved 11-8, and then the House. The Senate will hear thoughts from BSU Security representatives this week before moving to vote.

The House subcommittee heard the thoughts of Boise Police Lieutenant Tony Plott, Campus Security Executive Director Jon Uda, Director of Government Relations Bruce Newcomb and Vice President of General Counsel Kevin Saterlee before voting on the issue.

The paranoia seems to come from thin air according to crime statistics. There have been no shootings on Idaho campuses to prompt such an action. There is no convincing data inferring the allowance of guns on campus is warranted. Eight forcible sex offenses, two aggravated assaults and 49 burglaries were reported during 2009 across all Idaho university and college campuses. The trends from 2007-08 show a drop of criminal activity in these areas.

BSU reported three forcible sex offenses, no aggravated assaults and 10 burglaries during 2009; all showing a drop in trend from 2007-09.

As Idahoans, we pride ourselves on the idealized Western way of independence and the American dream. We love our way of life, which often includes the open use of projectile weaponry. But at some point we must draw a line in the sand ideally at the boundary of college campuses where that paranoid state of mind is left at the door.

There is little to no reason to fear extreme violence at BSU. Previous incidents across the nation have been exceedingly isolated events. They are not a weekly, monthly or even annual occurrence. Guns on campus would very likely become a distraction for students who don’t want them here. Fear from those not carrying firearms has yet to be a pressing issue as of late.

Those with concealed weapons permits are the least likely candidates to shoot up a campus. But their presence isn’t warranted at this point. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broken.

Australia Flinder map will not be returned

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Australia Flinder map will not be returned. AUSTRALIANS may claim it to be the nation’s “birth certificate” but that does not mean English authorities are going to be handing it over easily.

A campaign has been launched to take ownership of the first map to use the name “Australia”, which is currently located in the archives of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) in Taunton, Somerset.



British explorer and cartographer Matthew Flinders drew the original chart while in prison in 1804 after completing his famous circumnavigation of Australia in a leaky, rotting boat the previous year.

A group of academics, politicians and students rallied in front of Flinders’ statue in Melbourne’s CBD yesterday to launch an online petition urging the British government to give the map he drew to Australia.

But in the early hours of Australia Day (Aust time), the UKHO firmly rejected the nation’s claims to the chart in a carefully-worded statement.

“Matthew Flinders was a Commander in the Her Majesty’s Royal Navy on board the HMS Investigator and as such, the UK Government holds it as a public record and is officially part of the UK National Archives,” it said.

Historian and president of Federation of Australian Historical Societies Don Garden said Flinders was the first person to use the term Australia.

Until then, the continent was known as Terra Australis – on the eastern side it was New South Wales, while to the west it was New Holland.

“It seems the birth certificate of Australia because it was the first time there was a map of Australia drawn up, the first time that title was used,” he said.

“It is a significant part of our history.”

Flinders set out to circumnavigate Australia in 1801 after being commissioned by Sir Joseph Banks.

He completed his journey in June 1803 and was jailed by the French in Mauritius, where he had stopped for repairs, on his journey back to Britain.

Flinders remained in jail for six years.

Only on returning to Britain in 1810 was he able to work more on his map and an account of his journey, called A Voyage to Terra Australis.

His map of Australia and book were not published until 1814 while Flinders was on his deathbed. He died without seeing the fruits of his work.

Students from Flinders Christian Community College in Tyabb, southeast of Melbourne, have written a letter they plan to send to British Prime Minister David Cameron demanding the return of the map.

Federal opposition heritage spokesman Greg Hunt said he believed the petition would have bipartisan support.

“This is the Elgin Marbles of Australian history,” he said.

“I believe we will get the map back.”

He said he hoped 100,000 people would put their names to the petition to have the map returned in time for the bicentenary of Flinders’ death.

The original idea to have the map returned to Australia came from Sydneysider Bill Fairbanks.