larry page marriage

Larry Page's marriage today was reportedly meant to be a secret, but details on the ceremony have been leaked on the internet. The Google co-founder and his bride, Lucy Southworth, will tie the knot on Richard Branson's estate on Necker Island.

According to reports, 600 guests are scheduled to attend the wedding. Among those on the guest list is former president Bill Clinton, his wife Hillary Clinton, and singer Bono.



Page, 34, and Southworth, 27, have been dating a year. The couple announced their engagement earlier this year.



Chief Executive Larry Page's wedding this weekend is supposed to be a secret affair. But his own search engine is undermining the effort. A recent Google search for "Larry Page marriage" revealed a number of details about the event. Page will definitely be married on Dec. 8 to a woman named Lucy Southworth at an "undisclosed location." According to one blog post, Page might be married on Necker Island, Richard Branson's 74-acre estate in the British Virgin Islands.

In this Web-friendly age, billionaires, politicians, and others who live in the public eye have a hard time keeping information about their lives private. Because the public is so interested in the marriages of the rich and famous, every detail of a billionaire's personal life―from courtship to wedding to, if they're unlucky, divorce―ends up shooting through millions of fused networks and popping up on millions of strangers' computer screens. It's true if you're Bill Gates of Microsoft (MSFT), Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA), or Oprah Winfrey of Harpo Entertainment. Page is no exception.

Yes, the rich really are different from you and me. For most people, a wedding is a simple, joyous occasion. Family and friends gather to celebrate the ceremonial joining of you and your true love. For billionaires it's more complicated, with stresses and strains that others don't bear. They don't just have to choose a florist and a band; they usually need a good lawyer, too.

Marriage Means Business
Attorneys familiar with billionaire marriages urge their clients to proceed with care and caution. "A billionaire has to treat an upcoming marriage as a merger. But it's a merger with a potential enemy," says New York divorce lawyer Raoul Felder.

Prenuptial agreements are important, but they're no guarantee of a satisfactory split if things go south. Consider the divorce of Steven Spielberg, now at DreamWorks Animation (DWA), and his first wife Amy Irving. She claimed their prenup was invalid because it had been written on a napkin and she hadn't had legal representation. A judge tossed it out; Irving got $100 million.

The prenup of Bob Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, held up, but it still cost him plenty. He agreed to a deal with his wife, Sheila Johnson, in which she would receive half of their assets if they split up. By the time they did get divorced in 2002, his media empire was worth billions―and she got her half. "Very rich people have trouble sometimes knowing exactly what they're worth," says Felder. "Worth is often ephemeral."

Valuations are tricky, too. Donald Schiller, of Chicago's Schiller, Du Canto & Fleck, the nation's largest matrimonial law firm, says valuing a billionaire's worth is particularly complicated when real estate and other privately held property is involved. "You can't evaluate them the same way you can evaluate assets traded on the New York Stock Exchange," he says.

Dishing Dirt
Another issue that comes with prenups is privacy. Agreements can include confidentiality clauses to prevent one of the parties involved from giving out information about a marriage in case of divorce. That can mean barring anything from TV interviews about the ex to writing a book. "Prenuptials often waive a spouse's rights to develop intellectual property from details of the marriage," says Schiller.

He continued, "If it's a well-done premarital agreement and well-documented, the person trying to get out of it could end up with a lot less [if he or she goes public]," Schiller says. "You have to make it…very expensive…for somebody to give a lot of personal information out to the public."

Friendly Divorces Are Rare
It's possible to have an amicable divorce, even if you're a billionaire. When Tim Blixseth, the billionaire founder of the Yellowstone Club, split from his wife, Edra, in 2006, they divided up $2 billion in combined net worth in a single afternoon.

But that is the exception. You're more likely to see a high-profile mudfest like the one Roman Abramovitch, the Russian oil magnate, got into in March, 2007. His wife, Irina, learned that Roman was dating a 23-year-old Russian model, Daria Zhukova. Irina hired two prominent British lawyers, filed for divorce, and ended up with half of her husband's assets.

Given all of the billionaire marriages that have ended badly, Larry Page may well have a prenup ready before he takes his vows on Dec. 8. Money doesn't buy happiness, even if you're capable of spending billions.

Still, Page could give up half his wealth and still be plenty rich. With Google's stock trading near $700, his stake in the search engine is worth nearly $20 billion.

With extra security on hand and holiday shoppers waiting at the doors, the Westroads Mall reopened Saturday morning, three days after a gunman killed eight people and himself at the mall's Von Maur store.

With extra security on hand and holiday shoppers waiting at the doors, the Westroads Mall reopened Saturday morning, three days after a gunman killed eight people and himself at the mall's Von Maur store.

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The store, however, remained closed. Yellow holiday lights brightened Von Maur's exterior, but black tarps draped the inside of the doors. Wreaths sat on tripods just outside, and a note from management said the store will reopen soon. No date was given.

A makeshift memorial of flowers, notes and poems covered about two-thirds of the bottom steps of the entrance gunman Robert Hawkins used to enter the store. On display were eight foam snowflakes, each with a picture of a victim.

Outside the mall, two Red Cross vans and a Salvation Army unit were set up near the food court entrance.

Early shoppers faced wind chill temperatures of only two degrees above zero before trickling into the food court or the mall proper, as retailers started raising their security gates at 8 a.m.

Marge Andrews said there was a very different feeling in the mall Saturday compared to her regular walks there with a friend. She and her husband John, 51, had come to buy sporting goods for their son and clothes for their daughter.

"I come out here almost every morning, and (today) it was kind of just an eerie feeling of, I don't know, quiet," said Marge Andrews, 49.

"It doesn't feel like a Christmas feeling," her husband said.

Mall security videotape released Friday shows Hawkins entering the Von Maur department store Wednesday, leaving, then returning about six minutes later, clutching his midsection as if hiding something and stalking toward the elevators.

Police did not release video from the third floor where Hawkins fired the gun. But a still image taken from the videotape shows Hawkins with his sleeves rolled up, aiming his AK-47.

Mayor Mike Fahey greeted shoppers and reassured retailers that the city stood behind them as they struggled to regain momentum during their make-or-break holiday shopping season.

"I came in here and I was wondering how I would feel about it, but I feel fine," Fahey said. "I did not necessarily look at Von Maur ... but I feel fine."

The mall is safe, the mayor said. "We have a lot officers on duty, and they will be on duty all day long," he said.

Omaha police spokesman Bill Dropinski said he couldn't discuss specifics, but that extra officers were in the area.

The Von Maur company, which operates stores across the Midwest, said it had established a memorial fund with the local United Way for the shooting victims and their families and invited public contributions. It also said it was helping families of the eight victims with funeral arrangements and grief counseling.

Police said Hawkins, 19, of nearby Bellevue, fired more than 30 rounds inside the crowded mall, striking 11 people. Six died where they fell, one died on the way to a hospital and another died despite 45 minutes of emergency treatment at another hospital.

Three other people were wounded, two seriously.

Hawkins was a troubled teenager who spent four years in a series of treatment centers, group homes and foster care after threatening to kill his stepmother in 2002. He had recently broken up with a girlfriend and lost his job at a McDonald's.

"I've just snapped. I can't take this meaningless existence anymore I've been a constant disappointment and that trend would have only continued," he wrote in a suicide note left at the suburban house where he lived.

Some who knew Hawkins in suburban Bellevue said Friday that they tried to warn police about his recent behavior.

Kevin Harrington, who lived nearby, said he contacted police a month ago to report his and other parents' concerns that Hawkins and his friends had easy access to guns and sold drugs.

Harrington, 45, said he told police in Bellevue about a month ago that one of Hawkins' friends offered to sell Valium to his 13-year-old son. Harrington said he also told police that Hawkins had once shot at a car during a drug deal gone bad.

"We told them about the drugs, we told them about the guns, and nothing was done," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Nelson Lampe in Omaha contributed to this report.

Christmas holidays, Adriana Aguilar won't be joining the festive get-togethers this year with friends and family just across the Texas-Mexico line in Nuevo Laredo.

Christmas holidays, Adriana Aguilar won't be joining the festive get-togethers this year with friends and family just across the Texas-Mexico line in Nuevo Laredo.

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Aguilar, a U.S. citizen living in this bustling border town, simply isn't willing to endure what she expects will be new, agonizingly long waits at security checkpoints along the border.

Stepped-up inspections of border crossers is slowing the ever-growing lines of traffic at the Laredo points of entry. And it could get worse. In less than two months, U.S. citizens will no longer be allowed to enter the country just by announcing their citizenship ― they'll have to prove it.

The changes are raising concerns that people like Aguilar will stay away from the border, damaging economies on both sides. Laredo officials say 40 percent of local retail activity depends on cross-border traffic.

Maria Luisa O'Connell, president of the Phoenix-based Border Trade Alliance, said border cities are concerned they'll lose retail sales tax.

"Instead of choosing to travel to come shopping and have dinner four times, they're going to choose to do it only once," she said. "It's a huge income concern for cities in the U.S. ... What we're worried about is the perception that people will say, 'Why bother?' if it is going to be hard to cross."

The Texas Border Coalition, a group of local officials, asked President Bush in a letter last month to do something about the long wait times before Christmas.

Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster, the coalition's chairman, said he would encourage the government to operate like any commercial entity and move the lines along: "I'd do everything to be sure the customers come back and visit my store."

Traffic is particularly heavy on weekends, with lines extending many blocks into Nuevo Laredo.

"It'll be even longer in a couple of weeks," said Francisco Sierra, who was waiting in a line of cars to get close enough to drop off his wife so she could cross by foot to go shopping.

People waited 30-40 minutes on Friday to cross the border in Laredo, the nation's busiest checkpoint. At Eagle Pass, a small border city with a population of 26,000, the wait was 55 minutes.

Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas said such waits are normal, but he expects them to lengthen to two hours or more to cross by car as Christmas approaches.

"It'll get a little more saturated," Salinas said. "Sometimes up to two hours or more ... because the traffic is going to intensify. But as the traffic intensifies, all the lanes are being opened, there's more personnel."

Aguilar said that in three border-crossings in the last two months, she had to show a photo ID to get back into the U.S., rather than just announce her citizenship to the border agent.

Aguilar is now getting her passport in preparation for requirements going into effect next year as part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. As of Jan. 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizens 19 years and older who enter at land and sea ports of entry will have to present either a passport or a photo ID plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Kelly Klundt said when fully implemented, the checks should reduce the wait time.

She said any increase in ID inspections is not a dry run for January and that the "de facto process of CBP officers for years has been to ask for any supporting documentation."

The Department of Homeland Security issued a reminder Dec. 3 about the upcoming changes, and Klundt said the department is working with communities on local awareness campaigns.

But there's also concern that fewer people will cross because they've heard only vague information about the upcoming requirements or they've been warned about lengthy holiday wait times.

"People right now are confused as to what's required, when is it required," said Stan Korosec, president of the Public Border Operators Association, which represents nine publicly owned U.S.-Canada border crossings. "Then you throw in the delays and I think some people are just going to give up on it."

spitting cobra

Spitting cobra
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Juvenile Red Spitting Cobra, Naja pallida
Red Spitting Cobra

Spitting cobra refers to any one of several species of cobras that have the ability to spit or eject venom from their mouth when defending themselves against predators. The spit venom is harmless to intact skin. However, it can cause permanent blindness if introduced to the eye and left untreated (causing chemosis and corneal swelling).

Despite their name, these snakes do not actually spit their venom. They rather spray the venom, using muscular contractions upon the venom glands. The muscles squeeze the glands and force the venom out the forward facing holes at the tip of the fang. At the same time that the venom leaves the fang tip, a large gust of air is expelled from the lung which aerosolizes the venom and propels it forward. When cornered, some species can "spit" their venom up to a distance of two meters. While spitting is typically their primary form of defense, all spitting cobras are also capable of delivering venom through a bite as well. Most species' venom exhibit significant hemotoxic effects, along with more typical neurotoxic effects of other cobra species.

Contents
1 Species of the spitting cobras
2 Other spitting species
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Species of the spitting cobras
Black-Necked Spitting Cobra (Naja nigricollis)
Black Spitting Cobra (Naja woodi)
Western Barred Spitting Cobra (Naja nigricincta)
Red Spitting Cobra (Naja pallida)
Mozambique Spitting Cobra (Naja mossambica)
Malaysian Spitting Cobra (Naja sputatrix)
Black and White Spitting Cobra (Naja siamensis)
Sumatran Spitting Cobra (Naja sumatrana)
Nubian Spitting Cobra (Naja nubiae)
Giant Spitting Cobra (Naja ashei)

[edit] Other spitting species
Some non-spitting cobras have been noted to spit occasionally. Certain, predominantly non-spitting, Asian cobras do have the spitting tendency.[citation needed] The Rinkhals cobra (Hemachatus haemachatus) is another elapid species, which while not belonging to the Cobra genus Naja, is closely related, and is capable of spitting venom.
conservation group says new species of giant spitting cobra, measuring about 2.5 metres and possessing enough venom to kill at least 15 people, has been discovered in Kenya.

WildlifeDirect said the cobras were the world's largest and had been identified as unique. The species has been named Naja Ashei after James Ashe, who founded Bio-Ken snake farm on Kenya's tropical coast, where the gigantic serpents are found.

"A new species of giant spitting cobra is exciting and reinforces the obvious - that there have to be many other unreported species but hundreds are being lost as their habitats disappear under the continued mismanagement of our planet," said the group's chairman, Kenyan environmentalist Richard Leakey.

Mr Ashe, now deceased, was the first to catch a larger-than-normal spitting cobra in the 1960s and suggest it belonged to a different species.

Bio-Ken director Royjan Taylor said the recognition of the new species was an opportunity to raise awareness about snake conservation as well as find remedies for the powerful bite.

"Naja Ashei is responsible for a very serious snake bite," he said by telephone from the farm. "People don't care about saving snakes. They talk of saving dolphins or cats, but never snakes!"

The conservationists' excitement has drawn scientific endorsement from a British-based biologist.

Research published by Wolfgang Wuster, of the University of Wales, said a field visit confirmed the Naja Ashei is a new species.

"The new species is diagnosable from all other African spitting cobras by the possession of a unique DNA," he wrote in a review in July.

- Reuters

luthier

When most 25-year-olds who have just landed their first full-time job start thinking big investment, they think house or condo.

For Jeffrey Beecher, now in his second season as principal bass player for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the decision came down to house or bass.

As of this fall, he is the proud – and deeply indebted – owner of a legendary musical instrument. It is, according to its fully documented history, the first double bass, made in 1690 by renowned luthier Vincenzo Ruggieri in Cremona, Italy.

"It is the first double bass that was not a violone," says the player of a split in the bowed-instrument family tree. Today, the double bass is the only one of the modern string instruments that is tuned in fourths rather than fifths.

Its previous owner was the former principal bass of the Minnesota Orchestra, who, on retirement, decided to sell it. By sheer coincidence, Beecher had called his dealer in Holland within hours of the previous owner putting it on the market.

The decision to buy was a foregone conclusion. "Through the kindness of a (TSO) board member, I had a guarantor for the loan," relates Beecher. He won't say how much he paid for it, other than comparing it to the price of a house. In Toronto, that's a substantial sum.

This was a very serious decision by a very serious musician. Although Beecher looks a fresh-faced 25, he has been playing with the pros since he was a teenager and has a matter-of-fact approach to life, career and the performing arts.

Born and raised in New York City, Beecher had started playing drums, "but thanks to the intervention of a middle-school teacher who needed a bass player, I came to play the bass."

Before he was hired by the TSO, Beecher worked freelance, usually as a substitute bass player for major orchestras. "Orchestral playing is something I feel quite passionate about, and it was also becoming my bread and butter."

Beecher's Toronto contract allows his time to continue working with Yo Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project, which he has played and toured with for several years. The bassist says the TSO encourages this type of work as it renews its front ranks with players who can bring a wide range of experience and background to Roy Thomson Hall.

"It's a way to re-energize the orchestra," says Beecher, who sees the role of a principal – i.e. section leader – more as a cheerleader than as a police officer.

Between the TSO's 100-plus concert season and his numerous other gigs, "this is the busiest I've ever been in my life."

Beecher moved from the Queen West neighbourhood to an apartment near High Park last week. But he had Silk Road obligations at Harvard University in Boston, as well. So he had to hire people to do the moving and hope it would go well without his supervision.

When in Toronto, Beecher also teaches at the Royal Conservatory of Music and will be making his debut with the Amici Chamber Ensemble in their seasonally appropriate "Winds and Ice" program tomorrow afternoon at the Glenn Gould Studio.

Amici is built around a core that includes TSO members clarinet player Joaquin Valdepenas and cellist David Hetherington, and has a long history of creative programming.

Tomorrow's concert – the second in a four-concert season – is a chance to see Beecher in a much more intimate setting, playing the gorgeous "Serenade for Winds" by Antonin Dvorak. The program also includes music by Beethoven and a new piece for cello and piano written and performed by pianist Heather Schmidt, with Hetherington on cello.


Luthier
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (November 2006)

An engraver's impression of Antonio Stradivari examining an instrument.A luthier (IPA: /ˈljuːtiɚ/) is someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments. The word luthier comes from the French word for lute, "luth".

The craft of lutherie is commonly divided into two main categories: stringed instruments that are plucked or strummed, and stringed instruments that are bowed. While there are a nearly limitless variety of stringed instruments both historic and modern, from many places and cultures—the following lists give some examples of instruments in each category still in use today.[1]

In the first category are the: autoharp, banjo, bouzouki, charango, cittern, dulcimer, guitar, harp, kantele, kithara, kora, koto, lute, theorbo, archlute, angelique, torban, kobza, bandura, lyre, mandolin, oud, shamisen, sitar, ukulele, and veena.

In the second category are the: cello, crwth, double bass, erhu, fiddle, mouthbow, nyckelharpa, hurdy gurdy, rabab, rebec, sarangi, viol, viola, viola da braccio, viola d'amore, viola da gamba and violin.

Since bowed stringed instruments require a bow, this second category of luthier contains a subtype known as an "archetier", which is a French word for one who makes bows.[2] While the division of luthiers into two categories may seem arbitrary, there are those who are passionate about the difference between these categories.[3][4] For this reason, the remainder of this article will use the division for clarity and convenience.


Workshop of a luthier in CremonaContents
1 Plucked strings
1.1 Lutes
1.2 Guitars
2 Bowed strings
3 Contemporary luthiers
3.1 20th century
3.2 21st century
4 References
5 Suggested reading
6 External links



[edit] Plucked strings

[edit] Lutes
Important luthiers who specialized in the instruments of the lute family (lutes, archlutes, theorbos, vihuelas etc.):

Tieffenbrucker
Martin Hoffmann
Joachim Tielke
Leopold Widhalm,

The varnishing of a violinand in our time:

Andrew Rutherford
Richard Berg
Stephen Gottlieb
Cezar Mateus inter alia

[edit] Guitars
Further information: Classical guitar making
Two important early luthiers in the guitar category are Antonio Torres Jurado of Spain, who is credited with developing the form of classical guitar that is still in use today, and Christian Frederick Martin of Germany who developed a form which later evolved into the steel-string acoustic guitar.

Orville Gibson was an American luthier who specialized in mandolins, and is credited with creating the archtop guitar.

John D'Angelico and Jimmy D'Aquisto were two important 20th century luthiers who worked with archtop guitars.

Lloyd Loar, worked briefly for the Gibson Guitar Corporation making mandolins and guitars. His designs for a family of archtop instruments (mandolin, mandola, guitar, et cetera) are held in high esteem by today's luthiers, who seek to reproduce their sound.

Paul Bigsby's innovation of the tremolo arm for archtop and electric guitars is still in use today and may have influenced Leo Fender's design for the Stratocaster solid body electric guitar, as well as the Jaguar and Jazzmaster.

Concurrent with Fender's work, guitarist Les Paul independently developed a solid body electric guitar. However both Fender and Paul were preceded by Adolph Rickenbacher's Bakelite "frying pan" solid body electric guitar developed with and patented by George Beauchamp.[5]

A company founded by luthier Friedrich Gretsch and continued by his son and grandson, Fred and Fred Jr., originally made banjos, but is more famous today for its electric guitars.

Bill and Reg May, two Australian brothers and luthiers, founded the Maton company which makes acoustic guitars.

The late Bernardo Chavez Rico began his career as a banjo and ukulele maker but went on to develop a distinctive line of electric guitars through his company, B.C. Rich.

Dana Bourgeois is a luthier who specializes in acoustic guitars; Jol Dantzig is an American luthier and one of the founders of Hamer Guitars; Paul Reed Smith, founder of PRS Guitars, makes electric guitars; and Dean Zalinsky is the founder of Dean Guitars.

Yuri Landman is an experimental luthier who builds electric guitars with 3rd bridges and other applications to enhance the colour of an electric guitar. in 2006 he built the Moodswinger.

Andrew Ellis is an Australian Luthier based in Perth. He is the founder of Ellis Guitars and has produced some innovative guitars such as the 8 String Tricone resonator guitar which is a world first guitar played by James michael thompson.

Other luthiers include John Bailey, Richard Echeverria, Del Langejans, Paul Languedoc, Linda Manzer, Godefroy Maruejouls, Neal Moser, Monty Novotny, Ned Steinberger, Bob Taylor, Carl Thompson, John Suhr, Mike Sabre (John MacLaughlin, Shakti), Tom Anderson, Kim Walker, and Rick Turner.


[edit] Bowed strings
Further information: Violin construction and mechanics
To put the bowed stringed luthiers into some sort of manageable order, it is prudent to begin with the purported "inventor" of the violin, Andrea Amati. Amati was originally a lute maker but turned to the new instrument form of violin in the mid 16th century. He was the progenator of the famous Amati family of luthiers active in Cremona, Italy until the 18th century. Andrea Amati's son, Nicolò, was himself an important master luthier who had several apprentices of note including Andrea Guarneri, Francesco Ruggieri, Antonio Stradivari, Giovanni Battista Rogeri, Matthias Klotz and possibly Jacob Stainer.

Two other important early luthiers of the violin family were Gasparo da Salò of Brescia, Italy and Gasparo Duiffopruggar of Austria who were each originally credited with invention of the first violin. However, this attribute has since been removed but is still often incorrectly cited. da Salò had at least one important apprentice--Giovanni Paolo Maggini who inherited da Salò's business in Brescia upon da Salò's death.

Of those luthiers born in the mid 17th century, there are Giovanni Grancino, Carlo Giuseppe Testore and son Carlo Antonio Testore, all from Milan. From Venice the luthiers Matteo Goffriller, Domenico Montagnana, Sanctus Seraphin and Carlo Annibale Tononi were principals in the Venetian school of violin making (although the latter began his career in Bologna).[6] The Bergonzi family of luthiers were the successors to the Amati family in Cremona. David Tecchler who was born in Austria later worked in both Venice and Rome.

Important luthiers from the early 18th century include Nicolò Gagliano of Naples, Italy, Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi of Milan and Giovanni Battista Guadagnini who roamed throughout Italy during his lifetime. From Austria originally, Leopold Widhalm later established himself in Nürnberg, Germany.

The early 19th century luthiers of the Mirecourt school of violin making in France were the Vuillaume family, Charles Jean Baptiste Collin-Mezin, and Collin-Mezin's son, Charles Collin-Mezin, Jr..

Jérôme-Thibouville-Lamy was the most important musical instrument maker in France. The firm started making wind instruments around 1730 at La Couture-Boussey then moved to Mirecourt around 1760 and started making violins, guitars, mandolins and musical accessories. It was very successful, and opened offices in Paris, then in London. It made thousands of quality instruments that were exported throughout the world.


[edit] Contemporary luthiers

jamario moon

One of this year's top rookies was not in drafted in the first or second round of last June's draft. Hell, he didn't even play college ball � unless you count community college. Instead, this 27-year-old rookie had to grind to make it to the League. Nearly six years of playing everywhere from Dodge City, Kansas to Monterrey, Mexico, he is now the starting small forward for the Toronto Raptors. Rags to riches?



Yep, meet Jamario Moon.



At 6-8 and 200 pounds, Moon's long slender frame and versatile skill set can be compared to a poor man's Tayshaun Prince or Scottie Pippen. He can play three positions, and he does it on both ends of the floor. In a game last week against the Bulls, Moon used his long arms to block six shots and get three steals to go along with his 15 points and nine rebounds. He has shown the ability to dish the rock and has impressive athleticism. Moon has already thrown down some nasty jams so far in his month-long career.



For the season, this rookie is averaging a very respectable 9.1 points, 7.4 boards, 1.31 steals and 1.62 blocks. His stellar play and stats have left fans, opposing teams and fantasy basketball enthusiasts asking the same question: Where the hell did this kid come from?



Coming out of high school in Alabama in '00, Moon signed to Mississippi State, but poor grades led him to Meridian Community College in Mississippi instead. After one season there, he dropped his name in the draft where he was ignored by all 29 teams. From there, Moon embarked on a basketball odyssey that took him to the CBA, NBDL, ABA, Italy, Mexico and even a brief stint with the Harlem Globetrotters.



It was last season where Moon's game really developed as a member of the CBA's Albany Patroons. Under former NBA All Star and current Patroon head coach Michael Ray Richardson, Moon developed a knack for playing D. After scouts took notice, Moon was invited to the Raptors' summer league squad, where he performed well. His solid play continued into the preseason where GM and known talent finder Bryan Collangelo took notice and signed the unknown Moon to a contract.



While he has been the Cinderella of the league so far, many (haters) question whether he can keep up at this pace. My opinion? I think Moon has staying power in this league because of the road he had to take.



There is something to be said about people who make it the hard way. Look at guys like Ben Wallace, Raja Bell, David Wesley and Darrell Armstrong. All got in the NBA through the back door and all have made an impact and had staying power. Jamario is no different. Sure, he doesn't have the same potential as Kevin Durant or Greg Oden who are both 19, but Moon has the hunger to stay in the league. When you come from leagues where you ride Greyhounds and play for hundreds a week, make you appreciate when you finally get the contract.



Plus he has one of those games where he can fill up a stat sheet by just staying within the flow of the offense. Cutting, put-backs and running the floor is where he has been doing the most damage - and guys like that are valuable for any team in this league. So don't expect Moon to fade away anytime soon. Watch for him to keep taking advantage of this opportunity he's got in Toronto, because he out of everyone should know that opportunities don't come very often.



Jamario Moon thought he was in for a compliment. As well as he has been playing in his rookie year, who could blame him? Sam Mitchell, though, had other ideas.

Mitchell was asked in his post-practice media scrum whether he had spoken to Moon about his reluctance to drive to the hoop.

His response was comical.

"One second, let me ask him," Mitchell said before yelling to Moon, who was shooting free throws. "Jamario. Did we talk about you driving to the basket.?"

Moon replied with a "Yup."



"Did you get it?," Mitchell said.

"I got it," Moon answered.

Mitchell was upset that Moon, with all his speed, energy and hops, had not made one drive to the basket in the past two games.

"I asked him in front of the whole team," Mitchell said. "I said, 'Jamario, did you know you have set a new NBA record?' He started smiling. I said 'It's not blocked shots, it's not rebounds. It's playing eighty minutes in two consecutive games and not attempting one free throw. That's got to be a record.'

"That's when his smile turned into a frown. I then told him I had one more record for him. He does that again and it's going to be a record how quickly I have him sitting beside me (on the bench)."

Turns out Mitchell was cutting Moon a little slack. He actually hasn't gotten to the line in three games.

EASY BEING GREEN NOW

Don't expect to hear Mitchell praising the lesser-known Boston Celtics any time soon no matter what numbers the likes of Rajon Rondo, Eddie House, James Posey or any other Celtics outside of the big three put up.

"You are playing with three guys who are getting all the attention so you are going to get a lot more open looks," Mitchell said.

Jamario Moon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Jamario Moon
Position Small forward
Nickname Moonshine, Apollo 33
League NBA
Height 6 ft 8.5 in (2.04 m)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg)
Team Toronto Raptors
Nationality USA
Born June 13, 1980 (1980-06-13) (age 27)
Goodwater, Alabama
High school Coosa Central,
Rockford, Alabama
College Meridian Community College (2001)
Draft Undrafted, 2001
Pro career 2001�present
Former teams Mobile Revelers (2001)
Dodge City Legend
Mobile Revelers (2002)
Huntsville Flight (2003)
Oklahoma Storm (2004)
Harlem Globetrotters (2004)
Rockford Lightning (2004)
Kentucky Colonels
Rome Gladiators (2005)
Albany Patroons (2005�2006)
Fort Worth Flyers (2006)
Marietta Storm (2006)
Fuerza Regia (2006)
Albany Patroons (2006)
Gary Steelheads (2007)
Fuerza Regia (2007)
Arkansas RimRockers
Jamario Raman Moon (born June 13, 1980, in Goodwater, Alabama) is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Toronto Raptors. He has played for the CBA's Albany Patroons,[1] Fuerza Regia in the LNBP, and most recently the USBL Gary Steelheads.[2][3][4] He attended Meridian Community College where he averaged 20.8 points per game and 8.7 rebounds. Moon entered the 2001 NBA Draft but he was not drafted by any team.[5] He is known for his extraordinary ability to jump.

Moon signed a two-year deal with the Toronto Raptors on July 10, 2007 after he had impressed in a three-day mini-camp held by the club.[5][6] In his first start against the Chicago Bulls, he had 12 points, six rebounds, three steals, and one block in 23 minutes.[7] Over the next few games, he kept his place in the starting lineup, and recorded 15 points, nine rebounds, six blocks and three steals in another game against the Bulls on 25 November 2007.[8]

sleepers

Sleepers (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sleepers

Directed by Barry Levinson
Produced by Barry Levinson
Steve Golin
Written by Barry Levinson
based on the novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra
Starring Kevin Bacon
Billy Crudup
Robert De Niro
Minnie Driver
Ron Eldard
Dustin Hoffman
Jason Patric
Brad Pitt
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) October 18, 1996
Running time 147 min
Language English
IMDb profile
Sleepers (1996) is a dramatic movie based on Lorenzo Carcaterra's novel of the same name. Carcaterra alleges that the story is true, although much evidence exists to contradict the majority of the events depicted.

Contents
1 Synopsis
2 Truth versus fiction
3 Cast
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Synopsis
Shakes, Tommy, Michael, and John are four childhood friends (played by Brad Renfro, Joseph Perrino, Geoffrey Wigdor and Jonathan Tucker) living in Hell's Kitchen, New York City in the mid-1960s. Shakes describes the ethnically-mixed working class neighborhood as a "place of innocence ruled by corruption." This essentially means while their neighborhood is safe for children, the people running it are often involved in illegal incidents. As kids, they work for a local gangster named King Benny (Vittorio Gassman) who has them deliver bribe money to the local police precinct on a weekly basis. When King Benny and their families are not watching them, they are often under the eye of Father Bobby (Robert De Niro), himself a one-time delinquent turned priest. As described by King Benny, he would have been a great hitman had he not gone to become a priest. The boys respect Father Bobby deeply, perhaps more than any of the other authority figures.

As the events of the 1960s (e.g. the civil rights movement, Vietnam) unfold, their neighborhood remains locked in time as the boys realize that all of these radical change groups protected by money and upper-class standing couldn't care less about the inhabitants of their poor-white neighborhood. On a hot summer day, the boys see a Greek hot dog vendor whom they and the other neighborhood kids don't respect and tend to rip off. They decide to play a prank which involves stealing hot dogs, and ends up with the boys unexpectedly stealing the vendor's hot dog cart. A near-fatal accident occurs which results in the hot dog cart falling down a subway stairway, crushing a man at the bottom of the stairs. Found guilty of reckless endangerment, Tommy, Michael and John are sentenced to 12 to 18 months and Shakes was sentenced to 6 to 12 months at the Wilkinson Home for Boys in upstate New York; the judge tells them that it was only Father Bobby's intervention that kept them from a longer and harsher sentence.

Upon arriving to the Wilkinson home, they realize that they are not as fit for prison as the rest of the kids there. As described in the novel, the majority of the offenders, Black and Puerto Rican youths, are serving time for violent drug-related crimes. The rest of the inmates, principally Irish and Italian kids like themselves, are in primarily for assault charges and gang activity while in the company of older men. These four do not belong to a street gang and were seen in their neighborhood as relatively good kids whom the adults, many of whom served time in these facilities, did not think would ever end up in prison. As a result, the guards Nokes, Addison, Styler, and Ferguson (played by Kevin Bacon, Jeffrey Donovan, Lennie Loftin and Terry Kinney) readily abuse the Hell's Kitchen quartet as they do not respect them as violent criminals who could react with deadly force. One night the four guards take them to the basement where they engage in the gang rape of the four boys as an assertion of power and authority over the youths.

Throughout their stay, the guards continue to abuse them and other inmates physically and sexually, often while drunk, over any possible infraction. When Father Bobby visits, he explains to them that he and his best friend served time at Wilkinson and his best friend, now at Attica Correctional Facility, was killed internally by Wilkinson and warns them that the same will happen to them if they let the place get to them. When the guards put together a team of inmates to play them in a touch football game, the four are selected and think that they can use this as an opportunity to get back at the guards physically. They ask inmate Rizzo (Eugene Byrd), a fearsome Black inmate on the team whom the guards tend to avoid, to lead the team in assaulting the guards during the game. This goes through and the inmates win but the guards out of revenge toss them into solitary confinement and kill Rizzo as they are locked away. During the remainder of their stay, they are left hopeless and fear every night during which they stay at Wilkinson. Shakes is the first one released after serving ten months.

The time jumps forward to 1981. John and Tommy (as adults, played by Ron Eldard and Billy Crudup), now gangsters, come across Nokes in a Hell's Kitchen pub. Nokes, now middle-aged and down-and-out, is now presumed to be working as a security guard for an armored car company, as suggested by his uniform and John's line "while you were guarding other people's money".

As the two of them have both been hardened by prison and are currently the leaders of their own gang, they don't think twice before murdering him (in front of several witnesses; their status as gang leaders makes it unlikely that anybody will testify against them).

Shakes and Mikey (played by Jason Patric and Brad Pitt) enlist the help of their childhood friend Carol Martinez (Minnie Driver), Father Bobby, a local cop named Nick Davenport (Daniel Mastrogiorgio), King Benny, and a struggling lawyer, Danny Snyder (Dustin Hoffman) to guarantee the acquittal of their friends and expose the actions of the guards and abuses at the center.

Snyder's career is floundering as he battles with alcoholism and drug abuse. King Benny, by now elderly but still very much in control of his turf, pressures Snyder to work what appears to be a hopeless case.

Mikey is an assistant District Attorney and arranges to be assigned to the case, secretly intending to lose as a means of getting revenge on the Wilkinson home. Shakes is a low-level editorial assistant at the New York Times, and uses contacts from this position to gather background information on the guards at Wilkinson's. Carol is a social worker, and uses her office to access files on Wilkinson's.

Guard Styler, now a policeman, is arrested for murdering a drug dealer by the NYPD internal affairs division led by Davenport, and Guard Addison is killed by black gangsters led by Rizzo's older brother, Little Caesar, (Wendell Pierce) after hearing the truth from King Benny about how his brother really died in prison. In the courtroom, Guard Ferguson, now a social worker on Long Island, is discredited as a character witness, and the sexual abuses perpetrated by the guards are exposed in open court.

At first Snyder appears bungling and disorganized, using mainly material supplied to him anonymously by Shakes and Mikey, but as the trial progresses he begins to be effective, as he successfully casts doubt on several prosecution witnesses.

To clinch the case, after a long talk with Shakes and Carol, Father Bobby lies on the stand about where John and Tommy were the night of the shooting. Father Bobby claims they were at Madison Square Garden at a Knicks game with him and as a result, they are found not guilty as the jury does not doubt the word of a priest (ticket stubs to the game, surreptitiously supplied by King Benny, help convince the jury).

From there, the boys are reunited for a last time for a celebratory party at a Hell's Kitchen bar. In a brief epilogue, it's revealed that after the trial, John and Tommy return to their lives of street crime, and both die violently within a few years of the trial.

Mikey, stigmatized by the D.A.'s office for losing an apparently open-and-shut case, resigns, and stops practicing law, eventually moving to England to live alone in the countryside. Shakes remains in New York, and becomes a full-time writer. Carol also remains in New York, where she becomes a single mother to a son she names after all four of her childhood friends.

[edit] Truth versus fiction
Though Carcaterra claims that the book is a true story, critics have asserted that the majority of it, if not all of it, is fictional:

No record has been found for any such trial even remotely similar to the one depicted in the film.
Carcaterra's school records show that between the ages of 5 and 14, he only missed a total of three weeks worth of school; according to the book, he was incarcerated in a juvenile detention center for six months when he was 13, and he would not have had any school records for this period.
No records exist for any of the other three boys mentioned in the book.
No murders, as described in the book's closing chapters, took place on the dates specified.
Carcaterra states that everything he wrote was true, but that he did change names, dates and places to protect the identities of those involved, making it difficult to independently verify the facts. As an example, he states that he moved the location of the trial to Manhattan. If the trial had taken place in another jurisdiction, such as a different borough of New York or in New Jersey, that would not be reflected in the Manhattan district attorney and court records. The book also explains that school records were altered to show that the boys were in school during the time they were actually in Wilkinson. It is not surprising that only records for Carcaterra exist as his is the only real name used.

The version of the film shown on cable, although uncut, contains disclaimers before the end credits stating that the New York youth correctional authorities and the Manhattan district attorney's office deny that the events in the film took place. A final title card states that Carcaterra stands by his story.

[edit] Cast
New York (PTI): Believe it or not, sleeping too much, just like sleeping too little, can make you restless in bed.

Researchers in America have carried out a study and found that those who slumber more that eight hours a day and short sleepers who get fewer than seven hours of shut-eye experience disturbed nights, the 'ScienceDaily' reported.

"Although it is unclear why long and short sleepers should have similar types of sleep complaints, our findings challenge the assumption that more than seven or eight hours of sleep is associated with increased health and well-being," lead researcher Michael A. Grandner was quoted as saying.

To find out if long sleepers have as many sleep complaints as the sleep-deprived, the researchers at the University of California used data from 100 adults interviewed in the National Sleep Foundation's Sleep in America Poll.

All the participants were asked how many hours they slept on a typical workday, not including naps, and whether they had any complaints about the quality of their sleep and sleep's effect on their daily activities.

According to their findings, long sleepers reported more problems with falling asleep, waking up during the night, awaking too early, feeling "unrefreshed" upon waking up, and feeling sleepy during the day than those who slept seven or eight hours.

Sleep complaints were more common in both long and short sleepers than in those who got seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Women were more apt to be long sleepers than men were, the researchers found.
number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Dublin is continuing to fall, according to new figures from the Homeless Agency.

The agency says it counted 104 people sleeping on the capital's streets on November 20th.

This compares to 185 two years ago and 275 in 1999.

The Homeless Agency is due to publish its latest report on the state of services for homeless people later today

jim braddock

Jack's (James Tupper) ship has gone down in the Bering Sea, and he has a difficult decision to make if he and Julia (Kelli Williams) are going to survive on "Men in Trees" (8 p.m. ABC). Anne Heche also stars as Marin.

On line: "Bill Moyers Journal" (8 p.m. KCET) gets perspective on the effect of the Web -- blogs, YouTube and social networking -- and the next election.

ADVERTISEMENT

Queen for a day: The final four bands perform a song by Queen as well as an original song on "The Next Great American Band" (9 p.m. Fox).

Animal behavior: The new series "The A-List" (9 p.m. Animal Planet) features a fast-paced countdown of the wildest creatures in the animal kingdom.

Holiday spirit: Sam (Vanessa Marcil) is disappointed when a client would rather donate money to charity than spend it at the casino over the holidays on "Las Vegas" (10 p.m. NBC).

Dad's the suspect: Shawn and Gus (James Roday, Dule Hill) spend Christmas with Gus' parents (Ernie Hudson and Phylicia Rashad) when a neighbor is murdered on "Psych" (10 p.m. USA).


SPECIALS
Sound tracks: "Movies Rock!" (9 p.m. CBS) is a celebration of the key role that music (not just rock music) plays in film. Carrie Underwood sings the title song from "The Sound of Music"; Beyoncé interprets "Over the Rainbow," and Mary J. Blige teams up with John Legend on "As Time Goes By."


MOVIES


Trafficking: Director Billy Corben's 2006 documentary "Cocaine Cowboys" (8 p.m. Showtime) tells the story of how drug trafficking in the 1970s and '80s transformed Miami.

Comeback: Despite a string of losses and injuries, boxer Jim Braddock (Russell Crowe) makes a comeback in the 2005 drama "Cinderella Man" (8 p.m. TNT).


SPORTS
Pro basketball: The Clippers visit the Sacramento Kings (7 p.m IN TREES -- Someone call the Coast Guard! Jack's (James Tupper) ship has gone down in the Bering Sea, and he has a difficult decision to make if he and Julia (guest star Kelli Williams) are going to survive. (8 p.m., ABC)

CINDERELLA MAN -- This 2005 fact-based drama will have you cheering for boxer Jim Braddock -- perfectly played by Russell Crowe. Sent down to boxing's equivalent of the minors by a string of injuries and bad luck, he turns his career around with the help of a manager who won't take no for an answer. (8 p.m., TNT)


MOVIES ROCK! -- The title of this new special is a bit misleading, as it's not all about rock music in the movies. It's a celebration of the key role that music plays in film, and a galaxy of stars is on hand for the party. Carrie Underwood sings the title song from "The Sound of Music," while Beyonce interprets "Over the Rainbow" and Mary J. Blige teams up with John Legend on "As Time Goes By." (9 p.m., CBS)

CROSSROADS -- They're both in their 20s but sing the old songs like a couple of old pros. In this new episode, country diva LeAnn Rimes shares the stage with British soul, blues and R&B singer Joss Stone. (10 p.m., CMT)

PSYCH -- There's nothing like a murder rap to ruin a holiday with the folks. Shawn and Gus (James Roday and Dule Hill) are spending Christmas with Gus' parents when their neighbor is murdered, and the evidence points to his father (Ernie Hudson). (10 p.m., USA Network)

-- Compiled by Raymond A. Edel
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) affects 18 million Americans and this number is growing. There is Type 2 diabetes and Type 1 diabetes. What's the difference? If you are overweight, you may be developing a diabetes symptom--90% of those with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes are overweight. If you are looking for a diabetic diet, or diabetes information and diabetes treatment, a medical weight loss program specializing in diabetics may be the answer.

Are you diabetic, overweight and thinking about what type diet plans might work for you? Then weight loss programs like ChangeOneDiet.com or others offering diet plans geared to diabetics might be an option (or medical programs such as Medifast, Medibase, etc.). Read the articles below, then take our Top 60 Diet Quiz to find out which diet plan is best for you.



Our unbiased diet analysis examines your lifestyle, dieting preferences, and needs against the Top 60 diet programs. Then BestDietForMe.com gives you the names of the FEW best diet programs for YOU, plus unbiased reports describing each company� program, complete with reviews of programs like ChangeOneDiet.com so you can choose the right one?/font>



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Overview

Approximately 18 million people in the United States have Diabetes. African-Americans, Latino-Americans, Native Americans, and Asian-Americans have a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes occurs when the body does not make enough insulin or when the insulin you do make does not work as well as it should. Under normal circumstances, the food you eat is converted into glucose (a kind of sugar) and then transported to your bloodstream. Insulin, which is produced by your pancreas, helps to move glucose from your bloodstream into your cells.

Your cells then utilize glucose as an energy source necessary for daily living. In patients with diabetes, the insulin does not effectively transport glucose into the cells. Therefore, it remains in the bloodstream and causes your blood sugar levels to escalate. If left untreated, such high blood glucose levels can result in complications that affect your vision, heart, kidneys and circulation.

Some Facts About Diabetes
People with Type II Diabetes may have a difficult time losing weight. Nearly 90% of people with newly diagnosed Type II diabetes are overweight, according to the American Diabetes Association.
Many people with pre-diabetes display no diabetic symptom. However, you might experience the following: unusual thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, or fatigue for no apparent caus In these instances, you should see a physician and get tested. According to the American Diabetes Association, if you are 45 years of age or older, especially if your BMI (body mass index) is 25 or higher, screening for pre-diabetes is recommended. If you are under 45 years but you are overweight and have any of the above risk factors, testing is also indicated.
When people with Type 2 diabetes achieve even modest weight loss (as low as 2.5% of total weight) they reduce risk factors for the heart. Ideally, however, overweight patients should strive for 15% weight loss or better, which can have major positive effects on insulin sensitivity, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

According to the CDC, lifestyle modification, that is, a healthy diet and a fitness plan, should be your first choice to prevent or delay diabetes, due to the benefits of weight loss and physical activity. This special "channel" by BestDietForMe.com is dedicated to providing useful information and resources for that purpose.

mayweather hatton

Floyd Mayweather is a 12-5 favorite to defeat Ricky Hatton in this battle of unbeatens that will take place Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The stakes for this fight go far beyond Mayweather's WBC welterweight title. They include:

1. The pristine nature of their records. Mayweather is 38-0 with 24 knockouts while Hatton is 43-0 with 31 KOs. That means they have a combined record of 81-0 with 55 knockouts, and, as Michael Spinks famously declared before his showdown with Mike Tyson in 1988, "Someone's '0' has got to go."

2. Their place in the pound-for-pound rankings. Mayweather was elevated to the top of most lists following his spectacular knockout of Arturo Gatti and Bernard Hopkins' first defeat to Jermain Taylor, and while a good argument can be made for Manny Pacquiao, Mayweather still reigns supreme. As for Hatton, he occupies a spot in the middle to lower portions of most top 10s, but a victory over the king of the mountain would vault him dramatically upward.

3. Their historical standing. Mayweather has won portions of titles in five weight classes and is currently the Ring welterweight champion while Hatton is a two-division champion (including two reigns at 140) and Ring's junior welterweight titlist. Mayweather could further cement his legacy with a dominant victory over Hatton while a Hatton victory could make the Mancurian an unquestioned superstar on this side of the Atlantic.
Those who argue that Mayweather is boxing's best all-around fighter point to his dominance over his opposition. Few fighters have ever been as statistically superior to his opponents than Mayweather, who rarely loses rounds, much less fights. A recent CompuBox analysis determined that the "Pretty Boy" leads the sport in "plus-minus" rating ― and not by a little. The "plus-minus" is the difference between a fighter's average connect percentage and that of his opponents, and Mayweather's plus-30 (46 percent to 16 percent) is seven percentage points ahead of his closest competition, Juan Diaz, who owns a plus-23.

Mayweather's rating compares favorably to the prime Roy Jones (plus-23) and Pernell Whitaker (plus-16). For the record, Hatton's rating is a plus-five (34 percent to 29 percent), which is tied for 16th with Jones, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe and Juan Manuel Marquez.

Numbers often confirm what each fighter must do in order to give himself the best chance of success. For Mayweather, his plan consists of blunting Hatton's pressure, limit his opponent's offense and use his hand speed to build an insurmountable lead on the scorecards.









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Mayweather's past proves that he can effectively deal with a full-frontal assault. On Nov. 10, 2001, Mayweather defended his WBC super featherweight crown for the final time against Mexican whirlwind Jesus Chavez. Chavez did not allow Mayweather's slickness to deter him as he unleashed an average of 103 punches per round, 66 of which were power punches.

On the positive side, Mayweather was forced to pick up his work rate slightly as he threw 51 punches per round as opposed to his 48 against Genaro Hernandez, Carlos Hernandez, Angel Manfredy and Goyo Vargas. But Chavez was unable to make his 925 punches count as he landed just 182 of them (20 percent) while Mayweather's accurate fists continually caught Chavez coming in, landing 197 of 456 total punches (43 percent) and a searing 51 percent of his power punches (163 of 317).

In his rematch with Jose Luis Castillo, Mayweather used his defensive skills and marksmanship to keep Castillo's offense at bay. The Mexican only managed to throw 50 punches per round and land 11 of them for 23 percent accuracy and connect on 24 percent of his 427 power shots. Meanwhile, Mayweather was effective and efficient as he landed 41 percent of his 33 punches per round overall and 45 percent of his 14 power attempts.

As Mayweather rose in weight, he remained boxing's version of Princeton's slow-down offense in college basketball. In his most recent outing against WBC super welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya this past May 5, Mayweather curbed "The Golden Boy's" output like few fighters ever have. Mayweather limited De La Hoya to 21 percent accuracy overall (122 of 587, an average of 49 punches thrown and 10 landed), 16 percent on his usually vaunted jab (40 of 246) and 24 percent of his power punches (82 of 341).

Meanwhile, Mayweather got a lot of work done with his 40 punches per round as he landed 207 of 481 blows overall (43 percent), 69 of his 240 jabs (29 percent) and 138 of 241 power punches (a scintillating 57 percent). Mayweather topped 60 percent efficiency in his power punches in five rounds and peaked at 78 percent and 82 percent in rounds two and three respectively.

Unlike the De La Hoya fight, Mayweather enters the fight as the bigger man. At 5-foot-8 he stands two inches taller and his 72-inch reach is a full seven inches longer, so he has the physical equipment and know-how to control the flow of the fight. It would also help Mayweather's cause if Hatton repeats the form he showed in his one previous welterweight bout against Luis Collazo on May 13, 2006.

Though he registered a knockdown in the first minute, the slick southpaw Collazo held his own and had Hatton holding on in the final round before losing a close but unanimous decision. In that fight Hatton outlanded Collazo by a slim 259-213 (less than four punches more per round) overall, and landed just five of his 104 attempted jabs. Hatton outlanded Collazo 254-167 in power punches, but aside from the flash knockdown Hatton's punches lacked the heft of his days at 140.

For Hatton to win he must not only follow, but add on to, the blueprint Jose Luis Castillo used to give Mayweather his toughest night as a pro. On April 20, 2002 most observers believed that the defending WBC lightweight champ deserved the nod against Mayweather and the numbers bear that out. The 5-to-1 underdog outlanded "The Pretty Boy" 203-157 in total punches, including a hefty 173-66 edge in connected power punches, many of which targeted the body.

Castillo, who on this night landed more punches against Mayweather than any other opponent tracked by CompuBox, got stronger as the fight went on as he out-connected Mayweather in each of the final eight rounds. Castillo averaged 42 total punches thrown in the round to Mayweather's 37, but the real key was his 46 percent accuracy in power punches.

Hatton has already proven that he can impose his smothering style against a Hall of Fame caliber fighter. On June 4, 2005 in Manchester, Hatton squared off against Kostya Tszyu, who at 35 was chronologically past his best days but was still considered a favorite against the hometown hero.

Though their numbers were remarkably similar (200 of 647 for Hatton overall and 200 of 619 for Tszyu and a 172-162 connect edge for Hatton in power punches) it was Hatton's consistently escalating pressure that proved to be the difference. Fueled by an adoring, singing throng, Hatton belabored Tszyu with withering shots to the body and head as well as energy-sapping roughhousing maneuvers to suck the energy out of the Russian-Australian. An exhausted Tszyu and a compassionate Johnny Lewis chose to halt the contest before the start of the final round.

"The Mad Hatter" couldn't have had a better lead-in to a career-defining fight as he did on June 23 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. There he used a scathing hook to the liver to leave Jose Luis Castillo a pain-wracked wreck after less than four rounds of action. Hatton outlanded Castillo in every round, with his advantage being most pronounced in the power punch category. There, he out-connected Castillo 38-18 in the first two rounds and 76-47 overall. Hatton's work-rate, usually in the low 50s, was at 58 in the first three rounds and he topped 20 connects in each stanza. But it was that final hook that told the world that he was ready for "The Pretty Boy."

Who will remain "Undefeated" after Dec. 8? The career numbers are similar. Mayweather is an 11-year pro while Hatton has 10 years of service.

Mayweather has fought 265 rounds while Hatton amassed 240. Mayweather has four first-round knockouts (none since seventh pro fight) while Hatton has five (none since his ninth fight). Mayweather's longest inactive period was 244 days (from May 2004 to January 2005) while Hatton's was 251 days (May 2006 to January 2007). But their styles couldn't be more different, and that's why this is such an interesting fight.

"The Hit Man" must turn up the heat and keep it high throughout the fight. Zab Judah troubled Mayweather in the first four rounds by fighting his fight and not letting Mayweather dictating the terms of battle, and he ended up losing it ― both strategically and emotionally ― because he couldn't sustain it. Hatton needs to get in Mayweather's chest, push him up against the ropes and pound away at every available target, whether it be arms, torso or ribs. His thousands of raucous supporters will do its best to keep Hatton's spirits high ― and perhaps sway the judges to give him the close rounds.

24 KOs) will defend his WBC and Ring Magazine welterweight titles against the son of Manchester, Hatton "The Hitman" Hatton (43-0, 31 KOs).

Two young fighters in their prime. Two undefeated pound-for-pound champions. Two of the most popular fighters in the sport. The best junior welterweight facing the best welterweight. It's no mystery why the fight is generating so much buzz.
The staff members of BoxingScene comes together to voice their opinions, strategies and predictions for the big fight.

Michael Katz: It's more than just my admiration for pub crawlers. Hatton has the style, and quick feet, to give Mayweather his toughest test to date. Indeed, the Englishman does have a chance to win ― and don't let anglophobes tell you differently.

But all I'm afraid Hatton is going to do is bring out the best in Mayweather and Mayweather will win an unexpectedly spectacular fight ― by points, unless Hatton's face gives out late.

Mitch Abramson: I could base my prediction on HBO's "24/7," but then I would have the fight a draw. Neither fighter distinguished himself in the series, nor did the series distinguish itself to viewers.

In the ring, Mayweather should be too elusive, too accurate with his counters, while Hatton gamely follows him around. I would like to see Hatton win. I think it's better for boxing, but Mayweather is still in his prime, and a prime Mayweather should win on cuts by round ten.

Patrick Kehoe: Mayweather Jr. at the height of his powers, sitting as WBC welterweight champion should not lose to Hatton. Focused, powerful and looking to make it a brutal inside war though Hatton may, Mayweather has seen and felt and over come it all before in the ring and that includes pressure and power and speed and injury and the derision of the crowd.

And yet... What if Mayweather has to resort to flicking and fleeing to gain a technical advantage and run toward the finish line? What will he have lost in winning?

After all, Hatton's the smaller guy ― junior welterweight king looking for HBO pay-per-view gold ― statistically speaking, and according to "Pretty Boy" himself, about on the technical level of one of his sparring partners. A taunt it was designed to be; still, could it prove be Mayweather who will feel the pressure to prove his boasts, to engage in meaningful exchanges with Hatton on the inside? Of course, then he moves nearer Hatton's power game. And that's not taking into account Hatton being able to force Mayweather into a prolonged struggle with his own quality.

Can the welterweight champion's ego handle being tagged as Mayrunner, the guy who had to run from little Manchester Hatton? Or does this become Ali-Frazier I in miniature?

Looks like there might be fireworks any way you look at it.

Tim Smith: Mayweather by decision. Speed is the key factor in this fight. Mayweather's got speed to burn, but I'm not sure that Hatton, even leaping forward, has enough quickness to catch Mayweather with enough shots to do any damage

Lem Satterfield: Mayweather by decision, or late-round stoppage on cuts. He could get caught, go down, but he'll get up.

Bob Canobbio/CompuBox: Mayweather by unanimous decision as he rallies to win late rounds.









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For more videos, click here.
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For all of today's rumors, click here.
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For all of today's top stories, click here.
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TK Stewart: The eloquent Larry Merchant once said, "There ain't a horse that can't be rode or a rider that can't be throwed." And that's something that I choose to remember at times like this when a guy like Mayweather appears to be unbeatable to everyone. But boxing history tells us that just when a guy is perceived to be flying higher than all of the rest, is when he often spirals down in flames. Don't believe me? Ask Joe Frazier or George Foreman or Mike Tyson.

Hatton is a helluva fighter and he has a style that will present Mayweather with some problems. Remember that a "34-year-old, one handed, part-time fighter" (Leonard Ellerbe's words to describe Oscar De La Hoya) pushed the great Mayweather all the way to a split-decision. Hatton is quicker, faster, stronger and is better on his feet than De La Hoya was by the time he fought Mayweather. Mayweather has been fighting a collection of old men and what he calls "C-level" fighters for a while now.

Like Joe Calzaghe, Hatton is better than the majority of the American press seems to think.

So, I like Hatton to be more active and land the harder punches and to win the fight by a close decision.

JE Grant: On its face this matchup should thrill boxing fans everywhere. Two talented, undefeated fighters who've won real world championships (as well as a few bogus belts) and two men who have convincingly defeated top fighters in doing so. The central difference is that one of the men, Mayweather, is a mega-talent in almost every facet of the game, while his opponent, Hatton, is a clear notch below him on the ability scale.

Mayweather has a proven chin, radar-like defense, and adequate power as a welterweight. Hatton is a killer at 140 but at 147 his vaunted body punching is simply above-average. Mayweather will likely out-speed, out-maneuver, and generally out-perform Hatton in every department.

No one will walk-over Hatton and he will pressure Mayweather throughout. He is willing to go all out with complete abandon and that gives him a slight chance. Very slight. Expect Mayweather to contently dominate round after round as Hatton is frustrated in his attempted bull rushes.

A truly great fighter beats a truly good fighter. Mayweather by 12-round decision.

David P. Greisman: The strategy rarely calls for attempting to out-box Mayweather. Rather, the idea is to pressure, to pump of the volume, to force "Pretty Boy Mayweather" to get down and dirty.

For Hatton, that might not be the best idea. Then again, against Mayweather, has anyone of late shown there to be a best idea?

Although Mayweather's walk-around weight is much less than that of the Mancunian Mauler, the current pound-for-pound claimant has adjusted well to welterweight, bringing to the table a good mix of speed and strength. He won't weigh the most, but he could look like the bigger man against Hatton, and it would not surprise to see him be better as well.

Not that Hatton won't try. This is the biggest fight of his career, and he's bound to look better at 147 than he did in his previous appearance at that weight, a win against Luis Collazo. Hatton has but one choice ― to make it a fight, forcing himself to adjust to Mayweather's footwork and hand-speed, and exposing his tender skin to Mayweather's sharp punching.

Expect blood. Expect back-and-forth shifts in momentum. And expect most of the rounds to go to Mayweather, with the win coming by way of unanimous decision.

Jake Donovan: My usual reaction to a Mayweather PPV fight is "Mayweather by decision." For this fight, I believe Mayweather will go beyond the status quo, forced to stand his ground after Hatton gives him all sorts of hell early.

The first half of the fight will be competitve. The second half, not so much. Hatton's stamina issues become apparent after Mayweather finds a way to neutralize the "Hook-N-Hold." Mayweather ditches pot-shotting, and slices Hatton apart en route to a cuts stoppage in a fight that will not quite match the hype (it'd have to be Fight of the Year to do that), but nevertheless proves to be entertaining.

Mayweather TKO in 11.

Cliff Rold: Hatton brings two things to the table that give him a good chance: deceptively fast feet and the ability to use his short arms to throw compact shots. Mayweather isn't going to have to look to land on Hatton, but Hatton has shown a solid chin in the past and looks to be in fantastic shape. Combine that with his tenacity and work rate and he's likely to land more against Mayweather than any of his previous foes.

Can Hatton land enough to win is the big question, caveated by the question of whether Mayweather would lose a decision at all given his current economic strength and relative home field advantage. I suspect not, though I give Hatton a great chance.

If not for the epic foolishness I felt in watching my pick of Carlos Baldomir over Mayweather evaporate like a raindrop on the sun, I might be prone to pick the upset. Instead, I'm staying safe and going with Mayweather by narrow, perhaps even controversial majority decision in a fight that has the world screaming rematch. Don't be surprised by a violently argued draw either.

Dave Sholler: It's easy to get caught up in the pizzazz surrounding this fight, but in the end, the bout is about the basics. Hatton is a durable fighter who likes to work on the inside and impose his will on the opposition with thunderous body shots. While he isn't the smoothest technician, Hatton has found success doing the little things, like body work, well.

Hatton's opponent, Mayweather Jr., is by far the most complete athlete in the sport. His patented shoulder movements make hitting him nearly impossible and his lightning quick combinations complement his underrated offensive prowess.

To keep things short and sweet, Hatton needs to do work on the body to be successful against Mayweather. He needs to pummel the Pretty Boy's core in hopes that he drops his hands and exposes his million-dollar smile. Unfortunately, the task is easier said than done. Come fight night, Mayweather will keep Hatton at the end of his jab and land bombs when the Brit tries to move in for body shots. It should be more appealing than Mayweather-De La Hoya, but in the end, the king keeps his throne.

Money Mayweather by unanimous decision.

Paul Gallegos: As much as I hate to bet against Mayweather and the track meet, I feel that Hatton will be on his game and somehow catch Mayweather with powerful body shots to slow him down.

Hatton via stoppage in nine.

"JC" Casarez: Expect Hatton to fight every second of every round while making it rough on the inside for Mayweather. This will be very similar to the first Castillo fight with the difference being Hatton's quick feet and his relentless pressure. Mayweather will have his share of moments but I feel the judges will look at El Hatton's activity as the deciding factor in the close rounds giving Hatton the win.

Hatton by split-decision.

Alphonso Costello: Hatton's punch and clutch will put John Ruiz's jab and grab style to shame. He will slow Mayweather Jr. down by making him waltz instead of doing the running man. Nevertheless, Mayweather tangos his way to victory thanks to the help of his Argentine sparring partner Carlos Baldomir.

Ronnie Nathanielsz: Hatton is another brave Brit but he's going to find out that he needs much more than a fighting heart ― although that helps ― to beat such a classy fighter as Mayweather.

Mayweather is the complete package ― he's got quickness, tremendous defensive skills and, believe me, he may want to cement his place as No. 1 in the pound-for-pound list and let his hands go. If that happens it will be lights out for Hatton.

It should be an exciting fight while it lasts and a great way to end a great year in boxing.

Larry Tornambe: Mayweather has never seen the kind of pressure Hatton will bring to the ring on Saturday. Hatton will not be able to land anything cleanly to earn an edge in the fight. Mayweather's hand speed will get him out of certain trouble and lead him to a decision win.

John Hively Mayweather by decision in a close fight. This could be Mayweather's toughest fight since the first Castillo battle. I think Hatton has a good shot at this if he can apply the pressure continuously and throw the left hooks to the head after throwing his right, preferably straight rights.

When opponents have thrown the straight right, on occasion, Mayweather has tilted his head to the right, resting his right cheek on his right shoulder, hands too low to protect his face and jaw. When he's done this, he's been wide open for the left hook.

In the overall scheme of things, however, Mayweather has too many skills for Hatton, but we may be able to see how rugged he really is. Will he fade under Hatton's pressure? Maybe, but by then his lead will most likely, but not necessarily, be insurmountable. Hatton has a good shot at winning.

Don Colgan: Mayweather is too fast, too talented and has too many weapons in his arsenal. Mayweather will outclass Hatton from the opening bell. He will outpunch him 2-1 in a bout that will resemble Mayweather-Gatti, except that Hatton is a far more formidable foe and will land from time to time.

An eighth-round TKO win for Mayweather over a brave, battered Hatton, who won't go down yet will absorb a thorough battering.

Dave Wilcox: This might be one of the most one-sided superfights in recent memory. I love Hatton's mentality and toughness, but he is overmatched in this bout. Come to think of it, that seems to be the case for most Mayweather opponents. Good ol' Hatton will do his best but in the end, his face will be a bloody mess. It should be target practice in this one for Pretty boy.

Hatton will have his moments early on to excite his large fan base but he won't be able to keep pace with Mayweather's speed and crisp punching. This one will end on cuts by round 11.

Mayweather by TKO.

Dan Creighton: Mayweather in a big 10th-round knockout.

James Blears: Mayweather enjoys a six-inch-plus reach advantage over Hatton, which will only be significant if Hatton keeps his distance instead of charging in. Rocky Marciano had the shortest reach of any heavyweight champion including Tommy Burns. But his fabulous physical conditioning enabled him to soak up everything Jersey Joe threw at him, until he was able to land his bomb in the unlucky 13th.

With Hatton, it won't be one blockbuster punch. Rather the unrelenting blister of blows he inflicts upon Mayweather throughout what must evolve into a war, rather than a master class of quicksilver boxing.

Mayweather looked pretty forlorn in the closing rounds of his first bruising encounter with Jose Luis Castillo. He also looked quite close to being overwhelmed in the opening rounds by De La Hoya before the golden glitter turned to tarnish, and wore off those aging legs of De La Hoya.

There's no smoke without fire. Rumors have been surfacing about Mayweather's hands. Sure they're brittle, but it's more than that. There's something untoward, and up with them right now. Although Mayweather previously punched through considerable pain to dismantle a game and brave Diego Corrales, his mitts are in considerably worse shape today. At a guess I'd say it's serious tendon or metacarpal problems.

This could be a significant factor as the fight wears on.

Hatton is bursting with power and confidence and he's at his peak. I feel Mayweather is slightly veering towards a downward slope, although he still retains much more than just touches or brush strokes of artistic genius.

Hatton has to work as he's never worked before and avoid getting tagged by razor sharp precision blows as he comes in. He simply mustn't take three punches to get off one of his own.

Mayweather is great. But he's not invincible, and he's beginning to feel the aches and pains passed on by Father Time which poses the greatest threat to his wonderful array of Jove like talents.

I'm convinced Hatton is going to fight Mayweather to a virtual standstill and win a unanimous points victory. But he's going to have to pay quite a price, which will probably involve plenty of lumps, bumps and at least one nasty cut, which will have to be handled astutely.

Carlos Irusta: Mayweather, by points. He's to smart, too fast, more clever and tactical. Hatton is always looking to slug it out, but in his last few bouts, he showed some kind of declination in his rhythm, and Mayweather is too elusive for him.

Amy Green: Not being a fan of Hatton, my prediction is at best, predictable. He hasn't impressed me against Urango, Castillo or Colazzo. And his opponents prior to them are pretty unknown and of uncertain quality, versus Mayweather's.

Mayweather will be able to outsmart and escape Hatton's bursts of ferocity and keep his pound-for-pound title intact at the end of the evening, and Hatton will serve as further proof that the Rolling Stones are still the greatest thing to come from England to the United States.

Ernest Gabion: I am going with the upset of the year and maybe the last few. I really think style-wise Hatton is the type of fighter that could give Mayweather all the issues he can handle. Hatton is quick of foot and hand, is relentless, and shows no intimidation or fear when faced with Mayweather.

For the physical marvel Mayweather is, he hasn't shown the same prowess at 147 he has displayed from 130 to 140. He is a bit slower, far less active, and somewhat less mobile. Hatton has shown he can be the same fighter no matter who they put in front of him and I think this is no different. It's going to be up to Mayweather to adjust to what Hatton is doing not vice versa and I think that is where we will see Mayweather's "0" go.

I like Hatton by unanimous decision.

Sammy Rozenberg: Mayweather by a comfortable decision.

Joe Harrison: Hatton's making a big mistake in facing today's best pound-for-pound boxer, Mayweather. It will be a real battle, with Hatton's high pressure style of boxing making it a difficult evening for Mayweather. On the other hand, Hatton did not look quite as effective when he fought at the welterweight limit against Luis Collazo. Put him in the ring with someone like Mayweather at the welterweight limit, and Hatton's chances of victory are slim to none.

When it comes to boxing, anything can happen, and it is possible for Hatton to pull off the upset. Yes, it is possible, but it will not happen. Expect Hatton to show a lot of heart, but he will be overwhelmed by Mayweather's superior skills.

Mayweather by decision.

Patrick Conner: Mayweather by unanimous decision.

Jaime Estrada: Mayweather by decision. I think he is the more complete fighter.

Bradley Yeh: There are a few assumptions I have made in order to predict this fight; I have assumed that at least the Hatton who fought Tyszu will show up, as anything less probably will not do. I have also assumed that the Mayweather who fought De La Hoya and Gatti or Corrales will also show up. With that foundation laid Mayweather still has advantages all over the place in terms of speed, arm length, evasiveness, possibly (speed/technique assisted) power, corner ability at marquee level, state of mind when the going gets tough (ability to stick to a game plan), experience with quality welterweights, experience with champions in their prime, and the list goes on.

Hatton often launches from a distance, and this will give Mayweather opportunities other Hatton opponents haven't properly capitalized upon yet. Hatton is more clever with his fight plans than some are giving him credit for, and his ability to consistently and powerfully attack from angles created either with foot work or arm placements has paid dividends almost every time he is presented with an opponent he can hit. Mayweather will not be quite so accommodating.

If you believe that the Mayweather who handled the welterweight/light middleweight De La Hoya quite easily will not beat Hatton ― who is still really a light welterweight ― then Hatton is your man, but only by KO in my book. Otherwise, unless you like unconventional betting risks, you must go for the superior athleticism and accomplishments of Mayweather who will almost certainly capitalize on the fact that, for all his strengths, Hatton's game plan is still quite predictable.

While I envy Mayweather's skills and accomplishments, I think it would be great for boxing for Hatton to win, but I am not sure that he will.

Ron Gallegos: Tough fight to gauge: I've been following the shows on the fight and it's difficult to underestimate Hatton. He's a gritty kid who still lives and plays among "his people" at the local pub, the grocery, etc. His manager is from the grit level as well and he seems to have instilled the never-die attitude in Hatton. The kid has no quit in him.

The real question of the fight is whether Mayweather has lost anything. Is he mentally dismissing or "overlooking" Hatton? If so, that would be a mistake. From the training shots of Mayweather, he still appears to be in top condition. So if he's mentally there, his condition will again be top-notch and that's more than enough for anyone in his weight class.

I look for Mayweather to box and frustrate Hatton for the first five rounds, and then he will begin to tattoo him with some power shots that will sway any judges still on the fence in his favor. He should win decisively in a unanimous decision. No knockout here.

Rick Reeno: I don't see anything to make me go with Hatton in this fight. At the same time, the fight will be much tougher than Mayweather thinks. I've always felt Hatton was the kind of fighter who matched up very well for Mayweather's style. I've noticed a pattern with fighters who manage to frustrate and give Mayweather problems. All of them, except Jose Luis Castillo, had one weapon in common: a good jab. Corley, Judah and De La Hoya gave Mayweather fits by using a crisp jab to set up their punches. Hatton's has a mediocre jab, and he won't be able to use it against a fighter like Mayweather, who sports a 72 to 65 edge in reach.

Mayweather, like Roy Jones, has a nasty habit of backing himself into the ropes and allowing his opponent to expend energy by unloading punches. The utilization of that strategy nearly cost him the fight against De La Hoya. Regardless of what Mayweather says, I have a feeling he's going to use the same strategy often and by doing so, the fight will be much closer on the scorecards. Sooner or later, like Roy Jones, this strategy will catch up to him, but not against Hatton.

Mayweather by unanimous decision.

Guest predictions sent to BoxingScene.com

Iceman John Scully: I know a lot of people have been bringing up all the ways Hatton can and will win this fight. Many have talked about his relentless pressure, his awesome body punching and his will to win to go along with his dogged determination as factors in why they will pick him to defeat Mayweather.

And while I believe Hatton is a warrior and a very determined individual who always comes to fight and is probably much more skilled than most give him credit for I also believe Mayweather is one of those guys, like a Ray Leonard, who has all the tools and gifts at his disposal.

I have actually trained in the gym out in Las Vegas when Mayweather was also training, and while I am sure Hatton works hard in the gym I would find it hard to believe he trains any harder than Mayweather.

I also think Mayweather, like Ali and Leonard before him, is a guy who has the image of a boxer and a personality first, but like those two guys did countless times, I think when the going gets tough Mayweather will respond like a champion. If Hatton thinks he is just going to bully Mayweather with no resistance coming back at him then I think he will be terribly mistaken.

I also think the majority of people that count all the ways Hatton will win this fight also happen to be people who do not personally like Mayweather and their opinions are more wishful thinking than anything.

As much as I think Mayweather is very, very immature in his repeated bragging about how much money he has on HBO's "24/7," as much as I think his friend Leonard Ellerbe talks way too much trash about world-class fighters for a guy who never fought for a living before, and as much as I think Mayweather probably will not be remembered ― for a variety of reasons ― as a true and revered legend of the game so many years after his final fight like Leonard and Ali are now, I do think he is far and away the elite of today and everything in this equation points to his winning Saturday in very convincing performance.

Putting it another way, the night before James Toney and Roy Jones fought out in Las Vegas back in 1994, Jones' lawyer asked me for my honest opinion and I told him this: "James Toney is a very good, maybe even a great fighter, but all the things that make him great will never come into play stylistically against a Roy Jones." Substitute the names Mayweather and Hatton and you have my same prognosis for Saturday.

Las Vegas is under a British invasion as thousands of UK boxing fans have traveled to the city to support Ricky Hatton (43-0, 31KOs) as he challenges WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. (38-0, 24KOs) at the MGM Grand on Saturday night.

Prior to both fighters taking the scales, UK fighters John Murray, Jimmy Campbell, Dean Harrison, Lee Meager and Martin Gethin were announced to the crowd by Michael Buffer as they briefly took to the stage. Hundreds of Hatton fans were chanting for Hatton during the entire proceeding.

Buffer told the crowd the amount of money being wagered on Ricky Hatton is the largest in British boxing history. Shane Mosley was then announced to the stage with Juan Manuel Marquez and Bernard Hopkins. The UK fans, obviously fans of Joe Calzaghe, showered the boos on Hopkins. When Oscar De La Hoya was announced, the UK crowd gave him a very big reception and chants of "Oscar" rang out.

Enzo Maccarinelli and Joe Calzaghe then went to the stage to a huge ovation from the crowd. Calzaghe and Hopkins seemed uneasy next to each other, and the two fighters would immediatly showboat to the crowd while trying to upstage one another. The crowd, obviously, gave Hopkins hell with chants of "your next" while Calzaghe raised his arms. Moments later the UK crowd began a loud chant of "Hopkins is a p*ssy." The chant got to the veteran as he tried to get in Calzaghe's face. The fighters began to exchange words as Hopkins was pulled back by the other fighters and staffers on stage. Marco Antonio Barrera got a decent pop when announced to the crowd.

Both fighters were then announced to the crowd, Hatton receiving a monster crowd reaction, while Mayweather received mostly boos. Mayweather took the scales, weighing 147-pounds on the nose. Hatton would come on and weigh-in two-pounds



For Mayweather to win, he must do what he has always done ― slow the tempo, use his defense to induce frustration and land enough eye-catching punches to win rounds and perhaps tear open Hatton's sensitive scar tissue around the eyes. The fact that they will be welterweights wearing 10-ounce gloves as opposed to 140-pounders wearing eight-ouncers will bode well for Mayweather because of the extra padding that will protect his brittle hands while softening the impact of Hatton's punches.

The guess here is that Mayweather will pick and stick his way to a close, but unanimous decision.

whitney saint john

Whitney Saint-John
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Whitney St.-John (age 26) was a newscaster on Naked News. She joined the show in November of 2006. She holds a major in French literature, a minor in Spanish and a certificate in German. Born in the east coast of America, Saint-John grew up on the water and became a windsurfer at a young age. She quickly became a fixture on the beach. Bitten by the acting bug, Saint-John studied acting in New York with a renowned television studio. She moved afterwards to Toronto to train with The Second City. Saint-John has competed for two years in the beauty pageant circuit. It was during one of these competition that she was noticed by Naked News.

Saint-John was usually in charge of the Naked Sports segment. She left the show on 18 April of 2007.


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From left to right: John Saabas, Executive Vice President, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC), Ulana Chukha, Manager of the 2007 Centraide campaign and Marc Primeau, Co-Manager of the 2007 Centraide campaign, both of P&WC, and Michèle Thibodeau-DeGuire, President and Executive Director of Centraide.




LONGUEUIL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Dec. 7, 2007) - For the third consecutive year, the 5,800 employees of Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) raised more than $1 million for the Centraide of Greater Montreal campaign. P&WC is a United Technologies (NYSE:UTX) company.

"With more than a million dollars raised, we have once again demonstrated the great generosity of Pratt & Whitney Canada employees," said John Saabas, Executive Vice President of P&WC. "Together, we have the power to change the world and to help thousands of people in need."

Mr. Saabas presented a cheque for $1 035 920 to Michele Thibodeau-DeGuire, President and Executive Director of Centraide, during a ceremony held today at P&WC facilities in Longueuil. The funds collected during the campaign will be used to support Centraide's efforts in the Greater Montreal area.

Last year, P&WC employees raised $1,005,111. This year, the objective of $1,000,000 was exceeded by 3 per cent. Each employee gave $ 267 on average, with a participation rate of more than 65 per cent. Moreover, a record number of 230 "leader" donors ($1,000 or more) contributed to the campaign.

A number of fund-raising activities, including the traditional spaghetti lunch, variety show and special raffles were a big hit with employees and retirees. "Again this year, many employees contributed directly to organizations supported by Centraide by donating their time for specific activities," emphasized Ulana Chukha, manager of P&WC's 2007 Centraide campaign. "P&WC employees are proud of their community involvement."

Pratt & Whitney Canada, based in Longueuil, Quebec, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines powering business, general aviation and regional aircraft, and helicopters. The company also offers auxiliary power units and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., USA, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.