Derek Jeter Targets Opening Day, Calls Offseason 'Absolutely Terrible'

TAMPA, Fla. -- Derek Jeter had a miserable offseason he would rather forget.

Not only did the New York Yankees captain not win another World Series ring, his season ended when he had to be helped off the field because of a broken ankle.

"Absolutely terrible," Jeter said Sunday, the spring training reporting day for New York's positions players. "Mentally it was rough, too, but more physical. I was stuck on the couch for a good five, six weeks where I couldn't really move around too much. I had a little scooter to move around. It was not fun."

The 38-year-old broke his left ankle lunging for a grounder in the AL championship series opener against Detroit on Oct. 1, and had surgery a week later. He could start running on a field in the next couple days and expects to be ready for opening day against Boston on April 1.

"Why wouldn't it be realistic?" Jeter said. "I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Opening day, yeah, it's been a goal all along."

Wearing jeans and a dark shirt, Jeter met with reporters in the pavilion behind the third-base stands at Steinbrenner Field.

"I don't want to make it seem more dramatic than it is, but you've got to learn to walk again," Jeter said.

Jeter had a resurgent season, leading the American League with 216 hits and batting .316 with 15 homers and 58 RBIs. He first injured his ankle in mid-September and then fouled balls off his foot several times after that.

"I hurt it, I continued to play on it probably when I shouldn't have," Jeter said. "Initially a bone bruise that progressed from there. Eventually, it turned into a stress fracture and broke. I was told I was able to play, so I played. Unfortunately it broke, but I'd do the same thing over again if I had to."

He remembered trying to glove Jhonny Peralta's 12th-inning grounder up the middle as the Yankees tried to keep the score tied after they rallied for four runs in the ninth.

"I wasn't making any awkward movements," Jeter said. "It was just a couple steps to my left, but it already developed into a stress fracture. So, if it didn't happen on that particular play, it would have happened eventually anyway. So, it's just the point where it broke."

Jeter says the ankle has healed, and that the challenge is to get back into baseball shape.

"I'm going to have to push myself," Jeter said. "From inactivity, it's going to be a while to get the rest of your body in shape. But in terms of the ankle, I'm not concerned with that at all."

A plate and screws placed into the ankle during surgery.

"I guess you can take them out, if you really want to take them out, but I've been told there's no need to take them out, so they're going to stay," Jeter said. "Range of motion, I pretty much have it all back now."

The 13-time All-Star thinks he will play in his first exhibition game in a few weeks. Manager Joe Girardi said Jeter will likely DH in his initial spring training games.

"I think he's going to do everything he can to play opening day, that's who he is," Girardi said. "We're just going to have to watch and see how he progresses. But knowing Derek, I feel like he'll be ready."

The Yankees' first full squad workout is Monday. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez is not with the team as he continues a rehab program after hip surgery in New York.

"It's going to be odd that's he not here," Jeter said.

Notes: LHP CC Sabathia (left elbow bone spur surgery) felt fine one day after his first bullpen session. ... Girardi said Travis Hafner will strictly be a DH. "People that need a first baseman's glove call me," Hafner said with a smile. ... 1B Mark Teixeira, who often struggles offensively in April, expects that playing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic will help. "Absolutely," Teixeira said. "I think it will be good." ... Minor league reliever Mark Montgomery was scratched from his batting practice session because of back stiffness. ... Minor league INF David Adams also has back problems.

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William Shatner Calls Out Reddit's Racism, Sexism, Homophobia

Be careful what you say on Reddit. There's a new guy on the scene, and he's not going to stand for any racism, sexism, or homophobia. Star Trek actor, Priceline spokesman, and speak-singer William Shatner is now a Redditor, and he's speaking out against the offensive language and ideas that litter the site.

After joining Reddit on Jan. 28, 81-year-old Shatner started to make waves when he complained about the many hateful posts he found on the site. Shatner started a thread entitled "Turning off private messages," in which he asked if it would be possible to disable the site's private messaging feature. Most of the messages are "asking for autographs, can I call someone, could I donate, etc.," Shatner wrote. The thread eventually turned into a discussion of the ethics of Reddit. Shatner wrote:

The unsavory aspects still exist -- I am appalled by some of the immature, horrifically racist, sexist, homophobic, ethnic ... etc ... posts that are just ignored here. Why are these accounts still active? While Reddit has done well in getting interest from the mainstream I just wonder if by allowing these children to run rampant and post whatever they feel will cause the most collateral damage if Reddit is biting off it's own nose in taking that step to become a mainstream community.

Another Redditor responded by bringing up Shatner's participation in Comedy Central roasts in which racist and homophobic jokes are common, calling Shatner "hypocritical."

Shatner responded:

I asked why are posts of hatred not dealt with by the administration of this site. It seems to me that a little bit of a proactive approach instead of the reactive (the down votes) may be beneficial with certain topics. Again, not a call out, just a suggestion and observation by one person. If I came across as preaching or demanding something be done, I apologize. Demands were not my intention but I do hope that my viewpoints as well as the viewpoints and counter arguments of others are considered.

Reddit is known to contain some horrifying posts and pages -- including one page entitled Jailbait, where users previously gathered to post sexual photos of underage girls. The page has been banned, but not before its creator, Michael Brutsch, was exposed.

Shatner's first comment on Reddit was on a post entitled: "THE ENTIRE INTERNET HAS BEEN WON. William Shatner tweets the International Space Station..." Shatner responded: "I didn't realize I made such a fuss with one tweet. MBB." Shatner signs many of his tweets and Reddit posts "MBB," which is short for "My Best, Bill."

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Thomas Menino, Boston Mayor, Calls On City To Prepare For Climate Change

BOSTON, Feb 5 (Reuters) - In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which brought historic flooding to the greater New York area, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said on Tuesday his coastal city will step up efforts to prepare for the effects of rising sea levels

Boston was spared the catastrophic damage that Sandy brought to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, which ultimately caused an estimated $25 billion in insured losses up and down the East Coast of the United States.

But that was a quirk of the tide - Boston Harbor was close to its ebb when the storm arrived.

"Had Sandy hit Boston during high tide our city would have experienced a 100-year flood event," which could have left more than 6 percent of its land area, including parts of all coastal neighborhoods, under water, Menino told reporters. "Today I'm directing my climate team to take a set of actions to be sure that Boston is as ready as possible for a storm like Sandy."

The city's 100-year storm model anticipates a 5-foot (1.5 meter) storm surge at high tide.

The risks could rise over the coming century if climate change leads to higher sea levels as many scientists forecast. A report by the Boston Harbor Association released on Tuesday estimated that with a 2 1/2-foot (0.76 meter) rise in sea levels, a 100-year storm could flood more than 30 percent of the city, including its airport and major convention centers.

Menino called on city agencies, as well as landlords of low-lying properties, to assess what parts of city infrastructure, including its subway system, would be most at risk from flooding.

The city has not yet determined what if any changes it would make to its laws or zoning codes to address the risks of flooding.

"We're at the beginning of a process to explore all types of policy options," said Brian Swett, the city's chief of environment and energy. "Obviously you want to begin with the voluntary options."

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Jerry Brown State Of The State Address Touts Calls For Both Reform And Restraint

Capping off a year of stunning legislative and electoral success, California Governor Jerry Brown struck a hopeful but resolute tone at his annual State of the State address in Sacramento on Thursday morning.

"The message this year is clear: California has once again confounded our critics," he said, opening his approximately 15-minute speech. "We have brought, in just two years, a solid and enduring budget and, by God, we're going to keep it that way for years to come."

The governor commended the state's legislature (now with Democratic super-majorities in both houses) for making the "courageous" choices to cut back on spending that, along with a tax increase passed by voters last November, is credited with putting California's budget into the black for the first time in over a decade.

Even so, Brown urged restraint. "We have promises to keep and the most important one is the one we made to the people if Proposition 30 passed--that we would guard jealously the money temporarily made available," he continued. "Which means living within our means and not spending what we don’t have."

In his typically erudite, free-flowing style, Brown's speech referenced Judge Oliver Wendell Holmes, Joseph (as in Technicolor Dreamcoat), Donald Rumsfeld's "known unknowns/unknown unknowns," Irish poet William Butler Yeats, Franklin Roosevelt, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Spanish colonial officer Jose de Galvez, the concept of "subsidiarity," land-grant colleges, the People's Republic of China, San Diego-based wireless technology firm Qualcomm, French Renaissance author Michel de Montaigne and The Little Engine The Could.

The Governor spoke about the need to strive for clarity in creating regulations, especially when it comes to education. "Lay the Ten Commandments next to the education code," Brown said over a sudden outburst of laughter and catcalls, "and you'll see how far we diverged in approach and content from that which forms the basis of our legal system."

Check out how the Governor's speech was received among California politicos:

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"Thanks to the actions of the Governor, the Legislature, and the people of California, our state is clearly heading in the right direction. Jobs are being created and our economy has significantly improved. While we should not go on a spending spree, we should begin to restore critical services that were decimated in the past several budgets. I am extremely pleased to see the Governor's commitment to our public universities and his declaration that tuition hikes are off the table." -State Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco)

"Governor Brown's tunnels plan is not the answer to our water crisis. We need to pursue less expensive alternatives that supply southern communities with quality water without devastating Delta farmers and families. Also, while our economy is showing some signs of recovery and there are stories to celebrate, California still has the third highest unemployment rate in the nation and Central Valley families suffer even more. I wish the Governor gave a more detailed plan for spurring job creation, but I'm pleased that he at least wants to reform CEQA and provide more certainty to businesses." - Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto)

"I join the Governor in his call for fiscal restraint, but neither can we be afraid to be bold in our vision for California. We cannot spend money that we don't have, and we won't. As the economy grows, we will develop smart strategies to pay down debt, to build-up our reserves, and also to begin restoring what's been lost when the opportunity is there to do so." -State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento)

"It's clear that the Legislature must do more on the issue of job creation. Republicans have long been the lone voices in Sacramento urging lawmakers to make private sector job creation a priority again. While it has been encouraging to see the Governor and the majority party talk about how overregulation is hurting jobs, now is the time for us to finally begin moving in the right direction. I am hopeful that we can work across party lines this year to pass reforms to make our state more competitive for jobs and get people back to work." - Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway (R-Tulare)

"Today, the Governor wasn't so much kicking the can down the road as he was hiding the can entirely. And while we're glad he embraced a number of key Republican proposals, there's still no plan to create jobs. If you're unemployed, you want action, not rhetoric. His bold proclamations of an economic turnaround conveniently ignored the facts: our cities are going bankrupt because they can't pay off pension obligations, 4.4 million taxpayers have left the state since 1998 while job creators are fleeing the worst business climate in the nation, and continuing government waste and abuse undermines any promise of fiscal restraint. It's time for a reality check." - California Republican Party chair Tom Del Beccaro

Everyone loves a good comeback story and California certainly has a good story to tell. Governor Brown has stoked renewed excitement in California's future, while keeping us grounded on the many challenges we still face - from simplifying our onerous regulatory environment to restoring the luster of our K-12 and higher education systems to maintaining strong fiscal discipline. Economic growth and job creation must be among our top priorities and Governor Brown acknowledged that we can sometimes be our own worst enemy when it comes to providing a strong climate for business success. We are excited to be partnering with Gov. Brown to reopen California's trade offices in China this spring and we are eager to - as the Governor said - to continue confounding the critics of California's capacity for renewal, innovation and progress. -Jim Wunderman, CEO of the Bay Area Council

"We commend Governor Brown for the principles laid out today in his State of the State address. Governor Brown's speech focused on his highest priority which is to put the state on sound fiscal footing and to continue to live within our means. The Governor highlighted education, economic development, international trade, CEQA reform, and transportation financing all of which, along with a balanced budget, will help create needed certainty for California employers and should be an incentive for growing companies to look to California as a place to expand. California's businesses look forward to working together with Governor Brown to move our state forward." - California Chamber of Commerce

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David Dewhurst, Texas Lieutenant Governor, Calls For State-Funded Weapons Training For Teachers

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst called Friday for state-funded, specialized firearms training for teachers and administrators to guard against school shootings.

Dewhurst, a Republican, said school districts would nominate who they wanted to carry weapons on campus. The training would be more extensive than what is currently required for a Texas concealed handgun license and include how to react in an active shooter situation.

"God forbid we should have an active shooter crisis in our schools," Dewhurst said.

His proposal came in the aftermath of last month's mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., where a gunman slaughtered 20 children and six adults before killing himself. Vice President Joe Biden has been meeting with groups this week to develop policy recommendations on how to prevent such tragedies.

The National Rifle Association has called for armed guards in every school in America and rejected any further restrictions on gun purchases or ownership.

Dewhurst said the eight hours of class instruction and two hours of shooting training for a concealed handgun license is "not sufficient" for school employees.

"It doesn't teach how to respond emotionally and technically" to a potentially chaotic situation where young lives could be at stake, he said.

Dewhurst has a concealed handgun license and made his comments in a speech to the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation.

He didn't provide any other details of his plan or specifics on what the training should include. He said the amount of state funding needed would depend on the number of school districts that participate and how many people want the training. School districts would not be required to participate.

Clay Robison, spokesman for the Texas State Teachers Association, said the state should spend more money on classroom instruction, not firearm instruction for teachers. The money Dewhurst is talking about would be better spent on equipping armed school security guards, he said.

"Teachers sign up to teach, not to be armed security guards in their classrooms," Robison said. "Even well-trained security guards with pistols are going to be at a disadvantage to a suicidal maniac with an assault rifle."

The prospects for his proposal weren't immediately clear. A spokesman for Sen. Joan Huffman, of Houston, leader of the Senate Republican Caucus, said she could not comment on Dewhurst's plan and its chances of passing the GOP-dominated chamber until the caucus meets next week.

Texas is a state where gun ownership is typically embraced. Concealed handgun license holders are allowed to bring weapons into the state Capitol and don't have to pass through security metal detectors.

Although state law generally bans guns from schools, school districts may grant teachers and staff permission to carry weapons on to campus if they are licensed.

But lawmakers don't pass every gun bill that gets proposed. In 2011, most of the state's lawmakers signed on in support of a bill allowing concealed weapons into college classrooms, but the bill failed without a final vote in the Republican-majority House.

Dewhurst said his plan would not be a mandate for more guns in schools, but would allow school districts to seek the state's help in guarding against a mass shooter.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has said concealed handgun license holders should be allowed to carry their weapons wherever they want. A Perry spokesman did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment on Dewhurst's proposal.

The Harrold Independent School District near the Oklahoma border is one of the few in Texas that allows school personnel with concealed handgun licenses to carry their weapons to school. The teachers and staff must first be approved by the school board and also take additional training on shooting accuracy, hostage situations and how to clear a classroom in a program designed for the school district.

Harrold schools Superintendent David Thweatt said he's heard from many Texas school districts about his program since the Newtown shootings. He said the program is cheaper than paying for an armed security guard.

"I'm getting a lot of calls from around the state," said Thweatt, who created his district's Guardian Plan in 2007.

"I think it's a good idea," Thweatt said of Dewhurst's idea. "One of the biggest objections to firearms in society is that some don't want people with that tool without some kind of extra training."

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Azealia Banks Calls Fashion Industry 'Fickle,' Warns Artists They 'Will Get Let Down'

Azealia Banks might be one of fashion's newest music obsessions-but the feeling is not mutual.

Speaking to online music magazine HYPETRAK in a video segment, Banks said, "If you place your faith in the fashion world you will get let down as an artist. You absolutely will get let down."

Read the whole story at fashionista.com

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Make Free International Calls for a Month with Skype

You can make free international calls to landlines and mobile phones using Skype for a 30-day period. No string attached.

This holiday season, you can talk to your far-away relatives and friends to your heart’s content without having to worry about the phone bills. The @Skype team has just tweeted an offer that is too good to ignore.

Skype to Skype calls have always been free but you can now also use Skype to make free and unlimited voice calls to mobile phones and landlines for 30 days. In addition to phone calls, you can also have video calls with a group of 3-10 friends during the same offer period.

To get started, use this special link to sign-in to your Skype account, enter your credit card or PayPal details (you won’t be charged) and complete the sign-up process. Once your Skype Premium service is activated, you can cancel your recurring subscription immediately while the premium services will continue to work for the entire 30-day period.

The fine print says that you can make free calls to landlines and mobile phones in Canada, Guam, Hong Kong S.A.R., Puerto Rico, Singapore, Thailand and United States.

The countries where you can call landline numbers for free include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Venezuela.

« Where to Download Microsoft Office 2013? » A New Way to Publish your Shared Folders on the Webabout the authorAmit Agarwal (@labnol) is a personal technology columnist and founder of Digital Inspiration, a widely-read tech and how-to blog since 2004. He also wrote this book. Email: amit@labnol.org Topicshow-to guides apple ipad adobe pdf google docs dropbox facebook twitter wordpress youtube google adsense india inc. screencasting software tips presentations gmail



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