NBey6's Blog

TIW 5-14-10 NC Evening

Winning Numbers: 758 & 4264 

 

174, 267, 321, 370, 346, 402, 985, 610
9587, 0951, 8630, 1765, 1240, 7094, 7184
2698, 2391, 2307, 2085, 6934, 5384, 4652

 

346, 457, 568, 679, 780, 891, 902, 013, 124, 235

0934, 1934, 2934, 3934, 4934, 5934, 6934, 7934, 8934, 9934

6930, 6931, 6932, 6933, 6934, 6935, 6936, 6937, 6938, 6939

 

89 and/or 34 pairs

TIW 5-15-10 SC Midday

Winning Numbers: 379 & 7685

 

085, 198, 410, 482, 459, 521, 673, 902
1604, 2163, 0582, 3456, 3972, 4217, 4307
9510, 9813, 9824, 9206, 5187, 6807, 7569

 

198, 209, 310, 421, 532, 643, 754, 865, 976, 087

9810, 9811, 9812, 9813, 9814, 9815, 9816, 9817, 9818, 9819

0813, 1813, 2813, 3813, 4813, 5813, 6813, 7813, 8813, 9813

 

19, 18, 98, 64, 63, and/or 43 pairs

 

5-15-10 SC Evening 913 { posted too late for this, but more will fall }

5-15-10 NC Evening 446 { posted too late for this, but more will fall }

Saturday, May 15, 2010
Federer, Nadal to meet; Venus in final

---

Associated Press

MADRID -- Roger Federer will meet Rafael Nadal in a second consecutive Madrid Masters final after beating David Ferrer of Spain 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 on Saturday.

 

Nadal came from behind to beat Spanish countryman Nicolas Almagro 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the first semifinal.

 

Last year, Federer beat then No. 1-ranked Nadal in the final for his second Madrid title.

 

Federer said he had not expected to wait a year to play Nadal again.

 

"After playing here last year you figured, maybe the French, Wimbledon or down the stretch in America at the latest we'll face off again, but it just never ended up happening," Federer said. "It shows how incredible our last few years have been and I think it's exciting for tennis and for us obviously that we can face off again."

 

Nadal, assured of returning to No. 2 in the rankings with Saturday's win, is aiming for his second title in Madrid.

 

Nadal is 14-0 on clay this season, winning titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. He has lost only two sets during that run, and is looking for a record 18th Masters title, including his previous Madrid title in 2005. Nadal and Andre Agassi have won 17 each, with Federer at 16.

 

"Whatever happens [in the final] I can say that this season has been very good. I'd say it's been perfect -- or nearly perfect," Nadal said.

 

Federer, who'd beaten Ferrer in all nine of their previous meetings, served superbly in the first set, losing only two service points and sending 77 percent of his first serves in.

 

By contrast, Ferrer's serve was under pressure from the start and the Acapulco champion and Rome runner-up had to save two break points on his second service game.

 

Although Federer was in control, the Spaniard saved a further three break points at 4-4.

 

However, a forehand winner down the line gave the top-ranked Swiss another break point at 5-5 and this time he converted it when Ferrer hit the net. Federer then served out the set.

 

In the second set, Federer's serve faltered. Ferrer took the third of three break points to go up 3-1 before holding serve to take the second set.

 

Both players racked up several unforced errors in the third set. Eventually Federer carved out a break point with a crosscourt winner followed by a long forehand from Ferrer, and the defending champion took the chance before serving for the match.

 

The second-seeded Nadal made a string of early unforced errors, dropping serve three times in the opening set.

 

"I made a lot of mistakes in the first set and Almagro was playing really well," said Nadal. "Because he was attacking me a lot I tried to play safer in the first set -- that was a mistake."

 

Almagro appeared on course to finally beat Nadal in their sixth meeting with a flurry of forehand winners.

 

"I've played at a really high level all week," said Almagro. "And I had the best clay-court player in the world against the ropes."

 

Nadal, a four-time French Open champion, broke back in the second game. Almagro won the next game to love when Nadal hit a backhand into the net, then served to go up 4-1.

 

Nadal gave a trademark shout and pump of the fist as he broke back again, although the unseeded Almagro coolly saved two break points at 5-4 to close out the set.

 

In the second set, Nadal's groundstrokes started finding their target and he broke twice as Almagro made 15 unforced errors.

 

Almagro sent a forehand wide in the second game of the decider to hand Nadal the key break he needed before he served out the match.

 

Earlier, Venus Williams reached her first Madrid Masters final by beating Shahar Peer of Israel 6-3, 6-0.

 

Williams has a 12-1 record on clay this year after beating Samantha Stosur and Vera Zvonareva this week.

 

"I've played so many different players with so many different styles -- some play more clay-court tennis, others just hit the ball really hard," Williams said. "So just to come out on top so far is good, and I'm happy with my form and I'm going to try to keep that form tomorrow."

 

The fourth-seeded American will play Aravane Rezai of France after Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic retired from the second women's semifinal. Safarova withdrew because of a thigh injury at the start of the second set.

"If someone tells you he is going to make 'a realistic decision,' you immediately understand that he has resolved to do something bad."

- Mary McCarthy -

Palin joins Arizona gov. to defend immigration law

By JONATHAN J. COOPER, Associated Press Writer

Jonathan J. Cooper, Associated Press Writer

24 mins ago

PHOENIX – As calls spread for an economic boycott of Arizona, the state's governor enlisted the help of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday to defend a new law cracking down on illegal immigration.

Brewer and Palin blamed President Barack Obama for the state law, saying the measure is Arizona's attempt to enforce immigration laws because the federal government won't do it.

"It's time for Americans across this great country to stand up and say, 'We're all Arizonans now,'" Palin said. "And in clear unison we say, 'Mr. President: Do your job. Secure our border.'"

The former Alaska governor appeared with Brewer at a brief news conference on Saturday. The event launched a website that Brewer said was an effort to educate America about border security and discourage an economic boycott of the state.

The site, funded by Brewer's re-election campaign, shows pictures of Brewer and Palin and invites visitors to sign a petition opposing boycotts. It includes a list of politicians and organizations calling for the boycotts and asks visitors to call or e-mail to "let them know that you support Arizona."

"Our purpose today is to help the rest of the nation understand the crisis which confronts our state," Brewer said, citing the presence of human and drug smugglers.

The immigration law takes effect July 29 unless blocked by pending court challenges. It requires police enforcing another law to ask a person about his or her immigration status if there's "reasonable suspicion" that the person is in the country illegally. Being in the country illegally would become a state crime.

"I think for most American people the reaction to this would be, 'Why haven't the police already been doing that?'" Palin said.

Obama and foreign governments have condemned the law, which critics say will lead to racial profiling of Hispanics. Brewer on Saturday reiterated her assertion that profiling is illegal and will not be tolerated.

"Our president apparently considers it a wonderful opportunity to divide people along racial lines for his personal political convenience," Brewer said.

Brewer and Palin refused to say whether they'd support a guest worker program that would allow unskilled workers to temporarily work legally in the United States.

Palin is in Phoenix for a previously scheduled speech to a hunters group. She has defended the law on national television and spoken out against boycotts.

This week she railed against a suburban Chicago high school for skipping a girls' basketball tournament in Arizona because of concerns over the new law.

Palin said Wednesday night that people should help the Highland Park team get to Arizona even if the girls have to "go rogue."

Brewer automatically became governor last year after former Gov. Janet Napolitano was appointed U.S. Homeland Security secretary. She's found herself rapidly thrust into an international spotlight, the subject of ridicule on the left and praised by anti-illegal immigration activists on the right.

Arizona's law is considered the nation's toughest crackdown on illicit border crossers. It was pushed by illegal immigration hard-liners in the state Legislature, but Brewer has become the public face of the law since she signed it April 23.

Her decision to sign it, announced in a nationally televised press conference, has given Brewer traction in this year's crowded GOP primary for governor.

Some of Brewer's opponents say she's not a true conservative and have hit her hard for demanding a temporary increase in the state sales tax. Her campaign has seized on the immigration bill to bolster her conservative credentials.

Saturday, May 15, 2010
Lookin At Lucky ends triple crown bid

---

Associated Press

BALTIMORE -- Change in jockeys, change in fortune.

 

So it was for trainer Bob Baffert and his Preakness-winning colt Lookin At Lucky, who stayed out of trouble with Martin Garcia aboard and held off First Dude to win by three quarters of a length Saturday.

 

Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver faded to eighth as the 9-5 favorite in the 12-horse field, squandering a perfect trip and foiling jockey Calvin Borel's boast of a Triple Crown.

 

 

"When I asked him, he kind of just folded up. It happens," said Borel, who didn't ride the rail this time -- his signature trip.

 

Jackson Bend was another head back in third.

 

Lookin At Lucky ran 1 3-16 miles in 1:55.47, giving Baffert his fifth Preakness victory, tying him with D. Wayne Lukas for second all-time. It was the Hall of Famer's first Triple Crown win since 2002, when War Emblem won at Pimlico.

 

"When they turned for home, he can really finish," Baffert said. "When I saw those red colors making that cruise, I thought, `Oh boy, he's running today.'"

 

Lucky's win means yet another year will pass without a Triple Crown champion. Affirmed was the last to sweep the Derby, Preakness and Belmont in 1978.

 

Lookin At Lucky paid $6.80, $4.60 and $3.80 as the 2-1 second choice. First Dude returned $16.60 and $9.20, while Jackson Bend paid $6.60 to show.

 

Yawanna Twist was fourth, followed by Dublin, Paddy O'Prado and Caracortado. Then came Super Saver, Schoolyard Dreams, Aikenite, Pleasant Prince and Northern Giant.

 

Baffert made a gutsy decision when he replaced Garrett Gomez with Garcia after Lookin At Lucky finished sixth on a sloppy track as the Derby favorite two weeks ago.

 

Lucky Day

Lookin At Lucky was favored to win the Kentucky Derby but finished sixth in sloppy conditions. Trainer Bob Baffert's horse got the job done at the Preakness.

Horse	Win	Place	Show
Lookin At Lucky	$6.80	$4.60	$3.80
First Dude	$16.60	$9.20
Jackson Bend	$6.60

 

At Churchill Downs, the bay colt was compromised by his starting position on the rail. He was immediately checked hard along the fence under Gomez, who rode Lookin At Lucky in his first nine races, including a troubled trip as the beaten favorite in the Santa Anita Derby.

 

"Our luck had to change somehow the way the trips have been," Baffert said.

 

Things started to look up Wednesday when Lucky drew the No. 7 post, with Super Saver immediately to his outside.

 

"The draw was so important," Baffert said. "I kept seeing seven all day. We went to have breakfast and the number to get my food was seven."

 

Garcia kept Lookin At Lucky clear and out of trouble while running mid-pack down the backstretch, behind pacesetting First Dude. He made a big move on the final turn to challenge the surprisingly stubborn First Dude, a 23-1 long shot.

 

Racing on a dry track under sunny skies, Lookin At Lucky finally took charge in deep stretch.

 

Gomez was aboard Lukas' Dublin, who broke poorly from the 12th post and was not a factor.

 

Garcia came to the United States in 2003, working at a deli in the San Francisco Bay area. The owner introduced him to a former jockey, who got him a job as an exercise rider even though he had no experience.

 

Two years later he became a jockey, but continued cook two days a week at the deli in a show of gratitude. He moved to Southern California a year later and found success on the ultra competitive circuit.

 

His most important new connection was Baffert.

 

"He came out here today and he was so cool and calm," the trainer said. "He rode a perfect race. Martin can get a horse to settle really well, and I could see he had the horse in a nice rhythm."

 

The race looked good for Super Saver, too, in the early stages.

 

Though Borel was unable to get him to the rail -- the jockey's favorite spot -- he did put the bay colt in perfect striking position behind First Dude.

 

Turning for home, Super Saver came up empty.

 

"He run so hard in the Derby," Borel said. "He's not a big horse."

 

Trainer Todd Pletcher blamed the short, two-week Derby turnaround for the horse's poor showing.

 

"He tried hard. It was a little quick for him," he said. "I wouldn't trade the Derby for anything. We got the one we wanted the most."

Chronos' Day 5-15-10

176, 627, 387, 431, 098, 287, 613, 813, 713, 456

592, 052, 894, 405, 522, 422, 767, 899, 344, 435

338, 883, 996, 000, 333, 444, 555, 666, 777, 888

2129, 2182, 3408, 3918, 3748, 1111, 2222, 7777

World’s strangest vending machines

From pizza to a bar of gold, the oddest items — instantly

Travel+Leisure

updated 11:34 a.m. ET, Thurs., May 13, 2010

 

One soda, one candy bar, and—oh—how about a fresh-baked pizza from scratch?

 

If you find yourself in Milan’s Malpensa airport—or a few other places around Italy—you can watch as your dough is kneaded, your desired toppings doled out, and your pizza bakes ... all in just under three minutes. But if you’re hoping to watch a real Italian pie guy work his magic, you’ll have to go somewhere else—this pizza’s made entirely inside a vending machine.

 

For travelers, a vending machine can be a welcome sight. Perhaps it’s just for a quick snack when the rest of the airport is closed. Or, overseas, an easy transaction without any language hurdles. But these days, the vending machine is diversifying. Now travelers can find all sorts of things inside these contraptions—items that range from the practical to the absurd.

 

The world’s first vending machine apparently dates back to the first century, when Hero of Alexandria, a Greek mathematician, devised a coin-operated mechanism that would dispense holy water. Perhaps because that was such a tough act to follow, vending machines didn’t really evolve again until the 19th century, when Industrial Age machines started selling postcards or gum.

 

Today, vending machines tend to be more prevalent—and therefore more exotic—in Europe and Asia, says Michael Provost, president of vending machine company Wurlitzer Vending Machines. A big reason: they have more mass transit. “Vending machines are on the train platforms everywhere—they’re open for 24 hours and don’t need employees.”

 

At the intersection of technology and quirkiness, Japan is the hands-down leader, with all sorts of items offered for automated sale. “Japan has the highest vending machine density in the world—about one per 23 people,” says Christopher Salyers, author of “Vending Machines: Coined Consumerism”.

 

“Machines sell liquor, noodles, underwear, fresh meat, to name but a few,” he says. “And why not?”

 

The U.S. is making its own strides, too. At Miami’s Mondrian South Beach Hotel, you can use the vending machine in the lobby to buy anything from a toothbrush to gold-plated handcuffs(!), or even to rent a Cadillac convertible.

 

And taking a cue, perhaps, from the Japanese, more than 100 bars and restaurants in the U.S. now carry the Maine Lobster Game. For a mere $3, you get 15 seconds to try to catch a live lobster with a claw on a crane. It’s a big hit with customers, says Chris Keslinger, president of Vending Extreme. “We have had machines bring in over $2,000 in one week.” If you win, just hope the bartender has a pot of boiling water handy.

 

And if you end up taking your live lobster home in a bag? People will likely still pony up $3. “We love vending machines because their very nature will always remain consistent,” says Salyers. “Some of us would prefer having access to goods 24 hours a day, devoid of human interaction or adult supervision.”

 

“Change is inevitable,” he says, quoting the aphorism. “Except from a vending machine.”

TIW SC 5-14-10 Evening

Winning Numbers: 057 & 8655

260, 376, 432, 461, 407, 013, 859, 721
1509, 2153, 0472, 3945, 3862, 9216, 9306
8410, 8713, 8729, 8205, 4176, 5706, 6458

 

859, 960, 071, 182, 293, 304, 415, 526, 637, 748

0458, 1458, 2458, 3458, 4458, 5458, 6458, 7458, 8458, 9458

6450, 6451, 6452, 6453, 6454, 6455, 6456, 6457, 6458, 6459

 

85 and/or 30 pairs

Updated: May 14, 2010, 10:46 AM ET

Clijster's foot injury forces her to sit

Associated Press

PARIS -- Reigning U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters has pulled out of the French Open because of a left foot injury.

Other withdrawals announced Friday by the French Tennis Federation include the 2009 men's U.S. Open champion, Juan Martin del Potro, sixth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko and James Blake of the United States.

The 10th-ranked Clijsters tore a muscle in her foot last month while playing a Fed Cup match for Belgium. She'll be replaced at Roland Garros by Stephanie Dubois of Canada.

Other women out of the clay-court Grand Slam tournament: Urszula Radwanska, Sania Mirza, Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Sabine Lisicki.

Men who will miss the tournament include Tommy Haas and Igor Andreev.

The French Open starts May 23.

Updated: May 14, 2010, 1:30 PM ET

Nadal 13-0 on clay this season

Associated Press

MADRID -- Rafael Nadal cruised past Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-3 Friday to advance to the semifinals of the Madrid Masters and improve his clay-court record this season to 13-0.

Venus Williams also reached the semifinals, defeating Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-3. Williams will play Shahar Peer, who beat Li Na 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.

Monfils was playing his first clay tournament of the season and was outclassed by a dominant Nadal, who has not lost a service game in his three matches in Madrid.

The third-ranked Spaniard pressured Monfils' serve from the start, and broke to go up 3-1 in the first set after the 12th-seeded Frenchman double-faulted. Another unforced error by Monfils gave Nadal a second break before he served out the set. 

"In the first set, I played at a very high level," Nadal said. "This is the toughest tournament for me, the conditions are the most difficult of the year for me on clay, but I'm fine."

Monfils got his two break points of the match when leading 2-1 in the second, but Nadal won the next four points and cruised through the rest of the set.

Nadal, who has won clay-court titles in Monte Carlo and Rome, is looking for a record 18th Masters title. Nadal and Andre Agassi each has won 17.

Nadal will play Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, who beat Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-1 in the only quarterfinal not to feature a seeded player.

Almagro broke Melzer twice to close out the first set before taking a 3-0 lead in the second with solid serving.

Williams broke the eighth-seeded Stosur's serve four times. Williams, who will improve to No. 2 behind sister Serena next week, has won all four of her meetings with the Australian.

"Her game plan seemed to be to just attack everything," Williams said. "She played well. But there were some key points, and at the end, from 4-3, I felt like I went on autopilot, so it felt good."

Despite the defeat, Stosur's recent performances are projected to send her to No. 7 in next week's rankings, the highest held by an Australian since Wendy Turnbull in 1985.

Earlier, Lucie Safarova advanced to the semifinals with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 victory over 16th-seeded Nadia Petrova.

Safarova has had an impressive clay-court season, reaching the quarterfinals in Stuttgart and Rome. She will face either Jelena Jankovic or Aravane Rezai.

 "All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant."

 - Henry David Thoreau -

Well it looks like 'Law & Order' won't break the record for the show being on the air the longest, because NBC has canceled it as of today. Farewell and thanks for the 20 years of excellent actors/actresses like S. Epatha Merkerson, Jeremy Sisto, Anthony Anderson, Linus Roache, Alana De La Garza and Sam Waterston.

LeBron's triple-double not enough as Celtics move on to face Magic

Photo Wire

Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James dunks against the Boston Celtics during the first half of Game 6

 (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

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BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics sent LeBron James and the Cavaliers back to Cleveland to admire all of their regular-season accomplishments and ponder their future.

 

It's the Celtics who are still in the chase for an NBA title.

 

Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and added 12 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists to beat Cleveland 94-85 in Game 6 on Thursday night and advance to the Eastern Conference finals. They'll play the Orlando Magic, who are undefeated in the playoffs.

 

"Winning is gratifying," Garnett said. "You're playing the best team in basketball; the challenge is there; you don't have to dress it up. One thing we don't lack is confidence. We're a veteran team and we understand when it's time to lock in as a group. I think we did just that. I think the experience is taking over."

 

Despite his sixth career playoff triple-double, James is headed for another early offseason after winning a second MVP award and leading the Cavs to an NBA-best 61 wins and a home-court advantage they never got to use.

 

"The fact that it's over right now is definitely a surprise to me," James said. "A friend of mine told me, 'I guess you've got to go through a lot of nightmares before you realize your dream.' That's what's going on for me individually right now."

 

The LeBron watch began at 10:53 p.m., when Rondo dribbled out the last 14 seconds and the Celtics began celebrating their 4-2 victory in the best-of-seven series. James is eligible to opt out of his contract this summer, a move that would make the two-time MVP -- and zero-time NBA champion -- a free agent and set off a scramble for his services from New York to Miami to Los Angeles and, of course, back in Cleveland.

 

"I want to win. That's my only thing, my only concern," James said. "I've always prided myself -- it's all about winning for me and I think the Cavs are committed to doing that. But at the same time, I've given myself options to this point. Me and my team, we have a game plan that we'll execute and we'll see where we're at."

 

James scored 27 points with 10 assists, and his 19 rebounds matched a career-high and were the most he's ever had in a playoff game. But he also had nine turnovers, and he may have been hobbled by an elbow injury that limited him to dunks and short jumpers, going 8 for 21 from the floor overall.

 

"I just told him, 'Keep your head up, man. I've been there,'" said Garnett, who was a star without a title in Minnesota for more than a decade before joining the Celtics and leading them to their NBA-record 17th championship in 2008. "'You have a very, very, very bright future. Continue to work and make decisions based on you and your family."

 

 

Celtics starters find their playoff groove

The Celtics starting five of Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins was the best five-player unit in the NBA during the regular season (+298). They had not been nearly as dominant in the postseason (+3 as a unit in 188 minutes)...until tonight.  In particular, the five shined on defense.

 

Mo Williams scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half for the Cavaliers.

 

Boston's Paul Pierce scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half after playing just nine minutes -- and shooting 1-for-5 -- in the first with foul trouble. The Celtics had missed their first eight 3-point attempts when Pierce hit a 3 that gave them a 65-58 lead with 4:06 left in the third.

 

It was 67-61 when Rasheed Wallace hit a 3-pointer, and then Ray Allen stole James' pass and got the ball to Pierce for another 3 that completed a 16-4 run.

 

James hadn't made an outside shot before hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to cut it to four points, 78-74, early in the fourth quarter and force the Celtics to call a timeout. But Rondo drove for a layup, then set Pierce up for another 3. Pierce found Wallace for a 3-pointer and then Tony Allen's steal led to a Garnett dunk at the other end that sent the Cavaliers into a timeout to regroup, down 88-74 with 5:53 left in their season.

 

"You knew it was coming at some point with LeBron," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who reminded his players that they weren't good enough to take over the game. "That's what that timeout was about: to remind them that we can't do that, what LeBron was doing."

 

It was the second straight year Cleveland has finished the regular-season with the No. 1 overall seed, and the second in a row that they have failed to get out of the East. Last year, they lost to Orlando in the conference finals, an exit that left James so shaken he skulked off the court without shaking hands.

 

This year, he might not stop until he finds himself in a new city.

 

James seemed like he couldn't wait to slip off his Cavaliers jersey, pulling it off as soon as he reached the tunnel to the locker room. He casually flipped it to an attendant moments after he walked into the dressing room.

 

Brown said he wasn't ready to think about the future yet.

 

"Obviously, he's a heck of a talent and a great guy," he said. "But right now we just lost the series. I'm not thinking of that. It wouldn't be fair to everyone in that locker room to think beyond tonight."

 

Brown's future with the Cavs, too, appears uncertain. After a second straight postseason flameout, there's no guarantee management will bring him back for a sixth season.

 

Same goes for the hired guns brought in to help James. Shaquille O'Neal finished his first -- and maybe last -- season with the Cavaliers with 11 points against the Celtics. Antawn Jamison, acquired at the trade deadline from Washington, had five points.

 

The sold-out Boston crowd taunted James' every free throw with a chant of "New York Knicks!" and fans wore Knicks jerseys with his name on them. The only "M-V-P!" cheers were not for James, who was the league's best player in the regular season, but for Rondo, who was the best player in this series.

 

Game notes
The hottest T-shirt in the stands was a takeoff of the famous Barack Obama campaign poster with James' image and the caption, "Nope." ... Wallace was called for a technical foul in the second quarter. He had 14 in the regular season, but it was his first of the playoffs.