Cotto vs. Margarito II Review: “He means nothing to me.” (Slideshow)

SAN DIEGO, Dec 4, 2011 – Boxing fans got a brightly wrapped Christmas present Saturday night and when it was unwrapped, it didn’t disappoint.

Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico righted a wrong in the eyes of many in the boxing world by defeating Antonio Margarito of Mexico with a dramatic tenth round TKO victory at Madison Square Garden in New York. It seemed all 21,239 fans were on their feet for the majority of the bout cheering on Cotto with enthusiam, their Puerto Rican native son.

The fight began much like the first one, with Cotto moving well, throwing shots and then getting quickly out of Margarito’s way. But Margarito is known for his relentless pressure, and he pressed Cotto forward successfully. Cotto’s punches were landing at a higher connect percentage than Margarito in the early rounds.

Then in round four, a left hook by Cotto cut Margarito’s right eye, the same eye damaged so badly by Manny Pacquiao in 2010. While not a devastating cut, Cotto focused on the opportunity just as he said he would do in pre-fight interviews. Eventually the eye was swollen shut.

Still, halfway through the fight Margarito continued to put pressure on Cotto, if not landing the type of punches he did in their first meeting. For a fleeting moment in round seven, it seemed Margarito might start taking command just as he did in the first fight.

But Cotto didn’t allow it to happen. Margarito’s eye didn’t allow it to happen either. Margarito, fighting with a sense of urgency, simply couldn’t see well enough to be effective landing power shots on Cotto. For his part, Cotto continued to land shots and even engaged in some bodywork with Margarito, something he doesn’t always do well.

Fans held their breath before the start of the ninth round, as primary ringside doctor Barry Jordan insisted on one more look at Margarito’s eye before letting him enter the ring for the round.

Margarito made it through round nine, but it was clear he was having trouble seeing, and he looked fatigued. Make no mistake, Margarito was still pressing forward, still engaging, and would have continued fighting as long as he could stand.

In his post-fight interview with HBO analyst Max Kellerman, Cotto declared himself satisfied with the victory despite the way it came about. When asked by Kellerman what he thought now of Margarito, Cotto said, “He means nothing to me,” and repeated the statement a few minutes later. Noted for his sportsmanship, this represents a strong statement from Cotto.

When asked delicately by Kellerman about Margarito’s punching power in this fight versus their 2008 meeting, Cotto said, "I’m still awake, that’s my answer" meaning that Margarito didn’t punch as hard. This was a not-so-veiled reference to the allegations that Margarito used illegal hand wraps to beat Cotto in their first fight.

After the fight, Margarito insisted he had been able to see perfectly fine. When questioned about the strength of his punches, Margarito told HBO’s Kellerman, "Look at his (Cotto’s) face!" And then he repeated his pre-fight taunt, “He hits like a girl,” claiming he didn’t feel Cotto’s punches. Margarito needed 12 stitches to his eye from a plastic surgeon following the fight.

Margarito deployed the same strategy which proved successful for him in the first fight. But this time, Cotto seemed to move better, cutting Margarito off and keeping away from the ropes, where Margarito trapped him to administer punishment in the first fight. Cotto’s switch to former Cuban Olympic boxing team coach Dr. Pedro Benitez paid off, as he showed the ability to move around Margarito, pushing him back successfully in later rounds, inflicting damage while working to avoid getting hit by Margarito inside at close range.

Without the eye injury Margarito suffered in his fight with Manny Pacquiao, this would have likely gone the distance and been closer. Cotto would have won a decision. He was well ahead on points, eight rounds to one on all three judges’ scorecards. With three rounds left, Margarito would have had to knock Cotto out. Not this time.

Final CompuBox stats showed Cotto landing 43 percent of his punches, the exact same percentage as in his last fight with Margarito, evidence of his complete domination of the fight. Margarito landed only 22 percent of his punches.

As predicted, it was an action-packed brawl filled with drama inside and outside the ring. Both fighters gave everything they had. Fans of the sweet science can’t ask for anything more.

The script might not have been written exactly as Cotto hoped, but he’ll gladly take the victory and move on to an exciting future filled with crowd-pleasing fighters like Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather, Julio Caesar Chavez. Jr., James Kirkland, and Canelo Alvarez.

As for Margarito, it’s doubtful even if anyone would license him to fight with his damaged right eye that he’ll ever fight at the elite level again. It would be the wise thing to do for him to retire now

Five Iron Frenzy: Overwhelmed by fan support for new CD/tour

The security relationship between the United States and Pakistan has sunk to its lowest level since the two countries agreed to cooperate after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, endangering counterterrorism programs that depend on the partnership, according to U.S. and Pakistani officials.

Both sides say further deterioration is likely as Pakistan’s military leadership comes under unprecedented pressure from within its ranks to reduce ties with the United States. The army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, was jeered last month by fellow officers who demanded in a town-hall-style meeting that he explain why Pakistan supports U.S.

Kayani “is fighting to survive,” said one U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of current sensitivities. “His corps commanders are very strongly anti-U.S. right now, so he has to appease them.”

Outspokenness to top officers is virtually unheard of in the strict Pakistani military hierarchy, and open criticism of Kayani “is something no Pakistani military commander has ever had to face before,” another U.S. official said. “Nobody should underestimate the pressure he’s now under.”

Tension over U.S.-Pakistani relations is building on the American side, as well. Lawmakers on Wednesday expressed outrage that a number of Pakistanis who had helped gather intelligence for the CIA about Osama bin Laden’s compound have been arrested.

Among them is Maj. Amir Aziz, a doctor in the Pakistani army’s medical corps who lived next to the bin Laden residence in Abbottabad for several years and has not been seen since shortly after the raid by U.S. commandos in early May that killed the terrorist leader.

Officials said Aziz was among several Pakistanis paid to keep track of and photograph those entering and leaving the compound, without being told whom they were looking for.

“Their families don’t have any idea where they have been taken,” said one neighbor in Abbottabad’s Bilal Town subdivision. “Nobody knows what they had done.”

A U.S. official said the CIA tried to get the doctor and other informants out of harm’s way before their arrests, offering to relocate them. But they refused and “thought they would be okay,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. A Pakistani military spokesman said reports that an officer had been detained were “totally baseless.”

After years of sporadic tension between Washington and Islamabad, the immediate cause of the rupture was the raid on bin Laden’s compound, located minutes from Pakistani military installations. Pakistan was not informed before the operation, a level of secrecy that left its military and intelligence services angry and humiliated.

In recent weeks, Pakistanis have escalated their demands that the United States stop its covert campaign of drone strikes on al-Qaeda and Afghan Taliban bases in the country’s tribal areas, and at least some U.S. personnel are being withdrawn from a base in the southwest part of the country used by the CIA to launch the unmanned aircraft. A U.S. Special Operations training program for Pakistan’s tribal defense force has largely ceased. Visas have been withheld from CIA and military personnel assigned to Pakistan programs, according to officials from both countries.

Kyle Orton now with Chiefs, could face his former team on New Year’s Day in Denver

Orton and his new team will travel to Denver for the season finale on Jan. 1.

Tim Tebow supplanted Orton after a 1-4 start and has gone 4-1 to help the Broncos climb back into the AFC West race, a game behind Oakland.

Orton has a chance to go to a place where he could wind up with the starting job, especially with Matt Cassel undergoing season-ending hand surgery and his replacement, Tyler Palko, throwing three interceptions in a loss to New England on Monday night that dropped the Chiefs to 4-6.

“Good for him. Congratulations to him,” Tebow said upon hearing the news Wednesday that Orton was staying in the division. “That will be fun to play him the last game of the year.”

The fact Orton might return to Mile High on the opposing sideline was a risk the Broncos were willing to take. With quite a few teams in the market for a quarterback, the Broncos realized they were dangling quite a catch out there. They did so partly because they wanted to get the balance of Orton’s nearly $9 million deal off the books even though they lost the compensatory draft pick they would have received had he stayed in Denver for another six weeks.

The Broncos decided to let Orton get a fresh start somewhere else rather than stand on the sideline in Denver, where Brady Quinn had been bumped up to No. 2 on the depth chart.

“It’s all amicable. We’ve just moving on,” general manager Brian Xanders said. “We feel good about our quarterbacks.”

Rookie Adam Weber might be promoted off Denver’s practice squad, but coach John Fox said he’s in no hurry to fill Orton’s roster spot.

“Obviously, Kyle, as I’ve said many times, he has handled this as well as any player I’ve ever been around,” Fox said. “He’s handled it with class, was a true pro. I think he deserves an opportunity. All in all, I think it was good for both parties, and wish nothing but the best for him.”

Orton began his Denver career in memorable fashion after being acquired in the 2009 trade that sent Jay Cutler to Chicago. Orton won his first six starts with Denver before going 6-21 and being replaced by an unorthodox quarterback who has been constantly criticized for his flawed mechanics.

After a 45-10 loss to the Lions on Oct. 30, the Broncos went about altering their offense to fit Tebow’s game, implementing the read option he honed at Florida to take advantage of his unique skill set.

And while some believe that way isn’t sustainable, that defenses will eventually figure it out, the Broncos certainly aren’t quibbling with the immediate results. The Broncos have rattled off three straight wins heading into their trip to San Diego on Sunday.

“We love his competitive toughness, his ability to keep fighting and rally the offense at the end there,” Xanders said. “He’s got some improving to do, in terms of passing, but everybody comes into this league not as an All-Pro. You’ve got to come in and develop your skills.”

Tebow is winning games, but is he winning over the Broncos’ brass? John Elway, chief of football operations, made waves this week by saying he’s not sold on Tebow as the long-term answer at quarterback.

“I like winning,” Xanders said. “Winning is a lot better than the alternative. We’re going to keep working with him.”

When Orton was released, the Broncos figured a team on their upcoming schedule could wind up with him, either the Chiefs or the Bears, who visit Denver on Dec. 11.

Former Colorado State quarterback Caleb Hanie is the starter in Chicago now that Cutler is out indefinitely after breaking the thumb on his right (throwing) hand.

Penske Racing apologizes for Kurt Busch outburst

NASCAR:  Busch lets analyst know how much he dislikes him

The NSFW tirade has prompted Penske Racing to issue an apology for the driver's outburst.

Penske Racing extends its apologies to Dr. Jerry Punch, our media partners and our sponsors and fans for Kurt Busch's inappropriate actions in Homestead on Sunday. These actions do not represent Penske Racing and are inconsistent with the company's standards for behavior, respect for others and professionalism. This matter is being reviewed internally with no further comment at this time.

Michigan Wolverines Links: Was Michigan too formal for Rich Rodriguez to succeed?

• According to Sports Illustrated writer Stewart Mandel, RichRod will succeed at Arizona because it's less formal. "There will be no collective freak-out if he dares utters the word "ain't" at a press conference." If my memory serves me correct, nobody was ever freaked out over RichRod using the word "ain't," but his insistence that we "throw in a dip" of Wintergreen Skoal while he discussed his favorite episodes of "Momma's Family" was a little awkward (at times). [SI]

•  Green Destiny. Like it or not, Michigan's bowl destination will be be determined by games featuring Michigan State. "Only two Big Ten teams can finish with two losses: the champion and U-M. If MSU doesn't win the title, its shot at a BCS bowl with three or four losses would be nonexistent. U-M, though, could be attractive as second Big Ten BCS pick at 10-2." [FREEP]

• Rhinestone Cowboy. Brady Hoke has informed the University of Ohio that they should besimply known by their Bobcat mascot in order to avoid confusion when he refers to Ohio State as "Ohio." Hoke has also informed country western singer Glen Campbell that he should simply be known as "a national treasure." [FREEP]

• When Ohio State attempts at smack talk go horribly wrong. One Ohio State fan posted this "joke" on Twitter: "A Michigan football player was almost killed today in a tragic horseback riding accident. He fell from the horse and was nearly trampled to death. Luckily, the manager of the Wal-Mart came out and unplugged the horse." You have shamed the legacy of the greatest comedians to ever come out of the state of Ohio: Tim Conway and Jamie Farr. 

Michigan Wolverines Links: Was Michigan too formal for Rich Rodriguez to succeed?

• According to Sports Illustrated writer Stewart Mandel, RichRod will succeed at Arizona because it's less formal. "There will be no collective freak-out if he dares utters the word "ain't" at a press conference." If my memory serves me correct, nobody was ever freaked out over RichRod using the word "ain't," but his insistence that we "throw in a dip" of Wintergreen Skoal while he discussed his favorite episodes of "Momma's Family" was a little awkward (at times). [SI]

•  Green Destiny. Like it or not, Michigan's bowl destination will be be determined by games featuring Michigan State. "Only two Big Ten teams can finish with two losses: the champion and U-M. If MSU doesn't win the title, its shot at a BCS bowl with three or four losses would be nonexistent. U-M, though, could be attractive as second Big Ten BCS pick at 10-2." [FREEP]

• Rhinestone Cowboy. Brady Hoke has informed the University of Ohio that they should besimply known by their Bobcat mascot in order to avoid confusion when he refers to Ohio State as "Ohio." Hoke has also informed country western singer Glen Campbell that he should simply be known as "a national treasure." [FREEP]

• When Ohio State attempts at smack talk go horribly wrong. One Ohio State fan posted this "joke" on Twitter: "A Michigan football player was almost killed today in a tragic horseback riding accident. He fell from the horse and was nearly trampled to death. Luckily, the manager of the Wal-Mart came out and unplugged the horse." You have shamed the legacy of the greatest comedians to ever come out of the state of Ohio: Tim Conway and Jamie Farr. 

J.R. Martinez on 'Dancing With the Stars' 2011 Win, Favorite Moments

J.R Martinez, who was crowned the new champion of "Dancing With the Stars" Tuesday night, in one of the closest and most thrilling finales ever, admits that the suspense before the show unveiled the winner was killing him.

"I said to Karina … 'Can they just tell us already?' It seemed like the moment was just lasting forever when they were building up the suspense," the actor and war hero said today on "Good Morning America." "It's amazing. We've all been putting over three months of work into this. To be able to hold that [mirror ball trophy] up was a tremendous honor."

It was also the first win for Martinez's professional partner, Karina Smirnoff. "I think I was screaming so loud, I lost my voice. It is an amazing feeling," she said today on "GMA," "and what a person to share it with."

Martinez, who survived an IED explosion while serving in Iraq that burned 40 percent of his body, danced his heart out against finalists Rob Kardashian and Ricki Lake in the two-night finale. Lake, who was leading the pack after the first round of dances, surprisingly failed to advance to the top two,Kardashian, the dark horse of the bunch who had showed tremendous improvement in recent weeks, went on to dance an instant samba against Martinez. Both received perfect scores from the judges, but combined with viewers' votes, Martinez was awarded the mirror ball trophy.

"I literally couldn't have asked myself to have done any better. I went as far as I could go," Kardashian, 24, said. "J.R. deserved that trophy."

All three finalists and their professional partners jumped on a plane after the finale and flew overnight from the ballroom to "Good Morning America's" Times Square studio to celebrate. Fans gathered to serenade the group, who showed a real sense of camaraderie as they answered viewers' questions and dished about what went on behind the scenes.

PHOTOS: The 'Dancing With the Stars' After-Party on 'GMA'

In between grueling rehearsals, the finalists said they made time for fun, popping into one another's studios and playing pranks.

"We'd take a break but instead of going to sit down, we'd go to everyone else's rehearsal. Just trying to keep everyone's energy up," Martinez explained. "That was the cool thing about it. It was never competitive among us. It was all fun and we cheered everybody on."

Martinez also loved to play practical jokes, putting a fake spider in pro Cheryl Burke's dancing shoes and hiding Rob Kardashian's shoes and cell phone.

"For two hours he didn't rehearse because he was looking for his phone," Martinez added.

"I genuinely did like kind of learning a new dance. You start over every single Wednesday, that's the worst part of the week and then you have to learn a whole new dance again in four days, but I enjoyed it," he said.For reality TV royal Rob Kardashian, the best part of his weeks were those very same rehearsals, where he learned the routine from his pro partner, Cheryl Burke.

For 43-year-old Lake, who'd shed serious pounds and came into her own on the show, the experience was physically and mentally challenging but incredibly rewarding.

"This really is putting everything on the line. Your body is at its limit. You get emotionally caught up in it. You want to win. You know, it's very scary to do these moves in front of 20 million people," she said on "GMA

Tebow on Urban Meyer-Ohio State rumors

Tim Tebow has heard the rumors just like the rest of us that his college coach, Urban Meyer, might become the new head coach at Ohio State, a year after he left the University of Florida.

Does Tebow have any inside information?

“I’m not sure. Whatever he decides to do I’ll be 100 percent behind him. It’ll be exciting to see what happens,” Tebow said Wednesday afternoon.

Tebow and Meyer remain close and speak frequently.

“I know he just, more than anything, he wants to do right by his family, and have their support in anything he does,” Tebow said. “Mostly when we’ve talked, it’s been about that. When he comes back he’s going to be a great coach, and I’m excited to see what happens.”

Tebow was a freshman spot-duty quarterback when the University of Florida beat Ohio State to win the national championship in January 2007

Tebow on Urban Meyer-Ohio State rumors

Tim Tebow has heard the rumors just like the rest of us that his college coach, Urban Meyer, might become the new head coach at Ohio State, a year after he left the University of Florida.

Does Tebow have any inside information?

“I’m not sure. Whatever he decides to do I’ll be 100 percent behind him. It’ll be exciting to see what happens,” Tebow said Wednesday afternoon.

Tebow and Meyer remain close and speak frequently.

“I know he just, more than anything, he wants to do right by his family, and have their support in anything he does,” Tebow said. “Mostly when we’ve talked, it’s been about that. When he comes back he’s going to be a great coach, and I’m excited to see what happens.”

Tebow was a freshman spot-duty quarterback when the University of Florida beat Ohio State to win the national championship in January 2007

Tebow on Urban Meyer-Ohio State rumors

Tim Tebow has heard the rumors just like the rest of us that his college coach, Urban Meyer, might become the new head coach at Ohio State, a year after he left the University of Florida.

Does Tebow have any inside information?

“I’m not sure. Whatever he decides to do I’ll be 100 percent behind him. It’ll be exciting to see what happens,” Tebow said Wednesday afternoon.

Tebow and Meyer remain close and speak frequently.

“I know he just, more than anything, he wants to do right by his family, and have their support in anything he does,” Tebow said. “Mostly when we’ve talked, it’s been about that. When he comes back he’s going to be a great coach, and I’m excited to see what happens.”

Tebow was a freshman spot-duty quarterback when the University of Florida beat Ohio State to win the national championship in January 2007

2 Easy Recipes Even A Man Can Do: Sweet Potato Pie & 4 Cheese Macaroni

Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without sweet potato pie and baked macaroni and cheese. Turkey is important of course but by it’s lonesome it’s boring and dry.

The holidays are stressful enough so here are two simple recipes to go by…

Things you’ll need:

Sweet Potato Pie:

• 3 sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked 9 inch pie crusts
• Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and mash. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and blend into the sweet potato mixture.
3. Pour into pie shells and bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until done.

Things You’ll Need:

4 Cheese Macaroni

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• 9 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 8 ounces cubed processed cheese food
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the oil and the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain well and return to cooking pot.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 8 tablespoons butter; stir into the macaroni.
3. In a large bowl, combine the Muenster cheese, mild and sharp Cheddar cheeses, and Monterey Jack cheese; mix well.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Add the half and half, 1 1/2 cups of cheese mixture, cubed processed cheese food, and eggs to macaroni; mix together and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lightly greased deep 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture and 1 tablespoon of butter.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling around the edges; serve.

300 Senior-Level Commercial Real Estate Executives to Attend New Jersey Apartment Summit-Region's New Multifamily Event

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Attendance continues to build for the inaugural New Jersey Apartment Summit, which will be held this Wednesday 11/2, from 7:30am-4:50pm. The commercial multifamily conference will be held at the Hamilton Park Hotel & Conference Center in Florham Park, NJ. To date, 277 executives from 174 leading commercial multifamily firms in 10 states have made plans to participate.




The conference will bring focus on key themes in multifamily, including: With renewed interest in multifamily, what types of debt capital are available for investment and development?; How will the surge of seniors and Generation X renters impact rental rates in urban and suburban locations?; How will this demand impact vacancy rates of existing product, and what are developers' plans for the next 5-10 years?; What types of incentives and tax credits are available to developers looking to do ground-up construction in New Jersey?; What are the top 5 urban NJ submarkets poised to see new renters--and new development--in the next 5-10 years?; And, what are the top 5 suburban submarkets poised to see new growth?; What are today's renters unique amenity demands (technology, security, etc.) and how are owners of older buildings performing upgrades?; Which unique technologies and amenities will be in demand in the next 5-10 years? How will service providers benefit by working with multifamily investors and developers?; Why is the student housing sector in NJ poised to see new growth in the coming years?; and Who are the new and unique equity partners for investment and development?

All of the region's leading investors, owners, developers, managers, capital sources, brokers and multifamily industry service providers will be on hand for the event. Additionally, anyone who works in multifamily in New Jersey, or the surrounding states, should attend this important industry gathering. National apartment and multifamily industry firms with an interest in New Jersey multifamily should also consider attending.

Attending firms include: Arbor Commercial Mortgage; BlueGate Partners, LLC; CallSource; Capital One; Centerline Capital Group; JP Morgan Chase; Met Life Home Loans; Prudential Mortgage Capital Company and Wells Fargo Advisors,

acebook App 9/11 Memorial Lets You Dedicate Status Updates to Victims

Facebook, in collaboration with The National September 11 Memorial & Museum, will ask members to update their profile photos or dedicate their statuses in remembrance of the victims who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

The 9/11 Memorial application, built by Facebook app maker Involver, was released Wednesday, just days ahead of the tenth anniversary of the tragic attacks.

“The goal of the application is to honor and remember victims of this devastating attack on America, 10 years later,” explains Involver‘s Senior Vice President of Marketing Jascha Kaykas-Wolff.

Facebook users can choose to dedicate their status or update their profile photo, and tell their family and friends how they’re remembering and honoring victims.






When a user selects to donate his or her status, the application selects from the 3,000 victims — which include victims of the World Trade Center bombing, the attack on the Pentagon, the passengers of Flight 93 and the six people killed in the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing — and dedicates each status to a single victim. App users also have the option to choose to dedicate an update to a specific individual.

Irene Moves Into New England Leaving Millions in Dark, 11 Dead

Tropical Storm Irene moved into western Connecticut after killing 11 people, knocking out power to more than 4 million customers in 12 states and sending rivers to near-record heights.
Irene was 10 miles west of Danbury, Connecticut, with winds of 60 miles per hour and moving north-northeast at 26 mph as of the 11 a.m. National Hurricane Center update.
“Everyone who is still under a tropical storm warning shouldn’t let their guard down and shouldn’t venture outside,” said Dennis Feltgen, a spokesman for the National Hurricane Center in Miami. “I know everyone wants to sightsee but personal safety has to come first. It’s still a big rain event and there are still storm surge impacts on the south-facing coastline. Things will be much better tomorrow.”
Irene was a shadow of the storm that roared across the Caribbean with winds of up to 120 miles (194 kilometers) an hour and crashed into North Carolina’s Outer Banks as a Category 1 hurricane. It dropped to tropical storm status before making landfall in New York City at about 9 a.m. today.
People from South Carolina to New Hampshire lost power because of Irene, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability released today.

Storm’s Costs

Insured losses in North and South Carolina are expected to range from $200 million to $400 Million, according to risk- modeling company Eqecat Inc. in Oakland, California. Irene may have caused between $500 million and $1.1 billion in damage to the Bahamas, according to estimates from AIR Worldwide in Boston.
If Irene’s losses exceed $1 billion in the U.S., it will be among the ten most costly natural disasters this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The U.S. has suffered $35 billion in losses due to nine separate events so far in 2011, tying a record for disasters causing more than $1 billion damage, NOAA said.
Irene struck the Bahamas last week before making landfall in North Carolina yesterday. It made a second U.S. landfall early today along the New Jersey shore and then passed directly over New York about three hours later, according to the hurricane center in Miami.
Tornadoes have been reported in Delaware and Virginia, where they have damaged homes, according to the U.S. Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. Tornadoes are possible throughout Irene’s path, according to the hurricane center.

NYC Flooding

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the New York City area until 6 p.m.
Rivers and creeks throughout the Northeast are rising, according to weather service river gauges.
Water rose to 8.12 feet at the Sandy Hook, New Jersey, flood gauge as of 7:36 a.m., higher than the 7.7-foot threshold for moderate flooding.
The Millstone River in Blackwells Mills, New Jersey, rose 14.37 feet in the past 12 hours and is now considered at major stage flooding, according to the National Weather Service. The Raritan River’s south and north branches are also at major flood stage. The south branch rose 10.79 feet in the past 12 hours, while the north branch in Raritan has risen 14.99, according to weather service river gauges.
Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, rose 10.5 feet in the past 24 hours and is expected to surpass its all- time high flood stage of 17.15 feet, set in September 1999, when Hurricane Floyd swept through the Northeast, according to the weather service. Chadds Ford is about 25 miles west of Philadelphia.

Records Broken

The North River at Shattuckville, Rhode Island, rose 11 feet in 12 hours and set a flood record of 12.95 feet breaking the mark set in October 2005.
Many records set in the region when Floyd came through may be broken today, Bill Deger, a meteorologist for private forecaster AccuWeather in State College, Pennsylvania, said in an e-mailed statement.
All hurricane warnings for the Eastern Seaboard were dropped at 11 a.m. Storm warnings are in effect from Chincoteague, Virginia, northward Eastport, Maine, and into Canada.
“Continued gradual weakening will occur as the system moves over land today,” according to the hurricane center. “Significantly stronger winds are still possible over high-rise structures and areas of elevated terrain.”
Elsewhere, Tropical Storm Jose formed 75 miles south- southwest of Bermuda, where a storm warning has been issued, according to the hurricane center. Jose is expected to move north and start to deteriorate tomorrow.

Pizza Hut to serve wine and beer in all outlets

MUMBAI: Pizza Hut is all set to serve wine and beer at its outlets across the country, after pilot-testing in Delhi and Bangalore. "We have just started serving wine and beer to our customers at two Delhi stores and wine at five stores in Bangalore. We will be adding new such stores. The idea is to have this service across all our outlets," Pizza Hut Head (Marketing) Sunay Bhasin told PTI here.

The popular quick service restaurant (QSR) chain Pizza Hut had applied for permit to offer wine and beer at its outlets last October. Its parent, the American restaurant chain Yum Restaurants, also operates three other QSR brands: KFC, Taco Bell and Long John Silvers in the country.

Bhasin said the company would expand its presence into Tier-II and Tier-III cities by 2015, as demand is growing in small towns due to rising income levels and changing lifestyles and food habits.

"We have a goal of adding about 50% of our current base by 2015," he said, adding, "By then we would have 180-200 outlet."

The company currently runs 120 dining restaurants across 34 cities.

Bhasin said it is likely that the company will extend its footprint to around 16 locations by 2015.

"Wherever there is a demand for our dining experience, our endeavour would be to deliver that. Anywhere there is retail space and people demand for such experience, we would love to be there," he added.

The Rs 9,000-crore organised eating-out market is growing at 25%.

Bhasin said the current strategy was to change the concept of Pizza Hut from the traditional QSR to a casual dining restaurant.

Irene Wreaks Havoc On Long Island, Brings Major Flooding And Power Outages

HAMPTON BAYS, NY (CBSNewYork) – Irene wreaked havoc on parts of Long Island, but lost its hurricane strength by the time it reached New York City.
The National Hurricane Center said Irene’s winds dropped to 65 miles per hour when it hit Coney Island around 9 a.m. Sunday.
PHOTOS: Hurricane Irene | Facebook Fan Pics
But that didn’t stop the massive storm from dumping rain, flooding streets and creating dangerous storm surges along parts of the coast.
Nassau County executive Ed Mangano while the worst may be over, it’s still dangerous.
“I just want the public to understand there are still dangers out there,” he said in a news conference Sunday. “While it looks very nice out, the roads are still not passable.”
Mangano said cleaning up from the storm could take weeks and called it a “monumental task.” He added it could take about a month to assess what economic damage Irene may have done to the county.
Suffolk County executive Steve Levy said Long Islanders dodged a bullet with a less-fierce hurricane than what was originally estimated.
“We were expecting possibly much more a high Category 1 or low Category 2 and makes a very big difference,” said Levy. “Much less rain than we anticipated in Suffolk and wind gusts that reached 65 mph, 70 mph but was more manageable than the 90 mph, 95 mph, 100 mph that we might have otherwise have gotten.”

Heavy flooding was reported in Southampton. Waves crashed onto roads and surrounded homes along the coastline. Boats were also washed ashore in some spots.

Airline Cancellations Grow as Irene Shutters New York City-Area Airports

U.S. carriers including United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) and Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL) scrubbed more than 8,000 flights as Hurricane Irene churned up the East Coast and shuttered airports in New York, the nation’s busiest travel market.

American Airlines halted New York City-area flights as of 10 a.m. local time, while United and Delta earlier scrubbed their full schedules. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey closed John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports and three smaller facilities to arriving flights as of noon local time as the city awaited heavy rain and wind.

“We need to make sure that we give our customers and our employees ample time to get home” before mass transit systems are closed, said Andrea Huguely, an American spokeswoman.

The six biggest U.S. airlines canceled at least 8,037 flights today through Aug. 29 because of the storm. Another 332 were scrubbed earlier in the week as the hurricane approached. New York officials suspended train, bus and subway service at noon today, making it harder for workers and passengers to reach airports. Evacuations were ordered for low-lying areas.

Delta and United are the biggest airlines in the New York market, while American operates both domestic and international hubs from the city.
International Flights

Air France grounded 16 flights to New York and Washington today and 14 flights tomorrow, said Herve Erschler, a spokesman. British Airways canceled 15 flights today and 21 tomorrow from New York and other northeastern U.S. cities, while Virgin Atlantic scrubbed 10, according to their websites. Deutsche Lufthansa AG canceled 14 flights to and from New York airports today, and 22 tomorrow at New York, Boston and Philadelphia, said Boris Ogursky, a spokesman.

Philadelphia’s airport will close at 6 p.m. today, according to data tracker FlightAware.com.

US Airways Group Inc. (LCC) canceled 1,166 flights, including 256 today and 910 tomorrow, Andrew Christie, a spokesman, said in an e-mail. The scrubbed flights primarily are in the Washington area starting tonight and in New York, Philadelphia and Boston tomorrow.

“The number of cancellations may change as we are continuing to monitor the storm very closely,” Christie said.

United Continental scrubbed 2,300 flights today and tomorrow, and Delta is dropping 1,500 flights through Aug. 29. Delta stopped service at three Virginia airports today and won’t make flights tomorrow to New York, Philadelphia, Boston and four other smaller northeast cities, said Morgan Durrant, a spokesman.
JetBlue

JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU), the first major carrier to cancel weekend flights, is dropping 1,262 over the same period, said Mateo Lleras, a spokesman. The airline halted operations at its biggest base in Kennedy at 10 a.m. local time today and will do the same in Boston at 10 p.m., he said.

American, a unit of AMR Corp. (AMR), is grounding 1,103 flights and suspended service at Washington-area airports for about 24 hours starting at noon today, said Tim Smith, a spokesman.

Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) will suspend service today in Norfolk, Virginia, and is scrapping 400 flights, in addition to 306 flights through Aug. 29 at its AirTran unit. The Dallas- based airline plans to suspend flights in Philadelphia starting at 2 p.m. local time today through tomorrow, and at LaGuardia and Newark all weekend.

Irene may cause $6.5 billion in overall economic losses, according to estimates by Kinetic Analysis Corp. A more easterly track and less intensity puts the company’s projected insured losses at $3.1 billion.
Busiest Market

The last storm of this magnitude to menace the Northeast was 1985’s Hurricane Gloria, which killed 11 people and caused $900 million in damage. Irene is on a similar track.

Like JetBlue, Delta has a hub at Kennedy, and United’s Continental Airlines flies from New Jersey’s Newark Liberty. Together with LaGuardia, the three airports form the busiest U.S. aviation market with almost 104 million passengers last year, according to Airports Council International.

Sandwiching that airspace is Philadelphia, where US Airways has a hub and Southwest is the second-biggest operator; Washington, home to United’s hub at Dulles airport and a US Airways base at Ronald Reagan National; and Boston, where JetBlue is the largest tenant.

Irene’s approach spurred carriers to begin letting fliers reschedule trips without penalty to and from storm-affected cities. Dropping fees for changing reservations helps airlines by getting passengers rebooked before any weather disruptions.

Aircraft are flying with record numbers of full seats, especially at the end of the U.S. summer vacation season, making it difficult for passengers on grounded flights to find new seats after the storm moves through.

To contact the reporters on this story: Mary Schlangenstein in Dallas at maryc.s@bloomberg.net; Mary Jane Credeur in Atlanta at mcredeur@bloomberg.net 

Delta Air Lines Announces Plans to Buy 100 Planes

Delta Air Lines has now put all rumors to rest in regard to its plans to buy 100 Boeing 737 jets. Apparently, the airline has confirmed this rumor as true. The company went on to state that it is buying these jets as part of its fleet upgrade and will be taking delivery of these planes between the years of 2013 and 2018.

The order itself was finally confirmed on Thursday. It is said to be worth more than $8.5 billion at list price. However, it is important to note that Delta Air Lines probably got a discount for buying so many planes. It is a very common practice for airlines to get discounts off the list price when buying in bulk.

These newer planes offer a lot more perks for travelers over the ones that Delta Air Lines is currently using. For example, the cabins are a lot roomier. There is also less engine noise and more room in the overhead bins. However, the biggest improvement for the airline is the fact that these planes are far more fuel-efficient. This means that the airline will save money on fueling costs.

Delta Air Lines, which is actually based in Atlanta, Georgia, said in January that it was considering the possibility of ordering up to 200 jets. On top of this, it would have the option to buy 200 more. The airline said that the timing of its delivery would be announced later this year, and it would still keep the airline’s capital spending plan on target for this year.

With this new upgrade, Delta believes that it will save about 15 to 20 percent in fuel and maintenance costs. It is now more than halfway through a three-year, $2 billion plan to upgrade its fleet.

Hurricane Irene forces Delta Airlines to cancel 1,300 flights

In a ripple effect of hundreds of pro-active cancellations up and down the east coast, Detroit travelers will have to scramble to reschedule weekend flights.

Delta Air Lines will cancel 1,300 of 16,500 scheduled flights nationwide between Saturday and Monday, it announced late this afternoon.

It will cancel all Sunday flights at New York's airports .

It is not known all the flights Delta will cancel at Metro Airport, but anyone with a flight to New York Sunday should contact the airline.

Other affected flights will range from Boston south to the Carolinas.

The airline will notify customers and rebook them, or customers can go to www.delta.com and rebook on their own. They also can reach Delta agents through Twitter, @DeltaAssist.


As of this afternoon, there were no delays at Metro Airport, according to FlightStats.com, which tracks airport traffic.

Airline passengers should make sure they are signed up for their airline e-mail, text or phone message alert system, which will let them know if flights are canceled. If your flight is canceled, the airline will automatically rebook you.

However, many airlines are waiving fees to change tickets ahead of time.

Here’s a rundown:

Delta, Metro Airport’s largest airline, is offering travel waivers to allow passengers to change flights without penalty.

Those flying today through Monday to or from Baltimore, Newark, New York City, White Plains or Newburgh N.Y.; Norfolk or Richmond, Va.; Philadelphia or Washington, D.C. may reschedule to fly out anytime by Sept. 2.

Also, those flying today through Sunday to or from Jacksonville, New Bern, N.C., Wilmington, N.C., or Myrtle Beach can change without fee to fly out by Monday. (www.delta.com, 800-221-1212.)

Spirit is waiving fees for people scheduled Saturday, Sunday or Monday to fly in and out of Boston, New York LaGuardia, Washington Reagan and Atlantic City. Call them at 800-772-7117 to make the change. Rebooked flights must depart by Sept. 30 ( www.spiritair.com.)

Southwest is allowing changes for those flying Saturday, Sunday or Monday in or out of Albany, Baltimore, Boston, Hartford, Norfolk, Manchester (NH), Newark, LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham and Washington Dulles.

Cybersecurity expert hacked Medtronic insulin pump

A cybersecurity expert and diabetic who recently showed that his insulin pump is vulnerable to hacking has revealed the maker of his device: Fridley-based Medtronic Inc.

Jay Radcliffe, a 33-year-old Idaho man who hacked into his own pump at a cybersecurity conference earlier this month, said Thursday that he initially withheld the name of the manufacturer in an effort to work with the medical technology company on security issues.

Medtronic's $1.3 billion California-based diabetes business is the largest maker of insulin pumps in the world. But Radcliffe and others suspect the security vulnerabilities could extend to other devices, such as pacemakers and implantable heart defibrillators.

After he was repeatedly rebuffed by Medtronic officials, Radcliffe says he decided to go public with the company's name. "Blowing me off is not an ethical response," he said on a webcast organized by Black Hat, a Seattle-based organization of security researchers.

Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak said at the company's annual meeting Thursday that the probability of a security breach is small but that Medtronic "takes security very seriously." Security systems on new pumps will improve going forward, he said.

He also said there's never been an incidence of pump hacking in the real world -- it's only occurred in controlled settings with skilled individuals.

Radcliffe gave a presentation about his pump at a Black Hat conference earlier this month. There he remotely disabled its lifesaving therapy by remotely turning it off.

Since then, Radcliffe claims that Medtronic has distributed inaccurate information about the hacking threat, including statements that the pump's wireless capabilities can be turned off to prevent security breaches. "Sadly, this is not possible," he said.

Radcliffe has never revealed how he hacked into his own device -- he has since switched to a competing pump made by Johnson & Johnson. He urged patients with Medtronic pumps to continue using the devices, and acknowledged that the threat of hacking is small.

But, he said, it's important for companies to take security issues seriously. "Saying it's never been done is no assurance that it can't be done in the future," he said. "Just because nobody's exploited your system doesn't make it secure."