Monday’s filing is an indication the club lacks the funds to pay the potential penalty. It already faced a heavy debt burden before the current proceedings began and now appears to have agreed to let outside administrators take over the business and work toward solving its financial problems. Rangers now have 10 days to inform the court that administrators have taken over and started negotiating with creditors.

The team, including the American trio, will pay a heavy price once administration becomes official. Clubs entering administration automatically are docked 10 points in the SPL standings, meaning Rangers (19-3-4) would fall 14 points behind city rival Celtic. The SPL is so top heavy that Rangers would remain in second place, a full nine points ahead of Motherwell, but the deduction effectively would end the team’s bid for a fourth consecutive championship.

In addition, a transfer embargo is placed on teams entering administration. Second place in the SPL still would be good enough for entry into the qualifying rounds of the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League, but the European governing body could bar Rangers from competing if it’s still in administration. The club would have to prove it owes no money to the UK government, other clubs or its employees in order to satisfy UEFA, according to Scotland’s STV.

Rangers’ next match is Saturday at home against eighth-place Kilmarnock.

After signing with Rangers over the summer, Bocanegra told Sporting News that the chance to win a title was a big part of why he left France for Scotland.

“I’m really excited because I never had a chance in my career to be able to win something in Europe,” he said. “Now we have a chance to win the league. If we win the league then we qualify for the Champions League next year, which I’ve never played in. Obviously that’s a competition you dream about. I watch it every Tuesday and Wednesday night. The Heineken signs come out. The music comes on. That would be awesome. For me, that’s a dream.”

It now may be a dream deferred.

A government veterinarian worker sprays anti-bird flu disinfectant over birds and fowls at Medan city market in North Sumatra province. Indonesia reported its second human death from bird flu this year in late January.

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February 13, 2012

Last month, scientists around the world agreed to temporarily halt certain genetic experiments with bird flu viruses. More than three weeks of that 60-day moratorium have already passed. And the scientific community is in the midst of a fierce debate about what needs to happen next.

We don’t know yet how infectious this particular virus is to humans, what it would do once it were in humans from a clinical disease standpoint, but we have no margin for error here.

- Michael Osterholm, University of Minnesota

The suspension of the research came in response to fears that researchers had created dangerous new germs that could cause a devastating pandemic in people if they ever escaped the lab or fell into the wrong hands.

The World Health Organization has invited a small group of experts to Geneva to grapple with the most urgent questions posed by these lab-altered viruses in a closed-door meeting that will start Feb. 16 and last two days.

“The WHO was actually asked by a number of different parties, you know, will you become involved in the process and help try to facilitate a more global approach to the discussions?” says Keiji Fukuda, a WHO official and an expert on pandemic flu.

The controversy centers on experiments to understand the nature of an influenza virus known as H5N1. Out in nature, this virus circulates among wild birds. The bird flu rarely makes people sick, but when it does it can be deadly. More than 500 people are known to have fallen ill, and over half of them died.

The virus doesn’t easily spread between people. Still, public health experts wondered: Could this bird flu ever evolve in a way that would make it contagious in humans?

To try to answer that question, scientists in the Netherlands recently did a lab experiment that modified genes in the virus. The result was a new germ that could pass through the air between ferrets and kill them — and ferrets are the laboratory stand-in for people.

Those findings alarmed experts who reviewed the studies. They worry this virus could potentially cause a catastrophic pandemic if it got out.

“We don’t know yet how infectious this particular virus is to humans, what it would do once it were in humans from a clinical disease standpoint, but we have no margin for error here,” says Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, who notes that flu viruses can swiftly travel around the globe.

He says until scientists understand the true risks posed by these viral agents, “it would be foolish to not take this very seriously.”

Osterholm serves on the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity, a committee that advises the government on biological research that could be misused. Late last year, it reviewed this flu study and similar study led by a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The committee took the unprecedented step of recommending that some details of these biological studies be kept from the public, so that no one could use them as recipes for new bioweapons.

That recommendation was the start of what’s turning into a massive fight in the science community. Some virologists say the potential risks have been vastly overstated. They bristle at the idea of putting restrictions on basic research aimed at improving public health.

“On a scientific basis, these experiments are worth doing and they’re not dangerous,” says Vincent Racaniello, a virologist at Columbia University in New York. “If you balance the danger versus the amount of information you get, I think my view is you go forward.”

He thinks other labs should repeat the studies and build on the results, which should be published for all to see. And he disagrees with those who want these viruses moved to super-secure labs — the kind of places that store smallpox and Ebola.

For now, scientists have stopped all experiments using these viruses, plus any genetic work that could create more like them. Publication is also on hold.

“We have viruses which exist, we have manuscripts which have been written, we have a moratorium which was declared voluntarily by the researchers, and so given all of that, you know, what are some of the practical steps that we can take?” says Fukuda.

He says the WHO invited 22 people to this week’s meeting. Participants will include researchers directly involved in conducting the studies, experts who have reviewed the findings, and editors who may publish papers describing the experiments.

The National Institutes of Health, which funded the flu work, is sending Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Paul Keim of Northern Arizona University, acting chair of the NSABB, will attend to represent that committee.

Bruce Alberts, editor-in-chief of the journal Science, says he is unable to attend and will send a deputy editor. His journal wants to publish, in some form, a manuscript that describes the work done in the Netherlands. The meeting’s organizers want to let everyone there see the full, unredacted version of that report, says Alberts, but they plan to only give out paper copies that have to be returned at the end of the session.

“On the one hand, obviously, the international community has to know exactly what’s involved,” says Alberts. “But on the other hand, we have to be careful about not jeopardizing the possibility to restrict the information.”

One way of restricting the information would be to publish the research without key details, and devise a system to give the sensitive information only to legitimate researchers who need it. Top science officials in the U.S. government are now trying to create such a system. But Alberts says making something like that work is going to have to be an international effort.

The rewards from making even slight improvements to your PPC landing pages can be dramatic. Improve conversion (click to lead) rates by just a percentage point or two and you can increase lead volume (and slash Cost Per Lead) disproportionately. Here are 7 tips that can make a difference:

1. Include a clear, specific call to action. Not “learn more.” No “For more information …” Make the reward specific and tangible. Information offers (white papers, ebooks, information kits) often work best because they appeal to prospects across a broad segment of the selling cycle.

2. Sell the offer. Once you’ve decided on the right offer, sell it. Remember, it’s not the company you’re selling, or the product, it’s that white paper or video or Webinar the prospect gets when he or she fills out the form. If the offer is a video, show screen shots. If it’s a white paper, include excerpts, Amazon-type page previews, even reader reviews. The more detail, the better.

3. Write a headline that reflects the ad copy. Effective PPC campaigns start with effective, action-oriented ad copy that’s relevant to the search term. They end with an engaging, easy to navigate landing page that’s relevant to the ad copy. The goal is one seamless user experience in which every step validates and rewards the prospect’s information needs. Avoid disconnects by keeping your message consistent.

4. Keep the registration form short, and above the fold. If you have a robust, systematic lead nurturing program in place (of course you do) there’s no need to capture every morsel of information from the prospect at first touch. Every required field you add to your registration form lowers your conversion rate accordingly. Ask for the minimum information possible, and keep the form high on the page where the reader can see it (and act) immediately.

5. Don’t skimp on selling copy. PPC landing pages are different in this respect from say, an email landing page, because the reader barely knows anything yet about your company or the offer. Be sure to include sufficient selling copy to a) adequately sell the offer, b) address any anticipated concerns or objections, and c) help ensure a high quality score by offering what Google calls “relevant and original content” – ie content related to the offer in the ad.

6. Don’t include external links. That means no links back to your home page, and for Pete’s sake no navigation bar. The landing page should have one purpose only, and that’s getting the prospect to fill out a form. (Short anecdote: when a former client insisted on having the logo on their landing page be a live link back to their Website, we were able to show that 15% of PPC visitors were escaping through that logo.)

7. Be cautious with customer logos, award icons, and gushing quotes of praise for your company or product. Testimonials of this type can detract from the primary offer and create the aura of a sales pitch for your company that runs counter to the information of value the reader is searching for. Exceptions to this rule occur when your offer is a demo or free trial, situations in which an extra dose of credibility helps sell the offer.

For more tips on getting more from your PPC campaign, download a free copy of our white paper: “Top 10 B2B Paid Search Mistakes: Why Your Google Campaign Isn’t Working And What To Do About It.”

The winner would get $10,000 and the chance to have their work seen by the more than 100 million people expected to watch the game Sunday, Feb. 5, between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Thirty-one video aficionados sent in their clips, ranging from humorous sketches to family bits to serious product testimonials.

Dannon announced the winner on Jan. 19. It turned out to be a couple of brothers, Remy Neymarc, 21, and Andrew, 23, who had previously produced commercials for Poptent that had stood out. This was our first big production, said Remy Neymarc, who took a break from Lewis amp; Clark College in Portland, Ore., to pursue a career in advertising and filmmaking. It was a very challenging brief.

Like Dannon, more big consumer companies are pursuing a new approach to ad creation, tapping the so-called wisdom of the crowds through crowdsourcing, the technique of making an open call for help on a project via the Web. In the advertising business, the use of crowdsourcing is opening doors for new, young talent that may never had had a chance to land jobs the traditional way on Madison Avenue. People like the Neymarc brothers.

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky criticized what he called the presidents response to the countrys dept and unemployment crisis.

And what is this presidents response?  A budget he knows his own party wont even support – that is his response to this $15 trillion debt.  So this is a charade!, McConnell said.

Democratic lawmakers praised the president for setting what they called the right long-term priorities.  Several Democrats said a two-step approach is needed to, first, stimulate the still fragile economy with investments in infrastructure and education, and, second, to limit spending later when the country is on a more solid economic footing.

Democratic Representative Chris van Hollen of Maryland put it this way: The presidents budget is a budget that is good for the country.  It is good for jobs; it is good in terms of nurturing a very fragile economy.  It is good in terms of making long-term investments in education, in science and research, in innovation and the things that we are going to need for a strong foundation for the economy for years and years to come.

President Obamas budget would raise taxes on top income-earners and boost funding for American infrastructure, unemployment benefits and federal assistance to economically hard-hit states.

House Republicans are expected to propose their own budget legislation next month, which likely would reject tax increases in favor of deeper cuts in social welfare spending.  

But with the House of Representatives controlled by Republicans and the Senate controlled by Democrats, analysts say the two chambers are unlikely to pass a 2013 fiscal year budget, and will likely put off any budget action until after the November general elections.

Bart Nadia Sports Health Festival: Peter Nestlers jump rope demo impresses crowd

Peter Nestler and his wife, Alicia, travel around the world as Peter holds jump rope demonstrations and teaches others.

Click here for full story

For the past nine years, Ive written about professional golf on the side for Inside Golf Magazine and its website, www.insidegolf.ca.

I try not to mix my two worlds, but today, I attended one of the greatest sporting events in my life.

Thats saying something because Ive seen World Cup Finals, Super Bowls, Stanley Cup Finals, US Open golf, US Open tennis, British Open golf, Champions League Finals etc.

What made today special was I got to see all of Pebble Beach for the first time. And in doing so, I got to see the greatest left-handed golfer – and a personal hero of mine – Phil Mickelson beat his arch-nemesis Tiger Woods in a tour de force performance.

The combination of setting and circumstance, along with the desired result, is what makes today so unbelievably memorable.

Heres what I wrote for my friends at www.insidegolf.ca. Im back in the Burnaby NOW and Royal City Record offices on Tuesday, where Ill also get to welcome back colleague Niki Hope from maternity leave and pass over the always interesting New Westminster school board beat back to her.

Mickelson delivers knockout blow at Pebble, shoots 64 to win over Wi and Woods

By Alfie Lau

Sunday could not have been a more perfect day for Phil Mickelson: he beats his rival by a margin he couldnt even imagine, he gets a big cheque for doing so and his wife is in town, sans kids, and theyll celebrate because Valentines Day is only two days away.
Heading into the final round of the ATamp;T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am six strokes behind leader Charlie Wi and two behind nemesis Tiger Woods, Mickelson shot a bogey-free 64 to beat Wi by two and Woods by nine.
In the 29 previous times the duo had played together competitively – excluding when they were a losing team times two at the 2004 Ryder Cup – the best Mickelson had ever beaten Woods by was three, in the final round at the 2009 WGC HSBC Champions tourney in China and in the second round of the WGC Cadillac Championships last year.

Well, Mickelson dusted Tiger by 11 strokes, 64 to 75, on a day he wont soon forget. (For the record, Tigers largest margin over Phil when they played together was in the second round of the 2008 US Open – Tigers last Major win – when Tiger shot 68 to Phils 75).

Phil wouldnt gloat afterwards, repeatedly saying that Tiger inspires him to play his best and hes very appreciative of the exposure and money Tiger has brought to professional golf.

Mickelson also overflowed with compliments about Tigers new swing.
You can tell his game is really close, said Mickelson. He doesnt hook the ball any more. Hes striping it. … Hes close.

Mickelson also admitted that this victory was quite emotional, as he was battling self-doubt about his game.

Wife Amy flew up for the weekend and she got him out of his doldrums with her bubbly personality.

She gives me a lot of confidence, he said.

Mickelson also credited his caddie, Jim Bones Mackay, saying the two of them have never worked better in the 20 years theyve been together.

Mickelson also revealed after the round that he has engaged the services of a female sports psychologist and she has helped him, even though he wouldnt offer any more details.

Mickelson came out of the gates like a bat out of hell, birdieing the second and fourth holes to get within shouting distance of Wi, who showed his nerves by doubling the easy opening hole.

Mickelson then hit the first of many gorgeous approaches, this time to a foot, for a kick-in birdie at the fifth and the party was on.

I didnt have to grind, Mickelson said of the fifth, adding he felt like the stroke there was like stealing one, because traditionally, thats not a birdie hole for him.

At the sixth, the picturesque uphill par-five, Mickelson made eagle and within a span of only six holes, hed gotten rid of Wis six-shot advantage and was the solo leader.

Mickelson admitted the eagle was the most important hole for him because thats a hole where he cant hit driver or the ball will go into the ocean.
Having to hit five-wood instead, hes much further back on the uphill approach and getting it on to 30 feet and then making the putt was huge for his round.

Six straight pars from Mickelson allowed Kevin Streelman to get within a shot at one point, with Wi and Ricky Barnes another stroke back, but it was Mickelsons par at 12 that was all-world.

Short left on the par-three, MIckelson blasted his second to 15 feet above the hole. Woods was also short, in the bunker, but the old Tiger magic manifested itself when Woods chipped in and briefly cut the margin between himself and Mickelson to four.

Mickelson calmly rolled in his par putt and confidently strode to the 13th, where he hit his approach to two feet for another kick-in birdie.

I loved that one, Mickelson said of his 140yard eight-iron that he calls a chip eight where he takes off about 30 yards off the shot and lets it release to the hole.

At 14, Mickelsons approach was a tad off, as he could only get it to six feet, but his putter was still hot and Mickelson had a three-shot lead at -16.

We werent surprised when Phil rolled in a 25-foot par putt at the 15th and all that was left was a closing birdie on the 18th, where Mickelson laid up and still made birdie while Woods got on in two, but three-jacked for a par and perhaps the ultimate humiliation, losing to his rival by 11 strokes.

The round got away from Woods on the three-hole stretch at 7, 8 and 9.
Woods had manageable par putts that all refused to drop, including a power lip out at seven and the two-stroke advantage he had over Mickelson at the beginning of the round was a four-stroke disadvantage by the 10th tee.

Woods was sullen on the 18th tee as Woods, amateur partner Tony Romo, Mickelson and amateur partner Skip McGee had to wait to watch Kevin Na, Dustin Johnson, Brendon Todd and amateur Brett White tee off.
Tiger was also gracious after his round, especially with compliments for Mickelson.

He played really good today. He was hitting it flush.

I mean every shot that he had a wedge in there, he hit it inside 10 feet. … Ive always enjoyed playing with Phil. We have always battled since the first time we went at it was probably 97, I think. We were in a position today that we needed to go get Charlie. We were four back and had to go get him and Phil did.

McGee should be given a world of credit, because as a double digit handicapper from Houston, he was the only guy not used to catcalls and wild cheering.

Mackay helped McGee read most of his putts and McGee acquitted himself well.

Romo was even better, hitting it to two feet for a birdie on the eighth, a score neither Mickelson or Woods could match.

Romo showed his amateur side on the 14th when he went long on his approach and then had to chip back to the tucked pin. A little bit long, the ball started curling around the front of the green and there are unconfirmed rumours that that ball is still rolling.

Romo certainly enjoyed himself, judging by his post-round comments.

It was exciting, it was great, said Romo. Tigers as good a partner as you could ask for. Hes a great guy, easy to be with and fun to be around.

Romo said Woods helped him read putts and gave him yardages, almost to the detriment of his own game.

As for how good a swing Tiger has after reconstructing it with Canadian Sean Foley, Romo said: Hes close. Tiger hit some shots Ive never seen before. Hes building something.

Romo also had his own cheering section, as expectant wife Candice walked the front nine with Romo and even had time to talk to the honorary observers for the Woods-Mickelson group.

The observers said FedEx was given the spots – with tournament sponsor ATamp;T getting the last group – and the observers got the bonus of seeing the marquee grouping instead of Charlie Wi and Ken Duke.

Candice, expecting this spring, certainly doesnt look like shes pregnant, but she was pretty nice to all of us media hordes who were out watching the Tiger-Phil circus.

Yup, it was a treat to cover Tiger-Phil 30 from inside the ropes. The atmosphere was electric and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. I had to keep asking myself why this was my first foray to Pebble because I know Ill be back in any and every year that I can get time away from my regular day job.

One last thought: Ive learned that sometimes you have to be patient with things, let them happen at their own pace and not rush things. In the end, you get a greater return.

Thats exactly what happened here at Pebble Beach. I arrived on Thursday morning, with every inclination to head down to Pebbles seventh or 18th to see the holes Id seen on TV my whole life.

But instead, I went out to Spyglass Hill and saw the undulating tree-lined fairways and it felt like an appetizer.

The next day, I was wowed by Monterey Peninsula, the newest addition to the Pebble Beach rota. While some people say its even more spectacular than Pebble, those people have to shake their heads. Thats like saying beer is better than a good single malt Scotch ITS JUST NOT TRUE!

I then saw six of the holes at Pebble on Saturday before seeing all 18 on Sunday, in succession, while following Tiger and Phil.

As a lefty golfer, seeing our patron saint dust the greatest golfer of his generation is something I wont ever forget. And Phil was a heck of a lot more gracious than I would have been.

I dare anybody to have a better first experience with Pebble Beach than the one I experienced today.

Ive got one more day in Monterey and San Francisco before I fly home, but this experience will go in the Top 10 of great sporting events Ive attended.

www.twitter.com/AlfieLau

George Santayana, a philosopher who published his most influential works around the turn of the 20th century, is credited with producing the oft-repeated adage that lsquo;those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Santayana was born in Madrid, but spent the majority of his life in the United States, and like all the best thinkers, his legacy lives on through his words. Though perhaps not everywhere.

I dont know if Santayana ever took an extensive trip around his native Iberia, but if recent events at Sporting Clube de Portugal are anything to go by, it seems unlikely. The clubs decision to replace Domingos Paciencia with Ricardo Sa Pinto provided Mondays seismic news story, but in truth, no one who has observed Sporting over the past decade should be particularly surprised.

In the years since Laszlo Boloni guided the Lions to the Liga and Taca double in 2002, the Lions have welcomed (and then replaced) Fernando Santos, Jose Peseiro, Paulo Bento, Carlos Carvalhal, Paulo Sergio, Jose Couceiro and Domingos as head coaches. Appointed by Presidents who went to great pains to distinguish themselves from their predecessors but when it came down to it turned out (in the time honoured fashion of Portuguese football administration) to be similarly despair-inducing, all seven were hailed to varying degrees; and all, with the exception of Bento, departed after a season or less in charge.

Domingos was viewed (and perhaps more importantly, presented) more than most as the man to reverse the clubs increasingly catastrophic fortunes. His two seasons with Braga spoke for themselves with unmistakeable volume, from the fighting spirit that was so evident in their performances, to the tactical cohesion exhibited regardless of opponents.

Lopes pulled all manner of financial jiggery-pokery in order to construct a new squad, desperately needed after two especially wretched campaigns. The reliance on Portuguese talent, for so long a cornerstone of the Sporting identity, was exchanged for a slew of imports. The mortgaging of future transfer earnings in exchange for (if all goes to plan) short-term success presents an uncomfortable moral quandary, but it is a central part of the modern Portuguese footballing reality.

One can hardly blame Lopes for taking this course: after all, it has worked for Porto and Benfica since the turn of the century. But Sportings rival grandes have shown that as well as the talent, you need a coach or you wont get very far. Just ask Quique Sanchez Flores or (in a few months) Vitor Pereira. Domingos, with his experience of challenging for titles both at home and in Europe, was Lopes choice, and it was universally applauded.

Now, after 35 games that saw 19 victories, 9 draws and 7 defeats, he is gone. According to a statement released on the clubs website, elimination from the group stage of the Taca da Liga and 5th place in the table did not correspond with the expectations and objectives placed on Domingos.

Taken in the context of two wins in ten matches, of wretched displays against Gil Vicente and Maritimo, and of a miserly two-point improvement compared with this time last season, it is not difficult to see why the club (not to mention the fans) were concerned, incensed even.

But when you add in the point that the average Domingos starting XI contained eight players with less than a seasons experience of playing alongside one another, when you recall that of that XI only Rui Patricio has been consistently fit throughout the campaign, and that between the defeats to Gil and Maritimo was an excellent team performance against Nacional to seal a first major final since 2008, the decision becomes somewhat more questionable.

On May 24th, Lopes described Domingos as lsquo;our chosen coach from the very first minute and declared his confidence that he would lsquo;bring great joy to this club. Together we will develop the will to win. Domingos will bring pride back to the fans and the players that represent this club. It was an expression of confidence, but also an ultimatum secure the riches of the Champions League, or else.

The subsequent months were not without their difficult moments, and the optimism of early autumn soon gave way to a depressing winter or should I say depressingly familiar? Building a successful, consistent team takes time, but in Portugal these days, the last thing available to the bean counters at clubs (and therefore their coaches) is time.

Lopes will soon emerge to justify his decision to media and fans alike, just as his predecessors did. He will, just as they did, speak of what is best for Sporting, of how Domingos gave his best, but that he had allowed the project to slide off course, that maybe he will hint his steering of the ship was doomed from the start. Ricardo Sa Pinto, a man who in January 2010 was forced to leave the club after one of its greatest idols of the last two decades declared it to be lsquo;him or me, knows Sporting. He feels the emotions of the club. Domingos, it will be made clear quietly, away from the cameras, was from Porto, of the norte. Different.

Lopes will say this, and more. Only nobody will be listening. Theyve heard it all before. When you look at the bigger picture, you can find a why to understand why he did what he did, from beginning to end. Once hes returned to his home in Leca and pondered things for a while, Domingos probably will. George Santayana certainly would have done. But none of that makes it right.

Ben Shave

AN ARTIST is living the dream in his latest artworks depicting VW campervans and beach scenes.

David French has recently bought an old VW campervan, in which he intends to travel around the country, and paint along the way, capturing the subtle differences in character between the many British seaside resorts.

He said: “I use the VW camper image, in my latest paintings, as a symbol of the ‘living the dream’ theme, but I realise it’s not everyone’s idea of happiness!

“My van is pretty basic, but at least it always manages to start first time, so I’m sure it’ll get me around the country eventually!

“I enjoy painting beach scenes because it reminds me of growing up in Morecambe and the times I spent on the beach at Sandylands during the 60s and 70s…the sun always seemed to be shining then.”

See The Visitor (07-02-12) for full story.