OU positioned for BCS; SEC plays for title spot

Before the Southeastern Conference sorted out who will play Notre Dame for the national championship, Oklahoma positioned itself be part of the BCS lineup — one way or another.

No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia played in Atlanta for the SEC title and a trip to Miami to face the top-ranked Fighting Irish in the BCS title game Jan. 7.

Earlier, the 12th-ranked Sooners won 24-17 at TCU to finish the regular season 10-2, with at least a share of the Big 12 title.

On Friday, Stanford grabbed a spot in the Rose Bowl and the chances for a BCS buster dwindled.

Northern Illinois' 44-37 victory in double overtime against Kent State on Friday night gave the Huskies the Mid-American Conference title, and ended the Golden Flashes' BCS hopes.

Kent State needed to move up one spot in the BCS standings to No. 16 to earn an automatic bid. Northern Illinois came into the weekend 21st in the standings. The Huskies have a chance to get into the top 16 and get into the BCS, too — but it will be tough.

Kent State's loss could be Oklahoma's gain. If neither of the MAC teams nor Boise State, which was playing Nevada, earns that so-called BCS buster bid, the Sooners (11-2) look like a logical choice to be selected, even if No. 7 Kansas State locks up the Big 12's BCS bid Saturday night.

The Wildcats need only to beat No. 23 Texas at home to earn a spot in the Fiesta Bowl. A loss would send Oklahoma to the Fiesta Bowl and have Kansas State hoping for an at-large bid only a few weeks after being No. 1 in the BCS standings.

No. 8 Stanford locked up the Rose Bowl bid by beating UCLA 27-24 on Friday night and will play the winner of Saturday night's Big Ten championship game between Wisconsin and No. 14 Nebraska.

No. 13 Florida State and Georgia Tech were playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game later for a bid to the Orange Bowl.

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Georgia Tech claims spot in ACC title game at 6-5

ATLANTA (AP) — A team that was routed at home by Middle Tennessee and fired its defensive coordinator at midseason will get a chance to play for a BCS bowl bid.

Georgia Tech (6-5) automatically claimed a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game on Monday when Miami self-imposed a postseason ban for the second straight year, looking to lessen the sanctions from an NCAA investigation into its compliance practices.

The Hurricanes (7-4) could have clinched the Coastal Division title with a victory over Duke, which would leave both Miami and the Yellow Jackets with 5-3 conference records. The Hurricanes were positioned to win the tiebreaker since they defeated Georgia Tech 42-36 on Sept. 22.

Now, it doesn't matter. By banning itself from the bowls, Miami is ineligible to play in the Dec. 1 title game at Charlotte, N.C.

"It's a great opportunity," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said after practice. "I'm proud of our guys. They won four conference games in a row, two of them on the road. It's a case of persevering and just keep playing."

Early on, the Yellow Jackets struggled. They gave up late leads to Virginia Tech and Miami, losing both games in overtime. There also was that embarrassing 49-28 defeat to Middle Tennessee, which came in the midst of Georgia Tech giving up more than 40 points in three straight games for the first time in school history.

With his team at 2-4 after a 47-31 loss to Clemson, Johnson fired defensive coordinator Al Groh, saying the defense was too complicated and the players weren't sure of their assignments.

"We had a couple of disappointing losses at the beginning of the season, and we let it mushroom on us," Johnson said. "It was good to bounce back."

The defense continues to struggle but Georgia Tech has won three in a row overall, mostly on the legs of its explosive triple-option offense. The Yellow Jackets defeated North Carolina 68-50 two weeks ago, knocked off Duke 42-24 last Saturday and are averaging 38.6 points per game, which ranks 16th nationally. As usual, the run-oriented team ranks near the top of the country in rushing yards (third at 324.9, trailing only Army and Air Force).

Defensively, it's another story. The Yellow Jackets are 61st in yards allowed (393.1) and 76th in points (29.6 per game), which could be a problem when they go against the Atlantic Division champion, No. 10 Florida State (10-1).

But no one is complaining about getting a shot to play in the Orange Bowl.

In an interesting twist, the Yellow Jackets benefited from another school's wrongdoing just three years after losing an ACC crown under similar circumstances. Georgia Tech defeated Clemson in the 2009 title game, only to be stripped of the championship later when NCAA violations were discovered.

This Saturday, the Yellow Jackets will face No. 3 Georgia (10-1) in the regular-season finale. The Bulldogs have a shot at playing for the national title if they win the next two weeks, which has left both coaches with the chore of making sure their players don't get caught looking ahead.

Johnson said that shouldn't be a problem for his team.

"Our guys understand the importance of this game to our fans and our alumni and everyone involved," he said. "Besides that, Georgia's got a very talented football team. If you're not ready to play, you'll get embarrassed really fast."

While plenty of ACC critics pointed to Georgia Tech's appearance in the title game as a sign of the league's weakness, Johnson wasn't about concede that his team wasn't deserving of its spot.

"We're 5-3. Who else is better than that in our division?" Johnson asked. "I'm not apologizing for anything."

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For coaches, no sleep 'til BCS championship game

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Kelly and Nick Saban expect many restless nights between now and the BCS championship game on Jan. 7.

Kelly and top-ranked Notre Dame play Saban and No. 2 Alabama in Miami. The coaches appeared together at a news conference on Wednesday at the Nasdaq stock exchange in Times Square.

"And in keeping with the venue where we are, you have two blue chip stocks that are going to go against each other," Kelly said.

Asked what about their opponent will keep them up at night, Kelly and Saban both said there is plenty to worry about.

"Are you kidding me? Really?" Kelly said. "Everything about them."

Saban's response: "For me, I never sleep well, so Notre Dame is just the excuse now."

The Fighting Irish will have 42 days between their last game against Southern California and the BCS title game against the Crimson Tide.

Alabama played in the Southeastern Conference title game on Dec. 1, so its break is a week shorter.

This is the third BCS championship appearance in four years for the Tide — Alabama won its previous two — so Saban obviously hasn't had a problem finding a routine that works.

"Many people have asked me how you carry the momentum of winning the SEC championship game into the next game," Saban said. "And I think the answer to that is, you can't. You almost have to look at any bowl game, or any layoff like you have for this length of time, as the next game is sort of a one-game season."

Both teams will go into training-camp mode this week. The players will lift weights and do conditioning and fundamentals drills.

"Right now we're doing two weeks of offseason conditioning programs, which is always fun. Always popular with the guys," Alabama center Barrett Jones said Tuesday, with more than a hint of sarcasm in his delivery.

Kelly said the worst thing a coach can do about the unusually long time between games is worry about it.

"First, I think it's a self-fulfilling prophecy if you keep talking about the long layoff," he said. "We don't talk about that. We talk about what's the next step here and the next stage, or it's the national championship."

"We think we've got a plan and we don't concern ourselves with the length of that time."

The plan is to keep the next few weeks as productive as possible.

"We try to work our way up to a routine," Kelly said. "There's that space there, weight training, conditioning, some fundamental work and then try to get back to that routine that they are all familiar with as we lead into the game."

Aside from keeping the players occupied and in shape, Kelly and Saban are also facing the possibility that members of their staffs could land head coaching jobs over the next week or so.

Kelly's defensive coordinator, Bob Diaco, was a candidate for the Boston College job that was filled Tuesday when the Eagles hired Steve Addazio away from Temple. Diaco recently won the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach.

There was speculation about Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart being a candidate for the Auburn job, but the Tigers hired Gus Malzahn.

As jobs are filled others open and there are still plenty of vacancies. There is still a possibility Notre Dame or Alabama — or both — could be dealing with this issue.

"I think those folks have every right to receive positive self-gratification professionally by taking advantage of some opportunity they have created for themselves by doing a good job," Saban said, without talking about any specific assistant. "And I think it's just a matter of professionalism where you can separate yourself for a day or two, not affect the performance of what you're trying to do at your job, evaluate the circumstance."

Last year, Alabama prepared for the national championship game with its offensive coordinator, Jim McElwain, interviewing and accepting the Colorado State head coaching job.

Alabama won that BCS title game 21-0 and Saban said McElwain, "put a great plan together" for the Tide.

And if there is staff turnover during the layoff, and a coach needs to be replaced, Kelly said there are plans in place to deal with it.

"We can't predict it, but we know that we are prepared regardless of the circumstances, and if we were to lose somebody, we've got great coaches on board that are ready to step up," he said.

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Oil down over US budget, China growth concerns

BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices were weighed down Tuesday by concerns about an apparent deadlock among U.S. leaders to strike a budget deal before year's end and growing uncertainty about the strength of China's economic recovery.

Benchmark crude for January delivery was down 11 cents to $85.45 per barrel at midday Bangkok time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 37 cents to close at $85.56 per barrel on the Nymex on Monday.

Brent crude, used to price international varieties of oil, was down 19 cents per barrel to $107.14 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

An abrupt fall in China's export growth and slowing import growth suggests that the recovery in the world's No. 2 economy is faltering, analysts at Capital Economics said in a report.

The data "have added to our doubts about the strength and sustainability of China's rebound," the report said. "The weekend's figures on investment, retail sales and industrial production were more encouraging but they underlined that recent strength has been driven by infrastructure spending rather than a broad-based pick-up across the economy."

Investors are also suffering jitters about whether President Barack Obama will reach a budget deal with congressional Republicans before the "fiscal cliff" of tax increases and spending cuts takes effect in January — at a cost of hundreds of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy.

Obama has been insisting on higher taxes for the wealthiest Americans, while Republicans are pushing for cuts in government spending on entitlement programs.

In energy futures trading on Nymex:

— Heating oil was unchanged at $2.90 a gallon.

— Natural gas fell 3 cents to $3.43 per 1,000 cubic feet.

— Wholesale gasoline fell 0.1 cent to $2.597 a gallon.

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Heritage Woods of Huntley To Host Holiday Shopping Bonanza

 Heritage Woods of Huntley, a BMA assisted living community in Huntley, Illinois, is hosting a Holiday Shopping Bonanza on Dec. 14. Crafts, jewelry and purses will be among the items available for purchase.

Bradley, Illinois (PRWEB) December 08, 2012
Heritage Woods of Huntley is hosting a Holiday Shopping Bonanza from 1 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14, at the assisted living community, which is located at 12450 Regency Parkway in Huntley, Illinois.

The community is managed by BMA Management, Ltd., the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois.

“Come and enjoy one-stop shopping for your Holiday needs,” says Renee Swanson, Director of Marketing for Heritage Woods of Huntley. “Crafts, jewelry, purses and much more will be available.”

Refreshments will be served.

For more information, call 847-669-5185.

Heritage Woods of Huntley recently was one of the few assisted living communities in Illinois to receive deficiency-free survey and be awarded a two-year license by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“Our focus is on providing residents with the love, compassion and dignity that they deserve in addition to the care and personal assistance that they need,” says Swanson. “Our emphasis is on helping each resident achieve and maintain as much independence as possible for as long as possible.”

Based in Bradley, Illinois, BMA manages 36 senior living communities, housing more than 3,300 homes and apartments.

The communities managed by BMA include the Heritage Woods affordable assisted living communities in Batavia, Belvidere, DeKalb, McHenry, Rockford and South Elgin and the White Oaks affordable memory care community in South Elgin, Illinois.

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'David Is Dying' moves from festivals to DVD

London (PRWEB) December 08, 2012
‘David Is Dying’ was first screened in Kingston Jamaica, in the Studio 38 Theatre, very late at night. The organisers of the 2011 Jamaica Reggae Film Festival found the film very pleasing. In fact, they stated that although not strictly a ‘reggae film’, the film’s entry was accepted by the Jamaica Film Academy because of its excellent production values, unusual script, good direction and also a stunning performance by the lead actor that won him a ‘Honourable Mention’ on Awards night.

Since then, ‘David Is Dying’ went on to be screened at over 20 international film festivals, scooping over seven film festival awards, including ‘Focus On Filmmakers Honoree’ at the 6th Cleveland International Film Festival, for the director, Stephen Lloyd Jackson.

‘David Is Dying’ is a character driven, psychological drama. The lead character, ‘David’, played by Lonyo Engele, takes us on a dark journey that reveals the depths couples go to in their relationships. The film is a human-interest story with characters that are full of personality, guilt and secrets that develop and unravel as the story unfolds.

‘David Is Dying’ is largely improvised and driven by the character David, whose turmoil creates the narrative arch. It is original and distinctive and also has a contemporary resonance to it. The plot is multi-layered and the way the scenes liaise with each other is testament to strong story telling. As the narrative plays out, you continue to learn about the characters, their relationships, their complexities and their motivations. The film is driven by a lead character whose life is a mess and this is further confounded by the discovery of an unwanted disease; HIV.

The story has an exciting, rhythmic pace and evokes a variety of emotions from the audience; it is sexy and dark, it is witty and it has gritty realism. It goes beyond just being a fiction; it puts you in among the issue, albeit with a subtlety that stops it feeling contrived. In sum the story is a personalised and honest account of how the character David deals with the loss of his mother (Isaura Barbe-Brown) from an early age to a drug overdose, which ultimately affects the man he becomes. This isn’t romanticized fiction, rather it is raw, it is real and it is full of true emotions.

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Smile Travel VietnamOoffers Hanoi City Tours Discounted by 30%

 Many cheap tours in Hanoi have been launched by Smile Travel Vietnam. The discount is up to 30% for international tourists who book soon.

(PRWEB) December 09, 2012
Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, is one of the most attractive tourist attractions in Vietnam. In recent times, the number of international tourists is considerably increasing. Therefore, many Cheap Tours in Hanoi have been launched by Smile Travel Vietnam. The discount is up to 30% for international tourists who book soon. The main goal of this promotion is to introduce the image of Hanoi to friends worldwide, as well as lure more and more tourists visiting the old and famous capital city.

Located on the bank of the Red River, Hanoi is the center of trade, politics, culture, and tourism. The name “Hanoi” means “the city in the river”. It is because it is surrounded by the river and situated in the lowland. Known as the holy land of unique and traditional culture, Hanoi is most famous for its old quarter. This area includes many small streets, each of which has their own specialized merchants, namely jewelry, curtains, pottery, silk, hats, and so on. The city has been long named as the city of lakes since it possesses more than 18 beautiful lakes. In particular, Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) and West Lake are most celebrated. Especially, Sword Lake has been the first destination of tourists when they visit Vietnam as its historical and cultural value for ages.

People once coming to Hanoi cannot skip puppet showing, mostly shown at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Dong Xuan Night Market is also an attractive place for people to relax, shop, and discover traditional culture of this place. Located near Sword Lake, the market running along a 2 kilometer street specializes in selling clothes, calves, souvenirs, and foods. It is really interesting for people to walk along and see various traditional products on sale here.

Apart from such enchantments, Hanoi is also recognized as one of the ten cities for cuisine. It would be a pity if people skip to try “Pho”, one of the top 5 street foods recognized by Global Post. Besides, there are a variety of interesting beauty spots for visitors such as Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One-pillar Pagoda, Temper of Literature, Ngoc Son Temple, Tran Quoc Pagoda, National Museum, Presidential Palace, and so on.

For those who are interested in lively places of this bustling city, there are availability of various well-equipped cinemas, night clubs, world games, and bars. Along many streets such as Kim Ma, Chua Boc, Tay Son, Doi Can, and Cau Giay, people can find shops with various fashionable clothes. Indeed, Hanoi is considered as one of the ten cities for shopping in South East Asia.

To experience such great things in Hanoi, tourists can book tours online at the website of Smile Travel Vietnam. With the new launch of cheap tours by the company, tourists are sure to find a great trip in Hanoi with just a small amount of budget. To search more details on cheap tour packages, people also get access to the website or to contact the company following the provided email address or telephone number. At the present, the most popular tour is Hanoi City Tour in a day by taxi. Tourists can consult more about the journey and discounted price on the website.

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Bad Credit Car Finance Lender Valley Auto Loans Makes Online Approval Easier Than Ever with Their New Auto Loan System

 Bad credit auto loan lender http://valleyautoloan.com/ has upgraded their loan application and approval system. Approvals for car financing can now be received in as little as 60 seconds through this new system.

Greenville, SC (PRWEB) December 08, 2012
Valley Auto Loans, the premier finance resource for no credit and bad credit auto loans, now makes it the process of obtaining a new car easier than ever. For people who have struggled in the past to get approved for the money needed for their next car, Valley Auto Loans offers new hope through their improved application system, great customer service and growing network of banks and dealerships.

View the application form at http://valleyautoloan.com/apply-now2/

"Anyone who has made credit mistakes in the past knows how frustrating it can be afterwards to get things they need, let alone want. I know I have made my share of mistakes in the past and it was a rough couple years of spending hours upon hours trying to get the loans that i needed just for simple things such as a car to get to work." said David Anderson, CEO, Valley Auto Loans. "That is the reason we started this company. Good people make mistakes, it just happens. That doesn't mean that if they messed up once they are now doomed for high interest rates and declined applications. We work hard to grow our network of lenders so that we're able to offer more and more options to our applicants. I think this latest addition is a very good step in increasing those options."

About Valley Auto Loans

Valley Auto Loans is the leading auto and car finance provider in the USA fully dedicated to help its customers acquire national car and auto financing. They design and develop customized no credit auto and car financing, bad and good credit auto and car loans. Voted the best for "Quality Customer Service; Best National Auto Loans Service" by thousands of people, their finance experts focus in providing its customers information and various tools available for different auto loan offers, help them to choose the best that fits their budget as well as the related eligibility guidelines in detail.

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Attorney Adam Loewy Breaks the Mold During “NSIDE” Interview

 In a recent interview with NSIDE Austin Magazine, Attorney Adam Loewy and his close friend, politician Andrew Brown, discuss the stereotypes have against individuals in their professions. In this interview, they discuss how they rebel against this stereotype by actively giving back to the community.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) December 08, 2012
In a recent article, NSIDE Austin Magazine noted that lawyers and politicians are tied for the third most-hated professions in the United States – right behind to dentists and school principles. For this very reason, Attorney Adam Loewy and politician Andrew Brown, chairman of the Travis County Democratic Party since 2008, opened up to NSIDE to show that stereotypes are often anything less than accurate.

In the interview, Attorney Loewy addressed the fact that there are many individuals who have preconceived notions about people like him and Brown simply because of their professions and who choose to not like them for one reason or another – making their job much more difficult. As a result, Attorney Loewy and Brown agreed on the importance of giving back to the community to counteract this stereotyping.

“Let’s face it: There are plenty of people who will never change their mind about who we are or what we do, but that makes it even more important to stay actively involved in giving back – actions will always speak louder than words,” said Attorney Loewy to NSIDE.

Attorney Loewy acknowledged his years of achievement as an attorney, but also shared with NSIDE ATX that “there is a certain amount of obligation that comes with success.” He claimed that much of Austin’s growth today is due to the many individuals who poured back into it when they became successful. Attorney Loewy, as well as Andrew Brown, stated that he is convinced that because they have been given much, they then should reinvest it back into the city and its residents. Attorney Loewy shared that his efforts are mainly put forward in local causes and charities as he can be sure they are truly helping those who really need it.

Rachel Brock noted that Attorney Loewy was truly “putting his money where his mouth is” in regards to his claims about giving back to the community – noting his participation as an underwriter in a major charity bash for the Center for Child Protection and Seedling Foundation, and various other charities. Brock closed the interview out by noting that these stereotypes are “all about perspective,” whereas Austin is, luckily, “all about people, and there is plenty of room here for Adam Loewy and Andy Brown.”

If you are looking for an Austin personal injury attorney, look no further than the Loewy Law Firm. Attorney Loewy is a dedicated individual who values the people rather than the cases. He is willing to do whatever it takes to help a client in need and will do so with compassion and dexterity. He is an experienced attorney with a lot to offer both to his clients and to his community. He is known for his personalized service and guarantees to each of his clients that he will personally work on their cases and help them fight for justice.

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NBC’s TODAY Show Financial Expert Jean Chatzky Announced as Competitor in Go Banking Rates’ ‘12 Days of Finance’ Poll

 In its second annual 12 Days of Finance poll, http://www.GoBankingRates.com announces their selection of renowned money matters expert and New York Times best-selling author, Jean Chatzky, who hopes to take the top spot as 2012’s leading personal finance guru.

El Segundo, CA (PRWEB) December 08, 2012
Go Banking Rates profiles Jean Chatzsky, money expert on NBC’s TODAY Show and candidate in Go Banking Rates’ 12 Days of Finance poll, where she hopes to beat out last year’s winner, Robert Kiyosaki, for the bragging rights as 2012’s best personal finance expert.

Jean Chatzky has stepped in to fill the void of money comprehension, by offering easy and practical financial guidance to cash-strapped individuals and families across the country.

She takes the often complex topics in personal finance, like retirement and paying down debt, and communicates it to the masses in a way that's accessible so anyone at any age can develop smart financial habits.

Jean Chatzky encourages depositors to make the habit of saving an automatic process. In an interview with news outlet, WSDU, Chatzky explains the best way to approach growing a savings account.

"The moment that you have that impulse to make a good decision, you want to just lock it down," Chatzky says. "Schedule those automatic transactions out of checking and in to savings, so they just happen every single month, because if we wait it never happens."

Jean Chatzky has authored eight books on personal finance, including her latest New York Times best-seller, Money 911: Your Most Pressing Money Questions Answered, Your Money Emergencies Solved. She was also recognized The Oprah Winfrey Show for her widely successful Pay It Down: From Debt to Wealth on $10 A Day, which also hit the New York Times best-seller and Business Week best-seller lists.

Currently, Chatzky is the host of “Money Matters with Jean Chatzky” on RLTV and is AARP’s personal finance ambassador. Catch up with on her personal finance advice by watching NBC's TODAY Show, where she answers money questions as the show's financial editor.

Click here to see the poll.

About Go Banking Rates

Go Banking Rates (GoBankingRates.com) a national website dedicated to connecting readers with the best interest rates on financial services nationwide, as well as informative personal finance content, news and tools. Go Banking Rates collects interest rate information from more than 4,000 U.S. banks and credit unions, making it the only online rates aggregator with the ability to provide the most comprehensive and authentic local interest rate information. Go Banking Rates also regularly publishes expert advice from personal finance professionals.

GoBankingRates.com belongs to a network of more than 1500 finance websites, including GoInsuranceRates.com and GoFreeCredit.com. These sites receive more than 2 million visits each month.

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