Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust ETF - Business Insider

REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Cameron (L) and Tyler Winklevoss, co-founders of ConnectU Inc., leave the U.S. District Court in Boston, Massachusetts July 25, 2007 following a court hearing on ConnectU's lawsuit against Facebook Inc.

Bitcoin, the obscure digital crypto-currency, has been out of the headlines for a little while.

But this hasn't stopped Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss from moving forward with their effort to make it more mainstream.

According to a new filing with the SEC, a trust sponsored by Winklevoss Capital Management has registered to offer shares that will give buyers exposure to Bitcoin.

"The Trust holds ?Bitcoins,? a digital commodity based on an open source cryptographic protocol existing on the online, end-user-to-end-user network hosting the public transaction ledger, known as the ?Blockchain,? and the source code comprising the basis for the cryptographic and algorithmic protocols governing the issuance of and transactions in Bitcoins," reads the filing.

"The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of a weighted average price of Bitcoins, less the Trust?s expenses. The Sponsor believes that, for many investors, the Shares will represent a cost-effective and convenient means to access exposure to Bitcoins."

It appears that this will operate like an exchange-traded fund (ETF), a security that basically trades like a stock.

The ticker symbol for the fund has yet to be determined.

The Winklevosses became famous when they sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly taking an idea that was theirs.

Before you even consider trading Bitcoin, you should consider the risks. Like this one from the filing:

If a malicious actor or botnet obtains control in excess of 50 percent of the processing power active on the Bitcoin Network, such actor or botnet could manipulate the source code of the Bitcoin Network or the Blockchain in a manner that adversely affects an investment in the Shares or the ability of the Trust to operate.

If this is incomprehensible to you, then maybe Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust isn't for you.

Read the whole filing at SEC.gov.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/winklevoss-bitcoin-etf-2013-7

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A big Medicaid gap looms in Obama health care law

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Nearly 2 in 3 uninsured low-income people who would qualify for subsidized coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law may be out of luck next year because their states have not expanded Medicaid.

An Associated Press analysis of figures from the Urban Institute finds a big coverage gap developing, with 9.7 million out of 15 million potentially eligible adults living in states that are refusing the expansion or are still undecided with time running short.

That a majority of the neediest people who could be helped by the law may instead remain uninsured is a predicament unforeseen by Obama and congressional Democrats who designed a sweeping extension of the social safety net. The law's historic promise of health insurance for nearly all U.S. residents would not be fulfilled as envisioned.

It's the direct consequence of last summer's Supreme Court decision that gave states the right to opt out of the Medicaid expansion, combined with unyielding resistance to the law from many Republican state lawmakers.

Expanding Medicaid is essential to Obama's two-part strategy for covering the uninsured.

Starting next year, middle-class people without job-based coverage will be able to get tax credits to help them buy private insurance. But the law calls for low-income people to enroll in Medicaid, expanded to accommodate a largely excluded group: adults with no children at home. Expanded Medicaid would cover about half the 25 million to 30 million people who could be helped by the law.

Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have decided to accept the expansion, which is fully financed by Washington for the first three years and phases down gradually to a 90 percent federal share.

Among those are six states led by Republican governors. But the majority of low-income Americans newly eligible for Medicaid under the law live in states such as Texas, Florida and Georgia, where political opposition remains formidable.

"Because of the Supreme Court's decision making Medicaid expansion optional with the states, we're going to see some pretty significant differences in this country from one place to another in terms of access to health care and access to health insurance," said Gary Cohen, the Health and Human Services official overseeing the rollout of the law.

Speaking this past week at the Brookings Institution, Cohen added: "We are going to have an opportunity ... to take a look at that in a year and see what difference it made, the choices that were made at the political level to do one thing rather than another.

"And that's going to be a pretty profound difference and a pretty profound choice that we get to make every couple of years about what kind of country we want to be," Cohen continued.

Elections for state offices and Congress will be held next year.

Republican state lawmakers continue to oppose the expansion for several reasons. Many believe Medicaid has too many problems already. Others worry that Washington will renege on financing, and some believe health care is an individual responsibility, not a government obligation.

"It's an ideological principle piece to us on the conservative side," David Gowan, Arizona's Republican House majority leader said recently. "We don't believe in the expansion of Medicaid itself. ... We don't believe it's the government's duty to do that." Gov. Jan Brewer, also a Republican, succeeded in getting the Arizona Medicaid expansion through the Legislature but now faces the possibility of a referendum to block the law.

GOP health policy expert Gail Wilensky says she did not expect so many states to turn down the Medicaid expansion. While critical of some main features of the Affordable Care Act, Wilensky believes it's important for the country to get uninsured people covered.

"For me, it is really is quite surprising ? particularly in the years with 100 percent federal funding ? that so many states are saying 'no,'" Wilensky said. "This is depriving the poorest of their citizens of an important benefit." Wilensky ran Medicare and Medicaid during the George H.W. Bush administration.

The AP's continuing check of the states finds 18 not expanding and nine where the outcome is still undecided. The biggest states where the expansion is stymied are Texas, with 1.7 million potentially eligible residents; Florida, with 1.3 million, and Georgia, with more than 680,000.

Still trying to find a path forward are Michigan and Ohio, whose Republican governors support the expansion but face legislative opposition. Each has more than one-half million potentially eligible residents, according to the Urban Institute, a public policy research center.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says she hopes that holdouts will have a change of heart.

"The door is open," said Sebelius. "If a legislature decides to reconvene at the beginning of January, and change their law, then we would welcome them in."

There is no deadline for states to decide. Next year states will have an opportunity in each calendar quarter, and if they later want to drop out they can do that.

Low-income residents of states refusing the expansion will be exempted from tax penalties for being uninsured. Those penalties also take effect next year, when virtually everyone in the country will be required to have health insurance.

Medicaid already covers more than 60 million people, including many elderly nursing home residents, severely disabled people of any age and many low-income children and their mothers.

An earlier Urban Institute analysis of the expansion found that less than $100 billion in state spending could trigger nearly $1 trillion in federal dollars over a decade.

As originally designed, the expansion was supposed to cover households making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, about $15,860 for an individual or $32,500 for a family of four.

Under the law, Medicaid is the only coverage option for people below the poverty line, $11,490 for an individual, or $23,550 for a family of four. The poor cannot get subsidized private coverage in the new health insurance markets coming on line next year.

"This decision will have very real human costs for the adults who are going to remain uninsured and their families," said Genevieve Kenney, co-director of the Urban Institute's health policy center. "It seriously undermines the ability of the Affordable Care Act to substantially reduce the number of uninsured in this country, at least at the beginning."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/big-medicaid-gap-looms-obama-health-care-law-171500146.html

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Lemongrass tea-poached chicken

Simple and flavorful poached chicken has many uses. Nestle it between bread for a sandwich, on top of a mixed green salad, or use it to make a chicken salad for a picnic.?

By Patricia Tanumihardja,?The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook / June 25, 2013

What to do with lemongrass tops? Try adding them to the water when you poach chicken.

The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook

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Several recipes I learned while writing "The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook" are still in my everyday cooking repertoire. Mochiko Fried Chicken, Japanese-Style Hamburgers, and Deep-Fried Tofu Simmered with Tomatoes, just to name a few.

Skip to next paragraph Patricia Tanumihardja

Born in Indonesia and raised in Singapore, Patricia Tanumihardja writes about food, travel, and lifestyle through a multicultural lens and has been published in numerous national and regional publications. Pat is also the creator of the ?Asian Ingredients 101? iPhone and Android app, a glossary on-the-go that?s the perfect companion on a trip to the Asian market. Her first book,?The Asian Grandmothers Cookbook: Home Cooking from Asian American Kitchens,?will be available in paperback in September 2012.

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And an all-time favorite ? Caramelized Chicken with Lemongrass and Chilies.

Seemingly simple at first, this is one recipe that takes practice to perfect. Over the years, I?ve managed to improve the final outcome bit by bit.

I confidently caramelized the sugar to the point where it turns a rich mahogany and hovers on the bittersweet, and doesn?t burn. I know that the quality of the chicken is very very important to this dish.?The chicken has to be fresh and definitely not plumped up with water. The extra liquid released during cooking turns the chicken pieces into mush, far from the nicely bronzed outcome you want. Now, I can make this dish with my eyes closed (well, almost!) and it turns out delicious every time.

But I am always left with one conundrum: what to do with the?lemongrass?tops? ?I?ve tossed the tops into a pot with tea. I?ve made?lemongrass vinegar. And then it came to me: Why not poached chicken? It would make an excellent addition to a mixed green salad, my?Harvest Rice Salad, or for a summery chicken salad for your next picnic.

The chicken turned out soft and tender, and was imbued with a delightful lemony scent and flavor. The remaining stock was so fragrant I was almost tempted to stick my head over the pot and breathe in the aromatherapy ?fumes!? ?I decided to save it for another dish instead.

Lemongrass tea-poached chicken
I used boneless chicken thighs for this method (I wouldn?t even call it a recipe!) because that?s what I always eat but you can use breasts, too, if you prefer. You can put the?tea leaves?into a cheesecloth sachet but I find that the tea leaves can be easily scraped off.

If you only have tea bags, use one tea bag and remove it once the water comes to a boil, unless you want a stronger tea flavor.?Try adding other complementary herbs to the mix like?Thai basil, ginger, or green onions.

Time: 20 minutes

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon good quality loose-leaf black or green tea

Tops from 3 to 4 stalks of lemongrass

3 smallish boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 3/4 pound)

1. Fill a heavy (2-quart) pot about halfway full with water, just enough to cover the chicken pieces. Add the salt, tea, and lemongrass tops, and bring to a boil.

2. Add the chicken and bring it back to a simmer. Turn off the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid,?and remove the pot from the stove (important if you have an electric stove). Let sit for about 15 minutes (thicker pieces may take longer) or until the chicken is no longer pink inside (cut into a piece to check). If it is, put the lid back on and wait another 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Let the chicken cool a little then put it in the fridge overnight to cool completely. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred with two forks or cut into slices.

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of food bloggers. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by The Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own and they are responsible for the content of their blogs and their recipes. All readers are free to make ingredient substitutions to satisfy their dietary preferences, including not using wine (or substituting cooking wine) when a recipe calls for it. To contact us about a blogger, click here.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/_UZED7sbCjU/Lemongrass-tea-poached-chicken

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Pioneer's New Soundbar Is Beautifully Simple and Wonderfully Cheap

Pioneer's new SB-PS23W is a soundbar the way most people want it: A simple, relatively inexpensive way to make a television sound louder. In that way, it's cut from the same cloth as the fantastic AirPlay speakers the company made last year (actually, they've got the some LA-based designer). It wasn't the first AirPlay speaker, but its design made it a winner.

From what we just heard this $400 soundbar has a lot of the same potential for the basic soundbar market. The six-speaker array sits in a a handsome wooden enclosure that's larger than most. While that might not necessarily mesh with the "invisible" aesthetic most soundbars are going for, it gives the music some space to resonate. (The included wireless sub helps fill out the bottom-end nicely as well.) The sound of sweet guitars resonating in wood?just the way it should be.

How do movies sound? Well, see now, that's the thing?Pioneer wasn't demoing movies because the system is designed for stereo. That means you're not getting any fancy surround sound emulation. Pioneer reps said we're "three years away" from being able to do surround sound well from a soundbar. That's definitely not true, but at a $300 price point?surrrrre.

But the trade of of is simplicity and price. This new sound bar only takes two inputs?optical digital and RCA. So you'll need a separate hub?a TV will do!?to handle all your HDMI inputs.

Usual first impression disclaimer applies: I listened to this thing for a few minutes only, so we'll have to wait and see how it holds up against the cheap soundbars we reviewed last year.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/pioneers-new-soundbar-is-beautifully-simple-and-wonder-585654401

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Malian army takes Anefis, 1st territorial gain

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) ? The Malian military attacked Tuareg rebels early Wednesday and succeeded in taking the village of Anefis, marking the army's first victory and territorial gain without the help of French forces since they were routed from the country's north last year by the separatist fighters, officials on both sides said.

Reached by telephone, the mayor of Anefis said that the confrontation began at 6:30 a.m. just west of the town. Anefis is 113 kilometers (70 miles) south of Kidal, and the last locality before the provincial capital that serves as the base of the rebel National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad, or NMLA. For weeks, the army has been inching up toward Kidal, while the rebels have dug in and brought reinforcements, vowing to go to war if the military attempts to attack the strategic city.

NMLA leader Ibrahim Ag Mohamed Assaleh confirmed that on Wednesday, their fighters were forced to retreat from Anefis, and that they lost the town to the country's armed forces. He said two of his fighters were killed in the early morning clashes, and one of their vehicles was destroyed.

In a statement later posted on the group's website, the NMLA announced that the attack by the Malian military has prompted them to end the ceasefire they had declared earlier.

"Given that the ceasefire was violated by Malian troops today in Anefis," the statement said. "The NMLA ... reserves the right to defend itself against a genocidal army."

In Mali's capital of Bamako, army spokesman Lt. Col. Souleymane Maiga, who heads the army's public relations office, also confirmed the taking of the town, but said that the death toll is likely going to rise.

One year ago in March, the NMLA forced the military to withdraw from more than half of the country's territory in a humiliating blow that left the armed forces in tatters. Led by Tuaregs who have long claimed that the central government has marginalized and ignored their traditionally nomadic people, the NMLA briefly declared independence before being chased out of the territory they had acquired by a trio of al-Qaida-linked groups. The jihadists ruled Mali's north for nearly 10 months until January, when France launched a military intervention to liberate the occupied area, spanning the land mass of Afghanistan.

"Since 6:30 a.m. they are exchanging fire with heavy weapons," said Anefis Mayor Izga Ag Sidi. "We are hearing the sound of artillery explosions."

The NMLA said the Malian military had opened fire on them. "A convoy of at least 300 (Malian) army vehicles with armored personnel carriers arrived last night. We ordered our men to leave Anefis in order to make sure that the battle would take place outside of the town in order to spare the lives of the population of Anefis," said Assaleh.

The NMLA invaded northern Mali in March 2012 and briefly declared the birth of a new Tuareg nation before being chased out by fighters who were largely under the command of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb. When the extremists were flushed out in January and February by French forces, the Malian military was able to return to two of the three largest cities in the north ? Timbuktu and Gao. They have not as yet been able to return to Kidal, which quickly fell back into the NMLA's hands.

In a move that has created a growing divide between Mali and France, French forces were able to liberate the city of Kidal, but they stood by and did not intervene when a battalion of NMLA fighters returned to their former stronghold, quickly setting up a shadow administration, including their own governor. Kidal and its surrounding region is now a de facto Tuareg state.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius denied any collusion with NMLA.

"Contrary to what has been said ... there is no collusion between the NMLA and France or the French army. We hope simply that the national and international decisions are applied, that is to say that elections be held everywhere at the end of July, notably in Kidal, that there is a dialogue and that the dialogue will happen once the new president is elected," he said in an interview with French TV.

Fabius stressed the importance of the elections.

"The people in the north, notably the Tuaregs, are asking for ? which is legitimate ? a discussion with the authorities. But there can only be a deep discussion with the authorities after we have new authorities. That comes from elections," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Rukmini Callimachi in Dakar, Senegal and Sarah DiLorenzo in Paris contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-05-Mali-Tuareg%20Rebels/id-6d914c3e748f4407b43692eb6bcb1788

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MallWeGo Is A Social Shopping And Gaming Platform To Make Buying Stuff More Fun

MallWeGo is launching at the Disrupt NY 2013 Startup Alley today with a social, gaming shopping experience for web and mobile. The company has built a virtual world for socialising with friends in avatar form, which looks like a simplified Second Life or The Sims, but the kicker is it's built for ecommerce, with a virtual mall where people can buy real-world products.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/qEzvve53JV0/

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French Socialists soften tone on Merkel

By Sybille de La Hamaide

PARIS (Reuters) - France's ruling Socialist party will remove strongly worded criticism of German Chancellor Angela Merkel from a draft text on Europe that revealed the level of hostility Berlin's focus on austerity, its coordinator for Europe said on Sunday.

Cooperation between France and Germany has long provided the main motor for decision-making in the European Union. But a debt crisis has strained those ties in the past year as ideologically opposed leaders have disagreed on points of economic policy.

A document to be presented at a June party brainstorming conference on Europe had described the German leader as "self-centered" and said her austerity policies were hurting Europe.

But this "stigmatizing language used towards Angela Merkel" would now be removed, Jean-Christophe Cambadelis, deputy-chairman of the Party of European Socialists (PES), said on his website.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault also stepped in to stress the importance of the Franco-German dialogue and praised the friendship between Paris and Berlin which he said was indispensable to the European project and economic recovery.

"We will not solve Europe's problems without an intense and sincere dialogue between France and Germany," Ayrault, a former German teacher, said in tweets posted both in French and German.

The tone of the initial document added to growing criticism of Berlin from France after Socialist National Assembly speaker Claude Bartolone this week raised the prospect of a "confrontation" with Merkel.

A source in President Francois Hollande's office said on Friday that the document represented only the party, but did not dispute its central message.

In its first reaction to the comments on Merkel, Berlin played down any tension between the two countries.

"We work very well together. We don't have the feeling that there is a change in policy," Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert told Le Monde newspaper.

ISOLATED

Hollande was critical of Merkel's insistence on budget consolidation while he was running for president last year, but has adopted a more conciliatory tone since becoming president.

He often describes France's ties with EU paymaster Germany as defined by "friendly tension" between equal partners but some Socialists, including Bartolone, think this friendliness overstated.

Senior opposition politician and former Prime Minister Alain Juppe said told Le Monde he thought the trust between France and Germany had been broken and said that France had lost the credibility for a tough dialogue with Berlin.

"France is totally isolated," he said.

Hollande must rely on a solid Socialist majority in parliament to pass structural reforms this year, including overhauls of the jobless and pension systems. But a small camp of dissidents is growing, threatening his Senate majority.

The left-wing of the party accepted the idea of a single text to be presented at a meeting of the European Socialist in late June, but several disagreements remained, Cambadelis said, without detailing them.

"The battle for an alternative majority to the governing right-wing in Europe has begun," he said.

(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/french-socialists-soften-tone-merkel-151724370.html

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Justice hospitalized after bike accident

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is in a Washington hospital after shoulder replacement surgery following a bicycle accident.

Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says the 74-year-old Breyer is expected to make a full recovery following the operation Saturday.

Breyer injured his right shoulder in a fall Friday near the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

The justice previously broke his collarbone in an accident in 2011 and sustained broken ribs and a punctured lung in a bicycle mishap in 1993, before he joined the court.

Breyer was appointed to the court in 1994 by President William Clinton.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/breyer-shoulder-surgery-bike-accident-185836032.html

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Fatal stabbing of girl, 8, prompts NorCal manhunt

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Residents of a rural Northern California county were being told Sunday to keep their doors locked and report anyone considered suspicious as authorities continued the search for the killer of an 8-year-old girl.

Calaveras County deputies and law enforcement officials from neighboring counties, as well as California Highway Patrol officers and members of the California Department of Justice, were looking for a suspect after Leila Fowler was found stabbed in her Valley Springs home around noon Saturday.

The girl was found by her brother ? reported by local media to be 12-years-old ? after he encountered a male intruder in the home. When the intruder ran away, the boy found his sister stabbed. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital, officials said.

Initially Leila was reported as being 9-years-old, but Coroner Kevin Raggio said Sunday that she would have turned 9 in June.

Authorities spent Saturday night and into Sunday conducting a door-to-door sweep of homes scattered across hilly terrain, checking storage sheds and horse stables, and even searching attics.

"It is a difficult area to search, it's rural, remote," sheriff's Capt. Jim Macedo said.

Reverse 911 calls and Nixle mass notifications alerted area residents about the incident and the search for the suspect, officials said.

"I was working on my tractor and a CHP copter kept flying over my house," area resident Roger Ballew, 35, told The Associated Press on Sunday.

A SWAT team showed up at his house Saturday night and told him to stay inside, Ballew said.

"It was nerve-wracking, I didn't sleep well," he said.

Investigators on Sunday were interviewing several people, but no suspects had been named by late afternoon. Investigators were checking out tips that had come in to the sheriff's office, including leads and tips that came from outside Calaveras County, officials said.

"It's just terrible," area resident Paul Gschweng told Sacramento television station KCRA. "What can I say about it, it's just a tragedy."

The station reported that a neighbor told police that a man was running from the girl's home after the incident.

The suspect was seen wearing a black shirt and blue pants. Authorities considered him armed and dangerous.

Investigators were asking area residents to call authorities if they had any information, or knew of anyone who may have unexplained injuries, or may have left the area unexpectedly after the girl was killed.

Valley Springs is a community of about 2,500 people in an unincorporated area of Calaveras County, known as "Gold Country," in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, about 60 miles southeast of Sacramento.

The county became world-famous in 1865 with Mark Twain's short story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," according to the Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce website.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fatal-stabbing-girl-8-prompts-norcal-manhunt-194628919.html

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Fins flop, AFC underwhelms

Bang it here for 2013 NFC Draft Grades.

Baltimore Ravens

32. Matt Elam, strong safety, Florida.
56. Arthur Brown, inside linebacker, Kansas State.
94. Brandon Williams, nose tackle, Missouri Southern.
129. John Simon, outside linebacker, Ohio State.
130. Kyle Juszczyk, fullback, Harvard.
168. Ricky Wagner, tackle, Wisconsin.
200. Kapron Lewis-Moore, defensive end, Notre Dame.
203. Ryan Jensen, guard, Colorado State-Pueblo.
238. Aaron Mellette, receiver, Elon.
247. Marc Anthony, cornerback, California.

Overview: The Ravens entered Thursday with an AFC-high 12 picks. They proceeded to replenish a defense picked apart in free agency with first- and second-day value grabs that address immediate needs. Elam and Brown are plug-and-play starters who add physicality up the middle. Experienced covering slot receivers, Elam is an upgrade on outgoing Bernard Pollard, while Brown's game tape was arguably indicative of a top-20 overall player. Williams is a quick-footed 340-pound nose tackle with pocket-pushing ability. Simon draws comparisons to James Harrison as a stubby, if stout rush linebacker prospect with a deceptively explosive first step. Juszczyk, Wagner, Lewis-Moore, and Anthony look like future role players. Mellette was another terrific late-round value pick. Once GM Ozzie Newsome gets left tackle Bryant McKinnie re-signed, the Ravens' 2013 lineups will near completion. And I think the product can be better than what Baltimore put on the field in 2012.

Grade: B+

Buffalo Bills

16. E.J. Manuel, quarterback, Florida State.
41. Robert Woods, receiver, USC.
46. Kiko Alonso, linebacker, Oregon.
78. Marquise Goodwin, receiver, Texas.
105. Duke Williams, safety, Nevada.
143. Jonathan Meeks, safety, Clemson.
177. Dustin Hopkins, kicker, Florida State.
222. Chris Gragg, tight end, Arkansas.

Overview: A high-risk, potentially high-reward draft. Top Bills personnel men Buddy Nix and Doug Whaley deserve kudos for pre-draft misdirection that convinced everyone Ryan Nassib or even perhaps Matt Barkley would be the No. 8 pick. Instead, they traded down to acquire more valuable choices and still came away with real franchise quarterback target Manuel. I'm admittedly skeptical of Manuel's NFL future, but Buffalo's execution was impressive. Woods, Alonso, Williams, and Gragg were solid value selections. The former two can help right away. The jury is out on whether Goodwin upgrades on in-house speedster T.J. Graham. Meeks and Hopkins were suspect picks.

Grade: C+

Cincinnati Bengals

21. Tyler Eifert, tight end, Notre Dame.
37. Giovani Bernard, running back, North Carolina.
53. Margus Hunt, defensive end, SMU.
84. Shawn Williams, safety, Georgia.
118. Sean Porter, outside linebacker, Texas A&M.
156. Tanner Hawkinson, tackle, Kansas.
190. Rex Burkhead, running back, Nebraska.
197. Cobi Hamilton, receiver, Arkansas.
240. Reid Fragel, tackle, Ohio State.
251. T.J. Johnson, center/guard, South Carolina.

Overview: The Bengals have done a great job of value drafting in recent years, and I don't think that changed here. Eifert was an obvious best-available selection and gives Cincy the athletic movement tight end Jermaine Gresham was supposed to be. Bernard should run circles around plodder BenJarvus Green-Ellis in camp, adding sorely needed playmaking ability to the backfield. Hunt is a Combine freak with unimpressive college tape and turns 26 years old before the season, but he couldn't have landed in a better spot. He'll receive Mike Zimmer and Marvin Lewis' tutelage as a developmental project while riding the bench initially behind one of the NFL's top front fours. Williams, Porter, Burkhead, Hamilton, and Fragel could all be contributors within the next year or two. Quarterback remains an issue in Cincinnati, but the rest of the roster is becoming awfully good.

Grade: B

Cleveland Browns

6. Barkevious Mingo, outside linebacker, LSU.
68. Leon McFadden, cornerback, San Diego State.
175. Jamoris Slaughter, strong safety, Notre Dame.
217. Armonty Bryant, defensive end, East Central (OK).
227. Garrett Gilkey, tackle, Chadron State.

Overview: I contemplated factoring Josh Gordon into this grade -- he was a 2012 second-round Supplemental Pick and cost Cleveland its 2013 second-round choice -- but decided against it because the pick was made by a prior regime. New GM Mike Lombardi does deserve credit for the Davone Bess trade, which netted Cleveland a reliable chain-moving slot receiver and all told cost very little. Along the way, the Browns invested in the 2014 draft, acquiring third- and fourth-round picks next year via trades with Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. Mingo was the most naturally explosive edge presence in this draft. McFadden may be stretched covering outside receivers in the NFL, but projects as an upgrade on Buster Skrine at nickel back. Bryant has some upside as a small-school project. Slaughter can be a core special teamer if his Achilles' is right. Lombardi's first draft haul underwhelms on paper, but the Browns can capitalize on his forward-minded thinking next year.

Grade: C

Denver Broncos

28. Sylvester Williams, defensive tackle, North Carolina.
58. Montee Ball, running back, Wisconsin.
90. Kayvon Webster, cornerback, South Florida.
146. Quanterus Smith, defensive end, Western Kentucky.
161. Tavarres King, receiver, Georgia.
173. Vinston Painter, tackle, Virginia Tech.
234. Zac Dysert, quarterback, Miami of Ohio.

Overview: The early rounds of VP of Player Personnel John Elway's third Broncos draft were largely by the book. Perhaps only Webster could be considered a reach, but he was a late third-rounder and adds quality secondary depth. Elway found potential late-round gems. Speed rusher Smith was leading the nation in sacks last year -- including three against Alabama's offensive line -- before tearing his left ACL in mid-November. King won't play right away, but offers starting-caliber potential down the line with 4.47 jets and separation skills. Although inexperienced, Painter is long armed and highly athletic with upside to develop into a starter at tackle or left guard. Dysert was a favorite of Rotoworld draft guru Josh Norris, whom I trust. Norris encourages not to be surprised if Dysert eventually overtakes shaky 2012 second-round pick Brock Osweiler behind Peyton Manning.

Grade: B

Houston Texans

27. DeAndre Hopkins, receiver, Clemson.
57. D.J. Swearinger, safety, South Carolina.
89. Brennan Williams, tackle, North Carolina.
95. Sam Montgomery, outside linebacker, LSU.
124. Trevardo Williams, outside linebacker, Connecticut.
176. David Quessenberry, tackle/guard, San Jose State.
195. Alan Bonner, receiver, Jacksonville State.
198. Chris Jones, defensive tackle, Bowling Green.
201. Ryan Griffin, tight end, Connecticut.

Overview: Perhaps no AFC team found a better first-round fit than Hopkins in Houston. A Roddy White-type talent, Hopkins is a pro-ready bookend for X receiver Andre Johnson, playing Z and in the slot. Hard-hitting, trash-talking Swearinger will be a third safety as a rookie, but adds special teams value and could grow into the Texans' next Glover Quin. Williams is an athletic, finesse right tackle prospect capable of putting immediate pressure on inconsistent starter Derek Newton. An LSU base 4-3 end, Montgomery is a questionable schematic fit for Houston's 3-4 but was a value pick. Williams is undersized but wildly explosive off the age. Quessenberry is another zone-blocking prospect. I liked the late-round stab at Jones, who dominated the MAC last season.

Grade: B

Indianapolis Colts

24. Bjoern Werner, outside linebacker, Florida State.
86. Hugh Thornton, guard, Illinois.
121. Khaled Holmes, center, USC.
139. Montori Hughes, defensive tackle, Tennessee-Martin.
192. John Boyett, safety, Oregon.
230. Kerwynn Williams, running back, Utah State.
254. Justice Cunningham, tight end, South Carolina.

Overview: Keep in mind Colts GM Ryan Grigson also surrendered a 2014 fourth-round pick in the trade up for Hughes early in round five. I'm surprised Grigson mortgaged part of his future for a small-schooler with a checkered character background. Not only is Werner an odd fit for Chuck Pagano's 3-4 defense, but his tendency to give up on plays after initially being blocked was disconcerting on game film. Contrary to popular belief ? which may be racially driven -- the player's motor is an issue. I liked the Thornton pick, but not Holmes. I didn't love many of Grigson's free-agency moves or his draft as a whole, and this grade will be low. But the 2012 NFL Executive of the Year has earned every ounce of the benefit of the doubt. The Colts have a top-15 roster a year after going 2-14, thanks in large part to Grigson's scouting. He knows more than me.

Grade: C-

Jacksonville Jaguars

2. Luke Joeckel, right tackle, Texas A&M.
33. Johnathan Cyprien, strong safety, FIU.
64. Dwayne Gratz, cornerback, Connecticut.
101. Ace Sanders, receiver, South Carolina.
135. Denard Robinson, running back, Michigan.
169. Josh Evans, free safety, Florida.
208. Jeremy Harris, cornerback, New Mexico State.
210. Demetrius McCray, cornerback, Appalachian State.

Overview: Rookie GM Dave Caldwell inherited one of the league's most talent-starved rosters from annual draft-misser Gene Smith. Caldwell's approach was to simply land good football players, which makes sense because Jacksonville doesn't have many of them. Joeckel and Cyprien were widely considered first-round locks before the draft, and I thought press-corner Gratz was a sleeper for the top 32. The Robinson pick may be laughed at in some circles, but he has a genuine chance to be the Jaguars' running back of the future. Maurice Jones-Drew is coming off major foot surgery and entering a contract year. Evans was a solid late value pick; he has centerfielder range and was an excellent player overshadowed by Matt Elam at UF. The Jags still have a laundry list of needs -- pass rusher and quarterback most glaring among them -- but from all indications Caldwell is off to a strong start. Jacksonville still has a long way to go before becoming a competitive team.

Grade: B-

Bang it here for 2013 NFC Draft Grades.

Baltimore Ravens

32. Matt Elam, strong safety, Florida.
56. Arthur Brown, inside linebacker, Kansas State.
94. Brandon Williams, nose tackle, Missouri Southern.
129. John Simon, outside linebacker, Ohio State.
130. Kyle Juszczyk, fullback, Harvard.
168. Ricky Wagner, tackle, Wisconsin.
200. Kapron Lewis-Moore, defensive end, Notre Dame.
203. Ryan Jensen, guard, Colorado State-Pueblo.
238. Aaron Mellette, receiver, Elon.
247. Marc Anthony, cornerback, California.

Overview: The Ravens entered Thursday with an AFC-high 12 picks. They proceeded to replenish a defense picked apart in free agency with first- and second-day value grabs that address immediate needs. Elam and Brown are plug-and-play starters who add physicality up the middle. Experienced covering slot receivers, Elam is an upgrade on outgoing Bernard Pollard, while Brown's game tape was arguably indicative of a top-20 overall player. Williams is a quick-footed 340-pound nose tackle with pocket-pushing ability. Simon draws comparisons to James Harrison as a stubby, if stout rush linebacker prospect with a deceptively explosive first step. Juszczyk, Wagner, Lewis-Moore, and Anthony look like future role players. Mellette was another terrific late-round value pick. Once GM Ozzie Newsome gets left tackle Bryant McKinnie re-signed, the Ravens' 2013 lineups will near completion. And I think the product can be better than what Baltimore put on the field in 2012.

Grade: B+

Buffalo Bills

16. E.J. Manuel, quarterback, Florida State.
41. Robert Woods, receiver, USC.
46. Kiko Alonso, linebacker, Oregon.
78. Marquise Goodwin, receiver, Texas.
105. Duke Williams, safety, Nevada.
143. Jonathan Meeks, safety, Clemson.
177. Dustin Hopkins, kicker, Florida State.
222. Chris Gragg, tight end, Arkansas.

Overview: A high-risk, potentially high-reward draft. Top Bills personnel men Buddy Nix and Doug Whaley deserve kudos for pre-draft misdirection that convinced everyone Ryan Nassib or even perhaps Matt Barkley would be the No. 8 pick. Instead, they traded down to acquire more valuable choices and still came away with real franchise quarterback target Manuel. I'm admittedly skeptical of Manuel's NFL future, but Buffalo's execution was impressive. Woods, Alonso, Williams, and Gragg were solid value selections. The former two can help right away. The jury is out on whether Goodwin upgrades on in-house speedster T.J. Graham. Meeks and Hopkins were suspect picks.

Grade: C+

Cincinnati Bengals

21. Tyler Eifert, tight end, Notre Dame.
37. Giovani Bernard, running back, North Carolina.
53. Margus Hunt, defensive end, SMU.
84. Shawn Williams, safety, Georgia.
118. Sean Porter, outside linebacker, Texas A&M.
156. Tanner Hawkinson, tackle, Kansas.
190. Rex Burkhead, running back, Nebraska.
197. Cobi Hamilton, receiver, Arkansas.
240. Reid Fragel, tackle, Ohio State.
251. T.J. Johnson, center/guard, South Carolina.

Overview: The Bengals have done a great job of value drafting in recent years, and I don't think that changed here. Eifert was an obvious best-available selection and gives Cincy the athletic movement tight end Jermaine Gresham was supposed to be. Bernard should run circles around plodder BenJarvus Green-Ellis in camp, adding sorely needed playmaking ability to the backfield. Hunt is a Combine freak with unimpressive college tape and turns 26 years old before the season, but he couldn't have landed in a better spot. He'll receive Mike Zimmer and Marvin Lewis' tutelage as a developmental project while riding the bench initially behind one of the NFL's top front fours. Williams, Porter, Burkhead, Hamilton, and Fragel could all be contributors within the next year or two. Quarterback remains an issue in Cincinnati, but the rest of the roster is becoming awfully good.

Grade: B

Cleveland Browns

6. Barkevious Mingo, outside linebacker, LSU.
68. Leon McFadden, cornerback, San Diego State.
175. Jamoris Slaughter, strong safety, Notre Dame.
217. Armonty Bryant, defensive end, East Central (OK).
227. Garrett Gilkey, tackle, Chadron State.

Overview: I contemplated factoring Josh Gordon into this grade -- he was a 2012 second-round Supplemental Pick and cost Cleveland its 2013 second-round choice -- but decided against it because the pick was made by a prior regime. New GM Mike Lombardi does deserve credit for the Davone Bess trade, which netted Cleveland a reliable chain-moving slot receiver and all told cost very little. Along the way, the Browns invested in the 2014 draft, acquiring third- and fourth-round picks next year via trades with Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. Mingo was the most naturally explosive edge presence in this draft. McFadden may be stretched covering outside receivers in the NFL, but projects as an upgrade on Buster Skrine at nickel back. Bryant has some upside as a small-school project. Slaughter can be a core special teamer if his Achilles' is right. Lombardi's first draft haul underwhelms on paper, but the Browns can capitalize on his forward-minded thinking next year.

Grade: C

Denver Broncos

28. Sylvester Williams, defensive tackle, North Carolina.
58. Montee Ball, running back, Wisconsin.
90. Kayvon Webster, cornerback, South Florida.
146. Quanterus Smith, defensive end, Western Kentucky.
161. Tavarres King, receiver, Georgia.
173. Vinston Painter, tackle, Virginia Tech.
234. Zac Dysert, quarterback, Miami of Ohio.

Overview: The early rounds of VP of Player Personnel John Elway's third Broncos draft were largely by the book. Perhaps only Webster could be considered a reach, but he was a late third-rounder and adds quality secondary depth. Elway found potential late-round gems. Speed rusher Smith was leading the nation in sacks last year -- including three against Alabama's offensive line -- before tearing his left ACL in mid-November. King won't play right away, but offers starting-caliber potential down the line with 4.47 jets and separation skills. Although inexperienced, Painter is long armed and highly athletic with upside to develop into a starter at tackle or left guard. Dysert was a favorite of Rotoworld draft guru Josh Norris, whom I trust. Norris encourages not to be surprised if Dysert eventually overtakes shaky 2012 second-round pick Brock Osweiler behind Peyton Manning.

Grade: B

Houston Texans

27. DeAndre Hopkins, receiver, Clemson.
57. D.J. Swearinger, safety, South Carolina.
89. Brennan Williams, tackle, North Carolina.
95. Sam Montgomery, outside linebacker, LSU.
124. Trevardo Williams, outside linebacker, Connecticut.
176. David Quessenberry, tackle/guard, San Jose State.
195. Alan Bonner, receiver, Jacksonville State.
198. Chris Jones, defensive tackle, Bowling Green.
201. Ryan Griffin, tight end, Connecticut.

Overview: Perhaps no AFC team found a better first-round fit than Hopkins in Houston. A Roddy White-type talent, Hopkins is a pro-ready bookend for X receiver Andre Johnson, playing Z and in the slot. Hard-hitting, trash-talking Swearinger will be a third safety as a rookie, but adds special teams value and could grow into the Texans' next Glover Quin. Williams is an athletic, finesse right tackle prospect capable of putting immediate pressure on inconsistent starter Derek Newton. An LSU base 4-3 end, Montgomery is a questionable schematic fit for Houston's 3-4 but was a value pick. Williams is undersized but wildly explosive off the age. Quessenberry is another zone-blocking prospect. I liked the late-round stab at Jones, who dominated the MAC last season.

Grade: B

Indianapolis Colts

24. Bjoern Werner, outside linebacker, Florida State.
86. Hugh Thornton, guard, Illinois.
121. Khaled Holmes, center, USC.
139. Montori Hughes, defensive tackle, Tennessee-Martin.
192. John Boyett, safety, Oregon.
230. Kerwynn Williams, running back, Utah State.
254. Justice Cunningham, tight end, South Carolina.

Overview: Keep in mind Colts GM Ryan Grigson also surrendered a 2014 fourth-round pick in the trade up for Hughes early in round five. I'm surprised Grigson mortgaged part of his future for a small-schooler with a checkered character background. Not only is Werner an odd fit for Chuck Pagano's 3-4 defense, but his tendency to give up on plays after initially being blocked was disconcerting on game film. Contrary to popular belief ? which may be racially driven -- the player's motor is an issue. I liked the Thornton pick, but not Holmes. I didn't love many of Grigson's free-agency moves or his draft as a whole, and this grade will be low. But the 2012 NFL Executive of the Year has earned every ounce of the benefit of the doubt. The Colts have a top-15 roster a year after going 2-14, thanks in large part to Grigson's scouting. He knows more than me.

Grade: C-

Jacksonville Jaguars

2. Luke Joeckel, right tackle, Texas A&M.
33. Johnathan Cyprien, strong safety, FIU.
64. Dwayne Gratz, cornerback, Connecticut.
101. Ace Sanders, receiver, South Carolina.
135. Denard Robinson, running back, Michigan.
169. Josh Evans, free safety, Florida.
208. Jeremy Harris, cornerback, New Mexico State.
210. Demetrius McCray, cornerback, Appalachian State.

Overview: Rookie GM Dave Caldwell inherited one of the league's most talent-starved rosters from annual draft-misser Gene Smith. Caldwell's approach was to simply land good football players, which makes sense because Jacksonville doesn't have many of them. Joeckel and Cyprien were widely considered first-round locks before the draft, and I thought press-corner Gratz was a sleeper for the top 32. The Robinson pick may be laughed at in some circles, but he has a genuine chance to be the Jaguars' running back of the future. Maurice Jones-Drew is coming off major foot surgery and entering a contract year. Evans was a solid late value pick; he has centerfielder range and was an excellent player overshadowed by Matt Elam at UF. The Jags still have a laundry list of needs -- pass rusher and quarterback most glaring among them -- but from all indications Caldwell is off to a strong start. Jacksonville still has a long way to go before becoming a competitive team.

Grade: B-

Kansas City Chiefs

1. Eric Fisher, left tackle, Central Michigan.
63. Travis Kelce, tight end, Cincinnati.
96. Knile Davis, running back, Arkansas.
99. Nico Johnson, inside linebacker, Alabama.
134. Sanders Commings, cornerback, Georgia.
170. Eric Kush, center, California (PA).
204. Braden Wilson, fullback, Kansas State.
207. Mike Catapano, defensive end, Princeton.

Overview: GM John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid entered the draft without a second-round pick following the Alex Smith trade. Their failed Branden Albert trade bid ensured it stayed that way. Kansas City still drafted left tackle Fisher with the first pick and plucked day-one talent Kelce at the beginning of round three. Their draft dropped off precipitously from there. Selecting workout warrior running back Davis over Johnathan Franklin was one of the worst picks of the 2013 draft. If Davis' college tape means anything for his NFL future -- and I believe it does -- he won't be long for the league. Johnson is a two-down role player and special teamer at best. Commings has been billed as a physical press corner, but I watched his tape and found him to be allergic to contact. The Catapano pick offered late-round value, but otherwise I was unimpressed by this eight-man haul.

Grade: C-

Miami Dolphins

3. Dion Jordan, defensive end, Oregon.
54. Jamar Taylor, cornerback, Boise State.
77. Dallas Thomas, guard/tackle, Tennessee.
93. Will Davis, cornerback, Utah State.
104. Jelani Jenkins, inside linebacker, Florida.
106. Dion Sims, tight end, Michigan State.
164. Mike Gillislee, running back, Florida.
166. Caleb Sturgis, kicker, Florida.
250. Don Jones, safety, Arkansas State.

Overview: GM Jeff Ireland was pick-rich after unloading Brandon Marshall and Vontae Davis -- two premier NFL starters -- for pennies on the dollar. Those bad trades are factored into Miami's grade. After more trades, the Fins wound up turning the two Marshall third-rounders into Michael Egnew, B.J. Cunningham, blocking tight end Sims, and part of the deal that brought underwhelming corner prospect Davis. For Vontae, they got Taylor straight up. Jordan has a chance to be the best player in this draft class. I like Taylor. Gillislee could be a year-one upgrade on Daniel Thomas if he demonstrates consistency in pass protection. Jones has starter measurables and offered value at the tail end of day three. But Ireland can't be let off the hook for his past talent-shaving trades just because he snuck them into last offseason. The Fins are still paying the piper, and after nauseatingly producing four consecutive losing seasons Ireland has cost himself all possible benefit of the doubt.

Grade: D+

New England Patriots

52. Jamie Collins, defensive end, Southern Miss.
59. Aaron Dobson, receiver, Marshall.
83. Logan Ryan, cornerback, Rutgers.
91. Duron Harmon, safety, Rutgers.
102. Josh Boyce, receiver, TCU.
226. Michael Buchanan, defensive end, Illinois.
235. Steve Beauharnais, inside linebacker, Rutgers.

Overview: The Patriots entered the draft with just five picks and did well to maneuver down the board, picking up more chances to improve their roster. Collins is an underrated, explosive edge rusher. Dobson had the best hands of any receiver in the draft. Boyce can really run, and Buchanan is talented enough to develop into an eventual NFL contributor. Ryan will play on special teams and may eventually push slot cornerback Kyle Arrington for snaps. The Patriots drafted several solid prospects and could get surprise impact from some members of the group, but New England is a win-now team and I'm not confident this draft will help them get where they want to be in 2013.

Grade: C-

New York Jets

9. Dee Milliner, cornerback, Alabama.
13. Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle, Missouri.
39. Geno Smith, quarterback, West Virginia.
72. Brian Winters, guard, Kent State.
141. Oday Aboushi, tackle, Virginia.
178. William Campbell, guard, Michigan.
215. Tommy Bohanon, fullback, Wake Forest.

Overview: The fact that the Jets surrendered Hall of Fame talent Darrelle Revis for the 13th pick (and a 2014 third-rounder) is factored into their grade. GM John Idzik was still savvy enough to pull off a productive trade of his own, sending pick No. 106 to the Saints for new feature back Chris Ivory. Rather than adhere to a position-specific strategy, Idzik made selections working straight down his board. Milliner and Richardson upgrade the pass defense. Smith was the Jets' No. 1-rated quarterback and figures to start over David Garrard as a rookie. (Mark Sanchez will be released.) Winters is a highly impressive prospect and probable Week 1 starter at right guard. Aboushi, Campbell, and Bohanon may amount to mid- to late-round throwaways, but the Jets got better in this draft with five starting-caliber talents, including Ivory. Revis' loss still keeps their grade in check.

Grade: C+

Oakland Raiders

12. D.J. Hayden, cornerback, Houston.
42. Menelik Watson, tackle, Florida State.
66. Sio Moore, linebacker, Connecticut.
112. Tyler Wilson, quarterback, Arkansas.
172. Nick Kasa, tight end, Colorado.
181. Latavius Murray, running back, Central Florida.
184. Mychal Rivera, tight end, Tennessee.
205. Stacy McGee, defensive tackle, Oklahoma.
209. Brice Butler, receiver, San Diego State.
233. David Bass, defensive end, Missouri Western.

Overview: The Raiders essentially came away from GM Reggie McKenzie's first draft with a goose egg and signed several 2012 free-agent busts, from Mike Brisiel and Dave Tollefson to Shawntae Spencer and Ron Bartell. He also traded for Matt Flynn, which is not a solution for Oakland's long-term quarterback woes. Entering the draft, I worried McKenzie was simply struggling to identify talent. This haul eased some concerns. The Hayden and Wilson picks stand out as quality value additions of potential franchise changers. Wilson doesn't have the greatest arm and isn't the most accurate thrower, but he was the best quarterback in the draft in terms of pocket toughness. And that trait can take a signal caller a long way. I wouldn't be surprised if he started over Flynn this year. Kasa, Murray, and Bass were worthwhile late-round stabs. Watson will probably start at right tackle as a rookie, which is where he played last year at Florida State. I like Moore as a prospect, but didn't understand the fit. The Raiders are still desperate for pass rushers.

Grade: B-

Pittsburgh Steelers

17. Jarvis Jones, outside linebacker, Georgia.
48. Le'Veon Bell, running back, Michigan State.
79. Markus Wheaton, receiver, Oregon State.
111. Shamarko Thomas, strong safety, Syracuse.
115. Landry Jones, quarterback, Oklahoma.
150. Terry Hawthorne, cornerback, Illinois.
186. Justin Brown, receiver, Oklahoma.
206. Vince Williams, inside linebacker, Florida State.
223. Nick Williams, defensive end, Samford.

Overview: There's a lot to like about this draft on paper. Just keep in mind Pittsburgh sent a 2014 third-round pick to Cleveland in exchange for No. 111. Hard-hitting Thomas was a value there, but may only help on special teams for the next year and is a tight-hipped safety prospect, which is why he was available in round four. Jones and Bell are day-one starters, while Wheaton should have every opportunity to win a job in three-receiver sets as the "X" when Emmanuel Sanders kicks inside to the slot. Vince Williams is a physical inside thumper. Nick is built ideally to play five-technique end in Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense and has developmental athleticism. Hawthorne was once a projected future first-rounder. Jones has a great arm and quick release, though he'll have to improve his in-pocket courage to pan out. I think the Steelers added good football players and can expect immediate impact from two to three acquisitions, but giving up next year's third-rounder is still bothersome when the team cannot be sure Thomas will be a productive NFL player.

Grade: C+

San Diego Chargers

11. D.J. Fluker, right tackle, Alabama.
38. Manti Te'o, inside linebacker, Notre Dame.
76. Keenan Allen, receiver, California.
145. Steve Williams, cornerback, California.
179. Tourek Williams, outside linebacker, FIU.
221. Brad Sorensen, quarterback, Southern Utah.

Overview: Rookie GM Tom Telesco's first draft netted just one clear-cut value pick in Allen. More disturbingly, Fluker was the only front-five addition to arguably the NFL's worst offensive line. Telesco has been praised for stealing Allen in round three, but I'm not sure that pick helps the offense whatsoever if Philip Rivers isn't protected. And pass protection was Fluker's weakness in college, surrendering 5.5 sacks and 15.5 more hurries last season. He can be made to look silly by speedy edge rushers. The Williamses bring to the table athleticism and core special teams value, but neither projects as a future NFL starter. Sorensen is coming off a disappointing senior season at a small school. Te'o can be a solid two-down inside linebacker if protected by massive defensive tackles, but wasn't worth the trade up, which cost San Diego the Nos. 45 and 110 overall picks. I just find it shocking that Telesco showed so little urgency about upgrading his offensive line.

Grade: D

Tennessee Titans

10. Chance Warmack, guard, Alabama.
34. Justin Hunter, receiver, Tennessee.
70. Blidi Wreh-Wilson, cornerback, Connecticut.
97. Zaviar Gooden, outside linebacker, Missouri.
107. Brian Schwenke, center, California.
142. LaVar Edwards, defensive end, LSU.
202. Khalid Wooten, cornerback, Nevada.
248. Daimion Stafford, safety, Nebraska.

Overview: The players acquired look impressive at first glance, but dig deeper and there are concerns about the class as a whole and the costs to put it together. In the trade up for Hunter, Tennessee surrendered pick Nos. 40 (Tank Carradine) and 216 (Charles Johnson), on top of a 2014 third-round pick. All that for a six-spot jump in round two, which netted a receiver with great physical gifts but suspect hands. It was a steep price. Warmack adds needed power to the Titans' line, but was a largely ineffective second-level blocker at Alabama due to limited movement skills. He's a phone-booth player entering a zone scheme. Schwenke and Gooden stand out as value picks, but Tennessee did little to upgrade its porous pass defense and still needs to get more physical on Jerry Gray's side of the ball. Regardless of draft results, Jake Locker's third-year progress -- or lack thereof -- will determine whether or not the Titans field a competitive 2013 football team. And it'll probably determine Gray, GM Ruston Webster, and coach Mike Munchak's future in Nashville.

Grade: C-

Source: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/43164/174/draft-2013-afc-draft-grades

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Chrome Beta updated with better rendering and bug fixes

Page rendering performance and frequently occurring crashes addressed in today's update

Chrome Beta has been updated in Google Play this afternoon, and along with the usual (and often cryptic) fixes and enhancements, this version was specifically updated with an "Improvement to page rendering performance."  Here's the full list of changes, because we know some of you are into that sort of thing.

• 179250: Black screen during load on Huawei tablets
• 224379: Cannot scroll images after zooming in
• 226193: Blue line displayed below the omnibox
• Improvement to page rendering performance
• Fixes for some frequently occurring crashes

We don't post every time a beta version of an app gets updated, but we know more than a few folks are concerned with things like improvements to page rendering performance -- we know we are. You can update, or grab the beta from the Google Play link above.

Source: Google Chrome blog

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/IMLF3fbhBwM/story01.htm

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Dems, GOP talk up deficit reduction, but don't act

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Liberals' loud objections to White House proposals for slowing the growth of huge social programs make it clear that neither political party puts a high priority on reducing the deficit, despite much talk to the contrary.

For years, House Republicans have adamantly refused to raise income taxes, even though U.S. taxes are historically low, and the Bush-era tax cuts were a major cause of the current deficit.

And now, top Democrats are staunchly opposing changes to Medicare and Social Security benefits, despite studies showing the programs' financial paths are unsustainable.

Unless something gives, it's hard to see what will produce the significant compromises needed to tame the federal debt, which is nearing $17 trillion.

"There's not much of an appetite for deficit reduction," said Bob Bixby of the Concord Coalition, which pushes for "responsible fiscal policy."

There might be a few small steps this year, he said, when the government again needs to raise its borrowing limit. But a "grand bargain" involving significant spending cuts and revenue increases seems unlikely, Bixby said.

He added, "It's a little depressing to hear the reactions to the president's budget, from both sides."

There was nothing surprising about Republican denunciations of Obama's proposed tax increases, which he wants to combine with spending cuts to reduce the deficit.

The newer wrinkle was the left's sharp criticism of his proposals to slow the growth in Medicare and Social Security benefits, provided Republicans agree to new revenues. Obama has offered Republicans such a deal before. But this month's budget proposal gave it a new imprimatur.

The group MoveOn.org said Wednesday that supporters "who are outraged at President Obama's proposal to cut Social Security benefits will protest and deliver petitions" this week.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a liberal independent from Vermont, is leading a similar petition drive, opposing "any benefit cuts to Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid." The deficit, his letter says, "was primarily caused during the Bush years by two unpaid-for wars, huge tax breaks for the rich and a prescription drug program" for Medicare, funded through borrowing. He suggests that higher taxes on the wealthy are the fairest way to tackle the deficit.

Democrats cite several reasons to raise taxes on high-income households. Obama campaigned for such tax increases in 2008 and 2012 but accomplished them only partially with the "fiscal cliff" resolution of Jan. 1.

Major tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 played big roles in turning a federal budget surplus into soaring deficits, according to research by the Congressional Budget Office and others. And by many measures, the U.S. tax burden in near historic lows.

Households earning roughly the national median income paid, on average, 11.1 percent of their income in total federal taxes in 2009, the most recent year for such data. That's the lowest level in more than 30 years, the CBO says.

Nonetheless, House Republicans have placed their highest priority on refusing to raise income tax rates, effectively ranking it above all other goals.

"The president got his tax hikes on Jan. 1," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is fond of saying. It's a reference to the $620 billion in new revenues, over 10 years, that Republicans were unable to stop because of the "fiscal cliff" law, resolved on New Year's Day.

If it's easy to make a case for higher revenues, the same is true for slowing the growth of Social Security and Medicare benefits. For decades, studies have warned of approaching trouble in these popular but costly programs, as health care costs rise and baby boomers begin to retire.

"Both Medicare and Social Security cannot sustain projected long-run program costs under currently scheduled financing, and legislative modifications are necessary to avoid disruptive consequences for beneficiaries and taxpayers," the Social Security Administration says, summarizing findings by the two programs' trustees.

"The early detection light has been going on for a while, and there has been a failure to act," Social Security trustee Charles P. Blahous recently told a House panel. If lawmakers are to preserve the programs for future retirees, he said, they will have to accept much more "political pain" than officials endured during a 1983 overhaul that included "several extremely controversial measures."

Obama has proposed an often-discussed step, which deals with government accounting in general, not just entitlement programs. If Congress agrees to higher tax revenues, the president said, he would back a slower growth calculation for cost-of-living increases for Social Security benefits, plus higher Medicare premiums for higher-income seniors.

Interest groups have criticized both ideas. AARP calls the slower cost-of-living formula a "harmful change," and urges seniors to oppose it.

American voters can largely blame themselves when Congress is more talk than action on deficit reduction. Americans routinely say they want a smaller federal debt, but not at the cost of programs they hold dear ? including Social Security and Medicare.

A CBS News poll in March found that most Americans want to cut spending and raise taxes to reduce the deficit. But 4 in 5 oppose cuts to Social Security or Medicare. And two-thirds are unwilling to have their own taxes raised in the name of deficit reduction.

When Pew Research asked which was more important ? reducing the national debt or keeping Social Security and Medicare benefits as they are now ? the public sided with safeguarding the benefits programs, 53 percent to 36 percent.

The deficit-spending partisanship continued Wednesday. On a party-line vote, House Ways and Means Committee Republicans passed a bill to protect Social Security recipients and investors in Treasury bonds if the government hits its borrowing limit and can't pay all its bills later this year. Democrats say if the federal government starts reneging on any obligations ? even if it pays bondholders ? financial markets will lose faith and the economy will tank.

Some Democrats fear a lose-lose situation if they support Obama's proposals. First, they could be attacked from the left for tweaking the programs that many Democrats see as their party's greatest legacy. And second, Republicans might accuse them of "raiding Medicare" in next year's congressional elections. That battle cry proved effective in 2010 after Obama's health care overhaul bill was passed.

Democrats call such tactics shamelessly hypocritical. Republicans, they note, have long called for reining in entitlement spending.

Boehner rebuked a top GOP campaign figure for hinting at a renewal of the "raiding Medicare" attacks. But Reince Priebus, the national Republican Party chairman, seemed eager to revive the question of whether Democratic trims to Medicare's costs amount to an unfair cut in benefits.

Associated Press

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Free Arab Voice Interviews Al-Hakim, Dr. George Habash | SHOAH

The following interview was conducted on February 15, 1998 between the Free Arab Voice and Dr. George Habash (El-Hakim), Founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

FAV:?There?s confusion among some Palestinians who are opposed to the Oslo Agreements over the position that the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) upholds towards the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).  On the one hand, the PFLP publicly denounces the Oslo Agreements on which the PNA was based.  On the other hand, some Palestinian observers point out that many PFLP cadres are staff or personnel in the PNA?s administrative structure, or are at least part of some of the PNA apparatuses.  Is that true?

El-Hakim:?As far as working in some of the apparatuses or institutions of the PNA, we have to distinguish between the higher political institutions like the Legislative Council or the government on one hand, and the lower institutions.  The crucial thing is that we don?t participate in any institutions involved with making policy or negotiating with the [Zionist] enemy, since we don?t acknowledge the Oslo Agreements, the legal framework of reference within which the PNA stands.

As for other institutions forming a natural part of the Palestinian social infrastructure, for example those pertaining to education, health, the civilian police, the media, culture, labor, and the economy in general, ?Well, these are an indivisible part of our people?s social institutions in which we?ve always been an active force.  It would be a mistake to abandon them.  Therefore our comrades and friends do what they can within them.  They are institutions without which no society could function or run its affairs?

FAV:?But how do you respond to those who argue that PFLP involvement with the PNA bureaucracy stands in sharp contrast to the PFLP?s opposition of the Oslo Agreements?

El-Hakim:?The position the PFLP has taken on the Oslo Agreements was not randomly chosen, but was rather based on a careful reading of them. The criterion of the rights and interests of the Palestinian people and the Arab nation is whence we began: Did those agreements serve these rights and interests or did they differ with the least of them??

In fact the Oslo Agreements were signed under the worst possible Arab, Palestinian, and international conditions for the Palestinian people. Therefore they hinged on a balance of forces tilting decisively in favor of the [Zionist] enemy.  Wrong are those who believe that the outcome of negotiations is determined by ability and negotiating skill alone apart from the balance of forces!  Good negotiators are the ones who know how to use the available cards to obtain the best possible conditions obtainable under the existing balance of power.

In that sense, the mediocre performance of the Palestinian negotiating team diffused away some the most powerful Palestinian cards.  For example:

1) Agreeing to the containment of the Intifada (uprising), thus bowing at the onset to a clear Israeli condition.

2)Giving up the legal international framework represented by United Nations and Security Council resolutions, including those recognizing the rights of the Palestinian people; our right to self-determination, to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as capital; our right of return; not to mention the natural and inalienable right to resist and not to recognize the legitimacy of Zionist settlement.

That?s why the Israeli position always rejected an active role for international agencies in the negotiations.  Europe was given an observer status?

As such this international framework of legal reference was bypassed for one donned by a U.S. mediator well-known for its total bias in Israel?s favor.  Thus the negotiations? point of reference drops to become?what the negotiating partners agree to, taking us back once more to the balance of forces, i.e., the law of the jungle.

And as if that wasn?t bad enough, the Palestinian Oslo team stooped down even farther when it agreed to engage in secret negotiations away from any Palestinian popular or institutional oversight.  Hence the influence of the Palestinian street was neutralized, and with it all the action and pressure it could?ve generated to countervail U.S.-Israeli pressures.

In addition to that, isolating the Palestinian issue from its natural Arab depth and milieu just made it so much easier for Zionists to impose the conditions and solutions that best befit their interest. Consequently, the current leadership of the PLO lost its:

1) Arab backing, especially from Syria and Lebanon, and
2) Palestinian backing represented by internal Palestinian unity.

Then this leadership wallowed in a maze of secluded agreements with the enemy drowning deeper and deeper in ever-worsening conditions and concessions that are clearly opposed to Palestinian rights.

Are we in the PFLP just saying that to accuse or out pessimism?

A good reading of the contents of these agreements reveals their truth in the way of unacceptable concessions, starting from recognizing Israel?s right to exist, to amending the Palestinian National Charter, to evading the most basic components of the Palestinian cause like the right of return, to self-determination, an independent state, Jerusalem, removing settlements, or sovereignty.

That?s what we mean by saying that these agreements didn?t bring about any solution, and didn?t even result from a normal negotiating process, but rather reflected the brute imposition of the conditions of the stronger party on the weaker party.

Where are then the rights of the Palestinian people, even in the minimum?

The dilemma that the Oslo Agreements have reached now is the sure proof of the validity the former evaluation.  Otherwise, let those who signed them explain to our people the meaning of all the disasters and tragedies taking place in our occupied land nowadays!!

Is there any conflict between the aforementioned position and getting involved in institutions of different sorts that are concerned with running the daily affairs of our people?

I don?t think so.

I hope this explanation would set straight some of those doubtful of the positions of the PFLP.

FAV:?We all know that the PFLP has and still calls for the continuation of the struggle to liberate Palestine, instead of getting carried away in the current of Madrid and Oslo, or any other solutions taking away the rights of the Palestinian people.  But we also notice that the PFLP military action has practically come to a complete or a near-complete halt.  How can we explain that?  Has the PFLP decided to quit all military operations for the time being, if El-Hakim wouldn?t mind answering this question?

El-Hakim:?No, there are no such decisions to halt military action in the PFLP.  There can be no such decisions as long as there?s occupation of Palestinian land.  The path of armed struggle is not an expression of some individual will, and neither is it merely the result of a committee?s administrative decision.  But armed struggle reflects the nature of the conflict, which is determined by the nature of the enemy, and the objectives of the Palestinian people.

For one thing violence and terror are two of the principle pillars upon which the Zionist ideology arises.  That?s why Israel goes on accumulating the elements of violence and military force including about 200 nuclear warheads, and a huge arsenal of deadlier and more obscene traditional weaponry too!

Israel goes on practicing armed terror on daily basis against the Palestinian and Lebanese people, and threatens with its arsenal the rest of the peoples of the region.  Its threat extends as far as Iran and Pakistan and it continually tries to prevent these states from possessing any advanced weapons so as to guarantee for itself, with U.S. support, regional dominance and control.

In contrast to that the Palestinian people were uprooted from their land, made refugees time and again, then the ugliest of massacres were committed against them.  What type of logic is that going to be which deprives them from their natural right to self-defense, or which coerces them to give up the struggle to restore their raped national rights?!

Armed struggle then is a principle pillar for any objective or comprehensive analysis of the forces which give rise to this type of confrontation, regardless of any projections or personal desires.

We hold the belief that the Zionist enemy simply will not allow our people to achieve their national objectives through diplomatic means alone.  If that had been possible, there wouldn?t have been a conflict to begin with.  It would be contradictory to the nature of Zionism itself, and the stark reality of the settlement project which rises upon negating the very rights of the Palestinian people.

So regarding the decrease in the effectiveness of the PFLP in this arena, that shouldn?t be attributed to any retreat in the PFLP?s beliefs or political vision, but to difficult circumstances and the lack of financial and physical resources.  This is of course in addition to the new political conditions in the territories, and all that they incurred in the way of difficulties and siege.  All that just must leave its marks on the ability and effectiveness of the PFLP, but not its beliefs. For the latter are based on recognizing the comprehensiveness and historicalness of the struggle: No one can control the dynamics of that even if they wanted.

FAV:?Okay, military action aside, one may also notice that the political and organizational effectiveness of the PFLP has also decreased to a great extent in many places where the PFLP was THE main Palestinian force, as was the case for example among the Palestinians of the U.S.A in the mid to late eighties, or in some regions of the West Bank.  What is the cause of these marked absences where they took place?

El-Hakim:?On this level, the PFLP is getting ready now to hold its Sixth national Convention.  We have just finished preparing the main documents containing a comprehensive critical analytical evaluation of the whole of our previous experience.  The basis of that evaluation has been to preserve accomplishments, learn lessons, and take recent developments into account in drawing up a new intellectual-political-organizational vision and sense of direction. We?re all full of hope that the PFLP will be able to shed its crisis and rise up into the realm of better effectiveness in order to restore the brighter image which the masses have come historically to  associate with the PFLP.

FAV:?After all these decades of a long and very rich experience filled with many events first on the Arab then on the a Palestinian level, how would El-Hakim respond to those who say that maybe the time has come to re-establish the Arab Nationalist Movement, which you helped create then dissolve, or its modern equivalent today?  And shouldn?t that be the main lesson from the dismal failure of the solo Palestinian effort of the PLO which ended in Oslo, especially after the exodus from Beirut in 1982?

El-Hakim:?As a matter of principle, I believe in the necessity of having a unified Arab party that works to achieve Arab unity, contributes to establishing a free, progressive, and democratic Arab society, stands up to the Zionist conquest, and liberates all occupied Palestinian and Arab lands.

These are not mere desires or general imaginary wishes.  They reflect the ambition of an Arab nation that has come to realize from historical experience the extent to which tragedies and disasters can be caused by the divisions tearing up our nation, depleting its wealth, and destroying its very human being.

But this belief that I have bumps in the present with many difficulties, the most important of which is perhaps the way Arab provincialism (el-Qutreyah), under the colonial divisions imposed, have developed full-fledged material, political, economic, and even cultural structures.  Bypassing those differences has come to require a cumulative historical process in every sense of the word.

Similarly, as much as uniting the nation is no longer possible in one scoop, neither is founding a unified Arab political party?

This dictates that we use the available means to evolve reality into what?s required.  The different Arab groups should first coordinate with each other, leading necessarily into a higher plane of interaction and communication.  This comes not as some kind of sentimental yearning, but because the challenges confronting the Arab human being in every Arab state necessarily intersect and intertwine: It has become impossible to tackle these challenges with a narrow provincial mentality whether these were political, economic, cultural, or social.

Moreover the imperialist-Zionist plan against the Arab nation operates in a coordinated and unified manner.  That must imply that we confront it likewise with a higher degree of unity with each other.

Here we should take note of the continuous attempts by the U.S. and Israel to foster the elements of division and fragmentation in the land, people, and culture of the Arab nation.

This certainly doesn?t contradict with the need of every Arab group to exert itself separately on the local level, but within a strategy that marks the close connection between its own backyard and the general Arab nationalist aspect.  I say this is the most important lesson from the previous experience: the necessity of linking Arab nationalist and local activism.

FAV:?And what about the PLO then?

El-Hakim:?It is within this context that I view the PLO.  It should also evolve out of the narrow organizational perspective which has justified hegemony and the rule of the individual within its ranks so far.  The PLO?s role and function should be handed on so it may express the genuine unity of the Palestinian people on democratic basis.  PLO institutions should supervise all its executive agencies, and should preserve the organization as a higher Palestinian national framework of reference whose task is the defense of the interests and rights of the Palestinian people.

Source: http://www.shoah.org.uk/2013/04/25/free-arab-voice-interviews-al-hakim-dr-george-habash/

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