My Writings. My Thoughts.

Wednesday January 21, 2015

// January 21st, 2015 // Comments Off on Wednesday January 21, 2015 // Daily News

11 of 12 Pats footballs underinflated

The NFL has found that 11 of 12 of the New England Patriots game balls were inflated significantly less than the NFL requires, league sources involved and familiar with the investigation of Sunday’s AFC championship game told ESPN.
Assuming the initial inspection was done correctly and weather wasn’t a factor, the Patriots should be punished for deflating footballs, writes Mike Reiss. Story
The investigation found the footballs were underinflated by 2 pounds per square inch of air less than what’s required by NFL regulations during the Pats’ 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, according to sources.
“We are not commenting at this time,” said Greg Aiello, the NFL’s senior vice president of communications.
Troy Vincent, the league’s senior executive vice president of football operations, told The Associated Press late Tuesday in response to this report that the “investigation is currently underway and we’re still awaiting findings.” He told ProFootballTalk.com earlier Tuesday that the NFL expected to wrap up its investigation in “two or three days.”
Yet to be determined is what, if any, penalties may be imposed upon Patriots. One source described the league as “disappointed … angry … distraught,” after spending considerable time on the findings earlier Tuesday.
Part of the investigation that still needs further vetting is how the 11 footballs became underinflated.
The game balls provided to each team for preparation were required to be inspected and approved by referee Walt Anderson two hours and 15 minutes before kickoff, then returned to a ball attendant.
No alteration of footballs is allowed once they are approved, under league rules and regulations.
The balls are required to be inflated between 12.5 and 13.5 pounds per square inch and weigh between 14 and 15 ounces.
The Patriots had 11 of their 12 game footballs under-inflated by 2 pounds of air less than what’s required by NFL regulations during the AFC championship game against the Colts, according to league sources.
“We have been in complete cooperation with the league and will continue to do so,” Patriots spokesman Stacey James said.
The NFL began looking into the issue not only because doctoring the footballs could provide a competitive advantage, but because it would compromise the integrity of the game.

Today’s Inspiration

Hang On ’til Joy Comes!

by Joyce Meyer – posted January 21, 2015

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
— Psalm 30:5

I gained an excellent piece of wisdom through personal experience: Do not be afraid of pain! As strange as it may seem, the more you dread and resist the pain of healing, the more you increase the effect that pain has upon you.

An example of this truth happened years ago when I went on a fast for the first time in my life. God called me to a twenty-eight-day juice fast. In the beginning, I went through some really hard times. I was very, very hungry. In fact, I was so famished that I was in actual pain. As I cried out to the Lord, complaining that I just could not stand it any longer, He answered me. Deep within me I heard the “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12 KJV) of the Lord say to me, “Stop fighting the pain; let it do its work.” From that time on, the fast was much easier, even enjoyable, because I knew that every time I felt discomfort, it was a sign of progress.

The rule is that the more pain is resisted, the stronger it becomes. When a pregnant woman goes into labor, the advice she is given by her attendants is, “Relax.” They know that the more she fights the pain, the stronger it will become, and the longer the delivery process will take.

When you are experiencing pain, do not fight it. Allow it to accomplish its purpose. Remember this promise, They who sow in tears shall reap in joy and singing. (Psalm 126:5) Learn to endure whatever you need to, knowing that there is joy on the other side!

Wednesday January 14, 2014

// January 14th, 2015 // Comments Off on Wednesday January 14, 2014 // Daily News

Foreclosures down, but will take 2 more years to normalize: Corelogic

The number of completed foreclosures continued to fall in November, with 41,000 borrowers losing their homes, down from 46,000 in November 2013, according to CoreLogic, a real estate analytics firm. That’s a 64 percent drop from the peak in September 2010.
“It will be about two more years until we are back to historical norms,” said Molly Boesel, a senior economist at CoreLogic.
Before the housing crisis, the average monthly foreclosure count was about 21,000. Foreclosures are now running at the pace last seen in 2007, the start of the crisis. Boesel said they will likely remain at this elevated rate, leveling off, until the pipeline of distressed loans, mostly from the worst lending of the housing boom, is cleared.
About 567,000 homes nationally were still in some stage of foreclosure in November. This so-called foreclosure inventory, compares with 880,000 in November 2013, a year-over-year decrease of 35.5 percent. The inventory has been falling on an annual basis for 37-consecutive months.
“At current foreclosure rates, we expect to see the foreclosure inventory in the U.S. to drop below 500,000 homes sometime in the first quarter of 2015, which would be another milestone in the healing of the housing market,” said Anand Nallathambi, president and CEO of CoreLogic.
The foreclosure rate fell in every state, with only the District of Columbia seeing a small increase. Rates vary dramatically by state, however, due to differing laws for processing foreclosed properties. Some states have twice the national rate due to delays.
Five states accounted for nearly half of all completed foreclosures nationally for the 12 months ended in November. They were Florida (118,000), Michigan (50,000), Texas (36,000), California (29,000) and Ohio (29,000), according to CoreLogic.

Today’s Inspiration

It Takes a Team

by Joyce Meyer – posted January 14, 2015

Two are better than one, because they have a good [more satisfying] reward for their labor; for if they fall the one will lift up his fellow.
—Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

In 1867, John Roebling had a vision and a passion to do something experts said couldn’t be done: build a bridge from Manhattan to Brook¬lyn, in New York City. No one believed it could be done, but Roebling and his son Washington, a young engineer, persevered.

The Roeblings hired their crew and finally got to work on John’s dream. Only a few months into the project, a worksite accident took John’s life. But the project continued, with Washington as its leader.

Three years later, Washington was severely injured. He was unable to talk, walk, or even move most of his body. But his mind was sharp, and his dream of building the bridge still burned in his heart.

Washington had two things in his favor: one finger that still worked and a wife who loved him. Roebling and his wife figured out a com¬munication system in which he tapped on her arm. For eleven years, Washington tapped out messages and instructions for the bridge, until it was finally complete.

Washington Roebling needed a dependable team of people to achieve his dream. He needed his father, his crew, and his wife. We need other people too; we can love, support, help, and encourage them, and they can do the same for us.

Love Others Today: Who do you need on your team in life? Who needs you on their team?