Maker's Mark reverses decision to lower alcohol content

(Reuters) - Maker's Mark said it was taking back a decision to reduce the alcohol content in its bourbon because of a large number of complaints from customers.

"Effective immediately, we are reversing our decision to lower the ABV (alcohol by volume) of Maker's Mark, and resuming production at 45 percent alcohol by volume," the company said on its website.

Maker's Mark had decided to lower the alcohol content due to supply constraints amid strong demand, but it said an "overwhelming response" had led it to reverse that decision.

Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey volume rose 5 percent in 2012, fueled by new products, including flavored bourbons. Recent popularity of bourbon has spurred interest in other American whiskeys, with rye volume up 50 percent, though sales are still quite small.

Maker's Mark is made by Beam Inc, which also owns the Jim Beam and Knob Creek brands.

(Reporting By Nicola Leske; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/makers-mark-reverses-decision-lower-alcohol-content-200607108--finance.html

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Is Randy going to step down as president of gbx! New twitter post!

That's what happened to Mike Savage at bungie when they disappointed fans. Also, I think that they were mislead by his promises of decree. His most recent twitter post show him being disappointment in himself not just us. He is going to resign unless the new found gearbox editor steps up and reveals what went wrong.

What do you think?

Source: http://forums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=247184&goto=newpost

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Giambi getting in final swings with Indians

In this Feb. 15, 2013, photo, Cleveland Indians' Jason Giambi stretches during baseball spring training practice, in Goodyear, Ariz. After contemplating retirement and interviewing to be Colorado?s manager, Giambi signed a minor-league contract earlier this month with the Indians, who are confident the 18-year veteran can not only bring them some power as a part-time designated hitter but also help teach their younger players. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Chuck Crow) NO SALES; MAGS OUT; INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT

In this Feb. 15, 2013, photo, Cleveland Indians' Jason Giambi stretches during baseball spring training practice, in Goodyear, Ariz. After contemplating retirement and interviewing to be Colorado?s manager, Giambi signed a minor-league contract earlier this month with the Indians, who are confident the 18-year veteran can not only bring them some power as a part-time designated hitter but also help teach their younger players. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Chuck Crow) NO SALES; MAGS OUT; INTERNET OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) ? Jason Giambi's days as a masher are mainly behind him. His muscular, tattooed arms are as carved as ever, but the hair around his temples is dusted gray. In the late innings of his career, he's a mentor.

The stately slugger. And at 42, Giambi knows he's down to his final swings as a major leaguer.

He'll try to make them count with Cleveland.

After contemplating retirement and interviewing to be Colorado's manager, Giambi signed a minor league contract this month with the Indians, who are confident the 18-year veteran can not only bring them some power as a part-time designated hitter but also help teach their younger players.

"He's not just a veteran guy. He's like THE veteran," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "I truly feel like it's an honor that he's in our camp. That's how strongly I feel about him."

The feeling's mutual. Giambi has known Francona since he played in the minors, which some days feels like a lifetime ago to the five-time All-Star, who may have lost some bat speed but not an ounce of his love for the game. He always wanted to play for Francona, who said the only time he didn't like Giambi was "when he was in the batter's box on the other side of the field."

Giambi took an unexpected route to the Indians.

Limited to just 89 at-bats during his fourth season with Colorado, Giambi entered the offseason facing an uncertain future, possibly one that didn't include baseball. With few options, Giambi considered calling it quits after hitting 429 homers and driving in 1,405 runs in 17 seasons for Oakland, the Yankees and Rockies.

"I have a 15-month-old girl. I finally grew up," he said, laughing. "I thought if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. I had some offers for a hitting-coach job and I thought maybe I would take a year and enjoy my family. But when I got the phone call from the Indians, I jumped right on it because it was Tito (Francona)."

Before the Indians contacted him, he nearly wound up as Colorado's manager.

The Rockies were so impressed with how Giambi naturally interacted and affected many of their youngsters that they interviewed him for the job before hiring Walt Weiss. Giambi didn't have any managerial aspirations, and he was shocked when the club approached him. He came away humbled by the experience.

"I thought I would probably get in the game as a hitting coach because I work really well with the young kids," he said. "I was very lucky when I came into the big leagues because I had Mark McGwire and Terry Steinbach and Dennis Eckersley. Those guys took me under their wing and taught me the game. I always felt that's how you pass it on to the next generation, that's your gift back.

"I always enjoyed that, so it was definitely an honor to be thought of that quickly that, 'Oh, he can handle this.'"

Giambi's deal with the Indians will pay him $750,000 if he's added to the 40-man roster. He can make an additional $200,000 if he stays on it.

As far as Francona is concerned, the payoff of Giambi in camp is immeasurable.

During the Indians' first full-squad workout on Friday, Giambi took grounders at first base with 23-year-old Mike McDade, claimed off waivers in November from Toronto. As McDade worked near the bag, Giambi stood to the side offering advice.

"I could hear Jason quietly telling him, 'Slow down, move your feet,'" Francona said. "It was a very calming influence, very friendly. He wasn't talking down to him. Jason just has that way about him. He has a track record, but he has a way of communicating that's natural and easy and you could see Mike relax."

For McDade, being with Giambi is a chance to work with one of his idols. While he was in high school, McDade often hit at batting cages in Las Vegas owned by Giambi. Now he's taking batting practice with a player he has long admired.

"It's just special," McDade said. "Anything he can offer is amazing. He doesn't have to do that, but he's taking the time and explaining things to me. It's huge. Just being able to talk to him is great. He's just a regular guy."

Without bragging, Giambi feels he can offer a lot to Cleveland's kids.

He's done it all in baseball, from playing in countless pressure-packed games with New York to being fingered by the FBI as one of the players who received steroids in the BALCO scandal.

"I've been on top of the world in this game and I've been in the gutter," he said.

The climb has brought him to Cleveland, a city he's always been fond of.

When he broke in with Oakland in 1995, the Indians ruled the AL, winning 100 regular-season games in a strike-shortened season with a terrifying lineup that featured Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez. The Indians don't have that type of firepower any longer, but Giambi is thrilled to be part of a team replenished this winter by the hiring of Francona, a two-time World Series winner with Boston, and the signings of free agents Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn.

"This is a dream come true," Giambi said. "I always wanted to play for Tito and I've always been a huge fan of Cleveland. When I think of Cleveland, I think of the '90s when they were a powerhouse. I've always loved playing there and hitting there and when they called and said, 'We really want you to come out and give it a shot,' I was more than happy."

NOTES: Francona came away pleased after watching RHP Ubaldo Jimenez throw his second bullpen session this spring. The Indians need a big season from Jimenez, who lost an AL-leading 17 games last season and has been a major disappointment since Cleveland traded for him in 2011. ... Francona noted RHP Carlos Carrasco's "live arm" and said the 26-year-old has been impressive as he tries to lock down a starting job. Carrasco missed all of last season following Tommy John surgery.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-02-16-BBA-Indians-Giambi's-Last-Swing/id-5891266f515441efa54e8ed072593ed3

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Vatican raises possibility of early March conclave

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The Vatican raised the possibility Saturday that the conclave to elect the next pope might start sooner than March 15, the earliest date possible under current rules that require a 15 to 20 day waiting period after the papacy becomes vacant.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said that Vatican rules on papal succession are open to interpretation and that "this is a question that people are discussing."

"It is possible that church authorities can prepare a proposal to be taken up by the cardinals on the first day after the papal vacancy" to move up the start of the conclave, he said.

The 15 to 20 day waiting period is in place to allow time for all cardinals who don't live in Rome to arrive, under the usual circumstance of a pope dying. But in this case the cardinals already know that this pontificate will end Feb. 28, with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, and therefore can get to Rome in plenty of time to take part in the conclave, Lombardi said.

The date of the conclave's start is important because Holy Week begins March 24, with Palm Sunday Mass followed by Easter Sunday on March 31. In order to have a new pope in place in time for the most solemn liturgical period on the church calendar, he would need to be installed by Sunday, March 17, because of the strong tradition to hold installation Mass on a Sunday. Given the tight time frame, speculation has mounted that some arrangement would be made to start the conclave earlier than a strict reading of the law would allow.

Questions about the start of the conclave have swirled since Benedict stunned the world on Feb. 11, by announcing that he would retire, the first pontiff in 600 years to abdicate rather than stay in office until death. His decision has created a host of questions about how the Vatican will proceed, given that its plans for the so-called "sede vacante" ? or vacant seat ? period between papacies are based on the process starting with a papal death.

"In this moment we are not prepared," said Cardinal Franc Rode, the former head of the Vatican's office for religious orders who will vote in the conclave. "We have not been able to make predictions, strategies, plans, candidates. It is too early, but we will get there. In two or three weeks things will be put in place."

Meanwhile, a German journalist who has published several long interviews with Benedict over the years suggested that the pope strongly foreshadowed his retirement during an August conversation.

Peter Seewald said in an article for the German weekly Focus published Saturday that the pontiff had told him that his strength was diminishing and "not much more" could be expected from him as pope.

"I am an old man and my strength is running out," Seewald quoted the pope as saying. "And I think what I have done is enough."

Asked by Seewald whether he was considering resignation, Benedict responded: "That depends to what extent my physical strength will compel me to." The summer interview, as well as another in December, were for a new Benedict biography.

Seewald's 2010 book-length interview with Benedict, "Light of the World," laid the groundwork for a possible resignation.

In it, he quoted Benedict as saying: "If a pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign."

He stressed then, however, that resignation was not an option to escape a particular burden, such as the scandal over sexual abuse by clerics which had erupted earlier in 2010.

In Saturday's article, Seewald recalled asking the pope in August how badly the 2012 scandal over leaks of papal documents, in which the pope's ex-butler was convicted of aggravated theft, had affected him.

Benedict said the affair had not thrown him off his stride or made him tired of office. "It is simply incomprehensible to me," he said.

The journalist said that when he last saw Benedict about 10 weeks ago, his hearing had deteriorated and he appeared to have lost vision in his left eye, adding that the pope had lost weight and appeared tired.

Benedict, however, appeared in good form on Saturday for some of his final audiences. He met with the Guatemalan president, a group of visiting Italian bishops, and had his farewell audience with Italian Premier Mario Monti.

"He was in good condition," Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina told reporters afterward. "He didn't seem tired, rather smiling, lively ? and happy and very clear in his decision to resign."

Cardinal Angelo Scola, the archbishop of Milan and a leading contender to succeed Benedict, said several of the visiting bishops noted at the end of their audience that they were the last group of bishops to be received by the pope. "'This responsibility means you have to become a light for all,'" he quoted Benedict as saying.

Lombardi also gave more details about Benedict's final public audiences and plans for retirement, saying already 35,000 people had requested tickets for his final general audience to be held in St. Peter's Square on Feb. 27.

He said Benedict would spend about two months in the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo south of Rome immediately after his abdication, to allow enough time for renovations to be completed on his retirement home ? a converted monastery inside the Vatican walls.

That means Benedict would be expected to return to the Vatican, no longer as pope, around the end of April or beginning of May, Lombardi said.

He was asked if and when the pope would meet with his successor and whether he would participate in his installation Mass. Like many open questions about the end of Benedict's papacy, Lombardi said, both issues simply haven't been resolved.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/vatican-raises-possibility-early-march-conclave-124446100.html

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Living With Pain | Gnet Health and Fitness

When illness or injury causes pain, we often have our own tried and tested ways of managing it- from medication, to hot baths and rest, the steps we take to make ourselves feel better can be a reassuring routine that we know will bring a certain amount of relief.

But what happens if there is no end in sight to the pain? How do we approach it when there is a chance that it may be with us for a long time, perhaps even forever?

Although by no means easy, chronic pain management is possible; it requires a high level of mental strength as much as anything, but when incorporated into daily life, it can make the pain bearable.

Managing The Pain:

Make Sure You Are Correctly Medicated:

Of course, when you?re suffering from chronic pain, it?s of ultimate importance that you have regular contact with your doctor, to ensure that you?re on the right medication, and to allow your doctor to monitor and change your prescriptions as needed, to keep you as pain-free as possible.

Pain medication is more varied than you may think, and could include anti-depressants, steroids, or anti-seizure medication depending on your condition, so keep an open mind about what you will be prescribed. You may find that you and your doctor need to undertake several trial periods of different medications to find what works best for you.

Your doctor should always be happy to explore your options with you, so don?t settle if you feel that something is not quite right with your medication.

Meditate:

The art of meditation is hard to perfect, but incredibly useful for all areas of your health, from pain management to controlling stress-levels. It?s a practice that is now proven to be beneficial by medical research, so don?t dismiss it as new-age nonsense!

Meditating helps relax the body, both mentally and physically, and this is particularly valuable to pain management since relaxing muscles can ease the pain signals to the brain, and prevent further pain developing as a result of over-tensed muscles. Look for online tutorials for tips on how to meditate, and if that doesn?t work for you, classes are often very effective.

Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep:

Easier said than done when you have chronic pain issues, perhaps. But sleep is an incredibly healing process for the body that allows it to regenerate, relax and ?reset? the body to an optimal functioning state. Make sure you talk to your doctor about timing any medication to ensure you can sleep peacefully, and avoid any stimulants that will disrupt your body?s natural sleep patterns, like caffeine and alcohol.

Take Regular Exercise:

When you are in pain, the impulse can often be to rest, or lay immobile in bed; the last thing you want to imagine is putting your body under more strain. But research shows that regular, gentle exercise can actually dramatically improve one?s ability to manage pain, since it allows the muscles and joints to stay supple and relaxed.

In addition, exercising allows endorphins to be released into the bloodstream, which not only improves your mood and mental state, making you more equipped to deal with pain, but also acts as a pain-blocker, stopping some of the pain signals from reaching your brain.

Try To Keep Calm:

Stress is incredibly damaging to our health; not only does it raise blood pressure, but it floods our systems with cortisones that suppress the immune system. It makes us physically tense, which in itself can lead to further pain, and it can make us more sensitive to the pain signals that our nerves send to our brain. Although modern life is often a stressful balance of work and family, try to take some time for you, to be aware of your stress levels and to take steps to lower them. Yoga is a perfect antidote to stress, by providing a gentle exercise, and an element of self-awareness and meditation at the same time.

Talk To Others Going Through the Same Thing:

There is often nothing more comforting than knowing that you are not going through hard times alone; the internet is packed full of forums for people who are suffering from chronic pain, and who want to come together to talk about their experiences, about approaches to management that have or haven?t worked, and to support each other through life.

Try typing ?pain management forums? into your search engine, and get talking to others like you. If you can?t face that, then it may still be worth talking to a counselor, since half of the battle with pain management is dealing with the mental burden of your condition; techniques in how to keep you mentally strong will undoubtedly improve the physical pain.

Try Herbal Supplements That Provide Natural Pain-Killers:

Certain foods have wonderful pain relieving properties. These include ginger, tumeric, onions, carrots and cinnamon. Try and pack these into your diet wherever you can, but if you don?t like their flavour, look for herbal supplement that offer pain relief, since these will include many of the same ingredients.

Try To Have FUN!

One of the best things you can do to control your pain is to distract yourself from it. Focusing on your pain, although sometimes unavoidable, will only make you more sensitive to it. So try to fill up your time with activities that you find fun and absorbing- this will help to draw your attention away from the pain, and make it more bearable.

Related posts:

Source: http://www.gnet.org/living-with-pain/

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Utah gymnastics: Utes end in tie with Washington

Seattle ? Utah?s gymnastics team failed in its quest to pick up a Pac-12 win against Washington.

The good news? The Utes weren?t tagged with a loss, either.

?

Utah 195.975, Washington 195.975

O IN SHORT ? Utah?s gymnastics team avoids a loss with a strong performance on the balance beam, tying Washington in a Pac-12 showdown.

KEY MOMENT ? Washington?s Aliza Vaccher scores a 9.925 on the night?s last routine to bring the Huskies into the tie.

KEY STAT ? Washington has never beaten the Utes in 46 times, but now has two ties.

?

Individual winners

Vault ? Tory Wilson (Utah), 9.95

Uneven bars ? Georgia Dabritz (Utah), 9.825

Balance beam ? McKenzie Fechter (Washington), Allison Northey (Washington), Breanna Hughes (Utah), Mary Beth Lofgren (Utah), 9.85

Floor ? Aliza Vaccher (Washington), 9.925

All-around ? Lauren Rogers (Washington), 39.275

Utah and Washington settled their Pac-12 showdown with the most unsatisfying of outcomes as the teams finished tied at 195.975.

It was the first time the Utes ended a meet in a tie since 2001. The opponent that year? You guessed it: Washington.

That year, the Huskies needed a 10.0 on the floor to tie the Utes at 196.725. On Friday, they needed a 9.925 from Aliza Vaccher in the final floor routine.

Vaccher delivered, leaving both teams awkwardly celebrating when the scores were announced.

Many of Utah?s gymnasts had assumed they?d lost after a poor start left them trailing from the start.

"That never happens," Utah?s Mary Beth Lofgren said of the tie. "With all those scores and all those routines, to end in a tie is weird."

Weird at least felt better than a loss for the sixth-ranked Utes, who played catchup after some early mistakes.

Utah?s hopes for a win rested with Lofgren, who scored a 9.85 as the last to go on the balance beam. With everyone else hitting their routines, Lofgren said she didn?t feel any pressure despite the close scores.

story continues below

"After they hit, I could just go out and try to have fun," she said. "It definitely helped."

No doubt the No. 23 Huskies felt better about the night?s outcome than the Utes, who suffered two falls on the uneven bars when Tory Wilson and Kassandra Lopez, two of the more dependable gymnasts, both had uncharacteristic mistakes. Wilson fell, scoring 8.9, and Lopez balked on her first start after hitting the board and was awarded a 9.35 after a deduction. The low scores left the Utes trailing Washington 49.075-48.425.

"We can?t keep having starts like that," Utah coach Greg Marsden said. "That is two out of three road meets where we?ve done this."

Utah tied the Huskies in the second rotation on vault, where the Utes posted a 49.325, led by Wilson?s 9.95.

But that is when things went sideways for the Utes as Washington competed with confidence on the balance beam while the Utes were shaky on floor.

Lofgren had a near fall and scored just 9.525, and others had missteps that led to lower-than-normal scores.

Utah led the Huskies just 146.95-146.875 going into the final rotation. The Utes average 48.905 on the beam while Washington ranks just 41st on the floor, averaging 48.51. But being favored in the averages often means little when the home team is finishing on floor.

Turns out, the Utes had just enough to avoid a loss. They just didn?t have enough to win.

Next Page >

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/utes/55841844-89/washington-utah-utes-tie.html.csp

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