Lawsuits against pharmacy that allegedly caused meningitis

Lawsuits are mounting in Michigan as more and more residents who came down with meningitis come forward. The outbreak has been linked to a contaminated steroid manufactured by the New England Compounding Center pharmacy in Massachusetts.

The spate of Michigan lawsuits began Oct. 15, with a class-action on behalf of a 46-year-old woman diagnosed with fungal meningitis after being injected with the steroid. This case was the third such lawsuit filed in the nation, and the first in Michigan. Since then, at least five more lawsuits have been filed in Michigan against the pharmacy, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Negligence claims may not have too tough a time succeeding, thanks to some new information brought to light by state documents collected by the Associated Press through a public records request. According to the documents, in 2006 outside investigators found New England Compounding Center’s facilities to be inadequate, with poor contamination control and no written standard procedures for using equipment. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is now seeking almost 10 years’ worth of safety documents from the pharmacy.

CBS News reports that as of Tuesday, 297 people had been infected with meningitis, and 23 had died.

Country Singer Jason Aldean Admits to Cheating Scandal and Apologizes

This is a country song waiting to happen.

Photos of crooner Jason Aldean getting close with someone who was not his wife, Jessica Ussery, hit the Internet today. And instead of pleading the fifth, Aldean came clean about the cheating scandal and apologized.

Arnold Schwarzenegger confesses to having an affair with Brigitte Nielsen "Hey Guys—I wanted to talk to you directly, so you were hearing the truth from me and not just reading allegations made about my personal life on gossip web sites," Aldean wrote on his Facebook page.

"The truth is that I screwed up. I had too much to drink, let the party get out of hand and acted inappropriately at a bar. I left alone, caught the bus to our next show and that's the end of the story. I ultimately ended up embarrassing my family and myself.

I'm not perfect, and I'm sorry for disappointing you guys. I really appreciate being able to work through this privately with my family and for all your continued support."

Ron Palillo Dies at 63; Played Horshack on TV

Ron Palillo, who portrayed the goofy high school underachiever Arnold Horshack in the hit 1970s sitcom “Welcome Back, Kotter” with such definitive oddballness that he had trouble for years afterward finding work as an actor, died on Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Fla. He was 63.

The apparent cause was a heart attack, said his agent, Scott Stander.

“I know him, love what he does, not right for the part,” Mr. Palillo said in a 1997 newspaper interview, repeating what he said was the mantra of every casting director he met after his years on “Kotter,” which was on ABC from 1975 to 1979. “Everybody thought of me as Arnold Horshack. I resented Horshack for so many years.”

LeBron James Completes NBA Ascendancy With Title in Miami

June 22 (Bloomberg) -- Tim Duncan took LeBron James aside after the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2007 National Basketball Association Finals and told James the league would soon be his.

While it may have taken longer than expected by many -- including Duncan, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and three- time NBA Finals MVP -- James now sits at the sport’s pinnacle after capturing his first championship with the Miami Heat.

Nine years after turning professional out of high school and two seasons into his move to Miami, James’s All-Star resume finally includes an NBA title, after the Heat upset the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106 last night.

“It’s about damn time,” James said at the trophy presentation after being named Most Valuable Player of the Finals.

James pledged to produce multiple titles when he left the Cavaliers and signed with the Heat as a free agent in 2010. Last night’s victory to clinch the best-of-seven Finals 4-1 was his first step in delivering on that promise and may have also furthered his global brand.

James at 27 is younger than Michael Jordan was when he captured the first of his six NBA titles over an eight-year stretch. Jordan, the Hall of Fame player with whom James has most often been compared, was 28 and in his seventh season when he and the Chicago Bulls broke through in 1991.

Seattle takes chance on undersized QB Russell Wilson in 3rd round; takes LB Wagner in 2nd

RENTON, Wash. — Finally, Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks took a draft pick that everyone knew.

And yet there were still questions about what drafting Russell Wilson in the third round on Friday night might mean for the Seahawks.

Seattle took Wilson, the star QB that led Wisconsin to the Rose Bowl last season, with the 75th overall pick in third-round, after addressing another need by taking Utah State linebacker Bobby Wagner in the second round. The Seahawks are hopeful that Wagner’s huge production at a smaller college will carry over into the NFL and he can develop into their starting middle linebacker of the future.

While Wagner will have the more immediate impact, it’s the selection of Wilson that grabbed attention.

“We think more than anybody else that was alive in the draft, this guy gives you the chance to have a great player,” Carroll said of Wilson. “It’s going to be really exciting to see what he can bring. All he’s ever done is be great. And the way he finished at Wisconsin last year with the great finishing efforts, the extraordinary ability to control a game, and then knowing what kind of kid he is and the great all-around athleticism he has, he’s just a fantastic chance for us to take.”

Quarterback was an offseason theme for Seattle. The Seahawks signed Matt Flynn, one of the hottest free agents, to a three-year deal in March. Last season’s starter, Tarvaris Jackson, has one year remaining on his contract and won over much of the Seahawks locker room by playing through a painful pectoral injury for more than half the season. The Seahawks were also high on young undrafted free agent Josh Portis, who was the No. 3 quarterback for most of last season.

But Carroll and general manager John Schneider have said since they arrived that they will look every year at adding a quarterback in the draft. And even though his height was a deterrent for some, it’s hard to argue against Wilson’s production.

After starring at North Carolina State, giving pro baseball a brief try and eventually ending up at Wisconsin, Wilson was one of the best QBs in the country last season. He set the NCAA record for pass efficiency for Wisconsin with a 191.8 rating, while throwing for 33 touchdowns against just four interceptions. He led Wisconsin to the Big Ten title and a spot in the Rose Bowl, where he threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in the Badgers’ 45-38 loss to Oregon.

The concerns about Wilson seemed to be solely based on his height. He measured just shy of 5-foot-11 at the NFL combine, but questions about Wilson’s height followed him to North Carolina State, then to Wisconsin and now to the NFL with the Seahawks.

This is the highest Seattle has drafted a quarterback since taking Rick Mirer with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1993 draft. Wilson had lengthy conversations with Schneider and Carroll at the Senior Bowl and could tell the Seahawks were very interested.

“I knew I had the talent. The only knock on me was my height. I think the main thing was just showing teams through my film that I could really play,” Wilson said.

Jack Robinson

Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American baseball player who became the first black Major League Baseball (MLB) player of the modern era. [1] Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. As the first black man to play in the major leagues since the 1880s, he was instrumental in bringing an end to racial segregation in professional baseball, which had relegated black players to the Negro leagues for six decades. [2] The example of his character and unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement. [3][4] In addition to his cultural impact, Robinson had an exceptional baseball career. Over ten seasons, he played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers' 1955 World Championship. He was selected for six consecutive All-Star Games from 1949 to 1954, [5] was the recipient of the inaugural MLB Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949—the first black player so honored. [6] Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1997, Major League Baseball retired his uniform number, 42, across all major league teams. Robinson was also known for his pursuits outside the baseball diamond. He was the first black television analyst in Major League Baseball, and the first black vice-president of a major American corporation. In the 1960s, he helped establish the Freedom National Bank, an African-American-owned financial institution based in Harlem, New York. In recognition of his achievements on and off the field, Robinson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Review of tablets for kids

Since the advent of the game-changing Apple iPad early in 2010, tablet computers have been one of the hottest electronics products on the market. Much as adults love them, though, children may just love them even more, as tablet-owning parents can verify.

Toy makers have taken note as well, and this year several companies—Fisher-Price, LeapFrog, and Vtech—have come out with tablet-like toys that feature at least some of the capabilities of real tablets, albeit in less sophisticated, less expensive form. They’re each built of hard plastic that feels as though it’ll take a fair amount of abuse. You’ll find such features as touch screens, music players, cameras and video recorders, and photo-editing apps.

We purchased three of these toy tablets and tested them in our lab and with children within the manufacturer-recommended age ranges to see how well they work—and whether kids will actually settle for toy versions of the real thing. Our conclusion: The child tablets have fewer features than standard tablets, but their learning apps and child-friendly content make them ideal for children. Children can have fun with the toy tablets, particularly the LeapPad. But they may still clamor to play with your responsive, feature-rich tablets and smart phones.

There is also the Vinci Tab (from Vinci), an Android tablet that’s customized for toddlers and young children. It’s quite a bit more expensive than the toy tablets—ours cost $480—and though it lacks wireless-Web capability, it has specs and features comparable to “grownup” tablets. We acquired the Vinci Tab, curious as to whether it’s really worth the extra money. Our conclusion here is that the Vinci didn’t really deliver for the price.

The child-tablet companies make various “learning” claims for their products. Each tablet includes media such as interactive storybooks that read aloud and let children click on words and other elements, spelling and counting games, and creative activities, and more can be purchased as downloads or add-on cartridges. (We aren’t evaluating the educational efficacy of the tablets in this report.)

The toy tablets each have a modest price, at least compared with prices of standard tablets, which can cost as much as $800—but of course, don’t expect the same functionality. And each one requires parental help with adding content or media, especially the Vinci, which has a younger target audience than the others.

All the child tablets can be connected to a PC for new content downloads and software upgrades and to transfer media onto and off the devices. The LeapFrog LeapPad also syncs with the company’s Learning Path website, so parents can check up on what their children are playing and how well they’re doing. Vtech has a similar site that keeps track of kids’ activities on its InnoTab.

Each tablet has a color touch screen display and features at least a few preloaded learning games and apps; you can add to your content by downloading more or buying insertable cartridges. All the devices but the LeapFrog have a memory card slot for additional storage, all but the Vinci have a headphone jack and stylus, and all use four AA batteries, except for the Vinci, which has a built-in rechargeable battery. None of the models have wireless Web connectivity.

Finally, to a greater or lesser extent, all the tablets require parental participation to get new content onto the devices, set up profiles, sync for updates, and so on. So parents, be prepared to help out, at least initially.

Best tablet for kids: Kurio ICS 4.0 dream prices

With the ever-rising popularity of tablet devices, buyers seem more than happy to stump up the cost of an outright purchase or even sign up to a 24-month contract. With this new technology entering more and more of our homes, the chances of the younger generation having access to these slates, could cause concern to the grown ups. While we try to introduce our children into this new era, the costly outlay can restrict willingness to let young fingers get involved. This is now to change with the new Kurio tablet from tablet maker Inspiration Works. Running with Android’s new Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 OS, the Kurio has been designed with children from 4-15 years and adults in mind. Available in three sizes being 7-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch with a capacitive touchscreen, the new ICS tablet will bring with it 4GB of storage with an SD card to expand it to 32GB, other specs still remain a little vague, although on the smaller 7-inch the Kurio will pack a .3MP camera whilst the bigger 8-inch and 9-inch pack a 0.3MP front with 2MP to the rear, with an average battery time of 6 hours. As to its processor and amount of RAM, this still remains a mystery, but the Kurio will arrive as pocketlint.com reported, with a USB socket for linking up a camera or joystick, with parental controls being a benefit. Available in the UK in July with accessories to match such as cases, car headrest kit and headphones that have a limited volume, for a price of £150, £180 with £200 being at the top end of the scale. Do you have young children, are you keen to introduce them to this amount of technology? What age do you think you can justify spending out for a tablet with this level of spec?

Much lost in win

It had all the pomp of a Fenway Park [map] opener, from the American flag draped over the Green Monster to the twin first pitches thrown by the retired Tim Wakefield [stats] and Jason Varitek [stats]. And it produced a convincing victory for a Red Sox [team stats] team that needed one in the worst way. But it also featured a look the Sox hoped never to see again from Jacoby Ellsbury [stats]. It was a grimace reminiscent of when Ellsbury broke five ribs in an April 11, 2010 collision with then-teammate Adrian Beltre. Ellsbury missed all but 18 games that season, and without their leadoff-hitting Gold Glove center fielder, the Red Sox missed the playoffs. So, when Ellsbury walked off the field, his right arm pinned to his body, after the fourth inning of yesterday’s 12-2 win against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox held their breath. And when he left Fenway to go for tests at Massachusetts General Hospital, they only could hope his right shoulder injury looked much worse than it actually was. “That looked painful,” said David Ortiz [stats], who winced and shouted an expletive after seeing the replay on a clubhouse television. “Hopefully things don’t go the way it looked like in the video. He’s our leadoff hitter. You’re not going to get any better by losing him for a while. We’ll see.” Ellsbury’s right arm was trailing behind his body as he slid into second base to try to break up a double play in the bottom of the fourth inning. Rays shortstop Reid Brignac leaped in the air to make the pivot and landed with his full weight on Ellsbury’s shoulder. By the time manager Bobby Valentine got out to second base, Ellsbury was writhing on the dirt. Shortly thereafter, when Ortiz went to check on him in the trainer’s room, Ellsbury was having difficulty raising his arm high enough to take off his jersey. “The only thing we’ve even heard is probably the same thing that everyone has been hearing, which is that it felt like something moved a little bit,” third baseman Kevin Youkilis [stats] said. “We always hope for the best. We know that if it’s for the best, then it won’t be long, and Jake will come back and do great things for this team.” For now, the Red Sox are making contingency plans. Valentine said they likely will make a roster move before today’s game. Outfield prospect Che-Hsuan Lin was scratched from the lineup last night for Triple-A Pawtucket and may be on the way to Boston. The injury overshadowed an otherwise perfect day for the Red Sox, who got eight brilliant innings from Josh Beckett [stats] and a long-awaited eruption against Rays ace David Price by an offense that led the majors in runs scored last season. Backup catcher Kelly Shoppach, who spent the past two seasons with Tampa Bay, led the 16-hit barrage by going 3-for-4 with three runs scored, two RBI and his first career stolen base, which featured a slide that could serve as the lead-in to any baseball blooper reel. The Red Sox won their eighth consecutive home opener, extending a club record. Today, they will attempt to win back-to-back games for the first time since sweeping a doubleheader last Aug. 27. Beckett set the tone, while also allaying some of Valentine’s lingering concerns about a bothersome right thumb that required the opinions of two specialists last week. After being pounded for seven runs last Saturday in Detroit, Beckett gave up a second-inning RBI single by Jeff Keppinger, then retired 21-of-24 batters. “It was just what the doctor ordered,” Valentine said, medical pun unintended. “We were wondering and hoping, and he relieved all doubt. That’s the performance we were looking for.” Added Adrian Gonzalez: “Josh did what Josh does. He had an incredible year last year. We know he’s going to do it again this year.” A few more outings like that and Beckett won’t hear any of the boos that greeted him during pregame introductions, a product of his role in last year’s beer-and-chicken flap.

Santorum's daughter defies odds with Trisomy 18

At age 3, Rick Santorum’s daughter Bella, who has been hospitalized for the second time during his presidential campaign, has outlived the majority of children born with Trisomy 18, a relatively common chromosomal defect that occurs in one out of every 3,000 to 5,000 live births and is three times more common in girls than boys.

Children with Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards syndrome, have three copies of chromosome 18, instead of the normal two, in their cells. Many pregnancies with affected fetuses miscarry, and half of all affected babies who are carried to term will be stillborn, according to the Trisomy 18 Foundation. Most cases aren’t inherited but occur as a random error in cell division during the formation of eggs and sperm, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Navy jet crashes into Virginia Beach apartment building

VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (AP) – A fighter jet that malfunctioned just after takeoff hurtled into a Virginia Beach apartment complex on Friday in a spectacular crash that sent flames and black smoke billowing from the rubble.

The two pilots managed to eject just before impact, suffering minor injuries along with five others on the ground. Several residents described hearing a loud explosion and looking out their windows to see the red and orange blaze. In the confusion that followed, two men helped one of the bloodied pilots from the two-seat F18 Hornet move to safety.

"Oh, my God, I heard three really loud explosions, then the black smoke went up high in the sky," said 71-year-old Felissa Ezell, who lives in a townhouse near the crash site.

Amanda Bynes arrested on suspicion of DUI in WeHo

Amanda Bynes was arrested early Friday morning on suspicion of DUI in West Hollywood after she allegedly hit the rear corner of a sheriff's cruiser while trying to pass it.

That is most certainly not "What a Girl Wants."

In the wake of her 3 a.m. arrest, the "She's the Man" actress and former Nickelodeon star was in custody at the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station, L.A. Now reported, before being released around 10:30 a.m. on $5,000 bail. She was arrested near the intersection of Robertson and Santa Monica boulevards.

Bynes has been hitting the Hollywood party scene recently, according to TMZ, which had late-night St. Patrick's Day footage taken outside a club where the photographer cautioned the valet against letting her drive — a caution that was ignored as the actress left in her Range Rover with a friend.

Yes, we did say "actress," though it's hard to tell sometimes: Bynes retired from acting for a whole month in the summer of 2010, only to announce her return via Twitter a bit ahead of the release of "Easy A," which she appeared in with Emma Stone. That September 2010 release is still her most recent.

And about that hair in the mug shot above — it would appear to be the latter days of lilac, as Bynes broadcast a month ago on Twitter, "Did I mention I dyed my hair lilac?!?!?! LILAC !!!!!!!!"

Just when we were really starting to miss Lindsay ...

Kim Kardashian flour-bombed at perfume launch

Kim Kardashian is covered in flour during arrivals at the launch party for her True Reflectionperfume at The London West Hollywood on March 22, 2012. (Credit: Getty) (CBS/AP) Kim Kardashian faced more than photographers' flashbulbs when she walked the red carpet Thursday night to launch her new fragrance, True Reflection.

Sheriff's deputies say a woman threw white powder on the 31-year-old reality TV star in the lobby of a hotel in West Hollywood, Calif., where the television personality was hosting the launch event.

A costly win: Marshall injured as UNC rolls past Creighton

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Top seed North Carolina welcomed back one key player but may have lost another during its 87-73 victory over No. 8 Creighton on Sunday that sent the Tar Heels on to the Sweet 16 for an NCAA-record 25th time.

Two-time Atlantic Coast Conference defensive player of the year John Henson returned after missing three games with a sprained left wrist and contributed 13 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots. But Tar Heels point guard Kendall Marshall, who had 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting with 11 assists, broke his right wrist midway through the second half.

Marshall was injured when he was fouled by Ethan Wragge on a drive to the basket with 10:56 remaining. Marshall jumped up after being knocked to the floor and made one of two free throws. But those were his final points of the game. He missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 7:09 remaining and did not shoot again, although he had two assists before coming out of the game to stay with 1:54 to play.

Plenty of corned beef and cabbage at Meriden AOH

MERIDEN — The Meriden division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians prepared well for its 88th annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner Saturday. It had ordered 285 pounds of corned beef and 100 pounds each of carrots, cabbage and potatoes from Thurston Foods, of Wallingford.

People came to enjoy the dinner and a performance by dancers from the Horgan Academy of Irish Dance.

“I think St. Patrick’s Day is a good Catholic day where we honor St. Patrick,” said Wayne Sweeney, the vice president of Meriden AOH.

The only event bigger for the organization is the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, Sweeney said. The parade will take place next Saturday.

Wallingford resident Darlene Behr-Farrell said she comes to the dinner every year for the authentic Irish at-mosphere.

“The reason I do come here is because it is true Irish spirit,” she said with a brogue. “Irish spirit is good music, good food and good people.”

State Rep. Emil “Buddy” Altobello, D-Meriden, came to the dinner wearing green pants and a green hat. He has been involved with the Meriden AOH for about 25 years, he said.

Many of the volunteers at the dinner said it and the parade are their favorite events of the year.

AOH member Geraldine Cosgrove-Reynolds served the cabbage. “I always serve the cabbage,” she said, and then laughed.

She will be driving the “shamrock-mobile” in the parade this year. Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is important to her because some of her family is from Ireland, she said.

“My mother was born and raised in Ireland,” she said. “It’s tradition.”

The proceeds go toward other AOH activities and help fund its $3,000 college scholarships for one Platt and one Maloney High School student.

Corned beef and cabbage: Ireland says, no, thank you

By Amy Hubbard

March 17, 2012, 5:26 p.m.

It's St. Patrick's Day, so naturally we think of corned beef and cabbage. It's a dish that's as Irish as pepperoni pizza is Italian and chop suey is Chinese.

In other words, not very Irish at all.

The Irish writing duo of Belfast-born Peter Morwood and former New Yorker Diane Duane tackle this subject at their European Cuisines website. People "here," meaning Ireland, "sometimes eat corned beef and cabbage," they say. But "they don't eat it all that much" -- and almost never for St. Patrick's Day.

PHOTOS: St. Patrick's Day fare

Some restaurants in Ireland will serve corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day -- but "almost without exception" those eating it will be tourists.

Corned beef and cabbage, the pair say, is far from the Irish national dish. It's not that corned beef doesn't have a history in Ireland; it's just that Irish people weren't the ones eating it.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the cattle raised in the country were often used for corned beef -- which then went primarily into the mouths of British civilians and the British and U.S. military, according to Serious Eats. The Irish people were too poor to afford their own corned beef. They dined mainly on pork and lamb.

But these days, most native Irish people, say residents Morwood and Duane, find corned beef and cabbage to be "too poor, plain, old-fashioned or boring ... or just too much trouble to go to."

Although corned beef is not difficult to make, it can be time consuming. An L.A. Times recipe for some delicious-sounding New England-style corned beef, cabbage and vegetables with horseradish mustard cream takes about 3 1/2 hours of total preparation time.

Worth it? That's for the cook to decide.

You could just order a pepperoni pizza. Pizza has its roots in Italy but it's Americans who love the pepperoni. In fact, if you were to order pepperoni pizza at an Italian pizzeria (that wasn't a tourist spot), you'd probably get red-bell-pepper pizza. As About.com says, pepperoni means "pepper" in Italian. If you wanted pepperoni, you'd have to ask for salame piccante.

Still, notes the PizzaMaking.com forum, "salami still isn't pepperoni, and in this case it appears the Italians are copying us and not the other way around."

What about chop suey? According to one tale, the dish was first tossed together from kitchen scraps in a San Francisco restaurant in the late 19th century. Other sources debunk that story and say that chop suey springs from the basic mixed stir fry that originated in the Pearl River Delta of southern Guangdong, China.

But chop suey, like pepperoni pizza and corned beef and cabbage, was thoroughly Americanized.

Vincent Jackson, Pierre Garcon find new teams

(CBS/AP) Wide receivers grabbed the big money as NFL free agency began Tuesday.

Vincent Jackson is headed to Tampa Bay, Pierre Garcon to Washington and Marques Colston will stay in New Orleans, all getting huge deals.

Josh Morgan also caught a hefty contract from the Redskins, while Miami dealt its top receiver, Brandon Marshall, to Chicago for two third-round draft choices.

Bears acquire Brandon Marshall from Miami

Jackson got a five-year, $55.55 million contract with the Buccaneers. He will be paid $13 million in each of his first two years, then $10 million for the third year. Jackson will provide a deep threat for Josh Freeman, whose other receivers, Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn, are more short-range targets.

Garcon gets $42.5 million over five years from the Redskins, with $20.5 million in guaranteed money, including an $11 million signing bonus.

Garcon had 188 catches for 16 touchdowns and a 13.4-yard average in four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Last year he had 70 receptions for 947 yards and six TDs as Indianapolis finished 2-14.

Washington, which is losing $36 million in salary cap space over the next two seasons for excessive spending in the uncapped 2010 season, also grabbed Morgan for $12 million over the first two years of a five-year deal, with $7.5 million guaranteed. And the Redskins re-signed defensive end Adam Carriker for four years and $20 million, with $7 million guaranteed.

Late Tuesday night, the Chargers agreed to a four-year deal with former New Orleans Saints wideout Robert Meachem.

Hours before free agency began, Colston agreed to a five-year contract worth about $40 million to remain in the Big Easy.

Will NCAA bracket play out true to form?

Even if you don't care about college basketball and don't know who any of these guys are, you are now fully engaged. The lure of completing your tournament bracket is too great to ignore. We know this: Kentucky is the best team in the country, and Kansas will disappoint us again. Here is an NCAA Tournament primer:

Who can beat Kentucky?

Kentucky: Vanderbilt, which beat UK in the SEC title game Sunday, does not count. Kentucky is still the best team in the country by a wide margin. But it is a young team, and young teams can go brain-dead and beat themselves when playing in a tight game against teams that have been around.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels have pro players, but their pace plays directly into Kentucky's hands. They would have to play a near perfect game, but could do it.

Syracuse: The Orange's zone is just enough of an irritant that Kentucky freshman center Anthony Davis could be harassed into an average game.

Kansas: Forward Thomas Robinson is going to get his 18 and 12; the question is whether guard Tyshawn Taylor can play smart. If he does, Kansas has a shot.

Playing the Butler

Wichita State: The best team from arguably the best mid-major conference.

Murray State: It's unfair to call the Racers a sleeper because they are 30-1. This is a veteran team that does not beat itself, and Isaiah Canaan shoots nearly 50 percent from 3-point range.

Creighton: Another Missouri Valley team. Point guard Antoine Young is going to embarrass a big name soon.

Long Beach State: Coach Dan Monson was a regular at this when he was the head coach at Gonzaga. Lots of seniors.

South

The NCAA set up a region final "rematch" of the 1992 Christian Laettner game against Kentucky. Kentucky has a hard road before it would meet Duke in the region final, but the team that should scare the Wildcats is No. 5 Wichita State.

The class: Kentucky. Not even close.

Worst draw: No. 9 UConn. The defending national champions have to get by a very tough Iowa State team and then would have to play Kentucky.

Best draw: You have to ask? Duke.

Top NBA player: F Anthony Davis, Kentucky. The likely No. 1 overall pick in the June draft.

Top player you don't know: G Tu Holloway, Xavier. You should know him, but the Musketeers' brawl against Cincinnati a few months ago changed everything.

What are you doing here? Colorado. The Buffaloes are 23-11, but won the Pac-12 tournament title against an average field. The Buffs can beat No. 6 UNLV in the first round.

First-round upset: No. 10 Xavier over No. 7 Notre Dame

Region champion: Kentucky

West

The last time Michigan State won the Big Ten tournament title, it won the national championship in 2000. The Spartans are not a lock to reach the Final Four, but an Elite Eight appearance feels very good.

The class: No. 2 Missouri. The Tigers are a four-guard team, but provided center/forward Ricardo Ratliffe stays out of foul trouble, they can win this region and make their first Final Four appearance.

Worst draw: No. 6 Murray State. The Racers deserved much better than a six seed and a potential second-round game against Marquette.

Best draw: No. 4 Louisville. The Cardinals are not that good, but they can win a Sweet 16 game against Michigan State.

What are you doing here? Iona. It's a shock to see two schools out of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference make it.

Top NBA player: F Drew Gordon, New Mexico. The most difficult matchup in the Mountain West Conference this season.

Top player you don't know: G Casper Ware, Long Beach State. He's only 5-11, but is such a good penetrator and ballhandler that NBA teams are looking at him for the draft.

First-round upset: No. 12 Long Beach State over No. 5 New Mexico

Region champion: Missouri

Midwest

Keeping in the spirit of storylines, the NCAA put No. 1 North Carolina in the same bracket as No. 2 Kansas. The region final is in St. Louis, so if these traditional powers make it through, expect a very pro-KU crowd.

The class: North Carolina. With Harrison Barnes, this is a pro team that could beat Kentucky.

Worst draw: No. 8 Creighton. The Bluejays are good, but a potential game against North Carolina is a bad, bad draw.

Best draw: North Carolina. It should be a prohibitive favorite through the region final.

What are you doing here? No. 15 Detroit. The Horizon League has produced the national runner-up in each of the past two seasons: Butler. That's a high standard to hit.

Top NBA player: F Harrison Barnes, North Carolina. He surprised everyone by electing to remain in college for his sophomore season. He's a top-three pick.

Top player you don't know: F Doug McDermott, Creighton. He averages 23 points and eight rebounds a game. He could really make a name for himself against Carolina.

First-round upset: No. 11 N.C. State over No. 6 San Diego State

Region champion: North Carolina

East

Of the four brackets, this one has the look that could hold closest to form. Aside from an early-round upset from Harvard, the East has the look of a region that will feature No. 1 vs. No. 2 at the end.

The class: Syracuse. Despite some very serious off-the-court drama, the Orange lost two games all season.

Worst draw: No. 5 Vanderbilt. Winning the SEC tournament title did the Commodores no favors. An opening game against Harvard is not an easy win.

Best draw: No. 3 Florida State. The Seminoles are good and should outmuscle every opponent until Ohio State.

What are you doing here? No. 11 Texas. The Longhorns barely made it in, but actually have a winnable opener against Cincinnati.

Top NBA player: G Dion Waiters, Syracuse. Another quick guard that coach Jim Boeheim has unearthed, he should be a first-round pick.

Top player you don't know: F Andrew Nicholson, Saint Bonaventure. The Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, who is from Canada, actually has drawn some comparisons to Tim Duncan.

First-round upset: No. 12 Harvard over No. 5 Vanderbilt

Region champion: Florida State

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/03/11/3801869/will-ncaa-bracket-play-out-true.html#storylink=cpy

NIT snub final insult for Illinois

After a cataclysmic collapse, a first-round exit from the Big Ten tournament and the firing of coach Bruce Weber, Illinois basketball received one final kick in the gut.

A snub from the NIT.

"Any time the University of Illinois is not involved in postseason play it hurts, so we're disappointed," interim coach Jerrance Howard said in a news release. "For our returning players, this should serve as motivation heading into the offseason so we don't feel this way next year on Selection Sunday."

It's hard to imagine what next season's team will look like.

Illini fans will turn their attention to the coaching search athletic director Mike Thomas is conducting and also wait to hear whether sophomore center Meyers Leonard will leave to enter the NBA draft.

The Illini once looked NCAA tournament-bound when they started the season 15-3 and recorded wins over the Big Ten's top two teams in Ohio State and Michigan State. But nothing could stop the unraveling that ensued.

Illinois lost 12 of its final 14 games, including an embarrassing 23-point loss at last-place Nebraska on Feb. 18, to finish 17-15 and ninth in the Big Ten. They lost 64-61 on Thursday to Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten tournament and Weber was fired after nine seasons the following morning.

It was the third time in four seasons that the Illini did not receive an NCAA tournament invitation. They advanced to the NIT quarterfinals in 2010 and did not participate in a postseason tournament in 2008.

The Illini's pitiful ending this season even sparked some Twitter rumors, begun by former player Mike Davis who said the team would not accept an NIT bid. Illinois officials and Thomas said Illinois would have played in the tournament if invited.

Solar flare may make auroras visible in Washington tonight

With a little luck, Western Washingtonians could get a good view of the aurora borealis tonight and Thursday night.

A big solar flare and possibly clear skies over Western Washington could give residents an eyeful of northern lights after midnight tonight and again Thursday evening. The eruption on the sun is the largest since December 2006, said Joe Kunches, a spokesman and space scientist at NOAA’s Space Weather Predication Center.

A similar eruption in late January also gave Washingtonians a shot at seeing the aurora, which is normally only visible closer to the Earth’s poles. During that solar eruption, however, cloudy weather blocked our view. Scandinavia got a great show, though.

The uptick in big eruptions is thanks to a new solar activity cycle with more frequent eruptions. Prior to about a year ago, the sun was in a pretty dull cycle. Now, the surface is lighting up.

"The sun’s done its part," Kunches said. "It had a big eruption. The local weather conditions are gonna be the issue: You live in Seattle."

Fortunately, Dennis D’Amico, a meteorologist for Seattle’s National Weather Service, said Western Washingtonians have a decent chance of getting clear skies both nights. There may be some clouds late tonight and into early Thursday morning, but early Thursday evening could be clear in the region.

Tonight, people south of Seattle have a greater chance of getting a clear look, D’Amico said. However, the moon may limit the show.

Kunches said weather-worn Washingtonians might get rewarded for braving the spring evening.

"You’ve got a tough breed up there," he said. "Standing out there in the cold in the dark for a while, you might get lucky."