PFT: Mangold says Jets want Sanchez as QB

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Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan do not like each other. When they were active players, Sapp reacted to Strahan breaking the single-season sack record by saying there should be an asterisk next to his record because Brett Favre laid down for the final sack. Strahan responded that there should be a McDonald?s next to Sapp?s house because Sapp is fat. That kind of verbal sniping has continued through the years, and kept going this year when Sapp was voted into the Hall of Fame and Strahan was voted out.

Now Sapp is saying that Strahan should stay out of the Hall of Fame. And Sapp says that if the Hall of Fame Selection Committee wants to put in a good pass rusher, it should look to his own former teammate Simeon Rice over Strahan.

?Simeon was a better rusher than Michael Strahan any day of the week and twice on Sunday,? Sapp told the Tampa Tribune.

Rice was an excellent pass rusher, a three-time Pro Bowler who had double-digit sacks in eight different seasons and 122 sacks in his career, the 13th-highest career total since the NFL started counting sacks in 1982. But was he really a better rusher than Strahan, who in addition to being the single-season record holder is No. 5 in career sacks, with 141.5? According to Sapp, yes.

Sapp says that Rice routinely beat opposing left tackles, while Strahan had an easier job facing right tackles.

?[Rice] didn?t rush the worst lineman,? Sapp said. ?You know the right tackle is the worst of the five. Strahan played right end his first four years. When they were putting the label on him as a bust, they put ?B-U-S . OK, let?s transition him on the other side and see if he can play in his fourth year.? They put him at right end and he couldn?t do it, so they moved him to the weak guy. One-on-one with the [Eagles right tackle] Jon Runyans for eight quarters every year. Sim won?t ever have his name brought up [for the Hall of Fame], and that?s a shame. He?s one of the best pass rushers I?ve ever encountered in my life.?

And, at least in Sapp?s mind, a better pass rusher than Strahan.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/19/nick-mangold-says-jets-want-mark-sanchez-to-be-their-starter/related/

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Functional Apple 1 auctioned off for $671.4K, sets new Sotheby's record

With $671,400, you could buy roughly 2,040.7 base-model iPad minis before taxes. One unnamed buyer, however, just laid that amount out for a single Apple 1 from 1976. Auctioned through a Germany-based Sotheby's, The New York Times Bits blog notes the price beats out the firm's $640K record from another unit last November. Interestingly, this current seller refurbished this latest Apple 1 to working condition, after paying only $40K for it privately. We'd be remiss not to mention that the seller also had Steve Wozniak grace it with a signature. You'll find more info at the source, while we wrap our heads around how this makes last summer's auction price of $374.5K look like a relative steal.

Filed under: Desktops, Misc, Apple

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Source: NYT Bits

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/huJualp91VY/

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Study adds to evidence that cigarettes are gateway to marijuana

May 5, 2013 ? een smokers who rationalize their use of cigarettes by saying, "At least, I'm not doing drugs," may not always be able to use that line.

New research to be presented Sunday, May 5, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Washington, DC, supports the theory that cigarettes are a gateway drug to marijuana.

"Contrary to what we would expect, we also found that students who smoked both tobacco and marijuana were more likely to smoke more tobacco than those who smoked only tobacco," said study author Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH, FAAP, an investigator at Seattle Children's Research Institute and associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington.

Dr. Moreno and her colleagues randomly selected incoming college students from two universities -- one in the Northwest and one in the Midwest -- to participate in the longitudinal study. Students were interviewed prior to entering college and again at the end of their freshman year regarding their attitudes, intentions and experiences with substances.

Specifically, students were asked if they had used tobacco or marijuana ever in their lives and in the past 28 days. Researchers also assessed the quantity and frequency of marijuana and tobacco use in the past 28 days.

Results showed that prior to entering college, 33 percent of the 315 participants reported lifetime tobacco use, and 43 percent of lifetime users were current users. In addition, tobacco users were more likely to have used marijuana than those who did not use tobacco.

By the end of their freshman year, 66 percent of participants who reported tobacco use prior to entering college remained current users with an average of 34 tobacco episodes per month. Of these, 53 percent reported concurrent marijuana use. Overall, users of both substances averaged significantly more tobacco episodes per month than current users of tobacco only (42 vs. 24).

"These findings are significant because in the past year we have seen legislation passed that legalizes marijuana in two states," Dr. Moreno said. "While the impact of these laws on marijuana use is a critical issue, our findings suggest that we should also consider whether increased marijuana use will impact tobacco use among older adolescents."

Future work should involve designing educational campaigns highlighting the increased risks of using these substances together, Dr. Moreno concluded.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/6zOfyzPin34/130505073742.htm

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White House Correspondents' Dinner Video 2013: Obama, Celebrities Gather For Annual Event

Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, from left, Michael Scherer, White House correspondent for TIME, late-night television host Conan O'Brien and first lady Michelle Obama attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

US-POLITICS-ENTERTAINMENT-WHCA-DINNER

Comedian Conan O'Brien (L) smiles as US President Barack Obama (C) and US first lady Michelle Obama arrive for the White House Correspondents? Association Dinner April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama attended the yearly dinner which is attended by journalists, celebrities and politicians. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Barack Obama

President Barack Obama looks to the podium during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

US-POLITICS-ENTERTAINMENT-WHCA-DINNER

Comedian Conan O'Brien (L) and US first lady Michelle Obama joke during the White House Correspondents? Association Dinner April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama attended the yearly dinner which is attended by journalists, celebrities and politicians. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Barack Obama, Conan O'Brien, Michelle Obama, Michael Clemente

Late-night television host Conan O'Brien, from left, first lady Michelle Obama, Michael Clemente, Executive Vice President of Fox News, and President Barack Obama attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

US-POLITICS-ENTERTAINMENT-WHCA-DINNER

Comedian Conan O'Brien listens during the White House Correspondents? Association Dinner April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama attended the yearly dinner which is attended by journalists, celebrities and politicians. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Alicia Quarles attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Megan Hilt attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Morena Baccarin attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Musician John Legend attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Model Chrissy Teigen attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

US-POLITICS-ENTERTAINMENT-WHCA-DINNER

Entertainer John Legend arrives at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC, April 27, 2013. AFP Photo/ Chris KLEPONIS (Photo credit should read CHRIS KLEPONIS/AFP/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Musician Psy attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Steven Spielberg

Director Steven Spielberg uses his smart phone during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Saturday, April 27, 2013, in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Amy Poehler attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Claire Danes attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Julia Louis-Dreyfus attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Kerry Washington attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Morena Baccarin attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Rebel Wilson and Olympic Gymnist Gabby Douglas attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Kate Mara attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Kate Mara attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Aasif Mandvi and Ty Burrel attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Al Sharpton and Chris Matthews attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Emily Mortimer attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Connie Britton attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Patricia Arquette attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: John Oliver and Kate Oliver attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Ryan Kwanten attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Jessica Pare attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Justin Bartha attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Julie Bowen attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: NFL player Victor Cruz (L) and Elaina Watley attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Ty Burrell attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Olivia Munn attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Olivia Munn attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

TIME/CNN/PEOPLE/FORTUNE Pre-Dinner Cocktail Reception

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Jeffrey Katzenberg, Time Magazine Managing Editor Rick Stengel and Steven Spielberg attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Time, Inc)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Elizabeth Banks attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Elizabeth Banks attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Jessica Pare attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Aasif Mandvi attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Sofia Vergara attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Michelle Dockery attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actress Constance Zimmer attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Tony Goldwyn attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Thomas Roberts attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Actor Ed Helms attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Korie Robertson and Willie Robertson attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

TIME/CNN/PEOPLE/FORTUNE Pre-Dinner Cocktail Reception

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Gerard Butler and Piers Morgan attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Time, Inc)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Matthew Perry attends the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

2013 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: Piers Morgan and Gerard Butler attend the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 27, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/28/white-house-correspondents-dinner-video-2013_n_3166295.html

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Jonah Peretti: Sex Is A Lot More Popular Than Jesus On Google

Today at Disrupt NY 2013, Buzzfeed founder Jonah Peretti took the stage to talk to the audience about how content works on the Internet: What sells, what gets shared and why. Peretti, a journalist, programmer, marketer and founding member of The Huffington Post (now owned by TechCrunch parent company AOL), has long been a student of viral media. Not surprisingly, Peretti's latest brainchild, Buzzfeed, has turned into publication of record when it comes to Web-born viral content

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/HdUQkeOxnq8/

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Iraq instability tested further with bombing wave

BAGHDAD (AP) ? A wave of car bomb blasts tore through Shiite areas south of Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 36 and deepening fears that Iraq is rapidly spiraling back out of control.

The attacks capped a week of turmoil that is posing the greatest test of Iraq's stability since U.S. troops left the country in late 2011. At least 218 people have been killed in attacks and battles between gunmen and security forces that began with clashes at a Sunni protest camp in northern Iraq last Tuesday.

The unrest follows four months of widespread protests among Iraq's Sunni minority, who feel they are discriminated against and are being marginalized by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shiite-led government.

Iraqi officials fear that Sunni feelings of disenfranchisement could be exploited by extremist groups such as al-Qaida and militant organizations such as the Naqshabandi Army, which is linked to Saddam Hussein's former regime.

In a possible sign of mounting worries over the deteriorating security situation, Iraqi authorities announced they plan to close the country's only border crossing with Jordan, beginning on Tuesday. The Interior Ministry said the move is related Iraq's domestic affairs.

The route to the border runs through the cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, west of Baghdad, which have been hotbeds of Sunni anger at the government. Many Sunnis in western Iraq have economic, tribal and cultural ties with Jordanians, most of whom are also Sunni.

Sheik Fakhir al-Kubaisi, a protest organizer in Anbar province, blasted the latest closure plans as "another escalation by the Iraqi government to punish the revolting Iraqi people." He predicted the closure would drive up the prices of food and medicine, and might be tied to a coming security crackdown on protest sites in the area.

The Interior Ministry spokesman, Lt. Col. Saad Maan Ibrahim, insisted the border closure was solely a technical matter and is unrelated to ongoing tensions in the country. He did not elaborate, and said it should reopen within 48 hours.

Iraq temporarily shut the same border crossing in January, weeks after anti-government protests erupted along the desert highway heading to the checkpoint. That angered many Sunnis in western Iraq, who saw it as collective punishment for their rallies.

The International Crisis Group recently warned that the standoff between Sunni protesters and the central government has begun a dangerous slide toward confrontation.

"The emergence of an arc of instability and conflict linking Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, fueled by sectarianism and involving porous borders as well as cross-border alliances, represents a huge risk," the conflict-prevention group warned. "Failure to integrate Sunni Arabs into a genuinely representative political system in Baghdad risks turning Iraq's domestic crisis into a broader regional struggle."

Monday's deadliest attack struck the southern city of Amarah. Two parked cars loaded with explosives went off simultaneously in the early morning near a gathering of construction workers and a market, killing 18 people and wounding 42, the police said.

That attack was followed by another parked car bombing near a restaurant in the city of Diwaniyah, killing nine people and wounding 23. At least three cars were left charred and twisted from the blast outside a two-story building, and its facade was damaged. Shop owners and cleaners were seen brushing debris off the bloodstained pavement.

Amarah, some 320 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Baghdad, and Diwaniyah, 130 kilometers (80 miles) south of the capital, are heavily Shiite and usually peaceful.

Hours later, yet another car bomb went off in the Shiite holy city of Karbala, killing three civilians and wounding 14, police said. Two early Islamic figures revered by Shiites are buried in the city, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad.

And in the otherwise predominantly Sunni town of Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Baghdad, a car bomb ripped through a Shiite neighborhood, killing six people and wounding 14, another police officer said.

Ibrahim Ali, a schoolteacher there, was teaching a class when a thunderous boom went off.

"The students were panicking and some of them started to cry," he said, recounting seeing burned bodies and cars on fire at the nearby blast site. "We have been expecting this violence against Shiites because of the rising sectarian tension in the country," he said.

Medical officials confirmed the casualty figures. Like the police, they spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for Monday's blasts. But coordinated bombings in civilian areas are a favorite tactic for al-Qaida in Iraq.

Parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni, condemned Monday's bombings and urged the government to step down "in order to save the country from the specter of civil war and sectarian strife." He called for the installation of an interim government, dissolution of parliament and early elections.

He issued a similar call in February for the prime minister to step down and for early elections, but there is little sign for now of that happening.

Sectarian violence has spiked since last Tuesday, when security forces tried to make arrests at a Sunni Muslim protest camp in the northern city of Hawija. The move set off a clash that killed 23 people, including three soldiers.

In Baghdad, al-Maliki met on Monday with the prime minister of Iraq's largely autonomous Kurdish region, Nechirvan Barzani.

A statement from the Iraqi leader's office said the two sides discussed their differences "in an atmosphere of frankness and seriousness and with a common desire to find solutions."

Ongoing disputes between Baghdad and the Kurds over sensitive issues such as ethnically disputed territories and how to manage the country's vast oil wealth further undermine Iraq's stability as al-Maliki tries to manage relations with the country's Sunni Arabs.

In other violence Monday, several mortar shells exploded in an uninhabited area near Baghdad International Airport around sunset, but no casualties were reported, police said.

An Iranian exile group whose members live in a refugee camp near the airport described the explosions as rocket strikes. It said they hit water canals at the southern part of the camp.

The group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, has been pushing for camp residents, members of its Mujahedeen-e-Khalq militant wing, to be moved back to another camp north of Baghdad. Iraq's government wants them out of the country altogether.

___

Associated Press writers Sinan Salaheddin and Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report.

___

Follow Adam Schreck on Twitter at http://twitter.com/adamschreck

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/iraq-instability-tested-further-bombing-wave-172820332.html

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Dutch schools color orange for new king

(Ends first round) NEW YORK, April 25 (Reuters) - Selections in the first roundof the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday (picknumber, NFL team, player, position, college): 1-Kansas City, Eric Fisher, offensive tackle, Central Michigan 2-Jacksonville, Luke Joeckel, offensive tackle, Texas A&M 3-Miami (from Oakland), Dion Jordan, defensive tackle, Oregon 4-Philadelphia, Lane Johnson, offensive tackle, Oklahoma 5-Detroit, Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, Brigham Young 6-Cleveland, Barkevious Mingo, linebacker, LSU 7-Arizona, Jonathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina 8-St. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dutch-schools-color-orange-king-085650678.html

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