EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — Your turn, Josh Freeman.
Freeman was named the latest starting quarterback for the scuffling Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday. Freeman's second week with the team will culminate on Monday night with him leading the offense against the New York Giants.
"It really hasn't been that difficult. Any time you step into a situation where you're the new guy, there's always kind of an awkward getting-to-know-you phase," Freeman said. "But I think that goes back to the character of this organization just from top to bottom: a lot of quality people that are dedicated to winning first and foremost but also being quality human beings off the field. So it's been a smooth adjustment."
Coach Leslie Frazier also said that Christian Ponder will be the backup, not Matt Cassel, assuming Freeman makes it through the week without problems.
"I like the things he's done in his career, along with what he's done since he arrived here with our football team, the time he put in, how well he's adapted to our system," Frazier said. "He's done enough for us to say we want to give him this opportunity, which is something we had in mind when we acquired him. I think now is the time."
Freeman will be the third starter in the last four games for the Vikings (1-4) and the 11th since Daunte Culpepper's season-ending knee injury in 2005. Freeman was cut by Tampa Bay on Oct. 3 and signed by Minnesota to a one-year contract five days later.
"We're just going to make plays for whoever's in there and just make it as easy as possible," wide receiver Jerome Simpson said.
Freeman started 59 games over four-plus seasons with the Buccaneers. The 25-year-old former first-round draft pick threw for 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 2010, his first full season as a starter, but has been up and down since. The Vikings were on the wrong end of one of his best games last year, a 36-17 victory at Minnesota when he passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
"The underlying questions I've been getting from a lot of people: 'Do I have a chip on my shoulder?' I'm sure I do," Freeman said. "But I think it's more deeply rooted than just the past six months, 12 months."
Frazier said he was impressed by Freeman's first practice with the team.
"From the moment he stepped in the building, he wanted to learn. And the way he handled himself in that practice, it changed my mindset about the possibilities," Frazier said. "We had a timeframe in mind originally but watching what he did from the day he arrived, that cemented it for me that sooner was a possibility."
Frazier said he hasn't considered a scenario in which Ponder wouldn't still be on the roster for the rest of the season. Ponder said he wasn't sure about his future here. The trade deadline is Oct. 29. He's under contract with the Vikings through at least 2014.
"I have to figure out what's best for me and everything and for this team. I don't know if that's staying here and going somewhere else," Ponder said.
Ponder started the first three games until he broke a rib. Cassel took over and led the Vikings to their only victory. Frazier said he preferred to keep the factors in his decision to put Ponder ahead of Cassel on the depth chart private.
The coach also said he had full authority to make Freeman the starter. He acknowledged, though, that owners Zygi Wilf and Mark Wilf and general manager Rick Spielman were consulted.
"When you're talking about the quarterback position, which affects your entire franchise, this is not a decision you make alone," Frazier said.
Running back Adrian Peterson was missing from practice because of a personal matter. Frazier said he expected him back on Thursday. The coach declined to specify whether his absence was related to the situation in South Dakota regarding his 2-year-old son, who died last week by alleged abuse. A man is in custody in South Dakota.
Safety Harrison Smith was also not present for the beginning of practice reporters were allowed to watch. With the game on Monday this week, the Vikings aren't required to produce an injury report until Thursday. Smith suffered a turf toe injury to his left foot on Sunday. Frazier said he'd provide an update on Thursday.
___
Online:
AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org
___
Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP
Contact: Stewart Bland s.bland@elsevier.com 44-186-584-3124 Elsevier
Journal Carbon publishes a recommended nomenclature for 2D carbon forms
Oxford, October 16, 2013 - There has been an intense research interest in all two-dimensional (2D) forms of carbon since Geim and Novoselov's discovery of graphene in 2004. But as the number of such publications rise, so does the level of inconsistency in naming the material of interest. The isolated, single-atom-thick sheet universally referred to as "graphene" may have a clear definition, but when referring to related 2D sheet-like or flake-like carbon forms, many authors have simply defined their own terms to describe their product.
This has led to confusion within the literature, where terms are multiply-defined, or incorrectly used. The Editorial Board of Carbon has therefore published the first recommended nomenclature for 2D carbon forms.
The editorial team spent eight months working on setting the definitions. They believe that agreeing on a rational scientific nomenclature could enable more rapid development in the field, and with a "higher degree of common understanding". Editor-in-Chief of Carbon, Professor Robert Hurt (Institute for Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation, School of Engineering, Brown University, USA) succinctly summarizes the need for this work with the phrase: "Precise names promote precise ideas."
A series of basic guiding principles to define the terms was used in the study, where possible making use of established definitions, and clarifying rather than replacing existing terms. The study also recognizes that researchers will want to continue using the word "graphene" in publications, and so have recommended "graphene materials" as the overarching phrase to describe 2D carbons. In this way, the publication offers itself as a practical guide for naming such materials, for carbon scientists in all fields and at all stages in their careers.
One proposal is that all definitions of graphene materials should go beyond crystallography, and should include morphological descriptors for shape and size namely the thickness (layer number), lateral dimensions and in-plane shape of these carbon layers.
To move graphene materials beyond the early discovery phase and into applications, internationally-recognized definitions of each carbon form will be needed. In the 1990s, the lack of agreed definitions for nanofibers, nanorods and nanotubes led to several International Standards on the topic, which, when published, brought consistency to the field.
"This study is a great way to open the discussion on graphene terminology, and welcomes any formal standardization efforts for 2D carbons in the future," concludes Prof Hurt c "We would be delighted if the community at large saw sufficient value in the recommendations to use them more broadly."
###
Notes for Editors
This article is "All in the graphene family A recommended nomenclature for two-dimensional carbon materials" by Alberto Bianco, Hui-Ming Cheng, Toshiaki Enoki, Yury Gogotsi, Robert H. Hurt, Nikhil Koratkar, Takashi Kyotani, Marc Monthioux, Chong Rae Park, Juan M.D. Tascon and Jin Zhang. It appears in Carbon, Volume 65, December 2013, Pages 1-6 (2013) published by Elsevier. The article is available for free at http://www.materialstoday.com . An interview with Carbon Editor-in-Chief, Prof Robert Hurt, is available here.
About Carbon
An International Journal Founded in Conjunction with the American Carbon Society
The journal Carbon is an international multidisciplinary forum for communicating scientific advances in the field of carbon materials and carbon nanomaterials. The journal reports significant new findings related to the formation, structure, properties, behaviors, and technological applications of carbons, which are a broad class of ordered or disordered solid phases composed primarily of elemental carbon. These materials can be either synthetic or of natural origin, and include, but are not limited to, graphene and graphene-oxide, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers and filaments, graphite, porous carbons, pyrolytic carbon, glassy carbon, carbon black, diamond and diamond-like carbon, fullerenes, and chars. Papers on composites will be considered if the carbon component is a major focus of the paper's scientific content. Papers on organic substances may be considered if they are precursors for such carbon materials. Relevant application areas for carbon materials include, but are not limited to, electronic and photonic devices, structural and thermal applications, smart materials and systems, energy storage and conversion, catalysis, environmental protection, and biology and medicine.
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, Reaxys, ClinicalKey and Mosby's Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, helping research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.
A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world leading provider of professional information solutions. The group employs more than 30,000 people, including more than 15,000 in North America. Reed Elsevier Group PLC is owned equally by two parent companies, Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. Their shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RUK and ENL.
Media contact
Stewart Bland
Elsevier
+44 1865 843124
s.bland@elsevier.com
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Defining the graphene family tree
Public release date: 16-Oct-2013 [
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Contact: Stewart Bland s.bland@elsevier.com 44-186-584-3124 Elsevier
Journal Carbon publishes a recommended nomenclature for 2D carbon forms
Oxford, October 16, 2013 - There has been an intense research interest in all two-dimensional (2D) forms of carbon since Geim and Novoselov's discovery of graphene in 2004. But as the number of such publications rise, so does the level of inconsistency in naming the material of interest. The isolated, single-atom-thick sheet universally referred to as "graphene" may have a clear definition, but when referring to related 2D sheet-like or flake-like carbon forms, many authors have simply defined their own terms to describe their product.
This has led to confusion within the literature, where terms are multiply-defined, or incorrectly used. The Editorial Board of Carbon has therefore published the first recommended nomenclature for 2D carbon forms.
The editorial team spent eight months working on setting the definitions. They believe that agreeing on a rational scientific nomenclature could enable more rapid development in the field, and with a "higher degree of common understanding". Editor-in-Chief of Carbon, Professor Robert Hurt (Institute for Molecular and Nanoscale Innovation, School of Engineering, Brown University, USA) succinctly summarizes the need for this work with the phrase: "Precise names promote precise ideas."
A series of basic guiding principles to define the terms was used in the study, where possible making use of established definitions, and clarifying rather than replacing existing terms. The study also recognizes that researchers will want to continue using the word "graphene" in publications, and so have recommended "graphene materials" as the overarching phrase to describe 2D carbons. In this way, the publication offers itself as a practical guide for naming such materials, for carbon scientists in all fields and at all stages in their careers.
One proposal is that all definitions of graphene materials should go beyond crystallography, and should include morphological descriptors for shape and size namely the thickness (layer number), lateral dimensions and in-plane shape of these carbon layers.
To move graphene materials beyond the early discovery phase and into applications, internationally-recognized definitions of each carbon form will be needed. In the 1990s, the lack of agreed definitions for nanofibers, nanorods and nanotubes led to several International Standards on the topic, which, when published, brought consistency to the field.
"This study is a great way to open the discussion on graphene terminology, and welcomes any formal standardization efforts for 2D carbons in the future," concludes Prof Hurt c "We would be delighted if the community at large saw sufficient value in the recommendations to use them more broadly."
###
Notes for Editors
This article is "All in the graphene family A recommended nomenclature for two-dimensional carbon materials" by Alberto Bianco, Hui-Ming Cheng, Toshiaki Enoki, Yury Gogotsi, Robert H. Hurt, Nikhil Koratkar, Takashi Kyotani, Marc Monthioux, Chong Rae Park, Juan M.D. Tascon and Jin Zhang. It appears in Carbon, Volume 65, December 2013, Pages 1-6 (2013) published by Elsevier. The article is available for free at http://www.materialstoday.com . An interview with Carbon Editor-in-Chief, Prof Robert Hurt, is available here.
About Carbon
An International Journal Founded in Conjunction with the American Carbon Society
The journal Carbon is an international multidisciplinary forum for communicating scientific advances in the field of carbon materials and carbon nanomaterials. The journal reports significant new findings related to the formation, structure, properties, behaviors, and technological applications of carbons, which are a broad class of ordered or disordered solid phases composed primarily of elemental carbon. These materials can be either synthetic or of natural origin, and include, but are not limited to, graphene and graphene-oxide, carbon nanotubes, carbon fibers and filaments, graphite, porous carbons, pyrolytic carbon, glassy carbon, carbon black, diamond and diamond-like carbon, fullerenes, and chars. Papers on composites will be considered if the carbon component is a major focus of the paper's scientific content. Papers on organic substances may be considered if they are precursors for such carbon materials. Relevant application areas for carbon materials include, but are not limited to, electronic and photonic devices, structural and thermal applications, smart materials and systems, energy storage and conversion, catalysis, environmental protection, and biology and medicine.
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, Reaxys, ClinicalKey and Mosby's Suite, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, helping research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.
A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world leading provider of professional information solutions. The group employs more than 30,000 people, including more than 15,000 in North America. Reed Elsevier Group PLC is owned equally by two parent companies, Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. Their shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RUK and ENL.
Media contact
Stewart Bland
Elsevier
+44 1865 843124
s.bland@elsevier.com
[
| E-mail
| Share
]
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Understanding Each Other"
You may edit this first post as you see fit.
“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, or you wouldn’t have come here.”
(Reuters) - Citigroup Inc posted weaker-than-expected third-quarter earnings on Tuesday as bond market trading volume dropped, hurting revenue at the No. 3 U.S. bank and across Wall Street.
The bank's bond trading revenue dropped 26 percent, or $956 million (597.7 million pounds), excluding an accounting adjustment, and revenue at most of its major businesses dropped.
The fall in fixed-income revenue could spell trouble for investment banks Goldman Sachs Group Inc and Morgan Stanley, which post results later this week. Volumes dropped after the Federal Reserve said it plans to continue its bond buying stimulus program, giving assurance to investors that they can hold onto their bonds for a little longer.
Late in the quarter, investors also grew increasingly concerned about the government's fiscal impasse, which made many reluctant to trade.
"I don't think anybody wanted to get in front of that," said Diane Jaffee, who oversees about $6.5 billion of relative value mutual funds for TCW, and counts Citigroup among her top 10 holdings. The budget and debt ceiling crises continue to weigh on trading volumes in the fourth quarter, analysts said.
Investors pointed to Citi's efforts to control costs as the most positive part of the quarterly earnings. Similar moves could be imminent at other banks, especially as Wall Street bonus season - typically a huge part of their budgets - approaches.
In last year's third quarter Citigroup took a $4.7 billion charge before taxes, related to selling its Smith Barney brokerage business. For the bank's board, that hit was the last straw in a series of perceived missteps that ended up costing Vikram Pandit, then the bank's chief executive, his job.
Pandit's successor, Michael Corbat, has struggled to improve Citigroup's fortunes in an environment where client business is tepid and new regulations are raising banks' expenses. Those regulations are designed to make the banking system safer after the financial crisis, which forced Citigroup to seek government rescues three times.
'UNEVEN' BUSINESS CONDITIONS
Corbat told analysts in a conference call that business conditions would remain "uneven" for the rest of the year.
"While many of the factors which influence our revenues are not within our full control, we certainly can control our costs, and I am pleased with our expense discipline and improved efficiency year-to-date," Corbat said in a statement.
The bank's expenses fell nearly $500 million from the second quarter to $11.66 billion as performance-based compensation and transaction costs fell, partly reflecting a weak revenue environment, Chief Financial Officer John Gerspach told analysts.
Citigroup, which has said it was aiming to reduce costs by $1.2 billion annually, said on Tuesday it plans to cut areas like marketing expenses in the fourth quarter. But Gerspach said that no major new expense reduction plans are expected in the quarter.
Investors said that from the outside, it is hard to evaluate how the bank's cost-cutting is affecting its daily operations.
"All these banks are doing a lot on that front (cost cutting), including Citigroup, but it's hard to see from the outside what is happening," said David Ellison, portfolio manager in Boston at Hennessy Funds, which has about $4 billion under management and owns Citigroup shares.
"There's a dumpster in the driveway, but all the activity is in the house, and you can't tell what's happening inside."
CUSTOMER TRADING SLOWDOWN
The third quarter is typically a slow one for bond trading, a state that was only exacerbated by the Fed announcement, according to analysts.
Under generally accepted accounting principles, Citigroup's net income rose to $3.23 billion, or $1.00 per share, from $468 million, or 15 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding the Smith Barney charge, as well as the impact of tax benefits and changes in the value of Citigroup debts and those of trading partners, third-quarter earnings slipped to $3.26 billion, or $1.02 per share, from $3.27 billion, or $1.06 per share, a year earlier. On that basis, revenue fell 5 percent to $18.22 billion.
Analysts on average expected earnings of $1.04 a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. A spokeswoman for the bank said that estimate was comparable to the adjusted earnings of $1.02 per share.
Citigroup shares were up 14 cents to $49.74 in midday trading.
On some fronts, Corbat is making progress. Citigroup has winnowed down the assets it is looking to shed, known as Citi Holdings, to $122 billion, down 29 percent from a year earlier and down 7 percent from the second quarter. Citi Holdings now accounts for a little more than 6 percent of the bank's overall assets, compared with about 9 percent in last year's third quarter.
But results were weak at many businesses at Citicorp, the bank's main operations. Revenue for its retail banking business fell 7 percent to $9.24 billion, and revenue for its securities and banking business fell 2 percent to $4.75 billion.
Revenue at its transaction services business was $2.613 billion, about $6 million below the same quarter last year. The bank's transaction services business, long a key driver of profitability, is facing intense competition now.
The bank earned enough taxable income in the United States to use about $500 million of its deferred tax assets, which amount to tax credits and other benefits that Citigroup can only use when it earns enough money domestically. The bank had about $54 billion of deferred tax assets at the end of June, most of which relate to U.S. taxes.
(Reporting by David Henry in New York; Additional reporting by Tanya Agrawal in Bangalore; Editing by John Wallace and Andrew Hay)
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