Jury finds in favor of bartender in cop bar beating case

Former Chicago police Officer Anthony Abbate beats up female bartender Karolina Obrycka at Jesse's Shortstop Inn in Chicago in Feb. 2007.

A federal jury today found in favor of a female bartender who was beaten by an off-duty Chicago police officer in a notorious 2007 attack captured on security cameras.

The jury awarded the bartender, Karolina Obrycka, $850,000 in compensatory damages against the city. Obrycka’s lawyers contended a code of silence protected former chicago police officer Anthony Abbate from punishment until the damning videotape was made public.

Lawyers for the bartender contended a code of silence protected Abbate from punishment until the damning videotape was made public.

Obrycka contended during the trial that Abbate, other officers and higher-ups tried to cover up and minimize her February 2007 beating as part of an unofficial "code of silence" policy within the department.

The trial in federal court came nearly six years after Abbate attacked Obrycka at Jesse's Short Stop Inn when he went behind the bar.

The eight-woman, three-man jury found that Abbate was part of the conspiracy to cover up the beating and that the Police Department had a widespread code of silence that emboldened Abbate to beat up Obrycka.

Jurors held both the city and Abbate responsible but didn’t assess any damages against Abbate personally.

The videotape of Abbate pummeling a woman about half his size marked one of the most embarrassing chapters in recent Chicago Police Department history and contributed to the resignation of then-Superintendent Philip Cline.

Fearful that the department would not discipline Abbate, Obrycka’s lawyers have said they released the videotape to the news media, causing an Internet sensation with the graphic images.

The verdict in the high-stakes trial came after two days of deliberations and a complicated, lengthy trial that saw more than three dozen witnesses offer contradictory and colorful testimony about the beating in Jesse’s Short Stop Inn on the Northwest Side.

At the center of the trial was the allegation that a long-standing code of silence protects officers who use excessive force or engage in other misconduct. As a result, Obrycka’s lawyers maintained that Abbate acted with impunity in the bar because he was unafraid of consequences, the result of the blue wall of silence as well as department’s history of ineffective discipline action against wayward officers.

Just days after the tavern owner installed security cameras, Abbate went into a rage when Obrycka tried to prevent him from coming behind the bar. Abbate, who testified he was drunk after downing multiple alcoholic drinks and shots, tossed Obrycka to the floor and then wailed away at her with his fists and feet.

“Nobody tells me what to do,” Abbate was heard proclaiming on the videotape repeatedly played in court during the three-week trial.

City attorneys argued that Abbate’s actions were simply the result of his being so drunk. He was too intoxicated to think a code of silence would protect him, they said.

Obrycka’s lawyers urged the jury to hold Abbate personally liable for his role in the alleged cover-up that followed the beating. Abbate allegedly threatened to plant cocaine and falsely charge Obrycka if she complained about the beating or released the videotape. Obrycka’s lawyers contended the cover-up even stretched high into Police Department ranks.

At trial, high-level officials from the Police Department and the Cook County state’s attorney’s office clashed over who wanted to aggressively prosecute Abbate. He had originally been charged with just a misdemeanor – a move that one top prosecutor said his office knew nothing about and could have jeopardized plans to charge Abbate with a felony. But police officials contended that same prosecutor had voiced support for a misdemeanor.

After the verdict, Obrycka said she was "speechless."

“I am very happy, justice is served. It’s finally over,” she said as Abbate walked by

asweeney@tribune.com
jmeisner@tribune.com

Read More..

Exclusive: AMD hires bank to explore options - sources

'},"otherParams":{"t_e":1,".intl":"US"},"events":{"fetch":{lv:2,"sp":"7665149","ps":"LREC,MON","npv":true,"bg":"#FFFFFF","em":escape('{"site-attribute":"_id=\'0cf03e22-dded-392e-abf9-64fdcae4c3e2\' rs=\'lmsid:a0770000002GZ5iAAG\' ctype=\'News\' ctopid=\'2299500;1542500;1550000;1844500;1044500\' can_suppress_ugc=\'1\' content=\'no_expandable;ajax_cert_expandable;\' ADSSA"}'),"em_orig":escape('{"site-attribute":"_id=\'0cf03e22-dded-392e-abf9-64fdcae4c3e2\' rs=\'lmsid:a0770000002GZ5iAAG\' ctype=\'News\' ctopid=\'2299500;1542500;1550000;1844500;1044500\' can_suppress_ugc=\'1\' content=\'no_expandable;ajax_cert_expandable;\' ADSSA"}')}}};var _createNodes=function(){var nIds=_conf.nodeIds;for(var i in nIds){var nId=nIds[i];var dId=_conf.destinationMap[nIds[i].replace("yom-","")];n=Y.one("#"+nId);if(n)var center=n.one("center");var node=Y.one("#"+dId);var nodeHTML;if(center && !node){nodeHTML=_conf.nodes[nId];center.insert(nodeHTML);};};};var _prepareNodes=function(){var nIds=_conf.nodeIds;for(var i in nIds){var nId=nIds[i];var dId=_conf.destinationMap[nIds[i].replace("yom-ad-","")];n=Y.one("#"+nId);if(n)var center=n.one("center");var node=Y.one("#"+dId);if(center && node){center.set("innerHTML","");center.insert(node);node.setStyle("display","block");};};};var _darla;var _config=function(){if(YAHOO.ads.darla){_darla = YAHOO.ads.darla;_createNodes();};};var _fetch=function(spaceid,adssa,ps){
if (typeof(ps)!='undefined')
_conf.events.fetch.ps = ps;if(typeof spaceid != "undefined") _conf.events.fetch.sp=spaceid;adssa = (typeof adssa != "undefined" && adssa != null) ? escape(adssa.replace(/\"/g, "'")) : "";_conf.events.fetch.em=_conf.events.fetch.em_orig.replace("ADSSA", adssa);if(_darla){_prepareNodes();_darla.setConfig(_conf);_darla.event("fetch");};};Y.on("domready", function(){_config();});;var that={"fetch":_fetch,"getNodes":_conf.nodes,"getConf":_conf};return that;}();/* Backwards compatibility - Assigning the latest instance to the main fetch function */YUI.PhotoAdsDarla.fetch=YUI.PhotoAdsDarla.photoslightboxdarla.fetch;
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {YAHOO.namespace('Media.Social').Lightbox = {};
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.Media.Article.init();
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {new Y.Media.AuthorBadge();
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {new Y.Media.Branding();
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.on("load", function () {
YUI.namespace("Media.SocialButtons");

var instances = YUI.Media.SocialButtons.instances || [],
globalConf = YAHOO.Media.SocialButtons.conf || {},
vplContainers = [];

Y.all(".ymsb").each(function (node) {
var id = node.get("id"),
conf = YAHOO.Media.SocialButtons.configs[id],
instance;

if (conf) {
instance = new Y.SocialButtons({
srcNode: node,
config: Y.merge(globalConf, conf.config || {}),
contentMetadata: conf.content || {},
tracking: conf.tracking || {}
});
vplContainers.push(
{
selector: "#" + id,
callback: function(node) { instance.render(); instance = conf = id = null; }
});

if (conf.config && conf.config.dynamic) {
instances.push(instance);
}
}
});

Y.Global.Media.ViewportLoader.addContainers(vplContainers);
YUI.Media.SocialButtons.instances = instances;
});
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {if (!Y.Media) {

return;

}

Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_targets = Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_targets || {};

Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_configs = Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_configs || {};

Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_dataset = Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_dataset || {};

Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_whitelist = Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_whitelist || {};


Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_targets['lightbox4838ec812ad856d0c47a31926411e39b'] = {"lightboxId":"7d27aa111169209cab0ee9b8a02d2bf0","pivotId":"98a93ed5-ab22-3b2c-a2ed-1f7ee543d92b"};


Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_dataset['7d27aa111169209cab0ee9b8a02d2bf0'] = {"spaceid":"7665149","total":1,"photoby":"Photo By","xhrtype":"slideshow","videoconf":{"autoplay":true,"continuousPlay":true,"mute":false,"volume":"1.00","lang":"en-US","site":"news","region":"US","jurisdiction":"US","YVAP":{"accountId":"145","playContext":"default"},"pageSpaceId":"7665149","comscoreC4":"US News","comscoreC6":"","showEmbedCode":true,"showShareUrl":true,"expName":"MediaArticleRelatedLightbox","expType":"inline","apiEnv":"prod"},"slideshow_id":null,"slideshow_title":null,"slideshow_title_baked_html":null,"slideshow_desc":null,"slideshow_rev":null,"slideshow_plink_vita":null,"photos":[{"type":"image","url":"http:\/\/l3.yimg.com\/bt\/api\/res\/1.2\/ycbIRNl91qFpnp0bdioCzA--\/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD0zMzk7cT03OTt3PTQ1MA--\/http:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en_us\/News\/Reuters\/2012-11-13T210105Z_2_CBRE8AC1MAP00_RTROPTP_2_TAIWAN.JPG","width":450,"height":339,"uuid":"98a93ed5-ab22-3b2c-a2ed-1f7ee543d92b","caption":"A new AMD Opteron 6000 series processor is seen on a motherboard during a product launch in Taipei April 14, 2010. REUTERS\/Pichi Chuang","captionBakedHtml":"

A new AMD Opteron 6000 series processor is seen on a motherboard during a product launch in Taipei April 14, 2010. REUTERS\/Pichi Chuang","date":"Tue, Nov 13, 2012 4:05 PM EST","credit":"Reuters","byline":" Pichi Chuang \/ Reuters","provider":"Reuters","photo_title":"A new AMD Opteron 6000 series processor is seen on a motherboard during a product launch in Taipei","pivot_alias_id":"amd-opteron-6000-series-processor-seen-motherboard-during-photo-205859778","plink":"\/photos\/amd-opteron-6000-series-processor-seen-motherboard-during-photo-205859778.html","plink_vita":"http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/photos\/amd-opteron-6000-series-processor-seen-motherboard-during-photo-205859778.html","srchtrm":"A new AMD Opteron 6000 series processor is seen on a motherboard during a product launch in Taipei","revsp":"","rev":"cdd9c060-2dd5-11e2-bf77-2fbff0f2aafd","surl":"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/bt\/api\/res\/1.2\/sr5mh8hOeXgmm9Rc0E71XA--\/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD01NjtxPTc5O3c9NzQ-\/http:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en_us\/News\/Reuters\/2012-11-13T210105Z_2_CBRE8AC1MAP00_RTROPTP_2_TAIWAN.JPG","swidth":74,"sheight":56}]};

Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_configs['7d27aa111169209cab0ee9b8a02d2bf0'] = {"spaceid":"7665149","ult_pt":"story-lightbox","darla_id":"","images_total":0,"xhr_url":"\/_xhr\/related-article\/lightbox\/?id=0cf03e22-dded-392e-abf9-64fdcae4c3e2","xhr_count":20,"autoplay_if_first_item_is_video":true};
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {new Y.Media.RelatedArticle({count:"2",start:"1",
mod_total:"10", total:"0",
content_id:"0cf03e22-dded-392e-abf9-64fdcae4c3e2",
spaceid:"7665149",
related_count:"-1"
});
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {(function(d){
d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d.createElement('script')).src='http://d.yimg.com/oq/js/csc_news-en-US-core.js';
})(document);
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {
if(!("Media" in YAHOO)){YAHOO.Media = {};}
if(!("ugcrate" in YAHOO.Media)){YAHOO.Media.ugcrate = {};}
if(!("Media" in Y)){Y.namespace("Media");}
YAHOO.Media.ugcrate.ratings_03a7d6b8d3c699a3334bdae6efb01dfa = new Y.Media.UgcRate({"context_id":"5c45fbb3-cdb2-467d-ac33-5d2ab49dd099","sCrumb":"","containerId":"yom-sentimentrate-03a7d6b8d3c699a3334bdae6efb01dfa","rateDimensions":"d1","appLang":"en-US","sUltSId":"7665149","sUltProperty":"news-en-US","sUltCampaign":"","sUltPlatform":"ugcwidgets","sUltIntl":"US","sUltLang":"en-US","selfPageUrl":"http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/exclusive-advanced-micro-hires-bank-explore-options-sources-204917874--finance.html?_esi=0","artContentId":"0cf03e22-dded-392e-abf9-64fdcae4c3e2","sUltQstnTxt":"Which size tablet would you prefer?","artContentTitle":"Exclusive: AMD hires bank to explore options - sources","artContentDesc":"NEW YORK\/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Advanced Micro Devices has hired JPMorgan Chase & Co to explore options, which could include a sale, as the chipmaker struggles to find a role in an industry increasingly focused on mobile and away from traditional PCs, according to three sources familiar with the situation. The company\\'s stock surged 18 percent on the news before ending up 5 percent at $2.09 on the New York Stock Exchange. Sources told Reuters on Tuesday that an outright sale of the company is not a priority, and other options for AMD could include a sale of its portfolio of patents. ...","sUltBucketId":"test1","sUltSection":"sentirating","sUltBeaconUrl":"","sUltRecordPageviews":"1","sUltBeaconEnable":"1","serviceUrl":"\/_xhr","publisherContextId":"","propertyId":"2fcd79b5-b3a3-333e-b98e-722536a6698f","configurationId":"435db9ee-c55e-3766-b20d-c8ad3ff889d1","graphId":"","labelLeft":"Smaller works for me","labelRight":"Bigger is better","labelMiddle":"","itemimg":"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/a\/i\/ww\/met\/yahoo_logo_us_061509.png","selfURI":"","aggregateRatingCount":"68886","aggregateReviewCount":"0","leftBlocksNum":"38813","rightBlocksNum":"30072","leftBlocksPerCent":"56","rightBlocksPerCent":"44","ugcrate_apihost":"api01-us.ugcl.yahoo.com:4080","publisher_id":"news-en-US","yca_cert":"yahoo.ugccloud.app.trusted_proxies","timeout_write":"5000","through_proxy":"false","optionStats":"{\"s1\":6365,\"s2\":2939,\"s3\":6993,\"s4\":16754,\"s5\":5762,\"s6\":30072,\"s7\":0,\"s8\":0,\"s9\":0,\"s10\":0}","l10N":"{\"FIRST_TO_READ\":\"You are first to read this. Share your feelings and start a conversation.\",\"SHARE_YOUR_FEELINGS\":\"You too can share your feelings and start a conversation!\",\"HOW_YOUR_FRIENDS_THINK\":\"Thank you for sharing your feeling on this article!\",\"PRE_SHARE_MSG\":\"Your Facebook friends on Yahoo! can see how you responded. To share your response on Facebook, click on the Facebook share option.\",\"START_THE_CONVERSATION\":\"Start the Conversation\",\"THANKS_FOR_SHARING\":\"Sure, that's how you feel... But what do your friends think?\",\"POLL_HEADER\":\"SOCIAL SENTIMENT\",\"SERVER_ERROR\":\"Oops there seems to be some error, please try again later\",\"LOADING\":\"Loading...\",\"SHARE_AFTER_COMMENT\":\"Your response has been shared on Facebook.\",\"UNDO\":\"Undo\",\"UNIT_PEOPLE\":\"People\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_DISAGREE\":\"disagree with your opinion.\",\"READ_MORE_TEXT\":\"Read what they have to say.\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_BEFORE_VOTING\":\"WHAT DO YOU THINK?\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_VERB_BEFORE_VOTING\":\"DRAG\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_THANKS_VOTING\":\"Thanks for voting\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_ANSWERED\":\" 68,886 people have responded\",\"ONE_PERSON_ANSWERED\":\" 1 person has responded. Your response will be seen by your Facebook friends on Yahoo!\",\"TWO_PEOPLE_ANSWERED\":\" 2 people have responded. Your response will be seen by your Facebook friends on Yahoo!\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_ANSWERED_AND_SHARED\":\" 68,886 people have responded. Your response will be seen by your Facebook friends on Yahoo!\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s1\":6365,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s2\":2939,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s3\":6993,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s4\":16754,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s5\":5762,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s6\":30072,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s7\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s8\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s9\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s10\":0}","fbconfig":"{\"message\":\"undefined\",\"name\":\"undefined\",\"link\":\"\",\"source\":\"\",\"picture\":\"http:\\\/\\\/l.yimg.com\\\/a\\\/i\\\/ww\\\/news\\\/2011\\\/09\\\/27\\\/yahoo-tc.jpg\",\"description\":\"\",\"captionLeft\":\"undefined\",\"captionRight\":\"undefined\",\"app_id\":\"196660913708276\",\"redirect_uri\":\"\\\/_xhr\\\/ugcratefbredirect\\\/\"}","template_id":"LONG_SLIDER_SOUTH","obj_id":"ratings_03a7d6b8d3c699a3334bdae6efb01dfa","opt_count":"6","opt_color1":"","opt_color2":"","template_html":"

Read More..

Nationals' Johnson wins NL Manager of the Year

NEW YORK (AP) — Davey Johnson was picked as the NL Manager of the Year on Tuesday after the Washington Nationals bolted to the best record in baseball.

Johnson, who turns 70 in January, was honored for the second time. He was picked as the AL's top manager in 1997, hours after he resigned from the Baltimore Orioles in a feud with owner Peter Angelos.

Johnson will get a while to enjoy this accolade.

The Nationals announced this month that he will guide them in 2013, when he will be the oldest manager in the majors. He's set to leave the Washington dugout and become a team consultant in 2014.

"World Series or bust," Johnson said on the MLB Network. "It's going to be my last year, anyway."

Johnson was an easy choice this year in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. He received 23 of the 32 first-place votes, Dusty Baker of NL Central winner Cincinnati got five firsts and was second and Bruce Bochy of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants got four firsts and was third.

Washington won its second-ever major postseason award. Bryce Harper was voted NL Rookie of the Year on Monday.

The AL Manager of the Year was to be announced later Tuesday.

Washington went 98-64 this year, taking over the NL East lead in late May and staying in first place the rest of the way. Boosted by Harper, Cy Young candidate Gio Gonzalez and their fresh "Natitude," they brought postseason baseball to Washington for the first time since 1933.

The playoffs didn't go quite so well. Minus Stephen Strasburg — team execs decided the ace had pitched enough while recovering from elbow surgery — Washington blew a 6-0 lead and lost the deciding Game 5 of the division series to St. Louis. Voting for the BBWAA awards was done before the playoffs.

Johnson oversaw a diverse roster, one made up of young and old, Washington veterans and newcomers. A four-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glover, two-time World Series champion and the last big leaguer to get a hit off Sandy Koufax, Johnson spoke with a soft, raspy tone but always held his team's attention.

He would occasionally raise his voice — he liked to holler "whack-o!" when the Nationals homered.

Johnson managed the New York Mets to the 1986 championship and later guided Cincinnati and the Orioles. He returned to managing in 1999 with the Los Angeles Dodgers for two years.

In June 2011, Johnson was working as a senior adviser with the Nationals when Jim Riggleman suddenly resigned midway through the season. Johnson took over and agreed to be part of a search committee to select a manager for 2012, allowing that he could be a candidate for the post, too.

The Nationals finished 80-81, barely missing out on their first winning season, and Johnson was brought back for another try.

Washington was minus baseball for more than three decades. The Senators moved to Texas after the 1971 season, then the Montreal Expos moved to D.C. to start in 2005.

Under Johnson, the Nationals put aside their losing past and set up a winning future.

Read More..

Twilight cast bids farewell at final premiere

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Thousands of screaming fans lined the black carpet late on Monday for the final “Twilight” film premiere as the cast of “Breaking Dawn – Part 2″ bid farewell to the franchise and its loyal followers.

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and other cast members greeted fans known as “Twi-hards,” many of whom had camped out for days in downtown Los Angeles to catch a glimpse of their favorite actors and see the film before it is released in theaters on Friday.

Breaking Dawn – Part 2 will see the love story of human Bella Swan (Stewart), vampire Edward Cullen (Pattinson) and werewolf Jacob Black (Lautner) come to a tantalizing end, when Bella and Edward are forced to protect their child from an ancient vampire coven.

Stewart, who was finally able to embrace her wild side by playing Bella as a vampire, hoped people would enjoy the ultimate transformation of her character in the film.

“Bella has worked pretty hard to get to the point where they can have it all, and it’s fun to be there. She’s always been human, but now that she’s not, you’re just in full blown vampire land and it feels funny in a great way,” Stewart told Reuters.

More than 2,200 fans from all over the world came to camp out on a concrete plaza in downtown Los Angeles last week, where Twilight movie studio Summit laid out activities and marathon screenings of the previous movies.

All of the film’s main actors spent time signing autographs and posing for photographs with the loyal fans who had camped out in chilly November weather over five days.

Pattinson, who plays vampire Edward Cullen, said he hoped the fans would like the franchise’s swan song.

“I hope they feel it kind of respects them, because I think in a lot of ways that’s what we were thinking when we were making it,” the actor said.

Lautner, who plays werewolf Jacob, said he’d be sad to say goodbye to the films and his character and hoped fans would be happy with the conclusion of the final film.

“I’m feeling fantastic, sad, emotional, there’s a lot of things going on inside of me right now but I’m just trying to soak up every moment because this means the world to me,” Lautner said.

The three lead stars were joined by fellow cast members including Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Jackson Rathbone, Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning, as well as director Bill Condon and author Stephenie Meyer, whose Twilight novels kicked off the franchise and phenomenon.

Meyer said she would miss watching the three lead cast members evolve as actors and characters in the films.

“It’s really been great to watch them grow up, particularly Kristen because her character gets to evolve so much in this film, and to watch her be all powerful and really get to where the character was always meant to go, to be the fiercest of the fierce, was really rewarding for me,” the author said.

(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Paul Casciato)

Movies News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Read More..

Report: FDA wanted to close Mass pharmacy in 2003

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly a decade ago, federal health inspectors wanted to shut down the pharmacy linked to a recent deadly meningitis outbreak until it cleaned up its operations, according to congressional investigators.

About 440 people have been sickened by contaminated steroid shots distributed by New England Compounding Center, and more than 32 deaths have been reported since the outbreak began in September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That has put the Framingham, Mass.-based pharmacy at the center of congressional scrutiny and calls for greater regulation of compounding pharmacies, which make individualized medications for patients and have long operated in a legal gray area between state and federal laws.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee released a detailed history of NECC's regulatory troubles on Monday, ahead of a meeting Wednesday meeting to examine how the outbreak could have been prevented. The 25-page report summarizes and quotes from FDA and state inspection memos, though the committee declined to release the original documents.

The report shows that after several problematic incidents, Food and Drug Administration officials in 2003 suggested that the compounding pharmacy be "prohibited from manufacturing" until it improved its operations. But FDA regulators deferred to their counterparts in Massachusetts, who ultimately reached an agreement with the pharmacy to settle concerns about the quality of its prescription injections.

The congressional report also shows that in 2003 the FDA considered the company a pharmacy. That's significant because in recent weeks public health officials have charged that NECC was operating more as a manufacturer than a pharmacy, shipping thousands of doses of drugs to all 50 states instead of small batches of drugs to individual patients. Manufacturers are regulated by the FDA and are subject to stricter quality standards than pharmacies.

The report offers the most detailed account yet of the numerous regulatory complaints against the pharmacy, which nearly date back to its founding in 1998. Less than a year later, the company was cited by the state pharmacy board for providing doctors with blank prescription pads with NECC's information. Such promotional items are illegal in Massachusetts and the pharmacy's owner and director, Barry Cadden, received an informal reprimand, according to documents summarized by the committee.

Cadden was subject to several other complaints involving unprofessional conduct in coming years, but first came to the FDA's attention in 2002. Here are some key events from the report highlighting the company's early troubles with state and federal authorities:

__ In March of 2002 the FDA began investigating reports that five patients had become dizzy and short of breath after receiving NECC's compounded betamethasone repository injection, a steroid used to treat joint pain and arthritis that's different from the one linked to the current meningitis outbreak.

FDA inspectors visited NECC on April 9 and said Cadden was initially cooperative in turning over records about production of the drug. But during a second day of inspections, Cadden told officials "that he was no longer willing to provide us with any additional records," according to an FDA report cited by congressional investigators. The inspectors ultimately issued a report citing NECC for poor sterility and record-keeping practices but said that "this FDA investigation could not proceed to any definitive resolution," because of "problems/barriers that were encountered throughout the inspection."

__ In October of 2002, the FDA received new reports that two patients at a Rochester, N.Y., hospital came down with symptoms of bacterial meningitis after receiving a different NECC injection. The steroid, methylprednisolone acetate, is the same injectable linked to the current outbreak and is typically is used to treat back pain. Both patients were treated with antibiotics and eventually recovered, according to FDA documents cited by the committee.

When officials from the FDA and Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy visited NECC later in the month, Cadden said vials of the steroid returned by the hospital had tested negative for bacterial contamination. But when FDA scientists tested samples of the drug collected in New York they found bacterial contamination in four out of 14 vials sampled. It is not entirely clear whether FDA tested the same lot shipped to the Rochester hospital.

__ At a February 2003 meeting between state and federal officials, FDA staff emphasized "the potential for serious public consequences if NECC's compounding practices, in particular those relating to sterile products, are not improved." The agency issued a list of problems uncovered in its inspection to NECC, including a failure to verify if sterile drugs met safety standards.

But the agency decided to let Massachusetts officials take the lead in regulating the company, since pharmacies are typically regulated at the state level. It was decided that "the state would be in a better position to gain compliance or take regulatory action against NECC as necessary," according to a summary of the meeting quoted by investigators.

The FDA recommended the state subject NECC to a consent agreement, which would require the company to pass certain quality tests to continue operating. But congressional investigators say Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy did not take any action until "well over a year later."

__ In October 2004, the board sent a proposed consent agreement to Cadden, which would have included a formal reprimand and a three-year probationary period for the company's registration. The case ended without disciplinary action in 2006, when NECC agreed to a less severe consent decree with the state.

Massachusetts officials indicated Tuesday they are still investigating why NECC escaped the more severe penalty.

"I will not be satisfied until we know the full story behind this decision," the state's interim health commissioner Lauren Smith said in a transcript of her prepared testimony released a day ahead of delivery. Smith is one of several witnesses scheduled to testify Wednesday, including FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.

The committee will also hear from the widow of 78-year-old Eddie C. Lovelace, a longtime circuit court judge in southern Kentucky. Autopsy results confirmed Lovelace received fungus-contaminated steroid injections that led to his death Sept. 17.

Joyce Lovelace will urge lawmakers to work together on legislation to stop future outbreaks caused by compounded drugs, according to a draft of her testimony.

"We now know that New England Compounding Pharmacy, Inc. killed Eddie. I have lost my soulmate and life's partner with whom I worked side by side, day after day for more than fifty years," Lovelace states.

Barry Cadden is also scheduled to appear at the hearing, after lawmakers issued a subpoena to compel him to attend.

The NECC has been closed since early last month, and Massachusetts officials have taken steps to permanently revoke its license. The pharmacy has recalled all the products it makes, including 17,700 single-dose vials of a steroid that tested positive for the fungus tied to the outbreak.

Read More..

Man who accused Elmo puppeteer of teen sex recants

NEW YORK (AP) — A man who accused Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash of having sex with him when he was a teenage boy has recanted his story.

In a quick turnabout, the man on Tuesday described his sexual relationship with Clash as adult and consensual.

Clash responded with a statement of his own, saying he is "relieved that this painful allegation has been put to rest." He had no further comment.

The man, who has not identified himself, released his statement through the Harrisburg, Pa., law firm Andreozzi & Associates.

Sesame Workshop, which produces "Sesame Street" in New York, soon followed by saying, "We are happy that Kevin can move on from this unfortunate episode."

The whirlwind episode began Monday morning, when Sesame Workshop startled the world by announcing that Clash had taken a leave of absence from "Sesame Street" in the wake of allegations that he had had a relationship with a 16-year-old.

Clash, a 52-year-old divorced father of a grown daughter, swiftly denied the charges of his accuser, who is in his early 20s. In that statement Clash acknowledged that he is gay but said the relationship had been between two consenting adults.

Though it remained unclear where the relationship took place, sex with a person under 17 is a felony in New York if the perpetrator is at least 21.

Sesame Workshop, which said it was first contacted by the accuser in June, had launched an investigation that included meeting with the accuser twice and meeting with Clash. Its investigation found the charge of underage conduct to be unsubstantiated.

Clash said on Monday he would take a break from Sesame Workshop "to deal with this false and defamatory allegation."

Neither Clash nor Sesame Workshop indicated on Tuesday when he might return to the show, on which he has performed as Elmo since 1984.

Elmo had previously been a marginal character, but Clash, supplying the fuzzy red puppet with a high-pitched voice and a carefree, child-like personality, launched the character into major stardom. Elmo soon rivaled Big Bird as the face of "Sesame Street."

Though usually behind the scenes, Clash meanwhile achieved his own measure of fame. In 2006, he published an autobiography, "My Life as a Furry Red Monster," and he was the subject of the 2011 documentary "Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey."

He has won 23 daytime Emmy awards and one prime-time Emmy.

___

Online:

http://www.sesamestreet.org

Read More..

Chicago's top employers named

The Chicago Tribune released its annual Top Workplaces survey Monday, with a broad cross section of companies -- and dozens of new names -- earning recognition as the best places to work in Chicago. 

Abt Electronics and Coyote Logistics repeated as the top large and midsize employers, respectively, with iD Commerce + Logistics making the list for the first time as the top-ranked small company.  

This is the third year the Tribune has partnered with Workplace Dynamics to rank the top 100 companies as judged by their own employees, using criteria ranging from clued-in managers to flexible work schedules. More than 1,600 companies were invited to participate, with a record 254 completing the survey.

Pennsylvania-based Workplace Dynamics partnered with 32 newspapers and surveyed 1.5 million employees nationwide last year as part of its research efforts into what environments are best for employees. 

"We all spend an awful lot of time at work," said Doug Claffey, CEO of Workplace Dynamics. "Creating a really great workplace for employees is something that I think businesses have an obligation to do.  In addition to making money, you need create an environment where your people want to be."

Beyond Glenview electronics retailer Abt,  the top five large companies were Hyatt Hotels, Baird & Warner, ATI Physical Therapy and FedEx -- all new to this category this year.

Chicago-based Coyote Logistics was followed by kCura, Slalom Consulting, Edward Jones and Mercy Home for Boys & Girls among companies with 250 to 999 employees.  

Wood Dale-based id Commerce topped Webster Dental, 2011 winner Red Frog Events, Assurance Agency and LeasePlan USA among small companies.

Full survey results and a variety of top workplace profiles will be published in a magazine insert included in Tuesday's Chicago Tribune.

rchannick@tribune.com | Twitter @RobertChannick

Read More..

Coca-Cola gives $3M to city for anti-obesity, diabetes efforts

A Chicago Park District program funded by Coca-Cola will try to fight obesity and diabetes by offering nutrition education as well as exercise classes run by armed forces veterans, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Monday.

The Park Families Wellness Initiative, backed by a $3 million grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation, is the second partnership the mayor has launched with the soft drink giant in the past several weeks that he says will help make Chicagoans healthier.

In October, Emanuel stood with officials from Coke, Pepsico and the Dr Pepper Snapple Group to say the three companies would add calorie information to pop machines in Chicago government buildings. He also unveiled a competition between Chicago city workers and those in San Antonio to earn rewards from a $5 million national beverage lobbying group.

Those ideas were criticized by some who said the mayor should take a harder line against the sugary drinks, like mayors in some other major cities.

On Monday, Emanuel reiterated his position that it’s better to give people personal responsibility and the information necessary to make the right choices about their health than it is to legislate their behavior. And he pointed out the deal with Coca-Cola will allow the park district to hire about 60 veterans of the U.S. armed forces to lead fitness classes.

The Coca-Cola grant will also help pay for nutrition and fitness education programs in parks around the city. Park District CEO Michael Kelly said he expects about 125,000 people will be able to take classes to learn how to eat better and get exercise.

During a question-and-answer session after his news conference, Emanuel also discussed the newly strengthened Democratic majorities in the Illinois General Assembly.

Asked whether Democratic dominance in Springfield will help his quest for a city-owned casino, Emanuel said he “would like a casino only so I could create economic growth and invest in modernizing our schools.” But he also said he wants lawmakers to created a firearm registry to make it easier for police to track guns used in crimes. He added that he would like to see the legislature legalize gay marriage.

Emanuel also called for U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to let the voters who re-elected him know “his intentions.”

The mayor has previously declined to weigh in on the status of Jackson, who has been absent from Congress since June 8 while receiving treatment for bipolar disorder. But on Monday, Emanuel said the congressman should talk to residents of Illinois’ 2nd congressional district, who re-elected him despite questions about his health.

“With the election over, there are big issues coming up in the lame duck session,” Emanuel said. “I think Congressman Jackson, it’s incumbent upon him to have a conversation with his constituents about his intentions.”

Jackson, 47, issued a statement last week from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., thanking voters. He has been on medical leave and has not appeared in the House of Representatives since June 8.

The lame duck session begins Wednesday in the House.

jebyrne@tribune.com

Twitter @_johnbyrne

Read More..

Microsoft's Surface tablet has "modest" start: Ballmer

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is silhouetted against a video screen during his presentation of the new Surface in Los Angeles, California, June 18, 2012. REUTERS\/David McNew","date":"Mon, Nov 12, 2012 2:59 PM EST","credit":"Reuters","byline":"DAVID MCNEW","provider":"Reuters","photo_title":"Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is silhouetted against a video screen during his presentation of the new Surface in Los Angeles","pivot_alias_id":"microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-silhouetted-against-video-screen-photo-152032509","plink":"\/photos\/microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-silhouetted-against-video-screen-photo-152032509.html","plink_vita":"http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/photos\/microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-silhouetted-against-video-screen-photo-152032509.html","srchtrm":"Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is silhouetted against a video screen during his presentation of the new Surface in Los Angeles","revsp":"","rev":"6eef3b20-2d03-11e2-bdff-709ae6a204a5","surl":"http:\/\/l1.yimg.com\/bt\/api\/res\/1.2\/bX5F_NcjuYsNflWU1tSOZQ--\/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD01NjtxPTc5O3c9ODg-\/http:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en_us\/News\/Reuters\/2012-11-12T155843Z_3_CBRE8AB16MG00_RTROPTP_2_MICROSOFT-WINDOWS-TABLETS.JPG","swidth":88,"sheight":56},{"type":"image","url":"http:\/\/l3.yimg.com\/bt\/api\/res\/1.2\/BrxMLLtnAH0vmYiB3ovCug--\/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD00NTA7cT03OTt3PTM0Mg--\/http:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en_us\/News\/Reuters\/2012-11-12T180456Z_4_CBRE8AB16MH00_RTROPTP_2_MICROSOFT-WINDOWS-TABLETS.JPG","width":342,"height":450,"uuid":"58f2934b-19c3-3535-bdb7-2ccf78d911ec","caption":"Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer holds the new Surface as it is unveiled in Los Angeles, California, June 18, 2012. REUTERS\/David McNew","captionBakedHtml":"

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer holds the new Surface as it is unveiled in Los Angeles, California, June 18, 2012. REUTERS\/David McNew","date":"Mon, Nov 12, 2012 1:07 PM EST","credit":"Reuters","byline":"DAVID MCNEW","provider":"Reuters","photo_title":"Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer holds the new Surface as it is unveiled in Los Angeles","pivot_alias_id":"microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-holds-surface-unveiled-los-photo-152032211","plink":"\/photos\/microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-holds-surface-unveiled-los-photo-152032211.html","plink_vita":"http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/photos\/microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-holds-surface-unveiled-los-photo-152032211.html","srchtrm":"Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer holds the new Surface as it is unveiled in Los Angeles","revsp":"","rev":"c47d3070-2cf3-11e2-a3db-699f04bc6868","surl":"http:\/\/l2.yimg.com\/bt\/api\/res\/1.2\/MzvnJwSs.WCjyq1JqhTgrg--\/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9aW5zZXQ7aD03NDtxPTc5O3c9NTY-\/http:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en_us\/News\/Reuters\/2012-11-12T180456Z_4_CBRE8AB16MH00_RTROPTP_2_MICROSOFT-WINDOWS-TABLETS.JPG","swidth":56,"sheight":74}]};

Y.Media.boba_lightbox_module_configs['2ab201e7792bc36bb78587f6b9bfccac'] = {"spaceid":"2146050964","ult_pt":"story-lightbox","darla_id":"","images_total":0,"xhr_url":"\/_xhr\/related-article\/lightbox\/?id=09c43973-d10a-3b6e-9b42-20ce1253491f","xhr_count":20,"autoplay_if_first_item_is_video":true};
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {new Y.Media.RelatedArticle({count:"2",start:"1",
mod_total:"10", total:"1",
content_id:"09c43973-d10a-3b6e-9b42-20ce1253491f",
spaceid:"2146050964",
related_count:"-1"
});
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {(function(d){
d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d.createElement('script')).src='http://d.yimg.com/oq/js/csc_news-en-US-core.js';
})(document);
});
Y.later(10, this, function() {
if(!("Media" in YAHOO)){YAHOO.Media = {};}
if(!("ugcrate" in YAHOO.Media)){YAHOO.Media.ugcrate = {};}
if(!("Media" in Y)){Y.namespace("Media");}
YAHOO.Media.ugcrate.ratings_ebb4748cb2144f02b7d3784651b15efa = new Y.Media.UgcRate({"context_id":"5c45fbb3-cdb2-467d-ac33-5d2ab49dd099","sCrumb":"RFwjuufijEo","containerId":"yom-sentimentrate-ebb4748cb2144f02b7d3784651b15efa","rateDimensions":"d1","appLang":"en-US","sUltSId":"7665149","sUltProperty":"news-en-US","sUltCampaign":"","sUltPlatform":"ugcwidgets","sUltIntl":"US","sUltLang":"en-US","selfPageUrl":"http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/us-computer-graphics-scientist-wins-kyoto-prize-111415232--finance.html?_esi=0","artContentId":"1eb4c04c-8070-3af2-ba80-7f4486422d18","sUltQstnTxt":"Which size tablet would you prefer?","artContentTitle":"US computer graphics scientist wins Kyoto Prize","artContentDesc":" An American regarded as a father of computer graphics, an Indian literary critic and a Japanese molecular cell biologist have received the Kyoto Prize, Japan\\'s highest private award for global achievement.","sUltBucketId":"test1","sUltSection":"sentirating","sUltBeaconUrl":"","sUltRecordPageviews":"1","sUltBeaconEnable":"1","serviceUrl":"\/_xhr","publisherContextId":"","propertyId":"2fcd79b5-b3a3-333e-b98e-722536a6698f","configurationId":"435db9ee-c55e-3766-b20d-c8ad3ff889d1","graphId":"","labelLeft":"Smaller works for me","labelRight":"Bigger is better","labelMiddle":"","itemimg":"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/a\/i\/ww\/met\/yahoo_logo_us_061509.png","selfURI":"","aggregateRatingCount":"56571","aggregateReviewCount":"0","leftBlocksNum":"31988","rightBlocksNum":"24582","leftBlocksPerCent":"57","rightBlocksPerCent":"43","ugcrate_apihost":"api01-us.ugcl.yahoo.com:4080","publisher_id":"news-en-US","yca_cert":"yahoo.ugccloud.app.trusted_proxies","timeout_write":"5000","through_proxy":"false","optionStats":"{\"s1\":5329,\"s2\":2386,\"s3\":5778,\"s4\":13794,\"s5\":4701,\"s6\":24582,\"s7\":0,\"s8\":0,\"s9\":0,\"s10\":0}","l10N":"{\"FIRST_TO_READ\":\"You are first to read this. Share your feelings and start a conversation.\",\"SHARE_YOUR_FEELINGS\":\"You too can share your feelings and start a conversation!\",\"HOW_YOUR_FRIENDS_THINK\":\"Thank you for sharing your feeling on this article!\",\"PRE_SHARE_MSG\":\"Your Facebook friends on Yahoo! can see how you responded. To share your response on Facebook, click on the Facebook share option.\",\"START_THE_CONVERSATION\":\"Start the Conversation\",\"THANKS_FOR_SHARING\":\"Sure, that's how you feel... But what do your friends think?\",\"POLL_HEADER\":\"SOCIAL SENTIMENT\",\"SERVER_ERROR\":\"Oops there seems to be some error, please try again later\",\"LOADING\":\"Loading...\",\"SHARE_AFTER_COMMENT\":\"Your response has been shared on Facebook.\",\"UNDO\":\"Undo\",\"UNIT_PEOPLE\":\"People\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_DISAGREE\":\"disagree with your opinion.\",\"READ_MORE_TEXT\":\"Read what they have to say.\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_BEFORE_VOTING\":\"WHAT DO YOU THINK?\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_VERB_BEFORE_VOTING\":\"DRAG\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_THANKS_VOTING\":\"Thanks for voting\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_ANSWERED\":\" 56,571 people have responded\",\"ONE_PERSON_ANSWERED\":\" 1 person has responded. Your response will be seen by your Facebook friends on Yahoo!\",\"TWO_PEOPLE_ANSWERED\":\" 2 people have responded. Your response will be seen by your Facebook friends on Yahoo!\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_ANSWERED_AND_SHARED\":\" 56,571 people have responded. Your response will be seen by your Facebook friends on Yahoo!\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s1\":5329,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s2\":2386,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s3\":5778,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s4\":13794,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s5\":4701,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s6\":24582,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s7\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s8\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s9\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s10\":0}","fbconfig":"{\"message\":\"undefined\",\"name\":\"undefined\",\"link\":\"\",\"source\":\"\",\"picture\":\"http:\\\/\\\/l.yimg.com\\\/a\\\/i\\\/ww\\\/news\\\/2011\\\/09\\\/27\\\/yahoo-tc.jpg\",\"description\":\"\",\"captionLeft\":\"undefined\",\"captionRight\":\"undefined\",\"app_id\":\"196660913708276\",\"redirect_uri\":\"\\\/_xhr\\\/ugcratefbredirect\\\/\"}","template_id":"LONG_SLIDER_SOUTH","obj_id":"ratings_ebb4748cb2144f02b7d3784651b15efa","opt_count":"6","opt_color1":"","opt_color2":"","template_html":"

Read More..

Eagles QB Vick has 'pretty significant' concussion

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — His head pounding and his play erratic, Michael Vick's time could be up in Philadelphia.

Once considered the long-term answer at quarterback after a sensational 2010, Vick's already uncertain future with the Eagles was placed further in doubt Monday after he was diagnosed with a "pretty significant" concussion.

Vick was concussed in Philadelphia's loss to Dallas on Sunday and looked groggy in the locker room. Coach Andy Reid told Vick to stay home Monday and rest. Out of respect to the former Pro Bowl quarterback, Reid even reiterated Vick is still the starter, if healthy — but left wiggle room to change his mind.

Because there are more medical tests still to be administered, Reid could not immediately rule out Vick for Sunday's game at Washington. Reid, though, made it sound quite positive that rookie Nick Foles will make his first career start.

"I've got confidence that Nick will do a nice job, if given that opportunity," Reid said. "Listen, I get excited for every game, but if the kid has an opportunity to start, I'm excited to see him play."

Foles will take the first-team snaps when the Eagles return to practice on Wednesday. Foles was 22 of 32 for 219 yards with a touchdown and an interception in relief of Vick. Those numbers weren't enough to help the Eagles avoid their fifth straight loss, a first in Reid's 14 seasons.

Fans rooted for Foles, who had an outstanding preseason, to replace Vick for weeks. Not because of an injury, but the loud ovation Foles received when he jogged on the field made it clear Philadelphia fans wanted a change under center.

Foles said after the loss he felt confident running the offense.

"I think it's just, the speed of the game is faster," he said. "It's a faster game than preseason, but I felt comfortable. That's no excuse. I was out there playing and made some mistakes and we didn't get the job done."

With a 3-6 record, Reid's job is in serious jeopardy, and turning to Foles over the final seven games could be the veteran coach's way of proving he's open to change to salvage a 15th season. Reid and the Eagles took a gamble in 2009 when they signed Vick with incumbent Donovan McNabb and one-time heir apparent Kevin Kolb already on the roster. The Eagles traded McNabb to Washington the following offseason, opening the door for Kolb. But Kolb suffered a concussion in Week 1 of the 2010 season and was replaced by Vick. Two years later, it could be Vick's turn to lose his job because of a head injury.

Reid said Vick complained of a headache and fatigue on Monday. His status should officially be decided by Wednesday.

There were two consecutive plays in the second quarter that appeared to injure Vick. He scrambled trying for a first down and was driven from behind head-first into the ground by tackle Jay Ratliff. On the next play, Vick was slow to get up after he was knocked on his back by linebacker Ernie Sims.

Vick headed for the locker room and Foles started warming up. Reid said Vick was a "little foggy" but he thought it was the Sims hit that injured him.

Vick suffered a concussion in a September 2011 game against Atlanta after getting spun by a Falcons rusher into Eagles lineman Todd Herremans. He staggered to the sideline after the hit and was replaced by Mike Kafka. Vick returned to start the following week against the New York Giants and suffered a broken right hand.

His outlook appeared much more grim Monday than last season's injury — Reid stressed several times just how badly Vick was hurt.

Vick, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback, has struggled this season with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. After a loss two weeks ago to Atlanta, Reid refused to endorse Vick as the starter, needing a couple of days before releasing a statement that there would be no change at QB. Reid knew that benching Vick and turning the offense over to Foles was a way to shake things up. It also could have been interpreted as giving up on the season.

Vick's injury could make the decision to keep Foles in the lineup an easy one.

This latest loss was another black mark on the season and time is running out to save Reid's job. Owner Jeffrey Lurie put Reid on notice following an 8-8 season that he had to win big for a 15th season.

Fans are clearly fed up. In the final minutes of Sunday's loss, fans behind Dallas' bench unrolled a banner that read, "Andy, Quit, Your Team Has!"

Other ticked-off fans brought "Fire Andy!" and "This Is Not Acceptable" signs with them as they tailgated in the parking lots. There was at least one mobile billboard that read "Fire Andy Reid Now!!!" and "No Mas" with a pair of red Xs near the embattled coach's photo.

Reid insisted Monday he hadn't lost his enthusiasm for coaching the Eagles ("I love what I do") and put a dose of positive public relations spin out there that a playoff berth is still within reach.

"You don't count anybody out in the National Football League, so I'm surely not going to count this football team out," Reid said. "I feel good about this team as a group and we just need to tighten some things up."

He put has future in the hands of McNabb as a rookie in 1999 and that worked out great.

It's up to Foles to try and give Reid a shot at least a stunning finish.

___

Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Read More..