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Jews ease back into Tunisia for famed pilgrimage

Jewish pilgrims gather for a procession at the Ghriba synagogue, during the annual Jewish pilgrimage in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, Friday April 26, 2013. They come to celebrate the annual rites at El-Ghriba, the oldest Jewish monument built in Africa more than 2,500 years ago. On April 11, 2002 a deadly attack on the synagogue killed 21 people, including 14 German tourists.(AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)

Jewish pilgrims are gathered for a procession at the Ghriba synagogue, during the annual Jewish pilgrimage in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, Friday April 26, 2013. They come to celebrate the annual rites at El-Ghriba, the oldest Jewish monument built in Africa more than 2,500 years ago. On April 11, 2002 a deadly attack on the synagogue killed 21 people, including 14 German tourists.(AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)

Rabbi Mamou reads a holy book during the annual Jewish pilgrimage at the Ghriba synagogue in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, Friday April 26, 2013. The pilgrimage to the synagogue commemorates the April 11, 2002 deadly attack on the synagogue that killed 21 people, including 14 German tourists. (AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)

Jewish pilgrims are gathered at the entrance of the Ghriba synagogue, during the annual Jewish pilgrimage in the resort of Djerba, Tunisia, Friday April 26, 2013. The pilgrimage to the synagogue commemorates the April 11, 2002 deadly attack on the synagogue that killed 21 people, including 14 German tourists.(AP Photo/Hassene Dridi)

DJERBA, Tunisia (AP) ? Under a bright Mediterranean sun Saturday, Jews whose forebears once thronged Tunisia are trekking to a celebrated synagogue under the protection of police ? as organizers try to inject new momentum to an annual pilgrimage that's been depleted in recent years by fears of anti-Semitism.

Jewish leaders hope the three-day pilgrimage to the Ghriba synagogue, Africa's oldest, on the island of Djerba is regaining momentum after attendance plummeted in the wake of a 2002 al-Qaida bombing and lingering safety concerns following Tunisia's revolution two years ago.

The pilgrimage evokes a larger issue for Tunisia: How to convince Jews and other foreigners that stability has returned enough to merit a visit and help revive a weakened economy. The tourism trade accounts for about 400,000 jobs and 7 percent of economic output in Tunisia, an overwhelmingly Muslim country of nearly 11 million.

Despite the setbacks in recent years, Tunisia's Jews were sounding optimistic.

"This year will be better. The atmosphere is good, and the preparations have been made carefully," said Perez Trabelsi, the president of Ghriba's operating committee, and a Djerba native. "Attendance will go up from one year to the next, to return to its top level ? like before."

At its peak in 2000, about 8,000 Jews came ? many from Israel, Italy and France, where they or their forebears had moved over the years. Such crowds haven't returned since an al-Qaida-linked militant detonated a truck bomb at the synagogue in 2002, killing 21 people, mostly German tourists ? and badly jolting the now-tiny Jewish community.

The pilgrimage was called off in 2011 in the wake of Tunisia's revolution, when major street protests ousted longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia, and some ultraconservative Muslims called Salafis chanted anti-Semitic slogans at their rallies. Last year, the pilgrimage resumed on a tiny scale: Only 100 or so foreigners came. This year, community leaders hope 300 to 500 will have come.

Rene Trabelsi, a Paris-based tour operator, said the Tunisian government ? led by the moderate Islamic party Ennahda ? has "gone beyond our hopes" in providing security measures, police and troops for the pilgrimage.

After Saturday's Sabbath, the three-day pilgrimage was expected to culminate Sunday with the sale of necklaces, scarves and other craftwork to raise money for the synagogue. On Friday, as it got underway, families lit candles and the faithful marched through a white-washed archway lined with bunting and Tunisia's red crescent-and-star flag into the ornate, blue-and-white synagogue.

Jews have been living in Djerba since 500 B.C. The Jewish population has shrunk to 1,500, down from 100,000 in the 1960s. Most left following the 1967 war between Israel and Arab countries, and Socialist economic policies adopted by the government in the late 1960s also drove away many Jewish business owners.

Djerba, a dusty island of palm trees and olive groves, lures hundreds of thousands of tourists every year ? mainly Germans and French ? for its sandy beaches and rich history. The Ghriba synagogue, said to date to 586 B.C., itself once drew up to 2,000 visitors per day, Jewish leaders have said.

The site is rich with legend. The first Jews who arrived were said to have brought a stone from the ancient temple of Jerusalem that was destroyed by the Babylonians. The stone is kept in a grotto at the synagogue. Women and children descend into the grotto to place eggs scrawled with wishful messages on them.

The pilgrims, mostly Sephardic Jews with roots in Tunisia, come for the festivities starting 33 days after the Jewish holiday of Passover that include singing, dancing and drinking the traditional "boukha" brandy made from dates or figs.

At poolside at a posh Djerba hotel, some pilgrims reveled in the festivities ? and brushed off any concerns.

Emile Arki, a 63-year-old businessman who splits his time between Paris and California, said all too often "what's happening in Tunisia is exaggerated with an alarmist tone ... We were well greeted at the airport. The people are smiling. I don't see why anybody should be afraid."

The religious affairs minister sent an adviser to "congratulate our Jewish brothers during their festival," and the tourism minister was expected on Sunday.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-04-27-Tunisia-Jewish%20Pilgrimage/id-bd947c280c1440e8a68860608f770972

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Laser Mountain Played Laser Tag Onstage With Nerf Guns, Android Phones And A Node.js Server

Carson Britt and Matthew Drake convinced everyone with their onstage demo of Laser Mountain at the Disrupt NY Hackathon. They attached Android phones to the Nerf guns (that TechCrunch gave away yesterday) to recreate a laser tag game with a real-time score server. After receiving the Nerf guns, they started working right away on Laser Mountain. “We already had the domain name lasermoutain.com, so we didn’t have a choice,” Britt said. When asked why they bought this domain, Drake answered, “I pick up domains all the time.” The Android phones track movements using the built-in gyroscopes and then transmit the information to a Node.js server. To register when someone is firing, they use the phone’s microphones and the Nerf gun’s loud firing noise. Last night, the team of two didn’t sleep at all to finish their hack on time for the onstage demo. It wasn’t their first hackathon but it was the first time at the Disrupt Hackathon. But it’s not the end for Laser Mountain. “We are going to Kickstarter it,” Drake said. With fewer than 24 hours of development, the team is certainly talented enough to succeed. You should watch the two developers play laser tag onstage:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/cPLlcf1NlpU/

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2 policemen shot in Rome as Italy gets new govt

ROME (AP) ? An unemployed bricklayer shot two Italian policemen in a crowded square outside the premier's office Sunday just as Italy's new government was being sworn in, investigators said.

The gunman's intended target was politicians but none were in the square so he shot at the Carabinieiri paramilitary police, Rome Prosecutor Pierfilippo Laviani told reporters, citing what he said were the suspect's own words.

Mired in recession and suffering from soaring unemployment, Italy has been in political paralysis since an inconclusive February election. Social and political tensions have been running high among voters divided between center-left, conservative and anti-government political parties.

Sunday was supposed to be a hopeful day when the debt-ridden nation finally got new government to solve its many problems. But shots rang out in Colonna Square near a busy shopping and strolling area shortly after 11:30 a.m. just as Premier Enrico Letta and his new ministers were taking their oaths at the Quirinal presidential office about a kilometer (half mile) away.

The suspected gunman, dressed in a dark business suit, was immediately wrestled to the ground by police outside Chigi Palace, which houses the premier's office and other government offices. The politicians went to the palace later Sunday for their first Cabinet meeting.

Laviani identified the alleged assailant as Luigi Preiti, a 49-year-old from Calabria, a southern agricultural area plagued by organized crime and chronic unemployment.

The shooting panicked tourists and locals in the square, whose centerpiece is a towering, second-century ancient Roman column honoring Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Rome was packed Sunday with people enjoying the last day of a four-day weekend.

Fanuel Morelli, a cameraman working for AP Television, said he was struck by the gunman's firm, calm stance.

"When I heard the first shot, I turned around and saw a man standing there, some 15 meters (50 feet) away from me. He held his arm out and I saw him fire another five, six shots," Morelli said. "He was firing at the second Carabiniere, who was about 4 meters (13 feet) in front of him.'"

Laviani said Preiti, who was taken to the hospital for bruises, confessed to the shooting and didn't appear mentally unbalanced.

"He is a man full of problems, who lost his job, who lost everything," the prosecutor said. "He was desperate. In general, he wanted to shoot at politicians, but given that he couldn't reach any, he shot at the Carabinieri" paramilitary police.

One policemen who shot in the neck was in critical condition. The other, shot in the leg, suffered a fracture, doctors said.

A woman passing by during the shooting was slightly injured, Rome's mayor said. It was unclear if she was grazed by a bullet or hurt in the panic sparked by the gunfire.

The 46-year-old Letta had produced a coalition deal only a day ago between two bitter political enemies ? his center-left forces and the conservative bloc of ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi. Letta will speak to Parliament on Monday, laying out his strategy to reduce joblessness while still sticking to the austerity measures needed to keep the eurozone's No. 3 economy from descending into a sovereign debt crisis. He will then face confidence votes.

A video surveillance camera on the Parliament building caught the attacker on film just before and during the shooting, Italian news reports said.

The shooter was walking at a steady pace along a narrow street that leads from the square outside Parliament's lower house to the square outside the premier's office when police officers appear to have stopped him to ask where he was going.

Shortly after police approached him, he began firing, according to the surveillance camera.

Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said the alleged gunman wanted to kill himself after the shooting but ran out of bullets. He said six shots were fired in all. The gunman used a semi-automatic pistol whose serial number had been scraped off, according to Sky TG24 TV.

The interior minister said security was immediately stepped up near key venues in the Italian capital, but added authorities were not worried about possible related attacks.

"Our initial investigation indicates the incident is due to an isolated gesture, although further investigations are being carried out," he said.

The ministers were kept briefly inside for security reasons until it was clear there was no immediate danger.

Doctors at Rome's Umberto I Polyclinic said a 50-year-old brigadier had been hit in the neck by a bullet that damaged his spinal column and was lodged near his shoulder. The doctors said it wasn't yet known if the spinal column injury had caused any paralysis.

The head of St. John's Hospital, Gianluigi Bracciale, told Sky TG24 TV the second officer suffered a broken leg from a gunshot. He said Prieti didn't appear to have any injuries other than bruises.

Preiti's uncle, interviewed by Sky, said the alleged gunman had moved back to his parents' home in Calabria because he could no longer find work as a bricklayer. "He was a great worker. He could build a house from top to bottom," said the uncle, Domenco Preiti.

The shooting sparked ugly memories of the 1970s and 1980s in Italy, when domestic terrorism plagued the country during a time of high political tensions between right-wing and left-wing blocs.

Among well-wishers for the new Italian government was President Barack Obama. The White House press office said Obama was looking forward to working closely with Letta's government "to promote trade, jobs, and growth on both sides of the Atlantic and tackle today's complex security challenges."

There was no direct reference to the shooting in the White House statement.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/2-policemen-shot-rome-italy-gets-govt-161126469.html

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FBI's longtime director faces criticism of bureau again

By Susan Cornwell and Thomas Ferraro

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - As he nears the end of a dozen years as director of the FBI, Robert Mueller finds himself defending the agency over its handling of two high-profile cases. It is a familiar spot for the low-key ex-Marine.

At the request of President Barack Obama, Mueller stayed on for two years beyond the job's 10-year term to help stabilize law enforcement's fight against domestic and international threats to U.S. security. Recent events - the bombing at the Boston Marathon and ricin-laced letters sent to Obama and a U.S. senator - have left Mueller dealing with suggestions that agency missteps may have added to the damage.

Mueller, 68, who is scheduled to leave office in early September, has endured many congressional attacks against his agency's performance. While he is not universally praised on Capitol Hill, he has won enough bipartisan support to be considered a success.

Tellingly, it was a target of the 2001 anthrax letters - Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont - who told Mueller at a 2008 hearing that he seriously doubted the findings of the FBI's long and complicated anthrax investigation. But three years later, Leahy as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman helped Mueller win a two-year extension of his term.

The FBI chief gets far milder treatment than some other prominent members of the 0bama administration, such as U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice. She came under heavy fire from Republicans for remarks she made after the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. Mission in Benghazi in which four Americans were killed, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

In Washington, where making enemies is easy, Mueller wins high scores from members of Congress for his competence, even as he guided a vast expansion of FBI powers since the hijacked plane attacks of September 11, 2001.

"I believe he is well liked, even though I find fault with a lot of his policies, or how he does things," Senator Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, said in an interview. "I think he's well intentioned ... it's kind of difficult for me to criticize him even when there is a screw-up," Grassley added.

This month, the FBI has faced fresh assaults over its failure to spot the potential danger from Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a suspect in the April 15 Boston Marathon bombings, after Russia asked the bureau to investigate him two years ago. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died in a police shootout and his brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, has been charged in the bombings that killed three people and injured more than 200.

Two senior Republican lawmakers complained Tamerlan Tsarnaev was yet another in a series of cases in which a person investigated by the agency had later taken part in attacks.

Soon after the Boston bombings, the FBI accused an Elvis impersonator of sending letters containing ricin to Obama and other officials, only to quickly drop the charges for a lack of evidence.

Mueller and his leadership team have briefed members of Congress about the cases, but further inquiries are likely.

"I think he is ready to go home. He has had 12 years," said Dutch Ruppersberger, the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee. He praised Mueller, who was first nominated to the job by a Republican president, George W. Bush.

"He has had some major issues to confront, including 9/11, then Russian and China threats, cyber threats," he said.

Some lawmakers say that despite the Boston blasts, the FBI thwarted other plots in recent years, including one to bomb New York's subway system. They also note that there was an arrest within days of the Boston bombing.

"I thought they (the FBI) did fabulous in getting to the bottom of the Boston bombing, but as great as that was, it was embarrassing to bring in a guy who had nothing to do with the ricin mailings," said Representative Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican who serves on the Judiciary Committee, which has oversight of the FBI.

Mueller's office did not comment, although Mueller has praised the work of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies for the arrest of the Boston bombing suspect.

LOW PROFILE?

Some think Mueller's secret to success has been keeping a low profile in a town where many people are constantly angling to get attention. Mueller, while doing a lot of closed-door briefings for leaders, does not talk much to the media.

"I think he has been successful because he hasn't been a press hog," Grassley said.

Mueller, a former Justice Department official, was nominated for the top FBI job in 2001 and took office days before the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

When Obama asked Mueller to stay on, some Senate Republicans initially balked. One, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, came around after Mueller met with him to discuss the bureau's handling of a Kentucky case.

Mueller fielded heavy criticism from his earliest days in office.

After the 9/11 attacks, politicians from both parties questioned how the FBI had missed several warning signs of the hijackings, such as a memo from a Phoenix agent about Middle Eastern men taking flight lessons.

The anthrax case led to criticism because the bureau focused for so long on the wrong man, a mistake that ultimately cost the government millions of dollars in settling a lawsuit.

The FBI finally concluded that Army scientist Bruce Ivans was responsible for the anthrax attacks, but he killed himself before charges were brought.

In 2008, Leahy, then the Democratic chairman of the Judiciary Committee, told Mueller he did not believe the FBI finding that Ivans was solely responsible. Leahy said he thought others had to be involved.

Mueller reorganized the FBI to expand its analytical capability and improve its intelligence collection. He also beefed up its bioterrorism capabilities.

He has been praised for resisting some parts of the expansion of domestic surveillance under Bush.

Grassley said Mueller had not always been as responsive as possible to the senator's letters or "as protective of whistleblowers as he should be."

But he said there should not be another extension as director for Mueller, no matter how well liked he may be.

The purpose of the law limiting the director's term "is to make sure we don't get into this J. Edgar Hoover syndrome, that one guy is so indispensable," Grassley said, referring to the former FBI director of almost four decades. "We don't want to get caught in that syndrome again."

(Reporting By Susan Cornwell; Editing by Marilyn W. Thompson and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fbis-longtime-director-faces-criticism-bureau-again-122025633.html

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Age Difference? - Empty Closets - A safe online community for gay ...

Well today and yesterday I have seen my crush quite a few times more than usual. And I have noticed that he is making quite a few brief glances at me. Once, when me and my best mate were walking past him, he appeared to be trying to get closer to me. And today when I was waiting to go into my last lesson, he walked right past me and got slightly closer again, and he also made a brief glance at me. That might mean nothing, but never mind...

Anyway, I am starting to think that he may have developed a slight interest in me, but I'm not sure at all. There have been other situations where he looked at me and made subtle yet unlikely moves to show his interest in me, but I'm not going to say them all. Please don't make a comment on this though, because I'll probably end up getting upset or something. That was just to tell you why I am posting this thread.

So, I am in year 9, and he is in year 7. Please don't comment on whether or not we know each other either. Basically, I want to know if it might seem slightly unusual for a year 9 to be going out with out a year 7. Please note that grades are different from years. I think that a grade is 1 year wither younger or older than a year, if that makes sense. For example, I am in year 9 in England, but if I lived in America or something I would be in either grade 8 or 10. I don't know whether that makes a difference, but I thought I better point it out. I'm not jumping to conclusions saying that us two are going to go out, but I think it would be best to know in advance. Everybody else I have told say that me going out with year 7 is fine. They say that as long as I love him, and he loves me, age doesn't matter. I think that's nice of them.

So thanks for listen to my very long question, and once again please avoid commenting on the relationship between us itself, unless you think it would improve your response. And please give honest answers, I've created a poll on your opinions too.

Thanks in Advance!

Last edited by clarkec1; Today at 11:43 AM..

Source: http://emptyclosets.com/forum/family-friends-relationships/92352-age-difference.html

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BMW factory goes green

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10 things to know about NFL draft

West Virginia's Geno Smith speaks during a news conference after being selected 39th overall by the New York Jets in the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2013, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

New York Jets fans watch as their team makes a selection during the second round of the NFL football draft on Friday, April 26, 2013, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Green Bay Packers fan Joe Linna, of Ludington, Mich., celebrates after Green Bay selected Alabama's Eddie Lacy 61st overall in the second round of the NFL football draft on Friday, April 26, 2013, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)

Detroit Lions first found draft pick defensive end Ziggy Ansah at Ford Field Friday, April 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Detroit Free Press, Kirthmon F. Dozier)

Former Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Tony Casillas is joined by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as he announces a draft pick during the second round of the NFL Draft, Friday, April 26, 2013 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

NEW YORK (AP) ? The most exciting few minutes of the NFL draft came on Day 2.

In the span of a few minutes early in Friday night's second round, the San Diego Chargers caused draftniks at Radio City Music Hall to let out a roar with the selection of Notre Dame's Manti Te'o. Just when things were settling down, the New York Jets announced their pick ? quarterback Geno Smith. Fans, many clad in Jets jerseys, cheered ? and booed.

Te'o, of course, was the victim of a tabloid-ready hoax involving a fake girlfriend. That, and his poor play in the national title game against Alabama, followed by less-than-impressive workouts for pro scouts, had everyone wondering when he would be selected.

Smith, of course, now heads to a team with all kinds of quarterback issues, from starter Mark Sanchez still with the team despite an awful season, Tim Tebow still with the team despite not really getting a chance to play, and three other QBs on the roster for now in David Garrard, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms.

Welcome to San Diego, Manti.

Welcome to the J-E-T-S, Jets, Geno.

___

Here are 10 things to know about the draft after the first two days. The final four rounds are Saturday.

1. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IN SAN DIEGO, NEW YORK

"I did expect to go in the first round," Te'o said. "But things happened and all it did was give me more motivation to get better. I don't know if I have something to prove, but it definitely puts a huge fire under my butt to just be better."

Asked if he dropped into the second round because of the off-field issues and his flop in the title game, he said: "I really don't know. That's a question that you've got to ask the teams."

Chargers GM Tim Telesco, who traded up seven spots to No. 38 to land Te'o, certainly has no issues with his new guy.

"He's a great kid," Telesco said. "We did a lot of work on Te'o and I've seen him for a number of years. He loves football. He's passionate about it. He loves to practice. He loves to play."

Smith, who was projected as first-rounder, believes he can compete with Sanchez and whoever else is around.

"I love to compete. Mark is a guy who I watched at USC, I watched him in the NFL, and I think highly of him as well as Tim and all of those guys over there," he said, "As I said, I'm coming in as a rookie and I'm going to compete and I'm also going to accept my role whatever it is."

Asked if he thinks he's a franchise QB, he said: "Yes sir. I do believe so and for a number of reasons, but the main thing is that I'm not only coming into practice, I'm going to come into work and I'm going to compete daily and I'm going to also do my best to better my teammates in order for us to win a Super Bowl."

What does it all mean?

New Jets GM John Idzik says: "What this means for Mark Sanchez is competition, and Mark is open to that. We've had discussions about that, and I think he buys into the fact that that helps him and it helps any player on our team, and as a result, it helps our team."

2. RUNNING BACKS SCORE

A night after no running backs were taken in the first round for the first time since 1963, the second round produced five, and Alabama star Eddie Lacy (expected to be a first-rounder) wasn't the first to go. Cincinnati gave that distinction to Gio Bernard of North Carolina with the No. 37th overall pick. Then, Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell went to Pittsburgh at No. 48, Wisconsin All-American Montee Ball went to Denver at No. 58, Lacy went to Green Bay at No. 61 and Texas A&M's Christine Michael went to Seattle at No. 62.

The third round produced one running back ? Arkansas' Knile Davis to Kansas City at No. 96.

Lacy, who ran for 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, may have dropped because of concerns about his health, including a hamstring problem that prevented him from participating in the NFL combine and working out for scouts a few weeks ago.

"You can't do anything about it," Lacy said. "I'm just looking forward to being part of a new team and contributing as much as I can."

3. STILL ON THE BOARD

Among notable players till on the board entering Saturday's final four rounds are quarterbacks Matt Barkley of Southern California, Ryan Nassib of Syracuse and Landry Jones of Oklahoma; running back Marcus Lattimore of South Carolina (recovering from a serious knee injury); and two starters from national champion Alabama, offensive lineman Barrett Jones and defensive tackle Jesse Williams.

4. VIKINGS STRONG

Minnesota did not have a second or third-round pick Friday night because they had a huge first round Thursday night with three picks ? DT Sharrif Floyd (Florida) at No. 23, DB Xavier Rhodes (Florida State) at No. 25 and a last-second deal with New England moved the Vikings up to snag WR Cordarrelle Patterson (Tennessee) at No. 29.

"I don't think it could've worked out any better for the caliber of players we got coming into our program," Vikings GM Rick Spielman said. "I'm very excited."

The Vikings, coming off a surprising run to the playoffs spearheaded by running back Adrian Peterson, immediately filled three of their biggest needs. A linebacker by the end of the draft and Minnesota will have hit on all cylinders.

Not bad for a team that started last season in what was expected to be a rebuilding one.

5. FINALLY, A PICK

Four teams did not have first-round picks, but stepped up in the second round to start filling their needs. Tampa Bay was the first of the four to pick, going for defensive back Johnthan Banks of Mississippi State at No. 43 overall. Washington, which lost its first-rounder in last year's deal to draft Robert Griffin III, went for defensive back David Amerson of North Carolina State at No. 51 overall. New England, known for trading early picks for a bunch of later picks, chose linebacker Jamie Collins of Southern Mississippi at No. 52, and Seattle ? after trading down six spots with Baltimore ? closed out the second round by taking running back Christine Michael of Texas A&M.

6. FOREIGN FLAVOR

Defensive end Ziggy Ansah of BYU led a parade of international players into the NFL.

Ansah, from Ghana, didn't even know how to put on shoulder pads a few years ago. On Thursday, he was the No. 5 overall pick by the Detroit Lions.

Also going in the first round was Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner from Germany (Indianapolis, No. 24). Two more went in the second round, SMU defensive end Margus Hunt from Estonia (No. 53, Cincinnati) and Florida State offensive tackle Menelik Watson from Britain (Oakland, No. 42). The third round saw Connecticut linebacker Cisio Moore from Liberia go to Oakland at No. 66. Still on the board is Alabama defensive tackle Jess Williams from Australia.

7. WHERE ARE THE QUARTERBACKS?

As predicted, quarterbacks were not popular in the first round, and not too popular in the second- and third-rounds, either. After Buffalo surprised nearly everyone by picking Florida State's EJ Manuel as the only QB in the first round (at No. 16), the next to go was West Virginia's Geno Smith by the New York Jets in the second round, at No. 39, and North Carolina State's Mike Glennon by Tampa Bay in the third round, at No. 73. Of course, stars such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees and even Russell Wilson weren't first-rounders, either.

8. MY TEAM'S BETTER THAN YOURS

In a game of one-upmanship, former players from Dallas (Tony Casillas), Pittsburgh (Merril Hoge) and the New York Giants (Rich Seubert) got the fans going before announcing the second-round picks for their teams.

Casillas stepped up to the podium and called out ... "still America's team," the Dallas Cowboys select ...

Next up was Hoge, who chimed in with "the only team to win six Super Bowls," and then made Pittsburgh's choice.

And next in the sequence came Seubert, who simply said, "Go Giants!" before announcing New York's pick.

The crowd at Radio City, of course, booed Casillas and Hoge, and cheered Seubert.

9. LEAN BEEF

The second day of the draft was not for heavyweights. After 18 offensive and defensive linemen totaling nearly 2? tons were selected in the first round, the second round dropped to five. The third round, though, saw 12 linemen taken. Of course, teams turned their attentions to skill positions, with eight wide receivers and 17 defensive backs taken Friday night.

10. CONFERENCE LEADERS

To the surprise of no one, the Southeastern Conference has provided the NFL with the most draft picks of any conference ? 32 of 97 so far. That's one-third of the newest class of the NFL players. The SEC breakdown is 12 in the first round, eight in the second and 12 in the third. Stay tuned for the next four rounds.

No. 2 is the Atlantic Coast Conference with 12, including six first-rounders.

___

Follow Richard Rosenblatt on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/rosenblattap