| Design team taps WKU student
A college senior from Western Kentucky has been selected to work on a global design project to create a wind-powered water purifier to benefit impoverished areas that lack electricity. Zach Pearl, who is studying mechanical engineering at Western Kentucky University, is part of the five-member team contributing to the project from around the world. "Something like this could possibly be used where there isn't a safe source of drinking water," Pearl said. "This could save lives." The research is still in early stages, he said, but the group is using computer-generated conceptual drawings to examine the possibility of harnessing wind power. It's not Pearl's first attempt to design a water purification system. Last year he was part of a team that created a water purification system powered by pedals on a bicycle.
Pick 'n' roll: Wednesday's best NBA bets
With the trade of Jason Kidd to Dallas looking imminent, the Nets will likely take the court on Tuesday without their All-Star guard. It's hard to see how the Nets will win without him. Kidd missed just 22 games in his five seasons with New Jersey and the Nets lost 16 of them. He leads the team in assists (10.4), rebounds (8.1) and steals (1.5) this season and is putting up 11.3 points per game. It's not like things were going peachy with Kidd and the team, either. The Nets have dropped 13 of their last 18 games overall and are 5-13 against the spread over that stretch. The Bulls, meanwhile, covered the spread in six of seven games before the break. Pick: Bulls L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Suns (-4 1/2, 222) It seems that Shaquille O'Neal will finally make his Suns debut Wednesday night and it will happen against his former team.
RICHARD ENG: Golden Gate track draws raves
A stark contrast between the bad and the good of synthetic surfaces never rang truer than at Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields. Santa Anita has had 11 canceled racing days because of a Cushion Track that doesn't drain water. Officials hope to run Saturday with a new mixture in place of Pro-Ride binders and fibers added to the Cushion Track material. The polar opposite was at Golden Gate. Despite near-record rainfall, not one day of racing was missed. The meet ended Sunday with spectacular results over their new Tapeta surface. The average field size of 8.2 was an increase of 11.8 percent. Total handle was up 9.4 percent. Out-of-state wagering grew by 24.8 percent. The total handle increase would have been greater except for the Santa Anita cancellations.
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