4th quarter: Packers 21, Bears 13

The Chicago Bears came up short in their biggest game of the year and fell 21-13 to the Green Bay Packers, who clinched the NFC North title Sunday at Soldier Field.
 
Aaron Rodgers threw three touchdown passes to James Jones as Green Bay improved to 10-4. The Bears fell to 8-6 with two games remaining at Arizona and Detroit.
 
Jay Cutler completed 10 of 19 passes for 107 yards. He was intercepted once and threw one TD. 
 
Green Bay has beaten the Bears six straight times.

A 34-yard field goal by new Bears kicker Olindo Mare pulled the Bears to within 21-13 with 7:04 left in regulation.

The Bears caught a break with 7:54 left when Randall Cobb received a punt from Adam Podlesh. Cobb threw a backward pass toward Jeremy Ross, who fumbled the lateral and the Bears' Anthony Walters recovered at the Green Bay 16. 

An earlier 34-yard kick by Mare had pulled the Bears to within 21-10 with 12 seconds left in the third quarter.

Packers kicker Mason Crosby's second miss of the day bounced off an upright from 42 yards out, keeping the score 21-10 with 10:10 left in the game.

With 2:42 left in the period, Bears cornerback Charles Tillman forced a fumble by Ryan Grant that was recovered by Nick Roach at the Bears' 37. The Packers were charged with back-to-back penalties on pass plays while defending rookie receiver Alshon Jeffery. After illegal contact and then interference on Morgan Burnett, the Bears had the ball on the Packers'  5.

The Bears appeared to score a touchdown on a fourth-down pass to Jeffery, but he was called for offensive pass interference. Mare then kicked his field goal.

Jones caught his third touchdown pass of the game from Rodgers, a six-yard toss to cap a 13-play, 79-yard opening drive of the third quarter to put the Packers up 21-7 with 8:08 left in the period. The score was set up by an interference call on Chris Conte in the end zone against Green Bay tight end Jermichael Finley. Jones beat Charles Tillman on the play.

In a hard-fought first half, the Packers took a 14-7 lead on Rodgers' 8-yard TD pass to Jones with 28 seconds to go before intermission. The score was set up by an interception by Casey Hayward and his 24-yard return. Cutler's pass was intended for Devin Hester but wound up directly in the midsection of Hayward.

Green Bay tied the game 7-7 with 4:19 left before halftime on a 29-yard touchdown pass from  Rodgers to Jones, who beat Kelvin Hayden. The scoring drive covered 89 yards.

Brandon Marshall, who expressed his distaste for the Packers during the week, got the Bears on the scoreboard first on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Cutler with 8:03 to play before halftime. It capped a six-play, 67-yard drive and put the Bears up 7-0.

The Packers' Mason Crosby missed a 43-yard field goal attempt wide right with 11:22 left in the second period. The first quarter was dominated by the defenses.

Cutler was 6-of-9 for 58 yards in the first half. Four of his completions went to Marshall, who  had 34 yards and a TD. Matt Forte carried 13 times for 58 yards.

It was difficult to forget that the Bears had lost five straight to their NFC North rivals. Entering with an 8-5 record, the Bears also had lost four of their last five after an auspicious 7-1 start.

Injuries could not be an excuse for the Bears, as the Packers had significant losses to injuries, as well.

Inactives for the Bears were Josh McCown, Tim Jennings, Geno Hayes, Henry Melton, Earl Bennett, Shea McClellin and Urlacher.

Green Bay inactives: Charles Woodson, James Starks, Terrell Manning, Donald Driver, D.J. Williams, Jordy Nelson and C.J. Wilson.

Rodgers came in with an 8-2 record against the Bears as a starter, with a passer rating of 96.8.

The Packers entered the game having won 11 straight division games.

fmitchell@tribune.com

Twitter@kicker34

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Viral Justice: Domestic Abuse Victim Calls Out Attacker on Facebook

Amber Taylor had been living in a Missouri motel with her boyfriend, Austin “Wildboi” McCauley, until this week, when he reportedly beat her unconscious with a baseball bat.

Two days later, the 23-year-old took a picture of herself recovering from her injuries and posted it to McCauley’s public Facebook page, calling him out for his abuse and prompting his arrest.

Since its posting online, the photo has accumulated almost 10,000 “Likes” and close to 1,000 comments. Its caption includes the sentence, “I’m not the only girl he’s done this to but I’m not scared anymore I’m going to speak up.”  

McCauley has since been arrested and charged with second-degree domestic assault.

MORE: Savannah Dietrich Calls Out Her Attackers, Sees Them Punished

In her interview with news station WDAF, Taylor explained she wanted to expose her boyfriend’s true nature to the people who thought they knew him best. “I just wanted his friends to actually see the true him,” she said.

The young mother reports that she’s not only received support from McCauley’s own friends, but also from people across the country. “I’m actually glad that I have people that are writing me and telling me they care. Because being with him, I didn’t get to have any friends.”

This isn’t the first time social media has provided an outlet for a victim in need of support. Earlier this year, 17-year-old Savannah Dietrich violated a court order when she announced the names of her two underage attackers on her public Twitter account. Though the maneuver had her facing contempt charges, Dietrich and her parents reported it was necessary to bring attention to what they characterized as the unfair nature of her trial.

Though public pressure on the court still didn’t result in the attackers receiving jail time, they were sentenced to harsher punishments than were originally conceived before Dietrich went public with their names. And in the melee, the teenager inadvertently rallied a nation’s support, serving as an example of how self-advocacy can facilitate healing.

That may be the take-away for Hillary Adams as well. The disabled daughter of Texas judge, William Adams, Hillary was the subject of her father’s relentless beatings and secretly videotaped one of those incidents. Seven years later, she posted the video online. Though Adams was already grown up and no longer living with her father, she claimed the posting had more to do with holding him personally accountable, even if the law wouldn’t.

Trauma sufferers often report that keeping abuse a secret is a move that backfires, creating a greater sense of personal shame, no matter how blameless they may be. But social media is an accessible avenue they can use to tell their stories, offering survivors the chance to shed their shame and reclaim their dignity.

Do you think social justice can really be achieved with social media? Would you use it to get justice? Let us know what you think in the Comments.

Related Stories on TakePart:

• Anna Breslaw’s 600-Word Sprint: The V-Word Dialogues

• Despite His ‘Legitimate Rape’ Fail, Todd Akin is Still a Senate Contender

• In U.S., a New Definition for Rape

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A Bay Area native, Andri Antoniades previously worked as a fashion industry journalist and medical writer.  In addition to reporting the weekend news on TakePart, she volunteers as a webeditor for locally-based nonprofits and works as a freelance feature writer for TimeOutLA.com. Email Andri | @andritweets | TakePart.com

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“Hobbit” film sets December record in U.S., Canada debut

(Reuters) – “The Hobbit” brought home a big box office treasure over the weekend, setting a December movie record with $ 84.77 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales as legions of fans turned out for the long-awaited big-screen return to Middle Earth.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” also rung up sales of $ 138.2 million in international markets. Global receipts for the prequel to the smash “Lord of the Rings” trilogy stood at $ 222.97 million through Sunday, distributor Warner Bros. said.

The current projection for the total box office take in 2012 is $ 10.8 billion, according to an estimate from Hollywood.com, which would beat the $ 10.6 billion record in 2009.

The 3D “Hobbit” directed by Oscar-winning “Rings” filmmaker Peter Jackson is the first of three films based on a 1937 classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Warner Bros. is aiming to build on the success of the “Rings” series, one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises with $ 2.9 billion in global ticket sales.

The “Lord of the Rings” movies debuted in theaters from 2001 to 2003. After that, production on “The Hobbit” ran into delays, leaving fans waiting a decade for another look at the fantasy story of dwarves, wizards and elves.

The opening weekend “Hobbit” sales proved interest remained high. North American (U.S. and Canadian) receipts toppled the old record for December set by Will Smith sci-fi flick “I Am Legend,” which pulled in $ 77.2 million when it debuted in 2007.

“The best we were hoping for was to reach or exceed the $ 77 million set by that movie and we did it by quite a lot. It was all good and we’re very happy about it,” said Dan Fellman, president of theatrical distribution for Warner Bros.

“You have to assume that by the time this first week is over we are going to have around $ 110 million in the bank before the holiday even starts,” he added.

The new film follows the epic journey of hobbit Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, as he travels through the treacherous Middle Earth with a band of dwarves to steal treasures from the dragon Smaug.

The movie also stars Richard Armitage and Benedict Cumberbatch, while Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett and Elijah Wood reprise their “Rings” roles.

Opening-weekend audiences embraced “The Hobbit,” awarding an “A” grade in polling by survey firm CinemaScore. Critics had a mixed response to the nearly three-hour film. Sixty-five percent of reviews on the Rotten Tomatoes website recommended the movie, although some objected to Jackson’s decision to shoot it using a 48-frames-per-second format rather than the usual 24.

SOME VIEWERS NAUSEOUS

The faster frame rate delivers clearer pictures, but some critics called the format cartoonish and jarring. Some fans at early screenings in New Zealand complained it made them feel nauseous and dizzy, according to The New Zealand Herald. Only a fraction of theaters showed the film in the new format.

The next two “Hobbit” movies are schedules to reach theaters in December 2013 and July 2014. The films were financed by MGM and Warner Bros.‘ New Line Cinema unit for an estimated $ 500 million.

“The Hobbit” took a bumpy, years-long journey to the big screen that included two directors and a lawsuit. Jackson made the “Rings” trilogy when producers could not get “The Hobbit” rights that were held by MGM’s United Artists unit.

Guillermo del Toro was first hired to direct “The Hobbit” but he left the project when financial woes at MGM caused delays. The movie went into production only after Jackson settled a lawsuit against New Line in a dispute over profits from the “Rings” films.

“The Hobbit” was the only new nationwide release over the weekend. The rest of the top five were films that have been playing for weeks.

In second place was the animated family film “Rise of the Guardians” with $ 7.4 million, followed by historical drama “Lincoln” starring Daniel Day-Lewis as the revered U.S. president, which grabbed $ 7.2 million from Friday through Sunday, according to studio estimates.

James Bond movie “Skyfall” landed in fourth place with $ 7 million.

Next on the box office chart was “Life of Pi,” which captured $ 5.4 million. Teen vampire tale “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2″ earned $ 5.17 million.

Time Warner Inc’s Warner Bros. released “The Hobbit.” “Lincoln” was produced by Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Co. Sony Corp’s movie studio released “Skyfall.” Dreamworks Animation distributed “Rise of the Guardians,” which was released by Viacom Inc’s Paramount Pictures. Summit Entertainment, a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment, released “Breaking Dawn.”

(Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

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Dr. William F. House, Inventor of Cochlear Implant, Dies

Dr. William F. House, a medical researcher who braved skepticism to invent the cochlear implant, an electronic device considered to be the first to restore a human sense, died on Dec. 7 at his home in Aurora, Ore. He was 89.

The cause was metastatic melanoma, his daughter, Karen House, said.

Dr. House pushed against conventional thinking throughout his career. Over the objections of some, he introduced the surgical microscope to ear surgery. Tackling a form of vertigo that doctors had believed was psychosomatic, he developed a surgical procedure that enabled the first American in space to travel to the moon. Peering at the bones of the inner ear, he found enrapturing beauty.

Even after his ear-implant device had largely been supplanted by more sophisticated, and more expensive, devices, Dr. House remained convinced of his own version’s utility and advocated that it be used to help the world’s poor.

Today, more than 200,000 people in the world have inner-ear implants, a third of them in the United States. A majority of young deaf children receive them, and most people with the implants learn to understand speech with no visual help.

Hearing aids amplify sound to help the hearing-impaired. But many deaf people cannot hear at all because sound cannot be transmitted to their brains, however much it is amplified. This is because the delicate hair cells that line the cochlea, the liquid-filled spiral cavity of the inner ear, are damaged. When healthy, these hairs — more than 15,000 altogether — translate mechanical vibrations produced by sound into electrical signals and deliver them to the auditory nerve.

Dr. House’s cochlear implant electronically translated sound into mechanical vibrations. His initial device, implanted in 1961, was eventually rejected by the body. But after refining its materials, he created a long-lasting version and implanted it in 1969.

More than a decade would pass before the Food and Drug Administration approved the cochlear implant, but when it did, in 1984, Mark Novitch, the agency’s deputy commissioner, said, “For the first time a device can, to a degree, replace an organ of the human senses.”

One of Dr. House’s early implant patients, from an experimental trial, wrote to him in 1981 saying, “I no longer live in a world of soundless movement and voiceless faces.”

But for 27 years, Dr. House had faced stern opposition while he was developing the device. Doctors and scientists said it would not work, or not work very well, calling it a cruel hoax on people desperate to hear. Some said he was motivated by the prospect of financial gain. Some criticized him for experimenting on human subjects. Some advocates for the deaf said the device deprived its users of the dignity of their deafness without fully integrating them into the hearing world.

Even when the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology endorsed implants in 1977, it specifically denounced Dr. House’s version. It recommended more complicated versions, which were then under development and later became the standard.

But his work is broadly viewed as having sped the development of implants and enlarged understanding of the inner ear. Jack Urban, an aerospace engineer, helped develop the surgical microscope as well as mechanical and electronic aspects of the House implant.

Karl White, founding director of the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management, said in an interview that it would have taken a decade longer to invent the cochlear implant without Dr. House’s contributions. He called him “a giant in the field.”

After embracing the use of the microscope in ear surgery, Dr. House developed procedures — radical for their time — for removing tumors from the back portion of the brain without causing facial paralysis; they cut the death rate from the surgery to less than 1 percent from 40 percent.

He also developed the first surgical treatment for Meniere’s disease, which involves debilitating vertigo and had been viewed as a psychosomatic condition. His procedure cured the astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. of the disease, clearing him to command the Apollo 14 mission to the moon in 1971. In 1961, Shepard had become the first American launched into space.

In presenting Dr. House with an award in 1995, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation said, “He has developed more new concepts in otology than almost any other single person in history.”

William Fouts House was born in Kansas City, Mo., on Dec. 1, 1923. When he was 3 his family moved to Whittier, Calif., where he grew up on a ranch. He did pre-dental studies at Whittier College and the University of Southern California, and earned a doctorate in dentistry at the University of California, Berkeley. After serving his required two years in the Navy — and filling the requisite 300 cavities a month — he went back to U.S.C. to pursue an interest in oral surgery. He earned his medical degree in 1953. After a residency at Los Angeles County Hospital, he joined the Los Angeles Foundation of Otology, a nonprofit research institution founded by his brother, Howard. Today it is called the House Research Institute.

Many at the time thought ear surgery was a declining field because of the effectiveness of antibiotics in dealing with ear maladies. But Dr. House saw antibiotics as enabling more sophisticated surgery by diminishing the threat of infection.

When his brother returned from West Germany with a surgical microscope, Dr. House saw its potential and adopted it for ear surgery; he is credited with introducing the device to the field. But again there was resistance. As Dr. House wrote in his memoir, “The Struggles of a Medical Innovator: Cochlear Implants and Other Ear Surgeries” (2011), some eye doctors initially criticized his use of a microscope in surgery as reckless and unnecessary for a surgeon with good eyesight.

Dr. House also used the microscope as a research tool. One night a week he would take one to a morgue for use in dissecting ears to gain insights that might lead to new surgical procedures. His initial reaction, he said, was how beautiful the bones seemed; he compared the experience to one’s first view of the Grand Canyon. His wife, the former June Stendhal, a nurse, often helped.

She died in 2008 after 64 years of marriage. In addition to his daughter, Dr. House is survived by a son, David; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

The implant Dr. House invented used a single channel to deliver information to the hearing system, as opposed to the multiple channels of competing models. The 3M Company, the original licensee of the House implant, sold its rights to another company, the Cochlear Corporation, in 1989. Cochlear later abandoned his design in favor of the multichannel version.

But Dr. House continued to fight for his single-electrode approach, saying it was far cheaper, and offered voluminous material as evidence of its efficacy. He had hoped to resume production of it and make it available to the poor around the world.

Neither the institute nor Dr. House made any money on the implant. He never sought a patent on any of his inventions, he said, because he did not want to restrict other researchers. A nephew, Dr. John House, the current president of the House institute, said his uncle had made the deal to license it to the 3M Company not for profit but simply to get it built by a reputable manufacturer.

Reflecting on his business decisions in his memoir, Dr. House acknowledged, “I might be a little richer today.”

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Hillshire Brands starting up in new space

Hillshire Brands, formerly known as Sara Lee, is prepare to move their operation from a Downers Grove corporate campus to a downtown Chicago location. (Chris Walker, Chicago Tribune)

Hillshire Brands was literally on the move this past week.

The $4 billion meat company, carved from Sara Lee Corp. and anchored by Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean and Ball Park brands, moved from a gleaming, glassy corporate campus in Downers Grove — complete with a fountain in a man-made lake — into a refurbished industrial building in Chicago's noisy West Loop.

Aside from the logistical ballet in relocating about 600 employees and contractors, the move is expected to stimulate a new and innovative culture that Hillshire needs for growth.

Sara Lee began working on the move about a year ago when it signed a lease for the building at 400 S. Jefferson St. After spinning off its international beverage business, Sara Lee changed its name to Hillshire Brands in June and turned to a new management team. CEO Sean Connolly calls the move part of Hillshire's "rebirth."

On Wednesday evening, technical staff began disconnecting office computers, and employees were asked to work from home.

Moving trucks arrived in Downers Grove on Thursday and were to haul office contents in reusable plastic crates 23 miles to the new space by Friday evening. On Saturday, IT staff were to reconnect computers, copiers and printers with the expectation that on Monday, Hillshire employees can begin work. The company has declined to say how much it's spending on the move or building out the new space.

Moving a corporate headquarters is a complex undertaking.

"It's really about those hundreds of details you have to keep track of," explained Brian Hunter, a 12-year veteran of the company's real estate department whose team orchestrated the move. He came with plenty of experience. Seven years ago he consolidated three company offices and 1,100 employees at the Downers Grove campus. But this move is part of something bigger.

"This isn't a coming together under one roof," Hunter said. "It's completely different, a rebirth if you will. We've disposed of several businesses, spun off some things and emerged with a new name, new culture and new leadership. And that was a reason for selecting a location where Hillshire could take the entire building, rather than rent a few floors in a skyscraper.''

A major challenge was making the move work within four months, starting Aug. 1, when Hillshire got access to the interior of the building. That's when crews began constructing pantries, kitchens, cubicle pods, offices, conference rooms and private phone booths, a nod to employees who lost offices as part of a more open floor plan.

Built in 1944 to house a lithograph company, the building is probably known to thousands of baby boomers because it was used as an examining and entrance station for inductees into the armed forces during the Vietnam War.

The building largely was vacant when Sterling Bay Cos. purchased it late last year, then spent $24 million on renovations over roughly an eight-month period. Windows were added, walls and two internal water towers were taken down, and the roof was replaced.

The space's modern look — white walls and splashes of lime green and bright orange in the furniture and upholstery — is offset by lingering elements of the old building. For instance, holes from old conduit boxes still show, an effort to be "authentic," Hunter said.

Open communication

A lesson Hunter learned from the office consolidation seven years ago is that there's no such thing as too much communication. Earlier this year he launched a monthly newsletter called "the 411 on 400" a nod to the company's new address on South Jefferson Street. Recently it morphed into a weekly email, reminding employees how to pack and when, and what to expect. The tone was lighthearted. In keeping with his jovial spirit, Hunter dusted off his old hard hat from the last move. It has a Sara Lee logo on one side, so he slapped a Hillshire Brands sticker on the other.

Town hall meetings were held, at which employees were shown mock-ups of their future workspaces and photos of what was being built. Hunter's presentations included virtual tours. In addition, some team leaders took their people on building tours. Some made practice runs of their new commutes, as some employees' trips will lengthen significantly.

With the idea of getting employee buy-in, Hunter's team put four types of cubicles on display at the company's campus and asked for feedback. Employees voted for their favorites online, and the company purchased the cubicles with the most votes.

The communication efforts appear to have made a difference.

"I have never felt like I was in the dark," said Mike Schwartz, a 31-year-old assistant brand manager for Ball Park. He also credited Hunter's team with having "done a very good job being honest about the move."

Schwartz, who lives in Glenview, had a 35-minute driving commute to Downers Grove. The move to the West Loop will stretch his commute beyond an hour. That includes driving to the train, a Metra ride and walking to the office. But Schwartz said he's looking forward to the "excitement and energy" of a downtown work environment. He's also looking forward to catching up with grad school friends who live in the city, either at lunch or with beers after work.

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Robbery suspect shot by police on South Side

A man believed to be one of four robbers who held up a truck driver this morning was shot by police a short time later in the city's Back of the Yards neighborhood, authorities said.

The shooting happened just before 11:30 a.m. on the 1600 block of West Garfield Boulevard near a Citgo gas station, police said. Chicago Police Department News Affairs confirmed that police shot someone in that area.

The person was dead, according to some early reports, but that information has not been confirmed by News Affairs or the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Citing preliminary information, authorities said four robbers with guns held up a truck driver near 38th Street and Kedzie Avenue between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

The robbers attacked the truck driver, authorities said, but it's not immediately clear if they got away with any proceeds before fleeing the scene.

According to preliminary information, district officers responded to a dispatch call of the robbery in progress, said Pat Camden, a spokesman for the Fraternal Order of Police.

Several suspects in a SUV were reported to have broken into a stopped truck. The driver had gotten out of his truck and confronted the thieves, and they pulled a weapon out, Camden said.

The driver called 911 and told a dispatcher that he was robbed and the robbers may be armed, Camden said.

Witnesses were able to give police a detailed description of the robbers' vehicle -- a silver SUV, authorities said. Officers eventually spotted the SUV and chased it before it struck a light pole at Garfield and Ashland Avenue, authorities said.

Three of the robbers ran from the SUV, authorities said, but the fourth was involved in a confrontation with responding officers at the scene before he was shot.

One of the officers caught one of the fleeing individuals, and the man "body-slammed" the officer to the ground, Camden said.

The other officer went to that officer's aid to try to subdue the suspect, and he saw the suspect reaching for a black metal object that was in his pocket, Camden said.

The officer, fearing it was weapon, fired at the man, Camden said.

That man's condition was not immediately known, but the other three are at large this afternoon.

Both officers were taken to Mercy Hospital and Medical Center, but Camden did not know their conditions. Camden said the suspect, described as in his 20s, was taken to Saint Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center.

Witnesses at the scene said the man was dead, but that has not been confirmed with the medical examiner's office.

When asked if a weapon was found at the scene, Camden said, "Not to my knowledge."

Camden said the shooting was still under investigation.

Authorities said the robbery crew might be linked to another hold-up that occurred earlier this morning, prior to the one at 38th and Kedzie.

dawilliams@tribune.com, jgorner@tribune.com

Twitter: @neacynewslady

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Manitoba Tories to oust youth president over social media comments

WINNIPEG – An official with Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative party is being ousted over social media comments about aboriginals.

Brayden Mazurkiewich, the president of the party’s youth wing, is being asked to resign over a post on his Facebook page today.

The post concerns a planned urban reserve on a former Winnipeg military base, and says the land was designed for — quote — “hard-working men and women of the military, not free-loading Indian.”

Party president Ryan Matthews says the comments are unacceptable.

Matthews says if Mazurkiewich doesn’t quit voluntarily, the party’s management committee will convene next week to deal with the matter.

Mazurkiewich was not immediately available for comment.

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As Conn. story unfolds, media struggle with facts

NEW YORK (AP) — The scope and senselessness of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting challenged television journalists’ ability to do much more than lend, or impose, their presence on the scene.

Pressed with the awful urgency of the story, TV, along with other media, fell prey to reporting “facts” that were often in conflict or wrong.

How many people were killed? Which Lanza brother was the shooter: Adam or Ryan? Was their mother, who was among the slain, a teacher at the school?

Like the rest of the news media, television outlets were faced with intense competitive pressures and an audience ravenous for details in an age when the best-available information was seldom as reliable as the networks’ high-tech delivery systems.

Here was the normal gestation of an unfolding story. But with wall-to-wall cable coverage and second-by-second Twitter postings, the process of updating and correcting it was visible to every onlooker. And as facts were gathered by authorities, then shared with reporters (often on background), a seemingly higher-than-usual number of points failed to pan out:

— The number of dead was initially reported as anywhere from the high teens to nearly 30. The final count was established Friday afternoon: 20 children and six adults, as well as Lanza’s mother and the shooter himself.

— For hours on Friday, the shooter was identified as Ryan Lanza, with his age alternatively reported as 24 or 20. The confusion seemed partly explainable when it was determined that 20-year-old Adam Lanza, the shooter who had then killed himself, was carrying identification belonging to his 24-year-old brother.

This case of mistaken identity was painfully reminiscent of the Atlanta Olympics bombing case in 1996, when authorities fingered an innocent man, and the news media ran with it, destroying his life. Such damage was averted in Ryan Lanza’s case largely by his public protestations on social media, repeatedly declaring “It wasn’t me.”

— Initial reports differed as to whether Lanza’s mother, Nancy, was shot at the school, where she was said to be a teacher, or at the home she shared with Adam Lanza. By Friday afternoon, it was determined that she had been shot at their home.

Then doubts arose about whether Nancy Lanza had any link to Sandy Hook Elementary. At least one parent said she was a substitute teacher, but by early Saturday, an official said investigators had been unable to establish any connection with the school.

That seemed to make the massacre even more confusing. Early on, the attack was said to have taken place in her own classroom and was interpreted by more than one on-air analyst as possibly a way for Adam Lanza to strike back at children with whom he felt rivalry for his mother’s affection.

— Lanza’s weapons were listed as two pistols (a Glock and a Sig Sauer) as well as a .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle, but whether that rifle was used in the school or left in the trunk of Lanza’s car remained unclear.

— There were numerous versions of what Lanza was wearing, including camouflage attire and black paramilitary garb.

With so many unanswered questions, TV correspondents were left to set the scene and to convey the impact in words that continually failed them.

However apt, the phrase “parents’ worst nightmare” became an instant cliche.

And the word “unimaginable” was used countless times. But “imagine” was exactly what the horrified audience was helpless not to do.

The screen was mostly occupied by grim or tearful faces, sparing everybody besides law enforcement officials the most chilling sight: the death scene in the school, where — as viewers were reminded over and over — the bodies remained while evidence was gathered. But who could keep from imagining it?

Ironically, perhaps the most powerful video came from 300 miles away, in Washington, where President Barack Obama delivered brief remarks about the tragedy. His somber face, the flat tone of his voice, the tears he daubed from his eyes, and his long, tormented pauses said as much as his heartfelt words. He seemed to speak for everyone who heard them.

But TV had hours to fill.

Children from the school were interviewed. It was a questionable decision for which the networks took heat from media critics and viewers alike. But the decision lay more in the hands of the willing parents (who were present), and there was value in hearing what these tiny witnesses had to say.

“We had to lock our doors so the animal couldn’t get in,” said one little boy, his words painting a haunting picture.

In the absence of much hard information, speculation was a regular fallback. Correspondents and other “experts” persisted in diagnosing the shooter, a man none of them had ever met or even heard of until hours earlier.

CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” scored an interview with a former classmate of Lanza’s — with an emphasis on “former.”

“I really only knew him closely when we were very, very young, in elementary school together,” she said.

Determined to unlock Lanza’s personality, Morgan asked the woman if she “could have ever predicted that he would one day flip and do something as monstrous as this?”

“I don’t know if I could have predicted it,” she replied, struggling to give Morgan what he wanted. “I mean, there was something ‘off’ about him.”

The larger implications of the tragedy were broached throughout the coverage — not least by Obama.

“We’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics,” he said, which may have gladdened proponents of stricter gun laws.

But CBS correspondent Nancy Cordes noted, “There’s often an assumption that after a horrific event like this, it will spark a fierce debate on the issue. But in recent years, that hasn’t been the case.”

Appearing on “The O’Reilly Factor” Friday night, Fox News correspondent Geraldo Rivera voiced his own solution.

“I want an armed cop at every school,” he said.

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School Yoga Class Draws Religious Protest From Christians

T. Lynne Pixley for The New York Times

Miriam Ruiz during a yoga class last week at Paul Ecke Central Elementary School in Encinitas, Calif. A few dozen parents are protesting that the program amounts to religious indoctrination. More Photos »

ENCINITAS, Calif. — By 9:30 a.m. at Paul Ecke Central Elementary School, tiny feet were shifting from downward dog pose to chair pose to warrior pose in surprisingly swift, accurate movements. A circle of 6- and 7-year-olds contorted their frames, making monkey noises and repeating confidence-boosting mantras.

Jackie Bergeron’s first-grade yoga class was in full swing.

“Inhale. Exhale. Peekaboo!” Ms. Bergeron said from the front of the class. “Now, warrior pose. I am strong! I am brave!”

Though the yoga class had a notably calming effect on the children, things were far from placid outside the gymnasium.

A small but vocal group of parents, spurred on by the head of a local conservative advocacy group, has likened these 30-minute yoga classes to religious indoctrination. They say the classes — part of a comprehensive program offered to all public school students in this affluent suburb north of San Diego — represent a violation of the First Amendment.

After the classes prompted discussion in local evangelical churches, parents said they were concerned that the exercises might nudge their children closer to ancient Hindu beliefs.

Mary Eady, the parent of a first grader, said the classes were rooted in the deeply religious practice of Ashtanga yoga, in which physical actions are inextricable from the spiritual beliefs underlying them.

“They’re not just teaching physical poses, they’re teaching children how to think and how to make decisions,” Ms. Eady said. “They’re teaching children how to meditate and how to look within for peace and for comfort. They’re using this as a tool for many things beyond just stretching.”

Ms. Eady and a few dozen other parents say a public school system should not be leading students down any particular religious path. Teaching children how to engage in spiritual exercises like meditation familiarizes young minds with certain religious viewpoints and practices, they say, and a public classroom is no place for that.

Underlying the controversy is the source of the program’s financing. The pilot project is supported by the Jois Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in memory of Krishna Pattabhi Jois, who is considered the father of Ashtanga yoga.

Dean Broyles, the president and chief counsel of the National Center for Law and Policy, a nonprofit law firm that champions religious freedom and traditional marriage, according to its Web site, has dug up quotes from Jois Foundation leaders, who talk about the inseparability of the physical act of yoga from a broader spiritual quest. Mr. Broyles argued that such quotes betrayed the group’s broader evangelistic purpose.

“There is a transparent promotion of Hindu religious beliefs and practices in the public schools through this Ashtanga yoga program,” he said.

“The analog would be if we substituted for this program a charismatic Christian praise and worship physical education program,” he said.

The battle over yoga in schools has been raging for years across the country but has typically focused on charter schools, which receive public financing but set their own curriculums.

The move by the Encinitas Union School District to mandate yoga classes for all students who do not opt out has elevated the discussion. And it has split an already divided community.

The district serves the liberal beach neighborhoods of Encinitas, including Leucadia, where Paul Ecke Central Elementary is, as well as more conservative inland communities. On the coast, bumper stickers reading “Keep Leucadia Funky” are borne proudly. Farther inland, cars are more likely to feature the Christian fish symbol, and large evangelical congregations play an important role in shaping local philosophy.

Opponents of the yoga classes have started an online petition to remove the course from the district’s curriculum. They have shown up at school board meetings to denounce the program, and Mr. Broyles has threatened to sue if the board does not address their concerns.

The district has stood firm. Tim Baird, the schools superintendent, has defended the yoga classes as merely another element of a broader program designed to promote children’s physical and mental well-being. The notion that yoga teachers have designs on converting tender young minds to Hinduism is incorrect, he said.

“That’s why we have an opt-out clause,” Mr. Baird said. “If your faith is such that you believe that simply by doing the gorilla pose, you’re invoking the Hindu gods, then by all means your child can be doing something else.”

Ms. Eady is not convinced.

“Yoga poses are representative of Hindu deities and Hindu stories about the actions and interactions of those deities with humans,” she said. “There’s content even in the movement, just as with baptism there’s content in the movement.”

Russell Case, a representative of the Jois Foundation, said the parents’ fears were misguided.

“They’re concerned that we’re putting our God before their God,” Mr. Case said. “They’re worried about competition. But we’re much closer to them than they think. We’re good Christians that just like to do yoga because it helps us to be better people.”

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Retailers hope shoppers pick up pace

Debbie Scarlati experienced a bit of anxiety when she realized that Christmas Day was just 11 days away.

"Truly, I was a whole week off," she said, holding three bags at Oakbrook Center on Friday. "I had a little bit of a panic attack, and now, I'm done."

The Downers Grove mom planned to cut her holiday spending this year but had trouble reining in herself.

"I really should be spending less," she said, "but I have this real fault that if I see it, and sometimes because you're under the gun and you have to get it, you just get it. You just buy it."

Scarlati's late start and weakness for shopping is what stores are counting on. Sales over Black Friday weekend soared to a record $59.1 billion, but they tapered off in the following weeks.

The number of shoppers and sales in stores during the first week of December lagged last year's, according to ShopperTrak. Consumers postponed their purchases and mild temperatures slowed sales of cold-weather gear.

Now, with 10 days to Christmas, businesses must get shoppers like Scarlati to spend.

On Friday, Wal-Mart took the rare step of slashing prices on some iPads and the latest iPhones. Kohl's has promised to pick up the tab for one shopper a day.

This weekend, Sears is rolling out another round of door-buster sales. And next weekend — just days before Christmas — Macy's will stay open for 48 hours straight and Toys R Us for 88 hours.

Experts expect prices to fall even further as Christmas approaches. Retailers, desperate to unload inventory, will offer steep percentage discounts. "This year, 40 percent is standard fare," said Wendy Liebmann, CEO of WSL Strategic Retail.

Discounts are likely to creep to 50 percent, she said, in part due to fierce competition with online merchants.

The sales not only appeal to frugal shoppers, but to people who probably shouldn't still be shopping at all. "Promotions at this late in the game are geared to get people to spend more than they intended," said Tom Compernolle, principal in Deloitte's retail practice.

Stores are also trying fancy promotions to gain shoppers' attention. Clothing store Banana Republic has touted airline tickets and Fiat car giveaways in an effort to grab market share.

Other big-name retailers such as Amazon, Target and Wal-Mart have engaged in price-matching wars. "No retailer wants to be outflanked, and when they see a competitor doing something, they want to match it," Compernolle said.

Retailers have plenty of people to win over. Nearly a fifth of consumers have yet to start holiday shopping, while another fifth plan to drop into stores again after taking a break, research firm NPD Group estimated.

With Christmas on a Tuesday, this year's shopping season has five weekends, not the typical four. There are two left.

"We might see the rush this weekend," said Suzanne Cook-Beres, Oakbrook Center's marketing manager.

This year, the mall is trying social media to reel in customers. People who take photos and post them on photo-sharing site Instagram are eligible to win a $20 gift card. "We looked at this to be a great opportunity to say … what will this do?" Cook-Beres said. To beat last week's lull, Oakbrook promised shoppers who spent $250 or more a $20 mall gift card that can be used at most stores.

At Northbrook Court, mall executives are focusing on entertainment, offering "pet night" on Monday evenings and a day at the "elf academy" for children, marketing manager Stacy Kolios said.

The question is whether shoppers will give in to special perks and lower prices.

Compernolle predicts they will, despite the looming "fiscal cliff," because "consumer confidence has climbed since September," he said.

But retail consultant Jeff Green isn't convinced.

Discounts will likely draw shoppers, but promotions, like Kohl's plan to pick up one shopper's tab every day until Christmas Eve, are a "little obscure for most people," Green said.

"If you're a power shopper you'll care, but the general public probably won't," he said.

Corilyn Shropshire is a Tribune reporter; Erin Chan Ding is a freelance writer. Tribune Newspapers' Shan Li contributed.

crshropshire@tribune.com

Twitter @corilyns

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