unique news: Too much red meat may shorten lifespan

unique news: Too much red meat may shorten lifespan:  Want to live longer? Trade some of the red meat in your diet for fish, nuts, whole grains, and other healthier protein sources, Harvard res...

media reports and trends: Trayvon Martin's Last Phone Call Triggers Demand f...

media reports and trends: Trayvon Martin's Last Phone Call Triggers Demand f...: "He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man," Martin's friend said. "I asked Trayvon to run, a...

Alex Smith, 49ers close to deal

"It's a very strong relationship," Harbaugh told reporters while leaving team headquarters Tuesday, noting nothing had changed in Smith being "our guy." He declined to discuss negotiations.

Last spring, Harbaugh handed over his playbook to Smith during a brief lifting of the lockout — a show of confidence in the QB even though he wasn't under contract. Smith wound up re-signing for $4.9 million, then earned a $1 million bonus for making the playoffs as the 49ers ended an eight-year stretch without a postseason berth or winning record.

"I don't think there will be any bad blood because he went to Miami for an interview," former 49ers running back great Roger Craig said Tuesday. "That's part of the process, it's the nature of the beast. He has to do what's best for him and his family. I'm pretty sure the 49ers are going to work something out. Players love him, fans love him. I love him.

"I think Alex wants to get this put to bed so he can focus on having a great year, an All-Pro year this year," Craig said. "He doesn't want this dark cloud over him. It's really his time, and he understands the business. He knows it's a good situation."

49ers CEO Jed York had said the team's three-year offer still stood despite the pursuit of Manning, and it was just up to Smith to sign.

Long booed by his home fans at Candlestick Park, Smith threw for 3,150 yards and 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions last year as San Francisco went 13-3 to win its first division title since 2002. That was a remarkable turnaround under first-year coach and 15-year NFL quarterback Harbaugh — the NFL coach of the year — who declared his confidence in Smith as a winner from Day 1 when hired away from Stanford in January 2011.

Ostara is a celebration of the vernal equinox

Ostara, or the vernal equinox, is upon us and night and day are in perfect balance.

Ostara is just one of the names given to the celebration of the spring equinox. The word Ostra derives from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility, whose festival at the spring equinox celebrates rebirth.

Ostara is associated with the coming of spring and the dawn, and Eostre’s festival is celebrated at the spring equinox because she brings renewal and rebirth from the death of winter.

Many symbols are associated with Ostara, including colored eggs and, what else? Rabbits.

If you haven’t already recognized the similarities, Ostara and Easter occur around the same time and a lot of the customs we celebrate today as part of Easter “tradition” actually have roots in Pagan customs.

Wiccans, Heathens, and modern Pagans celebrate the vernal equinox as Ostara, Lady Day, Shubun-sai, or the spring equinox as a time of renewal and rebirth.

Trayvon Martin's Last Phone Call Triggers Demand for Arrest 'Right Now'

"He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man," Martin's friend said. "I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run, but he said he was not going to run."

Eventually, he would run, said the girl, thinking that he'd managed to escape. But suddenly the strange man was back, cornering Martin.

"Trayvon said, 'What are you following me for,' and the man said, 'What are you doing here.' Next thing I hear is somebody pushing, and somebody pushed Trayvon because the head set just fell. I called him again, and he didn't answer the phone."

The line went dead. Besides screams heard on 911 calls that night as Martin and Zimmerman scuffled, those were the last words he said.

Trayvon's phone logs, also obtained exclusively by ABC News, show the conversation occurred five minutes before police first arrived on the scene. Crump said the girl's identity was being withheld because "her parents are gravely concerned about her health and her safety." Her parents asked that only an attorney be allowed to ask her questions.

Amelia Earhart mystery attracts Hillary Clinton

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had encouraging words Tuesday for a new investigation into one of the 20th century's most enduring mysteries: the fate of American aviator Amelia Earhart, who went missing without a trace over the South Pacific 75 years ago.

Clinton and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood gave their support and encouragement on Tuesday to historians, scientists and salvagers from The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery, which is launching a new search for the wreckage of Earhart's Lockheed Electra plane in the waters off the remote island of Nikumaroro, in what is now the Pacific nation of Kiribati.

Earhart was an inspiration to Americans in difficult times as the nation struggled to emerge from the Great Depression, Clinton said, adding that her legacy can serve as a model for the country now.

"Amelia Earhart may have been a unlikely heroine for a nation down on its luck, but she embodies the spirit of an America coming of age and increasingly confident, ready to lead in a quite uncertain and dangerous world," Clinton said at a State Department event to announce the new search. "She gave people hope and she inspired them to dream bigger and bolder."

SPRING EQUINOX GOOGLE DOODLE: Spring, and a young Google’s fancy turns to creatively fertile logos

.

Today is the day that all things are equal. Day equals night, night’s the same span as day, and the new season bursts into bloom like a bold Finnish flower.

It’s the first day of spring, and at Google, vernal and verdant creativity springs eternal. So today, the company’s homepage Doodle reportedly draws inspiration from a textile company to create a logo that warmly says farewell to winter with a light and bright tone.

Team Google Doodle tells Comic Riffs that for each special logo, its illustrators marry technique with topic — the style is summoned from the substance. And so it is today, Google reportedly draws from Marimekko, the half-century-old Helskinski firm whose designs include brilliant

media reports and trends

media reports and trends

Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos agree to $96 million deal

The big deal is done. Peyton Manning is a Denver Bronco.

A person familiar with negotiations says that Manning and the Broncos completed his five-year contract worth about $96 million on Tuesday morning.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Manning is to be introduced at a news conference at Broncos headquarters later.

The agreement ends a wild chase for perhaps the most valued free agent in the history of the NFL, a quarterback who has won an unprecedented four league MVP awards and took the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl victory in 2007.

It also represents a huge coup for Broncos executive and Hall of Fame QB John Elway, and could spell the end of the Denver career of Tim Tebow, last year’s quarterbacking sensation.

Turns out Tebowmania may have just been a fad in the Mile High City.

ESPN and the NFL Network first reported on the completion of the Manning deal.

Manning called Elway on Monday and told him that he had chosen Denver over the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers, his other final picks. The Broncos and Manning’s agent then hashed out the contract details.

“I congratulate Peyton as he heads to a tremendous organization in the Denver Broncos. We wish him nothing but the best as he continues his Hall of Fame career,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said Tuesday.

With the 35-year-old Manning recovering from a string of neck surgeries, Irsay released him two weeks ago rather than pay a $28 million bonus.

But plenty of teams still believed Manning can still be the kind of leader who guided Indy to 12 wins a season from 2001-10.

Elway and company beat them all out. The man who led the Broncos to two Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s, and now serves as Denver’s vice president of football operations, Elway never sounded all that convinced Tebow was the answer at the league’s most important position. He could now trade the hugely popular quarterback, who energized the Broncos in a run to the playoffs last season but also was plagued by erratic play.

If so, expect the Broncos and Denver to be more upbeat about getting Manning than downcast over potentially losing Tebow.

“There’s a lot to be excited about,” Broncos defensive end Robert Ayers said Monday when asked about Manning. “Just being on his team is going to make you want to play better.”

Although no starting QB has ever earned a Super Bowl ring for two different teams, every day at the Broncos’ headquarters, Manning will at least see the two Lombardi Trophies in the lobby that Elway won — when he was 37 and 38.

Several Broncos predicted the free agency floodgates will swing wide open once Manning officially joins the team.

“I think we’ll sign some guys, probably a few guys, like Dallas Clark, Jeff Saturday, guys waiting to see what Peyton was going to do,” Ayers said. “Defensive guys want to play with a lead, and I’m pretty sure guys are going to assume Peyton will put up points in this offense, we have some weapons.”

With Manning joining the Broncos, oddsmakers in Las Vegas immediately made Denver one of the top choices to win the Super Bowl next season, which will be played in Manning’s hometown of New Orleans.

While Manning has undeniably stellar statistics — he has thrown for more than 50,000 yards passing, nearly 400 touchdowns and has 11 Pro Bowl selections to his credit — the first question for the Broncos will be whether he can perform at the same level.

The neck surgeries forced him to miss all of the 2011, even as he was the highest-paid QB in the game, and several teams that courted him wanted to see him throw. Denver was among them.

Last week, Manning worked out for Elway, coach John Fox and others in North Carolina at Duke’s athletic facilities. Elway said afterward that Manning “looked comfortable” throwing the ball.

The other issue is what to do about Tebow, who has three years left on his contract.

Tebow took over a 1-4 team from Kyle Orton last year and led the Broncos to an 8-8 finish and the AFC West crown with a series of stirring comebacks that captured the attention of the football world.

Tebowmania reached its apex in the playoffs, when he threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas on the very first play of overtime to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. The next week, though, Tebow was smothered by the New England Patriots, who easily eliminated the Broncos, 45-10.

Afterward, Elway declared Tebow was the Broncos’ starting quarterback heading into training camp this summer but said the southpaw would have to improve his flawed mechanics and footwork to win the job heading into the season.

He also said he’d spent time tutoring Tebow himself and would add more quarterback competition through the draft and free agency.

Did he ever.

Tuesday’s deal allows Manning to stay in the AFC, a conference he knows well and one considered weaker than the NFC at the moment, and re-establishes the chance he’ll play his brother, New York Giants quarterback Eli, in a Super Bowl.

They already have three titles in the family — Eli with two. Now the older brother has another good chance to even the score.

media reports and trends

media reports and trends

First day of spring brings warm weather -- for now

 In the wake of the biggest storm of the year, pleasant weather will arrive Tuesday in Southern California on the first day of spring.

Temperatures are expected to rise to about 67 degrees downtown Tuesday and then reach  71 Wednesday, giving Southern California a taste of sun before the March showers return this weekend. 

“We’ll be getting back to near normal temperatures with sunny skies, so it will feel at least a little bit like spring,” said meteorologist David Sweet of the National Weather Service.

But Sweet reminded residents that March is typically one of the most active months for rainfall, and more showers are on the way. The weather service projects a 40% chance of rain Saturday into Sunday and Sunday into Monday.

But weather specialists say this weak low-pressure system will bring only about a quarter-inch to a half-inch of rain, compared with last weekend’s storm, which pummeled the area with about double that amount.

Sweet said rainfall typically “drops off significantly” by April, paving the way for a pleasant spring season. He said this year has been drier than normal: Since July 1, Los Angeles has received only 5.98 inches of rain, compared to a year-to-date average of 12.99 inches.  

“In consideration of whatever fire season we might have this summer, the more rain we get, the better off we’ll be,” Sweet said. “When it rains, you stay inside, put a fire in the fireplace and make some popcorn. It’s not such a bad deal.”

media reports and trends

media reports and trends

'Frozen Planet' will make you fall in love with north, south poles

"The best stories on our planet are natural ones 

But you'd expect him to say that. For two decades with the BBC, Fothergill has produced wildlife documentary series including "Planet Earth," ''Blue Planet" and, back in 1993, "Life in the Freezer," which explored Antarcticain all its frigid wonder.

Now he's executive producer of "Frozen Planet," aDiscovery Channel/BBC co-production that takes a fresh look at Antarctica as well as its north-end counterpart, the Arctic, in seven gorgeous episodes premiering Sunday with the first two hours on Discovery. And while you may not be ready to dismiss filmdom's stars and screenplay writers as unnecessary, "Frozen Planet" makes a strong case that Nature — captured in the wild — can equal Hollywood for epic sweep and drama.

Mike Daisey, the theater artist behind the controversy

It isn't often that a downtown New York theater artist becomes the talk of national media pundits. For the last few days, Mike Daisey, an actor, writer and solo stage performer, has become fodder for commentators and journalists across the country -- and not in a good way.

Last week, NPR's program "This American Life"  a story that contained parts of Daisey's one-man show "The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs," which recently ran at the Public Theater in New York. Ira Glass, who hosts the program, said Daisey fabricated parts of his show, which explores the relationship between Apple and Chinese factory workers.

Glass also stated that Daisey had lied to the "This American Life" staff when producers tried to fact-check parts of his account of meeting Chinese factory workers who have experienced inhumane conditions.

Daisey defended himself on his blog, writing that "what I do is not journalism. The tools of the theater are not the same as the tools of journalism. For this reason, I regret that I allowed 'This American Life' to air an excerpt from my monologue."

Over the weekend, Oskar Eustis, the Public's artistic director, told the Associated Press that Daisey has added a disclaimer at the beginning of the stage show and has "eliminated anything he doesn't feel he can stand behind." (The play is expected to run at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington later this year.)

So who exactly is Mike Daisey, and what kind of theater does he practice?

It may surprise people who only know his name from the controversy that Daisey is a highly respected theater performer who has toured the world with his solo shows. He has become a regular presence at the Public, which is one of the most respected theater institutions in New York.

Like the late Spalding Gray, Daisey is essentially a monologist who pens his own material and performs it behind a simple desk. His shows usually tackle current issues from a highly subjective angle, weaving together the topical and the personal into something that isn't quite fiction or nonfiction. He has written more than 15 monologues, which he performs himself.

In many ways, Daisey has been on a roll for the last few years. The Brooklyn-based performer began his professional life in the Seattle theater scene, where he appeared in numerous low-budget stage productions. He eventually got his break with the monologue "21 Dog Years: Doing Time @ Amazon.com," which became a book in 2002.

His stage presence -- heavy-set physically and almost manic in temperament -- is peculiar even by off-off-Broadway standards. His performance style can be abrasive and even assaulting, with vulgarities galore. He fashions himself as a teller of brutal truths who tells his stories brutally.

In Southern California, Daisey performed his shows  at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2009, and "Monopoly!" at the Samueli Theatre in Costa Mesa in 2008.

When "The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs" opened at the Public last year, it was an audience success and received positive reviews from critics. Charles Isherwood of the New York Times described it as an "eye-opening exploration of the moral choices we unknowingly or unthinkingly make when we purchase nifty little gadgets like the iPhone and the iPad and the PowerBook."

On Sunday, Isherwood  to the controversy by siding with NPR. "The problem is Mr. Daisey's particular brand of theater is experienced by the audience as direct and honest testimony to events that he witnessed," he wrote in the Times. "But in his stage shows Mr. Daisey is the sole voice we hear, and while his monologues undoubtedly contain much writing that is obviously opinion, when it comes to describing his experience, we take him at his word."

Which turns out to be a dangerous thing to do. In an article in the Hollywood Reporter, critic David Rooney wrote that Daisey had "an ethical responsibility to clarify" when the stories in his show are embellished. "If artists like Daisey are going to take liberties with the truth, they need to say so up front."

Playing loose with the facts might be the prerogative of the theater artist, but Daisey's brand of stagecraft exists in a hazy nether region where the line between creative license and fabrication isn't always clear. It remains to be seen how the NPR controversy will affect his ascendant stage career.

media reports and trends: The Walking Dead" season two finale

media reports and trends: The Walking Dead" season two finale: Hershel Greene's kooky step-nephew Jimmy and Patricia both bit the dust in the finale, but unlike the killing of two main characters in the...

The Walking Dead" season two finale

Hershel Greene's kooky step-nephew Jimmy and Patricia both bit the dust in the finale, but unlike the killing of two main characters in the episodes leading up the to the finale, the killing off of Jimmy and Patricia didn't cause a stir.

The drama kicked off when the crew discovers a multitude of zombies at the farm. Rick pours gasoline all over the barn and lures some of the walkers inside, lighting the whole place on fire. Hershel says he will die on his farm like the captain of the Titanic, but is saved by Rick who convinces him to leave.

While everyone goes in separate directions to fend for themselves, Andrea finds herself in the woods where she, of course, stumbles upon walkers. She is rescued by a mysterious robed figure, who was wielding a sword and walking along with a pair of leashed pet zombies - leaving the audience with the episode's first big twist.

The finale ends with another twist/mystery. As the gang gathers around a fire, Rick gives a speech and invites anyone who does want to stay with the crew to leave. No one moves. "No takes? You're staying? This isn't a democracy anymore," he says.

The camera then rises to reveal a fort/prison in the near distance Could it possibly be the setting for season three? We all will have to see.

Tell us: What did you think of "The Walking Dead" season finale?

media reports and trends: Lehigh parlay was the $30,000 way to go

media reports and trends: Lehigh parlay was the $30,000 way to go: Sometimes you have to buck the odds to make bucks in this town. R.J. Bell of  pregame.com reports that betting on Norfolk State and Leh...

media reports and trends: media reports and trends: IPad Maker’s Dividend, B...

media reports and trends: media reports and trends: IPad Maker’s Dividend, B...: media reports and trends: IPad Maker’s Dividend, Buyback : Here comes the cash. In a major turn away from the years when Steve Jobs was in c...

media reports and trends: Lehigh parlay was the $30,000 way to go

media reports and trends: Lehigh parlay was the $30,000 way to go: Sometimes you have to buck the odds to make bucks in this town. R.J. Bell of  pregame.com reports that betting on Norfolk State and Leh...

media reports and trends: Derek Fisher free from Rockets

media reports and trends: Derek Fisher free from Rockets: Derek Fisher confirmed Sunday night he has reached a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets. The 37-year-old point guard gave no indicat...

Derek Fisher free from Rockets

Derek Fisher confirmed Sunday night he has reached a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets.

The 37-year-old point guard gave no indication of his plans for the future in a statement issued by his business manager.

The eighth-place Rockets acquired Fisher from the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, and the club was eager to put Fisher into its lineup, even planning to pick up his $3.4 million option for next season.

“Derek’s desire to win a sixth championship is what drives him and will continue to drive him as he moves forward,” manager Jamie Wior said in the statement.

If Fisher clears waivers in the next few days, he would become a free agent.

The Lakers traded the five-time NBA champion guard to Houston on Thursday for backup big man Jordan Hill. Los Angeles made the move partly to clear playing time for Ramon Sessions, acquired earlier in the day from Cleveland, but also to avoid paying significant salaries to three point guards.

Although Fisher’s contributions have declined in recent years, the trade upset the Lakers’ veterans — including Kobe Bryant, who considered Fisher an invaluable ingredient in the team’s chemistry. Bryant and Fisher were teammates for 13 of their 16 NBA seasons, serving as co-captains this season.

Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum all said they spoke to Fisher over the previous three days since the Lakers traded him.

“I know it’s hard to go through what he’s going through,” said Gasol, the subject of innumerable trade rumors himself. “We’ll see what ends up happening with him, but I’m not sure what he wants to do.”

Bryant said he had discussed the future with Fisher, but declined to share Fisher’s plans.

Fisher had played in 537 consecutive NBA games and had made 371 straight starts over the past five seasons for the Lakers, but the NBA players’ union leader was averaging just 5.9 points — his lowest average in 13 years — and 3.3 assists this season.

Sessions has injected quickness and ball-penetration skills into the Lakers in just two games. He had 10 points and six assists off the bench in the Lakers’ 103-99 loss to Utah on Sunday night.

Backup Steve Blake took Fisher’s starting spot, but the veteran hasn’t scored a point in his first two starts.

Alex Smith interviews in Miami .

 appeared to be the odd man out in San Francisco. The Miami Dolphins were already one of the odd teams out in the Peyton Manning derby.

Sounded like a match made in heaven ... or at least a match made on the Island of Misfit Toys.

While free-agent quarterback Smith was considering a three-year offer from San Francisco, the team he led to the NFC championship game last season, members of the 49ers hopped a plane to North Carolina to watch Manning work out.

Meanwhile, Manning informed the Dolphins last week that they were no longer in the running for his services. Miami then made a run at former Green Bay backup Matt Flynn, who ended up signing with the Seattle Seahawks this past weekend.

All of which led to a 5 1/2-hour meeting between Smith and the Dolphins at the team's complex on Sunday.

So it had come down to this for both parties. After a breakthrough season with the 49ers, Smith is left interviewing with a team spurned by Manning just in case the former Indianapolis Coltsquarterback took his job in San Francisco. And after pursuing the top free agent quarterbacks on the market, the Dolphins were left looking at a player that may be cast aside by another team in favor of Manning.

As it turns out, they may have interviewed the wrong guy, seeing that Denver  Broncos over the 49ers and Tennessee Titans. ESPN, which broke the news about Manning and the Broncos on Monday morning, is also reporting that the Broncos are likely to trade their former starter, Tim Tebow.

But would Tebow be an improvement over Miami's incumbent starter, Matt Moore? Tebow had a 7-4 record as the Broncos starter and led Denver to a first-round playoff victory, but his statistics were pretty shaky, He completed just 46.5% of his passes for 1,729 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Meanwhile, Moore actually had a pretty good year for the Dolphins last season, going 6-6 as a starter and completing 60.5% of his passes for 2,497 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

But Moore apparently isn't considered a franchise quarterback -- and Tebow has a huge legion of fans who believe he is.

Lehigh parlay was the $30,000 way to go

Sometimes you have to buck the odds to make bucks in this town.

R.J. Bell of pregame.comreports that betting on Norfolk State and Lehigh in round 1 would have been good for a couple of mortgage payments.

A $100 bet on Norfolk State to upset Missouri would have paid $4,000. Norfolk State was a 21 1/2 point underdog.

A $100 bet on Lehigh (+11 1/2) to beat Duke would have returned $650.

A parlay on Norfolk State and Lehigh? $30,650.

If you are looking to recoup your first round losses here are early odds courtesy of bovada.net.

Syracuse (-4) vs. Wisconsin

Michigan State (-4 1/2) vs. Louisville

Kentucky (-8 1/2) vs. Indiana

media reports and trends: IPad Maker’s Dividend, Buyback

media reports and trends: IPad Maker’s Dividend, Buyback: Here comes the cash. In a major turn away from the years when Steve Jobs was in charge, Apple Inc. is finally loosening up its purse ...

IPad Maker’s Dividend, Buyback

Here comes the cash. In a major turn away from the years when Steve Jobs was in charge, Apple Inc. is finally loosening up its purse strings, announcing both a $10 billion stock buyback plan and a dividend for shareholders.

But make no mistake, this is a cautious announcement, which was widely expected by investors. The quarterly dividend of $2.65 a share is equal to a yield of 1.8% based on the current stock value. The payout by the world’s most valuable company is less the dividend awarded by Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and several other big tech companies.                                                  

                             

Because of soaring sales of iPads and iPhones even with this announcement, Apple’s $100 billion horde of cash is likely to keep on growing in the future.

“A quarterly dividend will provide current income for shareholders and we also believe it will broaden Apple’s investor base by attracting new investors who don’t currently own Apple stock,” says Apple CEO Tim Cook.

He’s probably right about that. The divided opens up ownership of Apple shares to a wider range of mutual funds. Many value-oriented products are not allowed to buy stocks that don’t pay dividends.

For years, Steve Jobs resisted calls to pay dividends. He used to say that the money was better used to give Apple maneuvering room, for instance by giving it the ability to buy other companies.

Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer reassured analysts and reporters that they have more than enough cash to grow their business.

During a conference call Cook said he doesn’t see a “ceiling for opportunities” and that “innovation is the most important objective at Apple and we will not lose sight of that.”

He added that “these decisions will not close any doors for us.”

Oppenheimer pointed out that Apple has plenty of domestic cash to go ahead with the dividend and buyback plan. When asked how Apple will be using its large overseas cash holdings, he said Apple’s position is that U.S. tax law “provides a considerable economic disincentive to U.S. companies that might otherwise repatriate cash. ” In other words, Apple does not want to pay the tax.

Apple stock rose 1 percent in trading this morning.

Bulls stick together amid NBA trade rumors

Players weren’t the only ones devastated by the loss to the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals last season.

“It takes awhile to get over the sting, especially when the season ends,’’ general manager Gar Forman said. “You don’t go back and reflect on all the positive things that happened. You don’t do that until you’re down the road a little bit. We felt we had made progress and were headed in the right direction, but there’s no question it stung.”

Forman didn’t want to make emotional decisions then and doesn’t want to now even with the Heat visiting the United Center on Wednesday and Thursday’s trade deadline fast approaching.

Despite reports of a possible deal for Lakers power forward Pau Gasol, the Bulls aren’t expected to make a major move before the deadline, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Forman and vice president John Paxson had a plan in place and what they witnessed during the Bulls’ postseason run last year reinforced that they were on the right track. Instead of reassembling the roster in an effort to beat the Heat, they remain adamant about keeping their team together.

When their evaluation of the 2010-11 season was complete, they opted for no major changes other than an upgrade at shooting guard, signing Rip Hamilton as a free agent before the season.

“We really like the nucleus of the guys we had,” Forman said. “We liked the chemistry on and off the court, we like how the pieces fit together and we have a pretty young core of guys that we wanted to give a chance to grow over a number of years. That was the biggest goal. We wanted to keep the nucleus together, then if we could add to it and improve our team, we would. We felt adding Rip would add an element to our team we didn’t have a year ago.”

The nationally televised game against the Heat is the latest opportunity for the Bulls to measure themselves up against their nemesis, although we learned last season that success during the regular season doesn’t necessarily carry over into the playoffs. The Bulls were 3-0 against the Heat before the postseason began, remember.

Injuries complicate the matter. The Bulls were without Luol Deng when they fell to the Heat 97-93 on Jan. 29 in Miami. Hamilton played despite a leg injury but was far from 100 percent.

At least one NBA general manager, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the Bulls are the superior team when fully healthy. That might be the minority view, but he said grittier teams win in the playoffs, and he’s convinced the Bulls are mentally and physically tougher than Miami.

“That’s a good team,” he said of the Bulls. “I’m picking them to win the East. Miami is too Hollywood for me.”

The question for Forman leading up to the trade deadline isn’t so much whom he could acquire but whom he would have to give up. When everybody is healthy, which rarely has been the case this season, everything meshes.

The chemistry players have developed is another key component. It’s rare to have a roster as selfless and committed to winning as this one.

That doesn’t mean the Bulls won’t make changes before the trade deadline or during the offseason. Evaluations are ongoing, but the Bulls are the tortoise in this race. No move will be made in haste.

“We tried to get character guys who are in it for the right reason and are about working and winning,” Forman said. “Obviously, that’s a big part of it. Again, we’ve got a young nucleus of guys who have another year under [coach] Tom [Thibodeau], which is a real plus. They’re more comfortable with the system and how we want to play on both ends of the floor. With that said, we’re always looking for ways to improve our team.”