NFL Mock Draft 2013: Todd McShay has New England Patriots drafting UConn CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson

With several players potentially leaving through free agency beginning next week, it's clear that the New England Patriots need help at wide receiver and cornerback. And ESPN draft expert Todd McShay sees it the same way.

In his third mock draft of the year, McShay has the Patriots focusing on the secondary, albeit with a name that we haven't seen to this point. He believes that New England will stay close to home by selecting UConn cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson.

McShay acknowledges that the pick may be a bit of a reach, but he believes Wreh-Wilson (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) would be a solid fit in New England's defense.

"Wreh-Wilson, who has come on strong in the draft process, could be a nice fit here. Most don't have him in the first round, and he might not go this early after running the 40 in the 4.5-second range at combine.

"But we think he's an underrated talent with size, body control, instincts and toughness against the run. He's just a really good football player. Also, he was selected as a team captain both as a junior and senior and was well respected by coaches and teammates. He's also extremely intelligent and accountable, and possesses a good work ethic."

Wreh-Wilson, a four-year player, recorded 131 tackles and eight interceptions during his four years at UConn. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at the combine and had a 36-inch vertical jump.?

Source: http://blog.masslive.com/patriots/2013/03/nfl_mock_draft_2013_todd_mcsha_1.html

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Radio 3 Live in Concert: Live from St Mary's Church, Shrewsbury: Orchestral Suites Nos 4 and 2

Live from St. Mary's Church, Shrewsbury

Presented by Tom McKinney

As part of Radio 3's Baroque Spring, The Academy of Ancient Music, directed from the harpsichord by Richard Egarr, performs Bach's Orchestral Suites - a series of grand and graceful dances, paying homage to the French baroque style as championed by the ballet-obsessed King Louis XIV. Written during Bach's years in Leipzig, where he had a wider range of instruments at his disposal than ever before, the Suites revel in new sonorous possibilities and employ varied combinations of wind, brass, stringed instruments and timpani.

Bach: Orchestral Suite No.4 Bach: Orchestral Suite No.2

followed by: BAROQUE SPRING Music by Johann Sebastian Bach from the BBC New Generation Artists archive.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01r1029/Radio_3_Live_in_Concert_Live_from_St_Marys_Church_Shrewsbury_Orchestral_Suites_Nos_4_and_2/

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Correction: Vatican-Pope story

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? In a story March 5 about American cardinals exerting a surprising amount of control over the message coming out of Vatican City ahead of the papal conclave, The Associated Press misspelled the last name of the archbishop of Galveston-Houston. He is Daniel DiNardo, not Di Nardo.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Americans control conclave message just by talking

American cardinals controlling message ahead of conclave simply by talking ? within limits

By NICOLE WINFIELD

Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The two American cardinals sat on the stage, microphones in hand, fielding questions from the world's news media on everything from the delayed arrival of some of their colleagues to their own wardrobe choices if elected pope.

Most experts doubt the upcoming conclave will select an American pope, but the U.S. cardinals are already exerting a surprising amount of control over the message ? simply by talking. Their lively daily briefings contrast sharply with the sober summaries from the Vatican spokesman and almost nothing from anyone else.

More than 100 journalists and two dozen television crews from the U.S., Britain, France, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Germany and Italy showed up Tuesday, packing an auditorium for what has become the daily "American Show" at the North American College, the U.S. seminary just up the hill from the Vatican.

Cardinals Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and Sean O'Malley of Boston held court, gamely trying to answer questions about when the conclave will begin, why five voting-age cardinals still hadn't shown up and whether they'd all be home in time for Holy Week ? all without violating their oath of secrecy about the closed-door deliberations.

"I don't think I can get into anything in particular about what happened in any of the congregations today," DiNardo began.

He then delivered a message that several American cardinals have repeated in recent days, responding to questions about whether the problems in the administration of the Holy See were weighing on the deliberations about who might next be pope.

"Obviously we want to know and learn as much as we can relative to governance in the church," DiNardo said. "The Curia (Vatican bureaucracy) is part of that issue. Certainly we want to discuss and learn what we can, and I think that will go on as long as cardinals feel we need the information."

It's a message that has made headlines, simply because it's one of the few coming out.

"Yes, the American cardinals, by being willing to speak, have filled the media void," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of "Inside the Vatican," a how-to guide about the Vatican bureaucracy.

But, he noted, the message is also old. "People have been calling for the reform of the Curia since Vatican II."

DiNardo and O'Malley drew laughs when one reporter asked O'Malley, a member of the Capuchin order, if he would continue to wear his trademark brown robes if elected pope.

"I've worn this uniform for over 40 years and I presume I will wear it until I die," he said. "I don't expect to be elected pope, so I don't expect to have to change."

At the Vatican, meanwhile, spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi presided over a more sedate affair, showing a videotape of the three silver and brass flying-saucer-shaped urns into which the cardinals will cast ballots during the conclave, and updating reporters on the whereabouts of the five MIA cardinals.

"Everyone knows how to evaluate his commitments," Lombardi said when asked what the cardinals could possibly have on their agendas that was more important than being in Rome for the election of a pope. "They know they have the obligation and commitment to come for the conclave, and they know the congregations have begun and are making their plans to arrive."

Those still making their way to Rome were Egyptian Patriarch Antonios Naguib, and Cardinals Karl Lehmann of Germany, Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man of Vietnam, Kazimierz Nycz of Poland and John Tong Hon of Hong Kong.

Naguib and Lehmann reportedly arrived later Tuesday, while Nycz had to preside over a conference of bishops at home and told reporters in Warsaw he'd be in Rome by Wednesday. The Asian cardinals, Tong and Man were either en route or scheduled to leave later Wednesday, their offices said. Asked why they were late arriving for such an important meeting, the offices said the men were busy handling domestic matters.

Lombardi also announced that the Sistine Chapel had closed to visitors ? one of the first signs that the election was nearing. Workers in the coming days will install a raised false floor to cover anti-bugging devices, as well as hook up the stove where the ballots will be burned.

When asked if he had considered inviting cardinals to his briefings, Lombardi said he thought about it and decided against it.

"The conclave and the path towards it ... is an election that each member makes in his conscience before God," he said in an email. "That requires a reflection by the college as a group that can develop and mature in total freedom."

He said the oath of secrecy also was a problem, limiting how much cardinals can divulge. And then there's the matter of which cardinals to invite given the global makeup of the College of Cardinals.

"If some cardinals think it's useful to communicate, naturally preserving the reserve they've committed themselves to concerning the election, I have no objections," he said. "I do my part helping journalists."

DiNardo acknowledged it was "more American" to brief the media when it was pointed out to him that the U.S. cardinals were the only ones hosting regular readouts of what the cardinals had been up to.

"We want to honor the confidentiality of the discussions, but at the same time let people ? and letting our own folks know at home ? that we are meeting day by day, there are interesting things happening and we are moving ahead," he said.

That sense of accountability ? gleaned after the sex abuse scandal humbled the U.S. church and taught its leaders to be more transparent ? is not widespread among church leaders elsewhere. Only a handful of cardinals from other countries have stopped to chat with journalists waiting outside the meetings; a few have granted one-on-one interviews with media, mostly from their home country. None are hosting daily briefings.

"I love the strategy of the U.S. cardinals," said Iacopo Scaramuzzi, Vatican correspondent for the Italian news agency TMnews. "The others don't do it for a variety of reasons: Some because they haven't developed a culture of church transparency, others because they don't have the means, others don't have time. But I think the European bishops could follow their example."

The U.S. media team is substantive: Sister Mary Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is running the show, and most of the seven U.S.-based American cardinals have come with a spokesperson. Walsh said she has received "hundreds" of requests for one-on-one interviews with the media-friendly Americans.

American cardinals are tweeting and blogging and Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, considered a papal contender, is still conducting his weekly radio show, which will broadcast live on SiriusXM's "The Catholic Channel," on Wednesday from the North American College.

"As the Vatican is the kingdom of silence, especially during those very specific times, this is a real breath of fresh air," said Fr?d?ric Mounier, the Vatican correspondent for the French Catholic newspaper "La Croix," who was on hand for Tuesday's session.

But while such briefings may help journalists liven up their reports, Mounier doubted such openness would improve the chances for an American pope.

"I feel as a consensus here that a U.S. candidate, whoever he might be, has very few chances once in the Sistine" Chapel, he said. "It seems to be just a matter of general feeling against the Uncle Sam. Nothing more than that."

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-06-Vatican-Pope/id-5d8546705608429288c8be7c7ad9cc38

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Valerie Harper Has Terminal Brain Cancer, Has Only Months To ...

In a truly shocking revelation, beloved TV star Valerie Harper has announced she has terminal brain cancer, and only months to live.

Harper ? who first charmed audiences as outspoken New Yorker Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off, Rhoda ? received the devastating diagnosis on January 15, she reveals to PEOPLE in its new issue.

PHOTOS: Celebs Stand Up To Cancer

?All my life, people have had a connection to me because of Rhoda,? she told the magazine. ?Now there are things I want to share.?

Harper, 73, said she has a rare condition called leptomeningeal carcinomatosis,?a rare condition that occurs when cancer cells spread into the fluid-filled membrane surrounding the brain.

Sadly, doctors told her she has as little as three months to live.

PHOTOS: Celebs Who Died Young

The TV legend said receiving the grim diagnosis ?hit me like a sledgehammer,? calling it a ?transformative moment? in her life.

??Incurable? is such a concise word ? I was terrified,? she said. ?Cancer makes real what we try to obscure from ourselves. We spend our lifetimes thinking, ?I?m never going to die.? But cancer, says, ?Hey, not so fast.?

?I don?t think of dying? I think of being here now.?

PHOTOS: Stars Who Died In Bizarre Ways

Harper said she?ll likely spent the next few months at her home immersed in her favorite hobby: gardening.

?The garden sounds good,? she said. ?I have plants I want to pull the yellow leaves off of, but I haven?t because of so many things have taken precedence. But I think I?ll give it one last whack.?

Harper, who previously battled lung cancer in 2009, said she sees death ?as a passage.

PHOTOS: A-Listers Before They Were Stars

?I don?t have a lot of certainty about reincarnation, but I have a lot of interest in what lies ahead.?

Harper said she and Moore ? ?a darling? ? have remained pals over the years.

?We talk on the phone about her dogs and laugh all the time,? she said.

PHOTOS: Naked Do-Gooders: Ladies Who?ve Stripped Down For A Cause

The announcement marks another sad milestone among Harper?s brethren of the iconic sitcom, as Moore two years ago underwent brain surgery to remove a benign meningioma, while Ted Knight died in 1986 after a long and valiant battle with cancer.

On a happier note, Ed Asner continues to work at 83 on the Canadian TV show, Michael, Tuesdays and Thursdays, while Cloris Leachman, 86, has stayed rolling on shows such as Dancing with the Stars and Raising Hope. And of course, 91-year-old Betty White has never lost relevancy, hosting SNL as part of a nostalgic comeback three years ago and now stars on the show Hot in Cleveland.

An introspective Harper wrapped up her chat with the magazine with some life lessons.

?I think one of the many blessings in my life is that I?ve learned to drop bitter resentment,? she said. ?Life is amazing. Live it to the fullest. Stay as long as you can.?

Source: http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/03/valerie-harper-terminal-brain-cancer-video/

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From hero to human: Lara Croft, Tomb Raider are reborn

Winda Benedetti , NBC News ? ? ? 20 hrs.

There was a time when superheroes were, well, superheroes. That is, they were everything we mere mortals wished we could be ... but could never ever truly hope to be.

But that was then. And this is now. And these days we like our heroes decidedly more ... human. We like to see the chinks in their armor. We like to see the grime splattered on their capes. We like to see more of us in them.

One need only look at two recent cinematic hero reboots to see this trend in action ? Batman in the gritty "Dark Knight" trilogy and James Bond since "Casino Royale." Two heroes. Two vulnerable humans beneath the heroic veneer.

And now the long-running leading lady of gaming has joined this reboot club. Lara Croft ? who has fronted the Tomb Raider games for 16 years ? has been given a decidedly unglamorous, gritty-as-hell makeover for a reboot of the franchise, which arrives in stores Tuesday.

In the new Tomb Raider game called, well, "Tomb Raider," the famed gun-slinging archaeologist gives up her unflappable daring (and her preposterous physical proportions ? more on that here) to become a heroine who is a bit more like the people who actually play her games.

"We wanted to create a different kind of hero because it was a different time," Darrell Gallagher, head of development studio Crystal Dynamics, told NBC News in a recent interview. "We felt there was a need to make someone in Lara that was more relatable, that was more human, that was less superhero. We wanted to make a character that you have to get to know."

Bond, Batman and beyond

After coming off their earlier trio of Tomb Raider games ("Tomb Raider: Legend," "Anniversary" and "Underworld"), Crystal Dynamics was keen to do a new game for a new age.

"It wasn?t immediately clear that it was going to be a reboot," Gallagher says. But at some point, the team realized they couldn't achieve the lofty goals they had for Croft and Tomb Raider without "wiping the slate clean."

But how do you wipe the slate clean and yet remain true to what made that slate so popular in the first place? After all, Lara had been around since 1996 ? people had expectations.

"I think we were facing challenges that many of the other game franchises will face, or may be facing at this point ? where the question is: how do you cross the line and go from one generation to the new generation?" Gallagher says. "We really had to look outside games for inspiration, because nobody had really done it ? nobody had really gone through (a reboot) on the scale that we needed to."

Looking outside of gaming meant looking to the Bond and Batman films. And those two successful franchise reboots helped give the team the confidence they needed to make major changes to Lara and her action-adventuring ways.

"Bond and Batman were two great examples for us ? they've stood the test of time and they?ve been bold enough to make fairly dramatic changes," Gallagher said. "Obviously it?s still Bond and it?s still Batman, but they managed to keep the DNA and make it feel fresh and make it feel modern."

Rhianna Pratchett, the game's lead writer (and daughter of fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett), told NBC News that she and the team also looked to real-world stories of survival for inspiration. She studied the 1972 Andes flight disaster and Aron Ralston's story of surviving a climbing accident after being pinned under a massive boulder.

And it was, ultimately, through this lens of survival that they approached the Tomb Raider reboot.

Lara Croft, survivor

In the new game, we find Lara at the beginning of her story. She's a fresh-faced 21-year-old out on her first grand archaeology adventure ? an adventure that goes horribly awry when the ship she's aboard wrecks off the coast of a mysterious island.

It is here that Lara faces a treacherous landscape, dangerous wildlife, physical injuries and, really, the worst that mankind has to offer. Of course, the old Lara would have swashbuckled her way through this situation with guns blazing and confidence to spare. But not so this new Lara.

"She hasn?t got the guns and the gadgets and the witty one-liners and the knowledge that she?s going to get herself out of this situation because, you know, she?s never been in it before," Pratchett explains.

Instead, in this new "Tomb Raider," Lara struggles and she suffers. And it's during this suffering that she does what humans do: She doubts herself. Challenged to get herself and her friends off the island alive, Lara whimpers when she's scared, she cries out in pain when she's hurt, she questions her abilities when faced with seemingly impossible tasks.

And when she kills her first animal ? and then her first human ? these actions don't come without an emotional cost.

"We knew it was a bit of a risk showing her being vulnerable at the start because you don?t associate that with Lara," Pratchett says. "Actually, you don?t associate that with any video game character, because we?re not used to seeing a character being scared or being unsure of themselves. But we felt it was important to show that, because there is no bravery without fear."

Indeed, make no mistake, this Lara Croft is, ultimately, a hero. Despite all the angst and trepidation, she pushes herself to keep going. And as time spent with this "Tomb Raider" game reveals ? we find Lara all the more heroic for having these initial fears and misgivings ... and for continuing despite them. She is the kind of hero we would like to believe we could be if we were faced with with the same thing.

"We wanted to show that she didn't just sort of plop out a bad-ass. It was made ? it was forged through her experiences and her actions and her reactions," Pratchett says. "You see her fear and you see her overcoming that fear. And that is very powerful when you?re on that journey with her."

Winda Benedetti writes about video games for NBC News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things on Twitter here @WindaBenedetti and you can follow her on Google+. Meanwhile, be sure to check out the IN-GAME FACEBOOK PAGE to discuss the day's gaming news and reviews.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/ingame/hero-human-lara-croft-tomb-raider-are-reborn-1C8659109

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Gabel resigns from committees after abuse claims

FILE - In this May 31, 2000 file photo, Olympic medalist Andy Gabel demonstrates how to purchase 2002 Winter Game tickets via the Internet during a news conference in Salt Lake City. Looking on is Salt Lake Organizing Committee president Mitt Romney, left, and Olympic medalists Hilary Lindh and Denise Parker, right. U.S. Speedskating began an investigation Friday, March 1, 2013, into the report of a female skater accusing former Olympian and organization president Andy Gabel of sexual abuse in the 1990s. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)

FILE - In this May 31, 2000 file photo, Olympic medalist Andy Gabel demonstrates how to purchase 2002 Winter Game tickets via the Internet during a news conference in Salt Lake City. Looking on is Salt Lake Organizing Committee president Mitt Romney, left, and Olympic medalists Hilary Lindh and Denise Parker, right. U.S. Speedskating began an investigation Friday, March 1, 2013, into the report of a female skater accusing former Olympian and organization president Andy Gabel of sexual abuse in the 1990s. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 18, 1998, file photo, Andy Gabel, foreground, skates to first place during the men's 1,000-meter short track speedskating Olympic trials in Lake Placid, N.Y. U.S. Speedskating began an investigation Friday, March 1, 2013, into the report of a female skater accusing former Olympian and organization president Andy Gabel of sexual abuse in the 1990s. (AP Photo/Nancie Battaglia, File)

Speedskater Bridie Farrell competes in the 1000-meter race at the Long Track American Cup Final North American Championship Friday, March 1, 2013, in Kearns, Utah. U.S. Speedskating began an investigation Friday into the report of a female skater accusing former Olympian and organization president Andy Gabel of sexual abuse in the 1990s. Farrell told public radio station WUWM in Milwaukee that she had sexual contact with Gabel repeatedly over several months in 1997 and 1998 while both were training in New York and Michigan. When the alleged abuse began, she was 15 and Gabel was 33.(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Speedskater Bridie Farrell competes in the 1000-meter during the Long Track American Cup Final North American Championship, Friday, March 1, 2013, in Kearns, Utah. U.S. Speedskating began an investigation Friday into the report of a female skater accusing former Olympian and organization president Andy Gabel of sexual abuse in the 1990s. Farrell told public radio station WUWM in Milwaukee that she had sexual contact with Gabel repeatedly over several months in 1997 and 1998 while both were training in New York and Michigan. When the alleged abuse began, she was 15 and Gabel was 33. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Olympic medalist Andy Gabel stepped down from leadership roles with the International Skating Union and the National Speedskating Hall of Fame after being accused of a sexual relationship with an underage skater in the 1990s.

ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta said Monday that Gabel quit as chairman of the short track technical committee, which governs the frenzied sport best known in the United States for the achievements of Apolo Anton Ohno, the most decorated Winter Olympian in the country's history.

"(Gabel) has communicated that he resigned," Cinquanta told The Associated Press. "I cannot say anything else. It would be inappropriate if I would make some further comment as he is no longer with us."

U.S. Speedskating spokeswoman Tamara Castellano confirmed Monday that Gabel also resigned from the Hall of Fame committee, which oversees the selection process for inductees.

Gabel is a member of the Milwaukee-based hall, but it wasn't immediately clear if there was a provision to remove someone who has received the honor.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Speedskating board held its regular monthly meeting by conference call Monday and was expected to discuss the allegations.

Castellano said the board was unlikely to make any statement on Gabel before Tuesday.

The 48-year-old Gabel issued a statement to media outlets in Chicago and Milwaukee saying he "displayed poor judgment in a brief and inappropriate relationship with a female teammate."

He has not responded to several requests for comment from the AP.

Gabel competed in four Olympics as a short track skater, including 1988 when it was a demonstration sport. He was part of a silver medal-winning relay team at the 1994 Lillehammer Games and, after his skating career ended, served a term as president of U.S. Speedskating.

Speedskater Bridie Farrell told WUWM, a Milwaukee public radio station, that she was 15 and Gabel 33 when their relationship began in 1997. She said it continued over several months and she knew it was wrong, but she was "star-struck" by the attention Gabel gave her.

The case is the latest in a series of sexual abuse scandals involving Olympic sports in the U.S.

Most notably, swimming has been rocked by allegations of numerous coaches having sexual relationships with underage athletes, prompting that governing body to go public with the list of individuals receiving lifetime bans. A former national team director is among those on the list.

U.S. Speedskating has endured a difficult season that began with a dozen national team members accusing short track head coach Jae Su Chun of physical, emotional and verbal abuse. Also, he was accused of ordering skater Simon Cho to sabotage the skates of a Canadian rival.

Chun has denied all allegations. Investigators commissioned by U.S. Speedskating said they didn't find evidence that Chun engaged in patterns of abuse, or that he ordered the skate tempering. Still, Chun and his assistant resigned and accepted suspensions through the Sochi Olympics next year.

Cho still faces disciplinary proceedings.

The American team also is dealing with the likely loss of its two biggest stars from the Vancouver Games. Ohno has not competed since 2010 nor given any indication he'll attempt a comeback. Katherine Reutter announced her retirement last month at age 24, citing the toll of dealing with numerous injuries.

___

AP Sports Writer Stephen Wilson in London contributed to this report.

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-04-SPD-Speedskating-Sexual-Abuse/id-ea5bc13849ba4bd78f43369eb40238f0

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Dow Record: Three tales of ups, downs and changes

In this Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, photo, Vanessa Loder, Founder and CEO of Akoya, LLC, poses at Fort Mason with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background in San Francisco. Loder is a former trader who left the stock market because of the recession. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, photo, Vanessa Loder, Founder and CEO of Akoya, LLC, poses at Fort Mason with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background in San Francisco. Loder is a former trader who left the stock market because of the recession. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

In this Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, photo, Vanessa Loder, Founder and CEO of Akoya, LLC, poses at Fort Mason with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background in San Francisco. Loder is a former trader who left the stock market because of the recession. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

NEW YORK (AP) ? When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. When it closed at an all-time high of 14,253.77 on Tuesday, it wasn't so much a time for celebration as it was for reflection.

It's been a long five and a half years.

The ups and downs of the market touched us all in some manner. Jobs were lost. Retirements were delayed. Even those who came out mostly unscathed were still reaching for Alka-Seltzer during the many turbulent days.

Through it all, the stock market has slowly climbed back. And many of us have been left with a much more pragmatic view of the economy.

To mark the new record, The Associated Press asked three people to reflect on the fluctuations in the Dow Jones industrial average and how it shaped their own experiences. Here are their stories:

FROM WALL STREET TO LIFE COACH

Vanessa Loder is the ultimate type-A person, the kind who's often attracted to Wall Street. A self-described perfectionist. An overachiever who graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Columbia University while playing Division I varsity soccer.

"I thought it wasn't good enough to be smart or athletic, I needed to be both."

After college, there were jobs at Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan. By age 24, Loder was making $250,000 a year.

Loder then headed to Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she was co-president of the ski club. After graduating, she took a job with a San Francisco private equity firm.

It was the spring of 2007 and the stock market was on fire. Her hours were consumed with deal after deal.

The Dow just kept climbing. In April, it crossed 13,000. By July, it had passed 14,000.

One of the firm's partners came out of his office and announced the milestone. Many workers had their own investments.

"We were cheering. Everybody was in a good mood," Loder recalls. "And then within a few months, it all came to a halt."

Debt markets dried up. Few companies wanted to do mergers or acquisitions. Those that did couldn't get a loan to finance the deal.

"We were literally twiddling our thumbs in '08 and '09," Loder says.

Boredom set in, and Loder questioned why she was drawn to Wall Street in the first place.

I was totally unhappy and I couldn't understand why," she says. "I just felt lost. I felt like something was missing from my life."

So she quit.

Soul-searching took Loder about as far from finance as possible. She learned hypnosis and techniques to get subjects to conjure memories believed to be from past lives. She spent 10 days doing a silent meditation retreat.

"All this crazy stuff out there, it actually works," she says. "I was kind of shocked."

Today, at 35, Loder runs her own business helping women in finance and Silicon Valley who are unfulfilled by their careers. The company, Akoya Power, runs group coaching programs, corporate workshops and luxury retreats, which can cost up to $12,000 a person.

"If the Dow kept hitting a new high each month, I would have been so busy with deals that I would haven't had time or perspective," Loder says. "I'm so grateful that the economy slowed down the way it did. That triggered my boredom, which made me realize how unhappy I was."

THE CALM ADVISOR

Derek Kennedy spent the recession repeating the same message: stay the course.

The Tennessee financial adviser didn't have clients wake him in the middle of the night worried about their retirement. Instead, he offered plenty of proactive messages telling them to stick to their investment plan.

He'd start each phone call with a joke to break the tension.

"Just checking in," he'd say. "Have you been glued to CNBC? Are you chewing ice cubes?"

The he'd follow up with a somewhat reassuring point: when designing a retirement plan, they had planned for this. Well, not this exact meltdown, but something similar. While stocks were plunging, other parts of the portfolio ? most notably Treasury notes ? were showing a nice return and helping to lessen the overall loss.

"Stay cool. Times of market volatility are times of opportunity for well-constructed, well diversified and properly allocated investment portfolios," he told clients in an email March 15, 2011.

Two year before that, he had a similar message: stay the course.

Sound familiar?

"There really is no reasonable alternative than to remain patient," he wrote in 2009. "It is often hard not to be seduced into playing musical chairs with Wall Street, out of a desire to take at least some kind of action. Just remember, people are losing their chairs every day in these volatile markets."

He also noted for younger clients that the low stock prices of 2008 and 2009 will be history's equivalent of a "blue light special at Kmart." So buy while you can at the discounted prices.

Today, his clients are mostly whole again, but that doesn't mean they are complacent.

"They feel like it could all change on a dime again," Kennedy says. "They feel like it's only one economic or political event from being 2008 all over again."

His message ? as it's always been ? is to stay the course.

HE ALMOST LOST IT ALL

Mike Hall was working as a technology manager at a utility company in 2006. He was 57, had enough savings and decided to retire early.

Instead of collecting a monthly pension check, he decided to take a lump sum payout. He liked the idea that if he died unexpectedly, the money would pass on to his wife or daughter. He invested the money in stocks because the market was booming.

The Dow kept climbing.

"I was thinking: Things are going well. I made all the right moves. I was very secure," Hall says.

That euphoria didn't last long. The market's ascent quickly turned into a tumultuous tumble. Suddenly the decision to retire early, paired with liquidating his pension, didn't seem the best thing to do.

"My first thought: I can't believe it. I worked 33 years, I retired and six months later, boom, there it goes," Hall says. "I was convinced I had made two very bad choices."

At the market's low point, Hall's nest egg had lost 40 percent of its value.

Luckily, Hall and his wife had other sources of income and didn't need their savings immediately. She ran her own small business. He had already taken an entry-level job with the Department of Motor Vehicles to keep busy and get out of their Nevada home.

He never thought about selling.

"That's locking in your losses," Hall says. "You need to step back from your emotions."

Hall knew the problem wasn't his portfolio, but deeper economic issues and ? at some point ? the economy would recover.

Today, his portfolio is back to where it was at retirement.

"This isn't rocket science. This is basic, basic long-term investing," Hall says. "It's pretty boring stuff, but it really does work."

Scott Mayerowitz can be reached at http://twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-05-US-Dow-Record-Three-Personal-Stories/id-3a11ad30a61b45748f49d2e4fcd127e4

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