text:
We arrived in Thailand on July 2, 1977, for our first four-year term as missionaries. I was having culture shock, and missed my family and country.
We attended the 4th of July celebration at the U.S. Embassy, and I cried when I heard the national anthem, a rarity for me.
As we approached the end-of-the-year holidays, I was trying to make the best of it. Thanksgiving was spent with other farangs – foreigners. I think we ate chicken. Then we had a surprise the first week of December.
Colored lights were hung all over the city…I thought, "How great - Christmas!"
December 5th is the birthday of the King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, and celebrations last the entire month. I was delighted, however, to be able to imagine them as Christ's birthday lights, no offense to King Bhumibol.
One of my English students bought us a four-foot fake Christmas tree, which we used all 11 years of our stay in Asia. Part of the annual tree preparation was giving it a bath. We did not use air conditioning, so lots of dust and dirt lived at our house. The first year we made popcorn chains, and expected to be able to eat them when we undecorated the tree.
Again, Not! They were gray by then.
Living in another country and culture during the holidays helps one pay more attention to the important things. Most Christmas celebrations in those days centered around the Christian church. Holiday meals often included strangers, who were traveling in Asia and were far from their families and homelands. Gifts were cheaper and simpler.
So, what signs of Christmas and holidays do you value most? Presents, Black Friday shopping? Food and drink? Family and friends? Faith and fellowship?
Why not share those thoughts with others this season, and perhaps you will make some new meaningful memories.
‑ Karen Helsel, a resident of Sunnyside, is a certified mental health counselor. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com, and will appreciate your feedback and humor sightings.
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text:
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Open Thread - Movies
I just realized there was a good little Doctor Who discussion a few threads ago. Even though I've never seen the show it was nice to read those comments.
For Saturday let's talk about upcoming movies:
I'm looking forward to:
1) The Wrestler: I know it's out but went a little wider around my area. Mickey Rourke already won a Golden Globe for his performance and everyone I talked to said it wasgreat. I'm also a fan of wrestling and a good movie about that sport/entertainment is a good thing.
2)Watchmen: The first "graphic novel" that I read in full book form. I loved it and the trailers for the movie look to have good visuals as well. As long as the unknowns have the chops to carry the characters I think it will be great.
3)Transformers 2: I loved this series as a kid and I found the first one good just because it was fun. Also, it is the only movie my dad wanted to see specifically with me because he watched it with me as a kid. Plus Soundwave, Jetfire, and/or the Constructicons will be involved; Sweet!
*Transformers 2 trailer will be shown during the Super Bowl.
6 comments:
- Jim Thorpe said...
Monday's strip is pretty cool - just because I'm a Doctor Who fan, maybe. Also nicely rendered in grey tones - tip of my cap to PVP!!
- January 17, 2009 at 4:31 PM
- jsiebels said...
The Wrestler was a great movie. Even if you don't enjoy wrestling you'll appreciate this movie. Mickey Rourke does a fantastic job as Randy the Ram, a washed up wrestler who still thinks he's got that one big match left in him. You watch someone who has to slowly come to terms with the best part of his life is over with. At one time he had thousands of fans now he's just a mere shell of his former self.
The Watchmen is the must read of comics. The movie looks great. True to the comic. Can't wait for it.
Transformers 2. I loved the first movie. Cars that turn into giant robots is a win right there. Didn't watch the cartoon growing up so I'm not as attached to it as some of the rabid fans which might be why I liked the movie. Going to be a good season for movies.
- January 17, 2009 at 4:32 PM
- Rdy said...
Transformers missed the mark somewhat for me. The robot designs were overdone and once they started fighting, it was difficult to tell them apart. Could have probably done without a lot of the human characters/plot too.
Shame Shia is back for the sequel. Don't think I've ever seen him in a film where his presence wouldn't be missed. A complete cinematic non-event.
Really looking forward to Watchmen though. The trailers have been greatn (okay, Ozymandias looks like AV club nerd but other than that...). So happy the probs with those a-holes at Fox have been sorted too.
- January 17, 2009 at 10:21 PM
- willweldon said...
I think you're credibility as any sort of critic is shot when you say you liked the first Transformers movie.
- January 17, 2009 at 10:41 PM
- jsiebels said...
Will, how could you watch the battle scenes and not get excited? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUfrCAuXA1o&feature=related
I agree the story was not Oscar material but the subject matter was based on a Saturday morning cartoon and Hollywood could really destroyed the property (Scooby Doo, Casper, Fat Albert or Space Jam-where the Looney Toons effectively raped my childhood- anyone?) Shia did a decent job (I still shudder at the abomination of Indiana Jones and Mutt)but he's a likable kid.
Was Transformers better than The Dark Knight? Definitely not. Was it better than the three recent Star Wars films, Spiderman III, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Fantastic Four (1 and 2) and a slew of others? Yes. It was a fun popcorn movie that had giant robots beating the crap out of each other. For that alone I give it a two thumbs up.
- January 18, 2009 at 6:23 AM
- Brett Schiller (Sage) said...
Firsty, I think if people on the internet had to pass a certain criteria to be critical, A LOT of forums would be silent.
Secondly, I believe my day job as a physical therapist will help soften the blow if my critic's rights are revoked. :)
Lastly, my quote was "I found the first one good just because it was fun"; I didn't think the movie was brilliant but they did a good enough job brining a cartoon I liked to live action and they aren't shitting on my childhood memories.
If the post had been about movies I loved over the last year it would have been 1) Frost/Nixon 2)Quantum of Solace and then the 4-6 chick flick movies I saw (i have a fiancee after all) not even ranking
- January 18, 2009 at 7:55 AM

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
Although he remains proud of the time he spent with Bayern Munich, Lukas Podolski is ready to play against his former team in the last 16 of the Champions League as Arsenal look to cause a shock against the German side.
Podolski joined Bayern in 2006 from Cologne but after an unsuccessful time with the Bavarians he rejoined his boyhood team before moving to the Premier League with the Gunners.
The German international accepts that it will be tough to beat Bayern on current form but he insists he is happy at Arsenal and hopes to push for European honours.
"I feel settled in the Premier League. I was settled from day one because the players and staff at Arsenal made it easy for me," Podolski told The Sun.
"I have enjoyed my football so far but there are still a lot of things to do."
Podolski is using the fact that the final is being held at Wembley Stadium as extra incentive to win the game and reach the showpiece match.
He explained: "It would be something amazing to play for a London team in the final of the Champions League at Wembley. Something very special.
"That is a dream, but there is a long way to go. First, we must play a great team - one of the favourites for the final."
Podolski admits he has fond memories of his time with Bayern but he does feel as though he should have won more at the club.
"I had a great time at Bayern for three years. I have lots of memories of playing for the club and I am proud," he added.
"I wish I had achieved more there. I won the cup and the league. Playing for Bayern was still a help, in my life generally. But it went so quickly."
However, he insists that he is fully focused on the task at hand and the job he needs to do for Arsenal.
"Bayern is in the past. Now I am at Arsenal and looking forward to achieving things here," Podolski continued. "I feel it is not productive when you talk about what did or didn't work.
"If I am being honest, it would be more difficult if Arsenal were playing Cologne. They are my team. My club. Emotionally, it would have been far more intense.
"I was there from the age of 10, joined Bayern, and went back there before playing for Arsenal."
Bayern come into the tie after a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg at the weekend, while Arsenal enter with a slight FA Cup hangover after they were knocked out at the Emirates Stadium by Blackburn Rovers.
DISCLAIMER: This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeFootball Writing Academy and does not represent the views of GiveMeFootball.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article. GiveMeFootball.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.
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text: THIS DEPICTION OF Otter Creek and Weybridge farm fields is based on a circa 1938 photograph by George Lathrop. The illustrated panel is part of an exhibit by Weybridge Elementary students now on view at the Henry Sheldon Museum in downtown Middlebury. Two Weybridge teachers will discuss the collaborative project on Tuesday, Jan. 8, in a noontime presentation at the Sheldon.


text:
34% of the 1,000 young drivers questioned think computer games can improve real-life driving ability, with two in five reckoning the games can help their reflexes.
So that's why people are driving like that! Insane!
34% of the 1,000 young drivers questioned think computer games can improve real-life driving ability, with two in five reckoning the games can help their reflexes.
Well, thanks to Flight Simulator, I am fully prepared to fly a 747 if need be... :-)
mark the pundit: If it works in Snakes on a Plane, it must be true!
Dang Mark, you beat me to it.
Is this why speeding young male drivers like to drive right up to my bumper before they pass me (event though they can pass at any time on either side). I always thought that creating the danger of nearly hitting someone while pretending to be in a race was inspired by some "digital derby."
I wonder if Ann ever thinks to herself, I'm tired of these mother-f***ing comments in this mother-f***ing blog!
I wonder how realistic the sliding on ice factor is in those games?
It's simulators. Damn!
I'd just thought everyone in the country had finally managed to drive around Massachusetts and picked up some of the local color.
When I moved to Boston from California 20-odd years ago, I was reduced to terrorized, white-knuckle driving. This book helped, so I now go 85 mph following the car ahead by 6 inches on Rt. 128 like everybody else.
A recent road trip to Nashville, along with a yearly visit to California, has taught me that we all must drive like this or be run off the road by meth-crazed truckers doing 85 on I-80 in an ice storm.
There go my plans to RV around the country.
I'm just going to hide under the bed.
Computer games and simulations help with real world flying skills, what is wrong with thinking they can help with real world driving.
Games and simulations are used to help improve typing speed. Teach and improve piano. Both real world physical skills.
What amazes me is that many people thinking that having teachers that refuse to take a stand can somehow impart wisdom.
RE: Reality Check
"Will no one rid me of this turbulent troll?"
I always feel like I'm in a video game when driving down the FDR in Manhattan, especially at night.
Gahrie has twice now urged that someone kill me.
Ann, you are known by the company you keep. I ask you now to banninate Gahrie and urge other commenters to stop with the repellent hate speech.
Unless you condone this sort of thing.
My experience with video games and driving has been that they're good for the reflexes, but they're very bad for maintaining your awareness that a collision at high speed may have permanent effects.
On the other hand, aggressive young males never do have a real clear sense of consequences, games or no games. That's why being young and male is so cool.
R.C. - "Known for the company she keeps"? Now dear, don't worry. Nobody blames her for you.
Just as I thought...absolutely no sense of irony or homor what so ever.
Now I knw why it uses a pen name, and links to an empty blog...has to be a Democratic operative.
Not enough wit or humor for Carville.
Reality Check, I have no way to ban commenters, otherwise I'd have banned you long ago, you pathetic little man.
Someone urges death, any sort of death upon another commenter, and I am the unscrupulous one, and a pathetic little man?
And you're the last remaining liberal and a feminist and civil rights vanguard?
Wow, is this Althouse? Sounds an awful lot like Pandagon to me.
Anyway Gahrie, go ahead, Ann says your need to use the n word, the c word, the fgt word are a-okay with her, along with your death threats.
Strange world indeed.
Ann Coulter, come on, it was a joke!
Angry White Gahrie, come on, it was a joke!
Oh dear.
Can't we at least have some meth-crazed trucker jokes?
Or at least a discussion of how we've gotten a common law national minimum speed of 85 mph?
Driving steadily in the center lane at 65 mph: Threat or menace?
Jeez! The only person I want anyone to rid me of is the guy in the SUV with the xenon lights on high following me so closely at 83 mph that I can see his fillings.
"Turn into the skid" meant nothing to me until I played Grand Turismo on Playstation. I guess that puts me in the 34%.
Reality Check:
Take the hint...get lost.
(which was the intent of my Thomas Beckett reference by the way you humorless troll)
Huh? You didn't reference anything like "get lost." You referenced a famous invitation to murder!
Jebus, what you must teach your students!
OK, this time I get it right.
I love driving sims; one day I'll get to drive the Nordschleife for real and see if all those hours in GPL (Grand Prix Legends) paid off.
I admit that after playing Grand Theft Auto for about four hours straight one night, I then needed to drive two miles to pick up my sister from work, and on the way found myself idly considering ramming the car that pulled out right in front of me. Of course, I didn't do it...but I thought of it.
Women drivers, you all know how I feel about 'em.
Beware of Women Drivers, especially the ones driving a stick shift.
Peace, Maxine
There is fairly good evidence that playing computer games does improve reflexes and the ability to think spacially.
As for driving, my oldest son played all the Need for Speed games. He just got his permit a few weeks ago and was a better driver than his older sister right away. On the third time out, he was a better driver than she was after a month.
Incidentally, simulators are used to teach flying as well. Like high end (serious) driving simulators, they are very effective.
As for the statement that started it all, I am highly skeptical. It sounds like something teenagers say just to irritate interviewers. (Yeah, I was a teenager once and surely wasn't the only one who did this.)
OK, last time Reality Check...there is such a thing as figurative language. Part of this is something called hyperbole.
Now, since I know neither your name or location, surely even a dimwit such as yourself could understand that I was using a historical reference (that frankly I'm surprised you got, I assume you googled it?) to express my disdain and disgust for you.
Further more, my use of this particular reference should have been enough to clearly convey that I was speaking figuratively, and did not literally wish someone to kill you.
All of that said, in the future I will be doing my level best to ignore you as the ignorant troll you are.
Actually, I learned how to drive a stick shift playing "Hard Drivin'" in the arcade. It was a pretty accurate simulation.
It's just not natural for a woman to maneuver a stick shift.
Don't ban commenters, ban Women Drivers !!!
Peace, Maxine
Uh, okay Gahrie, it's okay to incite a murder if you think your target is too stupid to realize what you are doing.
No need to sweat, I probably won't tell the San Bernardino School Board about your curious manner of communication with people that disagree with you.
You may wish to lay low for awhile, or delete your comments.
I apologise for feeding the troll.
Prof. Althouse -
You can ban a commenter by simply asking them to refrain from commenting anymore on your blog. Sure, you can't actually enforce it, but it works pretty well; about 90% of the people you might want to ban will simply shrug, pick up their marbles, and go elsewhere to play. The remaining 10% will forfeit any remaining sympathy they have in the community, and will often give up shortly thereafter.
The worst part of GTA isn't the wacky driving -- it's the belief that one's personal economy should consist of beating up pedestrians with a baseball bat and taking their coin!
I'm pretty sure at least 37% of young people when surveyed, like to mess with the surveyors and give the answer they expect would cause the most shock.
(and I derived my results about as scientifically as the linked survey)
But, as to the point about simulated driving effecting real driving positively.
That's true to some extent. Playing a game that aims for realistic physics like the Gran Turismo series, does lead to an appreciation of certain facts about car handling at the limits of performance that would be very expensive to learn using the real thing.
I know I've applied video game lessons to real world driving while traversing the desert in my Subaru (and the choice of said Subaru was influenced some by Gran Turismo, also).
Here in Santa Monica, some places, like this one, use driving simulators to help seniors self-assess their ability to continue driving.
(Too bad this gentleman didn't avail himself of the service)
No need to sweat, I probably won't tell the San Bernardino School Board about your curious manner of communication with people that disagree with you.
That's a phone call I'd love to listen in on.
"Hello, San Bernadino School Board? Yes, I'd like to make a complaint. One of your employees... well, he... oh, I can't go on, sob.... sniffle, well, you see... he... paraphrased Henry II at me! In public, no less! And now I fear for my life! Hello? Are you still there?"
San Bernardino School Board
San Bernardino!?? What's THAT all about?
My father was a California Highway Patrolman, so we got stuck in San Bernardino for an unfortunately long stretch of my childhood when he was assigned there. Thank God we finally wound up in Santa Barbara.
Sorry if there is anybody who reads this blog from San Bernardino, but what a pit!
It's a remarkably ugly medium-sized city that anchors the eastern end of the the Great LA Mess, just before more-or-less serious desert begins. It's claim to fame is that one of the two original McDonald's was located there, at 14th and E, as I recall. It also had some of the worst smog on the planet.
Think Worcester, Mass with palm trees and New Jersey air. Think American Graffiti.
The place has declined, if possible, since I lived there. The thing that sticks in my mind is the current low single-digit level of college graduates, down from the mid-20% range when I was a kid. The middle-class who could has long since fled.
Many people have a fond regard for their home town. Sorry to say I'm not among them.
Well, we can argue about the pros and cons of GTA; my point was simply that "driving" recklessly for hours while playing GTA influenced my thoughts at least, if not my driving.
On the other hand, I do believe that video-game playing does enhance hand-eye coordination, which is also a useful talent when driving.
Reality Check, I have no way to ban commenters, otherwise I'd have banned you long ago, you pathetic little man.
Heh. I should code a good "ignore" utility for blogger. I could make a fortune...or at least enough to send the trolls to therapy. "Free" heatlh care may not be such a bad idea.
md: maybe. I used to play alot of CTF online. Offense mostly. I found that I had to "turn it off" when driving in RL. Took too many risks. Now I drive like an old man.
The original McDonalds thank you very much. And we are pretty much the birthplace of the fast food resteraunt, and many of the current chains.
By the way, the North end of San bernardino is a pretty nice place to live.
Wow! Never thought I'd find San Bernardino talk on Althouse, not to mention one of the regulars who lives there. Gahrie, you've got a very good blog, and I'm adding it to my bookmarks.
(Also, I should have written, "Its claim to fame...," not "It's." I really hate that when other people do it.)
It's true. Valencia Ave. and environs is a tolerable area, not to mention some parts northwest of the city--Lytle Creek springs to mind. San Berdoo also is a good choice if you have to commute to select parts of LA, as house prices are really cheap there compared to the rest of La-La Land. It's only 60 miles or so to LA Civic Center, and you can get a comparable house for $150K cheaper than, say, the Valley. You will also get plenty of practice driving.
For me, I'm content with Concord, Massachusetts. San Bernardino may have McDonalds, but we have the North Bridge, the Old Manse, Wayside House, etc.
Of course, it remains an open question whether the North Bridge or McDonalds is ultimately more meaningful. I know from the international visitors to my company that everyone knows McDonalds, and literally no visitor from abroad has ever heard of the North Bridge.
Is there a parking simulator that we could get the UW students to use? In my neighborhood, parking is a joke! Cars are left at 30-degree angles to the curb, cars are parked on facing into traffic (on the wrong directional side of the street), cars are parked three feet away from the curb so as to avoid curbside puddles of water, cars are parked several feet apart, resulting in 2 or 3 fewer parking spaces per block . . . its awesome.
"A quarter of drivers even said they imagine they are in a driving simulation game while driving for real."
That has been my assessment of young drivers in the Northern California area, based on what I have observed (no turn signals, driving like they are on a speed track) as well as about one high speed street racing crash and fatality per week in the Sacramento area. While hand/eye coordination can be improved by video games, bad mental habits can be reenforced as well.
It's not the driving simulators, it is, and always will be, gabbing on a cell phone while driving.
High crime rate--too many Mexicans in San Bernardino County.
Orange County--much better for Whites---safer.
Peace, Maxine
San Bernardino County -- the Meth capital of the nation, and the biggest county in the world! Plus, given the white supremacists in the county it's not safe for of the various races.
But then again, it's a little over an hour away from just about anything a person can think of doing. Especially today. There's good skiing about 7000 feet up the mountain behind the city, and it's warm enough to go to the beach and get a good tan if a person wanted to drive the other direction for a bit.
Few places have that sort of quality.
Some of the Whites are rednecks, but that's only because they feel the need to assert themselves whilst being bombarded by Mexicans.
Lots of racial stuff going on.
Good times.
Peace, Maxine
Bombarded? Well, this white guy doesn't feel bombarded. Though maybe it's because I like the culture and the people. It's much better than the lily white, stuffy, always competing in every possible way, mcmansion loving, soul-leeching, Orange County. I feel much more bombarded in Irvine or Fullerton where artificial people live artificial lives and compare their artificiality with each other, thinking it matters.
Newport Beach is nice, though, I'll give you that.
Though, having also lived in Santa Barbara, that's really where it's done right.
Plus, with all the mountain driving right at hand for practice, San Bernardino drivers don't need video games. Just drive up and down for a few weeks and you become a very sharp, aware driver.
The heck with world peace...
Visualize Using Your Turn Signal!
Well, driving games can help them drive better.
Not by teaching them how to drive in the physical sense, how to use turn signals, and how not to be an ass on the road.
But by teaching them to process visual information (other cars, pedestrians, etc) rapidly and providing incentives for getting the analysis right - those skills are useful for good driving.
If someone on the road with me can be either more or less able to rapidly and accurately process the near-term movements of a barely-glimpsed moving object (like me or my car) due to playing video games, I'm all for the "more".
Most of the stupid driving tricks I see around me are caused by obliviousness or sheer incompetence - aggressive driving like in cat's comment is more a matter of youth in general, or of temperament, than of video games. I assure you it was common when I learned to drive, back when the most advanced driving game I could think of was Spy Hunter or Grand Prix.
(A real, super-realistic simulator could probably teach actual directly-applicable driving techniques, but that's not what the respondents are talking about, I wager.)


text:
I was thinking it was more of a stunned silence. Labonte got the hook after 3 in 3:32 all of which I thought were shaky goals. The first, she had ample opportunity to cover the loose puck, in fact she had her glove on it but JLam dug it out and deposited it. I think she felt the whistle should have gone. IIRC the next 2 were second chances on sloppy rebounds. I thought the tug was appropriate. Szabbados didn't fare much better initially as Chu deposited a PP goal from the goal line with the low post uncovered but I thought she did settle down and played ok for the rest of the period. I know coaches who will tell you they pull the starter in an attempt to motivate their team but I am not a fan of "reinstalling" the pulled keeper after an intermission barring injury. A little difficult on the psyche. Playing Szabados against the Finns was also an interesting move.
To me the big difference was the US played with speed and laserbeam passing while the Canucks seemed like they were skating in cement. How about Pucci jumping up on the rush and scoring on a sweet pass from MLam. Now that's attack


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FACTORITY is a manufacturing execution system (MES). It provides the connection between the planning and the production level of production companies. FACTORITY supplies information at any time about the current production situation and so permits fast and appropriate responses to events. The result is effective and economically optimized solutions for process planning, process control, and process tracking.
qcadoo MES is a manufacturing management system for small and medium companies. It combines many functions you can find in ERP, MRP, and MES systems. It is not intended to replace systems like SAP, MS Dynamics, or Wonderware. qcadoo MES lets you replace those paper notes and spreadsheets that are flying around the production line and gain benefit from having them all in one system.
Freedom ERP is a business management system that can be used for retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, service providers, call centers, and other organizations to provide inventory management, purchasing, sales, finance, and more. It has modules for customer management, campaign management, mailing, service management, collections, warranty control, management of production with production based on demand or stock of raw materials, and quality control.
KwaMoja is a system that helps you manage your business in a more efficient and profitable manner. It offers multi-currency sales orders, accounts receivable, purchase orders, and accounts payable, a tendering module, multiple inventory locations, unlimited price lists by customer and currency, standard and reversing journals, general ledger journals for all transactions in accounts receivable and payable, standard costing, user definable sales analysis reports, standard cost stock valuation and stock planning reports, a manufacturing module including work orders and MRP, a fixed asset register, a petty cash module, and serialized inventory and lot tracking.


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Midwest Regional Preview
Nathan Mikolas is a lot like most of the other high school seniors scattered across the nation this time of year, looking forward to a springtime filled with prom dates, graduation parties and lots and lots of baseball.
And it is baseball that sets Mikolas apart from his classmates at Kenosha (Wis.) Bradford High School and also what led him to leave Kenosha and his Bradford teammates last spring to pursue his dream at the nation's highest level.
This spring, he'll be back sleeping in his own bed and leading a life more typical of your average high school senior baseball player.
Mikolas, an outfielder/first baseman ranked Perfect Game's 125th overall national prospect and Wisconsin's No. 1-ranked prospect in the class of 2012, attended Bradford through the first three quarters of the 2010-11 school year while playing ball in the PG Wisconsin Spring Wood Bat League.
He then left eastern Wisconsin for northeast Georgia, where he joined the nationally elite East Cobb Baseball organization and was invited to play for the powerhouse East Cobb Braves 17u squad. He finished up his junior year course-work at Bradford through online classes while living and playing baseball in Georgia.
Mikolas, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound left-handed hitter who has signed with the University of Louisville, simply felt that in order to become one of the game's best he needed to be surrounded by the best.
"I knew East Cobb was one of the top programs in the nation, and it wasn't that I wanted to leave home and think that I was better than anyone else – by no means, it was nothing like that – I just wanted to get myself out there and get the exposure that I wanted, and also play against the best competition," Mikolas told Perfect Game in a recent telephone conversation.
"By playing against the best competition, that only brings the best out of me … and that's what allows you to become better, when you challenge yourself."
After arriving in Georgia, Mikolas earned a spot in the Braves 17u's starting lineup, alongside 2011 Perfect Game All-Americans Skye Bolt (North Carolina), Matthew Crownover (Clemson) and Tucker Simpson (Florida). He made his 2011 PG debut at the 17u/18u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational in Marietta, Ga., the second week of June.
"I was excited when I got asked to play with the Braves, and it's a good experience and a lot of exposure and it's a chance to get better," Mikolas told Perfect Game while in Marietta. "It's a great experience meeting new people and a chance to get a lot, lot better."
Nearly nine months after that interview, Mikolas hadn't changed his tune one bit.
"I have no regrets. It was an awesome experience living down there," he said this week. "The one thing I must say is, not only has it helped me become a better baseball player but it's also taught me how to live on my own, and I've become more independent and more mature and it's taught me more than just baseball."
Mikolas continued to play the game at its highest level throughout the summer, and helped the Braves 17u to national championships at the PG WWBA 2012 Grads or 17u National Championship and the 18u BCS Finals within a week of one another in the middle of July (the Braves 17u also won the aforementioned PG-EC Invitational).
He had previously performed at the Perfect Game National Showcase in June, and was also a participant in the East Coast Professional Showcase and at the Area Code Games. He capped off the summer and fall by playing with the Andy Stack-coached Reds Midwest Scout Team at both the PG WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the PG WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla.
The Reds won the Kernels Foundation title behind Mikolas, who earned the Most Valuable Player Award after hitting .467 (7-for-15) with a double, two triples, a home run, six RBI and eight runs scored in six games.
The Reds Midwest Scout Team kept things rolling by advancing to the final four of the WWBA World Championship. Mikolas was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Reds teammates Zach Stoner (Southern Illinois), Kevin Elder (Arizona), Andy Honiotes (uncommitted), Brent Stong (Bradley) and AJ Puk (Florida).
"That was awesome," Mikolas said. "Coach Stack put together an awesome team, a good group of guys who are really dedicated to baseball and who really wanted to be there and really wanted to win at Jupiter. We came so close, but I'm satisfied with how we did down there and everybody played their hearts out. I couldn't have asked for anything more. It was a good way to end up the year."
All told, Mikolas has competed at nearly 30 Perfect Game events, including 16 WWBA and two BCS Finals tournaments, and numerous Wisconsin Fall and Spring Wood Bat League seasons.
"I've been playing in the Perfect Game organization since (2007) in the (Wisconsin) Fall League, and Perfect Game has done a ton for me over the years," Mikolas said. "It's allowed me to play against high level competition and even some of my best friends that I've made over the years are through Perfect Game, and those friends will be life-long."
A lot of those friendships were made as a member of the East Cobb Baseball organization. The whole process served as a learning experience for Mikolas, and he eagerly and earnestly soaked in every lesson that came his way.
"It's just the little things," he said. "When you start playing in different parts of the country you start to realize that. You learn that you need to start working harder and you see what you need to improve on. Playing with all those All-Americans, it shows you what other people do and it makes you want to become just like them."
Mikolas was speaking early this week just before an 8 p.m. indoor practice session in the Bradford High School gym. There was still snow on the ground in Kenosha and Mikolas knew he wasn't in Georgia anymore. But he is undeterred and looking forward to his final high school season.
He played his freshman and sophomore years at Bradford, after all, and still feels like a tried-and-true Red Devil.
"It's not that I felt bad (about leaving), but I wanted to be loyal; I wanted to be loyal to my high school team for my senior year," he said. "I know I've been to East Cobb the last two summers, so just being home for the last time to play baseball, it means a lot. To be with my family and my friends who I've grown up with, and just being able to graduate from Bradford means a lot to my family and me."
Bradford and head coach Matt LaBuda finished 21-6 in 2011 after losing to Neenah in a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division-1 state tournament quarterfinal. The Red Devils made that strong showing despite losing Mikolas and three other top players for a variety of reasons.
"There's still 11 seniors on this team and I believe in them," LaBuda told the Kenosha News before the quarterfinal contest against Neenah. "This group has been playing together since they were 12 or 13 years old. Now that they're seniors they've developed into leaders."
LaBuda could have turned-back Mikolas' interest in rejoining the team after his one-year hiatus. Instead, he opened his arms.
"He took me in, and I'm very thankful that there are no hurt feelings about me leaving," Mikolas said. "He knew that it wasn't because of him or his program and it was just something that I had to do for myself to hopefully live up to the dreams that I have."
You won't find Bradford listed in the PG Midwest Region High School Rankings being released today, but that does nothing to tamp down the Red Devils' expectations.
"We don't have too many seniors and we're a younger team, but that doesn't mean we can't compete," Mikolas said. "I wasn't there, but we did really good at state last year and we won state in 2008. This should be a good year; we have a good group of guys and we all work hard, and we want to win a state championship."
And he also wants his Bradford teammates to understand something else he learned during the time he spent in the South: Just because you live in a cooler climate doesn't mean you can't compete at a high national level.
"Maybe you are behind the eight-ball a little bit, but that doesn't mean that people up North can't play," Mikolas said. "We don't play (outside) the year around, but we can learn through our work ethic in the cages and I think people from the Midwest … work hard on their craft."
Through hard work and a strong Midwestern work ethic, Mikolas can now listen to his name being bandied about when talk turns to June's 2012 MLB Draft. Perfect Game ranks him as the 340th overall prospect in this year's field.
"I'm honored to have my name out there for the draft and it's every kid's dream to play in the Major Leagues, but nobody can control what happens," Mikolas said. "All I can do is work hard and try to develop my skills to the best of my ability."
And this spring, he'll be doing that wearing a Bradford Red Devils' uniform.


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What: "A Doll's House"
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 15-16 and Feb. 22-23; 7 p.m. Feb. 14 and Feb. 21; 2:30 p.m. Feb. 17 and Feb. 24
Where: Mildred M. Montague Circle Theatre, Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St.
Admission: $30 (opening night), $10-$25 (other performances)
Phone: 267-8534
Website: TheatreCentre.com
Nora Helmer is trying to find herself.
In the overdramatic 21st century, that phrase is just boring psychobabble.
But a century and a half ago, the Noras of the world didn't do that.
"A Doll's House," the classic Henrik Ibsen drama involving a young woman's desire to find her true self within the confines of her 19th-century marriage, opens tonight in the Mildred M. Montague Circle Theatre at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre.
A play about a woman who leaves her husband "in 2013 is not all that interesting and different," said director Scott Dunlap, who set the play in Charleston, S.C., just before the outbreak of the Civil War. "Putting it in a time when it raised the stakes for someone to do that" would make her future "even more unsure."
Setting the drama "in a romanticized setting" for a theater in a town in the midst of battlefields also helps "us relate to it a little more," he said.
Dunlap said he also added several slave monologues from the time period to "tie it in a little bit" and help audiences understand the action outside of the Helmer house.
The timing of recent calls for secession by people in various states following President Obama's re-election didn't hurt, either, he said.
However, the thrust of the play is not the setting but Nora, though it is not the feminist drama many, including Dunlap, once thought it was.
"It really is sort of timeless -- Ibsen's point about finding yourself and making a stand for yourself to be the person you know you should be," he said.
And Nora is not the tragic figure one might think, Dunlap said.
She "is just as much to blame [for her traditional situation] as her husband," he said. "And it isn't as if the husband [Torvald] is bad. He's not a great guy, but in his world he's operating the best way he knows how."
Nora, though, has some of the traits of the 21st-century person who only thinks of herself, according to Dunlap.
"What I've tried to do [with the character]," he said, is make her "kind of selfish and self-centered. Her eye is opened to more than the world, and she has to get out of the house."
That desire, according to Dunlap, stands in contrast to those who opposed slavery or the Vietnam War.
"People taking a stand not just about themselves -- that's what we're missing now," he said.
Veteran Chattanooga Theatre Centre actress Joanna Keeling portrays the "extremely difficult" role of Nora, Dunlap said. "Physically demanding" for being onstage almost the entire play, the role also calls for the play to be seen through her eyes.
The actress who plays the character, he said, has to eschew "driving the boat" and let [the action] happen to her. She has to listen and respond."
Keeling has done "an amazing job," Dunlap said. "Besides the line load, she has gone through the paces with me" in helping her learn to experience the character's world. "She's been patient. She's learned so much. She's grown so much as an actor. She's created a really interesting character to watch. I feel like she's living it."
The play is recommended for adult audiences.
Contact staff writer Clint Cooper at firstname.lastname@example.com or 423-757-6497. Subscribe to my posts online at Facebook.com/ClintCooperCTFP.


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May 2014 Special Pays Homage to Those Who Make Us Laugh
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Oct. 23, 2013 - NBC has acquired the "American Comedy Awards," which will be telecast in May 2014 and produced by Don Mischer Productions. Emmy Award winner Don Mischer, Charlie Haykel and Juliane Hare will serve as executive producers.
The "American Comedy Awards" will honor those who have achieved new heights during the past year in both film and television, as well as paying tribute to some of comedy's most enduring personalities.
The telecast will acknowledge the work of stand-ups, those who specialize in movies and the actors and actresses who are seen by millions on TV every week.
"For all of the award shows on television not one is devoted to comedy, and that's not so funny. So we're thrilled to be part of a show that will celebrate the community of talented, innovative people who make us laugh each and every day," said Mischer.
"We all love a good laugh and the 'American Comedy Awards' will be full of gut-busting material from the best comedians in our business," said Paul Telegdy, President Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment. "With creative genius Don Mischer at the helm, get ready for a night of great hilarity. No joke."
Mischer is a 15-time Emmy winner and has directed or produced some of the biggest live events on television, including the Olympic Opening Ceremony, the Academy Awards and the Super Bowl halftime show.
The "American Comedy Awards" were created by George Schlatter.


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May 10, 2014
The Santa Clara Sporting Club is hosting their 4th Annual Sporting Girls Invitational Tournament from May 24th-26th, with 141 teams from Northern California and Nevada descending into Santa Clara County to compete over Memorial Weekend. This year teams from Nevada, South Lake Tahoe and San Luis Obispo are traveling to compete against some of the strongest elite girls soccer teams from Northern California. The tournament participation rate has doubled in just four years thanks to a combination of competitive teams, quality soccer fields, high-end referees and a smooth running schedule. Games will take place at the Santa Clara Youth Soccer Park and the Morgan Hill Soccer Complex. Santa Clara Sporting has partnered with Marriott International Hotels to provide traveling teams with special accomodation packages to help offset the high cost of attending soccer tournaments.
"It's been a labor of love building this tournament to support girls soccer here in Santa Clara," said SGI Tournament Director Demitri Cacoyannis. "But we have a dedicated group of volunteers supporting this event year-round and have bigger plans for the future."
The Santa Clara Sporting '99G Green Team hope to "two-peat" and win back-to-back championships
The Under-14 Girls Age Group contains 12 of the most competitive elite girls teams assembled from Northern California. Competing for the championship title are the Santa Clara Sporting '99g Green Team (Ranked #1 in NorCal and #11 in Region IV by GotSoccer.com); ECNL Teams from MVLA and DeAnza Force, plus other Top-10 teams from: Juventus SC, Davis Legacy, SCC Breakers, Crossfire and East Bay United Bay Oaks. This age group is sure to draw local college coaches as these freshman high school age players are entering the recruitment age.
Santa Clara Sporting wants to thank all the teams for participating and wish everyone Good Luck!
The Santa Clara Sporting '97G Green Team hope to win their second SGI Championship in the Girls U16 Age Group
The Santa Clara Sporting '97G Green Team hope to win their second SGI Championship in the Girls U16 Age Group
Santa Clara Sporting '97g White Team were 2013 Champions but will be competing in the PDA Showcase in New Jersey
The Santa Clara Sporting '93g Team won the 2011 SGI then graduated 18 players to play in NCAA D1-D3 Programs.


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Voices Against Violence is changing lives on the Hilltop
May 31, 2011
About two years ago, gang member and drug dealer Kevin Alton stopped by a Thursday evening mentoring meeting of Voices Against Violence at the Warrington Recreation Center, and asked to volunteer.
The weekly gatherings primarily attract young black males – many with a background of drugs or lacking parenting or education — who are challenged through hard-hitting, no-holds-barred rhetoric, with some humor, to turn their lives around.
"We know family structure is why most are in this situation," said Richard Carrington, founder and executive director of Voices Against Violence.
"But no excuses allowed. We're trying to save lives here," he said.
The non-profit organization, begun in 1996 and funded primarily by the Birmingham Foundation, offers mentoring, an academic-based program, summer camps, job assistance, and more to children and young adults.
About to become a father, Mr. Alton was in search of change, and anything resembling stability.
"With the street life, there is no promise you will live day to day," he said.
The prior year, his 15-year-old brother was shot and killed leaving a bar.
"I couldn't keep on that life. My world was going down," he said.
Mr. Carrington decided to allow him to volunteer at summer camp, despite reservations.
"Did he mean what he said, or was he playing me like he played the streets?" he asked himself. But when he found out Mr. Alton was working — and after he passed a drug test — Mr. Carrington hired him.
The following summer, Mr. Alton's mother died.
When school is in session, Mr. Alton, 30, mentors in the academic-based program of Voices Against Violence, which operates school days at Carrick and Brashear high schools with paid personnel and volunteers. Freshmen are monitored for grades and behavior.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors receive a $100 monthly stipend, for which they participate in mentoring, leadership classes, and community service.
About 98.9 percent of program students go on to college or secondary education.
Last month, 30 youngsters from Voices Against Violence took a trip to Washington, D.C., "to expand their horizons because most never left Pittsburgh before," said Mr. Carrington.
"The world became a bigger place, and they learned they are fighting with kids from around the world to get jobs," he said.
On Mondays after school at Carrick High School, leadership classes are held for 30 to 40 young women from Carrick and Brashear. The program is a collaboration of Voices Against Violence and the North Side Alliance.
The same classes are held for young men on Tuesdays.
On Wednesdays, mentoring for students the courts have assigned community service takes place in collaboration with the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center.
The students are also assigned duties, such as shoveling snow for seniors.
On Thursdays, the sessions in the Warrington Recreation Center are largely about trade mentoring or, as Mr. Carrington says, "finding out who you are and going after it."
The meetings begin at 6 p.m. All youth, ages 17 to 30, are invited, although most are former/current gang members or drop-outs. Snacks and refreshments are followed by an opening prayer.
At a late April meeting, attendees included a teenage couple who are parents of a 10-month-old child. She is a tenth grade dropout, and he is a third grade dropout. Both planned to start GED training this month.
"You put your feet on the ground and take one step, and then another, and that's how we survive," said Mr. Carrington, who conducts the meetings.
A disabled Army Military Intelligence veteran from the Iraq War and other conflicts, he receives no payment for his work with Voices Against Violence.
He is assisted Thursdays by volunteers Jill Evans, who handles the administrative tasks, and Firdausi Bey, a retired 30-year boilermaker who contributes his knowledge and experience of the trades.
"The first things all trades require is a driver's license, GED, and to be drug free.
"We mentor them so can go in the direction they want to go," he said. The education includes detailing the path to becoming a skilled tradesman.
Mr. Bey, whose father was also a boilermaker, discusses union history; how corporate heads waged war against labor; and why unions became necessary.
He also talks about inspirational figures, like West Virginia-born Martin Delany, whose father was a slave, but who became a physician, writer, and first African-American field officer in the U.S. Army during the Civil War.
"I want to give them people from history that they can get a grip on and build a sense of pride and self," he said.
Those with job interviews but no income or transportation receive weekly bus passes.
Addressing all the youngsters, many of whom are single parents, Mr. Carrington said if they put $25 a month in the bank for a three-year-old daughter, the child will have $4,500 for college. If $100, she will have $18,000.
"How can you be responsible for your daughter if you are not responsible for yourself?" he asked.
A young man told his side of the story about hitting into the rear of a police car. He now faces a court date.
"In his mind this was a small nothing. But he's in the adult world, and you can't get away anymore with answers like, `I don't know' or 'I didn't do it.'
"You have to man yourself up," said Mr. Carrington.
Another attendee was a teen requesting help attaining his first driver's license; no one in his family has a car on which he can learn to drive.
"The needs are different. We have to address all the needs of the individual," he said.
Another attendee who began in summer camp is now in a trades apprentice program.
"Some have only the motivation to be better," said Mr. Carrington.
Among that group is Mr. Alton, who will again be working at the free summer camp in Upper McKinley Park which runs from June 27 to Aug. 19.
Its structured program includes gym training; math and reading instruction; swimming at Moore Park; field trips to the zoo and Kennywood; and a focus on hygiene and etiquette.
Mr. Alton can also add being president of the Beltzhoover Youth Athletic Association to his resume. The football league for ages 5 to 14 is accepting signups until all teams are full.
"I've done enough damage to my community. Now I want to help my community," he said.


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Racial profiling report released by NCSO
The 2013 Racial Profiling Report from the Nolan County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) was received during the Nolan County Commissioners' meeting last Monday morning, with Sheriff David Warren presented the information to the commissioners.No complaints of racial profiling were lodged against any NCSO member during the 2013 calendar year. Over the past year, 346 people were stopped by NCSO deputies, which was broken down into six different ethnic categories. Making up the majority of the total was the White population with 224 stops, or 64.7%. From this amount, there were five searches--three of which were consensual, six contacts resulting in custody arrests, and the issuance of 140 traffic tickets.Hispanics were the second-largest group with 86 stops, of 24.9%. This total amount included no searches, seven contacts which resulted in an arrest, and 53 tickets issued.The next demographic noted was the African-American population, which cited 26 stops (7.5%). The two searches that were conducted from this total were both consensual, with two contacts resulting in custody arrest and 19 tickets issued.Six Asians were stopped, which equals 1.7%. No stops or contacts resulting in a custody arrest occurred, although four tickets were issued.For the Middle Eastern population, four stops were made (1.2%), with three tickets issued and no searches and arrests. While the Native American population was included in the report, no stops were made.The report also offered a breakdown of five of the ethnicities by percentage for the county as well as the state; no percentages were noted for Middle Easterners. For Nolan County, the White population makes up over half at 58.8%. Hispanics follow at 34.8%, with a steep drop in African-Americans (5.2%), Native Americans (1%) and Asians (0.6%).The state population percentages was made up by nearly half of Whites (44.5%), and almost one-third of Hispanics (38.2%). African-Americans made up 12.3%, followed by Asians at 4.2% and Native Americans at 1%.


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The lights are on
A message recently appeared on developer Beamdog's website announcing that Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition has been pulled from Apple's App Store, and that the follow-up game, Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition, has been put on hold.
The message comes from president of Beamdog, Trent Oster. He cites "contractual issues" as the reason for the games sudden freeze. You can check out the full message below:
Dear Friends of Baldur's Gate,
We recently removed Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition from sale on
Beamdog and the Apple App Store. We've taken this step at our publishing
partner's request as we attempt to resolve a number of contractual
Unfortunately, until this matter is resolved, we are unable to
release the latest Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition patch or Baldur's
Gate: Enhanced Edition for Android.
This also prevents the launch of Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced
Edition. I sincerely apologize to the series' fans and promise we are
working diligently to remedy the situation.
[Source: Baldur's Gate via NeoGAF]
Email the author Kyle Hilliard, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.
Oh darn.
I didn' even know this came out! Noooooooooo!


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Sean O'Brien takes over from Warburton, Jamie Roberts replaces Brian O'Driscoll in the centre and scrum-half Mike Philips has recovered from a knee injury to start instead of Ben Youngs.
Alex Corbisiero returns from injury to replace Mako Vunipola, who moves to the bench, Richard Hibbard makes his first starting appearance at hooker, while Toby Faletau makes his Test debut at No.8.
Head Coach Warren Gatland said: "It all comes down to Saturday. Winner takes all. We know we can leave nothing in the tank and that only a complete performance will get us across the line. Picking this team was not easy and ultimately with several players available after recovering from injury the head overruled the heart in many selection decisions.
"It has been a challenging tour and we have had our fair share of injuries but we always knew that would be the case. Brian O'Driscoll is a great player and has had a wonderful career but for the final Test in Sydney we just felt Jamie Roberts' presence offered us something more.
"Mike Phillips and Alex Corbisiero were 1st Test selections and would probably have played in the 2nd Test if not for injury. Richard Hibbard, Toby Faletau and Sean O'Brien have also earned their starting places."
British & Irish Lions versus Qantas Wallabies, July 6, Sydney
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ulster/Ireland)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. George North (Scarlets/Wales)
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
9. Mike Phillips (Bayonne/Wales)
1. Alex Corbisiero (London Irish/England)
2. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales, capt)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers/England)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Sean O'Brien (Leinster/Ireland)
8. Tangaki Taulupe Faletau (Dragons/Wales)
16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
17. Makovina Vunipola (Saracens/England)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. Richie Gray (Scotland)
20. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys/Wales)
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England
23. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers/England)


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The lights are on
With premier titles like Halo 4 and Borderlands 2 garnering headlines and the revenue juggernaut Call of Duty dominating the sales charts once again, the shooter genre turned in an impressive 2012. Naysayers view the category as lacking innovation or surprises, but nobody predicted the open-world greatness of Far Cry 3 or that the narrative of Spec Ops: The Line would stick with you long after you turned off the game. Which games stood out the most? Read on to find out.
Best Story: Spec Ops: The Line
Most military shooters walk the same straight and narrow line: the world needs saving, and your trigger finger is the key to victory. Not Spec Ops. When Captain Walker and his Delta squad enter the Dubai disaster zone after a cataclysmic sandstorm to find out what happened to Colonel John Konrad, they come face to face with the horrors of war and they'll never be the same.
Best Campaign: Far Cry 3
No setting left a better impression on the shooter fans in the office this year than the islands of Far Cry 3. We're not fans of the trust-fund protagonist Jason Brody, but scouring the island to find his friends, joining the native Rakyat in an effort to drive the drug and slave traders from their homelands, and interacting with the many crazy inhabitants of the island was an unforgettable experience we encourage all shooter fans to seek.
Best Multiplayer Map: Exile – Halo 4
Combining high-octane vehicular battles with close-quarters infantry combat, the large-scale Exile map offers something for everyone. The donut-shaped map allows vehicles to patrol the periphery, but drive too slow and someone will pop out of a trench and commandeer your ride. Those who prefer infantry combat can stick to cover in the outer edges and use tunnels to make their way indoors without getting run over by a Warthog.
Email the author Matt Bertz, or follow on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Game Informer.


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Giants bounced by Blazers, then make a deal with B.C. rivals
Kamloops posts 4-2 victory, then takes Vancouver policeman Kale Kessy in exchange for Rob Trzonkowski
Dalton Sward of the Vancouver Giants swipes at a loose puck in front of Kamloops Blazers' netminder Taran Kozun during Wednesday's Western Hockey League action at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. The Blazers won 4-2.
Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann, PNG
The cellar-dwelling Vancouver Giants have a week remaining to assess their team before the Western Hockey League trading deadline puts an end to player deals for the 2012-13 season.
An extreme long shot to make the playoffs, the Giants (10-28-0-0) figure to be sellers on Jan. 10. The question for management is: how many veterans do they move and how many do they keep so their younger players aren't overwhelmed in the final two months of the season?
They moved one Wednesday night following a 4-2 loss to the visiting Kamloops Blazers as 20-year-old left-winger Kale Kessy was dealt to the Blazers for 18-year-old right-winger Rob Trzonkowski and a 2015 fifth-round bantam pick.
Kessy played 27 games for the Giants after being acquired from the Medicine Hat Tigers in mid-October for a fifth-rounder. He collected seven goals and nine assists during his Vancouver stint but, more importantly, acted as a policeman. At 6-3 and 202 pounds, Kessy created room for himself and his teammates and brought an element of toughness. (He has been suspended seven times by the WHL, most recently for 12 games while still in Medicine Hat.)
"I'm not worried about toughness," said Giants general manager Scott Bonner, whose brother Craig is GM of the Blazers. "We have enough toughness. Other guys will just have to play tough."
Kessy, a fourth-round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2011, is seeking a contract and Scott Bonner explained that was part of the Giants' motivation in dealing him.
"You try to show some compassion," Bonner said. "In Kessy's case, he's owned by an NHL team and trying to get a contract and the longer he plays this year, the more likely that is to happen. So if you want what's best for kids, sometimes you make those moves."
Kessy moved from worst to first in the B.C. Division and was effusive in his praise for the Giants and the opportunity given to him after his lengthy suspension.
"I'd like to thank the Vancouver organization, they're nothing but first class," he said. "They've been great to me. At the same time, I'm looking forward to going to Kamloops. They've got a really skilled team and I think they're going to go really far in the playoffs. I want to go there and try to help them win a championship."
Trzonkowski, listed at 6-2 and 198 pounds, has five points and 45 penalty minutes in 41 games. He is a native of Calgary and a good pal of Giants' defenceman Blake Orban.
Meanwhile, on the ice Wednesday, the Giants were done in by their special teams as the Blazers scored twice on the power play and once short-handed.
Coach Don Hay's skaters kept it close for 2½ periods before finally falling by the two-goal margin.
Orban and Trevor Cheek, with his fifth goal in four games, staked the G-Men to a 2-1 second-period lead but they could hold it, the killer goal coming with 51.7 seconds left in the second as Blazer captain Dylan Willick beat Tyler Fuhr short-handed.
Tim Bozon and Chase Souto then put the game away in the third with goals 1:29 apart.
Forward Jakob Stukel, the Giants' second pick in last May's bantam draft, made his WHL debut Wednesday. He's a 15-year-old from Cloverdale and normally plays for the Valley West Hawks in the B.C. Major Midget League. Stukel was a minus-1.
The Giants left immediately following the game for Alberta where they will begin a five-games-in-six nights road trip Friday in Red Deer. Their next home game is Jan. 12 against the Kelowna Rockets.
G-NOTES: Giants' rookie left-winger Taylor Vickerman served the first game Wednesday in a five-game suspension he received for a kneeing major Sunday on Prince George defenceman Joseph Carvalho ... The Blazers were without two players – winger JC Lipon (Canada) and defenceman Marek Hrbas (Czech) – who are at the world junior tournament in Ufa, Russia ... Dylan Willick returned to the Kamloops lineup after missing 21 games with a broken right ankle.
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun


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Estudios y perspectivas en turismo
versión On-line ISSN 1851-1732
AMORIM, Ericka; ANDRADE, Cyntia; FREDERICO, Nina y UMBELINO, Jorge. Tourist Cruises on the Douro and the Wine and Gastronomy Segment: A Proposal of Socio-Cultural Sustainability. Estud. perspect. tur. [online]. 2012, vol.21, n.4, pp.1050-1071. ISSN 1851-1732.
The "Gastronomy and Wines" is considered a priority touristic product in the Douro region. Furthermore, it is well known that tourism, despite the regional potential, is still quite irrelevant in this region social-economics' context. One of the possible strategies that could improve the dynamics of the segment "Gastronomy and Wines" would be to associate it to the "Cruises" segment. Additionally to the reciprocal added values and synergies that this association could bring, this could be a way of globally enhancing tourism in the region, bringing benefits in all contexts, social, economical and cultural. The aim of this article is to relate both segments "Gastronomy and Wines" and "Cruises" in the Douro, in a way that could help thoroughly think about the sustained increase in the regional tourism. Trying to identify the possible connections of this segment with "Gastronomy and Wines an analysis of the offer of Cruises in the Douro was made in this empirical survey. Afterwards, a relation of this activities carried out by the cruises that include "Gastronomy and Wines" will we made as well as suggestions to improve the already existent practices or develop new offers. Finally, the objective is that the output of this survey could contribute for the tourism in Douro region, promoting an increased competitiveness that could improve the quality of life of the local communities.
Palabras clave : Tourism; Gastronomy and wines; Development.


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This winter England were annihilated 5-0 by Australia in The Ashes down under. Australia were dominant in all areas but one of the main reasons for their victory was the form of paceman Mitchell Johnson who used his pace and aggression to blow away much of England's batting resistance.
Johnson is now concentrating on South Africa as Australia embark on a three match series that they hope will see them continue their recent form.
Previously Johnson had been inconsistent with his performances and had been ridiculed by some supporters for his erratic bowling. However, his form against England seems to have seen him turn a corner as he consistently bowled spells of high quality. Despite that I still had my doubts that his form could continue when he reached Africa.
However, Australia's first test victory over South Africa at Centurion witnessed Johnson simply blow away a batting line-up that is considered one of the best in the world. His hostile and accurate bowling secured Johnson his best test figures of 12 for 127 as Australia won by 281 runs to inflict a crushing victory on the world number one side at a ground that is considered a fortress for the home side.
Johnson's figures were the best by any bowler in Tests at Centurion. His first innings figures were 7-68 followed by second innings figures of 5-59.
Is there a more feared bowler in world cricket at the moment?
Johnson looks to have overcome whatever demons blighted his career and now, at 32 years of age, looks to be one of the most feared bowlers in Test cricket. Some of his deliveries were brutal particularly those to Hashim Amla, Ryan Mclaren and Faf Du Plessis. Those watching in the South African changing room would not be keen to walk out to face Johnson when he is one of those moods and they could be forgiven for thinking that.
The South Africans will be scarred by the manner of their defeat at Centurion and I don't think their wounds can be easily healed.
In such a short three test series South Africa will need to strike back in the second test starting on Thursday in Port Elizabeth. With Johnson in this mood I doubt whether South Africa can turn their fortunes around in such a short period of time and Johnson looks capable of firing Australia to back to back series victories which would have been unthinkable twelve months ago.
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Aston Hill DH Race Sponsored by Lezyne
"Over 250 racers signed on and bolted on their new number boards courtesy of Lezyne and hit the start line for just over two hours of practice before racing started at 11:00 sharp. Two race runs with the fastest time to count, all timed by old father time himself, Mike Gettleson of Mikrotime. Head down the track and amazing how many spectators lined the track from start to finish. Come those technical sections …."
Read the full article HERE.


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Contact the Host
LVL1 is a Louisville hackerspace.
LVL1's mission is to provide a shared space for collaborative technical and artistic experimentation in the Louisville area. We are a non-profit organization following the hackerspace model currently flourishing in cities all over the world. Our goal is to create an open workspace where engineers, artists and educators can meet and collaborate. LVL1 is where we begin making amazing things.


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August 16, 2013
The Navy's use of advanced biofuels could help spur private-sector investment, said Dennis McGinn, President Obama's newly confirmed assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations, and environment.
"The private-sector benefits are the military's ability to do some pretty good analysis, to manage risk, and to introduce innovative materials and innovative processes," said McGinn, who was confirmed by the Senate earlier this month before the congressional recess. "It significantly lowers the barrier of entry to new industries and new technologies."
From medical devices to space technology, the Pentagon has often been an incubator for the private sector. McGinn said he's going to work to make sure it's the same in the renewable-energy sphere, and especially for biofuels.
"It can have a catalytic effect for large consumers of transportation," said McGinn, who stepped down recently from his post as president of the American Council on Renewable Energy when the Obama administration courted him for this position.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, the Pentagon's de facto advocate for the military's adoption of renewable energy over oil, has set a goal of getting half of the Navy's fuel from alternative sources by 2020 and sailing a "Green Fleet" that runs on nuclear power and biofuels.
McGinn, a retired vice admiral of 35 years, said he hopes to take the debate over this program, which Republicans have criticized for its cost as the Pentagon faces budget cuts, beyond sound bites.
"There have been a lot of sound bites attributed to various folks on both sides of the Defense Department's biofuels program," McGinn said. "I'm hoping to take it beyond that to really some objective cost-benefit risk analysis."
He said when doing that for the biofuels program, the cost will be competitive.
"The Navy is on record saying that there are contracts out there to produce biofuels that are cost-competitive with petroleum, and that is going to be the big task that I'll be working on with the team," McGinn said.
Although Obama has focused on his climate-change agenda lately—he's vowed to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions via executive action—McGinn said the driving force behind the Navy's greening effort is not climate change but military strategy.
"Ultimately, it's to increase military effectiveness, combat effectiveness, and operational efficiency of military forces," McGinn said. "It's all about the mission. The other benefits, whether it's related to climate or what have you, are added benefits."
After McGinn's departure from ACORE, the renewable-energy group named board member Michael Brower as acting CEO. "The only downside of this change is I have to leave ACORE," McGinn said with a laugh.
Brower said in an interview that he hopes the search committee for a new CEO, which he is leading, will find someone by year's end.
"I'd hope this would be a great Christmas present to ACORE," Brower said. "There are some really great people who are interested. We are very proud and honored that they have expressed an interest."
He declined to say who has surfaced as a candidate thus far.
August 16, 2013


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|6 years ago :: May 19, 2012 - 12:14AM #1
There is a fashion nowadays in the West to naturalize Buddhism.
This book,
The Bodhisattva's Brain: Buddhism Naturalized
Owen Flanagan (Author),
is an example of such an attempt to naturalize Buddhism. The book review in the amazon.com site says the following:
If we are material beings living in a material world--and all the scientific evidence suggests that we are--then we must find existential meaning, if there is such a thing, in this physical world. We must cast our lot with the natural rather than the supernatural. Many Westerners with spiritual (but not religious) inclinations are attracted to Buddhism--almost as a kind of moral-mental hygiene. But, as Owen Flanagan points out in The Bodhisattva's Brain, Buddhism is hardly naturalistic. Atheistic when it comes to a creator god, Buddhism is otherwise opulently polytheistic, with spirits, protector deities, ghosts, and evil spirits. Its beliefs include karma, rebirth, nirvana, and nonphysical states of mind. What is a nonreligious, materially grounded spiritual seeker to do? In The Bodhisattva's Brain, Flanagan argues that it is possible to subtract the "hocus pocus" from Buddhism and discover a rich, empirically responsible philosophy that could point us to one path of human flourishing. "Buddhism naturalized," as Flanagan constructs it, contains a metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics; it is a fully naturalistic and comprehensive philosophy, compatible with the rest of knowledge. Some claim that neuroscience is in the process of validating Buddhism empirically, but Flanagan's naturalized Buddhism does not reduce itself to a brain scan showing happiness patterns. Buddhism naturalized offers instead a tool for achieving happiness and human flourishing--a way of conceiving of the human predicament, of thinking about meaning for finite material beings living in a material world.
What do you think of such attempts? Will Buddhism make sense even after subtracting the 'hocus pocus' (Karma, nirvana etc)?
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|6 years ago :: May 19, 2012 - 2:53AM #2
I guess this belongs to the Buddhism section.
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|6 years ago :: May 22, 2012 - 12:02AM #3
People like Flanagan are searching for meaning within a strictly materialistic model. The claim is that Buddhism minus the hocus pocus will provide the meaning of life. My objection to this line of thinking is that life can not have any meaning within a strict materialistic paradigm. What meaning can be found in the life of a child who dies young? For that matter, what meaning can be found in the lives of most persons? It seems to me that without a goal like moksha, there can be no meaning in life. I doubt very much if a stripped down Buddhism can help.
I posted this in the Hinduism section because many of my posts in the Buddhism section have been removed. I had also previously received emails threatening to stop my access to Beliefnet if I posted in the Buddhism section.
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|6 years ago :: May 22, 2012 - 4:00AM #4
Buddhism will not take root in the West until Western people are awakened by it. The Tibetan Schools of Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism have now made qualified Teaching available to Western people.
I read your experiences on the Buddhist board with some interest. I am not surprised. They only want to talk about Nirvana/NIbbana, or Mindfulness.
Hinduism is considered to be inferior.
When one refers to Househoders' Dhamma, they think it is popular Buddhism, and that the Householders are all ignorant, and unenlightened. They have no idea that if the Householders disappeared, then the Sangha would follow. The Buddha created the Householders' institution before the Sangha was created, for their support, food, clothing, shelter, and money.
I am a student of the late Dr Rewata Dhamma. He is a former Vice President of the World Buddhist Sangha Council. He also attended the Sixth Buddhist Council in Yangon for the establishment of the Theravadin Buddhist Scriptures. After passing the highest Theravadin examinations in Myanmar, he went to India to study Sanskrit, Indian Philosophy and Mahayana Buddhism at the Benares Hindu University.
He came to England in 1975, at the request of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa of The Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism to establish the Dhamma. All that is required is a small group of Buddhist Householders who can maintain a small Group of Bhikkhus [Monks] to live in accordance with the Vinaya [Code of Discipline], four to be precise.
He did rather more than that. He established Buddhist groups all over the western world. All of them have access to qualified Theravadin Buddhist Teaching; He built a peace pagoda which is housing relics from the cremated remains of the Buddha. He built a Temple [Vihara], and a Dhamma Hall which houses a small Buddhist university which is affiliated to the local university, whilst administered by a Buddhist university in Myanmar.
I think that this has a lot more going for it than Flanagan's stuff.
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|5 years ago :: Dec 07, 2012 - 10:25PM #5
gangajal and all,
This is in fact a very interesting topic to me. As an atheist/non-theist Westerner drawn to study Buddhism and its history, I must concede that my research to date has shown that, indeed, Buddhists have ever adapted Buddhism to incorporate or blend their local theistic and supernatural belief systems with the Dhamma. From the days of the Indo-Greek king Menander (a.k.a. Milinda) who decided that the Buddha was a deity a few hundred years after his death (prior to which Buddhists had regarded the Buddha as an ordinary human being), Buddhism had adapted to preexisting cultural traditions and religious beliefs as Mahayana spread to central and east Asia, and Theravada to southeast Asia. The Buddha himself originally set out to find a path to end the endless process of cyclical reincarnation, a belief inhereted from the Brahmanical culture he grew up in in ancient northern India.
So what Buddhism is doing now in Europe and the Americas is no different, imo. Buddhism has always been a mutable religion, ever adapting to the cultures it is adopted into. The Buddha's original problem was dissatisfaction and finding a way to cease it, and his teachings, it is claimed, work to reduce or even eliminate dissatisfaction. This fundamental goal has been adopted by Western secular Buddhists. One can even point to the Buddha's original teachings (e.g. the suttas) and see that his original message was entirely unconcerned with many of the supernatural and theistic beliefs which were in fact added to Buddhism over the many centuries of mingling with other cultural and religious norms. Except reincarnation, which as it turns out, is not a necessary belief for utilizing the Buddha's teachings for their stated goal: the cessation of dissatisfaction. The teachings simply work, in a demonstrable manner. Hence, atheists and theists alike can fully appreciate what the Buddha set out to do. Indeed, Buddhism has a history of reformation, where certain important figures have sought to strip away from Buddhism what is viewed as superstition or foreign to the religion, to restore it to a pure form.
On the other hand, there are a number of Western Buddhists who do seem somewhat oblivious to Buddhism's true history as far as incorporating various theistic and other supernatural beliefs. In their defense, I do not believe many of those I've encountered (here on Bnet and in person) are even taught about this past from their teachers. They are only given the teachings that matter to ceasing dissatisfaction in a pragmatic manner. I had to delve into Buddhism's history to find out about this myself, otherwise I'd have never known. Perhaps an element of only seeing what one wants to see is involved in this as well for some, as a number of Western Buddhists are former Christians who do not want to have anything more to do with supernatural "nonsense."
Ultimately though, I do not see how holding to theistic and other supernatural beliefs is important to the ultimate Buddhist goal.
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|5 years ago :: Dec 07, 2012 - 10:37PM #6
I think it is the promise of dissatisfaction's cessation that appeals to Western atheist/agnostic Buddhists, rather than finding an ultimate meaning in life. Meditation is shown to benefit one's state of mind in many ways; simply doing so can establish this for the practitioner.
But meaning is a relative term. Meaning is something humans as individuals bring to their lives. It is not necessary for meaning to be granted to them by an external being like God.
While utterly tragic, a child who dies young could be granted loving experiences by caring parents, relatives, and close friends of the family. Those who survive will be haunted by the pain whether we turn to dust after we die or go on. Likewise, we can still seek the goal of ceasing dissatisfaction regardless of what happens after we die. For this life, if not another or others, it remains an important process.
That sounds bizarre. I visit the Buddhism debate forum here and there and never spotted you doing anything that would warrant such an extreme response. It's supposed to be a debate board, in any case.
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|5 years ago :: Dec 09, 2012 - 11:55AM #7
It does not matter how Buddhism reacted to local systems like for example, Tibetan Bon, long after Buddha was dead. Buddha had to face various Indian systems during his time. How did he react to them? I have gone through some parts of Tripitaka and found that Buddha believed in the 33 Hindu Deities. He meditated under Gurus and attained the supernatural goals prescribed by those systems. Yes, he was not satisfied by those experiences in that he did not believe that these experiences were the end of the road. Nevertheless, it does not seem right to claim that Buddha's original message was entirely unconcerned with the supernatural or Deities. He accepted the existence of the supernatural and the Deities, probably from personal experience through meditation under then famous Gurus, even if he wanted to go beyond them. The fact that Buddha was searching for a path to end the endless process of cyclical reincarnation, a goal for all branches of Vedanta, seem to suggest that he was in fact a believer in the supernatural. It is not true that Hindus did not know about the path out of endless reincarnation. (There is no such thing as Brahminism; It is a pejorative term coined by 19th century colonial Indologists.) All branches of Vedanta agree that Chittasuddhi, purification of mind, is the minimum requirement for escaping from the endless cycle of reincarnation. The cycle is endless only for the morally impure.
It is simply not true that all supernatural beliefs have been superimposed on Buddhism centuries after Buddha's death. Buddha himself believed in supernatural things like Karma, reincarnation or rebirth, the 33 Hindu Deities, (what he thought to be) 'lower' meditative experiences.
What secular Buddhists are doing in the western world is to utilize what they think of Buddha's teachings for cessation of dissatisfaction. I agee that western Buddhists are only seeing what they want to see. I have no problem with that. They have the right to take what they want from Buddha's teachings. The reason for this attitude is most probably due to their dissatisfaction with the Christian teaching of blind belief. All I am saying is that I am skeptical if it is possible to end all dissatisfaction by stripping Buddhism of all supernatural elements since it is quite obvious Buddha himself did not do any such thing.
[[Ultimately though, I do not see how holding to theistic and other supernatural beliefs is important to the ultimate Buddhist goal.]]
It is not necessary to believe in either theistic or supernatural things. One should also not close one's mind to these possibilities provided these things are personally experienced. Some extreme forms of Advaita Vedanta like Ajatavada, for example, is indifferent to Deities. Nevertheless, the question of how can one completely remove all dissatisfaction in an imperfect relative world remains? A famous mantra in one of the Upanishads raises this question. It raises the question about how one can be completely satisfied in a relative world since all things come to an end in such a world? Only the Bhuma or the Infinite can permanently satisfy some one. The Infinite in the sense being used here can not be this relative world of our senses.
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|5 years ago :: Dec 23, 2012 - 6:29PM #8
I am aware of at least some of his experiences with gurus, but I am unaware of the 33 deities. I am interested in reading these suttas, might you recall which ones specifically?
From my own Pali canon readings, I've read through the Dhammapada several times over, multiple translations, and have read a number of suttas, though certainly not the entire canon yet. From those readings, I've seen not a clue that the Buddha was concerned with any deities; at most, referring to them in passing, in no more committed a manner as a modern athiest might say OMG.
I agree entirely. His postulation of the process as anatta (or anatman) merely redefined the meaning of reincarnation, rather than rejected it, despite modern secular interpretations which avoid supernatural connotations.
But believing in the supernatural does not necessitate a belief in deities. I am curious to read any suttas which suggest the Buddha did.
I apologize, I was not aware the term was pejorative. I've been studying world and Asian history lately and have come across the term without realizing it was not a favorable description. unfortunately, while Westerners like myself owe much to the 19th century translators, they did not entirely mask their condescension towards, or ignorance of, the East.
I do not know as much about Hinduism as you do. Thanks for the info.
Again, I agree about rebirth and karma, originally understood in a supernatural context by the Buddha and his early followers. I'd like to read the suttas regarding deities before ceding about deities however, as while I remain far from being an expert on the canon, I have read extensively on the subject nonetheless and have become fairly convinced the Buddha himself was likely not a theist, or was at least a non-theist.
To be honest, I think it is part of the human condition, to see what we want to see. From my studies, it's clear to me that throughout the world, regardless of the religion in question, the masses have tended to adopt teachings they like and discount what they do not, which depends largely upon preexisting cultural norms. The actual teachings of specific individuals tend to give way to what the masses find safe and appealing, it seems. That's not to say, however, that other wisdom does not emerge from these reinterpretations.
That is likely true of some ex-Christian atheist Buddhists.
Well, I tend to look at all of religion as the process of humanity's search for meaning and wisdom. Just because the Buddha himself didn't say something doesn't mean it isn't true. I do tend to favor the original teachings as Theravada traditions utilize, though I also find some Mahayanist concepts appealing, like emptiness for example, which strikes me as a very powerful truth that, to my understanding, came after the Buddha. Also, that one does not need to become a monk to become enlightened (a Mahayanist perspective). Humanity has the innate capacity to find wisdom, as the Buddha's story itself teaches us. So I am a fan of the idea that, if it doesn't make sense to me, I have the right to reject it; and if in the future that same thing does come to make sense, I am free to incorporate it once more into my philosophy and spiritual practice.
To me, it's all about the process. I think this holds true whether one believes in future lives or not. We may find it futile to end all dissatisfaction; perhaps you are right. But given we are here for a limited time, I think that's all we really can do, is begin and maintain the process - proceed towards more awareness than when we started. Should we die, at least we lived well, and helped other to live well; and should something more exist for us beyond death, then we have prepared ourselves as best we could.
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|5 years ago :: Dec 23, 2012 - 11:43PM #9
Thank you for your detailed reply.
I have given some references in the Pali Canon that mention 33 Deities and other Devatas:
(1) Sakkapanha Sutta:Sakka's Questions
A God consults the Buddha (Digha Nikaya 21)
(2) Mahasamaya Sutta: The Mighty Gathering
Devas come to see Buddha (Digha Nikaya 20)
(3) Kevaddha Sutta:About Kevaddha
What Brahma Didn't know (Digha Nikaya 11)
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|5 years ago :: Jan 20, 2013 - 12:37AM #10
Thank you so much. I have still not had the opportunity to sit down and get to these suttas, but I do intend to. I'll report back when I do. :)
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Arsenal fans, along with many football pundits, agree that Arsene Wenger must open his chequebook this month to buy a striker, if he hopes to end Arsenal's trophy drought this season.
Wenger broke the habit of a lifetime last summer when he spent big on the signing of Mesut Ozil but Arsenal fans are now calling for Wenger to spend again this January.
Arsenal have enjoyed a great first half to the season which includes qualification from a difficult Champions League group, a long run at the top of the Premier League table and victory over local rivals Tottenham in the FA Cup 3rd round, however questions over Olivier Giroud's ability to lead the Arsenal front line remain.
Giroud has scored 11 times for the Gunners this season but, with the majority of those goals coming in the first two months of the season, Giroud has struggled for form of late. Giroud's lack of goals along with the fact that Arsenal have only two recognised senior strikers in their squad has led to fans asking for the club to sign a new striker to rival Giroud.
Karim Benzema was linked with Arsenal in the summer transfer window but the move never materialised. Benzema has also been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks but this move seems highly unlikely, unless Real Madrid sign a big name striker themselves.
Wenger dismissed rumours of his club making a move for former Tottenham and Manchester United star Dimitar Berbatov earlier this week and the latest reports suggest Wenger is searching for a player who can lead Arsenal's attack in the long term rather than just a quick fix to the clubs striker problem.
Jackson Martinez of Porto has been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and her set the rumour mill alight in the last week when he revealed that he wanted to play in the Premier League and that he was a childhood Arsenal fan. Martinez is tall, fast and an exceptional finisher who would fit in with Arsenal's style of play.The only problems with this deal are that Martinez is valued at £30 million by his club and would be cup tied for the Champions League.
Diego Costa, the in-form Atletico Madrid striker, was rumoured to be Arsenal's main target this January but Wenger was quick to play down the rumours, saying that Arsenal couldn't afford the sum that Atletico would demand. It is widely believed that Costa's buy-out clause is £32 million, an amount which Arsenal could definitely afford, which has now lead to speculation that Wenger is playing mind games before making an approach, as he did before the summer signing of Mesut Ozil.
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