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This text was copied from Wikipedia on 1 December 2019 at 6:01AM.
George Hall (c. 1613–1668) was an English bishop.
His father was Joseph Hall. George Hall was born at Waltham Abbey, Essex, and studied at Exeter College, Oxford, where he became a Fellow. He became vicar of Menheniot and in 1641 archdeacon of Cornwall.[1][2]
Having been deprived of office under the Commonwealth, he became a lecturer at St Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange, and then vicar of St. Botolph's, Aldersgate.[3][4]
He was appointed to the seventh stall in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in 1660 and held this until 1662.[5]
He was appointed bishop of Chester in 1662. He was at the same time rector of Wigan, and archdeacon of Canterbury (from 1660). He died in an accident with a knife.[2][6]
- ^ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63712
- ^ a b Concise Dictionary of National Biography
- ^ https://www.fulltextarchive.com/page/The-Life-of-John-Milton-Vol-3-1643-164912/
- ^ John Jones, Bishop Hall, His Life and Times, Or, Memoirs of the Life, Writings, and Sufferings, of the Right Rev. Joseph Hall, D.D. (1826), p. 371.
- ^ Fasti Wyndesorienses, May 1950. S.L. Ollard. Published by the Dean and Canons of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
- ^ http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41379#n67
|Church of England titles
|Preceded by
Henry Ferne
| Bishop of Chester
|Succeeded by
John Wilkins


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About Our Site
MotoringOnABudget was formed to offer a unique reference point on advice and tips to save money on motoring.
In an ever-changing economic market, everyone is happy to be able to save money on some of the essentials in life. Driving has become a fundamental part of most individuals lives, so if the opportunity exists to save a few pounds here and there on your motoring costs, most people are happy to learn about it.
MotoringOnABudget originated as a central resource, written by experts, on how to save money when motoring. Although other sites offer practical advice on certain areas of motoring, there was no comprehensive area where you could find tips and advice on saving and motoring. MotoringOnABudget boasts numerous articles on a variety of subjects that can help you whether you're selling your car, planning trips, servicing, financing, fuelling or more.
It's amazing how many different ways you can reduce your motoring costs and our site aims to provide you with plenty of areas to research and is always welcoming of individual questions. If you'd like to know more about whether green cars can save you cash, or are simply interested in tips on saving money when buying fuel, MotoringOnABudget has all the answers.
If you're looking for the ideal site to find out all you can about how you can save money and still use your car, MotoringOnABudget is the place for you.
Our concern was that there was no single UK resource for interesting features and practical advice on this subject.
Our features and articles are written by experts - who have experience, or a particular interest in this area.
Our BackgroundMotoringOnABudget was founded by John Rowlinson, the founder of PtS.
John, through PtS, is involved in a number of ventures including software and property companies. A percentage of revenue from these activities goes towards funding MotoringOnABudget and a number of similar sites.
Our focus is simply on having experts create the highest quality information possible that is widely read.

subset: commoncrawl


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Clarkston Partners Fund
The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in equity securities of U.S. small- and medium-capitalization ("SMID") companies.
The Fund seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation while minimizing volatility and risk. To accomplish this goal, the Fund invests in companies that Clarkston Capital Partners, the Adviser to the Fund, believes to be of high quality and believes to be undervalued relative to their future growth potential. The Adviser refers to this investment philosophy as Quality/Value.
The Adviser defines high quality companies as those that meet certain financial, business and management criteria, which may vary over time. These criteria include favorable profitability metrics, sustainable competitive advantages and capable management teams.
The Fund is "non-diversified," which means that it may invest a significant portion of its assets in a relatively small number of issuers.
|Expense Ratio*
|as of 11/30/2019
|1 Month
|3 Month
|1 Year
|3 Year
|Since Inception1
|Founders Class (NAV)
|Russell 2500 Index
|Institutional Class (NAV)
|Russell 2500 Index
|Expense Ratio*
|as of 09/30/2019
|1 Month
|3 Month
|1 Year
|3 Year
|Since Inception1
|Founders Class (NAV)
|Russell 2500 Index
|Institutional Class (NAV)
|Russell 2500 Index
Performance data quoted represent past performance. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be higher or lower than the performance quoted. The expense ratios for each class of the Clarkston Partners Fund are as disclosed in the prospectus dated January 28, 2019.
*Clarkston Capital Partners, LLC (the "Adviser") has contractually agreed to limit the amount of the Fund's Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, exclusive of shareholder service fees, brokerage expenses, interest expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses, to an annual rate of 0.85% of the Fund's average daily net assets for each of the Founders Class shares and the Institutional Class shares. This agreement is in effect through January 31, 2020.
1Fund inception date of September 15, 2015. Since Inception and returns greater than one year are annualized.
The Fund primarily invests in companies with a market capitalization below that of the largest company based on market capitalization in the Russell 2500 Index. The Russell 2500™ Index measures the performance of the small to mid-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe, commonly referred to as "smid" cap. The Russell 2500 Index is a subset of the Russell 3000® Index. It includes approximately 2500 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership. The Russell 2500 Index is constructed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased barometer for the small to mid-cap segment. The Russell 3000 Index measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. companies representing approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market.
One cannot invest directly in an index.
Frank Russell Company ("Russell") is the source and owner of the trademarks, service marks and copyrights related to the Russell Indexes. Russell® is a trademark of Frank Russell Company. Neither Russell nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the Russell Indexes and / or Russell ratings or underlying data and no party may rely on any Russell Indexes and / or Russell ratings and / or underlying data contained in this communication. No further distribution of Russell Data is permitted without Russell's express written consent. Russell does not promote, sponsor or endorse the content of this communication.
as of 09/30/2019, subject to change
|Stericycle Inc.
|The Western Union Co.
|Willis Towers Watson PLC
|Legg Mason Inc.
|Brown & Brown Inc.
|Nielsen Holdings PLC
|LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
|CDK Global Inc.
|Molson Coors Brewing Co.
|Affiliated Managers Group Inc.
|John Wiley & Sons Inc.
|Hillenbrand Inc.
|Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc.
|Actuant Corp.
|Landstar System Inc.
|CH Robinson Worldwide Inc.
|Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc.
|Post Holdings Inc.
|Matthews International Corp.
|Change Healthcare Inc.
|Waters Corp.
|Markel Corp.
|Graco Inc.
|IAA Inc.
|Sabre Corp.
|Cash Equivalent
STCG - Short Term Capital Gains.
LTCG - Long Term Capital Gains.
ORD - Ordinary Income.


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Mrs Anna Liza Kyprianou – Spiliakou
Mrs. Anna Liza Kyprianou- Spiliakou has obtained her law degree from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in February 2014 while she studied as an Erasmus student at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Having successfully completed her year of practice as a trainee lawyer with our firm she was admitted in the Cyprus Bar Association in March 2015 then joining the firm as an associate lawyer. In September 2016 she graduated from the University of Leicester from where she obtained her Master's degree in International Commercial Law. Currently Anna Liza is a Ph.D Candidate in International Commercial Arbitration at the University of Leicester and she is also working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the University of Leicester.
Professional Experience
Trainee Lawyer P.N. Kourtellos & Associates LLC March 2014- March 2015
Associate Lawyer March 2015
Practice Areas
General Civil Litigation
Contract Law
Torts Law
Athens Bar Association
Greek (mother language)
Finnish (very good)
English (very good)
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Cambridge is a wonderful, interesting city and university town in the county of Cambridgeshire. Cambridge University was formed in 1209 by students who fled from the hostile townspeople of Oxford.
Ely is a Cathedral City in East Cambridgeshire and is the second smallest city in England. Ely is situated on the River Great Ouse and was an important port until the 18th century when the Fens were drained and Ely ceased to be an island surrounded by marshland and water that contained many eels.


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For most of us, getting good news to a loved one is as easy as a quick phone call or text. But what if your loved one is on a ship in the middle of the ocean? That's what happened to a local Ohio family who recently added a new family member!
The new father, who didn't yet know he was a dad, was a member of the U.S. Navy working aboard a ship that was out on the sea. How would he get the news? A member of his immediate family called the Red Cross and asked for help getting the word to him.
That's one thing the Services to the Armed Forces (SAF) division of the American Red Cross does. These Red Cross volunteers help service members and their families communicate in case of emergencies – which can be happy events, too!
The next day, the Red Cross called the new mom to check on her and the baby. They then called the hospital, confirming both the birth of the child—a son—and that both the mother and child were doing well. After everything had been verified, the Emergency Communication was transmitted to the ship at sea. The transmission having successfully been sent, the local Red Cross volunteer left a message with the family member to congratulate the rest of the family, inform them that the message had been passed along, and to ask if there were any additional needs.
The following day, the family member called back to let the Red Cross know that the service member had received the message and was able to make a call to the hospital. In a time of great excitement, the family appreciated the help of the Red Cross in getting the good news to Dad!
Some emergency communications are more serious, as when a loved one's death seems likely, or the individual has already died. In these cases, the service member's commanding officer may decide that emergency leave is warranted. The Red Cross is able to help the bereaved military person get back home.
These communications are just one of the many services SAF volunteers provide. They also offer pre – and post- deployment support to service members and their families and work at veterans' hospitals in non-medical roles. Services to veterans also include "stand-downs" at which homeless veterans can make multiple connections receive guidance in getting whatever help they may need.
As with all other Red Cross departments, most SAF staffers are volunteers. Whether you prefer to be out in the community or working in an office, SAF has a place for you if you want to help military personnel, veterans and their families. To volunteer, visit http://www.redcross.org/volunteer, where you will also find other volunteer opportunities.
Through its Services to the Armed Forces department, the Red Cross helps military families before, during and after deployment. Highly trained Red Cross specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help military and veteran families. You can call the Hero Care Network at 877-272-7337 or make a request online at http://rdcrss.org/HeroCare from a computer, tablet or smartphone.


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The modern human knows the feeling well – after a mentally taxing day, your free time suffocated by an endless list of small things that need done, places to go to, or documents to read – you sit back onto your couch with a beer and feel you've got nothing to show for your efforts except caffeine jitters. You didn't get as much done as you wanted, there's still so much to do …
It's a frustrating lifestyle, but one that's become accepted – if you really want something, you've got to produce, deliver, execute, grind. The actions we make are reduced to utilities for our getting ahead, and something feels lost in this process.
Seattle based hip-hop group Common Market, who I fell in love with during my stint home over the winter, seems to offer a reaction to this in the track 'Push':
Suffocated by the pressure to perform
And the pressure to produce
and the pressure to conform to the norms
Animated by the pressure to succeed
And the pressure to succumb
and the pressure to believe in a cause
Predicated on the pressure to accept
And the pressure to explain
and the pressure to perfect
What is inherently flawless, in all this
Recognize your right to push back…
So if we're not all chasing success, then what the hell are we doing here, right? What are we doing going to college and working jobs and trying to do something with ourselves?
As I chatted today with an acquaintance, who is a literature scholar from New Zealand, I expressed to him my frustrations about never feeling like I had anything to show at the end my day, after the hours of class and readings:
"I know," he said to me, "You don't have a house, or a table that you built." He paused and then tapped his temple, "But you're building up your mind, and your spirit."
Then he headed off to the library.


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(ABC News) — A train carrying Republican members of Congress to a legislative retreat collided with a vehicle in western Virginia Wednesday morning.
The train crashed in Crozet, Virginia, about 15 miles west of Charlottesville.
The crash involved an Amtrak train carrying legislators who were traveling to The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. The train appeared to collide with a truck transporting garbage.
The train carrying GOP members to our retreat had a collision, but Rebecca and I are both okay. Security and doctors on board are helping secure the scene and treat injuries.
– Rep. Bradley Byrne (@RepByrne) January 31, 2018
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump was monitoring developments of the accident.
"The President has been fully briefed on the situation in Virginia and is receiving regular updates," she said in a statement. "There is one confirmed fatality and one serious injury. There are no serious injuries among members of Congress or their staff. Senior Administration officials are in regular contact with Amtrak and state and local authorities. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone that has been affected by this incident."
Photos taken in the aftermath of the accident showed a metal container that appeared to have been on the truck on its side next to the train with debris strewn throughout the area alongside the tracks.
A number of lawmakers tweeted about the crash in the aftermath, sharing pictures and noting that those aboard the train were generally uninjured. Amtrak later confirmed that there were no reported injuries to passengers or crew members aboard the train and the National Transportation Safety Board said it was "gathering information" about the incident.
I am on the train, but I am okay. https://t.co/wmOjatHw9S
– Rep. Don Bacon (@RepDonBacon) January 31, 2018
The cause of the collision was not immediately known.
The train carrying GOP members to our retreat had a collision, but Rebecca and I are both okay. Security and doctors on board are helping secure the scene and treat injuries.
– Rep. Bradley Byrne (@RepByrne) January 31, 2018
The status of those within the truck was not immediately clear, but Rep. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., an obstetrician, tweeted that he was helping those who were injured. Several lawmakers tweeted that they were praying in the aftermath of the accident.
The GOP retreat was set to begin Wednesday and Vice President Mike Pence was scheduled to address the gathering at 7 p.m.
President Donald Trump was expected to attend a two-hour lunch with the group on Thursday.


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Special service of process services in Sea Cliff includes delivering Subpoena's, demand letters, order and serving lawsuits to people and businesses located in Sea Cliff as well as throughout New York. Process Service fees in Sea Cliff are fair and we guarantee results. Our statewide New York process services are performed by local process servers who are familiar with most locations. A.C.E Process Servers provide prompt and efficient services you can depend on, Guaranteed.
To discuss or confirm service of process of your documents or plan the delivery of your subpoena in Sea Cliff or anyhwere in New York please call or email us for an immediate response. Call, firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Travel Information
Kenya Tourist Information -- Travel Tips -- About Kenya Travel
Some of the international airlines operating into Nairobi include;
Qatar Airways
KLM (daily)
SN Brussels
Air india
Emirates airlines
The list here is a guide line on some of the direct international or connecting flights to Nairobi and Africa. Contact us for flight arrangements.
Baggage space on safari is restricted to one medium suitcase or holdall per person, plus hand baggage (private safaris where there are less than 7 persons in the vehicle are not subject to this restriction). Visitors to Treetops and the Ark are asked to take overnight bags only; suitcases can be left at the base hotel. Hotels will normally store baggage at no extra cost. Baggage can also be stored at Sun Trek offices. A baggage weight restriction of 15 kg per person applies on air safaris. Where very small aircraft are used this maybe reduced to 10kg.
Hard currencies can be exchanged in cash or travellers cheques at banks all over the country, at forex bureaus in Nairobi and at most large hotels. US Dollars and Sterling Pounds are most acceptable and will cause the least delay. As a norm, always ask what commission and charges will be deducted first and prior to transaction. Banks are usually open from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm, Mondays through Fridays and from 9.00 am and 11.00 am on Saturdays.
VISA, MASTERCARD and AMERICAN EXPRESS are widely accepted for tourist services. There's usually a 5% mark-up on top of the price as establishments are charged a fixed percentage of their transactions.
Since rules concerning disease prevention change from time to time, a check should be made with the nearest Kenyan High Commission, Kenya Tourist Office or any airline flying scheduled services into Kenya. Malaria is endemic to most parts of Kenya and intending visitors should start taking anti-malarial tablets before departure and continue taking them for the prescribed time after their return. Insect repellents should be made use of after dusk and suitable cover up clothes should be worn in the evenings.
Membership of the Flying Doctors Society is strongly recommended. In event of accident or sickness while on safari, the society will fly patients by air ambulance to Nairobi for admittance to hospital. The current cost for 1-month membership is US$ 25 per person.
Drinking water from the tap must be considered risky. Hotels and lodges usually furnish safe water in a thermos flask in guest rooms. Bottled mineral water is available in every hotel and supermarket.
Normal precautions as in any other destination world-wide should be taken. Visitors are advised not to leave cash and valuables in their hotel rooms but to make use of safe deposit boxes and safes. One should never carry large sums in cash and women should keep a tight grip on handbags in crowds or busy streets. Jewellery snatching is quite common in city streets. As in all major cities walking alone or in small groups at night should be considered a hazard and avoided. Reliable taxis are available at all the principal hotels. Taking photographs at airports, near military installations, of policeman, the president, the national flag, the State House, state lodges, soldiers, prisons and prisoners etc., is prohibited. Before photographing local people, permission should be obtained and a fixed price agreed. Seek the assistance of your driver/guide in this matter.
Both mains electricity and generated supply in lodges provide 240 volts AC 50 cycles. Most large hotels and some game lodges provide shaving points with 110v 50 cycles. Sockets are normally three pin and of the 'square' variety.
Although hotels and lodges include a service charge, it is customary to tip porters, waiters, taxi drivers and safari drivers/guides.
Kiswahili is the lingua franca while English is the official language. In addition, most tribes have their own language.
Keeping in touch by mail and telephone is generally easy. Direct overseas dialling is possible from major centers and increasingly from remote places such as game lodges. Call home bureaus are in plenty in Nairobi as are the Cyber café for e-mail and Internet access.
Kenya has two main ports of entry by air: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. Located 16 km from the city center. Moi International Airport, Mombasa. Located 12 km from the town center. Mombasa is the main port of entry by sea.
International Airport departure tax equivalent to US$ 40 per person is payable on departure from the International airports. A local airport service charge is also payable on departure for domestic flights. As this varies from country to country, please check with us on the prevailing amounts payable prior to your flight departure.
Major stores, tourist services, offices and museums open from 8.00 am to 5.00 PM in large towns though offices often break for lunch. In rural areas and out in the bush small shops can be open at almost any hour. Souvenirs to take back home can include wood and soap stone sculptures and carvings, ciondos (sisal baskets), beadwork and tribal regalia, masks, textiles and gemstones set in unique jewellery pieces.


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Summer Chapels
This week around the Diocese
Visit the "Praying around the Diocese" page to learn more about two year-round congregations and three summer chapels. This week check out (and pray for): St. Saviour's, Bar Harbor; St. Bart's, Yarmouth; St. George's, Tenants Harbor; All Saints, Southport; and St. Cuthbert's, MacMahon Island.
Make way for summer: All Saints by the Sea in Southport makes ready for the season
Around the diocese committees governing summer chapels are organizing work crews, preparing bulletins and posters, and filling last minute clergy vacancies. On Southport Island All Saints by-the- Sea has the additional task of confirming with Bill Campbell, Captain of the Novelty out of Pier 8 in Boothbay Harbor, the time of departure that best serves…


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I had no idea that you could get a pink trampoline, but you can. Not a colour I'd go for even if I only had girls, but at this price I probably wouldn't care too much. Argos has put the Kid Active pink trampoline and enclosure in its clearance at eBay for £53.99. Delivery costs £3.99. That's almost half price on £119.99.
The trampoline has a strong, sturdy frame made from galvanised steel, and zinc coated, long lasting springs for optimum bounce. Its safety pads are made from weather resistant material, and it comes with a durable but soft jumping mat.
The Kid Active Trampoline is in pink and lilac. The site recommends that you set this on level ground, so not suitable if you have a sloping or uneven garden.
The trampoline measures 200cm high, 182cm wide and 182cm deep. It has a maximum user weight of 60kg, and recommends only one user at a time. All trampolines say this and it does make me laugh. How do you keep all the kids from jumping on there at once? I know they have to, to cover themselves. But still.
The site also contains those words that strike fear into many parents' hearts - assembly is required. Recommended for ages 3 to 10 years.
Thanks to Andy000 at HUKD!


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With lush island aromas of tropical beaches and zesty lime, Coconut Revolution's hand-poured soy wax Coconut and Lime Candle is ideal for fruity fanatics who want to bring a little bit of paradise to their home.
These babies are one hundred percent soy wax and hand-poured into organic coconut shells. The wax blend is from the finest combination of delicious fragrances and essential oils. Most importantly, the candle is vegan friendly and cruelty free!
Burning time: approximately 20 hours


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Targeted to aesthetic doctors and dermatologists who need a powerful and versatile consultation tool. Provides a full set of features including wrinkles, textures, pigmentation & redness visualisation and measurement.
Developed at the Physics Department of Trinity College Dublin, Antera 3D® is a unique product in many ways.
Versatile and rich in features. The only camera that can accurately measure wrinkles, texture, scars, skin color, redness and pigmentation. It provides a full overview of the skin at a touch of a button, allowing you to visualise and quantify a wealth of skin parameters.
Fast and portable. Image acquisition takes less than a second. Full analysis and report generation is done in less than 90 seconds. Unlike most competing products, Antera 3D® is easy to carry around and to use on any body part.
Measurements are highly accurate, with a ± 5% error – best available. Software assisted image comparisons show before-and-after treatments efficacy and enable progress tracking.
Field of view: 56x56mm
Resolution: 0.1mm
3D Depth Resolution: 0.01mm
Accuracy: ±5%
Connection: USB
Net weight: 0.5Kg
Power supply: 110-240 VAC/50-60 Hz
Absorbed power: 1.4VA (standby), 6.2VA (operating)
Targeted to aesthetic doctors and dermatologists who need a powerful and versatile consultation tool. Provides a full set of features including wrinkles, textures, pigmentation & redness visualisation and measurement.
Ideal for aesthetic doctors and dermatologists who want to make the Antera 3D an even more effective analysis/consultation tool. It provides enhanced volumetric measurements suitable for atrophic/hypertrophic scars, dermal filler injections, etc. It further includes an additional tool for pores analysis.
Targeted to cosmetic laboratories, manufacturers and research organisations that require a research-grade instrument for skin analysis. Includes (1) extended multi-spectral analysis (2) advanced volumetric, colorimetric and topographic features, and (3) enriched data export capabilities.
Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP
OS X 10.11 (El Capitan), 10.10 (Yosemite), 10.9 (Mavericks).
Antera 3D® offers a powerful and easy-to-use new technology for Aesthetic Medicine. Find out how Antera 3D® can help you in your practice today.
Miravex provides cosmetic manufacturers, contract research organisations and laboratories with a versatile and accurate camera for claim support and efficacy studies.


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1. Mosquitoes, Fire Ants, Wasps, and Hornets
Notice I didn't say anything about bees. Yes, they sting, but they also pollinate flowers, so they can stay.
2. Sweating
This is gross, but I really don't like to sweat. It's one thing when you're running on the treadmill, giving it 110%, listening to the Rocky theme song. It's another when you've just gotten a shower, straightened your hair, put on makeup, and it's 95 degrees outside, so you sweat your makeup off, your scalp gets moist and gross, and you have to change clothes even though you just got dressed. (And when you're fat, this problem is even worse.) UGH. Another reason summer in Alabama isn't always a good time.
Also, I'm self-conscious about my sweaty hands. I avoid handshakes and hand-holding, and that makes me sad. :(
3. Inconsiderate, Loud Neighbors
I've lived in three different places my entire life. Strangely enough, the quietest place was at my college dorm in Mobile at the University of South Alabama.
At my parents house, it's barking dogs. And I don't mean 3 annoying little shih tzus who won't shut up. No. My parents live next to an insane couple who think it's their job to "rescue" all the dogs in the universe. It's like 101 Dalmatians over there. Our last count was 27; those are the ones we can see outside. Who knows how many they have inside. And they're in the city limits, so there's not much space. All these dogs are kept in a fence, some in smaller pens, all squished together. Not sure how that's any more humane than the shelters they were coming from...but yeah. There's always dogs barking. Always. And let me tell you, going outside is a nightmare.
Now at the apartment, we live under a d-bag (sorry; know nothing else to call him that fits so well) who likes to sit on his front porch, get drunk, and blast Van Halen throughout the complex. His stereo is apparently in his living room, so he'll turn it up really loud and leave his front door wide open so he can hear his tunes nice and clear out on his porch while he downs a six-pack. For us downstairs, OMG. It is sooo loud. I'm not exaggerating when I say our pictures shake on the walls. When the music is at its loudest, if you sit in the furniture in our living room, the seats will literally vibrate beneath you. This happens about two or three times a week. We pay the same rent he does. We signed the same lease he did (which plainly included a noise ordinance). Yet he gets to have a party for one, and we're stuck putting in headphones and waiting for him to go to bed.
4. On that note, Loud People in General
The ones who complain because I'm so quiet. The ones who accuse me of being shy, and continually pick on me because of it, when in reality, I just don't have anything to say to them because we have nothing in common. How do I know we have nothing in common? I don't need to open up and have a conversation with them; they blab everything about themselves to anyone in a half-mile radius.
You know absolutely nothing about me, but I know how many guys you've slept with, where all of your tattoos are and what they look like, that your favorite shows are Teen Mom, Toddlers in Tiaras, and Duck Dynasty, where you like to go deer-hunting and mud-riding, how many times you've seen Kenny Chesney in concert, and that one time, you had C. diff and got diarrhea in Fred's while you were wearing a thong and a miniskirt and it made a HUGE MESS. UGGGGHHHHH.
My dad always told me, "An empty tin can rattles." Think about it. If you don't get it, you probably need to shut up.
5. People Who Hate You Because You're Pale
No one around here gets it. People have actually offered to pay my membership to a tanning salon. They've said about my legs, "Ah! You're blinding me!" There's this one janitor at work that walks by my office every day and says, "You gonna get outside today? You need to get some color in that face." Okay. How is that not racist?
The "nicer" people tell me all about self-tanners that don't have the risk of cancer that tanning beds/laying out do. But I still refuse to do that. In fact, I wear sunscreen every day, even though I work in an office. I just don't understand why I should have to change my skin color. I already have to pluck, shave, and dye my hair. Put on lotions and makeup to make my face look acceptable. What is wrong with my skin color?!?
And BTW, throughout 97% of all history, the fairer your skin, the more beautiful you were considered. It was a mark of high status. Wealth. Royalty. That changed only recently in the 1960's.
6. Live TV
I get really irritated by commercial breaks and those pop-up ads that take up half the screen. When we had cable, I got spoiled by the DVR. You could fast-forward through commercials. Now we watch our shows only on Netflix and Hulu (and Hulu is annoying with it's two thirty second ads each commercial break). Netflix is really the way to go.
7. Traffic
Pretty sure everyone is majorly annoyed by this one. I stress out and turn into a crazy person in congested downtown areas of big cities. Even on the lonely country roads I travel on my way to work, it seems like someone always comes out of nowhere and rides my bumper, even though I'm usually speeding a little bit myself. Just pass me, dang it.
Ever seen I Am Legend? That's how I wish the roads were. (However, I guess that'd mean the end of the world. :/ ) So maybe I just need a flying car like the Weasleys' Anglia. That'd be nice.
8. Grammatical Errors
1) Hey, how are you? It was really great to see you the other day.
2) hey tator tot how r u? it was real good 2 c u da other day
I'm sorry, but one of those is not going to be taken seriously.
9. Political Discussions
This should be much higher on the list, but I didn't think of it until now.
Another reason I think I was born in the wrong time- I often wish it was still considered impolite for people to discuss their political views. I think it's impolite, but no one else seems to share this feeling. Who you vote for is no one's business; that's why it's called a private ballot. Hmmmm....
Where I live, my personal views are quite unpopular, so I keep them to myself. Meanwhile, 9 out of every 10 people I'm around openly attack the party I associate with, bash the president, and boldly proclaim their own views, assuming everyone they encounter agrees with them. Every now and then, I'll take all I can take, and let them know I disagree. But I usually just stay out of it, because I've lost friends over this in the past.
Someone actually refused to speak to me when she discovered my political leanings. She continues to ignore me to this day. Ridiculous. I don't hate you because you think differently than I do. I don't agree, but I get it. I do hate when you continually degrade me for my convictions, when you keep trying to change me. Why can't we all just agree to disagree, leave politics behind us, and focus on the things we do have in common?
Sadly, I think this list was a lot easier to make than the Ten Loves. Time to go play The Glad Game.


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It's been mentioned here before, that 2005 was sort of like the preamble to the current era of the Mets. Although they were billed as "The New Mets," a phrase brought to us by Carlos Beltran, they were really a mixture of the junk leftover from the Phillips/Duquette regime (and Mike Piazza) and the new faces that Omar Minaya had brought in to try to create some excitement following several down years. The team had some bright new faces, but an overabundance of question marks and several holes, particularly in the right side of the infield and the bullpen (sound familiar?). Too many band-aids were used in favor of actual tangible solutions, and though there were some tantalizing moments, the Mets would ultimately fade out at the end of the season. As usual, this capsule was written shortly after the Mets were eliminated from the Wildcard race, and is presented to you unabridged and unedited. Current comments in italics.
With the Mets now officially eliminated, and the season coming to an end in a few days, and with all the e-mails flying around, it is now time for me to offer for the consideration of you all my annual Mets Team Capsule for 2005.
The 2005 Mets were uneven at best. There were hot streaks that were short-lived, and cold spells that came and went. The team hovered around .500 all season, basically living up to the expectations placed before them. Thing was, just about everyone else in the NL was hovering as well, and so the Wildcard never slipped too far out of reach. The team played well at home, although rarely in games that El Guapo and I went to, and poorly on the road (I believe my record for the season was 7-11. Far too often, it seemed, I would be going to games where the Mets just showed up because the schedule said they had to). But they always kept it interesting. And then they went to Arizona and San Francisco, and the bats lit up and the pitching was holding together, and all of a sudden, we were looking at meaningful games in September…And then the bottom fell out just as quickly (If you recall, the Mets went to Arizona in late August and absolutely pasted them in a 4-game sweep where they outscored the D-Backs 39-7. They came home and beat Philly on a late Castro HR, and were closing in on the Wildcard, and then they basically just fell apart). But just when it looked like the Mets would unravel completely as they did in the Uncle Art years, the Mets pulled it together and kicked some teams like Florida and Philly in the nuts, so that at least they wouldn't get to the playoffs either (This was scant consolation, but at least Willie made sure they played out the string).
Overall, you have to think that they performed as expected. We didn't think much more than .500, but then the team did just enough to entice us into believing there could be more. But that didn't happen. There are still holes in the team that need to be filled, and questions that need to be answered before the team can make The Leap. The offseason will hold quite a bit.
Now, the part you've all been waiting for:
Willie Randolph – C+
Maybe I'm being a little tough on Willie. After all, it was his first year, and overall, he did OK. But that's all he did. OK. He kept the team together, and they all played for him. But he showed his inexperience as a manager, and I think it was an issue most of the season. He botched the double switch in Cincinnati, he never got fired up, he insisted on keeping the same lineup, burying Wright down in the order most of the season, and don't even get me started on the Bullpen. I do not, however, overlook the importance of how Willie got the team to rally around each other all season. It's key, and hopefully the nucleus of the team will continue to grow together and the new parts will meld. But next season will be telling as to whether or not Willie will lead the team to the next level. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. (As we would see, Willie was able to lead the team to the next level in '06, but it seemed like once he got there, he forgot what he had done to get him there. It's unfortunate, but Willie never really was able to finish the job he started.)
Mike Piazza – B+
In all honesty, we couldn't have expected much more from Mike this season. The years of catching have caught up with him, and as we learned from Gary Carter, once you fall off, you don't come back, especially as a Catcher. But through it all, and through the uncertainty surrounding where he'll be next year, Mike performed as he always had, with class and dignity and he still came up with a few big hits. And, guess what, he leads the NL in HRs and RBI by a Catcher.
With all that said, and again, we don't know whether or not he'll be back next year, but it is indeed time to take a step back and look at Mike's place in History with the Mets and over his entire career. You can't help but think about how May 22nd, 1998 will go down as a monumental day in Mets History, as the Mets acquired Piazza, and in turn, Piazza became one of the most important and beloved players the team has had. In addition to putting some fear into a lineup that, at the time, had Butch Huskey as its big power threat, he also brought credibility and excitement to a team that had spent most of the 1990s in a fog. And although in 1998, the team fell short, Mike was convinced that he wanted to spend the prime of his career in New York, and with the Mets. And in 1999 and 2000 he put the team on his back and carried them, willing them to wins time and again, battling through a thumb injury in the 1999 playoffs that likely would have put him on the DL had it not been the postseason, and though he struggled, he nailed a HR off Smoltz in the 6th game that erased deficits of 5-0 and 7-3, tied the game, and extended the game (and we don't need to discuss the end), only coming out when he physically could not play any further. And remember how frustrated he was when that series ended? He ended up getting in his car and driving around the South for 3 weeks just to clear his head from all of it. And in 2000, he was the driving force behind what would be the hottest team in Baseball throughout the Summer, deserving of an MVP before a September swoon. But he rebounded in the playoffs, blasting a couple of key HRs vs. St. Louis, and leading the team in a victory lap around Shea Stadium when they won the NLCS. Or perhaps his most poignant moment, the HR against Atlanta in the first game back after 9/11. I remember being at that game and how the crowd went from listless to jubilant with the crack of his bat. Sure, 02, 03 and 04 were bad years, and Mike battled through a lot of injuries, and an ill fated position switch, but Mike kept his date with destiny when he broke Fisk's HR record for Catchers and extended it through this season. (I'd lionized Piazza even back then. I had a feeling that too many people in my circle had gotten down on him after he'd had a few down years, but you can't ever overlook what he meant to the team. He made the Mets important again.)
I guess you could name them on one hand, impact players that took the Mets to another level. Guys like Seaver, Hernandez, perhaps Strawberry. Maybe Mike didn't bring home a Championship, but even falling short, he couldn't have brought us much more. Truly the greatest Met we have ever seen, and someday soon we'll see his #31 hang in the left field corner in Shea. (This was, of course, when Bankruptcy Field was but a gleam in Fred Wilpon's beady eye.)
Ramon Castro – A
Castro shined all season in a backup role, and came up with a number of clutch hits. But he struggled offensively when he was pressed into a starting role. I wouldn't count on him as the full time starter next year, which is why I'm a fan of, if Piazza will re-sign for a reasonable price, having them split time at C. Solid D all around. Also wins the award for the largest head in Mets history (This was before he'd proven himself incapable of staying healthy for a full season.).
Mike DiFelice – Because the Mets needed to fill their dirtbag thug quota for the season. Fortunately, he never played.
Doug Mientkiewicz – D
I'm disappointed. I really expected Dougie to have a better season. But his average was in the low .200s all season, although he did pop a few HRs here and there. His D was solid, but not the spectacular level he displayed in Minnesota. Also griped a little bit late when he was losing playing time, although he really didn't deserve it (The playing time, not the lack thereof). Won't be back.
Miguel Cairo – C
Cairo was great off the bench, but really spit the bit in a full-time role. He was able to cover it up playing in a loaded Yankee lineup but he was pretty bad and inexplicably continued to hit 2nd in the order. Even worse was his propensity to swing like he was trying to hit the ball off the Whitestone Bridge. We need a better full time 2B, but he'll be good off the bench (Not sure where I was going with this. Cairo was .251/.296/.324 for the season and consistently looked terrible at the plate. I know he started because Matsui was either hurt or terrible, but even then, I can't believe I advocated keeping him after this season).
Kaz Matsui – F
Forget it. I worked with a fellow from Japan over the Summer, and when the show was over, I asked him if he could take Matsui back to Japan with him.
Jose Reyes – B+
As Fran Healy beat into our heads all season, "THE NEW YORK METS 22 YEAR OLD SHORTSTOP IS CREATING ALL KIND OF EXCITEMENT!" He really did too. Healthy for the first time in his career, Reyes was a major sparkplug, turning doubles into triples, and singles into doubles with his speed. Still needs to learn to work the count more, but I see no reason why he can't do this. Also improving on Defense. If he can raise his walks and keep stealing bases, I don't think we have to worry about SS for a while. Actually, either way, I don't think we have to worry about SS for a while (We've since seen the best and worst from Reyes. He proved he could work a count, but this is a habit that seems to desert him at inopportune times).
David Wright – A-
The new face of the franchise. Period. Although his defense was spotty, he did tail off a bit late, and he took a number of good pitches, which only helped to solidify his reputation as a great 2-strike hitter, Wright's first full season has to be regarded as a resounding success. Hit well over .300 for most of the season, over 20 HRs and close to 100 RBIs at age 22, and moronically buried at 6th or 7th in the order for the majority of the season. Has an uncanny ability to adjust to the situation while at the plate, and absolutely hammers mistake pitches. Once he matures, he'll certainly hit higher in the order and a lot of those 2Bs will turn into HRs. Also plays defense with a reckless Lenny Dykstra-esque abandon, and will throw himself into the stands if he has to. He's already the best pure hitter on the team, and you know he's only going to bust his ass harder to get better as he continues. As I've said before, he stands a very good chance of breaking every meaningful Mets offensive record by the time he turns 30. I wouldn't bet against him (I still wouldn't bet against him. He got his 100 RBI that season and has done so every year since. The numbers continue to go up, even if his failures have become more and more spectacular.).
Marlon Anderson – B
Lots of clutch pinch hits early on, plus a monumental inside-the-park HR off of Rodriguez in June. Fizzled out a bit when he, like Castro, was pushed into the starting lineup on a regular basis, but another one I really like coming off the bench (So they let him go and he was middling with Washington and LA. They brought him back in '07 and it was like he'd never left. So they retain him for '08 and he was horrible. Bottom line: What the hell do I know?).
Chris Woodward – B+
Woody was very much like Anderson. Came off the bench and played very well, and reminds us all of Super Joe, except that he can hit a little bit more.
Jose Offerman – D
El Guapo and I were at a game against Atlanta in July, and with Wright on 3rd, 2 outs, Atlanta up 3-2 and the pitchers spot coming up, we expected a pinch hitter. George says to me, "Who's #35?" I reply. "Jose Offerman." I then see him walking to the plate. "GOOD GOD, JOSE AWFULMAN!" Jose promptly shut me up by nailing a single to tie the game. That was pretty much it for Jose, who stuck around and played far more often than he ever should have been allowed to. Bonus points for pulling the idiot play of the season and running back to first on a rare Kaz Matsui single against Washington, with the crowd yelling "GO, GO, GO," and El Guapo and I gouging our eyes out (That play might have been one of the single worst things I've ever witnessed on a ballfield. Matsui hit a clean single up the middle, so Offerman ran back to first and was thrown out at 2nd by 30 feet. That summed up the 2005 Mets.).
Mike Jacobs – A-
Sweet Swingin' Jacobs came up and lit everyone on fire during the week in Arizona. Then he came back to earth and Willie then decided we would all be better off with the platoon system of Marlon Anderson and Jose Offerman at 1B, while Jacobs sat the bench. Finally, he played and did well again. Unless we get a bigtime gun at 1B, Jacobs deserves a real long look there (IE dealing him to Florida for Carlos Delgado). He's going to play winter ball and work exclusively at 1B to improve his defense. I like his future (Still do, but he's another 100K season away from becoming a left handed Dave Kingman).
Brian Daubach – This would be the equivalent of the Red Sox calling up Roberto Petagine to solidify their bench. I wouldn't trust Daubach to solidify anything except maybe a bowl of jello (Someone in my circle was really upset by this remark, and gave me a long speech about how Daubach could help the team, he just needed the chance to do so. I'm still waiting.).
Anderson Hernandez – I'd like to say he could go somewhere with the team except that Willie seems to refuse to play him (He did go somewhere. That somewhere was Washington).
Carlos Beltran – C-
True, the expectations on him were ridiculously high. And true, there was no way he was going to hit like he did in the Commie AL and in Houston and their ballpark on steroids. But still, Beltran never put together a solid offensive string. He showed signs of breaking out of it, and then would go 0-4 the next night. His clutch hits were too few and far between, and all too often, he would look meek in key spots. However, I point to one past case where a marquee player came to the Mets, struggled in key spots in his first year, pressed a lot, and was booed. He then came back the following year, settled down and posted a few monster seasons in a row. That was Mike Piazza. Maybe Beltran won't put up Piazza numbers, but I'd be shocked if he didn't rebound in a big way next season. Then again, I still have Baerga/Alomar nightmares…(He's been OK since then.)
Cliff Floyd – A-
Cliff is like the Corey Dillon of MLB. For years, Dillon was stuck as the lone good player on some awful Cincinnati teams and complained about it. He got a rap as a headache. Then he went to New England, won, and was highly regarded as a great clubhouse presence. Cliff is the same way. Injuries and bad teams over the past couple of years led Cliff to voice his displeasures. But healthy for the first time in years, and hitting at an unconscious pace early on, and Cliff won everyone back. True, he probably hit his ceiling this season, and true, he was very streaky, but now we know what he's capable of if he's healthy and protected in the lineup (notice how he hit a lot better with Wright behind him as opposed to Piazza/Mientkiewicz/Shemp) (Turned out that this was really Floyd's last hurrah. He was injured in '06 and by the end of the season looked like he was pretty much past it. Still, I was pretty sad to see him go and part of me has to think that he could have at least matched the production we got from Moises Alou, and probably would have played the same number of games.).
Mike Cameron – B
Mike had some marginally productive months in a season bookended by injuries, and ended by the ghastly collision in San Diego. He started off hot, then cooled, but he kept his strikeouts down, and performed well hitting out of the #2 spot. Still, may be the odd man out in a crowded OF, and could very well be dealt. But I wouldn't be too upset if he were back (Cameron was dealt for Xavier Nady in November in what was essentially a salary dump and by Opening Day 2006, I'd actually forgotten that he was ever with the team. That's how much of an impression Mike Cameron made on me in his 2 years with the team.).
Victor Diaz – B-
I'm not 100% sold on Diaz yet. He reminds me a lot of Pedro Cerrano from Major League. He will absolutely hammer fastballs, but he can't hit a damn breaking ball to save his life, and he has a knack for showing some horrendous bat control. And playing full time, this was exposed to the point of embarrassment. Started off on a tear, but after a few weeks, pitchers caught up to him, and then he bounced up and down, and rotted on the bench for a while until Cameron got hurt. This may also have been a problem as he never really got a chance to work out his problems. Also, suspect in RF, but as the season progressed, and once it was determined that he would indeed play RF for the long term, Diaz's defense improved vastly over the latter part of the season, so that rather than gasping and covering your eyes on a fly to right, now, you merely just hold your breath. He should work on it in the offseason, and I agree with Gabe, once he knows that he's going to be at a single position for a full season, and can relax, I think the full package will come around. The key for Diaz's future is learning plate discipline and not throwing his bat at sliders off the plate. Once he does this, he certainly has some major upside (I really had a major hard-on for Victor Diaz. In retrospect, I'm not sure why.).
Eric Valent – Finally, management wised up and got rid of this lunkhead. I wish him luck in his future career in the car wash profession.
Gerald Williams – Ice man back with a brand new edition…
(And we brought him BACK?????????)
Pedro Martinez – A
No, he wasn't the dominant badass Pedro like he was in 99 and 2000, but we knew he wasn't that pitcher anymore. I'll admit, when the Mets signed him, I was very skeptical, but Pedro won everyone over pretty quickly with a blazing hot start and although he mixed good outings with bad, he would every so often whip off games like he did in LA and late in the season against Atlanta just to let you know he could still do it. He can't throw 90 anymore, and on his bad nights he'll barely crack 80, but so-so Pedro is a hell of a lot better than a lot of guys best stuff. And he is often symphonic on the mound because he's such a smart pitcher, and he will often invent pitches on the spot, and throw them for strikes. His record would have been better, but half the time he got no run support, and the other half, Willie took his stupid pills and pulled him too early and the bullpen blew wins for him. Any talk of his imminent demise was obviously premature and I see no reason why he won't be the same next year. Another big bat and a better bullpen and he wins 17-20 easily (Or he gets hurt. I still maintain that this was a risk/reward signing that the Mets had to make at the time.).
Tom Glavine – B
Languishing at midseason, Glavine somehow managed to reinvent himself and become a productive starter again. For the first time in as long as I've been watching him, Glavine actually IMPROVED in the 2nd half. Some early season bombings may still leave him with some ugly numbers, but for the most part, he pitched well and kept the team in a number of games, usually falling up short because of a lack of offense (a recurring theme).
Kris Benson – C-
Well, Kris made me look pretty brilliant early on with a string of great outings, and then for some reason inexplicably hit a wall in the 2nd half and made me look really stupid. For most of the season, I expected, and usually got a solid outing, 7IP, 2-3runs, 6-7 hits, 5 Ks, and a win. Then he just got hammered routinely in August and September. I don't know what happened. Maybe Anna stopped putting out for him (I think it's safe to say that the Mets have gotten the better of this particular divorce.).
Victor Zambrano – C-
I think we can all say definitively now that, whether or not Kazmir does anything, that this was an absolutely asinine deal. When Zambrano pitched at Shea, they would play U2s "Vertigo" when he warmed up. And it was fitting, because he would give you vertigo every time he pitched. He was like Doug Sisk as a starter. He would get an out, walk, another out, a hit, and then one of two things would happen: He would get the strikeout, or he'd give up a long hit. And you could never be sure which. It's like a passion play. You know that eventually, the shoe will drop. BUT, he willingly accepted a move to the bullpen, and never griped about it. But 10 minutes with Saint Rick Peterson was obviously not enough.
Aaron Heilman – A
Saint Rick went right with this one. Heilman came into the season as a major question mark, and will come away from it as either a future closer prospect or a fine mid-rotation starter. He changed his arm angle and somehow managed to resurrect his career. Also went through a long stretch in August and September without allowing a hit. Idiotically buried in the bullpen for most of the season, but he made the best of his opportunity and was actually one of the few people I could trust coming out of the bullpen (See, there was actually a point in time when Heilman was someone we wanted to see coming out of the bullpen. But remember, he also threw a 1-hitter as a starter that year, too.).
Kaz Ishii – F
Was there some earthly reason he was allowed to make 16 starts this season? Seriously. He would throw 4 shutout innings and then give up 6 runs in the 5th on a routine basis. And yet guys like Seo and Heilman were allowed to languish in no-mans land while this joker was throwing meatballs (I'm still steamed over those 16 starts.).
Jae Seo – B-
A true reclamation project, Seo basically came out of nowhere and reverted into the good Seo of 2003, and strung together a number of great outings. Before we get too excited though, remember that he tailed off late and he also shit the bed badly in 2004 after some success in '03. I'd pencil him into the rotation, but he's on thin ice (Seo would return as Duaner Sanchez in 2006. This worked for about half a season, but in reality, the deal was a wash.).
Roberto Hernandez – A-
A- simply for lasting out the season and pitching really well at age 63. After forgetting he was even in the league, he really carved out a niche for himself and had a great, solid season as a setup man. Still, I don't know how much he has left, so we'll see what next year holds, but with the way the bullpen looked at the beginning of the season, anything we got was gravy. And he gave us the gravy, the stuffing, the dressing, and the whole turducken (wait, I'm slipping into Madden-speak. Someone shut me up now).
Braden Looper – F
Successfully managed to combine the agita of the John Franco-era 9th innings with the slow sinking feeling of the Armando Benitez 9th innings. Also successfully became the first man in recorded history to blow 2 saves in one game. And this man had the audacity to come trotting into games with Trevor Hoffman's "Hells Bells." Wow. I mean, seriously. Wow. He made Benitez look kinda good (This is why we don't pitch hurt, kids. Further galled us with his behavior following the '06 NLCS) .
Heath Bell – C-
Pretty good mixed with embarrassingly bad and not much in between (Bell is similar to Dan Wheeler in the sense that Mets fans like to get all indignant because we gave these guys away and they turned out to be good in their new destinations. What we forget is that these pitchers were HORRIBLE WHEN THEY PITCHED FOR THE METS! Bell was 1-3 with a 5.59 ERA, 56H and 13BB in 46.2IP. Does this sound like the kind of pitcher you want on your team?).
Mike DeJean – F
Manny Aybar – F
When I found out he made the club, I smashed my head into my desk repeatedly for 10 minutes. You can still see the scars (I really did, too).
Jose Padilla – A
A for being amazingly reliable coming out of the pen, which was a breath of fresh air considering the dreck that was routinely being trotted out there. Also wore ridiculous yellow goggles which you have to love. I'd like to see him as a key setup guy next year (One of those "whatif" guys. He had a good head for pitching and it was kind of a shame that he kept getting hurt. I think he would have been useful.).
Dae Sung Koo – F
Takashi Kashiwada would have been better than this dunce.
Steve Trachsel – B
B because he came back from a nasty injury and fought his way into a crowded rotation. Fizzled out with some bad starts but also had some good once. Probably won't be back but I wouldn't mind having him as a back end of the rotation guy.
Danny Graves – F
There was an article in the Mets program in July or August about how happy Graves was to be in New York, and how he was looking forward to being a key part in a playoff push. We're still laughing about that (This was a testament to just how bad the bullpen was in '05. Minaya was so desperate for someone who could get guys out on a regular basis that he was bringing other teams castoffs. The sad thing is, if he'd done that in '08, it might have made a difference.).
Royce Ring – C
I guess he was OK, but again, he never pitched. I don't know what he is.
Jose Santiago – How'd he end up here?
Mike Matthews – Huh?
Shingo Takatsu – His most memorable moment with the Mets was when Seaver referred to him as "Shinjo Takatsu."
Felix Heredia – I would like to thank Felix for getting hurt and missing most of the season, and therefore sparing me from having to deal with him all season, because we all know Willie would have trotted him out there no less than 70 games had he been healthy, and good lord I don't want to think about what that would have been like.
Tim Hamulack – See Royce Ring.
Really, there are two major holes. The offense needs a major bat in the middle of the order, and the bullpen needs to be fixed before I shoot myself in the head. The rotation is fine, I think we have 6 or 7 quality arms to work with. We know that Pedro, Glavine and Benson will be back, so Seo, Heilman, Trachsel and Yusmeiro Petit, and maybe even Gaby Hernandez (who did throw a no-hitter in A ball this season) deserve looks for the remaining 2 spots. Heilman, as I mentioned, could also be a closer candidate. I do not under any circumstances want to see Billy Wagner signed here. That is a disaster waiting to happen (For the most part, I was way off on this assessment. When Wagner came into the game on Opening Day in '06, El Guapo turned to me and said, "So, this is what it's like to have a real closer.).
We'll likely need a Catcher, unless, as I hope but will probably not happen, Mike Piazza returns. I agree that Hernandez is a good option, but not a great one, he'd likely do no better than solidly balance with Castro. Any of the Flying Molina Brothers would be the same. But if this is the best we can hope for, so be it.
There is a lack of sexy free agents as a whole this offseason, so there will probably be several trades to be made. Shore up 1B, 2B and C on the offensive side. Everywhere else is fine. Retain the key bench players (Anderson, Cairo, Woodward). I still like the idea of bringing in Furcal at 2B, he and Reyes would be one fun 1-2 punch. 1B is a bigtime question mark. I like Overbay, but he looks very pedestrian if you take him out of Milwaukee and especially put him in Shea. He'd still likely hit a lot of 2Bs. If Durazo is signed I will react in a similar fashion to Manny Aybar and my head cannot take that kind of a beating anymore. True, Konerko is available, and I like him, but I don't like the idea of sticking a hitter like him in Shea. A deal would likely have to be made, but again, please don't do anything stupid. If we can get a player the caliber of a Soriano or Manny, which I have the feeling Minaya is probably going to push for, I would not complain.
Finally there is the Bullpen and this area was so blatantly and egregiously neglected last season, which is why the pen looked like an old sock at the beginning of the season. This cannot happen again.
True, my observations are terse and rehashed, and I'm not offering much in the way of solutions, but this is the state the Mets find themselves in. There are always holes, but for some reason, this season the way to fill these holes is not as blatantly obvious as it has been in the past. I'll say it again. Just don't do anything stupid or reactionary. Keep the key pieces in place and we'll go from there…I hope.
(It was a lot easier to look to the Free Agent market for solutions. I really didn't know who, if anyone, would be on the trading block, and for the most part, the 2006 Mets were built on several shrewd and smart trades, where Minaya took spare parts and prospects and turned them into the pieces that would carry the 2006 Mets to the Postseason. Wagner was really the only big-ticket FA brought in; guys like Delgado, LoDuca, Maine and El Duque were brought in by trades. Otherwise, Omar basically just struck gold with a lot of non-tendered guys like Valentin, Chavez, Bradford and Oliver. Whatever it was, Omar found that right mix in '06. But to this point, the Mets haven't been able to build on that season's accomplishments. In fact, looking back on it now, it seems like the Mets have basically come back to where they were in 2005: A hole at Catcher, Question marks at 2B and RF, and Bullpen issues that border on embarrassment. )


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Ceramic Services Names Giraldi Sales Manager
August 16, 2002
Ceramic Services, Inc. has appointed Susan C. Giraldi its sales manager. She has long been associated with ceramics, having served as president of Philadelphia Pottery Supply, Inc. for 15 years. According to Cameron Harman, Jr., president, Giraldi brings with her a strong business background as well as a great deal of knowledge about dealing with clients.
The company's website is located at http://www.kilnman.com.


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Ghoul King
Free Shipping!
Leading sorties into the graveyards, the Ghoul King sends his zombie and ghoul masses to collect the flesh demanded by their appetites. With his flaying knife, he takes his time collecting trinkets from the battlefield, whether they be rings, patches of clothes, or the occasional skull. He is one of the few undead with some memory of being human, before being twisted into this brutish beast.
32mm Base
32mm Ghoul King resin model
Supplied unassembled and unpainted


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Holiday home décor and warm fires in the stove are meant for each other – just make sure they keep their distance! Be smart about fire safety this season, especially if you have a holiday tree in the same room as your hearth. The U.S. Fire Administration says that while indoor tree fires aren't common, when they do happen, they're serious. Here are tips for keeping your home safe.
Tree Placement
When choosing that perfect spot for your holiday tree, make sure there's a lot of space between it and your stove. It doesn't matter if your hearth burns gas, wood or pellets – it makes fire, so keep the tree a safe distance away.
Stockings hung by the chimney with care – No!
As tempting as it might be, don't hang stockings anywhere near the hearth. They are flammable. Period.
Artificial tree? Choose it carefully.
When buying an artificial tree, make sure it is rated fire resistant. All types of trees will burn if exposed to flames, but trees that are manufactured in this manner will resist fire and extinguish faster than those that are not fire resistant.
Water – more please!
If you've chosen a live holiday tree for your home, be sure to water it every day. Home heat really dries trees out fast, and they can become fire hazards. Keeping the water reservoir full at all times will not only keep your tree hydrated, but happier too. And everyone loves a happy tree!
Waste – Not in the Hearth!
Don't ever burn wrapping paper or cardboard boxes in any kind of hearth. The paper materials can escalate out of control and cause a flash fire.
For more information about preventing holiday tree fires, visit the U.S. Fire Administration's website here.
From all of us at Harman, enjoy a safe and happy holiday season!
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Helpful (31)
first you have a telephone screen with a recruiter. Then you have a phone screen with Hiring manager or some dev. After that, you will be brought onsite and interviewed by a group of engineers.
Helpful (3)
I applied through college or university. The process took a week. I interviewed at Microsoft.
Sent in resume during career fair. Soon got a email to set up on campus interview within a few days. Asked a few questions about previous projects and a few technical questions.
Interview Questions
Helpful (20)
I applied through a recruiter. The process took 4+ weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft (Redmond, WA (US)) in September 2014.
To be hired Microsoft has two stages.
Initially you will be provided with a phone interview (30 mins) or On-Campus interview. You may be asked a technical question. Be prepared to answer questions related to your background/projects.
I passed this stage and in about a week I was notified that I will be moving on to their on-site interview in Redmond. I was given about a months time between the phone interview and my on-site.
Depending on your process, you will either be going to Microsoft Building 111's recruitment event where you are cycled through 4 interviewers between you and 10 - 20 other candidates, or meeting with a recruiter and then going to another building to interview where you will have 3 - 5 interviews, including a lunch interview.
This time I was selected to interview with 3 - 5 people in the Office team. You are not given your team beforehand. The team you are interviewing with may also not be the team you end up working with.
The problems are algorithmic in nature and you are expected to test and clarify requirements. Each interview is about an hour long and between each interview you will be taking a break while the interviews discuss among each other about how you did.
From what I have understood each interviewer has a hire/no hire decision. If you receive 2 no hires out of your first 3 interviews, your day may be cut short. When you reach the 5th interview, (s)he is the hiring manager and ultimately has veto power.
For me it was a rather discouraging experience. I made it to the 5th interview. I felt I performed very well, giving them optimal solutions, and struggling with only 1 and a half of the 6 problems I was asked, but ended up solving them optimally in the end. However, I received the discouraging call later that week that I would not be hired. It didn't make sense to me and I tried to reflect on how I could have done poorly being very familiar with technical interviews at this stage. I felt that what I had to nitpick with myself what I performed weakly on. The most discouraging part is how they will not tell you anything aside from apply back next year. At this stage I'm not even sure how to improve since I do not think I am technically lacking and I did not believe I came off rude or obnoxious during the interview. Just my luck.
Interview Questions
Helpful (3)
I applied online. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft.
Applied online from their site and heard back to set up interview within the week. Interview was mostly about background like most challenging problems faced or projects that I have worked on. Asked how you would test simple objects to make sure that they worked.
Interview Questions
I applied through a recruiter. I interviewed at Microsoft in October 2014.
Emailed about on-campus interview following the career fair at my school. Interview was 30 minutes long, but mine started a little late. Asked about my previous internship experience, and then focused on the technical question for the majority of the interview. Finished up by allowing me to ask a few questions about his position at Microsoft.
Interview Questions
Helpful (1)
Applied in school Career Fair; scheduled the interview one week later; the first round is on campus interview. only 30 min. It began with several questions on my previous projects. Then I was given a very traditional question on string manipulation. I can only use C++ to answer. I didn't do well as I was feeling bad that day. I think I was and still am on the waiting list.
Interview Questions
I applied online. The process took 2+ months. I interviewed at Microsoft in February 2013.
One phone interview from recruiter, then onsite interview and there was four interviews onsite, most of the questions were programming related,one question on past projects. All interviewers were nice but after performing good, i felt i am getting the job, but at they said that they are sorry!
Interview Questions
I applied through college or university. I interviewed at Microsoft.
First was the phone call with HR. Getting to know me and other logical questions.
Interview Questions
Helpful (1)
I applied online. The process took 2+ weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft (Seattle, WA (US)) in November 2011.
There is phone interview first. It helps people in each side to know other better. Candidate also gets chance to ask about details about the work.
Then there is onsite interview with 3-4 rounds. Candidates are asked about algorithm, coding, design questions. Algorithms are not so hard, but need some thinking to come out good solution. Candidates are asked about understanding about programming language and database.
If everything goes good, candidates will see the hire manage at last. Then wait for 1 - 2 weeks for the offer.
Interview Questions
Helpful (7)
I applied through college or university. The process took 5 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft (Redmond, WA (US)) in May 2013.
I first applied for the position while a recruiter was at my college for a job fair event. After that, I was contacted about a month or so later and scheduled a phone interview (or rather an online phone interview). The phone interview was all business, no personal questions. The interviewer asked me to start writing something that seemed somewhat simple, in whichever language I preferred. After a sufficient amount of time coding and asking questions (roughly 45 minutes) he had me stop and asked a couple of questions on my thought process in coding the answer. I was contacted a few days later and asked if I could fly out for an interview. I accepted and went to their headquarters in Washington.
The day starts relatively early, around 9:30AM and goes "until you're finished". The basic process is they hand you the location of your first interview, either walk you there or get you a ride there, and continue handing you off between Microsoft employees that you will potentially be working with. Usually each person asks you a couple of personal questions and at least one coding question. Some people may seem like they're ignoring you or acting strangely around you, but I believe that's all part of the interview process. Asking questions is a vital part of the process, as they want someone who is willing to understand something from top to bottom before they attempt to write code for it.
As some other reviews have said, towards the end of the day you may or may not meet with your fifth interviewer in the event that they may "be busy". Whether or not this is truly an indicator of your progress, I'm unsure. All I can say is I interviewed with four out of five people and did not receive the offer. Fortunately, I heard back the very next day, so there wasn't too much anticipation.
Interview Questions
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Getting Started with Fusion 360 Surface Modeling
By Matt Perez
Course info
Course info
Have you ever struggled to create complex Class-A surfaces in SolidWorks or Inventor? Getting your complex surfaces to do what you want as a designer can often be frustrating. This course, Getting Started with Fusion 360 Surface Modeling, will first cover the patch and sculpt workspaces. Next, you'll learn some best practices with Surfacing as well as the limitations so you don't design yourself into a corner. Finally, this course gives you strategies for manufacturing parts with complex surfaces. After completing the course, you'll be comfortable tackling even the most complicated Surfacing Designs. Software required: Autodesk's Fusion 360.
Section Introduction Transcripts
Course Overview
Hi everyone, my name is Matt Perez, and welcome to my course Fusion 360 Unique Design. I'm an applications expert at SolidBox, providing CAD consulting and training across the country. Now, Fusion 360 is an amazingly versatile 3D CAD platform that's currently taking the world by storm. In this course, we're going to learn a bit about the unique approach to part and assembly modeling in Fusion 360. Some of the major topics that we will cover include body only files, component files, distributed design, and exploded view animations. By the end of this course, you'll have a solid foundation with Fusion 360 and be on your way to creating your own amazing products. Before beginning the course, you should be familiar with Fusion 360, but it is laid out in a way that the topics are arranged from easy to more difficult, so anyone can follow along. I hope you'll join me on this journey to learn Fusion 360 with the Fusion 360 Unique Design course at Pluralsight.


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Clean URLs in Perch
For Runway see the Runway configuration documentation under Routing.
As Perch runs on lots of different types of web server, the default examples don't require any sort of URL rewriting to work. That's fine, but if you do have URL rewriting available (such as mod_rewrite on Apache) it's often desirable to clean up the URLs.
These instructions show you how to do that using mod_rewrite for Apache servers. SitePoint also has a great mod_rewrite guide which may be useful to read if you're new to URL rewriting.
Create an .htaccess file
If you don't have one, create a file with the name
.htaccess (staring with a dot, and no file extension) at the top level of your site. File names that begin with a dot are usually hidden, so you may need to enable your software's setting to show hidden files.
Add the following to your file
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine on
# rules go here
Next, we going to add a series of rules to match incoming URLs and remap them to our real file paths. These will go at the point in the file I've marked
# rules go here.
Rewriting post URLs
If you're using our example pages, you post detail page will have a URL like this:
But perhaps we'd rather have a URL like this:
To do so, add the following rule to your file
RewriteRule ^blog/([a-zA-Z0-9-/]+)$ /blog/post.php?s=$1 [L]
Save the file and your post should now be accessible from the new URL. You now need to update your site to make sure that the links point to this new URL.
On the Settings page in Perch, find "Blog post page path" in the Blog section. Set its value to:
If using the Sections functionality, you might want to include the section slug
Now, wherever you use
<perch:blog id="postURL"> in your templates, the new URL will be used.
Preview URLs
Once URLs are rewritten, draft post preview is achieved by adding
/preview to the end of your URL, so remember to add a rule for that. You should rewrite it to add the query string argument
preview=all to the URL.


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I know what you're thinking (you might not realize it, but I can read minds through internet connections *makes spooky sounds*). You're thinking, 'I thought that March was one of those month with 31 days in it. Hey, wait a second, this is some odd type of April Fool's joke that you're trying to play on us, and you're doing it a day early, to boot! I remember how you used your Net Worth Update last April to fool us, and you're not going to be successful this time!'
Well, that's a darn good memory you have there, hypothetical dedicated reader. Yes, last year I did try to have some fun using my monthly Net Worth Update, and that's actually why I'm doing this year's April Net Worth Update a day early; that way, there's no thought in anyone's mind that I'm trying to trick you again. Besides, I don't know about you, but I think it's a bit lazy to do the same joke two years in a row; trust me when I say that if I do something for April Fool's, it'll be more creative than that. *Mwahahaha!*
On that note, let's see where my finances stand at the start of April, 2012 (or the end of March, if you insist):
Kind of a rough month, all in all. My investments showed decent growth (although, the foreign funds took a bit of a hit), but I'm pretty sure that before too long, that will have to slow down. I have about as much in my savings as I did at the start of March, which is pretty nice. It's the credit cards that are a bit rough. The American Express is about the same (although, since it's nearly maxed out and I rarely use it, that's not saying much), but the Mastercard is climbing up there as well. Granted, most of the charges on the Mastercard this month have been health related (or paying for a dorm room/meal plan now that I live on campus; that's nearly $2000 right there) but still, not what I was hoping to see. There is one plus in all of this (well, besides my investment growth): My Alexa score is as low as it's ever been, and I'm definitely starting to see the effect of that popularity on my blog and my blog income. Speaking of which:
Alright, the alternate (aka, mostly blog) income is pretty low, mainly because I spent most of March unable to get much done (and then scrambling to get caught up when I recovered). Add in the fact that I only include things like Adsense in the month I receive the payment (next month will be a pretty decent one, by the way), and a $0 alternative income total shouldn't be that shocking. As mentioned above, this month has also been hell when it's come to credit cards, hence the credit card paydown going in the opposite direction I was hoping. At least I'm still keeping up with my monthly donations (although even there, I'm falling a bit behind).
Clearly I need to make some improvements. Still, when I consider that I could be in much worse shape physically (I try not to even think about what would have happened if I had my seizure while driving, rather than while being in the lab), a few monetary hiccups don't seem so bad. Here's to having a rising net worth to report next month!


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Jennifer Schubert-AkinCEOJennifer Schubert-Akin is Chairman and CEO of The Steamboat Institute, an organization she co-founded in 2008. Jennifer is a graduate… Read More
Ericka AndersenSenior Digital ConsultantEricka Andersen is a Senior Digital Consultant to the Steamboat Institute. She is currently the Digital Media Director at… Read More
Erica ArguelloSpecial Events CoordinatorErica has over10 years of experience in creative event planning and hospitality management. She began her career working in hospitality… Read More
Jordan BruneauCommunications DirectorJordan Bruneau is the communications director at the Steamboat Institute. He has worked at Berman and Company, an award-winning communications… Read More
Amanda CordsenGraphic DesignerAmanda has a background in fine art and over 12 years of design and marketing experience ranging from agency work… Read More
Angela LieuranceSenior Development ConsultantAngela S. Lieurance connects people to get big things done. To that end, she is "the other half" of the… Read More
Kelly SeimSpecial Events CoordinatorShortly after graduating from the University of Colorado in 2004, native Kelly returned to her alma mater to begin her… Read More


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True Forgiveness Acknowledges the Debt and Releases the Offender
Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place?"
–Genesis 50:19
True forgiveness acknowledges that a debt exists. You see, wrongs create an obligation. A traffic violation results in a fine. Negligence results in a lawsuit. Sin results in eternal death. In Romans 6:23 Paul said, "The wages of sin is death." A wage is what you earn for your deeds. Now, most of the time wages are a positive thing. But the wages of sin is death. Whenever you sin against God or others, you create a debt that you owe God and that other person. Wrongs create obligations. So you have to acknowledge what it is that you are forgiving–what is that debt you are letting go of–before you can forgive.
We see this in the story of Joseph. Joseph told his brothers in Genesis 50:19, "Do not be afraid." He was saying in effect, "You have every right to be afraid. I have every right to kill you because of what you did to me." Before you forgive somebody for the wrong he has done to you, I encourage you to calculate what that person owes you. "Because of your affair, I should divorce you." "Because of your negligence, I should sue you." "Because of your action, I should prosecute you." It is almost impossible to let go of a debt that you have not calculated.
True forgiveness also releases our offender of their obligation. Only after we have identified the offense and the debt can we let go of it. There needs to be a time when we release the person of the debt he or she owes us. Joseph illustrates that in Genesis 45:10 when he said to his brothers, "You shall live in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children and your flocks and your herds and all that you have." By not giving his brothers what they deserved–death–and instead giving them what they didn't deserve–life in a new land, a new beginning–he was formally releasing them of the debt that they owed him. The same thing is true for you and me when we forgive. There needs to be a time when we say to God and ourselves, "Today I am letting go of the debt."
If there is somebody you need to forgive, say something like this to God: "God, You know what this person did to me and the effect it has had on my life. You know they deserve consequences for what they did, but today I am letting go of those consequences. I am going to let You settle the score with them. I want to be free so that I can get on with my life. Help me to let go of this offense, to forgive them in the same way You have forgiven me." Once you have done that, turn to the flyleaf of your Bible and write the words, "Today I forgave this person of what they did to me because of the forgiveness God has extended to me." Sign it and date it. And when you are tempted to relive those hurts, go back to your Bible and remember what you did on that date. Forgiveness is a formal transaction in which we let go of a debt that is legitimately owed to us.
Today's devotion is excerpted from "Granting the Gift of Forgiveness" by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2015.
Scripture quotations are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.


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If you are searching for a London brass band to play in or hire, look no further! To hear us play, listen to a few short music recordings from concerts and rehearsals. New players at all levels are welcome. Rehearsals take place on Wednesday Evenings at the Crystal Palace Museum from 6.30pm for the 'Progress Band' and at 8.00 pm for the 'Main Band'. Let our Secretary know if you plan to come.
Do visit our Vacancy Page.
Christmas Concert
Come to hear us at Beckenham on Saturday 14th December 7,30 PM
Click for details
Six O'clock Brass
Read about a new ensemble for beginners to start in January 2020


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New Zealand
Swim with the Dolphins
Price from £46 per person
With the warmest water in New Zealand, the Bay of Islands is the perfect choice for your swimming with dolphins experience. A unique opportunity to get up close and personal with these beautiful marine mammals. Swim with the dolphins (conditions permitting) and see the abundance of marine mammals and wildlife the Bay of Islands is famous for. The modern high speed luxury catamaran is purpose built for dolphin and whale watching and offers easy access to the water, hot showers, and underwater cameras.
"Dolphin Discovery IV" is a high-speed yellow and black catamaran that is purpose built for dolphin viewing and swimming. It has great outdoor observation decks and side-opening windows for viewing from the comfort of the cabin. The guides are some of the most experienced in the Bay and will educate and ensure you get the most from your adventure. There is also a stopover at Oteheu Bay on Urupukapuka Island on the return journey.
Valid 01 April 2012 - 31 March 2013
Months: 20-31 Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, 01-09 Apr
Days: Daily
Duration: 4 Hours
Starts: 08:00 (Paihia) 08:10 (Russell)
Ends: 12:00
Starts: 12:30 (Paihia) 12:40 (Russell)
Ends: 16:30
Months: 10-30 Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, 01-19 Oct
Days: Daily
Duration: 4 Hours
Starts: 09:00 (Paihia) 09:10 (Russell)
Ends: 13:00
Duration: 3 Hours (without Urupukapuka Island stopover)
Starts: 13:30 (Paihia) 13:40 (Russell)
Ends: 16:30


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Gear up for the Season Finale of Rock & Roll Road Trip as Sammy Hagar heads West to LA! Sammy joins his good friend Adam Levine of Maroon 5 as they hit the road in Adam's Ferrari. Then, Richie Sambora stops by Conway Recording Studios for an intimate performance with Adam and Sammy! All of this and more on Rock & Roll Road Trip Sunday, August 13th at 9/8c!
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Tags: Adam Levine, AXS TV, Richie Sambora, Rock & Roll Road Trip, Sammy Hagar
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House with high ceilings
After a couple of days in Santorini we where heading for the next stop – Athens. We decided to take one of the night ferries from Santorini to Athens, which wasn't the best of experiences. When booking the tickets from home, I remembered my backpacker days in my youth when I was boat hopping in the Greece archipelago as a fun and pleasant memory.
With the experience I had from this trip I wouldn't do it again, to be fair, this was a night trip without a cabin. We shared space with all other locals in a closed restaurant. People was smoking inside and children was playing loudly and the draft from the constantly unclosed door gave me a terrible headache. Of course, a day trip in the sun is something totally different compared with this experience.
Athena Parthenos
Anyway, after the boat trip from hell we finally arrived Piraeus, the port of Athens. Jumped on to the metro with direction of Athens city centre and the metro station Monastiraki where our hotel 360 Degrees was located. We should only stay for one night and decided to go for a kind of backpacker hotel, mainly because of the price and where it was situated.
We left our backpacks in our hotel and walked slowly all the way up to Acropolis and the mighty Parthenon. Just so You know, it might get both crowded and hot up there, so don't forget a bottle of water, your camera and bunch of patience, but it's totally worth it.
In addition to Parthenon, the main building (or what's left of it) You will see many ancient buildings and constructions. From Acropolis You will have a magnificent view over Athens and the surrounding. Just after You enter Acropolis You will see Odeon theatre which is still in use for musical events. The theatre of Dionysius which was a major open-air theatre who could take up to 17000 people.
In the distance You can get a glimpse of the Panathenaic stadium that was built already back in 330 BC. The stadium has been rebuilt several times since then, lately for the Olympic games back in 1896 and in more recent time 2004. Another name for the stadium is Kallimarmaro that means beautifully marbled. Reason for that name is that the stadium is entirely built-in white marble, a must see. Fun fact: If a "modern" sprinter would to run on Kallimarmaros tracks, they would very likely be thrown out due to the centrifugal force of the sharp curves. That's why they couldent use it as a running arena at the Olympic games in 2004.
Now turn your head slightly to left and You will see Lycabettus Hill, another must visit for the trip. The view from Lycabettus Hill over Acropolis and Athens is just amazing. There are several ways to reach the top of Lycabettus Hill. Cab, walking, my suggestion is the Teleferik or cable car which easily takes You to the top and back.
I mention that the Greeks renovated the stadium for the Olympics games in 2004. It was not the only thing they renovated. Many new roads were built and even the metro got a major refresh. When they went through renovation of the metros they found many ancient sites underground that they really wanted to use in some way. When You enter the metro You will see some on site exhibition that are just stunning, so don't just run through and jump on the metro, You can take the next one. Hey, You are not on your way to work.
Our last stop was Syntagma square and the Greek Parliament, both in walking distance from our hotel. After two very exciting days in Athens we went to the airport and our next stop, Crete.
Addresses & Google maps
- Piraeus – the port of Athens
- Monastiraki – metro station
- Hotel 360 Degrees
- Acropolis
- Panathenaic stadium
- Teleferik to the top of Lycabettus Hill
- Greek Parliament – and Syntagma square
*how to use the Google map links