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Has Kevin started throwing yet to see how his back is? He would be a good pickup if healthy.
Has Kevin started throwing yet to see how his back is? He would be a good pickup if healthy.
Brown has had good years when healthy, but Kevin Brown hasnt been healthy in years.
I always thought he'd be an interesting pickup if he could get his body to the point where he could pitch once a week, kind of like Ted Lyons used to way back in the day. I don't know if he'll be able to get to that point though.
I'd only pick him up if he signed a dirt cheap contract filled with incentives to intice him.
I give certain pitchers a lot of leeway, I can be very understanding. Kevin Brown is DONE. DONE DONE DONE. I have not seen him pitch well in a very long time, and with his age I don't think there's any chance of him recapturing his former glory. I really do think he should retire.
There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.
Actually he didn't do too bad the year before last. I would sign him to a "cheap" minor league contract and invite him to spring training but I truly wouldn't expect much. However if by some miracle he was able to stay somewhat healthy throughout the season he would be the "Type" of pitcher we could use. Groundball pitcher who can also field his position. At least he used to be.
"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."
--Woody Hayes
The year before last was the year he put his fist through a wall and was out the whole end of the season. He came back just in time to get murdered by the Red Sox in both games 3 (saved only by Arroyo's equally horrendous performance) and 7 of the ALCS.Originally Posted by Mario-Rijo
I was his biggest defender through his troubles up until that point. That's when he started to make things a little difficult.
There is no such thing as a pitching prospect.
1 word...
Minor League contract worth 500,000 if he makes the Roster....Incentive laden deal for Games Started or Games Pitched....
Oh yeah...The guy could Dennis Eckersley it for the Reds...
I've said before I wouldn't mind seeing the Reds take a minor league flier on Brown.
However, the guy is coming off of making $15 mil last year. Accepting a minor league contract would be one major bitter pill to swallow. I highly doubt he ever pitches again.
This is nothing more than another example of a FORMER star trying to hang on long after he is finished. Pass!
No thanks, no gas left in the tank.
Go Gators!
The rumor is that he has signed with the Angels.
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Firefighters called twice to personal care home
ADRIAN — Multiple fire companies responded to a call at AM/PM Personal Care Home in Adrian when smoke alarms went off at approximately 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
Firefighters from seven companies were called to the scene of the facility that houses mostly elderly residents.
Bryan Smith, Elk Run Volunteer Fire Company chief, said there was quite a bit of smoke in the structure when firefighters arrived on scene.
Smith said a short search helped firefighters determine the smoke was coming from an air conditioning unit.
After firefighters ventilated the building, residents were allowed to return to their rooms, while the air conditioning unit was repaired.
Smith said the cause was due to a malfunction in an electrical component inside the air conditioner.
Later Sunday afternoon, firefighters once again were called back at 4:05 p.m. to the facility located in Adrian for another smoke investigation.
Smith said that this time smoke was not due to the air conditioner, but burnt food.
Once again, firefighters ventilated the structure, and the residents were then allowed to return.
Smith said all three Punxsutawney Fire Companies assisted at the scene of both fires, along with McCalmont Township.
Reynoldsville, Knox Dale and Big Run were canceled once the cause of the smoke was determined following both incidents.
Smith said there were no injuries, and each time the residents were safely evacuated by the staff. There was no significant damage to the facility either time.

subset: commoncrawl


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Haines City, FL - This is a strange, unordinary place in Polk County, Florida. Because of its relative hilliness and uncluttered views, it bears little resemblance to other parts of the state. The obscure stretch of State Road 544 southeast of Haines City just seems a little, well, off.
Then again, if you're from out of state, you're probably not traveling on this quiet two-laner unless you're a golfer. You'll be heading either to Grenelefe, a staple Florida resort for some 30 years, or to Diamondback Golf Club, directly across the street.
Though only a half-hour southwest of the multi-multi-million dollar expanse of Disney World, the feeling this sprawling countryside affects is one of disengagement. For all of its featureless expanse, it might be Kansas, it might be Indiana. The only telling signs of Florida are the randomly occurring citrus groves, and even here they are spread less dependently than in western Orange County to the north.
Having passed numerous small houses, a church, a stripped quarry, and plenty of farmland on 544, Diamondback appears suddenly on the left, verdant and brilliant. To the right is another golf course, the West Course at Grenelefe, but the oasis of Diamondback's sixteenth hole, with its silvery lake and waterfall, and stone buoyed eighteenth green overlooked by the clubhouse veranda, pulls the eye suddenly and strongly in its direction. The greenery is unexpected.
Diamondback, opened in January of 1995, is billed as Central Florida's most preserved 18 holes, or as General Manager Lyle Beaver says, it's "240 acres of virgin forest." While it's true that the course is routed through a shallow forest of twisting oaks and pines, the golf course overall is spacious and easy to digest.
240 acres for golf is not large by modern standards, but the course is routed tightly within its boundaries. Most holes are separated from each other by only a thin strip of trees, perhaps ten or fifteen feet across. But more often than not, that vegetation is so thick as to completely seal off adjacent holes. Such is the richness of the foliage that though the holes frequently play parallel; each feels insular, lost in the woods.
The space in between these stripes of oak and scrub however, is not nearly as untamed as the surrounding thicket might indicate. Diamondback, for all its wild insinuation, is a very clean and organized course where great effort seems to be given to conditioning.
It is composed of holes of balanced length and order that turn back and forth inside and outside each other, constantly switching in direction. At its farthest distance it measures a quite manageable 6,805 yards with most men playing the middle marker of 6,359 yards. Sight lines off the tee are distinct so that the entire course is framed, defined foremost by the forest edges and then by large fairway bunkers or singular trees, while the sizable greens provide clear, attractive targets.
This is the work of Joe Lee, the prolific golf course architect whose portfolio size rivals that of Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones. As with most of Lee's courses, including his numerous Florida designs, there is no intention of pure punishment. Solid shots are asked for but spectacular play is not required for decent scoring. And whereas the penalty for straying too far from the wide corridors is severe, there is plenty of green to aim at before the trees interfere.
That said, the round does begin in a rather exciting, although unsettling, manner. Iron nerves and a steady ball flight are demanded for the first three holes, the most cinching on the course.
The first shot of the day on the par five, number one is played from a wonderfully encouraging elevated tee down to an island of fairway guarded left by a large sand trap. From the trap, the hole bends left over a wetlands to another fairway collared by trees all the way to the green calling for an acute second shot.
The second is an underrated hole, particularly from the tournament tees of 388 yards. This set is tucked alone in a nook near the first green and requires a drive over the wetlands to a severely angled fairway.
The fairway itself falls away left and right into the trees to make this perhaps the most demanding tee shot on the course. From the solitary mid-point bunker on the right, the hole is redirected sharply to the left into a large, rolling green. As with many of the greens at Diamondback, the putting surface is influenced by a large brow in its middle right-hand portion.
The third is less intriguing, a rather penal, un-strategic par four of 395 yards where even slightly errant shots lead to a ball in the woods and an automatic 5 or 6. Nothing but accuracy and nerve are required at the third, but its effect is powerful.
By the time the fourth tee is gained, a level of paralysis may have set in. Diamondback thus far has shown itself to be exacting and unforgiving.
As skinny and exacting as one through three have been however, the fairways broaden beginning with the yawning, par five fifth. From this point forward the greens appear ever larger and inviting. With this accommodation, Diamondback misses deliberately. A treacherous, clenching course in this unique setting would certainly distinguish itself amongst its rivals.
The course has plenty of highlights, enough so that Golf Digest readers have rated Diamondback a four-star (out of five) course. Eleven, twelve, and thirteen are a wonderful trio of holes that begins with a beautiful uphill tee shot that must bank off a trap and pines on the left to clear the corner of trees on the right, followed by an uphill medium iron to a swerving green fronted center, left, and right by bunkers.
The 413-yard 12th is the most intriguing par four on the course calling for a powerful driver to be struck up the left at two framing bunkers. The fairway tilts and bends to the right allowing plenty of room to slice, but because of trees, this sandy area leaves little chance for the green. The proper angle is from the high, or left side, with a mid-iron struck purely to the angled, pinched green. The 13th then is a straightforward one-shotter downhill but earns high points for beauty.
The complexion of the course changes in the last three holes, a 5-3-4 combination that plays over a manicured field under the watchful eye of the elevated clubhouse. For the bold, 16 is a true chance for bird if a masculine drive challenges the waterfall at the inside corner of the dogleg. If all goes well, the ball will catch a down slope and gain valuable roll. From there it's 200 to 230 yards into an attractive green heavily guarded by no less than five nebulous bunkers.
Seventeen is a 207-yard par three down to a green in an arbor setting, and then the mighty 441-yard 18th travels back up and over a crown toward the clubhouse on the right. The massive green waits against the lake on the left, but only severely pulled long-irons and fairway woods will find water here. All in all, these make for a picturesque finish.
The playing fields of Diamondback are quiet and private, and ultimately this is the course's overwhelming appeal. Of Diamondback's natural state, Beaver says, "It's our biggest selling point. You'll never see any homes on the course, and that's not normally found in Florida." One needs only looks across the street to the condo-lined fairways of Grenelefe to be reminded of how the integrity of a golf course can be compromised in the most gaudy, and unfortunately, common, of ways.
Despite the great contrast from the popular resort next door, Diamondback enjoys comfortable camaraderie with Grenelefe. "We have a great relationship with them," Beaver says, noting that the two entities readily feed off each other. They share a common tie, in fact. Diamondback was conceived by 39 individuals with ties to Grenelefe - owners and proprietors who wanted a diversion and relief from their own crowded tracks. Aware that the sandy soil of the property across the street was potentially suitable for a golf course, the investors purchased the land and shopped the idea around to several architects. In the end, they were most impressed by Lee's rather minimal plan that called primarily for the removal of trees and little earth moving.
The club's ownership has since grown to 56 equity members. It's a unique setup and it seems to be working well, if the presentation and upkeep of the course are any indications. Diamondback however, has yet to find its way to the lists of most Central Florida residents and visitors, and many who venture to the better-known Grenelefe will be pleasantly surprised to discover it there.
It ought to change, for what they'll find when they venture across the street is a course that is substantively different from the resort's three rather dated offerings, and for Florida, achieves a rare closeness to nature. Without offending its residents, it's probably the best reason to come to Haines City.
Diamondback is one of Joe Lee's better Florida designs and should attract those who wish to eschew the glitzier, busier golf courses in this vast center of Disney-oriented tourism. The pull of golf without residence should be enough to attract a wide range of visitors who are staying in Orlando and Tampa. Sometimes the more interesting courses are found in tiny places like this.
Fees at Diamondback range from a low of $40 weekdays from June 1 to September 30, with weekends at $50. High season (October to May) ranges from $50 to $60. Call the pro shop for exact rates.
Diamondback is 6 miles east of Highway 27 on State Road 544, approximately 13 miles south of I-4.
Diamondback Golf Club
Haines City, FL 33844
Phone: 800 222-5629
Web: www.diamondbackgc.com


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WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Turnovers negated a better-than-50 percent shooting performance by Southeastern as the Savage fell to Southwestern Oklahoma State 82-71 on the first stop of a two-game road swing on Thursday night in Weatherford, Okla.
The loss drops SE to 9-4 overall on the year and 5-2 in Great American Conference play heading into Saturday's 4 p.m. matchup against Northwestern Oklahoma State in Alva, Okla.
The Storm had its shot working for the most part, hitting 51.0 percent from the field, but struggled from long range, hitting just 28.6 percent from behind the arc, along with their troubles moving the ball as the team piled up 25 turnovers.
"Two thing things jump out at us on the stats," said head coach Kelly Green following the game, "First, we had 25 turnovers. They pressured us and we aren't handling the pressure good enough. The second thing is 17 offensive rebounds. When we did get stops on the first shot and they would get a tip."
SWOSU held a 17-to-8 advantage on the offensive glass and a 36-to-32 edge in overall boards.
The Bulldogs also held a big edge in trips to the free throw line where they connected on 27-of-37 attempts, compared to a 15-of-19 night from the charity stripe for the Storm.
SE still put four players in double figures, led by 16 points from Chris Roussell who hit three of the team's four three point buckets.
Steven Kohli checked in with 14 points, while Travis Timmons and Mateus Oliveira each chipped in 10.
Timmons turned in his third double-double of the season by adding 10 assists across from just two turnovers.
Roussell, Oliveira and Antonio Worthy each pulled down five rebounds to lead Southeastern.
Southeastern scored first in the game on an Andris Misters' layup, but SWOSU would answer with a three pointer and after the teams traded buckets, the Bulldogs would eventually reel off a 10-0 run to pull ahead and lead by double-figures for much of the first half.
With 4:35 to play a Misters free throw would key a 10-3 run to end the half and SE would go to the locker room down 42-35.
The Storm would maintain that momentum to open the second half and a 10-1 run would put Southeastern back in front when a Kohli layup made the score 45-43 at the 15:23 mark.
SE would eventually push out to a three point lead, but could not pull away and the Bulldogs would swipe the lead back until a Roussell layup with 9:22 to play tied the game at 58-58.
A 9-0 SWOSU run, however, would put them back in front for good.
SE would close the gap back down to five points with 3:49 to play, but the final minute-and-a-half of the contest was a free throw exhibition in which neither team missed and SWOSU would pull away for the 82-71 win.


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Taylorsville Elementary students have been busy collecting items to send to Kentucky troops deployed to Iraq. The students collected enough items to send more than 40 care packages to service men and women in hopes to boost morale. The school hopes to mail the packages out this week.
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text: Hello, Here is my latest find ~ # date Sun Nov 25 22:22:32 CET 2012 j%%%e 21389 6.6 0.0 29456 6480 ? RN Nov24 175:11 | \_ lsphptografhjo.%%%.se/templates/atomic/conf.php I could not believe when I run ps axufw! How it is possible? I use lsphp via lsapi v6, with LSAPI_MAX_REQUESTS=15000 LSAPI_CHILDREN=100 PHP_INI_SCAN_DIR=/usr/local/lsws/lsphp52/etc/php.d Instances 1. Means php is managed by lsphp but web server, yes? LSAPI_MAX_IDLE is not set. Web server have Connection Timeout (secs) 320 And it is said in Documentation LSAPI_MAX_IDLE (default value: 300 seconds) In Self Managed Mode, LSAPI_MAX_IDLE controls how long a idle child process will wait for a new request before it exits. This option help releasing system resources taken by idle processes. But the process I found is running at least a day and a half according to ps. Why it gets out of the control? How to avoid it?


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2011 Volleyball
Bluffton 3, Defiance 0
Bluffton moves into HCAC semi-finals with 3-0 win over Jackets
November 1, 2011
By: Meghan Mohr, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Beavers came out on fire the second time around against Defiance College on Tuesday, Nov. 1, sweeping their long-time rivals 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-19). Bluffton advanced to the Heartland Conference semi-finals for the fourth consecutive year with its second Founders Hall victory over Defiance in the past week.
The Beavers improved to 21-10 overall while Defiance wrapped up its 2011 campaign with a 14-16 mark. The Bluffton seniors finished with an unblemished 6-0 record against Defiance. Hanover College will be the site of Bluffton's rematch with Mount St. Joseph this Saturday, Nov. 5. The host Lions fought off numerous Bluffton match points to defeat the visitors in five sets back on September 21.
Of course the senior trio was once again a force to be reckoned with as they accounted for 34 of the Beavers' 45 kills. Jenna Eshleman (Landisville, Penn./Hempfield) was unstoppable with 15 kills and just two errors in a blistering .542 hitting display. Courtney Zimmerman (Leesburg/Fairfield) also had her way with 10 kills while Nicole Wood (Tiffin/Hopewell-Loudon) just missed double digits with nine of her own. Following close behind was junior Brooke Distel (Carey) with five kills.
Sophomore Kyleigh Whitsel (Sheffield Lake/Brookside) handed out 36 assists and picked up seven digs on the night. She also made the difference in the second and third sets with a host of momentum-building hustle plays. Also taking charge for the Beaver defense was junior libero Heather Schierer (Crescent Springs, Ky./St. Henry) with 10 digs. Eshleman and sophomore Lindsay Krohn (Marysville, Ind./New Washington) chipped in with four digs apiece.
Serving it up for the Beavers was senior Meghan Dodson (Tiffin/Calvert) with three aces, followed by two each for Zimmerman and Eshleman. Sophomore Bethany Behnfeldt (Napoleon) stuffed Defiance with a solo block and one block assist, while Eshleman was in on a pair of blocks.
The Beavers head to Hanover College looking to avenge an early-season loss to the College of Mount St. Joseph in the Heartland Conference tournament semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 5. Bluffton's matchup with the #2 seed Lions will follow #5 Rose-Hulman's clash with #1 seed and tournament host Hanover College. The Engineers took down #4 seed Transylvania in five sets at Lexington this evening after trailing 2-0.


text:
View trusted insights from KidsHealth.org, the No. 1 most-viewed health site for children, created by the experts at Nemours. We've also provided information from the most-respected nonprofit organizations.
From Nemours' KidsHealth
- A Directory of Medical Tests
- Frequently Asked Questions About Casts
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- CAT Scan: Abdomen
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- Broken Bones
- Ultrasound: Renal (Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder)
- CAT Scan: Neck
- Ultrasound: Abdomen
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- Ultrasound: Pelvis
- Ultrasound: Bladder
- Ultrasound: Head
- X-Ray Exam: Voiding Cystourethrogram (VCUG)
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Ultrasound: Head
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Date reviewed:


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TRENTON — The Trenton Central High School debate team is ready to prove once again it will take on all comers.
Trenton's brightest debaters will square off against another Ivy League opponent when they take on the University of Pennsylvania in the school's auditorium on Dec. 6 at 9 a.m.
TCHS beat out Princeton University's student debate team two years ago. Its next opponent, Penn, is currently ranked 12th in world's best universities according to the US News and World Report.
"The University of Pennsylvania students are extraordinary young people," said Nicholas Cirillo, TCHS debate team coach and social studies teacher. "But we don't fear them; we respect them."
The topic of discussion at the debate will be whether plea bargains "undermine the justice system," according to Cirillo.
The TCHS team is taking its affirmative position one step further defending the banning of this practice.
"We hope to change the minds of the legislators," said Cirillo. "Our argument will be forceful and drive home the point that plea bargains are unconstitutional."
Members of the city council and school board are expected to attend, which magnifies the pride felt by not only TCHS students but the entire Trenton community.
Cirillo said the debate team, which is open to all students, is extremely excited about making an impact on the world.
"The debate is about changing something that is wrong; something that should be changed. Whether we win, lose or draw, we know we made a point," he said.
Ana Esqueda, TCHS sophomore and first-year team member, said participating in the debate team gives her a sense of accomplishment.
"We're debating against a university, so it's a pretty big deal," she said.
Other students say the debate team offers them the opportunity to learn about and discuss topics not covered in their classes.
Subjects range from economics to morals, and honing their abilities to speak "extemporaneously," according to Christian Malave, TCHS senior and team captain.
"We have intelligent conversations," said Malave. "And it's really fun to argue."
Cirillo hopes the students learn the importance of giving back.
"When we have the power to help those that, through no fault of their own, need our help; that's the most important lesson," said Cirillo.
Cirillo, who has overcome osteosarcoma and subsequent leg amputation, hopes to create a scholarship fund for those students who participated in the debate team.
He says he returned to work because it was "one more chance to do something good for the world.
"This town will be turned around by the youth movement for a better Trenton."


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"I know for certain that we never lose the people we love, even to death. They continue to participate in every act, thought and decision we make. Their love leaves an indelible imprint in our memories. We find comfort in knowing that our lives have been enriched by having shared their love." Leo Buscaglia
"Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated." H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Dante and Candes Daniels, owners of Randallstown's popular new family restaurant Colin's Seafood and Grill and Maceo's Lounge, chose the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. to honor their staff at an appreciation party. The staff of over 100 employees gathered at Colin's for a night of fellowshipping and dancing. Dante thanked his staff for the love and support they have shown him and Candes during the construction of Colin's.
"The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without one." Oscar Wilde
Special thanks were given to the staff at Maceo's for their hard work and diligence during the opening of Colin's. "The joint is jumping" Randy Dennis and his wife Tanya had everybody on the dance floor learning the latest line dances as {AFRO} photographer Anderson Ward captured the evening.
"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love then make that day count!" Steve Maraboli
Two of my dear friends celebrated their birthdays in grand style; Dorothy Williams who I lovingly call "The Queen" celebrated her birthday at Fleming's Harbor East with her daughters Diane Hocker, Denise DeLeaver, son in-law Frank Hocker and other family members. I was unable to join the family celebration at Fleming's so after dinner, I met the fashionable Queen, Frank and Diane at Colin's for dessert.
"You must be a special lady 'Cause you got me sittin' on top of the world"
The "jazzy lady" of the hour Murnell Cooper regaled us with stories that had us laughing to the point of tears when we gathered in her elegant Lexington Street home for her birthday party hosted by her daughter Dr. Charlene Cooper-Boston. Guests arrived throughout the day with flowers, candy, gifts and well wishes as she celebrated her 92nd birthday. Among the well-wishers braving the winter chill were Flora and Richard Johnson, Carolyn Wainwright, Sara Smalley and Rosemary Atkinson. The catered supper of ham, baked chicken, potato salad, string beans, imported meats, cheese and champagne was perfect.
"The fragrance always stays in the hand that gives the rose." George William Curtis
"It's your birthday make some noise" Happy birthday Pierre Stewart, Ann Branch, Herman and Vivian Jones, Vernon Stephens, Teresa Bogans, Root's Lounge John Shaft, Marcia Wagner, Reginald Haysbert, Deborah Peakes Coleman and my step-mom Jean Johnson.
Gustavo King and Joe Zammarella parties are legendary at their lovely Wineberry Terrace home nestled among the courtyards. You feel like you're climbing to the top of the mountain. There are courtyards on each level before you get to their home with plenty of steps so by the time you arrive at their door you are ready to party. I tell Joe and Gustavo they should set up a bar on each level for guests to sip and rest. The party themes throughout the house are eclectic, every room highlighting the party. The party's menu features a variety of dishes from Gustavo's native Panama personally prepared by Gustavo. The festive atmosphere is enhanced with the flow of Spanish and English intermingling throughout the party as we salsa and dance the night away greeting old and new friends.
"Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can – there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did." Sarah Caldwell
Retired Gen. William "Kip" Ward is now president and COO of Sentel Corporation. An IT intelligence, integrated logistics and engineering services company. Congratulations Kip.
Organizing for Action's Baltimore City and Baltimore County representatives are hosting a discussion on the Affordable Care Act and the benefits of the new Health Care Law on February 6 at the Liberty Senior Center in Randallstown. Contact Mildred Owens, at 410-521-4082 for details.
"There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow." Orison Marden
Sending get-well wishes to James Robinson, Denise DeLeaver, Napoleon Sykes, Berice Bogans and Marie Alston continue to recover as we pray for your strength.
"Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower, we will grieve not; rather find strength in what remains behind." William Wordsworth
Condolences to Valerie and Myron Bundy on the death of Ada Thomas; to Denise and Kenneth Abrams on the death of David Reid Jr.; to Darron Green, Myra and Albert Queen on the death of Sheila Green; to Terry and Debbie Owens on the death of his brother Dwayne Owens; to Ted Fickling, Joanne Pulley, Damien and Tobi Pulley on the death of your mother and grandmother; to Patsie Williams on the death of her husband Willie Williams, and to the families of Barbara Bentley and Helen Baskersfield on their death.
In loving memory of my daddy Benjamin Scott Johnson April 1 1928- January 24, 2014.


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2003 Men's Soccer
Weekly Recap 10-6
By Ben Risinger, SID
The Bluffton College men's soccer team (4-6, 0-1 HCAC) lost two this past week. The first loss was to Urbana 4-0, the second coming in the Beaver's Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener against Hanover 3-0.
Leading the Beavers on the week was Justin Rohrer (Millersburg/West Holmes) with three shots against Urbana and five against Hanover . Sr. Jon Lindow (Columbia Station/Padua Franciscan) is currently tied for third in the HCAC in goals (6) and goals per game (0.75). Sr. Diego Rodriguez (Kalona, Iowa/Iowa Mennonite) still sits at the top in assists (5) and assists per game (0.62).
Bluffton will continue their schedule this week with two HCAC matches. The first will be at Manchester on Wednesday ( start) and Saturday at home when they host Anderson ( start).


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The two biggest fish on the planet – the whale shark and the basking shark are instantly recognizable yet until now we have known virtually nothing about their lives. All our knowledge of them has been based on encounters at the ocean surface; once they disappear back below the waves the lives of these giant sharks have been total mysteries to us.
Episode #707 / Length: 51 minutes


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The agent of AGF Aarhus striker Aron Johannsson insists that Arsenal have not been in contact over signing the striker – he scored a hat-trick in 3 minutes 50 seconds this season.
Manchester United youngster Ryan Tunnicliffe made his dad a happy man when coming on for his debut last night. Mick Tunnicliffe placed a £100 bet that his son would play for the Red Devils a decade ago. Wayne Rooney also returned as a 'scar man' for the club.
Manchester City have set their transfer sights on rising Serie 'A' star Pedro Obiang. He currently plays for Sampdoria.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Andre Villas-Boas is keen on Partizan Belgrade midfielder Nikola Ninkovic, with Spurs tracking the 17-year-old talent.
Chelsea have set their sights on an even younger player, with 15-year-old Swedish youth international Ihab Naser handed a trial at Stamford Bridge.
Nuri Sahin has taken the plaudits from Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, after the Real Madrid loanee scored a brace in the 2-1 League Cup victory over West Brom last night.
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: https://www.givemesport.com/writeforgms


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Boy oh boy, was this a riveting, thought provoking play! A trilogy of three acts following the transformation of one woman over time, Goodman Theatre's The Trinity River Plays, directed by Ethan McSweeney, is a must see! This was the first time I ever saw a Regina Taylor play, and I was highly impressed by the deep issues she tackles and her ability to write on themes that have meaning to all of us---moments of monumental consequence, family, relationships, and the transformation of ourselves. If I had to sum the message of this play, it would be as Regina stated in an interview: "the moments of life that threaten to uproot us---these moments of uncertainty can be points of growth."
The Trinity River Plays is a story about Irene ( Karen Aldridge), a 17 year old girl who loses her innocence when she is raped by her uncle on her birthday. The trilogy explores the emotional aftermath of that moment 17 years earlier and explores how Irene deals with it, and how she simultaneously avoids dealing with it.
Though the play lasted nearly 3 hours and 15 minutes, there wasn't one moment that I zoned out, which is quite a feat! The play's abundant metaphors helped me more easily follow the path of Irene's transformation. The first trilogy, Jar Fly, which recognizes that the cicada (jar fly) transforms itself in its 17th year. At Irene's 17th birthday, she undergoes a massive transformation---unwillingly losing her innocence, effectually tarnishing her character and transforming her into a more angry, vigilant, and cynical person. The second trilogy, Rain, culminates in a powerful, downpour of rain in which previous moments of stasis are suddenly reawakened and shaken up. The sudden tumultuous storm signifies the emotional outpouring Irene finally allows for herself, allowing the thunder in her heart to rage and roar and for her family to be subject to that uproar. In the final trilogy, Ghoststory, while Irene is still in her 34th year, she is finally forced to face her past, specifically the men in her past-Jack and Frank, and she is finally able to deal with her past and to justify it, in order to take a step forward.
What makes this play so dynamic and real is the way in which each character responds to the same situation in very different yet personal ways. Irene (Aldridge), a shyer, more mellow character responds to the trauma by repressing her feelings and moving through life as if unfazed. By the second act, Rain, Irene at age 34 is not all that different from Irene at age 17, though it is clear there are deep secrets brewing within her head. She returns to her old home in Dallas, which reawakens in her the desire for love and reconnection with her mother and aunt. She seemingly seeks their comfort in order to heal the internal bruise she has not been able to get rid of all these years. The manifestations of her needs, however, are inconspicuous –she appears fine on the outside but aches inside. Jasmine ( Christiana Clark), on the other hand, already a much stronger, bolder, more erratic character from the beginning, responds to the traumatic experiences that she has herself experienced and that she has watched Irene experience by completely submitting herself to the situation and drowning herself in it. Handling the abuse in an almost opposite fashion to Irene, she turns to alcohol and drugs. Jasmine boldly manifests her inner turmoil by showing us on the outside how her abusive experience has taken her asunder and ultimately tarnished her.
Within these conflicting responses by Irene and Jasmine is the understanding that their respective mothers played a major role in how each responded to their circumstances. Jasmine's mother, Daisy ( Jacqueline Williams) is a much more rambunctious, fun-loving character, and more a pushover than Irene's mother, Rose. Daisy is humorous and loud and doesn't seem to be the emotional type---she appears less available to serious conversations. As such, Jasmine never fully connects with her mother; she is unable to freely share with her mother what is going on inside her head. The two thus form a rocky relationship, one in which neither truly understands the internal processes going on inside one another's head. Rose ( Penny Johnson Jerald), Irene's mother, on the other hand, is stringent and straighter-laced, an overall grave person, likely accounting for the more mellow, serious aura that Irene takes on. It is perhaps because of the similar traits each takes on from their mothers, that neither Irene nor Jasmine are able to easily reveal their inner emotional turmoil to their mothers. Instead, and quite interestingly, they end up opening up and sharing more with their aunts. We see that the judgment and pressure a mother places on her daughter can prevent the daughter from revealing the truth. This can result in stifling and minimizing an experience, as Irene does, or acting out and uncontrollably expressing an experience, as Jasmine does. All four actors played the mother-daughter relationships phenomenally, manifesting similar traits when appropriate and thus giving ground for their relationships to sincerely flourish at some times and to weaken at others.
In addition to shedding light on the way in which relationships are shaped and formed, The Trinity River Plays also awakened within me my own very personal relationship with my mother. I could so clearly see through the play the carryover in personality from mother to daughter, that I was impelled to think of my own relationship with my mother, and the quirky traits I have taken from her. I was reminded of how formidable my mother was in creating my own rambunctious, silly self and how this has allowed me to connect to her in very particular ways, usually those of the more fun-loving, less serious nature. In watching the play, I began to also think back on on those things that I choose not to disclose to my mother, and realized that like Irene, I keep those things secret often because they go against my mother's expectations and desires for me. Ultimately, I appreciated the way the play was able to take me on the difficult and life-changing journey of another woman while simultaneously taking me on an emotional journey through my own life. Through the play I was able to think deeply about the way my own relationships have shaped me and to see some of my own self in Irene and Jasmine.
Jasmine ( Christina Clark) is a delight to watch. In Jar Fly, she is an upbeat, sexual 19 year old with few moral hindrances and just looking to have fun in life. While the transformitive process is not really focused on her (but rather Irene), her slight transformation by River is incredibly depressing, yet heartfelt, and completely believable. She naturally becomes a lost, out-of-control alcoholic/drug addict. She follows the inherent trajectory of the character she developed in Jar Fly, but exaggerates it a bit to account for the emotional storm she has gone through at age 19.
While Irene ( Karen Aldridge) goes through a larger transformitive process of growth and renewal compared to Jasmine as dictated by the script, it is harder to really pinpoint the trajectory her character takes because she so often maintains her mellowness and soft-spoken character. Her emotional outbreaks are erratic and follow no clear line of progression. While I found it harder for me to connect to her emotional trajectory because my own responses to tragedy are often more exaggerated and big, Irene played her character authentically and allowed herself to naturally respond to her life circumstances, keeping in good faith the shy and awkward character she established from the beginning.
My only criticism of the play is targeted at the writing of the third act. The inclusion of the men into the story toward the end seemed inconsequential to the overall story line. While I understand they were there to convey the catharsis Irene goes through and the way in which she is able to resolve her long-standing inner conflict with what happened to her at age 17, I found the men's presence to be distracting and unnecessary. Irene finally comes to terms with herself in the end when she reveals to Frank what happened to her at age 17, and in doing so, she is finally able to surrender herself to the forces of love. However, because the play was targeted so much on the transformitive processes and relationships of the four women, I found Irene could have reached her state of renewal without actually having Frank and Jack on stage. Moreover, the sitcom-like nature of the male-centric scenes in the third act ultimately created an overly comical overtone to a generally serious play.
Regina Taylor is a deep and explorative playwright, and Ethan McSweeny's execution of her story does her great justice. The tragic circumstance that is part of the larger trilogy allowed for the actors to display monumental moments of transformation, and the actors immersed themselves in that process with great integrity. Ultimately, the play is able to touch the heart because the journey the women in the play go through resonates painstakingly well with the various journeys we as humans go through.
The Trinity River Plays-
Goodman Theatre's Albert Theatre
170 North Dearborn
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 443-3800
January 15- February 20
Photos by Brandon Thibodeaux and Eric Y. Exit


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Submission + - Ask Slashdot: What software is available to help learn about data transmission?
bellwould writes: In teaching information tech to a 13-yr old with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), I've found she's wildly interested in the details of data transmission but not programming. We've had limited success with command-line tools like traceroute and tcpdump, but now I'm seeking tips/advice on software that may help her explore and visualize things like transmission protocols.


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Please note: You are viewing an archived Bucknell University news story. It is possible that information found on this page has become outdated or inaccurate, and links and images contained within are not guaranteed to function correctly.
LEWISBURG, Pa. — Eating healthy at college can be a challenge, especially for first-year students making the transition from their home kitchens to campus dining facilities that offer any food their hearts — and mouths — desire.
Tanya Williams, a clinical dietitian and sports nutrition specialist who contracts with Bucknell University to provide medical nutrition therapy, wanted to find a new way to help guide students toward healthy food choices.
"I had to figure out how I could educate students in my office and know that my advice is being followed in campus dining locations," said Williams. "To achieve that goal, we developed the Bucknell Nutrition Initiative Program."
Launched in January 2013, the Bucknell Nutrition Initiative Program (BNIP) is a collaboration between Bucknell's Division of Student Affairs, Parkhurst Dining and Williams. It promotes and encourages nutrition awareness to the campus community by identifying healthier food choices in Bucknell dining locations with a specially designed image.
"It's made nutrition counseling sessions so much more effective because we're able to say, 'Look for the BNIP image,'" said Williams. "It's a continuum of care. It's nice to know that everyone is on the same page."
Dean of Students Susan Lantz said BNIP helps educate students about the nutritional choices they're making. "Food is such an important part of every student's life, and it's available all the time on campus," she said. "It is a little overwhelming to walk into the different dining locations and decide what to eat. It's not always obvious what nutritional values the food has, what portion size is ideal and if it's right for your diet. BNIP makes that information available, and that's great for our students."
A key part of BNIP's success is delivering its message in a student voice. The Bucknell Well Facebook page is managed by student interns who post examples of healthy meals they've created from the day's menu in Bostwick Marketplace, along with nutrition tips. Madison Eckles '13 helped launch the program; Rachel Franz '14, Maddie Pucciarello '14, Sarah Frank '14 and Cecily Carr '16 are 2013-14 BNIP interns.
"It's exciting to help students learn about the impact the food they eat can have," said Franz. "Proper nutrition is critical to a functioning body, especially a college student who has morning classes, exercises in the afternoon and stays up late completing homework and studying. Bucknell has a pretty fit campus, but there is a lot that can even be learned about maintaining a healthy body weight."
One way BNIP is helping students on the go is with a popular addition to campus menus: Bison Barz, Bucknell's new, homemade-style nutrition bars.
"Bars are a convenient, portable snack or meal replacement for people who normally eat a healthy diet," Williams said. She developed the bars with Parkhurst pastry chef Steven Benscoter and baker Vern Weller, making sure to emphasize portion size and carbohydrate-to-protein ratio.
The result is two pre-workout Bison Barz — Sustain, an almond honey bar; and Energy, made with oats, cranberry and apricot — as well as Recovery, a double-peanut bar to help replenish the body after exercise.
Even bigger things are in store for BNIP in 2013. New Bison Barz flavors, health fairs and courses that teach healthy cooking and shopping are among the planned projects.
"The response has been fantastic," said John Cummins, general manager for Parkhurst Dining Services at Bucknell. "It's exciting to develop programs that are unique and meet the needs of student-athletes, as well as the rest of campus."
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Mercury ships PS3 - kind of
Evaluate the Cell CPU for data visualisation apps
US-based Mercury Computer Systems (MCS) has begun shipping a technology evaluation system centred on Sony, Toshiba and IBM's Cell processor - the heart of the PlayStation 3.
Not that MCS is pitching the rig at games developers. Its Cell Technology Evaluation System (CTES) is aimed at companies keen to test Cell's suitability for future data visualisation systems - one of MCS' specialisms. (Well, gaming is sort of like data visualisation, we suppose...)
Another is servers - the company unveiled a Cell-based blade server, Turismo, back in November 2005, though the system isn't expected to ship in any significant volumes for at least a year from now.
MCS' Cell evaluation machine is based on Turismo's blades running Terra Soft Solutions' Y-HPC Linux for Cell. Cell-optimised Scientific Algorithm Library (SAL), Trace Analysis Tool and Library (TATL), Parallel Acceleration System (PAS) libraries and tools from MCS and IBM are included, too. And MCS' MultiCore Framework code "optimises data movement within the Cell".
One or two of the Cell blades are installed in the 7U machine, which also contains either a single-chip Xeon board, or two CPU Power-based cards, two Gigabit Ethernet switches and its own 2000W power supply to keep everything ticking over. The Xeon and Power boards both run Linux, too.
The Cell blades contain two 64-bit Cell chips, each with 512KB of L2 cache, a clock speed of 3GHz and an external memory buffer of 512MB of dual-channel Rambus XDR SDRAM.
MCS didn't say how much the CTES costs, but since it's intended for developers working in "medical imaging, industrial inspection, aerospace and defense, seismic processing, and telecommunications" industries - all well-funded areas - don't expect it to come cheap... ®
Sponsored: Minds Mastering Machines - Call for papers now open


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Utah State Football Ranked Ninth Nationally For Academic Performance
Thursday, Jan. 03, 2013
Utah State University football continues to be recognized nationally following its most successful season in school history, but its most recent recognition is in the classroom.
In a recent announcement, USU is ranked ninth in the nation for academic performance, according to the Academic Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Poll.
The Academic BCS, the New America Foundation's annual academic performance rankings, utilizes those 25 schools appearing in the final BCS standings and ranks them academically. Utah State finished the 2012 season ranked 22nd in the final BCS standings.
Northwestern finished the year ranked 20th in the final BCS standings and is ranked first in the Academic BCS standings, followed by Northern Illinois, Boise State, Stanford, Notre Dame, San Jose State, Alabama, Nebraska, Utah State and Georgia. Teams ranked 11 through 20 include LSU, Oregon State, Clemson, Texas A&M, Florida, Oregon, Kansas State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Kent State. The final five teams listed among the Academic BCS are Michigan, Texas, UCLA, Louisville and Florida State.
The New America rankings are not based only on raw statistics like graduation rates or the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate, which indicate how well a team is keeping its players on track to graduate. Instead, the New America Foundation bases its rankings on several factors: how a football team's graduation rate compares to that of the school's overall male student body, how a team's black-white graduation gap compares to the male black-white graduation gap in the general student population, and the spread between a football team's black graduation rate and the school's overall graduation rate for black men.
Utah State had its most successful season in school history in 2012 with its 11-2 record, setting school records for wins (11) and home wins (6), while being nationally ranked in the Associated Press poll for three-straight weeks for the first time in school history. USU also won its first outright conference championship since 1936 and just its third in school history joining the 1921 and 1936 teams that both won Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles.
Utah State also finished the 2012 season winning its final seven games, which is tied for the fourth-longest active winning streak in the nation and tied for the third-longest winning streak in school history.
Related links:
Contact: Doug Hoffman, assistant athletics director for media relations, (435) 797-3714, firstname.lastname@example.com


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Nicholas Lee Gounaris Sr., a retired corporate attorney and a past Harford Community College board chairman, died of renal disease April 12 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Lutherville resident was 70.
Born in Baltimore and raised in Hamilton on Sefton Avenue, he was the son of Lee Gounaris, a North Broadway restaurateur. His mother, Helen, was a homemaker.
He was a 1961 graduate of City College, where he was the soccer team's goalie. He earned a bachelor's degree from the College of Agriculture at the University of Maryland, College Park. He then received a law degree from the University of Baltimore and later earned a master's degree in business administration from what is now Loyola University Maryland.
Mr. Gounaris was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army and was assigned to a post at Curtis Bay.
He became a salesman for veterinarians' drugs and supplies at Haver Locart and later at A.J. Buck. He traveled throughout the Mid-Atlantic.
In 1989 he became a corporate counsel for Kirschner Medical. In 1995 he became a vice president and divisional general counsel to EBI, a Biomet Inc. company. He then lived in Mendham, N.J., before returning to Maryland in 2002. He retired the next year.
Mr. Gounaris served two terms, including a chairmanship, on the Harford Community College board of trustees.
He was an active member of Grace English Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lutherville.
He enjoyed reading history and spending time with his sons and grandsons.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home, 1050 York Road.
Survivors include his wife of 48 years, the former Joanne Smith; three sons, Nicholas L. Gounaris Jr. of Hampstead, Daniel R. Gounaris of Eldersburg and Jarrett L. Gounaris of Baltimore; a brother, Thomas Lee Gounaris of Bowley's Quarters; and four grandsons.


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FAIRFAX, VA – Junior tri-captain Bre Hudgins (Syracuse, NY) led seven different goal scorers with six points (3g, 3a) to help the Brown women's lacrosse team (1-0) post a 15-10 victory over George Mason (0-2) in its 2013 season opener. Sophomore Abby Bunting (Wellesley, MA) led the Bears with four goals, while sophomore Janie Gion (Northfield, IL) scored three and junior Danielle Mastro (Endicott, NY) added two.
"We played hard through the entire game," said head coach Keely McDonald '00. "Our women fought and came up big when they needed to. I am very proud of the team effort and look forward to this week of practice."
Leading, 13-8, with 17:11 left to play on Bunting's fourth goal of the game, the Bears survived George Mason's come-back attempt, which saw the Patriot's close the lead to 13-10 with 6:49 remaining. Brown won several critical draw controls down the stretch, and clinched the win with a pair of goals by Hudgins in the final two minutes of play, preventing George Mason from getting any closer than three goals.
The Patriots opened the scoring at the 28:49 mark to take a 1-0 lead, but Brown would get goals from Bunting (assisted by Hudgins), Gion (assisted by Hudgins), and senior tri-captain Lindsay Minges (Rochester, NY) over the next six minutes to take a 3-1 lead 7:38 into the game.
After George Mason cut its deficit to 3-2 on Rachel Obregon's first of four goals, Gion's second of the afternoon gave Brown a 4-2 lead with 18:01 remaining. Another Patriots' goal closed the lead to one with 16:48 on the clock, but Mastro's first of the game, assisted by Rooke, just past the midway point of the half ignited a 4-0 Brown run, as the Bears held an 8-3 lead with 6:14 left in the frame on Gion's third of the day.
Caitlin Formato scored on a free position attempt for George Mason to slice Brown's lead in half, but sophomore Alyssa DiBona (Media, PA) answered with a free position score of her own to give the Bears a 9-4 lead with 3:46 left to play. The Patriot's responded to keep the score within four goals, but back-to-back goals by Bunting and senior tri-captain Tara Rooke (Wilbraham, MA) 23 seconds apart gave the Bears an 11-5 lead at the 29:20 mark.
Obregon added her third of the afternoon just before the break, as Brown held an 11-5 lead at halftime.
The two teams traded goals to open the second half with Bunting's fourth of the afternoon, assisted by Hudgins, giving the Bears a 13-8 lead with 17:11 left in the game.
Neither team could find the back of the net over the next eight minutes, but Obregon broke the scoring drought with a free position goal at the 50:13 mark. Laura Lesky then closed her team's deficit to 13-10 with another free position goal three minute later, forcing Brown to call a time out.
The Bears settled down after the timeout and Hudgins scored the final two goals of the game with 1:49 and 0:26 remaining to account for the five-goal differential.
Brown outshot George Mason, 32-22, including a 20-9 advantage in the first half. The Bears dominated the draw, winning 19 to George Mason's eight, including a 14-4 advantage in the opening half.
Junior Marisa Dale (North Salem, NY) led the Bears with two caused turnovers, while junior Grace Healy (Bellport, NY) led Brown with three ground balls and a game-high seven draw controls.
Sophomore Kellie Roddy (Poway, CA) picked up her first win of the season with two saves in net, while George Mason's tandem of Brittany Pastrana and Caroline Brouse combined for eight saves.
Brown freshmen Rebecca Dahle (Wynnewood, PA) and Richael Walsh (Westwood, MA) both made their collegiate debuts in this afternoon's game against the Patriots.
The Bears return home for two games next weekend, their first two of 11 to be played in Providence this year. Brown opens its 2013 Ivy slate on Saturday, March 2nd, against Columbia, before hosting Manhattan on Sunday, March 3rd. Both games begin at 1:00 p.m.
Pictured: Janie Gion '15 scored three goals in a decisive first half. Photo by DSPics.net.


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PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- Barry University men's golfer Adam Svensson finished second at the prestigious Monroe Invitational Championship.
Svensson shot a 9-under 69-67-69-66 -- 271 to finish two strokes behind champion Taylor Pendrith of Kent State. Auburn's Daniel Stringfellow and Elmira, Ontario native Garrett Rank tied for third at 8-under 272. Guelph's Chris Hemmerich and Virginia's Derek Bard tied for fifth at 7-under 273.
Svensson had 14 birdies and an eagle in the four-day tournament on the par-70, 6,915-yard Monroe Golf Club course.
Past Monroe Invitational champions include PGA Tour players Dustin Johnson (2007) and Erik Compton (2001).
Svensson, a two-time All-American for the Buccaneers and this year's winner of the Jack Nicklaus NCAA Division II National Player of the Year award, will compete in the web.com Tour's Nova Scotia Open July 3-6 on an amateur exemption.


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Book Portrays Bezos as Brilliant, Demanding — Just as We Expect
This is quite a week for revealing books about some of technology's biggest names. A day after the New York Times excerpted Nick Bilton's Twitter origin story, Bloomberg Businessweek published a meaty chunk from Brad Stone's account of Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos.
The excerpt from Stone's book, "The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon," confirms all of the characteristics about Bezos he has come to be known by: fiery, brilliant, accessible, ruthless, puzzling, demanding. Everyone knows Bezos holds his cards close — figuring out why he bought the Washington Post, for example, is a great parlor game — so that alone makes the book worth picking up in October.
The excerpt is rich with anecdotes, like the one about the brouhaha over email marketing for personal lubricants, or how a single-character email can send employees scurrying.
One anecdote in particular is riveting: How Amazon outmaneuvered Wal-Mart and snapped up Quidsi, an uppity online competitor known for Diapers.com, mainly by bullying and beating up Quidsi. For every story that makes you wonder why anyone would tolerate working in the pressure cooker that is Amazon, there is another that reveals admiration and (sometimes grudging) respect for Bezos and Amazon.
Here are some excerpts from the excerpt, which you can read here.
The dreaded "question mark" email forward:
When Amazon employees get a Bezos question mark e-mail, they react as though they've discovered a ticking bomb. They've typically got a few hours to solve whatever issue the CEO has flagged and prepare a thorough explanation for how it occurred, a response that will be reviewed by a succession of managers before the answer is presented to Bezos himself. Such escalations, as these e-mails are known, are Bezos's way of ensuring that the customer's voice is constantly heard inside the company.
A typical Bezos bomb:
[After reviewing the annual plan from the supply chain team] "I guess supply chain isn't doing anything interesting next year."
The Quidsi affair:
Quidsi could now taste its own blood. At one point, Quidsi executives took what they knew about shipping rates, factored in Procter & Gamble's wholesale prices, and calculated that Amazon was on track to lose $100 million over three months in the diaper category alone.
And …
Bezos won, neutralizing an incipient competitor and filling another set of shelves in his Everything Store. Quidsi soon expanded into pet supplies with Wag.com and toys with Yoyo.com. Wal-Mart missed the chance to acquire a talented team of entrepreneurs who'd gone toe to toe with Amazon in a new product category. And insiders were once again left marveling at how Bezos had engineered another acquisition by driving his target off a cliff.
One the brilliance of Bezos:
He had no background in control theory, no background in operating systems," Jones says. "He only had minimum experience in the distribution centers and never spent weeks and months out on the line." But Bezos laid out his argument on the whiteboard, and "every stinking thing he put down was correct and true," Jones says. "It would be easier to stomach if we could prove he was wrong, but we couldn't. That was a typical interaction with Jeff. He had this unbelievable ability to be incredibly intelligent about things he had nothing to do with, and he was totally ruthless about communicating it."


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Up to Reds - Justin Lehr and Kip Wells
Wells was supposed to start for Louisville tonight.
Long relief (Ramirez) pitched last night.
I guess Maloney pitches on short rest.
Either that of Luis Bolivar starts.
Up to Bats - Del Rosario
New to Carolina?? - Chris Kelly and Joseph Krebs


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Saturday, January 31, 2009
Libel and the Truth Defense
"Your blogosphere is all funny man"
"Its not mine. What did they do now?"
"I was reading some blogs yesterday"
"I thought you read all of 4 blogs"
"There were these links..."
"Anyway the point is these bloggers are funny"
"They have taken up some cause now. The cause of free speech!"
"I noticed"
"And you don't find it funny?"
I do. Not surprising but funny. Other than a handful of blogs (most of which Abi links to here, my views are similar to the ones expressed in this post), I have no idea what the rest of them are all protesting. Righteous indignation as usual. It seems like oh, lets all get together and rant against the mainstream media, this is so much fun, isn't it? Not that I have anything against ranting or having a bit of fun; I am sure I'd even agree to join the party if only I could see anything more than Bloggers of the world, Unite but I guess I am a little dim that way. Anyway, that's not the point of this post.
Getting back to story. So Bill and I were talking about this and we got to libel defenses.
"Which country was this where truth was not an absolute defense in a defamation case?"
"I don't think there's any country like that; not any democratic one. India could fall into the category if you interpret the law a certain way but not sure"
"Not India. Indian laws are strange. There is some country, there definitely was. Maybe old British libel law. I remember studying about this in Civics"
"You studied old British law in your Civics class? Dude, you didn't even study in Calcutta. What did your parents do to you? Get you WB history books to rectify gaps in your education?"
"Oh shut up. We studied about all sorts of countries in Civics"
"Yeah and their old laws. Anyway, I don't think there is any country where truth is not an absolute defense"
"There is"
Google and Wikipedia time. I lost the bet. The country is Philippines. In the Philippines, truth is only part of the defense - in addition to showing the statements were true, the defendant will have to prove that matter charged as libelious was made with good motives and justifiable ends. (from here)
More time was duly spent on this (xkcd would approve) and now that I know so much about libel laws (especially media libel laws) in different countries, I have decided it's my duty to enlighten you all. So.
(Info from here and a collection of Wiki articles)
US: America with its First Amendment rights clearly favours the defendant in most libel suits, especially in cases involving public officials and figures. Truth is a complete and unconditional defense, however, if the plaintiff is a public figure, then even if the defendant doesn't have a truth defense, he might still be alright. A public figure plaintiff has to prove negligence or actual malice on the part of the publisher to claim any damages.
In short, you can call George Bush a fool, and the case will be thrown out unless Bush can prove malice or negligence on your part. One could argue that you can easily get off on the truth defense on this one, but proving the truth in an American court of law is no easy task.
A note about fact vs. opinion here: Just because you start the statement with "IMO" doesn't make it an opinion. Most sources claim that this area is gray and very much subject to how the court interprets it.
Britian: If the American laws are defendant-friendly, the British libel laws are very plaintiff-friendly (No surprises why our laws are plaintiff-friendly too, I guess). In fact, the English courts have been accused of being havens for 'libel tourists' by human rights and free speech advocates over the years. The major differences between the US and British laws are:
1. British common law presumes that the the defedant's statements are false unless and until he can prove the contrary
2. Unlike the US law, a public figure plaintiff does not have to prove fault on the part of the defendant. This is why public officials and politicians can sue for libel in Britain but not very easily in the United States
3. In the US, intent matters. If the publisher believed the content to be true when it was published, that provides an exception even if the statement was false. However in Britain, "under common law a publisher is liable for any false statement of fact, even where the publisher honstly believed the statement to be true at the time of publication and acted in accordance with reasonable standards of journalism"
France: I was curious as to what the French libel laws say as they would have to somehow balance freedom of speech and individuals' reputation unlike the US or Britian where (arguably) one can say, one takes precedence over the other. The French have some rules on who can sue (for instance corporations can sue, however if an employee is the real target, then they cannot), and the defendant can use three kinds of defense - truth, good faith and privelege. Good faith is what makes them closer to the Americans that they would like to be, in fact it takes them one step ahead of the Americans as good faith can include things such as "belief in the truth of the statement, deadline pressures, desire to inform the public, the use of the word "allegedly", or that the statement originated from another source".
Germany: Another country where it is arguable whether truth is a complete defense or not. Defenses inlcude: truth, legitimate public interest, and comment and critical opinion. Apparently, the German courts look favorably on defense please where public interest is at stake. And interestingly, Germany's defamation damage awards are much lower than of the US, and the emphasis is more on corrections and apologies than damages. (Needless to say, Bill claims that being Germans, they possess some precise ways of measuring %s of truth and legitimate public interest and other defenses)
That's it for now. Anyone wants to add to this list around libel laws in other countries including our own, please do so in the comments section. Its quite an interesting subject, no?
15 comments:
- Falstaff said...
ok, you clearly have too much time on your hands. If you're going to do this, could you spend your time researching tax loopholes instead?
In any case, what the law actually says is largely irrelevant isn't it?
- Veena said...
People, everyone listen to this: Falsie telling someone that they have too much time on their hands!
Falsie: Yeah, you wait, you anarchist you. When Princess Hark! DaButt sues you, you will see if the laws are relevant or not.
Seriously, agree. But considering that society cares about reputation and damages to reputation and that nations have libel laws, I think its interesting how different countries deal with this when it contradicts with their freedom of expression principle.
- Cheshire Cat said...
I've never understood what Libel is anyway. Sounds like a brand of soap...
- Veena said...
Cat: Fine, its a soap brand. Now go write a post on today's match.
- Cheshire Cat said...
The horror, the horror!
If Federer isn't the finest tennis player of all time, he's certainly the most lachrymose.
- ??! said...
Maybe he chokes because he doesn't cry before the match. Now for the French, he should watch snaps of Nadal with the Wimbledon and Australian trophies, have a good bawl, and then go out and play.
- Veena said...
Cat: Horror? I thought it was damn cute. I watched it a couple of times!
??!: Don't have much hope for the French but Wimbeldon I still have hope for.
Maybe I should go check how much tickets cost or something - are they difficult / insanely expensive to get?
- Cheshire Cat said...
I meant the match. The guy goes to the mike and says "It's killing me" - if it's killing him, that's cute and all, but how self-centered can the guy be? Utter genocide going on amongst his fans.
- ??! said...
And a perfect example of how he let's Nadal pysche him out.
Why let him know just how much it hurt him? Go home, tear the walls apart, and face him the next day all smiles. Somebody introduce him to poker.
- ??! said...
Wimbledon's not too bad for prices - they do all sorts of deals depending on what day and what courts you want to go to. But CC for finals may be difficult to get.
- Veena said...
Cat, ??!: He can't be self-centred for a minute now? And he should also learn to be a poker player? Come on people. Despite what his fans think, the man is very much human you know.
- Veena said...
Okay, give up. I can't believe I am talking, like, sports. Its all this snow methinks. Or my review that has to get submitted today that I don't want to write. Well.
im not able to understand the post at all :(
Custom Dissertation | Assignment Writing | Custom Essay
- 日月神教-任我行 said...
- Wicked Tickets said...
I just want to emphasize the good work on this , has excellent views and a clear vision of what you are looking for.Maybe he chokes because he doesn't cry before the match. Now for the French, he should watch snaps of Nadal with the Wimbledon and Australian trophies, have a good bawl, and then go out and play.


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|2010-06-28, 23:02
|Link #521
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
New to this forum, and so glad to see this thread. I bought the kotobukiya figure at a local ohio anime con. It was the last one the dealer had, she said they didnt sell well at all she only ordered a few to test them out. I guess it figures most kids at cons only want naruto/bleach stuff. Glad I got one
|2010-06-29, 06:03
|Link #522
My wolfu is >> your waifu
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Charleston, West Virginia
Age: 36
Was that an original or one of the re-releases. Either way, that is one of my favorites... nice and simple.
You are right the series is nowhere near as popular as the stuff you listed, but think it has a better story and much better character development!
Oh and welcome!
|2010-06-29, 14:28
|Link #523
Team Spice and Wolf UK
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: England
Age: 30
Plus its not an unknown series either, its one of popular with the intended audience style shows, but its not really aimed at the same, young reader base as dbz or Naruto, more mid/late teens and twenties. As Rajura said there is a lot more depth. Lots of good reviews though and its a bit of a marmite setting and series due to the subject matter so it was never likely to win as big a fan base, but conversely because of that those who like it tend to stick with it, as suggested sales would imply (the boss of yen press said the novels are selling well and funimation have licensed the second season suggesting the first did well).
I originally found it after seeing it mentioned elsewhere too and now its pretty much my favourite property out of Japan.
Welcome to the board (where we are all waiting for a season three and the next translated novel)!
Ps Rajura tell me if you see any more of the mugs and cups around on the bay or wherever, I'd like some!
|2010-07-11, 11:48
|Link #524
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Thanks for the welcome, and yes, I am also hoping for a season 3. I'm also interested in an item that I saw on 1999.co.jp It's the Wolf and Spice Toreny Silver Coin (Anime Toy). If anyone knows where to get one I would greatly appreciate it.
|2010-07-11, 12:00
|Link #525
My wolfu is >> your waifu
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Charleston, West Virginia
Age: 36
The best place to find one of those would likely be on yahoo auction japan or another auction site.
I'm sorry to say that I believe it would be very difficult for you to find on any other site similar to hobby link. If memory serves me correct, every site that I have looked through their S&W inventory has been sold out for a while.
If you are interested, your best bet would be scanning auction sites regularly or waiting for a re-release. I know I have seen a few of the coins available for auction over the last few months (but not many).
I'm sorry I could not be or more help.
|2010-08-28, 07:38
|Link #526
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
New to the forums, not really new to anime suki though haha. But I just went through these 27 pages. I wonder if Rightstuf still has the dust jacket to go with the first vol. of the book, since I really don't like the redone cover much either.
On another note, I was looking for the first book cover that was made, it looks like it's discontinued and I haven't been able to find it online at most of the major retailers, but thought maybe someone might have a site they may know that sometimes has stuff for longer periods. I've also asked my GF to search Tokyo and Yokohama, so if someone knows a store in those 2 cities that's worth searching that would be a great and I'll pass it along to her.
The book cover I'm looking for is: http://fow1228.blog87.fc2.com/blog-entry-789.html
which looks like is in a faux leather. It would be good to cover that bad looking NA volume artwork if I can find it too HAHA.
Nice to meet everyone =)
|2010-08-29, 10:48
|Link #528
My wolfu is >> your waifu
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Charleston, West Virginia
Age: 36
I'd contact RS's customer service department if you are unsure as to whether they still have it. They're generally very prompt in getting back to customers if you email them.
They'll be honest with you.
|2010-09-01, 04:10
|Link #529
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
I ended up ordering it anyways haha, I'll post if they still have it.
Now for that other book cover, I hope my GF has some luck in getting it.
Oh I also wonder if Starburst every finished his scanning.
Last edited by Kenshin`Macleoud; 2010-09-01 at 05:01.
|2010-09-07, 16:30
|Link #530
Join Date: Sep 2010
Hello everybody !
I'm new here, and just finished reading all those topics about the wonderful story of Spice and Wolf.
I may ask a question, hoping to find my savior : Does anybody know where can I buy the latest NDS Game "Spice and Wolf The Ocean Crossing Wind" in collector version, with the huge poster of Horo (found these pics but nothing else :/ )
JML, new french fan !
|2010-09-07, 17:16
|Link #531
My wolfu is >> your waifu
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Charleston, West Virginia
Age: 36
I'd try Yahoo auctions Japan. I've seen them there. Moderately priced too. You can use a proxy buyer if the seller doesn't ship internationally, but it may cost a fair bit.
Good luck!
|2010-09-07, 21:22
|Link #532
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Yahoo Japan is probably the best way now to get it unless you have a friend in Japan who can search around for you, but even at that it would be difficult.
Regarding the Dust Cover for the novel, RightStuf still has it with the dust cover, I received mine in the mail today. =)
|2010-09-18, 12:44
|Link #535
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Virginia, USA
Age: 56
Guide Book. But I haven't seen a dedicated artbook yet.
|2010-09-18, 19:13
|Link #539
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
for the game or something?
Nevertheless 175 pages have to have SOMETHING interesting in the midst!
Do you recommend the buy or are the images something that can be just as much enjoyed on google image search.
|2010-09-18, 20:26
|Link #540
My wolfu is >> your waifu
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Charleston, West Virginia
Age: 36
Nah... it's got stuff for everything... a short story, stuff from the anime and light novels,
and video game info. It really is worth the buy!
Almost all of it is not readily available on image search.
|Thread Tools


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As Ned Ryun suggests, with some luck January may bring a new Speaker of the House. A conservative Speaker. And this is the kind of plain talk -- the truth --- that the American people need to hear.
We're not going to raise the debt ceiling without spending cuts that address the so-called "Stimulus" package, which was sold as a one-time, emergency measure. We're not going to raise the debt ceiling without these necessary cuts, because our entire system faces a fiscal disaster without them.
By the way, we don't live in a dictatorship. We live in a Republic with checks and balances.
Furthermore, we are not going to raise the debt ceiling without three questions being answered by Senator Harry Reid and the President:
1. At what point will Democrats have borrowed enough from America's young people and from future generations? Is there a dollar limit or a percentage of GDP they can point to and say, "That's it! That's the limit!"?
2. At what point will Democrats have spent enough? Is there a dollar limit or a threshold of GDP that, once surpassed, they admit their central planning in the housing, health care, retirement, banking and other markets have failed?
3. How much longer will Democrats operate the country without a budget? For the first time in modern American history, Democrats have refused to pass a budget for three years in a row, an act which no country, no state, no city, and certainly no family would ever tolerate.
Because if they can't identify any limits on their spending -- if they recognize no constraints to their policies nor learn from the past -- then they are tacitly admitting that they intend to poison, through bankruptcy and fiscal chaos, the American system of government.
None of America's young people should tolerate this fiscal destruction and I pledge that this Congress will stand up for America's youth. We will not tolerate Democrats poisoning the wellspring of freedom any longer.


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Friend of F1@1F Ryan Malphurs in WaPo
In this morning's Washington Post, Bob Barnes features Ryan Malphurs's newly-published study on the effects of laughter in the Supreme Court:
The Texas litigation consultant studied all the notations of laughter during the court's 2006-2007 term, and discovered a few more himself while listening to tapes.
He found that fewer than half the comments were directed to the lawyer in front of the justices, or even to the argument he or she was making.
The rest were self-referential, or about the court, or about some third party, such as Congress or government in general.
In scholarly fashion, Malphurs – who studied the court for his communications dissertation at Texas A&M – looked for deeper meaning:
"The justices' laughter diminishes formal control and power barriers, facilitating communication amongst themselves, between the justices and advocates, and with the audience members as well."
I met Ryan on the Supreme Court sidewalk before the first day of the term, where he gave me a preview of this study as we paced in front of the Court trying to keep warm. He stayed in line for the rest of that first week and later, in a post for F1@1F, reflected on his night with the crowd for Snyder v. Phelps.
Congratulations on the great press, Dr. Malphurs, and keep up the great work!
UPDATE (1/24/11): Adam Liptak of the New York Times gives Malphurs's study a look.
Captive Audience in the Snyder v. Phelps Line
Ryan Malphurs, the second-most ultimate Court watcher in my column from the first day of oral argument this term, also stayed overnight for the Snyder v. Phelps argument last week. He penned an open letter Op/Ed to the Court with a unique take on that night's events, as well as his insights into overall state of the general admission line derived from his scores of sunrises on the sidewalk since 2006. With his permission, I've copied the column below.
Dear Mr. Chief Justice and May it please the Court,
The opportunity to observe Supreme Court oral arguments offers citizens a rare window into one of the Court's most revered rituals. The Court offers a limited number of seats to the general public for each oral argument and distributes the tickets based upon the position in line for which the individual occupies. Motivated citizens can wait in line many hours or even days before a case to secure a seat in oral arguments. Citizens interested in the D.C. v. Heller case slept outside for three days prior to the Court's distribution of tickets.
I love the egalitarian nature of this approach to oral arguments because it ensures that any citizen can gain admittance to the Court's arguments. Only in line for Supreme Court oral arguments can you stand shoulder to shoulder with a homeless person, construction worker, law school student, and plaintiff or respondent (all were in line together on Monday). However, over the past few years conditions within the citizens' line have grossly deteriorated contributing to injustice at the very site where justice should be most prominent.
Over the past four years I have observed more than fifty oral arguments and have made it a habit to attend the opening of the Court's term every October. Another gentleman and fan of the Supreme Court has been attending the term's opening arguments every October since 1989, an incredible feat. This past week I waited outside each day to gain entry into the Court's oral arguments, but it was on Tuesday when I endured reprehensible behavior that I never believed would be tolerated at the Supreme Court.
In line on Tuesday afternoon for Snyder v. Phelps, I found myself directly behind Phelps' supporters; throughout the day, evening, and early morning these supporters evangelized to the entire crowd, pacing up and down the line, questioning our religion, condemning us to hell, and calling us whores and fags among other things. For a few hours their antics were somewhat ridiculously humorous, but after nearly eight hours of intermittent condemnation their speech grew both offensive and bordered on the category of fighting words as the crowd grew angry and restless. During this time, police officers from the Supreme Court and the Capitol police observed from a distance, but did not intervene.
At 10pm those of us in line began preparing to sleep, hoping to get some rest before the next day's oral arguments. However, as we laid down, the Phelps' supporters began screaming at us, encouraging their children to take turns yelling to prevent us from sleeping. Lying in my sleeping bag, with an individual literally screaming into my ear, I could not help but note the irony of the situation. Much like Snyder v. Phelps, here we were a captive audience, unable to leave the line because doing so would have cost us our place. We were forced to endure the group's objectionable vitriol. The Court has ruled in Frisby v. Schultz that "the First Amendment permits the government to prohibit offensive speech as intrusive when the 'captive' audience cannot avoid objectionable speech." The Court has a designated area for groups and individuals to express their speech, and citizens waiting in line before oral arguments should not be forced to endure hours of hate ridden speech as a captive audience. I am angered that this type of speech, which is clearly not protected, was even tolerated by officers outside of the Supreme Court. Americans have come for centuries to the Court seeking protection, and we should expect, at the very least, constitutional protection from a group's hatred when serving as a captive audience. I hope you make a similar determination in Snyder v. Phelps.
Adding insult to injury, while everyone was asleep the Phelps' supporters decided to move their materials to the front of the line, usurping the position of those who had spent two nights out in the cold to be first in line, a fine example of Christian behavior. When the group of students who had originally been first in line complained to the police about the group's movement, astonishingly the police refused to address the situation; only when the crowd grew riotous, at a group of twenty Phelps' supporters joining the front of the line at 8am, did the police partially intervene, though surprisingly allowing the initial usurpers to remain even after a policeman acknowledged the group of students had been first in line for two days.
The egalitarian and often fair nature of the Court's line for oral arguments has begun deteriorating over the years without any guidance from the Court, potentially disadvantaging the very citizens who hold the Court dear. Last year a tour company hired ten paid individuals to stand at the front of the line and hold spots for 60 of the company's clients. The police again declined to intervene and the crowd's aggressive nature frightened the operator who pulled the paid line holders from their places and abandoned his plan.
I am petitioning the Court to maintain the egalitarian and just nature of the line for oral arguments because these are active citizens who have spent days and nights outside to observe and participate in ritual of oral arguments. Citizens willing to endure such extremes are a rarity today and the Court should offer an orderly and secure environment, where these dedicated citizens should not have to endure the very same unprotected speech the Court has ruled against. Tolstoy has written that "where there is law, there is injustice," but one should never expect injustice when standing before our country's highest court.
For Malphurs, oral arguments have served as research for his Ph.D. work "regarding the cognitive influence of communicative interaction between the justices and advocates." His paper, "Making Sense of 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus': A Study of Rhetorical Discursive Bias in Morse v. Frederick," served as the basis for his dissertation and is available on SSRN. I endorse the paper for all F1@1F readers, especially those interested in the intersection of law and communications


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While the end of the Mayan Calendar in 2012 may have been a lot of hoopla, it did have a positive result: It put Mayan culture front and center in the promotion of tourism to Cancun and Riviera Maya. Some of the most visitor-friendly entry points to Mayan culture are the cenotes that dot the landscape, where visitors can take a dip amidst lush surroundings. Cenotes are naturally formed crystal-clear pools that house underground rivers. They date back thousands of years and were a primary source of fresh water for the Maya.
Cenotes were also sacred sites. The Maya believed that they were the entrance to Xibalba, the Mayan underworld. The Maya also believed that the depths of the cenotes pools and caverns were inhabited by tiny, nimble and mischievous creatures known as aluxes, or guardians of the jungle. These aluxes were thought to wander through fields and hills after sunset. The Maya would give prayers and offerings to the aluxes and ask them for permission to walk on their land. The Maya would also pray that the aluxes would take care of the crops.
Experiencias Xcaret is offering a new tour, Xenotes Oasis Maya, which brings participants to experience four different kinds of cenotes in Riviera Maya. Participants will kayak, rappel, snorkel, zip-line and go tubing while learning about Mayan history and culture.
The tours include transportation service to and from the participant's hotel in the company of a specialized guide. En route, a welcome coffee, chocolate, Mexican sweet breads, non-alcoholic beverages (water and soft drinks) and seasonal fruits are served. Participants are equipped for all activities with a life jacket, snorkel equipment, rappel gear, a kayak, an inner tube and a towel. Facilities include restrooms and changing areas.
During the tour, Experiencias Xcaret offers what they call a "Glam Picnic," with a menu that includes fussili vegetable soup, premium cheeses and deli meats, rustic breads, fresh salads and drinks, including beer and wine.
The tour costs $109 for adults and $54.50 for children.


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Looking for some input. I have used TQ Stats for my fantasy leagues for the past three or four years. I like them, especially when you have a problem and can call and talk to a live person. However, they do seem to have some limitations and I worry that they have not made many upgrades in the past couple of years.
Any suggestions on some of the sites that you use?
Thanks for your input.


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After being the first outlet to report that M.I.A. had delivered her baby and would not be performing at this year's 81st Academy Awards, HitFix
can now exclusively confirm that Robert Pattinson will be presenting an award
during this year's telecast.The "Twilight" star had long been rumored to appear
on Hollywood's biggest night, but barring any unforeseen last minute conflicts,
he'll be giving the franchise's legion of fans something to look forward to on Oscar Sunday. Still unclear is whether Pattinson's "Twilight" co-star Kristen Stewart will also appear on the telecast and what award he will specifically present. And,
obviously, speculation will now run rampant on who Pattinson's date down the red carpet will be.
You can read the rest of the article here: Hitfix


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In response to pressure from California regulators, Anthem Blue Cross agreed to a slightly lower rate increase for about 630,000 individual policyholders that will save consumers an estimated $54 million.
Anthem, a unit of Indianapolis insurance giant WellPoint Inc., had sought to raise rates an average of 18% beginning Feb. 1. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Thursday that the company had agreed to reduce the average increase to 14% after regulators reviewed Anthem's rate filing.
Some Anthem customers will still see their premiums rise as much as 25% under this agreement with the state.
"Health insurance premiums continue to increase substantially, and health insurance has become unaffordable for far too many Californians," Jones said. "I appreciate that Anthem Blue Cross has agreed to lower these rates so policyholders will pay $54 million less than they otherwise would have."
The state cited a number of factors that led it to deem Anthem's proposed rate hike excessive, including unsubstantiated estimates of expected medical costs. Insurance officials review these rate filings, but they don't have authority to reject them for being unreasonable as they do for property and auto policies.