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A running discussion on the Cincinnati Reds and everything else in the baseball universe.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
2010 All Undervalued Team
Daric Barton
Well, I've written on Barton before, but this will likely be his last appearance on here. Either he breaks through in 2010 or not, regardless he'll either graduate from this list or fall off it entirely. So, be it from breakthrough or flop, this is it for Barton.
Still, I can't help but really like his chances for 2010. While it seems like he's been around forever, in actuality he is still only 24 years old. The reason I like Barton is that he has perhaps the best plate approach of anyone in baseball this side of Albert Pujols.
1. Rarely chases pitches outside the strikezone. In 2009, Barton swung at pitches outside the strikezone only 13.5%, which was among the league leaders. Quite obviously, the fewer...
2. Barton makes contact at a 90% clip on pitches in the strikezone.
So, he rarely chases pitches outside the zone and when he swings at pitches inside the zone he makes contact 90% of the time. He doesn't go outside the zone and makes contact on the vast majority of the time on pitches in the zone. Those two factors help explain why Barton has the ability to walk more often than he whiffs, which is a rare combination in this day and age.
3. Barton hits line drives at a ~20% clip.
So, he rarely chases pitches outside the zone, he makes contact at a 90% clip on pitches in the zone, and when he does make contact he hits line drives 20% of the time. When you hit line drives at such a high rate, many of those balls in play will fall in for a hit.
In addition, Barton had Lasik surgery on his eyes this past offseason. If he does breakthrough in 2010, then people will likely point to that as a driving factor. However, through the miracle of modern technology, I watched basically every plate appearance Barton had over the final 5-6 weeks of the 2009 season. And, quite frankly, he looked good. He rarely chased a bad pitch, controlling the strikezone very effectively. When the pitchers worked him outside, he drove the ball with authority through the 5.5 hole on the infield. When he got a pitch on the inner half that he could handle, he did a nice job of dropping the head of the bat on the ball.
In September, Barton hit .310/.406/.488/.894 in 84 ABs. And, his performance could have been even more impressive, as he missed out on two additional homeruns by a grand total of about 4 feet. In a game against the Rangers in the Ballpark in Arlington, Barton hit a double off the top of the right-centerfield fence. If the ball was 2 feet higher, it would have been a homer instead of a double. Back home in Oakland for the next series, Barton was robbed of a homerun when Shin-Soo Choo jumped up against the rightfield fence to bring it back. Instead of 2 homers in September, he could easily have had 4 and maybe a bit more hype heading into the 2010 season.
Overall, I'm bullish on Barton for 2010. I think he's legitimately ready to pop. He controls the zone superbly and seems to have regained confidence in his swing. I'm not sure there is a better hitter in baseball at tilting the probability of success in an at bat in his favor. And, now he seems to have his refined his swing to enable him to better take advantage of those increased odds.
Sean Rodriguez
Rodriguez was acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays in the Scott Kazmir deal. He's flown under the radar a bit, but he's a very interesting prospect due in no small part to the thunder in his bat. He has a nice righthanded swing and serious pop. In 2008, he slugged .645 at triple-A and in 2009 he followed it up by slugging .608. Now, admittedly, some context is required, as he put up those numbers in a very friendly Salt Lake City ballpark. Still, even if you knock 100 points off his slugging percentage, Rodriguez is still doing impressive work. In addition to his power, Rodriguez also does a nice job of controlling the strikezone. He is a disciplined hitter who is more than willing to work the pitcher and draw a walk. For his minor league career, Rodriguez has a slash line of .281/.380/.501.
In addition, Rodriguez is a baseball lifer. His father, Johnny Rodriguez, bounced around various professional baseball levels for decades, raised him as a ballplayer as much as a son. One of the things that gives him so much value is his versatility. He has the skills to play just about any defensive position on the field and is more than willing to do so. Whatever it takes to help the team win, Rodriguez is willing to do.
Personally, I think Rodriguez should get a long look at the starting second base job with Zobrist shifting to rightfield. But, even if he doesn't win the 2b job, Ben Zobrist already blazed a trail in Tampa Bay to great effect for a super-utility type role, so the Rays are likely to be more comfortable using Rodriguez in that manner than other organizations. That may open up more playing time and more opportunities than he might receive in another organization.
Overall, Rodriguez strikes me as potential impact player in the making. He could be a 20 homer player with a .280+ batting average. And, he can hold down second base without difficulty. Whether he wins the 2b job or the Rays elect to use him as a super utility player, the Rays did very well in taking him off Anaheim's hands.
Chris Dickerson
Yes, I'm still a believer.
I'm surprised more people don't see the value in Dickerson. Even if he is never anything more than he was in 2009, he's still a plus defensive player in a premier defensive position who boasts elite on-base skills. That's a pretty rare combination, as finding a true leadoff hitter who can provide plus defense at an up the middle position is of great value. And yet, I do think there's a bit more projection left to his game.
In his MLB career, Dickerson has a slash line of .283/.383/.440 and a career line drive rate of 20.9%. Those are pretty impressive numbers, even if the slugging percentage is driven by his Ruthian performance during his 2008 cup of coffee.
I do think he has more power projection in his game than he showed in 2009. If he manages to crank even a few more homers in 2010, then he'll become a true impact talent. If I was a GM for a different organization, I would most definitely have tried to take Dickerson off Cincinnati's hands last offseason. Fortunately, he's still in the organization and the best should be yet to come.
John Bowker
Bowker is a guy I've seen more than a few times and every time I see him at the plate I just can't help but like him. Part of it exists on a gut level. I read John Sickels' Minor League Blog and he talks from time to time about subconscious pattern recognition, basically how, when he sees a prospect, he forms an opinion on some aspect of his skills without really knowing why. Basically, watching so much baseball over the years you start to subconsciously pick up on patterns and tendencies that you can't really explain. It's an attempt to explain away why we like certain players and not others, but one that may hold some merit.
As for Bowker, he's got a unique swing. It's fairly short and compact, almost to the point where it makes him look like he's swinging with shorter arms, but is likely more the result of a somewhat abbreviated follow through. Despite the somewhat compact swing, Bowker still manages to generate substantial power. So, his swing path is quick to the ball, but the lack of length *should* make him a bit less susceptible to strikeouts. It's really an interesting combination.
To top it off, his swing generates line drives at a very good clip, as evidenced by Bowker regularly being up over 20% in his minor league days. So, his swing gives him a very good chance of popping the ball out of the park, but if it doesn't leave the park it still has a good chance of falling in for a hit. Overall, Bowker strikes me as being a good, well rounded hitter who needs an opportunity to show what he can do.
Another reason for optimism was his 2009 performance in the minors. For triple-A Fresno, Bowker posted a ridiculous slash line of .342/.451/.596/1.047. It certainly wasn't a sample size fluke, as he did it in 450 plate appearances, but the thing that really jumps out is his on base percentage. His OBP was over 100 points higher than his batting average, which is not the norm for Bowker. He's always been a good, intriguing hitter, but never an on-base maven. Still, it'll be interesting to see if he sustains it to any real degree. I suspect he was hitting the ball so well that pitchers worked him very carefully, issuing a lot of walks of the unintentional intentional variety. So, it remains to be seen whether his performance represents a breakthrough to a new level of discipline and controlling the zone. I am typically skeptical of the ability of players to make substantial improvement in plate discipline, as I tend to view it as a tool rather than an improvable skill.
Bowker's defensive skills relegate him to leftfield and first base, but his bat is rather intriguing and should be more than enough to carry him in an offense-first position. Unfortunately, the Giants brought in so many mediocre veterans that they may have blocked Bowker for 2010, which is unfortunate because he deserves a look. Even so, he's ripping the ball in spring training and on the verge of forcing his way into the Giants plans.
Ricky Nolasco
This one may be the most obvious one of the bunch. He was actually performing at a high level in 2009, but his overall stats are not reflective of it. Last year, he had a 5.06 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2.14 BB/9, and a 9.49 K/9. The 5.06 ERA is appalling, but his component stats were very impressive. In fact, his Fielding Independent Pitching was a stellar 3.35. He was undone by his Strand Rate (61.0%) and his BABIP of .336, both of which should normalize in 2010.
The Marlin defense did him no favors, but 2010 should be a breakout season for Nolasco.
Sean Gallagher
Gallagher has long been a favorite of mine. He features good velocity and life on his fastball and a plus curveball that is a real swing and miss pitch. During both his Chicago and Oakland days, Gallagher was plagued by a lack of opportunity and a lack of health. However, now that he has landed in San Diego, it could be the perfect situation for him. He now resides in the ultimate pitcher's park and should be completely healthy.
When healthy Gallagher strikes out roughly 7.5 per nine and walks roughly 3.5. He may not break camp as a member of the rotation, but may not be long for the bullpen as San Diego doesn't have many better options in the rotation. Early in his professional career, Gallagher failed to take advantage of his opportunities, but could be poised to do just that in 2010.
6 comments:
i love these posts, mostly because i blindly follow only the reds and dont know much about other teams prospects that fly under the radar.ReplyDelete
How is Bartons defense?
Thanks, I enjoy these types of posts. It was late when I was writing it up and somehow I forgot to include John Bowker, so I went back and added him in.
I usually end up thinking about guys I would acquire if I was the GM of a small market team. Guys who can provide maximum production per dollar spent. The undervalued talent is where teams can really gain a competitive advantage on other organizations.
As for Barton, he was drafted as a catcher and has learned 1b on his way up the minor league ladder. At this point, he's at least average with the leather and could be above average. He's made some real strides over there and definitely won't be a liability and could even be an asset.
If we didn't have Votto currently crushing the ball at the MLB level, then I'd be up on my soapbox all day long advocating that we need to acquire Barton. Of course, he may not take the step forward that I'm expecting, but I'm bullish on him for 2010.
Anyway, thanks for the comment!
- AnonymousMarch 31, 2010 at 10:19 AM
Just curious on a few things here. Barton has the best approach outside of Pujols? Not that I am saying you are wrong as I haven't seen Barton swing the bat, or just don't recall it (watching the A's puts me to sleep). I am just stunned any fan of a team with Votto on it wouldn't put Votto right there with Pujols in that regard. Not to mention A-Rod, Utley, Berkman, Jeter etc. How would you break down a face off between Barton and Vottos' approaches?
If you like Dickerson (and I do as well) then you have to recognize that Stubbs could also be an eventual candidate for your list. They have similiar skill sets and issues. They just have different reasons for where they struggle. So just wonder what your take is on Stubbsy the GG defender with potentially elite OB skills and very good raw power?
I love the Rodriguez pick very astute selection. I'd maybe add Travis Snider to your list he seems like a likely candidate to bust out, as well as Asdrubal Cabrera. Along with my favorite guy to bust out in '10, Jay Bruce (.280/.360/.520+). Nolasco I'm sure is a popular choice of arms around baseball as he has been in the past as well, seems he needs to put it together. At this moment I am finding it tough to think of many arms to genuinely bust out but there will be improvements all over with increased emphasis on defensive play. But Cueto too me seems like it's time to get to that next level and with Price's help I think he will. Aside from him I'll take a shot in the dark with Manny Parra.
Interesting thoughts. I'll try this again. Last night, I had a complete comment typed up only to have my computer crash. By that time, I was too frustrated to do it over again. So, this time, I'm breaking my response down into 2 different comments.
I actually like all of the guys you just mentioned, including Snider, Stubbs, and Jay Bruce, but I wouldn't consider those guys to be undervalued. In fact, as I recall, all are recent first round draft picks, so they seem properly valued. If we wanted to acquire them, then we'd probably have to pay pretty much the going market rate.
I'm not sure why, but I tend to put myself in the shoes of a small market GM with a terrible 25 man roster. So, I try to identify players in other organizations whose production is likely to outpace their price. Guys I could acquire on the cheap and plug in to help me compete immediately. The guys who provide good bang for the buck. However, to be that type of player, you have to have a lesser reputation/valuation, but still have solid upside. I think Dickerson fits that bill, while Stubbs does not. Still, I'm very bullish on Stubbs for 2010 and plan on writing up a separate post setting forth the reasons why.
Anyway, it's something fun to ponder and a bit of a challenge to spot value.
Now, turning to the Barton issue...
I suppose I should start by more clearly explaining what I meant by the Barton/Pujols comment. When I think about hitting these days, I break it down into two different components. First, you have the plate approach, which is everything that happens up to and until firing the swing. Second, you have the swing, which is everything that happens after the hitter decides to swing. The dividing line between the two is the "go/no go" decision.ReplyDelete
When I was comparing Pujols and Barton, I was talking about the first component, which involves pitch recognition, controlling the strike zone, tilting the probability of success in your favor, and maximizing your chances of success.
I like Votto and think he has the best approach on the Reds. Even so, I think it falls short of Barton's, but should make for an interesting comparison. Now, I have to admit that the two components do overlap a bit, especially in the context of contact rate. The more disciplined you are, the better your chances of putting the ball into play.
If you offer at a "hitter's pitch", then you are more likely to make contact than if you offer at a "pitcher's pitch." So, in that instance, pitch selection directly affects contact rate. At the same time, even if you get a great pitch to hit, a poor swing may result in a swing and miss. Still, let's see if we can break it down a bit.
First, even though you have hitters like Ichiro and Vlad the Impaler, who swing at everything and are strong enough in the second component to make it work, I don't think it's a stretch to say that it's better to try to grind out the at bats to get a pitch in your happy zone.
To start, let's take a look at their respective rates at swinging at pitches outside the strikezone. Votto has a career rate of 25.2%, while Barton has a career rate of 16.4%. Barton chases fewer pitches out of the strike zone, which is probably an advantage for Barton.ReplyDelete
Still, in and of itself, that's not necessarily a black mark on Votto. While I'd prefer hitters to only swing at pitches in the zone, I suppose we have to take into account that Votto might be a Vlad type hitter who is more productive by expanding the zone. If so, then his approach of expanding the zone may actually be a good thing. In addition, Votto has a more power/less contact approach, while Barton has less power/more contact. So, instead of just relying on the general rule that pitches outside the zone are "evil" (even though they clearly are ;), we should probably try to isolate the respective plate approaches a bit further to determine it's effectiveness.
So, to really analyze their respective individual approaches at the plate, I think we need to compare each against himself, rather than compare the two directly against one another.
For example, Votto swings at pitches outside the strikezone 25.2% of the time. But, is that a good strategy for Votto? Looking at his contact rate indicates that it's likely not. Overall, Votto makes contact at a 76.7% rate. On pitches outside the zone, he makes contact 57.3% of the time, while on pitches inside the zone, he makes contact 83.0% of the time. So, he makes contact 25.7% less often when he goes outside the zone.
As for Barton, he swings at pitches outside the zone 16.4% of the time. Overall he makes contact at an 84.2% of the time. He makes contact 87.4% of the time on pitches in the strikezone, but contact at a 75.5% of the time on pitches outside the strikezone. So, he makes contact 11.9% less often than when he goes outside the zone.
So, Votto goes outside the zone 8.8% more often than Barton, but his contact rate falls off 13.8% more than Barton when he goes outside the zone. So, if anyone could justify going outside the zone instead of focusing on pitches in the zone, it would likely be Barton, as he handles them better than Votto.
Add in a few additional factors like Barton sees more pitches, actually has the potential to walk more often than he strikes out, and walks at a greater clip (DB 12.6% v. JV 11%) despite Votto getting significantly more intentional walks.
Overall, I think it's tough to top Barton's plate approach. That said, Votto is clearly the better, more valuable hitter at this point, as the swing component trumps the plate approach component.
Anyway, thanks for the comment!


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BRADEN RIVER — Tucked away on an end table in his parents' home, a single black photo album reveals one man's story.
At first glance, it appears to be like any other. A single photo — one of him smiling as he stands on the sidelines at Braden River High School — graces the cover. It shows a coach doing what he does best — listening, teaching and helping to shape his players for what's to come.
In many ways it's the perfect photo to introduce this man's story and yet it's only just the beginning. After all it's what's inside that truly captures Pirates defensive line coach Doug Garrity's spirit.
Only this album isn't filled with family photos or football mementos. In fact you won't find a single photo inside its pages. Instead, dozens of white 3-by-5 index cards fill the pages — each one a handwritten message from a player, student, friend or colleague.
He was the best coach and teacher ever … He taught us so much on and off the field … He pushed me to be stronger … You were an inspiration to us all … Helping me to become what I am today … I will win states for you … We'll work harder like you want … The way you encourage me to get better every day … Taught me it's OK to be yourself …
Now these inspirational words will serve as a constant reminder of the impact that Garrity had on his students and players. On Sept. 25, the Braden River family and the community gathered at the school to pay tribute to their beloved teacher, coach and friend.
Prior to the Pirates' district game against Bayshore, the Braden River High Athletic Booster Club formally dedicated a memorial tribute, which has been constructed just outside the football stadium, in honor of Garrity.
The memorial features a Live Oak tree surrounded by a circular bench, a Superman-shaped flowerbed and a series of plaques honoring Garrity.
"I didn't know Doug, but my kids knew him so it was more of a thing for the Garrity family and Doug's students," booster club member Mark Ventriglia said. "It turned out a lot better than even I thought it would, and I think the eternal thing is how long Live Oaks live. It should last 100 years — that's the eternal part of the whole memorial."
On hand for last Friday's memorial tribute dedication were Garrity's parents, John and Dehlia Garrity; his brother, Patrick; former Bayshore Athletic Director Mario Valcarcel; and coaches Willie Brown and Jim Cooper, some of Garrity's former Bruins teammates; and lifelong mentor Robert "Pig" Goff.
John and Dehlia Garrity learned about the memorial tribute to their son during the Pirates' first home game against Lakewood Ranch.
"It was very awe-inspiring that they would consider doing something like this for Douglas," Dehlia Garrity said. "The thing that surprises me the most is that this is the booster club doing this, so it's the parents who saw how Douglas affected their children."
Her husband agreed.
"It's one thing to know that your son is working with kids, but after the tragic accident all of these people that we didn't know, all of the players, all of these kids… the support in the number of people that attended the services and the funeral … it's kind of still going on," John Garrity said.
Forever linked
During the tribute, John and Dehlia Garrity also presented the school with a plaque in memory of their son and in honor of last year's football team, which recorded the program's first winning season.
The plaque features a photo of Doug Garrity surrounded by the symbolic chain that was given to John and Dehlia Garrity during their son's funeral, a football signed by all of last season's coaches and players, a team picture, a list of all the players and coaches and the Pirates' schedule from last season.
"On March 25, this chain was passed on to the Garrity family to keep close to their hearts the loss they had suffered, anchoring them to the Pirate family and holding them safe and secure until they were ready to pass it on," Jeff Phillips announced to the crowd on behalf of the Garritys. "This chain is ready to take its rightful place at the home of the Pirates to continue its legacy of strength and achievement."
John and Dehlia Garrity had been looking for a way to return the chain back to the players ever since it was given to them six months ago. But it wasn't until Braden River linebacker Trevor Barnes' father, Ben, approached the Garritys that the idea for the plaque was born.
"The last six months the (school and the community) have really helped us with our closure," Dehlia Garrity said. "The plaque — it's our way of saying 'thank you.'"
"We just wanted to get the chain back to the boys because that's where it belongs," John Garrity said.
Ben Barnes talked to the players about what they would like to do with the chain, and the players responded by asking to turn the chain into a plaque to commemorate the 2008 football team.
"It turned out to be more than any of us could've ever imagined," Trevor Barnes said. "It's perfect. From now on, it'll be in that trophy case and people will be able to look at it and know what our history is."
Lifelong Pirates
It's been six months since Doug Garrity, 27, was killed in a car accident. There's not a day that goes by that John and Dehlia Garrity don't think about their son.
Images of their son's smiling face — from the photo of him standing on the sidelines to a portrait of Doug Garrity in his signature pink polo shirt — are sprinkled throughout the Garrity's home.
Up until two weeks ago, John Garrity couldn't bring himself to open the photo album filled with index cards. But with a box of tissues and his wife by his side, John Garrity was finally ready to read the messages left for his son.
"Each time is very emotional," Dehlia Garrity said. "These are things that they would say about Doug or to Doug. These are the things and the people he inspired."
After losing their son, the Garritys took up Doug Garrity's commitment to his students.
"Our biggest concern is for those kids," Dehlia Garrity said. "John and I know our loss and how we're dealing with this and we're adults. John and I are able to do this and get through this because we know that they're doing this and getting through this.
"We need them to help us, and we know that they need to see us (strong) to help them," she said.
John and Dehlia Garrity have attended every one of the Pirates' games this season with the exception of the Venice game. John Garrity tries to attend at least one of the team's practices each week and joins the team in the locker room for a pre-game prayer.
Following their victory Friday night, the players gathered on the 50-yard line as the defense presented John and Dehlia Garrity with chains of their own to remind them they will always be a part of the Braden River family, and that their son will forever be the link that holds them together.
"He's with us every day," Trevor Barnes said of Garrity. "He's always here. He's in every one of our hearts. He'll always be here. He's never going to leave this school."
Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].

subset: commoncrawl


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You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities: (i) copying, distributing, or disclosing any part of the Site in any medium, including without limitation by any automated or non-automated "scraping"; (ii) using any automated system, including without limitation "robots," "spiders," "offline readers," etc., to access the Site in a manner that sends more request messages to the IDEA servers than a human can reasonably produce in the same period of time by using a conventional on-line web browser (except that IDEA grants the operators of public search engines revocable permission to use spiders to copy materials from the Site for the sole purpose of and solely to the extent necessary for creating publicly available searchable indices of the materials, but not caches or archives of such materials); (iii) transmitting spam, chain letters, or other unsolicited email; (iv) attempting to interfere with, compromise the system integrity or security or decipher any transmissions to or from the servers running the Site; (v) taking any action that imposes, or may impose at our sole discretion an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure; (vi) uploading invalid data, viruses, worms, or other software agents through the Site; (vii) collecting or harvesting any personally identifiable information from the Site, except as expressly permitted by the features of the Site; (viii) using the Site for any commercial solicitation purposes; (ix) impersonating another person or otherwise misrepresenting your affiliation with a person or entity, conducting fraud, hiding or attempting to hide your identity; (x) interfering with the proper working of the Site; (xi) accessing any content on the Site through any technology or means other than those provided or authorized by the Site; or (xii) bypassing the measures we may use to prevent or restrict access to the Site, including without limitation features that prevent or restrict use or copying of any content or enforce limitations on use of the Site or the content therein.
You are solely responsible for your interactions with other Site Users, including Candidates if you are an Employer, and Employers if you are a Candidate. We reserve the right, but have no obligation, to monitor disputes between you and other Users. IDEA shall have no liability for your interactions with other Users, or for any User's action or inaction. IDEA shall have no obligation to you to enforce this Agreement against any other User.4. Intellectual Property All content on this Site, including but not limited to images, text, code, graphical designs, and logos are the sole property of IDEA. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, display, or creation of derivative materials is prohibited and could subject you to civil and/or criminal liability. Your use of the IDEA site does not create any interest in the intellectual property of IDEA. You agree that you have no authority to use the content of the site, including IDEA's trademarks and copyrighted materials, for any purpose other than those expressly provided on ideafit.com. 5. Your Choice on Collection and Use of Your Information We may, from time to time, send you electronic mailings, text messages, and other direct communications, regarding our products and services. We will send you these mailings only if you indicated that you do not object to these offers. If you do not wish to receive further information from IDEA Health & Fitness Association (IDEA) you can send us an e-mail at [email@example.com] and tell us that you do not want to receive future communications. You may ask to have the information on your account deleted or removed, however, because we keep track of past transactions, you cannot delete information associated with past transactions on our website. In addition, it may be impossible to completely delete your information without some residual information because of backups.
If you have registered for a live event, including but not limited to an Expo Hall Pass, your badge will contain your contact information. By having your badge scanned, your name, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address may be obtained by the scanning exhibitor.
We will encourage our service partners to adopt and post privacy policies. However, the use of your personal information by our service partners is governed by the privacy policies of those service partners, and is not subject to our control. The ideafit.com website may contain links to other non-IDEA websites. IDEA is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites and you should exercise your best judgment when sharing personal information on these websites.6. User Submissions and Articles
Users may submit information for use on ideafit.com, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, conference presenter applications, events, and profile information. In doing so, you agree that such submissions shall be lawful, and shall contain content that you have authority to use and post on ideafit.com. You agree that posting such submissions on ideafit.com shall provide IDEA with a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable right to use, distribute, reproduce, and display such content without limitation. Such rights shall include the rights of IDEA to prepare derivative works of such content. You further agree to read and abide by the terms of IDEA's Author's Guidelines and Republishing Policy.
The Site may allow Users to post content such as job and company information, application information, logos, trademarks, comments, questions, and other content or information ("User Content").
You agree not to post User Content that: (i) may create a risk of harm, loss, physical or mental injury, emotional distress, death, disability, disfigurement, or physical or mental illness to you or to any other person; (ii) may create a risk of any other loss or damage to any person or property; (iii) seeks to harm or exploit children by exposing them to inappropriate content, asking for personally identifiable details or otherwise; (iv) may constitute or contribute to a crime or tort; (v) contains any information or content that we deem to be unlawful, harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, defamatory, infringing, invasive of personal privacy or publicity rights, harassing, humiliating to other people (publicly or otherwise), libelous, threatening, profane, or otherwise objectionable; (vi) contains any information or content that is illegal (including, without limitation, the disclosure of insider information under securities law or of another party's trade secrets); (vii) contains any information or content that you do not have a right to make available under any law or under contractual or fiduciary relationships; or (viii) contains any information or content that you know is not correct and current. You agree that any User Content that you post does not and will not violate third-party rights of any kind, including without limitation any Intellectual Property Rights (as defined below) or rights of privacy. IDEA reserves the right, but is not obligated, to reject and/or remove any User Content that IDEA believes, in its sole discretion, violates these provisions. For the purposes of this Agreement, "Intellectual Property Rights" means all patent rights, copyright rights, mask work rights, moral rights, rights of publicity, trademark, trade dress and service mark rights, goodwill, trade secret rights and other intellectual property rights as may now exist or hereafter come into existence, and all applications therefore and registrations, renewals and extensions thereof, under the laws of any state, country, territory or other jurisdiction.
You represent and warrant that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the rights granted herein to any User Content that you submit, that IDEA's use of your User Content in accordance with this Agreement will not violate any law or infringe the rights of any third party, and that to the best of your knowledge, all your User Content and other information that you provide to us is truthful and accurate.
IDEA takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any User Content that you or any other User or third party posts or sends through the Site. You shall be solely responsible for your User Content and the consequences of posting or publishing it, and you agree that we are only acting as a passive conduit for your online distribution and publication of your User Content. You understand and agree that you may be exposed to User Content that is inaccurate, objectionable, or otherwise unsuited to your purpose, and you agree that IDEA shall not be liable for any damages you allege to incur as a result of User Content.
By using the Site, you acknowledge that we do not have control over the quality, timing, or legality of the information uploaded to the Site by Users. In addition, you acknowledge that we do not have control over the integrity, responsibility or actions of Candidates or Employers. We do not refer or recommend either Candidates or Employers, nor do we make any representations about the integrity, responsibility or actions of Candidates or Employers whether in public, private or offline interactions.7. Voluntary Background Checks For Fitness Professionals As part of the Site, IDEA offers fitness professionals the options to submit to voluntary background checks and/or credential status checks and post the results from those checks as part of their profile on the Site. By submitting to these checks, all such fitness professionals acknowledge that they are in no way required to submit to background or credential status checks, and that they have voluntarily chosen to submit to such check(s). Such fitness professionals further consent to the release by third-parties (including, but not limited to, certification agencies and training organizations) of information relevant to the checks.
The provisions of this Section 8 of the Agreement are specific to Users that use the Site as Candidates (including as Job Seekers). If you are using the Site as a Candidate, then in the event of a conflict between the provisions of this Section 8 and the rest of the Agreement, the provisions of this Section 8 will control.
A. Accounts If you indicate in your Account that you are interested in job opportunities, you must be permitted to legally work within your applicable jurisdiction.
In addition to applying for a job posting as a "Job Seeker", you can also browse the Site and receive job alerts from the Site regarding jobs that may be of interest to you ("Job Alerts").
B. Job Applications As a registered Job Seeker you will be able to submit job applications through the Site ("Job Applications") for jobs that are listed on the Site ("Job Listings"). You will have the ability to choose how to submit your Job Application through the Site using the options offered through the Site.
Please note that once you have submitted a Job Application through any feature of the Site, your resume and other applicable information will be shared with the Employer that posted the Job Listing. You should therefore ensure that the information in your User Profile is complete and accurate, and only contains information you are comfortable sharing with Employers, prior to submitting a Job Application.
C. Candidate Database In addition to submitting Job Applications through the site, you will have the opportunity to, but will not be required to, elect to include your profile as part of the Site's candidate database (the "Candidate Database") at the time you register to use the Site. If you do not elect to include your profile in the Candidate Database at the time you register to use the Site, as a registered Job Seeker you may subsequently elect to include your profile in the Candidate Database by adjusting the settings in your account.
D. Interactions with Employers and other Persons Contacting You Through the Site You are solely responsible for your interactions with Employers and other persons who you contact, or who contact you, through the Site. Please note that there are risks, including but not limited to the risk of physical harm, that may arise when dealing with strangers, including persons who may be acting under false pretenses. You should therefore use caution with regard to the information you elect to share as part of your User Profile. Only list the contact information on your profile or Job Applications that you are comfortable disclosing to Employers and other Users of the Site.
Although IDEA requests that Employers maintain the confidentiality of the Job Applications and resumes they receive through the Site, IDEA cannot and does not guarantee that the information you provide to Employers through the Site as part of a Job Application or resume will be held in confidence or properly secured by each applicable Employer. In addition, IDEA takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any Job Listing that any Employer posts or sends through the Site. You agree that IDEA is not responsible or liable for the conduct of any Employer.9. Provisions Specific to Users Who are Employers or Who Contact Professionals on the Site
The provisions of this Section 9 of the Agreement are specific to Users that use the Site as Employers or who contact professionals through their profiles. If you are using the Site as an Employer or contacting a professional through a profile, then in the event of a conflict between the provisions of this Section 9 and the rest of the Agreement, the provisions of this Section 9 will control.
If you are an Employer or are otherwise contacting a professional on the Site, you agree that you will not use the Site to post or promote any position that contains inaccurate, false, or misleading information; includes any screening requirement or criterion in connection with a job posting where such requirement or criterion is not an actual and legal requirement of the posted job; involves any franchise, pyramid scheme, "club membership", distributorship, or multi-level marketing opportunity; requires applicants to pay to apply, pay for training, pay for training materials, or pay for samples. You agree not to use the Site to post or promote any position that is compensated on a commission basis only, unless clearly stated in your posting. When using the Site, you are responsible for ensuring that your use of the Site is in compliance with applicable law.
A. Employer Accounts and Authorized Users As an Employer, you are responsible for all activity, acts or omissions by any of your personnel that create an Account to use the Site ("Authorized Users"). Accounts may not be shared between different Employer personnel. Employer shall ensure that Authorized Users comply with this Agreement, and shall promptly notify IDEA of any suspected or alleged violation of this Agreement including any unauthorized use of any password or account or any other known or suspected breach of security. Employer shall cooperate with IDEA with respect to: (i) investigation by IDEA of any suspected or alleged violation of this Agreement and (ii) any action by IDEA to enforce this Agreement. IDEA may suspend or terminate an Authorized User's access to the Site in the event that IDEA reasonably determines that such Authorized User has violated this Agreement or appears likely to do so. Employer shall be liable to IDEA for any violation of this Agreement by an Authorized User.
C. Removal of Job Listings You acknowledge and agree that IDEA may, with no liability or penalty, remove any Job Listing, content, communication or information posted, which in the sole judgment of IDEA, violates or may violate this Agreement, applicable laws, rules or regulations; may adversely affect IDEA; is false, inaccurate, misleading, deceptive, fraudulent, libelous, defamatory, immoral, offensive, obscene, pornographic, disruptive, threatening, abusive or illegal; or which may violate or lead to the violation of the rights of, or harms or threatens the safety and privacy of any third party.
D. Database Access If you are accessing the Candidate Database as an Employer, then subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, IDEA hereby grants you as an Employer a limited, revocable, non-transferable, non-exclusive right to access the Database from the Site for the limited purpose of viewing profiles solely for use by the Employer. If you use or access the Database as an Employer, you agree to comply with the following rules regarding access to the Database:
You are solely responsible for interviewing, performing background and reference checks on, verifying information provided by, and selecting an appropriate Candidate.10. Links to Other Websites Links to other websites may appear on this Site. Unless expressly stated otherwise, IDEA has no control over any such linked websites and is not responsible for and does not endorse or guarantee the content or services offered through such websites in any way. By accessing such websites, you do so at your own risk.
If you use the Site on behalf of a company, organization, or other entity, then (a) "you" includes you and that entity, and (b) you represent and warrant that you are an authorized representative of the entity with the authority to bind the entity to this Agreement, and that you agree to this Agreement on the entity's behalf.21. Provisions Specific to Users who Attend a Live Event: Waiver of Liability
Note: You are free to participate in numerous workshops and other strenuous physical activities during the conference. We advise that if you are currently taking medication, have any physical ailment or are otherwise not in excellent physical condition suitable for such strenuous activity, your participation could be injurious to you. You should seek medical advice regarding these matters BEFORE participating in this program.
I assert that any and all participation by me in physical activity at this Conference/Convention, whether in sessions, in the exhibit halls, or elsewhere on the grounds, will be voluntary. In consideration for being allowed to participate in this Conference/Convention, I, on behalf of myself, my spouse, my heirs, and my estate, hereby release, waive, indemnify, and save harmless IDEA Health & Fitness Inc. ("IDEA") and all IDEA employees, volunteers, or agents, from liability from any and all physical or other injuries or harm (including those resulting from the ordinary negligence of IDEA, its employees, volunteers, or agents) suffered by me during, or as a consequence of, participation in any and all physical activity associated with the Conference/Convention.
I further understand that there are serious inherent risks involved with all physical activity and that when performing exercise routines or engaging in any similarly strenuous activity, I may suffer minor injury, serious injury, or even death. I understand these inherent risks, and I assume all such inherent risks associated with participation in any activities in conjunction with the IDEA Conference/Convention and release IDEA, all employees, volunteers, or agents from liability.
I further represent to IDEA that I am in excellent health and physical condition and that I am not disabled in any way, taking medication, or suffering from any condition that would prevent me from safely engaging in such activities or that would make such participation potentially dangerous or harmful for me.
I understand that IDEA may photograph, film, video capture or audio capture some or all of the event, and it is possible that I will be filmed, taped or recorded. By agreeing with this document, I agree to these conditions.
IDEA may, but need not, photograph, film, video capture or audio capture me in connection with the event.
IDEA will own all or part of any such photograph, film, video capture or audio capture, and further that IDEA may employ any such film, tape or recording for any and all commercial or noncommercial purposes without payment of any kind to me and without further notice tome or permission from me.
I understand that IDEA and its licensees shall own all right, title and interest in any photographs, films, video capture and/or audio capture taken at the Convention/Conference by IDEA or by photographers, videographers, and the like commissioned by IDEA for the purpose of advertising future events or otherwise as IDEA shall reasonably determine. Photographs may be released to the news media that are reporting on the event. IDEA shall have the right to the use of my likeness and similar characteristics contained in photographs, films, video capture and/or audio capture taken of me at the Convention/Conference for the purpose of advertising, promoting, selling, and otherwise merchandising for future events or otherwise.
I hereby release and discharge IDEA, its employees, agents, licensees, successors and assigns from any and all claims, demands or causes of actions that I may have or may hereafter have for libel, defamation, invasion of privacy or right of publicity, infringement of copyright or trademark, or violation of any other right arising out of or relating to any utilization of any photographs, films, video capture and/or audio capture taken at the Convention/Conference by IDEA.
I hereby, for myself, my heirs, executors and administrators, waive, release, and discharge any and all claims of damages for death, personal injury or property damage which I may have, or which may hereafter accrue to me, as a result of my participation in the Conference/Convention. The release is intended to discharge in advance IDEA, its employees, volunteers, and agents from and against any and all liability arising out of or connected in any way with my participation in the Conference/Convention, even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons or entities mentioned above. I further understand that serious accidents occasionally occur during physical activity and that participants can sustain mortal or serious personal injuries as a consequence.
Knowing the risks of participation, I nevertheless hereby agree to assume those risks and to release and hold harmless all of the persons or entities mentioned above who (through negligence, carelessness or otherwise) might be liable to me or my heirs or assigns, for damages. It is further understood and agreed this waiver, release and assumption of risks is to be binding on my heirs and assigns.
IDEA is not responsible for failing to perform if failure is caused by circumstances or events outside IDEA's reasonable control, which shall include but not be limited to acts of God or nature, terrorist attacks, war, union or labor disputes or other events out of its control.
This waiver shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, and any suit or action arising hereunder shall be filed in a Court of competent jurisdiction within the State of California.


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We can help them find you.
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- Consumers proactively searching for mortgage information
- All requests for mortgage help are submitted via a site hosted by QuinStreet (we do not buy leads)
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Currently integrated with ...
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Welcome Back
In today's post I will be reviewing; Debbie Shore's DVD
Sew What
Why I bought the DVD
Back in the 1980's I'd done a little sewing at school, but have done almost none since. Being a total novice to sewing but really wanting to get to grips with my new machine, when this DVD was advertised on a UK shopping channel Ideal World, it looked just right for me.
This is a great DVD for anyone sitting in front of a sewing machine for the first time. If you have been given a sewing machine, even with an instruction book, it can be very bewildering. This DVD introduces you to sewing machines, explains how to thread them and their bobbins and takes you around the various parts of the machine so you know what you are looking at. Later in the DVD there are tutorials for altering and repairing clothes. At the end is are great tutorials for making a cushion and a tote bag. There is information about choosing tools and accessories for sewing, as well as choosing fabrics and threads too.
If you have a sewing machine in the loft, that you would like to use but haven't a clue where to start, this is the DVD for you. If you have lost the manual to your machine and would like to try to use the machine again, this DVD should get you going.
I don't really have any negative points for this DVD, I was not personally interested in the alterations section of the DVD, but when I have had more practice with my new sewing machine, that is likely to change, so later on that section is likely to be more valuable to me.
Value for Money
Excellent! If you have a new machine, that came with its own DVD for how to set it up, then you will find some information is going over what you had on that. BUT if you have no instructions with your machine or are bewildered by the books you have, then Debbie is a reassuring teacher who will take you by the hand and demystify the whole process.
Would I buy it Again?
Yes and would recommend it to anyone interested in sewing but too ashamed to ask for help. Not everyone has access to a friend or relative who sews.
Summing up
Truly a great investment! I was intimidated by my new machine, full of enthusiasm, but not a clue where to start. This DVD has given me the confidence to have a go and has so much useful information, well presented by Debbie, it is like having your own personal tutor on hand whenever you need her. The great thing about DVDs is that if you don't understand something on the first pass, you can rewind as often as you like and Debbie will tell you again 😉
If you want to start to sew, I would definitely recommend this DVD! Not patronizing, just helpful and informative, it takes you from day one and expects no prior knowledge of the subject 🙂 🙂 The way Debbie presents this, it is like having your best friend (who sews) round to show you what to do, she makes sewing FUN. Thanks Debbie 🙂
Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon
Billie 🙂


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Neighborhood Characteristics and Property Valuation Summary
Columbine Valley is a unique, stunning country club and polo community with beautiful homes, mature trees, large lots, and private park-like landscapes. It is comprised of separate exclusive neighborhoods each with their distinctive charms, attributes and amenities. The merging of locations, easy access, extraordinary architecture, and an uncompromised resort-type lifestyle provides the backdrop for a unique experience for all homeowners.
An additional benefit to living in Columbine Valley is the ability to travel within the town in personal golf carts. You would be hard-pressed to find a more engaging environment in which to live. It truly is one of the crown jewels of the Littleton area.
Following is a brief summary of the neighborhoods of Columbine Valley.
The Columbine Country Club (Old Town) neighborhood is the oldest neighborhood and is currently being rejuvenated with new custom homes as well as extensive remodels. The homes are bordered by an 18-hole world class golf course and the membership is in the process of building a new clubhouse surpassed by none. The club board of Trustees and designers have paid special attention to creating serenity and luxury in the surrounding community and the club house and pool/tennis facilities are being built to harmonize with the lush natural setting.
Lot values alone in The Columbine Country Club are now at $800,000.00
Burning Tree offers charming homes on large lots with wonderful mature landscaping as well as a great community which features parks, tennis courts, and a neighborhood pool. For these reasons, this pocket is very popular with young families. The area borders the Columbine Country Club and a beautiful tree-lined parkway.
Brookhaven is a beautiful newer custom home community featuring residences that are situated on ample lots with curved streets that add charm and character to the neighborhood. In addition, Brookhaven features impressive and elegant million-dollar-plus patio homes.
The Polo Meadows is a gorgeous custom home neighborhood which is accessed by an exclusive lane. There are 18 homes all on large lots backing to either the Columbine Equestrian Center, horse pastures, tranquil pond, flowing Dutch Creek, or a beautiful tree-lined parkway. Each home was thoughtfully designed and meticulously crafted with quality and style. From every lot the picturesque views are breathtaking, showcasing Colorado at its finest.
The Village at Columbine is a lovely area of curving streets, mature landscaping, and many beautiful homes, alongside the par-three golf course.
Country Club Villas is a luxury enclave of eight sophisticated and elegant patio homes.
Willowcroft is a new patio home development built by Taylor Morrison. The homes are marketed as a semi-custom development. The property borders one of the entrances to the town of Columbine Valley and the neighborhood of Brookhaven.
Overall, the average active sales price in Columbine Valley is currently $1,220,443.00.
The average active listing price currently under contract in Columbine Valley is $1,118,971.00.
Over the last three years, 111 properties sold in Columbine Valley for an average sales price of $1,006,727.00


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- Red Bull news
Webber confident in new race engineer
- Drivers:
- Mark Webber
- Teams:
- Red Bull
Mark Webber says his change of race engineer will not affect his chances of challenging for the championship this year.
Over the winter, Webber's engineer for the past seven years, Ciaron Pilbeam, moved to Lotus while Kimi Raikkonen's 2012 engineer, Simon Rennie, moved the other way to take Pilbeam's place. Webber said his new team is fully motivated and believes it will be capable of challenging for the title.
"This is part of Formula One," he said. "Unfortunately there are sometimes changes but it's moved in a way so that everyone is still positive to work with and we have a fresh start and a new environment. Ciaron is happy to have a change of scenery as well and you don't want him to be unhappy where he is. So overall we still have a strong team and one that can challenge for the championship."
He added: "Ciaron was my engineer ever since I joined Red Bull, so all the results I've had have been with Ciaron and all the wins he's had in Formula One have been with me; we've had some really good times together. He chose to move to a different team and he'll be missed at Red Bull. But we have a great engineer in Simon Rennie who is coming from Lotus and has a very good pedigree. I've been working well with him in winter testing along with Gavin Ward, my performance engineer, and the three of us are starting off very quickly."
Webber believes the burden is now on him to maintain a high level of performance at each race and said that his long tenure at Red Bull has not changed his approach.
"It's very unusual for a driver to be in one team for so long," he said. "Seven years has actually happened fast! But for sure we have achieved some really good things and I have another opportunity this year to achieve some good things and get the last box ticked.
"I think that most of it comes down to me because if I'm not performing, I'm not fit or if I'm not well then for sure a top team doesn't want that driver. So that's my first job, to make sure I'm performing every single weekend of every year.
"Then of course I'm in the market and Red Bull have been keen to keep me, so that's been good and we're focusing now on a new season in which we want to beat everyone else. For sure I'm not looking too far ahead, and every year there is new challenges so we'll see how it goes."


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Summer is around the corner and I'm already feeling a dwindling interest in MMORPGs. I've been feeling it for a while now but I do find the odd glimmer of amusement by still playing here and there. Admittedly, it's more fun playing with someone else… so why is everything now available to solo players?
For WoW, I've been mainly raiding or running old heroic instances hoping for a rare mount/pet to drop. I did have some fun a few weeks back when I started a Warlock and was working my way through the revamped content. It seems I've done the Worgen and Goblin starter areas then motivation has died off. My motivation for the Warlock was catching up to the LBO who is into Westfall and really enjoying the storyline. Unfortunately, he's put that aside for quite some time now with his focus mostly being on playing Minecraft with a kid from up the street.
I can't bring myself to play a new character for a number of reasons. I've been through it, whether the content is new or not, I've killed enough murlocs, gnolls, pigmen and stuff in my time playing WoW. It doesn't bring me any satisfaction or joy. I know the way there and I know I can do it but there is no motivation to do so. I think that's a de-motivator – I know I can easily do it so I don't feel a need to do so.
I haven't played much of anything outside of WoW. A little bit of Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War 2 – Chaos Rising (yeah, that's a mouthful) but I haven't gotten too far into it yet. I think I'm about four or five missions in. I just unlocked my Terminator armor, which I love. I admit I like the single player of this game but don't like the multiplayer or custom game options. I miss the base/unit building from the first DoW. I found it much more enjoyable. I especially enjoyed Conquest-type modes that showed up late in the DoW series.
I'll end up playing some more of that single player.
I had Portal (the first one) gifted to me. I didn't realize how short it was. Definitely fun, but short. I'm reluctant to pick up Portal 2 because it seems short as well, though not as short as the first one (which takes a couple of hours at worst).
I poked around Steam a little last night and downloaded the demo for Dungeons. It looked like a Dungeon Keeper type of game but it wasn't quite as customizable as that. The dungeons appear to be predefined, though you can have minions make some changes for you. It didn't do anything for me so I uninstalled.
I eyeballed Two Worlds 2 but without a demo I don't know that I'll try it.
I do still have several games to complete: Dragon Age 1, Divinity 2, Overlord 1 and Overlord 2. Maybe I'll work on those some.
Still, none of those scratch the itch that is wanting a shared, challenging and memorable experience with friends.


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The tough thing about a one game playoff series is there are no second chances, and that's exactly what the AZL Cubs wanted after this one. The Cubs committed six errors and were generally sloppy all night as they fell to the Athletics 15-3 and were eliminated from the playoffs.
Paul Blackburn got the start for the Cubs and was decent over the first three innings giving up three runs on four hits while striking out three. The Cubs were in a 3-0 hole early but got right back into it with two runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to one, unfortunately that's as close as they would get. The A's scored seven times in the fateful 6th inning that saw three walks, and two wild pitches from Cubs pitching. The A's would add three more in the 7th and one final tally in the 8th to put this one to bed. Carlos Penalver had a great game at the plate going 3-for-4, but hit with no one on all night. Trevor Gretzky also had a solid game at the plate going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI's. Juan Paniagua was the bright spot out of the Cubs pen as he tossed two strong innings giving up one run, unearned, on one hit while walking two and striking out one.
Unfortunately the Cubs were not playing with a full deck as Shawon Dunston Jr. was unable to go tonight, I'm sure he wanted to but the organization was being cautious with him after he was hit by a pitch earlier this week. Great season from the Cubs, they crushed the ball all year, unfortunately they didn't have enough to get past the A's. Most of these players will head to instructional leagues during the off-season, we will keep you up to date on their progress all off-season and have a season recap in the next few days.
Thanks for reading,
– George


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Dr. George Hughes Collection, 1819-c.1855, MS 1786
Dr. George Hughes Collection, 1819-c.1855
Maryland Historical Society
(Text converted and initial EAD tagging
provided by Apex Data Services, March 1999.)
Dr. George Hughes Collection, 1819-c.1855 Contact Information:
Maryland Historical Society
Manuscripts Department
Maryland Historical Society Library
201 West Monument Street
Baltimore MD 21201-4674
Fax: 410.385.2105
[email protected]
Contact Information:
Descriptive SummaryDr. George Hughes Collection, 1819-c.1855
Maryland Historical Society
Baltimore MD 21201-4674
Scope and Content
See NUCMC for details
Hughes, Dr. George, 1768-1859.
d. 8 February, 1859, at his res. in New Market, Frederick county, of paralysid, Dr. George Hughes, in 92d. year. Sentinel, 25 Feb. 1859.
Dr. George Hughes offers his professional services to the people of New Market and its vicinity. Fred'k Herald, 8 May, 1819.
H. Hanford Hopkins, M. D.
1201 North Calvert Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
March 30, 1970
Mrs. Nancy Boles
Curator of Manuscripts
Maryland Historical Society
201 W. Monument St.
Baltimore, Md. 21201
Dear Mrs. Boles:
You are quite right! It is Dr. Hughes' ledger! How I happened to make the silly mistake I'll never know. Perhaps its because I've had so many Frederick County names running around in my head for so many years, in due course one of them were bound to eventually stop in the wrong place.
Dr. George Hughes built his house on the lot in New Market situated on the northeast corner of the National Road and present day Route 75. It is shown on Isaac Bond's Map of Frederick County, 1858.
West of him, across Route 75, once stood a button factory, which gave way to the town property of William Downey, Jr., in whose home the Hughes' ledger was found after the death of Margaret Jane Downey, one of his grand-daughters, and the last Downey to live in New Market. She was my first cousin, once removed.
I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you.
P.S.: A family of Salmons did live in New Market during Dr. Hughes life time.
ELB to keep.
Bibles to MKM.
Presentation to
H. Hanford Hopkins, M. D.
Copies to: Mr. Stoll Kemp, New Market, Maryland
Mr. R. M. Hopkins, Malvern Avenue, Ruxton, Maryland
Miss Amanda W. Hopkins, Bel Air, Maryland
Mr. William Downey, 4th, 226 Homewood Terrace, Baltimore, Maryland
Mrs. William W. Downes, 6142 Pratt Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland
Jan. 1970
Processed by: Nancy G. Boles
Date: June, 1970
My own relationship to Margaret Jane Downey is shown by the following diagram:
1. H. Hanford Hopkins, 4th
2. Howard H. Hopkins, 3rd. m. Alice E. Wood
Margaret Jane Downey D
3. Frank Downey m. Fanny Lawrence C
4. William Downey, Jr. m. Margaret Jane Wright
5. William Downey, Sr. m. Cordelia Harris Dorsey A
6. Basil Dorsey, Jr. m. Harriett Harris E
E. For Basil Dorsey, Jr. See Anne Arundel Gentry Newman, H. W. p.98
See Hist. and Biog. Record of Frederick County William, T. J. C. Vol. p. 936
Ibid. p.1223
Ibid. p. 940 and 938
Ibid. p. 938
H. Hanford Hopkins
Addendrum: All Lawrence burials in Frederick County, may be found in, Names in Stone,
Holdcraft, J. M., 1966, Privately Printed in Anne Arbor, Michigan.
January 1970
The Dr. George Hughes' Collection was given to the Maryland Historical Society by Dr. H. Hanford Hopkins. The daybooks were given in 1954, from the estate of Dr. Jesse Wright Downey, great uncle of the donor. The ledger, given January, 1954, was from the estate of Miss Margaret Jane Downey, Dr. Hopkins' first cousin once removed. Miss Downey's home was built by her grandfather, William Downey, Jr., and at the time was across the street from Dr. Hughes' property. This proximity seems to explain the Downey's possession of the Hughes' material.
All property rights belong to the Maryland Historical Society.
Accession number: 54132 and 62751 three vols.
MS. Number: 1786
By virtue of the authority vested in me by Mr. Stoll Kemp, Executor of the Estate of Margaret Jane Downey, late of New Market, Frederick County, Maryland, deceased, she being a lineal discendant of John Stephen Lawrence, whose ancestors emigrated to Anne Arundel County, Maryland, from the County of Northumberland in England in the late Eighteenth Century, I present to the Maryland Historical Society certain books and papers pertaining to the Lawrence and related families, of which the said Margaret Jane Downey died seized, a list of which books and papers I set down as follows, viz:--
1. An ancient German Bible, published 1707.
2. Small English Bible, published 1830, New York, autographed by Lilly Downey, aunt of Margaret Jane Downey.
3. Large English Bible, published 1855, New York, property of Ella Lawrence. The Family Record Leaves in the center, shows the birth and death of Fanny (Lawrence) Downey, mother of Margaret Jane Downey, and others.
4. Large English Bible, published 1802, Philadelphia. It contains a short family history, written by John Stephen Lawrence, lineal ancestor of Margaret Jane Downey, and an abbreviated family tree of the Lawrence Family, also a letter written by the signer of this presentation, to Stoll Kemp, Executor, commenting on the Northumberland and adjacent Counties in Northern England, on which the Lawrence Lands are marked; and also on the vain attempt of the American Lawrences to claim and acquire the unclaimed Lawrence Land in England, two generations ago. This letter, furthermore, points out how the first Lawrence Land Holdings south of Unionville in Frederick County can be accurately located on a current present-day Map.
Letter: H. Hanford Hopkins to Stoll Kemp, attached herewith.
1. On Charles Varles' Map of Frederick and Washington County, 1808.
2. On Isaac Bond's Map of Frederick County, 1858.
3. On a Map of the Northeastern Section of Frederick County, Maryland, by H. Handford Hopkins, et al.
All three Maps are in the Maryland Historical Society Library.
5. The Lawrence Map, referred to above, (copy for H. Hanford Hopkins), enclosed in the 1802 Bible.
6. The ledger (account book) of an early physician in New Market, Dr. _____ Hughes, who started practice in 1819, and continued on into the 1830's. The list of his patients is a roster of the inhabitants of New Market District, containing many such well-known names as Burgess, Dorsey, Griffith, Hammond, Hobbs, Wright, Mealey, and many others. The treatment administered, and frequent payment by barter is well illustrated. On the fly leaf in front the physician wrote down the cost in material and labor of building his dwelling house in New Market, the total being $310.00 in 1819.
I think I may have given to the Society, a later ledger of this village doctor.
7. Two tied bundles of assorted papers, i. e. letters, personal notes, deeds, contracts, mortgages, land surveys, etc., appertaining to the Lawrence dealings, with their relatives and neighbors.
Sincerely yours,
H. Hanford Hopkins, M. D.
Letter, Hopkins to Kemp:
Dear Stoll:
The account a of someone's visit to England to claim the Lawrence estate seems incomplete. There is no title page, and I don't see any flowing connection between pages 5 and 6; and who is the Author?
The map shows the Lawrence family to have had their domain in Northern England, and not Scotland as I had pre-supposed.
Levin Lawrence was the first in Frederick County, I think, and I believe he lived in or near New Market. He had no land grant in his own name.
Varles' Map shows only John Lawrence in 1808, living east by north east of Linganore Village, about a mile or so. His house, which was completely rebuilt, according to the present occupants, is shown on my, Land Grant Map.
Isaac Bond's Map, 1859, shows Lawrence heirs, in Shrineria, seat of Peter Shriner, and no Lawrence at the older site. b Much of the Shrineria land came out of Resurvey on Cold Friday, a grant to Edward Dorsey, a land speculator of Annapolis. The Lawrences must have bought this place from the Shriners, who built the house; or obtained it by intermarriage with the Shriner family.
The most prominent man produced by the Frederick County Lawrence family, must have been Upton, who moved to Washington County, and lived near Hagerstown, where he practiced law.
Sincerely yours,
H. Hanford Hopkins, M. D.
a. Account in possession of Stoll Kemp.
b. S. Roop was in that house, standong on the Patent, Bite the Biter.
7515 Club Road
Ruxton, Maryland
21 November 1968


text:
Thanks to Jansen and Sarah from Word of Mouth Communications, I was invited to the launch of Haagen Dazs's latest weapon of pleasure- Secret Sensations.
Available in two flavours- Chocolat Fondant and Creme Brulee ($5.95 each; twin pack at $10.95). With the small tubs of ice cream in our hands, we were told to wait for 10 minutes before digging in. If that 10 minutes were not torturous, I don't know what will be. Moohehe.
Here's the Chocolat Fondant and after what I would like to think was 10 minutes, I discovered the inner molten chocolate sauce. Oooo... Think rich chocolate ice cream, bits of brownies and that molten sauce. :)))
The Creme Brulee had a caramel sauce within and crunchy bits of caramelized sugar- to mirror the burnt sugar crust of creme brulee. I'm biased towards chocolate so I preferred the Chocolat Fondant! :p
Oh and yes, for posing for the very challenging word- Sensational, I won some Haagen Dazs vouchers! Here's Class 95's Yasminne Cheng, who hosted the event, very gamely posing with me. Moohahha. Photo thanks to SuperAdrianMe!
Check out their festive creations like Christmas Cassata, Royal Fondue and more! Only available until 2 Jan.
Haagen Dazs
Chew On This: Since


text:
Available ebook formats: epub pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html
Born in the United States to Canadian parents, he has developed a somewhat sardonic view of both nations, their relationship with each other, as well as the rest of the world. He developed in interest in sci-f media and literature, writing and art, from an early age as well as an keen interest in the future (where we all are, after all, going to spend the rest of our lives). With a desire to learn, but little interest in being taught, he has started and been involved in numerous businesses involving cosmetics, IT, the internet industry, as well as audio-visual tech.
He currently lives in the far south, is engaged in several writing projects in the genres of science fiction, fantasy and horror, and shares his home with a handful of cats.


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Seth Glier Heads Out On Nationwide CD Release Tour For "Things I Should Let You Know"
January 22, 2013
Acclaimed artist and Grammy nominated songwriter Seth Glier heads off on nationwide tour in support of his breathtaking release, "Things I Should Let You Know".
January 22, 2013
- Acclaimed artist and Grammy nominated songwriter Seth Glier is set to head off on a nationwide tour in support of his breathtaking upcoming release, "Things I Should Let You Know" slated to hit via MPress Records on February 5th. Kicking off in Ann Arbor at The Ark on January 11th, Seth will zigzag across the country including a stop at SXSW before wrapping the tour in Maine this April. With well over 250 shows a year under this troubadour's belt, Seth, a national spokesperson for Autism Speaks has teamed up with the not-for-profit to raise awareness and funds. Seth will also be performing a very special StageIt concert on January 15th where 100% of the proceeds will go to Autism Speaks.
In the months leading up to April (Autism Awareness Month), Seth will speak openly at every stop on the tour about his personal connection with autism and will provide his fans with an easy way to contribute via his personal fundraising page. Every donor will receive an exclusive video file, which includes never before seen live performance footage of music from "Things I Should Let You Know". Seth has set a $5000 donation goal for the tour; if he reaches his goal by the end of March he will perform a free streaming concert on April 2nd, National Autism Awareness Day.
Seth has a very personal connection with Autism Speaks: "my older brother, Jamie is autistic. He's 27 years old and non-verbal, so I have been exposed to autism and its effects on a family my whole life. I want this tour to help spread awareness about autism, to raise the funds that help organizations like Autism Speaks, to make life an easier place for those living with autism, and above all to celebrate and promote inclusion and equality for autistic individuals and their families."
Since first signing with MPress Records at the age of 19, Seth has gone from opening act to headlining his own shows and playing major folk festivals. He's shared the stage with artists as diverse as James Taylor, Ani DiFranco, Martin Sexton, Emmylou Harris and Ryan Adams and has quickly become known for his passionate live sets. His music has also caught the ears of fans, industry and critics alike with USA Today stating that his "exquisite tenor echoes Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel." The incredible acclaim on his sophomore record, "The Next Right Thing", led to the single "Lauralee" hitting #1 on Clear Channel's NEW! Discover & Uncover program as well as a Grammy nomination, a first for both himself and his New York based label, MPress Records.
Jan 11 The Ark Ann Arbor, MI 8:00 PM
Jan 12 S.P.A.C.E Evanston, IL 8:00 PM
Jan 13 Seven Steps Up Spring Lake, MI 7:00 PM
Jan 19 The Kent Stage Kent, OH 8:00 PM
Jan 24 Jammin' Java Vienna, VA 7:30 PM
Jan 25 Kirk Avenue Music Hall (w/ Peter Mulvey) Roanoke, VA 8:00 PM
Jan 26 Tosco Music Party Charlotte, NC 7:00 PM
Jan 27 Eddie's Attic (w/ Peter Mulvey) Decatur, GA 8:00 PM
Feb 1 Folkus Project Syracuse, NY 8:00 PM
Feb 2 Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY 7:30 PM
Feb 8 Chandler Music Hall Randolph, VT 7:30 PM
Feb 9 Iron Horse Music Hall Northampton, MA 7:00 PM
Feb 10 Spectrum Adult Day Health Program North Andover, MA 2:00 PM
Feb 15 Club Passim Cambridge, MA 7:30 PM
Feb 16 Concerts at the Crossing (w/ Liz Longley) Titusville, NJ 7:30 PM
Feb 17 Cadyville Concert Hall Cadyville, NY 8:00 PM
Mar 1 The Evening Muse Late Show (w/ Liz Longley) Charlotte, NC 10:30 PM
Mar 2 The Craftsman House St. Petersburg, FL 8:00 PM
Mar 3 Eddie's Attic (w/Liz Longley) Decatur, GA 8:00 PM
Mar 4 Just Folk Coffeehouse Elba, AL 8:00 PM
Mar 7 McGonigel's Mucky Duck Houston, TX 8:00 PM
Mar 9 The Old Firehouse Edom, TX 7:30 PM
Mar 16 MPressFest SXSW @ Soho Lounge Austin, TX 12:00 PM
Mar 22 Friends HC's Colorado Springs, CO 7:30 PM
Mar 23 Avogadro's Number Fort Collins, CO 8:00 PM
Apr 5 Cellar Stage Baltimore, MD 8:00 PM
Apr 6 Folk Music Society of Huntington Centerport, NY 8:00 PM
Apr 20 Stone Soup Coffeehouse (w/ Liz Longley) Pawtucket, RI 8:00 PM
Apr 24 Club Cafe (w/ Liz Longley) Pittsburg, PA 8:00 PM
Apr 26 Six String Concerts (w/ Liz Longley) Columbus, OH 8:00 PM
May 4 Village Coffee House New Gloucester, ME 8:00 PM
Sep 20 Fiddle & Bow Society Winston-Salem, NC 7:30 PM
Nov 9 Circle of Friends Coffeehouse (w/ Liz Longley) Franklin, MA 8:00 PM
For more information on Seth Glier point your browser to: SethGlier.com
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W hotels worldwide to make Dutch debut
Starwood Hotels & Resorts to Bring Iconic W Brand to the Netherlands with Unveiling of W Amsterdam in 2015
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.today announced it will debut its W Hotels brand in the Netherlands with the new W Amsterdam, scheduled to open in Autumn 2015. Owned by STAG Europe (Grafenau) BV, the hotel will be located on the prestigious Dam Square in the heart of Amsterdam, behind the Royal Palace and just steps from the city's iconic canal district with its vibrant restaurants, bars and nightlife scene.
"We are proud to bring the W brand to Amsterdam as we continue to grow this contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand in primary markets throughout Europe and around the world," said Michael Wale, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. "The vibrancy and energy of Amsterdam combined with its strong cultural offering makes the perfect backdrop for the W brand, which will bring a new style of modern luxury to the Dutch hotel scene."
Redefining luxury with its innovative design, signature amenities and unique style, W Amsterdam will provide an integrated contemporary lifestyle experience with 169 stylish guestrooms, including 10 suites and one Extreme Wow Suite (the W brand's interpretation of the Presidential Suite). Upon entering the hotel, guests will be elevated directly to the rooftop, where they can check-in and enjoy a cocktail in the W Living Room (W's take on the staid hotel lobby where guests can mix and mingle). Guests and locals alike will delight in W Amsterdam's rooftop restaurant and destination bar, which will provide unrivalled views over Dam Square and the city lights.
An ideal venue, W Amsterdam will also offer 480 square metres of ultra-modern meeting and event space, including two Great Rooms and two smaller meeting rooms. In addition, W Amsterdam will boast FIT® state-of-the-art fitness centre and WIRED 24-hour business centre.
Guests will be treated to the W brand's iconic Whatever/Whenever® service philosophy that provides guests with whatever they want, whenever they want it, as long as it's legal. W Amsterdam will also boast a full calendar of exclusive W Happenings that showcase what's new and next in design, fashion and music to guests and local trendsetters alike.
"We are delighted, proud and excited to be working with Starwood Hotels & Resorts on this prestigious project in Amsterdam," added Liran Wizman, Owner and CEO of STAG Europe (Grafenau) BV. "With its exceptional reputation as an innovative lifestyle brand, W Hotels will further cement Amsterdam's position as a world-class destination for international travellers and global jet-setters alike."
W Amsterdam will occupy a former Telephone Exchange building, a historic property in Dam Square constructed in the Amsterdam School style of architecture. The building will be re-imagined by award-winning practices OFFICE WINHOV of Amsterdam and Tel Aviv-based BK Architecture, including full restoration of historical elements combined with a new, contemporary design.
"Following the renovation and refurbishment of this landmark building, W Amsterdam will be a vibrant and energetic destination where guests and locals get together to mix, mingle and engage," said Bram van der Hoek, Regional Managing Director of Europe Hotels Private Collection, owner-representative for STAG Europe (Grafenau) BV. "We have no doubt that the hotel will become the number one choice for design conscious travellers in the city of Amsterdam."
Following the successful debuts of W Hotels in Istanbul, Barcelona, St. Petersburg, London, Paris, and most recently Verbier, W Amsterdam will become the seventh W Hotel in Europe joining a portfolio of 45 W Hotels around the world and more than 20 in development.
"The W brand continues to be a key driver of growth for Starwood around the globe. This signing underscores our continued commitment to grow the W brand in primary markets and represents an important milestone in our overall development strategy," said Bart Carnahan, Senior Vice President Acquisition & Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa & Middle East.
Source: W Hotels Worldwide


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The Mouriz School is too cool for school. By day, its students frolcik and play outside its random lines and dark wood veneer. By night, however, the entire scene becomes one from a Pixar short. Fascinating stuff.
Back in the mid- to late-90s, I went to school in a boring, gray concrete block. The education was fine but the aesthetics were pure uninspirational 70s. This school, in Mouriz, Portugal, is none of those things:
This is a two-story school center, including a kindergarten and an elementary school located in Mouriz, Paredes, Portugal. It was conceived to comply with a functional program based on the needs of a fifteen classroom school center: managing flows and creating different levels of use due to different levels of autonomy within the school center – kindergarten and elementary school; common areas and sports area; linking the dynamics of each space; ranking uses and users; sharing pathways and functions.
Oh how jealous I am of today's students. Learning actively by book (or iPad?) and passively by design, subconsciously. [Arch Daily]


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Confederate Amnesty Papers
Records: 109,813 · Complete: 100%
by Craig R. Scott, CG
At the end of the Civil War, President Andrew Johnson's proclamation of May 29, 1865 provided for a general amnesty with some exceptions. Former Confederates not covered by the general amnesty were required to request a pardon and amnesty. These requests were evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This series of images contains the individual letters of application and other records in response to the proclamations, and a few applications submitted to President Lincoln while he was president.
The applications consist of statements of the petitioner and an oath of allegiance. In many files there are recommendations from prominent citizens for clemency, or letters from relatives or friends asking for compassion.
Approximately half of the applications are from individuals excepted under the proclamation of May 29, 1865 because of their ownership of property valued at more than $20,000. Under Johnson's proclamation there were 14 classes of persons were not covered under the General Amnesty (the first seven were from previous amnesty proclamations during the Lincoln administration):
diplomatic agents or officials of the Confederacy,
persons who left judicial posts under the United States to aid the rebellion,
Confederate military officers above the rank of Army colonel or Navy lieutenant,
members of the U.S. Congress who left to aid in the rebellion,
persons who resigned commissions in the U.S. Army or Navy and afterwards aided in the rebellion,
persons who treated unlawfully black prisoners of war or their white officers,
persons in military or civilian confinement or custody,
individuals who had absented themselves from the United States in order to aid the rebellion,
graduates of West Point or Annapolis who served as Confederate officers,
ex-Confederate governors,
persons who left homes in territory under U.S. jurisdiction for purposes of aiding the rebellion,
persons who engaged in destruction of commerce on the high seas or in raids from Canada,
voluntary participants in the rebellion who had property valued at more than $20,000, and
persons who had broken the oath taken under the provisions of December 8, 1863.
President Johnson would issue three later amnesty proclamations. One, which reduced the number of excepted classes to three, reducing the number of cases to about 300. His second proclamation covered all but a few Confederates, including Jefferson Davis and Robert E Lee. On Christmas Day 1868, Johnson's third proclamation gave amnesty to all unconditionally, and without reservation to all who had participated in the rebellion.
These records are also called "Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons" or "Pardon Petitions and Related Papers Submitted in Response to President Andrew Johnson's Amnesty Proclamations of May 29, 1865, ("Amnesty Papers")".
Document types
Documents in an application file include the jacket (in this case the file is that of Governor John Letcher of Virginia), the application, endorsements, and the Oath of Allegiance.
Files also may contain notations from the president and his assistants regarding the individual applicant.
Records address the issues of the applicant's background, activities during the war, and their attitude about the defeat.
Using the collection
These records are a rich source of information from the perspective of the applicant and give insight into the individual's involvement in the war and how he felt about the rebellion. Remember, however, that the purpose of the application was to obtain a pardon and amnesty and not to demonstrate their love of the Confederacy.
Locate Amnesty Papers for an individual through the state hierarchy in the browse menu. Select the first letter of the last name, then the first two letters of the surname, locate the surname, followed by his given name in the next section of browse titles.
If the individual was residing in a state not listed at the time of application, search the "Other States" section at the end of the state list. Applicants who did not mention a state in their application are also included in "Other States."
Related records
Records relating to the Confederate careers of many southerners whose applications are included in this series are found in Record Group 109, War Department Collection of Confederate Records. Many of these records are contained in National Archives Microfilm Publication M331, Compiled Service Records of Confederate Generals and Staff Officers, and Nonregimental Enlisted Men. Information about southern citizens can be found in National Archives Microfilm Publications M346, Confederate Papers Relating to Citizens or Business Firms (Citizen's File); M345, Union Provost Marshal's File of Papers Relating to Individual Civilians; and M426, Union Provost Marshal's File Papers Relating to Two or More Civilians.
Records relating to earlier proclamations by President Lincoln are found in Record Group 59, General Records of the Department of State.
Records concerning wartime offences are found in Record Group 204, Records of the Office of the Pardon Attorney. Case files relating to many prominent Confederate officials are also found in this record group.
Explore this title
Search or browse the Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 here.
Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67. Records of the Adjutant General's Office, 1780's-1917, Record Group 94, Publication M1003; National Archives, Washington.
About the contributor
A professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than twenty years, Craig R Scott is a Certified Genealogist who specializes in the records of the National Archives, especially those that relate to the military. He is a member of the Company of Military Historians, on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists, and has served in the past on the boards of the Virginia Genealogical Society and the Maryland Genealogical Society. He is the author of The 'Lost Pensions': Settled Accounts of the Act of 6 April 1838 and Records of the Accounting Officers of the Department of the Treasury, Inventory 14 (Revised).