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3 March 2020
Stride into Hyde Paradiso during March and April for 49% off food when paired with any drink purchase… and, best of all, this incredible offer has dropped just in ...
26 February 2020
Launceston's Peppers Silo Hotel is leading local industry in the battle against food waste by turning kitchen scraps into compost.
As one of the early commercial adopters of Launceston City ...
Mantra Chatswood Sydney has received a multi-million dollar refurbishment, which has transformed the hotel into a contemporary urban oasis with scores of sophistication.
Simple yet functional, the hotel's warm and ...
15 April 2019
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The "power domes" on the GLA 250 4MATIC hood are a Mercedes-Benz tradition. So is the progressive power beneath. A 211 hp inline 4-cylinder turbo 3rd-generation Direct Injection with advanced rapid multispark ignition. ECO Start/Stop can automatically shut off the engine at red lights to save fuel, then restarts the instant you're ready to move out.
The fuel-efficiency and fun of a manual. The relaxing comfort
of an automatic. The 7-speed DCT transmission gives you both.
The racing-derived dual-clutch design shifts more quickly and
precisely than is humanly possible. Five transmission modes
are selectable: Comfort, Sport, Eco, Manual and additionally
The GLA is available with a comfortable or sporty suspension design. The suspension components feature a high proportion of aluminium, not matched by any competing vehicle in this segment. The lower weight of the suspension reduces the unsprung masses and enables particularly sensitive response to road-surface characteristics. This results in a high level of driving safety and high ride comfort.


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McCartney to play concert at Target Field
Part of legend's 'Out There' tour, show is scheduled for Aug. 2 at Twins' ballpark
Nearly 50 years after his first performance in Minnesota as a member of The Beatles in 1965, rock legend Paul McCartney will make his return to the Twin Cities this summer in a concert at Target Field.
McCartney's global "Out There" tour will feature a performance at Target Field on Aug. 2, the Twins announced on Monday. It'll mark McCartney's fifth time playing in the Twin Cities, and his first Minnesota show since 2005.
Tickets for the show will go on sale at twinsbaseball.com on April 28 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets for season-ticket holders will go on sale on Friday at 2 p.m., and American Express card members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Thursday at 10 a.m. through Sunday at 10 p.m.
"This is incredibly exciting not only for the Twins' organization but for Paul McCartney fans all over the Upper Midwest," said Twins senior director of corporate communications and broadcasting Kevin Smith. "I think with the overwhelming success we had here with the first two shows with Kenny Chesney, it shows that Target Field is a major outdoor concert venue in the Upper Midwest. To be able to host Sir Paul McCartney is an honor more than anything else."
McCartney played in Minneapolis with Wings in 1976 and again during solo tours in 1993 and 2005, and his latest stopover comes during a triumphant tour that has taken him around the world. McCartney began his current concert tour in Brazil and has visited 23 cities on three continents.
McCartney will be playing Target Field for the first time since the ballpark opened in 2010, and his concert will include numbers from all five decades of his chart-topping career. The native of Liverpool, England, has sold more than 100 million albums and 100 million singles with The Beatles, and after, and he's written or co-written 32 tracks that have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.
McCartney was originally slated to play a concert at Target Field in 2011, but it was cancelled because of scheduling issues. This will be the third major concert at Target Field, as country star Chesney played there in both '12 and '13. He was joined by Tim McGraw in '12 and Zac Brown Band in '13.
The inaugural concert in 2012 drew a total of 43,897 fans, which set an attendance record for Target Field that was broken the next year with 43,940 fans attending the second concert at the ballpark. The Twins expect another sellout for McCartney.
"We think it's gone exceedingly well," Smith said. "When you put 40,000 fans, and many of them on the field, for a non-baseball game, it can be a little challenging. But I think we've learned a lot from the first two concerts. The grounds crew has a better feel for how to protect the field and get ready for the next homestand."
Target Field is the only Major League ballpark on the docket for McCartney's tour, which will also include stops at NBA arenas in Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta and Salt Lake City, and NHL arenas in Pittsburgh and Nashville. McCartney has also played at global destinations over the past decade such the Colosseum in Rome, Moscow's Red Square, London's Buckingham Palace and the White House.
"To be able to host a living, breathing music legend is just incredible," Smith said. "He's run the gamut. He's been a performer for more than 50 years. To be able to have him come to Target Field and play for the fans is going to be really special."


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"The Big Bang" may well have been the best season finale in Doctor Who's long history. It sparkles with great moments and lovely performances. Except that there were two things in it that bugged the hell out of me. Spoilers!
Okay, so first I'm going to explain why I loved "The Big Bang" and found it probably superior to outings like "The Parting Of The Ways," "Doomsday" and "The Last Of The Time Lords." And then I'll get into the two things about this episode that seriously annoyed me and threatened to drag the whole thing down. That way, those of you who prefer to read a purely upbeat recap can have a jumping-off point.
So as "The Big Bang" begins, the crack we saw in the wall of little Amelia Pond's bedroom has gotten a lot hungrier, and it's gone and swallowed the whole universe. We've known what caused the crack since the Silurian two-parter — it was the Doctor's time machine, the TARDIS, blowing up and shredding the fabric of space/time — but now we understand a bit more about what the crack really means to Amy. It's taken away her parents. It's swallowed up her soon-to-be husband. It's left her an isolated, cynical misfit whose only meaningful relationship is with her childhood imaginary friend, the Doctor. She's forgotten everybody else she ever loved, and that's before she gets killed.
And yet — the crack has also left Amy with an amazing power of remembering. As the Doctor points out, all of space and time was pouring through her head as she slept in that bedroom for years, and it's given her a certain amount of power over reality. (Sort of like what happens to Rose in "The Parting Of The Ways," if you think about it — except not all at once, and not quite so apotheosis-y.) Amy has to choose between the cynical loner she's become and the love that she only half-remembers, which the crack has taken from her. Obviously she chooses right, or we wouldn't be beginning to speculate about Doctor Who season six.
So in a sense, "The Big Bang" is the story of Amy's power of remembering, and how it saves everyone. The little girl Amy remembers the existence of stars, and the universe beyond our lonely heliopause, when everybody else has just taken it for granted that stars never existed. Otherwise, Young Amy wouldn't be willing to follow the trail of hints the Doctor leaves for her, to the museum. And Older Amy manages to bring back, first Rory and her parents, and then the Doctor, from oblivion simply by remembering them.
As for Rory, he makes the most romantic gesture in Doctor Who history, volunteering to stick around and guard the Pandorica while Amy's inside it for two thousand freaking years. Probably the Doctor's right and nothing bad would have happened if Rory just took the quick way forward to the 1990s. But really, Rory's decision can be seen as the ultimate expression of love, as well as harkening back to a classic Doctor Who motif: the person who was lost his/her humanity making a dramatic gesture to reassert or reclaim it. It's a big soppy romantic notion, and it finally made me fall for Rory.
It'll be interesting to see Rory and Amy traveling with the Doctor as newlyweds — now that Rory and the Doctor are now definitely no longer even remotely "competing" for Amy, and Amy is no longer the snarky orphan who doesn't count on anybody to be there for her, the dynamic should be quite different.
Surprisingly for a story in which the entire universe has already been eaten and the Earth's sun is actually a TARDIS exploding in slow motion, and the Doctor appears to die and later faces erasure from history, "The Big Bang" manages to keep a light, breezy tone throughout. And a lot of the credit for this must go to Matt Smith and his amazing fez. Not to mention the mop. Smith's Doctor is shaping up to be the funniest incarnation since Tom Baker, maybe even since Patrick Troughton, and best of all, the comedy feels unforced. After a solid year of David Tennant being mopey, a Doctor willing to go into extinction with a manic grin and a fez feels like a welcome change.
The biggest threat for most of last week's episode was a half-dismantled Cyberman, and that worked so well Moffat repeats the trick here, with a half-petrified Dalek. And the idea works just as well the second time. It's like a law of the universe: One Dalek is an insurmountable threat, a thousand Daleks are just a minor irritation. Of course, this Dalek winds up being petrified in both senses of the word, when River Song gets her hands on it.
And once again, River Song is magnificent. The Doctor's life is clearly richer and more complex for having her in it, and she's shaping up to be a sort of anti-companion in the same way the Brigadier and Captain Jack were. She's not someone who travels with the Doctor full time, she's someone who's in his life, on and off for years, and he keeps coming back to her. And meanwhile, she's off living her life and being fabulous. Of course, it seems like next season we'll get the answers to the River mystery, but in some ways I hope we don't get too much explanation that negates the "she's someone cool who's in his life"
So yeah, this wasn't a slam-bang millions-of-monsters conclusion like "Journey's End" or "Doomsday" — the closest we got was the Legion of Evil in the penultimate episode, although the LoE mostly just stood and speechified instead of whizzing about. Moffat told us up front that this season would be a fairy tale, and so he gives us a fairy-tale ending: There is a test, and the good wizard sacrifices himself, and true love wins, and there's a wedding, and the little girl's power of remembering saves the day.
And it must be said: Amy's wedding? So much better than Donna's.
So I know that fairy tales don't have to have morals — that's a myth that was imposed, sometime in the nineteenth century, if memory serves — but I'm still left wondering if this one had a moral. Maybe that Rory, the guy Amy sort of took for granted, was the true prize all along? Or maybe that believing in childhood fancies when you reach adulthood can save you from ultimate emptiness? I have a feeling I will be puzzling over it for some time to come.
All in all, then, this was a more low-key, but also more fulfilling and cohesive, season ending than the ones we've seen in years past. And nobody who's been following the saga of Rory and Amy could fail to be moved by seeing them reunited and actually honest-to-gosh married at last. And the bit where Amy says "You are LATE for my wedding-ah!" And you think for a moment it hasn't worked, and everybody's just staring at the crazy lady? Pure brilliance.
But there are two things that seriously bug me about "The Big Bang," and here they are. If you only wanted to read a totally positive recap of the episode, or you have a philosophical objection to the idea of punching holes in a piece of television that's ostensibly just for kids, do yourself a favor and stop reading now. Last chance!
Okay then.
The two problems that bothered me quite a bit:
1) The resolution of the cliffhanger.
Seriously, it's lazy, cheap writing. You don't trap the hero in an inescapable trap, and then have him escape thanks to a cheap gimmick. This is the Doctor we're talking about — he ought to have seen this trap coming, and put an ace up his sleeve somehow. He should have out-thought all his enemies, in some genuinely clever way.
Instead, we got the cheap timey-wimey solution, with the future Doctor coming back in time to save his past self. Which is nonsensical, if you think about it for more than five seconds.
Let's be clear: This is not a time paradox. A time paradox is when you go back in time and kill your own grandfather as a baby. A time paradox is where there's a perfectly logical thread, which then leads in an impossible circle.
What the Doctor does to escape the Pandorica is more like this: I, Charlie Jane Anders, do not own a time machine. I have no idea how to build a time machine. Nor would I possess the materials to build one if I knew how. So time travel is impossible for me, right? But wait — what if my future self comes back in time from a point after I've already built a time machine and gives it to me? Then I'll have a time machine, without ever having to build one first. Right?
So I'm just going to sit here and hold my breath until my future self comes back and gives me a time machine. Any... minute... now... (Passes out on the floor.)
If, as we've been told, it's impossible for the Doctor to escape from the Pandorica, then the Doctor who comes back in time is from an impossible future. It's a future that cannot exist — until the Doctor somehow escapes from the Pandorica. So no. This isn't a time paradox. It's just lazy, cheap writing. Even Russell T. Davies, master of cheap tricks, wouldn't have had the nerve to pull this one.
2) One of the season's central mysteries was a bust.
I really thought Steven Moffat had something cool up his sleeve here. I suspect he thought so too, but then he ran out of time. Or he couldn't make it work for some reason. Somehow, it seemed to go a bit wrong.
Let me explain — I am sure it's entirely possible that Moffat always intended to leave the explanation of who the Silence was, and how the Silence managed to control the TARDIS and make it explode, for next year. That's entirely possible.
But the question that really bugged me was: Why Amy's wedding day? Why was that the day when the TARDIS explodes? Is it just a coincidence? If so, it's kind of a huge, weird one.
It felt like we were getting hints, all along, that Amy's wedding day was a big deal. That something Earth-shattering happens on the day she marries Rory, and that same something causes the TARDIS to explode. The Doctor even says, at the end of "Flesh And Stone," that the fact that she's marrying Rory on the same day the explosion happens is very significant. He says:
You're getting married in the morning. (Realizes) In the morning... It's you. It's all about you. Everything... Amy Pond. Mad, impossible Amy Pond. I don't know why, I have no idea, but quite possibly, the single most important thing in the history of the entire universe is that I get you sorted out right now.
And by sorted out, he apparently means fixing things with Rory, since the next thing he does is to take the two of them on a pre-wedding trip to help them bond. As if their wedding is intimately linked to the explosion.
So I felt as though the fact that the explosion happens to take place on Amy's wedding day turned out to be a giant red herring. Or maybe it'll be explained next year? I have a sinking feeling it won't be. No doubt, we'll get an explanation of "the Silence," and how they caused the TARDIS to explode. But not why this particular date was significant. As the Doctor himself says, "Never ignore a coincidence." Unless you're in a hurry, in which case always ignore a coincidence.
And I have a feeling that this is a story idea that got away from Moffat. He had some vague idea of what would happen at Amy and Rory's wedding to cause an explosion that cracked the entire universe, and then he couldn't make it work for some reason. That's what my gut is telling me. Either that, or it was a really clumsy misdirection. Either way, in the end, it seemed like the explosion could have happened on any day in 2010. Maybe it has to happen at Amy's house, because the crack starts there. But the date? Not important, after all.
The reason this second one bothers me so much is because it makes the overall arc of the season feel even more sketchy and haphazard than it already was. And that, in turn, bothers me because so much of the season only holds up as part of the arc. The most glaring example of this of course, is the "Time Of Angels"/"Flesh And Stone" two-parter, which basically gets swallowed up by the crack about halfway through the second episode. But there have been at least a few other times when I've gotten the feeling that Moffat was more interested in the Crack meta-story than in the stories of individual episodes.
Of course, when we get our answers as to who/what The Silence is, next year, I may be forced to eat my words. Here's hoping that comes to pass.


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Homeland Security's Domain Name Seizure May Stretch The Law Past The Breaking Point
from the taking-the-due-out-of-due-process deptWe had a bunch of questions concerning the legality of Homeland Security's seizure of domain names via its Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) group. The whole thing seemed of extremely dubious legality. And it appears we're not the only ones to think so.
First, it's important to understand exactly what happened. Copycense points us to a useful analysis of how the seizures actually worked. Amazingly, it appears that Homeland Security contracted out the seizures to a private company, immixGroup IT Solutions, which set up the "seizedservers.com" domain that the seized domains now point to. The other bit of useful info is that the seizures appear to have been done directly by VeriSign at the top level domain level. VeriSign, of course, controls the .com TLD, and so Homeland Security appears to have just asked VeriSign to move the domains (with a court order, of course), and it did so.
So that takes care of the technical issues. What about the legal ones? Well, Larry Downes, who knows a thing or two about the legal issues here, has a great blog post detailing some of the serious constitutional questions raised by these seizures. He goes through the details of civil forfeiture law, noting that, while seizure is allowed both pre-trial and post-trial:
pre-trial seizure is premised on the idea that during the investigation and trial, prosecutors need to secure the items so that the defendant doesn�t destroy or hide it.Clearly that's not an issue with domain seizures. Hell, since it was only the domains that were seized (not the servers and the content itself), there's not even anything to destroy. This is where things get very questionable. Downes notes that many legal scholars have been greatly worried about the whole concept of pre-trial seizures, noting that it appears to "reverse the presumption of innocence, forcing the property owner to prove the property is 'innocent' in some way." While it's true that the domain holders can step in and fight the seizure, as Downes points out, the length of time before any trial occurs makes the whole operation prohibitively costly. And even Homeland Security is acting as if the sites have already been proven guilty, despite the fact that the whole premise of such seizures is that no guilt has yet been established:
If prosecutors drag their heels on prosecution, the defendant gets "punished" anyway. So even if the defendant is never charged or is ultimately acquitted, there's nothing in the forfeiture statute that requires the government to make them whole for the losses suffered during the period when their property was held by the prosecution. The loss of the use of a car or boat, for example, may require the defendant to rent another while waiting for the wheels of justice to turn.The thing is, it appears that Morton and ICE have clearly gone pretty far in stretching civil forfeiture laws, way beyond their purpose and intention (and limitations), in order to seize these domain names. And it's only going to be a matter of time until some of the holders of these domain names step up and challenge the government on these activities, which appear to conflict with basic due process, let alone free speech issues (since websites are a form of speech, this goes beyond a straight property seizure as well). As Downes notes:
For a domain name, even a short seizure effectively erases any value the asset has. Even if ultimately returned, it's now worthless.
Clearly the prosecutors here understand that a pre-trial seizure is effectively a conviction. Consider the following quote from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton, who said at a press conference today, "Counterfeiters are prowling in the back alleys of the Internet, masquerading, duping and stealing." Or consider the wording of the announcement placed on seized domain names... implying at the least that the sites were guilty of illegal acts.
The farther prosecutors push the forfeiture statute, the bigger the risk that courts or Congress will someday step in to pull them back.It seems like the time for Homeland Security/ICE to be "pulled back" is now. Congress almost certainly won't do it, but hopefully the courts will do the job.
Filed Under: copyright, domain names, due process, homeland security, ice, john morton, seizures


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Preparing for GDPR
Originally published by UK Liberal Democrats
As GDPR Project Manager for the Liberal Democrats my job is ensure the entire party is in compliance the new Data Protection regulations (GDPR) coming into force in May.
Sorry, the rest of this article is just for members.
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Plaintiff moved for the recusal of a magistrate judge under 28 U.S.C. § 455 in a dispute involving the propriety of using predictive coding. Prior to the case being referred to U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck, plaitiffs resisted the idea of predictive coding as a component in the e-discovery workflow.
Plaintiffs did not base their claim on actual incidents of bias, but rather "an appearance of partiality." U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck was asked to recuse himself for
- "Public comments concerning the case";
- His "participation on pro-predictive coding panels with defense counsel Ralph Losey while presiding over the parties' dispute on predictive coding";
- His "numerous speaking engagements in favor of predictive coding, which were at least indirectly sponsored and funded by Recommind and other e-discovery vendors"
- His "failure to disclose [his] activities [which] enhances the appearance of impropriety"
The court began its analysis by declaring that the motion itself was untimely. Although 28 U.S.C. § 455 doesn't explicitly address timeliness as a requirement, the issue has manifested itself in prior analyses in two forms: First, judicial resources should not be wasted; and, second, a movant may not hold back and wait to hedge its bets against the eventual outcome.
In deciding whether a recusal motion is timely, a court looks to a number of factors, including whether:
- the movant has participated in a substantial manner in trial or pre-trial proceedings;
- granting the motion would represent a waste of judicial resources;
- the motion was made after the entry of judgment; and
- the movant can demonstrate good cause for delay.
The court concluded the movants had been active participants in pre-trial proceedings, and that recusal would require a significant duplication of efforts already expended by the court. While movants didn't wait until entry of judgment, they did wait until the court adopted opposing party's proposed predictive coding protocol. Although the court didn't say it plainly, the quotes from cited cases might be seen to imply that movants look to be trying to take a mulligan…or a "second bite at the apple." The court not convinced by movant's statement that they had promptly filed the recusal motion. The court stated:
Despite plaintiffs' knowledge as of December 2, 2011 of my views on predicative [sic] coding, and by January 4, 2012 as to my relationship with Losey and my speaking at LegalTech, plaintiffs did not request my recusal until March 28, 2012 by letter and did not file their formal recusal motion until April 13, 2012. The movant "is charged with knowledge of all facts 'known or knowable, if true, with due diligence from the public record or otherwise.'" I have made no efforts to hide my views, relationships or affiliations. If plaintiffs truly believed that any of these issues, individually or collectively, created a bias or the appearance of partiality, they should have promptly moved for my recusal.
Accordingly, plaintiffs' recusal motion is untimely.
Beyond this, the court also declared that plaintiff's motion was "meritless." Judge Peck noted that he had never referred to the substance of this case. His general comments on predictive coding would not alarm a reasonable observer, and were compatible with movant's own expert. Although Judge Peck did participate in panels alongside noted attorney Ralph Losey, whose firm represented movant's adversary, there had been no ex-parte communication between the two men. Merely serving on the same panel is not a basis for recusal. The court also examined the chilling effect for judges and speaking engagements should their motion be successful:
There are probably fewer than a dozen federal judges nationally who regularly speak at ediscovery conferences. Plaintiffs' argument that a judge's public support for computer-assisted review is a recusable offense would preclude judges who know the most about ediscovery in general (and computer-assisted review in particular) from presiding over any case where the use of predictive coding was an option, or would preclude those judges from speaking at CLE programs. Plaintiffs' position also would discourage lawyers from participating in CLE programs with judges about ediscovery issues, for fear of subsequent motions to recuse the judge (or disqualify counsel). Taken further, it would preclude any judge who speaks at a CLE conference about any ediscovery subject from handling future cases involving ediscovery. Such a position defies logic and is inconsistent with the Code of Conduct for United States Judges.
Finally, the court defended Judge Peck's remarks with counsel when things got a bit…testy. Some of the excerpts included show that the court's relationship with plaintiffs was far from harmonious. In previous posts I've warned readers about the dangers of unnecessarily provoking the court's wrath. Rarely does it end well for the folks stirring the pot. Below, I've listed some of the exchanges between the court and movant's counsel:
THE COURT: . . . How soon can you [move for class and collective action certification]?
[Pls. Counsel] MS. WIPPER: Your Honor, we would object to moving the briefing schedule to an earlier period given the discovery disputes in this case.
THE COURT: That wasn't my question. My question is, how soon can you do it? Democracy ends very quickly here, meaning you don't want to give me a date other than no later than April 1, 2013. I get to pick the date and you get to whine to Judge Carter. [emphasis added].
The court then allowed that it could have chosen [its]words more carefully. Another discussion ended with this expression of frustration:
"I've seen many a big case in this court go a lot more smoothly than this. As I say, I cannot speak to what happened before I inherited the case, but I expect cooperation. Stop the whining and stop the sandbagging. This goes for both sides. Get along." [emphasis added].
The court noted that movants claimed that the Judge had attempted to dissuade them from objecting to his rulings. The court disagreed, using the following passage to demonstrate that nothing could have been further from the truth.
[…]at the April 25, 2012 conference I said, "And you have the right to take objections to Judge Carter, which you're not shy about, so take your objections. Stop arguing with me."
The court also recalled its own remarks made while discussing a [at that time] potential recusal motion:
"If plaintiffs were to prevail [on recusal], it would serve to discourage judges . . . from speaking on educational panels about ediscovery (or any other subject for that matter). The Court suspects this will fall on deaf ears, but I strongly suggest that plaintiffs rethink their 'scorched earth' approach to this litigation."
Courts often use the phrase "scorched earth" to describe hardball litigation tactics designed to complicate and prolong litigation and drive up litigation costs. My "scorched earth" comment provides no basis for recusal. [emphasis added].
These are a few of the myraid of quotes and exchanges listed in the opinion. The reader of an opinion has, of course, the benefit of hindsight. The ruling on a motion, or on the conduct of a case, is included in the very document. It is easy to be critical of unsuccessful parties at that stage (pending appeal, at least). That said, provoking an already irritated Judge and then submitting a motion for recusal based on what appears to be a weak platform seems like a recipe guaranteed to produce a bitter and unfulfilling dish.


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Vettel crossed the finish line first on Sunday, but a five-second penalty cost him the victory at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Canadian GP notebook: Ferrari fans see red
A sea of red clad Ferrari fans flowed out of the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve grounds after Sebastian Vettel crossed the finish line, their afternoon spoiled.
Vettel crossed the finish line first on Sunday, but a five-second penalty cost him the victory at the Canadian Grand Prix. Running up front, the German driver couldn't handle his vehicle on the Turn 3 chicane, causing him to drive over grass. Vettel then cut off second-place Lewis Hamilton as he re-entered the track, forcing the Briton to slow down to avoid a collision.
As a result, Hamilton secured his seventh Canadian Grand Prix victory, tying him for the most all-time wins in Montreal with Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished third.
Many fans at the track were displeased, to say the least. Hamilton endured booing as he was being interviewed in the winner's circle, leading Vettel to urge fans to stop.
"Of course I'm upset," Montrealer Anthony Cariniti said. "As a Ferrari fan, of course you have to be upset. Would it have been the same if it was the opposite? Who knows."
Ottawa native Heni Simpson echoed that sentiment.
"Disappointed for sure. I'm wearing red, so I was hoping he'd win today. I've seen three Grands Prix in my life. And it's the first one he hasn't won."
"I was surprised when I heard Vettel got a five-second penalty," Julian Vergara said. "The only way he could've gotten it back is taking a five-second gap, that's an eternity in Formula One."
More than 300,000 visit track for race weekend: A Canadian Grand Prix official said 307,000 fans visited the track during race weekend, the highest attendance since 2010.
Grandstands at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve were sold out, including on race day. However, general admission tickets for were available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
General admission allows fans with a "limited budget" to take in the race near the fences surrounding the track.
Kubica recalls 2007 crash: Days before the race, Polish driver Robert Kubica was asked about the devastating crash he suffered at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2007. He said he hadn't been asked about it in a decade, but "of course" he remembers.
"I get my front wing going underneath the car, and I couldn't steer. So the front axle was up in the air and I was launched by an escape route, which probably was a lucky moment because the impact in the wall was distributed more underneath the car than in my legs," Kubica said.
The Polish driver made his first return to Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve since 2010. He finished the race in 18th place. Kubica's racing career was thought to be over after an almost fatal crash in 2011, in which he suffered a serious injury to his right hand.
"I wish my 2007 Canada accident was my worst memory of my life. Unfortunately, it has not."
Bottas goes all out: Before the race, the drivers took part in the annual drivers' parade. They were interviewed as they were driven through Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in vintage cars. Montreal's Lance Stroll took the time to throw hats to fans in his grandstand while fielding questions.
While Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was a bit more frank when asked about how he was approaching the race.
"Today is balls out," Bottas said. The Finnish driver placed fourth on Sunday.
The race against extinction: Protesters were sprawled along the ground on Sunday morning just outside the entrance of the Parc Jean-Drapeau métro station to bring attention to another race — the race against time.
About 65 members of Extinction Rebellion Canada participated in a "die-in" prior to the race, and listed a number of extinct animals. Group members said they wanted to bring attention to the eventual threat of human extinction, which could come as early as the next century thanks to mass starvation.


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Todd English — the chef/owner of Olives and the four Figs restaurants, all in and around Boston — was named Best Chef in the Northeast by the James Beard Foundation. He's also the author of two cookbooks. For his "clambake" extravaganza, you'll need a grill with a lid.
- Yield
- Makes 6 to 8 servings
- 2 pounds red new potatoes
- 6 to 8 chicken thighs
- 5 pounds fresh seaweed or rockweed
- 6 to 8 ears of corn, left in the husk, silks removed
- 3 or 4 lobsters (2 pounds each)
- 2 pounds Linguica or chorizo sausage
- 3 pounds steamers or other soft-shell clams
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups drawn butter (optional), for serving
- 1. Place the potatoes and chicken in a large pot; cover with salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft and the chicken thighs are cooked through, about 15 minutes, skimming any foam that rises to the top. (The potatoes should be soft but not cooked through.)
- 2. In the meantime, prepare coals in a barbecue grill with a fitted lid. Place the seaweed and corn in a very large bowl of water and soak thoroughly, about 20 to 30 minutes.
- 3. When the coals are ready, they will be red in the center and the edges will be ash. Place a layer of seaweed (about 4 inches deep) over the entire grill. Place the lobsters in the center of the seaweed and surround with the corn. Arrange the potatoes, chicken and sausage in layers atop the lobsters. Top with the clams. Cover completely with the remaining seaweed. Cover the grill with the lid and cook for 45 minutes or until the lobster is steaming and red.
- 4. Serve immediately with drawn butter, if desired.
How to Grill A Clambake:
• The seaweed is crucial, because the meal cooks by being steamed over seaweed just as it does in a sand pit at the beach.
• Shellfish often comes packed in seaweed; so, when you buy lobsters, ask for the seaweed.
• Use only the freshest shellfish.
• Shellfish often comes packed in seaweed; so, when you buy lobsters, ask for the seaweed.
• Use only the freshest shellfish.
Per serving (based on 8), without butter: 828 calories, 41g carbohydrates, 64g protein, 45g fat, 210mg cholesterol.


text: So do you understand exactly what auto insurance is and what it means when you have it? This is definitely something you need to fully understand before you get car insurance. Auto insurance is a binding agreement between an insurance company and an individual and their car. The individual agrees to pay a monthly fee for the company to take care of any expenses or losses to the insured's vehicle. Before purchasing automobile insurance in Oregon, you should ask yourself a few questions first. Here are some examples:


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In the article, Overlooked and Underserved: Elders in Need of Mental Health Care, written by Trudy Persky, MSW, ACSW, Project Director for Mental Health and Aging in the Philadelphia area; several very telling statistics are cited.
Elders account for only 7 percent of all inpatient psychiatric services, 6 percent of community mental health services, and 9 percent of private psychiatric treatment care. Less than 3 percent of all Medicare reimbursement is for psychiatric treatment of older patients. It is estimated that 18 to 25 percent of elders are in need of mental health care for depression, anxiety, psychosomatic disorders, adjustment to aging, and schizophrenia. Yet, few seem to receive proper care and treatment for these mental illnesses. It is also a distressing reality that the suicide rate of the elderly stands at an alarming 21 percent, the highest of all age groups in the United States. Every day 17 older individuals kill themselves.
Clearly, we have an elderly population that needs help for their mental illness issues, and, as our elder population continues to grow (some estimates project the elder population to double to 70 million by 2030) the need for such intervention will continue to expand. However, such intervention may be thwarted by the lack of qualified and skilled practitioners.
"By then (2030), there will only be 2,000 additional trained geropsychiatrists to meet the need, yet many of the country's current 2,500 geropsychiatrists will be 'off the scene' by then," according to this Unmasking Mental Illness in the Elderly article featuring Geropsychiatrist Shreekumar Vinaker, M.D.
Couple the projected shortage of geropsychiatrists with the fact that "the incidence of Alzheimer's disease doubles for every 5 years of age after 60, so by the time someone reaches 85, his or her chance of developing this dreaded, irreversible condition is 50-50" and we have a serious lack of adequate resources to treat our elders for mental illness.
Potential treatment of mental illness for our elder population is further complicated by several factors, including:
With these and several other factors, our elderly population is severely underserved from a mental health perspective. Your role, as a senior care activist, is to continually advocate for regular physical and mental health check-ups for your clients (and your family members) in order to diagnosis any illness and find appropriate treatment as early as possible.
We may not be able to stop the aging process and how it affects us both physically and mentally, but we can understand how that process works. We can help to educate others on the aging process, and we can certainly be advocates for continual reform of our service delivery systems to aid in longer and healthier life experiences for our elders.
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We just wanted to thank you for all the help your caregivers gave us. They were so helpful, kind and supportive. Thanks so much!
We just wanted to thank you for all the help your caregivers gave us. They were so helpful, kind and supportive. Thanks so much!


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Do You Take Your E-Reader to Bed?
Feeling groggy in the morning? If you're reading yourself to sleep with a light-emitting electronic device, you may be sabotaging your sleep.
Good-quality sleep is vital for healthy aging. Poor sleep endangers our health, and puts us at higher risk of falls and other accidents. In late 2014, the American Academy of Neurology even announced that poor sleep is a risk factor for dementia.
Yet as we grow older, refreshing slumber often eludes us. Pain, depression, incontinence, inactivity, medications, family caregiver duties and even natural changes in our sleep cycle can make it hard to go to sleep and stay asleep. A poll of Caring Right at Home readers showed that only one-fourth are getting the recommended eight hours per night!
And these days, we face a new challenge to good-quality sleep. In 2011, the National Sleep Foundation reported that computers, smartphones, texting, video games and even watching TV not only tempt us to stay up later, but also contribute to lower-quality sleep once we finally hit the sack.
Said study author Charles Czeisler, Ph.D., M.D., of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, "Artificial light exposure between dusk and the time we go to bed at night suppresses release of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, enhances alertness and shifts circadian rhythms to a later hour—making it more difficult to fall asleep." (Circadian rhythms are the body's natural sleep/wake cycle.)
Czeisler added, "This study reveals that light-emitting screens are in heavy use within the pivotal hour before sleep. Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents who reported that they routinely get less sleep than they need."
And the problem has expanded: Not only are more of us staying up later using our devices, but we also are taking them to bed with us! It's a long tradition to "read ourselves to sleep." Though we sometimes report that a book was so exciting that we stayed up all night reading it, for the most part we drift off after a short time. Reading can be an effective way to transition into sleep for many people.
But now, more people are doing their bedtime reading on a backlit e-reader or tablet computer. And this, say sleep experts, could be a problem. When the light beams directly into our eyes, sleep comes more slowly and is less refreshing. According to Penn State University professor Anne-Marie Chang, "Electronic devices emit light that is short-wavelength-enriched light, which has a higher concentration of blue light than natural light. This is different from natural light in composition, having a greater impact on sleep or circadian rhythms."
Chang recently conducted an experiment at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where she is a neuroscientist in the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. Under carefully monitored conditions in the hospital's sleep laboratory, a group of volunteers read a book before bed for five nights. Then, for the next five nights, they tucked into bed with an iPad. Chang's team compared the quality and duration of their sleep on the traditional book nights versus the iPad nights.
The researchers found that when reading with the iPad, participants took on average 10 minutes longer to fall asleep. Their sleep pattern also featured a significantly lower amount of restorative REM sleep. Said Chang, "Our most surprising finding was that individuals using the e-reader would be more tired and take longer to become alert the next morning. This has real consequences for daytime functioning."
It's important to note that this study focused on e-readers that emit light, not on those using the "e-paper" display that mimics the appearance of ink on paper. Experts believe those devices, for example, the original Kindle, do not have the same sleep-disturbing effect.
Chang said, "We live in a sleep-restricted society in general. It is important to further study the effects of using light-emitting devices, especially before bed, as they may have longer-term health consequences than we previously considered.
March 2-8 Is Sleep Awareness Week
The National Sleep Foundation, sponsor of this event, offers consumer advice about getting a good night's sleep, as well as information and updates on a wide variety of sleep problems. Read more about their Technology and Sleep poll here.
Right at Home, Inc. is a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for those we serve. We fulfill that mission through a dedicated network of locally owned providers of in home care services.


text: Get moving every Tuesday and Friday morning! Stay and Play helps children ages 5 years old and younger to develop basic motor skills, coordination, strength and flexibility while having a great time with friends. Stay and Play offers non-instructional open time in a safe environment. All children must be accompanied by an adult.


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We haven't reviewed many Intel 925/915 boards since our initial Socket 775 processor reviews due to the fact that all the first revision boards that were sent to us had a flaw in the ICH6R South Bridge. The results that we got out of our original ABIT-AA8 DuraMAX were amazing, so we wanted to confirm them with another board that was a retail version! ABIT never publicly shipped any boards with the bad Intel chipset, so why review on one of those? Today we bring you the full look on a retail version with one of the new south bridges that works correctly.
Consumers expect more than an average board when buying a product from ABIT, and to be honest, we also expect to see the bar raised well above the reference Intel boards. ABIT does after all claim to manufacture boards with bulletproof technology and advanced durability in mind! The ABIT AA8-DuraMAX is currently one of ABIT's leading Intel 925X chipset based motherboards for Intel's latest LGA 775 processors (Socket T). The board comes jam packed with the newest technology a PC Enthusiast could dream of owning — Intel's Socket T, 4 banks for DDR2 memory, and PCI Express.
For some of you who haven't updated your systems in some time you'll notice many of the new features on the board are not going to be compatible with your old hardware. So by upgrading to the Socket T platform and using that ABIT AA8-DuraMAX motherboard you will have several other hardware purchases to make. There is no AGP slot, so potential ABIT AA8 buyers will need one of the new PCI Express graphics cards, some 240-pin DDR2 memory and an Intel LGA775 processor.
Since this is going to be a "major" upgrade you will want to make sure you have a solid motherboard to build around. Let's go ahead and talk about the general features of the ABIT-AA8 DuraMAX.
|CPU Support
|All LGA775 processors
|Intel i925X 'Alderwood'
|Memory Support
|4 slots, DDR-II 533, 4GB max, dual-channel
|One slot
|Intel ICH6/R
|Realtek ALC880 from ICH6/R feed
|Audio Connectivity
|6 port backplane speaker, 2 S/PDIF optical input and output
|2 x 32-bit 33MHz PCI 2.1 slots
|PCI Express
|3 x 1X slots
|1 ATA133 compliant port from ICH6/R
|4 ports from ICH6/R
|All 4 ports using Intel Matrix Storage
|Realtek 8110S-32 Gigabit Ethernet Controller, 10/100/1000Mbit
|ICH6/R, 2 x backplane USB2.0, 4 x I/O USB2.0
|FireWire400, 1 backplane port, 2 x I/O (one powered, one unpowered) from Ti TSB43AB23 OCHI controller
|Other I/O
|PS/2, Parallel, 1 x Serial
|CPU: 1.3625-1.7125V in 0.015V increments
DRAM: 1.9-2.2V in 0.05V increments
North bridge: 1.50-2.05V in 0.05V increments
Now that we know what the general features on the board are, we can go ahead and get specific with what ABIT has brought to the table with the Intel 925X platform.
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[Popular Goods]
The former, a creative bamboo craft worker in Kyoto, was established in 31st year of Meiji (1898), continuing to create their original bamboo craftworks while the latter, Linen cloth wholesaler, was established in Nara in 1818.
Bags, taking advantage of softness as well as of bamboo trait are made of Japanese Madake used ,fit for weaving and weaved in the Ajiro way of weaving., which is not only strong but looks even beautiful . Furthermore, it is Urushi, or Lacquer process that makes the meshes beautiful. Repeated japanning, followed by wiping with a cloth, the technique called Lacquer Wiping, used to produce luster of its own.
Care for producing beauty is given to every little part of details., which protects the fragile corners from being damaged by a darning ball like hits and rubs., in addition to which a cloth covers overall inside of a bag to avoid frictions for smother slipping, as well as easily taking things in and out. The said sticking to details leads a bag to resulting in more elegant finish.
Pursuits of beauty and craftworks are reflected in the handle of a bag; with users who hold the handle of a bag put into consideration, such strong and not easily worn out strings are used as tied comfortably for hands with its cushion function as well as its elegance.
This is nothing but the Kochohsai Kosuga original with the Kyoto strings featured by Nedake (Root bamboo) inherited through the Heian era. On top of this, the icing of the cake is hand spun and hand woven linen cloth made by Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten, Linen wholesaler in Nara. All of the linen used are new summer designs of this year.
Bags made most use of pliant bamboo are soft and elastic also strong and tough.
Bamboo tends to get more luster and stronger by hand touches. If wellused with care, it receives nutrition and becomes more beautiful. The more frequently used, it can produce such a feature as an antique. It can hardly be replaceable, the bag which becomes one of a kind of your own. It is not a type of bamboo bag as worn out in a few years. Please enjoy the bag for many years to come. For repair charges, call us for further information.
A drawstring small bag made of cloth or leather, which people used to carry around with money or medicine put in. Today, it is used as a bag to carry about personal belongings like a purse or a cellular phone.


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Heyyyyy! So I have a little time to blog.. I have to be up early for work tomorrow... work at 7:45! :( I have so much to do tomorrow, my friends 21st is tomorrow and sunday is my friends baby shower *sighs* Lots to do!! But I'm also very excited!!
Anyway, I'm going to continue on from my LBI trip... it was our last day at our house... :( Well home...
The last time walking to the beach... the boys
I love the painting on this house...
It started to get dark and cloudy when we were there... it never rained but the waves got pretty high and intense
Me and the bf, last time at the beach
Then we decided to have a little cook out so the guys cooked :)
Good ol' fashioned cook out.. Hot dogs and hamburgers :)
We decided to walk to the beach.. it was SO misty...
So misty and kinda scary
Decided to feed the birds with the last of our bread
The day we were leaving... :(
Haul from Atlantic City and LBI soon!! Answering winner of my Day-To-Night contest soon as well!!


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Finally checking Pepe's off my 'must-try' list felt like an accomplishment since this strip mall find isn't a place I pass on my day-to-day commute. Pepe's has a seat-yourself dining area and doubles as a fully stocked Mexican grocery store. I was instantly drawn to its festive flair: a stack of sombreros, oversized piñatas, colorful wall murals and blaring music, all helping to set the mood.
Our group of four grabbed a booth and ordered a bucket of Negra Modela beers (6 for $15). We eagerly worked our way through a complimentary basket of thick, crispy tortilla chips and standard-fare salsa which was seemingly void of cilantro but heavy on the garlic.
Pepe's has a broad menu with exceptionally low prices. Tacos (corn or flour) are cheap, ranging from $1.50 to $2.25. We chose the more authentic preparation (corn) on our three-taco platter ($6.99), served with rice and refried beans. The lengua, or cow tongue, was the best of the tacos. My grandmother's iteration was my first introduction to cow tongue, so I was pleased to find Pepe's lengua cooked correctly (not overcooked, which causes it to be tough) and served with diced onions, generous cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. The chicken taco was good, yet the pork carnitas left something to be desired. It was dry and unremarkable. Surprisingly, the refried beans and rice included in the platter were well-seasoned and full of flavor.
Standouts were the chile relleno platter ($7.99) and chicken sopa ($2.99), a savory corn cake topped with shredded chicken, lettuce, sour cream and cheese. The chicken torta ($4.99), a Mexican sandwich, was another winner, with its soft bread, juicy breaded chicken, thick smear of mayo, shredded iceberg, sliced tomato, onion, pickled jalapeno slices and creamy avocado.
Service (read: one waitress for the entire restaurant) was slow, so skip Pepe's if you're on a schedule. If you have time, though, definitely take in the ambience and sit back with a cold … More
Sub Cultured is the latest mobile vendor to open a permanent location. Situated in a quaint, unassuming building off Mayport Road in Atlantic Beach, Sub Cultured has been open for six months.
Starting as a mobile stand specializing in cheesesteaks and sausages, and parked in front of a home improvement store, the eatery serves an assortment of freshly made sandwiches, soups and salads. Nothing on the menu rings up at more than $9, and Cinotti's Bakery, just up Penman Road in Jax Beach, supplies the sub rolls.
The menu lays claim to the best Philly cheesesteak in town ($8.49). While that sandwich is quite good, I found several sandwiches and salads on the menu to be far more impressive — like the popular Miami Cuban ($8.99), with the traditional roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles. Sub Cultured's version is enhanced by slight twist: the addition of capicola and mostaza aioli – a blend of yellow mustard and mayo with a hint of garlic, improving the standard Cuban with a tangy overtone.
The Grilled Montreal sandwich started as an experiment in grilled cheese that produced remarkable results. Thick slices of Boar's Head pastrami are paired with white cheddar cheese curds and yellow mustard and pressed between two slices of sourdough bread. If the Montreal is offered, the only acceptable answer is "Oui!"
Another item that caught my eye: Gypsy Fries ($4.99). Sub Cultured takes a Philly cheesesteak sandwich — minus the sub roll — and layers hefty portions of grilled steak, sautéed peppers, mushrooms and onions and melted provolone cheese on a bed of crispy fries. This creation would be the perfect sportsbar fare; unfortunately, big-screen TVs and cold beer were nowhere to be found.
Craving something specific? Concoct your own sandwich ($6.99-$8.99) by selecting a choice of meat, bread, cheese, sauce (mayo, mustard, spicy mustard, honey mustard, garlic aioli or creamy Italian) and toppings — ranging from sprouts and jalapenos to the … More
It's been almost a year since Brew Five Points – a laid-back spot for grabbing a cup of coffee, beer, beer cocktail (an actual thing!), or bottle of craft soda – opened up shop in Jacksonville's hipster haven. The works of area artists adorn the walls on a rotating basis, giving Brew a local feel.
Coffee drinks at Brew can be simple – a precision-crafted pour over (featuring a carousel of coffee roasters such as Bold Bean, Intelligentsia and Ritual, $4.75) and sweet – a honey or chocolate latte ($3.25). My go-to is the macchiato ($2.75) since I like less milk than espresso.
There's even an option for a cold brew growler – a take-home glass bottle ($5, one time) that you can bring back and refill any time for $10.
Calli Marie Webb is the young chef behind Brew's food menu and sweet and savory is her game. Chicken-IN-waffles ($8) – four fluffy, airy waffle segments with deliciously moist bite-sized pieces of chicken inside – are an example of Webb's creative spark. Served with a scoop of blueberry butter and a drizzle of Cholula hot sauce syrup, chicken-IN-waffles is a savory, sweet, crunchy and spicy mix.
Brew also presents a line-up of artisan toasts featuring local Community Loaves bread. The Basic B!#&H ($4) on wheat piles creamy smashed avocado, miso butter, shaved radish, chile oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. It's great for lunch, with a salad, or even for breakfast.
Sammies ($6), which change each week, are served on a handheld kolache bun and feature a perfectly runny-yolk egg. Mine had tomato, mozzarella, prosciutto, basil and aforementioned runny egg.
Brew's curated craft soda selection spans the spectrum of tastes, from sweet to savory, offering a wide variety from butterscotch to bacon-flavored sodas. I recommend the Swamp Pop praline cream.
For the beer-curious, Brew's got more than 75 local and non-local craft beers. In addition to a refrigerator stocked full of cans, there are several varieties on draft, along with a … More
Emblazoned with an eye-catching lime-green façade that includes a saxophone-playing octopus, Funkadelic food truck is hard to miss (artwork by Brian Barnard). Funkadelic's menu has fewer than 10 items, which makes for some tough decisions. Need help?
The panko-crusted fried shrimp sliders (3 for $8.50) with "funk sauce," Sriracha slaw, applewood smoked bacon and avocado slices on pillowy, sweet Hawaiian rolls are served as a trio, which makes them perfect for sharing.
My go-to is an order of the colorful ahi tuna poke nachos ($11.50). The crispy-fried wonton chips, loaded with a mountain of sushi-grade yellowfin tuna, diced mango salsa, wasabi aioli and avocado-and-wakame-seaweed salad, then drizzled with a sweet soy caramel sauce, are equal parts savory, sweet, crunchy and creamy. This fun play on traditional nachos is popular and tends to sell out quickly.
Funkadelic's gourmet grilled cheese ($8) makes a strong case for best GC in town. Pressed between slices of asiago cheese bread, the duo of muenster and provolone meets a flavor punch when coupled with a slathering of basil walnut pesto, avocado and thick applewood smoked bacon. Recently, a new spread – datil pepper jelly – made its sweet and spicy debut.
Remember when your mom told you over and over to eat your vegetables? Here's your chance to do just that: roasted beet fries ($5) served with a slightly spicy, creamy signature funk sauce and dressed with a smattering of chopped green onions. These sweet, red-hued gems are served warm.
Other recent meat-centric sandwich options include beer-braised pork belly, blackened striped bass, coffee-and-cola braised pulled pork, and pulled pork sliders. Sometimes there's a brisket, short rib and chuck burger that gives you the option to add a fried egg, bacon or pork belly (glutton overload)! Vegetarians need not fret – Funkadelic's marinated portobello sandwich, with herbed goat cheese spread and roasted peppers, is hearty and filling.
The … More
For the past eight years, every Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., historic St. Johns Episcopal Cathedral's Taliaferro Hall has been transformed into a busy lunch venue. The twist: The meal is orchestrated by students from the Clara White Mission's culinary training program.
Given the Mission's decades-old track record for helping serve the poor and homeless in Jacksonville, I was thrilled to learn that more than 700 aspiring students have graduated from the program – which teaches lessons from food preparation to commercial cooking to menu development and catering, over the course of 20 weeks.
These talented students prepare and serve a Southern-style buffet lunch. Perhaps most impressive is the fact that the menu changes weekly and is posted on the mission's website each Wednesday. The previous week's offerings included baked vegetable spaghetti, brown-sugar-glazed baked ham, Southern fried chicken, creamed skillet corn, collard greens and sweet potato soufflé – yum!
The cost for the buffet lunch was $10, collected on our way in the door (parties of six or more can make a reservation, but fewer than that and you may be seated with others – which only adds to the experience). After being seated, we were greeted by a student with a warm smile offering us our choice of sweetened, unsweetened or tropical iced tea, or coffee. We then headed to the selections on the self-service buffet.
First was a salad bar with chopped fresh spring mix, diced hardboiled eggs, peppers, bacon bits, crumbled blue cheese, grated carrots, cucumber, tomatoes and beyond.
Our two soup choices were ham-and-split-pea or Italian minestrone. I went with a cup of the minestrone and enjoyed an abundance of kidney beans, pasta and chopped vegetables.
And now we beheld the feast. Bypassing the rice pilaf and rolls, I went straight for the fried Cajun turkey (a winner!), meatloaf (moist and flavorful), grilled-cheese-and-tomato sandwich, boiled red potatoes, … More
Ever-curious, I've yearned to try the chef's tasting menu at five-diamond Salt for years. Recently, my wish became a reality when my handsome fiancée and I got all dressed up, made a reservation and eagerly awaited our culinary fine-dining future.
As we serenely waltzed through the entrance, we took in a colorful display of salts from around the world. The restaurant has large windows, but the sun had already set by dinner time. The interior was dimly lit, and buzzed with diners' chatter.
The four-course chef's "adventure" menu ($225 per person, or $325 paired with wine) as The Ritz-Carlton calls it, offered four brilliantly presented surprises. The server began by asking if there was anything we detested (I answered "maraschino cherries," because I couldn't think of any ingredient I truly hate). The accommodating server shared that useful information to the chef. And then we sat back and let the magic unfold.
After an amuse bouche (a one-bite hors d'oeuvre) medley of tomato gel, rocchetta cheese, pinenut and balsamic topped with micro-arugula, our first course arrived. It was a beautifully plated tuna tartar with pineapple espuma (an airy mousse-like foam), quail egg puffed rice, purple radish, baby romanesco, fennel and a sprinkle of micro-cilantro. I wouldn't have thought to pair tuna and pineapple but it worked – the chefs are geniuses!
We noshed on warm breads with soft butter, and a compartmentalized serving dish of various salts, each one carefully explained.
The second course was solid: cobia with a black garlic mushroom stuffed ravioli, shiitake mushrooms, clams, and rainbow Swiss chard atop sunchoke purée. Delightfully complex, the fish was flaky and paired perfectly with the savory ravioli.
Up next were the most flavorful, tender veal cheeks atop a tower of bean cassoulet, with a swirl of vibrantly colored carrot ginger purée, spiced walnuts and cranberry jam. I adored this dish; it featured several … More
For more than 30 years now, The Loop Pizza Grill has been a regional mainstay for burgers, fries and milkshakes. The original location debuted in 1981, and now the franchise touts nine Northeast Florida locations. The St. Johns Town Center restaurant (near Total Wine & More), however, exhibits a newer concept. While still fast-casual, it's more modern, trendy and art-focused.
It maintains the same process as its predecessors: You order and pay, take a buzzer, fill your drink cup and grab a table or booth. On this trip, we were ravenous, so we ordered some bleu cheese chips ($3.99) to hold off the screamin' hungries. The chips were thick-cut and topped with ample melted cheesiness. The pile disappeared quickly.
We also ordered a Great American Cheeseburger with fries ($7.89). Burgers here have a thin, pink center, which makes for a juicy hunk of meat. The sesame-seed bun was a bit on the dry side, but the moisture from the lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo helped make up for what it lacked. The fries left something to be desired.
No Meat March! The Loop's got a veggie melt on ciabatta bread ($8.49) and a portabella mushroom melt ($8.99) complete with creamy garlic mayo, melted jack cheese and a smattering of grilled onions. Who needs a pink center?
Our eight-inch buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil pizza (8.49) was surprisingly good. It was easy to share, but I can picture getting it for a satisfying solo lunch option. Whether you build your own or choose from the dozen offerings (some pesto-based, others with a traditional red sauce), a 12-inch size is also available.
There's beer (some local – hooray!) and wine, and a whole line of Coca-Cola products.
Yes, there are hand-dipped shakes and malts, too, but who can resist an old-fashioned root beer float – dubbed the Brown Cow ($4.25)?
Now, about that new look: Founder Terry Schneider partnered with daughter Hillary Tuttle, who owns Stellers Gallery Ponte Vedra, to create a place reflecting … More
No, it's not a food truck. Yes, Garden Truck is vegan (happy No Meat March!), on the Northside (only 15 minutes from Downtown), and worth the trek when you're looking for something healthful, local and fresh.
Order and pay at the counter, then seat (and treat) yourself. The space, in a small strip mall in the middle of seemingly nowhere somewhere off the East Beltway, is extra-inviting: strings of globe lights shine on the brightly painted walls, vibrant fresh-cut flowers adorn the wooden tables and an oversized chalkboard tells you what's available.
To quench your thirst, choose from a dozen smoothies ($6.95) and juices ($5.95) to try. I found My Daily Fruit juice, a coral-colored concoction with apple, pineapple, kiwi, orange and strawberry — delightfully refreshing. Coffee and tea are also available.
The majority of items on the menu are sandwiches, paninis and salads, and there are daily soups and specials. Recent favorites include rigatoni with "sausage," red peppers and mushrooms in a light white wine sauce, roasted squash curry bisque, coconut milk crème brûlée and a "crab" cake panini.
I started with the Caesar ($5.95) — hearts of romaine, chopped artichoke hearts, roasted sweet red peppers and avocado in a light Dijon mustard dressing. Pro tip: Ask for the housemade croutons on top. They're magically crunchy and seasoned.
My two to-go sandwiches (all sandwiches are $6.95 and include one side) are smoked tempeh (a high-protein meat substitute made from fermented soy beans), lettuce, tomato and veganaise (an eggless mayo spread) and smoky sea salt, and the roasted vegetable and artichoke panini with spicy aioli and roasted garlic spread. The bread is freshly baked, and I picked multigrain for both sandwiches.
And don't knock the "sausage and peppers" sandwich until you try it. It's created with caramelized onions, green and red peppers, and a spicy mustard sauce on warm ciabatta bread — you'll hardly notice that the fennel-spiced … More
If you're hungry and cruising Downtown in search of something different, head straight down Main Street into historic Springfield and look for the brightly colored Wafaa & Mike's Café. (I hear the adjacent auto shop, which shares an owner, is excellent, too.)
Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, the Mediterranean (their sign says "Mid-Eastern") restaurant has been in town for five years. It's a decidedly casual spot, so don't come expecting pressed linens and silver. But it's solid for what it is.
We started with baba ghanoush ($4.99). It was delightfully smoky and creamy, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and paprika, and served with a basket of pita triangles for dipping. The pita was stiff and room temperature, so we asked for fresh, warm pita. Moments later, we were given a new batch.
Platters seemed to be the way to go. Each of the dozen or so platters includes a choice of two side items. I went with the falafel ($10.99), and it was fantastic – freshly crafted chickpea orbs of delight you can dip in the accompanying nutty tahini sauce. My side items were traditional favorites, hummus and tabouli. Both were fresh and excellent. Also on the platter were slices of colorful crunchy pickled turnip, cucumbers and a small bed of iceberg lettuce and tomato. The falafel is also available in wrap form.
Another success was the kibbe – croquette-like football-shaped nuggets of ground meat mixed with minced onions and bulgur wheat.
I didn't care for the grape leaves, which were served cold and had an off-putting spice that I couldn't pinpoint. Skip these.
I wanted to try the Turkish (read: strong) coffee ($1.99), but it was late in the afternoon and our waitress politely steered me away, explaining I probably wouldn't get a good night's rest.
A dollar scores you a crisp, sweet square of happiness – also known as baklava – so keep dessert on your agenda. Wafaa & Mike's does this pastry treat just … More
Though it's not on the main drag — Centre Street — in Fernandina Beach, Arte Pizza is a hip, well-decorated, comfortable spot for lunch on the weekend or dinner anytime (except Tuesdays, because it's closed). As I was walking by, the space itself sold me: open kitchen with a view of the pizza oven, high ceilings, modern lighting, windows that let in a fresh breeze, and an arty, decorative wall adorned with random mirrors and frames.
On the lunch menu, we eyed crispy French fries tossed in rosemary sea salt ($3.50) to start, and I ordered a half-portion of the Special salad ($9.95 full size), with roasted red beets, corn, diced tomato, roasted red peppers, cucumbers, crumbled feta and a white balsamic dressing.
The portion was nice-sized, and the fries were accompanied by a cup of ketchup, though I would have preferred an aioli to complement the rosemary.
My half salad was gigantic. I loved the uniqueness of having beets, roasted peppers, corn and feta. But if this were a creation of mine, I'd add avocado. And the menu says "mixed greens," but it was actually hearts of Romaine, which is fine but slightly misleading.
Eager to try the wood-fired, brick-oven pizza (it cooks at temperatures higher than 700 degrees!), we pondered the selections of Arte's self-proclaimed artisanal pizzas.
We narrowed it down to the Paesana ($10.95), with tomato sauce, mozzarella, sausage and pepperoni, and the Caprina ($10.95), with tomato sauce, roasted tomato, mushrooms, fresh basil, goat cheese and extra virgin olive oil. The Caprina should really be renamed the Goat, for the overabundance of goat cheese. It overshadowed everything else. The crust on both pizzas was crisp — and slightly thicker than a typical wood-fired crust — and held up to the load of toppings and sauce, but the sauce's flavor was lacking. Maybe more salt or spices? It was a Sunday, and we arrived at noon, when Arte opened, so maybe it was a fresh batch and needed to simmer … More


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Surf report: Best new gadgets for your kitchen
- iPad stand keeps your device safe from messy meal prep
- Vitaquick pressure cooker comes with easy-to-read indicator rod
- Vodka Zinger bottle integrates a grinder
While we typically focus on technology better found in living rooms, this week's Surf Report takes a peek at newfangled kitchen gadgets ready to act as your sous chef.
Bring (and protect) the iPad in the kitchen
With countless recipe apps and how-to videos, the iPad has become an indispensable cooking tool for the executive chefs in some households. Recognizing this, Chef Sleeve has created a number of accessories to fully — and safely — integrate the tablet into the kitchen.
Its line of disposable sleeves ($15.99-$19.99 for a pack of 25) will protect iPads, iPhones or Kindles from accidental splashes while keeping touch gestures intact. When it's all sullied up after messy meal prep, just toss it in the recycling bin.
Chef Sleeve's latest addition is its dishwasher-safe iPad stand ($34.99). Made of eco-friendly certified wood fibers compressed with food-safe resin, the stand, with two viewing angles (45 degrees and 20 degrees), is heat resistant up to 350 degrees. This isn't Chef Sleeve's first iPad stand though. Its cutting board ($69.99) also includes an indentation to hold an iPad (preferably donned in its protective raincoat) in place while you show off your knife work. Made of the same green materials, this 13.5-by-18-by-0.5 inch board features a "juice groove" along the edge to catch wayward fluids — because who wants salmonella on their countertops?
Cooking under pressure
Want to learn the secret to preparing amazing home cooked meals in half an hour? It's called a pressure cooker.
Though pressure cookers have been around for centuries, Fissler improves on existing models by taking the guesswork out of using such a device. Made in Germany, its Vitaquick line (starting $239.95) features thick, wide bottoms to evenly and efficiently cook on top of large burners.
Fissler succeeds in creating a pressure cooker that can easily prepare elaborate meals — think risotto or pulled pork — and is also straightforward to use. What most differentiates Vitaquick from its competitors is the large easy-to-read indicator rod with two clear markers signifying gentle or speed cooking. In contrast, the pressure cooker your mom has more than likely features an unwieldy indicator that is hidden in a hard-to-read spot or confusing to interpret. Furthermore, with an auto-locking handle and other safety features built in, this is near foolproof to use.
Plucky tool for separating eggs
One of the more bizarre gadgets I've seen on the market is Pluck from Quirky, a startup that develops top-voted product ideas submitted by its community of inventors.
Essentially, it's a suction device that separates — or plucks, if you will — the yolk from the egg. Personally, I find the concept (the act, as well) a little gross, but I have to admit it's extremely effective. But you know what else is effective? Two halves of an egg shell, which you conveniently happen to have.
Brew a single cup of coffee
Sometimes all you want is a single cup of coffee. So instead of taking out that big coffee pot, pull out the minibru, perfect for one cup of French press coffee.
Sold through ThinkGeek, a treasure trove of nerdy, offbeat gadgets, minibru ($24.99) is built for the coffee minimalist. The concept is smart: Use the same piece of equipment for brewing and drinking. After filling the 12-ounce glass mug with coarse ground coffee to the bottom line, add water to the top line. Two to three minutes of steeping later, you insert the plunger — in this case, a glass with a mesh filter on the bottom — and it's ready to drink.
Rather strange is that the grounds remain sitting at the bottom of the glass, but they'll stay in place — that is, unless you flip the cup over in an attempt to get the last sip. If that's the case, maybe you should reconsider the coffee pot.
Keep time with the f/60 lens timer
Unless you have Julia Child's sense of timing, you're going to need some help.
The f/60 Lens Kitchen Timer ($14) sold by Photojojo is one photographers will adore. Even though this timer is disguised as a lens, it sounds a classic bell ring when the roast is done. Though I would prefer this took after a wide angle or telephoto lens, I can see why it was modeled after a kit lens, basic glass that's bundled with camera bodies. A kit makes sense because of the similar range. The last markings are at 55 — millimeters on the actual lens, minutes on the timer. However, I have one suggestion for the designers: Since kit lenses are typically in the 18-55mm range, why not add a few more tick marks after 15 minutes? It'd complete the package.
Adding zing to drinks
Lackluster drinks? Zing Anything wants to help by infusing some pizzazz into your bartending abilities.
Vodka Zinger ($25.95), a 20-ounce double-wall stainless-steel bottle, integrates a grinder on the bottom that extracts fruit essence and infuses it into a spirit of your choice. (Water is also an option; the company has a model called the Aqua Zinger, which is virtually the same hardware minus the difference in branding and color.)
Be inspired by what you see on the shelves of liquor stores — lemon, vanilla or chili vodka — or experiment by combining some of your favorite flavors. Once the ingredients are ground up, a mesh screen keeps the remains separate from the liquor. A word of warning: There will be some wasted booze here since the pulp absorbs some of the liquid.
E-mail Alice Truong at email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter: @alicetruong.


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Results 1 to 6 of 6
The Orioles are in the wrong division-The competitive imbalance in MLB
After years and years of finishing third, fourth, and no where close to October baseball, I believe its time to think about moving the Baltimore Orioles to the National League. The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox will continue to dominate this league for years to come due to their endless payrolls and ability to attract big name free agents. The Orioles can simply no longer compete with this type of domination, and it might not be a bad idea for baseball to move this club to the National League along with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. I have come up with a few ideas to improve the competitive balance in the game of baseball. I know this is mostly wishful thinking, but its somethin to think about.
Take the New York Mets, and the Atlanta Braves, and move them to the AL East. This way, you would have the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays all in one division, fighting for the division crown. This would be the most competitive and dominant division in baseball. This would leave the NL East to having the Florida Marlins, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Nationals all in one division, giving each team a better chance to make the post season. While this would weaken the NL East, it would be fiercely competitive due to the geographic locations between the teams, creating intense rivalries. Could you imagine the Orioles and Nationals fighting for the division crown and a chance to go to the playoffs in late September? Thats a hell of a lot better than watching these teams dwindle in the bottom of their divisions throughout the dog days of summer, and just waiting around for football season to come instead of getting excited about October baseball.
I know this may never happen, but it would make the MLB more attractive and competitive, and I think Bud Selig might do the game some good by looking in to ways to improve the league. Just a thought.....DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
09-05-2006, 05:13 PM #2Rookie Poster
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Re: The Orioles are in the wrong division-The competitive imbalance in MLB
While I understand your frustration, tucking tail and running is never the answer. The precedent it would set would create chaos. Every year there would be a handful of teams who think they can do better somewhere else.
That said- It would not surprise me to see Satan invent a reason that we need to change divisions that has nothing to do with being competitive. You know- nudge nudge wink wink.
Re: The Orioles are in the wrong division-The competitive imbalance in MLB
I've had discussions with othere about this very topic. The O's should move to the NL East as they have better balance agains the Phillies and the Nationals but this would also bolster the rivaleries between all the teams.
AND anything to move them out of the Red Sox and Yankees division is a plus! :P
Re: The Orioles are in the wrong division-The competitive imbalance in MLB
Give me a freaking break.
No real Oriole fan would advocate leaving the division.
Talk about lowering the bar.
What happens when you win the new division and face boston or ny in the playoffs?
This train of thought(change divisions) makes me sick!
Re: The Orioles are in the wrong division-The competitive imbalance in MLB
Why stop there? Why not just move us to triple-A? We'd have a much better shot at a title. :grbac:
09-22-2006, 02:09 PM #6Pro Bowl Poster
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Re: The Orioles are in the wrong division-The competitive imbalance in MLB
that just won't happen because all the major market teams "have" to make the postseason...kind of like how the basketball world about fell over when the Lakers didn't make the playoffs...all because they want that LA media market to pay attention....without mentioning the fact that team didn't come close to deserving a slot.
So none of the owners would ever sign up for it, even if it might seem like a reasonable request...and MLB is too interested in keeping those big media markets (and income) flowing in. No better way to reduce the number of viewers than to put 4 of the biggest teams in terms of fanbase and market in the same division where you're essentially guaranteeing that 2 won't make it to the postseason.


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Above: NEW song, "Goodbye Bush (Nah Nah Nah)," my ode to G.W. Bush leaving the White House! FREE download at http://www.4shared.com/file/81716173/f6ec79ea/APT_-_Goodbye_Bush__Nah_Nah_Nah_.html!
Also available on "The Next Black President" Mixtape – FREE Download at: http://www.zshare.net/download/5455995741ddef5e/
Lastly, you can now download the VIDEO to re-post on YouTube!
This week's video… er, I mean, today's video… is for the song "Goodbye Bush (Nah Nah Nah)," produced by ME!
First of all: Those of you who normally stop by my website know I tend to post up videos every Sunday. Clearly, as I am posting this video, it is Thursday, meaning it's not Sunday. Therefore, you may be a bit confused.
Allow me to tell you a fascinating story…
So, Tuesday was Barack Obama's official swearing in as the 44th President of the United States of America. Which also meant it was the day George W. Bush was finally LEAVING office. I, along with the rest of the nation, couldn't have been more happy about this moment – both for a Black man entering the White House, and a White man who was LOUSY at his job as "President" finally being given the boot!
After watching all the events unfold on TV, I started surfing the net. A story popped up on Yahoo.com saying that, as Bush was being helicoptered out of the area, there were people in the crowd singing rock band Steam's classic hit chorus:
"Nah, nah, nah, nah… nah, nah, nah, nah… hey, hey, hey… gooood-byyyyye!"
I thought that was extremely hilarious! The more I thought about them doing that, though, the more I thought I could make it into a song. So, I went on YouTube to figure out the band that did it, then downloaded the song off Limewire. I was hoping I could find the instrumental somewhere, but it wasn't meant to be.
Luckily, the opening part of the song has no words being said in it, so I was able to take that part of the song and re-loop it. FYI: people think re-looping a sample is easy. WRONG! I had to cut and paste a small part from another part of the song and paste it near the opening part where there's drums but no other music so it would sound like a seamless loop, then I had to copy and re-paste the song in the right section over and over again, not to mention having to mix in the various parts where the "Nah nah nah's" would come in… it took about 2 hours to make that "simple" little beat, people!
Once I had the beat done, I had a freestyle/writing session. I wrote down some lyrics, then freestyled to the beat for a bit, and used bits and pieces from both to create the 2 verses of the song. Then, I recorded them. It took me a few takes to get the feel/flow down of the song since I didn't want to just rap it all sing-songy. There are lots of stops and pauses in the verses, so I had to record several takes before I got it right.
When it came time to do the talking part during the drum solo, I just freestyled it. I didn't know what I was going to say – all I know is, I wanted to summarize a few points: (1) That Bush did a bad job, (2) that his administration was no longer in power, and (3) that hope could now be restored.
I mixed and mastered the song as best I could… but somehow, the sound sounded a bit fuzzy. I was going to work on the song some more before releasing it, but I knew that time was of the essence. Now that Barack's in office and the parties were winding down, I knew it would only be a matter of days before any song released about Bush or Barack would be of less importance/meaning.
So, I figured I'd post it up as is – after all, my videos as of late, while great, hadn't been getting as many views as I'd like, so I thought not too many people would even hear it. I was going to just post it up with a black screen saying "Free Download, Stop By My Website…
…but I couldn't just do that!
I hate when I go to YouTube, and someone has a song up but no "real" video to go with it. I figured that, even if I just posted up a video of me dancing to or miming the song, it would still be better than having the viewer look at nothing the whole time!
I didn't want to do a big shoot or one that would take a lot of time (I'll save that for this Sunday's video), so I decided to keep it simple. I placed my camera on top of a printer box I sat atop a stool in the kitchen next to the table, and proceeded to ACT A FOOL.
Since I didn't know the words to the song completely – I had only just written and recorded it that day – I decided not to try and mouth words, but use my actions to (hopefully) match the words of the song. Combine that with some out-of-date dance moves (Hammer Time!) and moving arm gestures, and voila! – instant video!
After I was done with the video, I placed it on YouTube. I like for my videos to get views, and the page on this site where the "Obama Milli Remix Page" is, continues to get high views. So, I placed the video/song atop all the pages with "Obama Milli" on it.
Lo and behold: while going out and about doing business today, my roommate/best friend from college keeps calling my phone. I call him once I get home, at which point he tells me that the song has been posted on www.worldstarhiphop.com, a respected Hip-hop site who, during the summer, had also placed up my "Obama Milli" song.
I go to inspect this myself – yep, it was up there – and also look up the YouTube accounts I placed it on, both of which have a stream of viewers for the song (250 at the aptsongs account, over 600 and counting at the aptistheman account). I also looked on the account I have where I have my songs available for FREE download – over 43 downloads and counting.
Not too bad, considering the song's been up for ONE day!
However, I hadn't even considered adding this video to my "One-Song-a-Week" collection because (a) the video was REAL simple, and (b) it's not Sunday.
At the same time, though, that saying of "striking while the iron's hot" rings true. If people were singing the song I sampled for mine, both during Inauguration AND on the night Obama got elected (thanks for the word on that, B.C.!), and I have a song out now with that same sample in relation to Bush, I HAVE to release it while his name is still in the papers.
And, since I have a video related to all of that, I have to release it now and add it to the collection. Plus, it's already gotten more views in one day than some of my other videos have in the weeks they've been released – must mean I have a hit on my hands again!
Oh yeah – I also went back and re-mixed it so the vocals sound clearer. For purposes of advertising that I have other material available, I also added some promo-stuff for "The Great Black Hope" onto the end of the song so people will think, "Wow, I should really buy this guy's stuff!" Gotta think of it like a business, people!!
That's all for now – yes, there will still be a video Sunday! See ya then!
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
MySpace: www.myspace.com/NotoriousAPT
Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/APT


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Spring Training and more
An article in the Arizona Republic came out today that says the Dodgers' continued talks with the city of Glendale are picking up. The story is pretty much accurrate and there should be more information tomorrow coming from the us. Beyond that, unfortunately there's not much I can tell you right now but I didn't want to ignore the obvious.
Other good reading for today is Jill Painter's feature on Don Newcombe in the Daily News. The story has a quote that refers to him as a living legend and it's the perfect description for him. One of my most prized photos from my time at the Dodgers is a shot of me as an intern in 1995, standing beside a World Series trophy while shaking Newk's hand, which completely dwarfed mine. I consider it an honor to know him and for any of you who have met him, you probably agree.
The L.A. Times has a good online Q&A between Steve Henson and…himself. It's actually theoretical questions he poses and does his best to answer them for the readers, and it's only available online, not in the actual paper. Obviously this is one of the things the Times is trying to do to enhance their coverage and along those lines, I have to say I've really enjoyed Jerry Crowe's new Page 2 features called the Crowe's Nest. Today's was about the guy in the Stanford band who got run over during "the play" against Cal, but they've ranged in subjects dramatically and have all been really interesting reads.
I liked one fan's idea of a contest for the Top 10 prospects in the organization, but I'm afraid that on something so subjective, there isn't really a right or wrong answer. While I definitely think you guys should debate those players' value here, I'm not sure that it's fair to award someone a prize for thinking the most like Baseball America.
And a final thought on Spring Training in response to one of the comments on yesterday's post. All fans should certainly know that the organization and the McCourts truly do understand the history and tradition that goes along with Vero Beach and Dodgertown. I've never met anyone who visited there and didn't immediately understand the importance and value of those things. As die-hard fans, you should rest assured that serious consideration is put into every decision made here with the ultimate goals remaining the same – championship baseball year in and year out; the best fan experience in all of sports; and a renewed commitment to the community here in Los Angeles. If we reach all of those goals, I truly believe that every Dodger fan – both inside the front office and in the stands – will be happy in the long run.
17 Comments
First the Oakland A's decide to move to Freemont, then the 49ers decide to move, now you guys?
What is going on in California?
stay in vero…
As much as anyone, I can appreciate the history of Dodgertown but I think for fans, logistics and long term goals, the move makes a lot of sense.
I would love the opportunity to drive out to Arizona to watch some games.
sharing a complex is what kind of bites me, i'm cool with the move (some what) when i think of a short drive or a short airline trip is what makes me feel o.k. about it.
As a veteran of many spring training trips to the Cactus League, I would love for the Blue to train in AZ. The Padres, Giants, Rockies, D-Backs and Angels are natural rivals with top-notch facilities for their teams and their fans. Throwing the Dodgers into the mix would be that much more fun. All the stadiums (except for the White Sox and D-Backs in Tucson) are located close together so one can enjoy a Dodger game almost everyday — something the Vero location can't offer. Great hotels and restaurants abound with great weather and low humidity.
No, I don't work for the AZ tourism community (but maybe I should?).
Blue-hoo, boo-hoo! Quit crying already! I love this decision to play Spring games in Arizona. It only makes it more affordable for the organization to put money back into the big club. If it means saving a TON of money by better logistics, this will only in turn bring better talent to Los Angeles. It makes sence. Vero Beach was quaint. It's no longer necessary in today's market… and don't forget, it's not about how many Grapefruit League titles the Dodgers win, it's about how many World Championships the Dodgers attain. Stay focused on what's really important…
i was just on the online chat with Vinnie & i think some of my question got answerd by him
I have been to Dodgertown as a visitor and as a participant in Dodger Adult Fantasy Camp and I can tell you, it is a special place. However, as much as I like tradition and would like to see the Dodgers stay in Vero, I can understand a move to Arizona from a financial and marketing point. In time this new facility could be a special place although I am not happy about sharing it with another organization. It will seem a bit strange when and if it happens but as others have said if it helps the organization I will support the move.
Sorry Josh, Sorry Kevin, I understand all of the logic but I still say "Stay in Vero Beach" !!! The modern day game doesn't have to have everything new or state of the art. It's people and tradition that built this franchise and it's what keeps it together.
Will I go to AZ if they move, of course I will. Will I still support the Dodgers as much, of course I will. I just won't like it as much as I would if they were in Vero Beach !!
Go Ned !!
Go Dodgers !!!
Vinny said it best in today's chat:
"I would think it's time for a move. Vero Beach was greatly associated with the Dodgers, but particularly the Brooklyn Dodgers and it is far, far away from our fan base in Los Angeles and Southern California. It would make sense in many ways, including business, radio, television and others to move closer to Southern California."
Ever since I was a young boy, I always wanted to go to Vero Beach to watch the Dodgers in spring training. But Vero Beach is on the other side of the world for a small boy from a family that simply did not have the means to get there. Should the Dodgers make the move to Glendale, AZ, this "old" boy would finally get to live his almost forgotten young boy's dream.
The greater Phoenix area (including Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Gilbert, etc.) has become a major hub for nearly every major professional sport (MLB, NBA, NFL, NASCAR, PGA, just to name a few) and these communities have embraced every one of them. Professional sports have made Arizona the new sports capital of the world and I would welcome and cherish the Dodgers moving there to become a part of it.
I'm with you "53" growing up on the west coast, I to could not go to vero beach. Arizona is only a 6-hour drive away. I can make that trip a few times every spring. fan since "51"
I see the Sox paid 51.1 mil to negotiate w/Matsuzaka and Boras is at work on his behalf. He's going to cost Boston plenty. I'm assuming Seibu keeps the money if no deal is made, but does anyone know for sure? Does Boston get the money back?
When you see figures like that you know somebody is making a bunch of money. Makes it harder for me to begrudge the players wanting their slice.
knouffbrock, I read in the paper that if he dosn't sign, the money is returned.
"The greater Phoenix area (including Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa, Gilbert, etc.) has become a major hub for nearly every major professional sport (MLB, NBA, NFL, NASCAR, PGA, just to name a few) and these communities have embraced every one of them. Professional sports have made Arizona the new sports capital of the world and I would welcome and cherish the Dodgers moving there to become a part of it.
that's the reason my realestate broker friend moved out there
Don Newcombe is a class act.
Of all the former Dodgers not in the Hall of Fame, he would be the first choice on my ballot (if I had one).
How good does he look? He could put on the uniform and give us six innings!