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Vibrant Mail is a colorful, clean and modern email template that can be used for any purpose, from professional to personal usage.
It is tested with Litmus, and it is compatible with any email program or online service which supports importing/editing HTML code.
With 2 backgrounds, 8 colors and 8 layouts each, plus its modular structure, this template allows you to create your email or newsletters in minutes, with hundreds of possible solutions to satisfy your needs.
- 128 HTML email templates (8 Layouts, 8 colors, 2 backgrounds).
- Valid & Commented HTML code.
- Modular structure – Create your custom layout using pre-built modules, you can just copy/paste/delete/duplicate content blocks (tables) from a layout to another.
- User friendly and detailed documentation.
Layout Generator
The Layout Generator let you create your layout in few simple steps: change color and background, add modules and switch them simply by drag&drop, view your changes in the real time preview and when you're satisfied generate your layout!
Vibrant Mail can be used in any email program or online service which supports importing/editing HTML code (such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor, etc).
All Templates are tested with Litmus in all major E-mail and Desktop Clients.
- iPhone, iPad
- Apple Mail
- Microsoft Outlook
- Mozilla Thunderbird
- Hotmail
- Gmail
- Windows Mail
- Yahoo Mail
- AOL Mail
- Lotus Notes
- And many more…
Images by Photodune – Yuri_Arcurs and Pressmaster.
Patterns from SubtlePatterns.
Sample clients icons by Logo Instant.
Fonts used in PSD files – Anivers.
Images from live preview are not included in the template.
4 February 2013
- Added Layout Generator.
31 January 2013
- Fixed documentation.
- Fixed some errors on live preview.
Please feel free to get in contact with me with the form on my Profile Page for any questions.
Please don't forget to rate this item


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More talks expected in Yallourn power station row
The operator of Yallourn power station, Energy Australia, and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), are expected to head back to the Fair Work Commission for another round of talks tomorrow.
Energy Australia says there is still a long way to go before an agreement to end the 12-month long dispute, over a new enterprise agreement, is reached.
It says the union submitted a fresh set of claims just last Friday.
It is calling on the union to drop its demands, including changes to dispute resolution, operational guidelines, annualised salaries and additional leave.
The company says the demands are unreasonable and would affect the company's ability to operate sustainably in challenging economic conditions.
Meanwhile, the 75 workers Energy Australia locked out of Yallourn more than two weeks ago, without pay, are continuing to maintain a protest camp nearby.
The CFMEU was not available for comment.
Topics: industrial-relations, work, unions, electricity-energy-and-utilities, yallourn-north-3825, sale-3850

subset: commoncrawl


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June 4
CASCADE LOCKS — For the past 10 days, Cascade Locks has been the center of the college sailing universe, hosting the 2004 Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association North American Championships at Port Marina Park.
Teams from 25 schools competed in three separate divisions, each hoping to catch the perfect Gorge wind gust to victory. But in the end, only three winners could be crowned.
Yale University won the May 26-28 women's dinghy championship, St. Mary's College took the May 30-June 1 layline team title, and the University of Hawaii claimed the June 2-4 co-ed dinghy championship.
Each of the participating colleges fielded a separate A and B division team for both the women's and co-ed dinghy events. After the district eliminations, 18 teams competed for the women's title, 14 qualified for the team race, and 16 qualified for the co-ed race.
"There is no better place for wind and water than the Columbia River Gorge," said Craig McBurney, whose company, Windtopia, is producing the event for College Sports Television (CSTV). "That's what brought us here, and that's what is going to bring us back during the Gorge Games."
McBurney said he expects to see many of the same sailors in the Gorge during the week of July 10-18, when the 2004 Gorge Games will unfold on the banks of the Columbia River.
During that time, Windtopia will be helping to launch a new professional skif racing league, which will also be broadcast on CSTV.
A growing number of sailing spectators and participants are popping up on both coasts, and McBurney wants to take advantage.
"The purpose of all this is to put more wind sports programming on television," he said. "We are just getting started with this idea, but one of the reasons we chose this event for our beta launch is that it has a natural distribution on CSTV."
A variety of international "mega-brands" such as Coca-Cola, Ford, Dell, Lee Jeans and Motorola have already bought into the concept, giving McBurney and others plenty of optimism for this summer and beyond.
"We are integrating several mega-brand products into our presentation of events like the North American Sailing Championships," he said. "When businesses of that magnitude appear in our broadcasts, it helps validate us in the eyes of our viewers. And in this case, it helps raise the profile for the Gorge."
McBurney said he has enjoyed his time in the Gorge so much that he plans to move his corporate headquarters from Annapolis, Md., to Hood River in the next year.
He expects that the wind sports television market will continue to grow. And by starting in the "wind capital" with an event like the ICSA North American Sailing Championships, it will evolve that much faster.
"The college sailors are the market we are trying to reach, so we figured why not drive cross-country and start selling the idea first-hand," McBurney said. "The entire media concept was developed over the past three weeks, and I would say it has been worth it. You have to go where the people are."
In all, more than 200 of the nation's best collegiate sailors competed in Cascade Locks over the past two weeks. The event also drew a variety of spectators from Hood River, Portland and southwest Washington.
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San Diego Community College District strictly adheres to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This procedure specifies limitations on federal and state law, and ensures that appropriate record maintenance and destruction systems are in place.
Pursuant to the "Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974" (Public Law 93-380) and the California Education Code, a student may request to inspect all official school records, files, and related data that are classified as Student Records. The records will be available for review at a mutually convenient time during regular working hours. Contact the Vice President, Student Services. If information in the file is inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate, a sutdent may request removal of the information or include a statement disputing thematerial that is challenged. The law provides that no individual, agency, or organization shall have access to a student's records without the written consent of the student.
You may view a full copy of the procedure by accessing the following website: http://www.sdccd.edu/public/district/policies/


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South Dakota State's John Stiegelmeier on Southern Illinois Loss, Western Illinois Match-up
As South Dakota State prepares to hit the road in the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time in 2013, there's a new sense of urgency surrounding this team.
Thought by many to be the second-best team in the league behind North Dakota State, the Jacks currently sit dead last in the standings, with back-to-back losses to open conference play.
The latest loss came at the hands of Southern Illinois last weekend in Brookings, where much of the talk has been sloppy conditions at Coughlin-Alumni Stadium and a controversial no-call on potential pass interference against the Salukis late in the game.
But, head coach John Stiegelmeier isn't focusing on any of those issues is his assessment of the game:
After a pair of conference losses, Stiegelmeier admits the Jacks hopes of winning the Missouri Valley are 'dead'. But he believes there is still plenty to play for, especially when there are two additional playoff spots available in FCS this year:
One of the things that surprised Stiegelmeier about Saturday's loss was Southern Illinois' ability to run the ball against the SDSU defense. The Salukis finished with 189 yards on the ground:
Despite the muddy field, the Jacks ran the ball with success as well. Junior running back Zach Zenner topped the 100-yard mark for the fifth time in six games in 2013:
This weekend, the Jacks will face a team with a potent running attack of its own.
Western Illinois already boasts one of the top backs in the Missouri Valley in Nikko Watson, but this season the Leathernecks have added junior college transfer J.C. Baker. Those two have combined for 910 yards and five touchdowns in 2013, and the Leathernecks are one of just three FCS teams to not lose a fumble yet this season:
This will be the first opportunity SDSU has to play on the road in conference action this season, but if you're looking for Stiegelmeier get excited about heading out of town - think again:
Kickoff in Macomb is 3:00pm Saturday.


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Wayne State University receives grant from USGS to advance ecological restoration efforts in the Great Lakes
|Donna Kashin (Top) and Jeffery Ram (Bottom)
DETROIT — Foreign mussels hitchhiking to the Great Lakes in the ballast water tanks of international freighters are becoming one of the most vexing environmental problems facing the Great Lakes. A group of scientists from Wayne State University, in collaboration with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the Environmental Protection Agency, are working together to battle this problem.
This invasion of zebra mussels and quagga mussels have caused dramatic ecological effects on the Great Lakes' ecosystems, including changes in fish abundance, local extinction of native mussels and profound changes in benthic invertebrates, organisms that live on the bottom of bodies of water that are important to decomposition of organic matter and more.
With the help of a grant from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), scientists from Wayne State University are heading up research to help identify a chemical found in algae that may inhibit spawning in the invasive zebra and quagga mussels. The research, led by Donna Kashian, Ph.D., assistant professor of biological sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Jeffrey Ram, professor of physiology in the School of Medicine, will work to identify these chemical cues released by algae and determine how they can be used to develop an ecological-scale control strategy to disrupt reproduction.
"Our preliminary research has demonstrated that algae produce chemicals that can stimulate or inhibit zebra and quagga mussels spawning," said Kashian. "The stimulatory chemicals may be the normal triggers of spawning that signal when conditions are amenable to larval development, whereas the inhibitory algal chemicals may be protective or toxic signals that prevent predation by mussel adults and larvae."
Because of this preliminary research, they are working to identify and deploy algal chemicals — which are potentially species-specific natural products — to regulate mussel reproduction to reduce their populations at ecosystem scales.
"Instead of focusing on toxic, non-specific chemicals to kill mussels, such as those used in water treatment facilities and power stations, we hope inhibit them by natural chemical cues released by algae that ultimately will disrupt reproduction," added Kashian.
The grant was funded through the USGS from the EPA's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative with a first year total of $135,000, and an anticipated overall total of nearly $320,000. The grant's cooperative agreement number is G14AC00017.
Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.


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100s of new features, a completely rewritten core, a new streamlined admin interface and an integrated Plugin & Theme Catalog are just some of the highlights of the new & improved Habari.
Habari is a modern application framework, architected from the beginning to embrace best practices.
Everything about Habari is geared for speed, and a small footprint. You won't find the kitchen sink here.
Today's internet is spread across multiple screens and platforms. Habari looks great on any screen.
Habari is a vibrant open source project that embraces the concept of Meritocracy. In a nutshell, if you are a positive force in the community you are given more authority. This applies to people from all walks of life, not just developers. We are always looking for help in one of the following areas.


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Tuesday February 7, 2012
Alesha Dixon shrugged off the cold snap as she arrived at a Britain's Got Talent London audition with bare shoulders and a mini-dress.
Despite the chill, the show judge wore a peplum-waisted white dress from Sass and Bide with pink, black and yellow detail.
Guest judge Carmen Electra - who found fame after donning a Baywatch swimsuit - dressed more conservatively in skin-tight black trousers and black blouse.
The guest judge chose to fend off the cold with a long-sleeved white jacket.
Both stars wore lofty platform stilettos, despite there being snow on the ground outside the Hammersmith Apollo just a day earlier.
Carmen was standing in for Amanda Holden who is still recovering after spending three days in a critical condition following the birth of daughter Hollie a fortnight ago.
Amanda is due to return to the show when the auditions reach Edinburgh on Saturday.
Photo: © Rex


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сентября 2016 г.
Кто-то получает кайф от Шампани, а кто-то пускается в адреналиновую гонку. Куда же еще не податься с целью пощекотать нервы, как в страну Норвегию с ее скалистыми утесами, покрытыми снегом горными вершинами и кристально прозрачными фьордами?
Off the rails
Hop onboard a train to Myrdal from Bergen (a two-hour journey northwest) to experience the Flåm Railway. One of the steepest trainlines in the world – almost 80 per cent of the journey has a gradient of 5.5 per cent – it's the perfect introduction to Norway's exhilarating landscapes, from fjords and waterfalls to wild forests and mountains.
Flåm Railway – one of the steepest trainlines in the world – is the perfect introduction to Norway's exhilarating landscapes, from fjords and waterfalls to wild forests and mountains
Rock on
Preikestolen – the 'pulpit rock' – is not for the fainthearted. Located south of Stavanger, 600m above the Lysefjord, this 25sq m plateau is the perfect spot to catch your breath and soothe sore muscles. The four- to five-hour hike is best done with an experienced guide. Book through Outdoor Life.
Old school
Home to hundreds of 18th- and 19th-century white timber houses, Stavanger's fully pedestrianized Old Town is the largest surviving old wooden settlement in Northern Europe.Discover Stavanger
Cruise control
See the majestic rock from the comfort of a fjord cruise, where you can also immerse yourself in the waterfalls and islands of Lysefjord.Explore Norway
Did you know…
'Bryggen' means 'the wharf' in Norwegian. An important trade centre since the 1100s, all the buildings are similar in style, often three storeys high with timber cladding and tiled roofs.Бронирование рейсов
Peaky blinder
Take the Fløibanen funicular up Bergen's Mount Fløyen to hike back down – but if you're feeling energetic, why not scale its 320m yourself? The two-mile hike takes you through pine-scented forests. Go with a guide, who can enlighten you about the local fauna and flora on the way, and you'll be rewarded with views of Bergen.
Hang on
See the sights of Stavanger before heading east in search of envy-inducing snapshots of the 26-mile Lysefjord. Hire a local guide and head to the top of the Kjerag mountain peak. The views at the summit are spectacular, including the famous Kjerag boulder – a gigantic egg-shaped rock delicately suspended nearly 1,000m above the fjord.
On the road
Got nerves of steel? You'll feel at home on Stalheimskleiva, the half-mile highway that's two hours northwest of Bergen. With a 20 per cent gradient, 13 hairpin bends and, in parts, sufficient width for one car only, this is Norway's ultimate white-knuckle ride. Don't forget to enjoy the view of Sivlefossen and Stalheimsfossen waterfalls.
Space mountain
If you're on the lookout for something a little less extreme, try Magma Geopark, located just outside Egersund, about an hour's drive from Stavanger. The undulating rock formations, with their lunar appearance, provide gentle-gradient walking routes – and have you wishing you'd paid more attention in geography class. Don't miss the cycle tours through the depths of the 19th-century Blåfjell mines either.
Urban adventures
It's not all about outdoor pursuits. Bergen is home to the Unesco heritage site of Bryggen (the old wharf) and its Kode Museums feature works by Edvard Munch and Paul Klee. Foodies will love Stavanger, where you can find a host of restaurants serving Norwegian specialities and local delicacies such as halibut, herring and lamb.
Walk this way
The 29km Aurlandsfjord is a branch off Norway's longest fjord, Sognefjorden. Deep and narrow, and surrounded by mountains that scale up to 1,800m, it's the perfect place to take a hike. Book flights from London to Bergen and hire a car for seven-days.Book flights and car hire


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Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop took aim at Gov. Chris Christie Thursday, despite Christie's efforts to describe a good relationship with the city during his apology for the George Washington Bridge scandal.
The Republican governor was contrite in his first appearance since e-mails and text messages released Wednesday implicated a former top aide in the political controversy. His remarks during a late-morning press conference included claims that his administration has worked well with Jersey City, including a meeting held with earlier this week, despite rumors that Fulop has been punished for not endorsing Christie for re-election last year.
But Fulop issued a statement early Thursday afternoon that blasted the remarks.
"Governor Christie's comments today on my relationship with the state are a gross misrepresentation of the facts," Fulop said. "The reality is that the state requested the (Department of Environmental Protection) meeting held yesterday in Jersey City regarding his administration's concern that the Hurricane Sandy Recovery/Blue Acres Program is struggling. We took the meeting his administration asked for as it is our responsibility as elected officials."
Fulop added, "Nearly every single meeting we have requested with state commissioners with regard to proactive Jersey City issues has been unfortunately rejected over the last six months … Cancellations include an entire day of meetings with state commissioners scheduled to be in Jersey City that was abruptly canceled, with each of the commissioners individually canceling within an hour of the time I communicated my intention to not endorse."
Report: Christie's office involved in GWB lane closures
As Christie, Democrats react to GWB messages, ex-official attempts to quash order to testify
Christie's bridge scandal: How it developed (interactive timeline)
The Democratic mayor's statements are the latest twist in a scandal that has erupted this week over the Port Authority's four-day closure in September of local lanes leading to the bridge in Fort Lee. The messages released Wednesday paint the move as political retaliation against Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing Christie last year, implicating a deputy chief of staff and two of Christie's appointees at the Port Authority.
One of the messages said Sokolich's name "comes right after Mayor Fulop" and raised new questions about whether Christie's camp had retaliated.
During his news conference Thursday, Christie also announced he had fired Bridget Anne Kelly, the deputy chief staff implicated by the messages.
Stay informed: Subscribe to free NJBIZ newsletters


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Empowering Excellence in Government through Great People.
We lead and serve the Federal Government in enterprise human resources management by delivering policies and services to achieve a trusted effective civilian workforce.
Find out more about Federal compensation throughout your career and around the world.
Staffing to align with your agency's mission
Review the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Handbook
Answering your questions about Healthcare and Insurance
Manage your retirement online.
"...The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall serve as the Suitability and Credentialing Agent..." ~Executive Order 13467, as amended
"...primary executive branch service provider for background investigations..." ~Executive Order 13467, as amended
OPM's Human Resources Solutions organization can help your agency answer this critically important question.
Developing senior leaders in the U.S. Government through Leadership for a Democratic Society, Custom Programs and Interagency Courses.
Visit this federal site to search for our regulatory notices, proposed and final rules.
See the latest tweets on our Twitter feed, like our Facebook pages, watch our YouTube videos, and page through our Flickr photos.
With the recent changes in FLSA guidance and legislation, keeping your FLSA determinations current is more important than ever. We can assist you with your FLSA needs through customized trainings, assisting with the application of FLSA legislation, making FLSA determinations, and researching the current state of your FLSA program.
For additional information on this topic, or to learn more about implementing the best strategies today for the best workforce tomorrow, contact us via email at email@example.com.
Use the Organizational Chart to find additional contacts within each organization and program office.


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Wholesale Customer? If you are a wholesale customer please login in order to view wholesale prices, quantities and our extended product range.
We love Cup Cakes, so it's great to take that iconic paper casing and turn into something very distinctive like a finely ridged votive. Available in small or large and in six colours. Shown here in Antique Copper.


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Question: How important is the presidential campaign to the outcome in your race?
Answer: "We're running a local campaign grounded in the issues that matter to the Valley - creating new jobs, improving our schools and restoring our place in American politics. We're counting on voters here in the district, not any other candidate or campaign, to help us."
Q: What steps would you take to break down the polarizing politics in the House?
A: "I would seek out opportunities to work across the aisle on issues that matter to people in the Valley. For example, I would have voted for the bipartisan trade agreements that President (Barack) Obama sent to Congress in 2011, because they help local farmers create jobs. I also support balancing the budget and reducing regulatory burdens, sensible proposals that Valley Democrats like Congressmen Dennis Cardoza and Jim Costa have supported but my opponent has opposed. I will always be ready to work across party lines to promote issues of local significance."
Q: How would you describe your political philosophy?
A: "I believe the government's role is to promote and protect individual freedom and economic opportunity for all our citizens. If I've learned anything from my parents' immigrant journey, it's that individuals can achieve great things if they work hard and play by the rules. I believe that the government should set the basic ground rules for our society so individuals can pursue the full measure of their ambitions, as my family has done."
Q: What can you do to help bring federal attention to the chronic problems of unemployment, poor academic achievement and crime?
A: "The first step is to send someone who understands our community to Washington, someone who is willing to play a lead role in tackling our problems rather than sitting on the sidelines. I am the only candidate with roots in San Joaquin County, and I believe I am well-equipped to bring our needs to the forefront of the debate in Washington. My experience in small business and farming will help me to address the crippling unemployment rates that affect both urban and rural parts of the district - for example, by promoting bipartisan trade agreements that benefit both farmers in rural areas and workers at the Port of Stockton."
Q: What can you do to alleviate the impact of the foreclosure crisis?
A: "The only long-term solution to the housing crisis is to rejuvenate our economy and put our friends and neighbors back to work. We will only heal our community by creating jobs and economic opportunity for the long term. At a minimum, we should expect our elected officials to approach the issue of foreclosures with clean hands and an open mind. That's why I have refused to accept campaign contributions from predatory lenders and big Wall Street banks."
Q: Would you vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act?
A: "We need real health care reform that protects patients and reduces unsustainable premiums. I believe the ACA fails on both counts, and I would vote to replace it with a meaningful set of reforms that actually reduce consumer premiums without driving our country further into debt. We also need to allow markets to drive down costs - for example, by allowing consumers to purchase insurance across state lines, expanding bulk-purchasing options, enacting sensible litigation reforms and promoting an easily accessible generic drug market. A real, bipartisan solution would retain protections for those with pre-existing conditions, extend coverage for younger family members and prevent medical-payout caps."
Q: What is your signature issue? The one thing you'd like to accomplish if elected?
A: "I want to use my experience in small business, agriculture and education policy to create jobs and lasting economic opportunity here in the Valley and Delta. I will work tirelessly to build on our agricultural economy by attracting new, high-paying jobs in manufacturing and technology. I also will work to improve our schools - not only for the sake of our students, but also to ensure our long-term economic prosperity. Our success will depend on our ability to produce a skilled work force. If elected, I will work to improve our public-education system by promoting high standards, rigorous charter schools and public-private partnerships."
Q: Many have identified your race as a toss-up. What's going to make the difference?
A: "I believe people are ready for a change. They're ready for a new generation of leadership to represent them in Washington. We're facing tough times as a community, and we need to have our own voice in Congress. I was born and raised here in San Joaquin County, I'm proud to call it home and I would be honored to represent my neighbors in Washington."
Q&A with Ricky Gill
Question: How important is the presidential campaign to the outcome in your race?


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Do you run Windows? Do you have huge log files of the activity at your firewall and on your network and find it hard to track the activity in there?
I finally found a neat little tool that can create a new file from your logs that will extract every line that a given search string is present in. I found lots that identify the line or extract or replace the string but this is the only one I have found that pulls the entire line from the log.
With a whole bunch of other functions available I really like the ability to have it find every instance of an IP address and pull the lines into another file so I can see all the activity of that IP address chronologically and in one single place.
Try it.... It's fast.... 22Mb file stripped of 100 lines carrying a given IP in about 8 seconds on a 1GB/128Mb machine......


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The Moto X is all the rage right now so it stands to reason that Motorola would release some nice accessories to complement it. In fact, Motorola has revealed three ( and sort of a fourth) new accessories, and they all seem to have some sort of benefit. Without further ado, let's begin.
Skip for Moto X
Skip is an interesting little accessory, the likes of which we haven't seen before. Skip is actually a small, wearable accessory that clips onto your clothing and has an NFC chip embedded into it. So what does that NFC chip do? Well, it unlocks your phone when you tap them together. Yeah.
Anyway, the Skip costs $19.95 for that one little task, but in the words of the late, great Billy Mays, "That's not all!" The Skip comes with (almost) another accessory called Skip dots. Skip dots are little fabric looking thingamajigs that essentially create what Motorola is calling a "trusted zone". When in range of a known Skip dot, your phone will stay unlocked for you. These almost seem more useful than the Skip itself; you could put a Skip dot in your car or even better, on your desk, so that you wouldn't have to fumble with entering your pattern or such when you're just sitting there.
Another small thing of note with the Skip: in the beginning, it will come free for those who choose to customize a Moto X through MotoMaker. And if it's free, hey, it's free stuff!
Navigation Dock by Griffin
Motorola has partnered with Griffin to create a couple of docks for the Moto X, the first being a car/navigation dock. It seems this is a standard windshield mount car dock. However, the dock is adjustable to work with different cases on the phone and will also enable hands-free car mode when you set your Moto X inside of it. The car dock is a bit pricey at $39.95 but we're sure that it'll serve its purpose well.
PowerDock by Griffin
This final accessory, the PowerDock, is also made by Griffin and is a pretty bare-bones charging dock. You simply set your phone onto a micro-USB port built into the dock and it charges. There is a little support stand on the dock that keeps the Moto X at a pretty steep upright angle so that you can still see the screen easily. The stand is also slightly adjustable and can hold cases up to 2mm thick. It retails for $39.95 and comes in a black and white color.
Those are the three new accessories for the Moto X. Although they're a bit pricey, they all seem to have their uses, and we're happy to see that Motorola already has accessories for the Moto X available. With this Griffin partnership, we'll hopefully see other Griffin-made accessories down the road.
In the meantime, what do you think of these accessories? Would you buy any of them?


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Announcing CoinPool – World's first bitcoin portal
By Staff ReporterFebruary 04, 2014
As the bitcoin goes mainstream, a whole ecosystem has emerged around the 'much talked about' crypto currency. And today, an exclusive online ...
Online publishing platform for every device type & screen size -...
By Staff ReporterNovember 25, 2013
BlackMonk CMS is a web + mobile publishing solution that helps you easily create, manage and monetize: portals, magazines, newspapers, business directories, ...
So you want to build the next MSN, Yahoo! or Yelp?
By Staff ReporterDecember 03, 2012
Building a large online community is easier now than ever before; and arguably more profitable!
Take it that one - Midnight delivery service
By PrasadJuly 19, 2012
Founders Nikhil Malhotra and Adithya Mallya came up with a random yet intriguing idea to push the boundaries of delivery services in ...
The Internet Start-Up Boom: What It Means For You
By Staff ReporterNovember 16, 2011
The world economy might be melting down; bankruptcies & corporate bailouts are becoming the norm, but for some people — YOU, maybe? ...
Book Launch : 'That Used to Be US'
By Staff ReporterSeptember 09, 2011
Hachette India is delighted to Launch That Used To Be Us: What Went Wrong With America - and How it can come ...
Food Review: La Tomatina food festival in Bangalore
By Lavanya SrinivasanAugust 10, 2011
Latitude at Vivanta by Taj has introduced a new menu after the famed tomato-tossing festival.
MGM Mark Whitefield: Newest boutique business hotel in town
By Niveditha JainAugust 10, 2011
MGM Mark Whitefield simply bowls you over with its quaint settings and spacious interiors. MyBangalore finds out..


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The Bluffton High baseball team will participate in Read Across America at Bluffton Elementary School on Friday.
The team plans to visit a different Bluffton elementary school each year in memory of Hilton Head Island Elementary third-grader Khalil Singleton, who was killed by a stray bullet in September, Bluffton coach Bryant Kitty said.
Local elementary students will receive free admission to Bluffton's season opener at 6 p.m. Monday against Battery Creek. Singleton's father is scheduled to throw out the first pitch.
Friday's program will be held from 7:45 to 9 a.m.


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Like many unhappy teenagers, Lou Reed found more than a measure of solace in music.
"Listening to the radio absolutely transformed me," he told The Times in 1992. "It was like a huge, major-league signal that there was another world, another life out there … that everything wasn't as horrible as where I was."
A giant of rock, Reed sent the same message — as deafeningly harsh as it often was — to generations of punk aficionados and mainstream fans for nearly 50 years. The guitarist whose dark vision colored music for decades and whose 1960s group the Velvet Underground inspired musicians around the world, died Sunday in Southampton, N.Y., according to his literary agent Andrew Wylie.
Reed, 71, died of complications from a May liver transplant, Wylie said. In March, Reed had canceled his scheduled appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio.
First as the Velvet Underground's principal songwriter and then as a solo artist, Reed continued to challenge musical and cultural conventions, becoming a pioneer of what came to be known as art rock and punk rock. Summing up Reed's influence, music producer Brian Eno once said that although the Velvet Underground sold only 30,000 copies of its debut album in five years, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."
On Sunday, Greg Harris, president of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, said in a statement that Reed "cultivated a singular musical aesthetic that managed to be both arty and earthy, reflecting his college-educated yet streetwise-honed rock and roll narratives."
His work "provided the framework for generations of artists," Harris said, including Patti Smith, the Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, R.E.M. and U2.
Reed was inducted into the Cleveland-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, well after he was established as a global figure. Vaclav Havel, the writer and Czech president who led the 1989 uprising known as the Velvet Revolution, extolled Reed and hosted him in Prague. In 1998, at Havel's request, Reed performed at a White House dinner in Havel's honor.
Although cutting edge, Reed was credited with "introducing avant-garde rock to the mainstream," Neil Portnow, president and chief executive of the Recording Academy, an industry group, said Sunday. "His uniquely stripped-down style of guitar playing and poetic lyrics have had a massive influence across many rock genres."
Reed reveled in his music's simplicity.
"One chord is fine," he once said. "Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz."
A sonic assault was as important to Reed as his emotionally raw lyrics, and fans delighted in both.
"I met Lou Reed and told him he gave me tinnitus at a concert in 1989 that never went away and it was worth it," comedy star Judd Apatow tweeted Sunday.
John Cale, the Velvet Underground's original keyboardist and viola player, on Sunday called Reed "a fine songwriter and poet."
"I've lost my 'school-yard buddy,'" he said in a Twitter message.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on March 2, 1942, the son of accountant Sidney Reed and his wife, Toby, Reed grew up in the Long Island suburb of Freeport.
It wasn't a happy childhood for him or his family.
"Tyrannically presiding over their middle-class home, he slashed screeching chords on his electric guitar, practiced an effeminate way of walking, drew his sister aside in conspiratorial conferences and threatened to throw the mother of all moodies if everyone didn't pay complete attention to him," Victor Bockris wrote in his 1995 Reed biography, "Transformer."
When Reed was 17, his parents sent him to a psychiatric hospital where he was given 24 rounds of electroconvulsive therapy to curb his homosexual tendencies. Years later, in 1974, he released a song about the ordeal called "Kill Your Sons," a harsh condemnation of "two-bit psychiatrists" and a clueless family.
"They're gonna kill, kill your sons," he wrote, "until they run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run away."
In high school and at Syracuse University, he played rhythm guitar in bands, performing upbeat campus staples like "Twist and Shout." At the same time, he was cultivating the darker artist within, devouring the urban underworld stories of Hubert Selby Jr. and cementing a lifelong friendship with Syracuse instructor Delmore Schwartz, a talented poet who struggled with mental illness for decades.
Graduating from Syracuse with a bachelor's degree in English in 1964, Reed headed for New York City. The following year, he first performed with Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison and drummer Maureen "Moe" Tucker — a provocative bunch who came to call themselves the Velvet Underground.
The idea was to be exactly what the mid-'60s were not. The Velvet Underground aimed to rip the petals off flower power and focus on grimmer urban landscapes. It would not play blues or indulge in the popular R&B licks of the day, Reed vowed.
"This is going to be city," he said, reminiscing about the group's origin, at the 2008 South by Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas. "This is going to be pure."
The group's 1967 debut album, "The Velvet Underground and Nico," showcased "Heroin," an ode to the drug by a user who sang that being high made him "better off than dead":
When the smack begins to flow
Then I really don't care anymore
About all the Jim-Jims in this town
And all the politicians makin' crazy sounds
And everybody puttin' everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds
At the time, such subjects were off limits for song writers, Robert Hilburn, The Times' former rock critic, said Sunday.
Reed "talked about heroin and illicit sex at a time when the music industry didn't want to hear it," Hilburn said. "Critics loved him, but it took him years and years to find an audience."
The pop artist Andy Warhol was a fan almost immediately. He made the Velvet Underground his studio's house band and gave the group a front-and-center position in his series of multimedia events called Exploding Plastic Inevitable.
By the time the Velvet Underground dissolved in 1970, the group had released four albums and recorded enough material for the release of two others in the mid-1980s. Its best-known songs include "Sweet Jane" and "I'm Waiting for the Man."
As a solo performer in the 1970s, Reed had a distinctive persona.
"Back then he was publicly gay, pretended to shoot heroin onstage, and cultivated a 'Dachau panda' look, with cropped peroxide hair and black circles painted under his eyes," the New York Times reported in 1998. "But in 1980, Reed renounced druggy theatrics, even swore off intoxicants themselves, and became openly heterosexual, openly married."
Along the way, he tested even his most stalwart fans with the 1975 double album "Metal Machine Music," a compilation of guitar noise that has been called "one of the most perverse recordings of the modern era, at least by a mainstream artist."
Reed also had a number of smash hits on his own. In his 1972 album "Transformer," produced with David Bowie, he sang his famous "Walk on the Wild Side," an anthem to a variety of sexual experiences.
In the heat of the 1996 presidential campaign, he released "Sex With Your Parents," a song aiming "to mock and ridicule the right-wing Republican fundamentalists who are so abhorrent to every principle of freedom of expression."
His most recently released recorded work was "Lulu," a 2011 collaboration with the heavy metal act Metallica.
Reed was divorced twice. He is survived by his wife, performance artist Laurie Anderson, whom he married in 2008.
Times staff writers Todd Martens and Jessica Gelt contributed to this report.


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Hooks Scores Career-High in Win Over Oswego
Farmingdale State - 66, Oswego State - 57
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's basketball team (3-3) defeated the Lakers of Oswego Sate (4-4) 66-57 today in Farmingdale, N.Y. Freshman guard Shemique Hooks (Westbury, N.Y./Westbury) scored a career-high 30 points and completed a double-double with a team-high of 12 rebounds.
The Rams ended the first half leading 29-28 led by Hooks who scored a team high with 11 points and six rebounds. Junior guard Kim Blakney (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Banneker) recorded 10 points and four rebounds, while Lakers freshman forward Kayla Ryan (Schaghticoke, N.Y./Hoosick Valley) led all scorers with 15 points.
In the second half, Farmingdale State pulled away with a 13-point lead behind Hooks' eight of the Rams 17 points, making the score 45-32 with 14:18 remaining. Oswego made a comeback, cutting the Rams lead to four points with 3:55 remaining, but sophomore guard Janel Monah (Westbury, N.Y./Westbury)made four successful free throws as Farmingdale quickly increased their lead and held on for the win.
The Lakers' Ryan finished with a double-double, tallying 28 points and 14 rebounds, while teammate Heather Merino (Queensbury, N.Y./Lake George) added 20 points and seven rebounds. For the Rams, Blakney ended with 14 total points, six rebounds, six assists and seven steals, while junior forward Gabrielle Green (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) had 11 points and five rebounds.
Farmingdale plays next on Tuesday, December 16th at home against New Jersey City College at 6:00 pm. The men's game will follow at 8:00 pm.


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It's amazing how one, harmless Amazon query uncovers a load of books to add to my wish list. I love horse stories – I don't think I will ever grow out of them. Here is an assortment of horse books for all reading levels, all priced under 5 bucks.
Keeping Secrets by Maggie Dana- $2.99 MG
Series: Timber Ridge Riders–Book One
Ages: 9-12
A valuable show jumper is dead, and it's all her fault . . . which is why 14-year-old Kate McGregor has put horses and riding out of her life. Forever!
But her new summer job as a companion to Holly Chapman, a former riding star who's now confined to a wheelchair, takes Kate back to the barn–the last place she wants to be. Can Kate keep her terrible secret from Holly, who is fast becoming her best friend? More important, can she keep her secret from Angela Dean who lives for only two things–winning ribbons and causing trouble?
Then a riding accident forces Kate's secret into the open … and it's just the moment Angela has been waiting for.
The A Circuit by CATHERINE HAPKA & GEORGINA BLOOMBERG – $1.99 – YA (I really liked this one!)
The A Circuit is the top of the top when it comes to horse showing. It's a world with its own rules and super-privileged lifestyles. Teens employ private tutors so they can travel the circuit all year showing horses that cost as much as some people's homes.
Tommi, Kate, and Zara are all elite competitors on the circuit, but they come from totally different backgrounds. Tommi is a billionaire heiress trying to prove she has real talent (not just deep bank accounts). Kate puts the working in working student-every win has been paid for with hours of cleaning stalls. She's used to the grueling schedule, but Fitz, the barn's resident hot guy, is about to become a major distraction. And then there's Zara. She's the wild child of a famous rockstar, but she's ready to take riding seriously. Can a party girl really change her ways?
Readers who enjoy peeking into the elite world of series of Gossip Girl or The A-List will feel right at home in this new series with its friendships, drama, and privilege set against a backdrop of competitive horseback riding.
Ribbon Chasers by Becky Rodgers Boyette – .99 MG
Jenny Rogers enters the show ring with one goal, to beat spoiled Laci Miller and her pampered gelding, Blue. Armed with her fabulous new horse, Dancer, Jenny thinks she's willing to do anything to bring home the championship. But when she sees how dirty some competitors are willing to play, how far will she go to win the prize? Find out as Jenny joins the ranks of the Ribbon Chasers.
Hearts Over Fences by Toni Leland – $3.99 – 18+
Romance is the last thing on equestrienne Bethany Webb's mind as she gazes across the lush green fields of Highover Gate, her prestigious world-class training facility – the dream of a lifetime. Before the day is over, Beth's future is snatched right out from under her in one wet, terrifying instant.
Ambitious and handsome Brett Hall's only objective is to unseat the national champion in Three Day Eventing. As Hall steadily gains on his goal, a chink in his armor allows his heart to peek out – a weakness that seriously undermines his focus.
Hearts Over Fences glows against the backdrop of Olympic-level equestrian sport – a world filled with drama and excitement – and a large measure of ambition.
Pony Club Rivals: Showjumpers by Stacy Gregg – $4.74 – This is the 2nd book in the series
The stakes are raised in the second book of this glamorous horse riding series set in the USA – winner takes all as the rivals compete for the showjumping cup! Don't miss the latest instalment of pony adventures from the author of the UK's bestselling pony series 'Pony Club Secrets'.
Georgie has secured her place at Blainford Academy for now, but knowing who to trust is tough when you're all competing against each other. Some new-found friendships might already be close to breaking point as competition heats up in the showjumping arena.
Is cute boy James about to become an ally or is his scheming sister Kennedy going to wreck Georgie's dreams?
And can she really trust her rivals? Find out in the exciting second term!


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posted by martini on Tue 23rd Oct 2012 22:02 UTC
Wayland 1.0 was officialy released on October 22. Wayland is a protocol for a compositor to talk to its clients as well as a C library implementation of that protocol. The compositor can be a standalone display server running on Linux kernel modesetting and evdev input devices, an X application, or a wayland client itself. The clients can be traditional applications, X servers (rootless or fullscreen) or other display servers.


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Message Board
Patrick Raley Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Raley has written!
Author Raley's Book Reviews
Precedent of Justice
Detective Charlie Peppers is on the search for a vicious killer. Some has brutally murdered two of New Orleans' most elite. Being his first case as a lead detective makes it even more difficult. The problems continue to increase when an inventive reporter decides that getting stories from the sideline is not enough. The detective is quickly battling a murderer, a political battle, and an uncertain attraction. Detective Peppers is seemingly mismatched ...


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A leading aid group has reported that teenage girls in the developing world have a high risk of dying from pregnancy and childbirth complications. According to Save the Children, approximately 70,000 girls and 1 million infants die each year due to childbirth or related problems. Save the Children found that in developing countries, pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death among teenage girls.
Mike Kiernan, a spokesperson for Save the Children, told the Associated Press that The main difference between the United States and [high-risk countries in the developing world] is that far fewer [US] girls and their babies dies from complications, and thats because of access to health care.
The group is urging that alternatives to early marriage and motherhood must be made available if young girls are to survive and thrive, pointing to research that shows that girls who receive an education are less likely to have babies at a young age.
According to the study, the countries that have the highest risk for teenage girls include sub-Saharan Africa, Niger, Liberia, Mali, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Haiti, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Yemen.
DONATE to support the Feminist Majoritys work for womens rights and health globally
Media Resources: Associated Press 5/4/04; Save the Children 5/4/04
© Feminist Majority Foundation, publisher of Ms. magazine
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Artist's rendering of the Cider Press operations behind the Van Wagenen House
Courtesy, Jersey City Free Public Library
Apple Tree House
Tree House
Photo: A. Selvaggio, 2002
One of Jersey City's oldest and most historic houses is the well-known Van Wagenen/Apple Tree House. It has particular historical significance from its location, longevity, architectural development and the long-standing, but unproven legend, of a meeting between General George Washington and Major General Marquis de Lafayette under an apple tree during the American Revolutionary War. The landmark house that receives so much attention today was built in two sections and spans four different phases of construction.
The site of the house dates back to the seventeenth-century Dutch settlement of the village of Bergen, near present-day Bergen Avenue and south of Journal Square. It was conveyed to Gerrit Gerritsen by the English Governor Philip Carteret of colonial New Jersey in 1688. Carteret had agreed to honor the earlier land grants of the Dutch in the colony as well as the charter of Bergen.
Family History
Gerritsen arrived in New Netherland in 1659/1660. He settled in the village of Communipaw, where he seems to have lived until his death, which according to records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Bergen was in 1703. Gerritsen changed his surname to Van Wagenen; it reflected the name of his hometown Wagening in Holland and began the legacy of one of the first Dutch families who settled in the area.
In 1688, Gerritsen purchased plots in the village of Bergen in 1688. One of them was Lot 113 on which the Van Wagenen House was eventually constructed. It is described in the Van Wagenen House preservation plan by Holt Morgan Russell Architects (HMR) as "A narrow rectangular plot located in the middle of the block on what is now Academy Street and extending to the center of the northwest quadrant . . . . " (11-1).
The Gerritsen property passed to his son Johannis Van Wagenen. Although there are conflicting accounts about the inheritance of the property at the turn of the eighteenth century, it is held that family members were living at Bergen by 1721 and that Johannis Van Wagenen, a grandson of the first Johannis, owned the property from 1759 (HMR 111-8). Jacob Van Wagenen (d. 1839), oldest son of Johannis, inherited the property; he willed the house to his son Hartman Van Wagenen in 1835. Hartman Van Wagenen (1790-1877) was a New Jersey Assemblyman, County Freeholder, and Clerk of the Board of Freeholders.
The Van Wagenen family members were active in the Reformed Dutch Church of Bergen. Their descendents were buried at the nearby Old Bergen Cemetery. In his will, Hartman Van Wagenen bestowed pew number 54 to his son Henry (1823-1900) as part of his inheritance. The executors of Henry's estate sold the Academy Street property to his daughter Eliza Jane Cokelet in 1900. She lived there until her death in 1943 after which her grandson William Van Wagenen Cokelet inherited the house. When the house was sold in 1947, it marked 259 years of ownership of the property by the Van Wagenen-Cokelet family.
The last private owners of the house were Lawrence G. Quinn, a funeral director, and his wife Mary, who purchased the property for Quinn's Funeral Parlor. In 1995, the Quinns bestowed the house to the Provident Savings Bank who, in 1999, sold it to Jersey City for preservation as a historic museum and education center. The present-day preservation project is to restore the house to its appearance during the 1839-1879 period. Support for the restoration project has come from the Urban Enterprise Zone, Hudson County Open Space Fund and New Jersey Historic Trust.
Building a Legend on Lot 113
According to the HMR study, "Whether built by Johannis, son of Gerrit Gerritsen, or under the tenure of Johannis's son, Johannis, map research confirms that there was a house on Lot 113, the present location of the Van Wagenen House, by 1778 . . ." (III-13). The original building (western section) was a one-story, one-room deep farmhouse built of locally cut ashlar sandstone, with an upper gable end of wood. There was a cider press on the property and apple tree orchards nearby.
During the Revolutionary War, the location of the house on the heights across the Hudson River from the Loyalist stronghold of New York presented an opportunity for its use as the headquarters of Lafayette. Close by was the "point of rocks" that overlooked the river near the east end of Academy Street and provided an ideal vantage point for military reconnaissance.
Hartman Van Wagenen added the adjacent (eastern) section to the house ca. 1842. It was a two-and-one half story, eight-room building of ashlar sandstone and brick in Greek Revival style, popular during the early nineteenth century. Keeping with tradition, a gable roof of wood, typical of Dutch-style construction was chosen. Exterior features of the addition include a three-bay front, six-over-six windows and paneled shutters.
According to the DMR report, Hartman oversaw another addition, ca. 1860, to the western section of the house: "A brick second story and rear room was added, converting the one room deep, one story wing to a two story, two room deep section" (III-16). It also introduced the popular Italianate style of the time, as evidenced by bracketed cornices, in this phase of construction.
After the
1947 purchase of the property, the Quinn family made extensive renovations
to the exterior and interior of the historic house for use as a funeral
home, which included modern heating and air conditioning. It is claimed
that Mary Quinn aimed to redecorate the interior in a style inspired by
the décor of Colonial Williamsburg.
The often-repeated legend about the "Apple Tree House" is that General Washington and General Lafayette met there under an apple tree on the front yard to discuss war strategy where they shared a meal. The legend developed from varying accounts of the event over a span of time between the event and an interest by historians to reclaim the story.
We do know from their correspondence that both Washington and Lafayette were in Bergen between August 24-to-26, 1780. The purpose of their presence in Bergen was twofold: to goad the British into attacking Bergen from their stronghold in New York and to resolve the issue of supplies, called foraging, for the troops. While Washington and Lafayette similarly record the days' events in their letters, absent is any reference to a meal enjoyed under an apple tree.
The Newark Sentinel first made mention of the legendary gastronomy on the occasion of Lafayette's return to the United States for extended July 4th celebrations in 1824. On September 23, accompanied by New Jersey Governor Isaac H. Williamson, Lafayette reportedly entered Jersey City in a carriage drawn by four horses. He joined a parade to the Bergen Hotel at Five Corners, the center of the community, for the festivities.
The newspaper records that the Dominie John Cornelisen, pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church, presented Lafayette with a walking cane. It was made from the acclaimed apple tree that was felled during a storm on September 3, 1821. The cane is now on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris and bares the inscription: "Shaded the Hero, and his friend Washington in 1779--presented by the Corporation of Bergen in 1824." The date here is inaccurately given as 1779 instead of 1780. Cornelisen went on to explain that the cane was ". . . taken from an apple tree, under which you once dined and which once afforded you shelter from the piercing rays of noon [sic] day; . . . ." (Quoted in HMR III-20) It also clearly cites the location of the apple tree as ". . . at the parsonage at Bergen under which General Washington, General La Fayette and suite [sic] dined . . . ." (Quoted in HMR III-20). Reference to the Van Wagenen property is noticeably absent.
The HMR preservation plan refers to two secondary accounts of the Washington-Lafayette meeting in 1780. One is by M. Jules Cloquet in 1836 who claims they met at a breakfast but does not give the location. The other is by Benjamin Taylor, who wrote "Annals of the Classis of Bergen, of the Reformed Dutch Church and the Churches under Its Care" (1857). He provides the location of the apple tree to be ". . . in the orchard of the parsonage premises under whose shade he [Lafayette] had with other officers of the American army, dined . . . ." (Quoted in HMR III-21).
If such accounts refer to the parsonage location, how did the Van Wagenen estate enter the account leading to the long-standing legend? It seems to have started with writing of The History of Hudson County by Charles Winfield in 1874. He relied on The Newark Sentinel as his source and misstated the location of the Old Bergen parsonage in 1780.
By 1874, the year of Winfield's publication, a new parsonage at the northwest corner of Academy Street and Bergen Avenue (now a supermarket) was constructed. According to John Gomez of the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy, "Winfield, who seemed to confuse the newer parsonage with the older one, resolved that the meal occurred behind the parsonage on the adjacent apple tree-lined Van Wagenen property" (Jersey Journal 1 June 2005). There was a cider press on the Van Wagenen homestead but not necessarily an orchard. Whether they dined alone or with other military officers as Taylor insinuates, i.e. General Nathaniel Greene and Major Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, has been questioned, but never proven.
At the time of Winfield's writing of his work, Hartman Van Wagenen occupied the homestead as well as Lot 103 in the village of Bergen. It was known as "The Orchard" and opposite the parsonage in 1780 (HMR III-21). Local writer Harriet Phillips Eaton also kept the legend alive in her work Jersey City and Its Historic Sites (1899). She misinterpreted Benjamin Taylor about Lafayette using the house as his headquarters and the preparation of the legendary meal at the Van Wagenen property.
These and
other accounts about the Van Wagenen property have found their way into
many histories about the Revolutionary War and New Jersey. Without question,
the legend has provided the added benefit of sustained interest in the
property and its preservation for further study. The current archeological
study of the site and restoration project may provide new information
about the property and insight into the Dutch settlement of Bergen.
| By: Carmela Karnoutsos
Project Administrator: Patrick Shalhoub


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The end of matriculation
Today I will officially have completed my graduate degree. I cannot believe I made it. It's been a hard journey, but I survived and I'm incredibly proud of myself and thankful for the support I got along the way. I hope the future brings me new opportunities. I know that it changed me and had enhanced my life as well. And that brings me to my bucket list. For the last 2 years I've put so many things on the back burner, but now I think I have time to really explore some new adventures.
There's a ton of changes coming soon (I'll get into those more later), but let's just say I'm excited and looking forward to the future.
Now that I have more time, I'm ready to take on some new projects on the home front. I've been scouring tons of shelter blogs getting awesome ideas, can't wait to try some out. I also have some crafting in my future as well, I have a couple quilts to finish and my little sister is having a baby so I have somethings I want to work on for her as well.
Anyway, one adventure is ending and another is just around the corner!


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By Marci Miller, National Security Agency Public AffairsMay 3, 2013
JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCORD, Wash. (May 3, 2013) -- The 109th Military Intelligence Battalion, "Task Force Disruptor," of the 201st Battlefield Surveillance Brigade, 7th Infantry Division, learned, April 15, that it had earned top honors as the best military intelligence unit in the Army.
The 109th MI Bn. rose above nominees from across the Army to earn the prestigious Director's Trophy for providing critical signals intelligence support during the battalion's deployment to Regional Command East, Afghanistan.
The Director's Trophy is awarded annually by the Director of the National Security Agency to the Army intelligence unit or element judged to have made the most outstanding contributions to the mission during the previous calendar year. It is the most prominent award given by the National Security Agency to a unit or element.
"We are truly honored to have won the DIRNSA Trophy, the first battlefield surveillance brigade intelligence unit to do so," said Maj. Jeremy Dobos, 109th MI Bn. executive officer. "It's a tribute to the professionalism and dedication to duty of the American Soldiers and Sailors who served with Task Force Disrupter during combat operations in the Regional Command East."
Intelligence units throughout Afghanistan are crucial assets, often helping commanders in theater, and even worldwide, acquire information about terrorist groups and their safe havens.
While all of the Army's intelligence personnel and units played a vital role in supporting numerous intelligence missions throughout Afghanistan, the 109th MI Bn. excelled at developing and instituting unique and innovative methods of supporting ground forces, while simultaneously meeting national information requirements from governmental intelligence agencies.
According to the NSA, the 109th MI Bn., led by Lt. Col. Douglas Woodall, provided unparalleled, continuous intelligence support to multiple maneuver brigades and Combined Joint Task Force-One, while developing target and collection methods to meet ground commanders' priority intelligence requirements.
These innovations garnered the attention of leaders throughout the Army, and led to senior leaders describing the battalion as the "model battalion for future expeditionary intelligence operations." The unit was cited as a future force best practice to the Chief of Staff of the Army.
"It takes a network to defeat a network, and our collaboration throughout Afghanistan and intelligence agencies back home made all the difference," Woodall said. "This is an award we share with the entire intelligence community and serves as a testament of where global intelligence operations have progressed over the past 12 years.
The 109th MI Bn. developed and delivered cutting edge capabilities to safeguard our troops while targeting and eliminating an adaptable enemy.
This is the first time in history that an intelligence battalion from a battlefield surveillance brigade has received this honor.
The leadership of the 109th MI Bn. attribute their success to several key enablers such as their world-class training and their participation at the Joint Readiness Training Center.
The unit was the first intact tactical intelligence battalion to participate in a JRTC rotation.
The 109th leadership also lauded the combat deployment preparation and support assistance received from the intelligence and security command.


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"I was standing, nestled between my older sister and my cousin, in the back of our one room refugee bunker in April of 1994, when my mother came in, kneeled in front of us and uttered the four words that still resonate in my mind: 'Your father is dead.'"
So begins the narrative of Emina Sadic, a graduating senior at the University of Houston, who survived war in the Balkans and life in the refugee camps. She will graduate with a degree in English and political science.
"My memory of the living conditions of the refugee camp will never be obliterated from my mind, nor do I wish for that to occur; I use the memory of my violent past to reinforce my desire to provide aid for people in extreme poverty or in war zones," she says.
Sadic, who studied at the Honors College of the University of Houston, will receive her diploma in commencement ceremonies for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, at 9 a.m., Friday, May 11 at Hofheinz Pavilion. She says the conflict that plagued the Balkans in the early 1990s defined her childhood. Expelled with her family from her native Bosnia, she was displaced to five countries. She learned three languages during that time, and gained an understanding of how war impacts the individual.
"Having experienced my childhood in a refugee camp prompted me to pursue a degree in political science and enter the fields of international law and human rights violations," she says. "The first-hand experience of living in a refugee camp motivated me to pursue higher education because I am lucky and blessed to be living in America today and to be able make something of myself."
Sadic will leave Texas and the U.S. after graduation to teach English in France, while she waits to hear about two NATO internships for which she has applied. Eventually, she hopes to work for the U.S. State Department. She adds that on commencement day, as she crosses the stage in front of professors and fellow students, she'll remember the family who brought her to this point, but she won't be looking back.
"Most importantly, I will be thinking about what the future has in store for me because graduating from UH is just the beginning of my life," Sadic said.


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After countless rumors, leaks, and missed release dates, the Android 4.0 update for the HTC Rezound has finally arrived! Verizon has posted documents detailing the new update along with download/installation instructions on the Rezound's software update page. Those not willing to wait for Verizon to push out the update can grab the RUU and manually install it on their device.
If you've read through any of our Android 4.0 update stories for HTC devices lately, you probably know everything the update will include. The highlights included the in the 299MB 3.14.605.12 build will be HTC Sense 3.6, Face Unlock, advanced notifications and a new brower, but Verizon is also throwing in Wireless Alerting System, improved VPN support for Sysco AnyConnect and enhancements to the VCAST Media Manager.
While it's taken HTC an excruciatingly long time to update its phones to Android 4.0, we're glad to see that HTC has been working extremely hard this past week to get the updates pushed out to multiple phones. Is there room for improvement? Certainly, but as iut stands right now, HTC is ahead of the curve when compared to Samsung, Sony, Motorola and all other main Android OEMs.


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Execution Window Set for Andrew Grant DeYoung, Convicted of 1993 Murder of His Parents and Sister
Georgia Attorney General Samuel S. Olens offers the following information in the case against Andrew Grant DeYoung, who is currently scheduled to be executed during the execution window starting at noon on July 20, 2011, and ending at noon on July 27, 2011.
Scheduled Execution
On July 6, 2011, the
DeYoung's Crimes (1993)
The Georgia Supreme Court summarized the facts of the case as follows:
During the months preceding the crime, DeYoung told his accomplice David Michael Hagerty that he wanted to start a business and hoped to find investors to finance the project. He later confided in Hagerty that he had been unsuccessful in finding financial backing, but that he had another solution. He estimated his parents' estate to be worth $480,000, and, as Hagerty testified, "he felt that the only means to acquire the money was take his family's life." Subsequently, DeYoung told Hagerty that "the murders were going to have to take place," and the two met to discuss preparations.
DeYoung formulated the plan to murder his parents and two siblings by slashing their throats, and then setting fire to the house. Several days before the planned event, DeYoung drove Hagerty to the DeYoung family's church in Dunwoody. There they buried two containers -- a footlocker and another box -- which contained what DeYoung described to Hagerty as evidence which would incriminate him. In preparation for the murders, DeYoung and Hagerty purchased clothing and supplies, including an eleven-inch filet knife and two gasoline containers.
According to the plan, DeYoung and Hagerty traveled on foot to the DeYoung home at 2:00 a.m. on June 14, 1993. On the way, they retrieved boots, gloves and knives from a duffle bag which DeYoung had left in the woods earlier that evening. Both men were armed with knives. They approached the DeYoung home from the rear of the property where they retrieved two containers of gasoline they had left there earlier. When they reached the house, DeYoung took a handgun from his duffle bag and tucked it into his waistband. After he cut the telephone wires, he and Hagerty entered the house. DeYoung went upstairs where his parents and sister were asleep. He instructed Hagerty to go to a downstairs bedroom where his 16-year-old brother Nathan was asleep, and to cut his throat with the filet knife.
DeYoung stabbed his mother repeatedly while she was sleeping in her bedroom upstairs; her screams awakened his father. As he struggled with his father, DeYoung's sister Sarah came to the doorway of their parents' bedroom. DeYoung slashed his father to death, and then stabbed and killed Sarah in the hallway. Hagerty heard a commotion upstairs, and changed his mind about killing Nathan.
Nathan testified that he heard stomping and banging noises coming from upstairs, and he heard his sister cry out and call his name. Upon finding that the phone was dead, Nathan escaped through his bedroom window and ran to a neighbor's house for assistance. Instead of setting fire to the house as they had planned, DeYoung and Hagerty searched the area for Nathan. Nathan returned with a neighbor who was armed with a gun. The neighbor noticed movement in the driveway, and observed a figure clad in black. As the neighbor was about to shoot at the man, he observed that it was Andrew DeYoung, and he called out, "Andy, what did you do?" The neighbor testified that he had no doubt the man he saw was the defendant. Nathan did not see the suspect's face, but he testified that his "movements and his body size resembled Andy, my brother."
DeYoung and Hagerty fled from the house in separate directions. Both had discarded their clothing, boots, and weapons along the way. They eventually met up later that morning at Hagerty's home, where they concocted an alibi. Hagerty observed that DeYoung had injuries to his neck and forehead.
DeYoung drove back to his home at 10:30 a.m., seven hours after the murders. He told police that he had spent most of the night at Hagerty's home, and he denied any involvement in the crimes. Authorities noted that he was calm and showed no grief over the deaths of his family members. There were scratches and abrasions present on his face, neck, hands and right arm. Hagerty was interviewed by police and gave several statements in which he admitted his participation in the crimes. He also led authorities to the clothing worn by him during the killings, and to the footlocker and box which had been concealed on the church property. These contained DeYoung's shoulder holster and ammunition pouch and a hand-drawn map depicting the route to the DeYoung home. An arrow on the map pointed to a cul-de-sac where the house was located and was accompanied by the words "Just Do It." Hagerty also led police to a gun that fit the holster recovered in the footlocker, and a Glock Model 81 military survival knife, which he identified as similar to the knife DeYoung used on the night of the crime. The victims' wounds were consistent with that knife. DeYoung and Hagerty were arrested on the same day, and charged with the three murders.
DeYoung v. State, 268
The Trial (1993-1995)
DeYoung was indicted in the Superior Court of Cobb County, Georgia on September 9, 1993, for three counts of malice murder. On October 11, 1995, following a jury trial, DeYoung was convicted on all counts. The jury's recommendation of a death sentence was returned on October 13, 1995.
The Direct Appeal (1997-1998)
The Georgia Supreme Court affirmed DeYoung's convictions and sentences on November 24, 1997. DeYoungv. State, 268
State Habeas Corpus Proceedings (1999-2004)
DeYoung, represented by Lisa Heller, filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the Superior Court of Butts County, Georgia on February 4, 1999. DeYoung filed an amended petition for writ of habeas corpus on December 8, 2000. An evidentiary hearing was held on May 1, 2001. On June 2, 2003, the state habeas corpus court entered an order denying DeYoung state habeas relief. DeYoung's application for a certificate of probable cause to appeal filed in the
Federal Habeas Corpus Proceedings (2004-2009)
DeYoung, represented by Lisa Heller, filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia on May 28, 2004. DeYoung filed amendments thereto on August 19, 2005 and March 30, 2006. On August 22, 2008, the district court denied DeYoung federal habeas corpus relief. The district court denied a motion to alter and amend judgment on January 21, 2009. The district court granted DeYoung a certificate of appealability on April 10, 2009.
11th Circuit Court of Appeals (2009-2010)
On June 4, 2009, the Eleventh Circuit denied DeYoung's application for expansion of certificate of appealability. The case was orally argued before the Eleventh Circuit on April 21, 2010. On June 25, 2010, the Eleventh Circuit issued an opinion which denied relief. DeYoung v. Schofield, 609 F.3d 1260 (11th Cir. 2010). DeYoung filed a petition for panel rehearing, which was denied August 17, 2010.
DeYoung filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied March 21, 2011. DeYoung v. Schofield, 131 S.Ct. 1691 (2011) DeYoung then filed a petition for rehearing in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on May 16, 2011. DeYoung v. Schofield, 2011


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Executive NLS/BPH Case.
Executive Products has created a new soft form-fitted custom EXECUTIVE NLS/BPH CASE for the NLS/BPH digital talking book player. The case is made of a water-resistant and durable Italia faux leather. This case fits snuggly around your unit, and has a storage zipper compartment for your cartridges. The case has been designed to enable the user to easily utilize all keys, ports and accesses while on the unit. The unit can be carried on a comfortable shoulder strap or a hand carry strap. The unit may be used while walking, sitting or simply standing. The case is designed to allow easy access to load your cartridges, access buttons, USB port, headset jack and all other components of the reader. It comes with a large zippered pocket/flap that can accommodate up to three cartridges, and other accessories. The pocket/flap can be secured in an open position by fastening the flap under the unit. In the closed position, the pocket/flap protects the keys, covers the cartridge area, covers the power cord area in the rear and protects the overall unit. The case comes with a shoulder strap and a handle strap. This case fits both the standard and advance NLS units.
Access to all controls, Low profile.
Extremely durable with a superior design quality.
Features convenient D-ring's to attach carrying straps.
We use the best materials to create quality cases that protect digital book player.
A convenient zipper pocket for carrying cartridges and accessories.
Velcro fastens the flap while in the open and closed position.
Case comes with a handle strap and a shoulder strap.
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Europe Customer can purchase our products via www.comproon.co.uk or contact email@example.com
Available on GSA Schedule, contract number GS07F6046R
With further modifications by Electron Jungle LLC.


text:
UNION CITY, Calif., Oct. 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Abaxis, Inc. (NasdaqGS: ABAX), a medical products company manufacturing point-of-care blood analysis systems, today announced the Company has signed an exclusive multi-year distribution agreement with Abbott's Point of Care business to market and distribute the Piccolo Xpress®, a portable clinical chemistry system and its full line of one-time use reagent discs to the human medical market.
Under terms of the agreement, Abbott will have the exclusive right to distribute and sell in the U.S. and China (including Hong Kong) Abaxis' Piccolo Xpress chemistry analyzer and associated consumables in the professionally attended human healthcare market. Abaxis will retain the distribution rights to current customer, Catapult Health and certain segments including pharmacy and retail store clinics, shopping malls, contract research organizations (CROs), and cruise ship lines. Abaxis will provide technical support and warranty services to support Abbott's commercial efforts.
Clint Severson, chairman and chief executive officer of Abaxis, said, "We are extremely pleased to have formed a strategic partnership with Abbott to sell and distribute our Piccolo Xpress instruments and our reagents discs. This agreement with Abbott dramatically expands our reach across the broad spectrum of healthcare institutions and medical practitioners throughout the U.S. and provides the opportunity to enter the China market. We believe this agreement validates the technology of our innovative products to produce lab-accurate comprehensive test results in minutes, reduce medical expenses and improve patient outcomes. We expect that this partnership will allow us to grow our medical sales, and look forward to a successful collaboration with Abbott in the years to come."
In light of this distribution agreement, Abaxis will reorganize its North American medical sales and marketing organization. Mr. Brenton Hanlon, former Vice President of North American Medical Sales and Marketing, has left the Company, effective October 29, 2012 to pursue other opportunities.
"I would also like to extend my appreciation to Brenton Hanlon and his team for the work done in widening the recognition of our Piccolo line of products and the benefits that it provides for medical practitioners and institutions throughout the U.S.," continued Mr. Severson. "We wish Brenton the best in his future endeavors."
Conference Call
Abaxis has scheduled a conference call to discuss the recent developments at 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 31, 2012. Participants can dial (877) 317-6789 or (412) 317-6789 to access the conference call, or can listen via a live Internet web cast, which is available in the Investor Relations section of the company's website at http://www.abaxis.com. A replay of the call will be available by visiting http://www.abaxis.com for the next 30 days or by calling (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088, confirmation code 10020820, through November 6, 2012. This press release is also available prior to and after the call via Abaxis' website or the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at http://www.sec.gov.
About Abaxis
Abaxis develops, manufactures, markets and sells portable blood analysis systems for use in any veterinary or human patient-care setting to provide clinicians with rapid blood constituent measurements. The system consists of a compact, 5.1 kilogram (11.2 pounds), portable analyzer and a series of single-use plastic discs, called reagent discs that contain all the chemicals required to perform a panel of up to 13 tests on veterinary patients and 14 tests on human patients. The system can be operated with minimal training and performs multiple routine tests on whole blood, serum or plasma samples. The system provides test results in less than 12 minutes with the precision and accuracy equivalent to a clinical laboratory analyzer. The veterinary business also provides to the animal health and research market a line of hematology instruments for point-of-care complete blood counts (CBC), a specialty instrument to screen for and detect clotting disorders and to measure equine fibrinogen levels, a handheld instrument for the rapid assessment of certain critical care tests and rapid point-of-care tests for Heartworm infections, Parvovirus, Giardia and Lyme disease. Abaxis, through its AVRL division, provides routine laboratory testing as well as specialty testing for veterinarians nationwide.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes, and our conference call will include, statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Reform Act"), including but not limited to statements related to Abaxis' cash position, financial resources and potential for future growth, market acceptance and penetration of new or planned product offerings, and future recurring revenues and results of operations. Abaxis claims the protection of the safe-harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Reform Act. These forward-looking statements are often characterized by the terms "may," "believes," "projects," "expects," "anticipates," or words of similar import, and do not reflect historical facts. Specific forward-looking statements contained in this press release or in Abaxis' conference call may be affected by risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to losses or system failures with respect to Abaxis' facilities or manufacturing operations, fluctuations in quarterly operating results, dependence on sole suppliers, the market acceptance of Abaxis' products and services, the continuing development of its products, required United States Food and Drug Administration clearance and other government approvals, risks associated with manufacturing and distributing its products on a commercial scale free of defects, risks related to the introduction of new instruments manufactured by third parties, risks associated with competing in the human diagnostic market, risks related to the protection of Abaxis' intellectual property or claims of infringement of intellectual property asserted by third parties, risks related to condition of the United States economy and other risks detailed under "Risk Factors" in Abaxis' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2012 and Abaxis' other periodic reports filed from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements were made. Abaxis does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Abaxis, Inc.
Lytham Partners, LLC
Clint Severson
Joe Dorame, Robert Blum and Joe Diaz
Chief Executive Officer
SOURCE Abaxis, Inc.


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The first holiday meal is behind us, and the stress of the upcoming holiday has descended upon us. As soon as the last dish was in the dishwasher, many rushed off to form lines in front of stores to begin the mayhem of Christmas shopping. Finding the perfect gift at a really good price is the chaos that drives us through the next few weeks. Add to that chaos decorating the house, attending school plays, office Christmas parties and trying to juggle visits to different sets of relatives and, well - it's enough to make a sane person melt into a puddle of despair.
I remember one night many years ago returning from a Christmas party around 10 p.m. only to head straight to the kitchen to make cupcakes for one of my children's elementary school parties the next day. (Just for the record - I used a boxed cake mix and the icing straight out of a can.) I baked the cupcakes, placed them on racks to cool on the dining room table, and went to change out of my party clothes. I was signed up to send 24 to school the next day and that's how many I baked, but when I returned to the cupcakes there were only 23 cupcakes. I checked the rooms and everyone in the house was sound asleep. I walked back to the table perplexed only to catch my cocker spaniel jump down from a dining room chair, duck her head and scurry away from the table. Another cupcake sat precariously on the edge of my table. Yes - my dog had eaten one cupcake, wrapper and all, and was about to help herself to a second one! Imagine my note to the teacher explaining why there were only 22 cupcakes instead of 24. "My dog ate the other two." I can still imagine her shaking her head thinking, "Sure she did."
No matter how well you plan it, no matter how determined you are to make it perfect, something will happen when you least expect it. So roll with the flow and lower your expectations. So what if your house won't make it into Southern Living, your presents are donned with perfect bows or you give Uncle Buster the same tie two years in a row? It's Christmas, not a contest with the best prize going to the perfect hostess, gift giver or cupcake maker. Simplify it and resolve to enjoy it in spite of the chaos.
I discovered later in life that I enjoy the season so much more when I rise a little bit early and set aside a few moments to read and reflect on the real reason for the season - the birth of my Savior. A cool brisk morning, a warm cup of coffee, watching the blinking lights on the tree in the quietness before the sun rises, a simple prayer of gratitude, and memories of Christmases past energize me to rise to the tasks of the day. By the time the sun lightens the horizon, I'm ready to go.
It would be so nice if we could push the pause button on everyday things to handle the added holiday things, but I haven't located that remote yet. No matter how many presents have to be wrapped, you can rest assured that your family will still require nourishment every night. This isn't the time for gourmet cooking, so get over it and open a few jars or get into some boxes and get them fed!
Here's one of my very simple sausage recipes to tuck away for those nights when you need to get dinner out of the way to attend that party or make those cupcakes - just be sure your dog isn't lurking around the corner!
Teri Bell is co-owner of Miss Sophie's Marketplace at the Mighty Eighth in Pooler. Go to sophiesmarketplace.com.
Pasta & Sausage Casserole
12 ounces of ziti, rigatoni or penne pasta, cooked according to package directions
4 cups broccoli florets
12 ounces ground Italian sausage
One 32-ounce jar of marinara or spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
Brown sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain and return to skillet.
Stir in marinara sauce and heat until warmed. Remove from heat.
Stir pasta and cheese into meat sauce. Pour into greased baking dish.
Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the center is hot and bubbly.


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Friday, January 6, 2012
My 2012 MLB Hall of Fame ballot
My 2011 ballot:
Roberto Alomar*
Bert Blyleven*
Barry Larkin
Tim Raines
Alan Trammell
*- 2011 inductee
Here's my 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (percent of 2011 vote in parenthesis, 75 percent required for election):
Jeff Bagwell (41.7)
- Bagwell was one of the most fearsome hitters of the 1990s, posting an average season of .304/.416/.545, 29 HR, 107 RBI, 35 2B, 102 R, 98 BB. That includes his first two seasons, including a Rookie of the Year award in 1991 and two strike-shortened seasons. His career took off in 1994 when he slugged 39 home runs, drove in 116 runners and posted an obscene 1.201 OPS. Those numbers were good enough to earn him the NL MVP that season. From 1994 to 2003, he averaged the following: .301/.420/.574, 37 HR, 116 RBI, 36 2B, 116 R and 107 BB. So it seems his 1994 season (minus the .368 batting average and .750 slugging percentage) would set the tone for the rest of his career. The only reason he wasn't a surefire first-ballot guy was phantom steroid/performance-enhancing drug allegations. I left him off last year because I didn't envision him as a first-ballot guy in general (side note: he was one of my favorite non-Dodgers in the '90s). Upon further review, it appears I was mistaken. The guy put up some amazing numbers and should be rewarded as such.
Most impressive season: 1994, Houston: .368/.451/.750, 39 home runs, 116 RBI, 32 2B, 104 runs scored, 213 OPS+, 8.9 bWAR, 7.8 fWAR
Extrapolated for 162-game schedule (155 games played): .368/.451/.750, 55 HR, 163 RBI, 45 2B, 146 runs scored
Barry Larkin (62.1)
What I wrote last year:- Much like Roberto Alomar, when you thought of shortstops in the '90s, Larkin was one of the first guys you thought of. Not only was he a solid defender, he was pretty good with the bat -- so much so that he took home the 1995 NL MVP. He was a consistent hitter, putting up a career line of .295/.371/.444 and was the face of the Cincinnati Reds franchise for the better part of 13 years.
Most impressive season: 1996, Cincinnati: .298/.410/.567/.977, 33 home runs, 89 RBI, 36-for-46 in SB, 117 runs scored, 154 OPS+, 7.4 bWAR, 6.8 fWAR
Edgar Martinez (32.9)
- I'm a National League guy. I'm staunchly opposed to the designated hitter, but Martinez was such an incredibly talented hitter that it's a little easier to look beyond the fact he played the vast majority of his games as a designated hitter. Nevertheless, he put up some awfully impressive numbers: .312/.418/.515 career slash line. He was Ken Griffey's primary protection for the great Seattle teams of the '90s. He led the Majors in batting in 1992 (.343), but that wasn't nearly his most impressive showing. His 1995 season was one of his best, leading the AL in batting and runs scored. He led the Majors in on-base percentage, OPS, OPS+ and doubles that season. Martinez is one of the most underrated hitters of all-time. He would have been a shoo-in first-ballot guy if he played in the field. There has to be precedent for a designated hitter making the Hall, so why not the best one of all time?
Most impressive season: 1995, Seattle: .356/.479/.628, 29 HR, 113 RBI, 52 2B, 121 runs scored, 185 OPS+, 7.7 bWAR, 7.5 fWAR
Extrapolated for 162-game schedule (162 games played): .356/.479/.628, 32 HR, 126 RBI, 58 2B, 135 runs scored
Tim Raines (37.5)
What I wrote last year:
- Aside from Rickey Henderson, Raines is the best leadoff hitter of the last 50 years. Batting first, he had a slash line of .294/.385/.427. Surprisingly, he spent a lot of time batting second and third in his career (2841 plate appearances), but he will always been known as a leadoff guy. He had a four-year stretch from 1981-84 in which he led the National League in stolen bases -- 71, 78, 90, 75 respectively. In 1981, a strike-shortened season, he stole those 71 bases in 88 games.
Most impressive season: 1987, Montreal: .330/.429/.526/.955, 18 home runs, 68 RBI, 50-for-55 in SB, 123 runs scored, 149 OPS+, 6.8 bWAR, 6.9 fWAR
Alan Trammell (24.3)
What I wrote last year:
- Trammell is a lot like Larkin. When you think of the Tigers in the 1980s, Trammell is the first guy you think of. He, along with Cal Ripken, were the first two guys to redefine the shortstop position, as they were offensive (the good offensive) players. However, they didn't sacrifice defense for offense. From 1983-90, Trammel had an .813 OPS as a shortstop. In a time when shortstops were "glove-only" guys, it was almost unheard of. He also has the 72nd-best WAR of all-time (66.9), 0.2 points in front of Dodgers' Hall-of-Famer Pee Wee Reese. He's also 0.2 points ahead of former Dodger Eddie Murray.
Most impressive season: 1987, Detroit: .343/.402/.551/.953, 28 home runs, 105 RBI, 21-for-23 in SB, 155 OPS+, 8.4 bWAR, 7.9 fWAR
Knowing the history of Hall of Fame voters, I'm betting Barry Larkin is the only guy elected (to go in along side Ron Santo, may he rest in peace). Jack Morris fell 21.5 percent short last season and could sneak his way in, but I don't believe he's worthy of the Hall.
Larry Walker (20.3 percent) will likely see an increase in his voting share and could get in eventually. His 1.172 career OPS in Coors Field could hurt him, though (fair or unfair).
Then we have the known PED users: Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro. Both would be unquestioned Hall-of-Famers if not for the PED use. I'm doubting either get elected anytime soon.
Former Dodgers on the ballot: Jeromy Burnitz, Brian Jordan, Don Mattingly, Terry Mulholland and Eric Young -- none of these guys are Hall-bound.
5 comments:
- Steve NadelJanuary 6, 2012 at 8:44 PM
Great article except for the use of the phrase "I left him off last year because I didn't envision him as a "first-ballot guy" in general."ReplyDelete
What does one look like? Can we find it on their plaque anywhere? The are on the ballot for many years. You either are or are not a Hall of Famer. Is their a difference between second year and third year Hall of Famer also?
This concept went out with the dinosaur. Please don't ruin a great article by talking nonsense.
- AnonymousJanuary 7, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Interesting you feel Trammell is more worthy than Morris. I am a Detroit fan and feel both of them belong, but I feel Morris has more career accolades. 3 World Championships with three teams.. Winningest pitcher of 80's... most Opening Day starts ever (sign of durability... and a fierce leader and competitor. Trammell would be sure fire if he wasn't robbed in 1987 for the MVP by George Bell.ReplyDelete
Steve: A fair point. Maybe I'm a little old school, but when I think of best first basemen of all-time, Bagwell doesn't immediately jump to mind. I know he had great numbers, but the first ballot should be reserved for the very best of all-time (at all positions). Bagwell was great, but not great enough for my first ballot.ReplyDelete
When guys like Mike Piazza, Greg Maddux, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and Frank Thomas (comparable to Bagwell, I know) -- they're no-doubt first-ballot guys in my eyes.
Hell, there are some people who don't vote obvious first-balloters in until their second year just out of principle.
Anonymous: It's tough to compare the two. Morris' numbers just don't scream "Hall of Famer" to me. He benefited from a long career. His K/9 (5.8) and K/BB (1.78) immediately jump out to me. I know he wasn't a strikeout guy, but those numbers seem a bit below-average. Guess the intangibles don't speak to me as much as others.ReplyDelete
Trammell played a premium position on defense and did it damn well. He was an offensive force when the position was anything but.
Also, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate reaching out to new readers.ReplyDelete


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4 Feb 2014 14:18:05 PM
Gross Photo of the Day: Nick Catone Apparently Replaced His Knee With a Grapefruit Prior to UFC 169 Win
(Photo via Catone's twitter.)
Testosterone replacement therapy may be one of the primary go-tos among fighters looking to gain an edge over their competition these days, but there's another equally insidious, ever-expanding method of chicanery being utilized by cheaters far and wide that makes TRT look like a dinosaur technology. I'm talking of course, about MMA fighters smuggling food beneath their skin.
Yes, much like boxers have been caught with metal-plated gloves, more and more MMA fighters are being busted for Culinary Subepidermal Contraband, or hoarding food items beneath the skin, to apparently gain an advantage in the cage. Following his fight with Stipe Miocic at UFC on FOX 10, Gabriel Gonzaga was caught with a stack of oatmeal cookies stuffed into his hand, and just earlier today, middleweight Nick Catone posted the above photo to his Twitter account.
As you can clearly see, Catone, who has struggled with injuries for the majority of his career, replaced his left knee with a grapefruit (or possibly a cantaloupe) at some point prior to his split decision win over Tom Watson at UFC 169 last weekend and is now gloating about it with the above photo, sarcastically adding "Happy to get my hand raised tonight. Unfortunately I'm stuck in a terrible hospital in Newark with a torn ACL."
Right, Mr. Catone. Tell me more about this "torn ACL" you speak of. A middle finger to the sport of MMA if I've ever seen one before.
CagePotato currently has its crack team of top scientists investigating what the possible benefits of CSC are, exactly, and we will update you once they finish pouring liquids from beakers into other beakers. In the mean time, watch your back, Catone. We're onto you. (*gives Jack Byrnes "watching you" gesture*)Read More DIGG THIS