text:
Marcus is based at the Shipston-on-Stour office. His professional focus is mainly directed at Sheldon Bosley Knight's Rural Land Agency activities. He has excellent local knowledge and expertise in the fields of Land Agency and Agriculture, Estate Management, Planning and Valuation.
Marcus' interests are firmly rooted in the local rural and agricultural communities of Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. He is a member of the Warwickshire Committee of the CLA (County Land & Business Association) and also a member of the Committee of CFE (Campaign for Farmed Environment).
His love of the countryside is illustrated by an enduring personal hobby of landscape photography and he has a real passion for both local and professional rugby, football and cricket.
Suzanne is based in the Stratford-upon-Avon office from where she manages Sheldon Bosley Knight's involvement in all sectors of the Commercial Property market.
After gaining her degree in Valuation and Estate Management, she qualified as a Chartered Surveyor with Healey and Baker, a large international London practice, where she was primarily involved in agency and development. She subsequently moved to another leading practice, Richard Ellis, to be responsible for retail agency in the South-West. A few years later she joined one of her development clients, working on two major town centre retail projects in the north of England and an office park adjacent to Birmingham Airport.
After a career break to bring up her two children (both now training to be surveyors) and relocating to Warwickshire, where her husband grew up, she joined the business in 2003. She has applied her invaluable experience to expand the Commercial Department of the company and has a wealth of experience and knowledge of the local market. Suzanne is a registered RICS valuer.
Matthew is a qualified Chartered Surveyor and RICS Registered Valuer of 7 years' professional experience who has previously gained an honours degree from the University of Warwick and a Postgraduate Diploma in Surveying from the College of Estate Management at Reading University.
Matthew is fully qualified to undertake building surveys and valuations for a variety of property types and purposes, however specialises in residential property including lease extension and enfranchisement negotiations. He also has managerial responsibility for SBK's Block Management service, an area of focus in which he has significant previous experience at a senior level.
He is a dynamic and accomplished professional whose energy is reflected in his wide-ranging personal and family interests.
James, based predominantly in the Stratford-upon-Avon office, is a registered RICS valuer and works mainly in the areas of Land Agency and Agriculture, Estate Management, Planning and Valuation.
He has a strong interest and background in the rural community and has a family farming business based in South Warwickshire with a range of diversification enterprises. His strong personal interest in conservation is exemplified by the Stewardship Scheme which is in place on the farm, to promote wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
James was chairman of Warwickshire National Farmers Union in 2000-2002 (through the last Foot and Mouth crisis) and a member of the CLA Committee responsible for the Game Fair, held in July 2013, at Ragley Hall.
He is a Director of the Warwickshire Rural Hub based at the NAC at Stoneleigh and a member of the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership SME Rural Sub-Group.
He was appointed to the Midlands Regional Advisory Board of the NFU Mutual Insurance Society Ltd in 2013 and held the title of Coventry & Warwickshire Property Professional of the Year 2015 (FirstPro Awards).
Laura, a qualified Rural Chartered Surveyor and Fellow of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, joined the Company in 2009 following completion of a BSc (Hons) degree in Equine Science, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Estate and Land Management.
She grew up on the family dairy farm in north Oxfordshire and has a keen interest in the countryside and rural affairs and a passion for equestrian pursuits and eventing. Laura specialises in agricultural subsidy and stewardship applications (under the CAP Reform), equine property services, RICS Red Book Valuations, agricultural property sales and lettings, and the preparation of Farm Business Tenancies and Contract Farming Agreements.
Laura is a Member of BIAC (The British Institute of Agricultural Consultants).
Mark is based in the Stratford office where he provides clients with his expertise across all commercial property classes.
After gaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Surveying from The College of Estate Management in 2008, he qualified as a Chartered Surveyor with Warwickshire County Council. Subsequently moving from public to private practice with Capita based in Oxford and then Loveitts in Coventry.
Mark has experience of providing clients with a variety of professional advice on matters such as:
As a registered RICS valuer he is fully qualified to undertake valuations for a variety of purposes such as secured lending, inheritance tax, freehold/leasehold acquisitions/disposals, insurance and litigation.
SBK sold our property in Leek Wootton in 2013 and have now sold my parents' house in Kenilworth. In both cases the open house principle has worked brilliantly, making it a model of business practice for both owners (us) and estate agents (SBK). I have no idea why other estate agents don't follow this model - it's easy for all parties.
Thank you for managing my property so well over the years - I have really enjoyed our chats on the phone!
Sheldon Bosley Knight were brilliant. We received two offers to purchase the property within the first week of advertising. David took all the property details and gave us advice. Once the offer was accepted Helen and her team kept us informed at all times and worked extremely hard ensuring the sale went through smoothly.
I would most certainly use them again and highly recommend them as an entire excellent sales team.
The service we have received from everyone at SBK has been exceptional, with each member of the team offering their expertise at various stages during the process.
We witnessed Vicki in action passionately selling our home to potential buyers - helping them to imagine how it could suit them. Mike and Oliver jumping in when our buyers had concerns following the homebuyers survey. However the dedication and testament to seeing through the sale was really demonstrated by Karen who tirelessly followed the chain and took on the role of several estate agents when information was not coming through. It was thanks to her and the team's unwavering persistence that ensured our buyers did not pull out and we did not completely lose faith when things were not running smoothly. It was an extremely difficult chain and we would not have wished to have been partnered with anybody else and we feel our buyers were also grateful for the honestly SBK provided.
They handle themselves with the utmost professionalism and always have their clients best interest at the forefront of what they do. Thank you so much!
It has been a pleasure dealing with you all in Lettings
Thank you so much for your work on the survey. Your survey has saved me a fortune and countless months of unnecessary disruption, so I'm very glad that I had it done.
My client has asked me to pass on her thanks for the excellent manner in which this matter has been dealt
Thoroughly professional, yet friendly… contributing substantially to the smooth running of the twelve residential apartments
A terrific service. Everyone we dealt with was both professional and friendly. It was reassuring that Andrew, the branch manager, was readily available and obviously involved at all stages. Thank you!
We have been especially impressed by the calm, thoughtful and pragmatic approach displayed by Philip Jones. His courtesy, patience and evident wide experience engendered considerable confidence in us, particularly through a tortuous and at times upsetting conveyancing procedure. His team of Liz Smith and Kate Billing deserve praise too for their good humour and unflappability.
Our second successful dealing with David Kehoe after he sold one of our previous properties in his previous life, very knowledgeable and professional. Millie and Helen also deserve a mention - a great team!
I have used the various services provided for over forty years. As a farmer I have gradually found it increasingly onerous and time–consuming to deal with the plethora of paperwork produced by the agricultural directorate in Brussels and its UK implementing agent, DEFRA. I have therefore contracted this work out to you for the last eight years or so.
My point of contact for the last five years has been Laura Gaydon; I cannot speak highly enough of the service she has given me. She has been meticulously accurate in completing my Single Payment Scheme (now the Basic Payment Scheme) forms, always in good time and in good order, which is a great relief for me; in spite of the maddening complexity of the paperwork we have never had forms returned or rejected. Laura has also been responsible for ensuring that my Higher Level Stewardship commitments are properly met and reminding me of, and helping me with, the other form-filling obligations the our masters in Brussels impose on us.
Beyond all this Laura and her colleagues were responsible for drawing up the plans and application forms for a new grain store which was completed in the summer of 2014.
On a personal note it is a pleasure to work with Laura; she is efficient without being remotely bossy and has the invaluable gift of correcting my errors without a hint of reproach. I have no hesitation in warmly recommending Laura and by the same token Sheldon Bosley; throughout our long association I have always found them courteous and efficient and I look forward to maintaining this happy relationship in the future.
The overall service was excellent . Helen Wallace in particular identified our eventual buyer and throughout kept us fully informed. When she wasn't available her colleagues were most helpful and patient.
Great set up and the best we have experienced in our lifetime of buying and selling. Well done!
Extremely professional engagement. Very communicative and helpful in all aspects of the sale.
The professionalism and efficiency of my sale in general was conducted in an exemplary manner.
Helen and David were outstanding, they dealt with matters quickly and professionally, always returned phone calls without delay and always gave the reassurance that is required when problems occurred . First class service.
We wanted to write to thank you Gilly for your invaluable help in the sale of our house.
You were tireless, as was the rest of your team, in making sure that everything went as smoothly as possible. Your liaison with the purchasers meant that we were kept informed of all developments despite the fact that we were out of the country for much of the time. I must also compliment Sheldon Bosley for the excellent marketing of the house and your advice in setting a realistic guide price which enabled us to realise a most satisfactory sale price.
We will not hesitate to recommend you to to others.
Both Andrew James and Tamara Bridgman were excellent throughout the sale process, as were the whole team at SBK. Proactive, attentive and kept me fully informed at all times.
Andrew James the Manager was excellent. I'd like to give my thanks to Norma Woodward. She is the best & very efficient in her job
Andrew's advice in the initial engagement was very constructive and he gained my trust. During the sale, Norma could not be more helpful, she obviously cares about her job and customers.
Nothing has ever been too much trouble...problems have been dealt with in a professional & diplomatic manner…a font of knowledge in all aspects of Property Management…I would recommend Sheldon Bosley to any person looking for a reliable, friendly and 'always there' Managing Agent.
The responsiveness, skill and efficiency of the commercial department at Sheldon Bosley have been exemplary.
SBK were a pleasure to work with, we were always notified of any updates straight away .
We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for your help and support for the last 7 years we were renting through Sheldon Bosley.
The whole team have been nothing but helpful, efficient and friendly throughout the sale of our property. The service has been incredibly professional, thorough and honest. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.
The whole team were engaged and efficient. The house was marketed unsuccessfully for two years by another Leamington agent prior to engaging SBK. Within two weeks of going "live" with SBK we had two solid offers above the asking price. Great marketing, charming hosting and excellent back office follow-up and feed-back.
We have, at all times, been kept well informed about any prospective purchasers, and have always felt our business was valued. Gilly even tried to help re-home our little dog! We all felt that we have received the best service and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Sheldon Bosley to anyone wishing to sell their property.
The service we received from the Leamington Spa branch of SBK was faultless. We mainly dealt with Andrew and Norma. Norma was particularly tenacious when it came to chivvying up the other side and she was very calm even when we were getting stressed in the middle of the whole process. We were trying to sell our house in England while living in Turkey, but with the help of SBK it all went very smoothly.
I just wanted to say a big thanks for everything you have done over the last few years in renting out my property. Much appreciated and always a pleasure to deal with you.
Tamara, thanks for all your help during the tenancy. My last experience was awful and the contrast between how you and they treat tenants is huge. You and the team have always been so helpful and friendly -and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend SBK :)
I would like to thank you all for responding to my constant telephone calls with patience and courtesy! All your emails and telephone calls to the vendors and their solicitor were so vital to the successful outcome. I am most grateful to you all.
I would personally like to thank you for the way that you have managed the affairs of Vinery Court …. and hope that our good business relationship continues for the foreseeable future.
My wife and I would like to thank all of the staff at the Shipston Office. Kate, Liz and Phillip had a very difficult job as they were let down by prospective purchasers, but in the end they were successful. The whole team are very nice people to deal with.
Initially Andrew was my first point of contact giving me sound and enthusiastic advice.
Sophie and Norma create an excellent professional and friendly office to visit.
May I say how very much I appreciate all your help and the way in which you, and the other folks at Sheldon Bosley, take care of things. Years ago, when I bought the house (we are talking 1983), I felt that having someone manage the property, especially when renters might be involved, would be a good idea, and so it has proved to be.
All the staff at Kenilworth Branch were very polite and efficient. It was a complex transaction but your staff were understanding and sensitive to the issue.
I am writing to put on record, our appreciation for the fantastic service you have given us in my son's purchase of his first property which completed recently, painlessly with the minimum of fuss.
The initial negotiations were carried out efficiently and quickly and special mention must go to Katie and Zoe, who I saw regularly to monitor and push forward the sale, who were just wonderful and a great advertisement for your firm. It's always nice to walk in to a big smile and warm welcome.
Thank you to everyone for enabling him to buy his first property so easily and without stress.
Very impressed with the presentation of the survey report...very comprehensive...thanks again
SBK, and Andrew James in particular, were very clear in the process that needed to be followed to market and sell the house, and followed the plan through. All of the team in the Leamington office were extremely professional and are setting the high standards that I believe positions them as market leaders.
Andrew James at Leamington office was my first point of contact giving me sound and enthusiastic advice. Sophie and Norma create an excellent professional and friendly office to visit.
An excellent service which was maintained through the protracted period. I found all of the staff to be very helpful.
From the initial valuation meeting through to securing the exchange on our property, the level of service received from the team has been exceptional.
The team are experienced, professional, courteous and committed to deliver results.
Although all the Leamington team were very good, it was the hard work of Norma which stands out. She drove the process forward from SSTC to exchange and managed to keep the chain together despite competing timescales and other issues. She also kept us fully updated along the way. Normas involvement in the sale certainly highlighted why it is often a false economy to sell with these online only agents!
I could not have asked for a better service in what turned out to be a long and tortuous sale. From discussion on to how to present the house in the details, marketing advice,viewings, to the final negotiations with the rest of the chain everyone was very understanding and helpful.
Philip Jones's calm reassurance when progress continually halted and the all the staff's hard work in keeping everyone informed was exemplary.
A huge thank you to everyone at SBK for being so kind and understanding at such a stressful time.
A very big thank you for looking after the property and finding tenants for it over the years.
Very pleased with the articulate and professional manner in which the survey was conducted. Our neighbours also wish to thank you for resolving a difficult problem to their satisfaction.
Remarkable service from a personable and professional team. Sound advice from day one; excellent presentation of our property during marketing. All followed by proactive feedback on each viewing and subsequent progression of offers and sale process.
I hesitate to mention any individual as the whole team works in a cohesive way to achieve the best result for the client.
Outstanding service. Held together a difficult chain when other agents and solicitors didn't have a clue.
Just a little note to say 'thank you' for all your help getting us moved. We are getting settled, however we still have lots of boxes!
I just wanted to to say thanks so much for looking after us over the years - we're off to pastures new now but really appreciate all your help with everything. Thanks again.
Tamara, I wanted to thank you for all your work over recent years. You've always shown an interest in my property and made sure things were fixed and replaced properly and I always felt I could trust your judgement and advice. It's been a pleasure working with you; Thank you for all you've done.
I would like to thank you all for responding to my constant telephone calls with patience and courtesy….All your emails and telephone calls to the vendors and their solicitor were so vital to the successful outcome.
Outstandingly professional and highly efficient. It was a pleasure to deal with each member of the team. Christian and Morgan were brilliant.
Good old fashioned face to face service with a very professional approach.
Excellent feedback and customer service from the whole team.
All the Stratford staff have been very helpful, David and Helen have been outstanding in advising us and dealing with potential buyers, particularly as we had a covenant that could cause problems. They have kept us up to date with progress, and kept the processes moving when they appeared to be slowing.
Highly recommended.
I would not hesitate to recommend Sheldon Bosley Knight to anyone. I write to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the work done on my behalf by members of the Leamington office in relation to the recent sale of my home.
I would particularly like to say a huge thank you to Andrew James. From the moment that I enquired about putting my house on the market, he has been nothing short of exceptional.
We had already found a house that we wanted to buy, and so it was important that my property went onto the market without delay and sold quickly. Andrew was fantastic in that respect; the house was on Rightmove within a couple of days of my instruction and he then arranged somewhere in the region of 20 viewings a week later. He priced the property brilliantly, leading to my receiving six offers, all in excess of the asking price.
He was calm, conscientious and diligent throughout the whole process. Communication with me was always excellent and timely.
I should also say that the other members of staff from the Leamington office were also always helpful and supportive.
Excellent positive and pro-active service which achieved results very quickly after taking my property on from an estate agent who had been very ineffective.
Very good service from all staff that I dealt with, as the property was let through SBK prior to sale. Prompt communication and helpful in "over and above" requests that we made, as we do not live locally.
Andrew James has guided us through the process very professionally, and has been patient in persevering with us when things did not go smoothly on many occasions. He discussed our options at different stages, and we felt confident that he gave us honest advice, based on excellent knowledge of the local market, and an appreciation of our own personal situation.
Gilly, We wanted to thank you personally for the kind and sensitive way in which you communicated with us throughout the whole process.
I just wanted to say a huge thank you. You have been outstanding. I would 100% recommend SBK and feel very fortunate to have had you on board.
Thank you for a hugely accessible survey report on this property; I feel I can now purchase it with confidence following your advice on where work and upgrades are needed.
Liz and Kate were all extremely helpful, efficient and friendly during the whole house sale experience (which only took approx 3 months from valuation to completion !) SBK exceeded all our expectations and we are both so very grateful.
Communications were exceptionally good throughout which I believe ensured a very speedy house sale.
Many thanks to all at SBK-Shipston on Stour. I will be recommending you to all !!!
SBK stood out as the best option.....the communication throughout was exceptional. Norma was on hand with excellent communication between us, our buyers and the two solicitors involved and the deadline for our exchange date was met.
Overall an outstanding level of service making the whole process as smooth as it could be.
Very Helpful & Responsive. SBK were great, in particular Millie who was brilliant. There were a few stumbling blocks with our sale and SBK where great in helping us get these sorted and progressing our sale.
Excellent service & advice from a professional team. Marco & his team did a fantastic job in selling my property & arranging the purchase of my chosen property
Thankyou very much for all your hardwork guiding me through the sale....I really am very grateful for all your efforts - above and beyond the call of duty!
Thank you for your professional and prompt service.
Thank you very much for your great support during our tenancy - we can't imagine more friendly and professional assistance.
Andrew James and his excellent team did exactly what they said they would do ....they sold our house quickly and followed up on all the details efficiently and cheerfully. Perfect!
Compared to our previous Management Company, there is no comparison……Matthew has got more done in one month than the other Company did in their entire six years
Thank you for your excellent service…we have really enjoyed our time at The Lodge.
Professional service, better than other agents I've used. Andrew was clear about valuation & costs, and Norma has been excellent at keeping up communications between us, solicitors and our buyers.
Marco, Norma and the team at Leamington made marketing and selling of the property very straightforward, kept in touch throughout the process and maintained a high standard of professionalism throughout. The marketing materials were well-presented and impactful. The strategy of inviting multiple potential purchasers to attend in booked appointments same day seemed effective.
SBK stood out for us because it seems to have high visibility on the high street and to obtain consistently good results in terms of marketing and selling properties. We liked the fact that there is an office nearby us. We also thought the SBK branding with its bold clear design formats and colours stands out from the crowd of other estate agents.
First class service from Andrew on the valuation side of things and Norma was excellent in keeping me updated on progress through the transaction - very impressed!
I was impressed by the whole team working together in order to obtain a number of quality viewings and a successful sale.
Communication and feedback were of an excellent standard.
Both SBK and our landlords were really good & accommodating. We would like to thank you at SBK for helping us find our perfect oasis where we enjoyed nearly 2 years of happiness.
Thanks for being so great to work with, as an agent and whole agency. I will be happy to recommend you to anyone.
Thank you to you and your colleagues for an excellent & efficient job. We are most grateful for all you do.
Thank you for processing our planning application regards the Wind Turbine. Thanks for all your effort and professional expertise.
Our sale was complicated but after accepting the offer the aftersales given by Helen was brilliant. Everything was executed with total professionalism.
Suzanna was both friendly and helpful….Helen was exceptional; Very friendly, can do attitude and just a great help. She made the whole process very simple and was always available or called back when we made contact.
Great work deserves recognition.
Pro active advice to try and achieve the best possible disposal requirements. The marketing brochure that was produced was outstanding and received extremely positive comments from all who saw it and helped to re-enforce the quality and opportunity of the property.
It always makes everything easier and less stressful when you have friendly, approachable contacts dealing with the sale of your property. They were always available and easily contactable to answer any queries that arose and to be kept fully updated on the progress of the sale.
....how pleased I have been with the service provided by Millie Gardner....Millie is a great asset to your company....
Helen, thank you so much for your hard work in pulling everything together in such a short time.
It's great to speak to a Stratford agent who actually seems to have some enthusiasm for selling!
You are an excellent, professional team and it has been our pleasure to deal with you over the years.
Thanks once again for your support for our sale; I suspect that if you had not persevered as you did we might well have lost it
Thank you SBK; the service we received through our sale was second to none. In particular we would like to thank Andrew and Norma who kept us informed every step of the way. A professional service I would highly recommend.
It has been a pleasure dealing with Sheldon Bosley. I will certainly recommend your service to all I know who are looking for a rental property.
A fantastic result on our sale and purchase of our latest properties, as always received from Andrew and the team @ SBK!
.....Throughout the whole process, from initial contact to exchange of contracts, the help and support we have received has been inestimable. This support has never wavered and we have always been contacted with regular updates as to progress being made.....professionalism, calmness and polite persistence.....
Philip and Liz have been fantastic with very prompt and supportive service at all times. This has been so helpful as I live so far away.
Thank you again for all your help…..you have been fantastic through the whole process. Your customer service is outstanding and your personal style is an asset to the company. Thank you so much again.
Everything seems to be running very smoothly, which is entirely due to you and your colleagues - so thank you.
Thank you for the professionalism and courtesy extended to us, which was exemplary.
I would like to thank you personally and the rest of your team for all your hard work over the last three months or so. A good result, I think, only made positive by your very high professional standards. You have done a very good job and I am grateful.
We are so pleased that we chose SBK. The sale process has not been without it stresses and strains-nothing to do with SBK- so the really important thing for us is how they have guided us through the process.
Utterly professional, always available. Easy through the good times but what mattered to us was the value they added in the difficult times. Proactive, empathetic and knowledgeable. What more could we have asked for apart from a cheaper fee!
Andrew and Norma were a godsend. Thank you both and thank you SBK. Oh, by the way they weren't that expensive and if we sell again we won't go for other Agents quotes.
I wanted to write and thank you Mark for the successful completion of the pub sale which went through today. Thanks for pulling it off - your expertise has been most beneficial.
Thank you for such a full and comprehensive survey.
I contacted SBK on the recommendation of a friend after having a valuation from another company. Andrew arrived punctually and was extremely professional and helpful. I received an offer within one week of marketing with them. I would thoroughly recommend them to anyone who wants to sell. I am very happy with the service I have received.
Professional service, better than other agents I've used. Andrew was clear about valuation & costs, and Norma has been excellent at keeping up communications between us, solicitors and our buyers.
We were continually kept in touch with the progress of viewings and ultimately the sale of the property.
All the staff were friendly and helpful and we will definitely recommend your company in the future.
Sue was amazing in quickly and professionally getting my property sold at a good price. I need to sell quickly to secure the property I was buying and SBK were brilliant. I was also really impressed with the level of continued ownership and proactive communication through the sale process by Juliana. Both Sue and Juliana were very professional.
Helen Wallace proved very efficient in overcoming communication issues with solicitors and purchasers in order to progress the sale to fruition.
Although this has been a difficult process the support received from Sheldon Bosley Knight has been excellent. The office have kept me updated on a regular basis and continually chased the solicitors involved to get this transaction over the line.
Andrew came across very well and very knowledgeable of the local market. He worked with us to create a speedy but pragmatic time plan of selling our property. Norma demonstrated excellent communication in the later stages when things needed pushing through. They were both always available to pick up the phone and happy to spend the time to talk to us.
If we decide to move again I will contact you, as I feel confident that you do try to actively sell properties, unlike most of your competitors.
All the staff were professional, reliable, helpful, friendly and seemed genuinely interested, both in selling our house for the best price possible and in sorting any issues or queries.
David Kehoe gave us sound advice initially and Helen Wallace was always ready to help and advise and to chase buyers and solicitors
Thank you for your excellent survey report and prompt service.
Helen was particularly recommended to me for the sale and she did not disappoint. The whole team were proactive and kept me well informed.
Your previous schedule of dilapidations on our commercial property was also agreed to by the tenant's surveyor given its thoroughness, resulting in the tenant subsequently conducting the large majority of the identified works.
So thank you once again for an excellent piece of work.
Karen's sales progression skills are quite simply fantastic. She gave sound advice and sought answers with a speed and determination that left us feeling like we were in safe hands.
Thank you for an exemplary service which allowed us to sell our home quickly and effortlessly.
Constant contact and updates keeping me in the picture all the way through the selling process [from] Philip Jones and Liz Smith.
My opinion of estate agents has changed since selling the house. Philip and Liz were always helpful, returned my calls when promised and generally made the stressful ordeal ( mainly due to solicitors ) go as smoothly as possible
Norma was outstanding. She was consistently ahead of the curve progressing our sale. She and Andrew were especially helpful when there was a major setback in the sale, putting us back on track ASAP.
If you're looking for a genuinely caring and engaged Agent who keeps you suitably updated, sends informative answers to key questions before you have even asked, and people who are an absolute pleasure to work with, then SBK are the right choice!
I am extremely impressed by SBK Leamington Spa, the entire lettings process has been wonderfully smooth and all interactions with SBK's Marc & Faye have been an absolute pleasure! I cannot recommend them highly enough (and I qualify that statement by personal experience of other managing Agents)
Having a property to let, I had arranged back to back meetings to review the services of 6 different local managing agents so that I could compare and contrast their service offerings. After conducting meetings with all of my chosen Agents, I was absolutely resolute on selecting SBK Leamington Spa to let and manage my property after meeting with Marc & Faye!
Not only were Marc and Faye incredibly knowledgeable, professional, thorough and flexible - but they were also extremely warm and friendly people, approachable, helpful and most importantly, proactive. I engaged SBK ?at 10:00AM and by midday the property was photographed and marketed online - and I must add that the photos they took are gorgeous!
Helen at the Stratford office – outstanding, proactive service selling 2 properties in the chain. Agents and solicitors in the area sang her praises also keeping the chain moving - brilliant!
Thankyou for the outstanding work you have produced and your input & hard work to the service charge accounts.
SBK were always professional and proactive. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again or recommend their services to others.


text:
Castro's mental lapse proves costly in loss to Cards
CHICAGO -- Starlin Castro's mental gaffe on Saturday cost the Cubs a run and resulted in the shortstop being benched. Whether he'll be in the lineup on Sunday was something manager Dale Sveum needed to think about.
Castro's brain cramp on a popup in the fifth allowed the Cardinals to score, as St. Louis posted a 4-0 victory over the Cubs in front of 41,981 at Wrigley Field.View Full Game Coverage
CHICAGO -- Starlin Castro's mental gaffe on Saturday cost the Cubs a run and resulted in the shortstop being benched. Whether he'll be in the lineup on Sunday was something manager Dale Sveum needed to think about.
Castro's brain cramp on a popup in the fifth allowed the Cardinals to score, as St. Louis posted a 4-0 victory over the Cubs in front of 41,981 at Wrigley Field.View Full Game Coverage
The Cardinals led, 1-0, when they loaded the bases with one out in the fifth against Travis Wood. Matt Carpenter hit a popup to Castro in shallow left, and third-base umpire Ron Kulpa invoked the infield-fly rule. Castro caught the ball, and seemed unaware of Jon Jay -- the runner at third -- who broke for home and scored on the sacrifice fly. Castro eventually did throw home, but it was too late.
"I knew the outs and everything, but I put my head down and made a mental mistake," Castro said. "I don't want to make any excuses for that. It's my mistake, and that's why I paid for that -- that's why I came out of the game. I feel really, really bad that it happened, especially with Woody pitching good.
"I have to pay for that. That's a mistake that can't happen in the game."
Left fielder Junior Lake was yelling at Castro to, "be careful." Give Jay credit for heads-up baserunning.
"I know the wind can be tricky here, and I saw him make the catch, put his head down, and that's when I took off," Jay said. "I took a couple steps and then decided to take a gamble -- and it worked out."
Wood said he wasn't rattled by the play.
"Things are going to happen behind you that you have no control over, regardless of whether someone makes an error or anything -- just like they have no control if I walk somebody or [the other team gets] a hit off me," Wood said. "It's kind of just roll with the punches."
Sveum met Castro in the dugout as soon as the inning ended and told the shortstop he was done for the day. Castro was replaced defensively in the sixth, as Donnie Murphy moved from third to shortstop and Cody Ransom entered at third. Castro watched the rest of the game from the dugout.
"The situation is, obviously, we had a big blunder there and he lost track of what was going on for whatever reason -- and I pulled him out of the game," said Sveum, who had never penalized a player like that in his managerial career.
Did Castro offer an explanation?
"There is no explanation," Sveum said. "A guy caught a ball, a popup, and the [baserunner] should've stayed at third base. That's the bottom line."
As to whether Castro will play on Sunday in the series finale, Sveum said, "I haven't gotten that far yet."
It's been a tough season for Castro, a two-time All-Star, who began the year with a .297 career batting average in the big leagues. He is hitting .244 this year, and is 0-for-16 in his last five games -- including two at-bats on Saturday.
"It's bad," Castro said, when asked to describe his season. "It's an unbelievable year, especially for me. I've never had a year like that. I feel really bad, especially with that mistake. Today, and my struggles at home plate [hitting], it's really tough. I don't put my head down. I know I can be good and finish strong."
Did he expect to start on Sunday?
"Yeah, for sure," Castro said. "I want to be there, and give 100 percent. I know that kind of thing can't happen again."
"There are only so many meetings, and so many things you can say," Sveum said. "When you've played this much baseball, it gets to the point where you have to do it yourself."
It also wasn't the first time Castro has been caught napping. In a nationally televised game in August 2011, the shortstop had his back to the action during a pitch, and was criticized on the air by ESPN broadcaster Bobby Valentine.
The Cubs can only hope Castro eliminates the mistakes. The team gave him a seven-year, $60 million contract in August 2012.
"[Castro has] played in the big leagues long enough, and we've had our discussions," said Sveum. "There comes a point in time when you have to cross that bridge and get to the next level. He feels as bad as anybody, he knows what happened, and he feels awful right now."
In an odd twist, Saturday marked the 25th straight game Castro has not made an error, a career high.
"This guy has had 200-plus hits [in a season] in the big leagues, and he's getting better as a shortstop," Sveum said. "Yeah, we have mental lapses like today, but there's a lot of good things going on. Defensively, he's getting better and these things happen a lot less. Today will be magnified. It's what it was. Sometimes you hit rock bottom, and you don't make these [mistakes] anymore because you stay focused for 300 pitches in a game."
Castro said his struggles at the plate were not distracting him on the field.
"I don't take my at-bats to the field," said Castro. "That kind of thing that happened today is really tough. It's a mental mistake. I'm working hard every day. I don't put my head down, I keep positive. We have a month and a half left, and I have to get out of my struggles at home plate and concentrate more at home plate."
Back to the game: Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer in the sixth, and Carlos Beltran added an RBI double for the Cardinals, who took an 8-7 lead in the season series with the win. Joe Kelly overpowered the Cubs, holding them to four hits over six innings. Chicago now has been shut out in five of its last seven games at home.
"I wish I could [explain it]," Sveum said of the lack of offense.
It's hard to explain Castro's inability to stay focused.
"It's a day I'll never forget in my life," said Castro.
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter@CarrieMuskat.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Update 2013 Miss Georgia Pageant's final preliminary night begins
7:39 p.m.: The Miss Georgia Dancers are back on stage, followed by the Georgia's Outstanding Teen contestants. They are dressed in short, poofy dresses with sequined bodices in various vibrant colors. They introduced themselves.
7:35 p.m.: The Miss Georgia Dancers, Evari Pickett and Claythan Conerly of Atlanta and Columbus State University student Joshua Ednes leads the contestants on stage. They are dressed in short, strapless black dresses with sequined bodices. They introduce themselves.
Miss Georgia 2013 Leighton Jordan is wearing an identical dress, except in red.
7:30 p.m.: The Miss Georgia Pageant starts as Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson greets the audience in a taped message.
The National Anthem is sung by Miss Georgia 2010, Christina McCauley, whose sister, Katherine won the preliminary talent competition Thursday night.
7:05 p.m.: The doors to the Bill Heard Theatre have opened as audience members start finding their seats. But people are still milling around the lobby, calling out names of friends whom they may not have seen since last year.
Others are looking and making final bids on the silent auction items that line the lobby area. Still others are looking at souvenirs. Some are buying ducks for the first "Quack" Race that's going to start at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center.
Miss Georgia's final night of its preliminary competitions begins tonight in the Bill Heard Theatre, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday night, Miss Georgia 2013 Leighton Jordan gives up her crown to the new Miss Georgia 2014. At the same time, Georgia's Outstanding Teen Jameson Kenerly gives up her crown to the new Georgia's Outstanding Teen.
Thursday night, Miss Heart of the City, Mary Ashley Tucker, and Miss Historic Southern Plains, Amarinda Trear, tied in swimsuit. They each won $250 scholarships. Miss Whitewater, Katherine McCauley, won talent, singing "Kiss Me in the Rain." She won a $500 scholarship.
In Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Greater Atlanta's Teen, Elizabeth "Lizzy" K. Stanford, 14, of Cuthbert, Ga., won fitness. Cobb County's Outstanding Teen, Abby Quarles, 16, of Marietta, Ga., won talent, dancing a ballet en pointe to "La Bayadere."
Wednesday night, Miss Hummingbird Festival, Courtney N. Hinesley of Grayson, Ga., won the preliminary swimsuit competition. She won a $250 scholarship. Miss Fulton County, Gabrielle S. Booth of Snellville, Ga., won the preliminary talent competition singing "Vissi D'Arte." She won a $500 scholarship.
In Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Marietta's Outstanding Teen, Kelly E. Hutchinson, 15, of Marietta, Ga., won the preliminary fitness competition. There was a tie in the preliminary talent competition. The co-winners were Historic Southern Plains' Outstanding Teen, Taylor L. Peterson, 17, of Kathleen, Ga., who played "The Black Pearl" on the piano and Southeast Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Caitlan Coleman, 17, of Meeks, Ga., who tapped to "Valerie."
The 40 Miss Georgia contestants compete in three groups.
The Mu Group competes in the evening wear and onstage question & answer tonight.Miss Macon, Amanda D. Scott, 21, of Lincolnton, Ga., goes to the Georgia Institute of Technology, majoring in public policy and business. Her platform is Choosing Miracles Now with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
Miss Apple Capitol, Tara R. Clance, 22, of Ellijay, Ga., goes to Belmont University, majoring in international politics and Asian studies. Her platform is Celebrating Cultural Diversity.
Miss Rome, Cierra Dena'e Jackson, 21, of Columbus, goes to Spelman College, majoring in political science. Her platform is Violent Valor: A Partnership with the USO and Joining Forces.
Miss Hummingbird Festival, Courtney N. Hinesley, 18, of Grayson, Ga., goes to Georgia Regents University, majoring in nursing. Her platform is Let's Get it Straight: Scoliosis Awareness and Early Detection.
Miss Emanuel County, Kaidy L. English, 19, of Swainsboro, Ga., goes to East Georgia State College, majoring in early childhood education. Her platform is Coming Out of You Shell: Building Self-Confidence in Young Girls.
Miss Cumming Fair, Katie L. Grego, 19, of LaGrange, Ga., goes to Columbus State University, majoring in physics and geology. Her platform is Seize the Moment: Raising Awareness for Epilepsy.
Miss Columbus State University, Katelyn Pawlowski, 20, of Midland, Ga., goes to Columbus State University, majoring in business management. Her platform is Do You See What I See? Giving the Gift of Sight.
Miss River City, Teresa F. Davis, 22, of Hoschton, Ga., goes to the University of Georgia, majoring inb digital and broadcast journalism and Spanish. Her platform is Five Star Families: Supporting and Honoring Our Military and Their Families.
Miss Fountain City, Amanda M. Lawler, 21, of Santa Claus, Ga., goes to Valdosta State University, majoring in communication arts. Her platform is Dyslexia Is My Gift.
Miss Troup County, Hayley N. Henderson, 23, of Columbus, goes to Columbus State University, majoring in communication and marketing. Her platform is March of Dimes: Spreading Awareness That One Day All Babies Will Be Born Healthy By Preventing Birth Defects, Premature Births and Infant Mortality.
Miss Altamaha, Kayla E. Kirkland, 18, of Millen, Ga., goes to the University of Georgia, majoring in pharmacy. Her platform is Childhood Hunger.
Miss Conyers Cherry Blossom, Lauren F. Edmunds, 24, of Americus, Ga., goes to the University of Georgia, majoring in furnishings and interiors. Her platform is Breast Cancer: Fighting the Fear.
Miss Clermont, Lia Racanelli, 23, of Athens, Ga., goes to the University of Georgia, majoring in publication management and printmaking. Her platform is Silence the Cycle: Intimate Partner Violence Awareness and Prevention.
Miss Whitewater, Katherine McCauley, 20, of Marietta, Ga., goes to Kennesaw State University, majoring in theater and communications. Her platform is the Children's Miracle Network hospitals.
The Gamma Group competes in swimsuit tonight.
Miss Cobb County, Maggie Bridges, 20, of Brinson, Ga.
Miss Shorter University, Merrilee J. LaVilla, 20, of Acworth, Ga.
Miss Fulton County, Gabrielle S. Booth, 22,of Snellville, Ga.
Miss Gwinnett County, Shelby L. Rice, 22, of Columbus.
Miss Valdosta State University, Sara E. Whetsell, 21, of Thomasville, Ga.
Miss Statesboro High School, Madison D. Phillips, 18, of Statesboro, Ga.
Miss Columbus, Willietta T. Grant, 23, of Columbus.
Miss South Central Georgia, Courtney J. Walker, 22, of Bonaire, Ga.
Miss Cherokee Rose, Kristy W. Miller, 22, of Atlanta.
Miss Atlanta, Carly M. Mathis, 22, of Leesburg, Ga.
Miss University of Georgia, Jenna L. Jackson, 23, of Fayetteville, Ga..
Miss Georgia Southern University, Reedi M. Hawkins, 21, of Albany, Ga.
Miss Southeast Georgia, Colleen A. Stafford, 21, of St. Simons Island, Ga.
The Alpha Group competes in talent tonight.Miss Warner Robins, Charlene M. Bibeau, 22, of Warner Robins, Ga., will play "Piano Concerto in A-Minor."
Miss Georgia State University, Emily L. Diamond, 21, of Cumming, Ga., will sing "Man of La Mancha."
Miss Capital City, Jazmine A. Scroggins, 23, of Atlanta, will sing "There's a Winner in You."
Miss Augusta, Kendyl R. Pennington, 19, of Augusta, Ga., will sing "I Dreamed a Dream."
Miss Heart of the City, Mary Ashley Tucker, 22, of Woodstock, Ga., will sing "Let Me Be Your Star."
Miss Conyers, MacKenzie Marable, 18, of Rome, Ga., will do a lyrical dance to "A Thousand Years."
Miss Lake Lanier, Meredith E. Crawley, 20, of Marietta, Ga., will sing "Don't Cry for Me Argentina."
Miss Historic Southern Plains, Amarinda E. Trear, 22, of Flowery Branch, Ga., will sing "Vole Mon Ange."
Miss Tri Rivers, Michelle K. Johnson, 21, of Warner Robins, Ga.,will sing "The Wizard and I."
Miss Rockdale County, Heather K. Burgess, 18, of Woodstock, Ga., will dance to "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."
Miss Savannah River, Madison P. Brett, 21, of Kite, Ga., will dance to "Proud Mary."
Miss Golden Isles, Carmella M. Turner, 23, of Baxley, Ga., will sing "Love Is Where You Find It.",
Miss East Georgia State College, Austin M. Carruth, 20, of Swainsboro, Ga., will sing "In His Eyes.",
The 41 2013 Outstanding Teen contestants are also in three groups.
The Omega Group competes in evening wear and onstage question and answer tonight.Troup County's Outstanding Teen, Ansley T. Hawkins, 14, of Dallas, Ga., attends Mount Paran Christian School. Her platform is Stop Diabetes: Diabetes Awareness.
Macon's Outstanding Teen, Malone K. Powell, 15, of Macon, Ga., attends Deerfield Windsor School. Her platform is Home Is Where the Heart Is: Homelessness in America.
Fulton County's Outstanding Teen, Cassidy A. Starling, 15, of Canton, Ga., attends Blessed Trinity Catholic High School. Her platform: "Medicine and cosmetics have historically been tested on animals and often the testing is done in inhumane ways creating great discomfort, paine and even death in animals. I want to raise awareness that alternative testing methods do exist and animals should not be used."
North Georgia Mountains's Outstanding Teen, Olivia A. Grego, 14, of LaGrange, Ga., attends Troup County Comprehensive High School. Her platform is Stopping Seizures Now!: Raising Awareness for Epilepsy.
West Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Rachel A. Harry, 17, of LaGrange, attends LaGrange High School. Her platform is Healthy Smiles for Self-Esteem.
Marietta's Outstanding Teen, Kelly K. Hutchinson, 15, of Marietta, Ga., attends Harrison High School. Her platform is Activist for the American Cancer Society.
Hummingbird Festival's Outstanding Teen, Mallory E. Daniel, 16, of Martinez, Ga., attends Evans High School. Her platform is Volunteerism: Inspiring America's Youth Through Volunteers of America.
University of Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Courtney N. Grap, 17, of Dacula, Ga., attends Dacula High School. Her platform is Go Bare for a Cure.
Starr's Mills's Outstanding Teen, Emma M. Wernecke, 15, of Peachtree City, Ga., attends Starr's Mills High School. Her platform is CURE Childhood Cancer.
Magnolia Midland's Outstanding Teen, Allie Griffis, 15, of Eastman, Ga., attends Dodge County High School. Her platform is Teen Maze: Your Life, Your Choice, helping youth understand the choices and consequences they encounter in their everyday lives.
Cherokee Fair's Outstanding Teen, Sydney P. Lee, 15, of Cairo, Ga., attends Cairo High School and Bainbridge State College. Her platform in Promoting Civic Awareness Among Today's Youth.
Rockdale County's Outstanding Teen, McKayla A. Futral, 16, of Walnut Grove, Ga., attends Walnut Grove High School. Her platform is Help Us Solve the Cruel Mystery of Lupus.
Cobb County's Outstanding Teen, Abby Quarles, 16, of Marietta, Ga., attends Johnson Ferry Christian Academy. Her platform is Arts for All -- Emphasizing that Art Is Smart.
Savannah River's Outstanding Teen, Karson A. Pennington, 15, of Martinez, Ga., attends Lakeside High School. Her platform is Reach Out and Read ... Promoting Literacy Among Georgia's Youths.
The Tau Group competes in fitness tonight.Fayette County's Outstanding Teen, Sarah E. Stallings, 16, of McDonough, Ga.
Coastal Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Bentley A. Wright, 14, of Vidalia, Ga.
Emanuel County's Outstanding Teen, Ivey H. Rowland, 13, of Wrightsville, Ga.
International City's Outstanding Teen, Carmen N. Foskey, 17, of Warner Robins, Ga.
Historic Southern Plains' Outstanding Teen, Taylor L. Peterson, 17, of Kathleen, Ga.
Altamaha's Outstanding Teen, Sarah C. DeLoach, 16, of Claxton, Ga.
Coastal Empire's Outstanding Teen, Jada M. Ussery, 15.
Tri Rivers' Outstanding Teen, Cassie V. Cothern, 15, of Alma, Ga.
Southeast Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Caitlan Coleman, 17, of Meeks, Ga.
Heart of the City's Outstanding Teen, Leila A. Collins, 16, of Edison, Ga.
Chattahoochee Valley's Outstanding Teen, Kyndall B. Ellis, 16, of Columbus.
Capital City's Outstanding Teen, Anna C. Tucker, 16, of Acworth, Ga.
Augusta's Outstanding Teen, Mollie L. Allen, 15, of Augusta, Ga.
South Central Georgia's Outstanding Teen, Caroline E. Carroll, 17, of Americus, Ga.
The Sigma Group competes in talent tonight.Gwinnett County's Outstanding Teen, Ashleigh C. Proctor, 16, of Martinez, Ga., will tap to "Big Time."
Lake Lanier's Outstanding Teen, Analise A. Kucera, 16, of Suwanee, Ga., will do a lyrical dance to "The Voice Within."
Rome's Outstanding Teen, Taylor McCoy, 17, of Dallas, Ga., will sing "Bring Me to Life."
Golden Isles' Outstanding Teen, Courtney R. Cochran. 17, of Sale City, Ga., will sing "Girl in 14G."
Warner Robins' Outstanding Teen, Sydney P. Hillman, 17, of Augusta, Ga., will sing "Ave Maria."
Columbus' Outstanding Teen, Anna L. Maley, 16, of Cataula, Ga., will do a lyrical dance to "Let Me Be Your Star."
Greater Atlanta's Outstanding Teen, Elizabeth "Lizzie" K. Stanford, 14, of Cuthbert, Ga., will dance a ballet en pointe to "Gypsy Rhapsody."
Cherokee Rose's Outstanding Teen, Kelly G. Donoghue, 17, of Marietta, Ga., will sing "His Eye Is on the Sparrow"/"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."
Fountain City's Outstanding Teen, Ashton T. Leddon, 15, of Columbus, will sing "Mr. Paganini."
Conyers Cherry Blossom's Outstanding Teen, Kelly A. Rasmovich, 16, of Cumming, Ga., will do an acro/dance to "If I Had You."
Conyers' Outstanding Teen, Judith E. Higgins, 13, of Columbus, will do an acro/jazz dance to "The Time of My Life."
Atlanta's Outstanding Teen, EmmaKate Few, 14, of Augusta, Ga., will clog to "Are You Ready for a Miracle?"
Wayne County's Outstanding Teen, Cara Laine Sims, 17, will dance to "Celebrate."
The judges this year are Marina Harrison Cooper, Jack Cooper, Glenn Davis, Osjha Anderson Domenicone and Charlie Curry Vantramp.
Marina Cooper is deputy chief of staff to the president of Towson University, Maryland's second largest university. In her 18 months in the Miss America Pageant, she earned more than $50,000, allowing her to graduate from the University of Maryland debt-free. She is the only woman from Maryland to compete in both Miss America and Miss USA. She lives in Baltimore with her husband, Luke, and their two young children.
Jack Cooper is a former educator and was an elementary school principal. He is currently the president of the Miss Oklahoma Pageant Organization. He splits his time between Tulsa, Okla., and Dallas, Texas. He is the Southwest/West Regional curriculum specialist sales manager for Pearson, the largest educational solutions and publishing company in the world.
Davis is a former major league baseball player who played mostly for the Houston Astros and the Baltimore Orioles. In Columbus, where he retired from baseball, he is a Columbus City Councilor. He and his wife, Teresa, started Carpenter's Way, a faith-based, long-term residential care ministry. He serves on the advisory board of Methodist Children's Ministries. He and wife have three daughters.
Domenicone is the 1999 Miss Georgia. In the 2000 Miss America Pageant, she won the Bert Parks Memorial Talent Award. As Miss Georgia, she traveled more than 50,000 miles advocating character education. She had already graduated from Agnes Scott College when she won the title. After her year of service, she returned to the University of Georgia, where she received her juris doctorate in 2002 and became a member of the Georgia State Bar. She is currently the corporate counsel and director of governmental affairs for Select Management resources. She lives in Alpharetta, with her husband, Mike, and three daughters.
Vantramp is on the board of trustees for the Washington Scholarship Organization and the Tacoma-Pierce Country Chaplaincy Board. Reared in a military family, she has traveled all over the world and lived in Columbus while her husband, Raleigh, was in the U.S. Army. They own Dove Family Dentistry, where she works in the Human Resources Department.
Tickets are $65 tonight and $85 on Saturday.
Call the box office at 706-256-3612.


text:
Pakistan 'Robin Hood' aims to wrest election from rich
With a flick of the reins, Jamshed Dasti launched his run for Pakistan's parliament from the back of a donkey cart, cantering through the rutted streets of his home town to file his nomination papers as supporters erupted into cheers.world Updated: May 03, 2013 15:55 IST
With a flick of the reins, Jamshed Dasti launched his run for Pakistan's parliament from the back of a donkey cart, cantering through the rutted streets of his home town to file his nomination papers as supporters erupted into cheers.
With the opening act in his campaign unfolding exactly as planned, Dasti beamed the beatific smile of a man who might look like an underdog, but who is sure he has the momentum to humble his wealthy rivals at next month's general elections.
His choice of transport was no accident: Dasti wants to persuade poor voters that Muzaffargarh, a farming district in Punjab province long ruled by a Pajero-driving, land-owning aristocracy, is about to change forever.
For his biggest rivals are none other than the Khar dynasty, which has wielded huge influence in the district for decades, and whose most famous heiress, Hina Rabbani Khar, was foreign minister until last month.
"Because of me, people have realized they can have a better life," Dasti said. "Their poor neighbour is now running for elections against the lords of a vast kingdom. How can this not give them hope?"
The son of an illiterate labourer and part-time wrestler, Dasti is a rare example of how a man of modest means can mount a credible challenge to a patronage system prevalent in Punjab where the landed elite can perpetuate their grip on power by intimidating tenants or buying votes with bribes.
His campaign feeds a broader hope that the May elections - against a backdrop of Taliban attacks, record sectarian unrest, chronic power cuts and a near-failed economy - can boost Pakistan's fraught experiment with democracy by proving that voters in at least some areas have a chance to elect somebody not much different to themselves.
Unlike some would-be giant-killers who have little hope at the polls, which will mark Pakistan's first transition between civilian-led governments, Dasti is no rank outsider.
After years working as a community volunteer, he was elected to the local council before winning a seat in the National Assembly at the last elections in 2008 on a ticket for President Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party.
This time, as an independent, he will run for his own constituency and a neighbouring constituency that places him on a collision course with Ghulam Rabbani Khar, a prominent land owner and Hina Rabbani Khar's father.
While the Khars may have a fight on their hands, Hina Rabbani Khar believes Dasti's philanthropy is overblown.
"People call him Robin Hood but things really aren't that simple," Khar said with a wry smile at her family estate in the region of rippling wheat fields and cotton plantations. Read: Once a landlord's serf, a Hindu Pakistani woman enters election fray
Khar's signature style - silk blouse, pearls, chiffon head scarf perfectly in place - cuts a stark contrast to Dasti's visibly unironed clothes and sandals.
Dasti appeared to relish his role as an underdog this month when he spent a week in jail over allegations he had submitted a fake degree certificate in his nomination papers. The charges were later withdrawn.
"When I was growing up and began to understand how the system worked, I promised that as surely as I had drunk my mother's milk, I would beat this system," Dasti told Reuters in the superintendent's office at the jail in the nearby city of Multan, before being led back to his cell.
But the disillusionment with land owners in Muzaffargarh notwithstanding, Khar is herself admired in Pakistan for breaking the patriarchal mould of many landed families who would never contemplate allowing a daughter her advanced education or to play such a public role on the global stage.
Lawmaker and bus driver
With the majority of Pakistan's electorate living in the countryside, the outcome of the polls in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province and its political heartland, will undoubtedly be shaped by big, land-owning families.
But Dasti's popularity suggests that the dynamic may be in flux as Pakistan becomes accustomed to holding regular elections and the military, which has interrupted politics in the past, remains in its barracks.
As a student, Dasti, who enjoys reciting poetry inspired by the Marxist philosophy of class struggle, published a weekly newsletter, garnishing its smudged pages with editorials against feudalism. He went door to door collecting donations and started Muzaffargarh's first free ambulance service. People nicknamed him "Mr 15" - after the police emergency telephone number.
Even when he won a National Assembly seat, he continued to work one 15-hour shift a week as an unpaid driver for a free bus service he started. Read: Pak's aristocracy losing political control
"He comes to the stop at six in the morning and sits down with the drivers for breakfast," said Mohammad Sharif, a barber. "Have you seen anything like this: a member of the National Assembly who drives a bus?"
When Pakistan was ravaged by floods in 2010, Dasti cemented his popularity by accusing land owners of using their influence over irrigation officials to divert the water to spare their land and submerge peasant plots.
His campaign strikes a particular chord in a country where the average legislator has assets of $800,000, but where almost 70 per cent of them did not file tax returns last year, according the Center for Investigative Reporting in Pakistan.
Dasti too is shadowed by controversy. Critics say he appears to have become wealthier since winning the National Assembly seat and question how he pays for the fuel that runs his buses. But he is judged by most for his work in the community.
"You can call Dasti at 1am and he will get on a motor bike to help you," said Mohammad Nawaz Gul, a vegetable seller. "I've never even seen Hina's face." Read: Taliban, taboos keep Pakistani women from voting
So confident is Dasti of victory that he left the PPP in March to run as an independent, reluctant to remain in a party in which his rivals - the Khars - are such prominent stalwarts.
Hina Rabbani Khar's imposing house lies at the end of a tree-lined approach road through the family's 1,500-acre estate. On the manicured lawns, Khar's nieces and nephews joined a cricket game with village children while her two daughters played with pet rabbits as waiters hovered.
Khar said her family had made a big contribution to the area by building a free school for girls, introducing more efficient farming techniques and treating workers on its farms fairly.
"Dasti couldn't appear big until he created an enemy," Khar said. "We don't have serfs working for us. We are professional farmers and educated people."
Khar said Muzaffargarh could no longer be described in terms of peasants' servitude to land owners who control vote banks.
"Because of the media and the practice of democracy, people's lives and awareness have changed in the last decade. Anyone who tells you people are being treated like slaves and intimidated for votes is lying."
But Dasti insists that pent-up frustration over the gulf between the haves and have-nots will ride him to victory in May.
Lying at the end of a narrow lane, the small family home where he lives with his mother symbolises his everyman appeal.
"The door of this little house is always open," Dasti's sister, Hafeez Bibi, said. "We are not like those who wash their hands after touching a poor farmer."
First Published: Apr 28, 2013 16:29 IST


text:
Next Episode of Squidbillies is
Squidbillies is an American animated television series on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. An unofficial pilot for the series aired on April 1, 2005; the series later made its official debut on October 16, 2005. The series is about the Cuyler family, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly mud squids living in the Georgia region of the Appalachian Mountains. The series revolves around the exploits of an alcoholic father (Early), who is often abusive in a comedic way towards his family. His teenage son, Rusty, is desperate for his approval; his mother, known in the show as Granny, is often the center of his aggression; and Lil, his sister, is mostly unconscious in a pool of her own vomit.
There have been a total of 95 episodes during the show's nine seasons. The series also airs in syndication in other countries and has been released on various DVD sets and other forms of home media, including on demand streaming of the first two seasons on Netflix. (source: en.wikipedia.org)
Patricia French(Lil Cuyler)
Mary Kraft(Krystal)
Dana Snyder(Granny Cuyler)
Charles Napier(Sheriff)
Dave Willis(Narrator)
Bobby F. Ellerbee(Sheriff)
Scott Hilley(Reverend)
Todd Hanson(Dan Halen)
Unknown Hinson(Early Cuyler)
Daniel McDevitt(Russell 'Rusty' Cuyler)
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


text:
Homepage>Photography tours>parlamen house
Join our photography tour Stockholm, Copenhagen or Gothenburg. With our photo tours you discover the city in a whole new way.You get an opportunity to evolve your photography skills and see the city at the same time. On the tour is always a professional photographer who shows you how to catch the city's beautiful environment. We teach you how to expose, compose and set the camera settings for best results. You get many tips and tricks on photography and at the end of the tour you will learn more about the city while you have postcard-like images to your photo album. City Photo Tour has several tours. There is an exciting nightphotography tour where we capture the evening light and the lighttrails of cars. We also have a daytour where we walk through different areas if the city and catch the pulse of the city. Or join us on some of the other tours we offer.
We promise you a very inspiring photography tour workshop regardless of your choice.
Agent login Affiliate Sign up
© Copyright 2019 Cityphototour. All rights reserved.


text: Smallholder farmers are the backbone of rural development and economic growth in Bangladesh -- and the key to ultimately eliminating widespread poverty and hunger. Today, more than ever, smallholder farmers and rural communities need access to information to make their voices heard and change their lives for the better. However, most rural communities are not only resource-poor, but also information poor. They are seldom involved in policy circles at the national, regional or international levels. This is considered one of the major setbacks to transforming rural areas in an inclusive and sustainable way. The objective of this event is to make communication for development an integral part of rural development policies and programs. By bringing the media along with other stakeholders onboard, the importance of raising awareness, acknowledging the cultural dimensions of rural development and valuing local knowledge, experiential learning, and information sharing will be highlighted. A strong emphasis will also be placed on the active participation of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders in decision-making processes, with the ultimate objective of creating and sustaining a food-secure Bangladesh


text:
SIMOWOOD made of Resysta®
As versatile as wood, as pliable as plastic
In recognition of its outstanding versatility, SIMOWOOD made of Resysta® was chosen for the exterior area of the mHouse in Watertown, Wisconsin. "m" stands for "materialicious" - the mHouse offers a treasure trove of innovative materials for facade and interior design.
SIMOWOOD: the appearance of wood, the durability of plastic. It is precisely these properties that proved decisive when selecting the materials to be used in the mHouse. The sheets were used in three different parts of the project: the grey facade of the chimney and the kitchen section, the anthracite eaves and as a horizontal cover for the knee wall next to the main entrance. The clinching argument for the use of SIMOWOOD - in particular for the horizontal coping - was the fact that, unlike wood, it does not swell.
Special properties
- Moisture-resistant, no swelling
- Weatherproof
- Fine wood appearance and haptics
- Processing capabilities similar to wood and plastic
- Sanding and glazing for a personalised finish
- No splintering
- Resistant to fungal growth and termites


text: Billy Castro is a big ole' pervert. Food, dessert, pies, and double fisting are many of the things he loves. If you like it wet and messy, then you will love what he's doing in the kitchen. Billy knew you were cumming so he fucked a cake.Tags: back, Billy Castro, chocolate cake, demin, dessert, eater, eating, feeder, finger licking, food sex, ftm, Heavenly Spire, jeans, jerk off, jock strap, kinky, love rough sex, masturbation, muscles, pie, pie fucking, service top, Solo, straight, tattoos, trans, WAM, and wet and messy. Performers: Billy Castro.


text:
MILPITAS, Calif., Apr 27, 2016 - SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash storage solutions, today announced results for the first quarter ended April 3, 2016. First quarter revenue of $1.37 billion increased 3 percent on a year-over-year basis and decreased 11 percent sequentially.
On a GAAP(1) basis, first quarter net income was $78 million, or $0.37 per share, compared to net income of $39 million, or $0.17 per share, in the first quarter of 2015 and net income of $135 million, or $0.65 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2015.
On a non-GAAP(2)(3) basis, first quarter net income was $167 million, or $0.82 per share, compared to net income of $134 million, or $0.62 per share, in the first quarter of 2015 and net income of $257 million, or $1.26 per share, in the fourth quarter of 2015. For a reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP results, see accompanying financial tables and footnotes.
"Our first quarter results mark a solid start to 2016," said Sanjay Mehrotra, president and chief executive officer of SanDisk. "We delivered year-over-year growth in revenue, earnings and cash flow, and are pleased with the strength of our Q1 revenue in enterprise solutions, client SSDs and removable products. We are excited about the opportunities ahead as the combination of SanDisk and Western Digital will provide our customers with a tremendous breadth of solutions and deep expertise in storage across a range of applications."
In light of the pending acquisition of SanDisk by Western Digital Corporation ("Western Digital"), SanDisk will not hold a conference call to discuss its financial results. Concurrent with this press release, SanDisk has published business and financial commentary along with earnings presentation materials on its website at www.sandisk.com/ir.
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company, is a global leader in flash storage solutions. For more than 25 years, SanDisk has expanded the possibilities of storage, providing trusted and innovative products that have transformed the electronics industry. Today, SanDisk's quality, state-of-the-art solutions are at the heart of many of the world's largest data centers, and embedded in advanced smartphones, tablets and PCs. SanDisk's consumer products are available at hundreds of thousands of retail stores worldwide. For more information, visit www.sandisk.com.
©2016 SanDisk Corporation. All rights reserved. SanDisk and SanDisk Ultra are trademarks of SanDisk Corporation, registered in the United States and other countries. InfiniFlash is a trademark of SanDisk Corporation. SD is a trademark of SD-3C, LLC. USB Type-C is a trademark of USB Implementers Forum. Other brand names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and may be the trademarks of their respective holder(s).
* Up to 275 MB/s read; up to 100 MB/s write. Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending upon host device, interface, usage conditions and other factors. 1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes
(1) GAAP represents U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
(2) Non-GAAP represents GAAP excluding the impact of share-based compensation, inventory step-up expense, amortization and impairment of acquisition-related intangible assets, Western Digital acquisition-related expenses, gains and losses related to the shortened duration and expected liquidation prior to their effective maturity of marketable securities due to the pending acquisition of SanDisk by Western Digital, gains and losses due to the modifications and terminations of warrants, non-cash economic interest expense associated with the convertible senior notes, non-cash change in fair value of the liability component of the convertible senior notes due to the conversion of a portion of the 1.5% Convertible Senior Notes due 2017 and related tax adjustments.
(3) Non-GAAP diluted shares are adjusted for the impact of expensing share-based compensation and include the impact of offsetting shares from the call options related to the convertible senior notes.
(4) Net cash is defined as cash, cash equivalents, short and long-term marketable securities, minus the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding convertible senior notes.
(5) Free cash flow is defined as net cash provided by operating activities less (a) acquisition of property and equipment, net, and (b) net investment and notes receivables activity with Flash Ventures. Calculation of free cash flow may not agree to the sum of the components presented due to rounding.
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements, including those regarding our pending acquisition by Western Digital, industry environment, our business prospects, our intended financial, operational and strategic plans and priorities, our future financial performance and market share, our customer base, customer qualifications and product mix, technology trends and adoption, strategic relationships, and new products and technologies, that are based on our current expectations and involve numerous risks and uncertainties that may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate.
Risks that may cause these forward-looking statements to be inaccurate include, among others:
All statements made in this news release are made only as of the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to update the information in this release in the event facts or circumstances change after the date of this release.
All references to annual and quarterly periods refer to our fiscal year and fiscal quarters.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this document, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements are based on SanDisk Corporation's ("SanDisk") current expectations, estimates and projections about the proposed merger, its business and industry, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by SanDisk and Western Digital, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Examples of such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, references to the anticipated benefits of the proposed merger and the expected date of closing of the merger with Western Digital's wholly-owned subsidiary, Schrader Acquisition Corporation. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.
Important risk factors that may cause such a difference in connection with the proposed merger include, but are not limited to, the following factors: (1) the failure to satisfy conditions to completion of the merger, including the receipt of all regulatory approvals related to the merger; (2) uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation of the merger and the ability of each party to consummate the merger; (3) risks that the proposed merger disrupts the current plans and operations of Western Digital or SanDisk; (4) the ability of Western Digital and SanDisk to retain and hire key personnel; (5) competitive responses to the proposed merger; (6) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the merger; (7) the outcome of any legal proceedings that could be instituted against Western Digital, SanDisk or their respective directors related to the merger agreement; (8) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the merger; (9) the inability to obtain, or delays in obtaining, cost savings and synergies from the merger; (10) delays, challenges and expenses associated with integrating the combined companies' existing businesses and the indebtedness planned to be incurred in connection with the merger; and (11) legislative, regulatory and economic developments. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the proposed merger, are more fully discussed in the joint proxy statement/prospectus that is included in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with the proposed merger. The forward-looking statements in this document speak only as of the date of the particular statement. Neither SanDisk nor Western Digital undertakes any obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement to reflect future events or circumstances.
In addition, actual results are subject to other risks and uncertainties that relate more broadly to SanDisk's overall business, including those more fully described in SanDisk's filings with the SEC including its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2016, and its quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q for fiscal year 2015, and Western Digital's overall business and financial condition, including those more fully described in Western Digital's filings with the SEC including its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 3, 2015 and its quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q for the current fiscal year.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. Western Digital filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4 which includes a joint proxy statement/prospectus of SanDisk and Western Digital. The Registration Statement on Form S-4 was declared effective on February 5, 2016. Each of SanDisk and Western Digital are providing the joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective stockholders. SanDisk and Western Digital also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed merger. This document is not a substitute for the joint proxy statement/prospectus or registration statement or any other document which SanDisk or Western Digital may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed merger. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF SANDISK AND WESTERN DIGITAL ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER. You may obtain copies of all documents filed with the SEC regarding this merger, free of charge, at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). In addition, copies of the documents filed with the SEC by SanDisk will be available free of charge on SanDisk's website at https://www.sandisk.com. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Western Digital will be available free of charge on Western Digital's website at http://www.westerndigital.com.
Source: SanDisk Corporation
Investor Contacts:
Jay Iyer
408-801-2067, email@example.com
Brendan Lahiff
408-801-1732, firstname.lastname@example.com
Media Contact:
Laura Bakken
408-801-7653, email@example.com


text:
|Safe Haskell
Module used for JPEG file loading and writing.
decodeJpeg :: ByteString -> Either String DynamicImageSource
Try to decompress a jpeg file and decompress. The colorspace is still
YCbCr if you want to perform computation on the luma part. You can
convert it to RGB using
This function can output the following pixel types :
- PixelY8
- PixelYCbCr8
|:: Word8
Quality factor
|-> Image PixelYCbCr8
Image to encode
|-> ByteString
Encoded JPEG
Function to call to encode an image to jpeg. The quality factor should be between 0 and 100 (100 being the best quality).
encodeJpeg :: Image PixelYCbCr8 -> ByteStringSource
Encode an image in jpeg at a reasonnable quality level.
If you want better quality or reduced file size, you should


text:
Firepower: Made to Order
September 30, 2013
U.S. Army Research Laboratory scientists and engineers are studying ways to make more powerful energetic materials as part of an unconventional research project that investigates how and when a material releases it energy. ARL wants to provide soldiers of the future with the ability to control the amount of firepower delivered at a specific time from a single weapon solution. So from the same weapon, the lethality of a weapon could conceivably blow open a far-away cave of enemy combatants or stop an enemy convoy much closer.
Set apart from other nationally recognized research bodies, ARL has the only group within the Department of Defense or the Department of Energy whose main mission is to use theoretical chemistry and physics to characterize energetic materials properties and behavior, and the discoveries and knowledge coming out of this research area is brand new, and leaps ahead of past research.


text:
Reset password
New here? Create a New Account
Will be publicly displayed with all posts.
ex: email@example.com
Passwords are case-sensitive, be at least 8 characters in length, and must contain at least one special character.
Have an account? login
0 results for
Try a different term, or use the links below to find what you're looking for. If you're really stuck, call an expert at 1.888.276.7130


text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Teenage Employee Harassed by Owner and Manager
SAN JOSE, Calif. – WirelessComm, Inc., a distributor for Metro PCS, violated federal law by subjecting a teen employee to sexual harassment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.
According to the EEOC, the store manager of WirelessComm's Watsonville store subjected then 19-year-old Deisy Mora to ongoing sexual harassment. He frequently commented about her physical appearance, texted her photos of himself and the words "Te quiero" ('I love you' in Spanish), and referred to women in general with slurs and epithets. In addition, the store owner also contributed to the harassment, inviting Mora to travel with him, asking her and others if they were pregnant and, on one occasion, asking her to text photos of herself and other female staff members. Mora worked as a sales person and assistant manager from April 2007 until she felt forced to quit in October 2007 due to the hostile and abusive work environment, the EEOC alleged.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to harass employees based on sex. After first attempting to reach a voluntary settlement, the EEOC filed the lawsuit EEOC v. WirelessComm, Inc. (Case No. C 11-04796 HRL), in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and seeks monetary damages, including back pay, compensation for emotional distress and punitive damages, as well as an injunction to prevent further discrimination.
"Ms. Mora was a teenager at the time. As we have seen in other cases, the harassment affected her emotionally and impacted her self-esteem," said EEOC San Francisco Regional Attorney William R. Tamayo. "Sexual harassment of teen employees is unacceptable. It is critically important that we protect the rights of these particularly vulnerable members of our workforce."
EEOC San Francisco District Director Michael Baldonado added, "The EEOC takes allegations of harassment very seriously, especially when the employees being harassed are teenagers. For many of these employees, this is their first job and the impact of facing discrimination can be life-altering."
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


text:
Happy Halloween presenting my cat, Yun Yun as the Catbus! This year's costume is from Miyazaki's animated film My Neighbor Totoro. It is a classic children film about two sisters' discovery of magical creatures and the adventures they have together. Definitely a CUTE movie … just like my kitties:) So I'm excited to dress up my cats as the Catbus and Totoro. They have the perfect resemblance and spirit of these characters.
Making the costumes was the most fun and I'm happy it turned out so well. I know dressing Bumbe as Totoro will be simple. He is already fat and grey. So I just plucked a leaf, taped it to his head and done! For the Catbus costume, I had to cut out felt fabric and cardboard, added extra legs, sewn and hot glued everything together. Plus the little mice with sparkly eyes act as headlights, which made for the perfect finishing touches. I think this is their best costumes yet! (Although Bumbe and Yun Yun look cute in their other homemade costumes too!)
Can't wait to see everyone's Halloween costumes!


text:
In the Dominican Republic, baseball is king.
We don't need a documentary to tell us this. The list of big-time players with roots there — Pedro Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero, Miguel Tejada, David Ortiz — has long announced the level of talent and attention the sport cultivates. But how many of us knew that 20 percent of major and minor leaguers in the United States now come from there. And who's paying attention to the good, bad, and ugly of how they are treated along the way?
That's why we need "Ballplayer: Pelotero," a well-crafted, bravely revealing little film that could be considered essential education for baseball fans. It's just a bonus that the documentary is so entertaining.
"Pelotero" (the Spanish word for ballplayer) has the look and feel of many other modest films about athletes coming up through the "system." It begins with shots of dusty ballfields and dedicated young prospects being put through their paces: They hit fat tires with bats to strengthen their swings; they shag fly balls and chase grounders deep into the evening, all while trainers and scouts keep close watch, adding up the potential profits in their heads.
"It's like when you go and harvest the land," one trainer says of the players he has helped broker for Major League Baseball. "You put the seed in . . . water it . . . and when it grows, you sell it."
"Ballplayer: Pelotero" is full of such crass, unfiltered comments. Later someone says of a top prospect, "He smells like a major leaguer." What he means is: "He smells like money."
The documentary focuses on two teenagers, Jean Carlos Batista and Miguel Angel Sano, as both approach the critical July 2 international signing day when Dominican 16-year-olds annually become eligible to accept offers from major league teams. Players not locked up by that date drop significantly in value. Batista and Sano are expected to fetch sums in the millions of dollars (most say Sano is the top prospect on the island), but it's 2009 and the film presents insiders who predict that MLB will do "something" to roll back rapidly escalating signing bonuses. You see where this is headed.
Sano and Batista are poor. Batista's father died when the boy was 10, after teaching him to play ball and imploring him to take care of the family. Batista wears that responsibility like a hat full of stones — he's a bright young man with shimmering eyes, but he doesn't always seem emotionally equipped for the harsh realities of a career in baseball. His trainer, coach, and surrogate father is Astin Jacobo, who does seem realistic and genuinely invested, maybe not just for the standard 35 percent he will make if Batista is signed.
Sano is less mature (his nickname is "Bocatón" — Big Mouth). He's a smiley-faced power hitter surrounded by extended family who hang on his every move, hoping (demanding, really) that he will be their ticket to a better life. There's a thick sense of entitlement on both sides of the equation. Sano's supporters insist he's worth as much as $6 million. Major League Baseball says (indirectly, since the organization refused to participate in the film) he's worth whatever the market says he's worth, and bidders have a right to be certain he is the player he claims to be. When the league asks for extensive documentation of his age and lineage (birth records, school reports, bone scans, DNA tests . . .), Sano cooperates fully but the lingering uncertainty threatens his July 2 value. Anyone caught lying about such things is automatically suspended from the signing process for a year.
With the help of a savvy homegrown soundtrack and editor Mary Manhardt, "Pelotero" directors Ross Finkel, Trevor Martin, and Jonathan Paley build the drama in a way that echoes 1994's "Hoop Dreams": Will any of these kids make it to the pros? Their film doesn't deliver the kind of richly rewarding character portrait we saw in "Sugar," Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's 2009 film about fictional Dominican pitcher Miguel "Sugar" Santos. But it makes us care quite a lot about Batista and Sano and even a few others, no small accomplishment in a fast-paced film of only 72 minutes.
"Ballplayer: Pelotero" credits Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine as an executive producer. He's not in the film, and no matter what you think of his on-field abilities, his movie should be allowed to stand on its own merits. MLB says the film contains "inaccuracies and misrepresentations," but it did increase regulation of the Dominican system after filming finished. A much-talked-about scene involving hidden-camera footage of Pittsburgh Pirates scout Rene Gayo plays out like an amateur-hour sting: Gayo allegedly offers to make the age investigation go away if Sano signs with his team. But the Sano family's camera cuts out halfway through, so all that's captured is the audio.
There are no pure villains in this film — nor heroes, for that matter. Almost everyone has an interest in the financial outcome of the process, and that includes the Dominican government, which shrugs off complaints about the MLB "monopoly," which is pumping cash into the country, and all those who benefit, directly or indirectly, when a player signs. Are teenagers really being exploited when they are offered thousands and sometimes millions of dollars to hone their skills playing a game that could make them even richer in the years ahead? Or is this an unsustainable system that, like so much of pro sports compensation, begs to be revisited?
Ultimately that's for MLB and its partners to answer. For moviegoers, at least for now, there's a worthwhile documentary to get you up to speed.
Janice Page can be reached at email@example.com.