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Tag Archives: Mariners
Are the Mariners' days of future already past?
If the line is "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times", then Seattle is truly a tale of two cities. Whereas the glow from the Seahawks' Superbowl win still envelops the city, the Mariners have nearly exhausted any goodwill from their fanbase.
70 wins. The Seattle Mariners have averaged 70 wins over the last five years. They have been long-term cellar-dwellers in the AL West until the arrival of the Houston Astros. What's worse is that the despair of losing has at times given way to acts of absurdity.
- Outfielder Eric Byrnes' failed squeeze attempt was amongst the strangest at bats ever by a Seattle Mariner. So embarrassed after the gamer, Byrnes sped away on his bike through the clubhouse hallway past reporters and general manager Jack Zduriencik.
- Richie Sexson, who was unfortunately the last to know that his career was over, tried to spark the team by charging the mound on a pitch that was OUTSIDE. Bonus marks for throwing his helmet with the form of a 12 year old.
- When shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt wasn't displaying a lack of discipline at the plate, he was ignoring his own outfielders calls on plays in the field. Let's just say that his horrific collision with outfielder Endy Chavez was the worst, but not the only example of his defensive recklessness.
- The wife of outfielder Carlos Peguero was charged after defrauding Felix Hernandez's wife of thousands of dollars at Saks Fifth Avenue.
This type of behavior is clearly not conducive to winning, but it also makes the team difficult for fans to rally behind. However, it wasn't just the players that were sucked into this bipolar vortex. A long line of managers have sacrificed a good measure of their physical and mental health during these times.
- Mike Hargrove thought so much of his lot that he quit during an eight game winning streak.
- His mild-mannered replacement John Mclaren was, well not so mild-mannered after months of losing. His public meltdown at a post-game presser was an instant classic.
- Chone Figgins took to actually fighting with manager Don Wakamatsu in the dugout.
- Poor Eric Wedge was subject not only to terrible play, but also suffered a stroke during the season!
Crazy behavior aside, the team's losing on the field has led to dwindling crowds at the gate. During the most recent offseason, Seattle Times reporter Geoff Baker penned an eye-opening piece that pointed to wide-spread dysfunction in the Mariners' front office. The team of GM Jack Zduriencik, President Chuck Armstrong and CEO Howard Lincoln appear to be so flawed that players, managers and coaches are at a competitive disadvantage.
Even when opportunity presents itself, it is unclear that the Mariners are capable of capitalizing. The team signed a new television deal that will provide far more financial flexibility. Not that money was ever the biggest problem, remember they were the first team to lose 100 games with a $100 million roster. Their biggest offseason acquisition was ex-Yankee Robinson Cano (31 years old) to a 10 year deal that is sure to create problems at its tail end. On its face, it is a bad deal, bit the Mariners needed legitimacy and had to overpay to get it. They needed a veteran position player who could lead the youngsters and a bat in the middle of their order. Cano fits the bill, at least for the near future. For Roberto Alomar, Craig Biggio and Jeff Kent, their WAR fell off a cliff between the ages of 34-35, so it is unlikely that Cano will be helping much at age 40.
Then there was the curious case of Randy Wolf. Brought in this spring to compete with Scott Baker to provide veteran depth as the fifth starter, Wolf won the spot, or so it appeared. With Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker due back by May, the team asked Wolf to sign a waiver that would allow the team to release him after 45 days. Wolf balked, contending that the two parties had not agreed to such an arrangement at the beginning of spring training. The move was curious considering: 1) Wolf would only make $1 million as their fifth starter and; 2) the Mariners will have at least three rookies in the starting rotation and will likely need someone to eat innings late in the season. Instead, Wolf left and the Mariners signed 34 year old Chris Young to a $1.25 million contract
Still, the fortunes of this team rest on its youth. The Mariners have committed to this rebuild but have yet to see any payoff. Entire coherts have yielded surprisingly little. Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley, Kyle Seager, Michael Saunders and Jesus Montero represented the first wave of talent, with only Seager developing into an everyday player. The poor results thus far give Seattle fans the sinking feeling that the future for these players may have already past. Bringing in veterans Raul Ibanez, Mike Morse, Jason Bay and Kendrys Morales as stopgap measures last year gave way to calling up an even younger set of players from AAA.
Then a second wave of Nick Franklin, Brad Miller, Mike Zunino and Abraham Almonte was brought in late last year making the Mariners a very young team indeed. The most alarming fact is that the players in Seattle's system rarely develop. Is this a consequence of poor talent evaluation or poor coaching? It is difficult to say, but with two cohorts of young players without any breakout performances (and more commonly significant regression), the likelihood is that player development throughout the system could stand for some improvement.
All the same, there do exist some glimmers of hope.
Justin Smoak has always possessed an above average eye at the plate while providing steller defense at first. However, Smoak has struggled when he presses to much elevating his strikeout totals. Last year Smoak seemed to turn the corner at the plate, hitting for decent average, but lacking enough power for first base (only 6 homeruns by July). New manager Lloyd McClendon has wisely encouraged him to hit more doubles, which should allow him to play to his strengths. Could 30 homeruns be within reach for Smoak this year? If so, a switching hitting first baseman with power and a good glove will be of great value.
For all the turmoil that Dustin Ackley has been through, it appears that he is settling in to his major league role. Ackley and Seager came up together after being drafted in 2009. After their first offseason, Seager gained considerable weight, while Ackley remained quite light. Seager immediately showed much more authority at the plate, while Ackley started adopting a slap-hitting approach. Losing his confidence, Ackley bottomed out last year when Wedge questioned his aggressiveness and demoted him to AAA. Note: my favorite Ackley picture below after going down two strikes on balls he couldn't hit (and were outside). This year, Ackley looks like he has gained some weight and is swinging much more aggressively to all fields.
Shortstop Brad Miller (24) and catcher Mike Zunino (23) have both looked good early this spring. Gaining consistency will be their challenge in 2014, but they have both flashed a level of genuine talent at the big league level.
James Paxton is expected to hold a starting spot throughout the season. He excelled during his call up last September and continued that success early this year. As the graph below illustrates, Paxton was able to vary the speed of his pitches very well in his first start. He stuck out nine over seven innings and looked like he belongs.
The success of the team in the spring will also depend on the patchwork pitching staff. The starting rotation needs to find a way to bridge to May when the regulars return. The Mariners are taking a risk by asking pitchers that are returning from injury (Chris Young) or exceedingly inexperienced (Roenis Elias) to carry the load. The bullpen may be strained early in the season, so depth right down to AAA will be a pressing issue. Blake Beavan, Brandon Maurer or Lucas Luetge may be called into action before too long. There is a pathway to success, but the margin of error is vanishingly small for this fragile team. We'll see if McClendon can install enough belief in these players to weather the storm.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Mariners, MLB Comments Off
Ken Griffey Junior was Seattle's biggest star, still is.
[caption id="attachment_1576" align="alignright" width="640"] Seattle loves Ken Griffey Jr.[/caption]
Ken Griffey Jr. entered the Mariners Hall of Fame Saturday and now awaits his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. 46,027 fans filled Safeco Field in a season where fans have rarely filled Safeco Field. The city's longstanding love affair with Junior serves as a reminder of the gulf between the glory of the past versus the struggles of the present.[caption id="attachment_1582" align="alignright" width="150"] Fans lined up around block to get in for Griffey's Hall of Fame night[/caption]
Growing up in Canada I watched many of the Seattle Mariners prospects play for their AAA affiliate, the Calgary Cannons. Edgar Martínez, Tino Martinez, Jay Buhner, Danny Tartabull and even a young Alex Rodriguez all made stops on their way to the big club. However, the one player who never made the trip north was Griffey Jr. Too talented for AAA, "the Kid" jumped directly from AA to the majors as a teenager. So, like everyone else, I watched and admired the growing talent that was Ken Griffey Jr. through his Sportcenter highlights. Before long, he joined the short list of the world's best athletes, Bo, Gretzky, Jordan, Montana and Griffey.
But it wasn't until I moved to Seattle in 2005 that I realized just how much Griffey meant to Seattle. Year after year, the Mariners were awful and at home games, they replayed clips of "The Double" repeatedly. The glow from Junior, an aging Edgar Martinez and Randy Johnson clearly hung over the new Mariners teams. As an outsider, the video tributes seemed strange and a little sad. Here was a team with so little history, that it was celebrating a divisional series as its golden era. Can you imagine the Yankees waxing poetic about the accomplishments of the 2004 team? Seattle was still in love with Griffey and no Alex Rodriguez, John Olerud or Adrian Beltre was going to make them forget their adopted son.
That love was on full display in the summer of 2007 when Junior returned to Safeco Field, known affectionately as "the house that Griffey built". 46,340 fans came out, the sixth largest crowd at the time, to catch a glimpse of the 37 year old "Kid". Standing ovations, ceremonies and an outpouring of appreciation marked the occasion. Again, the whole weekend was a little uncomfortable to an outsider as the Mariners lost 16-1 amid cheers for an opponent. The whole scene was in stark contrast to the venom surrounding A-Rod's return after signing for more money on a lesser team within the division.
No, Griffey was different. He left to play on the team he grew up with. He left to be closer to his family in Florida. He left for less money. The move was logical and understood, but for Seattle fans it didn't hurt any less. He was their first superstar and indeed the city's biggest sports star. Steve Largent, Cortez Kennedy and Walter Jones were (or will be) Hall of Famers, but never ignited imaginations the way Junior did. Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Sean Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck made it deeper into the playoffs, but weren't the face of their sports.
Junior grew up as a player in Seattle just as baseball grew up as a major league attraction in Seattle. Indeed, Griffey was so revered because he led the first wave of Mariners success in the 90's. In sports, like life, the first time is always special. A 25 year old Griffey led a talented 1995 Mariners team that included Buhner, Martinez, Johnson, and catcher Dan Wilson. The "Refuse to Lose" crew caught the imagination of a city that had waited two decades for a contender. The Mariners staged a thrilling come from behind pennant before beating the Yankees in the playoffs to cement the teams place in Seattle lore. Later an aging 2000 Mariners team (including a 41 year old Rickey Henderson?) also made it to the ALCS, led by Rodriguez's amazing 40/40 season, but that team is largely forgotten. No, the first time is always the most exhilarating, and the shame of it all is that the 1995 core was never able to advance to the World Series. Losing Johnson and then Griffey slammed the window shut, reminding Seattle how rare such talents were.
During his 2007 speech to the Seattle faithful, Griffey made a not-so subtle reference to his return. It was strange considering that he was playing for the Reds at the time, but the circle was completed when Griffey made his return home in 2009. He was the one star that loved Settle as much as they loved him. Randy was theirs, but he was discontent and traded too early. A-Rod was theirs, but he left them for money and fame. The Sonics were theirs, but left for a city that would build an arena. Griffey left for the right reasons and returned to the city when it was all over. Old girlfriends don't return years later saying "I always remembered you". Griffey did just that. He was the original Mariners star showing the current star, Ichiro how to let the team and city love him. Ichiro, for his part, was ecstatic to play with his childhood hero and it made for a happy ending.
So, the Griffey memories begin to fade together – the backwards hat, the Spiderman catch at the wall, home runs in eight straight games, the all-star homerun off the warehouse in Baltimore and the slide into home. Until the team can provide new memories of success, the images of Griffey will remain frozen in time, a reminder of an electrifying past when the present is so non-descript. The torch has passed to ARod, Ichiro Suzuki and now Felix Hernandez, but the stature of each lacks the added value of team success that can be shared with the city. For now, Griffey is a symbol the very best of the Mariners and the Seattle sports and that is why he is so loved here.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="421"] Not everyone is so loved by Mariners fans[/caption]
Posted in Baseball Tagged Ken Griffey Junior, Mariners, Seattle 4 Comments
Yankees still loom large over Mariners
The Yankees are having a mediocre year. The Yankees are lacking star power. Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez all missing. Still, they had more than enough to eclipse the Seattle Mariners both on and off the field Saturday afternoon. Pitcher Andy Pettitte struck out six batters over 7 1/3 strong innings on the same day his son was drafted by the Yankees. The victory was Pettitte's 250th of his career, earned just before he turns 41.
Mariners' pitcher Joe Saunders had a good outing as well, especially considering that he was working for the first time with a rookie catcher in his first big-league game. Unfortunately, Seattle's offense simply couldn't provide enough support to capitalize on the pitching effort.
Another of NY's veterans, Ichiro Suzuki still casts a formidable shadow over Seattle's right field. The Japanese star may be in the twilight of his career, but he still scored the winning run while patrolling his old turf with style. While statistically the Mariners may not miss Suzuki, his presence was a reminder that the void he left has yet to be filled by any of the team's young talent.
The Yankees' player of the present, however, is Robinson Cano, who drove in the first game's run. Once on board, Cano stole second, taking advantage of rookie catcher Brandon Bantz. Cano is the type of game-changing talent that Seattle has been desperately searching for at second base without success.
The Yankees true star showed up in the ninth inning in the form of Mariano Rivera. Making his final visit to Safeco Field, Rivera is still performing as an elite-level closer. With the Mariners down two runs, there was little doubt that Rivera would lock the game down for the Yankees. The save was Rivera's 630 of his career, or about the same as the top eight closers in Mariners history.
While the Mariners wait for the rewards of their rebuild to truly take hold, Saturday at Safeco Field the Yankees provided a reminder of what true stars look like.
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Mariners in extra innings: A bit of everything
This was a game. Gratification was not instantaneous and only the patient fan was rewarded. But that is part of what makes baseball so unique.
For nine innings at Safeco Field, neither team could score. Seattle Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma and his Chicago White Sox counterpart Dylan Axelrod kept batters off-balance and guessing. In addition, strong defense on both sides helped maintain the scoreless tie. Alex Rios cut down Kyle Seager with a strong throw from right field to home plate. Nick Franklin made a diving stop on a grounder up the middle and in the eighth, Kendry Morales made an amazing juggling catch that landed him two rows into the stands.
Extra innings saw more of the same until the top of the 14th, when the White Sox strung together a series of hits that opened the floodgates. Five runs later, it seemed like a simple mop up job for Addison Reed. Indeed, many of the fans were headed to the exits.
But then the Mariners got a series of singles that saw them down 5-1 with the bases loaded for Kyle Seager. With 2 outs, 2 strikes and after fouling a ball off his foot, Seager did the unthinkable. A grand slam shot that tied the game.
It was the first extra-innings grand slam to tie a game in MLB history. It was the biggest comeback in the 14th inning and set the table for the longest game in Mariners history.
Two innings later, the Sox rallied with Alejandro De Aza, Gordon Beckham and Rios singling in two more runs. This time, the Mariners could not reply and the Sox salvaged a win in the three-game series.
The game was the most entertaining of the season, and perhaps of the past few seasons. The Mariners showed some real fight with a developing combination of youthful energy and veteran leadership. Before the wins can come, the team needs to serve notice to the league that Safeco is a hard place to play. This game is a small step in that direction.
Nick Franklin was a force on the basepaths. Here is the first of his two steals.
Mariners return to Safeco and top White Sox 4-2
Monday night the Mariners returned to Seattle to kick off a 10 game homestand starting with the Chicago White Sox. Joe Saunders continued his dominance at Safeco Field pitching 6 1/3 innings and allowing just one run. The defense was also solid, with shortstop Brendan Ryan and new second baseman Nick Franklin teaming up for a nifty double play in the sixth inning.[caption id="attachment_1488" align="alignright" width="1535"] Second baseman Nick Franklin[/caption]
On offense, Franklin and catcher Jesus Sucre got the Mariners on the board with a pair of singles in the second inning.
Although Kyle Seager got things started with a bunt in the third inning, once again, it was the veterans who supplied the fireworks. Kendry Morales doubled, missing a home run by a few feet. A dafter his 41rst birthday, Raul Ibanez followed with a two-run homerun. The homerun was all the more impressive because it came after a 13 pitch at bat where Ibanez fell behind 0-2. Once again, Raul showed his teammates how to grind out a professional at bat.
Mariners skipper Eric Wedge on Ibanez, "That was one of the best at-bats I've ever seen up there".
White Sox starter John Danks was also left more than impressed, "I just ran out of ideas".
Not everything was clicking for the Mariners though. Outfielder Michael Saunders continued to struggle at the plate getting called out on strike not once, but twice. With Dustin Ackley and Jesus Montero in Tacoma, Justin Smoak recovering from injury and Ryan righting his ship, the focus is now on Saunders to get thing in order (see this article about Saunders by JJ Keller over on SodoMojo).[caption id="attachment_1489" align="alignright" width="1462"] Michael Saunders called out looking twice[/caption]
Notes: A paltry 13,491 were in attendance at Safeco Field on Monday.
Read this related article – The Seattle Mariners: Into Darkness
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The Seattle Mariners: Into Darkness
The Mariners season has consisted of equal parts of the good, the bad and the ugly. Well, maybe not equal, but fans have certainly witnessed a bit of each. After a rough first month that saw the team sink to a familiar 9-16, veterans Jason Bay, Mike Morse and Raul Ibanez helped stabilize the season by pulling the team back to 20-21 and second place in the AL West. For the first time in years the team possessed an experienced backbone, relieving much of the pressure hanging over the youngsters. They didn't need to be saviors, just contributors. The veterans could hold the fort while the high-end prospects came into their own. Sounds like a plan right?
Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that the young players have regressed sharply. Jesus Montero opened the season throwing 0-15 baserunners out and had significant holes in his swing that were regularly being exploited by opposing pitchers. Dustin Ackley was constantly down two strikes at the plate and was not leveraging his speed on the basepaths. Justin Smoak's value as a switch hitter was minimized because he wasn't hitting from either side and lacked anything that approximated power. Rookie pitcher Brandon Maurer was taking the team out of games early by getting lit up by major league hitters.
The weight of these underperformances finally became too much to bear and Montero, Ackley and Maurer were all sent to AAA Tacoma to work themselves out. Painfully, the next wave of prospects (Nick Franklin and Carlos Triunfel) were promoted to the big club, leaving many to wonder if Seattle has whiffed on an entire cohort of players. As part of the ugly sideshow, Eric Wedge conducted a series of interviews where he appeared to lash out at the fans, the media and sabermetrics in general as contributing to the struggles of his players. Not surprisingly, the calls for heads to roll have become louder and now include Wedge, GM Jack Zduriencik, front office fixtures Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong and the Mariner Moose.
An interesting point that has been lost in all of the noise was Wedge's call to stay the course, "You just can't keep changing. They did that here for a lot of years — didn't work. You gotta stick with the program"
Fans want change and immediate results. Good teams compete while implementing a consistent philosophy that provides continuity. An interesting idea that has been making the rounds in Seattle is that only one manager has lasted through four years for the Mariners, Sweet Lou Pinella. And it's true, the likes of Dick Williams, Mike Hargrove, Don Wakamastu and Jim Lefebvre were all out after less than four years. However, another commonality is that none of them had winning percentages above .500. So, the question is, do good teams keep their managers, thus providing continuity, or are good managers kept because they win? A quick look at the tenure of MLB managers this year shows us that most managers have been hired very recently with a smaller number retained for five or more years. Among the teams that have long-serving managers are the Twins, Angels, Phillies, Rays, Tigers, Rangers, Giants, Padres, Yankees and Reds. Padres notwithstanding, these are all teams that have experienced recent success.
So, regardless of causality or the specifics of this Seattle team, history suggests that third year manager Eric Wedge needs to get this team winning if he hopes to make it to year five.
Into Darkness
The future of the Mariners has not looked this uncertain for some time. Although the minor league system is stocked, translating such talent into MLB success is anything but assured. Positive examples exist, such as the Tampa Rays, who have used their farm system to maintain a competitive major league club for many years. On the other hand, two years ago the top two farm systems were the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Jays. Today, both teams sit in last place in their divisions (winning % = 0.420 and 0.434 respectively), even though they got there through widely divergent paths.
KC took a slow approach, pairing their young core of Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon, Salvador Perez, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas with a veteran starting rotation secured by trading some of their prospects. Toronto went a different route, using most of their prospects to trade for veterans R.A. Dickey, Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonifacio, Mark Buehrle and Josh Johnson. Both teams have struck out thus far and serve as a warning for Seattle fans that minor league strength alone is insufficient to guarantee success.
Although it is clear that many of Seattle's prospects are struggling, we don't know if this is due to poor talent evaluation, player development or a combination of both. What is more important is predicting whether these are minor bumps for young players or early indications that they may never fulfill those lofty expectations.
Let's start with Dustin Ackley, the second overall pick who was widely regarded as the best hitting prospect in his year. With a record of success in college, Ackley moved to second base and shot (perhaps too quickly) through the minor league system. Since arriving in Seattle, Ackley has played a solid second base, but has regressed as a hitter. A quick look around the league shows that the elite second basemen (Dustin Pedroia, Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler, Howie Kendrick) experienced early success at the plate, usually within the first two years of reaching the majors. The player who most closely mirrors Ackley's career thus far is Gordon Beckham of the Chicago White Sox (that's the sound of a thousand Mariners fans poking their left eye out). Drafted high in the first round, both Beckham and Ackley batted .270 in their first seasons followed by regression over their next few. Ackley's future now depends somewhat on the performance of Nick Franklin, who just hit two home runs in his fourth game with the Mariners. A move to the outfield could be possible before he returns to Seattle.[caption id="attachment_1088" align="alignleft" width="700"] Nick Franklin[/caption]
Justin Smoak was a highly regarded, switch-hitting prospect at first base. Since arriving in Seattle, Smoak has performed well defensively and has shown a remarkable eye at the plate. However, his situational hitting has remained inconsistent and this year his power seems lost. Smoak is somewhat older and so time is clearly running out for him to make an impact. Top first basemen Joey Votto, Mark Trumbo, Adrian Gonzalez all produced results early in their careers. Even younger prospects like Anthony Rizzo (23), Paul Goldschmidt (25), and Freddie Freeman (23) are showing more progress than Smoak (26). The one player that Seattle fans can look to is Chris Davis, who took several years before finally becoming an impact first baseman.
Finally, Jesus Montero is the onetime catcher of the future who has struggled to, well catch (that's the sound of a thousand Mariners fans poking out their other eye). With remarkably slow feet, Montero has demonstrated a limited ability to hold runners or stretch out hits. Behind the plate, Montero appears to struggle receiving, specifically framing pitches. On offense, Montero has flashed power, especially to right-center which makes him ideal for Safeco Field. However, hitting a curveball has been increasingly problematic and in 2013 he is hitting a weak .119 on curveballs
Although some elite catchers (i.e., Buster Posey, Salvador Perez, Joe Mauer) are seemingly hatched to succeed at the position, others have taken more time to develop. Many good catchers were inconsistent at the plate in their first three years, with wide variation in their batting averages (Matt Wieters, .249 to .288; Yadier Molina .216 to .267; Carlos Santana .239 to .260). Montero is the youngest of the Marines prospects at 23 years and so it is far too soon to close the book on his career, though his catching days may be finished.
Once returned to AAA, the prospects helped the Tacoma Rainiers to a 25 run outburst. These players may have underperformed for the Mariners, but they are clearly close. They all hit in spring training and in AAA, now the tough question is how to translate this into success to Safeco Field. Are these the Mariners of the future or do they give way to the next wave of prospects? Will Wedge and Jack be here to see the rebuild through, or will there be a regime change in 2013?
Posted in Baseball, News Tagged Mariners 3 Comments
VIDEO: Randy Johnson & Dan Wilson throw out first pitch
Randy Johnson and Dan Wilson together threw out the first pitch on Saturday when both were inducted into the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.
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Randy Johnson & Dan Wilson inducted into Mariners Hall of Fame
[caption id="attachment_1191" align="alignleft" width="1500"] Randy Johnson back at Safeco Field[/caption]
On Saturday, Randy Johnson and Dan Wilson were inducted into the Seattle Mariners' Hall of Fame. The pair were featured in a video montage recounting their contributions ranging from the 1995 play-in game, Randy's relief appearance in game 5 against the Yankees after one days rest, Wilson's in the park home run, to both players extensive community service.
Johnson is a sure bet for the baseball Hall of Fame. Regularly topping 300 strikeouts a year, the intimidating lefty found his game as a Mariner before anchoring the Arizona Diamondbacks staff to a world series. He won a Cy Young in Seattle with a .900 winning percentage, which is the second highest of all time. Johnson also threw a no hitter in 1990 against the Tigers and struck out 18 batters in 1992 while throwing an unthinkable 160 pitches.
Dan Wilson came to the Mariners from the Cincinnati Reds to play under Lou Piniella. A defensive stalwart, Wilson's game included an AL record 1051 putouts in 1997 while submitting a 0.9987 fielding percentage. Wilson settled in as a valuable game caller who helped develop a talented pitching staff anchored by the likes of Johnson and Jamie Moyer. In 2001, Wilson led a staff that was the engine for a record 116 wins.
Read also: VIDEO: Randy Johnson & Dan Wilson throw out first pitch
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Moyer, Hernandez & Hultzen embody the Mariners past, present & future.
[caption id="attachment_1072" align="alignleft" width="640"] Jamie Moyer & Danny Hultzen at Cheney Stadium[/caption]
While a heat wave rolled through much of the country, a perfect storm was forming on the west coast Thursday night. The Seattle Mariners past, present and future was on full display, embodied in three starting pitchers – Felix Hernandez, Jamie Moyer and Danny Hultzen.
The present: King Felix delights his "supreme" court.
Felix Hernandez submitted yet another classic performance in shutting down the resurgent Boston Red Sox 1-0 at Safeco Field Thursday night. King Felix used 128 pitches over 9 innings to record a career-high 13 strikeouts. After starting the season slowly and seeing his pitch velocity topping out between 91 and 93 mph, Hernandez has been gaining velocity every outing and is again throwing upper 90's heat.
But even as Felix was leading the way for the Mariners (that's not news), an equally intriguing game was being played far away from the bright lights of Safeco Field. Just 50 kms south, a minor league matchup pitted the Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners affiliate) against the Las Vegas 51s (Jays affiliate) and showcased two pitchers at opposite ends of their professional careers.
The past: Jamie Moyer won't stop believing.
Jamie Moyer, the former Mariners ace, signed a minor league contract with the Las Vegas 51s this week. The agreement suggests that the Jays will decide whether to promote Moyer (or not) after two triple-A starts.
At 49, Moyer is by far the oldest member of the 51s. He is being considered because the Jays starting rotation has been decimated by a combination of injury and mediocre performance. After being released by the Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles earlier this season, Moyer still aims to compete at the sports the highest level. His quest to return to the majors brought Moyer back to a market he once owned.
During his time in Seattle, Moyer led the team both on and off the field. In the 2001 season, Moyer was a 20-win anchor for a pitching staff that won a record 116 games. As a leader in the community, the Moyer Foundation has remained active in the region long after the pitcher ended his Mariners tenure.
Thursday was, in a way, a return home for the soft-tossing lefty, who is clearly still loved in the Pacific Northwest. The last time Moyer made a start in Tacoma was during a 1997 rehab assignment with the Rainiers. On Thursday, Moyer received roaring applause from the sellout crowd as he walked in from the bullpen before the game. The pitcher appropriately tipped his cap to the crowd acknowledging the fans appreciation.
Once the game started, Moyer displayed his varied arsenal of slow, slower and slowest pitches. He topped out at 84 mph, but sat comfortably between 70 and 80 mph for much of the game. After running into trouble in the first two innings, Moyer settled down and blanked the Rainiers over the next three. He exited after throwing 82 pitches, 51 of them for strikes and handed off a 7-3 lead.
It was by no means a dominating performance and the end is clearly nearing for Moyer. The only question is whether the former Mariner can throw father time a change-up to earn one more major league ride.
The future: Danny Hultzen rises.
Moyer's opponent on Thursday was young Danny Hultzen, the second overall pick in the 2011 MLB draft who was making his first home start for the Rainiers.
After blazing through the AA ranks earlier this season, Hultzen has been pegged as a future number two starter for the Mariners behind Hernandez. The pitcher may have found the game particularly unnerving facing such an accomplished opponent. By the time Hultzen was born in the fall of 1989, Moyer had already made 94 starts in the major leagues. For further context, it should be noted that Thursday was not the first time the two pitchers had crossed paths.
When Hultzen led his University of Virginia team to the 2011 college world series, none other than one Jamie Moyer was serving as an analyst for ESPN. Moyer's analysis was not entirely flattering and focused on the prospects need to develop his complementary pitches and his inability to hold runners on base. Fair or not, the comments were surely not forgotten before the game last night.
Against the 51s, Hultzen was consistently hitting 92-93 mph, but struggled mightily with his control, walking in a run during the second inning. The command problems are particularly surprising for the lefty and in sharp contrast to the tight control he displayed in college, Arizona fall league and AA.
Hultzen left after four innings, 90 pitches and with a 3-1 lead. His stuff was impressive, but he may require more time to harness it at the next level. Still, Hultzen looks like a star in waiting and is certainly a key to the Mariners future.
Three pitchers thinking about tomorrow.
Like ships in the night, the three pitchers passed one another Thursday as they each pursue their major league dreams. Each has built an impressive list of past accomplishments, each has designs on future professional glory and each lives in the present just trying to get the next out.
Notes: Shortstop Nick Franklin played second base and third baseman Alex Liddi played first. A possibly interesting development considering the continued struggles of Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak with the big club.[caption id="attachment_1088" align="alignleft" width="700"] Nick Franklin[/caption]
Posted in Baseball, News Tagged Danny Hultzen, Hernandez, Mariners, Moyer Leave a comment
Mariners fans still waiting for a hero
In 2008, a group led by Clay Bennett ripped the Supersonics from Seattle to search for browner pastures in Oklahoma City. It is rumored that during the move they took Seattle's baseball team with them. The Mariners have finished last in the AL West in three of the past four seasons, while finishing next to last in the other. After committing in earnest to a rebuilding effort with a cohort of promising young players, the 2012 Mariners again find themselves in the West's basement. The team, its players and their fans are again left searching for answers.
Safety not guaranteed: no home field advantage.
With the season nearing the halfway mark, one alarming truth has emerged for the 2012 Mariners – they struggle to win at home. At 12-19 (.387), the Mariners currently hold the worst home winning percentage in baseball. The most obvious problem appears to be rooted in the team's inability to score runs on their home turf. Over the past month, Safeco Field has been a house of horrors for the Mariners where they score a mere 2.8 runs per game while allowing 3.9 runs against. On the road, however, the Mariners have scored 5.2 runs per game while allowing a comparable 5.3 runs (throwing out the crazy 21 run outburst the Mariners had against Texas on May 30). Although opponents do tend to score less at Safeco Field, the large outfield and thick marine air appear to be getting into the heads of some of the Mariners young hitters. Justin Smoak, expected to be a heart of the order masher, has shown outward signs of frustration both on the field and during recent post-game interviews. Things have gotten so bad that talk around Seattle now centres around whether the Mariners should bring the fences in during the offseason. Until the team starts making it tough for opposing pitchers to come through Seattle, they will remain an easy out in the West.
Looking for a leadoff hitter… Buehler? Buehler?
For over a decade, Seattle managers have penciled Ichiroin at top of the lineup and went from there. But this offseason the Mariners superstar was asked to bat third, allowing Chone Figgins, Dustin Ackley and Michael Saunders to audition for the leadoff spot. Things were so bad at one point that manager Eric Wedge had CATCHER John Jaso leading off for a game. By May, Ichiro was struggling mightily with runners in scoring position and Kyle Seager had emerged as a clutch hitter (24 RBI with 2 outs), so the team moved their veteran outfielder back to his customary leadoff position. Unfortunately, this is not the 2001 version of Ichiro, but rather a 38 year old outfielder sporting a 0.282 on base percentage. It appears the sun is finally setting on Suzuki's all-star career and the Mariners now need to find a long-term solution to fill the top of their order.
We Are Young, but this is not Fun.
Seattle fans entered the season understanding that any rebuilding plan requires above all else, patience. The core of the team is clearly talented, but the growing pains have been overwhelming with no guarantee that any of them are future franchise players. Smoak started the season as the cleanup hitter, but he struggled early and was batting an ugly 0.183 on the "Smoakamotive" promotion night. He has raised his average to 0.218, but his inability to power balls out of Safeco Field has led to frustrated comments such as this,
"You go up there and you try to put yourself in the best position to succeed. And you hit a ball like that and it goes nowhere."
Thus far, results from the other youngsters have been a mixed bag. Michael Saunders and Jesus Montero have hit for a 0.270 average, Kyle Seager 0.256, Dustin Ackley 0.247 and Mike Carp 0.157. As the losses began to pile up, and with the veterans unable to right the offense, the younger players on the team started to play with an air of desperation. For example, Montero may be the slowest player in the MLB, and yet he has been caught three times in recent games as a result of overly aggressive running errors. These gaffes emerge because the young catcher is pushing himself beyond his natural game in hopes of helping the struggling offense. If the veterans on the team cannot provide some cover for these talented youngsters, this will be a painful season with periods of regression and long hitting droughts.
The slow progression of so many young prospects has been all the more painful when compared to other rookies that are successfully making adjustments on more stable rosters (e.g., Bryce Harper hitting 0.294 and Brett Lawrie 0.286). Most alarming, however, is that the resurgent Los Angeles Angels are being led by youngster Mark Trumbo (0.321) and phenom outfielder Mike Trout (0.324). For a Mariners team committed to rebuilding with youth, it looks very much like they are being passed by a divisional rival that is simply reloading.
The Seattle fans that rallied to bring back their beloved Sonics last week are evidence that in sports, there are always second acts. For the young Mariners, there is much baseball left to be played this season and their fans will continue to wait for a hero.[caption id="attachment_1098" align="alignleft" width="640"] It's fast approaching the time to bring in Danny Hultzen.[/caption]
Posted in Baseball, News Tagged Mariners Leave a comment


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Floyd County Board of Supervisors Meeting
January 10, 2012, 9:00 AM
The Floyd County Board of Supervisors met for regular session at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 in the Board Room of the Floyd County Courthouse with the following in attendance: Chairman Kamm, Supv. Kuhn, and Supv. Dunkel.
Dunkel/Kuhn moved to amend the agenda to include noting the time change for the Secondary Roads Union negotiations meeting and to delete review/action on the application for small wind innovation zone designation to the Iowa Utilities Board. Motion carried 3-0. Kuhn/Dunkel moved to approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried 3-0.
Public comment: nothing discussed
Kuhn/Dunkel moved to approve minutes for December 27, 2011, January 3 and 4, 2012. Motion carried 3-0.
Dunkel/Kuhn moved to approve the following claims: County #1800-1944, Secondary Roads #13946-13977, and MH-DD #59444-59448, and Drain #14-15. Motion carried 3-0.
Kuhn/Dunkel moved to re-appoint Dean Tjaden to the Zoning Commission for a 5-year term ending 12/31/2016. Motion carried 3-0.
Dunkel/Kuhn moved to change the Secondary Road union negotiations meeting time from 11 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on January 17. Motion carried 3-0.
Dustin Rolando, County Engineer, provided Foreman's meeting notes. Discussion included saving on snow removal costs so far this year, the SIIMS bridge inspection training, and taking bids for corrugated pipe.
Dunkel/Kuhn moved to approve two Right of Way contracts for the Dancer Ave bridge projects. Motion carried 3-0.
The Board continued with FY13 budget reviews. The Auditor reported on resolutions to funding the bond payments for FY12, including the interest on the Urban Renewal/Roads bonds can go toward the debt, the remainder of the TIF district's revenue could be shifted to debt service where it should have been appropriated to initially, and possibly the remaining balance, if needed, transferred from the General Fund until FY14 when the TIF would generate revenue to pay back the transfer. The Board and Rolando discussed what roads to use for the remainder of the bond revenue and whether or not projects would be completed in FY12 or FY13 for budgeting purposes. Supv Dunkel would like to have 190th and Triumph to be considered for roads projects.
Kuhn/Dunkel motioned to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 3-0.
Gloria A. Carr Douglas A. Kamm, Chair

subset: commoncrawl


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Eff Cancer
Yael Cohen tells cancer where it can go
By Deb Sperling
When Yael Cohen's mom got cancer, she was pissed. So pissed that she made a T-shirt that expressed how she felt: "F*** Cancer."
"It was meant to be something she wore privately at home while she was recovering," Cohen explains. "But my mother is absolutely fearless. She wore it everywhere. She wore it through her treatment; she wore it to get coffee; she wore it to whatever she was doing."
F*** Cancer is a message of defiance against politeness, a powerful statement that silence can be deadly. It's also meant as a message to its followers that cancer can do a hell of a lot more damage than some four-letter word.
The T-shirt evolved into a movement that, in turn, became a registered nonprofit, foundation and charity known as F*** Cancer, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month. F*** Cancer's proceeds—from the sale of T-shirts and other merchandise, available in censored and uncensored versions at www.letsfcancer.com—go toward prevention, early detection and education about different types of cancer and possible symptoms. It may be the best option for those who aren't really interested in being a part of the pink brigade and have a more forthright way of expressing themselves.
Speaking with Cohen, who is based in Vancouver, even the most hardened, chain-smoking New York cynic would find it hard not to be moved to tears. Her tiny voice swells with an almost overwhelming passion when she speaks. This emotion is the heart of her movement.
"My mother is strong and beautiful and radiant and all of a sudden people would tilt their heads and actually pat her on the head," Cohen says. "You're fighting the fight of your life, and people are treating you like you're a child. Everybody wants you to be happy. Everybody wants you to pretend that there's some good reason you got cancer: It's made you realize how good your life was or what you could be, and maybe that's true, but at the same time it fucking sucks. It's hard, and it's painful and it's embarrassing and it's a lot of other really bad things too, and it's OK to say that. But, as a society we don't often want to hear that, because it makes it so much harder for us, to see what somebody's going through."
For Cohen, the most important defense available—the best "Fuck You!" to cancer—is early detection. "Ninety percent of cancers are curable in stage one," Cohen explains. "We spend billions of dollars and over 40 years searching for a cure, and we're not really that close. So why aren't we teaching people the only cure we have now? Early detection is one shitty year, versus the rest of your life."
To that end, F*** Cancer uses its proceeds to educate Generation Y to start "looking for cancer, instead of just finding it." In particular, Cohen aims to motivate the younger generation to reach out to their elders, to encourage them to be more aware of risks and warning signs, to help them make positive lifestyle changes, and nag them to seek appropriate testing and treatment. "We're teaching our parents how to use a Blackberry or TiVO or whatever it may be," says Cohen, "so we might as well teach them something that can save their lives."
F*** Cancer is partners with Fran Drescher's organization, Cancer Schmancer, which targets an older generation with a similar education based mission. Cancer Schmancer also operates "Fran Vans," which offer cancer screening and diagnosis to un- and under-insured individuals in the United States.
Based in Vancouver, F*** Cancer also has an office in New York where U.S. donors can make a donation if they wish. Cohen believes it is of particular importance to serve patients in the United States because of the lack of universal health care. "And all of our programs are don't ask, don't tell for illegal immigrants as well," Cohen says. "There's care all the way through. Why would you come in and get tested to find out you have cancer if you can't get care? Or when you know you may be sent home when they ask for your papers in the Emergency Room?"
Cohen's organization spreads its message primarily through the use of social media, with informational cue cards available on Facebook, and an interactive online game, which Cohen refers to as a sort of "Farmville for cancer," is also in the works. The cue cards, in particular, help readers pinpoint potential signs and symptoms, and provide guidelines on how to talk to doctors.
"A lot of the time symptoms are seemingly benign and highly embarrassing. If you go to the doctor and get told you have IBS, you walk away embarrassed," Cohen says. "You don't really ask questions. You're told, stop eating whatever foods and you'll be fine. And by the time you go back because something is so wrong that you feel like you need to go back, it's often much farther advanced."
Beyond prevention, early detection and education, F*** Cancer provides a safe space for "Cancer F***ers"—people fighting cancer, plus friends, families and other supporters—to express their thoughts, feelings and stories about cancer. Users post their personal stories to a cloud on the website, where other viewers can read them at random.
"This is a place where you can say how much it f***ing sucks that you've lost your hair or that you can't keep food down because of your chemo or that you miss your dad so much," says Cohen. "It's OK to be emotional, and it's OK to laugh and say that you decided to shave a mohawk because you were gonna have to lose your hair anyway. You can be happy, you can be sad, you can be what you actually feel. It's OK to have a valid emotion around us, we don't need to be daffodils and rainbows all the time."
Tags: Cancer, charity, Healthy Manhattan


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March e-Clips
Best Places to Travel in 2014 (Travel and Leisure) Nashville - New hotels and tours, emerging food scenes, and special events make these places the hottest travel destinations in 2014. Enterprising chefs are the new country-music stars, bringing refined yet unfussy restaurants to emerging neighborhoods. Try Germantown's Rolf & Daughters; Josephine, a new farm-to-table-style spot in the 12South area; and Pinewood Social, with a menu by local star Josh Habiger.
Travel showcase creates networking opportunity (WV Gazette) The tourism industry "isn't an instant gratification business," said one destination representative at Monday's Travel South Showcase marketplace. "It takes several years to see a turnaround, because planning group tours is kind of like working retail," said Anne Ross, of Morristown Area Convention and Visitors Bureau in Tennessee." Read the article
Overton County eager to share its "top secrets" (Herald Citizen)Rita Reagan-Underhill, left, and Thelma Danner of the Livingston-Overton County Chamber of Commerce are glad to see the new "Top Secret" driving trail signs going up. Read the article
Seeing the young Elvis at Graceland exhibit (Seattle Times)The telegram sent by Elvis Presley to his parents in November 1954 gives a glimpse into the young singer's priorities and his optimism, as he begins what will become a career as a rock 'n' roll icon and cultural phenomenon. Read the article
State's tourism efforts include smaller communities like Stewart, Houston counties (Stewart Houston Times) The State of Tennessee has long held the notion that visitors to Music City, the Smoky Mountains or Graceland from other parts of the country, and the world, should be a major part of the state's revenue stream. To that end, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development has been charged with the task of developing and implementing a plan to create more opportunities to bring more people into the Volunteer state who will spend money before returning home. Read the article
Organizers to sell 'premium tickets' for Boomsday 2014 (Knoxville News) Labor Day's Boomsday celebration will have vendors, live music performances and other activities, a Knoxville tourism official said. Kim Bumpas, president of Visit Knoxville, organizers will be selling "premium tickets" for admittance to the this year's celebration. Read the article
Exploring Northeast TN's Sunny Side Trail (The Tribune) So many new discoveries awaited us on a recent trip through the Northeast Tennessee TriCities (Kingsport, Johnson City, Bristol) and beyond, including Northeast Tennessee's Sunny Side Trail. Read the article
Stewart County focuses on multiple sources for tourism (Leaf Chronicle)A multi-pronged approach to tourism is Stewart County's focus. "We don't have a huge business infrastructure in this area," said Stewart County Mayor Rick Joiner, "so we draw on what we do have. Tourism has a huge impact on Stewart County. Read the article
Sunny Side Trail Beckons in TN (News OK) When I was a child, my father played Carter Family songs on his flat top guitar and my mom sang harmony to his tenor. I've known the chorus to "Keep on the Sunny Side" for as long as I can remember. The Rhythm and Roots Reunion is among many musical offerings in Bristol, Tenn., which will soon be home to a Smithsonian-affiliated museum chronicling the city's role in the development of country music. Read the article
Elvis Presley's Graceland Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Rock 'n' Roll with New Exhibit (Broadway World) On July 5, 1954, a delivery truck driver named Elvis Presley walked into Sun Studio in Memphis and recorded "That's All Right" with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips played the song on July 8 on WHBQ radio and the switchboard lit up. Rock 'n' Roll was born and the music world changed forever. To commemorate the 60th anniversary, Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis is planning a variety of activities, starting with a new exhibit at Graceland entitled "60 Years of Elvis." Read the article
Section Contents
- Marketing Information
- Advertising Opportunities
- Toolkits & Research
- Website & PR Resources
- Photo Gallery
Submit a Press Release
Got News?! Submit your release here and you may be included in our news feed.


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Discussion Paper Announcement - Former Minister for Housing, Tanya Plibersek
Hello, I'm Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Housing
There is no issue more important to Australians and their families than having a safe and secure home.
Over the past two years the Australian Government has been working to increase the supply of affordable rental homes. We have made an historic investment in social housing and established a whole new way of financing using the National Rental Affordability Scheme.
Over the next 4 years we will support the building of more than 80,000 affordable rental homes.
As well as building more homes we are changing the way social housing works.
In the future we will see a small number of larger, commercially sophisticated, not-for-profit housing providers operating alongside existing state-run housing authorities.
The community housing sector has grown rapidly over the past five years, increasing by a third between 2003 and 2008.
Not-for-profit providers are able to build more homes by working with banks, developers and other commercial partners. For community housing providers to play a bigger role we need a regulatory system that gives us all confidence. Tenants need secure and stable housing.
Investors need confidence in a viable and well-managed sector.
Housing providers themselves need simple regulations which give them the opportunity to expand across State and Territory borders and to enter into solid commercial relationships.
That is why I am releasing this Community Housing Development Discussion Paper.
This is a very important issue and we need to get it right and that's why I want to hear from you.
Have your say by providing an online submission though this website or come along to one of the public forums.
I look forward to receiving your comments
Thanks for your time and your interest. This is a tremendous opportunity to see a stronger, bigger, more vibrant community housing sector.
Last updated:


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Okay, in the tutorial that nolgrath linked above, the mountains require a filter called Cutout. For some reason I don't have Artistic, Brush Stroke, or Texture filters in my CS6 Extended. So I can't even use the mountain tutorial without the Artistic filters. :/
EDIT: Nevermind. Going from CS3 to CS6 is such a huge change. They hide them in Filter Gallery... false alarm. Sorry.


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Popular Searches
Nov 12, 2013 1:04PM
I cannot believe Bill E and Emma are still on the show. Looking back, Rhea and partner should have gone a couple weeks ago, Elizabeth and Val do great together. I cannot believe people would vote her OFF the show.
This year is my last. In fact this week was my last. When you see good dancers voted off the show, it just makes you think it is fixed. I cannot believe this years elimination's, and some of the ones that are still there.
Nope, cannot accept that it isn't fixed. Winner is picked before season ever starts?
Nov 30, 2013 7:14PM
This is dancing with the stars, people need to vote on their dances, how they perform, dance and not vote because they like that person. That's the big problem with this show, people vote for if they like that person or not, and that's wrong, they should only be judged on how they dance. But other than that I enjoy the show.
Nov 27, 2013 1:50PM
Nov 26, 2013 2:44PM
The bottom line is that is a public voting forum. I have seen way too many people STAY on the show because of idiotic voting! That's why the judges step in at the last couple of rounds and do ALL the , which is as it should be. I have watched Jack make mistake after mistake, still he remains on. Yeah yeah he has M.S., guess what so do I. I have chronic progressive M.S. and I give him credit for trying the show, BUT he is not as good as Derrick and Amber, or Cheryl and Corbin. I was upset when they eliminated Leah before Bill, but it what it is.
Nov 9, 2013 8:02PM
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
|'Dancing With the Stars'
Amber Riley, actress and Season 17 contestant on "Dancing With the Stars" and partner Derek Hough
Bing: More about Amber Riley | 'Dancing With the Stars'
Want more TV? Be sure to follow MSN TV on Facebook and Twitter


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[Issues with what companies sponsor content is a conversation best had elsewhere, so let's not continue with it in this thread, please. Thanks.]Is confusing to me. If the issue is whether content sponsored by Citi should be banned from MetaFilter, that feels like a MetaTalk discussion - although not one that would get very much traction. Discussion of the relationship between Peter Gabriel and Citi feels like it fits into a MetaFilter thread, if it was phrased somewhat like rtha's gloss. Is the argument being made that one can never discuss the sponsorship of a program or performance in a thread about that program or performance?
Presented by Citi Bank.and
>Presented by Citi Bank.
At least it's viewable in Canada.
Thanks for the link, hippybear.


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Unit details
SLE344 - Chemistry Research Project
|Enrolment modes:
|Trimester 1: Burwood (Melbourne), Warrnambool, Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Warrnambool, Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
Trimester 3: Burwood (Melbourne), Warrnambool, Waurn Ponds (Geelong)
|Credit point(s):
|EFTSL value:
|Unit chair:
Kieran Lim
Students would normally be expected to have a weighted average mark of 70% for all completed units, please contact the Unit Chair prior to enrolling in this unit.
Must be enrolled in S382, S393, S398, S321, S323, S324, S320, S399, S394, S369, D311, D321, D351, D372, D331, or D329
|Incompatible with:
|Contact hours:
As organised with the Unit Chair
You will need to access substantial learning resources and experiences in CloudDeakin (Deakin's online learning environment). Compliance with the Standards in computing, connectivity and student capability are a condition on your enrolment.
This unit involves a substantial piece of independent research conducted under the supervision of a member of staff. Students will not be permitted to take more than one credit point, within the School of Life and Environmental Sciences, from this offering.
Written report 60%, oral presentation 15%, supervisor mark 10%, research project proposal 15%
Unit Fee Information
|Student Contribution Rate*
|Student Contribution Rate**
|Fee rate - Domestic Students
|Fee rate - International students
* Rate for all CSP students, except for those who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
** Rate for CSP students who commenced Education and Nursing units pre 2010
Please note: Unit fees listed do not apply to Deakin Prime students.


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Lipsy Lace Jumpsuit
Adding a dark, boudoir twist to this season's favourite long-legged piece, this lace jumpsuit by Lipsy is made for evenings spent with friends on the dance floor!
The lace overlay to the top lends this piece a flirty, vintage-inspired look, while the cowl back design plays up the elegant side of the style. The perfect alternative to your LBD, this LBJ (Long Black Jumpsuit) will definitely catch the eye of an admirer or two!
Wear this jumpsuit with two part sandals, a cute clutch and smoky eyes for a sultry evening finish.
Useful info:
- Jumpsuit by Lipsy
- 2-in-1 design
- Lace top
- Cowl back
- Side zip fastening
Lipsy Frill Front Playsuit
Concealed zip fastening to the side. Pockets to the front. Regular.Colour: Multi. Viscose. Machine washable.
Lipsy Strapless Jumpsuit with Floral Print
Nothing says summertime like florals and this season Lipsy have you covered (literally) in this cute daytime jumpsuit!
This season belongs to the jumpsuit, so forget about your skater dresses and shorts and slip into this strapless number to show off sun-smooched shoulders and catch the eye of an admirer or two (or three or four)! Covering you head-to-toe in a ditsy floral print, this piece will quickly become part of your staple collection of summer wear and the side pockets just add to the laid back appeal.
Wear this jumpsuit with a pair of block heeled sandals and a statement ring. Pick out your fave colour in the print and paint your nails the same for a cute and cool weekend outfit.
Please note: This jumpsuit must be hand washed only.
Useful info:
- Jumpsuit by Lipsy
- Strapless style
- Floral print
- Concealed side zip
Lipsy Tropical Print Jumpsuit
Succumb to your tropical floral fancies in this flower print jumpsuit by Lipsy.
With an all-over exotic floral print this gorgeous jumpsuit screams summer style. Its jet-black background bursts with bold blooms and white palm prints giving that holiday feeling whether you're stay-cationing or vacationing this summer! Its spaghetti straps and plunging neckline show off your sun-kissed summer skin, while the nipped in waist flaunts your fierce figure. Cross-over straps to the back add a cute twist to your look while the full length trousers give a laid back look.
Wear this bold jumpsuit with colour pop two part sandals and a cute clutch for sizzling summer style.
Useful info:
- Jumpsuit by Lipsy
- Plunging V-neckline to front
- All-over tropical print
- Cross straps to back
- Spaghetti straps
- Nipped in waist
Lipsy Pebble Printed Playsuit
Concealed side zip.Colour: Black/Multi. Viscose. Machine washable.


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
blancester said...
Mighty interested in what they will have for Uncle Magni.
I'm pretty sure he is truly gone. I wish it wasn't so but I think he's a parallel to Cairne in the horde. I fear very much that he is truly dead. :(
Both of those deaths sadden me greatly and make me fear for the direction of the story to be quite honest.
No one can say it's been boring, which is likely the point. ;-)
blancester said...
Or does he continue screaming in a diamond jail?
Bah, darn blizz having to make evern lore 50/50.
I say we should keep our Magni (he just in stoneform atm...) and let horde have their trikes.
Eh, with Magni gone that means Muradin will never get to leave the throne again as he wishes to do. I guess it may be what Blizzard wants, they won't have to write his character anymore.
Still, whenever anyone is crystallized I reserve judgment. It always has the potential to be an exceptionally convenient writing plot, rather like Dragonballs. Want an emotional tug? Kill a character. Don't worry about it either cause we can always bring him back later if we decide we want him again.
I'm not completely disagreeing, I think there is a good chance he is dead for good. I'm just saying writers love it when a character gets Han Solo'd.


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At 3:15pm, the Senate will proceed to a series of 2 roll call votes in relation to the following amendments:
- Hagan #1031 (crop insurance fraud)
- Durbin-Coburn #953 (premium subsidy)
No amendments are in order prior to the vote. There will be 2 minutes for debate equally divided. Upon disposition of the amendments Senator Merkley will be recognized.


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Posted: 12/28/2012 7:52 PM
Last edited 02/25/2013 3:02 PM by RyanGorcey
Posted: 12/28/2012 10:12 PM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------I want the truth
Posted: 12/29/2012 8:44 AM
Posted: 12/29/2012 8:58 AM
Posted: 12/29/2012 9:54 AM
Posted: 12/29/2012 9:57 PM
WWW wrote: Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship.
Posted: 12/29/2012 10:29 PM
scoutallan wrote: WWW wrote: Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship.by the way we do not have more TE's than WR's on scholarship or on the roster .. you need a new tagline ...
Posted: 12/30/2012 5:06 PM
Posted: 12/30/2012 5:19 PM
scoutallan wrote: ------------------------------------------------ WWW wrote:scoutallan wrote: WWW wrote: Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship.by the way we do not have more TE's than WR's on scholarship or on the roster .. you need a new tagline ...It's what Sonny said, and coaches are always right. You don't like it, take it up with him.---------------------------------------------Huh, its not subjective. Look at the roster and do the math. Not trying to pick a fight with you just saying that coach Dykes was brand new and was in error to say that so you might not want to quote him, coach is not always right when his facts are wrong, I'm a huge Sonny Dykes fan, I loved coach Tedford too... Don't like it when people rip Tedford , let's respect him and now pour our full support behind Coach Sonny Dykes.
Posted: 01/12/2013 2:22 PM
Posted: 01/15/2013 7:22 PM
RyanGorcey wrote: We're going to do one of these every week, because I want to get you all involved in these message boards.So, our second Positional Battle for 2013: Center. There are a few options here. No matter who's snapping the ball, he'll be doing it in a college game for the first time, and it will be the fourth starting center Cal has had in four years. So, here are the candidates:Mark Brazinski: Coming off a big knee injury and subsequent surgery, Braz is bright, studious and quick-witted, but in the past, he's proven a tendency to be a bit too smart for his own good, and that's kept him off the field. Will he be the right guy for the job, calling cadences for Tony Franklin's new system, or will either of the next two on the list ... ?Chris Adcock: He started all but one game -- Oregon State -- at right guard last season, and earned All-Pac-12 All-Academic honors. He was the valedictorian of Dallas Christian when he graduated in 2010, so he's definitely got the mental acumen to run the offense. He's a tough, tenacious, physical presence on the inside, but at times looked very, very green last season. Maybe a year under his belt -- and under fire -- helps mold him into the center to guide this offense, but he won't be the only youngster gunning for the keystone slot.Matt Cochran: A very mature, bright and ferocious interior lineman who won his high school league's MVP award as a center in 2011. He's the youngest of the three, but he's probably the most physical. He's a smart cookie, as well, graduating in the top five of his class at Atwater (Calif.) Buhach Colony, and he's mature beyond his years. A Semper Fi All-American a year ago, Cochran was brought in for one thing and one thing only: To be Cal's next long-term center.
Posted: 01/16/2013 8:52 AM
Until Adcock learns not to roll the snap in the shot-gun formation, it has to be one of the other two. If Chris can get some air under the snap, it may be a different story.
Posted: 01/16/2013 12:37 PM
Posted: 01/16/2013 12:56 PM
Posted: 01/16/2013 3:02 PM
Posted: 01/17/2013 11:35 PM
RyanGorcey wrote: Not yet. I've actually been trying to think of a new position that could be fun to speculate about, haha. Any suggestions? I do, after all, serve at your pleasure.
Posted: 01/18/2013 12:04 AM
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Big, colourful dreams
View Single Post
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: A
Posts: 598
I am enjoying your dream descriptions as well as your query about how to handle so much information. I highly recommend the book "Dream Work" by Jeremy Taylor. He is a recognized expert in the field.
Some people work on their dreams with a group. Others have a good friend they can "project" with. By doing so, the friend helps work on the dream with you.
My personal experience with years of dream journaling is that my psyche offers more detail knowing I am paying attention. This is a good "problem" to have. I don't write all of my dreams down but keep a recorder by my bed so I can talk about bits of them in the middle of the night. My ipod sometimes randomly chooses dream recordings for me to listen to and they always have some meaning at that particular time. Dreams can always be returned to and worked with, according to Robert A. Johnson. Their world doesn't age the way ours does.
One suggestion for you in terms of picking a focus is for you to use active imagination during the day to return to a dream as if you are a visitor. Then, acting like a visitor, you may ask your host questions about what he/she wants you to know at that moment. Go as deep with that path as you choose.
Feel free to email me at
if you have any further personal questions, or leave your comments here. I'll be happy to answer what I am able.
"Sometimes you think you've lived before, all that you live today. Things do come back to you as though they knew the way. Oh, the tricks your mind can play." - Lorenz Hart
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text:
Went to Danshui (aka Tamsui) and rode a boat from the ferry pier there to Fisherman's Wharf. Here are some photos taken aboard the boat.....
Another boat really to return to port as soon as we left.
Off we go.
The Port of Taipei in the distance.
Monday, August 29, 2011
On a boat in Danshui
Posted by Andre at 1:36 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Monday, August 15, 2011
(Great) Grandpa's neighbourhood in Yunlin County
When we visited Karen's Grandpa in Yunlin County, we took a stroll around the neighbourhood. Here are some photos of his 'hood.....
Labels: family, taiwan, yunlin, yunlin county
Posted by Andre at 3:03 PM 2 comments Links to this post
Saturday, August 13, 2011
(Great) Grandpa's house in Yunlin County
Some photos of (Karen's) Grandpa's house in Yunlin County.....
Labels: taiwan, yunlin, yunlin county
Posted by Andre at 1:58 PM 4 comments Links to this post
Friday, August 12, 2011
Back to Yunlin County
Made a trip back to Yunlin County with the in-law's to visit Karen's grandpa.....
We arrived at late at night but that didn't stop Olivia from wanting to play games and fooling around.
(Great)Grandpa was very happy to see all of us.
Grandpa's neighbour letting off some fireworks.
Labels: chinese new year, family, taiwan, weekend trip, yunlin, yunlin county
Posted by Andre at 7:00 PM 0 comments Links to this post
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text:
Writing Opportunities Abound As Freelance Writers Conquer the Web
In 2011, there's a huge demand for Web content, and savvy freelance writers are meeting that demand. Angela Booth reports that her students of her online writing course Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) have never been busier.
Copywriter and writing teacher Angela Booth, who provides a comprehensive online writing course for Web writers says that her students have never been busier. They're fully booked, as a result of Google's recent changes.
Many websites suffered because of Google's recent Panda/ Farmer update. These sites saw their traffic and sales drop. While content is still king (and that presents opportunities for writers), post-Panda, unique, authoritative, quality content is in high demand. This means that trained Web writers are being paid more, because they provide that quality content.
She says: "Websites which depend on traffic flow via information marketing for their income, are seeing that high-quality, unique content is essential. Post-Panda, sites are revising thousands of pages, making them unique. This means more work for writers, especially trained Web writers."
Websites are seeing the value in hiring trained Web writers. Junk content has been devalued, so websites are willing to invest in quality.
Angela says that quality Web content provides a great return on investment for businesses. The content stays online for years, and attracts traffic for years.
Writers who can provide that content are flooded with opportunities. Angela says that there's never been a better time to be a writer.
She provides a free report for writers who want to know how to take advantage of the opportunities to make money online.
Students love the Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) training. One student commented: "SYWON is the best thing I have found anywhere... If I had found this earlier, I would have saved myself a lot of money, time and frustration."
Further information on Angela's Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON) online writing course is available at http://sellwritingnow.com/Home/training.html
Angela Booth is a top copywriter, and writing teacher. She offers many guides, courses and classes to help writers to enhance their writing skills. She also provides inspiration and motivation for writers on her writing blogs. Angela has been writing successfully since the late 1970s, and was online in the 1980s, long before the birth of the Web. Her business books have been widely published.


text:
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text: O Glorious Saint Jude, you were honored to be a cousin as well as a follower of Jesus, and you wrote an Epistle in which you said: "Grow strong in your holy faith through prayer in the Holy Spirit." Obtain for us the grace of being people of faith and people of prayer. Let us be so attached to the three Divine Persons through faith and prayer on earth that we may be united with them in the glory of the beatific vision in heaven.


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April 18, 2008Dougherty County -- Lee County Commissioner Jo Ealum now belongs to Uncle Sam, and now there are questions about what will happen to the remainder of her term.
Ealum has been widely criticized for absences from meetings, there's even been a recall petition against her. Friday she signed her commitment to join the Marine Corps and in June will begin her training. It could leave her seat vacant until the November election.
Jo Ealum trades one public service detail for another, signing her commitment to the U. S. Marine Corps along side her sister and cousin. "Everyone should serve the public whether it's on a board, or an elected position, or whether it's through the military they all should be highly respected," she said.
She begins her 10 week officer candidate school in June in Quantico, Virginia then six months Basic School training. She didn't have an answer when we asked what that means for the remainder of the term. "There's some legal issues we're going to have to discover and figure out actually what are all of my options."
Over the last four years, Ealum was criticized for meeting absences. She was arrested at a party, though the charges were later dropped. She also sued the Sheriff's office, and appeared in court over a confrontation with an ex-boyfriend.
"It has been a very tough road," Ealum said. "But I have always had my core supporters and I've had people who have been there with me through thick and thin and those are the people that I lean on."
Part of that core, her sister Susie, will be that support through this next challenge. "They've kind of already warned us and told us when we get there, they're going to do their best to separate us, but just knowing that she's there she's out there, we're going through the same things it definitely helps," said Susie.
Talk's already begun about who will replace Ealum. Tax Commissioner Betty Johnson plans to be at the election office when it opens on the 28th to qualify. "Until I really get in there and get involved I can't promise anybody anything, and I can't tell anybody what specifically what I might like to do until I get involved," Johnson said.
Commissioner Dennis Roland says his wife Debbie has also expressed interest. When Ealum was elected in 2004, she was the youngest county commissioner in Georgia. Feedback: email@example.com?subject=EalumsEnlist-JE
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Boy Pamela really has the antisemitic liberals foaming at the mouth!
Jim Wallis tells Pamela Geller that Christians all over the world are going to pay for her hateful subway ad j.mp/U2tMnr
— Right Scoop (@trscoop) October 1, 2012
As Twitchy reported last week, cable news commentator and proud vandal Mona Eltahawy defaced a New York City subway ad sponsored by blogger Pamela Geller. Geller appeared Sunday on WABC-TV, where she debated liberal Rev. Jim Wallis over her anti-jihad message. She ably defended herself from criticism from both Wallis and from the host, but her logic didn't seem to get through to the morally weak Wallis
The Blaze – "Lib Pastor Jim Wallis Accuses Conservative of 'Hatred' & Begs Her to 'Stop Talking' During On-Air Clash Over Anti-Jihad Subway Ad" Billy Hallowell, The Blaze
The ongoing debate surrounding conservative blogger Pamela Geller's anti-Jihad New York City subway ads has not yet simmered.
While The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) initially attempted to ban the ads, a judge ruled in Geller's favor, leading to a decision to post them at numerous subway stops last month. But as TheBlaze reported on Friday, the transit group later decided to revise its advertising standards as a result of the incident, claiming that it now reserves the right to ban ads that "would incite or provoke violence."
On Sunday, Geller went on WABC-TV's "Up Close With Diana Williams" to discuss the ongoing furor surrounding the ads. Her on-air opponent for the segment was none other than progressive Pastor Jim Wallis, whom TheBlaze has covered extensively in the past. Wallis stands firmly opposed to the blogger's ad campaign — a sentiment he made known in their dialogue on the program.
The segment opened with Geller defending the ads and claiming that, contrary to critique, they are anything but anti-Islam. She took the time to differentiate between radical and mainstream Islam, stating that the ads take aim at the former cohort.


text:
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Alpha Industries B-3 Sherpa
The Alpha B-3 air force bomber jacket is a classic coat that never goes out of style! This leather bomber jacket is made from genuine distressed leather and is lined in sherpa sheepskin for warmth in any conditions. The dual adjustable collar keeps your neck covered, while the slash pockets will give you a place to store necessities. Side buckle straps ensure a fashionably tight fit and the antiqued zipper indicates a durable traditional construction that can't be beat.
Overall Product Rating:
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text:
WEDNESDAY, June 8 (HealthDay News) -- Dieters are more likely
than non-dieters to be misled by food names, a new study says.
For example, dieters rated food items with names such as "salad"
as being healthier than identical products with names such as
"pasta," while non-dieters made no such distinctions.
Dieters also believed that candy labeled "fruit chew" was
healthier than the same candy when it was labeled "candy chew," and
ate more of the candy when it was called fruit chews, said the
University of South Carolina researchers.
"The fact that people's perceptions of healthfulness vary with the name of the food item isn't surprising. What is interesting is that dieters, who try to eat healthy and care about what they eat, fell into these 'naming traps' more than non-dieters who really don't care about healthy eating," study author Caglar Irmak, an assistant professor of marketing, said in a university news release.
The findings from the study of more than 520 people suggest that
dieters rely on food names to identify supposedly healthy foods,
Irmak explained. Instead, dieters need to focus on reading
nutritional information on food products and restaurant menus.
"These results should give dieters pause. The study shows that dieters base their food decisions on the name of the food item instead of the ingredients of the item. As a result, they may eat more than what their dieting goals prescribe," Irmak said.
The study appears in the August issue of the
Journal of Consumer Research.
More information
The American Heart Association offers
no-fad diet tips.
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Crouse Hospital Appoints Chief Information Officer
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text:
I'll be live blogging the Destination Truth Live St. Patrick's Day Banshee hunt tomorrow nite. I hope you'll join me over on http://www.Masslive.com/dt
Did you watch the Ghost Hunters climb on board the Olympia and leave their camera crew on shore last night? What did you think of the whole idea?
Good morning Tumblrs! Have you watched the sneak peek video yet? I'd love to hear what you think about the 'daring investigation.'
Check out the sneak peek video of the next Ghost Hunters — 'Holy Blair Witch, Batman!' The TAPS team goes without their big production crew, Oh my!
"Hello? Has anyone seen my cameraman?"
Britt was removed from the cast of Ghost Hunters International but is he about to make a comeback on Ghost Hunters the original? I'm guessing it's a big YES!


text: The use of stone wool substrate offers many advantages. Thanks to the controlled manufacturing process, this growth medium is of a consistently high quality. The sterile production under extreme temperature ensures that the product is clean and sterile. Its unique hydrophilic fibre also makes the cultivation on stone wool substrate very easy to control. The grower can administer the amount of water and nutrients the crops need in a very directed and controlled manner, to achieve optimal growing results.


text:
Moms, I'm going to take the risk of sounding like a broken record, and lay some hard-earned mom knowledge on you. Kids really do grow up faster than you expect (or want!). I swear it was yesterday when I brought my daughter home from the hospital. But today she's in second grade, and all those baby milestones that I awaited so anxiously when I was a new mom are just distant memories.
Don't let this happen to you! All those firsts are amazing, and you owe it to yourself to celebrate them fully. Don't want to end up with a second grader tomorrow? It's time to throw yourself into really enjoying all these baby firsts.
1. Take a Photo. It seems obvious, doesn't it? But I'm a mom who works as a photographer, and there are moments even I have missed over the years. Grab a camera and start shooting! You'll treasure those photos for decades to come.
2. Write It Down. You swear you will always remember the day you found your baby's first tooth, but take it from a Mom who knows: time has a way of replacing even the sweetest memories with the time of your daughter's dance class and the name of the bus driver. Mark it down somewhere now, before it's too late!
3. Write Baby a Letter. A record of milestones is great for you, but your child will be just as fascinated by all this information in years to come. Here's a chance to not only tell them about the time they ate their first spoonful of strained peas, but fill them in on your life at the time.
4. Make a Memory Box. There are moments you are just never going to get back, but a few physical things can take you back! You can fill a small box with some photos you've taken, the outfit they were wearing, a lock of hair from that first haircut ... and who knows what else!
5. Call Someone. Somehow good news always gets better when you share it with someone. Pick someone you know will be as excited as you are about baby's big moment, and make a habit of picking up the phone. As your baby starts talking, incorporate them into the habit. Trust me, there is nothing like a proud 2-year-old announcing that they used the potty like a big girl to make your heart sing.
How do you mark off the milestones? Do you do anything special?
Image via surlygirl/Flickr
I kept up with the firsts in baby books. My oldest is now 20 and my youngest is 10, time really does fly so enjoy all those firsts and cherish every single one.
I took pics and videos, wrote things my my dd's baby book.
My children are grown, and I have lost two of them. How I wish I had done things like this.
Pictures and videos
Thank for this.
Good ideas. I started slacking on keeping track of milestones after my second child was born. I haven't kept up with his at all. Sad.
I love the memory box and baby book my mom did for me. I've started a baby book for my daughter and will do a memory box as well.
I have a memory book.
We had a baby book, took lots of pics and made videos.


text:
Solo Oil Plc
Investors Not Elsewhere Classified United Kingdom
| London Stock Exchange: SOLO
Similar to: Venetus Beteiligungen AG, Deutsche Beteiligungs AG, Ocean Wilsons Holdings Ltd.
Solo Oil Plc focuses on investing in oil and gas development and production assets. It acquires portfolio of direct and indirect interests in exploration, development and production oil and gas assets which are based in the Americas, Europe and Africa. The company was founded on August 22, 2005 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.


text:
Surprises happen every day all around the world. God opens doors, minds, and hearts. And suddenly exciting opportunities exist for mission that were impossible before.
On Sabbath, September 10, a special world mission offering will be taken during the church service. Called the "Unusual Opportunities" Offering, it will give us the ability to respond quickly as a church when and where God leads.
Recently, your "Unusual Opportunities" Offerings helped fund two exciting projects. In Sudan it helped purchase 6,000 Bibles for the local people in their own language—people who had never held God's word in their own hands!
You've also helped Rustin and Stacy Sweeny heed God's call to move into an economically-deprived housing community near downtown Atlanta, Georgia, to start an inner-city ministry.
Thanks for supporting the "Unusual Opportunities" Offering.
Help Support the front lines of MissionGIVE NOW
Receive free Adventist Mission e-newslettersSIGN ME UP
To connect with people in Manhattan, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has established a center of influence called Life Hope Center Bryant Park.
Mission 360° features inspiring stories about mission work.
One day while Rajah was holding a Bible study, a mob approached his house, brandishing sticks and swords.


text:
Maria R Ostapyk
Bristol, PA
Basic information on Maria R Ostapyk, Bristol PA. Find Maria R Ostapyk's age, gender, possible aliases, relationship status and professional status.
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Maria R Ostapyk is in her 60's
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Kalamazoo, MI
Kalamazoo, MI
Kalamazoo, MI
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Zodiac SignLeo
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Maria R Ostapyk Has Lived in 2 States
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615 Pxxx Sx
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(215) ***-**** - East Greenville, PA
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text:
Out of all the things I vowed I would never allow my baby to have -- a pacifier was at the very top of the list. I absolutely hated the damn things and thought they were nothing but a crutch that lazy parents used in an effort to shut their kids up because they couldn't manage to control them.
And then about three weeks after my son was born, I suddenly became said lazy parent. After popping a paci into his mouth and experiencing the pure bliss of silence for the first time since his birth -- the binky became my best friend. And his.
But then I reached the point where I suddenly had a 3-year-old who was still sucking away on his "na-na" (as he so affectionately referred to it) to fall asleep every night. I knew it was about time to get rid of it.
And because I was a naive idiot, I figured it wouldn't be too difficult to convince him to part with it, you know -- because he wasn't a baby anymore and didn't really need it. So I tried to take it away cold turkey.
Yeah. That didn't quite pan out the way I'd planned. Have you ever dealt with a pissed off 3-year-old at midnight? It's not fun. And the only thing that calmed him down was handing the paci back over, so I surrendered and found myself back at square one.
But then I came up with this really cool plan to make sure he'd kick the binky to the curb once and for all -- and it worked like a charm.
Of course, some will argue that my method wasn't exactly the best parenting move a mom can make.
To put it plain and simple -- I bribed the kid.
He'd had his eye on a shiny new John Deere bike for a while. I told him if he went to bed without the na-na for a full two weeks, my husband and I would buy him the bike.
And guess what? He took the bait, and two weeks later, he had a brand new bike, the pacis were all in the trash (just kidding, I kept them for at least another year just in case we ran into a crisis), and all was right with the world again.
But that doesn't change the fact that I bribed my kid to get what I wanted out of him, which probably doesn't make me a model parent.
Oh, who cares. He's 7 now and totally binky-free, so I'm calling my little strategy a win.
Are you struggling to get your child off the pacifier? (Try the bribe trick. It works.)
Images via Mary Fischer
We had planned a family trip to Disney World. My paci-addicted daughter was 3 1/2 when we went. We told her that Disney World doesn't allow 3-year-olds to have pacis, so we had to leave them at home. (Yes, I had a couple stashed in my purse for an emergency.) She survived the week without them, and hasn't used one since. But she did try to weasel one out of me a few days after we got home by telling me that she didn't think she needed to go to Disney World again until she was older!
My cousin used one till he was about 5. He only used it at night and even then he didn't suck on it. Just wanted it under his pillow. My grandma told him to throw it away and he chucked it across the room and into the trash can. (But we had to dig it out before bed time.)
My 4 year old daughter was SO attached to her's also (but only at home at bedtime - not even for naps at dayschool). We tried leaving them for Santa one year but she didn't go for that. The next Easter, right around her 4th birthday, I got her to agree to leave them for the Easter Bunny. This bunny was supposed to take them to all the little boys and girls who didn't have any and in exchange, leave her a special something in her Easter basket. Worked like a charm! She asked for it a couple times after that but didn't argue when I reminded her where they went. Funny thing was, her younger (by 2 years) sister never wanted anything to do with a pacifier and even when seeing one laying around would go to her sister and give it to her.
I guess I lucked out so to speak with that situation. Neither of my boys would take a paci. Both of mine love a blanket though. My oldest only uses his blanket at bedtime or strickly at home and my 4 yr old has his for nap and night time. It will be interesting to see how that plays out for the youngest when it comes time for kindergarten but I have almost a year to figure that out. Good luck to the momma's fighting the paci battle.


text:
As I was preparing for Ash Wednesday last night, I was trying to come up with some practical ideas for what Lent invites us to do. I wanted something more than "find something you enjoy doing and give it up." … Continue reading
Tag Archives: #connected
One very important aspect of the process of renewal and transformation is that while we become fully dimensional individuals, we also become fully dimensional in community. This development of our relationships is both the expression of our renewal and a … Continue reading
Yesterday, I wrote about the centrality of being connected. It is good to celebrate friendships and remember that nothing should get in the way of these life-giving relationships we experience through out our lives. Today's video celebrates those friendships. It … Continue reading
To recap: This year I am not committing myself to any new year's resolutions, instead I am choosing different areas of my life that I want to focus my time and energy in. Last week I began sharing my intentions … Continue reading
It is hard to imagine the logistical nightmare behind the visit of the Magi in Matthew 2. Picture the scene: the resident experts on the stars and the ruler's futurists see something that they are excited about. They feel this … Continue reading