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Google FanGirl: YouTube Queue
I use a lot of Google products on the daily: GMail, Docs, Reader, Analytics, Places, Maps…. you get the picture. Google is my go-to for all things web.
Naturally, of course, I watch videos on YouTube. Just like the rest of you, but I do it because I LOVE GOOGLE!
…Ahem. I noticed something totally awesome today on YouTube and it made me wonder, "Why the heck has no one else talked about this yet? Am I the only special one to hear get access to it or am I just 2 years behind, as usual?" I checked with some other Ninjas, and it seems that it is in fact a new feature, and I LOVE IT. You don't even have to be logged in to have it.
Want to know what it is?
YouTube Queue.
Lookie, there it is, at the bottom of the page!
Yup. You can now queue up YouTube videos and autoplay them. This is quicker to put together and more spontaneous than playlists, and they fulfill my Gemini self's need to be constantly changing, adjusting, and rearranging stuff to match my mood. (Why, yes, that is Saliva's music video, "Always.")
Queues are super easy to set up, too. You can even add to it while you're listening!
Step 1: Find a video you want to watch. Now, hover your mouse over the still from the video. See the plus sign that pops up?
Click that little plus sign. You'll then see this:
Step 2: Repeat Step 1 until you have as many videos as you want to get started with.
Step 3. Play your queue, and add to it as you go through your day! To play your queue, click on that gray bar at the bottom of the page, then press the "Play" button!
You can hover over any video still (such as the recommended/related videos on the right side of any video page) to add it to your queue with the plus sign. You can also shuffle, skip videos, and remove them from your queue, if you fancy.
The queue is pretty darn useful. I like it instead of a playlist, but imagine watching speeches in one piece, hours and hours of CSPAN without having to hunt for the next video, or queuing up all of your vacation videos and torturing your friends in your living room with every shaky second.
That, my friends, is awesome, and exactly why I love Google.
Let me know if you find anymore uses for the queue. And if anyone wants to compliment my staggering paint skillz, don't let me stop you!


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Roster Talk
The craziest idea I've had in a while
It will never happen. I don't even think it should happen. I'm not saying I want it to happen. I'm prefacing this post with that, and it will also be how I finish the post for one reason: there will be somebody who reads this idea of mine and thinks I'm serious, and will take time from his/her otherwise extremely busy day to scold me because it's so ridiculous.
Over in the GROTA shout box, we've been talking about pitching decisions. One reader made the point that if the Cubs traded for Peavy, then Sean Marshall would have to be demoted back to the bullpen - eliciting a series of "duhs" from the listening audience. But this got me thinking ...
What if a team essentially went with a 10 man pitching staff, comprised entirely of starters? They would all be pitchers relegated to entering games on certain days, regardless of match-ups, and they would throw a certain number of innings regardless of consequences. Think about it.
There would be 5 pitchers responsible for starting regularly. They would throw a maximum of 5 innings per start. Never more, never less (unless they were just getting rocked).
After 5 innings pitched, no matter what the score, the "relief pitcher" would come in and throw the remaining 4 innings of the game.
In other words, the 5 starters, if healthy, would average about 160 innings a year. No arm strain there. The 5 relievers would average about 128 innings pitched a year.
For example, if it were to happen this year, it would probably resemble something like this:
Innings 1-5 Carlos Zambrano; Innings 6-9 Sean Marshall
Innings 1-5 Ryan Dempster; Innings 6-9 Neal Cotts
Innings 1-5 Ted Lilly; Innings 6-9 Chad Gaudin
Innings 1-5 Rich Harden; Innings 6-9 Jeff Samardzija
Innings 1-5 Aaron Heilman; Innings 6-9 Kevin Hart
A few factors to note with this ridiculous concept:
- If the starter is a righty, if possible the reliever should be a lefty
- If the game goes to extra innings, the reliever should be capable of throwing into the 12th inning. After that point, it might be necessary to have an 11th spot reliever/starter to step in and go the rest of the distance, however long it might take.
The basic premise of this concept is that starting pitchers are, on a whole, supposed to be better than relievers. Obviously there are relievers who are outstanding at their roles - Carlos Marmol - but it would be a way to 1. save the arms of your starters and 2. get you as many as 3 or 4 saves leaders per season, because any time those relievers inherited a game with a lead, they'd likely be up for the save.
Of course, it would never work. No pitcher would want to be a part of that program. Even if it was a sound concept - and it's not - and your team won, say, 100 games with this kind of pitching staff, the wins would be very evenly distributed between the 10 pitchers on the staff. Your "ace" might have 12 wins, 15 at the most, but since wins mean money he wouldn't want to pitch in such a regulated manner.
Meanwhile, your relievers would all want to be starters themselves and even if they averaged between 10-20 saves each, they'd be pretty unhappy with their situations.
Besides, it will never happen. I don't even think it should happen. I'm not even saying I want it to happen. This is just a process of thinking aloud about a very strange and stupid concept.
Spring Training Matchups - Possibly the final edition
Confession time: I'm no fan of Spring Training. It's about as entertaining to me as learning algebra. But for perhaps the final time, we'll be taking a look at the Cubs Spring Training numbers of interest. And if I list a player who's already been cut, well, it's only because I'd rather chew my arm off than be forced to actively follow along.
In no particular order ...
Micah Hoffpauir - 21 for 71 (.296) 5 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 19 RBI, .905 OPS
The Hoff has slowed down just a bit. We've still got some Cub fans who believe that he's the Next Big Thing. I hope I'm wrong, but if you still really believe that he'd be a better starting first baseman than Derrek Lee, then I have an awesome, authentic Rolex watch I'd like to sell you for $50.
The Demoted Jake Fox - 21 for 60 (.350), 5 2B, 4 HR, 16 RBI, 1.033 OPS
How could I have been the only one to appreciate his amazing production this year, coupled with his ability to play minimally five positions in the field? Anyway, he never spent a moment's time at catcher this Spring. But if he had, then he could've been the backup catcher assuming he outplayed these two:
Paul Bako - 11 for 31 (.355) 2 2B, 1 HR, 5 RBI .910 OPS
I am admittedly impressed that Bako has discovered his stroke. (No, he hasn't rediscovered his stroke, because he never had one to begin with.) But I'm heartbroken because his successful hitting makes him the likely backup catcher, which means that we have to suffer through another season of Gabor being the first line backup for Geovany Soto.
Koyie Hill - 15 for 39 (.385) 3 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI .967 OPS
Hill has sipped from many cups of coffee in his playing career, but he's never been successful in the majors post-march. And as impressive as his numbers have been so far this spring, I'd just like to remind everybody that in 21 at bats last year, the guy struck out 12 times. Even Dave Kingman and Rob Deer are impressed by that ridiculous ratio.
Outfielders vying for a spot they will not likely get
Joey Gathright - 11 for 40 (.275) 0 extra bases, 6 SB, .658 OPS
So Taguchi - 9 for 37 (.243), 2 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBI, .742 OPS
Notice the difference here... in 3 fewer at bats, Taguchi has 2 fewer hits, equating for a difference of 30 points of batting average. I can't see Lou going with 3 backup outfielders and 7 relief pitchers, but that's the position he'd be in if either Joey or So make the squad. If neither of them do, I hope that one or the other will be willing to play in Iowa because, chances are, they'd be called upon before too long regardless. Just ask Alfonso Soriano and Milton Bradley, who are not permitted to travel without a tire jack and spare wheel for fear of breaking down.
Infielders vying for a spot
Bobby Scales - 14 for 42 (.333) 5 2B, 11 RBI, .843 OPS
Luis Rivas - 6 for 26 (.231) 0 extra bases .490 OPS
Andres Blanco - 14 for 45 (.311) 1 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI .733 OPS
If the Cubs do not go with another backup outfielder, then either Scales, Rivas, or Blanco will make the team. My vote goes to Scales, although Blanco is an adept Neifi-like sub who can play a number of positions. But Bobby Scales is BOBBY effin' SCALES. Besides, everybody likes the story of the career minor leaguer who finally gets his chance, and Jake Fox has already been demoted.
The Bullpen Conundrum
Sure things
Aaron Heilman - 15.2 IP, 2.30 ERA, 18 SO, 6 BB
It could be just me, but it seems that, since Heilman lost out on the rotation, he's come a little undone. I'm not saying we should toss the guy under a microscope (or a bus) but his ERA was sub-2 before a decision was made.
Chad Gaudin - 11.2 IP, 10.03 ERA, 7 SO, 8 BB
He might make the bullpen due to a contractual obligation, but Gaudin has done nothing at this point to justify that kind of decision. If he can't have a solid week before the season starts, then I'm predicting that he will suffer from a mystery injury in order to buy him some time at extended Spring Training.
Kevin Gregg - 8.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 10 SO, 2 BB
Carlos Marmol - 8 IP, 4.50 ERA, 10 SO, 1 BB
I still argue that in order to save Marmol, Marmol must save. His roughest patches last year came at a time when Lou was using him almost daily. That's no good. If he closes, Lou will be less inclined to pitch him multiple innings multiple days in a row. I'll probably write more on this this weekend, or on Monday.
Neal Cotts - 7.2 IP, 3.52 ERA, 5 SO, 2 BB
Luis Vizcaino - 7.1 IP, 3.68 ERA, 9 SO, 4 BB
Earlier this Spring, Piniella said regarding Vizcaino that he wouldn't be afraid to cut deadweight pitchers with big contracts. Since then, the former Rockie has buckled down and now has a respectable ERA and K total. Maybe Piniella should reiterate that sentiment for Golf-Ball-Through-a-Garden-House Gaudin. (That's a cumbersome nickname)
In a dog fight for the last spot
Tim Waddell - 8.2 IP, 1.04 ERA, 9 SO, 4 BB
Waddell - who is NOT the Rule V selection according to intrepid reader Chief - is really trying to stay on the Major League roster. Goat Writer Jason even points out that he throws with the right hand to make the team! (Lefty) But will he defy all odds and stay in Lou's good graces? Stay tuned to find out!
Dave Patton - 9.2 IP, 0.93 ERA, 10 SO, 2 BB
It's Patton who is the Cubs Rule V pick, and he's doing even better than Waddell. It'd be awesome if he could make the team - I love underdog stories; I'm a lifelong Cubs fan - but it remains to be seen if Piniella has the stones to find a spot for the kid.
Jeff Samardzija - 12 IP, 9.75 ERA, 8 SO, 5 BB
I just can't see the Cubs going with Shark in any circumstances to start the season. His numbers clearly imply that he belongs in Iowa for now.
Chad Fox - 9.1 IP, 1.93 ERA, 8 SO, 2 BB
When, oh Lord? When will Chad Fox retire? If the Cubs cut him, another team may give him a shot. But I'm starting to think that Fox is a masochist who pitches only because he enjoys the pain.
Randy Wells - 8.2 IP, 3.12 ERA, 7 SO, 3 BB
Mike Stanton - 8 IP, 6.75 ERA, 5 SO, 3 BB
Stanton must have recently gotten rocked. He'd had half-decent numbers but his ERA is now half way toward Gaudin territory. He remains Lou's only lefty-alternative option, but I think I'd rather see Piniella use somebody who throws right handed but gets out lefties.
Besides, this whole "two lefty" approach is stupid. After all ... conventional wisdom says that if you have a right handed relief pitcher, your opponent will go to a left handed hitter. But what if the righty reliever mows down the lefty hitters like they're weeds in his garden? Isn't it an advantage to defy convention in the name of success and use that guy in those situations?
Contingency Plans - the Pitchers
Yesterday, we took a look at the contingency plans in place for the Cubs hitters. We discovered that as many as three regulars could be injured at one time and the Cubs would have the ability to pick up the slack and continue to rain a glorious and holy offensive fire upon the pitching staffs of the league. ("A glorious and holy offensive fire..."? Now THAT is a descriptive!) So, let's see what the Cubs do if...
Jeff Samardzija - The first arm I tap to replace an injured starting pitcher is the Shark. Maybe he's ready, maybe he's not. Maybe he has growing pains to go through. But for his potential alone I'd give him the first nod.
Yesterday, we took a look at the contingency plans in place for the Cubs hitters. We discovered that as many as three regulars could be injured at one time and the Cubs would have the ability to pick up the slack and continue to rain a glorious and holy offensive fire upon the pitching staffs of the league. ("A glorious and holy offensive fire..."? Now THAT is a descriptive!) So, let's see what the Cubs do if...Carlos Zambrano gets hurt
...and Ryan Dempster
Aaron Heilman - If two starters go down at once, I'd work on the Aaron Heilman reconditioning program. Once Heilman is ready to start, he might effortlessly become one of the better pitchers in the rotation based on his solid play this Spring.
...and Rich Harden
Chad Gaudin - Here's where it starts to get ugly. I still believe that Gaudin has the potential to be a good'un (get it? Gaudin, good'un? They almost sound similar!), and it wouldn't be the first time a pitcher totally sucked in March and cranked it up in April, but Gaudin no longer appears to be the great insurance policy that he once was.
...and Ted Lilly
Mitch Atkins - This is a tough call. If Angel Guzman is still a Cub, then he gets the first nod just because of his experience. Atkins, though, is the 15th prospect on our Top Prospects list and in Iowa last year went 8-1 with an ERA of 4.47 in 10 starts. The ERA is not exactly something to be excited about, but he's probably as close as the Cubs get in 2009 to having a Sean Gallagher-type who might be ready to pitch in the majors when called upon.
...and Sean Marshall
Kevin Hart - Again, a tough call. This is the worst case scenario. Remember - Hart only gets promoted to replace Marshall if every other Cubs starting pitcher has already been hurt at the same time. (Maybe they piled into somebody's vehicle clown-car style and had a crash or something.) Hart is also a little old now to be considered a viable prospect - 27 - but he's pitched exceptionally well in Iowa and he did well this Spring with the Cubs. Hart actually has had a very interesting Spring. He's tossed 9 innings, allowed 6 ER, and struck out 14 to 2 walks. I wouldn't count on him to deliver reliable, winnable performances every single game, but if he can give the Cubs 5+ innings of work every outing while the Cubs desperately await any of their other starting pitchers to return from our theoretical injuries, then that's really about all they could ask for.
Carlos Marmol gets hurt
Kevin Gregg - Assuming Marmol is the closer, Gregg becomes the replacement closer. Obviously, it's vice-versa if Gregg gets the nod and is hurt. Gregg has demonstrated that he should be reliable to close in '09. Actually he just might have a smaller chance of flaking out than Marmol does.
Again, the Cubs show a lot of strength here despite what some of the talking heads might say. Back when the Cubs dealt Marquis to Colorado, some of the bored Chicago sports writers about went Bree Gordon on us and flipped out because there was some fear about the Cubs having less depth in case of a variety of worst case scenarios. But assuming that Gaudin gets his groove back, the Cubs could probably survive as many as three rotational injuries at once. Find for me one team that can say the same thing.
Better yet, find me one team that wouldn't take one of the Cubs alternates right now. There are probably a handful with solid, filled rotations, but most teams have trainwrecks for 5th starters. Not the Cubs.
As much as I detest his ability to draft and develop prospects, I'll give Jim Hendry credit this time. The Cubs are deep, they are solid, and they will win a lot of games in 2009 ... even if the worst case scenario happens up to six times at once.
Contingency plan - the hitters
It wasn't too long ago that one of the biggest acquisitions on the Cubs was a talented outfielder with injury proneness. And when he was healthy, Rondell White put up great numbers. In a season and a half with the Cubs, White managed to play in 114 games - 14 after he was acquired in 2000, and 95 in 2001. In 390 at bats, he batted .310 with 19 homers, 59 RBI, and he broke about 12 million hearts with his inability to stay healthy. The problem wasn't that we didn't expect him to get hurt - you'd have to have been an idiot not to think it was bound to happen. The problem was that the Cubs had nobody of substance to replace him when he was on the DL. In other words, when White went down, the backups were Delino DeShields and Roosevelt Brown - neither of whom were world breakers.
This year, the Cubs have invested a lot of money and hope in another extremely talented, often injured outfielder. But what happens when Milton Bradley gets hurt? Who do the Cubs have to replace this year's starters, and how well will they play? Let's take a look.
Contingency plans
Geo Soto gets hurt
Wellington Castillo - Young and talented, Castillo may be the next Cubs minor league catcher talented enough to play in major league baseball. (He'd also only be the second or third one in 60 years.) He's not expected to be a heavy hitter like Soto is, but he makes contact and has defensive tools on the same level as Henry Blanco. Regardless of whether or not Bako becomes the backup this year, Castillo would be the call I'd make to replace an injured Soto on the team.
Derrek Lee gets hurt
Micah Hoffpauir - Ah, the hottest topic of debate amongst semi-illiterate Cub fans. Apparently all you need to have a fan club in Chicago is an immense season at Iowa in your 3rd or 4th year there and one good month at the Major League level. If you can achieve that feat, fans will be ready to burn their favorite player's jersey in order to insert you in his place on the roster. Maybe they're transient White Sox fans. Anyway, if Lee goes down with an injury, Hoffpauir is the obvious first choice to replace him at first base. Sorry Cub fans - Hoff almost certainly will not surpass Lee's productive (or defensive) capabilities in 2009, but he'll be a passable replacement.
Mike Fontenot gets hurt
Aaron Miles - Miles is a soft-hitting singles hitter who would be a starter on many teams in baseball. If he becomes the replacement for a dinged Fontenot, he'd be the #8 hitter in the Cubs lineup and the team probably would get by just fine for a while without their Lil' Babe Ruth.
Ryan Theriot gets hurt
Aaron Miles/Andres Blanco - Shortstop is one of the thin positions on the Cubs right now. If Theriot gets hurt, then the likeliest choice is Aaron Miles. But if it's Andres, then we should know that Blanco is a light-hitting shortstop like Theriot who is batting better than .300 this spring and is a career .252 hitter at the Major League level. He's only 24, though, so maybe he can improve on that.
Aramis Ramirez gets hurt
Jake Fox/Bobby Scales - Welcome to the next thinnest position on the Cubs. If Ramirez misses a prolongued period of time, the Cubs are screwed. Best case scenario, they move Fontenot over to this position and he gives them very thin defense. Worst case, the Cubs turn to Jake Fox or Bobby Scales. Both guys have had great springs, with Fox hitting 4 homeruns and driving in 16 RBI before being cut by Piniella yesterday. Bobby Scales is another versatile guy who has batted .333 so far this Spring. I'm not convinced either will translate well into full-time starting at the major league level, so probably the best option is moving Fontenot to third and starting Miles at second.
Alfonso Soriano gets hurt
Reed Johnson/Micah Hoffpauir - When the Fonz goes down, it will probably be Reed Johson who gets the bulk of the starts in left field. Reed has proven to be a very scrappy, white ballplayer. Should Reed need to play elsewhere, Micah Hoffpauir will probably get the nod.
Kosuke Fukudome gets hurt
Reed Johnson - At the moment, the only Cub with center field cred is Reed. Should Soriano and Fukudome collide in the outfield and both require time off, it will be Johnson who starts in center while Hoffpauir pulls duty in left. Another player who can patrol the outfield on a limited capacity is Aaron Miles.
Milton Bradley gets hurt
Reed Johnson/Micah Hoffpauir - Let's say that all three outfielders get hurt at the same time, then the likely promoted player might be Sam Fuld (who had a great Spring before getting cut), who could play any outfield position along with Reed and Micah. Fuld is also quite scrappy and fun to watch, although he lacks the offensive punch of even Kosuke Fukudome.
I think it's safe to say that because of Reed Johnson, Aaron Miles, and Micah Hoffpauir, the Cubs have the ability to survive up to three injuries at one go. But if they lose anything more than that for a prolongued period of time, it'll be tough to win with offense.
Maybe to you that sounds dire or grim, but ask yourselves ... how many other teams out there could survive for a few weeks (or even a month) at a time with three regulars on the DL? The answer is: few or none. The Cubs definitely have some depth problems on the left side of the infield, but they are a solid looking ballclub.
Spring Training Competitions: Pitchers Edition
Quick Links: Spring Training Hitters Competitions
Spring Training Review
So, what did we learn yesterday? Let's try to recap:
- Micah Hoffpauir will break camp with the big team, according to Rob quoting Lou Piniella. I wonder if that means that Joey Gathright and So Taguchi are now officially playing for pride? Or will the Cubs go with - gasp! - a six man bullpen, allowing for another hitter to make the team?
What remains to be seen is if the Cubs will be employing a player actually capable of backing up Ramirez at third, or if they'll be expecting Mike Fontenot to pull double duty. At the moment, Jake Fox and Bobby Scales are both capable of playing third, are hitting the ball well, and face imminent cuts by Lou Piniella, while Koyie Hill is hoping to get a chance to improve upon his lifetime .190 AVG as a big leaguer. By the way - in 21 at bats last year, Hill struck out 12 times. Seriously, can Jake Fox still catch?
- Alfonso Soriano - will he play in 120 games and hit the cork out of the ball, or will he play in 162 games and steal the shiz out of the bases too? I'll just ask that we consider this: 1. His injuries have been flukish, 2. even young, powerful, speedy players have trouble hitting 40 and stealing 40, and 3. can't we just hope for health and helacious offensive production, forgetting all about this illustrious 40-40 figure? Just saying.
- Jeff Samardzija - looks like he might pitch in the pen after all. Blame Chad Gaudin for trying to suck golf balls through garden hoses on the mound.
And now, your pitchers of interest.
Sean Marshall - 13.1 IP, 0.68 ERA, 8 SO, 1 BB. Marshall has to be favored to get the 5th starter's gig, although the Cubs still don't have any standout reliable lefty relievers. Lou just might have to ignore Marshall's outstanding performance and go with the second best choice ...
Aaron Heilman - 10 IP, 1.80 ERA, 13 SO, 3 BB. Ignoring the ERA, Heilman's been pitching with authority and leads the Cubs in Spring Training strikeouts. At this point, I'd honestly not be even the slightest bit upset if he got the job.
Jeff Samardzija - 10 IP, 9.90 ERA, 6 SO, 4 BB. No offense to the Shark, but he hasn't really done anything to even warrant bullpen consideration in my opinion. Maybe Piniella will give him a shot to win a bullpen spot, and if he fails to even succeed at that then they can send him to Iowa to work on his pitches.
Jason Waddell - 8 IP, 1.13 ERA, 9 SO, 3 BB. Jason Waddell? I don't even know who that is!! He's too old to be a prospect, he's never pitched above AA ball, and he appears to have been signed as a minor league free agent from the Giants organization. Also, he's a lefty. I'd consider him to be the dark horse to make the team, but if he somehow managed to crack the squad it frees up Sean Marshall to start.
David Patton - 6.2 IP, 1.35 ERA, 7 SO, 0 BB. Patton was one of the players brought over in the Marquis trade. He's always been a strikeout pitcher, but he's never thrown above A ball. He's also not exactly known for his pinpoint control. Still, it's nice to see him have some confidence-building success. (Or he may have been the Cubs Rule 5 pick ...)
Justin Berg - 6.1 IP, 1.42 ERA, 3 SO, 3 BB. A career minor league starter with an accumulated ERA of 4.81, I don't think anybody's expecting Berg to be on the team in April.
Kevin Hart - 6.1 IP, 7.11 ERA, 10 SO 2 BB. I'm only mentioning Hart because he has 10 K's in just over 6 innings of work. He's recently put up some good numbers in the minors, but last year he was a doormat at the Major League level. The strikeout total is interesting, but I don't think Lou's paying him any attention.
Chad Gaudin - 8.2 IP, 10.38 ERA, 5 SO, 5 BB. Once a competitor for the starter's spot, once the pocket-ace of the Harden trade, Chad Gaudin is now known for pitching like crap while looking like an incest survivor. He needs a new gimmick - it's time to cut the beard and start pitching effectively. His position on the Cubs roster is no longer secure.
Angel Guzman - 5 IP, 14.40 ERA, 3 SO, 3 BB. Guzman is quickly blowing what may be his final chance to be a Cub. I know some of our readers think he could be - or should be - a huge contributor to the '09 season, but it appears as if the surgeons have shaved off some of the God-given talent that he once had. Pity.
Kevin Gregg - 5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 5 SO, 1 BB. Gregg's been extremely efficient this spring, although he's going to have to be absolutely perfect to steal the closer's role from Carlos Marmol.
Carlos Marmol - 4 IP, 2.25 ERA, 5 SO, 1 BB. Marmol had a scary moment a few days ago in which he almost allowed the Angels to have a Big Inning. He gave up a hit and then hit two batters before striking out two to end the inning. Nobody's expecting the Dramatic Hamster to be perfect, but he's got to do better if he wants to close.
Conclusions - The bullpen situation of the Cubs is hardly resolved, but it doesn't appear shaky either. The Cubs have a lot of arms - many of them young, some of them unproven - competing for roster spots. If there are surprises to be had, they will be in the pitching staff. But what won't be surprising is if the six (or seven) men left standing turn out to be very reliable.
Hey, it's Rob, chiming in: if I were Uncle Lou, and went about this totally logically ala Mr. Spock, Heilman would be my fifth starter, Marshall would be my swing man, Gregg would close, Marmol would pitch the 8th, the Shark would start in Iowa, Gaudin and Vizcaino would be released, Guzman would be humanely euthanized, Mike Stanton would be encouraged to choose Medicare Plan D for its prescription drug benefits, Waddell would be my LOOGY which leaves Cotts, Patton and maybe Hart to fill out the rest of the pen.
But if you have read all the articles from all the "legitimate" sources, and pieced them together like an old jigsaw puzzle with most of the edges chewed off by moths, it appears that Marshall will be the 5th starter, Heilman will be the swing guy, Marmol will close, Gregg will pitch the 8th (until such time that Lou gets sick of watching Marmol repeatedly shart himself), Stanton, if he is still alive and can lift his arm on April Fools Day, will be the LOOGY, Patton, Waddell, and Hart would enjoy another year at BaconFest in Des Moines, and Vizcaino, Cotts, and Gaudin live to enjoy another year of MLB per diem.
Spring Training competitions - Monday morning hitters edition
Quick Links: Spring Training Review from March 10th
The baseball season remains just under a month away. There are plenty of opportunities for surprise players to surge to the forefront. There are even more opportunities for heavy favorites to evaporate in a cloud of injury and suck. But at this moment, on the Chicago Cubs, the following hitters warrant watching:
(Note: we'll do the pitchers for tomorrow morning, this article will be plenty long enough even without them)
Micah Hoffpauir - The Hoff continues to hit. He now leads the Cubs in at bats this spring. He's 14 for 45 with 2 doubles, 2 homers, 10 RBI, and a .311 AVG. His OPS: .822.
Joey Gathright - 6 for 22, 0 extra bases, .273 AVG, .633 OPS. Gathright is pretty much who we thought he was - a soft hitting outfielder with speed. This might actually be a case where Hoffpauir needs to outhit him by a lot to actually take his roster spot, but so far to me it's a no brainer that Gathright loses this battle.
So Taguchi - 4 for 18, 1 3B, .222 AVG, .724 OPS. I have to wonder - if So Taguchi grabs the 5th outfielder spot, how will Lou justify it? His veteran presence? His ability to speak Japanese? I'm not sure. But at this point, he has to be second to Hoffpauir in the race for this roster spot.
Sam Fuld - Just thought I'd throw this one out there. Fuld is the darkest horse in this race, but right now he's 6 for 21, with 1 2B, 2 HR, a .286 AVG and a .994 OPS. Remember when he made that phenomenal catch in 2007? Since Lou seems to love Short 'n Scrappy, maybe Fuld's got a better chance than meets the eye.
Luis Rivas - 6 for 25, 0 extra base hits, .240 AVG, .509 OPS. Rivas probably has a fair shot of being the team's backup middle infielder. But if it was an elected position, I'd probably vote for ...
Bobby Scales - 7 for 24, 2 2B, .292 AVG, .768 OPS. Scales is a substitute teacher in the off season. He's a Crash Davis. His name sounds like that of a deadly hitman. And that's what he'd be - Bobby Scales, off-the-bench hitman. I can already see the marketing campaign.
Jake Fox - 10 for 34, 2 2B, 2 HR, .294 AVG, .897 OPS. If Jake Fox could be a suitable backup catcher, then he'd almost be a no-brainer at this point. The only problem is that he doesn't really catch anymore - hasn't since 2007, when he caught for 13 games. But he also plays 1B, 3B, and LF. We all know that Lou likes versatile players, and if Fox can catch, then just maybe he gets the nod ahead of Paul Bako.
Paul Bako - 3 for 18, 0 extra bases, .167 AVG, .417 OPS. Note to Lou: please take out your trusty fork and stick it in Bako. He's done.
Mike Fontenot - 13 for 35, 4 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, .371 AVG, 1.192 OPS. Ladies and gentlemen, meet your next Cubs second baseman Mike Fontenot. Actually this reminds me of a question I've been asked a few times - if the Cubs ever win the World Series, doesn't that make GROTA irrelevant? Similarly - if Fontenot is awarded the starting gig at second base from opening day, doesn't that make Bench Aaron Miles! irrelevant? I can't speak for AJ Walsh, but on the fateful day that the Cubs win a championship, GROTA will become a blog in which we say I told you so. BAM! can be the same.
Aaron Miles - 8 for 30, 0 extra bases, .267 AVG, .600 OPS. Aaron Miles is a no-brainer backup who can pinch hit from either side of the plate. That's the way it should be, and that's the way it will be.
Corey Koskie - still 0 plate appearances. I get the feeling that Koskie isn't serious about playing baseball and will be gone long before he and Dempster have the chance to bond.
Conclusions - Baseball is a funny game. The best Cubs hitters - Fontenot and Hoffpauir - have 13 and 14 hits. The guys they're "beating" for a roster or positional spot have anywhere from 4-8 hits in far fewer at bats. It's amazing to think that opinions are being formed and decisions are being made based on a player having perhaps as few as 2 more hits than another guy. What if Taguchi has a day in which he goes 3 for 3 with 2 doubles? What if Hoff or Fontenot go 0 for their next 10? It's very possible, and it's all still a very small sample size for important decisions to be made. And it can also be argued that none of it is really fair.
Spring Training Review
As promised, we're going to take a look today at the only thing that counts in Spring Training - the clutch hitting of Derrek Lee. Wait, that's not right.
No my friends, we're going to look at the competitions. Presently, the major ones on the Cubs are for the 5th spot in the outfield, the starting gig at second base, and the starting rotation. Also, the losers of the latter two competitions are probably bound for spots backing up the infield or pitching middle relief, while being forced to carry about the backpack of backup shame. Anyway, here's how it looks:
Backup Outfielder
Micah Hoffpauir - 12 for 37 (.324 AVG 2 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .891 OPS)
Competing with
Joey Gathright - 6 for 18 (.333 AVG, 0 extra bases .762 OPS)
So Taguchi - 3 for 12 (.250 AVG, 1 3B, .817 OPS)
Dark Horses
Jason Dubois - 2 for 12 (.167 AVG, 0 extra bases, .500 OPS)
Sam Fuld - 3 for 15 (.200 AVG, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .694 OPS)
At this point, based on pure hitting ability it's Hoffpauir's gig to lose. But if Joey Gathright even stays close, he just might get the nod due to his defensive versatility. It's pretty easy to suggest that the Hoff's offensive power gives him an edge over his defensive ineptitude, but it's a heck of a lot harder to prove with the power of numbers.
Meanwhile, So Taguchi joins Jason Dubois and Sam Fuld at the street corner, waiting for the next bus out of town. These guys just really aren't having an outstanding Spring.
Second Base
Mike Fontenot - 11 for 30 (.367 AVG, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1.206 OPS
Competing with
Aaron Miles - 6 for 27 (.222 AVG, 0 extra bases, .498 OPS)
Dark Horses
Luis Rivas - 4 for 19 (.211 AVG, 0 extra bases, .461 OPS)
Corey Koskie - No At Bats Yet (WBC, where he's also had no at bats)
Bobby Scales - 5 for 17 (.294 AVG, 1 2B, 4 RBI, .721 OPS)
Fontenot is running away with it at this point. I only mention Rivas and Koskie because one of those two guys will probably make the team as backups, although Bobby Scales arguably deserves it more at this point. Scales has to be the true Dark Horse in this competition, but I have a suspicion that his status as Career Minor Leaguer will work against him, even if he continues to hit the ball.
Backup Catcher
Paul Bako - 3 for 15 (.200 AVG, 0 extra bases, .494 OPS)
Dark Horse
Koyie Hill - 5 for 14 (.357 AVG, 2 2B, .938 OPS)
It's the same deal as Koskie/Rivas vs. Scales ... Koyie Hill is hitting the ball very nicely, but he will be hard pressed to take the job from veteran Paul Bako -- not because Bako is better, but because of baseball politics.
Starting Pitcher
Sean Marshall - 9 IP, 1.00 ERA, 5 SO 0 BB
Competing with
Jeff Samardzija - 8 IP, 6.75 ERA, 5 SO, 2 BB
Chad Gaudin - 7 IP, 5.14 ERA, 5 SO, 1 BB
Aaron Heilman - 5 IP, 0.00 ERA, 7 SO, 2 BB
Dark Horse:
Angel Guzman - 4 IP, 9.00 ERA, 2 SO, 1 BB
If opening day was tomorrow, I think Lou would have to pick Heilman even over Marshall as the 5th starter. The reason is this - apart from Sean, none of the lefty specialists competing for a gig have experienced anything even remotely resembling success. Samardzija might still also have a shot at the job, but he needs to buckle down and have a few outings where he makes no mistakes.
Things shockingly appear to be working out the way you'd expect. Usually there are a few Spring surprises, so far I don't really see any this year. I think that if anybody surprises us this spring, it'll be Bobby Scales who just might earn his way onto the roster in front of fringe major leaguers Corey Koskie and Luis Rivas. And speaking of Koskie - have I missed a news story explaining why he hasn't actually played yet? Somebody please fill me in.
Lou wants an extra infielder...Jason wants a pony
Regardless of how much some of us here love lil' Fonty, Uncle Lou isn't sold on the idea of his being the backup third baseman. (Maybe because he's the starting second baseman). Lou isn't sold on Aaron Miles over there either.
In Lou's words, hell, I don't blame him.
So Lou wants a guy who presumably can "backup 1B and 3B". Translated, this means a power hitting someone who can play third, because since time immemorial, third basemen are expected to hit for power. Incidentally, this has never seemed truly fair to me. Sure, power hitting first basemen are great if you have them (See: Santo, Ron, and Ramirez, Aramis), and sucks when the other guys have them. (See Schmidt, Mike, and Roid, A.). But in my mind, the position is as hard to play as shortstop, or damn close, and we never seemed to mind when our shortstops don't break the double digits for homers, career. In the Steroid Era, certainly, even our shortstops hit homers, everyone hits homers, pitchers hit homers, bullpen catchers hit homers, beer vendors hit homers, even Frank Pellico came down from the organ loft and hit a dinger in 2004, I believe.
Soory, as Kurt's future in-laws might say, that was a digression.
Fact is, Lou wants another guy that can hit like Hoffpauir off the bench, yet can fill in at third about once a week. Too bad Hoffpauir himself can't do it. But he CAN'T do it. The other day, I wondered if Corey Koskie could do it. It seems to me like he would be ideal, if he were completely healthy. However, we must assume that perhaps Koskie is not all the way back, because Lou is publicly beseeching his boss for outside help in this regard. Presumably he's looking to trade for a Bill Hall-type figure - not that Milwaukee would send us Bill Hall, even if he were the last backup third baseman on Earth, but someone like that. Hey, is Russell Branyan still alive?
Anyway, our recent history indicates that if Lou wants something, Jim Hendry will get it, so be looking for that real soon. Personally, I back Lou up in this particular endavor. What's Eric Hinske doing with himself lately?
My point of business today is - how does this fit? I'm sure Lou wants to carry 12 pitchers - he has carried at least that many throughout his entire tenure here. I'm sure Lou wants a backup catcher for Soto. (minor laugh intended). The numbers start to dwindle. That's 13 position players, then 11 non-catchers, then 4 non-catching-non-starters. Miles is one. The Hall-esque figure discussed above is another. The third would be the CF-platoon-player-du-jour, either Johnson or Fukudome, depending on what arm the starting pitcher brushes his teeth with.
How about that fourth guy? When I was discussing Koskie the other day, I was wondering who should be worried about him, whether it was Joey Gathright, or the aforementioned Hoffpauir? It sounds like they shouldn't worry about Koskies, but they should worry about this new mystery meat Lou wants to bring in. And out of the two? If I'm the quick guy who can jump over cars, steal bases and chase down gappers, I'm not as worried. Lou loves guys like me, because I can play all the outfield positions, I can pinch run, and if I ever get caught in a rundown, I can just jump over fools.
The Old Skipper in the Sky knows I loves me some Micah, as only a big solid free-swinging lefty can love another. But the more I hear from Band Camp, the more it appears that he isn't going north with us. If we had the DH, or a 26th man, he's in, but Lou has convinced himself that the problems we've had all boil down to Not Enough Rest for the Regulars, and thus he needs versatile, multi-positionals on his bench. Since Hoffpauir's three best positions are DH, 1B and Post-Game Spread, he seems to be odd man out.
It doesn't make much sense for another team to accept him in a trade for this Theoretical Healthy Corey Koskie-esque figure, so I figure it will take a portion of our pitching depth (Heilman/Gaudin) to pry this asset loose.
UPDATE - Robothal seems to think that Micah can rest easy, that the Battle of the Bench has been fought and won, that every last word I wrote here is a big fat lie. Well, while I would be happy for my guy, it might not be the best thing for the team if Hendry stands pat with what we have.
To conclude, it also sounds like our best LOOGY in camp is...Kevin Gregg? Well, that's not gonna happen. Lou doesn't appear satisfied with Cotts or Stanton thus far (once again, who can blame him?) so perhaps our beloved Hoff is the price we will end up paying for a man who pitches to single solitary left-handed batters for a living, a man named after phlegmy spittle. Mom, look at the LOOGY I left on the sidewalk!!
I'm gonna say it again
Even though Jim Hendry did what I consider to be an admirable job in trading a lot of our "spare parts" this off season, the Cubs are still blessed with a few competitions in training camp this spring.
There are 19 guys who I would bet my paycheck that, barring injury, will start the season with us in Houston. Soriano, Fukudome, Bradley, Ramirez, Lee, Zambrano, Dempster, Harden, Lilly, Vizcaino, Gregg, Heilman and Gaudin, based on their contracts alone. Then there are also Theriot, Fontenot, and Miles - this is your middle infield core. The Rookie of the year, Soto, along with Bako, the catchers. Of course, Marmol. None of these guys has to compete for a roster spot.
Now, let's look at what else is going on:
- Marshall and the Shark are competing for the "fifth" starter role.
- Hoffpauir and Jake Fox are competing for the "power hitting backup to Lee" role.
- Gaudin and Heilman are competing for the "ugliest, most disgruntled" reliever role, but I already counted them above. Never mind...
- Cotts and Mike Stanton are competing for the "token bullpen lefty" role.
- Finally, let's hope that Miles and/or Fontenot can show some success in the role of "backup third baseman". Because, otherwise, we're going to be forced to carry someone who can, out of the cesspool of Andres Blanco, Luis Rivas, etc. AND, to make matters worse, this then creates a competition for "fourth outfielder" between GROTA Fave Reed Johnson and Joey Gathright, because assuming Lou is bringing 12 pitchers north, that leaves only 4 outfield positions if the infield is taking up 7.
- As it is, some may say that Johnson and Gathright are already competing for the coveted role of "sometimes center fielder".
I am about to make my point, for those of you patient enough to stay with me so far, however I must make the disclaimer that my assumptions to follow are, as always, "barring injuries" to one of the 19 fortunate sons above. But if worse came to worse, and if one of them were to injure themselves, there is always the short-term fix of the farm system, and a longer-term fix in the mid-season trade market.
But I maintain the following:
- The 2009 Cubs do not need Samardzija AND Marshall;
- The 2009 Cubs do not need Hoffpauir AND Fox;
- The 2009 Cubs, hopefully, do not need another piss-hitting short guy to be a backup infielder. But even if they don't, they don't need Reed Johnson AND Gathright.
- The 2009 Cubs do not need Jeff Stevens OR Josh Vitters...
OH GAWD!! You cry...NOT THIS AGAIN....
Yep. It is lovely to win early spring games, it is entertaining to discuss the chances of Red Sock Schill park his ample ass along the third base bullpen. It is delightful to see the former LSU Tigers beat up on guys who will be parking cars next month. But in my world, this is not a World Championship club we are seeing right now.
However, kids, what we do have today is a club that is close, real close, two fingers held really close together close, only ONE major pickup close. We don't need a 42-year-old fame whore; we don't need a fifth starter; what we need is something we don't have.
And yes, I do understand that there isn't much that can be done until the ownerships for both franchises are set in concrete, but that's ok. All it should take on our end is a few more outings like the one Peavy threw at us yesterday. And all it should take on their end is several more outings where the only runs they score are unearned runs.
I'd toss Marshall-Fox-Gathright-Stevens-Vitters at them for Peavy, and if they wanted either Johnson or Hoffpauir (but not both) instead of Gathright or Fox, I'd give it to them. If they wanted both, I'd take Vitters off the table, so a Marshall-Hoffpauir-Johnson-Stevens for Peavy. This is what we'd have left:
- We'd still have Samardzija for a "sixth" starter to fill in when needed;
- We'd still have a power hitting backup for Lee;
- We'd still have a great-fielding platoon CF with Fukudome;
- Heilman and Gaudin would be full-fledged bullpen members. But for perhaps the first time in their respective careers, they would not have the ability to say "Hey, I am better than X - I should be starting for us", and since that is understood, both can concentrate all of their energies to being the best set-up guys they can be;
- We'd still have the balance and depth Uncle Lou claimed cost us the last two playoffs;
- Oh, yeah. We'd have the best MLB starting rotation of the last 40 years.
Now, THERE's a World Series team!
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Scjudah
- uploaded: Jul 9, 2012
- Hits: 359
Mat 24:8 All these [are] the beginning of sorrows. Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. Psa 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry [with the wicked] every day. Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. Psa 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. READ MATT.24:4-8, 2ES.15:49, 2ES.16:8, MATT.24:10, MATT.18:7, IS.54:16, PS.7:11, PS.71:4, EPH.6:12,& ECCS.33:14
1 comments
Israel5535 July 13, 2012 7:53:45 PM CEST
Hmmm very entertaining. It is not earthquakes in diverse places, but earthquakes in one place after another as man had never seen before.. You r quoting the Roman demon bible. Black Africans r from the tribe of Ham and his descendants were to be slave to the descendants of Japeth and Shem(Genisis 9:24-27). Black Africans r not from the tribe of Shem of where the Israelites come from. It is a lie and false doctrine. Let me ask u this. Why does not the hosts of heaven appear in Africa or Israel, but appear in the southwest U.S.A.? The hosts of heaven or the cloud of fire or the chariot of fire appear only to the Hebrew tribes giving signs. Go to my site to see real images of the hosts of heaven appearing, making signs for His people. And yes, Mystery Babylon U.S.A. shall be burned utterly with fire for its blasphemies, and land taken by theft. Black Africans stole the land allongside and aiding the Europeans, murdering, raping and stealing. Yes the end is coming soon.


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Just got a kindle fire any suggestions on which app is the best for brewing?
My wife just got one.. not sure it is going to be the best for that... though it is awesome at giving you amazon content. I'd be interested to know if there is an app for it that is good for brewing though.
There are some apps. Some with brew timing for additions and strike water calculations I was hoping some one else could suggest which one is the best.
Fire uses a custom Android OS. Looking on the Amazon website I see that Brewing Assistant is available for 99 cents. I don't know how good it is, but that's all I found in a quick search.
I am playing around with it now. It is not the easiest program and now I need to figure out how to sync with beersmith.


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Atlanta's Sweetwater Brewing Co. has just announced a novel new twist on the cask ale festival. Here are the details sent from Sweetwater Minister of Propaganda Steve Farace:
SweetWater Brewing Company is putting a personal touch on cask ale festivals by inviting some lucky ducks to come down to the brewery and create their own version of a cask ale. The "Brew Your Cask Off" Cask Ale Festival on March 20th, 2010 will feature 70+ cask entries all made on site at SweetWater Brewery by the fortunate folks who are invited or won the chance to brew their own recipe.
"We are creating a couple of base beers for them to start with and then letting their wild creative side take over from there!" said Mark Medlin, SweetWater's Brewmaster. He will be overseeing all of the casks to make sure the final products are as tasty as the inspired recipes these amateur brewers had intended them to be. "Of course, we'll have a few casks of our own for the festival as well."
Those invited will be given a Cask recipe form and work directly with Hop City, a local package store and home brew shop, to pull together their master list of ingredients to go in their casks. They will have access to a diverse amount of yeast strains, spices, fruits, dozens of varieties of hops, and a plethora of offbeat adjuncts and additions. The only limits for this will be their creativity! All entries will be professionally judged prior to the tasting with awards for the Best Brews being given out during the Festival. Folks attending will also have their voices and votes heard as well with the People's Choice award for the top cask.
The diverse list of guest brewers will include retailers of SweetWater brews, National and local beer media, home brewing societies, a few nonprofit organizations, and a some celebrities who will be stepping up to the plate to show off their skills. The non-profits will have the ability to not only have a cask entered into the festival, but also to raise some money for their organizations by auctioning off that privilege as well. Once on board, the guest brewers will work with Hop City package and home brew supply store to acquire all the necessary ingredients to create their masterpiece.
For more information on SweetWater's "Brew Your Cask Off" Cask Ale Festival, to see the full list of guest brewers, and to order your tickets for this one-of-a-kind event visit www.brewyourcaskoff.com
December 19th, 2009
1:10 pm
This sounds like an interesting yet strange cask fest. On one hand it will be interesting to see many variations on the same two base beers. But on the other hand, what type of recipes will these non-brewing people create? I mean, can you imagine an AJC writer coming up with a winning recipe for doctoring a cask beer?
December 19th, 2009
4:55 pm
Ha-ha. Maybe we can talk the AJC wine writer into helping me out.
February 8th, 2010
1:22 pm
I'll be there!


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Statue of Liberty Express Cruise
Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the Statue of Liberty Express Cruise. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
Click here for tour details, schedule and pricing
Très agréable ballade. Passe près Statue de la liberté. Personnel attentif. Commentaires en anglais.
Great tour and excellent value. It was a cold rainy day but still the perfect way to see some sights. The tour was on time and lasted exactly 2 hours as they said it would. I would recommend this boat over some of the others.
Nice boat, good value for money.
Nice boat, good value for money.
Great trip.informative and interesting. Fits lots into an hour tour.!!
Fab trip glad we booked through victor as saved lots of Money no queuing no hassle
It was really fun. Exactly what we expected.
Was a very nice tour. It gives you a good view of Lower Manhattan, New Jersey, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, and the new World Trade Centre building. Well worth it
The Zephyr was a really nice yacht and glided through the bay for a smooth trip. Good sights of the Statue of Liberty. Maximum capacity ~ 600 people, there were about 500 on our trip. I strongly recommend sitting on the outside perimeter, or else you will have a blocked view from the interior and it will be difficult to take pictures. The top deck is the best place to sit.
This was the best hour spent in NYC. To see the bridges, Freedom Tower, Empire State Building, Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty was amazing. Next stop was Top of the Rock, also booked through Viator. Highly recommend Viator for booking tours.
Unfortunately the statue was closerd
The staff were efficient and friendly and the commentary was excellent.
Anna M
A very nice trip.
This tour was very nice. We saw the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, reconstruction of Tower 4 (World Trade Center), and much more. Well worth the price


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text: Osteoblast bone cell surrounded by osteoid (cream), coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). Osteoblasts are primarily found in regions of new bone growth. They produce and secrete the osteoid, the matrix of the new bone composed of collagen fibrils and other structural proteins. As soon as osteoid is formed, calcium salts crystallise inside it to form hard, mineralised bone. Magnification: x6760 when printed 10 centimetres wide.


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D'Arcy Hair Design
darcy harrison
darcy hair design
Beauty & Spas > Hair Care & Salons > Hair Stylists & Salons >
Business Profile
D'Arcy Hair Design (at Emerson Salon)
909 E. Pike St., Seattle, WA 98121
seattle, bellevue, kirkland, medina, mercer island
To read more reviews of D'Arcy's work,
click on the Yelp image above.
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I would recommend her to anyone as she is quite the people person and extremely hilarious to boot:)"
5 stars from Shera G.
More reviews of D'Arcy are at www.yelp.com/emerson-salon-seattle
Creating Hair Happiness and Confidence
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MacConnection is offering a deal on this Apple iMac MC509LL/A Core i3 21.5-inch Desktop Computer which comes to $1249.99 + Free Shipping = $1249.99!
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Going solo
Readers' comments (13)
Sorry but although inspiring that one person could do this most are still pretty hard done by. Even if every laid-off lawyer were to become a consultant, we are in a recession and there is not enough work to go round. I was made redundant from a large investment bank after 4 years of working in their derivatives transactions legal team and that was 4 months ago. Agents are still stock piling CVs and mine is amongst them but the jobs just aren't there.
Not being a consultant myself it's difficult to give a complete answer to the point raised that the Law Society requires the consultant to have their own PI insurance if they work for more than 4 firms. I would want to find out chapter and verse why they say that and then look at how to get round it - because it is possible to get around. I know consultants who work this way and if they had to have their own insurance it would be completely unviable. Some consultants appear on the firm's practising certifcate as solicitors working for the firm, so I guess that might be the way to get round the problem. If Ana appeared as a solicitor on all the PC forms for the firms for whom she has worked the previous year she would effectively benefit from their PI cover.
Virtual community of unemployed lawyers
Dear Anna, thank you for sharing with us your experience. I have also come to the conclusion that the only way to find work at the moment is to create its own work, however it is quite difficult when you have been pampered for years by a large law firm and have worked only on huge transactions which are not entrusted to sole practitioners. An idea could be to create a virtual community of lawyers who are in a similar situation to exchange ideas, referrals, do common marketing, offer below the market fees and move forward.
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Alite Clover Cookset/Tongs
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Cloverware is a uniquely designed nested utensil set perfect to function in and outdoors. Cookware and dishwasher safe Nestable and made from heat-resistant BPA free recyclable nylon polymer Item Specifications Color Blue
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The Clover Cook set is a 3-in-1 outdoor cooking tool that makes cooking in the outdoors simple and fun! The set includes a big spoon for stirring your five-alarm chili, as well as a spatula for flipping golden buttermilk pancakes. The spatula features a serrated edge for cutting through your sunrise omelet or slicing through that morning sausage. But the real magic happens when the spoon and spatula are joined together to form tongs! Reverse and nest the spoon and spatula back together for space savings and ease on the go.
- CampSaver.com
The Clover Cook Utensil Set is a 3-in-1 cooking tool that makes cooking in the outdoors simple and fun! It includes a spoon and spatula that join together to create tongs.
The ultimate 3-in-1 cooking tool for both your home kitchen and camp kitchen, the Alite Designs Clover Cookset integrates a spoon, slotted spatula, and a set of tongs into one convenient utensil.
CLOSEOUTS . Perfect for group camping when space in your pack is still at a premium, Alite Designs Clover Cook tool features a large spoon and a spatula that combine to form tongs. These BPA-free cooking tools are heat resistant up to 400and#176;F and pack together for maximum stowability. Available Colors: GRANITE GREY, PARADISE BLUE.
- Sierra Trading Post
Alite Clover Cookset/Tongs
currently retails for:
$8.96 - $15.00
$8.96 - $15.00


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Big Show vs Brock Lesnar Live Match
Big Show vs Brock Lesnar – 1/26/2014 Full Show Livestream
On Jan. 26 at Royal Rumble, Brock Lesnar returns to a WWE ring for a fight, though his opposition will not be any ordinary Superstar but rather a true giant in the form of the 7-foot, 425-pound Big Show. Lesnar's advocate, Paul Heyman, accepted a challenge issued by The World's Largest Athlete on SmackDown, clearing the path for a colossal fight between arguably WWE's two most intimidating warriors.
The turbulent Lesnar surprisingly reappeared on the last Raw of 2013 to not only name himself the No. 1 contender for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but to also brutalize Mark Henry — a punishing act he repeated the following week, fracturing Henry's arm and dislocating his elbow with the Kimura Lock. Moments later, Big Show stormed the ring and made The Beast Incarnate look uncharacteristically human, tossing the former mixed martial artist's nearly 300-pound frame across the ring.
How To Watch Free WWE PPV Live Stream
Big Show has since dispelled the notion he was trying to be heroic, instead stating simply that he has disliked Lesnar since The Beast Incarnate's initial stint in WWE a decade ago. Even though the two juggernauts collided back then, both Superstars are different, more evolved, combatants now: Lesnar's fighting game in 2014 is informed by his experience dominating the Octagon, while Show has added the lethal KO Punch to his already XXL-sized arsenal.
Even if the 30-man Royal Rumble Match wasn't taking place on Jan. 26, the ring would still have to be reinforced to accommodate this monstrous matchup. As the WWE Universe remembers well, a June 2003 altercation between The World's Largest Athlete and the Superstar then dubbed The Next Big Thing was so massive and so intense that it literally broke a WWE ring in a moment that lives on forever in WWE highlight reels.
What will happen with the behemoths tie up again on pay-per-view? Will Big Show back up his words and prove that Lesnar is not unstoppable? Or will The Beast, intent on pushing his way into the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture, be victorious against the giant who packs dynamite in his fist? With both Superstars fueled by disdain, the one safe bet is that Big Show vs. Brock Lesnar is less likely to look like a sanctioned wrestling bout than a knock-down, drag-out fight between the two biggest dogs in the yard.
Find out which bruiser prevails when this hellish maelstrom takes center stage at Royal Rumble on Sunday, Jan. 26.
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Cross-platform PixelLight 3D engine 1.0.0 released
Aug 27, 2012
Version 1.0.0 of the free open-source, cross-platform 3D application framework PixelLight has been released. We're using OpenGL as well as GLSL within our main-renderer and OpenGL ES 2.0 for Android. The primary focus of this release was on quality assurance. On the graphics side, tesselation as well as instancing support was added to the rendering system. Further we added the capability of rendering volume data. We received a lot of feedback from the community about the Linux SDK. As a result we added helper shell scripts so applications can be started without having to modify the system environment.
Category: Developers •
Posted on 08/27 at 02:21 PM
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Next entry: Nopper.tv hosts now an OpenGL 4.3 example
Previous entry: OpenGL 4 reference pages now online


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Google has just posted its fourth quarter earnings for the calendar year 2012. The Internet giant raked in $14.42 billion in consolidated revenue (versus estimates of $12.3 billion), up 36 percent annually and eight percent sequentially. Excluding traffic acquisition costs and Motorola Home, quarterly revenue was $11.34 billion, up from $8.13 billion. The firm earned 54 percent of the revenue outside of the United States, or $6.9 billion.
Quarterly net income came in at $2.9 billion, a 6.7 percent increase (non-GAAP profit was $3.57 billion, up from $3.13 billion a year before). The company surpassed analysts' expectations on EPS, which was $10.65 on a non-GAAP basis versus the $10.54 consensus. So, even though revenue climbed substantially, profit was only up slightly.
Of note, Google's Motorola subsidiary (excluding the home biz) lost "only" 353 million, or 23 percent of the unit's quarterly revenue. Better batteries and impact-resistant design could be in the works for Motorola handsets. A live stream of the earnings call is included right after the break alongside other tidbits related to Apple, Maps, Nexus devices and more… Read More


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Found February 17, 2013 on MLB Injury News:
PLAYERS: Mat Gamel
TEAMS: Milwaukee Brewers
TEAMS: Milwaukee Brewers
Corey Harts' recent knee surgery meant the Milwaukee Brewers were going to spend spring training looking for someone to tend to first base until their slugger returns. Mat Gamel is one of the primary people being offered that opportunity, but coming off his own knee surgery, Gamel hit an obstacle, forcing him off the field today. Gamel, 27, is well on his way to a full tea set after a series of cups-of-coffee with the Brewers, dating back to 2008. The lefty swinger from Jacksonville, Florida, suffered a torn knee ligament, which led to season ending surgery last May. His injury prompted the Brewers to move Hart from the outfield to first base, where he flourished. Now penciled in as Harts' understudy, Gamel was forced to leave the Phoenix practice field Saturday where the Brewers were holding their first full-squad workout. Todd Rosiak reports in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Gamel had aggravated his surgically repaired right knee. Assistant general manager Gord Ash, through a team spokesperson, said the team is being cautious with Gamel and his recovery early in camp. Starting third baseman Aramis Ramirez has the only other first base experience amongst the Brewers 40-man roster. Follow @mlbinjurynews !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="http://www.mlbinjurynews.com//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs"); var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-34100676-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Looking for fantasy baseball advice?
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Mat Gamel re-tears ACL, out for another season
BREAKING NEWS: Brewers Mat Gamel to Miss Entire 2013 Season
Another tough break for Gamel
Brewers' Gamel tears ACL again, out for 2013
As Hart heals, Brewers will test out fill-ins
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Ramirez looking to get out to quicker start
Roenicke leaning towards Aoki for leadoff spot
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Find Online Colleges
Find Campus Colleges
Choose a County
Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood
Wisconsin Counties
Wisconsin CountiesThere are 72 counties in the state of Wisconsin.
Brown County, Wisconsin
Brown County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
Etymology - Origin of County Name
Brown County was named for Major-General Jacob Brown of the United States Army (Gannett, Place Names, p. 33; Wis. Hist. Colls., i, p. 112). General Brown (1775-1828), born in Pennsylvania, was a successful leader in the War of 1812-15. At its close he retained the command of the Northern division, and in 1821 was made general-in-chief of the army. He died at Washington, D.C.
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts
County History
Description from John W. Hunt's 1853 Wisconsin Gazetteer: "BROWN, County, is bounded on the north by Oconto, on the east by Kewaunee, on the south by Manitowoc, and on the west by Outagamie, and a portion of Oconto. It derived its name from General Brown, commander-in-chief of the army, and was originally organized by an act of the legislative council of the Territory of Michigan, approved 16th October, 1818, and then included all of the territory of the present state of Wisconsin, east of a line drawn due north from the northern boundary of Illinois, through the middle of the Portage be tween the Fox and Wisconsin rivers. Its limits have been decreased from time to time, until at present it contains only fourteen and a half townships, being 21 by 24 miles square, with an addition of 3 by 6 miles to its northwestern corner. Its streams are: Fox, (Neenah), Manitoo, (or East), Ashwabena and Big Suamico rivers, and Duck creek. The soil is better adapted to grazing than the raising of grain, although it produces good crops of wheat, rye, oats, potatoes, &c. The surface is mostly level or slightly undulating, with but little swamp or waste land. It is mostly heavily timbered, with maple, beech, birch, &c., interspersed with pine and a good proportion of hemlock. The population in 1825 was 952; 1830, 964; 1836, 2,706; 1838, 3,081; 1840, 2,107; 1842, 2,146; 1846, 2,632; 1847, 2,914; 1850, 6,222. Farms, 267; manufactories, 23; and dwellings, 1,005. It must be borne in mind that new counties were established from the county of Brown, between nearly every taking of the census, and that the foregoing table, so far as showing the increase of population is concerned, is a very unsatisfactory one."
|- Allouez
|Incorporated Area
|- Angelica
|- Ashwaubenon
|Incorporated Area
|- Bellevue
|Incorporated Area
|- De Pere
|Incorporated Area
|- Denmark
|Incorporated Area
|- Glenmore
|- Green Bay (County Seat)
|Incorporated Area
|- Hobart
|Incorporated Area
|- Holland
|- Howard
|Incorporated Area
|- Humboldt
|- Lawrence
|- Ledgeview
|- Morrison
|- New Denmark
|- Oneida
|- Pittsfield
|- Pulaski
|Incorporated Area
|- Scott
|- Suamico
|Incorporated Area
|- Wrightstown
|Incorporated Area


text:
Road users face greater risk during the winter months. We
will all be spending more time walking, cycling and driving in
darkness, which is far more dangerous than walking, cycling or
driving in daylight.
Also due to the geographical nature of North
Wales it is important to remember when walking on rural unlit
roads, to ensure you have a working/fully charged torch so you are
able to see where you are going and most importantly be seen by
other road users.
Walking when it's
dark.Everyone is more vulnerable during the winter
as you are less visible to motorists. We need to wear something
bright and take extra care when out and about near roads.
The key messages are:
Make sure you can be easily seen at all times, but especially at
night, on dark days and in bad weather.
Bright or fluorescent clothes show up best by day, especially in
dull or misty weather.
By night, reflective material is best and shows up in car
headlights – fluorescent clothing doesn't work after dark.
Reflective tape can be put on clothing, school bags and
Cross the road at the safest place possible for example, zebra,
pelican, puffin and patrolled crossings.
Use the Green Cross Code: Stop, Look, Listen, Live.
If you are out at night, choose routes that are well-lit by
streetlights and cross at well-lit places.
Cycling when it's
dark.The advice given to pedestrians about being
seen applies equally to cyclists. In addition, bikes need to be
equipped with good lights. It is an offence to cycle at night
without a white front light, a red back light and a red reflector
at the back.
Driving when it's dark.Ninety percent of a
driver's reaction depends on vision, and vision is severely limited
at night.
The key messages are:
Make sure all lights are clean, working and adjusted
Make sure the windscreen is clean inside and out.
Use headlights whenever visibility is reduced – for example, early
morning, at dusk, when it's raining or in any gloomy conditions.
It'll help others to see you.
Increase your following distance so you don't blind the driver
ahead of you.
Don't dazzle others with your main beam.
Reduce your speed. You should be able to stop within the distance
you can see.
If your vehicle breaks down, pull off the road as far as possible
and switch on the hazard warning lights.
Older drivers face greater difficulties. A 50 year old driver may
need twice as much light to be able to see as well as a 30 year
Please also visit our advice and
support pages, for more information when you are out and
© 2012 North Wales Police
Website Privacy Policy


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Snoop Dog, Heidi Klum, Jenny McCarthy, and Chris Daughtry will also participate in the game show, hosted by Drew Carey, by helping contestants and raising money for charity.
Harris' stage credits include Company, Assassins, Rent, and All My Sons. He won two 2010 Emmy Awards, for hosting the 2009 Tony Awards, and for his guest spot on FOX's Glee, and currently stars on CBS' How I Met Your Mother. His many film credits include The Smurfs and the Harold and Kumar series.


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---Concussion Screening for Student Athletes---
Click here to see what the high school art classes have been up to!
Click here to watch the video!
Elkhart Lake Glenbeulah Middle School students, Lauren Schmitt, 8th Grade and Karly O'Grady, 7th Grade, won 1st place and 3rd place respectively with their fire safety posters at the Wisconsin State Firefighters Association Convention held in Middleton, WI. The Elkhart Lake and Glenbeulah Fire Departments sponsor the K-8 school contest. It is coordinated by Jane Schmidt, 3rd grade teacher and the art department, Elizabeth Mortimer(substitute teacher) and Amy Hammes K-8 art teacher.
Click Here for the Apparel Order Form - Please have orders in by April 4th
This year's The Best Of the 7th Grade Plays marks the 25th anniversary of seventh graders performing under the direction of Mr. Tim Talen. Congratulation on a fantastic performance! Watch the video (right) to view highlights of our ELG 7th Graders preparing for and participating in "The Best of 7th Grade Plays."
Staff and students at ELG Elementary School spent the first week of March celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss and Read Across America. See exciting highlights from this special week at our school! Watch the video (right) to see ELG Elementary students and staff participate in the celebration tribute!
Congratulations to the Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah High School Art Students who were honored, along with their teacher, Janice Hannon, this past Sunday at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Their art is currently being displayed at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center for Youth Art Month, which runs Feb 9 - Mar 2. Honored ELGHS artists include: Jen Wallner, Aubrey Reitz, Paige Weber, Erika Schill, Sarah Thomas, Kenna Rentmeester, Sara Groth, and Meghan Clemens. Their works include oil paintings, acrylic paintings, pencil drawings, and an ink print. The Art Show at Kohler is the 28th annual Sheboygan County Student Art Exhibition. The exhibition will be open during regular Arts Center gallery hours: M,W,F 10AM - 5PM, Tues & Thurs 10AM - 8PM, Sat & Sun 10AM - 4PM.
The Kohl Community Fitness Center is available free of charge to district residents. Exercise is a vital part of physical and mental health and wellness. The Kohl Fitness Community Center is right next to the E.L. High School-take advantage of it! Exercise translates into better heart health (reduced risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke), lowering blood pressure, boosting your HDL "good" cholesterol, increasing flexibility, stronger bones, relieving stress, boosting your energy, as well as, getting to your desired weight. Please see the 'Fitness Calendar' link under the Calendar section in our website's left margin to view Fitness Center operating hours outside of the school day. Prior to first use an orientation session must be arranged. For more information such as volunteering to be a Fitness Center Supervisor, fees, equipment and orientation, please contact Jim Brown, the High School Principal at 920-876-3381 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
It's that time of the year again! Check daily to see if you are a Wrestling calendar winner. Click here for results.
As the EL-G School District began its fundraising campaign to build a new greenhouse on the high school site, the EL Lions Club stepped forth with a donation of $20,000. Al Zemlicka, EL Lion's Club President, presented the check to Dr. Ann Buechel-Haack, District Administrator, and Michelle Arbuckle, Agri-Science teacher. The new greenhouse is planned to be a laboratory setting for integrated studies in the fields of Agri-science, biology, and the culinary arts. At this time, $50,000 has been raised for the project. Generous donations have also been received from the Hayssen Family Foundation, EL-G Education Foundation, and the EL-G FFA Alumni. For more information on the project, or if any group or individual is interesting in making a donation, contact Dr. Buechel-Haack at 876-3381. The project is being coordinated in conjunction with Steve Schmitt from Jos. Schmitt and Sons.
The Elkhart Lake Police Department, in cooperation with Community Bank and Blain's Farm & Fleet, are handing out free gun locks to Elkhart Lake community members and customers of Community Bank & Trust. The goal of this program is to provide a safe home for children by securing all guns in the home. If you would like to get a gun lock, or further information, please text or call Officer Scott Niemi at 920-838-3987 or email at firstname.lastname@example.com. There will be three styles of gun locks to choose from. You can also stop at the Elkhart Lake Police Department at 40 Pine Street to pick one up.
As individual schools and as a district we did exceptionally well this year. Both the high school and middle/elementary schools rated at Exceeds Expectations and as a District we also received the Exceeds Expectations rating. The links are below for accessing information on the report cards and also for information on how all schools and districts in the state fared. If you look through the districts in the state/area, most did very well as an overwhelming number of schools met expectations or went beyond. As a district rating, we are one of two in our surrounding area that were rated as exceeding expectations, ELG and Oostburg. We take pride in our rating as we feel it reflects the efforts put in by our staff, students, parents, and community to raise the achievement of ALL students. However we also realize this in only one piece of information, and as a district our yearly scores will be subject to greater fluctuation due to our smaller student population. So while very pleased with our current results, we feel an equally valid measure of our students' achievement is how at ELG we constantly strive to personalize our students' instruction to meet their learning needs so they can be successful both in the classroom and beyond the walls of the school.
Click here to see the ELGS District Report Card 2012-13
Click here to see the ELGS Elementary-Middle School Report Card 2012-13
Click here to see the ELGS HIgh School Report Card 2012-13
Additional report card information can be found at http://reportcards.dpi.wi.gov/rc_districts.
Any questions on either the school or district report cards can be directed to Mrs. Hammann, Mr. Brown, or Dr. Buechel Haack
It has been a successful year of collaboration between Mrs. Arbuckle and Mrs. Beyer's Agriculture classes and Mrs. Roehl's Culinary Arts classes. For the first semester of the school year, students in Animals, Plants and Pizza class worked hard raising Tilapia in an aquaponics system. They maintained the system which had about 25 fish in it, along with 5 tomato plants and 1 pepper plant. The aquaponics system is a recirculating system that uses the water from the fish tanks to provide nutrients to the tomato and pepper plants. In mid-December the students harvested 8 fish from the system. The students worked with Mrs. Roehl's Culinary Arts 4 class to learn how to clean and filet the fish. Then the students learned how to prepare the fish for a meal. Click here to read more.
The Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah School District Open Enrollment ad series was recognized with an Award of Merit from the National School Public Relations Association. The school district received one of only nine Merit Awards presented nationally in the area of marketing material. This is the second year in a row the district has received the honor of being selected as a winner in the NSPRA's Publications and Electronic Media Contest. Click here to read more.


text:
Who's Running:
District 86 School Board
District 181 School Board
Glenn Yaeger
Susan Nedza Lastres
Marty Turek
Michael Nelson
Brendan Heneghan
Scott Musil
Hinsdale Village Board (Candidates running unopposed)
J. Kimberly Angelo
Chris Elder
William Haarlow
Hinsdale Library Board (Candidates running unopposed)
Johanna Delaney (current library board president seeking re-election)
Victoria Bush-Joseph
Connie Nelson
Where do I vote?
Below are a few places in Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills. You can find the polling place nearest you by entering your name and address in the boxes on the website of the DuPage County Election Commission.
The Community House, 415 W. 8th Street, Hinsdale
Zion Lutheran Church, Hinsdale, 204 S. Grant Street, Hinsdale
Christian Church of Clarendon Hills, 5750 Holmes Avenue, Clarendon Hills
Clarendon Hills Park District, 315 Chicago Avenue, Clarendon Hills
How do I vote?
View a sample ballot by filling in the boxes here
More questions? Check out voter FAQs for DuPage County


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Holiday Apartment Sotto La Mole is a little comfortable apartment in Turin city center, in quiet area near the Po and the Mole (Piazza Vittorio square), placed on the 3rd floor with lift. It is composed of living room with kitchenette,... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 77
La Finestra Sul Cortile B&B is located in the city center, on the ground floor and very near to the Po river. The B&B is set in a comfortable and small apartment at guests' complete disposal, it offers: 1 bedroom with an equipped... Plus d'informations
Holiday Apartment Sarre is a fully detached bright solution composed of a living room/kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom. The bedroom has a king-size bed, and a double sofa bed can accommodate 2 further guests in the living room.... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 45
Bed & Breakfast Al Porta Susa is located in a period building in the heart of Torino just steps from the Porta Susa train station. We welcome you in a large apartment with high and frescoed ceilings, in a warm and welcoming atmosphere,... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 78
Holiday Apartment Sant'Antonino is located in an elegant and quiet area near Corso Francia avenue and the Turin metro stop Pozzo Strada'. It is a recently refurbished spacious and charming studio flat composed of a kitchenette and... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 40
Bed & Breakfast Regina is located right in the center rich of very many points of historical and archaeological interest to two steps from the Mole Antonelliana. B&B Regina offers accommodation in 2 bedrooms that are well soundproofed... Plus d'informations
Bed & Breakfast Augusta Taurinorum, charming and comfortable 10 minutes from the city center by subway. The apartment is located in a residential complex with a large garden. Bed & Breakfast Augusta Taurinorum offers accommodation... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 77
Bed & Breakfast A Casa Armenia is located in the historical center of the town, and with a pleasant suggestive walk along the historical streets, you can reach the most important tourist sites. Our B&B offers a double bedroom furnished... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 98
A Casa Romar Bed & Breakfast since 1999 welcome you in a warm atmosphere of a family. It offers accommodation in a single/double room with independent entrance, a complete private bathroom, central heating, and a balcony + an... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 75
Holiday Apartment Dora is a wide and sunny apartment accommodating up to 5 guests and provided with a balcony overlooking the internal courtyard It is composed of a lounge room with a double sofa bed, possibility to add a third bed,... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 53
Bed & Breakfast Quadrifoglio is in an independent recently refurbished apartment, renovated to EU standards, furnished with class, centrally located in Turin, a few minutes' walk from Piazza Castello. The B&B offers accommodation in 2... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 75
In the old farm "Cascina Bellezza" tanks to the restoration activity of the last years, we have prepared three comfortable rooms that are ideal for the relax of the travelers coming from different side of the world: - Sunflower room,... Plus d'informations
Zoe Bed & Breakfast is a modern flat characterized by charming atmosphere, in the heart of the city; it overlooks the historical ventre and the Juventus Stadium. The B&B offers accommodation in 2 double bedrooms with its own... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 79
Beb Tin Bed & Breakfast is situated in a green residential area of the mountain village called Valsangone, in a strategic place for the mountain's tracks. The B&B offers accommodation in 3 matrimonial bedrooms served by private... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 68
Bed & Breakfast L'Arziga, immersed in the numerous colours of the piedmont hills, surrounded by castles and vineyards, waits for you to host you in a refined atmosphere of warm hospitality. The B&B L'Arzigà has 4 sleeping beds in... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 57
Agritourism took his name from the horse farm located in agricoltural firm, and offer a confortable bed and a tipical breakfast to guests, and a private riding lessons with qualified instructors, the firm is also available to host those... Plus d'informations
Prix moyen 100
Villa Anna B&B develops onto 3 levels, it is surrounded by a large garden that gives the possibility to spend a magical experience under the shade of large beeches trees. The ground floor is inhabited by our family; the second floor... Plus d'informations
Farmhouse La Longa was derived from the recovery of an old farmhouse starting 800 and offers both the opportunity to eat that to rest. Available there is a room only opened by appointment only at night from Thursday to Saturday, and... Plus d'informations
Bed & Breakfast La Curandera is located a few kilometers from the center of Turin, near the Castle of Rivoli, in the quietness of the old village. We accommodate our guests in a country house of late 1800 renovated according to the... Plus d'informations
The Farmhouse "Cascina Argentera" was built by old family Argentero, coming from Chieri, in 1656. Admiring the small church, situated in front of the structure, you'll be immersed in the atmosphere of the ancient convent of nuns, who... Plus d'informations


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Think of it like this: Would the Sunwell have been given a lot of attention by players if it released with The Burning Crusade? No, because no one would be able to do it for a while. First, you had to get to 70. Then, you had to get through Kara, Gruul, Mag, SSC, and TK. Then, MH and BT. Finally, you were there...it would take months of work.
What raids and such we have right now for Wrath is gearing us up for the next content patch. The only time in TBC that Blizzard gave us a raid that anyone could start out with was Zul'Aman, and even then, you needed to be Kara-geared.
I'm assuming that Ulduar will be a harder raid than the raids we have now, and this is a way to get people geared up for it beforehand.
Just because you have something doesn't mean you have to use it right away.
Besides, why release a content patch that is made just for Lv. 80 stuff when you don't have people at Lv. 80?
Actually I disagree. For raids in particular I think it's better to stagger their release, so we don't get what happened with BC (2.1 is the Black Temple patch!... So, uh, we're done with new raids this year, pretty much. Check back in April for the Sunwell!)
Which meant the Sunwell had to be tuned for people who had farmed Hyjal and BT to death. Not that I'm complaining about that too much, but still, staggering it like this makes a lot of sense to me.


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Mental Health Center
Internet to Sex: Defining Addiction
Fifteen-year-old Lily has finally found Kevin, the man of her dreams, on the Internet. He has a gift of knowing what to say to make her feel good, despite the disappointments she's had with a broken family and a recent move to a new city with her mom.
So she spends hours chatting with her online companion, alienating herself from family and friends. Soon after a face-to-face meeting with the 20-something-year-old, she gives in to his aggressive sexual demands and contracts chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease. When Lily's friends try to intervene in the relationship, Kevin becomes angry and tries to kill one of them.
Sound too far-fetched to be true? Maybe. Maybe not. While this is a current storyline on The Young and the Restless, a daily soap opera on CBS, there are viewers who can attest that elements of the plot are a bit too realistic for comfort, according to Jack Smith, executive producer and co-head writer of the daytime drama.
He says many parents have responded to the fictional situation, writing letters about their own concerns and experiences of their children's extensive use of the Web. According to him, they say things like, "You're telling our story."
Dangerous Online Habit
The possibility that kids will meet sketchy people online during their extended use of the Net surely strikes deep into the fears of parents. Smith himself has a 14-year-old daughter who has dozens of virtual buddies, a number of them strangers. It was his worries about the number of hours she was logged on that inspired the cyber abuse tale.
Although he says he does not regard his daughter as an Internet addict like the character Lily and he does not think that she has had a risky online encounter, the Y&R exec still finds disturbing the idea that people could take on anonymous personalities on the Web and not be held accountable for their actions.
"The Internet could be a real environment for predators," says Smith. His remarks mirror the words of some mental health professionals who say that particular features of the Web not only promote compulsive behavior, but danger, too.
David Greenfield, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Connecticut, says other characteristics of the Net encouraging addiction include easy access, sense of timelessness, the hypnotic quality of the screen, and the unfinished, intermittent nature of information.
What's even worse, he says, is the "synergistic effect"
that these characteristics have when combined with stimulating Web content
that, in themselves, could be habit-forming. Such content could be found in
gambling, shopping, stock trading, video gaming, and porn sites, and cybersex
chat rooms.
For instance, "You may have a predilection for liking pornography," explains Greenfield, "but when the pornography is in your face, is easily accessible, affordable, and is available at any time and any place in an anonymous way, that lowers the threshold in regard to acting out with that behavior."


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If John Banks does go it will be to save John Key and National, not himself.
Being stood down as a Minister would certainly be the end of Banks' political career and, surely, the end of the Act Party.
Given the looseness of the law on local body donations, the difficulty in proving that someone knew something, together with the extraordinary slowness of past police investigations, it's very likely that Banks could easily hang on as an MP until the next election.
But does National really want a running sore for all that time?
- Audrey Young reports that the latest Herald poll finally has some good news for Labour – see: Labour makes big leap in poll. As Russell Brown points out this will obviously be welcome relief for Shearer but he agrees with David Farrar's analysis of David Cunliffe's speech, saying that 'If the party stalwarts have fallen as far out of love with Shearer as everyone says, then Cunliffe was coming a-courting' – see: The Base. See also Vernon Small's report on Cunliffe's speech: Labour was too close to National: Cunliffe.
- Rob Salmond argues that polling since the election hasn't been that bad for Shearer and Labour (see: Poll of Polls: Sanity Check) and gets a response form Danyl Mclauchlan – see: Why the Shearer backlash.
- TVNZ's Simon Bradwell says it's time for ACC to admit they were wrong and call off the dogs – see: ACC shot down again.
- The rebuild of Christchurch is essentially a choice between a beautiful heritage rebuild or the cheap option of 'tilt-slab buildings' and carparks, according to Ian Maxwell writing in the Press (Chch rebuild going pear-shaped).
- With the issue of lobbying – and it's regulation – becoming a hot topic, the Parliamentary Library has produced an excellent research paper on the issue, concentrating on international comparisons – see: Lobbying regimes: an outline.
- Chris Trotter traces the start of the decline in voter participation to a cold July day in 1984 – see: Why such a low voter turnout in 2011?, and on the same topic, Radio New Zealand's Insight investigation into 'why people don't vote and what can be done to turn the trend around' – can be listened to here.