text:
Results tagged ' Alex Rodriguez '
Early Season Surprises and Small Sample Overreactions
As teams reach double-digits in games played, we are able to have all of forty at-bats to judge the talents of everyday players and roughly two starts for starting pitchers on your favorite teams. Can you tell how the season is going to go on that? Of course not! However, it's still an interesting way that we can glimpse into the future, utilizing projections and our own dreams to see things the way that we'd like to. After nearly two weeks of the season, these are the top stories to overreact to:
Alex Rodriguez is BACK!
ARod is dropping some A-Bombs, carrying the New York Yankees offense. He leads the team in average (.344), on-base percentage (.432), slugging (.781), OPS (1.214), home runs (four), RBI (11), and hits (11). He is also tied for 6th in MLB is strikeouts (12), leaving the box empty-handed in 32.4 percent of his 32 early-season at-bats. He's on pace for 65 home runs and 178 RBI in 2015. It would be an interesting story, especially if he rebounds and returns to his prior elite-levels without cheating, but he'll turn 40 in July and the Yankees can't run him out there daily with the laundry list of health issues that he has dealt with over the last couple of seasons. Where does he end up, though? The strikeouts will likely continue due to the slower bat, but there appears to be plenty of pop left…when he makes contact.
Joey Votto is Healthy and Raking
Talk about a fantasy stud, Votto is on-pace for a .350/.480/.750 season with 59 home runs, 147 RBI, and 29 stolen bases. There has been quite a bit of hatred for Votto over the last couple of seasons in Cincinnati, ranging from people questioning his time away (due to injuries) and his unwillingness to swing the bat. Still projected to walk 147 times this season, based on his 20 percent current walk-rate, Votto looks healthy and primed to prove his 2010 MVP season wasn't his only magnificent effort. His salary will inflate in 2016, as Votto is due $199 million in guaranteed money from 2016 through 2024.
Adrian Gonzalez is the MVP of Life
.550/.609/1.125 with 118 doubles, 191 runs scored, 74 home runs, and 162 RBI – who says Dodger Stadium is a tough place to hit. These would all be personal bests for Gonzalez and put the soon-to-be 33-year-old on the radar for best player in baseball. We'll see if he can hold off Mike Trout for that title.
Max Scherzer Shows the Win Isn't Important
The Washington Nationals' huge investment from the winter may be on pace to go just 15-15, but he's also on pace to finish with a workhorses load: 309.2 innings over 44 starts with a 0.83 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, .171 BAA, and a 368:59 K:BB. Move over Clayton Kershaw, there's a new Cy Young winner in the National League…unless…
Bartolo Colon To Go Undefeated
That's right! Fatolo is on his way to a 44-0 season for the Mets over 44 starts, walking just 15 batters over 295 incredible innings. He also has one more RBI this season than Houston's Chris Carter so far this season, which is horrific because of this:
If it had to be the shoes for Michael Jordan, it has to be the fat in the elbow for Colon.
Ian Desmond Can't Catch a Cold
The Nationals shortstop has a whopping seven errors in his first 11 games, which puts him on pace for 103 errors in the 2015 season. Unfortunately, that won't break the MLB record of 122 in a season, but it WOULD be the most by any player since the start of the 20th century. Here's to hoping he gets back on track…or at least begins to understand that his hands aren't made of stones.
Are there any other projections that have impressed you early this season? Send them my way in the comments.
2015 Season Previews: New York Yankees
Over the next several weeks, The Baseball Haven will be creating season previews for all 30 MLB teams. You'll find their projected records (based on PECOTA records from Baseball Prospectus, as of 2/15/2015), each team's top three players (based on Steamer WAR projections from FanGraphs), and some valuable notes on each team, including likely bounce-back candidates, potential breakout players or fantasy sleepers, as well as a look back at offseason transactions which led to each team's projections. Stop back frequently to see where your favorite team ranks!
New York Yankees
2015 Projected Record: 80-82 (4th in AL East, 19th in MLB)
Manager: Joe Girardi (648-486 in seven seasons with New York, 726-570 in eight seasons overall)
Top Three Players: 3B Chase Headley (3.8), OF Jacoby Ellsbury (3.7), RHP Masahiro Tanaka (3.5)
Bounce-back Player: 3B/DH Alex Rodriguez
ARod is a miserable human being. He is a cheat, a liar, a disgrace to the game, and a $64 million financial burden over the next three seasons for a team that doesn't appear to want anything to do with him. That appears to be fine for Rodriguez, who took to ESPN for a profile that painted him as a man who struggles with reality; however, the reality for baseball fans is that he is back on the field, healthy and rejuvenated, and ready to play and make an impact. His success depends on how much time the Yankees are willing to give him on the field. Since the club has Chase Headley, Garret Jones, and Mark Teixeira ahead of him on the depth charts at first, third, and DH, it remains to be seen how he will be used. Rodriguez, though, still has something left in the tank, working out with Barry Bonds (laugh and talk about PEDs all you want) to change his swing and strengthen his production as he ages. Rodriguez could be washed up or he could be a surprising producer. It may be unreasonable to ever expect good things from Rodriguez, on the field and off, but I see a man who, with 500 plate appearances, is capable of 20 to 25 home runs, making him quite useful -still- in an offense-starved league.
Fantasy Player to Watch: RHP Nathan Eovaldi
Eovaldi's impressive fastball (4th fastest in MLB in 2014) has put him on the radar for a number of years, but he hasn't taken a step toward dominance that many with similar electricity have. For example, even with the strong, dominant fastball, Eovaldi allowed 10.1 hits per nine, while striking out just 6.4 per nine. The positive in the low strikeout rate, however, is that Eovaldi walked just 1.9 per nine (3.3 K:BB), which may allow him to be a force if he was to miss a few more bats with his very straight fastball. While people may look to the fact that he is now pitching in the AL East and must deal with the incredible offenses there, you can look at a 25-year-old right-hander who is about to hit his peak. If Eovaldi is able to take a step forward, he's going to take off and become quite dominant. If you can get him now, before that happens, you can thank me later.
Offseason Overview: The Yankees found their replacement for Derek Jeter when they acquired Didi Gregorius from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-way deal that included Shane Greene going to Detroit. Gregorius is now in his third organization, which shows that people still think he is valuable, but he had negative defensive value in 2014 and his .653 OPS doesn't help his outlook if his defense is falling off. At just 25, he still has enough potential to outproduce Jeter. Eovaldi, as mentioned above, should be a nice addition to the staff, and with Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda at the top of the rotation, they need Eovaldi to produce and be healthy, something they can't quite count on out of the other two. Dellin Betances should step right into the closer's role and be an Aroldis Chapman–Craig Kimbrel type of dominator, which is necessary after David Robertson left for Chicago. Re-signing Headley at third base was necessary due to the unknown of Alex Rodriguez, and Stephen Drew was brought back after a horrific 46 game audition last season, but both are more capable with their gloves than they are with their bats. The Yankees could have one of the best defensive clubs in baseball in 2015 for that reason.
After an offseason of preparation, @CC_Sabathia is ready to compete. http://t.co/M4Igrz0sB9 (via @YankeesonDemand) pic.twitter.com/4mGUkzqwTp
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 20, 2015
The Verdict: The Yankees aren't going to be worse in 2014. A full season of Headley should outproduce what Yangervis Solarte was able to do in 2014, and there is more to Brian McCann (.692 OPS), Teixeira (.711 OPS), and Jacoby Ellsbury (.747 OPS) than what they showed last season. The biggest question mark is their pitching. Michael Pineda threw 76.1 innings in 2014, his first in the majors since 2011, after having dealt with major shoulder issues, Masahiro Tanaka is pitching through a partially torn UCL, and CC Sabathia missed all but eight starts due to a right knee injury. Are they going to get enough out of these three to remain competitive? They have Scott Baker, Chris Capuano, and Ivan Nova as pitching depth, but if those three make significant contributions, the Yankees are going to be in really bad shape. It is fair to highly doubt that Tanaka makes it through the 2015 season, and, for that reason, the club will, at some point, be without a number one starter. It also seems fair to think that a winning season is highly unlikely without things breaking completely right. Those things include:
1) 180 or more innings from Tanaka, Pineda, and Sabathia
2) More productive seasons from Headley, Drew, Ellsbury, Teixeira, and McCann
3) A miracle
The Yankees PECOTA seems right in 2015, but without the above things happening, it is doubtful that they reach 80 wins.
- 2015 Season Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks (3/1/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Atlanta Braves (2/28/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Baltimore Orioles (3/4/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Chicago Cubs (4/1/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Chicago White Sox (3/4/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Cincinnati Reds (3/11/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Colorado Rockies (2/24/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Houston Astros (3/1/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Kansas City Royals (2/25/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Milwaukee Brewers (3/11/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Minnesota Twins (2/21/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: New York Mets (4/1/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Philadelphia Phillies (2/20/2015)
- 2015 Season Previews: Pittsburgh Pirates (3/22/2015)
- Season Previews: Miami Marlins (3/25/2015)
Just Shut Up: Another Reaction to Alex Rodriguez
Whether it's the handwritten apology that is being broken apart by forensic units and handwriting specialists, or the lengthy feature released by ESPN: The Magazine, the reintroduction of Alex Rodriguez to the world hasn't changed the world's perspective on the aging slugger. After spending the 2014 season suspended from the only job that he had had since the age of 18, the year that he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners and had 59 over-matched plate appearances, we have come to find out that Rodriguez spent the year toiling in the various activities that someone with $500 million from playing a game can afford to do to "find oneself".
Are we expected to hate Alex Rodriguez due to his lies and cheating? Are we expected to feel sorry for him because his father ran out on him and he never went to college? Are we expected to forgive his indiscretions and transgressions due to his willingness to come back to a game that is trying to push him as far away from it as possible? Are we expected to think that he is coming back for the "love of the game" or for the $61 million that he is guaranteed over the next three seasons?
It would be an understatement to say that Alex Rodriguez is a polarizing figure. Despite that fact that Barry Bonds utilized the same methods in the use of illegal materials and the same willingness to dodge the truth, it is Alex Rodriguez who has become the most hated man in baseball. Despite the fact that Bonds is the one who holds the record for career home runs, it is Rodriguez who isn't supposed to break the record going forward. As the ESPN: The Magazine article discussed, it is Rodriguez who is the villain, despite Ryan Braun's presence in Major League Baseball, even with Braun's willingness to drag everyone and their brother under the bus after being outed as a cheater, twice. The Hall of Fame cases for Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, and Mike Piazza are tainted, whether wrongfully or not, by the cloud of steroids that has followed them and an entire era of players; however, it is Jason Giambi, an admitted user, who gets to retire with honor this week and slide right into an organizational position with the Cleveland Indians, who is praised for his career, which he has admitted to altering.
So, what is it that causes this polarization on these players? If being super-competitive led declining players to seek elongation of a career, yet we mock Willie Mays for his time as a New York Met, what is it that our society really wants out of our professional sports icons?
Our culture has changed significantly during my 34 years as a member of this planet, but one thing that has been going on for quite some time is the fact that people are willing to take some wild steps to get to where they want to be in life. Today, we like to think that baseball is in need of a change due to the length of the games and the "entertain me now" philosophy that goes along with the Social Media age. Why not add a clock to ensure that a pitcher throws the ball while two-thirds of the stadium is busy tagging their friend in a picture and posting #nofilter on the beautiful sunset peeking through the right field corner of the stadium? It seems ridiculous to change the ideas of what is acceptable and appropriate in our lives and our entertainment, demanding more right now than we ever did in the past. More news, more excitement, more reasons why you should enjoy what you have in front of you than actually taking the time to enjoy it. The sensationalism of "things" and "experiences" has led to something as minute as an individual's actions being more important than the game.
That ideology is why Alex Rodriguez and others have become the poster children for the fall of the game. Rodriguez wasn't alone, but we always want to blame someone. Before ARod it was Bonds, before Bonds it was Canseco, and before Canseco it was Pete Rose. We don't need to change baseball and we don't need to change Alex Rodriguez. We need to remember that he was playing a game, that he made a mistake (albeit for several years) to try to maintain his lifestyle. In the same way that others make mistakes and create debt by using credit cards for things that they can't afford, they are forced to dig themselves out.
In the same way, Alex Rodriguez needs to dig himself out. He doesn't need to accept blame, he didn't need to apologize, he just needed to change and be happy while playing the game cleanly. No one needs answers in this catastrophe of a public relations nightmare. There are far worse things going on behind the scenes of athletes' lives than a man using his body as a pin cushion for steroids – just look at the NFL arrests since the Super Bowl. For all of the ridiculous spins that stories featuring Alex Rodriguez have taken over the last several days, here is one that you won't see all over the internet: Alex Rodriguez was great, he was troubled, and he will overcome those troubles to be respected by the end of his career.
People have been cheating in all aspects of business. Sure, kids look up to him, but, as Charles Barkley once said:
Alex Rodriguez doesn't need to answer questions for anyone except his two daughters, his family, and his closest friends. He isn't threatening to end the world, attacking innocent lives, or testing ballistic missiles. He's just a baseball player who screwed up. He deserves another chance to come out and do it right, and until he does it wrong again, we should all just sit back and watch, keeping our mouths shut the way that Alex Rodriguez should have the whole time.
Tulowitzki: Proving the Defensive Movement Wrong
When I looked at the current 2014 statistics today, it was easy to see that one player is standing out, dominating the league with an incredible .421 batting average and a 1.317 OPS through 32 games. After the last two seasons, you may have thought that those numbers belonged to Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera, maybe even Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, but you'd be wrong. In a season where we bid farewell to one of the greatest players ever, the torch has been passed along to Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to continue a tradition of slugging shortstops in an era where so many teams are focusing on strong defensive metrics up the middle.
The thing is…Tulowitzki isn't another Derek Jeter. Troy Tulowitzki, 29, has two Gold Gloves in his career, not that having Gold Gloves means anything when Jeter has five of them and has long been considered a defensive liability for the Yankees. The difference is that Tulowitzki is a very strong defender, posting a career range factor per nine of 5.01 (league average is 4.38) and a career fielding percentage of .986 (league average is .973), while he has a UZR of 38.7 over his career (3rd in MLB among shortstops since the start of the 2006 season). Tulo is an all-around star.
The biggest issue is his injury history. Tulowitzki has been on the disabled list five times in his career, missing a total of 267 team games since his arrival to the majors, nearly a season and a half of production, which is a big deal considering the investment that the Rockies made in their shortstop, 13-years and $167 million worth of extensions and commitments. Through the injuries, Tulowitzki continued to produce impressive overall numbers, as evidenced by his 162-game averages for his career:
|162 Game Avg.
Generated 5/7/2014.
That's very Alex Rodriguez at shortstop-esque, which, with continued production, could make Tulowitzki the best overall shortstop this side of Honus Wagner.
Which begs the question, why are so many teams still settling for players who are one-trick ponies when there are still players capable of playing short and producing strong offensive numbers? It wasn't long ago that Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, and other, non-steroid using shortstops, like Nomar Garciaparra and Jeter, were ruling the middle of the infield around the league. Now, teams seem confident running out players like Adeiny Hechavarria, Alcides Escobar, Brandon Crawford, Elvis Andrus, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Zack Cozart, who have a long history of not producing OPS numbers close to .750 while putting up solid numbers defensively; however, is an out saved defensively any more valuable than an unproductive at-bat? Those unproductive at-bats appear to be the norm over the last couple of seasons from the players thought to be defensive wizards by their clubs at one time or another (yes, Cabrera was supposed to be an upgrade defensively when he replaced Jhonny Peralta at short for Cleveland in 2009).
Consider the top five defensive shortstops in baseball currently: Erick Aybar, Cozart, Tulowitzki, Pedro Florimon, and Andrelton Simmons. Only Aybar and Simmons have an OPS over .700, along with Tulo, with Aybar checking in at .710 and Simmons checking in at .731 – which would rank them slightly better than the great Emilio Bonifacio, even with his strong start, in 2014.
So, why would a team settle for that type of production when there is enough talent out there to offset whatever defensive struggles a player has with a mighty stick at the plate?
Troy Tulowitzki is not a typical shortstop, and, as Jonah Keri wrote today, he could be heading towards one of the greatest seasons in baseball history. The impressive numbers should be a reminder that there is talent out there that will overcome and live beyond the current movement of defensive shifts, defensive metrics, and over-the-top focus on glove over offensive production. For every Didi Gregorius for Shin-Soo Choo trade, there will be a Javier Baez, Addison Russell, and Francisco Lindor on the way who can produce solid offensive numbers while continuing to redefine a position.
Troy Tulowitzki is doing his part in keeping Ernie Banks, Barry Larkin, and Derek Jeter and their production respectable. While Omar Vizquel, Luis Aparicio, and Ozzie Smith get love for their gloves, they couldn't carry the other's all-around jockstraps. Give me Troy Tulowitzki and overall production and you can keep your defensive metrics.
Losing the Captain and the Heart of Baseball
Derek Jeter announced that the 2014 season would be his last on Wednesday, giving fans a full season of farewells, just as the league provided (along with some wonderful parting gifts) to the greatest closer of all-time, Mariano Rivera, during the 2013 season. After 20 seasons of Hall of Fame worthy production, it may be fair to wonder if a part of the New York Yankees will disappear with him.
The "Core Four" of the Yankee dynasty will officially be gone after the 2014 season. Jeter, Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte, led the Yankees to five World Series titles and seven American League pennants over 17 playoff appearances since the start of the 1995 season. While Pettitte and Posada slowly faded away from the club, the departure of Rivera and Jeter seem to sting a bit more.
It was easy to connect Rivera to this generation of Yankee dominance – as he was responsible for finishing 952 games and collecting a save in 652 of them, not counting his 42 postseason saves and 0.70 ERA over 141 postseason innings. Rivera and "Enter Sandman" were connected to that dominance and the lack of hope that so many opposing teams felt from this era of Yankee success.
However, it was and always has been Derek Jeter as the heart and soul of this group. With the names of Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio hanging behind him and around him, Jeter overcame the shadows of greatness to become a lingering figure for those who will come next, creating an unreasonable expectation for the man who steps foot at shortstop from Opening Day 2015 and beyond – just as David Robertson will face as the new closer in 2014.
The accolades were numerous for Jeter:
- Five-time Gold Glove winner
- Five-time Silver Slugger winner
- 13 All-Star games
- 3,316 hits (10th all-time) NOTE: Jeter is 198 hits from Tris Speaker (5th), 119 hits from Cap Anson (6th), and 104 hits from Honus Wagner (7th)
- 1996 American League Rookie of the Year
- 2000 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player
- 2000 World Series Most Valuable Player
- Two-time American League Hank Aaron Award winner (2006, 2009)
- 2009 American League Roberto Clemente Award winner
- 2010 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award winner
While all of those awards and honors detail his effort and character, the immeasurable value of his leadership will remain one of his most impressive skills and traits. He overcame the distractions of Alex Rodriguez, Pettitte, and Jason Giambi, when their names were linked to the Mitchell Report and other steroid rumor. Additionally, he undertook a leadership role in leading baseball back to provide healing for America after the 9/11 attacks, and, while the Yankees dropped Game Seven to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001, he has still found a way to cope with the insanity of the New York media circus and the audacity of those around him, or in the game, who have attempted anything to get an edge.
Based on what we know, Derek Jeter is clean – outside of the laundry list of women that he has cycled through over the years; however, Jeter is New York – he is the Joe Namath face of the game, he is the water cooler and hot dog stand conversation between fans, he is the neon lights and the hustle and bustle of Times Square, and he is pinstripes and the lore that comes with the Yankee franchise.
Sure, the Yankees signed Masahiro Tanaka, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Brian McCann, but none of those men will be Jeter. No one will ever be Derek Jeter. While some baseball players leave a legacy of numbers and amazing stories, Derek Jeter has touched the game in a different way. Even after being tied to the "Core Four" for such a large part of his career, Jeter separated himself to become a larger part of baseball in New York.
Jeter is the Yankees. Jeter is the pinstripes. Jeter is New York. Jeter is Major League Baseball.
When he leaves the game after the 2014 season, the heart of the game will need to beat a little harder for the rest of baseball to work. While the Yankees may wonder how to replace Jeter for quite some time, Major League Baseball as a whole has to do the same thing.
With all teams reaching Spring Training by the end of this week, the 2014 season just became a bit more special. While the tributes, gifts, and focus on Derek Jeter may become obnoxious by the All-Star break, he has earned it. Love or hate the Yankees, you still have to respect Jeter.
The Explosion of Javier Baez
After an incredible season in 2013 that saw him reach Double-A at the age of 20, Chicago Cubs' shortstop (or third baseman…or outfielder) prospect Javier Baez seems to have enough helium in the world of prospects to reach the moon. Certainly, ripping 34 doubles and 37 home runs while driving in 111 runs and stealing 20 bases can lead to a lot of hype, and it appears to be warranted.
Prior to the 2013 season, Baez was already a top 20 prospect, earning the No. 16 ranking at both Baseball America and MLB.com, and No. 20 at Baseball Prospectus. So far this winter, that number has climbed significantly, mainly due to his extreme ceiling, while having very little to do with major league graduations. Just a quick look at the rankings that Baez has earned from prospect sites this off-season:
The Baseball Haven: No. 8
Baseball Prospectus: No. 4
MLB.com: No. 7
MinorLeagueBall.com: No. 8 (end of 2013, 9/27/13)
FantasyAssembly.com: No. 5
Prospect361.com: No. 5
TopProspectAlert.com: No. 11
RotoAnalysis.com: No. 2
FantasySquads.com: No. 10
Scout.com: No. 13
DeepLeagues.com: No. 13
There are, obviously, some differences in opinion on his true value, but Baez has quite a few nice things being said about him, as well:
"Baez could end a 40 HR shortstop. That's his ceiling. That's actually a possibility. Likely? Not sure. But its possible. How many prospects in baseball can make such a claim? That's a truly elite ceiling. That's a generational talent. That's why he has a case for #1." – Jason Parks, Baseball Prospectus
"The young infielder has all the ingredients necessary to be an all-star for the Cubs, regardless of where he ends up — shortstop, third base or even the outfield." – Marc Hulet, FanGraphs
"Otherworldy bat speed and an aggressive approach plus the tools to (maybe) stay at shortstop if he can get the errors down. If not, he'd slot great at third base. There's some risk here due to contact but I think he can be a Giancarlo Stanton-type hitter. The commonly-used Gary Sheffield comp works in terms of bat speed, but Sheffield had a much more refined approach and I don't think Baez will hit for a Sheffield-like average. That doesn't mean he can't be a star." – John Sickels, Minor League Ball
"There is no mistaking the bat as a game changing thumper. But what places Baez at #1 (in the Cubs' system) is the fact that he is going to remain in the infield. A move to 3B is in the cards most likely where the Cubs have a dire need to finally fill the spot. Still on target with a 30 HR type with double digit SB and sticking in the INF. With an IsoP of .200+ the strikeout rate will be digestible and his approach should mature over time. Again, 37 HR over two levels with a total of 75 XBHs with 20 SB. His numbers were outstanding and through it all he actually improved the dismal walk rate from 2012 to 6.2% in High-A and then 8.1% in Double-A. A total IsoP number of nearly .300 on the season is other worldly. But that K rate is still a major issue although not one that will limit his ability to be a Major League regular. He handled SS really well and it looks like the Cubs are giving him every shot and being that Future SS. With the draft selection of Kris Bryant, the Cubs have a lot of flexibility with their future. I see Baez as the 3B answer." – Thomas Belmont, Baseball Instinct
"The upside that Baez holds from a fantasy perspective is likely second to only Byron Buxton—and the likely gets added in there because Baez may actually have more, given his potential eligibility. The tools are crazy and even though he doesn't have the strongest run tool, he's still 46-for-55 in stolen bases during his 215 minor-league games. Even if you can't put him at shortstop (which is far from a definitive outcome), you'd take 30 homers, 15-plus steals and a .280 average from just about anywhere on the diamond. He's a no-doubt top-five fantasy prospect in baseball." – Brett Sayre, Baseball Prospectus
The consensus seems to be an All-Star caliber talent with some flaws, as far as contact, who can become a game changer, in real-life or fantasy baseball, due to his quick hands and raw power. With Baez, Addison Russell, Carlos Correa, Francisco Lindor, and Xander Bogaerts coming up through various systems, it appears that the game will be taken over by offensive-minded shortstops, as the Alex Rodriguez–Derek Jeter–Nomar Garciaparra–Miguel Tejada Era of Major League Baseball was impacted.
Javier Baez seems like an athletic freak, producing power from his 6'0″, 195 pound frame. Below is a video of highlights from Baseball Instinct (via YouTube), where you can observe all of the otherwordly power and bat speed that was suggested by prospect insiders:
The term "generational talent" doesn't get thrown around very often, although the label has been given to the likes of Mark Prior, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, and Mike Trout over the last decade. Injuries can always be a deterrent for players to reach their full, long-term potential, but the types of seasons that those four players have provided, even if it is just two to four seasons of that production, would be welcomed by any club. Risks aside, Baez is worthy of the high praise, the high rankings, and the sudden discussion of his eventual rise to dominance and stardom in Chicago. With all due respect to Starlin Castro, Baez shouldn't have to move off of shortstop once he reaches Chicago – his potential dwarfs that of Castro, who has quickly become an afterthought to the hype of the Puerto Rican slugger.
Alex Rodriguez: Proving Steroids Don't Work
By now you're aware of the suspension, the 60 Minutes interviews, and the appeals and cries that Alex Rodriguez has developed to help protect an image that seems as lost and desperate as a shepherd-less sheep. The one-time superstar and three-time MVP appears to have sunken to a new low in suing Major League Baseball and the Player's Union for their attacks on his character and their lack of guidance in the processes, and while Rodriguez continues to blame everyone but himself, he likely feels betrayed by the drugs that were supposed to help him maintain his Hall of Fame career, but, instead, crippled his abilities and his legacy.
For all of the growing skulls, biceps, and home run numbers, there hasn't been a true study to show how steroids impact player performance. It is quite unlikely that Major League Baseball will allow players to openly cheat, just to gain a better understanding of how a player could or does perform while doping, and while there are the typical expectations of energy and recovery time, steroids don't provide the skills necessary to swing a bat and slug a 95 mile per hour fastball into oblivion.
Alex Rodriguez is the perfect example of the failures of baseball's menace.
Certainly, there were times that steroids may have helped Alex Rodriguez. After being outed by Sports Illustrated in February of 2009, Rodriguez admitted to using in 2001, 2002, and 2003 while with the Texas Rangers, a trifecta of seasons that brought Rodriguez a .305/.395/.615 triple-slash, 156 home runs, 395 RBI, and his first MVP (2003). If Rodriguez wasn't using outside of those seasons, he would go on to win MVPs in 2005 and 2007, well before his time with Biogenesis and Tony Bosch began; although, Rodriguez was linked to Anthony Galea, a Canadian who was busted for shuttling PED goodies to the United States, in 2010.
But if Alex Rodriguez was indeed using throughout his career, then what would cause his numbers to decline?
Generated 1/13/2014.
The decline may not have always been drastic, and there were still successful seasons into his early 30's, but the sharp decline up to last season is quite significant, as Rodriguez has seen his OPS go from 1.067 in 2007 (his final MVP season) to .771 in his 44 games in 2013. Additionally, since the end of the 2007 season, Rodriguez has missed 308 games, an average of 51 per season. The hip issues could certainly be attributed to excessive steroid use, as joints can be unable to handle the additional muscle mass or strength, but if the purpose of using steroids is increase stamina and recovery time, Rodriguez hasn't been gaining an advantage sitting at home injured, nor has he proven to be all that effective when healthy, as his skills continue to diminish, along with his numbers.
As Barry Bonds aged and maintained production, specifically walking and hitting for power (although not at the levels that he was from 2000 through 2004), Rodriguez has done the exact opposite. For all of the glory that Rodriguez was hoping for by reaching 3,000 hits and, potentially, the 800 home run plateau, the storybook ending didn't have the flow necessary to reach the climax, and the heart of the story has died with the needles to the veins of Rodriguez, whose selfishness and stupidity far outweighed the gifts that foreign substances were supposed to bring his way.
While so many focus on the ways that steroids have impacted the game of baseball, they certainly haven't helped Alex Rodriguez, at least not in the last five seasons, and that is a large enough sample size for me to wonder if steroids can even alter performance, especially in those who are aging and need the stamina, energy, and strength that they are supposed to bring to users.
What If: ARod Ruined MLB's 2013 Season?
Alex Rodriguez hits 24th career grand slam, breaking tie with #Yankees Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig for most in #MLB history.
— STATS_MLB (@STATS_MLB) September 21, 2013
Sure, it's a home run in a game that may appear meaningless, but every game that Alex Rodriguez plays in 2013 that helps the New York Yankees in any way could destroy the integrity of the entire 2013 Major League Baseball season.
After Rodriguez broke Gehrig's grand slam record, the Yankees went on to beat the San Francisco Giants and Tim Lincecum 5-1 on Friday night in New York. The Bronx Bombers are now 22-18 (.550) with Alex Rodriguez after going 59-55 (.518) without him, and depending on the results of the Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Rays, and Texas Rangers games tonight, the Yankees could be just 2.5 games out of the Wild Card after tonight.
Of course, the Yankees have had a little help late this season, getting solid production from Alfonso Soriano and Robinson Cano in the second half, but Rodriguez and his seven home runs, 18 RBI, and 126 wRC+ shouldn't be ignored, it is certainly more productivity than they were getting from their other third basemen, who combined to post a gross .208/.251/.283 line over 453 at-bats while compiling just 128 total bases in 114 games. Rodriguez has 56 total bases in 40 games and 142 at-bats.
The Yankees have a lot of teams to catch and with two games against the Giants, three against the Rays, and three against the Houston Astros, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that they could make a last minute push to playoff pay dirt.
But should Alex Rodriguez have been responsible for any of those wins, which he clearly has been, then how can Major League Baseball and Bud Selig sleep at night?
The information that the league apparently has against Rodriguez and the BioGenesis investigation was enough to suspend him through the 2014 season, but after allowing an appeal, which was necessary with the league's collective bargaining agreement, the league was forced to allow him to play until the appeal could be heard. Considering the resources that are available to the league, contacting and solidifying an arbitrator for a hearing was within reason well before today…hell, the league should have been on the phone and had a hearing set roughly ten minutes after the suspension was handed out on August 5.
After watching Matt Kemp lose out on the NL MVP in 2011 due to another BioGenesis product, Ryan Braun, and all of the hoopla surrounding Braun's bastardizing of the entire process and system that goes along with testing and collection, MLB can't afford another player impacting the validity of a 162-game marathon due to their impression on the outcome of 40 to 50 games that they shouldn't have been a part of to begin with…not when it is a single player, who could have easily just been suspended.
Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds have tarnished the record books with their use of performance-enhancing drugs, but the players who don't have enough personal worth to be successful with their own god-given gifts don't have to be capable of making it all about them forever. Selig should have manned up weeks ago for the integrity of the game. Alex Rodriguez shouldn't play another game in 2013 and his suspension should be upheld immediately because you can't go back in time to fix something that has already happened. Winning 22 games with Alex Rodriguez in the lineup or acknowledging any of the 21 runs that he has scored this season are already examples of opposing teams being wronged by a policy, a policy maker, and a player that don't have the testicular fortitude to do what is right for the game that they are there to serve, protect, and love.
Either be consistent by upholding a policy that was put in place to protect the integrity of the game or allow the league to be pushed over by the strongest players union in professional sports. You can't really have it both ways. If Selig wants to change things, he needs to get Rodriguez off the field immediately.
Should MLB Teams Refuse the Mega-Contract?
Another free agency period is ahead with another Major League Baseball offseason. With so many superstars being signed to lucrative contracts with their existing clubs, players who reach free agency can make exorbitant amounts of money due to fewer players being available and television contracts that teams are using as revenue generating machines. With that being said, is a big-time contract a smart investment for a needy team this winter?
The Yankees as a Model
With Robinson Cano heading towards free agency after the 2013 season, the New York Yankees will be faced with a decision that could alter their original plan of getting under Major League Baseball's $189 million luxury tax threshold. With $92.4 million due to six players (Alex Rodriguez, C.C. Sabathia, Alfonso Soriano (the Cubs are covering $13 of the $18 million owed to him), Mark Teixiera, Vernon Wells (the Angels are covering $18.6 of the $21 million owed to him), Ichiro Suzuki, and Derek Jeter (who has an $8 million player option), the Yankees, on the surface, appear to have some wiggle room in an offer to their superstar second baseman; however, the players mentioned above are the only players with guaranteed contracts next season.
Adam Warren, David Phelps, and Eduardo Nunez are all pre-arbitration, so they can have their contracts renewed at the league minimum, but the club will have to deal with David Huff, Chris Stewart, Francisco Cervelli, Michael Pineda, Ivan Nova, Jayson Nix, Shawn Kelley, Brett Gardner, and David Robertson within arbitration, and determine whether Cano, Hiroki Kuroda, Kevin Youkilis, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes, Mark Reynolds, Boone Logan, Travis Hafner, Joba Chamberlain, and/or Lyle Overbay are worthy of being tendered a qualifying offer prior to reaching free agency. With up to 19 spots available for next season, the remaining $96.6 million doesn't appear to be going very far.
While relief could be on the way with a possible 2014 suspension for Alex Rodriguez, from which his $25 million contract would be forfeited, the long-term contracts that the Yankees have handed out like candy are now causing financial issues as the club's attendance continues to decline (43,733 in 2012 vs. 40,002 in 2013) along with the talent of the aging players.
Consider this:
Alex Rodriguez is 37 years old and is owed $86 million over the next four years.
C.C. Sabathia is 32 years old and is owed $76 million over the next three seasons (including his 2017 buyout).
Mark Teixiera is 33 years old and is owed $67.5 million over the next three seasons.
The three have been worth a combined WAR (Fangraphs) of 2.6 in 2013 while costing the Yankees $73.5 million in salaries. For comparisons sake, San Diego third baseman Chase Headley, Atlanta third baseman Chris Johnson, San Diego outfielder Chris Denorfia, Baltimore outfielder Nate McLouth, and San Francisco shortstop Brandon Crawford have each posted a 2.6 WAR in 2013…individually. If the Yankees had all five players this season, they would have spent just under $16 million, about $6.5 million less than they spent on Teixiera alone in 2013!
Why These Contracts Don't Make Sense
By investing large sums of money into veterans when they reach free agency in the post-steroid era, teams are taking immeasurable risks.
1) They are assuming that a high-performing player will be capable of producing into their mid-30's, and…
2) They are assuming that the high-performing player will stay healthy enough to be worth the investment.
When a player reaches free agency, they have at least six years of major league experience. The player likely had three seasons of pre-arbitration followed by three years of arbitration prior to reaching free agency. Considering that most players make their debuts between the ages of 21 and 24, a free agent is typically between the ages of 27 and 30. The magic prime age in baseball is apparently going to happen in a player's age-27 season, lasting roughly three to five seasons. A player has reached their physical peak at this point, which allows the player to utilize their various tools to take advantage of the opposition through the use of their experience and mental approaches gained through those experiences. When a multi-year contract is given to a player at the age of 30, say a five-year contract, and that player is then declining for nearly three-fifths of the contract, what is the value to the club? Without performance-enhancers, normal aging processes, such as shoulder fatigue for aging pitchers and chronic knee soreness for a veteran position player, become normal once again. Can teams count on a 39-year-old shortstop to play in 162 games? Ask Derek Jeter how his season went.
Unfortunate Recent Examples
Albert Pujols signed his ten-year, $240 million deal with the Angels following his age-31 season in St. Louis. To make the deal more affordable and to allow the Angels some financial flexibility, Pujols' contract was heavily back-loaded, meaning he will be making the most money at the end of his contract when he is approaching or passing the age of 40. In fact, in Pujols' tenth season with the Angels, he is scheduled to make $30 million, the highest annual salary within his contract. After making a combined $28 million in 2012 and 2013, Pujols' contract will jump to $23 million in 2014 and climb $1 million each season before reaching $30 million in 2021.
However, Pujols hasn't really lived up to the contract based on his production over the first 11 seasons in the majors, as he has posted the lowest WAR of his career in consecutive seasons (3.7 in 2012 and 0.7 in 2013). He was shutdown on August 19 due to a partial tear of his left plantar fascia and he should be ready to go next season; however, since he isn't undergoing surgery, how well will this injury heal? Although the tear supposedly did what the surgery would have, one has to wonder if it can be aggravated, torn further (since it is still a partial tear), and debilitating enough to plague Pujols throughout the remainder of his massive contract.
And what about the contract that the "small-market" Cincinnati Reds gave to Joey Votto? The Reds handed Votto a ten-year, $225 million extension in April of 2012. The contract hasn't even started yet, as the first year of the extension will be the 2014 season, Votto's age-30 season. For ten years, the Reds will hope that Votto will produce numbers similar to his 2010 MVP season, something that he hasn't seemed capable of reproducing over the last three seasons, despite leading the National League in on-base percentage the last three seasons, four including 2010. When you consider that the Reds are winning in 2013 and they still average just 31,479 in attendance (16th in MLB), how will the team be able to contend when Votto is making $25 million per season beginning in 2018, when he is 34 years old?
Even worse, the contract that the Philadelphia Phillies gave to first baseman Ryan Howard. Howard received his extension in April of 2010 and it didn't go into effect until the 2012 season, a five-year, $125 million deal that would begin in Howard's age-32 season. Since the start of the 2012 season, Howard has played in 151 games while posting a .244/.307/.445 line with 31 doubles, 25 home runs, 99 RBI, and a whopping 194 strikeouts in 609 plate appearances. The previous seven seasons, Howard had a .275/.368/.560 line with an average of 26 doubles, 41 home runs, and 123 RBI per season, and that was including his declining 2010 and 2011 seasons, in which Howard posted the lowest OPS of his career (.859 in 2010 and .835 in 2011)…that was, of course, until his dreadful 2012 season (.718 OPS).
The Problem With TV Deals
I was able to get a response from Baseball Prospectus' Ben Lindbergh when I asked him via Twitter, "Do you think MLB teams are going to shy away from mega contract due to the Pujols/Howard/Hamilton deals in post steroid era?" His response:
@EvanVogelTweets They'll be more reluctant, but between and the Winner's Curse (http://t.co/MoT2RJqjdO) and TV money, we'll still see some
— Ben Lindbergh (@ben_lindbergh) September 6, 2013
The TV money, which was mentioned previously, is an interesting enhancement to the revenue stream for major league teams. With the Los Angeles Dodgers getting over $6 billion over 25 years from Time Warner in their TV deal, which will give the club nearly $240 million per year in revenue, the already crazy expenditures of the boys in blue could become even more egregious this winter. The club seems capable of locking up left-hander Clayton Kershaw to a contract worth $30 million per season or more this winter, AND signing Robinson Cano to take over second base from Mark Ellis, who has a $5.75 million option for 2014 or a $1 million buyout. By taking on those types of contracts on top of the Carl Crawford ($20.25 million in 2014), Matt Kemp ($21 million in 2014), Adrian Gonzalez ($21 million in 2014), Zack Greinke ($26 million in 2014), and Andre Ethier ($15.5 million in 2014) deals, the Dodgers will be willingly entering the luxury tax threshold in an effort to win the World Series.
But what happens when money can't buy titles? The New York Yankees seemed to always have the highest payroll in baseball and they haven't won the title every season. Spending doesn't quantify wins, it is, as Lindbergh referenced, the winner's curse. This concept is outlined in Colin Wyers 2009 Baseball Prospectus piece titled The Real Curse, which Wyers states:
The market for baseball players seems to more closely resemble a sealed-bid auction than it does a market. Since the person who wins that sort of auction is typically the person with the largest bid, it stands to reason that the person who "wins" is in fact the person who overbids…
The curse is then being the winning bid on a contract that was probably more than what another team was willing to bid. By evaluating players and making smart investments, teams that break the curse are able to get production out of what they spend, while teams that suffer from the curse are those that fail to get production out of their investment, as in the suffering that the Cubs went through with Alfonso Soriano, the joint suffering of the Blue Jays and Angels over the Vernon Wells contract, and the Giants' suffering through the Barry Zito contract.
When spending goes wrong, it can financially cripple a franchise, who is then responsible for allocating funds to an under-performing player while still trying to field a competitive team around that player. Teams seem more likely to take those types of risks, though. Due to the incoming revenue from the TV deals, teams like the Cleveland Indians, who celebrated the sale of the franchise owned SportsTime Ohio to Fox Sports this winter by signing Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, are more capable of making these potentially fatal bids.
Will the money continue to be there for clubs to take on these large, risky contracts?
Pete Kotz had an amazing story about the leagues finances, and while discussing television deals, he says:
With no one saying no, the networks see sports as a no-lose racket, with ESPN as its piper. The sports channel charges cable companies $5 a month per customer, by far the highest monthly fee in national television. While that may seem a pittance, it's big money when spread over the 100 million U.S. households with pay TV. And it's made the other big boys envious.
NBC and CBS have launched their own sports channels. Another from Fox is on the way. Even regional sports channels are starting to broach that $5 mark. Their bet is that viewers will always be willing to pay more. And more. And more.
…Today, the average TV bill rests at $86 per month, about half of which pays for sports programming. That's more than double a decade ago. So it's no coincidence that the cable and satellite industries have been jettisoning customers for nine years straight.
"I can't tell you what will be the trigger," says Matthew Polka, president of the American Cable Association. "But I am certain that at some point in the very near future, that balloon will burst."
As cable and satellite customers are forced to pay more and they continue to leave those companies in an effort to save money, the money will eventually not be coming in. The cable and satellite companies will likely battle with the club's networks to get lower rates, and there could be something drastic, like CBS being taken away from major markets. Eventually, the boom in finances and long-term contracts will go away and the inevitable crash will make it harder for clubs to make large financial commitments to star players. Imagine if the housing market was responsible for financing people's salaries and when the market for home sales crashed how disastrous that could have been…but it did and it was miserable for the entire economy.
Major League Baseball is exempt from some things due to anti-trust laws, but nothing is too big to fail.
Who Is Worth a Mega-Contract?
It may seem easy to say that locking up players within their pre-arbitration or arbitration years to lucrative, long-term contracts seems more intelligent than waiting until free agency, as the annual salaries can slowly increase rather than starting and sitting at $25 million per year for eight straight seasons. A few examples of players who could be worth a long-term investment in this scenario:
- Angels' outfielder Mike Trout is earning $510,000 in 2013 and he is pre-arbitration in 2014 before being eligible for arbitration in 2015, 2016, and 2017. If Trout continues his torrid pace for the next four seasons and reaches free agency in 2018 at the age of 26, what types of maniacal offers will he be receiving at that point?
- Nationals' outfielder Bryce Harper signed a major league contract and will be arbitration eligible in 2016, 2017, and 2018 before reaching free agency at the age of 25 in 2019. Like Trout, he has posted absurd numbers, given his age, and, with Scott Boras as his current agent, could own half of a franchise based on what he will be offered in free agency.
- Orioles third baseman Manny Machado, Nationals' right-hander Stephen Strasburg, Marlins' right-hander Jose Fernandez, Marlins' right-fielder Giancarlo Stanton, and Mets' right-hander Matt Harvey (upon his return in 2015 from elbow surgery…if he is just as productive and dominant) are additional players who fit this mold.
Why are these types of players worth a long-term investment? Because they are young, producing prior to their prime years, and are more likely to continue producing towards the end of a 10 to 15 year extension than a player who turns 40 or 41 in year ten of their long-term contracts, like Joey Votto and Albert Pujols.
These are the types of mega-contracts that seem more reasonable and realistic for franchises, while being less likely to provide a curse on the investing bidder. Because the player is within the grasp of the franchise already, the team has all kinds of data available to analyze, they have coaches and front office personnel who have strong relationships with the player, and the fan-base, media, and community surrounding the player are already familiar, so it could be assumed that there are fewer outside influences that could impact player performance.
Regardless of the potential that these younger players possess, any long-term contract remains a risk for the franchise. If the clubs suddenly refuse to offer these types of contracts, however, the league and its owners would likely be accused of collusion. The mega-contract isn't going away anytime soon. Despite future reluctance to meet the demands of players and agents to attain these large salaries, there will likely be enough money, or a few teams with large enough revenue streams, for at least one of these deals to be made each offseason. As fewer and fewer star players seem to reach free agency due to long-term commitments with their existing franchise (like Votto, Troy Tulowitzki, and Carlos Gonzalez), the stars that do reach free agency will likely continue to get the lucrative deals.
Related articles
- It doesn't matter that the Lerners are the wealthiest owners in baseball (halfstreetheartattack.com)
- Pujols' contract rising, production declining (espn.go.com)
- Votto's value extends way beyond plating runs (mlb.mlb.com)
- About that 12 year contract for Harper (halfstreetheartattack.com)
Starting to Feel Bad for ARod
Alex Rodriguez is a monster! Alex Rodriguez needs to disappear! Alex Rodriguez is what is wrong with baseball! Alex Rodriguez had a painting commissioned of him as a centaur! Alex Rodriguez is a whiny baby! Alex Rodriguez is overpaid!
You know, Alex Rodriguez has really messed up, and he appears to have done so several times in his career. His entire career has been under a microscope as the heir-apparent in Seattle to the great Ken Griffey, Jr., and it has only taken off with his exorbitant contracts that he has been given by the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees during his career.
Sure, what he has done with performance-enhancing drugs is an absolute atrocity to baseball, and his persona and character should be questioned for his apparent tampering with evidence and bribes that he has been linked to within the Biogenesis case, but does he deserve as much scrutiny as he is receiving?
With Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds no longer on the field, Alex Rodriguez is the face of the steroid era and all of the nastiness that it has brought to Major League Baseball. Alex Rodriguez appears to have purchased and injected steroids into all of the aforementioned superstars behinds, while helping to create the disgusting lies that led to Ryan Braun's successful appeal of his first failed test and his subsequent Anti-Semite comments that were directed towards the urine collector. Alex Rodriguez cheated baseball so badly over the last 20 years that he is the asterisk that is going to be next to Barry Bonds in the record book and he will become the definition and the first image that appears when you Google cheaters in baseball.
I understand that Alex Rodriguez did something terribly wrong. I understand that Alex Rodriguez wasn't a gentleman in a game that is painted as poetic by the brilliant mind of so many writers. I understand that Alex Rodriguez is a liar, he's flawed, he's horrible, he's appalling, he's demonic, and he's human, and while others have tried to out so many others for their mistakes, especially the 2011 NL MVP, Braun, Rodriguez is attacking his issues in the court room, or at least face-to-face with Major League Baseball, instead of lying to his teammates, slandering those around him (including a urine specimen collector), and taking to the media to ridicule the processes.
Certainly, he isn't innocent, but neither were all of those who came before him and along with him in the unreleased positive tests that sit in the hands of Bud Selig in the New York offices of Major League Baseball. To be labeled as the poster-child of an entire failed era of a sport…he is totally unworthy of that.
Major League Baseball turned a blind eye for so long on this issue that they are and will continue to be the group or persons who need to take the blame. There is no committee in Congress, no bottle in a locker, no investigative report by the mainstream media, and no amount of paperwork that the commissioner's office can make public that will change the fact that owners and the league didn't think that steroids were a problem when the gates were flooding with fans after the 1994 strike and the massively muscled power-hitters made baseball interesting again.
Alex Rodriguez is no saint, he is no victim, but he definitely isn't the only problem, and he should not be getting attacked in the manner that he has been for the failings of those who were in charge of the game before and during his soon-to-be asterisk-ridden career.


text:
you are viewing a single comment's thread.
I was heartbroken when West Ham sacked Pardew. He is a brilliant manager and I <3 him :) Really unfair for him - and Charlton got a brilliant guy and a extra supporter!!! :)It's not looking good now. After losing to Liverpool last night :(I'd love to see Charlton stay up and good luck tonight.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Advertisers Give White House Meeting High Marks
Participants say government wants to preserve data-driven economy
By Katy Bachman on Mar. 14, 2014 - 9:42 AM EDT
It's not often that advertisers walk out of a meeting with government officials and have good things to say about the experience. But that was the reaction from many of…
Baucus' Reported Ambassador Nom Leaves Tax Reform in Limbo
Marketers still worried about limiting ad-tax deduction in the House
By Katy Bachman on Dec. 19, 2013 - 10:19 AM EST
With President Obama expected to nominate Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) as the next U.S. Ambassador to China, tax reform and the proposal to limit the ad-tax deduction may have been…
Major Agency CEOs Come Out Against Ad Tax Deduction Limits
Letter from 4A's board is a departure for group
By Katy Bachman on Dec. 11, 2013 - 4:41 PM EST
For the first time, the 4A's board of directors, execs from the nation's largest advertising agencies, have gone on record opposing the Senate proposal to limit the advertising tax deduction. The…
Senate Bill to Curb Patent Troll Abuses Introduced
House patent troll bill goes into markup on Wednesday
By Katy Bachman on Nov. 18, 2013 - 5:07 PM EST
Don't look now, but Congress may be about to agree on a policy matter. Just hours after House judiciary chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) set Wednesday for a markup of his bill…
Senate Panel Takes on Patent Troll Demand Letters
Exploring government registry to improve transparency
By Katy Bachman on Nov. 7, 2013 - 12:42 PM EST
The Senate's commerce committee jumped into the fight against patent trolls, holding a hearing on demand letters, the most reviled tactic used by patent assertion entities to extract license fees. Thursday's…
Long-Awaited Bill to Curb Patent Troll Abuses Introduced
With strong bipartisan support, prospects for passage look good
By Katy Bachman on Oct. 23, 2013 - 1:55 PM EDT
The much-anticipated bill to curb patent troll abuses is officially moving and moving fast—even after being sidelined by the government shutdown. Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), chairman of the judiciary committee,…
Will Advertising Take a Hit From the Shutdown?
It all depends on how long the government stays closed
By Katy Bachman on Oct. 3, 2013 - 2:29 PM EDT
The longer the federal government shutdown drags on, the more likely that the advertising business will not only take a hit, but find itself in the crosshairs of corporate tax…
GAO Report on Patent Lawsuits Could Help Reform Efforts
Number of defendants sued by 'trolls' tripled in four years
By Katy Bachman on Aug. 22, 2013 - 3:49 PM EDT
A new report from the Government Accountability Office on patent infringement lawsuits could give lawmakers the firepower they need to move reform legislation aimed at curbing abusive patent troll practices. The long-awaited…
Heads Up, Patent Trolls: Omnibus Reform Bill Is Moving
Goodlatte could introduce it by next week
By Katy Bachman on Jul. 25, 2013 - 4:35 PM EDT
An omnibus bill addressing patent troll abuses is likely to be introduced next week, before the August congressional recess. That was the message delivered Thursday to a coalition of lobbyists…
50 Groups Coalesce to Fight Patent Trolls
Victims of dubious patent claims aren't just usual suspects
By Katy Bachman on Jul. 17, 2013 - 9:25 AM EDT
To impress on Congress that those who stake patent claims, aka patent trolls, are using dubious practices to wreak havoc on nearly every business sector, a diverse group of 50…


text:
- Home
- Magazine
- Historic Sites
- Collections
- Travel
- Authors
- About
- Advertise
George Washington
Advertisements for specific products, services or destinations on this website are for the information of the public, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by this institution, its officers, employees or agents.
George Washington
Physical Description:
Paper. W 6.3, L 10 cm
Location:Arlington National Cemetery Arlington,Virginia 22211


text:
Posted by recidive on
Allow browsing your site asynchronously, i.e. without full page loads.
This module requires Page renderer module and a theme that support dynamic loading (e.g. Chrysalis).
See the demo site.
This module is under active development, and not ready for production use.
Project Information
- Maintenance status: Unknown
- Development status: Unknown
- Module categories: JavaScript Utilities, Site Navigation, Utility
- Downloads: 2,148
- Last modified: November 27, 2014


text:
Not sure if this is related to incompatibility issues between Podpress 8.8 and WordPress 2.6, but here goes:
Podpress won't allow more than five episodes of my podcast to be listed at any one time. If I set the "Show the most recent posts" setting in Podpress to more than six posts, the podcast returns an error in iTunes (cannot connect) and the following error when the feed is tested using Feed Validator:
XML parsing error: <unknown>:239:72: not well-formed (invalid token)
I want a user on iTunes to be able to download every episode (there are 79 or so), not just the five most recent ones.
The address of my podcast is:


text:
Focus Stocks
TradersHuddle Mid-day Update: Dow Jones Higher Top Performers: DIS, AA, JNJ
Published on Friday, 04 January 2013 12:35 Written by Gerard Lerod
New York, January 4th (TradersHuddle.com) - The Dow Jones Industrial Average is higher trading at 13408.4, which represents 0.13% versus its previous trading session close, with 21 of its components trading in positive territory.
Disney (NYSE:DIS) is the Dow's top performer this morning with the stock trading at $51.93 representing 1.41% versus the previous trading session. Shares of Disney, the largest diversified media company in the world have defined support at $46.96 and resistance at $51.06.
Alcoa (NYSE:AA) is also among the top performers early in the session, trading at $9.17 representing 1.1% from its previous close. Alcoa, the aluminum producer has calculated support and resistance levels at $7.98 and $8.91 respectively. The other top performer this morning is JNJ (NYSE:JNJ), which is trading at $71.5 representing 1.07% from the previous trading session.
The Dow's worst performers include Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) that is trading at $26.91 or -1.23% from the previous close. Shares of Microsoft, the maker of Windows operating software have defined support at $26.26 and resistance at $27.73. Also among the worst performers we have Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), which is trading at $21.07 representing -1.2% from the previous session.
Benchmark crude for December delivery is also trading higher at $86.67 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange higher by $1.22 from the previous trading session.
The Dow is outperforming the NASDAQ composite, but lagging the S&P 500. The S&P 500 is currently trading at 1463.5, which represents 0.28% from previous close, the Nasdaq on the other hand is trading at 3050.39 that represents 0% from previous session.
Related Articles
- AT&T And America Movil To Provide Deeper National Reach For Advanced Enterprise Services Across Latin America
- AT&T 4G LTE Available In Willimantic
- AT&T 4G LTE Available In Torrington
- AT&T And The University Of Kansas Team Up To Enhance Wireless Coverage On Lawrence Campus
- AT&T 4G LTE Available In Fargo
- AT&T 4G LTE Available In Amarillo
- Benefitfocus Announces Pricing of Initial Public Offering
- Trends of China Gear Industry 2013 Analysis & Reviewed in New Research Report at RnRMarketResearch.com
- Product Launch Formula 4.0 Bonuses Total $5000 at BrianHanson.com
- Datex Presents Motorola Solutions Webinar "Is It 'Smart' to Use Smartphones for the Enterprise?"
Related Partner Headlines
TradersHuddle Search
Stock Search:
Site Search:
Technical Scans
Recent Trading Ideas
Latest Partner Headlines


text:
Luca Vagnini: Chick Lamp
Italian designer Luca Vagnini designed and produced this portable table lamp on the floor or on a table. The "Chick Lamp" consists of a wooden frame, faces frosted glass and a thin steel structure forming base and handle.
On this lamp, Luca Vagnini states:
"Chick lamp is made of oak wood with box joint, white or black laquered iron rod and sandblasted glasses on Both Sides. Chrome toggle switch. A single form created selon the golden section, enclosed by an iron frame stuck in a groove perimeter. The Whole structure is fixed only by two small screws Located under the wooden box. Best used with low energy bulbs "
For more information, visit the website Luca Vagnini.


text:
Recent Posts
- Hooked on the 1980s February 23, 2016
- Decline and fall February 12, 2016
- I called it "leaving Anna Madrigal" October 17, 2015
- Circa 1950s June 25, 2015
- Duncan Grant – Bloomsbury Set June 21, 2015
Recent Comments
taruna on My mind is in a state of const… Frances on In the rain, at night, this co… thejjmg on Decline and fall Milo on Decline and fall silverback69 on Decline and fall
Category Archives: food & drink
A peach schnapps
I made it two years ago when I was going through a serious cooking phase. I no longer have the recipe as it was from Diana Henry's Salt Sugar Smoke which I'd borrowed from the library. An excellent book devoted … Continue reading
Posted in food & drink Tagged alcohol, cooking, diana henry, home brewing, peaches, salt sugar smoke, vodka, wine Leave a comment
Julie & Julia
I forgot how much I liked this film, having caught it when it was on fairly late last night. Based on the blog of a true story – a young American woman – Julie Powell, who lives in the outer … Continue reading
Posted in blogging, food & drink, movies & films Tagged cooking, julia childs, julie powell, new york Leave a comment
Festive baking – sausage rolls & mince pies
So today I baked. Sausage rolls and (mini) mince pies. I made the sausage-meat mix using best-quality pork sausages, a chopped spring onion, some garlic, a bit more onion – and a handful of chopped parsley and a scant pinch … Continue reading
Posted in food & drink Tagged baking, cooking, mince pies, party food, recipe, sausage rolls, soiree 5 Comments
Home-made pizza
Dough has rye flour in it and came out nice and crispy (recipe had stated strong wholemeal flour – but I don't have any of that in so used rye). Topping was a puttanesca sauce (olives, garlic, capers, anchovies) – … Continue reading
Posted in food & drink Tagged baking, dough, homemade pizza, john whaite bakes, pizza, recipe Leave a comment
I call it 'Jam and Jerusalem'
So I made a quince and star anise jelly, having picked up some quinces whilst 'in the sticks' last weekend. I wouldn't know where to buy such things in London (for a price, I'm sure they're available) – but out … Continue reading
Posted in food & drink, photography Tagged canning, cooking, jam, jam making, preserving, quince jelly, recipe 1 Comment
Preserving in an age of austerity – redux
'Blood sweat & tears' is one phrase for it. Pickling 2kg of onions is no easy task. Takes ages (and yes, they'd had the boiling water treatment to help remove the outer skins). The pickling mix is from Preserves: River … Continue reading
Posted in food & drink Tagged canning, cooking, pickled onions, pickling, preserving Leave a comment


text:
In This Section
Journal Forum
A Meta-Analysis of High Resolution Audio Perceptual Evaluation - June 2016
2 comments
Synthetic Reverberator - January 1960
3 comments
Sound Board: High-Resolution Audio - October 2015
4 comments
AES E-Library
Hybrid Sampling-Wavetable Synthesis with Genetic Algorithms (P)
A hybrid sampling and wavetable synthesis method is introduced for matching acoustic instruments using genetic algorithm optimization. The method uses sampling for the critical attack portion of the tone and wavetable synthesis to match the more gradually changing sustain and decay. To perform a smooth transition between them, a hybrid sampling-wavetable crossfade is used. Various tones from the piano, harp, glockenspiel, and temple block were matched. Listening tests have found the matches indistinguishable from the original tones.
Click to purchase paper as a non-member or login as an AES member. If your company or school subscribes to the E-Library then switch to the institutional version. If you are not an AES member and would like to subscribe to the E-Library then Join the AES!
This paper costs $33 for non-members and is temporarily free for AES members.
Learn more about the AES E-Library
Start a discussion about this paper!


text:
"Kosciuszko National Park" Top 5 Page for this destination Kosciuszko National Park by Intrepidduck
Kosciuszko National Park Travel Guide: 56 reviews and 188 photos
The Australian continent's highest peak is a mere bump on face of the Earth, however don't allow this to discourage nor fool the mind. The Great Dividing Range is amoungst the world's oldest mountain ranges and in a sort of way they are it's mightiest "hills". Mt Kosciuszko (2228m), a part of the Main Range is found with in the Kosciuszko National Park which is located at the south eastern corner of the state of New South Wales.
Hiking is one of the key motives for many visiting the Kosciuszko National Park, while bicycle touring has also become a popular actively for those in search of a self propelled adventure.
- In a nutshell:The roof of the Australian continent
Reviews (5)
Although skiing as a leisure activity began in the 1860s at the Kiandra goldfields it was at Charlotte Pass where the... more travel advice
As a self proclaimed founder of the "Huts Not Tents Movement" spending a cold night high up on a windy mountain ridge... more travel advice
While this establishment is a club they do offer commercial accommodation for non-club members, particularly during the... more travel advice
It was years since I'd stayed up at Thredbo and one of my most difficult days of cycling was getting here along the... more travel advice
Comments (1)
Intrepidduck's Related Pages
Kosciuszko National Park Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "The Kosciuszko experience"
- "camping in Mt Kosciuszko National park"
- "Mount Kosciuszko - Highest point in Australia"
- "Kosciuszko National Park"
- "Mount Kosciuszko National Park.4"
- See All...
- Things to Do in Kosciuszko National Park
- Hotels in Kosciuszko National Park
- Transportation in Kosciuszko National Park
- Warnings and Dangers in Kosciuszko National Park
- See All...
"Go With The Duck!"
- Member Rank:
- 0 1 1 2 2
- 595 Reviews
- 803 Photos
- Add Friend
- Follow
- Send Message
Badges & Stats in Kosciuszko National Park
- 5 Reviews
- 11 Photos
- 0 Forum posts
- 1 Comments
- 7,074PageViews
- See All Stats
- See All Badges (27)
Have you been to Kosciuszko National Park?Share Your Travels
Latest Activity in Kosciuszko National Park
- updated a Kosciuszko National Park Travel Page "Kosciuszko National Park"
- Wrote a Review Charlotte Pass Village in Kosciuszko National Park Off The Beaten Path
- Uploaded a Photo to "Charlotte Pass Village"
Photos in Kosciuszko National ParkSee All Photos (11)
Top 10 Pages
- Melbourne Intro, 42 reviews, 46 photos
- Top 5 Page for this destination Busan Intro, 34 reviews, 33 photos
- T'bilisi Intro, 26 reviews, 26 photos
- Moscow Intro, 22 reviews, 21 photos
- Seoul Intro, 19 reviews, 22 photos
- Qingdao Intro, 19 reviews, 19 photos
- Fitzroy Intro, 14 reviews, 20 photos
- Listvyanka Intro, 16 reviews, 17 photos
- Australia Intro, 14 reviews, 17 photos
- Top 5 Page for this destination Saint Kilda Intro, 13 reviews, 16 photos


text:
Obama proposes firearm background check changes
HONOLULU (AP) – The Obama administration on Friday announced a pair of executive actions aimed at strengthening federal background checks for gun purchasers, with a particular focus on limiting firearm access for those with mental health issues.
One proposed rule change aims to clarify terminology used by federal law to prohibit people from purchasing a firearm for mental health reasons. The administration said states have complained that some wording is ambiguous, making it difficult to determine who should be blocked from buying a weapon.
The change also will help states determine what information may be shared with the federal background check system for firearms transfers. The system has prevented more than 2 million guns from falling into the wrong hands, the Justice Department says.
A second proposed rule change would give hospitals and other entities covered by patient privacy provisions more flexibility in the information they provide to the background check system. However, the administration said the rule change would not require reporting on general mental health care or legally prohibit someone from having a firearm solely because they sought treatment.
The White House announced the proposals while President Barack Obama was vacationing in Hawaii.
Obama put forward sweeping gun control measures last year following the horrific elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn. But the toughest proposals, including stricter background checks, fell flat on Capitol Hill, forcing the White House to rely on piecemeal measures that can be implemented without congressional approval.
Several perpetrators of the nation's worst mass shootings have had mental health issues, including Newtown shooter Adam Lanza. However, they acquired their guns in different ways, with Lanza using firearms purchased by his mother when he went on a rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary.
In announcing the proposed rule changes, the White House also called on Congress to again tackle gun control issues this year. However, there's little indication that lawmakers plan to take up the issue.
"Today, we are taking steps to further strengthen the federal background check system. It's time Congress joins us in this effort," Vice President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter. Biden has headed up the White House's anti-gun violence efforts following the Newtown shooting.
Friday's rule changes were proposed by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services. The agencies must accept and analyze public comments before issuing final rules.
Follow Julie Pace at
(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Sponsored Articles
- The bride's guide to feeling your best on your wedding day
- Deciding when you need knee surgery
- Celebrating Fourth of July is much cooler in these AZ towns
- Top ten road trip bathrooms in America
- Six things causing a pain in your neck
- 5 things to make your summer move easier
- Three elements of a strong timeshare exit guarantee
- Stretches and exercises for carpal tunnel syndrome
- The best Major League ballparks have their own personality
- Comparing the best regular seasons: The '96 Bulls and '16 Warriors
- 3 Arizona road trips and the vehicles to get you there
- Colon cancer is preventable. Check these signs and symptoms to stay healthy.
- 6 of the biggest skin cancer myths
- Affordable small home makeover ideas
- Locals helping locals: 6 success stories you need to know about
- Sunscreen facts that could save your life
- 6 energy saving hacks for your home
- 5 tips for choosing a company to end your timeshare
- Overlooked water tips to save you money
- 5 of the most adored gentlemen in professional sports today
- The real danger of sitting at your desk
- Most surprising NBA playoff performances of the last 40 years
- 11 classic baseball movies you must see again
- Finally getting rid of fat: 3 methods that actually work
- 4 reasons cancer survivors should focus on food
- 5 spring cleaning spots everyone forgets
- 5 reasons to look forward to watching the D-backs this season
- Common virus attributed to spike in head and neck cancers
- 5 signs it's time to end your timeshare ownership
- 3 most overlooked ways to keep your home healthy


text:
I am writing a paper on "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" and I need to include an allusion in my introduction paragraph. Can my allusion be a direct quote from Nelson Mandela that highlights a theme similar to the one I am going to discuss in my paper? Or is a direct quote too specific to be an allusion?
Anything can qualify as allusion. The caveat is, it must go smoothly with the main theme, and contain another, veiled message; it must have a simple main theme, which is different from the theme it alludes to. So, if your quote teaches us two different things, and your introduction is about one of them, it will allude to the other one.
You can't just drop a quote alone. You must have the quote relate directly, simply to paragraph it's included in, and simultaneously contain an allusion to whatever subject to which you wish to allude (different from the theme of that paragraph).


text:
The Dearborn County Recycling Center is hosting its 3rd Annual Halloween Costume Swap.
Local News
Treat Yourself To New Costume At Dearborn Co. Recycling Center
Harrison-Based Cincinnati Inc. Helps Create World's First 3D-Printed Car
With industrialized 3D printing system, the century-old machine tool builder shows it still has innovation in its DNA.
Harrison Public Safety Levy Will Be Focus Of Forum
City and Public Safety leaders will be leading a discussion regarding the need for the proposed tax levy, which will be on the November Ballot.
Early Voting Available Dearborn County
The 2014 General Election is quickly approaching on November 4th. However, if you cannot vote on November 4, early voting is an option.
Lawrenceburg Library Open Friday Despite Phone, Internet Outage
The Lawrenceburg Public Library is open Friday, albeit without some modern amenities.
UPDATE: Gas Going Cheap In Versailles
UPDATE: A witness reports that fuel prices at two Versailles stations have dropped even lower Friday morning.
Milton-Madison Bridge Dedication Set For Oct. 28
The dedication of the new Milton-Madison Bridge over the Ohio River has been set for a new date.
Indy Star: Pence Administration Doesn't Apply For $80M Federal Pre-K Grant
Indiana Governor Mike Pence's administration is saying "no thanks" to the opportunity for the state to receive an $80 million federal grant.
Lauren Hill "Gray Game" Venue, Ticket Information
A bigger venue and ticket information have been settled on for what may become one of the most-anticipated basketball games in Mount St. Joseph University history.
After 47 Years, Local Doctor Hanging Up His Stethoscope
This past July 1, marked Dr. Gary Scudder's 47th anniversary as a member of the Dearborn County Hospital Medical Staff.


text: Silver Lining. Composed opulence is on display from top to bottom in the elegant Blair bedroom collection. Mirrored accents provide a gleaming border detail that complements the tarnished silver flake finish and custom-designed ring drawer pulls. The generously sized furniture exudes a majestic quality that's further enhanced by the bejeweled tufting and brushed nickel nailhead accents on the bed's headboard and footboard. Sure to make a bold style statement, the Blair collection indulges your preference for the finer things in life.


text: So I've been messing with the custom post types. I was wondering if there would be a simple way to get them to act just like a post. Because I would like them to show up in my loop with their custom taxonomies in place of the tags, as well as have a page that displays all of that certain custom post type (sort of like a category page showing all posts from that category, but I haven't found a simple way to add categories to custom post types). I ask because I like the fact that they have a separate section in the admin interface and are able to use custom taxonomies. I think I am making sense, I'm not sure. If you need clarification please ask. I am still combing my way through the documentation, but I figured I could ask and if someone knew the answer and could share I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!


text:
amazing depth defining shot
Main Content
3 comments
To all the Nat Geo Readers,
My name is Neo Melanthiou and I happen to be both the surfer in the picture and the person who uploaded it here. Over the last year, I have been trying to contact Nat Geo in an effort to properly credit the actual photographer, which happens to be a good friend of mine but I did not have any luck.
It is really important for me to credit this talented individual so please allow me to share his contact info.
The photographer's name is Antreas Poupoutsis. You can further look him up at his personal website at:
Thanks everyone
Wow I would love to go there!
Browse Photo of the Day Images
Special Offers
National Geographic
Subscribe to National Geographic magazine and save. Print and digital editions available for as little as $12.
Nat Geo Photo Workshops
Shop National Geographic
Victorinox Swiss Champ Multitool


text:
GOVT S101 Introduction to American Government
3 credits (3+0) GER
Survey of American government, political processes, and contemporary issues, focusing on national institutions. Distributions and uses of power and the role of political values and beliefs. The Constitution and federalism; interest groups, parties, and elections; Congress, the Executive and the courts.
- 907-747-7700
- Toll Free Alaska Only: 800-478-6653
Summer Hours
Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm
May 30th: Memorial Day
Summer Hours
Mon-Fri: 8am-5pm
Sat-Sun: Closed
Campus Closures
May 30th: Memorial Day
July 4-5th: Independence Day


text:
Topic: Amanda Richman
Turner and Starcom in Product Placement Partnership
Yearlong deal will cover marketing and research
By Sam Thielman on Oct. 31, 2013 - 6:14 PM EDT
In a first of its kind deal, Starcom and Turner will partner for an unspecified number of brand integrations on TBS, TNT, truTV and Adult Swim for a full year.…
Can TV Buyers Adapt to a Digital Model?
Real-time exchanges
By Mike Shields on Mar. 11, 2013 - 11:30 PM EDT
Beyond just getting a seat at the table, digital buyers are suddenly finding themselves at its head—and the love of data, optimization and acronyms they're bringing with them could seriously…


text:
Most of the issues you mention sound like indicators that you need to reformat your hard drive, reinstall Windows, and start over in that regard. You might have a faulty hard drive, but you can use software to check it - same goes for the memory. Over time, the Windows operating system files on a PC can become corrupted and cause the type of problems you are experiencing.
Keep in mind, of course, that you will have to make sure you have a reliable backup of all the data you want to save.
Technically, you never really have to replace a PC entirely. You could have hardware problems such as a video card or hard drive dying, and replace just that one component with a new one. It's like when the brakes wear out on your car, you don't get a whole new car you just fix the brakes. However, with PCs so cheap these days, unless you're an expert at building PCs it's probably just easier to buy a new one.
Enter for your chance to win* a game hardware bundle
One lucky winner will walk away with a gaming monitor, keyboard and mouse. Two lucky runners-up will score a gaming headset.


text:
Yaya DaCosta is currently single.
Yaya DaCosta (born Camara DaCosta Johnson; November 15, 1982) is an American actress and fashion model. She was the runner-up in Cycle 3 of America's Next Top Model....
Connect any celebrity with Yaya DaCosta to see how closely they are linked... romantically!
Incredibly beautiful. Decent semblance of an acting career too.
Yaya i love you sooo much i cant even make a comment,keep doing what you do best.
hi, i hve watchd ur movie, tke d lead seval tyms. It wz wow n i luv it. Cn i b ur frnd Yaya?
I saw the movie Take the Lead today and Yaya played her part so well... By the way I can speed up your learning of Swahili.
i thught u shood hav won hunny
I`Ll write the same thing I tought when i 1st saw this young beauty...she WILL be the AMNTM!!!! I came close, but that does not mean that I was wrong!!! Commercial (Image ) sells!! U ALWAYZ have/had my vote


text:
Bypass the box office line at many theaters with guaranteed advance tickets. If something comes up, you can return or exchange them up until the posted showtime.
Earn rewards points from our partners, including AMC Stubs, Regal Crown Club and more.
Save your favorite theaters and movies to experience a customized Fandango just for you.
Get the VIP treatment, free screenings, digital downloads, discounts and more.
New Zealand-born comic Jemaine Clement represents one-half of the "digi-folk parody" team Flight of the Conchords, opposite Bret McKenzie. From the early '90s onward, the multi-hyphenate Clement racked up credits as an actor, screenwriter, TV-show creator, and executive producer, with a strong genre emphasis on eccentric comedies. Clement began in 2002 by scripting and acting in the martial arts...


text:
Leonard Garcia has gone from one rematch to another for his fight next week.
Garcia will face Chan Sung "The Korean Zombie" Jung on March 26 in Seattle, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today. Jung replaces Nam Phan, who was hurt recently in training, according to UFC's official Twitter feed.
Phan told ESPN.com that he suffered a broken foot.
Jung and Phan lost hotly debated decisions to Garcia last year. Garcia's April bout with Jung was a non-stop, near-reckless brawl with enough action to appear on several Fight of the Year lists.
Garcia received a split decision over Phan in December, although UFC President Dana White and others believed the result should have been the other way around. Garcia-Phan was the first featherweight bout in UFC history.
Sign up for MMA Fighting Stances e-mail alerts


text:
Boom Terrorists Are Rich and Smart: A Long Post on a Longer Research Paper
posted by November 15 at 12:18 PMon
It's one of those ideological litmus-test questions that's unwise to ask at the Thanksgiving dinner table: Is terrorism caused by problems than can be socially engineered away, like ignorance and poverty?
Or is terrorism caused by, you know, evil?
Fascinating new research by Alan Krueger, an economics professor at Princeton, says neither.
So all that popular guff about fighting terrorism with economic development? Not so much.
Here's some of Kreuger's evidence.
From a survey of 1,300 Palestinian adults, regarding armed attacks against Israel:
while 26 percent of illiterates and 18 per cent of those with only an elementary education opposed or strongly opposed armed attacks, the figure for those with a high school education was just 12 percent. The least supportive group turned out to be the unemployed, 74 percent of whom said they support or strongly back armed attacks. By comparison, the support level for merchants and professionals was 87 percent.
(To distill from his slightly tortured economist's prose: Opposition to armed attacks is higher among illiterates; support for armed attacks is loweralthough 74 percent hardly seems lowamong the unemployed.)
He also finds that suicide bombers come from wealthier families and that almost 60 percent of them have "more than a high school education, compared with less than 15 percent of the general population."
The same kinds of wealth-and-education statistics hold for Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, Iraqi insurgentsmost of them wealthier and better-educated than their non-terrorist peers.
These aren't just the strategists and the figureheads like Bin Ladenthese are the foot soldiers, the cannon fodder.
So what gives? Why are the wealthier and more educatedthe people with more to lose, from an economist's point of viewbecoming suicide bombers and terrorists?
On the supply side: Terrorism, Krueger says, is less like crime (more popular among the poor) and more like voting or protesting (more popular among the rich).
On the demand side:
… terrorist organizations want to succeed. The costs of failure are high. So the organizations select more able participantswhich again points to those who are better educated and better off economically.
What isn't surprising: Terrorists aren't starved for money, they're starved for civil liberties.
Using data from the Freedom House Index, for example, I found that countries with low levels of civil liberties are more likely to be the countries of origin of the perpetrators of terrorist attacks. In addition, terrorists tend to attack nearby targets. Even international terrorism tends to be motivated by local concerns.
So how to fight terrorism, Professor Krueger?
That suggests to me that it makes sense to focus on the demand side, such as by degrading terrorist organizations financial and technical capabilities, and by vigorously protecting and promoting peaceful means of protest, so there is less demand for pursuing grievances through violent means.
The answer still isn't "invade Iran."


text:
OSI-Approved Open Source (68)
- GNU General Public License version 2.0 (33)
- Eclipse Public License (12)
- Common Public License 1.0 (8)
- GNU Library or Lesser General Public License version 2.0 (5)
- BSD License (4)
- GNU General Public License version 3.0 (3)
- MIT License (3)
- Open Software License 3.0 (3)
- Apache Software License (2)
- Apple Public Source License (2)
- GNU Library or Lesser General Public License version 3.0 (2)
- Sun Public License (2)
- Affero GNU Public License (1)
- Artistic License (1)
- IBM Public License (1)
- Other License (3)
- Mac (71)
- Modern (71)
- Windows (63)
- Grouping and Descriptive Categories (47)
- Solaris (9)
Integrated Development Environments (IDE) Software
Hot topics in Integrated Development Environments (IDE) Softwarelazarus bluefish delphi 7 lazarus-1.4.4-fpc-2.6.4-cross-arm-wince-win32 fpc-2.7.1 delphi compiler fpc free pascal cross-arm-wince lazarus pascal
Rapid applications development tool and libraries for FPC9,606 weekly downloads
EasyEclipse:Eclipse IDE distros, plugins
Easy Eclipse makes Eclipse & Eclipse plugins easy to download, install & use. We test Eclipse plugin & create installers to deliver complete Eclipse-based IDEs & Eclipse plug-ins for C/C++, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby. Visit http://easyeclipse.org899 weekly downloads
Bluefish is a powerful editor for experienced web designers and programmers. Bluefish supports many programming and markup languages, but it focuses on editing dynamic and interactive websites.515 weekly downloads
PHPeclipse - PHP Eclipse-Plugin
PHP - Support for the Eclipse IDE Framework ( www.eclipse.org ). Some Features are PHP parser, debugger, code formatter, outline view, templates...(Programming Language: Java)504 weekly downloads
The GNU Ada compiler
This project provides binary packages for the Ada front end of GNU compiler collection. The project also provides various Ada libraries like the Ada Web Server and Ada aware Integrated Development Environments (gps and vim).477 weekly downloads
Boa Constructor - wxPython GUI Builder
A RAD GUI Building IDE for wxPython.288 weekly downloads
EPIC - Eclipse Perl Integration
EPIC is an opensource Perl IDE for the Eclipse platform. Features supported are syntax highlighting, on the fly syntax check, content assist, perldoc support, source formatter, templating support, regular expression plugin and a Perl debugger.154 weekly downloads
EasyStruts provide advanced support for developing Struts web applications with Eclipse . keywords: MVC, Struts, Eclipse, Java247 weekly downloads
REM - A NetBeans Module for ZK
REM is a NetBeans module for ZK application development. It can be used to create ZK web Applications, ZUL and ZScripi documents. It supports ZUL syntax highlighting, auto indent, code folding, code hyperlink navigation and code completion. It supports palette for some components.46 weekly downloads
Stani's Python Editor
SPE is a python IDE with auto indentation&completion,call tips,syntax coloring&highlighting,uml viewer,class explorer,source index,todo list,pycrust shell,file browsers,drag&drop,Blender support.Spe ships with wxGlade,PyChecker and Kiki.128 weekly downloads
MaxIDE - BlitzMax IDE
An Integrated Development Environment for the programming language BlitzMax including a program editor, debugger interface and help system.26 weekly downloads
(XSLT transformer/editor) A text editor that allows the loading and editing of an XML document and an XSLT document at the same time. It also can apply the XSLT to the XML and display the output for further editing/saving. Plugable XML and XSLT parsers93 weekly downloads
JUDO is a Java IDE for children and beginning programmers. JUDO is designed to be an educational tool to teach programming concepts and to spark excitement and interest in programming.21 weekly downloads
Lsl Plus
Lsl Plus is an edit/compile/test environment for the Linden Scripting Language (LSL), implemented as an Eclipse plug-in.10 weekly downloads
Winefish LaTeX Editor
Winefish LaTeX Editor for Experienced Users10 weekly downloads
Camelia is an IDE for OCaml designed with students and new users in mind. It sports syntax highlighting, tool-tip type checking, clickable error explanations, an integrated debugger, and more.18 weekly downloads
Eclipse integration for Isabelle proof assistant13 weekly downloads
CsoundQt, formerly called QuteCsound, is a cross platform editor and front-end for Csound with real-time graphical control, syntax highlighting, interactive help and automatic launching of Csound from a shell or the API. It can open files created in MacCsound. NOW HOSTED AT GITHUB25 weekly downloads
LuaEclipse is an IDE for the Lua language based on the Eclipse platform. It features syntax highlighting, content assistant, code running, integrated documentation and more...5 weekly downloads
Project 2306 IDE Rad MacOS MCU DeveR
Electronic design and programming tools suite like Eagle, MpLab13 weekly downloads
PyCrust is an interactive Python shell written in Python using wxPython. PyCrust is now part of wxPython (www.wxpython.org), so packaged files are no longer available here, and the latest development version has moved to the wxWindows CVS repository.12 weekly downloads
RadRails is an integrated development environment for the Ruby on Rails framework. The goal of this project is to provide Rails developers with everything they need to develop, manage, test and deploy their applications.12 weekly downloads
Dandelion - Eclipse Lisp Plugin
Dandelion is a plugin for Eclipse that supports Lisp programming in the Eclipse platform. It comes with two ready to use Lisp environments: SBCL and CLISP. It is possible to connect other environments.3 weekly downloads
Simple Editor With Interpreter
Simple programmer's editor with built-in C++ and Python interpreter console for teaching.5 weekly downloads
Modula-2 IDE based on Eclipse.3 weekly downloads


text:
Definition of seven-day in English:
Entry from British & World English dictionary
Lasting for a week: a seven-day trip for two to Hawaii fields should be examined at seven-day intervals
More example sentences
- For example, the May Day holiday has been turned into a seven-day official break.
- We're not getting the calls for the seven-day trips to Mexico.
- Our help centers around the world provide seven-day, 24-hour user support in local languages.
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: seven-day
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending