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Results tagged ' Lance Berkman '
A wistful look back at Puma being Puma
Many years ago, I titled this photo "Puma being Puma."
It was a combination of a nod to who Lance Berkman was as a professional and a person — affable, fun, kind and a free spirit — and a slight jab at the phrase being thrown about in the media ad nauseam to describe the malcontent Manny Ramirez had become. "Manny being Manny" became a sort of rally cry for anyone who was trying to figure out why Ramirez acted out in ways that made him somewhat of an undesirable teammate. A once well-liked player, Ramirez had turned into somewhat of a pain for teammates and support staffers, all which were met with a collective non-committal shrug — as in, "Well, that's just Manny being Manny." '
Puma being Puma, on the other hand, was a very, very good thing, and it served us all well during his time spent in a Major League uniform. He was fun to watch play and was a tremendous subject to cover as a reporter, if only for his refusal to use clichés and give non-informational information. He was, for the most part, an open book, exceedingly honest even when his views drew criticism.
But what I love most about this picture is how and why it was taken to begin with. I've known Berkman, quite literally, from day one of his pro career. The first press conference I attended as a member of the Astros media relations office in 1997 was the one that announced Berkman, the club's first-round Draft pick that year, had signed.
As time went on, and the Internet changed the way baseball is covered, visual effects became a driving force in the media. I had a camera with me for most of the years I covered the Astros for MLB.com, and as social media hit the landscape (and, for a few years, became my job), photographs weren't just a nice supplement to the coverage. They were essential and relevant, and played a huge role in driving traffic to our web site and blogs.
That's how I established such a love-hate relationship with Puma. He loved me. He hated my camera.
Oh sure, he was good-natured about it and for the most part went along with it, doing his best to ignore the camera while going about his business on a typical work day. But I was annoying. Most of the time, he laughed it off, but invariably, I knew that on most game days, I was going to get at least one eye roll from the Big Puma.
"Footer, would you get that stupid camera out of my face," he'd politely request. "I'm just giving the people what they want," I'd answer. "People want a thousand pictures of me taking BP?" he'd respond. "Well…yes," I'd explain.
And so it was. This never became a huge issue, mainly because he respected me, I respected him, and we genuinely liked each other. And as the years went on, his annoyance gave way to a new determination — not so much to get me to put the camera down, but rather to dodge it as much as humanly possible.
The end result? A collection of shots of the back of Berkman's head, or just a big empty space of nothing after he jumped out of the way at the last second. It cracked him up and after a while, the camera didn't irritate him anymore. It just made him laugh.
So one day at Spring Training, during another mind-numbing session of batting practice, Puma was in full-force camera-dodge mode. I'd point it toward him, and he'd jump to the left. Then to the right. He'd duck, turn his back, run away…and he succeeded, every time. So finally, I turned my back to him, pretended to look toward the visiting dugout, put the camera in the air, backward, and took a photo. I had no idea where I was pointing or if he was even still standing there.
It turned out to be the very best picture I ever took of him (and explains why the top of his cap is cut off).
Berkman's retirement announcement brought forth thoughtful, moving columns about why he was so well-liked as a player. We respected his athletic abilities, but appreciated his decency as a human being even more. As the Astros organize a formal event at the ballpark this season to honor him, we'll read more and more about his terrific career. It's all deserved.
But as soon as I heard Puma had made the retirement official, all I could think about were the pictures. There is an album on my Facebook page titled, "My favorite 'Stop taking pictures of me' pictures of the Puma." That collection, plus many more taken since then, will serve as a reminder of how much genuine laughter we all shared during the years Berkman was an Astro.
Most players can't wait to retire, until they actually do it.
I'm usually skeptical when a player retires from baseball while he's still producing at a high level, but in Chipper Jones' case, I really do believe he means it when he says he's comfortable with his decision to step away from the game, with no desire to return. I just wonder if he's going to feel that way in another year.
Jones appears to be a rarity. Most players heed the advice from those who came before them: play until they rip the uniform off of you. Loosely translated, it means play until 1) you can no longer can sustain the stamina or strength needed to be productive and 2) the phone stops ringing. (I once asked a coach who played in the big leagues for 18 years, "What year did you retire?" His answer: "Good players don't retire. They play until they don't get asked back.")
It's understandable that players start to feel the tug of retirement when they're older and still active. Major League life seems glamorous, and some parts are. Money, charter flights and first-class hotel accommodations are all part of it. But in truth, after you're in it for a while, it becomes a grind just like every other job. Time away from the kids starts to get old, and for those who don't get out much on the road, the travel can be boring.
Still, it's a good life, and most of the time, it's a heck of a lot more interesting than anything these players will do in their post-playing careers. Part of the problem is that players don't really know this until they've actually retired.
I was surprised when Andy Pettitte retired a couple of years ago when he seemingly had plenty left in his left arm, and I wasn't at all shocked when he came back to the Yankees after a year out of the game. Pettitte appeared to have reached the same conclusion as others who are pondering getting out: nothing they will do after their careers end will ever be as fulfilling as playing Major League Baseball. Especially when you're affiliated with a team that has a legitimate chance to win the World Series every year.
During my years covering the Astros, there were two players who made it very clear at about age 30 that they were looking forward to retiring and had no intention to stretch their careers past the parameters of their current contacts: Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt.
Berkman was signed through 2010; Oswalt, 2011. Both swore when those commitments ran out, so would they. Berkman was traded to the Yankees in the final year of his contract in '10, signed on with the Cardinals and won the World Series in '11. He signed with the Rangers late this past offseason and is talking of playing in 2014, too.
Oswalt held out for an offer from a contender in 2012 and missed half the season but ended up with the Rangers during their stretch run. As of today, he's unsigned for 2013.
So what happened?
Berkman said he wasn't necessarily surprised that he felt the tug to keep playing, but acknowledged that talking about retiring is a lot easier than actually doing it. He has always identified himself as a husband, father and devotee to his faith first and a ballplayer last, but the reality is a lot of his identity is indeed wrapped up in what he does for a living. When playing baseball is the only thing you know, it's a little scary to think of life without it.
Think about it: if a player retires at 40 and lives to a normal life expectancy, he has at least 40 more years to fill. When you're first starting out, this all seems so far off. But when you're 36, 37, 38…
"It's a mental fight," Berkman said the day before he left for Spring Training. "Is this the right thing to do? You don't want to sell yourself short. There's family considerations. There's all kinds of stuff that goes into the vortex. Your mind is just spinning around and spinning around and you're trying to make the best decision that you can."
A big part of who he is, Berkman admitted, is as a Major League Baseball player. "When you don't have that anymore, how are you going to react to everyday life?" he wondered.
While Berkman does have a list in his mind of things he'd like to do post-career, he also knows he doesn't necessarily have to start now.
"Even for a guy such as myself who said for years, 'It's going to be easy to walk away,' the reality is, it's not going to be," he said. "I don't want to be too cavalier with that statement. It's a pretty big thing and a pretty big time in your life. The flip side of that, I am kind of glad that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. There's other things other than playing baseball that are intersting to me, and you just don't have time to pursue those things as a player."
Jones' named popped up in the news recently when Yankees GM Brian Cashman expressed interest in seeing if "Larry" — yes, oddly, Cashman referred to Chipper by his real name — would be interested in signing on as a fill-in for the injured Mark Teixeira.
Jones responded by tweeting that he prefers to continue his new life as a bad golfer.
Odds are, he'll still feel this way next year, too.
Won't he?
There was something terribly appropriate about Houston Chronicle TV/Radio columnist David Barron describing a recent honor bestowed upon me as "big", "huge" and "overwhelming," considering the subject matter — my hair — has been described as all three (mostly at the same time) for the better part of my adult life.
My goal to not draw attention to myself or my towering inferno (another nickname given to me by a college buddy) ended when Barron inexplicably got on Super-Hair.net's email distribution list. Now the secret's out. I am indeed a two-time winner of the prestigious "best curls" category in the annual Crown Awards.
I rehearsed my best fake "Who, me????" while watching Anne Hathaway at the Oscars, just in case the secret was leaked. My acceptance speech involved two people: my great-grandmother Libby Goldman, for passing along the red hair gene, and Juan at Satori Heights Salon in Houston, for finding a way to tame this mess.
Other than that, I'd like to also acknowledge all of the support and encouragement that has come my way as I attempted to make a better life for myself and my hair over the last 30 years.
That means you, strange old man on the elevator when I was touring Ohio University as a high school kid. "I'd rather be dead than red in the head," you said. You made my 17-year-old heart sing! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
And you, the legions of do-gooders who made sure I knew that I could never be a contestant on "Millionaire Matchmaker" because the host hates two things: 1) red hair; and 2) curly hair. Hopes, crushed. Those sugar daddies don't know what they're missing. But thank you for correctly assuming I didn't know this, and realizing how important it was that I did.
And I couldn't have made it without YOU, middle-aged, bourbon-guzzling balding sports bar guy with your sage observations: "Spiral perms are stupid." Hear, hear, my brother. Hear, hear.
Lest we not forget you, weird stammering guy striking up a conversation with, "Yea, uh, my sister has red hair." Riveting exchange, and something I'll never forget, especially the awkward silence that followed. So, THANK YOU for that.
And to you, the kid who sat behind me in ninth-grade Algebra and asked if I was "keeping a bird's nest in there." Your guidance and concern has helped shape me into the person I am today. XOXOXO.
I'm truly humbled, not only to have finally beaten that pesky Jennifer Beals this time around, but also to be sandwiched between a world-class tennis player and the reigning "It Girl" on the Super-Hair.net web site. Pinch me!
Who knew life could be this grand?
Second base riddle: Altuve? Or DeShields? Or Paredes? (Answer: all three.)
The decision to move Jimmy Paredes back to second base, the position he's played more than any other since his professional career began, has little to do with Jose Altuve, or Delino DeShields, or anyone occupying his old position at third base, for that matter.
Ballplayers are evaluated, discussed, scrutinized and sometimes moved around from the moment they join an organization. General manager Jeff Luhnow and his staff kept a close eye on Paredes, acquired a couple of years ago from the Yankees in the Lance Berkman trade, and decided the athletic infielder should move back to second base.
And that's where he'll play in the Minor Leagues. The general belief is Paredes will eventually be a mainstay in the Majors. The goal is to get the most out of him in the role he's best suited for. That role, according to the club's talent evaluators, is not third base.
When the decision was announced, questions immediately popped up regarding the futures of Altuve and DeShields. It made some wonder if moving Paredes is a direct reflection on the Astros' confidence, or lack thereof, in Altuve's abilities.
The answer is pretty simple, really. Decisions regarding Paredes have to do with Paredes, and only Paredes. This isn't about Altuve or DeShields or any other middle infielders in the organization.
Baseball is unlike the other sports. There are many layers to an organization. Most players who are drafted — save for the very few Stephen Strasburg-like prodigies — won't reach a big league field for three years, minimum. That's why the Minor Leagues exist. They are designed to turn young, raw ballplayers into Major League contributors.
Hundreds of players comprise a Minor League system. Around four percent are actually prospects that will make it to the big leagues. Even fewer will last more than a couple of years.
The best organizations have talented players at every position throughout the system. They don't look at their All-Star shortstop on the Major League level and shrug and say, "Well, looks like we don't need any other good shortstops in our system." A dozen roadblocks can mess up even the best plan. Injury. Inconsistency. Free agency. A can't-miss prospect who gets to the big leagues and blows out his arm. Or finds out he can't hit a Major League curveball.
Take the Yankees' Joba Chamberlain, for example. He was a sure-fire, can't-miss star. Except, of course, that he's not. First there was the elbow surgery. Now we hear that he has a possible career-ending ankle injury, born from a trampoline mishap.
More than a decade ago, Tim Redding blew through the Astros' Minor League system with such force that most considered him a better pitcher than Roy Oswalt.
The only problem with that theory was that it was wrong. As it turned out, Redding lacked two things: maturity, and the ability to make adjustments when no Major League hitters were swinging at his 0-2 pitch. Or his 1-2 pitch. Or 2-2 and 3-2.
Staff ace? Not so much. Master of the 100-pitch-count-after-four-innings? Most definitely.
That's why baseball teams are layered in such a way that gives them Plans B, C and even, in some cases, D and E. There are eight levels in the Minor Leagues. Prospects who go through the system endure a steady climb to the big leagues, some quicker than others. There are no guarantees the player who shows an enormous skill set in Rookie Ball will still have that going for him when he moves up to Double-A.
Altuve has less than a half-season of experience as a Major League second baseman. He shows great potential and will be at second base on Opening Day on April 6. Is he destined for a 10-year career? Is he a future All-Star?
DeShields was a first-round draft pick a couple of years ago and was converted from an outfielder to a second baseman. The Astros like his athleticism and speed and believe he has a future as a big league infielder. Does he?
The answer to both questions is a resounding…maybe. But who out there really knows, with 100 percent certainty?
Baseball organizations — the good ones — are about depth. Having too many good players in a system at one position is a good problem to have. Depth gives teams flexibility. It allows them have a strong Major League team that is built with home-grown players, while giving them trading chips when there's a need in another area. It also allows teams to replenish the roster with talent when a player prices himself out of payroll parameters.
In certain circumstances, of course, adjustments have to be made. Lance Berkman became an outfielder around the same time Jeff Bagwell signed a long-term contract extension. Jonathan Singleton was clearly going nowhere as a first baseman in Philadelphia's system, given its recent commitment to Ryan Howard through 2017. And that's one of the reasons the Astros were able to trade for him.
Why were the Phillies able to land Hunter Pence in a blockbuster trade last year? Simple: they had the surplus of prospects to offer up. They had a solid farm system that was contributing in two ways: it produced Major League talent capable of getting to the World Series, with even more players available as trade bait to make the product at the very top that much more powerful.
If an organization has one good shortstop, or one good catcher, or one good second baseman, and no options coming through the Minor Leagues, well, that's where you start to see "100" and "losses" used together in a sentence.
Depth is the single most important component of a healthy organization. Baseball teams cannot survive without it. So don't fret over the Paredes/Altuve/DeShields conundrum. Be glad it's here.
Speaking of prospects, several Astros staff members and players involved with the 2011 Arizona Fall League championship team received rings for winning the AFL Championship.
The players: Jay Austin, Jason Castro, Jake Goebbert, Kody Hinze, Dallas Keuchel, Jason Stoffel, Josh Zeid and athletic trainer Eric Montague.
Photos from the ceremony:
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Whoever gets my old seat in the press box better take tender loving care of it.
I'm not asking for it to be sectioned off by purple velvet rope and declared an Astros shrine (although if you want to, who am I to stop you?), but I do hope whoever snags the area previously known as my press box seat will at least treat it as part of the family. Or, if that's too much to ask, just appreciate it for what it is/was — the single best vantage point you'll find at Minute Maid Park.
In my opinion, press box seats were better than Drayton's comfy seats behind the plate, because when something happened on the field that made you want to roll your eyes and slap your forehead in disgust, it helped being tucked away in the press box, away from the cameras that could otherwise capture you in all of your exasperated glory.
Anyhoo, the dearly departed press box is being renamed the Astros Press Club, and by Opening Day next year, the venue will be fully functional and available to the public. (They're taking orders now — read more about it here).
This whole redesign thing has made me pretty nostalgic. After all, we've witnessed some pretty spectacular moments from those precious press box seats, ranging from historical (first World Series game ever played in Texas) to hysterical (Mike Hampton throwing Brad Ausmus a cookie of a pitch during Ausmus' last game as an Astro, which Ausmus "muscled" to the first few rows of the Crawford Boxes).
But what moments were the most unforgettable? After doing a mental sweep of the last 11 seasons in this ballpark, two instances stand out to me more than any other.
Jeff Kent's home run that ended Game 5 of the 2004 NLCS and gave the Astros a 3-2 lead in the series has to be one of the most memorable moments, ever. I just remember thinking how those types of plays in the postseason were so opposite from what we were used to in Houston. Not to knock the franchise, but let's face it — at the time, the Astros were on their fifth postseason in eight years, and very little had gone right up until then.
So watching Kent throw off his helmet as he approached home plate, hold up his index finger and say to his ecstatic teammates, "One more" was just really awesome.
But even more than that game (or Chris Burke's 18th inning walkoff the next year), there was only one time, as memory serves, where I actually said out loud, "This is by far the coolest thing I've ever watched here." And that happened while we were watching Lance Berkman lob home run after home run over the Crawford Box seats, over the facade behind the seats, and out of the ballpark during the Home Run Derby during the 2004 All-Star week.
I know it was a meaningless event in terms of standings and playoffs, which really are the only things that ultimately matter to ballplayers. And I would never suggest this was the best moment, or the most impactful. But watching Berkman in such a groove, doing his thing in front of 42,000 screaming hometown fans, was something I'll never forget. I think it was the second round where he really started going off, and at some point, a few of us in the press box just had to sit back and laugh because of the wonderful absurdity of it all. The baseballs were actually leaving the ballpark, one after another after another after another. For a while, it seemed like Lance was going to be able to sustain that pace until the next morning.
So while it wasn't as impactful as the postseason clutch home runs or as emotional as Craig Biggio's 3,000th hit or as entertaining as watching Jimy Williams kick dirt on home plate while jawing with the umps, the 2004 Home Run Derby gets put in a separate category to be filed under Things I'll Never, Ever Forget.
Now let's hear from you. Was there one moment at Minute Maid Park that stood out to you more than any other?
That doesn't necessarily mean it has to be the most exciting game, or a game that was historic for one reason or another. Maybe it was the first game you went to with your kids. Or a game where you caught a foul ball. Or a game that Junction Jack laid a big furry kiss on you. Whatever the game, whatever the circumstance…what is your best memory?
In today's From the Photo Vault segment, we step back in time to Spring Training 2006, when the Astros hosted a bunch of kids for their Read Across America program. The event takes place on March 2 every year, Dr. Seuss's birthday, and celebrates the simple joy and importance of kids reading books.
Dr. Seuss is obviously the inspiration behind the program, a notion clearly not lost on Fernando Nieve, Chad Qualls or Steve Sparks.
Or Milo.
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Wishing luck to Puma and Roy, sort of. And Minute Maid gets a facelift.
Random thoughts as I rejoin the living after seven glorious days of doing absolutely nothing (other than catching up on sleep, watching the playoffs and enjoying dinner with Milo)…
1. Reds vs. Phils: Rooting for the Reds, for Roy, for the underdog, for Lidge. Yes, I'm conflicted. And exhausted.
A lot of you have asked who I was going to pull for in the Reds-Phillies division series and I honestly had no idea how I was going to feel until I actually sat down to watch the games. After a while, it became pretty clear I was pulling for Cincinnati, with the exception of Game 2, which Roy Oswalt started last Friday in Philly.
I parked myself on a stool my favorite Mexican restaurant and hoped for the best for Oswalt, but I also groaned along with the greater Cincinnati metropolitan area every time the Reds bumbled and fumbled and gave the game away to the Phillies (whom I was not rooting for, only because they've been there many, many times in the last few years and won it all in 2008.)
I guess you could say I suffered from multiple personality disorder through the duration of the Reds and Phillies series. Mad when Roy gave up a run, and mad when the Phillies scored. It reminded me of the 2003 World Series — I couldn't root for the Yankees, because, well, you just don't do that. But I really didn't want Marlins fans, who drew about 7,000 per game for most of the season, to get a taste of World Series victory either. So I pouted the entire week and called it a wash.
Now, about Puma's Yankees. I truly want Lance Berkman to get a hit every time he comes to the plate, but I just cannot, and will not, root for his team. Again, I wasn't sure how I'd feel once I actually sat down to watch the Twins-Yankees series. It didn't take long for me to realize which way I was leaning. I was completely disgusted when the series ended without the Twins getting one stinking win. I turned the TV off and tossed the remote control, so clearly, Puma's presence on this Yankees club didn't do much to sway me.
Because I like the underdog and root for parity in baseball, I am not rooting for a Yankees-Phillies World Series. We just watched that last year. As far as what I'll do if it comes down to Oswalt vs. Berkman in a Game 7 situation, I'd do what any good FOR (Friend of Roy) or FOP (Friend of Puma) would do — hide under the bed and hope it ends quickly.
2. Call Weezie. We're movin' on up.
So you've probably heard by now that the plans for Minute Maid Park renovations for 2011 include moving the press box up a level. In truth, this is hardly shocking news, considering we always knew we were on borrowed time in our current digs. The press box at Minute Maid Park provides the best vantage point you'll find in any of the 30 ballparks, and quite frankly, it's a view that would be an attractive draw for fans who pay to come to the games, not reporters who get paid to be there.
So we're moving up a level, where the broadcasters live. That will require reporters and your friendly neighborhood blogger to climb an extra 15 steps per game to get there. No disrespect to my esteemed colleagues, but a little uphill exercise is probably not going to kill us, and over the course of 81 games, it might even prove beneficial. (It reminds me of one of my favorite athlete-scribe exchanges. Slumping superstar, to portly reporter: "Maybe next time, you should mix in a salad." Portly reporter: "Maybe next time, you should mix in an RBI.")
Anyhoo, back to the press box. I've spent quite a bit of time on the broadcast level, either to hang out with Brownie and J.D. or to track down Ed Wade, whose booth is also on that level. The view from up there is not only suitable for work purposes, it gives a much broader perspective of the seats, field and dugouts. It's a great view and still one of the best seats in the house.
Trust me, it could be worse. Much, much, much worse. Try finding some of the press boxes we visit on the road. A few — not all, but a few — are located at the very top, so high that you actually are looking down at the patrons who bought the five dollar nosebleeds. To be honest, I don't mind those high-up press boxes, but for broadcasters, it's a nightmare. You lose all sense of depth perception, and every routine pop up to the second baseman looks, upon contact, like it could be a home run. Thankfully, we don't have that problem in Houston.
These days, press box placement isn't such a big deal for beat writers anyway. Here's our dirty little secret: we watch most of the games on the five-second delayed TV broadcasts.
In the old days, beat writers were responsible for an 800 word game story and a few dot-dot-dot notes at the bottom of the game story (known as "gamers.") In today's era of the internet, where there are no deadlines or space limitations, covering a game (I speak as a former beat writer for MLB.com) includes 800-900 word notes packages, sidebars if there's really big news (key player injuries, trades, controversies, etc.), a gamer and a preview for the next day's game. Add to that tweeting, blogging and surfing our competition's web sites to see what stories we're being beaten on, and we are pretty much occupied throughout the duration of the game.
Subsequently, we catch most of the action on one of the five or six TVs that hang in the front of the press box and show the broadcast five seconds after it happens in real time.
It goes something like this: innings one through three, reporter hastily transcribes tape from pregame interviews and writes, non-stop, in an effort to get the notebook filed by the fourth inning. With barely enough time to look up from computer screen, reporter depends on sounds to dictate important moments during the game.
1) Hear crack of bat. 2) Hear crowd react. 3) Look up at TV and find out what happened. 4) Look back down at computer. 5) Keep typing. 6) Hear another crack of bat. 7) Look up in time to watch player run down the baseline. 8) Look up at TV to see what pitch was thrown.
Rinse, repeat.
What does this all mean? It's simple. Where I'm watching the game isn't as crucial as the quality of the television broadcast. So the only thing I'm really hoping for is that the Astros chuck the old TVs that were installed when the ballpark opened and replace them with shiny new HD versions in our shiny new press box.
(Years ago I vowed never to write about things the fans don't care about, and this rambling blurb has already broken that vow. So I'll end the press box conversation here.)
Meanwhile, the new scoreboard sounds pretty cool. I've had the great fortune of checking out a bunch of the gigantic HD scoreboards in other ballparks like Atlanta and Kansas City, and I'm pretty excited that we're going to have something similar in our ballpark. The Astros are in need of some upgrades in that area, especially if they can't even get replacement parts for the old one anymore. The size of the new one appears to be just right — large enough to make an impact, but not too big that it'll be a distraction.
Here is a rendering of the new scoreboard, and an illustration of how it compares to the size of the old one:
3. Miscellany:
* We're still waiting for Jeff Bagwell to make his decision about returning as hitting coach. Even though he's been offered a two-year contract, if he wanted to come back on a one-year deal only, I sense the team would be OK with that. But I haven't talked to Bagwell and I don't know if that's what it will take for him to return. So we wait. And hope.
* I was really happy to see the Astros extend Brad Mills' contract by picking up the '12 option and adding an option year for '13. That was a mere formality; there was no way the manager was going have less job security than the coaching staff, which is signed through '12. Wade all but solidified that last month when he said as far as he's concerned, he's hired his last manager. Mills did a tremendous job this year and I think we all saw what happened as soon as he was given a younger, less experienced but more enthusiastic club in the second half.
* I was terribly sad to watch Billy Wagner leave with an injury Friday night during the Braves-Giants game. An injury of that severity, at this point of the season, probably means he has thrown his last Major League pitch. Every professional athlete will tell you ending a career with an injury is one of their worst nightmares. Wagner has steadfastly held onto his insistence that he's really, truly done after this season, and it'll take something short of a miracle to recover from a pulled side muscle quickly enough to pitch in the World Series, if the Braves make it that far.
Every player wants to go out on his own terms, and Wags came so close to doing so. It's a shame to see it end like this.
* Our friends in Round Rock are finding ways to keep the ballpark lively during the offseason. If you like live music, wine and/or baseball, click here.
From the photo vault:
Here we have former starting pitcher Wade Miller, who had just made a play on softly-hit grounder back to the mound. He bends, fields, and throws to ….no one.
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On Bagwell, Berkman, LeBron and Scott Sullivan.
Jeff Bagwell reflected upon his first day on the job as the Astros' hitting coach with a touch of humor, threatening to pull a LeBron James while also revealing an interesting exchange with Lance Berkman.
The Astros hit enough Friday night to beat the Pirates, against whom they're 7-0 this year, their best record against the Bucs to begin a season. Jeff Keppinger came up with a clutch homer and Humberto Quintero had two nice hits, but Berkman, who said before the game Bagwell was kind of like the dad you didn't want to make mad, went 0-for-4.
"He disappointed me tonight," Bagwell said, joking. "He got no hits."
Apparently, Berkman found solace in this by bringing up a somewhat sore subject with Bagwell — his hitless streak against a former Reds right-hander named Scott Sullivan.
Sullivan had a nice career with the Reds, pitching the better part of nine seasons in middle relief. Not a headline grabber but certainly a decent pitcher in his own right. But he has one claim to fame — Bagwell absolutely, positively, could not hit him.
When side-armer Sullivan would run in from the bullpen, "I used to tell Dirk," Bagwell said, referring to former manager Larry Dierker, "'You're really going to send me up there again?'"
And again, and again. In fact, Sullivan faced Bagwell more times in his career than any other player, ever.
Bagwell had 31 official plate appearances versus Sullivan, including 24 at-bats. And zero hits. If you look up "Sullivan vs. batters" on the Baseball Reference page, every hitter whom Sullivan ever faced is listed, and Bagwell is first, because his batting average against the former Reds righty is exactly .000. Bagwell has one RBI — via a sac fly — and has drawn six walks off Sullivan, three of which were intentional.
Bagwell's success — or lack thereof — against Sullivan was so well-known back in the day that Berkman not only still remembers, but still uses it to get Bagwell's goat.
"He just wanted to make me feel bad," Bagwell said. "I said, 'That's about as low as you can go right there.'"
This was all in jest, of course. Bagwell, who is mindful of the good work Sean Berry did during his long tenure as the Astros' hitting coach, is doing his best to deflect the attention from himself as the Astros try to salvage what they can during the second half of the season.
But Bagwell did acknowledge his "quick" start.
"I'm retiring," he said. "I'm 1-0. I'm leaving. I'm going to play for the Heat."
(Bagwell talks after his first game as hitting coach…click here)
News and notes from Astros camp:
Felipe Paulino had a setback recently and it appears the tendinitis in his shoulder has flared up again. He's flying back to Houston to have an MRI and will not make his scheduled start against the Cubs on Tuesday.
Also, righty Brian Moehler has been placed on the 15-day DL with a strained right groin, which he suffered during his last start before the All-Star break. Moehler's DL stint will be backdated to July 8 and he will be eligible to return on July 23, when the team returns to Houston.
That will clear a roster spot for whomever the Astros decide to start in Paulino's place on Tuesday.
Why is this man smiling?
The running joke about Lance Berkman — actually, it's not a joke, come to think of it — is that he loves Texas so much he really prefers to never leave the state unless he absolutely has to.
That might be a slight exaggeration, but there's little question about Berkman's emotional attachment to his home state. He loves Texas, loves being in Texas and prefers to be home in Texas rather than out of town, no matter how nice the city where he's traveling might be.
But as we know, Berkman's job takes him on the road quite a bit, so staying within the friendly confines of the Texas State lines 365 days a year isn't an option. Astros road trips are all pretty much the same to him, but there are a few road ballparks he likes more than others. In those terms, count Milwaukee as one of his preferred destinations.
If you talk to media people and broadcasters about their favorite cities to visit when the team travels, the conversation invariably centers around hotels, press boxes and press box food. For players, the needs are about the same — all you have to do is swap out "press box" for "clubhouse."
Restaurants, night life and shopping are all well and good, but during the grind of a long season, ballplayers like to keep things simple. Give 'em a visiting clubhouse with a comfortable couch, a large movie selection and a decent postgame spread, and, for the most part, they're happy.
That's why players like coming to Milwaukee. The facility is first rate and the sprawling clubhouse provides a comfortable place to hang out in the hours leading up to gametime.
And the logistics could not be better. In most ballparks, the clubhouse and the dugout are connected by a long tunnel that winds around and may or may not involve a stairwell. Regardless, there is usually a short walk involved. In Milwaukee, the door to the clubhouse literally opens right into the dugout. This makes is convenient for players to go back and forth during batting practice and games without having to worry about missing anything.
"In terms of the position to the dugout and the amenities, I think it's the best clubhouse in the National League," Berkman said.
(Watch the full behind-the-scenes clubhouse tour and the Berkman interview here)
Night games begin around 7 p.m., but many members of a Major League traveling party will start rolling in as early as noon. Those hours are usually exclusive to the coaching staff and manager, but plenty of players are arrive early as well.
Typically, players start to make their way to the ballpark around 2 or so, but in cities where there's not much to do (Milwaukee would be one of those cities), players might arrive even earlier. The might want to look at film or take in some early hitting, or they simply might be going a little stir crazy in their hotel rooms.
When you have the plush surroundings of the visitors' clubhouse at Miller Park at your disposal, why not hang out there instead?
Berkman doesn't normally go to ballparks early, but he'd probably concede that Milwaukee is one place that's far more appealing than his hotel room. And the food's pretty good, too.
"The postgame spread — after the game you're at the mercy of the clubhouse guys," Berkman said. "You want a place that feeds you well. A lot of guys are into things like movies, and games. This place has plenty of movies and games. If you wanted to come here at noon, you can eat lunch and watch a movie before batting practice. If you took a poll of most players, this would rate really high just in terms of amenities in the National League."
It's hard to describe without visuals, so when the team was on the field taking batting practice, I snuck in to take some video footage of the clubhouse.
Here's what we're talking about:
Hands down, the best couches in the league. Berkman: "You've got to stay away from those as much as possible because you don't want to get yourself into a comatose state before the game." (Feel free to fire away with the snarky comments. Yes, I am aware of the Astros' position in the NL Central standings.)
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More reasons why baseball is not like football.
Through the first two days of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, I've heard from a lot of you regarding the Astros' picks. A lot of you have raised questions as to why they're drafting certain positions and what that might mean for some of the Astros players on the current Major League roster.
I've also heard of some questionable commentary on local radio shows that I find to be somewhat disconcerting. These comments seems to be fueling public confusion about how the team views its current big league players.
Baseball is unique from the other major sports in that it takes, typically, a few years before the draftees can make an impact on the Major League level (Stephen Strasburg, obviously, is the exception). In football and basketball, the returns are immediate. Baseball is a longer process.
The players who the Astros draft this week simply have absolutely nothing to do with the job security of the players currently playing at the big league level.
One talk show host insinuated that the Astros' decision to draft Delino DeShields Jr. as their first pick somehow indicates Michael Bourn has a limited future with the Astros. This line of thinking is just absurd. First of all, the Astros envision DeShields as a second baseman (although he will play center this year), and even if he was honed as a center fielder, that has absolutely nothing to do with Bourn. DeShields has a lot of development ahead of him before he can think about the big leagues. Bourn is a star whom the Astros are not interested in dealing.
Healthy Major League organizations have deep, deep farm systems. They have several players at each position who could potentially impact the team on the big league level. They go into Spring Training with a log jam all over the field, and several players who are good enough to be on the team aren't, simply because there are more capable and experienced players ahead of them on the depth chart.
When the Astros' farm system was rated No. 1 by just about everyone several years ago, they had too many pitchers qualified to make the rotation coming out of Spring Training. There were times I'd look at the spring roster and think, "where are they going to put everyone?" Then, inevitably, there would be injuries, or players who slumped terribly, or supposed up-and-comers who flamed out halfway through the season. And there was usually a stud prospect who was given a shot, and performed well. I remember in 1998, Richard Hidalgo was by far the best outfielder in the organization. And he was shipped to Triple-A before Spring Training ended.
That's where the Astros are trying to get back to. They appear to be on the right track, but I encourage you to not put too much stock into what positions these young players are being drafted as. Think about it: Lance Berkman was drafted as a first baseman. Even Puma thought he didn't have much of a chance to be drafted by the Astros because they obviously had a mainstay in Jeff Bagwell at first, and in 1997 he was hands down one of the best first basemen in baseball and in the prime of his career.
So what if the Astros had decided to pass on Puma, because of Bagwell? Instead, they converted Berkman into an outfielder, and he performed a lot better than the club had envisioned. Then he took over at first when Bagwell's shoulder gave out five years after Berkman was drafted.
In '97, the Astros drafted the best player available, and that player was Berkman. I think we can agree the returns have been off the charts.
Prospects can change positions. Some of you have noticed the Astros selected several catchers on Tuesday. Those catchers can easily become third basemen, or first basemen, or some other position down the road. They can also become catchers. While we're all very optimistic about Jason Castro, we don't know for sure what he'll be. There are also no guarantees that he won't get hurt.
Depth. Its importance cannot be underestimated.
And also, keep in mind prospects are extremely valuable to an organization when it needs trade chips to get that one player who can make a difference in a contending season. It's all about stockpiling, and if the Astros have too many good players at one position, that's a great problem to have. It's what got them to the postseason six times in 10 years, and it's what will get them there again.
Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter
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Questions? Send to email@example.com
Tough times for Astros as the losses pile up.
I probably don't need to say this out loud, because you can probably figure this out on your own, but the Astros clubhouse was silent after Saturday's loss in Cincinnati. The kind of silence that usually sparks the old cliche "You could hear a pin drop." Almost two months into the season, the team continues to search for answers, and it's doubly frustrating now, because not only is the offense continuing to sputter, but the pitching is failing them as well.
Tough times for the Astros, for sure. They used to dominate in Cincinnati, rarely losing here for the better part of a decade, whether they were playing at the old Riverfront Stadium (known in its later years as Cinergy Field) or at the newer Great American Ball Park. Now, they're on a nine-game losing streak in Cincinnati, which only a couple of years ago would seem impossible, considering Roy Oswalt's and Lance Berkman's absolute dominance at this place and against this team.
The Astros are struggling, no doubt, and it didn't help that they ran into a red-hot Reds team that seemingly can do no wrong. They've absolutely pummeled your Astros in the last two days, having outscored them 27-8.
Brian Moehler took full responsibility for the loss and didn't tip toe around the obvious.
"My location was just terrible," he said. "I left some balls over the plate and they didn't miss them. I felt completely fine, but I just had poor location."
So now it's up to Felipe Paulino. Now would be the perfect time to get that first win of the season. A complete game would help, too. Just sayin'.
Not a lot to laugh about these days, but I did get a kick out of this image before batting practice. Oswalt might just have found a new career once he's gotten this pitching thing out of his system:
Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter
Check out Astros witticisms at PumaOneLiners
Questions? Send to firstname.lastname@example.com
Note to self: More pictures of Pence in plaid pastels.
Plenty of reactions poured in after we posted this picture on Twitter of Hunter Pence and his stylish sport coat he wore to the Pink in the Park Brunch and Bazaar on Thursday:
Many of you liked it, many did not. But I was struck by the number of comments that arrived in the form of "So-and-so called. He wants his blazer back."
The complete listing of so-and-so's:
Craig Sager.
Tim Meadows (so he has something to wear in The Ladies Man 2).
Walt Frazier.
Buddy Holly.
The 1970s.
Jim Deshaies (who has a similar eyesore called the "Guaranteed Win Jacket").
Deion Sanders.
Braves closer Billy Wagner has been gone from the Astros for seven years, but he still has close ties to several in the organization. As he made his rounds through Astros territory during batting practice Friday, he said to former teammate and current hitting coach Sean Berry, "I announced my retirement today. I'm done."
I thought he was kidding, and I'm pretty sure Sean did too, initially. Apparently, Billy's serious. He told Bobby Cox he's done after this year, regardless of whether he reaches his goal of 400 saves (he's currently sitting on 387).
While I've been all over the country throughout my years working for or covering the Astros, I haven't done a whole lot of international travel. In fact, most of my times crossing any borders have been work-related, and very sporadic — a few roadies to Montreal in the late 1990s and Spring Training exhibition trips to Venezuela (2001) and Mexico City (2004).
I'm about to add the Dominican Republic to the list and even though it'll be a really quick trip, I'm looking forward to finally seeing it for myself.
The Astros are officially opening their brand new Dominican Academy in Boca Chica on May 10, and I'll be tagging along with the front office contingent for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration. The Academy has been up and running for a while, with approximately 35 players currently preparing for their season, which is scheduled to begin at the end of May.
At the opener, the Astros will play the Phillies' Dominican Summer League club in a five-inning exhibition game following the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Not sure how much live Tweeting I'll be able to do down there from my cell phone, but we'll post plenty of pictures and videos in the blog soon after our return later that evening.
Injury update:
Chris Johnson (strained rib cage) has been hitting off a tee and hopes to start hitting in the cage in the near future. He still feels the pull in his midsection but says he's making decent progress. Johnson is eligible to come off the DL on May 4.
Lance Berkman was held out of Friday's game after tweaking his groin during his last at-bat on Thursday. Manager Brad Mills is hopeful Puma will be able to play Saturday. With two day games scheduled for this road trip, Mills opted to give Berkman the night game off with hopes he can finish out the series in Atlanta.
Wandy Rodriguez tested out his sore back with a short throwing session with pitching coach Brad Arnsberg before batting practice and appears to be on track to start Saturday. Wandy was scratched from the opener in Atlanta when he came down with back spasms before the final game of the homestand.
Sights from a beautiful spring evening at Turner Field:
Michael Bourn, Hunter Pence
Pedro Feliz, Tommy Manzella
The gigantic JumboTron in the outfield
Lee leans.
Pitchers stretch.
Humberto Quintero.
Follow Alyson Footer on Twitter
Questions? Send to firstname.lastname@example.com


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Link Happy: Zady Ambassadors
Have you come across the online retailer Zady? They seem to be making a splash as of late, doing things like running full page manifestos in The Wall Street Journal. I've started subscribing to their emails and I love the feature stories they publish. Just today they kicked off a series called Zady Ambassadors, and their first guest is Laura Brown, the executive editor of Harper's Bazaar (pictured above).
Something she said keeps coming back to my mind: " I think the longer you're in fashion, the less you think about trends." Funny, that's how we feel about trends in furniture, too. Check out the article here, and if you have time, poke around the features section. It's a fun and informative rabbit hole for your Tuesday afternoon.
Photos by Jessica Scott, via Zady

subset: commoncrawl


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The Wharf Boat and Yacht Show kicks off Friday morning with 125 in-water and 250 on-land boats and yachts on display.
The show is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission on Friday or "Locals Day," is $5 with identification. Regular admission is $7 a day. Children under 12 get in free and there's no charge to park.
Most of the boat show is supported by local dealers from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Vessels from Viking, Bertram, Contender, Jupiter, HydraSports, Everglades, Yellowfin, Edgewater, Tiara, Sea Ray and others will be showcased. In many cases, buyers also have the unique opportunity to test drive boats on the water.
In addition to the boats and marine accessories, the 2014 show has scheduled an air component.
Jack Edwards Airport in Gulf Shores is hosting Aviation Day on Saturday.
The airport will have airplanes and different exhibitors that will coincide with exhibits at the boat show. As an example, Cirrus Aircraft will be set up at The Wharf showing off options in private aviation.
For the fashion conscious, the annual Lucca Fashion Show is set to begin at 3 p.m. Sunday.
There's something for kids all show hours, too, with the Yellowfin Gallery Kids Art Clinic.
The Bridgewalk Stage will be the place to watch for seminars, live music and dealer specials throughout the show.
For more information, click here.


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How to Get Rid of Dirty Armpits
Dirty armpits. Ah yes, we have all experienced the humiliation, not to mention the odor, of dirty armpits at one time or another. Usually, dirty armpits occur at the most inopportune times like during a big presentation at the office or a first date with your dream girl or guy.
The following are lists of possible sweet solutions. They range from the obvious to the less commonly known. So, without further ado here they are:
Solution #1: Sweating the Obvious
1. WASH those armpits before and after work or play; whether you perform manual labor OR you're sweating that big event in nice clothes. All factors of daily life, including nervousness, can contribute to dirty, stinky armpits.
2. Cut or shave the hairs under your armpits. Hairs trap sweat and odors that cause unpleasantness to manifest. Cutting or shaving keeps the area cleaner and its' therefore less likely to become a "pitfall".
3. Although it seems like a good idea, AVOID spraying perfumes under your armpits. Perfumes are not made for armpit odor control AND can even mix with your sweat and cause a bad odor.
4. Wear light and airy clothing during hot, dry seasons to keep air circulating through your armpit area.
5. Try baking soda-based powder after washing and use a good, baking-soda based stick deodorant before dressing.
Solution #2: Dirty Little Secrets About Life
1. Refined sugar feeds bacteria and causes body odors to multiply. Keep that in mind as you munch that donut on a hot day.
2. Flush out your pores with physical exercise. Next, sit in a hot bath or sauna and flush your system until your sweat runs sweet.
3. Spot wash areas with soap and water to keep odor and sweat at bay AND your pores clean of the clog of antiperspirants.
4. Drink lots of water in every season.
5. Cut down on drinking and smoking the day of a big event. Tobacco and alcohol can cause smelly body odors.
Solutions #3: Little Known Pit-Fixers
1. To neutralize odors apply a paste made of a tsp of baking soda and two tsp of water.
2. Make a solution out of 1.5 tsp of apple vinegar and 8 1.5 tsp of water. Mix it up in a bottle with an applicator tip. Keep it handy in the bathroom and use as an astringent after your bath or shower. Make sure you rinse the area off and dry it before applying a baking soda based deodorant. The reason vinegar is such an odor eradicator is because it equalizes the PH balance of the skin, therefore helping to keep bacteria at bay.
These are just some of the dirty armpit fixes that I know of. I hope one or more of these solutions will do the trick for you as you do your part to Keep America Beautiful and Smelling Sweet!
1 Comment
I have a terribly bad funky armpit odour, like cockroach smell, so I need deodorant. however not just any deodorant, because I don't want it to clog up my skin or give me bad smell afterwards. I've been using UARMSOL deodorant for many years now and I have no more armpit odours. Even when I sweat I don't have any odours, this deodorant works great and I'm loving it. I can't go out in the day without putting it on. Even when I sweat my armpits don't have any smell. I applied 1 pinch and it's all to it for the whole day without worries about any smell afterwards. There's no after sport smell or odour masking. I would recommend it to anyone who has underarm odour.


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Soooo sooon!
Richard Giles
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text: The Dental Assistant is the liaison between the dentist and the patient. They maintain communication with the dentist, patient, and the front office staff to ensure that the patient receive the ultimate patient experience. The Dental Assistant assists the dentist chairside during treatment procedures, performing all assisting duties permitted by law.


text:
I am writing this letter in regard to your front page pictures on the "free kids fishing derby" Monday, July 23. It is a great service what the local sport clubs do to encourage our youth to get out and enjoy the great outdoors that we in the U.P. are so privileged to have. But I sure hope that the 10 kids who appear in the pictures are good swimmers.
I did not see one child with a life coat on, and some of them appear to be fairly young.
The water that we live and play on in the U.P. is beautiful; but turn your back or blink an eye and it can be deadly.
Parents, things can change faster than we know it. Please think safety when going anywhere near water. Keep your children safe.
Brennan VanEffen


text: Not everything that could go right went right in Vancouver. It just felt that way, by the end of it. Not everything that could go wrong went wrong in London. And yet ... 277 Canadian athletes, one gold medal. That's why the 2012 Summer Olympics may be remembered, by followers of Canadian medal fortunes, as the hangover Games. Or the heartbreak Games. The mourning, two years after the night before.


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Filed under: Classics, Convertible, Performance, Videos, Mazda, Design/Style
The original Mazda Miata broke onto the automotive scene in 1989 and was a huge success. However, the convertible's genesis goes all the way back to the early '80s. Bob Hall and Dean Case were among the inside men of the program on the US side, and they were on hand at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the recent MX-5 event there to tell some of their stories about the project's beginning.
Hall was on the Miata project from very early on, and one of his most fascinating stories is how the convertible got its shape. The droptop wasn't necessarily going to be a rear-wheel drive roadster. There were both front-wheel-drive coupe and mid-engine concepts being considered. In fact, the classic look of the NA generation was the least favorite of the three at the sketch stage.
Hall comes off as a jokester hiding a genius mind. He has a fountain of information in his head about what a Miata should be, but it all comes down to "less is more." However, he admits that it's easy to conceive that idea, but it's much harder to actually execute it well.
If you're interested in the inside stories of automotive history, this is a video to check out.
Continue reading Mazda Miata 'fathers' Hall and Case offer a tour through the roadster's history
Mazda Miata 'fathers' Hall and Case offer a tour through the roadster's history originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Sep 2014 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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National Council on the Arts meets tomorrow!
March 25, 2010
March 25, 2010 Washington, DC Tomorrow morning the NEA will host the public session of the 169th meeting of the National Council on the Arts (NCA) from 9:00-10:45 am. The agenda includes the swearing in of jazz musician Irvin Mayfield as the newest?and perhaps youngest ever!?NCA member, followed by...
Art Works in Miami
February 2, 2010
February 2, 2010 Miami, Florida Rocco received a warm welcome (pun intended) yesterday as he and NEA Senior Deputy Chair Joan Shigekawa toured Miami, the fifth stop on the national Art Works tour. Focusing on Miami's thriving design culture, stops included the city's renowned Design and...
Continuing the Conversation
January 29, 2010
January 29, 2010 Washington, DC Concluding his January 6th PBS News Hour interview with Rocco , PBS's Jeffrey Brown invited the public to send in follow-up questions and comments. Mr. Brown has published Rocco's responses on his blog...
The Jazz Masters in Their Own Words
January 28, 2010
January 28, 2010 Washington, DC Thanks to jazz aficionado and radio producer Molly Murphy, with her encyclopedic knowledge of the art form and easy rapport with jazz musicians, we now have eight extended interviews with the 2010 NEA Jazz Masters on our website. These candid, free-flowing...
Joining the U.S. Mayors in Making Vital Communities
January 21, 2010
January 21, 2010 Washington, DC "...art makes communities better: prouder, more cohesive, individuated. We know and recognize cities by their special architecture and parks and sculpture gardens and neighborhood arts fairs. And there's no such thing as just music: there's hip-hop in LA...
Next Stop: Memphis!
January 14, 2010
January 14, 2010 Washington, DC "River City" is the next stop on Rocco Landesman's "Art Works" tour across America. The NEA Chair has arrived in Memphis, Tennessee, at the invitation of Barbara and Pitt Hyde of the Hyde Family Foundations for a full day of activity tomorrow...
Coda to the Jazz Masters Celebrations
January 13, 2010
January 13, 2010 Washington, DC Wrapping up an extraordinary week of conversations and celebrations of jazz and the NEA Jazz Masters, we have two more essential items for you: Brief video tributes introducing each new Jazz Master were aired last night at the awards celebration and concert...
All That's Jazz
January 12, 2010
January 12, 2010 New York, NY Let the celebration begin! The 2010 NEA Jazz Masters Awards ceremony and concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. (EST) in Rose Theater at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, and feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton...
Listening to the Masters
January 10, 2010
January 10, 2010 New York, NY Two more sessions focusing on jazz at the Arts Presenters conference with NEA Jazz Masters playing a key role: Underway now and continuing to 10:45: "Got Jazz? A New Age of Audience Enlightenment." Led by Lawrence Simpson of the Berklee College of Music with...
Sitting down with the News Hour
January 8, 2010
January 8, 2010 Washington, DC On January 6, 2010, PBS Newshour featured an interview segment with NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman. Senior Correspondent Jeffrey Brown met with Landesman to discuss his ideas for the agency, including the Art Works theme that will inform his tenure at the Endowment. The...
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April gallery exhibit showcases work of three MC art students
April 1, 2003
Written by: David Rasnake, Communications Assistant
Three MC seniors are putting the finishing touches on a gallery of their artwork that will be displayed in an exhibit on the MC campus. The month-long exhibition, which begins April 7, is intended to showcase the painting and photography of art majors Amanda Baker, Michelle Curley and Meredith McCaslin.
On Monday, April 7, the MC Fine Arts Division will host a reception to mark the show's opening. From 6 until 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center gallery, all three artists will be on hand to discuss their works, and the individual exhibitions will be available for viewing.
Baker, from Clinton, Tenn., will be exhibiting a series of photographs of performing artists and musicians entitled "The Working Artist." Knoxville native Curley will show her collection of portrait paintings, "People We Know." McCaslin, of Maryville, will present "Nature Around Us," an exhibit of nature photography.
The show is a culminating project for all three graduating seniors. "We have been working with them [the three artists] all year on this exhibition," said assistant professor of art Amy Campbell, speaking on behalf of the entire fine arts faculty. "We are very excited," she added.
Works will be on display in the Fine Arts Center Gallery from April 7 to May 9. The Gallery is open daily, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Both the opening reception and the Gallery exhibit are free and open to the public.
Contact the MC Fine Arts Center, 865.981.8150, for more information.
Maryville College is ideally situated in Maryville, Tenn., between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Knoxville, the state's third largest city. Founded in 1819, it is the 12th oldest institution of higher learning in the South and maintains an affiliation with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Known for offering its students a rigorous and highly personal experience that includes an undergraduate research requirement, Maryville College is a nationally ranked institution of higher learning that successfully joins the liberal arts and professional preparation. Total enrollment for the fall 2016 semester is 1,198.


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Chicopee City Council unfair to Mayor Bissonnette
During discussions regarding the possible purchase of a new ambulance, a Chicopee city councilor said (not kidding in any way), if an ambulance breaks down we can borrow one from another community. All basic objectivity and clear thinking there by the City Council has been interrupted and infested by the ongoing, oftentimes vicious, personal agenda the council has against Mayor Michael Bissonnette who, in this case, had said that $15-million-plus is readily available for much needed equipment, particularly the ambulance.
This atmosphere is, in all actuality, creating votes in committee to be based on going against the mayor at all costs while cost effectiveness/timely purchasing, public safety, the wants of Chicopee's taxpayers and practicality have, sadly and dangerously, have become a non-issue for councilors.
Bissonnette, correctly, notes that this latest round is a personal circus to, in effect, attack him rather than honestly dealing with Chicopee's needs.
– WALTER KRZEMINSKI, Easthampton
The writer is a former Chicopee firefighters.
Agenda of Hamas is to destroy Israel
There are a few lessons that we do not seem to get in regards to the alleged truce between Hamas and Israel:
1. The word "truce" in the Hamas world means "we bought time to stock up on weapons for our next assault on Israel." That was made patently evident by the comments of the leadership of Hamas who issued a statement the day after the alleged truce went into effect letting the world know that they will continue to build their weaponry supplies despite any truce. It doesn't take a genius to know that they have only one reason to reload.
2. Hamas exists for one purpose and one purpose only and that purpose is to remove Israel from the face of the earth. The word of Hamas has no measure of truth or trust in it at all.
3. There is no way to reason with people who are so irrational and so out of touch with reality that they will sacrifice their own children again and again. You cannot reason with insane terrorists. Is there another kind?
How many times must Israel step back and wait for the next daily barrage of rockets from the murderers who are Hamas? I hope that this truce does work, but based on the history of Hamas and those who assist Hamas, I believe that it will last only as long as it takes for Hamas to reload. When that happens I hope that Israel will take all measures necessary to end this, despite what other countries – who would do the same – think of Israel's responses.
Golda Meir said it best when she told the world that there could be no peace in the Middle East until the terrorists "love their children more than they hate us." That day has yet to come.
– ALLEN G. ZIPPIN, Longmeadow
Tea Party faction dishonors disabled
I am not sure if people understand the depths of stupidity men will go when they do the bidding of the unscrupulous fear-mongering Tea Party, one percent and the wealthy. In the case of the United Nations treaty for the rights of the disabled that was blocked by 38 members of the Senate, led by Mitch McConnell shows, without doubt, that we as a nation must band together and remove from office these heartless men who put politics before country. Here is a roster of their names, so that there is no doubt who they are:
Alexander, R-Tenn.; Blunt, R-Mo., Boozman, R-Ariz.; Burr, R-N.C.; Chambliss, R-Ga.; Coats, R-IN.; Coburn, R-OK.; Cochran, R-Miss.; Corker, R-Tenn.; Cornyn, R-Texas.; Crapo, R-Idaho; DeMint, R-S.C.; Enzi, R-Wyo; Graham, R, S.C.; Grassley.R-Iowa; Hatch, R-Utah; Heller, R-Nev.; Hoeven, R-N.D.; Hutchison, R-Texas; Inhofe, R-Okla.; Isakson, R-Ga.; Johanns, Neb.; Johnson, R-Wis.; Kyl, R-Ariz.; Leem Utah; McConnell, R-Kenn.; Moran, R-Kan.; Paul, R-Ky.; Portman, R-Ohio; Risch, R-Idaho; Roberts, R-Kan.; Rubio, R-Fla.; Sessions, R-Alaska; Thune, R-S.D.; Toomey, R-Pa..; Vitter, La. and Wicker, R-Miss.
I suppose on the face of it, their actions were meant to convey the message of unity against a growing power base or the last throes of a dying serpent. What made it poignant, and telling for me was to see the old Republican leadership in the guise of Sen. Bob Dole kicked to the curb by those new Republicans. Not one of the 38 are good enough to push his wheel chair and not one of them will ever be remembered for anything other than their disrespect to a real American hero. To Quote Senator Harry Reid: It is a sad day when we cannot pass a treaty that simply brings the world up to the American standard for protecting people with disabilities because the Republican party is in thrall to extremists and ideologues."
– BRUCE A. GUINDON, West Springfield


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In Aaron Hanson's laboratory, you'll find the things you'd expect -- beakers, dissection trays, lab tables -- and something you won't: beer.
Hanson, a computer engineer turned army cook turned biochemist, is venturing into beermaking with his new Sandy nanobrewery and taproom, Bunsenbrewer.
The facility is less a brewery and more a "fermentation laboratory," Hanson said.
The pints are filled by a bartender in a lab coat, served in beaker-style glasses and delivered on dissection trays. Customers are encouraged to ask about the recipe, yeast strain, pH level, temperature of the pint and everything else.
But the science geekery isn't cosmetic. Hanson, 33, treats each new batch as a chance to experiment.
A veteran homebrewer, Hanson is still brewing small -- just a one and a half barrel system -- but enjoys the freedom that comes with it. He plans to tweak recipes and incorporate new methods into each batch, and said his brews will evolve over time.
"I just want to brew what I like" he said, "and not have to always aim for consistency."
Hanson said the constant tinkering will provide a unique experience for guests, who are encouraged to try different batches of the same brew and provide feedback.
Bunsenbrewer currently offers its own oatmeal stout and Belgian trippel on tap, as well as eight guest taps. And you don't need to be a beer geek -- or a geek at all -- to enjoy the brews, Hanson said.
Bunsenbrewer opened on New Years Eve and plans to hold a grand opening celebration on January 25. The taproom is located at 16506 Southeast 362nd St. in Sandy. More information can be found at http://www.bunsenbrewer.com.


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When your children are dead, all you can do is buy flowers for their grave — and fight
I am not an avid Twitter user but I did send a tweet yesterday. It wondered whether all those people who have said over the years that "chippy Scousers" should "move on" from Hillsborough and "just let it go" were now feeling shamefaced. I do hope so.
I have heard this charge repeated many, many times as a resident of Liverpool. "It was a terrible tragedy", intelligent people have told me confidently, "but the families are dragging it on too long now. What will it achieve?" Less intelligent people — let's call them "utter ignoramuses" — have even groaned: "Not Hillsborough again?"


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Two local school districts were listed by the United States Department of Agriculture as possibly having "Class 2' recalled beef, but all four of Perry County's districts have been checking their supply, just in case.
On Feb. 17, the USDA issued a statement, stating Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company, of Chino, Calif., was voluntarily recalling 143 million pounds of frozen and raw beef products.
The company has been under USDA investigation for abusing sick and crippled animals, and the investigation led to the recall. The USDA said "Class 2' designation means very-low health risks should the recalled meat be consumed.
West Perry food services administrator Linda Roush said the district received some of the recalled product, but immediately pulled it. Roush was notified about the recall last week.
"We'll be purchasing new beef to replace the recalled product, but there will probably be a rush on the market," Roush said, adding it's a possibility some of the recalled meat may have been served to students.
The school's menu will be changed to ensure no beef products are served until the new beef arrives, Roush said.
Currently, the district's food service management company, Metz & Associates, Ltd., of Dallas, Pa., is preparing a statement and letter to send to parents.
Metz & Associates also is the food service company for Greenwood School District. Ben Leverknight, Metz & Associates general manager for food service district, said while the school was listed, it received no contaminated product. Leverknight said he found out about the recalled meat on Feb. 15 and a Feb. 21 conference call revealed the district had not been effected.
"Right now, we're just trying to figure out what's going on," Leverknight said.
Leverknight explained the recalled meat is identified by lot numbers, dates and numbers provided by the USDA. If a district has more than 50 cases of recalled product, the USDA requires the district to dispose of the product into special Dumpsters.
Newport and Susquenita school districts officials said neither district was affected by the recall. The two have the same beef distributor, Feeser's. Newport also uses Reinhart, but had not received recalled meat.
"We're in good shape, thankfully," said Newport School District business manager Dick Brosius.


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Opening the season with a young team short on depth is one thing, but opening with back-to-back games against the two teams who were in the
That team –
Although head coach John Quinn wasn't happy with the tough opening schedule, it may have been a blessing in disguise.
"That early schedule didn't demoralize us,'' said Quinn, in his eighth season at
Since the rough start, things have jelled as the Zebras have outscored Carteret, J.P. Stevens,
"We've stopped making mistakes on the defensive end,'' said Quinn. "Our defense has really improved. In our last four games, we've been relatively error-free.''
Quinn credited defensive linemen SirJode Caracter, Jamaas Jeffrey and linebackers Corey Scott and Troy Wilcox as the players who have stepped up to solidify the defense.
Offensively, halfback Simuel Williams has been leading the resurgence. After being held in check for two games, Williams now has well over 500 yards rushing and six touchdowns.
Fellow halfback Sidney Williams and wide receiver John Simpson have also lit it up, while first-year quarterback Jalen Long "is starting to develop,'' according to Quinn.
While the schedule lightened up, it now gets tougher again as Group IV North Brunswick (3-2), Group III Monroe (4-1) and Group IV Sayreville (6-0) await for the Group II Zebras.
"We're going to see what we're made of,'' said Quinn. "
COACHES CORNER: On Friday, Immaculata head coach Pierce Frauenheim became the sixth coach in state history to win 300 games or more.
Here's the current list of
Bob DeMarco,
Rich Marchesi,
Marcus Borden,
George Najjar,
John Quinn,
Ben LaSala, Colonia 74
Phlip McGuane, So.
Dan Higgins,
Dave DeNapoli, Dunellen 55
Ron Hilliard, Bishop Ahr 54
THANKS TO THE GARAGE GANG: Special thanks to The Garage Gang (I know the name is wrong, but you know who you are).
During the South River-Highland Park game on Saturday under December-like conditions in South River, bowls of beef stew were brought up to the pressbox for members of the media. I was told it was from The Garage Gang.
That certainly hit the spot. Thank you.


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National Day of Prayer Observance at Mobile Government Plaza
Thursday, May 02, 2013 2:29 PM
Inappropriate photo? Alert us.
Brenda Brannon and her son, Paul Redmond, attend at a National Day of Prayer Observance Thursday, May 2, 2013, in front of Mobile Government Plaza in Mobile, Ala. (Mike email@example.com)
Related articles
- National Day of Prayer gathering draws about 50 at Mobile Government Plaza May 02, 2013, 4:42 PM


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Dress Up Rooms And Houses
Play dress up games, makeover games and cute games for girls. Dress Up Your Design: Accessorize a Bare Bedroom.
Each month, a lucky reader wins accessories from Etsy. Help this young girl rearrange and dress her room.
Now you can learn cleaning up your room in a of the most popular places to play dress up games. Free Dress Up Games, fashion and makeover games.
and hair cutting, nail decorating games, design and create dolls, avatars, icons, virtual houses and rooms. Play Room Decoration Games for free on your browser Home / Room Decoration Games.
The best ever dress up games for girls only on DressUpCraze. What is your favorite Dress Up Game category? Do our polls on dress up games Make your own little village with a castle, shops, fountain and houses.
Dress up celebrities and style yourself with the latest trends. Dress up and doll house girls decorating theme play rooms – little girls dollhouse bedroom decor ideas.
dress up games, fashion dress up games online,inspiration Home; Games. Tons of Dress up Games Online to play here.
Thanks for visiting RainbowDressup, one of the most popular places to play dress up games. Boy Dress up Games; Couple Dress up Games; Fantasy Dress up Games; Girls Dress up Games Green Kids Room We have different rooms in our home.
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We're headed toward Twelfth Street and a night on the town with the best dresses and separates for the season. Descrition Twelfth Street Striped Shirt Dress with Belt We're loving this Twelfth Street Striped Shirt Dress with Belt.


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$$ – Affordable
Cake Tastings, Groom's Cakes, Cakes + Desserts
Contact Info
disapointedReviewed on 2/03/2015 Amber H
found the vendor online, loved her designs and the fact she would be willing to accommodate anything we wanted. however upon showing up for a cake tasting I was shocked to see her answer the door in a tank top (middle of winter). she gave me and fiancé the time to look at her... Read More cakes. she had picture hanging up and some in books; however I found it odd she didn't have her cakes separated by types, when looking through the books I had to sort through pages of birthday cakes. I understand she does all types of cakes but I would have liked to have a book that was just dedicated to her wedding cakes. The she offered us a cake sample and that's when my disappointment really hit. The cake was cold and tasted old. I also was not a fan of the icing, it was runny more like a pudding then an traditional icing. I was then put off a bit further by her security depot fees for her cake stands, because I saw how poorly she treated them, they were un polished silver trays thrown and stacked under a table. After out cake tasting my fiancé and I knew we had to look for another wedding cake vendor.
I am sorry you were not pleased with your visit to IncrEdible Endings. I do have two books of photos on my showroom table. The larger one is dedicated only to my wedding cakes. The other book is for my specialty cakes, including shower and... Read Less Read More
Incredible!Reviewed on 7/08/2014
Barb was beyond flexible, patient and accommodating with our wishes. The cakes were beautiful and delicious! These were actually for Baptism cakes but the check box did not allow.
Special Occasion CakesReviewed on 5/05/2014 Tanya L
Barb is amazing. Her cakes not only look fabulous, but also taste delicious. She has been making cakes for me and my family since 2004, and we have never been disappointed. Her cakes are by far the best tasting cakes of any I have ever had, and I have traveled all around the... Read More globe. If she sold them in stores I would buy one every week, because there are never left overs. She is talented, kind, and makes a personal connection to the client, which is important. She creates your vision, not hers, and her cakes are always amazing. Her cakes truly help make the event spectacular and memorable. I always look forward to a special event, when I can get a cake made by Barb.


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The Saint Louis directory for the years 1854-5 :
Olert, Ferdinand, laborer , 287es.east side. 5th in al
Olfe, Henry, shoe maker , ns. Myrtle, b. 2d and 3d
Olfermann, John, tailor , ss. Plum, b. 2d & 3d ups
Oliphant, Eliza, widow, 100ns.north side. Myrtle
Oliphant, Robert W., M. D. , office and r. 8 s.south 5th
Oliver, Caleb. teacher in Lafayette school
Oliver, John, works at Belcher's, ws. 2d,n.north of O'Fallon
Oliver, Palmer Y.river man , ws. 10th, b. Webster and
Oliver, Thomas D.tailor and cutter , 55n.north 4th,r.residence Monroe
Ollegs, Anton, tailor , 47 Fr. av. r. 214n.north 2d
Oiligon, Cornelius, drayman , ws. al. b. 7th and Proven-
chere, running fromn.north to s
chere, running fromn.north to s
Ollmeier, Henry, pressman at Anzeiger, r. ss. Biddle, b.
9th and 10th
9th and 10th
Olmer, Mortes, laborer , es. 10th, b. Clark av.avenue & Walnut
Olmsted, Louis, salesman at 54n.north 4th, r. sw. cor. 9th &
Olshausen, Arthur, (O. & Stille,) r. in country
Olshausen, John J., M. D. , 9 s 2d ups
Olshausen & Stille , real estate agents, 4n.north 2d
Olshausen, Theodore, office 4n.north 2d,r.residence 9 s.south 2d
Oman, John, tobacconist , sw. cor. 6th and Fr. av
Ommen, Wammo G.(Greve & Co.) sw. cor. 7th & Market
Omnibus office, Case & Co. proprietors , nw. corner 3d and
Onion, John K.carr builder P. R. R. Pratt av. n. of
Onry, Frank, upholsterer at Williamson, 123n.north 2d
Onslow, George, drayman , ws. 9th, s.south of O'Fallon
Opel, Adam, shoemaker , ss. Carr, b. 10th & 11th
Opel, Conrad, butcher , ss. of Victor, b. Jackson & Easton
Opel, John, laborer , ss. Wash, b. 12th and 13th
Opel, John A.cooper , es. Main, b. Smith and Bates
Opel, John J.clerk , ss. Wash, b. 12th and 13th
Opel, Wm.painter , es. Carondelet av. b. Lafayette and
Opits, Charles, tailor , 123n.north 3d, r. es. 3d, b. Locust &
Oppenlander, Lewis, ship carpenter , 325n.north 2d
Oppermann, Francis, cabinet maker , 60 Wash. av. r. ss.
Mulberry, b. Main and 2d
Mulberry, b. Main and 2d
Oppermann, Henry, ss. Lafayette, b. Jackson & Columbus
Oppermann, Jacob, tailor , 29 Olive, r. nw. corner 5th &
Orabb, Edw.finisher at McMurray & Pawley's,r.residence 12th &
Fr. av
Fr. av
Oram, John, engineer on lower Mississippi, r. ns. Greene,
b. 7th & 8th
b. 7th & 8th
Orcott, Augustus, baker , es. 11th, b. Locust & St. Charles
Ord, John, fruit and provision store, ns. Greene, b. 4th
and 5th
and 5th
Orden, Christopher, shoe maker , es. 9th, s.south of O'Fallon
Ordes, Mrs.Sarah, milliner , 169 Market
Oregon, Brewery, ws. 7th, b. Barry and Marion
Orff, Henry, laborer , es. Jackson, b. Barry & Marion
Orings, Henry, flour packer , r. ss. Labeaume,e.east of 9th
Orleman, John(Mayberg & Co.) r. ss. Morgan,w.west. of 4th
Orlemann, Arnold, brewer , ne. cor. Lafayette av.avenue & 2d
Carond. av
Carond. av
Orme, A. E.ss. Clark av. b. 12th and 14th
Orme, Geo. Wm.ss. Clark av. b. 12th & 14th
Orme, Robert, brick layer , ns. Spruce, b. 12th and 14th
Ormsby, Charles, laborer , al. b. 9th and 10th, Fr. av. & Morgan
Orndorff, John, saddler shop, 141n.north 3d, r. ws. B'way, b.
Jefferson and Madison
Jefferson and Madison
Orndorff, Joseph, saddle manuf. ws. B'way, n. of
Orphan's Home , sw. cor. 11th & Jackson al
Orr, A. P.salesman at Woods, Christy & Co. r. ws. 7th,
b. Market & Walnut
b. Market & Walnut
Orr, David A.engineer , r. se. cor. B'way and Ashley
Orr, Henry S.lottery vender , 92 Greene
Orr, Thomas H.engineer , r. se. cor. B'way & Ashley
Orr, Wm. C.salesman at Woods, Christy & Co.'s r.residence Mon-
roe house
roe house
Orth, Wm.shoemaker , r. al. b. 8th and 9th, Fr. av. and
Orthaus, Gerhard, laborer , ss. Lafayette, b. Carond. av.
and Jackson
and Jackson
Ortloff, Gustave, clerk at Hoit's , r. Henry house
Ortstadt, Henry, bar keeper at Lafayette brewery, ss. Carr
b. 7th and 8th
b. 7th and 8th
Osbach, Christian, drayman , es. al. b. 7th and Proven-
chere, Rutger and Park av
chere, Rutger and Park av
Osberg, Christopher, castor maker , ss. Wash, b. 11th and
Osborn, C. S., operator at National Telegraph office
Osborne, Camp & Co. , carriage manufactory, 41
n.north 3d
n.north 3d
Osborne, H. B., (O., Camp & Co.) r. se. cor. 7th and
Osborne, John D., (Wade, Stille & Co.) r. ns. Pine,
b. 7th and 8th
b. 7th and 8th
Osborne, Mahlon, ns. Washington av., b. 15th and 16th
Osborne, Moses, (Ely, Dodd & Co.) r. 143 Washington av
Osbourn E. A. & W. O. , milliners and dress makers, 48
Osburg, Charles, street inspector 6th ward, r. sw.
cor.corner 7th and O'Fallon
cor.corner 7th and O'Fallon
Oser, Louis, helper , ss. Franklin av., b. 17th and 18th
Osmann, Clemens, laborer , 193 Wash, b. 8th & 9th, ups
Ossel, Thomas, tobacconist , ws. 10th,n.north of Benton
Ossendorf, John, cooper , ns. Allen av., b. Fulton and De-
Ost, Wm.laborer , ws. Short, b. Jackson and Wood
Ostenschlaeger, Margarethe, widow, ws. al. b, Park av.avenue &
Rutger & 7th & Provenchere
Rutger & 7th & Provenchere
Osterbeck, Henry, wood sawyer , ns. Morgan, b. 5th and
6th, ups
6th, ups
Osterkamp, Hecter, bake shop, ns. Washington av., b. 7th
and 8th
and 8th
Osterman, John, porter , rear of 142 Franklin av
Osterman, John G., porter , 158n.north 2d, r. es. Buel, cor.corner of
Ostermann, Alois, laborer , ws. Decatur, b. Lafayette and
Ostermann, Henry, laborer , ws. Main, b. Howard and
Ostermann, Herman, carpenter , ws. 10th, s.south of O'Fallon
Ostermann, John, clerk at Belcher's refinery, r. es. Buel,
b. Lafayette and Emmett
b. Lafayette and Emmett
Ostermann, John, porter , 58 Front, r. sw. corner 5th and
Franklin av
Franklin av
Osthoff, Frederick, blacksmith , shop nw. cor. 10th & Fr.
av., r. in rear
av., r. in rear
Osthoff, Wm., boiler maker , in rear of nw. cor. 10th and
Franklin av
Franklin av
Ostmer, Ferdinand, brewer , ws. B'way, b. Jefferson and
Oswald, Philip, finisher at McMurray & Pawley's, r. Fr.
av. b. 18th and 19th
av. b. 18th and 19th
Oswald, Xaphir, laborer , ss. Rosatti, b. Soulard and La-
Oswaldt, B., carriage maker , 41 3d, r. ne. cor. 3d and
Otenwelder, John, 299es.east side. 7th, b. Rutger and Hickory
Other, Frederick, pedler , ws. Kosciusko, b. Lesperance &
Othmer, Conrad, tailor , ne. cor. 12th and Biddle
Otkamper, Wm., foundryman , r. in rear of 32 Fr. av
Ott, Christian, shoe store, 459 s.south 2d
Ott, Henry, shoemaker , 288 s.south 2d
Ott, Herman, wagon maker , ns. Labeaume, b. 2d and
Ott, Lucas, driver of beer wagon, sw. cor. Broadway and
Ott, Michael, butcher , ws. Columbus, b. Miller & Barry
Ott, Peter, feed store, es. Carondelet av., b. Carroll and
Ott, Wm., tanner , es. Carondelet av., b. Treudeau & Du-
Otte, Wm., tobacconist at Mullen's,r.residence 184 Fr. av
Ottel, Gustave, clerk , 46 Front, r. es. 5th, b. Fr. av. and
Ottemeyer, ——, laborer , ns. Jefferson,w.west. of 14th
Otten, Anton, carpenter , ws. 9th,n.north of Biddle
Otten, John G., shoemaker , sw. cor. 9th and Chambers


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MOUNT OLIVE — A 38-year-old San Diego, Calif. man was arrested after a cache of weapons, including a sawed-off shotgun, two handguns, two knives and hollow-point ammunition was found in his vehicle, police said.
At about 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, police stopped a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, driven by Michael E. Lovell, that was headed south on Route 206, after the vehicle moved out of its lane, police said. While speaking to Lovell, Corporal Carl Mase spotted a 45 caliber handgun between the front seats near the center console, police said.
Lovell was removed from the vehicle and checked for weapons, police said. Corporal Mase found the gun to be unloaded, according to police. Lovell gave consent to search his vehicle.
According to police, during the search, multiple weapons were found in the car. In the trunk, a sawed-off shotgun with ammunition, a 9mm handgun with ammunition and 45 caliber hollow-point ammunition, police said. Inside the car, police found a loaded magazine of 45 caliber hollow point ammo, police said. The loaded magazine was found in the center console, according to police. Two illegal knives — a Stiletto switch blade and a spring loaded gravity knife — were found in the glove box, police said.
Police impounded the car and brought Lovell to headquarter for processing and further investigation, police said.
He was charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a handgun, two counts of unlawful weapons possession for the knives, unlawful possession of a shotgun, possession of a sawed off shotgun and possession of hollow point bullets, police said. He was released pending a court hearing on all charges, police said.


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I worked today--all day--in the office because my coworker insisted that I needed help from her son and his friend. They are 20 and 23. Evidently, they've never met the alphabet and can't follow very explicit instructions
I could have done this at home tonight, in front of the TV, and I could have enjoyed my Saturday. You live and learn
And never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.
― Sarah McMane
they've never met the alphabet
Sorry about your, um...help.
The coworker's son has worked this event before. He was telling his friend about how good the fool smells...
I think I'm in for a very long night.
I'm laughing - and sorry for the stress.
Crazz was JUST talking about working with early 20somethings tonight. I believe his exact words were, "OMG just SHUT UP and do your JOB!!!" (Cause he's at the ripe old age of 32 )
He was telling his friend about how good the fool smells...
Good luck Monday night!
The FOOD


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Syracuse, NY - A Solvay man was sentenced this morning to two to six years in state prison for setting fire to a vacant house in his neighborhood in January.
Onondaga County Judge Anthony Aloi told Chad Balitz he owed an apology to the firefighters and police officers whose lives were jeopardized by his conduct. Balitz, who pleaded guilty to third-degree arson, complied by offering an apolgy in the courtroom.
Authorities said Balitz used paint thinner to ignite a fire at the house at 113 Freeman Ave. about 9 p.m. Jan. 3. Authorities said the vacant house had been used to train firefighters.
Staff writer Jim O'Hara called in this report from the courthouse.


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Fable III hinted by Jonathan Ross
Speaking in the wake of last night's videogame BAFTA's in London, UK presenter Jonathan Ross has said that Lionhead have asked him to add his voice to a third Fable game.
Fable II was an RPG hit for Lionhead and Microsoft at the end of 2008, and it seems Peter Molyneux and co could already been considering Fable III according to Ross.
Ross updated his Twitter thusly yesterday evening: "Goodnight all. Must go to bed. Got asked to do voice in Fable 3 tonight. Subarashi. Oyasuminasai. Woss out."
In related news, Molyneux himself has also said that his team are plotting 'something' new, which could step into the limelight at the upcoming GDC in San Francisco.
"Naming a particular game before it's out is a difficult thing. And I'll tell you why, because in two weeks I'm about to fly out to America for the Gamers' Development Conference and that's the time when you start to see what's really coming up," the veteran developer said, speaking to the BBC.
"I know some of the things behind the scenes that are going on but it'd be really inappropriate to talk about them. But I can say there's some exciting things on the way. What you think of as video games is changing and changing fast."
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From FWIW's Irish correspondent comes a report of an event that has the locals gobsmacked:
What are the odds? Two Maseratis collide.
It seems that one Maseraiti (driven by woman, but did I say anything?) pulled from a parking space and hit another, with resulting damages. It probably does seem unusual in a country with just 80 registered Maseratis (out of a total of 632 cars), two should find each other, but hell, here in Greenwich you'd find that many in the Whole Foods parking lot on any given Saturday morning. Donkeys are rarer.


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"We thought it might just have been bursitis but we found out (Wednesday) that it was MRSA," Crowell said. "And we couldn't take the chance of infecting somebody else. I could never live with that."
Crowell said the Blue Eagles were shutting down their wrestling room, "cleaning everything a wrestler may have touched," and hoped to return to competition Jan. 3 when Nazareth travels to Central Catholic.
Nazareth is the defending team champion at the Bethlehem tourney which gets under way Friday morning.


text: "I've learned that when God promises beauty through the ashes, He means it." So says Taya Kyle, who learned that lesson the hard way. Taya is the widow of Navy SEAL and Iraq War veteran Chris Kyle. Best known as the "American Sniper" because of his best-selling book and the movie about him starring Bradley [Read More…]